Current Affairs Quiz - August, 2023

Notes:
Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), released a new mobile application ‘SAMUDRA’ – Smart Access to Marine Users for Ocean Data Resources and Advisories.
It aims to offer comprehensive information on all ocean related services, useful for seafarers and the fishing community.

Notes:
The state government of Odisha has recently withdrawn its earlier order issued on August 11, 2023. The earlier order stated that ‘deemed forests’ as a category would cease to exist under the recently amended Forest Conservation Act 2023. The state government has put the decision on hold till issuance of final guidelines by the forest ministry. Deemed forest is land which appears to be a forest but is not notified as forest land by the Centre or the state government.

Notes:
Central Water Commission (CWC) launched the mobile application, “FloodWatch” with the aim of using mobile phones to disseminate information related to the flood situation and forecasts up to 7 days on a real-time basis to the public.
The in-house developed app has readable and audio broadcast and all the information is available in English and Hindi. Key feature of the app includes real-time flood monitoring where users can check up-to-date flood situation throughout the country.

Notes:
Axis Bank has announced the introduction of two lending products to small business customers which will be processed through Pilot for Public Tech Platform for Frictionless Credit (PTPFC) platform.
PTPFC was announced by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to facilitate quick appraisal and disbursal of credit. The two products announced by the Axis Bank are Kisan Credit Card (KCC) and unsecured MSME loans.

Notes:
Madan Lal Dhingra was an Indian revolutionary who was hanged to death on August 17, 1909, at the age of only 24, for killing British official Curzon Wyllie.
On the 114th anniversary of his execution, a memorial in his name was formally inaugurated in Amritsar’s Golbagh area.

Notes:
Mohit Kumar became the first Indian wrestler to become a junior world champion since 2019 after edging Russia’s Eldar Akhmadudinov in the 61kg final, in the World under-20 championships.
Priya (women’s 76kg) earned another gold medal for the country and became the country’s only second woman grappler to grab the title.

Notes:
The G20 Pandemic Fund has approved a $25 million proposal submitted by India’s Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying (DAHD), Government of India on “Animal Health Security Strengthening in India for Pandemic Preparedness and Response”.
The G20 Pandemic Fund was established under Indonesia’s G20 Presidency, which finances critical investments to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response capacities at national, regional, and global levels of low- and middle-income countries.

Notes:
The Union Ministry of Panchayat Raj, in close collaboration with the J&K’s Panchayati Raj & Rural Development Department is organizing the National Workshop on Localization of Sustainable Development Goals in Gram Panchayats, at Srinagar.
The ‘Meri Panchayat Mobile app’ developed by Ministry of Panchayati Raj would be launched during the event.

Notes:
Under the overall framework of G20 Presidency, the Y20 India engagement Group meeting concluded in Varanasi.
The Y20 2023 communiqué was released by the troika countries comprising of Chair Y20 India, Indonesia Organising Committee Representative and Brazil Organising Committee Representative. The Flag was officially handed over by Y20 India Chair to the Brazilian Head of Delegation.

Notes:
Capital Market Regulator SEBI plans to set up a Research Analyst Administration and Supervisory Body (RAASB) to administer and supervise research analysts.
This is along the lines of the Investment Adviser Administration and Supervisory Body set up for administration and supervision of investment advisers.