Current Affairs Quiz - March, 2024

Notes:
By 2024, India has become the world’s second-largest mobile phone producer, shifting from 78% import-dependency in 2014 to 97% self-sufficiency. A mere 3% of total mobile phones sold are now imported, marking a significant transformation in the sector. This achievement underscores India’s remarkable growth in the electronics manufacturing ecosystem over the past decade.

Notes:
Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW’s) report on used water management spotlights Haryana, Karnataka, and Punjab as leaders in the country. Urban water demand rises while groundwater levels dwindle. Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) require enhanced treatment and reuse infrastructure. Financial constraints hinder 90% of ULBs. Merely 28% of 72,000 million liters of used water is treated. CEEW proposes a Municipal Used Water Management (MUWM) Index to prioritize treatment and reuse, aiming to address the pressing water crisis.

Notes:
According to report by Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), India leads global arms imports with a 4.7% growth from 2014-2018 to 2019-2023. Russia remains India’s primary arms supplier, but its share fell below 50% for the first time since 1960-64. India sourced 36% of its arms imports from Russia. The US supplied 55% of Europe’s weapons, while Japan’s imports rose by 155%, and South Korea’s by 6.5%. China’s imports decreased by 44%.

Notes:
The Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) launched the inaugural phase of ART-CI in Madhya Pradesh. ART-CI aims to advance weather research for better understanding of monsoon convection and land-atmosphere interactions in the core monsoon zone. Spearheaded by Pune’s Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), it’s the first testbed facility of its kind. Established under MoES’s ACROSS scheme, ART-CI features remote-sensing and in-situ instruments for continuous observation of various weather parameters.

Notes:
The 54th session of the Codex Committee on Food Hygiene (CCFH) took place from March 11–15, 2024 in Nairobi, Kenya. The US government hosted the event, which was the first CCFH meeting in Kenya. At the session, India presented its recently released Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for Modernization of Food Streets. The SOP was presented along the lines of the proposed draft guidelines for Food Hygiene Control Measures in Traditional Markets for Food.

Notes:
NITI Aayog launched the ‘Vocal for Local’ initiative to foster self-reliance and sustainable growth. Under the Aspirational Blocks Programme, it promotes local products from 500 blocks through the Aakanksha brand. Aakanksha serves as an umbrella brand, facilitating international market access. The initiative includes a dedicated window on the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal for these products. Partners offer support for e-commerce, linkages, literacy, certification, and skill enhancement to promote local entrepreneurship.

Notes:
The Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI) and the Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee (IIT Roorkee) have collaborated to establish a Centre of Excellence and Industry Accelerator in the automotive and electric vehicle (EV) sector. The two ministries signed an MoU to promote innovation and advance the automotive and EV sector. Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, Shri Pushkar Singh Dhami, witnessed the historic event.

Notes:
Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated Nausena Bhawan, Indian Navy’s new headquarters at Delhi Cantonment, consolidating operations from 13 locations. The building, selected through a nationwide competition, features three wings across four stories, incorporating innovative technologies for efficiency and sustainability. This marks the Navy’s first independent HQ in Delhi, emphasizing functionality and aesthetics in its architectural design.

Notes:
Ratan Tata, the former chairman of Tata Sons, received the PV Narasimha Rao Memorial Award in 2024 for his philanthropy work. The award ceremony took place in Mumbai. Tata is recognized for his exceptional contributions that have benefited many communities across the country.

Notes:
Scientists recently discovered early earthquake evidence in South Africa’s Barberton Greenstone Belt, located on the eastern edge of the Kaapvaal Craton. Known for gold mineralization and unique komatiites, it boasts some of Earth’s oldest rocks, over 3.6 billion years old, with traces of ancient life. The Makhonjwa Mountains, constituting 40% of the belt, feature rocks dating back 3.2 to 3.6 billion years. Ultramafic rocks found here are rich in magnesium and iron.