Current Affairs 2020

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This post contains important current affairs of 19 June 2020. It includes all Major National, International, Business and Sports related current affairs of 19 June 2020. We have collected the latest current affairs and compiled them date wise. These current affairs are important for all competitive exams like bank, ssc, ibps, sbi exams. The GK current affairs will help you score more in these competitive exams. A brief explanation of every current affair is provided to further enhance your general knowledge. Once you have gone through these current affairs we would recommend to you to try 19 June 2020 Current affairs test.

National Reading Day is observed on June 19
National Reading Day is observed on June 19. The celebration is marked in the honour of the father of the Library Movement, the late P N Panicker. Puthuvayil Narayana Panicker is famously known as the Father of the Library Movement in the state of Kerala.

International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict is observed on 19 June
International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict is observed on 19 June. The day aims to create awareness of the need to put an end to conflict-related sexual violence. Conflict-related sexual violence Conflict-related sexual violence refers to sexual slavery, forced prostitution, rape, forced pregnancy or abortion, enforced sterilization, and forced marriage.

World Sickle Cell Day is observed on 19 June
World Sickle Cell Day observed each June 19 to raise awareness about the red blood cell disorder, and to raise funds to fight it. World Sickle Cell Day is the perfect opportunity to run an event or fundraiser to let people in your community know more about sickle cell and help support those living with the disorder.

World Sauntering Day is observed on 19 June
World Sauntering Day is marked yearly on June 19 to remind us to stop and smell the roses. World Sauntering Day that began in 1979 to remind people to slow down and enjoy life and not rush through it.

India will be global manufacturing hub for electric vehicles in five years
Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari stated that India will be a manufacturing hub for electric vehicles within the next five years, adding that several countries do not want to deal with China after the COVID-19 crisis which can be an opportunity for India. During a webinar titled ‘India’s Electric Vehicle Roadmap Post COVID-19’.

PM Modi launches auction of coal mines for commercial mining
PM Modi stated India has taken the big decision to fully open the coal and mining sector for competition, capital, participation, and technology. PM Modi stated a major step has been taken to make India self reliant in the Energy sector.

Dr. Harsh Vardhan launched DBTAMTZ Mobile Diagnostic Unit for COVID Testing I-Lab
Union Minister for Science & Technology Dr. Harsh Vardhan inaugurated and flagged off India’s first Infectious disease diagnostic lab (I-Lab) for COVID-19 testing in rural and inaccessible areas of India. The infectious disease diagnostic laboratory is a mobile testing facility that was dedicated to providing COVID-19 testing access to rural India.

India will be United Nations Security Council President for August 2021
India, which has been elected as a non-permanent member of the Security Council, will serve as the president of the powerful 15-nation UN body for the month of August, 2021.

Karnataka Bank launches COVID-19 health insurance in partnership with Universal Sompo
Karnataka Bank has launched a health insurance policy for COVID-19 in a tie-up with Universal Sompo General Insurance Company. The health cover can be availed at a nominal premium of Rs 399, inclusive of all taxes. The policy will cover in-patient hospital expenses up to Rs 3 lakh, outpatient treatment expenses of Rs 3000 and will also provide a sum of Rs 1,000 per day towards expenses incurred towards 14 days of quarantine at a government or military hospital. The validity of this policy is for a period of 120 days. The policy is available to all the customers of the bank in the age group of 18-65 years.

ICICI Home Finance launches affordable housing loan scheme SARAL
ICICI Home Finance has launched a special affordable housing loan scheme, with special rates for women, lower and middle income groups. Called SARAL, it aims to fund homes in urban and rural areas. The product has been developed for women, lower, middle income customers and economically weaker sections having maximum household income up to 6 lakh annually. SARAL offers affordable housing loans up to35 lakh at an interest rate starting from 7.98 % onwards, for a maximum tenure of 20 years. It added that customers with pre-existing loans can also transfer their loans.

Bank of Baroda to completely digitise lending operations
India’s third largest lender Bank of Baroda is set to completely digitise it’s lending operations including home, agriculture, MSME, personal and auto loans. The bank which is looking to completely do away with paper-based lending has reached out to the big four and some white shoe consultants like McKinsey and Boston Consulting Group to help set up a “digital lending department”.

RBI proposes to increase minimum Net Owned Fund size of HFCs
The Reserve Bank proposed to increase the minimum Net Owned Fund size of Housing Finance Companies (HFCs).The proposal comes as part of a draft regulatory framework which will be applicable to HFCs. The Bank proposes to increase the minimum NOF for HFCs from the current requirement of Rs 10 crore to Rs 20 crore, the draft regulatory framework stated.

Saudi Arabia’s PIF buys 2.32% stake in Jio for Rs 11,367 crore
Reliance Industries Ltd has sold a 32 per cent stake in its digital unit to Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) for Rs 11,367 crore. With this investment, Jio Platforms has raised Rs 115,693.95 crore from some of the leading global investment powerhouses at a time when the world is deeply impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, resulting in a recession kind of environment for the global economy.

Zomato’s new startup to offer mental health online
Zomato co-founder Pankaj Chaddah unveiled his latest venture with former Zomato executive Pooja Khanna called Mindhouse, a mental wellness startup that offers users guided meditation sessions and techniques.

BP to set up major new global business services centre in Pune
UK energy Petroleum major British Petroleum announced plans to set up a major new centre for its global business services (GBS) operations in Pune. New centre will employ around 2000 people and will support digital innovation across BP globally.

24th Meeting of the FSDC Sub-Committee over Video Conference
A meeting of the Sub-Committee of the Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC) was held through video conference. Shri Shaktikanta Das, Governor, Reserve Bank of India, chaired the meeting.

RBI approves re-appointment of Prakash Chandra as non-exec Chairman of RBL Bank
Reserve Bank of India has approved the re-appointment of Prakash Chandra, Independent Director, as Non-Executive (Part-Time) Chairman of the RBL bank till July 23, 2021.

IIT-Guwahati develops affordable diagnostic kits for COVID-19 pandemic
The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati in association with RR Animal Healthcare Ltd and Guwahati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) developed low-cost diagnostic kits. These are Viral Transport Media (VTM) kits, RT-PCR kits, and RNA isolation kits. The VTM kits are used to collect nasal and oral swab specimens from an individual source to a laboratory safely for culture and testing.

CSIR-CDRIs candidate drug Umifenovir secures DCGI approval for Phase III Clinical Trial against COVID-19 disease
CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI) Lucknow received permission to carry out Phase III randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled trial of efficacy, safety, and tolerability of antiviral drugs Umifenovir. The Phase III Clinical Trials will be carried out at King George’s Medical University (KGMU), Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences (RMLIMS), and ERA’s Lucknow Medical College & Hospital, Lucknow.

‘Air-Venti’: Mumbai gets app for real-time information on ICU beds, ventilators
Mumbai announced the launch of the ‘Air-Venti’ app that will tell citizens how many intensive care unit (ICU) beds and ventilators are available in hospitals across the city. It will also help people during emergency situation.

Vera Lynn, singer and British forces’ ‘sweetheart, passes away
British singer Vera Lynn, whose sentimental ballads during World War II provided the soundtrack for the Allied war effort, has passed away at the age of 103. Lynn’s two most famous songs, “We’ll Meet Again,” released in 1939 at the start of the war and “The White Cliffs of Dover,” recorded in 1942, created a patriotic image of a courageous and phlegmatic Britain that resonates with people in the UK even today. She was also the first English singer to make it to number one in the American music charts.