National news
Government increases MSP for Kharif crops for marketing season 24-25

- The Union Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), in a meeting held on 19 June 2024 and chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for Kharif crops for the marketing season 2024-25.
- The agriculture marketing season in India is from July to June.
- In the Union Budget 2018-19 the government of India had announced that the MSP of a crop shall be at least 1.5 times the All-India weighted average Cost of Production.
In the recently announced MSP for the 2024-25 Kharif season, Bajra has the highest margin over the cost of production (77 percent), followed by Tur (59 percent), maize (54 percent), and Urad (52 percent). For the rest of the crops, the margin over the cost of production is estimated to be 50 percent.
MSP for Mandated Kharif Crops for Marketing Season 2024-25
Following are the announced MSPs for the mandated Kharif crops for the 2024-25 marketing season.
Serial No. | Crops | MSP 2024-25 (Rs. Per Quintal) | Cost of production 2024-25 (Rs. Per Quintal) | Margin over cost (in percent) | MSP 2023-24 (Rs. Per Quintal) | Increase in MSP as compared to 23-24 (Rs. Per Quintal) |
1 | Paddy Common | 2300 | 1533 | 50 | 2183 | 117 |
2 | Paddy Grade A | 2320 | – | – | 2203 | 117 |
3 | Jowar (Hybrid) | 3371 | 2247 | 50 | 3180 | 191 |
4 | Jowar (Maldand)i | 3421 | – | – | 3225 | 196 |
5 | Bajra | 2625 | 1485 | 77 | 2500 | 125 |
6 | Ragi | 4290 | 2860 | 50 | 3846 | 444 |
7 | Maize | 2225 | 1447 | 54 | 2090 | 135 |
8 | Tur/Arhar | 7550 | 4761 | 59 | 7000 | 550 |
9 | Moong | 8682 | 5788 | 50 | 8558 | 124 |
10 | Urad | 7400 | 4883 | 52 | 6950 | 450 |
11 | Groundnut | 6783 | 4522 | 50 | 6377 | 406 |
12 | Sunflower seed | 7280 | 4853 | 50 | 6760 | 520 |
13 | Soyabean(Yellow) | 4892 | 3261 | 50 | 4600 | 292 |
14 | Sesamum | 9267 | 6178 | 50 | 8635 | 632 |
15 | Nigerseed | 8717 | 5811 | 50 | 7734 | 983 |
16 | Cotton (Medium Staple) | 7121 | 4747 | 50 | 6620 | 501 |
Cotton (Long Staple) | 7521 | – | – | 7020 | 501 |
What is the Minimum Support Price (MSP)?
The MSP for the mandated crops is announced by the government of India before the start of the Kharif and Rabi agriculture seasons.
In 1966-67, the government introduced the Minimum Support Price with the objective to:
- encourage farmers to adopt modern scientific farming to increase production,
- to raise productivity and crop production in the country to meet the emerging demand patterns in the country.
Commission for Agricultural Costs & Prices (CACP) and its Role
- The Commission for Agricultural Costs & Prices (CACP) was set up in 1965 as an expert committee under the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
- It calculates the MSP of mandated crops and recommends them to the government.
- The government is not bound to accept the CACP’s recommendations, which are advisory in nature.
Mandated Crops under MSP
At present, the CACP recommends MSP for 22 crops and for sugarcane it recommends fair and remunerative price (FRP).
The mandated crops are;
- Cereals -Wheat, Paddy, Wheat, Barley, Ragi, Maize, Sorghum, Pearl millet,
- Pulses– Chickpea / Gram, Tur, Moong, Urad, Lentil
- Oilseeds – Peanut, Rapeseed, Soybean, Sesame, Sunflower, Safflower, Niger seed
- Commercial crops -Copra, Sugarcane, Cotton, Raw jute
The Department of Agriculture and Cooperation, Government of India, fixes the MSP for Toria and De-Husked coconut based on the MSPs of Rapeseed/Mustard Seed and Copra, respectively.
Cropping Season in India
According to the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Kharif, Rabi, and Zaid are the three main cropping seasons in India.
Kharif Season: It coincides with the onset of the South West Monsoon, with the sowing season being June/July and the harvesting season being September-October.
Major crops are paddy(rice), cotton, soybean, moong, toor(arhar) maize, jawar, bajra, urad, cotton, jute, groundnut and soyabean.
Rabi Crops: It is sown during the October -December months and harvested in March/April.
Major crops are Barley, peas, sunflower, mustard, wheat gram, etc.
Zaid Crops: It is a period after the harvesting of the rabi crops and before the sowing of the kharif crops.
Major crops are cucumber, vegetables and fodder crops, watermelon, muskmelon.
NHAI to use Miyawaki Plantation to increase Green Cover along N.H

The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has announced that it will use the Miyawaki plantations method for afforestation on lands adjacent to the National Highways in the Delhi NCR(National Capital Region) areas to increase the green cover. The afforestation initiative will be launched during the coming Monsoon season in 2024 and is expected to be completed by August 2024.
Site for the Miyawaki Plantation: According to the NHAI, 53 acres of land have been identified for afforestation along the National Highway in and around the Delhi NCR areas.
The identified areas include:
- 5.6 acres along the Meerut-Najibabad section of NH-34 in Uttar Pradesh.
- 4.7 acres along the Haryana section of Dwarka Expressway,
- 4.1 acres near Sohna on the Delhi – Vadodara section of the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway,
- around 5 acres each at Chabri and Kharkhara interchanges on NH 152D of the Ambala – Kotputli corridor in Haryana,
- around 12 acres at Shamli bypass on NH-709B,
- 9.2 acres near the Duhai interchange on the Eastern Peripheral Expressway near Ghaziabad and 6 acres near the Meerut-Najibabad section of NH-34 in Uttar Pradesh.
Army Hospital (R&R), Delhi Launches First-of-its-Kind Skin Bank Facility for Armed Forces

- Army Hospital (R&R), Delhi Launches First-of-its-Kind Skin Bank Facility for Armed Forces
- The Army Hospital, Research & Referral (R&R), New Delhi (Delhi) opened a state-of-the- art skin bank facility, a first-of-its-kind to be established within the Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS).
- This initiative is dedicated to managing and treating soldiers suffering from combat-related burn cases and other skin-related conditions among military personnel and their families.
- New Delhi-based premier AIIMS Burns Block and Safdarjung Hospital have both opened it’s skin banks in 2023.
Key Features of the Skin Bank:
- A centralised hub for the collection, processing, storage, and distribution of skin grafts.
- Enhances treatment options for military medical centres nationwide.
- Staff includes plastic surgeons, tissue engineers, and specialised technicians.
- The facility adheres to rigorous standards ensuring the safety and efficacy of skin grafts.
Economy news
India export record 17,81,602 MT of seafood in 2023-24

- According to the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA), the export of seafood from India in 2023-24 has recorded an all-time high of 17,81,602 Metric tonnes(MT) as compared to 17,35,286 MT in 2022-23. However, in monetary value terms, there has been a decline in the value of seafood exports. India exported seafood with Rs 60,523.89 crore or US$7.38 billion during 2023-24. In 2022-23, the value of the seafood export was Rs 63,969.14 crore or US$ 8,094.31 million.
- The government of India had set an export target of $9.1 billion for seafood in 2023-24.
- The main reason for the decline in value has been a sharp fall in the prices of shrimps in the international markets especially the United States of America.
Major seafood export products
- Frozen shrimp
- third place was the Fish and shrimp- meal & feed- non-edible dried items
- Fourth—Frozen squid
- Fifth-Surimi and Surimi Analogs
- Sixth-Frozen cuttlefish
Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA)
- The government of India established the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) in 1972 to promote the marine products industry and boost exports from the country.
- The MPEDA was set up under the provisions of the Marine Products Export Development Authority Act 1972.
- It comes under the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
- Headquarters: Kochi, Kerala.
Banking news
IPPB Partners With Ria Money Transfer To Enhance Doorstep Financial Services Nationwide

- India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) has partnered with Ria Money Transfer, a global leader in cross-border money transfers to provide convenient and affordable doorstep financial services to customers in remote areas across the country.
- As per the statement released by the Ministry of Communications, the partnership between IPPB and Ria will enhance access to banking services at customers’ doorsteps, allowing them to withdraw only the amounts they need immediately.
- The Ministry said this initiative aims to mitigate the previous challenges and risks, fostering true financial inclusion.
- Through this partnership, the International Inward Money Transfer service will initially be available at over 25 thousand Post Office locations, with an expected reach of over One Lakh locations through the Post Offices.
Indian post office payment bank:
- CEO: R. Viswesvaran (27 Mar 2024–)
- Founded: 17 August 2016
- Headquarters: New Delhi, India
Ranks and reports news
SIPRI and ICAN Reports Highlight Surge in Nuclear Armament and Spending in 2023

- According to the Sweden-based Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI)’s annual assessment of the state of armaments, disarmament and international security, India’s nuclear weaponry has grown from 164 warheads in January 2023 to 172 warheads in January 2024.
- India now holds more nuclear weapons than Pakistan, which has recorded no increase in the number of warheads (170 in 2023 and 2024) said in 55th SIPRI Yearbook (2024).
- ICAN Report: Global nuclear spending rose by 13%; USA tops
- According to the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) report, Global spending on nuclear weapons is estimated to have increased by 13%, to a record USD 91.4 billion during 2023. this is USD 10.7 billion higher than the global spending during 2022.
- The global spending of USD 91.4 billion is equivalent to USD 2,898 per second.
- The USA accounted for 80% of the increased investment in nuclear weapons, with a spending of USD 51.5 billion.
Appointment news
Dhanlaxmi Bank Appoints Ajith Kumar KK as MD & CEO

- Ajith Kumar KK has been appointed as the Managing Director and CEO of Dhanlaxmi Bank for a three-year term starting June 20, 2024.
- The announcement was made in a regulatory filing by the Kerala-based private sector bank. Ajith Kumar KK brings extensive experience from his tenure at Federal Bank, spanning 36 years across key banking domains including Credit, Human Resources, Business, and Branch Operations.
- Currently serving as the Chief Human Resources Officer at Federal Bank, he holds the rank of president.
Appointment Details
The board of Dhanlaxmi Bank approved Ajith Kumar KK’s appointment, subject to shareholders’ approval as per Companies Act, 2013 and SEBI regulations. His remuneration has been sanctioned as per RBI guidelines outlined in a letter dated April 18.
Sports news
Virat Kohli Reclaims Top Spot as India’s Most Valued Celebrity Brand

According to the Celebrity Brand Valuation Report 2023 released by global consulting firm Kroll, cricketer Virat Kohli has reclaimed the top spot as India’s most valued celebrity brand with a brand value of $227.9 million. This marks a 30% jump from his brand value of $176.9 million in 2022.
Surpassing Bollywood Superstars: Kohli’s remarkable brand value surpassed that of Bollywood star Ranveer Singh, who claimed the second spot with a brand value of $203.1 million. The cricketing icon had previously overtaken Shah Rukh Khan in 2017 and has seen his brand value soar by 58% since then.
Top Celebrity Brands
After Kohli and Ranveer Singh, the top five celebrity brands are:
- Shah Rukh Khan ($120.7 million)
- Akshay Kumar ($111.7 million)
- Alia Bhatt ($101.1 million)
Indian National Ultimate Frisbee Team Wins Silver at 2024 Asia Oceanic Championship in Japan

- The Indian National Ultimate Frisbee team put up a valiant effort in the finals of the Asia Oceanic Beach Ultimate Championships (AOBUC) 2024, finishing as runners-up after a hard-fought match against the Philippines with a final score of 9-12.
- This marks a historic milestone for Indian Ultimate Frisbee as the national team reached the finals for the first time, demonstrating significant growth and potential on the international stage.
- The tournament featured 16 teams from across Asia, Australia, and New Zealand.
Journey to the Finals
- The Indian team’s path to the finals was highlighted by a remarkable victory over Japan in the semi-finals, showcasing their skill, strategy, and determination.
- The final match against the Philippines was an intense battle, with both teams displaying exceptional athleticism and fair play.
Asia Oceanic Championship 2024: Key Points
Historic Silver Medal for India
- Achievement: Indian National Ultimate Frisbee team won the silver medal.
- Significance: First time reaching the finals, marking a historic milestone for Indian Ultimate Frisbee.
- Final Score: India lost 9-12 to the Philippines in a closely contested final.
- Location: Shirahama, Japan.
- Participants: 16 teams from Asia, Australia, and New Zealand.
- India’s Performance: Showcased significant growth and potential on the international stage.
Path to the Finals
- Semi-Final Victory: India defeated Japan, highlighting their skill, strategy, and determination.
- Final Match: Intense battle with exceptional athleticism and fair play from both teams.
Trent Boult announces retirement from International cricket

- New Zealand’s left-arm fast bowler Trent Boult has announced his retirement from International Cricket after New Zealand’s final Group C match against Papua New Guinea at the 2024 T20 ICC Cricket World Cup. The match was played at the Brian Lara stadium in Tarouba.
- The New Zealand side, already eliminated from the 2024 T20 World Cup, dismissed the Papua New Guinea side for 78 runs, with Trent Boul taking two wickets for 14 runs. His fellow pacer, Lockie Ferguson, returned with a remarkable figure of 4-4-0-3. In his allotted four overs, Ferguson took three wickets without conceding a single run.
Boults 13 years of International career as a Cricketer
- Trent Boult made his international debut for New Zealand in 2011, and he represented the Black Cap (New Zealand team) in all the formats of the games – Test matches, One Day Internationals (ODIs) and T 20 Internationals.
- He was part of New Zealand’s team that lost to Australia in the 2021 T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates.
- Trent Boult has been a regular of the New Zealand side and has played in four T20 World Cups.
Science and tech news
Dhruva Space’s Thybolt Satellites Complete 15,000 Orbits

- Dhruva Space, a Hyderabad-based space tech startup, has successfully completed its maiden mission with the Thybolt-1 and Thybolt-2 satellites.
- These satellites have securely deorbited after completing 15,000 orbits around Earth. Launched aboard ISRO’s PSLV C54 in November 2022, this achievement marks a significant milestone for the company.
Payload and Platform
- The Thybolt satellites carried a Store-and-Forward payload, designed to receive messages from sensor nodes or remote ground stations. The satellites were built using Dhruva Space’s P-DoT platform, a picosatellite platform for satellites weighing between 1-24 kg.
- Dhruva Space also developed the P30 nanosatellite platform (1-30 kg) and the P90 platform (up to 300 kg). These satellites were entirely constructed in Hyderabad with the help of around 20 MSMEs.
Dhruva Space:
- CEO: Sanjay Nekkanti
- Headquarters: Hyderabad
- Founded: November 2012