Current Affairs Quiz 6th June 2024 Quiz

Exp. Volvo to issue world’s first EV battery passport ahead of EU rules

Volvo Cars has launched the world’s first EV battery passport recording the origins of raw materials, components, recycled content and carbon footprint for its flagship EX90 SUV, which is about to start production.

The passport was developed by Volvo (VOLCARb.ST) which is owned by China’s Geely (GEELY.UL), in partnership with UK startup Circulor.

Battery passports will be mandatory for electric vehicles (EVs) sold in the European Union from February 2027 showing the composition of batteries, including the origin of key materials, their carbon footprint and recycled content.

Exp. IIT Dharwad Unveils Innovative Fire Rescue Drone

A team of teachers and students of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Dharwad, led by Sudheer Siddapureddy and Ameer Mulla, has developed a fire rescue assistant drone.

The project was completed with funding from TiHAN Foundation, IIT Hyderabad (NMICPS, Government of India).

The unveiling and demonstration of the fire rescue assistant drone was held during the two-day workshop on Drone Design and Autonomous Navigation in Fire Rescue (DDANFR 2024) held at IIT Dharwad.

The event was organised by the Fire and Thermal Research Laboratory (FTRL) and the Control Systems and Robotics Laboratory. The fire rescue assistant drone is said to be the first of its kind.

Exp. 3rd Indian Analytical Congress held at CSIR-IIP Dehradun

The three-day 3rd Indian Analytical Congress was held in Uttarakhand’s capital, Dehradun.

The Congress was inaugurated by the Vice-Chancellor of Ladakh University, Prof. S.K. Mehta.

The conference aims to provide a platform for analytical scientists, technologists, academics, and students to exchange ideas and discuss the latest developments in this field.

The Indian Analytical Congress is an international conference organised by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-Indian Institute of Petroleum (CSIR-IIP) and the Indian Society of Analytical Scientists (ISAS-Delhi Chapter).

Exp. Netherlands emerges as India’s 3rd largest export destination in 2023-24

The Netherlands has emerged as India’s third largest export destination after the US and UAE during 2023-24, even as the country’s merchandise shipments dipped by over 3 per cent, according to the commerce ministry data.

The main commodities which registered healthy exports growth in the Netherlands include petroleum products, electrical goods, chemicals and pharma.

India’s trade surplus with the Netherlands has increased to USD 17.4 billion in the last fiscal from USD 13 billion in 2022-23.

The Netherlands has taken over major destinations such as the UK, Hong Kong, Bangladesh and Germany.

India’s exports to the Netherlands rose by about 3.5 per cent to USD 22.36 billion in 2023-24 as against USD 21.61 billion in 2022-23.

In 2023-24, the bilateral trade between the two countries marginally dipped to USD 27.34 billion as against USD 27.58 billion in 2022-23.

The Netherlands is among the top trading partners of India in Europe, after Germany, Switzerland, the UK and Belgium.

Exp. Defence Ministry signs MoUs with 4 Banks to onboard them as SPARSH Service Centres

Defence Accounts Department, Ministry of Defence has signed MoU with Bank of India, Canara Bank, Central Bank of India and Utkarsh Small Finance Bank in New Delhi to onboard them as System for Pension Administration Raksha (SPARSH) Service Centres.

The MoUs will provide last-mile connectivity to pensioners, especially in remote areas where they do not have technical wherewithal to log on to SPARSH.

These Service Centres will become an interface for pensioners for SPARSH, providing an effective medium to update their profile, register grievances, digital annual identification, data verification, besides fetching detailed information regarding their monthly pension.

SPARSH is an initiative of the Ministry of Defence which aims to provide comprehensive solution to the defence pensioners. It is a fundamental change in managing defence pensions as it focuses on bringing in efficiency, responsiveness and transparency.

Exp. NPCI International signs partnership with Reserve Bank of Peru to enable UPI payments

NPCI International Payments Ltd (NIPL) and the Reserve Bank of Peru have announced a partnership to enable UPI-like real-time payments system in the Latin American country.

This collaboration marks a significant milestone, making Peru the first country in South America to adopt the globally renowned Unified Payment Interface (UPI) technology.

UPI’s collaborative and open banking ethos enables greater connectivity and interoperability with both domestic and international payment networks, fostering innovation and resilience in the Peruvian payment ecosystem.

CEO of NPCI International – Ritesh Shukla

Exp. Cashfree Payments appoints Abhaya Hota as Independent Director

Payments and API banking company Cashfree Payments has appointed former NPCI MD & CEO Abhaya Hota as an Independent Director of the company.

He was the Managing Director & CEO of the National Payments Corporation of India, where he played a critical role in the design, development, and implementation of payment systems and policies in India.

Recent Appointment in Banking & Insurance Sector

• Independent Director of Cashfree Payments – Abhaya Hota
• Chairman of ICICI Prudential Board – Sandeep Batra
• MD & CEO of NARCL – P Santhosh (replace N Sundar)
• Part-time Chairman of ICICI Bank – Pradeep Kumar Sinha (replace G. C. Chaturvedi)
• CRO of Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services – Mahesh Rajaraman (replace Mallika Mittal)
• MD & CEO of IndiaFirst Life Insurance – Rushabh Gandhi (replace R.M. Vishakha)

Exp. Rakesh Mohan Joshi appointed as Vice-Chancellor of IIFT

International trade and management expert Rakesh Mohan Joshi took charge as vice-chancellor of the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT), a business school under the ministry of commerce.

Joshi a former Dean of the institute was on deputation to Bengaluru-based Indian Institute of Plantation Management as Director.

Prof Joshi has received his education and training from Harvard Business School, Boston; IIFT, Rajasthan University and National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal.

He has been associated with several multilateral organisations such as the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, UNCTAD, International Dairy Federation and Asian Productivity Organisation among others.

Recent Appointment 

• Chairperson of Deendayal Port Authority – Sushil Kumar Singh (replace SK Mehta)
• Chairman of Staff Selection Commission (SSC) – Rakesh Ranjan
• CEO of Sony India – Gaurav Banerjee (replace NP Singh)
• Chairperson of Committee A Of 77TH WHA Event – Apurva Chandra
• Chairman of DRDO – Samir V. Kamat (one year extension)
• Chairman of NAFED – Jetha Ahir

Exp. Armwrestling set to be included in upcoming Asian Youth Para Games

The Asian Paralympic Committee (APC) announced the inclusion of armwrestling as an official sport in the upcoming Asian Youth Para Games.

The Games will take place in Tashkent, Uzbekistan in September-October 2025.

The Youth Para Asian Games are an opportunity to introduce, grow and promote a new sport in the region. Previously also, we have had the chance to promote a sport in our programmes and there has been a lot of excitement.

Armwrestling, a popular sport in the Asian region and in fact all over the World, will be introduced in the sports programme of an Asian Youth Para Games for the first time in Tashkent.

The governing body of the sport, World Armwrestling Federation (WAF), is a recognised International Federation by the International Paralympic Committee. In India, the People’s Armwrestling Federation India, is the only affiliated unit of WAF.

Exp. PM launches ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ Campaign

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign to commemorate the World Environment Day.

PM Modi planted a peepal tree sapling at Buddha Jayanti Park in Delhi. He was accompanied by Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav and Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena.

World Environment Day, celebrated on June 5, commemorates the inaugural day of the 1972 Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment.

The theme for this year’s celebration is “Land Restoration, Desertification and Drought Resilience,” focusing on the urgent need to restore and conserve our land resources.

Exp. CBIC Chairperson inaugurates GST Bhawan at Rohtak

The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) chairman Sanjay Kumar Agarwal inaugurated the GST Bhawan, an official complex of CGST Rohtak Commissionerate at Rohtak, Haryana.

The newly inaugurated GST Bhawan is easily accessible to help GST taxpayers and is at the centre of connectivity to the main districts of Haryana.

About Haryana

• Capital – Chandigarh
• Chief Minister – Nayab Singh Saini (replace Manohar Lal Khattar)
• Governor – Bandaru Dattatreya
• Legislative Assembly Seats- 90

Exp. GRSE to build Research Vessel for DRDO in ₹500 crore deal

Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), a leading Indian shipyard, has emerged victorious in the bidding process for a new research vessel for the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

This significant win marks another milestone for GRSE and signifies its expertise in constructing specialized vessels.

This accomplishment highlights GRSE’s competitiveness in the shipbuilding industry and its ability to deliver cost-effective solutions. While the exact value of the contract remains undisclosed, estimates suggest it could surpass ₹500 crore, signifying a substantial project for the shipyard.

Exp. 6 June – UN Russian Language Day

UN Russian Language Day is observed on 6 June, and was established by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 2010.

This day is dedicated to promoting the study and appreciation of Russian language. It coincides with the birthday of Aleksandr Pushkin, one of the most prominent Russian writers and creators.

The birthday of Pushkin is February 1799. Pushkin is considered to be the father of contemporary Russian literature. His first poem was published when he was only 15 years old.