National
17 measures to provide relief to diverse sectors affected by the 2nd wave of COVID-19
⇒ Union Finance & Corporate Affairs Minister Smt Nirmala Sitharaman announced a slew of measures to provide relief to diverse sectors affected by the 2nd wave of COVID-19 pandemic on 28 June 2021. A total of 17 measures amounting to Rs 6,28,993 crore were announced. These included two measures announced earlier.
The 17 measures can be clubbed into 3 broad categories:
- Economic Relief from Pandemic
- Strengthening Public Health
- Impetus for Growth & Employment
1. Economic Relief from Pandemic
i) 1.10 lakh crore Loan Guarantee Scheme for COVID Affected sectors
ii) Additional Rs 1.5 lakh crore for Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme
iii) Credit Guarantee Scheme to facilitate loans to 25 lakh persons through Micro Finance Institutions (MFIs)
iv) Financial support to more than 11,000 Registered Tourists/ Guides/ Travel and Tourism Stakeholders
v) Free one month Tourist Visa to first 5 lakh tourists
vi) Extension of Aatma Nirbhar Bharat Rozgar Yojana till 31st March 2022
vii) Additional subsidy of Rs 14,775 crore for DAP & P&K fertilizers
viii) Extension of Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) – Free food grains from May to November, 2021
2. Strengthening Public Health
i) Rs 23,220 crore more for public health with emphasis on children and paediatric care/paediatric beds
3. Impetus for Growth & Employment
i) 21 varieties of bio-fortified crop for nutrition, climate resilience and other traits to be dedicated to the nation
ii) Revival of North Eastern Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation (NERAMAC) with package of Rs 77.45 crore
iii) Rs 33,000 crore boost for project exports through National Export Insurance Account (NEIA)
iv) Rs 88,000 crore boost to Export Insurance Cover
v) Rs 19,041 crore For Broadband to each Village through BharatNet PPP Model
vi) Extension of Tenure of PLI Scheme for Large Scale Electronics Manufacturing till 2025-26
vii) Rs 3.03 lakh crore for Reform-Based Result-Linked Power Distribution Scheme
viii) New Streamlined Process for PPP Projects and Asset Monetization
Zen Garden and Kaizen Academy in Ahmedabad
⇒ The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated a Zen Garden and Kaizen Academy at Ahmedabad Management Association (AMA), Ahmedabad on 27 June 2021.
During the inaugural address, the PM said, Zen Garden and Kaizen Academy is a symbol of ease and modernity of India-Japan relationship. The Prime Minister also said that “i wanted to create Mini-Japan in Gujarat”.
Built by:
The garden is built in partnership with the Japan Information and Study Centre at the AMA and the Indo-Japan Friendship Association (IJFA), Gujarat. It is supported by the Hyogo International Association (HIA) Japan.
Significance:
The newly launched Zen Garden will showcase several traditional Japanese elements of Japanese art, culture, and architecture etc.
e-filing portal of Income Tax Appellate Tribunal
⇒ Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad, Union Minister for Law & Justice, Communications and Electronics & IT, formally launched the e-filing portal of Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT), ‘itat e-dwar’, on 25 June 2021 in New Delhi.
This portal will enable online filing of Appeals, Applications, documents etc. by various parties.
Covid Innovation Award
⇒ Bengaluru, country’s IT capital on 25 June 2021 won the Covid Innovation Award for developing INDEX Application for Covid Management under the Smart Cities Mission. The ministry of housing and urban affairs presented the award during the mission’s sixth anniversary in New Delhi.
Important Day
Day of the Seafarer-2021
⇒ The ‘Day of the Seafarer 2021’ was celebrated on 25th June 2021.
Theme:
The theme for the 2021 Day of the Seafarer was ‘Seafarers: at the core of shipping’s future’.
Significance:
Day of the Seafarer is observed each year to recognise the invaluable contribution of seafarers to the worldwide commerce and economic system.
History:
The International Maritime Organization, a specialised agency of the United Nations responsible for regulating shipping, designated June 25 as International Day of the Seafarer in the year 2010.