Current Affairs Quiz - February, 2024

Notes:
The Ministry of Finance released a report titled The Indian Economy: A Review in January 2024. The report was released a few days before the Union Budget for 2024-25 was presented in Parliament on February 1. The Ministry of Finance is made up of five divisions: Economic Affairs, Revenue, Expenditures, Investment and Public Asset Management, and Financial Services.

Notes:
The Secretary, Department of Telecommunications, Ministry of Communications, unveiled the “Bharat 5G Portal” during ‘Bharat Telecom 2024.’ This integrated platform focuses on quantum, 6G, IPR, and 5G domains, catering to startups, industry, and academia. In collaboration with PANIIT USA, it introduces the Future Tech-Experts registration portal to support India’s Telecom ecosystem. The portal serves as a centralized hub for quantum, IPR, PoCs/Pilot, 5G, and 6G, promoting innovation, collaboration, and knowledge-sharing in the telecom sector for Atmanirbhar Bharat.

Notes:
Operation Black Gold is about the seizure of an alloy containing 16.67 kg of gold and 39.73 kg of silver in Delhi. The alloy was worth over Rs 10 crore and was seized by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) at FPO Delhi. The Revenue Intelligence Directorate (DRI) acted on intelligence to seize seven shipments of “electrical current/potential meters”. The meters were declared as “current guior machines”. According to preliminary investigations, a systematic syndicate was involved in the gold smuggling. The gold was coated with silver to change its color from yellow to white. The white mixture was then used to make electric meter covers, which were then painted black to avoid suspicion.

Notes:
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed restrictions on Paytm Payments Bank (PPBL). The restrictions will come into effect on February 29, 2024. The RBI has ordered PPBL to stop accepting fresh deposits in its accounts or wallets after February 29, 2024. The RBI has also ordered PPBL to halt deposits and credit transactions after February 29, 2024. Customers will face restrictions on deposits, credit transactions, and top-ups. Certain services, including fund transfers and UPI facilities, will be discontinued. The RBI’s action against PPBL follows a comprehensive system audit report and subsequent compliance validation report of external auditors.

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:
The theme for World Wetlands Day 2024 is “Wetlands and Human Wellbeing”. The theme highlights how wetlands and human life are interconnected, and how people gain sustenance, inspiration, and resilience from wetlands. World Wetlands Day is celebrated on February 2nd each year. It’s an international day that promotes the sustainable management and conservation of wetlands.

Notes:
A record number of manatees recently gathered at a Florida state park. Manatees, often called “sea cows,” are large aquatic mammals belonging to the Sirenia group, which also includes dugongs. While they share similarities in appearance and behavior, the key difference lies in their tails – manatees have paddle-shaped tails, while dugongs have fluked tails, resembling whales. Manatees inhabit shallow coastal areas and rivers, with three species identified: Amazonian, African, and Caribbean manatees. They are listed as ‘Vulnerable’ by the IUCN’s Red List of Threatened Species

Notes:
The Indian Navy commissioned its latest survey vessel, INS Sandhayak, in Vizag, the first in a series of four Survey Vessels (Large). Constructed at GRSE, Kolkata, its primary purpose is hydrographic surveys for port approaches and navigational routes. The vessel covers the Exclusive Economic Zone and continental shelf, gathering oceanographic data. With limited defence capabilities, it can serve as a hospital ship. Equipped with advanced tools, INS Sandhayak, measuring 110m, displacing 3400 tons, and powered by two diesel engines, emphasizes indigenous content and multifunctional capabilities.

Notes:
Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko set the world record for the most time spent in space, breaking the record of fellow Russian cosmonaut Gennady Padalka. Kononenko is 59 years old and has spent more than 878 days and 12 hours in space. Padalka’s record was 878 days, 11 hours, 29 minutes, and 48 seconds, set during five space missions until 2017. Kononenko works out regularly to deal with the physical effects of weightlessness. He has said that he doesn’t feel deprived or isolated, but that he realizes how much life he missed out on when he returns to Earth.

Notes:
The Centre for Materials for Electronics Technology (C-MET) is an autonomous scientific society under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology in India. It operates three R&D laboratories in Pune, Hyderabad, and Thrissur, focusing on critical electronic materials. C-MET, Hyderabad, is dedicated to developing advanced electronic and strategic materials. A major focus is environmentally friendly e-waste recycling technologies to address India’s 3.2 million tons of electronic waste, promoting resource efficiency. C-MET’s Centre of Excellence on E-waste Management, inaugurated under PPP, pioneers recycling technologies for various electronic components.