Current Affairs Daily Digest – June 02 2019
1. ONGC overtakes Indian Oil to become most profitable PSU
Oil and gas producer ONGC has overtaken Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) to regain the tag of India’s most profitable Public Sector Undertaking (PSU). ONGC reported a 34% jump in its 2018-19 fiscal net profit to ₹26,716 crore compared to IOC’s ₹17,274 crore net profit during the same period. In the previous two financial years, ONGC lost the tag to IOC.
2. Astronomers discovered the Forbidden Planet, NGTS- 4b in the Neptunian Desert
Astronomers discovered the Forbidden Planet, NGTS- 4b in the ‘Neptunian Desert’. An international collaboration of astronomers with the University of Warwick, I-JK, have discovered an exoplanet, Next-Generation Transit Survey(NGTS)- 4b, the Forbidden Planet, in the Neptunian Desert.
It is smaller than Neptune but 3 times the size of the Earth. The Research was led by Dr. Richard West including Professor Peter Wheatley, Dr. Daniel Bayliss and Dr. James McCormac from the Astronomy and Astrophysics Group at the University of Warwick.
3. Yoga Instructor, Namrata Menon appointed as brand ambassador to promote yoga in Goa
Yoga Instructor, Namrata Menon appointed as brand ambassador to promote yoga in Goa. State Health Department of Goa announced the appointment of Panaji-based, Namrata Menon, Yoga Instructor, and fitness expert, as brand ambassador to promote yoga in Goa. The main objective of this initiative is to increase awareness about the benefits of yoga and encourage people to inculcate a healthy lifestyle.
4. Govt extends PM-KISAN scheme, announces Rs 6,000 cash handout scheme to all farmers
Govt extends PM KISAN scheme. In the first Cabinet meeting, Modi led new government decided to extend PM- KISAN scheme to all 14.5 crore farmers in the country costing Rs 87,000 crore a year and also announced over Rs 10,000 crore pension scheme for 5 crore farmers, thereby fulfilling the BJP’s poll promise.
The Rs 75,000-crore Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Siddhi (PMKSS – PM Kisan) was announced in the interim Budget under which the government decided to provide Rs 6,000 per year (in three equal instalments) to an estimated 12.5 crore small and marginal farmers holding land up to 2 hectares. Now, the revised scheme envisages to cover around 2 crore more farmers increasing the coverage of the PM- KISAN to around 14.5 crore beneficiaries.
5. NITI Aayog suggested a National Project Management Policy Framework
NITI Aayog suggested a National Project Management Policy Framework. A task force on project management, headed by NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant, has suggested the development of a National Project Management Policy Framework for the effective execution of public sector and public-private partnership infrastructure projects. The project management, with a view to delivering on time and within budget, is a learnable capability that can be institutionalised as demonstrated by the experiences of the U.S., the U.K., the UAE, and China.
NITI Aayog
Formed: 1 January 2015
Preceding: Planning Commission
Headquarters: Delhi
Chairman: Narendra Modi
Vice Chairman: Rajiv Kumar
CEO: Amitabh Kant
6. SpiceJet Chairman Ajay Singh elected to IATA board
SpiceJet’s Chairman and Managing Director Ajay Singh was on Sunday elected to the board of the International Air Transport Association (IATA). The development comes less than three months after the airline joined the global group. Founder and former chairman of the now grounded Jet Airways Naresh Goyal was a member on the previous board.
7. Liverpool beat Spurs in all-English final to win CL after 14 years
Liverpool defeated Tottenham Hotspur (Spurs) 2-0 in an all-English final at the Metropolitano Stadium in Spain’s Madrid to win the Champions League after 14 years. Liverpool have now won the Champions League/European Cup six times and are behind only Real Madrid (13) and AC Milan (7). Forwards Mohamed Salah and Divock Origi scored for Liverpool in the final.
8. International Sex Workers Day is observed on June 02
International Sex Workers Day is observed annually on June 2 of each year, honours sex workers and recognises their often exploited working conditions.The event commemorates the occupation of Église Saint-Nizier in Lyon by more than a hundred sex workers on June 2, 1975 to draw attention to their inhumane working conditions.
