National news
Narendra Modi Sworn In As Prime Minister For Third Consecutive Term
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi sworn in for his third consecutive term as
Prime Minister.
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President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath to Mr. Modi and the new Council of
Ministers.
Composition of the Cabinet:
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30 Cabinet Ministers, including senior BJP leaders like Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah,
Nitin Gadkari, and others.
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5 Ministers of State (Independent Charge) including Kiren Rijiju, Pralhad Joshi, and
others.
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36 Ministers of State from various parties and regions.
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Prominent Cabinet Ministers include former Chief Ministers Shivraj Singh
Chouhan, Manohar Lal, Sarbanand Sonowal, and others.
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Inclusion of Former Chief Ministers and Party
Leaders like H.D. Kumaraswamy, Jiten Ram
Manjhi, and others.
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Ministers of State (Independent Charge) include BJP leaders Rao Inderjit Singh, Dr.
Jitendra Singh, Arjun Ram Meghwal, and others.
Presence of Dignitaries: Leaders from Neighbouring Countries and
Indian Ocean Region: Presidents, Prime
Ministers, and Vice-Presidents from Sri Lanka, Maldives, Seychelles,
Bangladesh, Mauritius, Nepal, and Bhutan attended.
Domestic Dignitaries: Vice President, Chief Justice of India, Congress President, and Chief
Ministers of various states.
Total of 36 Ministers of State, including representatives from BJP, RPI,
JD(U), Apna Dal(S), and TDP.
Union Education Ministry Sets Up Four-Member Committee To Review Grace Mark Given To More Than 1,500 Candidates In NEET-UG Exam:
- Committee Formation: Union Education Ministry has set up a four-member committee to review the awarding of grace marks to over 1,500 candidates in the NEET-UG exam.
- Purpose: The committee’s main task is to review and assess the allocation of grace marks to these candidates.
- Committee Composition:
- The committee will be headed by a former chairperson of the UPSC (Union Public Service Commission).
- It comprises four members with expertise in the field.
- Expected Outcome:
- The committee is expected to submit its recommendations within a week. o There is a possibility of revising the results of the affected candidates based on the committee’s findings.
- NTA Statement:
- National Testing Agency (NTA) Director General, Subodh Kumar Singh, announced the formation of the committee. The decision comes after concerns were raised regarding the allocation of grace marks in NEET-UG.
Significance:
- Transparency and Fairness: The move aims to ensure transparency and fairness in the evaluation process of NEET-UG results.
- Maintaining Integrity: Upholding the integrity of the examination and addressing concerns related to the allocation of grace marks.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister- Designate N Chandrababu Naidu To Be Sworn-In On June 12 :
- N. Chandrababu Naidu will be sworn in as Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh on June 12 at 11:27 am.
- Venue: The swearing-in ceremony will take place near Kesarapalli IT Park at Gannavaram in Krishna district.
Political Significance:
- This will be N. Chandrababu Naidu’s second term as Chief Minister postbifurcation in 2014.
- He will become the first Telugu person to take oath as Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh for the fourth time.
- The TDP-led NDA coalition with JSP and BJP secured a landslide victory in the Assembly elections held on May 13, winning 164 seats collectively.
Election Results:
- TDP alone won 135 seats.
- JSP won all 21 seats it contested.
BJP woneight seats out of the 10 it contested
MoM Partners with Central TB Division for Tuberculosis Elimination by 2025 :
- The Ministry of Mines (MoM) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) with Central Tuberculosis (TB) Division of Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) for collaborative and convergent action towards elimination of TB in India by 2025.
- Signatories: The MoU was signed by Farida M. Naik, Joint Secretary, MoM and Dr. K. K. Tripathy, Economic Advisor, MoHFW, Government of India (GoI) in the presence of officials from both the ministries.
- This partnership aims for collaborative field actions like webinars and other awareness- building initiatives under the National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP) by engaging the Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSES), attached offices, subordinate offices and autonomous bodies of the MoM.
- This initiative will also help in capacity building of health functionaries of Public Sector Undertaking (PSUs’) hospitals & health centres for specialised campaigns for eradication of TB at grass-root level.
Nepal: 900 MW hydropower project constructed with Indian assistance makes major breakthrough :
- The main tunnel of the 900 MW Arun III Hydropower Project, being constructed with Indian assistance has achieved a breakthrough, with Nepal Prime
Minister Pushpakamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ on June 5, triggering the last blast to mark the completion of heading excavation.
- Prime Minister ‘Prachanda’ attended an event to mark the completion of heading excavation for the 11.8 km-long Head Race Tunnel of the 900 MW Arun- 3 Hydro Electric Project in the Sankhuwasabha District in eastern Nepal.
900 ![]()
MW hydropower project being constructed on the: Arun River (Nepal)
About Arun III Hydropower
- The length of this Head Race Tunnel is 11.83 km from Fyaksindha to the exit of Pukhuwa.
- The 900 MW hydropower project being constructed on the Arun River with a budget of about USD 1.4 billion, is a run-off-the-river type project whose construction started in May 2018.
- The Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN) was awarded with the project through international competitive bidding in March 2008. The Investment Board Nepal and SJVN signed an agreement for the development of the Arun III project in November 2014.
Nepal:
- Capital: Kathmandu
- Currency: Nepalese Rupee
- President: Ram Chandra Poudel
- Prime minister: Pushpa Kamal Dahal
Banking news
RBI keeps Repo Rate unchanged for 8th consecutive time at 6.5%
- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has voted by a 4:2 majority to keep the policy repo rate unchanged at 6.5% for eight consecutive times. This information was provided by the RBI
Governor Shaktikanta Das on 7 June 2024 while announcing the second bimonthly monetary policy of the financial year 2024-25.
- The second bi-monthly Monetary Policy Committee meeting of fiscal year 202425 was held on June 5 to 7, 2024. The next meeting of the MPC is scheduled for 6-8 August 2024. The MPC is mandated to meet at least four times in a financial year, which runs from 1 April to 31 March.
Rates and Ratios after the 2nd bi-monthly monetary policy 2024-25
| Policy Repo Rate | 6.5% |
| Fixed Reverse Repo Rate | 3.35% |
| Bank Rate | 6.5% |
| Standing Deposit Facility(SDF) | 6.25% |
| Marginal Standing Facility(MSF) | 6.75% |
| Cash Reserve Ratio(CRR) | 4.50% |
| Statutory Liquidity Ratio(SLR) | 18% |
Monetary Policy Committee
- The Monetary Policy Committee was established by the government of India on 29 September 2016 under the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934.
- The six-member Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), headed by the RBI governor,
determines the RBI’s policy interest rate required to achieve the inflation target.
- The members of the Monetary Policy Committee are RBI governor and chairman
Shaktikanta Das, deputy governor of RBI Michael Debabrata Patra, Dr Ashima
Goyal, Dr Mridul K. Saggar, Dr Shashanka Bhide and Prof. Jayanth R. Verma,
- The MPC has to meet at least four times in a financial year.
- The decision in the Monetary Policy Committee is taken by a majority.
PhonePe Expands UPI Payments in Sri Lanka Through Partnership with PickMe :
Phonepe, a leading Fintech firm has partnered with PickMe, Sri Lankan ridehailing platform to enable Unified Payments Interface (UPI)-based payments for Indian travellers in Sri Lanka.
Note: In May 2024, PhonePe also partnered with LankaPay to enable UPI payments in
Sri Lanka and in April 2024, PhonePe inked a pact with the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) to enable UPI payments for Indian visitors in Singapore.
Key Points:
I. This partnership advances the travel experience for Indian tourists by providing the ease of cashless transactions on Pick Me rides from the moment they exit Bandaranaike International Airport, Sri Lanka.
ii. PickMe aims to reduce stress for Indian visitors to Sri Lanka by incorporating PhonePe’s UPI-based Quick Response (QR) payment method into their platform.
About Sri Lanka:
- Prime Minister (PM) – Dinesh Chandra Rupasinghe Gunawardena
- Capital – Colombo (executive and judicial capital); Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte (legislative capital)
- Currency – Sri Lankan Rupee
Rank and report news
WMO Climate Update (2024-2028): Rising Temperatures and Record-Breaking Trends 3.5
- According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) annual report, “WMO Global Annual to Decadal Climate Update (2024-2028).”, there is an 80% chance that the average global temperature will temporarily exceed 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels for at least one of the next 5 years (2024-2028).
- Predictions of the global mean near-surface temperature indicate a range of 1.1 degree Celsius (°C) to 1.9°C above the 1850-1900 baseline for each year from 2024 to 2028.
- There’s an 86% chance of at least one of these years setting a new temperature record, potentially exceeding the current warmest year, 2023.
About World Meteorological Organization (WMO): WMO is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) responsible for promoting international cooperation in atmospheric science and meteorology.
- Secretary-General- Professor Celeste Saulo
- Headquarters- Geneva, Switzerland
- Established in 1950
UNICEF’s 2024 Child Nutrition Report: Understanding Child Food Poverty and Its Impacts
- According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)’s 2024 Child Nutrition Report titled “Child Food Poverty: Nutrition Deprivation in Early Childhood”, globally, 1 in 4 children (27%) are living in severe child food poverty in early childhood, this amounts to around 181 million children under 5 years of age.
- These children are 50% more likely to experience wasting, a form of malnutrition which is defined as low weight-for-height.
- For the first time, this report examines dietary deprivation among the world’s youngest people in nearly 100 countries, and across all income groups.
About the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF):
- UNICEF was established in 1946 as the United Nations International Children’s
Emergency Fund (UNICEF). It was renamed as United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in 1953
- Executive Director- Catherine M. Russell
- Headquarters- New York, The United States of America (USA)
Appointment news
Bisleri Limonata Appoints Aditya Roy Kapur as Brand Ambassador
- Bisleri International, the pioneering force in India’s carbonated soft drinks industry, has unveiled an exciting new campaign for its refreshing beverage, Bisleri Limonata.
- Featuring the charismatic Aditya Roy Kapur as the brand ambassador, the
DoubleTheChill campaign aims to capture the essence of Limonata’s unique flavor blend and establish a strong connection with the Gen Z audience.
Award news
EY World Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2024 to Vellayan Subbiah
- Indian entrepreneur Vellayan Subbiah was conferred the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2024 at a ceremony held in Monaco’s Salle des Etoiles. Vellayan Subbiah became the fourth Indian to win this prestigious award in its 24 years of history.
He joined the illustrious list of NR Narayana Murthy of Infosys, Uday Kotak of Kotak Finance, and Kiran Mazumdar Shaw of Biocon Limited.
- At present, Vellayan Subbiah is the Executive Vice Chairman of Tube
Investments of India (TII) and the Chairman of the Non-Banking Finance Company Cholamandalam (Chola) Investment and Finance Limited.
2024 EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award
- The EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2024 is a global award. Vellayan Subbiah was chosen among 51 winners across 47 countries where the EY company has a presence. Vellayan Subbiah was also chosen as the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2023, India, last year.
- He was nominated for the Global Award because he was the winner of the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2023, India.
- The EY World Entrepreneur of the Year 2024 was chosen by an independent panel of judges against four criteria: entrepreneurial spirit, growth, purpose and impact.
Sports news
Kumud Saini sole Indian gold medalist in 2024 Archery Asia Cup Stage 3
- Kumud Saini won the sole gold medal for India at the Archery Asia Cup 2024 Stage 3, being held in Suwon, South Korea, on 8 June 2024. The Indian archery team finished its campaign in the Asia Cup with five medals – one gold, two silvers and two bronze.
- The 2024 Archery Asia Cup Stage 3 was held in the South Korean city of Suwon from 4 to 9 June 2024. It was the third event of the 2024 Archery Asia Cup.
Medal winners for India at the 2024 Archery Asia Cup Stage 3 Following are the medal winners for India at the Suwon event.
Gold Medal: Kumud Saini in the Women’s compound individual event.
Silver Medal
- Kumud Saini, Maya Bishnoi and Tejal Rajendra Salve in the Women’s compound team event.
- Kumud Saini and Manav Jadhao in the Mixed compound team event.
Bronze Medal
- Manav Jadhao, Ganesh Mani Ratnam Thirumuru and Kushal Dalal in the Men’s compound team event
- Bhargaviben Bhagora, Basanti Mahato, and Sharvari Somnath Shende in the
Women’s recurve team event.
Science news
ISRO and CNES Collaborate on Mission TRISHNA for Environmental Monitoring
- On the occasion of World Environment Day 2024 (5th June), Indian Space
Research Organisation (ISRO) announced the details of Mission TRISHNA
(Thermal Infra-Red Imaging Satellite for High-Resolution Natural Resource Assessment), a collaborative endeavour with CNES (Centre national d’études spatiales), French space agency.
TRISHNA is a dedicated satellite to monitor Earth’s surface temperatures and mitigate climate change.
- The mission, set to be launched in 2025, is designed for a 5-year operational life.
About TRISHNA: TRISHNA is engineered to deliver high spatial and high temporal resolution monitoring of Earth’s surface temperature, emissivity, biophysical and radiation variables for surface energy budgeting at regional to global scale
Primary Objectives: Monitoring energy and water budgets of the continental biosphere with the purpose of assessing terrestrial water stress and water use.
About Indian Space Research Organisation(ISRO):
- Chairman- Sreedhara Panicker Somanath
- Headquarters- Bengaluru, Karnataka
- Established- 1969
Obituary news
Eminent wildlife conservation activist, A J T Johnsingh, is no more
- Distinguished Indian wildlife conservationist and biologist Asir Jawahar Thomas Johnsingh, also known as A J T Johnsingh, passed away in Bengaluru, Karnataka on 7 June 2024. A J T Johnsingh was 78 years old.
- The death of A J T Johnsingh, a courageous environmental activist, is seen as a great loss for conservation activity in India.
About A J T Johnsingh
AJT Johnsingh was born in Nanguneri, Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu. His birthplace lies in the Western Ghats, an evergreen forest with a variety of wildlife. He was born into a family of agriculturists. He developed a passion for nature and wildlife from childhood.
Awards and Recognition
- AJT Johnsingh’s pioneering effort in wildlife conservation and ecology brought him many rewards and recognitions.
- He was awarded India’s fourth highest civilian award -Padma Shri.
- He was conferred with the 2004 Distinguished Service Award for Government from the Society for Conservation Biology, the ABN AMRO Sanctuary Lifetime Wildlife Service Award in 2005 and the 2004 Carl Zeiss Wildlife Conservation Award for lifetime service to Indian wildlife.
Ramoji Film City founder & media mogul Ramoji Rao passed away
- Cherukuri Ramoji Rao, the head of the Ramoji film city and the Telugu news and entertainment network ETV, passed away in Hyderabad, Telangana, on 8 June 2024. Ramoji Rao was 87 years old. Ramoji Rao was undergoing treatment at the local hospital and breathed his last in the early hours of 8 June 2024.
Ramoji Rao, the Businessman
- Cherukuri Ramoji Rao headed the Ramoji Group, which has diversified business interests in entertainment, retail, and education.
He founded the Ramoji Film City in Hyderabad. It is one of the world’s largest integrated film cities and India’s only thematic holiday destination with a focus on cinema.
Awards and Recognition for Ramoji Rao
- Ramoji Rao was conferred India’s highest civilian award, Padma Vibhushan, in 2016 by President Pranab Mukherjee for his contributions to literature, journalism, and media.
- In 2000, he won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Telugu (producer) -Nuvve Kavali.
- He also received four Filmfare Awards South and five Nandi Awards
Important days
World Oceans Day 2024 Observed on June 8th
- World Oceans Day on June 8, 2024, it’s crucial to recognize the vital role our oceans play in sustaining life on Earth. Covering nearly 70% of the planet’s surface, these vast bodies of water are not only home to countless marine species but also produce around 50% of the world’s oxygen.
- The theme for World Oceans Day 2024 is “Awaken New Depths.”
The Origins of World Oceans Day
- The idea of observing a day dedicated to the oceans was first proposed during the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. However, it wasn’t until December 5, 2008, that the United Nations General Assembly officially designated June
8 as World Oceans Day. This annual celebration aims to raise public awareness about the profound connection between humans and the oceans.
Every year, the UN Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea organizes various events and initiatives to promote ocean conservation and highlight the significance of these vast water bodies.
