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1. Who became the 24th Prime Minister of Pakistan?
a. Shehbaz Sharif
b. Ruksar Ahmed
c. Nawaz Sharif
d. Imran Khan
Answer: a. Shehbaz Sharif
– In the national assembly elections of Pakistan, Shahbaz Sharif was elected as the Prime Minister of the country for the second time.
– He assumed office as the 24th Prime Minister of Pakistan on March 3, 2024.
– Prior to this, after the fall of Imran Khan’s government in the year 2022, Shahbaz Sharif became the Prime Minister of the country. Now, in 2024, he got this opportunity for the second time.
– Shahbaz Sharif is the younger brother of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who led the election campaign of their Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party.
– In the elections in Pakistan, Imran Khan’s supporters received the most seats.
– After the elections, Nawaz Sharif’s PML-N and Bilawal Bhutto’s PPP party have formed a coalition to gain a majority.
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2. Which city’s world famous ‘Chandi Tarakasi’ (Silver Filigree) got GI tag?
a. Jaisalmer
b. Cuttack
c. Jamshedpur
d. Nashik
Answer: b. Cuttack (city of Odisha)
– The renowned silver filigree of Cuttack, Odisha, has been given the Geographical Indication (GI) tag.
– In Odia, ‘Tarakasi’ is formed by combining two words – ‘Tara’ (wire) and ‘Kasi’ (workmanship/design).
– The Odisha State Cooperative Handicrafts Corporation Limited (UTKALIKA) applied for the GI tag.
Filigree work or Tarakasi of Cuttack:
– Cuttack city is famous not only in India but also worldwide for its silver jewelry.
– Special craftsmanship is employed here to make silver jewelry.
– It involves designing with silver wires very intricately, which is known as Tarakasi or Silver Filigree.
Note:
Question – What is India’s Silver City of India called?
Answer – Cuttack (city in Odisha)
Who provides the GI tag?
– The GI tag is provided by the Department of Industry Promotion and Internal Trade under the Ministry of Commerce.
– To obtain a GI tag for a product, one has to apply in the GI database located in Chennai.
– This falls under the jurisdiction of intellectual property rights, which is only in Chennai for the entire country.
What is a GI tag?
– GI stands for Geographical Indication.
– The GI tag is a symbol primarily given to associate a product with its region of origin.
Odisha
Capital: Bhubaneswar
Chief Minister: Naveen Patnaik
Governor: Raghuvir Das
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3. The Union Cabinet approved the establishment of ‘International Big Cat Alliance’ (IBCA) to conserve which wildlife?
a. tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard
b. cheetah, jaguar and puma
c. lion, leopard, tiger, cheetah, deer
d. both a and b
Answer: d. a and b (tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard, cheetah, jaguar and puma)
– On February 29, 2024, the Cabinet approved the ‘International Big Cat Alliance’ (IBCA).
– However, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced this alliance on April 9, 2023. On that day, India celebrated the completion of 50 years of Project Tiger.
– Its headquarters will be in India. It will be an alliance of 96 countries where large cats (tigers, lions, leopards, snow leopards, cheetahs, jaguars, and pumas) are found.
Objective of the Alliance:
– The aim of the alliance is to conserve big cats and prevent their illegal trade.
– It aims to provide a platform for spreading awareness about wildlife conservation, research and development, resource pooling, capacity building, benchmark practices, etc.
Why did India establish the alliance?
– Because India has extensive experience in the conservation of the tiger agenda and other big cats such as lions, snow leopards, and leopards.
– We are the only country in the world where tigers, lions, leopards, snow leopards, and cheetahs are found in the wild.
– Except for pumas and jaguars, we have all the big cats today.
How much assistance did India provide?
– The central government has decided to provide an initial assistance of ₹150 crore for a period of five years from 2023-24 to 2027-28.
Countries agreeing to participate:
– According to The Hindu newspaper, by March 2024, 16 countries have given written consent to participate in the IBCA.
– There are 96 countries that shelter ‘big cats’.
– And this alliance is also open to other countries interested in supporting ‘big cats’, conservation organizations, scientific organizations, businesses, and corporations.
Countries that have given consent:
– Armenia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brazil, Cambodia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ecuador, Kenya, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, Nigeria, Peru, Suriname, Uganda
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4. According to the report ‘Status of Leopard in India 2022’ (released in 2024) released by the Environment Ministry, what is the number of leopards in India?
a. 13,874
b. 12,852
c. 11,852
d. 10,549
Answer: a. 13,874
– Name of the report – Status of Leopards in India 2022
– When released – February 2024
– Who issued – Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (Bhupendra Yadav)
– According to the report, the number of leopards in India will increase to 13,874 in 2022.
– Earlier in 2018 there were 12,852 leopards.
– Meaning that the number increased by 8% between 2018 and 2022.
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5. According to the Environment Ministry’s report ‘Status of Leopard in India 2022’ (released in 2024), which state has the maximum number of leopards?
a. Uttar Pradesh
b. Madhya Pradesh
c. Maharashtra
d. Karnataka
Answer: b. Madhya Pradesh
– Leopard population was assessed in 20 states of India.
– About one third of leopards are in protected areas.
How many leopards in major states
State – Year 2022
– Madhya Pradesh: 3907
– Maharashtra: 1985
– Karnataka: 1879
– Tamil Nadu: 1070
– Chhattisgarh: 722
– Rajasthan: 721
– Uttarakhand: 652
– Kerala: 570
– Andhra Pradesh: 569
– Odisha: 568
– Uttar Pradesh: 371
– Telangana: 297
– West Bengal: 233
– Bihar: 86
– Goa: 77
– Jharkhand: 51
– Assam: 74
– Arunachal Pradesh: 42
Number of leopards according to area
– Shivalik Hills and Gangetic Plain: 1109
– Central India and Eastern Ghats: 8820
– Western Ghats: 3596
– North Eastern Hills and Brahmaputra Flood Plain: 349
Important point
Question – Which state has the highest number of tigers in the year 2022?
Answer: Madhya Pradesh (785)
Question – Which state has the highest number of leopards in the year 2022?
Answer: Madhya Pradesh (3907)
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6. Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) named a new marine species after India’s President Draupadi Murmu, what is its name?
a. Draupadi bengalensis
b. Melanochlamys Murmu
c. Melanochlamys droupadi
d. None of these
Answer: c. Melanochlamys droupadi
– This is a new species of head-shield marine slug with ruby red spots.
– It has been named ‘Melanochlamys draupadi’ by the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI).
– This species related to the genus Melanochlamys was discovered from the shores of Digha in West Bengal and Udayapur in Odisha.
– This is the second species of head-shield marine slug found in India.
– The first species, Melanochlamys bengalensis (discovered in 2022), is found on the shores of West Bengal and Odisha.
Where is Melanochlamys found?
– According to ZSI, the species of this group are generally found in the temperate regions of the Indo-Pacific Ocean.
– Three species are actually thermophilic.
These are Melanochlamys papillata from the Gulf of Thailand, Melanochlamys bengalensis from the shores of West Bengal and Odisha, and Melanochlamys draupadi.
About Melanochlamys draupadi:
– It is a small invertebrate and hermaphroditic organism.
– Its length can reach up to 7 millimeters.
Its breeding season occurs from November to January.
– It is predominantly blue-red in color, with ruby red spots on its posterior part.
What is Melanochlamys?
– Melanochlamys is a species of head-shield slug in the family Aegiridae.
– Aegiridae is a family of marine slugs, commonly known as sea slugs or sea opisthobranch gastropod mollusks.
Zoological Survey of India (ZSI):
– It is a subordinate organization under the Ministry of Environment and Forests.
– Established: July 1, 1916
– Currently, there are 16 regional centers spread across the country.
– Headquarters: Kolkata
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7. Which country declared health emergency due to increasing cases of dengue?
a. Guyana
b. Peru
c. Colombia
d. Chile
Answer: b. Peru
– On February 26, 2024, Peru declared a health emergency in most parts of the country.
– This decision was made due to an increase in cases of dengue fever caused by heatwaves and heavy rainfall.
– Health Minister César Vasquez stated that the death toll due to the virus has risen to 32 this year in South American countries, with 31,000 people affected by the disease.
– There are 20 regions where a health emergency will be declared due to dengue.
– In 2023, dengue claimed the lives of 428 people, with 269,216 individuals infected.
Peru:
– It is a country located in South America.
– Capital: Lima
– Prime Minister: Alberto Otarola Penaranda
– Currency: Nuevo Sol
– Population: 33.7 million
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8. When is World Civil Defense Day celebrated?
a. 1 March
b. 3 March
c. 4 March
d. 5 March
Answer: a. 1 March
The theme for 2024:
‘Honoring Heroes and Enhancing Security Skills’
– The United Nations International Civil Security Organization hosts this day.
– The purpose of this day is to prepare people for emergency situations and crises and to raise awareness to keep them safe.
– The objective of this day is to educate citizens and highlight the importance of civil security.
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9. When is International Day for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Awareness observed?
a. 2 March
b. 3 March
c. 4 March
d. 5 March
Answer: d. 5 March
– Every year, Disarmament Week is observed to raise awareness and understanding of disarmament issues.
– In 2021, the United Nations General Assembly established it to promote the importance of disarmament and non-proliferation for peace and security.
Note: Disarmament Week: October 24-30
United Nations:
– Secretary-General: António Guterres
– Headquarters: New York
– Established: 1945
Chief of the United Nations Disarmament Commission: Han Tae-soo
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10. When is World Seagrass Day celebrated?
a. 1 March
b. 3 March
c. 4 March
d. 5 March
Answer: a. 1 March
– The United Nations General Assembly declared this day in the year 2022.
Significance of Seagrass:
– Seagrass refers to flowering plants that grow in marine environments.
– These plants grow submerged in shallow coastal waters, with long leaves and a rooted structure (rhizome) resembling grass.
– Seagrasses are more closely related to lilies and ginger than to true grasses.
– In India, dense patches of seagrass are primarily found in the Gulf of Mannar – Gulf of Mannar (Tamil Nadu), Gulf of Kutch (Gujarat), Chilika Lake (Odisha), and around the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep Islands.
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