1 President Draupadi Murmu appointed BJP MP Bhartruhari Mahtab as the temporary Speaker till the election of the Lok Sabha Speaker.
President Draupadi Murmu has appointed BJP MP Bhartruhari Mahtab as the interim Speaker till the election of the Lok Sabha Speaker . In a social media post, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said that Kodikunnil Suresh, Thalikakotayi Rajutevar Balu, Radhamohan Singh, Faggan Singh Kulaste and Sudip Bandopadhyay have also been appointed to assist the interim Speaker in the swearing-in of the newly elected members of the 18th Lok Sabha. The first session of the 18th Lok Sabha will begin on June 24. The election of the Lok Sabha Speaker will be held on June 26. The newly elected members will be sworn in during the session. President Draupadi Murmu will address a joint sitting of both the Houses of Parliament. The Rajya Sabha will meet on June 27. The Parliament session will end on July 3.
2 Surma Padhi became the Speaker of Odisha Legislative Assembly
On June 20 , senior BJP leader Surma Padhi took charge as Odisha Assembly Speaker . She has become the second woman to become the Speaker of the Assembly after Pramila Malik . Surma Padhi joined BJP in 1988. She was the state BJP Mahila Morcha president from 1998 to 2000. She was elected national president of BJP Mahila Morcha from 2002-04. She contested for the first time in 2004 from Ranpur seat of Nayagarh district on a BJP ticket, and won. She has served as Minister of State with Independent Charge of Cooperative Department in the BJD-BJP coalition government in Odisha from 2004-09. BJP formed the government in Odisha after winning 78 out of 147 seats.
3 High Court canceled the decision of 65% reservation in Bihar
On June 20, the Patna High Court rejected the Bihar government ‘s decision to increase the reservation limit . The state government had decided to increase the reservation for SC-ST, OBC and EBC from 50% to 65% in educational institutions and government jobs. This was challenged in the High Court. The petitioner had argued that reservation should be based on the social and educational backwardness of these categories rather than their population. The Bihar government’s decision is a violation of Article 16 (1) and Article 15 (1) of the Constitution . Article 16 (1) provides equal opportunity for all citizens in matters relating to employment or appointment to any office under the state . Article 15 (1) prohibits any kind of discrimination . After the survey report of the caste census was made public, the government increased the scope of reservation to 65% for OBCs, EBCs, Dalits and Adivasis. In this, the quota was increased to 65% by including 10% reservation given to economically backward upper castes in government jobs and higher educational institutions in Bihar.
4 Air pollution will kill 81 lakh people in 2021
On June 19, the Health Effects Institute (HEI), an American organization associated with UNICEF , released data on deaths worldwide due to air pollution . According to this report, about 81 lakh people died worldwide in 2021. This is 12% of the total deaths worldwide , half of the deaths are from India and China. In 2021, India had the highest number of child deaths due to air pollution-related diseases at 1,69,400. All the children were under 5 years of age. After India, the highest number of child deaths occurred in Nigeria (1,14,100), Pakistan (68,100), Ethiopia (31,000) and Bangladesh (19,100). 90% of the deaths are caused by pollutants like PM 2.5 generated from transport, housing, forest fires and fossil fuels etc. Apart from this, millions of people are suffering from fatal and serious diseases. In South Asia, most deaths are occurring due to air pollution. After this comes high blood pressure, food habits and tobacco.
5 NHAI signs MoU with IIIT Delhi to enhance road safety through AI
In order to enhance road safety, NHAI has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology ( Delhi ) , a technical university established by the Government of National Capital Territory (NCT) regarding leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) based solutions for improving availability of road signs on National Highways. As a part of this agreement, IIIT Delhi will conduct surveys to collect images and other related data related to availability and condition of road signs on selected National Highways. The estimated length under this project will be around 25,000 km. The data collected through the survey will be processed by IIIT Delhi through the use of Artificial Intelligence for accurate identification and classification of road signs. The survey report based on the results will include a geo-stamped list of existing road signs along with classification, comprehensive structural status of road signs and other supporting data.
6 Ministry of Development and Entrepreneurship partners with Skills Australia Government to strengthen India’s agriculture sector with emerging skills
The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), in collaboration with the Government of Australia , organized a comprehensive and productive round table interaction to discuss learnings from the Australia-India Critical Agriculture Skills Pilot Project . The meeting was co-led by Shri Atul Kumar Tiwari, Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Mr. Matthew Johnston, Minister Counsellor (Education & Research), Australian High Commission. The meeting focused on opportunities to scale up this initiative and replicate the model in other regions.
7 Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying signed an agreement with National Dairy Development Board for upgradation of biocontainment facility and execution of related repair works
Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying (DAHD), Ministry of Fisheries & Dairying signed an agreement with National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) in presence of Secretary, Ms. Alka Upadhyay for “ Upgradation of Biocontainment Facility and related repair works ” at Chaudhary Charan Singh National Institute of Animal Health (CCSNIAH), Baghpat. The estimated budgetary expenditure for these works is Rs. 160 Crore and it is planned to be completed within 20 months. Senior officers of the Department, CCSNIAH, Baghpat and National Dairy Development Board were present on the occasion.
8 Discovery of a new species of freshwater diatom from Eastern and Western Ghats
Researchers have discovered a new species of gomphonmoid diatom found in a freshwater river of the Eastern Ghats . The species has several interesting features that distinguish it from other members of the gomphonmoid group in terms of valve symmetry and some other valve features. It has been named Indiconema to acknowledge its limited distribution in the country . This research underlines the importance of diatoms in shaping the biodiversity of India’s diverse landscapes. Diatoms are microscopic algae that play a vital role in our daily lives by producing 25 per cent of global oxygen , i.e., about every fourth breath of oxygen we take. They serve as the base of the aquatic food chain. Due to their sensitivity to any water chemistry change, they are excellent indicators of aquatic health.
9 Arunachal Pradesh: A new species of plant discovered in Mandala area of West Kameng district
A team of researchers from the Arunachal Pradesh Regional Center of the Botanical Survey of India has discovered a new species of plant in the Mandala area of West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh. It has been named Petrocosmia Arunachalense . The plant named Petrocosmia Arunachalense has been discovered in India for the first time. The discovery of this plant reveals the remarkable diversity of plants found in Arunachal Pradesh. Detailed research has been done about the related plants in the Nordic Journal of Botany. This plant has been discovered under the leadership of Dr. Krishna Chaulu. The research team also included Akshat Shenoy and Ajit Roy of APRC, Itanagar.
10 The world’s first conservation and breeding center for the Asian King vulture species will be set up in Maharajganj, Uttar Pradesh
The world’s first conservation and breeding centre for the Asian King vulture species will be set up in Maharajganj , Uttar Pradesh . The centre is named Jatayu Conservation and Breeding Centre . The centre will improve the population of the endangered species which has been listed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s endangered list since 2007. The Asian King vulture is under threat due to loss of habitats and excessive use of diclofenac drug in domestic animals . This drug is poisonous for vultures. The aim of the centre is to ensure the good health of vultures and increase their population.
11 Canada declares Iran’s IRGC a terrorist organization
Canada has declared the Iran Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) , a branch of Iran ‘s armed forces , a terrorist organization . Canada’s Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc said his country would do its best to deal with the IRGC’s terrorist activities. Iranian officials, including top IRGC members, have been banned from entering Canada.
12 National Monetisation Pipeline monetised assets worth Rs 3.85 lakh crore in 3 years
According to a recent statement by Niti Aayog , assets worth Rs 3.85 lakh crore have been monetised by the government under the National Monetisation Pipeline during the first three years of the financial period from the year 2021-22 to 2024-25. Niti Aayog has been entrusted with the responsibility of developing the National Monetisation Pipeline. The NMP envisages a total monetisation potential of Rs 6 lakh crore through leasing out of key assets of the Central Government in sectors such as roads, railways, power, oil and gas pipelines, telecom, civil aviation, etc. over a period of four years (FY 2021-22 to 2024-25). Monetisation through NMP covers only core assets, excluding monetisation through disinvestment of non-core assets. At present, only assets of the concerned ministries of the Central Government and CPSEs of the infrastructure sector are included in it.
13 India to conduct its first multinational air exercise Tarang Shakti in August
In August 2024 , India will hold its first multinational air exercise called Tarang Shakti-2024 , in which 10 countries will participate and some others will join as observers. It is inspired by the Red Flag exercise held by the US. It will be held in two phases, the first phase in South India and the second in the west . Australia, France, Germany, Japan, Spain, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and the United States are expected to participate in it. Germany will showcase the A-400M aircraft. It is being considered as a possible option for open tender in the category of medium transport aircraft.
14 Dhanlaxmi Bank appoints Ajith Kumar KK as Managing Director
Private sector Dhanlaxmi Bank said it has appointed Ajit Kumar KK as the Managing Director (MD) of the bank . Kerala -based Dhanlaxmi Bank told the stock market that he will take charge on June 20. The board of directors of the bank approved the appointment of Ajit Kumar KK as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the bank for three years from June 20, 2024.
15 Kottakkal Arya Vaidya Sala conferred honorary doctorate degree on P. Madhavankutty Warrier
Kottakkal Arya Vaidya Sala , a renowned Ayurvedic institution, celebrated a significant milestone as its managing trustee and chief physician, P. Madhavankutty Varrier, was conferred the honorary Doctor of Science (DSc) degree by the Kerala University of Health Sciences (KUHS) . Along with Dr. Varrier, two other eminent personalities were also conferred honorary DSc degrees by KUHS. M.R. Rajagopal, known as the ‘father of palliative care in India’, and S. Somanath, chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation, received the prestigious honour. The awards were presented by Governor Arif Mohammad Khan .
16 India and America to launch NASA-ISRO radar for climate change
India and the United States (US) are preparing to jointly launch a NASA-ISRO synthetic aperture radar to tackle climate change and other global challenges . The announcement was made by the White House, as National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan is in New Delhi on a two-day visit. A new partnership is being launched between the US Space Force and Indian startups, 114ai and 3rdiTech . The partnership includes advancing space situational awareness, data fusion technologies and infrared sensor semiconductor manufacturing. As the world’s two oldest and largest democracies, the United States and India share a unique bond of friendship, and Mr Sullivan’s visit will further deepen the already strong US-India partnership to build a safer and more prosperous Indo-Pacific.
17 Delhi airport launches India’s first self-service mechanism for check-in baggage
Delhi International Airport Limited on June 17 launched a self-service mechanism aimed at enabling passengers to complete the process of depositing their luggage, collecting tags and printing boarding passes in a shorter time. Delhi’s IGI Airport has installed around 50 self-service bag drop (SSBD) units in Terminal 1 and Terminal 3. These units are available for passengers of three airlines – Air India, IndiGo and Air India Express. Under this new mechanism, passengers can collect their luggage tags from the CUSS kiosks on arrival and attach them. Passengers then place their bags on the SBD conveyor belt, and the system opens the respective airline’s application on the SBD machine with a click.
18 RBI imposes heavy fine on Central Bank of India and Sonali Bank PLC
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed fines on Central Bank of India and Sonali Bank PLC for violations related to customer protection and KYC norms. Central Bank of India has been fined ₹1.45 crore for irregularities such as irregular loan approvals and unauthorised transaction delays. Sonali Bank PLC has been fined ₹96.4 lakh for non-compliance with KYC directions, 2016. These penalties highlight RBI’s commitment to enforce regulatory and statutory compliance in the banking sector.
19 Lee Zii Jia wins at BWF Australian Open 2024
In a thrilling final at the BWF Australian Open 2024 in Sydney on June 16 , Malaysia ‘s Lee Zii Jia emerged victorious against Japan ‘s Naraoka Kodai to claim his second title of the season. Lee won the Thailand Open last month and the final score was 21-19, 11-21, 21-18.
20 Virat Kohli becomes India’s most valuable celebrity brand
According to the Celebrity Brand Valuation Report 2023 released by global consulting firm Kroll , cricketer Virat Kohli has reclaimed the top spot as India’s most valuable celebrity brand with a brand value of $227.9 million . This marks a 30% increase in his brand value from $176.9 million in 2022. Kohli’s remarkable brand value surpassed Bollywood star Ranveer Singh, who ranked second with a brand value of $203.1 million. The cricket icon had previously overtaken Shah Rukh Khan in 2017 and his brand value has increased by 58% since then.
