Current Affairs Quiz - April, 2024

Notes:
IIT Madras hosts the 6th Shaastra Rapid FIDE Rated Chess Tournament from March 30 to 31, 2024, in Chennai. It’s the sole IIT in India to conduct an annual Open Rapid Rating Tournament. Over 35 players from IIT Madras join, alongside international players from countries like Australia, England, America, and Singapore. Notable participants include six grandmasters, sixteen International Masters, three female grandmasters, and a Woman International Master.

Notes:
Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) has acquired a controlling 95% stake in Gopalpur Port, Odisha, solidifying its position in the ports and logistics sector. Valued at Rs 3,350 crore, the deal includes an equity value of Rs 1,349 crore and an enterprise value of Rs 3,080 crore. Previous majority stakeholders, Shapoorji Pallonji Group (SP Group) and Orissa Stevedores Ltd (OSL), held 56% and 44% stakes respectively. Gopalpur Port boasts a capacity of 20 MTPA and strategic location in Ganjam district.

Notes:
Hockey India Awards 2023 were held on March 31, 2024, in New Delhi. Salima Tete and Hardik Singh were named Women’s and Men’s Players of the Year, respectively. Started in 2014, the awards honor India’s top hockey talents. Hardik Singh, Vice-Captain from Punjab, won FIH Player of the Year and Best Midfielder awards. Salima Tete, from Jharkhand, received recognition for her achievements at the Asian Games and as the AHF Emerging Player of the Year.

Notes:
Paradip Port Authority in Odisha surpassed Deendayal Port Authority in Kandla as India’s top cargo-handling major port in 2023-24. Handling 145.38 MMT of cargo, it registered a 7.4% growth from the previous year. It’s capable of handling 289 MMT. Notably, it excels in coastal shipping, handling 59.19 MMT of coastal traffic and achieving highest productivity among major ports. Established in 1962, it became India’s 8th major port in 1966, now under the Ministry of Ports.

Notes:
Germany, now the largest EU nation to legalize recreational cannabis, faces mixed reactions. Despite opposition, the law allows adults over 18 to possess 25 grams of cannabis and grow three plants at home. This marks a significant shift in drug policy, aligning Germany with progressive cannabis laws in Europe, like Malta and Luxembourg. The Netherlands, once lenient, has tightened regulations to curb cannabis tourism.

Notes:
The 56th National Kho Kho Championship 2023-24 saw Maharashtra dominating both men’s and women’s categories at Delhi’s Karnail Singh Stadium and Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium. Maharashtra’s men’s team won against Indian Railways in a thrilling final, while the women’s team led by Sampada Maurya triumphed over Airport Authority of India. The championship featured 37 teams in each category, organized by the Kho Kho Federation of India.

Notes:
International Mine Awareness Day, observed annually on April 4th, aims to raise awareness and eliminate landmines. The 2024 theme is “Protecting Lives, Building Peace.” Previously, in 2023, the focus was “Mine Action Cannot Wait.” Established by the UN General Assembly in 2005, it urges national mine-operation capabilities with UN support. The day highlights the dangers of landmines and strives for their eradication, emphasizing peace and safety worldwide.

Notes:
The Tamil Nadu State Forest Department, with WWF-India, radio-collared a male Nilgiri Tahr in Mukurthi National Park, marking the first collar operation without tranquilization. Nilgiri Tahr, also called Varaiaadu, is Tamil Nadu’s state animal and the sole mountain ungulate in southern India. With an endangered status, its habitat spans the Western Ghats. Threatened by habitat loss and poaching, the species’ resilience underscores its ecological significance in high-stress environments.

Notes:
SJVN Limited has partnered with IIT Patna to enhance tunnelling projects using advanced geological models. The agreement, signed in New Delhi on April 2, 2024, aims to develop predictive analytics algorithms for early risk detection, reducing time and cost. The priority lies in integrating diverse geotechnical data sources and evaluating overburden-deformation relationships. This strategic collaboration underscores both entities’ commitment to sustainable development and technological innovation in infrastructure projects.

Notes:
The Odisha government initiated the Rice Fallow Management Project, pioneering sustainable crop practices nationally. Targeting eight crops, including green gram and mustard, it promotes regenerative agriculture through eco-friendly inputs like bio-fertilizers and integrated pest management. Utilizing residual soil moisture post-rice harvest, it cultivates short-duration crops, enhancing land productivity and addressing the challenge of uncropped land in eastern India. This initiative signifies a crucial step towards sustainable crop intensification and ecosystem health.