Daily Current Affairs Quiz: July 18, 2022

ANSWER:  B

• Haryana is geared up to become the first State in the country to hoist tricolour at every house, government, private, industrial and educational buildings.
• For three consecutive days, every corner of the state of Haryana will be decorated with a tricolour to proudly remember the glorious history of India, under the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign being celebrated countrywide from August 13 to August 15, 2022.
• The Department of Information Public Relations and Languages has planned a detailed programme of creating awareness by utilizing websites and social media handles of the State Government.
• A plan has been made under which all State Government websites would carry banners linking to the Amrit Mahotsava website – Har Ghar Trianga corner.

ANSWER: C

• In a historic milestone, India’s cumulative COVID19 vaccination drive has surpassed the 200-Crore milestone.
• As per reports shared by the Union government, a total of 2,00,00,15,631 doses have been administered across the country. This has been achieved through 2,63,26,111 sessions.
• According to the Health Ministry, it took the country almost nine months to reach the 100-crore vaccination mark and another nine months to touch the 200¬ crore milestone.
• The highest single¬ day vaccination record of 2.5 crore doses was achieved on September 17, 2021.
• Several systematic interventions were carried out for capacity building to carry out this nationwide exercise.
• Existing supply chain for storage and transport of COVID¬19 vaccines was leveraged and effective monitoring of vaccine distribution and efficient utilisation of vaccines and syringes were ensured at all times.
• The vaccination exercise was being carried out in a citizen¬ friendly approach through initiatives such as ‘Har Ghar Dastak’, workplace¬ and school¬based vaccination, vaccination of persons without identity documents, and near¬tohome and mobile vaccination centres.
• The Ministry said with 71% of the centres in rural areas and over 51% of the doses administered to women, the programme ensured geographical and gender equity

ANSWER: C

• Prime Minister to address the Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation (NIIO) seminar ‘Swavlamban’ at Dr Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi.
• As a part of the ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’, NIIO, in conjunction with the Defence Innovation Organisation (DIO), aims at inducting at least 75 new indigenous technologies/products into the Indian Navy. This collaborative project is named SPRINT (Supporting Pole-Vaulting in R&D through iDEX, NIIO and TDAC).
• The seminar aims to engage Indian industry and academia towards achieving self-reliance in the Defence sector.
• Sessions dedicated to Innovation, Indigenisation, Armament and Aviation will be held.
• The Seminar will also witness outreach to the Indian Ocean Region, in line with the government’s vision of SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region).

ANSWER: D

• Unicorns are privately held, venture-capital backed startups that have reached a value of $1 billion.
• Indian-based entrepreneurs Pratik Gauri, Prateek Dwivedi, and web3 financier Vilma Mattila’s startup 5ire has become the country’s new Unicorn.
• The blockchain startup 5ire has raised 100 million in Series A funding from UK-based conglomerate SRAM & MRAM, which now makes 5ire valuation of $1.5 billion.
• 5ire was founded in August 2021, and after just one year, it has become the 105th unicorn in the country and the 20th this year. 5ire has now joined companies like Deal Share, Drawinbox, Xpressbees, and Mamaearth which has turned unicorn this year.
• The Blockchain company works on 5th generation blockchain system.
• It Becomes the world’s first and only sustainable unicorn born out of India, in just 11 months.
• 5ire earlier raised a funding of $21 million in its seed round at a valuation of $110 million with participation from both private and institutional investors like Alphabit, Marshland Capital, Launchpool Labs, and Moonrock Capital, among others.
• American venture capitalist Aileen Lee is credited with coining the term in 2013.

ANSWER: A

• Bonalu is a popular festival celebrated in Hyderabad and Secunderabad. This festivity is dedicated to Goddess Mahakali.
• Bonalu is celebrated in the month of Ashada, which falls in July-August. On the first day, which was July 3, this year, special puja and ceremonies are held to worship Yellamma, an avatar of Mahakali.
• Apart from Yellamma, during the Bonalu festival, the different forms of Mahakali are worshipped, including Mysamma, Dokkalamma, Pedamma, Pochamma, Yellamma, Poleramma and Ankalamma.

History and Significance

• The festival is dedicated to Goddess Mahakali. Basically, it’s all about thanking her for fulfilling the wishes of her devotees.
• The word “Bonam” signifies a meal or a feast in Telugu. During this, the devotees offer rice cooked with milk and jaggery in an earthen or brass pot, which is decorated with neem leaves, turmeric and vermilion.
• Women carry these pots on their heads to temples. The festival is celebrated with much excitement and religious fervour in the state.
• The festivity traces back to the 19th century. Reportedly, the twin cities Hyderabad and Secunderabad experienced an outbreak of deadly plague that claimed many lives. During that time, a military battalion from the state, which was deployed in Ujjain, prayed to Goddess Mahakali to help the people get rid of the plague. They also promised Mahakali that a temple will be constructed once the plague comes to an end.
• The devotees, as promised, built a temple for Goddess Mahakali.

ANSWER: A

• The Navy’s Kilo class submarine INS Sindhudhvaj was decommissioned from service at Visakhapatnam after 35 years in service.
• With this, the Navy now has 15 conventional submarines in service.
• She had many a firsts to her credit, including operationalisation of the indigenised sonar USHUS, indigenised satellite communication system Rukmani and MSS, inertial navigation system and indigenised torpedo fire control system.
• She also successfully undertook mating and personnel transfer with Deep Submergence Rescue Vessel and was the only submarine to be awarded Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) rolling trophy for Innovation by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
• Commissioned into the Navy in June 1987, Sindhudhvaj, was one of the 10 Kilo class submarines India acquired from Russia between 1986 and 2000.

ANSWER: C

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization:

• It was founded in 1945 and its Headquarters are in Paris, France.
• A World Heritage Site is a place on earth having a special cultural or physical significance and outstanding universal value to humanity.
• It may be a building, a city, a complex, a desert, a forest, an island, a lake, a monument, or a mountain.

KEY POINTS:

• The Administration of Union Territory of Ladakh and the National Monuments Authority (NMA) has initiated steps to seek a declaration of the “Indus River” as an UNESCO World Heritage.
• Lieutenant Governor, Radha Krishna Mathur termed “Indus River” as the “Lifeline of Ladakh”.
• The Culture Department, Ladakh also plans to publish a Coffee Table Book on the river Indus so as to bring to light history and to generate awareness about the mighty “Indus”.
• According to MP Ladakh, Jamyang Tsering Namgyal, highlighted the need to consider the usage of water and developmental activities along and around the river in case the river Indus is declared as UNESCO World heritage.

ANSWER: B

• Praggnanandhaa, won the the Open A section of the 15th International Chess Open Paracin in the Serbian town of Paracin.
• The 16-year-old Praggnanandhaa beats Alexandr Predke, a Russian player competing under the flag of FIDE, the sport’s world governing body, in the Open A section of the event.
• Praggnanandhaa, who recently defeated world champion Magnus Carlsen in the Meltwater Champions Tour rapid chess tournament, remained unbeaten in the nine-round Swiss League tournament, winning seven games and drawing two.
• Praggnanandhaa, is from Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

ANSWER: D

• The State Government has awarded the silver medal to Mandi district in the tuberculosis (TB) eradication programme.
• According to the district Chief Medical Officer, the award was given after a survey was conducted in every district of the state in February and March.
• For TB detection, seven state-of-the-art machines are available in the district. The CM’s office has congratulated the district health department for their efforts.
• District Tuberculosis Officer urged the general public, including representatives of urban bodies and Panchayati raj institutions of the district to ensure their active participation in the programme.

ANSWER: C

• The district administration has launched a campaign to check the use of tobacco products in public places.
• The administration aims to make the district tobacco-free by 2025.
• The campaign was launched by the district Deputy Commissioner, DC Rana, while chairing a meeting of various experts of Himachal Pradesh Tobacco Control Progressive Centre and officers of various stakeholder departments.
• The meeting was organised under the aegis of Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College, Tanda.
• According to the DC, Emphasizing the need to ensure effective system for tobacco control at the panchayat-level, tobacco-free panchayat would be given a cash award of Rs five lakh. He directed the Rural Development Department and the Health Department to jointly take necessary steps at the panchayat-level. District-level Tobacco Control Coordination Committee, block-level flying squads have also been constituted.
• The DC directed to develop a mobile app for the monthly activities to ensure effective implementation of the coordination committee and flying squads.