National
1. An Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, who resigned in 2019, has been recently reinstated by the government. A resignation is a formal intimation in writing by an officer of his/her intention or a proposal to leave the service. Officers who take VRS are entitled to the pension, whereas those who resign don't get any pension.
2. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz signed a joint declaration of intent (JDI) establishing the Green and Sustainable Development Partnership. To intensify bilateral and multilateral cooperation and accelerate actions towards climate protection.
3. Recently, IIT Bombay entered into collaboration with India Meteorological Department (IMD) to develop climate solutions at the village, city and district levels. It is an integrated approach to managing landscapes that address the interlinked challenges of food security and climate change.
4. A loan scheme named Jivhala has been launched by the Maharashtra Department of Prisons for the inmates who are serving sentences in various jails across Maharashtra. Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank is offering this newly launched credit scheme that has been named Jivhala. This credit scheme is a first-of-its-kind scheme that has been launched for prisoners in India.
5. A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed between Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC) and ST & SC Development Department to establish a Tribal Health Observatory (TriHOb) in the state of Odisha. This TriHOb is the first in India. This observatory will be looking to establish a depository regarding the health of all the tribal populations in Odisha.
6. India ranked 150 on the World Press Freedom Index 2022. This index is released by the Reporters Sans Frontieres (RSF). This index was published on 3rd May 2022 which also coincides with the World Press Freedom Day 2022. This index evaluates press freedom levels in 180 territories and countries across the globe.
7. Recently, the Central government published the Civil Registration System (CRS) report 2020 based on birth and death reports. The Civil Registration System (CRS) is a universal, continuous, compulsory and permanent recording of birth, death and stillbirth.
8. The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation's (IRCTC) first Bharat Gaurav Tourist Train will be run under the aegis of the new policy of the Ministry of Railways. On 21st June 2022, this train will be commencing its maiden journey. This train will be showcasing all the prominent places that are associated with Lord Rama's life and also including Janakpur, Nepal which is the birthplace of Goddess Sita.
9. 25,000 households located in East Delhi will be provided with free sewer connections under the 'Mukhyamantri Muft Sewer Connection Yojana'. The free sewer connections will be provided by the Delhi government in 12 colonies in Mustafabad and Karawal Nagar. Rs. 19 crore has been allocated by the state government for the implementation of these connections.
10. The centre has asked whether any environmental impact study has been carried out before giving environmental clearance for a five-star hotel at the Jog Development Projects. Earlier, a proposal was submitted by Karnataka to seek diversions of 0.8536 hectares of forest land in the Nadavada Talakalale village, Sagar Taluk.
11. Recently, the Chief Minister of Delhi launched the 'Delhi Startup Policy'. To promote entrepreneurship in Delhi by creating an enabling ecosystem for people to launch startups. The government wants to make Delhi the "startup destination of the world".
12. The 2022 Global Report on Food Crises was recently published, highlighting acute food insecurity globally. Global Network Against Food Crises (GNAFC). The report focuses on those countries and territories where the magnitude and severity of the food crisis exceed the local resources and capacities.
13. The Politics of Disinformation report has been released by the Future of India Foundation, a non-profit organization that is based in Delhi. This report states that in this age where user engagement is being boosted, social media companies across the globe cannot and must not use 'freedom of expression' as an excuse for letting false information spread and leading to an increase in propaganda.
14. Recently, the Union Health Minister released National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-5 data. According to NFHS-5, 23.3% of women surveyed got married before attaining the legal age of 18 years, down from 26.8% reported in NFHS-4. However, in some states like Punjab, West Bengal, Manipur, Tripura and Assam, underage marriages increased.
15. Recently, the Delimitation Commission on Jammu and Kashmir signed its final order redrawing the Jammu and Kashmir's assembly constituencies. The three member Delimitation Commission on Jammu and Kashmir was headed by Justice (retd) Ranjana Desai.
16. According to Mercom's India Solar Project Tracker, Rajasthan became the first state in the country to surpass 10 GW of cumulative large-scale solar installations. Rajasthan has a total of 32.5 GW of installed power capacity. Renewable energy contributes to 55% of installed power capacity. Whereas thermal energy contributes 43%, and nuclear energy contributes the remaining 2%.
17. The first trainset of India's first Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) was recently handed over to National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC). These trains are 100% indigenous. This is in line with the government's Make in India program and Aatmanirbhar Bharat's ambition.
18. On 9th May the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said that the severe cyclonic storm 'Asani' is likely to weaken in the next 48 hours. Asani is the first cyclonic storm of the season. Asani means 'wrath' in Sinhalese (Srilankan language).
19. Recently, the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) issued a new directive to Virtual private network (VPN) service providers. The CERT-In directive mandates that Virtual private network (VPN) service providers must maintain all customer data for five years.
20. Recently, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has granted security clearance to the new Jet Airways promoters. The security clearance will pave the way for the relaunch of the Jet airways operations. Once a pioneer in India's private aviation industry, Jet airways operations was closed in 2019 due to financial constraints. Jet Airways, owned by Naresh Goyal, operated its last flight on 17th April 2019. In June 2019, insolvency proceedings were initiated for Jet Airways.
21. Recently, the Union government notified the appointment of two judges as judges of the Supreme Court. Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia, he became the Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court on 10th January 2021 and Justice Jamshed Burjor Pardiwala, he will be the fourth Parsi to be elevated to the Supreme Court. His appointment is the first from the minority community in the past five years.
22. Ride-hailing companies such as Ola and Uber were directed by the Department of Consumer Affairs (DoCA) to become convergence partners in the National Consumer Helpline (NCH). Converges ensures better grievance redressal for consumers. It will also ensure compliance with Consumer Protection Act, 2019 and E-commerce Rules, 2020.
23. Recently, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has told the Delhi High Court that fingerprints found at a crime scene cannot be matched against the Aadhaar database to identify criminals. According to UIDAI, using fingerprints to identify criminals is against the Aadhaar Act 2016. Section 29 of the Aadhaar Act 2016 says that no "core biometric information" collected under the Act shall be shared with anyone for any reason, or used for any purpose, other than the generation of Aadhaar numbers and authentication under the law.
24. The Supreme Court through its order stalled the operation of the sedition law. The Supreme Court in its order said that it will not be appropriate to continue the usage of the Sedition law by the governments, till its re-examination is complete.
25. India's first organic waste-powered Electric Vehicle (EV) charging station has been inaugurated at Keshavrao Khadye Marg, Mumbai, Aditya Thackeray, Maharashtra's Minister of Environment and Tourism inaugurated this charging station on 9th May 2022.
26. Kerala has been struck by another viral disease known as the Tomato Flu. It is a rare viral disease due to which blisters shaped like tomatoes are formed. As of 11th May 2022, around 80 children of the state who are under the age of five have already been affected.
27. A two-judge division bench of the Delhi High Court (HC) on 11th May delivered a split verdict on a batch of petitions seeking the criminalization of marital rape. However, both judges agreed on granting a certificate of leave to appeal to Supreme Court, as petitions involve substantial questions of law which require a decision from the Supreme Court.
28. Union Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) recently inaugurated the Centre of Excellence for Khadi (CoEK). The hub of the Centre of Excellence for Khadi (CoEK) is located at the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), New Delhi and its spokes are in Gandhinagar, Shillong, Kolkata and Bengaluru. Thus, it follows the hub and spoke model.
29. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has virtually addressed the 'Utkarsh Samaroh' event that was held at Bharuch, Gujarat on 12th May 2022. This programme was organized to celebrate the 100 per cent saturation of four key state government schemes in this district. While interacting with the people of this district PM Modi talked about the Utkarsh Initiative.
30. On 13th May 2022, Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog launched the National Data Analytics Platform (NDAP) for open public use. In August 2021, a beta version of the platform was released, which provided access to only a few users for testing and feedback.
31. Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying released the Breed-Wise Report of Livestock and Poultry.It is the first time in India that breed-wise data is collected digitally instead of on paper mode. It collected data regarding 184 indigenous/exotic & crossbred breeds of 19 species that are recognized by the NBAGR (National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources).
32. Fostering Effective Energy Transition 2022 report was recently released which called for urgent action by both public and private sectors to ensure resilient energy transition. It is a special edition report on the global energy transition released by the World Economic Forum (WEF) in collaboration with Accenture.
33. Speaking at the National Workshop on the Legal Metrology Act, the Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution urged state governments to support the decriminalization of the Legal Metrology Act. It is regulation and standardization of methodology of weighments and measurements.
34. The Madhya Pradesh Start-up Policy was launched by PM Modi during the Madhya Pradesh Start-up Conclave that was being held in Indore on the 14th of May 2022. The launch was done by the PM via video conference. This portal will help facilitate and promote the start-up ecosystem of the state.
35. The fossil of a Madtsoiidae snake was recently discovered in the mountains of Ladakh. The recent discovery throws light on the existence of the Madtsoiidae snake, a rare species of snake, in the subcontinent. Researchers reported for the first time a Madtsoiidae snake from the late Oligocene period in India.
36. Manik Saha has taken oath as the new Chief Minister of Tripura on 15th May 2022. He was elected as the new Chief Minister of the state after former CM Biplab Kumar Deb resigned from the post. Manik Saha is the BJP State unit president of Tripura as well as the only Rajya Sabha MP from the state.
37. The World Economic Forum (WEF) has announced that 100 new start-ups have joined its Technology Pioneers Community. The start-ups are from various sectors including healthcare, financial services, metaverse, food production etc. Out of the 100, 5 start-ups are from India.
38. USD 350 million in aid has been approved by the World Bank for the "Systems Reform Endeavors for Transformed Health Achievement" in Gujarat or the SRESTHA-G project. This project will be costing USD 500 million and the World Bank is providing USD 350 million to support this project and the rest will be borne by the state government.
39. On 17th May 2022, BSE Limited announced approval has been given for the appointment of S. S. Mundra as the company's chairperson. Mundra was the Public Interest Director at BSE. Justice Vikramajit Sen the current chairman of the BSE will be replaced by S. S. Mundra. In January 2018, Mundra was appointed as the BSE's Public Interest Director.
40. Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has released a report on 'Circular Economy in Municipal Solid and Liquid Waste.' This report has been released at a time when cities across India are struggling to get rid of municipal waste. The cities of the nation are also not able to come up with new landfill sites.
41. A claim that was filed by Ras Al-Khaimah Investment Authority (RAKIA) against the Indian Government for USD 273 worth of damages that were to be paid by the Andhra Pradesh government has been dismissed by the International Dispute Resolution Centre for Arbitration and Mediation (IDRC). The case was filed by RAKIA as the state government of Andhra Pradesh had failed to supply bauxite from Jerrela deposits located in Visakhapatnam district's Eastern Ghats as per the Bauxite Supply Agreement (BSA) that was signed in October 2008.
42. The Election Commission has announced that it will be leading the 'Democracy Cohort on Election Integrity' as part of the 'Summit for Democracy' in association with 100 democratic countries. At this summit expertise and experience will be shared with the poll management bodies of various countries.
43. Antony Blinken, the United States Secretary of State, has chaired a "Global Food Security Call to Action" meeting of foreign ministers from around 30 countries with the aim of reviewing the urgent development and humanitarian needs and identifying steps to address the challenges of global nutrition, food security and resilience. This meeting has been held days after India decided to ban wheat exports so that skyrocketing prices in the country due to shortages can be checked.
44. Border Road Organisation (BRO) has completed the excavation work of the Nechiphu Tunnel, in Arunachal Pradesh on 20th May 2022. This tunnel is being built by BRO under Project Vartak. The tunnel's foundation stone was laid by Rajnath Singh on 12th October 2020.
45. The Nanjarayan Tank is recently declared the 17th bird sanctuary of Tamil Nadu. Nanjarayan Tank is located on the outskirts of Tirupur city around 60 kilometers from Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. It was built by King Nanjarayan as a source for irrigation. It is also known as Sarkar Periyapalayam Reservoir.
46. Dr. Bibek Debroy, Chairman of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM) recently released the "State of Inequality in India" Report, which was written by the Institute for Competitiveness. The report puts forward a comprehensive analysis of inequality in the country.
47. Exercising the powers conferred under Article 142 of the Constitution, the Supreme Court ordered to release of A. G. Perarivalan (former PM Rajiv Gandhi assassination case convict). The convict's prolonged period in jail, his satisfactory conduct, his educational qualifications acquired during his jail term, his medical condition and the pending recommendation of the State Cabinet made to the Governor in 2018.
48. The Union Cabinet recently made amendments to the National Biofuel Policy 2018. The target for achieving 20% ethanol blending in petrol is advanced by five years. Thus, the new target is 2025-26 instead of 2030. The policy aims to reduce dependence on oil imports, thereby cutting down the import bill. It also allows consumers to access environmentally friendly fuel. The policy also enables the sugar industry to diversify its portfolios and become self-reliant.
49. On 23rd May 2022, President Ram Nath Kovind appointed Vinai Kumar Saxena as Delhi's new Lieutenant Governor. Before being appointed as the LG of Delhi, he served as the chairperson of the Khadi and Village Industries Commission. Anil Baijal will be replaced by Saxena for this post. Baijal resigned from this post last week.
50. The Delhi High Court (HC) recently scrapped a proposed scheme of the Delhi cabinet. The scheme was to supply rations at the doorstep of beneficiaries through government empanelled direct-to-home delivery agencies. The Delhi Ration Dealers Union moved to the Delhi High Court challenging the scheme, arguing that the scheme bypasses existing fair price shop (FPS) owners.
51. The India chapter of the Alliance of CEO Climate Action Leaders has been launched on the 23rd of May 2022 by the World Economic Forum (WEF) to boost India's decarbonization and climate action efforts. This alliance has brought together CEOs from the leading businesses of India.
52. Indian business tycoon Gautam Adani, Supreme Court lawyer Karuna Nundy, and Kashmiri human rights activist Khurram Parvez have been featured on TIME 100: Most Influential People of the World 2022. This list has been divided into six categories that are Pioneers, Icons, Artists, Titans, Innovators and Leaders.
53. Rajasthan Chief Minister recently approved new guidelines for the implementation of 'Indira Gandhi Shahari Rozgar Yojana'. It is an urban employment scheme announced by CM Ashok Gehlot in the 2022 - 23 Rajasthan state budget. The government will incur Rs. 800 crore annually for the implementation of this scheme.
54. In the WEF Travel and Tourism Development Index 2021, India has been ranked at 54th place. In 2019, India had ranked at 46th position. However, the country still topped within the South Asia region. This index is the Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index's direct evolution, having been published biennially for the last 15 years.
55. According to a recently issued notification, the Centre has reconstituted the Inter-State Council (ISC). The Inter-State Council (ISC) will be headed by the Prime Minister (PM). It will comprise six Union ministers and the Chief Ministers (CMs) of all states and Union Territories (UTs) with a legislature and administrators of UTs without a legislature.
56. PARAM PORUL, a state-of-the-art Supercomputer was inaugurated at NIT Tiruchirappalli on the 25th of May 2022 in a joint initiative by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
57. The Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs recently launched the 'Swachh Survekshan 2023'. The theme of Swachh Survekshan 2023 is "Waste to Wealth" for garbage-free cities. This theme is aligned with the Swachh Bharat Mission Urban (SBMU) 2.0's commitment to promoting circularity in waste management.
58. The biggest drone festival is being celebrated in India named the Bharat Drone Mahotsav 2022 on 27th May 2022. The festival is being held at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi and it will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Prime Minister will also be interacting with Kisan drone pilots and with start-ups in the drone exhibition centre and will be witnessing the open-air drone demonstrations.
59. Recently, the Supreme Court passed an order recognizing sex work as a "profession" and said that its practitioners across the country are entitled to equal protection as well as dignity under the law of the nation.
60. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister's interactions with the business leaders at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos culminated in the clinching of many business deals for the State. Officials of the Industries Department and AP-Economic Development Board (AP-EDB) signed MoUs in a wide range of sectors.
61. The Central Advisory Board on Archaeology (CABA), which was formed 7-years ago to boost the ties between the people who are working in the field of archaeological research and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has been re-established. Recently, the CABA has been reconstituted by the ASI.
62. The National Health Authority (NHA) recently launched a revamped Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) mobile app. The ABHA app was previously known as National Digital Health Mission's Health Records app. According to the Union Ministry of Health and Family welfare, the revamped ABHA app has a new simple & intuitive User Interface (UI) and added functionalities that enable individuals to access their health records anytime and anywhere.
63. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated 1,152 housing units situated in Perumbakkam that were built using precast system. The 1,152 housing units were inaugurated in the Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board (TNUHDB) resettlement site in Perumbakkam. Their construction is completed within one and a half years of its foundation stone being laid by PM Modi.
64. The State of the Global Climate Report 2021 has been released by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). According to the report, four key climate change indicators which are sea-level rise, greenhouse gas concentrations, ocean acidification, and ocean heat set new records in 2021.
65. The National Achievement Survey 2021 report was released by the Union Ministry of Education. National Achievement Survey (NAS) is a national level assessment survey conducted to evaluate the progress and learning achievement of school students.
66. Cotton Council of India has been recently set up by the Union government. According to the Union Ministry of Textiles, the objective of the council is to resolve the issues related to cotton & yarn pricing and bring substantial improvements in the sector. Suresh Bhai Kotak is appointed as the chairman of the Cotton Council of India. The first meeting of the Cotton Council of India is scheduled for 28th May.
67. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) recently released the revised Draft National Data Governance Framework Policy (NDGFP) and invited inputs on it before 11th June 2022. NDGFP replaces Draft India Data Accessibility and Use Policy, 2022.
68. In a report titled 'Road accidents in India-2020′, it has been highlighted that there has been a sharp decline in road accidents in 2020 as compared to 2019. The report has been released by the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH). According to the report, compared to the previous year's average, total road accidents decreased by 18.46 percent. The number of deaths due to road accidents also decreased by 12.84 percent and the number of injuries also decreased by 22.84 percent.
69. The Chhattisgarh government recognized the community forest resource (CFR) rights of the Gudiyapadar hamlet located inside the Kanger Ghati National Park. It is the common forest land that has been traditionally protected and conserved by the community. Each CFR area has a customary boundary with identifiable landmarks.
International
1. Recently, the USA and 60 other countries signed a new Declaration for the Future of the Internet. It is the principle that Internet service providers (ISPs) must treat all Internet communications equally and not charge users different rates based on content, website, platform, etc.
2. The Bach Long pedestrian bridge in Vietnam is a glass bottomed bridge that is suspended around 500 ft. off the ground. This newly opened bridge is the world's longest such bridge. Bach Long means 'the white dragon.' This bridge is 2000 ft or 632 metres long. This bridge is connecting two mountains and is hanging over a lush green valley. This bridge is located in the Son La Province, Northwest Vietnam.
3. John Lee Ka-chiu, a former security chief has recently been elected as the next leader of Hong Kong. This move is being widely regarded as the Chinese government's move to tighten its grip on the city. Carrie Lam is being replaced by John Lee after the city's chief executive election was held. From 1st July 2022, Lee will begin his five-year term as the city's chief executive.
4. Emmanuel Macron, the president of France, is of the belief that a "European political community" must be established which would be much broader than the present European Union (EU). The political community will also be including the nations that are not EU members. Currently, the EU has 27 members.
5. According to a presentation prepared in 2020, by the then Principal Economic Advisor in the Ministry of Finance, Sanjeev Sanyal, inputs that go into the making of the World Bank's World Governance Indicators (WGI) are arbitrary. The 36-page presentation noted that around 18 - 26% of India's sovereign rating is based on subjective factors and World Bank's World Governance Indicators (WGI) is used as a proxy for these subjective factors.
6. A new initiative has been announced by US President Joe Biden to expand the access to high-speed internet for low-income households across the United States for around USD 30 per month. For this program, 20 broadband providers have partnered and they will be covering over 80 percent of the country.
7. On 10th May 2022, Yoon Suk-yeol was sworn in as the new president of South Korea in Seoul's National Assembly. He took office at a time when there are high ongoing tensions with North Korea. In March 2022, the election results were announced and Yoon had won the election by a very slim margin.
8. In the United Kingdom, large tech companies like Facebook and Google will have to follow the new competition rules, or else huge fines will be imposed on them by the government. UK's new Digital Markets Unit (DMU) will have the power to put a stop to the predatory practices that are followed by some firms.
9. A patient in the country of England has been diagnosed with monkeypox disease. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) announced that a patient has been diagnosed. Monkeypox is a rare kind of viral infection which does not spread among people easily. Hence, the overall risk of this disease to the public is very low.
10. US President Joe Biden recently signed an executive order to improve accountability in policing. The order was signed on the second anniversary of George Floyd's death. Since the George Floyd incident, many started demanding police reforms. But, the delay in reforms reflects the challenges in addressing racism, excessive use of force and public safety.
11. India has contributed $800,000 to the 'Hindi @ UN' project to encourage the use of Hindi in the United Nations (UN). To enhance the public outreach of the United Nations (UN) in Hindi. This helps in spreading awareness about global issues among the Hindi speaking population.
12. On 12th May 2022, Ranil Wickremesinghe was sworn in as the 26th prime minister of Sri Lanka. He was sworn in as the PM to steady the nation's economy which is debt-ridden and to end the ongoing political turmoil. His appointment has been welcomed by India.
13. The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in a secret ballot voting elected the Czech Republic to replace Russia on the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC). 157 countries voted in favor of the Czech Republic in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and there were 23 abstentions. The Czech Republic retains the UNHRC seat till 31st December 2023.
14. In France, Elisabeth Borne has been appointed as the country's new prime minister on 16th May 2022. She becomes the second woman in the history of France to hold this post. Borne held the post of labour minister in the previous government of French President Emmanuel Macron. She succeeds Jean Castex after he resigned from this post.
15. After two years of construction, 'Sky Bridge 721' Suspension Bridge was inaugurated recently. It is the world's longest suspension bridge. It broke the record of the currently longest bridge, the Arouca Bridge (516 meters long) located in Portugal.
16. On the 13th of May 2022, the 15th World Forestry Congress concluded in Seoul and the Seoul Forest Declaration was adopted. The 15th edition of this event was hosted by the South Korean government in Seoul. The World Forestry Congress is held for five days and is hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). This event is held every six years with the aim of sharing environmental and forest related problems from across the globe like biodiversity loss, climate change, and desertification.
17. Bangladesh Prime Minister offered India the use of the Chittagong Port in Bangladesh. Access to the Chittagong Port will benefit India's northeastern states like Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya and Mizoram. Chittagong Port, Bangladesh's principal seaport is built on the Karnafuli River. It is the busiest port along the coastline of the Bay of Bengal.
18. 'India-Jamaica Friendship Garden' was recently inaugurated at the Hope Royal Botanical Gardens in St. Andrew, Jamaica. This was facilitated under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between the Indian High Commission in Jamaica and the Nature Preservation Foundation (NPF) in 2021.
19. Finland and Sweden submitted their application to join North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Although Finland and Sweden have a non-alignment policy, they were always close to NATO. The 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine prompted them to join NATO and seek its safety net.
20. During his state visit to Jamaica, India President Ram Nath Kovind highlighted India's assistance to Jamaica in capacity building and skill development through various courses under the India Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Programme. It is India's bilateral assistance program that focuses on addressing the needs of developing countries.
21. The feature film, 'Mujib - the Making of a Nation' portrays the relations between India and Bangladesh. Shyam Benegal has directed this film. The trailer for this film was launched by Anurag Thakur, Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting, and Dr. Hasan Mahmud, Bangladesh broadcasting Minister on 19th Amy 2022 on the third day of the Cannes Film Festival. India is the Country of Honour at the Marche du Film Festival (Cannes Film Festival).
22. Actions that will be taken by the World Bank to mitigate the ongoing food security have been announced. The World Bank will be investing up to USD 30 billion to finance new and existing projects to mitigate the crisis. Financing will be provided in the areas like nutrition, agriculture, water, social protection and irrigation so as to address the ongoing food insecurity across the globe over the next 15 months.
23. During the visit of Union Minister of Chemicals & Fertilizers Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya to Jordan, MOUs were signed with Jordan to ensure the supply of Phosphatic and Potassic fertilizers to India. The objective is to secure fertilizers for the short and long term. This comes in the backdrop of the ongoing global fertilizer crisis.
24. On 23rd May 2022, India and the USA signed the Investment Incentive Agreement (IIA) in Tokyo. The agreement was signed by India's foreign secretary and CEO of the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC). The investment Incentive Agreement (IIA) is a legal requirement for DFC to continue providing investment support to India.
25. India expressed willingness to join Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF), a new economic initiative led by the USA. USA clarified that the IPEF is not a free trade agreement (FTA). Thus, it neither seeks to replace the 11 nation CPTPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership) nor the RCEP.
26. Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently proposed 'Japan Week' to celebrate Japan's contribution to India's development journey. On the sidelines of Quad Summit, PM met top executives and CEOs of 34 Japanese companies including Honda Motor Co, Toyota Motor Corporation, Suzuki Motor Corporation, etc.
27. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) became the first Gulf country to record a case of monkeypox. The case was detected in a traveler who had recently visited the West African region. The Czech Republic and Slovenia also reported their first cases recently. Outbreaks of monkeypox have been found in Europe, Australia and America. Around 20 countries detected monkeypox outside its usual African base.
28. India recently joined a global public-private partnership initiative called the First Movers Coalition. The initiative was launched by President of the USA Joe Biden and the World Economic Forum (WEF) at COP26. It was joined by 50 new corporate members with a collective market capitalization of USD 8.5 trillion
29. The Reskilling Revolution initiative marked two years of progress at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2022 in Davos, Switzerland. Reskilling Revolution initiative is a global coalition of 50 CEOs, 25 ministers and 350 organizations committed to realizing the gains of skilling. It aims to provide 1 billion people with better education, skills, and economic opportunity by 2030.
Defence
1. The second air squadron of the Indian Coast Guard has been commissioned. This squadron is equipped with the indigenously designed as well as developed advanced light helicopter (ALH) MK-III. The squadron has been commissioned at the Coast Guard Air Enclave, Nedumbassery, Kochi on the 4th of May 2022. Director-General V. S. Pathania commissioned the 845 squadron (CG) in Kochi.
2. Recently, the surviving soldiers of Operation Dudhi were felicitated by Assam Rifles. In 1991, 72 militants were eliminated by the Assam Rifles in a single counter insurgency operation that was conducted in Jammu & Kashmir. This operation was undertaken by the Assam Rifles while it was in Jammu & Kashmir from the years 1990 to 1992.
3. The Indian Air Force (IAF) announced that it successfully test-fired an Extended Range (ER) version of the BrahMos air-launched supersonic cruise missile. BrahMos supersonic cruise missile was launched from the Sukhoi fighter jet (Su-30 MKI) and the missile achieved a direct hit on the designated target (a decommissioned Indian Navy Ship) in the Bay of Bengal region.
4. Rajnath Singh, India's Defence Minister launched the frigate INS Udaygiri and Indian Navy destroyer warship INS Surat on 17th Amy 2022 in Mumbai. INS 'Surat' is the fourth and last of the stealth destroyers that have been commissioned under the 'Project 15B' programme.
5. 'HANSA-NG', the new generation two-seater flying trainer aircraft completed the in-flight engine relight test. The test was conducted at the aeronautical test range (ATR) facility of the Defence Research Development Organization (DRDO) at Challakere, Chitradurga district (Karnataka) and all the parameters of the aircraft were found to be normal. The test was carried out at an altitude of 7,000 - 8,000 feet with a speed range of 60 to 70 knots.
6. The fourth edition of the two-day India-Bangladesh Coordinated Patrol (CORPAT) exercises began on 22nd May in the Bay of Bengal. The last time both countries conducted CORPAT exercises were in October 2020. The exercise aims to strengthen mutual understanding and enhance the interoperability between the navies of India and Bangladesh in countering maritime threats.
7. The third edition of the Bongosagar Naval exercise commenced at Port Mongla, Bangladesh on the 24th of May 2022 between the navies of India and Bangladesh. The harbour phase of this naval exercise was held from 24th to 25th May 2022. This will be followed by the sea phase which is scheduled to be held in the Northern Bay of Bengal from 26th to 27th May 2022.
8. Captain Abhilasha Barak of Haryana at the age of 26 has become the Indian Army's first woman combat aviator. On 25th May 2022, she successfully completed her Combat Army Aviation Course which was of six months to join the Army Aviation Corps as a helicopter pilot. Captain Barak has been designated to the 2072 Army Aviation Squadron's second flight which operates the Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH).
9. INS Nirdeshak, the second ship out of the Indian Navy's four Survey Vessels (Large) (SVL) projects, being built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) in association with L&T shipbuilding has been launched at Kattupalli, Chennai. The ships are designed to operate at a maximum speed of 18 knots and a cruise speed of 14 knots.
Business, Economy & Banking
1. India's foreign exchange (forex) reserves declined for the seventh consecutive week. Forex or foreign exchange reserves are assets held by the central bank in foreign currencies as a reserve. According to the latest data from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), India's forex reserves stood at $600.42 billion as of 22nd April 2022.
2. The Centre and the states are at loggerheads over taxes and duties on petrol and diesel. Centre feels that some states are not reducing Value added tax (VAT) on petrol and diesel in line with the Centre's cut in excise duty. Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Maharashtra, West Bengal, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Jharkhand have not reduced Value added tax (VAT) on petrol and diesel.
3. Recently, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released the Report on Currency and Finance (RCF) for the year 2021-22. The theme of the report is "Revive and Reconstruct" in the context of nurturing a durable recovery post-COVID and raising trend growth in the medium term.
4. India's pharma sector recorded its best ever export performance in 2021 - 22. India's pharma sector witnessed a growth of 103% since 2013 - 14, from Rs. 90,415 crores in 2013 - 14 to Rs. 1,83,422 crore in 2021 - 22. India's pharma exports in 2021 - 22 sustained positive growth despite the global trade disruptions. The trade balance continues to be in India's favor.
5. India's gross Goods and Services Tax (GST) revenues hit a new high of Rs. 1.68 lakh crore in April 2022. For the first time, gross GST collection has crossed the Rs. 1.5 lakh crore mark. Goods and Services Tax (GST) is an indirect tax imposed on the supply of goods and services. It is a multi-stage, destination-oriented tax.
6. The first two day International Research Conference on Insolvency and Bankruptcy was recently organized in India. The conference was organized by the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI), jointly with the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA).
7. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi jointly participated with the Prime Minister of Denmark and Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark, in the "India - Denmark Business Forum". Prime Minister Modi invoked the popular social media expression FOMO (fear of missing out) and said those not investing in India will certainly miss out.
8. The Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) central board gave its approval to appoint Rajiv Ranjan as an ex-officio member of the RBI's monetary policy committee. Ranjan has been working with the RBI for more than 33 years. Recently, he headed RBI's "department of economic and policy research". This department is in line with the research function and monetary policy of the central bank.
9. Recently, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) held an unscheduled meeting and made some important announcements. The MPC unanimously decided to increase the policy repo rate under the liquidity adjustment facility (LAF) by 40 basis points to 4.40% with immediate effect. The MPC also decided to maintain the accommodative stance.
10. "Open", a Bengaluru-based neobank platform has become the 100th unicorn start-up in India. The start-up has raised fresh funds that increased its valuation to USD 1 billion. The new investment round to raise funds was led by IIFL, a Mumbai based investment firm along with the existing investors, Temasek, Tiger Global and 3one4 Capital.
11. Recently, Larsen & Toubro (L&T) announced the merger of its two software companies, Larsen & Toubro Infotech (LTI) and Mindtree. Larsen & Toubro Infotech (LTI) has a market capitalization of Rs. 1.03 lakh crore, whereas Mindtree has a market capitalization of Rs. 65,285 crore.
12. Recently, the Department of Expenditure (Ministry of Finance) released Rs. 7,183.42 crore as a revenue deficit grant to 14 states. This is the 2nd monthly installment of the Post Devolution Revenue Deficit (PDRD) grant to states. The 14 States that have been recommended for Post Devolution Revenue Deficit (PDRD) grant by the Fifteenth Finance Commission during 2022 - 23 are Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tripura, Uttarakhand and West Bengal.
13. Recently, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has abolished the network operation and control center (NOCC) charges. It is a charge levied on the use of space segments by telecom service providers for satellite telephony, broadband, etc. The NOCC levy regime was introduced in 2003.
14. The biggest ever initial public offering (IPO) of India is by the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC). It has been fully booked under all the offered categories. LIC's IPO has received bids for 2.95 times the shares that were being offered. This helped the central government to raise Rs. 21,000 crore as they sold 3.5% of the stake in LIC.
15. On 9th May Indian Rupee fell to its all-time low against the US Dollar, closing at 77.50 per USD. Due to rising inflation, US Federal Reserve increased the interest rate. This led to the strengthening of the US Dollar.
16. The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) recently set up an advisory committee for advising on Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) related matters in India's securities market. The advisory committee on ESG-related matters will be headed by Navneet Munot, CEO of HDFC Mutual Fund.
17. Union Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) launched the second phase of the MSME RuPay Credit Card with the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and 4 banks- Kotak Mahindra Bank, Bank of Baroda, SBM Bank (India), and HDFC Bank.
18. The Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (MoA&FW) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). As per the MoU, UNDP will provide technical support to two government programs: Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) & Kisan Credit Card-Modified Interest Subvention Scheme (KCC-MISS).
19. On 14th May 2022, India banned wheat exports with some exceptions. This announcement came days after the central government had announced that this year record shipments of wheat are being targeted this year. This decision was taken by the government as scorching heatwaves in the country's northern parts have curtailed output resulting in skyrocketing domestic prices.
20. Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) amended collective investment schemes (CIS) rules. SEBI enhanced the net worth criteria and track record requirements for entities managing collective investment schemes (CIS). Applicants or promoters of CIS should have a soundtrack record in all their business transactions.
21. The Wholesale Price Index (WPI) based inflation rate surged to 15.1 percent in the month of April due to the rise in prices of fruits, vegetables, manufacturing, milk, power and fuel according to data that was released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
22. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) increased the weighting of the US dollar and Chinese yuan (Renminbi) in the Special Drawing Rights (SDR) basket of currencies. The updated weightings will be effective from August 2022. SDRs value is based on a basket of five currencies: the U.S. dollar, the euro, the Chinese yuan, the Japanese yen and the British pound sterling.
23. According to the World Economic Situation and Prospects (WESP) report that was released by the United Nations on 18th May 2022, the global economy this year is expected to grow by only 3.1 percent. The earlier prediction in January was 4.0 percent but the rate was slashed mainly due to the war in Ukraine.
24. The Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has released the third advance estimate of the production of major agricultural crops for 2021 - 22. The food grains production in the country has been estimated at 314.51 million tonnes which is a record high and is higher by 3.77 million tonnes from the food grain production during 2020 - 21.
25. Actions that will be taken by the World Bank to mitigate the ongoing food security have been announced. The World Bank will be investing up to USD 30 billion to finance new and existing projects to mitigate the crisis.
26. The Supreme Court recently ruled that recommendations of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council are not binding on the Centre and states. The Supreme Court held that recommendations of the GST Council only have a persuasive value and are not binding in nature. To consider the recommendations as binding will disrupt India's fiscal federalism.
27. The Department of Post has recently rolled out the NEFT and RTGS facility for Post Office Savings Bank Account (POSB) holders. The NEFT facility has been made available from 18th May 2022, whereas the RTGS facility will be available from 31st May 2022.
28. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has directed all banks, ATM networks and White Label ATM Operators (WLAOs) to provide their customers with the option of Interoperable Card-less Cash Withdrawal (ICCW) across all ATMs in the country. For Card-less Cash Withdrawal transactions, the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) facility will be used for customer authorization and settlement will be through the National Financial Switch (NFS) or the ATM networks.
29. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) board recently approved the transfer of Rs. 30,307 crores to the central government for the financial year 2021 - 22. This is the lowest dividend in ten years. The huge investments of RBI in reverse repo operations had impacted the dividend. In FY21, RBI transferred Rs. 99,122 crore to the central government.
30. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry said that India's Foreign Direct Investment [FDI] inflow in the Financial Year 2021 - 22 reached an all time high of USD 83.57 billion, despite the Russia - Ukraine war and Covid-19 pandemic. This shows that India's image is favorable among global investors.
31. On the 23rd of May 2022, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced that a committee has been set up to evaluate the adequacy, effectiveness and quality of customer service in NBFCs, banks, and other entities that are regulated by the RBI.
32. The union finance minister recently announced the excise cut on petrol and diesel to contain inflation. She also announced a Rs. 200 subsidy for those buying LPG cylinders under the PM Ujjwala Yojana scheme. The price of petrol will be reduced by Rs. 9.5 per liter and of diesel by Rs. 7 per liter. This cut in excise duty will have a revenue implication of around Rs 1 lakh crore annually for the government.
33. Union Finance Minister recently announced that the government will provide an additional fertilizer subsidy of Rs. 1.10 lakh crore to protect farmers from the rise in fertilizer prices. With the recent announcement, the government's total fertilizer subsidy will reach Rs. 2.15 lakh crore in the current financial year (2022 - 23).
34. The World Economic Forum (WEF) and the Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO) announced a new initiative on 24th May 2022 to enhance flows of digital foreign direct investments (FDI) on a global scale. This initiative's launch was announced by Secretary-General of DCO Deemah AlYahya, President of WEF Borge Brende, CEO of AVEVA Group Peter Herweck and Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, Nigerian Minister for Communications and Digital Economy.
35. State owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd. (ONGC) became India's first Exploration and Production (E&P) company to trade domestic gas on Indian Gas Exchange (IGX). ONGC made its first online trade on 23rd May 2022 on India's first automated national level Gas Exchange, IGX. The gas traded is from ONGC's eastern offshore Krishna Godavari 98/2 block.
36. The Union Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved the sale of the government's remaining stake of 29.5% in Hindustan Zinc Limited (HZL). At the current market price, the sale of the government's 29.5% stake will fetch the government Rs. 38,062 crore.
37. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) introduced norms for facilitating the physical import of gold through India International Bullion Exchange (IIBX) or any authorized exchange by Qualified Jewellers in India. The exchange should be authorized by the International Financial Services Centers Authority (IFSCA) or the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT).
38. The Reserve Bank of India has eased the norms for non-bank entities for setting up Bharat Bill Payment operating units by reducing the net worth that is required to Rs. 25 crore. This was done with the aim of encouraging more stakeholders to participate in this segment. Currently, the required net worth was Rs 100 crore to get authorization for a non-bank Bharat Bill Payment Operating Units (BBPOU).
39. The Ministry of Power recently announced that it is working on a scheme to liquidate the dues of power distribution companies (discoms). The proposed scheme aims to provide relief to the power sector ecosystem which is reeling under the pressure of non-payment of dues.
40. Recently, the Department of Revenue under the Ministry of Finance started investigations under the General Anti-avoidance Rule (GAAR) into firms misusing the law. Many firms have been using creative methods to avoid paying taxes to the government.
41. In its annual report that has been released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the central bank has highlighted that the Indian economy will most likely bounce back despite the present global risks.
Science & Technology
1. Recently, the pilot phase of the open network for digital commerce (ONDC) was launched. The pilot is being conducted across five cities Delhi, Bengaluru, Coimbatore, Bhopal and Shillong. It will be later launched in 100 cities over six months.
2. Recently, the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) rolled out M15 petrol on a pilot basis in Assam's Tinsukia district. M15 is a blend of 15% methanol and 85% Petrol. The pilot rollout was done in the Tinsukia district (Assam) by the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) due to the ready availability of methanol, which is being manufactured by Assam Petrochemical Ltd in the vicinity of the Digboi refinery.
3. Recently, in India, there have been multiple incidents of two-wheeler electric vehicles (EVs) catching fire. The Union Government constituted an expert panel to probe the recent series of Li-ion battery explosions in electric vehicles (EVs).
4. Recently, France's Naval Group announced that it is withdrawing from the Indian Navy's P-75I submarine project. The Project 75 (India) class submarines (P-75I) are a planned class of diesel-electric submarines, which are to be built for the Indian Navy.
5. Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the inaugural session of the International Conference on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (ICDRI), 2022. The Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) in partnership with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) hosted the International Conference on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (ICDRI) 2022.
6. Recently, a greenfield grain-based ethanol plant was inaugurated in Bihar by Bihar Chief Minister. The grain-based ethanol plant was built for Rs. 105 crore. The ethanol plant is a zero-liquid discharge (ZLD) plant. The plant has been built on 15 acres of land and is expected to produce 65,000 liters of ethanol per day using 150 tonnes of maize and rice every day.
7. Recently, a Flow Chemistry Technology Hub (FCT Hub) was opened in Hyderabad. It is located at Dr. Reddy's Institute of Life Sciences (DRILS), Hyderabad. The hub is initiated by the Telangana government.
8. The Punjab government recently announced incentives for farmers opting for Direct Seeding of Rice (DSR). In the traditional method, where the paddy is transplanted, the farmer first prepares nurseries. The seeds are sown in these nurseries and raised to young plants. After 25 - 35 days, these seedlings are uprooted and sown in the field.
9. The AIM-PRIME (Program for Researchers in Innovation, Market Readiness and Entrepreneurship) Playbook has been launched by NITI Aayog. The AIM-PRIME playbook has been launched with the aim of promoting early-stage deep technology ideas that are science-based to the market via guidance and training for a period of over 12 months.
10. An experience studio on drones at NITI Aayog was launched by the Union Minister of Civil Aviation. To create a collaborative ecosystem, thereby encouraging innovation and pushing for the usage of drones for public services. It will promote various applications of drones and helps in building a robust drone industry in India.
11. NASA recently announced the detection of the quake on Mars, called marsquake. NASA reported that it recorded a magnitude 5 marsquake. The largest previously detected "marsquake" was in August 2021. Also, this is the largest quake ever observed on another planet.
12. A rocket carrying NASA's Endurance mission was launched recently. To find out why planet Earth supports life, whereas other planets like Mars and Venus do not. A wet planet like Earth will be suitable for life to exist. Venus was once a watery planet but it dried out later for unknown reasons.
13. Recently, for the first time, US researchers at the University of Florida (UF) have grown plants on Moon's soil that was brought back to Earth. Astronauts in the Apollo missions 11, 12 and 17 brought back the soil from Moon to Earth almost 50 years ago. Lunar soil is also known as regolith.
14. The first lunar eclipse of 2022 occurred on 15th May. The Moon was seen in stunning red color. This is also called a Super Moon and a Blood Moon. It is a 'total lunar eclipse'. This lunar eclipse was not visible in India. Most of Asia could not see the lunar eclipse.
15. The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) recently successfully tested the HS200 solid rocket booster. The testing was done at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota (Andhra Pradesh). It is the human rated version of the S200 rocket booster.
16. Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently inaugurated India's first 5G testbed, which is set up at Rs. 220 crore. The objective is to enable the telecom industry to test and validate their products within India and reduce their dependence on facilities abroad. Thus, this 5G testbed is an important step in India's self-reliance in the area of modern technologies.
17. Department of Science and Technology recently released the Scientific Social Responsibility (SSR) Guidelines. India has taken great strides in the advancement of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI). However, there is an inadequate transfer of scientific knowledge to society.
18. The Ministry of Railways said that it will collaborate with the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) to develop an indigenous Hyperloop system. The ministry will also help to set up a Centre of Excellence for Hyperloop Technologies at IIT Madras. The Centre will be built by IIT Madras through its existing Centre of Railway Research (CRR). This project is a significant step towards the 'Make in India' and the 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' initiatives.
19. China proposed a project named Closeby Habitable Exoplanet Survey (CHES) to survey the sky through a space-based telescope. The objective is to find habitable terrestrial planets outside the solar system, around 32 light-years from Earth. It will be the first space mission specially designed to search for habitable Earth-like planets around nearby stars.
20. The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) has recently issued 'Guidelines for Safety Assessment of Genome Edited Plants, 2022'. As per the guidelines, researchers who use gene-editing technologies for plants are exempted from seeking approvals from the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC).
21. PARAM PORUL, a state-of-the-art Supercomputer was inaugurated at NIT Tiruchirappalli on the 25th of May 2022 in a joint initiative by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
22. The adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) chips has risen with many companies launching their AI chips in recent times. Nvidia launched its H100 GPU (graphics processing unit), which is one of the world's most powerful AI accelerators. Intel also launched AI chips to provide users with deep learning computing choices for training in data centers. IBM Corporation, Advanced Micro Devices, Alphabet Inc., Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and Apple Inc. are other key players in the Global AI chip market.
23. To harness the potential of the metaverse, the World Economic Forum (WEF) recently announced that it is building a "Global Collaboration Village" as the virtual future of public-private cooperation. It will provide immersive spaces for stakeholders to come together and address critical global issues.
Government Schemes
1. A new draft of the National Youth Policy (NYP) has been prepared by the central government of India. The new draft has been prepared after the government reviewed the existing National Youth Policy, 2014. A ten-year vision for the development of youth has been envisioned by this draft policy that India is looking to achieve by the year 2030.
2. A National Conference on PM Mega Integrated Textile Regions and Apparel Park (PM MITRA) Parks Scheme was recently held. Officials from 13 State Governments enumerated the contours of the 18 proposals for setting up of PM MITRA Parks in their respective states.
3. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister launched the second phase of the Ladli Laxmi scheme (Ladli Laxmi scheme-2.0) on 8th May 2022. Ladli Laxmi scheme-2.0 is an innovative initiative to encourage girl children to pursue higher education and make them self-dependent.
4. Social security schemes Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY), Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) and Atal Pension Yojana (APY) have completed seven years of their launch. These three schemes were launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 9th May 2015 in Kolkata.
5. Recently, the Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) said that Rs. 363 crore has been allotted to take up the world's largest film restoration project under the National Film Heritage Mission (NFHM). The restoration project is set to come up at the National Film Archive of India (NFAI), Pune.
6. The "Prime Minister Wi-Fi Access Network Interface (PM-WANI)" scheme has been recently launched by RailTel. Through this scheme access to RailTel's free and fast public WiFi services will be provided in 100 Indian Railways stations across the country having 2,384 WiFi hotspots.
7. In the current marketing season, Wheat procurement by government agencies is set to dip to a 15 year low. It is expected that 18.5 million tonnes (mt) of wheat will be procured this time by government agencies. This will be the lowest since the 11.1 mt bought in 2007 - 08.
8. Speaking in the Tamil Nadu assembly, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister (CM) M. K. Stalin announced a free breakfast scheme for government school students. The scheme was introduced because it was found that usually, many government school children skip their breakfast before attending school. This is because of their family situation and also lack of time, as schools are far away from their home.
9. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed between the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and DP World of UAE so as to develop a Skill India International Centre at Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. The MoU was signed by Hindustan Ports Private Limited, the Indian unit of DP World.
10. BHARAT TAP initiative was launched by the Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs at the 'Plumbex India' exhibition. To provide low-flow fixtures and sanitary ware at a mass scale to enable a reduction in water consumption at the source and help the country in its water conservation efforts and thereby ensure sustainable growth.
11. The first "Amrit Sarovar" in India was inaugurated on 13th May 2022 by Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Union Minister for Minority Affairs and Swatantra Dev Singh, Uttar Pradesh Jal Shakti Minister at Patwai, Rampur, Uttar Pradesh.
12. YUVA Tourism Clubs are being established by the Ministry of Tourism as a part of the 'Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav' celebrations. These clubs will also promote national integration and carry forward the vision of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat. This is also in line with Dekho Apna Desh initiative of the Prime Minister.
13. The pilot project for skilling tribal youth was launched by the Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship from Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. Under the pilot project, around 250 beneficiaries of 17 clusters of 17 districts selected from six states will be trained.
14. Ashwini Vaishnaw, India's Telecom Minister has launched the "GatiShakti Sanchar" portal on 14th May 2022. This portal has been launched to speed up and centralize approvals for installations of towers, laying of fibre wires, and boosting of the upcoming 5G rollout.
15. Analysis of the data from the India Hypertension Control Initiative (IHCI) was recently released. It is a five-year initiative by the Union Ministry of Health and Family welfare, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), State Governments, and the World Health Organization (WHO) to monitor and treat hypertension.
16. The central government has given its approval for the revised guidelines of its key scheme named Micro and Small Enterprises-Cluster Development Programme (MSE-CDP). This is to be implemented during the 15th Finance Commission cycle, i.e. FY22 to FY26.
17. Bhagwant Mann, the Chief Minister of Punjab heard the grievances of the people of the state and issued redressal directions in 'Lok Milni', a first-of-its-kind public interaction programme that was launched on 16th May 2022. This interactive programme was launched with the aim of providing a platform to the people of the state for the redressal of the complaints that they have.
18. Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (IC) Ministry of Science and Technology, MoS of Prime Minister's Office, Minister of State (IC) Ministry of Earth Science, and Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, has launched a "Single National Portal for Biotech researchers and start-ups".
Awards & Honours
1. On 3rd May 2022, Basava Jayanti, the birth anniversary of renowned philosopher Basaveshwara was celebrated. Basavanna was a 12th century poet, philosopher, and social reformer during the reign of the Kalyani Chalukya/Kalachuri dynasty.
2. The World Food Prize is an award that is given with the aim of recognizing the achievements of individuals from across the world who have helped in advancing the development of humans by improving the quantity, quality, or availability of food across the world.
3. Indian writer Geetanjali Shree along with American translator Daisy Rockwell has won the 2022 International Booker Prize for the book titled "Tomb of Sand". This book has been originally written in Hindi and is the first book in any Indian language to have won this high-profile award.
4. On 9th May 2022, the winners of the Pulitzer Prize 2022 in Drama, Journalism, Music, and Books were announced. The winners include Indians Irshad Matto, Amit Dave, Adnan Abidi and late Danish Siddiqui of Reuters in the category of Journalism.
5. The Bengali translation of the French novel "Meursault, contre-enquete" (The Meursault Investigation) was awarded the Romain Rolland Book Prize 2022. This year's award is the 5th edition of this book prize. This is Algerian journalist and writer Kamel Daoud's debut novel.
6. Balkrishna Vithaldas Doshi has been conferred with the prestigious Royal Gold Medal 2022. This award is said to be one of the world's highest honours that one can receive in the field of architecture. Simon Allford who is the president of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) presented this award to B. V. Doshi at his residence in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
7. From 15th May 2022, Rajiv Kumar, the current Election Commissioner (EC), will take over as the next Chief Election Commissioner (CEC). This announcement was made by the Union Ministry of Law and Justice. Sushil Chandra is the incumbent Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) who will demit his office on 14th May 2022.
8. The 2022 Templeton Prize was awarded to Frank Wilczek, a theoretical physicist who had won the Nobel Prize, author, and professor at the Arizona State University. His works on nature's fundamental laws have transformed the understanding of the forces that govern the universe. He has become the 6th Nobel laureate who has received the Templeton Prize.
9. Anna Qabale Duba from Marsabit County, Kenya was conferred the Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award 2022 in an award ceremony that was held at Atlantis, The Palm, Dubai. From 24,000 nurses 10 were selected as the top 10 finalists from which 1 won this award.
10. Devasahayam Pillai became the first Indian layman to be declared a saint by the Vatican. Pope Francis of the Vatican canonized Devasahayam during the Canonization Mass in St. Peter's Basilica. Apart from Devasahayam Pillai, eight others were declared saints. They include four men and four women.
11. Ramgarh Vishdhari Wildlife Sanctuary in Rajasthan was recently notified as India's 52nd tiger reserve. The Ramgarh Vishdhari Wildlife Sanctuary covers an area of around 252 square kilometers. It has been declared a sanctuary in 1982 under the Rajasthan Wildlife and Bird Protection Act, 1951.
12. On 22nd May, the ministry of culture held the inaugural ceremony to commemorate the yearlong celebrations of Raja Ram Mohan Roy's 250th birth anniversary. Raja Ram Mohan Roy is considered the architect of Modern India and the father of the Bengal Renaissance. He is one of the most influential social and religious reformers of the 19th century.
13. ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) workers received the Global Health Leaders Award-2022 in the backdrop of the 75th World Health Assembly. World Health Organization (WHO) said that ASHA workers were honored for their key role in linking the community with health care, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. They were one of the six recipients of the award.
14. On 23rd May 2022, Anthony Albanese was sworn in as Australia's 31st Prime Minister. He is the first Italian Australian to become prime minister. He took the oath with a promise of swift action on climate change, gender equality and improved wages.
15. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus was re-elected as Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO) with overwhelming support after running unopposed for a second term. Tedros is from Ethiopia and is the first African to head the World Health Organization (WHO). He was Ethiopia's former minister of health and foreign affairs.
Sports
1. Eighteen years old Harshada Sharad Garud has become India's first weightlifter to have won a gold medal at the IWF Junior World Championships that is being organized in Heraklion, Greece from 2nd to 10th May 2022. She has secured the gold medal in the women's 45 kg category. Along with her Gyaneshwari Yadav and V. Rithika have also won medals in the 49 kg category.
2. From 24th April 2022 to 3rd May 2022, the Khelo India University Games 2021 was successfully conducted at Jain University, Bengaluru. This is the second edition of these games. In this competition, a total of 20 games were played. 3900 students from across 210 Universities in the country have participated in this edition of the Khelo India University Games.
3. The mascot, official logo, theme song, and the official jersey of the Fourth Khelo India Youth Games were launched on 7th May 2022 at Panchkula, Haryana by Anurag Thakur, Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports. The name of the mascot is 'Dhakad.'
4. The 2022 Madrid Open was a professional tennis tournament that was organized from 28th April to 8th May 2022. It was played on the outdoor clay courts at Park Manzanares, Madrid, Spain. This tournament was sponsored by Mutua, the largest insurance company of Spain.
5. India created history by winning the Thomas Cup title for the first time. It is an international badminton competition among men's teams of various countries of the Badminton World Federation (BWF). It is also known as World Men's Team Championships.
6. Forbe's recently released the annual ranking of the world's highest paid athletes. Lionel Messi, topped the Forbes list for the second time (the first was in 2019). LeBron James, a basketball player, ranked second with USD 121.2 million in earnings. He is the tenth athlete to cross USD 100 million in earnings in a single year.
7. The 2022 Italian Open was concluded recently on 15th May 2022. Italian Open 2022 was the 79th edition of the Italian Open. It was classified as an Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Tour Masters 1000 event on the 2022 ATP Tour and a non-mandatory event on the 2022 Women's Tennis Association (WTA) Tour. It was held from 2nd May 2022 – 15th May 2022.
8. Gujarat Titans won the Indian Premier League 2022 title in their maiden season as they beat Rajasthan Royals by seven wickets in the final here on Sunday 26th May. Jos Buttler bags Orange Cap with 863 runs and spinner Yuzvendra Chahal wins Purple Cap with 27 wickets for Rajasthan Royals.
References:
jagranjosh.com
gktoday.in
business-standard.com
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