CURRENT AFFAIRS || 9th – 31st March, 2024

TRENDING

 96TH OSCAR 2024 WINNERS

 The 96th Academy Awards took place at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood.
 The Oscars, also known as the Academy Awards, recognize artistic and technical achievements in
movies.
 Organizer: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
(AMPAS) in the United States.
 Purpose: The awards honor exceptional contributions to
filmmaking as determined by the voting members of the
Academy.
 Best Picture: Oppenheimer
 Best Actress: Emma Stone, “Poor Things”
 Best Director: Christopher Nolan, “Oppenheimer”
 INDIA‟S 1ST BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE GIGAFACTORY
 India’s 1st Battery Energy storage GigaFactory to be launched in Jammu & Kashmir.
 Company Name: GoodEnough Energy
 The facility will help industry in cutting more than 5 million tons of carbon emissions in a year.
 Battery storage systems enable the storage of energy from solar, wind, and other renewable
sources.
 Jammu and Kashmir Governor: Manoj Sinha
 SUPREME COURT DECLARES ELECTRORAL BOND AS UNCONSTIUTIONAL
 Decision given by A five-judge Bench headed by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud.
 Court said “Amendments made to the
Representation of the People Act, the Companies
Act, and the Income Tax Act, violated the voters’
right to information about political funding under
Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution.”
 Rationale: Scheme violates voters' right to

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 information about political funding under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution.
 Attorney General of India: R. Venkataramani, Solicitor General: Tushar Mehta
 ED ARRESTS ARVIND KEJRIWAL
 The ED alleges that Arvind Kejriwal
demanded ₹100 crore from individuals
associated with the South Group for the Punjab
elections.
 The South Group, identified as a liquor cartel,
includes Telangana MLC Kavitha, Sarath
Reddy (promoter of Aurobindo Group),
YSRCP MP Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy, his
son Raghav Magunta, and others.
 The ED claims that funds from the South Group were used for assembly elections in Goa and for
providing cash to AAP candidates.
 Kejriwal became the first sitting CM to have got arrested by any agency.
 ED Head: Rahul Navin, Minister Responsible: Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister of Finance

NATIONAL

1. North India‟s First Government Homeopathic College:

 To be set Up in: Kathua, Jammu and Kashmir.

 Announced by: Union Minister of State Science & Technology, Dr Jitendra Singh

 Project would be funded centrally at Rs. 80 cr.

 Jammu Kashmir Lieutenant Governor: Manoj Sinha

2. “Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain”

 Launched by: Union Minister for Jal Shakti,
Gajendra Singh Shekhawat

 It will be launched at: NDMC Convention Centre

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 in New Delhi.

 Theme of Campaign: Nari Shakti se Jal Shakti.

3. New Chief Minister of Haryana

 Nayab Singh Saini has been sworn in as New
CM of Haryana.

 Reason: ML Khattar resigned after rifts with the

coalition govt of BJP and JJP.

 Haryana Capital: Chandigarh, Governor:

Bandaru Dattatreya

4. India‟s largest Solar and Battery Energy Storage Systems

 This project was completed by: Tata Power Solar Systems Limited

 Inaugurated at: Rajnandgaon in Chhattisgarh.

 Chhattisgarh Capital: Raipur, Governor: Biswabhusan Harichandan

5. „Know Your Candidate‟ app

 Launched by: Election Commission of India

 This app allows voters to check if any candidate

standing for elections in their constituency has a
criminal record.

 Chief Election Commissioner: Rajiv Kumar, 1st

Chief: Sukumar Sen

6. India‟s First Ayurvedic Café

 Opened in: Maharishi Ayurveda Hospital

 Name of Café: Soma-The Ayurvedic Kitchen.

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  Aim: To treats its patients with the utmost care by providing them with panchakarma therapy.

 Delhi CM: Arvind Kejriwal, Lieutenant governor: Vinai Kumar Saxena

7. „Operation Indravati‟
 Launched by India.
 Aim: To evacuate its citizens stranded in war-torn Haiti amid the intense fighting between the armed
groups and the government.
 Haiti Capital: Port-au-Prince, Currency: Haitian Gourde

APPOINTMENTS

1. Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) appoints Devendra Jhajaria as President.

 Devendra Jhajharia is Olympic gold medalist in javelin throw.

2. AS Rajeev was sworn in as the Vigilance Commissioner at the

Central Vigilance Commission.
 Chief Vigilance Commissioner: Praveen Kumar Srivastava

3. Kishor Makwana appointed as Chairman of National Commission for Scheduled Castes.

 MCSC Estab: 2004, HQ: New Delhi

4. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu from Punjab and Gyanesh Kumar from Kerala have been named as the new
Election Commissioners.
 Election Commission Founded: 25 January 1950, 1st Chief Election Commissioner: Sukumar Sen

5. Rahul Singh appointed as new chairman of CBSE.

 Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is an
Autonomous Indian national board of education.

 Establish in year 1929 by the Government of India.

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6. Election Commission has announced Para Archer and Arjuna Awardee, Sheetal Devi as its
National PwD Icon.

7. C. P. Radhakrishnan assumed office as the Governor of Telangana at the Raj Bhavan, Hyderabad.
 Telangana Established: 2 June 2014, Chief Minister: Revanth Reddy

8. MD and CEO of Central Bank of India, M V Rao has been elected as Chairman of Indian Banks‟
Association (IBA).
 IBA Hq: Mumbai

9. Sadanand Vasant Date has been appointed as the Director General of the National Investigation
Agency (NIA).
 NIA Estab: 31 December 2008

INTERNATIONAL

1. 32nd Member of NATO: Sweden

 Sweden has officially become the 32nd member of NATO.

 It completed the accession process in Washington

 NATO was founded on 4 April 1949 with 12 countries as

its founding Members.

 Sweden Capital: Stockholm, Currency: Swedish Krona

2. United Nations Human Development Index for 2022

 India was ranked 134 out of 193 countries.

 Switzerland has been ranked number one.

 HDI is a composite index computed based on three parameters

a) Life expectancy,
b) Mean years of schooling and
c) Average incomes in contrast to gross domestic product (GDP)

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  UN HQ: New York, Secretary General: António Guterres

3. World Happiness Report 2024

 India ranked 126 out of the 143 countries.

 Topped by: Finland, Last rank: Afghanistan

 Report Published by: Partnership of Gallup, the

Oxford Wellbeing Research Centre, the UN Sustainable
Development Solutions Network

4. Asia‟s billionaire capital: Hurun Global Rich List 2024.

 Mumbai has dethroned Beijing as Asia’s billionaire capital.
 With 271 billionaires, India now stands third globally in terms of billionaire count.
 Top 3 countries with highest billionaires: China, USA, India.
 To3 Cities with Highest billionaires: New York, London, Mumbai

AWARDS

1. India receives „Measles and Rubella Champion‟ award

 Reason: For its exemplary efforts in combating these diseases.

 The award was received by the ambassador Sripriya Ranganathan.

 It was received at American Red Cross Headquarters in Washington.

 The measles vaccine was developed in 1963.

2. Miss World 2024: Krystyna Pyszkova

 Krystyna Pyszkova from the Czech Republic
was crowned as the new Miss World 2024.

 This is the 71st Edition of the Miss World

pageant for the year 2024 took place in

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 Mumbai.

 The previous Miss World 2022 Karolina Bielawska from Poland crowned her.

 The Miss World Organization owns and manages the annual Miss World Finals.

3. Saraswati Samman 2023:

 Winner: Prabha Varma

 He has been considered for this award for his Malayalam language poetry work.

 The Saraswati Samman is an annual prize.

 It is given to an outstanding literary work published in the last 10 years.

DEFENCE
1. Exercise Cutlass Express
 INS Tir, the flagship of the First Training Squadron
(1TS), took part in Exercise Cutlass Express 24 (CE-
24)

 Held in: Port Victoria, Seychelles.

 Seychelles President Wavel Ramkalawan

inaugurated the exercise.

 Seychelles Capital: Victoria, Currency: Seychellois Rupee

2. Mission Divyastra:
 Conducted by: DRDO

 DRDO conducted first successful flight test of indigenously developed Agni-5 missile with MIRV
technology.

 The flight test named Mission Divyastra was carried out from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island in
Odisha.

 DRDO Founded: 1 January 1958, Headquarters: New Delhi Chairman: Samir V Kamat

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3. “EX TIGER TRIUMPH 2024”
 Held between: India and USA

 Held at: Eastern Seaboard (East Coast) of India.

 It is aimed at “developing interoperability” for

conducting Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief.

SPORTS

1. First-ever fast bowler to pick up 700 Test wickets

 James Anderson becomes first pacer to pick 700 Test wickets.
 He took the 700th wicket against India.
 He becomes 3rd Highest Wicket taker in Test Match
cricket after Muthaih Murlidharan and Shane
Warne.
 Anil Kumble is the leading wicket-taker (619) for
India in Test cricket history.

2. Ranji Trophy 2024 Finals

 Mumbai has won the Ranji Trophy 2024
after beating Vidarbha.
 Finals was held at the Wankhede Stadium
in Mumbai.
 It is 42nd title for Mumbai.

3. 2024 Women‟s Premier League

 Winner: Royal Challengers Bangalore
(RCB)
 Runner Up: Delhi Capitals
 Final held at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in
New Delhi.

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4. First Formula-4 Car Racing Event:
 Hosted by: Srinagar, near Dal Lake.
 Organized by: Federation of Motorsports Clubs of India
 Srinagar is the largest city and summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir,

SIGNIFICANT DAYS
1. 9 March: No Smoking Day
 Theme 2024: Protecting children from tobacco industry interference.

 Aim: To spread awareness about the health risks related to smoking and to help smokers

2. 10 March: CISF Raising Day

 DG of CISF: Nina Singh

 Headquarters: New Delhi, India

3. 14 March 2024: World Kidney Day

 Theme 2024: Kidney Health for All – Advancing Equitable Access to Care and Optimal
Medication Practice.

 Objective: To raise awareness about the importance of kidney health and the increasing burden of
kidney diseases worldwide.

4. 15 March: Pi Day
 Pi Day is observed on the birth
anniversary of renowned Physicist Albert
Einstein.

 It is the ratio of the circumference of the

circle to the diameter.

5. 15 March: World Consumer Rights Day

 Theme 2024: Fair and responsible AI for consumers.

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  Objective: To raise awareness about the rights and responsibilities of consumers in the marketplace.

6. 16 March: National Vaccination Day

 Aim: To raise awareness about the
significance of vaccines in the human
body.

 In 1995, the government of India began

the Pulse Polio Immunization
Programme to eliminate polio from the
country.

7. 20 March: International Day of Happiness

 Aim: To highlight the negative impact of stress and other
mental health factors on happiness.

8. 21 March: World Forestry Day

 Theme 2024: Forests and innovation: new solutions for a
better world.

9. 21 March: World Poetry Day

 Theme 2024: Standing on the Shoulders of Giants

10. 22 March: World Water Day

 Theme: Water for Peace

11. 23 March: World Tuberculosis Day

 Theme 2024: Yes! We can end TB
12. 23 March: Shaheed Diwas
 Reason: On March 23, 1931, freedom fighter Bhagat Singh and his associates were hanged to death
by the British.
13. March 27: World Theatre Day
 Objective: To raise awareness about the role of theatre in our lives, and to promote its growth.

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 TERMS TO KNOW
National Commission for Scheduled Castes

The NCSC, a constitutional body, was established in February 2004 to protect the rights of Scheduled Castes
(SC) and advance their social, educational, economic, and cultural interests. It operates under the Ministry of
Social Justice and Empowerment, with headquarters in New Delhi. Initially, a special officer was appointed
under Article 338 of the Constitution, but with the 89th Constitutional Amendment Act in 2003, the National
Commission for SC and ST was replaced by two commissions: the NCSC, governed by Article 338, and the
National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST), under Article 338A.

Digital News Publishers Association (DNPA)

The Digital News Publishers Association (DNPA) is committed to supporting and safeguarding the growth
of digital news publishers in India's evolving landscape. It advocates for its members' interests before
various stakeholders, including the government and regulatory bodies. DNPA also educates its members and
the public about digital news industry developments and fosters cooperation among publishers to maximize
benefits. With 17 member publishers, including leading names like Dainik Jagran, Indian Express, and India
Today Group, DNPA works to ensure fairness and equality for all news publishers in the digital realm.

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