Current Affairs Quiz - September, 2024

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:
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 2024 edition of Indo-French bilateral naval ‘Exercise Varuna’ held in the Mediterranean Sea from September 2-4, 2024, involving advanced tactical exercises. The Indian Navy’s P-8I aircraft landed at Air Base 125 Istres-Le Tube in France for its first-ever European deployment. This was for the 22nd edition of Exercise Varuna with the French Navy. The last time an Indian Navy aircraft flew in France was 63 years ago when the Alize aircraft from INS Vikrant operated at Hyeres Airbase. The India-France naval exercise began in 1993, was named ‘Varuna’ in 2001, and reflects a strong strategic partnership between the two countries.

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 Madhya Pradesh government, led by Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, launched the ‘Brindavan Gram’ scheme to develop model villages focused on cow protection and rural development. One gram panchayat from each of the state’s 313 blocks will be selected and renamed ‘Brindavan Gram.’ Each chosen village will establish a gaushala (cow shed) to promote cow welfare and protection. The scheme aims to increase rural milk production, boosting farmers’ incomes. Roof-top solar policies will be implemented to promote clean energy in these villages. The Panchayat and Rural Development Department will oversee the scheme, with detailed guidelines to be issued soon. In a parallel initiative, ‘Gita Bhavan’ centers will be established in every urban area of Madhya Pradesh to spread spiritual knowledge, focusing on the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita and Lord Krishna, along with other spiritual texts.

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.

Notes:
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 Supreme Court criticized Uttarakhand’s Chief Minister for appointing a forest officer as the Director of Rajaji National Park. Rajaji National Park is located in Haridwar, Uttarakhand, covering 820 sq km in the Shivalik foothills. Established in 1983 by merging Rajaji, Motichur, and Chila sanctuaries, it was named after freedom fighter C. Rajgopalachari. The park is the northwestern habitat limit for Asian elephants and features diverse forest types. Rajaji was declared a Tiger Reserve in 2015 and is home to Van Gujjars in winter.

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:
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma visited Sootea Police Station in Biswanath District. He paid tribute to the martyrs of the 1942 Quit India Movement. He announced that August 20 will be celebrated as Sootea Day. Sarma revealed plans to build a heritage monument at the site. Rs 5 crores have been allocated for this project.