Daily Current Affairs for Bihar State Exams: 17.12.2020

Norwegian Institute signs agreement with cGanga for development of sludge management framework in India

Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research (NIBIO) has signed an agreement with cGanga, a think-tank of the National Mission for Clean Ganga, for development of sludge management framework in India.
Note: The agreement was signed during the 5th India Water Impact 2020 summit. The five-day summit is held to discuss and debate issues related to water conservation, water security and river rejuvenation.
The event is co-organised by National Mission for Clean Ganga and Centre for Ganga River Basin Management and Studies.

DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organization) developed Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) technology underwent trials in Hyderabad between two DRDO labs, DRDL (Defence Research and Development Laboratory) and RCI (The Research Centre Imarat), to show secure communication.
Note: The technology is developed by CAIR, Bengaluru and DYSL-QT, Mumbai. Quantum Communication using the time-bin Quantum Key Distribution scheme was performed under realistic conditions.

With a view to effectively deal with increasing circulation of banknotes, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has decided to set up an Automated Banknote Processing Centre (ABPC) in Jaipur for receipt, storage and dispatch of currency notes.
Note: The volume of banknotes in circulation has increased three-fold from March 2001 to March 2019, and is expected to rise further in the years to come.

India's first indigenous mRNA vaccine has received approval from the Drug Controller General of India to initiate Phase I/II human clinical trial.
The mRNA vaccine, HGCO19 has been developed by Gennova, a company based in Pune and supported with seed grant under the Ind-CEPI mission of Department of Biotechnology of Science and Technology Ministry.
Note: The mRNA vaccines do not use the conventional model to produce immune response. Instead, mRNA vaccine carries the molecular instructions to make the protein in the body through a synthetic RNA of the virus.

‘Swadhinata Sarak’ between Bangladesh and India to be opened on March 26, 2021

Swadhinata Sarak remains functional on the Indian side while it will be connected through Mujibnagar, Meherpur district in Bangladesh.
Note: During the summit meeting between the Prime Ministers of India and Bangladesh on December 17, Chilahati-Haldirbari rail link which was active till 1965 will be inaugurated.

This year's winnersare HelpAge India, in the institutional category, and Gyalyum Sangay Choden Wangchuck, Queen Mother of Bhutan, in the individual category.
HelpAge India has been working with and for disadvantaged elderly people in India for nearly four decades, enabling them to live active, dignified and healthier lives.
Gyalyum Sangay Choden Wangchuck is a longtime champion of sexual and reproductive health and rights and said that there is need to end violence against women, girls and children in Bhutan. She founded a volunteer organization called “Respect, Educate, Nurture and Empower Women” (RENEW) in 2004.

The Reserve Bank of India approved re-appointment of Kotak Mahindra Bank's founder Uday Kotak as managing director and chief executive officer of the bank for a period of three years with effect from January 1, 2021.
The central bank has also approved re-appointment of Prakash Apte as part -time chairman and Dipak Gupta as joint managing director.
About Kotak Mahindra Bank: Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited is an Indian private sector bank headquartered in Mumbai. It was founded in 2003.

Indian tennis player Ankita Raina won her third doubles title, clinching the Al Habtoor challenge with Ekaterine Gorgodze.
The unseeded Indo-Georgian pair won against Aliona Bolsova Zadoinov from Spain and Slovakian Kaja Juvan in the final event.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla released book titled 'The Shaurya Unbound' on the 19th anniversary of the Parliament attack

The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has launched this book commemorating the valor of its brave soldiers, including Constable Kamlesh Kumari, who was martyred in the 2001 Parliament attack.
Neetu, DIG CRPF, and BM Dinakaran, DIG CRPF are the authors of this book.