Current Affairs in Short: 6 May 2022

Government orders imported coal plants to operate at full capacity

• The Government of India has invoked Section 11 of the Electricity Act and has mandated all the imported coal-based projects to generate power at full capacity.
• The decision has been taken to tackle the persisting power crisis all over the country. The order by the government will operationalize at least seven gigawatts worth of power plants of Essar Power and Coastal Energen.
• Section 11 of the Electricity Act proves the Government with the authority to order any generating company to operate and maintain its stations.
• The demand of power in the country has gone up by almost 20% in energy terms. The supply of domestic coal has increased, however, it is not sufficient to meet the increased demand for power.

Foreign Minister of Italy arrives in India

• The Foreign Minister of Italy, Luigi Di Maio arrived in India on May 5 to enhance the multifaceted partnership with India.
• The External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar welcomed the foreign minister of Italy on his first visit to India. He is accompanied by a high-level official and business delegation.
• Jaishankar will hold bilateral talks with the Foreign Minister of Italy and will also review the progress in the implementation of Action Plan 2020-24 launched in November 2020.
• Both the ministers will also exchange views on the regional and multilateral of mutual interest.

Kedarnath Temple Opens for devotees

• The doors of Kedarnath Temple opened on May 6 for the devotees. The Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Pushkar Singh Dhami along with his wife Geeta Dhami offered their prayers.
• On the occasion of the opening of Dham, one of the country’s 12 jyotirlingas, thousands of devotees were present.
• The doors of Kedarnath Temple opened following the years of the traditional ritual of vedic chanting.
• Kedarnath Temple, which is located on the bank of the Mandakini river, is one of the four ancient pilgrimage sites referred to as ‘Char Dham’.

CAA will be implemented once COVID subsides

• The Union Home Minister Amit Shah said in a rally in in New Jalpaiguri, West Bengal that The Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) will be implemented once the COVID pandemic subsides.
• The Home Minister is on his first visit to West Bengal exactly a year after BJP lost in the state Assembly Elections.
• Home Minister Amit Shah also accused the Trinamool Congress Government of allowing the infiltration while the Central Government was committed to granting recognition to the refugees.

Karine Jean-Pierre becomes first Black White House Press Secretary

• The President of the US Joe Biden has named Karine Jean-Pierre as the next White House Press Secretary. She is the first black person to hold a high-profile post.
• Jean-Pierre, who will also be the first openly LGBTQ+ person in the role, will replace Jen Psaki, under whom she served as deputy.
• The outgoing Press Secretary, who said that she would step down during Biden’s term, is due to join MSNBC.
• Jean Pierre has worked on both of the former President Barack Obama’s campaigns in 2008 and 2012, and then on Biden’s campaign in 2020 before joining his team in the White House.