Daily Current Affairs and GK | 25 June 2021

Topic: International News

1. India signed loan agreement with World Bank for improving healthcare services in Mizoram.

• The Government of India, Government of Mizoram, and the World Bank have signed a loan agreement of $32 million for improving the healthcare services in Mizoram.
• Mizoram Health Systems Strengthening Project will help in improving the management capacity and quality of health services in Mizoram. It will also strengthen the governance and management structure of the health department.
• The Mizoram Health Systems Strengthening Project will strengthen the state health insurance programme. It will reduce financial barriers to accessing hospital services.
• It will benefit people across all eight districts of the state and will increase investment in bio-medical waste management.
• Mizoram:
  • It is a state in northeast India that shares its border with Assam, Manipur, Tripura, Bangladesh, and Myanmar.
  • The Governor of Mizoram is P S Sreedharan Pillai and Zoramthanga is the current Chief Minister of Mizoram.
  • Capital of Mizoram is Aizawl.

Topic: Infrastructure and Energy

2. Cochin International Airport wins Roll of Excellence award for Service Quality.

• The Cochin International Airport has won the Airport Council International (ACI) Director General’s Roll of Excellence award for service quality.
• The Roll of Excellence award is given to airports that have delivered excellent customer service.
• Cochin International Airport has won different ASQ awards in last 10 years. It is one of the six airports worldwide that will receive this honour.
• The award will be presented during the ACI Customer Experience Global Summit in Montreal, Canada.
• Airports Council International (ACI) is the only global body for airport operators in the world. It was established in 1991.
• Cochin International Airport is situated in Kerala.

Topic: Sports

3. India’s official Olympic theme song 'Lakshya Tera Samne Hai' launched.

• India’s official Olympic theme song 'Lakshya Tera Samne Hai' has been launched on 23 June.
• The song has been sung and composed by Mohit Chauhan. The chief guest at the event was Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju.
• Indian Olympic Association (IOA) had organized the event. The event was attended by IOA’s President and other authorities.
• Summer Olympic Games will be held in July-August. They will open on 23 July and more than 100 Indian athletes have qualified for the event till now.
• 23 June is every year celebrated as International Olympic Day across the world.

Topic: Corporates/Companies

4. NSDC and WhatsApp announce partnership to launch Digital Skill Champions Program.

• National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and WhatsApp have announced a partnership to launch Digital Skill Champions Program.
• Digital Skill Champions Program aims to train India’s youth on digital skills, in order to make them employment ready.
• Under this program, school and university students would be coached to imbibe digital and online skills.
• At the end of program, WhatsApp and NSDC would award ‘Digital Skill Champions’ certificates.
• There are two broad areas of collaboration under the partnership. They are given next.
  • WhatsApp Digital Skills Academy
  • Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendra (PMKK) and WhatsApp Business App Training sessions
• Under Digital Skill Academies, young adults from tier 3 and 4 cities will be trained on digital safety and online privacy.
• Digital Skill Academies initiative will start across 50 campuses in five states, namely Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
• The program will be imparted through WhatsApp’s project implementation partner- InfiSpark.
• WhatsApp will provide training sessions to familiarize Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendra trainers with the WhatsApp Business app.
• The trained PMKK community cadres will further provide WhatsApp Business app training to youth aspiring to become small business entrepreneurs.

Topic: Important Days

5. World Vitiligo Day: 25 June

• World Vitiligo Day is observed every year on 25^thJune. It is observed to spread awareness about Vitiligo.
• The first World Vitiligo Day was observed on June 25, 2011. It was started by Steve Haragadon, the founder of the Vitiligo Friends network.
• It is also dedicated to musical artist Michael Jackson, Who died from Vitiligo on 25 June 2009.
• Vitiligo is a skin disease where pale white patches start forming on the skin due to lack of melanin, a skin pigment. It makes skin vulnerable to U.V rays.
• Around 1-2 percent of the population of the world is suffering from Vitiligo. People suffering from Vitiligo face social and emotional hurdles.
• The eleventh annual World Vitiligo Day is being hosted by Jakarta, Indonesia.

Topic: International News

6. Denmark signs framework agreement on International Solar Alliance with India.

• On 22 June, Denmark signed the International Solar Alliance Framework Agreement (ISA FA) and Instrument of Ratification with India.
• Denmark became the first country to ratify International Solar Alliance Framework Agreement (ISA FA) after amendments came into force.
• Recently, Italy has signed the amended Framework Agreement of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) with India.
• The International Solar Alliance (ISA) has amended the framework agreement to enable any UN member countries to join the group. After the amendment, countries outside the tropics can join the International Solar Alliance.
• International Solar Alliance:
  • It was jointly launched by Prime Minister Modi and the President of France during the COP-21 in Paris in 2015.
  • ISA is an intergovernmental organization whose headquarters is located in Gurugram, Haryana.

Topic: New Developments

7. ARCI developed cost-effective catalysts for metal-air batteries.

• International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy and New Materials (ARCI) has developed an electrocatalyst to increase the efficiency of metal air batteries.
• Scientists are trying to develop different kinds of energy devices to fulfill energy demand.
• Zn-air batteries are compact power sources for portable electronics and electric vehicles and energy storage devices. However, catalyst development is a major challenge for these batteries.
• A catalyst works for oxygen reduction while discharging the battery and the same catalyst helps in oxygen evolution reaction during the charging cycle. It is very costly due to its composition.
• International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy and New Materials (ARCI) developed a cost-effective electrocatalyst by anchoring transition metal ions into the sulfur-doped carbon framework via carbonization of a polymer called sPEEK (sulphonated polyether ether ketone).
• Cost-effectiveness of catalyst has been achieved through low loading of transition metal, high activity, and high cycling stability.

(Source: PIB)

Topic: State News/ Delhi

8. Delhi Government launched a portal for Mukhyamantri COVID-19 Pariwar Aarthik Sahayata Yojana.

• Recently, the Delhi government has launched a portal for Mukhyamantri COVID-19 Pariwar Aarthik Sahayata Yojana.
• Now, People can avail benefits of the scheme through this newly developed portal.
• Under the Mukhyamantri COVID-19 Pariwar Aarthik Sahayata Yojana, Rs 50,000 will be provided to those who have lost a family member due to coronavirus.
• The government will also provide a monthly pension of Rs 2,500 besides the ex-gratia of Rs 50,000.
• Delhi government will also provide free education to children who have lost their both parents or single parent from Covid-19.

Topic: India and its Neighbourhood

9. Tax Inspectors Without Borders (TIWB) programme launched in Bhutan in partnership with India.

• Tax Inspectors Without Borders (TIWB) programme has been launched in Bhutan in partnership with India.
• It has been launched for strengthening the tax administration of Bhutan. It will focus on International Taxation and Transfer Pricing.
• Its main aim is to share tax audit knowledge and skills with tax administrations.
• This programme is another milestone in the relationship between India and Bhutan. It will be completed in 24 months’ duration.
• Tax Inspectors Without Borders (TIWB) initiative was launched in 2015. Its main aim is to strengthen developing countries' auditing capacity. It is a joint initiative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
• TIWB initiative has completed 80 programmes in 45 countries.

Topic: Miscellaneous

10. NTPC has been included in top 50 in 'Great Place to Work in India' list.

• NTPC is the only PSU to found a place in the 'Great Place to Work in India' list. It has found a place in this list for the 15^th year in a row.
• This year NTPC has got 38^th position in the Top 50 ‘Great Place to Work in India' list. It was on the 47^th position in last year’s ranking.
• It also won its first-ever recognition of India's Best Employers among Nation-Builders 2021.
• 'Great Place to Work in India' list is released by the Great Place to Work Institute. Great Place to Work Certification is recognized by employees all over the world.
• Earlier, NTPC had won the CII HR Excellence Role model award at the 11^th CII National HR Excellence Award.
• Myntra has been recognized among India’s Top 100 Best Companies To Work For in 2021 by the Great Place to Work Institute.
• NTPC Limited:
  • It is an Indian Central Public Sector Undertaking.
  • It is a PSU under the Ministry of Power.
  • Its headquarters is located in New Delhi.

Topic: Books and Authors

11. Harsh Vardhan unveils ‘My Joys and Sorrows – as a Mother of a Special Child’ book.

• Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Harsh Vardhan has unveiled “My Joys and Sorrows – as a Mother of a Special Child”.
• It has been authored by Krishna Saksena. In this book, she has written about parenting a child.
• She has authored about the heroism and sacrifices of an Indian mother.
• This book is about the bravery and endurance of mother. She has written about the tradition of Indian motherhood.
• Krishna Saksena is the first woman to get a Ph.D degree from Lucknow University in 1955.