1. Vanijya Bhawan and NIRYAT Portal launched by PM
Tags: National News
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the new premises of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry 'Vanijya Bhawan' on 23 June.
NIRYAT Portal
He also launched a new portal, NIRYAT (National Import-Export Record for Yearly Analysis of Trade).
This portal has been developed as a one stop platform for the stakeholders to get all the necessary information related to India's foreign trade.
Vanijya Bhawan
Constructed near the India Gate, Vijyagar Bhawan has been designed as a smart building, incorporating the principles of sustainable architecture with a special focus on saving energy.
It will work as an integrated and modern office complex.
It will be used by the two Departments under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Department of Commerce and Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade.
2. Defence Ministry approves ‘BRO cafes’ in border areas
Tags: National News
The Defence Ministry has approved setting up of facilities under the brand 'BRO Cafe' at 75 locations on various roads with Border Roads Organization (BRO) in 12 states and union territories.
Its purpose is to provide basic amenities to tourists and to encourage economic activities in the border areas.
These roadside establishments will be known as 'BRO Cafe'.
It is proposed to provide parking for vehicles, food plazas, restaurants, separate public facilities for women, men and differently abled, first aid facilities etc. in these cafes.
For this, the agreement will be for 15 years which can be extended for five more years later.
This scheme will be done in collaboration with agencies on a licence basis.
The agencies will build and operate BRO Cafe as per the guidelines given by the BRO.
This will speed up the development of tourism as well as traffic in the border areas.
For this, approval has been given in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Manipur, Nagaland, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Uttarakhand and West Bengal.
Border Roads Organization (BRO)
It functions under the control of the Ministry of Defence since 2015.
The Organisation was established on May 7, 1960.
It is responsible for maintaining the road networks in the border areas of India.
This organization plays an important role in the infrastructure development of the border areas of the country.
One of the biggest infrastructural achievements of BRO is the construction of the longest highway tunnel, The Atal Tunnel in Himachal Pradesh.
Director General Border Roads Organisation - Lt Gen Rajeev Chaudhry
3. Mongolia’s Khuvsgul lake added to UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves
Tags: International News
Recently Mongolia's Khuvsgul Lakes National Park has been included in the World Network of Biosphere Reserves by UNESCO.
The decision was taken during the 34th session of the International Coordinating Council of Men and Biosphere Program in Paris, France.
The Man and Biosphere Program is an intergovernmental scientific programme. It was established by UNESCO in the early 1970s.
The primary objective of this program is to establish a scientific basis for enhancing the relationship between people and their environment.
About Khuvsgul Lake
Khuvsgul Lake is located in the northern Mongolian province of Khuvsgul near the Russian border.
It is the source of 70% of Mongolia's fresh water and is situated at an altitude of about 1645 m above sea level which is 135 km long and 262 m deep lake.
It is the second largest lake in Mongolia in terms of area.
This lake is located about 200 km west of Lake Baikal.
According to the ministry, a total of nine sites from Mongolia have been registered in the network so far.
4. Govt launches NIPUN scheme to train over 1 lakh construction workers
Tags: National News
The Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs, Shri Hardeep Singh Puri, launched the National Initiative for Skill Training of Construction Workers, an innovative project named 'Nipun', in New Delhi.
The project 'NIPUN' (NIPUN) is an initiative of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs under its flagship scheme of Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAI-NULM).
Under the scheme, more than 1 lakh construction workers will be trained through new skilling and upskilling programs, which will give them work opportunities abroad.
NIPUN Project
The Nipun project will enable construction workers to find better job opportunities, increase their wages and even for overseas placements, indicating a new ecosystem.
The transformative impact of the National Urban Livelihoods Mission has certainly reduced the vulnerability of urban poor households by providing skills and employment opportunities to urban residents, especially the youth.
The implementation of the NIPUN project is divided into three parts, training through Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) at construction sites, training through fresh skilling by plumbing and infrastructure, and international placement through industries, builders and contractors. .
5. 26th Commonwealth Heads of Government Summit - 2022
Tags: Popular International News
26th Commonwealth Heads of Government Summit 2022 organised on 20-25 June 2022, in Kigali, Rwanda.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar attended the meeting.
The meeting had been postponed twice due to Covid-19 pandemic.
During the meeting, leaders of Commonwealth member states will deliberate on global challenges such as climate change, food security and health.
Theme of the summit - Delivering a Common Future - Connecting, Innovating, Transforming.
About Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM)
It brings together delegations from 54 countries in Africa, the Caribbean, the Americas, Europe, Asia and the Pacific.
It aims to strengthen multilateral cooperation, explore new opportunities and tackle common challenges for the betterment of future generations.
It is hosted alternately by different member countries.
This meeting has been held Since 1971.
Members of the Commonwealth of Nations
The head of the Commonwealth is the Queen of Great Britain Elizabeth II.
He received this title as a result of elections following the resignation of his father.
The title of head cannot be inherited, so the new head of the Commonwealth of Nations is elected by voting at each meeting.
The Commonwealth comprises 54 countries of the world in all 6 continents.
The members have a total population of 2.1 billion, which is about a third of the world's population.
Of its total population, 1.17 billion live in India.
After India, the next largest Commonwealth countries by population are Pakistan (176 million), Bangladesh (156 million), Nigeria (149 million).
The land area of the Commonwealth of Nations accounts for about 21% of the total world land area.
The largest Commonwealth nations by area are Canada, Australia and India.
6. Culture Minister G Kishan Reddy inaugurates 'Jyotirgamaya' festival in New Delhi
Tags: International News
Union Culture Minister G Kishan Reddy inaugurated 'Jyotirgamaya', a festival showcasing the talents of forgotten artists, in New Delhi on June 21.
About the festival
It was organised as part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav and on the occasion of World Music Day on 21 June.
The Sangeet Natak Akademi has organised this festival to showcase the talent of rare musical instruments from across the country, including street performers and train entertainers.
This is a unique effort of Sangeet Natak Akademi to revive the dying arts of India.
Aim of the festival
It aims to sensitise people about the need to protect the skills of playing rare musical instruments as well as the craft of making these instruments.
It also aims to give a voice to ‘unheard’ artists who hardly ever see the limelight.
Importance of the festival
Music plays in every street and corner of India.
It is not uncommon to find passersby playing flutes and other musical instruments under the open sky whether it is rain or sunshine.
We also have a plethora of rare musical instruments that are slowly falling out of the public domain due to their dwindling popularity and dwindling patronage.
The festival was organised through a call to action to recognize the 'unheard' talent.
Entrants were requested to send a short clip of their performance along with their details.
Leading music institutions, cultural centres, SNA awardees and eminent musicians were also requested to explore and identify such rare talents.
Artistes from all corners of the country participated in this festival.
7. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh hold bilateral talks with Australian Deputy PM in New Delhi
Tags: International Relations
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held bilateral talks with Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles in New Delhi on 22 June.
During the bilateral talks, the two ministers reviewed the defence cooperation between the two countries and discussed new initiatives to further strengthen bilateral ties.
They also exchanged their views on regional and global issues of shared interest.
India and Australia have been sharing a comprehensive strategic partnership since June 2020 and are a key pillar of this defence partnership.
This partnership is based on a shared vision of a free, open, inclusive and prosperous Indo-Pacific region.
Australia and India, along with America and Japan, are part of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad), which promotes a free and open Indo-Pacific.
The four countries are also participants in the Malabar naval exercise.
About Australia
It is the smallest continent by area on Earth after Asia, Africa, North America , South America, Antarctica, Europe and Australia.
It is the 6th largest country in the world after Russia, Canada, China, United States, and Brazil.
Australia has been called “the Oldest Continent,” “the Last of Lands,” and “the Last Frontier.”
Its unique flora and fauna include the only egg-laying mammals on Earth, the Platypus and Echidna. It is also famous for its Kangaroos,Koala bears.
It is the second driest continent after Antarctica.
Its highest peak, Mount Kosciuszko, rises to only 7,310 feet (2,228 meters).
Capital : Canberra
Currency : Australian Dollar
Prime Minister : Scott Morrison
The United Kingdom Queen Elizabeth II is the Head of the State of Australia.
8. Juneteenth festival was celebrated in the U.S.
Tags: International News
Juneteenth is a federal holiday in the U.S. commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans.
Juneteenth is the oldest national commemoration to mark the end of the end of slavery in America, held annually on June 19.
It is currently recognized as a holiday by 47 US states.
It is also known as Liberation Day or Juneteenth Independence Day.
History of Juneteenth
On January 1, 1863, then-President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, declaring that all persons 'held as slaves' within the states during the rebellion would now be free.
However, many people continued to keep slaves even after this announcement. After this, on June 19, 1865, Major General Gordon Granger Galveston announced the end of both the Civil War and slavery.
Since then it has become a symbolic date representing independence for African-Americans.
9. International literary festival 'Unmesh' organised in Himachal Pradesh
Tags: State News International News
An International Literature Festival, Unmesh, was organised in Shimla as part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and Sahitya Akademi, Department of Art and Culture, Government of Himachal Pradesh.
The festival was inaugurated by the Union Minister of State for Culture, Arjun Ram Meghwal.
UNMESHA is the country's largest literary festival representing over 60 languages and 64 events with over 425 writers, poets, translators, critics and distinguished personalities from different walks of life from 15 countries including India.
Unmesh, the festival of expression, is the largest international literary festival in the country so far.
Sahitya Akademi
Sahitya Akademi was formally inaugurated by the Government of India on 12 March 1954.
Sahitya Akademi functions as an autonomous organisation. It was registered as a society in January 1956 under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.
The Sahitya Akademi, India's National Academy of Letters, is the central body for literary dialogue, publication and publicity in the country and the only organisation to conduct literary activities in 24 Indian languages, including English.
It also conducts literary exchange programs with various countries around the world to promote Indian literature.
The Sahitya Akademi Award is the second highest literary award given by the Government of India after the Jnanpith Award.
10. Israel, Haryana Government Sign Joint Declaration On Water Cooperation
Tags: International Relations
Recently, the Government of Israel and Haryana signed a Joint Declaration on Capacity Building and Integrated Water Resource Management.
Under this agreement, Israel will share its most advanced and state-of-the-art water technologies, expertise and know-how with the Government of Haryana.
Through this joint declaration, the Government of Israel and Haryana will endeavour to strengthen existing ties in the water management sector, improve public health in the region and conserve water resources in public water areas in Haryana.
India-Israel Diplomatic Relations
India officially recognized Israel in 1950, but the two countries established full diplomatic relations on January 29, 1992.
India was one of the 164 members of the United Nations that had diplomatic relations with Israel.
Economic relations
During April 2020-February 2021, the bilateral trade between the two stood at $4.14 billion, with the balance of trade in favour of India.
India is Israel's third largest trading partner in Asia, while the 7th largest worldwide partner.
Defence relations
India is the largest buyer of military equipment from Israel. Israel is India's second largest defence supplier, Russia's largest defence supplier.
Agriculture relations
India and Israel signed a three-year work program agreement for agricultural cooperation in May 2021.
The program seeks to develop existing Centres of Excellence, bring Centres of Excellence into self-sustaining mode and encourage private sector companies and collaborations.
About israel
Israel is a country located in Southwest Asia.
Capital - Jerusalem,
Israel's Tel Aviv city is the most expensive city in the world
President- Isaac Herzog
Prime Minister- Naftali Bennett
Currency- Israeli shekel
