Current Affairs Quiz - November, 2024

Notes:
The National Board for Wildlife deferred road expansion projects impacting Pranhita Wildlife Sanctuary due to environmental concerns. Pranhita Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Adilabad district, Telangana. The sanctuary spans around 136 sq. km and is set in the scenic Deccan plateau. It features thick deciduous teak forests, hilly landscapes, and plateaus. Pranahitha River runs along its eastern boundary, and the Godavari River is to the south. Known for prehistoric rock formations, the sanctuary holds ecological and geological significance.

Notes:
Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) epigraphists recently found a Telugu inscription above a Lord Hanuman statue at the 13th-century Simhachalam temple. Simhachalam Temple, also called Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Temple, is in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. Dedicated to Vishnu’s Narasimha avatar, it was initially built in the 11th century by Odisha’s Gajapati rulers. The temple was renovated by Vengi Chalukyas and later by Narasimha I of the Eastern Ganga dynasty in the 13th century. Its architecture blends Kalinga and Dravidian styles, with a stone chariot, intricate carvings, and sculptures of Vishnu’s avatars and royal figures.

Notes:
Four sandstone replicas of the Konark wheel were installed at the Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre and Amrit Udyan.
This installation promotes India’s rich cultural heritage to visitors. The Konark Sun Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, represents Odisha’s temple architecture and is designed as a giant chariot for the Sun god. The Konark wheel symbolizes India’s cultural legacy and architectural excellence.

Notes:
NASA’s Landsat 8 satellite captured images of ‘sea smoke’ rising from Antarctica’s Pine Island Glacier, a phenomenon where frigid air meets warm water, creating fog-like plumes. This rare atmospheric event highlights the glacier’s vulnerability and the impact of strong winds on polar ice sheets. Sea smoke forms when cold air cools and condenses over open waters, resulting in ghostly ice crystal plumes that can influence ice mass balance. Pine Island Glacier is known for its rapid retreat and significant role in ice flow dynamics.

Notes:
Bibek Debroy, the chairman of the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council (EAC-PM), recently passed away. EAC-PM is an independent body that advises the Prime Minister on economic issues. It analyzes economic matters referred by the Prime Minister and addresses macroeconomic concerns. The council’s role is advisory and non-binding on the government. It promotes economic understanding through reports and public engagement. EAC-PM is led by a chairperson and includes eminent economists, with no fixed number of members. The NITI Aayog acts as the nodal agency for administrative support to the council.

Notes:
The ‘Namo Drone Didi’ scheme allocates ₹1261 Crores to empower 14,500 Women Self Help Groups from 2024 to 2026. It provides drones for agricultural services, specifically for applying fertilizers and pesticides. The initiative, under the Ministry of Agriculture, aims to enhance efficiency in farming and create sustainable livelihoods for women, while also promoting the use of advanced technology in agriculture. The operational guidelines emphasize training and support for effective implementation.

Notes:
Cyclone Dana brought heavy rain to Kolkata, causing chhatim trees (Alstonia scholaris) to shed their strong-smelling flowers, offering relief for allergy and asthma sufferers. It is a tropical tree in the dogbane family (Apocynaceae). Alstonia scholaris, also called blackboard tree, scholar tree, or devil’s tree, is native to the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, and southern China. Known as “saptaparni” in India, it has clusters of seven leaves and blooms small, fragrant greenish-white flowers in late autumn. The tree’s bark and leaves are used in traditional medicine for respiratory, skin, and digestive issues. Its wood was once used to make blackboards, hence the name “blackboard tree.”

Notes:
India’s Ministry of Culture and the International Buddhist Confederation are hosting the first Asian Buddhist Summit on November 5-6, 2024, in New Delhi. The theme is “Role of Buddha Dhamma in Strengthening Asia,” with India’s President as Chief Guest. The summit gathers Sangha leaders, scholars, and practitioners from across Asia to discuss Buddhism’s role in addressing current challenges. Buddhism has deeply influenced Asia’s spiritual and cultural unity. Buddha Dhamma is integral to India’s national identity and plays a role in its foreign policy, strengthening ties across Asia through shared values and diplomacy.

Notes:
India’s new consulate in Brisbane, Australia, was inaugurated by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. The consulate marks a milestone in India-Australia relations, strengthened by recent trade deals. Queensland, home to about 100,000 of Australia’s nearly one million Indian-origin residents, is key to these ties, with India as its second-largest export market. India also has consulates in Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney. The Brisbane consulate will be led by diplomat Neetu Bhagotia, who has prior experience in India’s missions in Bhutan and Russia.

Notes:
The Asia–Pacific Climate Report is a new initiative by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to help the region address climate change through policy reforms. It highlights India’s transition from fossil fuels to clean energy, showcasing key reforms and subsidy reallocations. India has achieved an 85% reduction in fossil fuel subsidies, dropping from 25 billion in 2013 to 3.5 billion in 2023. A cess on coal production funded clean energy projects like the Green Energy Corridor and National Solar Mission. Tax hikes on petrol and diesel have redirected funds to renewable initiatives, improving LPG access in rural areas. National programs support clean energy investments and progress toward India’s 2070 net-zero target.