Daily Current Affairs and GK | 28 May 2022

Topic: Environment and Ecology

1. India joined the 'First Movers Coalition' to make heavy industries carbon emission-free.

• ‘First Movers Coalition’ is a global initiative launched for decarbonising heavy industry and long-distance transport sectors. Heavy industries sectors contribute 30 per cent to global emissions.
• It was launched by US President Joe Biden and the WEF at COP26. It is a public-private partnership initiative to decarbonize carbon-intensive sectors.
• India along with Denmark, Italy, Japan, Norway, Singapore, Sweden and the United Kingdom have joined this Coalition.
• First Movers Coalition mainly target aluminium, aviation, chemicals, concrete, shipping, steel and trucking sector.
• Coalition members agreed to purchase a certain percentage of industrial materials from suppliers using zero-carbon solutions.
• India, Japan and Sweden are part of the Steering Board of the Coalition. Denmark, Italy, Norway, Singapore and the United Kingdom are government partners.

Topic: Personality in News

2. Nawazuddin Siddiqui honoured with Excellence in Cinema Award at French Riviera Film Festival.

• Bollywood actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui received the award for Excellence in Cinema at the French Riviera Film Festival.
• American actor-producer, Vincent De Paul presented the award to Nawazuddin Siddiqui.
• Nawazuddin Siddiqui was one the first confirmed attendees at the Cannes Film Festival.
• He is the only actor in the world whose eight films have been officially selected and screened at the Cannes Film Festival.
• The fourth annual French Riviera Film Festival held from May 20 – 21, 2022 in Cannes.
• French Riviera Film Festival:
  • It was launched in 2019.
  • It recognizes the best short-form content created for film, television, web and digital platforms.

Topic: State News / Gujarat

3. World’s first Nano Urea (Liquid) Plant inaugurated by PM in Gujarat.

• On May 28, Prime Minister Modi made a visit to Gujarat.
• He inaugurated the world's first Nano Urea (Liquid) Plant at the Indian Farmers Fertilizer Cooperative Ltd (IFFCO) in Kalol.
• At Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a Seminar of Leaders of Various Cooperative Institutions on 'Sahakar Se Samriddhi.'
• The "Sahakar Se Samriddhi" seminar for leaders of cooperative institutions is another step toward strengthening the cooperative movement in the state.
• More than 7,000 delegates from several cooperative institutions of the state attend the Seminar.
• Nano Urea (Liquid) Plant at Kalol:
  • The Nano Urea (Liquid) Plant has been constructed at a cost of approximately 175 crore rupees in order to provide farmers with more tools to increase productivity and profitability.
  • The cutting-edge Nano Fertilizer Plant has been built with the goal of increasing crop yields through the use of Nano Urea.
  • The plant will produce approximately 1.5 lakh 500 ml bottles each day.

Topic: National News

4. Anupriya Patel, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, unveiled the Indian Business Portal in New Delhi.

• Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO), in collaboration with GlobalLinker, built the "Indian Business Portal," an International Trade Hub for Indian Exporters and Foreign Buyers.
• The portal is a business-to-business digital marketplace designed to help small and medium-sized businesses, artists, and farmers to identify new markets for their products and boost their global sales.
• The portal offers a varied product mix, including Consumer & Lifestyle Products, Industrial Products, Business Services, and Geographical Indication (GI) products.
• The Indian Business Portal is the first marketplace dedicated solely to exporters registered in India.
• Indian Business Portal's strategic objectives are as follows:
  • Digitizing Indian Exporters and help them become discoverable online
  • Promoting exports from all Indian States
  • Showcasing India’s strength in wide range of Products & Services
  • Encouraging virtual meetings between buyers and sellers
  • Providing a trusted network of Indian Exporters to Foreign Buyers

(Source: News on Air)

Topic: International Appointments

5. Rajesh Bhushan has been appointed chairperson of a key committee at the World Health Organization.

• At the 75th World Health Assembly, India's health secretary, Rajesh Bhushan, has been appointed chairperson of a key committee that primarily deals with the World Health Organization's financial and administrative matters.
• The annual World Health Assembly was attended by 194 member from May 22 to May 28 in Geneva, the headquarters of WHO.
• Every year, the World Health Assembly considers a long and complex list of health challenges and responses.
• World Health Assembly has two types of committees- Committee A and Committee B.
• Technical and health issues are discussed in Committee A, whereas financial and administrative ones are discussed in Committee B.
• Bhushan has been appointed the committee B chairperson.

Topic: International Appointments

6. Indian official Anwar Hussain Shaik took over as the chairman of the Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade (in the World Trade Organisation).

• Mr. Shaik will succeed Mexico's Elisa Maria Olmeda de Alejandro in this post.
• The aim of the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Agreement is to ensure that technical regulations, standards, and conformity assessment procedures are non-discriminatory and do not create unnecessary trade barriers.
• The TBT Committee's work is divided into two categories: reviewing specific measures and strengthening the TBT Agreement's implementation.
• This committee is used by WTO members to discuss specific trade concerns, laws, regulations, or procedures.
• World Trade Organization:
  • It is a 164-member multinational organisation that develops rules for worldwide exports and imports and settles trade disputes between countries.
  • Since 1995, India is a member of the World Trade Organization.
  • It is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.
  • It was founded on 1 January 1995.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

7. West Bengal has won ‘Star of Governance-SKOCH Award in Education’.

• Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced that West Bengal has topped in the Education sector nationally in the ‘SKOCH State of Governance Report 2021’.
• The award will be conferred to West Bengal on 18 June 2022 as a part of ‘India Governance Forum’.
• SKOCH Awards were started in 2003. They were started by SKOCH Group, a consulting firm.
• SKOCH Award salutes people, projects and institutions that go the extra mile to make India a better nation.

Topic: State News/Kerala

8. Kerala government has given local bodies powers to cull wild boars that create a threat to agriculture crops or human life. 

• State cabinet has taken decision to appoint the chairpersons of local bodies as honorary wildlife wardens.
• Central government earlier rejected a suggestion by the State to declare wild boars as vermin.
• Under Section 11-B (1) of the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972, Chief Wildlife Warden (CWW) has powers to issue special orders to kill wild animals.
• For issuing an order, CWW must be satisfied that a particular animal has become dangerous for human life or property.
• Using this provision of WPA 1972, all the local bodies have been given special powers to take appropriate decision with regard to managing the menace created by wild boars. 
• The ban on killing the animal through other methods such as electrocution or poisoning will continue.
• The decision is applicable across all municipalities and panchayats in the State.

Topic: National News

9. Government approves new guidelines for Micro & Small Enterprises Cluster Development Programme (MSE-CDP).

• Micro & Small Enterprises Cluster Development Programme will be implemented during the 15th Finance Commission Cycle (2021-22 to 2025-26).
• The main aim of the Programme is to enhance the competitiveness and productivity of Micro & Small Enterprises with the help of Common Facility Centres and Infrastructure Development.
• The government will give grants up to 70% for the 5 crores to Rs 10 crore projects while grants up to 60% will be given for the Rs 10 crore to Rs 30 crore projects.
• CFCs project costing more than Rs 30 crore will also be considered.
• The government will give a grant of 60% of the cost of the project costing Rs 5 crore to Rs 15 crore for the setting up of new Industrial Estate / Flatted Factory Complex.
• Grant will be 50% for up-gradation of existing Industrial Estate / Flatted Factory Complex project.
• Micro & Small Enterprises Cluster Development Programme Objective:
  • To create/upgrade infrastructural facilities in the new/existing industrial areas/ clusters of MSEs.
  • To set up common facility centres for testing, effluent treatment, training, etc.
  • To build the capacity of MSEs through the formation of self-help groups, consortia, upgradation of associations, etc.

Topic: State News/ Chhattisgarh

10. Chhattisgarh becomes second state to recognise Community Forest Resource (CFR) rights in a national park.

• Chhattisgarh Government has approved the CFR claims of Gudiyapadar and Nagalsar villages in Kanger Ghati National Park.
• Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel handed over the CFR certificates to villagers during his ‘Bhent Mulakat’ programme.
• Gudiyapadar hamlet becomes the first village to get CFR rights in Chattisgarh.
• Odisha is the first state to recognize the Community Forest Resource (CFR) rights in a national park.
• Odisha had recognise Community Forest Resources (CFRs) inside the Simplipal National Park in 2016.
• Community forest resource (CFR) rights:
  • Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers act 2006 has the provision of CFR rights.
  •  It gives rights to protect, regenerate, conserve or manage the community forest resources.
  • It allows the community to formulate rules for forest use.

Topic: State News/ Tamil Nadu

11. Tamil Nadu government launched the ‘Kalaignarin All Villages Integrated Agricultural Development Programme’.

• ‘Kalaignarin All Villages Integrated Agricultural Development Programme’ has been launched by Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu MK Stalin.
• It aims for agriculture development in all the 15,525 village panchayats with the help of union and State government schemes and externally-aided projects in five years.
• Under this initiative, borewells and ponds will be established; coconut seedlings will be distributed; fruit seedlings and tree saplings will be provided, and micro-irrigation facilities will be installed for farmers.
• In 2022, this programme will cover 1,997 village panchayats at a cost of Rs 227.06 crore. More than 9 lakh agricultural families will get benefit from this programme.
• In the next 10 years, it aims to bring 1.75 lakh hectares of land under net cultivation area and increase the double-cropping area to 20 lakh hectares.
• It also proposes to make Tamil Nadu the top three States in the production of foodgrains, coconut, cotton, sunflower, and groundnut.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

12. Lalgudi Violin Duo, GJR Krishnan and Vijayalakshmi will be conferred with Sangita Kalanidhi award for 2022.

• Noted vocalist Neyveli R. Santhanagopalan and mridangam maestro Tiruvarur Baktavatsalam have been selected for the Sangita Kalanidhi award for 2020 and 2021 respectively.
• Chief Minister M K Stalin will present the awards to winners on December 15, 2022.
• Kizhvelur G. Ganesan will get the Sangita Kala Acharya award for 2020 while Ritha Rajan and Vainika R.S. Jayalakshmi will respectively get this award for 2021 and 2022.
• Musicologist award for 2022 went to V. Premalatha. TTK award for 2020 went to vocalist Thamarakkad Govindan Namboothiri.
• Nemani Somayajulu will get the TTK award for 2021 while A.V. Anand will get the award for 2022.
• Nritya Kalanidhi awardees are Rama Vaidhyanathan (2020), Narthaki Nataraj (2021) and Bragha Bessell (2022).
• Sangita Kalanidhi Award:
  • It is given to Carnatic musicians by the Madras Music Academy.
  • The idea of the award was envisaged in 1942.

Topic: National News

13. Government reconstituted Central Advisory Board on Archaeology.

• Culture Minister will be the chairperson of this Board while officials from the Culture Ministry and ASI, MPs, nominees of State governments, representatives of universities, and experts on Indus Valley script will be members of this board.
• The board will meet once a year and it will advise the government on matters related to archaeology.
• A Standing Committee of the board will be set up under the chairmanship of ASI DG.
• The last meeting of the Central Advisory Board on Archaeology was held on 17 October 2014.
• The Central Advisory Board on Archeology (CABA) has been constituted to strengthen linkages between the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and universities and other institutions conducting regional archaeological research.

Topic: Books and Authors

14. Ruskin Bond’s latest book ‘Listen to Your Heart: The London Adventure’ released on 19 May.

• In this book, he has written about how he spent four years of his life in the Channel Islands and England.
• It is published by Penguin Random House India (PRHI).
• It was released on the occasion of the 88^th birthday of Ruskin Bond.
• He has written over 500 short stories, essays and novels. His first novel is "The Room on the Roof".
• He has recently written a book titled "A Little Book of India: Celebrating 75 Years of Independence".