Current Affairs Quiz - September, 2024

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:
Himanshi Tokas won a silver medal at the Asian Cadet and Junior Judo Championships. The event took place in Mungyeong, South Korea. Himanshi competed in the women’s 63-kilogram weight category. She is 19 years old and part of the Khelo Bharat program. 12 members from India participated in the competition. The event is concluded at the Mungyeong Gymnasium.

Notes:
The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) advised citizens to stay indoors due to heavy rains causing the Musi River to rise. The Musi River flows through Telangana and is a tributary of the Krishna River. The river was historically known as the Muchukunda River. Hyderabad is situated on its banks, with the river dividing the old and new parts of the city. The Musi River originates in the Anantagiri Hills near Vicarabad, covering about 240 km before joining the Krishna River. Two dams, Himayat Sagar and Osman Sagar, are constructed over the Musi River.

Notes:
The Union Cabinet approved Kaynes Semicon Pvt Ltd to set up a semiconductor unit in Sanand, Gujarat, under the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM). This is the fifth semiconductor unit approved under ISM. ISM is a specialized division within the Digital India Corporation. It aims to make India a global hub for electronics manufacturing and design by building a strong semiconductor and display ecosystem. ISM has full administrative and financial powers and an advisory board of global semiconductor experts. Launched in 2021, ISM operates under the Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) with a budget of ₹76,000 crores. ISM supports semiconductor manufacturing, packaging, and design initiatives.

Notes:
Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari and Hardeep Singh Puri inaugurated the India Bio-Energy & Tech Expo 2024 in New Delhi on 2 September 2024. The Expo is held from 2 to 4 September 2024. Awards were given to companies for their contributions to the bioenergy industry and enhancing bioenergy production and supply in India. The Indian Federation of Green Energy, in partnership with MMACTIV Sci-Tech Communications Ltd, organized the Expo. The Expo provides a platform for discussions on the future of bioenergy technologies. It aims to support India’s green energy initiatives by involving government, industry leaders, and experts.

Notes:
Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan launched the AgriSURE Fund and Krishi Nivesh Portal in New Delhi. He conferred the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) Excellence Awards to top-performing banks and states. The awards recognized and appreciated outstanding efforts in agricultural infrastructure. Ministers of State and representatives from various states and banks attended the event. The Ministry believed the award ceremony would inspire other banks to improve their performance. The AIF was launched in 2022 to develop post-harvest management infrastructure and community farming assets.

Notes:
IIT Delhi’s first international campus was inaugurated in Abu Dhabi by Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi. This new campus aims to enhance the UAE’s status as a global education and innovation hub. It is the second international IIT campus, following IIT Madras’s in Zanzibar. The inaugural cohort includes 52 students pursuing undergraduate degrees in Computer Science and Energy Engineering. Students were admitted through JEE Advanced and CAET exams and come from various backgrounds, including Indian, Emirati, and international students. IIT Delhi Abu Dhabi also launched an MTech program in Energy Transition and Sustainability earlier this year.

Notes:
The National Test House (NTH) signed an MoU with the Bureau of Energy Efficiency to promote energy efficiency in India.
NTH is a premier institution under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution. It was established in 1912 as the Government Test House. NTH is India’s largest multi-location, multidisciplinary testing laboratory under the Central Government. It deals with testing, calibration, and quality evaluation for industry, commerce, and trade, following international and national standards. NTH provides support to the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL). It is the first government body to certify drones in India.

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The second phase of ‘Exercise Tarang Shakti 24’ was held at Air Force Station Jodhpur. It involved international participation, including Australia, which contributed three EA-18G Growler aircraft and 120 personnel. The exercise took place from August 30 to September 13 and aimed to strengthen regional security cooperation. Other participating nations included Greece, Sri Lanka, the UAE, Japan, Singapore, and the US. The event highlighted the strategic importance of Jodhpur as a key location for military collaborations.

Notes:
The Ministry of Labor and Employment has approved the Centralized Pension Payment System (CPPS) for the Employees’ Pension Scheme. CPPS will create a national system allowing pensioners to receive their pensions from any bank branch across India. Currently, the pension system is decentralized, with each regional EPFO office working with only a few banks. CPPS will be launched as part of EPFO’s Centralized IT Enabled System (CITES 2.01) on January 1, 2025. In the future, CPPS will support a transition to an Aadhaar-based payment system (ABPS).