Current Affairs 26 July 2024

Current Affairs 26 July 2024

01. How much crore is the budget presented by the Odisha government for the fiscal year 2024-25?
(a) Rs 2.30 lakh crore
(b) Rs 2.50 lakh crore
(c) Rs 2.65 lakh crore
(d) Rs 2.75 lakh crore

• Budget Amount: The Odisha government presented a budget of Rs 2.65 lakh crore for the fiscal year 2024-25.
• Focus Areas: The budget emphasizes agriculture, irrigation, and women’s empowerment.
• Comparison with Previous Year: This budget is around 15 per cent more than the budgetary estimate of Rs 2.30 lakh crore for the 2023-24 fiscal year.
• Chief Minister: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi presented the budget, which is the BJP government’s maiden budget in Odisha.
• Agriculture Allocation: The budget includes an outlay of Rs 33,919 crore for agriculture, which is about 36 per cent more than the previous year.
• Women’s Empowerment: The ‘Subhadra’ scheme, a financial assistance programme for women, received an allocation of Rs 10,000 crore.
• Farmer Schemes: Rs 5,000 crore allocated for the “Samrudha Krushak Yojana” and Rs 1,935 crore for a new scheme ‘CM Kisan’.
• Inclusive Development: The budget aims for the inclusive development of the state, prioritizing farmers, women, youth, and poor people.

02. Who has been elected as the president of FIDE India Zone?
(a) Viswanathan Anand
(b) Sanjay Kapoor
(c) P. Harikrishna
(d) Koneru Humpy

• Sanjay Kapoor has been unanimously elected as the president of FIDE India Zone.
• The announcement was made during the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of AICF in Ahmedabad.
• He will serve as the zone president for four years.
• FIDE president Arkady Dvorkovich congratulated Sanjay Kapoor on his election.
• Viswanathan Anand: A legendary Indian chess player and former World Chess Champion, but not elected as FIDE India Zone president.
• P. Harikrishna: An Indian chess grandmaster, known for his significant contributions to chess, but not elected as FIDE India Zone president.
• Koneru Humpy: An Indian chess grandmaster and one of the top female players in the world, but not elected as FIDE India Zone president.
• FIDE: The International Chess Federation (FIDE) is the organization that governs international chess competition.

03. Which artist created “The World’s Largest Musical Installation” by transforming a cruise ship into a musical instrument?
(a) A. R. Rahman
(b) Akshai Sarin
(c) Anoushka Shankar
(d) Ricky Kej

• Akshai Sarin transformed Royal Caribbean Cruises’ Spectrum of the Seas into a colossal, playable music installation.
• The ship measures over 1,100 feet in length and stands as tall as an 18-story building.
• Sarin used Sonokinesis, AI, and Gesture recognition technology to achieve this feat.
• This marks the first time in history that a cruise ship of this magnitude has been turned into a musical instrument.
• A. R. Rahman: A renowned Indian composer and musician, but not associated with this specific project.
• Anoushka Shankar: A famous sitar player and composer, but not involved in this achievement.
• Ricky Kej: A Grammy-winning Indian music composer, but not related to this particular installation.
• Sonokinesis: A project developed by Akshai Sarin that involves turning everyday objects and surfaces into musical instruments using technology.

04. Who has been unanimously re-elected as the International Olympic Committee (IOC) member from India? (July 2024)
(a) Mary Kom
(b) Jay Shah
(c) Nita Ambani
(d) PV Sindhu

• Nita Ambani, founder of Reliance Foundation, was unanimously re-elected as India’s representative to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) during its 142nd session in Paris.

• Re-election: Nita Ambani was unanimously re-elected as the International Olympic Committee (IOC) member from India.
• First Election: She was first elected as an individual member of the IOC in 2016 during the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games.
• Role and Contributions: As the first Indian woman to join the IOC, Ambani has significantly contributed to promoting India’s sporting ambitions and Olympic vision.
• Recognition: Her re-election is a recognition of India’s growing influence in the global sporting arena.
• Reliance Foundation: Nita Ambani is the founder and chairperson of Reliance Foundation, which aims to empower millions of Indians through initiatives in sport, education, health, art, and culture.
• IOC Session in Mumbai: Ambani played a crucial role in India hosting its first IOC session in Mumbai for over 40 years.
• India House at Paris Olympics: As part of a partnership with the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), Reliance Foundation is opening the first-ever India House at the Paris Olympics 2024.
• Future Plans: India plans to bid for hosting the 2036 Olympics, showcasing its ambitions on the global stage.

05. Who won the first prize in the Most Innovative Community Engagement Award category at the 10th National Community Radio Awards?
(a) Radio Benziger, Kerala
(b) Radio Mayur, Bihar
(c) Radio Brahmaputra, Assam
(d) Yerlawani Sangli, Maharashtra

• First Prize Winner: Yerlawani Sangli, Maharashtra won the first prize in the Most Innovative Community Engagement Award category.
• Program Name: The winning program was titled ‘Kahani Sunandachi’.
• Significance: The award highlights innovative methods of engaging the community through radio broadcasts.
• Recognition: This award category is part of the 10th National Community Radio Awards, celebrating contributions of community radio stations.
• Award winners:
  • Thematic Award – First Prize: Radio Mayur, Bihar for ‘Tech Sakhi’
  • Most Innovative Community Engagement Award – First Prize: Yerlawani Sangli, Maharashtra for ‘Kahani Sunandachi’
  • Promoting Local Culture Award – First Prize: Radio Brahmaputra, Assam for ‘Igarekun’
  • Sustainability Model Award – First Prize: Radio Benziger, Kerala

06. Which one of the following statements is incorrect regarding the Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017?
(a) The Act extends the period of paid maternity leave for women employees from 12 weeks to 26 weeks.
(b) The Act mandates that employers provide crèche facilities if they employ 50 or more women.
(c) The Act allows maternity leave for adopting and commissioning mothers.
(d) The Act includes a provision for work-from-home options after the period of maternity leave.

• The HINDU : The Delhi High Court has suggested that the Centre reconsider the rule which denies 180 days of maternity leave to women government employees with more than two surviving children.

Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017:

• It amends the original Maternity Benefit Act, 1961, to provide enhanced maternity benefits to women employees in India.
• Extended Maternity Leave:
  • ​The Act extends the period of paid maternity leave for women employees from 12 weeks to 26 weeks for the first two children. Hence, option 1 is correct.
• Crèche Facilities:
  • ​The Act mandates that employers provide crèche facilities if they employ 50 or more employees, not specifically 50 or more women. Hence, option 2 is incorrect​.
• Leave for Adopting and Commissioning Mothers:
  • The Act allows maternity leave of 12 weeks for adopting and commissioning mothers. Hence, option 3 is correct​.
• Work-from-Home Provision:
  • The Act includes a provision for work-from-home options after the period of maternity leave, based on mutual agreement between the employer and the employee. Hence, option 4 is correct​.

07. In which state were two MLAs disqualified under the anti-defection law, including the JMM MLA from Borio and the BJP MLA from Mandu?
(a) Bihar
(b) Jharkhand
(c) Odisha
(d) West Bengal

• Jharkhand Assembly Speaker’s Tribunal disqualified two MLAs, Lobin Hembrom (JMM) and Jai Prakash Bhai Patel (Congress), under the anti-defection law.
• The disqualification order takes effect from July 26, 2024, a day before the assembly’s six-day monsoon session.
• JMM and BJP initiated proceedings against Hembrom and Patel respectively for defection.
• Lobin Hembrom contested independently from Rajmahal Lok Sabha seat, against JMM’s Vijay Hansdak.
• Jai Prakash Bhai Patel joined Congress ahead of the Lok Sabha polls and contested from the Hazaribag seat.
• Both Hembrom and Patel were defeated in the elections.

08. What is the new loan limit for the enhanced skill loan scheme launched on July 26, 2024 announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman?
(a) Rs 1.5 lakh
(b) Rs 5 lakh
(c) Rs 7.5 lakh
(d) Rs 10 lakh

• The Indian government has relaunched the ‘model skill loan scheme’ with a significantly increased loan limit of ₹7.5 lakh, up from ₹1.5 lakh, to boost skill development.
• New Limit: Maximum loan increased from ₹1.5 lakh to ₹7.5 lakh.
• Purpose: To facilitate access to a broader range of skill courses, beyond those aligned with the National Skill Qualification Framework (NSQF).
• Eligibility: Expanded to include non-banking financial companies (NBFCs), NBFC-MFIs, and small finance banks as lending institutions.
• Expected Impact: Aims to assist 25,000 students annually.
• Previous Issues: Low uptake due to the limited loan amount and high course fees.
• Funding: Government-promoted fund will guarantee the loans, but detailed funding plans remain unclear.
• This revamped scheme is part of a broader strategy to improve skill development and align with future job market needs

09. Who inaugurated the Vriksharopan Abhiyan 2024, a green campaign aiming to plant 15,350 hectares of green cover under the coalfields in the next five years?
(a) Prime Minister Narendra Modi
(b) Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy
(c) Minister of Environment, Bhupender Yadav
(d) Chief Minister of Jharkhand, Hemant Soren

•  Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy launched the Vriksharopan Abhiyan 2024 in Dhanbad, as part of the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
• The initiative took place across 300 locations in 47 districts of 11 coal/lignite-bearing states.
• The campaign aims to significantly increase green cover, with a goal of planting trees on 15,350 hectares in the next five years.
• In the previous five years, coal/lignite PSUs planted 24 million saplings across 10,942 hectares.
• The current fiscal year’s target is to plant trees on 2,600 hectares.
• The campaign employs advanced techniques, including the Miyawaki method, seed balls, and drone technology, to improve reforestation efficiency.

10. In which Indian state is the Charaideo Maidam, nominated for UNESCO World Heritage Site status, located?
(a) West Bengal
(b) Assam
(c) Bihar
(d) Meghalaya

• Charaideo Maidam, located about 30 km from Sibsagar in Assam is now a UNESCO World Heritage site.
• The site, known as the “Pyramids of Assam,” is significant for housing over 90 royal burial mounds of the Ahom dynasty.
• Charaideo, the first capital of the Ahom kingdom founded by Chao Lung Siukapha in 1253, symbolizes the Ahom power and is considered a sacred site for their ancestral gods.
• Currently, only 30 of the burial mounds are protected by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), while the rest are in poor condition due to neglect and human encroachment.
• If Charaideo Maidam is selected as a World Heritage Site, Assam will join Kaziranga National Park and Manas National Park as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
• Visitors are encouraged to explore Charaideo Maidam and the surrounding monuments in Sibsagar, which is rich in royal heritage.