SAARANSH

Monthly Current Affairs

March
2024

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 “Saaransh”: Monthly Current Affairs
INDEX
 DEFENCE…………………………………..03  Press and Registration of Periodicals Act (PRP
 Defence Exercises Act), 2023
 DefConnect 2024  Criminal Case Management System
 INS Tushil  C-Vigil app
 Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft  SLAPP Suits
 Mission Divyastra  Ex-parte Injunction
 Yars Missile  Vote-from-Home
 Onyx Missile  GEOGRAPHY & ENVIRONMENT……..14
 INS Jatayu  Eturnagaram Wildlife Sanctuary
 Agreement on Pre-notification of the ‗Flight  Sea Cucumber
Testing of Ballistic Missiles‘  Golden Langurs
 ICGS Samudra Paheredar  Genetic Rescue
 Border Roads Organisation  Gulf of Oman
 STEAG  Gulf of Tonkin
 Tactical Nuclear Weapons  Gulf of Carpentaria
 One Liners  Persian Gulf
 SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY……………06  Gulf of Mannar
 IRIS AI Robot  Madagascar
 IndiaAI Mission  Polar Vortex
 India's First Under-River Metro Tunnel  Moyar Valley
 Frontier Technology Lab  Mushk budiji Rice
 e-Kisan Upaj Nidhi platform  Black carbon
 UDGAM Portal  Krishi Integrated Command and Control Centre
 Digital Intelligence Platform  Captive Elephants under the Wildlife Protection
 BioTRIG Act (WPA), 1972
 PB-SHABD  Cocoa Production
 Atmospheric Research Testbed  State of Global Climate Report 2023
 INDRA App  SCHEMES………………………………….20
 USSD  KIRTI Programme
 Quantum cryptography  Coral Reef Watch Programme
 NIXI  School Soil Health Programme
 VSAT  Uttar Poorva Transformative Industrialization
 ECONOMY………………………………….09 Scheme (UNNATI)
 Human development index  ADITI Scheme
 T+0 Settlement  Electric Mobility Promotion Scheme 2024
 TEPA  ULLAS Initiative
 Food Waste Index Report 2024  AWARDS AND APPOINTMENTS……..22
 Meme coins  Rupa Tarakasi
 Bima Sugam  Majuli masks
 Electoral Trusts  Risa Textile
 Reverse Flipping  Order of the Druk Gyalpo
 India Jumps 14 Ranks on UNDP Gender  Awards
Inequality Index  Oscars 2024
 Holistic Progress Card  Appointments
 POLITY……………………………………..12  SPORTS…………………………………….25
 Uniform Code for Pharmaceutical Marketing  INTERNATIONAL………………………...26
Practices (UCPMP) 2024  Yaoundé Declaration
 Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019  Global Resource Outlook
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 “Saaransh”: Monthly Current Affairs
 OPEC+
 Grey Zone Warfare
 Global Methane Tracker 2024
 World Gold Council (WGC)
 World Air Quality Report 2023
 Battle of Okinawa
 World Monuments Fund
 India-led ‗Group of Friends‘
 United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
 CoViNet
 Afanasy Nikitin Seamount
 World Happiness Report 2024
 Asbestos
 European Union‘s Artificial Intelligence Act
 World Poverty Clock
 Global Trade Overview 2023 and 2024 Outlook
 One Liners
 MISCELLANEOUS………………………..32
 Days and Themes
 International Day of Mathematics
 Sela Tunnel
 Orans
 International Centre of Excellence for Dams
 Women, Business and Law Index
 Vikramaditya Vedic Clock
 Pandavula Gutta
 Konda Reddi Tribe
 Mohiniyattam
 Monuments of National Importance (MNI)
 One Liners

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 “Saaransh”: Monthly Current Affairs
DEFENCE
Defence Exercises
 Exercise 'Bharat Shakti': Indian Tri
service exercise
 Exercise Sea Defenders: Indian Coast
Guard and the United States Coast
Guard.
 Exercise Cutlass Express: Multilateral
Navy Exercise
 Exercise Samudra Laksamana: Indian
Navy and Royal Malaysian Navy
 Exercise LAMITIYE: Indian Army and Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft
Seychelles Defence Forces
 Exercise Tiger Triumph: Bilateral tri- It is India‘s fifth-generation fighter
Service Humanitarian Assistance and multirole fighter jet.
Disaster Relief (HADR) Exercise
between India and the US.
 IMT Trilateral Exercise: India
Mozambique Tanzania (IMT) Tri
Lateral navy exercise.
DefConnect 2024
 Recently, the Ministry of Defence has
organised DefConnect 2024, aimed at
promoting innovation, entrepreneurship,
and Self-Reliance in defense production. Mission Divyastra
 The event serves as a platform to Recently, the Prime Minister of India
showcase the latest advancements in announced successful maiden flight test of
defense technology, foster collaboration Agni-5 missile with MIRV technology, code-
between the public and private sectors, named Mission Divyastra, boosting India's
and encourage investment in defence defence capability.
startups .
INS Tushil

INS Tushil, India's latest naval asset, initiated

its sea trials from Russia's Baltiysk naval base
recently.

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 “Saaransh”: Monthly Current Affairs
Yars Missile presence of the Chief of the Naval Staff on 06
Mar 2024.
Russia recently announced a successful test
fire of Yars intercontinental ballistic nuclear Agreement on Pre-notification of the „Flight
missile. Testing of Ballistic Missiles‟

 Pakistan recently urged India to comply

with the timeline stipulated in the
Agreement on pre-notification of flight
testing of ballistic missiles as it took note
of the first flight test of India's
indigenously developed Agni-5 missile.
ICGS Samudra Paheredar

 The Minister of External Affairs recently

Onyx Missile
Russia‟s P-800 Onyx supersonic cruise missile,
which has frequently struck Ukrainian targets,
is slated to get deadlier with a new target
seeker.
Border Roads Organisation
visited Indian Coast Guard ship
Samudra Paheredar, which is in Manila
Bay in the Philippines, as part of an
overseas deployment to ASEAN
countries.
 It is a specialised Pollution Control
Vessel (PCV) of the Indian Coast Guard.
It is the second PCV of India(the first
being ICGS Samudra Prahari).
 It was indigenously built by ABG
Shipyard, Surat. It is stationed on the
East Coast of India in Vishakhapatnam,
Andhra Pradesh.

 Recently, the Border Roads Organisation

(BRO) connected strategically important
all-weather 298-km long road from
Manali to Leh through Darcha and
Nimmu on the Kargil–Leh Highway.
 It is a road construction executive
force in India that provides support to
Indian Armed Forces. It was formed in
1960 to secure India's borders
and develop infrastructure in remote
INS Jatayu areas of the north and north-east states
Indian Navy will commission Naval of the country.
Detachment Minicoy as INS Jatayu in the

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 “Saaransh”: Monthly Current Affairs
 Motto of the organization: Shramena  Indian Navy Gets Its Own Headquarters
Sarvam Sadhyam (everything is Named ‗Nausena Bhawan‘
achievable through hardwork).  China, Iran, and Russia Stage Joint
Naval Drills in Gulf of Oman
Signals Technology Evaluation and
 RPF Leads In Female Personnel Among
Adaptation Group (STEAG)
Central Paramilitary Forces
 The Indian Army has initiated a  INS Jatayu Commissioned By Indian
significant development in its Navy At Lakshadweep
technological capabilities by establishing  INAS 334 Squadron To Welcome MH 60R
the Signals Technology Evaluation and ‗Seahawks‘ Into The Indian Navy
Adaptation Group (STEAG).
Tactical Nuclear Weapons

 Western officials recently confirmed that

Russia has moved tactical nuclear
weapons from its own borders into
neighboring Belarus, several hundred
miles closer to NATO territory.
 Nuclear weapons, just like other
weapons, can be categorised into two
types: strategic and tactical.
 Strategic Nuclear Weapons: They refer
to nuclear weapons that have bigger
objectives, such as destroying cities or
larger targets, with larger war-waging
objectives in mind.
 Tactical Nuclear Weapons (TNWs): They
are nuclear weapons used for specific
tactical gains on the battlefield.
They are intended to devastate enemy
targets in a specific
area without causing widespread
destruction and radioactive fallout.
.
One Liners

 Mumbai to become first tri-service

common defence station
 ‗Operation Indravati‘ to Evacuate Indian
Nationals from Haiti Begins
 Indian Army Inducts First Apache 451
Aviation Squadron

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 “Saaransh”: Monthly Current Affairs
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
IRIS AI Robot
A groundbreaking development in education
has emerged from Kerala's
Thiruvananthapuram, where a school has
introduced India's first AI teacher robot, Iris.
IndiaAI Mission
 It will establish a comprehensive
ecosystem catalyzing AI
innovation through strategic programs
and partnerships across the public and
private sectors.
 It will be implemented by „IndiaAI‟
Independent Business Division (IBD)
under Digital India Corporation (DIC).
India's First Under-River Metro Tunnel
 Prime Minister recently inaugurated a
metro train service in Kolkata, marking
the opening of India‘s first under-river
metro tunnel.
 It is a part of Kolkata Metro‟s East-
West Corridor.
 It passes under the Hooghly River and
forms part of section from Howrah
Maidan to Esplanade.
 The stretch also has the deepest metro
station in the country, the Howrah
Maidan station, at 32 metres below
ground level.
Frontier Technology Lab
 Recently, Atal Innovation Mission (AIM),
NITI Aayog and Meta have announced
the launch of Frontier Technology Labs
(FTLs).
 It is an advanced version of Atal
Tinkering Lab. It aims to advance the
government‘s agenda of digital inclusion,
skilling and growth.
 The FTLs will be funded by Meta and
Atal Innovation Mission will be
the knowledge partner.
e-Kisan Upaj Nidhi platform
 Recently, the Union Minister for
Consumer Affairs, Food & Public
Distribution, Commerce and Industry
and Textiles launched ‗e-Kisan Upaj
Nidhi‘ (Digital Gateway).
 It is a digital gateway of Warehousing
Development and Regulatory
Authority (WDRA).
 It is the initiative with its simplified
digital process can ease the procedure of
farmers' storage at any registered WDRA
warehouse for a period of 6 months at
7% interest per annum.
 This digital intervention is poised to
mitigate distress sales by providing
farmers with viable post-harvest
storage options.
UDGAM Portal
 Recently, the Reserve Bank of India said
30 banks are facilitating people to search
their unclaimed deposits/accounts
through UDGAM portal.
 UDGAM refers to Unclaimed Deposits-
Gateway to Access information, which is
an online portal developed by the
Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
 It facilitates the registered users to
search unclaimed deposits/accounts
across multiple banks at one place in a
centralised manner. The unclaimed
deposits can be claimed only from the
respective bank.
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 “Saaransh”: Monthly Current Affairs
Digital Intelligence Platform

 Recently, the Minister of

Communications, Railway, and
Electronics & Information Technology
launched the Department of
Telecommunications (DoT)‘s „Digital
Intelligence Platform (DIP)‟ and
„Chakshu‟ facility on Sanchar Saathi
portal.
 The portal also contains information
regarding the cases detected as misuse PB-SHABD
of telecom resources.
 Prasar Bharti - Shared Audio Visuals for
 The DIP is accessible to the stakeholders
Broadcast and Dissemination (PB-
over secure connectivity and the relevant
SHABD) platform has been designed to
information is shared based on their
provide daily news feeds in video, audio,
respective roles. The said platform is not
text, photo and other formats to the
accessible to citizens.
subscribers from media landscape.
BioTRIG  It will be a single point source of news
content for all organizations. SHABD
 A recent study has claimed that service is being offered free of cost for the
BioTRIG, a new waste management first year as an introductory offer and
technology could help rural Indians. will provide news stories in all major
 It is a new waste management Indian languages across fifty categories.
technology based on the pyrolysis
system. Atmospheric Research Testbed
 It works by sealing the waste inside an
 Recently, Minister of Earth Sciences
oxygen-free chamber and heating it
virtually inaugurated the first phase of
above 400 degrees Celsius. Useful
the Atmospheric Research Testbed in
chemicals are produced in the process.
Central India (ART-CI) in Sehore district
 In the study, the researchers outlined
in Madhya Pradesh.
that three products of pyrolysis — bio-
oil, syngas and biochar fertiliser — could INDRA App
help rural Indians live healthier and
 Recently, INDRRA app was launched as
greener lives.
part of the World Meteorological Day
celebrations.
 The Indian Naval Dynamic Resource for
Weather Analysis (INDRA) app will help
to disseminate weather related
information and forecasts empowering
optimal & quick decision making.
 The application has been developed by
BISAG (Bhaskaracharya National

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 “Saaransh”: Monthly Current Affairs
Institute for Space Applications and Geo- villages that have been historically
informatics) in coordination difficult to connect due to challenging
with Directorate of Naval Oceanology and terrain. It will facilitate e-governance and
Meteorology, Indian Navy. improve connectivity in remote areas.

Unstructured Supplementary Service Data

(USSD)
The Department of Telecom has asked telecom
operators to deactivate USSD-based call
forwarding with effect from April 15.
Quantum cryptography

 Scientists are proposing new technology

known as quantum cryptography to
protect sensitive communications.
 It is also known as quantum
encryption which uses the naturally
occurring properties of quantum
mechanics to secure and transmit data
in a way that cannot be hacked.
NIXI

 The National Internet Exchange of India

(NIXI) is set to unveil the BhashaNet
portal at the upcoming Universal
Acceptance (UA) Day.
 It is held annually and organized by the
community-led Universal Acceptance
Steering Group (UASG)
and the Internet Corporation for
Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).
Internet in Remote Tribal Villages (VSAT)
 Recently, The Ministry of Tribal Affairs
plans to collaborate with the Indian
Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to
deploy V-SAT (very small apperture
terminal) stations on a pilot basis for
approximately 80 tribal villages in
Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha,
and Maharashtra.
 The initiative aims to provide Internet
services to geographically remote tribal
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 “Saaransh”: Monthly Current Affairs
Human development index
 Recently released 2023/24 Human
Development Report (HDR) was titled
as “Breaking the Gridlock:
Reimagining Cooperation in
Polarized World."
 India ranked 135 in 2021. It had
moved up to 134 in 2022.
 India‘s life expectancy at birth has
slightly improved from 67.2 years in
2021 to 67.7 years in 2022.
 India has also shown progress in
reducing gender inequality and ranks
108 out of 166 countries in the
Gender Inequality Index (GII) 2022.
 However, India also has one
the largest gender gaps in the labour
force participation rate—a 47.8
percentage points difference between
women (28.3%) and men (76.1%).
T+0 Settlement
 The Securities and Exchange Board of
India (SEBI) recently approved the
launch of the beta version of the T+0
settlement on an optional basis.
 It means that the funds
securities for a transaction will be settled
on the day the trade was entered.
ECONOMY
 At present, the Indian securities markets
operate on a T+1 settlement cycle, where
the settlement happens on the next day
of trade.
 In 2002, the regulator cut down the
a
settlement period from T+5 to T+3, and
in 2003, SEBI further reduced it to
T+2. In 2021, the T+1 settlement
started and was gradually implemented,
with the final phase completed in
January 2023.
TEPA
 The India-EFTA Trade and Economic
Partnership Agreement (TEPA) is the
latest in India‟s recent Free Trade
of
Agreements (FTAs) which ventures into
some uncharted territory.
 TEPA sets out a target of a $100 billion
investment into India from EFTA
countries and consequent one million
jobs over a 15-year period.
 It also provides India the ability
to withdraw its tariff concessions if such
expected investment is not achieved. If
India is not satisfied, it can pull back its
tariff concessions in a
proportionate manner after 18 years.
Food Waste Index Report 2024
 According to the Food Waste Index
Report 2024, households across the
globe wasted over one billion meals a
day in 2022.
 It a study jointly authored by
the United Nations Environment
Programme (UNEP) and WRAP (Waste
and Resources Action Programme), a
and U.K.-based non-profit.
 It tracks the global and national
generation of food and inedible parts
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 “Saaransh”: Monthly Current Affairs
wasted at the retail and consumer  They typically have a massive or
(household and food service) levels. uncapped supply, leading to very low
 The report defines “food waste” as values per token.
“food and the associated inedible
Bima Sugam
parts removed from the human food
supply chain”.  Recently, the Insurance Regulatory and
 ‗‗Food loss‖ is defined as ―all the crop Development Authority of India (IRDAI)
and livestock human-edible commodity has approved the setting up of Bima
quantities that, directly or indirectly, Sugam.
completely exit the post-  It is like an e-commerce platform where
harvest/slaughter production/supply insurance companies can sell their
chain up to, and excluding, the retail products. It onboards all the companies
level‖. that offer life and non-life insurance
 Many low- and middle-income products under one roof.
countries continue to lack adequate  It aims to provide an 'end-to-end'
systems for tracking progress to meet digital journey to all policyholders like
Sustainable Development Goal 12.3 of from buying insurance policies to
halving food waste by 2030. renewals to claim settlement to
 At present, only four G-20 portability to grievance redressal.
countries (Australia, Japan, U.K., U.S.)
and the European Union have food Electoral Trusts
waste estimates suitable for tracking  The recently released list of corporate
progress. contributors to political parties under
Meme coins electoral bonds is under examination,
although many of these have been
 Meme coins started as a humorous, frequent donors, paying large sums to
satirical take on the internet and often political parties through electoral trusts
lacking in any real underlying value have  These are trusts set up by
gained significant popularity. companies with the objective to
 These are a unique category of crypto distribute the contributions received
currencies, have gained significant from other companies and individuals to
popularity in the digital currency space. political parties.
These trace their origin to the growth of  The companies which are registered
meme culture on the internet. under section 25 of the Companies Act,
 These are also known as „memetic 1956, are only eligible to make an
tokens‟ or „community coins‟, meme application for approval as an
coins are digital currencies created as a electoral trust.
form of satire or humorous tribute to the  The names of electoral trusts,
internet culture. currently, do not indicate the name of
 These are highly volatile in nature, the company/group of companies which
subject to extreme changes in value over set up the trusts.
short periods, driven by the current buzz
surrounding the token.

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 “Saaransh”: Monthly Current Affairs
Reverse Flipping 2021 122 0.490
 Startups such as Pine Labs, Zepto, 2020 123 0.493
Meesho are the latest new-age
companies looking to move 2019 122 0.501
headquarters to India.
 It is a term used to describe the trend of 2018 127 0.501
overseas start-ups shifting their
Holistic Progress Card
domicile to India and listing on Indian
stock exchanges.  Recently, the National Council for
 The general motivation for a reverse flip Educational and Research Training
is the increased certainty of an exit at a (NCERT) has introduced a new ‗Holistic
higher valuation in India. Progress Card‘ (HPC), which will
 Flipping is when an Indian company measure, apart from academic
transforms into a 100% subsidiary of a performance, a child‟s progress in
foreign entity after it has moved its interpersonal relationships, self-
headquarters overseas, including a reflection, creativity, and emotional
transfer of its intellectual property (IP) application in classrooms.
and others.  The HPC is a new approach to
evaluating students‟ academic
India Jumps 14 Ranks on UNDP Gender
performance that moves away from
Inequality Index
traditional reliance on marks or grades.
 The Gender Inequality Index (GII) is a  Instead, it adopts a comprehensive
composite measure that evaluates 360-degree evaluation system that
gender inequality across three takes into account various aspects of a
dimensions: student‘s development and learning
 Reproductive health experience.
 Empowerment  The HPCs have been devised by
 Labor market participation Performance Assessment, Review, and
Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic
Top-Ranked Countries Development (PARAKH), a standard-
setting body under the NCERT, for the
 The top-ranked countries in the GII 2022
foundational stage (Classes 1 and 2),
are:
preparatory stage (Classes 3 to 5) and
 Denmark
middle stage (Classes 6 to 8), as per
 Norway
suggestions by the National Education
 Switzerland Policy (NEP) 2020.
 Sweden
 Netherlands
India‟s Progress on Gender Inequality Index

Year Rank Score

2022 108 0.437

11

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 “Saaransh”: Monthly Current Affairs
POLITY
Uniform Code for Pharmaceutical Marketing Press and Registration of Periodicals Act
Practices (UCPMP) 2024 (PRP Act), 2023
 The Central Government recently rolled  It has replaced the colonial era Press
out a Uniform Code for Pharmaceutical and Registration of Books Act dating
Marketing Practices (UCPMP) for back to 1867.
pharmaceutical companies.  The office of Press Registrar General of
 It has been implemented to control India – PRGI (erstwhile Registrar of
unethical practices in the pharma Newspapers for India – RNI) shall be
industry. carrying out the purposes of the new Act.
 The updated guidelines include drug  It provides for an online system
endorsement, promotion, and ethical for facilitating the registration of
conduct for medical representatives and newspapers and other periodicals in
maintaining relationships with the country.
healthcare professionals.  The new system replaces the existing
manual, cumbersome
Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019
processes involving multiple steps and
 Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) recently approvals at various stages, which were
notified the Citizenship Amendment causing unnecessary hardships to the
Rules, 2024. publishers.
 The Citizenship Amendment Act  The Ministry of Information and
(CAA) amends the Citizenship Act of Broadcasting launched the Press Sewa
1955 to provide a path to Indian Portal (presssewa.prgi.gov.in), the
citizenship for Hindus, Sikhs, online portal of the Press Registrar
Christians, Buddhists, Jains, and Parsis General, for receiving various
who migrated from neighbouring applications as mandated by the new
Muslim-majority countries such as Act.
Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan,  Accordingly, publishers intending to
before December 31, 2014. bring out periodicals need to register
 Under the CAA, migrants who entered their titles before publishing them.
India till December 31, 2014, and had  Notably, the PRP Act exempts books
suffered ―religious persecution or fear or and journals from the purview of
religious persecution‖ in their country of registration necessitated by the old PRB
their origin would be made eligible for Act, focusing solely on periodicals,
accelerated citizenship. which are defined as publications,
 It relaxed the residence including newspapers, published and
requirement for naturalisation of these printed at regular intervals containing
migrants from twelve years to just six. public news or commentary,
but excluding scientific, technical, and
academic books or journals.

12

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 “Saaransh”: Monthly Current Affairs
Criminal Case Management System  The subject matter of the suit would
target an act of public
 Union Home Minister and Minister of
participation, such as engaging in an
Cooperation virtually inaugurated a
issue of societal or political
unique digital Criminal Case
significance, in the form of
Management System (CCMS) and also
journalism, advocacy, whistleblowing,
launches a mobile app „Sankalan.
peaceful protests or boycotts,
 It has been developed by designed by
activism, or simply speaking out against
the National Investigation Agency
abuse of power.
(NIA). It will enable the NIA personnel to
better coordinate in terrorism and Ex-parte Injunction
organized crime cases, thereby improving
 The Supreme Court recently said that
justice delivery.
the courts should not grant ex-parte
 It has been designed for navigating
injunctions against the publication of a
through new criminal laws as a bridge
news article, barring in exceptional
between old and new criminal laws. This
cases.
app will work as a comprehensive guide
 It is a court order that is issued without
for all stakeholders.
hearing from the other party involved
C-Vigil app in the case. It is also known as a
temporary restraining order.
 Since the announcement of General
 This type of injunction is only granted in
Elections 2024, over 79,000 complaints
emergency situations where there is a
have been received on C-Vigil app.
risk of irreparable harm if immediate
 It is a mobile application developed by
action is not taken.
the Election Commission of
India (ECI) to enable citizens to report Vote-from-Home
violations of the Model Code of
 The Election Commission of India (ECI)
Conduct (MCC) during elections.
has, for the first time in the history of
SLAPP Suits the Lok Sabha elections, extended its
„vote-from-home‟ facility to Persons
 A Supreme Court bench recently
with Disabilities (PwD) and senior
recorded observations on how courts
citizens aged 85 and above.
should decide pre-trial injunctions
 Key to the process is Form 12D, which is
against media organisations, and the
a letter informing the Assistant
growing use of SLAPP suits.
Returning Officer (ARO) that the person
 The term „SLAPP‟, stands for Strategic
may not be in a position to go to the
Lawsuit Against Public Participation.
polling station to vote.
The concept of a SLAPP lawsuit evolved
in the US, where it was observed that
certain lawsuits were filed targeting
individual or group litigants who voiced
their concern over important or
considerable social issues in the public
arena.
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GEOGRAPHY & ENVIRONMENT
Eturnagaram Wildlife Sanctuary
 Telangana is presently grappling with
forest fires in Tadvai region of
Eturnagaram Wildlife Sanctuary.
 It is located near the border
of Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and
Telangana. River Vagu separates the
wildlife sanctuary into two
parts. River Godavari also passes
through it.
Sea Cucumber Genetic Rescue

 Wildlife Protection Act of 1972:  Genetic rescue is proposed as a

Schedule I method to conserve Ranthambore
 CITES: Appendix II National Park‟s tiger population.
 Genetic rescue is the process of
increasing population growth with new
genetic variation by migrating
individuals into another small
population (i.e., gene flow).
 In practice, wildlife managers take
individuals from a larger, healthier
population, and bring them to a
smaller population to introduce new
variation. This conservation strategy
aims to alleviate genetic load, decrease
extinction risk, and enhance the viability
of endangered species and populations.
Golden Langurs
IUCN: Endangered
CITES: Appendix I
Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I

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 “Saaransh”: Monthly Current Affairs
Gulf of Oman  It is connected with the South China Sea
via the gulf‘s mouth in the south and
 The Gulf of Oman, also known as
the Hainan Strait (Qiongzhou Strait) in
the Gulf of Makran, is the western
the northeast.
extension of the Arabian Sea and lies in
 Major Ports: In Northern Vietnam, the
the Middle East.
gulf‘s main ports include Haiphong and
 It forms the only entrance to the Persian
Ben Thuy, whereas, in China, its major
Gulf from the Indian Ocean.
port is Beihai (Pakhoi)
 The Gulf connects the Arabian Sea with
the Strait of Hormuz, which then
empties into the Persian Gulf.
 Bordering Countries: It is bordered
by Pakistan and Iran in the north; by
the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the
west and by Oman in the south. Muscat,
the capital of Oman, is located on the
coast of the gulf.
 It is at its widest point between Cape
al-Hadd in Oman and the Gwadar
Bay on the Iran-Pakistan border.
Gulf of Tonkin
 China has officially disclosed a new
baseline outlining its territorial claims in Gulf of Carpentaria
the northern part of the Gulf of Tonkin,
an area shared with Vietnam.  A new tropical cyclone warning has
 It is a crescent-shaped, shallow, semi- been recently issued for the Gulf of
enclosed water Carpentaria.
body situated in the South China  It is a shallow rectangular sea on
Sea‘s northwestern portion. the northern coast of Australia and
 Borders: The gulf is bordered by an inlet of the eastern Arafura
the northern coastline of Vietnam in the Sea (a Pacific Ocean Sea separating New
west and northwest; by China‘s Guangxi Guinea and Australia).
Zhuang Autonomous Region in the  The gulf covers a continental
north; and by the Leizhou Peninsula and shelf common to both New Guinea and
Hainan Island in the east. Australia. A ridge extends across Torres
 It is referred to as “Beibu Gulf” in Strait, separating the floor of the gulf
Chinese and “Bac Bo Gulf” in from the Coral Sea to the east.
Vietnamese.
 Many rivers empty into the Gulf of
Tonkin, with the Red River (Yuan
Riverin Chinese) supplying the major
riverine discharge along with some
smaller rivers.
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Persian Gulf
 Chinese bookings for tankers carrying
crude oil from the Persian Gulf have
risen in recent days, amid shipping
disruptions in the Red Sea.
 It is part of the Indian Ocean. It is
an extension of the Gulf of
Oman and connects to the Indian
Ocean via the Strait of Hormuz in the
east.
 It is also referred to as the Arabian
Gulf or Gulf of Iran. It lies between the
Arabian Peninsula and Iran to the
southwest and northeast, respectively.
 It is bounded by several countries,
including Iran to the north, Qatar, Saudi
Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates on
the peninsula,
and Bahrain, Iraq and Kuwait in the
northwest.
16
Gulf of Mannar
 A recent study concluded that coral
cover in the Gulf of Mannar region had
declined from 37% in 2005 to 27.3%
in 2021.
 Along the southeast coast of India lies
the Gulf of Mannar, a part of the
Laccadive Sea of the Indian
Ocean, containing 21 islands.
 It spans between the northwest coast
of Sri Lanka and the southeast coast of
India. It is bounded to the northeast
by Rameswaram (island), Adam‘s
(Rama‘s) Bridge (a chain of shoals),
and Mannar Island.
 It receives several rivers, including
the Tambraparni (India) and the Aruvi
(Sri Lanka). The port of Tuticorin is on
the Indian coast. The gulf is noted for
its pearl banks and sacred chank (a
gastropod mollusk).
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 “Saaransh”: Monthly Current Affairs
Madagascar  It is the dark, sooty material
emitted alongside other pollutants
A tropical cyclone named Gamane that swept
when biomass and fossil fuels are not
across the island of Madagascar killed at least
fully combusted.
18 people and displaced thousands more, the
 It comprises a significant portion
country's disaster management office said
of particulate matter or PM, which is an
recently.
air pollutant. It is a short-lived climate
Polar Vortex pollutant with a lifetime of only days
to weeks after release in the
The polar vortex circling the Arctic is swirling atmosphere.
in the wrong direction after surprise warming  It is an important contributor to
in the upper atmosphere triggered a major warming because it is very effective at
reversal event recently. absorbing light and heating its
Moyar Valley surroundings. It contributes to warming
by converting incoming solar radiation to
Moyar valley (Mudumalai Tiger Reserve- Tamil heat.
Nadu) is the biggest nesting colony of  It also influences cloud
critically endangered Gyps vultures in the formation and impacts regional
wild. circulation and rainfall patterns.
Mushk budiji Rice Krishi Integrated Command and Control
Centre
 Recently, scientists reported that altitude
and temperature play an important role  Recently, the Union Agriculture Minister
in the development of mushk budiji inaugurated a Krishi Integrated
aroma. Command and Control Centre (ICCC).
 It is short, bold aromatic rice grown in  It is a tech-based solution involving
the higher reaches of Kashmir valley. multiple IT applications and
It possesses a harmonious blend of taste, platforms, housed in the Ministry of
aroma and rich organoleptic properties. Agriculture & Farmers‟ Welfare.
 It is mainly grown in areas of Sagam,  Objectives: It will enable comprehensive
Panzgam and Soaf Shali of district monitoring of the farm sector by making
Anantnag. available at one place geospatial
 The consumption of aromatic rice in information received from multiple
Kashmir has now been limited to special sources, including remote sensing; plot-
occasions, marriages and festivals. It has level data received through soil survey
received a Geographical Indication (GI) and weather data from the India
tag. Meteorological Department (IMD) etc.
 Working: It uses state of the art
Black carbon
technologies such as artificial
 According to a study, the residential intelligence, remote sensing,
sector contributes 47% of India‟s total and Geographic Information
black carbon emissions. Systems (GIS) to collect and process
large amounts of granular data — on

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 “Saaransh”: Monthly Current Affairs
temperatures, rainfall, wind speed, crop
yields and production estimations — and
presents it in graphical format.
Captive Elephants under the Wildlife
Protection Act (WPA), 1972
 Elephants are a Schedule I better upkeep than in the present
species, and therefore, be it wild or
captive, cannot be captured or
traded under any circumstances.
 Section 12 of the Act allows Schedule I
animals to be translocated for ‗special
purposes‘ such as education and
scientific research. They can also
be translocated for population
management of wildlife without harming
any wild animals and the collection of
specimens for recognised
zoos/museums.
 Captive elephants, because of their
historical role in forest management,
timber transport, presence in estates of
erstwhile royal families and in temple
precincts for religious purposes can be
owned and therefore come under a
special category. However, strict rules
guide the transfer of such elephants.
 Section 40(2) of the WPA prohibits the
acquisition, possession, and transfer
Cocoa Production
of a captive elephant without the
written permission of the Chief Wildlife
Warden (CWW) of the State.
 The Environment Ministry in 2021
brought in an amendment that allowed
the transfer of elephants for ‗religious or
any other purposes‘.
Captive Elephant (Transfer or Transport)
Rules, 2024
 It lays down the procedure to be
followed for the transfer of captive
elephants within a State or between
two States. The notification authorises
18
the CWW of States and UTs to permit or
reject the transfer of captive elephants.
 The CWW shall permit the inter and
intra-State transfers if the owner of
the elephant is no longer in a position to
maintain it or if the animal will have a
circumstances.
 The transfer of captive elephants won‘t
be permissible unless the genetic
profile of the animal has been entered in
the electronic monitoring application of
the MoEFCC (Ministry of Environment,
Forest and Climate Change).
 The application for transfer of captive
elephants should be made to the
deputy conservator of forests (DCF),
having jurisdiction over the area where
the elephant is registered.
 The DCF will conduct an
inquiry and physical verification of the
facility where the elephant is presently
housed, and also the facility where the
elephant is proposed to be housed
and obtain a certificate of a veterinary
practitioner, and then forward the details
to the CWW, who within seven days will
accept or reject the transfer.
 A shortage of cocoa beans has led to a
near shutdown of processing plants in
Ivory Coast and Ghana, the two
countries responsible for 60% of
global production.
 It is an important plantation
crop grown for chocolates around the
world. It is known as a crop of humid
tropics and is native to Amazon
basin of South America.
 It is mainly grown in an area of
land around the equator between 20
degrees latitude north and south.
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 “Saaransh”: Monthly Current Affairs
 Major producing regions in the
world: About 70 percent of the world‘s
cocoa beans come from four West African
countries: Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria
and Cameroon.
 In India, it is mainly cultivated
in Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil
Nadu mainly as intercrop with
Arecanut and Coconut.
Required climatic conditions:

 It can be grown up to 300 m above mean

sea level.
 Rainfall: It requires an annual rainfall of
1500-2000 mm.
 Temperature: The temperature range of
15°-39°C with optimum of 25°C is
considered ideal.
 Soil: It requires deep and well drained
soils. Majority of area under Cocoa
cultivation is on clay loam and sandy
loam soil.
 It grows well in the pH range of 6.5 to
7.0.
State of Global Climate Report 2023

 As per the State of the Global Climate

report, published recently, 2023 was
found to be the hottest year on record.
 It is an annual report published by the
World Meteorological Organisation
(WMO).
 In 2023, renewable capacity additions
increased by almost 50% from 2022, for
a total of 510 gigawatts (GW), the highest
rate observed in the past two decades.

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SCHEMES
KIRTI Programme  This will be a Central Sector Scheme.
 It is aimed at developing
 It is aimed at school children
industries and generating
between nine and 18 years age group.
employment in the North East
 The nation-wide scheme will have two
Region, seeks to create productive
main objectives:
economic activity in manufacturing and
 To hunt talent from every nook and corner services.
of the country and  Its main objective is to generate gainful
 To use sports as a tool to curb addiction employment, leading to the overall socio-
towards drugs and other gadgetry economic development of the region.
distractions.
 Data analytics based on Artificial ADITI Scheme
Intelligence is being used to predict the
 Acing Development of Innovative
sporting acumen in an aspiring athlete.
Technologies with iDEX (ADITI) is a
Coral Reef Watch Programme scheme to promote innovations in
critical and strategic defence
 The Coral Reef Watch programme has technologies.
warned that the Earth is on the brink of  Aim: It aims to develop about 30 deep-
experiencing a fourth global mass coral tech critical and strategic technologies in
bleaching event. the proposed timeframe.
 It is a free online tool that provides  Eligibility: Under this scheme start-ups
a global analysis of sea surface are eligible to receive grant-in-aid of up
temperature (SST) and outlooks to Rs 25 crore for their research,
to identify coral reefs that are at risk of development and innovation endeavours
bleaching. It is offering the world's only in defence technology.
global early-warning system of coral reef  Time period: This scheme worth Rs 750
ecosystem environmental changes. crore for the period 2023-24 to 2025-26.
School Soil Health Programme  It falls under the iDEX (Innovations for
Defence Excellence) framework of
 Recently, the Union Minister for Department of Defence
Agriculture & Farmers‘ Welfare and Production, Ministry of Defence.
Union Minister for Rural Development  It also envisages to create a „Technology
inaugurated School Soil Health Watch Tool‟ to bridge the gap between
Programme. the expectations and requirements of the
 Department of Agriculture and Farmers modern Armed Forces and
welfare in collaboration with Department the capabilities of the defence innovation
of School Education and Literacy has ecosystem.
undertaken a pilot project on school soil  In the first edition of ADITI, 17
health programme. challenges – Indian Army (3), Indian
Uttar Poorva Transformative Navy (5), Indian Air Force (5) and
Industrialization Scheme (UNNATI) Defence Space Agency (4) - have been
launched.
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 To motivate young innovators, iDEX was being implemented through
expanded to iDEX Prime, volunteerism.
with the assistance increasing from Rs
1.5 crore to Rs 10 crore.
Electric Mobility Promotion Scheme 2024

 It aims to further accelerate

the adoption of Electric Vehicles in
the country. It is a fund limited scheme
with a total outlay of Rs. 500 crore for
the period of 4 months.
 It is for faster adoption of electric two-
wheeler (e-2W) and three-wheeler (e-
3W) to provide further impetus to the
green mobility and development of
electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing eco-
system in the country.
 Eligible EV categories
 Two Wheelers (electric) (e-2W)
 Three-wheeler (electric) including
registered e-rickshaws & e-carts and L5
(e-3W)
 Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Heavy
Industries
ULLAS Initiative

 The Ministry of Education is set to

conduct the Foundational Literacy and
Numeracy Assessment Test (FLNAT) as
part of the ULLAS - Nav Bharat
Saaksharta Karyakram.
 The Understanding Lifelong Learning for
All in Society (ULLAS) initiative is poised
to revolutionise education
and literacy across the nation.
 It is done by fostering a learning
ecosystem that reaches every individual,
bridging the gaps in basic literacy and
critical life skills.
 It imparts basic education, digital and
financial literacy and critical life skills to
citizens aged 15 and above who lost on
the opportunity to go to school. It is

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AWARDS AND APPOINTMENTS
Rupa Tarakasi
The famous silver filigree (Rupa Tarakasi) of the
millennium Cuttack city in Odisha recently
received the Geographical Indication (GI) tag.
Majuli masks
Recently, the traditional Majuli masks and
Majuli manuscript painting in Assam were
given a Geographical Indication (GI) tag.
Risa Textile
Tripura‟s traditional tribal attire ‗risa‘ received
the Geographical Indication (GI) tag recently.
22
‗Order of the Druk Gyalpo
Recently, the Prime Minister of India received
Bhutan‟s highest civilian award, the ‗Order of
the Druk Gyalpo‘, during his two-day State visit
to the neighbouring nation.
Awards
 Japanese architect Riken Yamamoto was
declared winner of the 2024 Pritzker
Architecture Prize.
 Aleksei Navalny and Yulia Navalnaya
Honoured with Freedom Prize
 GAIL Wins 15th CIDC Vishwakarma
ward for Barauni – Guwahati Pipeline
 Michel Talagrand Awarded the 2024 Abel
Prize
 Bina Agarwal and James Boyce awarded
the first ―Global Inequality Research
Award‖
 Aviation Week Laureates Award Was
Given To ISRO for Chandrayaan-3
 Renowned Indian Dancer Dr. Uma Rele
Honoured with Maharashtra Gaurav
Award
 Prabha Varma Bags 33rd Saraswati
Samman for ‗Roudra Sathwikam‘
 T M Krishna Awarded Prestigious
Sangita Kalanidhi
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 “Saaransh”: Monthly Current Affairs
 Ratan Tata Awarded PV Narasimha Rao Best Documentary
Memorial Award for Philanthropy Work ―The Last Repair Shop‖
(Short Subject)
 Smt. Droupadi Murmu Conferred
Honorary Doctorate by University of Best Documentary
Mauritius ―20 Days in Mariupol‖
Feature
 Riken Yamamoto Wins 2024 Pritzker
Architecture Prize Best Cinematography ―Oppenheimer‖
 Miss World 2024, Krystyna Pyszkova
from Czech Republic Wins the Crown Best Short Film (Live ―The Wonderful Story of
Action) Henry Sugar‖
Oscars 2024
Best Sound ―The Zone of Interest‖
Category Winner
Best Score ―Oppenheimer‖
Best Supporting Da‘Vine Joy Randolph, ―The
Actress Holdovers‖ ―What Was I Made For?‖ from
Best Song
―Barbie‖
Best Animated Short ―War Is Over!‖
Cillian Murphy,
Best Animated Best Actor
―The Boy and the Heron‖ ―Oppenheimer‖
Feature
Christopher Nolan,
Best Original Best Director
―Anatomy of a Fall‖ ―Oppenheimer‖
Screenplay
Best Actress Emma Stone, ―Poor Things‖
Best Adapted
―American Fiction‖
Screenplay Best Picture ―Oppenheimer‖

Best Makeup and Appointments

―Poor Things‖
Hairstyling
 Centre Appoints Manoj Panda as New
Best Production Finance Commission Member
―Poor Things‖  IPS Officer Love Kumar Appointed as IG
Design
in Special Protection Group
Best Costume Design ―Poor Things‖  Former Judge Najmi Waziri to Head
Committee for Delhi Forest Protection
Best International  Rakesh Mohan Appointed to World Bank
―The Zone of Interest‖ Economic Advisory Panel
Feature
 Sanjay Nayar Appointed as New
Best Supporting Robert Downey Jr., ASSOCHAM President
Actor ―Oppenheimer‖  Joyshree Das Verma Becomes New
President of FICCI Ladies Organisation
Best Visual Effects ―Godzilla Minus One‖  Sudha Murty Nominated to Rajya Sabha
Member.
Best Film Editing ―Oppenheimer‖  India Receives ‗Measles and Rubella
Champion‘ Award

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 “Saaransh”: Monthly Current Affairs
 Zoya Akhtar, Asma Khan Honored at
‗India-UK Achievers‘ Awards in London
 Yatin Bhaskar Duggal Wins First Prize in
National Youth Parliament Festival 2024
 Tiger Woods Honored with USGA‘s
Prestigious Bob Jones Award
 Ministry Of I&B Honored For
Outstanding Accounting Performance
 Sunil Bharti Mittal Awarded Honorary
Knighthood
 AUKUS Partnership to Build Australia‘s
SSN-AUKUS Submarines
 Dr Neeraj Mittal was unanimously
elected as co-chair of the Digital
Innovation Board of International
Telecommunication Union (ITU).

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SPORTS
 Sharfuddoula Becomes Bangladesh‘s
First ICC Elite Umpire
 PR Sreejesh and Camila Caram
Appointed Co-Chairs of FIH Athletes
Committee
 Indian Paddler Sreeja Akula Shines at
WTT Feeder Beirut II 2024
 Haryana Crowned Champion at Boxing
Sub Junior National Championship
 Virat Kohli Becomes First Indian to
Score 12,000 T20 Runs
 Ferrari‘s Carlos Sainz clinched victory at
the Australian Grand Prix
 Sharath Kamal to be Indian Flagbearer
at Paris Olympics 2024
 Nayana James Shines at Indian Open
Jumps Competition
 Carlos Alcaraz Tops Daniil Medvedev To
Repeat As Indian Wells Champion
 Max Verstappen Triumphs at Saudi
Arabian Grand Prix
 Mumbai Wins Ranji Trophy 2024 After
Beating Vidarbha
 Khelo India Medal Winners Now Eligible
for Government Jobs
 Spain Wins First UEFA Women‘s Nations
League
 Former WC Bronze Winner Sai Praneeth
Announces Retirement from Badminton
 Juventus Midfielder (Football) Paul
Pogba Banned for 4 Years for Doping

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 “Saaransh”: Monthly Current Affairs
INTERNATIONAL
Yaoundé Declaration OPEC+
 It was signed by the health ministers of  OPEC+ members recently agreed to
11 African countries with the highest extend voluntary oil output cuts to boost
burden of malaria, committing to prices following economic uncertainty.
accelerated action to end deaths from  It is a group of oil-exporting
the malaria disease. countries which meets regularly to
 It was signed at the Yaoundé decide how much crude oil to sell on the
conference, co-hosted by the World world market.
Health Organization (WHO) and the  Origin: These nations came to an accord
Government of Cameroon. towards the end of 2016
 The 11 countries that signed the ―to institutionalize a framework for
declaration are: Burkina Faso, cooperation between OPEC and non-
Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of OPEC producing countries on a regular
the Congo, Ghana, Mali, Mozambique, and sustainable basis.‖
Niger, Nigeria, Sudan, Uganda and  These nations aim to work together on
Tanzania. These countries carry roughly adjusting crude oil production to bring
70% of the global malaria burden. stability to the oil market.
 OPEC+ controls about 40% of global
Global Resource Outlook
oil supplies and more than 80% of
 Global Resource Outlook 2024 was proven oil reserves.
launched on the final day of the Sixth  At the core of this group are
United Nations Environmental Assembly the members of OPEC (the Organization
(UNEA-6) at the UNEP headquarters in of the Oil Exporting Countries), which
Nairobi, Kenya. are mainly Middle Eastern and African
 It is the flagship report of countries.
the International Resource Panel of  Members: It comprises OPEC countries
United Nations Environment plus Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Brunei,
Programme. Kazakhstan, Russia, Mexico, Malaysia,
 This year‘s report sheds light on how South Sudan, Sudan, and Oman.
resources are essential to the effective
Grey Zone Warfare
implementation of the Agenda 2030 and
multilateral environmental agreements  The phrase 'grey zone warfare' crops up
to tackle the triple planetary crisis. in descriptions of Chinese actions
 It brings together the best available around an island that it claims as its
data, modelling and assessments from own.
180 countries, seven world regions and  Grey zone warfare generally means
four income groups, to analyse trends, a middle, unclear space that
impacts and distributional effects of exists between direct conflict and
resource use. peace in international relations.
 It can be broadly defined as the
exploitation of operational space between
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 “Saaransh”: Monthly Current Affairs
peace and war to change the status
quo through the use of coercive
actions which remain below a threshold
that, in most cases, would prompt a
conventional military response.
 Activities characterised as grey zone
warfare methods range from the use of
proxies for kinetic action or change of
territorial status quo through coercion to
World Gold Council (WGC)
non-kinetic subversive actions such as
cyberattacks, economic
coercion, disinformation
campaign, election meddling, and more
recently, weaponisation of migrants.
Global Methane Tracker 2024
 According to the International Energy
Agency‘s (IEA) Global Methane Tracker
2024, Methane emissions from fuel use
in 2023 were close to being the highest
ever.
 It is an annual report released by
the International Energy Agency (IEA).
 It is based on the most recently available
data on methane emissions from the
energy sector and incorporates new
scientific studies, measurement
campaigns, and information collected
from satellites.
 Methane emissions from fuel use in
2023 were close to being the highest
ever at 120 million tonnes (Mt). This
is a small rise compared to 2022.
 Bioenergy, a form of renewable energy
generated by plant and animal
waste, caused another 10 million tons of
emissions.
 Of the 120 Mt of methane that escaped
World Air Quality Report 2023
into the atmosphere, around 80 million
tons of methane emissions came from
just 10 countries, The United States
leads in methane emissions from oil and
gas operations, and is “closely
27
followed” by Russia. China, on the other
hand, leads in emissions from coal
operations.
 The world needs to slash methane
emissions from fossil fuels by 75
percent by 2030 to achieve the Paris
Agreement goal of limiting warming to
1.5°C.
 The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) bought
8.7 tonne of gold in January, making it
the largest purchase by the central bank
since July 2022, according to World Gold
Council data.
 It is the market development
organization for the gold industry.
 It was established to promote the
use of and demand for gold through
marketing, research, and lobbying. It is
also the global authority on gold, and
they offer comprehensive analyses of the
industry.
 Headquartered in London, with
operations in India, China, Singapore,
and the USA, the WGC covers the
markets which comprise about three-
quarters of the world's annual gold
consumption.
 It is an advocate for gold
consumption.
 It also co-sponsors
research in the development of new
uses for gold, or of new products
containing gold.
 WGC was the creator of the first gold
exchange-traded fund.
 Delhi was identified as the capital city
with the poorest air quality, according to
a new report by World Air Quality Report
2023.
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 “Saaransh”: Monthly Current Affairs
 It is published by the Swiss nomination to the World Monuments
organisation IQAir. Fund Watch 2025 programme.
 With an average air annual particulate
India-led „Group of Friends‟
matter 2.5 (PM2.5) concentration of 54.4
micrograms per cubic metre, India had  At the second meeting of the India-led
the third worst air quality. Group of Friends (GOF), India launched
 India was better than only two of its a new database designed to record
neighbouring countries, Bangladesh crimes against UN peacekeepers.
and Pakistan.  It will seek to facilitate the promotion
 While Bangladesh remained the most of accountability for all acts of violence
polluted country in the world, with an against United Nations (UN)
average PM2.5 concentration of 79.9 peacekeepers and seek facilitation of
micrograms per cubic metre, Pakistan capacity building and technical
was second, with a level of 73.7. assistance to the host state authorities.
 It also identified Delhi as the most It was launched in 2022.
polluted capital city in the world for the  It comprises of 40 member states.
fourth consecutive time. Bihar's India, Bangladesh, Egypt, France,
Begusarai was termed the world's Morocco and Nepal are co-chairs.
most polluted metropolitan area.  It will actively engage and share
 Ten out of the top 11 most polluted information with the UN Secretary-
cities in the world are from India, the General and assist the member states
other being Lahore in Pakistan. hosting or those who have hosted
 96 percent of the Indian population peacekeeping operations, in bringing to
experiences PM2.5 levels more than justice the perpetrators of such acts;
seven times the WHO annual PM2.5 serve as an informal platform at the UN
guideline. to exchange information, share best
practices and mobilize resources directed
Battle of Okinawa
at facilitating accountability for crimes
 The United States recently returned committed against peacekeepers; and
twenty-two historic artifacts to Japan monitor progress on bringing
that were taken following the Battle of accountability for crimes against
Okinawa during World War II. peacekeepers.
 The battle of Okinawa (April 1–June 21,
United Nations High Commissioner for
1945) was the last major battle of World
Refugees
War II. It was fought between U.S. and
Japanese forces at Okinawa.  As per the United Nations High
 Code named Operation Iceberg, the Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR),
invasion of Okinawa and other islands in over 4,500 Rohingya refugees set off
the Ryukyus began on April 1, 1945. across the Bay of Bengal and the
Andaman Sea in 2023.
World Monuments Fund
 It protects refugees worldwide and
 The Eri (tank) network in the Kazhuveli facilitates their return home or
watershed region is to be proposed for resettlement.

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 “Saaransh”: Monthly Current Affairs
 Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
 It was established by the General
Assembly of the United Nations in 1950
in the aftermath of the Second World
War to help the millions of people who
had lost their homes.
 It was awarded Nobel Peace Prizes in
1954 and 1981.
CoViNet
 Recently, World Health Organisation
(WHO) has launched a new network for
Asbestos
coronaviruses, CoViNet.
 It is a network of global laboratories with
expertise in human, animal and
environmental coronavirus surveillance.
It will identify and monitor potentially
novel coronaviruses that could emerge
shortly.
Afanasy Nikitin Seamount
 India recently applied to the
International Seabed Authority (ISBA) for
rights to explore two vast tracts in the
Indian Ocean seabed, including a cobalt-
rich crust long known as the Afanasy
Nikitin Seamount (AN Seamount).
 The AN Seamount is a structural feature
in the Central Indian Basin, located
Properties:
about 3,000 km away from India‘s coast.
 It comprises a main plateau, rising 1200
m above the surrounding ocean
floor (4800m). It is rich in deposits
of cobalt, nickel, manganese, and
copper.
World Happiness Report 2024
 Finland has once again claimed the title
of the world's happiest country for the
European Union‟s Artificial Intelligence Act
seventh consecutive year, according to
the annual UN-sponsored World
Happiness Report.
29
 India is ranked 126th on the list, the
same as last year, in the happiness
index.
 Out of the 143 countries
surveyed, Afghanistan remained at the
bottom of the list.
 For the first time in over a decade, the
United States and Germany have slipped
out of the top 20 happiest nations,
landing at 23rd and 24th place,
respectively.
 Recently, the United States announced
a comprehensive ban on all forms of
the deadly carcinogen asbestos
 Asbestos is a generic term for a group of
six silicate minerals with similar but
distinct properties. These are generally
divided into two sub-groups; serpentine
and amphiboles. Serpentine asbestos
(chrysotile or white asbestos) was the
most commonly used type of asbestos.
 It was once widely used in construction
materials, insulation and consumer
goods. India's asbestos requirement is
met through imports from Russia,
Kazakhstan, Brazil and China.
 These are resistant to heat and
corrosion.
 It is non-flammable even at very high
temperatures.
 It is extremely flexible and durable.
 It has good tensile strength.
 It has low heat conductivity and high
resistance to electricity.
 Lawmakers in the European Parliament
recently voted overwhelmingly in favour
of the Artificial Intelligence Act.
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 “Saaransh”: Monthly Current Affairs
 It is the world‟s first comprehensive
Artificial Intelligence law. It lays down
rules and guidelines for specific risks
associated with the use of AI in areas
like biometric authentication, facial
India‟s Trade Performance in 2023
recognition, high-risk domains such as
healthcare, and deep fakes.
 Taking a horizontal, risk-based
approach that will apply across sectors
of AI development, the EU AI Act
classifies the technology into four
categories: Prohibited, high-risk,
limited-risk, and minimal-risk.
World Poverty Clock
One Liners
 According to the latest data from the
World Poverty Clock, India has
successfully reduced the proportion of its
population living in „extreme poverty‟
to below 3%.
 It signifies a substantial step towards
accomplishing the first of the 17
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
set by the United Nations, with the target
year of 2030.
 Trade in goods experienced a 5% decline
compared to 2022, while the services
sector witnessed an 8% year-on-year
growth
 Merchandise exports in India grew by
5% in the last quarter of 2023 compared
to the same period in the previous year.
 However, annual export growth
witnessed a 6% contraction.
 Services exports remained stagnant in
the last quarter of 2023 but saw a
notable 14% growth on an annual basis.
 Florida Imposes Restrictions on Social
Media for Minors
 Thailand‟s Historic Move: Legalizing
Same-Sex Marriage
 Saudi Arabia Sends First Contestant to
Miss Universe Pageant- Rumi Alqahtani
 Bassirou Diomaye Faye Wins Senegal‘s
Presidential Election
 New Zealand Bans Disposable E-
Cigarettes and Vapes
 Vaughan Gething Becomes First Black
Leader of a European Country
 President Abbas Named Mohammad
Mustafa As New Palestinian PM

 India And Dominican Republic Sign

Protocol To Establish Joint Economic
And Trade Committee
 Asif Ali Zardari Sworn in as Pakistan‘s
14th President
Global Trade Overview 2023 and 2024  Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora: Pakistan‘s
Outlook First Sikh Minister in Punjab
 Released by: UNCTAD  Panama Officially Joins International
 Global trade contracted by 3%, Solar Alliance
amounting to a $1 trillion decrease from  Hungary Parliament Elects New
the record high of $32 trillion in 2022. President: Tamas Sulyok
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 “Saaransh”: Monthly Current Affairs
 PM Modi & PM Jugnauth inaugurate
airstrip, jetty in Agalega Island

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 “Saaransh”: Monthly Current Affairs
MISCELLANEOUS
Days and Theme
 Rare Disease Day- Last day of Feb
Theme: ―Share Your Colours,‖
 World Consumer Rights Day – 15
March
Theme: ‗Fair and responsible AI for
consumers.‘
 World Forestry Day- 21 March
Theme: ―Forests and Innovation: New
Solutions for a Better World.‖
 World Water Day- 22 March
Theme: ‗Water for Peace‘
International Day of Mathematics
 International Day of Mathematics, or Pi
Day, is celebrated on March 14 every
year to recognize the mathematical
constant, Pi.
 The theme of International Day of
Mathematics 2024 is 'Playing with
Math'.
Sela Tunnel
 It is the longest bi-lane road tunnel in
the world, at an altitude above 13,000
feet. It is located in
the West Kameng district of Arunachal
Pradesh.
 It will connect Tezpur, in Assam, with
Tawang, in Arunachal Pradesh. It is built
by the Border Roads Organisation
(BRO) under Project Vartak, and the
tunnel's construction commenced on
April 1, 2019.
Orans
 Communities, particularly those in
western Rajasthan, are concerned about
32
the State‘s proposal to classify orans
(sacred groves) as deemed forests.
 Orans are traditional sacred
groves found in Rajasthan. These are
community forests, preserved and
managed by rural communities through
institutions and codes that mark such
forests as sacred.
 There are often local deities
associated with Oran. They are rich in
biodiversity and usually include a water
body.
International Centre of Excellence for Dams
 The Ministry of Jal Shakti (MoJS) signed
a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with
the Indian Institute of Science (IISc)
Bangalore for the establishment of an
International Centre of Excellence for
Dams (ICED).
Women, Business and Law Index
 India's ranked improved to 113 out of
190 countries in the World Bank‘s
Women, Business and Law index.
 It is the 10th edition of the report.
 Globally, none of the countries has a
full score in the new index, indicating
that women did not enjoy equal rights in
any of the countries.
 India's ranking improved to 113 out of
190 countries.
 Indian women enjoyed 60% of the legal
rights given to men as per the new
report, lower than the global average of
64.2%.
Vikramaditya Vedic Clock
 The Prime Minister recently inaugurated
the Vikramaditya Vedic Clock, which is
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 “Saaransh”: Monthly Current Affairs
mounted on an 85-foot tower within Monuments of National Importance (MNI)
Jantar Mantar in Ujjain.
 The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)
 It is the world‘s first 'Vedic Clock',
recently decided to delist 18 protected
designed to display time according to the
monuments as they have ceased to be
ancient Indian traditional Panchang
of "national importance".
(time calculation system).
 The Ancient Monuments and
 It has been positioned on an 85-foot
Archaeological Sites and Remains Act
tower within Jantar Mantar in Ujjain,
(AMASR Act), 1958 (amended in
Madhya Pradesh.
2010), provides for the declaration and
 It also provides information on planetary
conservation of ancient and historical
positions, Muhurat, astrological
monuments and archaeological sites,
calculations, and predictions.
and remains of national importance.
 In addition to this, it also
 Uttar Pradesh (745 monuments/sites)
indicates Indian Standard Time (IST)
have the highest number.
and Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).
One Liners
Pandavula Gutta
 PM Modi Inaugurates State-of-the-Art
 Recently, Pandavula Gutta has been
Medical Facility in Thimphu
officially recognised as the sole Geo-
 India‘s First Battery Storage Gigafactory
heritage site in Telangana.
to Start Operations in J&K
Konda Reddi Tribe  Election Commission launches ‗Mission
414‘ campaign in Himachal Pradesh to
 The indigenous knowledge of the Konda
boost voter turnout
Reddi tribe, a Particularly Vulnerable
 India‘s First Ayurvedic Cafe Opens in
Tribal Group inhabiting the Papikonda
Delhi
hill range in the Godavari region, has
 Election Commission Launches ‗Know
proven resourceful.
Your Candidate‘ App
 Konda Reddis is a Particularly
 GOI Announces Implementation of
Vulnerable Tribal Group inhabiting
Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) on 11
the banks of the river Godavari and also
march 2024.
in the hilly forest tracts of Godavari and
 North India‘s First Government
Khammam districts of Andhra Pradesh.
Homeopathic College to be Established
 Their mother tongue is Telugu, with a
in Kathua, J&K
unique accent.
 Piyush Goyal launches ‗e-Kisan Upaj
Mohiniyattam Nidhi‘ to ease farmers‘ warehousing
logistics
 In a historic move, the Kerala  South Eastern Coalfield Limited‘s Gevra
Kalamandalam, a deemed university for Mine Set to Become The Largest Coal
arts and culture, has lifted gender Mine in Asia
restrictions to learn Mohiniyattam.  Government Raises Minimum Age for
 It is an Indian classical dance form that Postal Voting to 85 Years
evolved in the state of Kerala.

33

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 “Saaransh”: Monthly Current Affairs
 V-Dem Institute‘s Democracy Report
2024: India‟s Decline into Electoral
Autocracy
 India Tops Global Arms Imports, SIPRI
Report
 World‘s First Om-Shaped Temple
Inaugurated in Rajasthan
 US Surgeons Perform First Pig-to-
Human Kidney Transplant
 Kashmir Hosts First Formula-4 Car
Racing Event Along Dal Lake
 Maharashtra To Establish First-Of-Its-
Kind Tourist Facility In Jammu And
Kashmir
 J&K Police Launches ―Operation
Kamdhenu‖ to Combat Cattle Smuggling

34

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