Current Affairs Quiz - January, 2024

Notes:
North-East Venture Fund (NEVF), established by NEDFi (North Eastern Development Finance Corporation Ltd.), is aimed at encouraging and collaborating with startup ventures in the North-East region of India. With a commitment of ₹100 crore to the fund, contributed by the ministry, NEDFi, and SIDBI (Small Industries Development Bank of India), NEVF focuses on fostering entrepreneurship and business initiatives in the region. As of November 30, the fund had made investment commitments in 67 projects, amounting to ₹98.18 crore. This initiative aligns with NEDFi’s broader role in providing financial assistance and advisory services for various enterprises and projects in India’s North-East.

Notes:
Rajasthan will host the India-UAE joint military exercise ‘Desert Cyclone 2024’. The inaugural edition of this bilateral drill will be conducted from January 2nd to January 15th, 2024 in Rajasthan. The aim is to enhance interoperability between the Indian Army and UAE forces by exchanging best practices in areas like urban operations. This comes under expanding defense ties between the two nations who are strategic partners.

Notes:
Gujarat set a Guinness World Record on the first day of 2024 for the largest number of people, exceeding 50,000, performing Surya Namaskar simultaneously at 108 different venues. This feat was recognized as a significant cultural achievement and hailed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who emphasized the special significance of the number 108 in Indian culture. The event, which culminated in a state-wide competition, saw a major gathering at the iconic Modhera Sun Temple in Mehsana district, overseen by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel.

Notes:
Ved Prakash Nanda, who received the Padma Bhushan award on 20 March 2018 in the field of literature and education, passed away on January 1, 2024. He was an esteemed professor of International Law at the University of Denver, Colorado, indicating that his primary academic expertise was in International Law. His significant contributions in this field were further recognized through the establishment of the Ved Nanda Center for International and Comparative Law at the University of Denver, emphasizing his profound influence and specialization in International Law.

Notes:
China launched its first homegrown cruise ship, Adora Magic City, from Shanghai port in January 2024 on its maiden commercial voyage. With amenities like mahjong rooms and hotpot restaurants, the 16-deck luxury ship targets China’s expanding domestic tourism market as national pride in indigenous manufacturing grows. Its success is seen as showcasing China’s shipbuilding prowess and attempt to rival foreign cruise liners.

Notes:
Bangladeshi economist Muhammad Yunus received the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize along with Grameen Bank he founded, for contributions to alleviating poverty through pioneering microfinance services. Providing small loans to entrepreneurs lacking access to traditional banking, his microcredit model aided millions. Recently, Yunus faced legal troubles in Bangladesh over alleged violations of labor laws by Grameen Telecom, critics calling it political retribution for his opposition to government policies earlier.

Notes:
Kyrgyzstan has declared the snow leopard as its new national symbol. Snow leopards inhabit the Tian Shan mountain range in the country. They feature in Kyrgyz folklore and are seen as a symbol of greatness, nobility and resilience. Conservation of the endangered species will be promoted under the new status.

Notes:
Arunachal Pradesh has successfully implemented the indigenous road construction technology “REJUPAVE,” developed by CSIR-Central Road Research Institute (CSIR-CRRI), Ministry of Science and Technology. This technology has been specifically designed to construct high altitude bituminous roads in low and sub-zero temperature conditions, a scenario prevalent in the region, especially near the Indo-China border. The use of REJUPAVE is particularly significant for the Border Roads Organization (BRO) in their project VARTAK, as it addresses the challenges of building and maintaining durable roads in harsh and cold environments. The technology has proved its efficacy in constructing bituminous road sections at the World’s Highest Sela Road Tunnel and the LGG-Damteng-Yangste (LDY Road) road section, showcasing India’s innovative capabilities in road construction under extreme conditions.

Notes:
The government’s recent decision to issue 65 Quality Control Orders (QCOs), as announced by the Joint Secretary of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), is primarily aimed at containing the import of sub-standard goods into India. These QCOs cover over 500 products and are part of a broader strategy to ensure product safety for consumers and to boost domestic manufacturing. Under these orders, products must bear the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) mark to be produced, sold, traded, imported, or stocked in India. This initiative aligns with the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) and serves to curb the influx of inferior quality imports, thereby protecting consumer interests and promoting fair trade practices. The stringent penalties for violations of these orders further underscore their importance in maintaining quality standards in the market.

Notes:
The draft rules for the Press and Registration of Periodicals (PRP) Act state that periodicals with a daily average circulation of over 25,000 in the preceding two financial years can be subjected to a faceless desk audit to verify their circulation figures. This is part of the legislation aimed at simplifying and digitising the registration of newspapers and other periodicals, including provisions for physical verification of circulation figures and the establishment of an appellate board for registration issues.