Current Affairs Quiz - July, 2019

Notes:
The University Grants Commission (UGC) has approved a new initiative – Scheme for Trans-disciplinary Research for India’s Developing Economy (STRIDE) to boost research culture in the country. The aim of STRIDE is to identify young talent, strengthen research culture, build capacity, promote innovation and support trans-disciplinary research for India’s developing economy and national development. Broadly, STRIDE will provide support to research projects that are socially relevant, locally need-based, nationally important and globally significant. STRIDE shall support research capacity building as well as basic, applied and transformational action research that can contribute to national priorities with focus on inclusive human development. STRIDE shall support creation, development and integration of new ideas, concepts and practices for public good and strengthening civil society.

Notes:
Santosh Rana (76), the veteran Naxalite leader, has passed away in Kolkata on June 29, 2019. He is one of the foremost leaders of the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) and a major thinker on caste, class and tribal politics in West Bengal and winner of a top literary award in the State. The CPI-ML (PCC) was one of the very first Naxalite groups to participate in elections. Under his leadership, CPI-ML (PCC) was active in parts of Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand and Assam. It played a significant role in opposing the CPI-M led government during the Nandigram land agitation, which contributed to the electoral debacle of the Left Front in West Bengal. He argued in his award-winning autobiography, Rajnitir Ek Jibon [A Life in Politics], that the Left in India made a huge mistake as they never analysed and responded to the caste question.

Notes:
Tamil yeoman (Cirrochroa thais) has been officially declared as state butterfly of Tamil Nadu. These butterflies are also known as Tamil Maravan (which means warrior) and are endemic to Western Ghats. The tawny-coloured creature with a dark brown outer ring is among the 32 butterfly species found in Western Ghats. Hence, Tamil Nadu has become the 5th state in the country to announce its state butterfly. Maharashtra was the first to declare Blue Mormon as its state butterfly, followed by Uttarakhand (Common peacock), Karnataka (Southern Bird Wing) and Kerala (Malabar banded peacock). While the butterfly becomes the pride of the state after such a declaration, the decision also helps conserve its ecosystem and paves the way for eco-tourism. People also recognize the importance of butterflies which subsequently helps in its conservation. There are a total of 32 butterfly hotspots in Tamil Nadu. The state had declared its various other icons earlier, like state animal (Nilgiri Tahr), state bird (Emerald Dove), state tree (palm tree), state flower (Gloriosa) and state fruit (jack fruit).

Notes:
Dr. Narinder Batra, President of Indian Olympic Association (IOA), has been elected as a member of International Olympic Committee (IOC) during the IOC Session in Lausanne, Switzerland. Batra now has a rare distinction of becoming a member of the IOC, while heading a National Olympic Committee (NOC) as well as an international federation. He is the first Indian to have this distinction. He has already become the first Indian to head an international federation of an Olympic sport — that of International Hockey Federation (FIH). With the election of Batra, the number of Indians who are currently active members of IOC will rise to two. Reliance Foundation Chairperson Nita Ambani was elected as an individual member of the IOC in 2016. She is the first Indian woman to be elected to the prestigious seat.

Notes:
The 2nd edition of International Day of Parliamentarism (IDP-2019) is celebrated across the world on 30th June to recognize the importance of parliaments and their responsibility of representing the people. The day is not only an occasion to stress the critical importance of parliaments in any democratic society but also to reinforce the call for a global parliament. It is also an opportunity for parliaments to take stock, identify challenges, and ways to address them effectively. It is also the date, in 1889, on which the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) — the global organization of parliaments — was established. The parliamentary systems fall into two categories: bicameral and unicameral. Out of 193 countries, 79 are bicameral and 114 are unicameral, making a total of 272 chambers of parliament with over 46,000 members of parliament. The oldest parliament is the Althingi, the Icelandic Parliament, founded in 930.

Notes:
In Uttar Pradesh, the state government has launched a toll-free Chief Minister helpline No. 1076 that will enable people from across the state to register their complaints and will ensure a time-bound action on the complaints also. The CM helpline number 1076 will work 24×7 and anyone from any part of the state can call on this number anytime. The 500-seater call centre has been established for the helpline and it has the capacity to handle 80,000 inbound and 55,000 outbound calls on a daily basis. When the complainant calls the helpline, he/she will get an SMS informing that the complaint has been sent to the department concerned.

Notes:
In Tamil Nadu, the Kanchi Athi Varadar festival has started in Kanchipuram from July 1, 2019. The temple of Varadar is in Kancheepuram. The deity is made of fig tree and hence the name Athi Varadar. He is immersed in Anantasaras, the temple tank. He is brought out once in 40 years, pujas done for 45 days and restored to his water bed. The last time he came out was on July 2, 1979, and earlier on July 12, 1939. More than one lakh devotees thronged the temple on the first day.

Notes:
In Gujarat, India’s first design development centre ‘Fashionova’ has recently launched in Textile city Surat to provide a platform to apparel business aspirants. It offers scope to fulfil all business needs from co-working space, technicians, expert advice to cognitive workshops and industry exposure. The main objective of this centre is to provide a strong platform to all those who have a flair of the apparel business. It fulfills, on a large scale, all business needs from co-working space, technicians, expert advises to cognitive workshops and exposure to the industry.

Notes:
The International Co-operative Day (ICD) is an annual celebration of the co-operative movement observed on the first Saturday in July since 1923 by the International Co-operative Alliance. The 2019 theme is “COOPS 4 DECENT WORK”. The aim of this celebration is to increase awareness of cooperatives. The event underscores the contributions of the cooperative movement to resolving the major problems addressed by the United Nations and to strengthening and extending the partnerships between the international cooperative movement and other actors.

Notes:
The Asia’s first Six Sigma Institute of Mountain Medicines and High Altitude Rescue will be set up at Rudraprayag in Uttarakhand. It comes after Uttarakhand CM Trivendra Singh Rawat approved the proposal for establishing the mega Rs 750 crore mountain institute in Rudraprayag district of state. The institute will create 1,200 employment, Specialised healthcare, advance education and Rescue Training in the Uttarakhand. The purpose of the institute is to develop all type of research in Allopathy, Homeopathy, Ayurveda, Naturopathy and Yoga concerning High Altitude Mountains and to educate professionals in mountain medicines. The institute will also provide consultancy to the central and state government on key issues and help in promoting healthy lifestyle in mountains.