31 May 2016 Current Affairs
Central Government Doctors’ Retirement Age Extended To 65-yearsÂ
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 31 May approved the proposal of extending the retirement age of all doctors of the Central Health Service to 65 years. The proposal made by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare will be effective from May 31, 2016. This will enable the Government to retain experienced doctors for a longer period, and to provide better services in its public health facilities, particularly to the poorest, who are entirely dependent on public facilities.
Admiral Sunil Lanba Takes Over as Chief of Naval StaffÂ
Admiral Sunil Lanba on 31 May took over as Chief of Naval Staff. 58-year-old Lanba, a specialist in Navigation and Direction, will have the full three-year tenure as the Navy Chief. Lanba succeeded Admiral RK Dhowan. An alumnus of Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, Lanba is the 21st Indian to be the Navy Chief. The first two were British.
Ashok Lavasa Becomes new Finance Secretary
Ashok Lavasa was on 31 May 2016 was appointed as the Finance Secretary. Lavasa, at present serving as the Expenditure Secretary, is a 1980 batch IAS officer of Haryana cadre. The post was lying vacant since April 2016 after the retirement of Ratan Watal. After retirement, Watal was appointed as principle advisor, social sector, in the NITI Aayog.
World No Tobacco Day 2016 Observed Across The World
The World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) 2016 was observed globally on 31 May 2016. To mark this occasion, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Secretariat of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control called countries to get ready for plain packaging of tobacco products. Every year, on 31 May, the WHO and its partners in close collaboration with the governmental and non governmental agencies organize events, workshops, seminars to raise awareness about the ill effects of tobacco processing, trade and usage among the masses and the policy makers.In December 2012, Australia became the first country to fully implement plain packaging. In 2015, Ireland, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and France all passed laws to implement plain packaging from May 2016. On 15 May 1987, the WHO passed a resolution, calling for 7 April 1988, to be the first WNTD. The date was chosen because it was the 40th anniversary of the WHO.However, on 17 May 1989, the WHO passed another resolution calling for 31 May to be annually known as WNTD. Thus, this event has been observed each year since 1989.