Daily Current Affairs and GK | 6 November 2024

Topic: Space and IT

1. European Space Agency's mission Proba-3 will be launched by India in December.

• A European Space Agency mission called Proba-3 will be launched by India from the Sriharikota Space Station in December, Science and Technology Minister Dr Jitendra Singh said.
• This mission will study the Sun's faint corona, which lies near the solar periphery.
• On November 5, while addressing the Indian Space Conference 3.0 in New Delhi, the minister highlighted that almost every sector in the country is using space technology.
• Space technology also promotes the creation of smart cities by providing facilities like navigation, satellite imaging, terrain mapping, etc.
• The Minister also outlined India's vision to increase its contribution to the global space economy from 2% to 10% in the coming years.
• Dr Singh also highlighted the upcoming missions of the Indian Space Research Organization such as Gaganyaan, launch of an Indian space station called Bharat Space Station by 2035 and landing of an Indian astronaut on the Moon by 2040.

Topic: State News/ Sikkim

2. Odd-Even scheme implemented by Sikkim to reduce traffic congestion in Gangtok.

• Odd-even traffic has been implemented by the Sikkim government for both private and government vehicles within the Gangtok Municipal Corporation (GMC) from November 5.
• The initiative aims to reduce traffic congestion in Gangtok.
• The restriction is proposed from Mayfair Fatak to GICI, Zero Point.
• According to the order, the rule under Section 115 of the Motor Vehicles Act 1988 will be applicable from 9:30 am to 12:00 noon and from 3:30 pm to 6:00 pm.
• Government and private vehicles whose registration numbers end in odd and even digits will be allowed to ply on National Highway 10 on odd and even dates respectively.
• Taxis and government vehicles of Additional Secretary level and above are exempted from this initiative.
• Ambulances, police vehicles, fire engines, essential services are exempted.
• The AAP government had first implemented the 'Odd-Even' scheme to control vehicular pollution and reduce rising particulate levels in Delhi.

Topic: Indian Polity

3. Supreme Court upheld the constitutional validity of the Uttar Pradesh Board of Madarsa Education Act, 2004.

• A bench comprising Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra gave the verdict against the Allahabad High Court’s decision.
• This judgement has declared the High Court judgement as “unconstitutional” and violative of the principles of secularism.
• The Supreme Court also declared that madrasas can't grant degrees of higher education as it is a violation of the University Grants Commission Act.
• The bench also said that the Uttar Pradesh government have to play a vital role in ensuring that educational standards in madrasas align with modern academic expectations.
• The Uttar Pradesh Board of Madarsa Education Act, 2004 was declared unconstitutional on March 22, 2024.

Topic: State News/ Madhya Pradesh

4. Madhya Pradesh government approved 35% reservation for women in all state government services.

• The Madhya Pradesh government has increased reservation for women in all state government services from 33% to 35%.
• It is a major step towards women’s empowerment in the state.
• The state government has also given approval to open 254 new fertiliser sales centres in the state.
• A 660-megawatt critical thermal power plant will be opened in Sarni by decommissioning the earlier power plant units of a total of 830 MW units.
• The state government also granted permission to increase the recruitment age of assistant Professors in Medical College to 50 years from 40 years in the state.