National
‘Plumbex India’ Exhibition
⇒ The Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs & Petroleum and Natural Gas, Shri Hardeep S Puri launched the BHARAT TAP initiative at the ‘Plumbex India’ exhibition on 12 May 2022.
- ‘PlumbEx India’ was a three-day exhibition on plumbing, water, and sanitation products, organized by Indian Plumbing Association (IPA) at Pragati Maidan.
- This exhibition is aimed for products and services related to the plumbing, water and sanitation industry.
» Shri Puri hoped that BHARAT TAP initiative will provide low-flow, sanitary-ware at scale, and thereby reduce water consumption at source considerably. This initiative will lead to a renewed focus on water conservation efforts.
‘Nirmal Jal Prayas’ initiative:
Shri Puri also launched NARDECO MAHI’s (women wing of realtors body NAREDCO) ‘Nirmal Jal Prayas’ initiative which will work for saving of 500 crore litres of water per year.
- The Nirmal Jal Prayaas looks into mapping ground water as it is very important to save underground water.
- NAREDCO MAHI will sign an MOU with IPA. As part of the agreement, IPA will advise Naredco Mahi on the Nirmal Jal Prayaas to save 500 crore litres of water per year.
- It is an initiative for awareness creation for promotion of BIS Certified Water Efficient Plumbing Fixtures that reduce the water dispensation at source, leading to a water saving of minimum 40%.
Chief Election Commissioner in the Election Commission of India
⇒ In pursuance of clause (2) of Article 324 of the Constitution, the President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind appointed Shri Rajiv Kumar the senior-most Election Commissioner, as the Chief Election Commissioner in the Election Commission of India.
- Shri Rajiv Kumar assumed charge as the 25th Chief Election Commissioner of India at Election Commission of India, Nirvachan Sadan, New Delhi on 15 May 2022.
Kumar, an officer of the 1984 batch of the Indian Administrative Service of the Bihar/Jharkhand cadre, superannuated from the IAS in February 2020.
The Chief Election Commissioner of India is appointed for a fixed tenure of six years, or up to the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier.
International
Union Agriculture & Farmers Welfare Minister visits Israel
⇒ A delegation under the leadership of Union Agriculture & Farmers Welfare Minister, Government of India Shri Narendra Singh Tomar visited Israel from May 8-11, 2022 on the invitation from Mr Oded Forer, Minister of Agriculture of Israel.
- The Union Minister visited Israel for bilateral meetings to discuss various issues related to agriculture between two countries.
On 9th May, 2022, the delegation visited Israel based Green 2000 – Agricultural Equipment and Know How Ltd. and NETAFIM Ltd.; which are engaged in planning, set-up, consultation and on-going management of various projects in different spheres of agriculture and Micro & smart Irrigation Systems (drip irrigation) usage to paddy cultivation, sugarcane and cotton respectively.
- During the visit, nursery practices, planting material of fruit-trees and vineyards, post-harvest technology, greenhouse farming, micro and smart irrigation systems and improved dairy and poultry farming were the main topics of discussion.
On the second day, the delegation visited Agricultural Research Organisation (ARO) – Volcani Institute under the Israeli Ministry of Agriculture and Rural development; which have special expertise in agriculture under arid conditions, on marginal soils, irrigation through effluent and saline water and minimization of produce losses by using latest pest control and post-harvest storage methods.
- ARO, Volcani Institute along with its six institutes working under the Israeli Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. The Institutes are responsible for academic and basic research in Plant Sciences, Animal Science, Plant Protection, Soil, Water and Environmental Sciences, Agricultural Engineering, and Post-Harvest and Food Sciences. Israel’s Gene Bank for Agricultural Crops is also located on the ARO Volcani Center campus.
- Shri Tomar interacted with the experts of ARO on various issues related to technological advancements in agriculture in Indian context.
A Round Table meeting between Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Shri Narender Singh Tomar and Agriculture & Rural Development Minister of Israel, Mr. Oded Forer was held on 11 May 2022 in Parliament House, Jerusalem.
- The Minister discussed various issues related to modern agro techniques, capacity building, transfer of knowledge know-how and support in the fields of agriculture, water management, environment and rural development with the Minister of Agriculture, Israel.
» Agriculture Minister presented drone agriculture technology solutions with the combination of advanced mapping and photography at Ganei Khna’an near Kibbutz Naan. The Minister also visited a Farm owned by an Indian origin farmer growing Indian vegetables in Negec desert area.
» The delegation visited the MASHAV’s International Agricultural Training Centre, Shefayim which has been operating since 1963 and specializes in capacity building, transfer of knowledge and professional support in the fields of agriculture, water management, environment and rural development.
Important Day
International Nurses Day 2022
⇒ International Nurses Day is celebrated around the world every 12 May.
International Nurses Day is a day to reiterate our appreciation to all nursing staff for their exceptional work even in the most challenging of situations.
Theme:
The theme for International Nurses Day 2022 was ‘Nurses: A Voice to Lead – Invest in Nursing and respect rights to secure global health’.
Background:
- International Nurses Day is a global event observed on the birth anniversary of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing, to honour the nurses in healthcare, for their diligence and service to society. Florence Nightingale was a social reformer, statistician and the founder of modern nursing. Florence was also known as Lady with the Lamp.
- International Council of Nurses (ICN) commemorates this important day each year with the production and distribution of the International Nurses’ Day (IND) resources and evidence. The International Council of Nurses (ICN) has celebrated this day since 1965.
Death
Eminent Sanskrit and Hindi scholar, Dr. Rama Kant Shukla
⇒ Eminent Sanskrit and Hindi scholar, Dr. Rama Kant Shukla passed away on 11 May 2022. He was born in Khurja city in Bulandshahr district of Uttar Pradesh.
The Government of India honored him with the Padma Shri award in 2013 for his contribution in the field of literature.
The Uttar Pradesh government has honored Dr. Shukla with the state award while he has also received the Akhil Bharatiya Maulika Sanskrit Rachana Puraskara from the Delhi Sanskrit Academy. The President of India awarded him the Sanskrit Scholar award in 2009. Rama Kant Shukla was awarded the Sahitya Academy Award in Sanskrit for ‘Mama Janani’ in 2018.
Rama Kant Shukla is a recipient of Sanskrit Rashtrakavi, Kaviratna, Kavi Siromani and Hindi Sanskrit Setu titles by various literary organizations. He has also been awarded the titles such as Kalidas Samman, Sanskrit Sahitya Seva Samman and Sanskrit Rashtrakavi.
Shukla has authored several books in Sanskrit and Hindi. He has also written and directed a Sanskrit television series, Bhati Me Bharatam, telecast by Doordarshan.