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IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF JUNE 5^th, 2019

              IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF JUNE 5^th, 2019

1.      (5th June 2019) is World Environment Day.

a.       This day is observed to raise global awareness to take positive environmental action to protect nature and the planet Earth.

b.       This day was established by the United Nations General Assembly in the year 1972 on the day that United Nations Conference on the Human Environment began. 

c.       This year’s host country : China

d.       Last year's host country : India

e.       Theme for the World Environment Day 2019 : ‘Beat Air Pollution’.

2.      Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is going to attend the 2-day meeting of G20 Finance Ministers and central bank governorsin Japan beginning June 8.

a.       She will be presenting India's views on taxation of the digital economy at the meeting, urging greater cooperation among nations. 

b.       Besides Sitharaman, RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das is also likely to attend the meeting at Fukuoka in Japan.

c.       Important Points to Note :

i)       Last week she took charge as the first full-time woman finance minister of the country.

ii)     This will be the 1st overseas visit of Sitharaman as finance minister. 

3.      Social Justice and Empowerment minister Thaawarchand Gehlot has left for Buenos Aires in Argentina to participate in 2nd Global Disability Summit.

a.       The objective of the 3-day summit is to deliberate on issues across the world concerning empowerment and inclusion of Persons with Disabilities and to work out a mechanism for enabling them to live an independent and dignified life.

4.      Chinese President Xi Jinping has arrived in Moscow for a state visit to Russia and the 23rd St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.

a.       Xi will have talks in the Kremlin with President Vladimir Putin before attending a formal reception.

b.       The visit comes 5 years after Moscow's annexation of Crimea in 2014 led to a serious rift with its Western partners and subsequent turn toward its neighbour to the east.

c.       The 3-day visit to Russia marks a new era of friendship and reinforce economic ties that had benefited from Moscow's isolation from the West.

5.      Eid-ul-Fitr, which marks the culmination of the holy month of Ramzan, is being celebrated in India today, as the moon was sighted on Tuesday evening. 

a.       Jama Masjid Shahi Imam Syed Ahmed Bukhari made the announcement after a meeting of the moon-sighting committee. 

6.      Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar today planted a sapling in Paryavaran Bhawan in New Delhi on the occasion of World Environment Day.

a.       Mr Javadekar said people must plant a sapling to save the environment and to get the fresh air.

b.       He welcomed the decision of Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkariof planting 125 core trees along the Highways in the country. 

c.       He said every citizen can plant eight saplings towards saving the environment.

7.      The Agra Municipal Corporation has announced that Panic Buttons will be installed at 63 major streets and junctions. 

a.       Once a panic button is pressed, all traffic lights in Agra will turn red to obstruct the perpetrator's movement and alert the nearby police station. 

b.       Alerts can also be sent to ambulance services and the fire brigade.

8.      India's tallest rubbish mountain in New Delhi is on course to rise higher than the Taj Mahal in 2020.

a.       The Ghazipur landfill rises nearly 10 metres a year and is already more than 65 metres high. 

b.       At its current rate of growth, it is expected to be taller than Agra's 73-metre-high Taj Mahal monument next year.

9.      The Madhya Pradesh cabinet today passed a resolution to increase the reservation quota for Other Backward Classes from 14% to 27%.  

a.       This is set to take the total reservation in the state to 63%, including the reservations for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes. 

b.       However, 10% quota for the economically weaker sections takes the total to 73%.

10. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set up 2 new cabinet committees to increase economic growth, investment and employment opportunities.

a.       A 5-member Cabinet Committee on Investment and Growth includes Home Minister Amit Shah, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Road Transport and Highway Nitin Gadkari and Railway Minister Piyush Goyal.

b.       Another 10 members ministerial panel is also formed focusing on employment and skill development.

i)       The committee comprises Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Skill and Entrepreneurship Minister Mahendra Nath Pandey, Labour and Employment Minister Santosh Gangwar and Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Puri. 

ii)     The Panel also includes Amit Shah, Nirmala Sitharaman, Piyush Goyal and Nitin Gadkari.

11. State-owned Bharat Petroleum (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum (HPCL) announced they have picked 25% stake each in India's longest LPG pipeline projectbeing laid by Indian Oil. 

a.       The project, which entails an investment of ₹10,000 crore, involves laying of pipeline from Gujarat's Kandla to Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur. 

b.       Note : Indian Oil will hold the remaining 50% stake in the project.

12. Preparations are underway for the 7th Economic Census (7th EC) likely to commence by the end of June or the early next month.

a.       Economic Census is the complete count of all establishment located within the geographical boundary of the country. 

b.       In the current Economic Census, MoSPI has partnered with CSC e-Governance Services India Limited, a Special Purpose Vehicle under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology as the implementing agency.

c.        In the 7th EC, an IT-based digital platform for data capture, validation, report generation and dissemination will be used. 

d.       The results of the exercise will be made available after the verification and validation of the field work.

13. The 6-member Monetary Policy Committee of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will announce the 2nd bi-monthly monetary policy statement for 2019-20 tomorrow.

a.       The 3 -day meeting of the committee began in Mumbai on Tuesday amid expectations of a 3rd straight rate cut of 25 basis points. 

b.       The key lending rate or the repo rate currently stands at 6 percent.

c.       Note : This will be RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das’ 3rd policy review after taking charge. 

14. Google's India-born CEO Sundar Pichai and Nasdaq president Adena Friedman have been chosen for the prestigious Global Leadership Awards 2019 by business advocacy group USIBC in recognition of the two companies' contribution as the leading technology-driven platforms.

a.       The award by Washington-based US-India Business Council (USIBC) would be conferred upon Indian-American Pichai, 46, and Friedman, 50, during the next week's 'India Ideas Summit'.

15. Veteran comedian, film and theatre actor Dinyar Contractor (79) passed away .

a.       The actor had featured in several Bollywood films including 'Baadshah', and 'Khiladi' along with television shows like 'Khichdi' and 'Hum Sab Ek Hain', and was also awarded the Padma Shri in January 2019.​

16. Nechama Rivlin (73), the wife of Israeli President Reuven Rivlin, has died.

17. Democratic lawmaker Pramila Jayapal has become the 1st South Asian American woman to preside over the House of Representatives. 

a.       Born in Chennai, 53-year-old Pramila went to pursue her studies in the US when she was 16 years old.

18. Former Chief Secretary Ajeya Kallam was appointed as the Principal advisor to Andhra Pradesh CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. 

a.       Kallam will be in the position for 3 years, with a monthly salary of ₹2.5 lakh.

19. Nigeria's Ambassador to the United Nations Tijjani Muhammad-Bande was elected as President of the 74th session of the UN General Assembly. 

a.       The 193-member UNGA elected Muhammad-Bande, who had been nominated by Nigeria and endorsed by the African group, at the election by acclamation.

b.       Note : India had supported Muhammad-Bande's candidature describing him as a great friend and a well-known son of Africa during an informal interactive dialogue with the Nigerian envoy last month.

20. Sunil Chhetri became the most capped India player today by surpassing Bhaichung Bhutia's 107 international matches.

a.       In his milestone match of the King's Cup football tournament in Buriram, Thailand, he scored the lone goal for his side in the 31st minute from a spot kick for his 69th goal. 

21. The Asian Football Confederation today confirmed that China will stage the 2023 Asian Cup football after South Korea, Thailand and Indonesia dropped their bids. 

a.       It will mark the 2nd time for China to host the quadrennial continental tournament. 

b.       In the 2004 edition, China had finished runners-up to Japan.

22. The National Testing Agency (NTA) today declared the results of National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET).

a.       Nalin Khandelwal of Rajasthan has obtained the All India Rank (AIR) 1 in NEET UG 2019 with 701 out of 720 marks.