17th June 2019 Current Affairs
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh formed committee to work on modalities of revising pension under OROP
- On June 14, 2019, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh formed a committee to work on modalities and methodology on the implementation of the next revision of pension to over 25 lakh ex-servicemen and widows under One Rank One Pension (OROP) Scheme.
- “The committee, headed by the Controller General of Defence Accounts (CGDA) and including representatives from the three services, will submit its report in a month.”
- OROP was implemented by the NDA-I government with effect from July 1, 2014.
Note:
About OROP
OROP: One Rank One Pension
About Ministry of Defence:
Headquarters: New Delhi
Founded: August 15, 1947
Fifth meeting of the Governing Council of NITI Aayog held in New Delhi
- On June 15, 2019, The fifth meeting of the Governing Council of The National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog was held under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi at Rashtrapati Bhawan Cultural Centre, New Delhi.
- This was the first governing council meeting under the new Modi government. The guiding principle of Union Government is “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas and Sabka Vishwaas”.
- Focus should be given to fisheries, animal husbandry, horticulture, fruits and vegetables in order to fulfil the commitment to double incomes of farmers by 2022.
Note:
About NITI Aayog
Formed: 1 January 2015
Jurisdiction: Government of India
Headquarters: New Delhi
CEO: Amitabh Kant (Jan 2015– till date)
Venezuela to roll out three new banknotes due to Hyperinflation
- On June 12, 2019, The Venezuelan government announced that it will issue new banknotes due to racketing hyperinflation which eroded the currency’s value.
- The central bank of Venezuela will release new Banknotes of 10,000, 20,000 and 50,000 bolivar denominations.
- Six-digit inflation has rendered paper money mostly useless in Venezuela.
- Consumers generally pay with plastic or electronic transfers despite unreliable banking systems, and increasingly rely on US dollars or other hard currency.
- Still, many services like public transportation and regulated goods like gasoline require paying in cash with bolivars.
Note:
About Venezuela
Capital: Caracas
Currencies: Venezuelan bolívar, Sovereign Bolivar
Official language: Spanish
Saudi Arabia hires i-banks for bond meetings in Europe
- Saudi Arabia has hired Goldman Sachs and Societe Generale (SocGen) to help arrange meetings with fixed income investors shortly, potentially paving the way for the kingdom to launch its first bonds in euros.
- Riyadh began issuing international bonds in 2016 after lower oil prices hit its finances.
- The kingdom was considering issuing its first euro-denominated bonds this year, as it looks to diversify its funding base
Note:
About Saudi Arabia
Capital: Riyadh
Currency: Saudi riyal
King: Salman of Saudi Arabia
Peter Gilchrist lifted Pacific International Billiards Championship title
- Peter Gilchrist of Singapore defeated India’s Sourav Kothari (Kolkata) to win the 2019 Pacific International Billiards Championship at the Yarraville Club in Melbourne, Australia.
- Multiple times world billiards champion Peter Gilchrist was at his best to defeat Sourav Kothari with 1500-706.
- Kothari entered into the final of Pacific International Billiards after getting the thumping win over Dhvaj Haria in Semi-Finals.
- Sourav Kothari defeated Peter Gilchrist of Singapore 1134-944 in 2018 WBL World Billiards Championship title.
About Billiards
Equipment: Billiard ball, billiard table, cue stick
Venue: Billiard hall or home billiard room
India Win FIH Series Finals Gold
- India beat South Africa 5-1 in the summit clash to win the FIH Series Finals hockey tournament.
- Ranked at world no. 5 remained unbeaten throughout the tournament.
- Both teams have already qualified for the final round of the Olympic qualifiers.
- Dragflickers Varun Kumar (2nd and 49th minutes) and Harmanpreet Singh (11th and 25th) scored a brace each, while Vivek Sagar Prasad (35th) was the other goal scorer for India.
- South Africa’s lone goal was scored by Richard Pautz in the 53rd minute.
- India and South Africa have already qualified for the final round of the Olympic qualifiers before Saturday’s summit clash.
Note:
About South Africa
Capitals: Cape Town, Pretoria, Bloemfontein
Currency: South African rand
In Archery World Championships, Indian men's recurve team bags Silver Medal
- The Indian men’s recurve team,bagged a silver medal in the Archery World Championships at Den Bosch in The Netherlands.
- India thus ended their campaign with one silver and two bronze medals won in the women’s compound team and individual events.
- The Chinese team of Ding Yiliang, Wei Shaoxuan and Feng Hao produced a solid and consistent performance as they capitalised from the second set to seal a 6-2 win.
- India thus ended their campaign with one silver and two bronze medals won in the women’s compound team and individual events.
Note:
About Netherlands
Capital: Amsterdam
Currency: Euro
Akshay Patra’s school meals program wins BBC award
- Akshaya Patra, a non-profit organisation running one of the world’s largest school meals project in India, has been awarded the BBC World Service Global Champion Award for the programme.
- The Award, presented at the BBC Food and Farming Awards in Bristol this week, recognises a person or project who is changing the way the world produces, processes, consumes or thinks about food for the better.
- The Bengaluru-based NGO was selected by an international panel of judges from nominations sent in by the World Service audience from around the world.
Note:
About Akshaya Patra Foundation
Founded: 2000
Founder: Madhu Pandit Dasa
Type: Non-profit organisation
Location: Bengaluru
Motto: Unlimited Food for Education
CEO: Shridhar Venkat (2014–Till date)
Suman Rao crowned as Miss India 2019
- On June 15, 2019, A 20-year-old model, Suman Rao, a resident of Rajsamand, Rajasthan was crowned Miss India 2019.
- The ceremony was held at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Indoor Stadium, Mumbai, Maharashtra.
- She was crowned by Miss India 2018 Anukreethy Vas from Tamil Nadu.
Note:
About Rajasthan
Chief minister: Ashok Gehlot
Capital: Jaipur
Social activist Makarand Tilloo receives ‘Save Water Hero Award’
- Social activist Makarand Tilloo, received the ‘Save Water Hero Award’ for his efforts towards water conservation.
- A Laughter Yoga trainer & motivational speaker by profession, he started a campaign to save water by replacing leaking taps with new ones.
- He also started an NGO, Jalrakshak Prabodhini.
- He was felicitated by the HridayMitra Foundation in the presence of writer and philanthropist Ramchandra Dekhane, Kothrud MLA Medha Kulkarni and foundation president Shrikant Mundada.
Note:
About water
Density: 997 kg/m³
Boiling point: 100 °C
Formula: H2O
Melting point: 0 °C
Molar mass: 18.01528 g/mol
IUPAC ID: Water, Oxidane
Sahitya Akademi announces winners of Bal Sahitya Puraskar & Yuva Puraskar
- Sahitya Akademi, India’s national academy of letters,announced a list of 22 winners of the Bal Sahitya Puraskar & 23 recipients of the Yuva Puraskar for 2019.
- The Executive Board of the Akademi approved the selection of awardees.
- The Union Minister for Tourism and Culture (Independent Charge), Shri Prahlad Singh Patel congratulated the award winners.
- The awardees have been selected on the basis of recommendations made by the Jury comprising of three members each in the concerned language, in accordance with the rules and procedure laid down for the purpose.
- According to the procedure, the Executive Board declared the Awards on the basis of unanimous/majority vote by the Jury.
- Award in Maithili will be declared on a later date.
Note:
About Sahitya Akademi
President: Chandrashekhara Kambara
Headquarters: Delhi
Founder: Government of India
Founded: 12 March 1954, India
Publication: Indian Literature
Padmaja appointed as India’s High Commissioner to Tuvalu
- On June 15, 2019, the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, announced the appointment of Ms. Padmaja as the next High Commissioner of India to the Republic of Tuvalu with the residence in Suva.
- She is currently serving as the High Commissioner of India to the Republic of Fiji and also serving (concurrently accredited) as the High Commissioner of India to the Republic of Nauru.
- She succeeds Shri Vishvas Vidu Sapkal.
Note:
About Tuvalu
Capital: Vaiaku
Continent: Oceania
Currencies: Australian dollar, Tuvaluan dollar
International Day of Family Remittances observed on 16 June 2019
- On 16th June 2019, International Day of Family Remittances was observed all over the world.
- This day recognizes the contribution of migrant workers to their families and communities back home, and to the sustainable development of their native countries.
- The day has adopted the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (Objective 20) for the reduction of remittance transfer costs, and greater financial inclusion through remittances.
June 17 is being celebrated as World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought
- The United Nation General Assembly in 1994 declared 17 June as the “World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought”.
- The theme for 2019 is “Let’s Grow the Future Together”.
- 2019 is the 25th anniversary of the Convention and the WDCD.
- This day also celebrates the progress made by the countries on sustainable land management and what should be done in the world so that land degradation neutrality will provide a solid basis for poverty reduction, food, water security, climate change, mitigation and adaptation.
Note:
About United Nation
Headquarters: New York, New York, United States
Founded: 24 October 1945, San Francisco, California, United States
Secretary general: António Guterres
Former S. Korean first lady, feminist activist Lee Hee-ho passes away
- Lee Hee-ho, a South Korean feminist & democracy activist and wife of the late South Korean president Kim Dae-jung, passed away.
- She was 96.
- Lee Hee-ho was born in September 1922 in Seoul, South Korea.
- South Korean President Moon Jae-in tweeted the country has lost a “great person” who devoted her life to women and democracy.
- Lee campaigned for women’s rights since the 1950s. She married the late Kim in 1962 when he was a dissident politician
Note:
About South Korean
Capital: Seoul
Currency: South Korean won
President: Moon Jae-in
Try out the quiz ?
1. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has formed a committee to work on modalities of revising pension under OROP? What is the full form of OROP?
On June 14, 2019, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh formed a committee to work on modalities and methodology on the implementation of the next revision of pension to over 25 lakh ex-servicemen and widows under One Rank One Pension (OROP) Scheme.
2. Which country's central bank will release new Banknotes of 10,000, 20,000 and 50,000 denominations?
The central bank of Venezuela will release new Banknotes of 10,000, 20,000 and 50,000 bolivar denominations.
3. Who has defeated India’s Sourav Kothari to win the 2019 Pacific International Billiards Championship?
Peter Gilchrist of Singapore defeated India’s Sourav Kothari (Kolkata) to win the 2019 Pacific International Billiards Championship at the Yarraville Club in Melbourne, Australia.
4. Which school's meals program has won the BBC World Service Global Champion Award?
Akshaya Patra, a non-profit organisation running one of the world's largest school meals project in India, has been awarded the BBC World Service Global Champion Award for the programme.
5. Suman Rao has crowned as Miss India 2019. She is from which state?
On June 15, 2019, A 20-year-old model, Suman Rao, a resident of Rajsamand, Rajasthan was crowned Miss India 2019.
6. Who has been appointed as India’s High Commissioner to Tuvalu?
On June 15, 2019, the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, announced the appointment of Ms. Padmaja as the next High Commissioner of India to the Republic of Tuvalu with the residence in Suva.
7. On which day International Day of Family Remittances was observed all over the world?
On 16th June 2019, International Day of Family Remittances was observed all over the world.
8. First lady feminist activist Lee Hee-ho has passed away. She was from which country?
Lee Hee-ho, a South Korean feminist & democracy activist and wife of the late South Korean president Kim Dae-jung, passed away.
9. Fifth meeting of the Governing Council of NITI Aayog has held in which city?
On June 15, 2019, The fifth meeting of the Governing Council of The National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog was held under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi at Rashtrapati Bhawan Cultural Centre, New Delhi.
10. Which of the following oil rich country has launch its first bonds in euros?
Saudi Arabia has hired Goldman Sachs and Societe Generale (SocGen) to help arrange meetings with fixed income investors shortly, potentially paving the way for the kingdom to launch its first bonds in euros.
11. India has beaten which country to win the FIH Series Finals hockey tournament?
India beat South Africa 5-1 in the summit clash to win the FIH Series Finals hockey tournament.
12. The Indian men's recurve team has bagged a silver medal in the Archery World Championships. This Championship has held in which country?
The Indian men's recurve team,bagged a silver medal in the Archery World Championships at Den Bosch in The Netherlands.
13. Who has received 'Save Water Hero Award’?
Social activist Makarand Tilloo, received the ‘Save Water Hero Award’ for his efforts towards water conservation.
14. Bal Sahitya Puraskar & Yuva Puraskar has given by which Akademi?
Sahitya Akademi, India's national academy of letters,announced a list of 22 winners of the Bal Sahitya Puraskar & 23 recipients of the Yuva Puraskar for 2019.
15. What is the theme of World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought 2019?
The United Nation General Assembly in 1994 declared 17 June as the "World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought". The theme for 2019 is “Let’s Grow the Future Together”.
