Current Affairs Quiz - June, 2020

Notes:
The state government of Uttarakhand has recently launched a scheme called ‘Mukhya Mantri Swarojgar Yojana’, to provide loans to the migrant workers amid Covid-19 pandemic.
Under the scheme, Uttarakhand government will provide loans worth ₹25 lakh in the manufacturing sector and ₹10 lakh in the service sector. The migrant workers who are returning to the state are eligible to apply for the loans, that will be provided by nationalised banks, scheduled commercial banks and co-operative banks.

Notes:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has recently launched a technology-based platform named as CHAMPIONS, for MSME sector.
‘CHAMPIONS’ stands for Creation and Harmonious Application of Modern Processes for Increasing the Output and National Strength. The platform aims to provide a comprehensive solution including Grievance redressal, Financial access, Permissions among others will be addressed in the platform. It also provides latest communication tools and is enabled by Artificial Intelligence.

Notes:
Social networking giant Twitter has recently appointed Patrick Pichette, a former chief financial officer at Google as the next chairman of its board.
This is the first time in the history of Twitter that an outsider is presiding over the board. Patrick Pichette served as the lead independent director of Twitter since the end of 2018. He is to replace Omid Kordestani in leading the directors as Chairman. Investors have been urging for appointing outsiders to preside over boards.

Notes:
The Union Cabinet has given its approval for setting up of an “Empowered Group of Secretaries (EGoS) and Project Development Cells (PDCs) in Ministries/Departments of Government of India.
The establishment of the two cells is expected to attract more investments in India. The Cabinet Secretary would serve as the Chairperson of EGoS, with NITI Aayog CEO and Secretaries of other departments as members. The ‘Project Development Cell’ (PDC) will develop projects in coordination with the Central Government and State Governments and increase FDI inflows.

Notes:
Veteran filmmaker and screen-writer Basu Chatterjee, passed away recently due to age related illness, at 93 years.
The film maker was known for his critically acclaimed films such as ‘Chhoti Si Baat’, ‘Baaton Baaton Mein’, ‘Ek Ruka Hua Faisla’ and ‘Rajnigandha’ among others. He was famous among the middle-class audience in the 70s for his unique film -making.

Notes:
India is the sole contender for the Asia Pacific seat in non-permanent category of the UN Security Council as a non-permanent member.
The General Assembly of UNSC is to hold elections for the five non-permanent members of the Security Council on June 17. It has also proposed new secret ballot voting arrangements due to the Covid-19 restrictions. India has been elected as a non-permanent member of UNSC for seven terms starting from 1950-51 till 2011-12.

Notes:
As per the latest announcement from the World Economic Forum (WEF), it will adopt a new twin-summit format for its next annual summit.
The flagship annual Davos summit is proposed to be held in January 2021 with a theme of ‘The Great Reset’. The 51st summit is to bring together leaders from across the globe either in person or for virtual dialogues. This year, the 50th WEF Annual Meeting was held from January 21-24, 2020.

Notes:
During his first ever virtual bilateral summit with the Australian head, the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi signed a landmark agreement related to defence.
The agreement named ‘Mutual Logistics Support Agreement (MLSA)’ will allow the militaries of the two countries to use the bases of each other countries, for the purpose of repair and replenishment of supplies. India has already signed similar agreements with the US, France and Singapore. The countries also decided to re-engage on a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA).

Notes:
Union Minister for Human Resources and MoS Housing & Urban Affairs jointly launched TULIP, an Internship Program with Urban Local Bodies across the country.
The initiative TULIP, which stands for `The Urban Learning Internship Program (TULIP)’, provides internship opportunities to fresh graduates in all Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) and Smart Cities across the country. It was initially announced in the Union Budget 2020-21 under the theme ‘Aspirational India’.

Notes:
Veteran Bureaucrat and 1999-batch IAS officer, Brajendra Navnit has been appointed as the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of India (PRI) to the World Trade Organisation for a period of three years.
He had been the Joint Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office prior to this appointment and will be posted at the Permanent Mission of India (PMI) to the WTO in Geneva. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet also gave a nod to the appointment of IRTS officer Anwar Hussain Shaik for the post of Counsellor, at the PMI to WTO, Geneva for three years.