National
Himachal Pradesh presented their Jal Jeevan Mission Annual Action Plan
⇒ The State of Himachal Pradesh presented their Jal Jeevan Mission Annual Action Plan for financial year 2021-22. During presentation, the State of Himachal Pradesh reiterated its commitment to achieve ‘Har Ghar Jal’ target by July, 2022.
Achievement:
The State has 17.04 lakh rural households, out of which 13.02 lakh (76.41%) have assured tap water supply. Since the announcement of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) in August, 2019, over 5 lakh tap water connections has been provided and so far 8,458 villages (46.78%) in the State have been declared ‘Har Ghar Jal’.
Plan for 2021-22:
In 2021-22, Himachal Pradesh plans to provide 2.08 lakh tap water connections across the State. In the 2021-22, the State is likely to get about Rs 700 Crore as Central grant to take up various works.
‘Kalinga Ratna’ Award for the year 2021
⇒ Andhra Pradesh Governor Biswa Bhusan Harichandan has been conferred the ‘Kalinga Ratna’ award for the year 2021. The award is instituted by Sarala Sahitya Sansad. The Kalinga Ratna award carried a silver statue of Goddess Saraswati and a copper plaque.
On the occasion of 600th Birth Anniversary of Adikabi Sarala Das and 40th Annual Celebrations of Sarala Sahitya Sansad, Vice President of India, M Venkaiah Naidu presented the ‘Kalinga Ratna’ award during the programme held in Cuttack on 02 April 2021.
Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India
⇒ T Rabi Sankar on 03 May 2021 took over as the new deputy governor of the Reserve Bank of India for a period of three years.
Mr Sankar was Executive Director of the Reserve Bank before being elevated to the post of deputy governor.
New Member of Railway Board (Operations and Business Development) in Ministry of Railways
⇒ Shri Sanjay Kumar Mohanty took over the charge of new Member (Operations & Business Development) Railway Board (Ministry of Railways) and Ex Officio Secretary to the Government of India. This appointment is effective from 1 May 2021.
Shri Mohanty belongs to the 1984 batch of Indian Railways Traffic Service (IRTS). He was General Manager, South Eastern Railway prior to his elevation to the post of Railway Board Member.
International
India-United Kingdom Virtual Summit
⇒ Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and The Rt Hon’ble Boris Johnson, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom held a Virtual Summit on 4 May 2021.
Read More About India-United Kingdom Virtual Summit
Important Day
400th Prakash Purab i.e. the birth anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur
⇒ The 400th Prakash Purab i.e. the birth anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur was celebrated on May 1, 2021.
Guru Tegh Bahadur was the ninth Guru of Sikhism. He is known for his supreme sacrifice and refusal to bow to tyranny and injustice. Guru Tegh Bahadur was the youngest son of Guru Hargobind, the sixth Guru of Sikhism.
Death
Asian Games Gold Medalist in Equestrian, Colonel Gulam Mohammad Khan
⇒Asian Games gold medalist in equestrian Colonel Gulam Mohammad Khan (Retired) died on 01 May 2021 in Pune. He was 75. He had joined the Indian Military Academy in 1973.
Col Khan was a member of the team that won the gold medal in eventing at the 1982 Asian Games in Delhi. Col Khan gained the individual silver medal riding Goodwill.
In 1984, he was honoured with an Arjuna award for equestrian.
Indian-origin Author and Playwright, Ronnie Govender
⇒ Internationally acclaimed Indian-origin Author and Playwright, Ronnie Govender died in Cape Town, South Africa on 29 April 2021. He was 87.
Govender had won the 1997 Commonwealth Writers’ Prize for best first book in the Africa section for his debut book, ‘Cato Manor Stories’.