Daily Current Affairs Quiz: August 03, 2024

Answer: C

Current Context : Recently, Government has allocated ₹7,212 crore to Nirbhaya Fund for FY 2023-24

ABOUT NIRBHAYA FUND 

• It was created for the implementation of initiatives aimed at enhancing the safety and security for women in the country.
• Established in 2013 following the Nirbhaya case (gang rape and murder of a young woman in Delhi).
• Objectives:
  • Enhance Women’s Safety: To improve the safety and security of women in India.
  • Support Victims: To provide financial assistance for the treatment, legal aid, and rehabilitation of victims of gender-based violence.
  • Promote Infrastructure: To fund infrastructure improvements, such as better street lighting, safer public transport, and emergency response systems.
• It is a non-lapsable corpus fund administered by the Ministry of Finance.
• Nodal Ministry : Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD)
• Funding pattern: 60:40 for all States; 90:10 for States with difficult terrains; 100% for UTs.

Answer: b

Current Context : Union Ministry of Education announced guidelines for implementation of bagless days for students of Classes 6 to 8.

• Previously, National Education Policy 2020 recommended that all students will participate in a 10-day bagless period sometime during Grades 6-8 where they intern with local vocational experts such as carpenters, gardeners, potters, artists, etc.

ABOUT

• “Bagless Days” is an initiative under the Indian education system designed to reduce the academic burden on students and promote a more holistic approach to learning.
• It aligns with the goals of the National Education Policy (NEP)
• Objectives: To build observation-based learning capacity, develop understanding of connectedness of community and interdependence, to promote dignity of labour through hands on activity, etc.
• These days are used for activities such as field trips, sports, cultural events, community service, and interactive learning sessions.
• The focus is on practical experiences and skill-building rather than traditional classroom instruction.
• Activities covered: Visit and survey of vegetable markets, charity visits, survey and report writing on pet care, doodling, etc.

Answer: a

Current Context : Heavy rainfall in the Cauvery basin has led to increased water release from Krishna Raj Sagar  dam.

ABOUT KRISHNA RAJ SAGAR DAM (KRS)

• Location : Situated across the Cauvery River in the Mandya district of
• Construction: The dam was constructed between 1911 and 1931, named as Krishnaraja Sagara in 1917 after the king Krishnaraja Odeya IV.
• Purpose: to provide irrigation water to the drought-prone regions of Karnataka.
• Irrigation: Provides water for irrigation to the fertile plains of Mandya, Mysuru, and parts of Tamil Nadu.
• Water Supply : Supplies drinking water to cities like Mysuru and Bengaluru.
• Hydroelectric Power : Supply water to the hydro-electric power station at

Answer: d

Current Context : Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has approved the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the 2,000 megawatt (MW) Sharavathi Pumped Storage and Hydroelectric project.

ABOUT SHARAVATHI PUMPED STORAGE PROJECT

• Location : Situated in the Sharavathi Valley in the Western Ghats of Karnataka, near Jog Falls, one of India’s highest waterfalls.
• River : Sharavathi river
• Executed by Karnataka Power Corporation Limited.
• The project will utilise the Talakalale as the upper reservoir, and Gerusoppa as the lower dam, leveraging natural resources for energy generation.

Answer: b

Current Context : Indian shooter Swapnil Kusale won the bronze medal in the men’s 50m rifle 3 positions final at the Paris 2024 Olympics shooting competition

• This was India’s first-ever Olympic shooting medal in the 50m 3P and the third medal in rifle shooting after Abhinav Bindra’s gold in men’s 10m air rifle at Beijing 2008 and Gagan Narang’s bronze in the same event at London 2012.
• Before Kusale, Manu Bhaker won a bronze in the women’s 10m air pistol individual event before teaming up with Sarabjot Singh for another medal of the same colour in the 10m air pistol mixed team.

Answer: d

Current Context : Recently, India has been elected as vice-chair of the supply chain council.

• It is one of the three bodies set up by the 14-member Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) bloc, the commerce and industry ministry.
• The council was set up under the IPEF Supply Chain Resilience Agreement, which aims to help mitigate risks of economic disruptions from supply chain shocks, improve crisis coordination, and reduce the member countries’ dependence on China.

ABOUT INDO-PACIFIC ECONOMIC FRAMEWORK (IPEF)

• It is an initiative launched by the United States to enhance economic cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region.
• Launched : in May 2022.
• Purpose : To strengthen economic ties, promote sustainable economic growth, and ensure the security and resilience of supply chains in the Indo-Pacific region.
• Participating Countries: Includes countries in the Indo-Pacific region such as the United States, India, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and several Southeast Asian nations.
• One of its key pillars is the Supply Chain Pillar, which aims to improve the resilience, security, and efficiency of supply chains across the region.

Answer : a

Current Context : KIIT Deemed to be University has been granted the distinguished Special Consultative Status by the United Nations Economic and Social Council (UN ECOSOC), recognising the University’s substantial contributions to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

• Out of 476 applications around the World, only 19 organisations, including KIIT DU, were selected for this prestigious honour.

ABOUT KIIT  UNIVERSITY

• Location: Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India.
• Established: Founded in 1992.

UN ECOSOC SPECIAL CONSULTATIVE STATUS:

• UN ECOSOC Special Consultative Status is a designation granted by the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) to non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and entities.
• Purpose: Special Consultative Status allows NGOs and academic institutions to engage with ECOSOC and contribute to its work on economic, social, and humanitarian issues.
• Role: Entities with this status can participate in ECOSOC meetings, contribute to discussions, submit reports, and advocate for specific issues.

Answer: c

Current Context : India is ranked 39th among 119 countries, according to the Travel and Tourism Development Index (TTDI) 2024 .

• Report is published by the World Economic Forum.
• India is ranked 39th among 119 countries. India was ranked 54^th in the previous index published in 2021.
• The share of India’s International Tourist Arrivals in Asia & Pacific is 15.66% in 2022.

VARIOUS GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES FOR TOURISM:

• Incredible India Campaign: The government’s promotional campaign aims to boost India’s tourism profile globally.
• Tourism Policies: Initiatives such as the National Tourism Policy and various state-level tourism development plans focus on enhancing tourism infrastructure and services.
• Sustainable Tourism: Efforts to promote sustainable tourism practices and improve environmental management are being implemented to address the challenges.

ABOUT WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM (WEF)

• It is a prominent international organization dedicated to improving the state of the world by engaging leaders from various sectors to shape global, regional, and industry agendas.
• Founded in 1971 by Professor Klaus Schwab in
• Headquarters: Cologny, near Geneva, Switzerland.

VARIOUS REPORTS PUBLISHED BY WEF :

• Global Competitiveness Report
• Global Risks Report
• Travel and Tourism Development Index (TTDI)
• Global Gender Gap Report

Answer : b

Current Context : India remained world’s eighth largest exporter of agricultural products in 2023, despite a drop in agriculture exports to $51 billion in 2023 from $55 billion in 2022.

• This stability comes amid a general decrease in agricultural exports among seven of the top ten exporting nations.
• Top agricultural exporters, Brazil, the European Union, and Thailand increased their exports by 6%, 5%, and 0.2%, respectively, in 2023.
• The top ten exporters accounted for 9% of global exports in 2023”.
• Indian export Products: Major agricultural exports include rice (especially basmati), spices, tea, coffee, pulses, and fruits like mangoes.

Answer : d

Current Context : Recently, a seven-judge Bench of the Supreme Court of India delivered a

landmark judgement that re framed the operation of the Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) quota.

• Article 341 of the Constitution allows the President, through a public notification, to list “castes, races or tribes” that suffered historical injustices, particularly untouchability, as SCs. These groups are collectively accorded 15% reservation in education and public employment.

RELATED CONSTITUTIONAL ARTICLES:

• Article 15 – allows for special provisions for the advancement of any socially and educationally backward classes of citizens or for the SCs and STs.
• Article 16 – Provides for special provisions for the reservation of appointments or posts in favor of SCs and STs to ensure their representation in public employment.
• Article 46 – The State shall promote the educational and economic interests of the SCs and STs and protect them from social injustice and all forms of exploitation.
• Article 341 – Scheduled Castes: The President may specify the SCs in relation to any State or Union territory by public notification.
• Article 342 – Scheduled Tribes: The President may specify the STs in relation to any State or Union territory by public notification.