Current Affairs Quiz - January, 2024

Notes:
Jaipur’s Divyakriti Singh, aged 23, is the inaugural Indian female recipient of the Arjuna Award for equestrian sports. The sole representative from Rajasthan this year, Singh underwent three years of training in Germany at the Hof Kasselman dressage yard in Hagen. She secured an Individual Silver and two Bronze medals at the International Dressage Competition in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Notes:
The Ministry of Panchayati Raj won the first prize in the Innovation Sandbox presentation for “Digital Transformation Initiatives in Land Governance through SVAMITVA Scheme”. The award was given at the Bharti Institute of Public Policy’s (BIPP) second annual three-day “Public Policy Dialogues” Conclave. Scheme is a reformative step towards establishment of clear ownership of property in rural inhabited (“Abadi”) areas, by mapping of land parcels using drone technology and providing ‘Record of Rights’ to village household owners with issuance of legal ownership cards (Property cards/Title deeds) to the property owners.

Notes:
The University Grants Commission (UGC) in India is promoting values and ethics in higher education through Mulya Pravah 2.0 guidelines. Aimed at instilling human values and professional ethics, it builds value-based institutions, emphasizing transparency, integrity, and accountability. The guidelines stress deep respect for fundamental duties and constitutional values, urging institutions to prioritize transparency, fairness, and the highest ethical standards. Teachers are expected to be role models, and stakeholder unions are encouraged to support development activities. Mulya Pravah 2.0 is a modified version of the 2019 guideline with a focus on promoting constitutional values.

Notes:
Rhythm Sangwan clinched a bronze medal in the women’s 25m pistol event at the Asian Shooting Championships 2024, held in Jakarta, Indonesia, securing a Paris 2024 Olympic quota for India. This marked India’s 16th shooting quota, surpassing the previous record of 15 for Tokyo 2020. Sangwan’s stellar performance in the final, scoring 28 out of 45, earned her the bronze, while South Korea’s Jiin Yang and Yeji Kim claimed gold and silver. The Olympic quotas were redistributed to India due to South Korea’s prior qualifications.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL), officially named Atal Setu Nhava Sheva Sea Link, which is the country’s longest bridge over the sea. The 22-km-long twin-carriageway six-lane bridge spans the Thane Creek in the Arabian Sea, connecting Sewri in Mumbai to Chirle in Raigad district. The project, conceptualized six decades ago, aims to reduce travel time between Sewri and Chirle to under 20 minutes. The MTHL is part of an effort to improve connectivity in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, encompassing Mumbai, Thane, Palghar, and Raigad districts, with the goal of fostering economic development. The new bridge will significantly enhance connectivity between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai, alleviate congestion on the existing Vashi bridge route, and play a pivotal role in the region’s overall transportation infrastructure.

Notes:
Recently, the State Bank of India (SBI) launched the SBI Green Rupee Term Deposit (SGRTD). The SGRTD is a deposit scheme that aims to raise funds for environmentally-friendly initiatives and projects. The scheme is open to NRIs, non-individuals, and resident individuals. The SGRTD has tenors of 1,111 days, 1,777 days, and 2,222 days. The SGRTD offers flexible tenors.

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Researchers from the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS) recently identified a new butterfly species named Conjoined Silverline (Cigaritis conjuncta) in Karnataka’s Bramhagiri Wildlife Sanctuary, located in the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot, India. This butterfly, about the size of a one rupee coin, holds significant value for conservation efforts. Endemic to mid-elevation evergreen forests of the Western Ghats, the Conjoined Silverline features fused spots and bands on the underside of its wings, with shiny silver lines at the center of those bands. The discovery sites for this butterfly are at elevations of 900 meters (Iruppu Falls) and 1,300 meters (Honey Valley). India, with over 1,400 butterfly species, has witnessed few new discoveries in recent decades.

Notes:
The Prime Minister recently personally fed Punganur cows at his New Delhi residence. Punganur cows, native to Andhra Pradesh’s Punganur village, are one of the world’s smallest cattle breeds, standing 70-90 cm tall and weighing less than 200kg. Known for their resilience to drought, they adapt to low-quality feed and produce milk with 8% fat content, rich in nutrients. These eco-friendly cows play a significant role in cultural practices, as seen in Andhra Pradesh’s temples, including Tirupati Thirumala Temple.

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Nominations for the 2024 Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar awards are open on the Ministry of Home Affairs’ Award Portal from January 14 to February 28. Instituted by the Government of India, these prestigious awards honor remarkable contributions in Science, Technology, and Innovation. The National Award celebrates the outstanding achievements of researchers, technologists, and innovators. Additionally, Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar awards are set to recognize and encourage young scientists for their exceptional contributions to Science and Technology.

Notes:
As of January, 2024, Sri Lanka’s Wanindu Hasaranga is the fastest bowler to take seven wickets in an ODI. The 26-year-old all-rounder set the record by taking 35 deliveries to take seven wickets against Zimbabwe in the third ODI in Colombo. In November 2023, Mohammed Shami became the first Indian bowler to take seven wickets in an ODI. Shami achieved the best bowling figures for India in a knockout game against New Zealand in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023.