Current Affairs of 3 May 2016

1. Indian Railways ink MoU with Haryana and Punjab to plant trees alongside Railway Track
1. The Union Ministry of Railways and Forest Department of Haryana & Punjab have inked Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for plantation of trees alongside Railway Track on Railway Land Boundary. The MoU paves way for planting around 5 lakh trees alongside Railway Track on Railway Land Boundary prior to Monsoon Season.
2. This agreement paves way improvements with regard to afforestation on railway land. With this Indian Railways can contribute substantially towards the Green India Mission. Forest department of respective states will provide expertise in afforestation as well as in maintenance and disposal of trees.

2. Supreme Court appointed RM Lodha-panel to reform Medical Council of India
1. The Supreme Court of India on 2 May 2016 appointed a three-member panel headed by former Chief Justice of India (CJI) RM Lodha to oversee the functions of the Medical Council of India. It is the regulator of medical profession and education in India.
Besides Lodha, the panel consists of former Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) Vinod Rai and Dr SK Sareen.
2. The court appointed the panel as the MCI is often been accused of indulging in corrupt practices. 

3. Leicester City crowned English Premier League champions for 1st time in 132-year history
1. Leicester City was crowned as champions of English Premier League on 2 May 2016. It was crowned with the title without playing, as nearest challenger Tottenham Hotspur had 2-2 draw with Chelsea.
2. The result meant second placed Tottenham will not be able to surpass Leicester City who has a seven point lead at the top of the table.
3. This is the first time in the club’s 132-year history that Leicester is champion of England.
4. Leicester City completed their contest for the Premier League title after Eden Hazard's late goal enabled Chelsea a draw with second-place Tottenham Hotspur.

4. Leicester City's Jamie Vardy named FWA Footballer of the Year 2016
1. Leicester City striker forward Jamie Vardy was named 2015-16 Footballer of the Year by the Football Writers Association (FWA). He will be honoured with the prestigious FWA accolade, which has been running since 1948, at a gala dinner in London on 12 May 2016.
2. 19-year-old striker became the first Leicester City player to win the prestigious FWA Footballer of the Year award with 36 percent of the vote. With this he joined the likes of Bobby Moore, George Best, Eric Cantona, Thierry Henry and Cristiano Ronaldo among its past winners.

5. World Press Freedom Day observed across the world
1. The World Press Freedom Day was on 3 May 2016 observed across the world with the theme Access to Information and Fundamental Freedoms - This Is Your Right!
6. Airtel rechristens M-Commerce Services as Payments Bank
1. Airtel M-Commerce Services, a subsidiary of Bharti Airtel (Airtel) has been renamed as Airtel Payments Bank Ltd after receiving the necessary approvals from all concerned authorities.
2. The company also unveiled a new logo to reflect its new identity.
3. On April 11, Airtel Payments Bank Ltd received a payments bank licence from the Reserve Bank of India. The company plans to start rolling out its banking network in the second quarter of the current financial year.
4. Currently, the Airtel distribution channel is spread across 15-lakh outlets with a network presence in 5,126 census and 4,64,361 non-census towns and villages in India covering around 87 per cent of the country’s population.
5. Kotak Mahindra Bank has acquired 19.90 per cent stake in Airtel Payments Bank Ltd for a consideration of around Rs. 98.8 crore. Kotak is expected to bring its banking expertise to the venture.

7. Tendulkar accepts IOA’s invitation to become goodwill ambassador
1. Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar accepted Indian Olympic Association (IOA)’s invitation to become the country’s goodwill ambassador for the Rio Olympics alongside ace shooter Abhinav Bindra and Bollywood star Salman Khan after the controversial actor’s appointment created an uproar.

8. Indian American Harmeet Kaur Dhillon elected to key Republican position
1. An Indian American Sikh woman Harmeet Kaur Dhillon (47) from California was elected to an important position in the Republican Party at the United States national level. She was elected as the newest national committee woman, a key position of the Republican National Committee.
2. Prior to this, she was vice chairman of the California GOP. She was the first woman elected to this position of vice chair of the California Republican Party.
1. Indian Railways ink MoU with Haryana and Punjab to plant trees alongside Railway Track
1. The Union Ministry of Railways and Forest Department of Haryana & Punjab have inked Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for plantation of trees alongside Railway Track on Railway Land Boundary. The MoU paves way for planting around 5 lakh trees alongside Railway Track on Railway Land Boundary prior to Monsoon Season.
2. This agreement paves way improvements with regard to afforestation on railway land. With this Indian Railways can contribute substantially towards the Green India Mission. Forest department of respective states will provide expertise in afforestation as well as in maintenance and disposal of trees.

2. Supreme Court appointed RM Lodha-panel to reform Medical Council of India
1. The Supreme Court of India on 2 May 2016 appointed a three-member panel headed by former Chief Justice of India (CJI) RM Lodha to oversee the functions of the Medical Council of India. It is the regulator of medical profession and education in India.
Besides Lodha, the panel consists of former Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) Vinod Rai and Dr SK Sareen.
2. The court appointed the panel as the MCI is often been accused of indulging in corrupt practices. 

3. Leicester City crowned English Premier League champions for 1st time in 132-year history
1. Leicester City was crowned as champions of English Premier League on 2 May 2016. It was crowned with the title without playing, as nearest challenger Tottenham Hotspur had 2-2 draw with Chelsea.
2. The result meant second placed Tottenham will not be able to surpass Leicester City who has a seven point lead at the top of the table.
3. This is the first time in the club’s 132-year history that Leicester is champion of England.
4. Leicester City completed their contest for the Premier League title after Eden Hazard's late goal enabled Chelsea a draw with second-place Tottenham Hotspur.

4. Leicester City's Jamie Vardy named FWA Footballer of the Year 2016
1. Leicester City striker forward Jamie Vardy was named 2015-16 Footballer of the Year by the Football Writers Association (FWA). He will be honoured with the prestigious FWA accolade, which has been running since 1948, at a gala dinner in London on 12 May 2016.
2. 19-year-old striker became the first Leicester City player to win the prestigious FWA Footballer of the Year award with 36 percent of the vote. With this he joined the likes of Bobby Moore, George Best, Eric Cantona, Thierry Henry and Cristiano Ronaldo among its past winners.

5. World Press Freedom Day observed across the world
1. The World Press Freedom Day was on 3 May 2016 observed across the world with the theme Access to Information and Fundamental Freedoms - This Is Your Right!
6. Airtel rechristens M-Commerce Services as Payments Bank
1. Airtel M-Commerce Services, a subsidiary of Bharti Airtel (Airtel) has been renamed as Airtel Payments Bank Ltd after receiving the necessary approvals from all concerned authorities.
2. The company also unveiled a new logo to reflect its new identity.
3. On April 11, Airtel Payments Bank Ltd received a payments bank licence from the Reserve Bank of India. The company plans to start rolling out its banking network in the second quarter of the current financial year.
4. Currently, the Airtel distribution channel is spread across 15-lakh outlets with a network presence in 5,126 census and 4,64,361 non-census towns and villages in India covering around 87 per cent of the country’s population.
5. Kotak Mahindra Bank has acquired 19.90 per cent stake in Airtel Payments Bank Ltd for a consideration of around Rs. 98.8 crore. Kotak is expected to bring its banking expertise to the venture.

7. Tendulkar accepts IOA’s invitation to become goodwill ambassador
1. Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar accepted Indian Olympic Association (IOA)’s invitation to become the country’s goodwill ambassador for the Rio Olympics alongside ace shooter Abhinav Bindra and Bollywood star Salman Khan after the controversial actor’s appointment created an uproar.

8. Indian American Harmeet Kaur Dhillon elected to key Republican position
1. An Indian American Sikh woman Harmeet Kaur Dhillon (47) from California was elected to an important position in the Republican Party at the United States national level. She was elected as the newest national committee woman, a key position of the Republican National Committee.
2. Prior to this, she was vice chairman of the California GOP. She was the first woman elected to this position of vice chair of the California Republican Party.