Current Affairs Quiz - December, 2023

Notes:
The International Day of Neutrality, observed annually on December 12, is a day designated by the United Nations to promote neutrality among nations worldwide. The concept of neutrality in international relations refers to the abstention of a state from all participation in a war between other states, the maintenance of an attitude of impartiality toward the belligerents, and the recognition by the belligerents of this abstention and impartiality.
The day was officially proclaimed in 2017 by a United Nations General Assembly resolution.

Notes:
Javed Akhtar, a renowned lyricist-screenwriter, will be honored with the Padmapani Lifetime Achievement Award at the upcoming Ajanta-Ellora Film Festival. Acknowledged for his substantial contributions to the Indian film industry, Akhtar is known for his work in iconic Hindi films like “Zanjeer,” “Deewaar,” “Sholay,” “Don,” “Kaala Patthar,” and “Mr India.” The award will be presented to him at the festival’s ninth edition, during the opening day ceremony at the Rukmini Auditorium in MGM University, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, on January 3, 2024.

Notes:
Kas Plateau is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Maharashtra. Renowned for its vibrant Kas Flower festival, the plateau features a rich tapestry of flora and fauna.
Often referred to as Maharashtra’s Valley of Flowers, Kaas Plateau is a place that turns into a floral wonderland during the monsoon season. It falls under the Sahyadri Sub Cluster of the Western Ghats, and it became a part of a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site in 2012.

Notes:
The Special Window for Affordable and Mid-Income Housing (SWAMIH) Investment Fund I is a social impact fund that aims to complete stalled and stressed residential projects. It was announced by the Finance Minister in 2019. Recently, real estate developers body NAREDCO recommended in its pre-budget submissions that the government allocate Rs 50,000 crore more to the SWAMIH fund. This fund aims to complete stalled housing projects and has benefited over 2 lakh homebuyers while unlocking projects worth Rs 94,000 crore after getting Rs 15,530 crore so far. NAREDCO contends another tranche could further revive the real estate industry and consumer sentiments.

Notes:
Prime Minister Modi inaugurated the Surat Diamond Bourse near Surat city of Gujarat, which is deemed the global centerpiece for the international diamond trading market with over 4,500 offices across 67 lakh square feet of space. Positioned as a hub for import-export, retail and banking, this structure inside the DREAM City complex supersedes prior records for floor area dedicated to the precious stone industry.

Notes:
Sirpur wetland is a Ramsar site in Indore. It was recently in news as it has got Rs 6 crore sanctioned for an interpretation centre. The district administration generated funds by selling unused government land, 25% of which will be used for Sirpur’s development including building an interpretation centre costing Rs 6 crore.

Notes:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with the participants of the Grand Finale of Smart India Hackathon 2023 through video conferencing on 19th Dec, 2023.
Smart India Hackathon 2023 was launched in August 2023 to inculcate a culture of product innovation and a mindset of problem-solving. Smart India Hackathon is a nationwide initiative to provide students with a platform to solve some of the pressing problems we face in our daily lives. It is an initiative by the Ministry of Education, All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), Persistent Systems and Inter-Institutional Inclusive Innovation Centre (i4C). SIH has been conducted every year since 2017 in two formats, SIH Software and SIH Hardware Editions for higher education students.

Notes:
On 21 December 2023, the Sahitya Akademi has announced to give the Sahitya Akademi Award for the year 2023 to Maithili language writer Basukinath Jha for his Maithili essay collection “Bodh-Sanketan”.
Maithili litterateur Basukinath Jha is a resident of Samastipur district of Bihar. Maithili litterateur Basukinath Jha, in Maithili language, wrote Vidyapati Kavya Lochan (Classical Criticism), Anushilan-Avabodh (Critical Research and Essay Collection), Parivaha (Modern Critical Essay Collection), Bodh Sanketan (Collection of Introductions to Books written by Various Authors), Vastuvaachi Sanketan. Has written many books including (Literary Trend based Essay Collection), Vyaktiwaachi Sankhanan (Personality based essay collection), Maithili literary outline (Part one and two), Novel and Social consciousness.

Notes:
The Raising and Accelerating MSME Performance (RAMP) Scheme is a World Bank-supported program that aims to improve the performance of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in India. The scheme was launched on July 30, 2022.  The scheme’s objectives include:

• Increasing access to credit and the market
• Bolstering institutions
• Enhancing center-state partnerships
• Offering financial aid to MSMEs affected by COVID-19
• Boosting the productivity of the MSME sector for the next five years

The scheme will complement the Atma Nirbhar Bharat Mission by fostering innovation, encouraging ideation, and incubating new businesses.

Notes:
National Farmers Day, also known as Kisan Diwas, is celebrated in India on December 23rd. The day recognizes the contributions of farmers to the country’s socio-economic fabric. It also honors the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh. The theme for National Farmers Day 2023 was “Delivering Smart Solutions for Sustainable Food Security and Resilience”.