CURRENT AFFAIRS

05 th January 2024
• The KLI-SOFC project will lead to an increase in internet speed
unlocking new possibilities & opportunities.
• For the first time since independence, Lakshadweep will be
connected through Submarine Optic Fibre Cable.
• It will include cable connectivity from Mainland (Kochi) to eleven
Lakshadweep Islands namely, Kavaratti, Agatti, Amini, Kadmat,
Chetlet, Kalpeni, Minicoy, Androth, Kiltan, Bangaram and Bitra.
• Specifics
• Total link distance: 1,868 kilometres.
• Total cost of project : Rs 1072 crore plus taxes.
• The project is funded by Universal Services Obligation Fund (USOF),
Department of Telecommunication.
• Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) is the Project Executing
Agency.
• The major activities related to the project include Marine Route
Survey, Submarine Cable laying, Civil Construction of CLS stations,
Installation, Testing and Commissioning of End Terminals (SLTE).
• The dedicated submarine OFC will ensure a paradigm shift in
communication infrastructure in the Lakshadweep islands, enabling
faster and more reliable internet services, telemedicine, e-
governance, educational initiatives, digital banking, digital currency
usage, digital literacy etc.
• The GSAT-20 is a high- throughput Ka-band Satellite (HTS)
which will be fully owned, operated and funded by NSIL.
• GSAT-20, weighing 4700 kg, offers Ka-Ka band HTS capacity
with 32 beams having Pan-India coverage including
Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep islands.
• The satellite offers an HTS capacity of nearly 48Gpbs.
• It has been specifically designed to meet the demanding
service needs of remote and unconnected regions.
• Falcon 9 is a reusable, two-stage rocket designed and
manufactured by SpaceX, the Elon Musk-founded
company, for the reliable and safe transport of people and
payloads into Earth orbit and beyond.
• Falcon 9 is the world’s first orbital class reusable rocket.
• NSIL is a Central Public Sector Enterprise under the Department of
Space.
• It is commercial arm of ISRO.
• NSIL was mandated to build, launch, own and operate satellites in
“Demand-driven mode” to meet service needs of the user.
• Sikki, also known as ‘Kaincha’or ‘Golden Grass’ for its colour, belongs
to the zizanoides grass family.
• Scientifically called Chrysopogon zizanioides, it finds mention in
ancient Sanskrit texts such as the Ramayana, where it is referred to
as viran, sugandhimool, ushir and nalad.
• This grass grows indigenously in the Tarai regions of Uttar Pradesh
and Bihar.
• It has an average height of 3-4 feet.
• Uses
• While the stem is used to make artefacts, the roots are used for
extracting oil that is used both for perfumery and medicinal
purposes.
• In the hilly terrains, it is also now grown to arrest soil erosion.
• However, what Sikki is most known for is its handicraft.
• It is used to make traditional items such as multipurpose baskets,
ornaments, show pieces and many more utility items that are still
considered valuable in rural India.
• Sikki craft is a labour and time intensive craft.
• Sikki got the geographical identification tag in 2018.
• Issues
• Lack of state patronage
• climate change has impacted the quality of the grass.
A polar bear has reportedly died due to bird flu in
Alaska as the H5N1 virus spreads across the globe.

It was the first polar bear case reported who died

due to bird flu.
• Scientific Name- Ursus maritimus
• It is the largest bear and the largest land carnivore in the
world.
• Polar bears are primarily found in the Arctic region, and their
habitat is closely tied to sea ice.
• Note- They are not found in the Antarctic.
• They have a thick layer of blubber and dense fur that
insulates them from the cold.
• Polar bears are strong swimmers and divers which enables them to
swim from one iceberg to another and to hunt seals in sea. They can
also swim underneath ice sheet in search of food.
• Polar bears do not hibernate like the brown and black bears do.
• Instead they remain active throughout winter in spite of freezing cold.
• Protection status
• IUCN Red List- Vulnerable
• The North Western Railway is taking proactive
measures to ensure the safe operation of trains
amidst challenging visibility conditions.
• The Indian railways have installed Fog PASS device.
It is a GPS based navigation device which helps the loco pilot to navigate during dense fog conditions.

It provides on-board real-time information (Display as well as voice guidance) to Loco Pilot regarding
Location of fixed landmarks such as Signal, Level Crossing gate (Manned & Unmanned), Permanent
Speed Restrictions, Neutral Sections.

It is suitable for train speeds up to 160 KMPH and has built-in rechargeable battery back-up for 18 hours.

It is portable, compact in size, light in weight (not more than 1.5 Kg including battery) and of robust
design.

It is suitable for all types of locomotives and sections like single line, double line, electrified as well as
non electrified sections.

It will remain unaffected by weather conditions like fog or rain.

SAVITRIBAI PHULE
• Savitribai Phule from Maharashtra was a social activist who provided education
for girls and deprived portions of society.
• She was the first female teacher in India (1848) and opened a girls' school with
her husband, Jyotiba Phule.
• She established a shelter (1864) for destitute women and played a crucial role in
helping in Jyotiba Phule’s pioneering institution, Satyashodhak Samaj (1873).
• Savitribai is celebrated as a champion of women's rights in India and is widely
recognized as the mother of Indian feminism.
• During the bubonic plague outbreak in Maharashtra in 1897, Savitribai helped
by setting up a clinic for plague victims in Hadapsar, Pune. She was not content
to be a mere observer and rushed to the affected areas to provide aid.
RANI VELU NACHIYAR

• Rani Velu Nachiyar, also known by Tamils as Veeramangai, was the

first queen to fight against the British colonial power in India.
• She was born in the royal family of Ramanathapuram, the only
child of Raja Chellamuthu Vijayaragunatha Sethupathy and Rani
Sakandhimuthal of the Ramnad kingdom.
• Rani Velu Nachiyar was the first queen to fight against the British
for India's freedom. In 1780, she granted powers to the Marudu
brothers to administer the country. Velu Nachiyar passed away a
few years later, on 25 December 1796.
• In collaboration with Hyder Ali and Gopala Nayaker, she waged war
against British.
• She was proficient in languages like French, English, and Urdu.
• Nachiyar became queen of the Sivaganga estate (present-day Tamil
Nadu) in 1780 after her husband Muthuvaduganathaperiya
Udaiyathevar’s death.
• She ruled until 1790.
• She went on to produce the first human bomb as well as establish
the first army of trained women soldiers in the late 1700s.
Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS) along with National
Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM) has launched 'SMART 2.0' (Scope
for Mainstreaming Ayurveda Research among Teaching professionals) program.

It aims to promote robust clinical studies in priority areas of Ayurveda with Ayurveda
academic institutions/hospitals across the country through mutual collaboration.

The objective of ‘SMART 2.0’ is to generate a tangible evidence to demonstrate efficacy

and safety of Ayurveda interventions using interdisciplinary research methods and
translating it into public health care. Under the ‘SMART 1.0’, around 10 diseases were
covered with the active participation of teaching professionals from 38 colleges.
• CCRAS is an apex organization for the formulation,
co-ordination, development and promotion of
research on scientific lines in Ayurveda, functioning
under the Ministry of Ayush.
 National Commission for Indian System of Medicine

• A statutory body constituted under NCISM Act, 2020.

• It consists of 29 members, appointed by the central government.
• Major Functions
• Framing policies for regulating medical institutions and medical
professionals of Indian System of Medicine
• Assessing the requirements of healthcare related human
resources and infrastructure.
• Ensuring compliance by the State Medical Councils of Indian
System of Medicine of the regulations made under the Bill
• Ensuring coordination among the autonomous boards.
Nadia Calvino has been named the new
president of the European Investment Bank.

She is the first woman and the first Spaniard

to lead this prestigious institution.
EIB is long-term lending institution of European Union owned by its member states.

Founded in Brussels in 1958.

It is now based in Luxembourg (since 1968).

It is also engaged in multilateral financing and works closely with other EU institutions to
implement EU policy.

While almost 90% of EIB lending occurs within the EU, most of the remaining lending
occurs in outside markets such as Southeast Europe and Iceland.

The organization is funded by 27 member states whose contributions are based on their
GDPs.
 EIB’s
•innovation and skills,
activities
•access to finance for
focus on four infrastructure,
priority •smaller businesses and
areas •climate & environment.
including-
• Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University Vice-
Chancellor (VC) Prof BR Kamboj has been conferred with the
MS Swaminathan Award at the international conference held
on ‘One Health, One World’ at Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia
Agriculture University in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh.

• चौधरी चरण स हिं हररयाणा कृषि षिश्िषिद्यालय के कुलपति (िी ी) प्रोफे र

बीआर किंबोज को मध्य प्रदे श के ग्िासलयर में राजमािा षिजयाराजे स धिं धया
कृषि षिश्िषिद्यालय में 'िन हे ल्थ, िन िल््ड' पर आयोजजि अिंिराडष्ट्रीय
म्मेलन में एमए स्िामीनाथन परु स्कार े म्मातनि ककया गया है ।
• Karnataka Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot presented him the
award for his contribution in the field of agronomy.
• A special committee constituted for the award selected VC
Kamboj for his excellent achievements in the field of education,
research, technology development and extension in agricultural
science.

• कनाडटक के राज्यपाल थािर चिंद गहलोि ने उन्हें कृषि षिज्ञान के

क्षेत्र में उनके योगदान के सलए परु स्कार प्रदान ककया।
• परु स्कार के सलए गठिि एक षिशेि समति ने िी ी किंबोज को
सशक्षा, अनु िंधान, प्रौद्योधगकी षिका और कृषि षिज्ञान में
षिस्िार के क्षेत्र में उनकी उत्कृष्ट्ट उपलजधधयों के सलए चन
ु ा।
Jharkhand Chief Minister recently declared that the
qualifying age for old-age pension will be reduced
from 60 to 50 for Dalits and tribals.

Also, 75% of jobs will be reserved for locals

in companies that set up offices in the state.
Punjab has become the first state in India to map all 784 accident black
spots on the Mappls App, a navigation system developed by MapMyIndia.

Punjab Police teamed-up with MapmyIndia for real-time traffic updates

and alerts on Mappls App about Black and Blind spots.

Citizens can receive voice alerts in Punjabi near critical areas marking
Punjab as the first state to Map accident-prone sites Road Safety

An accident blackspot is a place where road traffic accidents have

historically been concentrated.
 Question - 1

Consider the following statements:

1. New Space India Limited (NSIL) will launch GSAT-20 on-board the Falcon-9.
2. The GSAT-20 is a high- throughput Ka-band Satellite (HTS) which will be fully owned,
operated and funded by NSIL.
3. Falcon 9 is a reusable, four-stage rocket designed and manufactured by SpaceX.
4. Falcon 9 is the world’s first orbital class reusable rocket.
Which of the following statements is/are correct?

A. 1 & 2 only
B. 1 & 3 only
C. 2, 3 & 4 only
D. 1, 2 & 4 only

ANS - D
 Question - 2
Consider the following statements:
1. Kochi-Lakshadweep Islands Submarine Optical Fibre Connection aims to connect Kochi with all the
islands of Lakshadweep.
2. The project is funded by World Bank.
3. Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) is the Project Executing Agency.
4. Lakshadweep will be connected through Submarine Optic Fibre Cable, for the first time since
independence.
Which of the following statements is/are correct?

A. 1 & 2 only
B. 1 & 3 only
C. 3 & 4 only
D. 2 & 4 only

ANS - C
 Question - 3
Consider the following statements:
1. Sikki grass grows indigenously in the mountainous regions of Uttarakhand and Sikkim.
2. The world’s first polar bear death due to H5N1 bird flu virus has been reported in Alaska.
3. Fog Pass Device is a GPS based navigation device which helps the loco pilot to navigate
during dense fog conditions.
Which of the following statements is/are correct?

A. 1 & 2 only
B. 2 & 3 only
C. 1 & 3 only
D. 1, 2 & 3

ANS - B
 Question - 4

Consider the following statements:

1. Sikki got the geographical identification tag in 2018.
2. Polar Beer is the largest land carnivore in the world.
3. Fog Pass Device is suitable for all types of locomotives and sections like single line, double
line, electrified as well as non electrified sections.
Which of the following statements is/are correct?

A. 1 & 2 only
B. 2 & 3 only
C. 1 & 3 only
D. 1, 2 & 3

ANS - D
 Question - 5

Consider the following statements:

1. Sikki is also known as ‘Kaincha’or ‘Golden Grass’ for its colour.
2. Polar bears do not hibernate like the brown and black bears.
3. Fog Pass Device is suitable for train speeds up to 250 KMPH.
Which of the following statements is/are correct?

A. 1 & 2 only
B. 2 & 3 only
C. 1 & 3 only
D. 1, 2 & 3

ANS - A
 Question - 6

Consider the following statements:

1. Rani Velu Nachiyar was the princess of the Ramnad Kingdom of
Ramanathapuram.
2. She is revered as the first queen to fight against the British colonial power in
India.
Which of the following statements is/ are correct?

A. 1 only
B. 2 only
C. Both 1 and 2
D. Neither 1 nor 2

ANS - C
 Question - 7

Consider the following statements:

1. 'SMART 2.0'- Scope for Mainstreaming Ayurveda Research among Teaching professionals
program was launched by Ministry of Health and Family welfare.
2. It aims to promote robust clinical studies in priority areas of Ayurveda with Ayurveda
academic institutions/hospitals across the country through mutual collaboration.
Which of the following statements is/ are incorrect?

A. 1 only
B. 2 only
C. Both 1 and 2
D. Neither 1 nor 2

ANS - A
 Question - 8

Consider the following statements:

1. Nadia Calvino has been recently named as the first female president of the
European Investment Bank.
2. European Investment Bank is based in Lichtenstein.
Which of the following statements is/ are incorrect?

A. 1 only
B. 2 only
C. Both 1 and 2
D. Neither 1 nor 2

ANS - B
 Question - 9

Who has been recently honoured with the prestigious M.S. Swaminathan
Award?
A. Ashok Gehlot
B. Brij Kishore Sharma
C. Dalbir Singh Shergill
D. B.R. Kamboj
हाल ही में प्रतिजष्ट्िि एम.ए . स्िामीनाथन परु स्कार े कक े म्मातनि ककया गया है ?
A. अशोक गहलोि
बी. बज
ृ ककशोर शमाड
ग. दलबीर स हिं शेरधगल
्ी. बी. आर. कम्बोज

ANS - D
 Question - 10
Which state has reduced the qualifying age for old-age pension to 50 years for
Dalits and tribals?
A. Bihar
B. Jharkhand
C. West Bengal
D. Odisha
कक राज्य ने दसलिों और आठदिास यों के सलए िद्
ृ धािस्था पें शन के सलए योग्यिा आयु
घटाकर 50 ििड कर दी है ?
A. बबहार
ख. झारखिं्
ग. पजश्चम बिंगाल
घ. ओड्शा

ANS - B
 Question - 11
_______has become the first state in India to map all 784 accident black spots
on the Mappls App, developed by MapMyIndia.
A. Punjab
B. Gujarat
C. Kerala
D. Tamil Nadu
_______has मैपमाईइिंड्या द्िारा षिकस ि मैपल् ऐप पर भी 784 दघ
ु ट
ड ना धलैक स्पॉट को
मैप करने िाला भारि का पहला राज्य बन गया है ।
A. पिंजाब
ख. गज ु राि
ग. केरल
घ. िसमलना्ु

ANS - A
THANKS