CURRENT AFFAIRS 21-06-2024

IMPORTANT DAYS

International Day of Yoga 2024 celebrated on 21 June

• International Day of Yoga is celebrated annually on June 21 to highlight the benefits of yoga and encourage its integration into daily life.

• The 2024 celebration marks the tenth anniversary of this event, with the theme "Yoga for Self and Society."

• The United Nations General Assembly designated June 21 as International Yoga Day on December 11, 2014, due to its significance as the longest day in the Northern Hemisphere.

• The first celebration in 2015 featured the theme "Harmony and Peace." Yoga, recognized as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2016, supports physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being.

• In 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the celebrations at Dal Lake in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir.

APPOINTMENTS

Bhartruhari Mahtab has been appointed pro tem Speaker of 18th Lok Sabha.

• Bhartruhari Mahtab has been appointed as the pro tem Speaker of the 18th Lok Sabha by President Droupadi Murmu.

• Mahtab, a seven-term MP from Cuttack, will serve until the election of the new Speaker.

• Opposition leaders criticized the decision, stating that the convention of appointing the senior-most MP, Kodikunnil Suresh of Congress, who is an eight-term MP, was disregarded.

• Under Article 95(1) of the Constitution, the President made this appointment.

• Newly elected members of the 18th Lok Sabha will take their oath before the pro tem Speaker.

• A panel of chairpersons will assist Mahtab, including Kodikunnil Suresh, DMK's T.R. Baalu, Trinamool Congress's Sudip Bandyopadhyay, and BJP's Radha Mohan Singh and Faggan Singh Kulaste.

• Traditionally, the longest-serving MP is chosen as the pro tem Speaker.

• Apart from Suresh, another senior MP in the 18th Lok Sabha is BJP's Virendra Kumar, who is also serving his eighth term and is currently a Union Minister.

• The first session of the 18th Lok Sabha will commence on June 24, with the Speaker election scheduled for June 26.

LAW AND AMENDMENTS

Patna High Court quashed the Bihar government's 65% reservation in jobs and education.

• The Patna High Court struck down the Bihar government's policy to increase job and education reservations to 65%.

• This decision annulled the state laws that aimed to raise reservations for SCs, STs, BCs, and EBCs from 50% to 65%.

• On November 9, the Bihar Assembly passed the Bihar (in admission in Educational Institutions) Reservation (Amendment) Act, 2023, and the Bihar Reservation of Vacancies in Posts and Services (Amendment) Act, 2023.

• These amendments made Bihar the state with the second-highest reservation rate for backward classes, following Tamil Nadu.

• The High Court found that these laws breached the equality clause under Articles 14, 15, and 16 of the Constitution.

• Chief Justice K. Vinod Chandran and Justice Harish Kumar issued the ruling.

• The PIL argued that constitutional reservations are meant to ensure fair representation for socially and educationally disadvantaged groups.

• It was also noted that the Constitution does not support reservations based on population size.

STATE NEWS

Caste-based survey has been approved by Jharkhand government in the state.

• The Jharkhand government has sanctioned a caste-based survey within the state.

• This decision was made during a cabinet meeting led by Chief Minister Champai Soren.

• The CM has directed the personnel department to develop a Standard Operating Procedure (SoP) for conducting the survey.

• According to the CM, the purpose of the caste-based survey is to examine the distribution of various communities across the state.

• Additionally, the survey aims to assess the social and economic challenges faced by different population groups.

• Jharkhand's caste survey will be modeled after the one conducted in Bihar.

• In Bihar, the data collection for the caste survey was performed from January 7 to October 2 of the previous year.

BANKING, ECONOMY AND FINANCE

UK surpassed China as India's fourth-largest export market in May 2024, as per commerce department data.

• The UK became India's fourth-largest export market in May 2024, surpassing China, according to commerce department data.

• In May 2023, the UK was India's sixth-largest export destination.

• Exports to the UK reached $1.37 billion in May 2024.

• Exports to China rose by 3%, amounting to $1.33 billion in May 2024.

• Major exports to the UK included machinery, food items, pharmaceuticals, textiles, jewellery, iron, and steel.

• Commerce department data showed positive growth in India's top 10 export markets in May 2024.

• These top 10 markets accounted for 52% of India's total export value in May 2024.

• India's merchandise exports increased by 9.13% in May 2024, totaling $38 billion.

• The top five export destinations for India in May 2024 were the US, UAE, the Netherlands, UK, and China.

• Imports from Saudi Arabia and Switzerland declined by 4.11% and 32.33%, respectively, in May 2024.

• The other eight of India's top 10 import markets showed growth in May 2024.

• Overall merchandise imports grew by 7.7%, reaching $61.91 billion.

• Russia remained India's second-largest import source, following China.

India recorded all-time High seafood exports in FY24.

• India achieved a record high in seafood exports for the financial year 2023-24, exporting 17,81,602 MT worth ₹60,523.89 crore (US$7.38 billion).

• Frozen shrimp was the top export in both volume and value, with the USA and China as the main iimporters

• Overall seafood export volume increased by 2.67%, with shrimp exports rising by 0.69%.

• Frozen fish was the second largest export, showing a 3.54% increase in quantity and a 0.12% increase in value.

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