Current Affairs Quiz - January, 2025

Notes:
Kerala won their first Senior National Men’s Handball Championship title with a 34-31 victory over Chandigarh. Kerala reached the final after a close semi-final win against Services, 23-21. Chandigarh advanced to the final by defeating Indian Railways 32-30. Kerala’s Devendar was named ‘Best Player of the Championship,’ Rahul won ‘Best Goalkeeper,’ and Sujith was honored as ‘Best Left Wing Player.’ Services and Indian Railways shared third place in the tournament.

Notes:
The Rajasthan government recently dissolved nine districts and three divisions created in 2023. Rajasthan now has 41 districts and seven divisions. The divisions of Pali, Sikar, and Banswara were annulled. Eight districts, including Dudu, Kekri, Shahpura, and others, were abolished due to administrative necessity. Retained districts include Balotra, Beawar, Didwana-Kuchaman, and others. A High-Level Committee report deemed the new districts unviable, and a Cabinet Sub-Committee was formed to review their status.

Notes:
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) announced a 100% conviction rate for 2024, convicting 68 individuals in 25 high-profile cases. The NIA arrested 210 individuals across 80 cases, with 28 involving Left Wing Extremism and 18 related to North East insurgency. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) was established in 2008 after the Mumbai terror attacks to combat terrorism. The agency operates under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, with its headquarters in New Delhi, led by the Director-General.

Notes:
Zimbabwe abolished the death penalty, sparing around 60 prisoners on death row. The country last executed someone in 2005 due to a lack of willing executioners. President Emmerson Mnangagwa, once sentenced to death during the independence war, approved the law after Parliament’s bill. Mnangagwa has consistently opposed capital punishment and commuted death sentences to life in prison through amnesties. Amnesty International praised Zimbabwe’s move as a positive step for abolition in the region. Globally, 113 countries, including 24 in Africa, have abolished the death penalty. In 2023, Amnesty recorded 1,153 executions, with most in Iran and Saudi Arabia.

Notes:
The Tobacco Board has initiated several strategic activities to ensure the sustainability and growth of the tobacco industry. The Tobacco Board of India was established on January 1, 1976, under the Tobacco Board Act, 1975. It is headed by a chairperson and works towards the development of the tobacco industry. Its main functions include promoting tobacco exports, regulating FCV tobacco production and distribution, and supporting domestic and international tobacco trade. India is the second-largest producer of tobacco globally, after China. India is also the second-largest exporter of unmanufactured tobacco, after Brazil.

Notes:
Manastu Space, a start-up from IIT Bombay, successfully tested its green propulsion system, VYOM 2U. This environmentally friendly technology represents a significant advancement in satellite propulsion, offering a safer alternative to conventional toxic propellants. The test was conducted aboard ISRO’s PSLV C60 as part of the POEM-4 initiative, which provides a platform for innovative space experiments. The successful test marks a key milestone in the commercialization of sustainable propulsion technology for future space missions.

Notes:
Registrations for Yuva Nidhi Scheme has started in Chamarajanagar, Karnataka. Chief Minister of Karnataka Siddaramaiah launched the Yuva Nidhi scheme in January 2024. The scheme provides financial aid to unemployed graduates and diploma holders for two years. The scheme is managed by the Department of Skill Development, Entrepreneurship, and Livelihood. Applications can be submitted on the Seva Sindhu portal, Karnataka One, Grama One, and Bapuji Seva Kendra.

Notes:
Maharashtra is reviewing beneficiaries of the Ladki Bahin Scheme, launched in June 2024. Scheme supports women from economically weaker sections with ₹1,500 per month. Only women with an annual family income below ₹2.5 lakh are eligible. Budget also included free LPG cylinders for BPL families and free electricity for farmers. Scheme’s annual cost is ₹46,000 crore, raising concerns over financial sustainability. Finance department warned the expenses could affect payment of government salaries. Government aims to reduce beneficiaries to ease the financial burden.

Notes:
The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) is using the Open Data Kit (ODK) platform to enhance transparency and accountability in public spending. ODK is a secure digital platform for designing, collecting, and managing data. It is integrated with CAG’s Operating System (OIOS) and provides end-to-end encryption. The platform helps identify problem areas and launch multilingual surveys. Beneficiary surveys support audit planning and evidence collection. ODK was used to assess patient satisfaction and audit the performance of AIIMS Mangalagiri and AIIMS Bibinagar.

Notes:
Eminent physicist Rajagopala Chidambaram, key figure in India’s nuclear tests of 1974 and 1998, passed away at 88. Born in 1936, Chidambaram studied at Presidency College, Chennai, and Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru.. He served as Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India (2001-2018) and director of BARC (1990-1993). Chidambaram was chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission and Secretary, DAE (1993-2000). He also chaired the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in 1994-1995.