Current Affairs Quiz - January, 2024

Notes:
Unveiled on Navy Day 2023, the Indian Navy’s new shoulder rank insignias (epaulettes) for senior leadership draw design elements from the Naval Ensign and legendary Maratha ruler Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Features like the golden button and octagon shape reflect indigenization efforts and long-term strategic vision respectively. The insignia artfully integrates symbols of the sword, telescope, and ‘Rajmudra’ seal used by Shivaji in special decrees, blending India’s rich maritime heritage with its glorious history. The creative vision signifies the Navy’s cultural shift towards ‘swadeshi’ under the current government.

Notes:
The NPCI has set the daily payment limit for UPI transactions to a maximum of Rs. 1 lakh starting from January 1, 2024. However, RBI raised the transaction limit for UPI payments to hospitals and educational institutions to Rs 5 lakh on December 8, 2023, to broaden the use of UPI payments.

Notes:
Vice Admiral Kiran Deshmukh has taken over as the new Chief of Materiel of the Indian Navy from Vice Admiral Sandeep Naithani. The Chief of Materiel is the head of the Materials Branch of the Navy, dealing with logistics and maintenance. Vice Admiral Deshmukh is an alumnus of VJTI Mumbai and a postgraduate from Defence Services Staff College, Wellington.

Notes:
Estonia legalised same-sex marriage from January 1, 2024, allowing consenting adults to marry regardless of gender. This provides equal rights and responsibilities for such couples on par with heterosexual marriages. Same-sex couples earlier had the option to register civil partnerships in Estonia. The new law enables their seamless transition to marriage.

Notes:
Dharavi Redevelopment Project, spearheaded by the Adani Group, aims to transform Asia’s largest slum into a model of urban renewal, revitalizing its infrastructure and elevating the quality of life of its residents. The project, which involves global experts like architect Hafeez Contractor, design firm Sasaki, and consultancy firm Buro Happold, as well as experts from Singapore, is not just focused on physical redevelopment but also on nurturing the vibrant culture of Dharavi. The project’s goal is to create a sustainable, integrated live-work-play environment that respects and enhances the local community’s life, setting a global benchmark in equitable urban housing and redevelopment.

Notes:
A high-level committee headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind was set up last year to examine the issue of holding simultaneous elections in India. Simultaneous elections refer to holding elections to the Lok Sabha and state assemblies together. This would streamline the election process and reduce expenditure. The committee headed by Kovind has initiated consultations on this idea, which has been gaining support. The government is working on a roadmap to enable synchronized two-phase Lok Sabha and assembly polls from 2024 onwards.

Notes:
The first Girls’ Military School in India was inaugurated in Vrindavan, Mathura. This inaugural event was jointly conducted by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. The Samvid Gurukulam Girls Military School, located within the Vatsalya Gram campus and established by Sadhvi Ritambhara, aims to provide education and training to 870 female students. This initiative marks a significant step in extending military education traditionally reserved for male students in India to female students as well.

Notes:
Venezuela has agreed to provide oil to India’s ONGC Videsh (OVL) as a form of compensation for a pending dividend amounting to approximately $600 million. This decision follows the easing of U.S. sanctions on Venezuela, allowing Indian refiners to resume the purchase of Venezuelan oil. ONGC Videsh, the overseas investment arm of the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation, holds a 40% stake in the San Cristobal field located in eastern Venezuela’s Orinoco Heavy Oil belt. The agreement to allocate crude cargoes in lieu of the accrued dividend is part of OVL’s continuous dialogue with PdVSA, Venezuela’s state oil company, to recover the dividend through various mechanisms, including the allocation of crude oil.

Notes:
Adani appointed Hafeez Contractor Architects as the city planning firm for charting out the draft development plan for Dharavi project along with US firms Sasaki and Buro Happold. Contractor is known for slum rehabilitation and social housing projects aimed at improving lives.

Notes:
State-owned ONGC won seven out of the ten areas awarded for exploration and production in the latest 8th round of Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP) bidding. A Reliance-BP joint venture managed to win one block out of the total ten.