Current Affairs June 07th 2023| Current Affairs News

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CURRENT AFFAIRS : BANKING & FINANCE

RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das launches Financial Inclusion Dashboard – ANTARDRIHSTI                              

• Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das, launched a Financial Inclusion Dashboard – ANTARDRIHSTI

Aim :

• To provide the required insight to assess and monitor the progress of financial inclusion by capturing relevant parameters.

Key Highlights :

• This tool will make it possible to assess the degree of financial exclusion at a local level across the nation so that such places may be addressed.
• Currently, the dashboard, intended for internal use in the RBI, will further facilitate greater financial inclusion through a multi-stakeholder approach.
• To measure the extent of financial inclusion, in 2021 RBI had constructed the Financial Inclusion (FI) Index.
• In collaboration with the government and the relevant sectoral regulators, the FI-Index was conceptualised as a complete index that includes information on the banking, investments, insurance, postal, and pension sectors.
• The index records data on different aspects of financial inclusion in a single value ranging from 0 to 100, where 0 denotes total financial exclusion and 100 denotes complete financial inclusion.
• According to RBI, the FI-Index comprises of 3 broad parameters (weights indicated in brackets) viz., Access (35%), Usage (45%), and Quality (20%) with each of these consisting of various dimensions, which are computed based on a number of indicators.

About RBI :

• Established : 1 April 1935
• Headquarters : Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
• Governor : Shaktikanta Das
• Deputy governors : Mahesh Kumar Jain,M. Rajeshwar Rao, Michael Patra and T. Rabi Shankar

SBI launches project Kuber in Bengaluru

• The State Bank of India (SBI), Bengaluru (Karnataka) Circle has launched Project Kuber, under which there are 4 Transaction Banking Hubs, and 1 Corporate Salary Package Hub, in the city to source, facilitate, and cater to the various banking needs of customers.
• These hubs will help in increasing the market share in liability products of SBI.
• The hubs were inaugurated by the Chief General Manager of State Bank of India Bengaluru Circle, Nand Kishore, and are located at the SBI Administrative Building, Mysore Bank Circle, KG Road, Bengaluru, and Sampige Road, Malleshwaram.

About Transaction Banking Hubs :

• Transaction Banking Hubs will offer services to corporate/non-corporate clients, from account opening to onboarding them on SBI’s digital platforms.
• It will be a one-stop destination for all payment and collection-related requirements.
• A dedicated team of professionals will facilitate business partners and customers in availing of digital banking services such as Yono Business, e-Payments, and Cash Management Products.

About SBI :

• Founded : 1 July 1955
• Headquarters : Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
• Chairman : Dinesh Kumar Khara

IRDAI directs SBI Life to take over Sahara India Life Insurance business

• The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has identified SBI Life Insurance Company Limited (SBI Life) as the acquirer-insurer of the business of the beleaguered Sahara India Life Insurance Co. (SILIC).
• The decision was taken at the meeting of the IRDAI in view of deteriorating financial health of the SILIC.
• SBI Life shall take over the policy liabilities of around 2 lakh policies of SILIC, backed by the policyholders’ assets, with immediate effect.

Key Highlights :

• A committee comprising Member (Actuary), Member (Life), and Member (F&I) has been constituted for implementation of the order in a time-bound manner.
• SBI Life has been directed to take adequate steps to reach out to the policyholders of SILIC, with regard to servicing of policies, including setting up of a dedicated cell to address the queries of the policyholders of SILIC, and also publish necessary details on their website.
• Sahara India Life Insurance was granted a Certificate of Registration in 2004 to transact the business of life insurance.
• In view of the certain serious issues on the financial propriety and governance aspects of the insurer, the authority had appointed an administrator to manage the business of the insurer in 2017.

About IRDAI :

• Established : 1999
• Headquarters : Hyderabad, Telangana
• Chairperson : Debasish Panda
• The IRDAI is a statutory body under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Finance (MoF), Government of India (GoI) and is tasked with regulating and licensing the insurance and reinsurance industries in India.

About SBI Life :

• Founded : March 2001
• Headquarters : Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
• MD & CEO : Mahesh Kumar Sharma
• Tagline : Apne liye Apno ke liye

Myntra & Kotak Mahindra Bank launched a digital fashion co-branded credit card

• Kotak Mahindra Bank (KMBL) in partnership with Myntra has launched its first-of-its-kind co-branded digital fashion & lifestyle credit card namely the Kotak Myntra credit card.

Aim :

• To provide trendy and new-age consumers an apt choice for their fashion needs.
• The card will be available on MasterCard and RuPay networks.
• The card will be available across Myntra as well as Kotak mobile applications.

About Kotak Myntra credit card :

• The card will be dedicated to fashion shoppers across metros, tier 1, tier 2 & 3 cities.
• The joining fee and annual fee for this credit card is Rs 500 only.

Features of Kotak Myntra Credit Card :

• 7.5% instant discount on unlimited transactions on Myntra, up to Rs 750 per transaction
• Complimentary access to Myntra Insider
• 5% cashback on any purchase with some of the popular platforms: Swiggy, Swiggy Instamart, PVR, Cleartrip, Urban Company
• Unlimited 1.25% cashback on other card spends
• Quarterly Milestone of 2 PVR Movie tickets
• Rs 500 e-voucher on card activation

About KMBL :

• Founded : 1985
• Headquarters : Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
• MD & CEO : Uday Kotak

About Myntra :

• Founded : 2007
• Headquarters : Bangalore, Karnataka
• CEO : Nandita Sinha
• Myntra is a major Indian fashion e-commerce company.
• In May 2014, Myntra.com was acquired by Flipkart.

RBI becomes net seller of US dollars in FY2023 

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) became a net seller of US dollars in fiscal year 2023, after being a net purchaser for 3 consecutive years.
• The RBI sold $25.52 billion in the spot foreign exchange market.

What is a Spot Market?

• The spot market is where financial instruments, such as commodities, currencies, and securities, are traded for immediate delivery.

Key Highlights :

• The RBI sold dollars to reduce volatility in the rupee, which has been under pressure due to the Russia-Ukraine war and interest rate hikes by the US Federal Reserve.
• The RBI sold the greenback to prop up the rupee, which had depreciated due to higher import bills and foreign investors pulling out money from the domestic market.
• Without the RBI’s dollar sales, experts suggest the rupee could have weakened further, potentially reaching 84-85 levels against the dollar.
• The country’s foreign exchange reserves decreased from $606.475 billion to $578.449 billion during FY23.
• This was primarily due to valuation losses resulting from the appreciating US dollar and higher US bond yields.

Manappuram Finance unveiled a digital lending app Ma-Money   

• Kerala-based Non Banking Financial Company (NBFC), Manappuram Finance Ltd has launched a new digital lending platform named Ma-Money.

Objective :

• To provide customers all the financial products offered by Manappuram Finance under one umbrella

About Ma-Money :

• Ma-Money is a key component of Manappuram Finance’s overall goal to grow its digital presence and provide clients with innovative and user-friendly financial products.
• The app is primarily targeted at customers in tier 2 and tier 3 cities.
• It offers a wide range of loans, including personal loans, business loans, consumer durables loans, loans for the healthcare industry, food industry, small-scale industries, school finance to improve infrastructure, car loans, home repair loans, and farm equipment loans, among others.
• Manappuram Finance’s Managing Director and CEO : V P Nandakumar

CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL NEWS

The government expects to unveil New Cooperation Policy in July:

• The Government has announced that the New Cooperation Policy is expected to be unveiled next month, in July.
• The new policy will be unveiled after consulting all the stakeholders including State governments, Central Ministries, and National Cooperatives.
• The Chairman of the National Level Committee for drafting the new National Cooperation Policy document Suresh Prabhu made a presentation to Union Cooperation Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi.
• The Committee members briefed Mr. Shah about the key recommendations in various sectors.
• This includes structural reforms and governance, cooperatives as vibrant economic entities, a level playing field for cooperatives, sources of capital and funds, the inclusion of priority sections, the use of technology, and an implementation plan.
• During the meeting, Mr Shah gave his guidance on how to realise Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Sehkaar se Samriddhi and to strengthen the Cooperative movement at the grassroots level through the new policy.
• The Ministry said, as per the guidance received from Mr. Shah, the Committee will prepare a revised draft.
• The National Level Committee for Drafting New National Cooperation Policy was formed in September last year.
• The current policy on cooperation was formulated in 2002.

Coal Ministry Organizes different programs to promote Sustainable & Eco-friendly Lifestyle on World Environment Day 2023:

• Ministry of Coal and Coal PSUs have organized numerous programs to encourage employees and local communities to embrace sustainable and Eco-Friendly Lifestyles in line with the LiFE activities envisioned by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.
• The LiFE campaign aims to prioritize individual actions in combating climate change.
• It encourages people to make small but significant changes in their daily lives, such as reducing plastic consumption, minimizing food waste, energy saving, recycling of waste and using public transportation.
• Coal Sector under the aegis of Ministry of Coal has actively undertaken a range of sustainable and environmentally friendly initiatives aligned with LiFE actions.
• These initiatives include strategic efforts in land amelioration and afforestation, effective management of air quality and noise, emission reduction, gainful utilization of mine water for community purposes, implementation of energy-efficient measures, sustainable utilization of overburden and development of Eco Parks and Mine Tourism.

Shri Nitin Gadkari inaugurates and lays foundation stone of four projects worth Rs 1450 Crore in Assam

• Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Shri Nitin Gadkari inaugurated the 4-Lane Section between Nagaon Bypass-Teliagaon, and Teliagaon-Rangagara and laid the foundation for Mangaldai Bypass and the 4-lane section between Daboka-Parakhuwa in Assam, in the presence of Chief Minister Shri Himanta Biswa Sarma , MP Shri Dilip Saikia , MP Shri Pradyut Bordoloi , and State Minister of Forest & Environment Shri Chandra Mohan Patowary through video conferencing.
• These 4 projects are worth 1450 Crores symbolizing a significant investment in the state’s infrastructure.
• The 18 Km long 4-Lane section between Nagaon Bypass-Teliagaon and Teliagaon-Rangagara is worth Rs 403 Crore.
• This widened highway enhances accessibility between North Assam and Upper Assam, fueling economic growth and opening new opportunities.
• The foundation for the construction of a 15 Km bypass in Mangaldai on NH 15 with a total cost of 535 Crores will strengthen the link between Assam, West Bengal, and Arunachal Pradesh, fostering seamless travel and regional integration.
• The foundation for a 13 Km long bypass between Daboka and Parakhuwa on NH-29 with a total cost of 517 Crores strengthens connections along the Guwahati-Dimapur Economic Corridor, fostering links to Myanmar and Thailand.
• The bypass will enhance inter-regional connectivity between Assam and Nagaland.

Shri Sarbananda Sonowal flags off India’s First International Cruise Vessel from Chennai to Sri Lanka

• The Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways and Ayush, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal flagged off the maiden International Cruise Vessel – MV Empress, India’s first international cruise vessel – from Chennai to Sri Lanka in Chennai.
• This marks the beginning of the international cruise tourism terminal at Chennai, built at a cost of ₹21 crores, heralding a new age of cruise tourism & maritime trade in the country. Coinciding on the occasion of Enviornment Day, the Union Minister Shri Sarbananda Sonowal along with the port officials also planted 2500 tree saplings at the port
• The cruise service is the result of an MoU signed during the first Incredible India International Cruise Conference in 2022 between Chennai Port and M/S Waterways Leisure Tourism Pvt Ltd to start domestic and international cruise service. With an overwhelming response by 85,000 passengers availing the cruise service through 37 vessels for the domestic circuit, it is expected that the opening up of the international circuit will further amp up the business of cruise tourism in the region.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : STATE NEWS

Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan launched 1st phase of Kerala Fibre Optic Network project

• Kerala Chief Minister (CM) Shri Pinarayi Vijayan launched the Kerala Fibre Optic Network (KFON) project at Shankaranarayanan Thambi Hall of the State Legislative Assembly, Kerala.
• At the time of the launch, the KFON has been made available in more than 2,000 houses and 17,412 government offices.

Aim:

• To ensure internet facilities for all at affordable rates in Kerala.
• It also aims to give free internet to over 20 lakh poor families.
• This project will bridge the digital divide in society.

Key Highlights :

• The first phase of the project covers a total of 30,000 government institutions and 14,000 households spread across 140 Assembly constituencies.
• An estimated 100 households in each constituency will get the free broadband service.
• At present, around 18,000 government institutions have been provided with Internet facilities through K-FON.

About Kerala :

• Governor : Arif Mohammad Khan
• Chief Minister : Pinarayi Vijayan
• Capital : Thiruvananthapuram
• National Park : Eravikulam National Park, Silent Valley National Park
• Wildlife Sanctuary : Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary

Union Minister Jitendra Singh inaugurates 2-day lavender festival in J&K’s Bhaderwah

• Union Minister Shri Jitendra Singh inaugurated the two-day “Lavender Festival” in Jammu and Kashmir’s (J&K) Bhaderwah Valley.
• Bhaderwah has emerged as the lavender capital of India and a prominent agri-startup destination.
• The festival has been organised by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (CSIR-IIIM) and is part of the institution’s ‘One Week One Lab Campaign’.
• Singh described Bhaderwah as the birthplace of India’s purple revolution, highlighting the region’s success in promoting lavender cultivation and nurturing agri-startups.

Key Highlights :

• The CSIR-aroma Mission has been instrumental in promoting lavender cultivation in the temperate regions of Jammu and Kashmir.
• Its primary goal is to increase the income of small and marginal farmers and foster the development of agriculture-based startups
• As part of the mission, the CSIR-IIIM has provided more than 30 lakh free lavender plants to farmers in different districts of Jammu and Kashmir.

Lavender Cultivation Benefits :

• The net annual income of farmers who switched from maize to Lavender cultivation has increased many folds from around Rs. 40,000/- to Rs. 60,000/- per hectare to 3,50,000/- to Rs. 6,00,000/- per hectare.
• The media has recognized this initiative of CSIR-IIIM as the “Purple Revolution.”
• CSIR-IIIM received the CSIR award for S&T innovations for rural development (CAIRD- 2020) for Purple Revolution in Jammu & Kashmir: Rural Development Through Lavender Cultivation in J&K.

Other Major Revolutions & Related Products :

Name of the revolution	Products	Father of the Revolution
Green revolution	Integration of ecological principles in technology development	M.S.Swaminathan
Yellow revolution	Oilseed Production (Especially Mustard and Sunflower)	Sam Pitroda
Black revolution	Petroleum products	–
Blue revolution	Fish and aquarium products	Dr Arun Krishnan
Brown revolution	Leather / Cocoa / Non-Conventional Products	–
Golden fibre revolution	Jute products	–
Golden revolution	Fruits / Honey Production / Horticulture Development	Nirpakh Tutej
Grey revolution	fertilisers	–
Pink revolution	Onion Production / Pharmaceuticals / Prawn Production	Durgesh Patel
Silver revolution	Egg Production / Poultry Production	Indira Gandhi (Mother of the Revolution)
Silver fibre revolution	Cotton	–
Red revolution	Meat Production / Tomato Production	Vishal Tiwari
Round revolution	Potato	–
Green revolution	Food Grains	M.S. Swaminathan
White revolution	Milk products	Verghese Kurien

 About J&K :

• Lieutenant Governor : Manoj Sinha
• Capital : Srinagar, Jammu
• National Park : Kishtwar High Altitude National Park, Kazinag National Park, Dachigam National Park
• Wildlife Sanctuaries : Ramnagar Wildlife Sanctuary, Gulmarg Wildlife Sanctuary

CURRENT AFFAIRS : DEFENCE NEWS

India carries out successful training launch of Agni-1 ballistic missile

• A successful training launch of a Medium-Range Ballistic Missile, Agni-1 was carried out by the Strategic Forces Command (SFC) from APJ Abdul Kalam Island, Odisha.
• The missile is a proven system, capable of striking targets with a very high degree of precision.
• The user training launch successfully validated all operational and technical parameters of the missile.
• The development of the Agni missile series began in early 1980 under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program (IGMDP) led by former president, Dr Kalam, who played a key role in India’s missile and space programmes.

About Agni-1 ballistic missile :

• The word “Agni” means fire.
• The medium-range Agni-1 ballistic missile has a strike range of over 700 kilometres and weighs around 12,000 kilogrammes.
• It is also capable of carrying a payload of up to 1,000 kg.
• Agni 1 to 5 missiles are designed & developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
• The development of Agni-1 began in 1999 and the missile underwent its first successful test launch in 2003 after a failed attempt a year prior.
• In December,2022 India successfully test-fired nuclear-capable ballistic missile Agni-V that can strike targets at ranges up to 5,000 km.

About Ministry of Defence : 

• Defence Minister :  Rajnath Singh
• Minister of State : Ajay Bhatt
• Defence Secretary : Giridhar Aramane

SpaceX launches 22 second-generation Starlink satellites into orbit

• SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket successfully launched 22 second-generation Starlink satellites, also known as ‘V2 Mini’ to low-Earth orbit (LEO) from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, United States of America (USA).
• This launch marked the 3rd successful launch and landing for the Falcon 9 first stage booster.
• Previously, the booster had been utilized for the Crew-6 and SES O3b mPOWER missions, demonstrating the reliability and reusability of the powerful rocket technology.
• By utilizing the extensive Starlink satellite network, SpaceX aims to create a global internet coverage constellation.
• The ultimate goal is to establish a low-latency, high-speed internet network that can cater to users worldwide, irrespective of their geographic location.

About SpaceX :

• Founded : March 14, 2002
• Headquarters : Hawthorne, California, United States
• Chairman & CEO : Elon Musk

CURRENT AFFAIRS: RANKING AND INDEX

AIIMS Delhi, PGIMER Chandigarh top medical colleges in India: NIRF 2023

• Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, has been ranked the second best medical institute in the National Institute Ranking Framework (NIRF) Rankings, 2023, by the Ministry of Human Resource Development.
• PGIMER, Chandigarh has been ranked 2nd position 6th time in a row from 2018 to 2023.
• Rajkumar Ranjan Singh, Minister of State for Education and External Affairs, released NIRF India Rankings 2023, in which, PGIMER, Chandigarh competed amongst premier Institutes throughout the country under the Medical category.
• AIIMS, New Delhi has been ranked First in this category and CMC, Vellore has been ranked third.
• The National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) ranking parameters broadly cover “Teaching, Learning and Resources,” “Research and Professional Practices,” “Graduation Outcomes,” “Outreach and Inclusivity,” and “Perception.
• On the basis of these parameters, the large institutions are given a common overall rank as well as a discipline-specific rank as applicable.

Indian Agricultural Research Institute bags first spot among Agriculture and Allied courses colleges

• The Indian Agricultural Research Institute, popularly known as the Pusa Institute and the harbinger of Green Revolution, scales to the pinnacle of the crest of the ranking by the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) for the year 2023 under the category of Agriculture and Allied sectors.
• Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi bagged the top spot, with a score 83.16.
• The second position was secured by ICAR– National Dairy Research Institute in Karnal, Haryana with a score of 70.45.
• Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana came third with a score of 65.98 and Banaras Hindu University came fourth with 63.68 points.
• The fifth spot was bagged by Tamil Nadu Agricultural University with 61.71 points.
• The sixth spot was secured by Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, followed by Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar at the seventh spot.
• The eighth spot was secured by GB Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar.
• The last two places in top 10 were bagged by Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Science and Technology of Kashmir, Srinagar and Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University in Hisar at the ninth and tenth spot respectively.
• The eighth edition of National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) was announced by Dr. Rajkumar Ranjan Singh, Minister of State for External Affairs and Education, Government of India.
• NIRF released the ranking of around 8,686 Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) which participated in the ranking exercise.
• Earlier there were four categories and seven subject domains.
• Agriculture and allied sector has been added as a subject domain for the first time.
• IARI continues its commitment for excellence in agricultural research, education and extension.
• The institute has already embarked upon the path to evolve as a global university.
• It has started undergraduate programmes in 4 disciplines of agriculture, community science, B. Tech (Engineering) and B. Tech (Biotechnology).
• Aligning with New Education Policy 2020; plans afoot to initiate several diploma and certificate courses to lay emphasis upon vocational education.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SPORTS NEWS

Dhanush Srikanth bags gold in 10m Air Rifle at ISSF Junior World Cup

• Dhanush Srikanth has won the Men’s 10 metre Air Rifle on Day 3 of the ongoing International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup Junior, giving India their third gold of the competition so far.
• Dhanush posted 249.4 in the 24-shot final to leave Swede Pontus Kallin, a clear 1.3 points behind in a clinical display.
• India also bagged a bronze in the Skeet Mixed Team competition, when Harmehar Lally and Sanjana Sood defeated Swedish pair of David Jonsson and Felicia Ros.
• India lead the medal tally with three gold, one silver and two bronze medals, ahead of the USA which has two gold medals and one silver thus far.
• Abhinav Shaw and Gautami Bhanot had won the second gold for India.
• They defeated French pair Oceanne Mueller and Romain Aufrere in the final of 10 meter Air Rifle Mixed Team event.

About ISSF:

• Founded: 1907
• Headquarters: Munich, Germany
• Membership: 150 regions
• Secretary: Willi Grill (Secretary-General)

Siddharth Choudhary clinches gold in men’s shot put event of U-20 Asian Athletics Championships in South Korea

• India showcased its dominance on the second day of the Under 20 Asian Athletics Championships in Yecheon, South Korea.
• India’s Siddharth Choudhary clinched gold in men’s shot put with a personal best throw of 19.52 metres.
• Further, three other players Sharuk Khan (3000-metre steeplechase), Shivam Lohakare (Javelin), and Susmita (Long Jump) claimed silver medals in their respective events.
• Shakeel (800 metre) and the mixed relay team concluded the day by winning the bronze medal.
• With this India won six medals on day 2 with the overall tally accounting to nine.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : OBITUARIES

Veteran Hindi & Marathi film Actress Sulochana Latkar passed away

• Renowned Hindi & Marathi film Actress Sulochana Latkar passed away at the age of 94 in Mumbai, Maharashtra.

About Sulochana Latkar :

• Sulochana was born as Nagabai on July 30, 1928, in Belgaum, Karnataka.
• She was a well-known actress of Marathi and Hindi cinema and acted in 50 films in Marathi and around 250 films in Hindi.
• Sulochana Latkar made her debut in films in 1946.
• She was most known for her performances in Marathi films such as Sasurvas (1946), Meeth Bhakar (1949), Vahinichya Bangdya (1953), Dhakti Jaoo (1958) and Sangte Aika (1959) in the lead roles.

Awards & Honors :

• Latkar was a recipient of the civilian honour of Padma Shri in 1999 for her contribution to cinema.
• In 2003, she was awarded the Chitrabhushan Award instituted by the Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Chitrapat Mahamandal, on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Baburao Painter, one of the founders of the modern Marathi cinema.
• She was awarded the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004.
• In 2009, she was awarded the Maharashtra Bhushan Award, the highest civilian award presented annually by the Government of Maharashtra.

‘Yamuna Jiye Abhiyan’ Founder Environmental Activist Manoj Misra Passed away

• Renowned environmental activist and former Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer Manoj Misra passed away at the age of 68 in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh (MP).

About Manoj Misra :

• Manoj Misra was born on October 7, 1954, Mathura, Uttar Pradesh (UP).
• He founded PEACE, an Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) dedicated to promoting the cause of nature conservation in 2002.
• In 2007, he founded the Yamuna Jiye Abhiyan, a movement dedicated to the revival of the river.
• The efforts of Yamuna Jiye Abhiyan, spearheaded by Misra, led to the National Green Tribunal calling for the phased rejuvenation of the river in 2015.
• He actively fought against deforestation, illegal mining and pollution using legal avenues to protect natural resources.
• He also headed TRAFFIC India, a division of WWF-India, publishing over 100 articles in various magazines, journals and newspapers.

Tonga’s Princess Mele Siu’ilikutapu passed away

• Tonga’s Princess Mele Siu’ilikutapu Kalaniuvalu Fotofili has passed away at the age of 75.

About Princess Mele Siuʻilikutapu of Tonga :

• Siu’ilikutapu was born in May 1948, Tonga.
• The Princess was the eldest granddaughter of Her Majesty, the late Queen Salote.
• In 1975 she was elected to the Legislative Assembly, becoming its first female member.
• She served as President of the Langafonua Gallery & Handicrafts Centre, a national organisation established by the late Queen Salote to empower Tongan women with traditional skills and talents.
• She has served as the Tongan Health Society Langimalie Clinic’s patron since 2018.
• Additionally, she served as the patron of Tonga’s first village council, the Lapaha Council.
• She later became Deputy President of the National Women’s Organisation.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BOOKS AND AUTHOR

BJP President Jagat Prakash Nadda released a book titled ‘Amrutkaal ki Ore’ in New Delhi

• BJP President Jagat Prakash Nadda released a book titled ‘Amrutkaal ki Ore’ in New Delhi based on nine Years’ Achievements of the Narendra Modi Government.
• Nadda said the nine years of the Modi government have transformed the country and its progress is being recognised by the world today.
• He said, there has been a big difference since 2014 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi took office.
• The BJP president said, from policy paralysis to a bold decision-making government, the political culture has changed drastically.
• He said, earlier there used to be vote bank politics and now it is report card politics.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: IMPORTANT DAYS

World Food Safety Day 2023: June 7

• Every year on June 7th, World Food Safety Day is
• The major goal of this day is to raise awareness and empower people to recognize, prevent, and manage food-related dangers.
• ‘Food Standards Save Lives’ is the theme for World Food Safety Day 2023.
• The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have been tasked by the United Nations (UN) to lead efforts to promote food safety across the world.
• Since June 7, 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) has collaborated with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to commemorate the First World Food Safety Day.
• On December 20, 2018, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution designating June 7 as a day “celebrating the various advantages of safe food.” On August 3, 2020, the World Health Assembly (WHA) voted a resolution designating June 7 as World Food Safety Day every year.
• The first ever World Food Safety Day was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in December 2018.

Daily CA One- Liner: June 7

• Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das, launched a Financial Inclusion Dashboard – ANTARDRIHSTI.
• The State Bank of India (SBI), Bengaluru (Karnataka) Circle has launched Project Kuber, under which there are 4 Transaction Banking Hubs, and 1 Corporate Salary Package Hub, in the city to source, facilitate, and cater to the various banking needs of customers.
• The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has identified SBI Life Insurance Company Limited (SBI Life) as the acquirer-insurer of the business of the beleaguered Sahara India Life Insurance Co. (SILIC).
• Kotak Mahindra Bank (KMBL) in partnership with Myntra has launched its first-of-its-kind co-branded digital fashion & lifestyle credit card namely Kotak Myntra credit card.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) became a net seller of US dollars in fiscal year 2023, after being a net purchaser for 3 consecutive years.
• The Government has announced that the New Cooperation Policy is expected to be unveiled next month, in July.
• Ministry of Coal and Coal PSUs have organized numerous programs to encourage employees and local communities to embrace sustainable and Eco-Friendly Lifestyles in line with the LiFE activities envisioned by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi
• Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Shri Nitin Gadkari inaugurated the 4-Lane Section between Nagaon Bypass-Teliagaon, and Teliagaon-Rangagara and laid the foundation for Mangaldai Bypass and the 4-lane section between Daboka-Parakhuwa in Assam, in the presence of Chief Minister Shri Himanta Biswa Sarma , MP Shri Dilip Saikia , MP Shri Pradyut Bordoloi , and State Minister of Forest & Environment Shri Chandra Mohan Patowary through video conferencing
• The Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways and Ayush, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal flagged off the maiden International Cruise Vessel – MV Empress, India’s first international cruise vessel – from Chennai to Sri Lanka in Chennai
• Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, has been ranked the second best medical institute in the National Institute Ranking Framework (NIRF) Rankings, 2023, by the Ministry of Human Resource Development
• The Indian Agricultural Research Institute, popularly known as the Pusa Institute and the harbinger of Green Revolution, scales to the pinnacle of the crest of the ranking by the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) for the year 2023 under the category of Agriculture and Allied sectors.
• Dhanush Srikanth has won the Men’s 10 metre Air Rifle on Day 3 of the ongoing International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup Junior, giving India their third gold of the competition so far
• India showcased its dominance on the second day of the Under 20 Asian Athletics Championships in Yecheon, South Korea
• BJP President Jagat Prakash Nadda released a book titled ‘Amrutkaal ki Ore’ in New Delhi based on nine Years’ Achievements of the Narendra Modi Government
• Kerala-based Non Banking Financial Company (NBFC), Manappuram Finance Ltd has launched a new digital lending platform named Ma-Money.
• Kerala Chief Minister (CM) Shri Pinarayi Vijayan launched the Kerala Fibre Optic Network (KFON) project at Shankaranarayanan Thambi Hall of the State Legislative Assembly, Kerala.
• Union Minister Shri Jitendra Singh inaugurated the two-day “Lavender Festival” in Jammu and Kashmir’s (J&K) Bhaderwah Valley & Bhaderwah has emerged as the lavender capital of India and a prominent agri-startup destination.
• A successful training launch of a Medium-Range Ballistic Missile, Agni-1 was carried out by the Strategic Forces Command (SFC) from APJ Abdul Kalam Island, Odisha.
• SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket successfully launched 22 second-generation Starlink satellites, also known as ‘V2 Mini’ to low-Earth orbit (LEO) from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, United States of America (USA).
• Renowned Hindi & Marathi film Actress Sulochana Latkar passed away at the age of 94 in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
• Renowned environmental activist and former Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer Manoj Misra passed away at the age of 68 in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh (MP).
• Tonga’s Princess Mele Siu’ilikutapu Kalaniuvalu Fotofili has passed away at the age of 75.
• Every year on June 7th, World Food Safety Day is observed.