Current Affairs Quiz - June, 2021

Notes:
The Sustainable Development Report 2021 has been released recently by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN).
As per the report, Finland topped the SDG index with a score of 85.9, followed by Sweden and Denmark. Among 193 countries, India has been ranked at 120 with a score of 60.1.

Notes:
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) mandated to use drones for monthly video recording of all national highway projects during their different stages of construction, operation and maintenance.
NHAI has directed contractors to carry out the drone video recording in the presence of the Supervision Consultant, and upload the status of the current and last month on ‘Data Lake’, the portal of NHAI.

Notes:
Hungary’s parliament recently passed legislation that bans the dissemination of content in schools deemed to promote homosexuality and gender change. This step has been taken amid strong criticism from human rights groups and opposition parties.

Notes:
The United Nations observes World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought on 17 June every year. Theme: Restoration. Land. Recovery
World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought focuses on changing public attitudes towards land degradation and desertification.

Notes:
The National Green Tribunal has set up a committee for rejuvenation of rivers Varuna and Assi in Varanasi, both of which joins the river Ganga.
This move has been made by the tribunal after taking note of the reported discharge of untreated sewage in these rivers and unauthorised constructions on the banks of these rivers.

Notes:
Every year, 18th June is observed as the Sustainable Gastronomy Day by the United Nations. This day was first adopted by the UN in the year 2016.
Gastronomy refers to local food and cuisine. The United Nations defines Sustainable Gastronomy as a cuisine that takes into account where the ingredients are from, how the food is grown and how it gets to our markets and eventually to our plates.

Notes:
The Minister for Road Transport & Highways and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Nitin Gadkari recently said that the Government’s target is to reduce road accident deaths by 50% by year 2024. He announced this during FICCI webinar on ‘Role of Corporates in Arresting Road Fatalities’.
The World Bank and ADB have sanctioned a scheme by which the Government is allocating Rs.14,000 crores for states and NHAI to remove accident black spots.

Notes:
The Union Health Ministry released information about a software named ‘Covid Severity Score’, which will identify Covid patients who may require ventilation, based on an algorithm.
The Foundation For Innovations In Health, Kolkata with support from the Department of Science & Technology, in collaboration with IIT Guwahati, have developed an algorithm. It allocates a Covid Severity Score (CSS), using the measures of symptoms, signs, vital parameters, test reports etc.

Notes:
The UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has recently released the World Investment Report 2021. The report noted that global FDI has fallen by 35% due to COVID pandemic.
UNCTAD has stated that India is the fifth largest recipient of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows in the world for 2020 and its value stood at USD 64 billion.

Notes:
India’s state-owned power sector major NTPC Ltd is anchoring a two-day summit on Green Hydrogen initiatives. The event would involve participation from BRICS nations.
This summit creates a platform to share Green Hydrogen initiatives by the nations across the globe and present detailed road maps to take green energy to the next levels. The event is proposed to be held in a virtual format.