NATIONAL NEWS

Tata Technologies Signs Pact with Assam

• Global engineering and product development digital services firm Tata Technologies Ltd has entered into a collaboration with the Assam government to transform 34 state polytechnics and 43 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) into futuristic Centres of Excellence (CoEs).
• The total proposed investment under this project would be approximately Rs 2,390 crore.
• The company has signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with the Assam government for a period of 10 years.
• The agreement also acts as a technology and industrial hub for MSMEs and support entrepreneurship.

India’s First Centre of Excellence for Khadi (CoEK)

• On 11th May 2022, Union Minister for Micro Small and Medium Enterprises Narayan Rane inaugurated the first Centre of Excellence for Khadi in New Delhi.

• The Centre of Excellence for Khadi has been established at the National Institute of Fashion Technology as a hub in Delhi and its sub division in Bangalore, Gandhinagar, Kolkata, and Shillong.

• It will be aimed at designing apparel, home furnishing, and accessories for people from different age groups.
• The Khadi Village and Industries Commission has been charged with the planning, promotion, organisation and implementation of programs for the development of Khadi and other village industries in the rural areas.

Tripartite-cum-Escrow Agreement

• The Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) - Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) have entered into a long-term purchase agreement (LTPA) for ethanol plants across India.
• State Bank of India, Indian Overseas Bank and Indian Bank are three banks who are involved in this tripartite agreement with OMCs.
• As per the agreement, ethanol produced by ethanol plants shall be sold to OMCs for blending with Petrol as per Govt of India’s Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Program.
• The Government has advanced the target of achieving 20% blended ethanol by 2025.
• In Ethanol Supply Year 2021-22, India achieved 9.90% ethanol blending.

AIM-PRIME Playbook

• AIM and NITI Aayog launched the AIM-PRIME Playbook to help academicians launch deep-tech spin-offs.

• It was launched at the Dr. Ambedkar International Center in New Delhi.

• AIM has joined hands with Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) to launch this nationwide program.
• It was implemented by Venture Center, which is a non-profit technology business incubator in Pune.
• The benefits of this program are aimed at addressing specific issues through training and guidance over a period of 12 months.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Chair of Association of Asian Election Authorities for 2022-24

• India has been unanimously elected as the new Chair of the Association of Asian Election Authorities (AAEA) for 2022-2024.

• The decision was taken at the meeting of the Executive Board and General Assembly in Manila.

• Commission on Elections, Manila was the current chair of AAEA.
• The Election Commission of India 3-member delegation headed by Deputy Election Commissioner Nitesh Vyas presented the work plan for 2022-23 as also futuristic activities for 2023-24 to the Executive Board.
• The Association of Asian Election Authorities (AAEA) was established in 1998 in Manila, Philippines.
• The Election Commission of India (ECI) is a founder member of the Election Management Body (EMB) of the AAEA.
• Currently there are 20 Asian EMBs are members of AAEA.

BANKING

NSDL Gets Approval from SEBI

• Capital markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has granted recognition to NSDL Database Management Ltd (NDML) as an accreditation agency for three years.

• The entity is a wholly-owned subsidiary of National Securities Depository Ltd (NSDL).

• The agency will issue accreditation certificate to ''accredited investors''.
• The accreditation agency will be responsible for verification of documents submitted by applicants, timely processing of applications and issuance of accreditation certificate, maintaining data of accredited investors and verification of accreditation status.
• A person will be identified as an accredited investor on the basis of net worth or income.
• Individuals, HUFs, family trusts, sole proprietorships, partnership firms, trusts and body corporates can get accreditation based on financial parameters specified by the regulator.

InspiHE₹

• Bharti AXA Life Insurance, a joint venture between Bharti Enterprises and AXA announced the launch of its financial literacy campaign ‘InspiHE₹’.

• InspiHE₹- enabling an empowered future– a special initiative to spread financial awareness among women and enable them to make informed financial decisions for a secured future.

• Observing ‘International Mother’s Day and ahead of the ‘International Day of Families’ the company has embarked upon this initiative to empower women. By teaching them the basics of financial planning and savings in order to secure their future.

AWARDS & PRIZES

Royal Gold Medal 2022

• Architect Balkrishna Doshi conferred with Royal Gold Medal 2022.

• He is credited with designing some of the most iconic structures in Ahmedabad as well as IIM Bangalore.

• Royal Gold Medal 2022 is one of the world’s highest honours for architecture by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), London United Kingdom.
• Doshi is the only one from India and among the rare people globally to have been awarded both the Royal Gold Medal and the Pritzker Architecture Prize, referred to as the Nobel Prize of architecture.

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

President of South Korea

• Yoon Suk-yeol sworn in as President of South Korea.

• He is a South Korean politician, former public prosecutor and lawyer and will serve as the 13th President of South Korea since 2022.

• He also served as Prosecutor General of South Korea from 2019 to 2021.
• He was born 18 December 1960. Born in Seoul, Yoon attended Seoul National University.
• As a member of the People Power Party, Yoon defeated Democratic Party nominee Lee Jae -Myung.

Group CFO ReNew Power

• ReNew appoints Kedar Upadhye as Group CFO ReNew Power announced the appointment of Kedar Upadhye as its Group Chief Financial Officer (CFO).
• It has also appointed Vikash Jain as Global General Counsel and Vikram Kapur as Chief Growth Officer.
• All the three leaders will report to Sumant Sinha, Chairman and CEO, ReNew Power.
• Upadhye comes with over 22 years of diverse and global experience. Prior to this he was President and Global CFO, Cipla.
• ReNew Power is headquartered at Gurgaon Haryana.

President of Philippines

• Ferdinand Marcos Junior won a Presidental election of Philippines.
• He is the son of late Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos.
• Ferdinand Marcos and Leni Robredo are the president and vice president candidates in the election.
• Both are promised for economic recovery following the pandemic.

BOOKS & AUTHORS

A Book by Prakash Singh

• Former IPS officer, Prakash Singh authored a book titled “The Struggle for Police Reforms in India”.

• It was released by Vice President of India Venkaiah Naidu.

• The book is published by Rupa Publications India Pvt Ltd.
• The book focuses essentially on the author’s efforts to bring about transformational changes in the Indian police.
• The book narrates the origin of the Indian Police and evolution during British Rule and after Independence.

IMPORTANT DAYS

National Technology Day

• National Technology Day is celebrated every year on 11 May.

• The day is to celebrate the achievements and contributions of scientists, researchers, engineers, and trainers.

• The theme for the year 2022 is ‘An Integrated Approach to Science and Technology for a Sustainable Future’.
• On May 11, India celebrated National Technology Day to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Pokhran nuclear test in 1998.

OBITUTARY

Former Union Minister and Veteran Congress Leader Pandit Sukh Ram

• Veteran Congress leader and former union minister Pandit Sukh Ram has passed away. He was at the age of 94.

• Sukh Ram was the Union Minister of State, Communications (Independent Charge) from 1993 to 1996.

• He was a member of Lok Sabha from the Mandi constituency of Himachal Pradesh.
• He won the Vidhan Sabha elections five times and the Lok Sabha elections three times.

First President of Ukraine Leonid Kravchuk

• Leonid Makarovich Kravchuk, the first president of the post-Soviet Ukraine, has passed away at the age of 88.
• Kravchuk joined the Communist Party of Ukraine in 1958.
• In 1990, he became the chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the Ukrainian SSR.
• He became the acting president of Ukraine in August 1991, after the Supreme Rada in Kiev adopted the Ukrainian constitution and was formally elected on December 5, 1991.