Daily Current Affairs - Civil Services - 20-06-2020

Useful compilation of Civil Services oriented - Daily Current Affairs - Civil Services - 20-06-2020

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• SECTION 1 - TEN NEWS HEADLINES

1. India-China Standoff 2020 – India moves jets, copters to China-facing forward bases – India has moved its fighter jets to forward airbases facing China, even as additional warships have been deployed in the extended Bay of Bengal region, in a clear signal to Beijing that New Delhi is prepared for escalation in the ongoing troop confrontation on the unresolved border. The fresh build-up includes the new Apache attack helicopters, which are “tank killers” with their Hellfire air-toground missiles and rockets, and Chinook heavy-lift choppers capable of transporting howitzers and troops to forward high-altitude areas, being deployed in Ladakh.”
2. India-China Standoff 2020 – No intruder is on our land now, no post in anyone’s custody, says PM – No intruder is present inside India’s borders nor is any post under anyone’s custody, PM Narendra Modi told an all-party meeting convened in the aftermath of the bloody clashes between Indian and Chinese troops in the Galwan Valley. With all parties offering strong support to oppose the Chinese aggression on the LAC — barring Congress which asked several questions on when and how PLA troops “intruded” across the LAC — the PM asserted that Indian troops took the fight to the Chinese.
3. Science and Technology – Australia hints at Chinese cyberattack; Japan, Vietnam too riled by Beijing – India isn’t the only country in China’s crosshairs right now. Australian PM Scott Morrison said his government and some private sector entities in the country had been under a sustained cyberattack by a state actor — a hint at China. Last week, Vietnam’s foreign ministry said two Chinese ships had attacked a Vietnamese fishing boat in the South China Sea. The incident happened near the Parcel Islands which China claims as its own. In April, Vietnam had protested after one of its fishing boats was sunk by a Chinese maritime surveillance vessel near the islands. Reports from Japan indicated that China had placed its vessels near the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea for 66 days running to intimidate Tokyo. Indonesia also has been facing similar Chinese bullying. China claims territory from 23 nations, shares border with 14.
4. Indian Politics – House of Elders gets younger as 43 first-timers enter Rajya Sabha – With 43 first-time MPs set to enter Rajya Sabha after biennial elections, the House of Elders is likely to get younger. But the House will also end up losing about 63 terms worth of collective experience. This is because 61 members who are due to retire from the upper House in June have a total collective experience of 95 terms. In contrast, the new incumbents have a cumulative experience of 32 terms, resulting in a sharp decline in collective experience. Against the 61 vacancies created by retiring members, while 42 were filled by MPs who were elected unopposed, elections to the remaining 19 vacancies were held on June 19.
5. Geography, Environment – Solar eclipse to be beamed live by observatory – Nainital-based Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES) will on June 21 organise live telecast of the solar eclipse through YouTube, Facebook and digital platform Zoom, science and technology ministry said while issuing ‘do’s and don’ts’ of observing the astronomical event. India will witness annular solar eclipse with the Sun appearing as a necklace of pearls for around 30 seconds during the maximum phase along a narrow corridor running through Rajasthan, Haryana and Uttarakhand. The eclipse will be partial in rest of the country. A solar eclipse occurs when the moon (at the new moon phase) blocks the solar disk partially or completely, leading to partial, annular, or total solar eclipse. An annular solar eclipse (giving appearance of a ring of fire in the sky) occurs when the angular diameter of the Moon falls short to cover up the Sun completely.
6. Archaeology  – 8m-year-old fossil of jumbo found in UP –  A camera trap survey in UP Shivalik range forests led officials and experts to a rare discovery this week. Lying in a shallow water stream just 50km north of Saharanpur city in Badshahi Bagh was an unusually long stone. Upon a closer look, they agreed it was a unique fossil. The 2-feet-long specimen was sent to Dehradun-based Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology which confirmed the fossil was the lower jaw of a Stegodon, an extinct relative of the modern Asian elephant, that likely dates back five to eight million years. It’s the first such find in UP’s Shivalik range. The species had tusks that grew 10-12 feet.
7. International Relations/ Internal Security – Nepal on its side, China now woos Bangladesh – Just when India-China relations suffered a new low following the recent clashes at Galwan Valley in Ladakh, Beijing seems to be aggressively wooing Bangladesh, a strong ally of India in the neighbourhood, with a host of sops. India-China stand-off at Ladakh has also coincided with Nepal redrawing it map to include some Indian territories, presumable under a nudge from China. While India is working to retaliate to the border violence by China, which claimed the lives of at least 20 Indian soldiers, through various measures mainly to hurt its economy, Beijing has reached out to Dhaka by offering to waive off 97% tariff on 5161 items that Bangladesh trades with China.
8. World Politics – US to reduce troops in Afghanistan to 8,600 – The US has committed to make an initial reduction in its forces in Afghanistan to 8,600 as part of its agreement with the Taliban, but there is no obligation for America to withdraw troops if the Afghan parties are unable to reach an agreement. As part of its efforts to bring lasting peace in the war-torn Afghanistan and the agreement it signed with the Taliban, the US has committed to make an initial reduction in its forces in Afghanistan to 8,600. The US currently has some 13,000 troops in Afghanistan. This is the level that General Scotts Miller, Commander of US and NATO troops in Afghanistan, had earlier identified as necessary to fulfil his mission.
9. Indian Economy – RIL tops $150bn mcap as it turns ‘zero-net debt’ co – Reliance Industries (RIL), the most valued company in India, crossed another milestone as it surpassed the $150-billion market capitalisation mark. The achievement came after its chairman Mukesh Ambani said the company had met its “promise to shareholders” by becoming net debt-free ahead of its March 2021 deadline. After a relatively decent start of the session, the RIL stock rallied soon after Ambani’s statement and closed 6.5% higher, giving it an mcap of almost Rs 11.5 lakh crore on the BSE, translating into $151 billion. From sinking to a multi-year low of Rs 868 on March 23 this year, the stock hit a high of Rs 1,789 during June 19’s session.
10. Indian Economy – 25% Indians willing to stop insurance premiums: Survey – Over one fourth of Indian policyholders are willing to sacrifice property and life insurance premium payments to ease their financial burden, according to an Asia-Pacific survey by global reinsurer Swiss Re. At the same time, Indian consumers are second-most active in Asia-Pacific in seeking insurance, driven by financial and mental health concerns. Swiss Re conducted a consumer survey after the Covid-19 pandemic began to understand the reaction of consumers to the crisis.

Important Exam Notifications
S. No.	Institution	Exam or Post Name	Vacancies or Seats	Qualification	Last Date to Apply	Link for Details
1	AICTE	Chief Coordinator, Coordinator	5	Any Degree	July 3, 2020	https://mhrd.gov.in/sites/upload_files/mhrd/files/Advt_AICTE_IKS.pdf
2	Air India Express Limited	Manager, Dy Manager (Finance)	7	CA/ ICWA	--	https://www.airindiaexpress.in/upload/AdvtMgrFinance562020.pdf
3	Fencing Asso. of India	Assistant Coach	16	Any Degree	July 5, 2020	https://drdo.gov.in/sites/default/files/career-vacancy-documents/DLJ_Advt.pdf
4	Lok Sabha Secretariat	Translator	47	Diploma, PG	July 27, 2020	https://img.freejobalert.com/uploads/2020/06/Notification-Lok-Sabha-Secretariat-Translator-Posts.pdf
5	IIT, Gandhinagar	Research Asso., JRF/ Doc. Scholar, Pro. Asst.	5	B.Tech, M.Tech, Ph.D	June 30, 2020	https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KSFUOVfuM6DXaWsXKvciEjvk1XuTLXOP/view
6	Join Army Dental Corps	Short Service Commissioned Officer	--	--	--	https://indianarmy.nic.in/Site/NewsDetail/frmNewsDetails.aspx?MnId=wZKaJTvhq6pc+/CjfB48LQ&NewsID=sAKI24QlHKrXiUGdgPmudA==
7	DHS, Hojai	Laboratory Technician	10	BMLT/ DMLT	June 20, 2020	https://hojai.assam.gov.in/sites/default/files/swf_utility_folder/departments/hojai_epr_amtron_in_oid_2/menu/document/advertisement_for_the_post_of_laboratory_technician_in_hojai_district.pdff

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• SECTION 2 - DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS

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• 1. CONSTITUTION AND LAW (Prelims, GS Paper 2, Essay paper)

1.1 Judicial discipline ordains that coordinate bench cannot take contrary view; can only refer to larger bench : SC

•  News – 

1. In the judgment holding that the lockdown restrictions and the extension of limitation will not impact the right to default bail, the Supreme Court made some significant observations on judicial discipline.

• Background  – 

1. The issue arose out a single bench decision of Madras High Court in the case S Kasi v State through Inspector of Police, which held that the SC's order of March 23 extending limitation will also extend the time for filing chargesheet under Section 167(2) of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
2. While overturning this judgment on merits, the apex court also noted that the single bench (of Justice G Jayachandran) acted contrary to "judicial discipline", as it was against the judgment of another single bench (of Justice G R Swaminathan) in the case Settu vs The State, which had held that SC order extending limitation did not affect right to default bail.

• The decision – 

1. Disapproving this approach of the HC bench,the SC observed  - "It is well settled that a coordinate Bench cannot take a contrary view and in event there was any doubt, a coordinate Bench only can refer the matter for consideration by a Larger Bench. The judicial discipline ordains so".
2. Suo moto extension of limitation or lockdown will not affect right of accused to default bail : SC
3. Judge cannot make uncharitable remarks against any judgment.
4. The top court also disapproved the observations passed by the bench in S Kasi against the previous order.

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• 2. ECONOMY (Prelims, GS Paper 3, Essay paper

2.1 Banking and Finance - RBI constitutes working group to review private bank shareholding norms

• Reserve Bank of India on June 12, 2020 said that it has constituted an Internal Working Group (IWG) to review the existing guidelines on ownership and corporate structure for Indian private sector banks. 
• The IWG headed by RBI executive director Prasanna Mohanty will review the extant licensing and regulatory guidelines relating to ownership and control, promoters’ holding, requirement of dilution, control and voting rights among other things.
• RBI’s licensing rules require the promoter of a private bank to reduce holding to 40% within three years, 20 percent within 10 years and to 15 percent within 15 years of the operations of the bank.
• The working group will consist of five members including Prasanna Mohanty, and Sachin Chaturvedi both directors on RBIs central board. RBI executive directors Lily Vadera and SC Murmu will also be on the committee which will submit its report by September 30.
• As per the terms of reference the committee will have to assess the present licensing guidelines and regulations relating to ownership and control in private sector banks and suggest appropriate norms. The committee will have to keep in mind the issue of excessive concentration of ownership and control before suggesting changes to the present guidelines.
• The committee will also study current regulations on holding of financial subsidiaries through non- operative financial holding company and suggest ways of the migrating all banks to uniform regulations.
  

2.2 Former RBI Governor Urjit Patel appointed Chairman of NIPFP (National Institute of Public Finance and Policy), New Delhi for 4-year term.

2.3 Noted economist B. P. R. Vithal passed away at 93. He was Member of the Tenth Finance Commission.

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• 3. ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY (Prelims, GS Paper 3, Essay paper)

3.1 Not Available Today

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• 4. FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Prelims, GS Paper 2, Essay paper)

4.1 India will be the President of United Nations Security Council President for August 2021.

4.2 Jean Kennedy Smith, sister of late US President John F. Kennedy and former U.S. ambassador to Ireland, dies at 92. 

4.3 International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict observed on June 19.

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• 5. GOVERNMENT SCHEMES (Prelims, GS Paper 2, GS Paper 3)

5.1 Schemes for employment generation in rural India

• Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS)

1. MGNREGS is a flagship programme which addresses poverty in a holistic manner by overcoming social inequalities and creating a base for sustainable and longterm development. It is transforming rural India into a more productive, equitable and connected society.

• Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G)

1. The Pradhan Mantri Awaas YojanaGramin (PMAY-G) has been devised in line with Government’s commitment to provide ‘Housing for All’ by 2022 in the rural areas. The scheme aims at providing a pucca house with basic amenities to all houseless householders living in kutcha and dilapidated houses by 2022.

• Skill Upgradation and Mahila Coir Yojana

1. The scheme comes under Coir Vikas Yojana and provides development of domestic and export markets, skill development and training, empowerment of women, employment/entrepreneurship creation and development, enhanced raw material utilisation, trade-related services, welfare activities of the coir workers. Mahila Coir Yojana in particular aims at women empowerment through the provision of spinning equipment at subsidised rates after appropriate skill training. 

• Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana

1. The Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana was launched in 2015 with the twin aims of providing credit of upto Rs. 10 lakh to small entrepreneurs and act as a regulator for Micro-Finance Institutions. Mudra targets young educated or skilled workers and entrepreneurs including women entrepreneurs. The scheme is designed to promote and ensure access of financial facilities to Non-Corporate Small Business Sectors that will turn them into instruments of GDP growth and employment generation. 
2. The loans are easily accessible in three categories: Shishu, Kishore and Tarun to signify the stage of growth/development and funding needs of the beneficiary micro unit/ entrepreneur and also provide a reference point for the next phase of graduation/growth. 

• Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana

1. The flagship scheme of the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship. The objective of this Skill Certification Scheme is to enable a large number of Indian youth to take up industryrelevant skill training that will help them in securing a better livelihood. Individuals with prior learning experience or skills will also be assessed and certified under Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). 

• Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana

1. DDU-GKY is a part of the National Rural Livelihood Mission, tasked with the dual objectives of adding diversity to the incomes of rural poor families and cater to the career aspirations of rural youth. 

• Shyama Prasad Mukherji Rurban Mission (SPMRM)

1. Undertaken by the Union Ministry of Rural Development, the SPMRM focuses on cluster-based integrated development through Spatial Planning. Rurban clusters are identified across the country’s rural areas showing increasing signs of urbanisation i.e., increase in population density, high levels of nonfarm employment, presence of growing economic activities and other socioeconomic parameters. The Mission aims to transform these Rurban clusters by stimulating local economic development, enhancing basic services, and creating well planned Rurban clusters. 

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• 6. MISCELLANEOUS (Prelims, Various GS Papers)

6.1 Weekly Roundup – Sports and Defence

• ICC bans saliva use to shine ball, allows non-neutral umpires in bilateral series  - The ICC on June 9, 2020 approved Covid-19 replacements in Test cricket, banned the use of saliva and re-introduced non-neutral umpires for bilateral series as part of its interim playing regulations to tackle the threat posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.
• India’s oldest first-class cricketer Vasant Raiji dies in Mumbai aged 100 - India’s oldest first-class cricketer Vasant Raiji died in Mumbai at the age of 100 on June 13, 2020. He played for Bombay and Baroda in the Ranji Trophy in the 1940s.
• Azerbaijan’s Mamedyarov Shakhriyar wins Sharjah World Stars online chess tournament - Azerbaijan’s Mamedyarov Shakhriyar (7.5 points) won the Sharjah World Stars online chess tournament followed by India’s P. Harikrishna (6.5) and Poland’s Radoslaw Wotjaszek (6) in second and third positions respectively.
• 2019 Asian Athletics Championship gold winner Gomathi Marimuthu banned for doping - Indian 800m runner Gomathi Marimuthu, who won gold at the 2019 Asian Championships, was stripped of her medal and banned by the Athletics Integrity Unit after she tested positive for a banned steroid. Meanwhile, India’s National Anti-Doping Agency suspended basketballer Amritpal Singh, shooter Sharvan Kumar, and boxer Neeraj Phogat.
• US athlete Bobby Morrow passed away  at 84; won gold in men’s 100 m, 200 m & 4X100 m relay at 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne.
• PSU GRSE delivers FPV ICGS Kanaklata Barua to the Indian Coast Guard - PSU warship builder Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd (GRSE) on June 9, 2020 delivered ICGS Kanaklata Barua, the fifth and final ship in the series of Fast Patrol Vessels (FPV) for the Indian Coast Guard in Kolkata.
• Defence Min. extends by 4 months capital acquisition contracts of Indian vendors  - The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has extended the delivery period for all existing capital acquisition contracts with the Indian vendors by four months till July 24, 2020 due to supply chain disruptions arising out of COVID-19 pandemic. Also, the Indian vendor is free to deliver the contracted items well within the extended delivery period.

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• 7. POLITY (Prelims, GS Paper 2)

7.1 Elections of Rajya Sabha members

• Rajasthan  - K. C. Venugopal and Neeraj Dangi of Congress and Rajendra Gehlot of BJP 
• Madhya Pradesh - Jyotiraditya Scindia and Sumer Singh Solanki of BJP and Digvijaya Singh of Congress
• Andhra Pradesh - Rajya Sabha election winners: Pilli Subhash Chandra Bose, M. Venkata Ramana, Parimal Nathwani and Ayodhya Rami Reddy of YSR Congress .
• Manipur - Leishemba Sanajaoba of BJP

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• 8. SOCIAL ISSUES (Prelims, GS Paper 1, GS Paper 2)

8.1 Highway war between Kerala and Karnataka

• News -

1. The Central Government informed the Supreme Court that a settlement has been reached between Karnataka and Kerala on lifting the blockade of border roads for passage of patients for urgent medical treatment at the inter-state border.
2. Earlier, the Kerala government told the apex court that Karnataka's blocking National Highways and border roads due to coronavirus, preventing people's access to medical treatment and movement of essential goods, is violative of fundamental rights of the Citizens.
3. Kerala said that the Union government, under whom the National Highway fall, is duty bound to issue direction to Karnataka to remove such blockade for transporting patients requiring medical attention as well as essential goods to Kerala.

• Issue -

1. The COVID-19 outbreak has sparked an interstate dispute over the ‘right to the highway’. Earlier, with growing concern over the rapid rose of cases in Kerala, neighbouring Karnataka had closed all roads across the Dakshina Kannada, Kodagu and Mysuru districts.
2. Subsequently, the Kerala high court passed an order directing Karnataka to lift the ban as it is a direct attack on the federal structure. State governments cannot decide on closure of a highway.
3. In return, Karnataka government challenged the Kerala High Court order before the SC.
4. The closure of roads would affect the sociocultural relationship between the two states. The SC bench took up via video conferencing an appeal against the Kerala High Court order directing the opening of roads so that patients from Kasaragod can access emergency medical care facilities in Mangaluru. This is because the Kerala districts that border Karnataka are thought to have underdeveloped health infrastructure.
5. In normal times, Mangaluru has been a popular destination for the residents of Kasargod and Kannur in Kerala, as it has a number of bars, pubs and a vibrant nightlife. Young people from Kerala also frequently visit Mangaluru during the weekends. Investors from Kerala have also built hospitals, schools and hotels here.
6. In its appeal before the Supreme Court, Karnataka contended that the opening of the roads would lead to law and order issues as local residents are wary of people from Kasaragod crossing over given that the district has the largest number of COVID-19 cases in the country.

• Kerala High Court’s Order -

1. The Kerala High Court had directed the Centre to ensure that blockades put up by Karnataka on national highways connecting it to Kerala are removed forthwith in order to facilitate free movement of vehicles carrying people for urgent medical treatment between the two states.
2. The Kerala HC asked the Union government to intervene as the arterial roads that connect Mangalore to Kasaragod are part of the national highway network. Hence, it is the duty of the central government to ensure that roads are blockade- free.
3. Denial of health services amounts to infringement of right to life under Article 21 and also affects the right to freedom of movement under Article 19(1) (d) of the Constitution.

• Court’s Territorial Jurisdiction

1. Before the High Court, Karnataka contended that the court would be exceeding its territorial jurisdiction if it issues any direction.
2. But the court rejected this and said that when a High Court of a state finds and declares the actions of the government of another State to be illegal and unconstitutional, the said state government would be obliged to defer to the said declaration of law by a Constitutional Court of this country, notwithstanding that the said court is situated beyond the territorial limits of the said state.
3. The Court held that the Karnataka government cannot therefore be heard to contend that it is not obliged to respect the fundamental right of a citizen who resides outside its territorial limits.

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• 9. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (Prelims, GS Paper 3)

9.1 Sustainable Gastronomy Day celebrated by UN on June 18

•  What is sustainable Gastronomy

1. Gastronomy is sometimes called the art of food. 
2. It can also refer to a style of cooking from a particular region. In other words, gastronomy often refers to local food and cuisine.
3. Sustainability is the idea that something (e.g. agriculture, fishing or even preparation of food) is done in a way that is not wasteful of our natural resources and can be continued into the future without being detrimental to our environment or health.
4. Sustainable gastronomy, therefore, means cuisine that takes into account where the ingredients are from, how the food is grown and how it gets to our markets and eventually to our plates.

• Sustainable Gastronomy Day -

1. Sustainable Gastronomy Day is observed globally on 18th June every year.
2. This day is observed to acknowledge gastronomy as a cultural expression related to nature as well as the cultural diversity of the world.
3. It also reaffirms that each one culture and civilizations are contributors and crucial enablers of sustainable development throughout the planet.

• History -

1. The UN General Assembly adopted on 21 December 2016 its resolution A/RES/71/246 and designated 18 June as an international observance, Sustainable Gastronomy Day.

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• 10. FACTS, CHARTS, RANKINGS and EDITORIALS (Prelims + GS Mains)

10.1 Not Available Today

10.2 Daily dose of  FIVE Facts -

• Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on May 14, 2020 participated in the ‘32nd Commonwealth Health Ministers’ Meeting’ through Video conference.
• Government of National Accord is the UN-recognised government in Libya.
• Journalist Jamal Khashoggi was reported missing after arriving in the Saudi Arabian Consulate in Istanbul on October 2, 2018.
• The centre has launched an online dashboard National Migrant Information System (NMIS). It has been developed by National Disaster Management Authority.
• Trilochan Mohapatra is the Director General of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).

10.3 Today's best editorials to read

• We offer you 7 excellent editorials from across 10 newspapers we have scanned. 

CLICK HERE TO OPEN AND READ!

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• SECTION 3 - MCQs (Multiple Choice Questions)

Solve the online quiz given, right now. Check scores, and relative performance!

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