National
Mobile Veterinary Units (MVUs) in Karnataka
⇒ Shri Parshottam Rupala, Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying inaugurated Mobile Veterinary Units (MVUs) in Karnataka to provide veterinary services at the farmer’s doorstep based on the phone calls received at the Call Centre from the farmers.
Key Points:
- Toll free Animal Helpline Number 1962 will be used by farmers and dairy owners to utilize 290 Mobile veterinary vehicles for all veterinary services.
- Karnataka State has been sanctioned with 290 Mobile veterinary vehicles against 289 lakh number of animal population, which will operate throughout the State by Public Private Partnership.
- The operationalization cost per vehicle is 18.72 lakhs per year which is about Rs 54.75 crore will be borne by the Central and state government in 60:40 ratio.
- Each vehicle has a Veterinary Doctor, Livestock Inspector and Driver cum attendant and having the facility of medicines, audio visual screen for extension activities, siren and many more as for the need.
- Government of India will release Rs 32.57 crore for operationalization cost for 290 vehicles and remaining Rs 28.15 crore has to be borne by State Government.
Establishment & Strengthening of Veterinary Hospitals & Dispensaries – Mobile Veterinary Units (ESVHD-MVUs):
- The component “ESVHFD-MVU” under Central Sector Scheme “Livestock Health & Disease Control” provides veterinary health services at farmers’ door-steps through Mobile Veterinary Units.
- The overall aim of the ‘Livestock Health & Disease Control programme’ of Government of India is to improve the animal health by way of implementation of prophylactic vaccination programmes against various diseases of livestock and poultry, capacity building, disease surveillance and strengthening of veterinary infrastructure.
Conservation biologist Dr Kamal Bawa elected to US National Academy of Sciences
⇒ India-born conservation biologist Dr Kamal Bawa, who is also president of the Bengaluru-based Ashoka Trust for Research and Ecology and Environment (ATREE), has been elected to the US National Academy of Sciences.
- The election to the 170-year-old academy is recognition of his significant contributions to science by its members.
Dr Bawa is also an elected fellow of the Royal Society (London) and the American Philosophical Society.
Book titled “The Struggle for Police Reforms in India”
⇒ The Vice President, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu released the book titled “The Struggle for Police Reforms in India” written by former IPS officer, Shri Prakash Singh.
Praising the author, Shri Singh for championing the cause of police reforms in the county, the Vice President called his book a remarkable account of what an individual officer can achieve through his single-handed efforts.
Sports
Hockey Astroturf at Government Senior Secondary School in Majra
⇒ The Union Minister for Youth Affairs & Sports and Information & Broadcasting Shri Anurag Thakur laid the foundation stone of Hockey Astroturf at Government Senior Secondary School in Majra, Sirmour (Himachal Pradesh).
Shri Thakur said that Rs 6 crore would be spent on this hockey turf which will have facilities like girls’ hostel for players, change rooms, toilets, coaching facilities etc.
2022 French Open Grand Slam Tennis Tournament
⇒ The 2022 French Open Grand Slam tennis tournament was held at the Stade Roland Garros in Paris, France, from 16 May to 5 June 2022.
Rafael Nadal won the men’s singles title for the 14th time. He won his 22nd Grand Slam title. Iga Świątek won the women’s singles title. She won her second French Open and second grand slam title.
Read More About 2022 French Open Grand Slam tennis tournament
Important Day
World Press Freedom Day 2022
⇒ World Press Freedom Day or World Press Day is observed every year on 3 May across the world.
World Press Freedom Day celebrates the spirit of journalism and recognizes the dedication of journalists.
Theme:
The theme for World Press Freedom Day 2022 was “Journalism under digital siege”.
- This year’s theme spotlights the multiple ways in which journalism is endangered by surveillance and digitally-mediated attacks on journalists, and the consequences of all this on public trust in digital communications.
World Press Freedom Day Global Conference:
On 2-5 May 2022, UNESCO and the Republic of Uruguay hosted the annual World Press Freedom Day Global Conference in a hybrid format in Punta Del Este, Uruguay.
- Under the theme “Journalism under Digital Siege,” the digital era’s impact on freedom of expression, the safety of journalists, access to information and privacy was discussed.
Background:
- World Press Freedom Day was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in December 1993, following the recommendation of UNESCO’s General Conference.
- Since then, 3 May, the anniversary of the Declaration of Windhoek is celebrated worldwide as World Press Freedom Day.
» On World Press Freedom Day, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) published the World Press Freedom Index 2022.
Death
Eminent Odia litterateur, Dr. Rajat Kumar Kar
⇒ Eminent Odia litterateur Dr. Rajat Kumar Kar passed away on 08 May 2022 in Bhubaneswar.
Kar was conferred with Padma Shri in 2021 for literature and education.
An orator on Jagannath culture, he was known for his commentary during the annual Ratha Jatra on TV and radio for six decades.
He was a prolific writer on Upendra Bhanja literature and has seven non-fictions to his credit. He was also instrumental in the revival of Odisha’s dying art of Pala.