DAILY GK 1 JUNE 2024
1.
UNDP & GEF LAUNCHED USD 135M BLUE
AND GREEN ISLANDS INTEGRATED PROGRAMME
·
The United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF)
jointly launched a new USD 135 million Blue and Green Islands
Integrated Program (BGI-IP), a transformative and comprehensive
initiative designed to address pressing environmental challenges faced
by Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
·
The initiative was launched during
the 4th International Conference on SIDS (SIDS4) held in
Antigua and Barbuda under the overarching theme of “Charting
the course toward resilient prosperity”.
·
BGI-IP initiative aims to
emphasise the crucial role of nature and expand nature-based solutions to
combat environmental degradation in 3 key sectors, urban development, food
production, and tourism.
·
This will support 15 SIDS,
which were selected through a competitive “Expressions of Interest” process,
representing all SIDS sub-regions (the Caribbean, the Pacific, and the
Atlantic, Indian Ocean and South China Sea (AIS)).
2.
TIME100 MOST INFLUENTIAL COMPANIES
2024
·
Three Indian
Companies namely Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), Tata
Group and Serum Institute of India (SII) are featured on the “TIME100
Most Influential Companies 2024” published by TIME, the New York based American
Magazine.
·
RIL and Tata Group are been featured under
the “Titans” category and SII is featured under the “Pioneer” category.
·
Rare Beauty, founded by American Singer
and Actor Selena Gomez, is featured under the “Leaders”
categories.
·
The list also featured noted companies
like Microsoft, TikTok, Disney, Pfizer and Bank of America under Titans
category; Google and Huawei under Innovators category.
3.
INDIA TAKES OVER THE CHAIRMANSHIP OF
THE COLOMBO PROCESS FOR 2024-2026
·
India has
taken over the chairmanship of the Colombo Process for the
term (2024 – 2026).
·
It is the first time that
India has assumed the chairmanship of the Colombo Process since its inception
in 2003.
·
Colombo Process is a regional
consultation process of migrant worker origin countries from
South and SouthEast (SE) Asia.
·
It is a non-binding process that
facilitates discussions on improving the management of
migration and protecting the rights of migrant workers.
·
The Colombo Process has 12 member
states of Asia and 8 observer states.
·
The 12 Member States are:
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan, the
Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia.
·
The 8 observer states are:
Bahrain, Italy, Kuwait, Malaysia, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia and
the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
4.
WORLD NO-TOBACCO DAY 2024 – MAY 31
·
World No-Tobacco Day (WNTD)
is annually observed across the globe on 31st May to draw
attention to the global tobacco epidemic, and the preventable death and disease
caused by tobacco.
·
The observance of WNTD is led by the
World Health Organisation (WHO).
·
The theme of WNTD 2024
is “Protecting children from tobacco industry interference”.
·
The WHO established World No Tobacco
Day in 1987 to highlight the tobacco epidemic and the
preventable death and disease it causes.
5.
ADB
PLEDGES $2.6 BILLION IN SOVEREIGN LOANS TO
INDIA
·
The Asian Development Bank (ADB)
committed $2.6 billion in sovereign lending to India in
2023 for projects that aim to strengthen urban development,
support industrial corridor development, promote power sector reforms, build
India’s climate resilience, support horticulture, and enhance connectivity.
·
The loans aim to foster
India's structural transformation, job creation, infrastructure enhancement,
green growth, and socioeconomic inclusiveness, and integrate smart technologies
and innovations.
·
ADB also extended $23.53 million
in technical assistance and $4.1 million in grants under the sovereign
portfolio.
·
India's Relationship with ADB: India
is a founding member and one of the largest shareholders of ADB,
headquartered in the Philippines.
·
ADB focuses on development in the
Asia-Pacific regions.
·
Sovereign debt
is the government debt of a country, a sovereign nation.
·
It is also referred to as government
debt, national debt, public debt, or country debt.
·
The sovereign debt of a country consists
of all its debt liabilities to both domestic and foreign creditors.
·
ADB Established
: 1966
·
President :
Masatsugu Asakawa
·
Membership : 68 members,
including 49 regional members (countries in Asia and the Pacific) and 19
non-regional members (countries outside the region)
6.
PRAGATI-2024
·
The Central Council for Research
in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS) has launched the Pharma Research in Ayur Gyan And
Techno Innovation (PRAGATI-2024) initiative to foster research and
innovation in Ayurveda.
·
PRAGATI-2024 aims
to facilitate collaborative research between CCRAS and the Ayurveda drug
industry, fostering growth and innovation in the sector.
