Current Affairs Quiz - February 2025

Notes:
“Beti Bachao Beti Padhao” (BBBP) was launched in 2015 to address gender imbalance and child sex ratio issues in India. Odisha implemented several schemes under BBBP, including “Nirbhaya Kadhi” in Ganjam, “Kalpana Avijan” in Dhenkanal, “Swarna Kalika” in Keonjhar, and “Veerangana Yojana” in Deogarh. “Nirbhaya Kadhi” in Ganjam covered 183,933 adolescent girls, leading to the district being declared child marriage-free in 2022. “Kalpana Avijan” in Dhenkanal tracked and prevented 343 child marriages from 2019-2024. “Swarna Kalika” in Keonjhar reduced child marriages by 50% through awareness campaigns. “Veerangana” in Deogarh trained 6,000 girls in self-defense and won the SKOCH Award.

Notes:
Rwandan-backed M23 rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo are advancing south toward Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province. They aim to expand control in the country’s east after capturing Goma. The M23 (March 23 Movement) is an armed rebel group operating in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), particularly in North Kivu province. It originated in 2012 from a faction of the Congolese army, citing grievances over a 2009 peace agreement. The recent escalation has caused massive destruction and violence.

Notes:
The Chief Minister of Bihar inaugurated the Lakhisarai Museum, built at a cost of Rs 35.8 crores. It is the second-largest museum in Bihar. The museum will preserve ancient statues, inscriptions, pottery, Buddhist stupas, and precious stones recovered from excavations in Lakhisarai. These artifacts were previously kept at Ashokdham temple and other places. It will promote tourism, helping people learn about Bihar’s history and culture. The museum is expected to boost the local economy by attracting visitors. It highlights the cultural and historical significance of Lakhisarai.

Notes:
The 3rd edition of Exercise CYCLONE, a joint special forces drill between India and Egypt, is taking place in Rajasthan from February 10 to 23. The exercise takes place at the Mahajan Field Firing Range. It involves the special forces of both countries, focusing on counter-terrorism, high-intensity combat, and survival techniques. The goal is to improve coordination between the Indian and Egyptian Armies.

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The Geographical Indications (GI) Registry Chennai has granted a new logo for the Kashmir hand-knotted carpet to preserve its exclusivity. Kashmir hand-knotted carpets, locally called “Kal baffi”, date back to the 15th century. Sultan Zain-ul-Abidin introduced carpet weaving in Kashmir by bringing artisans from Persia and Central Asia. Farsi baff and Persian Sehna knots are traditionally used in Kashmir carpets. Simple tools like wooden or metal combs and short scissors are used in weaving. Other GI-tagged Kashmir crafts include Papier Mache, Pashmina, Kani, Sozni, Khatamband, and Walnut Wood Carving.

Notes:
The Union Minister for Education launched 41 new books under the PM YUVA 2.0 scheme. PM YUVA 2.0 (Young, Upcoming and Versatile Authors) was launched in 2022 by the Ministry of Education as part of the India@75 Project (Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav). It is an Author Mentorship Programme to train young writers below 30 years of age. The scheme aims to promote reading, writing, and book culture while projecting India’s literature globally. It helps develop writers focusing on Indian heritage, culture, and knowledge systems.

Notes:
The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has warned against the Morand-Ganjal Irrigation Project in Madhya Pradesh. The project involves building two dams on the Morand and Ganjal rivers to improve irrigation in Hoshangabad, Betul, Harda, and Khandwa districts. It may displace 644 families, including 604 tribal families. It could destroy a critical tiger corridor between Satpura and Melghat Tiger Reserves, endangering species like leopards, wolves, wild dogs, and hyenas.

Notes:
Russia has offered India the R-37M missile, one of the world’s best air-to-air missiles. It was developed by Russia. The R-37M is designed to target enemy fighter jets and drones beyond visual range (BVR). It evolved from the R-33 missile and targets high-value platforms like tanker aircraft. Its guidance system includes inertial navigation, radar homing, and semi-active radar for the terminal phase. The missile has a range of 300-400 km and speeds up to Mach 6, making it highly effective for long-range interception.

Notes:
The 14th Asian Fisheries and Aquaculture Forum (14AFAF) is held in New Delhi from February 12-14, 2025. It is a triennial event of the Asian Fisheries Society, promoting global collaboration in fisheries and aquaculture. India is hosting it for the second time, after Kochi in 2007. The forum highlights India’s role in sustainable fisheries and aquaculture. India ranks 2nd globally in total fish and aquaculture production. The theme is “Greening the Blue Growth in Asia-Pacific.”

Notes:
SEBI has introduced the digital platform MITRA (Mutual Fund Investment Tracing and Retrieval Assistant). MITRA helps investors track and reclaim inactive or unclaimed mutual fund folios. It addresses issues like lost investments due to outdated contact details or unawareness. Investors can identify overlooked investments and update KYC details. It is developed by Registrar and Transfer Agents (RTAs), it provides a searchable database at the industry level. SEBI has revised the Unit Holder Protection Committee (UHPC) mandate to review inactive folios, unclaimed dividends, and redemptions.