Current Affairs - June 26, 2020 Current Affairs

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), (MoS) Dr.Jitendra Singh inaugurated two important Bridges namely Devika and Puneja in Udhampur and Doda districts respectively in Jammu & Kashmir through the virtual platform. The bridge projects will usher in a new era of development for the region.

Jharkhand is set to launch a 100-day employment scheme "Mukhyamantri SHRAMIK (Shahri Rozgar Manjuri For Kamgar) Yojna" to enhance the livelihood and security of urban poor. This scheme is in line with the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS).

The Madhya Pradesh Madhya Kshetra Vidyut Vitaran Company Limited(MPMKVVCL) introduced the Nishtha Vidyut Mitra Scheme for women empowerment. Under this scheme, women Self-Help Groups at Gram Panchayat level will act as Nishtha Vidyut Mitra.The scheme will increase the revenue collection of the company & women will also earn additional income as the company will pay an incentive to Nishtha Vidyut Mitra for recovery of dues and new connections.

A US court has upheld a verdict that talcum powder sold by Johnson & Johnson caused ovarian cancer and ordered the pharmaceutical giant to pay $2.1 billion in damages.

Adani Power Ltd (APL) has signed an agreement to acquire the 49% of stake(a total of 89,30,237 equity shares) in Odisha Power Generation Corporation(OPGC) from the affiliates of the US-based global energy company, AES Corporation(AES) for USD 135 million (around Rs 1,019 crore). The remaining 51% stake in OPGC is held by the Government of Odisha.

Nitin Gadkari(Minister of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises) launched the Credit Guarantee Scheme for Sub-ordinate debt(CGSSD) which is also called the "Distressed Assets Fund-Sub-ordinate Debt for MSMEs" to provide Rs 20000 crore guarantee cover to two lakh MSMEs.

IBMC Financial Professionals Group in partnership with US Gold Currency Inc and Blockfills introduced the world's first monetary gold-backed US Gold digital currency in India, Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Middle East and Africa. It was launched from Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) at a specially designed IBMC Hybrid Event in the virtual presence of officials from the US Gold Currency, Asia-Africa Development Council, GSEF and Blockfills USA. Each US Gold digital currency is backed by a US American Eagle one ounce (33.931 gram) gold coin, minted by the US Federal Agency, US Mint.

Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr. Harsh Vardhan released the annual TB Report 2020 through a virtual event on 24 June. Also, a Joint Monitoring Mission (JMM) report, a manual on Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to TB patients under NIKSHAY system, a Training Module, and the quarterly newsletter NIKSHAY Patrika was released.

Kanwar Pal, Education Minister of Haryana announced that The Government of Haryana under the Chief Minister's Distance Education Programme signed an agreement with Reliance Jio TV to benefit around 52 lakh rural students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) released its first report titled "Lives Upended How COVID-19 threatens the futures of 600 million South Asian children" focusing on the South Asian region on the impacts of COVID-19 on children states that around 240 million children are classified as poor and the current COVID-19 situation will affect an additional 120 million children, a total of 360 million children will be pushed into poverty and food insecurity in the next 6 months.

Passport Seva Divas celebrated on June 24 to commemorate the enactment of the Passports Act on 24 June 1967.

The Union Cabinet headed by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved setting up of Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund (AHIDF). The approval is to provide a much-needed boost to infrastructure across sectors, which are crucial in the time of the pandemic. To set up AHIDF, the Centre allocated a sum of Rs.15000 crore.

In accordance with the India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra), India's Gross domestic Product (GDP) is likely to shrink by 5.3% in FY20-21, the lowest GDP growth in the Indian history. It will contract in each quarter in FY21 (April 2020 to March 2021). For FY21-22, it is expected that GDP growth would bounce back in the range of 5-6%.

Maharashtra Culture Minister Amit Deshmukh announced that Vithabai Narayangaokar lifetime achievement award 2018-19 will be conferred upon the senior tamasha (folk art) artist, Gulabbai Sangamnerkar and Sangeetacharya Annasaheb Kirloskar musical theatre lifetime achievement award will 2019-20 be given to Veteran theatre actress-singer Madhuvanti Dandekar.

Researchers at the Department of Biotechnology's National Centre for Cell Science (DBT-NCCS) in Pune discovered new biomolecules to fight drug resistance in Kala-azar exploring ways to tackle miltefosine resistance.

Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the declaration of Kushinagar Airport in Uttar Pradesh as an International Airport.

Former Karnataka Basketball Player K Raghunath passed away at 74 due to age-related complications. He was one of the founding members of the Beagles Basketball Club(BC), Bengaluru.He was popularly called as pappachi.

The Republic of Mali has awarded the Project Management Consultancy contract to NTPC Limited, a central PSU that functions under the Ministry of Power, in an event held on 24 June 2020. The contract aims to develop 500 MW Solar Park. The event was chaired by the Union Minister of State for Power R.K.Singh, NRE, Skill Development and President of International Solar Alliance (ISA), and Mr.H.E. Sekou Kasse, the Ambassador of Mali.

The World Karate Federation (WKF) has provisionally de-recognised the Karate Association of India(KAI) with immediate effect from June 21 for infighting and violating the WKF statutes during its 2019 elections. Headquarters of WKF is in Madrid, Spain.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh attended the 75th Victory Day Parade in Moscow's Red Square on June 24. The Tri-Service contingent of Indian Armed Forces also participated in the parade. President Vladimir Putin along with other higher authorities has attended the parade. It marked the 75th Diamond Jubilee of 1941-1945 Great Patriotic War. The parade also remembers both the capitulation of Nazi Germany in the 2nd World War in 1945 and historic Moscow Victory Parade of 1945.