Current Affairs Quiz - August, 2024

Notes:
The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) released the 25th issue of the ‘Women and Men in India 2023’ report, offering a comprehensive view of gender-related data. By 2036, India’s population is expected to reach 152.2 crore, with the female percentage increasing to 48.8%. The sex ratio is projected to rise from 943 (2011) to 952 (2036). The working-age population (15-59 years) is expected to grow from 60.7% to 64.9% by 2036. Life expectancy is projected to improve to 71.2 years for males and 74.7 years for females by 2031-36.

Notes:
Three more Indian wetlands have been added to the Ramsar list, including Nanjarayan Bird Sanctuary, Kazhuveli Bird Sanctuary, and Tawa Reservoir. Nanjarayan Bird Sanctuary is in Tiruppur District, Tamil Nadu, named after King Nanjarayan who restored the lake. Kazhuveli Bird Sanctuary, declared in 2021, is a brackish shallow lake on the Coromandel Coast in Villupuram district, Tamil Nadu, and is rich in biodiversity. Tawa Reservoir, the largest protected area in Madhya Pradesh, is located inside the Satpura Tiger Reserve at the confluence of the Tawa and Denwa rivers.

Notes:
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister announced the Mukhyamantri Yuva Udyam Vikas Abhiyan Yojana to empower youth. The scheme provides financial support to young entrepreneurs, aiming to establish one million MSME units across the state. Over 16.2 million young people have gained employment through state investments. 62 lakh youth have connected with self-employment opportunities through Central and State Government schemes. A dedicated start-up fund has been established to finance new ventures and further boost entrepreneurship.

Notes:
Fifty-seven casual employees of Namdapha National Park and Tiger Reserve in Arunachal Pradesh have been reinstated three months after their termination. The employees will work until March 31, 2025, as part of the National Tiger Conservation Authority’s (NTCA) annual operation plan for 2024-25. Namdapha Tiger Reserve is located in Arunachal Pradesh and spans 1,985 sq km. It is the world’s only park with four big cat species: tigers, leopards, snow leopards, and clouded leopards. It’s also home to hornbills, giant squirrels, and butterflies. The park has a sub-tropical climate, with a mountain climate in the mountainous areas and a tropical climate in the valleys and plains.

Notes:
The Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government launched the ‘Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana’ on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan. This scheme will provide ₹1500 monthly to over one crore women in Maharashtra. It is modeled after Madhya Pradesh’s ‘Ladli Behna Yojana’ but will be a permanent initiative. The scheme aims to protect and support women’s interests in the state, symbolically tied to the Raksha Bandhan festival.

Notes:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 3rd Voice of Global South Summit on August 17, 2024, held virtually with participation from many Global South leaders. The summit is rooted in the Indian philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, providing a platform for Global South countries to discuss vital issues. The theme is “An Empowered Global South for a Sustainable Future,” focusing on conflicts, food and energy security, and climate change. The summit includes a Leader’s session hosted by Modi and 10 Ministerial sessions on various themes. Over 100 countries participated in the previous summit.

Notes:
A British man set a new Guinness World Record for the highest altitude ski BASE jump, leaping from 18,753 feet on Mera Peak in Nepal. Mera Peak is located in the Khumbu region of Nepal, standing at 6,476m above sea level, making it the highest trekking peak in the country. The peak dominates the area between the Hinku and Hongu Drangkas valleys and is considered the gateway to Everest. Trekkers usually climb Mera Central, although Mera North Peak is the highest. Mera Peak was first climbed in 1953 by Col. Jimmy Roberts and Sen Tenzing.

Notes:
The Indian Army and Air Force conducted the first paradrop of the Aarogya Maitri Health Cube at 15,000 feet elevation. Aarogya Maitri Health Cube is the world’s first portable hospital, designed indigenously under Project BHISHM. It includes medical equipment like a mini-ICU, operation theatre, cooking station, food, water, power generator, blood test equipment, and an X-ray machine. This innovative hospital can provide essential healthcare in remote and high-altitude areas.

Notes:
Shiveluch volcano in Russia erupted following a 7.0 magnitude earthquake off the eastern coast. It is located about 280 miles from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky in Kamchatka, it is one of the largest and most active volcanoes in the region. Shiveluch has two parts: Old Shiveluch (3,283 meters) and Young Shiveluch (2,800 meters), which is within an ancient caldera. The volcano has been erupting continuously since August 1999, with significant explosive events, including in 2007.

Notes:
Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu launched the ‘Mukhyamantri Bal Paushtik Aahar Yojana’ to provide nutritious food to government schoolchildren. The scheme offers boiled eggs or fruits once a week to students from nursery to class eight. Fresh fruits will be locally sourced based on children’s preferences. It complements the existing mid-day meal scheme, covering 15,181 schools and 5,34,293 students. The state allocated Rs.12.75 crore for the scheme in 2024-25. The CM also launched a scheme to provide free tablets to primary school teachers to enhance digitalization in education.