NATIONAL NEWS
Madhya Pradesh government launches scheme to award people for planting treesThe Madhya Pradesh government announced the launch of Ankur, a scheme under which citizens will be awarded for planting trees during monsoon.
- People who take the initiative to plant saplings will be given the Pranvayu Award for their participation.
- People who wish to participate in the tree plantation drive can register themselves on Vayudoot app, the official said.Participants need to upload a picture while planting the sapling and upload another photograph after taking care of the sapling for 30 days.
Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor (LG) Manoj Sinha,, launched a special financial scheme for families who lost their sole earning members due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
- Under the scheme, called ‘सक्षम’ or ‘Special Assistance Scheme for Covid Mortalities (SASCM)’, cash assistance of Rs 1,000 per month shall be provided to the spouse and the eldest member of the family.
- Apart from this, the scheme provides for a scholarship of Rs 20,000 per annum for school-going students and Rs 40,000 per annum for college-going students. A family in distress shall be eligible for scholarship for two children, if they are not getting any other scholarship. The assistance is not limited to above.
The Assam Cabinet appointed ministers who would act as guardians for different districts in the state.
- These guardians, each a minister of the Himanta Biswa Sarma Cabinet, have been given the responsibility of 2-3 districts to take stock of welfare schemes, implementation of infrastructure projects etc.
- The guardian ministers will be responsible for administration in the districts under their charge. But they won’t be directly involved with people from those districts.
BANKING & FINANCE
RBI Imposes Rs 10 Cr Penalty on HDFC Bank Over Irregularities in Auto Loan PortfolioThe Reserve Bank has imposed a penalty of Rs 10 crore on HDFC Bank for deficiencies in regulatory compliances with regard to its auto loan portfolio.
- The penalty has been slapped after examining a complaint by a whistleblower regarding irregularities in the auto loan portfolio of the lender.
Digital payments giant Paytm is planning to come out with an initial public offer worth USD 3 billion later this year.
- The proposed Initial Public Offer (IPO), if successful, would be the largest such offer. Coal India’s Rs 15,200 crore-IPO in 2010 is the country’s largest one till date.
- The SoftBank and Alibaba-backed company is looking at raising about USD 3 billion (over Rs 21,700 crore) at a valuation of well over USD 25 billion.
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
Zeta becomes 14th Indian unicorn in 2021Banking technology solutions provider Zeta has become the 14th startup to join the unicorn club this year after it raised $250 million from Japanese investment giant SoftBank for its series-C round.
- The SoftBank investment pushed up Zeta’s valuation by more than three times.
- The company, which counts several banks including HDFC Bank, RBL Bank, IDFC First Bank and Kotak Mahindra Bank among its clients, raised the funds from SoftBank Vision Fund 2 at a valuation of nearly $1.5 billion.
In line with its mission to stay contextually relevant and contribute to nation building, Indian Institute of Management Indore has joined hands with The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ), German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), to connect the dots across myriad sectors to understand how they grappled with COVID-19 for forthcoming pandemic preparedness.
- The institutions will now work together on documenting the challenges faced by these business sectors and their ways of tackling challenges.
- The documentation will be based on research to capture the finest practices on solutions for forthcoming pandemic preparedness. The activities include two book projects, research papers, and detailed case studies. The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ) is giving the IIM also a research grant for this.
SPORTS
Ashok Kumar, the only Indian referee to officiate in wrestling in Tokyo OlympicsAshok Kumar will be the only referee from the country to officiate in wrestling matches of the Tokyo Olympic Games. He was named in the list of officials released by the United World Wrestling (UWW).
- Ashok, who will officiate in his second consecutive Olympics, has officiated in more than 100 international events, including the World championships, Asian championships and Commonwealth Games. He is a UWW referees’ educator as well.
American professional golfer, Phil Mickelson has created history by winning the 2021 PGA Championship, at the age of 50.
- With this victory, Mickelson became the oldest player to win a major title in the history of the PGA Tour. This is his sixth major title.
- Mickelson has now broken the record of being the oldest major championship winner in history at the age of 50 years, 11 months, and 7 days. This record was previously held by American Julius Boros when he captured the 1968 PGA Championship at age 48, 4 months and 18 days
APPOINTMENTS
Jagjit Pavadia elected as president of Vienna based International Narcotics Control BoardJagjit Pavadia, the former Narcotics Commissioner of India, has been elected as the President of the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB).
- Pavadia, a retired officer of the Indian Revenue Service (Customs), is the first Indian to be appointed as the Chief of the international organization and the second woman to hold this office.
- She has served as the Narcotics Commissioner of India, Central Bureau of Narcotics for six years from 2006-2012.
Moving a step further towards women empowerment in the armed forces, Squadron Leader Aashritha V Olety has become the first female flight test engineer in the Indian Air Force.
- She will be responsible for evaluating aircraft and airborne systems before their induction into the armed forces.
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has picked a date to step down as CEO.He will become executive chair at Amazon and focus on new products and initiatives.
- Bezos, who grew Amazon from an internet bookstore to an online shopping behemoth, said that Amazon executive Andy Jassy will take over the CEO role on July 5.
National football team coach Igor Stimac‘s tenure was extended till September by All India Football Federation‘s technical committee, which appointed Savio Medeira as interim technical director in place of the outgoing Isac Doru.
- While Croatian World Cupper Stimac got extension, Doru did not get one after his contract expired around the same time as the Indian senior team head coach.
AWARDS
Jadavpur University Ranks 18th Among Indian Higher Educational Institutions in CWUR RankingsJadavpur University occupies the 18th ranking among all Indian higher educational institutions in World University Rankings 2021-22 in the Centre for World University Ranking (CWUR).
- Among the top 2,000 institutions across the globe, 68 Indian institutions have made the positions in that list and Jadavpur University has been accorded the 18th position among the Indian institutions.
- Another premier state university of West Bengal, Calcutta University occupies the 20th rank among the Indian higher educational institutions in CWUR. Among the state universities of the country, Jadavpur University has been ranked second, just below the Punjab University. Calcutta University occupies the third place among the state universities in the country, according to the list.JU occupies 1,032 in the overall Global Ranking of CWUR.
V Karthikeyan Pandian, an IAS officer, and private secretary to Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, was conferred with President's award by International Hockey Federation during the 47th FIH Congress.
- Karthikeyan was awarded for his contribution towards the development and promotion of hockey in Odisha.
- Meanwhile, FIH President Narinder Dhruv Batra created a historic milestone as he became the first Indian to be elected as President of the FIH for the second consecutive term at the 47th FIH Congress.
The American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) has honoured Dr D Nageshwar Reddy, Chairman, AIG Hospitals, with the renowned Rudolf V Schindler Award. The award was presented at the ASGE’s annual Crystal Awards virtual ceremony.
- With this, Dr Reddy becomes the first Indian medical practitioner to win this award.
- Rudolf V Schindler Award is the highest category in the prestigious Crystal Awards named after Dr Schindler who is considered as “the father of gastroscopy.”
Indian economist and Nobel Laureate Amartya Kumar Sen has been conferred with Spain's top Princess of Asturias Award in the social sciences category, the Spanish prize foundation announced.
- Sen, 87, was selected out of 41 candidates from 20 nationalities, the Princess of Asturias Foundation said.
- The award comprises a Joan Miro sculpture representing and symbolising the award, a diploma, an insignia and a cash prize of 50,000 Euros.
ENVIRONMENT
Global average temperature could pass 1.5° Celsius within the next 5 yearsThere’s about a 40% chance that the global average temperature for at least one of the next five years will be 1.5º Celsius higher than in pre-industrial times—and the odds are only going up.
- That level of temperature increase would most likely be temporary, according to an annual climate update led by the U.K. Met Office and published by the World Meteorological Organization.
- But the figure is significant because most global leaders committed to taking actions that would limit global warming to 1.5ºC and well below 2ºC by the end of the century when they signed the Paris Agreement in 2015.
OBITUARIES
Artist and writer Alka Raghuvanshi passes awayArtist, curator and art critic Alka Raghuvanshi passed away in Delhi, at 60.
- She was India’s first trained art curator, having trained at the Goldsmiths College, London and the Museum of Modern Art in Oxford.
- She has curated and designed over 25 major exhibitions many of which travelled to other parts of the country and the world.
BOOKS & AUTHORS
“India and Asian Geopolitics: The Past, Present” book by Shivshankar MenonThe book titled “India and Asian Geopolitics: The Past, Present” authored by Shivshankar Menon has been released recently.
- The first part of the book, roughly covering the period from decolonisation to globalisation, is more historical in its treatment and broadly follows a chronological framework. The second part looks at contemporary Asia and inevitably highlights China and its interface with others, in particular India.
IMPORTANT DAYS
International Day of Action for Women’s HealthThe International Day of Action for Women’s Health (International Women’s Health Day) is observed every year on May 28 raise awareness on the issues related to women’s health and well being.
- Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, where women are more likely to bear the brunt of social and economic consequences, this day aims to raise awareness on the issues related to women’s health and well-being such as Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR). The focus is to remind everyone, especially the government leaders and parliamentarians, that every woman's health matters.
United Nations is observing “International Week of Solidarity with the Peoples of Non-Self-Governing Territories” from May 25 to 31, 2021.
- The observation aims to take effective measures to safeguard and guarantee the inalienable rights of the peoples of the Non-Self-Governing Territories to their natural resources, including land, and to establish and maintain control over the future development of those resources and requested the Administering Powers to take all necessary steps to protect the property rights of the peoples of those Territories. At present, there are 17 Non-Self-Governing Territories remaining.
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