Current Affairs Quiz - September, 2024

Notes:
The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) approved the resumption of the big cat relocation project in Satkosia Tiger Reserve, Odisha, after a four-and-a-half-year suspension. Satkosia Tiger Reserve is located in Odisha, spanning four districts: Angul, Cuttack, Boudh, and Nayagarh. It covers 1,136.70 sq. km., with a core area of 523.61 sq. km., and is part of the Mahanadi Elephant Reserve. The reserve is a meeting point of the Deccan Peninsula and Eastern Ghats regions. The terrain is hilly with slopes and valleys; the Mahanadi River flows through it.

Notes:
Dhulikhel, Nepal, is the first city in the country to be recognized as a “healthy city” by the World Health Organization (WHO). Dhulikhel is located in the Kavrepalanchok district, about 18 miles from Kathmandu. The WHO monitored Dhulikhel for two years before making the announcement in August 2024. The WHO’s decision was based on factors like environmental improvements, progress in primary health care, and access to health for poor citizens. Dhulikhel was also named the second healthiest city in Asia.

Notes:
The Union government has decided to establish foot-and-mouth disease-free zones in eight states: Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Maharashtra, and Gujarat. Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a highly contagious viral illness affecting livestock such as cattle, swine, sheep, and goats, but not horses, dogs, or cats. It impacts livestock production and disrupts trade but poses no human health or food safety risk. FMD is caused by an aphthovirus and has seven strains. Immunity to one strain does not protect against others. The disease spreads through excretions and secretions, with high transmission rates in young animals but low fatality in adults.

Notes:
Poachers killed two chitals in Pilibhit Tiger Reserve (PTR) and stole a rifle from a forest guard. It is located in Uttar Pradesh’s Pilibhit, Lakhimpur Kheri, and Bahraich districts. It lies near the India-Nepal border, in the foothills of the Himalayas and the Terai plains. The Gomti River originates from Pilibhit Tiger Reserve, with other rivers like Sharda also flowing through it. The reserve has a North Indian moist deciduous type of vegetation. It experiences a hot and dry climate with dry teak forests. Chitals, common in Indian forests, inhabit subtropical grasslands and forests across South Asia.

Notes:
The WHO’s “South-East Asia Regional Status Report on Road Safety” was released at the 15th World Conference on Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion. The South-East Asia Region accounts for 28% of global road traffic deaths, with an estimated 330,222 fatalities. In India, there were about 216,618 estimated road traffic deaths in 2021, with reported deaths at 153,972. Two- and three-wheeler drivers/riders make up 45.1% of these deaths. India’s road traffic death rate is 15.4 per 100,000 people, higher than the global rate of 15.

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 impact of El Niño and La Niña on the Indian monsoon is under study. The Oceanic Niño Index (ONI) is crucial for understanding the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) dynamics. ONI is the primary indicator used by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), a U.S. agency, to monitor ENSO. ONI measures the rolling 3-month average temperature difference in the surface waters of the east-central tropical Pacific near the International Dateline. An ONI value of +0.5 or higher indicates El Niño, while -0.5 or lower indicates La Niña.

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).

Notes:
The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs announced that 90% of the Smart Cities Mission projects are completed. The remaining 10% are delayed due to legal issues, department clearances, land acquisition, construction in hilly areas, and resource availability in smaller cities. Out of 100 smart cities, 17 cities have finished all their projects, and 34 cities have completed over 90%. The Smart Cities Mission, launched in 2015, aims to develop cities with good infrastructure, a sustainable environment, and better quality of life. It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme, selecting 100 cities through a two-stage competition.