This is the current affairs of 29 to 31 March 2024. Here are questions and answers of daily current affairs for better preparation of competitive exams for government jobs.
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1. According to the rules of the Election Commission of India, what is the maximum amount each candidate can spend in the Lok Sabha elections?
a. 95 lakh in big states and 75 lakh in UT and small states
b. 99 lakh in big states and 85 lakh in UT and small states
c. One crore in big states and 95 lakhs in UT and small states
d. 1.5 crore in big states and 99 lakh in UT and small states
Answer: a. 95 lakh in big states and 75 lakh in UT and small states
Maximum expenditure limit in Lok Sabha elections
– In big states: Rs 95 lakh
– In UT and small states: Rs 75 lakh
Candidates can spend how much in elections?
– The first election in independent India (1951-52) had a spending limit of 25 thousand rupees for each candidate.
– After that, the spending limit has consistently increased.
– The last time in 2019, the spending limit was increased, with the maximum spending limit being 70 lakh rupees. However, it was increased to 95 lakh in large states and 75 lakh in UTs and smaller states.
– The spending limit for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections remains the same.
– The calculation of expenses is done from the nomination of each candidate until the completion of the election process. From time to time, this report has to be presented to the election officer.
What will happen if there is excessive spending?
– Election Commission officials have stated that if any candidate wins the election by spending more than the prescribed amount in the upcoming elections, the Commission can cancel the election.
– After this, elections may be held again.
Monitoring teams are deployed at the district level.
What is included in the expenses?
– This includes expenses ranging from tea and snacks to meetings, processions, rallies, advertisements, posters-banners, vehicles, and other election-related activities.
Do political parties also have spending limits?
– The spending limit for candidates in Lok Sabha elections has been consistently increasing. However, there is no limit on how much political parties can spend.
Parties are also spending heavily on their candidates:
– In 2019, during the elections, a total of 2,994 crore rupees were officially spent by national and state parties, out of which 529 crore rupees were given to candidates as lump sum amounts.
When are the Lok Sabha elections?
– The elections for the 18th Lok Sabha will be held in seven phases across the country from April 19, 2024, to June 1, 2024.
– Vote counting will take place on June 4, 2024.
Election Commission of India
– Establishment: January 25, 1950
– Chief Election Commissioner: Rajiv Kumar
– Election Commissioners: Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Gyanesh Kumar
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2. According to the rules of the Election Commission of India, what is the maximum amount each candidate can spend in the assembly elections?
a. 55 lakh in big states and 45 lakh in UT and small states
b. 40 lakh in big states and 28 lakh in UT and small states
c. 35 lakh in big states and 25 lakh in UT and small states
d. 30 lakh in big states and 20 lakh in UT and small states
Answer: b. 40 lakh in big states and 28 lakh in UT and small states
Expenditure limit of candidates in assembly elections
– In big states: Rs 40 lakh
– In UT and small states: Rs 28 lakh
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3. How many years old Kannada inscription of Kalyana Chalukya dynasty discovered near Chowdamma temple in Telangana?
a. 1000 years
b. 900 years
c. 800 years
d. 700 years
Answer: b. 900 years
Where is the Chowdamma Temple located?
– This temple is located in the village of Gangapuram in the Jadcherla Mandal of Mahabubnagar in Telangana.
– Archaeologist E. Shiv Nagi Reddy visited the area around the Chowdamma Temple, located in the outskirts of Gangapuram, in March 2024.
– A stone inscription was found on a tank dam near the temple.
By whom were the inscriptions issued?
– According to The Hindu News Paper, the inscriptions were issued by the revenue officials of Kalyani Chalukya Emperor ‘Bhulokamalla’ Someshvara III’s son, Tailapa III, for boundary tax rights in 1134 CE.
About the Kalyani Chalukyas:
– They were primarily a Kannadiga dynasty.
They were known by the name of their capital, Kalyani.
– It is located in the modern-day Bidar district of Karnataka.
– During a long reign of 300 years in the western Deccan and the southern part of the Indian subcontinent, the expansion of the Kalyani Chalukyas occurred during the rule of Vikramaditya VI (1076-1126 CE) of Kalyani.
Telangana:
– Capital – Hyderabad
– Chief Minister – Revanth Reddy
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4. According to the ‘India Employment Report-2024’ released by the International Labor Organization (ILO) and the Institute of Human Development (IHD), what is the percentage of unemployed youth in the country?
a. 30%
b. 43.5%
c. 77.2%
d. 82.9%
Answer: d. 82.9% (Approximately 83%)
What does this mean?
– This means that if there are 100 unemployed people in the country, then out of them, 83 are youth who are unemployed.
– The situation of unemployment in India is very serious.
About the report:
– Report Name: India Employment Report-2024
– Released on: March 26, 2024
– Released by: International Labour Organization (ILO) and Institute for Human Development (IHD)
The index is based on several labor market outcome indicators:
(i) Percentage of workers engaged in regular formal employment
(ii) Percentage of casual laborers
(iii) Percentage of workers engaged in self-employment below the poverty line
(iv) Rate of labor force participation
(v) Average monthly earnings of casual laborers
(vi) Unemployment rate among educated youth
(vii) Youth not in employment, education, or training.
More educated youth are unemployed:
– According to the report, the participation of educated youth in the unemployed population has increased.
– It increased from 54.2 percent in the year 2000 to 65.7 percent in 2022.
– Among educated (at least secondary level or higher) unemployed youth, the participation of females (76.7 percent) is higher compared to males (62.2 percent).
Note:
– This is a challenging period for India.
– Approximately 27 percent of India’s population is youth, and a significant portion of them is unemployed.
Employment situation in some states:
– According to The Indian Express, there has been improvement in the ‘Employment Situation Index’ between 2004-05 and 2021-22.
– However, during this period, some states like Bihar, Odisha, Jharkhand, and Uttar Pradesh remained at the bottom.
– Whereas some states like Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Telangana, Uttarakhand, and Gujarat remained at the top.
Salary Increase or Decrease:
– According to the report, the majority of people in India experienced relatively stable wages.
– A negative trend in wages was observed for both regular workers and self-employed individuals after 2019.
– Moreover, unskilled workers did not even receive minimum wages in 2022.
Lack of Skills Among Youth:
– According to some news reports, many youths lack the skills required for employment.
– 90% of Indian youth are unable to apply mathematical formulas in a spreadsheet.
– 60% of youth cannot copy and paste files.
– And 75% of youth are unable to send an email with an attachment.
What did the country’s chief economic advisor say:
– According to The Indian Express, the chief economic advisor V Anantha Nageswaran stated that it is not correct to think that government intervention is necessary for every social or economic issue.
– He said that there is a need to create more employment opportunities in the industry.
– As reported by The Hindu newspaper, Nageswaran expressed surprise at what else the government can do besides “increasing recruitment” on the employment front.
International Labour Organization (ILO):
– It establishes rules to protect the interests of workers and laborers based on international standards.
– It is a specialized agency of the United Nations.
– It was founded in 1919.
– Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
Institute for Human Development (IHD):
– This is a non-profit autonomous organization.
– Its objective is to contribute to the creation of a society that promotes inclusivity and values.
– It was established in the year 1998.
Note: V Anantha Nageswaran is the chief economic advisor to the Indian government.
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5. LCA Mark 1A fighter aircraft, the advanced version of Tejas made in the country, took its first flight in March 2024. Which company manufactured it?
a. Mahindra Aerospace
b. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
c. Gulfstream Aerospace
d. Airbus
Answer: b. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)
– Aircraft LA5033 of this series took off from the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) center in Bangalore on March 28 for approximately 18 minutes.
– In Bangalore, Chief Test Pilot (Retired) Group Captain KK Venugopal of HAL’s Fixed Wing Aircraft conducted the test flight of the new version.
How many LCA MK 1A contracts does HAL have?
– In 2021, HAL received a contract worth around 46,898 crore rupees for the construction of 83 Tejas Mark-1A for the Indian Air Force.
– The company will deliver them between March 2024 and February 2028.
Features of LCA MK 1A:
– This is a significantly more advanced new version.
– It has a digital fly-by-wire flight control computer.
– Control of the fighter jet has improved further for the pilot.
– Around 40 improvements have been made in it.
– Its speed is 2205 kilometers per hour.
This will increase the range of the fighter jet.
– It has an upgraded Radar Warning Receiver System (RWR).
– Nine different types of rockets and missiles can be installed in it.
– This fighter jet can wreak havoc at an altitude of 50 feet.
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL):
– HAL is an Indian public sector aerospace and defense company headquartered in Bangalore.
– It was established in December 1940.
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6. Name the landing site of Chandrayaan-3, which has approved by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) in March 2024?
a. Statio Triranga Point
b. Statio Shiv Shakti
c. Devshakti Point
d. Bharatshakti Point
Answer: b. Statio Shiv Shakti (Shiv Shakti Point)
– IAU named it “Stateio Shiv Shakti.”
– PM Modi named it “Shiv Shakti Point.”
– “Stateio” is a Latin word meaning “station,” “position,” “observe,” or “place.”
– Did the International Astronomical Union (IAU) approve this name on March 19, 2024?
– The IAU was established in 1919 and is responsible for officially naming celestial bodies and their surface features.
In August 2023, PM Modi made three announcements:
1- The place where the lander of Chandrayaan-3 landed, PM Modi named it ‘Shiv-Shakti Point.’
2- The place where Chandrayaan-2 crashed was named ‘Tiranga Point.’
3- ‘National Space Day’ will be celebrated every year on August 23rd.
Chandrayaan-3 (Important Facts)
– When was Chandrayaan-3 launched: July 14, 2023
– Launched from which rocket: Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM-3)
– When did the soft landing on the moon occur: Evening of August 23, 2023
– Where did it land on the moon: South Pole of the moon (Southern Hemisphere)
ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation)
Chief – S Somnath
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7. In the ‘India TB Report 2024’, the Union Health Ministry has set a target to eliminate tuberculosis disease from the country by which year?
a. 2029
b. 2027
c. 2026
d. 2025
Answer: d. 2025
– The Central Health Ministry released the ‘India TB Report 2024’ on March 27th.
WHO’s strategy to end TB:
– This strategy was adopted globally in 2014 with the aim of ending the TB epidemic worldwide by 2035.
– Its goal is to reduce TB deaths by 95% by 2035 and to decrease the incidence of TB cases.
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8. According to the India TB Report 2024 released by the Union Health Ministry, what is the percentage decline in new TB cases in India since 2015?
a. 15%
b. 16%
c. 18%
d. 20%
Answer: b. 16%
– The incidence rate of new TB cases per 100,000 population decreased from 237 in 2015 to 199 in 2022.
Reduction in mortality rate:
– Since 2015, there has been an 18% decrease in the mortality rate due to TB.
– The mortality rate decreased from 28 per 100,000 population in 2015 to 23 per 100,000 population in 2022.
– There has been a decrease of approximately 5.05 per 100,000 population in cases.
According to WHO, countries with the highest burden of TB (up to November 2023):
1. India (27%)
2. Indonesia (10%)
3. China (7.1%)
4. Philippines (7.0%)
5. Pakistan (5.7%)
6. Nigeria (4.5%)
7. Bangladesh (3.6%)
8. Democratic Republic of the Congo (3.0%)
About TB:
– TB, or tuberculosis, is a bacterial infection primarily caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
– It mainly affects the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body.
– When an infected person coughs or sneezes, it spreads through the air.
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9. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has decided to remove how many monuments from the list of protected monuments in March 2024, leaving a total of 3,675 monuments under the purview of ASI?
a. 20
b. 19
c. 18
d. 16
Answer: c. 18
– The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) announced in March 2024 to remove 18 ‘untraceable’ monuments from the list of protected monuments.
– This list was prepared from the list of 24 ‘untraceable’ monuments, which was submitted by the Ministry of Culture to a parliamentary committee last year.
Meaning of ‘untraceable’ monuments:
– These are monuments that have become “untraceable” due to urbanization or submerged due to reservoirs and dams.
How many monuments are left now?
– Currently, there are 3,693 monuments under the jurisdiction of the ASI.
– After removing 18 monuments from the list of protected monuments, there will be 3,675 monuments remaining.
– The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has invoked Section 35 of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958 (AMASR Act) to remove 18 monuments from the list, stating that they are “not of national importance.”
How can monuments go missing?
– Since its establishment in 1861, thousands of monuments have been brought under the purview of the ASI.
– The ASI is responsible for their maintenance. However, after India’s independence, the focus of the central government shifted more towards education, health, and urban development projects.
– Attention towards monuments diminished as a result.
– Many monuments fell victim to urbanization and encroachment, gradually disappearing.
– Some monuments were engulfed by urbanization, some were submerged in reservoirs and dams, and some simply vanished without a trace.
From which states are the missing monuments?
– Monuments have gone missing or been lost from states like Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, and others.
List of 18 missing/extinct monuments
1. Remains of the ancient monument located at Banyan tree in Bharanli Ganga Tir, Ghazipur, UP.
2. Closed cemetery and Katra Naka of Banda city of UP
3. Grave of gunman Burkil of Rangoon, Jhansi, UP
4. Graveyard of Gaughat in Lucknow city of UP
5. Graveyard situated at 6 to 8 miles on Jahrila Road, Lucknow
6. Tombs located at 3, 4 and 5 miles on Lucknow-Faizabad road
7. Remains of 3 small linga temple perimeters of 1000 AD in Ahugi, Mirzapur district of UP.
8. Telia Nala of Varanasi Buddhist ruins, part of deserted village
9. Tablet present in the treasury building of Varanasi
10. Nalis, the family area of Dwarahat of Almora in Uttarakhand
11. Inscription inside the fort located in the city of Jaipur district of Rajasthan.
12. 12th century temple located at Baran in Kota district of Rajasthan.
13. Copper Temple near Sadiya in Lakhimpur district of Arunachal Pradesh
14. Kos Minar No. 13 of Gurugram district of Haryana
15. Kos Minar of Karnal district of Haryana
16. Rock inscription inside Bachhaun Fort of Satna district of Madhya Pradesh
17. Bara Khamba Cemetery of Imperial City, Delhi
18. Inchla Wali Gumti of Kotla Mubarakpur, Delhi
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10. Which private company of India successfully tested the second stage of Space Craft Launch Vehicle (Rocket) ‘Vikram-1’ in March 2024?
a. Godrej Aerospace
b. Skyroot Aerospace
c. Agnikul Aerospace
d. Bellatrix Aerospace
Answer: b. Skyroot Aerospace
Where and when was the test conducted
– Skyroot Aerospace conducted this test on March 27 at the Satish Dhawan Space Center of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.
– Skyroot Aerospace named the second stage of rocket Vikram-1 as Kalam-250.
The test lasted 85 seconds, recording a high sea-level thrust of 186 kilonewtons (kN).
Note: Prior to this, in June 2021, Skyroot conducted a test of the third stage of Vikram-1 named “Kalam-100” in Nagpur.
What is Vikram-1?
– It is a small launch vehicle (rocket).
– It can carry payloads of up to 480 KG to an altitude of 500 KM in space.
– It is used to launch small satellites.
It is named after the renowned scientist Vikram Sarabhai.
– Note: India’s first privately developed rocket is Vikram-S.
Skyroot Aerospace
– Skyroot Aerospace was founded in 2018.
– Its headquarters is in Hyderabad.
– Former ISRO scientists Pawan Kumar Chandana and Naga Bharath Daka left their jobs to start their own company related to space.
– Its objective is to specifically cater to the market for small satellites.
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11. Who became the new Prime Minister of Portugal?
a. Antonio Costa
b. Marcelo rebelo de sousa
c. Luis montenegro
d. Antonio Costa
Answer: c. Luis Montenegro (51 years old)
– Before him, Antonio Costa, of Indian origin, was the Prime Minister of Portugal.
About Portugal:
– Portugal is a country located on the Iberian Peninsula in southwestern Europe.
– President: Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa
– Capital: Lisbon
– Currency: Euro
– Language: Portuguese
– Neighbor country: Spain
Note: A peninsula is a piece of land that is almost entirely surrounded by water. However, it is connected to the mainland on one side.
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12. Who was appointed as the new Director General of National Investigation Agency (NIA) by the Central Government?
a. Ayush Sharma
b. Dinkar Gupta
c. Vijay Trivedi
d. Sadanand Vasant Daate
Answer: d. Sadanand Vasant Daate
– The Central Government appointed Sadanand Vasanth Date as the Director-General of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on March 26, 2024.
– He will serve in this position until December 31, 2026.
– He is a 1990 batch IPS officer of the Maharashtra cadre.
National Investigation Agency (NIA):
– The NIA is India’s primary counter-terrorism task force.
– The agency has the authority to investigate terrorism-related crimes in states without special permission from the states.
– This agency falls under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
– Establishment: 2009
– Headquarters: New Delhi
– Director-General: Sadanand Date
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13. Name India’s first Artificial Intelligence (AI) based film, which will be released in April 2024?
a. Maidan
b. IRah
c. The Lost Girl
d. Bade Miyan Chote Miyan
Answer: b. IRah
– In today’s time, AI is being discussed a lot.
– The trailer of the film ‘Irah’ shows the misuse of AI technology, highlights its negative aspects.
– The trailer and song of the first Hindi film ‘Irah’ made on this subject was launched in Mumbai.
-The director of this film is Sam Bhattacharjee.
– Rohit Bose Roy, Rajesh Sharma, Karishma Kotak and Rakshit Bhandari have played the lead roles in this film.
Its authors are Sam Bhattacharjee, Sara Bodinar and Sudhanshu Dubey.
– This film will be released on 4 April 2024.
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14. Who has been elected the new President of Senegal?
a. Macky Saul
b. Adioma Faye
c. Bassirou Diomaye Faye
d. Mansoor Faye
Answer: c. Bassirou Diomaye Faye
– The Constitutional Council of Senegal confirmed the victory of opposition candidate Bassirou Diomaye Faye in the presidential election on March 29, 2024.
– He is 44 years old and was released from prison just a few days ago.
– In the election, Bassirou Diomaye Faye received more than 54% of the votes.
– While the ruling coalition candidate, Amadou Ba, received close to 35% of the votes.
About Senegal:
– Senegal, officially known as the Republic of Senegal, is the westernmost country in the African continent, located on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean.
– President: Bassirou Diomaye Faye
– Prime Minister: Siddiki Kaba
– Capital: Dakar
– Currency: West African CFA franc
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