Current Affairs 20th June 2017

Current Affairs 20th June 2017

• 71st country to ratify UN TIR Convention - India
• World Refugee Day 2017 observed globally on - 20th June 2017
• Syrian refugee Muzoon Almellehan appointed as - Goodwill Ambassador
• First Afghanistan-India air corridor inaugurated by - Afghan President
• Bihar Governor Ram Nath Kovind resigned on - 20th June 2017
• 'Celebrating Yoga' mobile app launched by - Union Government
• Sweden Pledges to reach net-zero carbon emissions - by 2045
• 144 awards to states and institutions conferred by - Rural Development Ministry
•  CBDT notifies Rule 10CB for the Secondary Adjustments under - Section 92CE of IT Act, 1961

Current Affairs 20th June 2017

71st country to ratify UN TIR Convention - India

India has become the 71st country to ratify the United Nations International Convention on Road Transports (TIR) that will help to boost trade and regional integration across South Asia and beyond, fast-tracking the region’s potential to become a strategic trade hub.
TIR is the global standard for goods customs transit managed and developed by International Road Transport Union (IRU). Speaking on India’s acceptance of the body, IRU Secretary General Umberto de Pretto said that he is happy to welcome India into the TIR family  of nations  and it is an important step to harmonize standards, boost transport, trade and development across the South Asia.
The accession to the TIR Convention is part of  India’s multi-modal transport strategy focusing towards the integration of its economy with global and regional production networks through better  connectivity. China is the 70th country to  ratify the convention. It did so on 6th July 2016.
Key Highlights

• TIR will be helping India to integrate with Thailand, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Bhutan and Nepal.
• It will be an added advantage enabling India to move cargo along the International North-South Transport Corridor through Chabahar port in Iran to access the land-locked Afghanistan and the energy-rich Europe-Asian region.
• The convention will come into effect in six months in India and IRU will start work with Indian partners on development,training and outreach efforts to facilitate prompt implementation.
• This convention is important for both in economic and financial terms.

World Refugee Day 2017 observed globally on - 20th June 2017

The World Refugee Day was observed across the world on 20th June 2017 to mark the courage, strength and perseverance of millions of refugees. The Day also commemorates a key moment for the public to show support to families which are forced to flee for their lives each day. The UN Refugee Agency launched the #WithRefugees petition in June 2016 sending a message to governments to work together and do their fair share for refugees.
Do you know?
The United Nations General Assembly decided on 4th December 2000 to observe the World Refugee Day on 20th June every year.

Syrian refugee Muzoon Almellehan appointed as - Goodwill Ambassador

United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) announced the appointment of Muzoon Almellehan, a 19-year-old education activist and Syrian refugee,
as its newest and youngest Goodwill Ambassador on 19th June 2017.
This appointment makes Muzoon Almellehan the first person with official refugee status to become an Ambassador for UNICEF.

Important Highlights

• Muzoon Almellehan fled the conflict in 2013 in Syria along with her family.
• She was a refugee in Jordan for three years before being resettled in the United Kingdom.
• It was during her 18 months in the Za’atari refugee camp in Jordan that she began advocating for children’s access to education, especially for girls.
• The United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund was created by the United Nations General Assembly on 11th December 1946.
• It was created to provide emergency food and healthcare to children in countries that had been devastated during World War II.
• The Polish physician Ludwik Rajchman,first chairman from 1946 is widely regarded as the founder of UNICEF.
• The organisation relies mainly on contributions from private donors and governments.
• UNICEF's programs emphasize to develop community-level services to promote children's well-being and health.
• Refugee children are five times more likely to be out of school than their non-refugee peers.
• Girls affected by conflicts are 2.5 times more likely to be out of school than boys.

Do you know?
UNICEF was awarded with the Nobel Peace Prize in 1965 and the Prince of Asturias Award of Concord in 2006.

First Afghanistan-India air corridor inaugurated by - Afghan President

Taking ahead the bilateral relations between Afghanistan and India, the Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on 19th June 2017 inaugurated the first Afghanistan-India air corridor.  The corridor inaugurated at the Kabul International Airport is a direct route bypassing Pakistan. This corridor will be improving the commerce in Afghanistan.

On the occasion, Ghani said that the route aims to create more opportunities and make Afghanistan an exporter country.  Sediqullah Mujadedi adviser of Afghan President stated that Afghan agricultural products will head to India on cargo planes for the first time.

In addition to that Mujadedi also said that the first India-bound flight included 60 tonnes of natural plants on 19th June. The second flight will carry 40 tonnes of dry fruits, which will be sent from Afghanistan’s southern Kandahar province. Afghanistan is a mountainous landlocked country and all imports and exports are dependent on neighboring countries.
Relations between Kabul and Islamabad have become strained over accusations of harboring militants.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanked Afghan President for the initiative. In a tweet, he said, the direct connectivity between Afghanistan and India will usher prosperity.

Bihar Governor Ram Nath Kovind resigned on - 20th June 2017

Bihar Governor Ram Nath Kovind resigned from his post on 20th June 2017. President Pranab Mukherjee accepted the resignation. Subsequently, West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi was assigned the responsibility to serve as the Bihar Governor along with his own duties. Ram Nath Kovind was declared as the NDA candidate for upcoming Presidential Elections on 19th June 2017 as Mukherjee will complete his five-year term as President on 24th July 2017.
If elected, Kovind who has been termed twice as BJP Rajya Sabha member, will only be second Dalit to occupy the Rashtrapati Bhavan after K R Narayanan. Kovind belongs to the Dalit community named Koli and had worked extensively in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. A lawyer by profession, Kovind had also served as BJP Scheduled Caste Morcha chief from 1998 to 2002 and was the President of the All-India Koli Samaj.

'Celebrating Yoga' mobile app launched by - Union Government

Union Minister for Science and Technology Harsh Vardhan launched a mobile app “Celebrating Yoga” to popularize Yoga and encourage people to participate in it for a scientifically healthy living on 19th June 2017.

Key Highlights

• Celebrating Yoga mobile app gives a platform to share insights and information about people's participation in Yoga activities on the International Yoga Day occasion.
• It focuses to create awareness about Yoga and encourage a healthy living scientifically.
• It will enable in capturing mass events being organized in schools, public places and office complexes across the country and individual enthusiasts who are performing yoga.
• It will be connected with Google Map where shared information can been seen by all the users.
• The information posted on the app will also be visible through a social wall on DST website.
• The information gathered through this app will be shared with the Ministry of AYUSH to complement their efforts subsequently.
• From Google Play Store, the app can be downloaded on android devices.
• Department of Science and Technology (DST) developed this app on the occasion of International Yoga Day 2017 that is held on 21st June every year.

Sweden Pledges to reach net-zero carbon emissions - by 2045

Sweden committed to become a net-zero carbon emission emitter by 2045 in the second week of June 2017. Swedish lawmakers bound the country to reach net-zero greenhouse-gas emissions by 2045 on 15th June 2017. Lawmakers voted 254 to 41 in favor of the proposal to accelerate the nation’s previous target to become carbon neutral by 2050.
The vote makes Sweden the first country to strengthen its climate targets since the Paris Agreement in 2015. The legislation will come into force from the 1st January 2018, and will also see the  establishment of an independent Climate Policy Council in addition to a four-year cycle to update the nation’s climate action plan.

144 awards to states and institutions conferred by - Rural Development Ministry

The Ministry of Rural Development gave away 144 awards under various categories to states and other organisations at an Award function on 19th June 2017. The event mainly aims to highlight the commendable work done by Institutions, various states and government functionaries under various schemes implemented by the Rural Development Ministry.  

• Important Points
  The construction of the highest number of rural roads construction award was given to Bihar, Madhya Pradesh was awarded for the use of non-conventional construction material in road construction under the 'Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY).
• The states of Gujarat, Haryana and Karnataka received a special prize for completing more than 95 percent of their PMGSY targets.
• Nine district collectors also received the award to complete the largest number of PMAY-G houses. Five among them belong to Odisha.
• Awards on Transparency and Accountability, Sustainable Livelihood, Conversion, Aadhaar Seeding and Geo-MGNREGA were given under MGNREGA.

 CBDT notifies Rule 10CB for the Secondary Adjustments under - Section 92CE of IT Act, 1961

The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) notified the Rule 10CB for operationalising the provisions of Secondary Adjustment under Section 92CE of Income Tax (IT) Act, 1961 on 15th June 2017.
Important Highlights

• The provision prescribes the time limit of 3 months for excess money repatriation.
• This time limit will start when the primary adjustments exceeding Rs 1 crore made in the year 2017-18 or afterwards, attains finality.
• Cases where taxpayer appeals the pricing order transfer, repatriation time limit will be started only after the appeal is finalised by the appellate authority.
• The provision also prescribe the rate of interest for computing the income in case of failure to repatriate the excess money within the prescribed time limit.
• Separate rates of interest are also mentioned for international transactions denominated in INR and in foreign currency. The interest rate is applicable on an annual basis.