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:
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:
Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh Vishnu Dev Sahay announced that on September 2, during the Tija-Pora festival, he will release the 7th installment of the Mahtari Vandan Scheme. The scheme will provide Rs. 1,000 each to 7 million eligible women. Eligibility includes Chhattisgarh residents aged 21+ as of January 1, 2024, including married, widowed, divorced, or abandoned women, excluding income taxpayers and government employees. Tija-Pora celebrates the role of bulls and buffaloes in farming, marking the end of the agricultural season. The Government of Chhattisgarh introduced the Mahtari Vandana Yojana to provide financial aid to women in need. The scheme was initiated by the Prime Minister of India. It aims to support women in Chhattisgarh by offering financial benefits to those who qualify.

Notes:
The Ministry of Labour & Employment launched the eShram portal on 26th August 2021. In just three years, over 30 crore unorganised workers registered on eShram, showing rapid adoption. The portal aims to be a “One-Stop-Solution” for unorganised workers, integrating with other platforms. This integration was highlighted in the 2024-25 Budget speech to improve access to social security schemes. eShram will help unorganised workers access schemes like PMJJBY, PMSBY, AB-PMJAY, and others. A two-way integration with the Skill India Digital Hub (SIDH) is also underway to enhance service accessibility.

Notes:
The world’s first fast-charging e-bus is named ‘Veera Mahasamrat.’ It was launched in Bengaluru by Veera Vahana and Exponent Energy. The bus aims to improve travel by eliminating range anxiety with its fast charging. It will first operate on the Bengaluru-Hyderabad route. Four charging stations will be set up along this route to support the e-bus. The launch of ‘Veera Mahasamrat’ is a major step in promoting sustainable transportation in the region.

Notes:
The three-day Armed Forces Festival began at Surya Khel Parisar in Lucknow Cantonment with much enthusiasm. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath inaugurated the festival. He praised the Indian Armed Forces as unparalleled globally, recognized even by India’s enemies. He highlighted Uttar Pradesh’s leading role in national defense efforts. The Defense Corridor in Uttar Pradesh provides significant employment opportunities for youth. Over 8,000 people attended the festival, enjoying a display of the latest military equipment. The exhibition showcased tanks, helicopters, artillery guns, and more, highlighting India’s technological advancements. The T-90 tank was a notable exhibit.

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 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 Rajasthan government approved 33% reservation for women in the police force. A 5% additional allowance was approved for pensioners aged 70 to 75. Amendments were made to the Rajasthan Police Subordinate Services Rules, 1989. Rules 67 and 87 of the Rajasthan Civil Services Pension Rules, 1996, were amended under central pension rules. Specially-abled children, dependent parents, and siblings can now be permanently added to the Pension Payment Order (PPO). Gratuity and death gratuity for state employees were increased from ₹20 lakh to ₹25 lakh.