1. Over 51,000 frontline Railway Staff trained under Mission Rail Karmayogi
Tags: Latest National News
The central government said that more than 51,000 frontline railway employees have been trained under Mission Rail Karmayogi.
These staff have been trained by master trainers, who themselves have been trained at the Indian Institute of Transport Management, a centralised training institute under the Ministry of Railways.
About Mission Karmayogi
Mission Karmayogi was launched by the government in September, 2020 as the most important capacity building initiative anywhere in the world.
The project seeks to train around one lakh frontline railway employees over a period of six months.
The mission aims to change the attitude of these frontline workers by providing citizen centric training.
Mission Karmayogi will be instrumental in achieving the goal of a 5 trillion dollar economy set by the Prime Minister.
2. Govt prepares new draft National Youth Policy
Tags: Latest National News
The government has prepared a new draft of the National Youth Policy (NYP).
The Government has reviewed the existing draft National Youth Policy, 2014.
The draft NYP envisages a ten-year vision for youth development that India wants to achieve by 2030.
It is aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and works to 'unlock the potential of youth to take India forward'.
NYP drafted five priority areas such as education; employment and entrepreneurship; youth leadership and development; health, fitness and sports; and social justice.
Each priority sector is based on the principle of social inclusion keeping in mind the interests of the marginalised sections.
The Department of Youth Affairs seeks comments/views/suggestions on the draft NYP from all stakeholders.
3. Indian Coast Guard commissions its second ALH Mk III Squadron in Kochi
Indian Coast Guard chief VS Pathania on May 04, commissioned the second made in India ALH Mk III Squadron at Coast Guard Air Enclave (CGAE) in Kochi.
This is equipped with the indigenously developed Advanced Mark III (ALH Mark III) helicopters.
The second squadron of ALH Mk III choppers aims to boost the security of the western seaboard further and enhance India’s rescue capability.
The commissioning is a tremendous leap towards self-reliance in the field of search and rescue operations and long range maritime surveillance.
The indigenously developed ALH Mk-III helicopters are fitted with an array of state-of-the-art sensors that enhance the maritime prowess of the Coast Guard.
Four helicopters have been deployed in Kochi to cover the entire coast of Karnataka, Kerala and Lakshadweep.
The Squadron, led by Commandant Kunal Naik has nine officers and 35 men.
TLMC conference
The Coast Guard Headquarters-4 (Kerala and Mahe) at Fort Kochi organised the annual Technical and Logistics Management Committee Conference.
Coast Guard Commander (Western Seaboard) and senior officials are attending the conference.
Director General VS. Pathania inaugurated the conference and acknowledged the force's collective efforts to maintain a fleet of 256 ships and aircraft.
4. PM Modi to chair key meeting on heatwave, monsoon preparedness
Tags: National News
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair an important review meeting today on the preparedness to deal with heat waves affecting many parts of the country.
The meeting will also review the preparedness related to the upcoming monsoon season.
According to the report of India Meteorological Department (IMD), there is a heat wave-like situation across the country.
As per IMD report, 16 of the 36 of the meteorological subdivisions in India are facing heat wave-like conditions.
About Heat wave
A heat wave is a period of abnormally high temperature, higher than the normal maximum temperature that occurs during the summer season in the northwestern parts of India.
Heat waves usually occur between March and June, and in some rare cases extend up to July.
The extreme temperatures and atmospheric conditions adversely affect the people living in these areas as they cause physical stress, sometimes resulting in death.
Criterion for declaring Heat waves
If the maximum temperature of a meteorological station reaches at least 40 degrees Celsius or more for Plains and at least 30 degrees Celsius or more for Hilly regions.
Heat waves have put enormous pressure on health and emergency services.
It increases strain on water, energy and transportation resulting in power shortages.
This adversely affects agriculture mainly in terms of production of Rabi crops causing stress among farmers.
5. Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurates BSF's floating border outposts at Hingalganj in West Bengal
Tags: Latest National News
Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated BSF's floating border outposts at Hingalganj in West Bengal, where he arrived on a two-day visit.
He also flagged off a boat ambulance to provide medical aid in these inaccessible areas.
He will also participate in several programs including Foundation Stone Laying Program of Maitri Museum and Prahari Sammelan at BOP Haridaspur.
He will visit the India-Bangladesh border area of Teen Bigha, where he is scheduled to interact with BSF personnel on 6th May.
Floating BOP is a post that can be moved across rivers, streams and seas, which can be moved from one place to another.
6. President has no role to play in Perarivalan’s plea : Supreme Court
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The Supreme Court has said that the Tamil Nadu Governor is bound to abide by the state cabinet's decision to release AG Perarivalan, who had spent more than 30 years in jail under life imprisonment for the assassination of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi.
The Supreme Court disagreed with the Central government’s suggestion that the court should wait till the President took a call on mercy plea.
The apex court, while rejecting the Governor's move to send the mercy petition to the President, said that if something is happening against the Constitution, then the eyes cannot be closed.
The pertinent question was whether the Governor had the authority to send mercy petitions to the President.
Under Article 161 of the Constitution, the Governor was bound by the aid and advice given by the Tamil Nadu Council of Ministers in September 2018.
The Governor had no prima facie power to transfer the mercy petition to the President.
Article 161 of the Constitution
Article 161 of the Constitution empowers the Governor to pardon or reduce the sentence of any prisoner.
The decision of the Governor will be subject to judicial review by the Constitutional Courts.
What is Pardon?
A pardon is a government/executive decision that allows a person to be absolved of an offence for an alleged offence or other legal offence as if the offender had never committed the crime.
Difference Between the Pardoning Powers of the President and the Governor
The powers of the Governor are limited to offences against the law relating to the matter to which the executive power of the State extends.
The governor cannot pardon the death sentence but the president can pardon the death sentence.
The Governor cannot grant pardon, reprieve, suspension, remission or commutation in respect to punishment or sentence by a court-martial. But the President can do so.
7. In 2020, Ladakh recorded highest sex ratio in the country, Manipur lowest
Tags: Popular National News
According to the annual report on Vital Statistics based on 2020 Civil Registration System report the Union Territory of Ladakh recorded the highest sex ratio at birth in the country in 2020, followed by Arunachal Pradesh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Tripura and Kerala.
Highest Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB) state are -
Ladakh (1104)
Arunachal Pradesh (1011)
A&N Islands (984)
Tripura (974)
Kerala (969)
Lowest Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB) state are -
Manipur (880)
Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (898)
Gujarat (909)
Haryana (916)
Madhya Pradesh (921)
In 2019, the highest sex ratio at birth was reported by Arunachal Pradesh (1024), followed by Nagaland (1001), Mizoram (975) and A&N Islands (965).
The lowest sex ratio was reported in 2019 - Gujarat (901), Assam (903), Madhya Pradesh (905) and Jammu & Kashmir (909).
No data from 4 States
As per the report the requisite information from Maharashtra, Sikkim, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi on sex ratio at birth was “not available.”
None of the States or Union Territories have recorded sex ratio at birth below 880.
Infant deaths
The report noted that 1,43,379 infant deaths were registered in 2020 and the share of rural area was only 23.4%, while that of urban area was 76.6% in total registered infant deaths.
Non-registration of infant deaths in rural areas is a cause of concern.
It is compulsory to report births and deaths to the Registrar of Births and Deaths under the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969.
What is Sex ratio at birth?
Sex ratio at birth is number of females per thousand males.
“The Sex Ratio (Number of females per thousand males) at birth of registered events is an important indicator to map the sex differential of the population at the beginning of their life.
The sex ratio at birth has been calculated after deducting the delayed registration of more than one year for the year 2020.
8. North Korea fires ballistic missile
Tags: Science and Technology International News
North Korea has test fired an intercontinental ballistic missile. Regarding the test of this missile, Kim Jong Un, describing it as a display of his nuclear power, said that it has been prepared to prevent any kind of military action from the US.
Pyongyang, which is the nuclear arsenal of North Korea, has conducted 14 weapons tests since January, including firing an intercontinental ballistic missile at full-range for the first time since 2017.
Last week, Kim oversaw a huge military parade, vowed to rapidly expand and improve his nuclear arsenal, and warned of possible attacks.
North Korea fired the ballistic missile from the Sunan Airfield near Pyongyang, the site of recent ICBM tests.
The missile flew 470KM (300 miles) and reached an altitude of 780KM, it was a "blatant violation of UN Security Council resolutions."
The name of this intercontinental missile of North Korea is known as Hwasong-17.
This ballistic missile is the largest liquid-fueled missile ever launched by any country from a road mobile launcher.
About Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs)
It is a land-based, nuclear-armed ballistic missile with a range of more than 5,600 km.
The first ICBMs were deployed by the Soviet Union in 1958, the US followed the next year.
India, Russia, the United States, China, Israel, the United Kingdom, France and North Korea are the only countries that have ICBMs.
9. The Reserve Bank of India has increased the cash reserve ratio (CRR) for banks
Tags: National Economy/Finance Latest Popular
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The Reserve Bank of India has increased the cash reserve ratio (CRR) for banks by 0.50 percent to 4.5 percent.
On May 4, 2022, in the meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Reserve Bank of India, Reserve Bank Governor Shaktikant Das announced an increase in the CRR.
In the meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), it was decided to increase the repo rate by 0.40 percent to 4.4 percent.
The new rates will be applicable from May 21.
What is Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR)?
CRR refers to the bank deposits that banks need to keep with the central bank in cash.
What is the repo rate?
Repo rate is the rate at which the central bank of a country (RBI in India's case) lends money to commercial banks when they are short of funds. Here the central bank buys securities.
What will be the effect of the hike in repo rate?
The increase in the repo rate by the RBI will increase the EMI of other loans like home and car loans.
An increase in the repo rate can help bring down inflation. The Reserve Bank believes that due to the costlier interest rate, the inflation rate will be controlled.
The impact of increasing the repo rate will also affect the savings bank account and FD. Banks can increase the interest rate on your savings account and fixed deposits.
10. Meeting of National Sagarmala Apex Committee (NSAC)
Tags: National News
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Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal will chair the meeting of the National Sagarmala Apex Committee (NSAC) on May 6, 2022 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.
About The National Sagarmala Apex Committee (NSAC)
It is the apex body to provide policy direction and guidance for port based development-Sagarmala projects and reviews its implementation.
It was constituted on 13 May 2015 by the Union Cabinet.
It is chaired by the Minister for Ports, Shipping & Waterways with Cabinet Ministers from stakeholder central Ministries and Chief Ministers & Administrators of Maritime States and Union territories as members.
The committee will review the Sagarmala program along with review of development of port-linked road and rail connectivity projects, development of floating jetties and inland waterways.
About Sagarmala National Programme
It is a National Programme aimed at accelerating economic development in the country by harnessing the potential of India’s 7,500 km long coastline and 14,500 km of potentially navigable waterways.
It was announced by the Prime Minister in 2014 and approved by the Union Cabinet on 25th March 2015.
It takes a vision to reduce the logistics cost for both domestic and EXIM cargo with optimum infrastructure investment.
Five pillars of the project
Port modernization & new port development,
Port connectivity enhancement,
Port-led industrialization,
Coastal community development and
Coastal shipping and Inland water transpor
