Weekly GA Capsule 27th May to 2nd June 2019

Economy & Banking...... 12 Government & Polity...... 15 International...... 20 National...... 28 Defence & Security News...... 30 Important Days……………………………………………………………………………………...31 Appointments...... 33 Sports...... 36 Person/Event/Award...... 39

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Weekly GA Capsule 27th May to 2nd June 2019

Economy & Banking

Standard Chartered teamed up with IBM to launch Trade AI Engine

Standard Chartered officially launched the Trade AI Engine, a joint solution developed in partnership with IBM to enhance the client experience in trade document processing through increased operational efficiency and strengthened operational control. By significantly automating the time-consuming and high-risk traditional process, the Trade AI Engine will reduce manual back-office tasks to improve operational efficiency and control Trade AI Engine can convert non-digital shipping documents into a machine-readable format using Optical Character Recognition (OCR) and identify different types of document from a pre- defined database. The engine also utilizes Natural Language Processing (NLP) to read and capture context, while continuous machine learning will enable the system to further improve accuracy. Standard Chartered PLC is a British multinational banking and financial services company.

Ind-Ra Lowers GDP Estimate for FY 19 to 6.9%

The India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra) expects India’s GDP growth rate to be 6.9 % during 2018-19 as against the advance estimate of 7%. It expects that the fourth quarter (January to March 2018) GDP growth of FY19 will decelerate to 6.3 percent from 6.6 percent in the third quarter (October to December 2018). In Ind-Ra's opinion, the new government will have to devise and execute both short-term and medium-to-long-term measures to arrest the slowdown. "While cyclical challenges can be addressed through short-term measures, the need of the hour is to address the structural challenges plaguing the Indian economy," According to the report, short term policy priorities of the new government should include, agricultural price stability measures, supporting system credit growth especially to small industry, and provision of adequate liquidity and accommodative policy environment among others. Long term policy priorities should include, land and natural resource-related measures, labour related measures, capital-related measures, productivity related measures and sector-wise reforms, ICICI Bank's report added. Ind-Ra is one of India’s most respected credit rating agency (belong to Fitch group) that provides ratings, research and rigorous analytics of market in India.

The headquarters of Ind-Ra is located in Mumbai

RBI extends RTGS transfer timings from 4.30 pm to 6 pm

The Reserve Bank of India has increased the Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) time window for customer transactions (initial cut-off) from 4.30 pm to 6 pm The time-varying charges for transactions in RTGS from 1 pm to 6 pm (1 pm to 4.30 pm earlier) shall be ₹5 per outward transaction. After 6 pm (4.30 pm earlier), these charges will be ₹10.

Real Time Gross Settlement

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Weekly GA Capsule 27th May to 2nd June 2019

RTGS is a system of continuous and real-time settlement of fund-transfers, individually on a transaction by transaction basis (without netting). ‘Real Time’ means the processing of instructions at the time they are received; ‘Gross Settlement’ means that the settlement of funds transfer instructions occurs individually. The RTGS system is primarily meant for large-value transactions. The minimum amount to be remitted through RTGS is ₹2 lakh with no upper or maximum ceiling.

SBI Ecowrap report 2018-19

India’s gross domestic product will expand by 5.9-6.1 % in January-March 2019, which could pull down growth rate for the entire fiscal 2018-19 to below 7 % The slip in GDP growth may force the Reserve Bank of India to move with a deeper 0.50 % cut in rates at its next review to propel the sluggish economy Calling out the high real interest rates—the differential between the policy rate and headline inflation—as an impediment to investment, The rate cut of 35-50 basis points is likely at the monetary policy review meeting on June 6, 2019. But the RBI rate cut can be effective only if transmission of the rates happens quickly.

SEBI tightens disclosure norms for listed debt securities

Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has asked debenture trustees to enhance their disclosure for listed debt securities with a view to protecting the interests of investors. The debenture is an instrument of debt executed by the company acknowledging its obligation to repay the sum at a specified rate and also carrying an interest. It is one of the methods of raising the loan capital of the company. A debenture trustee is a person or an entity that serves as the holder of debenture stock for the benefit of another party. A debenture is a debt instrument that is not secured by physical assets or collateral. SEBI has asked the debenture trustees (DTs) to display on their websites the details of interest or redemption due on debenture holders in respect of all the issues during a financial year within 5 working days of the start of the financial year. Further, they are also required to update the status of payment against such issuers not later than one day from the due date. In case the payment is made with a delay by the issuer, DTs would require to update the calendar specifying the date of such payment with a remark delayed payment. In case of default payment of interest and/or principal redemption on the due dates, an additional interest of minimum 2 percent per annum over the coupon rate shall be payable by the issuer company for the defaulting period. Similarly, for the delay in listing of debt securities beyond 20 days from date of allotment, the issuer firm needs to pay to investor at least 1 percent annual interest over the coupon rate from the expiry of 30 days from the deemed date of allotment till the listing of such debt securities.

IMD World Competitiveness Rankings 2019 India moves up to 43rd most competitive economy

India has moved up one place to rank 43rd most competitive economy in the world on the back of its robust economic growth. 3 | P a g e

Weekly GA Capsule 27th May to 2nd June 2019 India's ranking has improved by one place in the past one year to 43rd, driven by a robust rate of growth in real GDP, improvements in business legislation and an increase in public expenditure on education. Singapore has moved up to the top, while the US has slipped to the third place. Hong Kong SAR has held onto its second place, helped by a benign tax and business policy environment and access to business finance. Venezuela remained anchored to the bottom of the ranking, hit by inflation, poor access to credit and a weak economy The IMD World Competitiveness Rankings, incorporate 235 indicators from each of the 63 ranked economies to evaluate their ability to foster an environment where enterprises can achieve sustainable growth, generate jobs and increase welfare for its citizens. The study said the Asia-Pacific region has emerged as a global beacon with 11 out of 14 economies either improving or holding their ground. The IMD study said the challenges before India remain to maintain high growth with employment generation, digital literacy and internet bandwidth in rural areas, managing fiscal discipline, as also issues related to the implementation of Goods and Services Tax and resource mobilization for infrastructure development. In the 2019 rankings, India has scored well on several economic parameters and tax policies but has lagged in terms of public finance, societal framework, education infrastructure development. The IMD World Competitiveness Center is a research group at IMD business school in Switzerland. It has been publishing the rankings every year since 1989.

Indian Overseas Bank launches ‘Bank on Wheels’ facility

Indian Overseas Bank (IOB), has launched ‘Bank on Wheels’ facility in 14 of its lead districts in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, besides Vijayawada. The mobile van facility will enable the public, especially senior citizens, conveniently get door-step banking facility available at identified locations of the lead districts. A dedicated banking correspondent will accompany the vehicle with a micro-ATM inside the van to take care of services such as account opening, enrolment of customers in Social Security Scheme, passbook printing, and other financial inclusion activities. Indian Overseas Bank (IOB)

HQ: Chennai, Tamil Nadu Non-Executive Chairman: T. C. A. Ranganathan MD & CEO: Karnam Sekar

FICCI survey pegs Q4 GDP growth at 6.5 percent

India’s GDP is likely to grow at 6.5 per cent in the fourth quarter ended March, said an economic outlook survey of industry chamber FICCI. The Central Statistics Office (CSO) will release the official data on 31st May 2019. FICCI said the survey has put forth an annual median GDP growth forecast for 2019-20 at 7.1 per cent and the projection for fiscal 2020-21 has been put at 7.2 per cent. “The minimum and maximum growth estimate stood at 6.8 per cent and 7.3 per cent, respectively, for 2019-20 in the survey, which was conducted in May 2019 among economists belonging to the industry, banking and financial services sector,” it said.

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Weekly GA Capsule 27th May to 2nd June 2019 About FICCI:

Founded: 1927 Members: over 250,000 companies Founders: Ghanshyam Das Birla, Purshottamdas Thakurdas Headquarters: New Delhi, India Key people: Uday Shankar, Dilip Chenoy

Three PSUs ink joint venture pact for buying rare metals

Three public sector units — National Aluminium Company (NALCO), Mineral Exploration Corporation Ltd. and Hindustan Copper Ltd. — are set to sign by next month, a joint venture (JV) agreement for making overseas acquisition of reserves of rare metals like lithium and cobalt. The first acquisition is likely to be made within six months NALCO will hold 34% of the proposed Rs. 100 crore equity, with the other two companies holding 33% each. “The JV will acquire assets in overseas countries,” HCL CMD Santosh Sharma said.

About NALCO

Headquarters: India Founded: 1981 Parent organization: Ministry of Mines

Mineral Exploration Corporation Limited ( MECL ) was established as an autonomous Public Sector Company in October 1972, under the administrative control of Ministry of Mines, Government of India,headquartered at Nagpur, for systematic exploration of minerals, to bridge the gap between the initial discovery of a prospect and its eventual exploitation.

About Hindustan Copper Ltd. Headquarters: Kolkata Founded: 9 November 1967 Parent organization: Ministry of Mines

Goldman Sachs invests 250 mn US dollars in India

New York-based investment and financial services major Goldman Sachs has pumped in $250 million to construct one of its largest global workspaces in Bengaluru. The 1.2 millon sq.ft office space, located on the outskirts of the city on a land parcel of 22.5 acres, has a capacity to seat 9,000 staff. Goldman Sachs’ more than 5,000 employees currently work out of six buildings in the city and with the new facility, the company will be able to bring all its staff to a common premises.

About Goldman Sachs CEO: David M. Solomon (Oct 2018–) Headquarters: New York, New York, United States Founders: Marcus Goldman, Samuel Sachs Did you know: Goldman Sachs is the fifth-largest bank in the US by total assets ($931 B)

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Weekly GA Capsule 27th May to 2nd June 2019 Employee base is biggest cause of moderation in biz sentiment CriSidEx survey Report

The sentiment among micro and small enterprises (MSEs) got subdued in the March quarter, the sixth CriSidEx survey has shown. The CriSidEx score for January-March 2019 (Q4FY19) was 122, improving only by a unit, from 121 in Q4FY18. These findings are in consonance with a moderation in several high frequency indicators, including the index of industrial production and rural consumption, observed in the first half of calendar year 2019. Negative sentiment grew in terms of employee base in both manufacturing and services sectors, the report said. Positive sentiment rose in terms of order books size and profit margins year on year, it added. However, this is likely to change, with 18 per cent respondents planning to add employees in the next quarter compared with 11 per cent in the previous one, said the report, released jointly by CRISIL and Small Industries Development Bank of India (Sidbi). “MSEs operating in the leather, chemicals, pharma, IT/ITeS, and human resources segments reported a noticeable increase in positive sentiment, while those into gems & jewellery, textiles, auto components, and health care had a relatively subdued outing.

About CriSiDex

CRISIL and SIDBI launched the CRISIL-SIDBI MSE Sentiment Index, or CriSidEx.

Govt likely to adopt Bank of Baroda-like model of merger for PSBs

The government may likely adopt the Bank of Baroda (BoB)-like model to merge two-three banks, people aware of the development said. Sources said that earlier this month the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Deputy Governor M K Jain had met Financial Services Secretary Rajiv Kumar and other finance ministry officials in Delhi to discuss the PSB merger plan informally. This was followed by another round of meetings between the officials and the RBI. The central government has to consult the RBI before formulating a plan for PSB merger, according to the Banking Companies (Acquisition and Transfer of Undertakings) Acts of 1970 and 1980.

Ujjivan Small Finance Bank as director

Ujjivan Small Finance Bank, which is chasing a plan to upgrade itself into a state-of-the-art mass market bank, has appointed Flipkart founder Sachin Bansal as its independent director. This is the second big futuristic move by Ujjivan management after it roped in HDFC Bank’s digital banking head Nitin Chugh as its next chief executive. In 2015, Ujjivan Financial Services set out on a mission to utilize the full potential of the financially unserved population by aiding their development to procure a brighter future. Ujjivan received the final license from the Reserve Bank of India on 11th November 2016, which allowed us to set up Small Finance Bank business in India with an experienced team of members ranging from ex-CEO’s of leading nationalized banks and advisors to various financial organizations in the country.

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Weekly GA Capsule 27th May to 2nd June 2019

Cement industry hopes to cut carbon footprint by 45% by 2050

Opts for cleaner technology, strict green standards, continuing its efforts towards sustainable development goals, the cement industry is keen on reducing its carbon footprint by 45 per cent by 2050. Adopting clean technologies and adhering to strict environmental standards, the sector is bracing for new challenges.

About cement Industry in India

India is home to the world’s second largest Cement Industry and accounts for over 8% of the global installed capacity.

Cement Manufacturers Association (CMA) is the apex body of major cement plants in India.

Call to set up biogas plants to substitute LPG

Industries should focus on setting up biogas and bio-methanation plants to substitute LPG, a top Environment Ministry official said. With the rise in demand, it is imperative that new and alternative mode of energy are put to use, Additional Secretary of the Environment Ministry, AK Jain, said. The conference — Waste to Energy and Resource Conservation (WERC) — was jointly organised by FICCI along with the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas and Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs -Challenges, Technologies and Adoption, May 30-31, 2019 at Jacaranda Hall, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi. The main focus of the two days conference was to assess the status quo of municipal, agricultural & industrial wastes in India; identifying new ideas, innovations, solutions, technologies for converting waste-to-energy, fuels/bio-fuels/Bio-CNG etc. and help in reutilization of municipal, agricultural & industrial wastes into viable products, solutions adaptable by industrial & civic market.

India GDP growth slumps to 5.8% India’s GDP grew at 5.8% in the January-March 2019 quarter, dragging down the full year growth to a five-year low of 6.8%. The unemployment rate in the country rose to a 45-year high of 6.1% in 2017-18, as per official data released on the first day of the second term of the Modi government. Addressing a press conference on Friday, Economic Affairs Secretary Subhash Chandra Garg said the slowdown, caused by temporary factors such as liquidity crunch, is likely to continue in the April-June 2019 quarter, with the demand picking up from the second quarter onwards. “Slowdown in the fourth quarter GDP was due to temporary factors, like stress in the NBFC sector affecting consumption finance. The first quarter of the current fiscal will also see relatively slower growth. From the second quarter onwards, we expect the growth and consumption to pick up,” Mr. Garg said.

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Weekly GA Capsule 27th May to 2nd June 2019 GDP at current market prices in 2018-19 is estimated at Rs. 190.10 lakh crore, a 11.2% growth over Rs. 170.95 lakh crore in 2017-18. Fiscal deficit for 2018-19 came in at 3.39% of the GDP (gross domestic product), marginally lower than the 3.4% projected in the revised estimates of the Budget, mainly on account of lower expenditure and increase in non-tax revenue. In absolute terms, the fiscal deficit at the end of March 31, 2019, stood at Rs. 6.45 lakh crore as against Rs. 6.34 lakh crore in the revised estimates of the Budget. The fiscal deficit for 2018-19 works out to 3.39% of the GDP, as per data released by the Controller General of Accounts (CGA). Although in absolute terms the fiscal deficit has gone up, as a percentage of GDP, the deficit figure has come down marginally, mainly on account of gross domestic product expansion in 2018-19. Bankers mostly optimistic on economy: CII-IBA Survey reveals a robust increase in CII-IBA Financial Conditions Index in first quarter The index is up on account of most of the components — External Financial Linkages, Funding Liquidity Index and Cost of Funds Index — barring the Economic Activity Index. Going by the significance of index levels, a reading above 50 is considered ‘largely optimistic’. The latest index figure is based on Round 15 of the Financial Conditions Expectation Survey undertaken in April, in which 23 entities participated, including seven public sector banks, six private sector banks, two foreign banks, one co-operative bank, and seven non-banking finance companies. According to the joint survey by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA), the Cost of Funds Index was recorded at 67.4 in Q1 FY20, against 58.5 in the preceding quarter. The Financial Conditions Index for Q1 FY20 has come in at a robust 68.1, against 62.9 in the preceding quarter. On Day 1 of new govt, Cabinet extends PM Kisan to all farmers The Union Cabinet, which held its first meeting on Friday, decided to extend the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM Kisan) to all farmers in the country irrespective of their landholdings. The ₹75,000-crore PM Kisan scheme, first announced in the Interim Budget on February 1, was meant only for small and marginal farmers. According to the scheme, poor farmers would be given a total of ₹6,000 annually, in three equal instalments. A total of 12.5 crore farmers, who constitute 86 per cent of the total farming community in the country, are eligible for the scheme.

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Weekly GA Capsule 27th May to 2nd June 2019 “The government has now decided to remove the distinction between small and big farmers and extend the PM Kisan scheme to all farmers in the country,” said Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, According to Tomar, an additional 2 crore farmers will get the cash incentive with this. So far, only 3.11 crore farmers have received the first instalment and the number of farmers who got the second instalment was further down to 2.66 crore According to Tomar, the government has to cough up an additional financial resources of ₹12,000 crore, taking the total PM Kisan outgo to ₹87,000 crore. Urban unemployment rate at 9.7% in Q3CY18, reveals NSSO report The unemployment rate stood at 9.7 per cent in urban areas of the country during October- December 2018 — a notch higher than the rate of joblessness in the July-September period, according to the National Sample Survey Office’s (NSSO) quarterly bulletin on employment and unemployment indicators. The unemployment rate stood at 9.6 per cent in July-September 2018, and 9.7 per cent in April-June 2018 (for age group of 15 and above). It was higher for females, at 12.1 per cent, than males (9 per cent) in October-December. This is the first estimate on the labour market in urban areas generated by the NSSO on a quarterly basis, with a sample size of 1.8 million. The unemployment rate - proportion of people available for work but didn’t get a job — was on the rise for youth, or those who were in the age group of 15-29 years. The estimates were based on the ‘current weekly status’ that gives an average picture of unemployment in a short period of seven days during the survey. On Day 1 of new govt, Cabinet approved Farmer pension scheme The Cabinet approved a farmer pension scheme, which is available only to small and marginal farmers. Farmers in the age group of 18 to 40 will be able to enrol for the pension scheme and draw a monthly pension of ₹3,000 upon attaining the age of 60. Depending on their age at the time of enrolment, farmers have to put in an amount between ₹55 to ₹200 per month and the government will contribute a matching amount, Tomar said. The scheme will cost the exchequer a total of ₹10,000 crore, he said. On Day 1 of new govt, Cabinet decided to bear the expenses of vaccinating livestock against foot and mouth disease and brucellosis disease The Centre also decided to bear the expenses of vaccinating livestock against foot and mouth disease and brucellosis disease. This was shared till now on a 60:40 basis with the States.

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Weekly GA Capsule 27th May to 2nd June 2019 The scheme, covering 30 crore bovines, 20 crore sheep and goats and 1 crore pigs, will cost an additional ₹13,000 crore, Javadekar said. The Pitch CMO Summit, 2019 The Pitch CMO Summit is a flagship property of the exchange4media Group. It witnesses a gathering of the best minds in the business of marketing. The conversations at the Summit each year revolve around current and relevant marketing topics in a changing global market scenario. This year, it was held at Taj MG Road, Bengaluru, Karnataka with the theme “Demystifying Brand Building Experience” ONGC’s R&D arm developing tech to use microbes to convert residual oil in wells into methane The Keshava Deva Malaviya Institute of Petroleum Exploration (KDMIPE), which is the R&D arm of the public sector oil major ONGC, has made some progress in its quest for identifying microbes that can convert ‘residual oil’ in oil wells into methane that can flow to the surface easily. BB Chhabra, General Manager (Chemistry) at KDMIPE, told Business Line that the Institute’s progress is more or less on par with similar efforts elsewhere in the world. GST receipts at Rs. 1 lakh cr. in May

GST collections touched Rs. 1 lakh crore in May compared with Rs. 94,016 crore in the year-earlier period, the government said.

The gross collection in May at Rs. 1,00,289 crore is, however, lower than the Rs. 1,13,865 crore collected in April. MCA moves NCLT against Deloitte, BSR over fraud at IL&FS subsidiary The ministry of corporate affairs (MCA) has launched a prosecution against Deloitte Haskins and Sells as well as BSR and Associates LLP and their former auditors for their role in “perpetuating the fraud” at IFIN, a subsidiary of Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services (IL&FS) MCA further directed the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) to probe the role of lenders to IFIN and credit rating agencies covering the aspects of borrowings by IFIN from banks. UK-India Awards 2019 June 24 and 28 Indian start-ups like Ola and Oyo, which have been on an expansion mode in the UK, are among some of the key names on the shortlist for the UK-India Awards this year. The awards, which will mark the closing of UK-India Week between June 24 and 28, are being judged by an all-women jury for the first time and cover a wide range of sectors including business, tech, trade, and social impact.

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Weekly GA Capsule 27th May to 2nd June 2019 Number of ATMs dips, PoS centres see rise in digital payments push As the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)’s Vision 2021 report aims to achieve ‘highly digital’ and ‘cash lite’ society in line with the government’s push for Digital India, the payments infrastructure is also undergoing a transformation. The deployment of point of sales (PoS) terminals picked up during financial year 2019 whereas the total number of automated teller machines (ATM) in the country decreased. ATM penetration in the country is already one of the lowest in the world in terms of total population. During the past year, ATMs fell marginally by 554 units to 2.22 lakh units whereas the number of PoS terminals in the country rose by over 6.4 lakh and stood at 37.22 lakh units at the end of March 2019. Out of a total 49 banks, over 30 banks closed ATMs in the past year, showed RBI data. The Confederation of ATM Industry (CATMI), the industry body for ATM operators, is dismayed at the omission of the stagnation of ATM deployment in RBI’s report. “The RBI is of the view that it is digital payments against cash and has not acknowledged that the lack of ATM infrastructure will reduce financial access for rural areas, thus hampering financial inclusion,” said a CATMI spokesperson. The move to PoS transactions is supported by increasing use of debit cards at PoS terminals, which is 30 per cent vis-à-vis ATM in terms of volume against 10.4 per cent in 2014-15. The usage of debit cards at PoS terminals is expected to be at least 44 per cent of total debit card transactions by 2021. In value terms, it was 15.2 per cent in 2018-19 (5.2 per cent in 2014-15). This is expected to be 22 per cent by the end of 2021. said the RBI. Govt to formalise PSU general insurance consolidation plan in three months Even as the consolidation plan of the three public sector general insurance companies – National Insurance, United India Insurance and Oriental Insurance – is back in the spotlight of the government, the financial health of all three companies looks bleak. Senior finance ministry officials said the plan to consolidate the three companies is ready, in the form of a cabinet note, and will be taken up immediately once the new National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government takes charge. Commerce Ministry gearing up to boost exports through e-commerce The commerce and industry ministry is gearing up to boost exports through e-commerce at a time when the government is expected to reframe the proposed e-commerce policy, yet again. Discussions on e-commerce exports kicked off on Wednesday during an informal meet among academia, exporters and officials from the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) and the Department of Post, sources said. According to estimates by citizen engagement social networking platform Local circles, about 75,000 exporters from India sent out $1.2 billion worth of goods via the e-commerce channel during FY19.

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Weekly GA Capsule 27th May to 2nd June 2019 “We are looking at a $450 billion opportunity, which may get considerably squeezed if regulatory and customs policies are not revised soon. As of now, it costs an absurd Rs 1,400 to send a rakhi to Singapore, even as China has increasingly pushed small-value exports through the e- commerce channel,” said Sachin Taparia, founder of Localcircles. Mumbai only city among top 7 to see correction in office rental since 2012 At a time when real estate investment trusts (REITs) are witnessing a pick-up in investor interest, a historically higher base coupled with rise in low-value transactions have made Mumbai stand out as the only market among the top seven cities to have seen its office space rentals correct since 2012. According to data by real estate consulting firm Knight Frank, against Rs 127 per square feet per month (pspm) in 2012, Mumbai’s office space rentals corrected to as low as Rs 104 pspm in 2015 and climbed to Rs 117 pspm in 2018. On the other hand, cities like Pune and Bengaluru have been the breakout markets in terms of office space transactions. The weighted average rental values have risen from Rs 37 pspm and Rs 46 pspm in 2012 to Rs 71 pspm and Rs 74 pspm in 2018 for the two cities.

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Weekly GA Capsule 27th May to 2nd June 2019 Government & Polity

EPFO Data shows 1.37 crore formal sector jobs created in FY19

Around 1.37 crore jobs were created in the formal sector during the financial year 2018-19, as per the data released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) The CSO used addition to the Employees' Provident Fund (EPF) subscriber base to derive employment generation in the formal sector. There are, however, experts and statisticians who say the EPFO data does not give a complete picture of the employment scenario.

As per the former Chief Statistician of India Pronab Sen, the data only shows the growth in the organized sector. "Which is already growing”. The problem is in the informal sector, which is going through massive unemployment over the years.

Employees' Provident Fund Organization EPFO

EPFO is one of the World's largest Social Security Organisations in terms of clientele and the volume of financial transactions undertaken. The Central Board of Trustees administers a contributory provident fund, pension scheme and an insurance scheme for the workforce engaged in the organized sector in India. Sunil Barthwal, Central Provident Fund Commissioner EPFO.

Women’s strength in Lok Sabha up to a record 14.4%

The 17th Lok Sabha will have the highest number of women members amounting to a figure of 78. They will make up 14.4% of the strength of the Lower House, an increase from the 12.5% (65) in the previous Lok Sabha. There are 78 women members of parliament, the highest since independence Parliament this time has 300 first-time MPs and 197 MPs who have been re-elected for a second consecutive term

GoI decides to merge statistics bodies CSO and NSSO into a National Statistical Office The government has decided to merge the Central Statistics Office and the National Sample Survey Office – the two organizations that release data on India’s economic indicators. The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation approved the decision to merge the two entities into a National Statistical Office The Central Statistics Office provides data on economic indicators such as the Gross Domestic Product and Index of Industrial Production. The National Sample Survey Office conducts research on matters such as consumption expenditure and unemployment. The move is a follow-up to a similar recommendation by the National Statistical Commission in 2005 when it was headed by former Reserve Bank of India Governor C Rangarajan. Chief Statistician of India Pravin Srivastava will head the National Statistical Office

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Weekly GA Capsule 27th May to 2nd June 2019 BIMSTEC leaders invited to PM designate Narendra Modi’s oath taking ceremony

India has invited the leaders of the BIMSTEC Member States for the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in line with the Government's focus on its 'Neighborhood First' policy. The BIMSTEC, the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation, member states are Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Nepal and Bhutan including India.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take oath for the second term. President Ram Nath Kovind will administer the Oath of Office and Secrecy to Mr. Modi and other members of Union Council of Ministers at a function in Rashtrapati Bhavan.

NRL Facilitates Group Insurance Cover for Kaziranga National Park Staff

The state-owned refinery in Assam, Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL) has initiated a group insurance cover for the courageous forest staff of the Kaziranga National Park (KNP), Assam, who often face attacks from wild animals as well as poachers. Key features:

The Group Personal Accident Insurance Policy has been launched for 1,129 forest staff. It Provides cover for death or bodily injury, resulting solely and directly from an accident caused by external violent and visible means. The Insured sum: Rs 5 lakh per insured person/nominee The weekly benefit of up to Rs 5,000 for a maximum of 104 weeks for temporary disablement. Insured amount can be directly claimed from National Insurance Company Ltd, Golaghat. The policy will be effective from April 1, 2019, for a year-term initially, to be further extended on a yearly basis

Telangana proposes India's first blockchain district in Hyderabad

The state government has conceptualized the country's first 'Blockchain District', which will be a physical area within Hyderabad, aimed at creating the ecosystem. It will house all major Blockchain technology companies, a huge incubator and a world-class facility for promoting research, innovation and industry collaboration. It proposed 25 percent subsidy on lease rentals up to ₹5 lakh per annum for the first 3 years of operations. The government will provide office space to house all the Blockchain start-ups, co- working and incubation spaces at highly subsidized prices. The government would set up a sandbox for testing prominent Blockchain protocols to allow simulation and prototyping of solutions. An international liaison office of the Blockchain district will be set up to collaborate with international players to bring in investments and for exchange of knowledge and practices. The government will fund research programs in Blockchain technology by setting up research chairs in select premier institutes and fund research scholars working in the domain. In 2018, Telangana had signed an agreement with Tech Mahindra to launch the Blockchain district. Tech Mahindra as a founding member of the Blockchain district will provide platform and

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Weekly GA Capsule 27th May to 2nd June 2019 technology assistance to all the incubators and will also empower accelerators to develop and solve market problems across its global customer ecosystem. Telangana Government will provide regulatory and policy support to enable and promote Blockchain growth

BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY Blockchain is a public ledger, an ordered and time-stamped record of transactions. This system is used to protect against double spending and modification of previous transaction records where transactions are recorded and confirmed anonymously. In common words, it’s a record of events that are shared among many parties (nodes). More importantly, once information is entered, it cannot be altered. Each full node in the network independently stores a blockchain containing only blocks validated by that node.

MeitY, NASSCOM to jointly set up IoT facility in Visakhapatnam

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) will set up a Centre of Excellence in the Internet of Things in Visakhapatnam in association with NASSCOM Under the agreement Industries would be encouraged for use of chat-bots, robots, power plants, data analytics and automation in the domains of automobiles, mineral-based plants, health, and finance (loan distribution), NASSCOM is in the process of establishing CoE’s for industries in Bengaluru, Gurugram and Ahmedabad besides Vizag. All these centers would promote the use of artificial intelligence by the industries. M/o EFCC launched song “Hawa Aane De” to spread awareness about Air pollution As the World Environment Day is approaching on June 5 M/o EFCC launched 'Hawa Aane De' song to spread awareness about Air pollution. The aim is to spread awareness regarding protecting the environment. This year the theme of Environment Day is “Air Pollution”

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Weekly GA Capsule 27th May to 2nd June 2019 International News

Russia launches world’s largest nuclear powered icebreaker “URAL” to open up Arctic route

Russia launched a nuclear-powered icebreaker recently, part of an ambitious program to renew and expand its fleet of the vessels in order to improve its ability to tap the Arctic’s commercial potential. The ship, dubbed the Ural and which was floated out from a dockyard in St Petersburg, is one of a trio that when completed will be the largest and most powerful icebreakers in the world. Russia is building new infrastructure and overhauling its ports as, amid warmer climate cycles, it readies for more traffic through Northern Sea Route (NSR) which it envisages being navigable year-round. The Ural will eventually be handed over to Russia’s state-owned nuclear energy corporation Rosatom in 2022 when the other two icebreakers – the Arktika and the Sibir – also enter service. The Arctic holds oil and gas reserves equivalent to 412 billion barrels of oil, about 22 percent of the world’s undiscovered oil and gas.

Albino Giant panda cited in China

A rare all-white panda has been caught on camera at a nature reserve in woolong National nature reserve in southwest China, showing albinism exists among wild pandas in the region. Albinism is a congenital disorder characterized in humans by the complete or partial absence of pigment in the skin, hair, and eyes.

Animals with albinism which results in a lack of melanin, or skin pigment are often at greater risk from predators in the wild as they can be spotted more easily and have poorer eyesight. The giant panda is classified as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

WHO study suggests India among countries where women face most violence by a partner

According to the global estimates published by the World Health Organization (WHO), India has the intimate partner violence (37.7%) in the WHO South-East Asia region. As per the WHO data, about 1 in 3 (35%) women worldwide have experienced either physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence in their lifetime. The violence varies from 23.2% in high-income countries to 37% in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean region. Further, worldwide as many as 38% of murders of women are committed by a male intimate partner. The WHO has also explained how gender-based violence is perpetrated. It notes that those men are more likely to perpetrate violence if they have low education, a history of child maltreatment, exposure to domestic violence against their mothers, harmful use of alcohol, unequal gender norms and sense of entitlement over women. On the other hand, women are more vulnerable to intimate partner violence if they have low education, exposure to mothers being abused by a partner, abuse during childhood, and attitudes accepting violence, male privilege, and women’s subordinate status.

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Weekly GA Capsule 27th May to 2nd June 2019 Further, the WHO has noted that intimate partner violence causes serious short-and long-term problems for women. Violence can lead to depression, post-traumatic stress, anxiety disorders, and suicide attempts. Women who are physically and sexually abused are 1.5 times more likely to have sexually transmitted diseases compared to those who had not to experience partner violence. Violence also adversely affect their children besides leading to high social and economic costs for women, their families, and societies WHO together with UN Women and other partners have developed a framework for prevention of violence against women called Respect which can be used by governments to counter the menace of partner violence against women.

Sri Lanka signs tripartite agreement with India and Japan

Sri Lanka has signed a tripartite agreement with India and Japan for development of eastern terminal of Colombo port. As per the agreement, Sri Lanka Port Authority (SLPA) will hold 51 % majority stake in the port development while Japan and India will have combined stake of 49%. The deal is significant as over 70% of India’s transshipment business is handled at Colombo ports. One of the terminals is controlled by the Chinese company and there was a long-pending proposal to hand over the development of Eastern terminal to an Indian company. The deal is part of Memorandum of economic cooperation signed between India and Sri Lanka in 2017.

Fiat Chrysler proposes merger with Renault to create third largest automaker

Italian-American carmaker Fiat Chrysler Automobiles on Monday said it has proposed a “transformative merger” with Renault to create the world’s third-largest automaker. Renault, which is partly owned by the French government, already has a three-way partnership with two Japanese companies – Nissan and Mitsubishi. A merger between Renault and Fiat Chrysler would make the entity the third largest automaker in the world by sales, behind Volkswagen and Toyota The proposal for a merger comes at a time when carmakers are under pressure to consolidate amid industry shifts, including towards electric vehicles.

China International Big Data Industry Expo 2019 opens in Guiyang

Guiyang in China hosted the China International Big Data Industry Expo 2019 to learn about the latest developments of the global big data sector. It was the fifth consecutive year that Guiyang, also known as "China's Big Data Valley", held the event. Since 2015, the expo has become a highlight of the province As the world's first national-level expo on big data, the event set its theme at "Data creates value, innovation drives the future"

WHO recognizes ‘burnout’ as a medical condition and ‘gaming disorder' as an illness

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Weekly GA Capsule 27th May to 2nd June 2019 The World Health Organization has for the first time recognized “burn-out” in its International Classification of Diseases (ICD). The term “burnout” was coined in the 1970s by the American psychologist Herbert Freudenberger. According to the WHO, “burn-out is a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.” Further, the WHO has noted that burn-out refers specifically to phenomena in the occupational context and should not be used in other contexts. The WHO has said that burnout has three components: a) feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion, b) increased mental distance from one’s job or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job and c) Reduced professional efficacy. In Addition WHO recognizes “Gaming disorder” as the latest addition to WHO’s a list of modern diseases in its International Classification of Diseases (ICD) Studies suggest that gaming disorder affects only a small proportion of people who engage in digital- or video-gaming activities. However, people who partake in gaming should be alert to the amount of time they spend on gaming activities, particularly when it is to the exclusion of other daily activities.

The United States Removes India and Switzerland from its Currency Monitoring List

In its semi-annual foreign exchange report presented to Congress, the US administration dropped the names of India and Switzerland from its currency monitoring list, which includes the list of countries having potentially questionable foreign exchange policies. Removal of India from the currency watch list radar is a positive development, which otherwise could have ultimately led to a tag of being a currency manipulator. Now nine major trading partners continue to be placed on Treasury’s ‘Monitoring List’ of major trading partners that merit close attention to their currency practices. These countries are China, Japan, Germany, South Korea, Ireland, Italy, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Singapore. What is currency manipulation and who determines it?

The US Department of the Treasury publishes a semi-annual report in which the developments in global economic and exchange rate policies are reviewed. If a US trade partner meets three assessment criteria, the US labels it a currency manipulator. The US then tries to solve it via bilateral talks.

German government request people to wear Jewish kippah

The German government has called on people to wear the Jewish kippah to show their solidarity with the country’s Jewish community in the face of rising anti-Semitism withdrawing an earlier warning against wearing the traditional skullcap The move comes after a leading government official warned Jews in Germany not to wear the traditional skullcaps in public because of an increase in anti-Semitic attacks across the country. Anti-Semitism is the hostility toward or discrimination against Jews as a religious, ethnic, or racial group.

The 2005 Report on Global Anti-Semitism defines anti-Semitism as hatred toward Jews— individually and as a group—that can be attributed to the Jewish religion and/or ethnicity.

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Weekly GA Capsule 27th May to 2nd June 2019 Germany

Capital: Berlin Government: Federal parliamentary republic Currency: Euro President: Frank-Walter Steinmeier Chancellor: Angela Merkel

Guterres appoints Indian-origin Anita Bhatia as UN-Women’s dy executive director Indian-origin official Anita Bhatia, a veteran in strategic partnerships and resource mobilisation, has been appointed by United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres as the Deputy Executive Director in UN Women, the agency focussed on women empowerment and gender equality. India to lose preferential trade terms with U.S India will lose access to preferential trade terms with the U.S. under the latter’s Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) programme, a Senior State Department official told reporters in Washington DC. The official, who did not want to be named, said the restoration of benefits remained a possibility if underlying trade issues were resolved, but the withdrawal of India’s GSP eligibility, was “a done deal”. Japan unveils policy to curb plastic waste ahead of G20 Japan on 31st May 2019 announced a policy to reduce marine plastic waste, part of efforts to raise the issue at the G20 summit it will host next month. Japan is hoping to cast itself as a leader on the issue, and will reportedly press for an international agreement to reduce the amount of plastic going into the ocean during the Osaka summit from June 28 to 30. “Ocean plastic waste is one of the issues topping the G20 summit agenda, and as the chair of the meeting, we will exercise leadership to solve the matter,” Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told a ministerial meeting that adopted the policy package. Trump ends concessions for Indian exports under GSP A day after a group of journalists was told that India’s access to preferential trade terms under the U.S.’s Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) was on its way out, U.S. President Donald Trump issued a proclamation ending the trade benefits effective June 5. However, the benefits could possibly be reinstated subject to India and the U.S. reaching an agreement, according to a senior State Department official. The GSP is a programme that seeks to aid developing countries by giving some of their products non-reciprocal, duty-free access to U.S. markets. In 2018, some $ 6.3 billion of Indian

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Weekly GA Capsule 27th May to 2nd June 2019 merchandise exports to the U.S. were covered by GSP, according to the Congressional Research Service

Citroen banks on ‘phygital’ approach for India sales French auto major Citroen, which will make its India debut next year with its C5 Aircross SUV, plans to use a ‘phygital’ approach (Physical and digital) while entering the highly competitive Indian market, where many foreign carmakers have found the going difficult. Citroen, which would be the second French automaker after Renault to enter the Indian market, plans to initially open stores in ten Indian cities with a focus on the digital experience within the store.

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Weekly GA Capsule 27th May to 2nd June 2019 National News

ICAT Organizes International Seminar on Noise, Vibration, and Harshness

International Centre for Automotive Technology (ICAT) organized an international seminar-cum- workshop on Automotive Noise, Vibration and Harshness (iNVH) on 23rd – 24th May 2019 at ICAT, Manesar, Haryana. With the iNVH seminar-cum-workshop series, ICAT is aiming at creating awareness and providing a platform for the exchange of information to professionals and academia, with the involvement of leading experts in the field. A panel discussion on “NVH challenges faced by the automotive Industry” was also held during the workshop. The participants discussed the basics of NVH technology, problem-solving strategies on NVH to give them a global perspective on current trends in the field of NVH.

Orchha town of MP in tentative list of the World Heritage Sites by UNESCO

The Orchha town of Madhya Pradesh has been included in the tentative list of the World Heritage Sites of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). The 16th-century town is celebrated for its rich and ancient architecture of Chaturbhuj Temple, Orchha Fort Complex, and Raja Mahal among others. It is famous for its two elevated minarets – Saavan and Bhadon; and four palaces – Jahangir Palace, Rai Praveen Mahal, Raja Mahal, and Sheesh Mahal. The architectural heritage of Orchha town in MP depicts the peculiar style of the Bundela dynasty The site houses ‘Sri Ram Raja Mandir’. It is the only place in India where Lord Ram is worshipped as a King, not as a deity, with this dedicated temple in his name.

UNESCO world heritage site:

A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as of special cultural or physical significance. The list is maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 UNESCO member states which are elected by the General Assembly. UNESCO: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

HQ: Paris, France Director-General: Audrey Azoulay

CSR of NBCC jointly opens Sahara Hostel for the Veer Naris in New Delhi

The Lt Governor of Delhi Shri Anil Baijal inaugurated the Sahara Naval Hostel for the ‘Veer Naris’ at Vasant Kunj, New Delhi The unique project steered by the Indian Navy for ‘Naval Veer Naris’ has been built in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) partnership with National Buildings Construction Corporation (NBCC).

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Weekly GA Capsule 27th May to 2nd June 2019 Sahara Hostel is a unique initiative by the Indian Navy for the welfare of the Naval Widows/Veernaris and is aimed towards providing support to the lady and their families in the period immediately after the unfortunate demise of their husbands. The Sahara Hostel comprises compact suites equipped with all necessary amenities for dignified living, along with a common Dining Hall and a Community Hall. The office of the Naval Regimental System has also been co-located at the hostel for easy onsite assistance to the occupants of the Sahara Hostel.

Nation pays homage to first PM Jawaharlal Nehru on his 55th death anniversary

The nation pays homage to first Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru on his 55th death anniversary on 27 May 2019 Jawaharlal Nehru was the first Prime Minister of India. Jawaharlal Nehru emerged as an eminent leader of the Indian independence movement under the tutelage of Mahatma Gandhi. He held the post from its establishment as an independent nation in 1947 until his death on May 27, 1964. Jawaharlal Nehru is credited to have shaped the formative years of the country after years of colonial rule. A staunch advocate of socialism, secularism, and democracy Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, he was an eminent leader of India's freedom movement against the British rule.

India elected to Executive Board of first UN-Habitat Assembly

India has been elected today to the Executive Board of the first UN-Habitat Assembly at the Plenary Session of the Assembly being held in Nairobi The theme for this year's Assembly is ‘Innovation for a better quality of life in cities and communities' with the sub-theme of ‘Accelerated Implementation of the New Urban Agenda towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.' UN-Habitat

It is a UN agency responsible for sustainable urban development and human settlements. HQ: Nairobi, Kenya. Executive Director: Maimunah Mohd, Sharif

MSME ministry inks MoU with NSIC

The National Small Industries Corporation Limited, NSIC signed an MoU with Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises for the year 2019-20. The MoU envisages provision of enhanced services by NSIC under its marketing, financial, technology, and other support services schemes for MSMEs in the country. The Corporation projects to increase revenue from operation by 22 % from two thousand 540 crore rupees in the year 2018-19 to three thousand 100 crore rupees in the year 2019-20. The Corporation also plans to enhance its activities in the areas of imparting entrepreneurship and skill development training by targeting 45 % growth in the number of trainees. Under the scheme of National SC-ST Hub being implemented by NSIC on behalf of the Ministry of MSME, it will be a continuous endeavor to provide assistance to SC/ST entrepreneurs through

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Weekly GA Capsule 27th May to 2nd June 2019 different interventions and various outreach activities with the overall objectives to increase their participation in public procurement.

Hindi version of “Digital Dilemma” launched by Oscar academy President John Bailey

President of Oscar Academy, John Bailey e-launched the Hindi translation of an Academy Publication, "Digital Dilemma", at a function in Delhi. Bailey points out that the translation of the Academy publication into Hindi is important in order to reach out to film fraternity in India. He said there are many challenges thrown by the technological changes in the film storage medium and this book will help filmmakers in understanding and planning the storage of born-digital material. National Film Archive of India had signed an MoU with the Academy to translate the publication into Hindi so that it can benefit various stakeholders in the country. The Academy works towards the goal of advancing the arts and sciences of motion pictures.

The 2019 China-India IT and DT Industry Cooperation Forum, Guiyang China

The event held on the sidelines of International Big Data Industry Expo 2019. Both the countries discussed about the development and progress of big data and AI to boost mutual economic development. In March 2019, The National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM) has opened 3rd IT corridor in China to boost software and service Industry.

About IT Corridor

IT corridor facilitates partnerships between Indian and Chinese companies by enabling Indian software and service industry associations to enter the Chinese market and seize the development opportunities in China. The earlier two corridors launched at Dalian and Guiyang cities had enabled cooperation in co- create mode in the emerging technologies such as AI, IoT and Analytics in the Chinese market.

India signs Loan Agreement with the World Bank for USD 21.7 Mn for Rajasthan Project

India signed Loan Agreement with the World Bank for USD 21.7 Million for Strengthening the Public Financial Management in Rajasthan Project The Project size is approximately USD 31 million, of which USD 21.7 million will be financed by the World Bank, and the remaining amount will be funded out of the State Budget. The Project duration is 5 years. The Project objective is to contribute to improved Budget execution, enhanced accountability and greater efficiency in Revenue Administration in Rajasthan. The Project involves Strengthening of the Public Financial Management Framework; Strengthening of Expenditure and Revenue Systems; and Project Management and Capacity Building among others. World Bank

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Weekly GA Capsule 27th May to 2nd June 2019 HQ: Washington, D.C., U.S. President: David Malpass Chief Executive Officer: Kristalina Georgieva Chief Economist: Penny Goldberg

“Aroma Mission” Launched in the state of Meghalaya

Meghalaya CM Conrad K Sangma launched the Aroma Mission and also inaugurated the Processing Unit of Essential Oil in Ri Bhoi District of Meghalaya to boost Agriculture and allied sector in the state. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants-CIMAP and the MBDA (Meghalaya Basin Development Authority) for collaborative work on medicinal and aromatic plants. The aroma mission aimed at boosting cultivation of aromatic crops like lavender, rosemary and lemongrass and medicinal plants like ashwagandha and satavar, keeping in view plight of farmers involved in traditional agriculture and their flight from rural areas due to climate change. The Aroma mission has been launched for Rs 18 crore to strengthen the livelihood condition of farmers and create employment opportunities in the state.

‘Jal Shakti’ Ministry to deal with integrated water issues

A new ‘Jal Shakti’ Ministry, in which the erstwhile Ministries of Water Resources and Drinking Water and Sanitation will be merged, has been formed with Gajendra Singh Shekhawat at its helm. Mr. Shekhawat took charge of the Ministry on Friday, a day after he was sworn in as a Cabinet Minister. During the election campaign, Mr. Modi had promised to form an integrated Ministry dealing with water issues. The remit of the Ministry will encompass issues ranging from international and inter-State water disputes, the Namami Gange project, the flagship initiative to clean the Ganga, its tributaries and sub-tributaries and the provision of clean drinking water. In the first Modi government, the project to clean the Ganga was moved from the Ministry of Environment and Forests to the Ministry of Water Resources.

First House session from June 17, Budget on July 5

The first session of the 17th Lok Sabha will begin on June 17 and go on till July 26. Nirmala Sitharaman, the country’s first full-time woman Finance Minister, will present the Union Budget on July 5. The decision was taken during the first Cabinet meeting of the newly elected government.

Pension scheme for small shopkeepers, retail traders

The newly-inducted Union Cabinet, in its first meeting, approved a new scheme which assures minimum monthly pension of ₹3000 per month to small shopkeepers, retail traders and the self- employed people after attaining the age of 60 years.

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Weekly GA Capsule 27th May to 2nd June 2019 “All small shopkeepers and self-employed persons as well as the retail traders with GST turnover below ₹1.5 crore and aged between 18-40 years, can enroll themselves for this scheme,” an official statement said. This enrolment can be done through more than 3.25 lakh common service centres across the country. “The government will make matching contribution in the subscribers’ account,” the statement added.

NEP draft released

Doubling the percentage of public expenditure on education, setting up an overarching National Education Commission as well as a National Research Foundation, encouraging primary school education in the mother tongue and incorporating traditional Indian knowledge systems into the curriculum are among the key recommendations of the draft National Education Policy released on 31st May 2019. The draft policy recommends the creation of a National Education Commission (NEC) or Rashtriya Shiksha Aayog (RSA) as an apex body for Indian education, to be headed by the Prime Minister of India, with a mandate beyond the current HRD Ministry. The Committee led by the Chairman Dr. Kasturirangan submitted the Draft National Educational Policy to the Union Human Resource Development Minister, Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ and Minister of State for HRD, Shri Sanjay Shamrao Dhotre in New Delhi This is the first NEP in almost three decades; the last time such a policy was formulated was in 1986, with amendments made in 1992.

Karnataka slips to fourth place in potential investments

After three years at the top of the list of States attracting potential investment, Karnataka has seen a drastic dip this year, garnering just Rs. 5,023 crore of investment promised till March-end. The figures come as a setback for the State which saw (Industrial Entrepreneurs Memorandum) IEMs of more than Rs. 1.52 lakh crore being signed in 2016 and 2017, while there were investments of over Rs. 90,583 crore in 2018. FDI inflows followed the same pattern. The inflows to Reserve Bank of India’s Bengaluru regional office for 2018-19 was Rs. 46,963 crore, down from Rs. 55,334 crore in 2017-18. The State maintains its third position, following Maharashtra and the National Capital Region. This year, Karnataka ranks fourth in the list of IEMs received so far. While Gujarat tops the list with Rs. 22,348 crore, Maharashtra has received Rs. 12,257 crore and Rajasthan at Rs. 5,892 crore.

NGT stays linkage of Godavari, Krishna and Penna

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued an order staying the Andhra Pradesh Government’s scheme to link Godavari Krishna and Penna Rivers of the State. It ordered that Ministry of Environment should submit a report on it within a month. The Tribunal in an order released on 31st May 2019 said that the State could not go ahead with the project without getting clearance from the Central Water Commission (CWC) and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

NGT raps States for not curbing pollution in Ganga

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Weekly GA Capsule 27th May to 2nd June 2019 The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has imposed a penalty of Rs. 25 lakh each on the States of Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal for not taking adequate steps to curb pollution in the river Ganga. A Bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel observed that while in Bihar there was no progress in terms of completion of sewage treatment infrastructure projects, in West Bengal only three out of the 22 projects had been completed. “The States of West Bengal, Bihar and Jharkhand are not represented in spite of orders of this Tribunal by which we recorded strong disapproval to such attitude of the said States.

NITI for policy framework for infra projects

A task force on project management, headed by NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant, has suggested the development of a National Project Management Policy Framework for the effective execution of public sector and public-private partnership infrastructure projects. It has also recommended the setting up of a nodal body for the certification of chartered project management professionals to create world-class infrastructure. The report says, project management, with a view to deliver on time and within budget, is a learnable capability that can be institutionalised as demonstrated by the experiences of the U.S., the U.K., the UAE and China.

Met Dept retains normal monsoon outlook, reaffirms onset date as June 6

For country as a whole, rain will be 96% of the long-term average The India Met Department (IMD) has retained the ‘normal’ monsoon outlook (96 to 104 per cent of the long-period average, LPA) for this year and reaffirmed the onset date as June 6 along the Kerala coast. This is the best news to emerge at a time when the country has been saddled with the second- worst rainfall record (a rainfall deficit of 25 per cent) during the just-concluded pre-monsoon season (March 1 to May 31). The IMD said that monsoon rainfall this year is likely to be 94 per cent of the LPA over North- West India; 100 per cent over Central India; 97 per cent over South Peninsula; and 91 per cent over North-East India — all with a model error of ± 8 per cent.

Showcasing the story of Wild Karnataka, India's first natural history film After four years in the making, a band of 20 filmmakers including the directors were left with 400 hours of footage for what is now India's first blue chip natural history film.

Maharashtra FDA asks schools, colleges to revive canteen food for better nutrition In a first, the Maharashtra State Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) has formed guidelines to ensure nutritious and hygienic food in schools and colleges. The State government had on May 3, granted approval to implement the new guidelines from the academic year 2019-2020. FDA officials have already reached out to 2,200 schools and vice chancellors of various universities with their newly formulated rules.

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Weekly GA Capsule 27th May to 2nd June 2019

Dr. Pallavi Darade, FDA Commissioner, on Friday said that these guidelines were the need of the hour given that obesity, diabetes, hypertension and other lifestyle diseases were now setting in at an early age. By September, the institutions should start offering the food as per new guidelines. In December, the FDA officials will review the schools and colleges and show cause notices will be served to those who are found to be non-compliant. MU provides 1% reservation for orphan students from this year Mumbai University (MU) on Friday decided to implement 1% reservation for orphan students willing to pursue higher education from this academic year. While orphan students have welcomed the move, they have demanded a fee waiver as well. On April 2, 2018, the Maharashtra government had issued a government resolution (GR) enabling 1% quota for orphan students in education and employment sectors. Sonia Gandhi elected leader of Congress Parliamentary Party United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi was elected leader of the Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) at a meeting in New Delhi. Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh proposed Ms. Gandhi’s name, which was unanimously approved by all the MPs. Body scanners made mandatory at 84 airports The government has made it mandatory for 84 airports in the country to install full-body scanners to screen air travellers within a year and issued a standard operating procedure for their use. The 84 airports include 26 hyper-sensitive airports and 58 sensitive airports. Other airports have two years’ time to introduce these scanners. This equipment will replace walk-through metal detectors and passengers will have to remove shoes, belts, jackets, thick clothing and be “divested” of all metallic items, which is a practice at most prominent airports across the world, according to the SOP laid down by a Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) circular sent to all airports in April. Rose-inspired novel device to collect, purify water Scientists have taken inspiration from roses to develop a low-cost device for collecting and purifying water. In a study published in Advanced Materials, they outline how an origami rose provided the inspiration for developing a new kind of solar-steaming system made from layered, black paper sheets shaped into petals. Using genes to understand rice blast disease resistance in Indian rice varieties

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Weekly GA Capsule 27th May to 2nd June 2019 Rice blast, caused by a fungus Magnaporthe oryzae, is one of the major diseases of the rice crop. Now, researchers from ICAR-National Rice Research Institute (NRRI), Odisha have mapped out the diverse genes in rice that help in disease resistance. By characterising over 150 rice varieties from nine States across the country they also identified new markers associated with blast resistance. From 1980-1987, seven blast endemics have occurred in India causing severe losses. Fungicides are very expensive, harmful for the environment and inappropriate application can cause health issues. So researchers around the globe have been on a hunt for resistant genes against the pathogen and so far, more than 100 resistance (R) genes in the rice genome have been identified. Karnataka IT sector gets exemption from Standing Orders The IT/ITeS sector has been exempted from implementing the Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act, 1946, for a further period of five years by the Karnataka State government. The Industrial Employment (Standing orders) Act, was introduced for the employers in industrial establishments to ensure the employment conditions under the establishments. The Act applies to all industrial establishments involving 100 or more workers under Section 1(3). It is mandatory for every employer covered under the Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act has to get standing orders certified by submitting five draft copies of the standing orders to the certifying officer such as labour commissioner

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Weekly GA Capsule 27th May to 2nd June 2019 Defence & Security News

IAF chief leads 'missing man' formation in MiG-21

Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa led a four aircraft, MiG-21 'Missing Man' formation at Air Force Station Bhisiana in Bhatinda, Punjab to honour the valour and supreme sacrifice of men killed in action during Operation Safed Sagar at Kargil. 'Missing Man' formation is an aerial salute accorded to honour the fallen comrades-in-arms. This is an Arrow Formation, with a gap between two aircraft in the formation depicting the Missing Man. DRDO successfully test fires Akash-1S surface to air defence missile system DRDO successfully test fires Akash-1S surface to air defense missile system

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully test-fired the Akash- 1S surface to air defence missile system. Developed by the DRDO, the Akash missile system has the capability to neutralise aerial targets such as fighter jets, cruise missiles and air-to-surface missiles as well as ballistic missiles. This is a new version of the missile fitted with an indigenous seeker The Akash-1S is capable of striking down enemy fighter jets and drones very effectively and accurately. The Akash surface-to-air missile was designed to intercept enemy aircraft and missiles from a distance of 18 to 30 km. The missile was developed as part of Integrated Guided-Missile Development Programme (IGMDP) other than Nag, Agni, Trishul, and Prithvi missiles.

About Defence Research and Development Organisation

Established: 1958 HQ: DRDO Bhavan, New Delhi DRDO Chairman: Dr G. Satheesh Reddy

IAF all-woman crew flies Mi-17 chopper for the first time

In all-woman crew on Monday flew a medium-lift helicopter for the first time in India The crew, comprising Flight Lieutenant Parul Bhardwaj (Captain), Flying Officer Aman Nidhi (co- pilot) and Flight Lieutenant Hina Jaiswal (flight engineer), flew a Mi-17 V5 helicopter for a Battle Inoculation Training Mission, taking off and landing from restricted areas at a forward airbase in the South Western Air Command.

Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa gets baton of COSC chief

Outgoing Chairman of the Chief of Staff Committee (COSC) and Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Sunil Lanba handed over the baton of the COSC to Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal (ACM) Birender Singh Dhanoa. The COSC comprises the three Service Chiefs with the senior most of them being the Chairman. He/She advises on operational military matters and the preparation and conduct of military operations.

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Weekly GA Capsule 27th May to 2nd June 2019

The Armed Forces Tribunal cleared the way for Vice Admiral Karambir Singh to become the next Navy Chief, while it deferred for four weeks the matter of Vice Admiral Bimal Verma which seeks to quash Singh’s appointment. Karambir Singh, who is the Commander-in-Chief of the Eastern Naval Command, will take over as the Navy Chief on May 31, 2019.

Admiral Karambir Singh takes over as Navy chief Admiral Karambir Singh (right) on Friday assumed office as the 24th Chief of the Naval Staff . He took over from Admiral Sunil Lanba who stepped down upon retirement. Admiral Singh was the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Eastern Naval Command, headquartered in Visakhapatnam.

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Weekly GA Capsule 27th May to 2nd June 2019

Important days

29th May celebrated as International Day of UN Peacekeepers

The ‘International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers’ is being observed on 29th May to pay tribute to those who served in the United Nations (UN) peacekeeping operations. The theme for the 2019 International Day of UN Peacekeepers is “Protecting Civilians, Protecting Peace.” UN General secretary: Antonio Guterres

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Weekly GA Capsule 27th May to 2nd June 2019 Appointments

Prem Singh Tamang to take oath as New CM of Sikkim

Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) president Prem Singh Tamang, popularly known as PS Golay, will take the oath for New CM of Sikkim. The Sikkim Krantikari Morcha won the majority in Sikkim Assembly election 2019. Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) head Pawan Chamling who was the record 5 times CM of Sikkim till 2019 will step down. Chamling has been the chief minister of Sikkim for more than 24 years since December 1994. Sikkim Capital: Gangtok Governor: Ganga Prasad

Wolfgang Prock-Schauer appointed as president of IndiGo

InterGlobe Aviation, the parent of IndiGo, appointed Wolfgang Prock-Schauer as the firm's president and chief operating officer for a period of five years Prock-Schauer, who has been serving as COO of the company since January 2018, will be responsible for operational aspects such as flight operations, maintenance and engineering, inflight services, airport operations, and operations control center.

Anton Aditya Subowo reelected as President of Badminton Asia

Indonesia's Anton Aditya Subowo was re-elected as the President of Badminton Asia he will continue as the President for another four years The Badminton Association of India's president Himanta Biswa Sarma has also been elected as the vice-president of Badminton Asia Council.

Scott Morrison sworn in as Australia's 30th Prime Minister

Scott Morrison has been sworn in as Australia's new Prime Minister. Along with Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack, Scott Morrison was sworn in by Queen Elizabeth's official representative in Australia, Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove, at a ceremony in the capital, Canberra. The new Cabinet under Morrison includes an equal-record seven women, and Australia’s first Aboriginal federal cabinet minister, Ken Wyatt. Australia

Capital: Canberra Government: Federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy Currency: Australian dollar (AUD) Monarch: Elizabeth II Governor-General: Sir Peter Cosgrove Prime Minister: Scott Morrison

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Weekly GA Capsule 27th May to 2nd June 2019 Suresh Kumar appointed as new CTO of Walmart

Walmart has appointed Suresh Kumar, an IIT Madras graduate and former Google executive, as chief technology officer and chief development officer. He holds a Bachelor of Technology from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, and a Ph.D. in engineering from Princeton University. Suresh Kumar, who will report directly to Walmart CEO Doug McMillon, will join the retail behemoth from July 8. He will be based out of the company’s Sunnyvale, California. In the past, Suresh Kumar has been associated with Google and Amazon serving at top management at various capacities Walmart

Chairman: Greg Penner HQ: Bentonville, Arkansas, U.S. In 2018, Walmart, the largest e-commerce giant acquired a controlling stake of 77% in Flipkart ( India’s largest e-commerce company by market share) by investing $16 Billion.

With the deal, India will have Walmart, Amazon and Paytm Mall as the key players to compete in the Indian e-commerce market.

Pema Khandu Takes Oath as Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister

Pema Khandu was sworn- in as the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh for a second term on May 29, 2019. Arunachal Pradesh Governor Dr. BD Mishra administered the oath of office and secrecy to the council of ministers.

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Weekly GA Capsule 27th May to 2nd June 2019 Sports

Indian Women's League football 2019 SETHU FC Win 3rd Edition

SETHU FC remained unbeaten in the third edition of the Indian Women's League (IWL) football at the Guru Nanak Dev stadium in Ludhiana and beat Manipur Police SC The third edition of the Indian Women’s League (IWL) — the biggest ever — has thrown up an exciting number of young players who could be the national team’s future. The increased visibility of the competition will do wonders for women’s football.

Third ISSF World Cup Rifle and Pistol tournament in Munich, Germany

India’s Apurvi Chandelahas won the gold medal in women’s 10 m Air Rifle competition at the year's third International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup Rifle and Pistol tournament in Munich, Germany. Rahi Sarnobat has won the gold medal in the 25-meter pistol event Saurabh Chaudhary bagged a gold in the 10-meter Air Pistol category The 2019 ISSF World Cup is the annual edition of the ISSF World Cup in the Olympic shooting events, governed by the International Shooting Sport Federation.

China beat Japan to clinch 2019 Sudirman Cup

China has won the badminton world mixed-team championship, Sudirman Cup 2019 (16th edition) in Nanning, China Sudirman Cup is the biennial international badminton championship contested by the mixed national teams of the member associations of Badminton World Federation (BWF).

Archery World Cup 2019 Turkey, Indian Men’s compound team wins bronze medal

The men’s compound team of Rajat Chauhan, Abhishek Verma, and Aman Saini earned India a solitary bronze medal in the Archery World Cup Stage III at Antalya in Turkey Denmark won the Gold medal beating Turkey in the compound men’s team final.

Indian squash player Mahesh Mangaonkar wins Sekisui Open 2019

In squash, India's Mahesh Mangaonkar triumphed for the second time in the Sekisui Open in Kriens, Switzerland. Mahesh Mangaonkar defeated Spain's Bernat Jaume, in the final to clinch the Sekisui Open title 2019

TTFI recognises Chandrasekar-led body The Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI), issued a press release stating that it has taken the decision to grant affiliation to the Tamil Nadu Table Tennis Association, registered under the Tamil Nadu Societies Registration Act (1975), led by the former national champion V. Chandrasekar (president) and J. Selvakumar (secretary).

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Weekly GA Capsule 27th May to 2nd June 2019 The TTFI had earlier disaffiliated the Tamil Nadu Table Tennis Association, registered under the Companies Act, led by M.V.M. Velmurugan (president). The Madras High Court had last month issued a stay order on this. Now, the Supreme Court has issued a stay order for the High Court stay, enabling the TTFI to grant affiliation to the Chandrasekar-led body. India asserts its class with five golds- World Cup in Munich Indian shooting was at its brilliant best as the team swept the gold medals in the mixed air rifle and air pistol events, along with a silver to boot, to provide a heady climax for the World Cup in Munich on Thursday. By capturing five of the 10 gold medals on offer, Indian shooting was able to assert its class and firepower. China did win nine medals, but had only two gold, while Russia, Czech Republic and Greece won the other gold medals. It was total domination in Munich. India had also won two Olympic quota places through Rahi Sarnobat and Manu Bhaker to make it a satisfactory outing in Germany. Rich haul for India at u-20 Eurasian meet Gurindervir Singh, the senior Federation Cup champion, emerged fastest man in the under-20 Eurasian athletics meet which ended here on Thursday. The 19-year-old from Punjab, who won the Federation Cup in 10.35s which broke his under-20 National record set last year, clocked 10.42s for the gold. India won six golds at the two-day meet with the others coming through quartermilers Vikrant Panchal (47.90s) and Florence Barla (54.73s), Sreekiran Nandakumar (800m, 1:54.62s), Rohit Yadav (javelin, 74.55m) and the 4x400m mixed relay team (Florence Barla, Priscilla Daniel, Vikrant Panchal, Abdul Razak, 3:30.58s).

Paes — closing in on a fourth decade as pro Indian veteran Leander Paes says he feels “blessed” to have had a long career, as he closes in on his fourth decade as a professional, having accumulated 18 Grand Slam doubles titles and an impressive racquet collection. For a man who once beat a young Roger Federer in Indian Wells qualifying and won a singles bronze at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, it has been some journey. Universal Tennis Rating tournament from July 5 The first ever UTR (Universal Tennis Rating) tournament organised by DreamBig Events for the 12-18 age group will be held at the Ahmedabad Racquet Academy from July 5 to 7. With an entry fee of $60, the event will offer at least three matches for every player. The UTR system provides an accurate measurement of a player’s level from novice to professional. It is the rating that is used by American Colleges to recruit players.

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Weekly GA Capsule 27th May to 2nd June 2019 Rian Pandole, is the top-ranked Indian at the moment with a UTR of 13.23, competing on the Collegiate circuit from the Columbia University. Top performers from the tournament will get direct entry to the DreamBig Silver and Gold series tennis camps, scheduled for this year. Vissesh rewrites national mark; Vinayak, Shriya shine too Vissesh Parameshwar Sharma (Prime Star, Dubai) set a National record, clocking 00.28.84s, to win the gold in the Group 2 boys’ 50m backstroke on day one of the sub-junior & junior State aquatic championship at the Velachery complex in Chennai. V. Vinayak (SDAT Velachery) established a meet record, clocking 00.28.06s to take the top spot in the Group 1 boys’ 50m backstroke. Shriya Ishwar Prasad (ORCA) clinched gold in the Group 2 girls’ 200m breaststroke in 02:52.26s, a new record. Nihal Sarin crosses a milestone India's Nihal Sarin became the world's third youngest player to cross 2600 Elo points on FIDE's rating list. In the latest list released by FIDE on Saturday, the 14-year-old from Kerala has 2606 points. He is also India's youngest ever to reach the milestone, beating the record set by Parimarjan Negi in 2009 as a 15-year-old. Five-time World champion Viswanathan Anand is ranked No. 9 in the world, not a mean feat for a 49-year-old. P. Harikrishna is the next-best ranked Indian at No. 25. Three other Indians — Vidit Gujarathi, B. Adhiban and K. Sasikiran — are in the top 100. Nihal is ranked No. 240.

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Weekly GA Capsule 27th May to 2nd June 2019 Person/Awards/Events

Bong Joon Ho's 'Parasite' strikes gold at 72nd Cannes Film Festival Cannes

South Korean director Bong Joon Ho's "Parasite" bagged the Palme d'Or at the 72nd Cannes Film Festival in France. Belgium's Dardenne brothers won the best director award for their story of a radicalized Muslim youth "Young Ahmed". British actress Emily Beecham won the best actress award for psychological chiller "Little Joe". Antonio Banderas named the best actor for his role of a filmmaker in Pedro Almodovar's self-reflexive "Pain and Glory" The Jury Prize was shared by two films -- French-Malian Ladj Ly's "Les Miserables" and the Brazilian entry "Bacurau", directed by Kleber Mendonca Filho and Juliano Dornelles.

International Dylan Thomas Prize 2019 awarded to Guy Gunaratne

British-Sri Lankan writer Guy Gunaratne (35) was awarded International Dylan Thomas Prize for his novel’ In Our Mad and Furious City’. It his multi-voice debut novel that gives a fictional account of 48 hours in a North London housing estate after the murder of a British soldier. Dylan Thomas Prize

Launched in 2006, the annual Swansea University International Dylan Thomas Prize is one of the most prestigious awards for young writers, aimed at encouraging raw creative talent worldwide. It celebrates and nurtures international literary excellence. It is open to published writers in the English language under the age of forty. It brings international prestige to its recipients. It carries remuneration of £30,000. Entries for it are submitted by publisher, editor, or agent and for theatre plays and screenplays by the producer. It honors its shortlist finalists and annual winner for published work in a broad range of literary forms in which Dylan Thomas excelled, including fictional drama, poetry, short story collections, prose, novels, novellas, stage plays, and screenplays.

Nobel Prize Winning Physicist Murray Gell Man Passes Away

Nobel laureate and American physicist, Murray Gell-Mann, passed away at the age of 89. He received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1969 for his work on the theory of elementary particles.

Acharya Balkrishna receives 'UNSDG 10 Most Influential People in Healthcare Award'

Patanjali Ayurved Limited's Managing Director, Acharya Balkrishna received the 'UNSDG 10 Most Influential People in Healthcare Award' on behalf of Patanjali Group of Institutions in Geneva He was invited to represent India at UNSDG. He was awarded by UNSDG in relation to global health scenario and how these prevalent lifestyle diseases can be treated with Ayurveda, Yoga and other traditional Indian methods and Patanjali’s contribution towards achieving this. 37 | P a g e

Weekly GA Capsule 27th May to 2nd June 2019

Indian writer Annie Zaidi won Nine Dots Prize 2019

Indian writer Annie Zaidi was on Wednesday announced as the 2019 winner of the $100,000 Nine Dots Prize, a prestigious book prize created to award innovative thinking that addresses contemporary issues around the world. Mumbai-based Zaidi, a freelance writer whose work includes reportage, essays, short stories, poetry, and plays, won for her entry Bread, Cement, Cactus' combining memoir and reportage to explore concepts of home and belonging rooted in her experience of contemporary life in India. The prize challenged entrants to answer the question Is there still no place like home?' in a 3,000- word essay. Her new proposed book, based on her Nine Dots Prize winning essay Bread, Cement, Cactus', will be published by CUP in May 2020 and will answer the central question through examining how a citizen's sense of home might collapse, or be recovered. The varied themes it will address include the politics and economics of death in India, the crossing of caste and religious lines in a marriage, and the Partition of India as a great cultural and emotional sundering.

Nine Dots Prize

The Prize is sponsored by the Kadas Prize Foundation with support from CRASSH at the University of Cambridge and Cambridge University Press The name of this global book prize is in reference to the ‘nine dots puzzle’ which is a lateral thinking puzzle that can only be solved by thinking outside the box.

Seven Indian-origin students, 1 American win the US National Spelling Bee A record seven Indian-origin students and one American have won the prestigious 2019 Scripps National Spelling Bee, taking home more than $50,000 in cash and prizes, after defeating over 550 other contestants in an unprecedented competition. It is the first time in the 94-year history of the contest that more than two co-champions have been named. Rishik Gandhasri, 13, of California; Saketh Sundar, 13, of Maryland; Shruthika Padhy, 13, of New Jersey; Sohum Sukhatankar, 13, of Texas; Abhijay Kodali, 12, of Texas; Rohan Raja, 13, of Texas; Christopher Serrao, 13, of New Jersey and Erin Howard, 14, of Alabama were named co- champions. Each will receive the full winner’s prize of $50,000 in cash. Business Line journalists bag awards for Excellence in Financial Journalism Two journalists from BusinessLine bagged awards at the 7th Annual Shriram Awards for Excellence in Financial Journalism. Radhika Merwin, Senior Deputy Editor, BusinessLine, was the runner up in the ‘Economic Policy’ category for her report “Can ARCs help ease banks’ burden?”.

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Weekly GA Capsule 27th May to 2nd June 2019 Rajalakshmi Nirmal, Deputy Editor, BusinessLine, was the winner in the ‘Financial Markets’ category for her report “Commodity Derivatives 2.0” The awards were given away by Ajay Piramal, Chairman, Shriram Capital, on Friday in Mumbai. India to host first-ever global cooperative trade fair in October

A first-ever thematic global fair will be organised in October to promote cooperative-to-cooperative exchange of trade and technology and showcase India’s products and services from the sector in the international market, officials said.

The India International Cooperative Trade Fair (IICTF) will be held at Pragati Maidan from October 11-13.

Additional Secretary (Economic Diplomacy & States) in the Ministry of External Affairs Manoj K Bharti announced about the fair in the presence of ambassadors, diplomats and representatives of various embassies

Mohana Singh becomes first woman fighter pilot to fly Hawk jet Flight Lieutenant Mohana Singh has become the first woman fighter pilot to fly by day a Hawk advanced jet aircraft, a defence release has said. She achieved the feat at the Kalaikunda Air Force Station in West Bengal. Brij Mohan Khaitan passes away Industrialist Brij Mohan Khaitan, who hogged the limelight by acquiring the Indian business of Union Carbide in the 1990s, passed away at his residence here due to old-age ailments, family sources said. Mr. Khaitan, 92, was the patriarch of the Williamson Magor Group that deals in dry-cell battery, tea and engineering services. Mahi and Pranav clinch titles Melbourne-based Mahi Khore capped a remarkable week of competitive tennis, winning the girls’ title of the 13th Yonex Sunrise-MSLTA Ramesh Desai Memorial junior (under-12) tennis Nationals for boys and girls. Tamil Nadu’s Pranav Rethin fought hard against Telangana’s Chaitra Reddy.

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