Daily GK Updates - 20th June, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Punjab govt. announces crop loan waiver of up to Rs. 2 lakhs for small, marginal farmers: The Chief Minister of Punjab Captain Amarinder Singh has announced to wave off entire crop loans up to Rs. 2 lakhs for small and marginal farmers. The state govt. will take over the outstanding crop loan from institutional sources of all the families of farmers who committed suicides in the state. Earlier, the Uttar Pradesh govt. and Maharashtra govt. waived off farmer loans.

2. Piyush Goyal launches new rules to promote green homes: The Power Minister Piyush Goyal has launched Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) 2017 developed by Bureau of Energy Efficiency in New Delhi. The code aims at optimizing energy savings with the comfort level for occupants and prefers life-cycle cost effectiveness to achieve energy neutrality in the commercial building. This code prescribes the energy performance standards for new commercial buildings to be constructed across the country.

3. Union Minister for Science and Technology, Harsh Vardhan, launches app on Yoga Day celebrations: The union Science and Technology Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan has launched a Mobile App – ‘Celebrating Yoga’ that aims to connect people through Yoga for a scientific healthy living. The mobile application will help to provide a platform to share information and insights about people's participation during Yoga activities on International Yoga Day (21st June). 

4. Rural Development Ministry gives away 144 awards: Narendra Singh Tomar, the Union Rural Development Minister, gave 144 awards under various categories to states and other organizations at a function in New Delhi. Bihar got awarded for constructing the highest number of rural roads, under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) whereas Madhya Pradesh got the award for use of non-conventional construction material in constructing roads. Karnataka, Haryana and Gujarat received a special prize for completing more than 95% of their targets.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Muzoon Almellehan appointed as a Goodwill Ambassador by the UNICEF: The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has appointed education activist and a Syrian refugee Muzoon Almellehan as a Goodwill Ambassador. She has becomed the first person with official refugee status to become an Ambassador for UNICEF and also the youngest one.

2. Justice Dalveer Bhandari re-nominated to ICJ: For another term as Judge at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), India has re-nominated Justice Dalveer Bhandari as its candidate. His current term runs through February 2018. The ICJ elections will be conducted in November and if elected, he will serve a term of 9 years.

3. World Refugee Day being observed globally: The ‘World Refugee Day’ was observed across the world on 20th June to raise awareness of the state of refugees throughout the world. This year, the World Refugee Day also marks a moment for the public to show support for families who were forced to flee.

4. India ratifies UN International Convention on Road Transports: India becomes the 71st country to join the United Nations TIR (Transports Internationaux Routiers) Convention. The Transports Internationaux Routiers Convention aims to boost trade through smoother movement of goods across territories.

5. Afghan President inaugurates first Afghanistan-India air corridor: The first ‘Afghanistan-India air corridor’ at the Kabul International Airport, Afghanistan was inaugurated by the Afghan President Ashraf Ghani. The corridor, by creating a direct route (bypassing Pakistan), aims to improve commerce in Afghanistan.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS & ECONOMY:

1. Lockheed Martin, Tata Group sign deal to manufacture F-16 fighter jets in India: Tata Group has signed a pact to operate, produce, and export the combat-proven F-16 fighters in india with the American aerospace giant, ‘Lockheed Martin’. Originally developed by General Dynamics (now Lockheed Martin) the F-16 Fighting Falcon is a single-engine supersonic multirole fighter aircraft which was developed for the United States Air Force (USAF).

SPORTS:

2.Indian Wushu Team bags six medals in BRICS Games: In the first ever BRICS Games in Guangzhou, China, India wins six medals (two each Gold, Silver, and Bronze). In the Wushu Competition M. Gyandas and Anjul Namdev won Gold, whereas  Bidheswari Devi and Toshibala won Silver. L. Sanatgombhi Chanu and Sajan Lamasecured third by winning a bronze.