Daily GK and Current Affairs Quiz – 18th September 2021

Correct Answer: B. State Bank of India

Explanation: Global Deputy CTO of State Bank of India, Amit Saxena has joined RBI Innovation Hub as the Chief Technology Officer (CTO). The Reserve Bank announced that it would set up Reserve Bank Innovation Hub (RBIH) to promote innovation across the financial sector by leveraging on technology and creating an environment that would facilitate and foster innovation.

About the RBIH:

The RBIH shall create an ecosystem that would focus on promoting access to financial services and products. This will also promote financial inclusion.The Hub will collaborate with financial sector institutions, the technology industry, and academic institutions and coordinate efforts for the exchange of ideas and development of prototypes related to financial innovations.It would develop internal infrastructure to promote fintech research and facilitate engagement with innovators and start-ups.

Correct Answer – C. 17 September

Explanation: World Patient Safety Day is observed on September 17 to create a global awareness for patient safety and urge people to show their commitment to making healthcare safer. The Day brings together patients, families, caregivers, communities, health workers, health care leaders and policy-makers to show their commitment to patient safety. The theme for 2021 WPSD is ‘Safe maternal and newborn care’.

History of the day:

World Patient Safety Day – established by the World Health Assembly in 2019 through resolution WHA72.6 on “Global action on patient safety” is observed annually on 17 September. It was adopted at the 72nd World Health Assembly on 25 May 2019.

Correct Answer – A. Ayaan Shankta

Explanation: A 12-year-old environmental activist from Mumbai, Maharashtra, Ayaan Shankta has been named as “2021 International Young Eco-Hero”.He won the 3rd prize under the Age Group: 8-14 for his project “Conservation and Rehabilitation of Powai Lake” and became one of the 25 global winners of the Young Eco-Hero Award 2021.The award presented by “The Action for Nature”, San Francisco based NGO, recognize young people (8 to 16 years old) for their environmental achievements.

Correct Answer – E. Jammu & Kashmir

Explanation: In Jammu and Kashmir, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has launched a new mission called ‘One Gram Panchayat-One DIGI-Pay Sakhi’. The mission was launched at Jammu & Kashmir Entrepreneurship Development Institute, Pampore. He outlined that DIGI-Pay Sakhi has introduced financial inclusion within the UT’s Self Help Group (SHG) ecosystem, creating much needed financial access points with greater transparency even in the remotest of the areas.

About the mission:

Initially, the DIGI-Pay facility will be provided in 2,000 remote villages of UT.In the first phase, 80 women from self-help groups from across the Jammu and Kashmir divisions have been selected as DIGI-Pay Sakhis.On the occasion, the Lt Governor distributed 80 Aadhaar Enabled Payment Systems (AEPs) among the DIGI-Pay Sakhis under the Jammu & Kashmir Rural Livelihoods Mission (JKRLM).He also inaugurated a week-long training program for Krishi Sakhis and Pashu Sakhis on sustainable agriculture and livestock management. Terming the social and economic independence of ‘nari shakti’ (women empowerment) as the bedrock of any nation’s progress.

Correct Answer – E. Athlete

Explanation: Double Olympic hammer throw gold medallist Yuriy Sedykh, a Ukrainian track and field athlete who represented the Soviet Union until 1991, has passed away. He set the world record for the hammer throw with a throw of 86.74 metres at the European Championships in Stuttgart in 1986 which is still not broken. He won his first gold medal at the 1976 Olympics in Montreal and his second gold at the 1980 Olympics in Moscow.

Correct Answer – D. Baijayant Panda

Explanation: The Ministry of Defence has constituted a High-Level Expert Committee, for a comprehensive review of the National Cadet Corps (NCC). Former Member of Parliament (MP) Baijayant Panda will be the Chairperson of the Committee. The 15-member committee will also include Cricketer MS Dhoni and Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra as members.

Terms of Reference of the Committee:

Suggest measures to empower NCC cadets to contribute more effectively towards nation building.Propose ways for gainful engagement of NCC Alumni for the betterment of the organization.Recommend best practices of similar international youth organisations for inclusion in the NCC curriculum.

About the NCC:

The NCC is the largest uniformed organisation that aims at developing character, discipline, a secular outlook and ideals of selfless service amongst young citizens. It also aims to create a pool of organised, trained and motivated youth with leadership qualities in all walks of life.

Important Points:

• NCC Founded: 16 April 1948;
• NCC Headquarters: New Delhi.

Correct Answer – A. Safe maternal and newborn care

Explanation:  World Patient Safety Day (WPSD) is observed every year on 17th September to create a global awareness for patient safety and urge people to show their commitment to make healthcare safer.It was first observed in 2019 by World Health Organization (WHO).The day was adopted at 72nd World Health Assembly on 25 May 2019.Theme for 2021 WPSD: ‘Safe maternal and newborn care’.

Correct Answer – A. Subramanian Swamy

Explanation: A book has titled ‘Human Rights and Terrorism in India’ authored by BJP MP Subramanian Swamy.He has come out with a book “Human Rights and Terrorism in India” which traces how the combating of terrorism can be harmonised with human and fundamental rights within reasonable restrictions that are permitted by the Constitution and upheld by the Supreme Court.

Correct Answer – C. Susanna Clarke

Explanation: English author Susanna Clarke has won 2021 Women’s Prize for Fiction for her second novel ‘Piranesi’.Women’s Prize for Fiction: It is one of the United Kingdom’s most prestigious literary prizes.It is awarded annually to a female author of any nationality for the best original full-length novel written in English, since 1996.Piranesi is a mystery about a man living alone in a labyrinthine house.

Correct Answer – B. MSME Lending

Explanation: RBI has announced the opening of Third Cohort under Regulatory Sandbox (RS) with the theme of ‘MSME Lending’.Third Cohort application will be kept open from October 1 to November 14, 2021.Prior to this, RBI has launched 2 cohort under regulatory sandbox. These are:First Cohort: It was launched in November 2019, with the theme as ‘Retail Payments’ .Six entities have completed the testing phase of the cohort.Second Cohort: It was announced in December 2020 with the theme as ‘Cross Border Payments’.

Correct Answer – B. Amit Saxena

Explanation: Amit Saxena, Global Deputy CTO of State Bank of India has joined RBI Innovation Hub as the CTO (Chief Technology Officer). On Aug 6, 2020, the Reserve Bank announced that it would set up Reserve Bank Innovation Hub (RBIH) to promote innovation across the financial sector. Before joining SBI, Saxena worked for companies like Syntel, HCL technologies, TechMahindra, and Quark.

Correct Answer – B. 2427

Explanation: The Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance released an amount of Rs. 2427 crore to 11 states for the Urban Local Bodies on 17 September 2021. The amount released is the 1st installment of tied grants for the year 2021-22. These grants have been provided for the Non-Million Plus cities (NMPCs) including Cantonment Boards.

Out of all the states, Uttar Pradesh received the highest amount at Rs 741 crore, while Tripura received the lowest at Rs 21 crore. A total grant of Rs 4943.73 crore has been released to urban local bodies so far in 2021-22. The tied grants are meant to ensure the availability of additional funds to urban local bodies over and above the funds allocated by the Centre and the State for sanitation and drinking water under various centrally sponsored schemes. The states are required to transfer the grants to the urban local bodies within 10 working days of receipt from the government. Any delay beyond 10 working days requires the state governments to release the grants with interest.

Correct Answer – C. 18 September

Explanation:- World Bamboo Day is celebrated every year on September 18. The day is observed to raise awareness about the fast-growing grass plant Bamboo. It day was established by World Bamboo Organisation (WBO) at the 8th World Bamboo Congress held in Bangkok in 2009.

Bamboos are a diverse group of evergreen perennial flowering plants in the subfamily Bambusoideae of the grass family Poaceae. Bamboo is a tall, tree-like grass of the family Poaceae.It comprises more than 115 genera and 1,400 species.They are fast-growing perennials, with some species growing as much as 30 cm per day.Bamboo can be used in various ways including as food, as a substitute for wood, building, and construction material.It can also be used for handicrafts and paper.  Bamboo has environmental benefits as it can be planted to reclaim severely degraded sites and wastelands. It also plays a significant role in soil and water conservation. It is also a good soil binder.

Correct Answer: C.  The Wire 

Explanation: Indian news portal The Wire has received the 2021 Free Media Pioneer Award instituted by the Vienna-based International Press Institute.The Wire”s founding editor Siddharth Varadarajan and national affairs editor Sangeeta Barooah Pisharoty received the award at a ceremony held in the Austrian capital of Vienna  The annual Free Media Pioneer Award was established by the International Press Institute (IPI) in 1996 to recognize media organizations that are innovating for better journalism and news access.