Current Affairs 26 May 2022

We are here for you to provide the important Recent and Latest Current Affairs 26 May 2022, 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 Swachh Survekshan 2023 under SBMU 2.0 with Theme of “Waste to Wealth”

On May 24 2022, The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) launched the 8th edition of Swachh Survekshan 2023 (SS 2023) under Swachh Bharat Mission Urban 2.0 (SBMU 2.0). It is an annual cleanliness survey with the theme of “Waste to Wealth” for garbage free cities.

• The event was attended by State Principal Secretaries – Urban Development, State Mission Directors – Swachh Bharat Mission Urban, Municipal Commissioners and Executive Officers from Cities.

Key Points:
i.The SS 2023 would be in-line with the vision Garbage free cities, as enumerated in SBMU 2.0 launched on 1st October 2021. The theme of SS 2023 is also aligned to SBMU 2.0’s commitment of promoting circularity in waste management, which is one of key objectives under the Mission.
ii.The SS 2023 is recalibrated to act as an inspiration tool rather than an assessment tool, it also gives priority to the principle of 3Rs – Reduce, Recycle and Reuse.
iii.The SS 2023 evaluation will be conducted in 4 phases, instead of 3 phases in earlier editions and the components such as citizen validation and field assessment of processing facilities is being introduced in phase 3 also, in addition to phase 4.
iv.In SS 2023, additional weightage has been given to source segregation of waste, enhancement of waste processing capacity of cities to match the waste generation and reduction of waste going to the dumpsites. 
v.Indicators have been introduced with additional weightage on emphasising the need for phased reduction of plastic, plastic waste processing, encouraging waste to wonder parks and zero waste events. Also the ranking of wards within the cities is also being promoted through SS 2023. 
vi.Under the SS 2023, the Mayors of the cities are also being encouraged to participate in the ranking and felicitate the cleanest wards.
vii.In addition to that, the cities would also be assessed on dedicated indicators on the issues of ‘open urination’ (Yellow Spots) and ‘open spitting’ (Red Spots).
About Swachh Survekshan:
i.The Swachh Survekshan was introduced by MoHUA in 2016 as a competitive framework to encourage cities to improve the status of urban sanitation while encouraging large scale citizen participation.
ii.The Survey began in 2016 with only 73 cities with million plus population has now grown manifold, with 434 cities in 2017, 4,203 cities in 2018, 4,237 cities in 2019, 4,242 cities in SS 2020, 4,320 cities in SS 2021, and 4,355 cities in SS 2022, including 62 Cantonment Boards.
Note:
SS 2022 – The 7th edition of Swachh Survekshan – ‘Azadi @ 75 Swachh Survekshan 2022’ coincided with the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.

Foreign Investment Facilitation Portal Completes 5 years Since Abolition of FIPB

The Foreign Investment Facilitation Portal (FIF Portal), under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, has turned five years since its inception by abolishing the erstwhile Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) on 24th May 2017.

• So far 853 Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) proposals have been disposed of through the FIF Portal.
• Portal link – https://fifp.gov.in

About Foreign Investment Facilitation Portal:
i.The FIF Portal is an online single window portal, responsible for processing of FDI in India. 
ii.The proposals filed on FIF Portal are forwarded to the concerned administrative ministry and are also simultaneously marked to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for comments and to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for necessary security clearance, wherever required as per the FDI Policy or Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) Regulations.
iii.A Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for processing of FDI proposals, including documents to be filed, through FIF Portal was framed and laid down by DPIIT on 29th June, 2017 with amendment on 09th January, 2020.
iv.In Financial Year 2014-15, FDI inflow in India stood at mere USD 45.15 billion, which increased to USD 60.22 billion in 2016-17 and further to the highest ever annual FDI inflow of USD 83.57 billion reported during the FY 2021-22 despite COVID-19 pandemic and recent Russia-Ukraine conflict. 
v.During FY 2021-22 FDI has been reported from 101 countries, whereas, it was reported from 97 countries during previous financial year (2020-21).

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

Overview of President Ram Nath Kovind Visit to Jamaica and St. Vincent & Grenadines  

i.On May 15-21, 2022, the President of India Ram Nath Kovind paid an official visit to Jamaica and St. Vincent & Grenadines (SVG) with his wife Savita Kovind. This was the first ever visit by an Indian President to these countries(Jamaica and SVG).
ii.It is a continuation of India’s high-level engagement with the countries in the Caribbean region and emphasizes commitment to work with Small Island developing countries.
iii.On May 15-18, 2022, he visited Jamaica to hold delegation level talks with his counterpart, the Governor General of Jamaica, Sir Patrick Allen. He arrived at the Norman Manley International Airport, Kingston, Jamaica where he was accorded a Guard of Honour. 
iv.On May 18 -21, 2022, the Indian President also paid a 4-day visit to SVG to hold discussions with his counterpart Governor General Ms. Susan Dougan, and to meet its PM Dr. Ralph E. Gonsalves as well as other dignitaries. 
v.IndiaSVG signed two MoUs on Exchange of Information and Assistance in Collection of Taxes, and on Refurbishment of Old Carter Community Centre.
About Jamaica:
Capital– Kingston 
Currency– Jamaican dollar (JMD)
About Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG):
Capital– Kingstown
Currency– Eastern Caribbean dollar
>> Read Full News

ILO Releases Ninth Edition of ILO Monitor on The World of Work

According to a new report from the International Labour Organization (ILO) titled “ILO Monitor on The World of Work—Ninth Edition”, several worldwide crises are threatening global labour market recovery, with increasing inequalities within and between countries.

• Global growth is projected to reach just 3.6 % in 2022, which is 0.8 % points lower than January 2022 projections.

Multiple economic crises, such as inflation, particularly in energy and food prices; financial instability; potential debt distress; and global supply chain disruption, aggravated by the Ukraine conflict, may worsen the number of hours worked in 2022.
Key Messages from The ILO Monitor on The World of Work – Ninth Edition:
i.The number of hours worked globally decreased in the first quarter of 2022 and remains 3.8 % lower than the fourth quarter of 2019. (The pre-crisis benchmark). This implies that about 11.2 crores(112 million) jobs may have been lost over this time.
ii.While high-income countries witnessed a recovery in hours worked, Low & Lower-middle-income economies had a 3.6 % and 5.7 % gap respectively, in the first quarter of 2022, when compared to the pre-crisis benchmark.

• In the first quarter of 2022, China’s recent containment measures accounted for 86% of the global decline in hours worked.

iii. Despite considerable progress, the gender gap in low- and middle-income nations remains bigger than before the pandemic. The report states that both India and lower-middle-income countries excluding India experienced a deterioration of the gender gap in work hours in the second quarter of 2020.
iv.At the height of the crisis in the second quarter of 2020, the number of informal jobs decreased by 20%, twice the impact seen among workers in formal employment. Women were impacted harder than men in informal employment.
v.The report also claimed that the recovery is characterised by a “great and growing divergence between richer and poorer economies.”
About International Labour Organization (ILO):
The only tripartite United Nations (UN) agency that brings together governments, employers and workers of 187 member countries, to set labour standards, develop policies and devise programmes promoting decent work for all women and men.
Director-General – Guy Ryder
Establishment – 1919
Headquarters – Geneva, Switzerland

WEF’s Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index 2021: India Ranks 54; Japan Tops

The World Economic Forum’s (WEF) ranked India 54th position (down from 46th in 2019) with a score of 4.1 in its Travel and Tourism Development Index 2021, but still India remains top performer within South Asia.

• Japan has topped (1) the global chart and the bottom position (117) is occupied by the country Chad.

Theme:
The Theme of the WEF’s Travel and Tourism Development Index 2021 is “Rebuilding for a Sustainable and Resilient Future”.
Key Points:
i.Countries that show greatest improvement in the Score are – Vietnam (+4.7%, 60th to 52nd), Indonesia (+3.4%, 44th to 32nd) and Saudi Arabia (+2.3%, 43rd to 33rd). 
ii.However, Malaysia (-3.0%, 29th to 38th), India (-2.6%, 46th to 54th) and Mongolia (-2.1%, 76th to 84th) had the largest declines in ranking.

Headquarters – Cologny, canton of Geneva, Switzerland
Established– 1971
>> Read Full News

BANKING & FINANCE

SEBI reviews Framework for Debt ETFs and Index Funds; Introduces Passive ELSS Scheme Category for MFs

i.The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) reviewed the regulatory framework for passive funds i.e. Exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and Index Funds through a Working Group (WG) amid growing popularity of such funds as an investment product for retail investors.
ii.Now, on the recommendations of the WG, SEBI has laid down norms for debt ETFs and index funds, its constitution, market making framework for ETFs, investor education and awareness charges, disclosure guidelines and other provisions. These will come into effect from July 1, 2022.
iii.In order to enhance liquidity in units of ETFs on the stock exchange platform, SEBI has decided that direct transaction with AMCs (asset management company) will be allowed for Rs 25 crore and above.
iv.SEBI also allowed Mutual Funds (MFs) to launch equity-linked savings schemes (ELSS) to save taxes under Section 80C of the Income-tax Act, 1961.
About Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI):
Chairperson– Madhabi Puri Buch
Headquarters– Mumbai, Maharashtra
>> Read Full News

Mahagram Ties Up with IndusInd Bank to Enhance Digital Payments Ecosystem 

Mahagram, a rural financial technology (FinTech) company that connects neighbourhood merchants to banking services, has teamed up with IndusInd Bank to improve India’s digital payments ecosystem.

• In the current fiscal year (2022–23), the partnership intends to enrol 15 million (1.5 crore) small merchants to the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) Quick Response (QR).

The partnership will aid in increasing financial inclusion, promoting socio-economic development, reducing the risks of a shadow economy, and hastening the transition to a cashless society.
Key Points:
i.IndusInd Bank’s goal is to play a key role in increasing digital transaction adoption across India, particularly in the rural sector. Digital payments will increase transparency and empower merchants.

• The digital payments ecosystem promotes economic growth while also facilitating customer transactions via mobile phones, making it a safer, easier, and more convenient method of payment.

ii.Although numerous sectors have adapted to technology since the commencement of the digital India campaign in 2015, rural households still lack quick access to deposits and ATMs are not always easily available.

• Mahagram intends to address this by empowering rural women to save money at local kirana stores rather than travelling miles to the nearest bank branch.

iii. Mahagram has recently launched ‘GramSevak.com,’ a citizen service delivery portal, to provide basic doorstep banking and e-governance services to all citizens in rural and urban areas.
About IndusInd Bank:
MD & CEO – Sumant Kathpalia
Establishment – 1994
Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra
Tagline – We Make You Feel Richer

UCO Bank Signed Co-Lending Agreement with NBFC Paisalo Digital Limited for Agriculture Business 

UCO Bank has entered into a co-lending agreement for agricultural business with Paisalo Digital Limited, a Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC).
The co-lending agreement aims to tap into the Rs. 8 lakh crore market for small-ticket loans for the 365 million people who are unbanked and underserved.
Co-Lending Model (CLM)
Under the co-lending model (CLM), banks will be allowed to co-lend with all registered NBFCs, including housing finance companies (HFCs) based on a prior agreement.

• The primary goal of CLM is to increase the flow of credit to the unserved and underserved sections of the economy and make funds available to the ultimate beneficiary at an affordable cost, taking into account the lower cost of funds from banks and the broader reach of NBFCs.

Key Points:
i.Co-lending is a growing area of priority sector finance, with the Indian government placing a strong emphasis on assisting farmers and other small borrowers, who form the backbone of the Indian economy.
ii.The partnership will aid UCO bank’s agricultural advancements, and it is a win-win situation for both the bank and the Paisalo Digital Limited NBFC, with advantages reaching the bottom of the society.
About UCO Bank:
MD & CEO – Soma Sankara Prasad 
Establishment – 1943
Headquarters – Kolkata, West Bengal
Tagline – Honours your Trust

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

Saudi Aramco overtook Apple Inc. to become world’s most valuable company

Oil giant Saudi Aramco has surpassed Apple Inc. to become the world’s most valuable company due to the recent surge in oil prices.
Aramco traded near its highest level on record with a market capitalization of about USD 2.43 trillion, surpassing that of Apple for the first time since 2020. Apple Inc. fell 5.2% to close at USD 146.50 per share, giving it a valuation of USD 2.37 trillion.

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS        

Mamata Banerjee received Special Bangla Academy Award

On 10 May 2022, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee received the Bangla Academy Award for her ‘relentless literary pursuit’. The award was presented for her book “Kabita Bitan”, which pays tribute to the best writers of West Bengal and the book contains a collection of over 900 poems. 
i.The Award was received by state Education Minister Bratya Basu on behalf of Mamata Banerjee.
ii.The Bangla Academy Award was introduced in 2022 by Sahitya Akademi and the book, ‘Kabita Bitan’, was released at the 2020 International Kolkata Book Fair.

Union Minister of Power confers NHPC Limited with first prize of ‘Rajbhasha Shield’

Union Minister of Power and New and Renewable Energy, Raj Kumar Singh, chaired the meeting of Hindi Salahkar Samiti and conferred NHPC(Formerly National Hydroelectric Power Corporation) Limited with the first prize for the year 2020-21 and the second prize for the year 2018-19 for excellent implementation of Rajbhasha.
i.Abhay Kumar Singh, Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of NHPC Limited received these awards from the Union Minister of Power in the meeting. 
ii.During the meeting, R.K Singh also released the latest issue of ‘Rajbhasha Jyoti’, NHPC’s official language magazine and the book ‘Bharatiya Sanskriti mein Prabandhan’ written by Dr. Rajbir Singh, Group General Manager (Rajbhasha), NHPC. 

iii. NHPC has also been awarded “Rajbhasha Kirti Puraskar” nine times by the Government of India for its excellent work in the field of implementation of Rajbhasha.

Cameroonian Activist Cécile Ndjebet won 2022 Wangari Maathai Forest Champions Award 

Cameroonian Activist Cécile Ndjebet was honoured with the 2022 Wangari Maathai Forest Champions Award for her contribution to preserving forests and improving the lives of people dependent on forests. 
The award was presented by the Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF), chaired by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) at a ceremony during the XV(15th) World Forestry Congress in Seoul, Republic of Korea.

• The 6th Wangari Maathai Award Ceremony (2022) was hosted by the Korea Forest Service (KFS).
• The award was established in 2012 by the CPF in memory of Wangari Muta Maathai, a Kenyan environmentalist and Nobel Peace Prize (2004) winner. 
• The award recognises inspiring individuals who have helped preserve, restore and sustainably manage forests.

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS    

Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan appointed as chairperson of Committee B at 75th World Health Assembly

Each year the World Health Assembly, a body that comprises WHO’s 194 member states, deliberates on health, administrative and financial matters. The Assembly functions through two committees i.e., Committee A and Committee B. Now, India’s Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan has been appointed as the chairperson of committee B at the 75th World Health Assembly, at Geneva, Switzerland.
Key Information
i.The Committee A meets to debate technical and health matters. 

• Mainly for the critical issues identified during the 75th WHA including pandemic preparedness and response, amendment in International Health Regulations 2005, WHO work in health emergency, Global Strategy for HIV, TB, Viral hepatitis and eradication of polio, Immunisation agenda 2030, Infection prevention and control and human resources for health.

ii.The Committee B primarily discusses administrative and financial matters of the World Health Organisation (WHO).

• In the 2022-23 period, the Committee B would inquire to report on many important issues which includes health conditions in the occupied Palestinian territory including east Jerusalem and in the occupied Syrian Golan, budget for WHO for the year 2022-23, prevention of sexual exploitation, WHO reforms, Global strategy and plan of action on public health, innovation and intellectual property, audit report of WHO, Global strategy and plan of action on public health, innovation and intellectual property and intergovernmental organizations issues.

About World Health Assembly(WHA):
World’s highest health policy making body of the World Health Organisation which is composed of health ministers from member states.

• Every year the World Health Assembly is convened at Geneva, Switzerland.

WHO DG Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus Re-elected for the Second Term

The World Health Organisation (WHO) member states has re-elected Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus for a second 5 year term as the Director-General (DG) of WHO. His new mandate as DG will officially commence on August 16 2022. His re-election was confirmed during the 75th World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva, Switzerland.

• Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus was first elected as DG of WHO in 2017.

About Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus:
i.Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus is an Ethiopian public health researcher and first African to hold the DG post.
ii.During his first term, Dr Tedros instituted a wide-ranging Transformation of the WHO, aimed at increasing the Organisation’s efficiency driving impact at country level to promote healthier lives, protect more people in emergencies and increase equitable access to health. 
iii.He also guided WHO’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, outbreaks of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the health impacts of multiple other humanitarian crises.
iv.Before joining WHO, he served as Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ethiopia from 2012–2016 and as Minister of Health, Ethiopia from 2005–2012. 
v.He had also served as chair of the Board of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria; as chair of the Roll Back Malaria (RBM) Partnership Board; and as co-chair of the Board of the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health.
Note:
i.As per the World Health Assembly rules and procedures a Director-General can be re-appointed only once.
About World Health Organisation (WHO):
Director-General – Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (Ethiopia)
Headquarters – Geneva, Switzerland

IndiGo names Pieter Elbers as new CEO replacing Ronojoy Dutta

IndiGo, India’s largest domestic carrier has appointed Pieter Elbers as its new Chief
Executive Officer(CEO). His appointment subjected to regulatory approvals will be effective from on or before October 1, 2022. 

• He will replace incumbent Ronojoy Dutta(71-year-old) who has decided to retire on 30th September 2022. 
• Pieter Elbers, hailing from Schiedam, The Netherlands, has served as the President and CEO of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and he is also a member of the Executive committee of the Air France – KLM Group.

ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS        

GIC Buys 7.5% Stake In Aditya Birla Fashion And Retail For Rs 2,195 Crore

GIC Private Limited , Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund, is acquiring a 7.5% equity stake in Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail (ABFRL) for Rs 2,195 crore. GIC will invest Rs.770 crore at first stage, while the remaining cost of Rs.1,425 crore would be done within 18 months. After the investment, Aditya Birla Group will hold a controlling stake of 51.9% in the company.
Key Information
i.The capital infusion will strengthen ABFRL’s balance sheet to keep the debt within manageable limits in this fiscal year 2022-23.
ii.The company plans to use the fresh funds to grow the existing business and for emerging high-growth business models.
iii.ABFRL bought a 51% stake in House of Masaba Lifestyle Pvt. Ltd, run by Mumbai-based fashion designer Masaba Gupta. It had signed a long-term licensing agreement to exclusively sell Reebok products in India and other Asian nations. 
iv.In 2021, it had acquired a 51% stake in luxury designer label Sabyasachi, and followed it up with an investment in fashion label Tarun Tahiliani.
About GIC
i.GIC Private Limited acts as the Singapore Government’s fund manager and was established by the Government of Singapore in 1981 to manage Singapore’s foreign reserves.
ii. The company aims to preserve and enhance the international purchasing power of the reserves.

SPORTS

Football: Italian Cup 2021/2022: Inter Milan Beat Juventus to Win the 2022 title

Inter Milan (FC Internazionale Milano) defeated Juventus, 14 times champions, for 4-2 at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy and won the Italian Cup (Coppa Italia) 2021/2022 – branded as the Coppa Italia Frecciarossa 2021-2022. The 2021-2022 title marks the 8th Italian Cup of Inter Milan
2021–22 Coppa Italia, the 75th season of Italy’s premier football cup, was held from 7th August 2021 to 11th May 2022 in Italy. 

BOOKS & AUTHORS

Ruskin Bond’s book titled ‘Listen to Your Heart: The London Adventure’ Released

A new book titled “Listen to Your Heart: The London Adventure” authored by Ruskin Bond, was published by Penguin Random House India (PRHI) on Ruskin Bond’s 88th birthday (19th May 2022).
About Ruskin Bond:
i.Ruskin Bond, India’s famous Children’s book author, was born in Kasauli (Himachal Pradesh) and grew up in Jamnagar (Gujarat), Dehradun (Uttarakhand), New Delhi and Shimla (Himachal Pradesh). 
Awards – Sahitya Akademi Award for English writing in India in 1993, Padma Shri in 1999 and Padma Bhushan in 2014, Delhi government’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012.
Note- Ruskin Bond’s First Book – The Room on the Roof.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Thyroid Day 2022 – May 25

World Thyroid Day is annually observed across the globe on 25th May to create awareness about the vital roles of the thyroid and to educate the general public on the treatment and prevention of thyroid diseases. 

• The day aims to address the suffering of the people with thyroid disease and recognise the people across the globe who are working to better understand and treat thyroid diseases. 
• Blue paisley ribbon is the international symbol of thyroid awareness. 
• The 2022 theme is “Thyroid and Communication”.

International Thyroid Awareness Week 2022 – 25th to 31st May:
The International Thyroid Awareness Week is annually observed across the globe on the 4th Week of May to create awareness and understanding of thyroid diseases, their symptoms, prevention, and treatments.
International Thyroid Awareness Week 2022 is observed from 25th to 31st May.
>> Read Full News

International Missing Children’s Day 2022 – May 25International Missing Children’s Day is annually observed across the globe on 25th May to create awareness about child abduction and educate the general public on the measures to protect and safeguard their children.
The day is widely referred to with a forget-me-not flower as its emblem.
Background:
i.In 1983, then President of United States of America(USA) Ronald Reagen declared the 25th May of every year as the USA’s National Missing Children’s Day. 
ii.The date marks the disappearance of a 6-year-old boy Etan Patz on 25th May 1979, who was kidnapped on his way to school in New York City, USA.
iii.The International Center for Missing and Exploited Children (ICMEC), Missing Children Europe and the European Commission formally recognised the 25th May of every year as “International Missing Children’s Day”.
iv.The first International Missing Children’s Day was formally recognised on 25th May 2001. 
>> Read Full News

Endangered Species Day 2022 – 20th May 

Endangered Species Day is annually observed across the globe on the 3rd Friday in May to celebrate and educate about the importance of taking actions to protect threatened and endangered species. 
20th May 2022 marks the observance of the 17th annual Endangered Species Day(2022) 

• The Endangered Species Day 2021 was observed on 21st May 2021. 
• The Endangered Species Day 2023 will be observed on 19th May 2023.

Background:
i.Endangered Species Day was proposed by David Robinson and the Endangered Species Coalition in 2006.
ii.The Endangered Species Day was created by a United States(US) Senate resolution in 2006 to educate people on the need to conserve the Wild animals across the globe.
The first ever Endangered Species Day was observed on 19th May 2006. 
Endangered Species in India 
i.Some of the endangered species in India are the Lion-tailed Macaque(Karnataka); Asiatic Lion(Gujarat); Kashmiri Red Stag (Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh); Western Hoolock Gibbon(Assam). 
ii.The major reasons for the endangerment of species are Loss of habitat; Overhunting and poaching; Pollution; a Robust and hearty environment; and overcrowding and overgrazing.
Efforts to protect: 
i.Jammu and Kashmir adopted the Wildlife (Protection) Act in 1972 which prohibits any type of trade for endangered and rare species.
ii.The government of India imposed a ban on tiger hunting in 1970 and adopted the Wildlife Protection Act in 1972.
iii.National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries, Parks, etc have been established and in 1992, the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) was initiated for the management of zoological parks in India. 

Global Accessibility Awareness Day 2022 –  May 19 

Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) is annually observed across the globe on the Third Thursday of May to get everyone to talk, think and learn about digital access or digital inclusion and people with different disabilities.
The GAAD 2022 was observed on 19th May 2022. This also marks the observance of the 11th GAAD.

• GAAD 2021 was observed on 20th May 2021 and GAAD 2023 will be observed on 18th May 2023. 
• The day was jointly established in May 2012, inspired by the blog post by Joe Devon, a serial entrepreneur. The day was founded by Joe Devon and Jennison Asuncion, an accessibility professional from Toronto. 

STATE NEWS

India’s First Olympic Values Education Programme Launched in Odisha

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik launched India’s first Olympic Values Education Programme (OVEP) in the state of Odisha. It will be implemented in 90 schools across two smart cities Bhubaneswar and Rourkela in the first phase. OVEP launched in 27 schools in Rourkela and 63 schools in Bhubaneswar.

• Objective – This values-based curriculum was initiated to help children become active, healthy and responsible citizens.

Key Points
i.The first Olympic Values Education Programme (OVEP) in India has been launched by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
ii.The OVEP has been developed in partnership with the Government of Odisha’s Department of School and Mass Education and the Abhinav Bindra Foundation Trust (ABFT).
iii. In its first year, the programme aims to impact 32,000 children enrolled in 90 schools in the cities of Bhubaneswar and Rourkela and, once in full swing, it will reach around 7 million children. 
iv.The state of Odisha intends to take OVEP to all its schools and higher education institutions in a phased manner, thereby enabling its young population to truly take on board the Olympic values.
v.OVEP was officially launched by the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Odisha Naveen Patnaik, IOC Member Mrs. Nita Ambani, IOC Education Commission Chair Mikaela Cojuangco Jaworski, Olympian and member of the IOC Athletes’ Commission Abhinav Bindra and President of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) Narinder Batra.
About Olympic Values Education Programme (OVEP)
i.It is a series of free and accessible teaching resources created by the IOC, to complement academic curricula using the context of Olympic sports and the core principles of Olympism. 
ii.The programme aims to disseminate this values-based curriculum to help children become active, healthy and responsible citizens. 
ii.A landmark initiative in India’s Olympic movement, the launch of OVEP comes as a build-up to the prestigious IOC 2023 Session. 
About International Olympic Committee (IOC)
Headquarters – Lausanne, Switzerland. 
Director General: Christophe De Kepper.
Founded: 23 June 1894, Paris, France
Members: 104 active members, 45 honorary members, 1 honour member (United States), 206 individual National Olympic Committees.
About Odisha
Governor: Ganeshi Lal
Capital: Bhubaneswar

Kolkata Becomes First Metro City To Get Its Biodiversity Register
During the UN International Biodiversity Day (22 May), Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) released the People’s Biodiversity Register (PBR) for the city, the first-of-its-kind report of any Indian metro. The Biodiversity Register is prepared by the Biodiversity Management Committee (BMC) of the civic body under the supervision of the state biodiversity board and with help from NGOs. 

• Kolkata is  the first major metro to prepare the PBR. Chandigarh and Indore are other important cities which have prepared the document.

Key Information
i.PBR was released  by Firhad Hakim – Mayor of KMC.
ii.PBR contains elaborate details about the various flora and fauna within Kolkata as well as its land uses and human activities.
iii. PBR is a 520-page documentation of 399 plant and 283 animal species, which contains:

• 138 trees.
•  126 Chinese vegetables.
•  33 medicinal plants.
•  Nearly 100 other plants.
•  Nearly 70 butterflies.
•  47 fish.
•  84 birds.
•  22 mammals.

iv.Using the PBR, KMC would implement its consideration to set up urban forestry zones to improve Kolkata’s greenery quotient
Significance:
i.PBR is also a key document in the fight against climate change.
ii.The Forest Survey of India’s recent report had flagged Kolkata as the least greenery among all metro cities. So this document would key to address any such shortcoming due to the fallouts of urbanisation in Kolkata. Further aid to foster coordination between the state departments to conserve and promote biodiversity in Kolkata.
Promoting Urban Biodiversity – 4Cs
i.National Biodiversity Authority Chairman emphasised on 4Cs to promote biodiversity in the country.4Cs stands for Cooperation, Coordination, Convergence And Connect.
iii.Utilising microbial fertilisers and pesticides in agriculture. Now they are used in West Bengal with traditional crops in 5 districts.
About National Biodiversity Authority
Statutory autonomous body under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and climate change, Government of India established in 2003.This authority was established through the aforesaid act which was enacted following India’s instrumentation of the Convention on Biological Diversity in 1992.

• Chairman – VB Mathur

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