Chennai TN, India
November 21, 2024, 7:03 pm
Jobs @NDI
Mail Us info@nationaldefenceinstitute.in
national-defence-institute
Call Us +91 91509 81462
Menu

16 Jan 2024 Daily Current Affairs for UPSC CDS, CAPF, NDA & SSB

uploads/authour/1669557586.png

Written by NDI EDITOR

Jan 16 2024

Follow @

16 Jan 2024 Daily Current Affairs for UPSC CDS, CAPF, NDA & SSB
1. Indian Army Day
The President and Prime Minister recently conveyed their warm wishes to Indian Army personnel on the occasion of Army Day.

About Indian Army Day:

  • Indian Army Day is celebrated every year on January 15.
  • On the special occasion of Army Day, the officials will perform a parade in the presence of higher dignitaries, and its salute is taken by the Indian Army Chief.
  • History:
    • On January 15, 1949, Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa became the first Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army, and took over authority from the British Commander-in-Chief General Francis Butcher, and became the first Indian to command the Army in its long, rich history.
  • From 1949 until 2022, the Army Day parade was organised at the Cariappa Parade Ground in the Delhi Cantonment. 
  • In 2023, the Southern Command was responsible for the parade in Bengaluru. It was the first time the Army Day parade was held outside the country’s capital.
  • Indian Army Day 2024:
    • This year marks the 76th Army Day.
    • This year, the parade will be held under the command of Army's Central Command, which is headquartered in Lucknow.
    • The theme of Indian Army Day 2024 is “In Service of the Nation”. 
    • This year’s theme also resembles the motto of the Indian Army, “Service Before Self.” 

Who was Field Marshal KM Cariappa?

  • He was the First Indian Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army and led the Indian forces on the Western Front during the Indo-Pakistan War of 1947.
  • He is one of the two Indian Army officers to hold the highest rank of Field Marshal(the other being Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw). 
  • He was appointed as the first Commander-in-Chief of an independent Indian Army on 15 January 1949 which is celebrated as Indian Army Day.
  • He took over the command of the Indian Army from General Sir FRR Bucher, the last British Commander-in-Chief.
  • In 1947, Cariappa was the first Indian who was selected to undergo a training course at Imperial Defence College, Camberley, UK on the higher directions of war.
  • He was awarded the ‘Order of the Chief Commander of the Legion of Merit’ by American President, Harry S. Truman. 
  • The Government of India conferred the rank of Field Marshal on Cariappa in 1983.
2. Astra Missile
The Minister of State for Defence recently flagged off the indigenously developed Astra Missiles for supply to the Indian Air Force (IAF) at Bharat Dynamics in Hyderabad.

About Astra Missile:

  • Astra is a beyond-visual-range (BVR) air-to-air missile designed to be mounted on fighter aircraft. 
  • It is indigenously developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and manufactured by Bharat Dynamics Ltd. (BDL) for the Indian Air Force (IAF).
  • The missile is designed to engage and destroy highly manoeuvring supersonic aircraft.
  • It is the best in its class of weapon systems in the world in the category of air-to-air missiles.
  • The missile is being developed in multiple variants to meet specific requirements.
  • The ASTRA Mk-I Weapon System, integrated with SU-30 Mk-I aircraft, is being inducted into the Indian Air Force (IAF).
3. What is the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC)?
The Supreme Court recently questioned the Centre on why reports of the court-appointed Technical Experts Committee (TEC) on the biosafety of genetically modified (GM) crops were not looked into by the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC).

About Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC):

  • It is the statutory committee constituted under the “Rules for the Manufacture, Use/Import/Export and Storage of Hazardous Microorganisms/Genetically Engineered Organisms or Cells (Rules, 1989)” framed under Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
  • It functions under the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEF & CC). 
  • Functions:
    • It is responsible for the approval of activities involving large-scale use of hazardous living microorganisms and recombinants in research and industrial production from an environmental perspective.
    • The committee is also responsible for the appraisal of proposals relating to the release of genetically engineered (GE) organisms and products into the environment, including experimental field trials.
    • Clearance of GEAC is mandatory for the environmental release of GM crops.
  • The committee or any person authorised by it has the power to take punitive action under the Environment Protection Act.
  • Composition:
    • GEAC is chaired by the Special Secretary/Additional Secretary of MoEF&CC and co-chaired by a representative from the Department of Biotechnology (DBT).
    • Presently, it has 24 members and meets every month to review the applications in the areas indicated above.
    • The members comprise experts from other ministries as well as institutions such as the ICAR, ICMR, CCMB, and so on.
4. What is a Punganur Cow?
The Prime Minister was recently seen feeding several Punganur cows with fodder with his own hands at his residence in New Delhi.

About Punganur Cow:

Mahanadi River Basin
The state-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) recently discovered two significant natural gas reserves in the Mahanadi basin block in the Bay of Bengal.

About Mahanadi River Basin:

  • It is the 8th largest river basin in the country, with a total catchment area of 139681.51 sq. km, which is nearly 4.28% of the total geographical area of the country.
  • The catchment area of the basin extends over major parts of Chhattisgarh and Odisha and comparatively smaller portions of Jharkhand, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh.
  • The basin has a maximum length and width of 587 km and 400 km, respectively. 
  • It is bounded by the Central India hills on the north, by the Eastern Ghats on the south and east, and by the Maikala range on the west. 
  • Physiographically, the basin can be divided into four regions, namely, the northern plateau, the Eastern Ghats, the coastal plain, and the erosional plains of central table land. 
    • The first two are hilly regions. 
    • The coastal plain is the delta area, which is highly fertile.
    • The central tableland is the central interior region of the basin, traversed by the river and its tributaries.
  • The basin receives about 90% of its rainfall during the monsoon season.
  • The major part of the basin is covered with agricultural land, accounting for 54.27% of the total area, and 4.45% of the basin is covered by water bodies. 
  • The main soil types found in the basin are red and yellow soils. 

Key Facts about Mahanadi River:

  • It is one of the major east-flowing peninsular rivers in India.
  • Origin: The river originates from the Sihawa range of hills in the Dhamtari district of Chhattisgarh state.
  • It ranks second to the Godavari River among the peninsular rivers in respect of water potential.
  • The total length of the river from origin to its outfall into Bay of Bengal is 851 km of which 357 km lies in Chhattisgarh and 494 km in Odisha.
  • Tributaries: The Seonath, the Hasdeo, the Mand, and the Ib join Mahanadi from left, whereas the Ong, the Tel, and the Jonk join it from right. 
  • Hirakud Dam: The Hirakud Dam, the world's longest earthen dam (26km), is constructed across the Mahanadi River, about 15 km from Sambalpur in Odisha.
  • Chilika Lake: Chilika, named wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention, gets 61% of its inland flow from the Mahanadi River system, mainly from its distributaries, Daya and Bhargabi
5. New Coral Snake Species
Researchers from Mizoram University’s zoology department have discovered a new species of coral snake in Mizoram.

About New coral snake species:

  • It has been named Sinomicrurus gorei after British Indian doctor Gore.
  • The reptile is locally known as 'Rulṭhihna' due to its striking resemblance to a Mizo traditional amber necklace called 'Ṭhihna'.
  • There are a total of nine species of Sinomicrurus coral snakes that have been discovered worldwide, and out of these, only one species called Sinomicrurus macclellandi is found in Northeast India.
  • It has unique patterns and different scales, hemipenis, DNA, and skull.
  • Until this research, Sinomicrurus gorei was considered the same species as Sinomicrurus macclellandi due to their close resemblance.
  • The new study also revealed that while Sinomicrurus macclellandi can lay 6-14 eggs at a time, Sinomicrurus gorei lays up to three eggs.
  • In Mizoram, Sinomicrurus macclellandi is primarily found in hilly or elevated areas, while Sinomicrurus gorei is found in both low-lying and hilly areas.
6. Kalaram temple
Recently, the Prime Minister of India visited the Kalaram Mandir on the banks of the Godavari in the Panchavati area of Nashik, Maharashtra.

About Kalaram temple:

  • The Kalaram temple derives its name from a black statue of the Lord — Kala Ram translates literally to “Black Ram”.
  • It was built in 1792 with the efforts of Sardar Rangarao Odhekar.
  • It is located on the banks of Godavari in the Panchavati area of the city.
  • Features
    • The sanctum sanctorum has statues of Ram, Sita, and Lakshman, and a black idol of Hanuman at the main entrance.
    • The main temple has 14 steps, which represent the 14 years of Ram’s exile. It has 84 pillars, which represents the cycle of 84 lakh species that one has to complete in order to be born as a human.

Historical Significance

  • This temple is the site of a landmark agitation led by Babasaheb Ambedkar demanding temple entry rights for Dalits more than 90 years ago.
  • In 1930, B R Ambedkar and the Marathi teacher and social activist Pandurang Sadashiv Sane, known as Sane Guruji, led an agitation to demand access for Dalits to Hindu temples.
  • This movement aimed to challenge the oppressive caste norms prevalent during the time.
  • During the satyagraha, Ambedkar, along with his 15,000 Dalit followers, peacefully picketed the temple.
7. Kachchhi Kharek
Kachchhi Kharek, the indigenous variety of dates of Kutch, has become the second fruit of Gujarat to get a geographical indication (GI) tag from the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks (CGPDT) of India.

About Kachchhi Kharek:

  • The presence of dates in Kachchh (Kutch) is believed to be around 400-500 years old.
  • It is believed that date palm groves along the north-western border of India have developed from the seeds thrown by the settlers, who used to visit Middle-East countries for Haj.
  • It is also probable that the Arab gardeners working in the palaces of the former rulers of Kachchh might also have contributed to the import of the date seeds and offshoots from Arab countries.
  • Features
    • Dates grown in Kutch are harvested at the khalal stage, the stage when fruits have matured, accumulated sucrose, and have turned red or yellow but are still crisp.
    • The Kutch date season typically commences on June 15 each year, and the trees are known for their tolerance to salinity and adaptability to extreme drought and heat conditions.
    • In other countries, they are allowed to ripen further till they become soft and dark brown or black in colour.
    • Kachchh is the only place around the globe where fresh dates are economically cultivated, marketed, and consumed.
    • There are around two million date palms in Kutch today and around 1.7 million of them are seedling-origin palms of deshi (indigenous) varieties.
    • They are seedling propagated palms, each of them is a unique palm in itself, representing a vast range of diversity in characteristics.
    • The area accounts for more than 85 % of total date palm cultivation in India.
    • These dates in Kutch have to be harvested at khalal stage as they can’t withstand moist weather.
8. Makar Sankranti
Cultural celebrations are held across many states of India under different names – Makar Sankranti, Pongal, Magh Bihu, etc. on January 14.

About the Makar Sankranti:

  • It marks the Sun changing directions and shifting its trajectory towards the north, therefore, entering the Makara or Capricorn zodiac sign.
  • The day is a marker for a change of season – warmer months are close and we are moving away from winter, which is seen as a period of inactivity in many ways.
  • It is said that the northward journey of the sun (Uttarayan) begins on this day.
  • Unlike most festivals that follow the lunar cycle, Makar Sankranti follows the solar cycle and thus, is celebrated almost on the same day every year.
  • Astronomically, the Earth revolves around the Sun in an elliptical orbit that requires about 365 1/4 days to complete, as it continues to rotate on its own axis.
  • The earth’s spin axis is tilted with respect to its orbital plane. This, along with its distance from the Sun, determines the change in seasons for life on Earth.
  • For the Northern Hemisphere, the axis points most toward the sun in June (specifically around June 21), and away from the sun around December 21.
  • This corresponds to the Winter and Summer Solstice (solstice is Latin for “the sun stands”). For the Southern Hemisphere, this is reversed.”
  • It is also called as –
    • Paush Parbon in Bengal
    • Pongal in Tamil Nadu,
    • Uttarayan in Gujarat,
    • Bhogali Bihu in Assam,
    • Lohri in Punjab and Jammu,
    • Makar Sankramana in Karnataka,
    • Saen-kraat in Kashmir.
    • Khichdi Parwa in parts of Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh.
9. Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar
The nominations for Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar 2024 awards are invited on Award Portal of Ministry of Home Affairs from 14th January 2024 to 28th February 2024.

About Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar:

  • The Government of India has announced the “Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar” in the field of Science, Technology and Innovation.
  • The National Award recognizes outstanding and inspiring scientific, technological and innovation contributions of researchers, technologists and innovators.
  • The awards shall be given in following four categories:
    • Vigyan Ratna (VR): Maximum of three awards to be bestowed to recognize lifetime achievements & contributions made in a given field of Science and Technology.
    • Vigyan Shri (VS): Maximum of 25 awards to be given to recognize the distinguished contributions in the given field of Science and Technology.
    • Vigyan Yuva: Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar (VY-SSB) award: Maximum of 25 awards to be given to recognize and encourage young scientists who made an exceptional contribution in the given field of Science and Technology.
    • Vigyan Team (VT) award: Maximum of three awards may be awarded to a team comprising three or more scientists/researchers/innovators who have made an exceptional contribution working in a team in a given field of Science and Technology.
  • It shall be given in the following 13 domains, namely: Physics, Chemistry, Biological Sciences, Mathematics & Computer Science, Earth Science, Medicine, Engineering Sciences, Agricultural Science, Environmental Science, Technology & Innovation, Atomic Energy, Space Science and Technology, and Others.
  • The awards this year are being coordinated by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) under the Ministry of Science and Technology.
  • The awards shall be announced on National Technology Day (11th May).
  • The Award Ceremony for all categories of awards will be held on National Space Day (23rd August).
About Authour
uploads/authour/1669557586.png

Written by NDI EDITOR

National Defence Institute's Editor

Follow @

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE

15 Jan 2024 Daily Current Affairs for UPSC CDS, CAPF, NDA & SSB
Jan 15 2024

15 Jan 2024 Daily Current Affairs for UPSC CDS, CAPF, NDA & SSB

Read More
17 Jan 2024 Daily Current Affairs for UPSC CDS, CAPF, NDA & SSB
Jan 17 2024

17 Jan 2024 Daily Current Affairs for UPSC CDS, CAPF, NDA & SSB

Read More

Address

Guindy, Chennai
Tamil Nadu, India

Phone Number

+91 91509 81462

Email Address

info@nationaldefenceinstitute.in