Current Affairs - June 3, 2020 Current Affairs

The National Association of Software and Services Companies announced that it has delivered an end-to-end coronavirus tracking platform for Karnataka, called the Karnataka Listening Dashboard for COVID-19. As part of the launch, NASSCOM has provided the 1st set of dashboards to state government's use and will add more soon.

Sports Authority of India, the apex national sports body of India, in association with National Sports Federations has launched India's 1st -ever national-level open online coaching and education programme called "Khelo India e-Pathshala" to grassroots players. Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Kiren Rijiju and Union Minister of Tribal Affairs and Archery Association of India president Arjun Munda have inaugurated the programme via a webinar.

International Sex Workers Day is observed on 2 June. The day aims to spread awareness about the rights of sex workers so that they too can live a life of respect.

NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley docked the SpaceX "Dragon" spacecraft with the International Space Station(ISS) on 31st May 2020 at 10.16 am EDT (7.59 p.m India), over the border of China and Mongolia before the ISS started travelling above the Earth's night side. SpaceX became the first private company to fly astronauts into orbit.

The Government has announced that it is to provide Kisan Credit Card to 1.5 crore dairy farmers belonging to Milk Unions and Milk producing Companies within the next two months from 1 June-31 July 2020, under a special drive. The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying in association with the Department of Financial Services has issued KCC application format to all State Milk Federation and Milk Unions for implementing the same on a mission mode.

World Milk Day is observed every year on June 1 globally, with the aim to raise awareness about milk and its importance as global food. The day encourages to talk about the benefits of dairy with regards to health and nutrition, affordability and accessibility, the sector's passion and commitment to feeding our communities.

The developer team of Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne and ETH Zurich developed the "SwissCovid", first of its kind for digital contact tracing app utilizing the Exposure Notification API (Application Programming Interface) of Apple and Google and based on a decentralized approach to track the spread of coronavirus.

The Science and Engineering Research Board has approved support for research at the Indian Institute of Technology Varanasi to identify lead compounds from available and approved drugs for anti-SARS-CoV-2 drug molecules.

Markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India has extended the date for implementing norms pertaining to power of attorney given by clients to trading members or clearing members till August 1, 2020 from June 1, 2020. The decision regarding extension has been taken due to the difficulty faced by the stock brokers and broker associations in implementing the provisions amid the situation arising due to COVID-19.

Telangana Day is celebrated on 2 June each year from 2014. The day marks the state's bifurcation from Andhra Pradesh. Telangana State Formation Day 2020 marks the sixth Telangana State Formation Day. It is the 29th state of India after the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act was passed in the Parliament.

According to the research published in the journal Historical Biology, fossilized millipede-like Silurian Period creature called Kampecaris obanensis(approximately 450 million years old) is unearthed on the island of Kerrera in the Scottish Inner Hebrides(Scotland), which is likely to be the world's oldest-known land animal.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched CHAMPIONS, the technology platform on 1 June. The platform aims to empower Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises. It is an Information and Communications Technology based system. The entire ICT architecture is created in house with the help of the National Informatics Centre at no cost. CHAMPIONS portal will enhance the smaller units by solving their grievances. It also aims to encourage, support, help the MSMEs. It is expected to act as a real one-stop-shop solution of MSME Ministry.

The Board of BEML in its 362nd meeting has given its approval for signing a Memorandum of Understanding with MELCO (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation) to study and plan for initiating a joint venture company between BEML and MELCO. This approval is on the lines of invitation of BEML regarding Expression of Interest for Manufacturing, Partnerships under "Make in India" policy.

Centre announced policy changes in the definition for the Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises sector as part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat package. The move comes as a recognition to the importance of MSMEs. As per the new definition, MSMEs with an investment of Rs.1 crore and turnover of Rs.5 crore will be classified as micro-units. Units with an investment of Rs.10 crore and turnover of Rs.50 crore will be classified as small units. Units with an investment of Rs.50 crore and turnover of Rs.250 crore will be classified as medium units.

The National Institution for Transforming India Aayog vice-chairman Rajiv Kumar stated that India's access to USD 50-60 billion worth of carbon credits can be achieved if it propagates natural farming and agroecology while suggesting adoption of innovative farming methods based on ecological principles during a virtual high-level round-table on 'Agroecology and Regenerative Agriculture'.

Private sector lender Yes Bank Limited has acquired a 24.19% stake in Dish TV India Ltd, a company providing DTH television service in India, following invocation of 44.53 crore pledged shares due to default in payment of debt by Dish TV and some other companies. It is to be noted that as of March 31, 2019, Dish TV's debt stood at Rs 2,758 crore.

The Delhi Corona App was launched by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal recently to keep a track on ventilators & hospital beds. The app will provide information on the availability of beds and ventilators in the national capital.

RK Chaturvedi assumed charge as Secretary in the Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, Government of India. Chaturvedi has replaced P.Raghavendra Rao who superannuated on 31 May 2020.

Music Director Wajid Khan, of the popular duo Sajid-Wajid, known for his compositions for Salman Khan's popular movies such as 'Wanted', the 'Dabangg' and 'Ek Tha Tiger', passed away at the age of 42 in Mumbai, Maharashtra. Wajid Khan was the brother of music director Sajid Khan. He was born in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh on July 10, 1977.

Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology, Law and Justice and Communications Ravi Shankar Prasad launched India's National Artificial Intelligence Portal called www.ai.gov.in & launched a National Program for the youth, "Responsible AI for Youth" during the occasion of the first anniversary of the second tenure of the government. The portal was developed jointly by the National e-Governance Division of Ministry of Electronics and IT and NASSCOM from the IT industry.