Monthly Current Affairs-June-2020-Saga-In-English

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MONTHLY CURRENT
AFFAIRS SAGA
JUNE 2020
PREPARE ONLINE FOR SSC,RAILWAYS,
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CONTENTS
Government Schemes and Initiatives............................................................................................... 4
National News ................................................................................................................................. 19
International News.......................................................................................................................... 28
Science and Technology .................................................................................................................. 35
Space and IT ................................................................................................................................. 35
New Developments...................................................................................................................... 37
Biotechnology .............................................................................................................................. 42
Defence......................................................................................................................................... 46
State News ....................................................................................................................................... 49
Andhra Pradesh............................................................................................................................ 49
Assam ........................................................................................................................................... 50
Chhattisgarh ................................................................................................................................. 50
Himachal Pradesh ........................................................................................................................ 51
Jammu and Kashmir..................................................................................................................... 53
Jharkhand ..................................................................................................................................... 53
Karnataka ..................................................................................................................................... 54
Kerala............................................................................................................................................ 55
Madhya Pradesh .......................................................................................................................... 56
Maharashtra ................................................................................................................................. 57
Mizoram ....................................................................................................................................... 59
NCT Delhi ...................................................................................................................................... 59
Odisha........................................................................................................................................... 59
Tamil Nadu ................................................................................................................................... 60
Uttar Pradesh ............................................................................................................................... 61
Uttarakhand ................................................................................................................................. 63
Indian Polity..................................................................................................................................... 63
Art and Culture ................................................................................................................................ 65
Economy/Banking/Finance ............................................................................................................. 70
Infrastructure and Energy ............................................................................................................ 70
Agriculture .................................................................................................................................... 75
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Corporates/Companies ................................................................................................................ 77
Taxation System ........................................................................................................................... 77
Banking/Finance .......................................................................................................................... 78
World Economy ............................................................................................................................ 79
Geography ....................................................................................................................................... 80
Environment and Ecology ............................................................................................................... 83
India and its neighbourhood ........................................................................................................... 90
MoUs/Agreements .......................................................................................................................... 93
Summits/ Conferences/ Meetings .................................................................................................. 95
Reports and Indices ....................................................................................................................... 100
Awards and Prizes ......................................................................................................................... 106
Personality in News ....................................................................................................................... 109
Appointments ................................................................................................................................ 111
Sports ............................................................................................................................................. 113
Committees/ Commissions/Taskforces........................................................................................ 115
Important Days .............................................................................................................................. 115
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GOVERNMENT SCHEMES AND INITIATIVES

Central government announced Mudra Shishu loan.
 Recently the central government has announced Mudra Shishu loan for small businesses
and cottage industries.
 Under this scheme, 1500 crores interest subvention has been announced for small
business and cottage industries. One lakh beneficiaries can avail interest benefit of 2% for
one year.
Approval for giving 2% subsidy on interest for one year to Shishu loan account
holders.
 Recently, the Union Cabinet has approved a scheme to provide 2% interest subvention on
interest for one year to all eligible Shishu loan account holders under Pradhan Mantri
Mudra Yojana.
 Under this, loans will be given for those accounts on which there is no outstanding loan till
March 31 of this year as per RBI instructions.
 This scheme will provide incentives to the people who will repay the loan.
 This scheme will be implemented by Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI)
for one year from 1 July 2020.
 The Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) was launched by Prime Minister Narendra
Modi on April 8, 2015 for providing loans up to ₹10 lakh to non-corporate, non-farm
small/micro enterprises.
 Under PMMY, Shishu loan is provided for income generating activities up to Rs 50,000.
 These loans are given by commercial banks, RRBs, small finance banks, MFIs and NBFCs.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the CHAMPIONS Platform in New Delhi.
 Recently the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi launched the CHAMPIONS Platform
in New Delhi.
 Technology-based solutions i.e. CHAMPIONS platform aims to provide all the solutions in
one place for all micro, small and medium enterprises in the country.
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 On this platform, complaints related to MSME sector with finance, raw materials and all
kind of permission will also be resolved.
 This platform will prove to be helpful in increasing production by strengthening the MSME
sector.
Central Government launched PM Svanidhi Yojana.

 Recently the Central Government has launched the Prime Minister Street Vendor
Atmanirbhar Nidhi i.e. PM Svanidhi Yojana.
 The scheme is intended to help revival of their businesses closed due to COVID-19 by
providing special micro loan facility to street vendors.
 The period of the scheme is till March 2022.
 The scheme aims to benefit the 5 million urban businessmen who used to do the same
before March 24 this year. For the first time, street vendors from semi-urban or rural
areas have been brought under the Urban Livelihood Program.
 Through this scheme, such businessmen can avail a working capital loan up to Rs 10,000
which will have to be repaid in installments within a year.
 Individuals who pay the debt on time will not only be entitled to interest subvention but
will easily get another loan of Rs 20,000 or more in future.
Government of India invited bids to roll-out One Sun One World One Grid
Scheme.
 Recently, the Government of India has invited bids to roll-out One Sun One World One
Grid Scheme (OSOWOG).
 The plan focuses on a framework to build a global ecosystem of mutually renewable

energy resources primarily solar energy and to facilitate global cooperation in this
direction.
 The scheme can also support the International Solar Alliance co-founded by India.
 Under this scheme, the solar spectrum is easily divided into two broad areas, keeping
India in the middle.
 It includes countries like Myanmar, Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia etc. in the Far East.
While the Far West covers the Middle East and Africa region.
 Through this proposed integration plan, the project cost of all participating institutions
will be reduced and efficiency will be increased.
 International Solar Alliance (ISA):
o This alliance was established in 2015 in collaboration with India and France.
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o Its main objective is to reduce the use of conventional energy by using solar
energy efficiently.
o Currently, it has 67 member countries.
Three more states covered under the One Nation, One Ration Card Scheme.
 Recently three more states, Odisha, Sikkim and Mizoram were included under one nation
one ration card scheme.
 Under this system, ration card holders under the National Food Security Act will be able to
get their quota ration available at affordable prices from any government shop across the
country.
 Presently, this facility has become available in 17 states and union territories.
 By 21 March 2021, all states will be included in one nation, one ration card scheme.
 One Nation One Ration Card Scheme has been launched with the objective of enabling
poor migrant workers to buy subsidized rice and wheat from any government ration shop
in the country.
Three new plans were announced for the development of the electronics
manufacturing sector.
 Recently Union Electronics and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has announced three new
plans for the development of electronic and mobile manufacturing units.
 These three schemes are Production Linked Incentive Scheme, Component

Manufacturing Scheme and Cluster Scheme.
 These new schemes are expected to generate substantial investment, production of

mobile phones and their parts to 10 lakh crore by 2025.
 About 5 lakh direct and 15 lakh indirect employment opportunities will also be generated.
 India's global share of electronics grew by 1.3 % in 2012 to 3% in 2018.
 The country has become the second largest manufacturer of mobile phones in the world.
 India is now set to emerge as the world's largest electronics and mobile manufacturing
country.
Central government allocated about Rs 30,000 crore for the Jal Jeevan Mission.
 Recently, the central government has allocated about Rs 30,000 crore for its flagship
program Jal Jeevan Mission.
 This amount will be provided to the states in the financial year 2020-21 under the Jal
Jeevan Mission.
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 The government's aim behind this decision is to provide employment to migrant laborers
returning to villages from various cities due to COVID-19 as well as to solve the water
problem in rural areas.
 Recently, the Center has also spent Rs 40,000 crore on the Mahatma Gandhi National
Rural Employment Guarantee Act.
 The Ministry of Jal Shakti has set a target of achieving 100 % domestic tap connections in
Arunachal Pradesh under the National Jal Jeevan Mission.
 For this, the Annual Action Plan of Arunachal Pradesh has been approved.
 The state has proposed to provide 100 percent tap connection to all houses by March
2023.
 Also, the Central Government provided Rs 572 crore for the implementation of the Jal
Jeevan Mission for the financial year 2020-21 in Jharkhand.
 In Jharkhand, a target has been set to provide tap connections to 100% households by
2023-24.
 Currently out of the 54 lakh rural households in the state, only 4.37 lakh have a functional
household tap connection. In 2019-20, 98,000 tap connections were installed.
 Jal Jeevan Mission:
o This mission was announced in August 2019.
o The main objective of the mission is to provide piped water supply to all rural
households by 2024.
o The Ministry of Jal Shakti is the nodal agency for this mission.
Central government started the SWADES initiative.

 Recently the Central Government has launched the SWADES initiative.
 SWADES means Skilled Works Arrival Database for Employment Support.
 This initiative is for citizens returning to India under the Vande Bharat Mission.
 It is a joint initiative of Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Ministry of

Civil Aviation and Ministry of External Affairs.
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 This initiative aims to create a database of qualified citizens based on their skills and
experience to meet the demand of Indian and foreign companies.
 The collected information will be shared with companies for suitable placement
opportunities in the country.
 Interested citizens returning to the country are required to fill in an online Swades skill
card.
Fourth phase of Vande Bharat Mission will start from July 3.

 The fourth phase of Vande Bharat Mission will be launched by the Government of India
from July 3.
 In this phase, Air India will operate 170 flights, under which Indians from 17 countries will
be brought home.
 The Vande Bharat Mission is one of the largest repatriation program in the world. Since its
inception, the Central Government has brought home about 1.5 lakh Indians.
 The first phase of this mission was started on 7 May.
 This mission is an initiative of the Ministry of External Affairs of India. Under the mission,
Indian citizens have been brought back those who were trapped abroad due to the
COVID-19 pandemic.
Government launches TULIP initiative for providing internship to engineering

students.
 Recently, HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep
Singh Puri jointly launched the TULIP initiative.
 It is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Human Resource Development and the Ministry of
Urban Affairs.
 Its objective is to provide internship to engineering students in the country.
 TULIP initiative will benefit all stakeholders including students, urban local bodies and will
boost intellectual skills among the youth.
 Initially about 25,000 students will benefit from this program in the first year.
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Under Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, 500 rupees were directly transferred into
the account of women beneficiaries.
 Under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, the government provided Rs 500 to the
women beneficiaries by June 10.
 This amount was being given to them under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana
Package.
 Recently, the government announced free grain and cash payment for women, poor
senior citizens and farmers under the Prime Minister's Garib Kalyan Yojana Package of
one lakh 70 thousand crore rupees.
 Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana:
o This scheme was launched in the year 2014 under the Ministry of Finance.
o The primary objective of this scheme is to provide poor people access to bank
accounts.
o The scheme covers both urban and rural areas of India.
Insurance scheme announced under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package

extended to 30 September.
 The insurance scheme recently announced under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan
Package has been extended till 30 September 2020.
 The period of this plan was earlier to end on 30 June 2020.
 The scheme provides an insurance cover of Rs 50 lakh to about 22 lakh public healthcare
providers.
 The beneficiaries of the scheme include community health workers who have to be in
direct contact and care of COVID-19 patients i.e. those who are at risk of getting affected
by COVID-19.
 The scheme is funded through the National Disaster Response Fund, run by the Ministry
of Health and Family Welfare.
 The insurance provided under this scheme will be different from any other insurance
cover availed by the beneficiary.
Launch of Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyan in Khagaria, Bihar
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 Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the rural public works scheme, Garib Kalyan
Rojgar Abhiyan, in Khagaria, Bihar.
 This campaign aims to provide livelihood opportunities to migrant workers and rural
citizens.
 The campaign will be conducted through Common Service Centers and Krishi Vigyan
Kendras in the districts.
 The campaign is a coordinated effort of 12 different ministries and departments such as -

Rural Development, Panchayati Raj, Road Transport and Highways, Mines, Drinking Water
and Sanitation, Environment, Railways, Petroleum and Natural Gas, New and Renewable
Energy, Border Roads, Telecom and Agriculture, etc.
 This Rojgar Abhiyan will cover 116 districts of six states Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh,
Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Rajasthan, out of which maximum 32 districts are from
Bihar.
Web portal of Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyan was launched.

 Recently, Rural Development Minister Narendra Singh Tomar inaugurated the web portal
of Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyan through video conference in New Delhi.
 Through this portal, works undertaken with allocation of Rs 50,000 crore will be
monitored.
 Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyan:
o This campaign was recently started by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
o It is a program to develop infrastructure and generate employment in rural areas.
o The objective of this campaign is to provide employment to migrant laborers in

their native villages for the next four months.
 Recently, Surakshit Dada-Dadi, Nana-Nani Abhiyan has been launched for senior citizens.
 The campaign has been launched to ensure the well-being of 2.9 million seniors during
the COVID-19 Pandemic.
 The campaign has been launched as a collaborative effort between NITI Aayog, Piramal
Foundation and 25 Aspirational districts.
 The Social Welfare Department and the District Administration are also supporting it.
 More than 150 volunteers are engaged in this campaign.
Power Minister RK Singh launched the # iCommit campaign.

 Recently Power Minister RK Singh launched the # iCommit campaign on the occasion of
World Environment Day.
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 The initiative is being operated by Energy Efficiency Services Limited.
 It is uniting diverse people such as governments, corporates, multilateral and bilateral

organizations, think tanks and sportspersons.
 This initiative is a call for all stakeholders and individuals to move towards energy
efficiency, renewable energy and sustainability to create a robust and flexible energy
system in the future.
Introduction of COVID-Beep system for monitoring of patients with COVID-19.

 Recently, Jitendra Singh, Minister of North Eastern Region Development has introduced
the COVID-beep system to monitor the patients of COVID-19.
 It is the first indigenous system to monitor patients with COVID-19.
 It has been developed jointly by the Employees State Insurance Corporation Medical
College, Hyderabad, Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad and Department of
Atomic Energy.
 COVID-beep will emerge as an effective antidote to the original COVID.
 The latest version of COVID BEEP has incorporated the following:
o NIBP monitoring: Affected aged people have the highest death rates in COVID-19.
Hence, NIBP monitoring becomes imperative in this context.
o ECG monitoring: The drugs used as prophylaxis and/or treatment like

Hydroxychloroquine and Azithromycin etc. have effects on heart and hence the
importance of ECG monitoring.
o Respiratory Rate: Is calculated by Bio Impedance method.
Annual allocation of Rs. 4,000 crores to states under Per Drop, More Crop for the
year 2020-21.
 An annual allocation of Rs. 4,000 crore has been made to the states under the Per Drop,
More Crop component of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayi Yojana for the year 2020-
21.
 Recently, the Union Ministry of Agriculture has announced this.
 Also, the government has created a micro-irrigation fund of five thousand crore rupees
with NABARD.
 The purpose of this fund is to facilitate the States in mobilizing resources for the
expansion of micro-irrigation.
 The plan is to increase water use efficiency at the farm level through drip and sprinkler
irrigation systems and other micro-irrigation technologies.
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 Drip micro-irrigation technology not only helps in saving water but also helps in reducing
fertilizer usage, labor expenses and other input costs.
Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare launched Sahakar Mitra Internship

Program.
 Recently, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar launched the Sahakar Mitra
Internship Program.
 The objective of this program is to provide paid internship to the youth.
 Under this scheme, youth will be able to undertake paid internships in various fields
including agriculture and allied sectors, agribusiness, cooperation, finance, international
trade, forestry, rural development and project management.
 In addition, each intern will also receive financial support for a period of more than four
months.
 The National Cooperative Development Corporation will create an environment of

entrepreneurship development in the cooperative sector through capacity development.
Government launched Aarogya Path portal.

 Recently the government has launched the Aarogya Path portal.
 The initiative aims to establish an information management and forecasting database

platform of COVID-19 at the national level.
 It will also meet demand and supply scenarios for key healthcare items.
 It will provide uninterrupted access to suppliers, manufacturers and importers for current
needs and demand related to medical devices, diagnostic devices, medicines, personal
protective equipment, and respiratory aids.
 This national health supply chain portal will also reduce supply chain bottlenecks during
the COVID-19 pandemic.
 It will help health users such as public forums, hospitals, pathology laboratories, research
institutes, medical colleges and patients.
Central Railway launched an investigation facility called FebriEYE in Mumbai.
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 Recently Central Railway has started an investigation facility called FebriEYE in Mumbai.
 Under this facility, the symptoms of COVID-19 will be effectively investigated in the
passengers.
 This is another important step of the Central Railway in the direction of passenger safety.
 FebriEYE, a body-screening facility, has been installed at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj

Terminus and Lokmanya Tilak Terminus in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
 FebriEye is an Artificial Intelligence-based thermal screening system for real-time and

automated, non-intrusive monitoring to ensure that a person entering does not have a
high fever.
 When passengers pass before the cameras, anyone with a temperature above the set
range will be shown on a computer screen attached to the cameras in a different color
pattern than the rest.
 It can detect the temperature of multiple people simultaneously and automatically record
the temperature, while passengers keep moving.
Central Railway launches Robotic-Captain Arjun.

 Recently, Central Railway has launched the robotic captain ARJUN- Always be
Responsible and Just Use to be Nice.
 Rabotic Captain Arjun is based on the suggestion of Alok Bohra, DIG, Central Railway
Security Force.
 The Railway Protection Force, Pune has built this robot to speed up investigation and
surveillance.
 This robot examines the passengers boarding the train and monitors anti-social elements.
 Captain Arjun can be used for many tasks. This station is also effective in access control
and will increase the security of the station.
Free digital learning platform ‘Skill Build Reignite’ launched.

 Recently the free digital learning platform ‘Skill Build Reignite’ has been launched.
 The platform is launched by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship in

partnership with IBM.
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 It aims to reach more job seekers and provide new resources to business owners in India.
 Under the aegis of MSDE, the Directorate General of Training, DGT has also announced a
10-week Skill Build Innovation Camp for students.
 The camp will provide versatile digital skills training in the field of cloud computing and
artificial intelligence.
Khadi and Village Industries Commission initiated project for production of Neera
and Palm Jaggery.
 Recently Khadi and Village Industries Commission has started a unique project for the
production of Neera and Palm Jaggery.
 There is a huge potential for employment generation in this sector.
 The project aims to promote Neera as an alternative to soft drinks.
 This will also provide self-employment to the tribals.
 The project has been launched at Dahanu in Palghar district of Maharashtra for Adivasis
and traditional trappers.
 KVIC has distributed tool kits for extraction of Neera.
 A tool kit of Rs 15,000 includes food grade stainless steel pan, perforated molds, canteen
burners and other tools such as knives, ropes and axes for extraction of Neera.
 There are more than 50 lakh palm trees across the state. A wide range of products such as
candy, milk chocolate, palm cola, ice cream and traditional sweets can be produced from
Neera.
 The initiative is expected to provide direct employment to 400 local traditional trainers.
 Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC):
o It is a statutory body formed by the Government of India in April 1957 under the
Act of Parliament i.e. Khadi and Village Industries Commission Act 1956.
o It is headquartered in Mumbai.
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‘Satyabhama’ Portal launched by Ministry of Mines.

 Recently, Union Minister for Coal, Mines and Parliamentary Affairs Shri Prahlad Joshi has
launched the Satyabhama portal.
 Satyabhama- Science and Technology Yojana for Aatmanirbhar Bharat in Mining

Advancement portal has been launched for Science and Technology Programme Scheme
of Ministry of Mines.
 It is designed, developed and implemented by National Informatics Center, Mines

Informatics Division.
 It is helpful in monitoring projects and the use of funds and grants as well as online
submission of project proposals.
 Researchers can also submit the progress report and final technical report of the projects
in electronic format in the portal.
 A user manual is also available on the portal, where the layered procedures for the
presentation of project proposals are outlined.
 This portal is integrated with NITI Aayog's NGO Darpan Portal.
Launch of Food Processing Edition of Exclusive Investment Forum.

 Recently, Food Processing Industries Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal launched the Food
Processing Edition of the Exclusive Investment Forum.
 Invest India has designed this platform of unique regional chains to provide wide-ranging
connections between global industry leaders and key decision-makers from the highest
levels of the central and state governments.
 Invest India:
o It is a National Investment Promotion and Facilitation Agency that helps investors

explore investment opportunities and options in India.
o It is a non-profit venture under the Department for Promotion of Industry and

Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
o It was set up in 2009.
o It is headquartered in New Delhi.
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Launch of Credit Guarantee Scheme by Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium

Enterprises.
 Recently, the Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Nitin Gadkari has launched
the Credit Guarantee Scheme for Sub-ordinate Debt (CGSSD).
 The scheme is also called “Distressed Assets Fund–Sub-ordinate Debt for MSMEs”.
 The scheme will provide assistance to the promoters of the current small, micro and
medium enterprises, which are facing financial crunch and have not been able to pay their
outstanding debts by 30 April this year.
 About two lakh entrepreneurs will get help from this scheme.
 Under this scheme, loan guarantee up to Rs. 20,000 crore will be given to the promoters
who can take loan from the bank for further investment in their small, micro and medium
enterprises.
 Under this, promoters of micro, small and medium industries will be given a loan equal to
15% of their share or Rs 75 lakh, whichever is less.
 Also, there will be a moratorium of seven years on payment of principal and the maximum
period of repayment will be ten years.
Fifth Anniversary of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban), Smart Cities Mission
and Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation, AMRUT.
 Webinars organized on the occasion of the fifth anniversary of the Pradhan Mantri Awas
Yojana (Urban), Smart Cities Mission and Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban
Transformation Mission, AMRUT.
 On this occasion, Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said that more
than one crore houses had been approved under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana
(Urban).
 PMAY (U) was launched in 2015 and it aims to provide Housing for All by 2022.
 Out of which construction work of 65 lakhs is going on and 33 lakhs have been made and
given to the beneficiaries.
 Smart Cities Mission was launched in 2015 to develop smart cities which are sustainable
and citizen friendly. Under the mission, 100 cities have been identified to be developed as
Smart cities.
 Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT):
o It was launched in June 2015 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
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o It focused on establishing infrastructure that could ensure a sufficiently strong

sewage network and water supply for urban transformation by implementing
urban regeneration projects.
Launch of e-bloodServices mobile application of Indian Red Cross Society.

 Recently, Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Minister of Health and Family Welfare, launched the e-
BloodServices Mobile Application of the Indian Red Cross Society.
 This mobile app was developed by the e-blood team of the Center for Development of
Advanced Computing (C-DAC) under the Digital India Scheme launched in 2015 by Prime
Minister Narendra Modi.
 The blood donation app is a classic example of people's access to blood-related services of
Digital India scheme.
 Through this app, four units of blood can be demanded from the blood bank.
 Indian Red Cross Society:
o It is voluntary humanitarian organization to protect human life and health in India.
o It is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.
o It was founded in 1920.
o The Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan is the chairman of the Indian Red Cross
Society.
TRIFED digital platform was launched by the Union Minister for Tribal Affairs,
Arjun Munda.
 Recently, the Union Minister for Tribal Affairs Arjun Munda had launched the TRIFED
digital platform.
 TRIFED has launched a massive digitization campaign to connect tribal with the
mainstream.
 This digital platform aims to help tribal artisans to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic.
 Under this, the team of TRIFED Warriors will take forest produce, handlooms and
handicrafts to new heights, which will change the life and livelihood of tribal society.
 Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED):
o It is a national level apex organization under the administrative control of the

Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
o It came into existence in 1987.
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o Its head office is located in New Delhi, in addition 13 new regional offices are
located in different regions of the country.
Sankalp Parva being celebrated by the Ministry of Culture.

 Recently, on the call of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Ministry of Culture has decided
to celebrate Sankalp Parva.
 Its purpose is to plant trees to conserve the herbal heritage of the country.
 Under this, mainly Bargad, Amla, Peepal, Ashok and Bel trees will be planted.
 This festival will be celebrated from 28 June 2020 to 12 July 2020.
Pradhan Mantri Scheme for Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises

launched.
 Recently Food Processing Industries Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal has launched the
Pradhan Mantri Scheme for Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises.
 This plan is a part of the Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan.
 An investment of Rs 35,000 crore will be made under this centrally sponsored scheme.
 This will provide employment to 900,000 skilled and semi-skilled workers.
 Also, ready-to-eat products will be considered as a possible opportunity under this.
The government launched seven-year floating rate saving bonds 2020 scheme.
 Recently the Government of India has launched a seven-year Floating Rate Saving Bonds
2020 Scheme.
 The scheme will commence from July 1.
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 Floating rate saving bonds will enable a person living in India or a Hindu undivided family
to invest in taxable bonds without any upper monetary limit.
 Interest on this bond will be payable semi-annually on January 1 and July 1 of each year.
 The coupon will be paid at 7.15% on 1 January 2021.
NATIONAL NEWS
Inauguration of India’s National Artificial Intelligence Portal.
 Recently the India’s National Artificial Intelligence Portal has been inaugurated by IT
Minister Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad.
 The purpose of this portal is to promote Artificial Intelligence among school students.
 The portal has been jointly developed by the Ministry of Electronics and IT and the IT
industry.
 The portal will be jointly operated by National e-Governance Division of Ministry of

Electronics and IT and NASSCOM of IT industry.
 The portal will serve as a one stop digital platform for AI related development in India.
 Documents, case studies, research reports etc. can also be shared through this portal.
Important schemes in various sectors were announced during the cabinet

meeting.
 In a recent cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, important schemes
were announced in various fields.
 The details of these schemes are as follows:
o The decision to increase private sector participation in the space sector in the
country was confirmed.
o The government will set up the Indian National Space Promotion and Authority
Center (IN-SPACe) for effective socio-economic use of space technology.
o New Space India Limited, a public sector enterprise, will attempt to re-orient
space activities from supply-driven model to demand-based model, ensuring
optimum utilization of space assets in the country.
o Urban co-operative and multi-state co-operative banks will be brought under the
direct supervision of the Reserve Bank of India.
o Additionally, to provide employment to about 35 lakh youth of the country, the

government has decided to create a Rs 15,000 crore Animal Husbandry
Infrastructure Development Fund for the development of infrastructure in
enterprises related to animal husbandry, dairy and livestock.
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o Under this scheme, up to 90% of the loans will be given by banks to start such
enterprises. The government has increased the interest subvention by 3% to all
such loans under this scheme.
o The term of the OBC Commission has been extended till January 31 of next year.
o Under India’s Look East Policy, ONGC will invest more than Rs 900 crore for
research and development of two gas blocks in Myanmar.
ITBP opened nationwide health centers and hospitals for its veterans suffering
from coronavirus.
 The Indo-Tibetan Border Police has opened the doors of its nationwide health centers
and hospitals to its veterans suffering from coronavirus.
 This decision has been taken after problems in admission or treatment of people in
designated hospitals of COVID-19.
 The ITBP runs a Super Specialty Referral Hospital for the Central Armed Police Forces in
Greater Noida, two base hospitals in Tigri in Delhi and Kimin and Dehradun in Arunachal
Pradesh and hospitals in Chandigarh besides health centers on every basis in the country.
 Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP):
o It is one of the seven Central Armed Police Forces of India.
o It was created on 24 October 1962 under the CRPF Act, in the wake of the 1962
Sino-Indian War.
o Its headquarters is located in New Delhi.
o Director General of ITBP is S S Deswal.
India elected as non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council

for the eighth time.
 India has been elected as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for two
years. India won by 184 votes in the 193-member General Assembly.
 India's two-year term will begin from 1 January 2021.
 Along with India, Ireland, Mexico and Norway have also won the Security Council
elections.
 This will be India's eighth term in the UN Security Council.
 For a new term in the UN Security Council, India has adopted a new orientation approach
to a reformed multilateral system or NORMS.
 This vision of India will be guided by the principles of Samman, Samvad, Sahyog, Shanti
and Samriddhi.
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 UN Security Council:
o It is one of the six major organs of the United Nations, responsible for ensuring
international peace and security.
o There are 5 permanent members and 10 non-permanent members in this council.
o The five permanent members of the UNSC are Russia, China, USA, UK and France.
o The five non-permanent members are elected every year for a term of two years.
o Its headquarters are located in New York, United States.
o It was established on 24 October 1945.
Indian Railways created a new world record by running the first high-rise double
stack container train.
 Recently created a new world record by successfully running the first double stack
container train in high rise in Over Head Equipment electrified territory.
 Indian Railways has tested this container service in the electrification sector of Western
Railway.
 It was successfully operated from Palampur and Botad railway stations in Gujarat.
 This is the first of its kind in the world, it will also promote ambitious campaigns like Green
India.
National Highways Authority of India goes fully Digital.

 Recently the National Highways Authority of India has gone completely digital.
 It now has a unique cloud-based and artificial intelligence-driven Big Data Analytics
platform- Data Lake and Project Management Software.
 All project documentation, contractual decisions and approvals are now being made only
through the portal.
 NHAI is first to integrate data lake and project management software for transparency,
speed and quick decision making in the process.
 National Highway Authority of India (NHAI):
o National Highways Authority of India is an autonomous agency of the Government

of India.
o It is a nodal agency of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
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Dr. Harshvardhan inaugurated the country's first COVID-19 Testing Mobile

Laboratory.
 Recently, the Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Harsh Vardhan inaugurated the
country's first COVID-19 Testing Mobile Laboratory.
 This is an effective step to test samples of COVID-19.
 It is named I-Lab, infectious diseases diagnostic laboratory.
 This will make it easier to test samples of COVID-19 even in remote rural areas of the
country.
 It has many facilities available including on-site ELISA, Real-Time Reverse Tranion
Polymerase Chain Reaction (rRT-PCR) Test and Biochemistry Analyzer.
 The laboratory is being operated with the help of the Department of Biotechnology.
 It has the capacity to perform 50 RT-PCR and 300 ELISA tests per day.
Employees' Provident Fund Organization launched a multiple-location claim

settlement facility.
 Recently, the Employees Provident Fund Organization has introduced a multi-location
claim settlement facility.
 This facility has been introduced by EPFO with the objective of allowing online claims
settlement from any of its regional offices across the country.
 All types of online claims including provident fund, pension, partial withdrawal and
transfer claims will be settled under this initiative.
 This step will equally distribute the workload related to nationwide claims settlement,
thereby reducing the delay in process settlement.
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 This initiative enables EPFO for fast-tracking settlement process through proper
mobilization of workforce.
 Employee Provident Fund Organization (EPFO):
o It is a statutory body constituted by the Employees Provident Fund and

Miscellaneous Rules Act, 1952.
India joins Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI).

 Recently India has joined the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI).
 India has joined the GPAI as a founding member. With this, India will be able to
participate actively in the global development of Artificial Intelligence.
 It will also leverage its experience around the use of digital technologies for inclusive
growth.
 Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI):
o GPAI is the first of its kind initiative.
o The aim is to develop a better understanding of the challenges and opportunities

around Artificial Intelligence using the experience and diversity of participating
countries.
o It will be supported by a secretariat, which will be hosted by the Organization for

Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in Paris.
o OECD will also be a Permanent observer to the governing bodies of GPAI.
o Its founding members are Australia, Canada, the European Union, France,
Germany, India, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, New Zealand,
Singapore, Slovenia, the United Kingdom and the United States.
India sent a 75-member Tri-Services Contingent to Russia to participate in the

military parade in Moscow.
 India had sent a 75-member Tri-services Contingent to Russia to participate in the
country’s Victory Day parade in Moscow.
 This parade in Moscow was held on 24 June to mark the 75th anniversary of victory in
World War II.
 The parade honored the heroic deeds and sacrifices made by Russians and other friendly
people.
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 World War II was a global war that lasted from 1939 to 1945.
 Most of the countries in the world, including all the superpowers, were divided into two
military alliances - Allies (US, Britain, France, USSR, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada,
China, Denmark, Greece, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, South Africa,
Yugoslavia) and Axis powers (Germany, Italy, Japan, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria).
Defense Minister Rajnath Singh on a three-day visit to Russia.

 Defense Minister Rajnath Singh was on a three-day visit to Russia.
 During the visit, the two countries discussed ways to further deepen the Indo-Russian
defense and strategic partnership.
 Rajnath Singh also participated in the 75th Victory Day Parade in Moscow.
Inauguration of India's largest and first Virtual Healthcare and Hygiene Expo 2020.
 Union Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers Mansukh Mandavia inaugurated one
of India's largest and first Virtual Healthcare and Hygiene Expo 2020.
 The expo is organized by FICCI.
 It is the first largest virtual exhibition in India to make a fresh start.
 The event was lived daily from 22nd to 26th June, 2020.
 Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI):
o It is the largest, oldest and highest trading organization in India.
o It was founded in 1927 by GD Birla and Purushottamdas Thakurdas on the advice

of Mahatma Gandhi.
India will contribute USD 10 million to the United Nations Relief and Work Agency
for Palestinian Refugees.
 India has decided to contribute USD 10 million to the United Nations Relief and Work
Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East in coming two years.
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 Also, India offers 250 annual scholarships to Palestinian youth and officials, in addition to
regular customized training programs.
 In addition, India is also sent a medical shipment to Palestine in June.
 United Nations Relief and Work Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East
(UNRWA):
o It is an agency of the United Nations.
o It aims to support the work of relief and human development of Palestinian

refugees in the Near East.
o Palestine refugees are defined as “persons whose normal place of residence was
Palestine during the period 1 June 1946 to 15 May 1948, and who lost both home
and means of livelihood as a result of the 1948 conflict.”
o It was founded in December 1949.
o Its headquarters are located in Amman, Jordan.
o The current commissioner-general of the institution is Philippe Lazzarini.
Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad launched Endowment Fund.

 Recently Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, has launched IIM Ahmedabad
Endowment Fund.
 It started with an initial commitment of Rs 100 crore from 10 founding alumni.
 The endowment aims to raise Rs 1000 crore over a period of five years.
 The financial health of the institution will be ensured through this fund. The fund will play
an important role in meeting the long-term goals of the institution and maintaining its
autonomy.
 IIM Ahmedabad is the first management school in India to set such a benchmark and
inspire other institutions. IIM Ahmedabad was established in 1961.
Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh released IAS Civil List 2020.
 Recently, Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh has released IAS Civil List 2020 in New Delhi.
 Also, its e-version was launched.
 This is the 65th IAS Civil List and the second edition of the e-Civil List.
 This list will help in selecting the right officer for the right assignment based on the
available profile.
 It is also an important source of information for the general public about the officials who
hold various positions.
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 It is also proposed to set up a National Recruitment Agency (NRA).
 National Recruitment Agency (NRA):
o The aim is to make the recruitment process effective for subordinate-rank posts in
the government.
o Through this, a computer-based online eligibility test will be conducted for

recruitment to non-Gazetted posts with examination centers in each district.
o This is expected to reduce the workload of the Staff Selection Commission (SSC)
and the Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS).
10 lakh crore rupees will be given to the panchayats in the country by 2026.
 Recently, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj has decided to give Rs 10 lakh crore by 2026
under a five-fold increase in Finance Commission funding for rural local bodies.
 In a meeting with the 15th Finance Commission, the Ministry has decided to allocate 10
lakh crores for the period 2020-21 to 2025-26 as compared to 2 lakh crores allocated
under the 14th Finance Commission.
 It is also worth noting that the allocations made to the panchayat tripled between the 13 th
and 14th Finance Commissions.
 This allocation will be used mainly on the following tasks -
o Road construction and maintenance.
o Drinking water supply.
o Major Panchayat Projects.
 According to the 11th schedule of the constitution, there are 2.63 lakh panchayats across
the country, which have 29 types of functions.
 The responsibilities of the panchayats have increased further due to the migrant laborers
returning to their villages due to the ongoing lockdown in the country.
Government of India banned 59 Chinese mobile apps.

 Recently the Indian government has banned 59 Chinese mobile apps.
 These restricted apps include Tik Tok, Helo, Shareit, We Chat, etc.
 The main reasons for banning these apps-
o This decision has been taken for the sovereignty and integrity of India, defense of
India, security of the state and public order.
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o At present, concerns have arisen for aspects related to data security and
protecting the privacy of 130 crore Indians. This also threatens the sovereignty and
security of the country.
o Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Center, Ministry of Home Affairs has also sent a
recommendation to block these malicious apps.
o The Computer Emergency Response Team has received numerous

representations from citizens regarding data security and privacy violations on
public order issues.
India-France Foreign Secretary level consultations held.

 Recently, India and France Foreign Secretary level consultations were concluded through
video conferencing.
 Indian Foreign Secretary Harshvardhan Shringla and François Deltre, Secretary General of
the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs of France participated in the talks.
 Highlights of the talks:
o The progress of multidimensional cooperation between the two countries was

reviewed.
o In the context of COVID-19, views were exchanged on regional and global issues of
mutual interest.
o India welcomed France joining the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure.
o France welcomed India's participation in the United Nations Security Council in

2021-22.
 Prime Minister of India announced a global Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure
(CDRI), at the UN Climate Action Summit 2019 held in New York City, USA, on September
23, 2019. CDRI aims to promote resilience of new and existing infrastructure systems to
climate and disaster risks.
 France:
o It is a West European country.
o Its capital is Paris and the currency is the euro.
o Current PM: Jean Castex
o Current President: Emmanuel Macron
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National Fertilizer Limited started five mobile soil testing laboratories.

 The Chairman and Managing Director of National Fertilizers Limited V.N. Dutt recently
flagged off the first mobile lab from the company's corporate office in Noida.
 These laboratories will test soil samples near the farmers' house for free.
 These will develop soil testing facilities in the country and will motivate farmers to use
fertilizers appropriately.
 These mobile laboratories are equipped with state-of-the-art equipment for soil testing,
which can detect nutrients in the soil.
 National Fertilizers Limited:
o It is a Mini Ratna company.
o It produces chemical fertilizers, bio-fertilizers and industrial chemicals.
o It is headquartered in Noida.
o It was established on 1 September 1979.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Donald Trump spoke of the expansion of the G-7 group.
 Recently, US President Donald Trump has spoken of the expansion of the G-7 group.
 Trump has proposed to postpone the G-7 summit to be held in June to September.
 He also stressed the need to include other important and emerging democracies in this
group.
 He plans to invite Russia, South Korea, Australia, and India to this group.
 But, it is unclear that the expansion will be permanent or temporary.
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 G7 Group:
o It is an intergovernmental organization that was founded in 1975.
o Its members include France, Italy, Canada, Japan, Germany, USA and UK.
o The United States is the chairman of this group for the year 2020.
Britain proposes to create a new organization of 10 democracy countries.

 Recently UK has proposed to create a new organization of 10 democracy countries.
 The name of this new organization will be D-10 i.e. Democracy-10.
 The group will include India, South Korea and Australia along with G-7 countries- UK, US,
Italy, Germany, France, Japan and Canada.
 The goal of this proposed group is to reduce dependency on China for critical 5G technical
equipment and bring other countries together on one platform to build alternative
suppliers of these technologies.
 Britain:
o Britain or the United Kingdom is an island nation in northwestern Europe.
o It is made up of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
o Its capital is London and the currency is Pound sterling.
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Global leaders will not go to New York to attend the annual session of the United
Nations General Assembly due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
 For the first time in the 75-year history of the United Nations, global leaders will not go to
New York to attend the annual session of the United Nations General Assembly due to the
COVID-19 pandemic this year.
 The conference was to be held in New York from 22 September this year.
 United Nations General Assembly:
o It is one of the six major organs of the United Nations responsible for policy-
making.
o It is headquartered in New York, United States.
o The President of the United Nations General Assembly is Tijjani Muhammad

Bande.
IAEA conducted inquiry meeting on Iran's undeclared nuclear program.

 Recently, the International Atomic Energy Agency has held an inquiry meeting on Iran's
undeclared nuclear program.
 It was found in this meeting that-
o Iran did not comply with the 2015 nuclear deal (JCPOA).
o Iran's nuclear fuel reserves have also increased significantly.
o Iran did not allow the access to two sites where the agency wanted to visit.
o At the same time, Iran failed to answer questions about the use of potentially
undeclared nuclear material in the early 2000s.
 International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA):
o It is an international organization that seeks to promote the peaceful use of

nuclear energy and prevent its use for any military purpose, including nuclear
weapons.
o It was established on 29 July 1957 as an autonomous organization.
o The IAEA has its headquarters in Vienna, Austria.
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Iran's Navy tests cruise missile.

 Recently the Iranian Navy has tested the cruise missile.
 Iran's Navy successfully tested a locally-made cruise missile during the war games in the
northern Indian Ocean and near the entrance to the Gulf.
 Iran has done this by sidelining the 2015 nuclear deal.
 2015 nuclear treaty:
o The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), commonly known as the Iran
nuclear deal, was signed on July 14, 2015, between Iran, the United States, China,
France, Russia, the U.K., Germany, and the European Union.
o US came out of this deal in 2018.
o The term of this treaty is to end in October this year.
 Iran:
o It is a country in Western Asia.
o Its capital is Tehran and the currency is the Iranian Rial.
o Current President: Hassan Rouhani
Demolition of Joint Liaison Office between South Korea and North Korea.
 Recently, the Joint Liaison Office between South Korea and North Korea has been
demolished.
 The demolition of the Joint Liaison Office comes after the recent deterioration in relations
between the two countries.
 The Liaison Office was established in Kaesong in 2018 to facilitate communication

between North Korea and South Korea.
 North Korea's move comes after South Korea's inability to revive inter-Korean economic
projects that had been beneficial to Pyongyang, under pressure from the US, along with
UN sanctions.
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UNHRC passed a resolution to ensure the safe return of Rohingyas to Myanmar.

 37 members voted in favor of the resolution in the 47-membered United Nations Human
Rights Council.
 In this resolution, the United Nations Human Rights Council has pledged for the voluntary,
safe, dignified and sustainable return of Rohingyas to Myanmar.
 The Rohingyas are Muslim minorities in Myanmar's Rakhine province.
 The resolution also praised Bangladesh for its humanitarian efforts to include Rohingyas
refugees who fled from Myanmar due to violence and human rights violations.
 United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC):
o It is a body of the United Nations.
o It aims to promote and protect human rights worldwide.
o It has 47 members elected for a three-year term.
o It was founded on 15 March 2006.
o It is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.
IMF approved emergency financial assistance of $ 356.5 million to Myanmar.

 The IMF recently approved emergency financial assistance of $ 356.5 million to Myanmar
to deal with the challenges posed by the COVID-19.
 This assistance has been approved under the Rapid Credit Facility and Rapid Financing
Instrument to meet the immediate balance of payments and fiscal needs of Myanmar.
 It will be spent on government schemes to promote spending, especially on the health

and social safety net.
 Myanmar:
o It was formerly known as Burma, a Southeast Asian nation.
o Its capital is Naypyidaw and the currency is Burmese Kyat.
o Current President: Win Myint
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 International Monetary Fund (IMF):
o It aims to promote global economic growth and financial stability, encourage

international trade, and reduce poverty.
o Established: 1945
o Headquarters: Washington, D.C., U.S
o Members: 189
o Managing Director: Kristalina Georgieva
US President Donald Trump has banned H-1B visas.

 Recently US President Donald Trump has banned H-1B visas till the end of this year.
 This decision was effective from June 24.
 This is a major setback for tech workers in India hoping to work in the US.
 Along with this, H-4 visa, L visa, H-2B and J visa have also been banned till the end of the
year.
 Trump has taken this decision to protect American jobs during the pandemic, but has
been criticized by the tech industry as well as politicians.
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China asserted its authority over Japan's administered Senkaku Islands.

 Recently, China has asserted its authority over the Senkaku Islands of Japan after a violent
confrontation with India over the issues of Galwan Valley.
 The island is a group of 8 uninhabited islands including Otsuri, Minamikojima and

Kitakojima known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China.
 The Senakaku Island chain has been administered by Japan since 1972, but its legal status
is still disputed.
 Recently, Japan passed a bill to rename the administrative region covering the disputed
uninhabited island chain from Tonoshiro to Tonoshiro Senkaku. The islands are 1,931 km
southwest of Tokyo.
 Calling the islands an "underlying area", China has warned Tokyo against any change in
the status quo.
The Financial Action Task Force retained Pakistan in the grey list.
 Recently the Financial Action Task Force has decided to keep Pakistan in the grey list.
 This decision has been taken due to Pakistan’s failure to check the flow of funds to
terrorist groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed.
 The decision was taken in the third and final plenary of the Financial Action Task Force
headed by Xiangmin Liu of China.
 In such a situation, it will now be difficult for Pakistan to get financial support from IMF,
World Bank, ADB and European Union.
 Now, Pakistan will remain on the grey list until the next meeting of the FATF to be held in
October.
 If Pakistan fails to follow the FATF directives by October, there is a possibility that the
FATF could put Pakistan on the black list along with North Korea and Iran.
 Financial Action Task Force (FATF):
o It is an intergovernmental organization.
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o It was established in 1989 to develop policies to deal with money laundering on

the initiative of G-7.
o In 2001, the financing of terrorism was also included.
o It is headquartered in Paris, France.
o Currently, it has 39 members, including two regional organizations, European

Commission and the Gulf Cooperation Council.
The world's first yoga university outside India was launched in Los Angeles.
 The world's first yoga university outside India was launched in Los Angeles on the occasion
of the 6th International Yoga Day.
 The name of this university is Vivekananda Yoga University (VaYU).
 It combines scientific principles and modern research approaches to ancient Indian

practice, yoga.
 Eminent Indian Yoga Guru Dr. H.R. Nagendra, Chancellor of Swami Vivekananda Yoga
Research Institute (SVYASA), is the first Chairman of Vivekananda Yoga University.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

SPACE AND IT
NASA’s Space-X Demo-2 mission launched

 Recently the NASA’s Space-X Demo-2 mission has been launched via SpaceX’s falcon 9
rocket carrying a crew Dragon spacecraft.
 This is the first human space flight of private sector commercial company SpaceX to
International Space Station (ISS).
 In this spacecraft, two NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley have gone
into space.
 Hurley and Behnken are NASA's most experienced astronauts. Harley is made the
commander of this mission.
 They will test the Crew Dragon and conduct research with the crew of ISS Expedition 63
currently present at the ISS residence.
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 After 2011, a spacecraft has gone to space carrying American astronauts from US.
 Demo-2 mission is part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.
China halts the launch of the last satellite of the Beidou Navigation Network.
 Recently China has indefinitely halted the launch of the last satellite of the Beidou
Navigation Network.
 This launch has been prevented due to technical problems in the rocket.
 It was the 35th and last satellite of the Chinese navigation system.
 This project meant to be Beijing's answer to the US-owned Global Positioning System.
 After its completion, China's military communications system would have become secure
and weapons targeting would also improve, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region.
The world's fastest supercomputer, Fugaku, developed by Japan.

 Recently, the world's fastest supercomputer, Fugaku, has been developed by Japan.
 It will be ready for launch in April 2021.
 The Supercomputer Fugaku jointly developed by Riken and Fujitsu Ltd. topped a
Supercomputer Benchmarking Index in the Top 500 list.
 TOP500 is a list of 500 fastest supercomputers in the world ranked by their performance
achieved from running the LINPACK Benchmark.
 In terms of processing speed, it is ahead of China's supercomputer Sunway TaihuLight,

which secured fourth position in the list.
 At number 2 and 3 is Summit and Sierra of US respectively. Summit remains the fastest
supercomputer in the US.
 Fugaku has also topped the list of supercomputers ranked based on their performance
capabilities for tasks completed using AI applications.
 In addition to its use as a supercomputer, it is also expected to contribute to major

progress on difficult social challenges such as the COVID-19.
 India’s Pratyush and Mihir were ranked 66th and 119th respectively in the Top500 list.
Pratyush, installed at Indian Institute of Tropic Meteorology, Pune, is the fastest
supercomputer in India.
LSC detected an unusual compact object.

 The LIGO Scientific Collaboration (LSC) and the Virgo Collaboration have detected an
unusual compact object.
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 Its mass lies between a typical black hole and a neutron star. That is, it can be the lightest
black hole or the heaviest neutron star.
 This mysterious incident was witnessed by LIGO and Virgo detectors on August 14, 2019.
 The article was published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters about this discovery.
 This can help in future to solve many mysteries of astrophysics.
 LIGO Scientific Collaboration:
o It is a scientific collaboration of international physics institutes and research

groups dedicated to the discovery of gravitational waves.
o It includes 1200 more scientists.
 The Virgo Collaboration, organized by the European Gravitational Observatory in Cascina,

is an organization working on gravity wave detectors and operations.
NEW DEVELOPMENTS
DRDO developed a disinfection unit called Ultra Swachh.

 Recently Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) has developed a
disinfection unit called Ultra Swachh.
 It can disinfect personal protective equipment, electronics items, including clothes and
many other materials.
 Ultra Swachh is available in two variants, namely Ozonated Space and Trinetra
Technology.
 This unit has been developed by DRDO's Delhi-based laboratory, Institute of Nuclear
Medicine and Allied Sciences, in association with Jail Craft Health Care Pvt Ltd.
 The system conforms to international norms of industrial, commercial, personal and

environmental protection.
 It involves the use of ozone-based space technology to eliminate infection through

sophisticated oxidation processes.
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DIAT institute in Pune developed an artificial intelligence enabled COVID-19

detection tool.
 Recently researchers from the Defense Institute of Advanced Technology (DIAT), Pune,
have developed an artificial intelligence capable COVID-19 detection tool.
 It uses a chest X-ray of patients to identify the infection.
 Any abnormality due to COVID-19 or other types of respiratory disorders can be

immediately confirmed by uploading X-rays of suspected patients' chests on this AI
device.
 It will prove to be a useful tool for radiologists and can also be used in telemedicine.
DIAT Pune developed Nano-technology based disinfectant spray 'Ananya'.

 Recently Defense Institute of Advanced Technology, Pune, a deemed university, has
developed nano-technology based disinfectant spray Ananya to counter COVID-19.
 This spray is useful in disinfecting all types of surfaces.
 This spray can be used in masks, PPE, as well as other potentially contaminated surfaces
such as medical devices, elevator buttons, door knobs, corridors and rooms.
 This nano-technology assisted formulation will not only prevent novel coronaviruses from
entering the human body, but it will kill the virus as soon as it comes into contact with
masks and PPE.
 It is a water-based spray and will remain in effect for more than 24 hours after spray.
Biodegradable Face Mask, Pavitrapati developed by DIAT.

 Recently the Defense Institute of Advanced Technology has developed a biodegradable
face mask, Pavitrapati.
 This face mask is based on Ayurvedic products of nanofibers, which act as virus
neutralizers and resist bacteria.
 The mask is made from herbal extracts such as neem oil, turmeric, Krishna tulsi, ajwain,
black pepper, gum arabic, clove, sandalwood and saffron.
 It has been designed keeping in mind the guidelines of the Ministry of AYUSH.
 The Pavitrapati uses additives from immune-enhancing agents for self-care.
 This product can be regularly used as a mask to protect against any type of communicable
diseases of air-borne medium.
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DRDO developed a device-SUMERU PACS.

 Recently the Defense Research Development Organization has developed a device called
SUMERU PACS.
 This device helps the wearer of personal protective equipment to relax without sweating.
 It developed a personal air circulation system, which can be used as a small bag weighing
approximately 500 grams inside a PPE kit, which works well at an ambient temperature of
39 °C and keeps the wearer sweat free, comfortable and cool.
 Defense Research and Development Organization:
o It is an agency of the Government of India which deals with the research and
development work of the Army in India.
o G. Sateesh Reddy is the current Chairman of this organization.
National Chemical Laboratory Pune developed indigenous nasopharyngeal.

 Recently the National Chemical Laboratory Pune has successfully developed an indigenous
nasopharyngeal to collect samples from the throat cavity of corona virus affected
patients.
 Nasopharyngeal swab is a medical device with stringent specifications of quality, polymer

grade, dimensions and disinfection.
 A team of Dr. Chandrasekhar V Rode, Dr. Prakash P. Wadgaonkar and Dr. Anu A. Nisalatin
have worked on nasopharyngeal swab polymers.
Scientists at National Chemical Laboratory, Pune have developed a portable

oxygen unit.
 It can be used in homes, hospitals and remote rural areas.
 The specialty of this unit is that it does not require oxygen cylinders.
 Use of this unit can help reduce the demand for ventilators and oxygen cylinders.
 This may prove to be very important in the event of a COVID-19 pandemic.
 National Chemical Laboratory:
o It is an Indian government laboratory.
o It is a constituent member of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research.
o It was established in 1950 in Pune.
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NIPER Guwahati developed a 3-D printed antimicrobial face shield for protection
from COVID-19.
 Recently National Institute of Pharmaceuticals Education and Research (NIPER), Guwahati
has developed 3D-printed antimicrobial face shield, multilayer mask and hands free multi-
tasking object for protection from COVID-19.
 Antimicrobial face shield is highly protective, transparent and easy to wear.
 The first layer of this mask is an anti-bacterial covering, while the second layer is sanitizing
and the third layer contains medicinal particles to prevent additional microbial attacks.
 All the products manufactured by the institute are user friendly and are easy to clean with
sanitizer or any alcohol containing disinfectant.
 The institute has signed an MoU with Hindustan Antibiotic Limited, Pune for large-scale
manufacturing and commercialization of its 3D printed antimicrobial face shield.
An engineer from Thane built the world's first Internet-controlled robot.

 Recently, Prateek Tirodkar, a 23-year-old engineer from Thane, built the world's first
Internet-controlled robot.
 This robot is specifically meant to cater to the needs of hospitals treating COVID-19
patients.
 Hence, its name has been called Coro-Bot.
 It can care for patients with corona without nurses, ward staff, or other caregivers.
 This robot freely gives food, water, beverages, medicines and even some good advice to
patients.
IIT Hyderabad has developed Artificial Intelligence based test kit for testing
COVID-19.
 Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad have developed an Artificial
Intelligence based test kit to test COVID-19.
 This kit costs very little and can deliver results in about 20 minutes.
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 This test kit is Reverse Tranion Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) free and relieves
many processes.
 These kits can also be transported to rural areas due to their lightness for testing COVID-
19.
Textile major Arvind Limited will adopt anti-viral textile technology for apparel
products.
 Textiles major Arvind Limited has announced the adoption of an anti-viral textile
technology for apparel products.
 This technique is helpful in reducing the ability of re-transmission of pathogens through

clothing.
 The anti-viral textile technique uses HeiQ Viroblock, which actively inhibits the virus on
the garment and kills the virus upon contact.
 HeiQ Viroblock:
o It is an intelligent Swiss textile technique that is added to the fabric during the last
stage of the textile manufacturing process. It is a special combination of advanced
silver and vesicle technology.
Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore developed nanozymes.

 These nanozymes can destroy the cell membrane of bacteria by directly targeting its
phosphatipids.
 Nanozymes are nanomaterials that can decompose cell membranes of a range of disease-
causing bacteria.
 This study was recently published in the Journal of Applied Biometrics.
 This nanozymes has been found capable of destroying bacteria of typhoid, gastroenteritis,
dysentery, cholera and pneumonia.
 It is believed that these nanozymes can replace antibiotics that have become ineffective
as many bacteria have developed resistance to them by producing their own enzymes.
New biomolecules were discovered to fight drug resistance in Kala-azar.

 Recently, researchers at Pune's National Center for Cell Science (NCCS) have discovered
new biomolecules to fight drug resistance in Kala-azar.
 Kala-azar:
o It is a disease affecting about 100 tropical countries including India.
o It is caused by a parasite called Leishmania, which is spread by the bite of sand

flies.
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o Visceral Leishmaniasis is usually found in India, which is fatal if left untreated.
o There are three types of leishmaniasis.
 Visceral Leishmaniasis - affects many organs and is the most severe form
of the disease.
 Cutaneous leishmaniasis- causes skin lesions and is the most common

form.
 Mucocutaneous leishmaniasis- causes skin and mucosal lesions.
 National Center for Cell Science (NCCS):
o It is an autonomous organization under the Department of Biotechnology,

Government of India.
o This organization was established in 1986.
o It was established to facilitate cell biology research in the country.
BIOTECHNOLOGY
Two new symptoms have been included in the infection symptoms of

coronavirus.
 The loss of the ability to smell and taste are included in new symptoms of coronavirus
infection.
 The sample referral form currently has 13 clinical symptoms and signs that were revised
last month by the ministry.
 This includes fever, cough, diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, shortness of breath,
nausea, hemoptysis, coughing up blood, body ache, sore throat, chest pain, runny nose,
etc.
 Also, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has issued new guidelines for treatment
of COVID-19.
 The ministry has said that the drugs Description Remdesivir, convalescent- plasma
therapy, Tociluzimab and Hydroxy-chloroquine should be used only for defined subgroup
patients of COVID-19.
Continuous global spread of Chikungunya from India.

 A recent study has found that Chikungunya is continuously spreading globally from India.
 The study was conducted by a team from ICMR- National Institute of Virology, Pune.
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 This study found that India continued to be a spatial pool for global transmission of
Chikungunya virus over the period 2005–2018. The virus is spreading from India to
neighboring and distant countries.
 This study has recently been published in Infection, Genetics and Evolution.
 Chikungunya:
o It is a viral disease transmitted to humans by infected mosquitoes.
o Fever and severe joint pain are its major symptoms. Other symptoms include
muscle pain, headache, fatigue, and rash.
ICMR recommended the use of rapid antigen test kits in combination with RT-PCR
testing.
 Recently the Indian Council of Medical Research has recommended the use of rapid
antigen test kits in combination with RT-PCR testing for the diagnosis of COVID-19.
 The ICMR has stated that even if a person is negative by the COVID-19 fast antigen
test, their RT-PCR test will be performed again to control the infection, while a positive
test should be considered a true positive and reaffirmed is not needed.
 Rapid antigen test kit ensures rapid diagnosis without laboratory testing.
 The Rapid Antigen Test Kit is a rapid chromatographic immune assay for qualitative
detection of specific antigens of Corona virus. It is developed by a South Korea-based
company.
 Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR):
o Indian Council of Medical Research is the apex body in India for the creation,
coordination and promotion of biomedical research.
o It is one of the oldest and largest medical research bodies in the world.
o The Director General of the institution is Dr. Balram Bhargava.
Dexamethasone has been used by players for years.

 Dexamethasone has been used for years by players to accelerate their rehabilitation from
injuries and recover from infections.
 Recently British Prime Minister Boris Johnson described dexamethasone as the biggest
success in the fight against Novel Coronavirus.
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 Dexamethasone was found useful to cut the mortality rate of the most seriously ill COVID-
19 patients by about one-third.
 Dexamethasone is a corticosteroid, a readily available drug that prevents the release of

substances in the body that cause inflammation. Its effect is often seen within a day, and
lasts for about three days.
 This drug is in the list of banned substances of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
 Spanish players and Real Madrid star Sergio Ramos to Malaysian badminton legend Lee
Chong Wei and most recently Indian javelin thrower Davinder Singh Kang were caught as
they were using the drug.
 However, athletes are prohibited from using dexamethasone only during competition. If
the substance is found before a competition, it will not be considered a doping offense.
Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow has obtained permission to test the
antiviral drug Umifenovir.
 Phase III clinical trials will be conducted at King George Medical University, Dr. Ram
Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences and ERA's Lucknow Medical College and
Hospital Lucknow.
 Umifenovir has recently been found to be potentially useful for patients with COVID-19.
 This drug has a good safety profile and prevents the entry of the virus into human cells as
well as strengthens the immune system.
 Umifenovir is mainly used for the treatment of influenza.
 Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR):
o It was established by the Government of India in September 1942 as an

autonomous body.
o It is the largest research and development organization in India.
o Its Chairman is the Prime Minister of India.
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Hetero launches a drug called Covifor for COVID-19 patients.

 Recently the drug maker Hetero has launched a drug called Covifor for the patients of
COVID-19.
 Covifor is a 100 mg vial, which will be available as an injection.
 Hetero has received the approval of Drug Controller General of India to manufacture and
sell a generic version of Gilead's Remdesivir for the treatment of COVID-19 patients in the
country.
 Covifor is a generic version of Remdesivir.
 It is being manufactured at the company's facility in Hyderabad.
Ministry of AYUSH asked for details of new drug being described by Patanjali
Ayurved Limited as being useful for COVID-19.
 It is known that recently Patanjali Ayurved Limited has made two medicines named
Coronil and Swasari, which are said by Patanjali to be useful in the treatment of COVID-
19.
 Also, the Ministry of AYUSH has also asked the company for proof of research and testing
of this drug.
 In addition, Clinical Trial Registry India has been asked to provide details of registration
and results of the study.
 The Ministry has also requested the Uttarakhand government's license-issuing agency to
provide copies of the license related to this drug and details of its approval.
 Further, the concerned Ayurvedic drug manufacturing company has been informed that
such advertisements of medicines including Ayurvedic medicines are regulated under the
provisions of the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Offensive Advertisement) Act, 1954.
According to a new research, the MMR vaccine may be helpful in fighting sepsis in
patients with COVID-19.
 According to a recent new research, the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine may
prove helpful in fighting sepsis in patients with COVID-19.
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 This vaccine makes the leukocyte more active, so that it can be a more effective defense
against related infections.
 This research was recently published in the Journal mBio.
 The MMR vaccine does not directly protect against COVID-19, but provides an immune
preventive measure against its severe symptoms.
 Sepsis occurs when chemicals released in the bloodstream to fight an infection trigger
inflammation throughout the body which may cause multiple organ failure.
DEFENCE
France has assured timely delivery of Rafale aircraft to India.

 Recently, the French Armed Forces Minister, Ms. Florence Parley has assured timely
delivery of Rafale aircraft to India despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19
pandemic.
 It has also been agreed to strengthen bilateral defense cooperation between India and
France.
 India's Defense Minister Rajnath Singh welcomed the French Chairmanship of the Indian
Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) from 2020 to 2022.
 IONS is a forum to increase maritime cooperation among the littoral states of the Indian
Ocean Region.
 Additionally, the two Ministers have agreed to work together to fulfill the India-France
Joint Strategic Vision of 2018 on the Indian Ocean Region.
 Rafale:
o It is a twin-jet fighter aircraft.
o It can be operated from both the aircraft carrier and the sea shore.
o The versatile Rafale is capable of carrying out all combat aviation missions.
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Indian Air Force manufactured 'ARPIT' aerial vehicle.

 Recently the Indian Air Force has manufactured an air rescue vehicle named 'ARPIT’-
Airborne Rescue Pod for Isolated Transportation.
 The offering is designed according to the guidelines set by the Ministry of Health, National
Accreditation Board of Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH) and the Centers for
Disease Control, USA.
 Its design has also been prepared by the Indian Air Force.
 The cost of this system developed from indigenous technology is only 60,000 rupees,
which is much less than a similar imported system which costs 60 lakh rupees.
 It will be used to evacuate serious patients of COVID-19 from remote areas.
 It is constructed from very light certified material used in making aircraft.
Inauguration of Deep Submerged Rescue Vehicle, DSRV Complex, at

Visakhapatnam.
 The DSRV complex is designed to accommodate the newly incorporated submarine rescue
system.
 The DSRV system consists of a submarine rescue vessel, a remote operation vehicle, side
scan sonar and related equipment.
 It is the dive chamber and hyperbaric medical equipment to dismantle the submarine
after rescuing the submerged submarine.
 The DSRV system can be rapidly abandoned by air or road to facilitate submarine rescue
operations, even at distant locations.
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 The Indian Navy has incorporated two systems that will provide rescue cover to
submarines on the west and east coast of India respectively.
Indigenously built torpedo decoy system Maareech inducted into the Indian
Navy.
 Recently Indian Navy has included indigenously built Advanced Torpedo Decoy System
Maareech in its fleet.
 The system is designed and developed indigenously in the laboratories of the Defense
Research and Development Organization - NSTL and NPOL.
 This system is capable of being fired from all frontline warships.
 Bharat Electronics Limited will undertake the production of this decoy system.
 Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO):
o It is an agency of the Government of India.
o It was established in the year 1958.
Defense Minister Rajnath Singh started a new web portal for issue of NOC for
power, oil and gas exploration projects.
 From this web portal, No Objection Certificate (NOC) will be issued for power projects and
Research Survey Exploration Exploitation (RSEE) activities in the Indian Territorial Waters
(TW) and Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
 The online system will establish a transparent, quick and efficient mechanism to process
the proposals.
 The Ministry had earlier also started such a portal for obtaining No Objection Certificate
for aerial survey.
 The portal has been developed with the joint effort of the National e-Governance
Division (NeGD), Bhaskaracharya Institute of Space Applications and Geo-Informatics
(BISAG) and the National Informatics Center (NIC).
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STATE NEWS
ANDHRA PRADESH
India's first online waste exchange platform launched in Andhra Pradesh.

 Andhra Pradesh government launched the country's first online waste exchange
platform.
 Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh Government Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy launched this
platform on 5 June 2020 on the eve of World Environment Day 2020.
 This will help the authorities to monitor the real-time movement of hazardous waste
using the equipment included in the platform.
 The platform will be operated by AP Environmental Management Corporation.
 This corporation will streamline the collection of waste from industries, separating and
streamlining waste as hazardous, non-hazardous and e-waste by category.
 It will then scientifically dispose of this waste at various waste disposal centers.
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ASSAM
COVID-19 Testing Laboratory set up at NEIST Jorhat campus.

 Recently a COVID-19 testing laboratory has been established in the campus at North East
Institute of Science and Technology Jorhat, Assam.
 Assam Health Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sharma has inaugurated the laboratory.
 NEIST is the first research and development institute in Assam to open the COVID-19 test
facility.
 A team of 10 scientists from the institute is actively engaged in isolating RNA from viruses.
CHHATTISGARH
Government of Chhattisgarh will give agriculture status to lac cultivation.

 Once the lac cultivation gets the status of agriculture, the farmers associated with lac
production will also be able to take loans easily through cooperative societies like other
farmers.
 Chhattisgarh is one of the top producers of lac in India.
 Lac:
o Lac is a type of resin that is used in various industries, especially in making

jewelery.
o Lac is traditionally cultivated by growers on palash, safflower and berry trees.
o Lac is obtained from an insect called Kerria lacca.
Government of Chhattisgarh has started SPANDAN campaign.

 Recently, the Chhattisgarh government has started a SPANDAN campaign.
 The campaign is to prevent incidents of suicide and fratricide in police personnel.
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 As part of the campaign, the Superintendent of Police attached to the Chhattisgarh

government will parade in their districts every Friday.
 Along with this, medical treatment and counseling of depressed officers will also be
compulsory.
 In addition, this campaign will also arrange yoga classes for police personnel at all district
headquarters.
Start of Adarsh Police Station Scheme in Chhattisgarh.

 Adarsh Police Station scheme will be started in Chhattisgarh from July 1, 2020.
 Under this, an effort will be made to develop all police stations in Chhattisgarh as Adarsh
police stations.
 Some standards have been set for this and the police stations that will meet the
prescribed criteria will be rewarded.
 These standards are as follows:
o Conduct of Police station in-charge and other employees with general public.
o The atmosphere of the police station should be such that victims, women and
children can tell their problems in police stations without any fear.
o Maintenance of records at the police station should also be in line with the
standard.
 Apart from this, the state government has also decided to review and withdraw small
cases filed against tribal people in Bastar region of the state.
HIMACHAL PRADESH
Himachal Pradesh government’s attempt to boost Heeng and saffron yields.

 The Government of Himachal Pradesh entered into an agreement with the Institute of
Himalayan Bioresource Technology to boost the yield of asafetida/heeng and saffron.
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 The Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology is the only laboratory of the Council of
Scientific and Industrial Research in Himachal Pradesh.
 A state-of-the-art tissue culture lab will be established for mass production of quality
planting material of both these crops.
 Under this scheme, new varieties of saffron and heeng from exporting countries will be
standardized according to Indian conditions.
 Asafoetida:
o Asafoetida is a perennial plant, and it produces olio-gum resin from the roots after
five years of planting. It can be grown on land with unusable slopes of cold desert
area.
o Asafoetida is not produced in India and currently, around 1200 tonnes of raw
asafoetida is being imported from Afghanistan, Iran and Uzbekistan.
 Saffron:
o In India, saffron is currently cultivated on approximately 2825 hectares of land in

Jammu and Kashmir.
o Recently, Kashmir Saffron has got a Geographical Indication Tag.
Online portal Skill Register launched in Himachal Pradesh.

 Recently online portal Skill Register was launched in Himachal Pradesh.
 This portal will create an efficient database of migrants entering the state during
lockdown in the wake of Corona pandemic.
 This skill register will help in providing information about skilled manpower to the
industries.
 Interested persons can register on this online portal.
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JAMMU AND KASHMIR
Jammu and Kashmir was honoured with three prestigious Deen Dayal Upadhyay
Sashaktikaran Puraskar.
 Recently, Jammu and Kashmir has been awarded three prestigious Deen Dayal Upadhyaya
Sashaktikaran Puraskar.
 Jammu and Kashmir has been chosen from the 9 union territories of the country.
 Jammu and Kashmir has been awarded this award for outstanding contribution to the
socio-economic development of gram panchayats.
 Panchayat Rathal, Panchayat Badakana, and Panchayat Meej were included among the
best panchayats in recognition of their work in improving the delivery of services and
implementation of different schemes.
 Earlier, the Government of Jammu and Kashmir was also awarded three different national
awards of Union Territories namely, Nanaji Deshmukh Rashtriya Gaurav Gram Sabha
Puraskar, Gram Panchayat Development Plan Award and Child-friendly Gram Panchayat
Award by the Union Ministry.
JHARKHAND
Tobacco use prohibited in public places in Jharkhand.

 Recently the Government of Jharkhand has banned the use of tobacco products in public
places.
 Also, public spitting has been banned under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897.
 In addition, the state government has also directed the officials to constitute enforcement
squads under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement
and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 2003
(COTPA-2003).
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 However, the government of Jharkhand has not imposed a ban on the sale of tobacco
products in the state.
 Spitting in public is known to be a major cause of infection outbreaks. Due to

indiscriminate spitting, the chances of spreading of diseases such as COVID-19,
encephalitis and tuberculosis are increased.
 Any person violating the order will be punished under sections 188, 268, 269 and 270 of
the IPC.
KARNATAKA
Government of Karnataka is planning to set up a Monkey park.

 The state government of Karnataka is planning to set up a monkey park on
uninhabited islands in the Sharavathi backwater area.
 This decision has been taken in due to several protests by troubled farmers recent
days, due to the attack of monkeys on agricultural and plantation crops in the Malnad
region.
 Therefore, the Government of Karnataka has decided to establish a Park to solve the
problem.
 However, the state government's plan has been opposed by environmentalists, as the
Sharavathi backwater areas are rich in biodiversity and there may be ecological
imbalance due to the translocation of monkeys.
 For this, an allocation of ₹6.25 crore was made in the budget of 2020-21.
 It is known that in Himachal Pradesh, there are state-of-the-art monkey sterilization

and rehabilitation centers for monkeys.
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KERALA
Government of Kerala launched an initiative called ‘First Bell’.

 Recently, the Kerala government has started an initiative called First Bell.
 Through this initiative, virtual classes are being organized for school students of the state.
 These classes are being conducted on cable networks, direct-to-home services and free,
publicly operated television channels available on the Internet.
 The government is using the Kite Victors channel for this.
 The Kerala Infrastructure and Technology for Education (KITE) has put out a timetable for
conducting the classes.
Kerala based Sanchi has launched Corona Kit.

 Recently Sanchi, based in Thiruvananthapuram, capital of Kerala, has launched Corona kit.
 The kit includes two cloth masks, a pair of cloth gloves, ear protectors, mask size adjuster,
a colored string pouch, a corona key shape structure that is a key to avoid tactile surfaces,
and a cloth towel items are packed in one packet.
 Products such as masks and gloves are mainly stitched by women living in and around
Venjaramoodu on the outskirts of the city, which has also given them employment.
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MADHYA PRADESH
In Madhya Pradesh, a tree plantation campaign called Thank Mom has been
launched.
 This campaign has been started in the premises of Directorate of Social Justice and
Disabled Welfare.
 All the plants will be planted with plate in the name of each employee's mother.
 Neem, Guava, Mango, Chandni, Parijat and Tulsi plants are being planted in the campus.
 Along with this, online and offline programs were organized in all districts on the theme of
Time for Nature focused on conservation of biodiversity across the state.
Madhya Pradesh government gave Divyang Anganwadi workers the status of

Corona warriors.
 The Madhya Pradesh government has taken this decision in view of the significant
contribution of Divyang Anganwadi workers during the ongoing Corona crisis in the state.
 They are distributing nutritious food from door to door of the beneficiaries. They are also
advising people to avoid corona infection.
Scheme to provide oximeters at the Mohalla and Colony level in Madhya Pradesh
 The state government in Madhya Pradesh is planning to provide oximeters at the Mohalla
and colony levels.
 This decision has been taken keeping in mind the growing case of Corona virus in the
state.
 Oximeters will not only help control corona infection, but will also make survey work
easier.
 Oximeters or pulse oximeters are small light devices that are used to monitor the amount
of oxygen in the body.
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Madhya Kshetra Vidyut Vitaran Company has launched the Nishtha Vidyut Mitra
Scheme.
 Recently, the Madhya Kshetra Vidyut Vitaran Company has launched the Nishtha Vidyut
Mitra Scheme in Madhya Pradesh.
 This is a unique initiative of its kind and efforts have been made for women
empowerment.
 The scheme has been implemented in all the Gram Panchayats of all 16 districts of
Bhopal, Narmadapuram, Gwalior and Chambal divisions under the company's jurisdiction.
 In this scheme, women self-help groups at Gram Panchayat level will work as Nishtha
Vidyut Mitra.
 Under the Nishtha Vidyut Mitra Yojana, women self-help groups will motivate consumers
to make online payments or through the UPI app, redress various complaints of
consumers such as faulty meters and provide new connections through online processes.
 This scheme will not only increase the revenue collection of the company but will also
lead to additional income for women.
MAHARASHTRA
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray inaugurated Mumbai's new

Integrated Flood Warning System (IFLOWS).
 Recently, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray inaugurated the new integrated
flood warning system (IFLOWS) developed for Mumbai.
 It would be possible to estimate the flood three days before.
 This system saved the city from heavy losses by warning against the recently arrived
Nisarga cyclone.
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 The Ministry of Earth Sciences has developed this system with in house expertise and
coordination with the Mumbai Municipal Corporation.
 Mumbai is the second city in the country to launch such a system after Chennai. Such
systems will also be introduced in Kolkata and Bengaluru in 2021.
Mobile application Air-Venti launched in Mumbai.

 Recently the mobile application Air-Venti has been launched by the civic body in Mumbai.
 The purpose of this app is to provide overall statistics of ICU beds and ventilators.
 This app will also provide information regarding filled and empty ICU beds and ventilators
in government and private hospitals.
 The ability to contact the hospital via telephone call and email is also available.
 The app has been developed by Octaware Technologies Limited in partnership with
Probity Soft Private Limited.
 The purpose of launching this app is to provide timely treatment by saving time wasted by
COVID-19 patients in search of hospitals with ICU beds and ventilators.
 The app is linked to the dashboard of the city's disaster control room and its link can also
be accessed through the Mumbai civic body's app.
Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) started ‘Mission Universal Testing’

in Mumbai.
 Under this, one lakh antigen test kits will be made available.
 These kits will be available at all civilian operated hospitals, government hospitals,
COVID-19 care centers, etc.
 This kit is said to deliver results in 30 minutes.
 As per the instructions issued by the state government, antigen testing will be acceptable
only through the SDM biosensor company kit approved by the ICMR.
 People older than 70 years can get themselves test without any prescription.
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MIZORAM
In Mizoram, migrant workers will be given free rice under the ATMA NIRBHAR
BHARAT Scheme.
 In Mizoram, migrant workers will be given 10 kg of free rice under the ATMA NIRBHAR
BHARAT Scheme.
 Especially migrant workers who are engaged in various projects and other private jobs in
the state will benefit from this initiative.
 A total of 17,885 workers spread across eight districts in the state have been identified as
the beneficiaries.
NCT DELHI
Delhi government launched a mobile app called Delhi Corona

 Recently Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has launched a mobile app called Delhi
Corona.
 Using this app, residents can track the number of beds and ventilators available in
hospitals dedicated to the treatment of corona in the national capital Delhi.
 The service can also be accessed using a web browser.
 The user is not required to provide any details before using the application.
ODISHA
Odisha Police strengthened the security structure in the Swabhiman Anchal.

 Odisha Police is strengthening the security structure in the Swabhiman Anchal.
 The development of this area will discourage Maoists not only in this state but also in the
surrounding states, and it will be easy to reduce their activities and add them to the
stream of development.
 Swabhiman Anchal:
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o Also known as cut-off Maoists area, it is located in Malkangiri district of Odisha.
o This area is covered with water on three sides and inaccessible area from the other
side.
o It was a stronghold of Naxalites for a long time.
o Maoists from Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh often used to visit the
zone to escape from the police.
TAMIL NADU
Government of Tamil Nadu has launched a new portal to assist job seekers.
 Recently in the scenario of COVID-19, the Tamil Nadu government has launched a new
portal to help job seekers.
 This portal, named Tamil Nadu Private Jobs Portal, has been started by the Department of
Employment and Training, Government of Tamil Nadu.
 Through this portal, job seekers will be digitally connected to job providers.
 The portal also provides facility to conduct online interviews.
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UTTAR PRADESH
Uttar Pradesh is the first state in the country to produce one lakh beds for
treatment of COVID-19.
 Recently Uttar Pradesh has become the first state in the country to produce one lakh beds
for COVID-19 patients.
 In this state, dedicated beds are available for patients with respective facilities in every 75
districts.
 Here beds in hospitals are classified into three categories: Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3.
Level one and two beds are for patients exhibiting mild symptoms, while level three beds
are for critical infection.
Uttar Pradesh government directed to start the TrueNAT machine in all 75

districts by 15 June 2020.
 With the help of these machines, the number of COVID-19 tests can be increased.
 Recently ICMR approved the use of the TrueNAT machine for coronavirus screening tests.
 TrueNAT machines are used to test drug-resistant tuberculosis.
Uttar Pradesh, the top state in the country providing employment to workers
under MNREGA.
 Recently, Uttar Pradesh has become the top state in the country providing employment to
workers under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme,
MNREGA.
 According to recent statistics, Uttar Pradesh has provided employment to more than 57
lakh workers under MNREGA.
 57,12,975 workers got employment in 57 thousand gram panchayats of the state, which is
18% of the total work generated under MNREGA in the country.
 MNREGA:
o Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act was enacted on 2

February 2006. The act was passed in September 2005.
o It is an Indian labor law and social security measure aimed at guaranteeing the
right to work.
Kushinagar Airport has been given the status of International Airport.

 Kushinagar Airport will open new avenues for development of the eastern side and will
pave the way for the development of Purvanchal region.
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 The granting of international status to Kushinagar Airport will also help in developing the
Buddhist circuit, which includes Kushinagar, Sarnath, Shravasti, Kapilvastu, Kaushambi,
Sankisa, Lumbini and Bodhgaya and 6 of these spots are in UP.
 Situated 50 kilometers from Gorakhpur, Kushinagar is a pilgrimage center for Buddhists,

where Gautama Buddha gave his last sermon and attained Mahaparinirvana or death.
 Earlier, Jewar International Airport in Gautam Budh Nagar district of the state was given
the status of International Airport. This ensured air connectivity to the western part of the
state.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the ATMA NIRBHAR Uttar Pradesh
Rojgar Abhiyan.
 Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the ATMA NIRBHAR Uttar Pradesh Rojgar
Abhiyan through video conference.
 Various districts of Uttar Pradesh will be connected to this program through Common
service centers and Krishi Vigyan Kendras.
 A unique initiative of the ATMA NIRBHAR Uttar Pradesh Rojgar Abhiyan aims to provide
employment to the migrant laborers returned to the state.
 This campaign mainly focuses on the following points -
o To provide employment.
o To promote local entrepreneurship.
o Partnering with industrial associations and other organizations to provide

employment opportunities.
 About 30 lakh laborers have returned to Uttar Pradesh from different parts of the country
due to the COVID-19 pandemic. There are 31 such districts in the state where more than
25 thousand laborers have returned to their homes during lockdown.
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UTTARAKHAND
Largest Biodiversity Park of Uttarakhand opened in Haldwani.

 Recently, the state’s largest biodiversity park has been opened in Haldwani, Uttarakhand.
 Uttarakhand has inaugurated it on 5 June on the occasion of World Environment Day.
 Biodiversity parks are a natural storehouse of plant and animal varieties.
 The park has thematic gardens, an earthen museum, plant species, lichen, a
vermicompost unit, and algae of moss and Jurassic age.
 An interpretation center and a state-of-the-art weather station have also been built.
Gairsain declared summer capital of Uttarakhand.

 Recently, Gairsain has been formally declared the summer capital of Uttarakhand.
 Gairsain is located in Chamoli district.
 It will be developed as an ideal seat of administration.
 The Legislative Assembly of the state is located in the winter capital, Dehradun.
 Uttarakhand was carved out of northern Uttar Pradesh on 9 November 2000 as the 27th
state of India.
 The Chief Minister of Uttarakhand is Trivendra Singh Rawat and Governor is Baby Rani
Maurya.
INDIAN POLITY
Elections to remaining 18 seats of Rajya Sabha conducted by the Election
Commission.
 Recently Election Commission conducted the elections for remaining 18 seats of Rajya
Sabha.
 The voting for these seats were held on June 19, 2020.
 These elections were held in Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh,
Manipur, Meghalaya and Rajasthan.
 Rajya Sabha:
o Rajya Sabha is the permanent house and not subject to dissolution. However, one
third of the members retire every second year, and newly elected members are
appointed in their place.
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o The Rajya Sabha consists of a maximum of 250 members, of which 238 members
represent the States and Union Territories, and 12 members are nominated by the
President.
o Each member is elected for a term of six years.
o The Vice President of India is the ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.
Union Cabinet approved the historic amendment in the Essential Commodities

Act 1955.
 Recently the Union Cabinet has approved the historic amendment in the Essential
Commodities Act.
 Under this, cereals, pulses, oilseeds, edible oils, onions and potatoes have been removed
from the list of essential commodities.
 This is a visionary step to increase the income of farmers.
 In addition, the Cabinet has also approved to form an empowered team of Project
Development Cells and Secretaries in the Ministries and Departments to attract
investment in the country.
 This new system will help India build a $ 5 trillion economies by 2024-25.
 In addition, the re-establishment of the Pharmacopoeia Commission for Indian Medicine

and Homeopathy has also been approved.
 This commission will be established by merging two central laboratories called

Pharmacopoeia Laboratory for Indian Medicine and Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia
Laboratory.
Ordinance to amend the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code.

 Recently the government has brought an ordinance to amend the Insolvency and
Bankruptcy Code.
 Under this mandate, new insolvency action will not be initiated by the government for any
lapse due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
 Insolvency proceedings will not be commenced for the payment defaults from March 25.
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 Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016:
o It is one of the biggest insolvency reforms in India's economic history.
o The Central Government introduced the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code in 2016.
o It aims to deal with the bad credit problems that are affecting the banking system.
 Ordinance:
o If Parliament or State Legislature is not in session, an ordinance is brought on any

necessary subject.
o The Constitution of India empowers the President under Article 123 and the
Governor of Article 213 to bring ordinances.
President Ram Nath Kovind promulgated the Banking Regulation (Amendment)

Ordinance, 2020.
 This ordinance amends the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, which applies to co-operative
banks.
 This ordinance also amends section 45 of the Banking Regulation Act, in order to protect
the interests of the public, depositors and the banking system without disrupting the
financial system and to secure its proper management, the reconstruction or
amalgamation of a banking company to be planned.
 The goal of this ordinance is -
o To protect the interests of depositors.
o To strengthen cooperative banks by improving surveillance.
o To inspect the co-operative banks' powers already available with RBI in relation to
other banks.
 The ordinance will not bring any change in the existing powers of the State Registrars of
Cooperative Societies under state cooperative laws.
 Also, these amendments do not apply to such primary agricultural credit societies or
cooperatives whose primary purpose and major business is long-term finance for
agricultural development.
ART AND CULTURE

ASI obtains 9th century Shiva lingam in the Cham temple complex of Vietnam.
 Recently, the Archaeological Survey of India has unearthed the 9 th century Shiva lingam
during restoration work in the Cham temple complex of Vietnam.
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 The Cham Temple complex is a part of Mai Sun, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Quang
Nam Province, Vietnam.
 It was built in the 9th century AD during the reign of King Indravarman II in collaboration
with the famous Dong Dong Buddhist monastery in the same region.
 It underlines the civilizational engagement between the two countries and is also a great
cultural example of India's development partnership.
 Archaeological Survey of India (ASI):
o It is an Indian government agency associated with the Ministry of Culture.
o It is responsible for the archaeological research of India and the preservation and
preservation of cultural monuments in the country.
o It was founded in 1861 by Alexander Cunningham.
Ministry of Tourism presented 37th webinar titled Vedic Food and Spices of India.
 Recently the Ministry of Tourism organized the 37th webinar program on Vedic Food and
spices in India under Dekho Apna Desh Webinar series.
 Its purpose was to show the qualities and benefits of the ancient health science of the
country.
 Also, this webinar has attempted to dispel myths about certain types of Food.
 Dekho Apna Desh Webinar series is an attempt to showcase the rich diversity of India
under the Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat.
 Dekho Apna Desh Webinars are presented by the Ministry of Tourism in collaboration
with the National e-Governance Division (NeGD), formed by the Ministry of Electronics
and Information Technology (MeitY).
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Fit India to promote 10 indigenous games of India under the Ek Bharat, Shreshtha
Bharat initiative.
 Recently one of the flagship programs of the Ministry of Sports, Fit India will promote 10
indigenous sports in India under Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat initiative.
 The series includes games like Kho-Kho, Gatka, Kalaripayattu, Mallakhamb, Thanga-Ta,
Shaka, Kabaddi, Roll Ball, Tug of War and Shooting Ball.
 Fit India has joined hands with the Department of School Education and Literacy to launch
a series of special films for this.
 The objective of this series is not only to create awareness about the culture and heritage
of the indigenous games and their respective states.
 Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat aims to create awareness among the youth about the culture
and heritage of states across India.
Naimisha 2020, summer art program being organized online.

 Naimisha 2020, a summer art program, is being organized by the National Gallery of
Modern Art.
 The event will be held from 8 June to 3 July 2020.
 Four workshops will be organized under the online Naimisha 2020 program.
 It is an initiative to provide participants and art enthusiasts a chance to practice and

others to learn from artists.
 The program includes online workshop sessions on painting, sculpture, printmaking and
Indrajal - The Magic of Art.
Darshan in Guruvayur temple closed again.

 Recently a decision has been taken to stop Darshan again at Guruvayur Temple.
 Also, the Guruvayur Devaswom Board has decided to stop marriages in Sri Krishna temple.
 The temple was opened on 5 June after 80 days of lockdown.
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 Guruvayur Temple:
o It is one of the oldest temples in India.
o It is a Hindu temple dedicated to the Hindu deity Guruvayurappan, a four-armed

form of the Hindu god Vishnu.
o It is located in the city of Guruvayur in Kerala.
Three-day unique Raja Praba festival held in Odisha.

 This festival strengthens the feeling of brotherhood in the society.
 Raja Parba is a three-day unique festival of Odisha, which is celebrated in honor of the
onset of monsoon and the femininity of the earth.
 These days, as a tribute to the earth, all agricultural work such as plowing, sowing are
suspended for three days.
Online broadcast of traditional art of Talamaddale due to COVID-19.

 The traditional art of Talamaddale has also become virtual due to the COVID-19
pandemic.
 A live stream was broadcast on social media on 13 June.
 Talamaddale:
o It is a type of traditional Yakshagana of Karnataka.
o It is an ancient form of dialogue or debate demonstration in South India in the

Karavali and Malnad regions of Karnataka and Kerala.
o In this, the story and content of the conversation are popular mythological stories.
o It involves only words without any dance or costumes.
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Popular Axone: A type of fermented soybean.

 Axone has become quite popular in recent times.
 It is a fermented soybean consumed by many tribal communities in Nagaland, especially

the Sema/Sumi tribe.
 Axone is also locally called Akhuni, known for its distinctive taste and smell.
 It is used to make pickles, chutneys or curries in the Northeast region.
 This fermented soybean is also used in Northeast India as well as East Asian countries
such as Nepal, Bhutan, Japan, Korea, China, Myanmar, Vietnam and Indonesia.
Supreme Court allowed the Jagannath Rath Yatra at Puri, Odisha.

 The Supreme Court gave the permission for the Jagannath Rath Yatra at Puri, Odisha
under certain conditions.
 The Rath Yatra or Rath Utsav commemorates Lord Jagannath's annual visit to the
Gundicha Mata Temple.
 Every year three chariots are built of wood dedicated to the three deities – Lord
Jagannath, Subhadara and Balabhadra. Each chariot is pulled with the help of ropes by
the devotees during the procession.
 It is held every year in Ashadha month starting on the dwitiya tithi of Shukla Paksha till
Dashami Tithi.
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Online opening of the Indian Pavilion at Cannes Film Market 2020.

 Recently Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar inaugurated the virtual
Indian Pavilion at Cannes Film Market 2020.
 On this occasion, Mr. Javadekar called on global filmmakers to shoot films in India and
make films for the global market.
 Marathi film Mai Ghat and Gujarati film Hellaro have been sent as official entries for
Cannes Film Festival this year from India.
 The Cannes Film Festival, one of the most prestigious film festivals, was to be held much
earlier, but was postponed due to the outbreak of the Corona virus.
 India will showcase his films as a special tribute to the legendary film director Satyajit Ray
at the Cannes Film Festival next year.
 Cannes Film Festival:
o There is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which showcases new films
of all genres, including documentaries from all over the world.
o It was established on 20 September 1946.
Very limited Hajj to be held this year in Saudi Arabia.

 Recently Saudi Arabia has announced that this year it will conduct a very limited Hajj due
to COVID-19 pandemic.
 The citizens from the countries around the world who are already resident in Saudi Arabia
will be allowed to attend. Although, the exact number has not been specified.
 Hajj is the pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia, which every adult Muslim
must make at least once in his or her lifetime.
 Saudi Arabia:
o It is a country in Western Asia, which forms a large part of the Arabian Peninsula.
o Its capital is Riyadh and the currency is Saudi Riyal.
ECONOMY/BANKING/FINANCE
INFRASTRUCTURE AND ENERGY
Central government announced the development of a new greenfield expressway

to Amritsar.
 The central government has announced the development of a new greenfield corridor as
a part of Delhi Amritsar Expressway.
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 It will be built to connect the city of Nakodar to Amritsar.
 This expressway will pass through Sultanpur Lodhi, Goindwal Sahib and Khadoor Sahib.
 With this, the road from Amritsar to Gurdaspur will also be completely signal free.
 This will provide an option to go to Gurdaspur via Nakodar through either Amritsar or
Kartarpur.
 The recently developed Derababa Nanak and Kartarpur Sahib International Highway will
also be connected to it.
 After completion of this project, it will take only 4 hours to reach Delhi Airport from
Amritsar.
Kolkata Port will be renamed as Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Port.

 Recently the Union Cabinet has approved renaming Kolkata Port to be Shyama Prasad
Mukherjee Port.
 The Board of Trustees of Kolkata Port Trust passed a resolution on February 25 to rename
the port.
 The decision was announced at the inauguration ceremony of the port's 150 th anniversary
celebrations on 12 January.
 The founder of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, Shyama Prasad Mukherjee was a versatile jurist,
educationist, thinker and leader. He served in the Cabinet of Prime Minister Jawaharlal
Nehru as Minister of Industry and Supply.
 There are a total of 13 major sea ports in India, 12 of which are government and one is
Ennore Port of Chennai is corporate.
 The other 12 major ports of India are as follows: Kolkata Port, Paradip Port, New
Mangalore Port, Cochin Port, Jawaharlal Nehru Port, Mumbai Port, Kandla Port,
Visakhapatnam Port, Chennai Port, Tuticorin Port, Mormugao Port and Port Blair Port.
Western Coalfields opened 3 new coal mines.

 Recently, Coal India subsidiary Western Coalfields Limited has opened 3 new coal mines.
 These three mines are Adasa mine in Nagpur region of Maharashtra, which is an
underground open mine, Sharda underground mine in Kanhan region of Madhya Pradesh
and Dhankasa underground mine in Pench area with a combined annual production
capacity of 2.9 million tonnes.
 On this occasion, the company has launched a monitoring system called WCL-EYE to
monitor its mining operations.
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 Along with this, an app called Samvaad was launched to connect with its employees and
stakeholders.
 WCL has launched a roadmap called Mission 100 Days to achieve the goals of FY 2020-21.
This mission will also help the company achieve its medium-term and long-term goals.
 These three mines are a part of WCL's future plan to start 20 new projects by FY 2023-24,
out of which 14 projects will be commissioned in Maharashtra and 6 in Madhya Pradesh.
 The total cost on these projects is Rs 12753 crore. It will create more than 14000 direct
jobs.
Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas launched Indian Gas Exchange.
 Recently Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan launched the
Indian Gas Exchange.
 It is the first nationwide online delivery-based gas trading platform. The trading platform
will enable market participants to trade in standardized gas contracts.
 IGX is fully automated with a web based interface and will provide a seamless business
experience to customers. This will help the country to move towards free market pricing
of natural gas.
 IGX is incorporated as a wholly owned subsidiary of IEX. IEX is India's energy market
platform.
Start of All India Real Time Market in Power Sector.

 Recently, the Union Minister of Power and New and Renewable Energy Rajkumar Singh
has started an all India real time market in the power sector.
 The real time market will be open for half an hour every day. The buyers and sellers can
place bids for each 15-minute time block.
 This proposed real-time market would provide an alternative mechanism for power
distribution companies to access large markets at a competitive price.
 Real Time Market (RTM) enables consumers, including distribution companies (DISCOMs)
and captive users, to purchase power on exchanges exactly one hour before delivery.
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 It is an organized market platform that enables buyers and sellers to meet their energy
needs in near real-time India operations.
 The Power Exchange India Limited (PXIL) and Indian Energy Exchange (IEX) have started
their real-time market (RTM) trading platforms for electricity transactions.
Devika Bridge was inaugurated at Udhampur.

 Recently, Union Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Dr.
Jitendra Singh inaugurated the Devika Bridge over Devika River in Udhampur.
 Along with this, under construction Puneja Bridge of Bhaderwah-Basholi-Pathankot

National Highway in Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir also inaugurated.
 This road will provide an important alternative link to Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban
districts.
 The construction work of these two bridges is done by Border Roads Organization.
 Border Roads Organisation (BRO):
o The Border Roads Organization develops and maintains a road network in India’s
border areas and friendly neighboring countries.
o It was founded in May 1960 by Jawaharlal Nehru.
Decarbonizing Transport in Emerging Economies project launched in India by NITI

Aayog and ITF.
 Recently, the Decarbonizing Transport in Emerging Economics project has been launched
in India jointly by NITI Aayog and International Transport Forum of OECD.
 This ambitious five-year project will prove to be helpful in leading India towards a low
carbon transport system through the development of modeling tools and policy scenarios.
 This Indian project is part of decarbonizing transport in emerging economies family of

projects that support transportation decarbonization in various regions of the world.
 India, Argentina, Azerbaijan and Morocco are currently participating in the project.
 The Decarbonising Transport in Emerging Economies (DTEE) is a collaboration between

the ITF and the Wuppertal Institute supported by the International Federal Climate
Initiative of the German Federal Ministry of Environment, Nature Conservation and
Nuclear Safety.
 India’s transport sector is the third largest greenhouse gas emitting sector.
 Of the total carbon dioxide emissions in India, 13% come from the transport sector. These
emissions have more than tripled since 1990.
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 In India, emissions of carbon dioxide per citizen are equivalent to one-twentieth part of
the average OECD country. Nevertheless, India’s transport carbon dioxide emissions are
likely to increase by about 6% annually by 2030.
Battery Swapping Facility, Quick Interchange Service (QIS) inaugurated in

Chandigarh.
 It was inaugurated jointly by Punjab Governor and Chandigarh Administrator VP Singh
Badnore and Union Petroleum and Natural Gas and Steel Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in
an online organized function.
 India's top oil firm IOC has introduced battery swapping facility for electric vehicles at its
petrol pumps, which allows the replacement of fully charged batteries in just minutes.
 Started battery swapping as a pilot project at one of its outlets at IOC, Chandigarh,
gradually it will be extended to 20 stations.
 Each electric mobility station will be set up under the pilot project in Chandigarh,
Amritsar and Bengaluru.
 New Delhi, Gurugram and other cities will also be covered under the pilot.
 Benefits of Electric Mobility Station:
o Will reduce emissions.
o Will check air and noise pollution
o Will help prevent climate change.
 Battery Swapping Techniques:
o It provides the best option for slow charging and helps drivers make maximum use
of operating time.
o The model is initially targeted at commercial vehicles such as electric autos,

rickshaws and electric two-wheelers and EVTs.
Government of India has once again extended the bidding deadline for Air India.
 Government of India has again extended the bidding deadline for Air India till 31 August.
 This is the third time the government has extended the deadline.
 The process for disinvestment for Air India was started on 27 January 2020.
 When the government released Expressions of Interest in January, the deadline for bids
was 17 March, which was first extended to 30 April and later to 30 June 2020.
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 The government has invited bids to sell 100 % equity in the state-owned airline, including
a 100 % stake in AI Express Ltd of Air India and a 50 % stake in Air India SATS Airport
Services Private Limited.
 In 2018, the government offered to sell a 76 % stake in the airline.
 Air India:
o It is the flag carrier airline of India and is government owned.
o It flew its first flight as Tata Airlines on 15 October 1932.
AGRICULTURE
Government announced increase in MSP of 14 kharif crops.

 Recently the government has announced an increase in the minimum support price by up
to 83% for 14 kharif crops.
 This will enable the farmers to get better price for their crop.
 The government has raised the minimum support price of paddy by Rs 53 per quintal to Rs
1,868 per quintal. It has been decided to increase the minimum support price of cotton by
Rs 260 to Rs 5,515 per quintal.
 In addition, the government has extended the short-term loan repayment date to August
for agriculture and allied activities. This decision will provide relief to those farmers who
had to repay their loans between March 1 and August 31, 2020.
 Minimum Support Price (MSP):
o This is an agricultural product price set by the Government of India to buy crops
directly from the farmer when market price fall below this price.
o It is a guaranteed price for the produce of the farmer by the government.
o The Minimum Support Price is announced by the Government of India at the

beginning of the sowing season for some crops based on the recommendations of
the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP).
o The main objective is to get the farmers out of the crisis and purchase food grains
for public distribution.
Permission to the Agricultural Produce Trade and Commerce Promotion and

Facilitation Ordinance 2020 by the Union Cabinet.
 Recently the Union Cabinet has approved the Agricultural Produce Trade and Commerce
Promotion and Facilitation Ordinance 2020.
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 The main objective of this ordinance is to provide additional business opportunities to the
farmers outside the Agricultural Produce Market Committee so that they can get
profitable prices due to the additional competition.
 This ordinance will serve as a complement to the current minimum support price
procurement system.
 This ordinance will also pave the way for One India, One agricultural market.
 Under this, no cess or fee will be charged from the farmers for selling their produce.
 Dispute resolution will also be arranged for the farmers.
Central government increased the customs duty on bamboo from 10% to 25%.
 Recently, the central government has increased the customs duty on bamboo imported by
Agarbatti manufacturers from 10% to 25%.
 Now all importers of bamboo will have to pay 25% customs duties.
 This decision has been taken with the aim of promoting the use of bamboo grown in the
country under the Atmanirbhar Bharat Scheme.
 Also, it will benefit farmers and small agarbatti manufacturers.
 Earlier, only big agarbatti manufacturers were able to take advantage of this, as they used
to import bamboo at low rates.
 Scientifically, bamboo is not a tree but a grass. But the Indian Forest Act, 1927, considers
it a tree.
 After the amendment of the Indian Forest Act, 1927, bamboo has been removed from the
category of a tree. Now, there is no restriction on growing or cutting bamboo trees
outside the forests.
Madhya Pradesh became number one wheat contributing state of the country
this year.
 Madhya Pradesh has become the number one contributing state of wheat, outpacing
Punjab this year.
 However, Punjab is still ahead of Madhya Pradesh in productivity per hectare of wheat.
 The area of Punjab under wheat cultivation has remained close to 3.5 million hectares
every year for the past decade.
 Meanwhile, the area of MP under wheat has grown sequentially every year, doubling
from 41 LH in 2007-08 to around 77.22 LH in 2018-19.
 Of the total wheat area in the country, Madhya Pradesh had a share of 31%, while Punjab
cultivated wheat on 10.6 % of the total national area.
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CORPORATES/COMPANIES
Mubadala of Abu Dhabi bought 1.85% stake in the Jio for Rs 9,093.6 crore
 Recently, Abu Dhabi-based sovereign investor Mubadala Company bought 1.85% stake in
the Jio for Rs 9,093.60 crore.
 With this disinvestment, Jio has raised Rs 87,655.35 crore from major global technology
and development investors within six weeks.
 Mubadala Investment Company is innovating and investing worldwide to transform the

UAE's economy. It was founded in 2002.
TAXATION SYSTEM
CBIC launched a flagship program 'Turant Customs' in Bengaluru and Chennai.

 The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) launched its flagship program
'Turant Customs' in Bangalore and Chennai.
 Turant Customs is a mega improvement for ease of doing business.
 This will prove to be very helpful in leveraging technology for faster customs clearance of
imported goods.
 This program will provide importers with uniformity in valuation by eliminating regular
interface with customs officials across the country.
 Importers will now have to receive their goods from customs after being remotely
assessed by customs officials located outside the import port.
 Now, goods imported into Chennai can be evaluated by customs officers based in
Bengaluru and vice versa, goods imported in Bangalore can be evaluated by customs
officers based in Chennai.
 The start of customs in Bangalore and Chennai immediately will be the first phase of the
all-India roll out, which will be completed by December 31 this year.
 In the first phase, mechanical, electrical and electronics machinery will be imported at the
ports and airports of Bengaluru and Chennai.
NITI Aayog supported imposition of border adjustment tax on imports.

 Recently, the NITI Aayog has supported imposition of border adjustment tax on imports.
 The purpose of this tax is to provide an equal opportunity to domestic industries.
 This suggestion has been taken in view of the United States and China trade tensions.
 The border adjustment tax is one such tax, in addition to the customs duty to be charged
at port entry, it is proposed to be levied on imported goods. It is a fiscal measure.
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BANKING/FINANCE
The Reserve Bank of India raised the borrowing limit under the Marginal Standing
Facility till 30 September.
 Recently, the Reserve Bank of India has decided to increase the borrowing limit till 30
September under the marginal standing facility (MSF).
 In addition, the RBI has also extended the exemption of keeping the minimum daily
maintenance of cash reserve ratio (CRR) up to 80 percent till 25 September 2020.
 In view of the economic crises caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the Reserve Bank of
India raised the borrowing limit of scheduled banks from 2% to 3% of its Net Demand and
Time Liability under Marginal Standing Facility Scheme from March 27, 2020.
 Marginal Standing Facility (MSF):
o It is a very short term lending scheme for scheduled commercial banks.
o Banks can borrow money from the central bank through the MSF based on the
statutory liquidity ratio during severe cash shortages.
o The marginal standing facility rate is currently 4.25%.
Moody's downgraded the ratings of major Indian corporates.

 Recently Moody's downgraded the ratings of major Indian corporates to negative.
 Moody's Investors Services has downgraded the ratings of leading Indian companies such
as Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited,
Oil India Limited, Indian Oil Corporation Limited.
 Apart from this, Moody's Investors Service has also downgraded seven major Indian
infrastructure companies, including National Thermal Power Limited, NHPC Limited,
National Highways Authority of India, Power Grid Corporation of India Limited, GAIL India,
Limited, Adani Green Energy and Adani Transmission etc.
 Before this, Moody’s downgraded India’s sovereign rating to Baa3 negative from Baa2.
 Moody's Corporation:
o It is often referred to as Moody's, an American business and financial services

company.
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o It is headquartered in New York, United States.
S&P retained India’s BBB- rating with a stable outlook.

 Recently S&P has retained India’s rating on BBB- with a stable outlook.
 According to S&P, risks to development are increasing, but India’s economy will soon
stabilize after the control of the COVID-19 pandemic and the fiscal situation will begin to
recover from 2021.
 The S&P also said that the stagnant outlook also assumes that the government’s fiscal
deficit may decrease significantly after a multi-year high in fiscal year 2021.
 Fiscal deficit is the difference between the government’s total income and total
expenditure.
 S&P Global Ratings is an American credit rating agency that was founded in 1860. It is
headquartered in New York, United States.
New definition of MSME will come into force from 1 July 2020.
 The Union Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises has stated that the new
definition of MSME, will come into force from 1 July 2020.
 In May 2020, the definition of MSME was amended in the AtmaNirbhar Bharat Package,
14 years after the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Act came into
existence in 2006.
 In the new definition, exports will not be counted in turnover for any enterprise whether
it is micro, small or medium.
 The new definition is as follows-
o Micro Enterprises - Investment up to a maximum of 1 crore and annual turnover

up to a maximum of 5 crore.
o Small Enterprises - Investment up to a maximum of 10 crores and annual turnover

up to a maximum of 50 crores.
o Medium Enterprises - Investment up to 20 crores and annual turnover up to 100

crores.
WORLD ECONOMY
OPEC proposes 10 million barrels per day cut in oil production by the end of July.
 The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and affiliated countries have
agreed to cut production of about 10 million barrels of oil a day by the end of July. So that
in the time of pandemic there can be some increase in energy prices.
 Due to the global pandemic COVID-19, world oil prices have come down significantly.
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 OPEC:
o It is an intergovernmental organization of petroleum exporting countries.
o It was founded on 14 September 1960 in Baghdad.
o It is headquartered in Vienna, Austria.
o After Kuwait renounced its membership on 1 January 2019, it now has 13

members left.
Bangladesh will get zero tariff facility on 97% of goods exported to China.
 Bangladesh will get this facility under the World Trade Organization's Duty Free Quota
Free (DFQF) Scheme for Least Developed Countries (LDCs).
 Bangladesh will get this facility on 5,161 additional items from 1 July.
 So far, Bangladesh enjoys zero tariff on 3095 commodities exported to China under the
Asia Pacific Trade Agreement (APTA).
 Duty free export facility:
o It is a part of the Duty Free Quota Free Scheme for LDCs under the 2010 WTO
Rules. China initially provided this facility to 33 LDCs at 60 percent of its tariff line.
o In 2015, China's tariff lines were raised to 97%.
o Bangladesh has now been extended this facility for five years.
o Bangladesh will fall out of the LDC category by 2024 when the profit ends after a
certain period.
o Currently, there is a major imbalance of the balance of trade between China and
Bangladesh. In 2018-19, Bangladesh exported goods worth $ 831 million to China
while it imported items from China worth over $ 12 billion.
GEOGRAPHY
Cyclone Nisarga hit the coast of Mumbai and Gujarat.
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 Gujarat administration was prepared to deal with the cyclone Nisarga that came in
Arabian Sea.
 The storm hit the south Gujarat coast by June 3.
 Ten teams of NDRF and five teams of SDRF had been deployed in the coastal districts of
South Gujarat.
 The cyclone did not cause much casualties.
 The name Nisarga is suggested by Bangladesh.
Flood hazard in Mexico due to tropical storm Cristobal.

 Recently the Tropical Storm Cristobal was formed in the southern Gulf of Mexico,
threatening flood in southern Mexico and parts of Central America.
 The storm is composed of the remains of the eastern Pacific tropical storm Amanda,
which wreaked havoc in El Salvador and Guatemala recently.
 Tropical cyclone:
o A cyclone is a low-pressure system with very high winds around it.
o The conditions for tropical cyclones are - sufficiently warm sea surface,
atmospheric instability, high humidity in the low to medium levels of the
troposphere and sufficient Coriolis force to maintain a low pressure center, etc.
o This type of storm is called Hurricane in the North Atlantic and East Pacific, and
Typhoon in Southeast Asia and China, and Tropical Cyclone in the Southwest
Pacific and Indian Ocean region.
Astronaut and oceanographer Kathy Sullivan became the fifth person to go to

Challenger Deep.
 Kathy Sullivan was the first American woman to walk in space in 1984.
 She is now the first woman and the fifth person in history to land on the Challenger Deep,
the deepest known place in the world's oceans.
 Sullivan is now the only human to reach in space and the deepest point in ocean.
 Challenger Deep:
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o It is located in the Mariana Trench, below the surface of the Western Pacific
Ocean. It is about 36,200 feet deep.
o According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the

average depth of the ocean is about 12,100 feet.
The Grand Anicut Dam on the Cauvery River was formally declared open.
 Recently the Grand Anicut Dam on the Cauvery River has been formally declared open by
the State Ministers of Tamil Nadu.
 This dam is locally known as Kallanai. The sowing of Kuruvai crops mainly depends on the
opening of Kallanai.
 This dam will ensure adequate availability of about three and a half lakh hectares of
agricultural land in the delta region.
 Kuruvai are the crops grown in the Cauvery delta of Tamil Nadu state in India.
 Cauvery:
o Cauvery is an Indian river that flows through the states of Karnataka and Tamil
Nadu.
o It is the third largest river in South India after Godavari and Krishna.
o Its source is the Brahmagiri Hills in Karnataka. It drains its water into the Bay of
Bengal.
o Harangi, Hemavati, Shimsha, Arkavati are its major tributaries.
On June 21, there was an astronomical event of solar eclipse.

 On June 21, a solar eclipse was seen in some parts of the world.
 In India, this astronomical event was seen in Rajasthan, Haryana and Uttarakhand.
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 On 21 June, solar eclipse was seen in Congo of Africa (First observe), South Sudan,
Ethiopia, Yemen, Oman, Saudi Arabia, the Arabian Sea and Pakistan, before entering India
over Rajasthan.
 The Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Leh-Ladakh, live streamed the annular eclipse from
Hanley.
 Hanley is one of the world's highest destinations by optical, infrared and gamma-ray
telescopes.
 In addition, the Kodaikanal Solar Observatory also monitored astronomical phenomena.
 Annular Solar eclipse:
o This occurs when the Sun is clearly larger than the Moon in size and the Moon is
farthest from the Earth.
o The celestial event of a solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the
Earth and the Sun, that causes the Sun to partially or fully obscure the image of
Earth for a viewer.
o The next eclipse will be seen from the country only after 11 years in 2031, so it was
a big astronomical event for India.
Two consecutive explosions in Mount Merapi, Indonesia.

 Recently two eruptions occurred in Mount Merapi, Indonesia's most active volcano.
 The eruptions caused gray ash to spread over some villages near Yogyakarta, Indonesia's
cultural capital.
 The last eruption of Mount Merapi in 2010 killed more than 300 people.
 Indonesia is located on the Ring of Fire, a vast area around the Pacific Ocean where
numerous tectonic plates meet.
 It consists of over 17,000 islands, and about 130 active volcanoes are located here.
ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

National Green Tribunal considered LG Polymer India to be fully responsible for
gas leakage in Vishakhapatnam.
 A committee recently appointed by the NGT headed by Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel has
said that the company had not taken proper care of the storage tank resulting in leaking
styrene gas.
 Also, the committee has said that 50 crore deposited by the company as compensation
will be spent on the restoration work. Also, a committee is formed to prepare a
restoration plan.
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 Styrene gas, also known as etheylbenzene or vinylbenzene, can affect the central nervous
system, causing headaches, fatigue, weakness, and depression.
 According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, the effect of styrene in humans is

manifested as mucous membranes and eye irritation and gastrointestinal.
 National Green Tribunal (NGT):
o It is a statutory body established under the National Green Tribunal Act 2010.
o It is the body responsible for the disposal of matters related to environmental

protection, conservation of forests and other natural resources.
o India is the third country in the world to establish NGT after Australia and New
Zealand.
Launch of Urban Forest Program on the occasion of World Environment Day.

 Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar inaugurated the Urban Forest Program on
the occasion of World Environment Day. The need to promote this initiative through
active public participation has been emphasized.
 Under this program, in the first phase, forests will be developed in 200 corporations and
cities in the country.
 On this occasion, the success of Wajre Urban Forest developed on 40 acres of low land
area in Pune city, Maharashtra was highlighted.
 About 8 percent of the world's biodiversity is in India.
National awareness campaign on human and animal mortality prevention on

highways.
 Recently, Minister of Roads, Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari launched a national
awareness campaign for human and animal mortality prevention on highways.
 There are about 5 lakh road accidents in the country every year, in which around 1.5 lakh
people die.
 The government will try to reduce the present road accidents and deaths by 20% to 25%
by March next year. More than 5,000 black spots have been identified for this, and the
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process for their improvement, including temporary and permanent measures, is being
carried out on an urgent basis.
 Also, the Ministry has requested all agencies to follow the provisions of the Manual of
Environment Friendly Measures to reduce the effects of linear infrastructure on wildlife
released by the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun.
Explosion in oil well of Baghjan in Tinsukia district of Assam

 Recently, there has been an explosion in the oil well in Baghjan of the Oil India Limited in
Tinsukia district of Assam.
 Since the morning of May 27, natural gas was continuously leaking from the well.
 This led to the death of various types of fish and an endangered Ganges dolphin.
 Symptoms like eye irritation, headache have been reported in locals.
 Dibru-Saikhowa National Park, located just 900 meters away from this place, is also likely
to be affected.
 Natural gas:
o It is currently the cleanest fossil fuel.
o Natural gas is mainly made up of methane, while it also contains ethane, propane,
butane and pentane.
o This gas is used in cooking in home and as fuel in vehicles.
o It is also used in fertilizer, plastics and other businesses.
Increase in the number of Asiatic lions by about 29%.

 Recently population assessment exercise was done in the Gir forest area. It saw an
increase of 29%.
 The number of lions has increased to 674 in the Gir forest region and other revenue
regions of coastal Saurashtra.
 The last count was the lion population of 523 in 2015, which has increased to about 29%.
 The distribution of lions has increased from 22,000 sq km in 2015 to 30,000 sq km in 2020.
 According to forest department data, the male-female ratio in the forest area is 161 males
per 260 females.
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Government issued advisories for import and maintenance of foreign living

species in the country.
 Exotic living species are those species of animals or plants that are moved from their place
of origin to a new place.
 The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change has decided to collect stock
information from the holders of such species by providing voluntary information over the
next six months.
 The database of exotic animals will help in the control and management of animal
diseases.
 Also, guidance will be available from time to time to ensure the safety of animals and
humans.
Lonar lake of Maharashtra has changed colour of water to pink.

 The lake water turns red every year during the rainy season. However, it turned pink this
year.
 A sample of water from the Lonar lake has been collected and given to the National
Environmental Research Institute, Nagpur for scientific testing.
 Possible reasons behind the change in water colour may be low water levels, with an
increase in salinity and a change in algae behavior due to the atmosphere.
 Lonar Lake:
o It is a notified national geo heritage monument, saline, soda lake that is located in
Maharashtra. It is also known as Lonar Crater.
o It formed about 50,000 years ago after a meteorite fell on Earth.
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First estimation practice of Indian gaur in Nilgiris.

 In recent years the first population estimation exercise of Indian Gaur was practiced in
Nilgiris. It was held in February this year.
 This estimate found that more than 2,000 Indian Gaurs reside in the region.
 It also revealed that most animals live close to human habitat due to rapidly decreasing
habitat, increasing their chances of conflict with humans.
 Indian Gaur:
o It is also called Bison. It is a large type of wild cattle.
o Its scientific name is Bos Gaurus.
o Its IUCN status is Vulnerable.
A new species of fish has been discovered in Arunachal Pradesh.

 It has been discovered by Dr. Keshav Kumar Jha, Associate Professor and Head of
Department of Zoology, Jawaharlal Nehru College, Pasighat.
 This new species of fish is named Schizothorax sikusirumensis.
 The species of this fish is named after the rivers- Siku and Sirum, from where it was found.
Malabar gliding frog was spotted in Pullad, Kerala.

 This amphibian is endemic to rain forests of the Western Ghats.
 The frog has a body length of 10 centimeters, it is one of the largest frogs.
 The fingers and toes are like sticks to attach to tree branches and walk. Males are smaller
than females.
 Malabar gliding frog populations are declining due to deforestation, climate change,
developmental activities, and toxic chemicals.
 Its IUCN status is the Least Concern.
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Britain announces jet zero plan.

 The plan aims to reduce aviation emissions.
 The UK aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from aviation within a generation to
create carbon-free transatlantic flights. For this, there has also been talk of forming a Jet
Zero Council.
 Aviation emissions currently account for more than 2% of global greenhouse gases, and
have risen to 70% since 2005.
Researchers from Chile and Argentina unearthed the teeth of an old mammal.
 Recently researchers from Chile and Argentina have detected the teeth of an old
mammal.
 The remains of this 74-million-year old mammal have been discovered in Patagonia in the
South American country of Chile.
 The name of this species is Magallanodon baikashkenke. It is an extinct species of the

genus Gondwanatheria.
 This small mammal lived with the dinosaurs, crocodiles, turtles and birds during the
Cretaceous era.
There is an increased risk of electrocution and inbreeding among gee’s golden

langurs.
 Recently primatologists have found that there is an increased risk of electrocution and
inbreeding among gee’s golden langurs.
 Among them, the risk of inbreeding has increased due to the arrival of new langurs in the
group, barriers like wires, and gaps in the forest due to felling of trees.
 Gee’s Golden Langur:
o Its scientific name is Trachypithecus geei.
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o It is endemic to western Assam, India and southern Bhutan.
o Their habitat is geographically surrounded by the Manas River, the Sonkosh River
and the Brahmaputra River.
o Their status in the IUCN Red List is endangered.
White tiger died of tumor in Nehru Zoological Park.

 Recently, the white tiger, Kiran, has died of a tumor at Nehru Zoological Park.
 He is the third tiger in the lineage to have died of a tumor in the last eight years. He was
eight years old.
 Kiran's father Badri nearly a year ago and in 2012, Badri's father and Kiran's grandfather
Rudra also died at the age of 14 due to the same type of tumor.
 Veterinarians are holding recessive genes responsible for this.
 Recessive gene- It is a gene that is masked due to the presence of dominant gene.
 Only male tigers are affected by this gene, and that too only one tiger of each tiger's
offspring. This causes one member to die in each generation.
 Nehru zoological park-
o It is a zoo located in Hyderabad, Telangana. It is one of the most visited places in

Hyderabad.
o It was opened in October 1963.
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INDIA AND ITS NEIGHBOURHOOD

Bangladesh launched Corona Tracer BD App.
 The Bangladesh government has launched an app Corona Tracer BD to detect Corona
infected and people around them.
 This app has been launched by ICT Division and Directorate General of Health Services
Bangladesh together.
 Smartphone-based this app uses a Bluetooth signal to detect a corona infected person.
Bangladesh Government has launched an online network to facilitate plasma

exchange for the treatment of COVID-19.
 The name of this initiative is Sohojodha.
 The number of people infected with corona in Bangladesh has risen to 71,000, while it has
killed 975 people so far.
 Convalescent Plasma Therapy: In this therapy, the recent convulsant sera of a person
recovering from infection are injected into another patient of COVID-19, as the patient
recovering from the disease will have antibodies that can help other patients get rid of the
coronavirus.
A batch of 124 Indian citizens from Bangladesh reached Tripura through the
Akhaura border.
 Recently due to corona virus pandemic, a batch of 124 Indian citizens from Bangladesh
reached India via Tripura from Akhaura border.
 This was the third evacuation of Indians from Bangladesh using the land route for people
from various states of the North East.
 The first batch of 230 Indian nationals left for India on May 28 from three outposts along
the border of Bangladesh and India to Tripura, Assam, Meghalaya and Manipur.
 So far around 500 people have been evacuated from Bangladesh via land route.
 In addition, 2130 Indian nationals have been evacuated from Bangladesh under the Vande
Bharat Mission.
 Bangladesh:
o It is located in the east of India on the Bay of Bengal.
o Its capital is Dhaka, and the currency is Bangladeshi Taka.
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Violent clashes between the Armies of India and China in the Galwan Valley.
 Recently, there has been a violent clash in the Galwan Valley between the army of India
and China.
 India's Foreign Ministry has blamed the Chinese Army for this.
 India and China are engaged in military-level talks, meanwhile this incident has come to
light.
 The People's Liberation Army of China and the Indian Army clashed and attacked each
other using stones, knives and poles.
 India and China share 3,488 km of border.
 For some time, there has been tension between the armies of the two countries over the
over-control of the three points on the Line of Actual Control along the Indo-China border,
the Galwan River Valley, the Hot Springs area and Pangong Lake.
China:
o China is a country in East Asia and the most populous country in the world. It is the
fourth largest country in the world in terms of area.
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o Its capital is Beijing and the currency is Renminbi.
o States like Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and
Arunachal Pradesh forms the border with China.
The Government of India will reduce the staff strength in Pakistan's High
Commission by 50%.
 At the same time, the Indian High Commission is also going to reduce the number of
employees in its High Commission in Islamabad by 50 % in the next seven days.
 The Government of India has taken this decision due to the following reasons:
o The behavior of Pakistani officials working in the High Commission is not in

accordance with the Vienna Treaty.
o Pakistan’s support to cross-border violence and terrorism.
o Abduction of two officials of the Indian High Commission in Pakistan.
 Vienna Treaty:
o The Vienna Treaty or the Vienna Convention is an international treaty on

diplomatic relations.
o It defines the standard for diplomatic relations between two independent

countries.
o The Treaty of Vienna was signed in 1961, and came into effect from 24 April 1964.
The foundation of the first Hindu temple in Islamabad was laid.

 Recently the construction process of Hindu temple has started in Islamabad, Pakistan.
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 It is the first Hindu temple in Islamabad.
 This temple is being built on a plot of 20,000 square feet in the capital of Pakistan.
 The Islamabad Hindu Panchayat has named the temple as Sri Krishna Mandir.
 There will also be a cremation ground in the temple complex, apart from separate
structures for other religious rites.
 Islamabad and its surrounding areas had several temple structures dating back to 1947,
including the Saidpur village and the hilly region above the Korang River near the Rawal
Lake. However, they have been discarded and not used.
MOUS/AGREEMENTS
MoU has been signed between India and Denmark to increase cooperation in
power sector.
 Under the Memorandum of Understanding, a Working Group will be created and the Joint
Secretary level officers of the two countries will be its co-chairs.
 This MoU will help in development of marine wind energy, long term energy planning,
forecasting, bringing flexibility in grids and increasing power generation by integrating grid
codes.
 Denmark:
o It is a Scandinavian country that includes the Jutland Peninsula and several other
islands.
o Its capital is Copenhagen and the currency is the Danish krone.
Signing of MoU between NCERT and Rotary India.

 Recently a memorandum of understanding was signed between the National Council of
Educational Research and Training (NCERT) and Rotary India.
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 This MoU has been made for providing e-learning telecast content on all NCERT TV
channels from class one to 12th.
 Under Vidya Daan 2.0, Rotary International will provide e-content in Hindi language to
NCERT for all subjects from class one to 12th.
 In addition, Rotary International will also contribute to the adult literacy mission by
providing materials for children with special needs. It will also provide teacher training
material.
 National Council of Educational Research and Training is an autonomous institute of

government of India which was established in 1961.
Signing of an MoU between JNCASR and Breathe Applied Sciences.

 Recently Jawaharlal Nehru Center for Higher Scientific Research has signed an MoU with
Breathe Applied Sciences.
 The MoU was for large-scale production of clean fuels and other useful chemicals such as
methanol from carbon dioxide.
 Also, under the agreement, 300 kg of carbon dioxide will be converted into useful
chemicals daily. After one year, this quantity will be increased to five hundred tons.
 Breathe Applied Sciences is a private limited. It was established in March 2016 and is
headquartered in Bangalore.
Signing of US $ 750 million COVID-19 Active Response and Expenditure Assistance

Program between Government of India and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank
(AIIB).
 This assistance program is meant to strengthen the response to the adverse effects of the
COVID-19 pandemic on the poor and vulnerable.
 This is the first budgetary support program for India from AIIB.
 The program will provide budget assistance to the government to mitigate the severe
adverse social and economic impact of the pandemic.
 The main beneficiaries of the primary program will be families below the poverty line,
farmers, health workers, women, women self-help groups, widows, people with
disabilities, senior citizens, low paid, construction workers and other vulnerable groups.
 The current loan will be India's second to deal with the COVID-19, in addition to a $ 500
million loan already approved for India by the AIIB.
 Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB):
o It is a multilateral development bank with an aim to improve social and economic

outcomes in Asia.
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o It started operating in January 2016.
o It is headquartered in Beijing, China.
o AIIB now has 102 accepted members worldwide.
Signing of MoU between Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and SIDBI.
 Recently a Memorandum of Understanding has been signed between the Ministry of
Housing and Urban Affairs and Small Industries Development Bank of India.
 Under this MoU, SIDBI has been entrusted with the task of implementing agency for
Street Vendors Atmanirbhar Nidhi Yojana i.e. PM Svanidhi Yojana.
 As per the terms of the MoU:
o SIDBI will implement the PM Svanidhi Yojana under the guidance of the Ministry of
Housing and Urban Affairs.
o It will also manage credit guarantees to lending institutions through Credit

Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises.
o It will develop and maintain a customized and integrated IT platform, providing

end-to-end solutions including documentation of all processes and workflows
through a portal and a mobile app.
 The PM Svanidhi scheme was launched on 1 June 2020 to provide affordable working
capital loans to street vendors adversely affected by the COVID-19 lockdown.
 Disbursement of loans under PM Svanidhi will be started in July this year.
 Small Industrial Development Bank of India (SIDBI):
o It is a development financial institution in India.
o It is headquartered in Lucknow and also has offices across the country.
o It was established on 2 April 1990.
SUMMITS/ CONFERENCES/ MEETINGS

India-Australia Virtual Summit concluded
 Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi and Prime Minister of Australia Scott Morrison
held an India-Australia Virtual Summit.
 This is the first time the Prime Minister is holding a bilateral virtual summit.
 The summit saw two joint announcements on enhancing the India-Australia

Comprehensive Strategic Partnership relationship.
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o The first is to cooperate in bilateral and multilateral forums between the two
countries.
o The second is to develop a common approach to maritime cooperation in the

Indo-Pacific region.
 Additionally, seven MoUs were signed.
 These MoUs include Framework Arrangement on Cyber and Cyber-Enabled Critical

Technology Cooperation, Cooperation in the field of Mining and Processing of Important
and Strategic Minerals, Regime Regarding Mutual Logistic Support, Defense, Science and
Technology, Public Administration and Cooperation in the field of Governance Reforms,
Cooperation in vocational education and training, and cooperation on water resources
management.
 Both countries have a similar vision of a free, uninterrupted, inclusive and prosperous
Indo-Pacific region.
 Australia:
o It is the largest country in Oceania and the sixth largest in the world by total area.
o Its capital is Canberra and the currency is Australian dollar.
Virtual Global Vaccine Summit organized by the UK Prime Minister.

 The Virtual Global Vaccine Summit was recently organized by UK Prime Minister Boris
Johnson.
 Heads of more than 50 countries, business leaders, UN agencies, civil societies, etc.
participated in it.
 Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on behalf of India, while addressing the conference said to
give US $ 15 million to the Global Vaccine Alliance.
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 One of the immunization programs in India is Mission Indradhanush, which aimed at

ensuring complete immunization of the country's children and pregnant women.
 To expand vaccine safety, India has added six new vaccines to its national immunization
program.
 India has digitized its entire vaccine supply line and has developed an electronic vaccine
intelligence network to monitor the integrity of its cold chain.
 India is the world's leading manufacturer of vaccines and contributes to the vaccination of
about 60% of the world's children.
 Global Vaccine Alliance (GAVI):
o It is an international organization created in 2000 to improve access to new and

unused vaccines for children living in the world's poorest countries.
o Its founder is Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
21st meeting of Central Employment Guarantee Council concluded.

 Recently, the 21st meeting of the Central Employment Guarantee Council was concluded
through video-conferencing.
 In the meeting, the government highlighted the work done under MGNREGA Act 2005.
 The government has allocated Rs 61,500 crore under MGNREGA for the financial year
2020-21, the highest ever allocation.
 Central Employment Guarantee Council:
o The Central Council has been formed under Section 10 of the MGNREGA.
o It is headed by the Minister of Rural Development.
o The Council advises the Central Government on matters related to MGNREGA.
40th GST Council meeting concluded through video conferencing.

 The meeting was chaired by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
 In this meeting, the topic of lack of revenue to the council and compensation to the states
was discussed.
 In the meeting, two decisions related to not imposing fines for not filing GST were taken.
 It added that between July 2017 and January 2020, penalties would not be imposed for
the delay on registered companies filing zero GST returns.
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 While a maximum fine of Rs 500 has been imposed for not filing GST sales returns
between July 2017 to January 2020.
 Also, for small taxpayers doing business up to Rs 5 crore, the interest rate for GST returns
of February, March and April 2020 has been reduced to 9%.
 In addition, small taxpayers have been given time to file returns by 30 September 2020.
 Goods and Services Tax Council:
o It is a constitutional body. It is described under Article 279A of the Indian

Constitution.
o This body makes recommendations to the Central and State Government on issues
related to Goods and Services Tax.
o This council is headed by the Union Finance Minister.
95th annual plenary session of Indian Chamber of Commerce held in Kolkata.

 The theme of this session was People, Planet and Profit.
 The 95th annual plenary session of the Indian Chamber of Commerce was addressed by
the Prime Minister through video conference and he has called for the opportunity to
transform the challenges posed by COVID-19 to make India self-reliant.
 Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC):
o It is currently one of the most active and pioneer divisions in the country.
o It is headquartered in Kolkata.
Russia-India-China (RIC) trilateral foreign minister level meeting concluded

through video conferencing.
 In the meeting, the External Affairs Minister of India, S Jaishankar, emphasized the
following things for the creation of a sustainable world order -
o Respect for international law.
o Recognizing the legitimate interests of partners.
o Supporting multilateralism.
o Promoting common good.
 This was the seventeenth trilateral foreign ministerial meeting of Russia-India-China.
 Russia had supported India for a permanent seat in the UN Security Council.
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 There are five permanent members and 10 non-permanent members in the UNSC.
 Recently, India has been elected as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council
for two years that will begin from 1 January 2021.
 On 27 February 2019, the 16th RIC Foreign Ministerial Meeting was held in Wuzhen, China,
which was attended by the former External Affairs Minister of India Sushma Swaraj.
A virtual ministerial meeting of the Alliance for Multilateralism concluded.

 Recently a virtual ministerial meeting of the Alliance for Multilateralism was concluded.
 The External Affairs Minister of India, Dr. Jaishankar, while addressing the meeting said
that the world is at a transformative moment and a multilateral investigation and reform
of all multilateral institutions is needed to make them purposeful for the present time and
representative of this century.
 Alliance for Multilateralism:
o It is an informal alliance.
o It was launched by the French and German foreign ministers on 2 April 2019.
o It is a network of countries believing in rule-based multilateral order, an effort to

bring international stability and peace.
India and Germany held a virtual Foreign Secretary level consultations.

 The following points were discussed during this meeting-
o Promoting cooperation in handling COVID-19.
o Bilateral cooperation in various fields; Regional and global issues of mutual

interest.
o India’s membership in the United Nations Security Council in 2021-22 and G20
Presidency in 2022.
o Germany's current membership of the UN Security Council and subsequent

chairmanship of the European Union.
 Germany: It is a Western European country. Its capital is Berlin and the currency is the
euro.
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REPORTS AND INDICES

World Bank released the Global Economic Prospects June 2020 report.
 Recently the World Bank has released the report of Global Economic Prospects June 2020.
 This report describes the impact of the global pandemic corona on the economy.
 According to the report, COVID-19 could lead to 60 million people in extreme poverty in
2020.
 The pandemic has also reduced potential growth and labor productivity.
 Emerging markets and developing economies are the weakest at the moment, and they
may face health crises, restrictions and external rebuffs such as trade, tourism and
commodity prices, as well as outflows of capital.
 Countries with emerging markets and developing economies are expected to have 3% to
8% output losses in the short term.
 The drop in oil demand and increase in oil inventories due to worldwide economic
lockdown have led to a one-month drop in oil prices on record.
 The report also suggests making better policy options such as greater debt transparency
and greater expansion of cash security.
Periodic Labor Force Survey released by Ministry of Statistics and Program

Implementation.
 According to the survey, India's unemployment rate in 2017.18 has improved in the last
45 years. It has declined from 6.1% in 2017-18 to 5.8% in 2018-19.
 The labor force participation rate also marginally improved from 36.9% in 2017-18 to
37.5% in 2018-19.
 According to the report, the recession came in all categories, although women and rural
workers showed the most improvement.
 Unemployment of women fell from 5.7% to 5.2% during the last ten years, while male
unemployment fell from only 6.2% to 6%.
 Urban unemployment was still at a high of 7.7% in 2018–19, a slight decline from 7.8% in
2017–18, while rural unemployment fell from 5.3% to 5%.
 The periodic labor force survey (PLFS) was launched in 2017 by the National Sample
Survey Organization (NSSO).
 The labor force is defined as those who are working, or looking for work or available for
work.

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Central Government released the COVID-19 Management Index.

 Recently, COVID-19 Management Index was released by the Central Government on the
basis of analysis of 10 states.
 This index is based on parameters such as active cases, recovered cases and mortality.
 Rajasthan has topped the list of this index.
 In this state the positive cases of corona have increased to about 10,000, but the graph of
active cases is continuously decreasing.
 Now the state has only 2,699 active cases and death rate 2.16%, which is much lower than
the national average rate.
 To raise awareness about COVID-19 in the state, Swasthaya Mitra have been appointed in
each village.
 Swasthaya Mitra is a native of the region and has been trained to identify, help guide, and
create awareness by identifying the nature of illness, signs and symptoms in the
community.
Environmental Performance Index 2020 released.

 Recently Environmental Performance Index 2020 has been released, this is the 12th
edition of this index.
 It is produced on a biennial basis by Yale University and Columbia University.
 The index ranks 180 countries based on 32 performance indicators in 11 categories

covering environmental health and ecosystem strength. This index was first published in
2002.
 It aims to meet the environmental goals set in the United Nations Millennium
Development Goals.
 Denmark was ranked first in this index, followed by Luxembourg and Switzerland, while
the United Kingdom was ranked 4th.
 India has ranked 168th out of 180 countries in the Environmental Performance Index
2020. All South Asian countries, except Afghanistan, are ahead of India in the rankings.
Earlier in 2018, India's rank was 177th.
India Rankings 2020 for Higher Educational Institutions was released by Ministry
of Human Resource Development.
 IIT Madras holds the overall ranking as well as the first position in engineering.
 Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad is the highest in management category

followed by Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru.

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 The All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, remains the highest in the medical
category for the third consecutive year
 Miranda College ranks first among colleges for the third time in a row.
 Maulana Azad Institute of Dental College ranks first in the field of dental. Dental
institutions were first included in the India Ranking 2020.
 The National Institutional Ranking Framework has provided this ranking based on several
parameters such as teaching, learning, resources, research and business practice etc.

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Annual International Religious Freedom Report issued by the US Department of

State.
 The annual International Religious Freedom Report has recently been released by the US
State Department.
 This report is prepared by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom

(USCIRF), which is an independent bipartisan commission.
 It covers the status of religious freedom, religious beliefs and practices of different
groups, religious sects of individuals and their religious freedom. This report is a survey of
the status of religious freedom worldwide.
 Nicaragua, Nigeria and China were cited as negative examples. In China, state-sponsored
repression against all religions is intensifying.
 Status of India as per the report-
o The report noted changes in the status of Jammu and Kashmir, the Citizenship
Amendment Act and the National Citizen Register.
o At the same time, this report also includes ignoring issues of religiously motivated
mob violence, lynching and communal violence.
o Apart from this, the report has taken note of Supreme Court’s Babri Masjid verdict
and the restrictions of some women entering the Sabarimala temple in 2018.
QS World University Rankings was released.

 Recently the 17th edition of the QS World University Rankings has been released.
 It is an annual publication of university rankings by the British company Quacquarelli

Symonds, which ranks higher educational institutions around the world on the following 6
grounds-
o Academic reputation
o Employer reputation
o Faculty Student Ratio
o Citations Per faculty
o International Faculty Ratio
o International Student Ratio
 Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA has topped this ranking.

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 India has three institutes in the top 200, the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (172)
followed by the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru (185) and IIT Delhi (193). However,
all three institutions have fallen in their rankings compared to last year.
Nature Index 2020 compiled by Nature Research released.

 The Nature Index 2020, compiled by Nature Research, has been released recently.
 The Nature Index is a database of information on published research articles from an

independently selected group of 82 high-quality science journals. This database is
compiled by Nature Research.
 The Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing topped the Nature Index 2020 Annual Tables
List.
 There are also three institutes of the Department of Science and Technology among the
top 30 selected institutions in India.
 The Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science Kolkata ranks 7 th, Jawaharlal Nehru
Center for Advanced Scientific Research, Bengaluru at 14th and SN Bose National Center
for Basic Sciences, Kolkata at 30th.
 In this list, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research is ranked 160 th and Indian
Institute of Science Bangalore is at 184th position.
World Investment Report 2020 released by UNCTAD.

 Recently the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has released its World
Investment Report, 2020.
 Major Highlights of the Report:
o India received US $ 51 billion in foreign investment in 2019. India has been the
ninth largest recipient country in the world in terms of foreign direct investment.
o Foreign direct investment in South Asia increased by 10%. This increase in

investment was mainly due to India's growth.
o In the developing Asian region, India ranks among the top five host economies for
FDI.
o Most of the investment was in the information and communications technology

and construction industries.
 Foreign direct investment is an investment in a business in a country in the form of a

controlled ownership, made by an entity based in another country.
International Business School released the World Competitiveness Rankings 2020.

 Recently the International Business School has released the World Competitiveness Index
2020.

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 World Competitiveness Index is an annual index compiled by Institute for Management

Development (IMD).
 63 countries have been ranked in this list based on various economic dimensions.
 The index was first published in 1989.
 Key points of the index-
o Singapore tops the index.
o India is ranked 43rd in the index.
o Denmark has come in second place while USA secured the 10th position.
o While China has slipped from 14th position to 20th position. Among the BRICS
nations, India ranks second after China, followed by Russia at 50 th, Brazil at 56th
and South Africa at 59th.
India is 12th largest holder of US government securities at the end of April this
year.
 India became the 12th largest holder of US government securities, with assets of $ 157.4
billion at the end of April this year.
 According to recently released data from the US Treasury Department, the holding
touched a record high of $ 177.5 billion in February 2020, compared to a drastic decrease
in March. Exposure was $ 164.3 billion in January.
 After reducing the exposure to $ 156.5 billion in March, India increased its holding by $
0.9 billion to $ 157.4 billion the following month.
 At the end of April, Japan is the largest holder of US govt. securities worth $ 1.27 trillion,
followed by China at $ 1.1 trillion and the UK at $ 368.5 billion.
Global Status Report on Violence against Children 2020 released.

 This report has been commissioned by the Special Representative of the World Health
Organization, UNICEF, UNESCO, UN Secretary General against Children and Violence.
 This first-of-its-kind report states that one billion children experience violence every year
as countries fail to protect them.
 Half of the world's children each year are affected by physical, sexual or psychological
violence, injuries and deaths because countries have failed to follow established strategies
to protect them.
 This year, due to the lockdown due to COVID-19, most children were forced to live with
the abuser. They are feeling better as the school reopens slowly.

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 To prevent and respond to violence against children, 155 countries have put together
seven strategies called INSPIRE.
Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan has released the annual TB report 2020.
 Recently, Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan released the annual TB report 2020 through
a virtual program.
 Nearly complete on-line notification of TB patients has been received through the Nikshay
system.
 Key points of the report:
o More than 24 lakh TB patients have been notified in 2019. These have increased
by 14% compared to 2018.
o In 2017, the number of missing cases had come down to 2.9 lakh as against more
than 10 lakh cases.
o Private sector notifications increased by 35%, with 6.78 lakh TB patients.
o Due to the easy availability of molecular diagnostics, the proportion of children

diagnosed with TB increased to 8% in 2019 as compared to 6% in 2018.
o The provision of HIV testing for all notified TB patients increased from 67% in 2018
to 81% in 2019.
o The treatment success rate of notified patients increased by 12%.
 A manual on direct benefit transfer for TB patients, a training module and quarterly
newspaper Nikshay Patrika have also been released on the occasion.
 Nikshay is a web-enabled patient management system for TB control under the National
Tuberculosis Eradication Program.
AWARDS AND PRIZES
Ramon Magsaysay Award cancelled this year due to coronavirus pandemic.

 The award was also cancelled due to the financial crisis in 1970 and the devastating
earthquake in the Philippines in 1990.
 Ramon Magsaysay Award:
o It is the highest honor in Asia and is considered the equivalent of the Nobel Prize.
o The award is given annually to individuals or organizations in the Asia region for
philanthropy and social service.
o It was established in 1957 in memory of Ramon Magsaysay, the third President of

the Philippines.

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Eminent Soil Scientist Rattan Lal was awarded the World Food Prize.
 Recently the noted Indian-American soil scientist Rattan Lal has been awarded this year's
World Food Prize. Rattan Lal will receive a prize of $ 2.5 million.
 He has been given this award for conserving natural resources and increasing food
production that mitigates climate change and develops a soil-centric approach.
 Rattan Lal is a professor at the prestigious University of Science and the founding director
of the Center for Carbon Management and Victory at Ohio State University.
 World Food Prize:
o It is an international award given to individuals who advance human development

by improving the quality, quantity or availability of food in the world.
o They were founded in 1986 by General Foods Corporation.
Oscar Awards 2021 postponed for two months.

 Recently the Oscar Awards 2021 have been postponed for two months due to COVID-
19.
 The Oscar Awards, to be held in February every year in 2021, will be held on 25 April.
 The eligibility period for these has also been extended by two months.
 Oscar Awards:
o Academy Awards, popularly known as Oscars, is an award for artistic and technical
merit in the film industry.
o It is organized in the United States.
o This honor was conferred for the first time on 16 May 1929.
The Golden Globe Award ceremony postponed until February next year.
 Recently the film and television's annual Golden Globe Award ceremony has been
postponed until February next year.

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 Now, they will be distributed on 28 February 2021 and not on the first Sunday of January
like every year.
 This decision has been taken due to the COVID-19 global pandemic.
 Golden Globe Award:
o These awards are given every year for outstanding work in the field of film and
television.
o The awards were presented for the first time on 20 January 1944.
o These are provided by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.
Best performing states awarded under the National TB Eradication Program 2019.
 Recently the best performing states were honored under the National TB Eradication
Program 2019.
 These honors were announced by Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan during the release of
the annual TB Report 2020.
 Their details are as follows-
o In the category of small states with population less than 50 lakhs, Nagaland and
Tripura have been awarded for the best performance under the National TB
Eradication Program in the year 2019.
o In the categories of large states with a population of more than 50 lakhs, Gujarat,
Andhra Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh were honored as the best performing
states.
o Dadra and Nagar Haveli, and Daman and Diu have been voted the best
performers in the Union Territory category.
The date of online nomination for Sardar Patel National Unity Award was
extended till 15 August.
 Sardar Patel National Unity Award is the highest civilian award given for contributing to
the unity and integrity of the country.
 The award was instituted in 2019 in the name of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel by the Central
Government.

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 Any Indian citizen or institution or organization can nominate any individual for this
award. Individuals can also nominate themselves.
 Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was the first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister of India.
 In 2014, it was decided to celebrate 31 October, birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai

Patel, as National Unity Day to unite India.
PERSONALITY IN NEWS
BJP leader KN Lakshmanan passed away.
 Recently BJP leader KN Lakshmanan died due to old age in Salem.
 He twice served as the president of the Tamil Nadu BJP.
 KN Lakshmanan played an important role in the anti-Emergency movement.
 Also, he will always be remembered for his participation in socio-cultural activities.
Death of noted filmmaker and director Basu Chatterjee.

 Recently noted filmmaker and director Basu Chatterjee has passed away. He was 93.
 Basu Chatterjee was famous for producing sensitive, effortless films in which Choti Si Baat,
Rajnigandha, Chitchor, Piya Ka Ghar, Khatta Aur Meetha etc. are prominent.
Former Delhi Police Commissioner Ved Marwah passed away.

 Recently former Delhi Police Commissioner Ved Marwah passed away at the age of 87.
 Mr. Ved Marwah was an outstanding civil servant and a qualified administrator.
 He also served as the Governor of Manipur, Mizoram and Jharkhand.

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 The book titled “Uncivil Wars: Pathology of Terrorism in India” was written by him.
Former Indian footballer Hamza Koya passed away.

 Recently former Indian footballer Hamza Koya has died in Kerala from COVID-19. He was
61.
 He represented Maharashtra in the Santosh Trophy.
 He was also a member of the India team in the Nehru Trophy.
Veteran Urdu poet Gulzar Dehlvi passed away.

 Veteran Urdu poet Anand Mohan Zutshi or Gulzar Dehlvi died at his residence in Noida.
 He was a freedom fighter and a prominent revolutionary poet.
 He was born in 1926 in Old Delhi.
 He was also the editor of Science World, the first Urdu science magazine published by the
Government of India in 1975.
Senior journalist and freedom fighter Dinu Randive passed away.

 Recently, senior journalist and freedom fighter from Maharashtra Dinu Randive passed
away at his residence in Mumbai due to old age. He was 95 years old.
 Dinu Randive took part in the Samyukta Maharashtra movement of the state of
Maharashtra.
 He also participated in the Goa liberation movement.
 He was born in 1925 near Mumbai. He started his journalism career in 1956.

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 He was awarded the Lifetime Achievement of Mantralaya Vidyamandal Vathar Sangh and
Mumbai Press Club RedInk Award for lifetime achievement.
Death of finest left-arm spinner Rajinder Goel.

 Recently left-arm spinner Rajinder Goel passed away. Mr. Goel died of age related health
problems.
 During his career, Goel took 750 first class wickets, including a record 637 wickets in the
Ranji Trophy. In 2012, Goel was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the BCCI.
 Former captain Sunil Gavaskar has dedicated a chapter in his second book titled Idols to
Rajinder Goel.
APPOINTMENTS
Gaitri I. Kumar appointed as the new High Commissioner of India to Britain.
 Recently Gaitri I. Kumar has been appointed as the new High Commissioner of India to the
UK.
 Currently, Ms. Gaitri is the India's Ambassador to the European Union, the Grand Duchy of
Luxembourg and Belgium.
 She is a 1986 batch Indian Foreign Service officer.
 She replaces Ruchi Ghanshyam who retired.
Adesh Kumar Gupta appointed as the new head of the Delhi unit of the BJP.
 Recently, BJP President JP Nadda appointed former North Delhi Municipal Corporation
Mayor Adesh Kumar Gupta as the new head of the Delhi unit.

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 He will replace Manoj Tiwari. Mr. Tiwari was appointed as BJP Delhi unit chief in 2016.
 Also, Mr. Nadda named former Union Minister Vishnu Dev Sai as Chhattisgarh State
President and S. Tikendra Singh as Manipur State Head.
Raveesh Kumar appointed as the next Ambassador of India to Finland.

 Senior diplomat Raveesh Kumar has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to
Finland.
 Mr. Kumar is a 1995 batch Indian Foreign Service officer.
 Raveesh Kumar has served as the spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs from
July 2017 to April 2020.
 During this, he sensibly assessed India's position on several sensitive issues, including the
2019 Balakot strike, the National Citizen Register dispute, the reorganization of Jammu
and Kashmir.
Brajendra Navnit appointed Ambassador and Permanent Representative of India

to the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
 He will have a tenure of three years.
 Brajendra Navnit is a 1999 batch IAS officer of Tamil Nadu cadre. Mr. Navnit has recently
completed his term as Joint Secretary in the Prime Minister's Office.
 World Trade Organization (WTO):
o The World Trade Organization is an intergovernmental organization that regulates

international trade between nations.

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o It was established on 1 January 1995.
Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta, new Chief of Staff, Eastern Naval Command,
Visakhapatnam.
 Biswajit Dasgupta is an alumnus of the National Defense Academy.
 He was commissioned in the Indian Navy in 1985.
 Biswajit Dasgupta is an expert in navigation and direction.
Urjit Patel appointed as the chairman of the National Institute of Public Finance
and Policy.
 Recently, former Governor of Reserve Bank of India Urjit Patel has been appointed as the
Chairman of the National Institute of Public Finance and Policy.
 Patel will replace Vijay Laxman Kelkar, former president of NIPFP. His term will be four
years.
 Patel resigned from the post of RBI governor in 2018, despite having nine months left in
his term.
 National Institute of Public Finance and Policy (NIPFP):
o NIPFP was established as an autonomous research organization by the Ministry of

Finance, Planning Commission and some state governments and academics.
o This organization was established in 1976.
SPORTS
India will host the 2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup.
 The Confederation of Asian Football conferred on India the hosting rights for the 2022
Women's Asian Cup for the first time since 1979.
 The decision was taken at the AFC Women's Football Committee meeting.
 AFC Women's Asian Cup:

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o It is the premier women's football competition in the Asian region for various
national teams which is organized by the Asian Football Confederation.
o There are 12 teams in it.
Khelo India State Centers of Excellence will be established by the Ministry of

Sports.
 Recently, Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju has announced that Khelo India State Centers of
Excellence (KISCE) will be established.
 These centers will be set up with an aim to improve India's performance in the Olympic
Games.
 For this, in the efforts to create a strong sports ecosystem in the entire country, one such
center has been identified in each state and union territory.
 The Sports Ministry has identified government-owned sports facilities in eight states in
the first phase. These are as follows-
o Sangi Lahen Sports Academy, Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh
o Jayaprakash Narayan National Youth Center, Bengaluru, Karnataka
o GV Raja Senior Secondary Sports School, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala
o Khuman Lampak Sports Complex, Imphal, Manipur
o Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, Aizawl, Mizoram
o State Sports Academy, IG Stadium, Kohima, Nagaland
o Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar, Odisha
o Regional Sports School, Hakimpet, Telangana
The government will establish 1000 Khelo India centers at the district level across
the country.
 Their establishment aims to transform India into a sporting superpower.
 These centers will either be run by the previous champions or they will be retained as
coaches. A shortlisting mechanism will be put in place to identify the previous champion.
 The move will utilize the expertise of previous sports champions for grassroots training of
athletes.
 Also, a constant source of income will be ensured for them in the sports ecosystem.

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COMMITTEES/ COMMISSIONS/TASKFORCES
Task Force constituted under the chairmanship of Ms. Jaya Jaitley.
 Recently, the government has constituted a task force headed by Ms. Jaya Jaitley.
 The task force is formed by the Ministry of Women and Child Development.
 It aims to examine issues related to maternal age, reduced maternal mortality and
improvement in nutrition level.
 This task force will submit its report by 31 July 2020.
 The Working Group will also suggest appropriate legislation and or amendments to
existing laws in support of its recommendations.
 In addition, the Working Group will also prepare a detailed plan for implementing these
recommendations with a timeline.
RBI appointed panel to review the ownership of private banks.

 Recently a working group panel has been appointed by RBI to review the ownership of
private banks.
 The panel will be headed by RBI Executive Director P.K. Mohanty.
 The panel will also examine and review the eligibility criteria of individuals or institutions
to apply for a banking license.
 It will also study the current rules on the holding of financial subsidiaries through a non-
cooperative financial holding company.
 It would also suggest appropriate criteria keeping in mind the issue of excessive
concentration of ownership and control.
IMPORTANT DAYS
 1 June: World Milk Day
 2 June: Telangana Foundation Day
 3 June: World Bicycle Day

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 4 June: International Day of Innocent Child Victims of Aggression
 5 June: World Environment Day
 7 June: World Food Safety Day
 8 June: World Ocean Day
 9 June: Coral Triangle Day
 12 June: World Day against Child Labour
 14 June: World Blood Donor Day
 15 June: World Elder Abuse Awareness Day
 17 June: World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought
 18 June: Autistic Pride Day
 19 June: World Sickle Cell Awareness Day
 20 June: World Refugee Day
 21 June: International Day of Yoga
 21 June: World Music Day
 23 June: Olympic Day
 26 June: International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking
 29 June: National Statistics Day
 29 June: International Day of the Tropics
 30 June: International Asteroid Day
Read the Important Days in June in detail

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GOVERNMENT SCHEMES AND INITIATIVES

Central Government launched PM Svanidhi Yojana.

 The period of the scheme is till March 2022.

 The plan focuses on a framework to build a global ecosystem of mutually renewable

 International Solar Alliance (ISA):

o Currently, it has 67 member countries.

 These three schemes are Production Linked Incentive Scheme, Component

 These new schemes are expected to generate substantial investment, production of

 India's global share of electronics grew by 1.3 % in 2012 to 3% in 2018.

 Jal Jeevan Mission:

o This mission was announced in August 2019.

Central government started the SWADES initiative.

 SWADES means Skilled Works Arrival Database for Employment Support.

 It is a joint initiative of Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Ministry of

Fourth phase of Vande Bharat Mission will start from July 3.

 The first phase of this mission was started on 7 May.

Government launches TULIP initiative for providing internship to engineering

 Its objective is to provide internship to engineering students in the country.

 Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana:

o The scheme covers both urban and rural areas of India.

Insurance scheme announced under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package

 The period of this plan was earlier to end on 30 June 2020.

Launch of Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyan in Khagaria, Bihar

 The campaign is a coordinated effort of 12 different ministries and departments such as -

Web portal of Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyan was launched.

 Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyan:

o This campaign was recently started by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

o It is a program to develop infrastructure and generate employment in rural areas.

o The objective of this campaign is to provide employment to migrant laborers in

 More than 150 volunteers are engaged in this campaign.

Power Minister RK Singh launched the # iCommit campaign.

 The initiative is being operated by Energy Efficiency Services Limited.

 It is uniting diverse people such as governments, corporates, multilateral and bilateral

Introduction of COVID-Beep system for monitoring of patients with COVID-19.

 It is the first indigenous system to monitor patients with COVID-19.

 COVID-beep will emerge as an effective antidote to the original COVID.

 The latest version of COVID BEEP has incorporated the following:

o ECG monitoring: The drugs used as prophylaxis and/or treatment like

o Respiratory Rate: Is calculated by Bio Impedance method.

 Recently, the Union Ministry of Agriculture has announced this.

Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare launched Sahakar Mitra Internship

 The objective of this program is to provide paid internship to the youth.

 The National Cooperative Development Corporation will create an environment of

Government launched Aarogya Path portal.

 The initiative aims to establish an information management and forecasting database

Central Railway launched an investigation facility called FebriEYE in Mumbai.

 FebriEYE, a body-screening facility, has been installed at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj

 FebriEye is an Artificial Intelligence-based thermal screening system for real-time and

Central Railway launches Robotic-Captain Arjun.

Free digital learning platform ‘Skill Build Reignite’ launched.

 The platform is launched by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship in

 There is a huge potential for employment generation in this sector.

 The project aims to promote Neera as an alternative to soft drinks.

 This will also provide self-employment to the tribals.

 KVIC has distributed tool kits for extraction of Neera.

 Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC):

‘Satyabhama’ Portal launched by Ministry of Mines.

 Satyabhama- Science and Technology Yojana for Aatmanirbhar Bharat in Mining

 It is designed, developed and implemented by National Informatics Center, Mines

 This portal is integrated with NITI Aayog's NGO Darpan Portal.

Launch of Food Processing Edition of Exclusive Investment Forum.

o It is a National Investment Promotion and Facilitation Agency that helps investors