Correct Answer :   Third Thursday of May

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Recognising the importance of equitable access to digital information and technologies, Global Accessibility Awareness Day is celebrated on the third Thursday of May every year.

This day brings focus to designing contents and technologies especially for the persons with diabilities. It is widely considered that in this age of technology, unless technologies become more inclusive and accessible, the condition of estimatedly more than one billion people worldwide living with different kinds of disabilities and impairments, can't be transformed.

Hence, the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) celebrates the Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) on 18th May.

The effort of the goverment is clearly inspired by the vision to build an inclusive society in which equal opportunities are provided for the growth and development of Persons with Disabilities, so that they can also lead productive, safe and dignified lives.

DEPwD is the nodal body to look after all the development agenda of persons with disabilities of the country. DEPwD comes under Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India. Here, inclusion becomes a central mandate for the department. Presently, 65 organisations are associated with DEPwD and all are conducting events at dozens of places across the country.

The purpose of the Global Accessibility Awareness Day is to get everyone talking, thinking and learning about digital, web, software, mobile among others and help ensure an access to these technologies for the people with different kinds of disabilities..

Source : DD News

Correct Answer :   17th May 2023

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Srichand Parmanand Hinduja, the eldest of the four Hinduja brothers and chairman of Hinduja Group, died in London on Wednesday (17th May 2023). He was unwell for some time. He was 87.

* They grew their family business, which includes commercial vehicle maker Ashok Leyland and private bank IndusInd, to several businesses across 38 countries, in sectors such as oil lubricants, chemicals, energy and IT.

* The Hinduja group employs more than 200,000 people.

* The Hinduja family patriarch and his brothers, Gopichand and Prakash, were accused of receiving nearly SEK 81 million in illegal commissions to help Swedish gunmaker AB Bofors secure an Indian government contract. A court had however exonerated them.

About the Srichand Parmanand Hinduja :

* Srichand Parmanand Hinduja was born in 1935 in Pakistan to a Hindu family. He moved to India with his family in 1947 after the partition of India.

* He started his business career in the early 1960s with his brothers Gopichand and Prakash.

* The Hinduja Group is a multinational conglomerate with interests in a wide range of industries, including banking, finance, manufacturing, and media. The group is one of the largest private conglomerates in India and is ranked among the top 500 companies in the world by Fortune magazine.

* SP Hinduja was a visionary leader who helped to transform the Hinduja Group into a global powerhouse. He was also a philanthropist who donated millions of dollars to charitable causes. He will be remembered as a great businessman, a visionary leader, and a philanthropist.

Born : 28 November 1935, Karachi, Pakistan

Died : 17 May 2023, London, United Kingdom.

Correct Answer :   May 18

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International Museum Day is observed annually on May 18 in order to recognize the vital role that museums play in fostering cultural exchange.


International Museum Day theme 2023 : The theme for this year's International Museum Day is “Museums, Sustainability and Well-being”.

Museums can help the world get closer to Sustainable Development Goals by supporting climate action, promoting inclusivity, preventing social isolation, and improving mental health. Museums this year will observe the day by hosting events that showcase how museums are contributing to the protection of the environment and educating people on the importance of sustainability.


International Museum Day History :

* International Museum Day was first celebrated four decades ago in 1977 by the International Council of Museums (ICOM).

* Its objective is to bring attention to the fact that “Museums are an important means of cultural exchange, enrichment of cultures and development of mutual understanding, cooperation and peace among peoples”.


International Museum Day Significance :

* This year, International Museum Day will highlight the role Museums play in promoting sustainable development and well-being as the world is faced by challenges such as biodiversity loss, climate change, and social inequality. According to the ICOM Resolution “On sustainability and the implementation of Agenda 2030, Transforming our World” (Kyoto, 2019), “all museums help create and shape sustainable futures.

* Since 2020, every International Museum Day a set of goals is chosen from the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. This year, the goals are Goal 3 Global Health and Wellbeing, Goal 13 Climate Action, and Goal 15 Life on Land.

* Museums not only serve as a source of entertainment but make people aware of different cultures and promote unity...

Source : NDTV

Correct Answer :   Arjun Ram Meghwal

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BJP leader Arjun Ram Meghwal was on Thursday (18th May 2023) appointed as the new Union law minister after Kiren Rijiju was moved to Earth Sciences Ministry.

* Rijiju was shunted out days after criticising the collegium system to appoint judges.

A statement from Rashtrapati said : “The President of India, as advised by the Prime Minister, is pleased to direct the following reallocation of portfolios among Ministers in the Union Council of Ministers:

* After taking charge, Arjun Ram Meghwal said, “Justice should be served to all and cases pending in courts should be as less as possible."

* Meghwal will now have charge of culture, parliamentary affairs as Minister of State, and independent charge of the law ministry.


Who is Arjun Ram Meghwal :

* Meghwal completed his graduation in law in 1977, following which he did his post-graduation. In 1982, he qualified the RAS Exams and got elected for the Rajasthan Udhyog Seva.

* He got elected as the Member of Parliament for the first time in 2009, representing the Bhartiya Janata Party from Bikaner constituency. He was reelected in 2014 and was made BJP’s chief whip in Lok Sabha..

Source : News18

Correct Answer :   16%

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According to Morgan Stanley, India is expected to contribute 16% of the global gross domestic product (GDP) growth over 2023-24.

* The Indian economy is a key contributor to Asian economic growth outperformance and the broad-based recovery in demand runs counter to the weakness seen outside Asia.

* In recent months, a wide variety of indicators suggest that India’s recovery is strong and broad-based, and is well-placed to sustain growth rates of above 6%..

Source : Business Standard

Correct Answer :   2040

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Plastic pollution across the world can see a reduction of up to 80 per cent by 2040 if companies and countries make policy and market shifts using existing technologies, said United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) on Tuesday (16th May 2023).

* The report "Turning Off The Tap" was released on Tuesday (16th May 2023), ahead of the negotiations resuming in Paris seeking a global agreement to beat plastic pollution.

* The report highlights the magnitude and nature of changes required to end plastic pollution and to create a circular economy to replace the widespread use of single-use plastics and their inappropriate disposal.

* Plastic pollution undermines marine ecosystems and contaminates oceans. The presence of microplastics – tiny fragments resulting from the disposal and breakdown of consumer products and industrial waste – are increasingly found in the human food chain.

* According to the report, one million plastic bottles are purchased every minute while up to five trillion plastic bags are used worldwide every year. In total, half of all plastic produced is designed for single-use purposes, the UNEP confirms.

* About 400 million tonnes of plastic waste are generated every year.

* To reduce the problem of unnecessary plastics, the report suggests tackling the problem with the approach of 'reuse, recycle and reorient and diversify products.'

* On 'reuse' options, it endorses transforming the throwaway economy to a reuse society, by creating an enabling environment to ensure the reuse market has a stronger business case than the single-use plastics market. It further adds that reuse systems provide the highest opportunity to reduce plastic pollution (a reduction of 30 per cent by 2040) by replacing some of the most problematic and unnecessary products.

* 'Recycling' can help reduce plastic pollution by an additional 20 per cent, if only it becomes a more stable and profitable venture..

Source : Business Standard

Correct Answer :   18th May 2023

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Former Union minister and the BJP's Ambala MP Rattan Lal Kataria passed away on Thursday (18th May 2023) after a brief illness here. He was 71.

* He has served as minister of state in the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti and the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment from May 2019 till July 2021.

* He was elected to the Lok Sabha from Ambala in 1999, 2014, and 2019.

* He also served as the party's Haryana unit chief from 2000 to 2003.

* He was also a minister in the Haryana government..

Source : Tribune India

Correct Answer :   Diu

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G20 Research and Innovation Initiative Gathering (RIIG) Conference on Scientific Challenges and Opportunities for sustainable blue economy held at Diu (Diu, Daman, Nagar Haveli) on 18 May 2023.

Dr Srivari Chandrasekhar, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology (DST), Govt of India and the G20 RIIG Chair, will Chair the meeting. This G20 RIIG conference is being coordinated by Ministry of Earth Sciences, Govt. of India. Over 35 foreign delegates and 40 Indian experts, delegates and invitees are expected to participate in the conference. Dr M Ravichandran, Secretary MoES shall coordinate the proceedings of the RIIG Conference.

Theme : The main theme of RIIG during India’s G-20 Presidency in 2023 is “Research and Innovation for an Equitable Society”.

The four priority areas of RIIG under India’s G20 Presidency are : 

i) Materials for Sustainable Energy;
ii) Circular bio-economy;
iii) Eco-Innovations for Energy Transition;
iv) Scientific Challenges and Opportunities for a Sustainable Blue Economy.

The RIIG Conferences on Materials for Sustainable Energy; Circular bio-economy and Eco-Innovations for Energy Transition have already been concluded at Ranchi, Dibrugarh and Dharamshala respectively.

The RIIG Diu Conference on Blue Economy shall foster knowledge sharing and exchange of best practices between G20 members on several key sub-themes including :

(a) Blue Economy Sectors and Opportunities,
(b) Marine Pollution,
(c) Coastal and Marine Ecosystems and Biodiversity,
(d) Observations, Data and Information Services,
(e) Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning,
(f) Deep-Sea Exploration, New and Renewable Offshore Energy,
(g) Blue Economy Policies and Strategies..

Source : PIB

Correct Answer :   1,100

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In order to realize the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of “Sahkar se Samriddhi”, a decision has been taken to form 1,100 New Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) in the Cooperative Sector.

* The Ministry of Cooperation in a statement said, these additional 1100 FPOs have been allocated to National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) under FPOs’ Scheme.

* Under the FPO Scheme, financial assistance of  33 lakh rupees is provided to each FPO. Further, financial assistance of  25 lakh rupees per FPO is provided to the Cluster Based Business Organizations.

* The Ministry said, Primary Agricultural Credit Societies which are primarily engaged in short-term credit and distribution of seeds and fertilizers will now be able to undertake other economic activities as well including high income generating activities like bee-keeping and  mushroom cultivation.

* This initiative will ensure remunerative prices to farmers for their produce by providing them necessary market linkages..

Source : AIR

Correct Answer :   May 17

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World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD) is an annual observance that is celebrated on May 17 to raise awareness about the importance of telecommunications and the role of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in promoting social and economic development worldwide.

* World Telecommunication Day Theme 2023 : The theme for World Telecommunication and Information Society Day 2023 is "Empowering the least develop countries through information and communication technologies."


World Telecommunication Day History :

* May 17 is the anniversary of the signing of the first International Telegraph Convention and the creation of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

* According to the United Nations, World Telecommunication Day has been celebrated annually on May 17, since 1969.

* It marked the founding of ITU and the signing of the first International Telegraph Convention in 1865. However, it was in November 2005 when the World Summit on the Information Society called upon the UN General Assembly to declare the date as World Information Society Day.


World Telecommunication Day 2023 Significance :

* The observance of WTISD involves various activities and events worldwide, including conferences, seminars, workshops, and exhibitions.

* These events bring together policymakers, industry experts, technology enthusiasts, and the general public to discuss emerging trends, challenges, and opportunities in the field of telecommunications and information society.

* WTISD aims to highlight the possibilities and opportunities that ICTs offer in bridging the digital divide, promoting inclusivity, and achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

* It emphasises the importance of universal access to information and communication technologies, especially in developing countries, to reduce inequalities and empower individuals and communities...

Source : BG Prime