Daily Current Affairs Quiz: December 18, 2024

Notes:
The Credit Guarantee Scheme (CGS) for electronic negotiable warehouse receipts (e-NWRs) based Pledge Financing was launched to help small farmers avoid distress selling. It aims to provide credit to small farmers to prevent distress selling of crops. A corpus of Rs 1,000 crore is allocated for post-harvest finance. Farmers can avail loans against electronic negotiable warehouse receipts (e-NWRs) after storing commodities in WDRA-accredited warehouses. Loan coverage includes up to Rs 75 lakh for agricultural purposes and up to Rs 200 lakh for non-agricultural purposes. The scheme improves access to credit and supports farmers financially post-harvest.

Notes:
A Gujarat-based semiconductor company Suchi Semicon inaugurated Gujarat’s first OSAT (Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Testing) plant in Surat. The 30,000-square-foot facility provides assembly, testing, and packaging services for semiconductor components. It supports industries like automotive, consumer electronics, and industrial applications. The plant was inaugurated by Union Minister C.R. Patil and Gujarat’s Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi. This step strengthens India’s position in the global semiconductor supply chain and makes Gujarat a hub for high-tech manufacturing and innovation.

Notes:
The 10th International Forest Fair took place in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, from 17 to 23 December. It serves as a platform for collectors, producers, traders, scientists, and policymakers to connect. The fair was inaugurated by Governor Mangubhai Patel and Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav. Representatives from Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Australia participated. The theme was “Women Empowerment through Minor Forest Produce” as 50% of women manage minor forest produce in Madhya Pradesh.

Notes:
INS Nirdeshak was commissioned on December 18 at the Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam. It is the second ship under the Indian Navy’s Survey Vessel (Large) Project. Designed for hydrographic surveys, navigation assistance, and maritime operations support. Built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata, with over 80% indigenous content, supporting Aatmanirbhar Bharat. It is a reincarnation of the earlier INS Nirdeshak, which served for 32 years until its decommissioning on December 19, 2014. The name ‘Nirdeshak’ means ‘Pathfinder’, reflecting its role in charting seas with precision.

Notes:
A famous tabla maestro and five-time Grammy Award winner Ustad Zakir Hussain passed away in San Francisco due to Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF). IPF is a chronic disease that affects the lung tissue surrounding air sacs (alveoli), causing them to become thick and stiff. Over time, this leads to permanent scarring, making it harder to breathe. Complications include pulmonary hypertension and respiratory failure, preventing oxygen from reaching the bloodstream and organs. Those with a history of smoking, a family history of IPF, and older adults are at higher risk.