Current Affairs Quiz - August, 2023

Notes:
The National Conference on ‘Moving Mental Health Beyond Institutions’ was inaugurated recently in New Delhi.
The main purpose of the conference is to address the difficulties faced during the execution of the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017, and to engage in thoughtful discussions about the future steps to resolve mental health concerns.

Notes:
The Jharkhand government released draft rules for the effective implementation of The Provisions of the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, commonly known as PESA, which was enacted in 1996.
The purpose of PESA is to establish self-governance through gram sabhas for the residents living in Scheduled Areas.

Notes:
Recently, the University Grants Commission (UGC) approved the Guidelines for Institutional Development Plan (IDP) for Higher Education Institutions (HEIs).
These guidelines are intended to assist HEIs in attaining academic and research excellence while enhancing the quality of teaching and learning. Additionally, the IDP will offer direction to HEIs in exercising academic, administrative, financial, and business autonomy, while maintaining accountability.

Notes:
Recently, International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), a London-based think tank, in collaboration with India’s Bharat Shakti defense platform, organized the UK-India Defence and Military Technology Cooperation workshop in London.
The workshop aimed to explore joint initiatives in defense research and industrial production, focusing on various themes such as the changing strategic context of UK-India defense relations, perspectives on India’s Atmanirbhar program, and the UK’s defense technology partnerships.

Notes:
The NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has recently captured a captivating near-infrared image of the dynamic young stars, Herbig-Haro 46/47.
These are in the Vela constellation, which are about 1,470 light-years away from Planet Earth. These stars are actively forming and orbiting each other in a mesmerizing display. These stats are an  important object to study because it is relatively young — only a few thousand years old.

Notes:
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) of the USA and the U.S. Military have collaborated for a project named Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations (DRACO). The project aims to launch a nuclear-powered satellite to Earth’s orbit in late 2025 or early 2026.
The spacecraft for the project is developed by Lockheed Martin. The project involves an in-space test of Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (NPT) technology, marking a significant technical advancement.

Notes:
As many as 120 people died in Kerala due to heatwave till June-end, the highest in the country, said a Health Ministry statement in the Lok Sabha.
Gujarat saw 35 deaths due to heatwaves. It is followed by Telangana with 20.

Notes:
The Free Movement Regime (FMR) along the India-Myanmar border has complicated the volatile situation in Manipur due to migration of tribal Kuki-Chin people from Myanmar.
The border between India and Myanmar runs for 1,643 km in the four states of Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland, and Arunachal Pradesh. The FMR allows tribes living along the border to travel up to 16 km inside the other country without a visa.

Notes:
Prime Minister Modi inaugurated the Akhil Bhartiya Shiksha Samagam at Bharat Mandapam in Delhi. He also released the first instalment of funds under the PM SHRI Scheme.
The two-day conference aligns with the third anniversary of the introduction of National Education Policy -NEP 2020.

Notes:
The AMC Repo Clearing Limited (ARCL) and Corporate Debt Market Development Fund (CDMDF) were inaugurated by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
The CDMDF was announced in the 2021-22 Union Budget to enhance liquidity in the Corporate Bond market during stressed and normal times.