Important Current Affairs of 11th June

NATIONAL:

MoSPI has proposed to set up a National Data Warehouse to leverage big data analytical tools.

• Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) has proposed to set up a National Data Warehouse with an aim to leveraging big data analytical tools. This move is to further improve the quality of macro-economic aggregates. MoSPI also plans to introduce a legislative framework so that the National Statistical Commission (NSC) can function with independence and give holistic guidance for improving the national statistical system.

Significance:

• The move also lends its support to the system reforms that are currently ongoing. It will also ensure the responsiveness to the changing needs of society that are necessary.

• This proposed set up is necessary as there are increasing demands on the statistical system for the production of relevant and quality statistics.

National Data Warehouse for macro-economic aggregate:

• The Ministry also proposed to establish a National Data Warehouse on Official Statistics. Here, the technology will be leveraged for using big data analytical tools for further improving the quality of macro-economic aggregates.

• MoSPI has been criticized in some sections for the quality of macro-economic data.

Merger of merger of CSO and NSSO:

• Regarding this the government has recently merged the Central Statistical Organisation (CSO) and the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) to streamline and strengthen the statistical system. The merger leveraged the strengths of the two organisations so that it can meet the increasing demands.

• The government use the statistical data to revise the GDP estimate would require concomitant changes in the sectoral data flows and associated regulatory framework in the data source agencies to facilitate the use of more macro modelling techniques.

Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MOSPI):

Established on: 15 October 1999

Minister responsible: Rao Inderjit Singh, Minister of State (Independent Charge)

It has 2 wings:

1)Department of Statistics

2)Department of Programme Implementation

• It is responsible for the development of the statistical system and maintains norms and standards in the field of statistics that involves concepts and definitions, methodology of data collection, processing of data and dissemination of results.

• MoSPI is concerned with coverage and quality aspects of statistics.

ASI declares Chaukhandi Stupa as of national important monument.

• A Monument and protected area of national importance by Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

Chaukhandi Stupa:

• Chaukhandi Stupa is a lofty mound of brick whose square edifice is surrounded by an octagonal tower. It was built to mark the place where Lord Buddha met his first disciples as he traveled from Bodhgaya to Sarnath.

• The Chaukhandi Stupa is said to be originally a terraced temple during the Gupta period, that • 4th to 6th Century.

• Govardhan,the son of Raja Todarmal gave the present shape to the Chaukhandi Stupa.He built an octagonal tower to commemorate the visit of Humayun,the great Mughal ruler.

Archaeological Survey of India (ASI):

• ASI was formed on 1861, headquartered at New Delhi, India. ASI is the premier organization for the archaeological researches and protection of the cultural heritage in India. It functions under the Ministry of Culture.

• ASI is responsible for the regulation of all archaeological activities in the country as per the provisions of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958 and Antiquities and Art Treasure Act,1972.

India's First Dinosaur Museum Park inaugurated in Gujarat

• Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani inaugurated India's first Dinosaur-Museum-cum-Park in the Mahisagar district.

• It is set to give visitors a Jurassic Park kind of feel.

The museum is located in Raiyoli area in Balasinor exhibit remains of various dinosaurs and fossil records.

• Dinosaur Museum cum Park is the first park in the country and the world's third park.

Raiyoli area is the third largest dinosaur fossil site in the world and it is also the second largest dinosaur hatchery in the world, where thousands of eggs had been found.

About Dinosaur-Museum-cum-Park

• It is equipped with modern technology like 3D projection, virtual reality presentations, interactive kiosks and life-size dinosaur replicas.

• It has a total land area of 2.63 hectares. It is famous for displaying the evolution of dinosaurs on earth and probable reasons for their extinction.

It is a world-class tourism spot and prove useful to students as well as experts.

About Gujarat

Capital: Gandhinagar

Governor: Om Prakash Kohli

Chief Minister: Vijay Rupani

INTERNATIONAL:

Canada to ban single use plastics from 2021.

• Canada ban single-use plastics from the year 2021

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau planned to ban plastic bottles, straws and plastic bags clogging the world's oceans.

• Canada to lead to fighting against plastic pollution as the country with the world's longest coastline.

• Currently, 10 percent of plastics are recycled.

• A  million birds and more than 100,000 marine mammals worldwide suffer injury or death through the food chain.

• Plastic Straws, plastic bags, cutlery, plates among the items.

Around 180 countries reached a deal to reduce the amount of plastic that ends up in the world's oceans.

• Marine animals can become entangled in larger plastics - particularly cord, nets, and ropes from fishing.

Canadian government planned to decide single-use plastic products included ban of plastic bags, straws, cutlery, plates and stir sticks.

•  Around 3m tonnes of plastic waste thrown away each year at Canada.

About Canada

Capital: Ottawa

Governor General: Julie Payette

Prime Minister: Justin Trudeau

Singapore topped the IMD World Competitiveness Ranking 2019.

• Swiss-based International Institute for Management Development (IMD) World Competitiveness Ranking 2019 said Singapore has dethroned the US to become the most competitive economy in the world. Hong Kong stands second spot in the list. USA stands third followed by Switzerland and UAEand fourth and fifth respectively.

• Qatar entered the top 10. India ranked 43, one position higher compared to 2018.

Parameters considered:

• The ranking process considers a wide range of hard statistics such as Gross Domestic Product (GDP), unemployment and government spending on health and education. IMD also used the soft data from an Executive Opinion Survey which covers other parameters such as social cohesion, globalization and corruption.

AGREEMENTS AND MOU’s:

PM Narendra Modi to meet Putin and Xi Jinping in sidelines to SCO summit.

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi is to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping before the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit. The announcement was made by the Ministry of External Affairs.

Its a reiteration:

• Prime Minister Modi is to reiterate his invite to President Xi to visit India for an informal summit in 2019. The first informal summit was held in Wuhan in 2018.

• The Ministry did not approve to hold a separate meeting between the Prime Minister with his counterpart from Pakistan, Imran Khan.

SCO Summit 2019:

• The SCO summit is to be held on June 14 in Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic. It will be the first multilateral meeting of Prime Minister Narendra Modi after his re-election in the Lok Sabha election.

• The group will discuss issues related to terrorism, Afghanistan, regional security, multilateral dialogue and global scenario.

BANKS AND ECONOMICS:

State Bank of India introduces Repo Rate-Linked Home Loan.

• State Bank of India introduced repo rate-linked home loans.

SBI, the country's largest bank by assets home loans linked to the repo rate from July 1, 2019.

• There are 10 key new facts, repo rate-linked SBI home loan:

Key interest rate reduced to 5.75

Repo rate-linked home loan will make changes in the key interest rate by the central bank would be passed on directly to the customers.

Interest rates applicable to regular home loans are decided by the commercial banks on a time basis.

The Reserve Bank of India on several occasions in the past few months urged the commercial banks to transmit the rate cuts to the public.

State Bank of India benefit from the latest reduction in the repo rate has been passed fully to cash credit account and overdraft customers with limits of over Rs. 1 lakh.

After the move, the effective repo-linked lending rate (RLLR) for a cash credit and overdraft customers will be 8 percent. These changes will also take effect on July 1.

• The Reserve Bank of India's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC)lowered the repo rate by 25 basis points and switched to an "accommodative" stance from "neutral".

• The decision by the RBI to ease the monetary policy follows official data last month showing India lost its status as the fastest growing major economy to China.

RBI reduced the repo rate each in its policy reviews in February and April.

SBI has a share of around 35 percent in home loans and auto loans.

SPORTS:

Haryana, Maharashtra dominate third day of Youth men's & women's national boxing championship.

• Haryana and Maharashtra participated in the  third day of the 3rd Youth men's and women's national boxing championship in Rudrapur, Uttarakhand

Four boxers from Maharashtra entered the quarterfinals

Ankit Narwal-led Haryana boxers reached the last-eight stage.

Narwal, the 2018 Youth Asian Championship bronze winner in men's 60kg category

Haryana's Akshay Kumar won the game in the same way.

In the women's category, Haryana's Bharti and Poonam and  Bharti registered a hard-fought 3-2 win over Ekta Saroj of Punjab in which went down to the wire, while Poonam got the better of Assamese boxer Kimpa Boro.

Women's boxing between Manipur's Babyrojisana Chanu and Kerala's Aishwarya Raj PT 51kg category.

About Women's national boxing championship

AIBA Women's World Boxing Championships was held at KD Jadav Indoor Stadium at New Delhi, India

The event took place between 15 and 24 November 2018.

In the finals Mary Kom of India beat Ukrainian boxer Hana Okhota to win the gold,

She is the first woman boxer to win six gold medals in the AIBA World Boxing Championships

India debut flag in #WorldRaftingChampionship.

• India is making debut in the adventurous game of Rafting.

Former Prime Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports team played in World Rafting Championship which is taking place in Tuncelli.

There are 20 teams from 20 countries are challenging for the title.

President of Turkish Rafting Federation Fikret Yadimei expressed his excitement over hosting the World Rafting Championship.

The championship commenced on June 8 and will conclude on June 13.

About  International Rafting Federation

•It is the official umbrella International Sports Federation for national rafting organizations worldwide and administers all aspects of rafting sport worldwide.

•World Rafting Championships (WRC), European Rafting Championships (ERC), Pan American Rafting Championships, and the Euro Cup rafting series are governed by the IRF.

• It works closely with national organizations and government bodies by offering the only raft guide certification program accepted worldwide

Lewis Hamilton Won Canadian Grand Prix 2019.

• Lewis Hamilton won Canadian Grand Prix , the world of Formula One championship title 2019.

Lewis Hamilton, Robert Kubica and Daniel Ricciardo players who played various matches in championship and considered as star players.

• Hamilton won 78th career win in Formula One .

• He also fifth out of the seven races contested this season

• He secured seventh win at the 2019 Canadian Grand Prix and defeated Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari)

About Canadian Grand Prix

Canadian Grand Prix is an annual auto race held in Canada since 1961.It is a part of the Formula One World Championship since 1967

First held :1961

Number of times held: 56

Most wins : Germany Michael Schumacher , Lewis Hamilton

About Lewis Hamilton

Nationality: United Kingdom

Entries: 236

Championships: 5 (2008, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018)

Win: 78

Rafael Nadal clinched the 12th French Open title by defeating Dominic Thiem.

• World number two Rafael Nadal clinched the 12th French Open title in 15 years in men's single category held in Roland Garros Stadium, France.

• He defeated world number four Dominic Thiem in the men's singles. The Spaniard won the match with a scoreline of 6-3, 5-7, 6-1, 6-1. The 33-year-old has now won 18 Grand Slam titles, two fewer than world number three Roger Federer.

• The champions of the 2019 French Open

• Men's Singles: Spain Rafael Nadal

• Women's Singles: Australia Ashleigh Barty

• Men's Doubles: Germany Kevin Krawietz / Germany Andreas Mies

• Women's Doubles: Hungary Tímea Babos / France Kristina Mladenovic

• Mixed Doubles: Chinese Taipei Latisha Chan / Croatia Ivan Dodig

2019 French Open:

• The 2019 French Open was held from 26th May-9th June

• Edition: 123rd

• Category: Grand Slam tournament

• Prize money: €42,661,000

• Surface: Clay

• Held at: Roland Garros Stadium, France.