18th May, 2024
Sela Tunnel, NCBC, KalBaisakhi, Africa, SAARC, LankaPay, LUPEX, Forbes 2024, May 17: The United Nations (UN) World Telecommunication and Information Society Day, May 17: World Hypertension Day (WHD), 3rd Friday of May (17th May, in 2024): Endangered Species Day (ESD), Federation Cup 2024, Elorda Cup, IESA, Chad, Croatia, Right to property
- Sela Tunnel, has been recognised as India’s Highest Tunnel by International Book of Honour
- NCBC recommends increase in reservation quota for OBCs in West Bengal, Punjab
- India’s first research testbed to study Nor’westers getting ready
- Second India-US Strategic Dialogue on Africa held in Washington DC
- Secretary General of SAARC paid an official visit to India
- PhonePe collaborates with LankaPay to promote UPI payment acceptance in Sri Lanka
- India-Japan joint moon mission Lunar Polar Exploration Mission (LUPEX)
- Forbes 2024 World’s Highest paid Athletes
- May 17: The United Nations (UN) World Telecommunication and Information Society Day
- May 17: World Hypertension Day (WHD)
- 3rd Friday of May (17th May, in 2024): Endangered Species Day (ESD)
- Olympic Champion Neeraj Chopra Wins Gold At Federation Cup 2024
- World champion Nikhat Zareen and Minakshi clinched gold medals as the Indian team concluded their Elorda Cup 2024 campaign.
- FICCI and IESA sign MoU to foster innovation in semiconductor industry
- Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno has been elected as the President of the Republic of Chad
- Andrej Plenkovic appointed as Prime Minister of Croatia
- State cannot acquire property without proper procedure: Supreme Court (SC)
Table of Content
National News
- Sela Tunnel, has been recognised as India’s Highest Tunnel by International Book of Honour
- What: Arunachal Pradesh’s Sela Tunnel has been recognised as India’s Highest Tunnel by the International Book of Honour (IBH).
- Tell me more:
- Tunnel constructed by: Border roads organization (BRO), with construction carried out by Patel Engineering Limited.
- Tunnel Altitude: 13,000 feet
- Length of Tunnel: 2.598 Km
- Cost of the project: Rs. 825 crore
- Constructed under the Project VARTAK
- Project Vartak: Initially known as Project Tusker, it was renamed Project Vartak in 1963. Its primary focus area was constructing and maintaining roads between Bhalukpong and Tenga in Arunachal Pradesh.
- Over time, the project’s mandate grew to encompass a wider area, including construction and maintenance of roads in the entire state of Arunachal Pradesh and some adjoining districts of Assam.
- Note: Also, the Sela Tunnel is the world’s longest bi-lane tunnel constructed on the road connecting Tezpur, Assam to Tawang in the West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh.
- The project comprises 2 tunnels and an interconnecting road.
- Tunnel 1 is a 980-meter-long single-tube tunnel, while Tunnel 2 is a 1,555-meter-long twin-tube tunnel.
- One tube in Tunnel 2 is designed for regular traffic, while the other is reserved for emergency use.
Source: India Today
| Knowledge Nuggets - |
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| - Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated the Sela Tunnel project during the Viksit Bharat Viksit North East programme in Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh on March 09, 2024. - International Book of Honour (IBH): IBH established in England is a visionary movement dedicated to recognise outstanding achievements across diverse domains, highlighting exceptional individuals and communities globally. |
- NCBC recommends increase in reservation quota for OBCs in West Bengal, Punjab
- What: The National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) has recommended an increase in the reservation quota for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in public employment in Punjab and West Bengal.
- Note: If the Government does not agree with its recommendation, it must provide the written reasons for the same.
- Tell me more:
- Punjab:
- Currently: Punjab allocates 25% of public employment positions to Scheduled Castes and 12% to OBCs, totaling 37% reservation.
- The NCBC proposes enhancing the OBC quota by an additional 13%, bringing the total OBC reservation in public employment to 25%.
- This adjustment will adhere to the Supreme Court’s ceiling of up to 50% reservation for socially and educationally backward classes.
- West Bengal:
- West Bengal’s OBC categorization includes 35 newly included castes/communities.
- As of now, 143 communities are included in the state List of OBCs, out of which 83 belong to the Muslim religion.
- Reservation quota for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes is 22%, 6% and 17% respectively.
- The NCBC recommends increasing the remaining 5% quota in public employment under the control of the state government to comply with the Supreme Court’s direction of up to 50% reservation for OBCs.
Source: The Hindu
- Punjab:
- What: The National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) has recommended an increase in the reservation quota for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in public employment in Punjab and West Bengal.
| Knowledge Nuggets - |
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| About National Commission for Backward Classes(NCBC) - The NCBC was set up as a statutory body under the NCBC Act, 1993. - It has been accorded Constitutional Status through 102nd Constitution Amendment Act, 2018 with insertion of Article 338B. - The commission consists of a Chairperson, Vice Chairperson and three other Members in the rank & pay of Secretary to the Government of India. - NCBC investigates and monitors all matters related to the safeguards provided for the socially and educationally backward classes. - The Commission will advise the Central Government on OBC inclusion/exclusion requests from state or central governments. - NCBC present report to the President, annually and at such other times as the commission may deem fit. |
- India’s first research testbed to study Nor’westers getting ready
- What: India is establishing its first research testbed to study severe thunderstorms known as Nor’westers or Kalbaisakhi
- These storms primarily affect the eastern and northeastern regions of the country. The proposed facility will cover a large area adjoining West Bengal, Odisha, and Jharkhand.
- Tell me more:
- Purpose: The research testbed aims to study thunderstorms from their formation stage, growth, and propagation over eastern parts of India.
- Equipment: It will be equipped with drones, a 100-meter flux tower, and other high-end instruments.
- Collaboration: The India Meteorological Department (IMD), the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) in Pune, and the National Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF) in Delhi will jointly develop and use this facility.
- Location: The control center will be at Chandbali in the Bhadrak district of Odisha.
- Timelines: The facility is expected to be completed by 2026.
- Impact: The data generated from this facility will help forecasters make timely thunderstorm predictions and ultimately save lives.
Source: Indian Express
International News
- Second India-US Strategic Dialogue on Africa held in Washington DC
- What: The second round of the India-US Dialogue on Africa took place in Washington DC on 14-15 May 2024.
- Why: The dialogue aims to share ideas, explore synergies, and identify developmental projects in Africa, leveraging the strengths of both India and the US.
- Tell me more:
- Delegations led by: The Indian delegation was jointly led by Shri Puneet R. Kundal, and Shri Sevala N. Mude.
- On the US side, Ms. Mary Catherine Phee, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, led the discussions.
- Note: This marks the first such dialogue between the two countries after the inclusion of the African Union as a permanent member of the G20 during India’s presidency of the G20.
Source: MEA.GOV.IN
- Delegations led by: The Indian delegation was jointly led by Shri Puneet R. Kundal, and Shri Sevala N. Mude.
| Knowledge Nuggets - |
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| Initiatives by India to engage Africa - Kampala Principles (2018): 10 guiding principles outlined by Indian PM for India-Africa partnership, including developing together as equals, local partnerships, etc. - Asia-Africa Growth Corridor: Initiative, launched by India, to enhance cooperation with African countries in partnership with Japan. - Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation: Offers capacitybuilding opportunities to professionals and students from African countries. - Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief: Op Sahayata to assist cyclone-hit Mozambique in 2019 and Op Vanilla to provide relief to flood victims in Madagascar in 2020. |
- Secretary General of SAARC paid an official visit to India
- What: Secretary General of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), H.E. Mr. Md. Golam Sarwar paid an official visit to India and interacted with the authorities of the Government of India on issues of cooperation in SAARC.
- It was Secretary General’s first official visit to any of the Member States of SAARC.
- India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Nepal, Bhutan, and Maldives are members of SAARC
- Tell me more:
- SAARC has been largely dysfunctional since 2016 when the 19th Summit, scheduled to be held in Pakistan, was cancelled due to concerns about cross-border terrorism.
- Since then, India has focused on bolstering cooperation with countries in South Asia through other groupings such as Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) and Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal (BBIN) initiative.
Source: MEA.GOV.IN
| Knowledge Nuggets - |
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| Achievements of SAARC - Signing of South Asian Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA) to reduce customs duties. Establishment of institutions like South Asian University (New Delhi), SAARC international college (Bangladesh). - Establishment of SAARC development fund, for the welfare of member countries. |
Banking and Economy
- PhonePe collaborates with LankaPay to promote UPI payment acceptance in Sri Lanka
- What: PhonePe, has partnered with Sri Lanka’s Lanka Pay, owned by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (equivalent to Reserve bank of India), to facilitate Unified Payments Interface (UPI) transactions for its users in Sri Lanka.
- Tell me more:
- PhonePe announced that its app users travelling to Sri Lanka can now make payments using UPI across LankaPayQR merchants nationwide.
- The users account will be debited in INR, showing the currency exchange rate.
- These transactions are facilitated by the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and LankaPay National Payment Network.
Source: PhonePe
| Knowledge Nuggets - |
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| About LankaPay - Incorporated in 2002, LankaPay is Sri Lanka’s National Payment Network. - Owned by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka and all licenced commercial banks in the country. - In 2020, under the guidance of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, LankaPay launched LankaQR. - Currently there are 19 local banks and finance companies connected to the LankaQR network with approximately 400,000 merchants across the country. |
Science and Technology
- India-Japan joint moon mission Lunar Polar Exploration Mission (LUPEX)
- What: The Lunar Polar Exploration Mission (LUPEX) is a collaborative venture between the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
- Why: The mission aims to Investigate the quantity and quality of water on the Moon.
- Tell me more:
- Components of the mission
- Lander: Built by ISRO.
- Rover: Developed by JAXA.
- Launch Date: Slated for no earlier than 2025 using Japan’s new H3 rocket.
Source: The Print
- Components of the mission
Awards
- Forbes 2024 World’s Highest paid Athletes
- What: Forbes’ released the list of World’s Highest-Paid Athletes 2024 featuring top 50 highest paid athletes.
- The total earnings of the top 50 highest paid athletes in the past 12 months is USD 3.88 billion.
- This marks a 13% increase compared to 2023 record mark of USD 3.44 billion.
- For the 2024 list, Forbes tracked income from May 1, 2023, to May 1, 2024.
- Top 5 in The World’s Highest-Paid Athletes 2024
- Other facts
- The world’s 10 highest-paid athletes collectively earned USD 1.38 billion over the past 12 months, which is the highest total ever.
- The NBA (National Basketball Association) has the most players on the list of any sport at 19, followed by National Football League (NFL) with 11 and soccer at 3rd with 8.
- The 2024 list does not feature any women athletes.
- In 2023 Serena Williams was the only woman among the world’s highest-paid athletes, since she retired in 2023, she is no longer eligible.
- No women made the list from 2017 to 2019.
Source: Forbes
Important Days
- May 17: The United Nations (UN) World Telecommunication and Information Society Day
- What: The United Nations (UN) World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD) is annually observed across the globe on 17 May
- Why: To raise awareness of the benefits of the Internet and other information and communication technologies (ICT).
- Theme for 2024: Digital Innovation for Sustainable Development.”
Source: News18
| Knowledge Nuggets - |
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| About International Telecommunication Union (ITU): - Secretary-General- Doreen Bogdan-Martin Established in 1865 |
- May 17: World Hypertension Day (WHD)
- What: The World Health Organization (WHO) annually observes the World Hypertension Day (WHD) on 17 May
- Why: To increase awareness of Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure (BP), and stimulate global action to combat high blood pressure.
- Theme for 2024: “Measure Your Blood Pressure Accurately, Control It, Live Longer.”
Source: India Today
| Knowledge Nuggets - |
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| - The 6th World Hypertension Congress, which will be held in Chennai, India from February 21 to 23, 2025. - The theme of this congress is "Controlling Hypertension Together." - On WHD 2024, the WHL recognised the WHL 2024 Excellence Award Winners for their contributions to global hypertension prevention and control. - Following awards were received by India Norman Campbell Excellence Award in Population Hypertension Prevention and Control: Recipient: Prof. (Dr) Balram Bhargava Affiliation: AIIMS, New Delhi, India Achievement: Recognized for leadership in hypertension prevention and control in India. Organizational Excellence Award in Population Global Hypertension Control: Recipient: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India Representatives: Dr. L. Swasticharan (Addl. Deputy Director General), Indian Council of Medical Research Achievement: Honored for their efforts in population-level hypertension control |
- 3rd Friday of May (17th May, in 2024): Endangered Species Day (ESD)
- What: Endangered Species Day (ESD) is annually observed across the globe on the 3rd Friday in May,
- Why: To raise awareness about the endangered species, an animal or plant that is considered at risk of extinction.
- ESD 2024 was observed on 17th May 2024.
- Theme of ESD 2024 is “Celebrate Saving Species”.
Source: Indian Express
Sports
- Olympic Champion Neeraj Chopra Wins Gold At Federation Cup 2024
- What: 2020 Tokyo Olympics Gold medalist Neeraj Chopra won the Gold medal in the men’s Javelin with 82.27 meter(m) throw in 27th National Federation Senior Athletics Competition 2024.
- Venue: Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.
- Note: This was the first time for Neeraj Chopra has participated in an
- Last time, he competed at the Federation Cup in 2021 and won a gold medal with an 87.80 m throw.
- Other winners: DP Manu from Karnataka won the Silver medal with 82.06m throw and Uttam Balasaheb Patil from Maharashtra won the Bronze medal with 78.39m.
Source: Olympics
- Highlights of Elorda Cup
- What: World champion Nikhat Zareen and Minakshi clinched gold medals as the Indian team concluded their Elorda Cup 2024 campaign.
- The Elorda Cup is a boxing tournament.
- Total medal won by India: 12 medals (2 gold, 2 silvers, 8 bronze medals).
- With this India has surpassed the previous record of winning five medals.
- Hosted by: Astana, Kazakhstan.
Source: FirstPost
- What: World champion Nikhat Zareen and Minakshi clinched gold medals as the Indian team concluded their Elorda Cup 2024 campaign.
Memorandum of Understanding
- FICCI and IESA sign MoU to foster innovation in semiconductor industry
- What: Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) signed a MoU with India Electronics and Semiconductor Association (IESA).
- Why: To promote innovation, bolster the semiconductor and electronics industry and fortify supply chains.
- This collaboration aims to establish a joint task force on semiconductors and future critical technologies, conduct technology consultative roundtables, and foster business partnerships.
Source: Zee Business
- This collaboration aims to establish a joint task force on semiconductors and future critical technologies, conduct technology consultative roundtables, and foster business partnerships.
Appointment
- Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno has been elected as the President of the Republic of Chad
- What: Chad’s military leader, Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno has been elected as the President of the Republic of Chad.
Source: AP News
- What: Chad’s military leader, Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno has been elected as the President of the Republic of Chad.
| Knowledge Nuggets - |
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| About the Republic of Chad - Prime Minister - Succès Masra - Capital - N'Djamena - Currency- Central African CFA franc |
- Andrej Plenkovic appointed as Prime Minister of Croatia
- What: Andrej Plenincumbent Croatian Prime Minister(PM) has been appointed as PM- designate of the Republic of Croatia for 3rd consecutive term.
- He has been serving as the PM of Croatia since 19th October 2016.
Source: AP News
| Knowledge Nuggets - |
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| About Republic of Croatia - President- Zoran Milanovic - Capital- Zagreb - Currency- Euro (EUR) |
Miscellaneous
- State cannot acquire property without proper procedure: Supreme Court (SC)
- What: SC in Kolkata Municipal Corporation & Anr Vs Bimal Kumar Shah & Ors has stated that Article 300A has been characterised both as a constitutional and also a human right.
- Article 300A states that “no person shall be deprived of his property save by authority of law”
| Knowledge Nuggets - |
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| Status of Right to Property in India - Right to property was explicitly held as a fundamental right under Articles 19(1)(f) and 31 at the inception of the Constitution in 1950. - 1st Constitutional Amendment (1951): Added Article 31A to provide for acquisition of any estate as against the provisions enshrined under Articles 14 and 19. - 44th Constitutional Amendment (1978): Removed right to property as a fundamental right by repealing Articles 19(1)(f) and Article 31 and made it a constitutional right under Article 300A |
About Anuj Jindal
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Anuj Jindal, the founder, is an ex-manager from SBI, with an M.Com from Delhi School of Economics. He also has a JRF in Commerce & Management and NET in HRM, along with more than 5 years of experience in the field of Education.
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