Current Affairs Quiz - December, 2024

Notes:
The “Prashasan Gaon Ki Ore” campaign, part of Good Governance Week, runs from December 19-24, 2024, across all districts, states, and union territories in India. The campaign focuses on addressing public grievances and improving service delivery, bringing governance closer to rural people. More than 700 districts organizes workshops on good governance practices and service delivery. A dedicated portal for the campaign was launched on December 10, 2024.

Notes:
The Supreme Court directed the Rajasthan government to protect sacred groves, or Orans, as “forests” and conduct district-wise mapping based on their ecological and cultural significance. Orans are traditional sacred groves in Rajasthan managed by rural communities through sacred practices and codes. They are biodiversity-rich spaces often featuring water bodies and are associated with local deities. Communities have conserved Orans for centuries, integrating them into their cultural, social, and agrarian lives. Orans serve as grazing grounds for livestock and venues for communal gatherings, festivals, and rituals, reinforcing environmental conservation efforts.

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The 4th Asian Roll Ball Championship was held in Goa, India from December 16–19, 2024. The event took place at the Manohar Parrikar Indoor Stadium in Margao.  The championship was a collaboration between the Roll Ball Federation of India and the Goa Roll Ball Association. It was supported by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and the Sports Authority of India.  The championship was a celebration of sportsmanship, unity, and cultural exchange. It was also a significant step in promoting the sport of roll ball, which is gaining popularity globally.

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Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh lead in rooftop solar installations under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana. The scheme was launched on February 15, 2024 by PM Narendra Modi. The scheme aims to install 10 million rooftop solar units by March 2027. More than Over 679,000 installations are completed as of December 9, 2024, benefiting 538,000 residential units and 141,000 homes in welfare associations. Gujarat leads with 302,000 installations, followed by Maharashtra (139,000) and Uttar Pradesh (56,000). Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Rajasthan also contribute significantly. This initiative is set to become the world’s largest domestic rooftop solar program, providing free electricity.

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The Northern giant hornet, nicknamed the “murder hornet,” has been eradicated in the U.S., as confirmed by the Department of Agriculture. It is the largest hornet in the world, growing up to 2 inches long, and inhabits lower altitude forests while avoiding plains and high altitudes. Native to China, Korea, Japan, and India, it is an invasive species threatening insects and pollinators. It can destroy an entire beehive in 90 minutes, feeding the brood to its young and defending the hive as its own. The hornet stings multiple times, delivering venom seven times stronger than a honey bee’s sting, even piercing beekeeper suits. It primarily preys on native insects like butterflies, moths, dragonflies, bees, and wasps, indirectly harming plants dependent on honey bee pollination.

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Researchers at Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune developed a new aerogel capable of extracting gold from electronic waste, offering a solution to reduce e-waste and harmful mining practices. Aerogels were first invented in the 1930s and are made by combining a polymer with a solvent to form a gel, then replacing the liquid in the gel with air. They are the lightest solid materials, extremely porous, translucent, and have very low density. Aerogels are recognized for being among the finest insulation materials available due to their unique properties.

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ISRO is set to launch 24 scientific experiments on the PSLV Orbital Experimental Module (POEM) satellite under the SpaDeX Mission. The Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX) aims to develop autonomous space docking technology. The mission will use PSLV-C60 to demonstrate docking with two spacecraft: Chaser (SDX01) and Target (SDX02). This technology is vital for future lunar missions, the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS), and advanced space programs. The spacecraft will separate, align into the same orbit, and achieve docking to demonstrate power transfer before undocking for further operations. The mission’s orbit is 470 km at a 55-degree inclination.

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Tamil Nadu has requested the Union government to add the mumps vaccine to the Universal Immunization Programme (UIP). UIP provides free immunization against 12 diseases, including Diphtheria, Tetanus, Polio, Measles, Hepatitis B, and others. Mumps is a contagious viral infection affecting the salivary glands, usually mild and self-limiting. It primarily affects children and young adults, with symptoms like jaw swelling, fever, fatigue, appetite loss, and headaches. Mumps spreads through direct contact or airborne droplets from an infected person’s upper respiratory tract.

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A three-year-old female tiger from Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) in Odisha wandered into the Bandwan area of Purulia district, West Bengal. Similipal Tiger Reserve is located in the Mayurbhanj District. It was declared a Tiger Reserve in 1956. It was included under Project Tiger in 1973 and became part of UNESCO’s World Network of Biosphere Reserves in 2009. The reserve is known for its undulating terrain, grasslands, and a mix of tropical moist deciduous and semi-evergreen forests. This Tiger Reserve uniquely hosts melanistic (black) tigers.

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The Ministry of Textiles and Synthetic & Art Silk Mills’ Research Association (SASMIRA) launched the Climate Smart Agro-Textile Demonstration Center in Navsari, Gujarat. The center aims to promote Agro-Textiles in agriculture, showcasing live demonstrations and practical training for farmers. It spans 15,000 sq. meters and will be maintained by SASMIRA for three years, covering eight crop cycles. The center features Agro-Textile technologies like shade nets, medicinal nurseries, vermicomposting, ground covers, pond liners, and crop covers. The initiative focuses on educating farmers to integrate these innovative solutions into daily farming practices.