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IIFT GK COMPENDIUM Dear Future Business Leaders, We are delighted to present to you this IIFT (GK Compendium) 2017-18. The purpose of this compendium is to provide relevant General Knowledge data which is very much useful for your forthcoming IIFT Examinations. The compendium is divided in two parts: The Part-I covers important static general knowledge facts from History, Geography, Polity, Science and Miscellaneous GK and the Part-II-covers important current and business general knowledge facts. This GK compendium covers the following IMPORTANT areas. Part – I : Static GK Facts 1. Important Historical Facts 2. Important Geographical Facts 3. Important Demographic Facts of India – Census 2011 4. Important Facts of Indian Constitutions 5. Important Science Related Facts 6. Important Miscellaneous GK Facts Part – II : Current and Business GK Facts 1. News Points from November, 2016 to September, 2017 2. International and National Organizations their heads and headquarters 3. Countries and their heads of Governments 4. Banks their heads, headquarters and punch lines 5. Name of G-20 nations, stock exchange and official currency: 6. Brand and their tagline (World and Indian)
7. Government schemes 8. Economic data 9. International and National awards and their latest winners 10. Latest Books and Authors We sincerely hope and believe that this compendium will add value to learning and serve the intended purpose.
All the best!! Team CL
IIFT (GK COMPENDIUM) 2017-18
PART – 1 : Static GK Facts In this section of compendium we have compiled some very important facts from static general knowledge segments which we feel are quite relevant from IIFT Examinations 2017-2018 perspective. This section has important selected facts from History, Geography, Indian Polity, Science and Miscellaneous GK which are taken based on the analysis of past years papers of IIFT respectively. We believe that this compilation will serve the intended purpose effectively.
1. Important Historical Facts (A) Significant Movement:
events
related
to
Indian
Freedom
Year Important events happenings in that year 1885 Formation of Congress by A. O. Hume 1905 Partition of Bengal, launching of Swadeshi movement 1906 Formation of Muslim League by Nawab Salimullah of Dacca 1907
Surat session of Congress, where congress got split into moderates and extremists
1909
Morley-Minto Reforms, in which separate electorates for Hindus and Muslims was introduced for the first time.
1911 Capital shifted from Calcutta to New Delhi (Designed by Edwin Lutyens) Lucknow session of Congress, where the famous Lucknow pact was 1916 signed between Congress and Muslim league. Formation of home rule league by Annie Besant.
1917
Champaran Satyagraha (champaran is a place in Bihar) by Mahatma Gandhi. His first satyagraha in India.
1919
The draconian Rowlatt Acts, Jallianwala Bagh massacre at Amritsar on the orders of General O‘Dyer; Montague-Chemlsford reforms.
1920
Khilafat Movement against British by Shaukat and Muhammad Ali. Launching of Non Cooperation Movement by Mahatama Gandhi.
Chauri chaura, incident in Uttar Pradesh and withdrawal of NCM by 1922 Gandhi, formation of Swaraj party by Motilal Nehru, C.R. Das and N. C. Kelkar. 1927
Simon Commission came to India, which was protested by Lala Lajpat Rai. He died during a lathi charge during the protest.
1929
Passing of Purna Swaraj resolution at Lahore session of Congress under the presidentship of Jawaharlal Nehru.
1930
Dandi March (Salt Satyagraha) by Mahatma Gandhi from Sabarmati ashram (a place in Gujarat). First round table conference in London
1935 Government of India Act 1937 Formation of Congress Ministries in provinces 1939 Outbreak of World War II, resignation of Congress ministries 1942
Quit India Movement, Wavell plan and Shimla conference. Maulana Abul Kalam Azad attended the conference representing Congress.
1945
Cabinet Mission Plan which envisaged forming of the interim government and to determine means of transferring power.
1946
Formation of Constituent Assembly under Rajendra Prasad (Muslim league did not participate)
1947 Mountbatten Plan (June 3 plan) and partition of India
(B) Important Governor General and Viceroys associated with British rule and related events Name
Events associated with
Mainly known for Doctrine of Lapse, responsible for Lord Dalhousie annexing number of states on the basis of this philosophy. (1848-1856) First train from Bombay to Thane started during his reign in 1853. Lord Cornwallis Credited with a new revenue system under the permanent settlement of Bengal. Introduction of Civil services. (1786-1793) Lord Canning
The revolt of 1857. The first Viceroy of India
Lord Wellesley The subsidiary alliance system. (1798-1805) Lord Curzon (1899Partition of Bengal 1905) William Bentinck Abolition of Sati and reducing the female infanticide. (1828-35) Thomas Macaulay
B. His advice was instrumental in introducing English, under the leadership of William Bentinck.
Lord Hastings(18131823)
Associated with Ryotwari settlement.
Robert Clive
He was the first British Governor of Bengal.
Warren Hastings (1773-1785)
The first Governor-General of India; Regulating Act 1773 and Pitt‟s India Act of 1784 were passed during his tenure.
Lord Mountbatten
The first Governor-General of Free India.
C. Rajagopalachari
First Indian and last Governor-General of Independent India.
(C) Firsts in India Women 1. First woman Prime Minister
Mrs. Indira Gandhi
2. First woman Chief Minister of a State
Mrs. Sucheta Kriplani
3. First woman Minister
Mrs. Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit
4. First woman Central Minister
Rajkumari Amrit Kaur
5. First woman Speaker of Lok Sabha
Mrs. Meira Kumar
6. First woman Governor of a State
Mrs. Sarojini Naidu
7.
First woman President of Indian National Annie Besant Congress
8.
First Indian woman President of UN Mrs. Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit General Assembly
9.
First Muslim woman to sit on the throne of Razia Sultana Delhi
10.
First woman to swim across the English Miss Arti Saha (now Mrs Arti Channel Gupta)
11. First Indian woman to climb Mount Everest Bachhendri Pal 12.
First woman to circumnavigate (sail round Ujwala Rai the world)
13. First woman IAS Officer
Anna George Malhotra
14. First woman IPS Officer
Kiran Bedi
15. First woman Advocate
Corknelia Sorabji
16. First woman Judge
Justice Anna Chandy
17. First woman Judge of a High Court
Justice Anna Chandy
18. First woman Judge of Supreme Court
M. Fathima Beevi
19. First woman Chief Justice of a High Court
Leila Seth
20. First woman Doctor
Kadambini Ganguly
21. First woman to pass MA
Chandra Mukhi Bose
22. First woman editor of English newspaper
Dina Vakil
23. First woman Chief Engineer
P.K.Thresia
24. First woman to receive a Sena Madel
Constable Bimla Devi (88 BN of CRPF)-1990
25. Youngest woman to climb Mount Everest
Dicky Dolma (19) from Manali 1993
26.
First woman to climb mount Everest two Santosh Yadav (ITBP Officer) times 1993
27. First Lady Magistrate
Omana Kunjamma
28 First Indian woman to win Nobel Prize
Mother Teresa
29. First to be crowned Miss India
Pramila (Esther Abraham) - 1947
30. First Indian to be crowned Miss Universe
Sushmita Sen
31. First Indian to be crowned Miss World
Reita Faria (1966)
32. First woman President
Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil
33.
The first woman Speaker of a State Shano Devi (Punjab) Assembly
Men 1.
First Indian to swim across the English Mihir Sen Channel
2. First to Climb Mount Everest 3.
Tenzing Norgay
First to Climb Mount Everest without Phu Dorjee Oxygen
4. First Indian to join I.C.S.(ICS now is IAS)
Satyendranath Tagore
5. First Indian to get Nobel Prize
Rabindranath Tagore
6.
First Indian cosmonaut)
in
Space
(first
Indian
Rakesh Sharma
7. First British Governor general
Warren Hastings
8. First Governor General of Free India
Lord Mountbatten
9. First Viceroy of India
Lord Canning
10 Last Governor General of Free India
C. Rajagopalachari
Victoria
11. First President of India
Dr Rajendra Prasad
12. First Vice-President of India
Dr S. Radhakrishnan
13. First Muslim President of India
Dr Zakir Hussain
14. First Sikh President of India
Giani Zail Singh
15. First Prime Minster
Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru
16. First Speaker of Lok Sabha
Ganesh Vasudev Mavalankar
17. First Chief Justice of India
Justice H. L. Kania
18. First President of Indian National Congress Womesh Chandra Bonnerjee 19.
First Indian to become Viceroy‘s Executive Council
member
of
20.
First Indian to become President International Court of Justice
of
Satyendra Prasanno Sinha Dr Nagendra Singh
21. First Emperor of Mughal Dynasty
Babur
22. First Field Marshal
S. H. F. J. Manekshaw
23.
First Indian Commander-in-Chief of India Gen. K. M. Cariappa (now Field Marshal)
24. First Chief of the Army Staff (Indian)
General Maharaj Kumar Shri Rajendrasinhji
25. First Chief of the Naval Staff (Indian)
Vice-Admiral R.D.Katari
26. First Chief of the Air Force Staff (Indian)
Subroto Mukherjee
27. First Indian in British Parliament
Dadabhai Naoroii
First Indian recipient of Victoria Cross 28. (highest gallantry independence)
award
before Khudadad Khan
29. First Indian to circumnavigate the globe
Lt Col K. S. Rao
30. First Indian to reach the South Pole
Col J. K. Bajaj (1989)
31. First Indian High Court Judge
Justice Sumboo Nath Pandit
32. First Indian to make a solo air flight
J.R.D. Tata
33. First Indian to visit England
Raja Rammohun Roy (1878)
34.
First Indian Member of House of Lords Lord S.P.Sinha (British)
35. First Bar-at-Law
J.M.Tagore
36. First Chairman of Raiya Sabha
Dr S. Radhakrishnan (1952 - 62)
37 First Air Marshal
Arjan Singh
38
First Judge to face impeachment in the Lok Justice V. Ramaswami (1993) Sabha
2. Important Geographical Facts (A) Important facts about Planets: As per the International Astronomical Union (IAU), the planet is a celestial body which1. is in orbit around the sun. 2. has sufficient mass to assume hydrostatic equilibrium (a nearly round shape) and 3. has ‗cleared the neighbourhood‘ around its orbits. According to the definition, there are currently eight planets and five dwarf planet in the solar system. (1) Mercury (Closest to the Sun and is the fastest planet to revolve around the Sun) (2) Venus (The Brightest and hottest planet in all) (3) Earth (Only known planet to possess life) (4) Mars (Known as the Red planet. Explored for life by astronomers now, as it is having similarities with Earth) (5) Jupiter (The largest planet of the solar system) (6) Saturn (System of rings are the characteristic feature of this planet) (7) Uranus (8) Neptune * Please note that Pluto used to be a planet but recently has been discarded as a planet and is no longer counted as a planet.
(B) Important facts about Earth It is the fifth largest planet in the solar system. It is the third closest planet to the sun. Its shape is oblate spheroid, like a ball which is flattened at the poles. Important facts about Earth: (i) Mean distance from the Sun: 1,49,407,000 km. (ii) Time taken by Earth to revolve around the Sun: 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes and 45.51 seconds. (iii) Time taken by Earth for rotating on its own axis: 23 hours 56 minutes and 4.09 seconds. (iv) Earth is covered 70% by water and 30% by land. Movements of Earth: (i) Revolution: The Earth revolves around the Sun in an elliptical orbit. One complete revolution is called a year and this revolution of Earth causes change of seasons. (ii) Rotation: Earth rotates on its own imaginary axis also, simultaneously revolving around the Sun. It moves from west to east. This causes day and night. Note: Duration of days and nights is equal at the equator.
(C) Important Countries and their Parliaments Country
Name of the Parliament
Afghanistan
Shura
Argentina
National Congress
Australia
The Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia
Bahamas
General Assembly
Bangladesh
Jatiyo Sangsad
Bhutan
Tshogdu
Brazil
National Congress
Country
Name of the Parliament
Bulgaria
Narodno Sabranieye (National Assembly)
Myanmar
Pyithu Hluttaw
Cambodia
National Assembly
Canada
Parliament of Canada
China (Mainland)
National People‘s Congress
China (National)
Li fa Yuan (Legislative Yuan)
Colombia
Congress of the Republic
Cuba
National Assembly of People‘s Power
Denmark
Folketinget
Ethiopia
Shergo
Egypt
Consultative Council and People‘s Assembly
Finland
Eduskusta/Riksdagen
France
Parlement
Germany (United)
Bundestag (Lower House) Bundestrat (Upper House)
Greenland
Landstinget
Hungary
National Assembly
Iceland
Althingi
India
Sansad [Lok Sabha (Lower House) and Rajya Sabha (Upper House)]
Indonesia
People‘s Consultative Representatives
Iran
Majles
Iraq
National Assembly
Israel
The Knesset
Japan
The Diet
Laos
National Assembly
Assembly
and
House
of
Country
Name of the Parliament
Libya
General People‘s Congress
Maldives
Majlis
Mongolia
Great Hural
Nepal
Sansad
Netherlands, The
Staten-Generaal
New Zealand
House of Representatives
Norway
Stortinget
Papua New Guinea National Parliament Poland
Sejm
South Africa
House of Assembly
Spain
Cortes Generales (General Courts)
Surinam
Staten
Sweden
Riksdagen
United (UK)
Kingdom
United States
Parliament (House of Commons and House of Lords) Congress (House of Representatives and Senate)
3. Important Demographic Facts of India – Census 2011 Following are few selected, important demographic facts that you should always keep on your fingertips. You can expect at least one question from them. The 15th Indian National census was conducted in two phases, house listing and population enumeration. House listing phase began on April 1, 2010 to collect of information on all buildings. Information for National Population Register was also collected in the first phase, which will be used to issue a 12-digit unique identification number (Adhar) to all registered Indians by Unique Identification Authority of India (UIAI). The second phase of population enumeration was conducted between 9 to 28 February 2011. Census has been conducted in India since 1872. In Census - 2011 biometric information was collected for the first time. Shri C. Chandramouli was the Registrar General and commissioner of 2011 Indian census. 1. Absolute population of India - 121.02 crores. It comprises 62.37 crores males and 58.65 crores females. 2. Population growth during the decade remained 17.64 percent. • Total absolute increase in population during the decade is 18.15 crores. • Sex Ratio:940 females per 1000 males. • Child Sex Ratio:914. 3. Highest sex ratio – Kerala 4. Lowest sex ratio – Haryana 5. Most populous state – Uttar Pradesh 6. Least populous state – Sikkim 7. Most populous union territory – Delhi
8. Least populous union territory – Lakshadweep 9. Population density (people living in one square km) of India – 382 10. Highest population density – Bihar 11. Lowest population density – Arunachal Pradesh 12. Literacy rate of India – 74.04% (males: 82.14%, female: 65.46%). Literacy rate of India has gone up to 74.04 percent from previous figure of 64.83 percent. 13. States with highest literacy – Kerala (93.9%) 14. State with lowest literacy – Bihar (63.82%) 15. Urbanization (% of population living in urban areas) – 27.8% (India) 16. Most urbanized state (1991 census) – Mizoram 17. Speakers of language (in descending order) – Hindi > Bengali > Telugu > Marathi > Tamil > Urdu 18. Census commissioner of India for the census 2011 is Dr. C. Chandramouli
Census-2011 data Rank
State /Union Territory
Type Population
%
Males
Females
Sex Rural Literacy Ratio Population
Urban Population
Area (km²)
Density (/km²)
1
Uttar Pradesh
State 199812341 16.5 104480510 95331831
930
67.68
131658339
34539582
240928
828
2
Maharashtra
State 112374333 9.28 58243056 54131277
929
82.34
55777647
41100980
307713
365
3
Bihar
State 104099452 8.6 54278157 49821295
918
61.8
74316709
8681800
94163
1102
4
West Bengal
State
91276115 7.54 46809027 44467088
950
76.26
57748946
22427251
88752
1030
5
Andhra Pradesh State + Telangana
84580777 6.99 42442146 42138631
993
67.02
55401067
20808940
275045
308
6
Madhya Pradesh
State
72626809
37612306 35014503
931
69.32
44380878
15967145
308245
236
7
Tamil Nadu
State
72147030 5.96 36137975 36009055
996
80.09
34921681
27483998
130058
555
8
Rajasthan
State
68548437 5.66 35550997 32997440
928
66.11
43292813
13214375
342239
201
9
Karnataka
State
61095297 5.05 30966657 30128640
973
75.36
34889033
17961529
191791
319
10
Gujarat
State
60439692 4.99 31491260 28948432
919
78.03
31740767
18930250
196024
308
11
Orissa
State
41974218 3.47 21212136 20762082
979
72.87
31287422
5517238
155707
269
12
Kerala
State
33406061 2.76 16027412 17378649 1084
94
23574449
8266925
38863
859
6
Rank
State /Union Territory
Type Population
%
Males
Females
Sex Rural Literacy Ratio Population
Urban Population
Area (km²)
Density (/km²)
13
Jharkhand
State
32988134 2.72 16930315 16057819
948
66.41
20952088
5993741
79714
414
14
Assam
State
31205576 2.58 15939443 15266133
958
72.19
23216288
3439240
78438
397
15
Punjab
State
27743338 2.29 14639465 13103873
895
75.84
16096488
8262511
50362
550
16
Chhattisgarh
State
25545198 2.11 12832895 12712303
991
70.28
16648056
4185747
135191
189
17
Haryana
State
25351462 2.09 13494734 11856728
879
75.55
15029260
6115304
44212
573
18
Delhi
UT
16787941 1.39 8987326
7800615
868
86.21
944727
12905780
1484
11297
19
Jammu and Kashmir
State
12541302 1.04 6640662
5900640
889
67.16
7627062
2516638
222236
56
20
Uttarakhand
State
10086292 0.83 5137773
4948519
963
78.82
6310275
2179074
53483
189
21
Himachal Pradesh
State
6864602
0.57 3481873
3382729
972
82.8
5482319
595581
55673
123
22
Tripura
State
3673917
0.3
1874376
1799541
960
87.22
2653453
545750
10486
350
23
Meghalaya
State
2966889
0.25 1491832
1475057
989
74.43
1864711
454111
22429
132
24
Manipur
State
2570390
0.21 1290171
1280219
992
79.21
1590820
575968
22327
122
25
Nagaland
State
1978502
0.16 1024649
953853
931
79.55
1647249
342787
16579
119
26
Goa
State
1458545
0.12
739140
719405
973
88.7
677091
670577
3702
394
27
Arunachal Pradesh
State
1383727
0.11
713912
669815
938
65.38
870087
227881
83743
17
28
Pondicherry
UT
1247953
0.1
612511
635442
1037
85.85
325726
648619
479
2598
29
Mizoram
State
1097206
0.09
555339
541867
976
91.33
447567
441006
21081
52
30
Chandigarh
UT
1055450
0.09
580663
474787
818
86.05
92120
808515
114
9252
31
Sikkim
State
610577
0.05
323070
287507
890
81.42
480981
59870
7096
86
32
Andaman and Nicobar Islands
UT
380581
0.03
202871
177710
876
86.63
239954
116198
8249
46
33
Dadra and Nagar Haveli
UT
343709
0.03
193760
149949
774
76.24
170027
50463
491
698
34
Daman and Diu
UT
243247
0.02
150301
92946
618
87.1
100856
57348
112
2169
35
Lakshadweep
UT
64473
0.01
33123
31350
946
91.85
33683
26967
32
2013
29 + 1210854977 100 623724248 586469174 940 7
74.04
Total
India
833087662 377105760 3287240
382
4. Important Facts of Indian Constitutions (A) The Sources of our Constitution The framers of the Indian Constitution referred to various provisions of the existing Constitutions of the world, weighed their merits, and applied them according to their suitability to our country. The major sources of the Constitution of India are as under: 1. The Government of India Act, 1935, the Centre / State List System, Federal Set-up, centre-state autonomies (federal set-up) 2. The British Constitution: Parliamentary Privileges, Single Citizenship, and the Rule of Law 3. The Australian Constitution: Concurrent List, Freedom of trade and commerce 4. The American Constitution: Preamble, Fundamental Rights, Judicial Review, and Impeachment of the President 5. The Japanese Constitution: The Procedure established by the Law 6. The South African Constitution: The Amendment clauses 7. The Irish Constitution: The Directive Principles, Nominations to Rajya Sabha (The Council of States) 8. The USSR Constitution: The Fundamental Duties 9. The Canadian Constitution: The Federal structure 10. The German Constitution: The Emergency Provisions
(B) A short note on the Right to Property: There have been several amendments on this issue, viz, the 1st amendment (1951), the 4th amendment (1955), the 17th amendment (1964), the 25th amendment (1971), the 42nd amendment (1976) and the 44th amendment (1978). The effect of all these amendments on the Right to Property has been the reduction in status of this right from a FR to a Constitutional Right, covered
under Article 300(A); thus, Article 19 (1)(f) has accordingly been repealed. The basic objective behind the state acquiring personal properties shows its superiority over the individual‘s right, i.e. the Doctrine of Eminence. This was also necessary for the successful implementation of the Land Reforms. The Ninth Schedule to the Constitution has also been added for this purpose. Remember that there is a distinction between a Fundamental Right and a Constitutional Right. Since the Right to Property is no longer a FR, the Supreme Court can no longer issue any writ on this regard; the High Courts can, however, look into these matters on the same footing as any other ordinary suit. Since this is a legal right, in the event that the Government acquires any private property, it will have to do so in accordance with the law, and it will then have to pay compensation for the same.
(C) A short note on the Right to Privacy: The Supreme Court (SC) ruled that privacy is a fundamental right because it is intrinsic to the right to life. ―Right to Privacy is an integral part of Right to Life and Personal Liberty guaranteed in Article 21 of the Constitution‖, the SC‘s nine-judge bench ruled unanimously. It added that the right to privacy is intrinsic to the entire fundamental rights chapter of the Constitution.
(D) The President The President is the first citizen of India, and heads the Union. He is an integral part of the Parliament along with the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha (Parliament = President + LS +RS). In order to be elected as the President of India, a person must: (a) Be an Indian citizen; (b) Have completed 35 years of age; (c) Be qualified for election as a member of the Lok Sabha; and (d) Must not hold any office of profit under the Government of India / State Government/ Local Government (Article 58). The President is indirectly elected by the people of India, in accordance with the system of proportional representation through the single transferable voting
system, by an electoral college comprising of (a) elected members of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, and (b) the elected members of the Legislative Assemblies of the States and those from Delhi and Puducherry (UT). The duration of his office is for a period of 5 years. He may seek re-election. The President can be removed from office if he (a) dies, (b) resigns, (c) is removed through the process of impeachment, or (d) on the expiry of his tenure. In case of the death of the President, the Vice-President will assume the position until a new President is elected. In the case of completion of his tenure, the President can continue in office until such time as the new President takes charge. In case of his inability to exercise his duties on grounds of illness, or during his visits abroad, etc., the Vice-President discharges the functions of his office. The Constitution has vested wide powers in the President, such as: 1. Administrative Powers: He can appoint the Prime Minister, the other Union Ministers, the Attorney General, the Comptroller and Auditor General, the Judges of the Supreme Court and the High Courts, the Governors of the States, the members of the Finance Commission, the members of the Union Public Service Commission and joint commissions for two or more States, the Chief Election Commissioner and the Election Commissioners, officers for official languages and linguistic minorities, and for the welfare of the Scheduled Castes / Schedules Tribes. 2. Legislative Powers: He exercises these powers on ministerial advice. He can summon, prorogue and dissolve the Lok Sabha and joint parliamentary sessions. He can nominate 2 Anglo-Indians to the Lok Sabha and 12 persons to the Rajya Sabha. 3. Judicial Powers: He has powers to grant pardons, reprieves, respite, suspensions, remissions or commutations in respect of sentences of courts martial, punishment for an offence against the law or in even in cases of death sentence. Pardoning powers of the President are set out in Article 72 of the Constitution. 4. Military Powers: He is the supreme commander of our Armed Forces, but these functions are to be carried out according to the law. He can declare war or peace, with the consultation of Council of Minister.
5. Diplomatic Powers: He represents India internationally as the Head of State. He can appoint Indian representatives in foreign countries and receives foreign diplomatic representatives. 6. Other Powers: He has a mixture of absolute, suspensive and pocket vetoes.
(E) Vice President The Vice President acts as the ex officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. The following are a few basic facts about the Vice President that you should keep in mind: 1. He is elected by the elected members of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha only. 2. He is elected through the same system as applies to the President. 3. Requisite qualifications for appointment as Vice President are the same as apply to the office of the President, except for his qualification for election to the Rajya Sabha. 4. The term of office of the Vice President is for 5 years or less. He is eligible for re-election. 5. The Vice President can be removed either by resignation addressed to the President or may be removed by resolution of the Rajya Sabha passed by a majority, and agreed to by the Lok Sabha. 6. If the post of President is vacant, the Vice President carries out all his functions and then receives the salary of the President. For that period he is not the ex officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. 7. The Supreme Court is competent to deal with disputes over the election of the President and Vice President.
(F) House of the People (Lok Sabha) ➢ Presided over by a Speaker He certifies a bill as a Money Bill (Article 110). He also presides over the joint Sessions.
➢Strength: 552 members of which(a) Not more than 530 are representatives from the States. (b) Not more than 20 representatives of Union Territories. (c) Not more than 2 nominated Anglo Indians ➢Term: Normally for 5 years, but can be dissolved earlier also and can be extended during Emergency. ➢Election: Directly elected by the people, through universal adult franchise (the voting age has been reduced from 21 to 18 years by the 61st Amendment to the Constitution in 1989.) ➢Qualification: For membership (a) He / She must be a citizen of India. (b) He / She must be not less than 25 years of age. Additional qualifications: (a) He/ She should not hold any office of profit under the government. (b) He / She should not be of unsound mind. (c) He / She should not be declared insolvent. (d) He / She should not be disqualified under any law.
(G) Council of the States (Rajya Sabha) ➢ Presided over by a chairman (Vice President Acts as ex-officio chairman). RS cannot be dissolved. ➢Strength: not more than 250 members of which(a) Not more than 238 States and Union Territories representatives. (b) 12 nominated by the president.
Term: 6 years. It is not subject to dissolution. One-third of its members retire every second year. ➢Election: By the elected Members of the State Legislatures. ➢Qualification: for membership(a) He / She must be a citizen of India. (b) He / She must be not less than 30 years of age. ➢Additional qualifications: (Same as Lok Sabha)
(H) Important Articles in Indian Constitution and their areas of concern Articles
Area of concern
1 Article 5 –11
Citizenship
2 Article 21
Right to life
3 Article 32
Right to constitutional remedies
4 Article 44
Uniform civil code
5 Article 51A
Fundamental duties
6 Article 61
Impeachment of President
7 Article 110
Definition of money bill
8 Article 123
Ordinance making powers of President
9 Article 324
Establishment of Election Commission of India
10 Article 300A
Right to property
11 Article 280
Finance commission
12 Article 352
National emergency
13 Article 356
Emergency in states
14 Article 360
Financial emergency
15 Article 368
Amendment of Constitution
16 Article 370
Special status of Jammu and Kashmir
(I) List of Schedules in the Constitution of India and their areas of function Schedule Area of function First
All the States and Union Territories of India
Second
Salaries and allowances of the President, Governor, Chief Justice, Judges of High Court and Supreme Court and CAG
Third
Prescriptions regarding forms of affirmations and oaths for the new entrants to the public offices
Fourth
Allocation of seats in Rajya Sabha to each Union Territory and State
Fifth
Provisions to the control of administration of scheduled areas
Sixth
Administrative provisions for tribal areas in Meghalaya, Mizoram and Assam
Three lists of subjects and powers to be looked after by the State and the Union, i.e.: (1) Union list, containing the subjects of national Seventh importance, railway, defence, income tax, etc. (2) State list contains locally important subjects. (3) Concurrent list contains subjects under the authority of the Parliament and the State Legislature Eighth
Deals with 18 (now 22) officially recognized regional languages by the Constitution.
Ninth
Contains acts and regulations dealing with abolition of zamindari system and land reforms of the State Legislatures. The provisions of this schedule cannot be challenged in Supreme Court.
Tenth
Contains provisions for the disqualification of members on the grounds of defection.
Eleventh
Deals with implementation of schemes needed for social justice and economic development at the rural levels.
Twelfth
Deals with municipal committees and their categorizations.
Note: Originally, there were eight schedules. Later, four more schedules were added to it, taking the total tally of schedules to twelve. Here is a quick look at the most important Amendments to the Constitution so far. You should know this list well, since a few questions are often from this area!
(J) Important Amendments 1st Amendment (1951): Schedule IX added, in order to save land reforms laws from judicial review. A nine-judge bench of the Supreme Court has now been asked to lay down the guidelines for the inclusion of any law in this Schedule. This has been caused due to the efforts on the parts of some States to include their reservation policy implementation laws in the Schedule. 42nd Amendment (1976): This amendment was also called the ―Mini Constitution‖, as it is the largest amendment ever. Some of the changes it introduced are: • The Preamble was amended to include the words ‗Secular‘, ‗Socialist‘ and ‗integrity‘. • ‗Fundamental Duties‘ added in Article 51A. • The new Directive Principles in Articles 39A, 43A and 48A were added. 44th Amendment (1978): The Right to Property (Article 31) was abolished from the chapter of Fundamental Rights, and included under Article 300A, to remain a constitutional right. 52nd Amendment (1985): The Anti-Defection Law was passed in 1985 through the 52nd Amendment to the Constitution, which added the Tenth Schedule to the Indian Constitution. 61st Amendment (1989): Voting Age reduced from 21 to 18 years. 73rd and 74th Amendments (1992): Provisions relating to Panchayats and Municipalities revived, and Schedules XI and XII added. 84th Amendment (2000): Three new states, Chhattisgarh, Uttaranchal and Jharkhand created. 86th Amendment (2002): The Right to Education was made a Fundamental Right under the new Article 21A. A new Fundamental Duty was added under Article 51A(k), relating to a Parent‘s fundamental duty to ensure that his child is not prevented from enjoying free and compulsory education up to the age of Fourteen. Article 45 of the Directive Principles was also amended, and it now provides that early childhood care (up to the age of six) shall be the responsibility of the state.
91st Amendment (2003): Anti-defection law, i.e. disqualification of a Member of Parliament or a Legislative Assembly on the ground of defection. The strength of the Council of Ministers in the Union Government, as well as in any State Government, is now restricted to not more than 15% of total membership. 92nd Amendment (2003): VIII Schedule amended to include four new languages, i.e., Bodo, Dogri, Maithili and Santhali. 93rd Amendment (2005): Article 15 amended to include a new clause empowering the Government to make laws to provide reservations to the socially and educationally backward classes in all educational institutions, including private institutions, but not in minority educational institutions. 94th Amendment Act (2006): Freed Bihar from the obligation of having a tribal welfare minister and extended the same provision to Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh. This provision will now be applicable to the newly formed states and Madhya Pradesh and Orissa, where it has already been in force (Article 164(1)). 95th Amendment Act (2010): The extend the reservation of seats for SC‘s and ST‘s in the Lok Sabha and States assemblies from sixty to seventy years (Article 334) 96th Amendment Act (2011): Substituted ―Odia‖ for ―Oriya‖ (Schedule 8) 97th Amendment Act (2012): Amended article 19 and Part IX B. Added words ―or cooperative societies‖ after the word ―or unions‖ in article 19(1) (c) and inserted article 43B and added Part IX B. 98th Amendment Act (2013): Inserted article 371J in the constitutional and empowered Governor of Karnataka to take steps to develop HyderabadKarnataka Region. 100th Amendment Act (2015): Land Boundary Agreement (LBA) Treaty between Indiaand Bangladesh. 101 Amendment Act (2017): This amendment actintroduced a national Goods and Services Tax in India from 1st July 2017.
5. Important Science Related Facts
(A) Various Important Branches of Science Name of science
Related to
Acoustics
Sound and sound waves
Aeronautics
Activities of flying
Agronomy
Production of crops and soil management
Anatomy
Dissectional learning of animal and human body
Anthropology
Origin, cultural and physical development of man
Archaeology
Study of material remains of past as proofs
Astronautics
Space vehicles and travelling in space
Astronomy
Planets (the heavenly bodies)
Biology
Science of living organisms
Botany
Plants
Cardiology
Heart and related diseases
Ceramics
Manufacturing of clay objects
Cetology
Aquatic mammals, especially the whales
Cosmology
Universe
Cryogenics
Studying effects of low temperature
Cytology
Structure and function of cells
Dactylogy
Study of fingerprints
Dermatology
Skin
Dietetics
Diet and nutrition
Ecology
Organisms and environment relationship
Entomology
Insects
Endocrinology
Endocrine glands
Etymology
Origin and history of words
Genetics
Heredity and its laws
Geology
Earth‘s (chemical and physical) structure
Name of science
Related to
Gerontology
Ageing process, problems and diseases
Gynaecology
Female diseases of reproductive system
Haematology
Blood and related disorders
Histology
Tissues
Immunology
Body‘s immune system
Morphology
External structure of living organisms
Mycology
Fungi and fungal diseases
Nephrology
Kidney
Obstetrics
Pregnancy, child birth and their follow up
Ornithology
Birds
Orthopaedics
Human skeletal system
Osteology
Study of bones
Paediatrics
Child diseases
Palaeontology
Fossils and ancient life-forms
Pathology
Mechanisms and manifestation of diseases
Pharmacology
Drugs and their effects on the body
Physiology
Life processes of various organs of living beings
Psychiatry
Mental disorders
Semiology
Sign language and signs
Seismology
Earthquakes
Theology
Religions
Toxicology
Toxic substances and poisons
Zoology
Animal life
Zymology
Fermentation process
(B) Important Information About the Human Body
Blood: It is a red, viscous fluid which circulates in the human body. It is basically a connective tissue which is contained in the blood vessels. A healthy man possesses on an average, 5 litres of blood in the body. Composition: It is made up of two chief constituents: (a) Plasma (fluid), constitutes the major part while (b) Blood cells (solid), which constitutes the minor part. The blood cell corpuscles are of two types: (1) RBC (2)WBC. The RBC is red blood corpuscles which contains a pigment called haemoglobin which is responsible for the red colour of the blood. Iron is the element which is present in the haemoglobin. The WBC is white blood corpuscles which are primarily responsible for combating with the infection of the body or they fight with the foreign harmful organisms of the body. Blood groups: They are of four types, viz. (i) A-type (ii) B-type (iii) AB-type (iv) O-type AB - type is called universal recipient as it can receive all the four types (mentioned above) of blood and O-type is called as universal donor as it can be given to any of the four types of blood groups (mentioned above). Bones: (i) There are 206 bones in the skeletal system of an adult. (ii) The largest bone is femur present in the thigh. (iii) The shortest bone is the stirrup which is present in the middle ear. Other important facts about the various organs of the human body: 1. The largest organ of the human body is skin. 2. Heart is responsible for regulating the circulation of blood in the body. The heartbeat of adult males is 72 beats per minute. 3. Liver is the largest gland of the human body. It is concerned with the digestion of the food intake.
4. Two kidneys are responsible for the filtering of nitrogenous waste of the body and throw it all in the form of urine. 5. Pituitary gland is called the master gland as it influences the growth and metabolism by controlling the other ductless glands, viz. thymus, thyroid, adrenal, prostrate, pancreas and gonads.
(C) Vitamins, their Sources and Diseases Caused due to their Deficiencies Name vitamin
of
the
Disease caused due to their deficiencies
Milk, carrot, egg, animal Night blindness fat, etc.
Vitamin A Vitamin (Thiamine)
B1
Vitamin (Riboflavin)
B2
Vitamin (Pyridoxine
B6
Niacin acid)
Main source
(Nicotinic
Cereals, pulses, carrots Beriberi Liver, kidney, milk
Chilosis, dermatitis
Yeast, cereals, liver
Anaemia
Peas, tomato, eggs
Polyneuritis
Folic Acid
Green leafy vegetables, Anaemia meat, egg
Pantothenic Acid
Kidney, meat, yeast
Vit. B12 Milk, liver, meat (Cyanocobalamin)
Dermatitis Pernicious anaemia
Lemons, milk, oranges, Vitamin C (Ascorbic Scurvy,sore mouth and gums fresh fruits and acid) bleeding vegetables Dairy products, sun Many diseases of the bones, rays, eggs, oily fish, rickets in children, osteomalacia milk
Vitamin (Calciferol)
D
Vitamin (Tocopherol)
E Milk, soyabeens, egg Interferes with reproduction and yolk causes abortion and menstrual
Name vitamin
of
the
Main source
Disease caused due to their deficiencies irregularities
Vitamin (Menadione)
K Fish, peas and green Causes the delayed clotting of vegetables blood
(D) Other Diseases of the Human Body Name of the disease Caused by Anaemia
Affected part of the human body
Deficiency of haemoglobin
AIDS (acquired immuno deficiency Virus syndrome)
Weakness in the immune system of the body
Asthma
Allergens
Lungs
Diabetes
Less production of insulin hormone which causes an increase in the Pancreas and blood sugar level of the blood
Diphtheria
Bacteria
Throat
Glaucoma
High pressure in the eyes
Eyes
Goitre
Deficiency of iodine
Throat
Hepatitis
Virus (mainly)
Jaundice
Malaria
Plasmodium
Polio
Virus
Legs
Rheumatism
Streptococcus bacteria in children
Joints
Tonsillitis
Bacterial and viral infection
Glands in throat
Tuberculosis
Bacteria
Lungs
6. Important Miscellaneous GK Facts (A) United Nations
United Nations is world‘s largest organization which was formed on October 24, 1945. Since then October 24 is celebrated as the United Nations Day. The main objective of the United Nations is to make the world a better place to live in by maintaining peace and security all over the world. There are 193members at present in the UN and South Sudan is the last entrant. The organization is headquartered at New York and has got five countries as the permanent members in its security council. They are China, UK, USA, Russia and France; besides this they have 10 non-permanent members. (1) Structure of the Organization: The following principle bodies of United Nations Organization. (i) General Assembly: It is headquartered at New York. Its members are all member states of the United Nations Organization (UNO). (ii) Security Council:Headquartered at New York, it has five permanent members (mentioned earlier) who enjoy veto power and 10 non-permanent elected members. The non-permanent elected members are elected by the General Assembly and retire on rotation, every two years. The main function is to look after the international peace and security. (iii) The Economic and Social Council: Headquartered at New York, it consists of representatives of 54 member countries elected by two-third majority in the General Assembly. It functions in international economic, social and culture-related matters. (iv) Trusteeship Council: Headquartered at New York, it looks after the interests of inhabitants of territories which are not yet fully self-governing and are governed by any administrating country. The Trusteeship Council suspended its operations on 1 November 1994, a month after the independence of Palau, the last remaining United Nations trust territory. (v) International Court of Justice: Headquartered at the Peace Palace The Hague, in Holland, it consists of 15 judges elected by General Assembly and Security Council for a term of nine years. Its function is to give legal advice on legal matters to the bodies and special agencies of the UNO and considers the legal disputes which are brought before it. Peter Tamka is current President of International court of Justice. Note: Four persons from India have been elected as Judges of International Court of Justice till date. They are:
(1) Sir Benegal Rau (19508) (2) Dr. Negendra Singh (1970-80) (3)R. S. Pathak (1988-90) (4) Dalveer Bhandari (2012- 2018) (vi) Secretariat: It is headed by the Secretary - General who is the Chief Administrative Officer of the UNO and supervises the activities of UNO. The Secretary - General is appointed by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the Security Council. The term is of five years and can be re-elected after the expiry of the term. ➢ Secretary - General of UNO: (i) First Secretary - General was Trygve Lie, from Norway. (ii) At present, Antonio Manuel de Oliveira Guterres of Portugal is the Secretary - General of UN. ➢ Official languages of the UNO: They are six in number, viz.: (i) English (ii) Chinese (iii) French (iv) Spanish (v) Russian (vi) Arabic
(B) Important agencies related to United Nations Organization Name of the organization
Headquartered at
International Labour Organization (ILO)
Geneva
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
Vienna
United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization Paris (UNESCO) World Metrological Organization (WMO)
Geneva
World Health Organization (WHO)
Geneva
Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO)
Rome
Name of the organization
Headquartered at
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
New York
General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)
Geneva
[Now known as World Trade Organization (WTO)] United Nations International Children‘s Emergency Fund New York (UNICEF) International Development Association (IDA)
Washington DC
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
Nairobi
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
Washington
United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA)
New York
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development Geneva (UNCTAD)
(C) Important Sobriquets Distinctive Name
Country / Place
Bengal‘s Sorrow
Damodar river
Blue Mountains
Nilgiris
City of Arabian Nights
Baghdad
City of Palaces
Kolkata
City of Seven Hills/Eternal city
Rome
City of Skyscrapers /Empire city / Big Apple
New York
City of the Golden Gate
San Francisco
City of Joy
Kolkata
Commercial Capital of India
Mumbai
Dairy of Northern Europe
Denmark
Dark Continent
Africa
Forbidden City
Lhasa (Tibet)
Distinctive Name
Country / Place
Garden of England
Kent
Garden City of India
Bangalore
Gate of Tears
Bab-el-Mandab, Jerusalem
Gateway of India
Mumbai
Gift of the Nile
Egypt
Golden City
Johannesburg
Great White Way
Broadway (New York)
Hermit‘s Kingdom
Korea
Holy Land
Palestine
Island of Pearls
Bahrain
Key to the Mediterranean
Gibraltar
Land of Five Rivers
Punjab
Land of a Thousand Lakes
Finland
Land of Cakes
Scotland
Land of Kangaroos
Australia
Land of Lillies /Lady of Snow
Canada
Land of Morning Calm
Korea
Land of the Golden Fleece
Australia
Land of the Golden Pagoda
Myanmar
Land of the Midnight Sun
Norway
Land of the Rising Sun
Japan
Land of Thunderbolt
Bhutan
Land of White Elephants
Thailand
Manchester of South India
Coimbatore
Mother-in-Law of Europe
Denmark
Never, Never Land
Prairies (North America)
Pink City of India
Jaipur
Distinctive Name
Country / Place
Playground of Europe
Switzerland
Queen of the Arabian Sea
Cochin (India)
Roof of the World
Pamir (Tibet)
Sick Man of Europe
Turkey
Sorrow of China /Yellow river
River Hwang Ho
Spice Garden of India
Kerala
Sugar Bowl of the World
Cuba
Sugar Bowl of India
Uttar Pradesh
The Battlefield of Europe
Belgium
The Down Under
Australia
The Imperial City
Rome
The Promised Land
Canaan
The Saw Mill of Europe
Sweden
The Sea of Mountains
British Colombia
The Spice Island of the West
Grenada
Twin City
Budapest
Valley of Kings
Thebes
White City
Belgrade
White Man‘s Grave
Guinea Coast (West Africa)
Windy City
Chicago
Workshop of Europe
Belgium
World‘s Bread Basket
Prairies of North America
(D) Important Facts about World and India (a) World‘s Largest, Longest and Highest Man-made Structures Structure
Name
Location
Structure
Name
Longest Rail Line
Trans-Siberian line from Moscow to Russia Nakhodka, 9,438 kilometres long
Largest (Hindu)
Angkor Vat
Cambodia
Longest Wall
The Great Wall of China
China
Longest Platform
Gorakhpur (1,366.33 m)
Gorakhpur, UP
Largest Cathedral
Diocese of New York
New York
Longest Bridge
Huey P. Long Bridge
Metairie, Louisiana, US
Temple
Railway
Railway
Busiest Airport
Location
Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport
Atlanta
Georgia, USA
Highest Road Royal Gorge Bridge over Water
River Arkanas, Colorado
Largest Library
Capitol Hill, Washington, DC
The Library of Congress
(b) Important Natural Entities of the World Natural Entity
Names
Largest Ocean
Pacific
Largest Gulf
Gulf of Mexico
Largest Island
Greenland (renamed Kalaatlit Nunaat)
Largest Bay
Hudson Bay, Northern Canada
Tallest Animal
Giraffe
Largest Bird
North American Ostrich
Largest Animal
Blue Whale
Largest Egg
Ostrich Egg
Smallest Bird
Bee Hummingbird
Smallest River (shortest)
Roe River in Montana
Natural Entity
Names
Largest Sea
South China Sea
Largest Delta
Sunderbans
Driest Place
Atacama Desert, Chile
Highest Waterfall
Salto Angel, Venezuela
Largest Desert on the earth
Antarctic Polar Desert
Hottest Place
Aziza, Libya
Largest Glacier
Siachen, Indo-Pak border
Coldest Place
Vostok Staion (Antarctica)
(c) Important Facts of India • National Flag: It was adopted by Constituent Assembly on July 22 1947. Ratio of width to length is 2 : 3 having three bands of equal width; lowest is green, middle one is white and saffron is the colour at the top. A wheel is at the centre of the flag of navy blue colour having 24 spokes. Madam Bhikaji Cama was the first to unfurl the tri-colour at an international body. • National Emblem: ➢ It was adopted by the Government of India on January 26 1950. Basically, it is a replica of the capitol of Ashoka‟s pillar at Sarnath. ➢ In the state emblem, adopted by the Government of India, only three lions are visible, the fourth being hidden from view. ➢ The wheel appears in relief in the centre of the abacus with a bull on right and a horse on left and the outlines of other wheels on extreme right and left. ➢ The words Satyameva Jayate from Mundaka Upanishad, meaning „Truth Alone Triumphs‟, are inscribed below the abacus in Devanagari script. •National Anthem: Composed by Rabindranath Tagore, have wordings: Jana Gana Mana..., in 1911. Adopted on January 24 1950, by the Constituent Assembly of India and takes about 52 seconds to sing it completely. It was first sung on 27th Dec. 1911 at Calcutta session of Congress.
•National Song:Composed by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, wordings: Vande Mataram ..., taken from‗Anand Math‘, a novel by him and was adopted on January 24 1950. •National Flower is Lotus. •National Animal is Tiger. •National Bird is Peacock. (d) Important Boundaries and Lines of the World ➢Durand Line: It is the line which separates Pakistan and Afghanistan. ➢MacMahon Line: It demarcates the boundaries of China and India. ➢Radcliffe Line: It demarcates the boundary between India and Pakistan. ➢38th Parallel: It is the parallel separating North Korea and South Korea. ➢49th Parallel: It is the boundary between USA and Canada. ➢Siegfried Line: It is the line between Germany and France, from German side. ➢Maginot Line: It is the line between Germany and France from French side. ➢17th parallel: It is the parallel (latitude) which separated North Vietnam from South Vietnam.
(E) Important National and International Days (i) International Days Date
Name of the Day
January 26
International Customs Day
March 8
International Women‘s Day
March 15
World Consumers‘ Day
March 21
World Forestry Day
Date
Name of the Day
March 22
World Day for Water
March 23
World Meteorological Day
April 7
World Health Day
April 17
World Haemophilia Day
April 18
World Heritage Day
April 22
World Earth Day
May 1
International Labour Day
May 3
International Press Freedom Day
May 8
World Red Cross Day
May 24
Commonwealth Day
May 31
Anti-tobacco Day/World No Tobacco Day
June 5
World Environment Day (Theme of 2015: Seven Billion Dreams. One planet. Consume with care)
June 8
World Ocean Day (Theme of 2015: Healthy Oceans, Healthy Planet)
June 12
World Day against Child Labour
June 20
World Refugee Day (Theme of 2015: With courage let us all combine)
June 21
International Yoga Day
June 26
International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking
July 11
World Population Day
July 15
International Youth Skill Day
September 8 World Literacy Day September 16
World Ozone Day
September 27
World Tourism Day
Date
Name of the Day
October 1
International Day for Older Persons
October 3
World Habitat Day
October 5
World Teachers Day
October 9
World Post Day
October 11
International Day of the Girl Child
October 14
World Standards Day
October 16
World Food Day
October 17
International Day for Eradication of Poverty
October 24
United Nations Day
December 1 World AIDS Day December 3 International Day for Disabled Persons December 7 International Civil Aviation Day December 10
World Human Rights Day
(ii) National Days Date
Name of the Day
January 12
National Youth Day (birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda)
January 15
Army Day
January 23
Netaji S.C. Bose‘s Birth Anniversary
January 24
National Day for Girl Child
January 25
National Voters Day
January 26
Republic Day
January 30
Martyr‘s Day (Mahatma Gandhi‘s death anniversary)
February 24
Central Excise Day
February 28
National Science Day
Date
Name of the Day
May 21
Anti-terrorism Day (Rajiv Gandhi‘s death anniversary)
June 29
National Statistics Day
August 7
National Handloom Day
August 15
Independence Day
August 29
National Sports Day
September 5 Teachers‘ Day October 2
Gandhi Jayanti/International Day for Non-Violence
October 8
Indian Air Force Day
November 14 Children‘s Day November 26 National Legal Day December 4
Navy Day
December 23 Kisan Divas (Farmers‘ Day-Chowdhary Charan Singh‘s Birthday)
(F) Sports (Miscellaneous): In this section generally questions are asked from cups and trophies and terms associated with various sports disciplines. Here is the compilation of important sports and related facts. (i) International Cups, trophies and associated sports disciplines Name of the Cup/Trophy
Associated Sport
Davis Cup (Men)
Lawn tennis
Federation Cup (Women)
Lawn tennis
Weightman Cup
Lawn tennis
ATP Tournament
Lawn tennis
Wimbledon Trophy
Lawn tennis
Australian Open
Lawn tennis
Name of the Cup/Trophy
Associated Sport
US Open
Lawn tennis
French Open
Lawn tennis
Merdeka cup
Football
FIFA cup
Football
Copa America Cup
Football
Euro Cup
Football
Champions League
Football
Thomas Cup (Men)
Badminton
Uber Cup (Women)
Badminton
All England Badminton Championship
Badminton
Yonex Cup
Badminton
Walker Cup
Golf
PGA Tournament
Golf
Ryder Cup
Golf
Canada Cup
Golf
Champions Trophy
Hockey
Beighton Cup
Hockey
Sultan Azlan Shah Cup
Hockey
William Jones Cup
Basketball
(ii) National cups/trophies and associated sports disciplines Name of the Cup/Trophy
Associated Sports
ICC Cricket World Cup
Cricket
Asia Cup
Cricket
Sharjah Cup
Cricket
Name of the Cup/Trophy
Associated Sports
Duleep Trophy
Cricket
Sheesh Mahal Trophy
Cricket
Ranji Trophy (National Title)
Cricket
Vijay Hazarey Trophy
Cricket
Irani Trophy
Cricket
Deodhar Trophy
Cricket
Vizzy Trophy
Cricket
Durand Cup
Football
Santosh Memorial Trophy
Football (School Championship)
Subroto Cup
Football
Rovers Cup
Football
Sanjay Gold Cup
Football
Durand Cup
Football
Lal Bahadur Shastri Trophy
Football
Nizam Gold Cup
Football
Dr. B.C. Roy Trophy (National Junior Championship)
Football
Rangaswami Cup (National Title)
Hockey
Lady Ratan Tata Trophy (Women‘s)
Hockey
Nehru Trophy
Hockey
Aga Khan Gold Cup
Hockey
Guru Nanak Championship (All - India Women)
Hockey
Dhyan Chand Trophy
Hockey
Murugappa Gold Cup
Hockey
Ezar Cup
Polo
(iii) Terms associated with various sports disciplines Sports
Terms associated with sports disciplines
Badminton Luv, deuce, drop, smash, double touch, let, double fault Basketball Pivot, dribble, basket, block, held ball, free throw, holding, jump ball Billiards
Spider, baulk, cue, scratch, cannon
Boxing
Hook, rounds, punch, jab, countdown, knock-outs, all the weights, (flyweight, middleweight, heavyweight, etc.)
Bridge
Tricks, trump, suite, little slam, rubber
Chess
Knight, king, Sicilian defence, move, gambit, checkmate, rook, stalemate, queen, bishop, pawn, castle
Cricket
Gully, hat-trick, pull, beamer, hook, googly, flick, follow-on, maiden, declare, Silly point, Leg Before Wicket (LBW), Ashes, Duck, Popping crease, Maiden over, Square leg, Amour chinaman
Golf
Tee, birdie, club, course, Iron, eagle, links, caddie, putt, hole, bogey, fore, niblic
Hockey
Centre, penalty-stroke, free-hit, foul, carry, stick, corner, dribble, trapping, short corner, tie-braker, scoop, penalty corner
Table tennis
Deuce, drop, spin, smash, let, serve
LawnTennis
Grand slam, lob, ace, passing shot, top-spin, forehand, crosscourt, deuce, down the line, slice, half volley, smash
Volleyball
Heave, serve, blocking, point, doubling
Part – 2 : Current and Business GK Facts In this section of compendium we have compiled some very important facts from Current and Business news which we feel are quite relevant from IIFT Examinations 2017-2018 perspective. We believe that this compilation will serve the intended purpose effectively.
1. News Points from November, 2016 to September, 2017 (A) National • South Korea nod for 10 billion USD for Maharashtra projects ➢The infrastructure sector in the state got a boost following South Korea‘s decision to extend nine billion USD in credit and one billion USD for three mega projects — Nagpur-Mumbai Supercommunication Expressway (NMSE), Kalyan Dombivali Smart Cities and Bandra Government Colony Redevelopment. ➢The decision was an outcome of the meeting between Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and South Korea‘s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Strategy and Finance Kim Dong-yeon. • NITI Aayog set to organise Global Entrepreneurship Summit in November ➢NITI Aayog, in partnership with the US administration, will host the eighth annual Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Hyderabad on November 28-30. ➢The event will be addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the US delegation will be led by Ivanka Trump, Advisor to US President Donald Trump. • Union Home Ministry-appointed panel suggests ways to deal with online crime ➢An expert committee headed by ex-Lok Sabha secretary general T K Viswanathan set up by the Union Home Ministry to suggest ways to tackle online hate speech, has recommended appointing cybercrime coordinators in all states and establishing cybercrime cells in each district, official sources said.
• “Stress index” (SI) for farmers in Punjab ➢The Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) in Telangana and Maharashtra, and also Punjabi University at Patiala, to create a prepare a training module for village-level verge of committing suicide.
has teamed up with its counterparts the psychology department of the ―stress index‖ (SI) for farmers and volunteers to counsel those on the
• Divyang Sarathi mobile app for disabled launched ➢Minister for Social, Justice and Empowerment Thaawarchand Gehlot launched the beta version of Divyang Sarathi mobile application, aiming to provide all relevant information pertaining to persons with disabilities. ➢According to the Census 2011, there are over 2.68 crore ‗Divyangjans‘ in India which constitute more than 2.2% of the population. • The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi launched Pradhan Mantri Saubhagya Yojana ➢The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, launched the Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana, or Saubhagya, at New Delhi. The aim of this scheme is to provide power to all homes. ➢On the occasion of the birth anniversary of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay, the Prime Minister also dedicated a new ONGC building - the Deendayal Urja Bhawan. • Union Home Minister launches Platform for Effective Enforcement for No Child Labour (PENCIL) Portal ➢The Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh launched the Platform for Effective Enforcement for No Child Labour (PENCIL) Portal at the National Conference on Child Labour organised by the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India in New Delhi. • Dr Jitendra Singh inaugurated the first „Pension Adalat‟ ➢The Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh inaugurated the first Pension Adalat on 20th September 2017 in New Delhi.
• Himachal Pradesh launched the country‟s first electric bus service ➢In a boost for green transport in Himachal Pradesh, the Himachal Pradesh Government started the country‘s first electric bus service for Rohtang Pass, a tourist destination near Manali. • Multi-Agency Exercise „Pralay Sahayam‟ ➢A multi-agency exercise was conducted on the banks of Hussain Sagar Lake as the final event of ‗Pralay Sahayam‘ in Hyderabad. • The first LPG Panchayat in Gandhinagar ➢The first LPG Panchayat was held in Gandhinagar, where Dharmendra Pradhan presided over the interaction between women using LPG under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjawala Yojana (PMUY) and the companies. • Government launches „Saubhagya‟ scheme for household electrification ➢Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched a Rs 16,320-crore scheme called ‗Saubhagya‘ to supply electricity to all households by December 2018, providing free connections to the poor and at very low cost to others. • FM constitutes GoM to monitor, resolve IT challenges faced in GST implementation ➢Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has constituted a Group of Ministers headed by Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi to monitor and resolve the IT challenges faced in the implementation of GST. ➢Besides, a Committee on Exports has also been constituted under the convenorship of the Revenue Secretary Dr.Hasmukh Adhia to look at the issues of export sector and to recommend the GST Council suitable strategy for helping the export sector in the post-GST scenario. • Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe India‟s visit ➢Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe reached Ahmedabad on a two-day visit to India and took part in a cultural road show with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
➢According to official sources, this is for the first time in the country that the host prime minister along with the prime minister of another country had done joint road show. ➢Both the leaders also took part in 12th India-Japan annual summit held at ‗Mahatma Mandir‘ in Gandhinagar. • The first edition of „Swachh Rankings‟ of institutes ➢A total of 3,500 institutions applied for the first edition of ―Swachta Rankings‖ introduced by the HRD ministry. ➢Following an inspection, the top 25 were selected for awards. ➢OP Jindal Global University in Sonipat, Haryana topped the universities category. ➢Kongu Arts and Science College in Erode, Tamil Nadu, was ranked first in the college‘s category. ➢Amritha Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Coimbatore, and GB Pant University of Agriculture and Technology were declared the best in the technical and government institutions categories. • „Operation Insaaniyat‟: Humanitarian Assistance to Bangladesh on Account of Influx of Refugees ➢A humanitarian crisis arose in Bangladesh due to heavy influx of refugees from neighbouring Myanmar. • Karnataka Cabinet clears e-vehicle policy ➢The Karnataka state cabinet approved the Karnataka Electric Vehicle & Energy Storage policy, and became the first to have such a policy in place. • PM Narendra Modi named the first woman full-time Defence Minister of India ➢Nirmala Sitharman has been appointed as the Defence Minister of India, the first woman to hold the charge full time [late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had
held additional charge of Defence twice (1975, 1980-1982) during her premiership]. • Expert Task Force on Employment & Exports ➢NITI Aayog has constituted an Expert Task Force to provide a major thrust to job creation by enhancing India‘s exports. ➢It will be headed by NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Dr Rajiv Kumar. • Election Commission will tie up with 6 nations for cooperation in poll management ➢The Union Cabinet gave its nod to an Election Commission proposal to enter into agreements with six nations on cooperation in election management. ➢These include the following countries: Ecuador, Albania, Bhutan, Afghanistan, Guinea and Myanmar. • National Nutrition Week (1st to 7th September 2017) ➢The National Nutrition Week is observed throughout the country from 1st to 7th September. ➢The theme of the National Nutrition Week for 2017 is ―Optimal Infant & Young Child Feeding Practices: Better Child Health‖. • Cabinet approves MoU on “India-Israel Industrial R&D and Technological Innovation Fund” ➢The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Israel on ―India-Israel Industrial R&D and Technological Innovation Fund (I4F)‖. ➢The MoU was concluded in July, 2017. India and Israel will make a contribution of four million US Dollars each for the Fund, both equivalent amounts, annually for five years. • The country‟s first „Railways disaster management village‟
➢The country‘s first ‗Railways disaster management village‘ is expected to come up on the outskirts of Bengaluru by December 2018. ➢The railway has earmarked the 3.32-sq km village of Hejjala, with a population of 3,483 people, to develop its Disaster Management Institute and Safety village at a cost of Rs 44.42 crore. • GOI‟s Street Lighting National Programme illuminates 50,000 KM of Indian roads ➢The Government of India‘s Street Lighting National programme (SLNP) has illuminated 50,000 KM of Indian roads with installation of 30 lakh LED street lights across the country. ➢With this milestone Energy Efficiency Services Limited, a Government of India company under the administration of Ministry of Power, has become the world‘s largest street light management company. • “Mentor India” Campaign ➢NITI Aayog launched the Mentor India Campaign, a strategic nation building initiative to engage leaders who can guide and mentor students at more than 900 Atal Tinkering Labs, established across the country as a part of the Atal Innovation Mission. • Supreme Court declared triple talaq „void‟ and „invalid‟ ➢The Supreme Court by a majority verdict ruled that the practice of divorce through triple talaq among Muslims is ―void‖, ―illegal‖ and ―unconstitutional‖. ➢The court struck down the practice, declaring it as ―unconstitutional‖ via a split decision by 3:2 and said the practice is against the basic tenets of Quran. • India signed Global Environment Facility (GEF) Grant Agreement with the World Bank ➢A Grant Agreement from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) of the World Bank of USD 24.64 million for ―Ecosystem Service Improvement Project‖ was signed. • “Launch of GeMSamvad: The GeM -Industry forum”
➢An MoU was signed between Government eMarketplace (GeM) SPV and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), in the presence of Smt Nirmala Sitharaman, Commerce & Industry Minister at Udyog Bhawan, New Delhi. ➢This MoU between GeM and CII is aimed at establishing GeM Samvaad- a participative and collaborative approach with the industry for promoting Indian industry and entrepreneurship. • Aajeevika Grameen Express Yojana (AGEY) ➢The Government of India has decided to launch a new sub-scheme named ―Aajeevika Grameen Express Yojana (AGEY)‖ as part of the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM). ➢AGEY will be initially implemented in 250 Blocks in the country on pilot basis with each Block provided upto 6 vehicles to operate the transport services. • India Ratifies Second Commitment Period of the Kyoto Protocol ➢India has ratified the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol that commits countries to contain the emission of greenhouse gases, reaffirming its stand on climate action. ➢India deposited its Instrument of Acceptance of the Doha Amendment to the Kyoto Protocol under the UN Convention on Climate Change at the United Nations. ➢With this, India became the 80th country to accept the amendment relating to the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol, the international emissions reduction treaty. • India and USA to co-host the Global Entrepreneurship Summit at Hyderabad in November 2017 ➢India and USA will be co-hosting the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) at Hyderabad from 28-30 November, 2017. • High Level Committee on Making India Hub of Arbitration Submits Report ➢The Department of Legal Affairs, Ministry of Law and Justice, on 13 January, 2017 constituted a ten Member, High Level Committee on Making India Hub of
Arbitration under the Chairmanship of Justice B.N.Srikrishna, retired Judge of Supreme Court of India. • For The First Time, BJP Largest Party in Rajya Sabha, Congress Now No. 2 ➢Sampathiya Uikey, the new lawmaker from Madhya Pradesh, has made history for the BJP by ending the Congress‘ 65-year run as the Rajya Sabha‘s biggest party. ➢Ms Uikey was elected unopposed in a by-election for the Rajya Sabha seat held by union minister Anil Madhav Dave, who died in May 2017. ➢The BJP now has 58 members; the Congress has 57, though the BJP-led government is still short of a majority in the 245-seat Upper House of Parliament. • Health Ministry to launch „Intensified Mission Indradhanush: Targets full immunization coverage by 2018‟ ➢With the aim to accelerating the full immunization coverage and provide greater focus on urban areas and other pockets of low immunization coverage, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has drawn up an aggressive action plan to achieve the target by 2018. ➢According to the plan, States will conduct Intensified Mission Indradhanush drives for 7 working days from 7th day of every month starting from 7th October 2017 for four consecutive months excluding Sundays, holidays and Routine Immunization days. ➢A total of 118 districts, 17 urban areas and 52 districts of North East states will be targeted under Intensified Mission Indradhanush. • India in 88th place in money hoarded in Swiss banks ➢India has slipped to the 88th place in terms of money parked by its citizens with Swiss banks, while the U.K. remains on the top. ➢India was placed at 75th position in 2015 and at 61st in the year before that, though it used to be among top-50 countries in terms of holdings in Swiss banks till 2007.
➢The country was ranked highest at 37th place in 2004. • Supreme Court allows woman to abort 26-week foetus due to abnormalities ➢The Supreme Court permitted a woman, who is in her 26th week of pregnancy, to abort her foetus that is suffering from severe cardiac ailments. ➢A Bench of Justices Dipak Misra and A.M. Khanwilkar, dictating the order in an open court, took note of the mental stress suffered by Sharmishta Chakraborty. ➢The law does not permit abortion if the foetus is over 20 weeks old. • „Har haath ek kitaab‟ (One book for every hand) ➢‗Har haath ek kitaab‘ (‗one book for every hand‘) is the new scheme set in motion by the National Book Trust. ➢Under the scheme, people can transfer money to online shopping site Snapdeal with which the Trust has formally tied up, and the money will then be transferred to NBT. • Presidential assent for Kambala Bill ➢All the hurdles for resuming Kambala — the traditional slush-track buffalo race of the coastal districts of Karnataka — are cleared with the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Karnataka Amendment) Bill, 2017, finally getting Presidential assent. • “JIGYASA” - Student-Scientist connect programme launched ➢Jigyasa, a student- scientist connect programme was officially launched in the national capital. ➢Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), has joined hands with Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS) to implement this programme. • National ST Commission to take action on video films of Jaravas on YouTube ➢Taking suo-moto cognizance of objectionable video films and pictures of protected Jarava and other tribal communities of Andaman Islands on YouTube
social media platform, the National Commission for Scheduled Tribe (NCST) has initiated action on it. ➢As per provisions of Andaman and Nicobar Island (Protection of Aboriginal Tribes) Regulation, 1956 (PAT) dated 18.6.1956, the Andamanese, Jarawas, Onges, Sentinelese, Nicobarese and Shom Pens have been identified as ―aboriginal tribes‖. • Shri Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi inaugurates first Gharib Nawaz Skill Development Centre in Hyderabad ➢The Minister of State for Minority Affairs (Independent Charge) & Parliamentary Affairs Shri Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said that besides providing various job-oriented skill development courses, Gharib Nawaz Skill Development Centres of Ministry of Minority Affairs will also offer certificate course in Goods and Services Tax accounting/programming and other related subjects. • National convention on Digital Initiatives 9th July 2017 ➢President of India has launched the SWAYAM, the portal that takes high quality education to the doorstep of everyone, in the National Convention of Vice Chancellors of all Universities in the Country, and Heads of IISc/IITs/IIMs/NITs/IIITs at Vigyan Bhawan. ➢He has also launched the SWAYAM Prabha – the 32 DTH channels operationalised for telecasting high quality educational content free of charge using the GSAT-15 satellite transponders. • Shri J P Nadda launches new family planning initiatives, “Mission Parivar Vikas” on World Population Day ➢―Mission Parivar Vikas‖ will focus on 146 high fertility districts in 7 states with high TFR. ➢Total Fertility Rate (TFR): • Total fertility rate (TFR) in simple terms refers to total number of children born or likely to be born to a woman in her life time if she were subject to the prevailing rate of age-specific fertility in the population.
• TFR of about 2.1 children per woman is called Replacement-level fertility (UN, Population Division). • Maharashtra enacts law against discrimination by caste panchayats ➢Maharashtra has become the first State in the country to enact a law against social boycott from caste panchayats. • Shri J P Nadda launches the National Strategic Plan for Malaria Elimination (2017-22) ➢Shri J P Nadda, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare launched the National Strategic Plan for Malaria Elimination (2017-22). • India ranks 23rd in second Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI) 2017 ➢The second Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI) has placed India at a high 23rd position out of 165 nations with a score of 0.683 and has been listed in the ―maturing‖ category. ➢Singapore has topped the Global Cybersecurity Index 2017. • Government panel to study cow derivatives ➢The government has set up a 19-member panel headed by Science and Technology Minister Harsh Vardhan to carry out what it says will be scientifically validated research on cow derivatives including its urine, and their benefits, according to an inter-departmental circular and members of the panel. • Highest voter turnout ever for presidential election ➢The presidential election recorded probably the highest ever turnout of over 99%, with all eligible voters casting their ballots in at least 10 States and one Union Territory. ➢In terms of the value of the votes, the Sikkim Assembly has the lowest of seven and Uttar Pradesh the highest of 208. ➢The total value of the votes of the Electoral College, which comprises 776 MPs and 4,120 MLAs, is 10,98,903.
➢The Electoral College for presidential polls consists of all the elected MPs (Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha) and elected MLAs of the States (including National Capital Territory of Delhi and the Union Territory of Pondicherry vide the Constitution 70th amendment Act, 1992). • India, Japan civil nuclear deal comes into force ➢The India-Japan Agreement for Cooperation in the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy entered into force on July 20, 2017. ➢The pact was signed in Tokyo during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Japan on November 11, 2016. • „Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana (PMVVY)‟ ➢Finance Minister Arun Jaitley launched a senior citizens‘ pension scheme called the Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana (PMVVY), which promises assured annual return of 8 per cent for 10 years. ➢The scheme, being sold by Life Insurance Corporation, provides for pension options of monthly, quarterly, half-yearly and yearly frequency, resulting in return of around 8.3 per cent. ➢It is available till May 3, 2018, for citizens aged 60 years and above. • India performs miserably in war on inequality ➢India has been ranked 132 out of 152 countries in an index that rates countries by their commitment to reducing inequality. ➢The first report edition of the index, released recently, showed that OECD countries headed by Sweden ranked the highest while Nigeria was at the bottom. • Union Home Minister chaired first meeting of Islands Development Agency (IDA) ➢The Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh chaired the first meeting of the newly constituted Islands Development Agency (IDA). ➢The IDA was set up on June 01, 2017 following the Prime Minister‘s review meeting for the development of islands.
• Government launches „SHe-box‟ portal for sexual harassment complaints ➢The Women and Child Development ministry launched an online platform to enable women employees of the Central government to file complaints related to sexual harassment at the workplace. • Mobile App for Rural Road Maintenance “Aarambh” launched ➢The mobile phone app ―Aarambh‖ aims at use of GIS based mapping for making road inventories, condition surveys, and producing cost estimates and other relevant data for preparation and monitoring of annual road maintenance plans. • India to have 600 million broadband connections by 2020 ➢As per information provided by Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), there were 422.19 million broadband subscribers and the internet penetration (internet subscriber per 100 populations) was 32.86% in the country as on 31st March 2017. ➢The National Telecom Policy-2012 envisages 600 million broadband connections by the year 2020. • Rajasthan High Court recommends declaration of cow as national animal ➢The Rajasthan High Court recommended that the Centre declare the cow as a national animal and increase the punishment for cow slaughter to life imprisonment. • Odisha to have first automatic coastal warning for disasters in India ➢Odisha is the first State in India to have developed an automatic public address system that can be activated along its entire coast. Neighbouring Andhra Pradesh is also building up such capability to face natural calamities. • India‟s first Rural LED Street Lighting Project in Andhra Pradesh ➢Government of India, through the Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) under the Ministry of Power, would be retrofitting 10 lakh conventional street lights with LED lights in Gram Panchayats of 7 districts in Andhra Pradesh.
➢This is the first project for rural LED street lighting in the country under the Government of India‘s Street Lighting National Project (SLNP).
• Shri J P Nadda launches ‘Skill for Life, Save a Life’ initiative to promote skill development in the health sector ➢India enjoys a demographic dividend as more than 65% youth are below the age of 35 years and the Government is determined to seize this opportunity by providing adequate skills and employability to the youth for a strong foundation for continued and sustainable growth. ➢‗Skills for Life, Save a Life‘ Initiative‘ aims to upscale the quantity and quality of trained professionals in the healthcare system. • Vatsalya Maatri Amrit Kosh, a National Human Milk Bank and Lactation Counselling Centre ➢Speaking on the occasion, Shri C K Mishra congratulated the LHMC, Delhi for this initiative and said that this would be the largest human milk bank and lactation counselling centre available under the public sector in North India. Mr Nils Ragnar Kamsvag, Ambassador of Norway to India, was also present at the occasion. ➢―Vatsalya – Maatri Amrit Kosh‖ is established in collaboration with the Norwegian government, Oslo University and Norway India Partnership Initiative (NIPI). • India, Pakistan admitted to SCO as full members ➢India became a full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). ➢India‘s membership at the SCO was announced by the President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, who also welcomed Pakistan as a new member into the organisation. ➢India and Pakistan were admitted as observers in 2005 and began the administrative process of joining the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), which began in 2001 in Shanghai. • SATH program launched by NITI Aayog
➢Furthering the agenda for cooperative federalism, NITI Aayog has launched SATH, a program providing ‗Sustainable Action for Transforming Human Capital‘ with the State Governments. ➢The vision of the program is to initiate transformation in the education and health sectors. • AUSINDEX-17, a bilateral maritime exercise with Australian Navy ➢Navies of India and Australia will participate in bilateral maritime exercise AUSINDEX-17. ➢Indian Naval Ships Jyoti, Shivalik and Kamorta are on a port visit to Freemantle, Australia. • „National Mission on Cultural Mapping of India‟ from Goverdhan Block, Mathura ➢Dr. Mahesh Sharma, Minister of State (Independent charge) for Culture & Tourism launched the implementation of the ‗‗National Mission on Cultural Mapping of India‘ at Goverdhan Block, Mathura District, Uttar Pradesh in a day long, Block level mega talent hunt programme (Sanskritik Pratibha Khoj Samaroh). ➢This Mission is part of the ‗Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat‘ umbrella. • Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the maiden run of the Kochi Metro ➢Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the maiden run of the Kochi Metro and took a ride on one of the trains. ➢One of the fastest to be built in the country, the Kochi Metro is the first public transport system to reserve jobs for members of the third sex and it will be manned mainly by women a self-help group. • First flight marks new air cargo link between Afghanistan and India ➢An aircraft packed with 60 tons of Afghan plants with medicinal uses marked the opening of the first air cargo corridor between Afghanistan and India.
➢The cargo, worth about $5 million dollars, was the first in what officials from the two countries hope will be many flights allowing Afghan and Indian companies to bypass Pakistan. • City Liveability Index launched: Quality of life in 116 major cities to be assessed ➢In yet another major initiative, the Ministry of Urban Development launched the ‗City Liveability Index‘ for measuring the quality of life in 116 major cities including smart cities, capital cities and cities with a population of above one million each. The Ministry of Urban Development disbursed Rs.500 cr as incentive to 16 States that performed well in implementing urban reforms during 2016-17. ➢Andhra Pradesh topped the list scoring 96.06% marks. • Cyber crimes against children can now be reported at the POCSO e-Box ➢Child victims of cyber crimes can now lodge their complaints at National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR)‘s POCSO e-box. ➢Considering the growing menace of cyber crimes targeting children, NCPCR has now enhanced the scope of POCSO e-box to handle cyber bullying, cyber stalking, morphing of images and child pornography. • Maharashtra govt announces Rs 34,000-crore farm loan waiver, to benefit 89 lakh farmers ➢Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced Rs 34,000 crore crop loan waiver for farmers in the state and said the government will waive loans up to Rs 1.5 lakhs completely. ➢The Maharashtra chief minister also said the loan waiver scheme— ‘Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Krushi Sanman Yojana‘ will benefit around 89 lakh farmers in the state and will make around 40 lakh debt-free. • „Operation against Maoists ➢In joint operation named ‗Operation Prahar‘, said to be one of the biggest operations in recent times, is aimed at flushing out the Maoists hiding in forests of Tondamarka.
➢The main target of the ―Operation Prahar‖ was south Sukma, where the Maoists‘ military battalion operates. • Election Commission Launched First Time Nationwide “Voter Registration Reminder” on Facebook ➢Election Commission of India (ECI) launched a ‗Special Drive to enrol left out electors, with a special focus on first time electors from 1st July, 2017, so as to move in the direction of Commission‘s motto that ‗NO VOTER TO BE LEFT BEHIND‘. ➢This is the first time Facebook‘s voter registration reminder has been rolled out across India. • Indian Army, PLA in a tug of war over Doklam Plateau ➢The Doklam Plateau, north of the tri-junction between Sikkim, Bhutan and Tibet by Indian claim, is not just a disputed area, but has huge strategic significance for both India and China. • U.P. deploys ambulances for cows ➢Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya flagged off an exclusive ambulance service for cows, complete with veterinarians and assistants. ➢The Gauvansh Chikitsa mobile van service will transport ill or injured cows to gau shalas or to a veterinary facility. A toll-free gau seva number has been released for the people to report about cows in distress. • Madhya Pradesh decides to shift to January-December fiscal format ➢Madhya Pradesh became the first state to announce shifting of its financial year format to January-December from the present April-March cycle. • „Tarang Sanchar‟ ➢The Minister of Communications Shri Manoj Sinha launched ‗Tarang Sanchar‘, a web portal for Information sharing on Mobile Towers and EMF Emission Compliances.
• Maharajas‟ Express , operated by IRCTC, to begin its Two new tour circuits ➢The Indian Railway PSU, Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd (IRCTC) has decided to start two new circuits of their flagship luxury train Maharajas‘ Express, this year. ➢These two new trips have been named as: • The Southern Sojourn will cover Goa, Hampi, Mysore, Ernakulam, Kumarakom and Trivandrum. • The Southern Jewels will cover Chettinad, Mahabalipuram, Mysore, Hampi and Goa. • Chenab to get tallest rail bridge ➢The Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir will be spanned by the world‘s highest railway bridge that is expected to be 35 metres taller than Paris‘ Eiffel Tower. ➢Designed to withstand wind speeds of up to 260 km per hour, the 1.315-kmlong ―engineering marvel‖ will connect Bakkal (Katra) and Kauri (Srinagar). ➢The bridge forms a crucial link in the 111-km stretch between Katra and Banihal, which is part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link project. • Chandrababu Naidu to sign California as sister state of Andhra Pradesh ➢Andhra Pradesh chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu signed an agreement with California, Iowa and Illinois as sister states of AP, apart from exploring investment opportunities with US giants Tesla, Apple, Google, Cisco and Oracle, among others, during his US tour. ➢Naidu, who received 2017 US-India Business Council‘s ‗Transformative Chief Minister Award‘, led the delegation to automobile giant Tesla‘s factory in Fremont, San Francisco. • On the lines of smart cities, Rajasthan to develop smart villages
➢Rajasthan will develop 3169 smart villages, which will have clean drinking water, roads, sewerage system, Wi-Fi facility, e-library, sports ground, street lights and health facilities. • Memorandum of Agreements (MoAs) signed for first Wind Auction Scheme ➢The Memorandum of Agreements (MoAs) for purchase of 1000 MW wind power under MNRE‘s first wind auction Scheme were signed between PTC India, the trading company, and Discoms of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Delhi, Odisha and Assam. • Faridabad „Fastest Mover Big Clean City‟ in the country; Varanasi, Vijayawada, Bhubaneswar at Zonal level ➢Faridabad in Haryana has emerged as the ‗Fastest Mover Big City‘ at the national level in the Swachh Survekshan -2017, results of which were announced by the Minister of Urban Development Shri M.Venkaiah Naidu. ➢At the national level, Tirupati was ranked the ‗Cleanest Medium City‘ while Ambikapur, Chattisgarh bagged this honour in Small Cities category. • Indore emerges as the Cleanest City of India ➢Indore, Bhopal, Visakhapatnam, Surat, Mysuru, Tiruchirapally, NDMC, Navi Mumbai, Vadodara, Chandigarh make the Top 10. ➢Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Chattisgarh, Andhra Telangana are the Movers and Shakers, says Shri M.Venkaiah Naidu
Pradesh,
➢12 Gujarat cities, 11 from MP, 8 from AP among the top 50 Clean Cities ➢Varanasi ranked 32 this year as against 418 in 2014. • IAF opens recruitment path for women NCC cadets with C certificate ➢The Indian Air Force is, for the first time, opening the National Cadet Corps special entry route for women cadets of the Air Wing with C-level certificates. • India unanimously elected to head UN-Habitat, the United Nations‟ Human Settlements Programme
➢India has been unanimously elected as the President of the UN-Habitat, an organ of the United Nations‘ Organisation (UNO) that promotes socially and environmentally sustainable human settlements across the world, after 10 years. ➢Minister of Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation Shri M.Venkaiah Naidu chaired the four day meeting of the 26th Governing Council of UN-Habitat in Nairobi, Kenya. ➢Since the UN-Habitat came into being in 1978, it is only the third time that India has been elected to lead this important organization after 2007 and 1988. • Darwaza Band‟ national campaign led by Amitabh Bachchan for Open Defecation ➢The centre launched an aggressive new campaign titled ‗Darwaza Band‘ to promote toilet use and freedom from open defecation across the country‘s villages. The campaign produced by the MDWS under Swachh Bharat Mission. ➢Actress Anuskha Sharma is also part of the campaign and will be seen encouraging women to stand up for this issue in their villages and assume a leadership role. • India mobile congress 2017 ➢The Union Minister for Communications Shri Manoj Sinha made the formal announcement of India Mobile Congress 2017 (IMC 2017), country‘s first & the biggest platform to bring together all stakeholders from the domain of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and take the Indian telecom industry at par with its international counterparts. ➢The three-day IMC will be held from 27th to 29th September 2017 at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. • Nagpur becomes first city with electric mass mobility, gets 200 e-vehicles ➢Nagpur became the first city in India to have an electric mass mobility system. It will now have a fleet of 200 new electric vehicles, which includes taxis, buses and e-rickshaws. ➢Ola is to be the owner of the entire fleet.
➢Nitin Gadkari, Road transport and highways minister, along with Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis, inaugurated India‘s first ―multi-modal electric vehicle project‖ at Nagpur Airport complex on May 26. • „Feed The Future Now‟ campaign ➢On the occasion of World Hunger Day (MAY 28), Union Minister for Women and Child Development Maneka Sanjay Gandhi flagged off ‗Feed the Future Now‘, a campaign by the NGO Akshaya Patra Foundation that aims to serve five billion meals to children across India by 2020. • PM Inaugurates India‟s Longest Bridge in Assam ➢The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated India‘s longest bridge the 9.15 km long Dhola-Sadiya Bridge, over the Lohit River, a major tributary of the Brahmaputra in Assam. ➢PM Dedicated the 9.15 km-long bridge, named after Dadasaheb Phalke awardee and legendary lyricist-singer Bhupen Hazarika who hailed from Sadiya, to the nation. • The Saral Eindhan Vitaran Application (SEVA) App ➢Union Minister of State (IC) for Power, Coal, New & Renewable Energy and Mines, Shri Piyush Goyal launched the Saral Eindhan Vitaran Application (SEVA), developed in-house by Coal India Limited (CIL) for power sector consumers. ➢SEVA is a part of ‗Digital India‘ initiative, which is aimed at increasing the Consumer Connect as well as the Transparency and Accountability in Coal dispatch. • Madhya Pradesh to devise Happiness Index ➢The State government had, in July last year, set up the Anand Mantralaya or the Ministry of Happiness, with Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan as its first ―happiness minister.‖ ➢On May 16, his government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with IIT-Kharagpur (the only institute to have a Happiness Centre) to devise a Happiness Index for the State.
• PM Addresses 8th Heads of Mission (Hom) Conference ➢The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, addressed the 8th Heads of Mission Conference in New Delhi. ➢The theme of 2017 Conference is ―Effective Diplomacy, Excellent Delivery.‖ • e-Krishi Samvad ➢Shri Radha Mohan Singh, Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Singh informed that the e-Krishi Samvad is internet-based interface and is a unique platform that will provide direct and effective solutions to the problems faced by farmers and stakeholders in the agriculture sector. • Govt approves phasing out of 25-year-old Foreign Investment Promotion Board ➢ The Union Cabinet approved phasing out of the 25-year-old Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB). The FIPB is the inter-ministerial body — or a single window clearance mechanism for applications on foreign direct investment (FDI) in India in sectors under the government approval route. ➢ The move to phase out the FIPB is aimed at making India a more attractive FDI destination and increasing FDI inflows by providing greater ease of doing business and promoting the ‗Maximum Governance and Minimum Government‘ principle. • Rank of India Improves in International Tourist Arrivals ➢ As per the UNWTO definition, International Tourist Arrivals (ITAs) comprises two components namely Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) and Arrivals of NonResident Nationals. The UNWTO in its barometer ranks countries in terms of their ITAs. ➢ As per the latest UNWTO Barometer for March 2017, Rank of India in International Tourist Arrivals in both 2014 and 2015 is 24 as against the previous rank of 41 and 40 in the year 2014 and 2015, respectively. ➢ Earlier India‘s rank in the Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index (TTCI), 2017 had also shown a 12 places jump from 2015. Rank of India in TTCI Report of 2017 was 40th as compared to 52nd in 2015, 65th in 2013 and 68th in 2011.
• India to be first in world to run all government ports on green energy ➢ All 12 major domestic ports will soon switch to renewable energy to meet their entire power requirements, making India the first country to have all governmentowned ports running on solar and wind energy. ➢ The government plans to install almost 200 megawatt solar and wind power generation capacity at the ports by 2019. • West Bengal government to set a rice museum ➢ West Bengal government is all set to get a rice museum shortly that will exhibit some of the finest rice varieties cultivated in the state. The government is building the museum at Phulia in Nadia district. The museum, which is under construction, will store 450 varieties of rice, including the aromatic varieties. • Health Ministry launches „Test and Treat Policy for HIV‟ ➢ As soon as a person is tested and found to be positive, he will be provided with ART irrespective of his CD count or clinical stage. This was stated by the Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare, Shri J P Nadda at the launch of the ‗Test and Treat Policy for HIV. • PM‟s interaction through PRAGATI ➢ The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, chaired his eighteenth interaction through PRAGATI - the ICT-based, multi-modal platform for Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation. • President of India addresses first convocation of the English and Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad ➢ The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee addressed the first convocation of the English and Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad in Hyderabad. • First Skill University gets Registrar ➢ The Rajasthan government appointed Commissioner (Skills, Employment & Entrepreneurship) Krishna Kunal as Registrar of the country‘s first skill university at Jamdoli.
➢ The Rajasthan-ILD Skills University (RISU) was established through a Bill passed in the State Assembly‘s Budget session along with a private university, Bharatiya Skill Development University (BSDU). • Bihar adopts GST ➢ Both the Houses of Bihar Legislature unanimously adopted the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill along with the Bihar taxation (Amendment) Bill, becoming the second State after Telangana, to pave the way for roll out of the GST from July 1. • A mega app to answer all your rail-related queries ➢ From June, 2017, all train travel related queries will be answered through one mega application, likely to be named HindRail. • Underwater tunnels will connect Howrah with Kolkata ➢ A gigantic Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) began cutting deep inside the bed of the Hooghly river, commencing the construction of the first underwater metro tunnel in the country. ➢ The tunnels running parallel connecteded the twin cities of Howrah and Kolkata located. • Nation-wide training programme launched for Elected Women representatives (EWRs) of Panchayats ➢ A comprehensive module for capacity building of Elected Women Representatives (EWRs) of Panchayats and a training program for Trainers of women panchayat leaders across the country was launched by the Ministry of Women and Child Development in collaboration with the Ministry of Panchayati Raj. ➢ The training program was launched at Ranchi. • PM launched UDAN scheme from Shimla ➢ Prime Minister Narendra launched regional connectivity scheme ‗UDAN‘ on April 27 from Shimla Airport at Jubbarhatti.
• PHFI loses FCRA licence for lobbying ➢ The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has cancelled the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) licence of the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI), the country‘s largest public health advocacy group. • Financial journalism programme launched ➢ Bloomberg News and the Asian College of Journalism (ACJ) have launched India‘s first co-branded financial journalism post-graduate programme, designed to equip students with new, essential skills needed in a modern global newsroom. • First ever Global B2B Textile event to be held in India ➢ The Ministry of Textiles presented a curtain raiser to ‗Textiles India 2017‘ – positioned as the first ever global B2B Textile and handicrafts event in India, at the Crafts Museum in New Delhi. • Madhya Pradesh government to gift smartphone to brides under new scheme ➢ The Madhya Pradesh government has decided to gift a smartphone to newly married women under its flagship scheme - Mukhyamantri Kanyadan Yojana. The move is aimed at encouraging women to undertake cashless transactions using smartphones. • Prime Minister Inaugurated Exhibitiion „Swachhagraha “Bapu Ko Karyanjali”-a Mission, an Exhibition‟ ➢ The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the exhibition entitled ‗‗Swachhagraha ―Bapu Ko Karyanjali‖-A Mission, An Exhibition‘ on the occasion of 100th Anniversary of Champaran Satyagrah in National Archives of India (NAI) Janpath, New Delhi on 10 April 2017. • Krishi Bhagya benefits over one lakh farmers ➢ More than one lakh farmers in the rain-fed areas in 131 taluks in 25 districts of Karnataka have benefited from the Krishi Bhagya scheme, which aims at efficient management of rainwater to improve agriculture productivity, in the past three years.
• Cabinet approves setting up of Indian Institute of Petroleum and Energy (IIPE) at Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh ➢ The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given its approval for setting up of Indian Institute of Petroleum and Energy (IIPE) at Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh as ―an Institute of National Importance‖ through an Act of Parliament. ➢ The Institute will have the governance structure as well as legal mandate to grant degrees in a manner similar to that enjoyed by IITs. A separate Act will also impart the required status to the Institute to become a ―Centre of Excellence‖ in petroleum and energy studies. ➢ IIT, Kharagpur has taken up the responsibility of mentoring the Institute. • Gujarat approves life term for killing cows ➢ The Gujarat assembly passed the Gujarat‘s Animal Preservation(Amendment) Bill -2017, to entail a maximum punishment of life imprisonment and a minimum of 10 years for cow slaughter. • Haryana government to provide Rs 21,000 to families for third girl child ➢ Haryana government has decided to provide a one-time grant of Rs 21,000 to all those families whose third girl child was born after August 24, 2015, under the ‗Aapki Beti, Hamari Beti‘ scheme. ➢ Under the scheme, the eligible families will receive the amount irrespective of their caste, creed, religion, income and number of sons. • Kerala launches free legal aid in triple talaq cases ➢ Muslim women in Kerala divorced under triple talaq practice would now get free legal aid under an initiative launched by the state minorities‘ commission. • President of India inaugurates first NIMCARE World Health Day Summit 2017 ➢ The President of India, ShriPranab Mukherjee inaugurated the first NIMCARE World Health Day Summit 2017 in New Delhi. The slogan of the first NIMCARE World Health Day Summit is, ‗Unite for a Healthy Mind‘.
• An Aadhaar card is a must for women living in Below Poverty Line (BPL) households to avail of free cooking gas (LPG) connection under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY). • Note: The government launched the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana last year to provide free LPG connections to 5 crore poor women in three years. The government now gives 12 cylinders of 14.2 kg each at subsidised rates per household in a year. • The Ministry of Women and Child Development has organized a social media campaign- #WeAreEqual - targeted at raising awareness about gender discrimination. • India with World Health Organization (WHO) signed a ‗call for action‘ and pledged to scale up measures to end the Tuberculosis by 2030. Six of the South Asian region countries Bangladesh, DPR Korea, India, Indonesia, Myanmar and Thailand are among the 30 high TB burden nations globally. Note: India among other countries in the South East Asian Region bears half of the global tuberculosis burden and reports 2.8 million new TB cases annually and nearly half a million deaths due to the disease. • According to the latest report, Bengal topped the list with more than 1.04 crore arsenic-affected persons as on March 4, 2017. Bihar comes second with 16.88 lakh persons, with Assam in third spot with 14.48 lakh victims. The total number of arsenic-affected people in the country is about 1.48 crore. Note: According to the WHO‘s guidelines for drinking water quality (2011), the permissible limit of Arsenic in groundwater is .01 mg per litre. • India‘s longest road tunnel, built on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, has been announced to open to traffic in near future following the success of the trial run. Note: The work on the 9.2-km tube tunnel, which is part of a 286-km, four-lane project, started on May 23, 2011 in the lower Himalayan mountain range and cost Rs. 3,720 crore. • Four Indian cities are among the cheapest to live in globally, while Singapore has been ranked as the most expensive for the fourth consecutive year, as per a report by Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). Bangalore (3rd place), Chennai
(6th), Mumbai (7th) and New Delhi (10th) have been ranked by EIU among the 10 cheapest cities in the world. Note: Almaty has been ranked as the cheapest city in the world followed by Lagos. The EIU‘s Worldwide Cost of Living 2017 report -- a ranking of the world‘s major cities -- said Asia is home to some of the world‘s most expensive cities and also to many of the world‘s cheapest cities. • The Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR) is set to undertake an archaeological exploration to find out whether the Ram Setu is a natural or manmade phenomenon. Also known as Adam‘s Bridge, Ram Setu is a stretch of limestone shoals running from Pamban Island near Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu to the Mannar Island near the northern coast of Sri Lanka. • Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh received most number of domestic tourists in 2016. As per the data released by the Ministry, a total of 344.3 million domestic tourists visited Tamil Nadu in 2016 while 229.6 million in Uttar Pradesh. The domestic tourism sector continued its growth momentum with recording a jump of 15.5 % in tourists‘ visits to various states and Union Territories during 2016. • India has announced an Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP) for conducting oil and gas exploration in India. The auction of oil and gas blocks under the Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP) will be conducted twice a year with the first round being held in July 2017. Note: The new OALP policy will allow the bidder to select the exploration areas on their own and carve out areas where they want to drill. This will allow pricing and marketing freedom to operators and shifts to a revenue sharing model. • The government has approved the National Health Policy which proposes to provide assured health services to all in the countryThe policy promises to increase public health spending to 2.5% of GDP in a time-bound manner and guarantees health care services to all Indian citizens, particularly the underprivileged. Note: The policy increases the gambit of sectors covered in the Primary Health Centre (PHC) level and envisages a comprehensive approach. • The Indian Navy has successfully conducted the maiden trial firing of a newly installed surface-to-air Barak missile system from its aircraft carrier INS
Vikramaditya. The firing was conducted as part of the ‗Operational Readiness Inspection‘ from 21 to 23 March. Note: The missile marks a significant milestone in providing air interception and defence capabilities and enhanced operational capabilities of the Navy‘s aircraft carrier and the flee. • The State Governments of Punjab and Jammu & Kashmir have signed an agreement to fast-track the completion of 206 MW 2,285-crore rupees Shahpur Kandi dam project on the Ravi river in Chandigarh. Note: ―Shapur Kandi project‖ was declared a national project in February 2008 by the Centre. • The union minister of state for Development of North Eastern Region Jitendra Singh has inaugurated the three-day long ‗Destination North East‘ 2017 in Chandigarh. Note: The event showcased North East as a potential destination for investment and organized by the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region and an industry body PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry. • The Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmer‘s Welfare has launched Mission Fingerling to achieve the Blue Revolution by enabling holistic development and management of fisheries. The programme will enhance the fisheries production from 10.79 mmt (2014-15) to 15 mmt by 2020-21. • Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal launched initiatives to develop Majuli, world biggest river island, as India‘s first carbon neutral district and as a biodiversity heritage yet not officially released. • The three days ‗International Buddhist Conference‘ organized by Ministry of Culture and Nava Nalanda Mahavira Deemed University in Rajgir, Bihar. • The Union Minister Giriraj Singh has launched the first of its kind Air Conditioned jacket made of cotton fabric in Nawada district of Bihar. • Karnataka Govt. has launched Pratibimba, a comprehensive web-based platform to showcase the government‘s performance, achievements to the citizens and will serve as a tool to improve efficiency in governance.
• Kanha has become the first tiger reserve in India to officially introduce a mascot, ―Bhoorsingh the Barasingha‖ to present the hard ground swamp deer as the spirit of the reserve and spread awareness to save it from possible extinction. Barasingha, or swamp deer, is the state animal of Madhya Pradesh. • The Uttarakhand High Court has recognized the Ganga and the Yamuna as socalled living entities, giving the rivers that have seen years of damage at the hands of humans, a legal voice. • PM Narendra Modi has adopted Nagpur, a village dominated by backward castes, in his Lok Sabha constituency of Varanasi under the second phase of Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY). In the first phase of SAGY, the PM had adopted Jayapur village in Sevapuri Assembly segment of Varanasi. • Dairy Processing and Infrastructure Development Fund has been proposed in the Union Budget to set up to augment income of farmers with a corpus of Rs 8,000 crores over three years. • The Union Govt has launched TAMRA (Transparency, Auction Monitoring and Resource Augmentation) portal and Mobile Application on 10th February, 2017 with an objective to enhance transparency and accountability as a part of the Ease of Doing Business in the Mining sector. Note: Ministers of Mining and senior officers from 12 mineral rich States would also be connected through videoconferencing. • The Union Minister of Science and Technology and Earth Sciences Harsh Vardhan released the world‘s first comprehensive Braille atlas for nearly 50 lakh visually challenged people in New Delhi, India. Note: For the first time that such atlas has been prepared for physically challenged with such minute details. The Braille Atlas has been prepared by National Atlas and Thematic Mapping Organisation (NATMO) under Department of Science & Technology. • According to a report released by Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) India emerged as the world‘s largest importer of major arms during 2012–16. As per the report, India accounted for 13% of the global total sales. The total volume of international transfers of major weapons has grown continuously since 2004 and increased by 8.4% between 2007–11 and 2012–16.
Note: According to the data in Asia, India increased its arms imports by 43 percent between 2007–11 and 2012–16 which is far greater than the imports by its rivals China and Pakistan. Between 2007 and 2011, India accounted for 9.7% of global imports which is still more than any other country. Major arm suppliers to India include Russia, USA, European states, Israel and South Korea. • Union Health Ministry has launched ―Saathiya Resource Kits‖ to provide information on adolescent related issues such as puberty and mental health, among others. The resource kit comprises of an Activity Book, Bhranti-Kranti Game, a Question-Answer Saathiya KitsBook and a Peer Educator Diary. Note: A mobile app ‗Saathiya Salah‘ is also launched for adolescents. The initiative, launched as part of the Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK) program. • India and China have announced to hold their first Strategic Dialogue in Beijing. The two sides are expected to discuss all issues of mutual concern and interest including friction points. Note: External Affairs spokesman Vikas Swarup stated that two countries will discuss all issues of mutual interest in bilateral, regional and international domain. • India and Asian Development Bank (ADB) have signed USD 375 million pact for loans and grants to develop 800 km Visakhapatnam—Chennai Industrial Corridor, which is the first phase of a planned 2,500-km East Coast Economic Corridor. Note: The USD 500 million loan is approved for multitranche facility to build key infrastructure in the four main centers along the corridor — Visakhapatnam, Kakinada, Amaravati, and Yerpedu—Srikalahasti in Andhra Pradesh. • Indian railways have announced to manufacture its own train sets that can run at a maximum speed of 160 kilometre per hour. Equipped with bio-toilets, all coaches in the fully AC train set will be inter-connected so that passengers can move from one coach to other with ease. Note: ‗Train-2018‘, the first train set — a rake without a separate locomotive — is expected to be ready by March 2018 and likely to be pressed into service in Delhi-Lucknow or Delhi-Chandigarh sector.
• Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu has launched the country‘s first Antyodaya Express between Ernakulam and Howrah. The new express train will have facilities like cushioned luggage racks which can serve as seats, LED lights, modular toilets, pleasing interior colour scheme and others. Note: Railway Minister on 27th Feb 2017 has also flagged off the fourth Humsafar Express between Sriganganagar and Tiruchirapalli. The new train is fully air-conditioned third AC service with an optional service for meals. • The Ministry of Railway has approved the project that will construct 240-km broad gauge railway line connecting Port Blair with Diglipur, the largest town on Andaman Island. Note: Currently Andaman and Nicobar has no rail network, with this project it will connect the two islands with bridges and stations along the coast. • Arunachal Pradesh became the first state in the northeast to implement eCabinet solution for the state cabinet members. • Cyber Swachhta Kendra in New Delhi for Botnet cleaning and Malware analysis as a part of digital India initiative.Two mobile apps- and ‗Samvid‘ also launched. Note: ‗Mkavach‘ to protect smart phones and tablets from hackers and ‗Samvid‘ to protect Desktops from suspicious applications from running. • According to the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution release, Gujarat has become the first State in the country for establishing Cashless System for distribution of food grains. Note: The State Government has installed Aadhaar Enabled Payment System in 17250 FPSs, much before the targeted date of 31st March, 2017. • India‘s first cashless township ‗Gujarat Narmada Valley Fertilizers and Chemicals (GNFC) Township‘ inaugurated by Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani. Nearly 10,000 residents in GNFC have embraced various digital mode of payments instead of cash. • J & K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has declared 2017 as ‗Year of Apple‘ to promote the famed Kashmiri apples in domestic and foreign markets.
• India‘s first floating elementary school particularly for drop outs has been inaugurated on Loktak lake at Langolsabi Leikai of Champu Khangpok floating village in Manipur on the occasion of World Wetlands Day on February 2, 2017. • Two prototypes Fast Breeder Reactors (PFBR) of 600 MW each will be constructed by the Department of Atomic Energy at Kalpakkam in Tamil Nadu. Note: Presently one of 500 MW capacities which is expected to go fully functional by October 2017. It will be the first PFBR in the world for commercial use. No other country has successfully able to execute this feat. • The Telangana government has launched India‘s first social innovation centre, ‗Kakatiya Hub for Social Innovation‘ in Nizamabad. It will function like a rural incubator to encourage entrepreneurship at the grassroots level. • A new district of Kalimpong was carved out of Darjeeling, which has seen separate statehood demands since 1980s, with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee making the formal announcement. • ―Swachh Survekshan 2017‖ has been launched to encourage competition to improve sanitation standards; the government has started a survey from 4th Jan, 2017, to rank 500 cities across the country on cleanliness. The survey will be conducted by Quality Council of India. • A web portal and a Mobile App for the Ujwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana – UDAY is launched by the Union Govt. With this initiative schemes for recognizing well-performing DISCOMs under UDAY will further encourage other states to join the scheme. • 104th Science Session held at Tirupati from 3rd – 7th Jan 2017. India has prepared a report on Ease of Doing Sciences‘ – new term invoked. • The world‘s largest LED street light replacement project completed by South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) in south Delhi wherein two lakh conventional street lights have been replaced with energy efficient LEDs. Presently the second phase of the project has been launched for installation of 75,000 more LED lights in the SDMC area with special focus on the installation of LED light in parks, dark spots and high mast lights. Note: The initiative under the Street Lighting National Programme being implemented by the Energy Efficiency Services Limited of Ministry of Power, will
save 6.10 crore units of electricity per year thus reducing the electricity bill by 54 per cent. • The 14th Pravasi Bhartiya Divas (PBD) convention held in Bengaluru in 7th – 9th Jan, 2017. The theme this year‘s PBD is ‗Role of Diaspora Youth in the Transformation of India‘. PBD is an important platform for engagement of the Central and state governments with the Overseas Indian Community. Note: The day commemorates the return of Mahatma Gandhi from South Africa in Bombay on 9 January 1915. • The Supreme Court on 10th Jan, 2017, directed the Kerala government to release the entire compensation to Endosulfan victims (over 5,000 - mostly newborns, and their families) in three months. The apex court has also instructed the State government to approach the Central government, State corporations and entities for the recovery of compensation. • India and UAE held their first strategic dialogue in New Delhi on 20th Jan 2017and inked 14 agreements in various areas to boost bilateral cooperation between both countries. The Crown Prince who is Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces is on a three-day visit. He was the chief guest of 2017 Republic Day Parade. Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE crown prince was the the Chief Guest at the Republic Day 2017. Note: Indians are the largest expatriate community in UAE comprising of nearly 20 per cent of its migrant population. • An Aadhaar-based mobile payment application called BHIM (Bharat Interface for Money) has been launched by the Union Govt. BHIM is a biometric and rebranded version of UPI (Unified Payment Interface) and USSD (Unstructured Supplementary Service Data). Note: Its objective is to minimize the role of plastic cards and point-of-sale machines, once believed essential for a less-cash society. • Union Govt has embarked an ambitious project, ‗Digital Village‘ to provide free WiFi hotspots at more than 1,000 gram panchayats. Apart from providing internet connectivity for mass use, the programme seeks to enable delivery of services like health and education. • Bihar on 21st Jan, 2017 witnessed the ‗longest human chain ever made‘ to support the prohibition enforced in the State since April 2016. Over three crore
people participated in the chain, stretching 11,400 km in all the 38 districts of the State. • ‗MumbaiWifi‘, India‘s largest public WiFi service has been launched by the Maharashtra government. The facility, inaugurated will initially provide 500 Wifi hotspots across various locations like Vidhan Bhawan, Kalanagar in Bandra, Bombay High Court and Mumbai Police Commissioner‘s office. • World famous 11-day gala festival Bargarh Dhanua Jatra held in Odisha setting the stage for all mythological places related to Lord Krishna. Note: Dhanu Jatra is the annual drama-based open air theatrical performance celebrated in and around Bargarh city and is considered to be the world‘s largest open air theatrical festival. • Yoga, India‘s one of the ancient practices has now been inscribed as an element in the UNESCO‘s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of humanity during the 11th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. • The Supreme Court made it mandatory for cinema halls to play the National anthem before the screening of a film in theatres across the country. It has exempted physically handicapped persons from standing. • ―Vittiya Saksharata Abhiyan‖, launched by Union Government to use the network of centrally-run educational institutions for propagating the benefits of digital mode of payment in wake of the government‘s demonetization move. • As per the Union Govt, it is now mandatory for all the NGOs and voluntary organizations (VOs) to register with NITI Aayog‘s NGO-DARPAN portal to receive grant-in-aid from ministries or departments of the central government. • The Indian Institute of Science makes into the top 15 for the first time this year, in 14th place, in the Times Higher Education BRICS & Emerging Economies University Rankings 2017. • The sixth ministerial Heart of Asia Conference, also known as Istanbul process, held in Amritsar, India on December 4, 2016. The theme for this year‘s conference is ‗Addressing Challenges, Achieving Prosperity‘. • Lifeline Express, the world‘s first hospital train, has been granted two additional coaches for cancer treatment to the existing five-coaches on 7th Dec, 2016.
• On 14th Dec, 2016, the Delhi High Court has held that a child ―born out of rape‖ is also entitled to receiving compensation, including ―maintenance and support‖. This is the first time that rights of a child born out of rape have been considered. • India has signed Rs 5,000 crore deal with the US for importing 145 M777 lightweight Howitzers for Indian Army. It is the first deal in artillery guns since the Bofors Scandal in the 1980s. • The Russian-Indian- Indra NAVY-2016 naval exercise held from 14th - 21st December in the city of Visakhapatnam and in the Bay of Bengal. The first Russian-Indian naval exercises were held in May 2003. • Konkan 16, the annual bilateral maritime exercise held between the Indian Navy and the Royal Navy (British Navy) held in Mumbai from 05 to 16 December 2016. The 2016 edition of the exercise is significant for maritime interactions between the two countries. • The ‗100 Million for 100 Million Campaign‘ organized by the Kailash Satyarthi Children‘s Foundation launched to end child labour, child slavery and violence against children. It is an effort to mobilize 100 million youth for shaping a better future of 100 million underprivileged children is the beginning of a change. • As per the a Pew research, India is the top country of origin of international migrants, with 15.6 million Indians living abroad, The report said nearly 3.5 million Indians lived in the UAE, the world‘s second-largest migration corridor. Note: The top five of international migrants are India (15.6 million), followed by Mexico (12.3 million), Russia (10.6 million), China (9.5 million) and Bangladesh (7.2 million). Top five destinations of migrants include the US (46.6 million), Germany (12.0 million), Russia (11.6 million), Saudi Arabia (10.2 million) and the United Kingdom (8.5 million). • India‘s first cashless bazaar held in Raipur. Over 900 shops of this ‗Smart‘ bazaar are now providing the customer the facilities of cashless payments using Point of sale (POS), Unified Payment Interface (UPI) and other digital systems. Chhattisgarh has trained over 5 lac 33 thousand people in cashless payments in first 10 days of training. • Haritha Keralam Mission launched by the State government. It is a comprehensive programme for creating new development perspectives by
maximum utilization of opportunities through waste management, water resources and agricultural development using organic farming. • Sahaj International School, the first residential transgender school in the country inaugurated on 30th December 2016 in Kochi. The school will be headed by six transgenders working with the TransIndia Foundation. • Aizawl became the first free Wi-Fi city in the North-East region. The free Wi-Fi facilities would enable the much needed internet accessibility to one and all. It is a pilot project of the Aizawl Municipal Corporation. • The sixth edition of the ―Sampriti-2016‖ joint military training exercise conducted between India and Bangladesh at Tangail, Dhaka from 05 to 18 November 2016 in Bangladesh. • In breach of the programme code governing content in news channel, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry of India ordered NDTV to go off air for a day. The order served on channel accuses channel of revealing sensitive operational details such as location of ammunition depot, place where terrorists were holed up, location of school and residential areas. • President Pranab Mukherjee visited Nepal on 5th Nov, 2016 over a ―mission of friendship‖ to strengthen the bilateral relationship and became the first Indian President to visit Nepal in 18 years. • For the first time, India has hosted the crucial global Tobacco Control Conference at Greater Noida on Nov, 7th, 2016. This was the 7th Session of the Conference of Parties to World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. To reduce tobacco consumption India ratified the treaty on February 27, 2005 and is obligated to comply with the treaty provisions and its guidelines. • Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of India has set Prime Minister Narendra Modi as its mascot of the ―Incredible India‖ campaign. • To promote islands as a year-long tourist destination and make the visitors aware of unity and diversity aspect of the islanders the ―home stay‖ project is being implemented by Andaman Nicobar Islands. • At the estimated cost of the project is Rs. 10,000 crore, Railways have announced to reduce the journey time between Delhi and Howrah and Mumbai by increasing the maximum speed of trains to 160 kmph. Earlier, the Railways
have introduced Gatimaan Express between Delhi and Agra that attains a peak speed of 160 kmph. • India on 11th Nov, 2016, signed a historic civilian nuclear deal with Japan during the annual bilateral summit held in Tokyo. The agreement will allow Japan to supply nuclear reactors, fuel and technology to India, which will be the first country that has not signed the Non-Proliferation Treaty to have such a deal with Tokyo. India is the first non-member of the non-proliferation treaty (NPT) to have signed such a deal with Japan. • Under the Jan-Aushadhi Kendra scheme launched by the Central Government, Generic Drugs stores have been launched at all district headquarters simultaneously. The Generic Drug stores launched in the state have been named as Pandit Dindayal Jan Aushadhi Kendra. Such stores will function 24 hours a day. • The Union Cabinet banned the NGO run by controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik for five years. It has declared it as an ―unlawful association‖ which disturbed social and communal harmony. • Project Insight is launched to nab tax evaders. It is the ministry‘s flagship project, aimed at widening the tax base by catching tax evaders using technology. • The Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan has been launched by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW), Government of India to provide fixed-day assured, comprehensive and quality antenatal care universally to all pregnant women on the 9th of every month. • The Supreme Court issued a blanket ban on the sale of firecrackers in the National Capital Region, citing the grave quality of air. The apex court banned fresh issuance of licence to sell firecrackers and suspended license already issued. • Government of India has set up seven Zonal Cultural Centres (ZCCs) with headquarters at Patiala, Nagpur, Udaipur, Allahabad, Kolkata, Dimapur and Thanjavur. This is done to protect and preserve various forms of art and folk art, cultural traditions, artists/artisans and to promote cultural development programmes.
• Transgender as a ―third gender‖ has been included alongside males and females in the Railway Ticket Reservation Forms (both online as well offline) by the Railways and Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation Limited (IRCTC). The inclusion is in compliance with an April 2014 judgment of the Supreme Court of India in the case of NALSA vs. Union of India. • Haji Ali trustees decided to provide equal access to women, allowing access to the inner sanctum. The trustees of Haji Ali Dargah, a 585-year-old shrine of Sayyed Peer Haji Ali Shah Bukhari located on an islet off the Mumbai coast, had decided to stop access of women sometime in 2011 calling the practice unIslamic. • The Sri Padmanabha Swamy Temple issued an order allowing women devotees to enter wearing churidars or salwars. The temple executive officer took the decision on a directive issued by the Kerala High Court on September 29, 2016. • In the first ever bilateral visit by an Indian Defence Minister to Bangladesh, Manohar Parrikar arives Dhaka on a two-day visit on 30 November, 2016. The armies of India and Bangladesh had recently concluded the sixth edition of joint military exercise ―Sampriti-2016‖ which focussed on counter-terrorism operations and the sources. • The World Bank has ranked Andhra Pradesh as number one in ‗Energy Efficiency Implementation Readiness‘ with an overall score of 42.01 followed by Rajasthan (41.89), Karnataka (39.34) and Maharashtra (39.29). The ranking figures in a study report of the bank titled: ‗India‘s State Level Energy Efficiency Implementation Readiness‘. • The third indigenously designed Kolkata-class guided missile destroyer, INS Chennai, which was built by the Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd. in Mumbai, commissioned into the Navy on November 21, 2016. • The Union government and Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed a $500 million loan for constructing India‘s longest river bridge across Ganga in Bihar. The road bridge (9.8-km-long ) project will improve road connectivity between north and south Bihar and will serve as a link between Patna and the surrounding areas. • As per recent publication of National Health Accounts –Estimates for India 2013-14, the total health expenditure as percentage of GDP is estimated at
4.02% for 2013-14. As per Economic Survey 2015-16 brought out by Ministry of Finance, public expenditure on health (Centre and States) as percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for 2015-16 is 1.3 %. • A Mobile Application ―R-MITRA‖ (Railway Mobile Instant Tracking Response & Assistance) has been launched by Eastern Railway for security of passengers especially women passengers in Kolkata and suburban areas of the zone. • The Centre announced a new committee, headed by Niti Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant, to form a strategy to expedite the process of transforming India into a cashless economy. Other members of the committee include the Financial Services Secretary; IT Secretary, DIPP Secretary; NCPI MD & CEO; Rural Development Secretary and Chairman NHAI. • To mark 70 years of India‘s Independence, a multimedia exhibition held with the theme - ‗Aazadi 70 Saal, Yaad Karo Kurbani‘ it has been organized by National Film Archives of India (NFAI) at the International Film Festival of India, IFFI in Goa. • The Army is providing free coaching to students in parts of the Valley under a new operation named ‗School Chalo‘. Educational institutions in the Valley have been closed for about five months now and over 30 schools burnt down. • Free Wifi connectivity plan launched in all villages in the Bidar South Assembly Constituency, becoming a digital constituency before 2017. The Wifi hotspot would be installed near the gram panchayat office and it would emit signals in a 100-metre radius. • Maharashtra has become the first state in the country to have cyber police station in each district. 42 state-of-the-art cyber crime labs were converted into cyber police stations. As per the statistics, cyber crime in Maharashtra has risen by 142.1% in the last few years. • The Maharashtra state cabinet on 15th Nov, 2016, approved a policy for 100 percent use of fly ash generated from thermal power plants and biogas plants for construction activities. With this Maharashtra has become the first state to adopt the Fly Ash Utilization Policy. This policy will create new employment opportunities in the power plant sector and pave way for prosperity by generating Wealth from Waste.
• Vanyukta Shivaar app has been launched by the Maharashtra state government to ensure survival of trees. This app will be used by guards, foresters, range forest officers, assistant conservator of forests and deputy conservator of forests on their smart phones. • Asia‘s first biogas-based power plant is operating on paddy straw for largescale biogas production in Fazilka, Punjab. An IIT-Delhi team has provided technical support to the plant system generating 1MW power. • A new plant has been announced by the Union Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to produce ethanol in Bathinda with an outlay of Rs 500 crore. This would put a stop to the burning of paddy which in turn would lead to reduction of pollution level in the environment. • Palampur Assembly Constituency in Kangra district has becomes the first eassembly constituency of the country. The resident of constituency now would not only know about the development works going on by one click on computer but they would also send their requirement about funds for different schemes in their respective areas online. • The first titanium project of India started its test production; it is being established by Saraf group in Ganjam district of Odisha. After inception this plant is expected to produce 36,000 tons of titanium slag and 20,000 tons of pig iron per year. • Prime Minister launched his flagship housing scheme ‗Pradhan Mantri Gramin Awas Yojna‘ in Agra on 20th November 2016. Designed entirely for the rural masses, the ambitious scheme aims to provide affordable houses to all those living below the poverty line by the year 2022. • India‘s longest expressway (302km), 6-lane expressway – ―Agra-Lucknow Expressway‖ was inaugurated by Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav. In a first of its kind event, eight fighter jets of the Indian Air Force, Sukhoi and Mirage 2000s jets performed simulated landings at Agra-Lucknow Expressway before the inauguration of the newly-built road.
(B) International • Japan PM Shinzo Abe dissolves lower house, calls snap election
➢Japan‘s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe dissolved the lower house of parliament and announced snap election for October as expected. • Iraq‟s Kurds say 92 percent voted in favor of independence ➢The Kurdish referendum on independence from Iraq was approved by more than 92 percent of voters, officials said, as Iraq‘s prime minister vowed to keep his country united without resorting to the use of force. ➢Even with the strong support, the non-binding vote is unlikely to lead to formal independence, but it has escalated long-running tensions with Baghdad, which has moved to block flights in and out of the Kurds‘ autonomous region. • Merkel wins fourth term ➢Chancellor Angela Merkel clinched a fourth term in Germany‘s election on Sunday, but her victory was clouded by the hard-right AfD party winning its first seats in parliament. • Israel and USA open first American military base in Israel ➢Israel and the US have inaugurated the first American military base on Israeli soil. The base‘s opening comes as Israel faces a slew of regional threats, especially from its arch-foe Iran. • China launches world‟s fastest bullet trains, zipping from Shanghai to Beijing at 350 km/h ➢China restored the maximum speed of bullet trains on the Beijing-Shanghai high-speed railway line to 350 kilometres per hour, making it the fastest commercially run train, six years after it reduced the speed due to a fatal accident. • Over 40 million people living in slavery worldwide: ILO ➢As per the 2017 Global Estimates of modern slavery released by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the Walk Free Foundation (WFF), an estimated 40.3 million people were victims of slavery worldwide. • Second Indian Workers‟ Resource Centre inaugurated in UAE
➢Indian Ambassador in UAE Navdeep Singh Suri inaugurated the second Indian Workers‘ Resource Centre (IWRC) in UAE to provide support and counseling to Indians in distress. ➢IWRC provides counseling and support to the overseas Indian Community on legal, personal and financial matters, free of cost. ➢The first IWRC was opened in Dubai in 2010. • North Korea claimed to test of hydrogen bomb ➢North Korea said it successfully tested a hydrogen bomb with ―unprecedentedly big power‖ that can be loaded onto an intercontinental ballistic missile. The test, ordered by Kim Jong Un. ➢Kim Jong-un is the Chairman of the Workers‘ Party of Korea (WPK) and supreme leader of the Democratic People‘s Republic of Korea (DPRK), commonly referred to as North Korea. • The BRICS Summit 2017 (The Ninth BRICS Summit) ➢The BRICS Summit 2017 was held in Xiamen, China. ➢The theme of the BRICS Summit 2017 was ‗BRICS: Stronger Partnership for a Brighter Future‘. ➢BRICS is the acronym for an association of five major emerging national economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. ➢Jim O‘Neill, Chairman of Goldman Sachs Asset management first published ―BRIC‖--the acronym for Brazil, Russia, India and China--in a Goldman Sachs economics paper titled ―Building Better Global Economic BRICs.‖ ➢The BRIC grouping‘s first formal summit, held in Yekaterinburg, Russia commenced on 16 June 2009. ➢Originally the first four were grouped as ―BRIC‖ (or ―the BRICs‖), before the induction of South Africa in 2010. ➢‗Xiamen Declaration‘ adopted by BRICS leaders at the BRICS Summit 2017.
• UJALA scheme has launched in Melaka, Malaysia ➢Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), under Ministry of Power, Government of India has launched UJALA (Unnat Jyoti by Affordable Lighting for All) Scheme in the State of Melaka, Malaysia. • Swiss President Doris Leuthard visited India ➢Swiss President Doris Leuthard was on a three-day visit to India during which both sides held extensive talks on entire gamut of bilateral relationship including on ways to ramp up trade and investment ties. • Justin Trudeau Attended a Tamil Street Fest in Canada ➢Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau joined over 2,00,000 people in Toronto at the biggest Tamil diaspora festival that showcased Tamil culture, heritage and cuisine. ➢Justin Trudeau government has declared January as Tamil Heritage Month in Canada. • Fourth India-EU Cyber Dialogue ➢The Fourth India-EU Cyber Dialogue was held in New Delhi on August 29, 2017. The Indian Delegation was led by Mr. Sanjay Kumar Verma, OSD (AD) Ministry of External Affairs. • China invited five countries as guests for BRICS summit ➢China has invited Egypt, Kenya, Tajikistan, Mexico and Thailand as guest countries for the BRICS summit but clarified that the invitation is not an attempt to expand the group under its ‗BRICS Plus‘ approach. • Kenya‟s Supreme Court declares presidential vote invalid, calls for new polls ➢Kenya‘s Supreme Court has nullified President Uhuru Kenyatta‘s election win last month and called for new elections within 60 days. ➢No Kenyan presidential election has ever been nullified and the ruling shocked a country that had been braced for further protests by opposition supporters.
• World‟s tallest sandcastle built in Germany ➢An international team of sand artists have built the world‘s tallest sandcastle in Germany. ➢After almost a month of construction, the finished sandcastle stood at 16.68 metres and was officially recognised by Guinness World Records as the tallest sandcastle in the world. • Sushma Swaraj attended BIMSTEC meeting in Nepal ➢External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj arrived at Kathmandu to participate in the 15th BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting. ➢During the two-day meet, Foreign ministers of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) countries has reviewed the progress in identified fourteen areas of cooperation and discuss ways to accelerate cooperation. ➢BIMSTEC is an international organisation involving a group of countries in South Asia and South East Asia. These are: Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan and Nepal. • China launches its first cyber court ➢China launched its first cyber court specialising in handling internet-related cases in the e-commerce hub of Hangzhou amid a spike in the number of online disputes. • Nepal PM on four-day visit to India ➢Sher Bahadur Deuba, the Prime Minister of Nepal, was on a state visit to India from 23-27 August 2017 at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. ➢This is Mr Deuba‘s first visit abroad after assuming the office of Prime Minister of Nepal in June 2017. ➢ Mr Deuba also offered prayers in the famous hill shrine of Lord Venkateswara in Tirumala. • Pakistan has hoisted South Asia‟s largest flag at Wagah border
➢Pakistan has hoisted South Asia‘s largest flag at Wagah border to commence the 70th Independence Day celebrations in this year. ➢Pakistan‘s Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa was the chief guest at the ceremony, attended by hundreds of people. ➢The flag, made entirely in Pakistan, is 120 feet by 80 feet in size, making it world‘s eighth largest one. • ASEAN 50: 50th Year of Being One ASEAN‟ ➢The Philippines‘ ASEAN chairmanship (2017) coincides with a historic milestone event—the 50th anniversary of the founding of ASEAN. ➢Founded in 1967, ASEAN has since matured into a community focused on economic integration and growth, and consensus-building. ➢ASEAN is both the world‘s seventh-largest market and third-largest labor force, and has been projected to become the fourth-largest economic bloc by 2030. ➢The theme of the 50th ASEAN Summit is ―Partnering for change, engaging the world‖. • U.S.A. formally notifies U.N. of intention to withdraw from Paris climate pact ➢The U.S. has submitted its formal communication to the U.N. indicating that it will withdraw from the 2015 Paris Climate agreement as soon as possible. • China, Hong Kong launch long-awaited bond connect scheme ➢China and Hong Kong launched a long-awaited ―Bond Connect‖ programme that links China‘s $9-trillion bond market with overseas investors, the latest step in Beijing‘s efforts to liberalise and strengthen the country‘s capital markets. ➢HSBC Holdings and an asset management unit of Bank of China said they have completed their first trades using the scheme. • India, Israel to set up $40 mn research fund “I4F”
➢India and Israel announced a strategic partnership between the two countries after a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu, and signed seven agreements in the fields of water, agriculture, space, including a $40 million joint fund for research and development in innovation. ➢The fund of research and development, called the ―I4F‖ or India Israel Industrial Innovation Fund, will see both governments contribute $20 million to help research scholars manufacture their inventions easily. • Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Hamburg for G20 summit ➢Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited German city Hamburg to attend the G20 Summit. He attended the summit hosted by Germany on July 7 to 8. ➢The theme of the summit this year is ‗Shaping an Inter-connected World‘ ➢The G20, founded in 1999, comprises a mix of the world‘s largest and emerging economies, representing about two—thirds of the world‘s population, 85 per cent of global gross domestic product and over 75 % of global trade. • China sends troops to Djibouti, establishes first overseas military base ➢China dispatched members of its People‘s Liberation Army to the Horn of Africa nation of Djibouti to man the rising its first overseas military base. ➢Djibouti, barren nation sandwiched between Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somalia also hosts the US, Japanese and French bases. It is at the southern entrance to the Red Sea on the route to the Suez Canal. • France and Germany to develop new joint fighter jet ➢France and Germany unveiled plans to develop a European fighter jet as part of a raft of measures to tighten defence and security cooperation. • World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) sets up support centre in Punjab ➢World Intellectual Property Organization, a specialised agency of the United Nations, has decided to set up its first Technology and Innovation Support
Centre (TISC) in India at the Punjab State Council for Science and Technology (PSCST). • Malabar Naval Exercise‟ ➢The US, Japanese and Indian navies began the Malabar Naval Exercise-2017, the 21st edition of the exercise aimed at achieving deeper military ties between the three nations. • First Australian Uranium shipment to India ➢The first ever shipment of uranium from Australia -- having world‘s biggest reserves of uranium -- is on its way to India elevating strategic partnership to a new level. ➢India and Australia signed a civil nuclear pact in 2014 and Canberra has been a supporter of India‘s entry into the NSG besides other export control regimes. • World‟s first floating wind farm emerges off coast of Scotland ➢The world‘s first full-scale floating wind farm Peterhead wind farm, known as Hywind has started to take shape off the north-east coast of Scotland. • The 5th International Forum for Technological Development TECHNOPROM-2017 ➢The 5th International Forum for Technological Development TECHNOPROM2017 was held at Novosibirsk, Russia on 21 June 2017. • India, Russia sign agreement for two more units at Kudankulam ➢The two sides are expected to announce, or at least finalise, the MoU for the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project units 5&6. ➢―We have had discussions with many countries, but Russia has emerged as the only country with which we have successfully collaborated in the atomic power sector,‖ said Indian Ambassador to Russia Pankaj Saran. ➢Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit was the first Indian Ambassador to Soviet Union after Independence. • Elon Musk, resigns from President‟s advisory council
➢United States President Donald Trump‘s decision to quit the Paris climate accord drew swift opposition from some of the most influential business leaders in the country, including the heads of Disney, GE and Goldman Sachs. ➢Tesla boss Elon Musk carried out his threat to resign from the President‘s advisory council shortly after Mr. Trump made his Rose Garden announcement. Disney Chief Bob Iger quickly followed his lead. • Indian-origin gay Minister Leo Varadkar set to become Ireland‟s youngest PM ➢Leo Varadkar, an Indian-origin doctor and Ireland‘s first openly gay Minister, won the leadership race for the ruling party to become the Ireland‘s youngestever and first homosexual Prime Minister-in-waiting. • Austria to ban burqas from October ➢New Austrian law came into force that will ban the full-face Islamic veil in public places from October 1. ➢People who break the law could be fined up to €150. • Two Sikh MPs win on Labour ticket in Britain ➢Two Sikh MPs won seats for the Labour Party in election. ➢Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi, who is the first turban-wearing Sikh to enter Parliament, won Slough, increasing Labour‘s share of the votes by 14.4%. ➢Preet Kaur Gill won from Birmingham Edbaston to become the first Sikh woman MP. • De Beers, Namibia launch world‟s biggest diamond exploration ship ➢Anglo American‘s diamond unit De Beers launched the world‘s largest diamond exploration vessel off the coast of Namibia as it looks to maintain high production levels until 2035. ➢The 12,000-tonne, 113-metre-long SS Nujoma was built at a cost of $157 million and is named after Sam Nujoma, Namibia‘s founding president.
• China offers to build dam in Gilgit-Baltistan that ADB, World Bank refused to fund ➢Pakistan claimed that China has offered to make a dam project on the Indus River that India objects to, a part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), said the state-run Radio Pakistan. ➢The information about the project, the Diamer-Bhasha Dam, was conveyed by Pakistan‘s state-run power utility to a committee of the country‘s National Assembly. ➢The Diamer-Bhasha Dam is a project that both the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have refused to touch because India objects to its location, which is in the Gilgit-Baltistan region. ➢India claims the region is a part of Kashmir. • IS destroys 840-year-old al-Nuri mosque in Mosul ➢The Islamic State group destroyed Mosul‘s al-Nuri mosque and its iconic leaning minaret known as al-Hadba when fighters detonated explosives inside the structures, Iraq‘s Ministry of Defense said. • World‟s biggest tech incubator opens in Paris ➢Paris took a step closer to fulfilling its ambition of becoming Europe‘s technology capital when President Emmanuel Macron inaugurated Station F, the world‘s largest start-up incubator on the banks of the Seine. • Banksy unveils first Brexit mural ➢British street artist Banksy has created his first mural inspired by Brexit, showing a workman chipping away at one of the stars on the European Union flag. • US think-tank launches web portal to track Indian states ➢An initiative of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), the online web portal the ‗Engaging Indian States,‘ was launched by Griffin Thompson, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Energy
Transformation and Richard Rossow, senior adviser and Wadhwani Chair in the US-India Policy Studies. • Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in India on four-day visit ➢ Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas arrived on a four-day visit during which he will hold extensive talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on key bilateral, regional and international issues, including the Middle East peace process. This is his fifth visit to India since 2005. • Iran sets new terms for gas field award ➢ In fresh conditions, Iran wants India to pay more than triple the gas price for award of the coveted Farzad-B natural gas block to ONGC Videsh (OVL). ➢ Iran wants India to buy all of the natural gas to be produced from the Persian Gulf block at a price equivalent to the rate Qatar charges for selling liquefied natural gas (LNG) to India under a long-term deal. • India skips China‟s Belt and Road Forum, no delegation seen at opening ceremony ➢ India skipped the opening ceremony of China‘s Belt and Road Forum following sovereignty concerns over the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). ➢ The Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-century Maritime Silk Road or also known as the Belt and Road Initiative, proposed by Chinese president Xi Jinping that focuses on connectivity and cooperation among countries primarily between the People‘s Republic of China and the rest of Eurasia, which consists of two main components, the land-based ―Silk Road Economic Belt‖ (SREB) and oceangoing ―Maritime Silk Road‖ (MSR). • US, six Gulf nations join hands to curb terror financing ➢ The six countries along with the US are Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE have joined hands to curb financing of dreaded terror groups such as Islamic State, Lashkar-e-Taiba, the Haqqani network and Taliban. • Taiwan‟s high court paves the way for same-sex marriage, a first in Asia
➢ Taiwan‘s highest court paved the way for Asia‘s first law allowing same-sex marriage, a reflection of widespread support for LGBTQ causes that has sprung from three decades of democracy. • Donald Trump becomes first sitting US president to visit Western Wall ➢ Donald Trump became the first sitting US president to visit the Western Wall in the disputed city of Jerusalem. The Western Wall is the holiest site where Jews can pray. • Petersburg Climate Dialogue ➢ The eighth edition of Petersburg Climate dialogue was held in Germany. The Petersburg Dialogue is an annual informal ministerial consultation which is cohosted by the German government and the chair of the annual UN-sponsored climate negotiations. ➢ The effort was initiated in 2010 by German chancellor Angela Merkel following the failure to secure a global agreement on climate change at Copenhagen in 2009. • Russia building first „floating‟ nuclear power plant ➢ Russia is in advanced stages of building the world‘s first ―floating‖ nuclear power plant (FNPP) for installation in remote areas and hopes FNPP technology will also interest South Asian countries like India. ➢ The first floating NPP is to operate in Russia‘s extreme northeastern region of Chukotka, where there is plenty of oil and gas exploration, gold mining and other mineral resource enterprises. • Indo-Thailand Siam Bharat 17: HADR ➢ The India-Thailand Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) Table Top Exercise 2017 was held from May 22-26 at Chiang Mai in Thailand between the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Royal Thailand Air Force (RTAF). • Hundreds of thousands evacuated as cyclone Mora hits Bangladesh
➢ Cyclone Mora hit Bangladesh packing winds of up to 117 kilometres per hour (73mph) after authorities evacuated hundreds of thousands of people from lowlying coastal villages. • eMigrate violates our sovereignty: UAE envoy ➢ The United Arab Emirates, one of the largest employers of Indians in the Gulf, has raised a red flag with the Ministry of External Affairs over the government‘s flagship eMigrate programme over what it terms as ―sovereignty issues.‖ ➢ After hundreds of complaints from workers about mistreatment, the MEA‘s Overseas Affairs department (then a separate ministry) had in 2015 set up a database initiative called the eMigrate programme, that gathers extensive information on emigrants as well as foreign employers, their companies and recruiting agents. • Bhutan out of vehicle pact ➢ India‘s plan for a sub-regional motor vehicle agreement faced a setback, as the Bhutan government announced that it is not ready to go ahead with the process at present. ➢ It asked the other members of the ‗BBIN‘ grouping India, Bangladesh and Nepal to continue to operationalise it without Bhutan. • Australia wants a LEMOA ➢ Australia has put forward a proposal to have a logistics support agreement with India on the lines of the one concluded with the U.S. ➢ However, yet to take a call on it, India has said that it would first like to get the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Understanding (LEMOA) with the U.S. operational. • Wikipedia launches news service ➢ Wikipedia is launching a project aimed at reshaping the news media called WikiTribune.
➢ WikiTribune aims to tackle the epidemic of fake news and misinformation by using crowd-sourcing — or the broad online community of journalists and others as fact checkers. • Iran offers India to run phase one of Chabahar Port ➢ India‘s presence in the strategically located Iranian port of Chabahar, Delhi‘s primary gateway to landlocked Afghanistan is all set to get a big boost. ➢ Tehran has recently proposed to Delhi to manage phase one of the port built by Iran even as the two sides are still negotiating terms and conditions of Delhi‘s role in expanding phase two of the port where the Modi government wants to invest Rs 150 crore, or $235 million. • Pakistan‟s Gwadar port leased to Chinese company for 40 years ➢ A state-run Chinese company will handle the operations of Pakistan‘s strategic Gwadar port for a period of 40 years. China Overseas Port Holding Company (COPHC) would carry out all the development work on the port on the Arabian Sea. • Philippine President Duterte wins TIME 100 Reader Poll ➢ Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has won Time magazine‘s readers‘ poll of the 100 most influential people in the world. Duterte, who has made lewd remarks against the US, its former president Barack Obama and several others, received 5 per cent of the total ―yes‖ votes in the poll. • Nepal, China hold first-ever joint military exercises “Sagarmatha Friendship 2017” ➢ Nepal and China began their first-ever joint military exercise with a special focus on combating terror, amidst Beijing‘s increasing forays into South Asia causing concern in India. • U.S. hits Afghan IS base with „largest‟ bomb ➢ The U.S. dropped a massive GBU-43 bomb (Mother of All Bomb), the largest non-nuclear bomb it has ever used in combat, in eastern Afghanistan on a series of caves used by Islamic State militants.
➢ It was the first time the U.S. used a bomb of this size in a conflict. The ordnance was dropped from an MC-130 aircraft in the Achin district of Nangarhar province, close to the border with Pakistan. • Indo - Mongolian Joint Exercise: Nomadic Elephant ➢ Twelfth iteration of Indo - Mongolian Joint Military Exercise Nomadic Elephant is taken place at Vairengte from 05 April 2017 to 18 April 2017. • „Donkey Development Programme‟: Pakistan plans to export donkeys to China ➢ Pakistan is planning to sell donkeys to China after an investment of Rs 1 billion in its ‗Donkey Development Programme‘, in a bid to attract Chinese investors in the northwestern Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province. ➢ Steps are being initiated to increase the population of donkeys in the province as the animals are highly valued in China for its hide which is used to manufacture medicines among other things. • Sri Lanka, the island country in South Asia has won the ‗Most Popular Tourism Destination Award‘ at the Guangzhou International Travel Fair (GITF) in China. The GITF is South China‘s leading travel Expo drawing affluent travel enthusiasts every year from mainland China. • Women in Politics map was jointly launched by UN Women and Inter Parliamentary Union (IPU). It represents the political empowerment of women on the sidelines of the ongoing session of the Commission on the Status of Women. India stood at 88th position in a list of 186 countries with 18.5% of women appointed in ministerial positions as on 1st January 2017. • Ireland has become the first country in the world to divest coal, oil and gas investments from Ireland Strategic Investment Fund. The bill was passed in the Irish parliament by gaining 53 votes out of 90. It was introduced by Deputy Thomas Pringle. • The world‘s longest elevated cycle path has been opened in Xiamen, China which can handle about 2,023 cyclists with a speed limit of 15 miles per hour. The path is five miles long and 16 feet wide having 11 entrances and connects to 11 bus stops and two underground rail stations. The architecture firm responsible
is Copenhagen-based firm Dissing + Weitling, known for the creation of the Danish Bicycle Snake cycle route. • Venezuela and Libya have been suspended from voting in the UN General Assembly for the second time in two years because of millions of dollars in unpaid dues to the world body. • Note: The Assembly decided that six countries would lose their votes in the 2016-2017 sessions because they‘re over two years in arrears. Sums are far smaller for the other countries: Papua New Guinea, Sudan, Vanuatu and Cabo Verde, formerly called Cape Verde. • Iran‘s navy has test-fired the latest versions of the Nasr and Dehlaviyeh missiles during military exercises in the Gulf. A laser-guided missile had also been successfully tested. • Finland has become the first country in Europe to pay its unemployed citizens a basic monthly income, amounting to 560 euros (USD 587) w.e.f. January 1, 2017. • As per the UN, at least 10,000 people were killed and over 40,000 people injured in Yemen since the conflict between the Houthis and the Government escalated in March 2015. The UN lists the conflict in Yemen as one of the world‘s worst humanitarian crises. • Britain has sought Indian assistance in resolving current tensions between the U.K., the U.S. and Mauritius over the future of the U.S. military base Diego Garcia, and the Indian Ocean Chagos Archipelago. • According to the judgment of a British High Court, Engineering giant RollsRoyce engaged middlemen for swinging defence contracts in India between 2005 and 2009 violating Indian laws. At least two major defence deals — Advanced Jet Trainer Hawk aircraft for the Indian Air Force and Pegasus engines for the Navy‘s Sea Harrier aircraft — involved illegal kickbacks, according to the judgment. • President Donald Trump formally pulled the US out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) by signing an executive action on 23rd Jan, 2017 to withdraw from the negotiating process of the 12-nation trade deal. TPP is aimed to set trade rules for the 21st century and bind US allies against growing Chinese economic clout. TPP signatories are Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan,
Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States and Brunei together represent 40 per cent of the world economy. • Japan has decided to assist in the development of Chennai, Ahmedabad and Varanasi as smart cities. So far, leading countries have come forward to be associated with development of 15 smart cities. These include: United States Trade Development Agency (USTDA) –Visakhapatnam, Ajmer and Allahabad, UK-Pune, Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh) and Indore, France-Chandigarh, Puducherry and Nagpur and Germany –Bhubaneswar, Coimbattore and Kochi. • Maldives, is the only country to have achieved malaria eradication in the WHO‘s South-East Asian region consisting of 11 countries. • British Prime Minister Theresa May won a vote in Parliament backing her timetable for negotiating Britain‘s exit from the European Union. • In China, an ancient city walls and more than 1000 tombs have been excavated in the southeastern Beijing. The city dates back to 25-220 AD to the eastern Han Dynasty. • Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro announced 100 bolivar bill, country‘s largest currency, out of circulation on 12th Dec, 2016. • The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has granted Observer Status to the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the world‘s largest business organisation representing more than six million members in over 100 countries. • Pakistan Army on 14th Dec, 2016, successfully test fired an enhanced version of an indigenously-designed cruise missile, named as ‗Babur‘. It is an advanced aerodynamics and avionics that can target land and sea with range of 700 km. • The world‘s highest bridge has opened in south-west China. The Beipanjiang Bridge is raised 564 metres (1,854 feet) above the Beipan River in mountainous south-west China. It is connecting two provinces in the mountainous south-west and reducing travel times by as much as three-quarters. • The world‘s longest tunnel became operational carrying passengers deep under the Swiss Alps from Zurich to Lugano. The Swiss national rail service (SBB) had announced that Sunday would mark the start of normal commercial traffic through the 57-kilometre (35-mile) GBT, which took 17 years to build, at a cost of over 12 billion Swiss francs ($11.8 billion, 11.2 billion euros).
• Prime Minister Shinzo Abe became the first Japanese leader to visit Pearl Harbour, Hawaii. Pearl Harbour is a site of sneak attack by Japan that provoked America into entering World War II, to reinforce ―the power of reconciliation‖. • President of Kyrgyzstan Almazbek Sharshenovich Atambayev visited India for the first time in his capacity as President to attend a Joint Business Forum in Dec, 2016 • China opens world‘s highest hanging (565 m) bridge to traffic at a hight of 1,854 feet above a gorge in southwestern China. The Beipanjiang Bridge, built at the cost of 1.023 billion yuan (about $140 million), spans 1.34 km (0.83 miles) between Xuanwei city in Yunnan province and Shuicheng county in Guizhou. • The Global Climate conference held in Morocco, Marrakech on 7th – 18th, November, 2016. India pushed the agenda of sustainable lifestyle at the conference. • Japan ratified the 2015 Paris Climate Change Agreement to decrease emissions and prevent climate change. The global pact officially entered into effect on 4th Nov, 2016. The agreement seeks to limit the rise in average world temperatures to well below 2.0 degrees Celsius above pre industrial times by the second half of the century. • On Nov, 10th 2016, Donald J. Trump defeated Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton. With this win he became the 45th and the oldest person to be elected President. • India and China have agreed to open a 24x7 hotline to exchange information on fake currency notes. • On Nov, 10th, 2016, after a 10-year legal tussle — Rubik‘s Cube( a toy), a multicolored three-dimensional puzzle, lost a key trademark battle after the European court of justice (ECJ) said its shape was not sufficient to grant it protection from copycat versions. It is invented in 1974 by Hungarian sculptor and architect Prof Ern Rubik. • The World Bank has ―urged‖ India and Pakistan to agree to mediation on how to proceed in their dispute over two hydropower dam projects in Jammu and Kashmir. The dispute is over the Kishenganga (330 MW) and Ratle (850 MW) hydel plants India is constructing on the Kishenganga and Chenab rivers.
• A joint military training, Surya Kiran-X was conducted at Army Battle School (NABS), Saljhandi, Nepal from 31 October to 13 November 2016 between India and Nepal. It was the tenth such Indo-Nepal joint training exercise between the two nations. It provided platform to the two countries to share their experiences on Counter Terrorists Operations and Disaster Management. • A Friendship Motor Car Rally flagged off from India Gate lawns in Delhi to Bangkok. The objective of the rally is to improve connectivity by road in the South-East Asian region and to sensitize the stakeholders of India Myanmar and Thailand Motor Vehicle Agreement regarding potential benefits of such a regulatory regime. • A trade route linking southwestern Gwadar port to the Chinese city of Kashgar has been inaugurated in Pakistan as part of a joint multi-billion-dollar project for economic growth in the South Asian country. The $46 billion project is an extension of China‘s ―One Belt, One Road‖ initiative and encompasses a series of infrastructure, power and transport upgrades that Islamabad hopes will kickstart its long-underperforming economy. • International Solar Alliance (ISA) an initiative that is the brainchild of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been signed by over 20 sunshine countries. The framework agreement of ISA was opened for signatures on the sidelines of CoP22 to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change at Marrakech, in Morocco.ISA is an alliance of 121 solar resource-rich tropical countries lying fully or partially between two tropics and who are also UN members. • U.S. President Barack Obama declared portions of the Arctic (Chukchi Sea and Beaufort Sea) off-limits for oil exploration for the next five years. The decision means new oil and gas exploration leasing in the Chukchi Sea and Beaufort Sea will not be considered until after 2022. Chukchi Sea and Beaufort Sea is marginal sea of the Arctic Ocean. • Pope Francis has named 17 new cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church from around the world, many of whom will help choose his successor. The new cardinals come from five continents and include the Vatican‘s envoy to Syria. He also declared on 21st Nov, 2016, that all priests would have the right to forgive abortion. This announcement made a temporary measure permanently put in place for the Vatican‘s jubilee year. 2016 has been the ‗Year of Mercy‘. Symbolically it‘s been interpreted as a major gesture of outreach to women.
• America‘s newest warship, the super high-tech USS Zumwalt, broke down in the Panama Canal. The warship was enroute from Baltimore to San Diego.
(C) Business and Economy • India jumps to 14th rank as best country for expats: HSBC Survey ➢India leapt up the global rankings by 12 places to take the 14th spot in terms of best country for expats to live and work in, says an HSBC survey. ➢The list, which is topped by Singapore, is part of HSBC‘s latest ‗expat explorer survey‘ that covered 27,587 expats from 159 countries and territories in March and April this year. • India will be a $6 trillion economy in 10 years: Morgan Stanley report ➢India is expected to be a US $6 trillion economy -- the third largest in the world -- in the next 10 years, majorly helped by digitisation, says a report. ➢According to global brokerage Morgan Stanley, India‘s digitisation will provide a boost of 50-75 basis points to GDP growth and forecast that India will grow to US $6 trillion economy and achieve upper-middle income status by 2026-27. • Amazon launches B2B online marketplace in India ➢Amazon has launched a marketplace for small and medium enterprises to buy products from its online platform, taking on German retail giant Metro AG, which has a cash-and-carry business in India, and Nandan Nilekani-backed Power2SME. • IDBI Bank initiates „Project Nishchay‟ to improve financial performance ➢Public sector lender IDBI Bank has initiated a turnaround plan - ‗Project Nishchay‘ in consultation with The Boston Consulting Group (BCG). • Union Cabinet approved Interbank Local Currency Credit Line Agreement ➢The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given its approval to the signing of the (i) Interbank Local Currency Credit Line Agreement and (ii) Cooperation Memorandum Relating to Credit Ratings by Exim
Bank with participating member banks under BRICS Interbank Cooperation Mechanism. ➢As both the Agreement and the MoU are umbrella pacts, and are non-binding in nature, the Board of Directors of Exim Bank has been authorized to negotiate and conclude any individual contracts and commitments within their framework. • Minister of Communication Shri Manoj Sinha to launch the first ever India Mobile Congress 2017 ➢The Minister of Communication Shri Manoj Sinha announced DoT‘s first ever Mobile, Internet and Technology event in India - India Mobile Congress 2017, which was held from, 27th September till 29th September 2017 at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. • India slips a notch in global competitiveness ➢India‘s rank is down by a single position in the World Economic Forum‘s annual Global Competitiveness Index. ➢It places India at 40th among 137 economies for the 2017-18 report, down from 39th position in 2016-17. However, this is the country‘s highest score, under a new methodology. ➢In 2016-17, India had jumped 16 positions, from 55th rank a year before. ➢Of the three sub-indexes, India has progressed the most in the efficiency enhancers category, up four positions to 42nd rank. • Apple world‟s most valuable brand ➢Apple topped the charts, with Google and Microsoft taking the second and third spots in the list of the world‘s most valuable brands released by Interbrand. ➢Half of the 10 brands at the top of the Best Global Brands 2017 list are in the technology sector — Apple, Google, Microsoft, Samsung, and Facebook. • Reliance Industries world‟s third largest energy firm: Platts rankings ➢Reliance Industries (RIL) and Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) have made big leaps in the global energy sector this year, according to the latest S&P Global
Platts Top 250 Global Energy Company Rankings, which saw Russia‘s Gazprom end American giant ExxonMobil‘s 12-year reign at No.1. Germany-based energy company E.ON SE ranked second. ➢While RIL improved its position by five places to third, IOC breached the top 10 for the first time and was placed seventh against last year‘s fourteenth. ➢The Platts Top 250 Global Energy Company Rankings was launched in 2002 to recognise the top financial performers in the sector. • Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set up economic advisory council ➢Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set up a five-member panel of economists headed by NITI Aayog member Bibek Debroy to advise him. ➢The economic advisory council includes NITI Aayog‘s Principal Advisor Ratan Watal as its member and economists Surjit Bhalla, Rathin Roy and Ashima Goyal as part-time members. • Maharashtra 1st state to form RERA arbitration panel ➢Maharashtra will be the first state in India to form a conciliation committee under the new Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act (RERA), comprising a panel representing builders and consumer groups to arbitrate complaints. • India gets its first high horsepower loco from France ➢India‘s dream for high horsepower locomotive moved closer to reality with the arrival of the first bodyshell of 12000 HP loco from Alstom France at Kolkata port September 20. • SBI tops trust and popularity charts ➢State Bank of India (SBI) is India‘s most trusted and most popular bank according to a survey conducted by Brand Finance, a business valuation and strategic consultancy headquartered in London. ➢On the trust charts, SBI is followed by HDFC Bank and Central Bank of India whereas on the popularity charts, ICICI Bank and HDFC Bank take the second and third spots respectively.
• HDFC Bank Launches „EasyEMI‟ Pre-Approved Loan ➢HDFC Bank announced the launch of EasyEMI on debit cards, enabling its customers to make payments for items purchased using their debit cards. • Airtel bank enables UPI payments ➢Airtel Payments Bank said it has become the first payments bank in India to integrate the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) on its digital platform. • Google buys HTC talent for $1.1 billion to spur devices push ➢Google agreed to buy part of HTC Corp.‘s engineering and design teams for $1.1 billion to bolster the U.S. internet giant‘s nascent hardware business. • Bengaluru, Delhi top air traffic growth in 2016 ➢Airports in Bengaluru and Delhi showed the fastest growth in passenger traffic in 2016 among global peers, aided by a surge in domestic air travel and introduction of new routes. ➢With a 22.5 per cent growth, the Bengaluru airport was ranked first among airports handling 15-million-plus passengers annually. ➢Delhi, which recorded 21 per cent year-on-year (y-o-y) growth, bagged the first position ahead of Incheon (South Korea) and Kunming (China), among airports handling 40-million-plus passengers a year. • London continues as world‟s top finance centre ➢London remains the globe‘s most attractive financial centre, extending its lead over New York despite Britain‘s looming departure from the European Union. ➢London was placed first, followed by New York, Hong Kong and Singapore in the Z/Yen global financial centres index (GFCI), which ranks 92 financial centres on factors such as infrastructure and access to high quality staff. • India at 103 ranks on Global Human Capital Index ➢India has been placed at a low 103 rank, the lowest among BRICS economies, on the WEF‘s Global Human Capital Index, which has been topped by Norway.
• India Ranks 128th in Meeting UN‟s 2030 Health Target ➢India ranks 128th in terms of meeting the UN‘s health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, with low scores on air pollution, sanitation, hepatitis B and child wasting. ➢Singapore, Iceland and Sweden were the highest performing countries in terms of the overall health- related SDGs. ➢Somalia, Central African Republic, and Afghanistan ranked lowest. • Google had launched a payment app „Tez‟ in India ➢Joining the digital payment bandwagon in India, Google has launchede a Unified Payments Interface (UPI)-based digital payment service called ―Tez‖. ➢Google has partnered with four banks — Axis Bank, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank and State Bank of India (SBI) — for the solution. • Connaught Place Ranked World‟s 10th Most Expensive Office Location ➢New Delhi‘s Connaught Place has slipped one position to become tenth most expensive office location in the world with an annual rent of $111 per sq ft, according to property consultant CBRE. ➢Mumbai‘s Bandra Kurla Complex is at 16th rank while Nariman Point is at 30th position in the CBRE‘s latest report Global Prime Office Rent H1 2017. ➢Asia dominated the top ten most expensive markets in the world, with Hong Kong holding two of the top three most expensive office markets. • In a first, foreign exchange reserves have touched $400 billion ➢The country‘s foreign exchange reserves have touched $400 billion for the first time. ➢Four years after the rupee hit a historic low the RBI‘s forex kitty has swelled by more than $125 billion. In 2017, foreign exchange reserves increased by $40 billion. ➢The reserves act as a buffer to be used in challenging times.
• IndusInd Bank and Bharat Financial Inclusion sign exclusivity agreement for merger ➢Private sector lender IndusInd Bank controlled by the Hinduja Group and India‘s second largest microfinance company Bharat Financial Inclusion have signed a confidentiality agreement for the proposed merger between them. • Mindtree opens first global innovation hub in U.S. ➢Bengaluru-based technology services and digital transformation company Mindtree, inaugurated its first international Digital Pumpkin innovation hub located at its Warren, New Jersey office. • GIC Re climbs up in global ranking ➢Public sector reinsurer GIC Re has got a leg-up from the global rating agencies like Standard Poor‘s and AM Best. ➢Both the rating agencies in their latest global ranking list of 25 top international reinsurers have upgraded the GIC Re by two notches to the 12th position from 14th. ➢While two other Asian reinsurers China Re (8th), Korea Re (10th) have found mention in the AM Best list, China Re (8th) and Japanese insurer MS&AD Insurance Group Holdings (10th position) are above GIC Re in S&P list. • ADB, IndusInd Bank partner to provide finance to women borrowers ➢The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has signed a loan of up to $200 million with IndusInd Bank to provide finance to low-income women borrowers in rural India. • Star India won IPL media rights for five years ➢In a master stroke, Star India has bid a whopping Rs 16,347.5 crore for acquiring all the media rights of Indian Premier League (IPL) for 5 years. • China bans initial Bitcoin offerings calling them „illegal fundraising‟ ➢Bitcoin tumbled the most since July after China‘s central bank said initial Bitcoin offerings are illegal and asked all related fundraising activity to be halted
immediately, issuing the strongest regulatory challenge so far to the burgeoning market for digital token sales. • India loses out to China to become world‟s 2nd fastest growing aviation ➢Losing the top position to neighbouring China, India became the world‘s second fastest growing domestic aviation market in July, according to global airlines‘ body IATA. • Amazon opened largest fulfilment centre near Hyderabad ➢The multinational e-commerce giant Amazon opened its biggest facility in the country at the Rajeev Gandhi International Airport, Shamshabad (Hyderabad). • U.S. shuts down Habib Bank‟s operations ➢The U.S.A. shut down Pakistan‘s largest lender Habib Bank‘s operations and slapped a fine of $225 million for its failure to comply with laws aimed to combat money laundering and terrorist financing. • RBI includes HDFC Bank in the „too big to fail‟ list ➢The Reserve Bank of India has added HDFC Bank —- the second largest private sector lender of the country — in the list of Domestic Systemically Important Banks (D-SIBs). RBI had started listing D-SIBs from August 2015. ➢SBI and ICICI Bank were identified as D-SIB both in 2015 and 2016. • ONGC will raise Rs. 25,000 cr. to buy Centre‟s stake in HPCL ➢ONGC will raise its first debt ever, of Rs.25, 000 crore, to part fund the Rs.37, 000 crore acquisition of government‘s stake in Hindustan Petroleum Corp Ltd. (HPCL). • PNB, BSNL join hands for mobile wallet „Speedpay‟ ➢Punjab National Bank and state-run firm BSNL teamed up to roll out open mobile wallet Speedpay across 10 states in the country. • NITI Aayog launches Ease of Doing Business Report
➢NITI Aayog launched the Ease of Doing Business report based on an Enterprise Survey of 3,500 manufacturing firms across Indian states and union territories. ➢The survey has been conducted, along with the IDFC Institute, to assess the business regulations and enabling environment across India from firms‘ perspective. • Mahindra renames Joint Venture, unveils tractor brand ➢Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. (M&M) has announced the renaming of its subsidiary, Mahindra Gujarat Tractors Ltd (MGTL), a 60:40 JV between M&M and the Gujarat government, as Gromax Agri Equipment Ltd. ➢Gromax has also announced the introduction of a new tractor brand — Trakstar. • YouTube changes its logo for the first time, introduces new features ➢Google-owned YouTube has refreshed its iconic logo and introduced some major design changes to its desktop and mobile apps. ➢The logo ditches the red colour inside the ―Tube‖ part of the name and places the now familiar play icon to the left side of the YouTube name. • Berkshire Hathaway group becomes top shareholder in Bank of America ➢American billionaire Warren Buffett‘s Berkshire Hathaway group has officially become the top shareholder in Bank of America after exercising its right to buy 700 million shares at a discount. • E-Shakti initiative of NABARD ➢‗E-Shakti‘ is a pilot project of National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) for digitisation of Self Help Groups (SHGs). • Country‟s economic growth in the first quarter fell to its lowest in past three years ➢Data released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) showed the Indian economy grew at 5.7% in April-June, the first quarter of the current fiscal year,
slower than the previous quarter‘s 6.1% and much lower than the 7.9% growth registered in the first quarter of 2016-17. • SAAB ties up with Adani group to manufacture Gripen in India ➢SAAB – a Swedish company that has built more than 5,000 aircraft in its 80year history – announced a partnership to build the Gripen E fighter with the Adani Group – which has not yet built even a single aerospace component. ➢The SAAB-Adani combine will compete against a Lockheed Martin-Tata Group alliance that was announced in June, to sell the Indian Air Force (IAF) at least 100 single-engine medium fighters. ➢The IAF‘s choice appears to be between SAAB‘s JAS 39E Gripen (or Gripen E), and Lockheed Martin‘s F-16 Block 70. • Microsoft of India will develop „farm price forecasting model‟ for Karnataka ➢Karnataka State Department of Agriculture has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Microsoft India to develop a unique ‗farm price forecasting model‘ using the latest IT tools. • Rosneft and partners finalise $13bn takeover of India‟s Essar ➢Russia‘s Rosneft and partners including Swiss commodity house Trafigura have finalised their $13bn takeover of Indian refiner Essar Oil, giving the two companies a foothold in the fast-growing Asian market. ➢The acquisition would enable state-controlled Rosneft, the world‘s largest listed oil producer, to enter the ―high-potential‖ Indian market. • Indian Oil Corp buys first shale oil from US ➢State-owned Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) has bought the country‘s first shale oil from the US and is looking to step up imports from America as part of its crude diversification strategy. ➢India, the world‘s third-largest oil importer, joins Asian countries like South Korea, Japan and China to buy US crude after production cuts by OPEC drove
up prices of Middle East heavy-sour crude, or grades with a high sulphur content. • ITC to invest Rs 1700 crore in Kapurthala food park ➢The Punjab government said ITC Limited will invest Rs 1700 crore more in the integrated food park in Kapurthala, the biggest of its kind in the country. • IBM opens first „Machine Learning Hub‟ in Bengaluru ➢Software major IBM opened its first ―Machine Learning (ML) Hub‖ in Bengaluru which would provide a physical space to organisations for hands-on training on machine learning. • Indian Oil to buy 50% stake in Adani-Gujarat State Petroleum‟s LNG terminal ➢Indian Oil Corp had decided to buy up to 50% stake in a Rs 5000-crore liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal being jointly set up Adani Enterprises and Gujarat State Petroleum Corp (GSPC) at Mundra, Gujarat. • L&T bags metro rail project in Mauritius ➢Larsen & Toubro has bagged an order worth Rs 3,375 crore to build a metro rail project for the government of Mauritius. ➢L&T is already executing projects in Riyadh and Doha. • ICICI Bank launches instant credit cards ➢The country‘s largest private sector lender, ICICI Bank launched instant credit cards enabling its savings account customers to get a credit card instantly, in a completely digital and paperless manner. • Kotak Bank launches debit card offer for zero balance account ➢Private sector Kotak Mahindra Bank will offer debit card at a special price of Rs 99 for the first year for customers who will open account under its zero balance account scheme till September 15. ➢The usual annual fee for debit card procured by 811 account holders (zero balance) is Rs 299.
➢The name 811, inspired by November 8, 2016, decision of demonetisation, allows customers to open a zero balance account using the bank‘s mobile application. • Defaulters owe 27% of total amount to SBI alone, PNB next ➢Country‘s largest lender SBI accounts for over 27 per cent of the total amount owed to public sector banks by wilful defaulters. ➢Punjab National Bank is next on the list with 1,120 wilful defaulters having outstanding non-performing assets (NPAs) or bad loans of Rs 12,278 crore. • New Rs. 200 note to be issued by RBI ➢The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued new Rs 200 denomination banknotes. The new denomination has Motif of ‗Sanchi Stupa‘ on the reverse, depicting the country‘s cultural heritage. ➢The base colour of the note is bright yellow. The notes will be in the Mahatma Gandhi (new) Series, bearing the signature of RBI Governor Urjit R Patel. • Andhra Pradesh first to implement Bharat QR digital payments to make Vizag less-cash city ➢Andhra Pradesh‘s Eastern Power Distribution Company Ltd (EPDCL) and the Southern Power Distribution Corporation of AP Ltd (SPDCL) have become the first state-owned distribution companies in India to accept payments through Bharat QR, the world‘s first interoperable quick response code acceptance solution launched by the Reserve Bank of India. • RBI introduces new Rs 50 currency notes ➢The Reserve Bank of India introduced new Rs 50 denomination banknotes. This is the third currency note that has been introduced post-demonetisation, after Rs 2,000 and Rs 500. ➢The new Rs 50 currency notes will be of dimension 66 mm x 135 mm and will bear motif of Hampi with chariot and will carry the signature of Urjit R. Patel, Governor, Reserve Bank of India. The base colour of the note is Fluorescent Blue.
• Commerce Minister sets up task force on artificial intelligence ➢The Commerce and Industry Ministry has constituted an 18-member task force to explore possibilities to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) for economic transformation. ➢The task force will submit recommendations to the government, industry and research institutions. ➢V Kamakoti from IIT Madras will be the chairperson of the task force. • The Expert Committee Working On a Framework for Data Protection (Justice B N Srikrishna Committee) ➢The Government of India has appointed an expert committee, headed by former Supreme Court judge B N Srikrishna, to ―identify key data protection issues‖ in India and recommend methods to address any potential problems. • Government bans export of gold items above 22-carat purity ➢The government has banned exports of gold jewellery, medallions and other articles above 22- carat purity in a bid to check round tripping of the precious metal. • RBI halves dividend to govt to Rs. 31k cr ➢In a surprise announcement, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) said that it has halved its dividend payment to the government to Rs 30,659 crore for 2016-17 from nearly Rs 66,000 crore in each of the previous two years. • NITI Aayog selects 3 States for transformative change in Health & Education sectors ➢NITI Aayog has selected Uttar Pradesh, Assam, and Karnataka to improve healthcare delivery and key outcomes in these States. ➢In Education, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and Jharkhand have been selected for support to better learning outcomes. • Government launches e-RaKAM portal for selling agri produce
➢The government launched a portal, e-RaKAM, to provide a platform to sell agricultural produce. ➢The portal is a joint initiative by state-run-auctioneer MSTC and CRWC. • 19th RCEP Meeting ➢The 19th round of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Trade Negotiating Committee (TNC) meetings and other related meetings were held from 17 to 28 July 2017 in Hyderabad. • India permitted to construct Kishanganga, Ratle projects under Indus Water Treaty: World Bank ➢Under the Indus Waters Treaty, India is permitted to construct hydroelectric power facilities on tributaries of the Jhelum and Chenab rivers with certain restrictions, the World Bank has said. ➢Pakistan opposes the construction of the Kishanganga (330 megawatts) and Ratle (850 megawatts) hydroelectric power plants being built by India. • Government revises the base year of All-India Wholesale Price Index (WPI) from 2004-05 to 2011-12 ➢The Government has revised the base year of All-India Wholesale Price Index (WPI) from 2004-05 to 2011-12. The revision of the base year of the macroeconomic indicators is a regular exercise to capture structural changes in the economy and to improve the quality, coverage and representativeness of the indices. ➢The number of items in the basket has increased from 676 to 697 and the number of price quotations has increased from 5482 to 8331. • Government offers slice of blue chips via new exchange-traded fund Bharat-22 ➢The government announced a new exchange-traded fund (ETF), Bharat-22, that‘s expected to speed up a disinvestment programme budgeted to raise a record Rs 72,500 crore in the fiscal year to March 2018.
➢The ETF comprises 22 scrips including blue chips such as Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC), Indian Oil Corp (IOC) and State Bank of India (SBI) — all stateowned companies — along with partial stakes in Axis Bank, ITC and Larsen & Toubro that it holds through the Specified Undertaking of the Unit Trust of India (SUUTI). ➢L&T will have the highest weight of 17.1%, followed by ITC at 15.2% and SBI at 8.6%. • Innovate in India (i3) programme launched by the Government ➢The first ever Industry-Academia mission to accelerate biopharmaceutical development in India was formally launched by Union Government on 30th June 2017. ➢The program named Innovate in India (i3) will witness an investment of USD 250 million with USD 125 million as a loan from World Bank and is anticipated to be a game changer for the Indian Biopharmaceutical industry. • First Maize Based Mega Food Park in Kapurthala, Punjab ➢Shri Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Union Minister of Food Processing Industry laid the foundation stone for First Maize based Mega Food Park in Kapurthala, Punjab. • First Edition of WINGS 2017 – “Sab Uden, Sab Juden”- Expanding Regional Connectivity Hosted in New Delhi ➢The First edition of WINGS 2017 – ―Sab Uden, Sab Juden‖- Expanding Regional Connectivity was hosted in New Delhi by the Ministry of Civil Aviation. • Scheme for IPR Awareness: „Creative India; Innovative India‟ launched ➢Taking forward the National Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Policy 2016, a ‗Scheme for IPR Awareness - Creative India; Innovative India‘ has been launched by Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) under the aegis of the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion. • A new tax payer service module „Aaykar Setu‟: ➢A new tax payer service module ‗Aaykar Setu‘ was launched by the Union Finance Minister, Shri Arun Jaitley. To enhance mobile access experience, a
mobile responsive android version was also released along with the desktop version. • Saint Teresa‟s blue-bordered sari an Intellectual Property now ➢The famous blue-bordered sari of Mother Teresa has been recognised as an Intellectual Property of the Missionaries of Charity. • India ranks 116 out of 157 nations on SDG index ➢India is ranked 116 out of 157 nations on a global index that assesses the performance of countries towards achieving the ambitious sustainable development goals (SDGs). ➢The SDG Index and Dashboards Report produced by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) and the Bertelsmann Stiftung shows that world leaders need to strengthen their joint efforts to realise the 17 global goals. ➢The SDG Index ranks countries based on their performance across the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. • Gujarat retains top slot of states with most investment potential ➢Gujarat has retained the top position in the list of 21 states and UTs with most investment potential, according to a report by economic think-tank NCAER. ➢Gujarat is followed by Delhi, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh. • India largest provider of „online labour‟ ➢India is the largest supplier of online labour, says a recent report, analysing data from e-platforms connecting freelancers with employers. ➢India is followed by Bangladesh, US, Pakistan, Philippines and the UK in what is being termed ―digital gig work‖ or freelance work offered online. ➢Oxford Internet Institute of the University of Oxford published the report. It hosts the ―iLabour project‖ as part of which the Online Labour Index is produced.
• In a first, Nifty crosses the 10,000-mark ➢Rising from its base value of 1,000 in November 1995, the 50-share Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) breached the 10,000-mark for the first time ever on July 25. ➢Incidentally, the Nifty took a little over nine years to move from 1,000 in November 1995 to 2,000 in December 2004. But, it took less than five months to move from 9,000 on March 3, 2017 to 10,000 on July 25, 2017. • 25 Charging Stations for Electric Vehicles Installed in Bengaluru on Pilot Basis under Fame-India Scheme ➢As part of the government‘s Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid Electric Vehicles in India (FAME-India) scheme, 25 charging stations have been installed in Bengaluru. • SBI in Nepal launches digital village initiative ➢The State Bank of India has launched a digital village initiative in Nepal by installing a cash recycling centre. ➢The digital village initiative has been launched in Jarisingpouwa in Shankarapur Rural Municipality, 25 km east from Kathmandu. • Government Mint office begins sale of commemorative coins on Mahatma Gandhi, Komagata Maru incident ➢The coins have been made on the theme ‗Centenary of Mahatma Gandhi‘s Return from South Africa‘ and will be available in denominations of Rs 100 and Rs 10. ➢Centenary of Komagata Maru Incident‘ themed coins are available in Rs 100 and Rs 5 denominations. • Two commodity exchanges merge ➢National Multi Commodity Exchange (NMCE), India‘s first de-mutualised online national multi-commodities exchange, will merge with the Indian Commodity Exchange (ICEX).
➢The proposed merger will create the country‘s third-largest commodities exchange. • Nandan Nilekani and Helion‟s Sanjeev Aggarwal float $100 million fund ➢Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani and Helion‘s senior managing director Sanjeev Aggarwal have announced the launch of a $100-million fund to back entrepreneurs who aim to build enterprises that can scale into next-gen, billiondollar companies. • Tata Steel inks long term tariff contract with Indian Railways, 1st steel company to do so ➢Tata Steel has emerged as the first steel company to enter into a Long Term Tariff contract (LTTC) with Indian Railways. • Greenko raises $1 billion green bond, Asia‟s largest ➢India‘s leading clean energy company Greenko has raised $1 billion via an overseas bond issue, making it Asia‘s largest green bond till date. ➢It will also be the largest high yield corporate bond by a privately held company in the whole world. • RIL, Shell, ONGC asked to pay $3 billion in penalty ➢The government has ordered Reliance Industries (RIL), Shell and ONGC to pay a combined $3 billion in penalty following an arbitration award in the Panna Mukta Tapti (PMT) oil field dispute that went in favour of the government. • 40% of Fortune 500 companies Asian, India has 7 in list ➢With 197 companies on the list based on its soil, Asia is now home to more of these global giants than any other continent, leaving North America (145) and Europe (143) slugging it out for second spot. ➢The US continues to have the largest presence on the elite list with 132 firms, but China is not too far behind at 109 and is leading the Asian drive to the top. ➢Japan, with 51, is in third spot; South Korea has 15 while India has seven.
➢Only one of the seven Indian companies is in the top 200 —Indian Oil, ranked 168th. ➢The other six Indian companies in the Fortune 500 list are Reliance Industries (203), State Bank of India (217), Tata Motors (247), Rajesh Exports (295), Bharat Petroleum (360) and Hindustan Petroleum (384). • Snapdeal rejects $700 million-$800 million Flipkart bid ➢The board of Indian online marketplace Snapdeal has rejected a bid worth $700 million-$800 million from Flipkart after due diligence by its bigger rival. ➢Japan‘s SoftBank Group Corp, Snapdeal‘s biggest investor, is looking to sell the firm to Flipkart to secure a stake in India‘s largest e-commerce player. • Google acquires Bengaluru-based Artificial Intelligence startup Halli Labs ➢Google has acquired Bengaluru-based artificial intelligence startup Halli Labs for an undisclosed sum. ➢Halli Labs was co-founded early this year by Pankaj Gupta, former chief technology officer of online homestay aggregator Stayzilla, which recently closed down its services. • India‟s 1st private reinsurer mulls licence surrender ➢India‘s first private reinsurance company, ITI Reinsurance Ltd (ITI Re) is even ready to surrender its licence. ➢ITI Re is promoted by the listed Fortune Financial Services (India) Limited (FFSIL) which in turn is promoted by Sudhir Valia. • IDFC infrastructure fund set to buy First Solar‟s India portfolio for $300 million ➢The infrastructure fund of multi-asset manager IDFC Alternatives is set to make its biggest acquisition till date by taking over the entire 200 megawatts of First Solar‘s operational portfolio of solar power projects in India for around Rs 1,950 crore ($300 million).
➢These projects — seven in all — are located in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. • The Base Year of the Index of Eight Core Industries has been revised ➢The Base Year of the Index of Eight Core Industries has been revised from the year 2004-05 to 2011-12 from April, 2017. The shift is in line with the new base year of Index of Industrial Production (IIP). ➢The revised Eight Core Industries have a combined weight of 40.27 per cent in the IIP. ➢The combined Index of Eight Core Industries stands at 118.6 in April, 2017, which is 2.5 % higher compared to the index of April, 2016. Its cumulative growth during April to March, 2016-17 was 4.8 %. • INAM-Pro +: the Web Platform for Sale and Purchase of Construction Material and Service ➢The Minister of Road Transport & Highways and Shipping Shri Nitin Gadkari launched ‗INAM-Pro +‘ in New Delhi. ➢INAM-Pro+ is an upgraded version of INAM-Pro, the web portal designed by National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL) and launched by the Ministry two years back as a common platform to bring cement buyers and sellers together. • World Bank projects 7.2 pc growth rates for India in 2017 ➢Noting that India is recovering from the temporary adverse effects of demonetisation, the World Bank has projected a strong 7.2 % growth rate for India this year against 6.8 % growth in 2016. ➢The growth projections for China remain unchanged at 6.5 % for 2017 and then 6.3 % for the next two years 2018 and 2019. ➢The World Bank in its latest Global Economic Prospects, projects India‘s growth to 7.5 % in 2018 and 7.7 % in 2019. • India to remain among top 3 investment destinations till ‟2019: UNCTAD
➢India will remain among the top three investment destinations globally till 2019, according to a survey by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). ➢UNCTAD‘s World Investment Report 2017 also said India ranked 10th in terms of FDI inflows in 2016, with $44 billion coming in, as in 2015. ➢Over the next two years, India will be behind only the U.S. and China in terms of investment attractiveness, the report added. • In a first, India to put dedicated cell to promote Russian investments ➢India for the first time will put in place a dedicated cell to promote Russian investments in the country to take forward St Petersburg vision statement that seeks to open new vistas of economic engagement. • Gem & Jewellery Training Institute set up in Udupi, Karnataka, First of its kind in Southern India, aims to boost G&J sector in the region ➢Commerce and Industry Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman laid the Foundation Stone for a premier Gem & Jewellery Training Institute in Udupi, Karnataka. ➢Indian Institute of Gems & Jewellery (IIGJ) is being set up in association with National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad. • Pune raises Rs 200 crore in first municipal bond issue in 14 years ➢Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has become the first local body in the country to issue municipal bonds in nearly one and a half decade, raising Rs 200 crore for the smart city project, the central government‘s pet scheme. • India tops emerging markets equity fundraising in 2017 ➢India is the biggest equity fundraising market among emerging countries so far this year since January, ahead of China, South Korea and Brazil. ➢According to Bloomberg data, about $10.1 billion has been raised through Indian equity capital market (ECM) deals, which include initial public offerings (IPOs), follow-on public offerings (FPOs), qualified institutional placements (QIPs) and block deals.
• India gives $100,000 to UN Tax Fund; 1st country to contribute ➢India has contributed $ 100,000 to a UN fund to help developing countries actively participate in the discussion of tax issues, becoming the first country to make the contribution. ➢The UN Trust Fund for International Cooperation in Tax Matters (the UN Tax Fund) received its first financial voluntary contribution from India, the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs Office for Financing for Development Office announced. • India top supplier in health sector to UN system in 2016 ➢India was the main supplier in the health sector to the UN system in 2016 with total sales of over $800 million, including in pharmaceuticals. ➢According to the total procurement of goods and services for operational activities of the UN system, India maintains its position as the second largest country to supply the UN in 2016, as has been the case since 2012. ➢India, a top ten supplier country since 2000, supplied six per cent of procurements by UN organisations in 2016, the second highest after the US. • Varanasi to have a 7D Smart City plan ➢Prime Minister Narendra Modi‘s constituency Varanasi will be the only city in India whose detailed project report (DPR) will be prepared in 7D visualisation under the Smart City project. • Goods and Service Tax Network (GSTN) ➢GSTN, a not-for-profit private limited company, has 51 per cent equity of five private institutions — HDFC Bank Ltd (10 per cent), HDFC Ltd (10%), ICICI Bank Ltd (10%), NSE Strategic Investment Corporation Ltd (10%) and LIC Housing Finance Limited (11%). ➢The Central government has 24.5% equity in the GSTN, whereas State governments, two Union territories and empowered committee of State finance ministers together hold another 24.5% stake. • Government in talks with RBI to defer Basel-III norms for banks
➢The government is in discussion with the Reserve Bank of India to explore ways to defer the full implementation of international capital norms or Basel-III norms for Indian banks which are floundering in bad debt. ➢It is imperative for banks to meet the Basel-III regulatory norms by March 2019. ➢According to the norms laid down by RBI, Indian lenders have to maintain a minimum common equity ratio of 8% and total capital ratio of 11.5% by 2019. ➢As of March 2017, state-run banks maintain an average common equity ratio of 8.5%. • Alibaba Cloud to open data centre in India ➢Alibaba Cloud, the cloud computing arm of Alibaba Group, announced that it plans to establish two new data centres in Mumbai in India and Jakarta in Indonesia during the current financial year. • State oil firms sign pact to build the world‟s largest refinery and petrochemical complex ➢State-owned oil firms IOC, BPCL and HPCL signed an agreement to jointly set up the world‘s largest refinery and petrochemical complex in Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra at a cost of $40 billion. ➢Indian Oil Corp. (IOC) will be the lead partner with 50% stake while Hindustan Petroleum Corp. Ltd. (HPCL) and Bharat Petroleum Corp. Ltd. (BPCL) will take 25% stake each. • Lanco Infratech first from „Blacklist‟ to face bankruptcy action ➢Lanco InfratechBSE -9.57 %, the power and roads builder, became the first company to face bankruptcy proceedings among the dozen identified by the regulator as IDBI BankBSE -0.35 % has decided to recover its dues by taking the resolution to insolvency courts. • Tatas offer 51% in Mundra for Rs.1
➢Tata Group‘s power unit, Tata Power, has now offered to sell a majority 51% stake in its debt-laden 4,000 megawatt (MW) Mundra Ultra Mega Power Project (UMPP) for just Rs.1. ➢Mundra UMPP, operated by Tata Power subsidiary Coastal Gujarat Power Limited (CGPL), has run up accumulated losses of Rs.6,457 crore against a paid-up equity of Rs.6,083 crore. • EU slaps a record €2.4 bn fine on Google ➢The European Union (EU) slapped a record €2.4 billion anti-trust fine on Google, dealing a fresh blow to the U.S. tech giant. • Facebook crosses 2 billion monthly users ➢Facebook has hit a new milestone, with more than two billion monthly active users now on the social network less than five years after hitting the one billion mark, the company has said. ➢The user base is bigger than the population of any single country, and of six of the seven continents. ➢It reached 1 billion in October 2012. • Microsoft Creates „Dubai Font‟ Typeface ➢The Dubai government announced the launch of ―Dubai Font‖, the first typeface developed by Microsoft for a city, which will be available in 23 languages. • IOC to Set Up Rs 600-Crore Plant for Ethanol Production ➢The Indian Oil Corporation will set up a Rs 600-crore plant for the production of second generation ethanol in Haryana. The plant will use plant waste, stubble, husk and straw to produce 100 kilo litres of ethanol every day. • EXIM Bank to provide $15 bn credit to ASIAN Countries ➢Export-Import Bank of India (Exim Bank) will be providing lines of credit worth more than $15 billion to Asian countries over the next three to four years.
➢The countries getting credit support include Bangladesh ($9.5 billion), Sri Lanka ($3 billion), Nepal ($1.5 billion) and Myanmar ($1.5 billion). • India opens small arms manufacturing unit in MP in a joint venture with Israel ➢Strengthening defence ties, India opened its first private small arms manufacturing plant at Malanpur, Madhya Pradesh in a joint venture with Israel. ➢The joint venture plans to develop it as a hub for providing weapons to Israel and Indian but to the world markets. • Sweden‟s Escenda to become part of Tata Tech ➢Tata Technologies has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Escenda Engineering AB, a Gothenburg, Sweden-based automotive product engineering and design firm, for an unspecified amount. • NHAI Masala Bond Launched at London Stock Exchange ➢The Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways and Shipping Shri. Nitin Gadkari launched the NHAI Masala Bond issue at the London Stock Exchange. ➢The NHAI issue witnessed an overwhelming response from a wide range of investors, some of them being first timers to participate in the Masala Bond market. • RBI restricts loss making IDBI Bank from hiring, opening branches ➢The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has initiated ‗prompt corrective action‘ on IDBI Bank which will restrict bank from hiring, opening branches and giving big ticket loans. ➢The directions from the RBI are aimed at ensuring that the bank takes measures to cut down its losses by reducing expenses and recovering problem loans. • IRCTC starts cash-on-delivery service on train tickets ➢IRCTC has offered delivery of rail tickets allowing passengers to make payment through any payment mode, including cash.
➢Broad-basing the customer service, the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation has now introduced pay-on-delivery service allowing passengers to book train tickets online and pay at the time of delivery. • SoftBank suffers $1.4 bn. loss in India ➢Japanese telecom and Internet giant SoftBank Group (SBG) has reported a valuation loss of $1.4 billion (¥160,419 million) on its two major investments in India. ➢SoftBank is the largest investor in cab-hailing app Ola and e-commerce marketplace Snapdeal. • Videocon D2H, Dish TV merger gets CCI nod ➢The proposed merger of two Indian direct-to-home (DTH) players - Dish TV and Videocon D2H- has received the approval of Competition commission of India (CCI). The competition watchdog, in its meeting of May 5, approved the merger under sub section (1) of section 31 of the act. • Birla‟s Novelis sells 50% in S.Korea unit to Kobe Steel ➢Aditya Birla Group‘s Novelis Inc., a leader in aluminum rolling and recycling, has entered into a joint venture agreement with Japan‘s Kobe Steel by deciding to sell 50% of its ownership interest in its Ulsan, South Korea facility, to Kobe for $315 million. ➢Kobe is a leading producer of aluminum-based products in Japan. • SBI Buddy is permited to cash withdrawal from ATM ➢State Bank of India (SBI) has allowed cash withdrawals from its wallet — SBI Buddy — through automated teller machines from June 1, subject to a charge of Rs. 25 per transaction for such withdrawals, irrespective of the amount. • Ease of getting power: India‟s rank up by 73rd ➢Simultaneously during the last two years, India moved up to the 26th spot (73 rank) in global electricity accessibility ranking, moving up from 99th in 2014 aided largely by the Modi government‘s rural electrification programme in the last three years since it came to power.
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• The world‟s largest furniture retailer, IKEA, plans to invest in India ➢ The world‘s largest furniture retailer, IKEA, plans to invest Rs 20,000 crore in setting up 25 stores in India. ➢ The Swedish firm aims to capitalise on its first-mover advantage as the first major foreign retailer to receive Government approval to set up stores in India • Paytm raises $1.4 bn funding from SoftBank ➢ Japanese conglomerate SoftBank has pumped in USD 1.4 billion (over Rs 9,079 crore) in Indian digital payments platform, Paytm. ➢ The funding will help Paytm — operated by One97 Communications — expand its soon-to-be launched payments bank operations as well as grow its user base and introduce more financial products for consumers. • Flipkart named most sought after employer in LinkedIn survey ➢ Flipkart has been named the top employer followed by Amazon and KPMG India in the second and third place respectively, according to a list compiled by internet professional network LinkedIn. • Paytm started as payments bank operations from May 23 ➢ After months of delay, Paytm is now started as payments bank operations from May 23, having received the final approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). • India becomes No. 2 stainless steel maker ➢ India overtook Japan to become the second-largest producer of stainless steel in the world, behind China, in 2016, according to data released by the International Stainless Steel Forum (ISSF). • Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership: India upset over slow progress on services talks ➢ India, which is in talks for the proposed mega-regional Free Trade Agreement (FTA) along with 16 other Asia Pacific nations, has expressed disappointment over the inadequate progress in talks on services trade liberalisation especially
for facilitating easier movement of professionals for short-term work in these countries. ➢ Commerce and Industry Minister led the Indian delegation to the 3rd RCEP Inter-sessional Ministerial Meeting on 21-22 May 2017 in Hanoi in which Trade Ministers of 15 other RCEP countries participated. ➢ Trade Minister and Industry Minister of Philippines Mr Ramon Lopez, was the Chair of the Meeting as Philippines is currently holding the Presidency of ASEAN this year and Minister of Industry and Trade of Vietnam, Mr Tran Tuan Anh, as the host extended a warm welcome to the delegates. ➢ The negotiations for the FTA, officially known as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), started in November 2012. It includes the 10 ASEAN member States and six nations that have existing FTAs with ASEAN – India, China, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and South Korea. ➢ These nations have a combined GDP of around $24 trillion and a population of around 3.6 billion. • African Development Bank‟s President Thanks India for success of the Annual Meeting of the Bank held in Gandhinagar ➢ The President of the African Development Bank Shri Akinwumi Adesina expresses happiness at the outcome of the annual meeting of the bank held in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. • Kotak Mahindra Bank to buy out partner Old Mutual for Rs 1292 crore ➢ Private sector lender Kotak Mahindra Bank(KMB) announced that it is buying out British partner Old Mutual‘s entire 26 per cent stake in its life insurance arm for Rs 1,292.7 crore. • India is fifth largest military spender with outlay of $55.9 bn: SIPRI ➢ India‘s military expenditure grew around 8.5 per cent in 2016, making it the world‘s fifth largest spender at $55.9 billion, figures released by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (Sipri). ➢ As per the figures, the US remains the world‘s largest military spender registering a growth of 1.7 per cent between 2015 and 2016 to $611 billion.
➢ Four others in the top 15 spenders include China, Japan, South Korea and Australia. • 1st „India Indonesia Energy Forum‟ held in Jakarta ➢ Union Minister of State (IC) for Power, Coal, New & Renewable Energy and Mines, Shri Piyush Goyal and H.E. Mr. Ignasius Jonan, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Republic of Indonesia met on 20th April, 2017 for the 1st ‗India Indonesia Energy Forum‘, held in Jakarta, Indonesia. • India jumps to 8th place on Global FDI Confidence Index ➢ India has jumped one spot to 8th rank in the 2017 A.T. Kearney Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Confidence Index. Governance and regulatory issues made up 7 of the top-10 factors that investors consider when deciding on an investment destination. ➢ While US topped the list, Germany and China were at the second and third respectively. United Kingdom and Canada make up the rest of top 5. • SBI beats ONGC to become most-valued PSU firm in mcap ➢ State Bank of India (SBI) surpassed ONGC to become the country‘s most valued state-owned firm in terms of market valuation. ➢ ONGC once used to be the country‘s most-valued company in terms of market valuation. ➢ Among the top-10 most valued companies list, SBI is at fifth position. • West Bengal to open agriculture demonstration centre in collaboration with China ➢ West Bengal will soon be the host of an agriculture demonstration centre to be opened in collaboration with China. ➢ The centre will showcase methods to grow organic vegetables and how to use machinery to raise efficiency. The centre will get expertise from Shandong province and manpower from Bengal.
• Suresh Prabhu flags off trial run of glass roof coaches between Visakhapatnam and Araku ➢ Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu flagged off the trial run of vistadome coaches between Visakhapatnam and Araku stations. ➢ The vistadome coaches will have features like glass roofs, LED lights, rotatable seats, GPS-based information system etc. • How $171 mn stolen from Union Bank was recovered ➢ Details are only just emerging of the biggest such hack of $171 million in July 2016, which necessitated a seven-country hunt that had to be spearheaded at the top levels of government to reverse the theft. ➢ Chairman of the Union Bank of India Arun Tiwari as well as India‘s cyber security chief, Dr. Gulshan Rai, who were involved in the operation, confirmed to The Hindu that while the attack was serious, all of the money had been retrieved within days. • World Bank Approves $ 375 Million Loan for Developing National Waterway-1 ➢ In a major boost towards realising country‘s ambitious inland waterways project, the World Bank has approved a $375 million loan for capacity augmentation of National Waterway-1(River Ganga) under Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP). ➢ The government is developing NW-1 (River Ganga) under JMVP from Haldia to Varanasi (1390 Km) with the technical and financial assistance of the World Bank at an estimated cost of Rs 5369 crore. • Rolls-Royce opens Defence Service Delivery Centre in Bengaluru ➢ Rolls-Royce announced the opening of its Defence Service Delivery Centre (SDC) in Bengaluru aimed at offering localised engineering support to improve frontline capability of Indian armed forces and HAL. ➢ The SDC, which is the company‘s first delivery centre in Asia, is co-located with the Rolls-Royce Engineering Centre.
• Cairn India merges with Vedanta ➢ The merger of Cairn India with Vedanta has been completed, the two companies are controlled by billionaire Anil Agarwal. ➢ ―This merger consolidates Vedanta‘s position as one of the world‘s largest diversified natural resources companies, with world-class, low-cost assets in metals & mining and oil & gas,‖. • Flipkart raises $1.4 bn. as it battles Amazon ➢ India‘s largest online retailer Flipkart has raised a total of $1.4 billion from China‘s Tencent, U.S.-based e-commerce firm eBay and software maker Microsoft. The funding is expected to help Flipkart build its war chest in the battle against Amazon.com Inc., which is rapidly gaining share in India‘s online retail market. ➢ The Bengaluru-based firm will also buy eBay‘s India business as part of the transaction. • Bengal gets India‟s largest coal mine ➢ West Bengal is set to develop the country‘s largest coal mine in Birbhum district, with the Centre allotting the development rights for the DeochaPachami coal block to the state under the government route. ➢ West Bengal will get the largest share of 584 million tonnes of coal from the block, followed by Bihar which has a share of 486 million tonnes. • India‟s ranks 7th in world‟s largest tourism economy in terms of GDP ➢ India‘s travel and tourism sector ranks 7th in the world in terms of its total contribution to the country‘s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), according to a new report of the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), 2016. ➢ According to data, the travel and tourism sector generated Rs 14.1 trillion (USD208.9 billion) in 2016, which is world‘s 7th largest in terms of absolute size the sum is equivalent to 9.6% of India‘s GDP. ➢ The USA topped the list followed by China and Germany at the second and third position, respectively.
• India, UK to set up 240 mn pound fund for green energy ➢ India and the UK decided to set up a 240 million pound fund, the Green Growth Equity Fund, to finance clean energy projects, as per the statement of Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. • India signs $350 million loan agreement with NDB ➢ India signed the first loan agreement with the New Development Bank for USD 350 million for development and upgradation of road project in Madhya Pradesh. ➢ This is the first loan agreement for NDB assisted project in India. • Aditya Birla Group gets RBI licence to start payments bank ➢ Aditya Birla Idea Payments Bank Ltd becomes the seventh entity to receive a final licence from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to set up a payments bank. • India slipped down one place from 130 to 131 among the 188 countries ranked in terms of human development, says the 2016 Human Development Report (HDR) released by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on 21st March, 2017. • The world‘s top three countries in HDI are Norway (0.949), Australia (0.939) and Switzerland (0.939). The HDI is a measure for assessing progress in three basic dimensions of human development: a long and healthy life, access to knowledge, and access to a decent standard of living. • According to the Financial Times, China‘s banking system has overtaken the eurozone to become the world‘s biggest by assets. Statistics show Chinese bank assets hit $33 trillion at the end of 2016, versus $31 trillion for the eurozone. US assets stood at $16 trillion and the Japanese at $7 trillion. • India has ranked 122nd in the United Nation‘s World Happiness Report 2017, dropping four slots from last year and coming behind China, Pakistan, Nepal and Iraq. Norway ranked as the world‘s happiest country in the World Happiness Report 2017. • India has become the third largest aviation market in terms of domestic passenger traffic, beating Japan. India‘s domestic air passenger traffic stood at 100 million in 2016. Domestic air traffic has shown a consistent growth of 20-25
per cent throughout 2015 and 2016, peaking in January this year at 25.13 per cent. • Canara, HSBC and Oriental Bank of Commerce Life Insurance launched iSelect term plan to expand its online product suit with the meant for family protection. iSelect term plan provides enhanced protection cover for the family at an affordable premium. • The State Bank of India is among four new foreign banks given preliminary approval to open 100 per cent-owned branches in Myanmar, the latest move by the Southeast Asian nation to woo investment to the country long ruled by the military and hit by Western sanctions. • The German Development Bank (KfW) and Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) signed a loan agreement for €200 million to enhance energy efficiency in India. EESL will invest the funds in energy efficiency in households, buildings, street lighting, water supply, agriculture and industry. • As per the RBI data, ICICI Bank topped the list of banks that witnessed the most number of frauds in the April-December period of 2016 with state-owned SBI taking the second spot. • SBI Card on 28th March, 2017 launched a unique credit card ‗SBI Card Unnati‘ targeted at all SBI customers, including Jan Dhan account-holders across the country. The card was launched by Piyush Goyal, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Power, Coal, New and Renewable Energy and Mines. Note: ‗Unnati‘ would have no annual fees for the initial four years and will be offered through the 20,000-plus SBI branches. Any SBI customer with a balance of at least Rs. 25,000 in his/her savings account with the bank would be eligible for the Unnati credit card without the need for any credit score or credit history. • HDFC Bank has launched an artificial intelligence based chatbot, ‗EVA‘ (electronic virtual assistant) for customer services in India. Eva is India‘s first AIbased banking chatbot‘ and can answer millions of customer queries across multiple channels instantly. • IDFC Bank is now the first bank in the country to launch Aadhaar Pay. Aadhaar Pay is the biometric based payment system. • ICICI bank has launched a mobile banking app ‗Mera iMobile‘ for rural customers.This app will allow them to access banking services as well as
information on agriculture services. The app can also be used by non-ICICI Bank customers as well. The Mera iMobile app provides around 135 services, available in English and 11 Indian languages (Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, and Telugu). • The ‗Syndicate Bank‘ has digitally inaugurated 40 ‗Ananya‘ transformed branches to enhance customer experience, improve sales focus, and improve digital transactions through a dedicated digit zone. ‗Project Ananya‘ is a two-year large-scale transformation project undertaken by the bank to provide customers with ‗best in class‘ services while improving and modernizing the whole bank. • State-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has signed definitive agreements to buy out debt-ridden Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation‘s (GSPC) entire 80% stake in KG-basin natural gas block for $1.2 billion. • The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) has tied up with Sentifi, a Swiss company and leader in algorithmic-based analysis, for social media updates of 40,000 globally listed stocks. Under the partnership, Sentifi would track, analyze and report social media messages on various stocks which would be provided on the BSE website. • Oracle, one of the world‘s biggest technology companies, wanted to set up its first start-up accelerator; it chose India‘s Silicon Valley, Bengaluru. The Redwood City, California-based firm has now expanded its ‗start-up cloud accelerator‘ by opening new centers across the globe in Bristol, Delhi–NCR, Mumbai, Paris, Sao Paulo, Singapore and Tel Aviv. • Tata Motors has joined hands with Bharat Forge and US-based General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) to manufacture a combat vehicle for the Indian Army. • Telecom operator Reliance Jio will provide free WiFi services at six cricket stadiums during the upcoming T20 World Cup matches. ―Reliance Jio will install WiFi network at six stadiums that will be complimentary for audience and provide unlimited access. • Bharti Airtel has acquired Tikona Digital‘s 4G airwaves for Rs 1,600 crore, ramping up its high-speed broadband spectrum capacity to take on Reliance Jio Infocomm and the Vodafone-Idea Cellular combine in a fiercely competitive market which is seeing rapid consolidation.
• British telecom major Vodafone and Aditya Birla group-run Idea Cellular announced the merger of their operations and Mr. Kumar Mangalam Birla has been appointed as the Chairman of Vodafone-Idea merged entity. • Gujarat International Finance Tec City (GIFT) City has signed a pact with Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) for exchanging views and expertise in the fields of banking and financial services as well as regulatory practices. Note: The agreement was signed by Arif Amiri, chief executive officer of DIFC Authority and Ajay Pandey, director and group CEO of GIFT SEZ. • LTE mobile network operator Reliance Jio has announced collaboration with the networking giant Cisco to expand Jio‘s existing multi-terabit capacity with the first All-IP converged network in India. • OPPO Mobiles India, the smartphone manufacturer, has won the Indian team sponsorship rights for a five-year period, starting April 1 2017. • Tata Motors on 7th March 2017 unveiled TAMO Racemo, a two-seater sports coupe at the 87th Geneva International Motor Show in Switzerland. Racemo is the first innovation from TAMO and our emotional, unexpected leap to the future. Symbolizing the change that is taking place at Tata Motors, Racemo is the proving ground of the TAMO family of vehicles and will drive the future of India‘s connected generation. • Sandwich chain Subway has opened its 600th outlet in India at Bharuch, Gujarat. Subway, which calls itself the world‘s largest sandwich restaurant chain, operates over 44,000 restaurants in 112 countries. • Project Jacquard is a division within Google‘s Advanced Technology and Projects (ATAP) group and aims to transform ‗everyday objects such as clothes and furniture into interactive surfaces.‘ The company has launched a working product now, the ‗Commuter Trucker Jacket‘. • Tesla Inc founder and Chief Executive Elon Musk has launched a company called Neuralink Corp through which computers could merge with human brains. • Neuralink is pursuing what Musk calls the ―neural lace‖ technology, implanting tiny brain electrodes that may one day upload and download thoughts.
• Union Government has decided to launch ‗Indradhanush 2.0‘ for recapitalisation of public sector lenders so that the banks remain solvent and fully comply with the global capital adequacy norms namely Basel-III. • According to data released by the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, Foreign direct investment in the country grew 18 per cent in 2016, to 46 billion dollars. The sectors which attracted the highest foreign inflows include services, telecom, trading, computer hardware and software, and automobiles. Note: The bulk of FDI came in from Singapore, Mauritius, the Netherlands and Japan. • The world‘s longest commercial flight landed in New Zealand on 6 February 2017 with the arrival of Qatar Airways‘s 14,535km (9,032-mile) Doha-Auckland service. Note: The long-range Boeing 777-200LR crossed 10 time zones on its marathon flight. • The technology giant Samsung has announced to launch its mobile payment wallet ―Samsung Pay‖ in India in the first half of 2017. According to reports, Samsung will be partnering with American Express (Amex) to bring its mobile payment solution to India. Note: The Company is also exploring the possibility of pairing with the two global financial services companies, ‗Visa‘ and ‗MasterCard‘. • Online payments firm Paytm, run by One97 Communications Pvt. Ltd, has announced to invest Rs600 crore over the next 10 months to expand its QR code-based payment network. Noida-based Paytm is aiming to add 10 million merchants enabled with these codes across 650 districts by December, 2017. QR code, or Quick Response code, is a machine-readable label that contains information such as account details of the merchants. Note: Paytm first introduced this payment option in October 2015 allowing a customer to scan a code with their smartphones and instantly transfer money to the merchant‘s Paytm account. • Microsoft has introduced Skype Lite, a variant of its popular video and voice calling app that has been optimised for low bandwidth and shaky internet connectivity. This has been built specially for India, with a choice of local languages: Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu.
Note: In June this year, Microsoft plans to bring in Aadhaar linkage, wherein users can use the 12-digit identification number to establish their personal credentials. • India‘s third largest private bank, Axis Bank has tied up with Earthport Plc, a cross-border payment network, to enable faster outbound cross-border payments for its customers through Earthport‘s state-of-the-art global payments network. Note: Axis Bank has become the first bank in India to connect with Earthport‘s global payments network, which spans over 60 countries. • ICICI Securities, a subsidiary of ICICI Bank, has entered into a strategic partnership with Saxo Bank, an online multi-asset trading and investment specialist. This partnership will offer Saxo‘s trading and investment capabilities via a digital platform to Indian investors. Note: Clients opting for these services to invest outside India will gain access to third party research with Tradingfloor.com. • Bank of Baroda (BOB) has tied up with IFFCO, a cooperative, to provide cobranded debit cards with inbuilt overdraft facilities to the farmers. Under this MOU, two lakh co-branded debit cards will be issued to the farmers beginning with the state of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. Subsequently more cards will be issued across rest of India. Note: These co-branded debit cards will be exclusively used for the purchase of IFFCO products only. • India has slipped 11 places to rank 89th (last year India ranked 78th) on a Global Talent Competitiveness Index (GTC). The rank is a reflection of an acute shortage of skilled labour force and difficult business conditions in the country. The list has been topped by Switzerland followed by Singapore, Luxembourg, the US and Denmark in the top five positions. Note: India‘s ranking is worst among the five BRICS countries, with China leading the pack with a global rank of 48. The report is released every year on the first day of the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting. It reflects the global index of talent competitiveness. • According to a WEF report, India has been ranked 60th among 79 developing economies, below neighbouring China and Pakistan, in the Inclusive
Development Index. Lithuania tops the list of 79 developing economies that also features Azerbaijan and Hungary at second and third positions, respectively. Two BRIC nations, Russia and Brazil, are at 13th and 30th places, respectively. China (15th), Nepal (27th), Bangladesh (36th) and Pakistan (52nd). Note: To provide a more complete measure of economic development than GDP growth alone, the Inclusive Development Index has three pillars -- Growth and Development, Inclusion and Intergenerational Equity, and Sustainability. • Union Cabinet has given its post-facto approval for launching of Varishtha Pension Bima Yojana 2017 (VPBY 2017). The pension scheme for senior citizens will be implemented through Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) to provide a guaranteed return of 8 per cent for 10 years. This move is part of government‘s social security and financial inclusion programme. • India has been ranked 79th out of 176 countries in the recently released Corruption Perception Index (CPI) for the year 2016 by the Berlin-based corruption watchdog Transparency International (TI). It ranks countries on the score in the scale ranging from 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean). The index has been complied by using World Bank data, the World Economic Forum (WEF) and other institutions. Note: Top 10 Countries: New Zealand and Denmark in joint first place (with a score of 90), followed by Finland (3rd), Sweden (4th), Switzerland (5th), Norway (6th), Singapore (7th), Netherlands (8th), Canada (9th) and Germany (10th). • The Centre for Civil Society (CCS) has been ranked among the top 100 think tanks globally, while nine other Indian institutes figured among the top 175 for the year 2016. The CCS is ranked 80 which is one lower than last year‘s rank. The CCS is a pioneering organisation in India in liberal thinking. Note: ―CCS took initiatives on the rights of individuals and on the concept of freedom. Among the think tanks of China, India, Japan, and South Korea in Asia, Observer Research Foundation (ORF), which works closely with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and co-hosts the Raisina Dialogue, was the best ranked Indian think tank at 5th position. There are 29 Indian Indian think tanks among the list of 90. • The number of dematerialized (demat) accounts opened in India last year was the highest since 2008, as more retail investors opted to invest in stocks in a country where people traditionally prefer gold, real estate and bank deposits. As
many as 2.4 million new accounts were opened in 2016, according to data from depositories National Securities Depository Ltd, and Central Depository Services Ltd. That compares with nearly 3 million accounts opened in 2008. • A Mobile app named ―SEZ India‖ has been launched by the Commerce Secretary on 6th Jan 2017. The app is developed by the SEZ Division, Department of Commerce under its broader e-Governance initiative i.e. SEZ Online System, has developed mobile app for Special Economic Zones (SEZs). Commerce Secretary launched the app and mentioned that the App would help the SEZ Units and Developers to find information easily and track their transactions on SEZ Online System. • A financing agreement for IDA credit of US$ 48 million (equivalent) for the ‗Nagaland Health Project‘ has been signed with the World Bank. The objectives of the project are to improve health services and increase their utilization by communities in targeted locations in Nagaland. It will support and complement existing systems and mechanisms involving communities under the National Health Mission. The closing date of Nagaland health Project is 31st March, 2023. • According to Indian Railways‘ Mission 41k initiative, the national carrier will electrify 24,000 km of rail tracks over the next five years by doubling the annual rate of electrification from 2,000km to 4,000km in the next two years. • As per the App Annie‘s fourth annual Retrospective Report, India‘s mobile app market grew sharply last year, outpacing the US, and ranked number one in terms of Google Play downloads, highlighting the vibrancy of the country‘s mobile ecosystem. Note: Indians downloaded over 6 billion apps in 2016, up from 3.5 billion in 2015. That 71% growth was significantly higher than the overall 15% growth in app downloads around the world. • A survey for the WEF´s Global Risks Report says that rising income inequality is seen as the top risk for the global economy in 2017, with reforms to market capitalism increasingly viewed as necessary to ward off a populist backlash. • Indian Railways has announced to set a dedicated $5 billion Railways of India Development Fund (RIDF). It will support commercially viable investment in railway sector in India over the period of next seven years.
• N K Singh panel has submitted its report on changes in Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management, FRBM, Act to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. The Committee was assigned to review the working of the FRBM Act over last 12 years to suggest the way forward. • Markets regulator SEBI on 23rd Jan 2017 allowed Delhi Stock Exchange (DSE) to exit the stock bourse business following a request from the exchange. • According to Oxfam, India‘s richest 1 % now hold a huge 58 % of the country‘s total wealth — higher than the global figure of about 50 %. The study indicates that it is a sign of rising income inequality. • On April 11, 2016, Airtel Bank became the first entity in India to receive a payments bank license from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). It is a fully digital and paperless bank. It is a subsidiary of the country‘s leading Mobile Phone operator Bharti Airtel and is launched on 12th January 2017. Its banking points will offer bank account opening services and cash deposit & withdrawal facilities. Note: In November 2016, Airtel had rolled out its banking services in Rajasthan in the country. • Uber Technologies Inc. has announced to launch food delivery service UberEATS in India. Uber‘s entry into the food delivery segment comes at a time when most food start-ups are struggling with poor unit economics, while some have shut shop because of a dearth of funds. The firm has branched out to food delivery, long-haul freight and a local-delivery service for businesses called UberRUSH. • Bengaluru-based aerospace research firm, Team Indus, has been chosen among the top five finalists to compete in the US$ 30 million Google Lunar X Prize contest, an international contest to land and operate robotic spacecraft on the surface of the moon, organised by Google and the XPrize foundation. Note: The finalists are expected to launch the spacecraft to the Moon by December 31, 2017, and then explore the lunar surface. • The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) on 14th Jan, 2017, allowed mutual fund (MF) companies to invest in hybrid instruments such as Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) and Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs). Streamlining the process it has put certain limitations - an MF scheme cannot
―invest more than 10 per cent of its NAV (net asset value) in units of REITs and InvITs‖. Note: Out of this, MFs cannot invest more than 5 per cent of its NAV in units of a single issuer of REITs and InvITs. The objective is to have wider public shareholding and to prevent very large unlisted company to get listed by merging with a very small company. • India‘s largest online travel portal MakeMyTrip has launched the first ever social luxury travel magazine called ‗Luxury Travel Times‘. The mobile-only magazine is targeted at luxury travellers and is released through innovative ad platforms like Facebook Canvas & Instagram-Stories. • ―Mahila E-haat‖, an online marketing platform for women entrepreneurs, has tied up with India Post and State bank of India. With this tie up avenues for more payment options have been enhanced and SBI customers abroad can make use of ―SBI Global‖. • The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has set up a banking ombudsman office in Dehradun (Uttarakhand), with the total number of RBI ombudsman offices has increased to 17 in India. The Dehradun office is the third in North India after Kanpur and Chandigarh. Note: The Banking Ombudsman office receives and considers complaints relating to deficiencies in banking and other services filed by consumers. • ICICI Bank has launched a mobile application, ―Eazypay‖ for merchants that allows consolidation of all modes of payments, including digital wallets, Unified Payments Interface (UPI), QR code, and credit & debit cards. • Careem, taxi-hailing service company, introduced women drivers in Pakistan on 6th Dec, 2016, operating in the Pakistani cities of Lahore, Islamabad and Karachi. • 21st Century Fox had reached a preliminary deal to acquire the 61 percent stake ($23 billion) in Sky UK Limited on 9th Dec, 2016. • Amazon‘s global start up programme ―Launchpad‖ has been launched in India. It is an online portal featuring over 400 products from different startups including 25 Indian startups. First started in 2015, Amazon Launchpad is now available in seven regions.
• Metals and Minerals Trading gold Corporation(MMTC), India‘s largest public sector trading body has tied-up with the State Bank of India (SBI) to sell government-minted Indian Gold Coin (24 Karat) which will be available in denominations of 5gm, 10gm and 20 gm bar. • Larsen & Turbo (L&T) has been assigned a contract from the Gujarat Cricket Association (GCA) to make Sardar Patel Cricket Stadium situated in Motera, Ahmadabad as the world‘s biggest cricket stadium in terms of seating capacity of 1, 10, 000 seats. Currently, Melbourne Cricket Ground has a seating capacity of 100,024 people. • Coca-Cola India has signed Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh as the brand ambassador for its Thums Up brand. The company launched new campaign starring Ranveer Singh in its ‗Toofani‘ series. • Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) on 29th Dec, 2016 had commissioned the second 600 MW unit of Singreni Thermal Power Project in Adilabad Dist. Of Telangana. Note: The Company had in March, commissioned the first unit of the project developed by the country‘s second largest coal miner Singreni Colliers Company Ltd • Twitter and ICICI Bank on 28th Dec, 2016, announced a partnership for integrating a slew of digital customer care support features for the bank. ICICI Bank is the first bank in India to implement the new features to its Twitter account @ICICIBank_Care for customer care. • Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have jointly topped the 2016 all-India State/Union Territory-wise ease of doing business rankings. Last year‘s topper Gujarat slipped to the third spot. The ease of doing business index is an index created by the World Bank Group. • ―Agricultural Marketing and Farmer Friendly Reforms Index‖ has been launched by NITI Aayog to rank States and UTs under APMC Act. The Index has a score which can have minimum value ―0‖ implying no reforms and maximum value ―100‖. Maharashtra achieved first rank, Gujarat ranks second, closely followed by Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh in implementation of various reforms. • The Centre issued a $1.55 billion claim from Reliance Industries and its partners for drawing natural gas belonging to state-owned ONGC in the KG
Basin over the last seven years. The claim is in line with the recommendations of AP Shah Committee. • As per the ―India‘s Most Attractive Brands 2016‖ report, Tata brand suffered a setback in a survey on brand ranking by slipping four positions to seven. LG has been ranked as India‘s Most Attractive Brand, followed by Sony, Samsung Mobile, Honda, Samsung, Bajaj and then Tata. In 2013 Tata brand was ranked fifth, in 2015 it went up to become fourth, and now it has slipped to seventh position in the 2016 report. • As per the Grant Thornton International Business Report, India has improved its ranking by one spot in a global index of business optimism. India was ranked second on the optimism index during the third quarter (July-September 2016). Indonesia took the top spot, with the Philippines coming in third. • Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has launched a unique platform called ‗Startup Mentorship Circle‘ to help in connecting start-ups with the global marketplace • Mangaluru-Hassan-Yediyur/Mysuru LPG pipeline has been commissioned and pumping of LPG commenced since on October 23. The pipeline was constructed by Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (HPCL) at a cost of about Rs. 838 crore to make the highways safe and also to reduce environment pollution. • An agreement on Trade, Commerce and Transit signed between India and the Royal Government of Bhutan in Thimphu on 12 November, 2016.The first Agreement on Trade and Commerce between Bhutan and India was signed in 1972 and the last Agreement was renewed on July 28, 2006 and was valid till July 29, 2016. • Start-up entrepreneurs from India and the UK would assemble on the banks of the Thames in London in the spring of 2017 for the first such international fest organised by the government. As part of its ambitious Start-Up India Action Plan, the government plans to host two such fests each year — one in the country; the other at an international destination known for its start-up ecosystem. • IL&FS Financial Services became the first Indian company to raise money through a masala loan, a rupee-denominated loan from overseas investors, by securing the equivalent of $50 million from Export Development Canada (EDC). In a masala loan the borrower saves on the hedging cost because the repayment
is in rupees. Ramesh Bawa is the IL&FS managing director and chief executive officer. • Yunus Social Business (YSB) and Tata Trusts unveiled the Indian Corporate Action Tank (ICAT), the country‘s first incubator for large organisations to create social businesses. The tie-up will address problems in areas like healthcare, nutrition and sanitation in a financially sustainable manner. Yunus Social Business (YSB) is held by Nobel Peace Prize winner Prof. Muhammad Yunus. • Hindustan Unilever has built a water, hygiene and sanitation community centre in Mumbai, linking the move to government‘s Swachh Bharat campaign through its global sustainability agenda. Unilever finds common ground between its global Sustainable Living Plan 2020 and Swachh Bharat, a mass agenda that aims to build more than 800 million toilets and modern sewage systems to make India free from open defecation and open drains. • Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) 2016 meeting held in Lima, Peru from 19–20 November 2016. The leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation have reaffirmed the commitment to keep their markets open and to fight against all forms of protectionism. • Amazon, the world‘s biggest online retailer, announced dairy brand Amul‘s foray into online selling in the U.S through its Global Selling Programme. Amul is offering Amul Ghee and Gulab Jamun to global customers through Amazon.com, according to Amazon. • Aditya Birla Financial Services Group (ABFSG) launched its standalone health insurance arm under brand Aditya Birla Health Insurance (ABHICL). ABHICL is joint venture between the Aditya Birla Group and diversified financial services in South Africa MMI Holdings (MMI). • Reliance Industries has sought access to the India‘s longest LPG pipeline layed by Indian Oil Corp (IOC) from Gujarat to Gorakhpur in eastern Uttar Pradesh. This will be the biggest LPG pipeline in the country. GAIL currently operates a 1,415-km line from Jamnagar in Gujarat to Loni. • ICICI Bank has announced to transform 100 villages into digital villages over the next 100 days. • Unocoin, an Indian bitcoin start-up, had unveiled a new app for Apple‘s mobile operating system iOS and Google‘s Android platform. It has become the first
company in the country to offer a full-featured mobile bitcoin app. The app will allow consumers to buy, sell, send, receive and store bitcoins, all in one place, from any remote device. • Bitcoin (also known as crypto-currency) is a digital currency that is not supported by any country‘s government or central bank and it can be traded for services or goods with sellers who accept bitcoins as payment. • The Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) have demanded scrapping of short term gains from the finance ministry and the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi). FIIs fear tax changes such as the potential for GAAR to be invoked to override the provisions of a DTAA and impose short-term capital gains, interest and penalties of up to 200% causes uncertainty for FPIs and impact the ease of doing business in India. Note: A committee set up by the government on GAAR headed by Parthasarathi Shome had made a similar suggestion in its report submitted in 2012. • Bangladesh Accounts for Highest Share of Tourist Arrivals Followed by USA and UK in October 2016. The Percentage share of Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) in India during October 2016 among the top 15 ports was highest at Delhi Airport (34.06%) followed by Mumbai Airport (15.69%). • Philips India won the contract in September to supply five crore LED bulbs under the government‘s UJALA (Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All) scheme. • Jakson Group has signed a contract to install rooftop solar plant at Rashtrapati Bhawan with 508 kWp capacity at the Rashtrapati Bhawan. The project will generate approximately 7.41 lakh units per year.
(D) Science and Technology • Scientists detect fourth gravitational wave ➢Scientists have made the fourth detection of gravitational waves – ripples in the fabric of space and time – formed by the collision of two massive black holes located about 1.8 billion light-years away. ➢The signal was recorded on August 14 by the Virgo detector located in Italy, and the two Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) detectors located in the US.
➢It is the first joint detection of gravitational waves with the Virgo and LIGO collaborations. • Indian Navy commissions Water Jet Fast Attack Craft at Mumbai ➢INS Tarasa, a Water Jet Fast Attack Craft was commissioned into the Indian Navy by Vice Admiral Girish Luthra, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command at the Naval Dockyard, Mumbai. • Russia, U.S. to cooperate on lunar station ➢Russia and the United States agreed to cooperate on a NASA-led project to build the first lunar space station, part of a long-term project to send humans to Mars. • China launches world‟s first hack-proof quantum trunk line ➢China launched the world‘s first 2,000-km-long ‗hack proof‘ quantum communication line between Beijing and its commercial capital Shanghai that cannot be wiretapped. • Chinese firm develops world‟s 1st amphibious sea drone ➢A Chinese drone-maker has developed the world‘s first unmanned, amphibious commercial aircraft capable of detecting submarines and delivering goods to islands, state media reported. • Novel aluminium lighter than water designed ➢Scientists have designed an ultra-light form of aluminium that floats on water, paving the way for novel uses of the material in future spacecraft and automobiles. In its conventional form, aluminium is denser than water. ➢Researchers from the Utah State University (USU) in the US restructured the common household metal at the molecular level using computational modelling to design an ultra-light crystalline form of aluminium that‘s lighter than water. • First Scorpene-class INS Kalvari delivered to Indian Navy ➢Kalvari, the first of the six Scorpene-class submarines, was handed over to the Indian Navy.
➢The submarines, designed by French naval defence and energy company DCNS, are being built by Mazagon Dock Limited in Mumbai as part of Project-75 of the Indian Navy. • World‟s first „molecular robot‟ may help build new drugs ➢Scientists from the University of Manchester in the UK have created the world‘s first ‗molecular robot‘ – millionth of a millimetre in size – that can be used to build molecules and may help discover novel drugs. • Genome editing used to alter DNA function in human embryos ➢Scientists in the UK have for the first time used genome editing to study DNA function in human embryos, an advance that could help better understand the biology of our early development. • New laser technology can make objects „invisible‟ ➢Scientists from Technische Universitat Wien (TU Wien) in Austria have developed a cloaking technology that can make opaque materials invisible by using light waves from lasers, paving the way for novel ways of camouflaging objects. • First global map of water on Moon created ➢Scientists have created the first map of water trapped in the uppermost layer of the Moon‘s soil - which may prove useful to future lunar explorers - using data from an instrument aboard India‘s Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft. • Cassini–Huygens spacecraft makes death plunge into Saturn ➢After 20 years in space, NASA‘s famed Cassini spacecraft made its final death plunge into Saturn. ➢The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, ESA (European Space Agency) and the Italian Space Agency. ➢It was launched in 1997 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida and arrived at Saturn in 2004. NASA extended its mission twice – first for two years, and then for seven more.
• Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS), set new record in range ➢An indigenous artillery gun, ATAGS, which is being jointly developed by the DRDO and the private sector, has set a world record in range by hitting targets at a distance of 48 km. • New malware, „Xafecopy Trojan‟, steals money through mobile phones ➢A new malware ‗Xafecopy Trojan‘ has been detected in India which would steal money through mobile phones, cyber security firm Kaspersky said. Around 40% of target of the malware had been detected in India. • China displays its first unmanned attack helicopter AV500W ➢Aviation Industry Corp of China (AVIC), the state-owned aircraft manufacturer, has put the reconnaissance cum combat helicopter AV500W on display at the fourth China Helicopter Expo, the largest of its kind in China. • New microchip, ATOMS, for ingestible „smart pills‟ developed ➢Scientists from California Institute of Technology in the USA have developed a miniature medical chip device called ATOMS (Addressable Transmitters Operated as Magnetic Spins) that can be used in ingestible ―smart pills‖ to diagnose and treat diseases from within the body. • Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Now Has a New Medicinal Plant Species Named After Him ➢Indian scientists scouting the foothills of Darjeeling have discovered a new plant species and they have lovingly named it after India‘s ‗people‘s president‘ Dr APJ Abdul Kalam. The new plant is called ‗Drypetes kalamii‘ by scientists of the Botanical Survey of India, Kolkata. • Scientists create soft robot powered by vacuum that can climb wall, grab objects ➢Scientists from Switzerland have created the first functional soft robot powered entirely by vacuum that moves by having air sucked out of it, and can perform different tasks, such as climbing vertical walls and grabbing objects. • Massive black hole discovered near heart of the Milky Way
➢A huge black hole – about 100,000 times more massive than our Sun – has been discovered by Astronomers from the Keio University in Japan using the Alma telescope in Chile. • CSIR‟s artificial leaf creates fuel from sunlight, water ➢Scientists from Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)-National Chemical Laboratory in Pune have developed an artificial leaf that absorbs sunlight to generate hydrogen fuel from water, an advance that may provide clean energy for powering eco-friendly cars in the future. • World‟s biggest X-ray goes into operation in Germany ➢Scientists in Germany say the world‘s largest X-ray laser is now in operation and will help them capture images of structures and processes at an atomic level. ➢The DESY research center near Hamburg said the laser that went online flashes 27,000 pulses per second, resulting in a luminance a billion times higher than the best conventional X-ray sources. • Astronomers have discovered the second-fastest-spinning pulsar ➢Astronomers at NASA have identified a pulsar spinning at more than 42,000 revolutions per minute, making it the second-fastest known. • Pluto Mountains named after Norgay, Hillary ➢Two mountain ranges on Pluto have been named after Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary by the International Astronomical Union, which for the first time, has officially approved the naming of 14 features on the icy dwarf planet. ➢The International Astronomical Union (IAU) was founded in 1919. It headquartered in Paris, France. • HTT‟s Hyperloop Transportation System in Andhra Pradesh ➢Hyperloop Transportation Technologies (HTT), an American research firm formed using crowd collaboration to develop ultra-high-speed transportation system based on Hyperloop concept, has agreed to build India‘s first Hyperloop,
connecting Andhra Pradesh‘s proposed Greenfield capital city Amaravati and Vijayawada. ➢HTT‘s hyperloop transportation system in Andhra Pradesh is the first planned route in India. • Successful Flight Test of NAG - 3rd Generation Anti-Tank Guided Missile ➢India‘s indigenously developed 3rd generation fire-and-forget‖ Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM), Nag has been successfully flight tested twice by DRDO against two different targets in the ranges of Rajasthan. • Indian-origin scientist creates medical camera to see through body ➢An Indian-origin scientist Kev Dhaliwal has led a team at a UK university to create a medical camera that can see through the human body. • Mars mission: InSight ➢InSight (Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport) is a NASA Discovery Program mission that will place a single geophysical lander on Mars to study its deep interior, which is scheduled for a 2018 lift-off. • Ocean forecasting system unveiled for Comoros, Madagascar, and Mozambique ➢The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) inaugurated the Ocean Forecasting System for Comoros, Madagascar, and Mozambique at the third Ministerial Meeting of Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System for Asia and Africa (RIMES), held at Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. ➢INCOIS is already providing these operational services to Maldives, Sri Lanka and Seychelles. ➢INCOIS was established as an autonomous body in 1999 under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES). • Gobindobhog rice gets geographical indication status
➢Gobindobhog rice, a speciality from Burdwan district of West Bengal, has got the geographical indication (GI) status. • PSLV-C39 Flight Carrying IRNSS-1H Navigation Satellite Unsuccessful ➢The IRNSS-1H was launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre — the Sriharikota High Altitude Range (SHAR) — in Andhra Pradesh on board ISRO workhorse PSLV but the rocket lost velocity after the heat shield failed to separate at the requisite height. ➢The PSLV-C39 managed to deliver the IRNSS-1H satellite to its designated orbit in space but with the heat shield still stuck on the satellite, the quality of signals being received were sub-optimal and ISRO declared the mission unsuccessful shortly after the final stage of the launch. ➢The failure of the IRNSS-1H launch is the first on board the PSLV since 1994 when the rocket became operational. • Hawk-i (India), jet trainer aircraft ➢Mr. Jaitley dedicated the weaponised and upgraded Hawk-i (India), jet trainer aircraft, to the nation. ➢HAL produced its 100th Hawk jet trainer aircraft with designation as Hawk-i; (Hawk-India) • NASA Mission to Study Atmospheric Disturbances from Marshall Islands ➢A NASA rocket mission to study disturbances in the upper atmosphere that interfere with communication and technology systems will form night-time white artificial clouds during two flights between August 29 and September 9. ➢The Waves and Instabilities from a Neutral Dynamo, or WINDY, mission will study a phenomenon that occurs in the ionosphere – a layer of charged particles in the upper atmosphere. • UK scientists create world‟s smallest surgical robot ➢British scientists have developed the world‘s smallest surgical robot called Versius, which could transform daily operations for tens of thousands of patients.
• Big asteroid to safely passed by Earth on September 1 ➢Asteroid Florence -- named in honour of Florence Nightingale (1820-1910), the founder of modern nursing -- is about 4.4 kilometres in size, according to measurements from NASA‘s Spitzer Space Telescope and the asteroids and comets hunting NEOWISE mission. • Boeing Apaches ➢The army will buy six US built Apache attack helicopters within the next six months in a deal worth $655 million dollars or about Rs. 4,170 crore. • Record fastest light pulse ever developed ➢Scientists have demonstrated the fastest light pulse ever developed, a 53attosecond X-ray flash, beating its own record set in 2012. ➢Researchers at University of Central Florida in the US had developed a 67attosecond extreme ultraviolet light pulse in 2012 which was the fastest at the time. • NISAR: Joint Project between NASA and ISRO ➢ISRO and NASA are working towards realization of NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission by 2021. ➢In NISAR mission, NASA is responsible for development of L-band SAR and ISRO is responsible for development of S-band SAR. • Israel launches its first environmental research satellite: VENUS ➢Israel has successfully launched its first spatial environmental research vehicle designed for orbital monitoring of Earth‘s vegetation. ➢The Venus (Vegetation and Environment Monitoring New Micro-Satellite) satellite is an earth-observation micro-satellite designed jointly by Israel‘s agency and France‘s National Centre for Space Studies (CNES). • IIT Guwahati develops silk patch to repair damaged heart tissue
➢Scientists at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati have fabricated a 3D cardiac tissue patch using silk protein membranes seeded with heart muscle cells. ➢The patch can potentially be used for regenerating damaged heart tissue. • Low-cost, sensitive CO sensor from IISc ➢Indian Institute of Science researchers have developed a highly sensitive nanometre-scale carbon monoxide sensor by employing an innovative fabrication technique. ➢It is known that carbon monoxide (CO) can have adverse effects on the health of people exposed to it. • Introducing N. Bhupathi, a frog with the face of a pig ➢The soiled-dwelling species, discovered by scientists from the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) in Hyderabad, has been named after the Indian herpetologist S. Bhupathy, who died in a freak accident in 2014. ➢Bhupathy‘s purple frog that has a snout-shaped nose, just like a pig‘s, inhabits the eastern slopes of the Western Ghats, near the Srivilliputhur Grizzled Giant Squirrel Wildlife Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu. • NASA developing first asteroid deflection mission „DART‟ ➢NASA is developing the first-ever mission that will deflect a near-Earth asteroid, and help test the systems that will allow mankind to protect the planet from potential cosmic body impacts in the future. ➢The Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART). • India successfully test-fires QRSAM weapon system ➢DRDO developed Quick Reaction Surface to Air Missile (QRSAM) was successfully flight tested from ITR Chandipur, off the Odisha Coast. • Indian Astronomers Discover 25 „Giant Radio Galaxies‟
➢Indian astronomers have made a sensational discovery of a bunch of large cosmic objects known as ‗giant radio galaxies‘. ➢Astronomers led by Pratik Dabhade at Pune-based Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA) have surprised astronomical community with their discovery of twenty five new ‗giant radio galaxies‘ (GRGs). • Indian astronomers discover massive „Saraswati‟ galaxy supercluster ➢A team of Indian astronomers from the Inter University Centre for Astronomy & Astrophysics (IUCAA), and Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), both in Pune, and members of two other Indian universities have identified a previously unknown, extremely large supercluster of galaxies located in the direction of the constellation Pisces. ➢―Saraswati‖ is one of the largest known structures in the nearby universe, and is at a distance of 4,000 million light-years away from Earth. • US Navy Tests World‟s First Drone-Killing Laser Weapons System ➢The U.S. Navy recently test fired the world‘s first operational and deployed laser weapons from a warship in the Persian Gulf. ➢The laser successfully destroyed an unnamed aerial vehicle (UAV) and moving surface targets. • China begins commercial production of drone that „equals‟ US‟ MQ-9 Reaper ➢China has started commercial production of its CH—5 Rainbow drone, touted to be a rival to the US unmanned aerial vehicle MQ—9 Reaper, which could attack targets on the ground. • Reliance Defence and Engineering Limited launched two Navy ships „Shachi‟ and „Shruti‟ ➢Reliance Defence and Engineering Limited (RDEL) launched the first two Naval Offshore Patrol Vessels (NOPVs) — Shachi and Shruti at their shipyard in Pipavav, Gujarat. • Muntra, country‟s first unmanned tank, rolls out from the Chennai lab
➢Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has developed an unmanned, remotely operated tank Muntra which has three variants: • Muntra-S is the country‘s first tracked unmanned ground vehicle developed for unmanned surveillance missions. • Muntra-M is for detecting mines. • Muntra-N is for operation in areas where there is a nuclear radiation or bio weapon risk. • US successfully tests missile intercept system ➢In the American test of the so-called THAAD system, a medium-range missile was launched from a US Air Force C-17 aircraft flying over the Pacific and a THAAD unit in Alaska. ➢It said this was the 15th successful intercept in 15 tests for the weapons system known as THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense). • IIT Guwahati succeeds in regenerating damaged nerve ➢Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati have taken the first successful step in treating peripheral nerve damage. • First double hand transplant a success ➢Zion Harvey, first child in the world to undergo a double hand transplant is now able to write, feed and dress himself. ➢Zion Harvey, who underwent the radical surgery at the age of eight, was able to write, feed and dress himself within 18 months of the procedure, researchers found. ➢The first successful hand transplant in an adult was completed in 1998. • 3D-printed, functional heart made ➢Switzerland Scientists have developed a 3D-printed soft silicone heart that closely resembles and functions like the human organ, and could help save lives of people who suffer from cardiac failure.
• „Sohum‟- An innovative Newborn hearing screening Device ➢The indigenously developed newborn hearing screening device SOHUM was formally launched by the Minister of State for Science and Technology & Earth Sciences, Shri Y.S. Chowdary, in New Delhi. • Colour changing electronic skin developed by scientists in China ➢Researchers from Tsinghua University in China have developed a new type of user-interactive electronic skin, with a colour change perceptible to the human eye, and achieved it with a much-reduced level of strain. • Human antibodies produced in lab for first time ➢In a first, USA scientists have produced human antibodies in the laboratory using a technique that could usher the rapid development of new vaccines to treat a wide range of infectious diseases. ➢Antibodies are produced by the body‘s B cells to fight off infections by bacteria, viruses, and other invasive pathogens. • Trillion-tonne iceberg breaks off Antarctica ➢A trillion-tonne iceberg, one of the largest ever recorded, has snapped off the West Antarctic ice shelf. ➢The calving occurred sometime between July 10 and July 12, when a 5,800square kilometre (2,200-square mile) section of Larsen C (ice shelf) finally broke away. • A Sunderbans denizen staves off extinction ➢Before winter this year, three fresh water ponds in the Sunderbans Tiger Reserve will house the rare Northern river terrapin (Batagur baska), whose presence in the wild in West Bengal and Odisha had declined to undetectable levels a decade ago. ➢Batagur baska, the 60-cm-long turtle that is presumed extinct in several Southeast Asian countries, is classified as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in its Red List of threatened species.
• Britain will ban new petrol and diesel cars from 2040, says minister ➢Britain will ban the sale of new petrol and diesel-powered cars from 2040 as part of a plan to get them off the roads altogether 10 years later. • France will „ban all petrol and diesel vehicles by 2040‟ ➢France plans to ban all petrol and diesel vehicles by 2040, the country‘s new environment minister has announced. ➢Nicolas Hulot made the announcement as he unveiled a series of measures as part of newly elected President Emmanuel Macron‘s plan to make the country carbon neutral by 2050. ➢The announcement comes after Volvo said it planned to build only electric and hybrid vehicles from 2019. ➢France would stop using coal to produce electricity by 2022 and that up to €4bn of investments will help to boost energy efficiency. • NASA to fly Solar Probe Plus (Parker Solar Probe) right into sun‟s atmosphere in 2018 ➢Wearing a nearly 5-inch coat of carbon-composite solar shields, NASA‘s Parker Solar Probe will explore the sun‘s atmosphere in a mission that begins in the summer of 2018. ➢This is NASA‘s first mission to the sun and its outermost atmosphere, called the corona, the craft -- initially called the Solar Probe Plus -- was renamed the Parker Solar Probe in honor of astrophysicist Eugene Parker. ➢This is the first time NASA has named a spacecraft for a living individual. • Prithvi-II missile successfully test-fired ➢India successfully test-fired it‘s indigenously developed nuclear-capable Prithvi-II missile from a test range in Odisha as part of a user trial by the Army. ➢The trial of the surface-to-surface missile, which has a strike range of 350 km, was carried out using a mobile launcher from launch complex-3 of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Chandipur, at around 9:50 am, according to official sources.
• Google to pay $200,000 in hunt for Android bugs ➢Days after a malware called ―Judy‖ hit over 36.5 million Android-based phones, Google has now increased the bounty for finding a bug in the Android operating system to as much as $200,000. • „GSLV Mark III to open up 4-ton satellite launch market for India‟ ➢GSLV Mk III-D1 launched GSAT-19 on June 05, 2017 from the Second Launch Pad (SLP) at Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR (SDSC SHAR), Sriharikota. ➢GSLV-Mk III is capable launching 4 ton class of satellites to Geosynchronous Transfer orbit (GTO). It is a three-stage vehicle with two solid motor strap-ons (S200), a liquid propellant core stage (L110) and a cryogenic stage (C25). ➢GSLV-Mk III-D1 is the first developmental flight, carrying 3136 kg GSAT-19 satellite to a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO). Weighing 3136 kg at lift-off, GSAT-19 is the heaviest satellite launched from the Indian soil. • Hottest‟ planet in universe discovered ➢Scientists have discovered the hottest known planet located 650 light years from Earth, which is warmer than most stars in the universe and sports a giant, glowing gas tail like a comet. ➢With a day-side temperature peaking at 4,326 degree Celsius, the newly discovered exoplanet, designated KELT-9b, is hotter than most stars and only 926 degree Celsius cooler than our Sun. • NASA‟s Orion spacecraft ➢NASA‘s Orion spacecraft – designed to take astronauts to deep space destinations such as the Moon and Mars – has successfully completed a series of tests for its critical safety systems. • First indigenously built floating dock launched ➢The Indian Navy‘s first indigenously built Floating Dock (FDN-2), developed by Larsen and Toubro Ltd. (L&T) was launched at L&T‘s shipyard in Kattupalli.
• NASA tests flexible solar array on space station ➢NASA is testing for the first time the effectiveness of a flexible solar array on space station that could one day power satellites and spacecraft. ➢The Roll-Out Solar Array, or ROSA, an advanced, flexible solar array that rolls out like a tape measure ―can be easily adapted to different sizes, including very large arrays, to provide power for a variety of future spacecraft‖. • PSLV-C38 Successfully Launches 31 Satellites in a Single Flight ➢ISRO‘s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle PSLV-C38 successfully launched the 712 kg Cartosat-2 Series Satellite along with 30 co-passenger satellites from Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR, Sriharikota. • Battery-less pacemaker developed by USA scientists ➢Scientists have developed a new wireless, battery-less pacemaker that can be implanted directly into a patient‘s heart, an advance that could lead to ―triple crown‖ of treatment for irregular heartbeat. ➢The pacemaker harvests energy wirelessly from radio frequency radiation transmitted by an external battery pack, researchers at Rice University in the U.S.A. • WHO revises antibiotics Protocol: ➢In an effort to curb antibiotic resistance, the World Health Organization (WHO) has divided the drugs into three categories — access, watch and reserve — specifying which are to be used for common ailments and which are to be kept for complicated diseases. • India ranks 75th in environmental impact survey ➢Mozambique, the southern African country rated as one of the poorest, has topped a survey of nations with the lowest global environmental impact while India has ranked a dismal 75th in the report. ➢Mozambique topped the list because almost all its energy use comes from green sources.
➢The study by UK-based Money Super Market highlights the individual contribution to the world‘s climate while also highlighting areas for improvement for each country. • At 399 ppm, India matches the world in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels ➢The first-ever picture of atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration over India shows that it is way above the safety mark and in line with what has been observed in other parts of the world. ➢Since the 1950s, scientists have been measuring the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere at observatories such as Mauna Loa in Hawaii and since the 1990s, using satellite images. ➢It‘s generally been agreed that for every million gas molecules in the atmosphere, anything beyond 350 carbon dioxide molecules, is considered unsafe. • China switches on world‟s largest floating solar plant ➢China switched on the world‘s largest floating solar plant, offshore from the city of Huainan in the eastern Anhui province, in May. ➢Built by Sungrow Power Supply, at its full capacity of 40 megawatts, the plant can provide electricity for more than 15,000 homes. • GSLV successfully launches South Asia satellite ➢India‘s Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-F09) successfully launched the South Asia Satellite (GSAT-9) into its planned Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO). ➢This launch of GSLV was its eleventh and took place from the Second Launch Pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR (SDSC SHAR), Sriharikota, the spaceport of India. • BrahMos missile achieves rare feat ➢The Army carried out a successful test of the advanced BrahMos Block III Land Attack Cruise Missile (LACM) in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
➢BrahMos is a product of joint collaboration between India and Russia and is capable of being launched from land, sea, sub-sea and air against surface and sea-based targets. ➢The range of the supersonic missile was initially capped at 290 km as per the obligations of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR). Since India‘s entry into the club, the range has been extended to 450 km and the plan is to increase it to 600km. • Endangered dholes to run free in Eastern Ghats ➢Endangered and hard-to-spot dholes, or Indian wild dogs, will soon test their fortunes in the Eastern Ghats. If the Rs. 1.5-crore conservation project works, it will be the third such zoo effort for the recovery and long-term survival of an endangered species. ➢Earlier, Darjeeling‘s Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park had a programme for the red panda and a Pygmy Hog Conservation Programme was undertaken in Assam. • World‟s first quantum computing machine made in China ➢Chinese scientists have successfully built the world‘s first quantum computing machine that is 24,000 times faster than its international counterparts and may dwarf the processing power of existing supercomputers. ➢The scientists announced their achievement at a press conference in the Shanghai Institute for Advanced Studies of University of Science and Technology of China. • Geographical indication tag for Andhra Pradesh‟s Banganapalle mango ➢The succulent Banganapalle mango has got a Geographical Indication (GI) tag, making Andhra Pradesh the proprietor of the variety knows for its sweetness. • China tested a „lunar palace‟ on earth ➢Chinese students are living in a laboratory simulating a lunar-like environment for up to 200 days as Beijing prepares for its long-term goal of putting humans on the moon.
➢Four postgraduate students from the capital‘s astronautics research university Beihang entered the 160-square-metre cabin — dubbed the ―Yuegong-1‖ or ―Lunar Palace‖. • Govt. regulator gives nod for GM mustard ➢The Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC), India‘s apex regulator for genetically modified seeds, cleared GM mustard for environmental release and use in farmer fields. ➢However, the approval is contingent on a final nod from Environment Minister. • Tejas Successfully Test Fires Derby Air-to-Air Beyond Visual Range Missile ➢Tejas, the Light Combat Aircraft successfully demonstrated an Air-to-Air beyond Visual Range (BVR) missile firing capability by releasing Derby Air-to-Air BVR missile in RADAR guided mode. ➢The missile launch was performed in Lock ON after Launch mode for a BVR target in the look down mode and the target was destroyed. • India‟s first uterus transplant ➢India has had its first uterine transplant as a 26-year-old Baroda-based woman undewent the surgery in Pune‘s Galaxy Care Laprascopy Institute (GCLI) on 18 May. ➢ The first womb transplant was first performed in 2012 in Sweden. The first baby, born to the recipient in 2014, delivered prematurely through Caesarean section. • Infosys Launches Artificial Intelligence Platform Nia For Businesses ➢ Building on the success of its first-generation AI platform, ‗Infosys Mana‘ and its Robotic Process Automation (RPA) solution, ‗AssistEdge‘, Infosys launched ‗Infosys Nia‘, the next-generation Artificial Intelligence (AI) Platform for businesses. • India Test-Fires Nuclear-Capable Agni III Ballistic Missile
➢ India successfully test-fired its intermediate-range ballistic missile Agni-III from Abdul Kalam Island offs the Odisha coast. ➢ Agni-III has a strike range of more than 3,000 km and capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear warheads weighing up to 1.5 tonnes. The missile is powered by a two-stage solid propellant engine. • Google Launches „Solve For India‟ Program ➢ Google India is taking a version of its Launchpad Accelerator program to Tier II towns in India through the ‗Solve for India‘ program. The program was kicked off in Pune with a set of local entrepreneurs and will be taken to ten more cities over the course of the year. • China launched its first cargo spacecraft for space lab ➢ China launched its first cargo spacecraft ‗Tianzhou-1‘. ➢ The Tianzhou-1 was transferred with a Long March – 7 Y2 carrier rocket from the testing centre to the launch zone in Wenchang, Hainan province. • Scientists in U.S. develop first detailed global Internet atlas ➢ Scientists have developed the first global Internet Atlas, including a detailed map of the Internet‘s physical structure in India, an advance that could help guard the infrastucture from terrorism or extreme weather events. ➢ Despite the Internet-dependent nature of our world, a thorough understanding of the Internet‘s physical makeup has only recently emerged through Internet Atlas developed by researchers from University of Wisconsin-Madison in the U.S. and their collaborators. • Belle-II experiment ➢ The High Energy Accelerator Research Organisation (KEK) in Japan is getting ready to launch the Belle-II experiment, a massive collaboration of 700 scientists from across the globe. ➢ At Belle-II, highly intense electron-positron beams will be made to collide and a huge number of B-mesons (a boson containing the B, or beauty, quark) produced.
• China Launches 1st High-Throughput Communications Satellite, Shijian13 ➢ China successfully launched a new communication satellite which will enable passengers of high-speed trains to watch high-definition videos smoothly and help those at the scene of natural disasters. ➢ Shijian-13, China‘s first high-throughput communications satellite, was launched from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in China‘s southwestern Sichuan Province. • 2nd unit of Kudankulam Nuclear Power plant starts in Tamil Nadu ➢ The second unit of Kudankulam Nuclear Power plant started commercial generation of powers on 31st March, 2017 in Tamil Nadu. ➢ The nuclear power generation has gone up to 6,780 megawatt in the country with power generation in the second unit. The 1000 Megawatt Kudankulam nuclear power plant is built with Russian expertise.
(E) Sports News • India to host South Asian boxing Championship in December: BFI ➢India will be hosting the South Asian boxing Championship for the first time in Guwahati from December 6 to 10, Boxing Federation of India (BFI) said. • Lewis Hamilton ➢Lewis Hamilton won a chaotic and rain-hit Singapore Grand Prix to seize control of the Formula One World championship as his title rival Sebastian Vettel crashed out on the first lap. • P V Sindhu ➢India‘s Olympic and World silver medallist shuttler P.V. Sindhu defeated Nozomi Okuhara of Japan in a thrilling summit clash to clinch the women‘s singles title at the Korea Open Super Series. ➢Sindhu is the first Indian badminton player to win the Korea Open.
➢Indian shuttler PV Sindhu has been nominated for the prestigious Padma Bhushan award by the Sports Ministry. World No. 2 Sindhu has been in stellar form since winning a silver medal at Rio Olympics last year and is the second athlete after cricketer MS Dhoni to have been nominated for the honour this year. • MC Mary Kom ➢Five-time world champion and Olympic bronze-medallist M C Mary Kom has become the first Indian to be picked as the International Boxing Association‘s (AIBA) representative for the 8th International Olympic Committee‘s (IOC) Athletes‘ Forum in Lausanne from November 11 to 13. • Mark Beaumont ➢A British endurance cyclist has smashed the Guinness World Record for the fastest circumnavigation of the planet on a bicycle, riding 18,000 miles (29,000 km) in under 80 days. ➢He completed the ride in 78 days, 14 hours and 40 minutes. The record was previously held by New Zealander Andrew Nicholson, who in 2015 managed the feat in 123 days. • Kuldeep Yadav ➢Left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav claimed his maiden hat-trick as India beat Australia by 50 runs in the second one-day international in Kolkata. ➢With this memorable feat, Yadav joined Kapil Dev (1991) and Chetan Sharma (1987) in a select club of Indians who have picked up a hat-trick. • FIFA U-20 Women‟s World Cup France 2018 Official Emblem unveiled ➢FIFA and the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the FIFA U-20 Women‘s World Cup France 2018 unveiled the Official Emblem of the competition in Rennes, France. ➢The body of the trophy is a lighthouse, a common sight across the coast of Brittany, evoking the theme of light, an element central to the tournament as illustrated by its Official Slogan, #DareToShine. • Sloane Stephens
➢Unseeded American Sloane Stephens lifted the US Open women‘s singles title. ➢Sloane ranked 83 , became only the fifth unseeded woman to win a major title in the Open era. rd
• Rafael Nadal ➢The top-ranked Rafael Nadal defeated the surprise finalist Kevin Anderson, 63, 6-3, 6-4, to win his third U.S. Open and his first since 2013. ➢His 16 Grand Slam singles titles rank him second behind Federer‘s 19. • Martina Hingis and Chan Yung-Jan ➢Switzerland‘s Martina Hingis and Taiwan‘s Chan Yung-Jan won the U.S. Open women‘s doubles title by defeating the Czech partnership of Lucie Hradecka and Katerina Siniakova 6-3 6-2. ➢It was the first grand slam title for Chan but the second in as many days for Hingis, who won the mixed doubles with Britain‘s Jamie Murray. • Prakash Padukone ➢The Badminton Association of India has chosen Prakash Padukone for it‘s first-ever Lifetime Achievement Award. • Chris Gayle ➢Chris Gayle added another slice of record when he became the first batsman to complete a century of sixes in Twenty20 Internationals. • Virat Kohli ➢Virat Kohli scored his 30th ODI hundred in Colombo in the fifth and final ODI against Sri Lanka. He equals former Australia captain Ricky Ponting‘s record for second most ODI hundreds. ➢Sachin Tendulkar leads the charts with 49 tons.
➢Virat Kohli has also equalled Sachin Tendulkar‘s record of highest rating points pocketed by an Indian. ➢Kohli, equalling the highest ODI rating points by an India batsman, recorded by Tendulkar in 1998. ➢Kohli celebrated his milestone 50th T20 international by reaching 15,000 international runs in just 304 matches and becoming the fastest to do so. ➢Kohli became the 33rd player to reach 15,000 runs and the only one with an average of above 50. ➢Virat Kohli becomes fastest ODI captain to 2000 runs ➢Virat Kohli became the fastest batsman in ODI format to score 2000 runs as skipper as he used just 36 innings to achieve the feat. Kohli surpassed his Royal Challengers Bangalore teammate and former South African skipper AB de Villiers who did this in 41 innings. • MS Dhoni ➢Former India captain MS Dhoni has become the first wicketkeeper in the history of ODI cricket to affect 100 stumpings, going past Kumar Sangakkara‘s mark of 99 during the fifth match against Sri Lanka at R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. ➢Dhoni reached the landmark in his record 301st ODI when he stumped Akila Dananjaya. • Col. Rajyavardhan Rathore (Retd.) ➢Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, who replaced Vijay Goel, became the first sportsman to take charge of the sports ministry. ➢Rathore won a silver medal in the 2004 Athens Olympic Games in double trap shooting event. • Kavita Devi ➢Kavita Devi made history by becoming the first Indian woman wrestler to participate in a WWE event.
➢The wrestler from Haryana took on New Zealand‘s Dakota Kai at the Mae Young Classic tournament. ➢The ‗Great Khali‘ became the first Indian to make an impact in the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) Universe, grabbing eyeballs of fans from around the world. • Nozomi Okuhara ➢Nozomi Okuhara became the first shuttler from Japan to win the World Badminton Championships 2017. • Cristiano Ronaldo ➢Cristiano Ronaldo won UEFA Player of the Year award as European soccer‘s governing body announced the Champions‘ League group stage draw in Monaco. ➢Ronaldo, who has now won the award more number of times than Messi, was crucial in Real Madrid‘s Champions League campaign of 2016-17, scoring crucial goals in important matches. He has now won the award three times. He had previously won the award in 2013-2014 and 2015-2016. ➢Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hat trick to move past Pele on the list of all-time international goalscorers as Portugal beat Faeroe Islands 5—1 to stay close to Switzerland at the top of Group B in World Cup European qualifying. ➢Ronaldo, with his career tally to 78 surpassed the great Pele, who scored 77 for Brazil. • Indian Police contingent bagged 321 medals in World Police & Fire Games 2017 ➢A 101-member Indian Police contingent has returned with a record breaking haul of 321 medals from the World Police & Fire Games held in USA. ➢The contingent bagged 151 Gold, 99 Silver and 71 Bronze medals in the seven events they participated in the Games held in Los Angeles, California, from August 7-16, 2017. • New Zealand will host the ICC under 19 Cricket World Cup in 2018
➢The 2018 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup is an international limited-overs cricket tournament scheduled to be held in New Zealand from 13 January to 3 February 2018. ➢It will be the twelfth edition of the Under-19 Cricket World Cup, and the third to be held in New Zealand (after the 2002 and 2010 events). ➢New Zealand will be the first country to host the event three times. • Los Angeles will host the 2028 Olympics ➢Los Angeles announced its intent to host the 2028 Olympics, paving the way for Paris to host in 2024 in a deal hailed as a win-win-win for both cities and the Olympic movement. ➢This will be the third time that Los Angeles has hosted the Olympics; the city previously played host to the Games in 1932 and 1984. ➢Paris will host the event in 2024, on the 100th anniversary of the city‘s 1924 Olympics. • Indian team wins 37 medals at World Dwarf Games ➢The Indian contingent made history by winning a record number of medals at the World Dwarf Games held in Toronto, Canada. ➢The seventh edition of the World Dwarf Games witnessed this 21-man team winning 37 medals, including 15 gold medals. • Devendra Jhajharia and Sardar Singh ➢Para Athlete Devendra Jhajharia and Hockey player Sardar Singh have been awarded for this year‘s Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award. ➢Jhajharia is the first para-athlete to be honoured with the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna — the highest sports award in the country. ➢Sardar, meanwhile, became the second hockey star to be conferred the Khel Ratna after the legendary Dhanraj Pillay who received the award in the year 2000.
• Sanjivani Jadhav ➢Sanjivani Jadhav won the 10,000m silver at the 29th World University Games at Taipei. • Ravichandran Ashwin ➢Ravichandran Ashwin completed 2000 runs in Test cricket and became the quickest to score 2000 runs and pick 275 wickets, surpassing Richard Hadlee who achieved the landmark in 58 matches. ➢The Tamil Nadu tweaker also became the third quickest player to reach the double of 2000 runs and 200 wickets in Test cricket. ➢Ian Botham, who had achieved the milestone in 42 Tests, was the fastest to the feat. ➢Former India captain Kapil Dev and former Pakistan skipper Imran Khan were joint second fastest, doing it in 50 matches. • Jehan Daruvala creates history ➢Jehan Daruvala became the first Indian driver to win in the FIA Formula 3 European Championship, claiming victory in Race 3 at the Nuremberg circuit. • Sportsperson of the Year‟ award 2017 ➢Rio Olympics silver medallist P V Sindhu was bestowed with the Sportsperson of the Year award during the ‗Maruti Suzuki Sportsperson of the Year‘ Charity Gala Awards. ➢Sindhu‘s coach P Gopichand received the Coach of the Year award while the Flying Sikh Milkha Singh was given the Living Legend of the Year award. • Mithali Raj ➢India captain Mithali Raj became the all-time leading run-getter in women‘s one-day internationals. ➢Mithali, who is leading India at the ICC Women‘s World Cup in England, overtook Charlotte Edwards (5992) after scoring her 34th run against Australia in
Bristol. The 34-year-old reached the landmark in her 183rd ODI, taking 164 innings - 16 less than Charlotte. ➢Mithali became the first player to cross 6000 runs in the history of women‘s ODI during the ICC World Cup match against Australia at Bristol. ➢India skipper Mithali Raj was chosen as the captain of the ICC Women‘s World Cup 2017 team by the International Cricket Council. ➢Besides Mithali, Harmanpreet and Deepti were the other two Indians included in the ICC‘s team. ➢Mithali Raj named in BBC‘s 100 most influential women list of 2017 ➢Mithali Raj, the India Women‘s cricket team captain has been named as one of the most influential women in India in BBC‘s 100 Women list 2017. • Garbine Muguruza‟s claims Wimbledon women‟s title ➢Garbine Muguruza from Spain lifted her first Wimbledon ladies‘ singles trophy after vanquishing the five-time winner Venus Williams in straight sets. • Roger Federer ➢Roger Federer became the first man in the history of the Wimbledon Championships to lift the title eight times. ➢Roger Federer is the oldest man to win the Wimbledon singles title in the Open era, which began in 1968. • Caeleb Dressel ➢The 20-year-old Caeleb Dressel established himself as America‘s newest star of the pool, becoming the first swimmer to win three gold medals on a single night at either the worlds or the Olympics. ➢Dressel won the 50m freestyle and the 100m butterfly before leading off a world-record performance in the 4x100-meter mixed freestyle relay. • Germany clinches Euro under-21 title
➢Mitchell Weiser scored with a looping first-half header to hand Germany the under-21 European Championship title after a 1-0 win over Spain in the southern Polish city of Krakow. • India 96th in FIFA World ranking, its best in 21 years ➢India has moved four places up to the 96th position in the FIFA World ranking released. ➢This is the country‘s second best ranking — its previous best was the 94th position in February 1996. ➢This is also a huge confidence boost for the current squad which has moved 77 positions up from the 173rd rank on March 2015. • In a first, Real Kashmir FC to lock horns with professional footballers in Scotland ➢Kashmir‘s premier Football Club, ‗Real Kashmir FC‘departed to Scotland for a friendly match with professional football clubs from New Delhi. ➢India scripts history; tops medal tally at Asian Athletics Championships ➢India ended the four-day championship on top with their highest ever medal haul of 29 medals (12 gold, 5 silver and 12 bronze) • India‟s best came way back in the 1985 Jakarta edition where they had won 22 medals. ➢China ended this edition on second position with 8 gold, 7 silver and 5 bronze. ➢Kazakhstan finished third with 4 gold, 2 silver, 2 bronze while Iran ended on fourth with 4 gold and 1 bronze. • England beat India by nine runs to win Women‟s Cricket World Cup ➢India put up a tough fight but England lift the Women‘s World Cup. It is the fourth time England has won, following successes in 1973, 1993 and 2009. ➢Chasing a tricky total of 229, Indian middle-order collapsed like a pack of cards, being bowled out for 219 in 48.4 overs.
• India will host maiden men‟s World Boxing Championship in 2021 ➢The International Boxing Association (AIBA) announced that India will host their first elite men‘s World Boxing Championship in 2021. The announcement was made after a two-day executive committee meeting that was held in Moscow. • Rohan Bopanna ➢Rohan Bopanna becomes the fourth Indian to win a Grand Slam with mixed doubles French Open victory by teaming up with Canada‘s Gabriela Dabrowski ➢Only three Indians have so far managed to lay hands on a Grand Slam trophy -- the legendary Leander Paes, Mahesh Bhupathi and Sania Mirza. • Virat Kohli sole Indian in Forbes list of highest paid athletes ➢Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli is the sole sportsperson from the country to feature among the world‘s 100 highest paid athletes in the latest Forbes list topped by soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo. ➢Kohli, 28, has been ranked 89th on the 2017 Forbes list of ‗The World‘s highest paid athletes‘ with a total pay of $22 million that includes $3 million from salary and winnings and another $19 million from endorsements. • Rafael Nadal beats Wawrinka, wins 10th French Open title ➢Nadal beats Stan Wawrinka to win record 10th French Open title. No other man or woman has won 10 championships at the same major in the Open era, which began in 1968. ➢Nadal has been given a replica of the French Open trophy to mark his 10 titles at Roland Garros. • Jelena Ostapenko wins French Open women‟s crown ➢Unseeded Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia beat Simona Halep 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 at Roland Garros to win the 2017 French Open Women‘s Singles crown and her first ever Grand Slam title.
➢Ostapenko, 20, is the first unseeded woman to win the French Open since Britain‘s Margaret Scriven in 1933. • Usain Bolt ➢The 30-year-old Usain Bolt will bring down the curtain on his illustrious career when he retires in August after the World Championships in London and began his goodbye in front of 30,000 adoring fans in Kingston. • Mira Erda ➢Vadodara‘s young racer Mira Erda will become the first Indian woman driver to compete in one of the highest classes of Formula racing in the country after signing up for the Euro JK series in the upcoming JK Tyre-FMSCI National racing championship. • „Wonder Woman‟ Montano does it again ➢Five months pregnant and running an 800m in brutal heat, Alysia Montano lived up to the best traditions of the ‗Wonder Woman‘ superhero character on her running vest. ➢It was the second time Montano has run while pregnant after her appearance in 2014 when eight months pregnant. In the end, Montano finished a distant last, trailing home in 2min 21.40secs at Hornet Stadium. • Roger Federer wins 100th career title ➢Roger Federer‘s 6-1, 6-3 win over Alexander Zverev was nothing short of historic as records tumbled left, right and centre. ➢The Halle Open win was the hundredth title of his long and illustrious career, 92 of which are singles crowns while eight have come in doubles. • Official mascot of Asian Athletics Championship ➢Olly, the Olive Ridley sea turtle was unveiled as the official mascot for the 22nd edition of the Asian Athletics Championships held in Bhubaneshwar from July 6 to 9. • Pakistan Dethrone India to Win Maiden Champions
➢Mohammad Amir and Hasan Ali picked up three wickets apiece as Pakistan romped home to a 180-run win over India to win the ICC Champions Trophy for the first time. ➢The win was also possible thanks to a magnificent century from Fakhar Zaman and fifties from Mohammad Hafeez and Azhar Ali. • Sultan Azlan Shah Cup hockey title ➢Great Britain won the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup hockey title after a gap of 23 years with a thrilling 4-3 win against defending champion Australia in the final. ➢Meanwhile, India outplayed New Zealand 4-0 to claim the bronze medal, while Malaysia beat Japan 3-1 in the playoff for the fifth spot. • Jhulan Goswami ➢Jhulan Goswami, who took three wickets against South Africa in the women‘s quadrangular series, has become the leading wicket-taker in women‘s ODIs. ➢Playing her 153rd match, Jhulan took her tally to 181 wickets to overtake former Australia bowler Cathryn Fitzpatrick, who had 180 in 109 matches. • V.V.S.Laxman ➢Legendary batsman V.V.S. Laxman was named an Honorary Life Member of the Marylebone Cricket Club, as he became the fourth Indian to do so. ➢Laxman joins Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly on the prestigious list of MCC Honorary Life Members. • Kapil Dev unveils his wax likeness ➢Kapil Dev eyes sparkled at the sight of his wax statue, unveiled as part of the upcoming Madame Tussauds museum in New Delhi. • Tendulkar acquires PKL team ➢After football and badminton, Sachin Tendulkar has jumped on the kabbadi bandwagon becoming the co-owner of the Chennai franchise along with N. Prasad for the fifth season of the Pro Kabaddi League.
• Lewis Hamilton emerges most popular driver ➢ Formula One is feeling a fresh wave of optimism under its new owners, while Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso are the two most popular drivers, according to an extensive fan survey released. ➢ The Motorsport Network‘s Global Fan Survey, carried out in 15 languages and with feedback from 194 countries, found fans liked the sport‘s new direction. • Lionel Messi 21-month jail term ➢ Spain‘s Supreme Court confirmed a 21-month jail sentence and € 2.09-million ($2.25 million) fine on Lionel Messi for tax fraud; months after the Barcelona football star lodged an appeal. ➢ In July 2016, the Argentina international and his father, Jorge Horacio Messi, were found guilty by a Catalan court of using companies in Belize, Britain, Switzerland and Uruguay to avoid paying taxes on € 4.16 million of Messi‘s income earned from his image rights from 2007-09. • Women‟s cricket: Deepti, Poonam in record stand ➢ India‘s Deepti Sharma (188) and Poonam Raut (109) piled on 320 in 45.3 overs against Ireland, in the Quadrangular Series, to become the first pair, either male or female, to share a 300-run opening-wicket partnership in One-Day Internationals. • PV Sindhu elected as member of BWF Athletes‟ commission ➢ Olympic silver medallist PV Sindhu became one of the members of the BWF Athletes‘ Commission after the end of voting for the four places on the representative body. ➢ The 21-year-old Indian topped the ballot with 129 votes as she led a trio of women onto the BWF Athletes‘ Commission. • Ashwin presented CEAT International Cricketer of the Year award ➢ Ravichandran Ashwin who had a remarkable international season — he took 99 wickets in 17 Tests and scored 699 runs with two centuries and four halfcenturies — was presented the CEAT Cricket Ratings‘s International Cricketer of
the Year award by Sunil Gavaskar and Harsh Goenka, chairman, RPG Enterprises at the Cricket Club of India. • Arjun Maini becomes the first Indian to win a GP3 Race ➢ Indian driver, Arjun Maini is really making his presence felt in the global motorsport arena and has created history by becoming the first ever Indian to win a race in the GP3 Series. ➢ Driving for Jenzer Motorsports, the Bangalore boy secured a fantastic win in Race 2 of Round 1 at Circuit de Catalunya, Barcelona. • Younis in 10,000-club ➢ Younis Khan became the first Pakistan player to complete 10,000 Test runs. He became just the 13th player overall — and the oldest — ever to scale that summit. • 100m at 101: 101-year-old Man Kaur bags another gold ➢ 101-year-old Man Kaur celebrated winning the 100 metres sprint at the World Masters Games in Auckland, the 17th gold medal in the Indian athlete‘s remarkable, late-blooming career. • Chris Gayle becomes first cricketer to score 10,000 runs in T20 ➢ West Indian batsman Chris Gayle became the first cricketer to score 10,000 runs in T20 cricket during the IPL match. • 2022 Asian Games to open up arena for e-sports enthusiasts ➢ Video gaming will be featured as a full sport at the 2022 Asian Games, with competitors in electronic sports set to receive medals for their digital prowess. ➢ The Olympic Council of Asia says it will introduce e-sports to the official programme of the Asian Games at Hangzhou, China.
(F) Miscellaneous News • Newton is India‟s official entry to Oscars 2018
➢Newton will be India‘s official entry to the Best Foreign Film category at the Oscars next year, according to a Film Federation of India official. ➢The Amit Masurkar directed movie, starring Rajkummar Rao, Pankaj Tripathi, Raghubir Yadav and Anjali Patil, tells the story of polling officer Newton Kumar. • Palava City, Navi Mumbai, Mohali among top „liveable‟ cities: JLL ➢Palava City and Navi Mumbai in Maharashtra are the top two liveable emerging cities in the country, says a study by property consultant JLL India. ➢In its report ‗Livability Quotient A Paradigm Shift in India‘s Emerging Cities‘, JLL has evaluated 10 emerging cities, including few large townships by private developers, for their city administration practices, sustainability, and overall livability. ➢Mohali in Punjab and Mahindra World City Township in Chennai are at third and fourth positions, respectively. • World‟s biggest beer festival “Oktoberfest” opens in Munich ➢Oktoberfest is the world‘s largest Volksfest (beer festival and travelling funfair), held annually in Munich, Germany. • India‟s first Centre for Animal Law set up at Hyderabad‟s NALSAR ➢India‘s first Centre for Animal Law has been inaugurated by Union Minister for Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi at the NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad. • PM Modi inaugurates Sardar Sarovar Narmada Dam ➢Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Sardar Sarovar Narmada Dam in Narmada District of Gujarat. ➢The dam‘s height was raised to 138 meters, making it the second tallest in the country. • First-ever „Industry Day‟ at IIT Delhi
➢The Indian Institute of Technology-Delhi held its first Industry Day to encourage collaboration between industries and the academia. • World‟s oldest captive panda “Basi” died ➢The world‘s oldest captive giant panda ―Basi‖ has died in China. • Indo-Russian war games ➢India and Russia have begun discussions to work out the modalities for their first tri-service military exercise to be held in October. ➢It will also be India‘s first bilateral military exercise with any country involving all three services. ➢The Indra exercise is scheduled from October 19 to 29. • High-speed rail training centre to come up in Vadodara ➢The Rs 600-crore high-speed rail training centre for the first bullet train project will be set up in Vadodara. ➢This centre will come up on the five hectares of land inside the National Academy of Indian Railways (NAIR), Vadodara. • India starts producing world‟s most expensive coffee,„Kopi Luwark ‟ ➢India, Asia‘s third-largest producer and exporter of coffee, has started producing the world‘s most expensive coffee, ‗Kopi Luwark‘, made from the poop of civet cat, on a small scale in Coorg district of Karnataka. • „Jeev Rakshak Sena‟ ➢The Maharashtra government and the Tata Trusts launched Jeev Rakshak Sena, a campaign to create awareness of bone marrow donation and establish a registry in the State. ➢People will be encouraged to pledge their blood stem cells to patients suffering from life-threatening ailments such as leukaemia, lymphoma, sickle cell disease, thalassemia and aplastic anaemia. • Exercise Yudh Abhyas – 2017
➢As part of the ongoing Indo-US defence cooperation, a joint military training, Exercise Yudh Abhyas - 2017 is being conducted at Joint Base Lewis McChord, Washington, USA from 14 to 27 September 17. • PM Modi visited Bahadur Shah‟s grave ➢Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the ‗mazar‘ of the last Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar and the 2,500-year-old Shwedagon pagoda and performing puja at the Kalibari Temple. • Times World University Rankings 2018: No Indian institute in top 200 ➢Times Higher Education published the 14th annual edition of its World University Rankings 2018, no Indian universities ranked in the list of the top 200 universities. ➢The University of Oxford retains first place in the World University Rankings. The University of Cambridge climbs two places to second. ➢Indian Institute of Science (ISCs) has dropped from the 201-250 band in the previous rankings to the 251-300 band. • Hurricane Irma ➢Hurricane Irma was an extremely powerful and catastrophic Cape Verde type hurricane, the most intense hurricane observed in the Atlantic since Dean in 2007. It was the strongest Atlantic hurricane since Wilma of 2005 in terms of maximum sustained winds. • Women Transforming India Awards ➢Women Transforming India Awards was launched by NITI Aayog, in partnership with the UN in India and MyGov, to recognize the transformational impact of work undertaken by women. • Hyderabad airport bags energy efficiency award ➢Hyderabad International Airport Ltd has bagged CII National Award for ‗Excellence‘ in Energy Management at a conference hosted by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).
• Ahmedabad gets India‟s first World Heritage City certificate ➢Ahmedabad in Gujarat was formally accorded the status of India‘s first World Heritage City with UNESCO Director General Irina Bokova handing over the certificate in this regard to Chief Minister Vijay Rupani. ➢India now has a total of 36 World Heritage Inscriptions -- 28 cultural, 7 natural and 1 mixed site. ➢India is second after China in terms of number of world heritage properties in ASPAC (Asia and Pacific) region, and overall seventh in the world. ➢Founded in the 15th century, the walled city of Ahmedabad, on the eastern bank of the Sabarmati River, presents a rich architectural heritage. • Algorithm writes next Game of Thrones novel ➢A new artificial intelligence system has written the first five chapters of a new Game of Thrones novel. ➢A Game of Thrones is the first novel in A Song of Ice and Fire, a series of fantasy novels by American author George R. R. Martin. ➢Author George R.R. Martin is currently working on the sixth novel of the book series The Winds of Winter. • National Sports Museum to be established in New Delhi ➢The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports is going to establish National Sports Museum, first of its kind, at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, New Delhi. • Russian tanker completes Arctic passage without icebreakers ➢A Russian-owned tanker Christophe de Margerie, a 984-foot tanker, built to traverse the frozen waters of the Arctic, became the first ship to complete the Northern Sea Route without the aid of specialized ice-breaking vessels. • Total solar eclipse turns day into night across the United States
➢Millions of Americans gazed in wonder through telescopes, cameras and disposable protective glasses as the moon blotted out the sun in the first fullblown solar eclipse to sweep the US from coast to coast in nearly a century. ➢A solar eclipse is a type of eclipse that occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, and when the Moon fully or partially blocks the Sun. • Rajnath Singh attended SCO meet on disaster in Kyrgyz Republic ➢Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh attended a two-day meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) on disaster prevention and relief at Choplon Ata in Kyrgyz Republic. • Finance Minister Shri Arun Jaitley chairs the 17th meeting of FSDC ➢The seventeenth Meeting of the Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC) was held in New Delhi under the Chairmanship of the Union Minister of Finance, Shri Arun Jaitley. • Sushma Swaraj inaugurated first Videsh Bhavan in Mumbai ➢External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj inaugurated the country‘s first Videsh Bhavan, assimilating all Regional Passport Offices under one roof, at the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC). • World‟s oldest barber shop comes to UNESCO World Heritage City of Ahmedabad ➢The world‘s oldest barbershop from England, Truefitt & Hill established in 1805 with a legacy of clients from King George III, Mahatma Gandhi, Oscar Wilde, Charles Dickens, Lord Byron, Frank Sinatra, Alfred Hitchcock, Laurence Olivier, Jamnalal Bajaj, Prince of Wales, Duke of Edinburgh and Winston Churchill, has opened its store in the UNESCO World Heritage City of Ahmedabad. • All-Women Indian Navy Crew to Sail around the World ➢Prime Minister Narendra Modi met six officers of the Indian Navy who will sail around the world in India‘s first attempt to circumnavigate the globe by an allwomen crew. ➢The expedition has been titled Navika Sagar Parikrama.
➢INSV Tarini is a 55-foot sailing vessel, which has been built indigenously, and was inducted in the Indian Navy earlier this year. • Melbourne „World‟s Most Liveable City‟ for seventh year running ➢Melbourne has been declared the most liveable city in the world for the seventh year running by the Economist‘s annual global liveability survey. ➢According to the Global Liveability Report compiled by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), no Indian city was ranked in the top ten in the most liveable city ranking. • First-Ever Freedom Run Marks Independence Day in London ➢Hundreds of members of the Indian diaspora in the UK took part in the firstever Freedom Run to mark India‘s 71st Independence Day with the one-mile journey beginning from the historic Parliament Square in London. • Largest volcanic region on earth lies in Antartica ➢The largest volcanic region on Earth with nearly 100 volcanoes has been discovered two km below the surface of the vast ice sheet in west Antarctica. ➢Researchers from the University of Edinburgh in Britain found a staggering 91 previously unknown volcanoes, adding to the 47 others that had been discovered over the previous century of exploring the region. • „Toilet-Ek Prem Katha‟ first film to be made tax free in GST regime ➢Akshay Kumar starrer ‗Toilet-Ek Prem Katha‘ got a shot in the arm from the Yogi Adityanath government, which moved within two days to ensure that cinegoers get to watch the movie at cheaper tickets in Uttar Pradesh. • 2018 Republic Day, not one guest but 10 – ASEAN leaders ➢India has collectively invited all leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the group of ten countries in that region, to be the chief guests at its 2018 Republic Day celebrations. ➢This is the first time that more than one head of state or government will be part of the Republic Day celebrations.
• India‟s first Partition museum ➢A museum based on the partition of the Indian subcontinent was open in Amritsar. • Indian Coast Guard ship „Shaurya‟ commissioned in Goa ➢Indian Coast Guard ship ―Shaurya‖, the fifth in the series of six 105-metre offshore patrol vessels (OPVs), was commissioned in Goa by Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan. • CM Devendra Fadnavis launches 125th year celebrations of Ganesh festival ➢Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadanvis inaugurated the 125th year celebrations of the Ganesh festival at a grand ceremony held at the historic Shaniwarwada in Pune. ➢Through Ganesh festival, Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak mobilized people against the British rule. • President of India hosts „At Home‟ for freedom fighters on the 75th anniversary of the Quit India Movement ➢The President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind hosted an ‗At Home‘ reception for freedom fighters on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Quit India Movement (August 9, 2017) at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. • World Peace and Harmony Conclave ➢World Peace and Harmony Conclave was held in Mumbai on 13th August 2017. • Army launches the „Humraaz‟ app for soldiers ➢The Indian Army has developed a mobile application ‗Humraaz‘ app through which serving soldiers can track details like postings and promotions. • China Building High-Speed Rail Tunnel below Great Wall
➢China is constructing a 12-km-long high-speed train tunnel through one of the portions of its iconic Great Wall to connect Zhangjiakou city which is due to cohost 2022 winter Olympics along with Beijing. ➢The line is designed for trains traveling up to 350 km per hour. • Pyongyang launches renovation of the world‟s tallest unoccupied building ➢North Korea has quietly unveiled renovations around its capital‘s biggest landmark — a futuristic, pyramid-shaped 105-story hotel that remains the world‘s tallest unoccupied building 30 years after construction began. ➢Walls set up to keep people out of a construction area around the gargantuan Ryugyong Hotel — nicknamed the ‗Hotel of Doom‘ — were pulled down late last week as the North marked the anniversary of the Korean War armistice. • „Lucifer‟ ➢The heat wave nicknamed ‗Lucifer‘ continues to cause problems across south Europe, despite a slight drop in temperatures expected in many of the areas worst affected. ➢Unusually high temperatures are being recorded across an area spanning much of Spain and Portugal, southern France, Italy, the Balkans and Hungary. • India‟s first private missile production facility unveiled ➢Kalyani Rafael Advanced Defense Systems (KRAS), a joint venture between Kalyani Strategic Systems Ltd and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd of Israel inaugurated their state of the art facility at the Hardware Park in Ranga Reddy district in Telangana. • World‟s Longest Suspension Footbridge, Built In Just 10 Weeks ➢Located in south Switzerland, the steel bridge is 494 metres long and overtakes the ―Titan-RT‖ bridge in Germany as the world‘s longest pedestrian suspension bridge. • Indian Army Team with T90 Tanks Participates in Tank Biathlon 2017 in Russia
➢The Tank Biathlon commenced with the opening ceremony of International Army Games at Alabino Ranges, Russia on 29 July 2017. ➢The Tank Biathlon competition is an international event conducted as part of the International Army Games held every year since 2013 at Alabino Ranges, Russia. • Environment Minister Launches „Gaj Yatra‟ to mark World Elephant Day 2017(August 12th) ➢Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister, Dr. Harsh Vardhan, launched ‗Gaj Yatra‘, a nationwide campaign to protect elephants on the occasion of World Elephant Day. ➢The campaign is planned to cover 12 elephant range states. World Elephant Day is an international annual event on August 12, dedicated to the preservation and protection of the world‘s elephants. • 999: Oldest emergency helpline turns 80 in U.K. ➢The world‘s oldest emergency helpline 999 completed 80 years of its existence in the U.K., with the Scotland Yard celebrating the ―cornerstone‖ of British policing by organising several events. • Cook Islands creates marine reserve 8,000 times its size ➢The Cook Islands has created one of the world‘s largest marine sanctuaries (Marae Moana) protecting a vast swathe of the Pacific Ocean. ➢The Cook Islands has a population of just 10,000 and its 15 islands have a combined landmass of 236 square kilometres. • The 2017 Family Planning Summit held in London ➢On July 11, policymakers, donors, and advocates from around the world gathered at the Family Planning Summit in London, UK, to discuss efforts to reach our Family Planning 2020 goals and ensure that more women and girls around the world are able to plan their families and their futures. • Japan‟s men-only Okinoshima Island gets UNESCO heritage tag
➢A men-only island in Japan where women are banned and male visitors must bathe naked in the sea before visiting its shrine, has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage site. ➢The tiny landmass of Okinoshima is permanently manned by a Shinto priest who prays to the island‘s goddess, in a tradition that has been kept up for centuries. • Neil Armstrong‟s moon bag sells for $1.8 million at auction ➢A bag used by US astronaut Neil Armstrong to bring the first samples of moon dust back to Earth was sold to an anonymous bidder for $1.8 million at an auction in New York marking the 48th anniversary of the first moon landing. ➢It was the highest-value item at an auction of moon memorabilia. • APJ Abdul Kalam‟s memorial in Tamil Nadu ➢A multi-crore memorial of former president APJ Abdul Kalam was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Peikarambu in Rameswaram on the occasion of the ―Missile Man‘s‖ second death anniversary. • “SAGAR VANI” - An Integrated Information Dissemination System ➢Minister of Science & Technology, Earth Sciences and Environment, Forests & Climate Change, Dr. Harshvardhan launched an app ―SAGAR VANI‖ on the occasion of Foundation Day of Ministry of Earth Sciences in New Delhi. ➢Integrated Information Dissemination System (IDS) named as ―SAGAR VANI‖ has been developed by ESSO-INCOIS through the Industry M/s. Gaian Solutions Pvt. Ltd. • „India has 14.4 mn children with obesity‟ ➢India has the second highest number of obese children in the world after China, according to a study that found that 14.4 million children in the country have excess weight. • Prime Minister‟s Award for Outstanding Contribution to Promotion and Development of Yoga announced
➢The Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute has been selected as the first recipient of the Prime Minister‘s Award for outstanding contribution to promotion and development of Yoga. ➢The Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute has worked to spread Yoga, internationally, over a period of 4 decades. • Indian Naval Mountaineering Team Successfully Unfurled National Flag and Naval Ensign atop Highest Point on Earth at Mt. Everest ➢The Indian Naval Mountaineering team comprising eleven summiteers (9 on Mt Everest & 2 on Lhotse) has successfully unfurled National flag and Naval Ensign atop highest point on earth i.e. Mt. Everest and thereby achieving this remarkable feat under challenging conditions. ➢The expedition was headed by Cdr Sanjay Kulkarni (Oi/c expedition) and comprised 18 climbers for Mt Everest; two climbers for Lhotse and four base camp members. • Four jawans scale Everest without oxygen support ➢A team of four Indian Army jawans successfully climbed the Mt. Everest without using oxygen cylinders, the first team to scale the world‘s highest peak without supplementary oxygen. ➢The four climbers are Kunchok Tenda, Kelshang Dorjee Bhutia, Kalden Panjur and Sonam Phuntsok. • Two Indian children to climb Mount Elbrus ➢Two Indian children are all set to try to conquer Europe‘s highest peak, Mount Elbrus in Russia‘s Caucasus, with their parents to support the cause of ‗Beti Bachao Beti Padhao‘. ➢Accompanied by their parents Sarika and Jignesh Mehta, 9-year-old Dhanshree and her 13-year-old brother Janam will make the attempt. • 114-year-old Taj Palace becomes first Indian building to get trademark ➢The iconic Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai has just got itself trademarked.
➢This makes the 114-year-old building the first in the country to get such a registration. ➢The hotel, which has been a defining structure of Mumbai‘s skyline, has joined the elite and small club of trademarked properties in the world which includes the Empire State Building in New York, the Eiffel Tower in Paris and Sydney Opera House. • Japan Plans War Museum in a Manipur Hillock ➢Japan plans to build a war museum in a hillock at Maiba Lokpa in Bishnupur district of Manipur where a Japanese camp was located during the Second World War. • Introduction of the India‟s First Tejas Express between Mumbai and Karmali ➢Indian Railways introduce the high speed, air-conditioned Tejas Express (Train No 22119/22120) between Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus Mumbai and Karmali for the first time. ➢Tejas Express is a state of the art train capable of running at the speed of 200 kmph with ultra modern amenities. • „Ganga Jatara‟ ➢‗Ganga Jatara‘, the folk festival of Tirupati that hails the victory of feminine power over male lust. ➢ The Ganga Jatara is one festival that attracts many pilgrims as it in glory of the Goddess Gangamma who safeguards the village. • In a First, IIT Madras offers M Tech Degree through Remote Learning ➢In a first of its kind initiative, IIT Madras has taken its teaching process out of the confines of the campus. ➢It has recruited 31 M Tech students who will not have anything to do within the physical boundaries of the campus but will complete their course from their workplace.
• 29th India- Indonesia co-ordinated patrol (CORPAT) ➢The 29th series of India–Indonesia CORPAT is scheduled from 09 – 25 May 17 with the opening ceremony is conducted from 09 -12 May 17 at Port Blair under the aegis of Andaman and Nicobar Command. • Mt. Kangto Expedition ➢Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister flagged off the Mt Kangto Exploration Arunachal Team 2017. The team is headed by Everester Tapi Mra. ➢Mt. Kangto, with an altitude of 7,042 metres, is the highest peak of Arunachal Pradesh and is yet to be scaled. • Last flight from Mumbai to Karachi takes off ➢120 passengers, mainly from the Bohra, Sindhi and Parsi communities, boarded PK275, an Airbus 320 flight that was Pakistan International Airlines‘ (PIA) last Mumbai–Karachi flight. PIA‘s Delhi–Karachi flight was also suspended from 8th May. ➢Now, only a much smaller ATR aircraft will operate between Lahore and Delhi. • ‟Khooni Bhandara‟ looks to earn heritage tag ➢A unique underground water management structure of the Mughal era in Madhya Pradesh, known as the ‗Khooni Bhandara,‘ is eyeing the tag of UNESCO world heritage site. A proposal in this regard will be sent to the Union government. • India‟s First Sea Ropeway To Link Mumbai, Elephanta Island ➢ India‘s first sea and longest ropeway to connect Mumbai with the famous Elephanta Island in the Arabian Sea is planned to be constructed by the Mumbai Port Trust. ➢ The 8-km ropeway will begin from Sewri in Mumbai‘s east coast and end at Raigad district‘s Elephanta Island, globally renowned for Elephanta Caves, a Unesco World Heritage site. • First privately operated freight trains takes off
➢ Railway minister Suresh Prabhu digitally inaugurated the first steel coilcarrying Special Freight Train Operations (SFTO) rake of TM International Logistics Ltd (TMILL) from Rail Bhawan in New Delhi. ➢ TMILL, a joint venture of Tata Steel NYK Holding (Europe) B.V. and IQ Martrade Holding GmbH of Germany, has commenced operations with three BFNSM1 rakes. The first rake carrying steel coils departed from Tata Steel‘s Jamshedpur plant for Chennai. • SC orders auction of Aamby Valley ➢ The Supreme Court ordered the sale by auction of Sahara group‘s prized Lonavala asset in Maharashtra, the Aamby Valley property. • IIT Kharagpur to introduce Vastu Shastra ➢ You cannot be a ―well-rounded architect‖ unless you have learnt the basics of Vastu Shastra the foundation on which traditional Indian architecture study rests, believes IIT Kharagpur. ➢ The country‘s oldest and largest IIT will introduce the rudiments to first and second-year undergraduate architecture students this August, while those pursuing post-graduation or research. • One Part Woman bags Sahitya Akademi award ➢ The English translation of writer Perumal Murugan‘s novel Mathorubhagan (One Part Woman ) has won the Sahitya Akademi‘s award for translation in English. • Haldia Port Tops the List in The First Ever Ranking of Ports on Sanitation Parameters ➢ For the first time ever, the twelve major ports under the Ministry of Shipping have been ranked on sanitation parameters, based on the efforts undertaken by them to counter waste generating sources. ➢ While Haldia and Vizag ports bagged the first and second ranks respectively, almost all ports have achieved the benchmark for cleanliness or are well above it.
• National Lok Adalat settles over 6 lakh cases in one day ➢ The National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), led by Supreme Court judge Justice Dipak Misra, has been quietly chipping away at the backlog and has accomplished its latest feat of settling over six lakh cases in just 24 hours. ➢ The Second National Lok Adalat for 2017, conducted on April 8, throughout the country from taluk level courts to High Courts, has settled nearly 6.6 lakh cases. • Dubai gurdwara sets world record with meal for people from 101 nations ➢ A gurdwara in Dubai has set a world record for serving free breakfast to the maximum number of people from diverse nationalities. About 600 people from 101 countries were present at the meal. • Maharashtra to have India‟s first ideal digital village ➢ Harisal village, which was adopted by Microsoft to be developed as India‘s first ideal digital village. • Survey General of India completes 250 years ➢ The Survey General of India, established in 10 April 1767 by the British East India Company, helped it expand its footprint across the subcontinent. ➢ As the institute, one of the oldest scientific establishments in India, completes 250 years on 10 April 2017. ➢ The SGI‘s mandate ranges from demarcation of state and international boundaries, mapping of topography, making maps for urban planning and defence installations to reading deformities of dams and mapping rivers, flood plains, and roads. • Asia‟s longest bi-directional highway tunnel opened ➢ Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the 9.2 km long ChenaniNashri all-weather road tunnel on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway-44. ➢ The world‘s longest highway tunnel is 24.51 km and is in Norway.
• IISc Bangalore ranks No 1 institute in India ➢ Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore has been ranked number one educational institution in India by Human Resources Development Ministry. ➢ IIT Madras has topped the list in engineering category, followed by IIT Bombay and Kharagpur. ➢ IIM Ahmedabad bagged the first rank in management category. ➢ Miranda House, Delhi was ranked the top college. ➢ Jamia Hamdard, Delhi bagged the first rank among the Pharmacy institutes. • Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs (Independent Charge) and Parliamentary Affairs, Shri Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi launched the logo of ‗Hunar Haat‘ on Nov 15, 2016, under the USTTAD scheme aiming at preserving and promoting the rich heritage of the traditional arts and crafts of the Minority communities. • Nobel laureate Bharat Ratna Sir CV Raman‘s 128th anniversary was observed on 7th Nov, 2016 throughout the nation. He is remembered for the discovery of Raman Effect- scattering of light which makes the sea and clear sky look blue. India celebrates National Science Day every year on February 28 to mark the discovery of Raman Effect. • November 26- Constitution Day: Prime Minister Narendra Modi released two books on Indian Constitution at Parliament House Annexe in New Delhi. The books are New Version of Constitution of India and Making of the Constitution. Last year, the Government of India declared 26th November as the Constitution Day by a gazette notification. • On 31st October Rashtriya Ekta Diwas was observed.Rashtriya Ekta Diwas (National Unity Day) was introduced by the Government of India in 2014. The intent is to pay tribute to Vallabhbhai Patel. • Veteran Journalist S Nihal Singh has been awarded for ‗Raja Ram Mohan Roy Award‘, a national award for excellence in journalism instituted by Press Council of India.
• Oxford Dictionaries has named ―post-truth‖ as its international word of the year. The use of ―post-truth‖ — defined as ―relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief. • ‗Jail Jyoti-jails without illiterates‘: The Prisons and Correctional Services Department of Kerala State has embarked on a mission, christened ‗Jail Jyothi – jails without illiterates‘, to ensure total literacy among inmates in prisons in Kerala. • ‗White‘ anger: It is a protest by health workers against Belgium Governemnt. Thousands who work in Belgium‘s health and welfare sector, the ―white sector‘ have protested government plans on 27th Nov, 2016, for austerity measures and demanded more jobs and better pay. • The 13th World Robot Olympiad, jointly organized by National Council of Science Museums (NCSM) under the aegis of Ministry of Culture and India STEM Foundation (ISF), commenced at India Expo Mart, Greater Noida. The theme for this year‘s event is ‗Rap the Scrap‘. • Kehkashan Basu (16-year-old) Indian environmental activist based in the U.A.E has won this year‘s prestigious International Children‘s Peace Prize for her fight for climate justice and combating environmental degradation. ➢ She founded her organisation Green Hope at the age of 12, through which she has initiated countless clean-up operations and awareness campaigns. ➢ She is the youngest ever Global Coordinator for the Major Group for Children and Youth of the United Nations Environmental Programme. • The autobiography of India‘s batting legend Sachin Tendulkar ―Playing it my way‖ has won the prestigious Crossword Book of the Year Award in the Autobiography category. • Kolkata, the only Indian city received the prestigious best cities award 2016 for its Solid Waste Management Improvement Project. It received the award during the C40 Mayors Summit held in Mexico City. • Time Person of the Year 2016: US President-elect Donald Trump was named by Time magazine as its Person of the Year 2016 for his stunning upset victory in the US Presidential election.
• Asian of the Year 2016: Sachin Bansal and Binny Bansal, Flipkart founders have been jointly named ―Asian of the Year 2016‖ by Singapore-based newspaper The Straits Times. • The Indian council of Food and Agriculture (ICFA) has presented ―Global Agriculture Leadership Award 2016‖ to Interim Chairman of Tata sons Ratan Tata in Mumbai (Maharashtra). • Sunny Leone has been selected for the PETA‘s person of the year award for her dedication to promoting the rescue of homeless dogs and cats, as well as her compassion for animals abused and killed for their skin. • The first ever International Gita Mahotsav held in Kurukshetra, Haryana on 6th Dec, 2016. The Mahotsav has set a world record with the recitation of Ashtadash Shaloki Gita by as many as 18 thousand students at one go. • The World Economic Forum (WEF) has ranked Hindi language 10th in the top 10 most powerful languages on the planet. The list features English as the most powerful language followed by Mandarin. The WEF further forecasted the list for 2050, with Hindi climbing one spot to ninth. • Chillai Kalan, the harshest 40-day spell of winter, the fast dipping sub-zero temperature observed in Kashmir. Chillai Kalan usually brings with it several spells of snowfall. • Andhra Pradesh‘s classical dance ‗Kuchipudi‘ found a place in the Guinness World Records when a record 6,117 dancers came together to present a ‗Mahabrinda Natyam‘ show in Vijaywada. • The world‘s first ‗Gender Literature Festival‘ will be held in Patna in the second week of April, 2017. The fest will be organized by the Gender Resource Centre of Bihar‘s Women Development Corporation. The objective of this initiative is to create a platform, to exchange ideas, and to share and learn experiences of renowned people in the field of gender [-based or focused] literature. • The world‘s largest open air theatre, 11-days Bargarh Dhanu Yatra in Odisha concluded on 12th January, 2017, with the death King Kansa at the hands of his nephew Lord Krishna. • Mawlynnong village has become a role model for other states in maintaining cleanliness. It is termed as Asia‘s cleanest village and has become tourists‘ hotspot. It is located 80 km away from capital Shillong and over 500 tourists visit
this village from across the country daily. Villagers carry out cleanliness drive on every Saturday of the month. • Over 3.5 lakh people took part in event at Rajkot temple, entering the Guinness Book of World Records on 21st Jan, 2017. It was organized on the occasion of the installation of the idol of goddess Khodiyar at the newly-built Khodal Dham temple in the town. Earlier, 2, 54,537 people had sung the national anthem in Bangladesh in 2014 and set a record. • ―Zohra‖, an ensemble of 35 young musicians aged 13 to 20, some orphans or from poor families is the first Afghan women orchestra. • Delhi University‘s Hansraj College on 25th January 2017 has hoisted its first monumental flag. DU is the first public university in the country to get a monumental flagpole, according to the Flag Foundation. • Burj Khalifa tower, the world‘s tallest building located in Dubai, has lit up in the colours of the Indian National flag on 25th January 2017 and 26th January 2017 to celebrate India‘s 68th Republic Day. The LED shows were to be held on both days along with complimenting Dubai Fountain shows. In addition to the shows, the Indian Consulate in Dubai has a flag-hoisting ceremony at the consulate premises by Consul General Anurag Bhushan, followed by flag-hoisting at the Indian High School grounds in Oud Metha, Dubai. • The world‘s first robot table tennis tutor in Japan has set a new Guinness World Record for its uncanny ability of being able to play the game better than most humans. • According to the New World Wealth report Mumbai, the financial capital of India has been named as the Richest Indian city with a total wealth of $ 820 billion. Delhi and Bengaluru in the second and third place, respectively. • ―SURYA KIRAN-XI‖, the two-week long joint military exercise held between India and Nepal in Pithoragarh area of Uttarakhand. The exercise was aimed at training of both the troops in the area of various counter-insurgency operations over a prolonged period. • ―Al Nagah-two‖, the joint exercise between Indian and Royal Oman armies held in Bakloh area of Chamba district in Himachal Pradesh. The exercise mainly focused on counter-terrorism and forest warfare. Earlier this kind of exercise was conducted in the year 2015.
(G) Persons in News • Bishnu Charan Ghosh ➢The stamps on Bishnu Charan Ghosh, his son Biswanath Ghosh, daughter Karuna Ghosh and Karuna‘s father in law Asutosh Ghosh, were released recently in Japan. ➢This is the first time Japan has released postal stamps on any yoga experts. • Lakshmi Mittal, Ratan Tata and Vinod Khosla ➢Three Indian corporate leaders — Lakshmi Mittal, Ratan Tata and Vinod Khosla — have been named on Forbes‘ special list of the world‘s ‗100 Greatest Living Business Minds‘. ➢Lakshmi Mittal is the chairman and chief executive officer of ArcelorMittal. ➢Ratan Tata is Tata group‘s Chairman Emeritus and Vinod Khosla is the cofounder of Sun Microsystems. • Ajay Tyagi ➢SEBI Chairman Ajay Tyagi has been named among the top ten regulators in the world, according to a report. ➢Tyagi, who took over the reins of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) in March 2017, has been ranked at the seventh position among the top 10 regulators worldwide. • Indra Nooyi, Chanda Kochhar on Fortune most powerful businesswomen list ➢Two Indians - Chanda Kochhar and Shikha Sharma have made it to the rankings of most powerful women in business outside the United States drawn up by the Fortune magazine while Indra Nooyi featured in the top three on the US edition list. ➢The Most Powerful Women in Business outside the US list, which was topped by Banco Santander group Executive Chairman Ana Botin, placed ICICI Bank‘s Kochhar at the 5th spot while Axis Bank‘s Sharma has been ranked 21st.
➢PepsiCo Chairman and CEO Indra Nooyi came in at No. 2 on the US Most Powerful Women in Business list, led by General Motors Chairman and CEO Mary Barra. ➢Lockheed Martin Chairman, President, and CEO Marillyn Hewson took the 3rd spot. ➢On Kochhar, Managing Director and CEO, ICICI Bank, Fortune said she has ―led India‘s largest private lender for eight years, and under her stewardship, ICICI Bank has thrived‖. • N.R Rao ➢Eminent scientist, Professor C.N.R Rao, has become the first Asian to be chosen for the prestigious Von Hippel Award for his immense contribution in materials research. ➢The award is the US-based Materials Research Society‘s (MRS) highest honour. • Acharya Balkrishna ➢Acharya Balkrishna, the head of Baba Ramdev‘s Patanjali Ayruveda, has made it to the Hurun India Rich List this year, while Damani, the founder of DMart stores, was the biggest gainer. ➢Chairman of Reliance Industries, Mukesh Ambani, 60, with net worth of Rs 2.57 lakh crore is ranked first in the list for the sixth consecutive year. Share price of Reliance Industries hit a nine-year high in July this year. • Trishna Shakya ➢Trishna Shakya will be anointed as the new Kumari in a ceremony, when she will be taken from her family home to live in a palace in Kathmandu‘s ancient Durbar Square where she will be cared for by specially appointed caretakers. ➢The practice was historically closely linked to the royal family, but has continued despite the end of Nepal‘s Hindu monarchy in 2008. The outgoing Kumari, Matine Shakya, was anointed in 2008 at the age of three. • Bilal Dar
➢Bilal Dar, a young boy from Srinagar has become the brand ambassador for Srinagar Municipal Corporation. Dar has been contributing to the ‗Swachhta Abhiyan‘ since the age of 12. ➢He found a mention in the Hon‘ble Prime Minister‘s recent Mann Ki Baat. • Bhavna Santosh Jadhav ➢Bhavna Santosh Jadhav is just a few minutes old, but she already has in place her vital identity proof - the Aadhaar number. • Riz Ahmed ➢Riz Ahmed has become the first man of Asian descent to win an acting award at the Emmys. ➢He picked up the award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie for The Night Of in which he plays Nasir ―Naz‖ Khan, a Pakistani/IranianAmerican college student accused of murdering a young woman. • Zannah Mustapha ➢The UNHCR said Zannah Mustapha was given the annual Nansen award for his ―crucial mediating‖ role as well as his work helping children affected by the long-running conflict. • Jane Austen ➢A new plastic £10 note featuring Jane Austen, one of Britain‘s most renowned authors, has gone into circulation. ➢Apart from the Queen, whose portrait is on all U.K. currency, Austen is only the third woman to feature on a modern-day British banknote, after medical innovator Florence Nightingale and social reformer Elizabeth Fry. • Madhavan Nair ➢A special court summoned ISRO‘s former chairman G. Madhavan Nair and others as accused in the Antrix-Devas deal case. • Bina Agarwal
➢Economist Bina Agarwal, a professor at the University of Manchester, won the Balzan Prize for her contribution in the gender studies category for her ―heroic‖ work studying women‘s contributions to agriculture in India. • Donald Glover ➢Donald Glover won two Emmys for his work on Atlanta: one for Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series, and one for Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series. ➢Only one other black actor has ever won the award for Best Actor in a Comedy: Robert Guillaume, for Benson, in 1985. And no black director has ever won the award for Best Directing in a Comedy. • Salman Khan ➢Bollywood star Salman Khan received a Global Diversity Award at Britain‘s House of Commons. ➢Salman received the award from Keith Vaz, British Parliament‘s longestserving Asian MP. • Peggy Whitson ➢NASA‘s record-breaking astronaut Peggy Whitson returned home on the Soyuz from an extended 288-day mission to the International Space Station (ISS). ➢She‟s returning with multiple other records: • World‘s oldest spacewoman, at age 57 • Most experienced female spacewalker, with 10. • Became the first woman astronaut to command the International Space Station twice. • On April 24, 2017, broke the record for most total days spent in space by any NASA astronaut. • PM Modi, Shashi Tharoor Feature in LinkedIn 2017 Power Profiles List
➢Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress MP Shashi Tharoor have found a spot in the LinkedIn Power Profiles List of 2017. ➢Professional networking giant LinkedIn announced its fourth edition of Power Profiles, a list of the most viewed LinkedIn profiles of professionals in India. ➢PM Modi, with his 2.2 million followers on the platform, is a third time return to the list. ➢Other influencers are Shashi Tharoor, Kailash Satyarthi, founder of Kailash Satyarthi Children‘s Foundation, and actress Priyanka Chopra, who are new entries in the list. • Dhruv Garg ➢Dhruv Garg, a 13-year-old Indian-origin boy in the UK has got the highest possible score of 162 on a Mensa IQ test, placing him in the top one per cent people in the world who achieved this feat. • Shahrukh Khan, Salman Khan and Akshay Kumar feature on Forbes‟ highest-paid actors list ➢Indian superstars Shahrukh Khan, Salman Khan and Akshay Kumar are among the top 10 highest paid actors in the world in a list compiled by Forbes that has been topped by ―Transformers‖ actor Mark Wahlberg. ➢Shahrukh Khan is at the eighth spot on the list with earnings of 38 million dollars. ➢Salman Khan on the ninth position with 37 million dollars. ➢Akshay Kumar is completing the top 10 with 35.5 million dollar earnings. • Emma Stone ➢Oscar-winning Emma Stone knocked actor Jennifer Lawrence off the top spot on Forbes‘ 2017 list of the world‘s highest-paid actresses. ➢Stone, who won best actress for her role as a struggling performer in La La Land, made $26 million in pre-tax earnings in the year up to June.
• Vishal Sikka ➢Vishal Sikka has resigned as MD and CEO of Infosys and the board has accepted his resignation with immediate effect. • Five Indian-origin persons in Fortune‟s 2017 ‟40 Under 40′ list ➢Five Indian-origin persons, including Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, have featured in Fortune‘s 2017 ‗40 Under 40′ list. ➢Fortune‘s 2017 ‘40 Under 40′ list is an annual ranking of the most influential young people who are under 40 in business, whom the magazine termed as ―disruptors, innovators, rebels and artists‖ inspiring others. ➢The list has been topped by 39-year-old French President Emmanuel Macron. ➢Others Indian-origin persons on the list are Divya Nag, Rishi Shah, Shradha Agarwal and Leila Janah. • James McCloughan ➢James McCloughan an Army medic from Michigan who risked his life multiple times to rescue Vietnam War comrades is becoming the first person to receive America‘s highest military honor from President Donald Trump. • Lula da Silva ➢Former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was found guilty of corruption and money laundering and sentenced to almost 10 years in prison, the highest-profile conviction yet in the sprawling graft investigation that has jailed dozens of Brazil‘s elite. • J P Nadda ➢Shri J P Nadda, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare was conferred the WHO Director-General‘s Special Recognition Award for global tobacco control. ➢There has been a 54% relative reduction in prevalence of tobacco use among minors (15-17 years) and 28% reduction in the age group of 18-24 years.
• Margaret Atwood ➢Margaret Atwood will receive a lifetime achievement award from one of the world‘s oldest literary organisations. ➢PEN Center USA has announced that the 77-year-old author of more than 40 books of fiction, poetry and essays will accept the honour at the group‘s annual Literary Awards Festival on October 27 in California. • Azim Premji ➢Wipro Chairman Azim Premji is among the recepients of this year‘s Carnegie Medal, considered the most prestigious prize in philanthropy, for his efforts to reform India‘s public school system. • Manushi Chhillar ➢The new face of India has been chosen--Miss Haryana Manushi Chhillar has been declared Miss India 2017. ➢Miss Jammu and Kashmir, Sana Dua, and Miss Bihar, Priyanka Kumari were declared the first and second runner-up respectively. • Kaushik Basu ➢The Finance Ministry‘s former Chief Economic Advisor Kaushik Basu has taken over as President of the International Economic Association (IEA), according to a statement from Cornell University in the US. • Government constitutes a committee to prepare the final draft of National Education Policy ➢The committee for preparation of final draft of National Education Policy has been constituted under the Chairmanship of eminent Scientist Padma Vibhushan Dr K. Kasturirangan. • Tao Porchon-Lynch ➢Guinness World record holder Tao Porchon-Lynch, the oldest yoga trainer in the world, shared the stage with India‘s oldest trainer Amma Nanammal -- both are 98 years old -- at a yoga programme held at the Kanteerava Stadium.
• N. Chandrababu Naidu ➢Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu received ‗Transformative Chief Administer‘ award bestowed on him by the US-India Business Council (USIBC). • Chanda Kochhar ➢ICICI Bank chief Chanda Kochhar has become the first Indian woman to be conferred with the prestigious Woodrow Wilson Award for Global Corporate Citizenship. • Aravind Kumar Rengan ➢ Assistant Professor in Department of Biomedical Engineering at Indian Institute of Technology – Hyderabad (IIT-H) Aravind Kumar Rengan has been awarded the prestigious Indian National Science Academy (INSA) medal in the Young Scientist category for 2017. • Harish Salve ➢ One of India‘s top lawyers Harish Salve charged Rs 1 as the fee to fight India‘s case at the International Court of Justice against the death penalty given to Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav by a Pakistani military court. • Govinda Bhat ➢ Yakshagana artiste Surikumeri K. Govinda Bhat, 79, has been chosen for the Kendra Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for 2016. ➢ The award carries a purse of Rs 1 lakh, besides a Tamrapatra and Angavastram. He is among the nine artistes chosen for the award in theatre category. • Kulbhushan Jadhav ➢ The International Court of Justice (ICJ) stayed the execution of former Indian naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav, who was sentenced to death by a Pakistan military court on the charge of spying, till its final decision. • Ronny Abraham
➢ Ronny Abraham is the current President of International Court of Justice. • Ashwani Kumar ➢ The Japanese government has selected former Union Law Minister Ashwani Kumar for the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun, in recognition of his achievements in bolstering India-Japan ties. ➢ Indians who have in the past received the Decoration — conferred in recognition of distinguished accomplishments— include industrialist Ratan N. Tata. • Vivek Murthy ➢ Vivek Murthy, the first Indian-American appointed by the Barack Obama regime as the Surgeon-General, has been dismissed by the Trump administration to bring new leadership to the vital public health sector. • Kasinathuni Viswanath ➢ Veteran film director Kasinathuni Viswanath has made the Telugu film industry proud by winning the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, India‘s highest award in cinema, for 2016. It is the biggest milestone in his long journey spanning nearly six decades that began in 1957. • Prafulla Samantara ➢ Activist Prafulla Samantara was named as one of the six winners of the Goldman Environmental Prize for 2017. ➢ The prize citation said he was honoured for his ―historic 12-year legal battle that affirmed the indigenous Dongria Kondhs‘ land rights and protected the Niyamgiri Hills from a massive, open-pit aluminum ore mine.‖ • Rahul Bajaj ➢ The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee presented CII President‘s Award for Lifetime Achievement to Mr. Rahul Bajaj. • Srishti Kaur
➢ Srishti Kaur from India was crowned Miss Teen Universe 2017, beating out 25 other contestants from around the world in the annual beauty pageant. • Hosni Mubarak ➢ In Egypt, former President Hosni Mubarak has been freed from detention, six years after being overthrown. He was ordered freed after Egypt‘s top appeals court cleared him over the deaths of protesters in the 2011 uprising. Mr Mubarak, 88, became fourth President of Egypt in 1981. • Gauri Singh ➢ Gauri Singh (14-year) has become the first Indian girl swim from Sea Link near Worli Koliwada to the Gateway of India in the Arabia Sea. ➢ She took over 6 hours 30 minutes to complete the 36-km long distance route. Gauri Singh is a class 8th student from Udaipur (Rajasthan).
Appointments • Halimah Yacob ➢Halimah Yacob becomes Singapore first female President and the first in five decades to come from the Malay ethnicity. • Raj Shah ➢US President Donald Trump has appointed Indian-American Raj Shah to a key position in his communications team as Deputy Assistant to the President and Principal Deputy Press Secretary. • Peter Thomson ➢UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has appointed the outgoing president of the General Assembly, Peter Thomson, as the first special envoy for the oceans, seeking to galvanize efforts to protect the world‘s seas. He played a leading role at the first-ever UN conference on oceans in June, 2017. • Ban Ki-moon
➢Former U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon was elected head of the International Olympic Committee‘s ethics commission as the Olympic body battles to improve its image amid a string of corruption cases involving senior members. • Sanjeev Sinha ➢Sanjeev Sinha, former Tata executive in Tokyo and the first IIT-ian from Barmer, Rajasthan, has been appointed as adviser for the Ahmedabad-Mumbai High Speed Rail project by Japan Railways. • Shashi Shankar ➢Shashi Shanker was appointed as the chairman and managing director (CMD) of India‘s biggest oil and gas producer ONGC. • Ajay Bhushan Pandey ➢The finance ministry appointed Ajay Bhushan Pandey, the CEO of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), as the interim chairman of the Goods and Services Tax Network (GSTN). • Vas Narasimhan ➢Novartis CEO Joe Jimenez will step down on February 1 and handed over responsibility to Vas Narasimhan to decide the fate of $50 billion Novartis, the Swiss company to sales growth. • Justice Dipak Misra ➢Justice Dipak Misra has sworn in as the 45th Chief Justice of India. ➢President Ram Nath Kovind administered the oath of office to Justice Misra at Rashtrapati Bhawan. ➢Justice Misra will have tenure of nearly 13 months. • Rajiv Kumar ➢Noted economist Rajiv Kumar took over as the vice-chairman of government think tank Niti Aayog.
➢Mr. Kumar had also served as the chief economist of the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII). • Rajiv Mehrishi ➢Former home secretary Rajiv Mehrishi has been appointed as Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG). ➢Rajiv Mehrishi will succeed the Shashi Kant Sharma. • Nandan Nilekani ➢IT major Infosys announced that its board had unanimously approved the appointment of Nandan Nilekani as non-executive chairman of the board, ―effective immediately.‖ • Ashwani Lohani ➢Ashwani Lohani was appointed chairman of the Railway Board after the incumbent A K Mital resigned from the post. • Rear Admiral Travis Sinniah ➢Rear Admiral Travis Sinniah is the first Tamil to head a wing of the military since 1970, even though Tamils make up around 15% of Sri Lanka‘s population. • Prasoon Joshi ➢The Centre has appointed lyricist Prasoon Joshi as Chairman of the Central Board of Film Certification, CBFC, for a period of three years. ➢Mr Joshi has replaced former Chairman Pahlaj Nihalani. • S. Aparna ➢S. Aparna, an IAS officer from Gujarat cadre has been appointed as Executive Director, World Bank to represent the constituency of India, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Sri Lanka for three years. ➢At the World Bank, she will replace Subhash Garg, who was recently appointed Economic Affairs Secretary, Ministry of Finance.
• M Venkaiah Naidu ➢Former Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu was elected the 15th Vice-President of India. ➢Naidu is the second BJP leader to be vice-president after Bhairon Singh Shekhawat. • Dhirendra Swarup ➢Leading stock exchange BSE said markets regulator SEBI has approved the appointment of Dhirendra Swarup as the bourse‘s new chairman. ➢Swarup, who was a public interest director at the BSE, replaces incumbent Sudhakar Rao. • K K Venugopal ➢Senior advocate in the Supreme Court K K Venugopal officially took over as the new Attorney General of India. • Achal Kumar Joti ➢Election Commissioner (EC) Achal Kumar Joti was on July 4 appointed as the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC). He suceeds Nasim Zaidi. • Sir Rabinder Singh ➢A British Sikh has become the first Indian-origin judge to be promoted to one of the senior-most posts in the U.K. judicial system. ➢Sir Rabinder Singh is one of the seven judges to occupy the seven-member U.K. Court of Appeal. • Ram Nath Kovind ➢Ram Nath Kovind has taken oath as the 14th President of India. ➢The former Governor of Bihar had won the presidential election receiving over 7 lakh votes and defeating Opposition candidate Meira Kumar. • Dalveer Bhandari
➢India has renominated its serving candidate Dalveer Bhandari at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the principal legal organ of the United Nations. • Amitabh Bachchan ➢The government has chosen Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan as the face of the Goods and Services Tax (GST). • Parbinder Kaur Shergill ➢British Columbia Supreme Court judge of Indian-origin, Parbinder Kaur Shergill, has become first turbaned Sikh woman Supreme Court judge of Canada. • Gairul Hasan Rizvi ➢The Union Government appointed Gairul Hasan Rizvi as chairman of the National Commission for Minorities (NCM). • Emmanuel Macron ➢After a resounding victory in runoff, Emmanuel Macron sworn in as France‘ President at the Elysee palace on May 14. . Mr. Macron won the presidency with 66% of votes against his far-right rival Marine Le Pen‘s 34%. ➢At 39, the pro-EU former investment banker became France‘s youngest-ever President. • Justice Mukul Mudgal ➢ Justice (Retd.) Mukul Mudgal was elected as head of FIFA‘s governance committee at the world football governing body‘s 67th Congress in Bahrain‘s capital city of Manama. • Ramanathan Ramanan ➢ Ramanathan Ramanan was appointed as the Mission Director of the Atal Innovation Mission under the Niti Aayog. Ramanan is at present working with the Tata Consultancy Services (TCS). • Anuja Ravindra Dhir
➢ An Indian-origin woman, Anuja Ravindra Dhir, has become the first non-white judge to sit at the Old Bailey Court of London. ➢ She is also the youngest circuit judge currently to sit at the court. • Raman Roy ➢ The National Association of Software and Services Companies (Nasscom) appointed Raman Roy (Managing Director of Quatrro Global Services) as its chairman for 2017-2018. ➢ Rishad Premji (Chief Strategy Officer (CSO), Wipro Limited) has been appointed Vice Chairman. • Justice Shiva Kirti Singh ➢ The government has cleared retired Supreme Court judge Shiva Kirti Singh as the next chairman of the Telecom Disputes Settlement & Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT). • MS Dhoni ➢ The former Indian cricket team skipper MS Dhoni became an acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Gulf Oil India just for a day. He was also named as the brand ambassador for Gulf Oil in the year 2011. ➢ He took charge of Gulf Oil India at the Mumbai head office. • Geeta Johari ➢ A 1982 batch senior IPS Officer Geeta Johari has been appointed as new Director General of Police of Gujarat. Mrs. Johari- presently working as Head of Gujarat Police Housing Corporation will become the first woman Director General of Police of Gujarat. • Ankur Khanna ➢ Appointed as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the International Cricket Council (ICC). • Nand Kumar Sai
➢ Appointed as the Chairperson of the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) in New Delhi. He has succeeded Rameshwar Oraon, whose tenure had ended on 31stOctober 2016. ➢ The Chairperson has been given the rank of Union Cabinet Minister to the Government of India. • B P Kanungo ➢ Appointed as the appointed Deputy Governor in Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for three years on 10th March, 2017. • J S Deepak ➢ Telecom Secretary has been appointed as India‘s Ambassador to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) from June 2017.
Obituaries • Dr KS Chugh ➢Dr K S Chugh, the ―father of nephrology in India‖, breathed his last at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh. • Liliane Bettencourt ➢Liliane Bettencourt, the heiress to cosmetics firm L‘Oreal, has died aged 94, her family has confirmed. With an estimated 2017 net worth of $40 billion, she was the world‘s richest woman. • Eman Ahmed ➢Once considered the world‘s heaviest woman at 500 kg, Eman Ahmed, 37, died at the Burjeel Hospital in Abu Dhabi following multi-organ failure, seven months after the Egyptian national left her home to seek treatment for obesity. ➢She spent nearly three months in a Mumbai hospital before being transferred to the Abu Dhabi hospital in May this year. • Arjan Singh
➢Marshal of the Indian Air Force Arjan Singh, one of Independent India‘s most celebrated soldiers, passed away in New Delhi. ➢Marshal of the Indian Air Force Arjan Singh was an Indian Air Force marshal who served as Chief of the Air Staff from 1964 to 1969. • Gauri Lankesh ➢Gauri Lankesh, a senior Kannada journalist known for her criticism of Hindu extremism, was shot dead at her home in Bengaluru. • Renuka Devi Borkataki ➢Renuka Devi Borkataki, a former union minister of state in the Janata Party government of Morarji Desai, passed away in a government hospital following a major injury she suffered two days ago. ➢The first woman from Assam and the Northeast to have found a berth in the central government, she was 85. • Liu Xiaobo ➢Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo, China‘s most prominent political prisoner, died at a hospital in the country‘s northeast. ➢Liu was only the second after Carl von Ossietzky, Nobel Peace Prize winner to die in prison, a fact pointed to by human rights groups as an indication of the Chinese Communist Party‘s increasingly hard line against its critics. • Udupi Ramachandra Rao ➢Udupi Ramachandra Rao, an internationally renowned space scientist who had been at the forefront of developing space technology in India, passed away at the age of 85 in Bengaluru. ➢He was the scientist who spearheaded the establishment of satellite technology in the country and the launch of India‘s first satellite, Aryabhata, in 1975.
➢Prof. U.R. Rao became the first Indian Space Scientist to be inducted into the highly Prestigious ―Satellite Hall of Fame‖ at Washington DC, USA on March 19, 2013. ➢Prof. U.R. Rao became the first Indian Space Scientist to be inducted into the highly Prestigious ―IAF Hall of Fame‖ at Guadalajara, Mexico in 2016. • Justice P.N. Bhagwati ➢The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee has condoled the passing away of former Chief Justice of India, Shri P.N. Bhagwati. ➢As recognition of his contribution in the field of Indian judiciary, Justice Bhagwati was awarded Padma Vibhushan. He will remain an inspiration for the members of the legal fraternity. • Anil Madhav Dave ➢Union Environment Minister Anil Madhav Dave died of a cardiac arrest in the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). ➢He was a Member of Parliament, representing Madhya Pradesh in the Rajya Sabha since 2009. • Justice Leila Seth ➢Justice Leila Seth, the first woman judge of the Delhi High Court and a member of the Justice J. S. Verma committee set up to take a re-look into rape laws in India after the December 16, 2012 gang rape in Delhi, died of cardiac arrest at her residence in Noida. • Godman Chandraswami ➢ Chandraswami, self-styled godman, political broker and astrologer to the powerful, rich and influential, dominated news headlines for almost three decades, passes away. • Powers Boothe
➢ Powers Boothe, the character actor known for his villain roles in TV‘s Deadwood , and in the movies Tombstone , Sin City and The Avengers , has died.He was 68. • Vinod Khanna ➢ Veteran actor and Member of Parliament Vinod Khanna — the dashing Bollywood star best known for his roles in films such as Amar Akbar Anthony , Qurbaani and Insaaf — died of cancer. • David Rockefeller ➢ The world‘s oldest billionaire, passed away on 20th March, 2017 at age 101. Rockefeller, who held a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Chicago, ran Chase National Bank for years. • John Hampshire ➢ The former England and Yorkshire batsman who later became an international umpire, passed away on March 1, 2017 aged 76 after prolonged illness. • Raymond Kopa ➢ French football legend passed away in Paris at the age of 85 yrs after a long illness. He won the European Cup three times with Real Madrid in the 1950s. Kopa was also the central part of the French side beaten by Pele‘s Brazil in a classic World Cup semi-final in 1958. • US Thomas Starzl ➢ The man who performed the world‘s first liver transplant passed away in March 2017. He pioneered the procedure after creating a new blend of antirejection drugs; he carried out the first successful transplant in 1967. Since then, thousands of lives have been saved by the procedure. • Sir Peter Mansfield ➢ UK physicist and Nobel laureate Sir Peter Mansfield has died at the age of 83. Peter led a team of experts who revolutionized science and worked on MRI scans.
• Bill Paxton ➢ The actor is best known for his roles in film including Twister, Titanic as well as Ridley Scott‘s Aliens and won an Emmy Award for Hatfield and McCoys, has passed away after complications from heart surgery. • Tarak Mehta ➢ Renowned Indian humorist and playwright ‗Taarak Mehta‘ passes away at the age of 87 years after prolonged illness. ➢ The popular series ‗Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah‘ is TV adaptation of Padma Shri Taarak Mehta‘s column ‗Duniya Ne Undha Chasma.
2. International and National Organizations their heads and headquarters S.NO.
Name of organization
the
Headquarter
Head of the Organization/(Designation)
1
United Nations
New York, USA
Antonio Guterres General)
(Secretary-
2
UNICEF
New York, USA
Anthony Lake (Head)
3
UNESCO
Paris, France
Irina Bokova (Director General)
4
FAO
Rome, Italy
Graziano Da Silva (Head)
5
WHO
Geneva, Switzerland
Tedros General)
6
ILO
Geneva, Switzerland
Guy Ryder (Head)
7
ICJ
The Hague, The Ronny Abaraham (President) Netherlands
8
UNCTAD
Geneva, Switzerland
Mukhisa General)
9
ADB
Manila, Philippines
Takehiko Nakao (President)
10
OECD
Paris, France
Jose Angel General)
Adhanom
Kituyi
(Director
(Secretary-
Gurria
(Secretary
11
OPEC
Vienna, Austria
Mohammed Sanusi Barkindo (Nigeria) (Secretary General)
12
EU
Brussels, Belgium
Jean Claude Junker (President of European Commission)
13
G-8
Nil
Paolo Gentiloni Hosted-2017)
14
G-20
Nil
Angela Merkel (Germany Hosted -2017)
Silveri
(Italy
S.NO.
Name of organization
the
Headquarter
Head of the Organization/(Designation)
15
NATO
Brussels, Belgium
Jens Stoltenberg General)
(Secretary-
16
IAEA
Vienna, Austria
Yukiya Amano (Head)
17
SAARC
Kathmandu
Amjad Hussain B. Sial (Secretary General-2017)
18
IBSA
Political Forum
India+ Brazil+ South Africa
19
New Development Shanghai, China K. V. Kamath (President) Bank Jin Liqun (President)
20
Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank Beijing, China (AIIB)
21
World Bank
Washington D.C Jim Yong Kim (President)
22
IMF
Washington D.C
Christine Director)
Lagarde
(Managing
23
WTO
Geneva, Switzerland
Roberto General)
Azevêdo
(Director-
24
European Bank
25
Bank for International Settlements
Basel, Switzerland
Jaime Caruana Manager)
26
Federal Reserve Bank of America
Washington D.C
Janet L. Yellen (Chairperson of Board of Governors)
27
Financial Action Task Force (FATF)
Paris
Mr. Santiago (President)
28
RBI
Mumbai
Urjit R. Patel (Governor)
29
NABARD
Mumbai (Maharashtra)
Harsh Kumar (Chairman)
Central Frankfurt, Germany
Dr. D.J. Pandian to the position of Vice President, Chief Investment Officer
Mario Draghi (President) (General
Otamendi
Bhanwala
S.NO.
Name of organization
the
Headquarter
Head of the Organization/(Designation)
30
SEBI
Mumbai (Maharashtra)
Ajay Tyagi (Chairman)
31
IRDA
Hyderabad
T S Vijayan (Chairman)
32
SIDBI
Lucknow
Mohammad Mustafa (CMD)
33
TRAI
New Delhi
R S Sharma (Chairman)
34
Competition Commission of India New Delhi (CCI)
Devender Kumar Sikri (Chairman) Narendra Modi (Chairman)
35
Niti Aayog
New Delhi Dr. Rajiv Kumar (Vice Chairman)
36
IDFC Ltd.
Mumbai
Mr. Sunil Kakar (MD & CEO)
37
EXIM BANK
Mumbai
Mr. David Rasquinha (CMD)
38
ECGC
Mumbai
Geetha Muralidhar (Chairperson & MD)
39
NHB
New Delhi
Sriram CEO)
40
IIFL
Mumbai
Nirmal Jain (Chairman)
41
ICICI
Mumbai
Chanda Kochhar (MD & CEO)
42
CAG
New Delhi
Rajiv Mehrishi
43
CEC
New Delhi
Achal Kumar Joti
44
14th Finance --commission
Y.V.Reddy (Chairman)
45
CBDT
New Delhi
Sushil Chandra (Chairperson)
46
CBEC
New Delhi
Ms. Vanaja N. Sarna (Chairman)
47
Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC)
New Delhi
Union Finance (Chairman)
Kalyanaraman
(MD
&
Minister
S.NO. 48
Name of organization
the
PFRDA
Headquarter
Head of the Organization/(Designation)
New Delhi
Hemant G Contractor (Chairman)
3. Countries and their heads of Governments S.No. Country
President
Prime Minister CEO: Abdullah Abdullah
1
Afghanistan
Ashraf Ghani
2
Argentina
Mauricio Macri
3
Australia
Elizabeth II (Monarch)
Malcolm Turnbull
4
Bangladesh
Abdul Hamid
Sheikh Hasina
Bhutan
Jigme Kheysar Namgel Wangchuck Tshering Tobgey
5
(Monarch) 6
Brazil
Michel Temer
7
Canada
Elizabeth II (Monarch)
Justin Trudeau
8
Democratic Republic of Congo
Joseph Kabila
Bruno Tshibala Nzenze
9
Czech Republic
Milos Zeman
Bohuslav Sobotka
10
Egypt
Abdel Fateh el-Sisi
Sherif Ismail
11
Fiji
George Konrote
Frank Bainimarama
12
France
Emmanuel Macron
Edouard Philippe
13
Georgia
Giorgi Margvelashvili
Giorgi Kvirikashvili
14
Greece
Prokovis Pavlopoulos
Alexis Tsipras
15
India
Ram Nath Kovind
Narendra Modi
16
Indonesia
Joko Vidodo
17
Iran
Hasan Rouhani
Supreme Leader – Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
18
Iraq
Fuad Masum
Haider -al Abadi
S.No. Country
President
Prime Minister
19
Israel
Reuven Rivlin
Benjamin Netanyahu
20
Italy
Sergio Mattarela
Paolo Gentiloni Silveri
21
Japan
Akihito (Monarch)
Shinzo Abe
22
Jordan
Abdullah II (Monarch)
Hani Fawzi Al-Mulki
23
Kazakhstan
Nursultan Nazarbayev
Bakytzhan Sagintayev
24
Kyrgyzstan
Almazbek Atambayev
Sooronbay Jeenbekov
25
Liberia
Ellen Jhonson Sirleaf
26
Libya
Fayez Sarraj
27
Malaysia
Sultan Muhammad Najib Razak V(Monarch)
28
Mauritius
Ameenh Gurib
29
Mexico
Enrique Pena Nieto
30
Myanmar
Htin Kyaw
31
Nepal
Bidhya Devi Bhandari
32
Nigeria
Muhammadu Buhari
33
North Korea
Kim Jong Un
34
Pakistan
Mamnoon Hussain
Shahid Khaqan Abbasi
35
Palestine
Mahmoud Abbas
Rami Hamdallah
36
Philippines
Rodrigo Duterte
37
Russia
Vladimir Putin
38
Saudi Arabia
Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud
39
Singapore
Halimah binti Yacob
40
South Africa
Jacob Zuma
41
South Korea
Moon Jae-in
Lee Nak-yeon
42
Sri Lanka
Maithripala Srisena
Ranil Wickremesinghe
Mustafa
al-
Abdirovich
Fayez Mustafa al-Sarraj
Pravind Kumar Jugnauth
Sher Bahadur Deuba
Dmitry Medvedev
Lee Hsein Loong
S.No. Country
President
Prime Minister
Bashar Hafez al-Assad
Imad Mohammad Khamis
Deeb
43
Syria
44
Thailand
45
Turkey
Recep Tayyip Erdogan Binali Yildirim
46
Ukraine
Petro Poroshenko
47
United Emirates
48
USA
Donald John Trump
49
UK
Elizabeth II (Monarch)
50
Venezuela
Nicolas Maduro
51
Yemen
Abd Rabbuh Mansur Ahmed Obeid bin Daghr Hadi
52
Zimbabwe
Robert Mugabe
Prayuth Chan -Ocha
Arab Sheilh Khalifa Zayed Al Nahyan
Volodymyr Groysman Bin Sheilkh Mohammad Rashid Al Maktoum
Bin
Theresa May
4. Banks their heads, headquarters and punch lines (A) Nationalized Indian Banks and their Heads S.No.
Name of the bank
Head/Chairman
Headquarter
Punchline
1
Allahabad Bank
Usha Ananthasubramanian (CMD)
Kolkata
A tradition of trust
2
Andhra Bank
Sri Suresh N Patel
Hyderabad
Where India Banks
Bank of Baroda
Ravi Venkatesan (Chairman)/ P.S. Jayakumar (MD & CEO)
Mumbai
India‘s International Bank
3
S.No.
Name of the bank
Head/Chairman
Headquarter
Punchline
Mumbai
Relationship beyond banking
4
Bank of India
Dinabandhu Mohapatra (MD & CEO)
5
Bank of Maharashtra
Ravindra Prabhakar Marathe
Pune
Ek Parivar Ek Bank
6
Canara Bank
Chairman: T.N. Manoharan, MD & CEO: Rakesh Sharma
Bangaluru
Together we can
7
Central Bank of India
Chairman and Managing Director: Rajiv Rishi
Mumbai
―CENTRAL‖ to you since 1911
8
Corporation Bank
Jai Kumar Garg (MD& CEO)
Mangalore
Sarve Janah Sukhino Bhavantu
9
Dena Bank
Chairman and Managing Director: Ashwini Kumar
Mumbai
Trusted Family Bank
10
Indian Bank
Mr. Kishor Kharat Managing Director & Chief Chennai Executive Officer
Your own Bank
11
Indian Overseas Bank
R. Subramaniakumar (MD&CEO)
Chennai
Good people to grow with
12
Oriental Bank Sh. Mukesh Kumar Jain of Commerce (MD&CEO)
New Delhi
Where every individual is committed
13
MD & CEO: Shri Sunil Punjab National Bank Mehta
New Delhi
…the name you can BANK upon!
14
Punjab & Sindh Bank
New Delhi
where service is a way of life
Chairman and Mangaing Director: Jatinder Bir Singh
S.No.
15
Name of the bank
Head/Chairman
Headquarter
MD & CEO: Mr Melwyn Rego
Syndicate Bank
Punchline
Manipal
Faithful Friendly
Chairman: Shri Ajay Vipin Nanavati
16
Union Bank of Chairman and MD: Rajkiran Rai G India
Mumbai
Good people to bank with
18
United Bank of India
MD & CEO: Shri Pawan Kumar Bajaj
Kolkata
The Bank that begins with ―U‖
19
UCO Bank
MD & CEO: Shri Ravi Kishan Takkar
Kolkata
Honours your trust
20
Vijaya Bank
MD & CEO: Shri. R A Sankara Narayanan
Bangaluru
A friend you can bank upon
21
IDBI Bank Ltd.
MD & CEO: Mr. Mahesh Kumar Jain
Mumbai
---
22
State Bank of India
Chairperson : Rajnish Kumar
Mumbai
The Banker to every Indian
Note: State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur (SBBJ), State Bank of Hyderabad (SBH), State Bank of Mysore (SBM), State Bank of Patiala (SBP) and State Bank of Travancore (SBT), besides Bharatiya Mahila Bank (BMB), merged with SBI with effect from April 1, 2017.
(B) Private Indian Banks and their Heads Sr No.
Bank
Head
Head Office
1.
HDFC Bank
Aditya Puri, MD
Mumbai
2.
ICICI Bank
Chanda Kochhar, MD & Mumbai CEO
Punch line/Motto We Understand Your World ―Khayal Aapka‖
3.
Axis Bank
Shikha CEO
4.
Yes Bank
5.
Sharma,
MD
&
Mumbai
---
Rana Kapoor, MD & CEO
Mumbai
---
Kotak Bank
Uday Kotak, MD
Mumbai
Lets make money simple
6.
Bandhan Bank
Chandrashekhar MD & CEO
Kolkata
‖Aapka Bhala, Sabki Bhalai‖
7.
Indusind Bank
Romesh Sobti, CEO
Mumbai
---
8.
IDFC Bank
Mr. Sunil Kakar, MD & Mumbai CEO
---
9.
Karur Vysya P R Seshadri, MD & CEO: Karur Bank
Ghosh,
Smart way to Bank
(C) Foreign Banks and their countries of origin Name of the Bank
Country of their origin 1. Australia and New Zealand Banking Group 2. Commonwealth Bank of Australia
Australian banks 3. National Australia Bank 4. Westpac Banking Corporation Bahraini bank
1. Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait 1. AB Bank
Bangladeshi banks 2. Sonali Bank Belgian bank
1. Antwerp Diamond Bank
Canadian bank
1. Bank of Nova Scotia
Chinese bank
1. Industrial & Commercial Bank of China
French banks
1. BNP Paribas
Name of the Bank
Country of their origin 2. Credit Agricole 3. Societe Generale
German banks
1. Deutsche Bank
Indonesian bank
1. Bank Internasional Indonesia 1. Mizuho Corporate Bank
Japanese banks
2. Sumitomo Mitsui Banking 3. Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi
Mauritian bank
1. State Bank of Mauritius
Dutch bank
1. Rabobank
Qatari bank
1. Doha bank 1. Sberbank
Russian banks 2. VTB Omani bank
1. HSBC Bank Oman
Scottish bank
1. Royal Bank of Scotland 1. DBS Bank
Singaporean banks 2. United Overseas Bank South African bank
1. FirstRand Bank 1. Shinhan Bank
South Korean banks 2. Woori Bank Sri Lankan bank
1. Bank of Ceylon
Swiss banks
1. Credit Suisse 2. UBS AG
Taiwanese bank
1. Chinatrust Commercial Bank
Thai bank
1. Krung Thai Bank
Name of the Bank
Country of their origin 1. Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank
UAE banks 2. Mashreq Bank 1. HSBC 2. Barclays Bank UK banks 3. Standard Chartered Bank 4. The Royal Bank of Scotland(RBS N.V) 1. American Express 2. Bank of America US banks 3. Citibank 4. J.P. Morgan Chase Bank
5. Name of G-20 nations, stock exchange and official currency S.No. Country
Stock Exchange
Official Currency
1
Argentina
Buenos Aires Stock Exchange (BCBA)
Argentine Peso
2
Australia
ASX (Australian Securities Exchange)
Australian Dollar
3
Brazil
BM&F BOVESPA
Brazilian Real
4
Canada
TSX (Toronto Stock Exchange)
Canadian Dollar
5
China
Shanghai Stock Exchange & Shenzhen Renminbi Stock Exchange (Yuan)
6
France
Euronext Paris
Euro
7
Germany
Frankfurt Stock Exchange & DAX
Euro
8
India
BSE & NSE
Rupee
9
Indonesia
IDX (Indonesia Stock Exchange)
Indonesian
S.No. Country
Official Currency
Stock Exchange
Rupiah 10
Italy
Borsa Italiana
Euro
11
Japan
Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE)
Yen
12
Mexico
Mexican Stock Exchange (BVM)
Mexican Peso
13
Russia
Moscow Exchange
Ruble
14
Saudi Arabia Tadawul (Saudi Stock Exchange)
Saudi Riyal
15
South Africa
Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE)
South Rand
African
16
South Korea
Korea Exchange (KRX)
South Won
Korean
17
Turkey
Borsa İstanbul
Turkish Lira
18
United Kingdom
London Stock Exchange
Pound sterling
19
United States NYSE & NASDAQ
US Dollar
6. Brand and their tagline (India and World) Brand (Indian) Tagline
Brand (Indian)
The taste of India/ Utterly Butterly Delicious
Amul
Daag Acche hain
Surf Excel
Har Ghar Kuchch Kahta hein
Asian Paints
Simplifly Deccan
Air Deccan
The Complete Man
Raymond
Born Tough
CEAT
Tyres with Muscle
MRF
An Idea can Change your life
Idea
Tagline
Brand (Indian)
The King of Good Times
Kingfisher
Express Yourself
Airtel
Desh ki Dhadkan
Hero Motocorp
Total health Total water purification
Aquaguard
Is se sasta aur accha kahin nahi
Big Bazaar
Connecting India
BSNL
Building India
DLF
Creating tomorrow today
GMR
No dream too big
Jaypee
Growth is life
Reliance (RIL)
Flying for everyone
Spicejet
Experience certainty
TCS
Moving Forward
Toyota
Applying thoughts
Wipro
Do you have it in you?
Indian Army
Isko laga dala to life to life zinga lala
Tata Sky
Zindagi ke Saath bhi, zindagi ke baad bhi
LIC
Desh ka namak
Tata Salt
The Power of Knowledge
The Economic Times
Jiyo sar utha ke
HDFC Std Life
The Indian Multinational
Videocon
Jio Digital Life
Reliance Jio
Wah Taj!
Taj Mahal Tea
Tedha Hai Par Mera Hai
Kurkure
India ka Dil India ka AC
Voltas
Fly the good times
Kingfisher Airlines
Industries
Ltd
Tagline
Brand (Indian)
Journalism of Courage
The Indian Express
Stay ahead of times/India‘s National Newspaper The Hindu since 1878 Let the Truth Prevail
Times of India
Jiyo befikar
Bajaj Allianz
Taking India to the World
Aditya Birla Groups
BE 100% Sure
Dettol
Brand (World) Tagline
Brand (World)
Better by Adobe.
Adobe
The road will never be the same.
Acura
We know money.
AIG
Something special in the air.
American Airlines
Don‘t leave home without it.
American Express
Do more.
American Express
My life. My card.
American Express
―For fast, fast, fast relief.‖
Anacin
Think different.
Apple Computer
The power to be your best.
Apple Computer
Think outside the box.
Apple Computer
Never follow.
Audi
We try harder.
Avis
Higher standards.
Bank of America
Sheer driving pleasure.
BMW
The ultimate driving machine.
BMW
Better sound through research.
BOSE
Tagline
Brand (World)
The way to fly.
British Airways
The world‘s favourite airline.
British Airways
Wassup?!
Budweiser
The king of beers.
Budweiser
Inspiration comes standard.
Chrysler
Empowering the Internet generation.
Cisco Systems
Live richly.
Citi
The most trusted name in news.
CNN
Coca-Cola refreshes you best.
Coca-Cola
The pause that refreshes.
Coca-Cola
Have a coke and smile.
Coca-Cola
―Healthy, beautiful smiles for life.‖
Crest
―Look, Ma, no cavities!‖
Crest
A diamond is forever.
DeBeers
Easy as Dell.
Dell Computer
You‘ll love the way we fly.
Delta Airlines
We love to fly and it shows.
Delta Airlines
We move the world.
DHL
Yellow. The new Brown.
DHL
Competition. Bad for them. Great for you.
DHL
Time to make the doughnuts.
Dunkin Donuts
The miracles of science.
DuPont
Better living through chemistry.
DuPont
The power of all of us.
eBay
The world‘s online marketplace.
eBay
Nothing sucks like an Electrolux.
Electrolux
―It keeps going, and going, and going...‖
Energizer Batteries
Tagline
Brand (World)
Quality in everything we do.
Ernst & Young
Don‘t just travel. Travel right.
Expedia.com
―Relax, it‘s FedEx.‖
FedEx
The world on time.
FedEx
―When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight.‖
FedEx
Built for the road ahead.
Ford
Ford has a better idea.
Ford
Quality is job one.
Ford
Fair and balanced.
Fox News
Extinct is forever.
Friends Animals
Imagination at work.
General Electric
We bring good things to life.
General Electric
Celebrate the moments of your life.
General Foods
―Look sharp, feel sharp.‖
Gillette
The best a man can get.
Gillette
Never let ‗em see you sweat.
Gillette Dry idea
of
The best tires in the world have Goodyear written all over Goodyear them. American by birth. Rebel by choice.
Harley Davidson
Hertz puts you in the driver‘s seat.
Hertz
57 varieties
H.J. Heinz
Invent.
Hewlett Packard
The power of dreams.
Honda
We‘re behind you every step of the way.
Huggies
Solutions for a small planet.
IBM
Intel Inside.
Intel
the
Tagline
Brand (World)
Finger-lickin‘ good!
Kentucky Chicken
Nobody does chicken like KFC.
KFC
Share moments. Share life.
Kodak
It‘s time for clarity.
KPMG
Betcha can‘t eat just one.
Lay‘s Potato Chips
Because I‘m worth it.
L‘Oréal
―Melts in your mouth, not in your hands.‖
M & Ms
Come to Marlboro Country.
Marlboro
Fried
There are some things that money can‘t buy. For everything Master Card else there‘s MasterCard.
7. Government schemes • Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) ➢ Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) is National Mission for Financial Inclusion to ensure access to financial services. ➢ Special Benefits under PMJDY Scheme: - No minimum balance required. - Accidental insurance cover of Rs. 1 lac - After satisfactory operation of the account for 6 months, an overdraft facility will be permitted ➢ PMJDY was launched on 28 August 2014. ➢ It is run by Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance. ➢ By 28 September2016, over 24.74 (247.4 million) bank accounts were opened and Rs. 43,532.53 crore (US$6.632 billion) were deposited under the scheme.
• Sukanya Samriddhi Account ➢ It is a saving scheme targeted at the parents of girl children. The scheme encourages parents to build a fund for the future education and marriage expenses for their female child. ➢ The scheme was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 22 January 2015 as a part of the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao campaign ➢ The account can be opened at any India Post office or a branch of some authorised commercial banks. ➢ Initially, the interest rate was set at 9.1% but Rate of interest revised to 8.4% Per Annum (with effect from 1-10-2017), calculated on yearly basis, Yearly compounded. • Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana ➢ This yojana is under the Micro Units Development and Refinance Agency (MUDRA) Bank is a new institution being set up by Government of India for development and refinancing activities relating to micro units. ➢ The purpose of MUDRA is to provide funding to the non-corporate small business sector and to serve those three categories of interventions has been named which includes: - Shishu: Loan upto Rs. 50000 - Kishore: Loan ranging from Rs. 50000 to Rs. 5 lakh - Tarun: Loan above Rs. 5 lakh and below Rs. 10 lakh ➢ It was launched on 8 April 2015 • Sansad Adarsh Gram yojana (SAANJHI) ➢ This yojana is launched by the Rural Development Ministry aimed at improving the quality of all sections of the population in the villages.
➢ The goal is to develop three Adarsh Grams by March 2019, of which one would be achieved by 2016. Thereafter, five such Adarsh Grams (one per year) will be selected and developed by 2024. ➢ Under this scheme, each MP adopts a village every year for all-round development and helps in development of the selected villages using the programme of the Centre and States and their constituency development funds (MPLADS). ➢ It was launched on 11th October, 2014 (Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Ji‘s birth anniversary) • Pradhan Mantri Gramin Awas Yojana: ➢ Pradhan Mantri Gramin Awaas Yojana (PMGAY) is previously known as Indira Awaas Yojana (IAY).It is a social welfare flagship programme, created by the Indian Government, to provide housing for the rural poor in India. ➢ It provides financial assistance to rural poor for constructing their houses themselves. • „Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana‟, central scheme for senior citizens launched in Gujarat ➢ ‗Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana‘ was launched in Gujarat that provides for physical aids and assisted-living devices for senior citizens belonging to the BPL category. ➢ The centrally-sponsored scheme, `Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana‘, was unveiled on April 1st, 2017 and since then it has already been launched in Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. ➢ This ambitious scheme, first of its kind in the country, is expected to benefit 5,20,000 senior citizens over a period of three years. ➢ Under the scheme, aids and assisted-living devices like walking sticks, elbow crutches, walkers, tripods/quadpods, wheelchair, artificial dentures and spectacles are provided free of cost to eligible senior citizens. ➢ As per the Census figures of 2011, the population of senior citizens in India is 10.38 crore.
• Janani Suraksha Yojana: ➢ It is an Indian Government scheme proposed by the Government of India. ➢ It was launched on 12 April 2005 by the Prime Minister of India. ➢ It aims to decrease the neo-natal and maternal deaths happening in the country by promoting institutional delivery of babies. • Digital India Programme: ➢ Digital India is an initiative by the Government of India to ensure that Government services are made available to citizens electronically by improving online infrastructure and by increasing Internet connectivity. ➢ It was launched on 1 September 2015 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. ➢ The initiative includes plans to connect rural areas with high speed internet networks. ➢ Digital India has three core components: - The creation of digital infrastructure - Delivery of services digitally - Digital literacy • Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY) ➢ The DDUGJY is one of the flagship programmes of the Ministry of Power and will facilitate 24x7 supply of power. ➢ It focuses on feeder separation (rural households & agricultural) and strengthening of sub-transmission & distribution infrastructure. ➢ The earlier scheme for rural electrification viz. Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY) has been subsumed in the new scheme as its rural electrification component. ➢ Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY) was launched on 25th July 2015 in Patna.
➢ This scheme will enable to initiate much awaited reforms in the rural areas. • Atal Pension Yojana (APY) ➢ The APY will be focussed on all citizens in the unorganised sector, who join the National Pension System (NPS) administered by the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) and who are not members of any statutory social security scheme. ➢ The minimum age of joining APY is 18 years and maximum age is 40 years. ➢ The Central Government would also co-contribute 50% of the subscriber‘s contribution or Rs. 1000 per annum, whichever is lower, to each eligible subscriber account, for a period of 5 years. ➢ Atal Pension Yojana (APY) is open to all bank account holders who are not members of any statutory social security scheme. ➢ It was formally launched on 9 May 2015 in Kolkata. • One Rank One Pension scheme (OROP) ➢ The Central Government allotted Rs. 1000 Crore for the implementation of one rank one pension scheme. ➢ According to the scheme, the armed forces personnel holding the same rank will get the same pension, regardless of the last drawn pay, years of service and the years served in a particular rank. • Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) ➢ It aims at enhancing the livelihood security of people in rural areas by guaranteeing hundred days of wage employment in a financial year to a rural household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work. • Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana ➢ It is a State Plan Scheme of Additional Central Assistance launched in August 2007 as a part of the 11th Five Year Plan by the Government of India.
➢ It was launched under the aegis of the National Development Council; it seeks to achieve 4% annual growth in agriculture through development of Agriculture and its allied sectors. • Saksham or Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for Empowerment of Adolescent Boys ➢ Its aims at all-round development of adolescent boys and make them selfreliant, gender sensitive and make themaware when they grow up. It covers all adolescent boys in the age group of 11-18 years. • SABLA or Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for Empowerment of Adolescent Girls ➢ The Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for Empowerment of Adolescent Girls (RGSEAG) or SABLA is a centrally sponsored program of Government of India initiated on April 1, 2011 under Ministry of Women and Child Development. ➢ It was launched to enable the adolescent girls for self-development and empowerment, and also to improve their nutrition and health status. • Skill India Programme ➢ It aims to provide a strong institutional framework at the Centre and States for implementation of skilling activities in the country. ➢ It seeks to provide the institutional capacity to train a minimum of 40 crore skilled people by 2022. • Swabhiman ➢ This nationwide programme on financial inclusion was launched in February, 2011 with its focus on bringing the deprived sections of the society in the banking network to ensure that the benefits of economic growth reach everyone at all levels. • Swavlamban ➢ This Yojana was a government-backed pension scheme targeted at the unorganized sector in India. ➢ It was applicable to all citizens in the unorganized sector that joined the National Pension Scheme (NPS).
➢ The scheme was announced by the Finance Minister in Budget 2010-11. ➢ This scheme has been replaced with Atal Pension Yojana • Swavlamban Health Insurance Scheme ➢ This scheme provides affordable Health Insurance to the persons with disabilities (PwDs). ➢ The scheme has been designed to deliver comprehensive cover to the beneficiary as well as his family. • Heritage Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY) ➢ HRIDAY was launched on 21 January 2015 with the aim of bringing together urban planning, economic growth and heritage conservation in an inclusive manner to preserve the heritage character of each heritage city. • Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) ➢ AMRUT is a mission aimed at transforming 500 cities and towns into efficient urban living spaces, with special focus on a healthy and green environment for children. ➢ AMRUT was launched 24 June 2015. • National Rural Health Mission (NHRM) ➢ It is an initiative undertaken by the government of India to address the health needs of underserved rural areas. ➢ It was launched in April 2005. ➢ NRHM was initially tasked with addressing the health needs of 18 states that had been identified as having weak public health indicators • Public Distribution System (PDS) ➢ PDS is a government-sponsored chain of shops entrusted with the work of distributing basic food and non-food commodities to the needy sections of the society at very cheap prices.
➢ It is procured and maintained by Food Corporation of India. ➢ Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) was introduced with effect from June 1997. • National Food Security Mission ➢ In view of the stagnating food grain production and an increasing consumption need of the growing population, Government of India has launched this Centrally Sponsored Scheme, ‗National Food Security Mission‘ in October 2007. ➢ The aim of the scheme is to increase production and productivity of wheat, rice and pulses on a sustainable basis. • Minimum Support Prices Scheme ➢ It is a form of market intervention by the Government of India to insure agricultural producers against any sharp fall in farm prices. ➢ The minimum support prices are announced by the Government of India at the beginning of the sowing season for certain crops on the basis of the recommendations of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP). • Sarva Siksha Abhiyan (SSA) ➢ Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) is Government of India‘s flagship programme for achievement of Universalization of Elementary Education (UEE) in a time bound manner, as mandated by 86th amendment to the Constitution of India making free and compulsory Education to the Children of 6-14 years age group, a Fundamental Right. ➢ SSA has been operational since 2000-2001. ➢ The expenditure on the programme was shared by the Central Government (85%) and the State Governments. ➢ Padhe Bharat Badhe Bharat is a nationwide sub-programme of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan. • DEEN DAYAL ANTYODAYA YOJANA / Aajeevika - National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM)
➢ Aajeevika - National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM) was launched by the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), Government of India in June 2011. ➢ NRLM set out with an agenda to cover 7 Crore rural poor households, across 600 districts, 6000 blocks, 2.5 lakh Gram Panchayats and 6 lakh villages in the country through self-managed Self Help Groups (SHGs). ➢ November 2015, the program was renamed Deen Dayal Antayodaya Yojana (DAY-NRLM). • Kisan Vikas Patra (KVP) ➢ It is a certificate savings scheme was launched by the Government on 1st April, 1988. The scheme provided facility of unlimited investment by way of purchase of certificates from post offices in various denominations. ➢ After the Shayamla Gopinath committee recommendation the Government of India decided to close this scheme and KVP was closed in 2011. ➢ The new government re-launched it in 2014. • Pradhan Mantri Gram Sinchai Yojana ➢ This Yojana is aimed at irrigating the field of every farmer and improving water use efficiency to provide `Per Drop More Crop‘. ➢ The primary objectives of PMKSY are to attract investments in irrigation system at field level, develop and expand cultivable land in the country. • Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana ➢ It was launched on 18 February 2016. ➢ It envisages a uniform premium of only 2 per cent to be paid by farmers for Kharif crops, and 1.5 per cent for Rabi crops. ➢ The premium for annual commercial and horticultural crops will be 5 per cent. ➢ The new crop insurance scheme is that losses incurred by them at any stage of the farming activity — from the sowing to the post-harvest season — would be covered.
➢ The biggest thrust of PMFBY has been the use of technology which would be encouraged to a great extent.
8. Economic data 1. GDP size: $2.454 trillion (nominal; 2017) $9.489 trillion (PPP; 2017) 2. GDP rank: 6th (Nominal) / 3rd (PPP) 3. GDP growth: 7.2% (2017) 4. GDP per capita: $1,850 (nominal est.; 2017) $7,153 (PPP est.; 2017) 5.GDP by sector: (i) Agriculture: 17.32% (ii) Industry: 29.02% (iii) Services: 53.66% 6.Main industries: Software, petroleum products, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, textiles, steel, transportation equipment, machinery, leather, cement, mining and construction. 7. Ease-of-doing-business rank: 130/189 countries (2017) 8.Export goods: software, petrochemicals, agriculture products, Jewellery, engineering goods, pharmaceuticals, textiles, chemicals, transportation, ores and other commodities. 9.Import goods: crude oil, gold and precious stones, electronics, engineering goods, chemicals, plastics, coal and ores, iron and steel, vegetable oil and other commodities 10.Public debt: 67.7% of GDP (2017) 11. Foreign reserves: $400.726 billion (08 September 2017)
12. Repo Rate: 6.00% 13. Reverse Repo Rate: 5.75 % 14. Marginal Standing Facility Rate: 6.25% 15. Bank Rate: 6.25% 16. CRR: 4% 17. SLR: 20.00% 18. The fiscal deficit of the Centre as percentage of GDP has declined consistently from 4.5 per cent in 2013-14 to 4.1 per cent, 3.9 per cent and 3.5 per cent respectively in 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17 .Fiscal deficit for 2017-18 pegged at 3.2% of GDP and to achieve 3% in 2018-19.
Details of FDI Investments in Various Sectors India is now rated as Number 1 FDI Investment Destination by several International Agencies.
(A) Sectors with Restrictions • Lottery Business including Government/private lottery, online lotteries, etc • Gambling and Betting including casinos etc. • Chit funds • Nidhi company-(borrowing from members and lending to members only). • Trading in Transferable Development Rights (TDRs) • Real Estate Business (other than construction development) or Construction of Farm Houses • Manufacturing of Cigars, cheroots, cigarillos and cigarettes, of tobacco or of tobacco substitutes • Activities / sectors not open to private sector investment e.g. Atomic Energy and Railway Transport (other than construction, operation and maintenance of (i) Suburban corridor projects through PPP, (ii) High speed train projects, (iii)
Dedicated freight lines, (iv) Rolling stock including train sets, and locomotives/coaches manufacturing and maintenance facilities, (v) Railway Electrification, (vi) Signaling systems, (vii) Freight terminals (viii) Passenger terminals, (ix) Infrastructure in industrial park pertaining to railway line/sidings including electrified railway lines and connectivity to main railway line and (x) Mass Rapid Transport Systems.) • Services like legal, book keeping, accounting & auditing.
(B) Permitted Sectors: • Foreign Investment in Defence Sector up to 100%: ➢ Foreign investment beyond 49% has now been permitted through government approval route, in cases resulting in access to modern technology in the country or for other reasons to be recorded. ➢ FDI limit for defence sector has also been made applicable to Manufacturing of Small Arms and Ammunitions covered under Arms Act 1959. • Teleports, Direct to Home, Cable Networks, and Headend-in-the Sky Broadcasting Service (100% automatic) • Pharmaceutical: ➢ 100% FDI under automatic route in Greenfield pharma. ➢ FDI up to 100% under government approval in brownfield pharma. With the objective of promoting the development of this sector, it has been decided to permit up to 74% FDI under automatic route in brownfield pharmaceuticals and government approval route beyond 74% will continue. • Civil Aviation Sector: ➢ 100% FDI under automatic route in Airports Greenfield Projects. ➢ 74% FDI in Brownfield Projects under automatic route. FDI beyond 74% for Brownfield Projects is under government route.
➢ 100% FDI in Air Transport Service/ Domestic Scheduled Passenger Airline and regional Air Transport Service (49% automatic route beyond 49% through Government approval) ➢ For NRIs, 100% FDI will continue to be allowed under automatic route. • Private Security Agencies: ➢ FDI up to 49% is now permitted under automatic route in this sector and FDI beyond 49% and up to 74% would be permitted with government approval route. • Agriculture ➢ FDI in Animal Husbandry (including breeding of dogs), Pisciculture, Aquaculture and Apiculture is allowed 100% under Automatic Route under controlled conditions. ➢ Development and Production of seeds and planting material ➢ Services related to agro and allied sectors Note: Besides the above, FDI is not allowed in any other agricultural sector/activity • Plantation Sector: ➢ Tea, Coffee, Rubber, Cardamom, Palmand Olive oil tree plantations (100% under Automatic Route) ➢ Besides the above, FDI is not allowed in any other plantation sector/activity. • 100% FDI through automatic Route in Mining and Exploration of metal and nonmetal ores; Coal & Lignite. • 100% FDI through automatic Route in Petroleum & Natural Gas • 100% FDI through automatic Route in Construction Development: Townships, Housing, Built-up Infrastructure. • 100% FDI through automatic Route in Industrial Parks -new and existing.
• 100% FDI through government Route in Satellites- establishment and operation, subject to the sectoral guidelines of Department of Space/ISRO. • 100% FDI (automatic up to 49% and government route beyond 49%) in Telecom Services • (Including Telecom Infrastructure Providers. • 100% FDI through automatic Route in Cash & Trading/Wholesale Trading (including sourcing from MSEs).
Carry Wholesale
• 100% FDI through automatic Route in E-commerce activities • 100% FDI (automatic up to 49% and government route beyond 49%) in Single Brand product retail trading. • 51% FDI Cap through government route in Multi Brand Retail Trading. • 100% FDI through automatic Route in Duty Free Shops. • 100% FDI through automatic Route in Railway Infrastructure. • 74% FDI cap in Banking- Private Sector (Automatic up to 49% government route beyond 49% and up to 74%). • 20% FDI cap in Banking- Public Sector (through government route) • 49% FDI cap in Infrastructure Company in the Securities Market (automatic route) • 49% FDI cap in Insurance and Pension Sector (automatic route) • 49% FDI cap in Power Exchanges (automatic route). • 100% FDI through automatic Route in White Label ATM Operations. • 100% FDI through automatic Route in Non-Banking Finance Companies (some activities). Note: According to FDI Policy Circular of 2016 (From June 07, 2016)
9. International and National awards and their latest winners International Awards • Nobel Prizes 2017 ➢The Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences 2017: : The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel (The Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences) 2017 was awarded to Richard H. Thaler "for his contributions to behavioural economics". . ➢The Nobel Prize in Physics 2017: The Nobel Prize in Physics 2017 was divided; one half awarded to Rainer Weiss, the other half jointly to Barry C. Barish and Kip S. Thorne for “decisive contributions to the LIGO detector and the observation of gravitational waves”. ➢The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2017:Jacques Dubochet, Joachim Frank and Richard Henderson for “developing cryo-electron microscopy for the highresolution structure determination of biomolecules in solution”. ➢The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2017: Jeffrey C. Hall, Michael Rosbash and Michael W. Young for “their discoveries of molecular mechanisms controlling the circadian rhythm”. ➢The Nobel Prize in Literature 2017: The Nobel Prize in Literature 2017 was awarded to Kazuo Ishiguro“who, in novels of great emotional force, has uncovered the abyss beneath our illusory sense of connection with the world”. ➢The Nobel Peace Prize 2017: The Nobel Peace Prize 2017 was awarded to International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN)“for its work to draw attention to the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of any use of nuclear weapons and for its ground-breaking efforts to achieve a treaty-based prohibition of such weapons”. • International Man Booker Prize (2017)
➢David Grossman was awarded the Man Booker International Prize in conjunction with his frequent collaborator and translator, Jessica Cohen, for his novel “A Horse Walks Into a Bar”. • Oscar awards 2017 (89th Academy Awards) ➢Best film: Moonlight ➢Best actress: Emma Stone (La La Land ➢Best actor: Casey Affleck (Manchester By The Sea) ➢Best director: Damien Chazelle (La La Land) ➢Best supporting actress: Viola Davis (Fences) ➢Best supporting actor: Mahershala Ali (Moonlight • Ramon Magsaysay Awards 2017: ➢Yoshiaki Ishizawa, a Japanese historian who helped Cambodians preserve the Angkor temples, and Gethsie Shanmugam, a Sri Lankan teacher who counseled war widows and orphans to overcome their nightmares, are among the six winners of 2017 Ramon Magsaysay Awards, regarded as Asia‘s version of the Nobel Prize. • Abel prize (2017): ➢ The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters has awarded the Abel Prize for 2017 to Yves Meyer (77) of France ―for his pivotal role in the development of the mathematical theory of wavelets‖. • Right livelihood awards (2017): ➢ The winners of the 2017 Right Livelihood award are Colin Gonsalves, a human rights lawyer in India, and Khadija Ismayilova, an investigative journalist in Azerbaijan and Yetnebersh Nigussie is a cursed, blind female Ethiopian rights lawyer. • Templeton Awards (2017):
➢ Alvin Plantinga • World Food Prize (2017): ➢Dr. Akinwumi Adesina wins the 2017 World Food Prize for his incredible work in reducing corruption in the fertilizer industry, increasing credit for smallholder farmers and expanding food production by 21 million metric tons.
National Awards • Bharat Ratna: ➢ The country‘s highest civilian honor Bharat Ratna 2015 was conferred to freedom fighter Madan Mohan Malaviya posthumously & Atal Bihari Vajpayee. • Padma Vibhushan 2017: Awardee Field of Prominence ➢ Sharad Pawar Public Affairs ➢ Murli Manohar Joshi Public Affairs ➢ P. A. Sangma (posthumous) Public Affairs ➢ Sunder Lal Patwah (posthumous) Public Affairs ➢ K J Yesudas Art – Music ➢ Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev Others – Spiritualism ➢ Udipi Ramachandra Rao Science & Engineering • 64th National Film awards 2017: ➢„Kasaav‟ awarded Best Feature Film and „Sathamanam Bhavathi‟ awarded as Best Popular Film providing Wholesome Entertainment. The complete list: ➢ Best Actor: Akhay Kumar (Rustom)
➢ Best Actress: Surabhi Lakshmi (Minnaminungu) ➢ Best Direction: Rajesh Mapuskar (Ventilator) ➢ Best Supporting Actress: Zaira Wasim (Dangal) ➢ Best Supporting Actor: Manoj Joshi (Dashakriya) ➢ Best Film On Social Issue: Pink ➢ Best Children‘s Film: Dhanak (Hindi) ➢ Best feature films in Hindi: Neerja. • Jnanpith Award(2017): ➢ Eminent modern Bengali poetShankha Ghosh has been given for the prestigious Jnanpith Award for 2017. • Saraswati Samman (2017): ➢ Eminent Konkani writer Mahabaleshwar Sail has been honoured with the Saraswati Samman 2016 for his novel Hawthan. • Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Puraskar (2017): ➢ Devendra Jhajharia ➢ Sardara Singh • Sahitya Akademi Yuva Puraskar – 2017 ➢ Manu S. Pillai for The Ivory Throne (English) ➢ Taro Sindik for Aksharo Ki Vinti (Hindi) • Dada Saheb Phalke Award- 2017: ➢ Renowned filmmaker K Viswanath was received the prestigious Dada Saheb Phalke award at the 64th National Film Awards ceremony.
10. Latest Books and Authors 1
Arundhati Roy
The God of Small Things; Power Politics; War Talk; Public Power in the Age of Empire; An Ordinary Person‘s Guide to Empire; The Algebra of Infinite Justice; Capitalism: A Ghost Story; The Hanging of Afzal Guru; 13 December; and The Ministry of Utmost Happiness
2
Chetan Bhagat
Half Girlfriend; What Young India Wants; Revolution 2020; 2 States; The 3 Mistakes of my Life; One Night @ the Call Center; and Five Point Someone.
3
V.S. Naipaul
An Area of Darkness; Mr Stone And The Knights Companion; A Flag on the Island, The Loss of El Dorado: A Colonial History, Finding the Center; The Mystic Masseur; In a Free State; India: A Wounded Civilization; India: A Million Mutinies Now; Half a Life; Magic Seeds; A House for Mr Biswas; A Bend in the River; and The Enigma of Arrival
4
Amitav Ghosh
Sea of Poppies; River of Smoke; The Glass Palace; and The Circle of Reason
5
Anita Desai
Fasting, Feasting; The Village by the Sea; Fire on the Mountain; Games at Twilight; and The Village by the Sea
6
Kiran Desai
The Inheritance of Loss; Hullabaloo in the Guava Orchard; India Pack – 2003; and Generation 1.5
7
A P Abdul Kalam
Ignited Minds: Unleashing the Power within India; Turning Points: A Journey through Challenges; India 2020: A Vision for The New Millennium; My Journey: Transforming Dreams into Actions; Indomitable Spirit; Inspiring Thoughts; The Scientific Indian: A Twenty-first Century Guide to the World J around Us; Mission India: A Vision for Indian Youth; You Are Born To Blossom: Take My Journey Beyond; You are Unique: Scale New Heights by Thoughts and Actions; Forge your Future; The Luminous Sparks; Spirit Of India; India My Dream; Transcendence My Spiritual Experiences with Pramukh Swamiji; Scientist to President; The Righteous Life: The Very Best of A.P.J. Abdul Kalam; Wings of Fire: An Autobiography; The Family and The Nation
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9
Salman Rushdie
Midnight‟s Children; The Satanic Verses; The Ground beneath Her Feet; Shame; Haroun and the Sea of Stories; Shalimar the Clown; The Jaguar Smile: A Nicaraguan Journey; Joseph Anton, Two Years Eight Months and Twenty-Eight Nights; and The Golden House
Taslima Nasareen
Lajja; Amar Meyebela; Utal Hawa; Dwikhondito; Oporpokkho (The Opponent); Shodh; Nimontron (Invitation); Phera (Return); Bhromor Koio Gia (Tell Him The Secret); Forashi Premik (French Lover); and Nirbasan
Jhumpa 10 Lahiri
Hell-Heaven; Brotherly Love; The Lowland; Improvisations: Rice; Unaccustomed Earth; The interpreter of maladies; The Namesake; and The Third and Final Continent
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Vikram Seth
A Suitable Boy; An Equal Music: A Novel; A Suitable Girl; The Golden Gate; Three Chinese Poets; The Humble Administrator‘s Garden; The Rivered Earth; and All You Who Sleep Tonight
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Aravind Adiga
The White Tiger; Last Man in Tower; and Between the Assassinations
List of books and authors 1. „The Adivasi Will Not Dance‟: Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar 2. Modi‟s Midas Touch in Foreign Policy: Surendra Kumar 3. The Sleepwalker‟s Dream: Dhrubajyoti Borah 4. An Era of Darkness: The British Empire in India: Shashi Tharoor 5. Death Under the Deodars: Ruskin Bond 6. Conflicts of Interest: My Journey through Indias Green Movement: Sunita Narain 7. The People‟s President:Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam: S.M. Khan 8. Jinnah: Often Came to Our House: Kiran Kumar Doshi 9. Khullam Khulla: Rishi Kapoor Uncensored: Meena Iyer and Rishi Kapoor
10. Veerappan: Chasing The Brigand: K. Vijay Kumar 11. Hema Malini: Beyond the Dream Girl: Ram Kamal Mukherjee 12. Rekha: The Untold Story: Yasser Usman 13. The Rise of Sivagami: Anand Neelakantan 14. Home of the Brave: Mr Nitin A Gokhale and Brig S K Chatterji 15. Indian Railways: The Weaving of a National Tapestry: Bibek Debroy, Sanjay Chadha, Vidya Krishnamurthi 16. Gandhi in Champaran: Dinanath Gopal Tendulkar 17. Hope in a Challenged Democracy: An Indian Narrative: Ashwani Kumar 18. The Flaming Tresses of Draupadi: Veerappa Moily 19. Confessions of a Dying Mind: The Blind Faith of Atheism: Haulianlal Guite 20. Who Has Seen the Wind: W. O. Mitchell 21. Indira Gandhi: A Life in Nature: Jairam Ramesh 22. Sita: Warrior of Mithila: Amish Tripathi 23. Advice and Dissent: My Life in Public Service: Y. Venugopal Reddy 24. Lone Fox Dancing: My Autobiography: Ruskin Bond 25. President‟s Lady: Sangeeta Ghosh 26. Narendra Damodardas Modi : The Making of a Legend: Bindeshwar Pathak 27. Mann Ki Baat – A Social Revolution on Radio: Shri Rajesh Jain 28. Marching with a Billion – Analysing Narendra Modi‟s Government at Midterm: Shri Uday Mahurkar 29. Politicshock: Meghnad Desai 30. India: Priorities for the Future: Bimal Jalan
31. I Do What I Do: Raghuram Rajan 32. The Emergency-Indian Democracy‟s Darkest Hour: A. Surya Prakash 33. Hit Refresh:The Quest to Rediscover Microsoft‟s Soul and Imagine a Better Future for Everyone: Satya Narayana Nadella 34. India‟s Most Fearless: True Stories of Modern Military Heroes: Shiv Aroor 35. A Horse Walks into a Bar: David Grossman 36. „An Undocumented Wonder: The Great Indian Election‟: S Y Quraishi Wish you all the very best! Team CL
