Weekly Current Affairs 16th May - 22nd May 2021

FINANCE AND BANKING

• RBI Board approves transfer of Rs 99,122 cr as surplus to government
  • The Reserve Bank of India recently decided to transfer Rs 99,122 crore as surplus or dividend to the exchequer.

• RBI mandate: Wallets, cards to be made interoperable
  • The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has mandated that all prepaid payment instruments (PPIs) or wallets that are fully KYC-compliant be made interoperable by March 31, 2022.
  • PPIs for mass transit systems (PPI-MTS) shall remain exempted from interoperability, while gift PPI issuers have the option to offer interoperability.

• SEBI proposes framework for gold exchange, suggests trading in e-gold receipts
  • SEBI recently proposed an elaborate framework for setting up a gold exchange wherein gold will be traded in the form of electronic gold receipts and will help in having a transparent domestic spot price discovery mechanism.

ECONOMY

• Credit Suisse cuts nominal growth forecast but expects stronger recovery
  • Credit Suisse has lowered its nominal GDP growth forecast by 150-300 bps to 13-14 per cent, but expects a stronger recovery in the second half as it sees the lockdowns having limited impact on tax collections.

• WTO's TRIPS Council to discuss revised proposal of IPR waiver to deal with COVID-19
  • The TRIPS Council of the World Trade Organization will discuss a revised proposal submitted by 62 co-sponsors, including India, South Africa, and Indonesia, seeking patent waivers to manufacture COVID-19-related medical products.

• MoTA and Microsoft sign MoU on Joint initiative for Digital Transformation of Tribal Schools
  • The Ministry of Tribal Affairs inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Microsoft to support the digital transformation of schools such as Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) and Ashram Schools, among others under the Ministry at an online event ‘Empowering Youth For Success’.

NATIONAL

• Indian Navy designs oxygen recycling system to mitigate oxygen crisis
  • The Diving School of the Southern Naval Command of the Indian Navy has conceptualised and designed an Oxygen Recycling System (ORS) to alleviate the existing Oxygen shortages.

• Jharkhand clinches 1st rank for implementing Smart City Mission schemes
  • The Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs released ranking based on the progress of the implementation of the Smart City Mission's schemes running in different 100 cities of the country's 36 states and union territories.

• Karnataka ranks first in executing Ayushman Bharat
  • Karnataka stands at first place when it comes to establishing Health and Wellness Centers (HWC) under the Ayushman Bharat programme to provide comprehensive primary health care in rural areas.

INTERNATIONAL

• Indian-American Neera Tanden appointed White House senior adviser
  • Indian-American Neera Tanden has been appointed senior adviser to US President Joe Biden.

• Penpa Tsering Elected President of Tibetan Exile Government
  • Penpa Tsering, the former speaker of Tibet's parliament-in-exile, has been elected the new president of the exile government. Penpa will succeed Lobsang Sangay.

• Martha Koome becomes Kenya's first woman chief justice
  • Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta appointed Judge Martha Karambu Koome as Kenya's first woman chief justice, making her the first woman to head any of the three branches of government.

STATES

• Jharkhand launches App for online booking of hospital beds
  • Corona patients in Jharkhand can book hospital beds online through ‘Amrit Vahini’ App launched by CM Hemant Soren.

• Pinarayi Vijayan takes oath as Kerala Chief Minister
  • Pinarayi Vijayan was sworn in as Kerala Chief Minister for a second time, after guiding the CPM-led Left Democratic Front government to a second successive term.
  • Pinarayi Vijayan will head an all-new 20-member cabinet - including 12 from the CPM and four from the CPI.

• AYUSH Dept. launches 'AYUSH Ghar Dwar' in Sloan district of Himachal Pradesh
  • In Himachal Pradesh, AYUSH Department launched a state-wide wellness programme ‘AYUSH Ghar Dwar' for COVID-19 patients, in Sloan district.

REPORTS AND INDEXES

• State of Healthcare in India: Housing.com’s report
  • Real estate portal Housing.com, which is owned by US-based News Corp and its Australian group firm REA, released its report titled ‘State of Healthcare in India’.

• Renewable Energy Country Attractiveness Index
  • Ernst & Young has published Renewable Energy Country Attractiveness Index.
  • As per the Index, India has moved a notch higher at the third spot due to an exceptional performance on the solar photovoltaic (PV) front.

• State of Working India 2021: One Year of COVID-19 Report
  • Azim Premji University's Centre for Sustainable Employment (CSE) has published 'State of Working India 2021: One Year of COVID-19' report.
  • As per the Report, the monthly earnings of workers fell on an average by 17% due to COVID-19, self-employed and informal salaried workers faced the highest loss of earnings.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

• IIT- Ropar develops portable tech-traditional eco-friendly mobile cremation system
  • Indian Institute of Technology, Ropar has developed a prototype of a moveable electric cremation system which claims to be using first of its kind technology that involves smokeless cremation despite using wood.

• China makes history with its first rover landing on Mars
  • China has now become the second country in history to safely land its rover named ‘Zhurong’ on the surface of Mars. So far only the United States has successfully managed this. (The former Soviet Union did manage to land on Mars, but the mission was only partially successful as they lost contact soon after landing.)

• China's biggest rocket Long March 5B lands in Indian Ocean
  • Remnants of China's biggest rocket landed in the Indian Ocean, with the bulk of its components destroyed upon re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere.

AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT

• APEDA agriculture and processed products exports jump 24% in FY21
  • According to latest data, exports of APEDA products basket registered a 23.8% growth at $19.97 billion (Rs 1,47,814 crore) during 2020-21 against $16.13 billion during 2019-20.

DEFENCE

• INS Rajput to be decommissioned
  • After 41 years of service, the first destroyer of the Indian Navy, INS Rajput, will be decommissioned on May 21.
  • INS Rajput will be decommissioned at a ceremony at Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam.

EVENTS

• 3rd Arctic Science Ministerial
  • India participated in the 3rd Arctic Science Ministerial (ASM3) - the global platform for discussing research and cooperation in the Arctic region.
  • ASM3 was co-organised by Japan and Iceland in Tokyo.

AWARDS AND REWARDS

• Miss Universe 2020
  • Miss Universe 2020, the 69th Miss Universe pageant, was held in Hollywood, Florida, United States.
  • Contestants from 74 countries and territories competed.
  • Andrea Meza of Mexico has been crowned Miss Universe 2020.

• Whitley Awards 2021
  • Renowned conservationist from Nagaland Nuklu Phom won the prestigious ‘Whitley Awards 2021’, also known as the Green Oscar.
  • Phom was among the six winners of the prestigious award.

• International Invincible Gold Medal
  • The "International Invincible Gold Medal" of 2021 has been conferred on Union Education Minister Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank.

SPORTS

• NBA: Kobe Bryant Inducted Posthumously Into Basketball Hall of Fame
  • Los Angeles Lakers icon Kobe Bryant was inducted posthumously into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Bryant was inducted as part of the Class of 2020.

• P R Sreejesh appointed FIH Athletes’ Committee member
  • Star India hockey team goalkeeper P R Sreejesh was appointed as a member of the FIH Athletes’ Committee.

• Premier League Champions 2020-21
  • The 2020–21 Premier League was the 29th season of the Premier League, the top English professional league for association football clubs since its establishment in 1992.