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:
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:
India’s Deepthi Jeevanji won a bronze medal in the women’s 400m T20 race at the Paris Paralympics 2024. She completed the race in 55.82 seconds. Jeevanji secured third place, finishing behind Yuliia Shuliar from Ukraine, who clocked 55.16 seconds. The second-place finisher was Aysel Onder from Turkey, who holds the world record and finished in 55.23 seconds. This achievement highlights Jeevanji’s significant performance on an international stage.

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.

Notes:
Ministry of Law and Justice launched the new Notary Portal in New Delhi, enhancing digital services in line with Digital India. The portal offers a paperless, faceless, and efficient system, benefiting both notaries and the public. It provides online services, including applications for appointment as notaries, issuance and renewal of Certificates of Practice, change of practice area, and submission of annual returns. Notaries can now submit applications online, monitor their progress, and download digitally signed Certificates of Practice via Digilocker, eliminating the need for physical submissions.

Notes:
The Digital Bus initiative has impacted over three lakh beneficiaries across India since its launch in 2017. It is a joint venture between the National Digital India Mission and the NIIT Foundation, aiming to bring technology to remote areas and foster innovation. The initiative seeks to reduce the digital divide, connect people to government programs, enhance learning interest, promote collaborative learning, and develop interpersonal skills. The solar-powered, 5G-enabled buses serve as mobile classrooms with computers, internet access, and preinstalled e-courses. The courses focus on basic digital skills and offer career programs to help beneficiaries find jobs in nearby cities or towns.

Notes:
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) launched the Vishvasya-Blockchain Technology Stack to provide Blockchain-as-a-Service (BaaS). It is built on a distributed infrastructure, designed to support different permissioned blockchain applications. MeitY also introduced NBFLite, a lightweight blockchain platform, and Praamaanik, a solution for verifying mobile app origins. The National Blockchain Framework (NBF) aims to enhance digital trust and service delivery through research and application development. NBF offers secure, transparent services using smart contracts and an API gateway. The system is hosted in NIC data centers in Bhubaneswar, Pune, and Hyderabad.

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:
Siddhartha Agarwal, a 49-year-old swimmer from Bengaluru, became the oldest Indian to swim across the English Channel. He completed the 42-km swim between England and France on August 29 in 15 hours and six minutes. His journey began in 2018 when he crossed the Channel as part of an eight-member relay team. Srikaanth Viswanathan, also from Bengaluru, held the previous record at 46, becoming the oldest to swim the Channel solo.

Notes:
International Literacy Day has been observed globally on September 8th since 1967. The day highlights the importance of literacy in building a just, peaceful, and sustainable society. It serves as a reminder to policymakers, practitioners, and the public about literacy’s role in personal and societal development. The observance emphasizes the global commitment to literacy as a fundamental human right.