CURRENT AFFAIRS
30 January, 2025
1. USE OF LOUDSPEAKERS NOT ‘ESSENTIAL PART OF RELIGION’ –
• Recently, the Bombay High Court directed the Maharashtra government to have an in-built mechanism to control decibel levels in loudspeakers, public address system (PAS) or any other sound-emitting gadgets used at places of worship, or institutions, irrespective of religion.
• Bombay HC ruled that the use of loudspeakers is not an essential part of any religion.
• Directed Maharashtra government and Mumbai Police to enforce noise pollution rules strictly.
• Suggested calibration and auto-fixation of decibel limits for loudspeakers and public address systems (PAS).
2. INDORE AND UDAIPUR JOIN THE LIST OF 31 WETLAND ACCREDITED CITIES IN WORLD –
• Indore and Udaipur have become the first two Indian cities to make it to the global list of accredited wetland cities under Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.
About Indore and Udaipur Wetlands
Indore:
• Sirpur Lake: A Ramsar Site recognized for its water bird congregation.
• It is being developed as a bird sanctuary.
Udaipur:
• Surrounded by five major wetlands:
• Pichola
• Fateh Sagar
• Rang Sagar
• Swaroop Sagar
• Doodh Talai
3. WHEN AND WHERE WAS THE FIRST KUMBH MELA HELD IN INDIA? –
• Kumbh Mela is one of the largest religious festivals in the world, where millions of devotees gather to take a holy dip in sacred rivers. It is held every 12 years at four locations in India – Prayagraj, Haridwar, Ujjain and Nashik. The festival has a deep spiritual and mythological significance, believed to be linked to the divine nectar of immortality from Hindu legends.
• Kumbh Mela happens every 12 years. When 12 cycles of Kumbh Mela are completed, a special event called Mahakumbh takes place, which happens once in 144 years. In 2025, Mahakumbh is being organized in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh.
• The exact time when Kumbh Mela started is unknown. Some ancient texts say that the festival has been celebrated since the Satya Yuga, which is believed to be the first age in Hindu history. Other records suggest that the tradition is about 850 years old.
4. BEST MARCHING CONTINGENTS AND TABLEAUX OF REPUBLIC DAY PARADE 2025 ANNOUNCED –
• The Republic Day Parade at Kartavya Path, Delhi, is a grand celebration that showcases India’s military strength, cultural diversity, and historical legacy. The 2025 Republic Day Parade witnessed a magnificent display of discipline, tradition, and artistry, with Marching Contingents and Tableaux competing for top honors.
• The results were announced by the three expert panels of judges, and an online public poll conducted on the MyGov portal also determined the ‘Popular Choice’ winners.
• Best Marching Contingent among Services: Jammu & Kashmir Rifles Contingent
• Best Marching Contingent among CAPFs/Other Auxiliary Forces: Delhi Police Marching Contingent
5. CABINET APPROVES RS 16,300 CRORE NATIONAL CRITICAL MINERAL MISSION –
• The Union Cabinet has approved the National Critical Mineral Mission (CMM) with an outlay of Rs 16,300 crore. This initiative is aimed at addressing the critical need for minerals that are essential for key technologies and defense manufacturing.
• The CMM seeks to boost the domestic production of critical minerals, reduce dependence on imports, and enhance India’s resource security by fostering both onshore and offshore mining activities.
• The mission will address the entire value chain of critical minerals, from exploration and mining to beneficiation, processing, and recovery from end-of-life products. With a focus on critical minerals like lithium, cobalt, copper, nickel, and rare earth elements, the mission also aims to streamline regulatory processes, incentivize exploration, and develop a national stockpile of these minerals. By promoting both public and private sector participation, the mission is poised to make India self-reliant in critical mineral resources.
MCQ QUIZ
Q1. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully launched its new generation satellite NVS-02 from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh. What significant milestone did ISRO achieve with the launch of NVS-02 ?
a) First satellite for the NavIC system
b) 100th launch from Satish Dhawan Space Centre
c) First satellite in the NVS series
d) First launch of GSLV-F15
Q2. Georgia is the __________ country in the world to be certified malaria-free by WHO.
a) 42nd
b) 43rd
c) 44th
d) 45th
Q3. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the 38th National Games in Dehradun, Uttarakhand. Which two sports have been included in the National Games for the first time ?
a) Kabaddi and Kho-Kho
b) Yoga and Mallakhamb
c) Judo and Gymnastics
d) Wrestling and Archery
Q4. Which of the following statements about Joint Parliamentary Committees (JPCs) is correct ?
1. A JPC is set up through a motion passed in one house of Parliament and must be agreed to by the other house.
2. Members of a JPC include only MPs from the Lok Sabha.
3. JPCs are permanent bodies that function continuously throughout the year.
4. JPC recommendations have binding legal power, compelling the government to act on them.
Choose the correct answer using the codes below :
a) Only 1
b) 1 and 3 only
c) Only 1 and 4
d) 2 and 3 only
Explanation-
Statement 1 is correct: A JPC is indeed set up through a motion passed in one house of Parliament, with the agreement of the other house.
Statement 2 is incorrect: A JPC includes MPs from both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, not just Lok Sabha.
Statement 3 is incorrect: JPCs are ad-hoc bodies, meaning they are formed for specific tasks and not permanent or continuous.
Statement 4 is incorrect: JPC recommendations have persuasive value but cannot compel the government to act on them, though the government must report follow-up actions.
Q5. Consider the following countries:
1. Paraguay
2. Liechtenstein
3. Uzbekistan
3. Afghanistan
4. Bhutan
5. Kazakhstan
Which of the above are doubly landlocked countries ?
a) Only two
b) Only three
c) Only five
d) All six
Explanation-
Recently, the General Assembly adopted the Programme of Action for Landlocked Developing Countries for the Decade 2024-2034, aiming to tackle the unique challenges faced by nations without direct access to open seas.
Landlocked developing countries (LLDCs) face significant hurdles in trade and development, relying on transit nations, which leads to higher trade costs, delays and reduced competitiveness in global markets.
The Programme of Action identifies five priorities: promoting sustainable economic growth through innovation and structural transformation, enhancing regional trade integration, improving transport connectivity, building climate resilience, and ensuring effective implementation strategies.
The new framework builds on the Vienna Programme of Action (2014-2024) and the Almaty Programme of Action (2003), which laid the groundwork for addressing the persistent obstacles plaguing LLDCs.
Landlocked countries are countries that do not have direct access to the sea. There are 32 LLDCs with a population of about 570 million.
Liechtenstein and Uzbekistan are the only two doubly landlocked countries in the world. This means that all of their neighboring countries are also landlocked.
Hence, Option A is correct.
Answer Key
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
B | D | B | A | A |