Current Affairs Quiz 2nd February 2024 Quiz

Exp. Five more Indian wetlands added to Ramsar list

India has added five more wetlands to the List of Wetlands of International Importance, or the Ramsar List, taking the number of such sites in the country to 80.

The announcement of adding five more sites, three in Karnataka and two in Tamil Nadu, to the list was made by Federal Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav.

Three of these sites, Ankasamudra Bird Conservation Reserve, Aghanashini Estuary and Magadi Kere Conservation Reserve are located in Karnataka whereas two, Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary and Longwood Shola Reserve Forest are in Tamil Nadu.

With the addition of these five wetlands to the List of Wetlands of International Importance, the total area covered under Ramsar sites is now 1.33 million ha which is an increase of 5,523.87 ha from existing area (of 1.327 million ha).

Tamil Nadu continues to have the maximum number of Ramsar Sites (16 sites) followed by Uttar Pradesh (10 sites).

India is one of the contracting parties to the wetland convention, signed in Ramsar, Iran, in 1971, and ratified the convention in 1982.

India is one of the Contracting Parties to Ramsar Convention, signed in Ramsar, Iran in 1971.

World Wetlands Day (WWD) is celebrated across the globe to commemorate the adoption of this international agreement on wetlands on 2nd February 1971.

India ratified this Convention on 1st February 1982. Earlier in August 2022, India achieved a significant milestone of taking the total number of Ramsar Sites to 75 during the 75th Year of Independence.

Due to a significant policy push from the Government of India, the number of Ramsar sites has increased from 26 to 80 in the last ten years, of which 38 have been added in the last three years alone.

Exp. Dharmendra Pradhan launches MoE – AICTE Investor Network

Union Minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan has launched ‘Ministry of Education – AICTE Investor Network’ in New Delhi.

This initiative to be a ground-breaking beginning that will bring students, faculty, investors and the market on one platform to strengthen the culture of innovation.

The network aims to provide crucial financial support, mentoring, and strategic guidance to early-stage student or faculty-led startups.

Through this unique network, the Ministry of Education seeks to encourage private investment in student- and faculty-led startups.  

Exp. BHU gets automated DNA extractor machine

North India’s first human DNA bank is being set up at Banaras Hindu University (BHU).

The Automated DNA Extractor Machine has been installed in the Gnyaneshwar Lab of the Zoology Department of BHU.

These machines are completely indigenous to Make in India. It has been made in such a way that the minimum plastic is used in it, so that there is no harm to the environment.

With this machine, DNA can be extracted from any biological material, like blood, saliva, hair or tissue. With its help, DNA can be separated from about 32 samples at one time in 30 minutes.

Exp. Saudi Arabia, UAE, Ethiopia, Iran, Egypt confirmed they are joining BRICS

The BRICS group, a key platform for emerging markets and developing countries, has officially welcomed five new members: Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Ethiopia.

The five countries were extended invitations along with Argentina at a summit in August in Johannesburg to join the bloc comprising Brazil, Russia, China, India and South Africa.

Argentina has declined the invitation to join.

The newly enlarged BRICS now boasts a combined population of 3.5 billion and an economy exceeding $28.5tn, constituting around 28% of the global economy

Exp. WHO awards countries for progress in eliminating industrially produced trans fats for first time

WHO has awarded its first-ever certificates validating progress in eliminating industrially produced trans fatty acids to five countries.

Denmark, Lithuania, Poland, Saudi Arabia, and Thailand have each demonstrated they have a best practice policy for industrially produced trans-fatty acids (iTFA) elimination in effect, supported by adequate monitoring and enforcement systems.

While the ambitious target set by WHO in 2018—to fully eliminate iTFA from the global food supply by the end of 2023—was not met, there has been remarkable progress made towards this goal in every region of the world.

In 2023 alone, new best-practice policies became effective in 7 countries (Egypt, Mexico, Moldova, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Philippines, and Ukraine).

What is TFA?

• Trans-fatty acids (TFA) are semisolid to solid fats that occur in two forms: industrially produced and naturally occurring. Intake of TFA is associated with increased risk of heart attacks and death from heart disease. TFA have no known health benefits, and foods high in iTFA (e.g. fried foods, cakes and ready meals) are often high in sugar, fat and salt.
• A total of 53 countries have now best practice policies in effect for tackling iTFA in food, vastly improving the food environment for 3.7 billion people, or 46% of the world’s population, as compared to 6% just 5 years ago. These policies are expected to save approximately 183,000 lives a year.

Exp. GST collections rise 10% to ₹1.72 lakh crore in January

The gross GST revenue collected in the month of January 2024 is ₹1,72,129 crore, which shows a 10.4% Year-o-Year (Y-oY) growth over the revenue of ₹155,922 crore collected in January 2023.

Notably, this is the second-highest monthly collection ever and marks the third month in this financial year with collection of ₹1.70 lakh crore or more.

The government has settled ₹43,552 crore to CGST and ₹37,257 crore to SGST from the IGST collection.

During the April 2023-January 2024 period, cumulative gross GST collection witnessed 11.6% y-o-y growth, reaching ₹16.69 lakh crore, as against ₹14.96 lakh crore collected in the same period of the previous year (April 2022-Jannuary 2023).

GST Collection of Previous Months

• September 2023 – 1,62,712 crore
• October 2023 – 1,72,003 crore
• November 2023 – 1,67,929 crore
• December 2023 – 1,64,882 crore
• January 2024 – 1,72,129 crore

Exp. Government allocates 3.4% of GDP for Capital Expenditure Boost

The government proposes to increase capital expenditure outlay by 11.1 per cent to Rs 11.11 lakh crore in 2024-25, amounting to 3.4 per cent of the GDP, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her interim Budget.

The central government will focus especially on five eastern states – Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and West Bengal.

A capital expenditure, or capex, is used to set up long-term physical or fixed assets.

Coming to the fiscal deficit, the government pegged for 2024-25 at 5.1 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP).

In 2023-24, the government pegged the fiscal deficit target for 2023-24 at 5.9 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP). Sitharaman said that the fiscal deficit of 2023-24 was downwardly revised to 5.8 per cent.

The government intends to bring the fiscal deficit below 4.5 per cent of GDP by the financial year 2025-26.  

Exp. Govt revised the fiscal deficit estimates at 5.8% in FY24

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has revised estimate of the fiscal deficit for FY24 stands at 5.8 per cent while presenting the Interim Budget 2024-25.

The Revised Estimate of the fiscal deficit is 5.8 per cent of GDP, improving on the Budget Estimate, notwithstanding moderation in the nominal growth estimates.

The government is committed to reducing the fiscal deficit below 4.5 per cent by 2025-26, adding that the fiscal deficit in 2024-25 is estimated to be 5.1 per cent of GDP.

The reduced fiscal deficit projection at 5.1 per cent of GDP in FY25, down from 5.8 per cent in FY24, will create room for increased private sector borrowings.

Exp. AU SFB appoints HR Khan as non-executive chairman

Private sector lender AU Small Finance Bank has appointed Harun Rashid Khan, former deputy governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), as non-executive chairman following approval from the shareholders.

Khan’s tenure will begin from the date of taking charge, January 30, 2024, after approval from the Board of Directors and from the RBI and shareholders of the bank.

Khan will take charge from Raj Verma, whose tenure as Part-time Chairman ended on January 29, 2024.

Recent Appointment in Banking & Insurance Sector

• Executive Director of Bank of Baroda – Sanjay Vinayak Mudaliar
• Executive Director of Indian Overseas Bank – Joydeep Dutta Roy
• MD & CEO of DCB Bank – Praveen Achuthan Kutty (replace Murali Natrajan) effect from 29/4/24
• Deputy Governor of RBI – Michael Patra (1 year extension)
• CEO of PhonePe For International Payments Division – Ritesh Pai

Exp. Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar sworn in as Malaysia’s 17th king

Ibrahim Iskandar of Johor State in Malaysia has become the new Sultan of the country.

Ibrahim Iskandar was sworn in as the country’s 17th Sultan. Sultan Ibrahim received the reins from the Sultan of Pahang State, Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah.

Ibrahim Iskandar will remain in office as the country’s Sultan for the next five years.

The Sultan has been elected every five years in Malaysia since 1957, after gaining independence from Britain.

Newly Appointed Prime Minister & President

• President of Comoros -Azali Assoumani (4th time)
• President of Guatemala – Bernardo Arevalo
• President of Taiwan – William Lai
• King of Denmark – King Frederik X (replace Queen Margrethe II)
• Prime Minister of France – Gabriel Attal (replace Elisabeth Borne)

Exp. Sanjay Verma takes the oath of Office and Secrecy as Member, UPSC

Sanjay Verma, Indian Foreign Service of 1990 batch takes the oath of Office and Secrecy as Member, UPSC in the Central Hall, Main Building of UPSC.

The oath was administered to him by the UPSC Chairman Dr Manoj Soni.

Sanjay Verma joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1990, and his overseas assignments have included: Ambassador to Spain and Andorra; Ambassador to Ethiopia, Djibouti and the African Union; Consul General, Dubai; Counsellor (Economic and Commercial), Indian Embassy, Beijing; Spokesperson and Counsellor (Press, Information and Culture), Indian Embassy, Kathmandu; Second Secretary (Press and Political), Indian Embassy, Manila and Economic and Commercial Officer, Hong Kong.

Recent Appointment

• Chairman of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) – Jay Shah (3rd time)
• Chief Secretary of Puducherry – Sharat Chauhan (replace Rajeev Verma)
• Adviser to the Administrator in Chandigarh – Rajeev Verma
• Chairman of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) – Anil Kumar Lahoti (replace PD Vaghela)
• Indian Army’s 1st Woman Subedar – Preeti Rajak

Exp. SARVATRA: A Multispan Mobile Bridging System Developed by DRDO

SARVATRA, a Multispan Mobile Bridging System designed and developed by Armament and Combat Engineering Systems (ACE) of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) under the Ministry of Defence.

SARVATRA assists the Army in constructing bridges over flowing water, ensuring robust connectivity between two areas during natural disasters.

SARVATRA’s truck-mounted design facilitates swift setup, ensuring operational readiness within 100 minutes, a critical capability during emergencies and natural disasters.

Constructed from aluminum alloy, SARVATRA’s five scissor bridges exhibit exceptional durability, capable of spanning distances of up to 75 meters, overcoming various terrain challenges with ease.

Equipped with telescopic legs, SARVATRA offers versatility in adjusting height from 2.5 meters to six meters, minimizing visibility and enhancing operational flexibility for the Indian Army.

Statements

(i) The 69th edition of the Filmfare Awards 2024 took place in Goa. (Incorrect)

(ii) Best Film – 12th Fail (Correct)

(iii) Best Director -Vidhu Vinod Chopra (12th Fail) (Correct)

(iv) Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Male) – Ranbir Kapoor (Animal) (Incorrect)

(v) Best Debut Director -Tarun Dudeja (Dhak Dhak) (Correct)

Exp. Filmfare Awards 2024 announced

The 69th edition of the Filmfare Awards 2024 took place in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.

The event featured hosting by Karan Johar, and performances by Kareena Kapoor, Karisma Kapoor, Varun Dhawan, and Kartik Aaryan among others.

Exp. 2 February – World Wetlands Day

World Wetlands Day is observed every year on 2 February.

The day primarily aims to raise global awareness regarding the crucial role of the wetlands for human beings and the planet.

Theme 2024 – Wetlands and Human Wellbeing

It also marks the date of adopting the Convention on Wetlands on February 2, 1971, in Ramsar, Iran.

According to the United Nations Environment Programme, around 90% of the world’s wetlands have been degraded since the 1700s.

As per the data, the wetlands are now depleting three times faster than the forests, and as these are critically important for the ecosystem World Wetlands Day plays a pivotal role.

What are wetlands?

• To define the crucial part of the ecosystem, it is a piece of land that is saturated or flooded with water either permanently or seasonally as well.
• It includes water bodies such as lakes, rivers, underground aquifers, swamps, wet grasslands, peatlands, deltas, tidal flats, mangroves, coral reefs, and other coastal areas as well.
• These wetlands can be classified into three segments such as inland wetlands, coastal wetlands, and human-made wetlands

Exp. 2 February – Rheumatoid Arthritis Awareness Day

Rheumatoid Arthritis Awareness Day is observed every year on February 2nd.

Objective – To raise awareness of rheumatoid arthritis, an inflammatory disease that affects the joints.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), another name for rheumatoid disease, is an autoimmune disease in which the body attacks and damages the lining of the joints, mistaking it for foreign material.

This causes pain and inflammation. Although it can affect people of any age, sex, race or ethnicity, women are more likely to be affected (2.5 times more likely than men).

The most common age group is between 20 and 50.

Alfred B. Garrod first used the word “rheumatoid arthritis” to describe the disease in 1858. It had previously been confused with osteoarthritis. The first methotrexate treatments became available in 1988.