UPSC EXAM QUIZ 04.10.2024

Explanation:

• 57th meeting of the Executive Committee (EC) of the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), major projects in various states were approved.
• These projects aimed towards the conservation and cleanliness of the Ganga River, and, for IEC (Information, Education, and Communication) activities during Mahakumbh 2025.

Key Projects Approved during the Meeting

• Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs): The EC approved STPs in Katihar and Supaul in Bihar and Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh.STPs purify water by removing sewage and contaminants, making it suitable to be released into natural water sources.
• Monitoring of STPs: It includes the installation of an Online Continuous Effluent Monitoring System (OCEMS) for strengthening the online continuous monitoring of existing STPs in the Ganga River Basin.
• Mahakumbh 2025 IEC Activities: To enhance cleanliness and awareness during Mahakumbh 2025, an IEC (Information, Education, and Communication) activity-based project has been approved.The project includes decorating the mela area and city through ‘Paint My City’ and mural art.

Explanation:

• Hubble Space Telescope has revealed many mysteries of the supernatural world of the universe.
• Recently, Hubble Telescope has captured a spiral galaxy which is swinging back and forth like a pendulum in space. This galaxy has a bright central strip and two spiral arms.

Spiral Galaxies

• Spiral galaxies are curved collections of stars and gas, often with extremely fascinating shapes. They are filled with young and hot stars.

Characteristics

• Spiral structure: The stars, gas, and dust in spiral galaxies are arranged in spiral arms, which extend outward from the center of the galaxy.
• Prominence: Most galaxies discovered so far are spiral, with about 60% of galaxies falling into this category.
• Example: Our Milky Way galaxy is an example of a prominence spiral galaxy.

Explanation:

• Union Cabinet recently approved the setting up of National Centre of Excellence (NCoE) for Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics and Extended Reality (AVGC-XR) in Mumbai.
• The setting up of NCoE was announced in the Budget 2022-23, which proposed the formation of an AVGC task force in the country.
• India’s animation sector is witnessing significant growth, driven by the rising demand for films, visual effects (VFX), gaming animation, and engaging mobile content.
• According to the FICCI-EY 2024 report, India now holds the second-largest anime fan base globally and is projected to contribute 60% of the worldwide growth of interest in anime in the coming years.

Background of NCoE

• NCoE will be set up as a Section 8 company under the Companies Act, 2013 in India, with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) partnering with the Government of India as industry bodies.
• The establishment of NCoE was announced by the Union Finance Minister in the Budget 2022-23, proposing to create an AVGC task force in the country.

Explanation:

• Three villages in Madhya Pradesh have been awarded the title of ‘Best Tourism Village’ by the central government.
• The names of villages are Pranpur, Sabarvani, and Ladpura Khas.
• Pranpur is located in Ashoknagar district. It has received the title in the Craft category.
• Sabarvani in Chhindwara district and Ladpura Khas in Niwari district have received the title in the Responsible Tourism category.
• The three villages have been recognized as part of the Best Tourism Villages competition 2024, organized by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India.
• In 2023, the effort was started to find and highlight villages that preserve their natural and cultural heritage by using sustainable techniques.
• This year, 36 villages were recognized across eight categories.
• Best Tourism Villages Competition was launched in 2023.
• In first edition of the Best Tourism Villages Competition in 2023, applications were received from 795 villages.
• The second edition of the Best Tourism Villages Competition saw 991 applications from 30 States and UTs.

Explanation:

• It has been announced by the Kho-Kho Federation of India (KKFI) and the International Kho-Kho Federation that the first Kho-Kho World Cup will be held in India in 2025.
• 24 countries from 6 continents will take part in this event, and 16 men's and as many women's teams will participate in it.
• Ahead of the World Cup, KKFI plans to take it to 200 schools in 10 cities to promote the sport.
• A membership drive for school students will also be run by the federation , aiming to register at least 50 lakh players ahead of the mega tournament.
• The tournament will feature a week-long series of matches featuring top-level athletes from around the world.
• The aim of the Kho-Kho World Cup is to take this indigenous Indian sport to the international level.
• Kho-kho has its roots in India, and the World Cup will highlight the rich cultural heritage and competitive spirit of the sport.
• Starting from mud, the sport has now reached the mat and has a presence in 54 countries across the world.