Important Current Affairs 26th June 2021

NATIONAL

9th  Asian Ministerial Energy Roundtable to be hosted by India in 2022

•International Energy Forum (IEF) announced that India has agreed to host the 9th Asian Ministerial Energy Roundtable (AMER9). The 9th Asian Ministerial Energy Roundtable will be held in 2022. Dates of this conference will be announced later and it will take forward the understandings reached in the previous meeting in Abu Dhabi during 2018.

•The decision of India to be the host of this Energy Roundtable came after a virtual meeting between IEF Secretary-General Joseph McMonigle and Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

•Chief executive officers of Indian Oil Corp, Bharat Petroleum, and Hindustan Petroleum Corp, in addition to senior officers from the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, were also present at the meeting.

Central government released Smart Cities Awards 2020 winners

•The Central government has declared Smart City awards 2020 in which Indore (Madhya Pradesh) and Surat (Gujarat) won the award jointly for their overall development. Whereas Uttar Pradesh emerged on the top among all states, followed by Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu under the Smart City award, 2020. The Smart City awards were given across the themes of Social Aspects, Governance, Culture, Urban Environment, Sanitation, Economy, Built Environment, Water, Urban Mobility.

•According to the Centre, of the total, proposed projects under the Smart Cities Mission, 5,924 projects (115% by number) worth Rs.1,78,500 crore have been tendered so far. Whereas work orders have been issued for 5,236 projects (101% by number) worth Rs.1,46,125 crore.

SPORTS

Australian swimmer Kaylee McKeown breaks 100-meter backstroke world record with a time of 57.45 seconds

•Australian swimmer Kaylee McKeown breaks the 100-meter backstroke world record at the South Australian Aquatic Centre with a time of 57.45 seconds from the previous mark of 57.57 seconds set by American Regan Smith in 2019.

•Emily Seebohm finished second in 58.59 to qualify for her fourth Olympics.

APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS

Karnam Malleswari appointed as the First vice chancellor of Delhi Sports University

•The Delhi government appointed former Olympic medalist weightlifter Karnam Malleswari as the first Vice-Chancellor of Delhi Sports University.

•She is the first Indian woman weightlifter to bring home an Olympic medal. She created history at the Sydney Olympics in 2000 by lifting 110 kilograms and 130 kilograms in the ‘snatch’ and ‘clean and jerk’ categories. She has also been awarded the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award, Arjuna Award and Padma Shri.

IMPORTANT DAYS

International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking 2021 : 26th June

•International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking is observed globally on 26th June every year. The day is observed by the United Nations as an expression of its determination to strengthen action and cooperation to achieve the goal of an international society free of drug abuse.

•The theme of International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking 2021 is “Share Facts On Drugs, Save Lives”.

•On 7 December 1987, the United Nations General Assembly decided to observe 26 June as the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking as an expression of its determination to strengthen action and cooperation to achieve the goal of an international society free of drug abuse by passing a resolution 42/112.

International Day in Support of Victims of Torture 2021 : 26th June

•International Day in Support of Victims of Torture is observed on 26th June every year. This day is observed by the United Nations to raise awareness among the people about human torture that it is not only unacceptable but it is also a crime.

•On 12 December 1997, The UN General Assembly passed a resolution 52/149 and decided to watch 26 June because the United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture to eradicate torture and therefore the effective functioning of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. it’s to be remembered that pain or suffering caused by the legal penalty isn’t considered as torture. On 26 June 1998, the primary International Day in Support of Victims of Torture was held.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

Cochin International Airport won honour in airport service quality award

•Cochin International Airport (CIAL) won Airport Council International (ACI) Director General’s Roll of Excellence honour in Airport Service Quality. This recognition is awarded to those airports which, in the opinion of passengers, consistently delivered excellent services.

•Cochin International Airport has consistently delivered excellence in customer service by winning multiple awards for five years in past 10 years. It is one among six airports across the world that will receive recognition in 2021.

BOOKS AND AUTHORS

Ruskin Bond’s New book ‘It’s a wonderful Life’

•Indian British author Ruskin Bond has authored a new book titled ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ is published by Aleph Book Company.

•The book is written in a perceptive, uplifting, deeply moving, and non-fictional way.  He is a recipient of Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan. His First Novel was the Room on the Roof’.

BANKING AND ECONOMY

SBI Card partners with Fabindia

•SBI Card, the country’s second-largest credit card issuer and Fabindia, a retail platform for a wide range of handcrafted products by the artisans of the country, have joined hands to launch an exclusive co-branded contactless credit card named “Fabindia SBI Card”. The card is designed with curated benefits and privileges to offer a rewarding shopping experience to its premium customers and comes in two variants — Fabindia SBI Card SELECT and Fabindia SBI Card.

•The introduction of the new Fabindia SBI Card further bolsters our premium portfolio, reinforces our commitment to enable our customers to embrace digital payments and contribute to the country’s digital economy.

SBI launched Aarogyam healthcare business loan for healthcare sector amid the pandemic

•The State Bank of India (SBI) has launched the Aarogyam healthcare business loan to provide enhanced support to the healthcare sector amid the pandemic. Under this new product, the entire healthcare ecosystem such as hospitals, nursing homes, diagnostic centres, pathology labs, manufacturers, suppliers, importers, logistic firms engaged in critical healthcare supply can avail of loans up to Rs 100 crore (as per the geographic location) repayable in 10 years, the country’s largest state-owned bank.

•The Aarogyam loan can be availed either as a term loan to support expansion or modernisation or as working capital facilities such as cash credit, bank guarantee/letter of credit.

•In metro centres loans under Aarogyam can be availed up to Rs 100 crore, Tier I & Urban centres up to Rs 20 crore and in Tier II to Tier VI centres up to Rs 10 crore.