Current Affairs 14th June 2019

Current Affairs 14th June 2019 - Important Points

• PM Modi reached Kyrgyz capital Bishkek for SCO Summit 2019 on - 13th June 2019
• Rahul Gandhi to continue as Congress President on - 12th June 2019
• President’s rule in J&K for another 6 months approved by -  Cabinet 
• Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle  test fired by -  DRDO
• Priyanka Chopra selected for Danny Kaye Humanitarian Award by  - UNICEF
• DBT Tribal web portal launched by -  Government

Current Affairs 14th June 2019 - Details

PM Modi reaches Kyrgyz capital Bishkek for SCO Summit 2019 on - 13th June 2019

PM Narendra Modi has reached Kyrgyz capital Bishkek to attend the conference of Council of Heads of States of Shanghai Cooperation Organization starting on June 13th, 2019. Following Lok Sabha elections 2019, this is PM Modi's 1st multi-lateral summit. Presidents and PMs of 8 member nations will participate in this international forum which will also be witnessed by 4 head of states as observers.
The Council of Heads of State shall be the supreme Shanghai Cooperation Organization body. It shall
regulate priorities and define major areas of activities of the Organization, decide upon the fundamental  matters of its internal arrangement and working and its interaction with other States and international organizations, as well as consider the most topical international matters.
Major Objectives of SCO
The SCO basically efforts on economic and security matters. Also, firming mutual trust and neighbourliness among the member states, research, technology and culture, and in education, economy, energy, promoting their effective assistance in politics, transport, tourism, environmental protection, and other areas; creation joint efforts to maintain and ensure peace, stability and safety in the region; leading towards the formation of a democratic, fair and rational new international political and economic order.

SCO and its importance for India

Indian PM Narendra Modi will grasp bilateral seminars with Russia and China on the side-lines of
summit. However, Pakistan PM Imran Khan will also joint this summit but there would be no face-to-
face discussions between India and Pakistan. It will be the 1st time when both leaders will come face-to-
face after months of tension between both nations, which started with February 14th Pulwama attack
on a CRPF convoy. These diplomatic steps would give extra value to Indian democracy. This group is
significant for India due to presence of Russia and China.

Rahul Gandhi to continue as Congress President on - 12th June 2019

Rahul Gandhi will endure to be Congress President. This statement was given by the Congress party’s Chief spokesperson, Randeep Surjewala on June 12th, 2019. The statement ends days of uncertainty over who will lead the Congress after Gandhi’s insistence to quit the position.
Surjewala informed that Rahul Gandhi was, is, and will remain the Congress president and party has no
doubt about it. The news was shared at casual meeting of the senior Congress leaders under AK
Antony where they deliberated the party strategy for the forthcoming state assembly elections in
Maharashtra, Haryana, J&K, and Jharkhand.
Did you know?

After Congress’s miserable performance in Lok Sabha Elections 2019, Congress President Rahul
Gandhi had urged to quit his position as party chief during a meeting of the Congress Working
Committee on May 25th 2019. The Congress Working Committee meeting was assembled to analyse
the party’s poor performance in the freshly concluded polls, where it managed to secure only 52 seats.
The CWC unanimously rejected Gandhi’s offer to quit, despite him being stable on his stand. Many
senior party leaders also urged Gandhi to continue in his role, saying that the party will split if a Gandhi
did not helm it.

President’s rule in J&K for another 6 months approved by -  Cabinet 

The Union Cabinet led by PM Narendra Modi sanctioned the extension of President’s rule under article 356(4) of Indian Constitution, in J&K for a period of extra 6 months, starting from 3rd July 2019. The decision was grounded on prevailing situation in state as stated in report of Governor of J&K, Satya  Pal Malik.
The present term of President’s Rule is expiring on 2nd July 2019 but as suggested by J&K Governor, the President Rule in State may be extended for a further period of 6 months with effect from 3rd July 2019 if it gets parliamentary approval.
A resolution pursuing approval of parliament for extending President’s Rule in J&K will be presented in
both houses of parliament during the forthcoming session.
Did you know?

Jammu and Kashmir was placed under Governor’s Rule after BJP pulled-out of coalition government
with Jammu and Kashmir’s Peoples Democratic Party in June 2018. This Governor’s Rule was
announced under Section 92 of Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir with concurrence of President of
India.
It had resulted in Governor assuming to himself purposes of Government as well as Legislature of
Jammu and Kashmir. During this time, State Assembly was primarily suspended due to breaking of
coalition government and was later dissolved by Governor in November 2018.
Thus, the President’s Rule under Article 356 of Indian Constitution was forced in Jammu and Kashmir
following Governor’s rule forced in June 2018 had ceased after 6 months period in December 2018.

Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle  test fired by -  DRDO

India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation conducted maiden test of an indigenously developed Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle from launch pad number-4 of Integrated Test Range at Abdul Kalam Island off Odisha Coast.
More about HSTDV

• It is an unmanned scramjet demonstration aircraft which is fabricated to cruise at Mach 6 speed
  with scramjet engine.
• In 2008, Defence Research and Development Organisation informed that via Hypersonic Technology  Demonstrator Vehicle project idea was to establish performance of a scram-jet engine
  at an altitude of 15-20 kms, is on. Thus, under this project, Defence Research and Development
• Organisation produced a hypersonic vehicle that will be power-driven by a scram-jet engine.
• Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle is dual-utilised technology thus with a scramjet
  engine, Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle can run at Mach 6 speed and can have
  multiple civilian applications. It can be utilised for launching satellites at low cost and can also be
  available for long-range cruise missiles of future purposes.
  Key Highlights of Test
• In test directed, a missile mounted with Technology Demonstrator Vehicle is released and vehicle is
  launched only after missile reaches a certain height and speed.
• The launch of Technology Demonstrator Vehicle was undertaken to demonstrate a number of
  critical technologies for futuristic missions and to authenticate several technologies including
  Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle.

Priyanka Chopra selected for Danny Kaye Humanitarian Award by  - UNICEF

Actor Priyanka Chopra will be bestowed Danny Kaye Humanitarian Award by United Nations
International Children’s Fund’s American chapter at their Snowflake Ball in December 2019.
Priyanka Chopra is known for her contribution to social sources and for being a voice for children’s
education. She is a United Nations International Children’s Fund Goodwill Ambassador and most
recently she stayed at Ethiopia as part of it. She also has been a part of United Nation’s global “Girl Up
Campaign. She is also linked with several Non-Government Organisations in India to raise awareness
about ways to improve the education, health and safety of girl child in India.
About United Nations International Children’s Fund
It is special programme of United Nations devoted to help national efforts to recover the health,
nutrition, education, and general welfare of children. It was recognized in 1946 to deliver relief to children in nations devastated by World War-II. Its HQ is in New York City, USA. It was previously known as United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund.

DBT Tribal web portal launched by -  Government

Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs released DBT Tribal web portal to modernize and expedite the procedure of issuing scholarship grants directly into bank accounts of beneficiary students. 
DBT Tribal web portal
The portal delivers single common platform to states to upload information related to beneficiaries,
raise queries and give feedback. It has uniform 29 columns data sharing format, connected to personal and  location details of beneficiaries. It is connected with Aadhaar and the Public Financial Management
System, thus advantage to minimise the chances of duplication of beneficiary and manipulation. 
It is compulsory on all states and UTs to upload information on this portal in prearranged format. It will
enable central government to validate who are receiving scholarship advantages in which state,
district, block or school and how many complaints have been received and addressed. 
Did you know?
The Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs is currently running various plans to bridge the gap between STs and  general category students. There are total 5 scholarship schemes sponsored by Central Government &  implemented by State Governments. 
2 main scholarship schemes are for pre-matric and post-matric education which are being implemented
via states.
For higher education it runs “Top Class Education for ST Students” scheme in which 246 prestigious
institutions including IITs and IIMs, participate. About 1000 students avail profits under the scheme every year.
For Mphil and PhD programs, it is operating national fellowship scheme for 750 beneficiaries.
Abroad education is operating scholarship scheme for tribal students keen to follow higher studies
overseas. Under it, 30 students can avail advantage every year.
Under these 5 schemes, till date, 1.58 crore beneficiaries have got scholarships worth Rupees 7900
crore across 31 states, UTs in the last 5 years.