Current Affairs Quiz 18th and 19th May 2022 : Daily GK Update Quiz

Exp. Punjab Chief Minister launched ‘Lok Milni’ scheme for redressal of public complaints

Chief Minister of Punjab Bhagwant Mann 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 single-window platform to the people of the state for the redressal of the complaints that they have.

The people of the state who had submitted various grievances and complaints with the state government in the previous two months were called to attend this programme.

Exp. Kerala will launch India’s 1st state-owned OTT Platform named ‘CSpace’

Kerala government will launch a state-owned over-the-top (OTT) platform named ‘CSpace’ on state’s formation day on November 1.

It will offer film lovers an array of movies, short films and documentaries of their choice. The films will be streamed on CSpace only after their theatrical release.

This is an initiative of Kerala State Film Development Corporation (KSFDC).

Exp. Tamil Nadu named Nanjarayan Tank as 17th bird sanctuary

The Tamil Nadu government notified the Nanjarayan lake, a bio-diversity hotspot, as the 17th bird sanctuary. The government also set up an information centre to raise awareness about the bird population in the lake.

The Nanjarayan Tank also known as Sarkar Periyapalayam Reservoir, is located in Tirupur city near Koolipalayam, Tami Nadu.

A Detailed Project Report (DPR) will be prepared for setting up another wildlife sanctuary for the endangered Slender Loris in Dindigul and Karur.

Exp. India overtook Germany to become 4th largest vehicle market

India has overtaken Germany to become the fourth largest automotive market.

According to the Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs d’Automobiles (OICA), India has sold 3,759,398 vehicles in 2021 as compared to 2,973,319 vehicles in Germany. This shows a difference of almost 26%.

The most number of vehicles were sold in China (sales remained almost stagnant), followed by the US (reported growth of 4%) and Japan (market shrunk compared to both 2020 and 2019.

Exp. Elisabeth Borne appointed as prime minister of France

President of France, Emmanuel Macron has appointed Elisabeth Borne as the new Prime Minister of France.

She became the second woman to hold this position after Edith Cresson (1991-1992) under President Francois Mitterrand.

She joined Macron’s centrist party in 2017. She is a former Transport, Ecology and Labour minister.

She has succeeded Jean Castex, who had led the French cabinet since July 2020 and resigned recently.

Exp. World bank sanctioned USD 350 million for SRESTHA-G project of Gujarat

World Bank has approved USD 350 million as financial aid for the Systems Reform Endeavors for Transformed Health Achievement in Gujarat (SRESTHA-G) project.

The SRESTHA-G project will be worth USD 500 million, with the World Bank contributing USD 350 million. The project will include transforming key health delivery systems in the state.

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel approved the SRESTHA-G project, after which the proposal was forwarded to the Union Finance Ministry. The Gujarat government will implement the programme through the Health and Family Welfare Department (HFWD).

The Program Development Objective is to improve service delivery in Gujarat by improving primary health care quality, equity, and comprehensiveness, improving service delivery models for adolescent girls, and increasing disease surveillance system capacity.

Exp. WPI-based inflation in India rose to 3-decade high at 15.08% in April

India’s wholesale inflation soared to a three decade high in April as high commodity prices and supply-chain disruptions pushed up input cost for producers.

Wholesale prices rose 15.08% in April from a year earlier, according to the data released by the Commerce Ministry.

The WPI inflation stood at 14.55 % in March 2022 and 10.74% in April 2021. Fuel prices, a big component of the increase, were up 38.66 % on the year versus 34.52 % in March.

Exp. Frauds in PSBs declined by 51% to Rs 40,295 crores FY22

According to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the public sector banks have reported over a 51% dip in the amount involved in frauds to Rs 40,295.25 crore during the financial year ended March 2022.

The 12 PSBs had reported frauds worth Rs 81,921.54 crore in the preceding fiscal 2020-21. But, the number of fraud cases has fallen slightly as a total of 7,940 frauds were reported by the PSBs in 2021-22, against 9,933 incidents reported in FY21.

According to the RBI data on frauds reported by PSBs in all categories during FY22, the highest amount of Rs 9,528.95 crore was reported by the city-based Punjab National Bank (PNB), involving 431 such incidents.

Exp. Ruchi Soya acquired Patanjali Ayurveds Food Business for Rs 690 crores

Ruchi Soya, an edible oil company, has announced that it will buy Patanjali Ayurved’s food division for Rs 690 crore.

After regulatory permissions, the name of Ruchi Soya Industries Ltd would be changed to Patanjali Foods Ltd. Ghee, honey, spices, juices, and wheat are among the 21 products in the acquired food industry.

According to a company source, Ruchi Soya will pay Patanjali Ayurved an annual royalty estimated at 1% of the gross turnover of the items under the transfer agreement. It’s a debt-free transaction, with Ruchi Soya paying for it with internal accruals.

Exp. Emirates Telecom bought 9.8% stake in Vodafone for $4.4 billion

Emirates Telecommunications Group Company PJSC “e&” (Etisalat Group) has acquired approximately 2,766 million shares in Vodafone Group Plc aggregating to $4.4 billion.

The shares represent 9.8% of Vodafone’s issued share capital. The transaction is in process with e&’s ambition to be a global player in telecom and technology.

Exp. PNB MetLife launched India’s 1st dental health insurance plan

PNB MetLife India Insurance Company has launched India’s first dental health insurance plan.

A dental health insurance plan is the first insurance plan in India that covers fixed-benefit outpatient expenses and provides financial assistance with costs related to overall dental health.

It’s a one-of-a-kind standalone dental health insurance plan that covers significant dental procedures without requiring hospitalisation. PNB MetLife has tied up with more than 340 dental clinics, including Clove Dental and Sabka Dentist, two of India’s largest dental clinic chains, to help customers to manage their dental health.

Exp. SEBI notified rules in order to strengthen regulatory framework for CIS

Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has enhanced the net worth criteria and track record requirements with an aim to strengthen the regulatory framework for collective investment schemes.

SEBI has amended Collective Investment Scheme (CIS) regulations, 1999 which have not been reviewed since their first notification in 1999.

The SEBI has mandated a minimum of 20 investors and a subscription amount of at least Rs 20 crore for each Collective Investment Scheme (CIS). Currently, CIS rules do not mandate minimum number of investors, maximum holding of a single investor or minimum subscription amount.

No single investor will hold more than 25% of the assets under management of such schemes. SEBI has put a cap on cross-shareholding in Collective Investment Management Company (CIMC) to 10% to avoid conflict of interest.

Exp. Rajiv Ranjan and Sitikantha Pattanaik appointed as the executive directors of the RBI

Rajiv Ranjan and Sitikantha Pattanaik have been appointed as the executive directors of Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

Rajiv Ranjan was Adviser-in-Charge of the Monetary Policy Department and Secretary to the Monetary Policy Committee before being appointed to executive director. Pattanaik was an adviser at the Department of Economic and Policy Research before being appointed to ED.

Rajiv Ranjan will oversee the Monetary Policy Department as Executive Director, while Pattanaik will oversee the Department of Economic and Policy Research (DEPR).

Exp. SS Mundra appointed as Chairman of BSE Ltd

Leading stock exchange BSE Ltd (formerly Bombay Stock Exchange) has approved the appointment of former Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor and current Public Interest Director, BSE Subhash Sheoratan Mundra as the Chairman of the board of directors of the company.

He replaced Justice Vikramajit Sen who is the current chairman. Mundra was appointed as Public Interest Director at BSE in January 2018.

He retired as Deputy Governor of the RBI on July 30, 2017, and also served as Chairman and Managing Director of the Bank of Baroda.

Exp. Dr. Kamal Bawa elected to U.S. National Academy of Sciences

A conservation biologist and President of the Bengaluru-based Ashoka Trust for Research and Ecology and Environment (ATREE), Dr. Kamal Bawa was elected to the U.S. National Academy of Sciences.

Election to the 170-year-old U.S. National Academy of Sciences is a recognition of the significant contributions to science by its members.

Dr. Kamal Bawa is also an elected fellow of the Royal Society (London) and the American Philosophical Society.

Exp. B Govindarajan appointed as new CEO of Royal Enfield

Eicher Motors Ltd, the parent company of Royal Enfield, has appointed B Govindarajan as the Chief Executive Officer of Royal Enfield.

He will also serve as the Whole time Director of the Board of Eicher Motors Limited.

Since 2021 August, Govindarajan had been serving the company as the executive director, prior to which he was associated as the chief operating officer since 2013.

Royal Enfield is an Indian multinational motorcycle manufacturing company headquartered in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.

Exp. Cameroonian activist Cécile Ndjebet won 2022 Wangari Maathai Forest Champions’ Award

Cameroon Activist, Cécile Ndjebet has won the 2022 Wangari Maathai Forest Champions Award in recognition of her outstanding contribution to preserving forests and improving the lives of people who depend on them.

This award celebrates Cécile Ndjebet’s energy and dedication over three decades to promoting women’s rights to land and forests.

Ndjebet has tirelessly promoted the concept that women should be involved in forest management and have equal rights to forest land and resources – and that when they do, forests are better preserved and entire communities benefit.

The award was presented by the Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF), which is chaired by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the award was conferred at a ceremony during the XV World Forestry Congress in Seoul, the Republic of Korea.

This award was established in 2012 in memory of Kenyan environmentalist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai.

Exp. Ajay Piramal awarded Commander of the Order of the British Empire

Chairman of Piramal Group, Ajay Piramal has received the prestigious Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) award from Queen Elizabeth II.

He has been honoured with this award for his services to the UK-India trade relationship as India Co-Chair of the UK-India CEO Forum.

President Rolls-Royce India, Kishore Jayaraman, also receives the Honorary Order of the British Empire for his services to International Trade and Investment.

The Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) is awarded for having a prominent role at national level.

Exp. Wesley Morgan won William E. Colby award for his book ‘The Hardest Place’

Author and journalist Wesley Morgan has won the William E. Colby Award 2022 for his military and intelligence writing.

He was cited for his book “The Hardest Place: The American Military Adrift in Afghanistan’s Pech Valley.”

The Colby award, a $5,000 prize named for the former ambassador and CIA director William E. Colby, is given for “a major contribution to the understanding of military history, intelligence operations or international affairs.”

The Colby Award is presented by Norwich University in Northfield, Vermont. The Colby award was established in 1999.

Exp. Defence Minister inducted 2 indigenously built Frontline Warships INS Surat & INS Udaygiri into Indian Navy

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launched the two frontline warships of the Indian Navy at Mazagon Docks Limited, Mumbai which will mark a significant milestone in their construction.

The first ship is Surat, which is the fourth and last of the stealth destroyers under the ‘Project 15B’ programme. The second ship is Udaygiri, part of the ‘Project 17A’ frigate programme. It is the third ship of Project 17A frigates.

The Directorate of Naval Design (DND) of the Indian Navy designed and built both warships indigenously at MDL in Mumbai, Maharashtra.

Exp. 2021 Summer Deaflympics: India won 8 golds, 1 silver and 7 bronze; Ukraine topped

The 24th edition of 2021 Summer Deaflympics, officially known as XXIV Summer Deaflympic Games, and commonly known as Caxias 2021, was an international multi-sport event held at Festa da Uva, Caxias do Sul, Brazil, from 1 May to 15 May 2022.

The International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD) is the main governing body responsible for the organisation of Deaflympics and other World Deaf Championships.

The event was opened by Michelle Bolsonaro, the First Lady of Brazil. The Motto of 2021 Deaflympics is “Sports comes from the our hearts”. The mascot of the Deaflympics is the Ring-tailed Coati – Nino, meaning priceless, worthy of appreciation, cheerful, happy, very lucky, auspicious.

India has won 16 medals (including eight golds, one silver and seven bronze) at the Deaflympics 2021.

India has finished in the ninth position in the medal tally. India won three gold in shooting, three in Badminton, and each in Golf and Tennis.

Exp. 17 May: World Hypertension Day

World Hypertension Day is observed every year on 17th May, to raise awareness and encourage hypertension prevention, detection, and treatment.

The major risk factor for cardiovascular disease is high blood pressure and hypertension is known as the “Silent Killer”.

On May 14, 2005, the WHL debuted their inaugural WHD. Since 2006, the WHL has designated May 17 as World Hypertension Day.

The force produced by flowing blood on the walls of the body’s arteries, or main blood vessels, is known as blood pressure. When blood pressure is excessively high, it is called hypertension.

Blood pressure is measured as a two-digit figure. When the heart contracts or beats, the first number (systolic) shows the pressure in blood vessels. The second number (diastolic) indicates the pressure in the arteries while the heart is at rest between beats.

Theme 2022: Measure Your Blood Pressure Accurately, Control It, Live Longer.

Exp. 18 May: World AIDS Vaccine Day

World AIDS Vaccine Day, also known as HIV Vaccine Awareness Day, is observed across the globe on the 18 May every year.

It is observed to create awareness and provide information about Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), a chronic, potentially life-threatening condition caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and its immunisation.

The observance of this day is led by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) – National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), United States of America. The Red Ribbon is an internationally recognized symbol of AIDS awareness. It is worn in support of people living with HIV and in remembrance of those who have died.

The first-ever World AIDS Vaccine Day or HIV Vaccine Awareness Day was observed on 18th May 1998, as a commemoration of U.S. President Bill Clinton’s 1997 declaration.

Exp. 18 May: International Museum Day

The world celebrates International Museum Day on May 18, every year. As the name suggests, it is a day dedicated to raising awareness on the importance of museums.

Museums are an important means of cultural exchange, enrichment of cultures and development of mutual understanding, cooperation and peace among peoples.

The resolution for International Museum Day was adopted during ICOM General Assembly in Moscow, in 1997.

Theme 2022: ‘The Power of Museums’.