Current Affairs 13 June 2020

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About Nature Index 2020:
The Nature Index 2020 Annual Tables highlight the institutions and countries that dominated high quality research in the natural sciences based on the research published in the top journals. The 2020 tables are based on Nature Index data from 1 January 2019 to 31 December 2019.
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SCL Das to head the committee constituted by Petroleum Ministry to inquire the Assam oil well disaster 

i.A 3-member  high-level committee was formed by the Petroleum Ministry to inquire the disaster at Oil India Ltd well in Assam.
ii.The panel will be headed by  Director General of Directorate General of Hydrocarbons (DGH), SCL Das other members include former ONGC(Oil and Natural Gas Corporation) chairman BC Bora and former ONGC director T K Sengupta.
iii.The Panel will identify, the lapses in following laid down protocols and procedures which led to the incident and submit a report in a months time.
About the Petroleum Ministry 
The Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas is concerned with the exploration and production of Oil & Natural Gas, refining, distribution and marketing, import, export and conservation of petroleum products.
Minister of Petroleum and Natural gas- Dharmendra Pradhan
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3rd India-ASEAN youth dialogue held from June 8 to 10, 2020; youth-centric initiatives highlighted

i.The 3rd India-Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) youth dialogue 2020 regarded the youth as “vehicles of change” who are playing a pivotal role by leading the fight against the pandemic.
ii.The Central elements of ASEAN-India strategic partnership are effectively and constructively channelizing the youthful energy, education and skill development. Therefore, the members have pledged to enhance the central elements during the 2020 youth dialogue.
About ASEAN:
2020 Chairmanship– Vietnam
Chairman– Nguyen Xuan Phuc
Membership– 10 States ― Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. 1 Observer – Papua New Guinea.
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Madhya Pradesh becomes the top wheat procurer; pumps Rs 25,000 crores to boost farmers 

i.MP becomes India’s largest wheat procurer in the year 20-21 surpassing Punjab
ii.Rs 25,000 crore introduced to boost farmers.
iii.MP also produced the most wheat about 30 million tonnes this year.
About Madhya Pradesh
Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection, Cooperative Minister – Govind Singh Rajput
Principle Secretary of Food Civil Supplies-Sheo Shekhar Shukla
Department of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection- It is responsible for ensuring the availability of essential commodities and checking malpractices in the supply of food grains and other notified items.
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INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

USCIRF Welcomes Release of State Department’s 2019 International Religious Freedom Report
U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) appreciated State Department’s 2019 Annual Report on International Religious Freedom to improving religious freedom conditions abroad.
i.On April 29, 2020, USCIRF’s Annual Report released and recommended that the State Department mentioned 14 countries as ‘country of particular concern’( CPCs) and 15 countries on its Special Watch List (SWL). These 29 countries are the world’s worst offenders against freedom of religion or belief.
ii.As per the report India was termed as “country of particular concern’(CPC) for engaging in, tolerating systematic, and ongoing religious freedom violations including the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, continued enforcement of cow slaughter and anti-conversion laws, and the November Supreme Court ruling on the Babri Masjid site. Therefore USCIRF recommends CPC designation for India in this report.
For more detail about USCIRF’s Annual Report 2020 click here of our previous article

BANKING & FINANCE

RBI bars People’s Co-operative Bank from granting fresh loans, accepting deposits for 6 months

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has restricted People’s Co-operative Bank located in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh (UP) from granting fresh loans and accepting deposits for six months from June 10, 2020, due to its weak financial position in exercise of powers vested in it under sub section (1) of Section 35 A of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 read with Section 56 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 . The bank is barred from selling, transferring or disposing any of its properties or assets.
• Also no withdrawal of amount across all savings account or current accounts or any other account of a depositor will be allowed from the co-operative bank.

Point to be noted:
The above restrictions are not meant for the cancellation of banking licence of the co-operative bank. It will continue to undertake banking business with restrictions till its financial position improves.
About Reserve Bank of India (RBI):
Headquarters– Mumbai, Maharashtra
Formation– 1 April 1935
Governor– Shaktikanta Das
Deputy Governors– 4 (Bibhu Prasad Kanungo, Mahesh Kumar Jain, Michael Debabrata Patra, one is yet to be appointed).

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

Global trade to decline further by 27% in Q2 after 5% decline in first quarter: UNCTAD’s report

On June 11, 2020,According to the report ‘Global Trade Update 2020’ released by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the value of international trade in goods fell by 5% in the first quarter (Q1) of 2020 and is expected to plunge further by 27% in the ongoing second quarter (Q2) due to the unprecedented effects of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
-It has also forecasted a 20% annual decline in trade for the year 2020.
About United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD):
Headquarters– Geneva, Switzerland
Secretary-General- Mukhisa Kituyi
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AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

Indian-American Soil Scientist Dr. Rattan Lal Honoured as 2020 World Food Prize Laureate

On 11th June 2020, 76-year-old Indian-American Soil scientist, Dr. Rattan Lal received the 2020 World Food Prize Laureate (250,000 USD – Rs. 1.89 crore) for developing and mainstreaming a soil centric approach to increase food production that conserves natural resources and mitigates climate change. He was born in 1944 in Karyal, West Punjab, India.
World Food Prize is also referred as ‘Nobel Prize in the field of agriculture’ or “Nobel Prize for Food and Agriculture.”
About World Food Prize Foundation:
President– Barbara Stinson
Headquarters– Des Moines, Lowa, United States of America
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SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Kerala Startup ties up with SCTIMST to launch IoT based BIN-19 & UV SPOT: COVID-19

i.Kerala Startup VST Mobility Solutions, has launched Internet of Things(IoT) based(facility that works without any human touch) automated mask disposal machine “BIN-19” & “UltraViolet(UV) SPOT”, a UV light-based multipurpose disinfector in association with Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology(SCTIMST).
ii.The BIN-19 is developed using Chitra UV based face mask disposal bin technology from SCTIMST. This is the 1st time such facilities are available in Kerala.
About VST Mobility Solutions:
Headquarters– Cochin(Ernakulam), Kerala
Registered Office– Bangalore, Karnataka
Chief Executive Officer(CEO), Founder & Managing director(MD)– Alvin George
About SCTIMST:
Headquarters- Thiruvananthapuram( Trivandrum), Kerala
President–  Vijay Kumar(V. K.)  Saraswat
Director– Asha Kishore
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OBITUARY

Former Member of Planning Commission, A.Vaidyanathan, Passed Away at 88

On 10th June 2020, The former member of the Planning Commission, advocate of data quality and economist, Dr. A. Vaidyanathan passed away at the age of 88 in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.
i.He worked as a professor at the Madras Institute of Development Studies and the Centre for Development Studies .He joined the National Council of Applied Economic Research in 1956.
ii.He worked at the Food and Agricultural Organisation at Rome and World Bank from 1972 to 1976..He a member of perspective planning division of the planning Commission from 1962-1972 and KN.Raj Committee on taxation of Agricultural Income from 1969-1970
iii.He had experience in agricultural policies, water management and national statistics and involved in developing the Statistical system of India and National Sample Survey.

BOOKS & AUTHORS

“Lockdown Liaisons” Authored by Shobhaa De published by Simon & Schuster India

Writer and Columnist Shobhaa De’s new collection of stories titled “Lockdown Liaisons” a book reflecting the impacts of COVID-19 on human lives published by Simon & Schuster India and released on May 30, 2020.

They released the 1st ebook titled “Leaving and Other Stories” under Lockdown Liaisons on May 30, 2020.On the 2nd week they had released the ebook titled “No Love lost and Other Stories”. On the 3rd week they had released the ebook titled “Wedding Cancelled and Other Stories”.
About Lockdown Liaisons:
i.Collection of short stories from different perspectives from men and women, young and old, brave and cowardly, cheerful and weighed down.
ii.The book displays the shifting emotions of people during the pandemic and its effect on people and their struggle to adjust to the “new normal”.
About Shobhaa De:
i.Shobha Rajadhyaksha born on 7th January 1948 in Maharashtra.
ii.She is an alumnus of St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai where she did her degree in Psychology.
iii.One of India’s popular writers, a journalist, a model, a copywriter, a script writer and bestselling novelist.
iv.She writes the Politically Incorrect column of Times of India.
v.She was the former editor of magazines like Stardust, Society and Celebrity.
Other Books:

• Socialite Evening (her debut novel)
• Spouse – The Truth About Marriage
• Speedpost
• Superstar India: From incredible to Unstoppable

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Day Against Child Labour 2020 – June 12

June 12 of Every year is observed as the World Day Against Child Labour which was launched by the International Labour Organization (ILO) in 2002 to focus on the global extent of child labour and the steps to be taken to eliminate it.
Theme of 2020: “COVID-19: Protect children from child labour, now more than ever”.
About ILO:
Director General– Guy Ryder
Headquarters– Geneva, Switzerland
About UNICEF:
Executive Director– Henrietta H.Fore
Headquarters– New York, United States of America
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STATE NEWS

UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath launches ‘Bal Shramik Vidya Yojana’ through video conference

i.Uttar Pradesh(UP) Chief Minister(CM) Yogi Adityanath launched ‘Bal Shramik Vidya Yojana’ for 8-18 years old children, who are child labourers instead of being in school, through video conference.
ii.Aim of the yojana– To educate orphans and worker’s children or child labourers & ensure their healthy life.
iii.Financial assistance– This scheme provides financial assistance of Rs 1000 per month(pm) to boys, Rs 1200 pm to girls & children studying 8th, 9th and 10th will be given Rs 6000 per annum along with a monthly incentive.
About UP:
Capital– Lucknow
Governor– Anandiben Mafatbhai Patel
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Odisha becomes 1^st state in India to receive ISO certification for tribal hostels

Odisha became the first State in India to receive prestigious ISO (International Organization for Standardization) 9001:2015 certification for its 44 tribal hostels of Keonjhar (32 hostels ) and Sambalpur (12 hostels) districts improving their overall infrastructure and standards under Mission Suvidya.
i.The certification is an example of the transformation targets set under the state’s 5T(Technology, Transparency, Teamwork, Time and Transformation) framework.
About Odisha:
Capital– Bhubaneswar.
Chief minister– Shri Naveen Patnaik
Governor– Ganeshi Lal.
5T Secretary- VK Pandian
Dance forms– Odissi,Chhau, Medha Nacha, Dalkhai, Ghumura.
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Green Mizoram Day 2020: June 11

Every year a particular day during the first or second week of June is observed as Green Mizoram Day.In 2020, Green Mizoram Day is observed on June 11 across Mizoram in India. The plantation drive was averted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Purpose of observing :-
This day was observed to protect the state’s diverse flora and fauna and preserve the ecological balance of the region. Green Mizoram day is celebrating since 1999.
Other Events:-
i.Governor P.S Shreedharan Pillai planted saplings at the premises of Raj Bhavan.
ii.The day is also dedicated to plant trees & to maintain those planted in previous years by which ecological balance can be maintained.
About Mizoram:
Capital–  Aizawl
Chief Minister-Pu zoramthanga
National Parks(NP)– Murlen NP, Phawngpui NP

Hyderabad City Security Council along with Hyderabad City Police launches a programme ‘STREE’ for women 

i.Hyderabad City Security Council(HCSC) along with Hyderabad City Police launched “She Triumphs through Respect, Equality, and Empowerment(STREE)”, a programme to support and empower women victims of domestic violence and abuse.
ii.To promote a common platform for all women to join together and work with police to deal with issues related to women’s safety and security.
iii.To raise awareness among the women on their rights, entitlements, laws and support systems.
About Telangana:
Hyderabad is a city in Telangana
Capital– Hyderabad
Chief Minister(CM)– Kalvakuntla(K.) Chandrashekar Rao
Governor– Tamilisai Soundararajan
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AC GAZE

Aadhaar-based online ‘Insta Saving Bank Account’ relaunched: SBI

The State Bank of India (SBI) has relaunched ‘SBI Insta Saving Bank Account’,an Aadhaar-based instant digital savings account for customers using the Yono platform, which will offer a complete paperless and instant digital savings account opening with just PAN and Aadhaar number.

Tamil Nadu legislator Anbazhagan passes away at 61

Three-time DMK MLA, J. Anbazhagan passed away at the age of 61 years after he tested positive for COVID-19 in Chennai, who represented the Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni constituency in the Assembly.

India remains at 108 in FIFA rankings, Belgium tops

According to the FIFA (Federation Internationale de Football Association) world Ranking released on June 11, 2020, India has retained the 108th spot with 1187 points as international football has been suspended since March due to the Covid- 19. Belgium tops the ranking followed by France and Brazil. Qatar is the host country of FIFA World Cup 2022.

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