UPSC EXAM QUIZ 17.07.2024

Explanation:

Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways announced plans to boost lighthouse tourism under Maritime India Vision (MIV) 2030 and Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047  in India during a stakeholders meeting organised by the Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships in Vizhinjam, Kerala.

Lighthouse

• A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses and used as an aid to navigation for mariners and local fisherman. Lighthouses mark dangerous coastlines, hazardous shoals, reefs, safe entries to harbours.
• Currently, India has established & maintaining 194 lighthouses along the coastal line & Islands of Indian waters.

Explanation:

• Recently in India the nomination for National Gopal Ratna Award – 2024 has started from 15th July.
• The Department of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying has been conferring the National Gopal Ratna Awards every year with the aim of encouraging milk stakeholders.
• The National Gopal Ratna Awards is one of the highest national awards in the livestock and dairy sector. The Department has incorporated a special award for the North Eastern Region (NER) States to encourage and promote dairy development activities in the North Eastern Region (NER).

National Gopal Ratna Awards

• National Gopal Ratna Awards are given every year to encourage milk producing farmers, dairy cooperatives, milk producing companies, dairy farmer producer organizations and artificial insemination technicians.
• It is given by the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying under the National Gokul Mission (RGM).
• From the year 2021, the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying is giving the National Gopal Ratna Awards every year on the occasion of National Milk Day on 26th November.

Explanation:

• Odisha government has opened the iconic Ratna Bhandaar of the 12th century Jagannath Temple in Puri after 46 years.

Jagannath Temple's Ratna Bhandaar

• The Ratna Bhandaar is a priceless collection of treasures located on the north side of the Jagmohan (temple hall).
• The temple's Ratna Bhandaar houses precious jewellery belonging to Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra, gifted over the years by followers and former kings.
• The Record of Rights maintained as per the Puri Sri Jagannath Temple Act, 1952 contains a list of precious jewellery and various adornments belonging to Lord Jagannath.

Explanation:

• World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors in June 2024 approved a $1.5 billion loan to the government of India to develop the low-carbon energy sector in the country.
• This is the second such loan granted by the World Bank of India. Last year, in 2023, the World Bank sanctioned $1.5 billion to India for the development of the low-carbon energy sector.

Low Carbon Energy  Sector

• Low Carbon energy sector refers to the energy source which when burned releases less carbon as compared to the burning of fossil fuels(coal, petroleum oil and gas).
• Hydrogen or ammonia are considered as zero carbon emission fuels and amongst the low carbon fuels comes biofuels. Biofuels are made from biomass like plants (wood,straws,molasses, agricultural wastes etc ) , algae.
• The government of India has set a target to achieve net zero carbon emission status by 2070. To realise this goal, the government of India launched the National Green Hydrogen Mision.

Explanation:

• Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli (K P Sharma Oli) was sworn in as the Prime Minister of Nepal for the fourth time by President Ram Chandra Paudel on 15 July 2024 in Kathmandu.
• KP Sharma Oli will lead a coalition government after the fall of the previous coalition government led by Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’.
• According to the provisions of the Nepal constitution, the new government has to seek a vote of confidence from the lower house of the Nepalese Parliament within 30 days of being sworn in.

KP Sharma Becomes PM for Fourth Time

• This is the fourth time that K P Sharma Oli has become the Prime Minister of Nepal.
• He first became the prime minister in October 2015 and remained in power til August 2016. His second term as the prime minister was from February 2018 to May 2021, and his third was from May 2021 to July 2021.