1. FSSAI plans red color-coding label for sugary and salty foods
The food industry has expressed its concerns over the draft of the proposed changes in labeling rules drawn up by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). Makers of chips, soups, biscuits, juices, and other packaged foods will soon have to display red color coding on the front of packets of products that have high levels of fat, sugar NSE -0.24 % or salt content as per the regulator’s new draft of labeling regulations. The food industry has expressed its concerns over the draft of the proposed changes in labeling rules drawn up by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).
2. INS Tarkash reaches Alexandria as part of the Overseas Deployment program
During the visit of Tarkash, professional interactions are planned with the Egyptian Navy towards further enhancing cooperation between the two forces. Indian Naval ship Tarkash arrived at Alexandria in Egypt on Friday for a three-day visit as a part of Western Fleet Overseas Deployment program, the Navy said.
The Navy said the visit demonstrates India's commitment to its ties with Egypt and of Indian Navy's increasing footprint and operational reach. During the visit of Tarkash, professional interactions are planned with the Egyptian Navy towards further enhancing cooperation between the two forces.
3. Payments related Data to be stored only in India: RBI
The Reserve Bank Wednesday said all data related to payments must be stored only in India and data processed abroad will have to be brought back to the country within 24 hours. "The entire payment data shall be stored in systems located only in India...," the RBI said in its FAQs on certain implementation issues raised by the Payment System Operators (PSOs). The RBI had issued a directive in April 2018 on 'Storage of Payment System Data'. It had advised all system providers to ensure that within a period of six months, the entire data relating to payment systems operated by them is stored in a system only in India.
4. Government lowers interest rates on Small saving schemes by 0.1% for September quarter
Interest rates on small savings schemes are reset before each quarter and depend on government bond yields in the previous quarter. Interest rates on small savings schemes such as National Savings Scheme, Kisan Vikas Patra, and Public Provident Fund have been cut by 10 basis points, according to a finance ministry notification. The government has reduced the interest rate on PPF to 7.9% from 8% now. Interest on five- year NSC has also been cut to 7.9%. The interest rate on Sukanya Samridhi Yojana, the scheme for the girl child, has been brought down to 8.4% from 8.5%. The interest rate on Kisan Vikas Patra has come down to 7.6% from 7.7%. It will now mature in 113 months instead of 112 months.
5. RBI relaxed the leverage ratio (LR) for banks to help banks expand lending
The leverage ratio, as defined under Basel-III norms, is Tier-I capital as a percentage of the bank's exposures. The leverage ratio stands reduced to 4% for Domestic Systemically Important Banks 3.5% for other banks. The Reserve Bank Friday relaxed the leverage ratio (LR) for banks to help them boost their lending activities. The leverage ratio stands reduced to 4 percent for Domestic Systemically Important Banks (DSIBs) and 3.5 percent for other banks effective from the quarter commencing October 1, 2019, the central bank said in a notification.
6. $250-m loan pact signed by India and World Bank for Rebuild Kerala initiative
The agreement aims to enhance the state’s resilience against the impact of natural disasters and climate change. The Government of India, Government of Kerala and World Bank on Friday signed a loan agreement of $250 million (Rs 1,725 crore) for the First Resilient Kerala Programme to enhance the state’s resilience against the impact of natural disasters and climate change. The program, which represents the first ‘State Partnership’ of the World Bank in India, is the first of two Development Policy Operations aiming to mainstream disaster and climate resilience into critical infrastructure and services.
7. CAD increased to 2.1% of GDP
Overall trade performance was the prime influencer for both the contraction in CAD for the March quarter as well as a widening for the full year. Current account deficit (CAD) increased to $57.2 billion or 2.1 percent of GDP in FY19 as against 1.8 percent in the previous year, the Reserve Bank said Friday. The CAD, which is the net of foreign exchange inflows and outflows, had stood at $48.7 billion in FY18. For FY19, the deficit widened despite a narrowing of the same in the March quarter to 0.7 percent of GDP or $4.6 billion, as against $27.7 billion or 2.7 percent in the December quarter and $13 billion or 1.8 percent in the March 2018 quarter, the central bank data showed.
8. PB Acharya sworn in as the Governor of Manipur
Padmanabha Balakrishna Acharya was on Thursday sworn in as the Governor of Manipur. Justice Lanusungkum Jamir of the High Court of Manipur administered the oath of office to Acharya at the Darbar Hall of the Raj Bhavan here. Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh his cabinet colleagues, MLAs, top civil and police officers attended the swearing-in ceremony. Acharya will discharge the functions of the Governor of Manipur, in addition to his own duties (Nagaland Governor), during the absence (on leave) of Dr. Najma Heptulla, Governor of Manipur, an official release said.
9. Central Railway and Union Bank of India emerged as champions of Youth hockey 2019
In Hockey, the Central Railway beat Western Railway 3-2 in an absorbing women's final of the St Peters Youth Centre Open Hockey Tournament in Mumbai today. In the men's final, Union Bank of India prevailed over Coorg eleven by a comfortable 2-0 margin to emerge champions. The Central Railway got the better of arch-rivals Western Railway 3-2 in an absorbing women's final of the St Peters Youth Centre Open Hockey Tournament here Thursday. The Central outfit managed to capitalize on their scoring opportunities scoring through the efforts from Pratibha Arya, Jyoti Pal, and Preeti Yadav to emerge champions. The WR put up a fighting display and scored twice through Poonam S and Rakhi Prajapati. Olympian Preeti Yadav was adjudged the Best player of the Tournament. In the men's final, Union Bank of India prevailed over Coorg XI by a comfortable 2-0 margin to emerge champions.
10. International Asteroid Day 2019 observed on June 30
A new program of Asteroid Day 2019 is Asteroid Day TV. Asteroid Day is held on the anniversary of the most devastating asteroid impact in Earth's recent history – an event that took place on June 30, 1908, known as the Tunguska explosion, when a small asteroid struck the Earth over Tunguska, Siberia.
11. International Day of the Tropics 2019 observed on June 29
The Tropics are a region of the Earth, roughly defined as the area between the tropic of Cancer and the tropic of Capricorn. Although topography and other factors contribute to climatic variation, tropical locations are typically warm and experience little seasonal change in day-to-day temperature. An important feature of the Tropics is the prevalence of rain in the moist inner regions near the equator, and that the seasonality of rainfall increases with the distance from the equator. The Tropics account for 40 percent of the world’s total surface area and are host to approximately 80 percent of the world’s biodiversity and much of its language and cultural diversity. The tropical region faces a number of challenges such as climate change, deforestation, logging, urbanization, and demographic changes.
12. International Day of Parliamentarism 30th June
June 30 is the day designated to celebrate the International Day of Parliamentarism. It is also the date, in 1889, on which the Inter-Parliamentary Union — the global organization of parliaments — was established. This Day celebrates parliaments and the ways in which parliamentary systems of government improve the day-to-day lives of people the world over. It is also an opportunity for parliaments to take stock, identify challenges, and ways to address them effectively.
