DAILY GK: 08 JUNE 2021

1.PERFORMANCE GRADING INDEX (PGI) 2019-20

•          According to the Performance Grading Index (PGI) 2019-20 for States & UTs released by Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL), Ministry of Education, the states of Punjab, Chandigarh, Tamil Nadu, Andaman & Nicobar Islands (A&N Islands) and Kerala occupied the highest grade (Grade I ++) for 2019-20 (i.e Scores are between 901-950).

 

2.CSE’S STATE OF INDIA’S ENVIRONMENT REPORT, 2021

•          As per the State of India’s Environment Report, 2021, which was released by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), India’s rank has dropped by 2 places from last year’s 115 to 117 on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are adopted as a part of the 2030 agenda by 193 United Nations(UN) member states in 2015.

•          The overall SDG score of India is 61.9 out of 100 and it ranks below four South Asian countries viz, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh.

 

3.INDIA’S 1ST EV CITY IN KEVADIA, GUJARAT

•          Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the World Environment Day event on June 5, 2021, jointly organized by the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas (MoPNG), and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, virtually.

•          Event’s Theme: ‘promotion of biofuels for a better environment’.

•          Released the report – ‘Report of the Expert Committee on Road Map for ethanol blending in India 2020-2025’

•          Launched 3 E-100 pilot project in Pune, Maharashtra

•          1st EV city to be developed in Kevadia, Gujarat

 

4.8TH GLOBAL NITROGEN CONFERENCE FOCUSES ON SDGS

•          The 8th triennial conference of the International Nitrogen Initiative (INI) held virtually with a main focus on the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

•          Germany’s Federal Environment Agency (Umweltbundesamt–UBA) hosted the conference for the 1st time since its inception.

•          The Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety is supported the UBA.

•          Draft of the ‘Berlin Declaration’ was placed on the conference website for comments.

 

5.PAKISTAN RETAINED ON ‘ENHANCED FOLLOW-UP’ STATUS

•          Pakistan was retained on “enhanced follow-up” status for sufficient outstanding requirements by the Asia Pacific Group on Money Laundering (APG) , a regional affiliate of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

•          The country’s rating was improved on 21 of the 40 technical recommendations of the global watchdog against money laundering and terror financing.

 

6.SBI SANCTIONS RS.3725 CRORE FOR NOIDA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

•          Country’s largest lender State Bank of India (SBI) has sanctioned a loan of Rs.3725 crore with a tenure of 20 years for the development of Noida International Airport (NIA) which is being developed by Yamuna International Airport (YIAPL).

•          Zurich Airport International AG (ZAIA) which is the main shareholder of YIAPL, is providing Rs.2005 crore into development of NIA.

 

7.FIRST INDIAN ELECTED AS A MEMBER OF FINA BUREAU

•          Vice-President of Indian Olympic Association, Virendra Nanavati was elected as a member of International Swimming Federation (FINA) Bureau at the FINA General Congress held at Doha,Qatar.

•          He is the first Indian to be elected as a Bureau member of the FINA.

•          Also Kuwait’s Husain Al-Musallam has been elected as the President of FINA.

 

8.WORLD PEST DAY 2021 – JUNE 6

•          World Pest Day is annually observed across the globe on 6th June to recognise the role of professional pest control towards protecting health, home and businesses.

•          World Pest Day is also known as World Pest Awareness Day.

           

 

9.WORLD FOOD SAFETY DAY 2021 – JUNE 7

•          The United Nations(UN)’s World Food Safety Day is annually observed across the globe on 7th June to create awareness about the methods to prevent and detect foodborne risks, and to ensure food security, human health, economic prosperity, agriculture, market access, tourism and sustainable development. 

•          The theme of the World Food Safety Day 2021 is “Safe food today for a healthy tomorrow”.

 

10.ASSAM’S 6TH NATIONAL PARK

•          CM Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma has declared Raimona region in Kokrajhar district as Assam’s 6th National Park (NP).

•          The Raimona NP is a 422 sq. km contiguous forest patch within the Bodoland Territorial Region.

•          Raimona NP is an integral part of Manas Biosphere Reserve and Chirang-Ripu Elephant Reserve.

 

11.WORLD’S FIRST CO2 NEUTRAL CEMENT PLANT IN SWEDEN

•          Heidelberg Cement announced its intention to upgrade its plant on the Swedish island of Gotland to become the world’s first carbon-neutral cement plant.

•          The installation at the State plant of Heidelberg Cement’s subsidiary Cementa will be scaled to capture up to 8 million tonnes of CO2 annually, which corresponds to the plant’s total emissions.