‘Air-Venti’ App to provide information on ICU beds, ventilators in Mumbai

1.International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict: 19 June

International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict is observed globally on 19th June every year.The day honours all the victims and survivors of sexual violence around the world and pays tribute to the brave hearts who have devoted and lost their lives in raising voices.According to UN, conflict-related sexual violence is defined as a term that “refers to rape, sexual slavery, forced prostitution, forced pregnancy, forced abortion, enforced sterilization, forced marriage, and any other form of sexual violence of comparable gravity perpetrated against women, men, girls or boys that is directly or indirectly linked (temporally, geographically or causally) to a conflict”.

2.Elbasy Nursultan Nazarbayev, Kazakhstan’s First President, Tests COVID-19 Positive

First president of Kazakhstan, Elbasy Nursultan Nazarbayev tested positive for COVID-19 coronavirus infection.The report said that Nazarbayev continues carrying out activities via videoconferencing.Currently, the First President of Kazakhstan is self-isolating.The first two cases of coronavirus infection were detected in Kazakhstan among those who arrived in Almaty city from Germany on March 13, 2020.The total number of coronavirus cases confirmed in Kazakhstan since the virus was first confirmed in the country amounted to 15,877 cases.

3.France commits 200 million Euros for India’s COVID response

France and India signed an agreement with Paris committing 200 million euros to support Delhi’s Covid response.Through this loan, France will work with India to increase the state and central governments’ capacities to support the country’s most vulnerable people in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis.The programme design, developed by the World Bank in collaboration with the Indian authorities, seeks to optimize and scale up the Indian Government’s existing social protection measures.The programme will provide further benefits to low-income families to ensure the health, social and economic shocks arising from Covid-19.

4.PM Modi pays tribute to Acharya Mahapragya on his birth centenary

Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to Acharya Mahapragya on his birth centenary celebration.He also described Acharya Mahapragya as the Swami Vivekanand of modern times.The Prime Minister said that Atal Bihari Vajpayee was also a follower of Acharya Mahapragya.Acharya Shri Mahapragya was the tenth head of the Shwetambar Terapanth order of Jainism.Mahapragya was a saint, yogi, spiritual leader, philosopher, author, orator, and poet.He has written more than 300 books in Sanskrit, Hindi, Gujarati, English on these subjects.

5.Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh inaugurates an International Workshop on Good Governance Practices in a Pandemic

The International Workshop on “Good Governance Practices in a Pandemic for International Civil Servants” was inaugurated by the Union Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Jitendra Singh.The workshop was organized by Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC), Ministry of External Affairs and National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG), Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG).The two-day Conference featured the participation of 81 International Civil Servants from 16 Countries.

6.Government unveils auction process for coal mines

India fully opened commercial coal mining for the private sector through auctions designed to boost production, reduce imports and raise state revenues.The auction of 41 coal blocks, announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is expected to attract ₹33,000 crore in investments, with private miners sharing revenues with the government.The blocks are located across Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha and Maharashtra.There will be no restriction on the sale and utilization of coal from the mines.Despite hosting the world’s fourth-largest coal reserves, India imports around 235 million tonnes (mt) of coal a year, of which around 135 mt worth ₹1.71 trillion could be sourced locally.According to the coal ministry, these 41 mines are expected to hit a peak production of 225 mt, generating around 15% of India’s coal output in 2025-26.

7.’Air-Venti’ App to provide information on ICU beds, ventilators in Mumbai

In Maharashtra, amid the COVID-19 crisis, Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) has launched a mobile application “Air-Venti” to help residents in the city to know about the availability of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds and Ventilators.The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the acute shortage of ventilators for the ‘Respiratory Intensive Care Unit’ for severely ill patients.The mobile app ‘Air-Venti’ launched by the civic body in Mumbai aims to provide overall statistics of ICU beds and ventilators that are occupied and vacant in both govt and private hospitals besides location map, ability to contact hospital through telephonic call and email is also available.

8.Karnataka Government observes “Mask Day” on 18 June

The Karnataka government has decided to observe June 18 as “Mask Day”.The day was observed to spread awareness about the use of masks, sanitisers, washing hands with soap, and maintaining social distancing among other things aimed at controlling the spread of COVID-19.To observe “Mask Day”, the Karnataka government organised a march which featured the participation of public representatives, dignitaries and medical staff.

9.Indian Railways terminate Chinese Contract due to poor performance

Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India (DFCCIL) has decided to terminate the contract with Beijing National Railway Research and Design Institute of Signal and Communication Group limited.The contract has been terminated due to poor performance of the company.In 2016, the Chinese company had won the contract to install signalling system and telecommunications work in over 400 kilometre of rail lines of Kanpur Deendayal Upadhyaya section.Despite the passage of four years there is only 20 per cent progress in the work.

10.British oil giant BP to set up global business centre in Pune

British Petroleum’s (BP) India is planning to set up a global business service centre in Pune and hire 2000 people for the same.This is in contrast to the oil major’s other plans as part of which it is laying off 10,000 employees.BP said the global business service (GBS) centre is expected to begin operations by January next year and will provide business processing and advanced analytics capabilities in support of BP businesses worldwide.When fully operational it is expected to employ around 2,000 staff.

11.ICICI Home Finance launches affordable housing loan scheme

ICICI Home Finance has launched a special affordable housing loan scheme, with special rates for women, lower and middle income groups.Called SARAL, it aims to fund homes in urban and rural areas.It has been developed for women, lower-middle-income customers, and economically weaker sections who have a maximum household income up to Rs 6 lakhs annually.This housing loan is offered at an interest rate starting from 7.98 per cent onwards.Under the SARAL affordable housing loan, one can opt for a loan up to Rs 35 lakhs, and for a maximum tenure of 20 years.

12.Malayalam filmmaker Sachidanandan passes away

Malayalam writer-director KR Sachidanandan, popularly known in the industry as Sachy, passed away.

• Sachy was on ventilator support prior to his death for almost two days.
• He suffered a cardiac arrest and hypoxic brain damage, wherein the brain does not get enough oxygen.
• Sachy debuted in the film industry as a writer, collaborating with fellow writer and screenwriter Sethunath.
• The duo, known as Sachy-Sethu, went on to write hits such as Chocolate, Makeup Man, Robin Hood, and Seniors.
• Sachy started off as a writer in the Malayalam film industry, and then moved on to direction, debuting as a director in 2015 with the Prithviraj-starrer Anarkali.