Latest Current Affairs For Saturday 14th May, 2022

Hardeep S Puri launches ‘BHARAT TAP’ initiative at Plumbex India Exhibition

The Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs & Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep S Puri has launched the BHARAT TAP initiative at the ‘Plumbex India’ exhibition.

Aim: Products and services related to the plumbing, water and sanitation industry.

This exhibition caters to a fundamental service in the development of the nation: water and sanitation.

He also launched NARDECO MAHI’s ‘Nirmal Jal Prayas’ initiative which will work for saving 500 crore ltr of water per year.

Frank Wilczek receives the 2022 Templeton Prize

Noble Prize laureate, theoretical physicist and author, and professor at four universities Frank Wilczek is awarded the 2022 Templeton Prize.

He received the 2004 Nobel Prize in Physics along with David J. Gross, and H. David Politzer for his 1973 breakthrough in explaining the unusual properties of the strong force.

Templeton Prize was established in 1972 by the late philanthropist Sir John Templeton.

UN approves Czech Republic to replace Russia on UN Human Rights body

The UN General Assembly has voted for the Czech Republic to replace Russia on the world organizations leading human rights body after its suspension over horrific rights violations by Russian soldiers in Ukraine.

The Czech Republic was the only candidate for the seat on the 47-member Human Rights Council.

Out of 193 members, 180 of the General Assembly have deposited ballots (157 countries in favour).

UNHRC HQ: Geneva

Human Rights Day: 10 December

CBSE supports the Ministry of Tourism initiative ‘YUVA Tourism Clubs’

The Ministry of Tourism has initiated the establishment of ‘YUVA Tourism Clubs’ as a part of the ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’ celebrations.

Aims: To nurture and develop young ambassadors of Indian tourism.

To support this initiative, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has come forward and issued directions to all CBSE affiliated schools regarding the formation of Yuva Tourism Clubs.

Union Tourism Minister: G. Kishan Reddy

CBSE Chairman: Vineet Joshi

Tata Group named Campbell Wilson as CEO & MD of Air India

The Tata Group has appointed Campbell Wilson (CEO of Singapore Airlines) as Air India’s new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Managing Director (MD).

Wilson is the second attempt of Tata Group as a CEO-MD for Air India after the former Turkish Airlines chairman Ilker Ayci (declined to take up the position).

The appointment of a foreign national as CEO of an airline in India needs government clearance before it can proceed.

Lionel Messi tops Forbes Highest-Paid Athletes list 2022

Lionel Messi has topped the list of Forbes Highest-Paid Athletes 2022 with a reported income of $130 million, followed by Basketball player, Lebron James with $121.2 million while Cristiano Ronaldo was third with $115m.

Messi had moved from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain in August 2021 and Cristiano Ronaldo rejoined Manchester United from Juventus in the same month.

Forbes calculates the estimates based on prize money, salaries and bonuses, and sponsorship deals.

PM participated in the Second Global COVID Virtual Summit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has participated in the Second Global COVID Virtual Summit on the invitation of the President of the USA, Joseph R. Biden.

The theme of the summit: Preventing Pandemic Fatigue and Prioritizing Preparedness.

Highlights: India adopted a people-centric strategy to combat the pandemic; India plays an active role by sharing its low cost indigenous COVID mitigation technologies.

PM Modi had also participated in the first Global COVID.

Agriculture Ministry, UNDP signs MoU for Crop Insurance and credit

Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the United Nations Development Programme for the implementation of combined agriculture credit and crop insurance.

Aim: To provide technical support towards the Centre’s aspirational Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana scheme (PMFBY) and Kisan Credit Card - Modified Interest Subvention Scheme.

Chief Executive Officer of PMFBY: Ritesh Chauhan

Sanjiv Bajaj elected as CII President

Chairman of Bajaj Finserv Limited, Sanjiv Bajaj has assumed the office of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) President for the year 2022-23 after replacing TV Narendran (CEO of Tata Steel).

The Chairman and CEO of Hero MotoCorp Limited, Pawan Munjal has taken over as CII President-Designate for 2022-23.

Executive Vice Chairman of TVS Supply Chain Solutions, R Dinesh has been appointed as a Vice President of CII.

CII HQ: New Delhi

India won gold in the Mixed Team Pistol event in ISSF Junior World Cup

Indian pistol pairs Esha Singh and Saurabh Chaudhary clinched the mixed team pistol gold at the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Junior World Cup in Suhl, Germany.

The team of Palak and Sarabjot Singh has settled for the silver medal in the same event.

Ramita and Paarth Makhija also won silver in the 10m air rifle mixed team competition.

In all, India has so far won 10 medals, including four gold.

PM Modi launches Madhya Pradesh Startup Policy

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Madhya Pradesh “Startup Policy and Implementation Plan – 2022” via video conferencing and also address the startup community during the Madhya Pradesh Startup Conclave held in Indore.

Aim: To promote startups and encourage budding entrepreneurs in Madhya Pradesh.

PM Modi will also launch the Madhya Pradesh Startup portal to promote the startup ecosystem.

Ranil Wickremesinghe sworn in as Prime Minister of Sri Lanka

Ranil Wickremesinghe (the United National Party leader) has taken an oath as the new Prime Minister of Sri Lanka for the fifth time after the resignation of Mahinda Rajapaksa.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has administrated his oath at a ceremony held in the President’s office in Colombo.

Wickremesinghe has been reappointed in an effort to bring stability to Sri Lanka, engulfed in a political and economic crisis.

PM Narendra Modi to be awarded prestigious Lokmanya Tilak Award 2023

The Tilak Smarak Mandir Trust (Hind Swaraj Sangh) would confer the prestigious Lokmanya Tilak National Award 2023 to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Pune on August 1, 2023.

Reason: This award recognizes PM Modi's supreme leadership under which India has climbed the ladder of progress

It is presented annually on the occasion of Lokmanya Tilak's death anniversary.

Other awardees: Indira Gandhi, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Sharad Pawar, Cyrus Poonawalla, and Manmohan Singh. 

J&K Bank wins award for Best Performance in CASA

Jammu & Kashmir Bank has been felicitated for the Best Performance in CASA-India (1st Runner up in Small Bank Category) at ICC Emerging Asia Banking Conclave & Awards 2022.

The event was participated by banks from India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka & Myanmar.

The function was organized by the Indian Chamber of Commerce in Goa.

Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) is a non-governmental trade association and advocacy group headquartered in Calcutta.

India poised to become world’s 2nd-largest economy by 2075: Goldman Sachs

According to the Investment Bank Goldman Sachs, India is poised to become the world’s second-largest economy by 2075.

As per the report, India would cross Japan, Germany, and the US With a population of 1.4 billion people.

India’s GDP is estimated to expand remarkably, reaching 52.5 trillion dollars surpassing the US GDP projection.

The labour force participation set to make India the second-largest economy in the world by 2075.

L&T and Spain's Navantia sign agreement for submarine project

L&T has signed a teaming agreement with Spanish-based Navantia for the submission of a techno-commercial bid for the Indian Navy’s prestigious P75 (India) submarine program.

P75 (India) Submarine Project is expected to be valued at €4.8 billion.

Navantia would carry out the design of P75(I) submarines based on its S80 class of submarines.

The first S80 class submarine was launched in 2021 and is undergoing sea trials prior to its delivery to Spanish Navy. 

India overtakes China as most attractive emerging market for investing

According to a study by Invesco Global Sovereign Asset Management, India has overtaken China to become the most attractive emerging market for investing in sovereign wealth funds this year.

Reason: This is due to its solid demographics, political stability, and proactive regulation. 

Positives for the nation also include the rapidly expanding demography, strong regulatory actions, and a welcoming climate for sovereign investors.

World Population Day 2023: 11 July

World Population Day is observed every year on July 11 in order to raise awareness about global population issues, including population control.

2023 theme: Unleashing the power of gender equality: Uplifting the voices of women and girls to unlock our world’s infinite possibilities. 

It was established by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in 1989, after the day the world approximately reached a population of five billion, which was observed on 11 July 1987.

MoHUA conducts SBM-U 2.0 Planning & Implementation Review-cum-Workshop

The Housing Ministry organized a review-cum-workshop to evaluate and accelerate the planning and implementation of the SBM-Urban 2.0.

PM Modi launched the 2.0 versions of SBM-U and AMRUT on October 1, 2021.

SBM-U 2.0: Achieving 100% waste segregation in all households and premises and 100% door-to-door collection of segregated waste from each. 

AMRUT 2.0: To provide complete coverage of water supply to all households and sewerage and septage in 500 AMRUT cities. 

Gujarat CM launches pilot project of ‘Antyodaya Shramik Suraksha Yojana’

Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel launched the Antyodaya Shram Suraksha Accident Insurance Scheme from Kheda

All those registered under the e-Shram portal from Nadiad will benefit from the scheme.

It is being implemented through the Indian Postal Department, the IPPB, and the Ministry of Labour and Employment.

Under this scheme, insurance with a premium of Rs. 289 and Rs. 499 per year will be a big support to workers in the event of death or partial disability.

OCA elects Sheikh Talal as the new President

Kuwait’s Sheikh Talal Fahad Al Ahmad Al Sabah has been elected as the new President of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA).

He replaced his older brother Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, who led the OCA for 30 years until 2021.

The OCA was founded in 1982 by his father Fahad Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, who led it until 1990.

The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) is a governing body of sports in Asia, currently with 45 member National Olympic Committees.

Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance wins Insurer Innovation Award 2023

Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance has won the Insurer Innovation Award 2023 for the APAC region at the 8th World Digital Insurance Awards, hosted by TDI - The Digital Insurer.

Recognition: Bajaj Allianz Life's ground-breaking WhatsApp Conversational Platform - empowering customers to digitally services their policies seamlessly. 

The award entries were shortlisted by industry experts and the winner was selected by the community through pre-voting and live event voting.