National news:
Assam Govt. launches scheme to promote Girl education & end Child marriage
- The Assam government has announced a new scheme Mukhya Mantri Nijut Moina (MMNM) to promote girl education and to end child marriage in the state. This was announced by the Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on 12 June 2024 after the Assam government cabinet approved the scheme.
Mukhya Mantri Nijut Moina Scheme Features
- The Mukhya Mantri Nijut Moina scheme aims to empower the girls of the state by promoting education amongst them with financial incentive and support from the state government. An empowered girl will also help in reducing the incidence of child marriage in the state.
- The scheme will benefit approximately 10 lakh girl students in the state.
- Girl students enrolled in higher secondary education will get Rs 1000 per month from the government.
- For girls, students admitted in a three year or four-year degree graduation course will receive Rs 1200 per month.
- Girl students enrolled in Post-Graduation or B.Ed. degree will get Rs 2500 per month.
Who is not eligible?
- According to the chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, daughters of ministers and Members of the Assam legislative assembly(MLAs) are not eligible for the scheme.
- Girl students who are beneficiaries of the state government scheme for excelling in the Higher Secondary (HS) exams and have received a scooter will not be eligible for these monetary benefits.
- Girl students of private colleges and universities are also not eligible. However, students from venture colleges will be eligible.
- Girl students who are not regular in attendance or involved in undesirable activities like ragging will also be excluded from the scheme.
Fund allocation for the Scheme
- The scheme is likely to cost the state government Rs 1500 crore for the next five years.
- The state government has allocated Rs 300 crore for the first year.
About State of Assam
- The modern state of Assam is located in the North-East region of India.
- The total population of the state according to the 2011 census is 31,205,576 in which male population was 15,939,443 and the female were 15,266,133.
- Capital: Dispur
- Governor: Gulab Chand Kataria.
- Chief minister: Himanta Biswa Sarma,
Agreement news:
IIT Hyderabad and Renesas Collaborate to Boost Semiconductor Innovation in India
- ITH & Japan-based Renesas Signed 3-Year MoU to Enhance Semiconductor Innovation in India
- The Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad(IIT-H), Telangana, and Renesas Electronics Corporation, Japan’s leading supplier of advanced semiconductor solutions, have signed a 3-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for research and collaboration in Very-Large-Scale-Integration (VLSI) and embedded semiconductor systems.
- This partnership aims to strengthen India’s semiconductor ecosystem and support the “Make in India”
objective.
- The MoU aims to foster talent development to build a self-reliant semiconductor industry in India and enable Renesas to recruit talented employees from India.
- Under this MoU, Renesas will start supporting university curriculum development and hands-on learning.
Appointment news:
- SBICAP Ventures Limited (SVL) has named Prem Prabhakar as its new Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, effective from June 4, 2024.
- With over 24 years of extensive banking experience, Prabhakar joins SVL from State Bank of India (SBI), where he held various senior roles including General Manager and Chief Dealer.
- His expertise in treasury operations and strategic leadership will guide SVL in achieving its growth objectives and enhancing investor relations.
Ajit Doval Reappointed NSA; P.K. Mishra To Continue As Principal Secy To PM Modi:
- Ajit Doval has been reappointed as the National Security Advisor and Dr PK Mishra as the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister with effect from June 10.
- The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointments today. The Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions said that the appointments of Former IPS Mr Doval and Former IAS Mr Mishra will be co-terminus with the term of the Prime Minister or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
- Both Mr Doval and Mr Mishra will be assigned the rank of a cabinet minister in the table of precedence during their term in office.
Vijaya Bharathi Sayani Appointed Acting Chairperson of NHRC:
- Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) notified the appointment of Vijaya Bharathi Sayani as Acting Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) of India with effect from June 2024 until the appointment of New Chairperson of NHRC.
- She took over from Justice Arun Kumar Mishra, Former Supreme Court judge, whose term as Chairperson of NHRC ended on 1st June 2024.
- Sayani is currently serving as a Member of NHRC since December 2023.
- Justice Mishra has been serving as the Chairperson of the NHRC since June 2021.
- Note: The appointemnt was authorised by the President of India in exercise of powers confered under Section 7(1) of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993.
About National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) of India:
- NHRC was established under Protection of Human Rights Act (PHRA), 1993 as amended by the Protection of Human Rights (Amendment) Act, 2006.
- The NHRC consists of a Chairperson, five full-time Members and seven deemed Members. The statute lays down qualifications for the appointment of the Chairperson and Members of the Commission.
- Acting Chairperson– Vijaya Bharathi Sayani
- Headquarters-New Delhi, Delhi
- Established 12th October 1993.
Ranks and reports news:
Infosys Ranks Among Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands:
- Infosys, a leading information technology company, has secured its position among the 100 most valuable brands in the world for the third consecutive year. This recognition comes from Kantar, a prominent marketing data and analytics business, further solidifying Infosys’ reputation as a global brand powerhouse.
Leading the Way in Enterprise AI and Cloud Solutions
Infosys has been acknowledged for its exceptional capabilities in domains like enterprise artificial intelligence (AI), where emerging technologies like generative AI and foundational technologies like cloud have taken center stage. The company’s investments in these cutting-edge areas have yielded rich dividends, nurturing sub-brands such as Infosys Topaz
India to remain fastest growing major economy in world: World Bank:
- In its latest June 2024 report, Global Economic Prospects, the World Bank has revised the Indian Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate forecast for the financial year 2024-25 to 6.6 per cent.
- In an earlier report issued in January 2024, the World Bank forecasted a growth rate of 6.4 per cent.
- The World Bank also said that India will remain the fastest-growing major economy in the world in 2024-25.
- For 2025-26, the World Bank has raised the growth forecast to 6.7 per cent from the earlier forecast of 6.5 per cent.
Reason for increasing India’s GDP growth forecast
- The World Bank has listed a number of factors for its upward revision in the Indian growth rate.
- According to the report, the growth in the Indian industrial sector, especially manufacturing and construction, was better than expected. The service sector is also growing strongly, though the growth rate in the agricultural sector will slow down due to the monsoon.
Growth Rate Forecast for Indian Economy in 2024-25/2025-26
Following are the forecasts of various global and Indian financial agencies regarding the growth of the Indian economy (as of 12 June 2024).
| Agency / Organisation | GDP forecast for 2024-25 | GDP Forecast for 2025-26 |
| Reserve Bank of India | 7% | |
| World Bank | 6.6% | 6.7% |
| International Monetary Fund | 6.5% | 6.5% |
| Asian Development Bank | 7% | 7.2% |
| Moody’s | 6.6% | 6.2 % |
| Morgan Stanley | 6.8% | – |
| S&P Global | 6.8% | 7% |
| United Nations | 6.6 %(January to December2025 ) | – |
| OECD | 6.2 % | 6.5% |
| Fitch Rating | 7.0% | – |
| CRISIL | 6.8% | – |
| Citi Bank | 6.8% | |
| Standard Chartered Bank | 7.0% | |
| India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra) | 7.1% | |
| ICRA | 6.5 % |
Reports Published by World Bank
The World Bank is a multilateral development institution which was set up in July 1944 along with the International Monetary Fund.
The World Bank is a group of five international financial institutions. It releases a number of research reports. The important ones are:
- World Development Report
- Global Economic Prospect
- Global Financial Development Report
- Commodity Market Outlook
- International Debt Statistics
Headquarters: Washington D.C, the United States of America
President: Ajay Banga
Members: 180 countries.
Sports news:
Divya Deshmukh Wins World Junior Girls’ Chess Championship:
- In chess, India’s Divya Deshmukh won the World Junior Girls’ Chess Championship after beating Bulgaria’s Beloslava Krasteva in the final round at the Gift City Club in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
- Top-seeded Divya beat Krasteva in the 10th round with just 26 moves to claim her maiden U-20 title. She finished unbeaten in the championship by winning nine of her games while drawing the other two.
Shruti Vora Scripts History And Becomes The First Indian Rider To Win 3-Star Grand Prix Event
- In Equestrian, Shruti Vora scripts history as she becomes the first Indian rider to win a three-star Grand Prix event.
- Shruti along with her astride Magnanimous, scored 67.761 points in the CDI-3 event in FEI Dressage World Cup held in Lipica, Slovenia.
- She finished ahead of Moldova’s Tatiana Antonenco, who scored 66.552 points. On the historic feat, General Col Jaiveer Singh, Secretary of Equestrian Federation of India said, this is a great news for the Indian equestrian fraternity and Shruti’s inspiring performance has made the country proud. Veteran rider Shruti Vora has also represented India in Dressage World Championship 2022 and in the Asian Games of 2010 and 2014.
Likith SP, Dhinidhi Desinghu Bagged Two Bronze Medals In Singapore National Swimming Championship 2024
- In Swimming, India’s Likith SP and Dhinidhi Desinghu bagged two bronze medals in Singapore National Swimming Championship 2024.
- Ace swimmer, Likith SP claimed bronze in men’s 100 metre breaststroke with a timing of 1 minute and 2 seconds.
- Dhinidhi Desinghu grabbed a bronze medal in the women’s 200-metre freestyle event clocking in 2 minutes 5 seconds. The Singapore National Swimming Championship is seen as the last opportunity for swimmers to qualify for the Paris Olympics ahead of the June 23rd deadline.
Defence news
Dras Thunder Motorcycle Rally Flagged Off from Delhi To Kargil War Memorial
- The Dras Thunder Motorcycle Rally, flagged off by Vice Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi from Delhi, is a commemorative event marking the Rajat Jayanti (25th anniversary) of Kargil Vijay Diwas.
- The rally features an Officer and 19 soldiers from the 13 JAK RIFLES (KARGIL) and was attended by notable dignitaries including Lieutenant General YK Joshi (Retired).
- The motorcycle rally aims to honour the Indian Army’s valor and victory in the Kargil War 25 years ago. Covering a distance of 1029 kilometres through challenging terrain, the rally embodies the spirit and determination of the Indian Army.
- It will conclude at the Kargil War Memorial in Dras on June 20th, paying tribute to the brave soldiers who secured victory during the conflict.
Adani Defence and Aerospace and EDGE Group Collaboration:
- Adani Defence and Aerospace Signed Agreement with EDGE Group to set up R&D Facilities in India and the UAE Adani Defence and Aerospace, defence subsidiary of Adani Enterprises Limited (AEL) signed a cooperation agreement with EDGE Group, one of the leading advanced technology and defence groups in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
- It aims to establish an international platform leveraging the defence and aerospace capabilities of both companies to combine their expertise in missiles, weapons, unmanned platforms etc. and to meet the requirements of global and local customers.
Key Points: As per the agreement, both the companies will evaluate their core product domains such as: missiles and weapons covering airborne, surface, infantry, ammunition, and air defence products, platforms and systems covering Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), Loitering Munitions (LM), Counter Drone System (CDS), Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGV), Electronic Warfare (EW) and cyber technologies.
