Current Affairs Quiz — 17 December 2024
Daily news by your exam, state and topic — each with a short summary, key facts and MCQs.
What was the total value of the 24 projects inaugurated and launched by the Prime Minister in Jaipur on 17 December 2024?
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Correct answer: D — Over ₹46,300 crore
PIB (PMO): the PM inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for 24 projects worth over ₹46,300 crore in Rajasthan.
Which barrage in Rajasthan was among the projects inaugurated by the Prime Minister on 17 December 2024?
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Correct answer: B — Navnera Barrage
PIB (PMO): the projects inaugurated included the Navnera Barrage; the PM also laid the foundation for transferring water from Navnera Barrage to Bisalpur and Isarda dams.
At which place in Bikaner district did the PM lay the foundation for a 2,000 MW solar park and two phases of 1,000 MW solar parks on 17 December 2024?
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Correct answer: C — Poogal
PIB (PMO): the PM laid the foundation stone for one 2,000 MW solar park and two phases of 1,000 MW solar parks in Poogal (Bikaner).
Along with the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024, which other Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on 17 December 2024 for simultaneous elections?
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Correct answer: B — Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024
PIB (Parliamentary Affairs): the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024 and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024 were introduced in the Lok Sabha on 17 December 2024.
Who headed the High-Level Committee on Simultaneous Elections whose recommendations were accepted by the Union Cabinet on 18 September 2024?
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Correct answer: D — Ram Nath Kovind
PIB (Law and Justice): the High-Level Committee on Simultaneous Elections was headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind; its recommendations were accepted by the Union Cabinet on 18 September 2024.
Under the High-Level Committee's phased approach to simultaneous elections, elections to municipalities and panchayats are to be synchronised with Lok Sabha and State Assembly elections within how many days?
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Correct answer: A — 100 days
PIB (Law and Justice): Phase 1 synchronises Lok Sabha and State Assembly elections; Phase 2 synchronises elections for municipalities and panchayats with them within 100 days.
What is Kisan Kavach, launched by the Ministry of Science and Technology in December 2024?
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Correct answer: A — An anti-pesticide bodysuit for farmers
PIB (Science & Technology): Kisan Kavach is Bharat's first-of-its-kind anti-pesticide bodysuit, designed to protect farmers from the harmful effects of pesticide exposure.
Kisan Kavach was developed by BRIC-inStem, Bengaluru in collaboration with which company?
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Correct answer: C — Sepio Health Pvt Ltd
PIB (Science & Technology): Kisan Kavach was developed by BRIC-inStem, Bangalore, in collaboration with Sepio Health Pvt Ltd.
Consider the following statements about Kisan Kavach: 1. It is priced at ₹4,000. 2. It is washable and reusable and can last up to a year. 3. Its fabric deactivates pesticides on contact. Which of the statements given above are correct?
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Correct answer: D — 1, 2 and 3
PIB (Science & Technology): the washable and reusable suit is priced at ₹4,000, can last up to a year, and uses fabric technology that deactivates harmful pesticides upon contact. All three statements are correct.
AIIMS New Delhi signed an umbrella MoU for collaborative healthcare research with which organisation on 17 December 2024?
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Correct answer: D — CSIR
PIB (Science & Technology): CSIR and AIIMS New Delhi signed an MoU on 17 December 2024 for collaborative research in the healthcare domain.
Under the CSIR-AIIMS umbrella MoU of December 2024, which CSIR laboratory signed a separate MoU with AIIMS New Delhi?
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Correct answer: B — CSIR-CCMB, Hyderabad
PIB (Science & Technology): under the umbrella MoU, another MoU was signed between CSIR-CCMB, Hyderabad and AIIMS New Delhi for focused research projects and use of CSIR-CCMB facilities.
Which launch vehicle of Agnikul Cosmos is being supported by the Technology Development Board, as announced in December 2024?
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Correct answer: B — Agnibaan
PIB (Science & Technology): TDB is supporting Agnikul Cosmos to develop and commercialise 'Agnibaan', a customisable two-stage launch vehicle.
Agnibaan, supported by TDB, can deliver payloads of up to how much to orbits at 700 km altitude?
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Correct answer: C — 300 kg
PIB (Science & Technology): Agnibaan is a two-stage launch vehicle capable of delivering payloads of up to 300 kg to orbits at 700 km altitude.
Agnikul's Agnibaan SOrTeD mission is described by the Ministry of Science & Technology as the world's first flight using:
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Correct answer: A — A single-piece 3D-printed rocket engine
PIB (Science & Technology): the maiden launch of Agnibaan SOrTeD was the world's first flight using a single-piece 3D-printed rocket engine.
The Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft being built at Cochin Shipyard, including Magdala, are known as which class?
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Correct answer: C — Mahe class
PIB (Defence): the eight ASW SWC ships being built by Cochin Shipyard are known as the 'Mahe' class.
On what date did the Ministry of Defence award Cochin Shipyard the contract for eight ASW Shallow Water Craft?
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Correct answer: A — 30 April 2019
PIB (Defence): the contract for building eight ASW SWC ships was awarded to Cochin Shipyard Limited by the Ministry of Defence on 30 April 2019.
Besides coastal anti-submarine operations, the Mahe-class ASW Shallow Water Craft are envisaged for which of the following?
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Correct answer: B — Low Intensity Maritime Operations and mine laying
PIB (Defence): the ships are envisaged to undertake anti-submarine operations in coastal waters as well as Low Intensity Maritime Operations (LIMO) and mine laying operations.
Who was the CBIC Chairperson who launched four citizen-centric initiatives on 17 December 2024?
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Correct answer: C — Sanjay Kumar Agarwal
PIB (Finance): Sanjay Kumar Agarwal, Chairperson, CBIC, launched the initiatives in the presence of all Board members.
Which of the following was NOT among the four initiatives launched by CBIC on 17 December 2024?
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Correct answer: A — Faceless customs assessment
PIB (Finance): the four initiatives were the revised Citizen's Charter, the revamped Citizen's Corner, the 'Ease of Doing Business' tab and CBIC Archives. Faceless customs assessment was not among them.
Under which scheme of the Department of Telecommunications did C-DOT sign the agreement with Silizium Circuits for LEO satellite components in December 2024?
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Correct answer: A — Telecom Technology Development Fund
PIB (Communications): the agreement was signed under the Telecom Technology Development Fund (TTDF) scheme of the Department of Telecommunications.
Silizium Circuits, which signed an agreement with C-DOT in December 2024, is a startup under the fabless chip design incubator of which institute?
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Correct answer: D — IIT Hyderabad
PIB (Communications): Silizium Circuits Pvt Ltd is a fabless semiconductor IP and SoC startup under FABCI (Fabless Chip Design Incubator), IIT Hyderabad.
The Dr Ranbir Singh Tinkerers' Lab, opened in December 2024, is located at which institute?
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Correct answer: D — IIT Ropar
PIB (Science & Technology): IIT Ropar opened its new Dr Ranbir Singh Tinkerers' Lab, a maker space accessible to all students round the clock.
Which foundation funded IIT Ropar's Dr Ranbir Singh Tinkerers' Lab?
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Correct answer: B — Maker Bhavan Foundation
PIB (Science & Technology): the lab was made possible by funding from the Maker Bhavan Foundation through a donation from philanthropist Dr Ranbir Singh.
Which body took up the development of a National Wildlife Health Policy through a stakeholder consultation in December 2024?
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Correct answer: C — Central Zoo Authority
PIB (MoEFCC): the Central Zoo Authority, under the aegis of MoEFCC, took up the development of the National Wildlife Health Policy at a consultative workshop on 17 December 2024.
Consider the following statements about the proposed National Wildlife Health Policy: 1. It covers the health of both captive and free-ranging wildlife. 2. It aims to integrate wildlife health with public health and domestic animal health management. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: D — Both 1 and 2
PIB (MoEFCC): the proposed policy aims at a comprehensive framework for safeguarding wildlife integrated with public health and domestic animal health management, and recognises the health of captive and free-ranging wildlife. Both statements are correct.