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CURRENT AFFAIRS: IMPORTANT DAYS
International Nurses Day- 12th May
- International Nurses Day is celebrated annually on 12 May in memory of the founder of modern nursing, Florence Nightingale, but also to honour nurses as an invaluable resource, and raise awareness of the challenges they face.
- She was also known as Lady with the Lamp.
- The theme for this year’s Nurses Day is Nurses: A Voice to Lead Invest in Nursing and respect rights to secure global health.
- In the year 1965, the first International Nurses Day was observed throughout the world. International Nurses Day is held to recognise the value of nurses worldwide and their contributions to the medical field.
- Every year, the International Council of Nurses (ICN) marks the day by creating and spreading information and tools.
International Day of Plant Health – 12th May
- To raise awareness for the safety of plants, The United Nations has announced that May 12 will mark the International Day of Plant Health.
- The day was promoted by Zambia and was taken into action by the UN General Assembly.
- The resolution under which they adopted the decision included Finland, Bolivia, the Philippines, Pakistan, and Tanzania.
- The United Nations declared 2020 as the International Year of Plant Health (IYPH).
- Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Year was expanded until 1 July 2021.
- This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to promote global awareness about how plant health may aid in ending hunger, poverty reduction, environmental protection, and economic development.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL NEWS
NITI Aayog’s AIM has released the AIM-PRIME Playbook to assist academics:
- The AIM-PRIME Playbook was launched at the Dr Ambedkar International Center, New Delhi.
- This event marks the culmination of the nationwide AIM-PRIME program, an initiative of Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog, that is being implemented by Venture Center, Pune and is supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Office of Principal Scientific Advisor.
- The AIM Program for Researchers in Innovation, Market Readiness, and Entrepreneurship (PRIME) programme was designed to help bring early-stage science-based, deep technology concepts to market over the course of a year using a blended learning curriculum.
- The PRIME Playbook, a guide for science-based entrepreneurs and undertakings, the PRIME Library, a curated source of information shared by the program’s faculty and expert mentors, and the PRIME Videos, an open-access video collection of the lectures delivered as part of the PRIME Classroom, are among the other programme benefits.
Ministry of Tourism take part in the Arabian Travel Market, Dubai-2022:
- The Ministry of Tourism under its ‘Incredible India’ brand line is participating in the Arabian Travel Market (ATM), Dubai-2022 which is being held from 9th to 12th of May.
- It is showcasing India’s rich and diversified tourism potential and providing a platform to the tourism stakeholders to showcase the various tourism destinations and products including Niche products.
- Also, it is aimed to promote India as a Must See, Must Visit
- The India Pavilion is showcasing India as a ‘365-Day Destination’ which is a year-round multi-faceted tourist destination such as culture, adventure, cruise wildlife, wellness and medical tourism.
- The India Pavilion was inaugurated in the presence of Uttarakhand Tourism Minister Satpal Maharaj and other dignitaries.
Jan Suraksha Scheme Completes 7 Years of Social Security:
- The three Jan Suraksha schemes of the Indian government, Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY), Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY), and Atal Pension Yojana (APY) has completed 7 years of providing social security with the commitment of recognizing the necessity to protect human life from unanticipated risks and economic uncertainty.
- PMJJBY, PMSBY & APY were launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 9th May 2015 from Kolkata, West Bengal.
- The government launched two insurance schemes Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY) and Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) to ensure that people from the unorganised sector of the country are economically secure, as well as the Atal Pension Yojana (APY) to cover the needs of the elderly.
- FM Nirmala Sitharaman gave an overview of providing welfare provisions to the poor and said that under PMJJBY, the poorest of the poor can get a life insurance cover of Rs 2 lakh for less than 1 rupee per day and an accident insurance cover of Rs 2 lakh for less than 1 rupee per month.
- By paying a minimum of Rs 42 a month, all citizens of the country between the ages of 18 and 40 can sign up to receive a pension after reaching the age of 60.
CURRENT AFFAIRS : STATE NEWS
Prominent crossing in Ayodhya to be named after Lata Mangeshkar
- In remembrance of Lata Mangeshkar, a new crossroad is set to be developed in Ayodhya that will be named after the late legendary singer to honour her memory.
- The order for this new construction was issued by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to the DM during his Ayodhya review meeting.
- Instructions to the Ayodhya Municipal Corporation have been issued to mark a major intersection and send the proposal to the government within 15 days.
- Songs sung by Lata Mangeshkar that were dedicated to Lord Ram and Lord Hanuman would also be played in Ayodhya.
- The Ayodhya Municipal Corporation has started identifying prominent crossings across the city
- The main crossing in Ayodhya on the way to Ram Janmabhoomi was likely to be selected for this project.
About Lata Mangeshkar :
- Lata Mangeshkar Born on September 28, 1929, Madhya Pradesh.
- She began her career in 1942 at the age of 13.
- She recorded her songs in over 36 regional Indian and foreign languages.
- Her contribution to the Indian music industry in a career spanning seven decades gained her honorific titles such as the “Queen of Melody”, “Nightingale of India”, and “Voice of the Millennium”.
- Her last recorded song was “Saugandh Mujhe Is Mitti ki” released on 30 March 2019 as a tribute to the Indian Army and the Nation.
Honors & Awards :
- In 1989, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award was bestowed on her by the Government of India.
- In 2001, in recognition of her contributions to the nation, she was awarded the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honour; she is only the second female singer, after M. S. Subbulakshmi, to receive this honour.
- France conferred on her its highest civilian award, Officer of the National Order of the Legion of Honour, in 2007.
- She was the recipient of three National Film Awards, 15 Bengal Film Journalists’ Association Awards, four Filmfare Best Female Playback Awards, two Filmfare Special Awards, the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award.
Lokpal to get permanent office at World Trade Centre in Delhi
- The Lokpal of India is set to move into a permanent office at World Trade Centre in south Delhi’s Nauroji Nagar.
- According to the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), the administrative Ministry for the Lokpal, the government has bought over 59,000 square feet of land in World Tower Centre in Nauroji Nagar at a cost of Rs 254.88 crore.
- Five years after the Lokpal and Lokayukta Act was passed in 2013, Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghosh (retd) was appointed as India’s first Lokpal along with eight other members in March 2019.
About the Lokpal :
- Formed : 19 March 2019
- Headquarters : New Delhi, Delhi, India
- Chairperson : Pinaki Chandra Ghose
- The Lokpal can inquire into allegations of corruption against anyone who is or has been Prime Minister, or a Minister in the Union government, or a Member of Parliament, as well as officials of the Union government under Groups A, B, C and D.
- It also covers complaints against chairpersons, members, officers and directors of any board, corporation, society, trust or autonomous body either established by an Act of Parliament or wholly or partly funded by the Centre and any society or trust or body that receives foreign contribution above ₹10 lakh.
Haryana launches scheme for fodder growers – Chaara-Bijaee Yojana
- Haryana agriculture and farmers welfare minister JP Dalal launched Chaara-Bijaee Yojana (fodder cultivation scheme) for
Purpose :
- To encourage farmers to cultivate fodder and help gaushalas, who have been suffering from fodder scarcity due to an increase in the number of stray cattle.
About Chaara-Bijaee Yojana :
- Under the scheme, Farmers who partner with gaushalas would be entitled to a financial subsidy of 10,000 per acre for up to 10 acres of fodder cultivation.
- The money would be transferred to the farmers’ bank account through direct benefit transfer.
- In April 2022, the state distributed 13.44 crore to 569 gaushalas for the purchase of fodder.
- He also stated that cow dung manure (phosphate-rich organic manure) might be used in fields.
- At present diammonium phosphate (DAP) fertiliser costs around Rs 3,850 out of which Rs 2,500 is being given as subsidy to the farmer and Rs 1,350 is being taken from the farmer.
- The subsidy of DAP in the country has reached Rs Two lakh crore.
Additional Info :
- In Haryana the number of cow shelters has increased from 175 in 2017 to 600 in 2022.
- Prom manure or phosphate-rich organic manure is being prepared at gaushalas of Pinjore, Hisar and Bhiwani, and that have been tested in the labs of IIT and Haryana Agricultural University in Hisar.
About Haryana :
- Governor: Bandaru Dattatreya
- Capital: Chandigarh
- Chief minister: Manohar Lal Khattar
CURRENT AFFAIRS : BANKING & FINANCE
ICICI Bank Partners with Santander for India-UK business ease
- ICICI Bank inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Santander UK Plc, a premier British bank, establishing a framework of partnership between the banks for financial service requirements of the corporate customers in the India UK corridor.
- The MoU was signed by Sriram H. Iyer, Head International Banking Group, ICICI Bank and John Carroll, Head- International & Transactional Banking, Santander UK.
- ICICI bank will offer UK corporates operating in India banking solutions in trade, cross-border payments, supply chain, treasury solutions, and retail banking.
- Meanwhile Santander UK will support Indian corporations.
- This partnership will be helpful in providing seamless banking services for corporates in the UK-India corridor.
Note :
- The UK is India’s sixth largest investor, with US$ 31.7 billion in cumulative foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows, accounting for 6% of overall FDI inflows.
About ICICI Bank :
- Founded : 5 January 1994
- MD & CEO : Sandeep Bakhshi
- Headquarters : Mumbai, Maharashtra
Revenue Deficit Grant of Rs. 7,183.42 crore released to 14 States
- The Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance has released the 2nd monthly installment of Post Devolution Revenue Deficit (PDRD) Grant of Rs. 7,183.42 crore to 14 States.
- The grant has been released as per the recommendations of the Fifteenth Finance Commission.
- The Fifteenth Finance Commission has recommended a total Post Devolution Revenue Deficit Grant of 86,201 crore to 14 States for the financial year 2022-23.
- The recommended grant will be released by the Department of Expenditure to the recommended States in 12 equated monthly installments.
- With this, the total amount of Revenue Deficit Grants released to the States in 2022-23 has gone up to 14,366.84 crore.
- The States which have been recommended Post Devolution Revenue Deficit 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.
- In this, West Bengal has received Rs 1132.35 crore, the highest post-devolution revenue deficit grant for the second instalment, followed by Kerala at Rs 1097.83 crore.
About PDRD :
- The Post Devolution Revenue Deficit Grants are provided to the States under Article 275 of the Constitution.
- The grants are released to the States as per the recommendations of the successive Finance Commissions to meet the gap in Revenue Accounts of the States post devolution.
- The eligibility of States to receive this grant and the quantum of grant for the period from 2020-21 to 2025-26 was decided by the Fifteenth Commission based on the gap between the assessment of revenue and expenditure of the State after taking into account the assessed devolution during this period.
About Ministry of Finance :
- Cabinet Minister : Nirmala Sitharaman
- Minister of State : Bhagwat Karad, Pankaj Choudhary
CURRENT AFFAIRS : APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS
Ferdinand Marcos Jr wins Philippines presidential election landslide
- Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos Junior, the son and namesake of the late dictator, has won a 2022 landslide presidential election victory.
- Marcos Jr has won the election with more than 30 million votes.
- He is on course to replace President Rodrigo Duterte.
- 8 other candidates, including former boxing star Manny Pacquiao, Manila Mayor Isko Moreno and former national police chief Sen. Panfilo Lacson, have lagged far behind in voter preference surveys.
About Philippines :
- Capital: Manila
- Currency: Philippine peso
CURRENT AFFAIRS : AWARDS & HONORS
Indian Architect B.V. Doshi conferred with Royal Gold Medal 2022
- Well-known Indian architect Balkrishna Doshi conferred the prestigious Royal Gold Medal 2022, one of the world’s highest honours for architecture, by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), London, United Kingdom.
- He is the only one from India to have been awarded both the Royal Gold Medal and the Pritzker Architecture Prize.
- The president of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Simon Allford presented the medal to the renowned architect in person at his residence in Ahmedabad.
- Given in recognition of a lifetime’s work, the Royal Gold Medal is approved personally by Queen Elizabeth and is given to people who have had a significant influence on the advancement of architecture.
About B.V. Doshi :
- He has become internationally known for his visionary urban planning and social housing projects, as well as his work in education.
- He worked with Louis Kahn as an associate to build the Indian institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad and they continued to collaborate for over a decade.
- He founded his own practice, Vastushilpa in 1956 with two architects.
- Vastushilpa is a multi-disciplinary practice with five partners spanning three generations and has sixty employees.
Some of his key projects include :
- Shreyas Comprehensive School Campus, Ahmedabad (1958-63); Atira Guest House, Ahmedabad (1958); The Institute of Indology, Ahmedabad (1962); Ahmed-abad School of Architecture (1966 renamed CEPT University in 2002); Tagore Hall and Memorial Theatre, Ahmedabad (1967); Premabhai Hall, Ahmedabad (1976); IIM Bangalore (1977-1992); Kanoria Centre for Arts, Ahmedabad (1984); and Amdavad ni Gufa (1994).
Awards & Honors :
- In 2020, he was awarded the Padma Bhushan, the third-highest civilian award, for his contribution to the field of architecture.
- Doshi was awarded three Honorary Doctorate by prestigious international universities including the latest from the Boston Architectural College, USA in 2021.
- He is the recipient of the French Global Award for Lifetime Achievement for Sustainable Architecture by the Institut Francais darchitecture, Paris.
About RIBA :
- Founded: 1834
- CEO: Alan Vallance
- Headquarters : London, UK
CURRENT AFFAIRS : RANKS & REPORTS
Unemployment rate at 8.7% in Oct-Dec 2021: NSO survey
- According to the National Statistical Office (NSO), the overall unemployment rate for those above 15 years of age in urban areas reduced to 8.7% from 10.3% between October and December 2021.
Key Highlights :
- Joblessness or unemployment rate among females (aged 15 years and above) in urban areas – Declined to 10.5% from 13.1% in the October-December 2021.
- It was 11.6% in July-September 2021.
- The unemployment rate in urban areas, among males dipped to 8.3% in October-December 2021 compared to 9.5% a year ago.
- It was 9.3% in July-September 2021.
- Further, NSO data revealed that the labour force participation rate in CWS (current weekly status) in urban areas for those aged 15 and above remained unchanged at 47.3% during the period under review.
- The work Population Ratio in urban areas for persons of age 15 years and above stood at 43.2% in October-December 2021, up from 42.4% in the same period a year ago & it was 42.3% in July-September 2021.
- Joblessness or unemployment rate (UR) is defined as the percentage of unemployed persons in the labour force.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: BOOKS AND AUTHOR
VP Venkaiah Naidu has released Modi @20: Dreams Meeting Delivery book:
- The book “Modi@20 Dreams Meet Delivery” by Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu was published in New Delhi.
- The book explores several aspects of Narendra Modi’s particular thought process, pioneering, proactive attitude, and iconic, transformational leadership style.
- ‘Modi@20’ is a compilation of chapters authored by famous intellectuals and domain experts, edited and assembled by BlueKraft Digital Foundation, Rupa Publications.
A book Titled The Struggle for Police Reforms in India by Ex-IPS Prakash Singh:
- Vice President (VP) of India, M Venkaiah Naidu, released a book titled The Struggle for Police Reforms in India: Ruler’s Police to People’s Police authored by a former IPS officer, Prakash Singh in New Delhi.
- The book is published by Rupa Publications India Pvt Ltd.
- This book chronicles India’s efforts to reform the police.
- The book covers the growth of the Indian Police from its beginnings during British rule to its current state post-independence.
- The book focuses on Prakash Singh’s efforts to bring transformational reforms to the Indian Police Force.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: OBITUARIES
Former Union minister Pandit Sukh Ram passes away at 94:
- Veteran Congress leader and former Union minister Pandit Sukh Ram has passed away.
- He was 94.
- Sukh Ram was the Union Minister of State, Communications (Independent Charge) from 1993 to 1996.
- He was a member of Lok Sabha from the Mandi constituency of Himachal Pradesh.
- He won the Vidhan Sabha elections five times and the Lok Sabha elections three times.
- In 2011, he was sentenced to five years of imprisonment for corruption when he was Communications Minister in 1996.
The world’s oldest chess grandmaster Yuri Averbakh passes away:
- The legendary grandmaster Yuri Averbakh has died in Moscow at 100.
- Yuri Averbakh was the world’s oldest living Grandmaster.
- In his prime, he was one of the strongest players in the USSR and the world, and in 1953 he took part in the legendary Candidates Tournament in Zurich.
- Born on 8 February 1922 in Kaluga, a city southwest of Moscow, Yuri Averbakh has witnessed and has helped to shape a century of chess.
Daily CA on May 13 :
- International Nurses Day is celebrated annually on 12 May in memory of the founder of modern nursing, Florence Nightingale, but also to honour nurses as an invaluable resource, and raise awareness of the challenges they face.
- To raise awareness for the safety of plants, The United Nations has announced that May 12 will mark the International Day of Plant Health.
- The AIM-PRIME Playbook was launched at the Dr Ambedkar International Center, New Delhi.
- The Ministry of Tourism under its ‘Incredible India’ brand line is participating in the Arabian Travel Market (ATM), Dubai-2022 which is being held from 9th to 12th of May.
- The three Jan Suraksha schemes of the Indian government, Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY), Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY), and Atal Pension Yojana (APY) has completed 7 years of providing social security with the commitment of recognizing the necessity to protect human life from unanticipated risks and economic uncertainty.
- In remembrance of Lata Mangeshkar, a new crossroad is set to be developed in Ayodhya that will be named after the late legendary singer to honour her memory.
- The Lokpal of India is set to move into a permanent office at World Trade Centre in south Delhi’s Nauroji Nagar.
- Haryana agriculture and farmers welfare minister JP Dalal launched Chaara-Bijaee Yojana (fodder cultivation scheme) for
- ICICI Bank inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Santander UK Plc, a premier British bank, establishing a framework of partnership between the banks for financial service requirements of the corporate customers in the India UK corridor.
- The Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance has released the 2nd monthly installment of Post Devolution Revenue Deficit (PDRD) Grant of Rs. 7,183.42 crore to 14 States.
- Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos Junior, the son and namesake of the late dictator, has won a 2022 landslide presidential election victory.
- Well-known Indian architect Balkrishna Doshi conferred the prestigious Royal Gold Medal 2022, one of the world’s highest honours for architecture, by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), London, United Kingdom.
- According to the National Statistical Office (NSO), the overall unemployment rate for those above 15 years of age in urban areas reduced to 8.7% from 10.3% between October and December 2021.
- The book “Modi@20 Dreams Meet Delivery” by Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu was published in New Delhi.
- Vice President (VP) of India, M Venkaiah Naidu, released a book titled The Struggle for Police Reforms in India: Ruler’s Police to People’s Police authored by a former IPS officer, Prakash Singh in New Delhi.
- Veteran Congress leader and former Union minister Pandit Sukh Ram has passed away
- The legendary grandmaster Yuri Averbakh has died in Moscow at 100.