Key Points:

1. The range of the Extended range version of BrahMos missile is around 350 kilometres (km) from its original 290 km.
2. The BrahMos missile achieved a supersonic speed of 2.8 Mach or almost three times the speed of sound.

• The achievement is due to the dedicated and synergetic efforts of the IAF, Indian Navy, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), BrahMos Aerospace Private Limited (BAPL) and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).

1. The project was conceived to enhance the IAF’s capability to strike from large stand-off ranges on any target on sea or land.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (MoAFW) of the Government of India (GoI) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) under which the UNDP will provide technical assistance to two GoI schemes: Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) and Kisan Credit Card-Modified Interest Subvention Scheme (KCC-MISS).

• Every year Buddha Purnima is celebrated on the full moon day of the Baisakh month (April/May). This year, Buddha Purnima will be celeberated on May 16, 2022.
• It is believed that Gautama Buddha obtained Enlightenment on this day. Buddha Purnima is also known as Buddha Jayanti, Vesak, Vaishaka and Buddha’s Birthday. This is believed to be the 2584th Birth Anniversary of Gautam Buddha.
• Gautama Buddha’s birth name was Siddhartha Gautama. Buddha was born between 563-483 B.C in Lumbini, Nepal. He died at the age of 80 at Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh.
• For Buddhists, Bodh Gaya is the most important pilgrimage site related to the life of Gautama Buddha. The other three important pilgrimage sites are Kushinagar, Lumbini, and Sarnath. It is believed that Gautama Buddha obtained Enlightenment at Bodhagaya and he first taught the Dharma at Sarnath.

• In 1950, three years after India’s independence, a treaty was signed between Sikkim and the Republic of India. Under the agreement, the former continued its status as a ‘protectorate’ state within the Union of India.
• By 1970s, Sikkim’s ruling Chogyals had become increasingly unpopular, and calls, seeking the now-former kingdom’s integration with India, began to rise.
• In September 1974, the Chogyals called for a referendum. In April next year, after an appeal by the Prime Minister of Sikkim, the Indian Army entered and took control of the kingdom.
• On May 15, 1975, then-President of India, Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, signed a constitutional amendment, and, a day later, Sikkim became the 22nd state of India; the position of the Chogyal was abolished as well.

Chhattisgarh has become the first state in the country to restore the old pension scheme in order to provide assured income to retired employees. The state issued Gazette notification to switch back to the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) from National Pension Scheme (NPS) will be effective from April 1, 2022.

• In Feb.2022 Rajasthan had also announced restoration of OPS in its 2022-2023 budget the state has not issued a Gazette notification.

Benefits and Exemption

1. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel in 2022 -2023 Budget announced the government’s decision to revert to the old pension system (OPS) for State government employees.
2. The move will benefit over three lakh employees who joined service after January 1, 2004.

• However, it will not be applicable to officials of the All India Services like members of the Indian Administrative Service or the Indian Police Service.

Main Difference in the Old and New Pension Scheme

• The main difference between two pension systems is that while an employee has to make a voluntary contribution towards pension by undertaking a 10% deduction from the basic salary and dearness allowance, there is no such deduction under OPS. However, a minimum of 12 per cent of basic salary will be deducted as per the General Provident Fund rule.
• Under the Old Pension Scheme, the government gives 50% of the salary of an employee as pension at the time of retirement.

About Election commission of India:

• The constitution under article 324 provides for an Election Commission for the superintendence, direction and control of the preparation of the electoral rolls for the conduct of elections to parliament, state legislatures and to the offices of president and vice president.
• It was established in accordance with the Constitution on 25th January 1950 (celebrated as national voters’ day).

• On 12th May 2022, Tata Sons Private Limited (Tata Sons), owned by Tata Group, appointed Campbell Wilson as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Managing Director (MD) of Air India.
• Campbell Wilson has resigned his position as the CEO of Scoot Pte Ltd, the wholly-owned low-cost airline subsidiary of Singapore Airlines (SIA), for his stint in Air India.

Key poits

• Tamil Nadu has ramped up surveillance at its borders in the wake of “tomato flu” cases being detected in Kerala
• Tomato flu or fever is a viral disease.
• The flu gets its name because of the red blister it causes. The fever is affecting children below the age of five.
• The affected child can get blisters, high fever, body ache, joint swelling and fatigue.
• Transmission àLike other cases of flu, tomato fever is also contagious. If someone is infected with this flu, they need to be kept in isolation as this could spread rapidly from one person to another.
• Treatmentà This flu is a self-limiting one and there is no specific drug for This means that the symptoms will resolve over time on their own if supportive care is given.

About BHARAT TAP initiative 

Recently, the Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs launched the BHARAT TAP initiative at the ‘Plumbex India’ exhibition. This exhibition is aimed at products and services related to the plumbing, water, and sanitation industry.

• It is a concept to use low flow tap and fixtures.
• It will provide low-flow, sanitary-ware at scale, and thereby reduce water consumptionat the source considerably.
• It is estimated to save approximately 40% of water. This will in turn result in water saving and energy saving due to less water and energy will be required for pumping, transporting, and purification.
• This initiative will also be accepted quickly in the country and will lead to a renewed focus on water conservation efforts.

• In the last financial year, 90 lakh beneficiaries of Narendra Modi government’s flagship welfare scheme Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojanadid not refill their cylinders, according to a report. The same report appreciated Himachal Pradesh for its feat for becoming the first ‘smoke-free state’ in India.
• Himachal Pradesh, in January 2022, became the first ‘smoke-free state’ in India.
• The major milestone was achieved while riding on the back of welfare schemes like ‘Ujjwala Yojana’of Centre and ‘Himachal Grihini Suvidha scheme of the state government’.
• It is also the 100 percent LPG-enabled state in the country.It simply refers to the fact that 100% of households in Himachal have LPG connections in their houses.