Correct Answer :   Nitin Gadkari

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Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Shri Nitin Gadkari inaugurated the 4-Lane Section between Nagaon Bypass-Teliagaon, and Teliagaon-Rangagara and laid the foundation for Mangaldai Bypass and the 4-lane section between Daboka-Parakhuwa in Assam, in the presence of Chief Minister Shri Himanta Biswa Sarma , MP Shri Dilip Saikia , MP Shri Pradyut Bordoloi , and State Minister of Forest & Environment Shri Chandra Mohan Patowary  through video conferencing today (5th June 2023).

* These 4 projects are worth 1450 Crores symbolizing a significant investment in the state's infrastructure.

* The 18 Km long 4-Lane section between Nagaon Bypass-Teliagaon and Teliagaon-Rangagara is worth Rs 403 Crore.

* This widened highway enhances accessibility between North Assam and Upper Assam, fueling economic growth and opening new opportunities.

* The foundation  for the construction of a 15 Km bypass in Mangaldai on NH 15 with a total cost of 535 Crores will strengthen the link between Assam, West Bengal, and Arunachal Pradesh, fostering seamless travel and regional integration.

* The foundation  for a 13 Km long bypass between Daboka and Parakhuwa on NH-29 with a total cost of 517 Crores strengthens connections along the Guwahati-Dimapur Economic Corridor, fostering links to Myanmar and Thailand. The bypass will enhance inter-regional connectivity between Assam and Nagaland..

Source : PIB

Correct Answer :   4th June 2023

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Veteran actor Sulochana, who featured in more than 250 Hindi and 50 Marathi films, passed away in Mumbai on Sunday (4th June 2023) due to age related issues. She was 94.

* Sulochana began her career with Marathi films in the early 1940s and soon moved to Hindi films, where she essayed several mother roles in movies like Shammi Kapoor’s Dil Dekhe Dekho, Dilip Kumar’s Aadmi and Dev Anand’s Jhonny Mera Naam among others.

* Her daughter Kanchan Ghanekar confirmed her death with Indianexpress.com and said, “She had age related health issues and breathing difficulties. She died this evening at 6pm.” According to a family statement, her ‘antim darshan’ will be held at her Prabhadevi residence in the city.

* Her cremation will be held on Monday (5th June 2023) at 5:30 pm at Shivaji Park crematorium.

* Other credits of the actor include Kora Kagaz, Muqaddar Ka Sikandar–in which she played Vinod Khanna’s mother–, Himmatwala and Andar Baahar, in which she played Jackie Shroff’s mother.

* Sulochana featured in several films starring Dev Anand–including Jab Pyar Kisise Hota Hai, Duniya and Amir Garib among others– where she played either his mother or a relative. The actor also had a long collaboration with Rajesh Khanna, and featured in some of his films like Bahraon Ke Sapne, Kati Patang, Mere Jeevan Saathi, Prem Nagar and Adhikar among others.

* Sulochana, whose Marathi titles include Sasurvas, Vahinichya Bangdya, Meeth Bhakar, and Dhakti Jau, was honoured with Padma Shri in 1999..

Source : Indian Epress

Correct Answer :   Telangana

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A non-profit Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) released its annual compendium, titled 'State of India's Environment 2023.

It is based on four parameters i.e. environment, agriculture, public health, and infrastructure.

* In terms of overall environmental performance, the report has ranked Telangana at the top for its progress in increasing its forest cover and in municipal waste treatment. However, the state has performed below average in parametres such as "share of waterbodies not in use", "stage of groundwater extraction" and "change in number of polluted river stretches".

* Gujarat, Goa and Maharashtra follow Telangana, in that order. The bottom rung is occupied by Rajasthan, Nagaland and Bihar.

* The bottom-ranked 10 states include six from the northeast, including Assam.

* In agriculture, Madhya Pradesh takes the top slot for the highest share of net value added, and its jump in foodgrain production. However, almost half the crop area in the state remains un-insured.

* Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh feature on the second, third and fourth spots. The bottom is populated by Delhi, Goa and Meghalaya, among others.

* Delhi leads in public health – it has allocated the highest share of its budget to health and boasts of a robust network of healthcare facilities. It, however, has a low immunisation rate.

* Sikkim, Goa and Mizoram follow Delhi.

* Madhya Pradesh, which is at the bottom, has a high incidence of maternal mortality ratio and infant mortality rate. Chhattisgarh, Assam and Uttar Pradesh also range in the bottom half.

* In public infrastructure and human development, Gujarat leads the rankings – it makes the cut for its performance in providing employment and tap water connections. The state, however, ranks comparatively low in sex ratio and has a high proportion of rural households using unclean cooking fuels.

* Jharkhand occupies the bottom spot, and is preceded by Nagaland, Rajasthan and Arunachal Pradesh.

Source : CSE India

Correct Answer :   Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST)

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The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) Undertaking was honored with the prestigious 'Climate And Health' award at the UITP Awards 2023 function held in Barcelona on Sunday (4th June 2023).

Additionally, BEST was recognized as one of the top three finalists in the 'Public And Urban Transport Strategy' category.

UITP Awards : Celebrating Global Excellence in Public Transport : UITP (Union Internationale des Transports Publics), a 138-year-old organisation, serves as the global association for public transport stakeholders and sustainable transport modes. The UITP Awards are highly sought-after prizes in the field of public transport, and this year's winners were selected by a distinguished international jury panel consisting of 21 members.

BEST's International Recognition and Participation : Entries from around the world, including countries such as Brazil, Spain, Luxembourg, France, the United Kingdom, Singapore, and the United States, were considered for the awards. BEST officials expressed pride in being acknowledged among the most ambitious and innovative public transport projects globally.

Multiple Accolades Highlighting BEST's Commitment to Smart Mobility : This recent accolade follows BEST's recognition by FICCI for 'Smart Mobility' and its participation in the Mumbai Sustainability Summit 2023 in the Environment Sphere. These achievements showcase BEST's commitment to progressive, climate-friendly, and sustainable mobility.

Key Initiatives Driving BEST's Success at UITP Awards :

* UITP acknowledged BEST for its significant initiatives, including the introduction of electric buses to promote renewable energy, the implementation of paperless ticketing, the launch of premium bus services, and improvements in last mile connectivity.

* These efforts have revolutionised the passenger experience by digitizing services through the BEST Chalo App, facilitating seamless door-to-door journeys.

* BEST has also pioneered the adoption of the Mobility as a Service (MaaS) philosophy, making it the first in India to do so..

Source : Free Press Journal

Correct Answer :   Jitendra Singh

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Union Minister of State Jitendra Singh on Sunday (4th June 2023) said that Bhaderwah, Jammu & Kashmir has emerged as the Lavender capital of India and agri StartUp destination.

“It is a moment of pride for all of us as Bhaderwah has emerged as the Lavender capital of India and Agri StartUp destination,” Jitendra Singh said after inaugurating 2 days Lavender festival at Bhaderwah.

CSIR, Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu had organised the event as part of its ‘One Week One Lab Campaign’.

Singh described Bhaderwah as the birthplace of India’s purple revolution and the destination of agri-StartUps.

The Minister said that the valley of Bhaderwah is the best example of the development of the present progressive government at the centre which should have been celebrated much earlier, Bhaderwah being the best place for lavender cultivation in terms of land and climate.

Singh while referring to lavender cultivation in the region, said that Lavender is an avenue of employment generation and research opening many paradigms of development.

The CSIR-Aroma Mission is a flagship project of CSIR under which Lavender cultivation is being promoted in the temperate regions of J&K.

Aim : The aim of the project is to increase the income of small and marginal farmers and develop agriculture-based Startups. The project is being directly monitored by Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (IC) of the Ministry of Science & Technology. Under his directions, CSIR-IIIM is implementing Lavender cultivation in Bhaderwah and other parts of J&K.

The net annual income of farmers who switched from maize to Lavender cultivation has increased many folds from around Rs 40,000 to Rs 60,000 per hectare to Rs 3,50,000 to Rs 6,00,000 per hectare.

Farmers of the Bhaderwah, Doda district, produced 300, 500, 800, and 1500 Litres of Lavender oil in 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022, respectively. They earned over Rs 5 Crore between 2018-2022 by selling dry flowers, Lavender plants, and Lavender oil, an official statement said..

Source : The Print

Correct Answer :   Bengaluru Circle

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State Bank of India, Bengaluru Circle launched ‘Project Kuber’, which will have four Transaction Banking Hubs and One Corporate Salary Package Hub. These hubs will help to increase the market share in liability products of SBI.

Nand Kishore, chief general manager, SBI, Bengaluru Circle, inaugurated these hubs on Friday (2nd June 2023). They are located at SBI Administrative Building, in KG Road, and Sampige Road, in Malleswaram.

Transaction Banking Hubs will offer services to corporate/non-corporate clients, from account opening to onboarding them on SBI’s digital platforms.

It will be a one-stop destination for all payment and collection-related requirements. There is a dedicated team of professionals, who will facilitate business partners and customers to avail digital banking services like Yono Business, e-Payments, Cash Management Products, etc..

Source : New Indian Express

Correct Answer :   Ajay Banga

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Indian American "Ajay Banga" took over as the President of the World Bank on Friday (2nd June 2023), making him the first person of colour to head either of the two global financial institutions, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

* On 3rd May 2023, the Executive Directors of the World Bank selected Banga, 63, as the 14th President of the World Bank for a five-year term.

* In February, President Joe Biden announced that the US would nominate Banga to lead the World Bank.

* Banga has become the first-ever Indian-American to head the World Bank. He replaces David Malpass, who announced his decision to step down in February.

* On Thursday, a media release said that Treasury Yellen met with Banga at the Treasury Department. During their engagement, Yellen warmly welcomed Banga's upcoming presidency and conveyed her strong desire for the Treasury to continue close collaboration with him in building on the strong progress made so far on evolving multilateral development banks..

Source : AIR

Correct Answer :   3rd June 2023

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Veteran theatre director-actor Aamir Raza Husain, known for his larger-than-life outdoor stage productions, died here at the age of 66. Husain was suffering from a heart-related ailment and passed away on Saturday (3rd June 2023).

* Hussain was known for his large outdoor stage productions such as "The Fifty Day War" based on the Kargil War and "The Legend of Ram".

* He was also the Creative Director of the Stagedoor Theatre company, established in 1974, which has presented over 91 productions and more than 1,100 performances. 

* The actor was known for his unforgettable stage plays like ‘The Fifty Day War’ (2000) and ‘The Legend of Ram’. He is survived by his wife, muse, and creative partner, Virat Talwar.

* Aamir Raza Hussain was honoured with the Padma Shri by the government for his contribution to theatre.

* Aamir Raj has acted in super hit movies ‘Baahubali’ and  ‘RRR’. He will also be seen in the movie ‘Adipurush’ which will be released on 16th June 2023.  

* In 1984, his movie ‘Kim’ came to the audience. Also, in 2014, he came to the audience through the movie ‘Khubsurat’. He appeared in this romantic movie with Sonam Kapoor and Fawad.

* The theatre director, actor and writer, who operated the Stagedoor theatre in 1974, was the veteran of thousands of shows and hundreds of plays.

Born : 6 January 1957, Lucknow

Died : 3 June 2023.

Correct Answer :   Tata Group

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Tata Group signed an agreement with the Gujarat state government to set up a giga-factory for manufacturing lithium-ion cells, with an estimated initial investment of around 130 billion rupees ($1.6 billion).

* A giga-factory of this kind will be operational in Gujarat for the production of the first-ever lithium-ion cells in India. This plant will have an estimated initial investment of around Rs.13,000 crore and will have a production capacity of 20 GWh.

* It will generate direct and indirect employment for more than 13,000 people.

* The state government is committed to increasing carbon-free, energy-efficient, and clean energy production by boosting the production of electric vehicles and reducing carbon emissions.

* An MoU has been concluded between the Government of Gujarat and the Tata Group in Gandhinagar. This MOU is an outcome of the newly formulated Electronics Policy.

* The CEO of Tata Group’s subsidiary company, Tata Agaratas Energy Storage Solutions Private Limited, and the Secretary of Science and Technology of the Government of Gujarat, Mr. Vijay Nehra signed and exchanged the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in the presence of the Chief Minister.

* “Gujarat’s remarkable progress in achieving Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of net zero carbon emissions includes a commitment to 100 percent electric vehicle adoption and a significant reduction of 50 percent in carbon emissions by 2030," according to a state government document posted on its website.

* In this context, the usage of EVs will increase the dependence on lithium-ion batteries. With the establishment of Tata Group’s plant, Gujarat will become a leading state in lithium-ion cell manufacturing and will also receive assistance in setting up a battery manufacturing eco-system in the state.

* Chief Principal Secretary to the CM Shri K. Kailashnathan, Chief Secretary Shri Raj Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary Shri Pankaj Joshi, and senior officials from the Tata Group were present during the MoU signing..

Source : Mint

Correct Answer :   Maharashtra

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Bajaj Finserv Ltd on Saturday (3rd June 2023) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Maharashtra government, to develop ₹5000 crore projects in Pune.

The MoU was signed by Harshdeep Kamble, Industry Secretary, Government of Maharashtra and S Sreenivasan, Chief Financial Officer, Bajaj Finserv. Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, and Sanjiv Bajaj, Chairman and Managing Director, Bajaj Finserv.

The Bajaj Finserv Campus is planned in Pune and the project is expected to create 40,000 jobs and continue to develop Pune as a financial centre, the statement mentioned.

Work on the project will commence in 2023 and envisions state-of-the-art connectivity and facilities for business. The development will have a positive impact, both socially and economically, as it will create new jobs and business opportunities for partners, vendors, suppliers and contractors in and around Pune, as well as globally.

Source : Mint