Current Affairs Quiz - May, 2024

Notes:
ISRO released the Indian Space Situational Assessment Report (ISSAR) highlighting a rise in space object population. ISRO System for Safe and Sustainable Space Operations Management (IS4OM), operational since 2022, ensures ISRO’s space asset safety. Globally, 3143 objects were launched, with five major break-up events. India launched 127 satellites by 2023 and successfully conducted seven ISRO missions, including Chandrayaan-3 and Aditya L-1. Collision Avoidance Manoeuvres increased to protect spacecraft from close approaches.

Notes:
The Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) marks its 50th anniversary, initiated by WHO in 1974. Renamed UIP in India in 1985, it now offers vaccines for 13 universally recommended diseases and 17 context-specific ones. Global DPT coverage surged from 5% in the ’70s to 84% in 2022. Smallpox eradicated; polio remains in Afghanistan & Pakistan. In India, coverage grows yearly, reaching 76% in 2019-21. Immunization boasts significant returns, predominantly delivered through government facilities.

Notes:
The UN has formed a panel to address critical energy transition minerals, primarily sourced from underdeveloped nations like those in Africa. This initiative aims to curb resource nationalism and environmental damage caused by high demand for these minerals. The panel’s goal is to establish global principles for a smoother transition to renewable energies, aligned with sustainable development goals and climate agreements. It emphasizes equitable benefits for communities and environmental protection.

Notes:
The Indian Institute of Technology-Patna (IIT-P) secured a patent for its lightweight, compact inverter, developed under the startup scheme ‘Portable Power Technology’. The invention integrates battery and inverter into one unit, reducing weight by 80%. Designed by five young scientists and guided by A K Thakur, it promises clean energy generation with improved battery life. The patent ensures IIT-P’s copyright for 20 years, facilitating commercial use from next month.

Notes:
The Indian Army and the Punit Balan Group joined hands to inaugurate Pune’s inaugural Constitution Park. Lt. Gen. Ajai Kumar Singh led the ceremony, stressing citizens’ constitutional duties for India’s progress by 2047. He highlighted the global importance of the Indian Constitution, which secures Fundamental Rights and underscores Fundamental Duties. Understanding these rights and responsibilities is pivotal for India’s development.

Notes:
Invest India projects India’s e-commerce to reach $325 billion by 2030, driven by 500 million consumers and widespread internet access. It anticipates India becoming the 3rd largest online retail market by 2030. The agency, under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, revealed in 2022, e-commerce was worth $70 billion, constituting 7% of retail.

Notes:
Indian Chess Prodigy Vaishali Ramesh Babu, awarded Grandmaster by FIDE, highlighted India’s rising prominence in chess. She anticipates India’s strong showing in the World Championship. Praising Viswanathan Anand’s impact, she credits her father’s decision to steer her towards chess. Supported by her parents, Vaishali became India’s third female Grandmaster after Humpy and Dronavalli. She achieved the 2500 ELO points at the Llobregat Open, with FIDE formally granting her the title at the recent Candidates Tournament in Toronto.

Notes:
Uttarakhand government suspends Patanjali Ayurved’s manufacturing licenses for 14 products over misleading ads. The company faces scrutiny for non-compliance with advertising regulations. The move, issued on April 24 by the state’s drug regulator, cites Patanjali’s persistent dissemination of deceptive efficacy claims. This action reflects the government’s commitment to enforce truthful advertising standards and holds implications for Ramdev’s legal battles.

Notes:
Hindu devotees gather in Hinglaj, Lasbela district, Pakistan, for an annual festival at the ancient cave temple of Hinglaj Mata. The pilgrimage begins with a trek to steep mud volcanoes, where pilgrims climb stairs and rocks to reach the summit. Tossing coconuts and rose petals into the crater, they seek divine permission to visit the temple. Dedicated to Goddess Hinglaj, it’s one of the oldest temples in the Indian subcontinent. Located near the Hingol River, in Balochistan, Pakistan, the temple complex features shrines, caves, and sacred natural formations.

Notes:
On May 3, 2024, the Permanent Mission of India to the UN and the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, with UNFPA, host “Localizing the SDGs: Women in Local Governance in India Lead the Way” during CPD57 in New York. Elected women representatives, including Sabhadhipati Supriya Das Datta (Tripura), Sarpanch Kunuku Hema Kumari (Andhra Pradesh), and Sarpanch Neeru Yadav (Rajasthan), led by Secretary Vivek Bharadwaj, will showcase Indian women’s grassroots leadership.