Current Affairs Quiz - November, 2024

Notes:
The autonomous surface vessel completed a 1,500-km voyage from Mumbai to Thoothukudi as part of the ‘Sagarmala Parikrama’ journey. The journey was flagged off virtually by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at the NIIO’s annual event, Swavlamban. The initiative is supported by the Indian Navy’s Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation (NIIO), Technology Development Acceleration Cell (TDAC), and iDEX under the Defence Innovation Organisation (DIO). This achievement highlights India’s progress in autonomous systems for defense, enhancing capabilities in coastal surveillance, patrol, and anti-piracy operations.

Notes:
India issued a formal notice on August 30, 2024, to review and modify the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) under Article XII (3). The move reflects India’s need for sustainable water resources to meet growing domestic demands and support clean energy development. Article XII allows treaty modifications but requires high-level agreements, making changes challenging. Previous attempts to modify water-sharing, like the Kishenganga arbitration in 2013, show that reaching consensus with Pakistan is difficult. The Kishanganga River, called the Neelum River in Pakistan, is a tributary of the Jhelum River. It flows through Jammu and Kashmir before joining the Jhelum in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

Notes:
Bengaluru’s first digital population clock was inaugurated at Institute for Social Economic Change (ISEC). It provides real-time population estimates for Karnataka and India. The project is a joint effort of ISEC and the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW). The clock updates Karnataka’s population every 1 minute 10 seconds and India’s every 2 seconds. It aims to raise awareness about population dynamics and support research. Similar clocks will be installed at 18 Population Research Centres in India. Equipped with satellite connection, advanced software, and tools, it will enhance demographic studies and policy analysis.

Notes:
Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers launched the “Scheme for Strengthening the Medical Device Industry” to boost India’s medical device sector and promote self-reliance. The scheme has a total budget of Rs. 500 Crores. It focuses on key areas like manufacturing components, skill development, clinical studies, infrastructure development, and industry promotion.

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The New Agriculture Wealth Opportunities – Driving Horticulture Agribusiness Networking (NAWO-DHAN) scheme aims to boost food crop production in Kerala. It engages farmer groups through Service Level Agreements (SLA) without transferring land ownership. The initiative targets unused land and addresses a significant production-demand gap in fruits and vegetables. The Kerala Agro Business Company (KABCO) facilitates this project, encouraging investment in high-tech agriculture while ensuring that income from farming remains non-taxable.

Notes:
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath inaugurated the state’s first double-decker electric bus service in Lucknow, emphasizing its significance for environmental protection and traffic management. The initiative aims to reduce pollution and improve urban transport. Yogi Adityanath also mentioned plans to expand this electric bus service to other major cities in Uttar Pradesh, highlighting the state’s commitment to sustainable transport solutions.

Notes:
The ‘EV as a Service’ program, initiated by Convergence Energy Services Limited (CESL). The programme aims to deploy 5,000 electric cars across government ministries, departments, CPSEs, and institutions in the next two years. It allows flexible procurement of different EV models based on operational needs, promoting environmental sustainability. CESL has already deployed nearly 2,000 EVs and is working on 17,000 E-Buses. The initiative supports India’s net-zero emission target by 2070, reducing carbon emissions, fossil fuel reliance, and enhancing energy security.

Notes:
The Defence Space Agency has launched India’s first space exercise, Antariksha Abhyas – 2024, in New Delhi. This exercise focuses on addressing growing threats to space-based assets and services. It aims to secure national strategic space objectives and integrate India’s space capabilities into military operations. The exercise will deepen understanding of operational dependencies on space assets and identify vulnerabilities if space services are disrupted. Participants include the Defence Space Agency, Army, Navy, Air Force, and specialist branches like the Defence Cyber Agency, Defence Intelligence Agency, and Strategic Forces Command.

Notes:
Harinder Singh Sodhi, also known as ‘Billy,’ a prominent Indian polo player, passed away at 86 due to age-related issues. Known for his exceptional talent and commitment, Sodhi achieved a rare handicap of plus-five, a highly respected level in polo. He was honored with the Arjuna Award for his contributions to polo.His legacy in Indian polo is celebrated with great admiration and respect.

Notes:
NASA’s Voyager 2 spacecraft, launched in 1977, made historic flybys of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, becoming the only spacecraft to visit Uranus and Neptune. It discovered new moons, rings, and phenomena like Uranus’ magnetic field and Neptune’s “Great Dark Spot.” Voyager 2 carried a Golden Record with sounds and images from Earth, meant for potential extraterrestrial life. After its primary mission, Voyager 2 entered interstellar space in 2018, becoming the second human-made object to do so. It continues sending data from the interstellar medium, now the second most distant human-made object from Earth.