Five more States, UTs integrates with National Cluster under “One Nation, One Ration Card” plan

1.World Tuna Day: 02 May

World Tuna Day is observed on May 2 every year.The United Nations (UN) established the World Tuna Day to raise awareness about the tuna fish and its importance to humans and earth.

It is also observed to promote more sustainable fishing practices.

The United Nations general assembly officially voted in favour of observing World Tuna Day in the year 2016.

World Tuna Day was observed for the first time in the year 2017.

2.Gujarat Maharashtra on statehood day : 01 May

On May 1, 1960, the Government of India divided the Bombay State into two states under the ‘Bombay Reorganization Act 1960’ namely Maharashtra and Gujarat.Bombay State was dissolved and split on linguistic lines into the two states of Gujarat, with Gujarati speaking population and Maharashtra, with Marathi speaking population.

Maharashtra is the second-most populous state and third-largest state by area.

Gujarat is the fifth largest Indian state by area and the ninth largest state by population.

3.Government extends nationwide lockdown till May 17

The Centre extends the ongoing nationwide lockdown by two weeks from 4th of this month.The Ministry of Home Affairs issued an order to this effect under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, to extend the lockdown further.

The prohibited activities include travel by air, rail, metro and inter-state movement by road, running of schools, colleges, and other educational and training hospitality services, cinema halls, malls, gymnasiums, sports complexes.

All social, political, cultural and other kinds of gatherings and religious places or places of worship for the public will also remain shut.

Movement of persons by air, rail and road is allowed for select purposes and for purposes as permitted by MHA.

4.CAIT to launch national e-commerce marketplace ‘bharatmarket’ for retail traders

Traders’ body Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) has announced to launch a national e-commerce marketplace ‘bharatmarket’ soon for all retail traders in collaboration with several technology partners.The marketplace will integrate capabilities of various technology companies to provide end-to-end services in the logistics and supply chains from manufacturers to end consumers, including deliveries at home.

The e-commerce portal will include a nationwide participation by retailers and aims to bring 95 per cent of retail traders onboard the platform, who would exclusively run the portal.

5.Government hikes MSP for 49 Minor Forest Produce

Government has raised the minimum support price for Minor Forest Produce of 49 items in view of circumstances arising out of COVID-19.The increase across various items of Minor Forest Produce (MFP) ranges from 16 per cent to 66 per cent.

The increase is expected to provide an immediate and much needed momentum to procurement of Minor Tribal Produce in at least 20 States.

The MSP for Minor Forest Produces is revised once in every three years by the Pricing Cell constituted under the Ministry.

6.CSIR launches Kisan Sabha App to connect farmers to supply chain, transportation Management System

Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has launched the ‘Kisan Sabha’ App to connect farmers to the supply chain and freight transportation Management System.It aims to provide the most economical and timely logistics support to the farmers and increase their profit margins by minimizing interference of middlemen and directly connecting with the institutional buyers.

It will also help in providing best market rates of crops by comparing nearest mandis, booking of freight vehicles at cheapest cost thereby giving maximum benefit to the farmers.

7.Five more States, UTs integrates with National Cluster under “One Nation, One Ration Card” plan

Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan has approved the integration of five more States and Union Territories with the National Cluster under the One Nation, One Ration Card plan.These States and UTs are Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu.

12 states have already under One Nation, One Ration Card plan namely – Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Jharkhand, Kerala, Karnataka Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Telangana and Tripura.

With this, the facility of national and inter-state portability will be available for nearly 60 Crore beneficiaries of 17 States and UTs.

They will now lift their entitled quota of foodgrains from any Fair Price Shop of their choice, anywhere in these 17 States and UTs by using their existing ration card under One Nation, One Ration Card plan.

8.Green nod to Rs 922 crore new Parliament complex

A green nod has been given to construction of the new Parliament building at a cost of Rs 922 crore- the environment ministry’s Expert Appraisal committee cleared the controversial project.Meanwhile, the Central Vista committee also approved the new plan which has been strongly opposed by civil society organisations and opposition parties.

The expert panel of the environment ministry has said the clearance for the project to build a new Parliament is subject to the apex court’s decision.

CPWD has said that the existing Parliament Building was constructed 93 years ago and is in ‘dire need of retrofitting’’ and that development of a new building is of utmost importance.

The department has further justified the increase in project costs form Rs 776 crore to Rs 922 crore citing changes in project specifications which have been approved after the application submission.

9.Kashmir saffron gets GI tag

Kashmir saffron, which is a spice and health rejuvenator and the pride of Jammu and Kashmir, has been given geographical indication (GI) tag, protecting the uniqueness of the farm produce.The unique characteristics of Kashmir saffron are described as longer and thicker stigmas, natural deep-red colour of stigmas, high aroma, bitter flavour, chemical-free processing and high quantity of crocin (colouring strength), safranal (flavour) and picrocrocin (bitterness).

Kashmir saffron is cultivated and harvested in the Karewas (highlands) of Jammu and Kashmir by local farmers.

10.Maharashtra becomes first state in country to provide free and cashless insurance premium to people of the state

The Maharashtra Government announced that cent per cent inclusion of population from the state will be provided free health treatment under the Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Arogya Yojana.With this Maharashtra has become the first state in the country to provide free and cashless insurance premium to the people of the state.

Meanwhile, the Mumbai civic body has asked its staff above the age of 55 years to work from home or abstain from field duties, while those with comorbidities have been given leave for two weeks in view of the Coronavirus outbreak.

11.Australia restrict use of saliva, sweat to shine ball under COVID-19 guidelines

Australia will not allow the use of saliva or sweat to shine the ball once cricket training resumes in the post-COVID-19 world.There is speculation that the use of saliva to shine the ball will be stopped to cut down the risk of the highly contagious infection with reports suggesting that the ICC is considering the possibility of allowing the use of artificial substances to polish the red ball under the supervision of umpires.

Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) in consultation with medical experts has come up with guidelines, restricting the use of saliva and sweat to shine the ball.

12.South African anti-apartheid veteran Denis Goldberg dies

Veteran South African anti-apartheid activist Denis Goldberg, who stood trial alongside late President Nelson Mandela, has died.Apartheid was a legalised form of racism in which white people were privileged above all others.

It governed every aspect of life in South Africa, and only white people were able to vote until the first democratic elections in 1994 when Mandela was elected president.

He was considered a stalwart of the South African liberation struggle and was the only white member of the African National Congress’s (ANC’s) military wing, Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK), to be arrested and sentenced for armed resistance to white-minority rule.