Naba's Zone: Current Affairs 2018 [June 1

1. Socialist Pedro Sánchez has been sworn in as Spain’s new Prime Minister by King Felipe.

2. Nikesh Arora has been chosen as the new CEO of cybersecurity firm Palo Alto Networks.

3. The government has appointed Mahesh Kumar Jain, managing director and chief executive officer of IDBI Bank as a deputy governor at the Reserve Bank of India.

4. The government of India has constituted a group of eminent persons to study the Special Economic Zones (SEZ) Policy of India. The SEZ Policy would be headed by Baba Kalyani.

5. Rudrendra Tandon has been appointed as next Ambassador of India to ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations).

6. S Ramesh, a member of Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) will become the next Chairman of CBIC.

7. R Gandhi the former deputy governor of RBI has joined the board of Electronic Payment Services (EPS)- a retail banking tech-service provider as an independent director.

8. World Economic Forum (WEF) has appointed Sarita Nayyar as a member of its Managing board.

9. Bandhan Bank appointed former RBI deputy governor Harun Rashid Khan as non- executive part-time chairman.

1. Union Minister for Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi recently laid the foundation stone of an advanced DNA forensic laboratory-Sakhi Suraksha' in Chandigarh as part of efforts to reduce the backlog of cases needing advanced forensic analysis.

2. The Union Ministry of Culture introduced a scheme called ‘Seva Bhoj Yojna’ to reimburse the central share of CGST and IGST on items for food/Prasad/langar/Bhandara offered free of cost by charitable religious institutions. The scheme has been launched for financial years 2018-19 and 2019-20 with a total outlay of Rs. 325.00 crores

3. Odisha CM recently launched "Gopabandhu Sambadika Swasthya Bima Yojana" for working journalists. Working journalists from across the state will get health insurance coverage up to Rs 2 lakh from June 1, 2018.

4. The Andhra Pradesh government recently launched a Zero Based Natural Farming (ZBNF) scale-out scheme, aimed at benefitting around six million farmers by 2024.

5. Bihar government has launched its own scheme -- State Crop Assistance Scheme -- in a bid to provide relief to farmers in an event of crop failure due to adverse weather.

6. The Madhya Pradesh government has announced an outstanding power bill waiver scheme Bijli Bill Mafi Yojana 2018 for laborers and poor families.

1. To emphasize the importance of financial literacy, RBI observed the week June 5-9, 2017 as Financial Literacy Week across the country. The literacy week focused on four broad themes, viz. KYC, Exercising Credit Discipline, Grievance Redressal and Going Digital (UPI and *99#).

2. Citi has become the first corporate bank to enroll with the UK Open Banking Directory as a Payment Initiation Service Provider (PISP). So, Citibank is the first to join UK's Open Banking framework to provide an aggregated payments collections service.

3. As per new RBI directive, the NPA recognition for all MSMEs (both registered and non-GST entities) will be 180 days – for dues up to December 31, 2018. However, the relaxed NPA norms will be brought back to 90 days – in a phased manner – starting January 1, 2019, for GST registered MSMEs.

4. Private sector lender Yes Bank launched a deposit scheme, which could fetch up to 8 percent for a tenure of little over 18 months. The bank is eyeing Rs 1,000 crore from the scheme 'Green Future: Deposit' in next three months. The launch coincides with the World Environment Day.

5. RBI has made changes in the Gold Monetisation Scheme (GMS) to make it more attractive. The short-term deposits should be treated as bank's on-balance sheet liability. These deposits will be made with the designated banks for a short period of 1-3 years. Deposits can also be allowed for broken periods (e.g. 1 year 3 months; 2 years 4 months 5 days; etc.)

The Medium-Term Government Deposit (MTGD) can be made for 5-7 years and Long-Term Government Deposit (LTGD) for 12-15 years or for such period as may be decided by the Central Government from time to time. Deposits can also be allowed for broken periods (e.g. 5 years 7 months; 13 years 4 months 15 days; etc.).

1. Cube Wealth, India's first "one app, one-minute" service that offers members wealth creation, automated savings, and expense management through an award-winning user-interface was launched in India recently.

2. Foreign direct investment in India increased to USD 61.96 billion in 2017-18 as per DIPP.

1. India climbed up three places to be ranked 113 in Save the Children’s "End of Childhood Index 2018” which ranked 175 countries this year against indicators to determine the quality of childhood

2. The IT department has launched Income Tax Informants Reward Scheme, 2018, under which a person can get reward up to Rs 50 lakh for giving specific information about substantial evasion of tax. Also, those informing the government about 'undisclosed black money' stashed abroad can win awards up to Rs 5 crore. Anyone who informs about Benami properties can get awards up to Rs 1 crore. The scheme comes into effect from June 1.

3. Four-Year-Old Boy Ayan Gogoi Gohain from Assam has been named 'Youngest Author of India’. The India Book of Records has bestowed the title on Gohain, for his book 'Honeycomb'.

4. India was ranked 136th among 163 countries in Global Peace Index 2018that was released by Sydney-based think tank Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP). Iceland is the most peaceful country.

5. As per the fifteenth edition of the QS World University Rankings, IIT Bombay has improved 17 ranks and has been placed in the 162nd spot as the highest Indian institution. IIT Delhi and IISC are the other two in top 200.

1. The 18th Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit concluded with the adoption of the Qingdao declaration. There are eight SCO members in Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India, and Pakistan.

2. Global Day of Parents: June 01

3. World Bicycle Day: June 03 (This year is the first bicycle day)

4. The International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression: June 04

5. World Environment Day: June 5

Theme: Beat Plastic Pollution”

6. International Day for the Fight against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing: 5th June 2018

7. Russian Language day: June 06, 2018 (organized by UNESCO)

8. World Ocean Day: June 08, 2018

Theme: The theme of 2018 is ‘Preventing plastic pollution and encouraging solutions for a healthy ocean’.

9. World Tumor Day: June 08,

1. The AP government in the state has decided to provide a monthly allowance of Rs 1,000 each to the unemployed graduate youths in Andhra Pradesh. The scheme has an upper age limit of 35.

2. India successfully carried out the flight test of Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR) propulsion-based missile recently.

3. NTPC Ltd has adopted the iconic Charminar in Hyderabad under the Swachh Iconic Places Projects of India.

4. According to a Morgan Stanley report, India is expected to be a leader in shared mobility by 2030.

5. Piyush Goyal flagged off a new Humsafar Jodhpur Bandra Express. The train started its journey towards Bandra from Bhagat Ki Kothi station (Jodhpur).

6. The Union Cabinet has approved a Rs. 8500 Crore bailout package for the ailing sugar industry in the country.

7. As per the recently released data by Registrar General of India, India’s (Maternal Mortality Rate) MMR during 2014-16 period stands at 130. It is a decline of 22 % in such deaths since 2013.

8. The President has declared Tripura’s queen variety of pineapple as state fruit of Tripura.

9. Andhra Pradesh is set to become the first state in India to use auto-disable syringes for all clinical purposes to prevent infection.

10. Environment-friendly and clean, 13 Indian beaches will soon get the Blue Flag certification.

11. According to ‘Status of Environment Report, India 2015’, India’s forest cover was 21.34 % in 2015. Mizoram with 89 % has the highest forest cover compared to other states and Union territories in India.

12. The government recently launched the ‘JANAUSHADHI SUVIDHA’, the Oxo-biodegradable Sanitary Napkin, under the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP).

13. The 11th edition of Geo-Intelligence Asia 2018 was organized in New Delhi. The theme of the event was: ‘GeoSpatial: A Force Multiplier for Defence and Industrial Security’.

14. Indian Navy brings back 38 Indians from cyclone-hit Socotra island in Yemen under "Operation Nistar". This was in wake of the devastation caused by Cyclonic storm – Mekunu.

15. The Punjab Government recently launched a ‘Business First Portal’ to give a big push towards the ease of doing business in the state.

1. PM recently visited three ASEAN countries- Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore. Modi launched RuPay Card, BHIM app and SBI app in Singapore. This would be beneficial for Indian blue-collar workers as they can transfer money as remittance up to Rs. 10000 with this.

2. The PM also addressed the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore which is an annual security meet among 28 Asia –Pacific states. Modi also gave Padma Shri award to former Singaporean Diplomat Mr. Tommy Koh. Dendrobrium Narendra Modi - an orchid named after PM on the occasion of his visit to the National Orchid Garden in Singapore

3. GAIL, India’s biggest gas utility, received its first liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargo from Russia’s GAZPROM at western city of Dahej (Gujarat).

4. Assam's Priyanka Das, working on satellite navigation for French major Safran, has been appointed an ambassador for an initiative in France to encourage girls to follow scientific careers and take it to higher education levels.

5. The government has signed US $500 million (Rs 3,371 crore) loan agreement with World Bank to provide additional financing for Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) rural road projects.

6. External Affairs Minister of India, South Africa and Brazil recently met in Pretoria, SA and agreed upon IBSA Declaration on South-South Cooperation.

7. World Health Organisation recently launched WHO Global action plan on physical activity and health 2018-2030: More active people for a healthier world.

8. Tommy Thomas, an ethnic Indian lawyer was appointed as the new Attorney general of Malaysia by the King Sultan Muhammad V.

9. The World Bank has approved Atal Bhujal Yojana (ABHY), a Rs.6000 crore Central Sector Scheme to be implemented over a period of five years from 2018-19 to 2022-23, with World Bank assistance.

10. United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) elected South Africa, Indonesia, Dominican Republic, Germany and Belgium as non-permanent members of UN Security Council (UNSC). They will have a two-year term beginning January 1, 2019.

11. Kamila Shamsie a British Pakistani author’s book “Home Fire” has bagged the Women’s Prize for Fiction, 2018.

1. The ICC recently included Nepal, Netherlands, Scotland and the UAE in their ODI rankings list apart from the 12 existing countries.

2. India's Sanjana Ramesh was awarded the 'Most Valuable Player' (MVP) and compatriot Vaishnavi Yadav won the 'Girls Grit Award' in Basketball Without Borders Asia, an event held in Noida.

3. Recently Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli’s wax statue was unveiled at Madame Tussauds in New Delhi. The annual Forbes’s list of the worlds’ 100 highest-paid athletes in 2018 has placed Virat Kohli at the 83rd spot.

4. India cricket captain Virat Kohli will be presented the Polly Umrigar Award for the best international cricketer (2016-17 and 2017-18) by the BCCI.

5. Harry Kane has been named the most valuable player for the upcoming FIFA World Cup.

6. Indian track and field athlete Ashish Jakhar set a junior national record en-route to winning a gold medal in the men's hammer throw event in the 2018 Asian Junior Championship in Japan.