Daily Current Affairs 21st June, 2021

Daily Current Affairs 21 June 2021 for Banking/Insurance/SSC and other related exams.

NATIONAL NEWS

Cabinet approves Inland Vessels Bill
The Union Cabinet, approved the Inland Vessel Bill 2021 that will streamline and regulate inland vessels running in the country, said Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister Ports, Shipping and Waterways.

• The Inland Vessels Bill 2021 will replace Inland Vessels Act, 1917. 
• The Inland Vessel Bill, 2021 will promote economical and safe transportation as well as trade through inland waterways.
• The Bill will make provisions for safe navigation, protection of cargo, and prevent pollution caused during the use of inland vessels.

PAN To Be Declared ‘INOPERATIVE’ If Not Linked Before June 30, 2021
The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) had recently extended the deadline to link Permanent Account Number (PAN) with Aadhaar number to June 30, 2021, due to the difficulties posed by the ongoing Covid pandemic.

• So now as the deadline is fast approaching, here are some guidelines which must be kept in mind.
• As per the new Section 234H of the Income-tax Act 1961, which has been recently introduced during Budget 2021, the PAN cards which are not linked to Aadhaar after June 30, 2021, would be declared “inoperative”, as well as a penalty of Rs 1,000 may also be imposed.

“Jaan Hai To Jahaan Hai” campaign launched to create awareness on Corona vaccination: Naqvi

Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi has said that a nationwide “Jaan Hai To Jahaan Hai” awareness campaign launched to create awareness on Corona vaccination in rural and remote areas of the country.

• The campaign also aims to “Crush and Curb” the rumours and apprehensions, being spread by some vested interests regarding the on-going vaccination drive.
• Mr. Naqvi said that the Ministry of Minority Affairs, along with various Socio-Educational Organisations, NGOs and Women Self Help Groups will launch the awareness campaign. 

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Ease Of Living Index: Bengaluru ‘Most Liveable’ City
Bengaluru has been named as the most liveable city of India, in the Ease of Living Index 2020, released by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).

• The Ease of Living Index 2020 is part of the report titled State of India’s Environment 2021. Bengaluru is followed by Chennai, Shimla, Bhubaneshwar, and Mumbai, as the top five best cities respectively.
• Of the 49 cities ranked on livability index in the ‘million-plus population’ category, Delhi figures at the 13th spot and Srinagar at the bottom.
• According to the index released by Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, Shimla topped the category of cities with ‘population less than million’.In this category, Bhubaneshwar was ranked second, Silvassa came third, and they were followed by Kakinada, Salem, Vellore, Gandhinagar, Gurgaon, Davangere and Tiruchirapalli.
• Muzaffarpur was at the bottom of the list of 62 cities that were ranked on livability index in the ‘less than million population’ category.

India and US launch a hydrogen task force in clean energy push
The United States Department of Energy (DOE), India’s Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) and the US India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) have jointly launched a US-India Hydrogen Task Force. This is under the US-India Strategic Clean Energy Partnership (SCEP).
This new Task Force represents industry and government stake holders to assess technology status, study innovative policy options, and make recommendations.

• The Hydrogen Task Force will be organized into a Steering Committee at the Government level, an Industry council, and working groups or subcommittees in identified priority areas. The focus will be on strengthening cooperation on hydrogen between industry and institutions from both countries.

India, Japan conduct bilateral naval exercise in Indian Ocean
Ships of the Indian Navy and Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) participated in a joint naval exercise at the Indian Ocean to realize “Free and Open Indo-Pacifyurwwic.

• Naval cooperation between India and Japan has increased in scope and complexity over the years.
• Last year, in the month of September, Indian Navy and JMSDF conducted a three day naval exercise JIMEX-2020  in the North Arabian Sea.It was the 4th edition of India-Japan maritime bilateral exercise JIMEX.

Narendra Singh Tomar addresses the 42nd session of the FAO Congress
Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Narendra Singh Tomar addressed 42nd session The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) conference virtually.

• The FAO and all 193 members of the European Union supported the new Strategic Framework 2022-2031 Which will support the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
• Hans Hoogwein, Permanent Representative of the Netherlands to United Nations Organizations in Rome, as New Independent Chairman of the Council (ICC) for the next two years (2021–23).He will replace Khalid Mehboob of Pakistan.

SPORTS

Max Verstappen Wins 2021 French Grand Prix
Formula One championship leader Max Verstappen overtook Lewis Hamilton on the penultimate lap to win the French Grand Prix and extend his lead over his title rival to 12 points.

• Verstappen used the DRS system to catch Hamilton on Lap 52 and pass him on the inside before zooming off to clinch his third win of the season and 13th of his career.
• A bonus point for the fastest lap made it a great day for Red Bull, which had never beaten Mercedes on the Paul Ricard circuit in southern France.

APPOINTMENTS

Ebrahim Raisi secures landslide victory in Iran’s presidential election
Ebrahim Raisi, a hardline judge who is under U.S. sanctions for human rights abuses, secured victory as expected in Iran’s presidential election after a contest marked by voter apathy over economic hardships and political restrictions.

• Mr Raisi has taken an unassailable lead in the election, winning 17.8 million votes. His closest rival, Mohsen Rezaei, a senior conservative general, won just 3.3 million votes, while the sole reformist candidate, Abdolnaser Hemmati, a former central bank governor, took 2.4 million votes.

Montek Ahluwalia Named Member Of World Bank-IMF High Advisory Group
Montek Singh Ahluwalia, former Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission and distinguished fellow at the Centre for Social and Economic Progress (CSEP), was named as a member of a High-Level Advisory Group (HLAG) formed by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in the face of the dual crisis posed by the Covid-19 pandemic and climate change.

• The aim of the HLAG on sustainable and inclusive recovery and growth is to “help secure a strong recovery and set a path for green, resilient, and inclusive development over the coming decade.
• The group will be jointly led by Mari Pangestu, Managing Director for Development Policy and Partnerships, World Bank; Ceyla Pazarbasioglu, Director, Strategy, Policy and Review Department, International Monetary Fund; and Lord Nicholas Stern of the London School of Economics.
• The group will also include Gita Gopinath, Economic Counsellor and Director of the Research Department at the IMF, among others.

AWARDS

Gandhi Documentary Wins Top Award At New York Indian Film Festival
A documentary on Mahatma Gandhi produced by internationally-renowned South African filmmaker Anant Singh has won the Best Documentary Feature Award at the 21st New York Indian Film Festival. 

• The film, titled Ahimsa Gandhi: The Power of the Powerless’, written and directed by Ramesh Sharma, was produced by Singh’s company Videovision to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi’s birth in 2019.
• In the film, a host of historians and academics from across the globe share their views on the impact that Gandhi had on the world.

IN Ships Sahyadri, Kiltan, Khukri adjudged as Best Ships of Eastern Naval Command
Fleet Awards Function 2021 was held to celebrate the operational achievements of the Eastern Fleet during the last year.

• Fleet Awards Function marks the culmination of the Operational Cycle of the Eastern Fleet and recognises accomplishments of the ‘Sword Arm’ of the Eastern Naval Command(ENC).
• INS Sahyadri was adjudged as the Best Ship of the Eastern Fleet amongst Capital ships, INS Kamorta as the Most Spirited Ship for displaying indomitable spirit and grit whilst undertaking a plethora of challenging missions and Best Corvette trophy as jointly won by IN Ships Kiltan and Khukri amongst Corvettes and similar classes of ships.

ENVIRONMENT

World’s Third-Largest Diamond Unearthed In Botswana
A huge diamond weighing more than 1,000 carats, which could be the third-largest mined in history, has been discovered in the southern African country of Botswana.

• The high-quality gemstone weighing 1,098.3 carats was unearthed earlier this month in the Jwaneng mine owned by Debswana, the mining company jointly owned by the Botswanan government and the De Beers Group.

BOOKS & AUTHORS

Naveen Patnaik Releases Bishnupada Sethi’s ‘Beyond Here And Other Poems’
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik released a book of poems ‘Beyond Here and Other Poems’ written by senior bureaucrat Bishnupada Sethi. 

• It is a collection of 61 poems that are a reflection of a spectrum of experiences of life, perception of death and philosophical contemplation.

Amitav Ghosh’s New Book  Nutmeg’s Curse’
Jnanpith Awardee and renowned author Amitav Ghosh’s authored a book titled, ‘The Nutmeg’s Curse: Parables for a Planet in Crisis’. It is published by John Murray.

• The book talks about the history of the influence of colonialism on the world today, through the story of the nutmeg.

IMPORTANT DAYS

International Day Of The Celebration Of The Solstice
International Day of the Celebration of the Solstice was observed on June 21.

• This day bring awareness about solstices and equinoxes and their significance for several religions and ethnic cultures.

International Day Of Yoga
India is celebrating the seventh International Day of Yoga virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic.International Yoga Day celebrates the physical and spiritual prowess that yoga has brought to the world stage.

• International Day of Yoga 2021 theme is “Yoga for well-being”, much relevant for our times in a society still recovering from the impact of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.

World Refugee Day
World Refugee Day is observed on June 20 to respect and honour the courage and resilience of refugees across the globe.

• The theme for this year’s World Refugee Day is “Together we heal, learn and shine.”It highlights the basic needs of displaced persons, such as healthcare, nutrition and education.

World Music Day
All over the world, June 21 is celebrated as ‘World Music Day’. It is also known as ‘Fete de la Musique’ in French and Make Music Day as well.

• The aim behind this was to bring people out on the streets and enjoy themselves listening to the music, however they like it.
• The theme of World Music Day 2021 is “Music at the intersections”. This event is also known as  ‘Make Music Day’.

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