1) United Nations Public Service Day: 23 June
•United Nations Public Service Day is observed globally on 23rd June every year. This day is to highlight the contribution of public service in the development process and to value public service to the community. This day is widely known by various public service organisations and departments around the world by organising several events to recognise the role of public servants in making developments and improvements in the community.
•As a part of the occasion, the Division of Public Institutions and Digital Government of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs will host a virtual event, in collaboration with the government of the United Arab Emirates, under the theme of “Innovating the Future Public Service: New Government Models for a New Era to Reach the SDGs”.
2) International Olympic Day: 23 June
•The International Olympic Day is held on June 23 each year. The day is celebrated to encourage more people to participate in the Olympic Games and spread awareness about the event and promote the Olympic Movement. Based on the three pillars – “move”, “learn” and “discover” – the National Olympic Committees are deploying sports, cultural and educational activities to encourage participation regardless of age, gender, social background, or sporting ability.
•The Olympic Day 2021 theme is “Stay healthy, stay strong, stay active with the #OlympicDay workout on 23 June.”
3) International Widows Day: 23 June
•International Widows Day is observed globally on 23rd June every year. The day is widely known to draw attention to the voices and experiences of widows and to galvanize the unique support that they have. Several women around the world after losing her life partner faces challenges and do long-term struggle for basic needs, their human right and dignity.
4) Finance Ministry allows HFCs above Rs 100 cr to use to SARFAESI law
•Ministry of Finance has allowed housing finance companies (HFCs) with asset size of over Rs. 100 crore to recover the dues using SARFAESI law. This move is expected to be a shot in the arm for thousands of small HFCs, as it will facilitate quick recovery of dues and encourage these companies to lend more.
•Earlier HFCs with assets over Rs. 500 crore (and notified by Finance Ministry) were allowed to use SARFAESI law to recover dues. Currently, there are nearly 100 HFCs that are registered with NHB. The top-10 HFCs account for 70-80 per cent of the assets of the housing finance industry. SARFAESI Act 2002 allows banks and other financial institutions to auction residential or commercial properties (of Defaulter) to recover loans.
5) India and Fiji inks MoU for cooperation in the field of agriculture and allied sectors
•A virtual meeting was held between the Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, GoI, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar with Dr. Mahendra Reddy, Minister of Agriculture, Waterways & Environment, Government of Fiji. During the meeting, both the ministers signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for cooperation in the field of Agriculture and allied sectors. This MoU will further strengthen the multi-faceted cooperation between the two countries.
6) Indian Navy and European Naval Force hold first joint exercise
•In a first, the Indian Navy is participating in a joint exercise with the European Union Naval Force (EUNAVFOR). Stealth frigate INS Trikand, will participate in the two-day exercise in the Gulf of Aden as it is already deployed in the region on anti-piracy operations. The aim of the exercise is to enhance and hone their war-fighting skills and their ability as an integrated force to promote peace, security and stability in the maritime domain.
•Along with the Indian Navy, other naval forces are from Italy, Spain and France. The naval exercise included advanced air defence and anti-submarine exercises, tactical manoeuvres, Search & Rescue, and other maritime security operations.
7) Bengaluru ranked as one of the Top 5 technology centers in Asia Pacific
•Bengaluru has emerged as the top five technology centres in the APAC region while Hyderabad is ranked in the Top 10 list, a report by Colliers titled ‘Growth Engines of Innovation: How Asia Pacific Technology Hubs are Reshaping Regional Real Estate’. The report ranks the most attractive technology submarkets within major APAC cities, which should serve as a navigation tool for technology groups, as they plan their expansion.
•Beijing, Shanghai, Bengaluru, Shenzhen and Singapore currently rank as the top five technology centres in APAC; they offer a compelling balance of infrastructure and talent for occupiers and are well-positioned to deliver future growth and investment opportunities for owners. Other cities are developing strengths in specific areas of technology, e.g., Seoul and Hong Kong in fintech, while new centres such as Hyderabad and Sydney are emerging.
8) Minority Affairs Minister launched “JaanHaiToJahaanHai” awareness campaign
•The Minority Affairs Minister, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi launched a nationwide “JaanHaiToJahaanHai” awareness campaign on Corona vaccination for rural and remote areas. The aim of this campaign is to aware people of the Corona vaccination and to crush rumours and apprehensions related to Corona vaccination. It has been launched by the Ministry of Minority Affairs in association with various socio-educational organizations, NGOs, and Women Self Help Groups.
•Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi urged members of Central Waqf Council, Maulana Azad Education Foundation, and other social and educational institutions to take part in this awareness campaign. India is running the world’s largest Corona vaccination drive.
