Daily Current Affairs and GK | 30 June 2021

Topic: Important Days

1. World Asteroid Day: 30 June

• 30 June is observed as World Asteroid Day around the world.
• World Asteroid Day is observed to raise awareness about the asteroid. It is observed on the anniversary of the Siberian Tunguska event of 1908.
• In December 2016, the United Nations adopted 30 June as World Asteroid Day.
• Asteroid Day was co-founded by astrophysicist Dr Brian May. Around 1 million asteroids have the potential to impact Earth.
• Asteroids are small rock-like structures that revolve around the Sun. These are found orbiting around the Sun between Mars and Jupiter.

Topic: Sports

2. T20 World Cup will be organized in UAE from 17 Oct -14 Nov.

• ICC has announced that this year's T20 World Cup will be organized in UAE and Oman from October 17 to November 14, 2021.
• This year's T20 World Cup was scheduled to be organized in India but due to pandemic, it has been moved to UAE.
• The BCCI will remain the host of the T20 World Cup. The matches will be played in Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, the Sharjah Stadium, and the Oman Cricket Academy Ground.
• The preliminary rounds of the tournament will be held in Oman.
• T20 World Cup was first introduced in the year 2007. India won the first T20 World Cup by beating Pakistan.
• The last T20 World Cup edition was won by West Indies in 2016.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

3. Noted journalist P. Sainath wins Fukuoka Prize for 2021.

• Noted journalist Palagummi Sainath (P. Sainath) has won Fukuoka Prize for 2021.
• He is one of three recipients of Fukuoka Prize for 2021. He will receive ‘Grand Prize’ of the Fukuoka Prize.
• Prof. Kishimoto Mio of Japan will receive the Academic Prize and filmmaker Prabda Yoon of Thailand will receive the Prize for Arts and Culture.
• P. Sainath is selected for the Grand Prize for promoting civil cooperation through his writing.
• Prof. Kishimoto Mio is selected for her understanding of Chinese history.
• Prabda Yoon is selected for increasing understanding of Japan in Thailand.
• The award ceremony for Fukuoka Prize 2021 will be held online on September 29.
• P. Sainath is the author of the book everybody Loves a Good Drought.
• Fukuoka Prize:
  • The Fukuoka Prize is given annually. It was established in 1990.
  • It is given to distinguished people to increase awareness of Asian cultures, and to create a broad framework of exchange and mutual learning among the Asian people.
  • Total eleven Indians have received Fukuoka Prize so far. Muhammad Yunus from Bangladesh, historian Romila Thapar, and sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan were earlier awarded Grand Prize.

Topic: Indian Economy

4. FM announces a new credit guarantee scheme in which loans will be provided to 25 lakh persons via microfinancing institutions (MFIs).

• Finance Minister has announced a new credit guarantee scheme in which loans will be provided to 25 lakh persons via microfinancing institutions (MFIs).
• Under the scheme, Rs 1.25 lakh will be provided as loan for three years at interest rate at least 2% below the maximum rate fixed by RBI.
• Under the scheme, a guarantee will be provided to scheduled commercial banks for loans to new or existing non-banking financial corporations (NBFC)-MFIs or MFIs to lend a maximum of Rs 1.25 lakh to around 25 lakh small borrowers.
• The guarantee will be valid till March 31, 2022 or till guarantees for an amount of Rs 7,500 crore are issued, whichever is earlier.
• The guarantee will cover 75% of default amount for up to three years through National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company (NCGTC).
• Finance Minister said that all borrowers, including defaulters up to 89 days, will be eligible for the scheme. The scheme will cover all stressed borrowers except NPAs.

Topic: International News

5. S Jaishankar addresses G-20 Foreign Ministers meet.

• External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar addresses the G-20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Matera, Italy.
• He said that Covid has slowed down global development and increased vulnerability in societies.
• He said that international cooperation is the key to solve the Covid-19 crisis and the challenges.
• He also emphasized that livelihood, health, digital access and climate action should be the new developmental priorities for the world.
• He interacted with Foreign Ministers of 12 countries. He also spoke at the G20 session on Africa.
• He said that India will focus on development projects along with digital cooperation in health, education, and capacity building.
• G-20:
  • It is the global forum for the governments that was founded in 1999.
  • G20 includes 19 countries and the European Union
  • This year’s G-20 summit is scheduled to be held in Italy in October. India will host the G-20 summit in 2022.

Topic: Infrastructure and Energy

6. India gets Asia’s longest and world’s fifth longest High Speed Track for automobiles.

• Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises Shri Prakash Javadekar inaugurated NATRAX- the High Speed Track (HST) in Indore.
• It is Asia’s longest and world’s fifth-longest High-Speed Track for automobiles. It is 11. 3km long High-Speed Track.
• NATRAX will emerge as a high-speed performance test center for 2 wheelers vehicles to heavy tractor. It has multiple test capabilities like measurements of maximum speed, acceleration, constant speed fuel consumption, etc.
• HST is used for measuring the maximum speed capability of high-end cars. On this track, vehicle can achieve maximum speed of 375 Kmph.
• It will help India in becoming an automobile manufacturing hub.

(Source: PIB)

Topic: International News

7. United States passes a bill to remove Confederate statues from the Capitol.

• United States passed a bill to remove Confederate statues from the U.S. Capitol. The bill has been passed by a vote of 285-120.
• It has been passed to remove statues of those who supported slavery.
• The bill also proposed to remove a bust of the former Supreme Court chief justice Roger Taney. He had given a key decision supporting slavery.
• These statues and busts were targeted by then President Donald Trump supporters on Jan 6 in the Capitol.
• Every Democrat present and 67 Republicans voted for it. Now, the bill will be considered by the Senate.

Topic: Books and Authors

8. Sundeep Mishra’s book titled ‘Fiercely Female: The Dutee Chand Story’ released.

• Sundeep Mishra has penned a book titled Fiercely Female: The Dutee Chand Story. It was released on 22 June.
• It has been published by Westland Books.
• Dutee Chand is the first homosexual athlete of India. She won the gold medal in a 100 metre event at the World Universiade in Naples.
• She is only the fifth Indian to participate in the women’s 100 metres at the Olympics. She holds the national record in the women’s 100 metres.
• In this book, Sundeep Mishra has written about the Journey of Dutee Chand.
• “Forgive Me Amma: The Life and Times of Dhanraj Pillay” and “The Mohammed of Benares and Other Stories” are other notable works of Sundeep Mishra.

Topic: Appointments

9. NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant's term extended for one year.

• NITI Aayog Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Amitabh Kant’s term has been extended till June 2022. This is the third time Amitabh Kant's tenure has been extended as CEO of NITI Aayog.
• The extension of the term has been approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet.
• In 2016, He was appointed as the CEO of the National Institution for Transforming India (NITI Aayog) for a fixed term of two years.
• NITI Aayog:
  • It was established on 1 January 2015 by replacing Planning Commission.
  • It is an extra-constitutional and non-statutory body.
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi is Chairman of NITI Aayog.
  • Its vice-chairperson is Rajiv Kumar.
  • Chief Ministers of all States and Lt. Governors of Union Territories are members of the governing council of NITI Aayog.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

10. Delhi Metro bags ‘Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement Award’ award for 'high-quality'.

• Delhi Metro received the ‘Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement Award’ for the year 2020.
• It has been given by the Japan Society of Civil Engineers (JSCE) for the “High-Quality” infrastructure development projects of Delhi Metro.
• Several countries participate and showcase their projects every year to bag the award.
• Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has rated the implementation of Delhi Metro Phase I as ‘Excellent’ in their study.
• Delhi Metro has received several global recognition and appreciation from international organizations.
• Delhi Metro is the second underground rapid transit system in India, after Kolkata.
• This award is given to projects in the field of civil engineering technology development.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

11. Government extends Atmanirbhar Bharat Rojgar Yojana deadline till March 2022.

• Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has announced that Government extended the Atmanirbhar Bharat Rojgar Yojana (ABRY) by nine months till March 31, 2022.
• The Atmanirbhar Bharat Rozgar Yojana was set to expire on June 30, 2021. Around 21.4 lakh benefited from this scheme since its launch.
• The Atmanirbhar Bharat Rojgar Yojana (ABRY) is an employment generation scheme that encourages the creation of formal jobs in the country.
• Atmanirbhar Bharat Rojgar Yojana (ABRY):
  • It was launched on 1 October 2020 with an outlay of Rs 22,810 crore.
  • The scheme is being implemented through the EPFO and reduces the financial burden on companies.
  • Under this scheme, the government bears provident fund contribution for employer and employee for two years.
  • This will be for new employees in organizations having up to 1000 employees for two years.