NATIONAL NEWS
Kerala launches Knowledge Economy Mission to boost job prospectsThe State government of Kerala launched the Knowledge Economy Mission to bring the ongoing efforts to provide employment to the educated and support ‘knowledge workers’ under a single programme.
- It was being spearheaded by Kerala Development and Innovation Strategic Council (K-DISC) and they will submit a comprehensive project report before July 15.
- Project will be launched to bring ongoing efforts of providing employment to educated people and support ‘knowledge workers’ under a single programme. A plan will be made to provide basic facilities and social security system for knowledge workers who are working close to their homes and interacting with employers.
- For implementation and funding purposes, ‘knowledge economy fund’ will be created. In order to promote skills & strengthen higher education system and for technological transformation, knowledge economy fund was hiked from ₹200 crore to ₹300 crore.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched through a video conference three E100 ethanol dispensing stations in Pune under a pilot project on the occasion of World Environment Day.
- One of the ethanol dispensing stations has come up at Samgamwadi petrol pump, another at Chowisawadi village and third at Wesley road.
- During the event, Modi said that last year, oil companies spent ₹21,000 crore on ethanol procurement. Besides helping the environment, the focus on ethanol is also leaving a positive impact on the lives of farmers.
India launched the Innovation CleanTech Exchange Mission, a global initiative to create a incubators network across member countries to boost clean energy innovation.
- The network, launched virtually at the Innovating to Net Zero Summit hosted by Chile, will provide access to the expertise and market insights needed to support new technologies to access new markets globally.
- India among 23 governments collectively launched bold new plans to catalyze action and spearheaded a decade of innovation to drive global investment in clean energy research, development and demonstrations.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, a food security welfare scheme introduced last year to provide free ration for over 80 crore poor people will be extended till Diwali 2021.
- The Prime Minister made this announcement after he said that the Union government will provide free coronavirus vaccine to states for inoculation of all above the age of 18 from June 21, and asserted that vaccine supply would be increased significantly in the country in coming days.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
India slips two spots to rank 117 on achieving Sustainable Development GoalsIndia's rank has slipped by two places from last year to 117 on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted as a part of the 2030 agenda by 193 United Nations member states in 2015, a new report has said.
- The State of India's Environment Report 2021 revealed that India's rank was 115 last year and dropped by two places. India ranks below four South Asian countries -- Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, it said. The overall SDG score of India is 61.9 out of 100.
- Elaborating state-wise preparedness, the report said Jharkhand and Bihar are the least prepared to meet the SDGs by 2030, which is the target year. While Jharkhand lags in five of the SDGs, Bihar lags in seven.It said the states/UTs with the best overall score which are on the path to achieving the SDGs are Kerala, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh.
- The report also said that India ranked 168 out of 180 countries in terms of Environmental Performance Index (EPI) and India's rank was 172 in the environmental health category.
BANKING & FINANCE
World Bank approves USD 500 million program to help boost India's MSME sectorThe World Bank has approved a USD 500 million program to help boost India's MSME sector.
- The programme targets improvements in the performance of five lakh 50 thousand MSMEs. Out of some 58 million MSMEs in the country, more than 40 per cent lack access to formal sources of finance.
- The USD 500 million Raising and Accelerating Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) Performance (RAMP) Program is the World Bank's second intervention in this sector. The first being the Rs 750 million MSME Emergency Response Program, approved in July last year.
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
Indian Oil Corporation Limited signs MoU with Gujarat govt to set up 6 petrochemical projectsIndian Oil Corporation Limited has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Gujarat government to set up six petrochemical projects.
- These projects will be set up around Vadodara with the investment of Rs. 24,000 crore.
- The projects will include LuPech project for petrochemicals, Acrylics-Oxo Alcohol project at Dumad near Vadodara, infrastructure for KAhSPL at JR & Dumad, shifting of LAB TTL facility in Dumad and New Flare at JR and hydrogen dispensing facility.
The goods and service tax collections for May clocked Rs 1,02,709 crore, making it the eighth straight month of collections crossing Rs 1 lakh crore mark.
- The collections have been 65% higher than the GST revenues in the same month, despite many states being under lockdown due to the Covid pandemic, the finance ministry said.
- The May GST collections were also a 27.6 per cent drop from a record sum of Rs 1.41 lakh crore in April, which was the highest monthly collection since the introduction of the nationwide tax.
SPORTS
Germany’s FIFA World Cup-winner Sami Khedira announces retirementGermany’s World Cup-winning midfielder Sami Khedira said he will retire following his club Hertha Berlin’s final match of the Bundesliga season against Hoffenheim.
- Khedira, 34, began his career at VfB Stuttgart and helped them win the league title in the 2006-07 season before moving to Real Madrid, where he won the league and Champions League in a trophy-laden spell.
- Khedira went on to win five Serie A titles at Juventus after joining them in 2015. Khedira played 77 games for Germany scoring seven goals and helped them win the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Red Bull's Sergio Perez won a chaotic Azerbaijan Grand Prix with both Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton failing to finish.This was the first win for Perez since joining Red Bull.
- Sebastian Vettel for Aston Martin and Pierre Gasly for Alpha Tauri completed the unexpected podium.
APPOINTMENTS
Vice Admiral Rajesh Pendharkar assumes Charge as Director General Naval OperationsVice Admiral Rajesh Pendharkar assumed Charge as Director General Naval Operations.
- An alumnus of the National Defense Academy, Khadakwasla, Pune, he was commissioned into the Indian Navy in Jan 1987.
- He is a graduate of the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, Naval War College, Karanja, and Naval Command College, Newport, Rhode Island, USA.
The Reserve Bank of India has approved the appointment of Vishwavir Ahuja as the Managing Director and CEO of RBL Bank for a one-year period with effect from June 30, 2021.
- He has been the Managing Director & CEO of RBL Bank since June 30, 2010. Before RBL Bank, Ahuja was the Managing Director & CEO of Bank of America, India.
Ranjitsinh Disale, a primary school teacher from Solapur, Maharashtra, who received the Global Teacher Prize in 2020, has been named World Bank Education Advisor for the period June 2021 to June 2024.
- Disale, 32, was chosen the winner of the Global Teacher Prize 2020 for his efforts to promote girls’ education and kickstart a QR-coded textbook revolution in India.
- The World Bank has established a new Coach project aimed at enhancing in-service teacher professional development to help students learn faster.
AWARDS
Kerala's Thomas Vijayan wins Nature TTL Photographer of the Year 2021Kerala-based Thomas Vijayan, who is now settled in Canada, has won 2021 Nature TTL Photography Awards for his photo of an Orangutan clinging to a tree.The photograph is titled ‘The World is Going Upside Down’.
- Vijayan was adjudged as the overall winner of the competition from over 8,000 entries for Nature TTL Photographer of the Year 2021, which carries grand prize of 1,500 pounds (Rs.1.5 lakh).
BOOKS & AUTHORS
‘1232 km: The Long Journey Home’ book by Vinod KapriThe book titled ‘1232 km: The Long Journey Home’ authored by filmmaker Vinod Kapri has been released recently.
- This book chronicles the journey of seven migrant workers from Bihar, who journeyed back home on their bicycles and reached their destination after seven days. The book is published by Harper Collins.
IMPORTANT DAYS
World Pest DayWorld Pest Day, also known as World Pest Awareness Day, is observed on June 6 every year.
- The objective behind celebrating this day is to create awareness of how pest management helps preserve the quality of life for people.
June 7 each year is marked globally by the 'World Food Safety Day' as per the World Health Organization (WHO), observed annually to raise awareness about foodborne risks and help prevent, detect, and manage untoward diseases, in essence contributing to sustainable human development through proper food security.
- World Food Safety Day 2021 theme is 'Safe food today for a healthy tomorrow'. With this, the World Health Organization (WHO) highlights that the production and consumption of safe food have immediate and long-term benefits for people, the planet, and the economy.
No comments:
Post a Comment