Current Affairs Quiz 8th April 2021 : Daily GK Update Quiz

Exp. The Union Cabinet recently apprised a MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) signed between India and Japan. The MoU was signed between National Atmospheric Research Laboratory (NARL) that operates under Department of Space, GoI and the Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere called the RISH that operates under Kyoto University of Japan.

According to the MoU signed, the NARL and RISH will continue their cooperation in the areas of technology, atmospheric sciences, collaborative scientific experiments and other related modelling studies.

Exp. Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman participated virtually in the Second G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors (FMCBG) meeting under the Italian Presidency to discuss policy responses to global challenges to restore strong, sustainable, balanced and inclusive growth. The G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors discussed Updates of the G20 Action Plan in response to COVID-19.

Exp. India hosted a Meeting of BRICS Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors virtually on April 6, 2021. The meeting was jointly Chaired by Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs, Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman and Governor, Reserve Bank of India, Shri. Shaktikanta Das. Participants included Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors of the BRICS countries.

As 2021 BRICS Chair, India’s approach is focused on strengthening intra-BRICS cooperation based on Continuity, Consolidation and Consensus.

Exp. In a major move in the online payments segments, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has decided to allow payment system operators to take direct membership of Centralised Payment Systems (CPS), such as RTGS and NEFT.

Membership in Centralised Payment Systems (CPS) RTGS and NEFT for entities other than banks are so far limited to banks, with a few exceptions, such as specialised entities like clearing corporations and select development financial institutions.

Exp. The Reserve Bank of India has enhanced the limit of maximum balance at end of the day maintained in Payments Bank from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 2 lakh per individual customer.

The extant “Guidelines for Licensing of Payments Banks” issued on November 27, 2014, allow payments banks to hold a maximum balance of ₹ 1 lakh per individual customer.

Exp. The Reserve Bank of India has increased the limit for Way and Means Advances (WMA) for the State Governments/UTs from Rs. 32,225 crore (fixed in February 2016) to Rs. 47,010 crore based on the recommendation of a committee headed by Shri Sudhir Shrivastava. This represents an increase of about 46%.

RBI has extended the enhanced interim WMA limit of ₹ 51,560 crores (a 60 per cent increase in the current limits allowed by the Reserve Bank during the last fiscal to help states/UTs to tide over the difficulties faced by them during the pandemic) for a further period of six months i.e., from April 1, 2021, up to September 30, 2021.

Exp. The Reserve Bank of India has increased the limit for Way and Means Advances (WMA) for the State Governments/UTs from Rs. 32,225 crore (fixed in February 2016) to Rs. 47,010 crore based on the recommendation of a committee headed by Shri Sudhir Shrivastava. This represents an increase of about 46%.

RBI has extended the enhanced interim WMA limit of ₹ 51,560 crores (a 60 per cent increase in the current limits allowed by the Reserve Bank during the last fiscal to help states/UTs to tide over the difficulties faced by them during the pandemic) for a further period of six months i.e., from April 1, 2021, up to September 30, 2021.

Exp. The government has appointed S Ramann as Chairman and Managing Director of Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI). The appointment is for a period of three years from the date of his assuming the charge or until further orders.

Ramann, a 1991-batch Indian Audit & Accounts Service officer, is currently the CEO of National E-Governance Services Ltd, India’s first Information Utility.

Exp. Sumon Chakraborty is a faculty member at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), the Department of Mechanical Engineering in Kharagpur.

Professor Suman Chakraborty has been shortlisted for the 30th GD Birla Prize for Scientific Research for his outstanding contribution to the science of engineering and its applications in the development of technologies for affordable healthcare.

Exp. FIFA has suspended the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) and Chadian Football Association (FTFA) with immediate effect due to claims of outside interference. The suspension will be lifted once the relevant government decisions have been repealed.

A group of football officials led by Ashfaq Hussain, which was elected by the Supreme Court in 2018 to run the PFF but was not recognised by FIFA, took over the headquarters recently and seized control from the FIFA Normalisation Committee headed by Haroon Malik.

Exp. The INS Sarvekshak is on a deployment to Mauritius for undertaking Hydrogrpahic surveys along with Mauritius. It will also provide training to the Mauritian personnel on advanced hydrographic equipment and practices during the deployment.

INS Sarvekshak has visited Port Louis and commenced the hydrographic survey of “Deep Sea Area off Port Louis”.

The Hydrographic surveys help in the measurement of ocean features that affect marine dredging, maritime navigation, offshore oil exploration and drilling and other related activities.

Exp. Capital: Port Louis

Currency: Mauritian rupee