Daily Current Affairs Quiz: September 27,2021

ANSWER: B

WHY IN NEWS?

National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (NIRD&PR), Hyderabad under the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) presented “Hunarbaaz Awards” to 75 diyangjan candidates.

About:

• Awards were presented to candidates from 15 states as a part of Azaadi ka Amrit Mahotsav on September 25, 2021.
• September 25 also marked the occasion of Antyodaya Diwas which is observed on birth anniversary of Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya.
• Virtual award ceremony was organised by NIRDPR with MoRD, in collaboration with the State Rural Livelihood Missions (SRLMs) and Rural Self-employment Training Institutes.
• CEOs of SRLMs and Directors of RSETIs presented the awards at respective states to the specially-abled achievers.

DDU-GKY and RSETI ka Hunarbaaz Awards

These awards have been instituted by the NIRD&PR, Hyderabad. These awards are presented to the candidates who were trained under the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) and Rural Self Employment Training Institutes (RSETI) schemes and got placed & worked in the organizations for more than one year.

About DDU-GKY

Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari and Venkaiah Naidu launched DDU-GKY on September 25, 2014 on the occasion of 98th birth anniversary of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya. It was launched with the vision of “Transforming poor youth from rural India into an economically independent and globally relevant workforce”. It is aimed at targeting youth, in the age group of 15–35 years. This scheme is a part of the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) and is tasked with the dual objectives of adding diversity to the incomes of poor families and cater to the career aspirations of youth from rural India. A corpus of Rs 1,500 crore was dedicated for this purpose. Under it, disbursements are made through a digital voucher directly into the bank account of students

ANSWER: A

WHY IN NEWS?

Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu presented the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) innovation on September 26, 2021.

About

• Awards were presented to two Class 10 students from Udupi district in a virtual ceremony.
• Those students are Anusha and Rakshitha Naik from Charamakki Narayana Shetty Memorial Government High School in Ardi Village.
• They received the award for their project named “Gas Saving Kit”.
• Award was sponsored by the Union Ministry of Science and Technology, that will reach to students in a week, via post.
• It comprises of a cash prize of Rs 20,000.

Background

• 0f all, 14 schools have been awarded from across the country.
• Out of 14 schools, Charamakki Narayana Shetty Memorial Government High School is the only government school to get this award.

About the project

Both the students developed gas saving kit. This kit would enable a family of four to source hot water for bathing as well as cooking food simultaneously. It will also allow water to flow through a copper coiled frame which have been kept over a flaming stove. In the process, water flowing through the outlet pipe is heated.

Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)

CSIR was established in September 1942 by the Government of India as an autonomous body. It is the largest research and development organisation in India. It is mainly funded by the Ministry of Science and Technology. However, it operates as an autonomous body under the Societies Registration Act, 1860. The research and development activities the organisation comprises of structural engineering, aerospace engineering, ocean sciences, chemicals, mining, life sciences, metallurgy, food, leather, petroleum, and environmental science.

ANSWER: C

WHY IN NEWS?

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi has set up a ‘Centre of Excellence (CoE) on Quantum Technologies’ in a bid to conduct research activities in the related field.

About:

• This CoE will bring synergy and coherence in the activities that are being carried out at IIT Delhi,
• It will also support the principal investigators to pitch in for several significant projects from the DST and other agencies.

Focus areas of CoE

The centre of Excellence will focus on select thrust areas including quantum computing, quantum sensing & metrology, quantum communication and quantum materials & devices. Centre would undertake the design and development of new quantum materials. It would also undertake research activities related to the quantum processor & cryogenic controller, modelling and technology development of semiconducting qubits such as CMOS and 2D materials, quantum biophotonics, quantum sensing & metrology, development of single-photon detectors etc.

Significance of quantum physics

Quantum physics has impacted society in an unprecedented way, in some 100 years. In order to exploit the characteristics of quantum physics in light & materials, researchers invented both laser and the transistor. Inventions ranging form the basis of information technology, computers, the internet, etc has shaped the society up to a large extent. It was the first quantum revolution.

Second quantum revolution

Second quantum revolution is now round the corner. It is benefitting enormously from the advancements of ability to detect and manipulate single quantum objects like photons and atoms

ANSWER: B

WHY IN NEWS?

Voters in Switzerland decided to legalize same-sex marriage on September 26, 2021. It makes Switzerland one of the last countries in Western Europe to do so.

About:

• Apart from opening up the option of marriage to all couples, government also approved an amendment to Switzerland’s marriage law which was put to voters in a referendum.
• This law also grants lesbian couples to get access to sperm banks as well as allows same-sex couples to adopt children.
• Under the amended law, same-sex couples will be able to have a civil wedding. They will be granted the same institutional and legal rights as heterosexual couples.
• They will be granted simplified naturalization for foreign partner.
• Law was approved through a referendum, in which polls predicted widespread approval for same-sex marriage in the country.
• The legislation change was accepted by 64.1 percent of voters. It also received strong support in urban as well as rural areas.

Background

Federal government has approved the marriage laws in year 2020 and in the line, parliament had also approved them, granting all couples the same rights. However, opponents were seeking to limit marriages to unions between a man and a woman. Thus, they collected signatures to force a referendum.

Same sex couple in Switzerland

Same-sex couples in Switzerland have been able to enter into a civil partnership since 2007. It grants them some legal rights. However, it is not equal to a marriage.

Country not allowing same sex marriage

Italy is the only country in Western Europe which does not allow marriage between same-sex couples. It only allows civil unions

ANSWER: C

WHY IN NEWS?

Lewis Hamilton has become the first ever Formula-one driver who reached to his 100 wins after finishing at first in the Russian Grand Prix on September 26, 2021.

About:

• Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time World Champion, overtook the long-time race leader Lando Norris late on.
• Norris, was aiming for a maiden Grand Prix victory. He was leading for most of the race.
• Hamilton finished over 53 seconds ahead of the second-placed Max Verstappen. Max had started at back of the grid after Red Bull took a new engine.
• Hamilton also moved back to the top of driver’s championship standings ahead of Verstappen.
• Hamilton is already holding the record for most F1 wins.

Sir Lewis Carl Davidson Hamilton

He is a British racing driver and currently competes in Formula One for Mercedes. He has previously driven for McLaren from 2007 to 2012. Hamilton has won the joint-record seven World Drivers’ Championship titles in Formula One. He also holds the records for the most wins, podium finishes and pole positions.

Background

Hamilton was born and raised in Stevenage, Hertfordshire. In the year 1998, he joined the McLaren young driver programme. This led to a Formula One drive in 2007 with McLaren. In 2007 season, Hamilton set numerous records and finished runner-up to Kimi Raikkonen by one point. In the next season, he won his maiden title in dramatic fashion and become the then-youngest Formula One World Champion in history.

ANSWER: A

WHY IN NEWS?

Union Minister for Commerce, Industry and Textiles Piyush Goyal announced to set up a “Weaver Services and Design Resource Center” in Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh.

About:

• This centre will help in encouraging the attractive handicraft products of the state and provide a better platform to export these products at the international market.
• The Minister announced this while addressing at an interaction programme with handicrafts and handloom artisans.
• Programme was organized under ‘Seva & Samarpan Abhiyan’ to commemorate the golden jubilee year of statehood of Himachal Pradesh on September 27, 2021.

Weaving in Himachal Pradesh

Himachal Pradesh has the tremendous talent and potential with magical hands that weaves beautiful art products. Thus, there is a need to work proactively by State & Central Ministries in order to bring these products into the international market to get more befits. More attention should be paid on modernizing the design, packaging, quality and marketing in order to provide weavers a better price for their products at international market.

District-wise exhibitions

The union minister also suggested to organize district-wise exhibitions of products from the state in big cities, in five star hotels and people associated with the textile industry so that branding could be done for these products at national and international level. He also asked the weavers to get their trademark for which central government reduced the registration fee by 80 percent. He also urged the State Industries Department to focus on ways and means of improving the quality of wool used in manufacturing of handloom and handicraft products. According to the minister, there is a paramount need of focusing on standardized packaging.

ANSWER: C

WHY IN NEWS?

World Tourism Day is observed by the United Nations Organisations (UNO) on September 27, every year.

About:

Theme of the day

In the year 2021, world tourism day was observed under the theme– ‘Tourism for Inclusive Growth’. This theme was designated by World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) considering the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic had a massive social and economic impact on the developed as well as the developing economies. So, the organisation believes that, tourism will help in the recovery and growth of the economies.

Significance of tourism sector

As per official website of United Nations Organisations (UNO), tourism is the most important economic sectors that employs and provide livelihood to one in every tenth person on Earth. In several countries, tourism represent more than 20 per cent of their GDP. The constant growth of the tourism sector in the last six decades reflects more progressive access towards tourism because of declining cost of transport and growth of middle classes worldwide.

Background

UNWTO had instituted the World Tourism Day during a meeting that took place in Spain. This meeting commenced first celebration of the day in the year 1980. September 27 was chosen as the date to coincide with the 10th anniversary of the adoption of the UNWTO Statutes. UNWTO statutes were adopted on September 27, 1970.

Tourism amid covid-19

As per UNO, biggest crisis in the history of tourism was witnessed during 2020-2021. The international tourist arrivals were 85 per cent lesser as compared to tourism is 2019. It witnessed a drop of 65 per cent in 2020, in between January and May. However, despite a small revival in May 2021, emergence of new COVID-19 variants & continued restrictions are slowing the recovery of international travel. Though, domestic tourism has rebounded in many parts of the globe.

ANSWER: D

WHY IN NEWS?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission on September 27, 2021.

About:

• Under this mission, a unique digital health ID will be provided to the people. This ID will contain all the health records of person.
• This mission was launched under the pilot project National Digital Health Mission.
• The nationwide rollout of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission coincides with the third anniversary of Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY). Third anniversary is being marked by the National Health Authority (NHA).

Background

Prime Minister had announced the pilot project of National Digital Health Mission from the Red Fort on August 15, 2020.

About Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission

• Presently, this project is being implemented in the pilot phase across six Union Territories.
• This mission will also enable the access and exchange of longitudinal health records people with their consent.
• Key components of this project include:

1. A Health IDfor every citizen. It will also work as their health account. Through this ID, personal health records can be linked and viewed using a mobile application.
2. Healthcare Professionals Registry (HPR) and
3. Healthcare Facilities Registries (HFR) – It will act as a repository of all healthcare providers in modern as well as traditional systems of medicine.

Significance of the scheme

This mission will also ensure ease of doing business for doctors & hospitals and healthcare service providers. It will also create interoperability within the digital health ecosystem, on the line of role played by the Unified Payments Interface in revolutionising payments