Current Affairs Quiz - November, 2024

Notes:
Willingdon Island, a man-made island in Kochi, Kerala, is undergoing discussions for rejuvenation to revive its commercial operations. It is a man-made island named after Lord Willingdon, a British Viceroy, and is among the largest of its type in India. The island houses the Kochi Naval Base, Central Institute of Fisheries Technology, and the Port of Kochi, and is linked to the mainland by the Venduruthy Bridge. Lord Willingdon (1931-1936) was known for major events like the Government of India Act, 1935, the Poona Pact, and the Round Table Conferences involving Gandhi and Ambedkar.

Notes:
The Odisha Government, in partnership with International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), launched a “Compendium of Regenerative Agriculture” to promote sustainable farming. This compendium was released at the International Symposium on Shree Anna and Forgotten Foods. It outlines five key principles: minimizing soil disturbance, maximizing crop diversity, maintaining soil cover, keeping living roots year-round, and integrating livestock. ICRISAT is an international organization focused on improving dryland farming and food systems in Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and other semi-arid regions.

Notes:
Odisha won its first Hockey India Senior Men National Championship title with a 5-1 win over Haryana in the final at SDAT-Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium, Chennai. Shilanand Lakra scored a hat-trick in the 48th, 57th, and 60th minutes, sealing Odisha’s victory. Rajat Akash Tirkey gave Odisha an early lead in the 11th minute. Pratap Lakra doubled the lead in the third quarter with a penalty stroke in the 39th minute. Joginder Singh scored the only goal for Haryana in the 55th minute.

Notes:
The Forest Department started evening coaching classes for school children in 10 tribal hamlets in Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve (STR). These classes have greatly improved the learning skills of tribal children. STR is located in the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, Tamil Nadu, at the junction of the Eastern and Western Ghats. It is contiguous with Mudumalai Tiger Reserve and Bandipur and BR Tiger Reserves in Karnataka. The Nilgiris biosphere landscape hosts the world’s largest tiger population, with over 280 tigers.

Notes:
The Assam cabinet has renamed Karimganj as Sribhumi District to reflect its cultural heritage, inspired by Rabindranath Tagore’s description of the area over a century ago. This change aims to restore the historical identity of the region and fulfill the aspirations of its residents. Additionally, the cabinet approved various initiatives to boost investment and infrastructure development in Assam, including the upcoming Assam Investment and Infrastructure Summit in 2025.

Notes:
SpaceX’s Starship, standing at nearly 400 feet, is the world’s most powerful rocket. It recently underwent its sixth test flight from SpaceX’s Starbase facility in Texas. The mission aimed to achieve a booster catch attempt, but automated health checks aborted it. Despite this, the Starship successfully ignited its Raptor engines in space, marking a significant milestone for future lunar and Martian missions as part of NASA’s Artemis initiative, which plans to utilize Starship as a lunar lander by 2026.

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:
United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) published the State of the World’s Children 2024 (SOWC-2024) report. The report highlights that nearly 1 billion children face high risks from climate and environmental hazards. SOWC is UNICEF’s annual flagship report analyzing global issues affecting children, including conflict, child labour, and disabilities. The 2024 report, launched on World Children’s Day (November 20), focuses on “Listen to the Future,” amplifying children’s voices on their aspirations. By 2050, India, China, Nigeria, and Pakistan will account for over one-third of the global child population. India is projected to have 350 million children, the largest share globally, despite a 106 million decline.

Notes:
Karnataka is the first state in India to launch a dedicated GCC (Global Capability Centers) policy. The policy aims to establish 500 new GCCs by 2029, creating 3.5 lakh jobs and $50 billion in economic output. The ‘Beyond Bengaluru’ initiative promotes GCC growth in tier-2 and tier-3 cities like Mysuru, Mangaluru, and Hubballi-Dharwad. India’s GCC market is valued at $64.6 billion, with Bengaluru hosting over 875 GCCs contributing $22.2 billion.

Notes:
Armenia became the 104th full member of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) on November 15, 2024. ISA is a treaty-based intergovernmental organization founded by India and France to promote solar energy globally. The alliance aims to mobilize over USD 1000 billion by 2030 for large-scale solar energy deployment. Armenia’s membership was formalized with the exchange of the ratified Framework Agreement between Armenian Ambassador Vahagn Afyan and India’s Ministry of External Affairs.