Current Affairs Quiz - September, 2024

Notes:
54 settlements of the Pahadi Korwa community in north Chhattisgarh will be connected by roads under the Prime Minister JANMAN scheme. The Pahadi Korwa tribe is a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) of Chhattisgarh. They are from the Chhota Nagpur region and primarily found in Korba and Jashpur districts of Chhattisgarh, with smaller populations in Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh. Their mother tongue is the Korwa language, part of the Munda branch of the Austroasiatic language family. They rely on small-scale farming, fishing, hunting, and jhoonga kheti, a subsistence farming method.

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:
NASA recently shared an amazing image of the Red Spider Nebula, exciting space fans. A nebula is a large cloud of dust and gas in space, where new stars can form or where gas and dust from dying stars collect. Nebulae, often called “star nurseries,” consist mainly of hydrogen and helium. Gravity causes clumps of dust and gas in a nebula to come together, eventually collapsing to form a hot core that becomes a new star. Nebulae are found in interstellar space, with the closest known one being the Helix Nebula, about 700 light-years from Earth. Nebulae vary in shape and size and include types like planetary nebulas, supernova remnants, and emission nebulae.

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.

Notes:
The President of India presented the 2024 National Florence Nightingale Awards. Instituted by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in 1973, these awards honor outstanding nurses from Central, State/UTs, and Voluntary Organizations.
The award recognizes nurses for their exceptional service in hospital, community, educational, or administrative roles.
Winners receive a Certificate of Merit, Rs.1,00,000 in cash, and a medal. Florence Nightingale was a pioneering English social reformer and founder of modern nursing, known for organizing care for soldiers during the Crimean War and establishing the first scientific nursing school.

Notes:
WHO released its first-ever guidance to address antibiotic pollution from manufacturing processes, a major factor in the Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) crisis. Wastewater from antibiotic manufacturing contains residues that pollute water bodies and land, contributing to AMR. Currently, antibiotic pollution from manufacturing is mostly unregulated, and quality standards do not address environmental emissions. AMR occurs when pathogens no longer respond to medicines, a natural process accelerated by overuse of antimicrobials. The rise of “superbugs” worsens healthcare, particularly for patients with multiple diseases.

Notes:
The Union Cabinet approved the PM E-DRIVE Scheme to promote electric mobility, replacing the FAME programme. It has a budget of Rs 10,900 crore over two years, proposed by the Ministry of Heavy Industries. The scheme aims to boost electric vehicle adoption by offering upfront incentives for EV purchases. It focuses on building the required charging infrastructure to support EV use. The goal is to reduce the environmental impact of transportation and improve air quality. The scheme promotes EVs, mass public transport, and advanced EV technologies to enhance sustainability.

Notes:
Telangana government will celebrate September 17 as Telangana Praja Palana Day, marking Hyderabad’s 1948 integration into India. Chief Secretary Santhi Kumari issued orders for national flag hoisting at government offices, urban local bodies, and gram panchayats. Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy will hoist the flag in Hyderabad, while ministers will do the same at district headquarters. In 2023, the BRS government marked it as National Integration Day. The Union government celebrates it as Hyderabad Liberation Day, commemorating the 1948 police action under Operation Polo that merged Hyderabad with India.

Notes:
Scientists have discovered the first fossilized tardigrades, using 3D images to study when these creatures evolved their near-indestructibility. Tardigrades, also known as water bears or moss piglets, are tiny, eight-legged invertebrates in the phylum Tardigrada. About 1,300 species are found worldwide, mostly in aquatic environments or mosses. They are extremophiles, capable of surviving extreme heat, cold, radiation, and even outer space. In harsh conditions, they enter a suspended state called “tun,” where they dry out and survive for years. Tardigrades are less than 1 mm in size, with a tough cuticle and hydrostatic skeleton.

Notes:
Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired the National Security Strategies Conference 2024 in New Delhi. A detailed strategy was proposed to strengthen counter-terrorism efforts, including cooperation with international agencies and preventing terror financing. There was an emphasis on increasing coordination between the NIA and State ATSs to enhance counter-terrorism measures. State DGPs were encouraged to work towards the vision of a prosperous and developed India by 2047.
Progress was noted in addressing security concerns, while emerging threats like narcotics, rogue drones, and online fraud were highlighted.