Current Affairs Quiz - May, 2020

Notes:
Leading Public Sector Enterprises Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) and NTPC Ltd signed a Memorandum of understanding (MoU), to set up a joint venture company for the renewable energy business.
As per the MoU, NTPC and ONGC will explore and set up renewable power projects including offshore wind in India and in other countries. The enterprises will also roll-out their expertise in the fields of sustainability, storage, e-mobility and ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) compliant projects.

Notes:
The state of Madhya Pradesh is set to launch the ‘Everybody will get employment’ scheme through video conferencing.
The scheme has an objective of distributing MNREGA job cards to the labourers of the state. This scheme will focus on providing employment to migrant labourers. The Jhabua district of Madhya Pradesh has launched a new scheme called ‘Didi Vehicle Service’ for rural women for free and safe delivery.

Notes:
The flagship initiative of the Minority Affairs Ministry, ‘Hunar Haat’ is expected to be launched once the nation-wide lockdown due to Covid-19 is lifted.
The initiative organises a skill fare and aims to generate employment for crafts-persons, will be launched in September with a theme of ‘Local to Global’. As per the Minority Affairs Ministry, more than five lakh Indian artisans, craftspeople, culinary experts were provided employment opportunities in the last five years by this fare.

Notes:
Australian tennis legend Ashley Cooper, who won four Grand Slam singles titles in the 1950s, has recently passed away due to illness at the age of 83.
Ashley Cooper won the Australian Open, Wimbledon and U.S. Grand slam in the year 1958, and achieved the rare feat of winning three Grand Slam championships in a calendar year. He won all four of his Grand Slam crowns by beating his fellow countrymen in the final. He was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1991.

Notes:
Veteran Physician and former head of the Department of Medicine at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Dr Jitendra Nath Pande recently passed away at the age of 79.
He and his wife had earlier contracted corona virus and remained in home isolation. He has contributed a lot in the field of pulmonology. He studied in the AIIMS and retired as the HOD of Medicine in the same institute. Even after retirement, he continued to mentor the practicing doctors and surgeons at AIIMS.

Notes:
An Indian Army officer, Major Suman Gawani, has been selected for the prestigious United Nations Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award (2019). This is the first time in history, that an Indian is awarded the mentioned award, that was created in 2016.
The officer has served with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). She has been selected for her outstanding contribution towards peacekeeping efforts in the UNMISS. Indian major will receive the award during an online ceremony, along with Brazilian Naval Officer Commander Carla Monteiro de Castro Araujo.

Notes:
The Survey team of China became the first to climb and reach the peak Mt. Everest this year. This is a part of the project to remeasure the exact height of the Everest.
Both China and Nepal cancelled the ‘spring’ climbing season on the world’s tallest mountain in order to prevent the expedition teams from getting infected by coronavirus. Hence the Chinese survey team is likely the only team to reach the peak of Everest, this year.

Notes:
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) recently signed a USD 177 million loan agreement with the Government of India to upgrade 450 kilometers (km) of state highways and major district roads in the state of Maharashtra.
The project is expected to improve road connectivity between rural areas and urban centres in the state and enable rural communities to access markets and employment opportunities. The project will also develop a road safety audit framework and strengthen road safety measures.

Notes:
Ministry of Tribal Affairs has announced Inclusion of 23 additional Minor Forest Produce (MFP) items in the Minimum Support Price List.
Under the “Mechanism for Marketing of Minor Forest Produce through Minimum Support price and development of Value Chain of MFP” scheme of 2011, the forest dwellers are safeguarded by a minimum price. This is implemented by the TRIFED organisation. This inclusion has increased the coverage from 50 to 73 items in the list.

Notes:
The foundation stone for setting up a Missile Park ‘Agneeprastha’ was recently laid at INS Kalinga, Visakhapatnam by Commodore Rajesh Debnath, who heads INS Kalinga.
A 2-megawatt solar photovoltaic plant was also commissioned at INS Kalinga by the Vice Admiral of Eastern Naval Command. This is the largest plant in the Eastern Naval Command and has an estimated life of 25 years. This step is in line with the National Solar Mission proposed by the Union Government to achieve 100 GW of solar power by 2022.