Current Affairs Quiz - September, 2022

Notes:
Defence Accounts Department (DAD) signed a memorandum of understanding with Bank of Baroda and HDFC Bank, to onboard them as Service Centres under the System for Pension Administration (SPARSH) initiative.
The MoU will onboard around 8000 branches of Bank of Baroda and 6000 branches of HDFC Bank as Service Centres to provide last mile connectivity to pensioners.

Notes:
As per Commerce Ministry’s notification, India has set up a new ‘Exports Promotion Council for Medical Devices’.
The council will be under the department of pharmaceuticals and will be headquartered in Noida and will have offices in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. The council will help exporters in promoting their products in international markets. India exported Rs. 23,766 crore of medical devices in 2021-22.

Notes:
The Ministry of Tourism had identified 15 tourist circuits under its Swadesh Darshan scheme including Ramayana Circuit, Buddhist Circuit, Coastal Circuit and Desert Circuit among others.
Union Tourism and Culture Minister G Kishan Reddy announced a special tourist train to cover the ‘Ambedkar Circuit’. The train will visit key sites associated with Dr BR Ambedkar including Mhow (his birthplace called Dr. Ambedkar Nagar in Indore), London (where he resided and studied), Nagpur (also studied here), Delhi (where he passed away) and finally Mumbai (where he was cremated.)

Notes:
Union Communications Ministry has prepared the draft Indian Telecommunication Bill, 2022 and invited from stakeholders and industry associations.
In July 2022, a Consultation Paper on ‘Need for a new legal framework governing Telecommunication in India’ was published. Based on the consultations and deliberations, the Ministry has prepared the draft Bill to develop a modern legal framework in telecommunications.

Notes:
Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and Ministry of Food Processing Industries jointly launched a Convergence Portal between Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF), Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises scheme and Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana.
The eligible beneficiaries under PMFME and PMKSY Schemes would be able to avail an additional benefit of Interest Subvention at 3% on the interest rate being charged by the banks. This is in addition to the 35% subsidy being provided under the PMFME Scheme.

Notes:
The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Cadet Corps (NCC) to tackle the issue of plastic pollution.
The aim is to achieve the universal goal of clean water bodies through ‘Puneet Sagar Abhiyan’ and ‘Tide Turners Plastic Challenge programme’. National Cadet Corps is the youth wing of the Indian Armed Forces with its headquarters in New Delhi.

Notes:
Central Public Sector Enterprise- REC Limited, formerly called as the Rural Electrification Corporation has been accorded the ‘Maharatna’ status.
An order to this effect was issued by the Department of Public Enterprises, under the Ministry of Finance. REC is a Non-banking Finance Company which focuses on Power Sector Financing and Development across India. With the grant of ‘Maharatna’ status, REC can also enter into technology Joint Ventures or other strategic alliances.

Notes:
Union government’s ‘Skill India’ initiative, the Electronics Sector Skill Council of India (ESSCI) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with ‘Samsung India’ to upskill youth in India.
Under ‘Samsung Innovation Campus’, it aims to upskill over 3,000 unemployed youths from 18-25 years of age in emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things, Big Data and Coding and Programming.

Notes:
The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has reappointed Dilip Asbe as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (MD & CEO) of the company for a period of five years.
Dilip Asbe took over as MD&CEO of NPCI in January 2018. NPCI is an umbrella organisation for operating retail payments and settlement systems in India.

Notes:
‘FridaysForFuture (FFF)’ is a youth-led movement that began in August 2018, to protest against the lack of action on the climate crisis.
FFF organised Global climate strikes across the world, which was attended by thousands of young activists. The campaign demanded stronger policies for climate reparation. It took place a day after ‘Loss and Damage Action Day’.