NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. LS
Speaker Om Birla launches One of its Kind ‘Kalam Website’: Lok Sabha (LS)
Speaker, Om Birla has launched the one-of-its-kind literary initiative Kalam
website of the Prabha Khaitan Foundation (PKF) to support and encourage
vernacular literature. The aim of Kalam is to popularize Hindi literature and
provide a platform for veteran and young authors and poets to talk about their
writings and love for vernacular literature.
About Kalam Initiative: Kalam started its
journey back in the summer of 2015 in the cities of Jaipur and Patna and has
conducted over 550 sessions spread over 40 cities in India and overseas since
then. Kalam is in sync with the philosophy of our nation – ‘Unity in Diversity’
which is reflected in the tagline of Prabha Khaitan Foundation – ‘Aapne Bhasha
Aapne Log’.
2.
Delhi govt will provide “Mukhyamantri Muft Sewer Connection Yojana”: Delhi govt will
provide free sewer connections under the “Mukhyamantri Muft Sewer Connection
Yojana”. 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. The colonies will be including Chandu Nagar,
Rajiv Gandhi Nagar, and parts of Khajuri Khas. Rs 19 crore has been allocated
by the state government for the implementation of these connections. The board
also decided to set up 30 RO plants at JJ colonies to increase the drinking
water supply. Each plant will provide around 50,000 litres of water per day.
The supply will be free.
The waste generated be carried to: Through the free
sewer connections, the households will be connected to Delhi’s existing sewer
network. The waste generated will be carried to the Yamuna Vihar sewage
treatment plant. The aim of providing the free sewer connection is to prevent
the sewage that is generated from landing in the River Yamuna. The sewer
connections in these colonies will help to prevent 2.5 crore litres of
untreated waste from falling into River Yamuna.
3.
Jan Suraksha Scheme completes 7 years of Social Security: The Jan Suraksha
scheme which was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 9th May 2015
completes 7 years of providing social security. Three Jan Suraksha schemes were
launched by the prime minister, these schemes are Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti
Bima Yojana, and Pradhanmantri Suraksha Bima Yojana, and Atal Pension Yojana.
The schemes complete 7 years of providing social security with the motto of
recognizing the necessity to protect human life from risk and economic
uncertainty.
a)
Pradhanmantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY): The Pradhanmantri
Suraksha Bima Yojana is a one-year life insurance program that can be renewed
year after year and provides coverage for any cause of death. Individuals who
have savings bank or post office accounts between the age of 18 and 17 are
eligible to participate in the scheme. Insurance of rupees 2 lakh is granted in
accidental death and disability. Rupees 1 lakh is granted in case of partial
impairment.
b)
Pradhanmantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY): Pradhanmantri
Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana is a one-year life insurance program that is also
renewable year after year and provides coverage for any cause of death.
Individuals who have savings bank or post office accounts between the age of 18
to 50 are eligible for this program. The scheme offers the people ensured life
risk covered until the age of 55 if they pay the premium before they reach the
age of 50. For an insurance policy of 2 lakh, the cost each year will be rupees
330. The premium for the scheme is automatically deducted every year from the
account holder’s bank account.
c)
Atal pension Yojana (APY): Atal Pension
Yojana is available for individuals who have bank accounts between the age of
18 and 40 and the contributions vary depending on the amount of pension chosen.
The individuals who have subscribed for the Atal Pension Yojana are guaranteed
a minimum monthly pension of rupees 1000, Rs 2000, Rs 3000, Rs 4000, or Rs 5000
according to the pension payment entered into the program when they reach the
age of 60. The individual who has subscribed for a monthly pension is available
through his lifetime then it is transferred to his spouse after his death and
then the subscriber’s pension goes to the subscriber’s nominee.
4.
Tamil Nadu govt announced breakfast scheme for primary school students: Tamil Nadu chief
minister, MK Stalin has announced that all government primary school students
from 1st to 5th standards will be provided nutritious breakfast on all working
days. Tamil Nadu is set to become the first state to offer breakfast along with
midday meals. This includes the launch of integrated urban health centres
within the Corporation and Municipal limits.
Under the scheme: The schemes are a
free morning breakfast scheme for government school students, a scheme to
eradicate nutrition deficiency, the establishment of schools of excellence and
primary health centres in urban areas and the expansion of ‘CM in Your
Constituency’, a public grievances redress system, to all 234 constituencies.
The free breakfast scheme was launched based on the available information that
the government school children skip breakfast while going to school because of
the distance and family situations.
5.
Alkesh Kumar Sharma appointed as Ministry of Electronics and IT’s Secretary: Alkesh Kumar
Sharma, a senior IAS officer, has been named Secretary of the Ministry of
Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). He was previously the Cabinet
Secretariat’s secretary (Coordination). Alkesh Kumar Sharma previously served
as Kerala’s additional chief secretary for industries from May 2020 to April
2021. Sharma served as the Managing Director of Kochi Metro Rail and the CEO of
the Cochin Smart City Mission from September 2019 until April 2021.
Note: Minister for Railways,
Communications, Electronics & Information Technology: Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1.
International Nurses Day: 12th May: May 12 is observed as International
Nurses’ Day across the world to honour the services of nurses. It is the birth
anniversary of Florence Nightingale, the English social reformer, statistician
and founder of modern nursing. She was also known as Lady with the Lamp. She
was the founder of modern nursing and was a British social reformer and
statistician. The theme for this year’s Nurses’ Day is “Nurses: A Voice to Lead
– Invest in Nursing and respect rights to secure global health”. Many hospitals
across the world are observing International Nurses Week from May 6 to 12. As
part of it, several activities, including yoga sessions and seminars are being
organised.
The Florence Nightingale story: Nightingale gained
prominence during the Crimean War between Russia and Britain in the 1850s.
Along with her team of 38 women, she took care of British soldiers who were
dealing with horrible sanitation facilities apart from battling Russian forces.
According to historical accounts, injured soldiers had dirty bandages covering
rotting wounds, there were rats at their bases, and only one bathtub per 150
personnel. Making matters worse, a dead horse had been left to rot in their
water supply.
2.
International Day of Plant Health: 12th May: The United Nations designated 12
May the International Day of Plant Health (IDPH) to raise global awareness on
how protecting plant health can help end hunger, reduce poverty, protect
biodiversity and the environment, and boost economic development. The United
Nations declared 2020 as the International Year of Plant Health (IYPH). The
Year was extended until 1 July 2021 due to the postponement of some key
initiatives caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a once in a lifetime
opportunity to raise global awareness on how protecting plant health can help
end hunger, reduce poverty, protect the environment, and boost economic
development.
OTHER UPDATES:
SPORTS
1.
Carlos Alcaraz won the men’s singles title at the Madrid Open title 2022: Carlos Alcaraz
(Spain) has clinched the men’s singles Madrid Open title 2022 after beating the
defending champion Alexander Zverev (Germany). Alcaraz has also defeated Rafael
Nadal and Novak Djokovic (world No.1) to reach the final. It is his second Masters
1000 crown after Miami 2022 and his fourth title of the year. Ons Jabeur
(Tunisia) has clinched the women’s singles title to become the first African
player to win a WTA 1000 event.
Here are the winners of different
categories:
|
Category |
Winner |
|
Men’s singles: |
Carlos Alcaraz (Spain) |
|
Women’s singles: |
Ons Jabeur (Tunisia) |
|
Men’s doubles: |
Wesley Koolhof (Netherlands) & Neal Skupski (United
Kingdom) |
|
Women’s doubles: |
Gabriela Dabrowski
(Canada) & Giuliana Olmos (Mexico) |
1. SEBI
formed Advisory Committee for ESG-related matters: The Securities and
Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has constituted a committee for advising on
Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) related matters in the securities
market. The committee will be chaired by Navneet Munot, the Chief Executive
Officer (CEO) of HDFC Mutual Fund.
Work of this Committee: The terms of
reference of the committee include Enhancements in business responsibility and
sustainability report, ESG ratings, and ESG investing. It will examine evolving
disclosures/metrics relevant to the Indian context and suggest areas for
assurance and a plan for implementation.
Other Members: They include MD
& CEO of Tata Chemicals, C Siva Kumar, executive director of NTPC, Amit
Talgeri, chief risk officer, Axis Bank, Sharad Kalghtagi, ESG head Cipla, Amit
Tandon, Institutional Investor Advisory Services, J N Gupta, founder & MD
of Stakeholders Empowerment Services, Rama Patel, Director Crisil Ratings and
Ramnath.
Note: SEBI Founded: 12 April 1992; SEBI
Headquarters: Mumbai; SEBI Agency executive: Madhabi Puri Buch (Chairperson).
BUSINESS AND ECONOMY
1.
UPI hits record 5.58 Bn transactions worth Rs 9.83 trillion in April 2022: According to the
National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), Unified Payments Interface
(UPI), India’s flagship digital payments platform, has recorded 5.58 billion
(bn) transactions worth Rs 9.83 trillion in April 2022. This is the highest
ever number of transactions recorded by UPI. The monthly UPI recorded a 3.33 %
increase in transaction volume from 5.4 billion transactions worth Rs 9.6
trillion in March 2022.
Compared to April 2021, the transaction
volume increased by 111% and the transaction value increased by nearly 100%. In
April 2021, UPI processed 2.64 billion transactions worth Rs 4.93 trillion. The
UPI had breached the USD 1 trillion mark in transaction values in the financial
year 2021-22.
Note: NPCI Founded: 2008; NPCI
Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra; NPCI MD & CEO: Dilip Asbe.
2. On
closing day of LIC IPO, the total subscription at 2.95 times: On the final day
of bidding, the insurance behemoth Life Insurance Corporation of India’s (LIC)
IPO, the country’s largest ever, witnessed 2.95 times greater demand than the
shares on sale, generating bids totalling Rs 43,933 crore. Domestic investors,
mostly retail, were the primary drivers of the subscription. The IPO received
7.33 million retail investor applications, breaking the previous record of 4.8
million set by Reliance Power in 2008. Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) were
lukewarm on the issue, owing to global risk aversion caused by rising bond
yields. The policyholders’ component witnessed the highest level of
participation, with bids totaling over Rs 12,000 crore. Employees’ shares were
4.4 times subscribed, while retail individual investors’ shares were two times
subscribed, with bids totaling over Rs 12,450 crore.
Life Insurance Corporation of
India’s (LIC):
The Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) is an Indian statutory insurance
and investment company with its headquarters in Mumbai. It is under the control
of the Indian government. The Life Insurance Corporation of India was founded
on September 1, 1956, when the Indian Parliament passed the Life Insurance of
India Act, which nationalised the Indian insurance business. The state-owned
Life Insurance Corporation of India was formed through the merger of over 245
insurance companies and provident societies.
AWARDS AND HONOURS
1.
Pulitzer Prizes 2022: Complete List of Winners: The 106th class
of Pulitzer Prize winners in Journalism, Books, Drama and Music were announced.
The Pulitzer Prize is an award for achievements in newspaper, magazine, online
journalism, literature and musical composition within the United States. It was
established in 1917 by provisions in the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made
his fortune as a newspaper publisher, and is administered by Columbia
University.
Here’s the full list of winners in
journalism:
a)
Public
Service: The Washington Post for its account of the assault on Washington on
January 6, 2021.
b)
Breaking
News Reporting: The staff of the Miami Herald for its coverage of the collapse
of the Seaside apartment towers in Florida.
c)
Investigative
Reporting: Corey G. Johnson, Rebecca Woolington and Eli Murray of the Tampa Bay
Times for an expose of highly toxic hazards inside Florida’s only battery
recycling plant that forced the implementation of safety measures to adequately
protect workers and nearby residents.
d)
Explanatory
Reporting: Staff of Quanta Magazine, notably Natalie Wolchover, for reporting
on how the Webb Space Telescope works.
e)
Local
Reporting: Madison Hopkins of the Better Government Association and Cecilia
Reyes of the Chicago Tribune for an examination of Chicago’s long history of
failed building and fire safety code enforcement.
f)
National
Reporting: The staff of The New York Times for a project that quantified a
disturbing pattern of fatal traffic stops by police.
g)
International
Reporting: The staff of The New York Times for reporting that exposed the vast
civilian tolls of US-led airstrikes, challenging official accounts of American
military engagements in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan.
h)
Feature
Writing: Jennifer Senior of The Atlantic for a portrayal of a family’s
reckoning of loss in the 20 years since 9/11.
i)
Commentary:
Melinda Henneberger of the Kansas City Star for persuasive columns demanding
justice for alleged victims of a retired police detective accused of being a
sexual predator.
j)
Criticism:
Salamishah Tillet, contributing critic at large for The New York Times, for
writing about Black stories in art and popular culture.
k)
Editorial
Writing: Lisa Falkenberg, Michael Lindenberger, Joe Holley and Luis Carrasco of
the Houston Chronicle for a campaign that, with original reporting, revealed voter
suppression tactics, rejected the myth of widespread voter fraud and argued for
sensible voting reforms.
l)
Illustrated
Reporting and Commentary: Fahmida Azim, Anthony Del Col, Josh Adams and Walt
Hickey of Insider for a comic on an Uyghur internment camp.
m)
Breaking
News Photography: (1) Marcus Yam of the Los Angeles Times for raw and urgent
images of the US departure from Afghanistan. (2) Win McNamee, Drew Angerer,
Spencer Platt, Samuel Corum and Jon Cherry of Getty Images for comprehensive
and consistently riveting photos of the attack on the US capitol.
n)
Feature
Photography: Adnan Abidi, Sanna Irshad Mattoo, Amit Dave and the late Danish
Siddiqui of Reuters for images of Covid’s toll in India.
o)
Audio
Reporting: Staffs of Futuro Media and PRX for “Suave” — an immersive profile of
a man re-entering society after more than 30 years in prison.
Here’s the list for books, drama and
music:
a)
Fiction:
The Netanyahus: An Account of a Minor and Ultimately Even Negligible Episode in
the History of a Very Famous Family, by Joshua Cohen.
b)
Drama:
Fat Ham, by James Ijames
c)
History:
Covered with Night, by Nicole Eustace and Cuba: An American History, by Ada
Ferrer
d)
Biography:
Chasing Me to My Grave: An Artist’s Memoir of the Jim Crow South, by the late
Winfred Rembert as told to Erin I. Kelly
e)
Poetry:
frank: sonnets, by Diane Seuss
f)
General
Nonfiction: Invisible Child: Poverty, Survival & Hope in an American City,
by Andrea Elliott
g) Music: Voiceless Mass, by Raven Chacon
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