1. Centre constituted a committee headed by Kirit Parikh, an economist, to review LPG marketing
After increasing the penetration of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) over the last four years, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas is now looking to review the existing structure of LPG marketing in India — a move seen as an effort to bring in more private players. To review the existing marketing structure, the Centre has set up a five-member committee headed by economist Kirit Parikh.2. India hosting Intersessional meeting of Kimberley Process 2019
India, as the KP Chair for 2019, successfully hosted the KP Intersessional meeting in Mumbai. The meeting which started on 17th June concluded today, 21st June 2019. The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) Intersessional Meeting 2019 is an annual mid-year event of KPCS – a tri-partite mechanism that unites participating governments, diamond industry, and civil society. KPCS is an international mechanism mandated by the UN to reduce the flow of conflict diamonds which were being used to finance wars against legitimate governments.3. 2nd Meeting of India-Italy Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism was held in New Delhi
The Working Group discussed threats posed by terrorist entities globally and in their respective regions including cross border terrorism. India and Italy have decided to join hands to counter radicalization, terror financing, and money laundering through the regular exchange of information and sharing of best practices. The 2nd meeting of the India-Italy Counter Terrorism Joint Working Group was held in New Delhi on June 13 co-chaired by Mahaveer Singhvi, Joint Secretary (Counter Terrorism), Ministry of External Affairs and Diego Brasioli, Principal Director for Security, Disarmament, and non-Proliferation, Ministry of Foreign affairs of Italy.4. BSF and BGB agreed to increase coordinated patrols
India's Border Security Force (BSF) and the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) on Saturday concluded their 48th DG level talks here on Saturday with the signing of Joint Record of Discussion between DG, BSF, Rajni Kant Mishra, and DG, BGB, Major General Md Shafeenul Islam. According to an official statement, both sides agreed to undertake joint efforts to bring down the killing incidents to zero by increasing coordinated patrols in the areas vulnerable to cattle and narcotics smuggling, educating border population about the sanctity of International Border (IB) and preventing criminals from crossing the IB.5. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Kyrgyzstan
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Kyrgyzstan will boost the bilateral relationship between the two countries, India's envoy Amitabh Dimri said on Wednesday. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the country will boost the relationship between both countries. The relationship is fantastic. PM Modi was here in 2015, and this is a repeat visit in four years," he said while talking to ANI.6. As per RBI, Digital transactions will rise four times by 2021
Aiming at a 'cash-lite' society, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Wednesday released a vision document for ensuring a safe, secure, convenient, quick and affordable e-payment system as it expects the number of digital transactions to increase more than four times to 8,707 crores in December 2021. The 'Payment and Settlement Systems in India: Vision 2019—2021', with its core theme of 'Empowering Exceptional (E)payment Experience', envisages achieving "a highly digital and cash-lite society" through the goal posts of competition, cost-effectiveness, convenience and confidence (4Cs).7. ADB sanctions Rs 1,650cr infra projects in Tripura
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved Rs 1,650 crore ($235 million) for various infrastructure development projects for 7 district headquarter towns in the state of Tripura. Of the total approved fund, 80 percent of the amount is being provided as grant-in-aid while the remaining 20 percent loan will be repaid by the Tripura Government in due course of time. The town selected for the project is Khowai, Ambassa, Dharma Nagar, Kailashahar, Udaipur, Bishramganj and Belonia.8. SEBI tightened rating guidelines to enhance standards
Market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has tightened rating guidelines, including the probability of default benchmarks, to strengthen disclosures made by credit rating agencies and uplift standards. SEBI said it will prepare and share standardized and uniform probability of default benchmarks for each rating category for one-year, two-year and three-year cumulative default rates -- both for the short run and long run.9. 44th Matri Shree Media Awards 2019 conferred upon 29 journalists
Twenty-nine journalists from print and electronic media were Sunday felicitated with Matri Shree Media Awards for their contribution towards journalism. Apart from media personalities, a social activist has also presented the Bharat Mata shield at the 44th Matri Shree media award ceremony organized here. Working President of Punjab Kesari Delhi Swadesh Bhushan Jain and Chairman of the Committee Ashok Aggarwal, Harish Chopra, Ankush Aggarwal, Chetan Sharma, Ramesh Bajaj, Vishal Rana, and Kailash Agrawal presented the shield and a pen to the winners.10. Denmark’s Inger Andersen appointed as UNEP’s Executive Director
Following her nomination by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, the General Assembly today elected Inger Andersen of Denmark to a four-year term as Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Serving as Director General of the International Union for Conservation of Nature since 2015, Ms. Andersen brings a passion for conservation and sustainable development with more than 30 years of experience in international development economics, environmental sustainability and policy-making, as well as in designing and implementing projects and generating on-the-ground impact from working with a small Non-Governmental Organization in Sudan to multilateral and international settings with a constant focus on poverty eradication.11. Zuzana Caputova sworn in as first female president of Slovakia
Anti-corruption campaigner Zuzana Caputova has been sworn in as Slovakia's first female President. The swearing-in took place before Constitutional Court chair Ivan Fiacan during a ceremonial parliamentary session held in Bratislava on Saturday, Xinhua reported. Caputova gave her first speech in office, saying she does not want to rule from the office but to serve people and Slovakia. "By taking the constitutional oath, I assume all the commitments and obligations of the public service. I haven't come to rule, I've come to serve citizens, inhabitants, Slovakia," said Caputova, adding that she offers expertise, emotion, and healthy activist interest.
