Correct Answer :   Both 1 and 2

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In line with the overall vision of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to make India a global electronics powerhouse, the Government launched the ERSO Pilot initiative 31st May 2023 to validate certain transformational policy and process changes to make India the Repair Capital of the World.

* Demonstrating true commitment to the growth of Industry, MeitY, CBIC, DGFT & MoEF&CC converged with industry to effect transformational policy and process changes that would make India the most attractive repair destination for ICT products globally.

* Over the next 5 years, India’s ERSO industry is likely to fetch India a upto $20 billion in revenue and also generate millions of jobs.

* The project has been identified as a gamechanger for India and has been supported by the Government to make India a world leader in a hitherto untapped domain.

* The process and policy changes have been made possible due to the vision of Union Minister of Electronics & IT, Railways and Communications Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw and under the able guidance of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.

* The policy and process changes required for ERSO have been introduced over the last few months by different departments of the Government after in-depth discussions with the Repair Industry and are being validated for their efficacy and efficiency through a limited pilot that has been launched.

* The pilot is being held in Bengaluru and will be run for a period of three months commencing  today.

* Five companies, namely Flex, Lenovo, CTDI, R-Logic & Aforeserve have volunteered for the pilot. Post the pilot a detailed assessment will be carried out and modifications made in the process and policy as necessary.

* In line with the clarion call of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to support Mission LiFE, the ERSO initiative will be a gamechanger for Global environmental sustainability and reiterates India’s commitment to the environment and our planet. It will enable extension of device life globally by providing cheap and reliable repair of ICT products for the globe..

Source : PIB

Correct Answer :   Amarendu Prakash

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Shri Amarendu Prakash has assumed the charge of Chairman, Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) w.e.f. 31st May, 2023.

* Prior to taking charge as the Chairman, Shri Prakash held the post of Director in-charge, Bokaro Steel Plant (BSL), SAIL. A metallurgical engineer from BIT Sindhri, Shri Prakash joined SAIL in 1991 as a Management Trainee (Technical). After working in various positions of responsibilities in plants and units, Shri Amarendu Prakash was selected as a Director in the SAIL Board in charge of Bokaro Steel Plant in 2020.

* He is an accomplished technocrat. In his career of more than three decades in SAIL, Shri Prakash has had exposure to plant operations at shop level, exposure to corporate functions in the Head office and leading a large steel plant with mining operations. He was a key member of the team that was leading the business transformation and financial turnaround of SAIL in 2015-17.

* After taking over as the Director in charge of Bokaro Steel Plant, he has led the Plant team to reach their best performance in all major parameters year on year. The improvement in performance has been both quantitative and qualitative. With his remarkable organizational skills and strategic planning acumen, Shri Amarendu Prakash has been instrumental in bringing about significant changes in business processes and project implementation. 

* As a technically proficient leader, he has been spearheading the digitisation efforts of the company. As a key member of the Revenue Maximising Team, he has been instrumental in strategizing the overall production and sales plan for not only enhancing value for the organisation but also for the customers.

* A visionary and energetic leader, he connects with the employees across levels and motivates them to excel through various initiatives. During his tenure at Bokaro as Director, he has taken several initiatives to encourage Sports including supporting the Special Olympics. Many social initiatives involving public participation have brought about positive changes in the city of Bokaro and peripheral areas.

* He is a widely travelled technocrat and has gathered vast knowledge on the Steel and Mining Industry..

Source : SAIL

Correct Answer :   1st June

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World Milk Day, observed every year on 1st June, was created in the year 2001 by Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations (UN) to promote the consumption and benefits of milk around the world.

The goal of this day is to provide us with a chance to raise awareness of and support in any manner possible initiatives related to the dairy industry.

Theme of World Milk Day 2023 : According to worldmilkday.org, the theme of World Milk Day 2023 is “Showcasing how dairy is reducing its environmental footprint, while also providing nutritious foods and livelihoods.”

Significance of World Milk Day 2023 : This day offers a chance to raise awareness of milk among people all over the world. The purpose of the day is to increase public knowledge of the value of milk in a balanced diet, as well as how it helps communities and livelihoods. The FAO estimates that the dairy industry supports more than one billion livelihoods and that more than six billion people around the world eat dairy products.

History of World Milk Day 2023 : The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations established World Milk Day in 2001 as a means to acknowledge the significance of milk as a worldwide food source and to honour the dairy sector. World Milk Day was chosen as June 1 as the date was influenced by the existence of national milk days celebrated by several countries around this time. Initially, late May was considered as a potential date, but certain countries, such as China, expressed concerns about having multiple celebrations within that month. Consequently, June 1 became the preferred choice for most nations to observe World Milk Day, although some opt to hold their festivities a week or so earlier or later than this specific date.

Correct Answer :   Meghalaya

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The Ministry of External Affairs, EU Delegation to India and the Asian Confluence are jointly organizing the India-EU Connectivity Conference in Meghalaya on 1st June 2023.

Aim : The objective of the two-day conference is to explore possibilities of boosting connectivity investments in India’s North Eastern States and with India’s neighbours -- Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh.

* The Conference is an outcome of the India-EU Connectivity partnership which was launched during the India-EU Leaders’ Meeting in May 2021.

* It will be inaugurated by Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, and Minister of State fir External Affairs Dr. Rajkumar Ranjan Singh.

* Senior officials of the Government, EU Commission, North Eastern states, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh and stakeholders from the private sector are expected to participate and provide their insights and views on the subject..

Source : AIR

Correct Answer :   Ghaziabad

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Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya at the inauguration of the state-of-the-art National Training Centre for Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) at Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh on 31st May 2023.

* Prof. S.P. Singh Baghel, Minister of State (HFW) and General (Dr.) V.K. Singh, Minister of State (Civil Aviation, MoRTH) were also present at the event.

* Reiterating Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s focus on wellness and preventive healthcare, the Union Minister said that India’s traditional food habits and way of life should be adopted as ‘our kitchen is our hospital’. “Good quality nutritious food can go a long way in keeping diseases at bay”, he emphasized.

* Dr Mandaviya spoke of India’s rich heritage of health and wellness whether it was in preventive healthcare, consumption of millets, or in practicing Yoga. Highlighting the value of wellness and lifestyle as important components in health, he said, “The people who will train at the National Training Centre of FSSAI will play a significant role in creating healthy citizens in the country, as they will ensure quality standards for food are followed in the country.”

* Terming the training centre as “Lok Swasth Arpan Bhawan”, Prof. S. P. Singh Baghel said that FSSAI has got a great responsibility of setting food standards in the country which touches everyone’s life. He added that it is also our responsibility to ensure that the food we eat follows these standards.

* The National Training Centre of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) at Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh is an essential initiative aimed at providing structured instruction, practice, and learning experiences to bridge the gap between existing knowledge or skills and desired knowledge or skills in the field of food safety and standards.

* As mandated by the FSS Act 2006 and the Food Safety and Standards Rules, 2011, FSSAI is responsible for providing training to individuals involved in food businesses, including food business operators, employees, Food Safety Officers, and designated officers. Recognizing the importance of continuous skill upgrading for officials, food business operators, and other stakeholders, FSSAI has established the National Training Centre to offer various training programs.

* This dedicated center fills the void that previously existed, ensuring the development of a future-ready workforce committed to ensuring safe and wholesome food for the citizens of India..

Source : PIB

Correct Answer :   Ashwani Kumar

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The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the appointment of Indian Bank's Executive Director Ashwani Kumar for the post of Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer (MD&CEO) of UCO Bank.

* According to an order issued from the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT), the ACC has approved the proposal of the Department of Financial Services for the appointment of Kumar for a period of three years with effect from the date of assumption of office on or after June 1, 2023, or until further orders, whichever is earlier.

* He has been serving as Executive Director in Indian Bank since October 21, 2021.

* Kumar is Chartered Accountant, Post Graduate in Commerce and also a Certified member of Indian Institute of Bankers. He has rich banking experience of more than two decades. Prior to joining as Executive Director of Indian Bank, he was serving as Chief General Manager of Mumbai Zone of Punjab National Bank.

* Kumar rose through ranks serving various offices of four Public Sector Banks viz. BOB, Corporation Bank, OBC and PNB. His work experience includes working in Wholesale Banking division and as Head of several Branches (including Industrial Finance Branches and LCBs).

* As General Manager, he was heading Mid Corporate and Large Corporate verticals and was also CFO.

* As a vivid learner, he has attended various training programs in premier institutes in India and abroad including IIM and CAFRAL.

* He has also completed Leadership Development Programme of IIM Bangalore, curated by the Banks Board Bureau in consultation with IBA and Egon Zehnder International Pvt. Ltd.

Correct Answer :   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 :   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 :   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 :   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