Monthly Current Affairs Quiz - May, 2017

Notes:
The 5th International Convention on “Changing Dynamics of Commodities Market” has started in New Delhi to help the farmers’ participation in the trading of food grains.The conference is organised by the Commodity Participants Association of India (CPAI).

Notes:
Soumya Swaminathan, the director of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has been named to United Nations’ ad hoc Interagency Coordination Group on Antimicrobial Resistance to provide expertise on and coordinate the global fight against antimicrobial resistance. Swaminathan is also Secretary, Department of Health Research in India’s Ministry of Health & Family Welfare. She is a multi award-winning paediatrician, clinical scientist and is known for her research on tuberculosis. The purpose of the newly formed UN group will be to provide practical guidance for approaches needed to ensure sustained effective global action to address antimicrobial resistance, including options to improve coordination, taking into account the Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance. The UN group will be co-chaired by Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed and World Health Organisation (WHO) Director-General Margaret Chan.

Notes:
Vidya Pillai from India has won silver medal in the 2017 Eden World Women Snooker Championship at Safra Toa Payoh in Singapore. With this feat, Vidya secured India’s first international medal in 2017. Ng On Yee from Hong Kong won gold in the Championship.

Notes:
The International Day of Forests is observed every year on March 21 to celebrate and raise awareness of the importance of all types of forests and of trees outside forests for the benefit of current and future generations. The 2017 theme is ‘Forests and Energy’. The theme highlights the importance of wood energy in improving people’s lives, powering sustainable development and mitigating climate change.

Notes:
Upendra Tripathy, an IAS officer of Karnataka Cadre, has been appointed as the full-time Interim Director General (IDG) of the International Solar Alliance (ISA). The purpose of the ISA is to provide a dedicated platform for cooperation among solar resource rich countries where the global community including bilateral and multilateral organizations, corporates, industry, and stakeholders can make a positive contribution to assist and help achieve the common goals of increasing use of the solar energy in meeting energy needs of prospective ISA member countries in a safe, convenient, affordable, equitable and sustainable manner. The headquarters of ISA is located at National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE), Gwalpahari, Gurgaon.

Notes:
The 23rd Conference of Auditors General of Commonwealth Countries and British Overseas Territories has held in New Delhi from 21-23 March, 2017. The conference was attended by 52 commonwealth countries and 9 British overseas territories. The theme of the conference is “Fostering Partnerships for Capacity Development in Public Audit”. This is the first time the prestigious conference is held in India, which is hosted by Comptroller & Auditor General (CAG). The last such conference was held in Malta in 2014.

Notes:
The Chief Minister of Assam, Sarbananda Sonowal has recently launched initiatives to develop Majuli as India’s first carbon neutral district and as a biodiversity heritage. Apart from this, Assam government has also launch “Forests are Lives” campaign to celebrate the importance of Assam’s rich forest and biodiversity.

Notes:
The 2017 India Sourcing Fair (ISF) will be held at Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH), Colombo, Sri Lanka from March 24 to 26, 2017. It is being organized by the India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) under the Ministry of Commerce, India. The main purpose of the ISF-2017 is to project strengths of Indian companies to the Sri Lankan counterparts who are going in for massive sourcing of products and services from other countries. The ISF 2017 will provide an opportunity for Sri Lankan industrialists and businesses to view the latest innovations, products and services offered by Indian companies. The event will showcase products like Automobiles & auto parts, engineering goods, textile, garments, accessories, food & hospitality products, bakery & hotel equipments, packaging & printing industry and much more etc. in the Miscellaneous industry.

Notes:
The Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (RVY), a scheme for providing physical aids and assisted-living devices for senior citizens belonging to BPL category, will be launched by the Union Government at district Nellore in Andhra Pradesh on April 1, 2017. The ambitious RVY scheme is the first-of-its-kind in India, which is fully funded by the Central Government. This Central Sector Scheme (CSS) is expected to benefit 5,20,000 Senior Citizens over a period of the 3 years. The scheme will be implemented through the sole implementing agency ‘Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation (ALIMCO)’, which will undertake one year free maintenance of the aids & assisted living devices. The devices will help the Senior Citizens to overcome their age related physical impairment and to lead a dignified and productive life with minimal dependence on care givers or other members of the family.

Notes:
An Indian para shuttler, Sukant Kadam has recently won the singles and doubles bronze medals in the 2017 Spanish Para-Badminton International at Majorca in Spain.