complete success.in CURRENT AFFAIRS OCTOBER 2016 Appointments Mulyani Indrawati. 1. Abdelilah Bekirane has been reappointed as Prime 24. Kshatrapathi Shivaji has been appointed as Executive Minister of Morocco for second term. Director in Asian Development Bank. 2. Aditya Birla Retail appointed Mohit Kampani as chief 25. Luo Zhaohui has been appointed as China’s new executive officer. Ambassador to India. 3. Airtel Founder and Chairman Sunil Bharati Mittal elected 26. M Sathiyavathy appointed as Secretary in Ministry of as GSMA (Global System Mobile Association) Chairman for Labour & Employment. 2 years. 27. Mariano Rajoy Brey elected as Prime Minister of Spain 4. Ajay Kumar Bhalla has been appointed as new Director for second term. General of Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT). 28. Meeran C. Borwankar appointed as Director in National 5. Ajay M. Gondane appointed as India's High Crime Records Bureau. Commissioner to Australia. 29. Ministry of Railways appointed Bindeshwar Pathak 6. Amandeep Singh Gill appointed as India’s Ambassador to (founder of Sulabh International) as a Brand Ambassador UN Conference on Disarmament (Geneva, Switzerland). for Swachh Rail Mission of Indian Railway. 7. Amrit Lugun has been appointed as India's Ambassador 30. Navdeep Singh Suri appointed as Ambassador of India to Eritrea. to United Arab Emirates (UAE). 8. Arundhati Bhattacharya got 1 year extension as 31. Nissan Motors appointed Carlos Ghosn as chairman of Chairperson and Managing Director of State Bank of India. Mitsubishi Motors Corp (Japan's secondbiggest automaker). 9. Ashish Vohra has been appointed as Chief Executive 32. R Ravindra appointed as Ambassador of India to Guinea. Officer (CEO) of Reliance Nippon Life Insurance. 33. Rajeev Sharma appointed as Chairman and Managing 10. Bilal Nazki is appointed as chairperson of Jammu and Director (CMD) of PSU Power Finance Corporation (PFC). Kashmir State Human Rights Commission. 34. Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Ltd (RINL), corporate entity of 11. Engine Lubricant Brand Valvoline Cummins signed up Vizag Steel has appointed Badminton Player PV Sindhu as Cricket captain Virat Kohli as ambassador. brand ambassador. 12. Former Nasscom chairman B.V.R. Mohan Reddy has 35. Renu Pall appointed as India's Ambassador to Austria. been appointed Honorary Consul of Germany in 36. S P Yadav elected as President of North Zone of Urology Hyderabad. Society of India (NZUSI). 13. Government appointed Karnal Singh as Director of 37. SN Ghormade appointed as Director General of Naval Enforcement Directorate (ED). Operations. 14. Government constituted 4 member Insolvency and 38. SV Bhokare appointed as Commandant of Indian Naval Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) under Chairmanship of Academy Ezhimala (Kerala). M.S. Sahoo. Other 3 members are Ajay Tyagi, Amardeep 39. Salim Gangadharan appointed as nonexecutive Singh Bhatia and G.S. Yadav. chairman in South Indian Bank. 15. Gurumoorthy Mahalingam has been appointed as 40. Sanjay Singh appointed as Member Secretary in Law WholeTime Member (WTM) of Securities and Exchange Commission of India. Board of India (SEBI). 41. Sharad Kumar reappointed as Director General of 16. Haryana Government appointed wrestler Geeta Phogat National Investigation Agency for 1 year. as Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) in Haryana Police. 42. Singer K J Yesudas became brand ambassador of 17. India born Sarabjit Singh Marwah became first Sikh to Haritha Keralam (Green Kerala) project of Kerala be appointed to Canadian Senate (upper house). government. 18. Indiaborn Rajeev Misra appointed head of SoftBank 43. Somesh Sharma has been elected as President of Indian Vision Fund. Newspaper Society (INS) for 201617. 19. International Hockey Federation appointed New 44. Sunil Kumar Mishra appointed as Chief Information Zealand's Jason McCracken as Chief Executive Officer. Commissioner (CIC) of Odisha. 20. Jammu and Kashmir Bank appointed Parvez Ahmed as 45. Sushil Chandra has been appointed as Chairperson of Chairman and CEO. CBDT (Central Board of Direct Taxes). 21. Japan's Morinari Watanabe elected as President of 46. Swedish Firm Ericsson appointed Borje Ekholm as International Gymnastics Federation (FIG). President and CEO. 22. Kersti Kaljulaid has been elected as first female 47. United Nations General Assembly elected Antonio President of Estonia (Northern Europe). Guterres (Portugal) as the new SecretaryGeneral of United 23. Kristalina Georgieva (Bulgaria) will be appointed as CEO Nations, for a fiveyear term beginning January 1, 2017. He (chief executive officer) of World Bank, succeeding Sri will succeed Ban Kimoon.

1 complete success.in Awards their efforts in developing molecular machines. 1. 3 Indian students Aditya Pal, Amarjeet Pandde and - Peace - Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos. Guhan Narayanan won 4 silver medals at 10th International - Economics - Oliver Hart (UK), Bengt R. Holmström Earth Science Olympiad in Japan. (Finland) 2. Nobel Prizes 2016 - Literature - Bob Dylan (USA). - Medicine - Yoshinori Ohsumi (Japan) for his work on 3. Actress Sonam Kapoor honored with 2016 ET Panache autophagy. He becomes 23rd Japanese to win a Nobel Trendsetter Award in Mumbai, along with several other prize. Entrepreneurs and Social Workers. The award recognizes - Physics - Britain's David Thouless, F Duncan M Haldane the efforts of entrepreneurs, innovators and athletes who and Michael Kosterlitz selected for their researches on inspire millions. theoretical discoveries of topological phase transitions and 4. All India Radio’s (AIR’s) entry Diary of a Tiger won prize in topological phases of matter. Community Service Announcement - Chemistry - JeanPierre Sauvage (French), J Fraser Stoddart category of AsiaPacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) awards (Scotland) and Bernard L Feringa (Netherlands) selected for 2016. All Awardees are –

CATEGORY ORGANISATION ENTRY TITLE Drama Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), Vibration Iran Documentary Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK), Hong An Age of Our Own: War Times 70th Kong Anniversary Commemoration of End of WWII News Reporting Radio and Television of the People's 36 Days Republic of China (RTPRC) | China National Radio (CNR), China Community Service All India Radio (AIR), India Diary of a tiger Announcement (CSA) Interactive Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) Iranian Online Programme Iran Innovative Programme Radio and Television of the People's Chinese Voice Chinese New Year Republic of China (RTPRC) | China National Radio (CNR), China Special Jury Prize Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and The Destroyed Dream Communication,|Radio Chillmari, Bangladesh 5. Almatti Dam on Krishna River at Bagalkot district in North Maharshi Valimiki Jayanti Award for 201617, given by Karnataka has been chosen for World Bank’s Award of Karnataka government. Excellence for best utilization of funds (Rs. 72 crore) for 13. Former Uttarakhand chief minister Ramesh Pokhriyal renovation to increase strength of the dam. Nishank has been conferred with award by Ugandan Prime 6. British statistician David Cox won inaugural International Minister Ruhakana Rugunda for promoting human values Prize in Statistics by International Prize in Statistics through his literature. Foundation. He got this honour in recognition of Survival 14. G. Balakrishna from India has been crowned as Mr. Asia Analysis Model (or Cox Model) Applied in Medicine, 2016 at the recently held 5th PhilAsia bodybuilding Science, and Engineering. championships in Philippines. 7. C Radhakrishnan selected for Mathrubhumi Literary 15. History writer Nayanjot Lahiri won 2016 John F. Award 2016. Richards Prize for her book Ashoka in Ancient India. 8. Comedian Bill Murray honoured with Mark Twain Prize 16. Indian Filmmaker and elephant researcher Prajna for American Humour. Chowta (46) has been appointed Chevalier de l’Ordre 9. Film Society of Lincoln Center announced Robert De Niro National du Mérite (Knight in the National Order of Merit) as recipient of 44th Chaplin Award. by French government. 10. Former DirectorGeneral of CSIR, R. A. Mashelkar 17. Indian National Award winning documentary ‘Daughters conferred with V Krishnamurthy Award for excellence by of Mother India’ won first prize in Documentary Film Hyderabadbased Centre for Organisation Development. category at 6th CAM International Film Festival in Cairo 11. Former ISRO Chairman and space scientist Udupi (Egypt). Ramachandra Rao became first Indian to be inducted in Hall 18. Indian scientist Kirtiraj Kundlik Gaikwad conferred with of Fame of International Astronautical Federation (IAF). prestigious IAFP Young scientist scholarship award for his 12. Former Minister Veeranna has been selected for Sri research on development of novel oxygen absorbing 2 complete success.in package in the field of active packaging for oxygen sensitive 24. Satish Pathak has been awarded for ‘Excellence in food products. Technical Innovation’ by the International Society of 19. Indian sprinter Srabani Nanda has won 24th Ekalabya Automation (ISA) for his innovation Digital Controlled Valve Award 2016 as a recognition of her sporting excellence. for Precise Liquid Dispensing by Gravity flow. This award is instituted by Odishabased Indian Metals 25. Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Chamling has been Public Charitable Trust (IMPaCT). honoured with Sustainable Development Leadership Award 20. Paul Beatty became first USA author to win Man Booker of The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), during World Prize, after he won 2016 Man Booker Title for his racial Sustainable Development Summit in New Delhi. Theme for satirical novel The Sellout. His novel tells the story of a summit is Beyond 2015: People, Planet and Progress. young black man who tries to reinstate slavery and racial 26. Two Yazidi women Nadia Murad Basee and Lamiya Aji segregation in a suburb of Los Angeles. Bashar have been selected for European Union’s 21. Portuguese footballer Renato Sanches won 2016 prestigious Sakharov Prize for Human Rights for 2016. They European Golden Boy award. were among thousands of Yazidi girls and women who 22. Randeep Guleria (AIIMS) C S Yadav (Sir Ganga Ram were abducted by Islamic State (IS) militants in Iraq and Hospital) have been selected for Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy forced into sexual slavery in 2014. Award for excellence in medicine. 27. Uttar Pradesh government declared Yash Bharati 23. Sangeet Natak Akademi awarss 2015 have been awardees 2016 - presented - 54 People selected for coveted UP award for 201617, for - C V Chandrasekhar has been named Sangeet Natak contribution in literature, fine arts, folk and classical music Akademi Fellow (Akademi Ratna). Fellowship of Sahitya and sports. Akademi is most prestigious and rare honour, restricted to - Some prominent names are Actor Naseeruddin Shah. 40 numbers at any given time. PayTM CEO Vijay Shekhar, Paralympic athlete Varun Kumar, - Akademi also selected 43 artists for Sangeet Natak Qawwali singers Aftab and Hashim (Sabri Brothers), Akademi Awards (Akademi Puraskar) for 2015. Director Saurabh Shukla. Books 1. Book All That Man Is has been authored by David Szalay. 2. Book Andhere se ujale ki aur, authored by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has been released. 3. Book Born to Fly: Fighter pilot MP Anil Kumar teaches us there is no battle mind cannot win, authored by Nitin Sathe has been released. 4. Book Far and Away:Reporting From the Brink of Change has been authored by Andrew Solomon. 5. Book Half Lion: How P.V. Narasimha Rao Transformed India has been authored by Vinay Sitapati. 6. Book Jihad in My Saffron Garden, ritten by Roxy Arora has been released. 7. Book Modi’s Midas Touch in Foreign Policy, authored by Surendra Kumar has been released. 8. Book Night of Fire has been authored by Colin Thubron. 9. Book The Adivasi Will Not Dance, by Hansda Sowendra Shekhar has been shortlisted The Hindu Prize 2016. 10. Book The Greatest Bengali Stories Ever Told, has been authored by Arunava Sinha. 11. Book The Legend Of Lakshmi Prasad, authored by Actress Twinkle Khanna will be launched in November 2016. 12. Book The Ministry of Utmost Happiness has been authored by Arundhati Roy, which will release in June 2017. 13. Book The Sleepwalker's Dream, authored by Dhrubajyoti Borah has been released. It narrates journey of a group of militants towards an elusive freedom and an uncertain future. Committees 1. Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) appointed committee (headed by Mata Prasad) suggested an overhaul in transmission planning to facilitate transfer of power on economic principles. 2. Culture and Tourism Minister Mahesh Sharma chaired first meeting of Reconstituted Central Advisory Board on Culture (CABC). 3. Finance Ministry constituted a committee to consolidate regulation of pension products that is currently being done by three different entities SEBI, IRDA and PFRDA. Committee will look into issue of bringing these companies which are offering pension plans under different regulators under the purview of PFRDA. 4. K.S. Valdiya committee submitted report to Water Resources Ministry and concluded that Saraswati River so far considered mythical, actually existed. - Saraswati River originated in the Himalayas and was approximately 4,000 km in length and flowed through India (3000 KM) and Pakistan (1000 KM) before meeting Arabian Sea through Rann of Kutch. 5. Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) constituted a 3member committee headed by IITKharagpur Director Partha Pratim Chakraborty to suggest ways to reduce number of seats falling vacant at IITs and NITs every year. 6. Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation constituted a committee to report Cauvery 3 complete success.in basin area's ground realities and suggest improvements in Policy. GS Jha will be Chairman of this team. 7. Oneman judicial committee on One Rank One Pension (OROP). It consists of etired Chief Justice of Patna High Court L Narasimha Reddy. Days 12. Oct 13, 2016 World Sight Day. It is held on 2nd Thursday 1. 24 Oct, 2016 - 55th Raising Day of Indo Tibetan Border of October every year. 2016 theme is Stronger Together. Police (ITBP). 13. Oct 14 World Standards Day (WSD). 2016 theme is 2. 27 October: World Day for Audiovisual Heritage World Standards Build Trust. Day for Audiovisual Heritage was observed across the world 14. Oct 15 International Day of Rural Women. 2016 Theme on 27 October 2016. The theme for the day was It's Your is Climate is changing. Food and agriculture must too. Story Don't Lose It. 15. Oct 15 World Students’ Day. It is observed on Birth 3. Oct 01 - United Nations’ International day of Older anniversary of India’s 11th President and great scientist Dr. Persons. 2016 theme is Take a Stand Against Ageism. APJ Abdul Kalam. It was announced by UN in 2010. 4. Oct 01 - World Vegetarian Day. 16. Oct 16 World Food Day. 2016 Theme is Climate is 5. Oct 02 - UN International Day of Non-Violence. It changing. Food and agriculture must too. commemorates birthday of M K Gandhi. It is also birthday 17. Oct 17 International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. of Former Indian Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri. 2016 Theme is Moving from humiliation and exclusion to - On 147th birth anniversary of M K Gandhi. India handed participation: Ending poverty in all its forms. over its Instrument of Ratification of Paris Agreement on 18. Oct 20 National Solidarity Day. climate change to United Nations. India accounts for 4.1 % 19. Oct 20 World Osteoporosis Day. It is aimed at raising of global Green House Gas Emissions and became 62nd global awareness of the prevention, diagnosis and country to ratify agreement, responsible for almost 52% of treatment of osteoporosis and metabolic bone disease. global Green House Gases (GHG) emissions. Paris 2016 theme is “Love Your Bones Protect your Future”. Agreement on climate change will enter into force one 20. Oct 21Police Commemoration Day. month after countries that account for 55% of global GHG 21. Oct 24 United Nations Day. It marks anniversary of UN emissions ratify it. into force after UN Charter (the founding document of 6. Oct 05 World Teachers’ Day. 2016 theme is Valuing UNO) in 1945.It is also United Nations’ (UN) World Teachers, Improving their Status. Development Information Day. - In India, Teacher's Day is held on September 05 Every 22. Oct 24 World Polio Day. Year. It is birth date of second President of India, Dr. 23. Oct 28 National Ayurveda Day. It is Held every year on Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. Lord Dhanvantari Jayanti. 2016 Theme is Ayurveda for 7. Oct 08 Indian Air Force (IAF) Day. 2016 observes 84th Prevention and Control of Diabetes. anniversary of IAF. 24. Oct 31 Rashtriya Ekta Diwas (National Unity Day). It was 8. Oct 09 World Post Day. 2016 Theme is “Innovation, introduced by PM Narendra Modi in 2014 and it Integration and Inclusion”. commemorates birthday of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (Also 9. Oct 10 World Mental Health Day. 2016 theme is called Iron Man of India). 2016 observes his 141st Birth Psychological First Aid. Anniversary. 10. Oct 11 International Day of the Girl Child. 2016 Theme 25. October 31 World Cities Day . 2016 Theme is Inclusive is Girls’ Progress = Goals’ Progress: What Counts for Girls. Cities, Shared Development 11. Oct 13 International Day for Disaster Reduction. 2016 26. October 4 World Animal Day. Theme is “Live to Tell: Raising Awareness, Reducing 27. World Habitat Day Observed every year on the first Mortality”. Monday of October throughout world (Oct 03 in 2016). Defence 1. IndoNepal Joint Military Exercise Surya KiranX held in Nepal. 2. 28th India and Indonesia Coordinated Patrol (CORPAT) and Second Bilateral Maritime Exercise began at Belawan, Indonesia in Andaman Sea. 3. 4th India Sri Lanka Joint Military Exercise ‘MITRA SHAKTI 2016’ held in Sri Lanka. 4. Anil Ambani led Reliance Group and French aerospace firm Dassault Aviation signed deal to set up a joint venture, called Dassault Reliance Aerospace, that will execute offsets for recently concluded India France deal for 36 Rafale fighter jets. It will be the largest offset contract to be executed by any defence company in India, valued at Rs. 30,000 crore. - India and France recently signed Agreement for 36 Rafale jets worth €7.87 billion (about Rs. 59,000 crore), 50% offset of which is to be executed by Dassault Aviation and its partners in India. Through the offsets, government wants to bring in much needed expertise to build domestic defence and aerospace industry. 5. Civil Aviation Minister P Ashok Gajapathi Raju launched Regional Connectivity Scheme UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagarik). UDAN is firstofitskind scheme globally will create affordable yet economically viable and profitable flights on 4 complete success.in regional routes so that flying becomes affordable to the common man even in small towns. - Under this, Government will provide higher a subsidy to airlines that operate flights between 2 airports under Regional Connectivity Scheme. - Subsidy given to airlines operating between 2 less served airports will be 10% more than sum offered to airlines that connect only one regional airport. - Subsidy will be provided under UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam naagrik) scheme for 3 years. It will be provided to airlines to fund their losses by offering airfares at Rs. 2,500 for an hour’s flight on half seats under Regional Connectivity Scheme. Subsidy amount for airlines connecting to one regional airport will vary between Rs. 2,350 and Rs. 5,100 per seat. 6. Fast Patrol Vessels Aryama, Atulya and Rani Gaidinliu commissioned into Indian Coast Guard, developed by Cochin Shipyard. 7. India and Russia agreed to double range of BrahMos supersonic cruise missile from 290 km to over 600 km. - It was decided during meeting between PM Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Goa on sidelines of BRICS summit. - Earlier, India was denied access to the missile technology with range over 300 km as it was not member state of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR). But India’s recent inclusion MTCR has allowed Russia to provide the critical systems and technology to extend the range of the missile beyond 300km. 8. India induced its first indigenously built strategic nuclear submarine INS Arihant into service and completed its nuclear triad. - India is fourth country to have a nuclear triad i.e. capable of delivering nuclear weapons by aircraft, ballistic missiles and submarine launched missiles. Other countries having nuclear triad are Russia, United States and China. - INS Arihant is nuclear submarine capable of carrying nuclear tipped ballistic missiles. Thus it belongs to class referred to as Ship Submersible Ballistic Nuclear (SSBN). - Its design is based on the Russian Akula1 class submarine. It was built with Russia’s help under Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) project started in the 1980s. - It weighs 6000 tonnes and is 112 metre long. It is powered by 83 MW pressurised light water nuclear reactor with enriched uranium fuel. 9. Indian Navy commissioned a Car Nicobar Class water jet fast attack craft (WJFAC) INS Tihayu. 10. Indian and Chinese armies held Second Joint Exercise “Sino India Cooperation 2016” in Ladakh, as a sequel to the first Joint Exercise held in Feb 2016. Economy capitalization of Rs4.66 trillion, followed by Reliance 1. 4 public sector banks (PSBs) may struggle to make Industries (3.49 Trillion INR), HDFC Bank (3.21 Trillion INR) coupon payments on their additional tier 1 (AT1) bonds due and ITC Limited (2.90 Trillion INR). to heavy losses after a surge in bad loans. - Oil and Natural Gas Corp. (ONGC) beat Infosys become 5th - AT1 bonds are hybrid bonds that combine debt and equity most valuable company in India (2.37 Trillion INR), while elements. They are also called as contingent convertible Infosys is valued at (2.36 Trillion INR) capital instruments (CoCos). These have their roots in 7. Bank of Maharashtra tied up with United India Insurance financial crisis when governments were forced to bail out Company. UIIC products can now be bought at any branch banks. They are riskiest debt issued by banks and do not of Bank of Maharashtra1. have any set maturity date. 8. Banknotes of denomination of Rs.2,000 will be in 2. According to the data by RBI ,India’ banking system circulation very soon, as per a Reserve Bank of India report. reported total deposits of Rs 100 lakh crore for first time 9. Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Amendment Act 2016, ever in September 2016. With demand deposits of 10 lakh designed to curb black money and passed by parliament in crore and time deposits of Rs 90 lakh crore. August 2016, came into effect. New law amended Benami 3. Aditya Birla Group pledged investment of Rs. 20,000 Transactions Act 1988 and renamed it as Prohibition of crore in Madhya Pradesh, during Madhya Pradesh Global Benami Property Transactions (PBPT) Act 1988. The Investors Summit. amendment act strengthens parent Act in terms of legal 4. As per World Bank’s report South Asia Economic Focus, and administrative procedure and proposes imprisonment India's GDP growth will remain 7.6 % in 2016 & 7.7 % in upto 7 years for indulging in benami transactions. 2017. 10. Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) asked public sector 5. As per World Economic Outlook (WEO) report of banks to share their reports relating to all loan frauds International Monetary Fund (IMF), India’s GDP growth involving funds over 1 crore rupees. Till date, such reports forecast has been raised to 7.6 % for FY17 (2016-17) and were shared with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) only. FY18 (2017-18). 11. Essar Group paid back Approx 2.5 Billion Loan to three 6. BSE Data on Market Capitalization banks ICICI Bank, Axis Bank and Stan Chart. - TCS is India’s most valuable company with a market 12. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley chaired Commonwealth 5 complete success.in Finance Ministers’ Meeting held at IMF Headquarters in 20. India signed Loan Agreement of US$ 650 million with Washington D.C. (USA). He also attended Governing Council World Bank, for Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor III Meeting of the BRICS Contingent Reserve Arrangement (EDFCIII) Project of Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation (CRA). of India Ltd. (DFCCIL). Objective of EDFC III Project is to - Standard Chartered Bank and Bank of Baroda signed MoU augment rail transport capacity, improve service quality on Commonwealth Small States Trade Finance Facility, to and enhance freight carriage throughput on 401 km make available up to US $100 million of incremental trade Ludhiana Khurja section of the Eastern Dedicated Freight finance over 3 years. Corridor. - India also pledged £ 1,022,100 to Commonwealth Fund for 21. India's foreign exchange reserves reached a new high of technical cooperation. USD 371.99 billion. 13. Finance Ministry has set up a Public Debt Management 22. International Monetary Fund (IMF) that adoption of GST Cell (PDMC), with task of streamlining government (Goods and Services) tax will boost India’s medium term borrowings and better cash management for deepening growth, in form of enhanced business investments. bond markets. 23. MMTC joined hands with HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank and - PDMC will be upgraded to a statutory Public Debt Andhra Bank to retail gold coins with a new buyback Management Agency (PDMA). It will allow separation of option. debt management functions from RBI to PDMA , without - Besides its own outlets, MMTC has tied up with Indian causing market disruption. Overseas Bank, Vijaya Bank, Federal Bank and YES Bank to 14. Fixed Term Employment has been introduced by sell gold coins in denominations of 5 gm and 10 gm coin Ministry of Labour and Employment in Apparel and 20 gm bar. Manufacturing sector. It has been done keeping in view the 24. Ministry of Corporate Affairs Launched Simplified seasonal nature of sector and will ensure same benefits for Proforma for Incorporating a Company Electronically fixed term employee in sector as a regular employee. (SPICe) eForm, to provide speedy incorporation related 15. Goods and Services Network (GSTN) signed services within stipulated time frames. Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Director 25. National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) for sharing of foreign commissioned its 50 MW wind power project (WPP) in exchange realisation and Import Export code data. It is Jaisalmer, Rajasthan. expected to strengthen processing of export transactions of - NHPC is constructing 5 power projects aggregating to a taxpayers under GST, increase transparency and reduce total installed capacity of 4290 MW including 1000 MW human interface. (Pakal Dul hydroelectric project). 16. Government approved support of Rs 718 Crores to HMT 26. Power Grid Corporation approved 3 proposals to invest Ltd. for payment of outstanding salaries and other 1184 crores in transmission projects across country, employee related dues. It also approved closure of HMT including transformation capacity in the southern region, Tractor Division by offering attractive VRS / VSS at 2007 substation works in Vemagiri in Andhra Pradesh, and a notional pay scales. transmission system for Ultra Mega Solar Park at Tumkur in 17. Government proposed 4 GST rate slabs for new indirect Karnataka. tax regime, ranging 0 to 26 %, during meeting of GST 27. Power Minister Piyush Goyal assured 100 % Council headed by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. electrification of India by May 1, 2017. - Standard GST rate will be 18 %, applicable for most of 28. Punjab Agricultural University and Field Fresh Foods Goods. Few suggested exceptions are - signed MoU to carry out a corn productivity research - 6 % - Costly items and necessary food items. programme. - 12 % - FMCG and Food Items 29. Rani ki Vav (Gujarat) (UNESCO World Heritage Site) - 26 % - Luxury Items named as Cleanest Iconic Place (among top 25 Adarsh - Others Outcomes of Meeting Include - Monuments) by Ministry of Culture at Indian Sanitation - Secular growth rate of 14% will be taken into Conference (INDOSAN) 2016. consideration for calculating the revenue of each state in - Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) protected historical the first five years of implementation of the GST. monuments and archaeological sites as polythenefree - Base year for calculating the revenue of states will be zones, up to 300 meters from protected boundaries. 201516. 30. Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Working Group on 18. ICICI Bank became first Indian Bank to complete a Rationalisation of Branch Authorisation Policy, chaired by banking transaction using Blockchain technology. This Lily Vadera has proposed easing bank branch norms, like a remittance transaction has been completed in partnership building, number of employees etc to facilitate financial with West Asia's Emirates NBD. inclusion. 19. IT Firms HCL and IBM entered into 15year partnership - Bank branches (including those having business for automation, development and operations. correspondents) providing minimum 4 hours of service for

6 complete success.in 5 days a week, should be allowed to be treated as a 33. State Bank of India opened a foreign branch in Yangon fullservice branch. Any other fixed point unit of the bank (Myanmar) and became the first domestic bank of India to not complying with minimum working period should be open a branch in Myanmar. considered a ‘parttime banking outlet’. 34. Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) 31. Reserve Bank of India (RBI) permitted startups to raise recommended Department of Telecom (DoT) to impose external commercial borrowings (ECBs) of up to $3 million penalty of 3,050 crore rupees on Bharti Airtel, Vodafone in a financial year for three year tenure. and Idea cellular, for denying interconnectivity to 32. State Bank of India (SBI) declared Silchar as its 5th zone newcomer Reliance Jio. in North East to facilitate banking issues for the customers 35. To help in doubling farmers' income by 2022, NABARD of Mizoram, Tripura and Manipur along with the Barak sanctioned loan of 19 702 crore to National Water Valley of North east India. Development Agency (NWDA) for 50 irrigation projects from 11 States under Long Term Irrigation Fund (LTIF). International 1. 16 AsiaPacific nations Group RCEP (Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership)' meet will be held in Philippines in Nov 2016. - 15 Members of RECP are concerned over giving greater market access to Chinese goods without gaining in return, as it will mainly help China. - India may have a separate list of items that won't be applicable for RCEP, making chinese imports costly for those items. Otherwise, it will help china and India's trade deficit with china wil rise (which is already hight at 52 Billion USD in 2015-16). 2. 2016 Global Power City Index by by Japanbased Mori Memorial Foundation’s Institute for Urban Strategies - London topped the List of 42 major cities of world (across six key measures economy, research and development, culture, accessibility, environment and livability). - Mumbai is only Indian city (ranked 39th) on list. 3. 2016 Global Youth Development Index Report released by Commonwealth Secretariat. This list measures countries’ prospects for young people in employment, education, health, civic and political spheres. - Top 10 countries - Germany, Denmark, Australia, Switzerland, UK, Netherlands, Austria, Luxembourg, Portugal and Japan. - India has been ranked 133rd out of 183 countries in List. - Neighbours Sri Lanka (31), Bhutan (69) and Nepal (77), China (118), Pakistan (154), Bangladesh (146) - India has nearly 20% of the global youth population, with nearly 345 million young people between ages of 15 & 30. - India’s rank in 2016 YDU is relatively low, but it has registered an 11% improvement in scores over last five years (from 2010 and 2015). 4. A Saudi Arabian Prince Turki bin Saud alKabir was executed for shooting a man, Adel al-Mohaimeed. 5. AT&T Inc agreed to buy Time Warner Inc for 85.4 billion USD, aimed at transforming Phone Company into a media giant. 6. According to World Meteorological Organization’s (WMO) annual Greenhouse Gas Bulletin level of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions - CO2 in atmosphere reached record high of global average concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere reached to 400 parts per million (ppm) for the first time in 2015. It is expected to surge again to new records in 2016 on the back of the very powerful El Niño event. 7. Antartica’s Ross Sea declared as world’s largest Marine Protected Area (MPA) to protect Earth’s most pristine marine ecosystem. - It was announced after international agreement among 24 countries and European Union in Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) meeting in Hobart, Australia. - Ross Sea is one of the last intact marine ecosystems in the world, with 1.6 million square kilometers area. MPA status to Ross Sea will bring blanket ban on commercial fishing across about three quarters of its area for 35 years. - Ross Sea in Southern Ocean is home to 38% of world’s Adelie penguins, 30% of world’s Antarctic petrels and around 6% of world’s population of Antarctic minke whales. 8. As per new study by International Commission on Financing Global Education Opportunity (Education Commission), India’s school education system is underperforming in terms of quality in female literacy when compared to its neighbours. - Proportion of women who completed five years of primary schooling in India and were literate was 48%, much less than 92% in Nepal, 74% in Pakistan and 54% in Bangladesh. - India was ranked 38th among the 51 developing countries for female literacy rates. 7 complete success.in 9. Bangladesh and China agreed to elevate their bilateral relations to strategic partnership, during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Bangladesh. This is the visit by a Chinese President to Bangladesh in 3 decades since President Li Xiannian’s visit in March 1986. Both countries signed of 26 agreements on different sectors. 10. Bangladesh introduced temporary ban on catching hugely popular hilsa fish. 11. Bank of America unveiled a virtual assistant called Erica, that uses artificial intelligence and predictive analytics to learn consumers' personal spending habits and offer financial advice. 12. Biopharmaceutical Competitiveness & Investment (BCI) Survey by Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America - Indian pharmaceutical companies ranked at 19th position with an overall score of 59 out of 100 among 28 countries, with USA at Top. 13. Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved ONGC Videsh Limited's proposal to buy 11% stake in JSC Vankorneft from Rosneft Oil Company (Russia). 14. China critisized USA for its interventions in Asia as tensions are growing between China and USA for territorial disputes in South China Sea (SCS). 15. China launched its longest ever manned mission by taking two astronauts Jing Haipeng and Chen Dong into orbit, on board of Shenzhou11 (heavenly vessel) spacecraft by a Long March2F carrier rocket. Astronauts will spend a month aboard an experimental space laboratory Tiangong2 (Heavenly Palace 2). 16. China’s experimental space lab Tiangong2 orbiting Earth with two astronauts on board has successfully launched a microsatellite Banxing2 (47 Kilograms). - Two astronauts were launched into space onboard of the Shenzhou11 spacecraft carried two astronauts on 11 October 2016. It docked with Tiangong2 on 13 Oct 2016. 17. Chinese currency Yuan officially became member of International Monetary Fund (IMF)’s Special Drawing Rights (SDR) basket, which determines currencies that countries can receive as part of IMF loans. 18. European Union (EU) and Canada signed Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) as a landmark trade deal in Belgium. - CETA is a free freetrade agreement (FTA) between Canada and EC, that aims to revoke roughly 9,000 tariffs, covering many industrial goods and agricultural and food items. - It will add around €11.6 billion to the EU economy and around €8.2 billion to Canada’s economy. 19. First elephant sanctuary in Latin America opened in Brazil to provide a home for an estimated 50 circus animals from across the region. 20. France became first country to ban disposable plastic cups and plates by passing a law that will go into effect in January 2020. The law will require all disposable tableware to be made from 50% biologically sourced materials that can be composted at home, to be enhanced to 60% by 2025. 21. Freedom House (USA) released Freedom of the Press 2016 report with theme The Battle for the Dominant Message - In 2015, Press freedom declined to its lowest point in 12 years. - Only 13 % of world’s population enjoys a free press, 41 % have Partly Free press while 46 % live in Not Free media environments. - In India Freedom to press is partly free with a total score of 41 out of 100. 22. Global Hunger Index 2017 by International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) - India ranked 97th among 118 countries, with a score of 28.5. It reflects serious condition of nourishing food availability in India. - In India, About 15% of under 5 children are 'wasted' and 39% of under 5 children are ‘stunted’. Under 5 mortality rate is 4.8%. - Though India runs two of the world’s biggest children’s nutrition programmes ICDS (Integrated Child Development Services) for children under 6 years and midday meal programme for school going kids up to the age of 14. Still, malnutrition is a serious Issue in India. - India's Neighbours - China - Rank - 29, Score 7.7 - Nepal - Rank - 72, Score 21.9 - Sri Lanka - Rank - 84, Score 25.5 - Bangladesh - Rank - 90, Score 27.1 - Pakistan Rank 107, Score 33.4 - Best and Worst Ranked Nations in GHI 2016 - Best - Argnetina, Bosnia & Herzegovina and Belarus (Under Score of 5) - Worst - Central African Republic (Score 46.1), Chad (Score 44.3), Zambia (Score 39)

8 complete success.in 23. Government approved Agreement with Estonia on the transfer of sentenced persons. 24. Government approved MoU with African Asian Rural Development Organization (AARDO) for capacity building in rural development. 25. Government approved MoU with European Union in field of water resources. 26. Government approved MoUs - With Qatar on cooperation in field of Youth and Sports. - With Hungary on cooperation in field of water management. - MOU between Export Import Bank of India and BRICS New Development Bank (NDB). 27. Government approved new Agreement on Trade, Commerce and Transit with Bhutan. 28. Government extended antidumping duty on import of certain Chinese products, used in garments, toys and footwear manufacturing, for upto 2021. 29. Great Britain Pound (GBP) set a new record with sudden collapse against USD of over 6% to $1.1841 in 2 minutes. 30. India and Russia signed agreement for development of a network of 25 integrated infrastructure Agro irradiation centres. - Agreement signed to form a Joint Venture between Hindustan Agro Co Op Ltd (HACL) and United Innovation Corporation (UIC) of Russia, with HACL hold in 51%. In first phase 7 centers will be set up in Maharashtra. - India needs network of Agro Irradiation Centres as postharvest losses in food and food grains are around 4050%, mainly due to microbiological contamination, insect infestation, physiological changes and poor shelf life. It accounts annual loss of 2,50,000 crores. - Food irradiation is a technology in which food products are subjected to a low dosage of radiation to treat them for germs and insects, increasing their longevity and shelf life. 31. India and South Korea signed a revised Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) for the avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income. 32. India decided to eliminate use of HFC 23 (Hydro fluorocarbons 23), a greenhouse gas (GHG) that harms ozone layer by 2030. It is 14800 times more harmful to ozone layer, than CO2. It was announced during 28th Meeting of the Parties to Montreal Protocol at Kigali (Rwanda). - Montreal Protocol - It is an international treaty that came into force in 1989, aimed at protecting ozone layer by reducing consumption of ozone depleting substances (ODS). It has been ratified by all 197 UN Nations and has phased out over 95% of ODS so far. 33. India donated Rs. 9.3 million (Approx 58 Crores) to Nelson Mandela Foundation to help it in its welfare work for people of South Africa. 34. India received first parcel of 2 million barrels of crude oil from Iran to partly fill strategic storage in southern India as part of India's Strategic Petroleum Reserves (SPRs) storage, imported by Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd (MRPL). India will fill half of storage with 6 million barrels of Iranian oil, while for remainder India is in talks with UAE and Saudi Arabia. Second parcel of such reserve will be procured by Bharat Petroleum Corp. - It is important for India to have strategic storage as India imports around 80% of its crude oil requirement. 35. India signed MoU with Palestine for setting up of Palestine India Techo Park at Ramallah in Palestine. 36. India will host Asian Ministerial Conference for Disaster Risk Reduction (AMCDRR) in collaboration with United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR). This is first AMCDRR after advent of Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRRR), adopted at 3rd UN World Conference in Sendai, Japan in March, 2015. - First World Tsunami Awareness Day will be celebrated on November 5, 2016 at the Asian Ministerial Conference for Disaster Risk Reduction (AMCDRR) 2016. 37. Indian Pharmaceutical Firm Dr Reddy's Laboratories Ltd entered into a strategic collaboration with Gland Pharma, to distribute a diverse portfolio of eight injectable Abbreviated New Drug Applications (ANDAs). 38. Indian pharmaceutical Firm Cipla signed MOU for South Africa’s first bio-similars manufacturing facility to be set up at a cost of nearly USD 91 million. 39. Indo Italian Joint Committee established under Scientific and Technological Cooperation Agreement relaunched cooperation in sectors of science, technology and innovation, signed originally in 2003. 40. International Union for Conservation of Nature marked Kashmir Stag (Hangul) as a critically endangered species. 41. Iraq’s Parliament passed a law banning Alcohol completely. 42. Israel suspended cooperation with UN's cultural agency, UNESCO, accusing it of denying Judaism's connections to the religion's holiest sites. The action came after UNESCO approved a draft resolution, which repeatedly used only the Islamic name for a hilltop complex, which is also the holiest site in Judaism. 43. Maldives government decided to leave 53member Commonwealth of Nations after the organisation warned Maldives of suspension by Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) if it failed to take further steps to promote

9 complete success.in the rule of law and democracy. 44. Microsoft launched Its first Cyber security Engagement Center (CSEC) in India at Delhi, and seventh worldwide. 45. Milan city (Italy) bestowed honorary citizenship on Dalai Lama, opposed by China. 46. Miss International 2016 (56th Miss International pageant), held in Tokyo (Japan) - Kylie Verzosa from Philippines won the title. 47. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) completed construction of James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) after over 20 years of hard work. This largest ever space telescope is expected to launch in 2018 following testing. Highlights Include - It has 18 large mirrors that will collect infrared light, sheltered behind a tennis court size sun shield. - It is considered as the successor to NASA's iconic Hubble Space Telescope. - It is a 8.8 billion US dollars worth space observatory built to observe the infrared universe like never before. 48. Oil India Limited (OIL) signed MOU with University of Houston, for augmenting its reserves base and maximizing recovery from its aging oilfields. 49. Oxford English Dictionary hasincluded Aiyoh and Aiyah, defined as In southern India and Sri Lanka, expressing distress, regret, or grief". 50. Pakistan warned India of military action if India violates Indus Water Treaty (IWT). - Indus River is important for Pakistan as 65% of the Pakistan’s geographical area including entire Pakistan’s Punjab province is part of Indus basin. The water of Indus River is lifeline of Pakistan and is source of irrigation, hydro power and drinking water for millions of Pakistanis. If the water from rivers is stopped by India it can surely cut lifeline of Pakistan. 51. Pakistan's media regulatory authority enforced complete ban on Indian TV and radio contents. 52. PetroFed, an apex society of entities in Hydrocarbon sector, signed MoU with TERI (The Energy and Resources Institute) to undertake study on Climate Change Risks: Preparedness for Oil and Gas Sector. 53. Russia invited India to join in developing next generation nuclear reactors and to participate in its fast reactor research project (MBIR). - MBIR project is based on the closed fuel cycle which involves recycling the nuclear waste as new fuel. It essentially signifies research on a sodium cooled Generation 4 fast reactor to design an advanced fast neutron reactor for use in nuclear power plants. MBIR’s design includes three independent loops that can be used to test different coolants like gas, lead and molten salt. It makes it possible to conduct material testing research in those different environments. - Fast neutron reactor It this, nuclear fission chain reaction is sustained by fast neutrons. Such reactor needs no neutron moderator like normal water, which serves such a purpose in thermal reactors. 54. Russia vetoed a UN Security Council draft resolution demanding an end to bombing of Aleppo city in Syria. The draft text proposed by France and Spain. 55. Russian President Vladimir Putin Visit to India - Participated in 8th BRICS Summit and 17th India Russia Annual Bilateral Summit in Goa. - Russian consortium led by Rosneft Oil Company acquired India’s second biggest private oil firm Essar Oil for US $13 billion. Consortium includes Rosneft Oil Company, Netherlands based commodities trader Trafigura and private investment group United Capital Partners. - Defence Deals - Rs 39,000 crore Deal with Russia to purchase five state of art S-400 ‘Triumf’ air defence systems. - S-400 ‘Triumf’ Air Defence System are longrange air defence missile systems and one of most advanced longrange defence systems in world. It is referred to as SA21 Growler by NATO. - It is an upgraded version of the S300 defence system and is manufactured by Almaz Antey. It has been in service in Russia since 2007. - It is capable of firing three types of missiles. Thus, it creates a layered defence, and simultaneously engaging 36 targets. - It has capability to destroy incoming all airborne targets at ranges of up to 400 km. With it, India can destroy Pakistani aircrafts even when they are in their airspace. - India is second customer of S400 Missile defence systems after China. - Ka-226T helicopters (Kamov 226T) - Light multipurpose helicopter designed for work in difficult conditions like high mountains, hot climate & marine areas. - It will replace the aging Cheetah and Chetak choppers. After induction, Kamov helicopters will operate at 20,000 feet . - Stealth frigates - India and Russia will built four stealth frigates which will be improved versions of Krivak or Talwar class stealth frigates Two frigates will be built in Russia and other two will be constructed at an Indian shipyard with Russian cooperation.

10 complete success.in - India signed agreement with Russia to lease second Akula II class nuclear attack submarine (SSN), worth $2 billion. This second nuclear submarine will arrive in India in 202021. - Other agreements - International Information Security, Bilateral trade and economic cooperation. - Developing smart cities in Andhra Pradesh and Haryana. - >MoU between Gazprom and Engineers India Limited (EIL) for the joint study of a gas pipeline to India from Russia and other areas of cooperation. - Agreement between Rosneft Oil Company and ONGC Videsh Limited (OVL) in Education and Training. - MOU for setting up an investment fund of $1 billion by the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) and the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF). - MoU for Cooperation between Railways in increasing the speed of trains between Nagpur Hyderabad/ Secundrabad. - MoU between ROSCOSMOS and ISRO on Mutual Allocation of Ground Measurement Gathering Stations for NAvIC and GLONASS. 56. S&P Global Ratings announced that India's GST indirect tax law will make India grow at around 8% GDP growth Rate. Report was titled ‘ Asia Pacific steadies while China goes silent. 57. Scientists discovered a secret Nazi base of German dictator Adolf Hitler located 1000 kilometres from North Pole in Antartica. Location of this mysterious site known as Schatzgraber or Treasure Hunter on Alexandra Land had remained unknown. 58. Standard Chartered Bank tied up with Uber under which its credit cardholders will get a cash back of up to 25 per cent for hailing cabs from Uber app. Nations included are India, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam and UAE. - In India, SCB cardholders will get a 20 % cashback on all Uber rides, subject max 600 per month. 59. Strong Typhoon Chaba hit Japan and South Korea. 60. Strong Typhoon Haima hit Philippines, with winds of more than 225 KM/H. 61. Switzerland's Minister for Justice and Police, Simonetta Sommaruga visited India and signed 3 agreements Mutual Visa Exemption, Return of Illegal Migrants and Arrangement for Dependent Persons of Diplomatic and Consular Mission to Perform Gainful Employment. 62. US Navy commissioned its largest and technologically advanced destroyer Zumwalt. The 610footlong ship costs nearly USD 4.4 billion. 63. US Stated that India is now 12th largest holder of Government Bonds of USA, with total value $123.7 billion. 64. United Nations Education, Science and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) released a report stating that nearly 6.9 Crore new teachers are needed to provide quality universal primary and secondary education by 2030, the deadline of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 65. World Bank pledged 2 billion USD aid to Bangladesh to tackle climate change over next 3 years, as part of World Bank’s fund for poorest countries. Bangladesh is extremely vulnerable to climate change and accounts for almost 70% of all storm surges in the world. 66. World Bank will provide US $1 billion aid to Bangladesh over the next three years to fight child malnutrition. 67. World Bank’s ease of doing business Report 2017 (190 Nations) - Title of 2017 Report is Equal Opportunity for All. - India ranked at 130th place among 190 countries in List. In previous report, India was ranked at 131st. - India rank in different metrices -

- 10 indicators are starting business, getting electricity, 11 complete success.in dealing with construction permits, registering property, protecting investors, getting credit, employing workers, trading across borders, paying taxes, enforcing contracts and resolving insolvency. - Top 10 Countries New Zealand (1st), Singapore (2nd), Denmark (3rd), Hong Kong (4th), South Korea (5th), Norway (6th), UK (7th), US (8th), Sweden (9th) and Macedonia (10th). - BIRCS Russia (40), South Africa (74), China (78), Brazil (123) and India (130). - Neighbours Bhutan (73), China (78), Nepal (107), Sri Lanka (110), Pakistan (144) and Bangladesh (176). - Somalia is ranked Last, shows that is is worst in terms of doing business 68. World Economic Forum (WEF) Report on Safety and Security - Finland is safest Nation, followed by Qatar and UAE. El Salvador is ranked last (least safe). 69. World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Global Gender Gap Report 2016 (144 Nations) - India has been ranked 87th, climbing 21 spots from 108th position in 2015. - In this edition, India overtook China which is ranked 99th. - The report measures gender gap as progress towards parity between men and women in four areas (i) Educational attainment, (ii) Health and survival, (iii) Economic opportunity and (iv) Political empowerment. - Top 5 Iceland (1st), Finland (2nd), Norway (3rd), Sweden (4th) and Rwanda (5th). - Yemen is worst in terms of Gender Gap (144th), while pakistan is second worst (143rd).

Meetings finance. 1. 19th World Congress of International Association of - BRICS BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for MultiSectoral Educators for World Peace (IAEWP) held in Nashik Technical and Economic Cooperation) meet held. BIMSTEC (Maharashtra) with theme “Peace Education for Good Nations Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Governance and Nonviolence”. Thailand. 2. 2016 BRICS trade ministers Meet and BRICS Trade Fair - MOUs Signed within BRICS Nations and Exhibition held in New Delhi. - MoU for Establishment of BRICS Agricultural Research 3. 20th ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Heads of Defence - Regulations on Customs Cooperation Committee of the Universities / Colleges / Institutions Meet (HDUCIM) held at BRICS National Defence College in Delhi. - MoU on Mutual Cooperation between Diplomatic 4. 22nd meeting of Western Zonal Council held at Mumbai, Academies Maharashtra under Home Minister Rajnath Singh. 12. Election Commission of India hosted first ever 5. 23rd World Energy Congress held in Istanbul (Turkey) International Conference on Voter Education in New Delhi. - Russia and Turkey agreed to intensify military and 13. First edition of World Sustainable Development Summit intelligence contacts. They also have agreed on the need with theme ‘Beyond 2015: People, Planet and Progress’ for aid to get to the northern Syrian city of Aleppo. organized The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) in New 6. 23rd Rehabilitation International World Congress at Delhi). Edinburgh (Scotland) with theme Create a More Inclusive 14. First meeting of National Committee on Trade World. It has been attended by Thaawarchand Gehlot Facilitation (NCTF) held in New Delhi to discuss ways for (Union Minister for Social Justice & Empowerment), on developing roadmap for implementation of WTOs trade India's Behalf. facilitation agreement. It was headed by Cabinet Secretary 7. 28th Accountants General Conference held in New Delhi. P K Sinha. 8. 3rd SAARC Sufi festival will be held in Jaipur (Rajasthan). 15. G20 Seminar on Corruption & Global Economy and G20 9. 4th BRICS Science, Technology and Innovation Ministerial Anti Corruption Working Group (ACWG) meeting held in Meeting held at Jaipur (Rajasthan). Paris (France). Indian delegation is headed by Devesh 10. 6th BRICS Science & Technology Senior Official Meeting Chaturvedi. (SOM) for setting priorities for cooperation amongst BRICS 16. International Forum on adopting ICT Perspective to countries in Science, Technology and Innovation has been Education and LearningHeld in New Delhi. It has been organized in Jaipur (Rajasthan). organised by International Bureau of Education (IBE), 11. 8th BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) UNESCO in partnership with Google and Indian Ministry of Summit held in Goa Human Resource Development. - Attended by Indian PM Narendra Modi, China President Xi 17. PETROTECH 2016, 12th International Oil and Gas Jinping, Russia President Vladimir Putin, Brazilian President Conference and Exhibition will be organised by Ministry of Michel Temer and South African President Jacob Zuma. Petroleum and Natural Gas in New Delhi in Dec, 2016. - Theme for the summit was Building Responsive, Inclusive 18. PM Narendra Modi will launch first National Tribal and Collective Solutions Carnival in Delhi on October 25, 2016. - BRICS nations agreed to set up an independent Rating 19. Second BRICS Finance Ministers and Central Bank Agency, to challenge western hegemony in world of Governors’ meeting held in Goa. 12 complete success.in National reforms, single window systems, environment and labour 1. 104th Indian Science Congress (ISC) 2017 will be held at reforms, construction permits, inspection reforms and Sri Venkateswara University in Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh) in commercial disputes and paperless courts. January 2017. - Top 10 Andhra Pradesh (Score 98.78%), Telangana 2. 43rd edition of India International Knit Fair 2016 held at (98.78%), Gujarat (98.21%), Chhattisgarh (97.32%), Madhya India Knit Fair Complex in Tirupur in Tamil Nadu. Pradesh (97.01%), Haryana (96.95%), Jharkhand (96.57%), 3. 47th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) will be held Rajasthan (96.43%), Uttarakhand (96.13%) and in Goa in November 2016. Maharashtra (92.86). - Information and Broadcasting Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu - National implementation average of reforms stands at announced that South Korean director Im Kwontaek will be 48.93%, higher than 2015 national average of 32. honoured with Lifetime Achievement Award at 47th - 12 states scored over 90 while 17 states / UTs including International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa. Kerala, Goa and most northeastern states score poor 040%. 4. 5th India International Silk Fair (IISF) 2016 held at Pragati 16. Department of Personnel & Training (Ministry of Maidan in New Delhi. Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions) launched 5. Abhaneri festival held at Abhaneri village in Dausa Employees Online (EO) App. The mobile application aims to (Rajasthan), to promote rural tourism in area. update on Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) 6. According to 2011 census data, 61 % of population of appointments and postings on real time basis and to bring Differently abled persons in agegroup of 519 (65 lakh total) transparency. in 2011 were attending educational institutions. 17. Doordarshan signed agreement with Indira Gandhi 7. According to System of Air Quality and Weather National Open University (IGNOU) regarding the Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), Delhi’s air quality is very transmission of 4 Gyan Darshan Educational channels. poor. The average (24hour rolling) of PM2.5 and PM10, 18. Election Commission of India (ECI) amended Conduct of suspended respirable pollutants, were recorded as 120.8 Election Rules 1961 to facilitate etransfer of postal ballot. and 248 micrograms per cubic metre as against safe limits - It will empower a returning officer in any constituency to of 60 and 100. send postal ballots to an eligible voter by electronic means. 8. Andhra Pradesh government signed a FinTech Coopera- It will make voting feasible to all voters who may not vote tion agreement with Monetary Authority of Singapore due to not being physically available at the booth. (MAS) to promote innovation in financial services. - Under it, returning officer can send ballot through a web 9. As per a study by National Council of Applied Economic portal with a ‘One Time Password (OTP)’ to voters. Voter Research, Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) has played needs to download the ballot for voting. The voter after important role in reducing ‘socioeconomic disparities’ voting will physically return the ballot through post. existing in maternal care. - It will ease logistical issues involved in ensuring that the 10. BHEL commissioned 660 Mw coalbased supercritical ballot paper of the constituency, where a voter is eligible to thermal power unit in Uttar Pradesh, at 3x660 Mw vote, is sent in time. Thus, it will cut time in transmission of Prayagraj super thermal power project in Allahabad district. the ballot paper and help the EC overcome logistical 11. Bathukamma floral festival celebrated by Hindu women problems. in Telangana. 19. Election Commission of India (ECI) collaborated with 12. Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) Facebook to register young voters in 5 states going to polls approved mechanism for revision of ethanol price for in 2017 Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Goa, Manipur and supply to Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs). Uttarakhand. Revised price will facilitate OMCs to carry out Ethanol 20. Global Conference to Strengthen Arbitration and Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme for 201617. Enforcement in India held in delhi with title National 13. Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport's Terminal 3 Initiative On Strengthening Arbitration And Enforcement In (IGIA) achieved Platinum rating from Indian Green Building India. Council (IGBC). 21. Goa Tourism department launched vessels popularly 14. Delhi Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung dissolved Delhi known as ‘Duck Boats’ to boost tourist footfall. Waqf Board, referring It’s constitution to a Central Bureau 22. Government allowed HLL Lifecare (Miniratna PSU) to of Investigation (CBI) probe for alleged corruption. sublease over 300 acres of land for setting up India’s first 15. Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) Medipark (Medical Park) at Chengalpet near Chennai in and World Bank's Ease of Doing Business India Report 2016 Tamil Nadu. - Andhra Pradesh and Telangana jointly topped Ease of 23. Government announced to set up 30 inland waterways Doing Business Reforms Ranking 201516. and will soon float invite bids for the same. This move will - States were ranked on their implementation of help to tap the huge potential in the sofaruntapped inland DIPPproposed 340point Business Reform Action Plan in waterways transport segment despite India being endowed 2015 2016. These are broadly under six key categories tax with natural rivers suitable for it. 13 complete success.in - Earlier, Parliament allowed 106 rivers across India to be electronic national agriculture market (eNAM) in first converted into National Waterways (NWs) in addition to phase. Target is to integrate 585 mandis by March 2018. existing 5 such National Waterways. 34. Government launched Mining Surveillance System 24. Government approved 515 crores for development of (MSS) as a surveillance network to check illegal mining proposed Sagar Port project in West Bengal. using latest satellite technology. It is Developed by Indian 25. Government approved Cadre Review of Indian Posts & Bureau of Mines (IBM) in coordination with Bhaskaracharya Telecommunications Accounts and Finance Service Institute for Space Applications and Geoinformatics (BISAG) (IP&TAFS). Gandhinagar. 26. Government approved establishment of Indian Institute 35. Government made Aadhaar card mandatory for availing of Management (IIM) at Jammu in a temporary campus at cooking gas (LPG) subsidies after November 2016. Old Government College of Engineering & Technology from 36. Government reconstituted Inter State Council (ISC) and 2016-17. Standing Committee of ISC 27. Government approved establishment of National - It was reconstituted under Clause 2 of Inter State Council Academic Depository (NAD) within next three months. NAD order 1990. will be rolled out throughout country in 201718. - InterState Council is a constitutional body to facilitate - Finance Minister's Budget Speech of 201617 included coordination between states and the centre. commitment to establish a Digital Depository for school - It will be headed by PM Narendra Modi and consists Chief learning certificates, degrees and other academic awards of Ministers of all states and Union Territories as members. Higher Education Institutions, on the pattern of a Securities - Six Union Ministers are also members Home Minister Depository. Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Defence - NAD would be operationalised by NSDL Database Minister Manohar Parrikar, External Affairs Minister Management Limited (NDML) and CDSL Ventures, Limited Sushma Swaraj, Minister for Information and Broadcasting (CVL). M Venkiah Naidu and Road Transport Highways and - Academic institutions would be responsible for the Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari. authenticity of data digitally uploaded by them into system. - Standing Committee of the Inter State Council will be - NAD will provide digital or a printed copy of the academic headed by Minister of Home Affairs Rajnath Singh. award with security features to students or other 37. Government stated that Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh authorized users. have become first States to declare all cities and towns as - Requests for access to academic awards, for example, Open Defecation Free (ODF). from potential employers, and academic institutions would 38. Government will adopt 3 pronged approach to revitalise be only on the basis of consent of the student. domestic retail and wholesale trade Establishing 28. Government approved formation of an Indian Institute a regulatory body for national internal trade (retail and of Science Education and Research (IISER) at Berhampur wholesale), Comprehensive domestic trade policy and (Odisha), at cost of Rs 152 crores for initial three years Board for Internal Trade. (201619). - Domestic trade comprises noncorporate small businesses - Seven IISERs are Berhampur, Tirupati, Bhopal, providing employment to approx 45 crore people. Thiruvananthapuram, Mohali, Kolkata and Pune. Currently, there is no single regulatory body or Ministry for 29. Government brought final draft of National Water such six crore small businesses in the country that have Framework Bill 2016 to provide uniform national legal collective annual turnover of around Rs. 30 lakh crore. framework to manage water in a better way by proposing 39. Government will invest 15000 crore rupees to increase model law for all states. However, water being a State capacity of Panipat refinery in Haryana to 25 Million Tonnes subject under VII Schedule of constitution the law will be from existing 15 Million Tonnes. not binding on States for adoption. 40. Government will utilise vast network of post offices 30. Government constituted a Committee Under Joint across the country to sell subsidised pulses. Commissioner, Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairy and 41. Haji Ali Dargah Trust granted equal access to women to Fisheries (Munialappa) to Monitor situation arising out of inner sanctorum of Haji Ali shrine in Mumbai on par with avian influenza (H5N8), Also called Bird Flu. men. 31. Government decided to establish at least one Krishi 42. Haryana Government will observe 2017 as Garib Kalyan Vigyan Kendra in each of districts in country, to provide Varsh, aimed at welfare of poor people and generating technical assistance to farmers. employment opportunities. 32. Government held tripartite talks with Kuki National 43. Haryana government started a ‘Farm Tourism’ scheme Organisation (KNO) and United People's Front (UPF) of to boost tourism. In it, registered farm owners can host Manipur to find solution to their long standing demand of tourists as part of holiday packages. This scheme has been homeland and political future. started to attract people to villages. 33. Government integrated 250 mandis in 10 states with 44. Himachal Pradesh declared India's Second Open

14 complete success.in Defecation Free State (After Sikkim). prompted by Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Both states in 45. Home Minister Rajnath Singh announced that their petition had sought fresh allocation of Krishna River IndiaPakistan's 3323km border will be completely sealed by water among all four riparian states, not just between both December 2018. Besides, a new concept of Border Security of them. Grid (BSG) has been envisaged, which will take final shape - KWDTII verdict said that Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation after considering suggestions of all stake holders related to Act 2014 was not applicable to all four states, thss river border security. water should be reallocated between Telangana and 46. Home Minister Rajnath Singh laid foundation stone of Andhra Pradesh, from the share of undivided Andhra building for Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Institute of Pradesh. Archaeology of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) under - Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal (KWDT) Ministry of Culture at Greater Noida (Uttar Pradesh). - KWDT was set up by Government in 1969 under Interstate 47. India's First International Arbitration Centre River Water Disputes Act 1956 to resolve disputes between inaugurated in Mumbai (Maharashtra), to provide an states of Karnataka, Maharashtra and then undivided arbitration platform for Indian business houses to negotiate Andhra Pradesh over sharing of Krishna river water. commercial disputes. 56. Life Expectancy data by Registrar General of India (2010 48. India’s first startup magazine Cofounder, launched by 2014), Adhish Verma and Arunraj Rajendran. - Jammu and Kashmir has highest Life Expectancy at all 49. India’s first “Design Yatra” started in Kozhikode (Kerala), ages, except at Birth (At Birth which Kerala is at top 74.9 spread awareness and popularize designs. It will travel to years, . Delhi is second (73.2 years) and Jammu and Kashmir 29 cities by February 2017, covering 15,000 kms. It is stands third). launched by the Institute of Indian Interior Designers (IIID). - Average Life expectancy in India has grown to 67.9 years 50. International Energy Agency (IAE) will partner with India in 2010-14, up from 49.7 years in 1970. For males, it is 66.2 to implement its Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All years while female are much higher at 69.6 years. (UJALA) initiative globally for energy savings. - About Data - IAE has been impressed with performance of India’s - RGI’s Sample Registration System (SRS) published state UJALA programme in terms of vastly improving access to level life expectancy data prepared following surveys done LED lighting while reducing costs. between 2010 and 2014, for different ages 0 (at birth), 1, 5, - UJALA scheme is implemented by the Energy Efficiency 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 and 70. Services Limited (EESL). 57. Madhya Pradesh government will launch Lalima - About 4 crore LEDs are distributed under UJALA per Abhiyan in November 2016, to make state free from month, up from 10 lakh / month in 2014. anaemia. 51. International Household Survey Network (IHSN) Toolkit 58. Maharashtra Government allocated approx 40 hectare workshop held by Ministry for Statistics and Programme land to Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) to build LIGO Implementation in Delhi. (Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory) - Micro data Management Toolkit is open source data, DDI India Project at Dudhala village in Hingoli district. (Data Documentation Initiative) compliant application for 59. Maharashtra government launched Kaushalya Setu for cataloguing and dissemination of Metadata & Microdata. accommodting students in skill development courses who The International Household Survey Network (IHSN) is failed to clear Class 10th / 12th exam. designed to address technical issues facing data producers. 60. Manipur's Human rights activist (Called as Iron Lady) 52. Jharkhand become first state to implement Direct Irom Sharmila announced formation of her political party Benefit Transfer (DBT) in Kerosene in four districts Chatra, named Peoples Resurgence and Justice Alliance (PRJA). Hazaribagh, Khunti and Jantara. 61. Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Radha 53. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan launched paddy Mohan Singh informed that egg availability in India is 63 per cultivation in Aranmula Puncha near Cochin., under Harita person per year, while it should be about 180 eggs per Keralam project. person per year. 54. Kerala became third Open Defecation Free state after 62. Minister for Water Resources, River Development and Sikkim and Himachal Pradesh under Swachh Bharat Mission Ganga Rejuvenation Uma Bharti released first installment (SBM) (Gramin). of Rs. 1500 crore to states as central assistance for 99 55. Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal II (KWDTII) headed by prioritized irrigation projects under Accelerated Irrigation Brijesh Kumar decided to not to relook into allocation of Benefits Program (AIBP). Amount is meant for 50 projects Krishna River water among four states Maharashtra, in Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Tribunal though Manipur, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan and Telangana. Total decided to confine reallocation of Krishna water to Andhra funds required for completion of all 99 projects is 77595 Pradesh and Telangana. crore. - KWDTII pronounced its judgement on the litigation 63. Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation

15 complete success.in signed MoU with Common Services Centre (SPV of Ministry opportunities for farmers for enhancing their income. Index of Information Technology) for enabling online submission is named as Agricultural Marketing and Farmer Friendly of applications under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban). Reforms Index, with scores ranging 0 100. 64. Ministry of Housing notified Real Estate (Regulation and - Index is based on implementation of seven provisions Development) (General) Rules 2016, to be applicable to 5 proposed under model APMC Act (Agricultural produce Union Territories Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Dadra & market committee), joining eNAM initiative, special Nagar Haveli, Daman & Diu, Lakshadweep and Chandigarh. treatment to fruits and vegetables for marketing and level 65. Ministry of Railways and Urban Development Ministry of taxes in mandis. signed MoU for smart railway stations, valid for 5 years. - Maharashtra stayed at top with score of 81.7 with UT of 66. Ministry of Railways declared OkhaKanalus and the puducherry at last with 4.8 score. Porbandar Wansjaliya railway sections of Gujarat as Green 73. National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research Train Corridors (All trains through these routes will be (NCAOR) Goa has established a high altitude research equipped with biotoilets). station in Himalaya called HIMANSH, at a remote region in 67. Ministry of Road Transport & Highways made it Spiti, Himachal Pradesh. mandatory for all automobile manufacturers to provide - Himalayan region has largest concentration of glaciers emission and noise pollution details for every vehicle they outside polar caps, and is called “Water Tower of Asia”. It is produce, from April 2017 onwards. Govt amended Form 22 source of 10 major river systems that provide irrigation, under Central Motor Vehicles Act, 1989 through which power and drinking water for over 70 crore people in India, manufactures provide the initial certification of compliance Pakistan and Bangladesh. of vehicles. 74. National Seismic Programme (NSP) been launched by 68. Ministry of Road Transport and Highways launched Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Indian Bridge Management System (IBMS). It is being Dharmendra Pradhan in Odisha to trace hydrocarbon developed to create an inventory of all bridges in country resources like oil and natural gas in Mahanadi basin. NSP and rate structural condition of bridges, to help in their will undertake a fresh appraisal in all sedimentary basins timely repair and rehabilitation work. IBMS will have info across India, for a better understanding of the hydrocarbon on over one lakh fifty thousand bridge structures. potential. 69. Ministry of Science and Technology has launched two 75. National Summit on Fortification of Food held in New new schemes Delhi, to address interventions in combating - Biotech KISAN (Krishi Innovation Science Application micronutrientm malnutrition in country. Network) and Cattle Genomics in order to apply science to 76. Odisha government launched Madhubabu Aain boost rural economy. BiotechKISAN (Krishi Innovation Sahayata Sibir’ (MASS) scheme to provide legal assistance Science Application Network) Its purpose is to connect to deprived sections of the society at the grassroots level. It farmers, scientist and science institution across country. has been named after Odia lawyer Madhu Babu, who is Under it, fellowship will be given to women farmers for considered as the first lawyer of Odisha. training and education in farm practice. 77. PM Narendra Modi announced India's first Railway - Cattle Genomics - It aims at boosting selective breeding of University will be set up in Vadodara (Gujarat). the native livestock more accurately to ensure highyielding, 78. PM Narendra Modi inaugurated Shaurya Smarak' war disease resistant, resilient livestock. memorial in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. 70. Ministry of Shipping sanctioned Capital Dredging Project 79. PM Narendra Modi laid foundation stone of Urja Ganga, of Ro Pax Ferry Services between Gogha & Dahej, in Gulf of ambitious gas pipeline project in Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh). Cambay in Gujarat under Sagar mala programme. otal - Project Is aimed at providing piped cooking (PNG) gas and project cost is estimated to be Rs 234 Crore of which 50% CNG gas for the vehicles to eastern region of India. It is will be funded by the Government under Sagar mala. being implemented by GAIL. 71. Ministry of Urban Development approved projects - It include Laying a 2,050km pipeline connecting Jagdishpur worth 114 crores under HRIDAY scheme for improving (UP) to Haldia (West Bengal) by 2018. Under it, overall 20 infrastructure facilities around core heritage sites in five lakh households will get PNG connections. cities Varnasi (Uttar Pradesh), Amritsar (Punjab), Dwaraka - Urja Ganga project will augment GAIL’s network of trunk (Gujarat), Puri (Odisha) and Warangal (Telangana). pipelines covering length of around 11,000 km by 2540,km. 72. NITI Aayog identified three key areas for reforms - Under this project, work on 2540km long JagdishpurHaldia needed to be implemented by states, for reviving Ailing and BokaroDhamra Natural Gas pipeline project will begin Agriculture sector in India. These areas are Agricultural and will be completed between 2018 and 2020. market reforms, Land lease reforms and Reforms related to 80. PM Narendra Modi launched National SC/ST hub and forestry on private land. NITI Aayog strssed on role of IT Zero Defect, Zero Effect (ZED) scheme for MSMEs at and Marketing in Agribusiness and released an index to Ludhiana in Punjab. He also dedicated to the nation 3 rank States and UTs based on ease of Agriculture and hydropower projects at Koldam, Parbati and Rampur in

16 complete success.in Himachal Pradesh. 89. Supreme Court widened scope of Protection of Women - Koldam 4×200 MW capacity project executed by National from Domestic Violence Act 2005 by making it Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC). genderneutral By deletiing words “adult male” before word - Parbati StageIII project with a capacity of 530 MW of ‘person’ in Section 2(q) of Act. National Hydropower Corporation (NHPC). 90. Telangana Government in its biggest administrative - Rampur 412 MW capacity project of Sutlej Jal Vidyut reform created 21 new districts, taking number of districts Nigam (SJVN). to 31 from 10 81. PM Narendra Modi launched campaign - 21 new districts are Siddipet, Jayashankar, Jangaon, #Sandesh2Soldiers, through which people can send their Jagtial, Yadadri, Warangal (Rural), Peddapally, Sangareddy, Diwali greetings and messages to soldiers to boost their Kamareddy, Mancheriyal, Kothagudem, Vikarabad, morale. Messages can be sent via Narendra Modi App, Rajanna, Asifabad, Suryapet, Wanaparthy, Nirmal, MyGov.in, and All India Radio. Mahabubabad, Nagarkurnool, Jogulamba and Malkajgiri. 82. President Pranav Mukherjee inaugurated Sardar Patel 91. Telangana government organised traditional state Heart Institute at Ankleshwar in Gujarat. festival of 'Bathukamma' and it entered into Guinness Book 83. Rajasthan High Court dissolved State Other Backward of World Records, with about ten thousand women Classes (OBC) Commission as it was constituted without participating. State Assembly enacting any legislation for it. 92. USA lifted Over 20 years old Economic sanctions against 84. Researchers from Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya Myanmar. (IGKV) Chattisgarh developed a proteinenriched rice variet, 93. Union Government will fasttrack four projects in Indus with 10% protein content. It is 3% more than what is found river basin to increase irrigation area in Jammu and Kashmir in any popular variety and has 30 PPM (parts per million) (J&K) by 2 lakh acres. India has decided to exploit to zinc content. maximum water of Pakistancontrolled rivers Indus, Jhelum 85. Safe Motherhood Week Observed in Uttar Pradesh, to and Chenab as per Indus Water Treaty (IWT). decrease 'Mother Mortality Rate' (MMR) and 'Infant 94. Uttarakhand High Court ordered state government to Mortality Rate' (IMR). completely ban sale of whitener, after death of a teenager 86. Second Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav (RSM) 2016 held in from sniffing an excess of it. Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts (IGNCA), New Delhi. 95. Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari 87. State Counsellor of Myanmar Aung San Suu Kyi Visited has recognised a group of 22 MPs belonging to smaller India and signed three agreements parties and certain Independents as a consolidated bloc the - Designing an academic and professional building United Group. It will be the third largest group of MPs in programme for insurance industry of Myanmar. the Rajya Sabha, after Congress and BJP. - Cooperation in Power Sector : India has also offered to 96. Vigilance Awareness Week is observed every year from enhance power supply from Moreh in Manipur to Tamu in October 31 across India to promote probity in public life Myanmar. and achieve a corruption free society. 2016 theme is - Banking Supervision between RBI and Central Bank of “Public participation in promoting integrity and eradicating Myanmar. Corruption”. 88. Supreme Court stayed commercial release of 97. Women of India Festival 2016 of organic products held Genetically Modified (GM) mustard crop till October 17, in New Delhi. 2016. 98. World Economic Forum (WEF) India Summit held in - SC reacted on petition filed by Aruna Rodrigues that said New Delhi with theme Fostering an Inclusive India through, that sowing of GM Mustard seeds will be undertaken Digital Transformation. without relevant tests and without entire biosafety dossier for commercial launch GM mustard.

Persons minute and 38 seconds. Spartathlon is an annual run 1. Home Minister Rajnath Singh visited Bahrain. between Athens and Sparta in Greece, with a reported 2. A new frog species that resembles Graceful tree frog success rate of 50%. (Litoria Gracilenta), discovered in Australia’s Queensland. 6. Brazilian noted Footballer Carlos Alberto passed away. 3. Arnab Goswami resigned as EditorinChief of Times Now, 7. British Olymic Champion Jessica EnnisHill retired from Bennett Coleman & Co. Ltdrun news channel. athletics. 4. Bangladesh's Petroleum & Natural Gas Minister Nasrul 8. Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Hamid visited India. visited Oslo (Norway) for mini Ministerial gathering of 5. Bengaluru's Kieren Dsouza became first Indian to Trade Ministers. complete Spartathlon, described as the world’s toughest 9. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley visited USA and Canada. race. She completed 246.6 km distance in 33 hours, one 10. First Woman Chief Minister of Goa, Shashikala Kakodkar passed away. 17 complete success.in 11. Germany's Minister of Transport and Digital 22. Mizoram government declared 90 year old Infrastructure, Alexander Dobrindt visited India. Lalbiakthanga Pachuau as oldest working journalist in India. 12. Government will commemorate birth centenary of 23. Nigerian Petroleum & Natural Gas Minister Emmanuel social activist and former RSS leader Nanaji Deshmukh from Ibe Kachikwu visited India. October 11, 2016 to October 11, 2017. 24. Nobel prizewinning Italian Actor Dario Fo passed away. 13. India reacted sharply to technical hold on banning 25. Noted American boxer Aaron Pryorpassed away. JaisheMohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar by United 26. Noted Japanese Mountaineer Junko Tabei passed away. Nations 1267 Sanctions Committee. She was first woman to climb world’s highest peak Mount 14. Indian Air Force Chief Arup Raha Visited Russia. Everest. 15. Indian Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari visited 27. Noted Kashmiri singer Raj Begum passed away. Hungary (Central Europe) and Algeria ( North Africa) 28. Noted Manipuri theatre legend Heisnam Kanhailal - India and Hungary signed two MoUs, including one on passed away. water management. 29. Noted Punjabi Actor Mehar Mittal Passed Away. - India and Algeria will form a multibillion dollar joint 30. Noted USA Social Activist (Particularly Anti Vietnam War venture for establishing a fertilizer plant in Algeria. Activist), Tom Hayden Passed Away. 16. Indian mountaineer Arjun Vajpai scaled world’s 6th 31. Noted writer and litterateur from Uttarakhand, highest mountain Cho Oyu (8188 metres), at China Tibet Dayanand Anant passed away. border. Arjun has climbed five of the 14 highest mountains 32. Oscarwinning Film director Andrzej Wajda passed away. in the world that tower over 8000 metres. 33. Prime Minister of New Zealand, John Key visited India. 17. India’s largest conglomerate Tata Sons removed Cyrus - India and New Zealand signed three agreements in the Pallonji Mistry as Chairman. Board replaced him with his areas of double taxation avoidance (DTA), sports and food predecessor Ratan Tata as interim chairman for four security. months. Mistry had shortest tenure as Chairman so far at 34. Prime Minister of Singapore, Lee Hsien Loong visited the group. India. 18. Japanese Prince Mikasa (uncle of Emperor Akihito) 35. Rishi Jaitly resigned as Twitter's India head. passed away. He was oldest imperial family member in 36. Russian Defence Minister Sergey Shoiguv visited India world. f0r 16th India Russia Intergovernmental Commission Meet 19. Kigeli V Ndahindurwa (80), Last king of Rwanda passed on Military Technical Cooperation. away. 37. South African Gandhian Activist Mewa Ramgobin 20. King of Thailand, Bhumibol Adulyadej passed away after passed away. 70 years reign. 38. Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe visited 21. Minister of Science & Technology and Earth Sciences India. Harsh Vardhan visited USA for White House Arctic Science 39. Sunil Lanba, Chief of Indian Navy visited Myanmar. Ministerial meeting.

Science two of the planet’s rings. 1. Abhishek Swarnkar from Pune’s Indian Institute of 4. Fishing cat (Prionailurus viverrinus) found in moderately Science Education and Research (IISER) has produced a dense mangrove surrounding of the Gilalakalandi harbor stable, highefficiency, allinorganic perovskite nanocrystal near Machilipatnam, Andhra Pradesh. It is state animal of solar cells. West Bengal. - New inorganic perovskite nanocrystal material has 10.77% 5. Hinduja Group’s Ashok Leyland launched India’s first efficiency to convert sunlight to electricity. It used cesium electric bus which are nonpolluting and have zero to produce the material of cesium lead iodide. emissions, under National Electric Mobility Plan that aims - The nanocrystals of cesium lead iodide were reduced to at a 20% penetration of electric/hybrid (ecofriendly) nanometre range. It allowed the material to absorb visible vehicles by 2020. They have been given subsidy under sunlight till 700 nm at ambient temperature. Central government’s Faster Adoption and Manufacturing - These nanocrystals converted sunlight to electricity by of (Hybrid) and Electric Vehicles (FAME) scheme. producing a high voltage of 1.23 volts. 6. Indian Immunologicals Limited (IIL) launched CYSVAX, 2. According to recent study by Zoological Society of world’s first vaccine for Taenia solium Tapeworms in pigs. London (ZSL) and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), global The vaccine has significant potential benefit to reduce wildlife populations have fallen by 58% since 1970 and if incidence of epilepsy in humans. trend continues then twothirds of wild animals may go 7. Indian Space Research Organsiation (ISRO) started tests extinct by 2020. for critical Moon landing of Chandrayaan 2, at Challakere in 3. According to study at University of Idaho (USA), Uranus Chitradurga district (Karnataka). has two tiny, previously undiscovered moons orbiting near - Chandrayaan2 mission is tentatively set for late 2017 or 18 complete success.in early 2018. The mission includes an Orbiter, a Lander and a operating electronic devices in the absence of external Rover. power source. 8. India’s latest communication satellite, GSAT18 launched 14. Researchers from Indian Institute of Science Education by Ariane 5 VA231 launch vehicle from Kourou (France). It and Research (IISER) Thiruvananthapuram developed a weighed 3,404 kg at liftoff. compound named gelator to scoop out marine oil spills, 9. Jawhar Sircar resigned as Chief Executive Officer of using glucose as a starting material. Prasar Bharati. - Gelator molecule is partly hydrophilic and partly 10. NASA developed a new high-tech electro active hydrophobic. Hydrophilic part helps in selfassembling to bandage that uses electricity to significantly promote form gelator fibres, while the hydrophobic part is healing of injured wounds, especially in space. The electro responsible for its diffusion into oil layer. active bandage uses a new material called polyvinylidene - Since outer part of fibre is hydrophobic, oil tends to gets fluoride (PVDF) which can be stimulated by pressure of cell into spongy network made of fibres. Once inside fibre growth and body heat. network, oil loses fluidity and becomes a gel. 11. NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope (HST) detected Great 15. Scientists from Delhi’s National Physical Laboratory Balls of Fire (GBF), a mysterious superhot blobs of gas seen (NPL) have developed a way of producing electricity from near a dying star. water hydroelectric cell at room temperature without using 12. New termite species Glyptotermes Chiraharitae any power or chemicals. In this new method, scientist had discovered at Kakkayam in Malabar Wildlife Sanctuary used zinc and silver as electrodes to make a cell that (Kerala). It has been named Chiraharitae after tropical produces electricity. evergreen forests of the Western Ghats, where it was 16. Scientists from University of Sydney (Australia) found spotted. that mother’s milk from marsupials (Tasmanian devils) - Termites are of three type’s damp wood, dry wood and could help to deadly superbugs which resist antibiotics. subterranean. Glyptotermes Chiraharitae species are of the 17. Smooth coated otter sighted for first time in mangrove damp wood category. forest adjacent to Krishna Wildlife Sanctuary in Krishna 13. Researchers from Indian Institute of Science (IISc) district (Andhra Pradesh). Bengaluru developed a costeffective, highperformance, 18. Study by Kyoto University Scientists suggests that apes selfpowered UV photo detector that can use harvested have ability to Think and guess like Humans. optical energy for direct self charging of energy storage 19. World Space Week (WSW) observed from 410 October devices such as super capacitor. It can also be used for every year. 2016 theme is “Remote Sensing: Enabling our Future”.

Sports 6. Bank of Baroda signed sponsorship contracts with 1. 2016 Kabaddi World Cup (KWC) started at The Arena By badminton players P V Sindhu and K Srikanth. TransStadia in Ahmedabad, which is India’s firstever 7. Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) approved Convertible stadium. It can be converted an outdoor using Decision Review System (DRS) in upcoming 5 Test stadium into an indoor arena within 6 minutes at a touch of series against England in November 2016. a button, with seating capacity of 20,000 and can house 14 8. Brazil won inaugural BRICS U17 Football Tournament sports, excluding cricket. 2016 by defeating South Africa. 2. 2018 FIFA Football World Cup will be held in Russia, with 9. China Open Tennis 2016 Zabivaka as official mascot. In Russian, Zabivaka means the - Men's Singles Andy Murray (United Kingdom) one who scores. - Women's Singles Agnieszka Radwaoska (Poland) 3. 4 Indian wrestlers won medals at sixth edition of the - Men's Doubles Pablo Carreño Busta and Rafael Nadal TAFISA World Games held in Jakarta (Indonesia). Wrestler (Spain) Dalmiya won gold and Others to win medals are Luv Singh, - Women's Doubles Bethanie MattekSands (USA) and Lucie Naveen Kumar and Josil. Šafářová (Czech Republic) 4. BCCI president Anurag Thakur appointed as member of 10. First Edition of Tamil Nadu Premier League Cricket ICC’s Finance and Commercial Affairs committee. Tournament won by TUTI Patriots. 5. Bahrain International Challenge Badminton 2016 11. India Cricketer Virat Kohli presented with ICC Test - Men's singles Pratul Joshi (India) Championship mace for leading his team to the top of the - Women's singles Sri Fatmawati (Indonesia) Test Team Rankings. - Men's doubles Evgenij Dremin and Denis Grachev (Russia ) 12. India won 2016 Asian Men’s Hockey Champions trophy - Women's doubles Tanisha Crasto (Bahrain) Aprilsasi Putri by defeating Pakistan. It was hosted by Malaysia. Lejarsar Variella (Indonesia ) 13. India won 2016 Kabaddi World Cup by defeating Iran by - Mixed doubles Evgenij Dremin and Evgenia Dimova 3829. It was hosted by India in Ahmedabad (Gujarat). It is (Russia) India's Third consecutive Kabaddi World Cup Title. 19 complete success.in 14. India's Harika Dronavalli defeated World No. 1 Hou 31. Mercedes Racer Lewis Hamilton (Britain) won 2016 Yifan of China to be at joint fourth position in Isle of Man Formula 1 Mexican Grand Prix international Chess tournament. 32. Mercedes Racer Lewis Hamilton (Britain) won 2016 15. India's Ruthvika Shivani Gadde won women's singles Formula 1 USA Grand Prix title at Russian Open Badinton and Pranaav Jerry Chopra 33. Mercedes Racer Nico Rosberg (Germany) won 2016 and N Sikki Reddy won the mixed doubles. Other winners Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix - Men's Singles Zulfadli Zulkiffli (Malaysia) 34. Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports recognized Boxing - Men's Doubles Vladimir Ivanov and Ivan Sozonov (Russia) Federation of India (BFI) as National Sports Federation - Women's Doubles Anastasia Chervyakova and Olga (NSF) for Boxing. Sport of boxing had suffered due to Morozova (Russia) absence of a National Sports Federation since 2012. 16. Indian Army's Gorkha Rifles Team won Gold medal at 35. North Korea won 2016 FIFA U17 Women’s World cup by Exercise Cambrian Patrol organized by British Army. defeating Japan. It was hosted by Jordan. 17. Indian Badminton Player Saina Nehwal appointed as a 36. Punjab Directorate won 2016 National Cadet Corp member of the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) (NCC) National Games. Athletes’ Commission. 37. Red Bull Racer Daniel Ricciardo (Australia) won 2016 18. Indian Badminton Player Sourbah Verma won 2016 Malaysia Grand Prix Formula One Men's singles at Chinese Taipei Masters Badminton Grand 38. Russian Tennis star Maria Sharapova's doping ban has Prix tournament. been reduced from 2 years to 15 months. 19. Indian Boxing Council (IBC) inducted into World Boxing 39. Supreme Court Directed BCCI (Board of Control for Organisation (WBO) with voting rights, during WBO's Cricket in India) to not to disburse any funds to state cricket annual convention at Puerto Rico. associations till they resolve to abide by Justice RM Lodha 20. Indian Railways won World Railway Shooting Committee recommendations. Championship Cup held in France. 40. World’s firstever Cybathlon championship for disabled 21. Indian Roller Skaters' Team claimed their first ever athletes started at Zurich (Switzerland), organized by the International medal, after they won bronze in 3000m team Swiss Federal Institute of Technology ETH Zurich. It is also relay event in Lishui (China). Team consisted of Vikram known as Bionic Olympics, it differs from Paralympics as it Ingale, Nikhilesh Tabhane and Dhanush Babu. sees participants compete against each other using 22. Indian Shooter Jitu Rai won the 2016 Champion of assistive technologies such as robotic prostheses, brain Champions pistol Award of the International Shooting Sport computer interfaces and powered exoskeletons. Federation (ISSF) for pistol shooting. He won it in World Cup Final held in Bologna (Italy), after defeating Damir Mikec of Serbia. 23. Indian boxer Neeraj Goyat defeated Australia’s Ben Kite to retain WBC welterweight Asia title. 24. Indian football team achieved its best FIFA ranking in over six years, as per latest FIFA Report. India is now ranked at 137th (Jump of 11 places). - At present, Argentina tops the FIFA World Rankings, followed by Germany and Brazil. 25. Indian golfer Gaganjeet Bhullar won Korea Open 2016, his 6th Asian Tour title. 26. Indian tennis star Sania Mirza ended season as world’s top doubles Tennis player for second straight year. She won 7 WTA titles, a Grand Slam and a semifinal this year. 27. Indian women Cricketer Jhulan Goswami acquired No.1 spot in ICC Women’s ODI bowling rankings. 28. India’s Played their 900th ODI against New Zealand at Dharamshala (Himachal Pradesh). India is first Nation to win 900 ODI Matches. 29. Jamaican athlete Usain Bolt announced that he will retire after 2017 World Championships in London. 30. Kochi (Kerala) became first Indian city to be officially declared as one of venues for hosting 2017 FIFA U17 World Cup. Navi Mumbai became second city as a venue of FIFA U17 WC 2017.

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