1. 'One Nation, One Ration Card' to be rolled out in India by June 1, 2020

• "One Nation One Ration Card" scheme to be rolled out in India from June 1, 2020. To implement the scheme successfully, centre has kick started inter state portability of ration card pairing two states each.
• The pairs are made between Telangana-Andhra Pradesh as well as Maharashtra-Gujarat.
• This means that beneficiaries living in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh can buy their quota of ration from the Public Distribution System (PDS), also called ration shops, in either of the states.

Foot Notes:

• Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution: Ram Vilas Paswan.

2. Manipur tops the Breastfeeding and Infant and Young Child Feeding Practices in the country

• Manipur has topped the rankings in Breastfeeding and Infant and Young Child Feeding Practices in the country. Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan released a report on Breastfeeding in New Delhi. Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Bihar are at the bottom positions of the report card.
• National capital Delhi is also among the worst-performing States. The Breastfeeding report card has been developed by devising a composite score based on three indicators namely early initiation of breastfeeding, exclusive breastfeeding for six months and  complimentary feeding at 6-8 months of child's age.
• The Breastfeeding Improves the child’s IQ level. The benefit of Breastfeeding not only saves child but also saves the mother from breast cancer and ovarian cancer. 

Foot Notes:
About Manipur

1. Capital: Imphal
2. Governor: Padmanabha Acharya
3. Chief Minister: N. Biren Singh

3. INS Tarkash arrives in Norway for a 3-day visit

• INS Tarkash has arrived in Norway for a 3 day visit as part of Western Fleet Overseas Deployment. The ship is part of the Indian Navy's Western Fleet and is under the operational command of Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Naval Command.
• INS Tarkash is one of the most powerful frontline frigates of the Indian Navy equipped with a versatile range of weapons and sensors.

Foot Notes:
Chief of the Naval Staff: Admiral Karambir Singh.

4. BCCI  agreed to come under the jurisdiction of NADA

• The Indian Sports Secretary, Radheshyam Jhulaniya stated that the Board of Control for Cricket in India(BCCI) has agreed to come under the jurisdiction of the anti-doping watchdog, National Anti Doping Agency (NADA) after years of resisting the move.
• BCCI had raised a number of concerns(quality of the dope testing kits, competence of pathologists and sample collection) but finally agreed to come under NADA after the sports ministry gave assurances about resolving issues of the cricket board.
• Background: BCCI calling itself an autonomous body, and was against the signing up with NADA for a period of time. The Indian cricket board decided in march 2019 to work with the country’s anti-doping agency on a trial period of 6 months.

Foot Notes:
About BCCI in India

1. Founded :1928
2. Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra
3. CEO: Rahul Johri

About NADA
Director-General &CEO : Navin Agarwal

1. It is mandated for Dope free sports in India.
2. Its objectives are to implement anti-doping rules, regulate dope control programme, to promote education and research and creating awareness about doping and its ill effects.

5. President Ram Nath Kovind gave assent to the National Medical Commission Bill 2019.

• The Bill will replace the Medical Council of India (MCI), which was functional as per the Indian Medical Council (IMC) Act, 1956.
• The National Medical Commission (NMC) will form the apex regulatory body for medical education in India. The commission will ensure the quality of the medical colleges and every institute will now be rated.
• One of the provisions of the bill included the appointment of the Board of Governors to perform the functions.

6. Rohingya refugees get identity cards in Bangladesh

• Rohingya refugees living in Bangladesh issued identity documents by the UNHCR. The bio-metric, fraud-proof cards are being issued jointly by Bangladeshi authorities and UNHCR to all verified refugees over the age of 12. These cards will help in establishing and safeguarding the right of Rohingya refugees to return to their homes in Myanmar.
• The current registration exercise began in June 2018 and it is scheduled to be completed during the last quarter of the current year. UNHCR’s Bio-metric Identity Management System (BIMS) captures bio-metric data, including fingerprints and iris scans which secure each refugee’s unique identity as well as other important information such as family links.
• UNHCR, Bangladesh more than 9 lakh Rohingya refugees out of which close to 7 lakh 50 thousand refugees arrived after August 2017 fleeing Rakhine province of Myanmar amid violence and military crackdown. Bangladesh claims to have 11 lakh Rohingya refugees in the country.

Foot Notes:

• Capital: Dhaka
• Currency: Bangladeshi taka
• Prime minister: Sheikh Hasina

7. Sonia Gandhi chosen as Interim Chief of Congress

• The Congress Working Committee (CWC), the highest decision-making body of the party, selected Sonia Gandhi, aged 72, as interim president of the Congress party.
• She had held the post of Congress President between 1998 and 2017. She succeeds Rahul Gandhi.

8. Shri Ghotu Ram Meena is the next Ambassador of India to the Republic of Congo

• As per the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India(GoI), Shri Ghotu Ram Meena has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the Republic of Congo. He is presently serving as Counsellor, Embassy of India, Kyiv, Ukraine Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). He replaces Ms. Nina Tshering La.
• The Republic of Congo has supported India’s candidature in various international forums. Government of India approved a line of US $ 89.9 million for the development of the transportation system in congo in 2014 & approved another line of credit for US $ 55 million for a greenfield 600 TPD rotary kiln-based cement plant project.
• India also donated medicines worth US $ 200,000 to the Republic of Congo in 2010.

Foot Notes:
About Republic of Congo

1. Capital: Brazzaville
2. Currency: Central African CFA franc
   Mouamba
3. President: Denis Sassou Nguesso
4. Prime Minister: Clement

9. Huawei launches its own Operating System Harmony OS

• Huawei Technologies launched its own Operating System (OS) named Hong MengOS in Chinese/ HarmonyOS in English. The first version of the OS will be launched later in 2019 in its smart screen products. It is a part of Huawei’s play in the Internet of Things (IoT).
• It can be used across different devices from smartphones to smart speakers and even sensors.
• Over the next three years, the OS will be used in other devices, including wearables and car head units.

Foot Notes:
About Huawei Technologies

1. Headquarters: Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
2. CEO: Richard Yu

10. Rajasthan becomes  the first state in the country to implement biofuel policy

• Deputy Chief Minister of Rajasthan state Government , Sachin Pilot  stated that Rajasthan is the 1st  state in the country that released biofuel rules-2019 (after the notification of the Centre on April 30,2019) with the vision to promote the use of biofuels. He introduced the  biofuel rules-2019 at a state level function on the eve of the World Biofuel Day.
• The pilot also stated that there will be no delay in taking necessary steps for progress and welfare of the society and country.
• Present status: 82% of fossil fuel in India comes from overseas which is a big burden on the taxpayers and India’s economy.It categorizes the biofuels called Basic Biofuels into 3 categories which include

1. First Generation (1G) ,bioethanol & biodiesel
2. “Advanced Biofuels” ,Second Generation (2G) ethanol, Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) to drop-in fuels and
3. Third Generation (3G) biofuels,  bio-CNG (Compressed natural gas )among others to enable extension of appropriate financial and fiscal incentives under each category.

Foot Notes:
About Rajasthan

1. Chief minister: Ashok Gehlot
2. Capital: Jaipur