Current Affairs Quiz - May 2022

Notes:
Maharashtra has announced to set up a ‘Gene bank project’, to conserve native and endangered animals, crops, marine and biological species. It will be implemented by the Maharashtra State Biodiversity Board (MSBB) and Rs 172.39 crore has been allocated for the next five years.
The project will work on seven themes — marine, crop, veterinary, freshwater, grassland biodiversity, protection and management of forest right areas, and regeneration of forests. The project will focus on mitigating the impact on the food chain due to climate change.

Notes:
ICICI Bank has launched ‘Open-for-all’ Digital ecosystem for MSMEs. The digital service for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) can be used by customers of other banks.
One of the new services it provides is sanction of instant and paperless overdraft facility up to Rs 25 lakh through ‘InstaOD Plus’. The feature enables customers of any bank to avail of an overdraft instantly.

Notes:
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan released the ‘Mandate document’ for National Curriculum Framework (NCF).
The National Education Policy 2020 recommended the development of NCF in four areas — school education, early childhood care and education, teacher education and adult education. The development of the NCF is guided by the National Steering Committee (NSC), chaired by Dr K Kasturirangan, and supported by the Mandate Group, along with NCERT.

Notes:
Former Honorary Consul of Peru in Mumbai Ardeshir B.K. Dubash, received the Order of “Merit in the Diplomatic Service of Peru José Gregorio Paz Soldán”.
It is the highest distinction conferred by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Peru. He was designated as Honorary Consul of Peru in the year 1973 and his career as Honorary Consul spanned for almost half a century.

Notes:
‘Lingua Franca’ is a language that is adopted as a common language between speakers whose native languages are different.
Recently CBSE announced to Kokborok in its curriculum. A confederation of 56 tribal organisations in the state hailed CBSE’s decisions while they called for Roman Script for Kokborok Choba. This is in the backdrop of Union Home Minister’s statements that ‘Hindi would be made compulsory for all Northeast states and Devanagari script will be introduced for all languages without a script.’

Notes:
Indian Bank launched the digital transformation initiative – World of Advance Virtual Experience ‘WAVE’.
The bank has recently launched its first digital product “Pre-Approved Personal Loan (PAPL)” that aims to provide customers with instant loan disbursements, serviced through digital channels only. PAPL loan product can be availed through mobile application, website and internet banking facility.

Notes:
Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) has launched a variety of millet products for all age groups at affordable prices, at the AAHAR food fair in New Delhi.
As per the Commerce and Industry Ministry, all the millet products launched by APEDA are gluten-free, 100 percent natural and patented. The 36th edition of AAHAR was jointly organized by APEDA and the India Trade Promotion Organization.

Notes:
India and Germany recently inked a joint declaration of intent on Indo-German Green Hydrogen Task Force
India and Germany also agreed to work together with focus on Artificial Intelligence (AI) startups as well as AI research and its application in sustainability and health care. India’s Science and Technology and Earth Sciences Minister Jitendra Singh visited Germany as part of his official tour.

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:
P-75 India (P-75I) is the second project to build submarines for the Indian Navy, after first phase of P-75, signed in 2005 with France.
The P-75I phase seeks the construction of six conventional submarines with better sensors and weapons and the Air Independent Propulsion System (AIP).  France’s Naval Group recently exited from the project as the French Navy does not use AIP, which was required by the Indian Navy. The announcement came a day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s trip to France.