Current Affairs Quiz - June, 2023

Notes:
Rejuvenating Watersheds for Agricultural Resilience through Innovative Development (REWARD) program is a World Bank-assisted initiative that is being implemented from 2021 to 2026.
Its implementation was reviewed recently by Secretary, Department of Land Resources (DoLR) and the World Bank team.

Notes:
The Atal Bhujal Yojana (Atal Jal), a central sector water conservation scheme, will continue for an additional two years beyond its original 2025 end date. It is implemented by the Ministry of Jal Shakti.
The major objective of the Scheme is to improve the management of groundwater resources in select water stressed areas in identified states viz. Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.

Notes:
The ancient Olmec artefact known as “Gateway to the Underworld” has been returned to Mexico from the US five decades after it was stolen.
The piece, officially known as Monument 9 of Chalcatzingo, is considered Mexico’s most sought-after piece from the ancient Olmec civilization.

Notes:
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has sanctioned the merger of Maratha Co-op Bank with Cosmos Co-op Bank.
The Scheme has been sanctioned in exercise of the powers conferred under Sub-Section (4) of Section 44A read with Section 56 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949. All branches of Maratha Sahakari Bank will function as branches of The Cosmos Co-operative Bank.

Notes:
The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has granted approval to include TOEFL test scores as a valid option for the Student Direct Stream program in Canada.
The Student Direct Stream (SDS) is a program designed to accelerate the processing of study permit applications for international students intending to enroll in designated learning institutions for post-secondary education in Canada.

Notes:
Namo Shetkari Mahasanman Yojana was rolled out recently by the Maharashtra government.
The scheme is on the lines of the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi under which farmers get ₹6,000 a year as minimum income support. Once approved, the farmers in the state will be able to get a sum of ₹12,000 every year.

Notes:
The WHA recently decided to set up the Global Alliance for Drowning Prevention. Its purpose is to prevent drowning worldwide.
This is the first alliance to address global public health concerns on the issue until 2029. The resolution asked member states to study national drowning scenarios within each country and implement policies and programmes to reduce risks.

Notes:
The Union Cabinet has approved the City Investments to Innovate, Integrate and Sustain 2.0 (CITIIS 2.0).
CITIIS 2.0 is a program conceived by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) in partnership with the French Development Agency (AFD), KfW, the European Union (EU), and National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA). The program will run for a period of four years, from 2023 till 2027.

Notes:
India recently joined the Centralised Laboratory Network (CLN) to test vaccines during pandemic and epidemics. This network currently has 15 partner facilities in 13 countries.
CLN is a part of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and the Network is the largest global group which has standardised methods and materials for testing.

Notes:
The Draft Aircraft Bill, 2023 has been proposed by the Civil Aviation Ministry after reviewing the existing Aircraft Act, 1934.
It aims to simplify the regulations of India’s aviation sector. It gives enough powers to administer the regulatory role to statutory body, such as the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, meeting regulatory challenges in current scenarios.