NATIONAL UPDATES:
1.
Indo-German Green Hydrogen Task Force established after India and Germany inked
a joint declaration of intent: Union Minister for Power, New and
Renewable Energy, R.K Singh and German Minister for Economic Affairs and
Climate Change Dr Robert Habeck virtually signed a Joint Declaration of Intent
on an Indo-German Hydrogen Task Force. India has emerged as a global leader in
the energy transition, with the world’s highest pace of expansion in renewable
energy capacity. Minister R.K. Singh informed his German counterpart that India
has a clear bidding procedure, an open market, a quick dispute resolution
system, and is widely recognised as one of the most attractive RE investment
destinations. Key Points:
a)
India
has lofty goals in terms of the energy transition. By 2030, it will have added
500 GW of non-fossil fuel capacity. India has submitted proposals for green
hydrogen.
b)
German
companies compete for the development of this ecosystem in India.
c)
Both
countries will establish an Indo-German Green Hydrogen Task Force under the
agreement signed today to strengthen mutual cooperation in the production,
utilisation, storage, and distribution of green hydrogen by creating enabling
frameworks for projects, regulations and standards, trade, and joint research
and development (R&D) projects.
d)
The
National Green Hydrogen Mission was created in India with the purpose of making
it the global hub for green hydrogen production and export. Germany has also
devised a bold National Hydrogen Strategy with the goal of becoming a global
leader in hydrogen technology.
e)
India
can create low-cost Green Hydrogen to gradually decarbonize a range of industry
sectors, as well as export it to fulfil global demand, thanks to its rich
renewable energy potential and experience implementing renewable energy
projects. Germany is already undertaking various hydrogen initiatives thanks to
its capabilities in research and industry.
f)
The
collaboration would be built around the trade of green hydrogen and/or its
derivatives like green ammonia and green methanol. Institutional collaboration
in collaborative research, lighthouse projects, innovation clusters, and hydrogen
hubs would help to catalyse the two countries’ synergistic efforts.
g)
The
aggressive deployment goals would also attract investment and economic
prospects for both countries’ industries.
2.
Odisha to host India’s first tribal health observatory: Odisha is planning
to create India’s only observatory, which will house data on the state’s
indigenous population’s health. The ST and SC Development Department and the
RMRC, a regional institution of the Indian Council of Medical Research, signed
a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in this regard.
Key Points:
a)
The
Tribal Health Observatory (TriHOb) is the “first in the nation,” according to
the Information Department, and is aimed to be an effective, evidence-based,
and policy-oriented centre.
b)
It
will monitor illness burden, health-seeking behaviour, and the healthcare
delivery system in relation to tribal health in the state in a systematic and
continuing manner.
c)
‘Mo
School’ Abhiyan chairman Sushmita Bagchi also inaugurated a tribal family
health survey among indigenous groups during the event in which the MoU was
signed.
d)
The
survey will serve as a springboard for future longitudinal cohort studies and
policy research.
e)
The
‘Mo School’ (My School) programme aims to connect, collaborate, and contribute
to the renovation of government and government-aided schools in Odisha.
RailTel
& WHO inaugurated Mobile Container Hospital at Visakhapatnam: The RailTel
Corporation of India Ltd had designed and established a “Health Cloud” at
Visakhapatnam premises of Andhra Pradesh Med Tech Zone (AMTZ). The Andhra
Pradesh Med Tech Zone (AMTZ) is the world’s first integrated medical device
manufacturing hub. The “Health Cloud” at AMTZ has been inaugurated by Louise
Agersnap, Head of WHO Innovation Hub, WHO-Geneva.
About the Initiative:
a)
RailTel
has provided complete technological support for teleconsultation solutions for
the Mobile Container Hospital which has been designed and built-in AMTZ with
all the necessary Hospital setup for ready-to-operationalise in remote areas.
It can also be operationalised on the wheels. It comes with a Health ATM to
dispense the medicines through Mobile App having a digital payment interface.
b)
All
the initiatives under this partnership will facilitate empowering of hospitals
in rural areas with hi-tech digital healthcare facilities and thereby making
universal health care access a reality.
c)
RailTel
is also providing cloud and connectivity support to the Electronic Medical
Record Alliance (EMRA) which is an important consortium formed to provide
Hospital Information System (HIS) solution to small entities for building EMR
bringing everyone into the fold of the digital health ecosystem.
d)
The
consortium aspires to emerge as a Health Digital Data Fiduciary Services and
Health Information Exchange fully complying and seamlessly integrating into the
ABDM ecosystem.
4.
BRO celebrates its 62nd raising day on 7th May: The Border Roads
Organisation (BRO) was founded on 7th May 1960 as a leading road construction
agency under the Ministry of Defence with Shramena Sarvam Sadhyam (everything
is achievable through hard work) as its motto. On 7 May 2022 BRO celebrated its
62nd Raising Day (foundation day).
About BRO: It is a leading
road construction agency under the Ministry of Defence. Its primary role is to
provide road connectivity in India’s border areas. It also creates upgrades and
maintains infrastructure along borders to meet India’s overall tactical and
strategic goals. Apart from road construction it also executes maintenance
works along Northern and Western frontiers mainly to meet the strategic
requirements of the Indian Army. It is responsible for over 53,000 Km of roads.
Its work involves Formation Cutting, Surfacing, Bridge construction and
Resurfacing.
Note: Border Roads Organisation
Headquarters: New Delhi; Border Roads Organisation Director-General: Lt. Gen.
Rajeev Chaudhary; Border Roads Organisation Founded: 7 May 1960.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1.
Launch of the UN Energy Action Plan for 2025: With the launch of a UN-Energy Plan
of Action Towards 2025, the UN took a major step towards catalyzing the
large-scale action and support needed for the transition to clean, affordable
energy for all and net-zero emissions against the backdrop of a global energy
crisis and worsening climate emergency.
Key Points:
a)
Around
30 important organisations, including UN-Energy, launched the ‘Plan of Action.’
b)
According
to the UN, an Energy Compact Action Network has been established to connect
nations seeking support for their clean energy ambitions with governments and
corporations that have pledged more than $600 billion to support these
commitments.
c)
Coalitions
supporting energy access and transition in Nigeria, Santiago, and Chile were
announced, demonstrating the Network’s potential, as well as coalitions
supporting green hydrogen and a better role for women in leading and benefiting
from the energy transition.
d)
Liu
Zhenmin, UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs and
Secretary-General of the 2021 High-Level Dialogue on Energy said that the
Global Roadmap that emerged from the High-level Dialogue calls for strengthened
efforts by the UN system, supported by UN-Energy, including the creation of a global
multi-stakeholder Energy Compact Action Network,
e)
Achim
Steiner, Administrator of the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and co-chair of
UN-Energy, said that the UN-Energy Plan of Action is our collective response to
today’s global energy and climate challenges, noting that the commitments made
at the 2021 High-Level Dialogue on Energy and COP26 must be translated into
actions on the ground.
f)
As
part of this, UNDP is scaling up its energy work to help countries achieve a
just energy transition, allowing them to make progress toward the Sustainable
Development Goals while also addressing the climate problem.
2.
World Athletics Day: 7th May: World Athletics Day is celebrated every
year globally on the 7th of May to raise awareness about the importance of
fitness and encourage them to play sports, especially athletics. The basic
objective of World Athletics Day is to boost the participation of youths in
athletics. The World Athletics Day gave a chance to schools, colleges and
various other institutions to promote their children’s interests in various
other sports from running to shot put and various other sports which require
stamina.
History of World Athletics Day: In 1996, World
Athletics Day was started by the then International Amateur Athletic Federation
(IAAF) President Primo Nebiolo. The World Athletics federation and an
international governing body for the field of athletics, IAAF, organises and
sponsors this day every year since then, with a focus on fitness and health.
Mote: World Athletics Headquarters: Monaco;
World Athletics Founded: 17 July 1912, Stockholm, Sweden.
OTHER UPDATES:
SPORTS
1.
Tokyo Olympian discus thrower Kamalpreet Kaur provisionally suspended: Olympian discus
thrower Kamalpreet Kaur has been provisionally suspended by Athletics Integrity
Unit (AIU) for testing positive for a banned substance. Kamalpreet, who was
tested on March 29, was suspended for the presence/use of the prohibited
substance stanozolol in her sample, a breach of the World Athletics anti-doping
rules. Kaur had made it to the Tokyo Olympics final, finishing sixth with a
throw of 63.7m.
A provisional suspension is when an athlete
or other person is suspended temporarily from participating in any competition
or activity in athletics prior to a final decision at a hearing conducted under
the World Athletics Anti-Doping Rules or the Integrity Code of Conduct. Last
year, Kamalpreet became the first Indian to breach the 65m-mark in the discus
throw. She has a national record against her name which she created with a
throw of 66.59m at the Indian Grand Prix.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1.
IBM Chairman Arvind Krishna elected to the Board of Federal Reserve Bank of New
York:
IBM Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Arvind Krishna has been elected to
the Board of Directors of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. He will fill
the vacancy in the office for the remaining portion of a three-year term ending
December 31, 2023.
About the Arvind Krishna: Krishna, who has an
undergraduate degree from IIT-Kanpur and a PhD from the University of Illinois
at Urbana-Champaign, has been elected as a Class B director, “representing the
public with due but not exclusive consideration to the interests of
agriculture, commerce, industry, services, labour, and consumers. Prior to his
stint as the IBM CEO, the 60-year-old Krishna was Senior Vice President of
Cloud and Cognitive Software. He also headed IBM Research. He was the general manager
of IBM Systems and Technology Group’s development and manufacturing
organisation.
Note: Federal Reserve Bank of New York
Established: 1913; Federal Reserve Bank of New York President & CEO: John
C. Williams; Federal Reserve Bank of New York Headquarters: New York, USA.
DEFENCE
1.
Air Marshal Sanjeev Kapoor Takes Charge as DG (Inspection and Safety): Air Marshal Sanjeev
Kapoor has assumed the appointment of Director General (Inspection and Safety)
of Indian Air Force at Air HQ New Delhi. The Air Marshal is a graduate of the
National Defence Academy and was commissioned in the Flying branch of IAF in
December 1985 as a Transport Pilot.
Sanjeev Kapoor is an alumnus of Defence Services Staff College (DSSC) Wellington, College of Defence Management and National Defence College. The Air Officer is a Qualified Flying Instructor with more than 7700 hours of flying experience on various aircraft in the inventory of IAF. The Air Officer is a recipient of Vayu Sena Medal and Ati Vishist Seva Medal. In a service career spanning over 36 years, the Air Marshal has tenanted important command and staff appointments.
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