India to start First Fast Track Immigration-TTP Programme at IGI Airport

•  Union Home Minister Amit Shah will inaugurate the Fast Track Immigration Trusted Traveller Programme (FTI-TTP) at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi on June 22, 2024.
•  This initiative is tailored for Indian nationals and Overseas Citizens of India cardholders, aiming to streamline their travel process.
• Eligible individuals will apply online, provide biometric data, and submit other necessary information.
• Registration will be finalized following verifications and confirmation of eligibility criteria. Once processing charges are paid, applications will be processed.
• The FTI-TTP intends to modernize and expedite passengers’ travel experiences by enhancing efficiency, convenience, and security measures.

E-medical visa facility to be launched by India for Bangladesh Nationals

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced during a meeting with a Bangladeshi delegation in the national capital on June 22, 2024, that India would initiate an electronic medical visa facility for Bangladeshi nationals seeking medical treatment in India.
• Additionally, India plans to establish a new consulate in Rangpur, Bangladesh, aimed at providing enhanced services to residents in the northwest region of the country.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasized that Bangladesh holds strategic importance for India's Neighbourhood First policy, Act East Policy, Vision SAGAR, and Indo-Pacific vision.

10 Agreements signed between India and Bangladesh

• India and Bangladesh exchanged 10 agreements and renewed several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) across various sectors on June 22, 2024.
• These agreements encompass digital and environmental partnerships, maritime cooperation, the blue economy, healthcare, space collaboration, railway connectivity, oceanography, disaster management, and fisheries.
•  The exchange occurred following bilateral discussions between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at Hyderabad House in New Delhi.
• Prime Minister  Narendra Modi highlighted Bangladesh's strategic position in India’s Neighbourhood First Policy, Act East Policy, Vision Sagar, and Indo-Pacific Vision, emphasizing collaborative achievements in public welfare projects over the past year.
• He also noted successful milestones such as the world’s longest river cruise on the Ganga and the inauguration of the first cross-border friendship pipeline.

India Ranked 15th FDI Recipients

• In 2023, according to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), foreign direct investment (FDI) into India experienced a significant decline of 43% causing India to drop to the 15th position among global FDI recipients by June 22, 2024.
• This reduction mirrors a global trend where overall FDI decreased by 2%.
• The annual World Investment Report from UNCTAD highlights a general downturn in FDI worldwide, attributed to multinational corporations adopting a more cautious approach.
• Factors contributing to this decline include uncertain global economic growth, geopolitical tensions affecting trade, industrial policies, and efforts to diversify supply chains.
• International project finance, critical for infrastructure development, saw a decline of 23%, while cross-border mergers and acquisitions fell by 46%.
• Notably, FDI inflows to India, China, West Asia, and Central Asia also declined, with India receiving $28 billion in FDI in 2023, down from $49 billion in 2022, resulting in a drop from the 8th to the 15th position globally in FDI rankings.

Indian Deposits in Swiss Banks Dropped by 70%

• In 2023, Indian deposits in Swiss banks plummeted by 70%, hitting a four-year low of 1.04 billion Swiss Francs (₹9771 crore) as of June 22, 2024.
• This significant drop follows a peak in 2021 and is largely due to reduced investments in bonds, securities, and other financial instruments.
• Additionally, customer deposit accounts and cash held through other Indian bank branches have also seen a significant decline.
• Although Indian deposits reached a record high of nearly CHF 6.5 billion in 2006, they have generally trended downward, with occasional increases in 2011, 2013, 2017, 2020, and 2021.

53rd GST Council Review

• The GST Council, in its meeting on June 22, 2024, chaired by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, has made several key recommendations.
•  It proposed a standard GST rate of 12 percent for steel, iron, aluminum milk cans, and carton boxes/cases made of corrugated or non-corrugated paper or paperboard, aiming to simplify taxation on these items.
•  Additionally, the Council decided that certain services provided by Indian Railways, such as platform tickets, retiring rooms, waiting rooms, and battery-operated car services, will be exempt from GST, benefitting the common man.
•  Another significant decision includes the nationwide implementation of biometric-based Aadhaar authentication to curb fraudulent claims of input tax credit through fake invoices.
• Many other key recommendations were also made during the GST Council review.

World’s Oldest Termite Mounds Discovered (Environment And Ecology)

• In Namaqualand, South Africa, heuweltjies, ancient termite mounds, cover about 20% of the land as of June 22, 2024.
• These sandy formations are inhabited by southern harvester termites (Microhodotermes Viator) and have been home to termites for between 13,000 and 34,000 years.
•  In 2021, earth scientists investigated the area's salty groundwater, located around 530 km from Cape Town, aiming to understand how termite mounds might alter groundwater chemistry.
• Radiocarbon dating of the organic and inorganic materials in the mounds revealed their age and showed how nutrients, like carbon, accumulated over time.
• Termites excel at ecosystem management, creating extensive tube networks that influence mound conditions and impact large areas.
• These networks not only modify habitats but also enhance soil quality and significantly contribute to Namaqualand’s soil organic carbon pool.

Pandit LaxmiKant Dixit

• Pandit Laxmikant Mathuranath Dixit, who presided over the ceremony where the Ram Lalla idol at the Ram temple in Ayodhya was consecrated, passed away on June 22, 2024.
• He served as the principal priest leading a group of 121 Vedic Brahmins during the consecration ceremony.
• Pandit Laxmikant Dixit, known for his scholarly standing in Varanasi, hailed originally from Solapur district in Maharashtra.
•  However, his family has been residing in Varanasi for many generations.

C Ayyanna Patrudu

• Telugu Desam Party’s MLA from Narsipatnam, C Ayyanna Patrudu, was unanimously elected as the Speaker of the 16th Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly on June 22, 2024.
• He represents the Narsipatnam constituency in the APLA.
• According to PPK Ramacharyulu, the Secretary General of the Legislative Assembly, only 3 nominations were submitted for the Speaker’s position, all in favor of Ayyanna Patrudu.

Manoj Jain

• Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) has appointed Manoj Jain as the new Chairman and Managing Director on June 22, 2024.
• BEL, a prominent Indian defense electronics company, highlights this key leadership change.
• Manoj Jain's career at BEL spans over three decades, starting as a Probationary Engineer in August 1991.
• He became Director (R&D) on September 26, 2022, and held additional roles as Director (HR) from November 1, 2022, to May 31, 2023, and Director (Bangalore Complex) from August 1, 2023.
• Previously, he was General Manager of the Electronic Warfare and Avionics SBU at BEL’s Bangalore Complex.
•  His leadership roles also include Chief Scientist of CRL-Bangalore (December 2017 to May 2019) and General Manager of BEL’s Product Development and Innovation Centre (PD&IC) starting June 2019.

Subodh Kumar Singh

• Subodh Kumar Singh, the Director General of the National Testing Agency (NTA), was relieved from his position following allegations of irregularities in examinations on June 22, 2024.
• The government announced that Subodh Kumar Singh's services have been temporarily suspended, pending further actions by the Department of Personnel and Training.
• The controversy arose amidst concerns surrounding the NEET examination conducted on May 5, 2024, across 4750 centers, with approximately 24 lakh candidates participating.
• Originally scheduled for June 14, the results were unexpectedly announced on June 4, citing early completion of answer sheet evaluations.

18th International Film Festival Concluded in Mumbai

• The 18th edition of the Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF 2024) concluded on June 22, 2024, celebrating remarkable achievements in both national and international cinema.
•  Festival Director Prithul Kumar highlighted that this edition witnessed the highest number of attendees and film submissions to date.
•  The event featured a diverse lineup of 314 films from 59 countries, spanning 61 languages.
• The awards ceremony, held at Mumbai's National Centre for Performing Arts, honored 'The Golden Thread' from India with the prestigious Golden Conch Award, directed by Nishita Jain.
•  In the 'India in Amrit Kaal' category, Edmond Ranson received the Best Short Film award for 'Life in Loom'.
• Sreemoyi Singh received the Dadasaheb Phalke Chitranagari Award for Best Debut Director for 'And Towards Happy Alleys'.

Bhagat Kabir Dham to be established in Punjab

• Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann announced the establishment of Bhagat Kabir Dham on June 22, 2024, during a state-level event commemorating the 626th "parkash utsav" of Sant Kabir, the revered figure of the Bhakti movement.
• Bhagwant Mann emphasized that this initiative aims to conduct extensive research into the life and philosophy of Sant Kabir, who is renowned for guiding people towards righteous living.
•  He urged the public to earnestly embrace the teachings of Bhagat Kabir Ji, emphasizing the importance of creating a society based on equality, transcending divisions of caste, color, creed, and religion.
• The Chief Minister highlighted that Kabir's teachings, encapsulated in his compositions within the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, promote enduring messages of love, peace, and harmony.

Mukhyamantri Behen-Beti Swavalamban Protsahan Yojana of Jharkhand

• Chief Minister Champai Soren has announced a financial aid program named the 'Mukhyamantri Behan-Beti Swavalamban Protsahan Yojana' on June 22, 2024, aimed at enhancing the living standards of women in the state.
• Under this initiative, women aged between 25 - 50 years will receive a monthly assistance of ₹1000.
• During a review of the Women, Child Development, and Social Security Department, the Chief Minister instructed officials to promptly launch the scheme and facilitate application through state-wide camps.
•  Emphasizing simplicity and transparency, Champai Soren urged for a streamlined process to ensure easy access to benefits.
• The program targets economically disadvantaged women across all categories, expanding social security benefits previously limited to individuals above 60 years and extending pension eligibility to women aged 50 years and above since January, approved by the Jharkhand government cabinet.

World’s Rainforest Day 2024

• World Rainforest Day was observed on June 22, 2024, to raise awareness about the significance of rainforests and promote their preservation.
• Initially established in 2017 by the Rainforest Partnership, this day emphasizes the critical need to protect and conserve rainforests globally.
• The theme for World Rainforest Day 2024 is “Empowering the World in Defense of Our Rainforests.”
• In this year's celebrations, organizers are launching a pledge program aimed at prompting immediate actions across various sectors to protect rainforests and address climate concerns.