Current Affairs Quiz - June, 2024

Notes:
Tamluk, located in West Bengal, was a significant ancient city known as Tamralipta or Tamralipti. It served as the capital of the Suhma kingdom and later the Pala Empire during the 7th to 9th centuries CE. Excavations have revealed remnants of the ancient town Chandraketugarh. Today, Tamluk is renowned for its production and export of paan (betel leaf), shedding light on its historical trade importance in Indian kingdoms.

Notes:
Union Minister JP Nadda has been appointed Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha, succeeding Piyush Goyal, who is now a Lok Sabha member from North Mumbai, Maharashtra. Nadda was nominated to the Rajya Sabha from Gujarat by the BJP in February this year.

Notes:
The Bharat Centre of Olympic Research and Education (BCORE) was inaugurated on June 23 at Rashtriya Raksha University, Gandhinagar, Gujarat. Indian Olympic Association president PT Usha highlighted BCORE’s role as a hub for knowledge, innovation, and performance in Indian sports. Officially recognized by the International Olympic Committee, BCORE promotes Olympic values as an academic center.

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:
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:
After 164 years, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India opened its first museum at Chadwick House in Shimla. Inaugurated by CAG GC Murmu, the museum highlights India’s federal audit heritage. Chadwick House, where Mahatma Gandhi stayed during the 1946 Cabinet Mission, also housed the first training school for Indian Audit and Accounts Service probationers in 1950. Exhibits include Chanakya writing the Arthashastra.

Notes:
The Indian Air Force (IAF) has proposed to acquire 10 TAPAS drones, officially known as Tactical Airborne Platform for Aerial Surveillance Beyond Horizon-201, or Tapas BH-201. Developed by DRDO’s Aeronautical Development Establishment, these medium-altitude, long-endurance drones, previously called Rustom-II, fulfill the tri-services’ Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, Tracking & Reconnaissance (ISTAR) needs. Capable of operating day and night at 30,000 feet with a 24-hour endurance, they feature a 250 km range, carry up to 350 kg payloads, and include advanced surveillance and radar technologies.

Notes:
The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh is establishing a bioplastic park in Kumbhi village, Gola Gokarnnath tehsil, Lakhimpur Kheri district, to combat plastic pollution. Covering 1000 hectares and costing Rs 2000 crore, the project will be developed by Balrampur Chini Mill, with UPEIDA as the nodal agency. Bioplastics, made from renewable sources, decompose quickly, offering an eco-friendly alternative to petroleum-based plastics.

Notes:
India, the largest remittance recipient globally, is expected to receive 124 billion in inward remittances in 2024 and 129 billion in 2025. In 2023, India received $120 billion, marking a 7.5% growth rate, projected to be 3.7% in 2024. The World Bank’s June 2024 Migration and Development Brief highlights these trends, noting India as the leading emigrant origin country with 18.7 million emigrants.

Notes:
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav announced a new school curriculum chapter on the Emergency of 1975-77, highlighting the “excesses and repression” during that period. This aims to educate the younger generation about the struggle against the Emergency. Additional benefits for ‘Loktantra Senanis’ include air ambulances for serious health issues, fare discounts, state honors for funerals, and increased funeral financial support from ₹8,000 to ₹10,000. Employment training will also be provided to their families.