17th-19th June, 2023

1. Ministry of Education will host the 4th G20 Education Working Group (EdWG) meeting in Pune, Maharashtra.
2. NITI Aayog and the United Nations-India signed the India-United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2023-2027 in New Delhi.
3. The researchers at the Centre of Excellence in Climate Modelling at IIT Delhi, in collaboration with IIIT Delhi, MIT USA, and JAMSTEC Japan, have developed a state-of-the-art machine learning model for monsoon rainfall prediction.
4. Indian PM Narendra Modi has proposed the African Union be given full, permanent membership of the G20 nations.
5. 4th G20 Tourism Working Group and Tourism Ministerial Meetings are scheduled to take place in Goa.
6. India will host the 2025 IIAS (International Institute of Administrative Sciences) Annual Conference at Kochi, Kerala, in February 2025.
7. Ministry of Science and Technology has launched Vaishvik Bhartiya Vaigyanik (VAIBHAV) fellowships programme to connect Indian STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine) diaspora with Indian Higher Educational Institutions.
8. Nehru Memorial Museum and Library Society name has been changed to Prime Ministers’ Museum and Library Society.
9. NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam Limited (NVVN), a wholly owned subsidiary of NTPC, has commissioned its first Rooftop Solar Photovoltaic Project at IIT Jodhpur, Rajasthan under the RESCO model.
10. The first consignment of over dimensional cargo for expansion of Assam’s Numaligarh Refinery Ltd (NRL), transported through waterways, has reached the facility.
11. The Central Government has set up an expert panel led by former law secretary T K Vishwanathan to recommend reforms in the Arbitration and Conciliation Act with an aim to reduce the burden on courts.
12. Google launched the ‘Indian Languages Programme’ under its News Initiative to support local news publishers in India.
13. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his latest ‘Mann ki baat’ episode, spoke about Miyawaki plantation, the Japanese method of creating dense urban forests in a small area.
14. The National Conference on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy was held in Pune.
15. National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI) celebrated its 20th Foundation Day on June 19.
16. The central government launched a new collection of courses called “Dakshta” (Development of Attitude, Knowledge, Skill for Holistic Transformation in Administration) on the iGOT Karmayogi Platform.
17. Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has issued a draft notification proposing Motor Third Party Premium and Liability Rules for the Financial Year 2023-24.
18. A consortium of Titagarh Rail Systems Ltd (TRSL) and state-owned Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) has signed a contract with Indian Railways for manufacturing 80 Vande Bharat sleeper trains by 2029.
19. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin laid the foundation stone for the Fintech City and Fintech Tower projects in Chennai.
20. The World Bank has approved a $150-million loan to support the Resilient Kerala programme to strengthen Kerala’s preparedness for natural disasters, climate change impact, and disease outbreaks.
21. Uttar Pradesh government is formulating the Pharmaceutical Industry Policy-2023 to transform the state into a prominent hub for pharmaceutical products in the country.
22. Union minister of heavy industries Mahendra Nath Pandey launched the groundbreaking “Dugdh Sanakalan Sathi Mobile App” in Mussoorie, Uttarakhand.
23. Indian Navy’s state-of-the-art submarine, INS ‘Vagir’, is all set to embark on an operational visit to Colombo from June 19 to June 22.
24. Indian Army has organised the first “Lieutenant General P S Bhagat Memorial Lecture” on “Legacy of Lt Gen Prem Bhagat- A Visionary and Strategic Leader”, under the aegis of United Service Institution of India (USI) at Manekshaw Centre, Delhi.
25. Indian Navy organized “Julley Ladakh” (Hello Ladakh), an outreach programme to Ladakh to increase awareness about the naval service in the UT.
26. Ministry of Defence has signed a contract with ICOMM Tele Limited, Hyderabad for the procurement of 1,035 numbers of 5/7.5 Ton Radio Relay Communication equipment containers under Buy (Indian) Category for Rs 500 crore.
27. Bangladesh will adopt the International Monetary Fund (IMF) mandated method to calculate its foreign reserves.
28. Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA) participated in the three-day ‘Intersolar Europe 2023’ exhibition held in Munich, Germany from 14 to 16 June.
29. Multinational Peacekeeping Joint Exercise “Ex Khaan Quest 2023” (14-days) has commenced in Mongolia.
30. United Nations has adopted a historic Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Treaty (BBNJ), also known as the High Seas Treaty, by nearly 200 nations after 15 years of discussions.
31. Ukraine Recovery Conference 2023 will be held jointly by the UK and Ukraine in London in June 2023.
32. China achieved a significant milestone by launching the Long March 2D rocket with an impressive payload of 41 satellites.
33. Food and Agriculture Organization of UN (HQ – Rome) has released the “Global Food Markets, June 2023”.
34. SEBI has restricted online bond platform providers from offering products other than listed debt securities on their platforms.
35. Motilal Oswal Asset Management Company has launched the first-ever passive fund on Nifty Microcap 250 Index.
36. IndusInd Bank has partnered with Wise, the global technology company specializing in moving and managing money around the world, to offer online inward remittance services to Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) residing in US and Singapore.
37. Kotak Mahindra Bank has launched “ActivMoney” feature, whereby customers will get Fixed Deposit like interest up to 7% on their savings account and the flexibility to access their funds anytime without any penalty on foreclosure.
38. Fintech unicorn PhonePe launched its payment gateway to serve MSME (Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises) merchants across the country.
39. Adani Green Energy Limited (AGEL) has been ranked first in Asia in the renewable energy sector by ISS ESG.
40. Assam-based Jettwings Airways has received No Objection Certification from the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) to operate flights in the North-East under the UDAN scheme from October 2023.
41. Nusrat Chowdhury, a civil rights lawyer, has been confirmed by the Senate as the first Muslim female federal judge in US history.
42. The Appointments Committee of Cabinet has approved the appointment of senior IPS officer Ravi Sinha as the chief of Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) for a period of two years.
43. Gopichand Hinduja has taken over as chairman of the $34.5 billion-worth Hinduja Group.
44. Financial Services Institutions Bureau (FSIB) has recommended Ramaswamy Narayanan as the Chairman-cum-Managing Director (CMD) of General Insurance Corporation of India (GIC Re) and Rajeshwari Singh for the position of CMD in National Insurance Company Limited (NICL).
45. RBI has approved the re-appointment of P. N. Vasudevan as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of private sector Equitas Small Finance Bank.
46. June 16 – International Day of Family Remittances; Theme – Digital remittances towards financial inclusion and cost reduction
47. June 21 – International Day of Yoga (9th edition); Theme – “Yoga for Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” (Yoga for ‘The World is One Family’)
48. Gandhi Peace Prize for 2021 will be conferred on Gita Press, Gorakhpur.
49. The Google Doodle honoured scientist Kamala Sohonie on her 112th birth anniversary on June 18.
50. Eminent poet, literary critic and Sahitya Akademi Award recipient Acharya N. Gopi has been selected for Prof. Kothapalli Jayashankar Award.
51. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi met Ms. Falguni Shah, Indian American singer, composer and Grammy award winner, in New York, USA.
52. Noted author Salman Rushdie has been awarded the prestigious Peace Prize of the German Book Trade for 2023 for his contribution to the literary world.
53. A Kerala-based startup, Farmers Fresh Zone (FarmersFZ), has been selected for the ‘Accelerator Programme’ by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the UN.
54. India has emerged as a top country with LEED Zero green building projects, as per the US Green Building Council (USGBC) and Green Business Certification Inc (GBCI).
55. The inaugural edition of India’s first-ever Women’s Kabaddi League (WKL) commenced in Dubai.
56. India’s top men’s doubles duo Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty won India’s first Super 1000 badminton tournament in Indonesia.
57. Abhishek Verma won a gold medal in the men’s compound individual final at the World Cup Stage 3 in Medellín, Colombia.
58. Chief Minister of Goa Dr Pramod Sawant launched the official mascot for the upcoming 37th National Games (in October 2023) at Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Stadium in Taleigao.
59. Egypt has won the World Squash Championship after defeating Malaysia in Chennai.
60. Indian men’s senior football team clinched the Intercontinental Cup after defeating Lebanon in the final at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneshwar.
61. Bhavani Devi created history by securing India’s first-ever medal — a bronze — at the Asian fencing championships in Wuxi, China.
62. Daniel Ellsberg, the whistleblower of the legendary Pentagon Papers, has recently passed away.
63. Pune-based Gennova Biopharmaceuticals announced that its mRNA COVID-19 booster vaccine, GEMCOVAC-OM, against the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV2 has received emergency use authorisation from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI).
64. Glenda Jackson, an Oscar-winning actress and former Member of Parliament of UK, has passed away.

National News

1. Ministry of Education will host the 4th G20 Education Working Group (EdWG) meeting in Pune, Maharashtra.
   • A seminar on ‘Accessible Science: Fostering Collaborations’, was organized in collaboration with IISER, Pune, and ELSEVIER.
   • A seminar and exhibition will precede the main G20 EdWG Meeting.
   • The seminar themed “Ensuring Foundational Literacy and Numeracy, especially in the context of Blended Learning” will be held at Savitribai Phule Pune University.
     Source: PIB
2. NITI Aayog and the United Nations-India signed the India-United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2023-2027 in New Delhi.
   Source: News on Air
3. The researchers at the Centre of Excellence in Climate Modelling at IIT Delhi, in collaboration with IIIT Delhi, MIT USA, and JAMSTEC Japan, have developed a state-of-the-art machine learning model for monsoon rainfall prediction.
   • The model has predicted that 2023 will be a normal monsoon year.
     Source: HBL
4. Indian PM Narendra Modi has proposed the African Union be given full, permanent membership of the G20 nations.
   • The G20 is an intergovernmental forum of the world’s major developed and developing economies. The members represent around 85% of the global GDP, over 75% of global trade, and about two-thirds of the world population.
   • The grouping comprises 19 countries and the European Union.
   • The G20 2023 invited nine non-member “guest” countries, including Bangladesh, Singapore, Spain and Nigeria, besides international organisations such as the United Nations, World Health Organisation, the World Bank and the IMF.
     Source: BW

   
   
   
   
5. 4th G20 Tourism Working Group and Tourism Ministerial Meetings are scheduled to take place in Goa.
   • A side-event will take place based on the theme of ‘Making Cruise Tourism a Model for Sustainable & Responsible Travel’.
     Source: PIB

6. India will host the 2025 IIAS (International Institute of Administrative Sciences) Annual Conference at Kochi, Kerala, in February 2025.
   • Theme – Next Generation Administrative Reforms – Empowering Citizens and Reaching the Last Mile
   • The 2025 Annual Conference of IIAS would be attended by 30 Member Countries, 18 National Sections and over 50 IIAS Universities/ Institutes of Public Administration in Member Countries.
   • India’s Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances became a member of the IIAS in 1998.
     Source: PIB

7. Ministry of Science and Technology has launched Vaishvik Bhartiya Vaigyanik (VAIBHAV) fellowships programme to connect Indian STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine) diaspora with Indian Higher Educational Institutions.
   • Eligibility: It is awarded to outstanding scientist/technologists of Indian origin (NRI/OCI/PIO) who are engaged in research activities in their respective countries.
   • Under it
   • 75 selected VAIBHAV fellows will be invited to work in 18 identified knowledge verticals-
   • Some of them are quantum technology, health, pharma, electronics, agriculture, energy, computer sciences, and material sciences etc.
   • They will identify Indian Institution for collaboration and spend up to two months in a year for a maximum of 3 years.
   • They are expected to collaborate with their Indian counterparts and help initiate research activities in host institution in cutting-edge areas of Science and Technology.
   • Benefits: Fellowship will include fellowship grant (Rs 4,00,000 per month), international and domestic travel, accommodation and contingencies.
     Source: DST and PIB
8. Nehru Memorial Museum and Library Society name has been changed to Prime Ministers’ Museum and Library Society.
   • In 2018, Indian govt changed the name of the Teen Murti Chowk, a war memorial, to Teen Murti Haifa Chowk as a symbolic gesture during the visit of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
     Source: PIB and The Hindu
9. NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam Limited (NVVN), a wholly owned subsidiary of NTPC, has commissioned its first Rooftop Solar Photovoltaic Project at IIT Jodhpur, Rajasthan under the RESCO model.
   • Under the RESCO model for implementing rooftop solar installation, a renewable energy service company (“RESCO”), designs, builds, funds and operates the entire solar power plant.
   • Under the model, the consumer pays the developer against assured monthly unit generation per kW and DISCOM adjusts generated units in consumer’s electricity bill.
     Source: PIB

   
   
10. The first consignment of over dimensional cargo for expansion of Assam’s Numaligarh Refinery Ltd (NRL), transported through waterways, has reached the facility.
    • The over dimensional cargo is freight that goes beyond the standard cargo deck, whether by 20 feet, 40 feet, or more, and extends outside the loading deck of the vehicle shipping the goods.
      Source: TOI
    
    
11. The Central Government has set up an expert panel led by former law secretary T K Vishwanathan to recommend reforms in the Arbitration and Conciliation Act with an aim to reduce the burden on courts.
    • The committee has been set up by the Department of Legal Affairs in the Union law ministry.
    • Attorney General N Venkataramani is also part of the expert committee.
    • The committee will also recommend a framework of model arbitration system which is efficient, effective and economical and caters to the requirements of the users.
      Source: The Print

12. Google launched the ‘Indian Languages Programme’ under its News Initiative to support local news publishers in India.
    • The program will empower local publishers through various components, including access to training, technical support, and funding, to help them improve their digital operations and reach more readers.
    • The support will be provided for a total of nine languages, including English, Hindi, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, Malayalam, Gujarati, and Marathi.
      Source: BS

13. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his latest ‘Mann ki baat’ episode, spoke about Miyawaki plantation, the Japanese method of creating dense urban forests in a small area.
    • The PM also cited the example of a Kerala-based teacher, Raafi Ramnath, who used the Miyawaki technique to transform a barren land into a mini forest called Vidyavanam by planting 115 varieties of trees.
    • The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has been creating Miyawaki forests in several open land parcels of Mumbai (the Financial Capital of India).
      Source: IE

14. The National Conference on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy was held in
    • Topics of discussion –
    • NISHTHA – National Initiative for School Heads’ and Teachers’ Holistic Advancement, launched in 2019
    • National Curriculum Framework (NCF), 2022
    • The States of Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh have recorded an impressive performance in Foundational Literacy and Numeracy practices.
      Source: PIB

15. National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI) celebrated its 20th Foundation Day on June 19.
    • Chairperson of NIXI – Shri Alkesh Kumar Sharma (MeitY Secretary)
    • NIXI CEO – Shri Anil Kumar Jain
    • NIXI was established in 2003 as a not-for-profit (Section 8) company under the aegis of MeitY to increase internet penetration by addressing the infrastructure challenges.
    • Functions of NIXI –
    • Developing Internet Exchange Points
    • .IN Registry (for providing “.in” domain and creating digital identity)
    • Providing IPv4 and IPv6 addresses adoption
    • Data Centre services under NIXI-CSC for data storage
      Source: PIB
16. The central government launched a new collection of courses called “Dakshta” (Development of Attitude, Knowledge, Skill for Holistic Transformation in Administration) on the iGOT Karmayogi Platform.
    • The iGOT (Integrated Government Online Training) Karmayogi platform is a comprehensive portal to guide government officials in their capacity-building journey.
    • Dakshta is a collection of 18 courses in areas such as data-driven decision making, code of conduct for government employees, office procedures, effective communication, public policy research, stress management, and more.
    • Currently, 40 young professionals and consultants from the National Institution for Transforming India (NITI Aayog) are using Dakshta collection for training.
      Source: LiveMint

17. Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has issued a draft notification proposing Motor Third Party Premium and Liability Rules for the Financial Year 2023-24.
    • In line with section 147 of the Motor Vehicles (MV) Act, 1988, MoRTH prescribes the base premium rates for motor third party insurance from time to time.
    • Following discounts in premium are also proposed to be allowed in the said rules –
    • A discount of 15% has been proposed for educational institution buses.
    • A discount of 50% has been proposed for a private car registered as Vintage Car.
    • A discount of 15% and 7.5% has been proposed for Electric vehicles and Hybrid Electric Vehicles, respectively.
    • Further, a reduction of about 6.5% in the base premium rate has been proposed for 3-wheeled passenger carrying vehicles.
      Source: PIB

18. A consortium of Titagarh Rail Systems Ltd (TRSL) and state-owned Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) has signed a contract with Indian Railways for manufacturing 80 Vande Bharat sleeper trains by
    • The estimated value of the contract is Rs 24,000 crores.
      Source: ET

State News

1. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin laid the foundation stone for the Fintech City and Fintech Tower projects in Chennai.
   • This is being constructed adjacent to the Chennai Trade Centre.
     Source: HBL
2. The World Bank has approved a $150-million loan to support the Resilient Kerala programme to strengthen Kerala’s preparedness for natural disasters, climate change impact, and disease outbreaks.
   • The loan, from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), has a final maturity of 14 years, including a grace period of six years.
   • This loan is in addition to the World Bank’s earlier investment of $125 million and the overall support is expected to protect nearly 50 lakh people from the impact of floods.
     Source: The Hindu

3. Uttar Pradesh government is formulating the Pharmaceutical Industry Policy-2023 to transform the state into a prominent hub for pharmaceutical products in the country.
   Source: eHealth
4. Union minister of heavy industries Mahendra Nath Pandey launched the groundbreaking “Dugdh Sanakalan Sathi Mobile App” in Mussoorie, Uttarakhand.
   • Developer – Rajasthan Electronics & Instruments Limited (REIL), a “Mini Ratna” Central Public Sector Enterprise under the Ministry of Heavy Industries
   • Purpose – to address key challenges in the milk collection process and transform the Indian dairy industry
     Source: LiveMint

Defence News

1. Indian Navy’s state-of-the-art submarine, INS ‘Vagir’, is all set to embark on an operational visit to Colombo from June 19 to June 22.
   • This visit is to commemorate the 9th edition of the International Day of Yoga and aligns with the theme of ‘Global Ocean Ring’.
   • The Indian High Commission, in collaboration with the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre, has planned a grand event on the occasion of International Day of Yoga at Colombo Port in Sri Lanka on June 21.
     Source: News on Air
2. Indian Army has organised the first “Lieutenant General P S Bhagat Memorial Lecture” on “Legacy of Lt Gen Prem Bhagat- A Visionary and Strategic Leader”, under the aegis of United Service Institution of India (USI) at Manekshaw Centre, Delhi.
   • Late Lt Gen PS Bhagat served as the first General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the re-raised Northern Command.
     Source: PIB
3. Indian Navy organized “Julley Ladakh” (Hello Ladakh), an outreach programme to Ladakh to increase awareness about the naval service in the UT.
   • Towards this, a 5000 km Motorcycle Expedition was flagged off by Sanjay Jasjit Singh, Vice Chief of Naval Staff, from the National War Memorial, Delhi.
   • Apart from the expedition, a band concert at City Centre with the famous Navy Band, Medical Camp and a Football Match between the Navy and the Ladakh Football Club will be organized.
     Source: PIB
4. Ministry of Defence has signed a contract with ICOMM Tele Limited, Hyderabad for the procurement of 1,035 numbers of 5/7.5 Ton Radio Relay Communication equipment containers under Buy (Indian) Category for Rs 500 crore.
   Source: PIB

International News

1. Bangladesh will adopt the International Monetary Fund (IMF) mandated method to calculate its foreign reserves.
   • It will be in line with the IMF’s 6th edition of the Balance of Payment and International Investment Position Manual (BMM6).
     Source: News on Air

2. Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA) participated in the three-day ‘Intersolar Europe 2023’ exhibition held in Munich, Germany from 14 to 16 June.
   • Intersolar Europe is the world’s leading exhibition for the solar industry and takes place annually at the Messe München exhibition centre, Germany,
     Source: ET and ISES
3. Multinational Peacekeeping Joint Exercise “Ex Khaan Quest 2023” (14-days) has commenced in
   • Participation – over 20 countries
   • Co-sponsors – Mongolian Armed Forces (MAF) and United States Army Pacific Command (USARPAC)
   • Indian Army is represented by a contingent from the GARHWAL RIFLES.
     Source: PIB

4. United Nations has adopted a historic Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Treaty (BBNJ), also known as the High Seas Treaty, by nearly 200 nations after 15 years of discussions.
   • The Agreement addresses four key issues –
   • The framework promotes fair and equitable sharing of benefits from marine genetic resources and digital sequence information beyond national jurisdiction, benefiting humanity.
   • The agreement establishes tools for managing high seas and international seabed areas, including marine protected areas, to conserve habitats and species, supporting the 30% conservation target by 2030.
   • It establishes an international legal framework for assessing cumulative environmental impacts, climate change, ocean acidification, and related effects in those areas.
   • It will facilitate capacity-building and the transfer of marine technology among parties to responsibly utilize and benefit from marine biodiversity.
   • The Agreement will be open for signature at UN Headquarters in New York for two years from 20 September 2023, the day after the 2023 SDG Summit. It will enter into force after ratification by 60 states.
     Source: UN
5. Ukraine Recovery Conference 2023 will be held jointly by the UK and Ukraine in London in June 2023.
   • During the last edition of the Conference in Lugano, Switzerland, Lugano Principles were adopted for the reconstruction of Ukraine.
   • Ukraine Recovery Conference is dedicated to Ukraine’s transformation and was symbolically launched in London in 2017 as the Ukraine Reform Conference.
     Source: UN
6. China achieved a significant milestone by launching the Long March 2D rocket with an impressive payload of 41 satellites.
   • The launch flew off from Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centre in Shanxi province.
     Source: Wion
   
   

Reports and Indices

1. Food and Agriculture Organization of UN (HQ – Rome) has released the “Global Food Markets, June 2023”.
   Import Bill –
   • The global food import bill will rise to $1.98 trillion in 2023, up by 1.5% from 2022. It rose by 11% in 2022 and 18% in 2021.
   • The decrease in the growth rate is due to the increasing food prices globally.
   • The import bill for the group of Least Developed Countries (LDCs) is predicted to decline by 1.5% in 2023 and that for net food-importing developing countries (NFIDCs) to decline by 4.9%.

   Production Estimates –

   • World rice production is forecast to rise by 1.3% in 2023-24 to 523.5 million tonnes, while international trade is expected to decrease by 4.3% in volume terms to 53.6 million tonnes.
   • World wheat production is forecast to decline by 3% from its all-time high of 777 million tonnes in 2022, due to expected decreases in the Russian and Australian production. Reasons for decline – extreme weather events
   • Global outputs of oil crops, milk, sugar, and aquatic animals are expected to grow whereas production of pig and bovine meat could drop slightly in 2023.
     Source: Relief Web

Banking and Economy

1. SEBI has restricted online bond platform providers from offering products other than listed debt securities on their platforms.
   • Under the rules, Online Bond Platform Providers (OBPPs) need to register themselves as stock brokers in the debt segment of the stock exchange.
   • OBPs offer an avenue for investors, particularly non-institutional investors to access the bond market.
   • Holding company, subsidiary, or associate of an online bond platform provider will not utilise the name, brand name, or any name resembling that of the online bond platform provider for offering products and services that are not regulated by a financial sector regulator.
   • The new framework would come into force with immediate effect.
     Source: ET
2. Motilal Oswal Asset Management Company has launched the first-ever passive fund on Nifty Microcap 250 Index.
   • The Nifty Microcap 250 Index is designed to measure performance of the top 250 companies excluding those already present in the Nifty 500 constituents.
     Source: HBL

3. IndusInd Bank has partnered with Wise, the global technology company specializing in moving and managing money around the world, to offer online inward remittance services to Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) residing in US and Singapore.
   • IndusInd Bank’s multi-partner remittance service platform – Indus Fast Remit (IFR) and Wise Platform have integrated to offer multi-currency inward remittance service to NRIs.
   • Indus Fast Remit is a first-of-its-kind multi-partner digital platform facilitating remittances to India especially by NRI.
     Source: IndusInd

4. Kotak Mahindra Bank has launched “ActivMoney” feature, whereby customers will get Fixed Deposit like interest up to 7% on their savings account and the flexibility to access their funds anytime without any penalty on foreclosure.
   • Through ActivMoney, excess funds in the account, beyond a defined threshold, are automatically transferred into an FD so that customers earn a higher interest on their savings.
   • Default minimum threshold over which the surplus funds earn FD like higher interest rate is ₹25,000 for Savings/Salary/811 accounts and ₹50,000 for current accounts.
     Source: HBL

5. Fintech unicorn PhonePe launched its payment gateway to serve MSME (Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises) merchants across the country.
   • PhonePe is already a market leader in UPI with over 50% market share by value.
     Source: MoneyControl
6. Adani Green Energy Limited (AGEL) has been ranked first in Asia in the renewable energy sector by ISS ESG.
   • With this new development, AGEL is aiming to become the top 10 ESG companies globally in the electric utility sector by FY25.
   • AGEL is planning to achieve its target of 45 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030.
     Source: LiveMint
7. Assam-based Jettwings Airways has received No Objection Certification from the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) to operate flights in the North-East under the UDAN scheme from October 2023.
   Source: ET

Appointments

1. Nusrat Chowdhury, a civil rights lawyer, has been confirmed by the Senate as the first Muslim female federal judge in US history.
   • She will assume her lifetime appointment in Brooklyn federal court in New York.
     Source: IE
2. The Appointments Committee of Cabinet has approved the appointment of senior IPS officer Ravi Sinha as the chief of Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) for a period of two years.
   Source: IE
3. Gopichand Hinduja has taken over as chairman of the $34.5 billion-worth Hinduja Group.
   Source: BS
4. Financial Services Institutions Bureau (FSIB) has recommended Ramaswamy Narayanan as the Chairman-cum-Managing Director (CMD) of General Insurance Corporation of India (GIC Re) and Rajeshwari Singh for the position of CMD in National Insurance Company Limited (NICL).

5. RBI has approved the re-appointment of N. Vasudevan as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of private sector Equitas Small Finance Bank.
   • Equitas Holdings Ltd has surrendered its NBFC licence to RBI.
   • RBI, in the exercise of powers conferred on it under Section 45-IA (6) of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934, has, therefore, cancelled its CoR (certificate of registration).
     Source: The Hindu and ET

Important Days

1. June 16 – International Day of Family Remittances; Theme – Digital remittances towards financial inclusion and cost reduction
   Source: UN
2. June 21 – International Day of Yoga (9th edition); Theme – “Yoga for Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” (Yoga for ‘The World is One Family’)
   Source: UN

Awards

1. Gandhi Peace Prize for 2021 will be conferred on Gita Press, Gorakhpur.
   • The annual Gandhi Peace Prize was instituted in 1995 on the occasion of the 125th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. The award carries an amount of ₹1 crore, a citation, a plaque and an exquisite handicraft or handloom item.
     Source: The Hindu
2. The Google Doodle honoured scientist Kamala Sohonie on her 112th birth anniversary on June 18.
   • Kamala Sohonie was the first Indian woman to get a PhD degree in a scientific discipline and went on to win the Rashtrapati Award for her work on Neera, a palm extract that could fight malnutrition among children from tribal communities in India.
     Source: IE
3. Eminent poet, literary critic and Sahitya Akademi Award recipient Acharya N. Gopi has been selected for Kothapalli Jayashankar Award.
   • The award has been instituted by Bharat Jagruthi, a cultural organisation and extended arm of Bharat Rashtra Samithi.
     Source: The Hindu
4. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi met Falguni Shah, Indian American singer, composer and Grammy award winner, in New York, USA.
   • Ms. Shah has been lauded for her song ‘Abundance in Millets’.
     Source: PIB
5. Noted author Salman Rushdie has been awarded the prestigious Peace Prize of the German Book Trade for 2023 for his contribution to the literary world.
   Source: Wion
6. A Kerala-based startup, Farmers Fresh Zone (FarmersFZ), has been selected for the ‘Accelerator Programme’ by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the UN.
   • FarmersFZ has figured in the list of 12 agri-food startups around the world for the UN body to develop business.
     Source: BS

7. India has emerged as a top country with LEED Zero green building projects, as per the US Green Building Council (USGBC) and Green Business Certification Inc (GBCI).
   • India has outperformed the United States of America and China.
   • The United States and China have the second and third most LEED Zero certifications, with 47 (30%) and 15 (10%) certifications respectively.
   • LEED Zero recognises projects that have reached net zero or net positive status in the categories of carbon, energy, water, or waste.
     Source: HT

Sports

1. The inaugural edition of India’s first-ever Women’s Kabaddi League (WKL) commenced in Dubai.
   • The Women’s Kabaddi League is set to span over a period of 12 days, from June 16 to June 27, at the Shabab Al Ahli Sports Club in Dubai.
   • Director of the Women’s Kabaddi League – Pradeep Kumar Nehra
     Source: News on Air
2. India’s top men’s doubles duo Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty won India’s first Super 1000 badminton tournament in Indonesia.
   Source: Sportstar
3. Abhishek Verma won a gold medal in the men’s compound individual final at the World Cup Stage 3 in Medellín, Colombia.
   Source: Sportstar
4. Chief Minister of Goa Dr Pramod Sawant launched the official mascot for the upcoming 37th National Games (in October 2023) at Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Stadium in Taleigao.
   Source: News on Air
5. Egypt has won the World Squash Championship after defeating Malaysia in Chennai.
   • Malaysia won the silver. The third place was shared jointly by hosts India and Japan.
     Source: News on Air
6. Indian men’s senior football team clinched the Intercontinental Cup after defeating Lebanon in the final at Kalinga Stadium in
   • This is India’s second title in the tournament, following their win in the inaugural edition in 2018. Korea won in 2019.
   • Indian Football Team captain Sunil Chhetri continues to be the third highest goal-scorer among active players in international football, only behind Cristiano Ronaldo (Portuguese) and Lionel Messi (Argentina).

   Source: News on Air

7. Bhavani Devi created history by securing India’s first-ever medal — a bronze — at the Asian fencing championships in Wuxi, China.
   Source: The Hindu

Miscellaneous

1. Daniel Ellsberg, the whistleblower of the legendary Pentagon Papers, has recently passed away.
   • The Pentagon Papers (1971) revealed about the Vietnam Wars.
     Source: The Guardian
2. Pune-based Gennova Biopharmaceuticals announced that its mRNA COVID-19 booster vaccine, GEMCOVAC-OM, against the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV2 has received emergency use authorisation from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI).
   Source: IE
3. Glenda Jackson, an Oscar-winning actress and former Member of Parliament of UK, has passed away.
   Source: BBC

Start Quiz of 17th-19th June 2023 on Mobile

Start Quiz of 17th-19th June 2023 on Desktop