Current Affairs Quiz - October, 2024

Notes:
Assam has launched the “co-district” initiative, a new governance model that replaces the traditional civil sub-division system. Co-district commissioners will have the same powers as district commissioners for more localized control. It is the first initiative of its kind in India, aiming to decentralize administration and improve accessibility to governance.
The initiative was launched in 39 Assembly constituencies on October 4, 2024, with a second phase expanding to 35 more constituencies. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma emphasized that it will make governance more responsive and citizen-friendly.

Notes:
President Droupadi Murmu attended the first Adi Gaurav Samman Samaroh in Mangarh Dham, Rajasthan, on October 4, 2024.
The Rajasthan government established the Adi Gaurav Samman award, which has three categories: Aadiratna, Adi Seva, and Aadi Grammotthan Gaurav Samman. Aadiratna Gaurav Samman awards Scheduled Tribe members excelling in sports, education, and culture. Adi Seva Gaurav Samman recognizes exemplary service for Scheduled Tribes. Aadi Grammotthan Gaurav Samman rewards Gram Panchayats, Panchayat Samitis, and Zilla Parishads for socio-economic improvements.

Notes:
Union Health Minister JP Nadda was elected Chairperson of the 77th session of WHO’s Regional Committee for Southeast Asia. The committee shapes WHO’s health policies in the region. The three-day session began in New Delhi and includes health ministers from Southeast Asian nations like Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and others. The focus is on improving public health systems and addressing key epidemiological and demographic challenges.

Notes:
The Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine 2024 has been awarded to scientists Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun. They were recognized for their discovery of microRNA and its role in post-transcriptional gene regulation. MicroRNA is crucial for regulating gene activity. The Nobel Assembly stated that their discovery is vital for understanding how organisms develop and function. The winners receive a prize of 11 million Swedish crowns, equivalent to about $1.1 million.

Notes:
The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways launched the Humsafar Policy on 7 October 2024 in New Delhi. The policy was introduced by Nitin Gadkari in the presence of key officials. Humsafar Policy aims to improve travel convenience on National Highways and Expressways. It focuses on developing world-class facilities like eateries, fuel stations, and trauma centres along highways. Commuters will have access to well-maintained, hygienic services. Service provider details can be easily found on the NHAI’s ‘Rajmarg Yatra’ app.

Notes:
The participatory forest management project in Kerala’s Periyar Tiger Reserve is called “Vidiyal Vanapathukappu Sangam” which translates to “The Dawn Forest Protection Group” and primarily involves former poachers and sandalwood smugglers turned protectors of the reserve. This project actively engages former poachers, providing them with alternative livelihoods like tourist guiding and anti-poaching activities. The project has been credited with significantly reducing poaching in the Periyar Tiger Reserve and safeguarding the area’s sandalwood reserve.

Notes:
The 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics has been awarded to John Hopfield and Geoffrey Hinton for their groundbreaking work in machine learning with artificial neural networks. Machine Learning (ML) is a branch of artificial intelligence (AI) focused on creating systems that learn from data. ML enables systems to adapt and improve as they gain more experience. Algorithms in ML identify relationships and patterns in data, making predictions and classifying information.

Notes:
The All India Pickleball Association (AIPA) will host the World Pickleball Championship (WPC) Series in India for the first time. The event is scheduled for November 12th to 17th, 2024, in Mumbai. It will feature top pickleball talent from around the world, following successful tournaments in Vietnam and Bali. Approximately 650 players from 6 to 7 countries, including Australia, Vietnam, Taiwan, Poland, and Singapore, will participate. The tournament is expected to elevate Indian sports and attract global attention from pickleball enthusiasts.

Notes:
Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) homes bring joy to women of the Tharu tribe in Kheri district near the Indo-Nepal border. The Tharu tribe is an indigenous group living in the Terai plain on the Indo-Nepal border, found in both India and Nepal. In India, they are primarily in Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar, and were recognized as a Scheduled Tribe in 1967. They speak Tharu or Tharuhati, an Indo-Aryan language. Their economy is based on agriculture, cattle-raising, hunting, fishing, and forest products. Tharu homes are made from bamboo and mud.

Notes:
The 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to David Baker, Demis Hassabis, and John M. Jumper for contributions to protein science. David Baker received the prize for computational protein design, creating entirely new proteins since 2003. Demis Hassabis and John Jumper were recognized for developing AlphaFold2, an AI model that predicts 3D protein structures. AlphaFold2 can predict the structure of nearly all 200 million identified proteins. These innovations are used in fields like pharmaceuticals, vaccines, and solving challenges like antibiotic resistance and plastic degradation.