Current Affairs Quiz - June, 2024

Notes:
The Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry launched the Safai Apnao, Bimaari Bhagao initiative under Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0 from July 1 to August 31. It aims to prepare Urban Local Bodies for monsoon challenges, focusing on cleanliness and health. Aligning with the Health Ministry’s ‘STOP Diarrhoea Campaign,’ it promotes inter-departmental collaboration to address cleanliness and disease risks during heavy rainfall.

Notes:
Historians and enthusiasts are restoring Srikakulam’s ancient history in Andhra Pradesh. Known for its prominent Buddhist sites like Dantapuri and Salihundam, Neolithic-era caves, and ancient temples, Srikakulam was once part of the Kalinga Dynasty and later ruled by the Gajapati Kingdom, Eastern Chalukyas, Kakatiya, and Vijayanagara empires. Key sites include the Sri Suryanarayana Swamy Temple in Arasavalli and the Srimukhalingam Temple by the Vamsadhara River.

Notes:
David Warner’s 15-year international cricket career ended quietly as Australia’s exit from the 2024 T20 World Cup. Warner had announced this World Cup as his last, marking his final stages in international cricket. He played his last ODI in 2023, his final Test in early 2024, and concluded his career after the T20 World Cup, despite hinting at a possible return for the 2025 Champions Trophy.

Notes:
A five-member Pakistan delegation and World Bank experts toured the Ratle power project, a run-of-the-river hydroelectric project on the Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir. Since 2006, Pakistan has raised technical objections, seeking international arbitration, which India rejected. Under the Indus Water Treaty, India has rights over the run-of-the-river waters in Jammu and Kashmir and full rights over Punjab’s rivers. India asserts its compliance with the treaty.

Notes:
India’s largest leopard safari has opened at Bannerghatta Biological Park, Karnataka. Covering 20 hectares, the safari houses eight leopards, with plans to increase this number. The area is secured with railway barricades and enclosed with 4.5-meter-tall chain-link mesh and mild steel sheets to ensure the leopards remain within the boundaries.

Notes:
The first IDF Regional Dairy Conference Asia Pacific-2024 held at Kochi from June 26-28, 2024, at the Grand Hyatt, Bolgatty. The conference themed “Farmer Centric Innovations in Dairying” is organized by the Indian National Committee of the International Dairy Federation. Key figures include the Secretary of Animal Husbandry & Dairying and the National Dairy Development Board. Leaders and experts will address global dairy sector issues. The event features 22 exhibition pavilions and 17 startups showcasing dairy farms, processing equipment, and related technologies.

Notes:
Since 2017, June 27 has been observed as Micro Small Medium Enterprise (MSME) Day, recognizing the sector’s role in economic development and employment. MSMEs account for 90% of businesses, 60-70% of employment, and 50% of GDP globally. The United Nations General Assembly established MSME Day on April 6, 2017. The 2024 theme is “MSMEs and the SDG,” focusing on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

Notes:
The Tamil Nadu government plans to build a high-level bridge to protect the Pallikaranai Marshland, a freshwater and saline wetland 20 km south of Chennai. As one of Chennai’s last natural wetlands, it serves as an aquatic buffer, draining 250 sq.km through Okkiyam Madavu and Kovalam Creek into the Bay of Bengal. A Ramsar site, it supports diverse species including 115 bird species, Russell’s viper, and the glossy ibis.

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.

Notes:
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has launched the AI Preparedness Index (AIPI) Dashboard, ranking 174 countries on their readiness to adopt AI technologies. Categories include Low-Income Countries (LIC), Emerging Market Economies (EM), and Advanced Economies (AE). Singapore, Denmark, and the United States lead the AE category, while India, an EM, ranks 72nd with a score of 0.49. China ranks 31st with a score of 0.63, reflecting its higher readiness compared to neighboring countries like Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.