Current Affairs Quiz - September, 2024

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:
Nagaland has approved the implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) in Chumoukedima, Niuland, and Dimapur districts.
ILP is an official travel document issued by the government, allowing Indian citizens to enter protected areas for a limited time. It regulates movement near India’s international borders and protects tribal cultures in northeastern states. ILP originates from the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulations of 1873. There are ILP types for tourists and longer stays, like employment. States under ILP include Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Manipur.

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:
NITI Aayog released an Expert Group Report on future pandemic preparedness, reflecting on COVID-19 challenges.
It highlights the “One Health” approach for zoonotic disease threats. Issues faced during COVID-19 included outdated laws, fragmented data sources, and weak industry-research links. Key recommendations include enacting a Public Health Emergency Management Act (PHEMA) to cover broader crises. It proposes creating an Empowered Group of Secretaries for pandemic preparedness, setting up a special fund, and improving data integration. It calls for a stronger surveillance network, predictive modeling, and innovation hubs for vaccine development and skill-building.

Notes:
Union Home Minister Amit Shah addresses the inauguration of the Official Language Diamond Jubilee celebrations and the 4th Akhil Bharatiya Rajbhasha Sammelan in New Delhi on September 14, 2024. The event, marking 75 years of Hindi as an official language, is organized by the Department of Official Language. Shah will launch the Diamond Jubilee special issue of ‘Rajbhasha Bharti,’ a commemorative stamp, and coin, and present awards. The event also includes the launch of Bharatiya Bhasha Anubhag. This Sammelan continues the tradition of celebrating Hindi Diwas and promoting Indian languages as initiated in 2019.

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.

Notes:
Karnataka marked ‘International Day of Democracy’ with a 2,500-km human chain promoting equality, unity, and governance.
International Day of Democracy is observed annually on 15 September. Established by the UN General Assembly in 2007, it highlights democracy’s global importance. The day emphasizes that democracy is a continuous pursuit requiring active participation. It was first observed in 2008, following a UNGA resolution supporting efforts to strengthen democracies.
The date commemorates the 1997 Universal Declaration on Democracy by the Inter-Parliamentary Union, promoting free and fair elections and people’s right to choose their political systems.

Notes:
India participated in the G20 Agriculture Ministerial Meeting in Cuiabá, Brazil on September 12-13, 2024. Minister Ram Nath Thakur held talks with Japan, focusing on agricultural technology, cold storage, and market access for Indian pomegranates and grapes. Discussions with Brazil covered ethanol production and science cooperation; both aimed to finalize an MOU. Talks with the U.S. included climate-smart agriculture, crop insurance, and market access for Indian fruits and vegetables. Germany focused on AI in farming, agroecology, and organic farming. The UK discussed sustainability, precision breeding, and gene editing. Spain and the UAE explored climate-resilient agriculture and technology collaboration.

Notes:
Cellulitis disease, once rare, is now common in the erstwhile Karimnagar district, Telangana. It is a serious skin infection caused by bacteria, mainly affecting legs, feet, and toes, but can appear on any part of the body. It usually occurs after an injury or break in the skin, allowing bacteria like streptococcus or staphylococcus to enter. Symptoms include swollen, painful, warm skin, and possibly blisters, spots, or skin dimpling. Other signs include fever, chills, and nausea. If untreated, it can spread to the bloodstream and become life-threatening.

Notes:
The Tamil Nadu Forest Department recently fitted a tracking device on a Nilgiri tahr in the Anamalai Tiger Reserve for research purposes. The reserve is located in the Anamalai Hills in Tamil Nadu, south of the Palakkad gap in the Southern Western Ghats. It is bordered by Parambikulam Tiger Reserve, Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, and Eravikulum National Park.
The area has diverse habitats, including evergreen, deciduous, thorn forests, and grasslands. It has around 2,500 species of plants, including wild relatives of mango, jackfruit, turmeric, and pepper.