Current Affairs One - Liner : 30th January 2024

• National:
• The 4th edition of the Rüsoma Orange Festival was inaugurated in the Kohima district of Nagaland. The festival, which is also known as Shühuo Nyi, began as a two-day program on January 24, 2024. The festival was held in Rüsoma village, which is often referred to as the “Gardening Village” or Tezie Kechü Rüna.

• The Delhi Solar Policy 2024, unveiled by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on January 29, 2024, aims to: Reduce electricity bills to zero for all residential consumers who install solar panels, Increase Delhi’s total installed solar capacity to 4,500 MW by 2027, Allow consumers to earn by installing solar panels on their rooftops
• On January 29, 2024, Union Minister Arjun Munda launched the Framework for Voluntary Carbon Market in Agriculture Sector and Accreditation Protocol of Agroforestry Nurseries. This initiative aims to encourage farmers to adopt environment-friendly agricultural practices and avail benefits of carbon credits.
• Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik inaugurated the SAMALEI (Samaleswari Temple Area Management and Local Economic Initiative) project in Sambalpur on January 27, 2024. The project aims to comprehensively develop the Maa Samaleswari temple precinct. The project was carried out over an area of around 40 acres. The state government has spent more than Rs 200 crore on this project.
• Banking:
• On January 29, 2024, the Delhi High Court upheld the anti-profiteering provisions of the GST law, reinforcing businesses’ obligation to pass on tax benefits to consumers. The court also backed the role of the National Anti-Profiteering Authority in ensuring compliance.
• Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) sold equities worth Rs 24,734 crore in January 2024. This sell-off by FPIs was one of the reasons for the fall in benchmark indices, Sensex and Nifty, which had tanked around 2 per cent in a highly volatile month. The total outflow stands at ₹9,663 crore as of January 25, taking into account debt, hybrid, debt-VRR, and equities.
• Mous:
• The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the implementation of the Modified Parbati-Kalisindh-Chambal-ERCP (Modified PKC-ERCP) Link Project was signed by Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti on 28th January 2024 in New Delhi. The aim of this Project is to address the water shortage problem in the southeastern districts of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, for both drinking and irrigation purposes.
• On January 29, 2024, REC Limited and the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund Limited (NIIFL) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Gurugram. The aim of this MoU is to develop funding solutions for Renewable Energy and large-scale infrastructure projects in India. This collaboration is part of NIIF’s strategy to attract private capital into the infrastructure sector, and REC’s commitment to financing the Power-Infrastructure sector and its recent diversification into the Non-Power Infrastructure sector.
• Science & Technology:
• On January 28, 2024, Iran launched three satellites named Mahda, Kayhan-2, and Hatef-1 into space using the Simorgh rocket. The launch has raised concerns among Western nations due to the dual-use nature of the rocket.
• The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully deployed the 6-meter long magnetometer boom on the Aditya-L1 satellite on January 11, 2024. The Aditya-L1 is now stationed in a halo orbit at the Lagrange point L-1.
• Apps & Portals:
• The “SARATHI” app was launched by the Secretary of the Ministry of Rural Development, Shri Shailesh Kumar Singh, on January 25, 2024. This app, developed for DAY-NRLM, is designed to aid the most vulnerable households, reduce administrative load, and ensure transparency at all levels.
• Govt. Schemes:
• The Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products (RoDTEP) is a scheme introduced by the Indian Government to provide a mechanism for reimbursement of taxes, duties, and levies incurred by export entities in the process of manufacturing and distribution of exported products. For the financial year 2023-24, the Indian Government allocated a budget of Rs. 15,070 crores to support the RoDTEP Scheme. If the budgetary allocation for RoDTEP gets a 10% increase in 2024-25, as you mentioned, it would amount to approximately Rs. 16,577 crores.
• Summits & Conferences:
• The National Conference on Strategic Trade Controls (NCSTC) was held on 30th of January, 2024 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. The conference was organized by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, in collaboration with the Ministry of External Affairs and other Government Agencies. The conference aimed to shed light on India’s Strategic Trade Control system, particularly Special Chemicals, Organisms, Materials, Equipment, and Technologies (SCOMET) and Export Controls.
• Reports:
• The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has indeed revised India’s growth forecast upwards in “World Economic Outlook Update’ report. The IMF now expects India’s GDP to grow by 6.7% in FY24, which is an increase from the previous forecast of 6.3%. This revision is due to better-than-expected resilience in India’s domestic demand. For FY25 and FY26, India’s GDP growth is projected to remain strong at 6.5%. The IMF’s chief economist, Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas, mentioned that the global economy continues to display remarkable resilience and we are now in the final descent toward a ‘soft landing’ with inflation declining steadily and growth holding up.
• Sports:
• Two-time Asian Games medallist Naorem Roshibina Devi was named the International Wushu Federation’s (IWUF) female athlete of the year in the sanda category. This decision was made after a month-long public voting.
• Sonam Maskar made a remarkable debut at the Shooting World Cup in Cairo, Egypt, clinching the silver medal in the women’s air rifle event. She was narrowly beaten by 0.9 points by Anna Janssen of Germany.
• Indian boxer Mandeep Jangra has indeed secured the U.S.-based National Boxing Association’s intercontinental super featherweight title. He achieved this feat by defeating American Gerardo Esquivel at Toppenish City, Washington.
• Important Days:
• Martyrs’ Day, also known as Shaheed Diwas, is observed on January 30th each year in India. This day is dedicated to paying homage to the brave souls who sacrificed their lives for the freedom and welfare of the nation. It holds immense historical importance, symbolizing the spirit of sacrifice and the relentless struggle for independence.
• Awards & Honours:
• The Ministry of Culture’s tableau, themed ‘India: Mother of Democracy’, won the first prize at the Republic Day Parade 2024. The tableau was a stunning blend of tradition and innovation, captivating audiences with its masterful use of the anamorphic technique alongside a rich display of Bharat’s cultural heritage.
• Appointments:
• Preeti Rajak has indeed made history by becoming the first woman Subedar in the Indian Army. She was promoted from the rank of Havildar. This is the first time a woman Army soldier has been promoted to a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) after the Army opened soldier ranks to women in the Corps of Military Police (CMP).
• Anil Kumar Lahoti, the former Chief of the Railway Board, was appointed as the new chairman of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on January 29, 2024. His appointment is for a period of three years.
• Sharat Chauhan, Principal Commissioner, Finance, Planning and Investment Department, Arunachal Pradesh, has been appointed as the new Chief Secretary of the Union Territory of Puducherry. He belongs to the 1994 AGMUT (Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union Territory) cadre.
• Books:
• Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma unveiled the inaugural edition of ‘Political History of Assam (1947-1971) – Volume 1’ on January 25, 2024. The book, authored by distinguished historian Dr. Rajen Saikia, covers the political history of Assam during the post-independence period from 1947 to 1971.
• ‘Ek Samandar, Mere Andar’ is a book of 75 poems written by Sanjeev Joshi, the Deputy CEO of BrahMos Aerospace. It was launched on January 30, 2024, at the India International Centre.
• Obituaries:
• Rana Talwar, the first Indian and Asian to head a global bank, passed away on Saturday, January 27, 2024. He was 76 years old and had been unwell for some time. He is survived by his wife, Renuka, and son, Rahul.
• Sukhbir Singh Gill, Chandigarh’s first hockey Olympian, passed away after a 17-year long battle with a brain tumor. He was 48 years old. Gill had represented India at the Sydney Olympics (2000), the Hockey World Cup in Kuala Lumpur (2002), and the FIH Champions Trophy in Cologne (Germany) in 2002.
• Dr. Nitya Anand, the developer of India’s first oral contraceptive pill ‘Saheli’, passed away at the age of 99. He served as the former director of the Central Drug Research Institute and was instrumental in the discovery of Centchroman.

Questions:

Q.1 What is the revised GDP growth forecast for India in FY24 by the IMF?
a. 6.3%
b. 6.7%
c. 6.5%
d. 7.0%

Q.2 Who is the author of the book ‘Political History of Assam (1947-1971) – Volume 1’?
a. Himanta Biswa Sarma
b. Dr. Rajen Saikia
c. Assam Chief Minister
d. None of the above