Current Affairs Quiz - September, 2021

Notes:
SBM Bank India has partnered with Lendingkart, a fintech start-up in the working capital space, and launched a customised overdraft facility for over 1 lakh customers of the fintech. With this collaboration, the Indian MSMEs being catered by Lendingkart, can avail the unique overdraft facility powered by SBM Bank India on Lendingkart platform.

Notes:
British government has announced to introduce legislation in 2021, under which all the newly built homes and offices will require to feature electric vehicle chargers in England. Under the legislation, all new homes and offices will be required to feature smart charging devices which can automatically charge vehicles during off-peak periods. According to it, new office blocks will require to install a charging point for every five parking spaces. This law will make England the first country in the world that requires all new homes to have EV chargers. The legislation is part of the movement that seeks to rapidly boost the number of chargers in England ahead of UK’s 2030 ban of new fossil-fuel vehicles. Home and office EV charger proposal is expected to start in 2022.

Notes:
India’s largest open-air fernery has been inaugurated in Uttarakhand’s Ranikhet. The fernery is home to a large number of fern species, some of which are endemic to the state, some hold medicinal value while some are threatened species that demand care and conservation. This center has been developed for conservation of fern species and also to create awareness about their ecological role and promote further research. The newly inaugurated fernery is one of the biggest ferneries in India. The fernery has the largest collection of fern species, second to only Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanical Garden and Research Institute (TBGRI), Thiruvananthapuram. However, it is the country’s first open-air fernery in natural surroundings which is not under any poly-house/ shade house.

Notes:
US President Joe Biden administration has announced a new trilateral security partnership for the Indo-pacific. Security partnership was done between Australia, United Kingdom and United States. This security grouping called AUKUS, will focus towards advancing strategic interests in the Indo-Pacific region. The central feature of this partnership comprises of a trilateral 18-month effort in order to help Australia in acquiring nuclear powered submarines which are quieter, more capable as compared to their conventional counterparts. Such submarines can be deployed for longer periods and needing to surface less frequently. These are nuclear powered submarines and not armed with nuclear weapons. AUKUS will also involve a new architecture of meeting and engagements between three countries. It also involves the cooperation across emerging technologies like AI, quantum technologies as well as undersea capabilities.

Notes:
SpaceX has launched four amateurs on its first ever private flight on September 15, 2021. SpaceX first ever “Earth-circling trip” was started on boarding two contest winners, a health care worker as well as their rich sponsor. This is the most ambitious leap in space tourism. This was the first time any rocket blasted off toward orbit with an all-amateur crew and no professional astronauts. Two men and two women are looking forward to spend three days on Dragon capsule circling the world. They will be circling the Earth on an unusually high orbit at 160 km higher than the International Space Station. Their flight will splash down off the Florida coast by September 19th Dragon capsule aimed for an altitude of 575 km, beyond the Hubble Space Telescope.

Notes:
The Indian military contingent consisting of an all arms combined force of 200 personnel, including 38 personnel from the Indian Air Force, is taking part in the Exercise PEACEFUL MISSION -2021. This exercise is being held in the Orenburg Region of South West Russia from September 13 to 25, 2021. SCO Peaceful Mission is a Multilateral & Joint Counter Terrorism Exercise. The exercise is conducted biennially under the “military diplomacy” between the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member states. 6th edition of the Exercise Peaceful Mission is being hosted by Russia, with the aim of fostering close relations between SCO member states. The exercise also seeks to enhance abilities of the military leaders for commanding the multi-national military contingents.

Notes:
The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has pegged India’s economic growth rate to hit a four-year high of 7.2% for 2021. It had predicted a contraction of 7% in 2020. At this rate, India would be the fastest growing economy after China, which is projected to grow by 8.3%. Calculations are based on GDP at constant dollars in 2015.

Notes:
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma has launched the MyMeG Program. This program has been launched with the primary aim to facilitate participation in the governance process and citizen engagement. This program has been launched to keep in line with the state’s aim to becoming one of India’s top ten states by 2030.

Notes:
The National Aerospace Laboratory (NAL) has adopted Dassault Systèmes’ solutions to develop and build civil aircraft in the country. The platform-based passenger experience solution from 3DEXPERIENCE was used to design the cabin and cockpit of the Saras Mk2 program. Saras Mk2 will be a 19-seater aircraft.

Notes:
IIFL Home Finance Ltd. has signed an agreement on co lending with Punjab National Bank (PNB). IIFL plans to increase its loan portfolio by 25% with the association. The goal of this partnership is to increase the penetration of affordable housing loans and loans to MSMEs. The main target states of this partnership are Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.80% of the loans will be provided by PNB, while IIFL Home Finance Ltd. will manage documentation collection, loan sourcing and servicing work.