World Bank Approves $391 Million for Assam, Tripura
The World Bank approved $391 million in financing to improve access to high-quality healthcare services and to economic opportunities for people in Assam and Tripura. The Assam State Secondary Healthcare Initiative for Service Delivery Transformation (ASSIST) Project, for which $251 million was approved, will improve access to high-quality secondary healthcare services in Assam and directly serve at least 1.8 million people.
The project will increase access to comprehensive emergency obstetric and newborn care services and improve treatment and management of non-communicable diseases. The project will also upgrade up to 10 lower-level facilities to district hospitals in essential districts and strengthen the capacity of nurses and healthcare managers for better service delivery.
For Tripura Rural Economic Growth and Service Delivery Project, USD 140 million was approved, intending to promote socioeconomic development and improve the quality of life of 142,000 households in select tribal blocks, territories where tribal communities live and work.
India Removed from UNSG Report on Impact of Armed Conflict on Children
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres removed India from his annual report on the impact of armed conflict on children, citing measures taken by the government to better protect them.
In his latest report, he also called upon India to implement the remaining measures identified in consultation with his special representative and the United Nations.
These include the training of armed and security forces on child protection, prohibition of the use of lethal and non-lethal force on children, including ending the use of pellet guns, ensuring that children are detained as a last resort and for the shortest appropriate period of time.
Guterres also stressed the implementation of measures to prevent all forms of ill-treatment in detention and the full implementation of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.
India's First Hydrogen-powered Train to Run from Jind district, Haryana
In a significant step towards embracing sustainable transportation, India is poised to launch its first-ever hydrogen-powered train. Hydrogen trains, which rely on fuel cells to convert hydrogen and oxygen into electricity, offer a clean and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional diesel trains. This groundbreaking initiative marks a promising stride in India's efforts to reduce carbon emissions and combat pollution.
The first hydrogen fuel-powered train in India is scheduled to operate along the Jind-Sonipat route. This strategic choice for the inaugural route highlights the commitment of Indian authorities to transform regional transport networks with sustainable alternatives. By launching the hydrogen train in this corridor, India aims to demonstrate the feasibility and benefits of hydrogen technology in a real-world setting.
Hydrogen trains offer numerous environmental benefits compared to traditional diesel locomotives. Unlike their counterparts, hydrogen trains do not emit harmful pollutants such as nitrogen oxides, carbon dioxide, or particulate matter. By eliminating these hazardous emissions, hydrogen trains play a crucial role in curbing air pollution, mitigating climate change, and enhancing the overall quality of the environment.
Federal Bank Receives RBI Approval to Appoint A. P. Hota as Part-time Chairman
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) gave the approval for the appointment of A. P. Hota as part time chairman of the private sector bank Federal Bank.
Hota has banking experience of over 27 years in Reserve Bank, mostly in technology and payment systems, from 1982- 2009. While at Reserve Bank of India, he served as nominee director to the Board of Vijaya Bank and subsequently Andhra Bank. He was the architect of NPCI and served as its Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer between 2009- 2017.
Hota was appointed as Independent Director of Federal Bank in January 2018.
Rohit Jawa Takes Cgarge as MD and CEO of Hindustan Unilever
Rohit Jawa took charges as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of FMCG major Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL). Jawa replaced Sanjiv Mehta who retired. Mehta handed over the baton to Jawa, who was appointed as an Additional Director and CEO-Designate in April. Mehta was at the helm for almost a decade and was with the company for more than 30 years.
Prior to this role, Jawa was the Chief of Transformation for Unilever in London. He had started his career with HUL as a management trainee in 1988 and has a proven track record of sustained business results across India, South East Asia, and North Asia. Mehta had taken over as the MD & CEO of HUL in October 2013.
Jhulan Goswami, Heather Knight, Eoin Morgan Join MCC World Cricket Committee
The MCC World Cricket Committee (WCC) expanded its ranks by welcoming three new members: English players Heather Knight and Eoin Morgan, as well as legendary Indian cricketer Jhulan Goswami. At the same time, former England captain Alastair Cook stepped down from the Committee to focus on his playing career. With these new additions, the WCC now consists of 14 members, comprising current and former international cricket players, umpires, and officials from around the world. The WCC operates autonomously and serves as an influential organisation within the cricketing community.
Jhulan Goswami, renowned for her skills as a fast bowler in women's cricket, retired from international professional cricket in 2022. Her final match was an ODI against England at Lord's, where she received a guard of honour. Throughout her impressive two-decade-long career, Goswami took over 300 wickets in white-ball cricket across 272 appearances and secured 44 wickets in 12 Test matches.
Heather Knight has been leading the England cricket team since 2016. Under her captaincy, England won the ICC Women's World Cup at Lord's in 2017, just a year after she took over.
Eoin Morgan, one of England's greatest run-scorers in ODI cricket, has amassed just under 7,000 runs in his career. He captained the English team to their historic victory in the ICC Men's World Cup in 2019, which culminated in an unforgettable final against New Zealand.
Elorda Cup: Indian Boxer Sumit Beats Tangatar; Advances to Semi-finals
Indian boxer Sumit secured a resounding victory to confirm the bronze medal in the 86 kg category on the second day of Elorda Cup in Astana, Kazakhstan.
Sumit dominated his quarter-final bout against Bekzat Tangatar of Kazakhstan from the go and showcased his power and precision to win 5-0 in a one-sided affair.
In the 51 kg pre-quarterfinal bout, Zoram Muana displayed his prowess to emerge victorious in 4-1 split verdict against Daryan Kulzhabayev of Kazakhstan.
Sarbananda Sonowal Launches New CSR Guidelines 'Sagar Samajik Sahayog'
The Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways and Ayush, Sarbananda Sonowal, unveiled the new guidelines for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) called 'Sagar Samajik Sahayog' by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways. The guidelines aim to empower ports to address local community issues more efficiently and collaboratively. The launch event was attended by Union Minister of State for Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Shantanu Thakur, and Union Minister of State of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Shripad Yesso Naik.
The revised CSR guidelines enable ports to initiate, implement, and accelerate projects for the welfare of local communities. The framework encourages local communities to actively participate as partners in the development and positive transformation of their regions. The Minister highlighted the potential of CSR as a catalyst for change and progress, aligning with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of empowering institutions and communities for a self-reliant India.
The new CSR guidelines primarily impact projects and programs related to activities specified in Section 70 of the Major Port Authorities Act, 2021.
Centre Approves Ratification of Headquarters Agreement with CDRI
The Union Cabinet approved the ratification of the Headquarters Agreement between the Government of India and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI).
The CDRI was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the United Nations climate action summit on September 23, 2019 in New York.
It is a major global initiative launched by the government and is seen as India's attempt to obtain a global leadership role in climate change and disaster resilience matters.
Ratification of the Headquarters Agreement will facilitate grant of exemptions, immunities and privileges as contemplated under Section-3 of the United Nations (Privileges and Immunities) Act, 1947 and will provide CDRI an independent and international legal persona so that it can carry out its functions internationally, more efficiently.
The CDRI is a global partnership of national governments, UN agencies and programmes, multilateral development banks and financing mechanisms, the private sector, academic and knowledge institutions that aims to promote the resilience of infrastructure systems to climate and disaster risks, thereby ensuring sustainable development.
Since its launch, 31 countries, six international organisations and two private sector organisations have become members of the CDRI. The CDRI has been expanding its membership consistently by attracting a wide variety of economically advanced countries, developing countries, and countries that are most vulnerable to climate change and disasters.
Maharashtra Cabinet Approves Renaming of 2 key Sea Links after Savarkar, Vajpayee
The Maharashtra Cabinet approved the renaming of two significant infrastructure projects. The Versova-Bandra Sea Link will now be named after Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, while the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) will be renamed after former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee as 'Atal Bihari Vajpayee Smruti Shivdi Nhava Sheva Atal Setu'.
Rhe Versova-Bandra Sea Link would be known 'Veer Savarkar Setu'.
DRDO Organises 'Anusandhaan Chintan Shivir' to Encourage Defence R&D
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), organised an 'Anusandhaan Chintan Shivir' with an aim to encourage military R&D within the industry and academia.
The Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) also unveiled a comprehensive list of 75 technology priority areas aimed at bolstering the indigenous defence manufacturing sector in India. This strategic move is expected to stimulate innovation, indigenization and self-reliance, placing the country on a trajectory towards enhanced military technology design and development. The unveiling of these priority areas, along with the DRDO Technology Foresight 2023 document, marked a significant milestone in promoting engagement between industry, academia and the defense research establishment.
The DRDO Technology Foresight 2023 document serves as a comprehensive guide, listing various technology areas on which DRDO laboratories are currently working. It not only identifies ongoing technology development activities but also outlines future areas of focus necessary for the development of cutting-edge defence systems and strengthening national security.
National Statistics Day is celebrated on June 29 every year to recognize the contributions of P. C. Mahanalobis.
Indian government designated June 29 as National Statistics Day in recognition of the contributions made by Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis in the fields of statistics and economic planning on June 5, 2007. The first National Statistics Day was celebrated on June 29, 2007 and it has been celebrated on the same day since then.
Professor Mahalanobis was part of the first planning commission of India and was instrumental in establishing the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) in 1931.
The theme of National Statistics Day, 2023 was 'Alignment of State Indicator Framework with National Indicator Framework for Monitoring Sustainable Development Goals'.
International Day of the Tropics
International Day of the Tropics is observed annually on June 29. Its purpose is to acknowledge the extraordinary variety of the tropics while shedding more light on the distinctive challenges and opportunities that are faced by tropical areas. To raise awareness about the specific challenges of tropical countries at all levels, and the implications and issues affecting the world's tropical regions, the International Day of the Tropics is observed on June 29 all across the globe.
On June 14, 2016 the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution that declared June 29 as the International Day of the Tropics. The UN chose the date June 29 to mark the anniversary of the inaugural 'State of Tropics Report'. The report was launched in 2014 by Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi from Myanmar (Burma).
Cabinet Approves Introduction of National Research Foundation Bill in Parliament
The Union Cabinet approved the introduction of National Research Foundation (NRF) Bill, 2023, in parliament. The Bill aims to pave the way to establish NRF that will seed, grow and promote research and development (R&D) and foster a culture of research and innovation throughout India's universities, colleges, research institutions, and R&D laboratories.
The NRF, an apex body to provide high-level strategic direction of scientific research in the country as per recommendations of the National Education Policy (NEP), will be set up at an estimated cost of Rs.50,000 crore over 2023-28.
The Department of Science and Technology (DST) will be the administrative Department of NRF which will have a governing board consisting of researchers and professionals across disciplines.
Since the scope of the NRF is wide-ranging, impacting all ministries, the Prime Minister will be the ex-officio president of the board and the ministers of Science & Technology and Education will be ex-officio vice-presidents. NRF's functioning will be governed by an executive council chaired by the principal scientific adviser to the government.
NUS Makes History: First Asian University in QS Rankings Best 10
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the US topped the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Ranking for the twelfth consecutive time this year (2023), followed closely by UK's Cambridge University and Oxford University. Notably, the National University of Singapore (NUS) moved up three positions from rank 11 last year (2022) to become the first Asian university to break into the top 10 club.
The rankings in the latest edition saw minimal changes within the top 10 list. However, significant fluctuations were observed in the lower rankings.
Overall, American universities made up half of the top 20 institutions in the world, with UC Berkeley, after a long absence, making a comeback to the best 10 list this time (2023). ETH Zurich retained its title as the best university in Europe for the sixteenth year in a row.
Banking on World Heritage: Depicting Cultural Treasures through Banknotes
The Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) is set to host an extraordinary exhibition titled 'Banking on World Heritage'. This unique exhibition, curated by Rukmini Dahanukar, founder of 'Money Talks' and an independent scholar, will showcase banknotes featuring world heritage sites listed by UNESCO. The exhibition aims to provide a novel perspective on these cultural treasures and will be held at IGNCA from June 30 to July 9, 2023. This event holds significance as it aligns with India's presidency of the G-20 Summit, India's 75th year of independence, and the 50th year of UNESCO's World Heritage Convention.
The exhibition will be inaugurated by Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture, Meenakashi Lekhi. The inauguration ceremony will witness the presence of High Commissioners and Ambassadors from G20 countries. The theme of the exhibition, 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' or 'One Earth One Family One Future' perfectly encapsulates the outstanding universal values of world heritage.
This exhibition offers a remarkable opportunity for visitors to witness the depiction of UNESCO World Heritage Sites through banknotes. The member countries of the G-20 have contributed their currencies, making this collection a valuable representation of diverse civilizations. Each banknote serves as a miniature canvas, highlighting the grand monuments and historic wonders that have shaped our shared human history.
World's Largest Cruise Ship Completes Trial Run, Set to Sail Next Year
Royal Caribbean International's highly anticipated cruise ship, 'Icon of the Seas', successfully completed its trial run and is ready to embark on its maiden voyage through the breathtaking waters of the Caribbean early next year. With its impressive dimensions and a plethora of remarkable features, this colossal vessel is poised to redefine luxury cruising.
Measuring at a staggering 1,200 feet (365 meters) in length and weighing an astounding 250,800 tonnes, the Icon of the Seas sets a new standard in size and grandeur. Its passenger capacity exceeds all expectations, with the ability to accommodate over 7,960 individuals, including 5,610 passengers and 2,350 crew members. The ship's extraordinary amenities include a record-breaking water park comprising six exhilarating water slides known as Category 6, as well as seven pools and nine whirlpools.
Royal Caribbean proudly revealed that the Icon of the Seas surpasses its current largest ship, the Wonder of the Seas, by an impressive 6% in size and an additional 10 feet in length. This architectural marvel was meticulously constructed at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland.
SC Collegium Undergoes Changes after Retirement of Two Senior Judges
Chief Justice of India D. Y. Chandrachud-led five-judge Collegium underwent a change with the inclusion of Justices B. R. Gavai and Surya Kant, after two senior judges demitted office during the summer break.
Justices K. M. Joseph and Ajay Rastogi, who were part of the Collegium, retired on June 16 and 17, respectively.
Besides the CJI, the revamped Collegium now includes Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul, Sanjiv Khanna, B. R. Gavai and Surya Kant.
Interestingly, three members of the revamped Collegium---Justices Khanna, Gavai and Surya Kant-- will over time become the CJI.
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