Important Current Affairs 14th June 2017

Important Current Affairs 14th June 2017

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Current Affairs 14th June 2017: NATIONAL NEWS

Cabinet approves Interest Subvention to banks on Short-Term crop loan to farmers

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the Interest Subvention Scheme (ISS) for farmers for the year 2017-18. 
●    This will help farmers getting short term crop loan up to Rs. 3 lakh payable within one year at only 4% per annum.  The Government has earmarked a sum of Rs. 20,339 crore for this purpose.
●    The objective of the scheme is to make available at ground level, agricultural credit for Short Term crop loans at an affordable rate to give a boost to agricultural productivity and production in the country. 
●    The salient features of the scheme are as follows:
●    The Central Government will provide interest subvention of 5 per cent per annum to all prompt payee farmers for short term crop loan upto one year for loan upto Rs. 3 lakhs borrowed by them during the year 2017-18. Farmers will thus have to effectively pay only 4% as interest. In case farmers do not repay the short term crop loan in time they would be eligible for interest subvention of 2% as against 5% available above.
●    The Central Government will provide approximately Rs. 20,339 crore as interest subvention for 2017-18.
●    In order to give relief to small and marginal farmers who would have to borrow at 9% for the post harvest storage of their produce, the Central Government has approved an interest subvention of 2% i.e. an effective interest rate of 7% for loans upto 6 months.
●    To provide relief to the farmers affected by natural calamities, the interest subvention of 2% will be provided to Banks for the first year on the restructured amount.
●    In case farmers do not repay the short term crop loan in time they would be eligible for interest subvention of 2% as against available above.

Probationers of Railway Protection Force call on the President 

A group of probationers of Railway Protection Force called on the President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee today (June 14, 2017) at Rashtrapati Bhavan. 
●    Speaking on the occasion, the President congratulated the probationers for qualifying one of the most difficult competitive examinations and committing themselves to public service. 
●    He said that it is a matter of satisfaction that after having acquired high qualifications from prestigious institutions, they had decided to serve the people of India. 
●    The President said that Indian Railways is one of the largest railway networks in the world. 
●    He said that the career which the probationers had chosen in the Railway Protection Force is not only very challenging but will also offer them immense opportunities to develop innovative means for safety and security of passengers in the mammoth apparatus of Railways. 
●    He urged them to remember that while protecting railway property and ensuring the security of passengers, the railway officers were just not rendering a very important public utility service but also uniting and binding different parts of a diverse nation. 
●    He said that Railways can be termed as the lifeline of the economy. 
●    The transportation of goods, services and passengers from one place to another is not merely in physical terms but also links the people of the country together.

HRD Minister Shri Prakash Javadekar felicitated National Science Talents of 2016-17 

Union Human Resource Development Minister Shri Prakash Javadekar felicitates National Science Talents of the Year 2016-17 in New Delhi today. 
●    The winners were awarded with mementoes and certificates by the Minister. 
●    Vijnana Bharati (VIBHA) jointly with Vigyan Prasar – an autonomous institution under Department of Science & Technology and National Council of Education and Research Training (NCERT) – Ministry of Human Resource Development has organized the National Science Talent Search for Future India Vidyarthi Vigyan Manthan (VVM) across the country. 
●    1.4 lakh students from 1472 schools from all the 29 states and 5 union territories from class VI-XI participated in the exam. Out of this 2400 students were declared as state level winners. 
●    Through 20 camps 264 students were selected as National level winners from 2400 students. 
●    These 264 students have undergone a two-day national camp at IIT Delhi, under an academic committee of eminent scientists and selected 18 students as national science talents of the year named as HIMALAYANS. 

Uttar Pradesh to make marriage registration mandatory

The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to make marriage registration mandatory for all in the state, an official said on Tuesday. 
●    A proposal has been drafted by the women's welfare department and is likely to be brought before the state cabinet in its next session. 
●    According to sources with the knowledge of the proposal, the Yogi Adityanath-led Bharatiya Janata Party government has decided to include everyone in the proposal, including the Muslims following the Supreme Court's order for compulsory registration of marriages. 
●    A committee of ministers was formed during former Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav's regime but its was protested by the Muslim community. 
●    The Samajwadi Party government had also decided to exclude the Muslims but the rule book was never released. 
●    The couples who are not registered will be deprived of benefits from government schemes, the sources added. 
●    Many states like Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Bihar, Rajasthan have already made marriage registration mandatory. There are also penalties for not adhering to the rule.

Current Affairs 14th June 2017: INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Cabinet approves MoU between India and Palestine on agriculture cooperation

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given its ex-post facto approval to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare and the Ministry of Agriculture in the State of Palestine on agriculture cooperation. 
●    The MoU was signed in May 2017 during the visit of the Palestinian Minister of Foreign Affairs to India. 
●    The MoU provides for cooperation in the fields of agricultural research; veterinary field including capacity enhancement of Palestinian Veterinary services and Animal Health; irrigation and climate change. 
●    It will also be extended to areas such as plant and soil nutrition; exchange of experiences in the field of sanitary and phytosanitary legislation and plant protection Animal husbandry, modern irrigation technology including exchange of experiences, and training and capacity building, etc. would also come in its purview.
●    Under the MoU, an Agricultural Steering Committee will be constituted to determine the programs and action plans to achieve the objectives provided in the MoU It will also set the agenda for cooperation.

Cabinet approves signing of Memorandum of Understanding between India and Bangladesh for promoting cooperation in the field of Information Technology and Electronics

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi was apprised about an Memorandum of Understanding which has already been signed between India and Bangladesh for promoting cooperation in the field of Information Technology and Electronics (IT&E).
●    The MoU was signed in April, 2017 between Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India and Information and Communication Technology Division of Bangladesh. 
●    It will remain in force for a period of five years. Thereafter, the MoU will be extended at any time within the period it remains in force by mutual written consent of the Parties. 
●    It can be terminated by either Party after giving six months’ prior notice in writing to the other Party.
●    The MoU in the field of IT&E is technical in nature and focused primarily on e-Governance, m-Governance, e-Public Services Delivery, Cyber Security, Capacity Building etc. 
●    The MoU aims to explore business opportunities, IT&E market in Bangladesh by Indian IT companies and attract investment in Indian electronics and IT sectors in India which would indirectly generate employment opportunities.

Cabinet approves signing of Memorandum of Understanding between India and Armenia on cooperation on youth matters

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi was apprised about an Memorandum of Understanding which has already been signed between India and Armenia for cooperation on youth matters.
●    The MoU was signed in April, 2017. This MoU shall remain in force for a period of five years. 
●    Thereafter, the MoU will be automatically renewed for successive periods of five years, unless either Party notifies the other Party of its intention of not to renew the MoU, at least six months before its expiration. 
●    It can be terminated by either Party after giving six months’ prior notice in writing to the other Party.
●    The objective of the MoU is to strengthen and encourage cooperation between the two countries on youth matters through participation in events and activities organized by the parties, information and knowledge sharing, and youth exchanges between the two countries.
 

Current Affairs 14th June 2017: SPORTS

Kohli reclaims top spot in ICC Ranking

India captain Virat Kohli surpassed AB de Villiers and David Warner to reclaim the top spot in the ICC rankings for ODI batsmen. Australia fast bowler Josh Hazlewood, meanwhile, topped the ODI bowlers' rankings for the first time in his career.
●    South Africa quick Kagiso Rabada, who had gained the No.1 spot last month, dropped to fourth place.
●    Unbeaten knocks of 81 and 76 against Pakistan and South Africa in the ongoing Champions Trophy helped Kohli overtake Warner and de Villers, who had climbed to No.1 in March this year. 
●    Kohli, who had briefly held the No. 1 ranking in January, has a one-point lead over Warner. De Villiers, who had scores of 4, 0 and 16 in the Champions Trophy, dropped two places, and trails Warner by 14 points. 
●    Joe Root and Kane Williamson were ranked fourth and fifth respectively.
●    Hazlewood, who took nine wickets in three Champions Trophy matches, became the first Australian to top the ODI bowlers' rankings since Mitchell Starc in October 2015. 
●    Imran Tahir and Starc retained their second and third rankings respectively. Afghanistan leg spinner Rashid Khan gained 18 places to surge to seventh.