Current Affairs Quiz - February, 2024

Notes:
India has proposed the “Maratha Military Landscapes of India” for UNESCO World Heritage List recognition in 2024-25. Developed between the 17th and 19th centuries, these military landscapes showcase an exceptional fortification system envisioned by Maratha rulers. The network of forts, spanning the Sahyadri mountain ranges, Konkan Coast, Deccan Plateau, and Eastern Ghats, integrates distinctive landscapes. Notable components include Salher fort, Shivneri fort, Raigad, Vijaydurg, and others. The Maratha Military ideology, dating from the 17th century, continued until Peshwa rule in 1818 CE.

Notes:
The Delhi government has launched the Delhi Solar Policy 2024 to boost solar power adoption. Residents can install rooftop solar panels, leading to zero electricity bills and potential income from excess power sales to the grid. The policy targets 4500 MW of solar power by 2027, up from the previous goal of 1500 MW. Stemming from the 2016 policy, which yielded 1500 MW capacity, the new policy aims to curb air pollution, cut electricity costs, and promote sustainable energy in Delhi.

Notes:
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has upgraded India’s GDP growth forecast to 6.7% for the current fiscal year, a 40 basis points rise from the previous estimate of 6.3%. This positive revision is credited to strong public investment and positive labor market trends, as outlined in the latest World Economic Outlook report.

Notes:
Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan inaugurated the ‘Ministry of Education – AICTE Investor Network,’ a collaborative effort by AICTE and the Ministry of Education’s Innovation Cell. The initiative aims to boost innovation and entrepreneurship in education by offering financial support, mentoring, and strategic guidance to early-stage student or faculty-led startups. Aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision, the network seeks to encourage private investment, empower educational institutions as innovation hubs, and foster a better environment for startup development.

Notes:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated NTPC Ltd’s Darlipali thermal power plant (1,600 MW), Rourkela PP-II expansion project (250 MW), and laid the foundation stone for Talcher 2×660 MW in Odisha, with a total investment of Rs 28,978 crore. Darlipali, a pit-head station, has supply agreements with multiple states. The Rourkela project supports the steel plant, while Talcher’s 660 MW will cater 50% to Odisha and the rest to Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, and Assam. The government encourages coal-based capacity additions due to rising energy demand.

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:
Researchers recently uncovered a new genus and five novel millipede species in African jungles. Millipedes, not insects but arthropods related to lobsters, crayfish, and shrimp, boast approximately 12,000 global species. These cylindrical or slightly flattened invertebrates, often black or brown, inhabit moist areas with decaying vegetation. Ranging from 2 to 280 mm, they possess multiple segments, each housing two pairs of legs and internal organs. Although not poisonous, some species produce irritating fluids. Nocturnal scavengers, millipedes primarily feed on decaying plants and occasional dead insects.

Notes:
Vice Admiral Lochan Singh Pathania is the Chief Hydrographer of the Indian government. Pathania is a Hydrography Specialist who has a naval career spanning over four decades. He joined the Indian Navy in 1990 in the Executive branch. He has commanded the ships Darshak and Sandhayak, and has carried out hydrographic surveys across India and the Indian Ocean Region.

Notes:
At the “Digital India FutureLABS Summit 2024,” three indigenous technologies – Thermal camera, CMOS camera, and Fleet Management System – developed by CDAC Thiruvananthapuram under the InTranSE Program of MeitY were transferred to 12 industries. The InTranSE initiative, led by the Ministry of Electronics & IT, collaborates with academic institutes and R&D centers to transform Intelligent Transportation Systems. The program aims to enhance traffic efficiency, optimize infrastructure usage, provide advance traffic information, reduce travel time, and improve the safety and comfort of commuters.

Notes:
The government has undertaken crucial measures to safeguard the Black-Necked Crane, as revealed by the Union Minister of State for Environment. This medium-sized crane species, residing in high-altitude wetlands of the Tibetan plateau, faces threats like habitat loss due to climate change, agricultural changes, pollution, and environmental contamination. With a distribution in India, China, and Bhutan, it holds a Near Threatened status on the IUCN list and is listed in Schedule I of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, and Appendix I of CITES.