Current Affairs Quiz - May, 2020

Notes:
The Governor of Reserve Bank of India delivered his third such address since the nation-wide lockdown.
He announced a cut in the repo rate by 40 basis points to 4% and the reverse repo is also simultaneously reduced by 40 bps to 3.35%. Earlier in the month of April, the repo and reverse repo rates were fixed at 4.4% and 3.75% respectively. The Governor also extended moratorium on all term loans by another 3 months till August 31, 2020.

Notes:
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has recently issued an order staying the proposed Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Scheme.
The NGT’s zonal bench also constituted a committee to study the environmental impact of the Rayalaseema pumping project and Pothireddypadu head regulator canals enhancement works. Telangana government has recently complained to Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) against these projects, after the petition of a resident of Telangana.

Notes:
The Reserve Bank of India Governor Shaktikanta Das recently announced that the central bank has decided to roll over (extend) the Rs 15000 Crore refinance facility provided to SIDBI (Small Industries Development Bank of India).
The roll over is to be provided for 90 more days, from the at the end of the 90th day. RBI also announced to extend a line of credit of Rs 15,000 crore to the EXIM Bank for a period of 90 days from the date of availing, with rollover up to a maximum period of one year. EXIM Bank will use this to avail US dollar swap facility for its forex requirement.

Notes:
The Horticulture Department of Bihar has partnered with the Postal Department of the Indian Government for online booking and delivery at doorstep facility
The ”Shahi Lichi” of Muzaffarpur, Bihar and “Zardalu Mango” of Bhagalpur, Bihar are famous in the country for their unique fragrance and taste. As the cultivators find it difficult to transport the fruits to the markets for sale, this online booking has been launched. People can place order on the website of the state’s horticulture department.

Notes:
Every year, May 25 has been observed as the World Thyroid Day since 2008, across the world. The European Thyroid Association and American Thyroid Association established World Thyroid Day to promote public awareness of thyroid disease.
Thyroid is the most common endocrine disorder and a rapidly growing problem across the world. Jal Shakti Ministry has said that water plays a crucial role in treating the symptoms of thyroid and helping in weight loss.

Notes:
Indian American Scientist Rajiv Joshi has been awarded the prestigious Inventor of the Year award by the New York Intellectual Property Law Association. He is an alumnus of IIT Mumbai.
As per the Press Trust of India, he has more than 250 patented inventions in the US and is currently working at IBM Thomson Watson Research Center in New York. He has been selected for the award for his contribution in electronic industry and improving artificial intelligence capabilities.

Notes:
The Indian Olympic Association has constituted an 11-member committee led by Adille Sumariwala, the President of Athletics Federation of India.
The committee has been constituted to review and monitor annual grant and affiliation fee of its members for the 2020-2021 cycle, in coordination with the finance department. The committee is also required to send a report on all pending issues regarding previous year to IOA President.

Notes:
About 40 million e-cigarette users from across the globe are set to celebrate the World Vape Day on May 30. It is celebrated to spread awareness on vaping and its effectiveness in harm reduction and helping smokers quit.
The representative body of e-cigarette users in India the Association of Vapers India (AVI). It joins hands with consumer advocacy organisations from 34 nations to spread awareness. Last year, the Central Government imposed a ban against vaping.

Notes:
Every year, May 28 has been celebrated as the World Menstrual Hygiene Day across the world. It is a global platform initiated by the German non-profit organisation WASH United.
This year, the theme of Menstrual Hygiene Day is ‘Periods in Pandemic’. Several government agencies, individuals, non-profits and media join hands to create awareness about the safe menstruation practices and hygiene management.

Notes:
The foundation stone for setting up a Missile Park ‘Agneeprastha’ was recently laid at INS Kalinga, Visakhapatnam by Commodore Rajesh Debnath, who heads INS Kalinga.
A 2-megawatt solar photovoltaic plant was also commissioned at INS Kalinga by the Vice Admiral of Eastern Naval Command. This is the largest plant in the Eastern Naval Command and has an estimated life of 25 years. This step is in line with the National Solar Mission proposed by the Union Government to achieve 100 GW of solar power by 2022.