Current Affairs 25 May 2023

We are here for you to provide the important Recent and Latest Current Affairs 25 May 2023, which have unique updates of Latest Current Affairs 2022 events from all newspapers such as The Hindu, The Economic Times, PIB, Times of India, PTI, Indian Express, Business Standard and all Government official websites.

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NATIONAL AFFAIRS

MoHUA launched its Mega Campaign ‘Meri LiFE, Mera Swachh Shehar’ to promote RRROn May 15 2023, The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) launched its massive campaign programme “Meri LiFE, Mera Swachh Shehar” to promote the RRRs (3Rs) of waste management: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.

• Citizens of urban India are actively refurbishing used objects for reuse, embracing the principles of creating “wealth” from waste. This is boosting the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0’s (SBM-U) total zero-waste ecosystem.

Key People:
Hardeep S. Puri, Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs launched the campaign “Meri LiFE, Mera Swachh Shehar” in the presence of Manoj Joshi- Secretary, MoHUA; other senior officials of MoHUA and Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).
RRR and Mission LiFE:
i. The 3R’s form the backbone of ‘Waste to Wealth’ and has empowered many entrepreneurs, startups, self-help groups (SHGs), craftspeople, and recyclers to recycle waste into a variety of products.
ii. The Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) initiative, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi further promotes individual and collective action towards the same.
iii. Mission LiFE aims to protect and preserve the environment and bring about a pro-planet behavioural change that can be instilled through individual action in day-to-day life.
Campaigns and RRR Centres:
i. This nationwide campaign aims to highlight cities to setup ‘RRR Centres, one stop collection centres, for citizens to contribute clothes, shoes, old books, toys and used plastic to be reused or recycled.

• The RRR Centres are scheduled to be launched nationwide on May 20, 2023 
• After collection, these items will be given to different stakeholders for refurbishment, for reuse or for making new products, thus effectively taking forward the Government’s vision of a circular economy.

ii. The three-week campaign will support Mission LiFE’s objective of taking collective action for the protection and conservation of the environment by adopting sustainable daily habits and will also strengthen citizen’s resolve under SBM-U 2.0 – to reduce, reuse and recycle.

The Meri LiFE, Mera Swachh Shehar campaign was scheduled to end on 5th June 2023, i.e. on the occasion of World Environment Day, by undertaking Pledge for LiFE by everyone along with large-scale cleanliness operations across all cities.

Ladakh’s Annual Great Prayer Festival ‘Ladakh Monlam Chenmo 2023’ held from May 11 to 16 2023Ladakh’s annual five-day group prayer camp of Buddhist monks and nuns named ‘Ladakh Monlam Chenmo 2023’ which is also called as Great Prayer Festival was held from May 11 to 16, 2023 in Leh (Ladakh) for world peace and happiness.
Key Points:
i.The annual Mass Prayer was resumed after three years which was discontinued due to Covid-19.
ii.The Monlam Chenmo 2023 mass prayer camp event is organised by the All Ladakh Gonpa Association.
iii.The Festival which is being held since 1991, falls on 21st to 25th days of the third month of the Tibetan lunar calendar.
iv.During the festival the buddhist monks will perform the traditional  Tibetan Buddhist dance (Cham)
About Monlam Chenmo:
i.The Monlam Chenmo, known as The Great Prayer Festival, is the most important Tibetan Buddhist celebration of the year.
ii.Monlam means “wish-path” – the Buddhist path of helping others through the prayers.
iii.The Monlam Chenmo commemorates the Buddha’s enlightenment or fully awakening from ignorance (Budha Miracle Day).
iv.It is a major annual prayer of the Sangha Community of Ladakh gathered at one platform.
Seva for Sangha Special Camp:
i.On the side-lines of the event, Member of Parliament (MP) for Ladakh Constituency Jamyang Tsering Namgyal lead a special camp named ‘Seva for Sangha’ for Sangha Community from May 11 to 16, 2023 at Leh in collaboration with district administration Leh.

• The camp is being organised for the first time for Sanga Community to avail benefits of different government schemes.

ii.Different government departments, including banks, also offered the benefits of about 20 schemes of the government to the monks and nuns.
iii.The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) has also joined hands with the organisers to set up medical camps during the five-day-long camp ‘Seva for Sangha’.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

Tata Group only Indian firm in BCG list of top 50 Most Innovative Firms 2023; Apple Topsi.Boston Consulting Group (BCG) has released a report namely ‘Most Innovative Companies 2023: Reaching New Heights in Uncertain Times’ showcasing top 50 companies in 2023 that are most innovative in their operations. In this, Tata Group is the only Indian company to feature in this list at 20th position.
ii.The list has been topped by Apple Inc., and followed by Tesla Inc., and Amazon.com, Inc. at 2nd and 3rd rank.
iii.Notably, tech companies continue to dominate the top 50, including the top ten, International energy companies hold five spots in 2023 list amid concerns over climate change.
About Boston Consulting Group (BCG):
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)–  Christoph Schweizer
Headquarters– Massachusetts, United States
>> Read Full News

World Bank Report: Revenues Collected Globally via Carbon Pricing Raised to US$95 billion in 2022According to the World Bank’s (WB) annual report ‘State and Trends of Carbon Pricing 2023’ released on May 23, 2023, revenues collected from carbon taxes and Emissions Trading Systems (ETS) globally have reached a record high, about US$95 billion in 2022 despite the challenging context for governments facing high inflation, fiscal pressures, and energy crises.

• The revenues collected from carbon taxes and ETS in 2021 was about US$ 84 billion.

Carbon Pricing Instruments:
i.As per the report, there are currently 73 global carbon pricing instruments are in operation, compared with 68 in May 2022 when the World Bank issued its 2022 report.
ii.The 73 Carbon Pricing initiatives covered 11.66 GtCO2e (gigatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent), representing 23% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions

• Only 7% of global GHG emissions were covered by either a carbon tax or an ETS, when the report was published for first time i.e. 10 years ago.
• As of April 1, 2023 less than 5% of global GHG emissions are covered by a direct carbon price at or above the range recommended by 2030.

About World Bank (WB):
Headquarters – Washington, DC, USA
Establishment – 1944
World Bank Group President – David Malpass
>> Read Full News

Shanghai, Tokyo, Mumbai Emerge as Top Data Centre Markets in APAC Region: Knight Frank ReportAccording to the Knight Frank Report titled “Data Centre Q1 2023”, Mumbai (Maharashtra, India) has emerged third on the list of top data centre markets in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region with a total capacity of 2,337 megawatt (MW). Shanghai (China) holds the first position with 2,692 MW capacity and is followed by Tokyo (Japan) (2,575 MW).

• The Data Centre Q1 2023 was prepared by Knight Frank, an International property consultant, in partnership with DC Byte, leading data centre research and analytics platform.
• The report focuses on 9 emerging markets in APAC – Bangkok (Thailand), Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), Mumbai, Seoul (South Korea), Shanghai, Singapore, Sydney (Australia) and Tokyo.

Key Points:
i.The total market capacity recorded in Q1 2023 across all 9 markets stands around 13,400 MW.
ii.Market expansions recorded in Mumbai and the new capacity announcements from Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Tokyo contributed to the majority of this growth in supply.
iii.Mumbai, the only Indian city on the study, has a live capacity (operational capacity) of 270 MW, committed capacity of 607 MW, under construction capacity of 188 MW and early stage capacity at 1,272 MW.
iv.Mumbai witnessed the most significant expansion in capacity in Q1 2023 with total market capacity surpassing the 2,000MW mark.
v.According to the report, Shanghai, Tokyo, Sydney, Singapore and Hong Kong have a high percentage of their capacity in the live segment, indicating a higher level of commissioning and demand.

BANKING & FINANCE

SBI General launches ‘Surety Bond Bima‘ for Infrastructure ProjectsOn May 23, 2023, SBI General Insurance (SBIG), the non-life insurance arm of State Bank of India (SBI), launched ‘General Surety Bond Bima (Conditional & Unconditional)’ insurance product for infrastructure projects.

• It will act as a security arrangement to provide protection for infrastructure projects and shield both the contractor and the principal (the entity awarding the contract).

Objective:
To provide protection against breach of terms and conditions by the contractors either during the bidding stage or during the performance stage of a project
Variants:
This Surety Bond Insurance is available in two variants viz. Conditional and Unconditional.
i.In a conditional bond, a specified sum is paid to the beneficiary upon claim when specific conditions are met.
ii.The unconditional bond allows the beneficiary to claim the money almost without any conditions.
What is Surety Insurance?
It provides an assurance to the project owner in the form of a Surety Bond that the contractor would complete the project as per the agreed terms and conditions. It involves three parties: the principal (contractor), the obligee (the individual or entity hiring the contractor), and the surety company (the insurer).

• The principal secures a surety bond from the surety company, which serves as a guarantee to the obligee that in the event the principal fails to fulfill their responsibilities, the surety will intervene and provide compensation.

Key Points:
i.The Surety insurance product consists of a wide range of bonds, such as bid bonds, advance payment bond, performance bond, and retention money bond
ii.The General Surety Bond Bima caters to the requirements of a diversified group of contractors
iii.It was developed in response to the Central Government’s vision to upscale infrastructure development.
iv.On May 15, 2023, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI)
relaxed norms for surety bonds, under which, the solvency requirement was reduced from 1.875 times to 1.5 times the prescribed amount, providing insurers more flexibility while ensuring financial stability.

• The previous 30% exposure limit on each contract underwritten by an insurer was also removed.

About SBI General Insurance (SBIG):
Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer– Kishore Kumar Poludasu
Headquarters– Mumbai, Maharashtra
Tagline– Suraksha Aur Bharosa Dono

Plotch, IDFC FIRST Bank Collaborates and Launches ONDC Focused Payment Solution NodepePlotch, the SaaS (Software as a Service) firm, in collaboration with IDFC FIRST Bank Limited, has launched an Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC)-focused payment solution NodePe.
Key Points:
i.The NodePe could be used to route the payments between buyer and seller apps based on transaction level contracts agreed upon by network participants.
ii.These contracts include payment settlement amount, period and bank details. NodePe also helping in reconciliation of the payments.
iii.Currently, NodePe plans to use the NOCS platform of National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) for settlement between parties and the company to settle funds to sellers instantly upon delivery of the product by the seller.

• In April 2023, the NPCI Bharat BillPay Ltd (NBBL), subsidiary of NPCI, has launched the NOCS platform to provide reconciliation and settlement services for transactions made on the ONDC network.

Note – Plotch is targets to bring over 10,000 sellers to the ONDC.
Additional info: As per the report of McKinsey, the global management consulting firm, India’s digital consumption is expected to rise fivefold to reach US$ 340 billion by 2030, with 500 million digitally transacting consumers.
ONDC:
i.The government launched ONDC, a freely accessible platform, to democratise e-commerce in 2022.
ii.It is not owned or controlled by any single entity.
iii.ONDC is aimed to benefit small merchants with more advanced technologies and better business mechanisms.
About IDFC FIRST Bank Limited:
MD&CEO – V. Vaidyanathan
Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra
Establishment – December 18, 2018
Tagline – Always You First

Axis Bank launches Digital Onboarding platform ‘Sarathi’ for POS Terminals On May 23, 2023, the Axis Bank Ltd has launched ‘Sarathi’, a first of its kind digital onboarding platform to enable easy installation of Electronic Data Capture (EDC) or Point of Sale (POS) for merchants.

• Sarathi provides a seamless and hassle-free experience for merchants unlike the traditional onboarding process that can take several days.

Easier Onboarding Process: 
i.Sarathi enables merchants to complete the onboarding process in four simple steps such as

• The application process under Sarathi are streamlined through real-time database checks.
• Merchant information will be authenticated through Live video verification at the customer’s convenience
• Instant decision-making, as the solution eliminates the field verification process
• Instant installation of POS

ii.The paperless onboarding process of Sarathi eliminates the need for merchants to fill out forms or wait for extended periods to get their POS terminals installed.
iii.The solution ensures that all necessary documents are collected at one go, (avoiding multiple visits) and it provides quick installations of POS within 45 minutes of processing the application.
What is a POS Terminal?
i.A point-of-sale (POS) terminal is a hardware system for processing card payments at retail locations. A software to read magnetic strips of credit and debit cards is embedded in the hardware.
ii.The POS terminals empower the merchants to accept payment from customers, by swiping/dipping/tapping their debit/credit/pre-paid cards on it.
iii.On the swipe of a card, the POS terminal reads the magnetic strip to check for an ample amount of funds in the card and then transfers it.
About Axis Bank Ltd:
MD&CEO – Amitabh Chaudhry
Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra
Establishment -1993
Tagline – Badhti Ka Naam Zindagi

CCAvenues’PayPal integration to offer merchants in Middle East global payment acceptance platform

CCAvenue, a payments aggregator in the Middle East and a part of the Infibeam Avenues group, has partnered with PayPal to provide global payment acceptance solutions for businesses in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

• This means, PayPal will now be available as an additional option on CCAvenue, allowing businesses in the MENA region to settle and receive payments from their cross-border customers and vendors.
• This will eliminate the need of having a US bank account to access their funds.

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

Energy Disputes Arbitration Centre, Türkiye & IAMC Hyderabad Signs MoU

International Arbitration & Mediation Centre Hyderabad (IAMC Hyderabad) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Energy Disputes Arbitration Center (EDAC) in Türkiye to globally promote arbitration and mediation.

• Under this, both sides will promote and encourage Institutional Arbitration in the energy sector, as well as the development of resources and knowledge sharing between partner organisations.
• Signatories: The signing ceremony took place in Istanbul, Türkiye in the presence of EDAC Chairperson Süleyman Boşça and IAMC Hyderabad Registrar Tariq Khan as well as EDAC Vice Secretary General Ece Dayıoğlu.

EDAC is a sectoral-based arbitration centre established with the aim of solving disputes in Central Asia, Europe, Balkans, Middle East and Africa regions regarding Energy and Infrastructure Law.

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS     

Georgi Gospodinov & Angela Rodel won International Booker Prize 2023 for ‘Time Shelter’Bulgarian Writer Georgi Gospodinov and translator Angela Rodel won the International Booker Prize 2023 for the dark comic novel titled “Time Shelter”. This becomes the first book originally written in Bulgarian (and translated into English) to win the International Booker Prize.

• The award carries a cash prize of  50,000 pounds, divided equally between the author and the translator. In addition, the shortlisted authors and translators each receive £2,500.
• On May 23 2023, the winners were announced by French-Moroccan novelist Leïla Slimani, chair of the 2023 judge panel, at an event at London’s Sky Garden in the United Kingdom (UK).
• “Time Shelter” is Georgi Gospodinov’s third novel to be published in English and it was published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson, a British publisher of UK.

About International Booker Prize:
i.The International Booker Prize is awarded annually for a single book, translated into English and published in the UK or Ireland.
ii.The International Booker Prize was established in 2005 as the Man Booker International Prize, a biennial prize for a body of work.
iii.since 2015, the prize is awarded annually for a single book, written in another language and translated into English.

About Time Shelter:
The novel revolves around a “clinic for the past” that offers a promising treatment for Alzheimer’s sufferers, and the novel explores both how people fantasise about exiting the forward flow of time, and how they seek refuge in their memories or, more often, their idealised notions of the past.
About Georgi Gospodinov:
i. GeorgiGospodinov was born in Yambol, Bulgaria, and his works have been translated in 25 languages.
ii. He is the most translated and internationally awarded Bulgarian writer to emerge after the fall of communism.
iii. The Italian edition of the book “Time Shelter” won the prestigious Premio Strega Europeo prize in 2021.
About Angela Rodel:
Angela Rodel originally from Minnesota, the United States of America (USA) is a literary translator, actor and musician who lives and works in Bulgaria.

76 Entries from India featured on Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia Class of 202376 entries from India are featured among the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia Class of 2023. The Indian winners includes Tokyo 2020 Olympic gold medallist Neeraj Chopra(25), Co-founders of Genrobotic Innovations(Kerala) Arun George(29); Vimal Govind MK(28); Rashid Karimbanakkal(28); Nikhil NP(29), and Elwinder Singh(29), cofounder of Connect and Heal.

• India ranked first with 76 entries, followed by China (34), Japan (33), Singapore (30) and South Korea (28).

About Forbes 30 under 30 Asia Class of 2023: 
This marks’ Forbes’ 8th annual “30 Under 30 Asia” list featuring 300 young entrepreneurs, leaders and trailblazers across the Asia-Pacific region. 20 countries and territories are represented on this 2023 list.

• The list features 30 notable honorees under each of the 10 categories

>> Read Full News   

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS      

PPBL gets RBI approval to Re-Appoint Vijay Shekhar Sharma as Part-Time Chairman for 1 YearPaytm Payments Bank Limited (PPBL), a part of Paytm, received approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for the re-appointment of Vijay Shekhar Sharma as part-time Chairman of PPBL for a period of 1 year starting from 23rd May 2023. This mark’s his 3rd term as the chairman of PPBL.

• Noida (Uttar Pradesh)-based One97 Communications Limited (OCL), the parent entity Paytm, holds a 49% stake in PPBL.
• Vijay Shekhar Sharma holds the rest of the stake (51%) in PPBL

About Vijay Shekhar Sharma:
i. Vijay Shekhar Sharma started his career in RiverRun Software Group in 1998 and became the Tech Head of India Today Group Online in 1999.
ii. In 2000, he started One97 Communications Limited, which offers mobile content including news, cricket scores, ringtones, jokes and exam results. He serves as the Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Paytm.
iii. He also serves as Board Advisor at China-based BAce Capital.
iv. In 2010, Vijay Shekhar Sharma launched Paytm, an Indian multinational financial technology company, which specializes in digital payments and financial services.
Some of his Recognition:
i. In 2007, Vijay Shekhar Sharma appeared in Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people.
ii. He has been named the “Patron for Clean Air” of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), in 2017.
About Paytm Payments Bank Limited (PPBL):
Part-time Chairman- Vijay Shekhar Sharma
Headquarters- Noida, Uttar Pradesh
Establishment- 2017    

IDBI Bank board appoints Jayakumar S. Pillai as Deputy Managing Director

On May 22 2023, the Board of Directors of Industrial Development Bank of India (IDBI) Bank Limited approved the appointment of Jayakumar S. Pillai as Deputy Managing Director (DMD) on the Board of IDBI for a period of 3 years with effect from the date of his taking charge as specified in the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) approval received in this regard.

• IDBI has two DMD positions, one of the current DMD is Suresh Khatanhar, the other DMD Samuel Joseph Jebaraj, moved as DMD (Lending & Project Finance) to the National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development (NaBFID) in April 2023.
• Jayakumar S. Pillai is currently working as Chief General Manager and Circle Head in Canara Bank in Mumbai, Maharashtra.

STATE NEWS

Kerala Governor Signs Ordinance to Bring strict Punishment for Offence Against Healthcare ProfessionalsOn May 23, 2023, the Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan signed the Kerala Healthcare Service Workers and Healthcare Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage to Property) Amendment Ordinance that brings in punishment for offences against health officials.

Background:
i.The ordinance was approved by the Left Democratic Front (LDF) Government in Kerala led by its Chief Minister (CM) Pinarayi Vijayan during Cabinet meeting on May 17, 2023.
ii.This decision has been taken following the brutal killing of Dr Vandana Das by a patient, G Sandeep, a school teacher by profession, at the Kottarakkara taluk hospital in Kollam district of Kerala.

What is in the Ordinance?
It provides for strict punishment for those found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm to healthcare workers or professionals including doctors, medical students, and others working in the health services sector in Kerala.

• The punishment includes imprisonment ranging from one year to seven years and a fine of Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh.

Other Highlights:
i.Anyone who commits or attempts to commit or incites or inspires an act of violence against healthcare workers or those working in healthcare institutions will face imprisonment ranging from 6 months to 5 years; and with a fine between Rs 50,000 to Rs 2 lakh.
ii.Cases filed under the Act must be investigated by a police officer holding the rank of Inspector or higher, and the investigation must be concluded within 60 days of filing the First Information Report (FIR).

• Special courts will be designated in each district to ensure speedy adjudication

iii.The ordinance also extends the protection under the Act to paramedical students, security guards, managerial staff, ambulance drivers, helpers who are posted and working in health care institutions.

• Also, the health workers who would be notified in the official government gazette from time to time.

Additional info:
Prior to the amendment, the Kerala Healthcare Service Workers and Healthcare Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage to Property) Act of 2012 imposed a maximum punishment of 3 years imprisonment and a fine of up to Rs 50,000 for any act of violence against healthcare service personnel or damage to medical institution property.

• Also, the Act was only applied to registered and provisionally registered medical practitioners, registered nurses, medical students, nursing students, and paramedical staff employed in healthcare institutions.

Sourav Ganguly appointed Brand Ambassador of Tripura TourismOn 23rd May 2023, Sourav Ganguly, former Indian cricket team captain who served as the 35th President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), has been appointed the brand ambassador of Tripura tourism.

• The announcement came after Tripura’s Minister of Tourism Sushanta Chowdhury, Chairman of Tripura Tourism Development Corporation Limited (TTDCL), met Sourav Ganguly at his residence in Kolkata, West Bengal, along with Tripura state officials, and discussed the proposal.

Other brands endorsed by Sourav Ganguly recently are Fortune Rice Bran Oil, My11Circle, and Ajanta Shoes. He has also endorsed many brands, which include Puma, Classplus, Hero Honda, and more.
About Tripura Tourism: 
i. Tripura is the 3rd smallest state in India known for its diverse culture, archaeology, handicrafts, and music.
ii. Currently, Tripura attracts more than 5 lakh domestic and foreign tourists annually and has created a mark for itself on the tourism map of India.
About Sourav Ganguly:
i. Sourav Chandidas Ganguly was born on 8th July 1972 in Behala, Kolkata, West Bengal. He was active in his cricket career from 1992 to 2008. He was fondly called Dada, Prince of Calcutta, Maharaj, and Bengal Tiger.
ii. Between 2015 and 2019, he served as the 16th President of the Cricket Association of Bengal.
iii. From 2019 to 2022, he served as the 35th President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India.
iv. In 2021, he assumed the role of Chairman of the ICC Men’s Cricket Committee.
v. Sourav Ganguly was recently in charge of the Delhi Capitals as the Director of Cricket in the IPL 2023.
Awards:
i. Sourav Ganguly received the Arjuna Award in 1997 and Padma Shri for sports in 2004.
ii. In 2013, the Government of West Bengal honoured him with Banga Bibhushan Award, West Bengal’s Civilian award.
About Tripura:
Chief Minister (CM)- Manik Saha
Governor- Satyadeo Narain Arya
Wildlife Sanctuary- Gomati Wildlife Sanctuary; Rowa Wildlife Sanctuary
Airport- Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport; Kamalpur Airport

Odisha Govt Partnered with Infosys & Nasscom to boost Employability of students in HEIsOn May 23 2023, The Higher Education Department of Odisha Government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Infosys Limited and Nasscom (National Association of Software and Service Companies) to enhance the skills and employability of students in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Odisha.

• The collaboration aims to provide learning and employment opportunities for students and promote equal access to education for passionate individuals, preparing them for the future.

Signatories:
Rohit Pujari, Minister for Higher Education, Odisha; Bishnupada Sethi, Principal secretary at Government of Odisha; Prabhat Kumar Das, Vice-resident and Centre Head of Infosys, Bhubaneswar (Odisha); Hanumesh VJ, Associate vice-president of Nasscom.
Partneship with Infosys:
i. Infosys, in line with its ESG (Environmental Social Governance) Vision 2030 aims to enable digital skills at scale and empower over 10 million people in India by 2025 through the Infosys Springboard program.
ii. The initiative in Odisha is part of Infosys CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) program, Infosys Springboard provides a free curriculum-rich virtual platform that delivers corporate-grade learning experiences, on any device, with closer educator-learner collaboration for students from Class VI to lifelong learners.
iii. Infosys springboard empowers women and students from rural areas with a focused learning portal, specialised resources and expert mentors for holistic development. It is aligned with India’s National Education Policy 2020.
iv.The learning programme will develop vocational skills and soft skills and will lead to developing employability of approximately 8 lakh students across 1100 colleges and universities in Odisha.

Partnership with Nasscom:
i. The MoU with Nasscom, aims to equip students and faculty with essential skills in key technologies, crucial for today’s digital ecosystem and to establish India as a hub of digital talent.
ii. This partnership will provide training to 800,000 students through their future skills prime program.
iii. It also focuses on developing technical expertise across various disciplines, promoting digital fluency, and delivering industry-curated content. It offers a comprehensive career-building programme that leads to industry-recognised Nasscom certifications.
About Odisha:
Chief Minister– Naveen Patnaik
Governor– Ganeshi Lal
Dance– Chhau Dance, Gotipua Dance (Folk Dance category)

Puducherry & L&T Engineering signed a MoU to develop Tourist Spots under Centre’s SD2.0On May 22 2023, the Territorial administration of Puducherry signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Larsen & Toubro (L&T) Engineering Limited to prepare a concept paper, initiate consultations with stakeholders and a detailed report to develop the infrastructure of the tourism spots in Puducherry and Karaikal.
Key Signatories:
The MoU was signed by P. Priytarshny- Tourism Director, Puducherry Government and ; B. Ratheesh- Head – Area/Urban Planning & Environment, L&T Engineering in the presence of N. Rangasamy, Chief Minister (CM) of Puducherry, K. Lakshminarayanan, Minister for Public Works, and Chief Secretary Rajeev Verma.
Background:
i.The MoU was signed following the inclusion of Puducherry and Karaikal regions under the Government of India(GoI)’s Swadesh Darshan 2.0 scheme(SD2.0).
ii.The government of India has appointed L&T Engineering Limited as its project management consultant for the Scheme in Puducherry and Karaikal.
Note: The Centre had selected Puducherry because of performance in the timely implementation of more than 2 projects under the Swadesh Darshan 1 in 2022.
Key points:
i.Under the Swadesh Darshan scheme 2.0, a financial assistance of around Rs 80 crore for each region will be provided to develop places of importance that have heritage and cultural significance, as tourism spots.
ii.The funds will be used to develop heritage sites, water bodies and provide civic amenities at tourist spots.
About Swadesh Darshan scheme 2.0 (SD2.0): 
Swadesh Darshan scheme 2.0 (SD2.0) is a Central Sector Scheme under the Ministry of Tourism. 

• The scheme aims to develop sustainable and responsible destinations following a tourist & destination centric approach.
• The scheme focuses on increasing self-employment, youth skilling, private sector investments, and preserving local cultures to ensure a 360-degree holistic development.

About Puducherry:
Chief Minister– N. Rangasamy
Lieutenant Governor– Dr.  Tamilisai Soundararajan
Stadium– Indira Gandhi Sports Complex, Rajiv Gandhi Indoor Stadium

UP govt inaugurated an online education programme ‘Pahal’ for rural area students

On May 15 2023, Durga Shanker Mishra, Chief Secretary of the Government of Uttar Pradesh (UP) inaugurated an online rural education programme ‘Pahal’ at Government UP Sainik Inter College, Sarojini Nagar in Lucknow, UP.

• The programme Pahal has been developed by the Department of secondary education in collaboration with IIT (Indian Institutes of Technology) Kanpur.
• Under this programme, free online education has been initially provided at 10 government secondary schools, and will soon be extended to 40,000 schools in UP.

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List of Current Governors in India – February 2023

List of Current Chief Ministers in India – February 2023

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