🌍 International
– WTO Director General Roberto Azevedo to step down on August 31, one-year before the completion of his 8-year term
– International Day of Families celebrated on May 15; theme: ‘Families in Development: Copenhagen & Beijing + 25’
🇮🇳 India
– Indian Coast Guard Ship Sachet, interceptor boats C-450 and C-451 commissioned in Goa by Defence Minister
– National Book Trust’s 7 titles on “Psycho-Social Impact of Pandemic & Lockdown and How to Cope With” launched by HRD Minister
✔ ECONOMIC PACKAGE ON AGRICULTURE
– Economic package focusing on agriculture and allied activities announced
– Operation Greens to be extended from TOP (Tomatoes, Onion and Potatoes) to ALL fruits and vegetables
– Rs 4000 crore outlay has been made to promote herbal cultivation with a target of covering 10 lakh hectares in 2 years.
– An 800-hectare corridor of medicinal plants will be developed along the banks of Ganga
– Essential Commodities Act will be amended to enable better price realisation for farmers.
– Rs 1 lakh crore agri infrastructure fund will be set up for funding creation of infrastructure such as cold chains, post-harvest management infrastructure such as cold chains, post-harvest management infrastructure.
– Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund worth Rs. 15,000 crores will be set up
– Rs. 13,343 crore National Animal Disease Control Programme to be launched for 100% vaccination of cattle, buffalo, sheep, goat and pig population in India.
– 10,000 crore Fund for Micro Food Enterprises (MFEs) Marketing assistance will be set up for agri products
– Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana will be launched for development of marine and inland fisheries
– Scheme launched for interest subvention @ 2% per annum to dairy cooperatives for 2020-21
– For beekeepers, a Rs 500-crore scheme was announced for infrastructure development and post-harvest facilities
✔ SERVICES TRADE DATA: 2019-20
– Data on India’s services trade in 2019-20 released
– Imports moved up 11.3% to US$ 140.65 billion.
📈 ECONOMY & CORPORATE
– Defence minister approves launch of Rs. 400 crore Defence Testing Infrastructure Scheme (DTIS)
– ONGC awards 49 marginal oil and gas fields to 7 successful bidders
– Foodgrains production to touch an all-time high of 295.67 million tonnes (+3.67%) in 2019-20 crop year: Govt.
🗾 State
– “Atmanirbhar Gujarat Sahay Yojana” launched in Gujarat
– Delhi Police launches “Thermal Corona Combat Headgear”
👨🏻💼 Appointment and Resignations
– Rajesh Goel appointed Director General of NAREDCO (National Real Estate Development Council)
😔 Honorable Death
– Bangladesh’s National Professor Anisuzzaman passes away