Current Affairs Quiz 10th December 2024 Quiz

Exp. Wipro and SIAM.AI tie up to develop AI-powered assistant ‘Sukjai’ for Thailand’s tourism authority

Wipro has collaborated with SIAM.AI, a member of the NVIDIA Cloud Partner program in Thailand.

The companies will leverage NVIDIA computing and software to develop an AI-powered digital assistant for the Tourism Authority of Thailand. This collaboration will utilise infrastructure, data, and networks within the country.

‘Sukjai’ will also provide 24/7 support and information on transportation guidelines and schedules, destinations and lodging availability, recommended activities based on interest, and crowd flow information at top attractions. It will offer customised recommendations based on individual preferences and include information on emergency services and safety and security alerts.

Exp. GRSE hands over unmanned surface vessel ‘Jaldoot’ to DRDO

Defence PSU Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) formally handed over the “Jaldoot” Unmanned Surface Vessel (USV) to the Defence Research and Development Organisation’s (DRDO’s) Naval Science and Technological Laboratory (NSTL) in Visakhapatnam after completing its trials successfully.

Jaldoot was delivered after successfully completing acceptance trials from October 17 to October 21. The USV, designed and developed jointly by GRSE and NSTL, DRDO, for survey and communication missions, features compact dimensions and weight, said the GRSE.

A domestic technology start-up partner, M/s Rekise Marine, was nurtured in the design and development of Jaldoot.

The Kolkata-based PSU stated that, powered by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, the vessel supports waypoint navigation, station-keeping, and failsafe behaviours.

Q.3. Who has been appointed as the acting secretary of the BCCI?

बीसीसीआई के कार्यवाहक सचिव के रूप में किसे नियुक्त किया गया है?

(a) Rahul Dravid

(b) Devajit Saikia

(c) Roger Binny

(d) Sourav Ganguly

(e) Anurag Thakur

Exp. Former Assam Cricketer Devajit Saikia appointed as BCCI’s acting Secretary after Jay Shah

Former Assam cricketer Devajit Saikia has been named as the acting secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

He will replace BCCI president Jay Shah who recently took over the reigns as ICC chairman.

Board president Roger Binny used his constitutional powers for the appointment. Saikia worked as a joint secretary at BCCI earlier.

About Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)

• Founded - December 1928
• Headquarters - Mumbai
• President - Roger Binny
• Secretary - Devajit Saikia (acting)

Exp. 6 December – Mahaparinirvan Diwas

Mahaparinirvan Diwas is observed annually on December 6, marks the death anniversary of Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, the architect of modern India and a tireless advocate for social justice.

Dr. Ambedkar, a principal architect of the Indian Constitution and a pioneer in the fight against caste-based discrimination, passed away in 1956. This year, the 69th Mahaparinirvan Diwas commemorated at Prerna Sthal in the Parliament House Complex.

Dr. Ambedkar’s contributions to Indian society are celebrated for his unwavering commitment to social equality and justice. Born on April 14, 1891, in Mhow, Madhya Pradesh, he emerged as a distinguished scholar, lawyer, economist, and a leader for the oppressed.

He devoted his life to combating caste discrimination, uplifting Dalits and promoting a vision of equality and dignity for all.

Exp. Govt appoints Vaibhav Chaturvedi as RBI representative on IBBI board

The government has appointed Vaibhav Chaturvedi as the ex-officio member of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI).

Currently, Chaturvedi is the Chief General Manager of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

As the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI’s) representative, Chaturvedi will contribute to the IBBI’s efforts in ensuring a smooth and transparent resolution process under the Code, which aims to resolve stressed assets and enhance credit discipline in the financial sector.

IBBI, established in 2016, under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016, is responsible for the implementation of the code. The board plays a critical role in promoting transparency and accountability in the insolvency resolution process.

Recent Appointment in Banking & Insurance Sector

• MD & CEO of SBI Funds Management – Nand Kishore (replace Shamsher Singh)
• MD and CEO of Indian Bank – Binod Kumar (replace S L Jain) final approval pending
• DBS Bank India – Rajat Verma (replace Surojit Shome)
• Country manager for India – Rishi Chhabra
• Chief General Manager of SBI for New Delhi Circle – Debasish Mishra
• MD and CEO of IFCI Ltd. – Rahul Bhave

Exp. Burkina Faso Junta Chief appoints new PM after Dissolving Government

Captain Ibrahim Traore, the junta leader in Burkina Faso has appointed Rimtalba Jean Emmanuel Ouedraogo as the country’s new prime minister, a day after dissolving the government.

Ouedraogo, a journalist and former communications minister, replaces Apollinaire Joachim Kyelem de Tambela, who had led three military-appointed governments since Traore’s rise to power in September 2022.

Ouedraogo, a close ally of Traore, has served as editor-in-chief and director of state television and was the government’s spokesperson after Traore’s coup.

About Burkina Faso

• Capital- Ouagadougou
• Currency- West African CFA franc
• Continent- Africa
• PM – Rimtalba Jean Emmanuel Ouedraog

Exp. PM Modi launched ‘Bima Sakhi Yojana’ for women

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched ‘Bima Sakhi Yojana’ in Panipat to promote financial literacy and insurance awareness among women.

This initiative of Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) is designed to empower women aged 18-70 years, who are Class X pass. They will receive specialized training and a stipend for the first three years to promote financial literacy and insurance awareness.

After training, they can serve as LIC agents and the graduate Bima Sakhis would have the opportunity to qualify for being considered for Development Officer roles in LIC.

Additionally, PM Modi also laid the foundation stone of the Main campus of Maharana Pratap Horticultural University, Karnal. The main campus and six regional research stations, spread over 495 acres, will be established at a cost of over Rs 700 crore.

The University will have one College of Horticulture for Graduate and Post-Graduate studies and five schools covering 10 horticulture disciplines. It will work towards crop diversification and world class research for development of horticulture technologies.

Exp. Union Minister Jitin Prasada inaugurated Fourth Edition of India Internet Governance Forum

The India Internet Governance Forum (IIGF) 2024 was held at the Bharat Mandapam Convention Center, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi.

Supported by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and the National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI), this initiative by India’s multi-stakeholder community aims to explore critical aspects of Internet governance, foster meaningful dialogue, and highlight India’s leadership in the global digital landscape.

The event was inaugurated by the Union Minister of State for Electronics & Information Technology and Commerce and Industry, Jitin Prasada, in the presence of S. Krishnan, Secretary, MeitY.

Exp. Centre to launch ‘Prashasan Gaon Ki Ore’ campaign for improving service delivery

The Centre will launch “Prashasan Gaon Ki Ore”, a nation-wide campaign to redress public grievances and improve service delivery, during the good governance week from December 19 to 24.

In this campaign, over 700 district collectors will be participating and officials will be visiting tehsils and panchayat samiti headquarters.

Prashasan Gaon Ki Ore is a decentralised version of special campaign 4.0 conducted in central ministries and departments and public sector undertakings (PSUs) from October 2 to 31, 2024.

This is the third time that the government of India will be conducting a national campaign at the tehsil level to address public grievances and improve service delivery, the personnel ministry statement said.

The preparatory phase of the good governance week 2024 will start from December 11-18.

Exp. Dharmendra Pradhan launches PMeVIDYA DTH 24×7 Channel No. 31 for Indian Sign Language

Union Minister for Education Dharmendra Pradhan has launched the PMeVIDYA DTH 24×7 Channel No. 31 for Indian Sign Language (ISL) in New Delhi.

This move aligns with the objectives of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and is set to transform the educational experience for hearing-impaired students across the country.

The establishment of a dedicated PM e-VIDYA DTH Channel for ISL reflects the government’s commitment to addressing the educational needs of children with hearing impairments.

The PM e-VIDYA ISL channel aims to make ISL more widely recognised and accepted, not only as a communication tool but as a subject of study akin to other languages such as Hindi and English. This launch is a significant milestone in India’s journey toward inclusive education, ensuring that no child is left behind due to their hearing impairment.

The channel will serve as an accessible platform to promote ISL as both a language and an academic subject. This development will not only provide resources for students but will also offer curriculum-based content for teachers, teacher educators, and other key educational stakeholders.  

Exp. 7 December – Armed Forces Flag Day or Flag Day

Armed Forces Flag Day or Flag Day is celebrated every yaer on 7 December.

The day is commemorated to honour the soldiers and the bravehearts, who lost their lives in the line of duty. Since December 7, 1949, this day has been observed to pay respect to the military forces. The Armed Forces Flag Day is also dedicated to raising funds from Indian citizens for the welfare of Indian Armed Forces troops.

The Defence Minister’s committee created the Armed Forces Flag Day Fund in 1949. In 1993, the Indian Defense Ministry merged all related welfare funds, including those for war victims, the Kendriya Sainik Board Fund, the ex-servicemen’s welfare fund, and other units, into a unified Armed Forces Flag Day fund.

Exp. UNGA declares December 21 as World Meditation Day

India co-sponsored a UN General Assembly draft resolution that was unanimously adopted to proclaim December 21 as World Meditation Day.

India, including Liechtenstein, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Mexico and Andorra, was a member of the core group of countries that guided the unanimous adoption of the resolution titled ‘World Meditation Day’ in the 193-member UN General Assembly.

The resolution, introduced by Liechtenstein, was also cosponsored by Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Burundi, the Dominican Republic, Iceland, Luxembourg, Mauritius, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Portugal and Slovenia.

Exp. India and Norway forge deeper economic partnerships, tackling business collaboration challenges

The India-Norway Business Forum was held in Mumbai organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in collaboration with the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India.

The forum brought together policymakers, industry leaders, and stakeholders to discuss avenues for deepening India-Norway trade and investment ties across priority sectors.

The forum featured a presentation of the Business Climate Survey by Innovation Norway, which outlined the growing confidence of Norwegian companies in India.

Many companies expressed satisfaction with India’s improving business environment and reaffirmed their commitment to expanding operations in the country.

 The forum also provided a platform for constructive dialogue between Indian and Norwegian industries, offering opportunities to explore synergies and shared challenges across sectors such as, energy, maritime, and sustainability.

The India-Norway Business Forum reaffirms the commitment of both nations to strengthen the partnership and work collaboratively toward achieving sustainable growth and development.

Exp. Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India in association with INSOL India organises International Conclave 2024

The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) in association with INSOL India organized an International Conclave focusing on “Insolvency Resolution: Evolution & Global Perspective”.

The event brought together distinguished experts and practitioners from across jurisdictions to share insights and experiences in insolvency resolution.

The Conclave included three panel discussions. The first Panel Discussion was on the theme “Issues, Recent Developments & New Trends in Restructuring & Insolvency Across Jurisdictions”. The session was chaired by Mr. Sumant Batra, President of the Insolvency Law Academy.

The second Panel Discussion was on the theme “Judgment Enforcement, Asset Recovery and Personal Guarantees”.

The session was chaired by Ms Anita Shah Akella, Joint Secretary, MCA.

The third Panel Discussion focused on the “Role of Institutional Creditors in Corporate Resolution Across Jurisdictions”.

Mr. Ravi Mital- Chairperson, IBBI.

Exp. Western Air Command Commanders’ Conference 2024: Enhancing Readiness and Operational Excellence

 The Western Air Command’s (WAC) two-day Commanders’ Conference, held in New Delhi, featured Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), as the chief guest, who was received with a ceremonial Guard of Honour.

The CAS emphasized the need for focused training to ensure readiness for multi-domain warfare, aligning with the theme “Bharatiya Vayu Sena – Sashakt, Saksham, Atmanirbhar” and urged collective efforts to advance the Indian Air Force (IAF).

Discussions included enhancing operational capability through better training and planning, early operationalization of new equipment, ensuring safety and security, and empowering leadership to build a future-ready force.

The CAS commended WAC for their prompt humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) responses domestically and internationally, maintaining high operational excellence, and upholding IAF’s core values of “Mission, Integrity, and Excellence.”

Exp. 9 December – International Anti-Corruption Day

International Anti-Corruption Day is observed annually on 9 December to raise awareness about corruption and promote measures to combat it.

Theme 2024 – Uniting with Youth Against Corruption: Shaping Tomorrow’s Integrity

Established by the United Nations, the day highlights the role of governments, organizations, and individuals in eradicating corruption to foster accountability, transparency, and sustainable development worldwide.