Current Affairs Quiz 21st November 2024 Quiz

Exp. Hamara Shauchalay: Hamara Samman”Campaign launched On World Toilet Day

The Government of India has launched a three-week campaign, “Hamara Shauchalay: Hamara Samman,” on the occasion of World Toilet Day on 19 November 2024.

The campaign will end on 10 December 2024, on the occasion of Human Rights Day. The end of the campaign on Human Rights Day symbolises the powerful link between sanitation, human rights, and an individual’s dignity.

The Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Union Ministry of Jal Shakti, has launched the three-week Hamara Shauchalay: Hamara Samman. The responsibility for implementing the Swachh Bharat Mission-Grameen component of the Swachh Bharat Mission lies with the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Union Ministry of Jal Shakti.

The campaign will affirm the country’s commitment to behavioural change regarding sanitation. Maintaining the country’s Open Defecation-Free (ODF) status and achieving the Phase II  goal of the Swachh Bharat Mission(Grameen).

Exp. Global Soil Conference 2024 Inaugurated in New Delhi

The four-day Global Soils Conference 2024 was inaugurated in New Delhi.

The Global Soils Conference is being organised by the Indian Society of Soil Science, New Delhi, under the aegis of the International Union of Soil Sciences, Italy, with the collaboration of the New Delhi-based Indian Council of Agricultural Research and the National Academy of Agricultural Science.

Theme 2024 – Caring Soils Beyond Food Security: Climate Change Mitigation and Ecosystem Services

The conference, which is the  apex global platform for world soil scientists and stakeholders, provides a platform for the stakeholders- government, scientists, industry leaders, farmers, etc. to discuss various issues regarding the importance of soils and to find a solution to concerns about the issue of soil degradation and its sustainable management.

Professor Ramesh Chand, a Member of the NITI Aayog, was the chief guest, and he inaugurated the Global Soil Conference. Later, the Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmer Welfare, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, virtually addressed the conference.

Exp. Peru hosted the 31st APEC Summit Economic Leaders Meeting 2024

The 31st  Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders Meeting, in which the leaders of the 21 member countries participated, was held in Lima, Peru.

The meeting was hosted by the Peruvian President, Dina Boluarte.

The theme of the 2024 APEC Economic Leaders meeting was “Empower. Include. Grow.”

APEC is an intergovernmental group of 21 countries in the Asia Pacific region that promotes economic ties among its members. Around 40 per cent of the world’s population lives here. The members of APEC contribute around 50 % of world trade, and they constitute around 60 per cent of the world’s gross domestic product(GDP).

The next Summit meeting will be hosted by South Korea in 2025, followed by China in 2026 and  Vietnam in 2027.

Q.4. PM Narendra Modi and his Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni announced a _____-year strategic action plan outlining their vision for collaboration in a range of key sectors, including defence, trade, energy and space in November 2024.

प्रधानमंत्री नरेंद्र मोदी और उनकी इतालवी समकक्ष जॉर्जिया मेलोनी ने नवंबर 2024 में रक्षा, व्यापार, ऊर्जा और अंतरिक्ष सहित कई प्रमुख क्षेत्रों में सहयोग के लिए अपने दृष्टिकोण को रेखांकित करते हुए _____-वर्षीय रणनीतिक कार्य योजना की घोषणा की।

(a) 2 years

(b) 3 years

(c) 4 years

(d) 5 years

(e) 6 years

Exp. Defence to space, India & Italy announce 5-year action plan

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni announced a five-year strategic action plan outlining their vision for collaboration in a range of key sectors, including defence, trade, energy and space.

The two leaders unveiled the Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025-29 as they met on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Exp. Daniel Barenboim and Ali Abu Awwad presented Indira Gandhi Peace Prize

The Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament, and Development for 2023 was awarded to Daniel Barenboim, a world-famous pianist and conductor, and Ali Abu Awwad, a Palestinian peace activist.

This prestigious award recognizes their remarkable efforts to promote peace and non-violence.

The awardees were selected by a distinguished jury headed by former Chief Justice of India T S Thakur.

Daniel Barenboim is an Argentine-born distinguished classical pianist and conductor, renowned for performing with and directing some of the leading orchestras in the world. Apart from his musical achievements, he is also known for his relentless endeavour in using music to foster harmony in West Asia.

Ali Abu Awwad is an eminent Palestinian peace activist who has been working tirelessly with the people of Palestine and Israel for a peaceful resolution of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

Recent Award

• Green World Awards 2024 in London – Coal India Limited
• 73rd Miss Universe (2024) – Victoria Kjaer Theilvig (Denmark); Second- Chidimma Adetshina (Nigeria); Third – Maria Fernanda Beltran (Mexico)s
• First Indian to win Miss Grand International 2024 – Rachel Gupta (from Jalandhar)
• Fiji highest Civilian Award – Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
• Top central banker by the US-based Global Finance magazine – RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das (A+ rating)

Exp. 20 November – World Children’s Day

World Children’s Day is observed every year on 20 November to encourage global solidarity, awareness among children around the world, and advancements in children’s welfare.

Theme 2024 – Listen to the Future. Stand Up for Children’s Rights.

This day, which was created by the UN in 1954, also marks the adoption of two important agreements: the Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) and the Declaration of the Rights of the Child (1959).

Exp. HMJS launches “Bhu-Neer” Portal for ground water withdrawal permits

The Hon’ble Minister of Jal Shakti, C.R. Paatil digitally launched the newly developed “Bhu-Neer” portal on 19th September 2024 during the concluding ceremony of India Water Week 2024.

The “Bhu-Neer” is an advanced portal developed by Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA), under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, in collaboration with the National Informatics Centre (NIC).

For improved groundwater regulation across the country. This portal will serve as a one-stop platform for managing and regulating groundwater resources, aimed at ensuring transparency, efficiency, and sustainability in groundwater usage.

“Bhu-Neer” is designed to provide comprehensive details regarding the legal framework governing groundwater extraction, and regulations at the state and national levels. Its centralized database will allow users to access critical information on groundwater compliance, policies, and sustainable practices.

The portal is developed with several user-friendly features to offer streamlined process flow to the project proponents seeking groundwater withdrawal permits. Having a simplified yet informative interface, and features like PAN PAN-based single Id system, NOC with QR code etc., “Bhu-Neer” marks a significant improvement over its previous version NOCAP.

Exp. Elets Technomedia to host the 18th Elets NBFC100 Tech Summit in Mumbai

Elets Technomedia, in collaboration with The Banking & Finance Post Magazine, is hosting the 18th Elets NBFC100 Tech Summit. at ITC Maratha, Mumbai.

Presented by Acies and powered by Lenovo, this summit will drive dynamic discussions and showcase future-ready innovations in the NBFC sector.

As India’s largest and longest-running NBFC congregation, the summit will unite over 100 leading NBFCs and top technology providers for an invaluable platform of knowledge exchange and collaboration.

The summit will also host stimulating Trialogue Chats and Fireside Chats, focussing on key trends such as omni-channel lending and the next generation of credit scoring.

Exp. SECI signs MoU to promote Green Hydrogen initiatives

Solar Energy Corporation of India Ltd (SECI), under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, signed a MoU with H2Global Stiftung to establish a collaborative framework to promote Green Hydrogen initiatives.

This aims to enhance knowledge exchange on market-based mechanisms and foster cooperation between India and importing countries, thereby contributing to the global advancement of the green hydrogen economy.

This collaboration offers India the opportunity to work on joint tender design concepts, particularly in structuring joint tenders that aligns with India’s ambition to become export hub of Green Hydrogen and its derivatives.

Exp. Kho Kho World Cup to Debut in India in 2025

Kho Kho Federation of India (KKFI) and the International Kho Kho Federation have announced that the inaugural Kho Kho World Cup will take place in India in 2025.

The event will witness the participation of 24 countries from 6 continents and will feature 16 men’s and as many as women’s teams.

Ahead of the World Cup, the KKFI plans to take the sport to 200 schools across 10 cities to promote the sport. The federation will also run a membership drive for the school students with the aim of registering at least 50 lakh players ahead of the mega tournament. The tournament will feature a week-long series of matches, with top-tier athletes from across the globe.

Exp. Lula launches alliance to combat world hunger as Brazil hosts G20

The president of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, has opened the G20 meeting in Rio de Janeiro with the launch of an alliance to combat hunger, which he described as the “ultimate symbol of our collective tragedy”.

Brazil holds the rotating presidency of the group and is hosting the meeting attended by all but two – Russia and Saudi Arabia – of the 19 member countries.

The Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty has a total of 148 signatories, including 82 countries, 26 international organisations, 9 financial institutions, and 31 philanthropic foundations and non-governmental org.

Exp. FM unveils specially minted ₹100 commemorative coin to mark centenary of SBI’s Horniman Circle Branch

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday unveiled a specially minted ₹100 commemorative coin to mark the centenary of SBI’s iconic Horniman Circle Branch.

Alongside the coin launch, she also unveiled the 5th edition of The Evolution of the State Bank of India, chronicling a transformative era in the bank’s journey between 1981 and 1996.

From 100 branches at the time of the 1920 amalgamation to 22,640+ branches today, with plans to add 500 more in FY 2025, SBI continues to expand its reach.

The bank operates 63,000+ ATMs, engages 80,300 banking correspondents, and serves over 50 crore customers. Its digital prowess is demonstrated by 132 million and 287 million internet banking, YONO, and YONO Lite app.

SBI commands a 25% share in debit card spending, 22% in mobile banking transactions, and a 29% ATM footprint.

Exp. India beat China to lift their 3rd Women’s Asian Champions Trophy

The defending champion Indian women’s hockey team defeated the 2024 Paris Olympic silver medalist China to win the 8th Women’s Asian Champions Trophy 2024.

With this win, India has equalled South Korea’s record of winning the Trophy three times. India has previously won the title in 2016 and 2023.

The final of the Women’s Asian Champions Trophy 2024 was played at the Rajgir Hockey Stadium in Bihar.

The 8th Women’s Asian Champions Trophy 2024 was organised by the Asian Hockey Federation and hosted by Hockey India and the Bihar government from 11-20 November 2024.

Incidentally, India hosted the 7th Women’s Asian Champions Trophy 2023 at Ranchi, Jharkhand, which India won.