Current Affairs Quiz - December, 2023

Notes:
The indigenous Koya tribe in Andhra Pradesh, residing in the Papikonda hill range, has embraced eco-friendly practices to conserve the Indian Bison (Bos gaurus).
Koyas have replaced traditional Indian Bison horns with palm leaves to craft their traditional flute, Permakor. Permakore is a traditional flute, originally made from Indian Bison horns, and is now created using palm leaves as an eco-friendly alternative. The flute serves as a communication tool during hunting, celebrations, and festivals.

Notes:
Sultan Haitham bin Tarik was on state visit to India from December 16, 2023. Trade between India and Oman has a history of several millenniums and archaeological excavations in Oman have unearthed evidence to show Indo-Oman trade during the Classical Age dated to circa third century BCE. Later, Oman had links with the Indians through Gujarat, and with Tamilakam along the Malabar Coast. The Sultans of Oman and Zanzibar heavily banked on Kutchi moneylenders such as Jairam Shivji. A large number of Kutchi Bhatias migrated from Kutch to Muscat and from Muscat to Zanzibar.

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:
Recently, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj, addressed the UNSC Open Debate on Small Arms to highlight India’s suffering from cross-border terrorism executed using smuggled weapons. A veiled critique of Pakistan, she emphasized that such illicit arms trafficking by non-state actors necessitates coordinated efforts to identify points of diversion. Her remarks also urged zero tolerance for state sponsors of terror entities.

Notes:
Researchers from Kerala University have confirmed the remote area of Luna in Kutch, Gujarat as the site of a meteorite impact crater dating back approximately 6,900 years. This coincides with the thriving phase of the Indus Valley Civilization, whose prominent site Dholavira lies 200km away. With evidence of high-temperature minerals proving a young crater of 1.88km diameter, the meteor is estimated to be 200m wide. While past discussions assessed faunal impacts, this opens speculation on whether the meteor destabilized advanced Indus settlements, as covered sediments obscured its signature over centuries before discovery.

Notes:
Mumbai based Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) is the state-owned organization that conducts minimum support price (MSP) procurement operations for cotton. When market prices for fair average quality cotton dip below MSP, CCI steps in to undertake procurement at the MSP rate to safeguard farmer interests. However, CCI cotton purchases have been minimal this year as most market rates exceeded MSP, barring some remote regions. Its role holds significance though, given the plunging cotton prices resulting from infestations like pink bollworm attacks in key producing states.

Notes:
Indian Armed Forces have been honored with the coveted ‘Golden Owl’ award for their outstanding performance. In a remarkable display of excellence, three officers from the Indian Armed Forces, undergoing the prestigious Command and Staff Course at Defence Services Command and Staff College (DSCSC) in Sri Lanka, have been honored with the coveted ‘Golden Owl’ award for their outstanding performance. The award, presented by Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe, recognizes their exceptional achievements in analytical skills, strategic thinking, and their potential for future leadership.

Notes:
Australian World Cup winning captain Pat Cummins became the 2nd most expensive IPL player in history (first being Mitchell Starc to KKR) as Sunrisers Hyderabad bought him for a record Rs 20.5 crore.

Notes:
Recently, India and Oman have adopted the India Oman Joint Vision Partnership For the Future, setting the stage for bilateral cooperation and charting pathways for future collaboration between the two countries.

This Vision Document focuses on building partnerships in broadly 8 to 10 areas. These include maritime cooperation and connectivity, energy security, space, digital payments, health, tourism, hospitality, agriculture and food security. The Joint Military Cooperation Committee (JMCC) is the highest forum of engagement between India and Oman in the field of defence.

Military Exercises:

• Army exercise: Al Najah
• Air Force exercise: Eastern Bridge
• Naval Exercise: Naseem Al Bahr

Notes:
The International Gender Equality Prize in 2023 was awarded to the Afghan Women Skills Development Center. Prime Minister Petteri Orpo of Finland presented the €300,000 award to Mahbouba Seraj, the Center’s Executive Director, in Tampere on December 11, 2023. The Center is recognized for its crucial work in defending women’s rights and promoting gender equality in Afghanistan, particularly under challenging conditions following the Taliban’s rise to power.
International Gender Equality Prize is a government prize administered by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, Finland. Tampere has been a partner of the Prize and the host city for the award ceremony since 2017.