Current Affairs Quiz - July, 2024

Notes:
Flooding has occurred in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur area due to rising water levels in the Bagmati River. This river, originating from the Bagdwar area in Nepal’s Shivapuri Hills, is considered holy by Hindus and Buddhists. Flowing through diverse terrains, it travels approximately 360 km before joining the Burhi Gandak River. The Bagmati is fed by springs, monsoon rainfall, and tributaries, transiting three distinct physiographic zones of the Nepal Himalayas.

Notes:
The Bhojshala complex in Madhya Pradesh, built in 1034 AD by Raja Bhoja of the Paramara dynasty, is constructed from remains of an earlier temple. Historically significant, it served as a university for subjects like music, astronomy, and philosophy. The site faced attacks in 1305 and 1514 AD, with attempts to convert it into a dargah. Engravings include Prakrit hymns and Sanskrit inscriptions. It was declared a national monument in 1951 and is protected by the ASI.

Notes:
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde announced the ‘Ladka Bhau’ Yojana on July 17, 2024, in Pandharpur. This scheme offers job training and stipends to unemployed male youth, providing Rs 6,000 to 12th-pass, Rs 8,000 to diploma holders, and Rs 10,000 to graduates. The program aims to enhance employability by offering apprenticeships in various sectors. The announcement coincides with the upcoming legislative assembly elections in November 2024.

Notes:
U-WIN, launching on August 15, will transform maternal and child healthcare in India by digitizing vaccination records, replacing the manual system used by ASHA and other healthcare workers. Replicating the Co-WIN system, U-WIN maintains an electronic registry of routine immunizations. Currently in pilot mode in all states and Union Territories except West Bengal, it records vaccination events for pregnant women and children aged 0-5 under the Universal Immunization Programme (UIP).

Notes:
Indian space scientists Prahlad Chandra Agrawal and Anil Bhardwaj received prestigious awards from COSPAR during its 45th scientific assembly in Busan, South Korea. Agrawal, a retired professor from TIFR, earned the Harrie Massey Award for contributions to X-ray astronomy and leading AstroSat. Bhardwaj, PRL Director since 2017, won the Vikram Sarabhai Medal for his work in planetary space sciences and key roles in ISRO’s missions.

Notes:
The International Centre for Audit of Local Governance (iCAL) was inaugurated in Rajkot, Gujarat, on 18th July 2024. As India’s first such center, iCAL aims to set global standards for auditing local governance. It serves as a collaborative platform for policymakers and auditors, enhancing local government auditors’ independence and acting as a knowledge center. iCAL addresses governance issues and promotes best practices among India’s 2.5 lakh panchayats and 8,000 Urban Local Bodies.

Notes:
The Union Government plans to raise the upper limit of short-term crop loans under the Modified Interest Subvention Scheme (MISS) from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 5 lakh. Implemented from Kharif 2006-07, MISS offers subsidized short-term credit to farmers and is active from 2022-23 to 2024-25. Interest subvention is available to various banks, and the scheme is managed by NABARD and RBI. Eligible recipients include owner cultivators, tenant farmers, and SHGs.

Notes:
India Child Protection (ICP) released the “Towards Justice: Ending Child Marriage” report. ICP, part of the Child Rights and Multi-Faith Initiative, addresses child abuse, trafficking, digital exploitation, and child marriage. Key findings: Assam’s legal measures reduced child marriages by 81% from 2021-22 to 2023-24. Despite three girls marrying every minute (Census 2011), only three cases are reported daily. In 2023-24, 14,137 child marriages were prevented. With a 92% case backlog, clearing it could take 19 years.

Notes:
Researchers from the Shadpada Entomology Research Lab (SERL) at Christ College, Irinjalakuda, reported two new flower fly species, Mesembrius bengalensis and M. quadrivittatus, from Kerala’s Kole wetlands and Vilagan Kunnu hillocks. Flower flies, belonging to the Syrphidae family, mimic bees or wasps and are crucial pollinators. The Kole wetlands, Kerala’s largest brackish tropical ecosystem, lie between the Chalakudy and Bharathapuzha Rivers and are part of the central Asian Flyway for migratory birds.

Notes:
Kerala has issued technical guidelines for diagnosing and managing amoebic meningoencephalitis. Primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) is a rare, often fatal infection caused by the brain-eating amoeba Naegleria fowleri, found in freshwater. Symptoms include headache, fever, nausea, and vomiting, typically after exposure to warm, stagnant freshwater. PAM has a high mortality rate over 97%. Treatment remains uncertain but should involve amebicidal drugs that can cross the blood-brain barrier.