Daily Current Affairs Quiz: December 12, 2024

Answer: B

Current Context : Recently, the Amrit Gyaan Kosh Portal was launched by the Union Minister of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Dr. Jitendra Singh, as part of the Mission Karmayogi initiative.

It is developed by the Capacity Building Commission (CBC) and Karmayogi Bharat under the iGOT platform.

Objective :

• It serves as a knowledge repository for best practices in governance and policy implementation.
• The platform promotes self-reliance in governance training and aligns with 15 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), covering areas like health, education, and agriculture.

Features:

• Provides curated resources for aligning civil service training with global standards while addressing India’s specific administrative challenges.
• Aims to digitize governance training materials to ensure wide accessibility.

About Mission Karmayogi :

Karmayogi Bharat, the implementing Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), oversees the iGOT platform and supports “anytime, anywhere, any-device learning” for government officials.

The SPV operates under Section 8 of the Companies Act, 2013, as a not-for-profit government entity.

Answer: A

Current Context : IIT Madras has developed India’s first Hyperloop test track, a 410-meter prototype, located at its Discovery Campus in Thaiyur, Tamil Nadu.

Aim : to assess Hyperloop technology’s practicality, with the Mumbai-Pune corridor selected for the first full-scale Hyperloop route. This system is projected to reduce travel time between Mumbai and Pune to just 25 minutes.

What is Hyperloop?

• A high-speed transport system proposed by Elon Musk in 2013. It uses vacuum-sealed tubes for pods (passenger or cargo) to travel at speeds up to 1,100 km/h.
• Features:
  • Near-Vacuum Tubes: Minimized air resistance.
  • Magnetic Levitation: Frictionless movement.
  • Linear Induction Motors: Propulsion mechanism​

Answer: C

Current Context :  The Abathsahayeshwarar Temple in Thukkatchi, Tamil Nadu, received UNESCO’s 2023 Award of Distinction for outstanding conservation efforts.

Historical Importance:

• Built 1,300 years ago during the Chola dynasty by Kings Vikrama Chola and Kulothunga Chola.
• Houses idols of deities including Soundaryanayaki Ambal, Ashtabhuja Durga Parameshwari, and Aadhi Sarabeshwarar.
• The site was formerly known as Vikrama Chozheeswaramand Kulothunga Chola Nallur.

Architectural Features:

• Comprises five prakarams (enclosures).
• Represents the grandeur of Chola-era architecture and temple design​

Answer: B

Current Context : Researchers at IIT Guwahati have developed a sustainable method to convert methane (CH₄) and carbon dioxide (CO₂) into biofuels using microbial and biocatalytic processes.

Method:

• The process employs microbes and engineered enzymes to catalyze the conversion of methane and carbon dioxide into cleaner biofuels like ethanol and butanol​

Environmental Impact:

• Reduces reliance on fossil fuels.
• Mitigates methane and CO₂ emissions, both significant contributors to global warming.

About Biofuels

Biofuels are renewable energy sources derived from biological materials like plants, algae, and organic waste.

Types:

1. First-generation: Made from food crops (e.g., ethanol from sugarcane).
2. Second-generation: Derived from non-food biomass like agricultural residues.
3. Third-generation: Produced using algae.
4. Advanced biofuels: Created using innovative technologies such as microbial processing.

Answer: A

Current Context : India’s employability among graduates is expected to rise by 7 percent, reaching 54.81 percent in 2025, according to the ‘India Skills Report 2025.’

• Prepared by the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) in collaboration with Wheebox, All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), and supported by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE).

Report Findings:

1. Employability Rate: India’s graduate employability is projected to rise to 81% in 2025, up from 51.2% in 2024.
2. Top Performing Graduates:
   1. Management Graduates: 78% employability.
   2. Engineering Graduates: 71.5% employability.
   3. MCA Graduates: 71% employability.
   4. Science Graduates: 58% employability.
3. Geographical Insights:
   1. States: Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Delhi lead in employable talent.
   2. Cities: Pune, Bengaluru, and Mumbai emerge as hubs for skilled workforces​

Government Initiatives Linked to Skill Development:

1. Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY): Provides training, assessment, and certification to enhance employability.
2. Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL): Certifies unorganized sector workers under the National Skill Qualification Framework (NSQF), with over 63 lakh beneficiaries since 2015​

Answer: C

Current Context : The National Panchayat Awards Conferment Ceremony 2024, organized by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, held at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.

About the Awards

• Organized by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR), the awards recognize Panchayats for exemplary contributions to rural development.
• Focuses on achievements in areas like poverty alleviation, health, water conservation, governance, women empowerment, and infrastructure development.
• Encourages Panchayats to foster sustainable and inclusive growth in rural communities by aligning with the Local Sustainable Development Goals (LSDGs).

Award Categories :

Deen Dayal Upadhyay Panchayat Satat Vikas Puraskar (DDUPSVP):

1. Awarded to the top three Gram Panchayats/Equivalent Bodiesfor performance in each of the nine themes.

Nanaji Deshmukh Sarvottam Panchayat Satat Vikas Puraskar:

1. Recognizes the top three Gram, Block, and District Panchayatsfor overall excellence across all nine themes.

Special Category Awards:

1. Gram Urja Swaraj Vishesh Panchayat Puraskar: Recognizes use of renewable energy.
2. Carbon Neutral Vishesh Panchayat Puraskar: Rewards adoption of carbon-neutral practices.
3. Panchayat Kshamta Nirmaan Sarvottam Sansthan Puraskar: Acknowledges institutions aiding Gram Panchayats in achieving LSDGs.

Answer: B

Current Context : State government is working to expand the reach of Him-Ira products by listing them on major e-commerce websites like Amazon and Flipkart.

• Aim : empowering over 2.80 lakh women involved in SHGs, providing them with access to national and even global markets.

About  Him Ira

Him Ira is a program in Himachal Pradesh that aims to provide a platform for self-help groups (SHGs) to sell their products and promote local products. The program includes Him Ira shops, weekly markets, and Him Ira kitchens:

• Him Ira shops : These shops are set up in various locations across the state to provide a single platform for SHGs to sell their products.
• Him Ira weekly markets :These markets are set up in places where SHGs and local people can easily reach out to sell and buy their products.
• Him Ira kitchens : These kitchens are set up in educational institutions and government offices by SHGs to prepare hygienic food. The Department of Technical Education in Himachal Pradesh has agreed to provide space to SHGs to set up Him Ira kitchens in its 14 educational institutions.
• Him Ira brand : This brand includes a variety of products from Himachal Pradesh, such as Kinnaur’s rajmaah, Kullu’s shawl, Chamba’s chuk, and more. These products are also sold online through Amazon and Flipkart.