Current Affairs Quiz - December, 2024

Notes:
Ningol Chakouba, a festival of the Meitei community in Manipur, was celebrated near Moodbidri. The event was organized by Alva’s Education Foundation with participation from Northeast students. It highlights and preserves the Meitei community’s rich cultural heritage. The festival symbolizes the bond between mothers, daughters, brothers, and sisters, emphasizing women’s importance in Manipuri society and strengthening family ties.

Notes:
The YesToAccess app, developed by the Association of People with Disability (APD), is India’s first AI-enabled tool for conducting accessibility audits. Launched during the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, it allows users to assess public spaces by photographing structures and analyzing features like ramps and signage. This initiative aims to promote barrier-free environments and enhance inclusivity, empowering citizens to contribute to accessibility improvements across India as part of the Accessible India Campaign.

Notes:
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has classified packaged drinking water and mineral water as “high-risk foods,” enhancing safety measures. This follows the removal of mandatory BIS certification, with a focus on regular inspections and audits by FSSAI. High-risk foods require strict safety protocols to prevent public health issues. The classification aims to ensure consumer safety through rigorous testing and monitoring. The regulation falls under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, simplifying the certification process.

Notes:
World Soil Day is celebrated every year on December 5 to raise awareness about the importance of soil. The theme for this year is “Caring for soils: measure, monitor, manage.” Soil is a living ecosystem that sustains plant life and regulates the Earth’s temperature. Over 33% of global soils are degraded due to erosion, deforestation, over-farming, and pollution. World Soil Day, initiated in 2002 and endorsed by the FAO in 2014, urges sustainable soil management. In India, soil health is deteriorating due to excessive fertiliser use, over-irrigation, and deforestation.

Notes:
Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA) was launched to promote digital literacy in rural India. The scheme aimed to train one individual per household in 6 crore rural households. It successfully exceeded its target, training 6.39 crore individuals by March 31, 2024. The initiative is part of India’s broader strategy to strengthen IT skills and digital infrastructure, supporting the government’s vision to empower rural communities and foster economic growth through technology.

Notes:
APAAR (Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry) is a lifelong student ID system under the 2020 National Education Policy, enabling seamless tracking of academic progress from pre-primary to higher studies. Each student is assigned a unique APAAR ID linked to the Academic Bank Credit (ABC), a secure digital repository for educational credits and certificates. Integrated with Digilocker, it allows easy digital access to academic documents, reducing reliance on physical records. APAAR prevents fraud and duplication by restricting credit additions to authorized certifying bodies, ensuring authenticity. Several states seek parental consent for its implementation under the “One Nation, One Student ID” program.

Notes:
The Rajya Sabha passed the Bharatiya Vayuyan Vidheyak 2024, replacing the Aircraft Act, 1934, with the Lok Sabha’s prior approval. The Bill regulates aircraft design, manufacture, operation, sale, and related matters while retaining the core structure of the Aircraft Act. Certification for the Radiotelephone Operator’s Restricted certificate shifts from the Department of Telecom to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), streamlining aviation processes. DGCA gains expanded powers to regulate aircraft design and related facilities. A second level of appeal for penalty adjudications ensures better grievance redressal.

Notes:
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) launched MuleHunter.AI to help financial institutions detect mule bank accounts and combat digital fraud. Mule accounts are used by criminals for money laundering and are often opened by unsuspecting individuals for a fee. MuleHunter.AI, developed by the Reserve Bank Innovation Hub (RBIH), uses AI and machine learning to identify suspected mule accounts. It provides near-real-time monitoring to detect such accounts efficiently, helping to curb illicit activities in the banking system.

Notes:
Former Chile President Michelle Bachelet has been awarded the Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament, and Development 2024. She is recognized for her contributions to gender equality, human rights, and democracy. The Indira Gandhi Prize honors efforts promoting international peace, disarmament, and development. The award includes ₹10 million, a trophy, and a citation. Recipients are selected by a jury of 5-9 eminent persons appointed by the Chairperson of the Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust.

Notes:
Gujarat is the first state to generate “Farmer IDs” for 25% of its targeted farmers under the Digital Agriculture Mission launched in September 2024. Farmer IDs are unique digital identities based on Aadhaar, dynamically linked to state land records for real-time updates. Other states like Madhya Pradesh (9%), Maharashtra (2%), Uttar Pradesh, Assam, and others have also initiated Farmer ID generation. Farmer IDs enable seamless access to government schemes, instant crop loans, personalized agricultural services, and enhanced market connectivity. The initiative supports efficient policy-making, sustainable agriculture, and improved farmer incomes through a digital ecosystem. Modes for ID generation include self-registration, assisted registration, camps, and Common Service Centres (CSCs).