Current Affairs Quiz - January, 2025

Notes:
IIT Madras is collaborating with the Ministry of Agriculture on Project VISTAAR to enhance agricultural extension through digitalization. Project VISTAAR (Virtually Integrated System to Access Agricultural Resources) aims to strengthen the agricultural extension system. The project highlights opportunities for start-ups to innovate and improve agriculture and allied sectors. Start-ups can help farmers with technologies for better productivity and market information. IIT Madras’ Centre for Research on Start-ups developed a platform with data on 12,000 agriculture-related start-ups. The MoU enables farmers and stakeholders to access start-up capabilities and improve agricultural efficiency.

Notes:
A male tiger, T-2402, left Sariska Tiger Reserve and injured three people. Sariska Tiger Reserve is located in Rajasthan, covering 800 sq km in the Aravali Hills. It was a hunting ground for the Maharaja of Alwar before becoming a reserve in 1955 and a national park in 1979. It was the first reserve globally to successfully relocate tigers. The area is known for temples, palaces, and lakes like Pandu Pol, Bhangarh Fort, Siliserh Lake, and JaiSamand Lake.

Notes:
Europa, one of Jupiter’s moons, has a thicker icy crust than previously thought, possibly limiting access to its subsurface oceans. It is the smallest of Jupiter’s Galilean moons, discovered by Galileo in 1610, with a diameter of 3,130 km, slightly smaller than Earth’s Moon. Europa’s surface is smooth ice, and a saltwater ocean lies beneath, containing twice the water of Earth’s oceans. The moon might harbor conditions suitable for life with key chemical elements present. NASA’s Europa Clipper, launched on October 14, 2024, aims to explore Europa’s potential for supporting life.

Notes:
The Export Inspection Council (EIC) has launched a study on food testing infrastructure for exports. It was set up under the Export (Quality Control and Inspection) Act, 1963. It ensures quality control and inspection of Indian exports. EIC is the official certification body for exports, ensuring products meet quality and safety standards for importing countries. It provides mandatory certification for specific food products and voluntary certification for others. EIC operates through Export Inspection Agencies in major cities, with NABL accredited laboratories and 30 sub-offices. It works under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

Notes:
India has the third-largest operational metro rail network globally, after China and the USA. India’s metro network serves over 1 crore passengers daily, surpassing Japan in metro projects by 2022. Metro development in India began in 1969 with the Metropolitan Transport Project. PM Modi launched metro projects worth over ₹12,200 crore in Delhi on January 5.

Notes:
A study by IIT Roorkee identified the Alaknanda River in Uttarakhand as highly vulnerable to landslide-induced natural dams. The Alaknanda is one of the two main headstreams of the Ganges River, originating from the Satopanth and Bhagirath Kharak glaciers in the Garhwal Himalayas. It spans approximately 190 km before merging with the Bhagirathi River at Devprayag, where it is officially called the Ganga. Alaknanda contributes more water to the Ganga than the Bhagirathi. The river’s banks host key pilgrimage sites, including Badrinath, Hemkund Sahib, and Joshimath, and form part of the Char Dham Yatra.

Notes:
The Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All (UJALA) scheme, launched in January 2015, distributed 36.87 crore LED bulbs, saving ₹19,153 crore annually in electricity costs. It is the world’s largest zero-subsidy LED lamp distribution initiative, aiming for energy efficiency in households. The scheme replaced 77 crore traditional bulbs and 3.5 crore street lights, targeting savings of 85 lakh kWh and reducing CO2 by 15,000 tonnes. It is implemented by Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) under the Ministry of Power.

Notes:
The eighth Ammunition Cum Torpedo Cum Missile (ACTCM) Barge, LSAM 22, was inducted on 06 Jan 2025 at Naval Dockyard, Mumbai. The contract for 11 ACTCM Barges was signed with M/s Suryadipta Projects Pvt. Ltd., a Thane-based MSME, on 05 Mar 2021. Seven ACTCM Barges have already been delivered, and the shipyard is also building four Sullage Barges for the Navy. The barges are indigenously designed and tested for seaworthiness at Naval Science and Technological Laboratory, Visakhapatnam. Built under Indian Register of Shipping rules, these barges promote Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiatives.

Notes:
AnemiaPhone, developed by Cornell University, is now part of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) programs for anemia, women’s health, and maternal and child health in India. It offers quick, accurate, and low-cost iron deficiency assessment. Anemia affects 50% to 70% of pregnant women in India, with iron deficiency as the main cause. The device uses a drop of blood on a test strip, similar to a COVID-19 test, providing results in minutes. Data is uploaded to a clinical database via mobile devices, enabling healthcare workers to provide immediate guidance, referrals, or interventions.

Notes:
Los Angeles declared a state of emergency on January 8, 2025, as wildfires expanded from 10 to over 2,900 acres. Around 100,000 people have been evacuated, with over 1,400 firefighters battling the blazes. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena was evacuated due to the advancing Eaton Fire. The fires, driven by strong winds, are threatening over 13,000 structures, including areas in Santa Monica, Venice Beach, and Malibu.