WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY 2022 OBSERVED ON 3RD MAY
- World Press Freedom Day is observed globally on 3rd May every year. It is also known as World Press Day. The day also pays tribute to journalists who have lost their lives.
- This year’s World Press Freedom Day theme “Journalism under digital siege,” spotlights the multiple ways in which journalism is endangered by surveillance and digitally-mediated attacks on journalists, and the consequences of all this on public trust in digital communications.
- It was in the year 1993 when the United Nations General Assembly declared 3rd May as the world freedom press day. This declaration came after a recommendation made in 1991 at the twenty-sixth general conference session of UNESCO.
WORLD ASTHMA DAY 2022 OBSERVED ON 3RD MAY
- World Asthma Day is observed every year on the first Tuesday of May to spread awareness and care about asthma in the world. This year it falls on 3rd of May 2022. An annual event is organised by the Global Initiative for Asthma. This year the theme is ‘Closing Gaps in Asthma Care’.
- Asthma, the chronic inflammatory disease of the airways, affects 300 million people worldwide and India alone has 15 million asthma patients. World Asthma Day is annually organized by the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA). In 1998, the first World Asthma Day was celebrated in more than 35 countries in conjunction with the first World Asthma Meeting in Barcelona, Spain.
COCHIN SHIPYARD TO BUILD INDIA’S FIRST HOME MADE HYDROGEN-FUELLED ELECTRIC VESSEL
- Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, announced that the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways would develop and build India’s first indigenous hydrogen-fuelled electric vessels at Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), kicking off the country’s efforts toward green shipping.
- At a session titled Green Shipping in India – 2022, organised by the Ministry in collaboration with the shipyard and The Energy and Resources Institute, he also revealed the government’s intention for developing such vessels in order to stay up with the Global Maritime Green Transitions.
- Sonowal stated that the project would be carried out in partnership with Indian partners by the Cochin Shipyard.
- The shipyard has already started the groundwork in this area, partnering with KPIT Technologies and Indian developers for hydrogen fuel cells and power trains, as well as the Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) for drafting laws and regulations for such vessels.
- Fuel Cell Electric Vessel (FCEV), a hydrogen fuel cell vessel based on Low-Temperature Proton Exchange Membrane Technology (LT-PEM).
CM NITISH KUMAR INAUGURATED NATION’S FIRST ETHANOL PLANT IN PURNIA, BIHAR
- Bihar’s Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has inaugurated India’s first ethanol plant in Purnia district, Bihar. The plant has been set up by Eastern India Biofuels Private Limited at a cost of Rs 105 crores. Bihar came up with an ethanol production promotion policy in the first half of 2021. It is the country’s first grain-based ethanol plant.
- The plant, situated at Ganeshpur Parora, about 12 km from Purnia town, is spread over 15 acres of land.
- Purnia, Katihar, Araria and Kishanganj districts, known as the Seemanchal region, account for 80% of the total maize produced in Bihar and together produce 30-35 lakh metric tonnes (MTs) from April to August.
- Bihar came up with an ethanol production promotion policy in the first half of 2021.
CHHATTISGARH LAUNCHED ‘MUKHYAMANTRI MITAAN YOJANA’
- Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, Bhupesh Baghel has launched ‘Mukhyamantri Mitaan Yojana’ (Mitaan stands for a friend), which will be implemented on a pilot basis in 14 municipal corporations including the cities like Raipur, Durg, Bilaspur and Rajnandgaon in Chhattisgarh. Under the Scheme, the residents of Chhattisgarh can avail around 100 public services at their doorstep.
- 13 services in 14 municipal corporation areas have been included under the ‘Mitaan’ scheme as announced by the CM in his budget speech for the fiscal year 2022-23.
- Under the Scheme, people can contact the ‘Mitaan’ (nominated individual) on the toll-free number (14545) for the service. The required documents of the residents will be collected from their homes through the Mitaan, who will then scan the certificates and get the processes rolling for the issuance of certificates or services.
EX- PETROLEUM SECRETARY TARUN KAPOOR APPOINTED AS ADVISOR TO PM MODI
- Former petroleum secretary Tarun Kapoor has been appointed as an advisor to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, according to a government order issued. Kapoor, a 1987-batch IAS officer of the Himachal Pradesh cadre, superannuated as the secretary of the ministry of petroleum and natural gas on November 30, 2021.
- Senior bureaucrats Hari Ranjan Rao and Atish Chandra have been appointed as additional secretaries in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
SANGEETA SINGH APPOINTED AS CHAIRMAN OF CBDT
- Sangeeta Singh, a 1986 batch Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer has been given additional charge of Chairman, Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), after incumbent JB Mohapatra retired as the head of the direct taxes administration body on April 30. Currently, the board has four members including Sangeeta Singh.
- Singh is currently holding charge of Audit and Judicial. She is also holding additional charge of Income Tax and Revenue and Tax Payers services.
INS VIKRANT, INDIA’S FIRST INDIGENOUS AIRCRAFT CARRIER, WILL BE HANDED OVER TO THE INDIAN NAVY
- The second sea trials of India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC) Vikrant began, ahead of her anticipated induction into the Indian Navy in August next year. In August, the 40,000-tonne aircraft carrier, India’s largest and most sophisticated warship, successfully conducted a five-day maiden sea cruise.
- The Navy stated that the performance of the warship’s key systems was found to be satisfactory following the first sea trials.
- The battleship was built at a cost of approximately 23,000 crore, propelling India into a restricted group of countries with the capability to develop cutting-edge aircraft carriers.
- MiG-29K fighter jets, Kamov-31 helicopters, and MH-60R multi-role helicopters will be used by the warship.
REAL MADRID CLINCH 35TH SPANISH LEAGUE TITLE
- Real Madrid clinched a record-extending 35th Spanish league title after its reserve squad comfortably defeated Espanyol 4-0. Rodrygo scored twice and Marco Asensio and substitute Karim Benzema added a goal each to give Madrid its second league title in three seasons, and third in six years.
- With the title, Carlo Ancelotti became the first coach to lift trophies in the top five European leagues. The Italian manager won with AC Milan in Serie A, Chelsea in the English Premier League, Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1, and Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga.
KERALA BEAT WEST BENGAL TO LIFT THEIR SEVENTH SANTOSH TROPHY TITLE
- Kerala beat West Bengal 5-4 in the penalty shootout to win the 75th Santosh Trophy 2022 at the Manjeri Stadium in Malappuram, Kerala. The teams were level 1-1 after extra time in a pulsating encounter in which plenty of chances were created at both ends with the finishing being astray.
- This is Kerala’s third win in a Santosh Trophy tournament on home soil. Earlier, they had won two editions in Kochi, in 1973-74 and 1992-93. Kerala captain Jijo Joseph, who was adjudged the player of the match for a commanding performance in the middle of the park.
Awardees:
- Player of the Tournament: Jijo Joseph
- Top scorer with nine goals: Jesin TK
HARYANA GOVERNMENT TO BUILD STADIUM IN NEERAJ CHOPRA’S HOMETOWN
- Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has announced that a stadium will be built in Olympic gold-medallist Neeraj Chopra’s native village in Panipat. A stadium would be built in Neeraj Chopra’s village for Rs 10 crore.
- Last year, Chopra became the first Indian to win a gold medal in the Olympic track and field. Khelo India Youth Games-2021 will be organised by the Haryana Government from June 4 to June 13.
RASHEED KIDWAI AUTHORED A BOOK TITLED “LEADERS, POLITICIANS, CITIZENS”
- “Leaders, Politicians, Citizens: Fifty Figures Who Influenced India’s Politics” authored by author-journalist Rasheed Kidwai compiles stories of 50 personalities who influenced India’s political landscape.
- The book is published by Hachette India. The foreword of the book is written by Shashi Tharoor, Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha). The 50 personalities featured in the book include Teji Bachchan, Phoolan Devi, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Jayalalithaa, APJ Abdul Kalam, and Karunanidhi among others.
RAJASTHAN’S ‘MIYAN KA BADA’ RAILWAY STATION RENAMED TO ‘MAHESH NAGAR HALT’
- ‘Miyan Ka Bada’ railway station in the Balotra area of Rajasthan’s Barmer district was renamed “Mahesh Nagar Halt.” Since Independence, the people of Mian Ka Bada in Rajasthan have demanded that the village’s name be changed, claiming that the village’s original name was Mahesh Ro Bado.
- In 2018, the Rajasthan government changed the village’s name from Mian Ka Bada to Mahesh Nagar and made the necessary revisions in the revenue records. Proposals to rename the station were sent to the railway ministry when the village’s name was changed.
- In 2021, the name of the railway station was changed from Mian Ka Bada to Mahesh Nagar Halt after the proper procedures were followed, but the inauguration was postponed owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. The renamed station was finally inaugurated on April 30, 2022.
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Current Affairs of 1st May & 2nd May : https://blog.o2academia.org/post/1st2ndmay
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