Daily Current Affairs and GK | 20 June 2025

Topic: Awards and Prizes

1. Desi Oon won the Jury Award for Best Commissioned Film at the 2025 Annecy International Animation Festival in France.

• The film also received the Best Film award at WAVES 2025, held in Mumbai.
• Desi Oon is an animated film directed by Suresh Eriyat.
• WAVES is a major Indian event that celebrates excellence in animation and design.
• It is part of the Create in India initiative.
• Desi Oon has also been shortlisted at Cannes Lions 2025.
• It is competing in the Film Craft Lions category.
• Director Suresh Eriyat said the WAVES 2025 win helped boost the Create in India movement.
• The Create in India Challenge was launched by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
• It is a key part of the WAVES 2025 platform.
• The challenge aims to find and showcase Indian creative talent globally.
• Desi Oon’s international recognition marks a major milestone for Indian animation.

Topic: Important Days

2. World Refugee Day 2025: 20 June

• Every year on 20 June, World Refugee Day is observed to honor refugees around the world.
• The day is an attempt to understand the plight of refugees and to recognize their resilience in building their lives.
• The theme of World Refugee Day 2025 is “Solidarity with refugees.”
• The day was first observed on 20 June 2001 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1951 Refugee Convention that helped protect refugees.
• It was originally known as Africa Refugee Day. But after the UN General Assembly recognized the day in December 2000, it came to be known as World Refugee Day.
• India is not a signatory of the 1951 Refugee Convention or its 1967 Protocol and does not have a national refugee protection framework.
• On World Refugee Day 2025, the World Health Organization (WHO) reaffirms its commitment to supporting over 123 million forcibly displaced individuals worldwide.
• WHO emphasizes that health is a fundamental human right, vital for ensuring dignity, protection, and inclusion.

Topic: MoUs and Agreements

3. DPIIT signed an MoU to empower one million rural entrepreneurs.

• An MoU has been signed by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) with YourStory Media Private Limited to strengthen inclusive entrepreneurship in India.
• This partnership is in line with DPIIT’s vision to foster grassroots entrepreneurship and support emerging talent in tier II and III cities and rural India.
• The collaboration aims to empower 1 million entrepreneurs through AI-powered tools, venture launchpads, and regional success story-telling initiatives under the Bharat Project.
• DPIIT aims to extend support to grassroots innovators through storytelling initiatives and AI-based tools under the Bharat Project.
• The initiative will also leverage flagship startup events and developer-focused platforms to foster engagement within India’s startup and technology ecosystem.
• These platforms will facilitate innovation showcases, founder-investor networking, and support in emerging areas such as AI, GenAI, data, and blockchain.
• The MoU was formally signed by Deputy Secretary Shri Rajesh Kumar and Ms. Shradha Sharma, CEO of YourStory.
• The collaboration is expected to enhance access to startup resources and mentorship in underserved regions.
• This initiative aligns with DPIIT’s vision of transforming India into a global innovation hub through inclusive growth.

Topic: Reports and Indices

4. NeSDA's monthly report highlights e-services expansion across India.

• The 25th edition of the NeSDA—Way Forward Monthly Report for May 2025 has been released by the Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances (DARPG).
• This report contains a detailed overview of the status of e-service delivery in states/UTs.
• As per the report, a total of 21,062 e-services are being provided across all states and union territories. Most of the e-services (7,065) are from the local governance and utility services sector.
• A total of 424 new e-services were added by the states and UTs in April 2025, with Tripura leading in contributions.
• A total of 1,599 out of 2,016 essential e-services (56 for each of 36 states/UTs) are now available online across all 36 states and union territories, achieving a saturation rate of over 79%.
• 16 states and UTs have surpassed 90% saturation, while Maharashtra and Uttarakhand have reached full saturation.
• Chandigarh's commitment to improving service delivery under the Right to Services (RTS) framework has been featured.
• The report also highlights the e-services provided by states and UTs through their single unified service delivery portals.
• It includes the status of incorporating three new NeSDA assessment parameters: Open Government Data, e-participation, and the use of emerging technologies.
• The comprehensive service delivery portals of Central Government Ministries/Departments, the Goods and Services Tax Portal, and the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal have been highlighted as examples of best practices.

Topic: Science and Technology

5. A new kind of stellar chemistry discovered by scientists at the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), Bengaluru.

• Scientists from the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) have discovered a rare stellar phenomenon in the star A980 located in the Ophiuchus constellation.
• The star is 25,800 light-years away and belongs to the rare Extreme Helium (EHe) category of stars.
• This mysterious star contains surprisingly high amounts of germanium—a metallic element never seen before in this type of star.
• High-resolution spectroscopy revealed that the star contains eight times more germanium than the Sun.
• Germanium in its singly ionized form (Ge II) was detected for the first time in an EHe star.
• The findings were made using the Himalayan Chandra Telescope in Ladakh with the Hanle Echelle Spectrograph.
• The star's spectrum resembled that of LS IV -14° 109, confirming its classification as a cool EHe star.
• The research is published in The Astrophysical Journal and is a major milestone for the Indian Institute of Astrophysics – not just illuminating a star, but uncovering a whole new frontier of stellar evolution.

Topic: Summits/Conferences/Meetings

6. The first-of-its-kind National Consultation on Gender Budgeting organized by the Ministry of Women and Child Development.

• On 19 June, the Ministry of Women and Child Development organized the first National Consultation on Gender Budgeting at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.
• The event was attended by officers from 40 central ministries, 19 states, and representatives from UN Women and ADB.
• A Gender Budgeting Knowledge Hub web portal was launched by Union Minister Smt. Annpurna Devi.
• The platform is intended to serve as a digital resource for central and state-level stakeholders.
• The consultation focused on strengthening gender budgeting across sectors and sharing best practices.
• For the financial year 2025-26, a gender budget of Rs 4.49 lakh crore has been allocated, which is an increase of 37% over the previous year.
• This increase underlines the government's strong commitment to advance gender equality through both policy and public finance.
• Over the last 11 years, the gender budget allocation has increased by four and a half times—from Rs 0.98 lakh crore in 2014-15 to Rs 4.49 lakh crore in 2025-26.
• During the National Consultation, ‘Twenty Years of Gender Budgeting in the Country: Achievements and Challenges’ was discussed.
• A draft Training Manual on Gender Budgeting, developed by the Ministry, was also discussed as an important capacity-building tool and practical guide for understanding various aspects of Gender Budgeting in India.

(Source: PIB)

Topic: Reports and Indices

7. India dropped to the 71st position in the 2025 Energy Transition Index.

• This is a decline from its 63rd rank last year. Sweden ranked first globally.
• It was followed by Finland, Denmark, Norway, and Switzerland in the top five.
• China held the 12th spot. The United States was 17th. Pakistan ranked 101st.
• India made strong progress in energy efficiency. It also improved its capacity to attract energy investments.
• Among large economies, India and China showed the most progress. They improved energy access and transition readiness.
• Investments in renewable energy and clean technologies have grown in India.
• India has reduced its energy intensity and methane emissions. It also improved regulations and clean energy investments.
• The US led in energy security. India stood out in efficiency and investment growth.
• Out of 118 countries, 77 improved their scores. But only 28% advanced in all three areas: security, sustainability, and equity.
• In 2024, global clean energy investment reached USD 2 trillion. Despite this, emissions hit a record 37.8 billion tonnes.
• A 2.2% rise in energy demand drove this increase.
• AI, data centers, cooling systems, and electrification were key drivers of this demand.
• The performance of energy systems of 118 countries was benchmarked by the Fostering Effective Energy Transition 2025 report, developed in collaboration with Accenture.
• Five readiness factors used in the report are political commitment, finance and investment, innovation, infrastructure, and education and human capital.

Topic: State News/Himachal Pradesh

8. The Centre has sanctioned Rs 2,006.40 crore for Himachal Pradesh.

• This will support recovery and rebuilding after the 2023 floods, landslides, and cloudbursts.
• Out of the total amount, Rs 1,504.80 crore will come from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF).
• This will be provided under the Recovery and Reconstruction Funding Window.
• Previously, on December 12, 2023, the Ministry of Home Affairs approved an additional Rs 633.73 crore for Himachal Pradesh.
• The approval was given by a high-level panel chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
• The panel also included the Finance Minister and NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman.
• Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has raised concerns about the delay in releasing the Post Disaster Need Assessment (PDNA) funds.
• The PDNA funds are estimated to be around Rs 9,000 crore.
• Earlier, the Centre allocated Rs 1,658.17 crore to Uttarakhand after the Joshimath land subsidence disaster.
• It also approved Rs 555.27 crore for Sikkim following the glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) in 2023.
• The committee also approved projects worth Rs 7,253.51 crore.
• These projects are aimed at reducing disaster risks.
• The funding will address urban floods, landslides, GLOF, forest fires, lightning, and drought.
• The allocation includes Rs 3,075.65 crore for urban floods and Rs 1,000 crore for landslides.
• Rs 150 crore will be allocated for GLOF, Rs 818.92 crore for forest fires, and Rs 186.78 crore for lightning.
• An additional Rs 2,022.16 crore will be used for drought mitigation.
• These funds are over and above the amounts already allocated through the SDRF and NDRF.
• In the 2024-25 fiscal year, the Centre released Rs 20,264.40 crore to 28 states under the SDRF.
• It also released Rs 5,160.76 crore under the NDRF for 19 states.
• Additionally, Rs 4,984.25 crore was allocated from the State Disaster Mitigation Fund (SDMF) to 19 states.
• Rs 719.72 crore was also released from the National Disaster Mitigation Fund (NDMF) to eight states.

Topic: International Appointments

9. Anantha Chandrakasan, originally from Chennai, has been appointed the next provost of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

• He is the first Indian-American to hold this position. He will begin his new role on July 1.
• Currently, he serves as MIT’s Dean of Engineering and Chief Innovation and Strategy Officer.
• As provost, he will be responsible for academic leadership and institutional budgeting.
• He will also oversee faculty development and strategic planning across the institute.
• MIT President Sally Kornbluth praised his leadership record.
• She emphasized Prof. Chandrakasan’s innovative mindset and ability to engage external partners.
• Since 2017, he has led the MIT School of Engineering.
• In 2024, he was named MIT’s first Chief Innovation and Strategy Officer.
• Prof. Chandrakasan replaces Cynthia Barnhart, who stepped down as provost earlier this year.
• Prof. Chandrakasan earned his B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences at UC Berkeley.
• Before becoming department head, he directed MIT’s Microsystems Technology Laboratories from 2006 to 2011.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

10. On June 18, 2025, the Sahitya Akademi announced the winners of its Yuva Puraskar and Bal Sahitya Puraskar.

• A total of 23 young writers were selected for the Yuva Puraskar this year.
• These awards cover various Indian languages.
• There was no Yuva Puraskar awarded in Dogri for 2025.
• Advait Kottary won the Yuva Puraskar in the English language category.
• Parvati Tirkey received the award for Hindi. Latshmihar was honored in the Tamil category.
• Prasad Suri was chosen as the Telugu language winner. Other recipients include Suprakash Bhuyan for Assamese.
• Sudeshna Moitra was awarded for Bengali. R. Dileepkumar received the award in Kannada.
• Akhil P. Dharmajan was selected for Malayalam.
• The winners were recommended by a jury of three members for each language.
• Selections were made according to the Sahitya Akademi’s rules and procedures.
• The Executive Board approved the final list of winners.
• The meeting was chaired by the Sahitya Akademi President, Madhav Kaushik.
• In addition, 24 writers were selected for the Bal Sahitya Puraskar.
• These awards recognize contributions to children’s literature.
• Nitin Kushalappa MP received the award for English.
• His winning work was titled “Dakshin South Indian Myths and Fables Retold”.
• Sushil Shukla was honored for his Hindi book “Ek Batey Bara”. Tridib Kumar Chattopadhyay won in the Bengali category.
• K. Shivalingappa Handihal was selected for Kannada. Nayana Adarkar received the award for Konkani.
• Sreejith Moothedath won in Malayalam. Vishnupuram Saravanan was recognized for Tamil.
• Gangisetti Sivakumar received the award in Telugu.
• Each winner will receive a casket containing an engraved copper plaque. They will also be awarded ₹50,000 in cash.
• The awards will be presented at a special ceremony at a later date.
• Sahitya Akademi is India’s national institution for literary promotion.
• It is the only organization that supports and publishes literature in 24 Indian languages.
• English is included among these recognized languages.