Daily Current Affairs, 18th June 2020

1) Sustainable Gastronomy Day: 18th June

•Sustainable Gastronomy Day is observed globally on 18th June every year. This day is observed to acknowledge gastronomy as a cultural expression related to nature as well as the cultural diversity of the world. It also reaffirms that each one culture and civilizations are contributors and crucial enablers of sustainable development throughout the planet.

2) India elected as non-permanent member of UN Security Council

•India has been elected as the non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. India has won the election for a two-year term after winning 184 votes in the 193-member General Assembly. India won the non-permanent seat from the Asia-Pacific category for the 2021-22 term which will begin on 1st January 2021. Earlier India has been elected as a non-permanent member of the Council for the following years: 1950-1951, 1967-1968, 1972-1973, 1977-1978, 1984-1985, 1991-1992 and 2011-2012.

•Ireland, Kenya, Mexico and Norway also won the Security Council elections along with India. The United Nations high-table comprises of five permanent members and 10 non-permanent members.

3) “Composite Regional Centre for PwDs” inaugurated in Ranchi

•“Composite Regional Centre (CRC) for Skill Development, Rehabilitation and Employment of Persons with Disabilities (PwDs)” has been inaugurated in Ranchi, Jharkhand. The centre was inaugurated by Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment, Thaawarchand Gehlot, and Union Minister for Tribal Affairs, Arjun Munda. This is the 21st Composite Regional Centre (CRC) which will serve to fulfil the needs of Persons with Disabilities in Jharkhand.

•Composite Regional Centre (CRC) for Skill Development, Rehabilitation and Employment of Persons with Disabilities will offer rehabilitation services such as Early Intervention Programme to Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) in the State of Jharkhand including the adjoining areas. It will also execute various schemes of Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment along with Rehabilitation and Skill Development programmes for PwDs.

4) India to participate in Victory Day Parade of World War-II

•India will send its Tri-Service contingent to take part in the 75th Victory Day Parade of World War II in Moscow, Russia. India will send its 75-member Tri-Service contingent as the Defence Minister of Russia has invited an Indian contingent to take part in the Victory Day Parade. Contingents of other countries are also expected to participate in the 75th Victory Day Parade of World War II in Moscow.

•Russia is conducting a military parade on 24th June 2020 in Moscow on the 75th anniversary of the victory in the Second World War. There will be a military parade to honour the heroism and sacrifices made by the Russian as well as other friendly people.

5) AIIB approves $750 million loan for India’s Covid-19 response

•Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has affirmed a USD 750 million (around Rs 5,714 crore) loan to India to enable the legislature to fortify its fight against the antagonistic effect of COVID-19 on poor and vulnerable households.

•AIIB’s total sovereign advances to India that have just been affirmed add up to USD 3.06 billion, including an ongoing USD 500 million COVID-19 emergency response. The current credit will be the second for India under AIIB’s COVID-19 Crisis Recovery Facility (CRF).

•While AIIB doesn’t have a day by day instrument for strategy based financing, the Bank is extending such financing on an uncommon premise under the CRF to help its individuals through ventures cofinanced with the WorldBank or the Asian Development Bank.

6) Two Indian firms in WEF’s 2020 Technology Pioneers

•World Economic Forum (WEF) has announced its 2020 cohort of Technology Pioneers. WEF has unveiled 100 new tech firms awardees which are leaders in carbon capture, alternative meat and circular economies, while some of them aims to address food security, financial access etc. The 20th cohort of Technology Pioneers comprised 2 Indian firms namely: ZestMoney and Stellapps. These firms which featured in the list, will be invited to participate at World Economic Forum workshops, events as well as high-level discussions throughout their two years in the community.

•ZestMoney is an Indian Artificial intelligence-based digital lending platform which disburses affordable credit to millions. Stellapps is India’s data-led, internet of things-based startup platform which is enagaged in digitization of the dairy supply chain .

•The WEF’s Technology Pioneer community was launched in 2000. It comprises of early to growth-stage companies from around the world. These companies are generally involved in the design, development and deployment of new technologies and innovations, and poised to make a significant impact on business as well as society.

7) Justice DK Jain gets 1-year extension as BCCI ombudsman

•Former Supreme Court judge, D K Jain gets one-year extension from Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) as ethics officer and ombudsman. Jain was appointed by the Supreme Court in February 2019 as BCCI’s first-ever ombudsman. He was later given the additional role of an ethics officer. His term had ended on February 29 this year but his contract was renewed.

8) GoI to launch “Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan”

•“Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan” will be launched by the Government of India from Village Telihar, Block Beldaur of Khagaria District of Bihar. It is a massive rural public works scheme that will empower and offer livelihood opportunities to the returnee migrant workers as well as rural citizens. The programme will be joined by the villages across 116 districts in the six States through the Common Service Centres and Krishi Vigyan Kendras. The six states are: Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Odisha, Jharkhand and Bihar.

•“Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan” will be 125 days long campaign and work in mission mode. It will be a coordinated effort between 12 different Ministries/Departments such as Rural Development, Panchayati Raj, Environment, Railways, Petroleum & Natural Gas, Road Transport & Highways, Mines, Drinking Water & Sanitation, Telecom, Agriculture, New & Renewable Energy, and Border Roads.

•The campaign will involve focused implementation of 25 different types of works which will provide employment to the migrant workers along with creation of infrastructure in the rural regions of the country, with a resource envelope of Rs 50,000 crore.

9) ADB forecasts Indian economy to contract 4% in FY21

•The Asian Development Bank has projected Indian economy to contract by 4% in Fiscal Year 2021. Indian economy has been projected to contract, as businesses came to a standstill for more than two months due to the nationwide lockdown implemented to contain the COVID-19.

•The Asian Development Bank expects India’s economy to recover in Fiscal Year 2022 with growth rate of 5%, as economic activity will get to its normal state gradually.

10) Fitch Ratings retains India’s sovereign rating at “BBB-“

•Fitch Ratings has retained India’s sovereign rating at the lowest investment grade of “BBB-“, while the rating agency has revised downward its rating outlook for India to negative from stable. Fitch has cited increasing risk to the India’s growth and debt outlook, as a reason for the above ratings.

•Fitch Ratings stated that the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly weakened India’s growth outlook for fiscal year 2021, simultaneously exposing the challenges associated with a high public-debt burden. Although, the rating agency expects India’s economic activity to contract by 5% in the fiscal year 2021 before rebounding by 9.5% in fiscal year 2022.

11) Bahrain to host 4th Asian Youth Para Games 2021

•The Asian Paralympic Committee (APC) has announced that the 4th edition of Asian Youth Para Games to be held in Bahrain in December 2021. Around 800 athletes under 20 years aged are expected to compete in nine sports: athletics, badminton, boccia, goalball, para taekwondo, powerlifting, swimming, table tennis and wheelchair basketball. The event is being organised in conjunction with the National Paralympic Committee (NPC) of Bahrain with the support of the government.