Current Affairs Quiz - May 2022

Notes:
The US Food and Drug Administration issued a proposal to ban menthol cigarettes and flavoured cigars.
It aims to reduce smoking in the American population as well as to reducing tobacco-related health disparities. As per a US government survey 85 per cent of African Americans smoke menthol cigarettes. The proposed ban does not cover electronic cigarettes.

Notes:
Markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) reduced the time taken for allotment and listing after closure of issue of REIT and InvIT units to six working days from 12 days at present.
The new rule will apply to a public issue of units of Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) and Infrastructure Investment Trust (InvIT), which opens on or after June 1. The decision aims to streamline the process of public issue of units of REIT and InvIT.

Notes:
Sports journalism will step into its 100th year of existence in Assam. On July 1, 1923, the first ever sports news on football match from Sivasagar was published in the weekly magazine named ‘Asomiya’, published by Chandra Kumar Agarwalla.
The Assam Sports Journalists Association (ASJA) has decided to celebrate the occasion with a year-long programme.

Notes:
Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel launched a scheme titled ‘Mukhyamantri Mitaan Yojna’ (Mitaan stands for friend), which will be implemented as a pilot project in 14 civic bodies, including the state capital Raipur
Under the scheme, Residents of the 14 municipal corporations can avail around 100 public services, including delivery of birth, caste, income and marriage certificates, at their doorstep.

Notes:
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar inaugurated the country’s first greenfield grain-based ethanol plant in Purnea.
The 105-crore plant by Eastern India Biofuels is the first one developed since the Centre gave approval to Bihar’s ethanol production and promotion policy-2021. The state government has proposed opening at least 17 ethanol plants over the next two years.

Notes:
The Maharashtra Department of Prisons has launched first kind of credit scheme for prisoners in jails across the state.
The loan scheme titled Jivhala is offered by the Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank for inmates who are undergoing a prison sentence of more than three years. The pilot was introduced at Yerawada Central Jail in Pune, and will be extended to nearly 60 prisons. Inmates can use the loans for education of their children, medical treatment of family members, legal fees, or other expenses.

Notes:
The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has six members, out of which three are external, and the other three members are RBI governor who is the Chairperson of MPC, the Deputy Governor in charge of monetary policy, and one officer of RBI nominated by the central board.
Recently, the Reserve Bank of India’s central board approved the nomination of Rajiv Ranjan as an ex-officio member of the Monetary Policy Committee. He replaces Mridul Saggar, who retired last month.

Notes:
Harshada Sharad Garud made history by becoming the first Indian to win a gold medal in Weightlifting, at the IWF Junior World Championships at Heraklion in Greece.
She lifted 153-kilogram in the 45-kilogram weight category, to finish on top of the podium. Before the 18-year old sportsperson, there are only two Indians to win a medal in IWF Junior World Championships. Mirabai Chanu had won a bronze in 2013 and Achinta Sheuli won a silver medal last year.

Notes:
The Reserve Bank hiked the repo rate by 40 basis points (bps) to 4.40 per cent, after an unscheduled meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) in May 2022. Next meeting of the MPC is scheduled during June 6-8.
All six members unanimously voted for a rate hike while maintaining the accommodative stance. The decision aimed to contain inflation, which remained above 6 per cent for the last three months. Cash reserve ratio was hiked by 50 bps to 4.5% effective May 21.

Notes:
World Health Organization (WHO) marks May 5 every year as ‘World Hand Hygiene Day’, to encourage people to clean hands at the right times with the right products.
This year, the Campaign theme is “A health care “quality and safety climate or culture” that values hand hygiene and infection prevention and control” and the Slogan is “Unite for safety: clean your hands”.