Daily & Latest Current Affairs in 2025

Correct Answer :   June 27

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World MSME Day is observed on June 27 every year to raise awareness about the importance of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises in promoting inclusive and sustainable development worldwide.

According to the United Nations data, the MSMEs account for up to 90% of businesses, over 60% to 70% of jobs worldwide, and half of global GDP.


World MSME Day 2023 Date :

The United Nations General Assembly on 6 April 2017 designated 27 June as “Micro-, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises Day" (A/RES/71/279) to raise awareness of the tremendous contributions of MSMEs to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).


World MSME Day 2023 Theme :

The theme MSME Day 2023 in India is “Future-ready MSMEs for India@100." The Global Council for the Promotion of International Trade is also celebrating the day with “Building a Stronger Future Together" theme of this year. The global body is also launching #Brand10000MSMEs Network, a dynamic platform where MSMEs from around the world can connect, learn, and grow together.


World MSME Day 2023 Significance :

MSMEs hold the potential to transform economies, foster job creation, and promote equitable economic growth if given adequate support.

The MSMEs are providing financial independence to the most vulnerable section of our society. Based on available data, the rate of women’s employment in registered MSMEs stands at about 24%, while in unregistered enterprises, it is reported at 13.02%. Financial inclusion can play a significant role in promoting gender equality, with evidence indicating that 80% of women-owned businesses facing credit needs are underserved or completely unserved, resulting in a financing gap of approximately $1.7 trillion.

The MSMEs day also focus on supporting resilient supply chains to ensure workers and the environment benefit. Supply chains are a critical component of global trade and commerce, and conflicts, disasters, and pandemics can quickly impact their functioning, increasing costs and making transactions more difficult.

The MSME Day event aims to highlight their pivotal role and explore opportunities for their further advancement. The events also provide a platform for small business owners to tell their stories of entrepreneurship and its challenges, while governments, international organizations and business support organizations show their commitment to support..

Source : Mint

Correct Answer :   Ministry of Agriculture

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Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare signed a MOU with Pixxel Space India Pvt. Limited monday (26th June 2023) in the presence of the Shri Manoj Ahuja, Secretary, DA&FW, Pramod Kumar Meherda, Additional Secretary, DA&FW and other senior officers of the Ministry at New Delhi.

Shri C. S. Murthy, Director, MNCFC signed the MOU on behalf of Government of India, where as Shri Abhishek Krishnan, Chief of Staff represented M/s Pixxel Space India Pvt. Limited.

Aim : It aims to develop various geospatial solutions on pro bono basis for the Indian Agriculture Ecosystem using Pixxel’s hyperspectral dataset.

The project focuses on leveraging sample hyperspectral data from Pixxel’s path finder satellites to develop analytics models focused on crop mapping, crop stage discrimination, crop health monitoring, and soil organic carbon assessments. This will enable the Government to develop use cases with hyperspectral data provided by PIXXEL. MNCFC on behalf of the DA&FW will associate with Pixel team for developing and implementing the suitable methodologies.

Hyperspectral remote sensing technology includes spectral measurements in narrow wavelength bands by satellites and such measurements offer certain unique indices to monitor and assess health of crops and soils. This is an emerging technology with unique capabilities for monitoring agriculture.Crop health monitoring by detecting the changes in chlorophyll content and canopy moisture status, using hyperspectral data would be beneficial to find crop risk management solutions to farmers.

Soil nutrient mapping including soil organic carbon assessments is one of the important applications of hyperspectral technology. The soil reflectance observations measured by the sensors offer more direct, cost-effective datasets to estimate soil organic carbon.This will also help to develop the early detection of crop stress, accurate diagnostics of crop stress due to pest/disease or water using hyper spectral data offer numerous opportunities to strengthen the current advisory system of the Government benefiting to millions of farmers.

Secretary, DA&FW expressed that such types of collaboration with young startup company will go a long way for developing innovative geospatial solutions using advanced   satellite imaging technology. The new technology will reduce dependence on manual surveys and measurements which are time consuming and prone to errors..

Source : PIB

Correct Answer :   BLR Pulse

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The Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) has launched the "BLR Pulse" app which will enable passengers flying through Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) to experience the airport in a new way.

BIAL said that in collaboration with GrayMatter Software Services, it has created BLR Pulse, an omnichannel platform which alleviates common pre-travel apprehensions like long security queues, wait times, etc.

“It allows passengers to navigate within the terminal buildings and take control of their journey at departures and arrivals by providing essential information about the Airport in real-time. The interactive chatbot feature in the app enables a self-sufficient mode of finding answers to various questions, which will be further curated over time,” BIAL said.

Real-time updates : BLR Pulse offers real-time updates on various passenger processing touchpoints, including entry gates, check-in counters and security check areas, while delivering flight status updates directly to passengers’ mobile or email inboxes.

In addition, the WayFinder feature allows passengers to find their way through the Airport easily. Passengers can book a transit hotel for their short-term stay or complete their last-minute flight check-ins, the operator added.

‘One-tap solution’ : Hari Marar, MD & CEO of Bangalore International Airport Ltd (BIAL), said, “Travelling through BLR Airport gets more seamless with the BLR Pulse app. The objective is to help passengers plan their travel on the go even before they reach the Airport. We value our passengers’ time and needs, and hence this app comes as a one-tap solution. Through BLR Pulse, we are connecting the physical and digital worlds to create a ‘Phygital’ environment that will provide passengers and visitors with a unique interactive experience. Passenger experience is at the core of our business, and every product that we launch is to enhance their comfort and support their needs through every aspect of their journey through the Airport.”.

Source : The Hindu

Correct Answer :   DBS Bank

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DBS Bank India has appointed Rajat Verma as managing director and head of institutional banking, the lender said in a statement on Monday (26th June 2023).

Rajat, who was formerly with HSBC as the MD and country head of Commercial Banking, India, will be succeeding Niraj Mittal, as head of institutional banking. Mittal will be taking up a new role as country head of DBS Bank in Australia.

Rajat will lead the growth of the institutional banking franchise for DBS Bank in India given the significantly expanded footprint of the lender. DBS Bank India said that Rajat's appointment strengthens its leadership team and commitment to grow institutional banking business.

Commenting on Verma's new role, Surojit Shome, Managing Director and CEO of DBS Bank India said, "He (Rajat Verma) is a seasoned banker with a proven track record of delivering value to institutional clients across diverse sectors and markets. His appointment reinforces our commitment to growing our business in India."

Under Rajat’s leadership, the bank aims to strengthen in digitalisation and deliver better value for its customers, he added..

Source : Economic Times

Correct Answer :   Parshottam Rupala

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Union Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Minister Parshottam Rupala Monday (26th June 2023) launched NANDI (NOC Approvals for New Drugs & Inoculation System).

The NANDI portal has been developed to pave the way to a resilient Animal Health Sector in India by streamlining and digitising the regulatory approval process.

It is also aimed to speed up the process to assess and examine the safety, efficacy, and essentiality of veterinary product proposals received in the Department.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Rupala termed the launching of the portal as a timely move. He said the NANDI will ensure seamless approval of vaccines. The Minister said, the decision of launching the Mobile Veterinary Units and vaccinating all livestock in the country will bring a big change in the Animal Husbandry Sector.

The NANDI portal will help in achieving the goal of developing a global manufacturing hub for veterinary products in the country and stimulating research and development focused on improving Animal health..

Source : AIR

Correct Answer :   Rs 56,415 crore

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The Finance Ministry Approved investments worth Rs 56,415 Crore in 16 states as part of the 'Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment 2023-24’ scheme, it said in a release on Monday (26th June 2023).

Aiming at providing a timely boost to capital spending by states, the Department of Expenditure has approved investment projects in several sectors including health, education, irrigation, power, roads and railways among others. The said department has also included the state share of two projects, namely Jal Jeevan Mission and Pradhan Mantri Gram sadak Yojana under this scheme.

"Under the scheme, special assistance is being provided to the State Governments in the form of 50-year interest free loan up to an overall sum of Rs. 1.3 lakh crore during the financial year 2023-24," the release read.

The ministry has divided the scheme into eight parts.

For the first part,Rs 1 lakh crore has been allocated which is further distributed among states in proportion to their share of central taxes and duties.

Part-II sees allocation of Rs 3,000 crore incentives for scrapping of vehicles, including state government vehicles and ambulances. The funds will also be used to waive liabilities on old vehicles, provide tax concessions to individuals for scrapping of old vehicles and set up of automated vehicle testing facilities.

Parts III & IV focus on incentives to states for reforms in urban planning and finance. For the same, Rs 15,000 crore and Rs 5,000 have been set aside respectively..

Source : Economic Times

Correct Answer :   June 26

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The International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking is observed annually on June 26 to spread awareness about the ill effects of drug abuse.

History :

At the International Conference on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking held in Vienna on June 26, 1987, it was recommended that a day should be observed to commemorate the struggle against drug abuse. The United Nations General Assembly on December 7, 1987, decided to observe June 26 as International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.


Significance :

* The day is recognised to highlight the health challenges related to drug abuse and encourage combating measures like prevention, education, treatment, and rehabilitation.

* The day is observed by individuals, communities, and several organisations globally and aims to bring attention to the threat that illegal drugs pose to society.

* The day promotes global collaboration and communication between countries, groups, and people to create a world free from drug addiction and illicit drug trafficking.

Theme 2023 :
The theme for this year (2023) is "People First: stop stigma and Discrimination, strengthen Prevention," which aims to raise awareness about the importance of treating people who use drugs with respect and empathy; providing evidence-based, voluntary services for all; offering alternatives to punishment; prioritizing prevention; and leading with compassion, the United Nations Office On Drug And Crime (UNODC) stated.

The campaign also aims to combat stigma and discrimination against people who use drugs by promoting language and attitudes that are respectful and non-judgmental, said the UNODC..

Source : Hindustan Times

Correct Answer :   25th June 2023

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Co-inventor of lithium-ion batteries and co-winner of the 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, John Bannister Goodenough 25th June 2023 passed away at 101.

* He shared the 2019 Nobel Prize with Stan Whittingham, a British-American scientist, for discovering that lithium may be held within sheets of titanium sulphide.

* He was also instrumental in the invention of computer RAM (Random Access Memory).

* According to the Nobel Prize website, John Goodenough was born in Jena, Germany to American parents. After studying mathematics at Yale University, he joined US Army as a meteorologist during the Second World War.

* He then attended the University of Chicago, where he earned a PhD in physics in 1952. He then worked at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Oxford University in the United Kingdom.

* He had formerly taught at the University of Texas at Austin.

* Witness to Grace, Goodenough's autobiography, was published in 2008, and he described it as "my personal history." The book discusses both science and spirituality.

Born : 25 July 1922, Jena, Germany

Died : 25 June 2023.

Source : India Times

Correct Answer :   Kyriakos Mitsotakis

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Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the leader of Greece’s center-right New Democracy party, has comfortably won a second four-year term as prime minister.

Mitsotakis is set to return to the prime minister’s office in a stronger position with his party’s resounding victory in Sunday’s elections, which were dominated by financial stability and cost-of-living issues.

“We have high targets that will transform Greece,” a triumphant Mitsotakis said in his victory speech, promising that “major reforms” would soon be under way.

“I will not tolerate any arrogance,” he added.

With nearly 100% of the vote counted, New Democracy had garnered over 40% of the vote. Its main opposition, leftist party Syriza trailed far behind in the preliminary results with over 17%.

A total of eight parties, including centrist PASOK-KINAL and leftist KKE, crossed the 3% threshold to enter the Greek parliament. They included groups on the far-right; the biggest surprise in Sunday’s vote was the entry to parliament of the little known, strongly anti-migrant Spartans party, backed by disgraced former lawmaker Ilias Kasidiaris, who is currently serving a prison sentence of over 13 years for membership in a criminal organization.

He is a former leading member of Golden Dawn, a neo-Nazi party that gained popularity during Greece’s financial crisis.

Other fringe far-right entries to parliament included the nationalist party Greek Solution and the ultra-religious, anti-abortion Niki. The three together have secured for the far right a bloc of more than 30 seats...

Source : CNN

Correct Answer :   Infosys

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IT major Infosys has bagged a digital transformation deal from Denmark-based Danske Bank estimated to be around USD 454 million for five years, the company said on Monday (26th Jun 2023).

As part of the strategic collaboration with Danske Bank, Infosys will acquire Danske Bank's IT centre in India, which employs 1400 digitally skilled professionals.

"Danske Bank, a leading Nordic bank, has selected Infosys as Strategic Partner to accelerate the bank's digital transformation initiatives with speed and scale. This collaboration will help Danske Bank achieve its strategic priorities towards better customer experiences, operational excellence, and a modernised technology landscape, powered by next-gen solutions," Infosys said.

Nordics is a strategic market for Infosys and this collaboration further enhances our commitment to the region.

Infosys said that it will acquire a 100 per cent stake in Danske Bank's IT centre in India in an all-cash deal for about Rs 16 crore, according to a regulatory filing.

We expect the transactions to be completed before the second quarter of the financial year 2024, subject to customary closing conditions.

Infosys Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director Salil Parekh said the company's rich experience in financial services transformation to work for Danske Bank and help the bank accelerate its strategic growth agenda..

Source : Business Standard