Daily Current Affairs Quiz: July 20, 2024

Notes:
A microcontinent has been discovered in the Davis Strait, between Canada and Greenland. Formed millions of years ago due to tectonic plate shifts, it features a 19–24 km thick continental crust, now named the Davis Strait proto-microcontinent. The strait, spanning 650 km north to south and 200-400 miles wide, connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans via the Northwest Passage, but is impassable in winter due to ice.

Notes:
The MV Sea Change, the world’s first commercial passenger ferry powered by 100% hydrogen fuel, launched at the San Francisco Ferry Building. Built by All American Marine Shipyard for SWITCH Maritime and designed by Incat Crowther, it carries 75 passengers and operates for 16 hours, covering 300 nautical miles per refueling. Emitting only heat and water vapor, it reaches speeds up to 20 knots and features drinkable water emissions.

Notes:
Recently, officials reported a 6% Non Performing Assets (NPA) rate under the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS), launched by India in 2020 to aid businesses hit by Covid-19. The scheme, managed by the Ministry of Finance’s Department of Financial Services and National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company Ltd (NCGTC), provides 100% guaranteed coverage to lenders. Phases ECLGS 1.0 to 4.0 expanded its scope across sectors. Sanctions are based on borrower assessments, with no collateral or fees.

Notes:
Indian space scientists Prahlad Chandra Agrawal and Anil Bhardwaj received prestigious awards from COSPAR during its 45th scientific assembly in Busan, South Korea. Agrawal, a retired professor from TIFR, earned the Harrie Massey Award for contributions to X-ray astronomy and leading AstroSat. Bhardwaj, PRL Director since 2017, won the Vikram Sarabhai Medal for his work in planetary space sciences and key roles in ISRO’s missions.

Notes:
The Rajasthan government is organizing hold special camps to grant Indian citizenship to minority refugees from Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Simplified rules authorize district collectors to issue citizenship certificates. From 2016 to 2024, 2,329 refugees gained citizenship, with 1,566 applications pending. The Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019, offers citizenship to non-Muslim communities from these countries who entered India by December 31, 2014, exempting them from penalties under immigration laws.