ALL EXAM QUIZ 28.09.2024

Explanation:

• 75 Technology Transfer Agreements (TTAs) signed by ISRO, IN-SPACe and NSIL with Non-Governmental Entities (NGEs).
• On 20 September, five TTAs were signed at IN-SPACe, Bengaluru.
• The agreements were signed with Anabond Limited, Salvo Industries Private Limited, Micropack Private Limited and Astra Microwave Products Limited.
• The Center announced space reforms in mid-2020.
• Following space reforms in India, there have been a significant number of collaborations between ISRO and various-NGEs.
• The objective of TTA is to provide private players an opportunity to access developed technologies available with ISRO.
• This will enable them to use space-related technology for commercial applications in space as well as other sectors such as agriculture, energy, infrastructure, defence, telecom and cyber security.
• This initiative is in line with India's space reforms aimed at promoting private sector participation in the space industry.

Explanation:

• Every year on September 23, the International Day of Sign Language is observed.
• International Day of Sign Languages was first celebrated in 2018.
• It is observed to raise awareness about the importance of sign language for deaf people.
• The UN General Assembly adopted September 23 as the International Day of Sign Languages to mark the establishment of the World Federation of the Deaf.
• The theme of International Day of Sign Languages 2024 is "Sign up for Sign Language Rights."
• According to the World Federation of the Deaf, there are more than 70 million deaf people worldwide and more than 80% of them live in developing countries.
• They collectively use more than 300 different sign languages to communicate.
• The International Week of the Deaf was first celebrated in September 1958.

Explanation:

• Anura Kumara Dissanayake elected as the new president of Sri Lanka.
• Marxist leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake has won Sri Lanka's presidential election by securing 42.31 percent of the vote.
• Dissanayake sworn in takes place at the Presidential Secretariat.
• In the recent election, the voter turnout was 76 percent, with 17 million Sri Lankans eligible to cast their ballots.
• Sajith Premadasa secured second place with 32.76 percent of the vote.
• Ranil Wickremesinghe stood in third place with 17.27 percent of the vote.
• The election was widely seen as a referendum on Wickremesinghe's leadership during Sri Lanka’s fragile economic recovery.
• Sri Lanka’s economy remains in a precarious state, despite some improvements since its default in 2022.

Explanation:

• Laapataa Ladies’ selected as India’s official entry for Oscars 2025.
• The Film Federation of India has declared the ‘Laapataa Ladies’ movie as India’s official entry for Oscars 2025.
• The 13-member select committee headed by Assamese Director Jahnu Barua unanimously elected ‘Laapataa Ladies’.
• It was produced by Aamir Khan and directed by Kiran Rao.
• It has been named in the Best Foreign Film Category for the Oscars 2025.
• Laapataa Ladies is the story of two young newlywed brides, who get exchanged during a train ride to their husband’s homes.

• 12 Hindi films, 6 Tamil films, and 4 Malayalam films were among the 29 films competing for being India’s official entry for the 97th Oscar ceremony

Explanation:

• Pune Airport to be rename as Jagadguru Sant Tukaram Maharaj Pune International Airport.
• Maharashtra government state cabinet has approved the renaming of Pune Airport as Jagadguru Sant Tukaram Maharaj Pune International Airport.
• This proposal will be sent to the central government for approval.
• A Guaranteed Progression Scheme for Children's Homes Observatory staff has been also approved by the state cabinet.
• The government has also decided to add three Kunbi sub-castes to the Other Backward Classes list.

Explanation:

• Indian parliament hosted the 10th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association India Region Conference in New Delhi.
• A two-day 10th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) India Region Conference was held in New Delhi.
• This conference was chaired by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. It was held on 23-24 September.
• Forty-six Presiding Officers, 25 Speakers and 14 Deputy Speakers of Legislatures from States and Union Territories attended the conference.
• Principal Secretaries, Secretaries, and accompanying officers also attend the conference.
• ‘The Role of Legislative Bodies in the Attainment of Sustainable and Inclusive Development’ was the theme of the conference.
• Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) India Region was created in 2004.
• It has 31 Member Branches, including the Parliament of India and 30 State and Union Territories Legislatures.
• This is the second time that the CPA India Region Conference was held in New Delhi.

Explanation:

• 19th India Australia Joint Ministerial Commission Meeting in Australia will be attended by Union Minister Piyush Goyal.
• He will co-chair the meeting with Minister of Trade and Tourism of Australia Don Farrell on 25 September 2024.
• At the meeting, ways to further elevate bilateral economic engagement will be discussed by both countries.
• The strong and expanding commercial and investment links between Australia and India would be further strengthened by the visit.
• After the bilateral Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement was finalised, trade and investment connections between Australia and India were strengthened.
• The visit will foster cross-sector strategic alliances and business-to-business interaction.
• Union Minister Piyush Goyal also participated virtually at the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework meeting.

Explanation:

• India’s first CO2-to-methanol pilot plant will be set up in Pune.
• The foundation stone for India’s first CO2-to-methanol pilot plant was laid at Thermax Limited in Pune, Maharashtra.
• This is a significant step towards advancing carbon capture and utilisation (CCU) technologies.
• The foundation stone was laid by Abhay Karandikar, Secretary to the Department of Science and Technology (DST).
• The plant has capacity of 1.4 tons per day (TPD). The project is implemented as a public-private partnership (PPP) between Thermax Limited and IIT-Delhi.
• The project is having an estimated cost of ₹31 crore and supported by the DST under the Ministry of Science and Technology.
• The findings from this pilot plant will demonstrate decarbonisation potential in coal-based thermal power sectors.
• Coal-based thermal power sectors account for 30 per cent of India’s carbon emissions.

Explanation:

• EPFO recorded the highest number of net members in July.
• Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) added a record 19.94 lakh net members in July 2024.
• It is the highest recorded increase since payroll data tracking began in April 2018.
• The net member enrolment under EPFO was 16.70 lakh in June 2024.
• The youth group (18-25 age group) recorded the highest-ever net payroll additions at 8.77 lakh.
• Around 3.05 lakh new female members joined EPFO in July 2024.
• In July 2024, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, and Gujarat’s share was 59.27 per cent of the total net member additions.
• Maharashtra led among the States/UTs with a contribution of 20.21 per cent of the total new members.
• 38.91 per cent of net additions came from expert services.

Explanation:

• U.P., Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh recorded highest number of atrocities cases on Dalits.
• Around 97% of all cases of atrocities against Scheduled Castes in 2022 were reported from 13 States.
• Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh recorded the highest number of atrocities cases on Dalits.
• Out of the total cases, Uttar Pradesh recorded 23.78% of the total cases with 12,287, followed by Rajasthan at 8,651 (16.75%) and Madhya Pradesh at 7,732 (14.97%).
• Bihar with 6,799 (13.16%), Odisha with 3,576 (6.93%), and Maharashtra with 2,706 (5.24%) are the other states with a significant number of cases of atrocities against SCs.
• These six States accounted for nearly 81% of the total cases of atrocities cases on Dalits.
• Among the SC-related cases, 60.38% led to charge sheets being filed while 14.78% were concluded with final reports.
• Among ST-related cases, 63.32% resulted in charge sheets being filed while 14.71% ended with final reports.