UPSC QUIZ 4.04.2024

Explanation:

• India's core sector output witnessed a notable surge in February 2024, with growth reaching a three-month high of 6.7%. This growth was primarily driven by significant increases in coal, natural gas, and cement production.

Core sector

• The core sector in India comprises eight key industries: coal, crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, fertilizers, steel, cement, and electricity.
• The growth rate of the core sector is a crucial indicator of the overall health of the Indian economy. A strong growth rate in the core sector often signals a positive economic outlook.

Explanation:

• The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has decided to delist 18 “centrally protected monuments” because it has assessed that they do not have national importance. These 18 monuments are part of an earlier list of monuments that the ASI had said were “untraceable”.

Monuments are Being Delisted

• Among the monuments that face delisting now are a mediaeval highway milestone recorded as Kos Minar No.13 at Mujessar village in Haryana, Barakhamba Cemetery in Delhi, Gunner Burkill’s tomb in Jhansi district, a cemetery at Gaughat in Lucknow, and the Telia Nala Buddhist ruins in Varanasi.
• The precise location of these monuments, or their current physical state, is not known.
• This is the first such large-scale delisting exercise in several decades. The ASI currently has 3,693 monuments under its purview, which will fall to 3,675 once the current delisting is completed.

Explanation:

• Tropical Cyclone Gamane originated near the island of Madagascar, located in the Indian Ocean. The cyclone was reported by the Madagascar Meteorological Department.
• According to the National Risk and Disaster Management Office of Madagascar, the average speed of this cyclone was 150 to 210 kilometers per hour. Due to the impact of this cyclone, there has been huge loss of life and property in the areas of Madagascar.

'Hurricane'

• The low air pressure center located at the center of the variable and unstable cycle of air is called 'cyclone'.
• Due to the rotation of the Earth, their direction is anti-clockwise (counter-clockwise) in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise (clockwise) in the Southern Hemisphere.

Explanation:

• Germany has passed a law legalizing the use of cannabis.
• Under this law, adults over the age of 18 can cultivate up to 3 plants and possess up to 25 grams for personal consumption.
• Under this, from July 1, members of "cannabis clubs" in Germany will be allowed to produce cannabis for non-commercial use on a large scale.
• These clubs should not have more than 500 members. These members can distribute up to 50 grams of cannabis per person and per month. It is also mandatory for all its members to be adults.

Explanation:

• Vineet Jain received the ENBA Lifetime Achievement Award 2023.
• Times Group Managing Director Vineet Jain has been honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award 2023 by the jury of Exchange4Media News Broadcasting Awards (ENBA).
• This award is given for his "incomparable contribution to the Indian television news landscape".
• The award citation praised Jain for founding the group's TV platform, Times Network.
• This includes channels like Times Now, ET Now, Mirror Now, Times Now Nav bharat, and ET Now Swadesh, which have shaped the way news is delivered in India.
• The jury of ENBA included former SC judge Justice AK Sikri (retd), Annurag Batra, chairman and editor-in-chief of exchange4media and Business world, and Dhanendra Kumar, chairman, of Competition Advisory Services (India) LLP, among others.