Current Affairs Quiz - September, 2024

Notes:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed Global Fintech Fest (GFF) 2024 held at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai.
The event is organized jointly by the Payments Council of India, the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), and the Fintech Convergence Council (FCC). The GFF is considered one of the world’s largest gatherings of fintech startups, investors, experts, bankers, and regulators from around the globe.

Notes:
Ukraine successfully tested its first ballistic missile, named Hrim-2, developed by its defense industry. Hrim-2, also known as Grim, Grom, or OTRK Sapsan, is a Ukrainian short-range ballistic missile system. It combines the features of a tactical missile system and a multiple rocket launcher. The export version of Hrim-2 has a range limited to 280 km to comply with international regulations. For Ukraine’s military, the missile’s range is extended to 700 km. The Sapsan system features a 10-wheeled launcher that carries two missiles and can evade modern air defenses, similar to Russia’s Iskander missile.

Notes:
The Isai Kudil scheme was launched in Puducherry to boost music and dance education in government schools. Bharathiar University supports this initiative. A musical hut is being set up at Chinnatha Government Girls Higher Secondary School.
Music classes will be held twice a week for two hours. The scheme offers tailored syllabi for different class levels. This effort shows Puducherry’s commitment to enhancing students’ education through arts and culture.

Notes:
Recently, five people fell unconscious and were hospitalized in Visakhapatnam while shifting acetanilide bags between containers. Acetanilide is a synthetic organic compound with the formula C8H9NO, also known as N-phenylacetamide or acetanil. It is a white, odorless solid related to acetic acid and was first used as a fever-reducing drug in 1886.
Acetanilide was used for pain relief, including headaches and cramps, but has been largely replaced by acetaminophen (paracetamol) due to toxic side effects that affect hemoglobin function. It is still used as an intermediate in producing dyes, rubber, and other chemicals.

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:
India Post Payment Bank (IPPB) recently celebrated its 7th Foundation Day. IPPB was established under the Department of Posts, Ministry of Communication, with 100% ownership by the Government of India. It aims to provide efficient banking services to every household in India, enhancing financial security and empowerment. IPPB leverages a vast postal network of over 1,61,000 post offices across the country. Services offered include savings and current accounts, Direct Benefit Transfers, bill and utility payments, and access to third-party products like loans and insurance.

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:
The Ministry of Panchayati Raj and IIM Amritsar conducted a five-day Management Development Programme. The program ran from 2nd to 6th September 2024. It included Elected Representatives and Functionaries of Panchayati Raj Institutions from ten states. Participants came from Arunachal Pradesh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand. The aim was to strengthen leadership, management, and governance skills. The initiative focused on improving local governance and enhancing Panchayat services. The program supported the vision of a developed India.

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 Union Education Minister proposed renaming Ravenshaw University due to its association with the Na Anka Famine during Thomas Edward Ravenshaw’s tenure. The Na Anka Famine, also known as the Great Odisha Famine, devastated Odisha in 1866, two years before Ravenshaw University was founded in 1868. The famine was so severe that about one-third of Odisha’s population died. It occurred during the 9th Regnal year of King Divya Singha Deva of Orissa. Thomas Edward Ravenshaw, a British bureaucrat and colonial commissioner of Odisha, witnessed the famine’s devastating impact firsthand.