Current Affairs 31 May 2023

We are here for you to provide the important Recent and Latest Current Affairs 31 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

PM Narendra Modi flags off Assam’s & Northeast’s first Vande Bharat ExpressOn May 29, 2023, Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi virtually flagged off the Northeast region’s first Vande Bharat Express which will connect Guwahati (Assam) with New Jalpaiguri (West Bengal).

• This is also the first “Made in India” Vande Bharat Express of Assam and the 3rd Vande Bharat Express connecting West Bengal.
• Vande Bharat Express is a semi-high-speed train built with indigenously developed technology.
• It would cover Guwahati to New Jalpaiguri a distance of approximately 411 kilometres within a span of 5 hours and 30 minutes. Earlier, the fastest train on the same route took 6 hours and 30 minutes to cover the distance.

Key People: Himanta Biswa Sarma, Chief Minister (CM) of Assam,  Gulab Chand Kataria, Governor of Assam, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Ministry of Railways, and Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, also attended the flagging-off ceremony of  Vande Bharat Express which held at Guwahati Railway Station.

Key Features of Vande Bharat Express:
i.The state-of-the-art train is fitted with the modern train collision avoidance system (TCAS), also known as Kavach, and has numerous facilities such as bio-vacuum toilets and others.
ii.The train is designed to provide an experience similar to that of air-travel to the passengers.
iii.It will provide connectivity to Maa Kamakhya Temple, Kaziranga, Manas National Park, and Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary and also will enhance travel and tourism in Shillong, Cherrapunji in Meghalaya and Tawang and Pasighat in Arunachal Pradesh.
iv.As per the statement of PM, before 2014, the average Railway budget for the northeast was about Rs 2,500 crore, and it has increased four-fold to more than Rs 10,000 crore in FY24.

Dedicated newly electrified sections: 
PM dedicated the New Bongaigaon-Dudhnoi-Mendipather and Guwahati-Chaparmukh newly-electrified sections to the nation. Around 425 kilometres of railway tracks in Assam & Meghalaya have been electrified.

i.In a step towards developing rail infrastructure & enhancing connectivity in North East, PM dedicated to the nation the newly electrified 199-kilometre stretch of railway tracks connecting the New Bongaigaon-Dudhnoi-Mendipathar section in Meghalaya at the cost of Rs 212.70 crores.

• It will facilitate the seamless entry of trains on electric traction into Meghalaya.

ii.To make a sustainable and efficient rail travel PM also dedicated a newly electrified 238-kilometre stretch of railway tracks between Guwahati and Chaparmukh section in Assam at the cost of Rs 310 crore.

Inauguration of DEMU:
PM also inaugurated the newly constructed Diesel Electric Multiple Unit (DEMU) and Mainline Electric Multiple Unit (MEMU) shed at Lumding in Hojai (Assam), which will be used in maintaining DEMU rakes, leading to better operational feasibility.
Note – The DEMUs and MEMUs are diesel multiple units (DMUs) and electric multiple units (EMUs) that serve short and medium-distance routes in India, as compared to normal EMU trains that connect urban and suburban areas.

Unemployment declines further to 6.8% in Q4FY23: 18th Quarterly PLFS by NSO On May 29, 2023, the National Statistical Office (NSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) released its 18th quarterly Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) bulletin for January-March 2023 (Q4FY23).

• As per it, India’s urban unemployment rate (UR) in Current Weekly Status (CWS) terms for persons aged 15 years and above declined to 6.8% during Q4FY23 from 7.2% in Q3FY23.
• The unemployment rate was 8.2% during January-March 2022.

Assessment:
A total number of 5,726 FSUs- First Stage Unit (UFS- Urban Frame Survey blocks) have been surveyed during Q4FY23. The number of urban households surveyed was 44,982 and number of persons surveyed was 1,72,089 in urban areas.
Key Figures representing Persons of 15 years and above in Urban Areas in Q4FY23:
i.UR in CWS among the male population in urban areas declined to 6% as compared to 6.5% in Q3FY23.

• UR in CWS among females also saw a decline during Q4FY23 to 9.2% from 9.6% in Q3FY23.
• The rate was 10.1% during January-March 2022.

ii.For all age groups, the highest UR was seen in Himachal Pradesh (HP) which stood at 15.2%.

• It is followed by Chhattisgarh at 12.5% in 2nd place, and Jammu and Kashmir-J&K (12.4%) at 3rd place.

iii.The Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) in CWS for males was 73.5% from 73.3% in
Q3FY23.

• LFPR in CWS for females increased to 22.7% from 22.3% in Q3FY23.
• At all India levels, LFPR in CWS is increased to 48.5% from 48.2 in Q3FY23.

iv.The Worker Population Ratio (WPR) in % in CWS for males increased to 69.1% as compared to 68.6% Q3FY23.

• WPR in % in CWS for females also increased slightly to 20.6% from 20.2% in Q3FY23.
• At all India levels, WPR in % in CWS increased to 45.2% from 44.7% in Q3FY23.

Click Here for Official PDF
Static Info:
About Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS):
It was launched in 2017 by NSO to serve the following two purposes:

• To estimate the key employment and unemployment indicators (viz. Worker Population Ratio, Labour Force Participation Rate, Unemployment Rate) in the short time interval of three months (quarterly) for the urban areas only in the ‘Current Weekly Status’ (CWS).
• To estimate employment and unemployment indicators in both ‘Usual Status’ (ps+ss) and CWS in both rural and urban areas annually.

Key Definitions:
UR: It is defined as the percentage of unemployed persons in the labour force.
LFPR: It is defined as the percentage of persons in the labour force (i.e. working or seeking or available for work) in the population.
WPR: It is defined as the percentage of employed persons in the population.
CWS: The activity status determined on the basis of a reference period of the last 7 days preceding the date of the survey is known as the current weekly status (CWS) of the person.

BANKING & FINANCE

Turbo UPI: Razorpay unveils India’s fastest One-Step Payments Solution Razorpay has launched India’s fastest one-step UPI (Unified Payments Interface) payment solution namely ‘Turbo UPI’ allowing customers of online merchants to make UPI payments directly without getting redirected to a third-party UPI app during checkout.

• This Solution was developed in partnership with the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and Axis Bank.
• Through this app, the payment steps are reduced from 5 to 1.

Aim:
i.To deliver a 5X faster payment experience.
ii.To support the businesses to achieve an increase in the success rate of UPI payments by 10%.
Key Points:
i.It streamlines the payment process and eliminates any redirection to external apps.
ii.It also offers granular insights into the end-users drop-off pattern and enables merchants to control the entire payment experience of their customers, end-to-end.
iii.UPI has become the common and preferred mode of payment for end users. It is projected to reach 1 billion transactions per day and capture a 90% share of retail digital payments by 2026-27.
About Razorpay:
Co-Founder and Managing Director– Shashank Kumar
Headquarters– Bengaluru, Karnataka
Founded in 2014

SEBI Reconstitutes Intermediary Advisory Committee under the Chairmanship of S RavindranSecurities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has reconstituted its intermediary advisory committee, which would suggest it on matters related to changes in the legal framework and enhancing transparency in systems and procedures of market intermediaries including stock brokers, depository participants, and clearing members.

• The 21-member intermediary advisory committee would continue to be chaired by S Ravindran, former executive director at SEBI.

Members of the Committee:
i.The new members of the committee include Nithin Kamath, Founder & CEO (Chief Executive Officer), Zerodha Broking Limited, and Lalit Keshre, Co-Founder & CEO, Nextbillion Technology Pvt. Limited (Groww).
ii.Other members include Ashish Chauhan, MD & CEO, National Stock Exchange, Sundararaman Ramamurthy, MD & CEO, Bombay Stock Exchange, Vijay Mehta, president of brokers’ body Association Of National Exchanges Members Of India (ANMI), Aditya Bagree, MD & Head of Markets, Citigroup, Narinder Wadhwa, President, Commodity Participants Association of India (CPAI), Lalit Mundra- chairman of Bombay Brokers Forum, among others.
Click here to know the 21-member list
Terms of reference of the Committee:
i.The committee will advise SEBI on matters relating to the regulation of stock brokers, depository participants, clearing members, non-mutual fund Registrar and Transfer Agents (RTAs), Investments Advisors (IAs), Research Analysts (RAs), and KYC Registration Agency (KRAs).
ii.It will also suggest measures for improving market safety, efficiency, transparency and integrity.
iii.Would analyse the new market development which may have taken place between two consecutive meetings of the committee and suggest measures over that.
iv.Would advise SEBI on matters required to be taken up for changes in legal framework to introduce simplification and transparency in systems and procedures with regard to market intermediaries.
v.They also would advise on greater adoption of technology and cyber security by intermediaries, including in respect of compliances.

Equitas SFB collaborates with IBM Consulting to Modernize its Banking PlatformOn May 26, 2023, Equitas Small Finance Bank Limited (SFB) collaborated with IBM Consulting, the professional services and consulting arm of IBM (International Business Machines Corporation), to design and build a digital banking platform that delivers a modern and highly secure experience to the bank’s customers and partners.

• Objective:The collaboration was made to boost the digital products offered by Equitas as well as its service offerings seamless and enhanced experience to its customers.
• IBM Consulting became the consulting partner and technology collaborator of Equitas SFB to simplify and transform the banking experience of customers.

Key Points:
i.Equitas is working together with IBM Consulting to adopt a cloud-native platform architecture to run its digital channels and applications securely across any technology environment.
ii.Equitas SFB intends to boost the operational efficiency of the bank and enhance adherence to industry regulatory compliance requirements while enforcing higher levels of security.
iii.Under the partnership, IBM Consulting will develop and deploy modern web and admin portals for Retail Banking and Corporate Banking as well as multi-device banking apps for Retail Banking.
iv.Narayanan Easwaran, Chief Information Officer, Equitas SFB, stated the partnership with IBM as the first step towards engaging customers.
About Equitas Small Finance Bank Limited (SFB):
MD&CEO – Vasudevan Pathangi Narasimhan
Headquarters – Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Commenced business as SFB in 2016
Tagline – Here, Your money works towards better society

Yes Bank unveils new logo; launched ‘Life Ko Banao Rich’ campaign taglineYes Bank, headquartered in Mumbai(Maharashtra) has unveiled a new logo and brand identity. The new identity is designed to resonate with the evolving needs and aspirations of customers and enable people to live each day to the fullest.

• The tick has been transformed into a soaring bird, representing the Bank’s current position of ‘soaring’.
• the red and blue have been given an  electric tone, representing the high energy and innovation of the bank.

The bank also launched an integrated campaign with the tagline – ‘Life Ko Banao Rich’ which represents its core focus of being a complete solution provider.

• The campaign will be promoted across social and digital media, OTT(over-the-top) networks and television.
• The tagline reflects its objective to encourage customers to spend time and make memories with their loved ones.

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

India & 13 IPEF Partner Nations Concluded the IPEF Supply Chain AgreementOn May 27, 2023, India and the 13 other partner countries of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF), the Economic initiative led by the United States,  announced the substantial conclusion of the negotiations of a first-of-its-kind international ‘IPEF Supply Chain Agreement’ at the IPEF Ministerial Meeting which was held in Detroit, Michigan, the United States of America(USA).

Union Minister Piyush Goyal, Ministry of Commerce and Industry,  participated in the IPEF discussions virtually.

• Objective: The agreement over Supply Chain (Pillar II) aims to increase the resilience, efficiency, productivity, sustainability, transparency, diversification, security, fairness, and inclusivity of the 14 partner nations’ supply chains through both collaborative activities and individual actions taken by each IPEF partner.
• The 14 IPEF partner nations include India, the United States, Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Fiji, Indonesia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
• Under the IPEF Supply Chain Agreement, the IPEF partners seek to improve crisis coordination and response to supply chain disruptions.

About the United States (US):
President – Joseph Robinette Biden Jr.
Capital –  Washington, D.C.
Currency –  United States dollar (USD)
>> Read Full News

FDI Equity Inflows Declined by 22% to USD 46.03 billion in FY23: DPIIT DataAccording to the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) data, the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into India declined by 22% to USD (United States Dollar) 46.03 billion in FY23 as compared to USD 58.77 billion during FY22.
Top Investor in FY23:
Singapore emerged as the top investor with USD 17.2 billion in FDI. It was followed by Mauritius (USD 6.13 billion), the US (USD 6 billion), the United Arab Emirates (USD 3.35 billion), the Netherlands (USD 2.5 billion), Japan (USD 1.8 billion), United Kingdom (USD 1.73 billion), Cyprus (USD 1.27 billion), Cayman island (USD 772 million), and Germany (USD 547 million)

• The FDI inflows have contracted in FY23 from Mauritius, the United States (US), the Netherlands, the Cayman Islands, and Germany.

Top Investing State:
i.Maharashtra continued to be the most favoured destination for investors.

• It received USD 14.8 billion worth of investments, although inflows declined from USD 15.44 billion in FY22.

ii.It is followed by Karnataka at 2nd with around USD 10.43 billion in FY23, up from USD 22.01 billion in FY22.
iii.Delhi is at 3rd rank. Its FDI inflows declined to USD 7.53 billion, from USD 8.18 billion in FY22.
 iv.FDI in Gujarat has increased to USD 4.71 billion in FY23 as against USD 2.7 billion in FY22.

Key Points:
i.The overseas inflows during the March 2023 quarter (Q4 FY23) increased by 40.55% to USD 9.28 billion.
ii.Total FDI inflows, which include equity inflows, re-invested earnings and other capital, declined by 16% year-on-year (y-o-y) to USD 70.97 billion in FY23.
iii.The FDI equity inflows declined in January, February, and March in FY23 to USD 4.05 billion, USD 2.85 billion, and USD 2.38 billion, respectively as against USD 6.4 billion in January 2022, USD 4.61 billion in February 2022, and USD 4.6 billion in March of FY22.
iv.Computer software and hardware sector attracted the highest inflows of USD 9.4 billion during FY23, however, these inflows are down as compared to USD 14.5 billion in FY22.
v.FDI in the automobile industry dipped 72% to USD 1.9 billion in FY23 as compared to about USD 7 billion in FY22.
vi.The services sector including financial, banking, insurance, research and development, and courier services has seen USD 8.71 billion worth of FDI but contracted 41% y-o-y.

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS    

CAG Murmu re-elected as external auditor of WHO for 2024-2027
On May 29, 2023, Comptroller and Auditor General of India Girish Chandra Murmu was re-elected as the external auditor of the World Health Organization (WHO) for a four-year term from 2024 to 2027.

• He has been serving as the external auditor of WHO since 2020.
• The election was held on May 29, 2023 in the 76th World Health Assembly in Geneva, He got a majority (114 out of 156 votes) against Tanzania (42 votes). Seventy-nine votes were required for the majority.

About WHO’s External Auditor: 
The WHO External Auditor is the Auditor-General of a Member State appointed by and reporting to the Health Assembly.

• Auditor General of India was appointed as the WHO’s External Auditor from 2020 to 2023 succeeding Auditor General of the Republic of the Philippines who served 2 terms from 2012- 2019.

Term: The term of office is 4 years, and it can be extended once, by the World Health Assembly, for an additional 4 years.
Role: The External Auditor obtains assurance to express an opinion on the annual Audited Financial Statements and issues an annual report on their review and findings to the Health Assembly.
About Girish Chandra Murmu:
i.Girish Chandra Murmu, a1985 Batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of Gujarat Cadre, assumed office as the 14th Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India on 8th August 2020.
ii.He served as the first Lieutenant (Lt) Governor of the Union Territory (UT) of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) from 2019-2020 after the bifurcation of the state into two UTs.
iii.Girish Chandra Murmu is currently the external auditor of the Food and Agriculture Organization (2020-2025), the International Atomic Energy Agency (2022-2027), the International Labour Organisation (2024-2027) and the Organisation for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (2021-2023).
iv.GC Murmu is a Member of the United Nations Panel of External Auditors. He is also a member of the Governing Boards of the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI)and The Asian Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (ASOSAI).
About World Health Organisation (WHO):
Director General – Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
Headquarters – Geneva, Switzerland      

Sandeep Batra reappointed as ED of ICICI Bank for 2 years

The board of directors of ICICI Bank has approved the re-appointment of Sandeep Batra as Executive Director(ED) of ICICI Bank for 2 years with effect from 23rd December 2023 to 22nd December 2025.

• The current tenure of Sandeep Batra as ED is set to end on 22nd December 2023.
• In December 2020, Reserve Bank of India approved the appointment of Batra as the ED of ICICI Bank for a period of 3 years.

The Board noted that this renewed term of two years is within the five years term as previously approved by the shareholders.
Note: The board of directors has also reappointed Hari Mundra, B. Sriram and S. Madhavan as Independent Directors for a 2nd term, subject to the approval of the shareholders.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

China launches Shenzhou-16: First civilian astronaut joins space station mission for 5 months On May 30, 2023, China successfully launched the Shenzhou-16 manned spaceship, sending three astronauts, including the first civilian to its Tiangong space station for 5-month mission. It was launched onboard Long March-2F carrier rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in Gobi Desert in northwest China.

• For the first time, China has included a civilian in its rotating crew for the space station.
• The launch also marks the 475th flight mission of the Long March carrier rocket series.
• China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) is an agency of the People’s Republic of China responsible for the administration of China Manned Space Program.

Men Onboard:
i.First Chinese Civilian travel to Space: Gui Haichao, a professor at Beihang University in Beijing.
ii.Mission’s commander: Jing Haipeng, who is also making history by becoming the first Chinese astronaut to go into space for a record fourth time.
iii.The third is astronaut flight engineer Zhu Yangzhu who is also making his first journey into space.
Key Points:
i.These astronauts will conduct large-scale in-orbit tests and experiments in various fields, and make high-level scientific achievements in the study of novel quantum phenomena, high-precision space-time-frequency systems, the verification of general relativity, and the origin of life.
ii.The Shenzhou-16 will be the first crew mission after China’s space station programme entered the stage of application and development
iii.Once ready, China will be the only country to own a space station as the International Space Station (ISS) of Russia is a collaborative project of several countries.

• The ISS station is also set to be decommissioned by 2030.

iv.The notable feature of China’s space station is its two robotic arms, especially the long one which has the ability to grab objects, including satellites from space.
About China:
President– Xi Jinping
Capital– Beijing
Currency– Chinese Yuan

OBITUARY

Balubhau Dhanorkar, Congress MP from Maharashtra, Passed Away at 47 

On 30th May 2023, Balubhau Narayanrao (Alias Suresh) Dhanorkar, a member of the Indian National Congress(INC) and Member of Parliament(MP – Lok Sabha) from Chandrapur constituency, Maharashtra, passed away at the age of 47 in New Delhi, Delhi. He was born on  4th May 1975, in Yavatmal, Maharashtra.

• He began his political career with Shiv Sena and served as MLA (Maharashtra) from 2014 to 2019.
• In 2019, he joined INC and was elected to the lok sabha from Chandrapur constituency.
• He was the only candidate for INC to be elected as MP from Maharashtra.

Note: His wife, Pratibha Dhanorkar, is a Member of the Legislative Assembly(MLA) of Maharashtra.

BOOKS & AUTHORS

New Book ‘NTR: A Political Biography’ by Ramachandra Murthy Kondubhatla

Journalist, editor and writer, Ramachandra Murthy Kondubhatla, has authored a new book titled “NTR-A Political Biography” which presents a realistic picture of Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao (NTR), the star figure in the discourse on cinema and politics in the two Telugu States (Andhra Pradesh and Telangana).

• The book, published by HarperCollins India, commemorates the centenary year of NTR.
• The book uncovers many facets of, NTR’s life and his impact on Politics at the state and national level.

IMPORTANT DAYS

International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers 2023 – 29th May International Day of United Nations (UN) Peacekeepers is annually observed across the globe on 29th May to pay tribute to the UN Peacekeepers, the uniformed and civilian personnel, who protect civilians, actively prevent conflict, reduce violence, strengthen security and empower national authorities to assume these responsibilities.

• 2023 marks the 75th anniversary of UN Peacekeeping, which began in 1948 when the UN Security Council (UNSC) authorized the deployment of UN military observers to the Middle East.

The theme of the 75th anniversary of UN Peacekeeping/International Day of UN Peacekeepers is ‘Peace begins with me’. 
Background:
The United Nations General Assembly(UNGA) adopted the resolution A/RES/57/129 in 2002 and proclaimed the 29th May of every year as the “International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers”.
The first-ever International Day of UN Peacekeepers was observed on 29th May 2003.
>> Read Full News

International Everest Day 2023 – May 29 International Everest Day is annually celebrated on 29th May to commemorate the first-ever summit of Mount Everest by Sir Edmund Hillary of New Zealand and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa of Nepal on 29th May 1953.
Background: 
On 29th May 1953, New Zealand mountaineer Edmund Hillary and Sherpa mountaineer Tenzing Norgay reached the 29,035-foot summit of Mt Everest and became the first people to summit the world’s highest mountain.
About Mount Everest: 
i.Mount Everest is a peak in the Himalayan mountain range, which signifies that Mt. Everest is a fold mountain.
ii.It is located between Nepal and Tibet, an autonomous region of China.
At 8,848.86 meters (29,031 Feet), it is considered the tallest point on Earth.
>> Read Full News

World Digestive Health Day 2023 – May 29World Digestive Health Day (WDHD) is annually observed on May 29th all over the world to raise awareness and underline the significance of digestive disorders and emphasise the importance of timely diagnosis, prevention and treatment for gastrointestinal (GI) diseases or disorders including cancer.

• The day also creates better understanding and support for the patients experiencing digestive diseases by the general public.
• WDHD on 29th May 2023 marks the 64th anniversary of the World Gastroenterology Organisation (WGO) foundation.

The theme of World Digestive Health Day 2023 is “Your Digestive Health: A Healthy Gut From the Start“.

• The theme of 2023 focuses mainly about understanding the normal functions of GI tract and the importance of dietary needs in GI health.

Background:
i. World Digestive Health Day was officially established in 2004 to commemorate the 45th Anniversary of the World Gastroenterology Organisation (WGO) foundation, which was established in May 29th 1958.

• The first ever World Digestive Health Day was observed on 29th May 2004.

ii. From 2005, the Member Societies and members of the WGO all over the world were invited to start the World Digestive Health Day activities.
About World Gastroenterology Organisation (WGO):
President– Professor Guilherme Macedo (Portugal)
Headquarters– Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the United States of America (USA)
>> Read Full News

International Day of Action for Women’s Health 2023 – May 28International Day of Action for Women’s Health also known as International Women’s Health Day is observed across the globe annually on 28th May to raise awareness about Women’s health and well-being, and is dedicated by highlighting the demands for the fulfilment of Women’s Right to health.
The theme of International Day of Action for Women’s Health 2023 is “Our Voices, Our Actions, Our Demand: Uphold Women’s Health and Rights Now.”
Significance: 
i. The day also aims to fight against the social and gender disparities that violate women’s rights.
ii. The observance also provides information about Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR).
iii. May 28 is also a time to celebrate and take encouragement from the hard-fought gains in health and SRHR won by social movements worldwide.
Background:
i. OnMay 28th 1987, during the International Women’s Health Meeting in Costa Rica, the Latin American and Caribbean Women’s Health Network (LACWHN) proposed to celebrate May 28 annually as the International Day of Action for Women’s Health.
ii. LACWHN, being the leading regional network, took the responsibility of promoting and coordinating the regional actions of the day across Latin America.
iii. While Women’s Global Network for Reproductive Rights (WGNRR), the global network has been requested to front line the May 28 campaign globally.

• Since then, the Women’s health activists, advocates and their communities all over the world have commemorated May 28th as International Day of Action for Women’s Health.

About Women’s Global Network for Reproductive Rights (WGNRR):
Founded in– 1984
Executive Director– Marevic Parcon
Headquarters– Manila, Philippines
>> Read Full News

World Vape Day 2023- May 30

World Vape day is annually observed on May 30th across the globe to raise awareness about the alternatives to the tobacco products and highlight the safety of E-Cigarettes and their potential as harm reduction and smoking cessation tools.

• World Vape day on May 30 falls just a day before the World No Tobacco Day (May 31) of the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Note: Vaping is the inhaling of a vapour created by an electronic cigarette (E-cigarette).
Background:
World vape day was initiated by the World Vapers Alliance (WVA), which was established to defend vaping by providing a unified platform that makes vapers’ voices heard around the world.

• The World Vapers’ Alliance was first launched as an independent 501(c) (3) organisation, and now funded in part by the consumer advocacy group, Consumer Choice Centre.

E- Cigarette:
i. In 2003, Hon Lik, a Chinese pharmacist invented the modern electronic cigarettes or E-Cigarettes as an alternative to conventional smoking.
ii. The different types of E- Cigarettes include vape pens, vaporizers, e-pens, e-pipes, e-hookahs and e-cigars, which are all classified as Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems and Electronic non Nicotine Delivery Systems, or (EN&NNDS).

• EN&NNDS are a heterogeneous class of products that use an electrically powered coil to heat and turn a liquid into an aerosol, which is inhaled by the user.

iii. The main substances in the aerosol that raise health concern are metals such as chromium, nickel, and lead, and carbonyls, such as formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acrolein and glyoxal, which are potentially hazardous to users.
iv. Other substances in the aerosol of possible health concern are particulatematter and some flavourings such as diacetyl, cinnamaldehyde and benzaldehyde.
Tobacco Harm Reduction (THR)
i. Tobacco harm reduction involves providing tobacco users who are unwilling or unable to quit using nicotine products with less harmful nicotine-containing products for continued use.
ii. THR does not focus on the elimination of products or behaviours but highlights the use of less harmful nicotine products and provides various choices to the people who want to switch away from Smoking.

STATE NEWS

Odisha Cabinet led by Naveen Patnaik approved various Proposals including ‘Mo Ghara‘ SchemeOn May 29 2023, the Odisha Cabinet chaired by Chief Minister (CM) Naveen Patnaik approved 18 important proposals, including the new ‘Mo Ghara’ Scheme, (Government Housing Assistance in Rural Area)’.
About Mo Ghara Scheme:
Aim:
The scheme aims to provide financial assistance to meet the aspiration of the lower and lower-middle-income households of rural Odisha.
Implementing Agency: ‘Mo Ghara’ will be implemented through the Panchayati Raj (PR) and Drinking Water Department, Government of Odisha.
Features:
i. The scheme will cover all such families previously excluded from housing schemes due to stringent eligibility criteria or insufficient allocation and also those who had received smaller housing assistance in the past and now wish to expand their houses.
Eligibility:
AI for youth is eligible for students (below 18) of 2000 5T schools of phase 1 and Odisha Adarsh Vidyalayas.
About Odisha:
Chief Minister– Naveen Patnaik
Governor– Ganeshi Lal
Dance– Ghumura Dance and Ranapa Dance (Folk type)
>> Read Full News

Goa Raj Bhavan launches first books under Governor’s scheme to boost local literary talent 

On May 29th 2023,  Governor of Goa, P. S. Sreedharan Pillai, unveiled the 5 books, published by Raj Bhavan in Goa under ‘Nai Pahal’ scheme, in the presence of Goan writer & Jnanpith Award winner Damodar Mauzo.

• The 5 books were authored by Sanjay Ramesh Salelkar (Konkani), Pallavi Polekar (Marathi), Advocate Manohar Adpaikar (Marathi) and two book by Pachu Menon in English

About Nai Pahal: 
i.The Nai Pahal scheme was launched by the government of Goa in February 2023 to promote and sponsor young writers and support them to publish their first book.
ii.The writers were offered to chose from 7 genres ranging from fiction, non-fiction, poems, autobiography or anthology of stories.
iii.The scheme proposed to publish 60 books among (25 in Konkani; 25 in Marathi and 10 in Hindi and Sanskrit).

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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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