1. Shaktikanta Das appointed as Revenue Secretary
i. In a first major bureaucratic reshuffle, the Modi Government has appointed Shaktikanta Das as the new Revenue Secretary. He will replace Rajiv Takru, who has been moved to the Department of North Eastern Region (DONER).
ii. Das, a 1980 batch IAS officer of Tamil Nadu cadre, is coming back to the North Block almost a month before the presentation of full budget for 2014-15.
iii. He has a deep experience in budget making as he was Joint Secretary in the Budget Division under the Department of Economic Affairs. He is expected to take charge on Monday.
iv. With this, the budget team will have Arvind Mayaram (Finance and Economic Affairs Secretary), Shaktikanta Das (Revenue Secretray), R P Wattal (Expenditure Secretary) G S Sandhu (Financial Services Secretray) and Ravi Mathur ((Disinvestment Secretary).
2. Lifetime Achievement Award’ for Lord Swraj Paul
i. Leading NRI industrialist Lord Swraj Paul has been honoured with the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ by a UK-based business association for his outstanding contribution to the industry, education and philanthropy.
ii. Lord Paul’s daughter Anjli received the award at the Black Country Asian Business Association’s annual awards dinner last night at Wednesbury in West Midlands as he was on a business trip to the US.
iii. Philanthropist and Labour politician, Lord Paul, is also the chancellor of the University of Westminster.
iv. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan by the Government of India in 1983.
3. No price hike for domestic LPG cylinders: Pradhan
i. The price of domestic LPG cylinders will not be increased and the number of subsidised refills given to consumers would continue, Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said today.
ii. “LPG will be provided to the consumers at the same rate at which it is being made available now. No additional burden will be imposed on them. The subsidy and the number of subsidised cylinders that people are getting will be continued by our Government,” Pradhan told reporters.
iii. About petrol and diesel prices, he said these are big issues and the central Government is paying attention to them.
4. Pradhan Mantri Gram Sinchai Yojana to be launched: Minister
i. To boost agricultural yield, the Union Agriculture Ministry is going to launch 'Pradhan Mantri Gram Sinchai Yojana' in the country.
ii. "The motive of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sinchai Yojana will be to take irrigation water to each and every agricultural field in the country.
iii. Farm productivity could not be increased until water is available for irrigation. We are chalking out the details of the scheme," Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh said today.
iv. The central government will issue Soil Health Card to farmers in the country. Help of scientists and agriculture students will be taken in this mission to check the condition and fertility of fields," Singh said at a felicitation programme at his maiden visit to Bihar after becoming a union minister.
v. Under the programme 'Soil Health Card' (SHC) would be distributed among farmers to show the status and production capability of the farm soil and understand its suitability to various types of crops, he said.
5. ISRO planning to launch French satellite SPOT 7 on June 26
i. ISRO is planning to launch its next rocket PSLV C23 carrying a French remote sensing satellite SPOT 7, along with four others from Sriharikota spaceport on June 26, a senior official said today.
ii. SPOT 7 is an Earth observing satellite, similar to Indian Remote Satellite System (IRSS).
iii. The satellites would be integrated with the launch vehicle on June 16 and heat shield check would be performed on June 18.
iv. Known for its expertise in launching PSLVs with smaller payloads up to 1,600 kg, the national space agency ISRO has earned a name in the space industry, attracting huge sum to the country as foreign exchange
6. Netherlands beat England 1-0 to enter men's World Cup final
i. Olympic silver medalists The Netherlands defeated England 1-0 to enter the final of the men's hockey World Cup at the Kyocera Stadium in The Hague, Netherlands on Friday.
ii. Chasing their fourth World Cup title, hosts Netherlands rode on a penalty corner conversion by Mike van der Weerden in the 31st minute to overcome the dogged England defence.
iii. Van der Weerden sent a drag flick, from Netherlands' second penalty corner, soaring into the net to the left of English goalkeeper George Pinner, who warded off many raids by the rampant Dutch forwards on Friday.
iv. Netherlands now await the winner of the second semifinal between defending champions Australia and Pan-American challenger Argentina, who have made the men's semifinal for the first time in World Cup history.
v. The final will be played on Sunday.
7. India in fifth place in ICC test rankings
i. Australia leads the ICC test rankings followed by South Africa, England and Pakistan, with India in the fifth place.
ii. Men in Blue haven’t played Test Cricket for a long time and the coming tour of Bangladesh and England may provide more opportunity for the team to be in the top rankings.
iii. South Africa’s A B Devilliers leads the pack of batsmen followed by Shivnarain Cahnderpaul and Kumar Sangakkara.
iv. India’s Cheteshwar Pujara is at number seven while Virat Kohli figures at number ten. Dale Steyn is the top ranked bowler.
v. India’s Ravichandran Ashwin is placed at the eighth ranking. South Africa’s Vernon Philander is among the top All-rounders to be followed by India’s Ravichandran Ashwin. The latest ICC test rankings were released in Dubai on Friday.
8. World Cup FIFA 2014: Netherlands thrash Spain 5-1
i. Robin van Persie and Arjen Robben scored twice each as the Netherlands avenged their 2010 World Cup final defeat to Spain with a record 5-1 drubbing of the defending champions on Friday.
ii. Van Persie pounced in each half as the Dutch recovered from a controversial Xabi Alonso penalty to inflict a crushing defeat on the reigning kings of world and European football.
iii. Stefan De Vrij got the Netherlands' other goal as Spain slumped to the heaviest defeat ever inflicted at a World Cup on the reigning champions.
iv. It was Spain's worst defeat in more than half a century, coming 51 years after a 6-2 defeat to Scotland in 1963.
v. FIFA officials earlier defended Japanese referee Yuichi Nishimura after he awarded Brazil a bitterly contested penalty in their opening game victory over Croatia.
9. India beat South Korea 3-0, finish ninth in hockey WC
i. Akashdeep Singh scored two goals as India posted a comfortable 3-0 win over Asian champions South Korea to finish a lowly ninth in the men's hockey World Cup at the Kyocera Stadium in The Hague on Saturday.
ii. With this win in the ninth-10th place play-off match, India had managed to avenge upon their 3-4 loss to South Korea in the final of last year's Asia Cup in Ipoh, Malaysia.
10. Actor Telangana Shakuntala dead
i. Popular Tollywood character actress Telangana Shakuntala passed away on Saturday following a cardiac arrest at her home in Hyderabad.
ii. Popularly known as "Swarnakka" in Tamil filmdom as she portrayed a villainous role in that name in the Vikram-starrer "Dhool"
iii. Shakuntala acted in more than 70 films, including a few in Tamil, industry sources said.
i. In a first major bureaucratic reshuffle, the Modi Government has appointed Shaktikanta Das as the new Revenue Secretary. He will replace Rajiv Takru, who has been moved to the Department of North Eastern Region (DONER).
ii. Das, a 1980 batch IAS officer of Tamil Nadu cadre, is coming back to the North Block almost a month before the presentation of full budget for 2014-15.
iii. He has a deep experience in budget making as he was Joint Secretary in the Budget Division under the Department of Economic Affairs. He is expected to take charge on Monday.
iv. With this, the budget team will have Arvind Mayaram (Finance and Economic Affairs Secretary), Shaktikanta Das (Revenue Secretray), R P Wattal (Expenditure Secretary) G S Sandhu (Financial Services Secretray) and Ravi Mathur ((Disinvestment Secretary).
2. Lifetime Achievement Award’ for Lord Swraj Paul
i. Leading NRI industrialist Lord Swraj Paul has been honoured with the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ by a UK-based business association for his outstanding contribution to the industry, education and philanthropy.
ii. Lord Paul’s daughter Anjli received the award at the Black Country Asian Business Association’s annual awards dinner last night at Wednesbury in West Midlands as he was on a business trip to the US.
iii. Philanthropist and Labour politician, Lord Paul, is also the chancellor of the University of Westminster.
iv. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan by the Government of India in 1983.
3. No price hike for domestic LPG cylinders: Pradhan
i. The price of domestic LPG cylinders will not be increased and the number of subsidised refills given to consumers would continue, Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said today.
ii. “LPG will be provided to the consumers at the same rate at which it is being made available now. No additional burden will be imposed on them. The subsidy and the number of subsidised cylinders that people are getting will be continued by our Government,” Pradhan told reporters.
iii. About petrol and diesel prices, he said these are big issues and the central Government is paying attention to them.
4. Pradhan Mantri Gram Sinchai Yojana to be launched: Minister
i. To boost agricultural yield, the Union Agriculture Ministry is going to launch 'Pradhan Mantri Gram Sinchai Yojana' in the country.
ii. "The motive of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sinchai Yojana will be to take irrigation water to each and every agricultural field in the country.
iii. Farm productivity could not be increased until water is available for irrigation. We are chalking out the details of the scheme," Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh said today.
iv. The central government will issue Soil Health Card to farmers in the country. Help of scientists and agriculture students will be taken in this mission to check the condition and fertility of fields," Singh said at a felicitation programme at his maiden visit to Bihar after becoming a union minister.
v. Under the programme 'Soil Health Card' (SHC) would be distributed among farmers to show the status and production capability of the farm soil and understand its suitability to various types of crops, he said.
5. ISRO planning to launch French satellite SPOT 7 on June 26
i. ISRO is planning to launch its next rocket PSLV C23 carrying a French remote sensing satellite SPOT 7, along with four others from Sriharikota spaceport on June 26, a senior official said today.
ii. SPOT 7 is an Earth observing satellite, similar to Indian Remote Satellite System (IRSS).
iii. The satellites would be integrated with the launch vehicle on June 16 and heat shield check would be performed on June 18.
iv. Known for its expertise in launching PSLVs with smaller payloads up to 1,600 kg, the national space agency ISRO has earned a name in the space industry, attracting huge sum to the country as foreign exchange
6. Netherlands beat England 1-0 to enter men's World Cup final
i. Olympic silver medalists The Netherlands defeated England 1-0 to enter the final of the men's hockey World Cup at the Kyocera Stadium in The Hague, Netherlands on Friday.
ii. Chasing their fourth World Cup title, hosts Netherlands rode on a penalty corner conversion by Mike van der Weerden in the 31st minute to overcome the dogged England defence.
iii. Van der Weerden sent a drag flick, from Netherlands' second penalty corner, soaring into the net to the left of English goalkeeper George Pinner, who warded off many raids by the rampant Dutch forwards on Friday.
iv. Netherlands now await the winner of the second semifinal between defending champions Australia and Pan-American challenger Argentina, who have made the men's semifinal for the first time in World Cup history.
v. The final will be played on Sunday.
7. India in fifth place in ICC test rankings
i. Australia leads the ICC test rankings followed by South Africa, England and Pakistan, with India in the fifth place.
ii. Men in Blue haven’t played Test Cricket for a long time and the coming tour of Bangladesh and England may provide more opportunity for the team to be in the top rankings.
iii. South Africa’s A B Devilliers leads the pack of batsmen followed by Shivnarain Cahnderpaul and Kumar Sangakkara.
iv. India’s Cheteshwar Pujara is at number seven while Virat Kohli figures at number ten. Dale Steyn is the top ranked bowler.
v. India’s Ravichandran Ashwin is placed at the eighth ranking. South Africa’s Vernon Philander is among the top All-rounders to be followed by India’s Ravichandran Ashwin. The latest ICC test rankings were released in Dubai on Friday.
8. World Cup FIFA 2014: Netherlands thrash Spain 5-1
i. Robin van Persie and Arjen Robben scored twice each as the Netherlands avenged their 2010 World Cup final defeat to Spain with a record 5-1 drubbing of the defending champions on Friday.
ii. Van Persie pounced in each half as the Dutch recovered from a controversial Xabi Alonso penalty to inflict a crushing defeat on the reigning kings of world and European football.
iii. Stefan De Vrij got the Netherlands' other goal as Spain slumped to the heaviest defeat ever inflicted at a World Cup on the reigning champions.
iv. It was Spain's worst defeat in more than half a century, coming 51 years after a 6-2 defeat to Scotland in 1963.
v. FIFA officials earlier defended Japanese referee Yuichi Nishimura after he awarded Brazil a bitterly contested penalty in their opening game victory over Croatia.
9. India beat South Korea 3-0, finish ninth in hockey WC
i. Akashdeep Singh scored two goals as India posted a comfortable 3-0 win over Asian champions South Korea to finish a lowly ninth in the men's hockey World Cup at the Kyocera Stadium in The Hague on Saturday.
ii. With this win in the ninth-10th place play-off match, India had managed to avenge upon their 3-4 loss to South Korea in the final of last year's Asia Cup in Ipoh, Malaysia.
10. Actor Telangana Shakuntala dead
i. Popular Tollywood character actress Telangana Shakuntala passed away on Saturday following a cardiac arrest at her home in Hyderabad.
ii. Popularly known as "Swarnakka" in Tamil filmdom as she portrayed a villainous role in that name in the Vikram-starrer "Dhool"
iii. Shakuntala acted in more than 70 films, including a few in Tamil, industry sources said.
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