Current Affairs Quiz - December, 2024

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India and Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed a $98 million loan to boost access to disease-free planting materials for horticulture farmers under the Atmanirbhar Clean Plant Programme. The Atmanirbhar Clean Plant Programme (CPP) is related to horticulture and aims to provide farmers with access to high-quality, virus-free planting material. It includes nine advanced Clean Plant Centers with diagnostic and tissue culture labs and a robust certification system for accountability and traceability. It ensures affordable access, engages women farmers, and develops region-specific plant varieties. It is implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture through National Horticulture Board (NHB) and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, it aims to strengthen India’s global fruit market position.

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Sikkim has been declared the partner state for the Hornbill Festival 2024. The Hornbill Festival is an annual cultural event in Nagaland, named after the Indian hornbill bird featured in tribal folklore. It is held at Naga Heritage Village, Kisama, 12 km from Kohima, Nagaland. The festival is organized by Nagaland’s Tourism and Art & Culture Departments. Its objective is to promote cultural heritage and foster inter-tribal interaction in Nagaland.

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India presented the Aravalli Green Wall Project (AGWP) at the UNCCD COP16 in Riyadh. The project is inspired by Africa’s Great Green Wall. It aims to combat desertification from the Thar Desert to northern India. The project covers Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Delhi, aiming to restore 1.15 million hectares by 2027. It focuses on mitigating soil degradation, erosion, and drought, and rejuvenating 75 water bodies. A 1,400 km long green belt will be created along the Aravalli Range using indigenous afforestation and advanced water management. The project promotes community involvement and green employment.

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The PENCiL portal was launched by the Ministry of Labour and Employment to enforce the Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986. It has five components: Central Government, State Government, District Project Societies, Child Tracking System, and Complaint Corner. District Nodal Officers (DNOs) are appointed to ensure strict implementation of the Act. A model State Action Plan (SAP) guides State Governments in eradicating child labour, focusing on migrant, girl, and SC/ST children. The portal promotes efficient monitoring and grievance redressal to combat child labour effectively.

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The Inland Waterways Authority of India’s Kalughat Intermodal Terminal in Bihar received a five-star SVAGRIHA rating. SVAGRIHA stands for Simple Versatile Affordable GRIHA. SVAGRIHA promotes green buildings and sustainability through the Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment (GRIHA) system for small buildings. The rating applies to projects under 2500 sq.m. with 14 criteria across five categories: architecture & energy, water & waste, materials, landscape, and lifestyle. The terminal achieved this rating by using recyclable materials like fibre, recyclable glass, and eco-friendly fixtures. This project is part of the IWAI’s efforts to enhance National Waterway 1 on the River Ganga.

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The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is excavating the 80-pillar assembly hall at Kumhrar, Patna. The Kumhrar site is linked to Emperor Ashoka’s third Buddhist Council. The site highlights Pataliputra’s role as the Mauryan capital and a cultural-political hub. The hall had 80 sandstone pillars with a wooden roof and floor, showcasing Mauryan architectural skill. Materials were transported via the Sone-Ganga river route, reflecting advanced planning and resource management. The project renews global interest in Mauryan art and architecture.

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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.

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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).

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A new glacier was discovered in Uttarakhand’s Niti Valley, near the India-Tibet border. The glacier, about 10 km long and 48 sq km in size, is located next to the Randolph and Rekana glaciers. The discovery was made by scientists from the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology using satellite data. The glacier is ‘surging,’ meaning it is rapidly expanding in size. The phenomenon could be caused by hydrological imbalance, weakening the ice layers.

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The Indian Astronomical Observatory (IAO) in Hanle, Ladakh, has been identified as the optimal site for satellite-based quantum communications due to its unique geographical features, such as low atmospheric water vapor levels and extreme cold temperatures. This research by the Raman Research Institute aims to enhance global quantum communication capabilities. The study also highlights the importance of atmospheric conditions in determining suitable locations for quantum key distribution and uplink transmission through the atmosphere.