Important Days and Events Current Affairs MCQs

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Goods and Services Tax (GST) Day, observed annually on July 1, commemorates the implementation of India’s transformative tax system. The 2024 celebration marks the seventh anniversary of GST, introduced to simplify the complex tax structure previously managed by central and state governments. GST revolutionized India’s fiscal landscape, significantly impacting the economy by streamlining indirect taxes and fostering economic efficiency.

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A high-level Indian delegation, led by Shri T.K. Ramachandaran, participated in the 132nd session of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Council in London, addressing seafarer abandonment, with 44 active cases involving 292 Indian seafarers. India emphasized effective oversight and secured a position in the Joint Tripartite Working Group on seafarers’ issues. The delegation also discussed disruptions in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, highlighted successful Navy interventions, and proposed the South Asian Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Maritime Transport (SACE-SMarT) to promote eco-friendly maritime practices.

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Kargil Vijay Diwas, observed on 26 July, commemorates the Indian Army’s victory over Pakistan in the 1999 Kargil Conflict. On its 25th anniversary, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits the Drass sector in Ladakh to honor the martyrs at the Kargil War Memorial. The Kargil War, fought from May 8 to July 26, 1999, saw Pakistani forces disguised as mujahideen infiltrating Indian posts. India’s Operation Vijay successfully evicted them. This conflict aimed to internationalize the Kashmir issue and disrupt NH1A, a vital supply route for the Indian Army.

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International Tiger Day, observed on 29 July since 2010, raises public awareness about threats faced by tigers due to illegal hunting and habitat destruction. The day originated from an international summit in St. Petersburg, Russia, in 2010, attended by 13 countries with significant tiger populations, including India. The summit aimed to address the dwindling tiger population caused by human encroachment and launched the TX2 goal to double the number of wild tigers by 2022. The 2024 theme, “Call for Action,” emphasizes the need for global efforts to save endangered tigers. The first Tiger Day was observed on 29 July 2010.

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Hiroshima Day, observed on August 6th, commemorates the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, Japan, by the US on August 6, 1945. The bomb, “Little Boy,” dropped from the B-29 bomber Enola Gay, instantly killed 70,000-80,000 people. A second bomb on Nagasaki on August 9 led to Japan’s surrender on August 15, 1945, ending World War II and marking the first use of nuclear weapons in warfare.

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The International Day of Indigenous Peoples is observed annually on August 9 since 1995. It aims to raise awareness about the contributions and rights of indigenous, or tribal, peoples, who are among the most vulnerable globally. The UN General Assembly declared this day in 1994 to mark the first meeting of the Nations Working Group on Indigenous Populations in 1982. The theme for 2024 is “Protecting the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in Voluntary Isolation and Initial Contact,” highlighting the need to safeguard these communities.

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Union Minister JP Nadda inaugurated the ‘First Policy Makers’ Forum’ in New Delhi. Policymakers and drug regulators from 15 countries attended the event. The forum was hosted by the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission, with support from the Ministries of Health & Family Welfare and External Affairs. India is recognized as the ‘pharmacy of the world,’ with its generic drugs treating diseases like malaria, HIV-AIDS, and tuberculosis. The event also saw the launch of the Indian Pharmacopoeia Online portal and Adverse Drug Reaction Monitoring System software.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed Global Fintech Fest (GFF) 2024 held at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai.
The event is organized jointly by the Payments Council of India, the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), and the Fintech Convergence Council (FCC). The GFF is considered one of the world’s largest gatherings of fintech startups, investors, experts, bankers, and regulators from around the globe.

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The 2nd NADA India Inclusion Conclave took place in New Delhi on September 18, 2024, following the first conclave held in December 2022. It was held alongside international meetings under the UNESCO anti-doping convention on September 17-18. Union Ministers Mansukh Mandaviya and Raksha Nikhil Khadse attended the inauguration. Organised by NADA under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, the conclave aims to raise anti-doping awareness among para-athletes. India had the highest doping cases in 2022, and a WADA report from January 2024 ranked India second in doping cases by minors, after Russia.

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World Alzheimer’s Day is observed on September 21 to raise awareness and challenge stigma around Alzheimer’s and dementia. The theme for 2024 is “Time to act on dementia, Time to act on Alzheimer’s.” The focus is on reducing the stigma and discrimination associated with dementia.