Current Affairs Quiz - February, 2024

Notes:
Radha Raturi, a senior IAS officer of the 1988 batch, has been appointed as the first woman chief secretary of Uttarakhand. She replaces Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and is the first woman to hold this top administrative post in the state. Raturi has an extensive administrative career, having served in undivided Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Initially aspiring to be a journalist, she eventually joined the IAS, succeeding in her third attempt at the UPSC exam.

Notes:
Astronaut Lora O’Hara on the International Space Station captured Alpenglow near the Hindu Kush. This natural phenomenon occurs during sunrise or sunset, casting rosy, reddish, or orange hues on mountain slopes. Alpenglow’s colors vary due to the sun’s angle and atmospheric conditions. Vibrancy depends on sun location, light angle, clouds, humidity, and particulates. The phenomenon rapid changes make it a captivating spectacle during the twilight hours.

Notes:
The Defence Budget for the Financial Year 2024-25 has reached Rs 6,21,540.85 crore, constituting 13.04% of the total Union Budget. Finance Minister Smt Nirmala Sitharaman presented this budget with a focus on self-reliance and exports. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) received the highest allocation, marking an 18.35% increase from FY 2022-23. Capital accounts for 27.67%, revenue for 14.82%, pay and allowances for 30.68%, defence pensions for 22.72%, and civil organizations under MoD for 4.11%.

Notes:
Emerge-2024 is India’s first beachside startup festival, taking place February 16–18, 2024 at Tannirbhavi Beach in Mangaluru. The festival is expected to feature more than 100 startups, 50 investors, and around 1,000 participants.

Notes:
The 2024-25 government budget is projected at Rs 47, 65,768 crore (47.66 lakh crore), indicating a 6% rise from the revised 2023-24 estimate. Anticipated growth includes a 3.2% increase in revenue expenditure and a significant 16.9% surge in capital expenditure, reflecting fiscal priorities and economic strategies for the upcoming year.

Notes:
In February 2024, the Uttarakhand Police adopted self-balancing electric scooters to patrol the streets of Haridwar. The scooters are part of a new law enforcement method and are intended to improve safety for locals and tourists. The scooters are donated by Utkarsh Small Finance Bank and are intended to be used in crowded and narrow areas.

Notes:
The Karnataka Government recently suspended five officers for negligence in implementing the Inclusive Education for Disabled at Secondary Stage (IEDSS) scheme. Launched in 2009-10, IEDSS replaces the Integrated Education for Disabled Children (IEDC). The scheme aims to provide inclusive and enabling secondary education for students with disabilities after eight years of elementary schooling. It covers various disabilities and prioritizes girls, emphasizing the establishment of Model Inclusive Schools in each state under the scheme.

Notes:
Namibia’s President, Hage Geingob, has died at 82 following cancer treatment. The first prime minister post-independence, he became Namibia’s third president in 2014, securing re-election in 2019. Geingob, a key figure since independence from South Africa, held the record for Namibia’s longest-serving prime minister before assuming the presidency. His passing marks the end of a significant era in Namibian political history.

Notes:
The Uttar Pradesh government is prioritizing electric vehicle (EV) use and manufacturing through the development of the ‘EV Upyog’ portal. The Uttar Pradesh Development Systems Corporation Limited (UPDESCO) is hiring a software development agency for one year to upgrade the portal, which will include features like cloud storage, database capabilities, and specialized software. The Ministry of Electronics and IT Empanelled Service Provider will oversee the cloud server integration, emphasizing cybersecurity, cost-effectiveness, scalability, integration, API convenience, and reliability.

Notes:
Farooq Nazki, an esteemed poet and Sahitya Akademi Award recipient, passed away at 83. Renowned for his impactful contributions to poetry and cultural preservation, Nazki’s work transcended diverse backgrounds, showcasing the profound influence of words. His emotionally rich and lyrically beautiful expressions earned him a cherished place among the most revered poets of his era, emphasizing the power of language in connecting hearts and minds.