Daily Current Affairs 20 June 2024

1. Govt hikes MSP for 14 Kharif Crops including Paddy & Cotton

The Union Cabinet has approved the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for 14 Kharif season crops, including paddy, ragi, bajra, jowar, maize, and cotton.
This decision will have a financial implication of ₹2 lakh crore for the government and result in a gain of ₹35,000 crore for farmers compared to the previous year.
Notably, the MSP for paddy has been raised by 5.35% to ₹2,300 per quintal for the 2024–25 kharif marketing season.

2. CERT-In & Mastercard India collaborate to enhance cybersecurity in Financial Sector

The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) and Mastercard India have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance India’s cyber-resilience in the financial sector.
Under this collaboration, they will focus on cybersecurity incident response, capacity building, sharing cyber threat intelligence specific to the financial sector, and advanced malware analysis.
Training programs and workshops will be conducted to enhance the cybersecurity of financial sector organizations.
This proactive approach aims to safeguard against cyber threats and strengthen India’s financial digital ecosystem.

3. IPPB partners with Ria Money Transfer to enhance doorstep financial services nationwide

India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) has partnered with Ria Money Transfer, a global leader in cross-border money transfers.
This collaboration aims to enhance financial inclusion in rural India by providing convenient and affordable doorstep financial services.
Sixty-five percent of India’s population lives in rural areas with limited financial infrastructure.
Through this partnership, the International Inward Money Transfer service will be available at more than 25,000 Post Office locations initially, with an expected reach of over 100,000 locations.

4. UP to establish world’s first Asian King Vulture Conservation & Breeding Centre in Maharajganj

The world’s first Jatayu Conservation and Breeding Centre (JCBC) for the critically endangered Asian king vulture is set to open in Uttar Pradesh’s Maharajganj district.
This state-of-the-art center, spread across 1.5 hectares, aims to breed king vultures in captivity and release them into the wild, maintaining a sustainable population.
With an investment of around ₹15 crore, JCBC features multiple aviaries, including holding, breeding, recovery, and nursery aviaries.
It also has a food processing center and an incubation facility for rearing eggs artificially.
The Asian king vulture, listed as ‘critically endangered,’ will benefit from this 15-year conservation project.

5. MIFF 2024 organised Special Indian Sign Language Film Screening for Divyang Students

During the 18th Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF), Divyang students from Sanskar Dham Vidyalaya and Victoria Memorial School for the Blind enjoyed a special screening of films interpreted in Indian Sign Language.
The curated package included episodes of “Little Krishna,” “The Crossover,” and “Jai Jagannath,” all with special audio descriptions.
Notably, this year’s MIFF prioritized inclusivity and empathy, sensitizing the entire team and restructuring the venue to be Divyang-friendly.
More than 50 students attended the screening, appreciating the efforts to create an accessible and welcoming film festival experience.

6. World Champion Neeraj Chopra wins gold in Javelin Throw in Finland

Neeraj Chopra, the Olympic and World Champion, secured a historic gold medal in the men’s javelin throw at the World Athletics Continental Gold Tour held in Turku, Finland.
His remarkable best effort of 85.97 meters topped an eight-man field, showcasing his exceptional talent and making him the first Indian to win gold at a World Athletics event.
Notably, Neeraj’s victory adds to India’s growing prominence in track and field, and his achievement is celebrated as a significant milestone in Indian sports history.

7. Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi wins Stepan Avagyan Memorial 2024 crown

Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi secured victory in the Stepan Avagyan Memorial 2024 chess tournament with a round to spare.
His dominant performance earned him a career-high live rating of No. 4 in the world, trailing only Magnus Carlsen, Hikaru Nakamura, and Fabiano Caruana.
Arjun’s impressive run included four wins and as many draws in eight rounds, accumulating 9 Elo rating points and reaching a live rating of 2779.92.

8. North Korea and Russia sign Mutual Defense Pact

North Korea and Russia recently signed a strategic partnership agreement, solidifying their military cooperation.
The pact includes a mutual defense pledge, ensuring that both nations will assist each other in case of armed aggression.
Beyond defense, the agreement covers areas such as nuclear energy, space exploration, and food and energy security.
This move comes amid growing confrontations with the West, and it reflects their shared desire to elevate relations to a new level.

9. Thailand passed Marriage Equality Bill, a first in Southeast Asia

Thailand’s Senate has overwhelmingly approved a marriage equality bill, marking a historic moment.
If signed by the king, Thailand will become the first country in Southeast Asia to legalize same-sex marriage.
The bill grants full legal, financial, and medical rights to marriage partners of any gender.
Despite conservative values in Thai society, this progressive step reflects the nation’s commitment to inclusivity.
Notably, Thailand will join Taiwan and Nepal as the third place in Asia to allow same-sex marriages.

10. Indian Army launched first skin bank for advanced care of personnel and families

The Indian Army has inaugurated a groundbreaking skin bank facility at the Army Hospital (Research & Referral).
This state-of-the-art center aims to revolutionize the treatment of severe burn injuries and other skin-related conditions for service personnel and their families.
Staffed by highly-trained medical professionals, including plastic surgeons and tissue engineers, the skin bank will serve as a centralized hub for collecting, processing, storing, and distributing skin grafts.

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