World Food Safety Day on 7 June aims to draw attention and inspire action to help prevent, detect and manage foodborne risks, contributing to food security, human health, economic prosperity, agriculture, market access, tourism and sustainable development.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) jointly facilitate the observance of World Food Safety Day, in collaboration with Member States and other relevant organizations. The theme of World Food Safety Day 2024 is 'Food Safety: Prepare for the Unexpected'.
World Food Safety Day was established by the United Nations General Assembly in December 2018. It was first celebrated on June 7, 2019. The day aims to raise awareness about the importance of food safety and to encourage actions that help prevent, detect, and manage foodborne risks.
Indian delegation, led by Secretary, Department of Commerce, Shri Sunil Barthwal participated in the inaugural Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity Clean Economy Investor Forum, which brought together the region’s top investors, clean economy companies, and start-ups to mobilise investments into sustainable infrastructure, climate technology, and renewable energy.
During the two-day event, more than 300 participants from financial institutions, multilateral development banks, venture capital funds, project owners, entrepreneurs and government agencies from IPEF partners actively participated under the Sustainable Infrastructure and Climate Tech engagement tracks.
In the Sustainable Infrastructure track, after the screening, four companies (ReNew Power, Avaada Energy Pvt. Ltd, Indusbridge Capital Advisors LLP. Founder, SEIP, and Powerica Limited) from India were shortlisted for pitching their concepts on energy transition, transport and logistics, and waste management/waste to energy to global investors.
Indian-Origin NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, along with Butch Wilmore, has become the first to fly to space aboard the Boeing Starliner’s in the first-ever crewed mission. The 59-year-old Williams created history by becoming the first woman to fly on the maiden mission of a new human-rated spacecraft.
The crew was launched to fly aboard the United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V rocket from the Space Launch Complex-41 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The Starliner mission aims to carry astronauts and cargo for future NASA missions to low Earth orbit, and beyond.
Haryana Police has secured the first position in the country in blocking mobile numbers involved in cyber crime. According to the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal, a total of 5 lakh 46 thousand mobile numbers involved in cyber crime were blocked across the country from 1st January to 31st April this year, out of which 1 lakh 11 thousand 349 mobile numbers were blocked.
Indian shooter Sarabjot Singh won the gold medal in the men’s 10m air pistol event at the ISSF World Cup 2024 in Munich, Germany 6th June 2024. He won the first medal for India in the event. This was the second individual ISSF World Cup gold medal for Singh. He had won the same shooting event at the ISSF World Cup in Bhopal last year.
He also won the air pistol mixed team gold medal in Baku in 2023.
Tech giant Google announced the second edition of its Indian languages programme with a focus on providing next-generation tools for newsrooms working with Indic languages. The ILP 2.0 will be delivered in nine languages including English, Hindi, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, Malayalam, Gujarati, and Marathi, and will have eight sessions featuring guest
speakers, success stories, and product-focused training.
Google has partnered with Gurugram-based content distribution and digital services firm Mediology for the initiative. The Indian Languages Programme 1.0 sought to modernise the online presence of Indian language news publishers and enhance user experiences across web, app, and video formats.
Launched in 2023, the Indian Languages Programme supported local news publications in India. Google provided technical support, access to training, and funding to improve digital operations and maximise the digital reach of regional publications.
Muthoot Microfin on 6th June announced a strategic co-lending partnership with the State Bank of India to extend its financial services to women in the economically weaker segment in rural and semi-urban regions across India. The loan amounts will range from Rs 10,000 to Rs 3 lakh, Muthoot said.
Muthoot Microfin and SBI will co-lend to members of joint liability groups who are engaged in agricultural and allied activities as well as other income-generating enterprises.
PNB MetLife India Insurance Co. Ltd., a prominent life insurer, announced the appointment of Sameer Bansal as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, starting July 1, 2024, subject to the necessary regulatory approvals. He joined PNB MetLife in 2007 and currently serves as Chief Distribution Officer and a member of the leadership team.
In wrestling, India’s Aman Sehrawat clinched the silver medal at the Budapest Ranking Series 2024 in Hungary. Aman lost his final bout to the World Championships Silver medallist Rei Higuchi of Japan, 1-11, via technical superiority, in the men’s freestyle 57 kg category.
India has added 2 bird sanctuaries from Bihar, Nagi and Nakti, to the ‘Ramsar Sites’ list, taking the tally to 82. The newest ‘Wetlands of International Importance’, both man-made reservoirs situated in the Jhajha forest range of Jamui District in Bihar, were added to Ramsar Sites as part of World Environment Day. The two catchments feature dry deciduous forests.
With the two sites, India now equals China in terms of Ramsar Sites. Both countries have 82 recognised waterlogged ecosystems in the country. The UK with 175 has the highest number of such sites, followed by Mexico, 144.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Friday decided to keep the policy rate unchanged for the eighth time in a row, saying it will maintain a tight vigil on inflation. The rate increase cycle was paused in April last year after six consecutive rate hikes, aggregating to 250 basis points since May 2022.
Announcing the second bi-monthly monetary policy for the current financial year, RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das said the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has decided to keep the repo rate unchanged at 6.5 percent. The RBI raised the growth projection to 7.2 percent from an earlier estimate of 7 percent for the current financial year.
Private general insurer, SBI General Insurance Company, on 6th June announced the withdrawal of its Arogya Plus policy with effect from October 5, 2024. As per the regulatory requirement, insurance companies must give 90 days advance intimation to their customers before withdrawing a policy.
Policyholders holding the Arogya Plus policy will be given an option to migrate to a comprehensive health insurance policy like Super Health Insurance or to any other individual health insurance product available with the general insurer, including the Standard Product.
Arogya Plus provided coverage up to a specified sum insured at a flat premium. The flat premium was irrespective of the age of the insured and family combination. The policy was available on an individual basis, family non-floater, and family floater sum insured basis. The policy had no limits on room rent or age-related charges.
SBI General Insurance, established in 2009, currently has over 143 branches across India. The company recorded nearly 16 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) growth in Gross Direct Premium Income (GDPI) to Rs 12,553.57 crore in FY24.
The improvement in premium has also nudged an increase in the market share of the company to 4.33 per cent from 4.22 per cent in FY23.
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) on 6th June issued a warning to ICICI Bank for flouting norms during its outreach programme to the shareholders of broking firm ICICI Securities to vote in favour of the delisting.
The market regulator has termed the outreach programme by ICICI Bank as “inappropriate” and directed the bank to take action on its officials.
Sebi also directed the bank to take action against the officials who violated guidelines and examine the investor complaints on Sebi’s ‘Scores’ portal. The market watchdog also pointed out that the claim of providing ‘balanced factual’ perspective does not stand as ICICI Bank is a promoter with over 74 % shareholding and the interested party in ICICI Securities’ delisting.
Shri Kamal Kishore Soan, a senior IAS officer from Jharkhand Cadre (Batch : 1998) currently serving as an Additional Secretary and Director General, Labour Welfare in the Ministry of Labour & Employment, took over the additional charge of Director General of Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) under Ministry of Labour & Employment, on 31.05.2024.
