Daily Current Affairs and GK | 11 December 2024

Topic: Summits/ Conferences/ Meetings

1. Union Minister Jitin Prasada inaugurated the fourth edition of the India Internet Governance Forum.

• The India Internet Governance Forum (IIGF) 2024 was held on December 9-10, 2024, at the Bharat Mandapam Convention Center.
• This initiative is supported by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and the National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI).
• It aims to explore critical aspects of Internet governance, foster meaningful dialogue, and highlight India’s leadership in the global digital landscape.
• It has been conducted under the theme “Innovating Internet Governance for India.”
• This forum will focus on bridging the digital divide and enhancing trust and safety in the online environment.
• Discussions in IIGF 2024 were focused on Empowering Connections, emphasizing enhanced access, inclusion, and digital rights to bridge the digital divide.
• Another key focus of IIGF was Responsible AI, promoting the ethical and effective use of artificial intelligence for societal benefit.
• India Internet Governance Forum (IIGF) is the Indian chapter of the United Nations Internet Governance Forum (UN IGF).

Topic: MoUs /Agreements

2. Gujarat government signed an MoU with Thailand for the conservation and promotion of Buddhist heritage sites.

• Gujarat and Thailand agreed to cooperate in the Conservation, Promotion, and Development of Buddhist Tangible and Intangible Heritage in Gujarat.
• An MOU was also signed between Gujarat Tourism and Thailand’s Bodh Gaya Vijayalaya-980 Institute.
• The 4th Mekong Ganga Dhamma Yatra was on a visit to India from December 2 to December 10.
• Its main aim is to strengthen Cultural and Spiritual Ties between the Mekong and Ganga Civilizations.
• A Thai delegation from the 4th Dhammayatra met Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel in Gandhinagar.

Topic: Defence

3. India and Russia are likely to sign USD 4-billlion deal for advanced radar system.

• The deal will involve the acquisition of an advanced early warning radar system capable of detecting threats at ranges exceeding 6,000 kilometers.
• The agreement is valued at over $4 billion is in advanced stages of negotiation.
• The agreement aligns with India’s efforts to bolster its air defence and missile tracking capabilities.
• A delegation from Almaz-Antey recently came to India to advance the discussions.
• Almaz-Antey is a leading Russian manufacturer of air defence and radar systems.
• It is believed that radar system under consideration is part of Almaz-Antey’s Voronezh series.
• It is a state of the art early warning radar system designed to detect ballistic missiles, aircraft, and aerial threats.
• It has a detection range of 6000 to 8000 kilometers. It is a critical component of Russia’s missile defense and space surveillance network.

Topic: State News/Uttar Pradesh

4. By September 2025, Gorakhpur will get India's first integrated waste management city.

• By September 2025, Gorakhpur would have built India's first city-cum-learning centre for integrated waste management.
• Every day, 700 tonnes of dry and wet waste will be processed at the 40-acre complex to create Bio-CNG and charcoal.
• Gorakhpur and eight surrounding districts will be served by a hazardous waste plant as well.
• The plant will occupy 40 acres in Sahjanwa's Suthni village.
• It is anticipated that the project will increase income, provide jobs, and act as a centre for technical expertise education.
• Biomedical, e-waste, batteries, tires, terracotta, car scrap, plastic, household hazardous, industrial, and organic trash are just a few of the many waste kinds that the centre will manage.
• NTPC (National Thermal Power Corporation) has signed a memorandum of agreement.
• Three specialised plants are planned, including a 500-ton-per-day dry waste plant that will generate charcoal.
• The second plant is a wet waste plant that will use the Public Private Partnership (PPP) concept to produce 200 tonnes of bio-CNG per day.
• The last is a Hazardous Waste Plant, a distinct facility that will use eco-friendly techniques to process household hazardous garbage.

Topic: Important Days

5. Rajasthan government will celebrate 10 December as Pravasi Rajasthani Diwas every year.

• This announcement was made by Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma at the Pravasi Rajasthani Conclave on 2nd day of the ongoing Rising Rajasthan Global Investment Summit in Jaipur.
• Government has also taken a decision to confer Pravasi Rajasthani Samman every year.
• In addition to the Pravasi Conclave, seven sector specific sessions and five Country sessions were organised in the summit.
• Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan addressed the session on agribusiness.
• He explained the six-point strategy of the Central Government for agriculture and farmer welfare.
• A session on sustainable infrastructure development was also held.
• Sessions focusing on the US, Malaysia, Germany, Singapore and Korea were also held.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

6. Shaji N Karun, an eminent filmmaker, has been chosen for the J C Daniel Award for 2023.

• This award recognises his lifetime contribution to Malayalam cinema.
• The award is the highest honour in Malayalam cinema instituted by the state government.
• The award includes a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh, a citation and a statuette.
• T V Chandran, who is an earlier recipient of the award chaired the jury.
• The jury observed Shaji N Karun was selected for his contributions that made a mark for Malayalam at the national and international level.

Topic: International News

7. Mohamed Al-Bashir appointed as Syria’s caretaker Prime Minister.

• Mohamed al-Bashir has been appointed the caretaker Prime Minister of Syria’s transitional government.
• With the support of the former rebels who overthrew President Bashar al-Assad just days ago, Mr. Bashir will serve as the head of the interim government until March 1, 2025.
• Al-Bashir ran the rebel-led Salvation Government before the 12-day offensive swept into Syria’s capital, Damascus.
• In the past, Mohammed al-Bashir, who is not well-known throughout most of Syria, oversaw a government in a small, rebel-controlled area of the northwest.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

8. Government has decided to extend PMAY-G by FY 2028-29.

• In 2016, the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G) was launched to provide ‘pucca’ houses with basic amenities for rural households.
• The main objective of the scheme is to construct more than an additional 2 crore houses by 2028-29.
• This initiative reflects the government's commitment to achieving “housing for all” in rural areas.
• The Awaas+ 2024 Mobile App was also launched on September 17 to identify eligible households.
• The app facilitates both self-surveys and assisted surveys by pre-registered surveyors.
• PMGA-Y is a social welfare programme under the Ministry of Rural Development.

Topic: Science and Technology

9. IIT Madras completed India's first Hyperloop train test track.

• IIT Madras has completed a 410-meter Hyperloop test track. It is a significant milestone toward futuristic transport systems.
• This project has been led by the Avishkar Hyperloop team of IIT Madras in association with TuTr, a startup incubated at the institute.
• The Hyperloop concept was given by Elon Musk in 2012.
• This development will take India closer to adopting this cutting-edge transportation technology.
• The technology will be implemented in two phases: the first phase will feature an 11.5-kilometre test track to validate and certify the technology.
• After the successful trials, a 100 km Hyperloop train track will be made in the second phase.
• Hyperloop trains have been designed to reach up to 1,100 km/h, with an operational speed of around 360 km/h.
• This system works within a vacuum-sealed, frictionless environment.
• Under this technology, each pod, capable of carrying 24-28 passengers, will travel directly between destinations without stops.
• India’s first full-scale Hyperloop project has been planned between Mumbai and Pune.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

10. On Human Rights Day, the ‘Hamara Shauchalay: Hamara Samman’ campaign concluded.

• On 10 December, on the occasion of Human Rights Day, the “Hamara Shauchalay: Hamara Samman” campaign is concluded, aligning sanitation with dignity and human rights.
• On World Toilet Day, 19th November, a three-week campaign was launched to mobilize communities across India and highlight sanitation as a matter of collective pride and responsibility.
• Under the campaign, over 3.35 lakh new individual household toilets were sanctioned, and over 1.54 lakh community sanitation complexes were assessed and functionally improved in the last three weeks.
• The three-week initiative organized by the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation under the Ministry of Jal Shakti covered more than 38 lakh participants through more than 50,500 programs across the country.
• The campaign highlights the underlying connection that access to functional and clean toilets is vital to ensuring dignity, safety, and equality, especially for women and marginalized communities.
• The 'Hamara Shauchalay: Hamara Samman' campaign was designed to empower communities, with responsibilities allocated across every level: Gram Panchayats, blocks, districts, and states.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

11. National Panchayat Awards 2024 conferred by the President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu.

• On 11th December, the National Panchayat Awards Conferment Ceremony 2024 held at the Plenary Hall, Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.
• It was organized by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj.
• During this prestigious ceremony, the President presented the National Panchayat Awards to 45 awardees selected in various categories, recognizing their exemplary contributions in the areas of sustainable and inclusive development.
• A booklet titled ‘Best Practices on the Works of Award-Winning Panchayats’ released by the Hon’ble Union Minister for Panchayati Raj, Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh.
• This booklet documents the innovative and impactful practices of the award winning Panchayats.
• The National Panchayat Awards 2024 encompass categories such as the Deen Dayal Upadhyay Panchayat Satat Vikas Puraskar, Nanaji Deshmukh Sarvottam Panchayat Satat Vikas Puraskar, Gram Urja Swaraj Vishesh Panchayat Puraskar, Carbon Neutral Vishesh Panchayat Puraskar, and Panchayat Kshamta Nirmaan Sarvottam Sansthan Puraskar.
• Panchayats are recognized and encouraged through these awards for their efforts in poverty alleviation, health, child welfare, water conservation, sanitation, infrastructure, social justice, governance, and women's empowerment.

Topic: Science and Technology

12. IIT Madras became the first research organization to release 3D images of the fetal brain.

• The most detailed 3D high-resolution images of the fetal brain have been launched by the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras).
• It has been developed by the Sudha Gopalakrishnan Brain Centre of IIT Madras.
• It will push the frontiers of brain mapping technology and place India in the global league of brain mapping science.
• The Sudha Gopalakrishnan Brain Centre has developed cutting-edge brain mapping technology to capture 5,132 brain sections.
• This work will lead to the development of treatments for health conditions affecting the brain.
• This has been completed at less than 1/10th of the cost in Western countries.
• It will be important for understanding brain development from the fetus to childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood.

Topic: Indian Polity

13. SC directed the central government to grant permanent commissions to woman army officers.

• The Supreme Court exercised its powers under Article 142 of the Constitution to grant a permanent commission to a woman Officer.
• This ruling has been given by a bench comprising justices BR Gavai and KV Vishwanathan.
• The apex court delivered its verdict on an appeal filed by a woman officer, who is posted as Lieutenant Colonel in the Army Dental Corps at Agra.
• She challenged the January 2022 order of the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) Regional Bench, Lucknow.
• The appellant was deprived of her third chance since the extension was capped at 35 years.