Current Affairs Quiz - June, 2024

Notes:
A Pakistani delegation recently arrived in Jammu to discuss the 1960 Indus Water Treaty (IWT) with India. Signed by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and President Ayub Khan, and brokered by the World Bank, the treaty regulates the distribution of the Indus River system’s waters. India received waters from the Beas, Ravi, and Sutlej rivers, while Pakistan received waters from the Chenab, Indus, and Jhelum rivers. The Permanent Indus Commission oversees the treaty’s implementation.

Notes:
According to a UNCTAD report, foreign direct investment (FDI) to India dropped by 43% in 2023, falling from 49 billion in 2022 to 28 billion. Globally, FDI declined by 2%. India, China, France, Australia, and the USA saw reduced FDI inflows. India’s global FDI recipient rank fell from 8th to 15th in 2023 but remained in the top five for attracting greenfield projects and international project finance deals.

Notes:
On June 25, the Madhya Pradesh cabinet decided that state ministers must pay their own income tax, reversing a 1972 rule where the state government covered these taxes. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav announced the decision, emphasizing the end of the state’s financial responsibility for ministers’ income tax on salaries and perks.

Notes:
Devotees nationwide are gathering at Assam’s Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati for the annual Ambubachi Mela. The Kamakhya Temple, one of India’s 51 Shaktipeeths, is located atop Nilachal Hills and is dedicated to Goddess Kamakhya, a form of Goddess Parvati. The Ambubachi Mela celebrates the goddess’s annual menstruation. The temple’s architecture uniquely combines the traditional Nagara and Mughal styles, known as the Nilachala Style.

Notes:
Recently, the 350th contract under the Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) was signed with SpacePixxel Technologies Pvt Ltd for a miniaturized satellite. iDEX, a flagship initiative of the Ministry of Defence, promotes self-reliance and innovation in Defence and Aerospace by engaging MSMEs, start-ups, and R&D institutes. Managed by the Defence Innovation Organization (DIO), it supports innovators through financial aid and technical guidance. iDEX has launched 11 Defence India Start-up Challenges and the ADITI scheme.

Notes:
Mark Rutte, Netherlands Prime Minister, has been appointed as the next Secretary General of NATO. Approved by NATO’s 32 member countries on June 26 in Brussels, he will succeed Jens Stoltenberg on October 1, 2024. Rutte’s nomination came after overcoming opposition from Hungary and Turkey, and the withdrawal of Romanian President Klaus Iohannis. He became the sole candidate and was elected to lead the Western military alliance after serving as Dutch Prime Minister since 2010.

Notes:
The annual conference on MND ‘Awareness, Care, and Management’ at Nimhans, Bengaluru, highlighted the importance of symptomatic and supportive treatments. Motor Neuron Diseases (MNDs) are progressive neurological disorders affecting motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord, leading to muscle weakness, slurred speech, and paralysis, typically after age 50. Causes are mostly unknown, though some cases are genetic. MND affects more males than females.

Notes:
The Ministry of Mines launched the Scheme for Partial Reimbursement of Exploration Expenses to accelerate mineral exploration and reduce costs. The scheme offers 50% reimbursement, up to Rs 20 crore, for exploration expenses. This cap increases to Rs 24 crore if a G2 block is auctioned within three years. Funded by the Rs 5,000 crore NMET, recipients must repay the amount over ten years from production start or within one month of receiving lump sum payments.

Notes:
Intensive animal agriculture, or factory farming, raises livestock and poultry in dense facilities to boost dairy output cost-effectively. Concerns include antibiotic resistance in 53% of Indian egg samples, zoonotic diseases originating from animals (60% known, 75% emerging), and significant environmental impact (14.5%-16.5% of global greenhouse gases). Diets rich in animal products also heighten risks of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes.

Notes:
The Union Minister of State for Science and Technology launched two geoportals: Bhuvan Panchayat 4.0 and NDEM 5.0, both with national geospatial databases created by ISRO. Bhuvan Panchayat 4.0 aims to integrate space-based information for governance and research, focusing on spatial planning at the Gram Panchayat level. NDEM 5.0 provides a comprehensive geospatial database for nationwide situational assessment and decision-making during emergencies.