GK & Current Affairs Quiz: May 31, 2017

Notes:
India has been ranked 120th among 131 countries in women workforce, as per recently released World Bank (WB)’s India Development Report (IDR). As per the report, the participation level has been dropping since 2005, despite 42% women are graduates. The report states that only 27% of women of the age of 15 or older are working or actively looking for a job. Three of every five prime working age Indian women (26-45 years) are not economically active, meaning they neither work on a farm, nor in businesses, nor do they earn any wages. The report highlighted that India’s potential GDP growth rate can be boosted by a percentage point if women participation increased.

Notes:
The World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) is observed every year on May 31 to encourage a 24-hour period of abstinence from all forms of tobacco consumption around the globe. The day is further intended to draw attention to the widespread prevalence of tobacco use and to negative health effects, which currently lead to nearly 6 million deaths each year worldwide, including 600,000 of which are the result of non-smokers being exposed to second-hand smoke. The 2017 theme “Tobacco – a threat to development” has been set by the World Health Organization (WHO). The campaign aims to demonstrate the threats that the tobacco industry poses to sustainable development, including the health and economic well-being of citizens in all countries.

Notes:
The Punjab National Bank (PNB) has got $100 million Asian Development Bank (ADB) loan to finance solar rooftop projects in India. The loan is guaranteed by the Government of India (GoI). This is the first tranche loan of the $500 million multi tranche finance facility Solar Rooftop Investment Program (SRIP) approved by ADB in 2016. The financing includes $330 million from ADB’s ordinary capital resources and $170 million from the multi donor Clean Technology Fund (CTF) administered by ADB. The first tranche loan of $100 million would be financed entirely from the CTF. The entire cost of SRIP is estimated at $1 billion and it aims to install solar rooftop system of around 1 gigawatt capacity in India.

Notes:
The researchers at IIT Kharagpur have developed a new technology to manufacture cheaper, quicker and pollution-free bio-fuel. The ‘soil-to-soil’ manufacturing technology developed at the P K Sinha Centre for bio-energy at IIT-KGP is in the process of being patented. The technique will ensure relatively quicker production of bio-fuel and the process is completely green. The green leafy part of corn and sugarcane plants, the waste part of paddy straw, bamboo, banana plant, pineapple and cotton plants, kans grass (kassh phool), castor plant and even non-edible weeds that grow in dry and waste land and a mix of all has been used by IIT-KGP to produce bio fuel. The project is funded by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Department of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Human Resource Development.

Notes:
The Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) has signed MoU with Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for fodder assessment using satellite observation and space technology. GCMMF markets its products under the brand name of ‘Amul’. As per the agreement, ISRO will help in identification between food crops and fodder crops at village level and also locate suitable areas of current fallows and cultivable wastelands at village level for green fodder cultivation. Currently, Amul is procuring around 150 lakh litres of milk daily from around 35 lakh milk producer members from over 18,500 villages.

Notes:
Dasari Narayana Rao (75), the renowned Telugu filmmaker and former Union minister, has recently passed away in Hyderabad on May 30, 2017. Dasari directed 151 pictures in Telugu and other languages and had several super hit films to his credit. He entered into Guinness book of Records for directing highest number of films. He also worked as script writer, lyricist and produced more than 50 films. He has the distinction of directing renowned actors like NT Rama Rao and Akkineni Nageswara Rao. Rao was also a journalist and ran a vernacular daily. Dasari joined Congress Party in early 2000 and served as minister of State for coal in the cabinet of Manmohan Singh government during UPA -1. He was one among the accused in the coal scam and CBI registered a case against him in 2013.

Notes:
George Kurian, a BJP leader and ‘social and educational activist’ from Kerala, has become the new vice chairperson of National Commission for Minorities (NCM). The post was vacant for over two months. The appointment was made by union Minister of State for Minority Affairs (independent charge) Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi. Former Maharashtra minister Sulekha Kumbhare, Jain representative from Gujarat Sunil Singhi and Parsi representative Vada Dasturji Khurshed Kaikobad Dastoor are the other members of the Commission. Gayarul Hasan, a social activist from Uttar Pradesh, is the new chairperson of the Commission. The NCM is responsible for safeguarding the constitutional rights of minorities in India.

Notes:
The 2017 India Mobile Congress (IMC) will be held at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi from September 27-29 to attract investments from global players in the telecom and mobile phone manufacturing sectors. The event will provide an in-depth insight into the mobile industry, highlighting specific areas of growth as well as the latest technological developments, next generation services and future trends. The global event will be organised by telecom industry body Cellular Operators’ Association of India (COAI) with support from the department of telecommunications and ministries of electronics and information technology, and skill development. IMC 2017 will make India a global destination for leaders & key players to discuss, deliberate and dialogue; unveil excellence and lead policy for a vibrant eco-system.

Notes:
The Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis has recently launched a web portal ‘Mahaswayam’ for job seekers, employers, entrepreneurs and training institutes. At ‘Mahaswayam’, job seekers will be able to register themselves, search as well as apply for jobs, inquire for training, get information on self-employment and get details of job fairs. Besides, training institutes can also register, get details on participation in the state skill development programme, get training fee receipts, and can also receive training fee through ECS. Apart from this, entrepreneurs can also post job vacancy advertisements at the portal.

Notes:
Konstantinos Mitsotakis (98), the former conservative Prime Minister of Greece, has recently passed away in Athens, Greece on May 29, 2017. He will be remembered for fierce confrontations with Greece’s liberal and socialist parties as well as early free-market reforms during a 60-year political career. He was credited with starting unpopular free-market policies, which were quietly continued by later governments, and with improving relations with Turkey. But he was often considered a divisive figure in a country struggling to escape its volatile political history.