Correct Answer :   31st May

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World No Tobacco Day, also known as Anti-Tobacco Day, has been observed every year on May 31 to raise awareness about the harmful effects of tobacco use and to advocate for effective policies to reduce tobacco consumption.

World Health Organization (WHO) to promote awareness about the detrimental consequences of tobacco usage and advocate for policies aimed at reducing tobacco consumption. The primary goal of this initiative is to educate the public about the health hazards associated with tobacco use, encompassing both smoking and smokeless tobacco products. It emphasizes the significance of quitting tobacco and urges governments, organizations, and individuals to actively combat tobacco use.

World Tabacco Day 2023 Theme :
This year the theme for World No Tobacco Day is “We need food, not tobacco”. The 2023 global campaign aims to raise awareness about alternative crop production and marketing opportunities for tobacco farmers and encourage them to grow sustainable, nutritious crops. It will also aim to expose the tobacco industry’s efforts to interfere with attempts to substitute tobacco growing with sustainable crops, thereby contributing to the global food crisis.


World Tabacco Day History :

* The Member States of the WHO created World No Tobacco Day in 1987 to draw global attention to the tobacco epidemic and the preventable death and disease it causes.

* In 1987, the World Health Assembly passed Resolution WHA40.38, calling for 7 April 1988 to be “a world no-smoking day.” In 1988, Resolution WHA42.19 was passed, calling for the celebration of World No Tobacco Day, every year on 31 May.


World Tabacco Day 2023 Significance :

* On this day, various activities and campaigns are organized worldwide to promote tobacco control. These initiatives include public awareness campaigns, educational programs in schools and communities, health screenings, and policy advocacy. The focus is on informing people about the dangers of tobacco use, supporting cessation efforts, and preventing youth from starting tobacco habits.

* Anti-Tobacco Day serves as a reminder of the devastating impact of tobacco on individuals, families, and communities. It aims to encourage smokers to quit and to prevent young people from starting the habit. By raising awareness and promoting tobacco control measures, Anti-Tobacco Day plays a vital role in reducing the burden of tobacco-related diseases and promoting a healthier society.

* Individuals can contribute to the cause by pledging to quit tobacco, supporting tobacco control policies and spreading awareness about the harmful effects of tobacco among their friends, family and communities.

Correct Answer :   Maharashtra

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Maharashtra government has approved a new financial scheme under which more than one crore farmers in the state will be paid 6,000 rupees annually.

* The scheme, Namo Shetkari Mahasanman Yojana, was approved at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in Mumbai on 30 May 2023.

* Chief Minister Shinde said the amount is in addition to 6,000 rupees being paid to farmers by the Centre under the PM Kisan Yojana.

* Maharashtra Cabinet also approved implementation of 'Gender Inclusive Tourism Policy called 'Aai' to empower women in the tourism sector. Similarly, approval was also given to start women's bike-taxi services at some tourist spots in the State..

Source : AIR

Correct Answer :   Justice Nitin Madhukar Jamdar

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Justice Nitin Madhukar Jamdar was on Tuesday (30th May 2023) appointed as the acting chief justice of the Bombay High Court as incumbent chief justice Ramesh Deokinandan Dhanuka demits office this evening.

* According to a notification issued by the Department of Justice in the Union law ministry, Justice Jamdar will assume charge on Wednesday (31st May 2023).

* Justice Dhanuka was appointed the Chief justice of the Bombay High Court on May 26, 2023. He demits office this evening following a brief tenure on attaining the age of 62 years.

* He is from Solapur and is the third generation to pursue law.

* He practiced at the Bombay High Court in diverse fields, primarily in administrative and constitutional law.

* He represented various public bodies and was also Senior Standing Counsel for the Union of India.

* While Supreme Court judges retire at the age of 65, HC judges demit office at 62.

* In the recent news, Justice Sonia Gokani was elevated as the chief justice of the Gujarat High Court and Justice Jaswant Singh as chief justice of the Tripura High Court. They too had brief tenures..

Source : The Hindu

Correct Answer :   Razorpay

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Razorpay has launched ‘Turbo UPI’ which the fintech unicorn says is India's fastest one-step UPI (unified payments interface) payment solution.

This new product allows customers of online merchants to make UPI payments directly without getting redirected to a third-party UPI app during checkout.

Aim : Razorpay Turbo UPI aims to deliver a 5X faster payment experience. It streamlines the payment process and eliminates any redirection to external apps.

* This helps businesses achieve a significant increase in the success rate of UPI payments by 10 per cent.  

* This solution was developed in partnership with NPCI and Axis Bank.

* Turbo UPI also offers granular insights into the end-users drop-off pattern and enables merchants to control the entire payment experience of their customers, end-to-end. For end-users, this means a simple 1-step UPI payment experience instead of 5 steps. Customers of popular apps including Tata Starquik, Ixigo, FNP (Ferns N Petals), Trainman, and Dhan among others will soon be able to get the benefits of this innovation.

* Providing a frictionless customer experience has been a top priority for us. As a business, it is of utmost importance to provide customers best and most seamless payment experience, and ‘Turbo UPI’ has taken that up a notch,” said K. Radhakrishnan, Co-founder, Tata Starquik. “We are confident that this streamlined, frictionless, and time-saving payment solution will not only enhance our customers’ experience but also minimize drop-offs during the UPI payment journey.”..

Source : Business Standard

Correct Answer :   Odisha

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The Odisha government on Monday (29th May 2023) approved a new housing scheme called 'MO GHARA' ('My Home' in the local language) where the state government will provide financial assistance to lower and lower-middle-income households in rural areas.

* The scheme will cover all such families who were left out in the existing housing schemes due to "stringent eligibility criteria or due to insufficient allocation" and also those who had received housing assistance of smaller amount in the past and now wants to upgrade or expand their houses, the state government said in a release.

* This is a credit-linked housing scheme with capital subsidy which is fully funded from the state's budget.

* Under the Scheme, a beneficiary can avail housing loan upto Rs 3 Lakh which can be repaid in 10 years excluding a one-year moratorium period in easy installments. They can opt for one of the four slabs of the loan amount -- Rs 1 Lakh, Rs 1.5 Lakh, Rs 2 Lakh, and Rs 3 Lakh.

* Banks will not charge any processing fee from the beneficiary for sanction of the loan

* Coming to the eligibility criteria under the scheme, a family staying in a kutcha house or one pucca room with an RCC roof; either not availed any government housing assistance or has availed assistance of below Rs 70,000 in the past; and if the income of the family per month is below Rs 25, 000, among others, will be able to be part of the scheme.

* An enhanced capital subsidy will be available to the vulnerable categories like SC/ST and PWD-headed households.

* Keeping the promise that conversion of the left out kutcha houses into pucca houses will be continued as a priority of the Government, State Cabinet today approved a new housing scheme called "MO GHARA" to provide financial assistance to meet the aspiration of the lower and lower middle-income households of rural Odisha...

Source : ANI

Correct Answer :   Maharashtra

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The Maharashtra govt has named cricket legend, Sachin Tendulkar as 'Smile Ambassador' under the state medical education & drug department’s 'Swachh Mukh Abhiyan.’

Aim : To spread awareness about oral health and hygiene across the state.

Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis signed an MoU with Sachin Tendulkar.

Tendulkar’s tie-up with the state government’s programme prompted the opposition parties  — the Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) — to question his silence over the controversy surrounding Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh who is accused of sexually harassing women wrestlers.

Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has informed, the batting legend will be the face of the state medical education and drug department’s Swachh Mukh Abhiyan (SMA) and has offered his association free of cost, and for the entire duration the government wishes to run the programme..

Source : The Print

Correct Answer :   30th May

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Goa Statehood Day 2023 will be marked on May 30 and marks Goa’s 36th Statehood Day.

* Every year, to mark this day, there are various celebrations and events held across Goa, and that is sure to be the case this year as well. As we prepare to celebrate Goa Statehood Day 2023, here is everything you need to know about this day.

* Every year, Goa Statehood Day is celebrated on May 30. It is interesting to note that while India gained independence on August 15, 1947, Goa continued to be under Portuguese rule. Finally, on December 19, 1961, Goa was liberated, along with Daman and Diu. It took another 26 years for Goa to attain statehood finally. On May 30, 1987, Goa received Statehood.

Significance of Goa Statehood Day :

* Goa Statehood Day is an important observance as it celebrates the state’s strong history, culture and heritage. Goa is one of the smallest states in India and is known for its architecture as well as its beaches. In 1961, India launched Operation Vijay and annexed Goa and Daman and Diu with the Indian mainland.

* Finally, on December 19, 1961, this mission was successful. However, Goa was separated from Daman and Diu and given the position of Statehood only in 1987. This celebration marks the anniversary of this feat.

* According to Indian history, when Goa was given full statehood, it became the 25th state of the Republic of India. To celebrate Goa Statehood Day 2023, the chief minister of the state - Pramod Sawant, has already extended his greetings to Goans in an official statement. Here’s wishing everyone a Happy Goa Statehood Day 2023!.

Important Key Points :

Goa Capital : Panaji;
Goa  Chief minister: Pramod Sawant;
Goa  Official sport: Football;
Goa  Official animal: Gaur;
Goa  Governor: P.S. Sreedharan Pillai.

Correct Answer :   Mukesh Ambani

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Reliance Chairman Mukesh Ambani has been appointed as the member of Advisory Committee to the President of the 28th Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP28) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

* Ambani, the Chairman and Managing Director of Reliance Industries joined the likes of  other important global leaders on the COP28 Advisory Council such as Larry Fink, Chairman and CEO of BlackRock, Olafur Grimsson, Chairman of Arctic Circle (Former President of Iceland), Laurent Fabius, President of COP21 / Paris Agreement, Former Prime Minister of France, Francesco La Camera, Director General, International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), Bob Dudley, Chair of the Oil & Gas Climate Initiative (OGCI), former CEO of BP.

* Besides Sunita Narain, Director General, Centre for Science and Environment, Ambani is the only Indian who has been appointed on the Advisory Committee to the President of COP28.

* The COP28 UAE Advisory Committee brings together climate experts from six continents. The 31 members of the Committee, who represent policy, industry, energy, finance, civil society, youth, and humanitarian and 65 percent of whom are from the Global South, will provide guidance and counsel to the COP Presidency in the run-up to COP28 and beyond.

* In January 2023, the UNFCCC Secretariat announced Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and UAE Special Envoy for Climate Change, as the COP 28 President-Designate.

* The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been chosen to host the 28th Conference of Parties (COP 28) to the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) from November 30 to December 12, 2023. It will take place at Dubai Expo City..

Source : Business Today

Correct Answer :   Naveen Patnaik

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Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik launched the ‘Odisha for Artificial Intelligence’ and ‘Artificial Intelligence for Youth’ initiatives on Monday (29th May 2023) in the state capital.

* The State Government has roped in international technology company for the initiative. In the first phase, the initiative will be implemented in Bhubaneswar, Puri and Cuttack.

* Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said that Artificial Intelligence (AI) holds incredible potential to reshape our world and drive progress.

* Stating that his Government has focused on technology-driven transformation, which is one of the key components of the Government’s 5-T initiative, he assured that the initiative will augment the digital literacy of the masses and make them familiar with the next-generation cutting-edge technology.

* “It will also create an ecosystem fostering research, innovation, and application across sectors”, he added.

* Complimenting the State Electronics and IT Department, and Intel India for this collaboration, he advised all departments in Government to take advantage of these programmes and train officials for enabling them to be at the forefront of the Artificial Intelligence revolution.

* He expressed confidence that the initiative will harness Artificial Intelligence for economic growth, transformation of governance and the betterment of the lives of our citizens and society.

* The CM called upon all to embrace this new chapter to unlock the limitless potential of our youth and build a future where Artificial Intelligence serves as a tool for the empowerment of our citizens and inclusive growth of our State.

* Electronics and IT Minister, Tusharkanti Behera highlighted the state’s initiative in technology that is transforming Odisha in different sectors.

* He said that this Artificial Intelligence initiative will put Odisha in the top league among the states in India.

* Odisha for AI is a free 4-hour course on AI by Intel on its app/site. It will be open to all for free in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, and Puri and will be open to all in Odisha subsequently, AI for youth is for students (below 18) of 2000 5T schools of phase1 and Odisha Adarsh Vidyalayas.

Source : ANI

Correct Answer :   Girish Chandra Murmu

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The Comptroller and Auditor General of India, CAG, Girish Chandra Murmu has been re-elected as the External Auditor of the World Health Organisation (WHO) for a four-year term from 2024 to 2027.

* The CAG is already holding this position in the WHO since 2019 for a four-year term from 2019 to 2023.

* The election was held 29th May 2023 in the Seventy-sixth World Health Assembly in Geneva. The CAG was re-elected, with an overwhelming majority of 114 out of 156 votes in the first round of voting.

* After the election, in his address to the World Health Assembly, Mr Murmu outlined his vision as an External Auditor for the WHO while emphasising the process improvement for better outcomes, transparency and a professional approach.

* The office of the CAG said, the appointment is a recognition of its standing among the international community as well as its professionalism, high standards, global audit experience and strong national credentials.

* This is the second major international audit assignment for the CAG this year following his selection for the post of External Auditor of the International Labour Organisation, earlier in March 2023..

Source : AIR