Current Affairs Quiz - March, 2024

Notes:
The Signals Technology Evaluation and Adaptation Group (STEAG) is a specialized unit of the Indian Army that researches and evaluates cutting-edge communication technologies for defense applications. STEAG is the first of its kind specialized unit in the Indian Army and is headed by a Colonel-rank officer from the Corps of Signals. The unit is made up of approximately 280 personnel and is poised to revolutionize communication infrastructure within the army.

Notes:
Dr. Neena Prasad, a top exponent of Mohiniyattam, has been awarded the Nritya Kalanidhi Award in 2024. She has trained in multiple classical dance forms, including Bharat Natyam, Kuchipudi, and Kathakali. She has also received a Ph.D. from Rabindra Bharati University and a post-doctoral fellowship from the University of Surrey. Prasad runs music academies in Chennai and Thiruvananthapuram, including the Bharatanjali Academy of Indian Dances, and teaches students at her academies.

Notes:
Guyana’s Defence Force has agreed to buy two Dornier 228 aircraft from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in India. The twin-engine turboprop aircraft is designed for maritime patrol and is highly versatile. The aircraft will be equipped with advanced equipment such as a Glass Cockpit, Maritime Patrol Radar, Electro Optic Infra-Red device, and Mission Management System. The contract with HAL is worth Rs 458.87 crore.

Notes:
Valmiki Tiger Reserve (VTR), Bihar’s sole tiger reserve, utilizes green energy for watering wild animals, including tigers, and their prey in scorching summers. Established in 1990 and declared a Wildlife Sanctuary in 1978, VTR encompasses Valmiki National Park and Valmiki Wildlife Sanctuary. Situated on the Gandak riverbanks, it shares borders with Royal Chitwan National Park and Parsa Wildlife Sanctuary of Nepal. The Bihar government awaits NTCA approval to declare Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary as the state’s second tiger reserve after VTR.

Notes:
Delhi’s biomining project aimed at clearing landfill sites is facing another setback as it is expected to miss the 2024 deadline. Biomining involves extracting metals from solid materials using micro-organisms. This technique is not only used for metal extraction but also for cleaning up polluted sites. The process involves microbes oxidizing metals, making them soluble in water, or breaking down surrounding minerals to make metal recovery easier. Bioleaching and bio-oxidation are common biomining processes.

Notes:
India’s first battery energy storage (BESS) gigafactory will be established in Jammu and Kashmir, and is expected to start operations in October 2024. The 7 GWh capacity facility is being developed by GoodEnough Energy, a battery energy storage systems manufacturer based in Greater Noida. The factory’s goal is to help reduce carbon emissions by 5 million tons annually, which is equivalent to the Indian Railways annual carbon reduction target of 4 million tonnes. The factory will also help to ensure the stability of the power grid.

Notes:
President Droupadi Murmu appointed Jharkhand Governor CP Radhakrishnan as the additional charge of Telangana Governor and Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry, replacing Tamilisai Soundararajan, who resigned on March 18. Soundararajan, previously BJP Tamil Nadu unit president, contested but lost in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The upcoming Lok Sabha polls in Tamil Nadu, with 39 seats, are scheduled for April 19, 2024.

Notes:
India’s first indigenously-made 1,500 horsepower (HP) engine for main battle tanks was test-fired at BEML’s Engine division in Mysore. The test-firing was presided over by Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane, who said it marks a “new era” in the country’s defense capabilities. The engine also represents landmark advancement in military propulsion systems with cutting-edge features.

Notes:
World Water Day, observed on March 22 since 1993, raises awareness about freshwater conservation. The United Nations General Assembly initiated this observance to emphasize water’s significance in our lives. The 2024 theme, ‘Leveraging Water for Peace’, highlights the crucial role of transboundary water cooperation in fostering universal peace and sustainable development.

Notes:
Hong Kong recently passed a new national security law that expands government powers to suppress dissent and imposes life sentences for treason and insurrection. The law also includes life sentences for sabotage and “colluding with foreign forces”. The law is seen as the latest step in a political crackdown that began in 2019 with pro-democracy protests. In 2020, Beijing imposed a national security law that gave it broad new powers to punish critics and silence dissenters.