Current Affairs Quiz - September, 2024

Notes:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation for the Vadhvan Port project in Palghar, Maharashtra, worth around ₹76,000 crore. Vadhvan Port is set to become one of the top 10 ports globally, with a handling capacity of 23.2 million TEUs. The port, near Dahanu town, Maharashtra, will be one of India’s largest deep-water ports, offering direct connectivity to international shipping routes. Equipped with modern technology and infrastructure, it will feature deep berths and efficient cargo handling. The project will create significant employment, boost local businesses, and support regional economic growth. It emphasizes sustainable development, minimizing environmental impact. Once operational, the port will enhance India’s maritime connectivity and strengthen its global trade position.

Notes:
Cyclone Asna formed from a deep depression over Gujarat’s Kutch region and is set to become a tropical cyclone over the Arabian Sea. Unlike typical cyclones that form over warm ocean waters, Asna developed over land in Gujarat. Historically, cyclones have originated over mainland India only three times in August (1976, 1964, and 1944) and strengthened as they moved into the Arabian Sea. Possible causes include unusual monsoon winds, moisture from the Arabian Sea, soil moisture, and warming of the Indian Ocean.

Notes:
The Women’s Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament in 2024 will be held in Rajgir, Bihar, from November 11-20. This event is a milestone for Bihar, as it will take place at the newly-developed Rajgir Hockey Stadium. Top Asian teams, including India, China, Japan, and Korea, will compete in the tournament. The event highlights Bihar’s commitment to promoting hockey and hosting international sports. The inauguration of the stadium and the support from local leaders showcase Bihar’s readiness for global events.

Notes:
Odisha granted habitat rights to Saora tribals in Gajapati district, making it the state with the most habitat rights for particularly vulnerable tribal groups (PVTGs). The Saora tribe is one of Odisha’s ancient tribes, mentioned in the Ramayana and Mahabharata. They are also known as Savaras, Sabaras, Saura, and Sora. Besides Odisha, Saoras live in Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, and Assam. They speak the Sora language, a Munda language, and use the Sorang Sompeng script. Saoras have Proto Australoid features, a complex religion with many gods, and unique art and tattoo traditions.
Economically, they are divided into plains Saoras (agriculture and wage work) and hill Saoras (shifting and terraced cultivation).

Notes:
Bengaluru’s Deputy Chief Minister, D.K. Shivakumar, launched the ‘Nambike Nakshe’ scheme to streamline building approvals. The scheme simplifies the process for properties up to 4,000 square feet within Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) areas. It allows property owners to obtain provisional approval for building plans from certified architects or engineers. This change lets owners start planning their buildings sooner, bypassing initial approval complexities. It benefits landowners in areas developed by the Bangalore Development Authority and Karnataka Housing Board, often with plots around 50×80 feet.

Notes:
The third Joint Defence Cooperation Committee (JDCC) meeting between India and Kenya was held in New Delhi. Discussions covered military cooperation, training, defence industries, and research and development. The Kenyan delegation met Indian defence industry representatives in Delhi and will visit Pune to explore their capabilities. India and Kenya share a longstanding, friendly relationship, strengthened by a 2016 MoU on Defence Cooperation. JDCC serves as a key platform to discuss and enhance defence ties. The Indian delegation was led by Joint Secretary Amitabh Prasad, and the Kenyan side was led by Major General David Kipkemboi Ketter.

Notes:
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) launched the India Graphene Engineering and Innovation Centre (I-GEIC) as part of the Graphene Aurora program (GAP) in Kerala. The GAP is managed by Digital University Kerala.
The IGEIC is a non-profit organization based in Trivandrum, Kerala. Its goal is to become a leading center for the commercialization of graphene technology. The IGEIC aims to bridge the gap between research and commercialization by offering comprehensive facilities for startups and industries. Previously, MeitY had established India’s first graphene center, the India Innovation Centre for Graphene (IICG), in Kerala.

Notes:
Kapil Parmar won a bronze medal at the Paris Paralympics 2024 in the Para Judo Men’s J1-660 Kilogrammes event. He defeated Elielton de Oliveira from Brazil 10-0 via an Ippon, marking India’s first Paralympic medal in Judo. Parmar had previously won a silver medal in the 2022 Asian Games. He also won against Venezuela’s Marco Dennis Blanco 10-0 in the quarterfinals. Despite receiving yellow cards for minor infractions, Parmar excelled in the event. Parmar, from Shivor village in Madhya Pradesh, survived a severe childhood accident involving an electric shock and spent six months in a coma.

Notes:
The Union Ministry of Textiles launched the VisioNxt web portal to make India a global fashion leader. The portal provides real-time, India-specific fashion trend insights, reducing reliance on foreign forecasting agencies. It was launched by Union Minister Giriraj Singh on 5 September 2024 in New Delhi. The India-specific Fashion Trend Book ‘Paridhi 24×25’ was also unveiled at the event. The VisioNxt portal was developed by the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT). Located at NIFT Chennai, VisioNxt uses AI and emotional intelligence, with a prediction model called “DeepVision” to interpret Indian fashion trends.

Notes:
The Union Minister of Commerce and Industry set a target of 500 million tonnes of steel production by 2034 at the 5th ISA Steel Conclave. India is the second-largest producer of crude steel, surpassing Japan in 2018. In FY24, India produced 143.6 million tonnes (MT) of crude steel and 138.5 MT of finished steel. India’s finished steel consumption rose to 138.5 MT in FY24, up from 119.17 MT in FY23. In FY24, finished steel exports stood at 7.49 MT, while imports were 8.32 MT. The per capita steel consumption in India was 86.7 kg in FY23.