17th JUNE CURRENT AFFAIRS IN ENGLISH

1. Record-Breaking Astronaut Peggy Whitson Retires from NASA

Astronaut Peggy Whitson, who has spent more time in space than any other American, retired from NASA on June 15.

• Iowa native Whitson, 58, earned a doctorate in biochemistry from Rice University in 1985.
• She went to work at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston a year later, as a National Research Council Resident Research Associate. 

2. Foundation Stone of ‘Auxiliary Production Unit & Artificial Limbs Fitting Centre’ Laid

The Foundation of stone of “Auxiliary Production Unit and State-of-the-Art Artificial Limbs Fitting Centre” of Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India (ALIMCO) under Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment was laid by Shri Manohar Lal, Chief Minister of Haryana and Shri Krishan Pal Gurjar, Minister of State for Social Justice & Empowerment at a function at village Nawada, Tigaon (Ballabhgarh), Faridabad, Haryana.

• There has been an ever increasing demand from the Divyangjan about the difficulty being faced by them in visiting Kanpur to avail facilities of evaluation, measurements and fitment of assistive devices.
• Diversification of rehabilitation and fitment of assistive devices services to other areas will facilitate Divyangjans to cover less a distance for acquiring these devices.

3. Findings of 160 cost-benefit analyses in Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan presented to NITI Aayog

NITI Aayog has been engaging with State Governments to evolve a shared vision of national development and strategies from time to time to share the best practices.

• In this context, India Consensus - a partnership between Tata Trusts and Copenhagen Consensus which has undertaken more than 160 cost-benefit analyses across all main policy areas in Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan presented their findings on 14th June 2018 in NITI Aayog. 
• The presentation on evidence-based policy prioritisation model was chaired by Dr Rajiv Kumar, Vice-Chairman, NITI Aayog.
• It was attended by Chief Secretaries, Additional Chief Secretaries/Principal Secretaries/Secretaries dealing with the Planning Department of 32 States and Union Territories, Joint Secretaries from 14 Ministries, senior officers from NITI Aayog, eminent economists and researchers.
• Copenhagen Consensus President, Dr Bjorn Lomborg presented the policies and interventions which generate the most social, economic and environmental good for the States. 
• The focus of the presentation was on how this approach and method could be replicated across other States.

4. School Chale Hum Abhiyan 2018 launched in Bhopal

Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan inaugurated the ‘School Chale Hum Abhiyan 2018’ in Bhopal.

• The motive of this scheme is that no child should be deprived of schooling.
• Inaugurating the month long campaign on June 15, the minister encouraged students, teachers and parents to make it a success.

5. Karnataka Bank launches ‘Deposit Only Card’

 

Karnataka Bank Ltd has launched ‘KBL-Deposit Only Card’ that enables hassle-free cash deposit transactions at the bank’s 24X7 e-lobby services.

• This card is specially meant for the bank’s current/overdraft customers.
• These customers can perform cash deposit transactions even with higher deposit limit at the bank’s bunch note acceptor (BNA) or cash recycler kiosks by using this card.
• The limit for the cash deposit a day is Rs 10 lakh.

6. 'SoftBank to invest up to $100 billion in Indian solar'

 

SoftBank Group has decided to invest $60-100 billion in solar power generation in India.

• SoftBank and the government are expected to reach a formal agreement soon after final arrangements are made.
• The company is expected to make the investment through a fund backed by Saudi Arabia's government.

7. Veteran journalist Adiraju passes away

 

Veteran journalist and author Adiraju Venkateswara Rao passed away after a brief illness.

• Popularly known as Adiraju, Mr. Venkateswara Rao was born in 1938 at Panditapuram village in Khammam district.
• In a career spanning over five-and-a-half decades, he worked for several Telugu and English dailies and news agencies including Andhra Jyothi, Udayam, Deccan Chronicle, Indian Express, Himachal Times and Hindustan Samachar at Hyderabad and Delhi.

8. Gadkari Releases Nabard Publication on Water Productivity mapping of major Indian crops

 

Union Minister for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Shipping, Road Transport & Highways Shri Nitin Gadkari released a book ‘Water productivity mapping of major Indian crops’ published by NABARD in a function at New Delhi.

• Addressing the gathering Shri Gadkari said that there is no scarcity of water in the country but we have to improve upon the planning and management of water resources.
• Our Ministry and Government is thinking about innovative ways for better management of water resources.
• Proposal for three projects at Tuticorin, Paradip and Kandla are under consideration where sea water can be desalinised and used for irrigation and other works.