Current Affairs is the most important area in all competitive exams. But the difficulty level is very high. That’s why; many aspirants get confused, how to select Current Affairs for Preparation of Competitive Examination? In this Post, Daily Current Affairs 24 June 2021, we have tried to cover each and every point and also included all important facts from National/ International news that are useful for upcoming competitive examinations such as UPSC, SSC, Railway, State Govt. etc.
Daily Current Affairs 24 June 2021
DBT Issues a Special Call under Biotech KISAN Programme
The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) has issued a Special Call for North East Region as a part of its Mission Programme “Biotech-Krishi Innovation Science Application Network (Biotech-KISAN)”.
It aims to understand the local problems of the NER farmers and provide scientific solutions to those problems.
Biotech-KISAN is a scientist-farmer partnership scheme launched in 2017 for agriculture innovation with an objective to connect science laboratories with the farmers to find out innovative solutions and technologies to be applied at farm level.
Under this scheme, so far 146 Biotech-KISAN Hubs have been established covering all 15 agroclimatic zones and 110 Aspirational Districts in the country.
The scheme has benefitted over two lakhs farmers so far by increasing their agriculture output and income. Over 200 entrepreneurships have also been developed in rural areas.
Finance Act, 2021 inserted two new sections 206AB and 206CCA
Finance Act, 2021 inserted two new sections 206AB and 206CCA in the Income-tax Act 1961 which takes effect from the 1st day of July 2021.
These sections mandate tax deduction or tax collection at higher rate in case of certain non-filers (specified persons).
Higher rate is twice the prescribed rate or 5%, whichever is higher.
With this new functionality, the Government has reiterated its commitment to ease the compliance burden of taxpayers.
International Day of the Celebration of the Solstice 2021
International Day of the Celebration of the Solstice is observed on 21 June every year to focus about solstices and equinoxes and their magnitude for numerous religions & ethnic cultures.
The proclaimation of International Day of the Celebration of the Solstice with the aid of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on 20th June 2019 within Resolution A/RES/73/300.
Solstice is that the factor at which the Sun is at its best distance from the world and equinox is when area is that the lowest.
Both solstice and equinox have their personal significance for Christians, Muslims, and different religions.
There are two solstices that show up annually: round the summer time solstice (commonly referred to as “Summer Solstice” for being the most important day of summer and it is the longest day of the year) and 21st December (commonly referred to as “Winter Solstice” for being the predominant day of winter and the shortest day of the year).
World Music Day 2021
World Music Day is observed on 21 June each year to encourage young and amateur musicians to perform.
On this day, also known as Music Day or Make Music Day, anyone can play their favourite instruments for enjoyment and relaxation.
More than 120 countries commemorate this day as people organise free public concerts in parks, stadiums, and public places, mostly for music lovers and learners.
The first World Music Day was observed and celebrated on the Summer Solstice in France in the year 1982 when the former French minister of art and culture, Jack Lange, along with Maurice Fleuret started the Fête de la Musique in Paris.
India responds to the concerns raised by UN’s Human Rights Council
India recently responded to the concerns raised by the Special Procedures Branch of the Human Rights Council regarding India’s Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.
The Government of India, in exercising its powers under section 87 (2) of the Information Technology Act, 2000, and in supersession of the earlier Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines) Rules 2011.
It also framed the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 (‘new IT Rules’) and notified the same on 25 February, 2021.
The Rules are designed to empower ordinary users of social media. The victims of abuse at social media platforms shall have a forum for redressal of their grievances.
Successful Auction of Kuraloi (A) North Coal Mine
The Kuraloi (A) North mine has been successfully auctioned with Vedanta Limited in the second attempt of the first Tranche of Auction under Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation)Act, 1957, the Ministry of Coal informed.
The Nominated Authority, Ministry of Coal launched the auction process of 38 coal mines in the first tranche of auction for Sale of Coal (commercial mining).
In the first attempt of auction under 11th Tranche of Auction under the CM (SP) Act 2015 and under 1st Tranche of Auction under the MMDR Act 1957, out of the 38 coal mines, 19 have been successfully auctioned.
Kuraloi (A) North located in Odisha with a Peak Rated Capacity of 8 MTPA is the largest mine in terms of PRC of all the mines successfully auctioned in the first tranche.
Manpreet Singh will lead Indian men’s hockey team in Olympics
Midfielder Manpreet Singh was named captain of the 16-member Olympic-bound Indian men’s hockey team. This will be Manpreet’s third Olympics.
Under Manpreet’s captaincy, the Indian team won the Asia Cup in 2017, the Asian Champions Trophy in 2018 and the FIH Series Final in 2019.
The team led by Manpreet also made it to the quarterfinals of the FIH Men’s World Cup 2018 in Bhubaneswar.
Harmanpreet, since his senior India debut in 2015, has grown in his role as a drag-flicker and defender. In the absence of Manpreet in 2019, Harmanpreet led the Indian team to victory at the FIH Olympic Test event in Tokyo.
Tamil Nadu released guidelines for protecting school students from sexual abuse
The School Education Department of Tamil Nadu released detailed guidelines for schools to follow for student safety and protection from sexual violence. The initiative comes after multiple allegations of school teachers abusing students surfaced recently.
The department has directed schools to constitute a student safeguarding advisory committee (SAC), which will continually review, monitor, and recommend measures at the institutional level on all aspects of student safety.
The SAC should comprise the principal, two teachers, two PTA members, a management representative, a non-teaching staff member, and an optional external member.
The guidelines have been issued in the wake of several allegations of sexual harassment, abuse and misconduct surfaced on social media against faculty in many city schools.
A State-level Central Complaint Centre (CCC) with a hotline facility will be set up, as well as a dedicated e-mail address to receive school-based complaints of sexual abuse against students.
The purpose of the CCC is to offer an alternative complaint mechanism and provide appropriate guidance on the protocol to be observed so that all complaints are addressed.
‘Sakshama’ COVID helpline for specially abled rolled out in Bengaluru
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and state COVID Task Force recently rolled out Sakshama COVID helpline for specially abled in Bengaluru.
This dedicated COVID helpline 0120 690 4999 can be used by specially abled persons to seek the benefits of Government welfare programmes.
The helpline will be of aid to specially abled people for BPL card or even for job opportunities.
The state Government has earmarked four per cent of budget allocation for the welfare of the specially abled persons.
Delhi govt launched the “Mukhyamantri COVID-19 Pariwar Aarthik Sahayata Yojana”
Delhi government recently launched “Mukhyamantri COVID-19 Pariwar Aarthik Sahayata Yojana” to provide financial assistance to the families who lost a member due to Covid-19 pandemic.
According to notification by Social Welfare Department, Rs 50,000 ex-gratia will be provided to every family that has lost a member amid pandemic.
A pension of Rs 2,500 per month would also be given to those families that lost the sole breadwinner to covid-19 pandemic.
There is no income criterion to apply to get ex-gratia under this scheme. However, deceased and dependant should be from Delhi.
To get the ex-gratia, death should be certified as COVID-19 death or death within one month of testing positive with Covid-19.
Gujarat launched the ‘Agricultural Diversification Scheme’, 2021
Gujarat state government launched Agricultural Diversification Scheme-2021 benefiting vanbandhu- farmers in tribal areas.
The scheme will benefit more than 1.26 lakh farmers from 14 tribal districts of the state. The state government is working to make agriculture sustainable and profitable in the tribal areas.
Under this scheme tribal farmers will get fertilizer-seed assistance of Rs. 31 crores in which 45 kg of urea, 50 kg of NPK and 50 kg of ammonium sulphate will be provided.
Seeds of crops like maize, Bitter Melon (karela), Calabash (dudhi), tomato, millet, etc. are provided under this scheme.
Great Barrier Reef should be added to UNESCO’s list of “in danger”
According to the UNESCO in a draft report, the Great Barrier Reef of Australia should be put on the list of world heritage sites that are in danger.
The Great Barrier Reef gained World Heritage ranking in 1981, but over the years due to accelerated global warming, and ocean acidification due to the burning of fossil fuels, the ecosystem that is clearly visible even from space has undergone several bleaching events in the past five years.
As temperatures rise, the corals expel their symbiotic partners the marine algae – zooxanthellae – that live in them, giving them their vibrant colours and food supply through photosynthesis.
UNESCO believes adding the reef to the “in danger” list can help address the growing threats to this fragile ecosystem by unlocking access to more funds or by publicising the issue.
IMD to install seven new doppler radars in Maharashtra
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) announced to the installation of seven new doppler radars in Maharashtra, including Mumbai.
Doppler radars of varying frequencies — S-band, C-band and X-band — are commonly used by the IMD to detect and track the movement of weather systems, cloud bands and gauge rainfall over its coverage area of about 500 km.
The radars guide meteorologists, particularly in times of extreme weather events like cyclones and associated heavy rainfall.
With the radar observations, updated every 10 minutes, forecasters can follow the development of weather systems as well as their varying intensities, and accordingly predict weather events and their impact.
An X-band radar is used to detect thunderstorms and lightning whereas C-band guides at the time of cyclone tracking.
Mizoram announced an incentive for having maximum number of children
The Sports Minister of Mizoram has announced a cash reward of ₹1 lakh to a living parent with the highest number of children in his constituency in order to encourage the population.
Mizoram’s population was 1,091,014, according to the 2011 census. The state covers an area of approximately 21,087 square kilometres.
With only 52 persons per square kilometre, Mizoram has the second-lowest population density in the country next to Arunachal Pradesh, which has a population density of 17 persons per sq km. The national average is 382 per sq km.
Mizoram’s neighbour Assam, however, is treading a different path. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma recently announced that his government will gradually implement a two-child policy for availing benefits under certain schemes funded by the state.
Ramgarh Vishdhari wildlife sanctuary to become the 4th Tiger reserve of Rajasthan
The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) granted a nod to the Ramgarh Vishdhari wildlife sanctuary to become the 4th Tiger reserve of Rajasthan.
This Sanctuary is located at a distance of 45 Km from Bundi City on Bundi-Nainwa Road near Village Ramgarh, District Bundi, Rajasthan.
The total area of 1,017 sq. km has been identified as the reserve area comprising two forest blocks of Bhilwara, territorial forest block of Bundi and Indargarh, which falls under the buffer zone of Ranthambore Tiger Reserve (RTR).
Its flora consists of Dhok, Khair, Salar, Khirni trees with some Mango and Ber trees. The Fauna consists of birds and animals like Leopard, Sambhar, Wild boar, Chinkara, Sloth bear, Indian Wolf, Hyena, Jackal, Fox, deer and Crocodile.
Rajasthan has three tiger reserves with over 90 big cats at Ranthambore Tiger Reserve (RTR) in Sawai Madhopur, Sariska Tiger Reserve (STR) in Alwar, and Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve (MHTR) in Kota.
