Important News
World No-Tobacco Day: 31 May
Every year, on 31st May, the World Health Organization (WHO) and global partners celebrate World No Tobacco Day (WNTD).
The annual campaign is an opportunity to raise awareness on the harmful and deadly effects of tobacco use and second-hand smoke exposure, and to discourage the use of tobacco in any form.
National
Government launches YUVA PM Scheme For Mentoring Young Authors
The Department of Higher Education under the Ministry of Education has launched a new initiative called ‘YUVA- Prime Minister’s Scheme For Mentoring Young Authors’. YUVA stands for Young, Upcoming and Versatile Authors.
It is an Author Mentorship programme to train young and budding authors, below 30 years of age to promote reading, writing and book culture in the country, and project India and Indian writings globally.
The National Book Trust, India under the Ministry of Education will be the Implementing Agency for the scheme.
A total of 75 authors will be selected through an All India Contest, that will be conducted through https://www.mygov.in/ from 1 June – 31 July 2021.
The young winning authors will be trained by eminent authors/mentors.
A consolidated scholarship of Rs.50,000 per month for a period of six months per author will be paid under the Mentorship Scheme.
Useful notes for all competitive exams:
- Chairman of National Book Trust, India: Govind Prasad Sharma.
- The National Book Trust, India is an apex body, established by the Government of India in the year 1957.
Govt announces scheme to provide a pension for dependents of Covid victims
The Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Government of India has announced two major measures for those families who have lost the earning member due to Covid, to mitigate financial difficulties that may be faced by them.
Firstly, the government has decided to provide family pensions to such families, and secondly, provide them with enhanced & liberalized insurance compensation.
Key Facts relating to the schemes
- Family Pension under Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC)
- Dependent family members of such persons will be entitled to get the benefit of a pension equivalent to 90% of the average daily wage drawn by the worker as per the existing norms.
- This benefit will be applicable with effect from 24 March 2020 till 24 March 2022.
2. Employees Provident Fund Organization- Employees’ Deposit Linked Insurance Scheme (EDLI)
- The insurance benefits under the EDLI scheme have been enhanced and liberalized, particularly to help the families of employees who have lost their lives due to COVID.
- The amount of maximum insurance benefit has been increased from Rs 6 lakh to Rs. 7 lakh.
- The provision of minimum insurance benefit has been retained at Rs. 2.5 lakh.
- This benefit will apply retrospectively from 15 February 2020 for the next three years, that is 15 February 2022.
PM Modi announces Rs 10 Lakh PM CARES Fund for kids orphaned due to COVID
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced a number of welfare measures for children who lost their parents to COVID-19.
All children who have lost either both parents or surviving parents or legal guardians or adoptive parents due to COVID-19 will be supported under PM-CARES for Children scheme.
The government has announced the “PM-CARES for Children” scheme under which fixed deposits will be opened in the names of such children from the PM-CARES fund. The total corpus of the fund will be Rs 10 lakh for each child.
Fixed Deposit in the name of the child
- The government has announced the “PM-CARES for Children” scheme under which fixed deposits will be opened in the names of such children from the PM-CARES fund.
- The total corpus of the fund will be Rs 10 lakh for each child.
- This corpus will be used to give a monthly financial support/ stipend when the child reaches 18 years of age, for the next five years to take care of his or her personal requirements.
- Upon reaching the age of 23 years, the child will get the corpus amount as one lump sum for personal and professional use.
Education
- Children under 10 years will be given admission to the nearest Kendriya Vidyalaya or in a private school as a day scholar.
- Children between 11-18 years of age will be given admission to any central government residential school such as Sainik School and Navodaya Vidyalaya.
- For higher education, children will be assisted in obtaining education loan for professional courses or higher education in India according to existing norms. The interest on this loan will be paid from the PM-CARES fund.
Health Insurance
- Each child will be enrolled as a beneficiary under Ayushman Bharat Scheme (PM-JAY) with a health insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh.
- The premium amount for these children will be paid by PM CARES, till they attain the age of 18 years.
Appointments
CRPF DG Kuldiep Singh gets additional charge of NIA
Director-General of Central Reserve Police Force, Kuldiep Singh has been given additional charge of Director General of National Investigation Agency, NIA.
He will hold the additional post after 31st or this month after the superannuation of Y C Modi.
The Ministry of Home Affairs assigned the additional charge to Singh, a 1986-batch West Bengal cadre officer, who has been handling the post of CRPF Director General since March 16 this year.
He has been appointed as DG, CRPF up to September 30, 2022–the date of his superannuation.
Useful notes for all competitive exams:
- National Investigation Agency Headquarters: New Delhi;
- National Investigation Agency Founder: Radha Vinod Raju;
- National Investigation Agency Founded: 2009.
Banking
RBI imposes Rs 10 crore penalty on HDFC Bank
The Reserve Bank of India has imposed a fine of Rs 10 crore on HDFC Bank for deficiencies in regulatory compliance found in the auto loan portfolio of the bank.
As per the RBI, HDFC Bank has violated the provisions of section 6(2) and section 8 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.
After receiving a complaint from a whistleblower, RBI conducted an examination in the marketing and sale of third-party non-financial products to the bank’s auto loan customers and found that the bank was in contravention of regulatory directions.
RBI has imposed the monetary penalty in the exercise of powers vested by the central bank under the provisions of Section 47A(1)(c) read with Section 46(4)(i) of the Banking Regulation Act.
Useful notes for all competitive exams:
- Headquarters of HDFC Bank: Mumbai, Maharashtra;
- MD and CEO of HDFC Bank: Sashidhar Jagdishan;
- The tagline of HDFC Bank: We understand your world.
Economy
GST Council forms 8-member panel to examine tax exemption on Covid material
The Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council has constituted a group of ministers (GoM) in order to decide on the rates of COVID-19 relief material. Currently, 5% GST is levied on domestically manufactured vaccines, while it is 12% for COVID drugs and oxygen concentrators. Alcohol-based sanitisers, hand wash, disinfectants and thermometers attract 18% GST.
An eight-member ministerial panel under the Meghalaya chief minister Conrad K Sangma to consider Goods and Services Tax (GST) exemptions on a range of Covid-19 essentials such as vaccines, drugs, testing kits and ventilators.
According to its terms of reference, the GoM will examine the need for GST concession or exemption on Covid vaccines, drugs and medicines for Covid treatment, testing kits for Covid detection, medical-grade oxygen, pulse oximeters, hand sanitizers, oxygen therapy instruments (concentrators, generators, and ventilators), PPE kits, N95 masks, surgical masks, temperature checking thermometers and any other items required for Covid relief.
Defence News
NSA Doval commissions Indian Coast Guard’s ship Sajag
National Security Advisor (NSA), Ajit Doval has commissioned the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) Sajag, which has been constructed by Goa Shipyard Limited.
Sajag is the third in a series of five offshore patrol vessels indigenously designed in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Make in India’ vision.
The indigenously-built ship is fitted with advanced technology equipment, weapon, and sensors capable to carry a twin-engine helicopter and four high-speed boats.
Useful notes for all competitive exams:
- Director-General of Indian Coast Guard: Krishnaswamy Natarajan.
- Indian Coast Guard Headquarters: New Delhi.
Schemes and Committees
CBSE launches Young Warrior movement to combat Covid-19
CBSE launched a nationwide Young Warrior movement to engage 5 million young people to fight against Covid-19. This movement is expected to impact 50 million people. The Board has launched the movement together with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, YuWaah-UNICEF, and a multi-stakeholder consortium of over 950 partners.
Students and teachers between the ages of 10 and 30 years can join this movement to safeguard themselves, their families, their communities, and the country!.
The movement will comprise a series of easy and real-life tasks with the Young Warriors earning a UNICEF certificate for their participation and completion of tasks.
The tasks include promoting access to verified health and essential services, vaccine registration, Covid appropriate behaviors, myth-busting etc.
These tasks will be hosted in 10 regional languages to protect themselves, their families, and their neighborhood against Covid-19.
Useful notes for all competitive exams:
- CBSE Chairman: Manoj Ahuja;
- CBSE Head Office: Delhi;
- CBSE Founded: 3 November 1962.
Sports
Chelsea wins 2020-21 UEFA Champions League Final
Chelsea defeated Manchester City 1–0 in the final, to lift the 2020-21 UEFA Champions League title, on May 29, 2021, played at the Estádio do Dragão in Porto, Portugal.
German forward Kai Havertz scored the only goal of the football match. This is the second Champions League title for Chelsea, after winning the first won in 2012.
Mary Kom Settles with Silver Medal at 2021 Asian Boxing Championships
Indian pugilist Mary Kom, lost to two-time world champion Nazym Kyzaibay of Kazakhstan, to settle for silver medal at the 2021 ASBC Asian Boxing Championships in Dubai.
The five-time Asian Championships gold medallist Mary Kom was competing in a high-octane 51kg final.
This is the second silver for Mary Kom at the Asian Championships who has previously won silver in 2008. Apart from this, she won world championship titles on five occasions including 2003, 2005, 2010, 2012, and 2017.
Meanwhile, Pooja Rani won the gold medal in the 75kg Women’s Middle category final at the Asian Boxing Championships. She defeated Mavluda Movlonova in the gold medal clash.
IPL 2021 to resume in the UAE in September-October
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has confirmed that the IPL 2021 Phase 2 will be held in the UAE during the September-October window.
In a Special General Meeting chaired by BCCI president Sourav Ganguly, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed to the State units that the tournament will have to be shifted out of India on account of ‘monsoon.’
Useful notes for all competitive exams:
- Secretary of BCCI: Jay Shah;
- President of BCCI: Sourav Ganguly;
- Headquarters of BCCI: Mumbai, Maharashtra; Founded: December 1928.
Books and Authors
A book title “Languages of Truth: Essays 2003-2020” by Salman Rushdie
A book titled “Languages of Truth: Essays 2003-2020” authored by Salman Rushdie. In his new book, Rushdie attempts to perform a defensive castling move.
He suggests his work has been misunderstood and mistreated because the literary culture has turned from brio-filled imaginative writing toward the humbler delights of “autofiction,” as exemplified by the work of Elena Ferrante and Karl Ove Knausgaard.
Miscellaneous
Mount Nyiragongo erupts in the Republic of Congo
Mount Nyiragongo erupted in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Mount Nyiragongo is one of several volcanoes near the DRC’s border with Rwanda and Uganda. Its last major eruption, in 2002, killed 250 people and displaced thousands.
Nyiragongo and nearby Nyamuragira are together responsible for 40 percent of Africa’s historical volcanic eruptions. Mount Nyiragongo is located inside Virunga National Park.
Useful notes for all competitive exams:
- President of the Republic of Congo: Denis Sassou Nguesso;
- Prime Minister of Republic of Congo: Anatole Collinet Makosso;
- Congo Capital: Brazzaville;
- Congo Currency: Congolese franc.
Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt receives UAE’s Golden Visa
The UAE government awarded Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt with its Golden Visa. The Golden Visa system essentially offers long-term residency to people with outstanding talents.
In 2019, UAE implemented a new system for long-term residence visas enabling foreigners to live, work & study there without the need of a national sponsor & with 100% ownership of their business.
As per reports, Sanjay Dutt is the first mainstream to receive the Golden Visa. The visas have a validity of either 5 or 10 years and are renewed automatically.
Useful notes for all competitive exams:
- UAE Capital: Abu Dhabi;
- UAE Currency: United Arab Emirates dirham;
- UAE President: Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
- Daily Current Affairs in English 11 Sep 2022 – Useful for all Competitive Exams
- Hindu Editorial with Vocabulary: Sep Month – Day 10
- 11 Sep 2022 Daily Current Affairs in Hindi – सभी प्रतियोगी परीक्षाओं के लिए महत्वपूर्ण
- 10 Sep 2022 Daily Current Affairs in Hindi – सभी प्रतियोगी परीक्षाओं के लिए महत्वपूर्ण
- Hindu Editorial with Vocabulary: Sep Month – Day 9
- Daily Current Affairs in English 10 Sep 2022 – Useful for all Competitive Exams
