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Top Current Affairs of the Week (15 June- 21 June 2020)

Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput passes away

• Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput (34-years) committed suicide at Bandra residence in Mumbai. • He was noticed in the famous soap on Zee TV's 'Pavitra Rishta' in 2009, for which he received a nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut. • Mr Rajput made his film debut in the buddy drama Kai Po Che! (2013). • Later starred in films such as PK (2014), sports biopic M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story (2016), Kedarnath (2018) and Chhichhore (2019).

Annual allotment of Rs 4000 crore under PMKSY- Per Drop More Crop

• Govt has made annual allotment of Rs. 4000 crore to State Govts for ‘Per Drop More Crop’ component of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY- PDMC). • It focuses on enhancing water use efficiency at farm level through Micro Irrigation technologies like Drip and Sprinkler irrigation systems. • It will help in saving water, reducing fertilizer usage, labour expenses and other input costs. • Micro Irrigation Fund corpus of Rs. 5000 crore has also been created with NABARD.

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MP gives corona warriors status to Divyang Anganwadi workers

• Madhya Pradesh Government conferred the status of corona warriors to the Divyang Anganwadi workers. • They are playing an important role by distributing nutritious food from house to house of the beneficiaries. • They are also spreading awareness regarding social distancing and the ways to protect from the infection. • Kanchan Gayari, Saroj Shukla, Babulal Rathore are few of them working in this area. • CM of MP: Shivraj Singh Chouhan • Capital: Bhopal

Sports to be the part of curriculum in ’s new education policy

• Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju announces that India's new education policy will have sports as part of the curriculum and not just as an extra-curricular activity. • High-level committee to shape the National Sports Education Board will be established to bring the national sports education board into shape. • The announcement was made during the inaugural session of ‘International Webinar on Olympism and Olympic Education in the 21st century’.

Madhya Pradesh farmers created unique grain bank to help needy

• Madhya Pradesh's Affluent farmers have created unique grain bank to help the needy people like migrant labourers with food. • The initiative is started by Patwari Rajesh Chaurasi and Parasia development block of Chhindwara district, Madhya Pradesh. 1

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• In the grain bank, 23 quintals of wheat has been stored which will work as a boon to the needy. • This initiative has been appreciated by the district residents. • Governor: Lalji Tandon • Chief Minister: Shivraj Singh Chouhan

RBI constitutes Internal Working Group under PK Mohanty

• RBI has constituted 5 member Internal Working Group (IWG) to review the extant guidelines on ownership and corporate structure for Indian private sector banks under Prasanna Kumar Mohanty, Director, Central Board of RBI. • It will investigate licensing guidelines, eligibility criteria, financial subsidiaries, norms for promoter shareholding of private banks along with major recommendation. • IWG will submit its report in Sept 2020. • RBI Governor: Shaktikanta Das • HQ: Mumbai

Centre launches AarogyaPath portal for healthcare supply chain

• Government has launched AarogyaPath portal for real-time availability of critical healthcare supplies amidst COVID-19. • This national healthcare information platform is developed by ICMR and Sarvodaya Infotech. • Users and manufacturers/authorized suppliers of healthcare essentials have to register themselves on the portal. • It will act as a single-point availability of items by hospitals, labs, research, medical colleges, patients, importers and manufacturers.

India’s oldest 1st class cricketer Vasant Raiji passes away

• India's oldest first-class cricketer, Vasant Raiji (100 years) passes away at his residence in Walkeshwar in Mumbai. • He was a right-handed batsman and played nine first-class matches in the '1940s and scored a total 277 runs. • He was the opener of Bombay and Baroda team in the Ranji Trophy and was a reserve for the Hindus team in the 1941 Bombay Pentangular. • After John Manners death, he was declared as the oldest living first class cricketer in the world.

Renowned Urdu poet Gulzar passes away

• Veteran Urdu poet Anand Mohan Zutshi ‘Gulzar' Dehlvi (93 years) passes away in Noida due to coronavirus. • He was a freedom fighter and a premier ‘inquilabi' poet. • He was the editor of first Urdu science magazine 'Science ki Duniya' which was published by Government of India in 1975. • He is also credited with opening Urdu schools across India. • He was the founder of Anjuman Tamir-e-Urdu association. • Born: Old Delhi's Gali Kashmeerian in 1926.

Raja Parba festival begins in Odisha

• Raja Parba festival (June 14 to 16) is being celebrated in Odisha every year. • It is a 3-day-long festival dedicated to Mother Earth (Bhuma Devi) and womanhood at large. 2

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• The first day is called Pahili Raja, second is Mithuna Sankranti and third Bhu daha or Basi Raja. • In this unmarried girl perform various customs. • Also, Odia people do not undertake any construction work that require earth digging. • This festival is also associated with summer end and monsoon Arrival.

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JNU develops new drug molecules against amoebiasis

• Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Researchers have developed new drug molecules against the protozoa that causes amoebiasis. • Amoebiasis or amoebic dysentery is a disease caused of Entamoeba histolytica protozoa. • According to WHO, Entamoeba histolytica is the 3rd leading cause of death in the world. • It is anaerobic in nature but on entering human, it synthesizes large amounts of cysteine to counter oxidative stress.

India joins Global Partnership on AI as founding member

• India joins league of leading economies consisting of USA, UK, EU, Australia and others to launch Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI or Gee-Pay). • GPAI is 1st international multi-stakeholder initiative for responsible development of AI. • It will bridge the gap between AI theory and practice. • It will also bring together experts from industry, civil society, governments and academia for promotion of AI and its application in COVID-19. • Secretariat: Paris.

Union Petroleum Minister launches Indian Gas Exchange

• Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has launched Indian Gas Exchange (IGX). • It is the first nationwide online delivery-based gas trading platform. • It has been incorporated as a wholly owned subsidiary of Indian Energy Exchange market platform. • It is fully automated web-based interface that enable market participants to trade in standardized gas contracts. • It will help nation to move towards free market pricing of natural gas.

Sprinter Hima Das nominated for Khel Ratna award by Assam Government

• India's sprinter Hima Das (Dhing Express) has been nominated for the prestigious Khel Ratna award. • She is one of the youngest nominee for this award. • She is India’s first track athlete to win global title at U20 World Championship. • She won 400m silver, 4X400 mixed relay gold and women's 4X400m gold at the Jakarta Asian Games in 2018. • She is holding the current Indian national record in 400 mtrs with a timing of 50.79 s. • Hima is already a recipient of Arjuna Award.

Central Indian Railways launches Captain Arjun robot

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• Indian Railway Central zone has launched AI enabled 'Captain Arjun ((Always be Responsible and Just Use to be Nice) ' robot for effective screening and surveillance of railway passengers and railway staff. • It will help Railways to modernize its security measure during COVID-19. • It will screen passenger while boarding and will keep a watch on anti-social elements. • It has motion sensor, PTZ camera, Dome Camera and efficient battery • It can speak in local language. • reads through drinking or eating uncooked food.

Mahaveer Chakra Awaredee Lt Gen Raj Mohan Vohra passes away

• Retired Lt. Gen. Raj Mohan Vohra (88 years) passes away in Delhi due to COVID-19. • He commanded elite Hodson’s Horse in the Shakargarh Sector in 1971 Indo-Pak war and was declared war hero. • He was awarded with 1972 (MVC), country's 2nd highest gallantry award for his conspicuous bravery and leadership. • He also fought for the Indo-Pak war of 1965. • He tenanted prestigious appointments like GOCinC and GOC 31 Armoured Division. • Born:

SIPRI reports China, Pakistan as having more nuclear arsenal than India

• Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) releases its yearbook showcasing the current state of armaments, disarmament, and international security. • As per the report, all nation have modernised their nuclear arsenals while India and China increased their nuclear warheads. • China’s nuclear arsenal increased from 290 in 2019 to 320 in 2020. • India’s nuclear arsenal increases from 130 in 2019 to 150 in 2020 while Pakistan has 160 arsenals in 2020. • HQ: Sweden

Sports Ministry to establish Khelo India State Centres of Excellence

• Sports ministry is about to establish Khelo India State Centres of Excellence under Khelo India Scheme. • Each state and UT will have these centres to create a robust sporting ecosystem. • In the 1st phase, Karnataka, Odisha, Kerala, Telengana, Arunachal, Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland sports facility will be upgraded into centre of excellence. • State and UT will run the centre and build capacity to turn it into world-class sporting facility.

Govt to launch ‘Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan’ scheme for rural India

• Centre is set to launch ‘Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan’ to empower and provide livelihood opportunities to migrant workers and rural citizens. • It will be launched from Telihar village of Bihar through virtual medium by Prime Minister. • Villages across 116 districts in 6 states (Bihar, UP, MP, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Odisha) will join. • It is a 125 days campaign that will work in mission mode involving employment generation as well as infrastructure creation in rural regions.

India elected as UNSC’s non-permanent member for 2-year term

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• India is elected as non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for 2-year term after winning 184 votes in the 193-member UN General Assembly. • Ireland, Mexico and Norway also won the Security Council elections along with India. • India was the sole candidate from Asia-Pacific for 2021-22 term. • This is the 8th time when India is selected as non-permanent member. • UNSC consist of 5 Permanent and 10 non-permanent members. • India's envoy to UN: T S Tirumurti • HQ: New York

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Volkan Bozkir elected as the President of 75th UN General Assembly

• Turkish diplomat Volkan Bozkir has been elected as the President of 75th UN General Assembly through secret ballot voting. • He received 178 votes and stood unopposed for the post. • His term will begin from September 2020. • He is presently serving as a Justice and Development Party lawmaker from Istanbul and head of the Turkish Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee. • Bozkir is the 1st Turkish national to head the General Assembly. • Current President: Muhammad-Bande

Aizawl’s Rajiv Gandhi stadium to be upgraded as KISCE

• Union Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju has announced the upgradation of Aizawl’s Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, Mizoram as Khelo India State Centre of Excellence (KISCE) under Khelo India Scheme. • It will enhance the existing talent in the region towards India’s dream of excellence in Olympics. • KISCE is a new initiative in which Ministry will establish or upgrade stadium as Centre of excellence in each state and UT for robust sport ecosystem • Governor: P. S. Sreedharan Pillai

India to send 75 Tri-Service members in Victory Day Parade of WW II

• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has agreed to send Tri-Service contingent of 75 members to participated in the 75th Victory Day Parade of World War II in Moscow. • The parade will be held on June 24, 2020. • It will be held to honour the heroism and sacrifices made by the Russian and other countries in WW II. • India’s participation in the parade will mark tribute and solidarity to Russia during the remembrance of Great Patriotic War heroes. • WW II took place from 1939 to 1945

Sports Ministry to establish 1000 district-level Khelo India centers

• The Union Government has decided to establish 1000 Khelo India Centers (KIC) at the district level across the country. • These centres will either be run by a past champion or have them as coaches. • The move is to tap into the expertise of past sporting champions for grassroots-level training of athletes and also to ensure a sustained source of income for them in the sports ecosystem. • Union Sports Minister: Kiren Rijiju

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Govt launches portal to promote R&D in mining, mineral sector

• Union Minister for Coal, Mines Pralhad Joshi has launched SATYABHAMA (Science and Technology Yojana for Aatmanirbhar Bharat in Mining Advancement) Portal for Science and Technology Programme Scheme of Ministry of Mines. • The portal has been designed, developed and implemented by National Informatics Centre (NIC), Mines Informatics Division. • This portal will allow online submission of project proposals along with monitoring of the same and utilisation of funds.

PM Modi launches ‘Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyan

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched the Garib Kalyan Rozgar Abhiyaanan employment scheme (for migrant workers) via video conference in Katihar village in Bihar in the presence of Chief Ministers of five states Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jharkhand and a minister of Odisha. • The scheme will work in a mission mode in 116 districts across these six States where the maximum number of the migrant workers have returned.

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