Daily Current Affairs and GK | 4 June 2021
Main Headlines:
- 1. International Day of Innocent Child Victims of Aggression: 4 June
- 2. ADB and India signed an agreement for road upgradation project in Sikkim.
- 3. Expert group on fixation of minimum wages and national floor wages set up by government.
- 4. WhatsApp names Paresh B Lal as its grievance officer for India.
- 5. Government launched SAGE (Senior care Ageing Growth Engine) initiative and SAGE portal for elderly people.
- 6. Agriculture Ministry launched a dedicated window on Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal for Bamboo products.
- 7. INS Sandhayak decommissioned on 04 June 2021.
- 8. Goa constituted “Goa Institution for Future Transformation (GIFT)” Think Tank.
- 9. Government announce Operational Guidelines for PLI Scheme for telecom & Networking equipment.
- 10. New workstream launched by India and UK Government to promote industrial energy efficiency at 12th Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM).
- 11. China successfully launches Fengyun-4B (FY-4B) satellite.
- 12. Acquisition of Avana, TFPL and Transworld Feeders FZCO by Unifeeder ISC FZCO approved by CCI.
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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 4th 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 12th 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.
- 12th Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) is ongoing from May 31st till 6th 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
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