NATIOANL NEWS

Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award for Sportsperson

• The Chief Minister of Rajasthan Ashok Gehlot announced that Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award will be introduced in the state for sportspersons.

• Rajasthan Government is taking big decisions for the development of the sports in the state.

• He also assured that the incentive amounts for the medal-winners will continue to increase.
• Ashok Gehlot made the announcement of the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award in Rajasthan while addressing the inauguration and the player award ceremony at Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur.
• Khel Ratna Award which is formally known as Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, formerly known as Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award in sports and games is the highest sporting honour in India.

National Air Sports Policy 2022

• Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia announced first-ever National Air Sports Policy-2022 in New Delhi.

• The objective of this policy is to include India among the top air sporting nations by 2030.

• It is also aimed at providing a safe, affordable and sustainable air sports ecosystem in the country.
• Eleven air sports including Aerobatics, Ballooning, Gliding, Parachuting, Powered aircraft and Rotorcraft will be promoted through this policy.
• It will also increase the revenue from existing 100 crore rupees to 10 thousand crore rupees in coming years.

Single Nodal Agency Dashboard

• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman launched Single Nodal Agency Dashboard during the Iconic Week Celebrations of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav of Ministry of Finance in New Delhi.

• The Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Corporate Affairs’ Iconic Week celebrations were launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

• The Single Nodal Agency Dashboard forms part of a major public financial management reform that was initiated in 2021.
• This revised procedure, now referred to as the SNA model, requires each State to identify and designate a Single Nodal Agency for every scheme.
• Effective implementation of this Model has brought about greater efficiency in Centrally Sponsored Schemes fund utilization, tracking of funds, pragmatic and just-in-time release of funds to the States.
• All of this contributes to better Cash Management of the Government.

BANKING

Credit Line Card for Women

• Stashfin, a neobanking platform, has launched a credit line card for women named LiveBoundless.

• The card offers dedicated cashback rewards, welcome credits, free ATM withdrawals.

• Value-added services include 1% cashback on every spend to benefits worth ₹5,000 in the first year and a free credit period for select customers.
• The card acts as a virtual and physical medium for shopping, traveling and eating.

Bajaj Finance Launches Financial Education Initiative

• Bajaj Finance Limited, the lending arm of Bajaj Finserv Limited, a leading financial service has launched its public awareness initiative 'Har Time EMI On Time'.

• It is a digital campaign to drive awareness around the need and benefits of adopting good financial habits for a healthy financial future.

• The campaign seeks to educate the public at large about the benefits of paying their monthly loan EMIs on time.
• 'Har Time EMI On Time' is an extension of its original educational series, 'ABC of EMI' launched during the observance of the Financial Literacy Week in February 2022.

Airtel Payments Bank Partners with Muthoot Finance

• Airtel Payments Bank has partnered with Muthoot Finance to offer gold loans through Airtel Thanks app.

• There will be no-processing charge on the loan and Muthoot Finance will provide up to 75 per cent of the pledged gold value as a loan.

• Gold Loans are secured loans that can be used to cater to a variety of needs, from personal to professional.
• The loan facility will also be available at the 5 lakh banking points for Airtel Payments Bank.
• The partnership will give access to secured and affordable credit to customers looking for quick liquidity against their gold assets.

ICICI Home Finance Partners with Easy Home Finance

• ICICI Home Finance Company Limited (ICICI HFC) has entered into a co-lending partnership with Easy Home Finance Ltd (EASY) a leading mortgage tech company to provide home loans.

• This partnership will help us provide affordable home loans faster and a seamless home buying experience of customers.

• It works towards to achieve the common goal to support Housing for All.
• Customers will benefit from ENFL’s asset-light Neo Banking Mortgage model and a wider reach for digital home loans, which will be integrated with ICICI HFC’s rural-urban connect.

SPORTS

IRONMAN Triathlon

• Shreyas Hosur from South Western Railway has become the first ever Railway officer and also the first ever officer from the non-uniformed Civil Services to complete the ‘IRONMAN’ Triathlon.

• The event included 3.8 km Swim, 180 km Cycling and 42.2 km Running.

• Shreyas completed the event in 13 hrs 26 mins in Hamburg, Germany.
• The finishers of the event are popularly known as ‘IRONMAN’ befitting the mental and physical strength the event demands.

Para Shooting World Cup

• Indian shooter Avani Lekhara won gold medal at the Para Shooting World Cup in France with a record score.

• Avani created a world record by scoring 250.6 in the women's 10-meter air rifle standing SH1 event.

• The 20-year-old shooter broke her own world record of 249.6.
• The SH1 category is for athletes with lower limb impairment for competition in rifle events.

RANKS, INDICES & REPORTS

4th State Food Safety Index

• Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr Mansukh Mandaviya released Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)’s 4th State Food Safety Index (SFSI).

• The main objective of the index is to measure the performance of States across five parameters of food safety.
• The index will help in providing safe and nutritious food to our citizens.
• Among the larger states, Tamil Nadu was the top-ranking state, followed by Gujarat and Maharashtra.
• Among the smaller states, Goa secured first followed by Manipur and Sikkim.
• Among UTs, Jammu & Kashmir, Delhi and Chandigarh secured first, second and third ranks.
• Dr. Mandaviya also felicitated states which showed significant improvement in the State Food Safety Index.

Environmental Performance Index

• The Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy and the Center for International Earth Science Information Network, Columbia University published Environmental Performance Index (EPI).
• India has been placed at the bottom on a list of 180 countries in the 2022 Environmental Performance Index (EPI).
• Denmark topped in the list of 2022 Environmental Performance Index (EPI) as the world’s most sustainable country.
• EPI is an analysis by researchers which provides a data-driven summary of the state of sustainability around the world.

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

New President of Albania

• Albanian lawmakers elected Bajram Begaj as the new president of Albania who held the post of the Chief of General Staff of the Albanian Armed Forces (AAF).

• Begaj is post-communist Albania’s eighth President and the third from the military ranks.

• He will replace President IIir Meta.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Food Safety Day

• World Food Safety Day is celebrated every year on 07 June.

• The day is marked to raise awareness of the health hazards associated with unsafe food, and to highlight the significance of hygiene in daily life.

• The theme for World Food Safety Day 2022 is ‘Safer food, better health’.
• The theme was announced by the World Health Organization (WHO) and underlines the fact that safer food is the key to better human health.
• The United Nations General Assembly established World Food Safety Day in 2018.