Current Affairs for SSC CGL Exams - 12 JUNE 2019

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::NATIONAL::

The Centre has set a target of providing clean drinking water to all by 2024. Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat told this to reporters in New Delhi yesterday after holding discussions with officials and Ministers from several states looking after water-related issues.
Mr Shekhawat said, in states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Odisha, the coverage of clean drinking water is less than five per cent.
Given that water is a State subject, it will take the exercise of “cooperative federalism” to achieve the Modi government’s big-ticket agenda of providing piped drinking water to all households by the end of its second term, Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said on Tuesday.\
He was speaking to journalists during a conference with State-level ministers and secretaries of water and sanitation departments, where he assured them that the new ‘Nal se Jal’ scheme will be flexible enough to take local issues and concerns into account.

Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan reviewed the status of National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and strokes (NPCDCS) at a high-level meeting yesterday.
An official release said, during the meeting, Dr Vardhan stressed on the need to expedite and accelerate the Non-Communicable Diseases interventions as the burden of these diseases is rising in the country. He directed the officials to carry out aggressive awareness campaigns for adopting a healthy lifestyle at all levels.
The Health Minister also reviewed the status of umbrella scheme of RashtriyaArogyaNidhi that includes Health Minister’s Cancer Patient Fund and scheme for financial assistance for poor patients suffering from specified rare diseases.

The Reserve Bank of India has constituted a six-member committee to review the entire gamut of ATM charges and fees. In a press release, the RBI said, Chief Executive of Indian Banks’ Association VG Kannan will chair the committee consisting of senior officers from National Payments Corporation of India, SBI, HDFC Bank, Confederation of ATM Industry and Tata Communications Payment Solutions Limited.
The committee will review existing patterns of costs, charges and interchange fees for ATM transactions. It is to submit its report within two months from the date of its first meeting.
With an aim to encourage digital transfer of funds, the Reserve Bank has waived off all charges for transactions using National Electronic Funds Transfer - NEFT and Real Time Gross Settlement - RTGS systems.
In a press release issued in Mumbai this evening, RBI has advised banks to pass on the benefits to their customers with effect from 1st July, 2019.
The Reserve Bank levies minimum charges on banks for transactions routed through its RTGS and NEFT System. RTGS is meant for large-value instantaneous fund transfers while NEFT System is used for fund transfers up to 2 lakh rupees.

ShriArjunMunda, Union Minister for Tribal Affairs launched the “e-governance initiatives for ST Welfare schemes” at a function organized by Ministry of Tribal Affairs here.
ShriMunda applauded the teamworkefforts of the Ministry of Tribal affairs for these-governance initiatives for Scheduled Tribes Welfare schemes and said that as per the “SabkaSaath, SabkaVikas and SabkaVishwas”, these e-governance initiatives will serve their purpose of the betterment of tribal communities across the nation.
He called upon the officials of Ministry of Tribal Affairs to prepare a Databank of the previous beneficiaries of the schemes of the ministry on a priority basis. He emphasized that the officials of the ministry have to achieve the target of completion of its tasks before time.
Ministry has further developed module for verification of students by Universities and Colleges under Fellowship scheme and Grievance Module for all stake holders including beneficiary students in 03 Central Sector schemes and Institutions.

There is need for flexibility, agility and speed in solving regional problems and the Quad is “one of many such small groupings” in solving them, asserted HarinderSidhu, Australia’s High Commissioner in India. Ms.Sidhu also identified strengthening of the economic order in the Indo-Pacific as a focus area for future cooperation
The quadrilateral grouping comprising India, Australia, Japan and the U.S. was revived in 2017 but the grouping has so far shied away from adding a military aspect to it. The latest meeting was held last month in Bangkok.
On trade and investment in the region, Ms.Sidhu stressed the importance of concluding the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) between ASEAN and six Asia-Pacific countries.
A successful conclusion to negotiations on RCEP would help shape the “regional rules and norms governing trade, investment and the broader economy,” she said, adding “very importantly, it deals India into regional economic integration.”
While India has not responded positively to Australia’s request to join the Malabar exercises, the two countries have expanded bilateral military cooperation over the last few years.
The latest edition of the bilateral naval exercise AUSINDEX in April saw the largest deployment of Australian military assets to India in peacetime, Ms.Sidhu noted. There had been a fourfold increase in defence engagement from 2014.

To enhance the capabilities of the armed forces to fight wars in space, the government has approved the setting up of a new agency which will develop sophisticated weapon systems and technologies.
The decision was taken at the topmost level some time ago and the agency has started taking shape under a Joint Secretary-level scientist.
The agency would be provided with a team of scientists which would be working in close coordination with the tri-services integrated Defence staff officers.
It would be providing the research and development support to the Defence Space Agency (DSA) which comprises members of the three services. The DSA has been created “to help the country fight wars in the space”.
In March, India had carried out the Anti Satellite Test (ASAT) which demonstrated its capability to shoot down satellites and joined an elite club of four nations with similar capability. The test also helped the country develop deterrence capability against adversaries who may want to attack Indian satellites to cripple systems in times of war.
The Defence Space Agency is being set up in Bengaluru under an Air Vice Marshal-rank officer and will gradually take over the space-related capabilities of the three forces.

In Football, the United States recorded the biggest-ever victory in the Fifa Women's World Cup last night when they crushed Thailand, 13-nil in a Group-F match at Reims in France. Alex Morgan scored five times for the three-time winners and defending champions.
Rose Lavelle and Samantha Mewis netted two goals each. Lindsey Horan, Megan Rapinoe, Mallory Pugh and Carli Lloyd were also on the score sheet as the US broke Germany's record of an 11-nil win over Argentina in 2007.
The US has lost just one international game since July 2017 and has now won seven games in a row. They have scored 36 goals in the process and have not conceded in five matches.