National
Seniorcare Aging Growth Engine (SAGE) Initiative
⇒ The Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment, Shri Thaawarchand Gehlot virtually launched the SAGE (Seniorcare Aging Growth Engine) initiative and SAGE portal for elderly persons on 04 June 2021 in New Delhi.
Objective:
The SAGE initiative is launched with the objective of focusing on the needs of India’s fast-rising elderly population.
The SAGE project aims to identify, evaluate, verify, aggregate, and deliver products, solutions and services directly to the stakeholders.
Key Points:
- The SAGE portal will be a “one-stop access” of elderly care products and services by credible start-ups.
- An allocation of Rs 25 crores has been made for the SAGE project in the current financial year i.e. 2021-22.
- Start-ups can apply for being a part of SAGE through a dedicated portal. The start-ups will be selected by an independent screening committee of experts. A fund of upto Rs 1 crore as one-time equity will be granted to each selected start-up.
Elderly population of India is on the rise. As per surveys, the share of elders, as a percentage of the total population in the country, is expected to increase from around 7.5 percent in 2001 to almost 12.5 percent by 2026, and surpass 19.5 percent by 2050.
INS Sandhayak was Decommissioned
⇒ INS Sandhayak, the first of its class indigenously designed and built Hydrographic Survey Ship of Indian Navy, was decommissioned on 04 June 2021 at Naval Dockyard in Visakhapatnam.
The Indian Navy’s oldest Hydrographic Survey Vessel was decommissioned after serving the nation for 40 glorious years. The ship was commissioned to the Indian Navy on 26 February 1981.
The ship, during her commissioned service, has undertaken approximately 200 major Hydrographic Surveys and numerous minor surveys in both East and West coasts of the country, the Andaman seas and the neighbouring countries too.
Apart from Survey Missions, the ship took part in important operations such as Op Pawan– assisting the Indian Peace Keeping Force in Sri Lanka in 1987, Op Sarong, Op Rainbow – rendering humanitarian assistance post Tsunami of 2004.
It also participated in maiden joint INDO-US HADR Exercise “Tiger-Triumph” in 2019.
Six modules of short films of IEPFA titled “Hisaab Ki Kitaab”
⇒ Union Minister of State for Finance and Corporate Affairs Shri Anurag Singh Thakur launched the six modules of short films of Investor Education & Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA) titled “Hisaab Ki Kitaab” on 03 June 2021.
“Hisaab ki kitab” is a series of 6 short films, developed by CSC eGov as a part of their training tool. There are 6 short films/ modules of 5 minutes duration each.
The various modules highlights the importance of budget, saving, importance of Insurance schemes, various social security schemes of the government etc.
These short films will be used by IEPFA and its partnering organisation for Investor Awareness Programs across the country.
International
Director of Development Policy and Finance, at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
⇒ Noted Indian economist Kalpana Kochhar will join as Director of Development Policy and Finance, at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Kalpana Kochhar, who heads the Human Resources Department of the International Monetary Fund, is retiring on July 30 after serving for over three decades with the organisation to join the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Sports
2021 Azerbaijan Grand Prix
⇒ 2021 Azerbaijan Grand Prix was took place over 51 laps of the 6.003-kilometre Baku City Circuit on June 6, 2021. Red Bull Racing Honda driver, Sergio Perez won the Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2021.
India’s representatives for the ICC 100% Cricket Future Leaders Programme
⇒ Two Indians, match referee Vijeylaxmi Narasimhan & Media person-turned-sports-management professional Harini Rana have been selected as India’s representatives for the ICC 100% Cricket Future Leaders Programme.
According to the International Cricket Council, The programme is the world cricket governing body’s “long-term commitment to accelerate the growth of women’s cricket and women in cricket”.
Death
Assamese Litterateur, Lakshminandan Bora
⇒ Eminent Assamese litterateur Lakshminandan Bora died on 03 June 2021 in Guwahati. He was 89.
He was the recipient of various awards which includes the Sahitya Academy Award in 1988 for his novel Patal Bhairavi, the Saraswati Samman for novel Kayakalpa in 2008, & the Assam Valley Literary Award in 2004.
He was also honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Assam Publication Board. Mr Bora was conferred with the Padma Shri award in 2015.
Some of the well-known books of Bora are ”Bishesh Eraati”, ”Sehi Anurag”, ”Kal Dingaare Pal”, ”Matsya Kanya”, “Ganga Cheel Ke Pankh” and Preyashi.
Veteran Writer, Kalipatnam Ramarao
⇒ Veteran writer and founder of Kathanilayam, Kalipatnam Ramarao, known as Kara Master, passed away on 04 June 2021 in Srikakulam. He was 97.
He was an Indian poet and writer known for his Telugu short stories. He received the Sahitya Akademi Award in Telugu in 1995, for his short stories ‘Yajnam To Tommidi’.
He had established a unique library called Kathanilayam in Srikakulam where one could find Telugu stories published since 1930.