Current Affairs Quiz - September, 2024

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:
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:
The Agni-4 missile, developed by DRDO, was successfully tested on 6 September 2024 from Odisha’s Integrated Test Range. This was the ninth test of the nuclear-capable intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM). The test was conducted by India’s Strategic Forces Command, which oversees all nuclear weapons. Agni-4 can carry nuclear weapons and will be controlled by the Strategic Forces Command. Development of Agni-4 began in 2007 to strengthen India’s nuclear deterrence against China and Pakistan. The first test in 2010 failed, but the first successful user trial occurred in 2014.

Notes:
Recent analysis shows that about 50,000 trees were uprooted in a 200-hectare area along 2 to 3 km length in Eturnagaram Wildlife Sanctuary. The sanctuary, established in 1953, is located near the Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, and Telangana borders. The perennial Dayyam Vagu river flows through it, dividing the sanctuary into two parts. The sanctuary is known for the Sammakkka Sarakka Jathra, one of Asia’s largest tribal festivals, held every two years. The River Godavari also flows through the sanctuary.

Notes:
INS Malpe and INS Mulki, two anti-submarine warfare shallow watercraft vessels, were launched by the Indian Navy at Cochin Shipyard. These are the fourth and fifth indigenously built vessels of this type. They belong to the Mahe Class and will replace the Navy’s Abhay Class ASW Corvettes. The vessels are designed for anti-submarine operations, mine-laying, sub-surface surveillance, and search and rescue in coastal waters. They are 78 meters long, can reach speeds of 25 knots, and have an endurance of 1,800 nautical miles. They feature state-of-the-art SONAR, torpedoes, and advanced weapon systems.

Notes:
The Second International Buddhist Media Conclave organized on 11th September in New Delhi. The theme is “Mindful Communication for Conflict Avoidance and Sustainable Development.” The conclave will explore how Buddhist teachings can be integrated into modern media practices to address global issues and build trust in media. It aims to promote ethical journalism and mindful communication. The event will also work on creating a network of Buddhist media professionals across Asia. Media representatives from 18 countries will participate in this event.

Notes:
In Odisha, especially in the western and some southern regions, people are celebrating the ‘Nauakhai’ festival, which marks the start of the new rice season. On this occasion, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi introduced the CM-Kisan Yojana to support farmers with financial aid. Under this scheme, farmers will receive Rs 4,000 annually in two parts. Today, Rs 2,000 was deposited into the accounts of around 46 lakh farmers, with the remaining amount to be given on Akshaya Tritiya. A total of Rs 925.40 crore will be distributed to nearly 46 lakh beneficiaries.

Notes:
Authorities discharged 1.19 lakh cusecs of water from Ukai Dam after rainfall, bringing its water level close to the danger mark of 345 feet. The Ukai Dam, built on the Tapti River, is the second-largest reservoir in Gujarat after the Sardar Sarovar. Also called Vallabh Sagar, it was constructed in 1972 for irrigation, power generation, and flood control. It holds 46% of the combined capacity of all other Gujarat dams. The dam has a 62,255 km² catchment area, similar to the Bhakra Nangal Dam. Its embankment wall is 4,927 meters long with a height of 80.77 meters.

Notes:
The Union Home Minister addressed the first Foundation Day of the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) in New Delhi, launching new initiatives to combat cybercrime. The Cyber Fraud Mitigation Centre (CFMC) was established to coordinate with banks, financial intermediaries, and law enforcement for immediate action on online financial crimes. The Samanvaya Platform is a web-based system for cybercrime data sharing, mapping, and coordination among law enforcement agencies. The ‘Cyber Commandos’ Program will create a special team of trained cyber experts to support state and central agencies in digital security. The Suspect Registry will enhance fraud risk management by maintaining a database of identifiers linked to cybercrime reports.

Notes:
The Union Cabinet approved ‘Mission Mausam’ with a budget of Rs. 2,000 crore for two years. It aims to enhance India’s weather and climate-related research, services, and technologies. Mission Mausam focuses on improving weather surveillance, forecasting, and management using advanced systems like AI, machine learning, and high-performance computing. It will provide accurate weather and climate information, including monsoon forecasts, extreme weather alerts, and air quality updates. Implemented by India Meteorological Department, Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, and National Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasting. It benefits sectors like agriculture, disaster management, aviation, and energy.