February 2024 Current Affairs

• 2024 Climate and Catastrophe Insight report by Aon PLC: In 2023, the world witnessed 398 notable
natural disasters, resulting in a staggering $380 billion in economic losses. Insurance only paid out USD
118 billion, or 31%, of the total damages incurred indicating a significant “protection gap” of
approximately 69% as opposed to 58% in 2022.
• Convective storms or thunderstorms are severe local storms associated with thunder, lightning,
heavy rain, hail, strong winds and sudden temperature changes. They can occur all year round but
are most common during summer.
Shivam Mishra
• Hurricane Otis occurred in Mexico's southern Pacific coast.
• World Conference on Natural Disaster Reduction, 1994, Japan. The Sendai Framework for Disaster
Risk Reduction 2015-2030, is the successor to the Hyogo Framework.
• FSSAI is an autonomous statutory body established under the Food Safety and Standards Act, of
2006. Promoting food fortification and organic food.
• BIS is the National Standard Body of India established under the BIS Act 2016. It operates under
the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution.
• AGMARK is a certification mark for agricultural produce, assuring that they conform to a grade
standard notified by the Directorate of Marketing & Inspection (DMI), Department of Agriculture
under Agricultural Produce (Grading Marking) Act, 1937.
• Crude Oil: Russia is currently India’s largest supplier of oil. Peaked at 1.53 million barrels per day
(bpd) in January, 2024. Iraq is the second, Saudi Arabia is third & UAE is India’s fourth-largest
supplier of crude oil to India.
• Ethanol Blending Program (EBP) aim to blend 20% ethanol with petrol by 2025.
• Gross Value Added (GVA): GVA measures the value producers add to goods and services during
production. It's calculated by subtracting the cost of inputs (intermediate consumption) from total
output. GVA growth rates provide insights into sectoral performance. GVA = GDP + subsidies on
products - taxes on products.
• The recently released report titled 'Finances of Panchayati Raj Institutions' by the RBI for the fiscal
year 2022-23. Panchayats can earn this through taxes on profession and trades, land revenue, stamps
and registration fees, taxes on property, and service tax. The report emphasised that PRIs can enhance
resource utilisation by adopting transparent budgeting, fiscal discipline, community involvement in
development prioritisation, staff training, and rigorous monitoring and evaluation.
• Deep tech or deep technology refers to a class of startup businesses that develop new offerings based
on tangible engineering innovation or scientific discoveries and advances.
• Hindu Kush Himalaya, one of the most biodiverse regions on Earth, is a ‘biosphere on the brink’.
• Typbar TCV is the world's first clinically proven conjugate Typhoid vaccine.
• A conjugate vaccine is a type of vaccine that combines a weak antigen with a strong antigen, also
known as a carrier protein. This combination helps the immune system to develop a stronger and
more effective immune response to the weak antigen.
• The Vaccine Alliance (GAVI) was set up as a Global Health Partnership in 2000 with the goal of
creating equal access to new & underused vaccines for children living in the world’s poorest countries.
• Equation Group (USA), Fancy Bear (Russia), APT37 (North Korea), Turla (APT34) (Iran), SandWorm
(Russia), etc. are some of the other hacking groups used by security agencies.
• The ‘Delimitation Commission’ that is set up under an act of Parliament. Delimitation Commissions
have been set up four times — 1952, 1963, 1973 and 2002. The first delimitation exercise was carried
out by the President (with the help of the Election Commission) in 1950-51.

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• The Supreme Court of India consists of 34 judges
including the Chief Justice of India, all appointed by the
President of India. Other judges are appointed by the
President after consulting with the Chief Justice and
additional judges from the Supreme Court and High
Courts.
• PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana to provide up to 300
units of free electricity per month to one crore
households. Investment of over Rs 75,000 crore.
Subsidies via DBT, and heavily concessional bank
loans. Urban Local Bodies & Panchayats shall be
incentivised to promote rooftop solar systems in their
jurisdictions.
• Begusarai the first district in Bihar to provide Wi -Fi
services to all Gram Panchayats under the PM-WANI
Scheme.
• The first-ever State of the World’s Migratory Species
report, launched by the Convention on the Conservation of
Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS).
• Micellar water is a popular product for removing makeup
and sunscreen due to its effective cleansing properties.
• Odisha government has declared the
Gupteswar forest in Koraput district as
its fourth Biodiversity Heritage Site (BHS).
• Assam government has declared ‘Kaji Nemu’
(Citrus Limon) as the state fruit.
• Prime Minister virtually inaugurated the
launch of Unified Payment
Interface (UPI) services in Sri Lanka and
Mauritius, along with RuPay card services in
Mauritius
• NITI Aayog has launched the Greening and
Restoration of Wasteland with Agroforestry
(GROW) initiative to promote environmental
conservation and sustainable land
use in India.
• The first council meeting of
the Global Biodiversity Framework
Fund (GBFF) recently convened in
Washington DC, setting rules for
implementation.
• Spain pledges 10 million euros to
GBFF, joining contributions from
Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany,
and Japan. GBFF aims to increase funding for the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity
Framework (KMGBF), ratified by 186 countries and launched in 2023 at the Seventh GEF Assembly in

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 Vancouver, Canada. The GBFF Council
decisions are to be made by consensus, and
the World Bank has been invited to serve as the
Trustee of GBFF.
• Dhokra Shilpkala, an ancient metal casting
tradition dating back 4,000 years, is
preserved through initiatives like Ocher
Studio in Chhattisgarh.
• An initiative named SWATI (Science For Women: A Technology & Innovation) was launched by a panel
representing India’s science academies. Developed, hosted and maintained by the National Institute of
Plant Genome Research (NIPGR), New Delhi. This portal aims to create a comprehensive database of
women in science across the country, acknowledging that gender equity in science is not solely a
women’s issue.
• Asset tokenization is the process of converting the value of a tangible or intangible asset into a
digital token using blockchain technology. This transformation allows for fractional ownership,
increased liquidity, clear traceability and auditability.
• The Agriculture Minister recently launched three initiatives aimed at bolstering crop insurance &
supporting farmers in India.
• The initiatives include the Kisan Rakshak Helpline 14447 and Portal, the Agri-Insurance Sandbox
Framework Platform SARTHI, and a Learning Management System (LMS) Platform.

Developed in collaboration with UNDP India – Provides

a comprehensive suite of insurance products tailored for farmers and
SARTHI
rural India – Simplifies the insurance process – Offers digital payment
options

Krishi Rakshak Portal

Aims to address farmers’ grievances transparently – Provides real-time
and Helpline (KRPH)
assistance
14447

Facilitates training and knowledge-sharing for

LMS Platform stakeholders implementing agricultural schemes like PMFBY, MIIIS, and
KCC

• Researchers have developed a ground-breaking sensor using “frozen smoke,” or aerogels, which
can detect formaldehyde in real-time at concentrations as low as eight parts per billion. “Frozen
smoke” is a nickname for aerogel, a silica-based material that’s the lightest solid known. Aerogel is also
known as solid smoke, solid air, solid cloud, and blue smoke.
• Supreme Court has criticized the National Green Tribunal for frequently issuing ex parte
orders without hearing affected parties. Ex-Parte orders are those that can be granted without waiting
for a response from other sides. Issues with ex parte orders include lack of fairness, potential for
incorrect decisions.
• Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale is a 1 to 5 rating based on a hurricane’s sustained wind speed.
• SARATHI portal to assist insurance companies in reaching out to farmers and rural populations with
tailored insurance products, including the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY).

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• Researchers have identified a new species of nematode, called Steinernema adamsi, that could
be used to control crop pests in warm, humid regions. The nematodes are efficient insect killers.
Nematodes are found on every continent.
• Kerala is introducing ‘infexnTM’, India’s first genomics-based test for diagnosing infectious diseases.
Deliver precise results within 24 hours by utilizing genome sequencing technology.
• The Future Circular Collider (FCC) is a particle accelerator that is being designed to host the next
generation of particle colliders. The FCC is expected to be completed in 2035 and will have a
significantly higher energy than previous colliders.
• National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL) in Bengaluru has successfully conducted the first test of a solar-
powered “pseudo satellite” called HAPS (High-Altitude Pseudo Satellite), a new type of unmanned aerial
vehicle (UAV). HAPS can fly at altitudes of 18-20 km, remain airborne for months or even years,
and offer surveillance capabilities similar to satellites but at a lower cost.
• NASA’s PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem) satellite. Sun-synchronous orbit. How
climate change impacts ocean phytoplankton blooms, which are crucial for marine food web.
• Lodrani- Latest Harappan Site
o Kutch district of Gujarat, approximately 80 kilometres from Dholavira,
o Distinct residential areas, public structures, and industrial zones.
o Specialized craft production activities, including bead-making and metalworking.
• A rip current is a strong, narrow flow of water moving directly away from the shore, cutting through the
lines of breaking waves.
• Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM-USHA) scheme aims to upgrade laboratories,
modernize classrooms, foster innovation hubs, and promote interdisciplinary research, thereby improving
the quality of higher education and making it more inclusive for women, minorities, SC/ST/OBCs, and
special-abled persons.
• European Union launched a naval mission named Mission Aspides to protect shipping in the Red Sea
from attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebel.
• Fermilab’s Proton Improvement Plan (PIP) is a project aimed at enhancing the capabilities of
Fermilab’s particle accelerators, particularly the proton beamlines.
• Aim of UNESCO recognition for the annual ‘Paruveta’ (mock hunting festival) held at the Sri Narasimha
Swamy temple in Ahobilam as an ‘intangible cultural heritage’. The festival highlights the absence
of caste discrimination.
• Tirot Sing- ‘the Hero of the Khasi Hills, attack against British, 1829- Statue
• The riverine areas (island) of the river Brahmaputra, locally known as “Char/ Chapori”
• NASA’s SOFIA (world’s largest airborne astronomical observatory) mission has detected water molecules
on the surface of two asteroids, Iris and Massalia.
• Cotton candy banned in Tamil Nadu, cancer-causing chemical, Rhodamine-B.
• 60th Munich Security Conference, the ‘Davos of Defence,’- EAM S Jaishankar remarked at the
conference that “India is non-west but not anti-west”
• Rao’s Intermediate Golden-backed frog is endemic to the Western Ghats.
• Plastic Pollution Coalition: Founded in 2009
• OpenAI has introduced Sora, a AI model capable of converting text prompts into videos.

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Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2022

Key Provisions Details

Makes plastic packaging producers accountable for end-of-life

collection and recycling

Extended Producer
Shifts responsibility from municipal bodies to producers
Responsibility (EPR)

Provides incentives for firms to adopt sustainable design and use

recyclable materials

Mandates producers to collect back 35% of plastic waste generated

Collection Targets
by 2024, increasing to 70% by 2025 in phases

Minimum Recycled Requires firms to use 10% recycled plastic in packaging by 2023,
Content escalating to 20% by 2026.

Collection Producers must establish collection systems either individually or

Mechanism collectively

Producers are responsible for bearing the costs associated with

Cost Attribution
collection and recycling of plastic packaging

• Archaeologists discovered an eighth-century Kotravai sculpture near Ulundurpet, in Tamil Nadu

dating back to the Pallava period.
• India has rejected the demand for ‘data exclusivity’ in ongoing FTA talks with the European Free
Trade Association (EFTA). Data exclusivity is a provision that imposes a minimum embargo period,
typically six years, on use of clinical trial data generated during testing & development of a drug.
• A ground-breaking method for synthesizing carbon nanotubes (CNTs) directly on glass substrates at
a lower temperature of 750°C. This innovative approach eliminates the need for high
temperatures and metal catalysts traditionally used in CNT synthesis. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs)
are made up of enrolled cylindrical graphitic sheets (named graphene) wrapped up into a seamless
cylinder with a nanometer-sized diameter.
• A privately-built U.S. moon lander, Odysseus, was launched by SpaceX.
• STAR metric uses data from the IUCN Red List to quantify extinction risks faced by species.
• Stone Age wall beneath the Baltic Sea in Germany, found- Europe’s oldest megastructure.
• Terai Arc Landscape (TAL) is a transboundary biodiversity hotspot launched in 2001. It aims
to conserve critical habitats for tigers, rhinos, elephants, etc., covering ecosystems of the Terai and
Churia hills. From the Bagmati River (Nepal) to the Yamuna River (India), it extends across 5 million
hectares and supports over seven million people.
• India joined the IEA as an associate member in 2017 and applied for full membership in 2023.
• European researchers at Joint European Torus (JET), UK achieved a significant breakthrough in nuclear
fusion, generating a record-breaking 69 megajoules of energy from just 0.2 milligrams of fuel. JET is a
large tokamak, first to achieve controlled fusion power using deuterium & tritium.
• The e-Jagriti portal, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution, case filing, online fee
payment, Virtual court facility for resolving complaints conveniently.
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• Tokamaks are machines that confine plasma using magnetic fields in a donut shape.
• Invasive pest species Thrips Parvispinus may have significantly damaged chilli crops in Andhra Pradesh
and Telangana, causing up to 80% of the crop loss. It is native to Thailand.
• Reintroduction of Aldabra giant tortoises in Madagascar. Native to the Seychelles.
• Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology suggesting that even air quality in India could be influenced
by El Nino and La Nina events.
• Ministry of Mines has launched a portal "SATYABHAMA (Science and Technology Yojana for
Atmanirbhar Bharat in Mining Advancement)"- promote research & development in mining sector.
• Natural Rubber- Deep and lateritic fertile soil with an acidic pH of 4.5 to 6.0 and highly deficient in
phosphorus. Minimum and maximum temperature should range from 25°C to 34°C and 80% relative
humidity is ideal for cultivation. Regions prone to heavy winds should be avoided. Bright sunshine
amounts to about 2000 hours per annum at the rate of 6 hours per day through all the months. Thailand
is the world’s leading natural rubber producing country (accounting for approximately 35% of global
natural rubber production in 2022). The Rubber Board is a statutory organisation. Ministry of
Commerce and Industry.
• The Chenchus, also called is numerically the smallest Scheduled Tribe of Odisha who inhabit in
the Nallamalai Hill ranges in the southeastern part of India. Their traditional way of life has been based
on hunting and food gathering.
• Medaram Jathara (primarily celebrated by the Koya tribe) is the largest tribal religious congregation
in the world,- Telangana.
• Electoral Fraud in Chandigarh: Article 142- complete justice. Article 142 allows the Supreme Court to
go beyond the confines of existing laws or statutes to ensure justice for all parties involved. Executive
& legislative roles when required.
• North America’s driest region, Badwater Basin, nestled within Death Valley saw an unexpected
formation of Manly Lake after Hurricane Hilary in August 2023.
• An atmospheric river is a narrow band of concentrated moisture in the atmosphere that carries water
vapour from the tropics to higher latitudes.
• Bar Council of India is a statutory body. 2023, It allowed foreign lawyers to practice in India but
limited them to non-litigious activities like corporate law & intellectual property matters.
• Advocates are qualified legal professionals who have enrolled with a State Bar Council and passed
the All India Bar Examination (AIBE). They hold the right to represent clients in court, plead their
case, and argue on their behalf. Every advocate is a lawyer, but not every lawyer is an advocate.
• VVPAT is an independent system attached with the EVM that allow the voters to verify that their votes
are cast as intended. It was introduced in Nagaland state election in 2013. In the 2019 Lok Sabha
elections, VVPATs were used in all the constituencies.
• Indian Wild Ass: Unique white markings on the front of the rump & back of the shoulder, along with a
stripe down the back outlined in white. Rann of Kachchh, Gujarat. IUCN: Near threatened.
• The Xiaokang or “well-off villages” border defence villages are a part of China's strategic infrastructure
development initiative along its borders, particularly along the LAC with India. These villages are
designed to serve multiple purposes, including civilian settlement and military presence, hence
characterized as "dual-use infrastructure."
• The Line of Control (LoC) was established in 1972 after the Kashmir War, based on the ceasefire line
negotiated by the UN in 1948. It has international legal validity and is delineated on a map signed by
both countries.

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• Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) tests cities on cleanliness parameters using categories Open
Defecation Free (ODF)+, ODF++, and Water+.
o ODF+: Focuses on toilets with water, hygiene, and maintenance.
o ODF++: Focuses on toilets with sludge and septage management.
o Water+: No untreated used water or faecal sludge is discharged into the environment/water
bodies

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• Interpol Notices:
o Blue Notice: "Enquiry notice," enables verifying a person's criminal record and location,
among other details. Issued before the filing of criminal charges.
o Red Notice: Issued by a member state to apprehend a wanted criminal through extradition or
other lawful means.
• Tropical glaciers in East Africa, including those in the Rwenzori Mountains (Uganda / Democratic
Republic of Congo), Mount Kenya (Kenya), and Kilimanjaro (Tanzania), all within 3° latitude of the
equator have significantly reduced in size.
• Microsoft and iCreate have signed a MoU to advance AI startups in India. As a part of it, the iMPEL-AI
(iCreate-Microsoft programme for Emerging Leaders in Artificial Intelligence) programme was
launched.
• Highlights of India’s Power Sector:
o India's total installed power capacity presently stands at 428 GW, expected- 810 GW by 2030.
o Nuclear power contributes approx 3% to India’s energy mix.
• Current Nuclear Power Scenario: India operates 22 nuclear power reactors with a total capacity of 6.8
GW, contributing approximately 3% to the nation's energy mix. An additional 11 nuclear power plants are
under construction, aiming to add 8,700 MW of capacity. This includes a Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor
(PFBR) and four Pressurized Water Reactors (PWRs) based on Russian technology.
• NPCIL is the owner and operator of all nuclear power plants (except the PFBR variants, owned by
The Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR), DEA) and the primary contact for all nuclear
business in India.

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• Challenges to nuclear power projects:
o Safety and Security Standards:
▪ Low safety and security standards,
▪ Accused of radioactive contamination, climate change and leakages.
• Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant in Tamil Nadu and the Kaiga Nuclear
Power Plant in Karnataka faced these issues.
o Nuclear Waste Management:
▪ No comprehensive and long-term plan for managing and disposing of its nuclear
waste. It also lacks adequate storage and transportation facilities for its radioactive
materials.
o Land Acquisition:
o Lack of Public Funding:
▪ No substantial subsidies to nuclear power projects, making it less competitive in the
energy market.
• Kimberley Process Certification Scheme, established in 2003 to prevent trade of conflict diamonds
from infiltrating the mainstream rough diamond market.
• Five-Year Research Grant to Promote Lab-Grown Diamond: An India Centre for Lab-Grown
Diamond (InCent-LGD) is proposed to be established at IIT Madras.
• Elapids, includes all the venomous snakes, have hollow, front fangs that deliver venom.
• Sudarshan Setu- India's longest cable-stayed bridge connecting the Okha mainland and the Beyt
Dwarka island in Gujarat.
• Grey-zone warfare refers to a form of conflict characterised by actions that fall below the threshold
of conventional war but are intended to achieve strategic objectives through ambiguity, deniability, &
coercion. EX- cyberattacks, economic coercion & proxy conflicts.
• Raisina Dialogue: India’s External Affairs Minister called India a “bridging power”, a country seeking
common ground through a “multi-vector” policy, and playing the role of a “Vishwamitra” or friend
of the world.
• Forest Conservation Act, 1980 was enacted to streamline forest-related laws, regulate deforestation,
oversee the transportation of forest products, and levy duties on timber and other forest produce.
o Under the provisions of this Act, prior approval of the Central Government is required for diversion
of forest land for non-forest purposes.
o Also, the Supreme Court ruled that the creation of zoos or safaris by any government or authority
must receive final approval from the court.
• When a star exhausts its fuel, gravity takes over, leading to a supernova explosion.
• Marine amphipod found in Chilika Lake, has been named Parhyale Odian.
• Chilika Lake is the largest brackish water lagoon in Asia and the second-largest coastal lagoon in
the world. Mouth of the Daya River, First Ramsar Indian wetland. Characteristics of a lake, estuary
and lagoon.
• Flue-cured Virginia (FCV) Tobacco is an important commercial crop grown during kharif as rainfed
crop predominantly on red sandy loam soils. Cultivated in Karnataka Light Soils is known as ‘Mysore
style tobacco’. India grows ten distinct types of tobacco in 15 states, including cigarette (FCV, burley,
Oriental) and non-cigarette types (Bidi, chewing, hookah and cigar), making it the world's second-
largest producer and exporter of tobacco.
• Typically, there is 1 ASHA for every 1000 people. However, in tribal, hilly, and desert regions, this ratio
may be adjusted to one ASHA per habitation based on workload.
• Till 27 Feb Done

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