Current Affairs Quiz - September, 2021

Notes:
Walmart-owned digital payments firm PhonePe has launched PhonePe Pulse, India’s first interactive platform with data, insights and trends on digital payments in the country.

The website showcases more than 2000 crore transactions by consumers on an interactive map of India. PhonePe also launched the Pulse Report, which studies on the evolution of digital payments over the past 5 years with detailed geographical and category-specific trends. As per the report, over 300 million Indians from 19,000 pin codes now use digital payments.

Notes:
The National Resistance Front (NRF) has been demonstrating stiff resistance against the Taliban forces at Panjshir Valley in Afghanistan. The NRF have called for a ceasefire and have proposed that Taliban stop its military operations in Panjshir.

Although the major parts of Afghanistan including the capital city have been taken in Taliban’s control, the Panjshir Valley is yet to be taken control by Talibans.

Notes:
Karnataka has decided to ban online gambling or betting, and to amend the Karnataka Police Act, 1963. The ban does not include lottery or betting on horse races as mentioned by Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister J.C. Madhuswamy. This decision was undertaken after the Karnataka High Court repeatedly asked the State Government to take a stand on online betting.

Notes:
SBM Bank has partnered with fintech player OneCard to launch a mobile-based credit card named ‘mobile-first.’ OneCard will leverage Visa’s technology and global acceptance in this co-branded credit card offering through an app. State Bank of Mauritus (SBM) was the first foreign bank to receive a banking license from the Reserve Bank of India.

Notes:
The Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Ltd. (IREDA) has signed a MoU with Tamil Nadu Generation & Distribution Corporation Limited (TANGEDCO). Under the MoU, IREDA will extend technical expertise & support to TANGEDCO for Renewable energy project development, to bid process management, and provide implementation support. IREDA will also assist TANGEDCO in debt raising by developing financial models, assistance in the understanding market instrument, underwriting services for the proposed debt requirement, conducting pre-market surveys, and road shows to evoke interest amongst potential investors. TANGEDCO is planning to undertake 20,000 MW of Solar Power Project, with adequate Battery Storage, 3,000 MW of Pumped Storage Hydro Electric Project, and 2,000 MW of Gas Based Power Plant for efficient Renewable integration.

Notes:
Microsoft and OYO have announced a multi-year strategic partnership to co-develop next-gen travel and hospitality products and technologies. The duo plan to develop solutions using Microsoft’s cloud and AI capabilities that will be geared to benefit clients who operate small and medium hotel and home storefronts across the world.

Notes:
Tata AIA Life Insurance has announced Indian athlete and Olympic gold medallist Neeraj Chopra, as its brand ambassador. This association also marks the very first brand partnership to be signed with the gold medallist javelin thrower.

Notes:
A workshop for Non-Governmental Organizations on Nutrition and Health was organized by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs on 09th September, 2021, as part of its POSHAN MAAH activities. The purpose of the workshop was to closely associate NGOs working with Ministry of Tribal Affairs in the mission of Sahi Poshan-Desh Roshan. The workshop was attended by more than 70 NGOs who are working in the health sector in tribal areas. The workshop was organized by Tribal Health Cell under Ministry of Tribal Affairs. This workshop was also organized in association with AIIMS.

Notes:
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has handed over the first deliverable Firing Unit (FU) of Medium Range Surface to Air Missile (MRSAM) System to Indian Air Force (IAF). In a significant boost to defence capabilities of India, MRSAM was handed over to IAF at Air Force Station, Jaisalmer in Rajasthan. MRSAM is an advanced network centric combat Air Defence System. It was jointly developed by DRDO and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) in collaboration with Indian industry consisting of private and public sectors as well as MSMEs. It is a surface-to-air-missile, 4.5m in length. Contract for MRSAM programme was signed in February 2009. Under the contract, IAF was to buy 450 MRSAMs and 18 firing units at the value of $2bn.

Notes:
Nirlep Singh Rai has been appointed as Chairman and Managing Director of State-owned fertiliser firm National Fertilizers Ltd (NFL).