PDF IVth Week 24th to 31st March 2017
1. World Tuberculosis day: 24 March
World Tuberculosis Day is observed on March 24 each year.
It is designed to build public awareness about the global epidemic of tuberculosis (TB) and efforts to eliminate the disease.
The theme of this year’s World TB Day is "Unite to End TB".
2. World Meteorological Day: 23 March 2017
World Meteorological Day is held annually on 23 March.
‘Understanding Clouds’ is the theme of World Meteorological Day 2017 to highlight the enormous importance of clouds for weather climate and water.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations.
It is the UN system's authoritative voice on the state and behavior of the Earth's atmosphere.
World Meteorological Organization
• Headquarters: Geneva • Founded: 1950 • Members: 191 • Secretary-General: Petteri Taalas
3. India ranks 87th on energy architecture performance: WEF
India has marginally improved its position to 87th place on a global energy architecture performance index, but ranks among the worst for pollution, a survey showed today.
Switzerland topped the annual list released by Geneva- based World Economic Forum (WEF) and was followed by Norway, Sweden, Denmark and France in the top five.
India's rank improved three places from 90th last year.
Bahrain is ranked the lowest at 127th.
4. SBI Chairman Arundhati Bhattacharya among Fortune's 50 greatest leaders of the world
SBI chief Arundhati Bhattacharya and Indian-origin physician Raj Panjabi have been named by Fortune magazine among the world's 50 greatest leaders who are transforming the world and inspiring others to do the same.
Bhattacharya, Chairman of India's largest bank and the first-ever woman to do so, has been ranked 26th on the list while Panjabi, founder and CEO of Last Mile Health, follows closely on the 28th spot.
The list has been topped by President of Baseball Operations at Chicago Cubs Theo Epstein, followed by Alibaba Group Executive Chairman Jack Ma on the second spot, Pope Francis (3), Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Cochair Melinda Gates (4) and Amazon Founder and CEO Jeff Bezos (5).
5. Afghan Taliban capture crucial town of Sangin
The Taliban have captured the crucial south Afghan district of Sangin after a year-long battle, officials say.
A spokesman for Helmand's governor confirmed the district police and governor's headquarters were now in militant hands.
Hundreds of members of the Afghan security forces died there in recent fighting.
6. 'Earth Hour' 2017: 25 March
2017 Earth Hour was observed worldwide on 25 March 2017.
Earth Hour is a worldwide movement organized by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).
The event is held annually encouraging individuals, communities, households and businesses to turn off their non-essential lights for one hour, from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m.
It was started as a lights-off event in Sydney, Australia, in 2007.
7. Conference on 'Make in India' held in Houston
A first-ever conference was held bringing together various constituencies that have an interest in India and discussing the latest developments and the best practices of doing business in India.
The two-day Houston India Conference was hosted by Asia Society Texas Center .
The theme of the Conference is 'Make in India -The Inside Story'.
The central focus of the conference is to provide a collaboration platform and share today's India story with the audience in Texas who are interested in investing in India.
8. World Theatre Day: 27 March
World Theatre Day (WTD) is celebrated on March 27. It was initiated in 1961 by the International Theatre Institute.
• Various national and international theatre events are organized to mark this occasion.
9. India Overtakes Japan to Become Third Largest In Domestic Air Traffic
India has become the third largest aviation market in terms of domestic passenger traffic, beating Japan, an industry report has said.
• India's domestic air passenger traffic stood at 100 million in 2016 and was behind only the US (719 million) and China (436 million), Sydney-based aviation think-tank Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) said in its latest report.
10. 9th World Environmental Education Congress to be held in Vancouver
9th World Environmental Education Congress will take place from September 9-15, 2017 in Vancouver, BC, Canada.
The World Environmental Education Congress (WEEC) is an international congress addressing education for environment and sustainability.
WEEC 2017 is the 9th congress and will feature the theme of Culture/Environment: Weaving New Connections.
Points to Remember
• Theme of 9th WEEC congress is “Culture/Environment: Weaving New Connections”. • Ottawa is the Capital of Canada. • Justin Trudeau is the Prime Minister of Canada. • Dollar is the Currency of Canada.
11. India becomes associate member of International Energy Agency
India has joined the International Energy Agency as an associate member, a development that the IEA said makes the prestigious Paris-based body more relevant and reflects the country's move to the centre stage of the global energy dialogue.
Power, coal, renewable energy and mines minister Piyush Goyal, oil minister Dharmendra Pradhan and IEA executive director Fatih Birol announced India's entry into the elite group.
With India as a member, International Energy Agency now formally covers 70% of the world's energy consumption.
Points to Remember
• The International Energy Agency (IEA) is a Paris headquartered autonomous intergovernmental organization established in the framework of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in 1974 in the wake of the 1973 oil crisis. • IEA has 29 members. • Fatih Birol is the executive director of IEA.
12. NATO formally invites Montenegro as 29th member
NATO invited the Balkan nation of Montenegro to become its 29th member, agreeing to expand for only the seventh time in its history despite Russia’s angry objections.
The decision is still subject to formal approval by the U.S. Senate, the alliance’s 27 other national parliaments and Montenegro’s parliament.
Montenegrin Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic attended the signing of an accession protocol at NATO headquarters in Brussels.
Points to Remember
• The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance based on the North Atlantic Treaty which was signed on 4 April 1949. • It is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium. • It has 28 members. • Jens Stoltenberg is the Secretary General of NATO.
13. Govt approves 1.17 lakh more affordable houses under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana
The government has approved construction of 117,814 more affordable houses for urban poor under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) in six states with a total investment of Rs 5,773 crore and with central assistance of Rs 1,816 crore.
With this, the total number of affordable homes sanctioned under PMAY(Urban) so far has gone up to 1,760,507, with a total investment of Rs 96,018 crore and a central assistance of Rs 27,714 crore.
14. 3rd International Conference on Alternate Fuels and Raw Materials in Cement Industry
The “3rd International Conference on Alternate Fuels and Raw Materials in Cement Industry - Towards Realising Swachh Bharat Dream”, was inaugurated in New Delhi.
Ms. Ravneet Kaur, Joint Secretary, Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion lauded the efforts and initiatives of the Cement Industry in enhancing the AFR usage to increase the Thermal Substitution Rate (TSR) which is very low at 1% as against the average 60% world- over.
She mentioned that with Indian Cement Industry currently producing 7% of the Global Cement requirement.
15. AP tops in Aadhaar seeding of Jan Dhan a/cs
Post demonetisation of specified bank notes on November 8, 2016, more accounts under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) have been seeded with Aadhaar numbers.
Of the 25.51 crore PMJDY accounts on November 9, around 53.65 per cent were seeded with Aadhaar numbers. Four months hence, the number of PMJDY accounts has gone up to 28.01 crore, and the share of Aadhaar-seeded accounts has risen to 63.61 per cent.
As on March 15, Andhra Pradesh had linked 87.73 per cent of its Jan-Dhan accounts with Aadhaar numbers. This was followed by Tripura at 87.08 per cent and Telangana 83.56 per cent.
16. Bengaluru gets India's first vertical garden
Bengaluru got its first vertical garden, which it hopes will help in curbing pollution and in beautifying the city.
SayTrees, an NGO, installed the first vertical garden in the city on one of the pillars of the Hosur Road flyover
The garden boasts of around 3500 saplings of more than 10 species
17. Petroleum Minister launches MoPNG e Seva
Minister of State (I/C) for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan launched MoP&NG e-Seva, a dedicated grievances redressal platform on Social Media for all queries and grievances relating to Oil and Gas Sector.
The MOPNG e-Seva is an integrated grievances redressal platform across social media for all Oil & Gas related service issues.
This portal will be a single point interface for all customers to reach out to the government for addressing their feedback or grievances related to Oil & Gas Sector on social media.
MOPNG e-Seva will also deliver 24 x 7 support for consumers.
The e-Seva portal will serve as a single point for queries on Twitter and Facebook to begin with; and other social media platforms in due course. A team of Nodal Officers from Oil Companies and Allied Services have been formed to address issues on real-time basis.
18. 33rd India Carpet Expo to be inaugurated by Union Textiles Minister
The Carpet Export Promotion Council is organizing the 33rd India Carpet Expo, a sourcing platform for handmade carpets and other floor coverings, from 27-30 March, 2017 in Pragati Maidan, New Delhi.
The Expo, one of Asia’s largest handmade carpet fairs, will be inaugurated by the Union Textiles Minister, Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani, on March 27, 2017.
Minister of State for Textiles, Shri Ajay Tamta; Textiles Secretary, Smt. Rashmi Verma, other officials and representatives from trade and media would also be present.
19. Pawan Hans to start 'Dilli Darshan' chopper rides at Rs 2,500
National chopper operator Pawan Hans is set to launch its "Delhi Darshan" rides from next month with a 10-minute sortie costing Rs 2,499 per person.
Besides, the state-owned aviation firm will also offer a 20-minute helicopter ride for Rs 4,999.
The company's Chairman and Managing Director, B P Sharma, had at the inauguration of its first heliport in north Delhi's Rohini area announced the roll out of these services from April 1.
20. CBEC to be as Renamed CBIC
The apex policy making a body for indirect taxes, CBEC is being rechristened as the Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs (CBIC) in the run up to the Goods and Services Tax regime to be rolled out from July 1.
The CBIC will have 21 zones, 101 GST Tax payer Services Commissionerates comprising 15 sub-Commissionerates, 768 Divisions, 3,969 Ranges, 49 Audit Commissionerates and 50 Appeals Commissionerates.
21. Osmania University to host 105th Indian Science Congress
Osmania University will host the 105th edition of the Indian Science Congress during January 3- 7, 2018.
Achyuta Samanta, General President of the Indian Science Congress Association, (ISCA) and founder of Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), Bhubaneswar, said the conference will be on the theme ‘Science and Technology - Reaching the Unreached’.
Five universities, including KIIT, had vied to host the event.
22. President of India inaugurates ‘World Conference on Environment’
The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee inaugurated the ‘World Conference on Environment’ organized by the National Green Tribunal in New Delhi on March 25, 2017.
The President said recent studies and systematic reviews indicate that environmental factors are responsible for an estimated 24% of the global burden of disease in terms of healthy life years lost and 23 % of all deaths.
Children are the worst sufferers of the adverse impact of environmental diseases and die due to diarrhoea, malaria and respiratory diseases – all of which are environment related.
19% of the deaths caused by Cancer worldwide are attributed to carcinogens that unmindful industrialization produces.
23. Thaawarchand Gehlot inaugurates ‘National Conference on Down Syndrome’
Thaawarchand Gehlot, Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment inaugurated a “National Conference on Down Syndrome” in New Delhi.
Down syndrome is a chromosomal condition associated with intellectual and learning disabilities.
Delayed development and behavioural problems are often reported in children with Down syndrome.
Persons with Down Syndrome have 47 chromosomes as compared to 46 in majority of people. This one Extra chromosome causes its own impact and slows down learning process.
24. Human Trafficking Cases Maximum in West Bengal
West Bengal topped the list of states with the maximum number of human trafficking cases in 2016 followed by Rajasthan as the two accounted for around 61 per cent of such cases in the country.
• Of the 8,132 such cases registered across the country last year, 3,576 were from West Bengal and 1,422 from Rajasthan, government officials said. • Rajasthan was followed by Gujarat where 548 such cases were reported last year. Maharashtra reported 517 cases. • Among the Union Territories, Delhi recorded the maximum number of human trafficking cases in 2016. Of the 75 cases registered among the UTs, 66 were registered in Delhi.
25. Third meeting of G-20 framework working group to be held at Varanasi
The 3rd G-20 Framework Working Group (FWG) Meeting under the G-20 German Presidency is being co-hosted by Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Govt. of India and Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in Varanasi on 28th and 29th of March, 2017.
• The first two G 20 FWG meetings under the G-20 German Presidency have already been held at Berlin in Dec 16 and at Riyadh in Feb 17. • The G-20 is the group of 19 countries and European Union (EU) deliberating on global economic issues and other important development challenges.
26. After Almost 30 Years in Service, TU142M to Retire
The Indian Navy is preparing for de-induction of TU142M Long Range Maritime Patrol aircraft after its 29 years of dedicated service to the nation.
• The aircraft would be formally de-inducted by Admiral Sunil Lanba, PVSM, AVSM, ADC, Chief of the Naval Staff at a special ceremony scheduled to be held at INS Rajali, India's premiere Naval Air Station in Arakkonam, Tamil Nadu on 29 March 17.
• To commemorate the stellar service of the TU142M, a TU Static Display Aircraft would also be inaugurated by the Chief of Naval Staff at INS Rajali. • The Indian Navy and the south Indian state of Andhra Pradesh have decided to convert the aircraft into a museum at a cost of US$ 0.75 million.
27. International Diamond Conference held in Mumbai
The Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council of India (GJEPC) organised International Diamond Conference at Hotel Hyatt Mumbai.
• The theme of this session was “Mines to Market 2017”. • The conference was held with an objective of bringing together the leading Miners, Diamantaires, Retailers, Bankers and Analysts from across the globe on a platform to discuss the supply and demand issues faced by the Global Diamond Industry.
28. Dr. Mahesh sharma inaugurates ‘national tribal and north east art conclave’
Dr. Mahesh Sharma, Minister of State (I/C) for Culture and Tourism inaugurated the “National Tribal and North East Conclave-2017” organized by Lalit Kala Akademi under Ministry of Culture in New Delhi.
The conclave platform features more than a dozen forms of tribal art.
Most of these artists from 100 and more artist contingents, have showcased their art forms at Festivals of India held abroad and distinguished platforms elsewhere.
Points to Remember
• Dr. Mahesh Sharma is the Minister of State (I/C) for Culture and Tourism. • National Tribal and North East Conclave-2017” is being organized by Lalit Kala Akademi.
29. India and Bavaria to Set up Joint Group to Identify Areas of Co-Operation in Water Sector
Union Minister of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Uma Bharti has suggested formation of a joint group to identify areas of co-operation in water sector.
This was stated that by the Minister, when Minister of Environment and Consumer Protection of the Free State of Bavaria, Federal Republic of Germany, Ms. Ulrike Scharf called on her in New Delhi.
Bharti said that Bavaria has a rich experience of successfully cleaning the river Danube in Germany and India may benefit from their experience.
Points to Remember
• Uma Bharti is the Union Minister of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation. • Bavaria is a German Province. • Danube River originates in Germany. • Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest and Belgrade, reside on the Danube River.
30. India becomes Net Exporter of Electricity for the first Time
As per Central Electricity Authority, the Designated Authority of Government of India for Cross Border Trade of Electricity, 1st time India has turned around from a net importer of electricity to Net Exporter of electricity.
During the current year 2016-17 (April to February 2017), India has exported around 5,798 Million Units to Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar which is 213 Million units more than the import of around 5,585 Million units from Bhutan.
Export to Nepal and Bangladesh increased 2.5 and 2.8 times respectively in last three years.
Ever since the cross border trade of electricity started in mid-Eighties, India has been importing power from Bhutan and marginally exporting to Nepal in radial mode at 33 kV and 132 kV from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
On an average Bhutan has been supplying around 5,000- 5500 Million units to India.
31. Arun Jaitley clears major military reforms proposal
Union finance minister Arun Jaitley, who got the additional charge of the defence ministry a week ago, has given the green light to widespread military reforms.
The reforms are based on a report by the Lt General (retired) DB Shekatkar committee, which made recommendations on enhancing the combat potential of India’s three armed forces.
The committee set up by then defence minister Manohar Parrikar in 2015 submitted its report on December 21 last year.
Points to Remember
• Arun Jaitely was given additional of Defence Ministry as Manohar Parrikar resigned from the post to swear in as Goa Chief Minister. • DB Shekatkar Committee was appointed by the government to enhance the combat potential of the armed forces and re-balancing defence expenditure.
32. Smart India Hackathon 2017 Grand Finale to be held in Nagpur
The Ministry of Road transport and Highways will host the Grand Finale of the Smart India Hackathon 2017 at Nagpur on 1st and 2nd April, 2017.
Nagpur is one among 26 cities where the event will be held simultaneously, with the support and coordination of 29 Government departments.
The Smart India Hackathon 2017 was launched on Nov 9, 2016 in New Delhi by the Ministry of Human Resources Development.
It aims to harnesses the creativity and expertise of students, build funnel for ‘Startup India, Standup India’ campaigns, crowd source solutions for improving governance and quality of life and provide opportunity to citizens to contribute innovative solutions for nation building.
Points to Remember
• Smart India Hackathon was was launched on Nov 9, 2016 in New Delhi by the Ministry of HRD. • It is being organised with the support of 29 Government departments. • It is to be held in 26 cities.
33. SC bans sale, registration of BS-III vehicles from April 1
Vehicles that are not BS-IV compliant, whether two-wheeler, three-wheeler, four-wheeler or commercial vehicles will not be sold in India by any manufacturer or dealer on and from April 1,” a Bench of Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta ordered.
The health of the citizen is more important than the commercial interests of the automobile industry, the apex court observed while banning sale and registration of BS-III vehicles from April 1.
The Court further prohibited all the vehicle registering authorities from registering BS-III vehicles on and from April 1 under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.
Points to Remember
• Bharat stage emission standards' are emission standards instituted by the Government of India to regulate the output of air pollutants from internal combustion engine equipment, including motor vehicles. • All new vehicles manufactured after the implementation of the norms have to be compliant with the regulations. • BS IV will be implemented from April 1, 2017.
34. President of India to Inaugurated ‘Namami Brahmaputra’ Festival
The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee is on a visit to Assam on March 31, 2017 where he inaugurated the ‘Namami Brahmaputra’ festival in Guwahati.
The five day long ‘Namami Brahmaputra’ festival is being organized by the Government of Assam with aim to strengthen the bonds among various communities of Assam.
35. Gujarat first in construction of houses for urban poor
Gujarat is far ahead of other States in construction of affordable houses for urban poor under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) launched by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on June 25, 2015.
In Gujarat, 25,873 houses have so far been built for the benefit of urban poor accounting for 32% of the total 82,048 such houses built under PMAY(Urban) in 30 States and Union Territories.
Gujarat is followed by Rajasthan with 10,805 houses constructed so far (13.17% of total), Karnataka-10,447, Tamil Nadu- 6,940 and Maharashtra-5,506 (6.70%).
36. Centre to build 1 crore houses under PMAY-G by 2019
The Government has said that it has approved the construction of 1 crore houses with the financial implication of Rs. 81,975 crore for the period 2016-17 to 2018-19 under Pradhan Mantri Aawas Yojna-Gramin.
The Minister of State for Rural Development Shri Ram Kripal Yadav said in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha that as per provisional figures of Socio Economic and Caste Census (SECC) 2011, approximately 4 crore rural households face housing deprivation.
After accounting for the houses that were constructed under Indira Aawas Yojana, IAY and State sponsored housing schemes since 2011, it has been estimated that 2.95 crore more houses, with an anticipated variation of ± 10%, would need to be constructed to achieve the objective of ‘Housing For All’ by the year 2022.
Points to Remember
• Pradhan Mantri Gramin Awaas Yojana (PMGAY), previously Indira Awaas Yojana (IAY), is a social welfare flagship programme, created by the Indian Government, to provide housing for the rural poor in India. • A similar scheme for urban poor was launched in 2015 as Housing for All by 2022.
37. As a small finance bank, Disha to offer gold, MSME loans to rural borrowers
Micro-finance platform Disha plans the formal launch of its small finance bank (SFB) in the next quarter, followed by 30-40 branches in the next three months.
The SFB, under parent Fincare Business Services, also looks to offer products such as gold loans and micro-enterprise loans to rural customers.
38. 4 PSBs detect 315 cases of fake certificates for appointment
Four public sector banks (PSBs), including IOB and BoB, have detected 315 cases wherein candidates submitted fake certificate at the time of appointment.
PSBs have managerial autonomy in recruitment of officers, clerical and sub-staff.
Oriental Bank of Commerce, Indian Overseas Bank, Bank of Baroda and Andhra Bank reported four, 253, 30 and 28 cases, respectively, involving fake certificates.
The candidates submitted fake caste, qualification and service certificates.
In the case of IOB, 89 officials were found to be involved.
39. Assam govt showers subsidized loans on its employes
Assam government has signed two MoUs with SBI to provide housing loan at hugely subsidised interest rates of 5% for its women employees and 5.5 % for men, and education loan for higher education for their children at 4% interest rate.
Both types of loans will be free of any collateral security and processing fee.
State finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the children of government employees can avail educational loan for higher studies through the education loan portal www.vidyalakshmi.com launched by the centre on August 15, 2015 by the finance ministry under Pradhan Mantri Vidya Lakshmi Karyakram (PMVLK).
The housing loan for the employees will come under the state government's scheme "Apun Ghar."
The maximum limit of the housing loan is Rs 15 lakh.
40. World Bank signs US$ 100 million credit agreement with Centre, Uttarakhand
The World Bank has signed a 100 million US dollar credit agreement with the Centre and Uttarakhand in New Delhi to improve quality of health care services in all 13 districts of the state.
World Bank said in a statement that most public health facilities in the middle and upper mountainous areas of Uttarakhand are unable to function optimally.
The project also aims to reduce the financial risk for its citizens and make affordable, quality health care available to all, the statement said.
41. Vijaya Bank inks MoU with Piaggio Vehicles
Vijaya Bank entered into an MoU with Piaggio Vehicles for providing financial support for the purchase of vehicles under Small Road Transport Operators (SRTO) scheme in Bengaluru.
• Vijaya Bank Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Dr Kishore Sansi flagged off the first batch of vehicles under the MoU in the presence of Executive Directors B S Rama Rao, Y Nageswara Rao, and Piaggio Vehicles Vice-President Praveen Nagpal.
42. KVB bags ‘best small bank’ award
Karur Vysya Bank has been adjudged the ‘Best Small Bank for 2016’ (balance sheet size of less than Rs.1-lakh crore).
• K Venkataraman, Managing Director, KVB, received the award from Sudhir Munguntivar, Minister of Finance and Planning, Government of Maharashtra, at a function in Mumbai. • This is the eighth award won by KVB in the current fiscal.
43. Syndicate Bank opens 40 ‘Ananya’ branches
Syndicate Bank has digitally inaugurated 40 ‘Ananya’ transformed branches.
• The bank also launched its first micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) hub in Bengaluru. • The hub is expected to cater to more than 150 branches across the Bengaluru region, and aims to reduce the turnaround time of the loan-sanctioning process. • The bank embarked upon project Ananya in February 2016, and is operating under four pillars of transformation — business process re-engineering, digital channels, sales and customer relationship management, and HR transformation.
44. Odisha to bring banking to remote rural areas through Self Help Groups
Odisha became the first state in the country to carry financial inclusion and extend banking services to unbanked areas through Self Help Groups (SHGs).
The state government signed an agreement with State Bank of India in this regard.
In the first phase SHGs would be engaged as Banking Correspondents in around 1,000 remote Gram Panchayats having no banking facilities.
Points to Remember
• State Bank of India will help in this Mission.
• Bhubaneswar is the capital city of Odisha. • Naveen Patnaik is the Chief Minister of Odisha. • S.C. Jamir is the Governor of Odisha.
45. ICICI Bank partners Truecaller for UPI-based payment
ICICI Bank has announced a partnership with mobile app firm Truecaller for a new UPI-based mobile payment service.
Called Truecaller Pay, it will allow users of the app to instantly create a UPI id, send money to any UPI id or a mobile number registered with the BHIM app, ICICI Bank said in a statement.
It will also enable users to recharge their mobile number from within the Truecaller app itself, it said.
Points to Remember
• ICICI Bank was founded in 1994. Its headquarters is in Mumbai. • M. K. Sharma is its Chairman and Chanda Kochhar is MD & CEO. • Truecaller is a software which finds contact details globally given name or telephone number. • BHIM (Bharat Interface for Money) is a Mobile App developed by National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), based on the Unified Payment Interface (UPI). • BHIM app was launched by Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India, at a Digi Dhan mela at Talkatora Stadium in New Delhi on 30 December 2016. • BHIM app has been named after Bhim Rao Ambedkar and is intended to facilitate e- payments directly through banks.
46. IRDAI slaps penalty on ICICI Pru Life
The insurance regulator has imposed a penalty of Rs 20 lakh on ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Company on various charges, including free look cancellations not being in line with regulations; maturity claims not being settled within prescribed time period, resulting in huge number of claims outstanding; and delay in processing surrenders/partial withdrawals.
The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India has also charged the private sector life insurer for considerable number of annuities being outstanding for want of verification certificate.
Points to Remember
• Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) is an autonomous, statutory agency tasked with regulating and promoting the insurance and reinsurance industries in India. • It was founded in 1999 under the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority Act, 1999. • Its headquarters is in Hyderabad and TS Vijayan is the Chairman.
47. CCI imposes Rs 591 crore penalty on Coal India
Fair trade regulator Competition Commission of India (CCI) has imposed a penalty of Rs 591.01 crore upon Coal India Limited (CIL).
CIL and its subsidiaries violated the Competition Act by imposing unfair and discriminatory conditions in Fuel Supply Agreements (FSAs) with power producers for supply of non-coking coal.
Points to Remember
• Competition Commission of India was founded on 14 October 2003. • Devender Kumar Sikri is the present Chairperson of CCI.
48. SBI to offer 'zero annual fee' credit cards to accounts with Rs 20,000
State Bank of India has said that it will offer credit cards to every account holder who has a balance of Rs 20,000-25,000, without going into credit history.
This is the first major joint collaboration between Arundhati Bhattacharya-led SBI and SBI Card after the bank hiked its stake in the joint venture to 74% by buying out part of its partner GE Capital's stake for Rs 1,168 crore.
GE Capital will sell its remaining stake to a private equity investor in coming days.
49. Tendulkar exited from Musafir.com
Sachin Tendulkar has exited travel portal Musafir.com as an investor after a period of five years.
Post his retirement in 2013, the master blaster had opted for a sweat equity of 7.5 per cent in exchange for appearing in the firm’s ads.
He was being paid Rs1 crore every year for the past five years and was assured a minimum of Rs 20 crore at the time of exit.
50. SBI launched ‘SBI Card Unnati’
SBI Card launched a unique credit card ‘SBI Card Unnati’ targeted at all SBI customers, including Jan Dhan account-holders across the country.
Tailored for new users of credit cards — those who do not have a credit history — ‘Unnati' would have no annual fees for the initial four years and will be offered through the 20,000- plus SBI branches.
Any SBI customer with a balance of at least Rs 25,000 in his/her savings account with the bank would be eligible for the Unnati credit card.
Points to Remember
• State bank of India was founded in 1955. • Earlier it was known as Imperial Bank of India and Bank of Calcutta. • Arundhati Bhattacharya is the Chairperson of SBI.
51. Axis Bank ties up with Wells Fargo for Inward remittances
Axis Bank has tied up with Wells Fargo, the third largest American bank by assets, to offer real time remittances from the Indian diaspora to their relatives back home.
Under the arrangement between the two banks, any member of the Indian diaspora with an account with the Wells Fargo will be able to transfer money to their relatives back home and there will be no transaction fee applicable to the money transfers from USA.
But the relative or the beneficiary in India will need to have an account with Axis Bank.
Points to Remember
• Axis Bank Ltd is the third largest private-sector bank in India. • Axis Bank was founded in 1993 as UTI bank. • Axis Bank headquarters is in Mumbai. Shikha Sharma is its MD & CEO while Sanjiv Misra is the Chairman. • Wells Fargo & Company is an American international banking and financial services holding company headquartered in San Francisco, California. • Wells Fargo was founded in 1852. It is the third largest American bank by assets.
52. Kotak Mahindra Bank launches scheme to double customers to 16 million
Kotak Mahindra Bank has launched a new zero balance digital banking account free of cost which is linked to Aadhaar system.
Kotak expects to double its number of customers through this new account, called 811 signifying the date prime minister Narendra Modi announced demonetisation of high value currency notes.
The 811 account can be opened through the mobile phone using the Aadhaar one time password authentication and a income tax pan number, the bank said. It will offer 6% interest per annum.
Points to Remember
• Kotak Mahindra Bank is an Indian private sector bank headquartered in Mumbai. • In February 2003, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) gave the licence to Kotak Mahindra bank. • 811-Account is launched by Kotak Mahindra Bank. • Kotak Mahindra Bank has recently acquired ING Vysya Bank.
53. RBI approved appointment of T S Anantharaman as part-time chairman of CSB
The Reserve Bank of India has accorded its approval for the appointment of T S Anantharaman as part-time Chairman of the Catholic Syrian bank.
Anantharaman has been holding the position of Non-Executive Director of the bank since August 28, 2009.
54. BSF gets first woman combat officer after 51 years
Tanushree Pareek has become the first woman combat officer to be commissioned in the 51-year history of the BSF, the country’s largest border guarding force.
She will now be posted to command a unit along the India-Pakistan border in Punjab.
A resident of Rajasthan’s Bikaner, she is the first woman to join the force in the officer rank after she was selected in the all-India exam conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) in 2014.
55. Sima Kamil becomes first woman to head a major Pakistani bank
Sima Kamil was named the first woman to head a major commercial bank in Pakistan.
Sima, currently a deputy CEO at the country’s third-largest lender United Bank Limited (UBL), will take charge on 1 June.
UBL, headquartered in the financial hub Karachi, employs 15,000 people and has branches in 15 other countries, including the US, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
56. Anil Ambani inducted into the Atlantic Council
Reliance Group Chairman Anil Ambani has been inducted into the international advisory board of global think-tank The Atlantic Council.
Other global business leaders include Thomas Enders,CEO, Airbus Group, Rupert Murdoch,CEO, 21 Century Fox, Stephen A. Schwarzman, CEO of the Blackstone Group, and Marillyn A. Hewson, Chairman, Lockheed Martin Corporation.
The Atlantic Council is a foreign policy think tank head quartered in Washington, DC.
It aims to shape policy choices and strategies and provide a forum for navigating the economic and political changes.
Points to Remember
• Atlantic Council was founded in 1961. • Its Headquarters in Washington DC. • Jon Huntsman is the current Chairperson while Frederick Kempe is the President and CEO.
57. U.N. picks former U.S. state governor to run World Food Programme
United Nations chief Antonio Guterres has appointed former South Carolina Governor David Beasley to run the Rome-based World Food Programme (WFP).
Beasley will replace another American, Ertharin Cousin, who has been the WFP executive director since 2012.
America was the top contributor to WFP in 2016 with $2 billion, a third of the agency's budget.
Points to Remember
• World Food Programme (WFP) is the food-assistance branch of the United Nations and the world's largest humanitarian organization addressing hunger and promoting food security. • WFP was founded in 1961. • Headquarters of WFP is in Rome, Italy. • Antonio Guterres is the 9th Secretary-General of the United Nations. • He is from portugal and has also served as the 114th Prime Minister of Portugal.
58. Nomura names Prabhat Awasthi as new India Head
Global investment bank Nomura has appointed Prabhat Awasthi as its new India head.
Awasthi, who is currently Head of Equities, India, will replace Vikas Sharma as the country head from April 1.
Vikas Sharma has been elevated to Head of Asia Ex-Japan from April 1.
59. Sunaina Singh Appointed Vice Chancellor of Nalanda University
President Pranab Mukherjee has appointed Sunaina Singh, currently head of the English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU) in Hyderabad, as the new vice chancellor of Nalanda University.
As per rules, the president has to choose the vice-chancellor from a group of at least three names forwarded by the university’s governing board.
Earlier on January 27, President Mukherjee appointed computer scientist and former IIT Delhi board chairman, Vijay P Bhatkar as the university’s chancellor.
Points to Remember
• Nalanda University (also known as Nalanda International University) is located in Rajgir, near Nalanda, Bihar. • Vijay P Bhatkar is the Chancellor of Nalanda University.
60. Vanaja N Sarna appointed Central Board of Excise and Customs chief
Senior bureaucrat Vanaja N Sarna was appointed as chairperson of Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC).
Sarna, a 1980 batch officer of Indian Revenue Service (Customs and Central Excise), is at present member in the CBEC, an apex policy making body for indirect taxes.
She will take over charge from incumbent Najib Shah.
Points to Remember
• CBEC will be rechristened as Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) after necessary legislative approval in the GST regime. • The CBEC - which works under Finance Ministry - comprises of a chairperson and a maximum of six members.
61. Ravish Kumar wins the inaugural Kuldip Nayar Journalism Award
The first Kuldip Nayar Journalism Award was given to NDTV’s Ravish Kumar.
The award ceremony was held in New Delhi’s India International Centre on 19 March 2017.
Kuldip Nayar and the Gandhi Peace Foundation have jointly instituted the award.
The award carries a cash component of Rs 1 lakh.
62. Venkaiah Naidu confers lifetime achievement award on photographer Raghu Rai
Photojournalist Raghu Rai was conferred with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the information and broadcasting (I&B) ministry for “his remarkable contribution to the field.”
Rai was honoured with the award by I&B minister M. Venkaiah Naidu at 6th National Photography Awards organised by the photo division of the ministry in the capital.
The ministry felicitated a total 13 photographers. Among the winners were K.K. Mustafah, Atul Choubey, Dipayan Bhar and Ravinder Kumar.
63. HDFC Bank's Aditya Puri Among 3 Indians On World's 30 Best CEOs List
American financial magazine Barron’s has listed the name of HDFC Bank managing director Aditya Puri’s name in its list of world’s 30 best CEOs.
• The 66-year-old holds 23rd position in the list beating social media giant Facebook’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg who is listed on the 30th spot.
• The top position has been secured by Mary Barra of General Motors. • Microsoft’s Indian Origin CEO Satya Nadella is on fifth spot. Another Indian Origin
64. Anupam Kher receives Kala Ratan Award
Veteran actor Anupam Kher was honoured with the Kala Ratan Award by Vice President Hamid Ansari.
• Anupam Kher was also honoured with the Padma Shri in 2004 and the Padma Bhushan in 2016 for his contribution in the field of cinema and arts.
65. Filmmaker Gurinder Chadha Honored with Sikh Jewel Award
Indian-origin British director Gurinder Chadha has been honored with the 2017 Sikh Jewel Award for her immense contribution to British cinema.
Chadha, whose films include “Bhaji on the Beach,” “Bend It Like Beckham” and “Bride and Prejudice,” received the award from Michael Fallon, U.K. Defense Secretary.
The high commissioner of India to the U.K., Y. K. Sinha, who was the guest of honor, was also present on the dais.
Points to Remember
• Gurinder Chadha is an Indian-origin British director.
• Yashvardhan Kumar Sinha is the high commissioner of India to the United Kingdom.
66. Army Chief Bipin Rawat Conferred With Honorary Military Rank By Nepal
Indian Army chief General Bipin Rawat is in Kathmandu on a four-day official visit to Nepal during which he was conferred with the honorary rank of general of the Nepal Army.
He is scheduled to visit Pashupati Nath temple, Manag and Muktinath temple.
General Rawat's trip to Nepal comes days after Chinese Defence Minister Chang Wanquan visited the country.
Points to Remember
• Chief of Staff of Nepal Army is Purna Chandra Thapa. • General Rawat became the 27th chief of the Indian Army on December 31. • Kathmandu is the Capital of Nepal. • Bidhya Devi Bhandari is the President of Nepal. • Pushpa Kamal Dahal is the Prime Minister of Nepal. • Rupee is the Currency of Nepal.
67. Indian-origin Priti Patel be awarded Pravasi Bharatiya Samman award
Priti Patel, the UK Government's Secretary of State for International Development and first ever UK-India diaspora Champion, has been awarded India's highest honour for members of the Indian diaspora.
The Pravasi Bharatiya Samman award was granted to Patel by the President of India, Pranab Mukherjee, for her exceptional contribution to national and international politics, her role in strengthening UK-India relations, and for supporting the Indian diaspora in the UK.
The award was presented to Patel by the Indian High Commissioner to the UK, Mr Y K Sinha, at a special ceremony at India House in London.
68. ISKCON's Govardhan Eco Village gets 'Water' award
The Govardhan Eco Village of International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) at Wada taluka near Mumbai, has received an award instituted by Water Digest, a news portal on water management.
The Goverdhan eco village received the award in the "Best Water NGO-Water Education" category.
To commemorate the 'World Water Day 2017', Water Digest, in association with UNESCO, Ministry of Water Resources & ASSOCHAM, had recently announced the 11th Water Digest Water Awards which are given annually to organisations, industry members and NGOs.
69. S.V Sunil named Asian Hockey Player of Year
India forward SV Sunil was named the Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) Player of the Year for 2016.
On the other hand, Harmanpreet Singh was chosen as the Promising Player of the Year in the continental body’s annual awards.
Sunil, regarded highly for his pace, played a vital role in India’s memorable run in last year’s Champions Trophy in London, where they claimed a silver for the first time.
70. ISSF World Cup: Ankur Mittal wins double trap gold in Mexico
Ankur Mittal has delivered India's nine-member contingent its first medal at the International Shooting Sport Federation World Cup (Shot Gun) in Acapulco, Mexico by shooting gold in the men's double trap.
Mittal, who won silver at last month's ISSF World Cup in New Delhi, beat the gold medalist at that event, Australian James Willet.
71. Shashank Manohar to remain ICC chairman
Eight days after he stepped down as independent chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC), Shashank Manohar has agreed to defer his decision following an ICC Board resolution to request him to remain in post was passed with overwhelming support.
Earlier, the 59-year-old had stressed that his decision to retire as ICC chairman was because of personal reasons and not due to the aftermath of the Supreme Court's January verdict on how Indian cricket should be run.
72. Santosh Trophy: Bengal beat Goa in final to win record 32nd title
Bengal lifted the Santosh Trophy for the 32nd time after Manvir Singh struck in the 119th minute for a 1-0 win over Goa, extending their domination in the premier domestic football tournament.
• After playing out a goalless 90 minutes, Manvir finally came good in the dying moments of extra time to leave the home crowd shocked at the GMC Stadium. • Bengal, thus, ended a six-year wait having last won the title in 2011. Goa last won it in 2009.
73. R Ashwin breaks Dale Steyn’s record of most wickets in a Test season
R Ashwin has set yet another record of most wickets in a Test season.
• Ashwin eclipsed Dale Steyn’s tally of 78 which was set in 2007/08. • On the other hand, Cheteshwar Pujara became India's highest run-getter in a Test season. Pujara, who has scored 1316 runs in the 13 Test matches this home season, went past Gautam Gambhir's aggregate of 1269 runs.
74. Vettel beats Hamilton to win Australian Grand Prix
Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel beat Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes in a straight fight as Formula 1's new era started at the Australian Grand Prix.
• This was Vettel's first win since the Singapore GP in September 2015. • Briton’s Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas finished third.
75. Shaun Tait announces retirement from all forms of cricket
Shaun Tait, the Australian fast bowler, announced his retirement from all forms of cricket on March 27.
• The 34-year-old pacer played three Tests, 35 One-Day Internationals and 21 Twenty20 Internationals for his country. • Tait, who was nicknamed as "The Wild Thing", once bowled at 161.1km/h in an ODI against England at Lord's in July 2010.
76. 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup: Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium named as venue for final
The iconic Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata has been named as the venue for the final of the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup, which will be held in India from October 6-28.
• The semi-finals of the tournament will be held in Guwahati and Navi Mumbai, while the opening games will be held in New Delhi and Navi Mumbai. • The quarter-finals, meanwhile, will be hosted by Goa, Guwahati, Kochi and Kolkata.
77. India ends with 73 medals from 2017 Special Olympics World Winter Games
India finished its campaign at the Special Olympics World Winter Games in Austria with a total of 73 medals.
• Special Olympics Team India Competing against 2700 athletes from 107 countries won 37 gold, 10 silver and 26 bronze medals and secured 5th position in the overall medal tally. • The quadrennial event was held from March 14-25, with Indian athletes finishing with an impressive medal haul.
78. Bhubaneswar to host men's Hockey World Cup 2018
The International Hockey Federation and Government of Odisha has officially confirmed that the Men's Hockey World League Final 2017 and Men's Hockey World Cup 2018 will be held in Bhubaneswar.
The Kalinga Stadium will host the two of hockey's biggest events.
The Men's Hockey World League Final in 2017 will take place between December 1-10 and will welcome eight of the world's best men's teams.
The Men's Hockey World Cup 2018 will take place in late November/early December and will see 15 teams join hosts India at the event.
The venue successfully hosted the 2014 Men's Hockey Champions Trophy.
Points to Remember
• Men's Hockey World Cup 2018 will be held in Bhubaneswar. • Men's Hockey World League Final 2017 will be held in Bhubaneswar. • Kalinga Stadium is located in Bhubaneswar.
79. Tamil Nadu beat India 'B' to win Deodhar Trophy
Dinesh Karthik cracked 126 as Tamil Nadu defeated India B by 42 runs in the final to clinch the Deodhar Trophy 50-overs cricket tournament at the ACA-VDCA stadium in Visakhapatnam.
The wicketkeeper-batsman shared a 136-run stand with Narayan Jagadeesan (55) for the fourth wicket which drove Tamil Nadu to 303/9 in 50 overs.
India B were bowled out for 261 in 46.1 overs as Tamil Nadu completed a domestic double of winning the Deodhar Trophy as well as the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
Points to Remember
• The Deodhar Trophy is a List A cricket competition in Indian domestic cricket. It is named after Prof. D. B. Deodhar (known as the Grand Old Man of Indian cricket). Tamilnadu is the winner of 2017 edition. • The Vijay Hazare Trophy is a limited-over cricket domestic competition involving state teams. It is named after the famous Indian cricketer Vijay Hazare. Tamilnadu is the winner of 2017 edition.
80. Mohammad Irfan banned for a year
Pakistan pacer Mohammad Irfan was today slapped with a one-year ban and fined $ 1,000 after he admitted to have failed in reporting a spot-fixing approach by bookmakers during the Pakistan Super League.
Irfan had earlier been suspended on March 14 after he appeared before the PCB’s Anti- Corruption Unit after the PSL final in Lahore.
He played four Tests and 20 Twenty20 internationals along with 60 one-day internationals, where he has taken 83 wickets at an average of 30.71.
81. Bhubaneswar to host Asian Athletics meet from July 6-9
Bhubaneswar will host the Asian Athletics Championships from July 6-9, the continent's governing body of the sport announced at its Council Meeting in Bangkok.
Kalinga Stadium of the Odisha capital will host the continent's flagship event.
Capital of Jharkhand, Ranchi was to host the event from June 1-4 but it made a late pull out due to financial issues and Bhubaneswar was then chosen by the Athletics Federation of India as the venue.
India has hosted the event earlier on two occasions -- in New Delhi (1989) and Pune (2013).
Points to Remember
• Bhubaneswar is the Capital of Odisha. • Kalinga Stadium is located in Bhubaneswar. • Naveen Patnaik is the chief minister of Odisha while SC Jamir is the Governor.
82. Popular Tamil writer Asokamitran passes away
Noted Tamil litterateur Asokamitran passed away after a brief illness, aged 85.
A well known novelist and essayist, he was noted for his subtlety and refreshing creativity in expression.
Born Thiagarajan, he assumed the pseudonym Asokamitran in the 1960s.
His work “Appavin Snegithargal”, a collection of short stories won him the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1996.
He was given the ‘Tiru Vi Ka’ Award in 2014 for his contribution to Tamil literature by late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa.
83. Renowned playwright Arun Sarma dies
Renowned playwright and Sahitya Akademi Award winner Arun Sarma died at a private hospital in the National Capital after a brief illness.He was 85.
• Born in 1931 in Dibrugarh district of Assam, Sharma has written more than 50 plays and books in his career. • He also won a number of awards, including Padma Shri, Sahitya Academy and Assam Valley Literary.
84. Former solicitor general Andhyarujina passes away
Former solicitor general of India Tehmtan Andhyarujina passed away.He was 83.
He practised law for six decades and has left behind a legacy in judgments he helped shape with his submissions as counsel, on constitutional law.
Andhyarujina was also the state advocate general from 1993 to 1995, before he became the solicitor general in 1996-1998.
85. Coffee Table Book titled “50 Years – The Great Indian Milk Revolution” launched
The Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shri Radha Mohan Singh has launched of Coffee Table Book titled “50 Years – The Great Indian Milk Revolution” commemorating National Dairy Development Board’s (NDDB) Golden Jubilee year.
Shri Radha Mohan Singh also said that since 1998, the poor and marginal milk producers have worked hard to make the country world's top milk producer.
86. Army Releases Book on Rashtriya Rifles
General Bipin Rawat, Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), on 27 March 2017 at South Block, New Delhi, released the book ‘Home of the Brave’ on the history of Indian Army’s Counter Insurgency Force, the Rashtriya Rifles (RR).
• The book is authored by Nitin A Gokhale, Defence & Security Analyst and Brig S K Chatterji (Retired). • Home of the Brave traces the early history of the RR, its organization, including its raising and subsequent deployment in Punjab, the North East and in Jammu & Kashmir. • The RR, a formidable Counter Insurgency Force, has won many laurels in the operations.
87. Book to chronicle life of Tabla maestro Zakir Hussain
A book titled 'Zakir Hussain: A Life for Music, In Conversation with Nasreen Munni Kabir' will chronicle the Tabla maestro's life through a series of in-depth interviews.
To be released by Harper Collings Publishers India in January 2018, the book will offer an intimate look at Hussain's life and career.
Written by Nasreen Munni Kabir, the book will offer readers a personalised view into Indian classical music and the thinking of a world musician.
Points to Remember
• Zakir Hussain is an Indian tabla player in Hindustani classical music. • He was awarded the Padma Shri in 1988, and the Padma Bhushan in 2002, by the Government of India.
88. Suresh Prabhu releases Book Titled “Indian Railway- The weaving of a National Tapestry”
Minister of Railways Shri Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu released the book titled “Indian Railway- The weaving of a National Tapestry” jointly authored by Shri Bibek Debroy (Member, NITI Aayog) Shri Sanjay Chadha (Joint Secretary, Ministry of Commerce) & Ms. Vidya Krishnamurthi.
In addition, Minister of Railways Shri Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu also launched Hi-speed free Wi-Fi services for the visitors at National Rail Museum. Chairman,
Railway Board, Shri A. K. Mital, the three authors of the book, Shri Ashwani Lohani, CMD, Air India and other Railway Board Members and senior officials were also present on the occasion.
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