Today's Current Affairs 18th May 2023

NATIONAL

Tamil Nadu’s CM M.K. Stalin Inaugurates India’s Biggest Skywalk Bridge

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin inaugurated one of India’s biggest Skywalk bridges. The 570-metre long and 4.2-meter wide skywalk bridge connects the Mambalam railway station and T Nagar bus terminus.

Considered one of the longest skywalks in the country, it is equipped with escalator and lift facilities and also ensures public safety with CCTV cameras installed, and a connection to the police control room, Additionally, it offers restrooms and trash cans. To aid the public, lights have been installed throughout the bridge.

The skywalk, built by the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) at a cost of Rs 28.45 crore under the Smart City funds, aims to decongest the traffic at Ranganathan Street, Madley Road, Market Street. It is expected to be used by around one lakh people on a daily basis.

PM Narendra Modi inaugurated the International Museum Expo 2023 in New Delhi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the International Museum Expo 2023 at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi today 18th May, The International Museum Expo is being organised as part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav to celebrate the 47th International Museum Day.

During the programme, Mr Modi inaugurated a virtual walkthrough of the upcoming National Museum at the North and South Blocks. The Museum is a comprehensive effort to highlight and showcase historical events, personalities, ideas and achievements related to India’s past that has contributed to the making of India’s present.

The Prime Minister also unveiled the Mascot of the International Museum Expo, the Graphic Novel – A Day at the Museum, the Directory of Indian Museums, the Pocket Map of Kartavya Path, and Museum Cards.

PM Modi launches railway projects worth over 8,000 crore rupees in Odisha; Flags off Vande Bharat Express train between Puri and Howrah

Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone and dedicate several railway projects worth over 8,000 crore rupees in Odisha via video conferencing. During the event, Mr. Modi flagged off the Vande Bharat Express between Puri and Howrah.

The train will cover 500 kms distance and pass through Khordha, Cuttack, Jajpur, Bhadrak, and Balasore districts in Odisha and Paschim Medinipur, Purba Medinipur districts in West Bengal. The train will provide a faster, comfortable and convenient travel experience to the rail users, boost tourism and promote economic development in the region.

Howrah-Puri-Howrah Vande Bharat Express - The regular run of the Howrah-Puri-Howrah Vande Bharat Express will commence from May 20. The train will run six days a week. The train will depart Howrah at 6.10 am and reach Puri at 12.35 pm and in the return direction, it will depart Puri at 1.50 pm and arrive at Howrah at 8.30 pm.

Mr Modi also dedicated 100% electrification of the rail network in Odisha. He also dedicated the doubling of the Sambalpur-Titlagarh rail line; a new broad gauge rail line between Angul-Sukinda; the third line connecting Manoharpur-Rourkela-Jharsuguda-Jamga and a new broad-gauge line between Bichhupali-Jhartarbha.

 OBITURY

SP Hinduja, chairman of Hinduja Group, passes away at 87

Srichand Parmanand Hinduja, the eldest of the four Hinduja brothers and chairman of Hinduja Group, passes away in London at the age of 87. He was unwell for some time.

Srichand Parmanand Hinduja was born in 1935 in Pakistan to a Hindu family. He moved to India with his family in 1947 after the partition of India, After completing his education in 1952, Srichand P Hinduja joined his father PD Hinduja, the founder of Hinduja Group, in the family business. SP Hinduja, a British national, is survived by three brothers, namely Gopichand, Prakash and Ashok and two daughters, Shanu and Vinoo. SP Hinduja had suffered from a form of dementia. His wife Madhu died in January 2023.

The Hinduja family patriarch and his brothers, Gopichand and Prakash, were accused of receiving nearly SEK 81 million in illegal commissions to help Swedish gunmaker AB Bofors secure an Indian government contract. A court had however exonerated them.

IMPORTANT DAYS

Global Accessibility Awareness Day

Global Accessibility Awareness Day is celebrated on the third Thursday of May, every year. This day brings focus to designing contents and technologies especially for the persons with diabilities. It is widely considered that in this age of technology, unless technologies become more inclusive and accessible, the condition of estimatedly more than one billion people worldwide living with different kinds of disabilities and impairments, can’t be transformed.

Hence, the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) celebrates the Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) on 18th May. The effort of the goverment is clearly inspired by the vision to build an inclusive society in which equal opportunities are provided for the growth and development of Persons with Disabilities, so that they can also lead productive, safe and dignified lives.

International Museum Day

International Museum Day is observed on May 18 every year since 1977. The day represents a unique moment for the international museum community. Different events and activities are planned on this day and go on through the entire week or the weekend. More than 37,000 museums from 158 countries and territories participated in an event organised last year.

History - To bring awareness about the importance of museums, the International Council of Museums (ICOM) created International Museum Day in 1977. The International Council of Museums is a global association of museums and museum professionals who promote public awareness, conservation, and education.

Theme - The theme of International Museum Day this year is "Museums, Sustainability and Well-being". Calling museums a key contributor to the well-being and to the sustainable development of our communities,

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

N Chandrasekaran awarded France's highest civilian honour

Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran was conferred with France's highest civilian honour- "Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur"- by French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna. The 59-year-old was conferred with the award for the role played by him in developing and fostering commercial links between India and France.

About: Ordre national de la Légion d’ - France’s highest civilian award is the National Order of the Legion of Honour (French: Ordre national de la Légion d’honneur). It was established by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802 and is awarded to French citizens and foreigners for their outstanding service to France in the fields of military, civil, and cultural affairs. The Legion of Honour is a symbol of France’s national pride and is a testament to the country’s commitment to excellence. It is an honor that is bestowed upon those who have made significant contributions to France and to the world.

BANKING AND ECONOMY

Zomato launches UPI service in partnership with ICICI Bank

Zomato, a well-known online food delivery platform, has recently rolled out its own UPI (Unified Payments Interface) service. This real-time payment system has been launched in collaboration with ICICI Bank, and it will allow users to make direct payments to both individuals and merchants. With this new payment service, Zomato aims to offer a more streamlined and convenient payment experience to its users.

As a result of this development, Zomato users will have the convenience of paying for their purchases from a variety of merchants as well as sending money to other users in a peer-to-peer fashion. By logging into the Zomato application, customers can now generate their own UPI IDs, enabling them to make payments directly through the app. This feature provides a simplified payment experience for Zomato users, allowing them to handle transactions seamlessly within the application.