This is the current affairs of 16 April 2024. Here are questions and answers of daily current affairs for better preparation of competitive exams for government jobs.
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1. The Indian Embassy gifted 35 ambulances and 66 school buses to which country’s organizations in April 2024?
a. Pakistan
b. Israel
c. Nepal
d. Bhutan
Answer: c. Nepal
– In Nepal, Indian Ambassador Navin Srivastava handed over keys of vehicles to Nepal’s Finance Minister Varsha Man Pun in her presence.
– In this program, along with mayors and chairpersons of various municipal and rural municipalities from different districts, representatives of various beneficiary organizations, political representatives, officials of the Nepali government, and social workers were also present.
– The Indian Embassy in Kathmandu said, “Out of the total 101 vehicles given as gifts, 2 ambulances were handed over in the presence of the representative of the Indian Embassy to the earthquake-affected Jajarkot and Western Rukum districts.”
– Ambassador Navin Srivastava further stated that this is a part of a strong and robust development partnership between India and Nepal.
Nepal
Capital: Kathmandu
President: Ram Chandra Poudel
Prime Minister: Pushpa Kamal Dahal
Currency: Nepalese Rupee
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2. Through which module ISRO’s rocket PSLV returned to the atmosphere without leaving space debris?
a. POEM-3
b. AMCA
c. LECTURE
d. PMO-3
Answer: a. POEM-3 (PSLV Orbital Experimental Module-3)
– Essentially, when a satellite is sent into space with the help of a rocket, its final stage remains in Earth’s orbit as space debris.
– ISRO successfully tested bringing back this final stage into Earth’s atmosphere for the first time through POEM-3 (PSLV Orbital Experimental Module-3).
– The PSLV-C58 launched by ISRO in January 2024 left no debris in Earth’s orbit during the launch of the XPoSat satellite.
– ISRO stated that they achieved this feat on March 21, when the PSLV Orbital Experimental Module-3 (POEM-3) re-entered Earth’s atmosphere.
(Note – XPoSat (X-ray Polarimeter Satellite) carries two payloads POLIX and XSPECT for the study of black holes and neutron stars.)
What is POEM-3 and why is it important?
– Its full name is PSLV Orbital Experimental Module-3.
– Essentially, PSLV is a four-stage rocket. The first, second, and third stages return to Earth’s atmosphere. However, the fourth stage remains as debris in Earth’s lower orbit.
– ISRO modified this fourth stage, transforming it into an orbital station. It includes Navigation Guidance and Control (NGC) system, which helps in its control. It also includes solar panels and batteries.
– Meaning, the part that used to be waste has been made useful.
– It was developed by the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC).
– It’s called PSLV Orbital Experimental Module-3 (POEM-3).
– With its help, PSLV’s deorbit was reduced from 650 kilometers to 350 kilometers.
– This made it more sensitive to being pulled towards Earth and burning up in the atmosphere.
How space agencies are dealing with debris?
– Currently, there are no international space laws specifically related to debris in Low Earth Orbit (LEO).
– However, most space-faring nations adhere to the Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines of the Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC) established in 2002.
– This was endorsed by the United Nations in 2007.
– Note: Low Earth Orbit extends from 100 km above Earth’s surface to about 2000 km.
What is space debris?
– With the increase in the number of satellites in Earth’s orbit, space debris has become a serious issue.
– Satellites, spacecraft, and rocket stages remain in space for long periods, and when their operational life ends, they are either left in space or deliberately destroyed.
– The remaining parts or fragments of satellites, spacecraft, and rockets in space are called space debris.
What are the dangers of space debris?
– Satellites in orbit are at risk.
– Space debris can hit or damage these satellites.
– Due to pollution, space debris can potentially create unusable regions in orbit.
Note: As of April 2022, there were a total of 17,011 debris pieces in space. Among these pieces, 114 are objects from India.
Is space debris cleaned up?
– According to NASA, debris in orbits below 600 kilometers will re-enter Earth within several years.
– However, above 1,000 kilometers, it will continue to orbit Earth for a century or more.
– The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency has contracted with a Japanese startup Astroscale to clean up debris.
– The European Space Agency is collaborating with the Swiss startup ClearSpace to launch a mission in 2025.
ISRO
– Headquarters: Bengaluru, Karnataka
– Establishment: August 15, 1969
– Chairman: S. Somanath
– First Chairman: Vikram Sarabhai
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3. Who was appointed as the new director of National Judicial Academy (NJA)?
a. Justice D.Y. Chandrachud
b. Justice Aniruddha Bose
c. Justice Rajendra Bose
d. Justice V.K. Nayar
Answer: b. Justice Aniruddha Bose
– He has served as a Supreme Court judge and retired in April 2024.
– He has been appointed as the new director of the National Judicial Academy (NJA), Bhopal.
– The announcement of his appointment was made by Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, during a formal ceremony held on April 10, 2024.
– Established in 1993, NJA works under it. The guidance of the Supreme Court and its objective is to enhance the skills of the judges and make court administration convenient.
– It was established in 1993 as an independent society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.
– It is entirely funded by the Government of India and operates under the directions of the Supreme Court.
– It is governed by a Governing Council (GC) and General Body (GB) under the chairmanship of the Chief Justice of India.
– Here, training programs are organized for judges to assist them in their judicial roles and court administration.
– The director of NJA is the principal executive officer of NJA. The appointment of the director is made by the Chief Justice of India.
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4. Lee Hsien Loong is the Prime Minister of which country, who has announced to step down from his post?
a. Vietnam
b. Singapore
c. Indonesia
d. Brunei
Answer: b. Singapore
– The Prime Minister of Singapore announced his resignation on April 15, 2024.
– After serving at the top for two decades, he will step down on May 15 and hand over power to his Deputy, Lawrence Wong.
– Lee became Singapore’s third Prime Minister in 2004.
Singapore
– Capital : Singapore
– President : Tharman Shanmugaratnam (of Indian origin)
– Prime Minister : Lee Hsien Loong
– Currency : Singapore Dollar
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5. What was the retail inflation rate in the country in March 2024, which fell to a 10-month low?
a. 4.85%
b. 5.83%
c. 7.25%
d. 8.65%
Answer: a. 4.85%
– The inflation rate is within the tolerance limit set by the RBI. According to the RBI, the inflation rate should be between 2 to 6 percent.
Who releases the retail inflation rate report?
– National Statistical Office (NSO)
– It falls under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.
How is the retail inflation rate determined?
– It is determined through the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
– It calculates the inflation of items like food, fruits, clothing, footwear, housing, fuel, electricity, and others.
– As consumers, you and I purchase goods from the retail market. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) measures changes in prices related to goods and services that we pay on average.
How does RBI control inflation?
– To reduce inflation, the flow of money (liquidity) in the market is reduced.
– For this, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) increases the repo rate.
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6. Wholesale inflation has reached its highest level in the last 3 months, what was it in March 2024?
a. 0.27%
b. 1.27%
c. 2.27%
d. 3.27%
Answer: a. 0.27%
– Mainly, there has been a sharp increase in grain prices over the past 12 months, along with a global increase in oil prices. As a result, an increase in wholesale inflation is being observed.
– With tensions escalating between Iran and Israel and a rise in crude oil prices by more than $90 per barrel, the firm expects to see an average increase of 2.4% in wholesale prices in the first quarter of 2024-25.
Who releases the wholesale inflation rate report?
– Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT)
– It falls under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
(Note – The retail inflation rate is released by the NSO.)
What is wholesale inflation rate?
– This inflation rate is prepared based on the Wholesale Price Index (WPI).
– The Wholesale Price Index (WPI) refers to those prices collected from wholesale markets that businesses charge each other.
– These prices are related to businesses conducted at the wholesale level.
(Note – The retail inflation rate is determined by the Consumer Price Index.)
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7. Name the winner of the National Women’s Carrom Championship title?
a. Rashmi Kumari
b. Nagajothi
c. S. Elavazhagi
d. Parmi Nirmala
Answer: a. Rashmi Kumari
– The 51st National Karate Championship was organized by the Madhya Pradesh Karate Association from April 6th to 10th.
– Rashmi achieved victory in the final.
– This was her 12th national women’s singles title.
– Rashmi currently serves as the Chief Manager at Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC).
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8. Name the winner of men’s singles title in Asia Badminton Championship 2024?
a. Li Shi Feng
b. Jonatan Christie
c. Wang Ji Yi
d. Ashwini Ponnappa
Answer: b. Jonatan Christie
Men’s Singles Title:
– Indonesia’s Jonathan Christie clinched the title of the Badminton Asia Championship by defeating China’s Li Shi Feng.
Women’s Singles Title:
– China’s Wang ZhiYi claimed the title of women’s singles by defeating her compatriot Chen Yu Fei.
Men’s Doubles Title:
– The Chinese pair Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang emerged victorious.
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9. When is World Voice Day celebrated?
a. 14 April
b. 15 April
c. 16 April
d. 17 April
Answer: c. 16 April
– The main purpose of World Voice Day is to promote proper care and training of the human voice!
– This day began in Brazil in 1999. It was initiated by a group of voice health professionals in Brazil to raise awareness among people.
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10. When is Save Elephant Day celebrated?
a. 19 April
b. 18 April
c. 17 April
d. 16 April
Answer: d. 16 April
– World Voice Day was first celebrated in the year 2012.
– This day is observed to raise awareness about the various challenges elephants face and the different hardships they encounter for survival.
– Currently, three species of elephants are spread across Africa and Asia.
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