Current Affairs One - Liner : 13th June 2024

• National:
• Adani Defence & Aerospace and EDGE Group have signed an agreement on 11th June 2024. This collaboration aims to establish a global platform leveraging their defence and aerospace capabilities. They plan to set up R&D facilities in India and the UAE, and also development, production, and maintenance facilities of defence and aerospace solutions.

• The first session of the 18th Lok Sabha will start on June 24, 2024, and end on July 3, 2024. Key events include the oath-taking of new MPs, the election of the Lok Sabha Speaker, and the President’s address to a joint sitting of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha on June 27, 2024.
• A 500-year-old bronze statue of Saint Tirumankai Alvar, believed to be stolen from a temple in Tamil Nadu, India, will be returned by the University of Oxford. The Ashmolean Museum at the University of Oxford had acquired the statue from Sotheby’s auction house in 1967. The decision to return the statue was made on 11 March 2024 and is pending approval from the Charity Commission.
• Economy:
• The World Bank revised India’s GDP growth forecast for FY25 to 6.6% on June 11, 2024. This revision is based on the expectation of robust public and private investments and rising consumption. The growth rate is projected to be steady at 6.7% per year on average over the next three fiscal years starting FY25.
• The Index of Industrial Production (IIP) in India recorded a growth of 5% in April 2024 compared to the same period in the previous year. This data was announced by the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation (MoSPI) on June 12, 2024. The increase indicates a positive trend in India’s industrial sector, which could be due to various factors such as policy changes, increased demand, or improved manufacturing processes.
• Science & Technology:
• On June 12, 2024, researchers announced the development of a portable atomic clock for maritime use. Despite being less accurate than lab-based optical atomic clocks, this iodine clock is robust, mobile, and significantly more accurate than other ship-borne timekeeping devices. It only loses or gains a second every 9.1 million years.
• Sports:
• In the ISSF World Cup 2024 held in Munich, Germany, Indian shooter Sift Kaur Samra clinched a bronze medal in the women’s 50m rifle 3 positions event. She shot 452.9 in the final to secure the third spot on the podium. This was India’s second medal at the ISSF World Cup.
• Defence:
• The Indian Army received the Man Portable Counter Drone System (MPCDS), developed by AXISCADES, on 10th June 2024. This system is compact, portable, and can operate on both battery and mains power. This acquisition is a significant step towards self-reliance in defence technology. The Indian Army also received Nagastra-1, India’s first indigenous suicide drone, capable of GPS-enabled precision strikes.
• Important Days:
• International Albinism Awareness Day (IAAD) was celebrated on Thursday, June 13th, 2024. The 2024 theme for IAAD was "10 years of IAAD: A decade of collective progress." This theme aimed to Celebrate the advancements made in albinism awareness, Recognize the hard work of albinism rights groups worldwide.
• Appointments:
• Vijaya Bharathi Sayani took charge as the acting Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), India, effective from June 2, 2024. She replaced Justice Arun Kumar Mishra, who completed his tenure on June 1, 2024. Sayani was previously a member of the NHRC and an advocate at the Telangana High Court.
• Lieutenant General Waker-Uz-Zaman has been appointed as the new army chief of Bangladesh. His appointment was announced on June 11, 2024, and he will assume his new role from June 23, 2024. He will be promoted to the rank of General and his tenure will last for three years.
• Prem Prabhakar is now the MD and CEO of SBICAP Ventures Limited (SVL), effective from 4th June 2024. He has over 24 years of banking experience, with expertise in treasury operations, forex, money markets, derivatives, resource management, ALM, and risk management. SVL also launched the TDC Fund in April this year.
• Mohan Charan Majhi, a leader from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), took oath as the Chief Minister of Odisha on Wednesday, June 12, 2024. The swearing-in ceremony took place at Janata Maidan in Bhubaneswar.
• Pema Khandu was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh for his third term on June 13, 2024. Along with him, Chowna Mein took oath as the Deputy Chief Minister. Ten other cabinet ministers were also sworn in. This marks Khandu’s third term as Chief Minister.
• Ms. Jyoti Vij was appointed as the Director General of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) on June 11, 2024. She has over three decades of experience in the industry and has served in various capacities within FICCI.
• Obituaries:
• Renowned Sarod player Pandit Rajeev Taranath passed away on June 11, 2024, in Mysuru at the age of 92. He was a globally recognized figure in instrumental music and the seniormost disciple of Ustad Ali Akbar Khan.

Questions:

1 What is the revised GDP growth forecast for India for FY25 by the World Bank?

• A) 6.6%
• B) 6.0%
• C) 7.0%
• D) 7.2%

Answer: A) The World Bank revised India’s GDP growth forecast for FY25 to 6.6% on June 11, 2024. This revision is based on the expectation of robust public and private investments and rising consumption.

2 Who took oath as the Chief Minister of Odisha on Wednesday, June 12, 2024?

• A) Narendra Modi
• B) Mohan Charan Majhi
• C) Rahul Gandhi
• D) Arvind Kejriwal

Answer: B) Mohan Charan Majhi, a leader from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), took oath as the Chief Minister of Odisha on Wednesday, June 12, 2024.