Current Affairs 20 June 2023

We are here for you to provide the important Recent and Latest Current Affairs 20 June 2023, which have unique updates of Latest Current Affairs 2023 events from all newspapers such as The Hindu, The Economic Times, PIB, Times of India, PTI, Indian Express, Business Standard and all Government official websites.

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NATIONAL AFFAIRS

Wihu Kuh festival of Tangsa Tribe showcases Arunachal Pradesh’s vibrant culture

Tangsa, the traditional tribal community of Arunachal Pradesh (AR) celebrated the annual festival ‘Wihu Kuh’ in June 2023.

• Wihu Kuh, translating to “paddy transplantation festival”, marks the beginning of the agricultural season and a cultural exhibition that enclose the spirit of the Tangsa people.
• This festival is a time of labour and hope, it is also a period of happiness, as the tribe welcomes the prospect of an abundant harvest.

About Tangsa tribe:
i. Tangsa is a tribal community which is deeply rooted in their agricultural traditions, living mainly in the verdant hills of the Changlang district of AR.
ii.Tangsa tribe is a collective of sub-tribes each with their distinct dialect and customs, reside primarily in the Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh and across the border in the Sagaing region of Myanmar, Burma.
iii. In spite of their diverse sub-tribal identities, all Tangsa communities come together to celebrate the WihuKuh Festival, a testament to their unity and shared devotion to the land that sustains them and their unwavering belief in the power of community.
Wihu Kuh festival:
i. The WihuKuh Festival stands as a symbol of the tribe’s rich cultural tapestry, which reflects their deep connection with the earth, their joyful spirit, and their strong sense of community.
ii. The festival begins with common prayer and the ceremonial sowing of the first rice seeds by playing the rhythmic beats of the “rongker”, traditional drums, and the sweet-toned tunes of the “pangtoi”, a bamboo flute.
iii.At the festival the men are decorated in vividly coloured traditional attire and headgears decorated with bird feathers and wild boar tusks. The women wear handwoven shawls and beaded necklaces.
Traditional Food: Rice beer, locally known as “apong”, is a traditional beverage that flows freely during the festival.
Songs and Tales:
i. Traditional folktales and songs are shared throughout the festival, and passed down from older generations to the young, keeping the tribe’s oral tradition alive.
ii. The stories define the tribe’s intrinsic connection with nature and their respect for the environment.
About Arunachal Pradesh:
Chief Minister– Pema Khandu
Governor– Kaiwalya Trivikram Parnaik
Airport– Tezu Airport, Itanagar Airport

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

FAO Report: Food Imports by Most Vulnerable Countries Expected to Decline;  Global Food Bill to Rise to USD 1.98 trillion in 2023According to the  ‘Food Outlook Biannual Report On Global Food Markets’ report released by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, on June 15, 2023, the global food bill was expected to rise to USD (United States Dollar) 1.98 trillion in 2023, up 1.5% from 2022. It rose by 11% in 2022 and 18% in 2021.

• The food imports by most vulnerable countries are expected to decline in 2023 due to higher quotations for fruits, vegetables, sugar and dairy products, dampening demand.

Key Analysis of the Report:
i.The world food import bill was forecasted to reach a record high in 2023 and the food imports by advanced economies are continuing to increase.
ii.The import bill for the group of Least Developed Countries (LDCs) is predicted to decline by 1.5% in 2023 and that for net food-importing developing countries (NFIDCs) to decline by 4.9 percent.
iii.Thus the decline in food import volumes in LDCs and developing countries suggests a decline in the purchasing capacity.
Trends of Commodity 
i.Global production of coarse grains is forecasted to rise by 3.0 percent to 1513 million tonnes.
ii.World rice production is forecasted to rise by 1.3 percent in 2023/24 to 523.5 million tonnes, while international trade is expected to drop by 4.3% in volume terms to 53.6 million tonnes.
iii.World wheat production in 2023 is expected to decline by 3.0 percent from its all-time high of 777 million tonnes in 2022, mainly due to expected decreases in the Russian Federation and Australia.
iv.Global outputs of oil crops, milk and sugar are all expected to increase. For meat, pig and bovine meat volumes could drop slightly in 2023.
v.Global production of aquatic animals is also expected to grow in 2023 due to an anticipated increase in aquaculture production as capture fisheries are seen contracting.

BANKING & FINANCE

SEBI – Introduced 3 Months Timeline for Listed Entities to Fill KMPs Vacancies and Issued Restrictions of products offered on an OBP by OBPP

In June 2023, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has introduced a timeline of 3 months for ‘Listed Entities’ to fill up the vacancies of their Key Managerial Personnel (KMPs) such as Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Managing Director (MD), Wholetime Director, Manager and Compliance officer to ensure smooth functioning of listed companies.

• An amendment to this effect has been made in the SEBI’s Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements (LODR) regulations based on the consultation paper issued by SEBI in February 2023.

Other key regulations:
i.Along with KMPs the listed companies are also now required to fill the vacancies of directors within 3 months.
ii.SEBI also directed the that the listed companies not to fill vacancies of KMPs by appointing a person in an ‘interim capacity’.
-SEBI Issued Restriction of products offered on an Online Bond Platform:
SEBI has restricted Online Bond Platform Providers (OBPPs) from offering products other than listed debt securities on their Online Bond Platform (OBP) or any other platform website, products or services.

• As per the SEBI’s regulation, OBPPs need to register themselves as stock brokers in the debt segment of the stock exchange.

>> Read Full News

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

Google launches Indian Languages Program to support local news publishers

On 16th June 2023, Google has launched the ‘Indian Languages Programme‘ under the Google News Initiative (GNI), to support local news publishers in India improve their digital operations and reach more readers.
Key highlights:
i.The program aims to empower publishers with various tools and best practices to enhance their user experience and revenue generation.
ii.The Indian Languages Programme aims to provide training, technical support, and funding to news publishers in English, Hindi, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, Malayalam, Gujarati, and Marathi.
iii.It will include series and virtual workshops on Core Web Vitals, website optimisation, News Consumer Insights (NCI), YouTube.
Eligibility criteria:

• Eligible applicants must be small or medium-sized Indian language news organisations that have an operational website, a minimum of 12 months of continuous operation, and at least 50 full-time employees(FTE).

The GNI Indian Languages Program is open for applications till June 30, 2023 on the GNI website and will be evaluated by the Google Project team and external advisors.
Note: GNI is Google’s digital skills training program for journalists and newsrooms in tackling misinformation.

Udupi Cochin Shipyard bags Norwegian order to build six new-gen cargo vessels

• The “Future proof Dry Cargo Vessel” designed by Conoship International, Netherlands would be Environmental friendly Diesel Electric vessel ready for installation of Wind foil units and battery hybrid systems and transporting general cargo in Europe’s inland and coastal waters.
• The first vessel will be delivered by December 2024 and thereafter deliveries will be completed within March 2026.

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS        

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar presents National Water Awards 2022 in New Delhi; MP tops in Best State Categoryi.On June 17, 2023, Vice President (VP) of India, Jagdeep Dhankhar, conferred the 4th National Water Awards, 2022 at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi, Delhi on 41 winners in 11 categories for their exemplary work in the field of water conservation and management.
ii.Madhya Pradesh (MP) tops the Best State category which is followed by Odisha at 2nd position and Andhra Pradesh (AP) and Bihar at 3rd position jointly.
iii.The award ceremony was organised by the Department of Water Resources, River Development, and Ganga Rejuvenation (DoWR, RD &GR), Ministry of Jal Shakti (MoJS).
iv.AP received 4 awards in different categories. Click Here for Official List
>> Read Full News

Gita Press, Gorakhpur to receive Gandhi Peace Prize for 2021The Ministry of Culture has named Gita Press, Gorakhpur (Uttar Pradesh), a publishing house, as an awardee of Gandhi Peace Prize for 2021 in recognition of the work done by the institution in community service. This decision has been taken after due deliberations by the jury headed by Prime Minister (PM) of India Narendra Modi.

• The award will acknowledge its outstanding contribution towards social, economic and political transformation through non-violent and other Gandhian methods.
• Gita Press is one of the largest publishers of religious texts such as the Bhagavad Gita, the Ramayana and the Upanishads.

Note: Gandhi Peace Prize for 2020 was awarded to ‘Bangabandhu’ Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (Bangladesh) for his contributions towards social, economic and political transformation through non-violent and other Gandhian methods.
About Gandhi Peace Prize:
Instituted in 1995 on the occasion of the 125th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, it is an annual award carrying an amount of Rs 1 crore, a citation, a plaque and an exquisite handicraft or handloom item. It is open to all persons regardless of nationality, race, language, caste, creed or gender.
More about Geeta Press:
Gita Press is one of the world’s largest publishers, having published 41.7 crore books in 14 languages, including 16.21 crore Bhagavad Gita. The year 2023 marked its 100 year of establishment (Centenary year).

• It has never relied on advertisement in its publications, for revenue generation.
• Its objective is to promote and spread the principles of Sanatana Dharma, the Hindu religion.

Previous Awardees:
i.It has also been awarded to Nelson Mandela, former President of South Africa , Dr. Julius Nyerere, Former President of Tanzania, Dr. A.T. Ariyaratne, Founder President of Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement, Sri Lanka, Dr. Gerhard Fischer, Federal Republic of Germany, social worker Baba Amte, Dr. John Hume, Ireland, Mr. Vaclav Havel, former President of Czechoslovakia, Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa, environmentalist Chandi Prasad Bhatt and Yohei Sasakawa, Japan.
ii.Recent awardees include Sultan Qaboos Bin Said Al Said, Oman (2019) and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (2020), Bangladesh.

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS           

Aalok Kumar, Sr VP & President & CEO of NEC Corporation appointed as ADB Bank’s High-Level Advisory Group on Digital Technology
Aalok Kumar, Corporate Officer and Senior Vice President (VP), Head of the Global Smart City Business, NEC (formerly known as Nippon Electric Company, Limited) Corporation India, has been appointed as a member of the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) High-level Advisory Group on Digital Technology for Development in Asian countries with effect from May 1, 2023.
Aalok Kumar is also the President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NEC Corporation India.
Aalok Kumar replaces Katsumi Emura, a former officer of NEC Corporation and one of the founding members of the group.
About Aalok Kumar:
i. Aalok Kumar has nearly three decades of experience in senior leadership roles in business transformation, performance improvement, and margin expansion.
ii. Prior to his role as President and CEO of NEC India in 2020, he served as the Senior Vice President of McKinsey & Company.
iii. He has also worked in companies that include GE Healthcare Technologies Inc (GE HealthCare), General Electric Capital Corporation (GE Capital) and ABN Amro Bank.
ADB’s High-level Advisory Group:
i. In 2019, The Asian Development Bank (ADB) established a High-level Advisory Group on Digital Technology for Development.
ii. The eight-person experts’ group will advise on the use of digital technologies and their implications for ADB’s development work.
iii. It will provide inputs for digital strategies on ADB’s operational priorities, as defined in its Strategy 2030.
iv. The eight-member group, consisting of global industry leaders in digital technology and academicians, is committed to further accelerating the utilisation of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) among ADB activities for developing countries.

U Saravanan appointed as the CMD of NFL

U Saravanan was appointed as the Chairman & Managing Director (CMD) of National Fertilizers Limited (NFL), Schedule ‘A’ & a Mini Ratna (Category-I) Central Public Sector Undertaking(CPSU), under the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers(MoC&F), with effect from 16th June 2023 till the date of his superannuation (31st January 2027).

• Prior to the appointment, he was serving as the CMD of  Madras Fertilizers Limited (MFL), a CPSU under MoC&F. He has also served as the Director (Technical) at MFL.
• He was also a board member of Indian Potash Limited and Fortune Biotech.
• He is a Life member of the Indian Institute of Chemical Engineers (IIChE), Kolkata (West Bengal).

ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS         

Max Life Insurance picks 2.99% stake in Capital Small Finance Bank for ₹49.5 crore

Max Life Insurance Company Limited (Max Life) has acquired a 2.99% equity stake in Capital Small Finance Bank (CSFB), which is headquartered in Jalandhar, Punjab. The acquisition was made for a total consideration of Rs. 49.50 crore.

• Max Life has been allotted 10.5 lakh equity shares of CSFB of Rs 10 each at a premium of Rs 458 per equity share.

Key points:
i.The strategic investment will increase CSFB’s Capital Adequacy Ratio(CAR) by over 1% to 20.77%.
ii.The post-investment valuation is determined to be Rs1652 crore.
Note: On 24th April 2016, Capital Small Finance Bank Limited started its operations as India’s 1st Small Finance Bank after conversion from Capital Local Area Bank.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

DRDO, Indian Navy demonstrate transfer of command and control of Tapas UAVOn 16th June 2023, The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Navy collaborated successfully and demonstrated the transfer of command and control capabilities of the TAPAS 201 unmanned aerial vehicle(UAV).
Demonstration of TAPAS UAV:
i.The TAPAS took off at 7.35 a.m. from a remote ground station to onboard Indian Naval Ship (INS) Subhadra, 148 km from theKarwar naval base, Karnataka.
ii.The UAV was seamlessly (smoothly) flying around an altitude of 20,000ft, Above Mean Sea Level (ASML).
iii.During the flight duration of 3.30 hours, INS Subhadra handled the UAV operations for 40 minutes.
iv.To control the UAV, one Ground Control Station and two Ship Data terminals were installed on the INS Subhadra.
v.After the completion of the successful trial it landed at  Aeronautical Test Range(ATR) Chitradurga, Karnataka (It also took off from the same test range).
About Tapas 201 UAV:
i.Tapas UAV, developed by DRDO, is a Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE)UAV. The indigenously developed TAPAS 201 UAV has been designed and developed by the Bengaluru based Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE).

• It is designed to perform intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance missions for the Indian armed forces.

ii.It made its first flight at the Aero India 2023 held in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
Features: 
i.It has a range of more than 18 hours and can operate at altitudes of up to 28,000 feet.
ii.It can carry payloads up to a maximum of 350 kgs.
iii.It was developed in response to the ISTAR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, Tracking, and Reconnaissance) requirements of the tri-services.
iv.Depending on pre-programmed flight plans it can fly autonomously or be remotely controlled, operating in both day and night conditions.
v.It can capture high-resolution images and videos as it is equipped with advanced sensors and cameras which transfers the collected data to ground control station.
vi.It aims to provide continuous wide area coverage and identify small targets.

SpaceX deployed Indonesian communications satellite ‘SATRIA-1’ in orbitOn 18th June 2023, the SpaceX (Space Exploration Technologies Corporation) successfully deployed a new Indonesian communications satellite named SATRIA-1 (Satellite of the Republic of Indonesia) to geosynchronous transfer orbit.

• SATRIA-1 will be operated for the Indonesian Government by the Indonesian company Pasifik Satelit Nusantara (PSN) into orbit.
• SATRIA-1 telecommunications satellite lifted off atop SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, the United States of America (USA).
• SATRIA-1 is envisioned to boost connectivity inclusion in Indonesia, providing free internet connection to 150,000 public facilities, including schools, regional government offices and health facilities.

About SATRIA-1:
i. SATRIA-1 is a 4.6-metric ton (10,100-pound) spacecraft, which provides about 150  billion bits (gigabits, Gb) per second of communications, which is three times the capacity of the nine telecommunication satellites that Indonesia currently use.
ii. It will not provide internet service directly to individual users, instead, it will support education and health centres, and thousands of public WiFi access points where citizens can connect to the internet with computers and smartphones.
iii. SATRIA was built by Thales Alenia Space in Cannes, France, which is based on Thales’s Spacebus Neo spacecraft design, the company’s newest satellite bus which debuted in 2020.
iv. SATRIA is the second in a series of PSN satellites to bring improved communications to Indonesia by beginning its service around November 2023.

• The Nusantara Satu, or Nusantara 1, satellite launched in 2019 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.

Additional Info:
The PSN SATRIA mission marked the 12th launch and landing of Falcon 9 first stage booster B1067.
Note: The previous launches are: Commercial Resupply Services-22 or CRS-22, Crew-3, Turksat 5B, Crew-4, CRS-25, Eutelsat HOTBIRD 13G, mPOWER-a, and four Starlink missions.
About Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX):
Founded in-4 March 2002
CEO– Elon Musk
President– Gwynne Shotwell
Headquarters– Hawthorne, California, the United States of America (USA)

SPORTS

Indonesia Open 2023: Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy Won Men’s Doubles Indian badminton players Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy (World no 5) won the Men’s doubles title at the Kapal Api Group Indonesia Open 2023 (Indonesia Open 2023) by defeating 2022 world champions Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik (World no 3) from Malaysia.

•  This was Satwik-Chirag’s first-ever men’s doubles title at the BWF World Tour Super 1000 event and they also became the 1st doubles pair from India to win a title at the Super 1000 event.

2022 world champion Viktor Axelsen (World no 1) of Denmark, won the men’s singles title at Indonesia 2023, defeating Anthony Sinisuka Ginting(World no 2) from Indonesia.

• This marks Viktor Axelsen’s 3rd consecutive Men’s singles title at the Indonesia Open. He previously won the title in 2021 and 2022.

About Badminton World Federation (BWF):
President – Poul-Erik Høyer
Headquarters – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
>> Read Full News

Formula 1: Max Verstappen of Red Bull Wins Canadian Grand Prix 2023

Dutch-Belgium racing driver Max Verstappen of Red Bull won the Formula 1 (F1) Canadian Grand Prix 2023 (Pirelli Grand Prix Du Canada 2023) title, 9th round of the F1 2023 championships, at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

• Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso finished 2nd and Mercedes’s Lewis Hamilton finished 3rd in the Canadian Grand Prix 2023
• This marks Red Bull’s 100th win in Formula 1 events since its inception in 2004.
• This also marks Max Verstappen 41st F1 win, equalling Brazilian Ayrton Senna da Silva’s record in F1. Verstappen and Senna had the fifth-highest wins in F1, while Mercedes’s Lewis Hamilton topped with 103 wins in F1 events.

Canadian Grand Prix 2023 Podium:

• Spanish Grand Prix, Monaco Grand Prix, Miami Grand Prix, Australian Grand Prix, Bahrain Grand Prix, Abu Dhabi Grand Prix are the F1 events won by Max Verstappen in 2023.

ii.He secured 2nd position in both Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2023 and Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2023.
About Canadian Grand Prix:
The Canadian GP is an annual auto race held in Canada since 1961 and has been part of the Formula One World Championship since 1967.

• Number of Laps – 70
• Circuit Length – 4.361km
• Race Distance – 305.27km

Indian Football Team defeated Lebanon to win Hero Intercontinental Cup 2023On June 18, 2023, Indian Men’s Football Team (also known as Blue Tigers) captained by Sunil Chhetri won the Hero Intercontinental Cup 2023 title by defeating Lebanon team captained by Hassan Maatouk (2-0) in the finals at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.

• Hero Intercontinental Cup 2023, the 3rd edition of the Intercontinental Cup, was held from 9th to 18th June 2023 in Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.
• This marks India’s 2nd Intercontinental Cup title. India previously won the inaugural edition in 2018.
• This marks also mark’s India’s first victory against Lebanon since 1977. India and Lebanon played eight matches against each other from 1977 to 2023.

Note: This victory marks India’s first trophy since the 2021 South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championship.
Highlights of the tournament:
In the finals, Indian team captain Sunil Chhetri and Indian forward Lallianzuala Chhangte scored two goals against Lebanon.

• Sunil Chhetri scored his 87th international goal in the 46th minute of the finals.
• Lallianzuala Chhangte who scored India’s 2nd goal in the 65th minute of the finals was named the player of the match(finals)

Awards & Prize Money:
Winners: India – USD 50,000
Runner-up: Lebanon – USD 25,000
Hero of the tournament: Sandesh Jhingan – India (Rs. 1,50,000)
Player of the match(Final): Lallianzuala Chhangte – India

About Intercontinental Cup:
i.The Intercontinental Cup (known as the Hero Intercontinental Cup for sponsorship reasons) is a four-nation football tournament organised by the All India Football Federation (AIFF).
ii.It was launched in 2018 as a replacement for Nehru Cup. The first edition held as the 2018 Intercontinental Cup.
Participants: India, Mongolia, Lebanon and Vanuatu.
Note: The 2nd edition was won by North Korea.

Additional info: 
i.Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced Rs 1 crore cash prize for the Indian Football Team.
ii.The Indian Football Team decided to donate Rs 20 Lakhs to families of Odisha train accident victims.

FIFA Ranking: 
i.According to the Fédération Internationale De Football Association(FIFA) ranking (as of 6th April 2023), India’s men’s football team is ranked at 101.
ii.Mongolia is ranked 183, Lebanon at 99 and Vanuatu is at 183.

IMPORTANT DAYS

International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict 2023 – June 19

The United Nations (UN)’s International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict is annually observed on 19th June across the world to raise awareness of the need to put an end to Conflict-related Sexual Violence (CRSV).

• 19th June 2023, marks the observance of the 9th official International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict.

Background:
i. In 19th June 2015, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted the resolution (A/RES/69/293) and proclaimed 19th June of each year the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict.
ii. The first ever International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict was observed in 19th June 2015.
About United Nations (UN)s:
Founded in– 1945
Secretary-General– António Guterres
Headquarters– New York, the United States of America (USA)
>> Read Full News

National Reading Day 2023 – June 19National Reading Day is annually observed across India on 19th June to mark the death anniversary of Puthuvayil Narayana Panicker(PN Panicker), who is fondly known as the Father of the Library Movement in Kerala. The observance aims to encourage the habit and culture of reading and to promote literacy.

• The day is observed as a tribute to the effort of PN Panicker to transform society with his literacy movement in India.

19th June 2023 marks the observance of the 27th Reading Day. 
Background:
i.On 19th June 1996, The government of Kerala, in association with the P N Panicker Foundation, initiated the state observance of Reading Day.
iii.In 2017, Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi declared 19th June of every year (Kerala’s Reading Day) as National Reading Day in India.
>> Read Full News

Sustainable Gastronomy Day 2023 – June 18The United Nations(UN)’s Sustainable Gastronomy Day is annually observed across the globe on 18th June to create awareness about the important role of gastronomy towards sustainable development.

• The day also recognises the practices involved with sustainable food consumption, particularly the art of collecting and preparing the food we eat.

The annual observance of Sustainable Gastronomy Day is led by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO).
Background:
i.The United Nations General Assembly(UNGA) adopted the resolution A/RES/71/246 in December 2016 and proclaimed the 18th June of every year as Sustainable Gastronomy Day.

• The resolution also acknowledged gastronomy as a form of cultural expression linked to the natural and cultural diversity of the world.

ii.The first-ever Sustainable Gastronomy Day was observed on 18th June 2017. 
>> Read Full News

Autistic Pride Day 2023 – June 18
The Autistic Pride Day is annually observed on 18th June across the world to promote awareness about the understanding, and acceptance of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), a complex developmental disorder that affects communication and social interaction.
The aim of this day is to recognize the significance of pride for autistic people and to show the world that those people are not diseased or defective or in need of a cure.
Background:
i. Autistic Pride Day was initiated by Aspies for Freedom (AFF), a solidarity and campaigning community that works towards spreading awareness about autism.
ii. In 2005, the first Autistic Day was observed in Brazil by the AFF, created by Gareth and Amy Nelson and eventually it became a global event.
Autistic Pride Symbol:
i. Autistic Pride Day is characterised by the rainbow infinity symbol, in which the infinity symbol represents neurodiversity and the rainbow represents the pride movement.
ii. The rainbow infinity symbol signifies the diversity of individuals with ASD and the endless opportunities and differences within the autistic community.
Note: Gold is used by autistic advocates as the chemical symbol for gold is Au (from the Latin aurum).
Related Observance:
World Autism Awareness Day is annually observed by the United Nations (UN)’s on April 2nd globally to raise awareness about the ASD and promote the livelihood of people having autism.
Autism:
i. Autism or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurological and developmental disorder that refers to a broad range of conditions characterised by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviours, speech and nonverbal communication.
ii. This neurodevelopmental disorder is associated with symptoms that include “persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction across multiple contexts” and “restricted, repetitive patterns of behaviour, interests, or activities.”
iii. Although autism can be recognized at any age, it is described as a “developmental disorder” due to the fact that the signs and symptoms normally start to present within the first two years of life.
Resolution of WHO:
i. In May 2014, the Sixty-seventh World Health Assembly (WHA) adopted a resolution “Comprehensive and coordinated efforts for the management of autism spectrum disorders”, which was supported by more than 60 countries.
ii. The resolution urges the World Health Organization to collaborate with Member States and partner agencies to strengthen national capacities to address ASD and other developmental disabilities.

STATE NEWS

NHPC & KSEB signed MoU to set up Design Clinic for Vetting of Design of KSEB Projects On 16th June 2023, NHPC Limited(erstwhile National Hydroelectric Power Corporation) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the  Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB), to set up a “design clinic” for vetting of design of KSEB projects by NHPC.

Note: 

• NHPC Limtied is a Mini Ratna Category-I Public Sector Undertakings (PSU) under the Ministry of Power.
• KSEB is a PSU under the Government of Kerala.

Signatories:
Rajat Gupta, Executive Director (Strategy Business Development and Consultancy) NHPC, and Radhakrishnan G, Director (Generation – Civil), KSEB Ltd.
Features of the MoU: 
i.Under this MoU, NHPC will provide consultancy services to KSEB, as its Owner’s Engineer, to examine and asses the design of the KSEB projects(including the ongoing projects and projects in pipelines).
ii.Both NHPC and KSEB will collaborate for the  accelerate the hydroelectric potential to enable a clean energy transition in Kerala, through a techno-commercially viable manner.
About NHPC Limited:
Chairman and Managing Director(CMD) – Rajeev Kumar Vishnoi
Established – 1975
Headquarters – Faridabad, Haryana.

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List of Current Governors in India – February 2023

List of Current Chief Ministers in India – February 2023

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