13th-14th June, 2023

1. The W20 summit is scheduled to take place at Mahabalipuram near Chennai.
2. Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced three major schemes worth over Rs 8,000 crore to cover the modernisation of fire brigade services in all states, flood mitigation in seven major cities and prevention of landslides in 17 states.
3. Guwahati railway station has been awarded ‘Eat Right Station’ certification by FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) for providing high-quality and nutritious food to passengers.
4. India is set to host the prestigious Miss World pageant (71st edition) by the end of this year. The last time the pageant was held in 1996 in Bengaluru.
5. Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Shri Parshottam Rupala and Minister of Ports Shipping and Waterways Shri Sarbananda Sonowal has laid the foundation stone for the project on Modernization and Up-gradation of Cochin Fishing Harbour.
6. The Kisan Kalyan Mahakumbh will be organized in Rajgarh district of Madhya Pradesh.
7. Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar announced a monthly pension of Rs 10,000 for the Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan awardees of the State.
8. President Droupadi Murmu has greeted people on Odisha’s agricultural festival, Raja.
9. West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation, FICCI, and Amazon have partnered to open e-commerce exports opportunity for an even larger number of exporters from the state.
10. Karnataka has launched Shakti Scheme to provide free bus ride for women. It will cost the state exchequer Rs 8.84 crore.
11. Los Angeles (LA) Zoo has partnered with Bihar for the conservation of gharials in Gandak river in West Champaran district.
12. Government of India and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have signed a USD 130 million loan agreement to increase agricultural productivity, improve access to irrigation and promote horticulture agribusinesses to raise farmers’ income in Himachal Pradesh.
13. World Bank has approved a $148 million loan to support West Bengal in harnessing surface and ground water through better irrigation practices that will benefit people in rural areas.
14. ‘Anjadip’, the 3rd of eight ships of ASW Shallow Water Craft (SWC) Project being built by M/s GRSE for Indian Navy at M/s L&T, Kattupalli.
15. 11 x Ammunition Cum Torpedo Cum Missile (ACTCM) Barge – the First Barge of the series LSAM 15 (Yard 125) has been delivered to Indian Navy.
16. German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius was on an official visit to India.
17. Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), New Delhi has signed an MOU with Amazon Kisan to guide farmers on scientific cultivation of different crops for optimum yield and income.
18. United States is planning to rejoin United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).
19. Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a USD 400 million loan to Bangladesh to advance its economic reforms.
20. US Senate Foreign Relations Committee has approved the “Developing Nation Status Act” to remove China’s “developing country” status.
21. China has recently completed the construction of the most powerful wind tunnel in the world, located in the mountainous Huairou district of northern Beijing.
22. United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) launched its third cohort of four ocean innovators.
23. World Health Organization (WHO) and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (the Global Fund) signed a new and revised Strategic Framework for Collaboration.
24. U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi has released the “Forced Displacement report”.
25. According to a report published in The Lancet, funded by ICMR and Ministry of Health, India is a home to 101 million people with diabetes while 136 million in the country are struggling with prediabetes.
26. Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) released the Centralized Public Grievance Redressal and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) monthly report for Central Ministries for May, 2023.
27. Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) released the Centralized Public Grievance Redressal and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) monthly report for States/UT for May, 2023.
28. The annual retail inflation (consumer price inflation) eased to a two-year low of 4.25% in May from 4.7% the previous month.
29. Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation has released the data on index of industrial production (IIP), which has increased to 4.2% in April 2023.
30. Reserve Bank of India has allowed banks to undertake compromise settlement of fraud accounts and wilful defaults.
31. Meta Platforms has created a new “human-like” artificial intelligence model that can analyze and complete unfinished images more accurately than existing models.
32. Federal Bank has launched the ‘I am Adyar, Adyar is me’ It is a first-of-its-kind micro-marketing initiative in the banking industry, which focuses on Adyar community and their struggles.
33. The Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) have partnered to set up common balance confirmation portal.
34. Samco Mutual Fund has launched the first of its kind “Active Momentum Fund”.
35. SIDBI has launched Mission EVOLVE (Electric Vehicle Operations and Lending for Vibrant Ecosystem) in association with NITI Aayog, World Bank, and Korean Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF), and Korea-World Bank partnership facility to finance MSMEs in the EV space.
36. Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) has raised its stake in SAIL by about 2% to 8.68%.
37. Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) has reduced its stake in NHPC to 3.19%.
38. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) sold 1.7% stake in private sector lender Kotak Mahindra Bank.
39. IRDAI has given permission to Go Digit Life Insurance Limited to carry the life insurance business in India.
40. United Arab Emirates (UAE) has emerged as the fourth largest investor in India during 2022-23, according to the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).
41. SBM Bank India launched the SBM World Elite Metal Debit Card, powered by Mastercard.
42. According to the Centre for Monitoring of Indian Economy, the unemployment rate in India fell to 7.7% in May.
43. Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has increased its GDP forecast for India for 2023-24 to 6%, its latest Economic Outlook.
44. Algeria, Guyana, Republic of Korea, Sierra Leone and Slovenia will join the premier body for maintaining international peace and security, starting in January, serving for a 2-year period.
45. Edgars Rinkevics has been elected as the president of Latvia.
46. The Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) has recommended Sanjay Swarup for the role of Chairman and Managing Director of Container Corporation of India Ltd (CONCOR).
47. Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has appointed Amit Agrawal as its new Chief Executive Officer.
48. Senior IAS officer Subodh Kumar Singh has been appointed as the director general of the National Testing Agency.
49. June 9 – World Accreditation Day; Theme – Accreditation: Supporting the Future of Global Trade
50. June 9 – International Archives Day
51. June 12 – World Day Against Child Labour; Theme – Social Justice for All. End Child Labour!
52. The chief of the Reserve Bank of India, Shaktikanta Das was honoured with the title of ‘Governor of the Year’ for 2023 by Central Banking in London.
53. The BEST (Brihanmumbai Electric Supply & Transport) has won the UITP Awards, one of the world’s most coveted prize in public transport.
54. 2023 PSA Men’s World Squash Championship took place in Chicago, United States in May 2023.
55. Indian archer Aditi Gopichand Swamy scored 711/720 during the 72-arrow compound qualification round to break the Under 18 world record during the Archery World Cup Stage 3 in Colombia.
56. The first Janjatiya Khel Mahotsav will be organized at the Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences, Bhubaneswar.
57. Magnus Carlsen won the Superbet Rapid & Blitz tournament in Poland.
58. Murali Sreeshankar has won the third position in the men’s long jump event at the Paris Diamond League 2023 in France.

National News

1. The W20 summit is scheduled to take place at Mahabalipuram near Chennai.
   • Theme – women-led development to transform, thrive and transcend
   • W-20 chief Coordinator – Dharitri Patnaik
     Source: News on Air
2. Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced three major schemes worth over Rs 8,000 crore to cover the modernisation of fire brigade services in all states, flood mitigation in seven major cities and prevention of landslides in 17 states.
   • For the modernisation and expansion of fire brigade services, about Rs 5,000 crore assistance will be given to all states.
   • To mitigate the danger of floods in urban areas, in seven major cities — Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad and Pune — Rs 2,500 crore will be given.
   • To deal with landslides in 17 states, almost Rs 825 crore will be given by the central government.
   • Under the ‘Aapda Mitra’ scheme, 1 lakh youth volunteers are being prepared in 350 disaster-prone districts.
     Source: ET

3. Guwahati railway station has been awarded ‘Eat Right Station’ certification by FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) for providing high-quality and nutritious food to passengers.
   Source: ET
4. India is set to host the prestigious Miss World pageant (71st edition) by the end of this year. The last time the pageant was held in 1996 in Bengaluru.
   • Sini Shetty, Miss India World 2022, will represent India at Miss World 2023.
   • India has won the prestigious title six times — Reita Faria (1966), Aishwarya Rai (1994), Diana Hayden (1997), Yukta Mookhey (1999), Priyanka Chopra (2000), and Manushi Chillar (2017).
     Source: MoneyControl and BT
5. Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Shri Parshottam Rupala and Minister of Ports Shipping and Waterways Shri Sarbananda Sonowal has laid the foundation stone for the project on Modernization and Up-gradation of Cochin Fishing Harbour.
   • In March 2022, the Department of Fisheries sanctioned the proposal of Cochin Port Trust for Modernization and upgradation of Cochin Fishing Harbour at Thoppumpady,
   • Funding of the project –
   • PM Matsya Sampada Yojana (M/o of Fisheries) – Rs 50 crore
   • Sagarmala (M/o Shipping) – Rs 50 crore
   • Public-Private Partnership – Rs 55.84 Crores
   • The project will increase the capacity of the fishing harbour by 415 tonnes of fish per day.
   • It is envisaged the export of fish and fish products will be Rs. 1500 crores per annum on completion of the project.

Source: PIB

State News

1. The Kisan Kalyan Mahakumbh will be organized in Rajgarh district of Madhya Pradesh.
   • Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan will deposit an amount of Rs 6,423 crore in the farmers’ accounts along with the defence minister at the Kisan-Kalyan Mahakumbh being held at Mohanpura Dam (on Nevaj River).
     Source: News on Air
2. Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar announced a monthly pension of Rs 10,000 for the Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan awardees of the State.
   • Besides, the awardees will get free travel facility in Volvo Buses of the State Government.
     Source: News on Air

   
   
3. President Droupadi Murmu has greeted people on Odisha’s agricultural festival, Raja.
   Source: News on Air
4. West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation, FICCI, and Amazon have partnered to open e-commerce exports opportunity for an even larger number of exporters from the state.
   • They will organize an e-export haat. At present, India works towards its target of USD 1 trillion in merchandise export by 2030.
     Source: ET

5. Karnataka has launched Shakti Scheme to provide free bus ride for women. It will cost the state exchequer Rs 8.84 crore.
   Source: ET
6. Los Angeles (LA) Zoo has partnered with Bihar for the conservation of gharials in Gandak river in West Champaran district.
   Source: TOI
7. Government of India and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have signed a USD 130 million loan agreement to increase agricultural productivity, improve access to irrigation and promote horticulture agribusinesses to raise farmers’ income in Himachal Pradesh.
   Source: MoneyControl
8. World Bank has approved a $148 million loan to support West Bengal in harnessing surface and ground water through better irrigation practices that will benefit people in rural areas.
   • The loan amount will be used for the West Bengal Accelerated Development of Minor Irrigation Project – Phase II.
   • It will help to plan and operate new irrigation structures such as check dams, small-scale storage structures, creek rehabilitation, tube wells, and pump dug wells.
     Source: World Bank

Defence News

1. ‘Anjadip’, the 3rd of eight ships of ASW Shallow Water Craft (SWC) Project being built by M/s GRSE for Indian Navy at M/s L&T, Kattupalli.
   Source: PIB
2. 11 x Ammunition Cum Torpedo Cum Missile (ACTCM) Barge – the First Barge of the series LSAM 15 (Yard 125) has been delivered to Indian Navy.
   Source: PIB
3. German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius was on an official visit to India.
   • German defence major Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) and state-run Mazagaon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) signed a framework agreement for P-75I project of Indian Navy.
     Source: The Print and IE

Memorandum of Understanding

1. Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), New Delhi has signed an MOU with Amazon Kisan to guide farmers on scientific cultivation of different crops for optimum yield and income.
   Source: HT

International News

1. United States is planning to rejoin United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).
   • US had withdrawn from UNESCO in 2017.
     Source: The Hindu
2. Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a USD 400 million loan to Bangladesh to advance its economic reforms.
   • This loan is ADB’s second subprogram of the Sustainable Economic Recovery Programme that was launched in October 2021 to support economic recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic.
     Source: News on Air
3. US Senate Foreign Relations Committee has approved the “Developing Nation Status Act” to remove China’s “developing country” status.
   It establishes a US policy against granting China the “developing country” status in future treaties and international organisations.

4. China has recently completed the construction of the most powerful wind tunnel in the world, located in the mountainous Huairou district of northern Beijing.
   Source: Wion
5. United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) launched its third cohort of four ocean innovators.
   • The cohort includes –
   • DHI – Mapping and Monitoring of Ecosystems at Scale with Copernicus Sentinel- 2 Imagery – a tropical system application in Malaysia
   • University of Rhode Island – Ensuring community roles in complex multiple use areas in Madagascar
   • International Union for Conservation of Nature – SEA Success in Bangladesh and Thailand
   • Mersea Marine Consulting – Exotic Pufferfish Leather Products in Turkey
   • UNDP’s Ocean Innovation Challenge (OIC) will provide financial, mentoring and incubator support to these four ocean innovators, thereby contributing to the SDG- Life Below Water 14 (SDG14 targets 14.2, 14.5 and 14.7).
   • The Ocean Innovators will focus on marine spatial planning (MSP), marine protected areas (MPAs) and new environmentally and socially sustainable economic activities for a healthy and resilient ocean.
   • Financial support to ocean innovators of up to US $250,000 will be given for two years.

Source: UNDP and UNDP

6. World Health Organization (WHO) and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (the Global Fund) signed a new and revised Strategic Framework for Collaboration.
   • The framework aims to build stronger and more resilient health systems and maximize collaboration and impact in support of country, regional and global responses to major communicable diseases.
   • The new five-year framework builds on the previous agreement signed in 2018.
   • It aligns with the 2023-2028 Global Fund Strategy and the WHO General Programme of Work, which put communities at the centre of the health response and, also address pandemic preparedness and challenges posed by climate change.
     Source: WHO

Reports and Indices

1. N. High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi has released the “Forced Displacement report”.
   • According to the report, the number of people forcibly displaced around the world has increased to a record of 110 million people.
   • The increase of around 19 million people to 108.4 million by the end of last year is the biggest annual jump on record
     Source: Reuters

2. According to a report published in The Lancet, funded by ICMR and Ministry of Health, India is a home to 101 million people with diabetes while 136 million in the country are struggling with prediabetes.
   • At 26.4%, Goa has the highest prevalence of diabetes while Uttar Pradesh despite being the most populous state has the lowest prevalence at 4.8%.
     Source: HT

3. Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) released the Centralized Public Grievance Redressal and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) monthly report for Central Ministries for May, 2023.
   • This is the 13th report on Central Ministries published by DARPG.
   • Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and Unique Identification Authority of India are the top performers in the Grievance Redressal Index within the Group A for May 2023.
   • Department of Legal Affairs and Department of Land Resources are the top performers in the Grievance Redressal Index within the Group B for May 2023.
     Source: PIB
4. Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) released the Centralized Public Grievance Redressal and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) monthly report for States/UT for May, 2023.
   • This is the 10th report on State Governments/Union Territories published by DARPG.

Source: PIB

Banking and Economy

1. The annual retail inflation (consumer price inflation) eased to a two-year low of 25% in May from 4.7% the previous month.
   Source: TOI
2. Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation has released the data on index of industrial production (IIP), which has increased to 4.2% in April 2023.
   Source: News on Air
3. Reserve Bank of India has allowed banks to undertake compromise settlement of fraud accounts and wilful defaults.
   • All regulated entities (REs) will be required to put in place board-approved policies for undertaking compromise settlements and technical write-offs.
   • The policies will also include a graded framework for the examination of staff accountability in such cases.
   • The objective would be to maximise the possible recovery from a distressed borrower at minimum expense, in the best interest of the Regulated Entity (RE).
   • The cooling period in respect of exposures other than farm credit exposures would be subject to a floor of 12 months.
     Source: ET
4. Meta Platforms has created a new “human-like” artificial intelligence model that can analyze and complete unfinished images more accurately than existing models.
   Source: IE
5. Federal Bank has launched the ‘I am Adyar, Adyar is me’ It is a first-of-its-kind micro-marketing initiative in the banking industry, which focuses on Adyar community and their struggles.
   Source: Lokmat Times
6. The Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) have partnered to set up common balance confirmation portal.
   • This portal will help to provide “external confirmation of balances” for helping statutory auditors in the audit of financial statements.
   • The task of development and maintenance of the platform has been entrusted to PSB Alliance Pvt. Ltd. (PSB Alliance), which will in turn work with the Institute for Development and Research in Banking Technology (IDRBT).
   • The PSB Alliance is a joint venture umbrella entity created and held exclusively by all 12 public sector banks. It is part of the larger public sector bank set up in India.

7. Samco Mutual Fund has launched the first of its kind “Active Momentum Fund”.
   • It will be a thematic fund that aims to invest in stocks that are showing growth characteristics using a proprietary momentum-seeking algorithm.
     Source: HBL

8. SIDBI has launched Mission EVOLVE (Electric Vehicle Operations and Lending for Vibrant Ecosystem) in association with NITI Aayog, World Bank, and Korean Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF), and Korea-World Bank partnership facility to finance MSMEs in the EV space.
   • While Niti Aayog will give technical support to SIDBI, financial assistance will come from the World Bank, Korea-World Bank partnership facility and the Korean economic development cooperation fund.
   • The Global Alliance for Mass Entrepreneurship (GAME) has received in-principal approval from SIDBI for designing and structuring NBFC Growth Accelerator Program (NGAP).
   • Purpose – to help small NBFCs that cater to MSEs in Tier 3 and 4 cities
   • The programme will also include criteria for the evaluation and selection of around 20 NBFCs that are small in size but focused on the MSE segment to be part of the pilot cohort.
   • SIDBI CMD – Sivasubramanian Raman

9. Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) has raised its stake in SAIL by about 2% to 8.68%.
   Source: MoneyControl
10. Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) has reduced its stake in NHPC to 3.19%.
    Source: LiveMint
11. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) sold 1.7% stake in private sector lender Kotak Mahindra Bank.
    • Prior to the latest share sale, CPPIB had a 4.34% stake in the bank.
      Source: BS
12. IRDAI has given permission to Go Digit Life Insurance Limited to carry the life insurance business in India.
    • Go Digit, a firm backed by Canada-based Fairfax Group, is already in the general insurance business.
    • With the latest addition, the number of insurers operating in the life insurance segment has gone up to 26.
    • Go Digit General Insurance is also planning to launch its IPO and has already filed papers with markets regulator Sebi.
      Source: ET

13. United Arab Emirates (UAE) has emerged as the fourth largest investor in India during 2022-23, according to the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).
    • UAE and India implemented a comprehensive free trade agreement in May last year.
    • In the last fiscal, foreign direct investment (FDI) from the UAE to India jumped over three-fold to USD 3.35 billion from USD 1.03 billion in 2021-22.
    • Singapore was the largest investor in India with USD 17.2 billion investment in FY23, followed by Mauritius (USD 6.1 billion) and the US (USD 6 billion).
      Source: ET
    • SBM Bank India launched the SBM World Elite Metal Debit Card, powered by Mastercard.
      Source: The Print
    • According to the Centre for Monitoring of Indian Economy, the unemployment rate in India fell to 7.7% in May.
      Source: ET

GDP Forecasts

1. Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has increased its GDP forecast for India for 2023-24 to 6%, its latest Economic Outlook.
   • Forecast for 2024-25 – 7%

Source: OECD

Appointments

1. Algeria, Guyana, Republic of Korea, Sierra Leone and Slovenia will join the UNSC as non-permanent members for maintaining international peace and security, starting in January, serving for a 2-year period.
   Source: UN
2. Edgars Rinkevics has been elected as the president of Latvia.
   Source: Reuters
3. The Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) has recommended Sanjay Swarup for the role of Chairman and Managing Director of Container Corporation of India Ltd (CONCOR).
   • The recommendations are made to Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC).
     Source: ET
4. Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has appointed Amit Agrawal as its new Chief Executive Officer.
   Source: CNBC
5. Senior IAS officer Subodh Kumar Singh has been appointed as the director general of the National Testing Agency.
   Source: IE

Important Days

1. June 9 – World Accreditation Day; Theme – Accreditation: Supporting the Future of Global Trade

2. June 9 – International Archives Day
   Source: ICA
3. June 12 – World Day Against Child Labour; Theme – Social Justice for All. End Child Labour!
   Source: UN

Awards

1. The chief of the Reserve Bank of India, Shaktikanta Das was honoured with the title of ‘Governor of the Year’ for 2023 by Central Banking in London.
   • Central Banking is an international economic research journal.
     Source: LiveMint
     
   
   
   • The BEST (Brihanmumbai Electric Supply & Transport) has won the UITP Awards, one of the world’s most coveted prize in public transport.
     • It was the winner in the ‘Climate and Health’, category and was also among the top three finalists in ‘Public and Urban Transport Strategy’ category.
       Source: TOI

Sports

1. 2023 PSA Men’s World Squash Championship took place in Chicago, United States in May 2023.
   • Winner – Ali Farag and Nour El Sherbini (both from Egypt) in men’s and women’s
   • Now, the Squash World Cup 2023 (4th edition) is being held at Express Avenue Mall in Chennai.
   • It is the fourth edition of the team championship.
   • India have never won a Squash World Cup title. Australia won the inaugural edition in 1996 while England emerged champions in the second edition in 1999.
     Source: WSC and ANI
2. Indian archer Aditi Gopichand Swamy scored 711/720 during the 72-arrow compound qualification round to break the Under 18 world record during the Archery World Cup Stage 3 in Colombia.
   Source: The Hindu
3. The first Janjatiya Khel Mahotsav will be organized at the Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences,
   Source: News on Air
4. Magnus Carlsen won the Superbet Rapid & Blitz tournament in Poland.
   • The SuperUnited Rapid & Blitz will be held in Zagreb, Croatia on July 3-10.
     Source: CNN
5. Murali Sreeshankar has won the third position in the men’s long jump event at the Paris Diamond League 2023 in France.
   Source: DD News

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