World AIDS Vaccine Day Or HIV Vaccine Awareness Day 2022
- World AIDS Vaccine Day is also known as HIV Vaccine Awareness Day (HVAD) is annually observed across the globe on the 18th of May 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.
- World AIDS Vaccine Day was conceptualised by the speech of former United States President Bill Clinton on 18th May 1997, at the Morgan State University, Maryland, the United States of America(USA).
WCR develops battery-operated dual-mode locomotive ‘Navdoot’
- West Central Railway has developed a battery-operated dual-mode locomotive named Navdoot. This engine runs on both modes i.e. battery and electricity. Currently, it is being used during the shunting of trains at Jabalpur, Mudwara, and other stations on a trial basis.
- This Dual Mode Locomotive has also received the Best Innovation Award from the Railway Board. Railways will save 1000 litres of diesel every day with this new locomotive. After clearing all the trials, it will be used more widely.
About ‘Navdoot’
- This engine runs on both modes i.e. battery and electricity.
- This e-engine can pull 18 coaches at a speed of 30 kmph.
- It has 84 batteries and has a capacity to pull 400 tonnes at present.
- This has been developed by the Electric Department of New Katni Junction.
- After clearing all the trials, it will be used more widely in other stations for purposes like carrying goods, coal, oil tankers etc.
Centre announces formation of Cotton Council of India
- The Union Government has announced the formation of the Cotton Council of India under the Chairmanship of renowned veteran cotton man Suresh Bhai Kotak.
- The Council will have representation from Textiles, Agriculture, Commerce, and Finance Ministries along with Cotton Corporation of India and Cotton Research Institute. Mr Goyal also appealed to the spinning and trading community to ensure a hassle-free supply of cotton and yarn first to the domestic industry.
Ashwini Vaishnaw Opened NIELIT Center in Leh, Ladakh
- Union Cabinet Minister of Electronics & Information Technology, Communications and Railways, Ashwini Vaishnaw has inaugurated the National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT) Centre Leh, Extension Centre Kargil and IT Enabled Incubation Centre for Handicraft and Handloom Sector.
- Union Minister, Sh. Ashwini Vaishnaw, while inaugurating the NIELIT Centres at Leh, Kargil and Incubation Centre at Leh, reiterated the commitment of the Hon’ble Prime Minister for the development of UT of Ladakh.
Supreme Court has ordered the release of Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination suspect
- The Supreme Court used Article 142 of the Constitution to grant AG Perarivalan, a convict in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, extraordinary powers to “do complete justice in any cause or matter pending before it.”
- Perarivalan was released free by a bench of justices led by L.N. Rao and B.R. Gavai, who took into account his lengthy incarceration. Perarivalan spent 29 of his 32 years in prison in solitary confinement until being granted bail by the Supreme Court in March 2022.
After Pakistan shot SAARC in 2016, India will go bilateral
- The future of SAARC seems bleak, with Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Nepal in economic limbo, and Afghanistan under Islamist Taliban control. This leaves India with little choice but to engage in bilateral engagement with its neighbours in order to protect its national security.
- Pakistan Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif is confronting a full-blown economic crisis and does not have a magic wand to miraculously address the country’s various problems, despite the fact that Imran Khan Niazi has been booted out of office, putting a stop to the political upheaval.
- The country is on the verge of famine and disease as the ISI-backed Haqqani Network, led by global terrorist Sirajuddin Haqqani, battles the Kandahar Taliban, led by Mullah Omar’s son Yaqub, for control of Kabul.
Bharti Airtel re-appoints Gopal Vittal as MD and CEO for 5 years
- Bharti Airtel board has reappointed Gopal Vittal as Managing Director & CEO for a further period of five years ending on January 31, 2028.
- The reappointment came on a day the telco posted a consolidated net profit at Rs 2,007.8 crore in the March quarter, up 141% sequentially and 164% on the year.
BSE named Ex RBI Deputy Governor SS Mundra as Chairman
- Leading stock exchange BSE Limited announced that it has approved the appointment of SS Mundra, Public Interest Director as the Chairman of the board of directors of the company.
- Mundra will replace Justice Vikramajit Sen who is the current chairman.
Patanjali Food Business will be acquired by Ruchi Soya for Rs. 690 crore
- Ruchi Soya, an edible oil company, has announced that it will buy Patanjali Ayurved’s food division for Rs 690 crore. Ruchi Soya’s transition to the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) category is likely to be accelerated as a result of this.
- 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. Ruchi Soya is India’s largest producer of edible oil. Patanjali Ayurved purchased it in 2019.
Rajnath Singh launches India-made warships, INS Surat and INS Udaygiri
Defence minister Rajnath Singh has launched two made-in-India warships INS ‘Surat’ and ‘Udaygiri’ at the Mazagon Docks in Mumbai.
- This is the first time that the two indigenously built warships have been launched together, the Mazgaon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd (MDL). Both warships have been designed in-house by the Directorate of Naval Design (DND) and built at MDL, Mumbai.
- Indian Naval Ship (INS) Surat is the fourth destroyer in Project 15B which is named after the second-largest commercial hub of western India.
- Indian Naval Ship (INS) Udaygiri, named after a mountain range in Andhra Pradesh, is the third ship of Project 17A Frigates. It is a follow to the P17 Frigates (Shivalik Class) with improved stealth features, advanced weapons and sensors and platform management systems.
Panel of PM’s Office recommends urban job guarantee scheme
- The Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM) has recommended that the government implement a guaranteed employment programme for the unemployed in cities and implement a universal basic income (UBI) scheme to eliminate income gaps.
- Citing the country’s uneven income distribution, the report also advocated raising the minimum wage and increasing government investment on the social sector to make vulnerable groups more resilient to shocks and prevent them from falling into poverty.
- According to the report that is titled, “The State of Inequality in India”, given the disparity in labour force participation rates between rural and urban areas, the urban equivalent of demand-based and guaranteed employment programmes such as MGNREGS should be implemented so that surplus labour can be rehabilitated.
Ajay Piramal receives Order of the British Empire award
- Chairman of the Piramal Group, Ajay Piramal has received an honorary Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) by Her Majesty The Queen. He received the award for services to the UK-India trade relationship as India Co-Chair of the UK-India CEO Forum.
HarperCollins India to publish Preeti Shenoy new novel, ‘A Place Called Home’
- Bestselling author Preeti Shenoy is set to publish a new novel titled “A Place Called Home”, a story set in a coffee estate in Sakleshpur, Karnataka with a strong female protagonist at its core.
- The new novel is about secrets, family, and finding yourself. The book published by HarperCollins Publishers India is set to be released in June 2022.
Union Minister Jitendra Singh Released E-book Civil List-2022 of IAS officers
- Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State(MoS), Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions released the e-book ‘Civil List – 2022 of IAS officers’ at North Block, Secretariat Building, New Delhi.
- This is an effort by the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) as a part of the Digital India initiative of the Government of India. This is the 67th edition of the Civil List and the 2nd edition of the e-book in pdf with unique search facilities and hyperlinking of contents for ease of access of information.
Current Affairs of 15th – 16th & 17th May: https://blog.o2academia.org/post/15th16th17thmay
