Current Affairs Quiz - October, 2024

Notes:
The Prime Minister’s Internship Scheme was recently launched to improve youth employability in India by giving practical experience in business environments. It aims to offer internships to one crore youth in the top 500 companies over five years. The Ministry of Corporate Affairs will oversee the pilot project via an online portal. Interns will receive a ₹4,500 monthly stipend from the government, plus ₹500 from companies through CSR. A one-time grant of ₹6,000 and insurance under PM Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana and PM Suraksha Bima Yojana will also be provided.

Notes:
Nine captive-bred pygmy hogs were recently released in Manas National Park, Assam. Pygmy hogs are the smallest and rarest wild pig species globally. They build their own nests, which have a roof, making them unique among mammals. As an indicator species, their presence shows the health of tall, wet grassland habitats. They thrive in undisturbed grasslands with dense grass, herbs, and young trees. The viable wild population is currently in the Manas Tiger Reserve. Pygmy hogs are critically endangered according to the IUCN and are listed in Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. Manas National Park is located in Assam and is contiguous with Bhutan’s Royal Manas National Park.

Notes:
Switzerland and Italy have redrawn their national boundary due to melting Alpine glaciers. Many parts of the Swiss-Italian border are determined by glacier ridgelines, which are shifting as glaciers melt. The redrawn section lies beneath the Matterhorn, one of Europe’s highest peaks. Switzerland’s glaciers lost 10% of their ice volume in 2022-2023, a record high. More than half of Switzerland’s electricity comes from hydroelectric facilities, which are also at risk due to accelerated glacier melting.

Notes:
The Madhya Pradesh cabinet approved a Rs 100 crore project to build a memorial and garden for Gond queen Rani Durgavati.
Rani Durgavati (1524–2024) was a queen of the Gond kingdom of Garha-Katanga and a descendant of the Chandela dynasty of Mahoba. She was born on October 5, 1524, in Kalinjar (Banda, U.P.), part of the Chandela dynasty.

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:
President Droupadi Murmu attended a Global Summit on ‘Spirituality for Clean and Healthy Society’ in Mount Abu, Rajasthan. The summit was organized by Prajapita Brahma Kumaris Ishwariya Vishwa Vidyalaya. President Murmu emphasized that spirituality is about recognizing inner power and promoting purity in thoughts and actions.

Notes:
The MIDORI Prize for Biodiversity 2024 has been awarded to Vera Voronova from Kazakhstan and Ysabel Agustina Calderón Carlos from Peru. The prize was established by the AEON Environmental Foundation in collaboration with the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). It recognizes individuals for their significant contributions to biodiversity conservation and sustainability. The award is given biennially, every two years.

Notes:
The canal network connected to Hirakud Dam, a major project in eastern India, is set for renovation. Hirakud Dam is the longest dam in India and the longest earthen dam in the world, with a length of 25.79 km. It is built across the Mahanadi River, 15 km upstream of Sambalpur, Odisha. The dam creates the Hirakud Reservoir, the largest artificial lake in Asia, covering 746 sq. km. Inaugurated in 1957, it was India’s first major post-independence multipurpose river valley project. It provides irrigation for 1,55,635 hectares in Kharif and 1,08,385 hectares in Rabi seasons, with a power generation capacity of 359.8 MW.

Notes:
Every year on October 8, India observes Indian Air Force Day to honor servicemen and pilots who sacrificed their lives for the nation. This year, the celebration marks the 92nd anniversary of the Indian Air Force. The event takes place at Marina Beach in Chennai. Indian Air Force Day 2024 falls on a Tuesday, October 8, 2024. The theme for this year is “Bharatiya Vayusena: Saksham, Sashakt aur Aatmnirbhar,” which translates to “Potent, Powerful, and Self-Reliant.”

Notes:
Tunisian President Kais Saied was re-elected for a second five-year term with 90.7% of the vote. The election result was announced on 7 October 2024 by Tunisia’s Independent High Authority for Elections. The election, held on 6 October 2024, saw a record-low voter turnout of 28.8%. This is the lowest turnout since the 2011 Jasmine Revolution, which introduced democracy. In the 2019 election, voter turnout was 55%.