Current Affairs Quiz - January, 2024

Notes:
Every year January 4 is observed as World Braille Day to raise the importance of Braille, which serves as a communication medium for blind and partially sighted people. The day was first initiated by the United Nations General Assembly in 2019 and January is observed as Braille Literacy month. French Educator, who innovated the Braille system Louis Braille was born on January 4, 1809.

Notes:
Telangana government has introduced a new common application form named ‘Praja Palana Guarantee Darakasthu’ to enable access to schemes under its flagship ‘six guarantees’ program to support disadvantaged sections. The one-page form is designed for basic details regarding identity, address, contacts etc., while the second page collects relevant information and documentation for specific welfare measures like financial aid, subsidized ration, electricity, housing etc. Applications under this standardized format will be open from Jan 1st across the state to extend direct benefit transfers under mass outreach initiatives.

Notes:
The NPCI has set the daily payment limit for UPI transactions to a maximum of Rs. 1 lakh starting from January 1, 2024. However, RBI raised the transaction limit for UPI payments to hospitals and educational institutions to Rs 5 lakh on December 8, 2023, to broaden the use of UPI payments.

Notes:
The recently renamed Maa Manikeswari University is located in the state of Odisha, India. Formerly known as Kalahandi University, it was renamed after Maa Manikeswari, the presiding deity of Kalahandi district. The university has been functioning since September 1, 2020, and the name change was officially announced by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on November 1, during the foundation day of Kalahandi district. It was initially granted unitary university status in 2019 and now offers a variety of undergraduate and postgraduate courses, serving the Kalahandi and Nuapada districts with over 50 affiliated colleges.

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The Supreme Court of India has drawn up a nationwide Witness Protection Scheme to provide security to witnesses facing threats. This became necessary as witnesses often turn hostile during trials due to harassment or lack of protection. The scheme provides for threat assessment of witnesses and protective measures based on three categories of threat perception.

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Rajasthan will host the India-UAE joint military exercise ‘Desert Cyclone 2024’. The inaugural edition of this bilateral drill will be conducted from January 2nd to January 15th, 2024 in Rajasthan. The aim is to enhance interoperability between the Indian Army and UAE forces by exchanging best practices in areas like urban operations. This comes under expanding defense ties between the two nations who are strategic partners.

Notes:
Ved Prakash Nanda, who received the Padma Bhushan award on 20 March 2018 in the field of literature and education, passed away on January 1, 2024. He was an esteemed professor of International Law at the University of Denver, Colorado, indicating that his primary academic expertise was in International Law. His significant contributions in this field were further recognized through the establishment of the Ved Nanda Center for International and Comparative Law at the University of Denver, emphasizing his profound influence and specialization in International Law.

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IHCL’s Managing Director & CEO Puneet Chhatwal assumed charge as Chairman of FAITH after Nakul Anand stepped down following retirement from ITC Hospitality. Chhatwal aims to make FAITH a strong tourism and hospitality policy advocacy body.

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Rajesh Kumar, CEO of the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), in a recent media interaction revealed statistics that over ₹10,300 crore were siphoned off from India by cybercriminals since April 2021. I4C is a body established under the Ministry of Home Affairs to provide a framework for law agencies to tackle cybercrime.

Notes:
The brand name of the environmental label provided under the Indian Forest & Wood Certification Scheme, recently launched by the environment ministry, is PRAMAAN. This label is designed to inform both domestic and international consumers about the origin and source of forest and tree-based products. The certification scheme, which includes forest management certification, tree outside forest management certification, and chain of custody certification, aims to encourage sustainable forest management and agro-forestry practices. The PRAMAAN label plays a crucial role in addressing concerns regarding deforestation and illicit timber trade, thereby enhancing the marketability and export potential of India’s wood-based products.