Current Affairs Quiz - November, 2024

Notes:
West Bengal has launched the Taruner Swapna Scheme. The Taruner Swapna scheme is a government initiative that provides eligible higher secondary students from government schools with Rs 10,000 to buy a tablet or mobile phone. Students from at least 15 districts of West Bengal, including Kolkata, have been affected by the scheme. There have been allegations of irregularities in the scheme, including some students receiving the grant twice, while others did not receive it at all.

Notes:
K Sanjay Murthy has been appointed as the new Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India. He succeeds Girish Chandra Murmu, who was the first Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir. The appointment was made under Article 148(1) of the Constitution by the President of India. Murthy is currently the Secretary of the Department of Higher Education in the Ministry of Education. In his current role, he oversees higher education policies and government initiatives. He collaborates with educational institutions to promote educational development across the country.

Notes:
The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and Biotechnology Research and Innovation Council (BRIC) launched the ‘One Day One Genome’ initiative to highlight India’s microbial potential. The initiative focuses on unique bacterial species critical to the environment, agriculture, and human health. Coordinated by BRIC-National Institute of Biomedical Genomics (NIBMG), it aims to release fully annotated bacteriological genomes to the public. The initiative will include graphical summaries, infographics, and genome details. It makes microbial genomics data accessible to the public and researchers, fostering discussions and innovations benefiting the community and ecosystem.

Notes:
FAO Director-General QU Dongyu urged all FAO Members and partners to join the newly launched Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty. The initiative was officially launched by Brazil at the G20 Leader’s Summit. It aims to accelerate progress toward eradicating poverty and hunger by 2030, in line with Sustainable Development Goals 1 and 2. The alliance also focuses on reducing inequalities as part of SDG 10. It is an ambitious platform, created under Brazil’s G20 presidency, to drive urgent action towards these global goals.

Notes:
The African penguin is the first penguin species listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN. They are the only penguin species found in Africa and are among the smallest penguin species. Males are slightly larger than females and have a pink gland above their eyes to cope with heat. They communicate through vocalizations and body language, such as gaping, pointing bills, pecking, and bill-jabbing. Their diet primarily includes pelagic schooling fish like sardines and anchovies.

Notes:
Coal India Limited (CIL) received the Green World Environment Award in the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) category and the title of Green World Ambassador. The award recognizes CIL’s exemplary CSR work through the Thalassemia Bal Sewa Yojna, providing curative treatment for over 600 Thalassemia patients via stem cell or Bone Marrow Transplants (BMT). Launched in 2017, it was the first CSR project by a PSU for Thalassemia treatment in India. Financial assistance of up to ₹10 lakh is provided per patient under the scheme. CIL partners with 17 leading hospitals across India for the initiative.

Notes:
The “Bhu-Neer” portal, launched on September 19, 2024, aims to improve groundwater management in India. Introduced by Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Paatil during India Water Week 2024, it replaces the older NOCAP system. Developed by the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) and the National Informatics Centre (NIC), it features a PAN-based single ID system and QR-coded No Objection Certificates (NOCs). This initiative enhances transparency and efficiency in groundwater usage, aligning with the Prime Minister’s vision of Ease of Doing Business. The portal serves as a vital resource for stakeholders in groundwater regulation.

Notes:
Nafithromycin, developed by Wockhardt with support from BIRAC, is India’s first indigenously produced antibiotic targeting antimicrobial resistance (AMR). It is designed to treat Community-Acquired Bacterial Pneumonia (CABP) and is ten times more effective than azithromycin. This significant breakthrough follows 14 years of research and aims to address the global health crisis of AMR, which is responsible for millions of deaths annually. The drug awaits final approval from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) for public use.

Notes:
A new frog species named Raorchestes asakgrensis was discovered in Meghalaya. It is named after the Eman Asakgre Community Reserve in Garo Hills to honor local conservation efforts. The frog is arboreal, found at 174 meters elevation, with a pointed snout and visible tympanum. Males measure 20.49 mm in snout-vent length, and females are slightly larger at 22.8 mm. Males call from shrubs at dusk, perched 1.5 meters or higher, with peak calling activity after the first monsoon rains.

Notes:
The Ustad Bismilliah Khan Yuva Puraskar for 2022 and 2023 recently conferred to 82 young artists in a ceremony in New Delhi. It was instituted by Sangeet Natak Akademi in 2006, it honors artists under 40 in music, dance, drama, folk arts, and puppetry. The award includes Rs 25,000, a plaque, and an angavastram. The award aims to encourage young artists in India. Ustad Bismillah Khan was a renowned Shehnai musician who performed at India’s first Republic Day in 1950 and was the first Indian at the Lincoln Centre in the USA.