Correct Answer : Option (C) - 30th May 2023

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Veteran Sanskrit Scholar and Padma Shri awardee, Dr. Ved Kumari Ghai passed away 30th May 2023 after a brief illness.

* She was born on December 16, 1931, in Pratap Garh Mohallah, Jammu and after completion of her school education in Jammu, she did her MA in Sanskrit from Punjab University in 1953 and PhD in Sanskrit from Banaras Hindu University in 1960. She married to Dr Ram Pratap, also a Sanskrit scholar.

* She was head of Sanskrit Department in Jammu University until her retirement on December 31, 1991.

* She was also involved in social work and Government of India awarded her Padma Shri in 2014. She was also awarded Gold Medal by Jammu and Kashmir Government for social work, President’s Award for Sanskrit and Dogra Ratan award etc.

* Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh has condoled the demise of Prof Ghai and said that she was an inspiration to three generations of academicians, including himself.

Correct Answer : Option (A) - AIIMS Nagpur

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All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Nagpur has become the first of all AIIMS to receive National Accreditation Board for Hospitals(NABH) accreditation.

* The NABH accreditation is a globally recognized standard for healthcare quality.

* It assesses the performance of hospitals in various areas including patient care, safety, and organizational efficiency.

* AIIMS Nagpur achieved this accreditation by demonstrating its commitment to excellence in all areas..

Source : Pratidin Time

Correct Answer : Option (B) - Sustain 2.0

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The Union Cabinet chaired by the Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved the City Investments to Innovate, Integrate and Sustain 2.0 (CITIIS 2.0). 

CITIIS 2.0 is a program conceived by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) in partnership with the French Development Agency (AFD), Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW), the European Union (EU), and National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA). The program will run for a period of four years, i.e., from 2023 till 2027.

The program envisages to support competitively selected projects promoting circular economy with focus on integrated waste management at the city level, climate-oriented reform actions at the State level, and institutional strengthening and knowledge dissemination at the National level.

The funding for CITIIS 2.0 would include a loan of Rs.1760 crore (EUR 200 million) from AFD and KfW (EUR 100 million each) and a technical assistance grant of Rs.106 cr. (EUR 12 million) from the EU.

CITIIS 2.0 aims to leverage and scale up the learnings and successes of CITIIS 1.0. CITIIS 1.0 was launched jointly in 2018 by MoHUA, AFD, EU, and NIUA, with a total outlay of ₹933 crore (EUR 106 million).

CITIIS 1.0 consisted of three components :

Technical assistance was made available under the program at all three levels through domestic experts, international experts, and transversal experts. It has resulted in the mainstreaming of innovative, integrated and sustainable urban development practices through a unique challenge-driven financing model based on the principles of competitive and cooperative federalism.

Following the CITIIS 1.0 model, CITIIS 2.0 has three major components :


CITIIS 2.0 will supplement the climate actions of Government of India through its ongoing National programs (National Mission on Sustainable Habitat, AMRUT 2.0, Swachh Bharat Mission 2.0 and Smart Cities Mission), as well as contributing positively to India’s Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) and Conference of the Parties (COP26) commitments..

Source : PIB

Correct Answer : Option (C) - Ajay Yadav

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Shri Ajay Yadav, a 2005 batch IAS officer of the Bihar cadre has assumed the charge of Managing Director, Solar Energy Corporation of India Limited (SECI).

* Solar Energy Corporation of India Limited (SECI) is a Miniratna Category-I Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) incorporated in the year 2011, SECI is the primary implementing agency of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Govt. of India for Renewable Energy schemes/projects towards fulfilment of India's international commitments.

* Till date, SECI has awarded Renewable Energy (RE) project capacities of over 58 GW. SECI is also active in setting up of projects through its own investments as well as for other public sector entities as Project Management Consultant (PMC). SECI enjoys highest credit rating of AAA by ICRA..

Source : PIB

Correct Answer : Option (D) - 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 : Option (B) - 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 : Option (A) - 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 : Option (D) - 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 : Option (C) - 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 : Option (C) - 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