Current Affairs Quiz - January, 2025

Notes:
The Gangasagar Mela organizers introduced initiatives like certificates for pilgrims, e-Anushandhan for facilities access, and e-Parichay QR code identity bands. The Gangasagar Mela is an annual Hindu festival held on Sagar Island, West Bengal, at the confluence of the Ganges and the Bay of Bengal. It includes rituals like the sacred bath and Deepdan and is celebrated during Makar Sankranti, marking the Sun’s transition into Capricorn. It is the second-largest religious gathering in India after the Kumbh Mela. The mela has ancient roots, with mentions in the Mahabharata’s Vana Parva (1500–2000 BC).

Notes:
A flagship river-link irrigation project in Rajasthan will submerge 37 sq. km of Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve (RTR), dividing it into two sections. It is situated at the junction of the Aravallis and Vindhyas ranges in Rajasthan. It was once a royal hunting ground for Jaipur’s Maharajas and is now one of northern India’s largest tiger reserves. The reserve is ideal for tiger monitoring due to its unique climate and vegetation. It is bordered by the Chambal River in the south and the Banas River in the north. The Ranthambhore Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, lies within the reserve.

Notes:
Odisha became the 34th state to implement the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY), converging it with the Gopabandhu Jan Arogya Yojana. The scheme offers ₹5 lakh per family annually, with an extra ₹5 lakh for women, benefiting 1.03 crore families. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed in New Delhi, attended by key union and state ministers. AB PM-JAY covers 45% of India’s population, with 8.19 crore hospital admissions recorded since inception. Odisha’s 4.5 crore beneficiaries will access cashless treatment in over 29,000 hospitals, enhancing healthcare for 86% of the population.

Notes:
The Gaan Ngai festival is celebrated by the Zeliarong community in Manipur after the harvest season. It marks gratitude for a good harvest, prayers for prosperity, and the beginning of the new year. The festival includes music, dance, and spiritual rituals, promoting unity and joy. The Zeliarong community, comprising the Rongmei, Liangmei, and Zeme tribes, is one of Manipur’s prominent tribal groups. Gaan Ngai lasts for five days and is typically celebrated in December or January, with the date varying each year.

Notes:
Russia has formed an emergency task force to address an oil spill in the Kerch Strait. The Kerch Strait links the Black Sea with the Sea of Azov and separates Crimea from Russia’s Taman Peninsula. It is 3 km long, 15 km wide, and 18 meters deep, with its narrowest point being 3-5 km. Kerch city is situated on the Crimean side of the strait. The Kerch Strait is a crucial global shipping route.

Notes:
Scientists are concerned about the potential for ‘zombie deer’ disease, or Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), to affect humans. CWD is a fatal neurological disease that primarily affects deer, elk, moose, and reindeer. Caused by prions, misfolded proteins that damage the brain, leading to severe dysfunction and spongy tissue. It spreads through body fluids like saliva, feces, blood, and urine, and can remain infectious in the environment for years. Symptoms include weight loss, behavioral changes, and increased drinking and salivation. There is no cure or vaccine, and although there’s no confirmed human transmission, experts remain cautious.

Notes:
The Halda Festival is celebrated in January in Lahaul-Spiti, Himachal Pradesh. It honors Shiskar Apa, the Goddess of Wealth, to seek blessings for prosperity and a good harvest. Celebrations are most prominent in the Pattan, Gahar, and Chandra valleys.

Notes:
INS Surat, INS Nilgiri, and INS Vaghsheer were commissioned into the Indian Navy for the first time. INS Surat is a stealth-guided missile destroyer, part of Project 15B, known as the Visakhapatnam class. It is India’s first warship equipped with artificial intelligence (AI) solutions. INS Surat has a displacement of 7,400 tonnes, a length of 164 meters, and a COGAG propulsion system with four gas turbines. It can achieve speeds over 30 knots (56 km/h) and is armed with advanced surface-to-air missiles, anti-ship missiles, torpedoes, and sensors. Designed for high-speed offensive naval operations with superior strike power and maneuverability.

Notes:
The National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI) launched the Internet Governance Internship and Capacity Building Scheme. The program aims to create awareness and develop expertise in internet governance (IG) among Indian citizens. The initiative will build a pool of Indian talent to address emerging IG issues. The program offers bi-annual internships: six-month and three-month tracks. Interns receive mentorship from global experts and a stipend of ₹20,000/month, along with support for mandatory outreach programs.

Notes:
Jharkhand Forest Department is studying ways to revive the declining Bison (Gaur) population at Palamu Tiger Reserve (PTR). It is located in the western part of Latehar district on the Chhotanagpur plateau in Jharkhand. It is part of the Betla National Park and was one of the first nine tiger reserves under ‘Project Tiger.’ It holds historical significance as the first reserve where a tiger census was conducted in 1932 using pugmark counting.