Daily Current Affairs Quiz: August 12, 2024

Answer : b

Observed annually on August 13.

• Aim : to raising awareness about the importance of organ donation and encouraging people to consider becoming organ donors.
• Theme : Be the Reason for Someone’s Smile Today.

Answer : C

Current Context : The Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana–National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) launched the initiative “Million Designers, Billion Dreams.”

Aimed at empowering rural communities in India through design and entrepreneurship.

ABOUT

• “Million Designers, Billion Dreams” is a unique initiative designed to enhance the capacity of individuals through systems design know-how.
• It targets rural leaders, frontline change agents and village entrepreneurs, equipping them with the skills to create impactful, scalable solutions.

Answer : B

Current Context : India is getting ready to roll out BPaL (bedaquiline, pretomanid, and linezolid) regimen for all multi/extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis patients.

Known as BPal, the new treatment regime involves use of three medicines—Bedaquiline, Pretomanid and Linezolid—with 89 per cent success rate within six months.

• Bedaquiline: An antitubercular drug that is used to treat MDR-TB. It works by inhibiting the bacterial enzyme ATP synthase, which is essential for the energy production in Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
• Pretomanid: A newer drug approved specifically for TB treatment. It has a novel mechanism of action that disrupts the bacterial cell wall and inhibits the synthesis of essential components.
• Linezolid: An antibiotic used for various infections, including resistant strains of TB. It works by inhibiting protein synthesis in bacteria.
• It will reduce treatment time from 18 – 24 months  to around six months.

TB BURDEN IN INDIA:

• Currently, India has a 56% treatment success rate for MDR/RR-TB cases, and 48% for XDR-TB cases.
• According to the WHO’s Global TB Report 2023, India has the highest drug-resistant TB burden in the world, with an estimated 110,000 new cases emerging annually.
• Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Delhi, Gujarat and West Bengal are some of the states with a large number of officially recorded drug resistant TB patients,

Answer : C

Current Context :The Nobel Peace Prize-winning economist Muhammad Yunus has been sworn in as the head of Bangladesh’s interim government, after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was forced to resign and flee to neighbouring India.

ABOUT BANGLADESH

• Location: in South Asia, bordered by India to the west, north, and east, Myanmar (Burma) to the southeast, and the Bay of Bengal to the south.
• Governance : parliamentary democracy. The President is the head of state, while the Prime Minister is the head of government.
• Colonial Period: was a part of British India until 1947 when it became East Pakistan following the partition of India.
• Independence : Gained independence from Pakistan after the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971, becoming a sovereign state.
• Political Parties: Awami League (AL) and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).
• Religion: Predominantly Muslim, with a minority Hindu population and smaller communities of Buddhists and Christians.

Answer : d

Current Context : Three underwater geographical structures located in the Indian Ocean have been awarded names proposed by India..

• Named as the Ashoka seamount , Chandragupt ridge and the Kalpataru ridge .
• All the three recently named structures were discovered by oceanographers from the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), Goa.
• These are located along the Southwest Indian Ridge area of the Indian Ocean and were discovered during an international survey exploration programme.

Answer : C

Current Context : Madhya Pradesh has commissioned the largest floating solar project in central and north India, generating 90 MW at Omkareshwar.

ABOUT PROJECT :

• It is developed on the backwaters of Omkareshwar dam.
• The project, costing Rs 646 crore, aims to produce 5 million units in the first year.
• Developed by SJVN Green Energy Limited,
• It supports India’s goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2070.
• Electricity generation :5 million units in the first year and 4,629.3 million units in the 25 years.
• It will reduce carbon emissions by 2.3 lakh tonn.

ABOUT FLOATING SOLAR PROJECT :

• It involves installing photovoltaic (PV) solar panels on floating platforms or pontoons that are placed on bodies of water such as lakes, reservoirs, or ponds.
• These platforms are anchored to the waterbody to keep them stable.

Answer:  A

Current Context : Recently, the central government announced that a 31-member Joint Parliamentary Committee to examine the contentious Waqf Amendment Bill 2024.

• The Bill seeks to amend the 1995 Waqf Act, and proposes sweeping changes to how Waqfs are governed and regulated.

ABOUT WAQF

• A Waqf Board is a regulatory and administrative body is responsible for managing and overseeing the administration of waqf properties in various regions.
• These boards ensure that waqf assets are used according to Islamic principles and the intentions of the endowments.
• Waqf properties in India are governed by the Waqf Act, 1995.

Answer : B

Current Context : The Union Cabinet approved eight new railway projects at an estimated cost of ₹24,657 crore to provide connectivity, facilitate ease of travelling, minimise logistics cost, reduce oil imports and lower carbon dioxide emissions.

• The projects cover 14 districts in the seven States of Odisha, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Telangana and West Bengal.
• It will increase the existing network of the railways by 900 km.
• 64 new stations will be constructed providing enhanced connectivity to six ‘aspirational districts’ (East Singhbum, Bhadradri Kothagudem, Malkangiri, Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, and Rayagada) covering approximately 510 villages and comprising about 40 lakh population.
• The projects are a result of PM-Gati Shakti National Master Plan for multi-modal connectivity.

Answer : A

Current Context : Indian Air Force (IAF) contingent returned to India, after successful participation in Exercise Udara Shakti 2024 at Malaysia.

• Fighter jets engaged : IAF’s Su-30MKI
• The primary focus of the exercise was to bolster operational efficiency and enhance the technical expertise of both air forces.

Answer : C

Current Context : India finished 71st at the Paris Olympics 2024 with a silver and five bronze.

USA  at the top of the medal tally. While both USA and China are tied at 40 gold medals.

• Manu Bhaker won the first medal for India at the Paris 2024 Olympics. She bagged a bronze in shooting.
• Sarabjot Singh clinched a mixed team 10m air pistol bronze with Manu Bhakar.
• Swapnil Kusale added a third bronze medal in shooting.
• The Indian men’s hockey team clinched bronze.
• Neeraj Chopra claimed a silver medal in the javelin throw.
• Aman Sehrawat won bronze in wrestling.