Daily Current Affairs and GK | 4 June 2021

Topic: Important Days

1. International Day of Innocent Child Victims of Aggression: 4 June

• Every year International Day of Innocent Child Victims of Aggression is observed on 4 June.
• The main purpose of celebrating this day is to spread awareness about the pain and suffering faced by the victim children.
• On August 19, 1982, the UN General Assembly declared that June 4^th would be observed as the International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression.
• This day is dedicated to bring attention towards the physical, mental and emotional abuse of children.
• This affirms the UN's commitment towards protecting the right of children.
• SDG Target 16.2: End abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children

Topic: MoUs/Agreements

2. ADB and India signed an agreement for road upgradation project in Sikkim.

• The Asian Development Bank and the Government of India signed an agreement for financing road upgradation project in Sikkim.
• ADB will give a $2.5 million project readiness financing (PRF) loan to support projects related to upgradation of major district roads in Sikkim.
• It will improve the connectivity and also boost the economic activities in the state.
• The project readiness financing (PRF) will help in connecting the major district and other roads with the national and state highway network.
• In 2011, ADB-funded North Eastern State Roads Investment Program was launched to improve road connectivity in Sikkim.
• The state agencies will prepare detailed engineering designs of selected sub-projects and do feasibility studies.
• Sikkim’s road network requires regular upgradation due to frequent landslides and erosion.
• Asian Development Bank (ADB):
  • It is a regional development bank established in 1966.
  • Members: 68 countries (49 members are from Asia pacific region)
  • It is headquartered in Mandaluyong, Philippines.
  • Masatsugu Asakawa is the current president of ADB.

Topic: Committees/ Commissions/Taskforces

3. Expert group on fixation of minimum wages and national floor wages set up by government.

• Director of Institute of Economic Growth Professor Ajit Mishra will chair the Expert Group.
• Prof Tarika Chakraborty, Dr Anushree Sinha, Ms Vibha Bhalla and Dr H. Srinivas are members of the Expert Group.
• Expert group will have a term of three years. It will provide technical inputs and recommendations.
• To arrive at the wage rates, the group will look into the international best practices on the wages and evolve a scientific criteria and methodology for wage fixation.
• Institute of Economic Growth:
  • It is an autonomous body and civil service training institute.
  • It was founded in 1952 by renowned economist K. R. V. Rao. It is located in New Delhi.
  • Ajit Mishra is its director and Tarun Das is its chairman.

Topic: Appointments

4. WhatsApp names Paresh B Lal as its grievance officer for India.

• WhatsApp has named Paresh B Lal as its grievance officer for India.
• WhatsApp said that users can now contact Paresh B Lal through a post box in Banjara Hills in Hyderabad, Telangana.
• India’s new IT rules have come into effect last week. They were announced on 25 February 2021.
• As per the rules, significant social media intermediaries should appoint a grievance officer, nodal officer and a chief compliance officer.
• They should be resident in India. As per rules, significant social media intermediaries are social media companies having over 50 lakh users.
• WhatsApp was released in January 2009. It was acquired by Facebook in February 2014. It was originally programmed by Brian Acton and Jan Koum.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

5. Government launched SAGE (Senior care Ageing Growth Engine) initiative and SAGE portal for elderly people.

• Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment launched the SAGE (Senior care Ageing Growth Engine) initiative and SAGE portal for the elderly population.
• Under the senior care Ageing Growth Engine project, credible startups will provide products and services for the elderly population. Startups can apply for SAGE projects through SAGE portal.
• The startups will be selected on the basis of their innovative products and services. These startups will provide products and services in the health, housing, care centers sectors.
• The Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment will act as a facilitator for accessing products.
• The SAGE project was launched on the recommendation of an expert committee report on start-ups for elderly.
• According to the Census 2011, there are nearly 104 million elderly persons in India. The percentage of elderly population will increase to 12.5% by 2026.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

6. Agriculture Ministry launched a dedicated window on Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal for Bamboo products.

• Union Minister of State for Agriculture Parshottam Rupala has launched a Bamboo Market Page on Govt e-Marketplace (GeM) portal. It has been launched for the marketing of bamboo products.
• The dedicated window has been named “The Green Gold Collection”. It was launched on 3rd June 2021.
• The “Green Gold Collection” dedicated window is created by the efforts of the National Bamboo Mission and GeM. It will provide an electronic platform for small manufacturers and sellers.
• People can buy bamboo products from trusted buyers through this dedicated window on Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal.
• It will be very useful for bamboo entrepreneurs and create a market for bamboo products.
• In 2017, the government has amended Indian Forest Act 1927 and removed bamboo from the category of trees.
• The restructured National Bamboo Mission was launched in 2018-2019. In June 2020, the government had increased customs duty on bamboo imports to promote the domestic bamboo industry.

Topic: Defence

7. INS Sandhayak decommissioned on 04 June 2021.

• First of its class indigenously designed and built Hydrographic Survey Ship, INS Sandhayak has been decommissioned. It has served 40 years in the Indian Navy.
• The decommissioning ceremony of INS Sandhayak took place at the Naval Dockyard Visakhapatnam.
• It was constructed at GRSE Kolkata in 1978 and commissioned to the Indian Navy on 26 Feb 1981.
• It was conceptualized by then Chief Hydrographer, Rear Adm FL Fraser.
• From the time of its commissioning, it has played a vital role in laying the foundation of complete hydrographic coverage of the peninsular waters.
• During its service, it has helped in conducting more than 200 major Hydrographic Surveys and numerous minor surveys.
• It participated in different operations including Op Pawan, Op Rainbow, Op Sarong, etc.

Topic: State News/ Goa

8. Goa constituted “Goa Institution for Future Transformation (GIFT)” Think Tank.

• The Goa state government constituted a think tank on the lines of NITI Ayog. It has been named “Goa Institution for Future Transformation (GIFT)”.
• It will assist and guide the government in policymaking. It will also help in the monitoring of projects related to sustainable development goals.
• It will evaluate various development plans, programmes, and schemes of the state government.
• Chief Minister of Goa shall be the Chairman of “Goa Institution for Future Transformation (GIFT)”. It has got autonomy under Article 309 of the Constitution.
• After disbanding of Planning Commission at the national level, the Goa government has disbanded the State Planning Board in 2017.
• Goa:
  • Goa is a state in western India, and its coastline stretches along the Arabian Sea.
  • The Chief Minister of Goa is Pramod Sawant and Governor is Bhagat Singh Koshyari.
  • The capital of Goa is Panaji.
  • Goa was conferred statehood on 30 May 1987.
  • The state bird of Goa is Flame Throated Bulbul, State Animal Gaur and State Tree Matti.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

9. Government announce Operational Guidelines for PLI Scheme for telecom & Networking equipment.

• Recently, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has announced Operational Guidelines for PLI Scheme for telecom & Networking equipment.
• The government has launched the “Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme” for telecom & Networking products on 24th February 2021.
• The “Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme will be implemented over a period of 5 years with an estimated cost of ₹ 12,195 Crores. It is applicable for MSME and Non-MSME Companies.
• The Department of Telecommunications will give a grant to ten eligible applicants each in MSME & non-MSME categories.
• The main objective of this scheme is to boost the manufacturing and export of telecom and networking products.
• This scheme will attract an investment of around ₹ 3,000 crores and generate employment in the telecom sector.
• Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme:
  • The central government launched the PLI Scheme for the manufacturing of large-scale electronics, in April 2020. In November 2020, the PLI scheme was extended to 10 other sectors.
  • It has been launched for Enhancing India’s Manufacturing Capabilities and Exports in 10 key sectors.
  • It will also help in cutting down the import of products.

Topic: Summits/ Conferences/ Meetings

10. New workstream launched by India and UK Government to promote industrial energy efficiency at 12^th Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM).

• India along with Govt. of United Kingdom launched a new workstream.
• The workstream has been launched under Clean Energy Ministerial’s (CEM) – Industrial Deep Decarbonization Initiative (IDDI), co-ordinated by UNIDO.
• 12^th Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) is ongoing from May 31^st till 6^th June 2021. It is being organized by Chile in virtual mode.
• India will host CEM in 2023.
• Germany and Canada have supported Industrial Deep Decarbonization Initiative (IDDI). More countries are expected to join it soon. IDDI is being co-led by India and UK.
• IDDI’s objective is to infuse green technologies and stimulate demand for low-carbon industrial materials.
• Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) is a high-level global forum. India is a member of CEM. 
• United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO):
  • It is a specialized agency of United Nations. It is headquartered in Vienna, Austria.
  • It was founded in 1966. Li Yong is its head (Director General).
  • It assists countries in economic and industrial development.

Topic: IT and Space

11. China successfully launches Fengyun-4B (FY-4B) satellite.

• China successfully launched Fengyun-4B (FY-4B), which is the first new generation meteorological satellite.
• Fengyun-4B (FY-4B) was launched by a Long March-3B rocket from Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in Sichuan Province.
• It will be used for weather analysis and forecasting, and environmental and disaster monitoring.
• Asia, the central Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean regions are covered under its observation range.
• The satellite’s rapid imager can improve measurement resolution to 250 meters from the geostationary orbit and can accelerate scan imaging of the Earth.

Topic: Corporates/Companies

12. Acquisition of Avana, TFPL and Transworld Feeders FZCO by Unifeeder ISC FZCO approved by CCI.

• Acquisition of Avana, TFPL and Transworld Feeders FZCO by Unifeeder ISC FZCO (Unifeeder) has been approved by the Competition Commission of India (CCI).
• Under the proposed acquisition, Unifeeder will acquire a stake in AvanaLogistek Limited (Avana), Transworld Feeders Private Limited (TFPL) and Transworld Feeders FZCO.
• Unifeeder forms part of DPW group in India. It is present in India through its subsidiaries Feedertech Pte. Limited (Feedertech) and Perma Shipping Line Pte. Limited.
• Competition Commission of India (CCI):
  • CCI was formed on 14 October 2003 under the Competition Commission Act, 2002.
  • It has a chairperson and six members. It is a quasi-judicial and statutory body.
  • Current Chairperson: Ashok Kumar Gupta