In Current Affairs for 20 December 2024, we will see the latest national and international current affairs news. These important current affairs will be beneficial for your upcoming NDA, CDS, CDS OTA, AFCAT, TA, Agniveer Army, Agniveer Navy, Agniveer Air Force, Women Military Police, INET, MNS, ACC exams, SCO, PCSL, CAPF, and SSB interviews, and direct entries for Army, Navy, and Air Force like SSC Tech, TGC, JAG, NCC, TES, 10+2 Cadet. Download a PDF file about current events at the end of this article. Let us now see the Current Affairs.
Current Affairs 20 December 2024
India’s First Solar Border Village
- In Gujarat, Masali village in Banaskantha district has become country’s first solar border village. Masali village, with a total population of 800, is located 40 kilometers from the Pakistan border.
- Following the efforts of district administration, Masali has emerged as 100 percent solar powered village in country.
- Under PM Suryaghar Yojana, solar rooftops have been installed on a total of 119 houses in Masali village having population of 800 people.
- All these houses are generating more than 225 kilowatts of electricity.
- Under the Border Development Project, the administration has also taken the initiative to make 11 border villages in Vav taluka and six in Suigam taluka, as entirely solar powered villages.
First Ever Ganges River Dolphin Tagging
- India marked a historic achievement in wildlife conservation by conducting first ever Ganges river dolphin tagging in Assam.
- In a statement, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change said, this is the first tagging for the species which is a significant milestone in the advancement of Project Dolphin.
- The Ministry said that the tagging exercise will help in understanding their seasonal and migratory patterns, range, distribution, and habitat utilization, particularly in fragmented or disturbed river systems.
- This achievement will deepen understanding of conserving National Aquatic Animals.
India Signs $42 Million Loan Agreement With ADB
- Central government and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed a 42 million dollar loan to strengthen coastal protection to help boost community resilience in Maharashtra.
- ADB financing will help to restore and stabilise Maharashtra’s coastline and protect the livelihoods of coastal communities.
- Ministry of finance said, the ADB will help build the capacity of the Maharashtra Maritime Board in shore management planning, including the establishment of a coastal infrastructure management unit.
- It said the project will support capacity building of stakeholders on gender equality and social inclusion, coastal management, and livelihood activities.
Sahitya Akademi Award 2024
- Noted author from Nagaland, Easterine Kire, has been selected for the Sahitya Akademi Award 2024. Akademi announced its annual Sahitya Akademi Awards in 21 languages.
- Kire’s novel, Spirit Nights, published by Simon and Schuster India, won the award in the English language category. The novel is inspired by a story of darkness narrated by the Chang Naga tribe of Nagaland.
- Other awardees from the North East include Sameer Tanti’s Pharingbore Bator Katha Jane in the Assamese language, and Haobam Satyabati Devi’s Mainu Bora Nungshi Sheirol in the Manipuri language under the Poetry category, as well as Aron Raja’s Swrni Thakhai in Bodo language under Novel category.
- The awardees will receive a casket containing an engraved copper plaque, a shawl, and a cash prize of one lakh rupees. The award ceremony will be held on 8th March 2025, in DelhI.
Yuga Yugeen Bharat National Museum
- India has partnered with France Museums Développement to establish Yuga Yugeen Bharat National Museum as a global cultural landmark. This ambitious project is an integral part of the Central Vista Redevelopment Project and is set to span approximately one lakh 55 thousand square meters across the iconic North and South Blocks in New Delhi.
- External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar and Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat were present at the signing ceremony between the National Museum and France Museums Developpement in New Delhi.
- Dr Jaishankar said the agreement is an important expression of international cooperation built on the sharing of experiences. He highlighted that culture is the essence of soft power.
- On the relationship between India and France, the External Affairs Minister said that India and France see each other as important partners. He stated that in a world that is very globalised, it is important to preserve, protect, and advance identities.
- As part of this agreement, India and France will collaborate on a comprehensive feasibility study, encompassing museum case studies, interpretive planning, and building programming.
- France’s renowned expertise in museum development, exemplified by the Grand Louvre, will play a pivotal role in shaping this project. The adaptive reuse of the historic North and South Blocks will ensure the preservation of their architectural heritage while creating a vibrant and efficient cultural space.
National Tansen Samman
- National Tansen Award and Raja Mansingh Tomar Award were given yesterday in the world famous Tansen Festival organized in Gwalior, the music capital of Madhya Pradesh.
- Renowned tabla player of Indian classical music Pt. Swapan Choudhary of Kolkata was honoured with the “National Tansen Samman” for the year 2023.
- At the National Tansen Award, an honorarium of five lakh rupees, citation plaque and shawl-shriphal was presented.
- This award, established by the Madhya Pradesh government in the name of Music Emperor Tansen, is the highest national music award in the field of Indian classical music.
- Sanand Nyas, an institution of Indore, was honoured with the “Raja Mansingh Tomar Samman” for the year 2023. This institution has been working in the field of classical music, drama and cultural festivals in Indore for the last 35 years.
First Indian PM Visit To Kuwait In 43 Years
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Kuwait on the 21st and 22nd of December, at the invitation of the Amir of Kuwait, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.
- This will be the first visit of an Indian Prime Minister to Kuwait in 43 years.
- Mr. Modi will also interact with the Indian community in Kuwait. India and Kuwait share traditionally close and friendly relations that are rooted in history and have been underpinned by economic and strong people-to-people linkages.
- India is among the top trading partners of Kuwait. The Indian community is the largest expatriate community in Kuwait. The visit will provide an opportunity to further strengthen the multifaceted ties between India and Kuwait.
‘Sarv Dharam Samvad’
- Ministry of Minority Affairs said that the National Commission for Minorities conducts ‘Sarv Dharam Samvad’ with representatives of minority communities to promote communal harmony and discuss problems of Buddhist, Jain and other communities.
- In a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha, Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said that since December 2021, the Commission has conducted 38 such meetings, including Jain and Buddhist communities. He further said that five of these meetings have specifically focused on the Jain and Buddhist communities.
- Mr Rijiju said issues concerning the Jain community, such as Sammed Shikharji, Girnar Parvat, and the safety and security of Jain monks during Viharas, were discussed in the meetings.
- Issues concerning the Buddhist community, such as the management of the Bodh Gaya temple, the promotion of the Pali language, and the provision of amenities such as schools and community halls for Buddhists living in remote areas, were also discussed.
- Mr Rijiju added that in addition, three autonomous organisations are working under the administrative control of the Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India, and three of them—the Central Institute of Buddhist Studies, Leh; Nava Nalanda Mahavihara, Nalanda, Bihar; and Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies, Sarnath in Uttar Pradesh have been accorded status of deemed to be university.
Kiran Ankush Jadhav
- Indian Navy’s Kiran Ankush Jadhav beat Paris Olympic bronze medallist Swapnil Kusale and another Olympian Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar to clinch the men’s 50m rifle 3 positions (3P) title at the 67th National Shooting Championship Competitions in Bhopal.
- Jadhav shot 465.8 in the final to leave Aishwary Pratap (463.1) of the home state in second place at the M.P. State Academy Shooting range. Swapnil of Railways led the 45-shot final till the 40th shot but bowed out in third ahead of the final gold-deciding shot, with a tally of 451.8.
Pranav Venkatesh
- In Chess, India’s Pranav Venkatesh made history by clinching both the FIDE World Under-18 Youth Rapid and Blitz titles in Slovenia.
- The top-seeded Indian Grandmaster from Chennai triumphed in the Rapid category, scoring an impressive 9.5 points to secure the gold medal.
- Russia’s Alexander Khripachenko claimed silver with 9 points, while Ukraine’s Roman Pyrih earned the bronze with 7.5 points.
- In the Blitz category, Pranav amassed an astounding 19.5 points, finishing with a round to spare. Russia’s Dmitry Mochalov claimed silver with 15.5 points, while his compatriot Khripachenko took bronze.
- Pranav was the only Grandmaster competing in the entire event, which included six categories across both Rapid and Blitz formats.
Current Affairs 20 December 2024 Question
- India’s First Solar Border Village Is In
A. Uttarakhand
B. Gujarat
C. Himachal Pradesh
D. J & K
ANSWER: B - What Is The Theme Of The 10th International Forest Fair Organized By Madhya
Pradesh
A. Women Empowerment through Minor Forest Produce
B. Forest Biological Diversity
C. Sustainable forest management
D. Health Protection from Minor Forest Produce
ANSWER: A - Where Was Gujarat’s First Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly And Testing
Plant Inaugurated
A. Rajkot
B. Surat
C. Vadodara
D. Ahmedabad
ANSWER: B - Which Of The Following Cities Are Dominating India’s Data Centre Industry
A. Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi-NCR, and Bengaluru
B. Pune, Hyderabad, Kochi, and Ahmedabad
C. Kolkata, Jaipur, Chandigarh, and Surat
D. Kochi, Bengaluru, Gurugram, and Ahmedabad
ANSWER: A - How Much Has Indian Government Collected Through Minority Stake Sale
Disinvestment Transactions In 2024-25 Financial Year
A. ₹7,500 crore
B. ₹8,625 crore
C. ₹9,000 crore
D. ₹10,000 crore
ANSWER: B - By What Year Is India’s Data Centre Market Expected To Exceed $100 Billion In
Investments
A. 2025
B. 2026
C. 2027
D. 2028
ANSWER: B - ISRO Completed A Sea-level Hot Test Of Which Cryogenic Engine
A. Semi Cryogenic
B. Dhawan 1
C. CE 20
D. CE 7.5
ANSWER: C - Who Clinched The Title Of Women’s Junior Asia Cup 2024
A. China
B. Japan
C. S. Korea
D. India
ANSWER: D - India Has Achieved A Significant Milestone As FDI Inflows Surpassed $1 Trillion
Between April 2000 And September 2024. Which Country Was The Highest
Source Of FDI During This Period
A. Mauritius
B. Singapore
C. USA
D. Netherlands
ANSWER: A - Which Of Following States Are Common To Bru-Reang Agreement, NLFT
Agreement, Tripartite Agreement With TIPRA
A. Tripura
B. Assam and Tripura
C. Tripura and Mizoram
D. Manipur and Mizoram
ANSWER: A - Which One Of The Following Statements Is Correct About NISHTHA, A
Government Of India Initiative
A. It Is A Training Module Recently Introduced In LBSNAA For Civil Servants.
B. It Is A Teacher-training Programme.
C. It Is A Training Programme For The New Recruits In Delhi Police To Inculcate
Integrity Of Service Among Them.
D. It Is A Workshop For Newly Elected Members Of Parliament Organized Routinely
By The Lok Sabha Secretariat.
ANSWER: B - Which Act Provides The Legal Foundation For The MSME SAMADHAAN
Portal’s Functionalities
A. The Companies Act, 2013
B. The Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises Development Act, 2006
C. The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016
D. The Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996
ANSWER: B - In October 2024, RBI Entered Into A Currency Swap Agreement With Which
Country Under SAARC Currency Swap Framework
A. Sri Lanka
B. Bhutan
C. Nepal
D. Maldives
ANSWER: D - Under Which Act Does RBI Issue Directions To Banks For Ensuring The Supply
Of Fresh Currency Notes
A. Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934
B. Companies Act, 2013
C. Banking Regulation Act, 1949
D. Indian Contract Act, 1872
ANSWER: C - Which Of The Following Is One Of The Objectives Of The ZED (Zero Defect,
Zero Effect) Scheme
A. Enable Msmes For Manufacturing Of Quality Products
B. Support ‘Make In India’ Campaign
C. Drive Manufacturing With Adoption Of Zero-defect Production Processes And
Without Impacting The Environment
D. All Of The Above
ANSWER: D - Tattvabodhini Sabha Was Founded In 1839 By Whom
A. Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
B. Raja Ram Mohan Roy
C. Swami Vivekananda
D. Debendranath Tagore
ANSWER: D - Which Institution Signed A Mou With The Indian Navy To Enhance Education,
Research, And Training In Logistics
A. IIT Delhi
B. Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya (GSV)
C. Indian Institute of Management (IIM)
D. National Defence University
ANSWER: B - Who Has Been Appointed As New Country Manager For Google India
A. Sanjay Gupta
B. Sundar Pichai
C. Preeti Lobana
D. Shantanu Narayen
ANSWER: C - Name Of Scheme Launched By Government To Facilitate Credit Assess For
Farmers Through e-NWRs
A. Warehouse Loan Guarantee Scheme
B. Farmer Empowerment Scheme
C. Credit Guarantee Scheme
D. e-Kisan Credit Scheme
ANSWER: C - The First Meeting Of UNGA Was Held In Which Of The Following Cities
A. London
B. New York
C. San Francisco
D. Teheran
ANSWER: A
