Daily Current affairs - May 2nd, 2017 for all competitive exams
The National Mission for Clean
Ganga (NMCG) will observe 'Ganga Cleanliness Pledge
Day' on 02nd May 2017 at various places in the river's basin
states to spread awareness and ensure public participation in the program.
- The events will be organized in Uttar Pradesh's Kanpur, Allahabad, Varanasi, Hardoi, Bithoor and Vidhur Kuti; Uttarakhand's Srinagar and Devprayag; Patna and Bhagalpur in Bihar; Sahibganj (Jharkhand) and Kolkata (West Bengal).
One IP- Two
Dispensaries scheme launched
“One IP- Two Dispensaries”
scheme was launched by the government on the occasion of International Labour
Day.
- Under
this scheme, ESIC has given an option to an Insured Person (IP) to
choose two dispensaries, one for self and another for family through an employer.
- As
of now, around 3 crores IPs are covered under ESIC and total number of
beneficiaries i.e. IPs and their family members is over 12 crores.
HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar launched
Vidya-Veerta Abhiyan
Union Human Resource Development Minister Prakash
Javadekar launched 'Students for soldiers- a nationwide Vidya-Veerta
Abhiyan' to encourage Universities to display portraits of Param Veer
Chakra-decorated soldiers.
- The
aim of this Abhiyan is to instill a sense of patriotism and nationalism
among students.
- Mr. Javadekar launched the Vidya-Veerta Abhiyan to create 'walls of heroes' - displaying the portraits of the heroes in institutions of higher learning.
First-ever
Induction Training Programme for new recruits of Central Health Services (CHS)
The first-ever
induction training programme for the newly appointed General Duty Medical
Officers (GDMOs) of the Central Health Service Cadre was recently inaugurated.
This is the first time such a foundation training programme is being
undertaken.
- The
nine week course especially designed for the new recruits will enable the
medical officers to broaden their knowledge base, confidence level and
experience in public health facilities.
Chennai
Snake Park gets green iguanas:
A pair of
American green iguanas have been procured by the Chennai Snake Park.
The gigantic
lizard is native to the Amazon forests of South America.
Aerotropolis
to come up in assam:
The Union
Ministry of Civil Aviation has proposed to build an aerotropolis in Assam,
which would bring huge benefits to the region in terms of civil aviation and
air connectivity.
- What is aerotropolis? an aerotropolis is an airport
centric metropolitan hub where infrastructure and economy are all based on
the access to the airport which serves as a commercial point like any
traditional metropolis which contains a central city commercial core area
and commuter-linked suburbs.
Chandrababu Naidu bags USIBC award
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu
Naidu has been selected for the ‘Transformative Chief Minister Award
2017’ in recognition for his role in advancing the US-India partnership at
the state level.
- The award by the US-India Business Council (USIBC)
would be presented to Mr. Naidu during the USIBC West Coast Summit in Bengaluru
(the Silicon Valley) on May 8.
- Last year’s recipient of this award was Amitabh Kant, CEO of Niti Aayog.
3D printed
cartilage to treat osteoarthritis
Researchers
have successfully generated cartilage tissue using a 3D bioprinter, an advance
that could lead to new treatments for osteoarthritis. The advance represents a
giant step forward in the ability to generate new, endogenous cartilage tissue.
- The team used cartilage cells harvested from patients
who underwent knee surgery, and these cells were then manipulated in a
laboratory, causing them to rejuvenate and revert into “pluripotent” stem
cells — cells that have the potential to develop into many different types
of cells.
- The stem cells were then expanded and encapsulated in a
composition of nanofibrillated cellulose and printed into a structure
using a 3D bioprinter.
Defence Minister hands over DRDO developed devices
to forces
Defence Minister (Additional Charge) Arun
Jaitley handed over a number of devices developed by the DRDO to National
Security Guard (NSG), Delhi Police and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).
- The devices handed over in New Delhi to NDRF
included 'E-Nasika', a hand-held equipment which is capable of rapid
detection of chemical agents well below their toxic limits.
- He also handed over to NSG an equipment
called 'OTL-300'. It can instantly detect partially camouflaged
optical elements, such as telescopes, binoculars and night vision devices.
The Armoured
Corps Celebrates ‘79th Armour Day’:
The Armoured
Corps celebrated its ‘79th ARMOUR DAY’ on 01 May 17. The event commemorates the
mechanization of the erstwhile Indian Cavalry on 01 May 1938, when the SCINDE
HORSE became the first Indian Cavalry Regiment to stable its horses and convert
to the Vickers Light Tank and Chevrolet Armoured Cars.
- Organized, equipped and trained to effectively accomplish assigned mission in all types of conventional operations in varied terrain, the Armoured Corps also contributes substantially to the Army’s counter insurgency effort with a large representation in the Rashtriya Rifles and Assam Rifles.
India and Turkey agree to strengthen co-operation
in Combating terrorism
India and Turkey have strongly condemned the
“use of double standards” in combating terrorism and agreed to strengthen
cooperation in effectively dealing with the menace both bilaterally and at
multilateral fora.
- The joint statement was issued after extensive
talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Turkish President Recep
Tayyip Erdogan in New Delhi.
Dubai becomes first city in the world to get its
own Microsoft font
Dubai has become the first city in the
world to get its own Microsoft font.
- Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum,
Dubai's Crown Prince and Chairman of the Executive Council, launched the
Dubai Font recently.
- The font, available in three styles as 'Dubai', 'Dubai Medium' and 'Dubai Light', can be in italics, underlined and bold.
Employment
under PMEGP falls 9.5%
A study by
ASSOCHAM has found that job opportunities under the Prime Minister’s Employment
Generation Programme (PMEGP) fell over 9.5% year-on-year to 3.2 lakh in FY16
from more than 3.5 lakh in FY15.
- The number of projects set up under the PMEGP have
reduced from over 48,100 in FY15 to about 44,300.
- Uttar Pradesh topped with over 43,000 jobs generated
under the PMEGP in FY16, but the number of jobs reduced from more than
48,600 that was generated in FY15 thereby registering a year-on-year
decline of more than 11%.
- The PMEGP is an effective scheme aimed at reducing unemployment and generating sustainable employment opportunities in rural and urban India. This is credit linked Scheme of Govt. of India by merging erstwhile REGP and PMRY scheme. KVIC is the Nodal Agency at National Level.
Stamp on
Ramanujacharya’s 1,000th birth anniversary:
A
commemorative stamp has been released on the 1,000th birth anniversary of Saint
Ramanujacharya.
- Ramanuja was a Hindu theologian, philosopher, and one
of the most important exponents of the Sri Vaishnavism tradition within
Hinduism.
- He is famous as the chief proponent of Vishishtadvaita subschool of Vedānta.
Mr. Anthony Lianzuala takes over as the New
Controller General of Accounts
Mr. Anthony Lianzuala took over as the
New Controller General of Accounts (CGA), Department of Expenditure,
Ministry of Finance with effect from May 1, 2017, in New Delhi.
- He is the First person from the North-Eastern Region to
hold this position.
Shobana Kamineni is the new CII President
The Confederation of Indian Industry
(CII) has recently announced new office-bearers for the year
2017-18. Ms. Shobana Kamineni, Executive Vice Chairperson, Apollo
Hospitals Enterprise Ltd., has assumed office as the new President of
CII.
- She is the first woman President of CII. She takes
over from D. Naushad Forbes.
- Mr. Rakesh Bharti Mittal, Vice Chairman, Bharti
Enterprises, is the new President-Designate, CII.
- Mr. Uday Kotak, Executive Vice Chairman and
Managing Director, Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited is the new Vice
President of CII.
Bharti Enterprises appointed Soumen Ghosh as MD -
Financial Services
Bharti Enterprises, one of India’s leading
business groups, has appointed Soumen (Sam) Ghosh as Managing Director of Financial
Services.
- Prior to joining Bharti, Ghosh was heading the
Financial Services business at Reliance Capital as Executive Director and
Group Chief Executive Officer.
Aamir Khan launches Asha Parekh’s autobiography in
New Delhi
Bollywood actor Aamir Khan launched
renowned actress of her age, Asha Parekh’s autobiography “Asha
Parekh: The Hit Girl” in New Delhi.
'The Hit Girl' has been penned down by the
renowned film critic Khalid Mohamed.
