10 PM Current Affairs Quiz #1 November 1, 2019

Explanation: Union Health Minister has released the 14th National Health Profile (NHP), 2019. The National Health Profile (NHP) has been prepared by the Central Bureau of Health Intelligence (CBHI). The National Health Profile was first published in 2005.Ever since the profile has been released every year. The profile provides information on demographic, socio-economic health status, health finance indicators, health infrastructure and health of human resources in the country.

Explanation: NIIF is India’s first sovereign wealth fund set up by the government of India in 2015.It is a fund manager that invests in infrastructure and related sectors in India. It was created with the objective to maximise economic impact especially by infrastructure investment in commercially viable projects. The Indian government has a 49% stake in NIIF with the rest held by foreign and domestic investors. NIIF currently manages three funds each with its distinctive investment mandate. The funds are registered as Alternative Investment Fund (AIF) with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).

Explanation: Defence Research and Development Organisation(DRDO) programme to build a fuel cell-based Air Independent Propulsion(AIP) system for Indian Naval Submarines has crossed several milestones in technology maturity. Air-independent propulsion (AIP) is any marine propulsion technology that allows a non-nuclear submarine to operate without access to atmospheric oxygen (by surfacing). AIP can augment or replace the diesel-electric propulsion system of non-nuclear vessels. It enables conventional submarines to remain submerged for a longer duration.

Explanation: The Export Credit Guarantee Corporation of India(ECGC) has said that the Nirvik scheme announced by the Union Government would give a fillip to export lending and insurance cover for export credit. The scheme aims to ease the lending process and enhance loan availability for exporters. Under the scheme, the insurance cover guaranteed will cover up to 90% of the principal and interest. The insurance cover will include both pre and post-shipment credit. The enhanced cover will ensure that Foreign and Rupee export credit interest rates will be below 4% and 8% respectively for exporters. The gems, jewellery and diamond (GJD) sector borrowers with a limit of over Rs 80 crore will have a higher premium rate in comparison to the non-GJD sector borrowers of this category due to the higher loss ratio.

Explanation: Sentinel-3 is an Earth observation satellite constellation developed by the European Space Agency (ESA) as part of the Copernicus Programme. Sentinel-3 uses the satellite data to plot the number of fires occurring monthly. The sensors on satellites measure thermal infrared radiation to take the temperature of Earth’s land surfaces. This information is used to detect and monitor the heat emitted by the fires. This data is important as fires have a significant impact on global atmospheric emissions with biomass burning contributing to the global budgets of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide.