Centre forms 3-member panel to investigate Ramban tunnel collapse

• According to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways office order, Professor J.T. Sahu of the IIT, Delhi will be the chairman of the committee, and it will submit the report within 10 days.
• The stretch between Digdole and Khooni Nallah of the Ramban Banihal section is prone to frequent landslip and shooting stones due to fragile geology.
• The Twin tube Tunnel work in 4-laning from Digdole to Panthyal on Jammu Srinagar Highway was awarded to M/s Ceigall India Limited in JV with Patel Engineering Limited. The construction work started on 1st February 2022.

PM Modi in Tokyo to attend Joe Biden''s Indo Pacific Economic Framework launch

• Modi’s attendance at the event is a significant step towards building economic ties among Quad countries (India, the U.S., Australia and Japan) in the Indo-Pacific.
• But officials were hesitant to bill the IPEF as a counter to the 15-nation Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the 17-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) that China is a member of.
• The IPEF would have a “very wide-ranging membership” and the programme was “designed to put workers at the centre with a focus on the digital economy, clean energy transition, infrastructure and resilient supply chains.
• India has not taken a decision on joining the framework, but is keen on understanding the “contours” of the American plan.

The International Tea Day is observed on May 21 every year

• The first International Tea Day was held in Delhi, India in 2005. It was in 2015 that the Indian Government proposed to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation to expand this day globally.
• The day is observed in the month of May because it is during this time of the year that tea production begins in most countries.
• Tea is believed to have originated from the north-eastern parts of India and southwestern China. In these regions, tea production is one of the main sources of livelihood.
• The Tea Board of India was established by the enactment of the Tea Act in 1953 with its headquarters in Kolkata. It is under the administrative control of ministry of commerce and industry.
• The Government through the Tea Board is implementing Tea Development and Promotion Scheme (TPDS) which provides financial assistance to the tea industry in the country.

India will have eVTOLs for urban air mobility

• An electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft is a variety of VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) aircraft that uses electric power to hover, take off, and land vertically.
• This technology came due to major advances in electric propulsion (motors, batteries, fuel cells, electronic controllers) and the growing need for new vehicles for urban air mobility (air taxi).
• Examples are being developed by aircraft companies such as Boeing, Airbus, Embraer, Honda, Toyota, Hyundai and NASA.

Music Academy announces Sangita Kalanidhi awards for three years

Madras Music Academy (MMA):

• It plays an important role in promoting the Carnatic Music.
• History: A music conference was held along with All India Congress Session held in Madras in 1927 and during the deliberations, the idea of a Music Academy emerged. Next year MMA was Inaugurated. Thus it’s an offshoot of INC madras session, 1927.

It presents the following annual awards:

• Sangeetha Kalanidhi: Awarded to one person who has contributed to the field of Carnatic music. Considered as the highest accolade in the field of Carnatic music; Since 2005, the Sangeetha Kalanidhi also receives the MS Subbulakshmi Award instituted by The Hindu.
• Sangeetha Kala Acharya: Awarded to two senior musicians who have contributed by bringing several disciples to the concert platform.
• Natya Kala Acharya:  Awarded to a senior dancer at the inauguration of the annual dance festival.
• TTK Award: Awarded to two senior musicians who have made a mark in the music field as icons and gurus. It is named after TT Krishnamachari, former Union Minister and industrialist, who was a great patron of the arts and was Vice-President of the Music Academy.
• Papa KS Venkataramiah award: Awarded to a Violinist of merit; This award is named after Papa KS Venkataramiah (a great violinist of the past).
• Musicologist Award: Awarded to a musicologist; A scholar who participates in musical research is a musicologist.
• Indira Sivasailam endowment concert and medal: Awarded during Navaratri each year, it is given to the top-ranking performing artist in the concert organized at that time.