Daily Current Affairs and GK | 29 May 2020

1. Uttar Pradesh government to make 800km roads as Herbal roads

• The government of Uttar Pradesh has decided to make 800km roads, including national and state highways passing through the state as herbal roads.
• Under this scheme, medicinal and herbal trees will be planted along the roads on both sides.
• These herbal trees will include Peepal, Neem, Sehjan, along with other herb varieties like Brahmi, Ashvagandha and Jatropha.
• This scheme will not only provide the raw material for the medicines but will also prevent soil erosion and promote biodiversity.

(Source: News on AIR)

2. Uttar Pradesh government will sign an MoU with industry associations

• The government of Uttar Pradesh will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with many industry associations to create employment for migrant workers.
• This MoU will benefit around 10 lakh skilled and semi-skilled workers and provide a boost to the MSME sector in UP.  
• Under the MoU, the Indian Industries Association asked for 5 lakh workers while National real estate Development Council demanded 2.5 lakh and CII has asked for 2 lakh workers.
• UP govt. has started the mission for migrant workers with the motto “Har Hath Ho Kaam, Har Ghar Mein Rojgar” with the aim of providing employment to everyone.
• Uttar Pradesh:
  • It is the most populous state in India.
  • Its capital is Lucknow.
  • The governor of UP is Anandiben Patel and Chief Minister is Yogi Adityanath.
  • The state has 75 districts.
  • UP has 80 seats in Lok Sabha seats and 31 seats in Rajya Sabha.

3. Centre removes restrictions on export of paracetamol APIs

• The Central government has lifted a ban on exports of paracetamol Active Pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs).
• On March 3, the government imposed restrictions on the export of paracetamol APIs and formulations made from this compound to increase domestic supplies in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic.
• The government removed the restrictions on shipments of formulations made from paracetamol in April.
• Now, the restrictions on the export of API formulations have also been removed by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT).
• Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) is the primary biologically active component present in a drug.
• Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT):
  • It is an attached office of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and is headed by the Director General of Foreign Trade.
  • It was formed in 1991 and is responsible for prohibition and control of imports/exports and promotion and facilitation of exports/imports in the interests of the country.
  • It formulates and implements the Foreign Trade Policy.
  • Headquarters: New Delhi

4. International Day of UN Peacekeepers: 29 May

• International Day of UN Peacekeepers is observed every year on 29 May to recognize the contribution of uniformed and civilian personnel to peacekeeping.
• The day also honour more than 3,900 peacekeepers who have lost their lives while serving the organization since its inception in 1948.
• UNGA passed a resolution 57/129 to designate 29 May as the International Day of UN Peacekeepers to mark the establishment of the first UN Peacekeeping mission on 29 May 1948.
• Theme 2020: “Women in Peacekeeping: A key to Peace”
• The UN Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award 2019 has been presented jointly to women peacekeepers from India and Brazil.
• For the first time, the award is being presented jointly.
• Major Suman Gawani of the Indian Army and Commander Carla Monteiro de Castro Araujo of the Brazilian Navy will be honoured with this award.
• The United Nations Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award was created in 2016 to recognize the efforts of an individual military peacekeeper in promoting the principles of UN Security Resolution 1325.

(Source: UN)

5. Database being prepared under ‘Swamitva’ Scheme

• PM Narendra Modi inaugurated the ‘Swamitva’ scheme on 24 April on a pilot basis. Ten districts of MP have been selected as pilot projects.
• Madhya Pradesh government is preparing a database under this scheme which aims to provide land ownership rights to people in rural areas.
• The database prepared will be used to prepare land rights records and property registers of rural settlements at the panchayat level.
• The Survey of India will conduct the survey through the Panchayat and Rural Development and Revenue Department.
• The scheme will also help the property owners to access loan from the bank easily.
• Another advantage of this scheme is that the Gram Panchayats will also get the financial resources at the local level.

6. ADB and India sign US $ 177 million loan deal to upgrade major roads in Maharashtra

• A loan deal worth US $177 million has been signed between Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Government of India to upgrade 450km of state highways and major district roads in Maharashtra.
• Under the Maharashtra State Road improvement project, 2 major district roads and 11 state highways across 7 districts will be upgraded to 2-lane.
• This move will enhance the connectivity to national highways, interstate roads, rail hubs, industrial regions, seaports, airports, etc.
• Under the project, Maharashtra Public Works Department Project Staff will be trained to build their capacity in climate change adaptation and disaster-resilient features in road design, road maintenance planning and road safety.
• Asian Development Bank (ADB):
  • It is a regional development bank that aims to eradicate extreme poverty.
  • It was formed in 1966.
  • Headquarters: Mandaluyong, Philippines
  • Members: 68 countries

(Source: ADB)

7. 13 Special flights to bring Indians stranded in Gulf region as part of Vande Bharat Mission

• Under the Vande Bharat Mission, 13 special flights are scheduled from Gulf countries to India, more than half of which are from the UAE.
• These flights will bring back around 2,000 Indians stranded in Gulf countries.
• A flight of Air India will also bring back around 150 Indians from Sri Lanka under the mission. This is the first flight under the mission from Sri Lanka to India.
• INS Jalashwa, under Operation Samudra Setu, will bring 700 Indian nationals from Sri Lanka, which will be the first voyage ship from the island nation.

(Source: Business Standard)

8. Larry Kramer passed away at the age of 84

• Larry Kramer, an American author, film producer and public health advocate, passed away at the age of 84.
• He was one of the founders of the Gay Men’s Health Crisis, the world’s largest private organization that helps people living with HIV/AIDS.
• He was the first to advocate national response to AIDS when it first emerged in the 1980s.
• He also founded the ACT UP movement that made AIDS a national issue.

(Source: Wikipedia)

9. Lok Sabha Speaker nominates Associate Members of Delimitation Commission

• 15 MPs have been nominated as Associate Members of Delimitation Commission for the UT Jammu & Kashmir along with Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Manipur by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.
• The members are nominated under Article 5 of the Delimitation Act, 2002, to redraw parliamentary and assembly constituencies of the northeastern states and the union territory.
• Dr. Jitendra Singh, along with Dr. Farooq Abdullah, Mohammad Akbar Lone, Hasnain Masoodi and Jugal Kishore Sharma has been nominated in J&K.
• At present, J&K has no legislative assembly, but it is a UT with a provision of a legislature.
• The constituencies of J&K will be delimited according to the provisions of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019. According to section 60 of the Act, the seats in J&K legislative assembly shall be increased from 107 to 114.
• On March 6, the Delimitation Commission was constituted headed by former Supreme Court judge Ranjana Prakash Desai and Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra and state election commissioners of Jammu and Kashmir and the four states as its ex-officio members.
• Delimitation Commission:
  • The Delimitation Commission is appointed by the President to determine the number and boundaries of constituencies.
  • The commission also identifies the seats reserved for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
  • It is comprised of Retired Supreme Court judge, Chief Election Commissioner and respective state election commissioners.