01st-02nd June, 2023

1. Ministry of Electronics & IT has launched the Electronics Repair Service Outsourcing (ERSO) Pilot initiative.
2. National Training Centre for Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has been established at Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh.
3. India launched Asia’s first performance-based navigation system for helicopters for a flight from Juhu to Pune using GAGAN satellite technology.
4. Union Cabinet has approved the constitution of an Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) for facilitation of the “World’s Largest Grain Storage Plan in Cooperative Sector”.
5. Union Cabinet has approved to establish a Regional Office of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) in New Delhi.
6. Central Government has approved the City Investments to Innovate, Integrate and Sustain (CITIIS) 2.0 to support projects promoting a circular economy with focus on integrated urban management.
7. The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-IN) has issued an advisory regarding ‘Daam,’ which is an Android malware that is ‘capable of stealing sensitive data, bypassing antivirus programs, and deploying ransomware on the targeted devices.’
8. Maharashtra has launched “Namo Shetkari Sanman Yojana” under which farmers get ₹6,000 a year as minimum income support.
9. Uttar Pradesh govt has proposed to set up a ‘Digital Kumbh Museum’ to be built at the cost of Rs 60 crores.
10. Kerala government has launched a project for transforming every rooftop in Thiruvananthapuram into a solar energy-producing station.
11. Indian Navy landed an MH-60 ‘Romeo’ multi-mission helicopter on the indigenously-built aircraft carrier INS Vikrant.
12. State-owned RITES Ltd has signed an MoU with Power Finance Corporation (PFC) to explore avenues of mutual collaboration for consultancy works in various sectors.
13. The 76th edition of the World Health Assembly was held in Geneva, Switzerland, from 21-30 May 2023 on the theme of “WHO at 75: Saving lives, driving health for all”.
14. The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) has significantly expanded the scale of its Centralized Laboratory Network (CLN) – the epidemic and pandemic vaccine testing laboratory network.
15. UAE Space Agency has announced to launch the Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt (EMA) on a spacecraft named MBR Explorer.
16. Food and Agriculture Organization and World Food Program have released “Hunger Hotspots: FAO-WFP early warnings on acute food insecurity (June-November 2023) Outlook”.
17. International Labour Organization has released the 11th edition of “World of Work” report.
18. The Passport Index by Arton Capital is the first real-time interactive platform to display, sort, and rank the world’s passports.
19. According to the Dubai FDI Monitor, India ranked among the Top 5 source countries for announced FDI projects and estimated FDI capital of Dubai in calendar year 2022.
20. Kiwi, a credit card platform, has launched a new solution called “Credit on UPI” for customers, in collaboration with NPCI.
21. Yubi, an online debt marketplace that connects borrowers and lenders for various credit products, has partnered with Indian Bank to extend digital supply chain financing solutions to small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs).
22. Bajaj Allianz Life has launched “Bajaj Allianz Life Diabetic Term Plan Sub 8 HbA1c” – an exclusive term insurance plan for Type 2 diabetic and pre-diabetic individuals.
23. Reserve Bank Innovation Hub (RBIH) has partnered with IIT Madras Research Park (IITMRP) and IIT Madras Incubation Cell (IITMIC) to collaborate on the development of voice-driven banking solutions.
24. Reserve Bank of India has proposed lightweight payment and settlement system (LPSS) in its annual report for 2023-24.
25. SEBI came out with exhaustive guidelines for Investor Protection Fund (IPF) and Investor Services Fund (ISF) maintained by stock exchanges and depositories.
26. The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has launched “e-appeal” scheme to reduce pendency of appeals related to Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) default issues and tax collection at source (TCS).
27. Sachin Tendulkar has been named as the ‘Smile Ambassador’ for Maharashtra’s Swachh Mukh Abhiyan, a campaign that promotes oral hygiene.
28. Ashwani Kumar has been appointed as the new MD and CEO of city-based public sector UCO Bank.
29. Amarendu Prakash has taken charge as the new Chairman and Managing Director of Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL).
30. Krithivasan has assumed the charge of the CEO of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), India’s largest IT services company.
31. Ajay Yadav has assumed the charge of Managing Director at Solar Energy Corporation of India Limited (SECI).
32. May 30 – World Multiple Sclerosis Day; Theme – Connections
33. May 31 – World No Tobacco Day; Focus – Grow food, not tobacco
34. June 1 – Global Day of Parents; Theme – The power of parenting: raising happy, healthy and hopeful children
35. June 1 – World Milk Day; Theme – Showcasing how dairy is reducing its environmental footprint, while also providing nutritious foods and livelihoods
36. JSW Steel, a leading integrated steel manufacturer, has received GreenPro ecolabel for its ‘Automotive Steel’ products from JSW Steel Vijayanagar.
37. Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, has named 0.5-metre diameter enclosed free-jet hypersonic wind tunnel after late scientist and leader Professor Roddam Narasimha.
38. Goan writer Damodar Mauzo has won the 57th Jnanpith Award, the country’s highest literary honour.
39. AIIMS-Nagpur has become the first AIIMS in the country to receive the prestigious NABH (National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers) accreditation.
40. Vellayani Arjunan (Indian writer, scholar, and linguist from Kerala) has passed away.
41. Noted Sanskrit scholar Ved Kumari Ghai has passed away.

National News

1. Ministry of Electronics & IT has launched the Electronics Repair Service Outsourcing (ERSO) Pilot initiative.
   • India aims to become the Repair Capital of the World. India aims to become the most attractive repair destination for ICT products globally.
   • Over the next 5 years, India’s ERSO industry is likely to fetch India a up to $20 billion in revenue and generate millions of jobs.
   • The pilot for outsourcing is being tested in Bengaluru. Five companies, namely Flex, Lenovo, CTDI, R-Logic & Aforeserve have volunteered for the pilot.

2. National Training Centre for Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has been established at Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh.
   • The training centre is named as “Lok Swasth Arpan Bhawan”.
   • An e-learning app named Food Safety and Certification (FoSTaC), developed by FSSAI, containing learning and training modules about food safety guidelines, such as proper food handling, storage, and hygiene practices etc., for street vendors was also launched.
   • Dr Mandaviya also released two books developed by FSSAI – Millets (Shree Anna) Recipes- A Healthy Menu for Mess/Canteens and Healthy Gut, Healthy You – Traditional recipes with potential probiotic benefits.
     Source: PIB
3. India launched Asia’s first performance-based navigation system for helicopters for a flight from Juhu to Pune using GAGAN satellite technology.
   • Purpose – to enhances accuracy, allowing for high quality air traffic management
   • GAGAN refers to GPS Aided GEO Augmented Navigation.
   • It is a space-based augmentation system for providing the best possible navigational services over the Indian FIR (Flight Information Region) with the capability of expanding to neighbouring FIRs.

4. Union Cabinet has approved the constitution of an Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) for facilitation of the “World’s Largest Grain Storage Plan in Cooperative Sector”.
   • The plan aims to converge various schemes of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and Ministry of Food Processing Industries
   • An Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) will be constituted under the Chairmanship of Minister of Cooperation.
   • The Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Minister of Food Processing Industries and Secretaries will be members.
   • Ministry of Cooperation will implement a pilot project in at least 10 selected Districts of different States/ UTs.
   • Following schemes have been identified for convergence under the Plan –

• Manner of implementation of the plan –
  • A National Level Coordination Committee will be created.
  • A portal for the linkage of PACS with Govt. of India and State Governments will be created.

Source: PIB

5. Union Cabinet has approved to establish a Regional Office of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) in New Delhi.
   Source: PM India
6. Central Government has approved the City Investments to Innovate, Integrate and Sustain (CITIIS) 2.0 to support projects promoting a circular economy with focus on integrated urban management.
   • Tenure – 2023-2027
   • Partners – French Development Agency (AFD), Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW), the European Union (EU), and the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA)
   • Funding support – A loan of Rs 1,760 crore or 200 million Euros with AFD and KfW contributing 100 million Euros each and a technical assistance grant of Rs 106 crore (EUR 12 million) from the EU
   • CITIIS 1.0 was launched jointly in 2018 by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, AFD, EU, and NIUA, with a total outlay of Rs 933 crore.
     Source: Indian Express
7. The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-IN) has issued an advisory regarding ‘Daam,’ which is an Android malware that is ‘capable of stealing sensitive data, bypassing antivirus programs, and deploying ransomware on the targeted devices.’
   Source: HT

State News

1. Maharashtra has launched “Namo Shetkari Sanman Yojana” under which farmers get ₹6,000 a year as minimum income support.
   • The scheme will be launched on the lines of the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi.
   • Under the NSSY, the state government will provide an additional amount of ₹6,000 along with ₹6,000 to be released by the Central government under the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi.
   • Once approved, the farmers in the state will be able to get a sum of ₹12,000 every year.
     Source: HT
2. Uttar Pradesh govt has proposed to set up a ‘Digital Kumbh Museum’ to be built at the cost of Rs 60 crores.
   • The Mahakumbh will be held in 2025.
     Source: ET
3. Kerala government has launched a project for transforming every rooftop in Thiruvananthapuram into a solar energy-producing station.
   • This project will be led by the Agency for New and Renewable Energy Research and Technology (Anert).
   • Purpose – to position the state capital as one of the largest ‘solar cities’ in the country
     Source: ET

Defence News

1. Indian Navy landed an MH-60 ‘Romeo’ multi-mission helicopter on the indigenously-built aircraft carrier INS Vikrant.
   • MH-60R helicopter manufactured by Lockheed Martin Corporation is an all-weather helicopter designed to support multiple missions with state-of-the-art avionics and sensors.
   • On the aircraft carrier, the night landing of the Russian-origin MiG-29K took place when the ship was sailing in the Arabian Sea.
     Source: LiveMint

Memorandum of Understanding

1. State-owned RITES Ltd has signed an MoU with Power Finance Corporation (PFC) to explore avenues of mutual collaboration for consultancy works in various sectors.
   • They will explore avenues in areas, including transport and logistics, energy, water and sanitation, communication, social and commercial infrastructure.
     Source: ET

International News

1. The 76th edition of the World Health Assembly was held in Geneva, Switzerland, from 21-30 May 2023 on the theme of “WHO at 75: Saving lives, driving health for all”.
   • The World Health Assembly is the decision-making body of WHO.

2. The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) has significantly expanded the scale of its Centralized Laboratory Network (CLN) – the epidemic and pandemic vaccine testing laboratory network.
   • An additional five members based in Africa and India have joined its Centralized Laboratory Network (CLN), which now has 15 partner facilities in 13 countries.
   • The CLN is the largest global group to standardise and accelerate the evaluation of vaccines against epidemic and pandemic diseases.
   • CEPI has set a 100 Days Mission to reduce vaccine development timelines to just 100 days, after identifying a new pathogen with epidemic or pandemic potential.
   • From India, the Indian Council of Medical Research National Institute of Virology (ICMR NIV) has joined the network.
   • Senegal, Kenya, South Africa, and Uganda are the four African nations which have joined the network.

3. UAE Space Agency has announced to launch the Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt (EMA) on a spacecraft named MBR Explorer.
   • The ambitious mission was first announced in October 2021 and according to the latest update, it is scheduled for launch in 2028.
     Source: WION

Reports and Indices

1. Food and Agriculture Organization and World Food Program have released “Hunger Hotspots: FAO-WFP early warnings on acute food insecurity (June-November 2023) Outlook”.

2. International Labour Organization has released the 11th edition of “World of Work” report.
   • In 2023, the global jobs gap is projected to stand at 453 million people (or 11.7%), more than double the level of unemployment.
   • The jobs gap is much higher among women (14.5%) than men (9.8%).
   • Low-income countries face the largest jobs gap rate at 21.5%, while the rate in middle-income countries stands slightly above 11%. High-income countries register the lowest rates, at 8.2%.
   • ILO’s jobs gap indicator includes all persons who would like to work but do not have a job.

3. The Passport Index by Arton Capital is the first real-time interactive platform to display, sort, and rank the world’s passports.
   • India’s rank in the Passport Index as of June 2023 –

Source: Arton

Banking and Economy

1. According to the Dubai FDI Monitor, India ranked among the Top 5 source countries for announced FDI projects and estimated FDI capital of Dubai in calendar year 2022.
   • India accounted for 12% of announced FDI projects in Dubai in 2022. Only the US (20%) and UK (13%) are ahead of India.
   • Dubai ranks No. 1 as the Destination City for foreign direct investment (FDI) from India in calendar year 2022.
   • In value terms, FDI from India stood at $545.52 million in 2022 compared to $363.85 million in 2021.
     Source: MoneyControl
2. Kiwi, a credit card platform, has launched a new solution called “Credit on UPI” for customers, in collaboration with NPCI.
   • The solution makes Kiwi the first app in India to provide “Credit on UPI” by issuing Rupay Cards in collaboration with banks.
     Source: MoneyControl
3. Yubi, an online debt marketplace that connects borrowers and lenders for various credit products, has partnered with Indian Bank to extend digital supply chain financing solutions to small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs).
   Source: HBL
4. Bajaj Allianz Life has launched “Bajaj Allianz Life Diabetic Term Plan Sub 8 HbA1c” – an exclusive term insurance plan for Type 2 diabetic and pre-diabetic individuals.
   • This is first of its kind protection plan in the Indian life insurance industry.
   • India is also referred to as ‘diabetes capital of the world’ with the diabetic population expected to hit an alarming mark of 9 million by 2025 and 80 million by 2030.
     Source: LiveMint
5. Reserve Bank Innovation Hub (RBIH) has partnered with IIT Madras Research Park (IITMRP) and IIT Madras Incubation Cell (IITMIC) to collaborate on the development of voice-driven banking solutions.
   • The voice-based banking solution aims to enable basic banking transactions through voice commands in multiple Indian languages, starting with Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and English.
   • To mark this collaboration, IITMRP, IITMIC, and RBIH, in partnership with leading banks such as SBI, Axis Bank, Kotak Mahindra, and IDFC First, organised a voice banking hackathon called ‘Vaulter Voice’ at the IIT Madras Research Park campus.
     Source: ET
6. Reserve Bank of India has proposed lightweight payment and settlement system (LPSS) in its annual report for 2023-24.
   • This payment system can be operated from anywhere by a bare minimum staff in order to be prepared to face extreme situations such as natural calamities and war, and would be made active only on a need basis.
   • The LPSS, which will operate independently of existing payment systems like RTGS, NEFT, and UPI, aims to provide a portable and resilient solution during natural calamities and wartime situations.
     Source: LiveMint
7. SEBI came out with exhaustive guidelines for Investor Protection Fund (IPF) and Investor Services Fund (ISF) maintained by stock exchanges and depositories.
   • All stock exchanges and depositories will have to establish an IPF. The IPF of the stock exchange and depository will be administered through separate trusts created for the purpose.
   • Composition of an IPF Trust – five trustees — three Public Interest Directors, one representative from the investor associations, and a chief regulatory officer or compliance officer and the maximum tenure of a trustee (excluding the chief regulatory officer or compliance officer) would be five years.
   • Stock exchanges will have to contribute 1% of the listing fees received every quarter and the entire interest earned on the security deposit kept by the issuer companies at the time of the offering of securities for subscription to the public and penalty collected by exchanges from trading members.
   • Depositories must contribute 5% of their profits from depository operations every year, all fines and penalties recovered from depository participants (DPs) and other users including and income received out of any investments made from the IPF.
     Source: ET
8. The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has launched “e-appeal” scheme to reduce pendency of appeals related to Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) default issues and tax collection at source (TCS).
   • The scheme empowers the Joint Commissioner (Appeals) to send show cause notice, initiate penalty under the relevant provisions of the Act.
   • The Finance Bill has already been amended to insert the new designation – New Joint Commissioner (Appeals) in the Income Tax Act.
   • The CBDT will deploy about 100 posts of joint commissioners of the income tax department for this purpose.
     Source: ET

Appointments

1. Sachin Tendulkar has been named as the ‘Smile Ambassador’ for Maharashtra’s Swachh Mukh Abhiyan, a campaign that promotes oral hygiene.
   • The Swachh Mukh Abhiyaan is a national campaign undertaken by the Indian Dental Association to improve oral health and hygiene and educate people about its importance.
     Source: ET
2. National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) Limited CMD Gurdeep Singh has been given additional charge of the CMD of NEEPCO.

3. Ashwani Kumar has been appointed as the new MD and CEO of city-based public sector UCO Bank.
   • Prior to this, he was the executive director of the state-owned Indian Bank.
   • The bank is headquartered in Kolkata and has 43 Zonal Offices spread across India.
   • UCO Bank was established in 1943.

4. Amarendu Prakash has taken charge as the new Chairman and Managing Director of Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL).

5. Krithivasan has assumed the charge of the CEO of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), India’s largest IT services company.
   Source: LiveMint
6. Ajay Yadav has assumed the charge of Managing Director at Solar Energy Corporation of India Limited (SECI).
   • SECI, a Miniratna Category-I Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) established in 2011, serves as the primary implementing agency for renewable energy schemes and projects under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.
     Source: LiveMint

Important Days

1. May 30 – World Multiple Sclerosis Day; Theme – Connections
   • On this day, the MS Connections campaign was organized to building community connection, self-connection and connections to quality care.
   • The campaign tagline is ‘I Connect, We Connect’ and the campaign hashtag is #MS Connections.
   • The theme colour of MS Day is
   • Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), under Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, organized the activities on this day in India.

2. May 31 – World No Tobacco Day; Focus – Grow food, not tobacco
   • Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has launched the OTT (over the top) guidelines for depiction of tobacco products.
   • Thus, India became the first country in the world to make it mandatory for OTT platforms to display anti-tobacco warnings and disclaimers as seen in movies screened in theatres and television programmes.
   • Ministry of Health and Family Welfare organized a hybrid event to observe World No Tobacco Day 2023 in New Delhi. The theme of World No Tobacco Day this year is “We Need Food, Not Tobacco.
     Source: WHO and PIB
3. June 1 – Global Day of Parents; Theme – The power of parenting: raising happy, healthy and hopeful children
   Source: UN
4. June 1 – World Milk Day; Theme – Showcasing how dairy is reducing its environmental footprint, while also providing nutritious foods and livelihoods

Source: The Quint, and NDDB

Awards

1. JSW Steel, a leading integrated steel manufacturer, has received GreenPro ecolabel for its ‘Automotive Steel’ products from JSW Steel Vijayanagar.
   • The GreenPro Ecolabel has been developed by the Confederation of Indian Industry’s Green Business Centre to recognise the highest standards of environmental sustainability and product performance in the Indian manufacturing sector.
     Source: HBL
2. Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, has named 5-metre diameter enclosed free-jet hypersonic wind tunnel after late scientist and leader Professor Roddam Narasimha.
   • The tunnel will be named as ‘Roddam Narasimha Hypersonic Wind Tunnel’.
     Source: Swarajyamag
3. Goan writer Damodar Mauzo has won the 57th Jnanpith Award, the country’s highest literary honour.
   • Mauzo’s 25 books have been published in Konkani and one in English. Many of his books have also been translated in different languages.
   • Mauzo’s famous novel ‘Karmelin’ received the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1983.
   • Mauzo is the second Goan to receive the Jnanpith Award. Earlier, Ravindra Kelekar from the coastal state got the award in 2008.
   • Instituted in 1961, Jnanpith Award is the oldest and the highest Indian literary award presented annually by the Bharatiya Jnanpith to an author for their “outstanding contribution towards literature”.
     Source: ET and Chronicle India
4. AIIMS-Nagpur has become the first AIIMS in the country to receive the prestigious NABH (National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers) accreditation.

Source: TOI and NABH

Miscellaneous

1. Vellayani Arjunan (Indian writer, scholar, and linguist from Kerala) has passed away.
   Source: TOI
2. Noted Sanskrit scholar Ved Kumari Ghai has passed away.
   Source: News on Air

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