Daily Current Affairs and GK | 23 November 2024

Topic: Space and IT

1. ISRO and the Australian Space Agency signed an implementation agreement for the Gaganyaan mission.

• Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Australian Space Agency (ASA) have signed an Implementation Agreement (IA) to strengthen cooperation in space activities between Australia and India.
• On November 20, an Implementation Agreement (IA) was signed between the two space agencies.
• India and Australia are enduring strategic partners. Both space agencies are working to explore current and future collaboration activities.
• The Gaganyaan programme has the objective of demonstrating human space flight capability (HSFC) in Low Earth Orbit.
• Under the Gaganyaan programme, ISRO will carry out three un-crewed missions and one crewed mission.

Topic: Defence

2. DRDO successfully conducted the flight trial of India’s first long-range hypersonic missile.

• The flight trial of India’s first long-range hypersonic missile has been conducted from Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Island, off the coast of Odisha.
• The hypersonic missile has been designed to carry various payloads for a range of more than 1,500 km for the Armed Forces.
• This missile has been indigenously developed by the laboratories of Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Missile Complex, Hyderabad.
• Various range systems were deployed in multiple domains to track the missile.
• The flight data obtained from down-range ship stations confirmed the successful terminal manoeuvres and impact with a high degree of accuracy.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

3. Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puruskar conferred with 82 young artists for the Years 2022 and 2023.

• Through this award the Sangeet Natak Akademi and the Government of India have recognised his exceptional contribution to the performing arts.
• After the award ceremony, a festival of performing arts featuring the winners of Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar is being organized from 22nd to 26th November, 2024 at three different venues in New Delhi.
• In 2006, Sangeet Natak Akademi instituted the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar (UBKUP), in the name of Bharat Ratna Ustad Bismillah Khan, for young performing arts practitioners up to the age of 40.
• Every year, Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar is given to outstanding young artists in the field of Music, Dance, Drama, Folk and Tribal Arts and Puppetry at a special function held in Delhi and outside Delhi.
• The Yuva Puraskar carries a cash prize of Rs.25,000/- (Rupees Twenty Five Thousand only), a plaque and an Angavastram.
• The objective behind instituting the this Puraskar was to encourage and inspire young artists in the field of music, dance, drama, folk and tribal art forms and other allied performing art forms of the country.

Topic: Agriculture and Allied Sector

4. India's first modern, self-sustaining Gaushala with a state-of-the-art Compressed Biogas (CBG) plant unveiled in Gwalior.

• On October 2, 2024, Gwalior's new 100 TPD cow-dung-based Compressed Bio-Gas (CBG) plant was inaugurated by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.
• CBG Plant has Gwalior's largest Gaushala named Adarsh ​​Gaushala, which is located in Laltipara, Gwalior.
• The gaushala is run by the Gwalior Municipal Corporation and houses over 10,000 cattle.
• Aadarsh ​​Gaushala is India's first modern, self-sufficient Gaushala with a state-of-the-art Compressed Biogas (CBG) plant.
• This is Madhya Pradesh's first CBG plant in which biogas will be produced from the cattle dung collected from households and vegetable and fruit waste from the markets.
• According to the district administration, this ambitious project spread over 5 acres has been developed at a cost of Rs 31 crore in collaboration with Indian Oil Corporation.
• This CBG plant installed in the Gaushala converts cow dung into bio CNG (compressed natural gas) and organic manure, thereby promoting sustainable practices while reducing carbon emissions.
• This plant will produce two tonnes of compressed biogas daily from 100 tonnes of cow dung.
• Additionally, it produces 10-15 tonnes of dry organic manure daily, which is a valuable by-product for organic farming.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

5. PM Modi honoured with the Global Peace Award in Washington.

• The newly formed non-governmental organization, Association of Indian American Minorities (AIAM), was launched on November 22 at the Sligo Seventh-day Adventist Church in Maryland.
• The initiative aims to unite minority communities within the Indian American diaspora in the United States and promote their welfare.
• During the event, PM Narendra Modi was awarded Dr Martin Luther King Jr Global Peace Award for Minority Upliftment.
• The award was jointly presented by Washington Adventist University and AIAM, recognizing his efforts for inclusive growth and minority welfare.
• Renowned Sikh philanthropist Jasdeep Singh was appointed Founder and President of AIAM, supported by a seven-member Board of Directors representing diverse Indian minority communities.
• AIAM is poised to play a vital role in promoting unity among Indian Americans and enhancing their contributions to the multicultural fabric of the United States.

Topic: Reports and Indices/Rankings

6. A World Bank report titled ‘Jobs at Your Doorstep: A Jobs Diagnostics for Young People’ launched by Centre.

• On November 22, it was launched by Union Minister for Education Dharmendra Pradhan, along with Minister of Labour and Employment Mansukh Mandaviya.
• This report serves as both a diagnosis and a roadmap to provide strategic linkages and convergence between education and India's employment agenda.
• The report takes an in-depth look at the employment scenario in six states – Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha and Rajasthan.
• It identifies key priority sectors and roles that offer the highest employment potential for youth graduating from secondary school.
• This report is a skills gap analysis, which attempts to align the occupations offered in the schools with the industry-specific needs of the districts where these schools exist.
• The study was undertaken to reimagine the delivery of skills education through in-depth primary and secondary research in six ‘STAR’ states.
• The World Bank supports the Ministry of Education in a program called Strengthening Teaching-Learning and Results for States (STARS).
• It covers six states: Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, and Rajasthan (collectively the STARS states).
• The report highlights the significant benefits of incorporating skills-based education from Classes 9 to 12.
• It relies on a bottom-up approach by going deep into districts across six states to prepare students for diverse career paths.

Topic: MoUs/Agreements

7. An MoU signed by the Health Ministry with BHU, Education Ministry, to support the Institute of Medical Sciences.

• An MoU signed by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare with Banaras Hindu University and the Ministry of Education to provide support to the Institute of Medical Sciences (IMS), BHU.
• The MoU signed in New Delhi provides for grant-in-aid by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to IMS and BHU, in line with the new AIIMS established under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana.
• This MoU is a result of the “Whole of Government” approach of the Central Government, which promotes better collaboration among various Government departments to achieve common objectives for the benefit of the people.
• This MoU will help in establishing IMS, BHU as a world-class institution.
• The provision of grants to IMS will enhance the availability of affordable, state-of-the-art secondary and tertiary health care services to the people of the region.
• This will significantly contribute to reducing referrals by increasing the availability of clinical care services.

Topic: Science and Technology

8. Indian scientists have identified a new method to detect Monkeypox and develop diagnostic tools for the infection.

• Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) scientists have identified a new method to understand the virology of monkeypox virus (MPV).
• Scientists have identified and characterised DNA sequences within the Monkeypox virus (MPV) genome.
• The new findings will help develop diagnostic tools for deadly infections.
• The outbreak of the Mpox virus has raised serious concerns as modes of transmission and symptoms are not well known.
• A comprehensive understanding of virology is important for the rapid development of effective diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.
• MPV is a double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) virus. It is currently detected through polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

Topic: Personality in News

9. Former Supreme Court judge Harjit Singh Bedi passed away.

• Former SC judge Harjit Singh Bedi passed away at the age of 78.
• Justice Bedi began his legal career on July 17, 1972, with enrollment to the Bar Council of Punjab & Haryana.
• He served as Deputy Advocate General of Punjab from 1983 to 1987.
• He was Chairman of the Monitoring Authority set up by the Supreme Court to examine cases of alleged fake encounters in Gujarat.
• He worked as Additional Advocate General until 1989 before becoming Punjab’s Advocate General in 1990.
• He was appointed as an Additional Judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on March 15, 1991.

Topic: National News

10. India's first Constitution Museum was inaugurated by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.

• On 23 November 2024, the first Constitution Museum of India and the inaugural session of the National Conference on the Constitution of India were held at O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU), Sonipat.
• It is a unique initiative and a historical institution in Indian constitutional history.
• The inauguration of the Constitution Museum is dedicated to the nation with an aim to encourage the youth of India, the leaders of tomorrow, to embrace the Constitution of India as a beacon of knowledge that will shape and govern the future of our country.
• JGU has established this museum to enrich the understanding of the Constitution, with different sections highlighting its significance and the historical debates that shaped its making.
• The year 2024 commemorates the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution, which took place on 26 November 1949 but came into force on 26 January 1950.
• This year, India's first constitution park was also inaugurated in Pune.
• Indian Constitution:
  • The Constituent Assembly of India developed the Constitution by taking provisions from other nations' constitutions.
  • The Constituent Assembly prepared it in about 2 years and 11 months.
  • It is the lengthiest written constitution in the world with approximately 1,45,000 words.
  • It was adopted by the Constituent Assembly on 26th November 1949 and came into force on 26th January 1950.

Topic: International News

11. Armenia joined the International Solar Alliance as the 104th full member.

• Armenia's full membership in the International Solar Alliance is effective from November 15, 2024 and the agreement was signed in Yerevan on November 16, 2023.
• ISA aims to scale up solar energy and reduce the cost of solar power generation through aggregation of demand for solar finance, technologies, innovation, research and development and capacity building.
• The ISA, a treaty-based international intergovernmental organization, aims to mobilize the over US$1000 billion in investment needed by 2030 for the widespread use of solar energy.
• International Solar Alliance (ISA) was co-founded by India and France.
• India and France jointly launched the International Solar Alliance (ISA) on 30 November 2015 at COP21 in Paris, France.
• ISA is an intergovernmental organization whose headquarters is located in Gurugram, Haryana.
• ISA serves as an important platform for international cooperation, uniting nations in efforts to combat climate change and transition to clean energy sources globally.

Topic: Art and Culture

12. 9th Amur Falcon Festival is celebrated in Manipur.

• The 9th Amur Falcon Festival has been celebrated at the Lower Ground of Tamenglong district in Manipur.
• This event has been organized by the District Administration of Tamenglong, the State Forest Department, and the Rainforest Club of Tamenglong.
• It is celebrated every year to raise awareness about the migratory bird Amur falcon.
• Amur Falcon roosts in the Tamenglong district during October-November when it flies to the southern and eastern parts of Africa.
• The Wildlife Trust of India has satellite-tagged two Amur falcons and released them from the Tamenglong district as part of ongoing efforts to study and protect these migratory birds.

Topic: State News/ Haryana

13. Haryana government notified the ‘Haryana Good Governance Award Scheme’.

• To promote excellence in governance, the Haryana government announced the ‘Haryana Good Governance Award Scheme’.
• The main aim of the scheme is to promote excellence in governance by rewarding employees who have contributed to improving governance in the state through innovative work and extraordinary efforts.
• The awards have been classified into flagship scheme awards and state-level awards. ‘District-level awards’ will also be given under the scheme.
• The state-level awards will carry Rs 51,000 for the first prize, Rs 31,000 for the second prize, and Rs 21,000 for the third prize.
• Under the ‘District-level Awards’, Cash prizes of Rs 31,000 will be presented for the first position in the district, Rs 21,000 for the second position, and Rs 11,000 for the third position.
• The awards will also include a trophy and a certificate of appreciation.