Most Important Monthly Current Affairs of June 2021

5. Abhishek Banerjee has been appointed as the all-India general secretary of the Trinamool Congress (TMC).

6. Punjab, Tamil Nadu and Kerala have all scored higher than 90% in the Education Ministry’s Performance Grading Index for 2019-20 which was released on Sunday.

7. India’s rank has slipped by two places from last year to 117 on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted as a part of the 2030 agenda by 193 United Nations member states in 2015.

8. The proposed mosque in Ayodhya will be named after the noted freedom fighter and revolutionary Maulvi Ahmadullah Shah Faizabadi, Indo-Islamic Cultural Foundation announced in a statement.

9. The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Ltd. (HSBC) announced the appointment of Hitendra Dave as Chief Executive Officer of HSBC India subject to receipt of regulatory approval. He has been appointed as interim Chief Executive Officer effective June 7, 2021.

10. Assam Cabinet today decided that the State Government would confer Asom Ratna, Asom Bibhushan, Asom Bhushan and Asom Shri awards annually.

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11. President Ram Nath Kovind appointed of Anup Chandra Pandey, a retired Uttar Pradesh cadre IAS officer, to the post of Election Commissioner. Mr. Pandey, a 1984 batch IAS, served as the former chief secretary of Uttar Pradesh.

12. Assam Raimona and Dihing Patkai National Parks have been formally notified, adding to Assam's total tally of NPs to 7. Assam has become the second state in the country to have the highest number of NPs.

13. 67th National Film Awards Golden Lotus for Water Burial. Directed by Shantannu Sen, Water Burial's story revolves around the rituals of the Monpa community of Arunachal Pradesh.
Inspired by the popular Assamese Novel ‘Saba Kota Manuh’ by Padma Shree Yeshe Dorjee Tongchi. The movie was made in the dialects of Monpa is garnering rave reviews.

14. The Master Plan of Delhi-2041 has identified a need to improve the city’s economic, creative and cultural opportunities. Promoting a nightlife culture, developing cultural hot spots and heritage circuits, enhancing Shahjahanabad as a cultural enterprise hub, and regenerating the Lutyens’ Bungalow Zone are some of the key features of the draft Master Plan of Delhi (MPD) 2041, the blueprint for the city’s development in the next two decades.

15. New Zealand and Australian cities dominated the Global Liveability Index 2021 published by EIU, owing to their strong response to Covid19 pandemic. As per the report, living conditions remained worst in the Syrian capital Damascus.

16. El Salvador became the first country in the world to adopt bitcoin as legal tender after the country’s Congress approved President Nayib Bukele's proposal to embrace the cryptocurrency, a move that delighted the currency's supporters.

17. Megha Rajagopalan, an Indian-origin journalist, along with two contributors has won the Pulitzer Prize for innovative investigative reports. ‘The Night Watchman,’ Malcolm X biography win arts Pulitzers.

18. European Space Agency (ESA) has announced about its probe called ‘EnVision’ to study Venus, after American Space agency NASA decided to send two missions to the planet. About EnVision EnVision will be the next orbiter to circle over Venus. It will provide a holistic view of planet from its inner core to upper atmosphere.

19. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced the Mukhyamantri Sishu Sewa Achoni scheme which will provide relief to children who have lost their parents due to Covid-19.

20. The State Bank of India (SBI) has launched a collateral-free unique loan offering – ‘Kavach Personal Loan’. The loan covers the expenses of Covid-19 treatment. Under this scheme, the bank will provide loans up to Rs 5 lakh at an effective interest rate of 8.5 per cent per annum for 5 years.

21. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has approved the budgetary support of ₹498.8 crore to Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) challenge under the Defence Innovation Organisation for the next five years.

22. DBS has been named by Forbes in their list of World’s Best Banks 2021. DBS was ranked 1 out of 30 domestic and international banks in India for the second consecutive year.

23. The Governments of 23 nations, including India, have collectively launched a bold new plan called Mission Innovation 2.0, to catalyze action and spearhead a decade of innovation for global investment in clean energy research, development and demonstrations.

24. India’s Nagraj Adiga has been elected as the Asia-Oceania Representative at the recently concluded 2021 International Association of Ultrarunners (IAU) Congress at which the IAU council elections were held.

25. Tsitsi Dangarembga, the booker-shortlisted writer from Zimbabwe, has won the PEN Pinter Prize 2021. Tsitsi Dangarembga is the author of the book ‘Nervous Conditions’, which she wrote at the age of 25. It was followed by ‘The Book of Not’ and the third part of the trilogy ‘This Mournable Body’, which was also shortlisted for Booker Prize 2020.

26. Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, K Nagaraj Naidu was named chef de cabinet by the incoming UN general assembly president, Maldivian foreign minister Abdulla Shahid.

27. The United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration has been officially launched, which will run from 2021 to 2030. United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration will be co-led by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO).

28. The European Space Agency has planned to put the world’s first wooden satellite, WISA Woodsat, on Earth’s orbit by the end of this year. The mission of the satellite is to test the applicability of wooden materials like plywood in spacecraft structures and expose it to extreme space conditions, such as heat, cold, vacuum and radiation, for an extended period of time.

29. A mobile application devoted to Yoga named as “Namaste Yoga”, has been laucnhed by Ministry of AYUSH. The Namaste Yoga” app has been designed as an information platform for the public, with the aim to raise awareness about yoga and make it accessible for the larger community.

30. The government of India has launched ‘Project O2 for India’ to step up production of medical oxygen to meet the potential increase in demand due to further waves of the pandemic. ‘Project O2 for India’, an initiative of the Office of Principal Scientific Adviser, Government of India (GoI), aims to help stakeholders working to augment the country’s ability to meet the rise in demand for medical oxygen.

31. The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the implementation of “Deep Ocean Mission”. This mission is proposed by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), to explore the deep ocean for resources and develop deep-sea technologies for sustainable use of ocean resources.

32. Interpol has launched a new global database named “I-Familia” to identify missing persons through family DNA and help the police solve cold cases in member countries.

33. The European Space Agency (ESA) has planned to launch the world’s first wooden satellite. It is going to be launched from New Zealand. It will be launched from a Rocket Lab Electron rocket by the end of 2021. The satellite is the brainchild of Jari Makinen.

34. The 15th edition of the Global Peace Index (GPI) announced by Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP) Sydney, the GPI is the world’s leading measure of global peacefulness. The index ranks 163 independent states and territories according to their level of peacefulness.

35. Iceland remains the most peaceful country in the world, a position it has held since 2008. It is joined at the top of the index by New Zealand, Denmark, Portugal, and Slovenia.

36. The government of India has appointed a private person Aashish Chandorkar as Counsellor in India’s Permanent Mission in the World Trade Organisation for three years. For the first time, a private person has been appointed at the Mission. Chandorkar is director of Bengaluru-based policy think tank Smahi Foundation of Policy and Research.

37. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of India have signed a $484 million loan to improve transport connectivity and facilitate industrial development in the Chennai–Kanyakumari Industrial Corridor (CKIC) in the state of Tamil Nadu. CKIC is part of India’s East Coast Economic Corridor (ECEC), which stretches from West Bengal to Tamil Nadu.

38. The 2021 Land for Life Award has been won by Familial Forestry of Rajasthan, a unique concept that relates a tree with a family, making it a green “family member.” The UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) organises the Land for Life Award every two years to recognize excellence and innovation in efforts towards land in balance.

39. United Nations Global Compact has recognised Sumant Sinha, Chairman & MD of ReNew Power, as one of the ten SDG Pioneers 2021, for his work to advance access to clean and affordable energy.

40. The third-largest diamond in the world has been found in Botswana, South Africa. The place is also Africa’s largest producer of diamonds. The newly found diamond weighs a little less than the second-largest diamond Lesedi La Rona and the largest Cullinan diamond.

41. Ebrahim Raisi elected as Iran’s 8th president. Ebrahim Raisi will take up office in early August, replacing moderate President Hassan Rouhani who was not allowed run for a third consecutive term by the Iranian constitution.

42. Senior Indian Administrative Service officer Manoj Kumar Parida was 17th June 2021 appointed as Chairman, National Authority Chemical Weapons Convention (NACWC).

43. Familial Forestry, an environmental conservation project by Rajasthan's Shyam Sunder Jyani, bagged the prestigious United Nations' Land for Life Award 2021.

44. Bengaluru has been named as the most liveable city of India, in the Ease of Living Index 2020, released by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). The Ease of Living Index 2020 is part of the report titled State of India’s Environment 2021.

45. A 24-year-old Mawya Sudan has become the first woman from Jammu and Kashmir to become a fighter pilot of Indian Air Force.
46. British lawyer Karim Khan was sworn as the new chief prosecutor for the International Criminal Court.

47. The Central European University (CEU) Open Society Prize for 2021 has been awarded to KK Shailaja, the former Health Minister of Kerala. The award was presented to her in recognition of “her determined leadership and community-based public health work, saving lives during the pandemic”.

48. The International Olympic Day is held on June 23 each year. The Olympic Day 2021 theme is “Stay healthy, stay strong, stay active with the Olympic Day workout on 23 June.” The first International Olympic Day was celebrated on June 23, 1948. The first Olympic Day was celebrated by countries including Great Britain, Canada, Portugal, Switzerland, Greece, Belgium, Austria, Uruguay and Venezuela.

49. A tenacious New Zealand lifted the inaugural World Test Championship title with a comfortable eight-wicket win over India on the sixth and final day of the marquee final on 23rd June.

50. In Assam, the world’s first genetically modified (GM) rubber plant has been planted by Rubber Board, at the board’s farm in Sarutari near Guwahati. The GM rubber sapling was developed at the Rubber Research Institute of India (RRII), in Puthuppally, Kottayam, Kerala.

51. The Delhi government appointed former Olympic medalist weightlifter Karnam Malleswari as the first Vice-Chancellor of Delhi Sports University. She is the first Indian woman weightlifter to bring home an Olympic medal.

52. The Central government has declared Smart City awards 2020 on June 25 in which Indore (Madhya Pradesh) and Surat (Gujarat) won the award jointly for their overall development. Whereas Uttar Pradesh emerged on the top among all states, followed by Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu under the Smart City award, 2020. The Smart City awards were given across the themes of Social Aspects, Governance, Culture, Urban Environment, Sanitation, Economy, Built Environment, Water, Urban Mobility.

53. The Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has informed that India’s first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC-I), is planned to be commissioned by 2022.

54. An international group of archaeologists have discovered new human species in Israel which is being considered as a missing piece in the history of human evolution. Key Points Excavations were done at Israeli site of Nesher Ramla.

55. Sajan Prakash becomes first Indian swimmer to qualify for Tokyo Olympics. Sajan Prakash on June 26, 2021 became the first-ever Indian swimmer to qualify for the upcoming Tokyo Olympics by breaching the 'A' standard time.

56. "ITAT e-door" or "itat e-dwar" e-filing portal of Income Tax Appellate Tribunal has been formally launched by Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad in New Delhi. The portal will enhance the accessibility, accountability and transparency in the day to day working of the ITAT.

57. Shiva Rani Kalita, a young girl from Dhakuakhana in Lakhimpur district has brought laurels to the state and the country by winning the Best Actress Award at the Ottawa Indian International Film Festival in Canada. Rani Kalita has been honoured with the award for her role in the Assamese film ‘Bridge’, directed by Kripal Kalita. The movie 'Bridge' narrates the story of a struggling woman in rural Assam residing on the bank of a Brahmaputra tributary.

58. Icius tukarami — a newly discovered species of spider, has been named after Assistant Sub-Inspector Tukaram Omble, Ashoka Chakra recipient, and 26/11 martyr who was responsible for capture of Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Amir Kasab.

59. Noted journalist P Sainath has been selected as one of the three recipients of the Fukuoka Prize for 2021.

60. The incumbent Vigilance Commissioner, Suresh N Patel has been appointed as the acting Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) of India in the Central Vigilance Commission with effect. He has been appointed in place of Sanjay Kothari, who completed his term on June 23, 2021.

61. China began operating the world’s second-largest hydropower station on June 28, 2021. The Chinese officials have hailed it as a milestone towards Beijing’s carbon neutrality goals, despite the warnings of the environmental damage. 

62. The Supreme Court set a deadline of July 31 for States to implement the ‘One Nation One Ration Card’ scheme to allow migrant workers avail of subsidised food from any part of the country.

63. Srihari Natraj qualifies for Tokyo with a timing of 53.77s in the 100m Backstroke event at the Sette Colli Trophy in Rome. He becomes the 2nd Indian swimmer to achieve automatic qualification - 'A' cut for the Olympics.

64. Journalist P Sainath has been awarded the prestigious Fukuoka Grand Prize for the year 2021. Sainath has decided to share the prize amount with the bereaved families of rural reporters and towards the fellowship of aspirant rural journalists from dalit, bahujan and adivasi communities. 

65. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the appointment of Praveen Sinha as the Special Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Special Director is the second senior-most position in the agency after the Director. 

66. Union Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises Prakash Javadekar on June 29, 2021 inaugurated NATRAX- the High-Speed Track(HST) for automobiles in Indore. The track is the longest such track in Asia and world's fifth-longest. 

67. Amitabh Kant, whose tenure as CEO of government think tank Niti Aayog was recently extended by a year till June 2022, is one of the most influential policymakers in the country. 

68. The construction of the world’s largest radio telescope will begin from July 1, 2021, combining 197 dishes in South Africa and 131,072 antennas in Western Australia. The construction phase is expected to be completed in 2029. 

69. The historic Mizo Peace Accord signed on June 30, 1986 is the most successful agreement in India. Locally known as 'Remna Ni', the event is celebrated across the state on June 30. The accord ended two decades of insurgency, after which Mizoram became the 23rd Indian state on Febr uary 20, 1987.

70. The Government of China officially turned on the first two generating units of the Baihetan Dam, the world’s second-biggest hydroelectric dam, to start generating energy. The Baihetan Dam is set up on the Jinsha River, in southwestern China.  

71. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated a Zen Garden and Kaizen Academy at Ahmedabad Management Association (AMA) premises in Ahmedabad. These two new initiatives are part of PM’s vision of creating a ‘Mini-Japan’ in Gujarat.  

72. India’s Rahi Sarnobat clinched the gold medal in the women’s 25m pistol event at the ISSF shooting World Cup. 

73. Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on June 25, 2021, said that INS Vikrant, also known as IAC-1, is expected to be commissioned in the Indian Navy by 2022. The Defence Minister reviewed the progress of the construction of India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC-1) INS Vikrant at the Cochin Shipyard, Kochi, Kerala.  

74. International Day of Parliamentarism is observed globally on 30 June every year. The International Day of Parliamentarism is a time to review the progress that parliaments have made in achieving some key goals to be more representative and move with the times, including carrying out self-assessments, working to include more women and young MPs, and adapting to new technologies.  

75. Indian sprinter Dutee Chand qualified for the upcoming Tokyo Olympics in 100m and 200m events through the World Rankings quota on June 30, 2021.  

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