Today in History (Apr 01^st, 1935)

On 1st April, 1935 – India’s central banking institution, the Reserve Bank of India, is formed.

Let’s revise

A) Food Waste Index (FWI) Report 2024 has been launched by

1. United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
2. World Bank
3. NITI Ayog
4. Asian Development

Ans. (a)

B) International Day of Zero Waste observed annually on___

1. 1 April
2. 3 March
3. 30 March
4. 16 January

Ans. (c)

C) Which countries appear to generate more food waste___

1. Countries far away from equator
2. Countries near north pole
3. Countries near Sahara desert
4. Countries with cold climate

Ans. (c)

D) “Blue Helmets” sometimes in news it is another name used to indicate____

1. Representatives of World Bank
2. United Nations Peace Keeping Force
3. Representatives of Red Cross Society
4. Representatives of United Nations Refugee Commission

Ans. (b)

E) CoViNet has been launched by ____

1. World Bank
2. United Nations Environment Programme
3. World Health Organisation
4. World Food Programme

Ans. (c)

F) Moscow is a city in which continents?

1. Asia
2. Africa
3. Europe
4. North America

Ans. (c)

G) Which one of the following country is under Taliban Rule?

1. Pakistan
2. Israel
3. Afghanistan
4. Saudi Arabia

Ans. (c)

H) Which one is the largest country in the world in terms of Area?

1. China
2. Russia
3. Brazil
4. USA

Ans. (b)
I) What are the methods and approaches of Taliban militants?

1. Brutality and open killings
2. Democratic means and methods
3. Popular government through democratic elections
4. Freedom for women and non Islamic people

Ans. (a)

J) Who is the current Prime Minister of Russia?

1. Bladimir Putin
2. Blodomyir Zelensky
3. Mikhail Mishustin
4. Joe Biden

Ans. (c)

Summary of Today’s News

Bharat Ratna Awards

President Droupadi Murmu presented the Bharat Ratna Awards at Rashtrapati Bhavan to four Awardees

1. Former Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh
2. Former Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao,
3. Former Bihar Chief Minister Karpoori Thakur
4. Eminent Scientist M. S. Swaminathan

For all these awards have been given posthumously.

Bharat Ratna

1. Bharat Ratna is the highest civilian award of India.
2. It is awarded in recognition of exceptional service/performance of the highest order in any field of human endeavour.
3. The recommendations for Bharat Ratna are made by the Prime Minister to the President of India.
4. No formal recommendations for Bharat Ratna are necessary.
5. The Award does not carry any monetary grant.

Congress for relinquishing the Katchatheevu island to Sri Lanka

On Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi strongly criticized the Congress for relinquishing the Katchatheevu Island to Sri Lanka in 1974 under the Indira Gandhi government. This issue has become prominent during the Lok Sabha election.
He referenced a news article and shared on X: ‘Revealing and shocking! New revelations expose Congress’s careless handover of Katchatheevu….’ He further commented that ‘Undermining India’s unity, integrity, and interests has been the Congress’s modus operandi for 75 years and counting.’ The news article was based on responses obtained through a Right to Information (RTI) request filed by BJP Tamil Nadu chief K. Annamalai regarding India’s transfer of the island located in the Palk Strait to Sri Lanka in 1974.

President Murmu confers Bharat Ratna on L.K. Advani

President Droupadi Murmu awarded BJP veteran and former Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani the Bharat Ratna at his Delhi residence on Sunday.
The ceremony was attended by Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Advani’s family members, as per Rashtrapati Bhavan’s post on X. Modi sat beside Advani during the ceremony, expressing that witnessing the conferment of Bharat Ratna upon him was special and a recognition of his significant contributions to India’s progress.
Modi praised Advani’s dedication to public service and his pivotal role in shaping modern India, expressing pride in having worked closely with him for several decades. Rashtrapati Bhavan hailed Advani as a stalwart of Indian politics, citing his unwavering dedication and distinction in serving the nation.

Compounding water crisis in South India

According to a recent report by The Hindu analyzing data from the Central Water Commission, South India’s reservoirs are only 23% full, which is nine percentage points lower than the decadal average. This indicates a looming crisis. The last severe water shortage in South India occurred in 2017, but the current situation is expected to be worse for several reasons.
Firstly, ongoing El Niño events are making monsoons more erratic, with this being one of the strongest El Niño events on record.
Secondly, 2023 was recorded as the warmest year globally, and 2024 is predicted to be worse.
Thirdly, the upcoming general election will have millions spending more time outdoors. Fourthly, despite improvements in policies and forecasting, the implementation of preparedness measures on the ground remains inadequate.
Other contributing factors include unplanned urban growth, excessive groundwater extraction, low water reuse efficiency, insufficient community involvement, and encroachment or degradation of catchment areas.
Climate change will disproportionately affect low- and middle-income countries like India, exacerbating simultaneous crises. Changes in weather patterns increase the likelihood of multiple crises occurring together, such as droughts and disease outbreaks, worsening conditions for marginalized communities.
The water crisis must be understood in this context, where it not only stands alone as a crisis but also compounds the effects of other challenges. Governments’ failure to address recurring water shortages despite ample evidence indicates a lack of learning or disregard for the issue. It’s crucial for policymakers to recognize that future crises will not be solely about water and cannot be solely attributed to climate change.