Current Affairs July 2017 PDF Capsule
Current Affairs July 2017 PDF Capsule
Current Affairs PDF: July 2017
Current Affairs for Competitive Exam Contents INDIAN AFFAIRS ...... 3 PLACES IN NEWS ...... 30 FOREIGN VISITS ...... 38 INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS...... 39 SUMMITS & CONFERENCES ...... 47 RANKINGS & REPORTS ...... 58 BANKING & FINANCE ...... 72 BUSINESS ...... 91 AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS ...... 99 APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNS ...... 106 ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS ...... 117 MoUs ...... 119 SCHEMES ...... 126 COMMITTEE ...... 130 SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY ...... 131 DEFENCE ...... 142 ENVIRONMENT ...... 144 SPORTS ...... 149 OBITUARY ...... 161 BOOKS & AUTHORS ...... 168 IMPORTANT DAYS ...... 169
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Current Affairs PDF: July 2017
INDIAN AFFAIRS
Railways, NBCC to redevelop 10 railway stations Rail Land Development Authority has joined hands with National Building Construction Corporation(NBCC) for redevelopment of 10 railway stations across the country on global standards. i. An MoU was signed between RLDA, an arm of the Railways for commercial exploitation of rail land, and NBCC, a PSU of urban development ministry for implementation of station redevelopment projects for the 10 identified stations. ii. NBCC has now been given 10 stations in first phase for redevelopment and more stations would be given to them in subsequent phases. iii. The identified stations to be taken up initially by NBCC for redevelopment are Tirupati, Sarai Rohilla (Delhi), Nellore, Puducherry, Madgaon, Lucknow, Gomtinagar, Kota, Thane (New), and Ernakulam.
Mumbai's Vikrikar Bhavan renamed as GST Bhavan Mumbai's 'Vikrikar Bhavan' was renamed as 'GST Bhavan' on 2nd of July 2017 after the Goods and Services Tax regime was rolled out. i. 'Vikrikar Bhavan' is the headquarters of Maharashtra government's erstwhile Sales Tax department. ii. In two years, the 'GST Bhavan' will be shifted to Wadala from Mazgaon.
Telangana to have separate Agriculture Budget from next year Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, has decided to present a separate agriculture budget for the state from next year. i. Chief Minister Rao has also decided to substantially enhance funds for the agriculture sector. ii. He has asked the officials to form farmers' associations at various levels -- from villages to the state -- to organise the cultivators.
Odisha CM Naveen inaugurates Computerisation of PACS and Rupay KCC Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has inaugurated computerisation of PACS and launched RuPay Kisan Credit cards in the state on 1st of July 2017. i. Odisha is the first state to implement an integrated Core Banking Solution Project. 3 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage copyrights 2017 @ AffairsCloud.com
Current Affairs PDF: July 2017
ii. Its main aim to bring this programme to ensure transparency through technology and teamwork. iii. It will cover all the three tiers of short term cooperative credit structure - state cooperative bank, district central cooperative banks and 2,708 primary agriculture cooperative societies. iv. By converting the PACS as One Stop Shops the government is keen to address all requirements of the farmers. v. Patnaik also distributed micro ATMs for dispensation of loans at the doorsteps of the farmers. vi. With computerisation of PACS, farmers are now able to draw their sanctioned loans from the ATM network of National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) having 2.14 lakh ATMs of all banks across the country.
Madhya Pradesh sets record with plantation of 6 cr saplings in day The Madhya Pradesh government has set a record of 6 cr saplings were planted in 24 districts of Narmada basin in just 12 hours. i. MP government has undertook a massive plantation drive on 2 July 2017 to save the environment and for the conservation of the Narmada River. ii. The plantation drive that started from 7 am continued till 7 pm along the banks of the river covering 24 districts of the state. iii. The arrangement for 3 Cr saplings was done by the forest department, while the remaining 3 Cr were provided by other departments and private nurseries.
Supreme Court allows woman to abort 26-week foetus due to abnormalities The Supreme Court has permitted a woman, who is in her 26th week of pregnancy, to abort her foetus that is suffering from severe cardiac ailments. It has been announced by Supreme Court on 3rd of July 2017. i. A bench of Justice Dipak Misra and M Khanwilkar said the procedure of termination of pregnancy should be carried out "forthwith" at the SSKM Hospital in Kolkata. ii. The direction came after the bench perused the report of the medical board.
Kerala CM launches ride sharing app for techies G-Ride Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has launched a G-Ride app. It is a digital ride sharing platform designed and deployed for the IT industry by the Group of Technology Companies (GTech). i. The G-Ride app automatically matches co-workers and neighbours and help them travel together to work. It is available in Android and iOS versions. ii. The main aim to launch this app is to bring down the use of vehicles by half. iii. G-Ride will be a hit among IT professionals who are proficient in devising and also using such platforms.
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Free GST facilitation centres set up across Goa
In Goa, the Office of the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes has set up GST facilitation centres in ward offices across the state. The department’s head office has set up in Panaji. i. The trained help desk personnel have been appointed for each ward and the head office to assist taxpayers in resolving their technical issues related to migration to GST, registration, amendments, return filing and payments. ii. The chartered accountants will provide free consultation services related to GST between 4-6 pm till the 10 July.
President clears bill banning hookah bars in Gujarat President Pranab Mukherjee gave his assent to a bill banning hookah in Gujarat on 3rd of July 2017. i. Those who will run hookah bars in Gujarat will now draw a maximum jail term of three years. ii. The main aim of the government is to protect the youth from this dangerous addiction, which causes various kinds of cancer. iii. The Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) (Gujarat Amendment) Bill, 2017 had been passed by the Gujarat Assembly in February and sent to Governor O P Kohli. iv. As per the new Act,running a hookah bar in Gujarat will charge a maximum fine of Rs 50,000 and a jail term up to three years.
Environment Minister launches plantation drive to mark Van Mahotsav On July 5, 2017, Environment Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan launched a month-long plantation drive to mark Van Mahotsav. Launch plantation drive to mark Van Mahotsav: The plantation drive was organised at Ram Lila Park, C. C Colony and Model Town in Delhi. • Harsh vardhan planted a sapling and also distributed saplings to local residents. About Van Mahotsav: Van Mahotsav (Festival of trees)is an annual tree-planting movement in India, which began in 1950. • Van Mahotsav festival was started in 1950 by Dr.K M Munshi, the then Union Minister for Agriculture and Food to create enthusiasm among masses for forest conservation and planting trees. • In context of Van Mahotsav it is important to note that at the end of 2016, tree cover of India (including forests and non-forest areas) was 23.81%. The Government of India has set a target of 33% cover by 2020.
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Registration of marriage should be made compulsory - Law Commission On July 4, 2017, Law Commission submitted its 270th report titled “Compulsory Registration of Marriages” to Law Ministry. In this report, Law Commission has recommended compulsory registration of all marriages to deal with social evils such as child marriages, bigamy, marriage frauds, desertions of women by their husband and gender violence. More details about Law Commission’s Recommendation: Law Commission has recommended amending the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969, to include marriages. • It is to be noted that states like Punjab, Delhi, Haryana, Meghalaya, Uttarakhand, and Tamil Nadu have already passed laws for compulsory registration of marriage. • The Commission suggested that the time limit to register marriages should be restricted to 30 days after which a penalty of Rs. 5/- per day could be imposed.
UDAY covers 97% of discom debt: Centre On July 4, 2017, Union Government has announced that 97% of the total outstanding debt of all state power distribution companies (discoms) has been covered under the Ujwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana (UDAY). i. As on September 30, 2015, the total debt of all state-owned discoms was Rs. 3.95 lakh crore. ii. The 26 states and 1 UT which have joined the UDAY scheme account for total outstanding debt of Rs.3.82 lakh crore. Hence, about 97% of the total outstanding debt of all State discoms has been covered under UDAY iii. Total liability opted for restructuring by the states through the issuance of bonds was Rs. 2.69 lakh crore. So far, states have already issued bonds of the Rs. 2.09 lakh crore and discoms have issued bonds worth 0.23 lakh crore. Bonds worth Rs. 0.37 lakh crore are yet to be issued by various discoms. Hence, about 86% of the restructurable debt of states has been restructured so far under UDAY.
Formalise Election Commissioner's appointment through law - Supreme Court tells Centre On July 5, 2017, Supreme Court told Central Government that there is a need for Parliament to make law to ensure fair and transparent appointments of Election Commissioners (EC). More Information about Supreme Court’s Observations in this matter: Supreme Court raised this matter in backdrop of public interest litigation (PIL) by Anoop
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Paranwal through lawyer Prashant Bhushan asking for a fair and transparent procedure for EC appointments. The PIL expressed concern that as the appointments of Election Commissioners was made by the President solely on the basis of the advice given by the political-executive at the Centre, there exists an ample room for the ruling party to choose someone whose loyalty is ensured and renders the selection process vulnerable to manipulations and partisanship. • The Bench of Chief Justice of India J.S. Khehar and Y. Chandrachud pointed out that there is a gap due to the lack of a parliamentary law which transparently spells out the eligibility, criteria required for a person to be an election commissioner. • Khehar highlighted that even the selection procedure of the CBI Director is formalised by a written law, but not that of Election Commissioners. • The court also asked the government whether it should intervene in the issue to achieve the constitutional objective under Article 324 (2) of the Constitution which provides that the appointments of Chief Election Commissioner and the Election Commissioners be made as per the enabling law.
J&K assembly passes GST resolution for implementation The Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly has become the last state to adopt the Goods and Services Tax (GST) resolution during a special session on 5th of June 2017. i. The resolution moved by state Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu and was adopted through a presidential order. With this, all the states have implemented the Goods and Services Tax. ii. The amendment to the Constitution last year enabled the Centre to roll out the new tax regime across the country. iii. State BJP chief Sat Sharma said that the revenues of Jammu and Kashmir would go up by Rs 10,000 crore annually after the implementation of GST.
India declares itself free from Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (H5N1 and H5N8) According to the Ministry of Agriculture India has declared itself free from highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1 and H5N8) and notified the same to World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). i. The country had reported outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza at various epicenters in Delhi, Gwalior (MP), Rajpura (Punjab), Hissar (Haryana), and many other states during October, 2016 to February, 2017. ii. All the outbreaks of Avian Influenza (HPAI) mentioned above were notified to OIE.
“JIGYASA” - Student-Scientist connect programme launched On July 6, 2017, ‘JIGYASA’, a student- scientist connect programme was officially launched in New Delhi. Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS) to implement this 7 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage copyrights 2017 @ AffairsCloud.com
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programme. MoU signing ceremony was held in the presence of Dr. Harsh Vardhan - Minister of
Science & Technology, Earth Sciences, Environment, Forests and Climate Change and Mr. Prakash Javadekar - Minister of Human Resource Development. Details about ‘JIGYASA’ Programme: Focus of ‘JIGYASA’ programme is to connect school students and scientists so as to extend student’s classroom learning with that of a very well planned research laboratory based learning. • The Programme is expected to connect 1151 Kendriya Vidyalayas with 38 National Laboratories of CSIR targeting 100,000 students and nearly 1000 teachers annually.
Punjab unveils new transport policy to 'overhaul system' Private bus operators in Punjab, including the Badals, may run into financial troubles with the Congress Government’s “new” transport policy which was approved on 5th July,2017. It also abolished the system of district transport officers (DTO) and restructuring the transport department. Key highlights of the policy A special task force of the vigilance department has been set up and the state police to crack down on all illegall buses • It will complete its function in two phases. • Cancellation of 78 integral luxury coaches,and another 6,700 minibuses will be done and allotted afresh. • Permits issued under this scheme will be valid for a period of five years from the date of issue and shall be valid for a period of five years from the date of renewal. • The department will tie up with major taxi operators such as Ola, Uber etc for the implementation of “Apni Gaddi, Apna Rozgar” scheme, in which the youth can take loan from the government and no collateral will be required. • In case of private operators, not more than 25% of the total permits on a particular route will be issued to one firm/party/person. • Employment will be created through 'Yaari Enterprises’ scheme in which subsidy would be provided to youth
India's tough anti-hijacking law comes into force Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju, piloted the anti -hijacking law on 5th July .The new Anti-Hijacking Act replaces a 1982-vintage law.The new law covers offences against an aircraft or personnel even when it is on ground. i. The defaulters of hijacking would now be punishable with death penalty where such an act results in the death of "any person".
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ii. The definition has been expanded to include death of "security personnel on board" or "ground support staff" as well.
Garib Nawaz Skill Development Centres to be established in 100 districts of the country: Shri Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi The Minister of State for Minority Affairs (Independent Charge) & Parliamentary Affairs, Shri Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on 6th July said that Garib Nawaz Skill Development Centres will be established in 100 districts of the country which will effectively ensure employment oriented skill development of youth belonging to Minority communities. i. In next six months, job oriented skill training centres in various fields, will be established in Hyderabad, Noida, Lucknow, Jaipur, Nagpur, Aurangabad and in many more states. ii. Along with this ,Ministry of Minority Affairs will launch a mega education campaign Tahrik-e- Taleem. The campaign will be launched on 15th October, the birth anniversary of former President of India Dr APJ Abdul Kalam.
"No detention policy" to go away from next academic year: HRD ministry Union minister Mahendra Nath Pandey said on 6th July in Agartala that the government has decided to do away with the no-detention policy for students from the next academic session. i. The decision was taken as the standard of education has deteriorated because of the policy. ii. The no-fail provision has been laid down under Section 16 of the RTE Act 2009, and prohibits schools from detaining or expelling any student up to Class VIII. iii. The minister said the state governments will decide if they want to continue with the policy or remove it. iv. Dr Mahendra Nath Pandey is a Minister of State for Human Resource Development in Government of India(Higher Education)
Ministry of Food Processing Industries established GST Facilitation Cell The Ministry of Food Processing Industries has established a four member GST Facilitation Cell on 7th of July 2017. i. It has been established to guide the industry about the new tax rule. ii. The members of the GST Facilitation Cell can be accessed through Toll Free No 1800111175 or on #AskonGSTFPI. iii. The cell will be headed by Shri Bijaya Kumar Behera, Economic Advisor and Shri G Srinivasan, senior marketing officer, Shri S N Ahmed, Assistant Director, Shri Bikram Nath, Assistant Director as its Members. iv. The ministry's main purpose of creating GST cell to implementing and facilitating the rollout of GST with immediate effect.
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Harsimrat Kaur lays foundation of Punjab's first maize-based food park
On July 7, 2017, Union Food Processing Minister, Harsimrat Kaur Badal laid the foundation stone, of Punjab’s first maize based Food Park at Rehana Jattan village in Kaputhala District of Punjab. Ms. Badal mentioned that there is an urgent need to turn to maize and the government is working relentlessly to make maize as the third viable staple crop of Punjab after wheat and rice. i. This food park will be set up on 55 acres, at the cost of Rs. 123 crore. The Union government is providing a financial assistance of Rs. 50 crore for the project. ii. It is being developed by Sukhjit Mega Food Park and Infra Limited and will generate turnover of Rs 450 - 500 crore annually.
Chhattisgarh tops list of states in issuance of soil health cards According to the reports Chhattisgarh has topped the list in issuance of soil health cards among all the states in the country. Chhattisgarh has issued over 43 lakh soil health cards (SHCs) to farmers in the past two years. i. The target of providing 38,90,709 SHCs in the first phase of the scheme between 2015 and 2017 financial years, as many as 43,37,595 SHCs were issued to farmers in the state. ii. In the second phase of the scheme the target is to provide 23,46,890 SHCs to farmers out of which 74,211 have been given.
Govt launches IPR awareness scheme for MSMEs, Startups The ministry of commerce and industry has launched a scheme for awareness on Intellectual Property Rights (IPR). It was further step to take forward the National Intellectual Property Rights Policy 2016. i. 'Scheme for IPR Awareness Creative India; Innovative India' has been launched by Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM). ii. The scheme aims at raising IPR awareness amongst students, authors, artists, budding inventors.
President Mukherjee launched four digital initiatives over e-education President Pranab Mukherjee on 9th July launched digital initiatives Swayam, Swayam Prabha, National Academic Depository and National Digital Library in New Delhi to push e-education in the country. 1.Swayam: It will host courses taught in classrooms from Class IX to post graduation, which can be accessed by anyone, anywhere at any time. It will target those students who could not complete their studies and professional who wish to upgrade their knowledge. 2.Swayam Prabha: It is the platform of 32 DTH channels devoted to telecasting high-quality educational programmes 24X7 using GSAT-15 satellite. 10 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage copyrights 2017 @ AffairsCloud.com
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3.National Academic Depository :It will facilitate online verification of certificates. All the courses are interactive and available free of cost. Students from various recognised institutes in India will be able to earn credits on clearing these online courses. 4.He also launched the National Digital Library which containing 6.5 million books
India plans to invite Leaders of ASEAN countries for 2018 Republic Day celebrations Indiais planning to invite the leaders of the 10 ASEAN nations for the Republic Day parade for 2018. It has been announced on 8th of July 2017. i. It is being seen as a major step towards the government’s ‘Act East’ policy. ii. It will bring together leaders from Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. iii. This year also marks the 25th year of dialogue partnership between India and ASEAN. iv. It will be the first Republic day for India where so many chief guests will be invited.
MoHUA is the new name for urban development & housing ministry The government has merged the ministries of urban development, and housing and urban poverty alleviation on 7th July- involved in policy making in urban areas - to form the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.This is third time the ministries have been merged. i. Venkaiah Naidu heads the ministries of urban development, and housing and urban poverty alleviation ii. With this merger, the government now has 51 In 2004, the number was 42. The first government in independent India had just 17 ministries. iii. Government proposes to increase urban reform incentive fund, to Rs 3000 crores.
Centre clears decks for Dhirubhai Ambani Aerospace Park at Mihan The centre has cleared the decks for the Reliance Aerostructure proposal for the development of the Dhirubhai Ambani Aerospace Park with related infrastructure facilities and services at Mihan SEZ (Nagpur) on 10th of July 2017. i. It has been cleared by the Board of Approval (BoA) for special economic zone (SEZ). ii. It comes under the Ministry of Commerce. iii. The aerospace park with an estimated investment by Reliance of Rs 6,500 crore is expected to generate more than 10,000 skilled jobs.
Govt to organise global food fair in November 2017 to boost food sector The government is going to organise a global food fair in November 2017. The Food Fair will be organized to provide a platform to Indian farmers and manufacturers so that they can showcase their products and explore partnerships with foreign companies. 11 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage copyrights 2017 @ AffairsCloud.com
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i. The three-day World Food India 2017 is being organised on November 3-5 by the Food Processing Ministry. iii .This event will provide a big boost to food processing sector as well as farmer’s income.
Maharashtra launches free injectable contraceptive for women The Maharashtra Government has launched the 'Antara' program on account of World Population Day, which involves giving women the Modroxy Progesterone Acetate (MPA) injection to prevent unwanted pregnancy. The government is providing it free of cost. i. The state has become the first to launch this injectable contraceptive. ii. The program will be launched in 23 district hospitals, 20 medical colleges and 12 women's hospitals. iii. The injection needs to be given intramuscularly to women in the age bracket of 18-45 years.
CM Arvind Kejriwal launches e-RTI, Delhi becomes 2nd state to accept online applications CM Arvind Kejriwal has launched e-RTI in Delhi and has become second state to accept online application. It has been launched on 10th of July 2017. i. Right to Information (RTI) applicants would be able to register their queries online on the Delhi government’s new portal from 10th of July onwards. ii. As per the Delhi government, the e-RTI portal would start accepting applications for a total of 172 public authorities or government departments in the Delhi region.
Cabinet approves Joint Declaration of Intent (JDI) between India and Germany on cooperation in the field of Health Union Cabinet has given its ex-post facto approval for signing a Joint Declaration of Intent (JDI) between India and Germany on cooperation in the field of Health. The JDI was signed on June 1, 2017.
Cabinet approves enhancement of the age of superannuation of Medical Officers of Central Armed Police Forces and Assam Rifles Union Cabinet has given its ex-post facto approval for enhancement of the age of superannuation in respect of: • General Duty Medical Officers of Central Armed Police Forces and Assam Rifles from 60 to 65 years and • Specialist Medical Officers of Central Armed Police Forces and Assam Rifles from 60 to 65 years.
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Cabinet approves creation of three posts of Directors for the three new AIIMS in Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal and Maharashtra Union Cabinet has approved the creation of three posts of Directors for the three new All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) at Mangalagiri near Guntur in Andhra Pradesh, Kalyani in West Bengal and Nagpur in Maharashtra. • As per the AIIMS Act 1956 Amended vide AIIMS (Amendment) Act, 2012, there shall be a Chief Executive Officer of the Institute. He shall be designated as the Director of the Institute and shall be appointed by the Institute provided that the first Director of the Institute shall be appointed by the Central Government. The Director shall act as the Secretary to the Institute as well as the Governing Body and support proper functioning and governance of the three AIIMS.
Over Rs 57,000 crore saved through DBT: Government The government has saved over Rs 57,000 crore with its Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) scheme. By which subsidies are given directly to beneficiaries. i. The DBT programme is an initiative to check graft in welfare funds and was launched by the UPA government on 1st January 2013. ii. According to government data, of the Rs 57,029 crore saved under DBT in 2016-17, the LPG subsidy scheme 'Pahal' accounted for Rs 29,769 crore.
Meghalaya CM Mukul Sangma launches LIFE prgm at Songsak Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma has launched the ambitious flagship programme titled “Livelihood Intervention and Facilitation of Entrepreneurship” (LIFE) at Songsak in East Garo Hills on 12th of July 2017. i. The project has been launched to the people of the state. ii. In 2017-18, the programme aims to reach out to additional 2144 villages v. To bridge the economic disparity and ensure progress, LIFE will be implemented across the state, so that there is inclusive development. vi. LIFE will focus on capacity building, Under the programme every 10 SHGs will be motivated to act like a bank and help each other.
Railways launch RailCloud to optimise server management, resources The Indian Railways launch RailCloud on 12th July 2017 , a virtual server with an inbuilt security system for faster connectivity at a reduced cost. i. It has been developed by rail PSU RailTel at an estimated cost of about Rs 53 crore. ii. This technology will be helpful to increase the usage of available server and storage which resulting in accommodation of bigger data and more applications using the available server space.
Shri J P Nadda launches the National Strategic Plan for Malaria Elimination 2017-22 On July 12, 2017, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, J P Nadda, launched the National 13 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage copyrights 2017 @ AffairsCloud.com
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Strategic Plan for Malaria Elimination (2017-22) at a function in New Delhi. Salient Features of National Strategic Plan for Malaria Elimination (2017-22): The Strategic Plan gives year wise elimination targets in various parts of the country depending upon the endemicity of malaria in the next 5 years. • The strategies involve strengthening malaria surveillance, establishing a mechanism for early detection and prevention of outbreaks of malaria, promoting the prevention of malaria by the use of Long Lasting Impregnated Nets (LLINs), effective indoor residual spray and augmenting the manpower and capacities for effective implementation for the next five years. • Union Health Ministry has especially been focussing on Long Lasting Impregnated Nets (LLINs) for past three years. The Ministry has distributed 14 million nets and 25 million nets are to be distributed. • Nadda mentioned that on account of previous efforts, encouraging results have been achieved in the North East India and now the Ministry is focusing on other states such as Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.
Government empowers Army to procure weaponry for short intense wars The Indian government has given Army vice-chief Sarath Chand full financial powers to procure weaponry for short intense wars following "critical voids" in capabilities of the Army. i. The procurement of critical ammunition will be done for most of 46 types of ammunition the Army uses. ii. Under the new scheme the procurement of spares will be for 10 different types of equipment. iii. The Army faces severe shortage in ammunition, mainly for artillery guns, tanks, air defence and certain infantry weapons, which will make it very difficult to fight a short intense war that lasts for 10 to 15 days. iv. The Army also intends to have enough ammunition to fight a 40-days intense war or a full- scale war.
Arunachal, Andaman and Nicobar Islands get exemption from SC highway liquor ban Supreme Court has allowed Arunachal Pradesh and Andaman and Nicobar Islands to get exemption from the court's ban on sale of liquor within 500 metres of National and State Highways. i. A Bench led by Chief Justice of India J.S. Khehar took note of the geographical quirks of Arunachal Pradesh and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and concluded that they deserved parity with Sikkim and Meghalaya. ii. The ban was ordered to prevent drunk driving, one of the major killers plaguing Indian roads.
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Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu inducts First DEMU Train with Solar powered Coaches into service of the Nation On July 14, 2017, Indian Railways launched its first 1,600 HP solar powered Diesel Electric Multiple Unit (DEMU) train from Safdarjung station, New Delhi Specifications of First solar powered DEMU train: The first DEMU Train with prototype solar based hotel load system has been manufactured by Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai & fitted with solar panels by Indian Railway Organisation for Alternate Fuels (IROAF). Hotel Load refers to humanoccupancy aspects of a vehicle such as air conditioning and lighting, analogous to the features of a hotel. • The train has a life span of 25 years and will have a capacity of 89 people per coach. • The ten-coach train has two motor coaches and eight passenger coaches. • The total cost of the train is Rs 13.54 crore with the passenger coaches costing around Rs 1 crore each and the two motor coaches costing around Rs 2.5 crore each. The solar panels on six coaches cost Rs 9 lakh each.
Union Government sets up new wing to provide Intelligence Inputs The Union Government has set up a new wing Directorate General of Analytics and Risk Management (DGARM). It is formed to provide intelligence inputs taking action against tax evaders.It will be under the Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC). i. The DGARM was set up on 1st July 2017. ii. It will function as an apex body of CBEC for data analytics and risk management. iii. It will report to the chairman of CBEC.
Delhi Police to be equipped with 'super cop belt' Delhi will be the first state police who will get ‘super cop belt,’. It is a specially designed belt, widely used by Police in UK, USA, Russia and para-military forces like CRPF, CISF, NSG etc. i. This belt will help cops to keep things like Gun, Mobile Pouch, Security Batten, Wireless Set Pouch & ammunition pouch. ii. Currently, forces like CRPF, CISF, NSG, RAF etc are using it specially while patrolling in sensitive areas.
Govt launches GST training programme The government has launched a GST training programme to skill around two lakh youths in six months and to handle tax compliance issues like invoice making. i. The people would be trained under the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY). ii. It will be implemented in 14 states and in the next six months, two lakh people will get complete training about GST.
One passport centre in every 50km distance According to the Minister of State for External Affairs M J Akbar said the government is 15 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage copyrights 2017 @ AffairsCloud.com
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working on a vision to set up one passport centre in every 50 km range in the country in future. i. The Union minister also inaugurated another POPSK in Kishnanagar in Nadia district through video-conferencing at the same time.
India celebrated Falun Gong on July 15, 2017 Falun Gong is a Chinese spiritual practice that combines meditation and qigong exercises with a moral philosophy. Falun Gong is the ancient Chinese holistic system that is banned in China. It will be celebrated in India on 15th July with a parade and Human Word Formation in the capital. i. The organiser of the event is the Falun Dafa Association of India, which has been teaching Falun Gong in India. ii. The group hold events and public interactions at Gandhi Smriti, Rajghat on 14th July and iii. Its main aim is to spread the message of Truth, Compassion and Tolerance which are the basic principles of Falun Dafa.
Minister of Railways inaugurates Sindhudurg leg of the Science Express The IX Phase of the prestigious Science Express exhibition train which is on a nationwide tour since February 17, 2017 reached Sindhudurg in Maharashtra on July 17, 2017. • This phase of train is being referred as ‘Science Express Climate Action Special (SECAS) – II’ as it conveys message about global challenge related to climate change • Sindhudurg leg of Science Express was inaugurated on July 17, 2017 by Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu through Video Conferencing from Delhi. • This exhibition train will be available for public viewing at Roha Railway Station on July 18, 2017 and after that at Mumbai CST from 19th to 22nd July 2017. Phases of Science Express and Themes:
Phases Themes
Phase I to IV Cutting-edge research in Science and Technology being carried out worldwide
Phase V to VII Biodiversity – ‘Science Express Biodiversity Special (SEBS)’
Global challenge of climate change – ‘Science Express Climate Action Special Phase VIII (SECAS)’
Global challenge of climate change – ‘Science Express Climate Action Special Phase IX (SECAS) – II’
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Requisitioning and Acquisition of Immovable Property (Amendment) Bill, 2017 introduced in Lok Sabha ‘Requisitioning and Acquisition of Immovable Property (Amendment) Bill, 2017’, a bill providing for amendment to the regulations governing compensation amount payable at the time of acquisition of immovable property by the central government was introduced in the Lok Sabha on July 18, 2017, by Minister of State for Planning, Programme Implementation and Statistics Rao Inderjit Singh. Background Information: The Requisitioning and Acquisition of Immovable Property Act that came into force in 1952, empowers the central government to requisition any immovable property and also to acquire them under certain specified conditions. • The amendment bill to this act has been introduced amid instances of persons interested in a property challenging the acquisition move citing that they were not given the opportunity for personal hearing.
About ‘Requisitioning and Acquisition of Immovable Property (Amendment) Bill, 2017’: According to the government, there could be situations that result in prolonged litigations and if the apex court quashes the notice of acquisition, there might be astronomical hike in compensation amount on account of market value appreciation. • Against this backdrop, the amendment bill seeks to amend a section of the Requisitioning and Acquisition of Immovable Property Act to enable the central government to re-issue the notice of acquisition to the owner or such other personinterested in the property, for the purpose of giving (an) opportunity of being heard. • The owner or the person interested in the property would also be entitled to annual rate of interest — prevalent at any relevant time on the compensation payable — from the date of publishing the first notice till payment of the final compensation. • As per the proposed provisions in the amendment bill, any enhanced compensation with or without interest awarded by the court or other authority, before the date of commencement of the proposed amendment, shall be subject to the re-issuance of the proposed notice of acquisition and shall be applicable only to the cases of property being acquired for national security and defence purposes.
Bill introduced in LS for setting up petroleum institute in AP A bill has introduced in Lok Sabha for setting up of the Indian Institute of Petroleum and Energy in Andhra Pradesh. It has been introduced on 18th of July 2017. i. According to the Objects and Reasons of the bill the institute would be established in Visakhapatnam district in pursuance of the central government’s commitment for setting up a petroleum university. ii. Under the bill, there is a provision for constituting a board of governors as well as general
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council for the institute.
Lok Sabha passes IIIT Public Private Partnership Bill 2017 A bill to grant statutory status to the Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs) in Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode was passed through a voice vote in Lok Sabha on July 19, 2017. The Government has also mentioned that fees for the poor students will not increase and that reservation law will apply in these institutes. i. The previous United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government initiated the opening of 20 IIITs with private partnership of which 15 are already operational. ii. The 15 IIITs that are currently operational are located in Chittoor (Andhra Pradesh), Guwahati (Assam), Vadodara (Gujarat), Sonipat (Haryana), Una (Himachal Pradesh), Ranchi (Jharkhand), Dharwad (Karnataka), Kottayam (Kerala), Nagpur and Pune (both Maharashtra), Senapati (Manipur), Kota (Rajasthan), Tiruchirappalli (Tamil Nadu), Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) and Kalyani (West Bengal).
Cabinet approves MOC in respect of tax matters between India and BRICS countries – Brazil, Russia, China and South Africa Union Cabinet has given the approval for the signing of Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) in respect of tax matters between India and the Revenue administrations of BRICS countries namely, Brazil, Russian Federation, China and South Africa.
Cabinet approves IRDAI’s admission as a signatory to International Association of Insurance Supervisors (IAIS), Multilateral Memorandum of Understanding (MMoU) Union Cabinet has given its ex-post facto approval for Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India’s (IRDAI’s) admission as a signatory to International Association of Insurance Supervisors (IAIS), Multilateral Memorandum of Understanding (MMoU). About IAIS and MMoU: • The International Association of Insurance Supervisors is a global framework for cooperation and information exchange between insurance supervisors. • International Association of Insurance Supervisors, Multilateral Memorandum of Understanding is a statement of its signatories’ intent to cooperate in the field of information exchange as well as procedure for handling information requests. • In the absence of any bilateral agreements, the IAIS, MMoU provides a formal basis for cooperation and information exchange between the Signatory Authorities regarding the supervision of insurance companies where cross-border aspects arise. • The scope of the IAIS MMoU is wider than the existing agreements as this agreement also provides for supervision of other regulated entities such as insurance intermediaries under Anti Money Laundering, (AML) and Combating the Finance of Terrorism (CFT).
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Cabinet approves revalidation of permission to raise Extra Budgetary Resource (EBRs) of Rs. 660 crore as Government of India Bonds by Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) in 2017-18 The proceeds from the bonds will be utilized by IWAI for development and maintenance of National Waterways (NWs) under National Waterways Act, 2016 (effective from 12.4.2016). • Funds received through issue of bonds will be used exclusively for capital expenditure to improve infrastructure. Need for Extra Budgetary Resource: • During 2017-18, out of estimated expenditure of Rs.1715 crore for Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP), it is expected that the World Bank would remit a loan amount of Rs. 857.50 crore. • For 2017-18 IWAI has been allocated a sum of Rs. $228 crore for creation of capital assets.
Cabinet approves Central Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2017 Union cabinet has given its ex-post facto approval for the promulgation of the Central Goods and Services Tax (Extension to Jammu & Kashmir) Ordinance, 2017 and replacement of the Ordinance by the Central Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2017. • The Ordinance has extended the provisions of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 referred to as (CGST Act) to the State of Jammu & Kashmir.
Environment Ministry approves Projects in 3 States under NAFCC On July 19, 2017, National Steering Committee on Climate Change (NSCCC), under the Chairmanship of Secretary Environment Ministry, Mr Ajay Narayan Jha, approved the Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) submitted by Governments of Rajasthan, Gujarat and Sikkim for funding under the National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change (NAFCC). • Gujarat: The project seeks to enhance the adaptive capacity of natural resource dependent communities to climate change in targeted villages of Kachchh district. • Rajasthan: The project builds on work carried out under Phase I of the Mukhya Mantri Jal Swavlamban Abhiyan to enhance the adaptive capacity of villages by making them self-reliant in terms of water requirement. • Sikkim: The project aims to address the issue of water security which are directly identified as climate resilience building interventions under the State Action Plans on Climate Change (SAPCC).
Cabinet approves alternative mechanism for creation and launch of a New Exchange Traded Fund The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has authorized the Alternative Mechanismon the following:
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• To take decision for divestment through Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) out of all the listed central public sector enterprises (CPSEs) including CPSEs listed subsequently subject to Government of India (GoI) retaining 51% stake in these CPSEs. • To take decision on the divestment in respect of Public Sector Banks, other listed Public Sector Financial Institutions and Public Sector Insurance Companies (when listed) through ETF or other methods subject to GoI retaining 52%.
Janahitha grievance redressal system launched in Telangana Telangana government has launched a portal “Janahitha” grievance redressal system. This portal will receive complaints from the public. It has been launched on 19 July 2017. i. The programme was inaugurated in Suryapet district by Telangana Energy minister G Jagadish Reddy. ii. The portal has been developed by Telangana’s IT department, is a single window for all grievances and their redressal management. iii. The complaint redressal process would be monitored by officials at the district headquarters and Secretariat in Hyderabad, who will send SMS to the citizens on their status.
Telangana reduces 'education burden', caps school bag weight According to the Government Order, the maximum weight of a school bag with textbooks and notebooks should not exceed 1.5 kg for Class I and II and 2 to 3 kg for Classes III to V. i. The Telangana government has capped the weight of their school bags between 1.5 kg and 5 kg. ii. According to some estimates, schoolchildren currently carry bags weighing anywhere between 6 kg and 12 kg at primary level and up to 17 kg at high school level. iii. Government has also barred schools from assigning homework to students of primary grades--I to V. iv. For Classes VI and VII, the weight should not exceed 4 kg and for Classes VIII and IX, it
India, Japan civil nuclear coop deal comes into force The civil nuclear cooperation deal between India and Japan that provides for collaboration between their industries in the field came into force on 20th July 2017. i. To make operationalisation of the pact Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar and Japanese Ambassador Kenji Hiramatsu exchanged diplomatic notes. ii. This agreement will pave the way for enhanced cooperation in energy security and clean energy. iii. The deal allows Japan to export nuclear technology to India and will become the first non-NPT signatory to have such a deal with Tokyo.
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Chhattisgarh govt targets planting 8 cr saplings by end of August The govenment of Chhattisgarh has targeted planting over 8crore saplings by the end of August this year. It has been announced on 20th July 2017. i. Chief minister Raman Singh has called for active participation of people in the ‘Hariyar Chhattisgarh’ campaign. ii. Oxy-zones will be developed in all the 27 districts of the Chhattisgarh.
Bill to facilitate SBI merger with subsidiaries introduced in Lok Sabha Arun Jaitley the Finance Minister of India has introduced a Bill in the Lok Sabha to repeal the necessary Acts in wake of the merger of State Bank of India (SBI) with its subsidiary banks on 20th July 2017. i. Jaitley introduced the State Banks (Repeal and Amendment) Bill, 2017 to cover the way for the repeal of the State Bank of India (Subsidiary Banks) Act, 1959 and the State Bank of Hyderabad Act, 1956.
Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (Amendment) Bill, 2017 passed in Lok Sabha On July 21, 2017, Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (Amendment) Bill, 2017, a bill amending the law on free and compulsory education to extend the deadline for teachers to acquire the prescribed minimum qualifications for appointment was passed in Lok Sabha. About Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (Amendment) Bill, 2017: The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (Amendment) Bill, 2017 was introduced by the Minister of Human Resource Development, Mr. Prakash Javadekarin Lok Sabha on April 10, 2017. • The Bill adds a provision to Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 by stating that those teachers who do not possess the minimum qualifications as on March 31, 2015 will acquire the minimum qualifications within a period of four years i.e. by March 31, 2019. • Javadekar has mentioned that through the amendment, inadequately qualified teachers, working after enactment of the Right to Education Act, were being given a last chance to acquire minimum qualifications by March 2019.
Cabinet approves revision of Indian Community Welfare Fund guidelines The Union Cabinet has approved revision of the Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF) guidelines. It has been approved on 19th of July 2017.
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i. The approval was granted during a Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. ii. The guidelines would cover three key areas namely: (a)Community Welfare activities (b)Improvement in Consular services (c)Assisting Overseas Indian nationals in distress situations iii .The scale and speed of these evacuations and assistance provide through the Fund has been universally appreciated.
Centre accepts proposal to set up Aerospace University The Centre has accepted a proposal to set up an Aerospace University in India. It has been announced on 22nd July 2017. i. The detailed project report on setting up the Aerospace University has been approved. ii. A high-powered Expert Group headed by former Cabinet Secretary B.K. Chaturvedi has made the recommendation. ♦ Minister of state for Defence: Subhash Bhamra
FM Arun Jaitley introduces bill to amend Banking Regulation Act On July 24, 2017, The Banking Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2017, was introduced in Lok Sabha by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. The bill seeks to amend the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 and replace the Banking Regulation (Amendment) Ordinance, 2017, which was promulgated in May 2017. Key Provisions of Banking Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2017: 1. This bill, popularly known as bad debt resolution or Non-performing assets (NPA) ordinance authorises Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to initiate insolvency resolution process on specific stressed assets. 2. The bill also has a provision, which empowers RBI to issue other directions for resolution, appoint or approve for appointment, authorities or committees to advise the banking companies for stressed asset resolution. Opposition to Banking Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2017: Jaitley introduced the Bill amid protests in the House by opposition members over the alleged incidents of lynching by cow vigilantes in different parts of the country. • Just before the bill was introduced, Trinamool Congress member Sougata Ray said he was opposed to the banking regulation ordinance arguing that giving such powers to RBI will detract it from macro-economic to micro-economic issues and render the bank management useless. • Ray demanded that the bill be referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee. • In context of these remarks, Mr. Jaitley said that it will be dealt with when the bill comes up for a discussion.
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Arun Jaitley inaugurates 315th Sainik Rest House in New Delhi Arun Jaitley,a Defence Minister has inaugurated the 315th Sainik Rest House of the Kendriya Sainik Board (KSB) in New Delhi. i. It aimed to provide facilities for former servicemen. ii .Jaitley has also launched the new portal of the Sainik Rest House. iii. The rest house, built at Naraina tri-junction near Delhi Cantonment area in west Delhi at a cost of around Rs 8 crore, would be the beginning of an initiative.
Government withdraws Architects (amendment) bill 2010 from Rajya Sabha The government has withdrawn from the Rajya Sabha a bill to amend the Architects Act, 1972 which provides for registration of architects. It has been announced on 24th of July 2017. i. The Act empowers the government to set up a Council of Architecture. ii. It may prescribe the minimum standards of architectural education in India and maintain the register of architects. iii. The bill was first introduced in the Rajya Sabha in 2010 by the previous government which was later referred to the Standing Committee on Human Resources Development. The panel is yet to submit its report. iv. The bill has been withdrawn as the government seeks to redraft it with further amendments to the Act.
Rajya Sabha passes FDDI Bill and Admiralty Bill 2017 On July 24, 2017, Rajya Sabha passed Footwear Design and Development Institute (FDDI) Bill, 2017 and The Admiralty (Jurisdiction and Settlement of Maritime Claims), 2017. Both the bills were passed by voice vote. Key Provisions of Footwear Design and Development Institute (FDDI) Bill, 2017: The Footwear Design and Development Institute Bill, 2017 provides for establishing and declaring the Footwear Design and Development Institute as an institute of national importance for promotion and development of quality and excellence in education in this area. The bill had been passed by the Lok Sabha in April 2017. • Passage of this bill will pave way for upgrading the Footwear Design and Development Institute to deal with international standards and address the shortage of trained human resource in the sector. • Commerce and Industry Ministry Nirmala Sitharaman said reputed institutes from UK, Italy, Germany and The Czech Republic were helping the institute to prepare its curriculum. Key Provisions of The Admiralty (Jurisdiction and Settlement of Maritime Claims), 2017: The bill seeks to upgrade the law related to maritime claims, arrest and detention of ships and extends jurisdiction of trial to various courts across the country. It had been passed by the Lok Sabha in March 2017.
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• It will repeal laws such as the Admiralty Court Act, 1861, the Colonial Courts of Admiralty Act, 1890. • Moving the bill for consideration and passage, Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways and Shipping Mansukh L Mandaviya said the maritime admiralty laws in India remain old and need to be changed in line with the changes effected globally.
Central Road Fund (Amendment) Bill, 2017 introduced in LS On July 24, 2017, Government introduced in the Lok Sabha, Central Road Fund (Amendment) Bill, 2017, a bill providing for allocation of about Rs 2,000 crore from Central Road Fund (CRF) for developing national waterways (NWs). i. Central Road Fund (Amendment) Bill, 2017 was moved by Minister of State for Shipping Pon Radhakrishnan in absence of Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari. ii. The bill seeks to amend the Central Road Fund Act, 2000, to allocate 2.5 per cent of the proceeds of CRF for development and maintenance of NWs and a reduction in the share provided for development of National Highways.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh chairs first meeting of Islands Development Agency (IDA) The Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh chaired the first meeting of the newly constituted Islands Development Agency (IDA) on 24th of July 2017 in New Delhi i. The Union Home Minister presented the vision for developing India’s maritime economy while preserving the natural eco-system and addressing the security concerns. ii. He emphasized upon the need for sustainable development of Islands with people’s participation. iii. The CEO of NITI Aayog has made a detailed presentation on the current status. He informed that Concept Development Plans and Detailed Master Plans are being prepared for identified islands. iv. In the first phase 10 islands have been identified for holistic development includes Smith, Ross, Aves, Long and Little Andaman in Andaman & Nicobar and Minicoy, Bangaram, Suheli, Cherium and Tinnakara in Lakshadweep.
Collection of Statistics (Amendment) Bill 2017 passed in Rajya Sabha On July 26, 2017, Rajya Sabha passed Collection of Statistics (Amendment) Bill, 2017, which seeks to amend the Collection of Statistics Act, 2008. The amendment bill was introduced by the Minister of Statistics and Programme Implementation, Mr. D.V.Sadananda Gowdain Lok Sabha in March 2017 and was passed in April 2017. Key Provisions of Collection of Statistics (Amendment) Bill, 2017: The amendment bill seeks to amend the Collection of Statistics Act, 2008 to extend its jurisdiction to Jammu and Kashmir too pertaining to subjects under the Union or the Concurrent list of the
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Constitution as applicable to Jammu and Kashmir. These subjects include citizenship, education, banking, labour and forests. • The Bill also provides for the appointment of a nodal officer by the central or state government. The nodal officer will coordinate and supervise statistical activities under the government by whom he/she is appointed.
Cabinet gives ex-post facto approval for amendment of the Constitution (Application to Jammu & Kashmir) Order, 1954 Union Cabinet, has given its ex-post facto approval for amendment of the Constitution (Application to Jammu & Kashmir) Order, 1954 by way of the Constitution (Application to Jammu & Kashmir) Amendment Order, 2017. • The approval paves the way for applicability of Goods and Services Tax regime in the State of Jammu & Kashmir.
Cabinet apprised of the Joint Declaration of Intent between India and Germany on Indo German-Centre for Sustainability The Union Cabinet has been apprised of the Joint Declaration of Intent (JDI) between Department of Science & Technology (DST), India and the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), Germany on Indo German-Centre for Sustainability (IGCS). The JDI was concluded on May 30, 2017 in Germany during the fourth Inter-Governmental Consultations (IGC). • On the Indian side, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras will act as the host institution for IGCS. • DST and BMBF will jointly support the IGCS for a period of five years starting from January 2018.
Cabinet approves revision of cost of Socio Economic and Caste Census 2011 Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the proposal of Department of Rural Development for revision of cost of Socio Economic and Caste Census 2011 (SECC 2011) which provides for: • Revising the cost of SECC 2011 to 4893.60 crore from the approved estimated expenditure of Rs.3543.29 crore. • Approval of time and cost overrun and consequential revision in the upper limit of cost per record to the consortium of Central Public Sector Undertakings. Utility of SECC - 2011: • Before the availability of SECC -21011 data, Below Poverty Line (BPL) list prepared in 2002, by States/UTs was being used for identifying beneficiaries of development programmes and schemes including Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G) and National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP).
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Cabinet clears minimum wage code bill On July 26, 2017, Union Cabinet cleared a new Minimum Wage Code Bill that will integrate four different wage legislations. More Information about Minimum Wage Code Bill: • Through the Minimum Wage Code Bill, labour ministry plans to streamline the definition of wages by amalgamating four wage-related statutes including the Minimum Wages Act, 1948, the Payment of Wages Act, 1936, the Payment of Bonus Act, 1965, and the Equal Remuneration Act, 1976. • The bill also seeks to empower the Centre to set a minimum wage across sectors, and states will have to maintain that. • At present, laws on wages do not cover workers getting monthly wage of more than Rs 18,000. Once Parliament approves this Bill, the minimum wage will be applicable on all classes of workers.
Lok Sabha passes bill to amend Companies Law On July 27, 2017, Lok Sabha passed Companies (Amendment) Bill, 2016, a bill to amend the Companies Act, 2013, seeking to strengthen corporate governance standards, initiate strict action against defaulting companies and help improve the ease of doing business in India. Key Provisions of Companies (Amendment) Bill, 2016: The bill was moved by Arjun Ram Meghwal, Minister of State for Finance and Corporate Affairs. It was passed with a voice vote, with over 40 amendments. • The bill went through a committee of experts and thereafter was vetted by the standing committee on finance. • Threshold for the easy compliance scheme has been raised to Rs 100 crore from Rs 20 crore, making more companies eligible for the simple compliance regime. • The bill seeks to ease rules for private placement of securities and fix an eight- year limit on reopening of past accounts against no limit in the earlier regime. • The bill seeks to harmonise insider trading rules with those of stock market watchdog Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).
Rajya Sabha passes the Indian Institute of Information Technology (Public Private Partnership) Bill 2017 On July 28, 2017, Rajya Sabha passed Indian Institute of Information Technology (Public- Private Partnership) Bill, 2017, a bill to declare 15 Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIITs) set up through public-private partnership mode as "institutions of national importance" as well as to set up such institutes through collaboration.
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i. The IIIT (Public-Private Partnership) Bill, 2017 seeks to grant statutory status to 15 IIITs and declare them as 'Institutions of National Importance' (INI). ii. The Bill also seeks to enable these institutions to grant degrees to their students in the academic courses conducted by them.
NITSER (National Institutes of Technology, Science Education and Research) Amendment Bill passed in Rajya Sabha NITSER (National Institutes of Technology, Science Education and Research) Amendment Bill was passed in RajyaSabha on 26th July, 2017. i. The Bill was passed in the LokSabha on 28th March, 2017. ii. Dr. Mahendra Nath Pandey, Minister of State (HRD) in RajyaSabha had informed that the Bill proposes to introduce two new Institutions. 1.Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Tirupati 2.IISER Berhampur in the Second Schedule of the NITSER Act, 2007. iii. Five IISERs at Kolkata (2006), Pune (2006), Mohali (2007), Bhopal (2008) and Thiruvananthapuram (2008) has mandated with promoting quality education and research in the sciences were established.
Supreme Court strikes out immediate arrests in dowry cases Supreme Court strike out immediate arrests in dowry harassment cases was ruled out on 27th of July 2017. i. The Supreme Court has said that the police will now have to conduct a preliminary inquiry before making any arrest under the dowry cases. ii. Every dowry harassment complaint made under Section 498A of Indian Penal Code must be referred to the committee, which would look into them. iii. The bench of Justices AK Goel and UU Lalit said the anti-dowry law was approved with the commendable object of punishing inhumanity of husband when such cruelty leads to the wife’s suicide. iv. The court's latest order came as complaints against misuse of the anti-dowry harassment law which was framed in 1983 following a cluster of dowry-related deaths by disappointed wives.
Health Ministry releases Operational Guidelines for Family Participatory Care Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has released Operational Guidelines for Planning and Implementation of Family Participatory Care (FPC). These guidelines are aimed at improving newborn health. • The guidelines will serve as a guiding document for those intending to introduce FPC in their facility as an integral part of facility based newborn care. • It also provides details of infrastructure, training, role of health care providers and steps in the operationalization of FPC in the newborn care unit.
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Swachh Survekshan-2018 launched to assess sanitation in all 4,041 cities and towns of the country Central Government has launched ‘Swachh Survekshan-2018’ to rank all the 4,041 cities and towns of the country on 31st of July 2017. It is based on certain parameters like infrastructure development for improved sanitation services and their sustainability, outcomes, citizen connect and visible impact on ground. Minister of Housing & Urban Affairs Shri Narendra Singh Tomar has launched the survey, the third in the series and released a comprehensive Survey Tool Kit which explain the methodology, weightages and new features and plunge areas . • As per the Survey Toolkit released, cities and towns will prepare over the next six months before field assessment begins on the fourth of January next year with survey results scheduled to be announced on 26th March 2018. • The first Pan-India sanitation survey will assess sanitation levels in all the cities and towns of the country.It will impact the lives of about 40 crore urban people and it is the largest of its kind in the world. • It includes 500 with a population of one lakh and above each and state capitals and 3,541 with population below one lakh each. • The total weightage for Citizen Feedback and Independent observation of sanitation have been increased by 10% over that of 2017 Survey. • To encourage cities take up innovative sanitation practices and solutions, a new element of ‘Innovation’ has been introduced this year with a weightage of 5%. Sanitation component-wise weightages Component Weightage in 2017 Survey Weightage in 2018 Survey ODF Progress 30% 30% Collection & Transportation of 40% 30% Solid waste Processing & Disposal of solid 20% 25% waste Info, Edu, Communication 5% 5% Capacity Building 5% 5% Innovation – 5% Total marks 2000 40000 Assessment Weightages Assessment Category Weightage in 2017 Survey Weightage in 2018 Survey Service level progress 45% 35% (Infrastructure creation, Processes operations) Citizen Feedback 30% 35%
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Independent Field observation 25% 30%
• In the 2017 Survey, 434 cities with a population of one lakh plus each and state capitals were assessed in which Indore, Bhopal and Visakhapatnam were the cleanest cities. Swachh Survekshan-2018’s rousing anthem ‘Swachhata Ki Jyot JagiHai’ released To inspire the people to participate in the Swachhata Jan Andolan and connect themselves with the ‘Swachhata Survekshan-2018’ launched on 31st July 2017. The Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs released a song with opening line ‘Swachhata Ki Jyot Jagi Hai’. (The flame of sanitation has been lit).This song to be used as the anthem for the survey. It has been released by Shri Babul Supriyo, Minister of State for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises. • The song conceived by Shri Supriyoand has been scripted by renowned lyricist Shri Prasoon Joshi and visualized free for the ministry by Producer ShriMukesh Bhatt and Shri Shankar Mahadevan gave the music.
Shri Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi launches “Jiyo Parsi Publicity Phase-2” in Mumbai On July 29th 2017, Union Minister of state for Minority Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs Shri Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi launched “JIYO PARSI PUBLICITY PHASE – 2” function in Mumbai. i. In the year of 2013 “Jiyo Parsi Publicity Phase-1” was initiated to increase the small minority population of parsi community. ii. The main objective of the “Jiyo Parsi” scheme is to reverse the declining trend of Parsi population by adopting a scientific protocol and structured interventions, stabilize their population and increase the population of Parsis in India iii. The scheme implemented two components: 1.Medical Assistance and 2.Advocacy/Counselling. Due to this effort, it became success with the birth of 101 babies.
‘Rajaswa Gyansangam’ scheduled to be held in New Delhi ‘Rajaswa Gyansangam’ is going to be held on 1st and 2nd September, 2017 at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. i. The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi will inaugurate this two day Conclave on the 1st day of September, 2017. ii. The main reason of this inauguration will be on GST as well as on unearthing black money.
7 Projects worth Rs 425 crore approved by NMCG The Executive Committee of National Mission for Clean Ganga in its 4th meeting has approved seven projects worth Rs 425 crore in the sector of sewage infrastructure, Ghat development and research. i. In sewage sector it includes three projects each in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar have been approved.
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ii. For Uttar Pradesh, interception, diversion and STP projects for Unnao, Shuklaganj and Ramnagar have been approved. iii. In Bihar, three projects at Sultanganj, Naugachia and Mokama with total estimated cost of Rs 175 crore have been approved.
PLACES IN NEWS
India’s largest Fresh water aquarium has opened by Raghubar Das,Chief Minister of Jharkhand Raghubar Das, the Chief Minister of Jharkhand, has recently inaugurated the India’s largest fresh water aquarium “Ranchi Machchli Ghar” at Bhagwan Birsa Munda Biodiversity Park in Ranchi . i. It has been launched to encourage tourism in the state. ii. The aquarium is spread over in 36,000 sq feet area and it has 58 fish tank, where 120 species of 1500 fishes have been displayed. iii. Ranchi Machchli Ghar is the country's biggest fresh water aquarium.The eco-park will be developed in an area of 4.99 acres at a cost of Rs 5.67 crore.
Mizoram celebrates 31st anniversary of Mizo peace accord Mizoram celebrates 31st anniversary of the Mizo Peace accord on 30th of June. Mizo peace accord is signed between the Union government and the Mizo National Front (MNF). i. All government offices and educational institutions remained close as the day was declared as a public holiday. ii. The MNF organised meetings in different parts of the state. iii. A press statement issued by the Peace Accord MNF Returnee Association (PAMRA) mentioned that of the 572 MNF cadres who came overground due to the accord, 150 people have died since 1986 till date.
Foundation stone of country’s biggest Global Skill Park laid by Rajeev Pratap Shivraj Singh Chouhan in Bhopal On July 3, 2017, Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Rajeev Pratap Rudi and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan laid the foundation stone of the India’s biggest Global Skill Park in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. Other Dignitaries present at the ceremony: Former cricketer K Srikanth, Singapore Embassy’s Councellor Ajit Singh, Uttar Pradesh’s Minister of State for Skill Development (Independent Charge), Chetan Chouhan.
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About Global Skill Park in Bhopal: Global Skill Park will be constructed on 37 acre land allotted in Narela Shankari area of Bhopal. • The park will be established with the support of Singapore’s Institute of Technical Education and Education Services (ITEES) with an estimated cost of Rs. 645 crore.
India's tallest ATC tower to be operational at Delhi airport by December The new ATC tower at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport will be the tallest structure in Delhi.It is likely to start operations by December. This is a 101.9-metre tower i. The airport operator has handed over the tower to the Airports Authority of India (AAI). Qutab Minar is 72.5 metres high. ii. The tower, among the tallest structures in Delhi, will give a 360-degree view of the airport to the controllers who will be able to see all the three runways, aprons and taxiways. iii. The tower, built at a cost of Rs 350 crore, has come up at a more centralised location. iv. It is adjacent to the present tower and once ready, it will be the seventh tallest ATC tower in the world.
Arunachal Pradesh celebrates 'Dree festival' with traditional pomp & gaiety The Dree Festival of Arunachal Pradesh is an agricultural festival celebrated by the Apatani tribe of Arunachal Pradesh at Ziro i. The Dree Festival of Arunachal Pradesh is celebrated on 5th July with the pre-celebration rituals starting from the evening of 4th July every year. ii. It is the biggest festival of the Apatanis and celebrated with zest marked by sacrificial offerings and prayers. iii. The Dree Festival of Arunachal Pradesh is a celebration of the agricultural way of life for the Apatanis.
India's first university only for Dalit students to come up in Hyderabad by 2018 Telangana is the first state to build India’s first university for Dalit students by 2018. It has been announced on 7th of July 2017. i. The university will be a part of the government’s policy of providing education free of cost to students from weaker sections from kindergarten to post-graduation (KG to PG) level. ii. The objective of establishing an university for Dalit students is to provide them a comprehensive education, so that they would come out as complete and knowledgeable citizens. iii. The proposal was bring up by a government arm – Telangana Social Welfare Residential Educational Institutions Society (TSWREIS). 31 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage copyrights 2017 @ AffairsCloud.com
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Odisha to set up international standard sports city Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has announced to set up an international standard sports city announced on 11th of July 2017. i. Kalinga International Sport City will be set up in Bhubaneswar and will be eligible to bid for most international competitions including Commonwealth and Asian games. ii. The chief minister stated that the state will also have satellite stadia with world class infrastructure in Cuttack, Sambalpur, Berhampur and Rourkela.
Cabinet approves establishment of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), South Asia Regional Center (ISARC) at campus of National Seed Research and Training Center (NSRTC) in Varanasi Under the proposal, a Centre of Excellence in Rice Value Addition (CERVA) will be set up in Varanasi. • This will include a modern and sophisticated laboratory with capacity to determine quality and status of heavy metals in grain and straw. • The Centre will also undertake capacity building exercises for stakeholders across the rice value chain. • This Center will be the first international Center in the eastern India and it will play a major role in harnessing and sustaining rice production in the region.
Rajasthan become the first State to fix Minimum qualifications for coop. societies’ polls Rajasthan is the first state of our country has set minimum educational qualification to candidates for elections to village cooperative societies and various other cooperative bodies. Qualification needed to become a member of contesting election i. The minimum educational qualification from class 5 to class 8 is must for members of dairy societies, farming societies, consumer societies, weavers' societies, urban banks, housing construction societies, primary land development banks, credit societies and cooperative unions. ii. The minimum educational qualification of primary committee members is of class 8. iii. The minimum qualification required is class 10 for district level members iv. A member of State level committee must be a graduate.
Maharashtra first state to have law against social boycott President of India has given assent to the Maharashtra Prohibition of People from Social Boycott (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2016. Maharashtra has thus become the first state in the country to bring a law making social boycott a crime. Details and Key Provisions of Maharashtra Prohibition of People from Social Boycott (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2016: After clearances from several central Ministries, President gave his assent to the Bill in June 2017 and thereafter Maharashtra State Government’s law and justice department published it in the
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gazette on July 3, 2017. • The new law proposes action against extra-judicial bodies like caste and community panchayats. • The act defines “Caste Panchayat” as a Committee or a body formed by a group of persons belonging to any community, whether registered or not, which functions within the community to regulate various practices in the same community, controls personal and social behaviour of any member and collectively resolves or decides any disputes amongst their members including their families, by issuing oral or written dictums. • There is a provision for punishment of up to three years in jail and/or a fine up to Rs. 1 lakh.
DIPP to set up India’s first TISC in Punjab On July 13, 2017, the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India, signed an Institutional agreement with the Punjab State Council of Science and Technology in New Delhi to establish India's first Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC) at Patent Information Centre, Punjab, under the World Intellectual Property Organization's (WIPO) TISC program. i. The objective of the TISC is to stimulate a dynamic, vibrant and balanced Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) system in India to foster creativity and innovation, thereby promoting entrepreneurship and enhancing social, economic and cultural development.
Training centre for high-speed rail to come up in Gujarat India is set to get its first high-speed rail training centre at Gandhinagar Gujarat announced on 13th of July 2017. i. According to Achal Khare, Managing Director, National High Speed Rail Corporation (NHSRC) the construction will begin shortly after the foundation-laying ceremony is held in September. ii. The centre will provide advanced training modules. iii. A maintenance depot for high speed rolling stock is also proposed to be set up at the existing railway facility at Sabarmati. iv. The estimated cost is Rs 600 crore and the training centre will have a sample track fitted with the overhead electrical systems.
Haryana govt to set up ornamental fish hatchery in Jhajjar Haryana government has decided to set up a modern ornamental fish hatchery in Jhajjar district announced on 12th of July 2017. i. It total estimated cost of Rs 13.68 crore and will be the first-of-its-kind project in the country. ii. It has been proposed that 16,000 acres of water-logged land in district Jhajjar and Charkhi Dadri be developed for fish farming. iii. It has been said that it will be a new source of income for the farmers.
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iv. Under the scheme, shrimp rearers would be provided 50% grant of the total unit cost and for this the state government has made a provision of over Rs 51 crore. v. The National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources has declared Haryana as a fish disease- free state.
Matunga becomes India's first railway station run by women In a bid to empower women, Central Railway has appointed all women staff at suburban Matunga railway station, thereby making it India’s first railway station run by women. A formal event to mark all women railway station will be held soon. More Details: A total of 30 women staffers, including 11 booking clerks, five Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel, seven ticket checkers are working under the supervision of station manager Mamta Kulkarni since last two weeks. • The idea of all women station was floated by D K Sharma, General Manager of Central Railway.
J-K govt launches weekly festival 'Cultrue of Cruise'at Dal Lake The Jammu and Kashmir has launched a first ever 'Cultrue of Cruise', a weekly cultural programme at Dal lake on 16th of July 2017. i. The J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages (JKAACL)in association with the tourism department of Kashmir launched the event. ii .It aimed to bring artists from various fields on one stage.
Patnaik dedicates to nation Odisha's longest bridge Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has dedicated to the nation the state's longest bridge. The longest bridge is named it after Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. i.The 2.88 km bridge over the river Kathajodi will connect the state capital of Bhubaneswar with Cuttack. ii.It will reduce the distance between the two cities by 12 km.
UP Assembly passes resolutions on renaming two airports The Uttar Pradesh Assembly has adopted two resolutions on re- naming the Kanpur and Bareilly airports after freedom fighter Ganesh Shanker Vidyarthi and as Nath Nagri respectively. i. The resolutions, moved by Minister for Civil Aviation Nand Gopal Gupta were passed by a voice vote in the absence of the opposition members. ii. According to the minister the contributions of social worker and freedom fighter Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi who stayed in Kanpur and fought with the British through his writings Chakeri airport be named after him.
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iii. He also said the civil terminal at the Bareilly airport should be re-named as Nath Nagri after the cultural name of the city.
President of India inaugurates the 200th anniversary celebrations of the Paika Rebellion of Odisha The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee has inaugurated the 200th anniversary celebrations of the Paika Rebellion of Odisha on 20th July 2017 in New Delhi. i. Pranab Mukherjee congratulated the people of the country and especially those of Odisha on the occasion. ii. The President said that it was indeed a privilege for him to be present on the occasion of inauguration of year-long celebration of Bi-Centenary of the Paika Bidroha of Odisha. iii. It is a time to remember the great history of our country and pay respect to our great heroes. iv. It is time to pay respects to other great warriors of Paika Bidroha who fought side by side such as Dinabandhu Samantray Mohapatra, Dama Subudhi Manjaraj, Samanta Madhaba and many more heroes of Paika Bidroha. v. Many scholars, researchers and historians have observed that the Paika Rebellion of 1817 was India’s first organized armed rebellion against British Raj.
Kiren Rijiju inaugurates RIWATCH Museum and Chimari Bridge in Arunachal Pradesh On July 22, 2017, Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju inaugurated the Research Institution of World Ancient, Traditional, Culture & Heritage (RIWATCH) Museum at Roing in Arunachal Pradesh and hoped that it would serve as a place of exchange of cultural values of various tribes of the state and the North East. • Arunachal Pradesh State Art & Culture Minister, Mohesh Chai said that according to UNESCO report there are 32 languages in Arunachal Pradesh that are on the verge of extinction and the state government is initiating programmes and policies to find out and to revive those minor and major tribal languages. • On the sideline of his visit to Roing, Mr. Rijiju also inaugurated the 235-meter long Chimari Bridge, which would serve as a life line between the National Highway 52 of Roing-Tezu. The bridge has been constructed by Border Roads Organisation(BRO).
Kerala host literary fest with "Tolerance" as theme Kerala will be going to host the 5th edition of South India Writers Ensemble (SIWE) at Chengannur in coastal Alappuzha district from 24 July 2017. i. It is a three-day annual literary event andorganised by People for Performing Arts and More, an art and cultural outfit. ii. The theme of the festival 2017 is ‘tolerance’. iii. Its main aim is to bring an enhance interaction between writers from different
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languages and regions. iv. Hindi has been selected as the main language of this year's festival.
Lucknow Metro to be India's first metro with own FM Station & to offer free water and toilet facilities India’s first Lucknow metro network to offer free drinking water and toilet facilities and will also become the first in the country to have its own FM radio station. It has been announced on 24th of July 2017. i. It will also provide free -WiFi at all stations to commuters with a ‘Go Smart’ card. ii. Lucknow Metro is expected to cover 140 km in the city in a total of four phases over the next 25 years, operating two routes, from North to South and East to West. iii. It is reported that Lucknow will be the fastest built metro system in the world and the most economical high speed rapid transit system project in India.
Madras HC makes Vande Mataram mandatory in Schools, Govt. and Private Offices Madras High Court has ruled that Vande Mataram should be sung in all schools and colleges across the state “at least once a week” and in government and private offices “at least once a month”. The order has been issued on 25th of July 2017. i. The order has been issued by Justice M V Muralidharan. ‘Vande Mataram’ shall be played and sung in all schools, colleges, universities and other educational institutions at least once a week (preferably on Monday or Friday). ii. The main reason Madras HC made Vande Mataram compulsory in all schools and organisations because K. Veernamani had lost minimum eligibility test by 1 mark.
PM Modi inaugurates APJ Abdul Kalam’s memorial in Rameswaram, TN On July 27, 2017, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated APJ Abdul Kalam’s memorial in Rameshwaram in Tamil Nadu on the second death anniversary of the former president. PM Modi also hoisted the national flag at the memorial. About APJ Abdul Kalam’s memorial: The memorial has been designed and built by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). • It has been build at a cost of 20 crore and blends Mughal and Indian architecture. • Its main entrance resembles Delhi’s India gate. The dome reflects the Rashtrapati Bhavan. The main door is a replica of the entrance of the Brihadiswara Temple in Tanjavur.
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• The interiors of the memorial reflect the various facets of Dr Kalam’s life, including the Pokhran nuclear test. There’s even a missile model celebrating his contribution to space • science. Highlights of PM Modi’s Visit to Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu: After inaugurating APJ Abdul Kalam’s memorial, PM Modi flagged off ‘Kalam Sandesh Vahini’, an exhibition bus which will travel across various states and reach Rashtrapati Bhavan on 15 October, the birth anniversary of the former president. • He also distributed sanction letters to the beneficiaries of long liner trawlers under the ‘Blue Revolution’ scheme and also flagged off a new express train from Ayodhya to Rameswaram (via video conference). • Later PM Modi released a synopsis of the ‘Green Rameswaram’ project.
Mumbai Metro launches India's first mobile ticketing system The Mumbai Metro One Private Limited has announced the launch of India’s first Mobile Ticketing System ‘OnGo’on 26th of July 2017. i. It will help commuters to buy their tickets on their mobile phones. ii. Commuters will also be able to book tickets for future journeys up to seven days in advance using the system. iii. The system is currently at an advanced stage of testing and is set to be launched by mid- August. iv. Through ‘OnGo’, commuters can purchase tickets on the Mumbai Metro app and other partner apps like Ridlr.
Delhi Metro first to become 100% 'green' Delhi Metro is the first Metro system to become completely green in the world announced on 28th of July 2017. i. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) had earlier received the green certificates for its Phase- 3 stations, depots, and sub-stations. ii. Delhi Metro has also secured the platinum rating for adherence to green building norms for its 10 residential colonies from the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC). iii. DMRC has generated new solar power facilities that produce 2.6 MW across the Metro network. iv. DMRC also announced it is now generating 20 megawatt (MW) of solar power. v. The DMRC also mentioned 'Swachh Chetna - An Eco Club', a joint initiative of the DMRC and Shri Ram School, Gurugram.
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FOREIGN VISITS
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Israel - Overview Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on an official visit to Israel from 4th to 6th July 2017. • PM Modis’s visit is aimed at commemorating 25 years of establishment of diplomatic • ties between India and Israel. New Israeli Flower Named After PM Modi During his Israel visit, PM Modi visited the Danziger "Dan" Flower Farm along with his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu in Mishmar Hashiva where they were briefed about the latest technologies being used for floriculture. • Commemorating Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit, Danziger Flower Farm named the flower Crysanthumun as 'Modi', on the name of Prime Minister. • Crysanthumun is a new fast-growing Israeli flower. Narendra Modi becomes first Indian PM to visit Israel PM Narendra Modi’s visit to Israel from 4th – 6th July, 2017 was the first ever visit of an incumbent Indian prime minister. • It is to be noted that India has gradually built up counter-terror and trade relations with Israel since diplomatic ties were restored 25 years ago. Currently, India is Israel's biggest arms market, worth $1bn a year. Mahindra Telephonics inks pact with Israeli firm On July 4, 2017, India’s Mahindra Telephonics and Israeli firm Shachaf Engineering signed a MoU to collaborate on design, development and manufacture of strategic electronics for military use. India, Israel resolve to fight menace of terrorism and radicalism India and Israel have agreed to cooperate to protect their strategic interests and called for strong measures against terror groups and their sponsors. • As per a joint statement, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Israeli Prime Minsiter Benjamin Netanyahu have recognised that terrorism poses a grave threat to global peace and stability and reiterated their strong commitment to combat it in all its forms and manifestations. PM Modi gifts 2 sets of relics from Kerala to Israeli PM On July 4, 2017, Prime Minister Narendra Modi gifted his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu replicas of two sets of relics from Kerala, regarded as key artefacts of the long Jewish history in India. The gift comprise two different sets of copper plates that are believed to have been inscribed in 9-10th Century. India, Israel sign seven agreements, to cooperate in fight against terror On July 5, 2017, India and Israel signed following Seven Agreements:
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1. An MoU was signed between the Department of Science and Technology, India, and
the National Technological Innovation Authority, Israel, for setting up an India- Israel Industrial R&D and Technological Innovation Fund (I4F). 2. India's Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation signed a MoU with Israel's Ministry of National Infrastructure, Energy and Water Resources on a national campaign for water conservation in India. 3. An MoU on state water utility reform was signed between the Uttar Pradesh Jal Nigam and the Ministry of National Infrastructure, Energy and Water Resources of Israel. 4. India-Israel Development Cooperation on a three-year work programme in agriculture from 2018 to 2020. 5. A Plan of Cooperation was signed between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Israel Space Agency (ISA) regarding cooperation in atomic clocks. 6. ISRO and ISA signed a MoU on cooperation in GEO-LEO Optical Link. 7. ISRO and ISA signed another MoU on cooperation in electric propulsion for small satellites. India and Israel elevated their ties to the "strategic partnership" level with a vow to do much more together to combat growing radicalisation and terrorism and pitched for strong measures against those financing and providing sanctuaries to terror groups. PM Modi announces launching of flight services from Delhi, Mumbai to Tel Aviv While addressing the Indian Diaspora in Tel Aviv's Convention Center, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced to start a new flight service connecting Delhi, Mumbai and Tel Aviv and invited youth of Israel to visit India. • PM Modi also promised to ease the process of acquiring Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) and Person of Indian Origin (PIO) cards by Israelis of Indian origin. People of Indian community who have done compulsory army service in Israel will be eligible for OCI cards. India to open cultural centre in Jewish nation In a bid to enhance people-to-people contacts between India and Israel, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced the setting up of an Indian Cultural Centre in Israel.
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
WHO declares an end to the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the end of the latest Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). i. It comes at 42 days after the last confirmed case of Ebola.
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ii. The last confirmed patient was in the affected Bas-Uele province and tested negative for the disease for the second time. iii. The experts have said that two incubation period cycles of 21 days have passed with no new cases and thus it can be safely said that the outbreak has ended.
World's oldest emergency phone line 999 marks 80th anniversary The world’s first emergency call telephone line marks 80th anniversary on 1st of July 2017 by police forces across Britain. i. The best known phone number in Britain is now 999 number to alert police, fire, ambulance and coast guard in emergencies. ii. The emergency service is run from three high-tech centralized communications complexes in Bow, Hendon and Lambeth.
Chinese troops entered Doklam area in attempt to construct road On June 30, 2017, India told China that its attempt to construct a road in the Doklam area in Bhutan will cause a "significant change of status quo", is a "violation of a 2012 understanding", and will lead to "serious security implications.
US rolls out expedited entry for 'low-risk' Indian travellers The United States of America has started rolling out its Global Entry programme for Indian citizens which allows for expedited clearance of pre-approved, low-risk travellers. i. Global Entry programme is an initiative of US Customs and Border Protection (CBP). ii. India has become the 11th country whose citizens are eligible to enrol in this initiative of Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
US calls for firm action against North Korea by UN On July 5, 2017, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley told a meeting of the U.N. Security Council that the United States is prepared to use military means to defend against the threat posed by North Korea’s launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile. ♦ But she said it would be best to try to resolve the crisis through diplomatic and economic measures.
Italy passes law making torture a crime, critics say full of holes Italian lawmakers on 5th of July,2017 finally passed a bill making torture a crime under national law, after years of parliamentary haggling. i. Rome signed the UN Convention against Torture in 1984 and it sanctioned in 1988 but had never transferred it into national legislation.
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ii. Lawmakers on 5th July 2017 passed a bill that makes torture punishable by four to 10 years in prison.
122 countries adopt global treaty banning nuclear weapons A global treaty banning nuclear weapons was adopted at the United Nations on 7th July by 122 countries . But all nuclear states and NATO members have boycotted the negotiations except for the Netherlands. • This is the first multilateral nuclear disarmament treaty to be concluded in more than 20 years • The nine countries that own nuclear weapons such as the United States, Russia, Britain, China, France, India, Pakistan, North Korea and Israel never took part in the negotiations or cast their vote. • Countries like Austria, Brazil, Mexico, South Africa and New Zealand, 141 countries joined in drafting to increase pressure on nuclear states to take disarmament.
Vietnam renews India oil deal in disputed waters Vietnam granted Indian oil firm ONGC Videsh a two-year extension to explore oil block 128. This was stated by the state-run company’s managing director Narendra Verma. i. The part of the oil block 128 is in the U-shaped ‘nine-dash line,’ the area which is claimed by China. ii. Vietnamese deputy prime minister Pham Binh Minh told a forum in New Delhi that India is welcome to play a bigger role in Southeast Asia - and specifically the South China Sea. iii. India is providing naval patrol boats, satellite cover to monitor Vietnam's waters and training for its submarines and fighter pilots - more military support than it is giving to any other Southeast Asian country. iv. Transfers of naval vessels and missiles under a $500 million defense credit line announced last year.
India, Bangladesh to construct bridge along Mizoram border India and Bangladesh have decided to construct a bridge over Mizoram’s Khawthlangtuipui river to facilitate trade and improve communication between the two neighbours. i. Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had given the approval to construct the bridge and linking roads.
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ii. The bridge would improve road connectivity between the two regions and also strengthen the ties between the people of the two countries living both sides of the borders.
India emerging as front-runner in fight against climate change: World Bank According to the World Bank, India is emerging as a front runner in the global fight against climate change,with a sweeping commitment to solar power, innovative solutions and energy efficiency initiatives to supply its people with 24x7 electricity by 2030. i. India is contributing to global efforts to save the planet from the effects of climate change with its conscious choice to use significantly more clean energy to fuel its growth ii. World Bank said the country also walked away from plans to install nearly 14 GW of coal- fired power plants. iii. The Indian government is setting ambitious targets that include 160 gigawatts (GW) of wind and solar by 2022 which will help hundreds of million people light their homes. iv. With nearly 300 days of sunshine every year, India has among the best conditions in the world to capture and use solar energy.
New drugs needed against hard-to-treat gonorrhoea: UN According to the UN’s health agency New drugs is needed to treat against gonorrhoea. It is a sexually-transmitted disease threatening and out of control as it develops resistance to existing antibiotics. i. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) statement nearly 80 million people are infected with the disease every year. ii. It can be passed directly from a pregnant woman to her baby and cause blindness in the unborn child. iii. The WHO’s director of antimicrobial resistance, Marc Sprenger said to control gonorrhoea, doctors, need new tools and systems for better prevention, treatment, earlier diagnosis. iv. According to the WHO Gonorrhoea first emerged in the 1970s in Asia, spreading to the rest of the world during the early 1980s.
UK launches ‘Grand Trunk Road’ project to mark 70th anniversary of India’s partition The British government has launched a new project the ‘Grand Trunk Road’ to mark the 70th anniversary of India’s Partition in August 1947. i. The UK-wide project is launched to bring British Asians of all faiths and backgrounds together. ii. It has launched this week to reflect their shared history through 11 special events funded by the Department for Communities and Local Government. iii. The Grand Trunk Roadhas tied together India and Pakistan and their diverse cultures and faiths for millennia. iv .This project will highlight the rich history that British Sikhs, Muslims and Hindus share. v. The aim is for the participants to remember lives lost and learn about the history of partition. 42 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage copyrights 2017 @ AffairsCloud.com
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IS confirms leader al-Baghdadi is dead According to the Islamic State militant group its supreme leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has died. i. Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi had led the terrorist group and declared himself the ruler of the ‘Islamic caliphate’. ii. He has now been confirmed as dead by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights as well as a source from within the terror group.
To fight ISIS, India grants Rs 3.2 crore aid to Philippines India has granted USD 500000 to the Philippines to fight ISIS. It has been given for the rehabilitation and relief efforts in war-torn Marawi City. i. It is the first time that India is sending financial aid to another country affected by terrorism. ii. The Philippines is the only Southeast Asian nation where ISIS has established its presence.
Malta becomes world’s 24th country to legalize Gay Marriage Malta parliament voted to allow same-sex couples to marry on 12th of July 2017. i. Malta, the EU's smallest nation, becomes the bloc's 15th member to legalise same-sex unions. ii. The vote was one of prime minister Joseph Muscat's first actions following his ele ction victory last month. iii. The Netherlands was the first European country to legalise same-sex marriage, in 2001.
Model United Nations Regional Conference begins in Kathmandu, Nepal A Model United Nations (MUN) Regional Conference is being held from July 10, 2017 at Kathmandu, Nepal. The conference will conclude on July 14, 2017. Model United Nations, is an educational simulation activity in which students can learn about diplomacy, international relations, and the United Nations. i. The event is organised by the US Embassy in partnership with the Youth Thinker’s Society. ii. Youths from 12 South and Central Asian countries including India are participating in 5 day conference. The basic aim of the MUN is to provide a platform to young minds to channelise energy and resources for a more prosperous and peaceful world. iii. The delegates are discussing a wide range of issues including environment and water security, promoting human rights of migrant workers, finance security, nuclear non-proliferation and countering youth radicalisation. iv. The conference simulate four UN committees-United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Economic and Financial Committee (ECOFIN), United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC).
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European Union and India establish an Investment Facilitation Mechanism On July 14, 2017, European Union (EU) and India announced the establishment of an Investment Facilitation Mechanism (IFM) for EU Investments in India. Details about Investment Facilitation Mechanism (IFM): The mechanism will allow for a close coordination between the European Union and the Government of India with an aim to promote and facilitate EU investment in India. • As part of the IFM, the EU Delegation to India and the Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP), Ministry of Commerce & Industry, agreed to hold regular high level meetings to assess and facilitate “ease of doing business” for EU investors in India. • This will include identifying and putting in place solutions to procedural impediments faced by EU companies and investors in establishing or running their operations in India.
India contributes additional USD Imn to UN partnership fund India has contributed an additional million dollars to a UN partnership fund. It has launched to support sustainable development projects across the developing world. i. India had made an initial contribution of a million dollars when the fund was created and the amount was allocated for the implementation of a project. ii. It will focus on Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States. iii. It will benefit seven Small Island Developing States in the South Pacific. iv. The fund will support Southern-owned and led, demand-driven, and transformational sustainable development projects across the developing world.
US House passes bill on defence cooperation with India The US House of Representatives has passed a $621.5 bill on defence cooperation with India. i. The United States is the world's oldest democracy and India is the world's largest democracy. ii. It is most important to develop a strategy that advances defence cooperation between the United States and India. iii. An amendment in this regard, moved by Indian-American Congressman Ami Bera was adopted by a voice vote by the House as part of the National Defense Authorisation Act (NDAA) 2018, beginning 1st October this year. iv. National Defense Authorisation Act (NDAA)was passed by the House 344-81.
World’s First Saola breeding centre in Vietnam The world's first centre is being constructed in Vietnam's central region for breeding Saola. Saola, a critically endangered hoofed mammal is identified by two parallel horns with sharp ends, which can reach 51 centimetres in length and are found on both males and females. ♦ The centre is located in Bach Ma National Park in Thua Thien Hue province.It will be
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expected to open in 2018 as a joint effort by the Saola World Working Group and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.
Indonesia renaming part of South China Sea as North Natuna Sea Indonesia has become the latest Southeast Asian nation to rename South China Sea as North Natuna Sea. i. Indonesia will refer to the northern areas of its exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea as the North Natuna Sea. ii. At a press conference in Jakarta, Deputy Minister for Marine Sovereignty ArifHavas Oegroseno disclosed a new map with the renamed territory. iii. The part of the renamed area falls in China's "nine-dash line" waters extending hundreds of miles to the south and east of China's island province Hainan. iv. Indonesia is not the first country to rename part of the South China Sea.
US imposes new sanctions against Iran over ballistic missile program The administration of US President Donald Trump is imposing new economic sanctions against Iran over the Islamic Republic’s ballistic missile program. i. The US Departments of Treasury and State announced they are targeting 18 Iranian individuals, groups and networks. ii. According to the Associated Press the restrictions ranged from a company that allegedly aided Iran’s drone program to a Turkey-based provider of naval equipment and a China-based network that provided electronics to Iran. iii. The new sanctions freeze any assets the targets may have in the US and prevents Americans from doing business with them.
Australia joins International Solar Alliance led by India and France On July 19, 2017, Australia became the 35th country to join the International Solar Alliance (ISA), an initiative launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in November 2015 in Paris. i. ISA is co-led by India and France. ii. The larger aim of ISA is to mobilise over $ 1000 billion by 2030 towards promoting solar power on all fronts - generation and storage. iii. India is contributing $1 million to the ISA fund the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA) and Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI).
UN selects Dubai as Data Hub for MENASA region The UN has selected Dubai as the data hub for the Middle East North Africa and South Asia (MENASA) region. i. The work is under process to prepare Dubai as the regional city data hub.
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ii. Dubai has launched a series of comprehensive and integrated initiatives to mine and manage the city’s data.
World's 1st floating wind farm starts to take shape off coast of Scotland The world's first full-scale floating wind farm has started to take shape off the north-east coast of Scotland announced on 24th of July 2017. i. The Peter head wind farm, known as Hywind, is a trial. It will bring power to 20,000 homes. ii. It is a tech development project to ensure it's working in open sea conditions
Bolivia declared total independence from World Bank & IMF Bolivia’s President Evo Morales has declared his government’s independence from World Bank and IMF on 25th of July 2017. i. Some of Bolivia’s largest resistance struggles in the last 60 years have targeted the economic policies carried out by the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. ii. The IMF and the World Bank had dictated the economic fate of Bolivia and the world.
Zimbabwe gives Mugabe power to appoint judges Zimbabwe's parliament has passed a bill by amending the constitution to give the president sweeping powers to appoint the country's top judges without consulting any other institution It has been announced on 25th of July 2017. i. If the bill passed into law, the bill will give Robert Mugabe the sole responsiblity to appoint the chief justice and their deputy. ii. Under the 2013 constitution, the president could only appoint a chief justice from individuals recommended by the judicial services commission and after public interviews of the candidates.
World's longest pedestrian suspension bridge’ the Europabrücke (Europe Bridge)’ opens in Switzerland The world's longest pedestrian suspension bridge the Europabrücke or Europaweg (Europe Bridge) on 29th July 2017, a ribbon-thin span nearly a third of a mile long at in Randa, Switzerland. i. It measures 1,620 feet long and rises as high as 278 feet above the Grabengufer ravine. ii .The span is also impossibly narrow, at just 25.6 inches wide.Hikers can now cross the Europaweg (Europe Bridge) which connects Grächen and Zermatt and measures nearly 500m.
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SUMMITS & CONFERENCES
10th Session of the India- Jordan Trade and Economic Joint Committee (TEJC) held in New Delhi The 10th India-Jordan Morocco Trade and Economic Joint Committee (TEJC) Meeting was held in New Delhi on 4th and 5th July, 2017. i. On this occasion, the two countries emphasized the need for diversification of bilateral trade and widening their engagements for greater cooperation in investment sector.. ii. The main aim is to promote economic, trade and investment cooperation based on the principle of equity and non-discrimination. iii. Boththe sides also discussed the roadmap for promotion of trade and investment through B2B mechanism.
Sushma Swaraj inaugurates 9th edition Delhi Dialogue External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has inaugurated the 9th edition of Delhi Dialogue on 4th of July 2017. i. Under this programme the premier annual track 1.5 event to discuss politico-security, economic and socio-cultural engagement between India and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Delhi. ii. The theme for Delhi Dialogue 9 is India-ASEAN relations: Charting the Course for the Next 25 Years. iii. It is to be scheduled to take place in New Delhi on 4-5 July 2017.
Health Ministry holds 4th National Summit on Good, Replicable Practices and Innovations in Public Health Care Systems On July 6, 2017, Ms. Sumitra Mahajan - Speaker of the 16th Lok Sabha inaugurated the 4th National Summit on Good, Replicable Practices and Innovations in Public Health Care Systems at Indore, Madhya Pradesh. Mr. Faggan Singh Kulaste and Ms. Anupriya Patel - Ministers of State for Health and Family Welfare and Mr. Rustam Singh, Health Minister (MP) were also present at the occasion. Highlights of 4th National Summit on Good, Replicable Practices and Innovations in Public Health Care Systems: During her address, Ms. Sumitra Mahajan mentioned that National Health Policy, 2017 is a landmark step as it commits to comprehensive primary healthcare, effective regulatory framework and best infrastructure. 47 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage copyrights 2017 @ AffairsCloud.com
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Awards Given to States/Union Territories by Health Ministry:
During the Summit, the Health Ministry also gave away awards to the States and UTs on the basis of Health Indicators and Service Delivery. Category States/Uts Best performing States in the category of Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan and Gujarat. indoor services Best performing UTs in the category of indoor Daman and Diu services Best states for out-patient services Gujarat, Punjab and Jharkhand Best UTs for out-patient services Dadra and Nagar Haveli Average out of pocket expenditure per delivery Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh in public health facility – States Average out of pocket expenditure per delivery Dadra and Nagar Haveli in public health facility – Uts Award for decline in Infant Mortality Rate Jammu & Kashmir & West Bengal (IMR) – Bigger States Award for decline in Infant Mortality Rate Manipur (IMR) – Smaller States Award for decline in Infant Mortality Rate Puducherry (IMR) – Uts Best Performance in Revised National TB Assam & Himachal Pradesh Control Programme
5th Meeting of BRICS Education Ministers held in Beijing, China 5th Meeting of BRICS Education Ministers was held on July 5, 2017 in Beijing, China. The Indian delegation was led by Union Minister of Human Resource Development, Prakash Javadekar. Highlights of 5th Meeting of BRICS Education Ministers: While addressing the meeting, Mr. Prakash Javadekar appreciated the creation of institutional mechanism in the form of BRICS Network University and BRICS Think Tank Council. • Under BRICS Network University proposal, 12 universities from each of the 5 countries will engage with each other in education research and innovation. • The 5 areas of cooperation which have been prioritised are--Communication and IT, Economics, Climate Change, Water Resources and Pollution, and BRICS study. • Javadekar highlighted some of the initiatives of the Govt. of India in education. He specifically spoke about the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), SWAYAM platform which has already hosted over 480 courses online, research initiative IMPRINT and Smart India Hackathon. Beijing Declaration on Education adopted Beijing Declaration on Education was adopted in the 5thMeeting of BRICS Education Ministers in Beijing, China, on July 5, 2017. • Beijing Declaration identifies some specific activities to deepen the cooperation among the BRICS Member States, encompassing the entire spectrum of education from school and higher education to vocational and technical education. 48 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage copyrights 2017 @ AffairsCloud.com
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• According to the declaration, members states - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South
Africa - are committed to the UN Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4)-Education 2030 which aims to "Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote life-long learning opportunities for all" that was set within The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. • The declaration reiterated support for the BRICS Network University (NU) to collaborate in the fields of education, research and innovation. It also encouraged universities to participate in the BRICS University League.
First International Aviation Security seminar organised by National Security Guard in Haryana On 6th and 7th July, 2017, National Security Guard (NSG) organised First International Aviation Security Seminar in Manesar, Haryana. i. The seminar was inaugurated by Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha on July 6, 2017, whereas Minister of State for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (I/C) Rajiv Pratap Rudy attended the seminar on the second day. ii. Rudy also unfurled the tricolor at the 26th highest Monumental Flagpole in the NSG campus.
First Edition of WINGS 2017 – “Sab Uden, Sab Juden”- Expanding Regional Connectivity Hosted in New Delhi Civil Aviation Ministry on 8th July hosted the First edition of WINGS 2017 – “Sab Uden, Sab Juden”- Expanding Regional Connectivity. The session was chaired by the Union Minister of Civil Aviation, Shri P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju and the Union Minister of State for Civil AviationShri Jayant Sinha . i. 338 delegates from Government and Civil Aviation sector participated in the first edition of WINGS-2017. ii. During the Wings-2017, Interactive sessions with Stakeholders of entire Ecosystem such as Tourism Departments, Tour Operators, Airport Operators, and other players in the value chain was convened.
Two day Regional conference on Good governance and Replication of best held in Nainital, Uttarakhand A two days Regional Conference on “Good Governance and Replication of Best Practices” will begin in Nainital, Uttarakhand from 9th of July. i. It is organised by the Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances (DARPG), Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Government of India in collaboration with Government of Uttarakhand.
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ii. Delegates from 12 States and four UTs of Northern, Western and Central Region will be participating in the conference. iii. The Conference will be inaugurated by Secretary, DARPG, Shri C. Viswanath. iv. Its objective is to create a common platform to share experiences in the formulation and implementation of citizen centric governance.
President Pranab Mukherjee inaugurates ‘Ashiana Annexe’ in Dehradun, Uttarakhand On July 10, 2017, President Pranab Mukherjee inaugurated the ‘Ashiana Annexe’ in Dehradun, Uttarakhand. At the inauguration function, MoU between M/s. Prashak Techno Enterprises and Central Building Research Institute was signed to collaborate for effective proliferation of Habitech-NivaraTantra Technology solutions. More Information about ‘Ashiana Annexe’: The ‘Ashiana Annexe’ comprises twelve low cost dwelling units constructed to accommodate officers and staff of Rashtrapati Bhavan during Presidential visits to the Retreat at Ashiana. • These dwelling units have been constructed using the Habitech-NivaraTantra - Onsite Sanitation Integrated Community Housing Technology Innovations developed at the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT). • The Technology innovations comprise unique blocks known as "compacted intermeshing" blocks which are made from local soil. • Production of these blocks is on site and is an entirely green process. These blocks have novel cavities for horizontal and vertical reinforcement using steel bars which results in eliminating use of the conventional beams, columns and concrete lintel. • The cavities act as natural air curtain against temperature, noise pollution and water penetration. • Disaster resilient, sustainable and cost effectiveness are other salient features of these dwelling units. • Scientific treatment of sanitation waste enables mitigation of disease risk and ensures health and wellbeing of residents and the community.
National Conference of NITI Aayog held in New Delhi The National Conference of Chief Secretaries of States and Union Territories organised by NITI Aayog is held in New Delhi on July 10, 2017 i .It has been organized to further the spirit of cooperative and competitive federalism. ii. It helps in measuring performance and progress of states and rank them appropriately to instill healthy competition among them.
2-day Conference on Crowd Management concludes in Kerala The two-day national conference on crowd management has successfully concluded at Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala on 14th of July 2017.
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i .The conference was organised by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA). ii. It set up the stage for adoption of best practices and use of technology to reduce risks at mass gathering events across the country. iii. The conference has brought to focus on varied issues relevant to efficient crowd management.
Gadkari inaugurate Road Congress Meet in Udaipur Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari will inaugurate the 212th meeting of Indian Road Congress (IRC) in Udaipur, Rajasthan i. The Indian Road Congress is the apex body of highway engineers in the country. ii. During his one-day visit, he will also attend a discussion by Udaipur chamber of commerce on economic growth of Rajasthan with development of roads and infrastructure.
12th G20 Summit held in Hamburg, Germany The 2017 G20 Summit was the 12th meeting of the Group of Twenty (G20), which was held on 7th and 8th July, 2017, in Hamburg, Germany. • The theme for this year's G20 Summit was "Shaping an Inter-connected World". • The progress on decisions since the Hangzhou Summit • On 7th and 8th July, 2017, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the G20 Summit in Hamburg, Germany. • He reached Germany straight from Israel after wrapping up his historic three-day visit. • Prime Minister Narendra Modi pressed upon his British counterpart Theresa May to ensure UK’s cooperation to bring back economic offenders. • He also met Canadian Premier Justin Trudeau on the sidelines of the G20 Summit. • Prime Minister Modi had a bilateral meeting with the Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe. The two leaders briefly reviewed progress in bilateral relations, including in important projects, since their last meeting in Japan. G20 Summit: India among Majority Nations on Climate Change, Terrorism At the G20 Summit, a consensus emerged on issues like fight against terror, global warming and protectionism among majority of the world leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi. • PM Modi told the G20 meet that some countries were using terror as a tool to achieve political objectives and pressed for "deterrent" action collectively by the G-20 members against such nations.
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G20 nations pledge to strengthen health systems
On July 8, 2017, the G20 nations, including India, pledged to strengthen health systems and also combat the menace of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which the grouping termed as a "growing threat" to public health and economic growth. • The nations, including India, recalled that universal health coverage is a goal adopted in the 2030 Agenda and recognised that strong health systems are important to effectively address health crises. G 20 countries leaders agree for action, targeted exchange of information on terrorism On July 7, 2017, G20 leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed to facilitate swift and targeted exchange of information between intelligence, law enforcement and judicial authorities to crackdown on the global scourge of terrorism and to check its funding sources. • G20 leaders also asked the private sector, including the communication firms, to join the fight against radicalisation by curbing internet misuse for terror propaganda. • In a 21-point declaration, G20 nations have agreed to work to improve the existing international information architecture in the areas of security, travel and migration, including INTERPOL, ensuring the necessary balance between security and data protection aspects. G20 Adopts $1bn Women Entrepreneur Plan For Developing Nations On July 8, 2017, G20 leaders adopted a World Bank funding plan of up to USD 1 billion for women entrepreneurs in developing nations, an initiative championed by US President Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka Trump. • The initiative was launched by World Bank President Jim Yong Kim in the presence of Ivanka Trump and her father as also G20 host Angela Merkel and other world leaders, including Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and IMF chief Christine Lagarde. PM Modi presents 10-point action plan on counter terrorism for G-20 nations At G20 Summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed the action plan against terror and presented a 10-point action agenda for it. PM Modi’s 10-point Action Plan (i)Deterrent action against nations supporting terrorism must be made compulsory, such nations should be barred from G20 (ii)G20 nations must exchange lists of suspected terrorists and their supporters (iii)Legal processes such as extradition should be simplified and expedited (iv)Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism should be adopted soon (v)UNSC resolutions and other international processes should be effectively implemented (vi)G20 nations should give emphasis to de-radicalisation programmes and exchange best practices (vii)Terror financing should be curtailed by means of Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and other means (viii)Weapons and Explosive Action Task Force (WEATF) should be constituted on lines of FATF so 52 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage copyrights 2017 @ AffairsCloud.com
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that source of weapons to the terrorists is stopped
(ix)G20 nations should cooperate in cyber security, with a focus on terrorist activities (x)National Security Advisors on Counter Terrorism mechanism should be constituted
Informal BRICS Leaders meeting held in Hamburg, Germany The Informal BRICS Leaders meeting held in Hamburg, Germany. The leaders had discussed preparations and priorities for the forthcoming Xiamen BRICS Summit. i.The forthcoming 9th BRICS Summit will be in September in Xiamen, China. ii.Prime Minister Modi has mentioned in his speech that BRICS has been a strong voice and needs to show leadership on terrorism and global economy. iii. He also emphasize that G20 should collectively oppose terrorism financing, franchises, safe havens, support and sponsors.
41st annual UNESCO World Heritage Committee conference held in Poland United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Committee met for its 41st session in Krakow, Poland, from 2nd to 12th July 2017 • During the session, the World Heritage Committee, chaired by Jacek Purchla, examined the state of conservation of 99 sites already on the World Heritage List and of the 55 sites on the List of World Heritage in Danger. • The Committee also decided on the inscription on the World Heritage List of 33 nominated sites, which include six natural sites, 26 cultural and one that is proposed both as a natural and cultural site. • During this session 21 new sites have been inscribed to UNESCO’s World Heritage List. Among these were 18 cultural and three natural sites. In addition to the new inscriptions, the Committee also approved five site boundary changes. • Including the new additions, the total number of sites on the World Heritage List now stands at 1073. • Angola and Eritrea saw their first sites join the List during the 41st UNESCO votes to declare Hebron an endangered site UNESCO has recognised the old city of Hebron in the West Bank as a Palestinian world heritage site. UNESCO voted 12 to three - with six abstentions - to give heritage status to Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Vienna historic center put on UNESCO heritage in danger list Historic Center of Vienna has been put in UNESCO’s list of sites ‘in danger’ due to a high-rise construction project there. UNESCO omits Great Barrier Reef from 'List of World Heritage in Danger' At the 41st annual Conference, UNESCO World Heritage Committee has decided to omit Australia’s Great Barrier Reef in the "List of World Heritage in Danger". UNESCO Declares China's Hoh Xil Nature Reserve a Heritage Site
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UNESCO has declared the Hoh Xil nature reserve in China’s Qinghai Province a natural heritage site in a controversial decision challenged by pro-Tibet activists. UNESCO declares Ahmedabad as world heritage city The 5.5 km walled city area in Ahmedabad, Gujarat with an approximate population of four lakh has been declared India’s first World Heritage City by UNESCO. • Ahmedabad was in competition with New Delhi and Mumbai for the title. Brazilian Port Where Slaves Arrived Given UNESCO Status The Valongo wharf in Rio de Janeiro, where slaves from Africa first arrived in Brazil has been added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites. Japan island that bans women is UNESCO Heritage site Okinoshima, a sacred island in south-west Japan that bans women and where male visitors must strip naked before going ashore has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Cambodian Temple Site Gets UNESCO World Heritage Status Sambor Prei Kuk, an ancient temple site in Cambodia has been added to the list of UNECO World Heritage Sites. List of 21 new sites that have been inscribed in UNESCO’s World Heritage List during 41st annual UNESCO World Heritage Committee conference Site Type Country/Countries Aphrodisias, archeological site and Cultural Turkey marble quarries Asmara, modernist city of Africa Cultural Eritrea Assumption Cathedral and Monastery of Cultural Russia Sviyazhsk Caves and ice age art in the Swabian Cultural Germany Jura Hebron/Al-Khalil Old Town Cultural Palestinian territories Historic city of Yazd Cultural Iran Kujataa Greenland, sub-arctic farming Cultural Denmark landscape Kulangsu, historic international Cultural China settlement Mbanza Kongo, political and spiritual Cultural Angola capital of the Kingdom of Kongo Sacred Island of Okinoshima Cultural Japan Taputapuātea, center of the "Polynesian Cultural France Triangle" Tarnowskie Góry, lead-silver-zinc mine Cultural Poland Sambor Prei Kuk temple zone Cultural Cambodia
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English Lake District Cultural United Kingdom
Valongo Wharf, archeological site Cultural Brazil Venetian Works of Defense Cultural Croatia, Italy, Montenegro Khomani Cultural Landscape Cultural South Africa Historic city of Ahmedabad Cultural India Landscapes of Dauria Natural Mongolia, Russia Los Alerces National Park Natural Argentina Qinghai Hoh Xil, world's highest and Natural China largest plateau
22nd World Petroleum Congress (WPC) International Conference held in Istanbul, Turkey Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas,Dharmendra Pradhan visited Istanbul in Turkey from 9thto 12th July, 2017 to represent India at the 22nd World Petroleum Congress (WPC) International Conference. Highlights of 22nd World Petroleum Congress: Theme for 22nd World Petroleum Congress was ‘Bridges To Our energy Future’. • During the conference, Mr. Pradhan chaired a ministerial session on the subject ‘Current Economic Strategies in Indian Oil and Gas Sector’ and a plenary session on ‘Supply and Demand Challenges for Oil, Gas and Products’. • Pradhan launched an event on Hydrocarbon Exploration and Licensing Policy (HELP) as a part of promoting upcoming oil and gas bidding rounds in India. He also reiterated that Prime Minister Modi has given a target of reducing import dependence by 10 per cent by 2022.
Kolkata to host global business meet in November 2017 The Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC), in association with the West Bengal Government, will host Horasis Asia Meeting, a Global Business meeting, in November 2017 announced on 18th of July 2017. i. The two-day business meet will start from 26th November, 2017 ii. It will focus on sustainable business practices in various areas, including power and energy.
India to host Global Conference on Cyber Space 2017 – World’s Largest Conference on Cyber Space India will be hosting the 5th Global Conference on Cyber Space (GCCS) in 2017. It is one of the world’s largest two day conference on Cyber Space. i. The theme of Cyber4All is “An Inclusive, Sustainable, Developmental, Safe and Secure Cyberspace” . The theme of this conference reflects the changing architecture of India in the Digital space. 55 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage copyrights 2017 @ AffairsCloud.com
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ii. The GCCS 2017 will take place on the 23rd and 24th of November, 2017 in Aero City, New Delhi. iii. The GCCS 2017 will be inaugurated by the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi. iv. The 4th version of GCCS 2015 was held on April 16-17, 2015 in The Hague, Netherlands.
5th North East Connectivity Summit- 2018 to be held in Arunachal Pradesh The 5th North East Connectivity Summit- 2018 will be held in Arunachal Pradesh. It has been announced on 20th July 2017. i .The 4th North East Connectivity Summit will be held in Nagaland in the month of September 2017. ii. The summit organised by the FICCI is one of the most important forums for action oriented contemplations on sub-regional economic integration and connectivity between North East India and South East Asia.
International meet on social justice held in Bengaluru Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has announced a hosting of three-day International Conference on 'Reclaiming Social Justice, Revisiting Ambedkar' from 21stJuly to 23rd July to mark 126th birth Anniversary of Dr B R Ambedkar. i. A three-day international conference ‘Quest for equity – reclaiming social justice, revisiting Ambedker’ will be held at the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru. ii. Over 2000 delegates will participate in the Conference in which 83 International, 149 National and 80 state-level speakers will take part. iii. Human Rights advocate and activist Martin Luther King III and AICC Vice President Rahul Gandhi will be the Chief Guests for the Conference.
2017 BRICS Youth Forum opens in Beijing 2017 BRICS Youth Forum opened in Beijing, China on July 25, 2017, to discuss youth development in the BRICS member-nations viz. Brazil Russia, India, China and South Africa. More Information about 2017 BRICS Youth Forum: The three-day forum gathered 50 youth representatives working as civil servants, scholars, entrepreneurs, artists and journalists from BRICS countries. • Theme of 2017 BRICS Youth Forum is “Enhance BRICS Partnership, Promote Youth Development”. • Representatives will hold discussions on issues concerning youth policies and
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entrepreneurship, as well as the roles of BRICS youth in global governance, before formulating an action plan for the forum.
Shri Bandaru Dattatreya attends the BRICS Labour & Employment Ministers’ Meet held in China BRICS Labour & Employment Ministers’ Meet was held on 26th and 27th July, 2017 in Chonqging, China. Indian delegation to this meet was led by Bandaru Dattatreya, the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Labour & Employment. M Sathiyavathy, Secretary ( Labour and Employment), Manish Gupta, Joint Secretary, Anuja Bapat, Director and Prof Sasikumar, Sr. Fellow, VVGNLI were also the part of Indian delegation. Highlights of BRICS Labour & Employment Ministers’ Meet: China is the chair for the BRICS Labour & Employment Ministers’ Meet for the year 2017. • The meeting concluded with the adoption of the BRICS Labour and Employment Ministerial Declaration. • The Declaration covered a variety of areas that are of critical importance to all BRICS countries including India and called upon strengthening collaboration and cooperation on these through appropriate institutionalisation. • The BRICS Labour and Employment Ministerial Declaration would now be presented to the Leaders/ Head of the State at BRICS Summit scheduled to be held on 3- 5thSeptember, 2017 Xiamen, China.
2017 BRICS National Security Advisors (NSAs) meeting held in China 2017 BRICS National Security Advisors (NSAs) meeting was held on 27th and 28th July 2017, in Beijing, China. i. National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval represented India at this meeting. ii. This meeting is a major platform for Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) countries to discuss and conduct cooperation in politics and security fields. iii. Discussions were held on topics including global governance, anti-terrorism, internet security and energy security, as well as major international and regional hotspot issues. iv. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval held talks with his Chinese counterpart and state councillor Yang Jiechi on the sidelines of the BRICS NSAs meeting.
7th edition of SAARC Artists Camp & Exhibition of Paintings begins in Nepal The 7th edition of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Artists Camp and Exhibition of Paintings has begun at Kathmandu on 28th of July 2017. i. These events provides platform to artists to exchange ideas with fellow artists and help in creating special bonding among them and 40 artists from SAARC member countries except Afghanistan taking part in the 4 day camp. ii. Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation of Nepal, Jitendra Narayan Dev has
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inaugurated the event.
RANKINGS & REPORTS
TERI ranked second among world's climate think tanks TERI was ranked number two by the International Center for Climate Governance (ICCG). ICCG is an internationally-renowned body whose activities focus on the design of climate policy and related governance issues. i. ICCG ranking helps highlight the scale and magnitude of work done by the think tanks working in the field of climate change. ii. The New Delhi-based think tank was ranked under the category 2016 Top Climate Think Tanks in the Rest of the World--Absolute Global Rankings during ICCGs 23rd annual conference of the European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists (EAERE) in Athens in Greece.
India in 88th place in money hoarded in Swiss banks As per an analysis of the latest figures compiled by the Swiss National Bank, India has slipped to 88th place in terms of money parked by its citizens with Swiss banks by the end of 2016. With maximum holdings, UK has topped the list. More Information related to Swiss National Bank Data: Money officially held by Indians with banks in Switzerland now accounts for a meagre 04% of the total funds kept by all foreign clients in the Swiss banking system. • Indian holding stood at 676 million Swiss francs -- a record low after falling for three consecutive years. • India was placed at 75th position in 2015 and at 61st in 2014. Till 2007, India used to be among top-50 countries in terms of holdings in Swiss banks. India ranked highest at 37th place in the year 2004. • The total money held in Swiss banks by foreign clients from across the world, incidentally rose by a small margin from 1.41 trillion Swiss francs (CHF) to CHF 1.42 trillion during 2016. • UK accounted for the largest chunk at about CHF 359 (over 25%) of the total foreign money with Swiss banks. • US came second with nearly CHF 177 billion or about 14 per cent. No other country accounted for a double-digit percentage share. • Pakistan continued to remain placed higher than India at 71st place with about CHF 1.4 billion. • India was also the lowest ranked among the BRICS nations -- Russia was ranked 19th (CHF 15.6 billion), China 25th (CHF 9.6 billion), Brazil 52nd (CHF 2.7 billion) and South Africa 61st (CHF 2.2 billion). 58 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage copyrights 2017 @ AffairsCloud.com
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India gets good ranks on FSB's reform report card to G20
On July 3, 2017, international body for global financial system, Financial Stability Board (FSB) submitted its status report to G20 on progress in financial regulatory reforms in various jurisdictions, including India. FSB has listed India among countries that are 'compliant or largely compliant' on implementation of priority area reforms. More Information from FSB Reform Report: • The report listed India as a 'compliant' jurisdiction with regard to the Basel III reforms in area of risk-based capital and as 'largely compliant' on liquidity coverage ratio. • Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, South Korea, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, Turkey and the US have been found to be 'compliant or largely compliant' with regard to the Basel III reforms in area of risk- based capital and liquidity coverage ratio, whereas France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and the UK have been found to be 'materially non-compliant' on at least one parameter. • On compensation related reforms, India is among the jurisdictions where "all except a few (three or less) FSB Principles and Standards have been implemented". • On trade reporting in the over-the-counter derivatives market, India was among the countries where necessary regulatory framework was being implemented. • FSB examined progress in implementing G20 reforms in recent peer reviews of three EMDE (Emerging Market and Developing Economies) members -- Argentina, Brazil and India -- and has made recommendations to address identified gaps. • FSB has outlined that jurisdictions including India, that have not had an IMF-World Bank Financial Sector Assessment Program (FSAP) in the last five years are undergoing one in 2017-19. • FSB also released a Framework for post- implementation evaluation of the effects of the G20 financial regulatory reforms, which will guide analyses of whether the G20 reforms are achieving their intended outcomes. • As per the report, maintaining an open and integrated global financial system, market liquidity and the effects of reforms on emerging market and developing economies are three areas where authorities need to remain vigilant
India ranks 23 of 193 countries on Global Cyber security Index 2017 - UN As per UN International Telecommunication Union (ITU),Cyber-Security Index, India ranks 23rd out of the 193 countries with a score of 0.683 . ITU is a specialised ICT agency under the United Nations that is responsible for allocation global radio spectrum and satellite orbits, along with developing technical network standards. 59 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage copyrights 2017 @ AffairsCloud.com
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• Singapore tops the charts with a 0.925 score with the highest level. • China comes behind India at 34th position & Russia is ranked 11th The top 10 most committed countries to cyber security are Countries Rank Singapore 1 United States 2 Malaysia 3 Oman 4 Estonia 5 Mauritius 6 Australia 7 Georgia 8 France 9 Canada 10 Global Cyber-Security Index(CGI) The GCI categorizes India as a “Maturing Country” which refers to countries with a GCI score between 50 and 89 percentile..In addition to showing the overall cybersecurity commitment of ITUs 193 member-states, the Index also shows the improvement and strengthening of the five pillars of the ITU Global Cybersecurity Agenda: legal, technical, organisational, capacity building and international cooperation. • In the Asia-Pacific region, India takes the number 8 spot on index. • Apart from France, European countries fared poorly in the survey and Equatorial Guinea finished last with a score of zero. Asia and the Pacific region Score Global rank Singapore 0.925 1 Malaysia 0.893 3 Australia 0.824 7 Japan 0.786 11 Republic of Korea 0.782 13 New Zealand 0.718 19 Thailand 0.684 20 India 0.683 23
Andhra, Telangana and Gujarat top ease of doing business, says NITI CEO Amitabh Kant According to the NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant said Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Gujarat are the three best-performing states in "ease of doing business". i. Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Assam are included worst in the rankings. ii. The rankings is based on key development and social indicators across states and union territories during a national conference of Chief Secretaries. iii. Based on availability of electricity in rural households the best-performing states are Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Kerala, Punjab and Tamil Nadu, which have achieved 100% penetration. iv. The bottom three are Bihar with 46% Nagaland with 45% and Jharkhand with 40%. 60 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage copyrights 2017 @ AffairsCloud.com
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v. In nutrition, Kerala, Goa and Tripura are the best-performing states while Meghalaya, Jharkhand and Bihar are the worst. vi. In terms of reading comprehension Tamil Nadu, Mizoram and Kerala come out on top while Uttarakhand, Chattisgarh and Bihar are at the bottom.
Patanjali, Reliance Jio among top 10 most influential brands in India As per a new study by global research firm Ipsos, spiritual guru Baba Ramdev’s Patanjali and Muekesh Ambai controlled Reliance Jio have been rated among the top 10 most influential brands in India. Rankings of Most Influential Brands in India: Search engine Google has been ranked at the No 1 slot, Microsoft and Facebook are at number two and three respectively. • Patanjali and Jio have entered the top 10 ranking Rank Brand at fourth and ninth place respectively. Both 1 Google these brands made an impressive entry as they did 2 Microsoft 3 Facebook not figure in the previous edition of the study. 4 Patanjali • Among the top 10 brands, Flipkart dropped three 5 State Bank of India 6 Amazon spots to take the tenth 7 Samsung place while Amazon climbed a couple of steps to 8 Airtel 9 Reliance Jio take the sixth place. 10 Flipkart • State Bank of India is the only financial brand in the top 10. • Brands in the 11-20 ranking include Snapdeal, Apple, Dettol, Cadbury and Amul. • WhatsApp that had ranked sixth in the last study could not make it to the top 20 in this study.
Raipur Swami Vivekananda Airport ranked first in Customer Satisfaction Index Survey Swami Vivekananda Airport, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, has ranked first in Customer Satisfaction Index Surveyamong 49 airports in India.Raipur Airport has scored highest, 4.84 on a five point scale index in the latest Customer Satisfaction Index Survey conducted by an independent agency for the period of January-June 2017. • It has topped this survey for the third consecutive time in the past two years. • Raipur Airport is followed by Udaipur, Amritsar and Dehradun airports which have scored 4.75, 4.74 and 4.73 respectively.
India to become largest milk producer in 2026 – OECD & FAO Report According to OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2017-2026, released by Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, India will be the world's largest milk producer by 2026 and will account for the biggest increase in wheat production globally.
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Highlights of OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2017-2026: Population: As per OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2017-2026, world's population will increase from 7.3 to 8.2 billion over the course of the next decade with India and Sub-Saharan Africa accounting for 56% of total population growth. • The report outlined that given their strong population growth, India and Sub-Saharan Africa will drive a large share of global demand. • India's population will grow from 1.3 billion to 1.5 billion. It will overtake China and is projected to be the most populous country in the world by 2026. Milk Production: The report has projected that over the first quarter of the 21st century, milk production in India will be nearly tripled. • From 2017-2026, milk production in India will grow 49%; in 2026, India will be the world's largest milk producer. • In 2026 milk production in India will be one-third above the second largest producer, the European Union. Wheat Production: Global production of wheat is projected to increase by 11% from 2017-2026, while the wheat area will increases by only 1.8%. • The increase in wheat production is expected to occur through higher yields, most notably in Asia and Pacific, which will account for 46% of additional wheat production. • Within the region and globally, India (15 Mt) will account for the biggest increase in wheat production and Pakistan (6 Mt) and China (5.5 Mt) are also expected to have significant gains. • The European Union will account for 13% of the production increase. Rice Production: Rice production is expected to grow by 66 Mt from 2017-2026 and will be almost exclusively driven by yield growth, which will accounts for 93% of additional production. • The global area dedicated to rice is expected to increase by only 1% from the base period, while global yields will increase by 12%. • Major production gains are projected for India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam with yields in these countries expected to increase by over 15%.
India has second highest number of adults planning to migrate - UN Report According to a report titled ‘Measuring Global Migration Potential 2010- 2015’ by International Organisation for Migration (UN Migration Agency), India has the second highest number of adults planning to migrate to other countries with the US and the UK among the most favoured destinations. The study is based on international survey data by the Gallup World Poll. 62 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage copyrights 2017 @ AffairsCloud.com
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Highlights of ‘Measuring Global Migration Potential 2010 – 2015’: Globally 1.3% of the adult population or 66 million people said they were planning to migrate permanently within the next 12 months. The share of the adult population planning to migrate abroad has increased moderately at the global level but more rapidly in certain regions. • Adults planning and preparing to migrate are more likely to be male, single, living in urban areas and more likely to have completed at least secondary education. • The most popular destination for those planning to migrate is the US followed by the UK, Saudi Arabia, France, Canada, Germany and South Africa. • Half of those planning to migrate live in just 20 countries, led by Nigeria and followed by India, Congo, Sudan, Bangladesh and China. • At 8 million people, India has the highest number of adults planning and preparing to migrate. Out of the 4.8 million people, 3.5 million people are planning and 1.3 million are preparing to migrate. • For Nigeria, the number stands at 5.1 million people planning and preparing to migrate. • West Africa, South Asia and North Africa are the regions with the largest migration potential.
India ranks 116 out of 157 nations on Sustainable Development Goals index India has ranked 116 out of 157 nations on a global index that assesses the performance of countries towards achieving the ambitious sustainable development goals (SDGs). The SDG Index and Dashboards Report has been compiled by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) and the Bertelsmann Stiftung. Findings of SDG Index and Dashboards Report: The SDG Index ranks countries based on their performance across the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. • India is ranked 116th on the index with a score of 58.1, behind countries such as Nepal, Iran, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and China. Pakistan is ranked 122. • Sweden leads the list, followed by Denmark and Finland. The United States Rank Country 1 Sweden • ranks 42nd on the Index, while Russia and China rank 2 Denmark 62nd and 71st respectively. 3 Finland 4 Norway • As per the report, many of the richest countries in the world 5 Czech Republic are nowhere near achieving the global policy objectives. 6 Germany 7 Austria They are even deteriorating the implementation process for 8 Switzerland poorer countries because of negative spill over effects. 9 Slovenia 10 France • For high-income countries, one of the greatest obstacles to achieving the global goals are poor performances regarding sustainable consumption and production.
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• The report outlined that the countries which are closest to fulfilling the goals are not the biggest economies but comparably small, developed countries.
Indians among top asylum-seekers, according to the International Migration Outlook 2017 According to the International Migration Outlook 2017 report on Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) member countries, Indians are among top asylum- seekers in other countries such as New Zealand, Australia, Finland, Japan, Latvia, Slovak Republic, United Kingdom and the United States of America. Highlights of International Migration Outlook 2017: As per the report, Indians and Chinese were the top asylum seekers in countries such as New Zealand and Latvia between 2012 and 2016. • During 2015-16, total 340 people sought asylum in New Zealand. Out of them, India and China were the largest source countries of asylum-seekers – 11% and 9% respectively. • Despite a relatively calm political and economic situation within the country, Indians are the top asylum seekers in other countries such as Australia, Finland, Japan, Latvia, Slovak Republic, United Kingdom and the United States of America. • Data sourced from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has revealed that Indians have sought asylum in more than 40 countries. Most of the Indian asylum seekers are students who apply for asylum in order to overstay their visa and people seeking low skill jobs. • With 6,300 asylum seekers in 2012 and 2013, Europe has historically seen a large number of applications from Indian asylum seekers. However, refugee crisis in Syriaand Iraq has changed this situation over the last couple of years.
India among 5 countries that faced most terror attacks in 2016 According to a senior US counter-terror official more than half of the terror attacks in the world in 2016 took place in five countries, including India and Pakistan. i.As per the Country Reports on Terrorism by the US State Department said that the total number of terror attacks in 2016 were lower than in 2015. According to the reports: (a) 55% of all attacks took place in Iraq, Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, and the Philippines. (b) 75% of all deaths due to terrorist attacks took place in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Nigeria, and Pakistan. ii. The total number of terrorist attacks in 2016 decreased by 9% and total deaths due to terrorist attacks decreased by 13% compared to 2015.
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India presents national review report on SDG implementation in UN On July 19, 2017, India presented its ‘Voluntary National Review Report on Implementation of Sustainable Development Goals’ to the United Nations (UN). The report was presented by NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Arvind Panagariya at the United Nations high-level political forum on ‘Sustainable Development in 2017’. Highlights of India’s ‘Voluntary National Review Report on Implementation of Sustainable Development Goals’: The report details various measures and programmes being implemented across India towards achieving the core objectives of the 17 ambitious global goals, including poverty eradication, economic growth, ending hunger and achieving food security, gender equality, promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and climate action. • The programmes highlighted in the report are the ‘Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act’, ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’, ‘Sagarmala’, ‘Swachh Bharat’ campaign and the Aadhaar Act. • The report outlined that as the fastest growing major economy of the world, India is uniquely placed to deliver on its commitments to inclusive and sustainable development. • As per the report, Indian Government will conduct Bi-annual reviews with the state governmentsfor identifying good practices as well as challenges and undertaking the appropriate course corrections. • As per the report, Indian Government will work towards ensuring a greater flow of finances and technology from developed countries to developing and least developed nations. List of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Goal 1 No Poverty Goal 2 Zero Hunger Goal 3 Good Health and Well-Being Goal 4 Quality Education Goal 5 Gender Equality Goal 6 Clean Water and Sanitation Goal 7 Affordable and Clean Energy Goal 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth Goal 9 Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure Goal 10 Reduced Inequalities Goal 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities Goal 12 Responsible Consumption and Production Goal 13 Climate Action Goal 14 Life Below Water Goal 15 Life on Land Goal 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions Goal 17 Partnerships for the Goals
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Mike Bloomberg delivers remarks at the launch of the WHO Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic As per World Health Organization (WHO) Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic, 2017, launched at the United Nations on July 19, 2017, several countries have implemented tobacco control policies, ranging from graphic pack warnings and advertising bans to no smoking areas. • The report has been funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies. • Michael R. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies is WHO Global Ambassador for Non-communicable Diseases. Highlights of WHO Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic, 2017: • As per the report, currently, about 4.7 billion people – 63% of the world’s population – are covered by at least one comprehensive tobacco control measure, which has quadrupled since 2007 when only 1 billion people and 15% of the world’s population were covered. • However,tobacco industry continues to hamper government efforts to fully implement life- and cost-saving interventions. • One third of countries have comprehensive systems to monitor tobacco use.This is up from one quarter of countries monitoring tobacco use in 2007. • It has been mentioned in the report that Nepal, India and the Philippines are among countries that conducted WHO-backed initiatives to monitor tobacco use and then implemented measures to protect people from tobacco. • India launched a nationwide tobacco cessation programme and toll-free quit line in 2016 after conducting a “global adult tobacco survey” in 2009–10 that revealed high interest among almost 1 in 2 smokers and users of smokeless products to quit eventually. • Report outlines that one in 10 deaths around the world is caused by tobacco, but that can be changed through MPOWER tobacco control measures, which have proven highly effective.
India, China, Pakistan among 10 nations accounting for 95% of HIV infections - UN report As per a report titled ‘Ending AIDS: Progress towards the 90-90-90 targets’ by the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS, UNAIDS, India, China and Pakistan are among the 10 countries that accounted for more than 95% of all new HIV infections in the Asia and the Pacific region in 2016. Highlights of ‘Ending AIDS: Progress towards the 90-90-90 targets’: The report gives a comprehensive analysis of the 2014 targets to accelerate progress so that by 2020, 90% of all HIV-infected people know their status, 90% of all HIV-diagnosed people are accessing antiretroviral therapy (ART) and 90% of those taking ART are virally suppressed.
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• As per the report, positive developments have been observed for the first time in the fight against AIDS as more than half of all people living with the HIV virus now have access to treatment, while AIDS-related deaths have nearly halved since 2005. • The report added that last year, 19.5 million of the 36.7 million people living with HIV globally had access to treatment. • The annual number of new HIV infections in Asia and the Pacific has declined from 310,000 in 2010 to 270,000 in 2016, marking a 13% drop. • However, the report has identified India, China, Indonesia, Pakistan, Vietnam, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Thailand and Malaysia as top 10 countries which together accounted for more than 95% of all new HIV infections in the region in 2016. • In India, a respondent-driven sampling survey across 26 cities found that knowledge of HIV status was 41% among people living with HIV who inject drugs. Of those who knew their HIV status, only 52 per cent were accessing antiretroviral therapy and 83 per cent of those accessing treatment were virally suppressed. • The report also shows that globally, 30% of people living with HIV still do not know their status, 17.1 million are unable to access ART and more than half are not virally suppressed.
India ranks 132 in Commitment to Reducing Inequality Index India has ranked 132nd out of 152 countries on the inaugural “Commitment to Reducing Inequality Index” released by international NGO Oxfam in association with Developmental Finance International. Highlights of Commitment to Reducing Inequality Index: Sweden topped the index while Nigeria took the bottom most spot. Sweden is followed by Belgium, Denmark, Norway and Germany. • Among India’s neighbouring countries, China’s rank is 87; Pakistan fared worse than India at 146 while Bangladesh ranked at 148. • While countries such as Sweden, Chile, Namibia and Uruguay have taken strong steps to reduce inequality, countries such as India and Nigeria do very badly overall. • The report also noted that some middle-income countries are spending significantly less than nations that are rich today did at a similar point in their economic development. • Oxfam’s research has shown that since the turn of the century, the poorest half of the world’s population has received just 1% of the total increase in global wealth, while the top 1% received 50% of the increase. Commitment to Reducing Inequality Index – Top 10: 1 Sweden 6 Finland 2 Belgium 7 Austria 3 Denmark 8 France 4 Norway 9 Netherlands 67 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage copyrights 2017 @ AffairsCloud.com
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5 Germany 10 Luxembourg India third largest terror target after Iraq and Afghanistan - US report According to National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (NCSTRT) data compiled by the US state department, India is third after Iraq and Afghanistan on a list of countries facing terror attacks in 2016. Earlier, Pakistan held the third position. Analysis of Terror Attack in India: Out of 11,072 terror attacks in 2016 worldwide, 927 attacks occurred in India, 16% more than 2015 (798). The number of deaths in India also rose 17% from 289 in 2015 to 337 last year while the number of injured increased from 500 in 2015 to 636 last year. • The US analysis has labelled Naxalsthe third most deadly terror organisation in the world after IS and Taliban, even ahead of Boko Haram. In 2016, nearly two third of terror attacks in India were carried out by Naxals. • The CPI (Maoist) was behind 336 terror attacks last year in which 174 people were killed and 141 were injured. • More than half of the terror attacks in India in 2016 took place in four states – J&K, Chhattisgarh, Manipur and Jharkhand. • Jammu & Kashmir saw a surge of 93% in terror attacks last year. However, as per Indian home ministry’s annual report 2016-17, there was 54.81% increase in terror incidents in the state. • According to the NCSTRT data, total number of people kidnapped or taken hostage in terrorist attacks in India has reduced 63% from 866 in 2015 to 317 in 2016. • On average, terrorist attacks in India caused 0.4 total deaths per attack in 2016, compared to 2.4 deaths per attack worldwide. • Nearly three quarters of attacks (73%) in India in 2016 were non-lethal. • The deadliest terror attack in India last year was in July 2016 when Naxals attacked CRPF men in Bihar in which 16 people, including assailants, were killed. Analysis of terror attacks across the world: The US has identified 334 groups and organisations behind terror attacks in 2016 worldwide, while there were 288 such groups active in 2015. • It says that number of total attacks worldwide in 2016 reduced by 9% (11,072) against 12,121 in 2015 and total deaths worldwide also reduced by 13% in 2016 (25,621) as compared to 2015 (29,424).
India stands 4th among fastest growing economies - World Bank As per World Bank’s latest edition of the report titled ‘Global Economic Prospects – A fragile recovery’, India is the fourth fastest growing economy in the world behind Estonia, Uzbekistan and Nepal.
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World Bank’s Outlook on Prospects of Indian Economy: World Bank analysts have mentioned that recent data on Indian economy indicates acceleration in growth, with an easing of cash shortages and a rise in exports. • An increase in government spending, including on capital formation, has partially offset soft private investment. • For FY 2017-18, Indian economy is expected to grow at 7.2%. For following fiscal year it will grow at 7.5% • It pegs world GDP to grow at 2.7 percent in 2017 and 2.9 percent in 2018-19.Emerging market and developing economies (EMDEs) are expected to grow at 4.1 percent in 2017 and reach an average of 4.6 percent in 2018-19. World Bank’s Outlook on Prospects of Chinese Economy: As per World Bank, Chinese economy is showing clear sign of slowdown and ranks at number 16 in terms of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate. • Chinese economy is anticipated to slow to 6.5% this year and 6.3% in 2018.
Singapore Airlines rated best airline in the world Singapore Airlines has been rated as the world’s best airline in a survey by the Travel + Leisure (T+L) magazine. About ‘Top 10 International Airlines’ list by ‘Travel + Leisure’: Every year for the ‘World’s Best Awards’ survey, T+L asks readers to give feedback on their travel experiences around the globe. In this survey, readers share their opinions on the top cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. • The ‘Top 10 International Airlines’ list has been compiled on basis of this survey. • This year’s list has been topped by Singapore Airlines. It has been rated No. 1 airlines for all 22 years of the World’s Best survey. • Singapore Airlines is followed by Emirates and Qatar Airways, which ranked 2 and 3, respectively. The Top 10 International Airlines: 1 Singapore Airlines 6 Virgin Atlantic 2 Emirates 7 Air New Zealand 3 Qatar Airways 8 Korean Air 4 Cathay Pacific 9 All Nippon Airways (ANA) 5 Japan Airlines 10 Eva Air Gujarat continues to have highest investment potential - NCAER study According to the second edition of National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) State Investment Potential Index (N-SIPI 2017) report, Gujarat has retained the top position in the list of 21 states and UTs with most investment potential. Highlights of N-SIPI 2017: Gujarat is followed by Delhi, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh.
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• Haryana and Telangana have moved rapidly up the ranks to finish among the top five. • While Gujarat topped on the indicator of economic climate and perceptions, Delhi ranked first in infrastructure. • Tamil Nadu topped the chart in labour indicator and Madhya Pradesh ranked one in land • The report has highlighted that although Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal are ranked among the least favourable states for investment, they rank higher under individual pillars.
40% Fortune 500 corporates are Asian, 7 Indian companies in the list 197 Asian companies have featured in the latest edition of the Fortune Global 500 list, which ranks companies by their revenues in 2016. ♦ With 197 companies (nearly 40%) on the list Asia is now home to more of these global giants than any other continent, followed by North America (145) and Europe (143). The rest of the world has a mere 15 companies on the list. Fortune Global 500 list– Top 10: Rank Company Country of Origin 1 Walmart US 2 State Grid China 3 Sinopec China 4 China Petroleum China 5 Toyota Motor Japan Indian Companies in Fortune Global 500 list: Total 7 Indian companies have featured in this list out of which four are from the public sector. • Indian Oil, ranked at 168th is the only Indian company in the top 200. • Other six Indian companies in the list are Reliance Industries (203), State Bank of India (217), Tata Motors(247), Rajesh Exports (295), Bharat Petroleum (360) and Hindustan Petroleum (384).
India is world's third-biggest beef exporter says OECD-FAO report As per Agricultural Outlook 2017-2026 report released by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation (OECD), India is the world’s third-biggest exporter of beef and is projected to hold on to that position over the next decade. Agricultural Outlook 2017-2026 – Data on Beef Exports: As per the report, India exported 1.56 million tonnes of beef last year and is expected to maintain its position as the third-largest beef exporter over the next decade. • It has been estimated that India will export 1.93 tonnes beef in 2026 which will account for 16% of global beef exports.
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• The type of beef exported was not specified, but the meat exported appeared to be mostly from buffaloes as the report specified the animal for imports by Myanmar from India. • According to the OECD database, India imported 363,000 tonnes of beef last year and the amount is projected to stay the same over the decade. • The report outlined that total world beef exports in 2016 was 10.95 million tonnes and is expected to increase to 12.43 million tonnes by 2026. • For 2016, Brazil was ranked as the world’s top beef exporter, followed by Australia.
India will need $4.5 trillion by 2040 for infrastructure - Global Infrastructure Outlook As per `Global Infrastructure Outlook’ released by Global Infrastructure Hub (GIH), India will need investments to the tune of around USD 4.5 trillion till 2040 to develop infrastructure to improve economic growth and community wellbeing. The report is based on an intensive study of 50 countries and seven industry sectors. India specific Highlights of ‘Global Infrastructure Outlook’ Report: As per the report, rising income levels and economic prosperity is likely to drive significant demand for infrastructure investment in India over the next 25 years. • Taking sustainable development goals (SDGs) into account, it is predicted that India will need additional USD 888 billion by 2030 to provide universal household access to electricity and water. • In absolute terms, the total investment needed to meet the SDGs is greatest in India – a total of USD 1.3 trillion of investment is needed by 2030, more than China, which is USD 257 billion. • The report highlighted that on account of rural to urban migration in India urban population is growing by 46%, triggering massive demand for infrastructure support. Infrastructure Spending in Global Context: To support global economic growth and to bridge infrastructure gaps, it is forecasted that cost of US$94 trillion has to be incurred by 2040, with a further USD 3.5 trillion needed to meet the UN SDGs (sustainable development goals) for universal household, access to drinking water and electricity by 2030, bringing the total to USD 97 trillion. • The reports has expressed concerns that nearly a fifth of the $94 trillion in global infrastructure investment needed by 2040 risks being unfunded if current spending trends continue. • To close the spending gap, annual infrastructure spending needs to rise to 3.5% from 3% of global gross domestic product.
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Bengaluru ranks 40 among top 50 cities for women entrepreneurs - Dell Bengaluru has ranked 40th out of 50 cities on Women Entrepreneur (WE) Cities Index 2017 study released by Dell. The index ranks cities in terms of its ability to attract and foster growth of women-owned firms. Highlights of Women Entrepreneur (WE) Cities Index 2017: Besides Bengaluru, the only other Indian city in the top 50 list is Delhi at 49th spot. • New York topped the list, followed by Bay Area (US), London (UK), Boston (US) and Stockholm (Sweden). • Singapore was at the 8th spot, the only city from Asia Pacific and Japan region. • In the top 10 cities overall, six are in the U.S., two are in Europe, one is in Canada and one is in Asia. • Study outlined that globally, women’s entrepreneurship rates are growing more than 10% each year. Women Entrepreneur (WE) Cities Index – Top 10: 1 New York (US) 6 Los Angeles (US) 2 Bay Area (US) 7 Washington D.C. (US) 3 London (UK) 8 Singapore 4 Boston (US) 9 Toronto (Canada) 5 Stockholm (Sweden) 10 Seattle (US)
BANKING & FINANCE
GST comes into force after 17 years of debate Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime officially came into force from July 1, 2017. Government launched the Goods and Services Tax (GST) at a special midnight meeting in Central Hall of Parliament. Highlights of GST Launch Ceremony: President Pranab Mukherjee and PM Modi pressed a button in a specially crafted box at the stroke of midnight and formally launched GST.
• Besides, President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Vice – President Hamid Ansari, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, Former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda and Union Cabinet Ministers including Finance Minister Arun Jaitley were present at the launch ceremony.
• It is to be noted that members of Congress, RJD, DMK and Left parties boycotted the launch ceremony, whereas members of NCP, the JD-U and the JD-S broke ranks with opposition parties to attend the launch ceremony. July 1 to be observed as GST Day As per an order issued by Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC), July 1 will be known as ‘GST Day’ and will be celebrated in all offices of CBEC just as Central Excise Day and 72 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage copyrights 2017 @ AffairsCloud.com
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International Customs Day.
• On July 1, 2017, all the offices of the Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) have been instructed to remain open as a trade facilitation measure.
• In order to facilitate smooth switchover to GST, Government has asked tax offices to convert into GST Seva-Kendras for providing all assistance to tax payers.
• In addition to this, name board of the field offices will be re-named as Central GST Zone/ Commissionrate/ Division/ Range and the logo ‘One Nation, One Tax, One Market’ will be displayed prominently on the name boards/banners/office letterheads.
India's economic growth rate at 7.3% in 2017-18 - RBI report As per Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) Financial Stability Report 2017, released on June 30, 2017, reform initiatives like goods and services (GST) and continuing political stability will push the economic growth scale to 7.3% in terms of gross value added (GVA) in 2017-18. Gross Value Added: GVA is also a measure of output similar to Gross Domestic Product (GDP). GDP figure is arrived at by adding taxes and subtracting subsidies from GVA. Highlights of RBI’s Financial Stability Report 2017: Lower fiscal deficit at 3.2% for this year down from 3.5% in 2016-17, increasing public capex and support to poorer households, small businesses and the rural sector have been cited as reasons for a better economic outlook.
• The report has outlined that reforms in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and real estate sector, and revival in external demand are likely to contribute to a better growth outlook.
• CPI inflation is expected to be in the range of 2-3.5% in the first half of the year and 3.5-4.5% in the second half. Retail inflation, excluding food and fuel that remained sticky during H2 of FY17 at around 4.9%, dipped to 4.3% in April and 4.2% in May 2017, largely reflecting the impact of decline in global crude oil prices on transport and communication and moderate price pressures in services.
India contributes USD 500000 to UN Peacebuilding Fund India has contributed USD 500,000 to the UN Peacebuilding Fund, expressing hope that more funding by nations will boost efforts by the world body to build and sustain peace. i. In October 2006, UN Secretary-General established a Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) for post- conflict peace building initiatives following a request from the General Assembly and the Security Council. ii. The fund was launched to support activities, actions, programmes and organisations that seek to build a lasting peace in countries emerging from conflict.
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Govt lowers interest rate by 0.1 % on small saving schemes for July -Sep quarter
The government has lowered interest rate on small saving schemes like PPF, Kisan Vikas Patra and Sukanya Samriddhi by 0.1% for the July- September quarter. i. The rates have been lowered by 0.1% across the board compared to the April-June quarter. ii. The Interest rate on savings deposits has been retained at 4% annually. The interest rates for small savings schemes are to be notified on a quarterly basis. iii. Investments in the public provident fund (PPF) scheme will fetch lower annual rate of 7.8%. iv. Kisan Vikas Patra (KVP) investments will yield 7.5% and mature in 115 months. v. The one for girl child savings, Sukanya Samriddhi Account Scheme, will offer 8.3% annually, from 8.4% at present. vi. The investment on 5-year Senior Citizens Savings Scheme will yield 8.3%. and the interest rate on the senior citizens scheme is paid quarterly. vii. Term deposits of 1-5 years will fetch a lower 6.8-7.6% that will be paid quarterly while the 5-year recurring deposit has been pegged lower at 7.1%. viii. Since April last year, interest rates of all small saving schemes have been recalibrated on a quarterly basis.
PNB to block all Maestro debit cards from July 31 Punjab National Bank (PNB) will block all the Maestro debit cards from 31st of July 2017 if the card holders will fail to replace it with a more secure EMV chip based card by the end of this month. i. The bank will not charge anything for the replacement and it will be provided free of cost. ii. The replacement is as per RBI advisory issued in 2015, asking all the banks to convert to a secured EMV chip based cards. iii. According to the bank data it has identified that there are about one lakh customers with old Maestro debit cards and has started sending them SMSes as well.
Karnataka Bank launched KBL-Image Debit Card Karnataka Bank has launched the ‘KBL-Image Debit Card’ on 2nd of July 2017. i. Karnataka Bank has enabled its cardholders to personalise the card with the image of his/her choice. ii. The customers will have the option of selecting an image either from the bank’s gallery of images or any image of his/her choice to be printed on the debit card.
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Bashar Assad face of new Syria bank note The Syrian Central Bank has announced that a new 2000 Syrian Pound bank note with the face of President Bashar al-Assad will soon go into circulation. i. The notes are the first time Syria will depict President Bashar al-Assad on its currency since he took office 17 years ago. ii. Assad's face appears on the new banknotes at a time when his government is boasting military successes against the armed rebellion across the country.
FINO becomes payments bank According to the Reserve Bank of India FINO Payments Bank has commenced the operations as a payments bank with effect from 30th June, 2017 i. FINO Pay Tech Ltd, Navi Mumbai, was one of the 11 applicants which were issued in- principle approval for setting up a payments bank. ii. Besides FINO, the other applicants which have launched payment bank operations are Airtel M Commerce Services, Department of Posts and Vijay Shekhar Sharma (Paytm Payments Bank).
UPI crosses 1 crore transaction in June, says NPCI On July 3, 2017, National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) announced that its Unified Payments Interface (UPI) has crossed 1 crore transactions mark in June 2017. : i. NPCI Managing Director and CEO A.P. Hota has mentioned that this is a staggering 10-fold increase in 11 months from barely one million UPI transactions in August 2016 to over 10 million in June this year. ii. UPI transactions shot up from 7.20 million in April 2017 to 9.36 million in May 2017 and in June 2017 it crossed 10.35 million transactions.
ADB pledges USD 220mn for improving road connectivity in Rajasthan Asian Development Bank (ADB) has committed USD 220 million for improving road connectivity as well as transport efficiency and safety on state highways of Rajasthan on 3rd of July 2017. i. The loan is the first tranche of the USD 500 million Rajasthan State Highways Investment Programme, approved by the ADB Board in May this year. ii. It will upgrade about 2,000 kilometers of state highways and major district roads to two- lane or intermediate-lane standards to meet road safety requirements. iii. The main aim of ADB and the government will together strengthen the transportation efficiency of the state highway. iv .It will have a 25-year term, including a grace period of 8 years.
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RBI ups FPI investment limit in g-secs by over 4% for Jul-Sep Reserve Bank has raised the FPI investment limit in government securities by 4.7% to Rs 2.42 lakh crore (Rs 2.42 billion) for July-September quarter, mainly to increase foreign capital inflows. i. The foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) will be allowed to raise their investment in state development loans (SDLs) by Rs 6,100 crore (Rs 61 billion) to Rs 33,100 crore (Rs 331 billion) for September quarter of the current fiscal. ii. The overall limit of FPI investment in government securities goes up to Rs 2.75 lakh crore ( Rs 2,751 billion) from Rs 2.58 lakh crore (Rs 2,580 billion). iii. There will be future increases in the limit for FPI investment in g-secs will be allocated in the ratio of 75% for long term category of FPIs and 25% for general category.
Credit card bill payment exempt from cash dealing limit As per a notification issued by Revenue Department, restrictions on cash dealings of Rs. 2 lakh or more will not apply to credit card bill payments, business correspondents appointed by banks and issuers of prepaid instruments. i. It is to be noted that the Finance Act 2017 banned cash transaction of 2 lakh or above with effect April 1, 2017. However, some exceptions were made. ii. Five entities have been exempted from this rule. These include receipts by a business correspondent on behalf of a banking company or co-operative bank; and receipt by a company or institution issuing credit cards against bills raised in respect of one or more credit cards.
China-backed AIIB approves USD 329 million loan for Gujarat rural roads China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has said its board has approved USD 329 million loan to build access roads to 4,000 villages in Gujarat on 5th of July 2017. i. The AIIB has approved to build access roads to approximately 4,000 villages in all 33 districts of Gujarat, India. iv. The project will also better integrate rural population, tribal villages, business and industries with the national and state economy through better transport connectivity.
Yes Bank clinches new pact with Santander in UK Yes Bank has signed an MoU in London with Santander to promote India-UK trade and business opportunities on 5th of July 2017. i. Yes bank is the India’s fourth-largest private sector bank.
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ii. The MoU covers access for Indian businesses looking to expand globally to access
Santanders support network in the UK. iii. The main objective of both the organization is to boost international trade links.
Axis Bank launches super bikes loans; to fund 95% of costs Axis Bank has introduced a special super bike loans for the bike lovers on 5th of July 2017. i.The loan will offer funding up to 95% of their costs. ii. The loans which are for Bikes with an engine displacement of over 500 cubic centimetres(cc) will come at a price tag of 10-11% per annum. iii. The leisure biking segment is expected to grow at 30% per annum over the next three years.
Srei, Russian development bank to create $200 mn innovation fund Kolkata-headquartered Srei Infrastructure Finance has signed an MoU with Russia's Vnesheconombank on to create a $200 million IT and Innovation Fund. i. The MoU was signed last month at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in the presence of Prime-Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin. ii. This MoU provides for a credit line of $500 million to Srei.
Indus OS, YES Bank to launch OS-integrated UPI payment platform Indus OS has announced a partnership with YES BANK to launch the first OS integrated UPI payment platform on 6th of July 2017. i. Both the companies intend to launch the first of its kind framework for the UPI platform, which does not require users to download any additional applications. ii. Their main aim is to further drive up the existing growth rate of UPI-based transactions. iii. The OS-integrated UPI payment platform built by allowing more deep and contextual integration with the smartphone experience. iv. The UPI payment platform is integrated with the SMS and dialer interfaces of the device.
EPFO ties up with 5 banks to collect PF dues EPFO a retirement fund body has inked pacts with five banks for collections of provident dues and to make retirement payments. i. Employers having bank account with these banks can now deposit PF dues directly in EPFO's account using internet banking in real time basis. ii. The tie-ups with Bank of Baroda, ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, Axis Bankand Kotak Mahindra Bank will help EPFO save around Rs 125 crore a year and expedite its investments as well as payment of benefits to its members. 77 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage copyrights 2017 @ AffairsCloud.com
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iii. The transaction charges for making payments to members in their accounts in different banks used to cost us Rs 350 crore a year.
South Indian Bank ties up with PFG Forex South Indian Bank has tied up with PFG Forex for remittance facility for the benefit of Indian expatriates from Australia on 6th of July 2017. i. Under this arrangement, NRIs can enjoy cost-effective and fast remittance services using SIB's Express facility. ii. NRIs can visit the PFG Forex outlets across Australia for remittances to India.
India likely to clock 6.9% GDP growth this fiscal - BMI Research According to a report by BMI Research, Indian economy is expected to clock a real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth of 6.9% in this financial year. Highlights of Report by BMI Research: According to a report by BMI Research, India's growth is expected to pick up in coming quarters by overriding the negative effects from the demonetisation drive in November 2016. • The report noted that the negative effects from demonetisation is already wearing off, and the Indian economy is likely benefit from positive demographic trends, greater external stability (due to improved terms of trade from low oil prices), and continued reforms. • However it noted that public banking sector is still weak on account of mounting non- performing assets and it is likely to cap the recovery.== • Elaborating this situation, the report mentioned that despite Reserve Bank of India's efforts to clean up these bad loans, it will still weigh on the economy for some more time and will thereby negatively affect credit allocation to the productive sectors. • The report outlined that Real GDP growth slowed substantially to 6.1% year-on- year in the fourth quarter of 2016-17. • Owing to structural slowdown in China, poor policy mix in Japan, and policy uncertainty in South Korea, the report has forecasted slow economic growth in North Asia over the course of 2017 and 2018.
India to be base to economic pole of global growth - Harvard study As per a study presented by researchers at Centre for International Development (CID) at Harvard University, India will be the base to the economic pole of global growth over the coming decade, remaining ahead of China. Outlook for India: The study mentioned that India and Uganda top the list of the fastest growing economies to 2025, at 7.7% annually. 78 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage copyrights 2017 @ AffairsCloud.com
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• India, Indonesia, and Vietnam have accumulated new capabilities that allow for more
diverse and more complex production that predicts faster growth in the coming years Observations pertaining to Global Economy and China: The study has warned of a continued slowdown in global growth over the coming decade. • Growth in emerging markets is predicted to continue to outpace that of advanced economies, though not uniformly. • The projections are optimistic about new growth hubs in East Africa and new segments of South-East Asia, led by Indonesia and Vietnam. • The growth projections are based on measures of each country’s economic complexity, which captures the diversity and sophistication of the productive capabilities embedded in its exports and the ease with which it could further diversify by expanding those capabilities. • China’s economic complexity ranking has fallen for the first time since the global financial crisis. • The growth projections still have China growing above the world average, at 4% annually for the coming decade.
RBI notifies norms to limit liability of consumers hit by transaction fraud The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on 6th July directed banks to credit the amount involved in the unauthorised electronic transaction within 10 working days to the account holder from the date of such notification by the customer (without waiting for settlement of insurance claim, if any). i. RBI also said that banks need to ask their customers to mandatorily register for SMS alerts and e-mail alerts for electronic banking transactions. ii. Reserve Bank of India has capped the customer liability at Rs 25,000 if they report unauthorised transactions within seven working days. iii. Banks shall ensure that the resolution of a customer complaint does not exceed 90 days from the date of receipt of the complaint. iv. Customers will have zero liability if there is a breach of the security architecture and systems of the bank, provided it is reported within three working days after receiving a communication from the bank . v. The longer the time taken to notify the bank, the higher will be the risk of loss to the bank/ customer.
RBI allows NBFCs to offer new pension scheme The Reserve Bank of India(RBI) has allowed Non Banking Finance Companies to sell and market the new pension scheme ( NPS). ♦ Those NBFCs which have asset size of Rs 500 crore and above that and have made a net profit in the preceding financial year are permitted to sell NPS to their clients after 79 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage copyrights 2017 @ AffairsCloud.com
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registration with the pension regulator.
♦ According to the RBI NPS subscription collected by them from the public is deposited on the day of collection itself with the trustee bank
Canara HSBC Oriental Bank of Commerce Life Insurance ties up with Dhanlaxmi Bank for marketing bancassurance Private life insurance company Canara HSBC Oriental Bank of Commerce Life Insurance, has tied up with Dhanlaxmi Bank for marketing bancassurance on 7th July 2017. i. All the life insurance products of Canara HSBC Oriental Bank of Commerce Life Insurance would be made available to customers of Dhanlaxmi Bank and would be sold by the licensed staff of the bank. ii. As part of the agreement, the bank will be a corporate agent for 3 years.
RBI considering setting up Public Credit Registry in India Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is considering setting up a public credit registry in India to address the twin balance sheet problem of the banking sector and the corporate sector. RBI Deputy Governor Viral Acharya highlighted the need to set up a public credit registry while delivering the theme talk at the 11th Statistics Day Conference. Reserve Bank celebrated its ‘11th Annual Statistics Day Conference’ on July 04, 2017 on the Theme ‘New Frontiers on Statistical Methods and Information Base for Central Banks’. What is Public Credit Registry? According to the World Bank Doing Business Project, "Public credit registry coverage reports the number of individuals and firms listed in a public credit registry with current information on repayment history, unpaid debts, or credit outstanding. The number is expressed as a percentage of the adult population." • Public Credit Registry is managed by a public authority like the central bank or the banking supervisor, and reporting of loan details to the registry by lenders and/or borrowers is mandated by law. Expected Benefits from Public Credit Registry: Acharya mentioned that public credit registry will help RBI in effectively monitoring delinquencies in credit market and intervene at an early phase. • It will bring in efficiency in the credit market by helping the lenders in appraisals and monitoring of the loan portfolio. • The registry will also help the cause of financial inclusion of the small businesses and individuals by allowing them to establish their reputation via the registry. • Based on available details of collaterals, the registry can enable the writing of contracts that prevent over-pledging of collateral by a borrower.
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India to join new Global foreign exchange committee India will soon get a seat on the Global Foreign Exchange Committee (GFXC), a newly- constituted forum of central bankers and experts working towards promotion of a robust and transparent forex market. i. The Financial Stability Board (FSB), an international body for global financial system, in a progress report on ‘reducing misconduct risks in the financial sector’. ii. The committee was set up in London during a meeting in May 2017 of public and private sector representatives from the foreign exchange committees of 16 international forex trading centres.
MobiKwik, Samsung Pay to enable one-tap payment solution for e-wallet users MobiKwik and Samsung Pay enable one-tap payment solution for e-wallet users. i. According to the digital payments firm MobiKwik wallet is now integrated with Samsung Pay Mini to enable one-tap payments at more than 1.4 million MobiKwik-powered merchants across the country. ii. The government has also introduced a number of schemes to promote adoption of e-payment methods like mobile wallets, debit/credit cards and Unified Payment Interface (UPI). iii. It allows users to just tap and pay using the debit/credit cards and wallets stored on their mobile devices.
Nepal SBI launches first paperless Banking services sbiINTOUCH Nepal SBI Bank, a subsidiary of the State Bank of India, on 8th July launched its fully automatic digital banking services sbiINTOUCH in Kathmandu. i. This is for the first time the State Bank of India has expanded the paperless banking system outside India. ii. Nepal Rastra Bank Governor Chirinjibi Nepal, SBI Banks chairperson Arundhati Bhattacharya and Indian Ambassador to Nepal Manjeev Singh Puri, jointly inaugurated the new service in Nepal. iii. It will offer customers products like Savings Bank, Saral Bachat Account and Combo Savings Account and the branch will have facilities like kiosks for account opening, debit card printing and ATM.
RBI amends order on bankruptcy action on 12 large NPAs The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has amended its earlier order asking banks to initiate bankruptcy proceedings against 12 companies which have outstanding loans amounting to over Rs 5,000 crore as on March 2016. i. The Gujarat High Court asked the RBI to remove the stipulation on its order last month that 81 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage copyrights 2017 @ AffairsCloud.com
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the 12 non-performing assets (NPAs), would be granted priority at the National Company Law Tribunal. ii. Essar Steel, one of the 12 large NPAs identified by the RBI, had approached the Gujarat High Court for the RBI proceedings
Govt launches next gold bond tranche from July 10, 2017 The next tranche of sovereign gold bond (SGB) scheme will be launched by Government on July 10, 2017. This time is providing a 2.5 per cent annual interest to investors. i. In previous this was launched in November 2015 to rectify the demand for physical gold and shift a part of the domestic savings, used for the purchase of gold, into financial savings. ii. The bonds will be available in banks, Stock Holding Corporation of India Limited (SHCIL), designated post offices and recognized stock exchanges namely National Stock Exchange of India Limited(NSE) and Bombay Stock Exchange(BSE) and bond applications will be accepted from July 10 to July 14 ,2017. iii. Reserve Bank India will be issued the gold bonds to eligible applicants on July 28.The Bonds will not be eligible for sale to resident Indian entities including individuals, HUFs, Trusts, Universities and Charitable Institutions. iv. The minimum investment will be 1 gram of gold. The maximum limit can be subscribed up to 500 grams per person per fiscal year (April-March). A self-declaration to this effect will be obtained.
FM launches a new tax payer service module ‘Aaykar Setu’ A new tax payer service module ‘Aaykar Setu’, was launched by the Union Finance Minister, Shri Arun Jaitley on 10th of July 2017. i. It has been launched to enhance mobile access experience and a mobile responsive android version was also released along with the desktop version. ii. The module compiles various tax tools, live chat facility, dynamic updates and important links to various processes within the Income Tax Department in a single module. iii .This e-initiative would help in reducing physical interface between assesses and tax assessing authorities. iv .It would also help in minimizing the chances of any tax harassment. v .It will bring a new step by the Income Tax Department (ITD) to directly communicate with the taxpayers. vi. It will also help in giving multiple informative and useful tax services and aimed at providing tax information at their fingertips.
36th Foundation Day of NABARD celebrated on July 11 2017 Union Finance Minister, Arun Jaitley was the Chief Guest on the occasion of 36th Foundation Day of National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), celebrated at Vigyan
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Bhavan in New Delhi on July 11, 2017. i. NABARD dedicated this day to celebrate the Silver Jubilee (25 years) of Self Help Group Bank Linkage Programme (SHG BLP). ii. Self Help Group Bank Linkage Programme (SHG BLP) is a pioneering initiative of Financial Inclusion by NABARD.The pilot stage of this programme was started in year 1992
Axis Bank, IIC pact to boost trade with Latin America Axis Bank has announced a collaboration with Inter- American Investment Corporation that it will help traders boost relations between India and Latin America. i. Axis Bank said it is the first Indian Bank to be a part of such a facility. ii. It will facilitate trade with Latin America and the Caribbean in which Axis Bank will participate in the Trade Finance Facilitation Programme (TFFP) as a confirming bank. iii. The collaboration aims to foster bilateral trade relations by allowing ease of transactions.
SBI waives charge on IMPS fund transfer of up to Rs 1,000 SBI has waived charges for fund transfer of up to Rs 1,000 through its IMPS (Immediate Payment Service) to promote small transactions. i. State Bank of India charge Rs 5 along with the applicable service tax for IMPS fund transfer of up to Rs 1,000. ii. For IMPS, the charge will be Rs 5 along with GST for fund transfer in the range of Rs 1,000 to Rs 1 lakh. iii. The charge will go up to Rs 15 for transactions of Rs 1-2 lakh.
YES BANK Launches 'YES GST' Program to Assist MSMEs YES BANK, India's fourth largest private sector bank, along with YES Global Institute has launched 'YES GST' program for MSMEs(Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises) under its MSME CSR initiative, 'Say YES to Sustainable MSMEs in India'. i. YES BANK is organizing more than 3,000 events on GST over the next 6 months in partnership with National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC), Federation of Indian Export Organizations (FIEO) and Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA), among others. ii. The bank will help MSMEs to understand the impact of the changes in tax system and prepare them to know the new GST tax system. iii. The Bank has also created a portal http://www.Yesbank.In/yes-gst which will be easy-to- understand knowledge material of all GST related information. iv. YES BANK has set up a missed call no. (8080945075) for MSMEs to address their queries on GST
Chhattisgarh govt to merge DCCBs with state cooperative bank The Chhattisgarh government has planned to merge all district cooperative central banks 83 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage copyrights 2017 @ AffairsCloud.com
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(DCCBs) of the state into a single State Cooperative Bank. i. It aimed to serve the farmers with better and efficient banking facilities. ii. The cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Raman Singh at Mantralaya on 12 July 2017 and gave approval in this regard. iii. After the decision, all DCCBs will be amalgamated into one state cooperative bank. It will enact a strong financial infrastructure and emerge as a effective bank. iv. All the 264 branches of the DCCBs will continue to function in the state as same as earlier but from now on will give its services as a scheduled cooperative bank. v. The decision will be benefit the farmers and the interest rates will come down by another 1.5 to 2% on loans to farmers. vi. This will directly affect the state government's interest subsidy, where it will be saving Rs 40-50 crore annually.
YES Bank gets $150 mn from OPIC to fund SME lending YES Bank has got $150 million funding from US government and Wells Fargo to fund SME lending on 14th of July 2017. i. This is the third round of funding between the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) US government development finance institution and Wells Fargo. ii. Its main objective is to increase lending to small and medium enterprises in India. iii. SMEs contribute about 45% of industrial output and employ 42 million people in the country. iv. It is estimated that 3 million women owned businesses in India employ over 8 million people.
Business houses get time till August 16 to opt for GST composition scheme under GST till August 16 The government has extended the deadline till 16th August for businesses to opt for composition scheme under the GST regime. It has been announced on 22nd of July 2017. i. Small businesses with turnover of up to Rs 75 lakh were earlier given time till July 21 to opt for the scheme in the Goods and Services Tax regime. ii. To opt for composition scheme, the taxpayer needs to log into his account at the GST Portal http://www.gst.gov.in iii. They have to select ‘Application to opt for the Composition Scheme’ under ‘Services’ menu and then fill up the Form GST CMP-01 to opt for the scheme. iv. Under composition scheme, traders, manufacturers and restaurants can pay tax at 1%, 2% and 5%, respectively.
SBI launches realty website 'SBI-Realty' to facilitate home buyers SBI bank has launched ‘SBI Realty’ www.sbirealty.in . It is a one stop integrated website for home buyers.The lender is expected to expand its home loancredit through such move.
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i. SBI-Realty will help customers to choose their desired home from the universe of 3000 SBI approved projects across the country. ii. There are 9.5 lakhs home units available on the website. Customers can compare current and past trends of prices for the properties in various localities in the city. iii. These projects are spread across 13 states and Union Territories covering 30 cities including metros, semi metro and towns.
India on track to grow at 7.4 per cent in 2017: Asian Development Bank report According to ADB India is expected to achieve the projected growth rate of 7.4% in 2017 and further up 7.6% on 2018. i. According to the report, South Asia will be the fastest growing of all sub-regions in Asia and the Pacific, with growth on track to meet original projections of 7% in 2017 and 7.2% in 2018. ii. ADB has upgraded its growth outlook in the Asian region to 5.9% in 2017 from 5.7% and to 5.8% for 2018 from 5.7%.
Rs 20 notes in Mahatma Gandhi 2005 series soon: RBI The Reserve Bank of India will shortly issue bank notes of denomination Rs 20 in Mahatma Gandhi series 2005. It will be similar in design to those currently in circulation. i. According to the RBI, the new notes will be bearing inset letter 'S' in the number panel and signature of Governor Urjit R Patel. ii. The design of these banknotes to be issued now is similar in all aspects to the Rs 20 banknotes in the same series issued earlier.
ICRA, IIFCL launch rating system for infra projects ICRA has launched a new system for rating of infrastructure projects in association with the India Infrastructure Finance Company Ltd (IIFCL). i. The new system will focus on the overall recovery of dues by the investor and lender over the lifecycle of the project. ii. The system has been developed that would enable more long term monies flow into the infrastructure sector. iii. The new rating system will emphasise on the overall recovery of external funds given to the lender.
ICICI Bank offers up to Rs 15 lakh instant personal loan via ATMs ICICI Bank will be offering personal loans of up to Rs 15 lakh through its ATMs. It can be availed by salaried customers even if they haven't previously applied for one. i. The lender will pre-qualify select customers for personal loans using data from credit information companies.
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ii. A customer can get personal loans of upto Rs 15 lakh for a fixed tenure of 60 months. iii. Money will get transferred to the customer's account instantly on completion of this procedure. iv. Customers can also avail personal loans from the Bank’s website, iMobile.
SEBI inks pact with ESMA for Information Exchange on CCPs Markets regulator SEBI has signed a pact with the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) for exchange of information Central Counterparties (CCPs) on 20th July 2017. i. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) and ESMA under the European Markets Infrastructure Regulation (EMIR). ii. Central counter parties are entities that helps to ease clearing and settlement activities. iii. EMIR provides for signing of a cooperation arrangement between ESMA and the relevant non-EU authorities.
BoB signs MoU with DGS&D for services to govt's e-marketplace Bank of Baroda has signed an agreement with Directorate General of Supplies & Disposal (DGS&D) on 21st of July 2017. i. The MoU has been signed for extending various banking services to Government e- Marketplace (GeM). ii. It will benefit all stakeholders and ensure a support system including a dedicated team for seamless functioning of the portal. iii. DGS&D has been mandated to set up GeM. It is an initiative to bring greater transparency and efficiency in public procurements.
Karnataka Bank launches “Met Loan & Life Suraksha” Karnataka Bank has launched a Met Loan & Life Suraksha” (MLLS) for its customers. It has been announced on 20th of July 2017. i. It is a single premium plan covering the loan liability of a customer. ii. This new product will be available across all the 769 branches of the bank for its borrower clients. iii. The bank also introduced ‘KBL MLLS’ app, which marks the celebration of 15 years of partnership with M/s PNB MetLife.
IMF keeps India's growth forecast at 7.2% for 2017-18 In latest update of World Economic Outlook released by International Monetary Fund
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(IMF) on July 24, 2017, economic growth outlook for India has been kept unchanged at 7.2% in 2017-18 and 7.7% in 2018-19. Highlights of IMF’s World Economic Outlook Update: For Indian economy, the report remarked that despite of slowdown following the demonetisation initiative; growth for 2016 at 7.1% was higher than anticipated due to strong government spending in the first part of the year. • India however remains the fastest growing major economy in the region and the world and will continue to grow faster than China in 2017 as well as in 2018. • Economic activity in advanced, emerging and developing economies is forecasted to accelerate in 2017 to 2% and 4.6%, respectively. • IMF has kept its outlook for global growth unchanged at 3.5% in 2017 and 3.6% in 2018. IMF lowered forecasts for US, UK economic growth this year IMF has cut its growth forecast for the UK economy this year after a weak performance in the first three months of 2017. • In its first downgrade for the United Kingdom (UK) since the EU referendum in June 2016, the IMF said it expected the British economy to expand by 1.7% this year, 0.3 points lower than the previous forecast in April 2017. • IMF has also lowered its growth forecast for US to 2.1% in 2017 as well as in 2018
Aurionpro launches a Bank in a Box to reduce branch expansion cost for banks Aurionpro Solutions has launched its Branch-in-a-Box product, the Virtual Teller Machine (VTM) a fully integrated self-service kiosk for automating 90% of banking transactions at the branch level. i. Aurionpro Solutions is a global leader in digital innovation, enterprise security and banking solutions. ii. The VTM helps in migrating routine transactions like KYC, account opening, passbook and statement printing, video assistance, bill payment, cash and cheques.
Nifty creates history, breaches 10,000 mark On July 24, 2017, NSE Nifty breached the 10,000 level for the first time while the BSE Sensex hit another record high of 32,374.30 in opening trade. i. Nifty breached the historic 10,000 level by gaining 44.90 points, or 0.45 %, to trade at an all- time high of 10,011.30, surpassing its previous intra-day high of 9,982.05 touched on July 24, 2017. ii. As per brokers and analysts, upbeat sentiment, sustained capital inflows and widespread buying by retail investors, driven by strong earnings by some NIFTY constituent companies have been the driving factors of the recent rally in Nifty.
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Standard Chartered Bank unveils forex card Standard Chartered Bank has launched a Multi-currency Forex Card for overseas travellers. i. The card will also provide Forex rate lock-in with zero mark-up on cash withdrawals and shopping abroad. ii. The card is designed to offer travelers a secure way to carry money when traveling abroad. iii. It will allow customers the convenience of loading up to 20 widely used currencies on one card with an online reload facility during the overseas travel.
Inflation to rise noticeably to 4.4% in second half of 2017 : Nomura Report According to the Nomura report Retail Inflation in India is expected to rise "noticeably" from 'trough' in June to 4.4% in the second half of 2017. i. According to the Japanese financial services major the inflation expected to see a significant uptrend and rise above the RBI's target. ii. As per the Nomura reports CPI (Consumer Price Index) inflation to rise well above the Reserve Bank of India's mid-point target 4% with core inflation rising to 6.3% in 2018. iii. Retail inflation hit a low level of 1.54% in June on reduction in food items like vegetables, pulses and milk products. iv. In 2018, cyclical factors such as rising rural wage growth, higher minimum support prices and a narrowing output gap is expected to push inflation higher. v. The core CPI inflation is expected to rise to 4.4% and 5.2%, respectively, by end-2017 and average 5.3% and 6.3% in 2018.
SIDBI starts merchant banking operations to help MSMEs tap market Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) has started its full-fledged merchant banking operations to help MSME’s tap market announced on 26th of July 2017. i. Its give benefit to the number of growth-oriented micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), especially those with a strong technology and innovation quotient. ii. Its main aim is to enhance the access of MSMEs to the capital markets, including the SME Trading Platform and Institutional Trading Platform. iii. It will give beneficial to the SME exchange as well as investors seeking liquidity or exit.
Punjab National Bank ties up with Bajaj Allianz General for distribution Punjab National Bank (PNB) and Bajaj Allianz General Insurance have signed an agreement for the distribution of insurance products through the branches on 26th July 2017. i. Under this agreement, Bajaj Allianz General Insurance will offer Personal lines of insurance and Commercial line of insurance products to the banks customers. ♦ Personal Line of Insurance includes health, personal accident, home motor and travel insurance.
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♦ Commercial Line of Insurance includes Property, marine and engineering insurance. ii. The insurance company will also offer wide range of rural insurance products.
BSE inks Cooperation Pact with Egyptian Exchange BSE has joined hands with Egyptian Exchange (EGX) for cooperation in exchange of information across business areas. i. The exchange aim is to cross list and trade securities and It would provide new investment alternatives to investors in both markets. ii. The MoU between BSE and EGX represents an important step in integrating both the exchanges to build capital market flows. iii. Through this MoU a range of opportunities has been explored for the development of their businesses, products and markets to share knowledge and strengthen international connectivity.
RBI sets up Supervisory Colleges for six Scheduled Commercial Banks which have sizeable international presence RBI has set up Supervisory Colleges for six Scheduled Commercial Banks which have sizeable international presence. i. The objectives of the colleges are to enhance information exchange and cooperation among supervisors, to improve understanding of the risk profile of the banking group. ii. It helps in facilitating more effective supervision of internationally active banks. iii. The Banks which are included are State Bank of India, ICICI Bank Ltd., Bank of India, Bank of Baroda, Axis Bank Ltd. and Punjab National Bank.
NPCI receives final nod from RBI to function as Bharat Bill Payment Central Unit The RBI has given a final nod to National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), the umbrella organisation for all retail payment to function as the Bharat Bill Payment Central Unit (BBPCU) and operate the Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS). i. Total number of Bharat Bill Payment Operating Unit (BBPOU) certified by NPCI now stands at 24. ii. The certified units include three public sector banks (Bank of Baroda, Union Bank of India and Indian Overseas Bank), 10 private banks, 5 Cooperative Banks and 6 non-bank biller aggregators.
Indian Overseas Bank goes live with Bharat Bill Payment system Indian Overseas Bank has offered the Bharat Bill Payment System(BBPS) which is introduced by the National Payments Corporation of India, for its customers. i. Indian Overseas Bank is one of the three public sector banks (apart from Bank of Baroda and Union Bank of India) to get the approval from RBI for providing the service. ii. BBPS is an integrated bill payment system that offers inter-operable online bill payments to customers. 89 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage copyrights 2017 @ AffairsCloud.com
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iii. The services include online payments of electricity, telecommunication, DTH, water and gas bills.
India among top nations with potential for digital payments’ - Digital Evolution Index India has featured among 60 nations on Digital Evolution Index 2017, exhibiting a high potential in terms of digital payments. Digital Payments potential in India: On the Digital Evolution Index 2017, India has been categorised under the “break out” segment which refers to countries that have relatively lower absolute levels of digital advancement, yet remain poised for growth and are attractive to investors by virtue of their potential. • The report outlined that India has been experiencing rapid strides of progress with an evolving payments landscape, catalysed by the government’s demonetisation decision. • Indian government’s endeavour to boost the acceptance infrastructure coupled with a host of other economic reforms has further hastened the momentum for the country’s journey towards a cashless society.
Canara Bank launches ""CANDI""-its first digital branch in Bengaluru Canara Bank has launched its first ‘Digital Banking Branch’ at Spencer Towers in MG Road, Bengaluru. i. The branch is titled “CANDI” and its aim to provide an end-to-end digital experience to customers. ii. It will enable customers to get most of the information related to their accounts without visiting the branch. iii. The bank becomes the first in the public sector category to initiate artificial intelligence in banking. iv. A humanoid has been introduced in the branch to addresses basic queries of customers on banking products and services.
GDP growth in June quarter to be around 6.6% in India - Nomura India’s GDP growth is to be higher at 6.6% in the June quarter from the previous three months this year. Key Facts: According to Japanese financial services major Nomura, the growth which was higher in end-of March quarter had slightly lower towards end of the June quarter due to destocking and uncertainty ahead of the Goods and Services tax (GST). • According to Nomura it is expected average GDP growth in Q2 (April-June) to be modestly higher at 6.6% from 6.1% in Q1 (January-March). • In the second half (H2) of 2017, growth recovery is expected to accelerate to 7.4%
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• The pick-up growth numbers in the second half is likely to be led by a recommencement of production after GST, ongoing remonetisation, normal monsoons, stronger rural consumption and easier financial conditions (lower lending rates, liquidity). • In the March quarter India lost the tag of the fastest growing economy to China with a GDP growth of 6.1% which fallen down the 2016-17 expansion to 7.1%. • Pay hikes for state government employees and a pick-up in external demand could also be one of the factors.
RBI slaps Rs. 1 cr penalty on Union Bank for KYC non-compliance RBI has imposed a penalty of Rs 3 crore on Union Bank of India for “non-compliance” on Know Your Customer (KYC) norms announced on 31st of July 2017. i. Rs.2 crore was imposed for “huge cash withdrawals in certain accounts” maintained with Union Bank of India and Rs. 1 crore was imposed for fraud in a bank. The penalty was imposed on 26th of July ii. The central bank had examined the documents regarding the complaint and notice was issued to
SBI cuts saving account rate by 0.5% on balance up to Rs 1 cr On July 31,2017 State Bank of India has cut interest on savings account deposits by 50 basis points to 3.5 per cent on balance up to Rs 1 crore. i. The bank decides to continue 4 per cent interest on savings account balance of Rs 1 crore and above. ii.Revision of saving bank rate will enable the bank to maintain marginal cost of fund based lending rate (MCLR) at existing rates.
BUSINESS
India launches $250 mn National Biopharmaceutical Mission On June 30, 2017, Science and Technology Minister Harsh Vardhan launched National Biopharmaceutical Mission. This programme has been named Innovate in India (i3). National Biopharmaceutical Mission – i3: National Biopharmaceutical Mission is the first ever Industry-Academia mission to accelerate biopharmaceutical development in India.
• It is a $250 million dollar initiative that includes a $125 million loan from the World Bank.
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• Despite India being a forerunner in developing life saving drugs and low cost
pharmaceutical products, it currently serves only 2.8% of the global biopharmaceutical market. Mission goal is to expand India’s market share to 5% resulting in an additional business opportunity of $16 Billion.
• This is the first time World Bank is helping in a project to strengthen the R&D activities in any country. Partnering with World Bank would allow scientists and entrepreneurs in India to tap into a global network. Implementation of National Biopharmaceutical Mission: The mission will be implemented by Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), a Public Sector Undertaking of Department of Biotechnology.
Eight core sectors growth slips to 3.6% in May The growth of eight core sectors slowed to 3.6% in May due to fall in output of coal and fertilisers. i. The growth rate of eight infrastructure sectors coal, crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, fertilisers, steel, cement and electricity was 5.2% in May last year. ii. In April, these eight sectors had recorded a growth rate of 2.8%. iii. As per the government data Coal and fertiliser productions recorded negative growth of 3.3% and 6.5%, respectively. iv. Steel sector growth dipped to 3.7% last month as against 13.4% in May 2016. v. However, growth in refinery products and electricity output grew by 5.4% and 6.4% in May as against 3.3% and 6.2%, respectively in the same period last year. vi.Natural gas production too grew by 4.5% in May as against a negative growth rate of 6.5% a year earlier
Finance ministry removes additional excise duty on tobacco, cigarettes The Finance Ministry has removed additional excise duty on tobacco, pan masala and cigarettes with effect from July 1, following the GST implementation. The revenue department has repealed the central excise notification dated February 27, 2010, which deals with excise duty rate on unmanufactured tobacco and chewing tobacco. ii. It is to be noted that GST Constitutional (Amendment) Act permits the Centre to levy excise duty on six items including tobacco and tobacco products. The other items are petroleum crude, diesel, petrol, natural gas and Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF).
Nandan Nilekani, Sanjeev Aggarwal launch $100-million fund Fundamentum Aadhaar architect Nandan Nilekani and Helion Venture’s Sanjeev Aggarwal have launched an investment fund called Fundamentum on 3rd of July 2017. 92 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage copyrights 2017 @ AffairsCloud.com
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i. It has been launched with a corpus of $100 million. ii. The corpus may be extended to $200 million if the fund sees more opportunities. iii. The fund, which has so far closed $50 million, will see one-third of the corpus coming from Nilekani and Aggarwal.
Karnataka launches ‘Elevate 100’ scheme for start-ups In a bid to identify and nurture innovative start-ups, Karnataka government has launched the ‘Elevate 100’ scheme. About ‘Elevate 100’ Scheme: i. Karnataka Minister for IT and BT, Priyank Kharge has mentioned that aim of ‘Elevate 100’ scheme is to identify 100 most innovative start-ups in the state to elevate them to the next level of success. ii. Under ‘Elevate 100’ start-ups will not only be provided funding, but will also be provided technical and business support including access to mentors, networking opportunities, idea validation, incubation facilities and sessions on accounting, legal and emerging technologies.
Siemens opens its first digital factory in India Siemens has opened its first digital factory in India on 5th of July 2017. It is also the third globally after one each in Germany and China. i. It is as the industrial conglomerate pitches smart facilities to small and medium scale enterprises in the country. ii. Digital factory is one of the nine divisions at Siemens. iii. It aims to provide a comprehensive portfolio of hard ware and software products which enable comprehensive integration of data from development, production and suppliers.
MRP to be sole price decider from Jan 1, 2018 The Consumer Affairs Ministry has amended the rules that govern packaged commodities from 1st Jan. 2018. The price of a packaged good would no longer depend on where you bought it be it a local kirana store, a mall, a five-star hotel or an airport. i. The Centre has clarified that the retail sale price shall be the maximum retail price (MRP) inclusive of all taxes, with the provision to round off the price to the nearest rupee or 50 paise. ii. A new legal provision has been inserted that no person shall declare different MRPs on an identical pre-packed commodity. iii. The new norms also require sellers to enhance the size of letters and numerals for making declarations about the packaged goods, such as their “best before date, month and year” to indicate their shelf life.
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NALCO, IDCO to set up Aluminium Park in Angul, Odisha
National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO) and Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (IDCO) have launched a joint venture company to set up an aluminium park at Angul. i .The total investment will be Rs 180 crore will be made on infrastructure of the project which is expected to generate 15,000 jobs. ii. Odisha currently contributes about 54% of India's total aluminium smelting capacity. iii. It is jointly developed by the Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (IDCO) and National Aluminium Company Limited (Nalco).
India slips to be fourth largest investor into UK According to the official figures released on 6th July, India became the fourth-largest foreign investor into the UK. It slipped one position from 3rd to 4th.The data was based on the number of projects set up by various countries in UK. i. The US remains on the top, investing in 577 projects in the UK ii. China (including Hong Kong) remaining in second place with 160 projects . The third position is secured by france which set up 131 projects . iii. India set up 127 new projects in Britain last year and safeguarded 7,645 existing jobs as a result and created 3,999 new jobs in 2016-17. iv. India shares the fourth spot with Australia and New Zealand, which also set up 127 projects collectively. v. Figures published by the Department for International Trade revealed that the UK attracted more Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) projects than ever before for 2016-17.
Oracle opens its first Digital Hub in Bengaluru US tech giant Oracle has announced the opening of its first 'Digital Hub' in the Asia Pacific region on 7th of July 2017. i. It aimed at providing small and mid size businesses (SMBs) access to cloud solutions and resources they need to power digital transformation. ii. There will be five hubs across the Asia Pacific, but India is the first hub, and the other four Digital Hubs that will come up in the Asia Pacific region will be in Sydney, Singapore, Seoul and Beijing. iii. Oracle's Digital Hubs will provide a complete suite of cloud applications, platform, and infrastructure services.
India to import crude oil from US for first time India will be going to import crude oil from US and the shipment is expected to touch Indian shores in October for the first time in history. It has been announced on 10th of July 2017.
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i. IOC Director (Finance) A K Sharma has said that India has bought 2 million barrels of crude oil from North America comprising 1.6 million barrels of US Mars crude and 400,000 barrels of Western Canadian Select. ii. According to ministry it has been said that Even after including the shipping cost, buying US crude proved to be very cost competitive to India.
Import of aircrafts, parts on lease exempt from GST The government has exempted the import of aircraft, aircraft engines and its parts on lease from the Goods and Services Tax (GST). i. The finance ministry has notified on 8th of July that airlines would not have to pay GST on the import of aircraft and its parts if GST was paid on their lease.
NRIs’ foreign bank accounts under income tax lens The income-tax authorities have added a new provision in the tax return form (ITR2) which will require all non-residents to disclose details of their bank accounts outside India. i. They will have to share with the tax office the account numbers of their overseas bank accounts, name of the banks, countries where the bank offices are located as well as the Swift codes and International Bank Account Numbers (IBAN). ii. Swift codes help in identifying banks and are used for cross-border wire transfer of funds between banks. iii. IBAN is an extra number over and above the usual bank account numbers that come handy for making or receiving international payments. iv. An NRI would be obliged to provide all the bank accounts, and an assessing officer will have the right to ask any question therefrom which have a possible and potential tax claim in India.
BMW opens R&D centre in China, largest outside Germany BMW motors has opened a new research and development (R&D) centre in China, the largest outside of Germany. i. The new R&D centre will cover an area of over 40,000 sq.metres. ii. The centre will focus on new energy technology to establish a complete R&D and production chain in China.
Tata Motors develops first Bio-Methane Bus Auto major Tata Motors has developed the country’s first bio-CNG (bio-methane) bus on 17th of July 2017. i. The buses were showcased at the Urja Utsav organised by oil ministry. ii. Bio-CNG will help in contributing to the smart cities and to keep them clean and is a good option for wet garbage management. iii. The bio-methane engines (5.7 SGI and 3.8 SGI) will be available on light and medium buses. 95 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage copyrights 2017 @ AffairsCloud.com
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iv. The Tata LPO 1613, already in operation by Pune Municipal Transport Corporation, was showcased with bio-methane fuel at the event.
Reliance Industries market capitalisation hits Rs 5 lakh crore mark Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) for the first time crossed Rs 5 lakh crore in market capitalisation.It is the second company to cross Rs 5 lakh crore in market capitalisation. i. In July 2014 Tata Consultancy Service (TCS) was the first company to hit Rs 5 lakh crore in market capitalization.
India food grain output up 8.7% at record 273.38 MT in 2016-17 As per Government data released on July 18, 2017, India’s food grain production has increased by 8.7% to a record high 273.38 million tonne during 2016-17. India last had a record output in food grains of 265.04 million tonne during 2013-14. Food grain Output Data: i. Rice output increased by 4.5% to a record 109.15 million tonne. ii. Wheat production was up 5.6% at all-time high of 97.44 million tonne. iii. Coarse grains production rose 15.2% to highest ever 44.39 million tonne. iv. Output of all major pulses jumped 37% to 22.40 million tonne.
Arun Jaitley releases National Trade Facilitation Action Plan On July 21, 2017, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley released the National Trade Facilitation Action Plan (NTFAP) and said WTO-Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) coming into force on February 22, 2017 was a major milestone for the global trading system. He also added that India looks forward to ensuring compliance with the TFA India’s National Trade Facilitation Action Plan (NTFAP): The national action plan aims to transform cross border clearance ecosystem through efficient, transparent, risk based, coordinated, digital, seamless and technology driven procedures which are supported by state-of-the-art sea ports, airports and land borders. • It also covers many activities in the areas of infrastructure augmentation; particularly the road and rail infrastructure leading to ports and the infrastructure within ports, airports, land customs stations for which various ministries like shipping, civil aviation, railways, road transport and highways, home affairs, finance and commerce have been assigned specified targets. • Under NTFAP specific responsibilities have been given to all regulatory agencies like Customs, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), Drug Controller, Plant
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Quarantine, Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), etc to be completed in a time- bound manner. • NTFAP would be monitored by the Steering Committee (the operational arm of the NCTF) chaired by the Revenue Secretary and the Commerce Secretary. The plan would be reviewed by the Cabinet Secretary. • Earlier, a National Committee on Trade Facilitation (NCTF) headed by the Cabinet Secretary was constituted comprising of stakeholders from the Government and the private sectors including trade community.
Israel to partner DRDO for developing missile defence system for India The Indian Army has signed a MoU with the Defence Research and Development Organisation ( DRDO) to raise one regiment of the advanced Medium Range Surface to Air Missiles ( MRSAM) . i. The system will be jointly developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and DRDO with the involvement of private sectors and DPSUs. ii. The entire project has a total cost of Rs 17,000 cr.
India launches first R&D facility for high-end fuels, gas India has launched its first petroleum Research & Development (R&D) facility for testing high-end BS-VI quality fuel emissions. i. This "first-of-its kind" facility was inaugurated by Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in Faridabad in the National Capital Region (NCR) on 22nd of July 2017. ii. The R&D facility is designed to test all types of fuel including petrol, diesel, ethanol- blended petrol, bio-diesel, CNG, LNG, hydrogen-CNG and 2G-ethanol blends.
FSSAI bans stapler pins in tea bags from January 2018 The Food Safety and Authority of India (FSSAI) has banned the stapler pins in tea bags from January 2018 announced on 24th of July 2017. i. The FSSAI has directed the concerned food business operators to discontinue the manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import of stapled tea bags by 1st January 2018. ii. It has also directed all food safety commissioners to take action to prevent the use of unsafe packaging materials by companies and take up measures for enforcement of its order.
Microsoft launches 'Made for India' Kaizala app Microsoft India has launched Kaizala app, a 'made in India' app. It ha been designed for large group communications and work management, even for remote locations with 2G optimisation. Key Points i. It is powered by Azure Cloud platform. ii. Kaizala will help the organisations to communicate, collaborate and complete tasks in an 97 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage copyrights 2017 @ AffairsCloud.com
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efficient way. iii. It bring together desktop users and mobile-only users who may be within or outside their organisations.. iv. Both 'Kaizala and Kaizala Pro are integrated with Microsoft Office 365.
Codex Alimentarius Commission adopts Codex norms for three spices Global food standard-setting body Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) adopted three Codex standards for black, white and green pepper, cumin and thyme paving the way for a universal agreement on identifying quality spices in various countries. These three Codex standards were adopted at CAC’s recent meeting in Geneva, Switzerland. India’s Role in Setting up Codex Committee of CAC: It was in 2013 that the need for Codex standards for spices and herbs became a matter of concern, owing to the increased level of issues in spice trade. • At that time, there was no Codex committee exclusively for spices and culinary herbs. • Spices Board India submitted to CAC a proposal for such an exclusive committee for spices and culinary herbs. • India conducted three sessions of Codex Committee on Spices and Culinary Herbs (CCSCH) at Kochi (2014), Goa (2015) and Chennai (2017).
Australia sends its first uranium shipment to India Australia has sent its first uranium shipment to India for testing purposes ahead of possible commercial sales. i. It comes after India and Australia signed an agreement for civil nuclear cooperation in 2014 to meet India’s growing energy needs. ii. Australian uranium has played a reliable long-term role in supplying India's growing energy needs.
1st time India becomes net exporter country in Steel: Birender Singh According to Minister for Steel Chaudhary Birender Singh said that first time India has become a net export country in Steel. It has been announced on 31st of July 2017. i. The steel imports in the country have gone down by 39% and exports have gone up by 102% last year. ii. Crude steel production has registered 3.5% during April-June 2017-18.
Amazon signs deal with Salman Khan, movies to premiere first on Prime Video before TV Amazon Prime Video has signed deal with Bollywood star Salman Khan to premiere his all future films first exclusively on Amazon Prime Video right after the theatrical release. i. Nitesh Kripalani, Director and Country Head, Amazon Video India and James Farrell, Head of Content, Prime Video, Asia Pacific, also participated in signing deal. It will start with his film
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"Tubelight", which released in June. ii. All future movies from Salman Khan Ventures released after "Tubelight" will premiere exclusively on Amazon Prime Video first after their release in theatres and two months before television broadcast or anyother distribution.
Government enters into nine Unilateral Advance Pricing Agreements (UAPAs) with Indian taxpayers The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has entered into 9 Unilateral Advance Pricing Agreements (UAPAs) with Indian taxpayers on 31st of July 2017. i. The APA Scheme will provide certainty to taxpayers in the domain of transfer pricing. ii. It will specify the methods of pricing and determining the Arm's Length Price of international transactions in advance for a maximum period of five future years. iii. The international transactions covered in these nine APAs include provision of software development services; provision of IT enabled services, provision of engineering design services, distribution, contract manufacturing, etc. iv .With this, the total number of APAs signed till date stands at 171 (Unilateral-159 and Bilateral-12).
AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS
2 Indian-Americans Shantanu Narayen and Vivek Murthy to be honoured with Great Immigrants award Two Indian - Americans Shantanu Narayen (Chief of Adobe) and Vivek Murthy (Former US Surgeon General) will be honoured with the prestigious 'Great Immigrants' annual award on US's Independence Day on July 4. i. Shantanu Narayen and Vivek Murthy are among 30 honorees for 2017, representing more than 30 different countries of origin, a wide range of personal immigration stories, and a high-level of professional leadership in numerous fields. ii. Canadian-origin social entrepreneur Jeff Skoll, PayPal cofounder of Ukrainian origin Max Levchin, Iranian-origin philanthropist and entrepreneur Hushang Ansary are among the other honourees for 2017.
Former India defender Subrata Bhattacharya set to be awarded with Mohun Bagan Ratna Former India defender Subrata Bhattacharya will get the 'Mohun Bagan Ratna' for this year. It was announced on 30th of June 2017. i. Balwant Singh will also bag the best footballer of the year. ii. The awardees will be honoured on the club's foundation day on 29th July 2017. iii. Bhattacharya has also coached East Bengal and Prayag United. 99 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage copyrights 2017 @ AffairsCloud.com
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iv. Mohun Bagan, was hired as city-based outfit Bhowanipore FC coach almost a month ago v. Bhattacharya will be the 17th recipient of the award, which was instituted in 2001, with late Sailen Manna being the first recipient. vi. Debabrata Das will get the best cricketer prize. vii. Indian women's cricket team fast bowler Jhulan Goswami, middledistance runner Lili Das and Mount Everest conqueror Shaikh Sahabuddin will be given special awards.
Writer Preeti Shenoy bags Indian of the Year award On June 30, 2017, writer Preeti Shenoy was awarded Indian of the Year Award by Brands Academy in New Delhi. Brands Academy is one of the most reputed branding companies in India to recognise the achievements of personalities who have contributed towards building up the reputation of the country.
Telangana IPS officer Mahesh Muralidhar Bhagwat gets award from US state department Mahesh Muralidhar Bhagwat, an IPS Officer from Telangana has been conferred with the 2017 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report Heroes Award by the US state department. Mr. Bhagwat, the current Rachakonda Police Commissioner is the third IPS officer to get the honour. i. Mr Bhagwat was recognised for his vital role in elevating human trafficking as a government priority, and his innovative approach to investigating cases and dismantling trafficking operations. ii. He has demonstrated remarkable commitment to the fight against organised human trafficking for the last 13 years.
Pune NGO wins UN prize for sustainable farming model Swayam Shikshan Prayog is a city-based NGO, has been awarded the United Nations Development Programme’s Equator Prize i. It has been awarded for devising an ecologically sustainable agriculture model to combat the adverse impacts of drought. ii. It is the only Indian organisation to win the award among 800 nominations across 120 countries.
Indian-origin man Guruswamy Jayraman awarded Australia's highest civilian award An Indian-origin man Guruswamy Jayraman was awarded Order of Australia for community work on 6th of July 2017. It is Australia's highest civilian award. i. Guruswamy Jayraman is a resident of Glenwood who migrated from Delhi to Australia in 1991. ii. He holds a graduate diploma in health counselling and in medical terminology and counselling. iii. He works as a senior accountant with Woollahra Municipal Council and spend most of his time in community work from last 25 years. 100 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage copyrights 2017 @ AffairsCloud.com
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Hyderabad-headquartered Water Health wins Unilever Global Development Award Water Health International (WHI), a US-based company with operating headquarters in Hyderabad, has been awarded the Unilever Global Development Award at the 20th Responsible Business Awards ceremony, held in London on July 4, 2017. i. WHI has been awarded for its endeavours in providing clean, safe and affordable drinking water to marginalised communities in India, Ghana and Nigeria. ii. The Unilever Global Development Award recognises companies that demonstrate positive impact in one or more of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)e. Initiatives for tackling poverty, climate change and inequality.
Tata Steel bags PM's trophy for best integrated steel plant Tata Steel has won the Prime Minister's trophy for being the best performing integrated steel plant in the country during 2014-15 and 2015-16. This makes it the third consecutive-year for the firm to be honoured with this award. i. Tata Steel has been recognised as the best integrated steel plant for 12 times and has won the PM's Trophy 10
Ranveer, Prabhas in GQ's Most Influential Young Indians list Actor Ranveer Singh has featured in GQ's Most Influential Young Indians 2017. 'Baahubali' actor Prabhas with other actors have featured in the Most Influential Young Indians Artistes list by GQ India magazine. i. The GQ Power List was out on 8th July. ii. This year, the list includes individuals who have built companies and assembled fortunes - and none of them is older than 40. iii. Some of the other names to feature in the list include Reliance business scion Akash Ambani, Lipstick Under My Burkha writer-director Alankrita Shrivastava, Amrita Pandey, vice president jof studios at Disney India, Amazon India head Nitesh Kripalani.
A.R. Rahman shortlisted for World Soundtrack Awards Academy Award-winning composer AR Rahman has been shortlisted for the World Soundtrack Awards for his upcoming film, Viceroy's House. i. It is a film directed by Gurinder Chadha, a British filmmaker of Sikh origin, "Viceroy's House" ii. All soundtrack and film music fans worldwide can cast their personal vote for the best soundtrack of the past 12 months. iii. The World Soundtrack Academy (WSA, or World Soundtrack Awards), launched in 2001 by the
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Film Fest Gent. The event takes place yearly in Ghent, Belgium with the ceremony usually at the Capitole Concert Hall.
Mother Teresa's Blue-Bordered Sari declared an Intellectual Property Mother Terasa’s blue border sari which worn by nuns of Missionaries of Charity was recognised as Intellectual Property of Missionaries of Charity on September 4, 2016, the day the Mother Teresa was canonized. i. The Trade Marks Registry, Government of India, has granted the registration of the trade mark for that pattern of the blue border of sari. ii. After a series of strict legal proceedings, it was granted. This is the first time that a uniform has been made intellectual property.
Sindhu bags ‘Sportsperson of the Year’ award During the ‘Maruti Suzuki Sportsperson of the Year’ Charity Gala Awards Rio Olympics silver medallist P V Sindhu was bagged with the Sportsperson of the Year award on 8th of July 2017. Name of the awards Name of the awardee Special award for service to Sports Jayant Rastogi, CEO, Magic Bus. Team of the year Junjor Men’s Hockey Team received by Captain Harjeet Singh. Coach of the year Pullela Gopichand. Editor’s Award for excellence Devendra Jhajharia, MariyappanThangavelu, Varun Bhati Outstanding Contribution to sports: K Arumugam Athlete of the year Gaurav Gill Gamechanger of the year K.L. Rahul Extreme Performer of the year Shiva Keshavan Lifetime Achievement Award Abhinav Bindra Community Development through sports Milind Soman (Received by his mother Usha Soman). Inspirational athlete of the year Deepa Malik
Danfoss India conferred with Golden Peacock environment management award On July 10 ,2017 Climate and energy efficiency solutions company Danfoss India has been recognized with the ‘Golden Peacock Award’ for Environment Management. i. During the 19th World Congress on Environment Management’ in the presence of Supreme Court Justice Kurien Joseph, the award was presented in Hyderabad. ii. Ravichandran Purushothaman is a President of Danfoss India.
IROAF sets gold standards by winning Golden Peacock Award for Eco Innovation for year 2017 Indian Railways Organization for Alternate Fuel (IROAF) has set gold standards by winning Golden Peacock Award for Eco Innovation for the year 2017 for introducing eco friendly and cost saving Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) based Dual Fuel 1400 HP Diesel engines on Diesel
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Electric Multiple Unit (DEMU) trains. i. The CNG based dual fuel 1400 HP engine used in DEMU trains developed by IROAF has successfully substituted diesel fuel with CNG up to 20%. ii. This innovation will reduce emissions considerably by bringing down nitrogen oxides (NOx) by
16%, CO2by 6% and Particulate Matter by 18% besides achieving economy in fuel cost by 8%.
Vijaya Bank MD Kishore Sansi gets Skoch award Kishore Sansi, Managing Director and CEO of Vijaya Bank, has been conferred the ‘Personality of the Year’ award by Skoch Consultancy Services on 13th of July 2017. i. The award is part of the ‘Skoch Banking and Financial Leadership’ series. ii. Past recipients of the award include C Rangarajan, Dilip Parekh and Nandan Nilekanion 13th of July 2017.
IIFA Awards 2017 - Shahid-Alia win Best Actor and Actress, Neerja wins Best Film IIFA Awards 2017, officially known as 18th International Indian Film Academy Awards ceremony was held on 14–15 July 2017 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, USA. IIFA Awards 2017 – Winners List Category Winner Best Film Neerja Best Actor – Male Shahid Kapoor (Udta Punjab) Best Actor – Female Alia Bhatt (Udta Punjab) Best Actor in Supporting Role – Male Anupam Kher (M. S. Dhoni: The Untold Story) Best Actor in Supporting Role – Shabana Azmi (Neerja) Female Best Debutant – Male Diljit Dosanjh (Udta Punjab) Best Debutant – Female Disha Patani (M. S. Dhoni: The Untold Story) Best Director Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury (Pink) Best Actor in a Comic Role Varun Dhawan (Dishoom) Best Actor in a Negative Role Jim Sarbh (Neerja) Special Contribution to Indian Cinema A R Rahman Woman of the Year Taapsee Pannu Best Music Direction Pritam Chakraborty ( Ae Dil Hai Mushkil) Best Lyricist Amitabh Bhattacharya (Channa Mereya – Ae Dil Hai Mushkil) Best Playback Singer – Male Amit Mishra (Ae Dil Hai Mushkil) Best Playback Singer – Female Tulsi Kumar (Airlift) and Kanika Kapoor (Udta Punjab) Best Story Shakun Batra and Ayesha DeVitre Dhillon (Kapoor & Sons)
Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi tops poll of most powerful Arab women According to Forbes Middle East the UAE Minister of State for Tolerance Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi has topped a poll of the most powerful Arab women in government this year. i. Forbes has also released a list of the top 100 most powerful Arab businesswomen for 2017. ii. The UAE represents the highest number of women, with 18, followed by Egypt, with 16. iii. Ms Qasimi was followed by two women from Egypt:
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(a) Sahar Nasr, the country’s minister of investment and international cooperation (b) Ghada Wali, the minister of social solidarity.
Toronto Film Festival Gala to Honor Priyanka Chopra The Toronto Film Festival is set to honour Priyanka Chopra. She will be the guest of honour at the fundraiser event on 6th of September, 2018 i. The Toronto Film Festival will begin from 7th Sept to 17th September, 2017 in Canada ii. The TIFF gala is aimed at collecting funds that will be used for helping fund talent development programs to get more women behind and in front of the camera. iii. Toronto will also be honouring the Mary Kom star for her activism of devoting time to UNICEF as a goodwill ambassador and the Priyanka Chopra Foundation for Health and Education.
L K Advani receives Lifetime Achievement Award for contributions in Lok Sabha On July 19, 2017, Veteran Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader L.K. Advani received the Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions as a parliamentarian in the Lok Sabha. The award was given by the Vice President Hamid Ansari at a function organised by the Lokmat Media Group to honour distinguished Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members. Other Awardees honoured at a function organised by the Lokmat Media Group Janata Dal (United) leader Sharad Yadav also received the Lifetime Achievement Award as a Rajya Sabha • The other awardees from the Lok Sabha included Revolutionary Socialist Party MP K. Premachandran (Best Parliamentarian), Congress leader Kumari Sushmita Devi(Best Woman Parliamentarian) and BJP leader Meenakshi Lekhi (Best Debut Woman Parliamentarian). • The awardees from the Rajya Sabha included CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechury (Best Parliamentarian), Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan (Best Woman Parliamentarian) and Congress MP Rajni Patil (Best Debut Woman Parliamentarian). • The awardees were selected by a jury, headed by former Lok Sabha Speaker Shivraj Patil.
Veteran Actress Shakuntala Barua Gets 'Mahanayak Samman 2017' On July 24, 2017, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee conferred this year's 'Mahanayak Samman 2017' to veteran actress Shakuntala Barua for her contribution to the world of cinema. i. For this year, Prosenjit Chatterjee and Nusrat Jahan took home the Best Actor and Best Actress awards ii. The Best Director, Music Director, Cinematographer and Script Writer awards went to Arindam Sil, Pt Bickram Ghosh, Shoumik Halder and Padmanabha Dasgupta
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iii. Suparnokanti Karati for ‘Bisarjan’ film and Shiboprasad Mukhopadhyay of Windows Productions for ‘Praktan’ film were awarded in Best Film and Best Producer categories.
Jhulan Goswami felicitated by Mohun Bagan at their annual awards ceremony Kolkata-based football club Mohun Bagan conferred prestigious Mohun Bagan Ratna award on former club captain and coach Subrata Bhattacharya, while Indian Women's cricket team veteran pacer Jhulan Goswami was given a special award at the club's annual day programme in Kolkata on July 29, 2017. Other Awardees at Mohun Bagan Annual Awards Ceremony: Category Awardees Best Youth Football Player Deep Saha Special Award for Mountaineer's Sheikh Sahabuddin and Kuntal Karar Birth Centenary Award Late Dinanath Roy Special Award Lili Das for Athletics
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos became world's richest man Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has become the world's richest person with a fortune of over $90.5 billion announced on 27th of July 2017. i. At the start of 2017, Bezos was ranked fourth-richest in the world, behind Gates. ii. According to the Forbes magazine jump in the share price of the US tech giant enabled him to overtake Microsoft founder Bill Gates. iii. Bezos owns around 17% of the equity of Amazon.The company also recently announced plans to acquire US grocer Whole Foods.
Japanese, Sri Lankan among Magsaysay award winners A Japanese historian Yoshiaki Ishizawa, who helped Cambodians preserve the Angkor temples and a Sri Lankan teacher Gethsie Shanmugam, who counselled war widows and orphans to overcome their nightmares are among the six winners of this year’s Ramon Magsaysay Awards. Winners of Ramon Magsaysay Awards 2017: Winner Awarded for Yoshiaki Ishizawa (Japan) For devoting 50 years of his life to help preserve Cambodia’s Angkor Wat, a 162-hectare (400-acre) temple, from the ravages of time and conflict Gethsie Shanmugam (Sri Lanka) For braving bombings and threats of arrests in conflict zones to counsel war widows, orphans and children traumatized by three decades of brutal civil war in Sri Lanka Abdon Nababan (Indonesia) For leading an effort to return state-controlled forest land to indigenous communities and give them a political voice and identity Tony Tay (Singapore) For organizing volunteers starting in 1983 to cook and distribute thousands of free meal packs every day to feed the elderly, migrant workers and low- income families. 105 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage copyrights 2017 @ AffairsCloud.com
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Ms. Lilia de Lima (Philippines) For overseeing the opening of hundreds of job- generating export processing zones across the country as head of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority Philippine Educational Theatre Philippine Educational Theatre Association was Association (Philippines) founded in 1967 with an initial aim of creating a national theatre but served as an artistic platform for protest when dictator Ferdinand Marcos declared martial law five years later. Its advocacies through the arts have since expanded to gender issues and disaster preparedness. Trump to Award First Medal of Honor to Vietnam Army Medic An Army medic from Michigan is becoming the first person to receive the Medal of Honor from President Donald Trump in Wahington. i. He risked his life nine times to rescue comrades in Vietnam.Trump is set to present America's highest military honor to 71-year-old James McCloughan (mih-KLOO'-uhn) at the White House. ii. While McCloughan was a 23-year-old, he was drafted into the Army and sent to Southeast Asia. He repeatedly entered the "kill zone" to rescue wounded comrades during the Battle of Hui Yon Hill in 1969.
APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNS
KK Venugopal replaces Mukul Rohatgi as new attorney general of India Senior lawyer in the Supreme Court of India and constitutional expert K.K. Venugopal has been appointed as a new 15th Attorney General. ♦ Venugopa has replaced Mukul Rohatgi. President Pranab Mukherjee has approved Venugopal's appointment. ♦ He was appointed by the Royal Government of Bhutan to serve as the Constitutional adviser for drafting of the Constitution of Bhutan.
Rajiv Kumar appointed as new Chief Secretary of Uttar Pradesh The Uttar Pradesh government named Rajiv Kumar as the new Chief Secretary of the state on 29th of June 2017.He replaced Rahul Prasad Bhatnagar, who was appointed by the previous Samajwadi Party (SP) government .
Achal Kumar Jyoti is India's new Chief Election Commissioner Election Commissioner Achal Kumar Jyoti will take charge as the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of India after current CEC Nasim Zaidi retires on July 6, 2017. Nasim Zaidi had taken over as the 20th CEC of India on April 19, 2015. i. He assumed charge as Election Commissioner on May 13, 2015.
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ii. An Election Commissioner or a Chief Election Commissioner has tenure of six years in office or till he or she attains the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier.
Hong Kong's first female leader Carrie Lam sworn in as country marks 20 years since British handover China’s President Xi Jinping has inaugurated the new Hong Kong administration led by Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, the first woman to lead the city. i. Carrie Lam was sworn in as Hong Kong's first female leader on 1st of July 2017. ii. Mrs. Lam was sworn as Hong Kong’s chief executive, becoming its first female leader. iii. She is the fourth person to hold the top government post since China regained control of the former British colony in 1997.
Signature Global Ropes In Vidya Balan As Brand Ambassador Realty firm Signature Global, which is into development of affordable homes, has roped in Bollywood actress Vidya Balan as brand ambassador.
Cisco India President Dinesh Malkani quits Dinesh Malkani is the President of Cisco’s India and SAARC theatre has quit from the Cisco India. i. As President, Dinesh is responsible for sales, operations, growth initiatives, and investments in strategic aliances in the theatre. ii. According to sources Malkani will continue in his role until 31st July and remain associated with Cisco till the end of September.
Lt General Mahesh Senanayake appointed as New Army Commander of Sri Lanka Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake, who played a key role in defeating the Tamil Tigers during the three-decade-long brutal civil war, has been appointed as New Army Commander of Sri Lanka by Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena.
Himachal Pradesh DGP Sanjay Kumar appointed new NDRF Chief Himachal Pradesh DGP Sanjay Kumar has been appointed as the new chief of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) on 3th of July 2017. i. The Union home ministry has issued an order appointing Kumar, a 1985-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, to the top NDRF post.
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ii. The post of NDRF Director General (DG) fell vacant after incumbent R K Pachnanda was appointed as the chief of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), the Sino-Indian border guarding force.
Pradeep Kumar Rawat appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the Republic of Indonesia Pradeep Kumar Rawat has presently a Joint Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) here, has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to Indonesia.Rawat, an Indian ForeignService (IFS) officer of the 1990 batch, is expected to take up his assignment shortly.
Tata Global Beverages appoints N Chandrasekaran as Chairman Tata Global Beverages Ltd has appointed Tata Sons head N Chandrasekaran as Chairman with immediate effect. i. TGBL’s board has approved the “appointment of N Chandrasekaran as an Additional Director and as Chairman of the Board of the Company. ii. N Chandrasekaran has replaced of Harish Bhat. iii. The Board has also appointed Siraj Azmat Chaudhry as Non Executive Independent Director.
Sanjiv Goenka picked again as IIT-Kharagpur chairman Sanjiv Goenka, has been selected as the Chairman of the Board of Governors at IIT- Kharagpur. He will serve for three years. i. This will be his second allotted period of work as the Chairman of Board of Governors. His previous stint being between 2002 and 2007. ii. Goenka’s name was nominated by the President, Pranab Mukherjee.
Indian Ambassador to Peru Sandeep Chakravorty appointed New York Consul General India's Ambassador to Peru Sandeep Chakravorty has been appointed as the head of the Indian consulate in New York on 7th of July 2017. i. Chakravorty was India's Deputy High Commissioner in Dhaka, before being appointed as Ambassador to Peru and Bolivia. ii . He will replace Riva Ganguly Das as Consul General in one of the busiest Indian diplomatic missions overseas.
Former martial arts star Battulga wins Mongolian presidential election Khaltmaa Battulga, 54, a member of the Democratic Party, won with 50.6 percent of the vote for the presidential election according to General Election Commission. 108 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage copyrights 2017 @ AffairsCloud.com
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i. He was a former martial arts star and businessman ii. Tsakhia Elbegdorj will step down as president after finishing his second and final term.
WHO appoints Saima Wazed as Goodwill Ambassador Saima Wazed Hossain has appointed as WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Autism in South- East Asia Region on 7th of July 2017. i. Saima Wazed Hossain is a globally renowned champion for the cause of autism spectrum disorder. ii. She has made notable contributions towards creating awareness and to address and elevate sufferings of people affected by autism.
Kewal Handa appointed as Non-executive chairman of Union Bank Kewal Handa on 5th of July 2017 was appointed as non-executive chairman of Union Bank of India. i. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved Handa's appointment as non-official director/non-executive chairman of the bank. ii. An order was issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) and Handa will hold the post for a period of three years.
John Joseph to take charge as chief of GST intelligence agency John Joseph has been appointed Director General of Goods and Services Tax Intelligence (DG GSTI) on 9th of July 2017. i. Joseph, a 1983 batch officer of Indian Revenue Service (Customs and Central Excise), has worked in the Finance Ministry's important departments, including the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI). ii. The DG GSTI is the new name given to the Directorate General of Central Excise Intelligence (DGCEI).
Queen Elizabeth hires first ever black assistant Major Nana Kofi Twumasi-Ankrah A new personal assistant selected by the Queen is to become the first black assistant who will serve as the first black equerry in British history. It has been announced on 9th of July 2017. i .Major Nana Kofi Twumasi-Ankrah, a Ghanaian-born officer who fought in the Afghanistan war, will be the personal assistant of Queen Elizabeth. ii. As an equerry, Major Twumasi-Ankrah will act as one of the Queen’s most-trusted attendants, assisting her with official engagements and welcoming high profile guests to royal residences.
Raninder Singh re-elected as NRAI President Incumbent Raninder Singh was on 8th july, 2017 re-elected president of the National Rifle 109 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage copyrights 2017 @ AffairsCloud.com
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Association of India (NRAI) for a four-year term in Mohali. Raninder is the son of Punjab Chief
Minister Capt. Amarinder Singh. i. The 48-year-old Singh, who represents Punjab in NRAI’s governing body, is an active trap shooter and has also participated in ISSF World Cups and National Championships. ii. K N Singh Deo, was unanimously elected as senior vice president. Deo is a BJD MP from Odisha.
Debi Prasad Dash takes over as DRI chief Debi Prasad Dash has taken over as the Director General of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI). i. Dash was an officer of the 1985 batch of Indian Revenue Service (IRS) (Customs). ii. He was the acting head of the DRI for the past five months.
Leslie Thng to take over as new CEO of Vistara Vistara has announced appointment of Leslie Thng as its Chief Executive Officer from October this year. i. Leslie Thng succeed Phee Teik Yeoh as Chief Executive Officer for Vistara, effective .. ii. As Vistara pads up for the launch of international operations next year, the airline today announced after Phee Teik Yeoh returns to Singapore International Airlines.
M&M's Rajeev Dubey elected to the governing board of ILO Group president of HR & Corporate Services at Mahindra & Mahindra, Rajeev Dubey has been elected to the governing board of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in Geneva. Rajeev has been elected against the seat for South Asia. i. Dubey, has also been the past- president of The Employer’s Federation of India . ii. The ILO Governing Body is an apex level policy making and oversight body with 56 members comprising 14 members from the Employers, 14 from the Trade Unions and 28 from the Government.
Nissan appoints Thomas Kuehl as president of Indian operations Japanese auto major Nissan has appointed Thomas Kuehl as president of its Indian operations on 12th of July 2017. i. Kuehl will take charge of his new assignment from October one, 2017 and will be responsible for both Nissan and Datsun brands. ii. He will replace Guillaume Sicard, who stepped down recently to take up a new post with Alliance partner Renault as Vice President.
BCCI appoints Ravi Shastri as new head coach of Indian cricket team Ravi Shastri was appointed as new head coach of Indian cricket team on 12 July 2017.
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i. Shastri is widely known as an individual who is intelligent and always a step ahead of the others. ii. He had represented India in 80 Tests and 150 ODIs and performed well as an all-rounder.
Sandeep Patil named Brand ambassador of Indoor Cricket Team Former Indian batsman Sandeep Patil has named as the brand ambassador of the Indian Indoor Cricket Team on 12th July 2017. i. The tournament will be held in partnership with Cricket Australia (CA) and Emirates Cricket Board (ECB). ii. Patil, a member of the 1983 World Cup-winning squad, will lead-up to the 10th edition of the World Indoor Cricket Federation (WICF) World Cup. iii. It will be held from September 16-23 at the Insportz Club in Dubai.
Iran Air appoints first female CEO to lead airline Iran has appointed a female CEO to lead its national airline for the first time since it was established in the 1940s. i. The state-owned Iran has announced on 12th of July 2017 that Farzaneh Sharafbani appointed CEO to lead airline. ii. Sharafbafi, who is a professor of Aeronautical engineering at the Amir Kabir University of Technology and Shahid Sattari University of Aeronautical Engineering.
Justice Vikramajit Sen appointed new BCCC chairperson The Board of Directors of Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF) has appointed former Supreme Court judge, Justice Vikramajit Sen, as the new chairperson of Broadcasting Content Complaints Council (BCCC). Justice Vikramajit Sen will hold the position for the next three years.
IIT-Madras distinguished alumnus Subra Suresh named President of NTU Singapore Professor Subra Suresh a distinguished alumnus of IIT Madras, has been chosen as the fourth President of Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore. i. Suresh will begin his presidency from 1st of January 2018 after retiring of current president, Prof. Andersson retires. ii. Prof. Suresh received his Bachelor of Technology degree from the Indian Institute of Technology Madras.
Senior IRS Officers Arbind Modi and Bajrang Dass Vishnoi appointed CBDT Members Senior bureaucrats Arbind Modi and Bajrang DassVishnoi were appointed as members of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT). It is the apex policy- making body of the Income Tax
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department. i. The CBDT is headed by a chairman and can have a maximum of six members. ii. Both of them are 1981-batch officers of Indian Revenue Service (Income Tax cadre).
Tata Sons appoints Aarthi Subramanian as Chief Digital Officer Tata Sons has appointed Aarthi Subramanian as the group's Chief Digital Officer. It is the holding company of salt-to-software Tata Group. i. Aarthi is currently the Executive Director at Tata Consultancy Services (TCS). ii. She will take up her new role in August this year. iii. She has 26 years of experience in the global technology sector and she started her career with TCS.
Bishwadip Dey concurrently accredited as the next High Commissioner of India to Montserrat On July 14,2017 Shri Bishwadip Dey, who was High Commissioner of India to the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, has been recognized as the next High Commissioner of India to Montserrat, with residence in Port of Spain.He is expected to take up his assignment shortly.
Lilly Singh appointed as UNICEF's Global Goodwill Ambassador UNICEF has appointed Indian- origin Canadian YouTube star Lilly Singh as its newest Global Goodwill Ambassador on 15th of July 2017. i. Lilly has supported UNICEF's Youth4Change initiative. ii. It is a programme for youth that brings them together to support their peers and communities in taking action on issues such as health, hygiene, child labour and gender equality.
Sanjiv Kohli concurrently accredited as the next High Commissioner of India to Niue Sanjiv Kohli has been concurrently recognized as the next High Commissioner of India to Niue on 14th of July 2017. i. Sanjiv Kohli is presently High Commissioner of India to New Zealand. ii. Kohli, an Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer of the 1988 batch, is expected to take up his assignment shortly.
Mukesh Kumar Jain appointed MD & CEO of Oriental Bank Mukesh Kumar Jain has appointed the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Oriental Bank of Commerce on 15th of July 2017. i. Mukesh is at present the executive director in Punjab and Sind Bank. ii. He will be served for a period of 3 years.
Four new members appointed in CBEC The four new members a senior bureaucrat John Joseph and three other officials have been
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appointed as members in the Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC). i. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved appointment of Sushant Kumar Panda, Ameeta Suri, Pranab Kumar Das and Joseph as the new members. ii. Joseph was recently appointed as chief of Directorate General of Goods and Services Tax Intelligence.
18-year-old ragpicker Bilal Dar to be Srinagar’s civic ambassador Bilal Dar an 18-year-old ragpicker has been appointed brand ambassador of the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) on 16th of July 2017. i. Bilal Dar earned his living by picking up waste from the Wular Lake in Bandipora district of north Kashmir. ii. As a brand ambassador of the SMC, Dar will be given a special uniform and a vehicle to go and meet people in commercial and residential areas.
Justice Gopal Prasad Parajuli to be the new Chief Justice of Nepal Justice Gopal Prasad Parajuli will be the new Chief Justice of Nepal announced on 17th July 2017. i. A special programme is organised at the office of the President in Sheetal Niwas and President Bidya Devi Bhandari administered the oath of office and secrecy to CJ Parajuli. ii. After endorsement by PHSC the President will now appoint him as the Chief Justice. No complaints were registered against him in the PHSC. iii. He will head the judiciary till 28th April 2018. Justice Parajuli is the senior most judge of the Supreme Court after the retirement of Chief Justice SushilaKarki.
Farooq Abdullah, Kunhalikutty take oath as Lok Sabha members National Conference patron and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah and Indian Union Muslim League’s PK Kunhalikutty took oath as the Member of Parliament (MP) in the Lok Sabha on 17 July 2017. i. Abdullah took the oath in Kashmiri, while Kunhalikutty opted for English. ii. Abdullah was elected to the lower house of Parliament after defeating his Peoples Democratic Party rival Nazir Ahmed Khan. Kunhalikutty was elected after winning the Malappuram by-poll in Kerala.
UK's first woman Sikh MP Preet Kaur Gill elected to key Parliament panel UK first woman Sikh MP Preet Kaur Gill, has been elected in the UK Parliament that examines the workings of the Home Office. i. Preet Kaur Gill, who won the Edgbaston seat for the Labour party on 8th June was elected to the Home Affairs Select Committee in the UK Parliament. ii. She has also been chosen to lead the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for British Sikhs.
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Smriti Irani to replace Venkaiah Naidu as new I&B Minister Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu has resigned from Prime Minister NarendraModi’s Cabinet. SmritiIrani was given additional charge of the Information & Broadcast Ministry and NarendraTomar was made the Minister for Urban Development. i. Narendra Tomar is currently the Union Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj. ii. Smriti Irani is the current Minister for Textiles.
Swami Smarananandaji appointed as new Ramakrishna Mission president Swami Smarananandaji Maharaj is elected as the 16th president of Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission on 18th of July 2017. i. The office of the president of Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission was vacant following the death of Swami Atmasthanandaji Maharaj on 18th June. ii. Swami Smarananandaji Maharaj taking over as the new president, the post of one vice president fell vacant and Swami Shibamayanandaji Maharaj has been given that post
Nagaland Governor PB Acharya appoints T.R. Zeliang as new CM On July 19, 2017, Nagaland Governor PB Acharya dismissed the five-month-old government of Shurhozelie Liezietsu, and appointed Naga People's Front (NPF) legislator, TR Zeliang as 19th Cheif Minister of Nagaland. i. R. Zeliang, who had staked claim to form a new government, was present in the House on July 19, 2017 with his supporters -- 35 NPF legislators, four BJP legislators and seven Independent members. It is to be noted that Nagaland has a 60-member Assembly. ii. On Governor’s invitation to form new government, Mr Zeliang took oath as new Chief Minister of Nagaland on July 19, 2017.
Bharat Arun appointed Team India bowling coach until 2019 World Cup Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has appointed Bharat Arun as the Indian Cricket team’s bowling coach until 2019 World Cup. i.Sanjay Bangar will be an assistant coach and R Sridhar as fielding coach till the 2019 ODI World Cup. ii.Ravi Shastri is the newly appointed coach of Indian Cricket team. iii.The confirmation of their appointment came after newly appointed Indian coach Ravi Shastri met the four-member committee. iv.The four member committee comprises of acting president CK Khanna, acting secretary Amitabh Choudhary, BCCI CEO Rahul Johri and Committee of Administrators member Diana Edulji.
Ram Nath Kovind elected as India’s 14th President On July 20, 2017, BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) nominee Ram Nath Kovind was elected as the 14th President of India. Mr. Kovind defeated Opposition candidate and former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar. 114 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage copyrights 2017 @ AffairsCloud.com
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About Ram Nath Kovind: 71-year old Ram Nath Kovind is a lawyer from Madhya Pradesh. • Before contesting presidential election, he was the Governor of Bihar. • He has served as a BJP MP in the Rajya Sabha as well. • Ram Nath Kovind will be the second Dalit President of India after KR Narayanan. • President Pranab Mukherjee’s term is ending on July 24, 2017 and the India’s 14th President Mr. Ram Nath Kovind will take oath on July 25, 2017.
Mayawati resigns from Rajya Sabha for not being allowed to raise issue of Dalit atrocities Mayawati has resigned from the Rajya Sabha for not being allowed to speak about atrocities against Dalits on 18th of July 2017. i. Mayawati told media persons that she had to quit as a Rajya Sabha member after deputy chairman P J Kurien asked her to stop speaking as she was exceeding the time given to her. ii. Mayawati said that She will resign from Rajya Sabha. She has no moral right to be in the House if she has not allowed to put across her views on atrocities being committed against Dalits.
Lady Super Star Nayanthara appointed as Brand Ambassador for Tata Sky An Actress who is called as Lady Super Star in South is the New Brand Ambassador for Tata Sky. It has been announced on 20th of July 2017. i. Nayanthara is a popular South Indian actress. ii. The company currently has 17 million connections across the country . It is a country's leading distribution platform.
Kamal Haasan to be brand ambassador of Tamil Thalaivas Tamil film actor Kamal Haasan has been appointed brand ambassador of Pro Kabaddi League franchise "Tamil Thalaivas", co-owned by India batting legend Sachin Tendulkar on July 19, 2017
Adobe names Shanmugh Natarajan as MD India operations Adobe Systems has appointed Shanmugh Natarajan as the Managing Director for Adobe Systems in India on 21st of July 2017. i. Shanmugh will continue to lead R&D and operations for Adobe India while Kulmeet Bawa, MD, South Asia will continue to lead Adobe's field operations. ii. He will continue to lead Adobe operations in India.
Former minister Lord Davies appointed chair of the UK India Business Council Former minister Lord Davies is appointed as new chairman of the UK India Business Council (UKIBC). i. Davies will take up this role from 1st September 2017.
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ii. He will serve for a period of 3 years and will replace the Rt Hon Patricia Hewitt.
Sanjay Kothari appointed Secretary to new President Ram Nath Kovind Sanjay Kothari a Chairman of Public Enterprises Selection Board, has been appointed as Secretary to President-elect Ram NathKovind. i. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, headed by Prime Minister NarendraModi, has cleared these appointments for an initial period of two years. ii. Kothari, a 1978-batch IAS officer of Haryana cadre, retired in June last year as DoPT secretary.
Brenda Hale appointed as UK supreme court's first female president Brenda Hale has been appointed as the first female president of the UK Supreme Court. i. It was announced on 21st of July 2017 and she will take up her position on 2nd October, when she will be sworn in as president. ii. Hale joined the Supreme Court in 2009 and is among the last of the judges who can serve to 75. iii. She became a judge before rules were changed in 1995 to make retiring at 70 mandatory.
Google CEO Sundar Pichai joins Alphabet Board of Directors Google CEO SundarPichai is going to join the board of directors of Alphabet, Google's parent company announced on 7th of July 2017. i. Alphabet is the second most valuable U.S. company behind Apple. ii. Alphabet shares have risen by more than 50% since Pichai, following a steady rise through Google's managerial ranks.
Janalakshmi Financial Services appoints Ajay Kanwal as CEO Janalakshmi Financial Services (JFS), the largest microfinance company, has announced the appointment of its new CEO Ajay Kanwal. It has been announced on 25th July 2017. i. Kanwal will take charge from 1st of August 2017. He has having 27 years of experience in both consumer and commercial banking sector. ii. He will replace VS Radhakrishnan, who will take over the role of vice chairman.
Subhash Chandra Garg appointed as India’s Alternate Governor on the Board of Governors of ADB Shri Subhash Chandra Garg has appointed as India’s Alternated Governor on the Board of Governors of ADB. It has been announced on 26th of July 2017. i. Shri Garg has been appointed in place of Former Secretary, DEA, Shri Shaktikanta Das. ii. He has appointed as India’s Alternate Governor on the Board of Governors of the Asian 116 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage copyrights 2017 @ AffairsCloud.com
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Development.
JDU President Nitish Kumar sworn-in as Chief Minister of Bihar for 6th time On July 27, 2017, Janata Dal (United) President, Nitish Kumar took oath as Chief Minister of Bihar for 6th time. Ending the grand alliance between his party, Congress and Lalu Prasad Yadav’s Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Nitish Kumar will now form the new government with the support of BJP-led NDA. i. Senior Bihar BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi also took oath as Deputy Chief Minister. ii. On July 26, 2017, after Nitish Kumar resigned as Chief Minister of Bihar on account of differences with RJD, BJP announced support for JD(U) and Nitish Kumar as chief minister. BJP also added that it will be a part of the government.
Axis Bank approves re-appointment of Shikha Sharma as CEO Axis Bank has re-appointed Shikha Sharma as MD&CEO of Axis Bank for three-year term from June 2018. Her current term was to end in June 2018. i. Axis Bank has informed Bombay Stock Exchange that board of directors has approved the re- appointment. ii. Sharma began her career with the infra lender ICICI Ltd in 1980 and played a key role in setting up the group's investment banking business.
Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif resigns over Panama Papers verdict The Supreme Court of Pakistan has disqualified Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif as a member of the National Assembly in Panama Papers leak case. He has been found guilty of corruption. It has been announced on 28th of July 2017. i. The Supreme Court also disqualified Finance Minister Ishaq Dar from office. ii. Defence Minister Khwaja Asif and former Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif are the new contenders for the post of Pakistan Prime Minister.
Ravi Mittal appointed part-time member on IRDAI board Ravi Mittal has appointed an additional secretary in the Finance Ministry in place of Anil Khachiis now a part-time member on the board of IRDAI announced on 30th July 2017. i. According to Ministry source, Former finance secretary Sushma Nath is another part-time member on the IRDAI board. ii. Mittal has replaced N S Rao at IRDAI (Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority ofIndia) who is a joint secretary level officer.
ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS
NMCE, ICEX to merge creating 3rd biggest commodity exchange National Multi Commodity Exchange (NMCE) will merge with Indian Commodity Exchange 117 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage copyrights 2017 @ AffairsCloud.com
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(ICEX) creating the India's third biggest commodity exchange. i. ICEX will hold a 62.8% stake in the merged entity, while NMCE shareholders will own 37.2%.This is the first merger deal in the commodity exchange space in India.
Nokia and Xiaomi ink patent and equipment deal, Xiaomi buys Nokia patents Nokia has announced that it has entered into a wide-ranging patent licensing and purchase deal with Xiaomi on 5th of July 2017. i. Xiaomi is the Chinese maker of smartphones, wearables and other hardware, which will also become a customer of Nokia’s for networking equipment. ii. The deal covers three main areas: 1.Nokia and Xiaomi have inked a cross licensing deal covering cellular standard essential patents. 2.Xiaomi has acquired unspecified patents from Nokia. 3.Nokia will provide network equipment to Xiaomi and will collaborate on building IP transport solutions.
Google acquires Bangalore-based artificial intelligence firm Halli Labs Google has acquired Bangalore-based artificial intelligence firm Halli Labs. It focuses on Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML) and Neuro-Linguistic Programming. i. Its primarily focused on mobile and aims to address issues such as low bandwidth and intermittent connectivity, conserving data usage, reducing battery consumption and many more.
SBI and Carlyle to jointly acquire GE Capital's stake in SBI Card State Bank of India (SBI), the Carlyle Group and GE have announced that they have signed definitive agreements.Under this agreement SBI and Carlyle Group will acquire GE Capital's entire stake in SBI Card, the second-largest credit card franchise in India.SBI and Carlyle will own 74% and 26% respectively in each of the two entities.
Eurofins to buy Advinus from Tatas Eurofins Scientific is acquiring Advinus Therapeutics from the Tata Group. Eurofins Scientific is the world leader in food, environment and pharmaceutical products testing and a Luxembourg- based group of laboratories. i. Eurofins, with revenues of 2.54 billion euros and 30,000 employees, operates in 41 countries including in India. ii. According to its 2015-16 annual report Group holding company Tata Sons Ltd holds a 67.31% stake in Advinus.
CCEA gives in-principle approval for selling 51% stake in HPCL to ONGC The Cabinet has given an in-principle approval to sell the government’s entire 51.11% stake in Hindustan Petroleum Corp Ltd to Oil and Natural Gas Corp. It has been announced 118 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage copyrights 2017 @ AffairsCloud.com
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th on 24 of July 2017. i. It is buying out government's entire 51.11% stake in fuel retailing and marketing company Hindustan Petroleum Corp Ltd. HPCL will continue to be a separate listed company. ii. Government is 51% owner of HPCL and 68% owner of ONGC so, if one of the companies keeps the shares of the other, it is a related party transaction. iii. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will head a 3-member ministerial panel to oversee and precipitate the sale of government stake in oil refiner HPCL to explorer ONGC. iv. Pradhan and Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari will be part of the ministerial panel. v. The merger will be completed within the current fiscal year ending March 31, 2018.
Yatra Online acquires ATB to expand corporate travel business Yatra Online Inc, India’s second-largest online travel operator has acquired Air Travel Bureau (ATB)announced on 24th July 2017. i. The estimated cash-and debt deal is of $22.5-27.5 million.
Axis Bank to buy FreeCharge from Snapdeal for Rs 385 crore Axis Bank has announced that it has agreed to buy mobile payments wallet provider FreeCharge from e-commerce company Snapdeal for Rs 385 crore. i. By acquiring Freecharges business would give Axis Bank access to about 52 million mobile wallet holders of Freecharge as well as about 150 to 200 professionals. ii. The acquisition will double the customer base of the bank. Freecharge presently has revenue of about Rs 80 crore.
Lulu to acquire 100% of UAE’s Al Falah Exchange for Rs.95 crore Lulu Exchange, a foreign exchange and remittance company, has announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire 100 per cent ownership of Al Falah Exchange Company in the UAE for Rs. 95 crore.
MoUs
Odisha govt signs EOI with IAAF & AFI to establish High Performance Academy Odisha government has signed an Expression of Intent (EOI) with the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) and the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) on 6th of July 2017. i. An academy for athletes will be built in the Kalinga Stadium. ii. The EOI was signed by Sports Secretary Vishal Kumar Dev on behalf of the Odisha government, AFI president Adille Sumariwala and IAAF president Lord Sebastian Coe. iii. It is for establishing an 'Odisha-AFI-IAAF High Performance Academy', to
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provide coaching, integrated support services and education to athletes and junior potential elite athletes of the state.
65 MoUs signed at Textiles India 2017 in the presence of Union Textiles Minister Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani 65 MoUs in the textiles sector were signed on July 1, 2017, the 2nd day of mega textiles trade fair, ‘Textiles India 2017’. These MoUs were signed in presence of Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani. More Details about 65 MoUs signed on second day of ‘Textiles India 2017’: MoUs were signed between various domestic and international organizations from industry and government. Of the 65 MoUs, three were Government – to – Government (G2G) MoUs, with Australia, Bangladesh and China.
• The MoUs signed relate to exchange of information and documentation, research & development, commercialization of handloom products and silk production, cooperation in geo textiles, skill development and supply of cotton and trade promotion with overseas partners. About ‘Textiles India 2017’: ‘Textiles India 2017’ was a three-day event held from June 30, 2017 to July 2, 2017 in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
• It was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 30, 2017.
• Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Venkaiah Naidu was the chief guest for the valedictory session of the event on July 2, 2017.
Microsoft India inks pact with NISA Microsoft India has signed an agreement with National Independent Schools Alliance (NISA) to offer Microsoft Aspire School Program (MASP) Pro Plus to over 55,000 member schools. i. MASP main aim is to equip schools with technology and innovative learning solutions, modernise campuses, and prepare future- ready students, among others. ii .Through this partnership, schools across 23 states can now avail MASP Pro Plus.
Ministry of Health signs MoU with Government of West Bengal to set up Centre of Excellence in Transfusion Medicine Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Government of West Bengal to set up a state-of-the-art Centre of Excellence in Transfusion Medicine on 10th of July 2017. i. The Centre of Excellence in Transfusion Medicine will be set up in Kolkata. ii. The initiative helps in strengthening the blood transfusion services in the State and the surrounding region.
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iii. Government of India has approved an outlay of approximately Rs.200 Crores towards equipment, manpower and running costs.
ESIC & DGFASLI sign MoU for collaboration on occupational health and prevention of occupational injuries and diseases In the presence of Shri Bandaru Dattatreya, the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Labour & Employment, A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between ESIC and Directorate General Factory Advice Service & Labour Institutes (DGFASLI) for collaboration in the field of occupational health and prevention of occupational injuries and diseases signed in New Delhi on 11th July . i. It will remain in force for a time period of three years. ii. The main focus of MoU is occupational health by establishing ‘DGFASLI-ESIC Occupational Health Training, Research & Development Centre’ (OHTRDC) at Regional Labour Institute, Faridabad .
Cabinet approves MoU between India and Palestine on cooperation in the field of Health and Medicine Union Cabinet has given its ex-post facto approval for signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Palestine on cooperation in the field of Health and Medicine. The MoU was signed on May 16, 2017.
Cabinet approves Joint Interpretative Notes on the Agreement between India and Bangladesh for Promotion and Protection of Investments The Joint Interpretative Notes (JIN) on the Agreement between India and Bangladesh would impart clarity to the interpretation of the existing Agreement between India and Bangladesh for the Promotion and Protection of Investments (BIPA). • It will also play an important supplementary role in strengthening the investment treaty regime.
Cabinet apprised of MoU between India and Bangladesh for cyber security cooperation Union Cabinet has been apprised of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) and Bangladesh Government Computer Incident Response Team (BGD e-Gov CIRT) for cyber security cooperation.
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Cabinet apprised of MoU between India and Palestine on cooperation in the field of Information Technology and Electronics (IT&E) This MoU intends to promote closer co-operation between India and Palestine in the areas of e- Governance, m-Governance, e-Public Services Delivery, cyber security, software technology parks, start-ups ecosystem etc. • The MoU shall come into effect from date of signature of the parties and shall remain in force for a period of 5 years.
Centre, UP govt sign MoU for opening AIIMS in Gorakhpur The Uttar Pradesh government has signed an MoU with the Centre for setting up of an AIIMS hospital in Gorakhpur on 14th of July 2017. i. Adityanath said after establishment of AIIMS the people would get quality treatment there. ii. It will help those living in eastern Uttar Pradesh to get health care services. iii. The hospital will have 750 free beds and the project is set to cost Rs 1,750 crore.
MoU signed for promoting regional air connectivity in Bihar A MoU was signed for promoting regional air connectivity in Bihar on 14th of July 2017. i. The MoU has been signed in presence of Union Civil Aviation Minister Ashok GajapatiRaju and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Kumar. ii. Under regional connectivity Purnea, Bhagalpur, Darbhanga, Saharsa and Valmikinagar have been chosen in Bihar.
Five states, Puducherry to ink MoU with GeM Five states and a union territory including Gujarat and Telangana would ink an MoU with Government e-Market (GeM) for smart procurement of goods and services. i. As per the government the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will ensure timely payment by state departments to the vendors registered on the GeM portal. ii. The other states that will ink the agreement are Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and union territory Puducherry.
HAL signs MoU with Defence Ministry HAL has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Ministry of Defence for the financial year 2017-18. i. The annual MoU was signed between Ashok Kumar Gupta, Secretary, Department of Defence Production and T Suvarna Raju, CMD-HAL. ii. The revenue from operations has been targeted at Rs 17,900 crore, the highest ever. iii. It aims to achieve capital expenditure of Rs 1,300 crore.
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BRPL, TERI in MoU to explore opportunities in solar rooftops, e-vehicles BSES Rajdhani Power Ltd (BRPL) and The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) have signed an MoU to explore collaboration opportunities for solar rooftop, electric vehicles, energy storage systems, energy efficiency and smart grid technologies on 13th of July 2017. i. The MoU has been signed for two years. ii. BRPL has implemented 8 mw solar rooftop in its licenses area and estimates addition of another 20 mw during 2017-18.
India & Sri Lanka sign MoU to develop village in Anuradhapura District India and Sri Lanka have signed a MoU to develop a village in Anuradhapura District. The total estimated cost is Rs 30 crores Sri Lankan rupees. i. The MoU was signed by High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka Mr. Taranjit Singh Sandhu and Mrs. W.K.K. Athukorala, Secretary to the Ministry of Housing and Construction in the presence of Parliament Speaker Mr. KaruJayasuriya. ii. The project is in line with Government of Sri Lanka’s policy of rehabilitation of rural villages for economic development.
MoU Signed between Department of Defence Production and BEL The MoU has been signed between the department of Defence Production and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) for the financial year 2017-18 with the Ministry. BEL is a Navratna Schedule ‘A’ Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE). i. The MoU was signed between Secretary Defence Production Shri Ashok Kumar Gupta on behalf of the Ministry of Defence and Chairman and Managing Director, BEL Shri MV Gowtama. ii. The Operating Profit to Revenue from Operations target has been set at 14% and PAT to Average Networth has been set at 15%. iii. The revenue from operations has been targeted at Rs. 9000 crore.
MoU Signed Between Department of Defence Production and GSL, HSL,GRSE, BDL 1.BDL : i. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) and Defence Public Sector Undertaking (DPSU) for the financial year 2017-18. ii. The revenue from operations, as per the MoU, has been targeted at Rs 5300 crore.BDL has planned to spend an amount of Rs 140 crore for modernization and Capital expenditure. 2.HSL i. A MoU has been signed between Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL), a Schedule ‘B’ Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) and a Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence for the financial year 2017-18. ii. The revenue from operations has been targeted at Rs 600 Crore. 3.GSLi. Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL), a miniratna Defence Public Sector Undertaking (DPSU)
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signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the financial year 2017-18. ii. This year’s MoU target for Revenue from Operations has been set at Rs 1150 crore. 4.GRSE i. During the current financial year GRSE has set a target to develop Indigenous Capability and Infrastructure for Assembly, Test and Trial of Marine Diesel Engines, at its Engine Plant at Ranchi. ii. The company has targeted to achieve a turnover of Rs 1350 crore in 2017-2018.
Cabinet apprised of MoU between India and Netherlands on cooperation in space technology Union Cabinet has been apprised of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Netherlands on cooperation in the exploration and uses of outer space for peaceful purposes. The MoU was signed on May 11 & 22, 2017 at Bangalore and The Hague, Netherlands respectively.
India, Bangladesh sign pact to connect both countries by waterways India and Bangladesh have signed a pact to connect both the countries by waterways announced on 24th of July 2017. i. The waterways will facilitate movement of passengers and goods between India’s northeast and West Bengal with Bangladesh. ii. The services are expected to start by the end of this year.
Cabinet apprised of the MoU signed between India and Palestine on cooperation in the field of youth affairs and sports Union Cabinet has been apprised of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between India and Palestine on cooperation in the field of youth affairs and sports. • The MoU will help in promoting exchange of ideas, values and culture amongst all youth irrespective of their caste, religion and gender as well as development of sports in India and Palestine. It will thereby help in consolidating friendly relations between the two countries.
Maharashtra's women commission to ink pact with UNDP Maharashtra’s women commission will sign an agreement with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). i. It has been signed for rescue and rehabilitation of women who are victims of sex trafficking, acid attack and domestic violence. ii. The MoU has been signed with the UNDP in the next 15 days. ♦ Chairperson of the Maharashtra State Commission for Women (MSCW) is Vijaya Rahatkar
Punjab signs MoU with Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics The Punjab government has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Foundation
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th for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND) on 28 of July 2017. The MoU was signed on the occasion of World Hepatitis Day. i. It is a global diagnostic firmto help the state diagnose and treat Hepatitis C patients. ii. The firm would provide rapid test kits for screening of high-risk patients, for disease like HIV, IVDU (Intravenous Drug Users). iii. Punjab is also the first state in the country where the injection safety programme is being implemented in collaboration with WHO.
Iran and Iraq sign accord to boost military cooperation Iran and Iraq has signed an agreement to boost military cooperation and the fight against terrorism and extremism on 23th of July 2017. i. Iranian Defence Minister Hossein Dehghan and his Iraqi counterpart Erfan al-Hiyalihas signed a memorandum of understanding which has covered border security, logistics and training. ii. The provisions of this memorandum includes extending cooperation and exchanging experiences in fighting terrorism and extremism, border security, and educational, logistical, technical and military support. iii. The Sayyad 3 missile can reach an altitude of 27 km (16 miles) and travel up to 120 km (74 miles).
BRICS nations sign memorandum to facilitate taxation cooperation The BRICS nations have signed the BRICS Taxation Cooperation Memorandum on 27th of July 2017. i. The document has been signed by the Heads of Tax Authorities of the five BRICS Nations. ii. All the five nations agreed to work together to ensure steady employment and better quality of life for their nation as well as for their people. iii. The aim is to establish a mechanism for taxation cooperation. It includes improving consultation procedures efficiency, boost taxation capacities and plan paths for coordination of taxation policies and tax collection.
Sri Lanka, China sign $1.5 billion Hambantota port deal On July 29, 2017, Sri Lanka’s government signed an agreement to sell a 70% stake in a $1.5 billion Hambantota port to China in a bid to recover from the heavy burden of repaying a Chinese loan obtained to build the facility. i. The deal document was signed between the Sri Lanka Ports Authority and China Merchants Port Holding Co. in Colombo, Sri Lanka. ii. The Chinese company will be responsible for commercial operations while the Sri Lanka Ports Authority will handle security.
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AAI, Uttarakhand Govt ink MoU on aviation development The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has signed a MoU with Government of Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA). The MoU has been signed on 21st of July 2017. i. The scope of the MoU is to identify relevant factors influencing the development of civil aviation infrastructure in Uttarakhand.
SCHEMES
Delhi govt launches Free Surgery Scheme Delhi’s Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on 8th July, 2017 announced a new health scheme to enable capital’s residents avail free surgery in private hospitals at government’s cost. This would be applicable in case government hospitals were unable to operate within one month. i. According to the scheme, if the waiting period for 52 surgeries — heart bypass, cataract and kidney stones removal,etc—listed by the government is more than one month, patients would be eligible to get it done at 48 empanelled hospitals. ii. The new scheme is open for all residents of Delhi, irrespective of their income slab. The patient can get the authorization letter from Delhi Arogya Kosh (Health Fund) after submitting residence proof along with OPD slip.
Maharashtra govt approves revised policy of 'Majhi Kanya Bhagyashree' scheme The Maharashtra government has approved a revised policy of the 'Majhi Kanya Bhagyashree' scheme who have a yearly income of upto Rs 7.5 lakh will be benefited from this scheme. i. According to the earlier provisions, the 'Majhi Kanya Bhagyashree' scheme is for those girls who come under Below Poverty Line (BPL) families and those whose annual income was upto Rs 1 lakh. ii .According to the revised provisions, families having an income upto Rs 7.5 lakh will be eligible for the scheme. iii. As per the revised provisions after having the first girl child, if the mother or the father undergoes a family planning operation, a sum of Rs 50,000 shall be deposited in a bank in the name of the girl child. iv. If any of the parents undergo a family planning operation after having the second girl child, a sum of Rs 25,000 shall be deposited in the name of both children. v. The scheme will be valid only if there are a maximum of two girl children born. In case a third child is born, the scheme shall become invalid for the first two as well. 126 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage copyrights 2017 @ AffairsCloud.com
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vi. The girl will be able to withdraw the interest money twice - once she attains 6 years of age and when she turns 12. vii. The girl will be able to withdraw the principle money plus the interest when she turns 18, provided she has completed her education upto Standard 10 and is unmarried.
Shala Siddhi Prohatsan Yojana started in 25,000 MP schools Madhya Pradesh’s school education department is going to start programmes such as 'Hamari Shala Kaisi Ho' and 'Shala Siddhi Karyakram' in all government schools of the state. i. It aims to provide qualitative education to the government school students. ii. The State Education Centre has also started Shala Siddhi Prohatsan Yojana under the programme in 25 thousand schools of the state to encourage best works. iii. A time table has also been fixed for the award process going by the time table, the district core committees would be required to form block-level selection committees by 22nd July.
Arun Jaitley launches Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana pension scheme with 8 pct fixed rate On July 21, 2017, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley formally launched Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana (PMVVY), a pension scheme exclusively for senior citizens (60 years and above) with 8% fixed rate of interest on their savings. More Details aboutPradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana (PMVVY): Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India which has been given the sole privilege to operate this scheme started offering the scheme from May 4, 2017. The scheme will remain open till May 3, 2018. • It can be purchased offline as well as online through Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India.Pension is payable at the end of each period, during the policy term of 10 years, as per the frequency of monthly, quarterly, half-yearly, yearly as chosen by the pensioner at the time of purchase. • PMVVY provides an assured return of 8% per annum payable monthly for 10 years. • Loan up to 75% of purchase price shall be allowed after 3 policy years to meet the liquidity needs. • The scheme also allows for premature exit for the treatment of any critical or terminal illness of self or spouse. On such premature exit, 98% of the purchase price will be refunded. • On death of the pensioner during the policy term of 10 years, the purchase price shall be paid to the beneficiary.
Ministry of Rural Development to launch Aajeevika Grameen Express Yojana The Ministry of Rural Development will launch a new sub-scheme under Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) which will be named as “Aajeevika
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Grameen Express Yojana (AGEY)”. Aajeevika Grameen Express Yojana (AGEY) – Objectives & Mode of Implementation As mentioned by Minister of State for Rural Development, Ram Kripal Yadav the main objectives of AGEY are to provide an alternative source of livelihoods to members of Self Help Groups (SHGs) under DAY-NRLM by facilitating them to operate public transport services in backward rural areas. • This will provide safe, affordable and community monitored rural transport services like e- rickshaws, 3 and 4 wheeler motorised transport vehicles to connect remote villages with key services and amenities including access to markets, education and health for the overall economic development of the area. • This sub-scheme will be implemented in 250 blocks in the country on a pilot basis for a period of 3 years from 2017-18 to 2019-20. • One of the options proposed to be given under the sub-scheme is that the Community Based Organisation (CBO) will provide interest free loan from its own corpus to Self Help Group member for purchase of the vehicle.
UP govt launches free power connection scheme for BPL families Uttar Pradesh Power Minister Srikant Sharma has launched free power connection scheme for the BPL card holders in the state on 23rd of July 2017. i. The scheme has been launched at 624 places across the state. ii. The scheme will also benefit the poor people who do not have BPL cards at present. iii. Those people who do not have BPL cards will have to pay between Rs 80 to Rs 120 for getting the power connection.
Government approves construction of 30,000 affordable houses on private land The Centre has approved the construction of 30,000 houses for the urban poor on private land in Maharashtra's Sholapur on 25th of July 2017. i. It is the first such project to be taken up on private land under PMAY(U). ii.Itsmain aim is to give momentum to affordable housing in urban areas. iii .The State Level Sanctioning and Monitoring Committee (SLSMC), set up under PMAY(U), will oversee the implementation of the project. iv. Central assistance of Rs 1.50 lakh for each beneficiary is provided under this component. v. Under the Centre's flagship programme Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban), the Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry gave a nod to central assistance of Rs 450 crore for the project. vi. Under PMAY(U) the Raynagar Cooperative Housing Federation, Sholapur had submitted a proposal to build 30,000 houses for its members comprising beedi and textile workers and other urban poor belonging to the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) at a cost of Rs 1,811 crore. vii. The cost of each dwelling unit of Rs 6,03,777 has been determined in a transparent manner with central and state assistance. The delivery price would be Rs 3,53,777 per house.
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viii. The CSMC, in its 24th meeting has approved the construction of 2,84,803 more affordable houses for urban poor under PMAY (U). ix. Total cost of these houses to be built in six states is Rs 16,407 crore for which central assistance of Rs 4,272 crore has been approved. x. Andhra Pradesh has been sanctioned 2,25,245 houses, Uttar Pradesh 23,322, Tamil Nadu 15,374, Manipur 10,392, Assam 9,767 and Meghalaya 703.
Cabinet approves revision of guidelines of Sovereign Gold Bonds Scheme On July 26, 2017, the Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave approval for revision of guidelines of Sovereign Gold Bonds (SGB) Scheme with a view to achieve its intended objectives. Cabinet has approved following changes in Sovereign Gold Bonds Scheme: The investment limit per fiscal year has been increased to 4 kg for individuals, 4 Kg for Hindu Undivided Family (HUF) and 20 Kg for Trusts and similar entities notified by the Government from time to time. • The ceiling will be counted on financial year basis and will include the SGBs purchased during the trading in the secondary market. • SGBs will be available ‘on tap’ (instantly available). Based on the consultation with NSE, BSE, Banks and Department of Post, features of product to emulate ‘On Tap’ sale would be finalised by Ministry of Finance. • To improve liquidity and tradability of SGBs, appropriate market making initiatives will be devised. Market makers could be commercial banks or any other public sector entity, such as MMTC or any other entity as decided by Government of India.
Punjab launches flagship 'care companion programme' scheme The Punjab health minister Brahm Mohindra has launched a flagship care companion health scheme on 28th of July 2017. i. The main aim is to improve patient outcomes through better family engagement and education. ii. The state department of health and family welfare has signed an MoU with Noora Health India Trust, a healthcare non-profit organisation, for implementation of the 'Care Companion Programme' (CCP). iii .The objective is to reduce the number of infant deaths and complications like infections in the first 30 days post- discharge and ensure adoption of long-term health pro-motive behaviours.
Mixing of liquid nitrogen with drinks, food banned in Haryana Haryana government has prohibited mixing of liquid nitrogen with any drink or food article announced on 29th of July 2017. i. The ban has been issued under the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006
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(Central Act 34 of 2006). ii. Liquid nitrogen is used at bars to quickly chill glasses, freeze ingredients or provide a smoky effect to drinks.
Punjab launches ‘Apni Gaddi Apni Rozgar’ scheme The Punjab government has announced the launch of its flagship 'Apni Gaddi Apna Rozgar' scheme by flagging off over 100 uber MOTO bikes. i. Under the scheme the state government will be providing commercial two wheelers and four wheelers to unemployed youth at subsidised rates. ii. The scheme aims to generate job opportunities for youth and providing better mobile transport in Punjab. iii. In its first phase the Uber bike taxis will run in Mohali, ludhiana, Zirakpur and Kharar regions of Punjab.
COMMITTEE
BCCI appoints committee to revisit support staff appointments A four-member committee of BCCI will take the final call in appointing the support staff of the Indian team and then decide on the contracts that will be handed to the coaches. i. A four member committee includes President CK Khanna, acting Secretary Amitabh Choudhary, CEO Rahul Johri and Committee of Administrators member Diana Edulji. ii. The four-member panel will look into the whole aspect of appointing the support staff and then also decide the financial terms of their appointment.
Karnataka appoints panel to design 'state flag', look into legal sanctity Karnataka has constituted a nine member committee to design a 'state' flag and submit a report on giving it legal sanctity. i. If such a flag does come into being, Karnataka will only be the second state in the country to officially have a flag of its own. ii. Jammu & Kashmir is the only state to have its own flag as it enjoys a special status under Article 370 of the Constitution.
SC allows Centre to replace MCI oversight committee The Supreme Court has allowed the Centre to replace the MCI oversight committee and to supervise the functioning of the Medical Council of India (MCI) with a fresh panel of five eminent doctors. i. A five-judge Constitution bench is headed by Chief Justice J S Khehar observed that the Centre should constitute a panel which would replace the oversight committee. ii. The committee, set up by the court on 2nd May 2016 last was to function for a period of one year 130 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage copyrights 2017 @ AffairsCloud.com
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or till a suitable mechanism was brought in by the Centre to substitute it. iii. It also gave the Centre liberty to replace any doctor in the list with another if he does not wish to be a part of the oversight committee.
GST Council panel to select National Anti-profiteering Authority The Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council has formed a selection committee headed by the Cabinet Secretary Pradeep Kumar Sinha to identify and recommend eligible persons for appointment as the chairman and members of the National Anti-profiteering Authority. Mandate and Composition of National Anti-profiteering Authority: i. The National Anti-profiteering Authority shall be responsible for applying anti-profiteering measures in the event of a reduction in rate of GST on supply of goods or services or, if the benefit of input tax credit is not passed on to the recipients by way of commensurate reduction in prices. ii. Applications seeking to invoke anti-profiteering measures shall be examined by a Standing Committee. iii. The Standing Committee is empowered to refer cases requiring detailed enquiry to the Director General of Safeguards, Central Board of Excise and Customs who shall give his/her recommendation for consideration of the National Anti-profiteering Authority.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Reliance Jio launches 25000km-long submarine cable system Reliance Jio Infocomm has launched the Asia-Africa-Europe (AAE-1) submarine cable system i .It is the longest 100Gbps technology based submarine system, will stretch over 25,000 km from Marseille, France to Hong Kong, with 21 cable landings across Asia and Europe. ii. Due to its advanced design and route, AAE-1 provides one of the lowest latency routes between Hong Kong, India, Middle East and Europe with the fewest hops.
NASA developing first asteroid deflection mission NASA is developing the first-ever mission that will deflect a near-Earth asteroid. It help in testing the systems that will allow mankind to protect the planet from potential cosmic body impacts in the future. i .According to the US space agency the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) is being designed and would be built and managed by the John Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory - is
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moving from concept development to preliminary design phase. ii. DART is NASA's first mission to demonstrate what's known as the kinetic impactor technique. iii. It strike the asteroid to shift its orbit - to defend against a potential future asteroid impact. iv. This approval step advances the project towards a historic test with a nonthreatening small asteroid. v. The target for DART is an asteroid that will have a distant approach to Earth in October 2022, and then again in 2024.
World's sharpest laser developed in US Scientists have developed the world's sharpest laser with record-breaking precision. It can help in making the optical atomic clocks more precise as well as test Einstein's theory of relativity. i. Researchers, including those from the Physikalisch- Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) in Germany have now developed a laser with a linewidth of only 10 miliHertz (mHz) - closer to the ideal laser than ever before. ii. This precision is useful for various applications such as optical atomic clocks, precision spectroscopy, radioastronomy and for testing the theory of relativity. iii. Laser light is used in numerous applications in industry, medicine and information technologies.
India successfully test-fires short-range surface-to-air missile QR-SAM The indigenously developed Quick Reaction Surface-to-Air (QRSAM) short range missile was successfully test-fired from a test range along the Odisha coast on 3rd of July 2017. i. The missile has a capability of engaging multiple target and has a strike range of 25 km to 30 km. ii. It has been designed to be a quick reaction missile and it involves an all-weather weapon system capable of tracking and firing. iii. The missile was test-fired at about 11.30 am from a truck-mounted canister launcher from launch complex-3 at the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur near Balasore.
North Korea claims successful intercontinental ballistic missile test North Korea claims to have successfully tested an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on 4th of July 2017. i. It can strike targets anywhere in the world, following its most recent launch. ii. US Pacific Command confirmed it had tracked "the "single launch of a land-based, intermediate range ballistic missile" for 37 minutes after it lifted off from an airfield north-west of Pyongyang. 132 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage copyrights 2017 @ AffairsCloud.com
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SpaceX's Dragon returns with first Chinese experiment from ISS
On July 3, 2017, SpaceX's Dragon cargo spacecraft returned to Earth from the International Space Station (ISS) bringing back the first Chinese experiment ever to ISS. i. This was SpaceX's 11th contracted cargo re-supply mission for NASA. ii. Dragonhas returned with more than 1,860kg of cargo, including science samples from human and animal research, biotechnology studies, physical science investigations and education activities.
World's most detailed scan of the brain's internal wiring produced The world's most detailed scan of the brain's internal wiring has been produced by scientists at Cardiff University, UK. The scanning was done in Cardiff, Nottingham, Cambridge and Stockport, as well as London England and London Ontario. i. The scan conducted on volunteers showed fibres in white matter called axons. These are the brain's wiring, which carry billions of electrical signals. iii. Conventional scans clearly show lesions - areas of damage - in the brain of multiple sclerosis (MS) But this advanced scan, showing axonal density, could help explain how the lesions affect motor and cognitive pathways which can trigger movement problems and extreme fatigue in MS patients.
Power Minister launches merit order dispatch of electricity App, portal for flexibility in coal supply for IPPs On July 5, 2017, Union Minister of State (IC) for Power, Coal, New & Renewable Energy and Mines, Piyush Goyal launched the ‘MERIT app (Merit Order Despatch of Electricity for Rejuvenation of Income and Transparency)’ and the e-bidding portal for providing e-Bidding solution to States to select Independent Power Producers (IPPs) for procurement of power by transferring their domestic coal under the scheme of flexibility in utilization of domestic coal. i. The app and the web portal would result in optimum utilization of Coal which would save the consumer close to Rs. 20,000 crores five years down the line. ii. On July 5, 2017, Mr. Piyush Goyal also launched the e-Bidding portal, which has been designed to facilitate States in inviting bids for procurement of power from the prospective IPPs in transparent and fair manner
SpaceX launches Super-Heavy Intelsat 35e Satellite On July 5, 2017, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket successfully delivered super-heavy Intelsat 35e, a commercial communications satellite, to a Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO). i. Intelsat 35e was launched from Kennedy Space Centre, Florida, US. After a half-hour trek across the Atlantic, the Falcon 9 deployed Intelsat 35e around 32 minutes into the flight. ii. Intelsat 35e will replace the aging Intelsat 903 satellite with a mass of 6,761kg, the Intelsat 133 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage copyrights 2017 @ AffairsCloud.com
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35e communications satellite is the heaviest payload SpaceX has ever launched toward geostationary orbit, about 36,000km above the Earth's surface
Pakistan successfully test fires short-range ballistic missile Nasr Pakistan has successfully undertaken a series of training launches and tests during the current week for validation of new technical parameters of ‘Nasr’ which is a short-range surface-to- surface ballistic missile system . The launch took place in Rawalpindi on July 5, 2017. i. This missile system ranges from 60 km to 70 km . ii. ‘NASR is a high precision weapon system with the ability to be deployed quickly.
First battery-free cellphone makes calls by harvesting ambient power University of Washington researchers have invented a cellphone that requires no batteries.This battery free cellphone works by harvesting the few microwatts of power it requires from either ambient radio signals or light. i. The team has also made Skype calls using its battery-free phone, demonstrating that the prototype made of commercial, off-the-shelf components can receive and transmit speech and communicate with a base station. ii. The system is developed by researchers from the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering.
Centre launches GST Rates Finder app to verify accurate tax rate under GST regime Centre has launched a GST Rates Finder app to verify the accurate tax rate on commodity and services under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime. i. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has launched the app in New Delhi on 7th of July 2017. ii. It will help the taxpayers and every citizen of the nation, to find out the correct GST rate on goods and services.
MP CM Chouhan launches RSS website The Madhya Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has launched the RSS website on 10th of July 2017. i. At a programmeorganized in Bhopal on 10th of July for the dedication of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s Sewa Prabhag website "Sewagatha" has been launched. ii. It will highlight the good work done by citizens and the information about it will encourage people.
Vaccine shows protection against gonorrhea for first time The findings mark the first time a vaccine has shown any protection against gonorrhea .Researchers say a vaccine, originally developed to protect against a strain of meningitis, has been
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shown to ward off gonorrhea - a sexually transmitted infection. i. The researchers at the University of Auckland used data from 11 sexual health clinics for all people aged 15 to 30 who had been diagnosed with gonorrhea or chlamydia, or both, and who had also been eligible to be immunised against meningitis in the 2004-2006 campaign. ii. According to their study, people who had received the meningococcal B vaccine were 31 percent less likely to be infected with gonorrhea than those who hadn’t received the MeNZB vaccine.
NASA's Juno mission has completed a close flyby of Jupiter's Great Red Spot According to NASA's Juno mission has completed a close flyby of Jupiter's Great Red Spot on 12th of July 2017. This flyby came as part of Juno's sixth science orbit around the planet the next close flyby will occur 1st Sept. i. NASA's Juno mission approached closest to Jupiter's center on July 10 at 9:55 p.m. EDT (0155 on July 11 GMT), at which point the probe was just 2,200 miles (3,500 kilometers) above the planet's visible cloud tops. ii. After 11 minutes and 33 seconds, Juno passed directly above the Great Red Spot at a height of 5,600 miles (9,000 km).
Union Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan inaugurates IMD's Doppler Weather Radar Union Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan has inaugurated Doppler Weather Radar on 12th of July 2017. i. Doppler Weather Radar is built by Indian Meteorological Department at Kochi. ii. Fifty more such radars will be installed in the country in near future.
Astronomers discover smallest star known in our galaxy Astronomers from Cambridge University have discovered a smallest star in our galaxy. i. The star known as EBLM J0555-57Ab is almost 600 light-years away from Earth. ii. It can be easily seen from the Southern Hemisphere if viewed from telescope. iii. The astronomers believe that this new star could possibly help them search for alien life. iv. The new star is just a bit larger than Saturn and has a gravitational pull approximately 300 times stronger than that on Earth.
Indian astronomers discover supercluster of galaxies, name it ‘Saraswati’ A team of Indian astronomers has discovered a large supercluster of galaxies which named as Saraswati. It is as big as 20 million billion suns.It has been said by Pune-based Inter University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA) on 13th of July 2017. i. The supercluster was discovered by Shishir Sankhyayan, a PhD student at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune. ii.According to IUCAA(Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics) it is one of the largest known structures in the neighbourhood of the universe, 4,000 million light-years 135 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage copyrights 2017 @ AffairsCloud.com
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away from Earth and roughly more than 10 billion years old. iii .Its mass extends over the scale of 600 million light years.
Russia's Soyuz rocket lifts off with 73 satellites from Kazakhstan On July 14, 2017, Russian Soyuz Rocket lifted off from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan and deployed 73 satellites into three different orbits.The satellites were launched by Glavkosmos, a subsidiary of the Russian space agency, Roscosmos. i. The largest payload is named Kanopus-V-IK, a Russian government satellite equipped with Earth-viewing cameras to map the planet in colour to aid emergency responders, crop managers and environmental scientists. The Kanopus-V-IK satellite weighs approximately 500 kilograms. ii. Among the secondary payloads were 48 Dove satellites from Planet, completing the company’s initial constellation of remote sensing CubeSats (type of miniaturized satellite for space research that is made up of multiples of 10×10×10 cm cubic units).
Indian Railway Minister launches new integrated mobile app SAARTHI The Railways has launched an integrated mobile application SAARTHI to cater to various passenger requirements, including ticket booking, inquiry, on-board cleaning and ordering meal on a single platform. i. The app Rail SAARTHI was launched by Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu. ii. The Rail SAARTHI (synergised advanced application rail travel help and information) such as safety for women, complaint facility and suggestion for improvement. iii. The railway also extends the advance booking period for foreigners to 365 days from present 120 days.
Super-flexible and strong artificial silk developed Scientists from the University of Cambridge have developed super-stretchy and strong artificial silk. It is composed almost entirely of water, which may be used to make eco-friendly textiles and sensors. i. The fibres are spun from a soupy material called a hydrogel, which is 98% water. ii.The remaining 2% of the hydrogel is made of silica and cellulose.
Govt launches low-cost screening device SOHUM to detect congenital hearing loss in newborns On July 17, 2017, Ministry of Science and Technology launched Sohum Hearing Screening device, a low-cost indigenous screening device to detect congenital hearing loss in newborns. The device was formally launched in New Delhi by the Minister of State for Science and Technology YS Chowdary.
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About Sohum Hearing Screening device: The device has been developed by the School of International Biodesign (SIB) start-up Sohum Innovation Labs India Pvt. Ltd.It was developed as part of a Department of Biotechnology project to develop new medical technologies.
Scientists develop 3D-printed soft silicone heart Scientists from ETH Zurich in Switzerland have developed a 3D-printed soft silicone heart that closely resembles and functions like the human organ. i. The 3D-printed soft artificial heart is a silicone monoblock with complex inner structure. ii. It weighs 390 gms and has a volume of 679 cubic centimetres. iii. It is not an exact biological replica of the actual but can help to save lives of people who suffer from cardiac failure. iv. Artificial blood pumps help to bridge the waiting time until a patient receives a donor heart or their own heart recovers.
UIDAI launches 'mAadhaar' app UIDAI, which issues Aadhaar numbers, has launched mAadhaar app for mobile users. It will allow users to carry unique identification profile on mobile. i. A user can download Aadhaar number profile through their smartphones and will therefore not require hard copies of the card. ii. mAadhaar app users can also update their profile via QR code and share eKYC details with service providers such as telecommunications companies.
Google introduces recruiting app 'Hire' for Businesses Google has launched 'Hire', a recruiting app for small- and medium-sized businesses on July 20, 2017. It also integrates seamlessly with G Suite. i. According to the Berit Johnson, Senior Product Manager at Google Cloud through Hire app can help to identify talent, build strong candidate relationships and efficiently manage the interview process end-to-end. ii. 'Hire' integrates seamlessly with G Suite apps like Gmail and Google Calendar that are being used by over three million businesses to drive recruiting efforts.
Astrosat, Chandra and Hubble jointly detect massive cosmic explosion According to the scientists the three space-based observatories Astrosat, Chandra, Hubble Space Telescope and a ground-based observatory HARPS have detected a massive coronal explosion on the nearest planet-hosting star ‘Proxima Centauri’. i. The exercise to investigate the fate of this Earth-like planet orbiting the ‘Proxima Centauri’, around 4.25 light years away from the Sun. ii. It involved a team of scientists from India, the US, Chile, France and Germany.
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Wi-fi LAN launched in Arunachal Pradesh civil secretariat Wi-Fi Local Area Network (LAN) was launched at the Arunachal Pradesh. The facility would modernize work culture in the civil secretariat on 23rd of July 2017. i. It is the first secretariat in the country to be fully under wireless coverage. ii. The secured network can offer connections to up to 6000 employees and 500 visitors can access it at one go. iii. The 157 access points installed across the secretariat premises would allow round the clock wifi access to officials and 8 hours per day to visitors. iv. The wireless LAN project comprises state-of-the-art wireless access points with 1 Gbps bandwidth in each of its four blocks powered by 10 Gbps NIC backbone link.
Govt launches 'SHe-Box' portal for Sexual harassment The Women and Child Development ministry has launched an online platform on 24th of July to enable women employees of the central government to file complaints related to sexual harassment at the workplace. i. The WCD minister also directed the officials to make the 'SHe-box'(sexual harassment electronic box) as "interactive" as possible. ii. The platform will provide to central government employees in the beginning and thereafter, its scope will be widened to include the private sector as well. iii. The online complaint management system -- SHe-box (sexual harassment electronic box) hosted on the website of the Women and Child Development Ministry.
"Mobile App for Road Maintenance “Aarambh"launched The Union Minister Shri Tomar and the ILO Deputy Director General (Policy) International Labour Organization Ms. Deborah Greenfield has launched the Mobile App for Road Maintenance “Aarambh”. It has been announced on 24th of July 2017. i. Its usage will enhance the service delivery of the state level institutions in planning and implementing performance based rural roads maintenance contracts. ii. The newly launched mobile application would simplify the maintenance management of rural roads. iii. This Mobile Phone App aims at use of GIS based mapping for making road inventories, condition surveys, and producing cost estimates and other relevant data for preparation and monitoring of annual road maintenance plans.
Researchers generate human antibodies from B-cells in the lab Scientists have produced human antibodies in the laboratory for the first time using a technique that can lead to rapid development of new vaccines to treat a wide range of infectious diseases. i. Researchers, led by Facundo Batista from the Francis Crick Institute in the UK, produced
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specific human antibodies in the laboratory by treating patient-derived B cells with tiny nanoparticles coated with both CpG oligonucleotides and an antigen.
CM Yogi Adityanath launches UP-RERA website On July 25, 2017, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath launched Uttar Pradesh Real Estate Regulatory Authority (UP RERA) website, http://www.up-rera.in/ About UP RERA Portal i. The website will be open for all. It has been developed to ensure that people do not have to take rounds of offices to verify builder details ii. Home buyers can get complete information about builders right from registration number of builders to his/her antecedents.
NASA will chase total solar eclipse in jets to make it last longer This rare eclipse will be the first in 99 years, when the Earth will cross the shadow of the moon, creating a total solar eclipse. The event will occur on 21st August 2017. i. During the eclipse, the moon will pass between the Sun and Earth, blocking the face of the sun and leaving only its outer atmosphere, or corona, visible in the sky. ii. NASA will fly"eclipse jets" to make totality when the moon blocks out the sun last nearly three times as long. iii. The jets will use telescopes to study the sun's corona, or outer atmosphere.
DNA of human embryos edited for 1st time in US Scientists in the US for the first time have successfully used gene-editing tools on human embryos to correct defective DNA that cause inherited diseases. This study may open gates to Designer Babies. i. According to the ‘MIT Technology Review’ the experiments are a milestone in journey towards the birth of the first genetically modified humans. ii. It involved changing the DNA of a large number of one-cell embryos with the controversial gene-editing technique CRISPR.
National Centre for Seismology launches ‘India Quake’ – An App for Earthquake Parameter Dissemination On the occasion of Foundation Day of Ministry of Earth Sciences in New Delhi Union Minister of Science & Technology, Earth Sciences and Environment, Forests & Climate Change, Dr. Harsh Vardhan has launched an app“India Quake”on 27th of July 2017. i. National Centre for Seismology (NCS) operates national seismological network with 84 stations. iii. The App will make information dissemination faster with no restrictions on the number of recipients.
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Dr. Harshvardhan launches “Sagar Vani” - An Integrated Information Dissemination System On July 27, 2017, Minister of Science & Technology, Earth Sciences and Environment, Forests & Climate Change, Dr. Harshvardhan launched an Integrated Information Dissemination System, “Sagar Vani” on the occasion of Foundation Day of Ministry of Earth Sciences in New Delhi. About ‘Sagar Vani’: ‘Sagar Vani’ has been launched to disseminate ocean related information and alerts (like high waves and Tsunami early warnings) to the user community (especially fishermen) in timely manner for their safety. • It is an Integrated Information Dissemination System (IDS) and has been developed by Earth System Science Organisation (ESSO)-Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) under Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) through the Industry M/s. Gaian Solutions Pvt. Ltd. • The services will be disseminated in local languages using advanced artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities. • ‘Sagar Vani’ targets the reach of information to the 9.27 lakh people involved in actual fishing either full or part time.
Iran successfully launches satellite-carrying rocket Iran has successfully launched a satellite-carrying rocket Simorgh into space on 28th of July 2017. i. The launch of a "Simorgh" rocket that is capable of carrying a satellite weighing 250 kilograms (550 pounds). "Simorgh" means "phoenix" in Farsi. ii. The launch took place at the Imam Khomeini National Space Station in Semnan, 220 kilometers (138 miles) east of Tehran.
Scientists develop new software that can crate 3D models from 2D photographs Scientists have developed new Artificial intelligence (AI) software called SurfNet that can create three dimensional (3D) models from 2D photographs. i. SurfNet can be used in robotics, object recognition and even self-driving cars. ii. SurfNet software using hundreds of thousands of 2D shapes of objects can reconstruct it a model in 3Dimensions.
NITI Aayog clears six proposals for high-tech public transport The NITI (National Institution for Transforming India) Aayog has approved 6 transport proposals of the Transport ministry exploring options to improve public transport. i. The ministry is headed by former top official of Railways to study parameters associated with these technologies and their best global practices.
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ii. It includes high-tech mass rapid transportation technologies such as Metrino, Hyperloop, Pod taxis, hybrid buses Stadler buses, and freight rail road. Some More Points: ♦ Metrino: It is fully automatic, driverless small pods, travel independently suspended over an overhead network. ♦ Pod taxis: It is small automated vehicles, cable cars or pod cars which is equipped to carry a small group of passengers. ♦ Hyperloop: It is a pod like vehicle is propelled through a near vacuum tube connecting cities at speeds matching that of an aircraft.
Breakthrough Starshot successfully launch world's smallest spacecraft Breakthrough Starshot, a Russian billionaire Yuri Milner’s $100-million effort to explore the closest star system to our own, has launched the smallest-ever spacecraft into orbit around Earth. i. Known as “Sprites”, the miniature satellites are just 3.5cm x 3.5cm and carry radios, sensors and computers, with each device powered by sunlight and weighing just four grams. ii. Scientists say, this latest development is an important precursor to an ambitious attempt to send space probes to planets beyond our solar system.
Scooping out oil spills made easy by IISER Scientists from the Indian Institute of Science, Education and Research (IISER) in Thiruvananthapuram have developed a hydrophobic sorbent that can suck up oil and congeal it. i.A hydrophobic material automatically takes up oil when it comes in contact with it. ii. It has now become possible for more efficient and quick absorption of crude oil from the sea following marine spill. The gelator can be easily applied over oil-water mixture and no solvent is needed for spraying it thus making it environment friendly. iii. A two-member research team led by Prof. Kana M. Sureshan from the School of Chemistry at IISERdeveloped the hydrophobic sorbent by using a cheap raw material (mannitol) and cellulose pulp as a matrix.
Scientists develop Bio-glue for wound healing Scientists have developed a super strong, flexible bio-glue for wound healing without causing toxicity. It has been developed by the erudite researchers from the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering and the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS). i. It is secreted by slugs that sticks to biological tissues - even when wet. Slugs secrete a special 141 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage copyrights 2017 @ AffairsCloud.com
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kind of mucus when threatened that glue it in place, making it difficult for a predator to pry it off its surface. ii. The key feature of the material is the combination of a very strong adhesive force and the ability to transfer and dissipate stress, which have historically not been integrated into a single adhesive. iii. The"tough adhesive" is biocompatible and binds to tissues with strength comparable to the body’s own resilient cartilage.
DEFENCE
Indo-Thai joint military exercise begins in Himachal Pradesh There is a 15-day long joint military training exercise between the Indian and Thai army has begun from 3rd July in Himachal Pradesh. i. The main aim is to build and promote bilateral Army-to-Army relations and enhance inter-operability between the two armies. ii. The armies of India and Thailand are conducting the yearly joint training exercise named Ex Maitree 2017 from July 3 to July 17 at Bakloh in Himachal Pradesh.
Trilateral Malabar exercise begins in chennai The Trilateral Malabar exercise begins in Chennai on 7th July 2017. The U.S., Indian and Japanese maritime forces will be participating in the Malabar Naval Exercise 2017 i. Naval ships, aircraft and personnel from India, Japan and the United States will participate in exercise Malabar 2017. ii. Malabar naval exercise 2017 will continue till 17th July and will address the variety of shared threats to maritime security in the Indo-Asia Pacific. iii. The exercise will feature both ashore and at-sea training.
NATO military drills in Eastern Europe begin in Bulgaria NATO military exercises in Eastern Europe have begun in Bulgaria. It involves 25,000 military personnel from more than 20 allied and partner countries. i .The drills aim to increase the interoperability of participating countries and display resolve and readiness to act in support of security and stability in the Black Sea region. ii. The opening ceremony was held 12th July at the Novo Selo military camp in southern Bulgaria. iii. The Saber Guardian 17 exercises are being led by U.S. Army Europe and run until 20th July.
China-Russia naval exercise begins in Baltic Sea China and Russia have started their large-scale naval exercise “Joint Sea 2017” in the Baltic Sea. It has been announced on 23rd of July 2017. i. The exercises will involve jets, helicopters and vessels. 142 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage copyrights 2017 @ AffairsCloud.com
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ii. The Chinese Navy is represented by one of its most advanced missile destroyers, the Hefei, as well as missile frigate Yuncheng and the Luomahu supply ship.
Australia and US test-fires multimillion hypersonic missile - HIFiRE The US and Australia have jointly test-fired a hypersonic missile capable of moving at a speed eight times faster than sound as part of a $54-million research project. The test was part of a project called the Hypersonic International Flight Research Experimentation Program (HIFiRE) involving the US and Australian militaries, Queensland University, Australia’s Defence Science and Technology Group and private companies, including Boeing and BAE Systems. i. The hypersonic missile is capable of travelling at Mach 8 - eight times faster than the speed of sound, from between 3,836mph (6,200kmh) to almost 8,000mph (13,000kmh). ii. The very first launch of a HIFiRE flight vehicle, which simply validated the basic design, occurred in May 2009.
US Navy tests world’s first Laser Weapons System LaWS U.S. Navy recently tested the world’s first-ever active Laser Weapons System (LaWS). It is $40 million system which is currently deployed on board the USS Ponce amphibious transport ship in the Persian Gulf. About Laser Weapons System LaWS: The system has special materials that release photons at the speed of light that silently hits a target, burning it to a temperature of thousands of degrees. • Each strike travels 50,000 times the speed of an incoming intercontinental ballistic missile(ICBM). • LaWS has high accuracy rate. The system can target a single component of an enemy target, such as a boat’s engine, and make it catch fire so that the entire vessel does not have to be destroyed and the Navy can avoid collateral damage. • Its cost per use is approximately $1 per shot. The system requires electrical power and a three-man team to operate.
GRSE hands over 2nd LCU Mark IV vessel to Indian Navy The second of the eight Mark IV LCU vessels was formally handed over to the Indian Navy at a ceremony in Kolkata on 19th of July 2017. It is built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited (GRSE), Kolkata. i. The LCU Mark IV ship is designed for multipurpose amphibious operations. ii. It jointly carried out the Navy and Army to ensure maritime security of the Andamans and Lakshadweep. The ship has 90% indigenous content. iii. The L52 ship was handed over by Rear Admiral V K Saxena, IN (Retd) CMD, GRSE, to the Commanding Officer of the ship Cdr Kaushik Chatterjee.
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World's largest supercarrier USS Gerald R Ford commissioned in USA On July 22, 2017, US Navy commissioned world's largest aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R Ford into the fleet. The commissioning ceremony was held at Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia in presence of US President Donald Trump. i. The ship is named after the 38th President of the United States Gerald Ford and has been built by Newport News Ship Building Company. ii. The keel for the US$12.8 billion USS Gerald R Ford was laid down in 2009.
Reliance Defence launches first two naval patrol vessels Shachi and Shruti On July 25, 2017, Reliance Defence and Engineering Limited (subsidiary of Reliance Infrastructure) announced the launch of its first two Naval Offshore Patrol Vessels (NOPVs) – ‘Shachi’ and ‘Shruti’ - at their shipyard in Pipavav, Gujarat. i. The two NOPVs -- 'Shachi' and 'Shruti' -- are the first warships to be launched by a private sector shipyard in India. ii. The five NOPVs are patrol ships armed with a 76 mm Super Rapid Gun Mount (SRGM) system along with two 30 mm AK-630 guns, which provide medium range and short range offensive and defensive capabilities.
Muntra - country's first unmanned tank, rolls out from the Chennai lab Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has developed an unmanned, remotely operated tank named ‘Muntra’ which has three variants – surveillance, mine detection and reconnaissance in areas with nuclear and bio threats. More Information pertaining to Muntra: Muntra has been developed and tested for the Army by Combat Vehicles Research and Development Establishment (CVRDE) in Avadi, Chennai. • Indian paramilitary force has also expressed interest to use these unmanned tanks in Naxal-hit areas. However it will require a few modifications. • Variants: Muntra-S is India’s first tracked unmanned ground vehicle developed for unmanned surveillance missions while Muntra-M is for detecting mines and Muntra-N is for operation in areas where there is a nuclear radiation or bio weapon risk. • Specifications: The vehicle has surveillance radar, an integrated camera along with laser range finder which can be used to spy on ground target 15km away – may be a crawling men or heavy vehicles. • The vehicle has been tested and validated at Mahajan field firing range in Rajasthan under dusty desert condition. ENVIRONMENT
Sundarbans mangrove cover at risk says Study As per a publication titled ‘Mangrove Forest Cover Changes in Indian Sundarban (1986- 144 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage copyrights 2017 @ AffairsCloud.com
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2012) Using Remote Sensing and GIS’, by the School of Oceanographic Studies, Jadavpur
University, 124.418 sq. km. mangrove forest cover in Indian Sundarbans has been lost from 1986 to 2012. i. The total forest cover of the Indian Sunderbans as assessed by remote sensing studies for the year 1986 was about 2,246.839 sq. km., which gradually declined by 2,201.41 sq. km. in 1996, then down to 2168.914 sq km in 2001 and to 2122.421 sq km in 2012. ii. The loss in the mangrove forest in the Indian Sunderbans is about 5.5 %. Maximum erosion of mangroves has occurred in Bhangaduni (37% loss), Dalhousie Island (16% loss), Jambudwip (10% loss) and Dulibhasani West (9.7%).
Assam to raise new force for rhino protection The Assam government has raised a new Special Rhino Protection Force (SRPF)on 1st July, 2017. i. It has been raised for better protection of the one-horned rhinos in Assam. ii. The government has already started the process of recruitment for the proposed force, which will be deployed for better protection of the one horned rhinos in the state.
Bengaluru man spots rare 'pale' tiger in the Nilgiris A rare ‘white tiger’ with a pale skin color has been spotted for the first time in the Nilgiris by a wildlife photographer on 5th of July 2017. i. Photographer Nilanjan Ray from Bengaluru spotted the cat at an undisclosed location on a recent trip to the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve.
India among 5 countries using wastewater for irrigation India among top 5 countries using dirty wastewater farms the report has been published on 5th of July 2017. i. India and four other countries are China, Pakistan, Mexico and Iran. These countries account for the most cropland in the world irrigated by dirty wastewater according to the new research has found. ii. Researchers analysed data with geographic information systems (GIS). iii. According to the study published in the journal Environmental Research Letters, the global use of untreated wastewater from cities to irrigate crops downstream is 50%.
Mars soil may be toxic to alien life: study The study have found that the surface of Mars contains a toxic cocktail of chemicals that can eradicate living organisms. i. According to the study the Mars soil may be toxic to alien life on red planet.
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ii. Researchers at the University of Edinburgh in the UK investigated the conduct of chemical compounds, called perchlorates, which are found on the surface of Mars. iii. The study also conclude that the effect of perchlorates can be compounded by two other types of chemicals found on Mars' surface, iron oxides and hydrogen peroxide.
New unique species of hermit crab discovered Scientists have discovered a unique new species of hermit crab on 16th of July 2017. i. The newly discovered crustacean is called Paragiopagurus atkinsonae or the Green-eyed hermit crab. ii. It measures merely 70 millimeters in length and sports a colouration of mottled orange nuanced with cream to white.
NGT bans use of nylon and synthetic manja National Green Tribunal (NGT) imposed a ban on nylon and synthetic ‘manja’ the string used to fly kites as it poses a threat to the lives of birds, animals and humans. i. The ban also includes cotton ‘manja’ coated with glass, the tribunal clarified. ii. State governments have been directed to prohibit the “manufacture, sale, storage, purchase and use” of synthetic ‘manja’ or nylon threads and all other synthetic threads used for flying kites. iii. A bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar said there will be a total ban on the ‘manja’, which are made of nylon or any other synthetic material or are coated with non- biodegradable substances.
GSI discovers millions of tonnes of precious metals and minerals in Indian waters Scientists from the Geological Survey of India (GSI) have discovered the presence of millions of tonnes of precious metals and minerals deep under the waters that surround peninsular India. Marine Exploration by Geological Survey of India (GSI): The huge presence of marine resources was first identified off Mangaluru, Chennai, Mannar Basin, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and around Lakshadweep in early 2014. • Marine resources that have been identified comprise lime mud, phosphate-rich and calcareous sediments, hydrocarbons, metalliferous deposits and micronodules. • After three years of exploration, Geological Survey of India (GSI) has generated 181,025 square kilometres of high-resolution seabed morphological data and has established the
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occurrence of more than 10,000 million tonnes of lime mud within the Exclusive Economic Zone of India. Identified Marine Resources and Location: Marine Resources Location Phosphate sediment Off Karwar, Mangaluru and Chennai coasts Gas Hydrate In the channel-levee system of Mannar Basin off the Tamil Nadu coast Cobalt-bearing ferro-manganese Andaman Sea crust Micro-manganese nodules Lakshadweep Sea.
Underwater 'ghost nets' posing threat to marine ecosystem off Kerala The underwater ghost nets is posing threat to the marine ecosystem off Kerala coast. It may become major threat to the natural habitat and breeding ground of underwater fish. i.These ghost notes may have detrimental implications for marine life if no proper effective action has taken place. ii.Ghost nets have destroyed many of the underwater reefs identified with flourishing fish stock because of its ‘stifling cover’.
In a first, Telangana to have eco-friendly bridges for movement of tigers The Indian state of Telangana will have eco-friendly bridges for easy movement of tigers. i. The Telangana Irrigation Department has already given permit for the construction of the eco-bridges. ii. The recommendations on the size and locations of the bridges are awaited from the National Board of Wildlife. iii. Telangana will have eco-friendly bridges over a canal cutting across the tiger corridor linking the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) in the Chandrapur district of Maharashtra with the forests in Telangana's Kumram Bheem Asifabad district. iv. The eco-bridges will be constructed at key spots along the 72 km-long right flank canal of the Pranahita barrage in the Bejjur and Dahegaon mandals.
Castor plant can reduce soil pollution A study has been conducted by researchers from University of Hyderabad’s plant sciences department highlights Castor plants can reduce the soil which is highly polluted with heavy metals due to industrial pollution. i. Castor oil is also known as ‘Arandikatel’ in Hindi and ‘Amudham’ in Telugu. ii. Castor seed plant is known to be one of the most substantial plants which has been observed growing in areas where the soil is highly polluted, including in areas where mining is carried out. iii. Castor plants growing in these areas absorb toxic heavy metals from soil.
US biologists discover three new toad species Scientists have discovered a three new species of toads living in Nevada's Great Basin in
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th the US.It has been announced on 24 of July 2017. i. The toads are found in small, wet habitats surrounded by high-desert. ii. The three new species, the Dixie Valley toad, Railroad Valley toad and Hot Creek toad are not connected geographically.
Uttarakhand records second highest tiger count in India As per the announcement by Trivendra Singh Rawat, Chief Minister of Uttarakhand the count of tigers in Uttarakhand shot up 242 with an increase of 63 big cats in the year 2017. i. Uttarakhand is the second state in terms of tiger count behind Karnataka, which has 400 big cats. ii. According to the latest statistics, at least 208 tigers have been identified in Jim Corbett Tiger Reserve, up from last year's 163. Also six cubs were identified there. iii. At least 34 tigers have been identified in Rajaji Tiger Reserve in 2016-17, up from previous year's 16. Five cubs were also found there.
Glow-in-the-dark shark discovered in the Pacific Scientists have discovered a new species of glow-in-the-dark shark in the Pacific Ocean. i. It has an unusually large nose, weighs a little less than a kilo and measures less than a foot. ii. They are not easily visible or accessible like so many other sharks. iii. It lives 1,000 feet below the Pacific Ocean off the coast of the northwestern Hawaiian Islands. iv. The new species, a member of the lanternshark family, has been named Etmopteruslailae.
China produces gas from 'flammable ice' under South China Sea According to the Land and Resources Ministry China has successfully produced natural gas from methane hydrate, also known as “flammable ice”, in an experimental project in the South China Sea (SCS). i. Under the experiment, a drilling platform had produced a total of 309,000 cubic meters of natural gas from gas hydrate in 60 days. ii. China has achieved theoretical, technological, engineering and equipment innovations and has made a historical breakthrough.
Typhoon Haitang strikes China, two lakh people evacuated Typhoon Haitang struck China's eastern Fujian Province with continual rain blows on different parts of the region. Over 2 lakh people have been evacuated from Typhoon. i. According to the provincial meteorological observatory wind hit with a maximum speed of 18 meters per second, the tropical cyclone followed Typhoon Nesat which landed in the same city at 6 am on 30th of July 2017. ii. As per Xinhua news agency Typhoon Haitang the 10th typhoon this year made landfall at 4.40 pm in Pingtung on the island of Taiwan. 148 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage copyrights 2017 @ AffairsCloud.com
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SPORTS
Jeff Horn stuns Pacquiuao in WBO welterweight world title fight Australia's Jeff Horn stunned Pacquiuao to claim a unanimous 12-round decision and win the WBO world welterweight title in front of 50,000 fans at Lang Park on 2nd July 2017.
MS Dhoni becomes first Indian batsman to hit 200 sixes in ODIs On June 30, 2017, M S Dhoni became the first Indian batsman to hit more than 200 sixes in One Day International (ODI) cricket. i. M S Dhoni accomplished this feat while playing a crucial unbeaten knock of 78 runs against West Indies in the third ODI in North Sound, Antigua on June 30, 2017. ii. He has now hit 322 sixes in his international career and is fifth on the list topped by former Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi (476). Chris Gayle (434), Brendon McCullum (398) and Sanath Jayasuriya (352) are the ones ahead of Dhoni.
Harinder Sandhu won South Australian Squash Open title Harinder Pal Sandhu won the eighth title at the PSA level on 8th July 2017 and the third this season after winning two in Malaysia in the month of May. i. The tournament was held at Adelaide,Australia. ii. He defeated Rhys Dowling of Australia 11-8 12-10 11-4 in the final.
Novak Djokovic wins Eastbourne Aegon Championship by defeating Gael Monfils On July 1, 2017, Novak Djokovic won his second ATP World Tour title of the season by beating Gael Monfils at the Aegon International in Eastbourne in Men’s Singles category. Winners of Eastbourne Aegon Championship Category Winner Runners-up Men’s Singles Novak Djokovic (Serbia) Gaen Monfils (France) Women’s Singles Karolína Plíšková (Czech Republic) Caroline Wozniacki (Denmark) Men’s Doubles Bob Bryan (US) & Mike Bryan (US) Rohan Bopanna (India) & Andre Sa (Brazil) Women’s Doubles Chan Yung-jan (Taipei) & Martina Ashleigh Barty (Australia) & Hingis (Switzerland) Casey Dellacqua (Australia) Germany win first Confederations Cup title Germany has won their first ever football Confederations Cup title after they secured a 1-0 victory against Copa America winners Chile on 2nd of July 2017. i. The football Confederations cup held at Saint Petersburg from 17th June to 2nd July 2017.
Indian shuttlers win singles, doubles titles in Ivory Coast International tournament On July 2, 2017, Indian woman badminton player Ritika Thaker defeated another Indian woman badminton player Simran Singhi to win the singles title in the Ivory Coast International
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badminton tournament at Abidjan. i. In women’s singles final, Ritika defeated Simran by 21-13, 21-19 in 31 minutes. ii. Later, Ritika and Simran paired together to beat the Nigerian duo of Zainab Momohand Peace Orji 21-11, 21-14 in the women's doubles final that lasted 20 minutes.
Jehan Daruvala becomes 1st Indian to win FIA Formula 3 European Championship race On July 2, 2017, Jehan Daruvala became the first Indian driver to win in the FIA Formula 3 European Championship claiming victory at Norisring in the final race of Round 5 i. Jehan Daruvala’s historic win comes 18 years after Naren Karthikeeyan won in the British F3 championship.
India 96th in FIFA World ranking, its best in 21 years India has moved four places up to the 96th position in the FIFA World ranking released on 6th of July 2017. i. This is the country’s second best ranking and its previous best was the 94th position in February 1996.
Pankaj Advani-led Indian team beat Pakistan to clinch Asian Snooker Championship India’s leading Pankaj Advani teamed up with Laxman Rawat to beat Pakistan in the final of the Asian Team Snooker Championship. i. Asian Snooker Championship is to be held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
Harinder Pal Sandhu wins Victorian Open squash title India's Harinder Pal Sandhu won a Victorian Open squash title, in Melbourne. i. Harindar won a second title in two weeks and beat Rex Hedrick of Australia 12-14, 11-3, 11-4, 11-7 in a 77-minute final. ii. He had beaten Piedro Schweertman of the Netherlands to reach the final.
Lakshmanan wins gold in 5000m, three meet records broken Asian champion Govindan Lakshmanan has won a gold medal in men’s 5000m race on the opening day of the National Inter-State Athletics Championships. i. Lakshmanan, represents Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand’s Man Singh and KalidasHirave of Maharashtra were in second and third positions respectively. ii. He bagged a gold medal at the Asian Athletics Championships 2017 held in Bhubaneswar. He has also qualified for the World Championships to be held in London next month. iii. Anu Raghavan of Keralabroke the meet record in women’s 400m hurdles. iv. The men’s 400m hurdles Jabir M P and M Ramachandran of Andhra Pradesh securing the top two positions. Tamil Nadu’s Santosh Kumar came in third place.
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v. Sarita Singh also created a new meet record in women’s hammer throw with a best throw of 63.22m.
Atthaya Thitikul becomes youngest Ladies European Tour winner Teenage Atthaya Thitikul became the youngest winner on the Ladies European Tour on 9th of July 2017. i. Atthaya beat Ana Menendez of Mexico by two strokes. ii. The Ladies European Tour held in Thailand at the Phoenix Gold Golf and Country Club.
Asian Athletics Championships 2017 Overview - India finish on top in medals tally The 2017 Asian Athletics Championships was the 22nd edition of the Asian Athletics Championships. It was held from 6 to 9 July 2017 at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, India. Bhubaneswar was the third Indian city to host Asian Championships. Around 800 athletes from 45 countries attended the event. The Asian Athletics Championships are organized by Asian Athletics Association every two years. • The mascot of Championship was Olly, the Olive Ridley sea turtle. • India ended the four-day championship on top with their highest ever medal haul of 29 medals (12 gold, 5 silver and 12 bronze) ,India's best came way back in the 1985 Jakarta edition where they had won 22 medals. Medal Chart Rank Nation Gold Silver Bronze Total 1 India 12 5 12 29 2 China 8 7 5 20 3 Kazakhstan 4 2 2 8
India win two gold in haul of seven medals on day 1 Shot putter Manpreet Kaur grabbed the gold medal with a throw of 28m on the opening day • Manpreet also qualified for the World Championships in London being Asian champion • Long distance runner G Lakhsmanan gave India the second gold with an unexpected win in men's 5000m race • V Neena and Nayan James bagged a silver and bronze in women's long jump while Vikas Gowda, Sanjivini Yadav, Annu Rani added a bronze each in the men's discus throw, women's 5000m race and javelin throw respectively. • India Athletes Bag Four Golds On Day 2 Of Asian Athletics Asian Athletics Championship Day 3 wrap: Sudha Singh's gold, four other medals The 31-year-old Sudha won her race in 9 minute 59.47 seconds to grab the lone gold for India .It was Sudha's first gold in her fourth attempt in the Asian Championship.
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• Anu Raghavan added a silver in the women's 400m hurdles, while woman triple jumper NV Sheena, men's 400m hurdler Jabir MP and the women's 4x100m relay team grabbed a bronze as India took one gold, one silver and three bronze on the third day. India bag two gold through unheralded Archana, Barman Archana Adhav gave India a surprise gold in 800m while heptathlete Swapna Burman 20-year- old of Bengal in Hepatthalon won gold medal with 5942 point added another yellow metal on the fourth and final day . • With the win, Archana also qualified for the World Championships to be held in London next month. • Jinson Johnson and Purnima Hembram also won a bronze each in the men's 800m race and women's heptathlon .
Valtteri Bottas wins Austrian Grand Prix Finnish driver Valtteri Bottas dominated the Austrian Grand Prix to take his second victory of the year ahead of Sebastian Vettel as Lewis Hamilton recovered to fourth. i. Valtteri Bottas drives Mercedes.The event took place in Baku , the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan
Mithali Raj creates history, becomes leading run-getter in Women’s ODIs On July 12, 2017, India Women’ Cricket Team Captain Mithali Raj scripted history as she became the all-time leading run-getter in women's one-day internationals (ODI). Accomplishments of Mithali Raj: i. Mithali, who is leading India at the ICC Women's World Cupin England, overtook Charlotte Edwards (5992 runs) after scoring her 34th run against Australia in Bristol. ii. She reached the landmark in her 183rd ODI, taking 164 innings - 16 less than Charlotte. iii. Mithali broke another record when she became the first player in the women’s game to reach 6000 ODI runs when she hit a six off Kristen Beams.
India to host next edition of Theatre Olympics Dr Mahesh Sharma, Minister of State for Culture and Tourism has announced that 8th edition of the greatest carnival of Theatre in the World will take place in India for the first time ever from February 17 – April 08, 2018. i. The Minister said that there will be 500 plays & 700 ambience performances from across the world. ii. The Theatre Olympics, being held in India for the first time and is being organised by National School of Drama, under the Ministry of Culture.
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Misbah-ul-Haq awarded honorary life membership by Marylebone Cricket Club Former Pakistan test captain Misbah-ul-Haq was honoured with Honorary Life Membership by the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) on 15th of July 2017. i. The 43-year-old Misbah is the 22nd Pakistani to receive the honour.
Wimbledon Championships 2017 – Overview 131st edition of the Wimbledon Championships tennis tournament took place at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, London, United Kingdom from 3rd – 16th July 2017. ♦ At 35 years and 11 months, Roger Federer has become oldest Wimbledon male champion in the Open era (since 1968). Wimbledon 2017 – Winners: Category Winner Runners-up Men’s Singles Roger Federer (Switzerland) Marin Cilic (Croatia) Women’s Singles Garbine Muguruza (Spain) Venus Williams (US) Men’s Doubles Lukasz Kubot (Poland) & Marcelo Melo Oliver MArach (Austria) & Mate (Brazil) Pavic (Croatia) Women’s Ekaterina Makarova (Russia) & Elena Monica Niculescu (Romania) & Doubles Vesnina (Russia) Chan Hao-ching (Taiwan) Mixed Doubles Jamie Murray (UK) & Martina Hingis Heather Watson (UK) & Henri (Switzerland) Kontinen (Finland)
Lewis Hamilton wins record-equalling fifth British GP Lewis Hamilton Mercedes driver won his fourth successive British Grand Prixfor a record- equaling fifth time at the Silverstone on 16th of July 2017. i. With the win, Hamilton equals Jim Clark and Alain Prost record with five British GP career wins.
Indian judokas bag 3 medals in Asian Cadet Championships, Kyrgyzstan India has bagged three medals, including gold in the Asian Cadet Judo Championship in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. i. Thangjam Tababi Devi of Manipur won the yellow metal for India in the girl's below 44kg weight category. ii. Haryana's Simran clinched a bronze in the girl's below 40kg division. iii. Paramjeet of Haryana bagged bronze medal in the boy's below 90kg category.
Manudev wins National Masters snooker title H Manudev from Karnataka won the first National Masters snooker tournament title in Chennai on July 16, 2017. He defeated former Asian champion, Alok Kumar. i. Manudev, Alok, Chirag Ramakrishnan and Rafath Habib have qualified for the World Six-
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Red and Team Championship Snooker to be held in Egypt. ii. They also qualified for the World Snooker Championship to be held in Malta.
Kargil International Marathon “Run for Sarhad” concluded The first ever Kargil International Marathon ‘Run for Sarhad’concluded with more than 800 runners from all over the world participating in the event. The event concluded on 17th of July 2017. i. The winner of 60 km is ZaheerAbass. He ran in less than 6 hours. ii. Sarfaraz Rahman, a young international runner from Meerut won in the category of 120 km race
Indian Damneet Singh wins silver medal at IAAF World U18 Championships in hammer throw Indian youngster Damneet Singh has wonthe India’s first silver medal at the IAAF World U18 Championships. He has won in the boys’ hammer throw category. i. The IAAF World U18 Championships being held in Nairobi, Kenya. ii. Damneet has achieved best mark of 74.20m in his first attempt. iii. Ukraine’s Mykhaylo Kokhan won the gold medal with a throw of 82.31m.
FIFA have lifted their ban on the Sudan Football Association World football's governing body FIFA has lifted the ban on the Sudan Football Association (SFA). i. The ban was imposed on the Sudan Football Association (SFA) for its failure to comply with its obligations stipulated in articles 14 and 19 of the FIFA Statutes.
Kerala emerge champs at 57th National Inter-State Championships Kerala emerged champions with 159 points at the 57th National Inter-State Championships that was held from 15th – 18th July, 2017 in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh. Tamil Nadu finished second with 110 points followed by Haryana with 101 points in overall team rankings. Anu best woman athlete Anu R. (400m, Kerala) emerged as the best woman athlete at 57th National Inter-State Championships with 1105 points. Sandeep Wins Men’s 20000m Gold At National Inter State Meet Haryana’s Sandeep Kumar won the gold medal in the men’s 20000m race walk on Day 2 of the National Inter State Championships athletics meet, in Guntur on July 16, 2017. Soumya bags race walk title, Sheena wins triple jump gold Soumya B won the gold medal in the women’s 20000m race walk on Day 3 of the National Inter State Championships athletics meet, in Guntur on July 17, 2017.
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Amiya, Srabani Clinch Gold In National Inter State Athletics Meet Continuing good performance from the recently concluded Asian Athletics Meet earlier this month, Amiya Kumar Mallick and Srabani Nanda put up a strong show clinching two golds at the National Inter State Championships athletics meet at Guntur in Andhra Pradesh. Other Gold Medal Winners at 57th National Inter-State Championships: Event Gold Medal Winner Women’s pole vault Khyati Vakharia Women’s javelin throw Annu Rani Women’s 3000m Chinta Yadav Women’s 800m Lili Das Women’s 1500m Lili Das Men’s 10k run Pradeep Singh Choudhary Men’s hammer throw Bhupinder Singh Men’s triple jump Arpinder Singh Men’s 800m Jinson Johnson Men’s shot put Tejinder Singh Toor Men’s long jump Muhammed Anees Y Men’s 3000m steeplechase Jaiveer Men’s 110m hurdles Siddhanth Thingalaya Men’s 1500m Ajay Kumar Saroj Indians win gold and bronze at first global robotics Olympiad A group of seven Indian students has bagged two awards at a robotics Olympiad organised by ‘FIRST Global’ in Washing D.C., US. Indian Students at FIRST Global Robotics Olympiad: The students, who hail from Mumbai, won gold for Zhang Heng Engineering Design Award The Indian team also won a bronze for Global Challenge Match. • The award has been named after Zhang Heng, a Han Chinesepolymath who achieved success as an astronomer, mathematician, scientist, engineer, inventor, geographer, cartographer, artist, poet, statesman, and literary scholar. • The Indian team also won a bronze for Global Challenge Match. • The Indian team was led by 15-year-old Rahesh, the youngest member of the group. Other team members were Aadiv Shah – Team Spokesperson, Harsh Bhatt – Alliance Strategist, Vatsin – Alliance Analyst, Adhyyan – Robot Tactician, Tejas – Robot Controller and Raghav – Robot Driver. • The ‘bot’ prepared by Indian team was called ‘neutrino’. It basically collected orange and blue balls from the ground and sorts them accordingly and also climbs up to 2.5 feet. Afghanistan Team at FIRST Global Robotics Olympiad: There was a proud moment for all-girl team from Afghanistan as they won the Rajaa Cherkaoui El Moursli award for courageous achievement. • The award has been named after Rajaâ Cherkaoui El Moursli, a Moroccan Professor of nuclear physics. She won the L’Oréal-UNESCO Awards for Women in Science for her work on the Higgs Boson
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Mexico City in Mexico would host the competition next year.
Football legend Francesco Totti confirms retirement Francesco Totti, a footballer legend from Italy confirmed his retirement on 17th of July 2017. The Roma legend had announced he will take a directorship role at the Serie A club. i. Totti played 786 matches for Roma in total, scoring a club-record 307 goals, and won the 2006 World Cup with Italy.
Mumbai teens Joshi, Ananya Dabke win Dutch Open Mumbai teens Neel Joshi and Ananya Dabke has bagged the under-15 boys and girls titles in the Dutch Open Junior Squash Championship. i.The Dutch Open Junior Squash Championship was held in Amsterdam, Netherlands. ii.Joshi beat 5/8 seed Khalil Alhassan of England 9-11, 11-4, 11-5, 11-6 in the boys final.
Russia's Kazan to host 2022 World Short Course Swimming Championships Russia's Kazan has been selected to host the 2022 World Short Course Swimming Championships. i. The President of the International Swimming Federation (FINA) Julio Maglione has announced at a press conference in Budapest. ii. The 2024 Short Course Worlds will be held in the Hungarian capital, which currently hosts the 17th FINA World Championships.
Chennai Open renamed to Maharashtra Open, to be held in Pune According to PTI, for the first time in 21 years Chennai will not host India’s lone ATP tour tournament. The competition will now be held in Pune and called “Maharashtra Open.”
Meghalaya CM launches ‘Mission Football’ at JN Sports Complex in Shillong Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma has launched a statewide football grassroots development programme 'Mission Football'at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on 23rd of July 2017. i. Mission Football is a project for developing a sustainable infrastructure for the sport in all the 11 districts of the state. ii. The mission would also focus on creating sports parks, football entertainment parks.
Indian team won 5 medals at World Para Athletics Championships 2017, London Eighth edition of World Para Athletics Championships was held in London, UK from 14th to 23rd July, 2017.It was organized by the World Para Athletics subcommittee of the International Paralympic Committee. • Around 1,300 athletes from 100 countries participated in this championship, contesting at more than 200 medal events.
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• Competition was held in the iconic London Stadium in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, the same venue that staged athletics events during the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. • India ranked at 34th position on medal table. Indian team won 5 medals (1 gold, 2 silver and 2 bronze) in this championship. World Para Athletics Championships 2017 – Medal Table – Top 5: Country Gold Silver Bronze Total China 30 17 18 65 United States 20 19 20 59 Great Britain 18 8 13 39 Ukraine 12 6 11 29 Australia 11 9 8 28 Gurjar 2nd Indian to win gold at World Para Athletics C’ship Indian Para-athlete Sundar Singh Gurjar became second Indian to win gold at the World Para Athletics Championships. Amit Kumar Wins Silver In World Para Athletics Championships India’s Amit Kumar Saroha clinched a silver medal in men’s club throw competition in World Para Athletics Championships on July 17, 2017. Karamjyoti Dalal wins bronze medal at World Para Athletics Discus-thrower Karamjyoti Dalal won a Bronze medal at World Para Athletics Championships 2017, in the Women’s category. Sharad Kumar and Varun Bhati winning a silver and bronze at world Para Athletic Championship High jumpers Sharad Kumar and Varun Bhati won silver and bronze medalrespectively at Para Athletics Championships 2017.
England beat India to won ICC women world cup 2017 The women’s cricket team from England beat India by 9 runs on 24th of July 2017. i. The ICC Women World Cup 2017 held at Lord’s Cricket Ground at London.The 2017 Women’s Cricket World Cup was the eleventh edition of the Cup. ii. The Player of the Series title has been awarded to Tammy Beaumont of England. She had made most runs, 410 in the tournament. iii.The Player of the match has been awarded to Anya Shrubose. She is from England. iv. Dane van Niekerk of South Africa took most wickets in the tournament. The total wickets she took in the tournament were 15. v. The 2021 women’s world cup will be held at New Zealand.
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H S Prannoy wins US Open Grand Prix Gold badminton title Indian Shuttler H S Prannoy has won the US Open Grand Prix Gold badminton tournament title on 24th July 2017. i. He has defeated his compatriot Parupalli Kashyap. ii. It was held at Anaheim, California USA. iii. In the women's singles of the tournament, Japanese Aya Ohoriwon the final. She has defeated Michelle Li of Canada.
Boxer Sachin Siwach wins Gold at Commonwealth Youth Games World Youth Champion Sachin Siwach had won a gold medal at the Commonwealth Youth Games on 23th of July 2017. i. Sachin had defeated Welsh boxer James Nathan Prober 4-1 in the final of the light flyweight 49 category. ii. Siwach was the only one of the 103 boxers to have clinched gold in the tournament. iii. The Commonwealth Youth Games held in Nassau Bahamas. The game will be held from 18th July to 23rd July 2017.
Kaur breaks into top 10 of ICC Women's ODI Player Rankings Kaur has made a jump of seven slots to move to 6th position in the latest ICC Women’s ODI Rankings. It is released on 25th of July 2017. ii. Poonam Raut has gained five slots to reach 14th position after scores of 86 and 14 in the final and semi-final respectively. ii. Veda Krishnamurthy has gained seven slots to reach a career-best 26th position. iii. Jhulan Goswami has gained four slots to reach second position in bowling. iv. Mithali Raj has gained No. 2 in batting. She is now the second India batter to feature in the top 10.
Konsam wins gold in Asian Youth & Junior Weightlifting Championships Indian weightlifter Konsam Ormila Devi has bagged a gold medal at the Asian Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championships in Kathmandu, Nepal. ♦ According to the Indian Weightlifting Federation, the weightlifter from Manipur lifted 56kg in snatch and 70kg in clean & jerk for a total effort of 126kg in the 44kg weight category to finish at the top.
India to host maiden men's World Boxing Championship in 2021 The International Boxing Association (AIBA) has announced on 24th of July that India will host their first Men’s World Championship in 2021. i. The announcement was made after a two-day executive committee meeting that was held in Moscow. ii. The AIBA Men’s World Championships 2019 will be held in Russia city of Sochi. 158 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage copyrights 2017 @ AffairsCloud.com
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iii. The 2018 Women’s World Championships will also be held in New Delhi. iv. The 2019 Women’s World Championships will be held in Trabzon, Turkey. v. The AIBA 2018 Congress was awarded to the Russian capital city of Moscow.
Indonesia to host AFC U-19 championship The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Competition Committee has awarded Indonesia the hosting of the AFC Under-19 championship 2018. i. The AFC U-19 championship is scheduled to be held from 18 October to 4 November 2018. ii. The committee felt that Indonesia was regarded as the most favourable among the bidders.
Prannoy climbs to 17th spot in BWF rankings Indian shuttler HS Prannoy climbed to 17th position in the BWFworld rankings released on 28th of July 2017. i. Prannoy has won in the US Open Grand Prix Gold title after beating ParupalliKashyap in the final. His previous ranked was 23. ii. Kashyap had lost the final but made it to top-50. He is now at 47th position in the world rankings. His previous rank was 59. iii. Another Indian shuttler Sameer Verma has climed four places from 32 to 28 and became the fourth Indian to qualify for the World Championship. iv. Indian, Kidambi Srikanth is highest ranked at number 8. India now has four shuttlers in top-20. v. Ajay Jayaram is at 16th spot, while B Sai Praneeth maintains his 19th position. Women’s category: PV Sindhu has ranked at 5th and Saina Nehwal slipped a place and is now ranked 16th. Mixed doubles: Pranaav Jerry Chopra and N Sikki Reddy slipped to three places and now rank 20.
India finishes 6th in 2017 World Junior Squash India finished 6th in the girl’s team event of the 2017 WSF-World junior squash championship on 29th of June 2017. i. World Junior Squash held in Tauranga, New Zealand. ii. In the third match of the tie, Aishwarya Bhattacharya lost against Elle Ruggerio by 11-7, 11-5, 11-8.
Caeleb Dressel becomes first ever Swimmer to win three gold medals in one night at worlds Championship The 20-year-old American Swimmer Caeleb Dressel has become the first swimmer to win three gold medals on a single night at either the FINA World Swimming Championship or the Olympics. i. Caeleb Dressel accomplished this feat on July 29, 2017 at 2017 FINA World Aqatics Championships in Budapest, Hungary. 159 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage copyrights 2017 @ AffairsCloud.com
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ii. Dressel started with a victory in the 50-meter freestyle, came back about a half-hour later to nearly break Michael Phelps' world record in the 100 butterfly, and closed the night by leading off a world-record performance in the mixed 400 freestyle relay. iii. He now has six gold medals in the championships, putting him in position to tie Phelps' record of seven at the 2007 Champonships in Melbourne, Australia.
Peaty & Masse sets world record at 2017 World Aquatic Championship 1.Peaty sets world record in 50m On July 25, 2017, Britain's Adam Peaty broke the 50m breaststroke world record for the second time in a day as he reached the World Aquatics Championships final in Budapest, Hungary. In medal tally US topped with 39 medals(17 gold, 12 Silver and 10 bronze) 2.Masse wins 100m backstroke world gold in record time On July 25, 2017, Kylie Masse of Canada won women's 100m backstroke gold in a new world- record time at the world aquatics championships.
Manoj Kumar, Shiva Thapa strike gold in Czech Republic tournament Indian boxers have bagged a total of 8 medals at the 48th Grand Prix at Usti Nad Labem in Czech Republic. i. In the tournament out of the eight, five were gold medals. The three other medals are two silver and one bronze. ii. The five gold medals for India were bagged by world championships bronze-medallist Shiva Thapa(60kg), former Commonwealth Games gold-medallist Manoj Kumar(69kg), Amit Phangal, Gaurav Bidhuri(52kg) and Satish Kumar(+91kg). iii. The two boxers who finished with silver medals were Kavinder Bisht in the 52kg category and Manish Panwar in the 81kg category. iv .Sumit Sangwan has awarded bronze medal at 91 kg.
Rahul, Manu-Sumeeth clinch titles at Lagos Open Indian shuttler C Rahul Yadav and Men’s doubles pair of Manu Attri and B Sumeeth Reddy has won the Men’s singles and Men’s doubles title at Lagos International challenge. i. The Lagos International challenge was held in Nigeria. ii. Rahul surpassed another Indian player Karan Rajan Rajarajan by 21-15 21-13 in the final clash to the title at the MoladeOkoya-Thomas Hall of the Teslim Balogun Stadium. iii. In women’s singles, India’s Mugdho Agrey finished as runners-up after losing 12-21 14-21 to Sri Lanka’s Thilini Pramodika Hendahewa in the finals.
India bags 24 medals at Jordan Open TT India has bagged total 24 medals at the Jordan Junior and Cadet Open table tennis tournament.The event held in Amman the capital of Jordan. i. The tally includes 7 Gold, 7 Silver and 10 Bronze medals. In the event India was the second 160 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage copyrights 2017 @ AffairsCloud.com
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best finishers. ii. Payas Jain had won silver after defeated by Hsu p-Hsuan(Taipei boy) 4-11, 6-11, 6-11. iii. Payas, Yashansh Malik and Chinmaya Somaiya have lost against Hsu Po-Hsuan, Lin Yen- Cun and Pen gChih who claimed the gold. iv. Payas overcame Iran’s Mohammad Amin Samadi to win the boys singles title with a 11-5, 11-9, 12-10 triumph. v. Anargya Manjunath grabbed the singles crown when she scored a 11-7, 6-11, 11-5, 12-10 victory over Taipei’s Cheng Pu-Syuan in a needle final contest.
Sebastian Vettel wins Hungarian Grand Prix Sebastian Vettel won a Hungarian Grand Prix.He took the checkered flag 0.9 seconds ahead of Raikkonen on 30th July 2017. This is his fourth win of the season and 46th of his Formula One career.
Isner downs Harrison for fourth ATP Atlanta title John Isner(From USA) won his fourth ATP Atlanta title on 30th of July 2017. He had defeated Ryan Harrison by 7-6 (8/6), 7-6 (9/7). i.In Men’s doubles Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan won the titles. They defeated Wesley Koolhof and ArtemSitak by 6-3, 6-4.
OBITUARY
Simone Veil, iconic European feminist politician, dies at 89 Simone Veil an iconic European feminist politician, dies at 89. i. Simone Veil was the French politician, women's rights champion and Holocaust survivor. ii. She known in France for her instrumental role in legalising abortion in the 1970s.
Noted Odia Actor Minaketan Das Passes Away Noted Odia actor Minaketan Das, well-known in Odisha's film and television industry for his negative roles, passed away on June 30, 2017 after a prolonged illness. i. Das was known for his acting in a number of Odia films including ‘Balunga Toka’, ‘Jianta Bhuta’ and ‘Most Wanted’.
Veteran Journalist Ravinder Randev passes away Veteran journalist Ravinder Randev passed away in Shimla on July 2, 2017, following a massive
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cardiac arrest. He was 82. i. After serving in the Himachal Pradesh Education Department for more than a decade, Randev joined the Vir Pratap daily newspaper as a staff reporter in 1972. ii. During his career as a journalist spanning over 45 years, he worked for the Dainik Tribune, The Indian Express, Uttam Hindu, Pioneer and National Herald.
Veteran Marathi actor-writer Madhukar Toradmal passes away Veteran Marathi actor-writer Madhukar Toradmal died on 3rd of July 2017. i. Toradmal was a writer, director and actor. He had acted in Marathi as well as Hindi films including "Simhasan," "AapliManasa", "Atmavishwas" and "Raakh". ii. He had contributed immensely to the fields of acting, script-writing and translation as well as enriched Marathi theatre and culture.
Drummer John Blackwell Jr dies at 43 John Blackwell is best known for his work as a drummer for Prince, had died. He was 43. i. John Blackwell Jr. was diagnosed with brain tumors while in Japan playing at the Blue Note Tokyo in a featuring with top bassist Nik West. ii. He is from U.S.A.
Former Bengal Cricketer Gour Ghosh passes away Former Bengal and Jharkhand First-Class cricketer Gour Ghosh passed away on 9th of July 2017.He was 77 years of age. i. Gour was right-hand batsman and wicketkeeper. ii. He played 17 First-Class matches in a career spanning 1960-61 to 1970-71.
‘True Blood' actor Nelsan Ellis dead at 39 Actor Nelsan Ellis was best known for playing Lafayette Reynolds on the HBO series "True Blood," has died at the age of 39. i. The performance earned him a 2008 Satellite Award for best supporting actor and numerous awards alongside the cast of the show. ii. In Julliard he won the Lincoln Center’s Martin E. Segal Award for his semi-autobiographical play "Ugly."
Veteran actress Sumita Sanyal passes away at the age of 71 Veteran actor Sumita Sanyal, who was well known artist in both Bengali and Hindi films, passed away at the age of 71 at Kolkatta on 9th July 2017. i. Sanyal was introduced in the movie, Khokhababur Pratyabartan which released in 1960. ii. Sanyal acted in over 40 Bengali films and she was best known for her role in Bollywood flick Anand starring Amitabh Bachchan and Rajesh Khanna.
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Former Indian Ambassador to the US Naresh Chandra passes away Former Indian Ambassador to U.S., and Padma Vibhu shan awardee, Naresh Chandra (82) died at Manipal hospital at Dona Paula near Panaji on 9th July night. i. Chandra, a bachelor, had served as the Cabinet Secretary from 1990-92 and was the Indian Ambassador to the US from 1996 to 2001. ii. Naresh Chandra was conferred Padma Vibhushan in 2007.
Water expert Mohanakrishnan passed away Veteran water expert and former Cauvery Technical Cell Chairman A. Mohanakrishnan died on 9th of July 2017. i. Mohanakrishnan served as the Chairman of the Cauvery Technical Cell (CTC) since its formation in 1990 till December 2012. ii. He served under different Chief Ministers and offered advice on various water projects in Tamil Nadu.
'The Indian Fighter' Actress Elsa Martinelli Dead At 82 Elsa Martinelli, the veteran Italian actress, best known for her work in the 1955 film "The Indian Fighter" passed away in Rome. She was 82. i. Elsa made her acting debut in 1954 with "Le Rouge et le Noir" directed by France's Claude Autant-Lara. ii. Her breakout role came the following year in Andre de Toth's "The Indian Fighter", where she played
Renowned cartoonist Mangesh Tendulkar passes away Renowned cartoonist Mangesh Tendulkar passed away on 10th of July in Pune. He was 83. i. Tendulkar was suffering from bladder cancer for the last three years. ii. He was one of the most eminent cartoonists in India. iii. He was conferred with the president’s medal in 1980, Marathi Natya Parishad Award in 1993 and Pulotsav award in 2003 among several other honours.
Forensic expert Prof P Chandra Sekharan passes away Renowned forensic expert and Padma Bhushan awardee Prof Dr P Chandra Sekharan died on 12th of July 2017. i. Sekharan served for over three decades as director of the Department of Forensic Sciences, Government of Tamil Nadu. ii. He has written many books including "The first human bomb," based on the Rajiv Gandhi case and other scientific publications.
Ray Phiri: South Africa's Graceland star dies Ray Phiri, a South African jazz musician died on 12th of July 2017. He has died of cancer at
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age 70. i. Phiri was a vocalist and guitarist known for his versatility in jazz fusion. ii. He has founded the band Stimela and became internationally known while performing on Paul Simon's groundbreaking “Graceland” tour.
Chinese Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo passes away China's Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo died on 13th of July 2017.He as 61 and was suffering from liver cancer . i. Liu received Nobel Peace Prize in 2010. ii. He is also known for his role in the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests in Beijing.
Iranian- born mathematician Maryam Mirzakhani dies Maryam Mirzakhani, an Iranian-born mathematician has died after a battle with cancer. She was 40. i. Maryam was the first woman to win the coveted Fields Medal. ii. In 2014 Mirzakhaniwon the Fields Medal, the equivalent of the Nobel Prize for Mathematics, which is awarded by the International Congress of Mathematicians. iii. Mirzakhani became known on the international mathematics scene as a teenager, winning gold medals at both the 1994 and 1995 International Math Olympiads. iv. She went on to win the 2009 Blumenthal Award for the Advancement of Research in Pure Mathematics, and the 2013 Satter Prize of the American Mathematical Society.
Former Sikkim CM Nar Bahadur Bhandari passes away Former three - term chief ministers of Sikkim, Nar Bahadur Bhandari died on July 16, 2017. He passed away at the age of 77. i. Bhandari was born in 1940 at Malbasey in West Sikkim.He was an obscure school teacher.He is survived by wife Dil Kumari Bhandari, a former MP, two daughters and a son. ii. He became the chief minister of Sikkim for the first time in 1979 on a Janata Parishad ticket and then again in 1984 and 1989 on a Sikkim Sangram Parishad ticket.
Oscar Winner Martin Landau Passes away at 89 Oscar-winning Actor Martin Landau has died at the age of 89, announced on 17th of July 2017.He was an American film and television actor. i. Martin Landau has been acting since the early 1950s making his professional acting debut on the sitcom The Goldbergs, starring Gertrude Berg and Eli Mintz. ii. In the 1980s, Landau made a strong screen comeback starring in Francis Ford Coppola's 1988 Tucker: The Man and His Dream, and Woody Allen's Crimes and Misdemeanors.
Actor-songwriter Red West dies at 81 Red West, an Actor-song writer died at the age of 81 in USA on July 18, 2017. He was best
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known for his role as Red alongside Patrick Swayze in "Road House", and a longtime friend and songwriting partner of Elvis Presley i. As a songwriter, he co-wrote "Separate Ways" for Elvis in 1972. The song was the title of an Elvis album released on RCA's budget album line. ii. His most memorable role was as Red Webster in 1989's "Road House" opposite Patrick Swayze.
Ex-MP Shivajirao Patil passes away Senior Congress leader Shivajirao Patil, passed away on 22nd of July 2017 after a brief illness.He was 92. i. Patil was a former MP and also a former member of the Maharashtra Legislature and the state cabinet. ii. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2013. iii. He was a member of the RajyaSabha during 1992-98, an MLC from 1960 to 67 and an MLA for three consecutive terms from 1967 to 1980.
NCP Kerala President Uzhavoor Vijayan passes away Nationalist Congress Party Kerala unit president Uzhavoor Vijayan died on 23rd of July 2017. i. He was a graduate had worked as state secretary of the KSU and the Youth Congress before parting his association with the Congress. ii. He had fought Assembly elections in 2001 from Pala in Kottayam district but lost to Kerala Congress veteran K M Mani.
Chester Bennington, lead singer of Linkin Park passes away Linkin Park lead singer Chester Bennington has passed away on 13th of July 2017. He was 41. He was an American Singer. i. The Grammy Award-winning group sold more than 10 million copies of their 2000 debut, “Hybrid Theory,” which featured the megahit and anthem, “In the End.” iii. They sold another 6 million with 2003’s multiplatinum “Meteora.” iv. Linkin Park has won two Grammys including in a rap category for the collaboration "Numb/Encore" with Jay-Z in 2005.
Professor UR Rao, ex-Isro chief and renowned space scientist passes away Internationally-renowned space scientist UR Rao passed away on July 24, 2017 due to age-related health issues. He was 85. Overview of UR Rao’s accomplishments as a Space Scientist: Born in Adampur village in Udupi, Karnataka, Prof. Rao has continuously been associated with India’s space programme working with people like MGK Menon, Satish Dhawan and Vikram Sarabhai. • The first Indian satellite ‘Aryabhata’ was launched in 1975 under his watch.
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• He served as the chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for about 10 years between 1984 to 1994. • After he took charge as Chairman of the Space Commission and Secretary, Department of Space in 1984, the rocket technology development in India got a boost. • He kicked-off the Geo Stationary Launch Vehicle (GSLV) and the cryogenic technology projects in 1991. • Among other positions that Prof. Rao has held, he is remembered for his tenure at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). • He has published more than 350 scientific and technical papers covering cosmic rays, interplanetary physics, high energy astronomy, space applications and satellite and rocket technology. He has also authored many books. • Before his death, he was serving as the Chairman of the governing council of the Physical Research Laboratory in Ahmedabad and the Chancellor of the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology in Thiruvananthapuram. Professor UR Rao – Honors/Awards: • UR Rao has won 10 international awards and many national awards. • In May 2016, Rao became the first Indian to be given the ‘Hall of Fame’ award by the International Astronautical Federation (IAF). • Rao was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1976 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2017 for his contribution to Indian space technology.
Former HP Chief Secy Sudripta Roy passes away Former Himachal Pradesh chief secretary Sudripta Roy died at the age of 63. i. Roy was a 1978 batch IAS officer. He was died after the brief illness. ii. He had assumed the office of the chief Secretary of HP in May 2012 to 2014.
Renowned scientist Professor Yash Pal passes away Veteran scientist, administrator and popular science communicator, Professor Yash Pal passed away on July 24, 2017 in Noida, Uttar Pradesh. He was 90. i. Pal gained recognition because of his contribution in the study of cosmic rays.He had held the position of professor at Tata Institute of Fundamental Research in Mumbai.He also served as the Director at Space Applications Centre in Ahmedabad for almost nine years, between 1973 and 1981. ii. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1976 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2013.
Former Australia and French Open Tennis Champion Mervyn Rose dies Former Australian Grand Slam champion and reputed coach Mervyn Rose has passed on 25th 166 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage copyrights 2017 @ AffairsCloud.com
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of July 2017. He was 87. i. He won two singles Grand Slam titles, four doubles and one mixed doubles majors. ii. Rose had made his Grand Slam debut in 1949 and reached a ranking of No.3. iii. In 2000, he was awarded the Australian Sports Medal. iv. Rose was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2001. v. He had also received an Australian Tennis Hall of Fame in 2002.
Freedom fighter Kubersingh Saklecha passes away Veteran freedom fighter and social worker Kubersingh Saklecha passed away on 25th of July 2017. He was 94. i. Kubersingh was born in 1923 in Raisen district's Bareli tehsil, Uttar Pradesh ii. According to the sources, Saklecha took part in the country's independence movement and also went to jail.
Former freedom fighter K.E. Mammen dies aged 96 Noted Gandhian and Freedom fighter K.E. Mammen, who had participated in the Quit India Movement, passed away on July 25, 2017 in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. He was 96. i. Mammen was born into the renowned Kandathil family on July 31, 1921, in Thiruvananthapuram. ii. During his college years, he became an active participant in the freedom movement. iii. He was first jailed for taking an open stand against P Ramaswamy Iyer, the then Dewan of the erstwhile Travancore state. iv. In recent years, Mr. Mammen had been active in anti-liquor struggles in Kerala. v. He is a recipient of many accolades, including Ramashramam Award and Lohi Vicharavedi Award and TKV Foundation Award. vi. He was honored with the Mother Teresa Award constituted by the YMCA Kottayam in 1995 for his relentless fight against the social evils.
Former Karnataka CM Dharam Singh passes away in Bengaluru Former Karnataka Chief Minister N Dharam Singh passed away on 27th July 2017.He was 80. i. Dharam was the 17th Chief Minister of Karnataka and a member of the Janata Dal (Secular) and Congress alliance government between 2004 and 2006. ii. He was born in 1936 at Nelogi village in Kalaburgi district.He also served as Member of Parliament in LokSabha. iii. He won seven straight Assembly election terms from the Jewargi constituency in Karnataka.
Bollywood actor Inder Kumar passes away Actor Inder Kumar, best known for his role in films like Khiladiyon KaKhiladi and Kahin Pyaar Na Ho Jaaye, died on 28th July 2017. He was 45. i. Inder Kumar suffered a heart attack at his residence in Andheri, Mumbai. 167 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage copyrights 2017 @ AffairsCloud.com
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ii. Inder Kumar had made his Bollywood debut with 1996 film Masoom and worked in over 20 films in a career spanning nearly twenty years
BOOKS & AUTHORS
Crypto currency guru Amit Bhardwaj launches e-book Amit Bhardwaj, the founder of Amaze Mining & Research Limited, has launched his third e- book ‘Cryptocurrency for Beginners ‘ in the series, after ‘Cryptocurrency Trading for Beginners’ and ‘Cryptocurrency Mining for Beginners’. i. ‘Cryptocurrency for Beginners ‘provide context and clarity on cryptocurrencies. Blockchain and cryptocurrencies are set to transform the world with their efficient solutions. ii. This book make readers can realise that blockchain is just like the internet or a motorbike . The book empowers readers with requisite knowledge of the concept of blockchain.
Amit Shah, Mohan Bhagwat releases coffee table book on PM Narendra Modi's life BJP President Amit Shah and RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat has released a coffee table book on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s life in New Delhi. i. The book – Making of A Legend, has been compiled by Sulabh International Founder Bindeshwar Pathak. ii. Shah had spoken about welfare targets the government has set, many with 2024 deadline. The next Lok Sabha elections are due in 2019.
Coffee-table book on Dalhousie hill station launched A coffee-table book on Dalhousie has released on 13th of July 2017 by Tripura Governor Tathagata Roy. i. The book 'Dalhousie...Through My Eyes', authored by retired civil servant Kiran Chadha. ii. The book will serve as a guide and a knowledge storehouse for the next generations to learn more about Dalhousie and its history and see the beautiful images of it and inspire them to travel to the hill town. iii. Dalhousie is a hill station in Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh and is situated on five hills.
President of India receives first copy of book “President’s Lady” (Pranaber Preyosi) The President of India, ShriPranab Mukherjee received the first copy of the book “President’s Lady” (Pranaber Preyosi) on his wife Late Smt. Suvra Mukherjee on 13th of July. i. The president has received the first copy of book from Vice President of India, Mohd. Hamid Ansari. iii. The author of the book is Sangeeta Ghosh and President said he was grateful to all those who have brought out the publication and author of the book.
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Defence Minister releases a book on Historic 2800 Kms Expedition – ‘Ganga Avahan’ Defence Minister Arun Jaitley has released a coffee table book on 'Ganga Avahan'. It is a 2,800 km exploratory open-water swim expedition on the Ganga river. i. The book "Ganga Avahan is the Epic Tale of a Historic Swim". It is on the first-ever human effort to swim down the entire stretch of the river. ii. The coffee table book chronicles includes there entire fascinating journey, detailing experiences, and challenges of the civilizational cradle that is the Ganga. iii. The Foreword of this epic expedition is written by the Prime Minister. iv. It is a nine-member team of three swimmers and the rest are rafters from the three services of the Indian Armed Forces, led by international open-water swimmer Wing Commander Paramvir Singh.
"Katie Price Unveils New Novel ""Playing With Fire" Katie Price has disclosed the cover for her next novel "Playing With Fire", which will be available later this year. i. The novel has a story of a 27-year-old events manager named Indigo, who falls for restaurant entrepreneur Connor after she is tasked with planning the opening of his new Shoreditch night club. ii. It will be out on 19th October.
President of India to receive first copy of book ‘Future of Indian Universities: Comparative and International Perspectives’ The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee receives the first copy of the book ‘Future of Indian Universities: Comparative and International Perspectives’ at a function to be held at Rashtrapati Bhavan on 17th July 2017. i. It has been complied by Professor (Dr.) C. Raj Kumar, Vice Chancellor of JGU University and is published by Oxford University Press. ii. The President receives the first copy of this book from Nobel Laureate Professor AmartyaSen who will formally release it.
IMPORTANT DAYS
July 1 2017 Remember Day: National Doctor’s Day Purpose : To recognize the contributions of physicians to individual lives and communities Organization: GOI
July 2 2017 Remember Day: World Sports Journalists Day Purpose : To commemorate the creation of AIPS and to celebrate the achievements of members of
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the sporting media. Organization: International Sports Press Association (AIPS)
Remember Day: International Day of Cooperatives Purpose : To increase awareness on cooperatives, as well as strengthen and extend partnerships between the international cooperative movement and other supporting organizations including governments. Organization: UN
July 3 2017 Remember Day: International Plastic Bag Free Day Purpose : To heightening awareness about plastic and disposable carrying devices. Organization: IPEN
July 6 2017 Remember Day: World Zoonoses Day Purpose : To create awareness on zoonotic diseases, how to prevent them and what actions to take when exposed.
July 7 2017 Remember Day: Global Forgiveness Day Purpose : It is a day to forgive, and a day to be forgiven!
July 11 2017 Remember Day: World population day Purpose : To increase people’s awareness on various population issues such as the importance of family planning, gender equality, poverty, maternal health and human rights Organization: UNDP Theme: 'Family Planning: Empowering People, Developing Nations‘
July 12 2017 Remember Day: Malala Day Purpose : To raise awareness and to help girls get their right to education. Malala Yousafzai is a global symbol of every girl’s right to an education. Organization: UN
July 15 2017 Remember Day: World Youth Skills Day Purpose : To highlight the fundamental rights of the youth.
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Current Affairs PDF: July 2017
Organization: UN, UNESCO, ILO Theme: “Skills for All”
July 17 2017 Remember Day: International Justice Day Purpose : To marks the 19th anniversary of the 1998 Rome Statute, the founding treaty that created the International Criminal Court (ICC). Organization: ICC
July 18 2017 Remember Day: Nelson Mandela International Day 2017 Purpose : To remembers Mandela’s achievements in working towards conflict resolution, democracy, human rights, peace, and reconciliation. Organization: UN
July 19 2017 Remember Day: Save public sector banks Purpose : 48th anniversary of nationalisation of major banks.
July 23 2017 Remember Day: National Broadcasting Day(Radio broadcast had completed 90 years) Purpose : To marks the day Indian Broadcasting Company (IBC) began organized radio broadcasting from Bombay station. Organization: Indian Broadcasting Company (IBC)
July 26 2017 Remember Day: Kargil Vijay Diwas Purpose : To honour the Kargil War’s Heroes in the Kargil – Dras sector in New Delhi. Organization: GOI
July 27 2017 Remember Day: Central Reserve Police Force(CRPF) Foundation day Organization: GOI
July 28 2017 Remember Day: World Hepatitis Day
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Current Affairs PDF: July 2017
Purpose : To mark the awareness of hepatitis and to boost prevention, diagnosis and treatment of the decease. Organization: WHO Theme: "Eliminate Hepatitis"
Remember Day: World Nature Conservation Day Purpose : To increase the awareness about and protecting the natural resources.
July 29 2017 Remember Day: International Tiger Day Purpose : To promote the protection and expansion of the endangered wild tigers habitats and to gain support through awareness. Slogan: ‘Fresh Ecology For Tigers’ Protection’.
July 30 2017 Remember Day: International Day of Friendship Purpose : To promote the role that friendship plays in also making peace in many cultures Organization: UN Remember Day: World Day against Trafficking in Persons Purpose : To raise awareness around human trafficking. The Day is witnessed across the world. Organization: UN
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