Daily Current Affairs Quiz: August 28, 2024

ANSWER: A

Celebrated on August 29 every year.

• Aim : to honor the contributions of athletes and promotes physical fitness.
• This date commemorates the birth anniversary of Major Dhyan Chand, a legendary hockey player known as “The Wizard of Hockey,” who led India to multiple Olympic golds.

Answer: B

Observed on August 29.

• It was established on December 2, 2009, at the 64th session of the United Nations General Assembly.
• Aim : to raise awareness about the harmful effects of nuclear weapon tests and to promote the goal of a world free of nuclear weapons.

ANSWER: B

Current Context : The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved the appointment of Senior IPS officer B Srinivasan as the Director General of the National Security Guard (NSG).

• Srinivasan is a 1992 batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of Bihar cadre.

ABOUT NATIONAL SECURITY GUARD

• It commonly known as Black Cats, is a special counter-terrorism force in India.
• Formed on October 16, 1984,by an act of Parliament- ‘National Security Guard Act, 1986’ in response to the increasing threat of terrorism and insurgency in India.
• Objective : to counter-terrorism operations, handle hijacking, and conduct special operations to ensure the security of key installations and dignitaries.
• It operates under the Ministry of Home Affairs 
• Motto : ‘Sarvatra, Sarvottam, Suraksha’

 VARIOUS OPERATIONS UNDERTAKEN BY NSG:

• Operation Black Thunder (Golden Temple, Amritsar, 1986 & 1988)
• Operation Ashwamedh (Indian Airlines Flight-IC427 hijacking, India, 1993)
• Operation Thunderbolt or Vajra Shakti (Akshardham Temple attack, Gujarat, 2002)
• Operation Black Tornado (Mumbai Blasts, 2008)

ANSWER: A

Current Context : Jay Shah the secretary of the Board of Cricket for Cricket in India (BCCI), is set to become the youngest chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC).

• He has been elected unopposed as the Independent Chair of the ICC.
• He will take over from New Zealand’s Greg Barclay on December 1.

ABOUT INTERNATIONAL CRICKET COUNCIL (ICC)

• The ICC is the global governing body for cricket.
• It oversees the rules, regulations, and major international tournaments of the sport.
• Founded in 1909 as the Imperial Cricket Conference. It was renamed the International Cricket Council in 1989.
• It represents 108 members countries, include 12 Full Members and 96 Associate Members, which include countries where cricket is played at various levels.
• Headquarter : Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Answer: C

Current Context : The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) announced the creation of five new districts in Union Territory of Ladakh.

• These districts are Zanskar, Drass, Sham, Nubra and Changthang.
• Ladakh was a part of Jammu and Kashmir before 2019.

CREATION OF NEW DISTRICTS :

• The power to create new districts or alter or abolish existing districts rests with the State governments.
• This can either be done through an executive order or by passing a law in the State Assembly.

ABOUT LADAKH

• Situated in the northernmost region of India
• Bordered by Tibet (China) to the east, Pakistan-administered Gilgit-Baltistan to the northwest, and the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir to the west.
• Established as a Union Territory on October 31, 2019, following the abrogation of Article 370 and the reorganization of Jammu and Kashmir.
• Two districts: Leh and Kargil.
• Adminstartion : Lieutenant Governor is the administrative head.
• The Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) manages local governance, development activities, and cultural preservation in the region.
• Climate : extreme cold desert climate with harsh winters and mild summers.

Answer: D

Current Context : Reserve Bank of India will launch an application for frictionless credit named Unified Lending Interface (ULI).

Objective :  to transform India’s lending sector, similar to how the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) revolutionised the payments ecosystem.

ABOUT ULI

• It is a technology platform which would enable frictionless credit. 
• It will provide lenders consent-based digital access to customer’s financial and non-financial data including land records, stored in various silos to help them extend frictionless credit, especially to farmers and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
• It would reduce the time taken for credit appraisal, especially for small and rural borrowers.
• It allows borrowers to benefit from the seamless delivery of credit and faster turnaround time without requiring extensive documentation.

Answer: C

Current Context : The Assam Forest and Environment department allows to Cairn Oil and Gas’s proposal for oil and gas exploration in the eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) of the Hollongapar Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary.

• Gibbon wildlife sanctuary is a home to the endangered Hoolock Gibbon and wild elephants.

ABOUT HOLLONGAPAR GIBBON WILDLIFE SANCTUARY

• Location: Jorhat district of Assam
• Established in 1997
• Area : approximately 21.98 square kilometers.
• Flora: Dense tropical rainforests, and the vegetation includes various species of trees, shrubs, and herbs.
• Fauna: The Hollongapar Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary is known for its rich biodiversity. It include:
  • Gibbons: The sanctuary is named after the Hoolock Gibbon, which is the only ape species found in India.
  • Other Mammals: including the endangered Indian Elephant, the Assamese Macaque, and several species of deer.

 ABOUT HOOLOCK GIBBONS

• The Hoolock Gibbons belong to the genus Hoolock.
• They have high intelligence, distinct personalities, and strong family bonds similar to other apes.
• They represent one of the 20 gibbon species found worldwide.
• Hoolock Gibbons are India’s only ape species.
• There are two recognized species:
• Western Hoolock Gibbon(Hoolock hoolock): Found in the northeastern parts of India and Bangladesh.
  • IUCN status : Endangered
• Eastern Hoolock Gibbon(Hoolock leuconedys): Found in parts of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam in India, China (Yunnan), and Myanmar.
• IUCN status : Vulnerable

Answer: D

Current Context : Kerala faces a new health challenge of deadly Leptospirosis outbreak in the state.

ABOUT LEPTOSPIROSIS  :

• It is caused by bacteria of the genus Leptospira.
• It is also known as “rat fever”,due to its association with rodent urine contamination
• Transmission : through contact with water or soil contaminated with the urine of infected animals, particularly rodents.
• People in flooded areas especially vulnerable.
• Symptoms : Fever, chills, headache, muscle pain, nausea and vomiting.
• It can lead to kidney damage, liver failure, trouble breathing and even death.
• The disease is also known for a high mortality rate.

Answer: C

Current Context : According to Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), only 2,07,642 PM-Wani Wi-Fi hotspots had been deployed across the country as of 22 July. This falls well short of the target of 50 lakh public Wi-Fi hotspots by 2020 and 1 crore by December 2022.

ABOUT PRIME MINISTER’S WI-FI ACCESS NETWORK INTERFACE (PM-WANI)

• It is an initiative by the Government of India aimed at expanding and enhancing public Wi-Fi access across the country.
• It is part of the broader Digital India program.
• Aim : to provide free or low-cost public Wi-Fi access across India, especially in rural and underserved areas.
• Launched on 09 December 2020 by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT).
• This includes installing Wi-Fi hotspots in public areas such as parks, bus stations, railway stations, and more.

Answer: D

Current Context : Himachal Vidhan Sabha passed The Prohibition of Child Marriage (Himachal Pradesh Amendment) Bill, 2024, to enhance the marriageable age of girls from 18 to 21 years.

• Objective : to provide gender equality and opportunities of obtaining higher education.
• Applicable to : all persons domiciled in the territory of Himachal, also contained in the Indian Christian Marriage Act, 1872, the Parsi Marriage and Divorce Act, 1936, the Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act, 1937, the Special Marriage Act, 1954, the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, or any other law or custom or usage or practice in relation to marriage.
• Bill introduced by : Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Dhani Ram Shandil
• Passed by the House through a voice vote.
• The bill will now be sent to Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla for assent. If approved by the Governor, Himachal Pradesh will be the first state to enact this significant legislation.