CURRENT AFFAIRS CAPSULE (JAN 2018 TO JUNE 2018) (FOR SBI PO MAIN & SBI CLERK MAIN EXAMS)

NATIONAL • NITI Aayog’s Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) has selected 3,000 additional schools for the India has pledged USD 5 million in assistance to the establishment of Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs). UN agency working for the welfare of Palestinian Atal Tinkering Labs are dedicated works spaces refugees. where students (Class 6th to Class 12th) learn • The Union Ministry of Human Resource innovation skills and develop ideas that will go on Development (HRD) proposed a draft bill to repeal to transform India. the University Grants Commission (UGC) and set up • The government has launched 5,000 Wi-Fi the Higher Education Commission of India (HECI). Choupals in villages and delivery of rail tickets • Union Health Minister JP Nadda launched the through Common Service Centres (CSCs). National Health Resource Repository (NHRR) -- The move is aimed at transforming rural Internet the country's first-ever national healthcare connectivity through Bharat Net. registry of authentic, standardised and updated • India Meteorological Department (IMD) will use flash geo-spatial data of all public and private flood guidance system for the first time in the healthcare establishments. country to forecast floods. Currently, the Central • Minister for Water Resources Nitin Gadkari released Water Commission issues flood warnings. Niti Aayog’s composite water management index • Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports report in New Delhi. Gujarat topped the list while Rajyavardhan Rathore has approved the upward Jharkhand was adjudged as the worst performer. revision of pension to meritorious sportspersons. Gujarat is followed by Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Under the revision, the rate of pension has been Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra. doubled of the existing rate of pension on winning • According to a Save the Children’s "End of medals in international sports events. Childhood Index 2018”, India ranks 113 among • The Election Commission has launched it's online 175 countries with regards to where childhood is RTI Portal. The portal- rti.eci.nic.in will facilitate threatened as a result of poor health, applicants seeking information under the Right to malnutrition, exclusion from education, child Information Act. labour, and child marriage. • The Union government has announced a package Singapore and Slovenia are placed at the top of more than Rs 8,000 crore aimed to provide relief sharing the first place in the index and Niger to sugarcane farmers and to clear their dues. figures at the end of the list at 175. • India received the first-ever cargo of Liquefied • Human Resources Development Minister Natural Gas (LNG) from Russia at Petronet LNG Prakash Javadekar launched the National Digital Ltd’s import terminal in Dahej, Gujarat. Library of India (NDLI). The library will become a • Union Minister for Women and Child Development single window platform for all educational needs. Maneka Gandhi laid the foundation stone of India's • The Union Minister for Railways, Coal, Finance & first advanced DNA forensic laboratory in Company Affairs, Mr Piyush Goyal inaugurated Chandigarh as part efforts to reduce the backlog of Neyveli Lignite Corporation India Limited cases needing advanced forensic analysis. (NLCIL)’s three 100 MW Solar Power Projects for • President Ram Nath Kovind has given his assent commercial operations. to an ordinance to set up the country’s first • President Ram Nath Kovind launched Solar national sports university in Manipur. Charkha Mission which will entail a subsidy of 550 • The Government notified the Electoral Bond crore rupees in the initial two years for 50 clusters. Scheme 2018 via Gazette Notification. As per The scheme is aimed at linking five crore women provisions of the Scheme, Electoral Bonds may and self-help groups to the initiative. be purchased by a person, who is a citizen of • India extended a financial aid of Rs 99 million to India or incorporated or established in India. Nepal for the construction of 2,700 shallow tube • The government has set up a committee under well irrigation systems in 12 districts of the former Delhi Metro chief E Sreedharan to lay country's southern Terai region to boost down standardisation norms for components with agricultural productivity. an aim to cut costs in the construction and • The Union Government has announced to operation of metro rail systems in the country and establish India’s first national police museum in bring them under the Make in India umbrella. Lutyens' Delhi. • The First biannual Indian Air Force Commanders’ • The government has approved a 33% increase in Conference was inaugurated by Defence Minister carpet area of houses eligible for interest subsidy Nirmala Sitharaman at Air Headquarters in New under its affordable housing scheme Pradhan Delhi. Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U) to attract • NITI Aayog’s Women Entrepreneurs Platform has more beneficiaries. signed five Statements of Intent (SoIs) with The carpet area of a house has been enhanced financial institutions and social organisations to to 160 sq. m from 120 sq. m for Middle Income provide assistance to women entrepreneurs and Group-I (MIG-I), while it has been increased to address the finance-related challenges faced by 200 sq. m from 150 sq. m in case of MIG-II. them.

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• Saudi Aramco and Abu Dhabi National Oil • Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated Company (ADNOC) have signed a Memorandum India’s first smart and green highway, the of Understanding (MoU) to jointly develop and Eastern Peripheral Expressway at Baghpat in build an integrated refinery and petrochemicals Uttar Pradesh. complex at Ratnagiri, Maharashtra. • Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bangladesh • The Central Water Commission (CWC), India’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina jointly inaugurate apex technical organisation in the field of Water Bangladesh Bhawan at Shanti Niketan in West Resources has signed a Collaboration Bengal. Agreement with Google for flood forecasting. • India's Multi Commodity Exchange had launched • Muthoot Fincorp Limited announced its the country's first copper options contracts. partnership with National Skill Development • Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Suresh Corporation to train over 10,000 youth over the Prabhu has launched the Intellectual Property next three years and make them job ready. (IP) mascot ‘IP Nani’. • Facebook partnered with the National • Guwahati railway station has become India's first Commission for Women (NCW) to launch a railway station run by solar power. Digital Literacy Programme (DLP). • The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri • Tata Motors (India's largest automobile company Narendra Modi has given the following set of by revenues) signed a MoU with the State approvals: Government of Maharashtra for deployment of 1. MoU between India and France on Technical 1000 Electric Vehicles (EV) Cooperation in the field of railways. • Indian Customs and Department of India Posts 2. Setting up of a Central University in Andhra held a first-ever Joint Conference in Vigyan Pradesh. Bhavan in New Delhi to deliberate on 3. Establishment of National Institute of Mental streamlining of imports and exports by post. Health Rehabilitation at Bhopal. • In collaboration with the U.S.-India Aviation 4. Corpus for Micro Irrigation Fund with Cooperation Program and the Government of NABARD under Pradhan Mantri Krishi India, US Trade and Development Agency Sinchayee Yojana. (USTDA) hosted the 6th U.S.-India Aviation 5. Strengthening the mechanism for resolution Summit in Mumbai, India. of commercial disputes of Central Public- • The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management Sector Enterprises. (CIPAM), a professional body under the aegis of • In effort to boost clean energy generation, the the Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) (DIPP), Ministry of Commerce & Industry, had unveiled a National Wind-solar Hybrid Policy organized a conference on successful completion which seeks to promote new projects as well as of two years of the National Intellectual Property hybridisation of the existing ones. Rights (IPR) Policy adopted by the Government • India has released grant of Nepalese Rupees of India (NRs) 18.07 crore for river training and • The third edition of the United Nations construction of embankments along Lalbakeya, Peacekeeping Course for African Partners Bagmati and Kamla rivers in Nepal. (UNPCAP) was inaugurated in New Delhi. • IIM-Ahmedabad’s Centre for Innovation, Incubation • The 'First Apex Conference for the CEOs of Smart and Entrepreneurship (CIIE) has launched a Bharat Cities’ was held in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. Inclusion Initiative to build knowledge and foster • The 4th Regional Conference on ‘Futuristic, innovation and entrepreneurial activity across areas Resilient and Digital Infrastructure’ organized by such as financial inclusion, livelihood, education the Ministry of Finance in collaboration with the and health. Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), and • Union Minister of Electronics and Information Research and Information System for Developing Technology Ravi Shankar Prasad launched the Countries (RIS) concluded in Bengaluru. website of Digital India Internship Scheme in New • The ‘Vibrant North East 2018', an event in which Delhi. people would be made aware of central • Telecom Commission approved a proposal for government’s schemes and programmes, was allowing people to make phone calls and use held in Guwahati, Assam. internet services in domestic and international • The International Buddhist Conference 2018 flights in India, with certain riders. concluded in Lumbini, Nepal, the birthplace of • India ranked 44th in the global competitive Gautama Buddha. rankings out of 63 countries that were ranked by • The United Nations Environment Programme the IMD World Competitiveness Center. (UNEP) has recognised Cochin International The top 5 most competitive economies in the Airport Ltd (CIAL) in Kerala as the world’s first world are: fully solar energy-powered airport. 1. The USA, • Bhubaneswar (capital city of Odisha) becomes 2. Hong Kong, the fourth National data centre of National 3. Singapore, Informatics Centre (NIC) after Delhi, Hyderabad 4. The Netherlands and and Pune. 5. Switzerland.

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• India ranks 145th among 195 countries in terms help build the Artificial Intelligence ecosystem of quality and accessibility of healthcare, across the country. according to a Lancet study. • India has signed a loan deal worth $ 200 million The top 3 countries with the highest levels of with the World Bank for the National Nutrition healthcare access and quality Mission (POSHAN Abhiyaan). The loan would 1. Iceland help India in achieving its goal of reducing 2. Norway stunting in children 0-6 years of age from 38.4% 3. The Netherlands to 25% by the year 2022. • As per the Swachh Survekshan-2018 results, • The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) Indore has once again emerged as the cleanliest notified the protocol amending the Double city in India. Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) between • India emerged as the third largest solar market in India and Kuwait. the world in 2017 behind China and the US, • State-run Power Grid Corporation of India according to the report of Mercom (PGCIL) has inked a pact with the Ministry of Communications India. Power to incur capital expenditure of Rs.25,000 • According to the report ‘Remit SCOPE – crore for the current fiscal. Remittance markets and opportunities – Asia and • The Union Cabinet has given the approval to the Pacific India has become the largest accede to the Protocol under World Health remittance-receiving country in the world, with Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on migrant workers from the country sending home tobacco control to eliminate illicit trade in tobacco 69 billion US dollars in 2017. products. • India was ranked 6th on Global Optimism Index • Human Resource Development Minister Prakash released as part of Grant Thornton’s International Javadekar launched 'Samagra Shiksha scheme' Business Report (IBR) in the first quarter of 2018. for school education. The top five nations in the report are Austria, • A parliamentary panel headed by Murali Manohar Finland, Indonesia, the Netherlands and the US. Joshi decided to study the recovery of black • Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been ranked money and performance of public sector banks ninth on Forbes' 2018 list of 'the world's most (PSBs) among a host of subjects. powerful people'. Chinese President Xi Jinping • The Telangana government introduced Rythu ranked first, followed by Russian President Bandhu, a scheme to provide Rs4,000 per acre Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump at each to land-owning farmers for Rabi and Kharif the second and third rank, respectively. seasons, and issued special passbooks for them. • India has ranked fourth out of 25 nations in the • The 15th Finance Commission has constituted an Asia-Pacific region on an index that measures advisory council to advise and assist the their overall power. The US has topped the list. commission. The six-member council will be • According to Stockholm International Peace headed by the President of Forum for Strategic Research Institute (SIPRI) Report, India has Initiatives, Arvind Virmani. surpassed France to become one of the world's • Baba Ramdev's Patanjali launched a new five largest military spenders. The other countries swadeshi messaging application called 'Kimbho' in top five include the US, China, Saudi Arabia, to compete with WhatsApp. and Russia. • RK Singh, Minister of State for Power, launched • The Government of India and the World Bank the web portal and an app namely 'PRAAPTI' that signed a $500 million loan agreement to provide stands for ‘Payment ratification and analysis in additional financing for the Pradhan Mantri Gram power procurement for bringing transparency in Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) Rural Roads Project. invoicing of generators’. • An Agreement for IBRD Credit of USD 21.7 • NITI Aayog and Sushant Singh Rajput have Million from the World Bank for the Strengthening decided to collaborate towards promoting two of Public Financial Management in Rajasthan major initiatives of NITI Aayog, promotion of BHIM Project was signed in New Delhi. and the Women Entrepreneurship Platform. • The BCCI and UN Environment signed an • In a first, a Post Office Passport Seva Kendra agreement to promote ‘green’ Cricket in India. (POPSK) run by an all-woman team has started • Common Service Centre (CSC) SPV and Small operations in Phagwara, Punjab. Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) • International Labour Organization’s (ILO’s) World signed an MoU for providing financial support to Employment and Social Outlook Report has that CSCs across the country. projected increase in surface temperature due to • Aluminium major & Navratna CPSE National global warming will lead to around 2,59,000 job Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO) has losses in India by 2030, especially in carbon-and signed MoU with the Ministry of Mines, Govt. of resource-intensive industries. India, setting highest ever target of Rs 9350 crore • The joint military exercise SURYA KIRAN-13 was revenue from operations for FY 2018-19 which is held between India and Nepal at Pithoragarh in 15% higher than 2017. Uttarakhand. • NITI Aayog and Google have signed a Statement • The Ministry of Human Resource Development, of Intent (SoI) to work on a range of initiatives to HRD launched the second edition of the Unnat

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Bharat Abhiyan under which students from 750 • Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi launched higher educational institutions from across the the Van Dhan Scheme of Ministry of Tribal Affairs country will adopt villages. and TRIFED, during the celebrations of • The Home Ministry has decided to relax the six- Ambedkar Jayanti at Bijapur, Chhattisgarh. decade-old Protected Area Permit regime from • The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has Nagaland, Mizoram and Manipur for five years. approved a restructured Rastriya Gram Swaraj • Diu Smart City has become the first city in India, Abhiyan scheme aimed at making rural local that runs on 100% renewable energy during bodies self-sustainable, financially stable and daytime. more efficient. • Digambarpur Gram Panchayat of West Bengal • The Union Government formed a new integrated has been awarded the Centre’s award for the institutional mechanism, Defence Planning best Gram Panchayat in the country. Committee (DPC) to reform the process of higher • The Union Cabinet approved the promulgation of defence planning. The permanent body would be the Fugitive Economic Offenders Ordinance chaired by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. 2018, which would empower the government to • India-Nepal Inter-Governmental Committee (IGC) seize the domestic assets of those deemed by a meeting on trade, transit and cooperation to relevant court to be fugitive economic offenders. Control Unauthorised Trade was held in • The Indian Government has launched the ‘Study Kathmandu, Nepal. in India’ initiative to attract international students • Suresh Prabhu, the commerce and industry to study in India. minister, held the first e-commerce think tank • Bengaluru is found to be the highest paying city meeting in New Delhi. in the country, with an average annual cost to • The first meeting of National Council on India’s company (CTC) for talent across all levels and Nutrition Challenges under POSHAN Abhiyaan functions standing at about Rs 11 lakh, according was held in New Delhi. to Randstad Insights, the research and analysis • The Ministry of External Affairs in cooperation division of Randstad India. with the Government of Germany and the United • The Union Cabinet approved the promulgation of Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) the Fugitive Economic Offenders Ordinance hosted the India-Wiesbaden Conference 2018 in 2018, which would empower the government to New-Delhi. seize the domestic assets of those deemed by a • Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated 16th relevant court to be fugitive economic offenders. International Energy Forum Ministerial Meeting in • The Indian Government has launched the ‘Study New Delhi. in India’ initiative to attract international students • The first meeting of the ‘NITI Forum for North to study in India. East was held in Agartala, Tripura. • Bengaluru is found to be the highest paying city • The Global Logistics Summit was held in New Delhi. in the country, with an average annual cost to It was organised by the Department of Commerce, company (CTC) for talent across all levels and Ministry of Commerce & Industry, along with FICCI functions standing at about Rs 11 lakh, according (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & to Randstad Insights, the research and analysis Industry) and the World Bank Group. division of Randstad India. • The crucial dialogue between the three leading • The Union Government has stated that the democratic powers (viz. India, Japan and the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana or PMGSY USA) of the Indo-Pacific region was held in New is well on its way to achieving the target by March Delhi. 2019. The target date for completion of PMGSY- • Online search engine Google is the most trusted I has been advanced from 2022 to 2019. Internet brand in India, followed by Facebook, as • Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off India's per the TRA Brand Trust Report 2018. first all-electric high-speed locomotive in Bihar. • Microsoft India has been declared the most • Union Commerce and Industry and Civil Aviation attractive employer brand, followed by e- Minister, Suresh Prabhu launched digital commerce giant Amazon India. The winners were initiatives by Export Inspection Council (EIC) for named by HR service provider Randstad's ease of export at New Delhi. EIC is the official Employer Brand Research (REBR) 2018. export certification body of Government of India Sector-wise, Tata Consultancy Services is most • With the beginning of the financial year 2018-19, favoured in IT, while Larsen & Toubro tops the e-way Bill System for Inter-State movement of Infrastructure & Construction and Hindustan goods comes into force. Unilever emerges the winner in FMCG. Under this system businesses and transporters • According to the 2018 World Press Freedom have to produce before a GST inspector e-way Index compiled by Reporters Without Borders bill for moving goods worth over Rs.50,000 from (RSF), India has ranked 138th. The list has been one state to another. topped by Norway. • The Mangalore International Airport has been • As per the 2018 Commonwealth Innovation adjudged the cleanest airport in the country. Index, India fetched 10th position in the index • India is now the second-largest mobile phone topped by the United Kingdom, Singapore and producer in the world after China. Canada.

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• India ranked 130th in the latest annual Index of • Lok Sabha has passed gratuity amendment bill. Economic Freedom released by a top American The Payment of Gratuity (Amendment) Bill, 2017 think-tank the Heritage Foundation. The list is aims at increasing the upper ceiling of the gratuity topped by Hong Kong. from the present 10 lakh rupees to 20 lakh • Patna tops in 4G connectivity among 20 of India’s rupees for employees in the private sector & in largest cities. It has emerged ahead of the likes of Public Sector Undertakings at par with Central Bengaluru, Mumbai and Delhi, according to the Government employees. report of OpenSignal, a wireless coverage • The Fugitive Economic Offenders Bill 2018 has mapping company. been introduced in the Lok Sabha. The Bill will • India emerged as the third most vulnerable country help in laying down measures to deter economic in terms of risk of cyber threats, such as malware, offenders from evading the process of law by spam and ransomware, in 2017, according to a remaining outside the jurisdiction of Indian courts. report by security solutions provider Symantec. The • Ministry of Health & Family Welfare launched U.S. (26.61%) was most vulnerable to such 'LaQshya program' aimed at improving quality of attacks, followed by China (10.95%). maternity care in labour room & maternity • The Union Minister of Human Resource Operation Theatre (OT). Development, Mr Prakash Javadekar, released • Indian government is in process of formulating the NIRF (National Institute of Ranking 'Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthan Mahabhiyan Framework) India Rankings 2018. (KUSUM) scheme' to harness solar power for The top 3 Overall Institutes in India are: rural India. 1. Indian Institute of Science (IISc Bengaluru), • Union Cabinet has approved the launch of 2. Indian Institute of Technology Madras, 'Ayushman Bharat' -National Health Protection 3. Indian Institute of Technology Bombay. mission. The Scheme has the benefit cover of 5 • Gujarat's Surat district become the first district in lakh rupees per family per year. the country to have 100% solar powered Primary • Pune came on top in the fifth edition of the Health Centers (PHC). Annual Survey of India’s City-Systems (ASICS), • Govt. allowed export of two million tonnes of edging out Thiruvananthapuram which had sugar until the end of the 2017-18 marketing topped the previous two editions of the survey. year, in order to clear surplus stocks & improve Bengaluru was ranked at the bottom. cash flow to millers for making payment to • India has become the 3rd largest electricity sugarcane farmers. producer in the world as its electricity production • Women & Child Development Ministry approved grew 34% over seven years to 2017. The country projects worth over Rs.2,900 crore under the now produces more energy than Japan & Russia, Nirbhaya fund for eight major cities to make them which had 27% & 8.77% more electricity safer for women. These cities are Delhi, Mumbai, generation capacity installed, respectively. Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, • Shigmotsav organized enthusiastically in Goa. Ahmedabad & Lucknow. Shigmotsav or Shigmo is one of the several • Union Cabinet approved the establishment of cultural festivals of the coastal state & is National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA). celebrated through colours, costumes, music, NFRA will act as an independent regulator for the dance & parades. auditing profession. • An event named 'Vision for Future' was held in • India & the Asian Development Bank (ADB) New Delhi to commemorate 70 years of the Indo- signed a $120 million loan agreement for Russia ties. completion of works for double-tracking & • India's biggest Media & Entertainment Services electrification of railways tracks along high- Market - enTTech 2018 inaugurated in Mumbai. density corridors to improve the operational • President Ram Nath Kovind inaugurated World efficiency of Indian railways. Hindi Secretariat in Mauritius capital, Port Louis. • India & the European Union (EU) have signed an agreement that will enable them to share earth • PM Modi inaugurated the 105th Indian Science observation data from each other’s satellites. Congress in Imphal, Manipur. The theme for ISC 2018 is 'reaching the unreached through science • Ministry of Communications launched the Cool & technology’. EMS Service between India & Japan. Cool EMS service is one-way service from Japan to India • The three-day annual Krishi Unnati Mela held in which allows customers in India to import New Delhi with a focus on doubling farmers’ income. Japanese food items for personal use which is allowed under Indian regulations. • The country’s National Academy of Art, the Lalit • India received its first LNG cargo from US under Kala Akademi hosted the first-ever International a long-term supply deal when a ship carrying Print Biennale in the country with a record number of 17 countries taking part in it. supercooled natural gas arrived at Dabhol in Maharashtra. • SARAS Aajeevika Mela 2018 has been organized • Diu become the first Union Territory in India to in New Delhi under Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY- run 100 percent on solar power generated NRLM). energy.

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• HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar inaugurated the Web based monitoring System and a Fly Ash Smart India Hackathon Grand Finale 2018 - mobile application named ASH TRACK. Software edition in New Delhi. • Union Cabinet given approval for creation of • India's first helicopter taxi service was launched National Urban Housing Fund (NUHF) for in Bengaluru to fly passengers from Rs.60,000 crores. Kempegowda International Airport to Electronic • Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh City. launched six new features in the National • The HQ of Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) Agriculture Market (eNAM) platform to make it has been shifted from Chennai to Haryana's more user-friendly. Ballabhgarh for "better coordination" between the • NITI Aayog released the ‘Healthy States, environment ministry & the board. Progressive India Report’. Kerala, Punjab and • Lok Sabha passed (without a debate) a bill that Tamil Nadu have ranked top among the larger will exempt political parties from the scrutiny of states in terms of overall performance. funds they have received from abroad since Jharkhand, Jammu and Kashmir and Uttar 1976. One of them was an amendment to the Pradesh are at the top in the terms of annual Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 that incremental performance. Among smaller states, bans overseas corporations from funding political Mizoram ranked first & among UT, Lakshadweep parties. showed best. • Jackfruit attained a respected status with the • Mumbai, India's financial capital is the 12th state government declaring it as the official fruit of richest city in the world with a total wealth of $950 Kerala. billion, as per the report by New World Wealth. • Kadaknath, a chicken breed of Madhya Pradesh The list was topped by New York as the richest whose black meat is in demand some quarters, city in the world. has got the Geographical Indication tag. • India has been ranked 12th-worst among 52 low • The government of India & the UN jointly middle-income countries based on the number of announced that India will host the global World children dying within the first month of their birth, Environment Day celebrations on 5 June 2018. which is 25.4 per 1,000 live births. • Arunachal Pradesh CM Prema Khandu laid the • India ranked 81st in the global corruption foundation stone for Rhododendron Park in perception index for 2017, released by Tawang. Transparency International. In the latest ranking • Andhra Pradesh government decided to hold the New Zealand & Denmark were placed the first-of-its kind, one-day Pelican Festival at highest. Atapaka Bird Sanctuary in Kolleru. • India ranked 47th out of 86 countries on the • Minister of Road Transport & Highways Mr Nitin Inclusive Internet Index by the Economist Gadkari released India’s first ever Highway Intelligence Unit (EIU), which was commissioned Capacity Manual (HCM) in New Delhi. by Facebook. Sweden took the first place, • Minister of Road Transport & Highways Mr Nitin followed by Singapore & the US. Gadkari released India’s first ever Highway • India has slipped to 42nd place on an annual Capacity Manual (HCM) in New Delhi. Global Democracy Index as per the data • India's first radio festival is being held in New compiled by the Economist Intelligence Unit Delhi to mark World Radio Day. (EIU). The top 5 Countries in the list are: Norway, • In a first in the country, the Maharashtra govt. will Iceland, Sweden, New Zealand & Denmark. be setting up an institute for artificial intelligence • India celebrated its 69th Republic Day on 26th (AI) in Mumbai. January in Rajpath, New Delhi. Heads of ten • Kerala govt. made vaccination compulsory for ASEAN countries are chief guests at Republic school admissions from next academic year Day. onwards. • Kolkata has become the first Indian Metro to get • UP's Khadi & Village Industries Board signed a a Floating Market. The market will be located on pact with Amazon India to facilitate online selling a water-body with boats doubling up as shops. of Khadi products. • The ‘I4Fund Call for Proposal’ was announced • PM Modi inaugurated the 22nd edition of the with the joint launch of the website & the World Congress on Information Technology unveiling of brochure by the two PMs Narendra (WCIT) in Hyderabad. The WCIT is held for the Modi & Benjamin Netanyahu. first time in India. • Maharashtra become the first state in the country • India has joined Ashgabat Agreement on the that has come out with a public cloud policy, establishment of an International Transport & virtually mandating its departments to shift their Transit Corridor between the Iran, Oman, data storage onto the cloud. Turkmenistan & Uzbekistan. • The Union Cabinet approved agreement between • Maharashtra govt. approved Ghodazari in India & Myanmar on Land Border Crossing. This Chandrapur district as a new wildlife sanctuary in will facilitate movement of people on the basis of the state. valid passports & visas which will enhance • Union Minister of State (IC) for Power and New & economic & social interaction between the two Renewable Energy, Shri R.K Singh, launched a countries.

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• India excluded Pakistan from the list of SAARC • Govt. of India, the Govt. of Uttarakhand & the member countries with which it will be connecting World Bank Board signed a $120 million Loan its state-of-the-art National Knowledge Network Agreement which will help increase access to (NKN) for sharing scientific databases & remote improved water supply services in peri-urban access to advanced research facilities. areas in the State of Uttarakhand. • As per the Union Minister for Minority Affairs • National Investment & Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Saudi Arabia has given the has made its First investment. NIIF has partnered green signal for India’s decision to revive the option with DP World to create an investment platform of sending Haj pilgrims through sea route also. for ports, terminals, transportation & logistics • The citizen of Assam witnessed the release of the businesses in India. first draft of National Register of Citizens (NRC) • Punjab Govt. signed MoU with Indian Oil containing the first batch of 19 million names of Corporation to set up bio-gas & bio-CNG plants in genuine Indian citizens in compliance with the the state. Supreme Court 's orders. • The Union Cabinet approved the signing & • India has overtaken the US to become the world’s implementation of the MoU between Ministry of third-largest steel producer and the country. Road Transport & Highways & ‘Transport for • India has been ranked sixth in the list of London’ to improve public transport in the wealthiest countries with the total wealth of 8,230 country. billion US dollars. The list was topped by the • Raipur Municipal Corporation in Chhattisgarh United States of America, according to a report organised the three-day 'Kachra Mahotsav 2018'. by New World Wealth. It is India's first Garbage Festival. • India ranked at the 62nd place among emerging • Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu inaugurated the economies on an Inclusive Development Index of 3rd edition of geo-political conference, 'Raisina World Economic Forum (WEF). Dialogue'. • India ranks 177 among 180 countries in the • Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates the Environmental Performance Index (EPI) 2018, first Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) Parliamentary according to a biennial report by Yale & Columbia Conference in Delhi on the occasion of Pravasi Universities along with the World Economic Bharatiya Divas on 9th Jan 2018. Forum. Switzerland leads the list, followed by • Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended World France, Denmark & Malta. Economic Forum Summit held in Davos, • The world's biggest cleanliness survey 'Swachh Switzerland. During the visit, he delivered a Sarvekshan Survey 2018' was launched in India keynote address at the plenary session of the by PM Narendra Modi. 48th annual meeting of World Economic Forum. • India’s Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher He became the first Indian prime minister in two education registered an increase from 24.5% in decades to join the world’s top business leaders. 2015- 16 to 25.2% in 2016-17, as per the All India Higher Education Survey (AIHES) launched by Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar.

INTERNATIONAL

• The 15th India-Australia Joint Ministerial Communication with Directorate General of Commission (JMC) was held in Canberra, Australia. Information System as Knowledge Partners and • The 15th annual Asia and Oceania Region Inter- Military Survey as Co-organisers, took place in Governmental Ministerial meeting on anti-doping New Delhi. was held in Colombo. • India and Bangladesh have agreed to institute • An International Conference on Information and Coordinated Patrol (CORPAT) as an annual Communication Technology (ICT) will be held in exercise between navies of two neighbouring Kathmandu. countries. • The 44th G7 summit was held in Quebec, Canada. • Seychelles President Danny Faure is on his first • According to the Cost of Living Survey published bilateral visit to India. Six agreements were by global personnel consultants Mercer, Mumbai signed between India and Seychelles continues to be the most expensive city in India • India and Cuba have signed two MoUs in the field to live in for expatriates. of biotechnology, traditional medicine and Hong Kong is ranked as the world's costliest city homoeopathy. to live in for expatriates, followed by Tokyo, • India and Tajikistan have reaffirmed their Zurich, Singapore, and Seoul. commitment to promote bilateral relations and • According to the annual ‘2018 Trafficking in agreed to enhance economic cooperation, Persons Report’ The US State Department particularly in sustainable water development. categorised North Korea as one of the “worst • India and China signed two bilateral agreements human trafficking nations” for the 16th straight year, citing the use of forced labour. following the meeting between the Prime Minister • The Eleventh edition of Geo-Intelligence Asia Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping 2018 organized by Geospatial Media and on the side-lines of the summit.

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• India has signed the Mutual Recognition • USA President Donald Trump announced US Agreement (MRA) in Nursing with Singapore. withdrawal from the 2015 landmark nuclear deal This is the first MRA being signed by India with with Iran. any of our Free Trade Agreement (FTA) partners. • A pact has been signed between India and • Pakistan has been placed on the grey list by the Guatemala for strengthening diplomatic Financial Action Task Force (FATF) for failing to cooperation through Respective Foreign Service curb anti-terror financing despite its diplomatic Institutes in the educational field. efforts to avert the decision. • US state California's economy has surpassed • US scientists have unveiled the world's most that of the UK to become the world’s fifth largest, powerful and smartest scientific supercomputer according to new federal data released. With a named 'Summit' that can complete over 200,000 GDP of $2.7 trillion, California is now only behind trillion calculations per second. the US, China, Japan and Germany. • Nikki Haley, the US Permanent Representative to • India is organising a five-day cultural festival in the United Nations announced the withdrawal of Egypt to commemorate the 157th birth anniversary the United States from the United Nations Human of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore. Rights Council (UNHRC), accusing the council of • The 3rd Mission Innovation Ministerial Meeting bias against US ally Israel. was held at Malmo, Sweden. • Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurated the first On November 30th, 2015, leader of 20 countries Representative Office of Navratna Defence PSU came together to launch Mission Innovation (MI), Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) in Hanoi, Vietnam. a landmark 5-year commitment to accelerate the • The United States has decided to provide security pace of innovation and make clean energy widely guarantees to North Korea, in exchange of affordable and accessible worldwide. Pyongyang's firm and unwavering commitment to • The 71st World Health Assembly was held in complete denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula. Geneva, Switzerland. The Event was held under • The United States has renamed its oldest and the theme "Health for All: Commit To Universal largest military command, US Pacific Command, Health Coverage". or PACOM, to Indo-Pacific Command, according • The 12th informal meeting of SAARC Finance to the US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis. Ministers was held in Manila, Philippines. • The navies of India and Indonesia participated in SAARC member states include Afghanistan, Passage Exercise (PASSEX) . Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, the Maldives, • The world’s largest multilateral naval exercise Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) begun off Hawaii in • The Netherlands has become the 64th signatory the Western Pacific Ocean. The two-month long member of the International Solar Alliance biennial exercise is likely to be attended by • India is the sixth wealthiest country in the world navies of 26 countries including India. with a total wealth of 8,230 billion US dollars. • Colombia would be formally joining the North According to the AfrAsia Bank Global Wealth Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Colombia Migration Review, the US is the wealthiest will become the first Latin American nation to be country in the world with a total wealth of 62,584 a part of the alliance. billion dollars. China stood at the second place. • India launched its second IT corridor in China. • As per the data released by the World Health The National Association of Software and Organisation (WHO), 14 Indian cities figure in a Services Companies (NASSCOM) has list of world's 20 most polluted cities in terms of established one more Sino-Indian Digital particulate matter PM2.5 levels in 2016. Collaborative Opportunities Plaza (SIDCOP) • India is ranked joint-sixth in the list of doping platform in China. violations with 69 cases, same as that of Russia, • SCO-Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure Legal according to World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Experts (RATS) took place in Islamabad under the report for samples collected in 2016. Italy topped framework of Shanghai Cooperation Organization. the rankings of drug cases in 2016, followed by Shanghai Cooperation Organization, which France (86), United States (76), Australia (75), comprises China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Belgium (73). India, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Pakistan. • The World Health Organization (WHO) has • Nepal becomes the first country in WHO’s South- launched a comprehensive plan to eliminate East Asia Region to eliminate Trachoma. industrially-produced artificial trans fats from the • The Ministry of Commerce & Industry of India, global food supply by 2023. along with Ministry of Commerce of Cambodia • Aimed at empowering vulnerable and organized the 5th India-CLMV Business marginalised women by imparting skills training, Conclave in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. the United Nations Development Programme • The National Aeronautics and Space (UNDP) has announced to set up a skill Administration (NASA) signed a space act development centre at 'Bharosa,' an integrated agreement with Uber Technologies to explore support centre for distressed women and children concepts and technologies related to Urban Air in Hyderabad. Mobility (UAM) for future air transportation such • Russia unveiled the world's first floating nuclear as flying cars in populated areas. power station.

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• Guatemala Becomes Second Country To Open Road Safety Trust Fund’ to stimulate action that Jerusalem Embassy. can save lives and prevent injuries and sufferings • The World Health Organisation (WHO) has associated with road accidents. published its first 'essential diagnostics list', a • Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has catalogue of tests needed to diagnose the most decided to scrap the quota system in government common conditions as well as a number of global services after thousands of students marched priority diseases. across the country in protest against a • The European Union and the United Nations co- controversial policy of setting aside jobs for chaired a two-day international conference in special groups. Brussels, Belgium aiming to pump financial aid • Britain’s Prince Charles will succeed his mother for Syrians and garner political support for UN-led Queen Elizabeth II as the Head of the intra-Syrian talks. Commonwealth after the heads of government • The Commonwealth countries have unanimously agreed on his succession. agreed to take action on cybersecurity by 2020. • Swaziland’s King Mswati III, Africa’s last absolute In a landmark declaration at the end of monarch, officially changed the name of his Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting country to the ‘Kingdom of eSwatini’. (CHOGM) in London, the leaders of 53 countries • India has won an election to non-governmental agreed to work closely to evaluate and organisation committee in the United Nations. strengthen their cybersecurity frameworks and The Committee on Non-Governmental response mechanisms. Organizations is a standing committee of Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). • International Conference on Human Rights in • The United Kingdom has joined the India-led South Asia was held in Kathmandu. International Solar Alliance (ISA). • An international conference on ‘Water, Environment • United Nations’ Deputy Secretary-General Amina and Climate Change: Knowledge Sharing and Mohammed announced the launch of the ‘UN Partnership’ was held in Kathmandu, Nepal. Road Safety Trust Fund’ to stimulate action that • According to report released by global startup can save lives and prevent injuries and sufferings ecosystem map Startupblink, India was ranked 37th associated with road accidents. out of 125 countries in global startup ecosystem in • Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has 2017. The list, measuring startup ecosystem decided to scrap the quota system in government strength and activity, was topped by the United services after thousands of students marched States followed by the United Kingdom. across the country in protest against a controversial • Iran has banned the use of bitcoin and other policy of setting aside jobs for special groups. cryptocurrencies by its banks and financial • India and World Expo 2020 Dubai signed institutions. participants contract for India’s pavilion in the • The European Union and the United Nations co- prestigious World Expo 2020 held once in 5 years. chaired an international conference in Brussels, The contract provides for the setting up of India Belgium aiming to pump financial aid for Syrians pavilion at Expo 2020 on an extra-large plot and garner political support for UN-led intra- (about one acre) in the ‘Opportunity’ segment. Syrian talks. • Singapore and China signed an MoU in Beijing, • Bolivian Foreign Minister Fernando Huanacuni China to promote greater collaboration between Singapore and Chinese companies in third-party has announced that Argentina, Brazil, Chile, markets along the Belt and Road Initiative. Colombia, Paraguay and Peru had decided to • The leaders of North and South Korea agreed to temporarily leave the Union of South American pursue a permanent peace and the complete Nations (UNASUR), given differences over denuclearization of the divided peninsula, as they choosing the secretary general of the group. embraced after a historic summit laden with • Britain’s Prince Charles will succeed his mother symbolism. Queen Elizabeth II as the Head of the Kim Jong-un, the leader of North Korea and Commonwealth after the heads of government Moon Jae-in, the leader of South Korea also agreed on his succession. agreed to end hostile activities between the two • Swaziland’s King Mswati III, Africa’s last absolute nations, change the demilitarised zone (DMZ) monarch, officially changed the name of his that divides the country into a “peace zone” by country to the ‘Kingdom of eSwatini’. ceasing propaganda broadcasts. • India has won an election to non-governmental • India & Hong Kong signed a double taxation organisation committee in the United Nations. avoidance agreement (DTAA) that seeks to The Committee on Non-Governmental improve transparency in tax matters & help curb Organizations is a standing committee of tax evasion & avoidance. Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). • Indian companies can now participate in • The United Kingdom has joined the India-led construction & installation works in the “non- International Solar Alliance (ISA). critical” category for the Rooppur nuclear power • United Nations’ Deputy Secretary-General Amina plant in Bangladesh, as per the Russian atomic Mohammed announced the launch of the ‘UN energy agency Rosatom.

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• Marshall Islands is creating its own digital District Collectors & key officers of ‘Aspirational currency in a bid to raise money. In doing so it Districts’ to support their transformation in terms becomes the first country in the world to of healthcare, education and nutrition. recognize a cryptocurrency as legal tender. • GIFT City has signed an MoU with Deloitte • India is all set to become the 69th member of the Touche Tohmatsu India LLP (DTTILLP), which European Bank for Reconstruction & renders consultancy services, for mutual Development (EBRD) after shareholders of the cooperation in areas related to international international financial institution gave their nod to financial services. the country’s candidature. • India increased “substantially” its score in • Member-countries of the World Health International Intellectual Property (IP) Index, Organisation (WHO) South-East Asia Region, ranking 44th among 50 nations, as per US including India, committed to intensifying efforts Chambers of Commerce report. The top 3 to eradicate tuberculosis by 2030. countries on the list are The USA, The United • United Nations issued an appeal for 951 million Kingdom and Sweden. Dollars to meet the needs of nearly 900,000 • Dubai International Airport held on to its No 1 Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh. ranking as the world’s busiest airport for • The first G20 meeting of finance ministers & international travel, after seeing around 88.2 central bank governors began in Buenos Aires, million passengers in 2017. Argentina with the presence of 57 delegations • India and Palestine have signed six from countries & institutions. Memorandums of Understanding (MoU)s worth • The first-ever multi-nation naval exercise at sea, USD 40 million. MILES-18, began at the Andaman sea. • India and Oman signed eight MoUs in different areas • Indian Navy & the French Navy have conducted during PM Narendra Modi’s maiden visit to the Gulf bilateral maritime exercise VARUNA-18. nation. The fields in which the agreements were • India is ranked fourth on a global index for its inked include defence, health and tourism. military strength, only the United States, Russia & • Government signed second Loan Agreement with China are ranked above India on the list, New Development Bank (NDB) for the financing according to the latest report of the Global of Rajasthan Water Sector Restructuring Project Firepower index 2017. for the Desert Areas. • With a fortune worth $110 billion, Amazon • India & Iran signed nine agreements in order to founder Jeff Bezos is the world's richest man & further the bilateral cooperation between the two tops a 2018 Forbes Magazine list of billionaires. sides. The two countries inked pacts to enhance • Mumbai ranks 16th among the top 20 costliest cooperation in the areas of taxation, maritime cities in the world, according to the Knight Frank Wealth Report 2018. The top 3 Wealthiest Cities cooperation, health & medicine, trade, agriculture in the Report are- 1. Guangzhou 2. Hong Kong & postal cooperation. 3. New York. • Government of India & Asian Development Bank • The World Happiness Report 2018, ranks 156 (ADB) signed a $84 million loan for improvement countries by their happiness levels, & 117 & expansion of water supply in Bhagalpur & Gaya countries by the happiness of their immigrants. towns in Bihar. Burundi in East Africa is the unhappiest place in • MoU between govt. of India & Canada’s the world. The list is topped by Finland. India was International Development Research Centre ranked 133rd. (IDRC) signed in New Delhi to usher • India has been ranked at 78th among 114 “programme-based research support” in countries on the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) addressing current & future global & local energy transition index. The list was topped by developmental challenges. Sweden. • India, for the first time, took part in a two-day • Austria's capital city Vienna has been rated the meeting of the international military cooperation world's most liveable city for the ninth departments of the Shanghai Cooperation consecutive year by Mercer in its annual Quality Organisation (SCO) in Beijing, China. of Living survey. • Valletta, the capital of Malta, was officially named • India has overtaken Germany to become the European Capital of Culture 2018. fourth largest automobile market in the world. • India signed an MoU with the United Kingdom to • India & Jordan renewed their support to the enable the return of illegal Indian migrants within Palestinian cause as the two sides signed 12 a month of their detection by authorities abroad. agreements, including one on defence • China became Nepal’s second internet service cooperation, following a bilateral meeting provider, breaking India’s monopoly in providing between PM Narendra Modi & King of Jordan internet access to Nepal. Abdullah II Ibn Al Hussein. • World’s largest Ice Festival 'International Ice & • India & Vietnam inked three agreements in the Snow Festival' was held in Harbin, China. areas of trade, agriculture & atomic energy. • Nepal has banned solo climbers from scaling its • NITI Aayog & Piramal Foundation have inked mountains, including Mount Everest, in a bid to Statement of Intent (SoI) to work closely with reduce accidents.

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• Israel filed notice to withdraw from the UNESCO United Nations Security Council to make a alongside the United States. Israel was the difference. member of UNESCO since 1949. • The unusual & very efficient whistle language • Saudi Arabia & the United Arab Emirates (UAE) commonly called "bird language" used as a introduced value-added tax (VAT). These are the means of communication by villagers in remote first two countries in the Gulf which have northern Turkey entered the UNESCO list of introduced the VAT system. Intangible Cultural Heritage. • Equatorial Guinea, Ivory Coast, Kuwait, Peru, • Iceland become the first country in the world to Poland & the Netherlands formally joined the legalise equal pay between men & women. ranks of the non-permanent members of the

BANKING AWARENESS

• The Insurance Regulatory and Development their risk control mechanisms and has revised Authority of India (IRDAI) has approved a down its outlook on the latter to negative on sour proposal allowing Life Insurance Corporation assets worries. (LIC) to acquire a majority stake in the IDBI bank. • Marg ERP limited, a leading Inventory and • Private sector lender RBL Bank has fully acquired Accounting software solution company has Mumbai-based financial product distribution firm partnered with ICICI Bank, to offer an integrated Swadhaar FinServe Pvt Ltd where it had 60.49 payments platform to Micro, Small and Medium per cent holding earlier. Enterprise (MSME) customers, using MARG's • The Export-Import Bank of India (Exim Bank) accounting software. announced that it has extended $10 million worth • Union Cabinet has approved the proposal for of line of credit (LOC) to Seychelles. This is for grant of permission to HDFC Bank to raise healthcare and procurement of goods and additional share capital of up to a maximum of projects. 24,000 crore rupees. • The Securities and Exchange Board (SEBI) has • The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released the approved amendments to buyback and takeover draft guidelines to modify the loan system for regulations and changed the time for announcing delivery of bank credit, making the rules stricter to the price band of initial public offering (IPO) from regulate larger borrowers enjoying working 5 to 2 days. capital facility from the banking system. • The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) revised the • In a bid to check loan defaults, RBI stated that a upwards housing loan limits under Priority Sector Public Credit Registry (PCR) will be set up Lending (PSL). containing information on all borrowers to ensure The housing loan limits for eligibility under priority financial stability. sector lending will be revised to Rs.35 lakh in • The RBI has made changes in the Gold metropolitan centres and to Rs.25 lakh in other Monetisation Scheme (GMS) to make it more centres. attractive. The existing family income limit of Rs.2 lakh per The short-term deposits should be treated as annum for availing of the loans for housing bank's on-balance sheet liability. projects for Economically Weaker Sections These deposits will be made with the designated (EWS) and Low Income Groups (LIG) now stands banks for a short period of 1-3 years (with a revised to Rs.3 lakh per annum and Rs.6 lakh per facility of rollover). annum, respectively. Deposits can also be allowed for broken periods • The Reserve Bank of India has narrowed the (e.g. 1 year 3 months; 2 years 4 months 5 days; definition of relatives to check the flow of funds etc.). sent abroad under the ‘maintenance of close • The Reserve Bank has stated that interest relative’ category of the Liberalised Remittance subsidy scheme on short-term crop loans of up to Scheme (LRS). three lakh rupees will be implemented through Funds under the ‘maintenance of close relative’ the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mode from the category can be sent only to immediate relatives such current financial year. as parents, spouses, children and their spouses. • Second Bi-Monthly Monetary Policy Statement • The Reserve Bank of India has eased investment (2018-19): norms for Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) in Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of Reserve debt, especially into individual large corporates, a Bank of India has increased the policy Repo Rate move that can help attract more overseas flows. under the liquidity adjustment facility (LAF) by 25 • The ICICI Bank board has appointed ICICI basis points to 6.25 percent. Prudential Life Insurance CEO Sandeep Bakhshi Reverse Repo: 6.00% as whole-time director and chief operating officer Marginal Standing Facility rate and Bank Rate: 6.5% (COO), creating a new top position at India’s MPC revised CPI inflation for 2018-19 to 4.8- second largest private bank. 4.9% in the first half and 4.7% in the second half. • Global Rating agency Fitch has announced that The MPC stated that the GDP growth rate for ICICI Bank and Axis Bank have inequalities in 2018-19 is retained at 7.4 percent.

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• According to the State Bank of India’s (SBI) Open market operations are conducted by the annual report for 2017-18 which has put out RBI by way of sale or purchase of government Reserve Bank of India’s data for January 2018, securities (g-secs) to adjust money supply Axis Bank commands the largest value share of conditions. mobile banking transactions but it’s Paytm that • SEBI recently came out with a detailed tops volumes with 22%. framework for risk-based Know Your Customer • YES Bank and YES Global Institute have (KYC) documentation of foreign portfolio launched Agenda 25×25, which pledges to create investors (FPIs). a synergetic startup environment for budding SEBI made it clear that non-resident Indians women entrepreneurs in India. (NRIs), overseas citizens of India (OCI) and Yes Bank Headquarters: Mumbai resident Indians cannot be beneficial owners of MD and CEO : Rana Kapoor Foreign Portfolio investment (FPIs). NRIs and • Chinese bank, Industrial and Commercial Bank of OCIs can only obtain an FPI licence on condition China (ICBC) has launched the country's first that they limit their roles to investment advisors India-dedicated publicly offered investment fund. and do not invest their money. The fund, named the ICBC Credit Suisse India Foreign Portfolio Investment (FPI) is investment by Market Fund, will invest in exchange-traded funds non-residents in Indian securities including shares, listed on more than 20 exchanges in Europe and government bonds, corporate bonds, convertible the US that are based on the Indian market. securities, infrastructure securities etc. ICBC headquarters: Beijing, China • Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has put state-run An investment fund is a supply of capital belonging lender Dena Bank under prompt corrective action to numerous investors used to collectively (PCA) framework. purchase securities while each investor retains To ensure that banks don't go bust, RBI has put ownership and control of his own shares. in place some trigger points to assess, monitor, Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) are funds that are control and take corrective actions on banks listed and traded on stock exchanges like shares. which are weak and troubled. The process or • Bank of Baroda has successfully launched most mechanism under which such actions are taken of its operational activities at a shared service is known as Prompt Corrective Action, or PCA centre (SSC) at the GIFT City near Ahmedabad. • Microsoft has now become the third most The bank will now offer its services including valuable firm globally after Apple and Amazon. retail loan processing, deposit account opening, Microsoft CEO- Satya Nadella forex and call center from the SSC, which will • Tata Steel, whose bid for debt-ridden Bhushan have a staff strength of 200. Steel was approved by NCLT, would implement It is the first Indian bank to move several key the resolution plan through its step-down operations to the smart city. subsidiary Bamnipal Steel Ltd. Bank of Baroda Headquarters: Vadodara, Gujarat • US-based retail giant Walmart has confirmed that MD and CEO: P S Jayakumar it will buy 77% stake in India's largest e- • The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed a commerce startup Flipkart for $16 billion. penalty of Rs5 crore on South Indian Bank (SIB) The acquisition, which is the largest e-commerce for non-compliance with its directions on Income deal in the world, will value the homegrown Recognition and Asset Classification (IRAC) startup at a reported amount of $20.8 billion. norms, Know Your Customer (KYC) norms and • Moody's Investors Service report has cut India's treasury function. GDP growth forecast to 7.3% in 2018, from the Banks are required to classify non-performing previous forecast of 7.5% due to higher oil prices assets further into the following three categories and tighter financial conditions. based on the period for which the asset has • BSE Ltd became first Indian exchange to be remained non-performing and the realizability of designated as Designated Offshore Securities the dues: Market (DOSM) by United States Securities and Substandard Assets Exchange Commission (US-SEC). Doubtful Assets DOSM status will allow the sale of securities to US Loss Assets investors through the trading venue of BSE without SIB headquarters : Thrissur, Kerala registration of such securities with US SEC. Chairman : Salim Gangadharan • Credit rating agency Fitch has stated that India's • Fino Payments Bank launched a suite of digital economic growth will accelerate to 7.3% in the products that can be accessed online and through mobile phones with the focus to build the current financial year (2018-19) and 7.5% in the transaction platform. next fiscal (2019-20). FINO Payments Bank Limited headquarters in Fitch ratings is an international credit rating Mumbai, Maharashtra. agency based out of New York • The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced that • Indian tea industry has recorded the highest ever it would buy Rs. 10,000 crore ($1.50 billion) of production as well as exports in FY18. The total government bonds via open market operation tea production was 1325.05 million kgs, an (OMO), after failing to sell all the debt it had increase of 74.56 million kgs as compared to offered to bidders. 2016-17.

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• India’s total export of finished steel increased by Rs.10,012 crore to Uttar Pradesh during 16.7% to 9.6 million tonnes, in 2017-18. The 2017-18 to facilitate overall development with country exported 8.2 million tonnes finished steel special focus on agricultural credit. during 2016-17 fiscal, according to the Joint Plant 3. Bank of India (BoI) has entered into an Committee report. agreement with National E-Governance • Asian Development Bank Chief Economist Services (NeSL) for information utility (IU) Yasuyuki Sawada has stated India's projected arrangement under the Insolvency and GDP growth of over 7 percent for the current Bankruptcy Code (IBC). fiscal (2018-19) is amazingly fast and if this 4. The Reserve Bank of India has revised momentum is maintained the size of the economy "Know Your Customer" or the KYC can double within a decade. guidelines. The RBI made linking of national ADB Headquarters - Manila, Philippines. biometric ID Aadhaar to bank accounts President - Takehiko Nakao mandatory. However, it said this will be • According to UN World Economic Situation and subject to the final decision of the Supreme Prospects (WESP), India’s economy is projected Court on making of Aadhaar mandatory. to grow 7.6% in fiscal year 2018-19. 5. Yes Bank has received the Reserve Bank of The report is joint product of UN Department of India’s (RBI) approval to open two Economic and Social Affairs (UN/DESA), UN representative offices in London and Singapore. Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) 6. State Bank of India (SBI) has come up with and five United Nations Regional commissions. an alternate and convenient method of cash th • India ranked 11 in Foreign Direct Investment withdrawal for its customers. The bank is now (FDI) Confidence Index 2018. providing facilities of cash through The United States (US) topped the index, followed ‘Cash@POS’ initiative. by Canada at 2nd and Germany at the 3rd place. 7. National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Global consultant AT Kearney released the Development (NABARD) has extended total Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Confidence credit support of Rs 14,690 crore to Index 2018, an annual survey which tracks the Rajasthan for 2017-18. impact of political, economic and regulatory 8. Kolkata-based Bandhan Bank Ltd became changes on the FDI preferences of Chief one of the top 50 most valuable publicly Executive Officers (CEOs) and Chief Financial traded firms in India. The market Officers (CFOs) of the country. capitalization of Bandhan Bank was at • Indian Oil Corporation has emerged as India's most Rs64,000 crore, claiming 50th rank, profitable state-owned company for the second according to BSE data. consecutive year. Reliance Industries is the most 9. Yes Bank has announced the launch of ‘Yes profitable company for the third straight year, GST’, an OD (over draft) facility for Micro, posting highest ever profit of Rs.36,075 crore. Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). • Infosys has completed the acquisition of 10. Shares of private lender Kotak Mahindra WongDoody Holding Company, a US-based Bank Ltd beat India’s largest lender State digital creative and consumer insights agency, for Bank of India (SBI) for the first time to a total consideration of upto $75 million. become the second most valued bank in the Infosys CEO- Salil Parekh country. • Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), the country’s 11. National E-Repository Limited (NERL), a most valued and largest IT outsourcing company group company of National Commodity and created history by becoming the first Indian Derivatives Exchange Limited (NCDEX ), has company to reach Rs.7 lakh crore market brought in ICICI Bank and HDFC Bank on capitalization. board as the repository participants for • Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) pledge finance. has asked its field offices to credit 8.55% rate of 12. The Reserve Bank of India tightened interest for 2017-18 into the Provident Fund reporting norms for the Liberalised accounts of around 5 crore subscribers. Remittance Scheme (LRS) under which an EPFO assists the Central Board in administering individual can transfer up to USD 2,50,000 a compulsory contributory Provident Fund abroad in a year. Scheme, a Pension Scheme and an Insurance 13. HDFC Bank launched IRA 2.0, its interactive Scheme for the workforce engaged in the humanoid at the Koramangala Branch in organized sector in India. Bengaluru. 1. According to the TRA Brand Trust Report 14. The State Bank of India will be investing a 2018, the State Bank of India was the most- total of Rs 80 billion in the Arun III trusted bank (both public and private sector) hydropower project of Nepal, which has 900 megawatts (MW) electricity production in the country and ICICI Bank topped the capacities. chart among the private ones. 15. Deutsche Bank AG named Christian Sewing 2. According to the Development bank as the Chief Executive officer of the Bank. He NABARD, it has provided an assistance of has replaced John Cryan.

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16. The Reserve Bank of India, in consultation • SIDBI signed an MoU with CSC e-governance with the Government, hiked the foreign Services (CSCeGS) to take Udyami Mitra portal portfolio investors (FPI) investment limit in to the unserved & the underserved MSMEs. Central government securities (G-Sec) from Udyamimitra.in is a portal to improve the 5% of outstanding stock now to 5.5% in accessibility of credit for the MSMEs. FY2019 and 6% in FY2020. • RBI has imposed a monetary penalty of Rs 40 17. The Reserve Bank of India switched back to lakh on State Bank of India for non-compliance of the gross domestic product (GDP)-based its directions on detection & impounding of measure to offer its growth estimates from counterfeit notes. the gross value added (GVA) methodology, • ICICI Bank launched instant overdraft ‘InstaOD’ citing global best practices. facility for MSME customers in a completely 18. IndusInd Bank has received RBI's approval online & paperless manner. to buy the securities services arm of IL&FS. • SBI & India Mortgage Guarantee Corporation 19. Securities and Exchange Board of India (IMGC) signed a pact to offer mortgage (SEBI) decided to double the investment limit guarantee scheme for prospective non-salaried & by angel funds in venture capital self-employed home loan customers. undertakings to Rs10 crore from the current • SWIFT announces the extension of its GPI Rs5 crore. Tracker to cover all payment instructions sent 20. 1st Bi-Monthly Monetary Policy Statement across the network, enabling GPI banks to track Released By RBI: all their SWIFT payment instructions at all times, $ On the basis of an assessment of the current & giving them full visibility over all their payments and evolving macroeconomic situation at its activity. meeting, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) • The government made providing passport details decided to keep the policy repo rate under the mandatory for taking loans of 50 crore rupees & liquidity adjustment facility (LAF) unchanged at above to ensure a swift action in case of fraud & 6.0%. prevent fraudsters from fleeing the country. $ Consequently, the Reverse Repo Rate (RRR) • RBI raised the exposure limit under Exchange under the LAF remains at 5.75%, and the Traded Currency Derivatives (ETCD) trading for Marginal Standing Facility (MSF) rate and the residents and foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) to Bank Rate at 6.25%. USD 100 million across all currency pairs $ CRR : 4% involving the Indian rupee. SLR : 19.5% • Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) decided to 21. ICICI Bank became first Indian bank to go keep the policy repo rate under liquidity live on SWIFT’s (Society for World Interbank adjustment facility (LAF) unchanged at 6.0%. Financial Telecommunication System) Global Reverse Repo Rate remains at 5.75%, & MSF & Payment Innovation (GPI), an improved Bank Rate at 6.25%. cross-border payments service. • Reserve Bank of India will link the base rate with 22. Paytm, announced the launch of its offline the MCLR from 1st of April 2018 to ensure payments solution - the Paytm Tap Card, in expeditious transmission of its policy rate to line with the company's vision to provide borrowers. seamless payments solutions for non-internet customers. • RBI launched Ombudsman Scheme for non- banking financial companies (NBFCs) for redressal • IndusInd Bank announced its partnership with of complaints against them. The offices of NBFC Ripple (the enterprise blockchain solution for ombudsmen will function at four metro centres – Global Payments) to facilitate payments into & New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata & Chennai. out of India. • SBI wrote off bad loans worth Rs 20,339 crores in • RBI decided to do away with the per borrower 2016-17, the highest among all the public-sector loan limits to Micro/Small & Medium Enterprises banks, which had a collective write off of Rs (Services) for classification under priority 81,683 crore for the fiscal. sector lending. So far, loans to Micro/Small & • RBI scrapped numerous loan restructuring Medium Enterprises (Services) up to Rs. 5 crore programmes, asking banks to immediately & Rs10 crore, respectively, were classified as identify defaults and make disclosures every PSL. Friday to the RBI credit registry. • A Steering Committee has been constituted by the Ministry of Finance under the Chairmanship • Yes Bank announced listing of Bank’s debut US of Secretary, Shri Subhash Chandra Garg, to $600 million bond issue under its maiden US $1 consider various issues relating to the billion medium-term note (MTN) bond on development of Fintech space in India. country’s first international exchange BSE’s • RBI will conduct additional variable rate repo IndiaINX at the International Financial Services operations for longer tenors up to 31 days every Centre (IFSC) at GIFT City in Gandhinagar. Tuesday in the month of March 2018 for Rs • Fitch placed Punjab National Bank on Rating 25,000 crore each to provide additional liquidity Watch Negative (RWN), reflecting a possibility of support to banks. downgrade following the USD 1.77 billion fraud.

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• RBI constituted an expert committee under the • IndusInd Bank & Dynamics Inc. at 2018 Consumer chairmanship of YH Malegam to look into a range Electronics Show (CES) announced plans to of issues relating to classification of bad loans, introduce the first battery-powered, interactive rising incidents of frauds & effectiveness of audits. payment cards to the Indian market in 2018. • Rating agency CRISIL revised its outlook on 18 • Punjab National Bank & National Scheduled public sector banks (PSBs) from “negative” to Castes Finance & Development Corporation “stable” after the Govt. announced bank-wise (NSFDC) have tied up to provide financial capital infusion reform plans. assistance for economic empowerment of • Indian Overseas Bank signed an MoU with persons belonging to Scheduled Caste (SC) National Housing Bank for Rural Housing Interest families living below Double Poverty Line. Subsidy Scheme (RHISS) of the Ministry of Rural • Andhra Pradesh Grameena Vikas Bank (APGVB) Development. operationalised its first desktop ATM in Telangana. • Ministry of Finance announced that "Payments The mini-ATM within the branch premises will Banks & Small Finance Banks" will offer social facilitate customers to withdraw small amounts. security scheme Atal Pension Yojana (APY) to • Reserve Bank of India has initiated 'prompt their subscribers. corrective action' (PCA) against Allahabad Bank • Government has announced 88,139 crore rupees over its high bad loans. There are total 11 banks capital infusion in 20 public sector banks, PSBs, on which RBI has initiated PCA till date. during the current fiscal ending 31st March to • As per Finance Ministry, RBI Bonds Scheme has boost lending & revive growth. IDBI Bank will get not been closed but the interest rate on such the most- Rs10,610 crore followed by State Bank papers lowered to 7.75%. The 8 percent Savings of India 8,800 crore rupees. Bonds Scheme, also known as RBI Bonds • Banking finance company AU Small Finance Scheme, is not being closed but is being replaced Bank has signed an MoU with LIC to offer by 7.75% Savings Bonds Scheme. Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana • Reserve Bank of India will shortly issue Rs10 (PMJJBY). denomination banknotes in the Mahatma Gandhi • India’s most-valued lender HDFC Bank Ltd (New) Series. The new denomination has the crossed Rs.5 trillion market capitalisation for the motif of Sun Temple, Konark on the reverse. first time, making it only the third Indian company • Paytm Payments Bank has partnered Induslnd to achieve this milestone. Bank to introduce a facility to create a fixed • IDFC Bank and Capital First approved merger of deposit (FD) when the customer balance exceeds Capital First with IDFC Bank. Rs.1 lakh at the end of the day. • India emerged as a top borrower from AIIB with USD 1.5 billion worth of loans last year & USD three billion more in the pipeline. Indonesia has emerged as the second largest borrower with about USD 600 million loans.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

• Fitch Ratings raised India growth forecast for • NITI Aayog launched the first Delta ranking, 2018-19 to 7.4% from 7.3% but cited higher incremental progress, for the Aspirational financing costs and rising oil prices as risks to Districts in the country. growth. According to ranking, Dahod district of Gujarat • According to the World Investment Report, 2018 improved 19.8 points to rank first. West Sikkim by the UN Conference on Trade and district in Sikkim stood second with 18.9 points. Development (UNCTAD) Foreign Direct contd... Investment to India decreased to 40 billion dollars Transformation of Aspirational Districts last year from 44 billion dollars in 2016 while programme outflows from India, the main source of The programme launched in January 2018 aims to investment in South Asia, more than doubled. quickly and effectively transform some of most • Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd. (BHEL) has inked a underdeveloped districts of the country. The pact with South Korean firm NANO Co Ltd for programme envisages rapid development of design and manufacture of emission controlling selected districts on basis of composite index based on five parameters health and nutrition, devices for coal-based power plants. education, financial inclusion, skill development, • Microsoft has acquired Flipgrid, an education agriculture and water resources and basic start-up with an app that lets students record and infrastructure. share videos on specific topics with their • The U.S. has surpassed India to become the top classmates. destination for greenfield foreign direct • Flipkart-owned PhonePe has partnered cab investment in 2017, according to the FDI Report aggregator Ola that will allow riders to book rides 2018, compiled by FDI Intelligence, a division of using the former’s payment platform. The Financial Times Ltd.

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(Greenfield FDI is investment by a foreign DOSM status will allow the sale of securities to investor in fresh production facilities). US investors through the trading venue of BSE • Housing finance major HDFC has been ranked without registration of such securities with US as the 5th biggest public company globally in the SEC. ‘consumer financial services category’ on a list • Credit rating agency Fitch has stated that India's compiled by Forbes magazine. American Express economic growth will accelerate to 7.3% in the has topped this category. current financial year (2018-19) and 7.5% in the • IRDAI has formed a panel to review the next fiscal (2019-20). regulations pertaining to insurance marketing Fitch ratings is an international credit rating firms. The committee is headed by Suresh agency based out of New York Mathur, Executive Director (insurance marketing • Indian tea industry has recorded the highest ever firms), IRDAI, with nine more members. production as well as exports in FY18. The total • The Securities and Exchange Board of India tea production was 1325.05 million kgs, an (SEBI) constituted an Expert Committee to frame increase of 74.56 million kgs as compared to rules for direct listing of Indian firms abroad. 2016-17. • The Centre has constituted a group of eminent • India’s total export of finished steel increased by persons headed by Bharat Forge’s Baba Kalyani 16.7% to 9.6 million tonnes, in 2017-18. The to study the Special Economic Zones (SEZ) country exported 8.2 million tonnes finished steel policy of the country and suggest measures to during 2016-17 fiscal, according to the Joint Plant make it more relevant for exporters and Committee report. compatible with World Trade Organisation (WTO) • Asian Development Bank Chief Economist norms. Yasuyuki Sawada has stated India's projected • The Income Tax Department has issued a new GDP growth of over 7 percent for the current reward scheme titled “Benami Transactions fiscal (2018-19) is amazingly fast and if this Informants Reward Scheme, 2018” to seek momentum is maintained the size of the economy people’s participation in the Income Tax can double within a decade. Department’s efforts to unearth black money and ADB Headquarters - Manila, Philippines. to reduce tax evasion. President - Takehiko Nakao • The government has announced the launch of • According to UN World Economic Situation and 'Krishi Kalyan Abhiyaan' under which farmers in Prospects (WESP), India’s economy is projected select villages will be given assistance and to grow 7.6% in fiscal year 2018-19. advice on ways to improve farming techniques The report is joint product of UN Department of and raise their income. Economic and Social Affairs (UN/DESA), UN • The Union Ministry of Culture introduced a new Conference on Trade and Development scheme called ‘Seva Bhoj Yojna’ to reimburse the (UNCTAD) and five United Nations Regional central share of CGST and IGST on items for commissions. food/prasad/langar/bhandara offered free of cost • India ranked 11th in Foreign Direct Investment by charitable religious institutions. (FDI) Confidence Index 2018. • Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated The United States (US) topped the index, the third annual meeting of the Asian followed by Canada at 2nd and Germany at the Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) at Mumbai 3rd place. • Microsoft has now become the third most Global consultant AT Kearney released the valuable firm globally after Apple and Amazon. Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Confidence Microsoft CEO- Satya Nadella Index 2018, an annual survey which tracks the • Tata Steel, whose bid for debt-ridden Bhushan impact of political, economic and regulatory Steel was approved by NCLT, would implement changes on the FDI preferences of Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) and Chief Financial the resolution plan through its step-down Officers (CFOs) of the country. subsidiary Bamnipal Steel Ltd. • Indian Oil Corporation has emerged as India's • US-based retail giant Walmart has confirmed that most profitable state-owned company for the it will buy 77% stake in India's largest e- second consecutive year. Reliance Industries is commerce startup Flipkart for $16 billion. the most profitable company for the third straight The acquisition, which is the largest e-commerce year, posting highest ever profit of Rs36,075 deal in the world, will value the homegrown crore. startup at a reported amount of $20.8 billion. • Infosys has completed the acquisition of • Moody's Investors Service report has cut India's WongDoody Holding Company, a US-based GDP growth forecast to 7.3% in 2018, from the digital creative and consumer insights agency, for a total consideration of upto $75 million. previous forecast of 7.5% due to higher oil prices Infosys CEO- Salil Parekh and tighter financial conditions. Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), the country’s • BSE Ltd became first Indian exchange to be most valued and largest IT outsourcing company designated as Designated Offshore Securities created history by becoming the first Indian Market (DOSM) by United States Securities and company to reach Rs.7 lakh crore market Exchange Commission (US-SEC). capitalization.

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• Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) 11. The Asian Development Outlook 2018 has asked its field offices to credit 8.55% rate of released by Asian Development Bank (ADB) interest for 2017-18 into the Provident Fund has projected India’s economic growth to accounts of around 5 crore subscribers. 7.3% in 2018-19 fiscal and further to 7.6% in EPFO assists the Central Board in administering 2019-20 fiscal. a compulsory contributory Provident Fund 12. According to Steel Users Federation of India Scheme, a Pension Scheme and an Insurance (SUFI), India has overtaken Japan to become Scheme for the workforce engaged in the world’s second largest producer of crude organized sector in India. steel in February 2018. 1. India has retained its position as the top 13. India has replaced Vietnam to become remittances receiving country with its second largest producer of mobile phones in diaspora sending about $69 billion back 2017. home in 2017, according to the report of the 14. As per previous decision of GST council, the World Bank. e-way Bill System for Inter-State movement 2. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has of goods across the country is being stated that India is expected to grow at 7.4% introduced from April 1, 2018. in 2018 and 7.8% in 2019 and would re- 15. Microsoft India has been declared the most emerge as one of the fastest growing major attractive employer brand, followed by e- economies in the period. commerce giant Amazon India. The winners 3. The World Bank has projected a growth rate were named by HR service provider of 7.3% for India this year and 7.5% for 2019 Randstad's Employer Brand Research and 2020. The bank also noted that Indian (REBR) 2018. economy has recovered from the effects of • Moody's Investors Service estimated that India demonetisation and the Goods and Services will grow 7.6% in the calendar year 2018 & 7.5% Tax. in 2019. 4. National Stock Exchange of India (NSE) has • Iraq become India’s biggest crude oil supplier by announced the launch of its "e - Gsec" overtaking Saudi Arabia with a wide margin in platform for facilitating the non-competitive this current financial year. Iraq supplied 38.9 bidding in Government of India Dated million tonnes (MT) of oil. Securities (G-Sec) and Treasury Bills (T- • World Bank projected India's GDP growth at Bills). 7.3% for 2018-19 & accelerates further to 7.5% in 5. According to the database of the International 2019-20. It expects the economy to clock a Monetary Fund’s World Economic Outlook growth rate of 6.7% in the current fiscal ending (WEO) for April 2018, India’s Gross Domestic March 31. Product (GDP), the worth of the economy, • India’s exports grew by 4.5% in February-2018 to clocked in at $2.6 trillion for 2017. 25.8 billion dollars. It was 24.7 billion dollar during 6. As part of the drive to double the income of the same period in February-2017. farmers by 2022, the government has raised • As per the World Bank Report, GST is one of the the authorised capital of NABARD by six most complex with the second highest tax rate in times from 50 billion to Rs 300 billion to help the world among a sample of 115 countries which it increase its lending to the rural economy. have a similar indirect tax system. 7. Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), the • NITI Aayog released comprehensive roadmaps & country’s largest IT outsourcing company detailed timelines for its initiative ‘Sustainable created history by becoming the first Indian Action for Transforming Human Capital in company to reach $100 billion market Education (SATHE)’ project. capitalization. • With an aim to providing first-and-last-mile 8. India and Finland have reached an connectivity, railway PSU IRCTC announced a agreement on the tax dispute with Nokia partnership with cab aggregator Ola, giving under Mutual Agreement Procedure (MAP) commuters an option book taxi on its app. system. • Food ordering & delivery platform Swiggy 9. Ministry of Commerce and Industry has partnered with ICICI Bank to roll out two digital launched FIEO Global Linker, a digital solutions to facilitate the transfer of funds for its platform for MSME exporters to digitise their delivery partners. businesses and join global community of • SEBI has allowed physical settlement of both growing businesses. It has been developed stock options & stock futures. At present only by Federation of Indian Export Organisations cash settlement of derivatives is allowed. (FIEO) • International Solar Alliance (ISA) & the African 10. According to the Reserve Bank of India Development Bank (AfDb), ADB, AIIB, the Green (RBI), India’s forex (foreign exchange) climate fund (GCF), & the New Development reserves have touched record high of Bank (NDB) signed Joint financial partnership $424.864 billion in April 2018. The surge was Declarations in New Delhi. due to massive spike in foreign currency assets (FCAs), a key component of the • Paytm announced that its wholly-owned reserves. subsidiary, Paytm Money, received approval of SEBI to become a registered investment advisor.

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• SEBI raised the exposure limit under exchange- EDUCATION traded currency derivatives trading for residents • By 2022, every block with more than 50% ST & FPIs to USD 100 million across all currency population and at least 20,000 tribal people will pairs involving the Indian rupee. have 'Ekalavya' school at par with Navodaya • Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) has launched Vidyalas. homedelivery of diesel on a pilot basis in Pune & • A major initiative named Revitalising plans to expand doorstep delivery of the fuel to Infrastructure and Systems in Education (RISE) other parts of the country in near future. This is to be launched by 2022 with a total investment of the first company to have started doorstep Rs.1,00,000 crore in next four years. delivery after receiving clearance from the • Government will launch the Prime Minister’s Petroleum & Explosives Safety Organisation Research Fellows (PMRF)‟‟ Scheme this year. (PESO). HEALTH • Competition Commission of India (CCI) imposed • Government is launching a new national health a fine of around Rs.136 crores on search engine protection scheme – Rashtriya Samaj Beema major Google for unfair business practices in the Yojana. This will have 50 crore beneficiaries and Indian market for online search. 10 crore families will get 5 lakh per year for their • ONGC (Oil and Natural Gas Corporation) Videsh families to cover secondary and tertiary hospital Ltd and its partners acquired a 10% in a large expenses. This is the world's largest government- offshore oilfield Abu Dhabi National Oil Co.’s funded healthcare program. (ADNOC) in Abu Dhabi for $600 million. It is the • A Rs.600 crore corpus is being set up to help first time any Indian company has set foot in oil- Tuberculosis patients. rich Emirate. MSME • Amazon become the first foreign e-commerce • Rs. 3794 crores allotted for giving credit support, firm to start its own food retail venture in India capital and interest subsidy and for innovations. called Amazon Retail. • Target of Rs.3 lakh crore for lending under • In a major reform in the coal sector since its MUDRA for 2018-19. nationalisation in 1973, govt. allowed private EMPLOYMENT companies to mine the fossil fuel for commercial • Government will contribute 12% of the wages of use. the new employees in the EPF for all the sectors • Retirement fund body Employees’ Provident for next three years. Fund Organisation (EPFO) reduced the interest • Deduction of 30% on emoluments paid to new rate on deposits to 8.55% for 2017-18 from employees Under Section 80-JJAA to be relaxed 8.65% for 2016- 17. to 150 days for footwear and leather industry, to • Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) create more employment. has made it mandatory to file online claims for • 100% deduction proposed to companies provident fund withdrawals above Rs 10 lakh. registered as Farmer Producer Companies with • Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs an annual turnover upto Rs 100 crore on profit Mr Arun Jaitley launched CriSidEx, India’s first derived from such activities, for five years from sentiment index for micro & small enterprises 2018-19. (MSEs) developed jointly by CRISIL & SIDBI. INFRASTRUCTURE UNION BUDGET 2018-19 • Under the Bharatmala Pariyojana, about 35000 • Budget guided by mission to strengthen kms road construction in Phase-I at an estimated agriculture, rural development, health, education, cost of Rs.5,35,000 crore has been approved. employment, MSME and infrastructure sectors. • Government will establish a unified authority for AGRICULTURE regulating all financial services in International • “Operation Green” launched to address price Finance Service Centre (IFSCs) in India. fluctuations in potato, tomato and onion for • Rs.10000 crores allocated in 2018-19 for creation benefit of farmers and consumers. and augmentation of Telecom infrastructure. • Loans to Women Self Help Groups will increase DISINVESTMENT to Rs.75,000 crore in 2019 from 42,500 crore last • Finance Minister announced that 2017-18 year. disinvestment target of Rs.72,500 crores has • Minimum Support Price (MSP) of all crops shall increase to at least 1.5 times that of the been exceeded and expected receipts of production cost. Rs.1,00,000 crore. • Kisan credit card to be extended to fisheries, • Disinvestment target of Rs.80,000 crores for animal husbandry farmers. 2018-19. • Govt. allocated Rs.5,750 crore to National • Three Public Sector Insurance companies- Livelihood Mission and Rs2,600 crore to the National Insurance Co. Ltd., United India groundwater irrigation scheme. Assurance Co. Ltd., and Oriental India insurance • Agricultural corpus worth Rs 2000 crore will be Co. Ltd., will be merged into a single insurance set up. 470 APMCs have been connected to entity. eNAM network, the rest to be connected by • A comprehensive Gold Policy will be formulated March 2018. to develop gold as an asset class.

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• FM projected a Fiscal Deficit of 3.3% of GDP for • The government announced AMRUT program to the year 2018-19. focus on water supply to all households in 500 • Revised Fiscal Deficit estimates for 2017-18 were cities. Water supply contracts for 494 projects put at Rs.5.95 lakh crore at 3.5% of GDP. worth 19,428 crores will be awarded. • Growth of direct taxes in financial year 2016-17 • Government does not consider cryptocurrency as was 12.6 percent, and for financial year 2017-18 legal tender and will work towards eliminating (upto 15th Jan, 2018) is 18.7 percent. illicit transactions going on through crypto assets. • Number of Effective Tax Payers has increased • The Department of Investment and Public Asset from 6.47 crore at the beginning of Financial year Management will come up with debt Exchange 2014-15 to 8.27 crore at the end of 2016-17. Traded Fund. • Payments exceeding Rs. 10,000 in cash made by • Salaries of President, VP and Governors will be trusts and institutions shall be disallowed and increased. Rs.5 lakhs for President, Rs 4.0 lakh would be subject to tax. for VP and Rs 3.5 lakh for governors. Salaries of • Long Term Capital Gains exceeding Rs.1 lakh to Members of Parliament will also be raised. be taxed at the rate of 10 percent, without ECONOMIC SURVEY 2017-18 allowing any indexation benefit. • The Economic Suvey 2017-18 was in pink colour • Standard Deduction of Rs 40,000 in place of to highlight the gender issues. present exemption for transport allowance and • As per the Economic Survey, a series of major reimbursement of miscellaneous medical reforms undertaken over the past year will allow expenses. real GDP growth to reach 6.75 percent this fiscal • Proposed to increase the cess on personal and will rise to 7.0 to 7.5 percent in 2018-19. income tax and corporation tax to 4 percent from • As per the survey, Maharashtra, Gujarat, the present 3 percent. It will be called the “Health Karnataka, Tamil Nadu & Telangana account for and Education Cess” 70% of India’s exports. India’s internal trade in • Proposal to introduce tax on distributed income goods and services is 60 percent of GDP. by equity oriented mutual funds at the rate of • The Gross Non-Performing Advances (GNPA) 10%. ratio of Scheduled Commercial Banks (SCBs) • Proposal to roll out E-assessment across the increased from 9.6 percent to 10.2 percent country to almost eliminate person to person between March 2017 and September 2017. contact leading to greater efficiency and • Consumer Price Index(CPI) based headline transparency in direct tax collection. inflation averaged 3.3 percent during the period • Proposed changes in customs duty to promote which is the lowest in the last six financial years. creation of more jobs in the country and also to • As per the survey, the Index of Industrial incentivise domestic value addition and 'Make in Production (IIP) which is a volume index with India' in sectors such as food processing, base year 2011-12, shows that the industrial electronics, auto components, footwear and output increased by 3.2 percent during April- furniture. November 2017-18. • RELIEF TO SENIOR CITIZENS PROVIDED • The Survey mentions that there has been • Exemption of interest income on deposits with highest ever budget allocation under Mahatma banks and post offices to be increased from Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Rs.10,000 to Rs.50,000. Act (MGNREGA) during 2017-18. About 4.6 crore • TDS not required to be deducted under section households were provided employment totalling 194A. Benefit also available for interest from all 177.8 crore person days during 2017-18 as on fixed deposit schemes and recurring deposit 14th January, 2018. schemes. • India‘s foreign exchange reserves reached US$ • Hike in deduction limit for health insurance 409.4 billion on end-December 2017. Foreign premium and/or medical expenditure from exchange reserves grew by 14.1 percent on a y- Rs.30,000 to Rs.50,000 under section 80D. o-y basis from end December 2016 (US$ 358.9 • Increase in deduction limit for medical billion) to end December 2017 (US$ 409.4 expenditure for certain critical illness from billion). Rs.60,000 (in case of senior citizens) and from • Policy agenda for next year -- support agriculture, Rs.80,000 (in case of very senior citizens) to Rs.1 privatise Air India, finish bank recapitalisation lakh for all senior citizens, under section 80DDB. • GST data shows 50% rise in number of indirect • Proposed to extend Pradhan Mantri Vaya taxpayers. Vandana Yojana up to March, 2020. Current • Demonetisation has encouraged financial investment limit proposed to be increased to Rs. savings. 15 lakhs from the existing limit of Rs. 7.5 lakh per • Insolvency Code being actively used to resolve senior citizen. NPA woes. • OTHERS • Retail inflation averaged 3.3% in 2017-18, lowest • Ten prominent sites to be developed as Iconic in last 6 fiscals. tourist destinations. • Swachh Bharat initiative improved sanitation • Under the Smart City mission, 99 cities selected coverage in rural areas from 39% in 2014 to 76% with the outlay of Rs.2.04 lakh crores. in January 2018.

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• Economic Survey calls for Fiscal Federalism and • Mauritius was the largest source of foreign accountability to avoid low equilibrium trap. 31. investment in India (21.8 per cent share at market • As India emerges as one of the world‘s largest value), followed by the US & the UK, according to economics, it needs to gradually move from being a census by the Reserve Bank of India. a net consumer of knowledge to becoming a net • Indian Oil Corporation signed Letters of Intent producer. This has been emphasized in the (LoI) with Phinergy, an Israeli start-up company, Economic Survey & YEDA, a technology spin-off company from • Reliance Industries (RIL) become the first Indian Israel. company to cross the Rs6-lakh crore mark in • Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE)'s India market capitalization. International Exchange listed the first bond on its • Google has introduced a new app named Global Securities Market. The bonds issued by "Bulletin" that allows anybody to submit stories Indian Railways Finance Corporation (IRFC) are for and about their communities. one of the highest credit rated bonds issued by • India emerged as the fifth most attractive market an Indian corporate & has been IRFC's first foray for investments & the optimism over global into the Green Bond market. economic growth is at a record level, as per the • World Bank projected India’s growth rate at 7.3 survey of CEOs by global consultancy PwC. US percent in 2018 & 7.5 for the next two years. remains the top spot. • Gujarat has topped the logistics index chart, • Oil & Natural Gas Corporation got the consent for according to a Report released by Union Minister acquiring controlling stake in fellow PSU for Commerce & Industry Suresh Prabhu in New Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL). Delhi. Gujarat is followed by Punjab, Andhra • As per IMF, India is projected to grow at 7.4% in Pradesh, Karnataka & Maharashtra. 2018 as against China’s 6.8%, making it the • The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister fastest growing country among the emerging Shri Narendra Modi, has given its approval to a economies. number of amendments in the FDI Policy. • India contributed USD 50,000 to UN Secretary * 100% FDI under automatic route for Single General Antonio Guterres's Office of Envoy on Brand Retail Trading Youth to help with its mission of involving young * 100% FDI under automatic route in people in the world body's goals. Construction Development • World Economic Forum (WEF) ranked India at * Foreign airlines allowed to invest up to 49% 30th position on a global manufacturing index – under approval route in Air India below China’s 5th place but above other BRICS * FIIs/FPIs allowed to invest in Power peers, Brazil, Russia & South Africa. Japan Exchanges through primary market topped the Geneva based WEF’s first ‘Readiness for the future of production report’.

ENVIRONMENT

• Punjab government has launched ‘i-Hariyali’ awareness campaign to protect elephants from mobile application under ‘Mission Tandarust Tura in Garo Hills of Meghalaya. Punjab’ aimed at increasing the state’s green • Arunachal Pradesh-based NGO Singchung cover. Bugun Community Reserve (SBVCR) won the • A recent ASSOCHAM-NEC study on “Electricals India Biodiversity Award 2018 in the & Electronics Manufacturing in India” has “Conservation of wildlife species” category. revealed that India recycles only 5% of its e- • According recent research, worsening air quality waste and the country is one of the biggest in last two decades has emerged as one of major contributors of e-waste in the world. reasons for high numbers of premature deaths in • The Ministry of Earth Science (MoES) has India. The research was conducted by IIT Delhi. launched a new system to generate more • The 26th BASIC Ministerial Meeting of accurate and area specific forecast of extreme Environment Ministers was held in Durban, South weather events including rains, heat wave and Africa. The grouping is a bloc of four countries – Brazil, South Africa, India and China. cold wave. The new Ensemble Prediction • According first of its kind study of NASA, India is System (EPS) has been touted as best available among hotspots where overuse of water model after such a system available in Europe. resources has caused sharp decline in availability • India ranked 177th in the Global Environment of freshwater. Performance Index (EPI) rankings. The Top 3 • Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate countries on the list are: Change (MoEFCC) launched full-fledged Green 1. Switzerland, Skill Development Programme (GSDP). 2. France, and • The fourth meeting of South Asia Wildlife 3. Denmark. Enforcement Network (SAWEN), an inter- • Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate governmental wildlife law enforcement agency Change (MoEFCC) rolled out ‘Gaj Yatra’, an was in Kolkata, West Bengal.

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• Punjab government along World Wildlife Fund with the spotting of 155 such animals, according (WWF)-India are conducting first organised to the Chilika Development Authority (CDA). census of Indus Dolphins, one of the world’s • United Kingdom and India have launched joint rarest mammals found in India and Pakistan. research projects on ‘Water Quality Research’ • The Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) is tying up with US and Finland to develop new pollution- and ‘Energy Demand Reduction in Built forecast system that will help anticipate Environment. particulate matter(PM) levels. • The Union Government has formulated ambitious • The two-day Assam Spring Festival was held at water conservation scheme Atal Bhujal Yojana Manas National Park. (ABY) to tackle ever-deepening crisis of • According to recently published global study, depleting groundwater level. India is among countries which are at greatest • Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) has risk of food insecurity due to weather extremes bagged major order worth Rs.560 crore from the caused by climate change. National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) for • Delhi became the first city in India to supply ultra- setting up flue gas desulphurisation (FGD) clean Bharat Stage (BS) VI grade fuel (both petrol and diesel) with an aim to combat the system at National Capital Power Station rising levels of air pollution. The Food Safety and (capacity 2×490 MW) at Dadri in Uttar Pradesh. Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) launched • The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate 'Project Dhoop', an initiative aimed at shifting the Change (MoEFCC) has released India State of school assembly time to noon to ensure Forest Report (ISFR) 2017. It has revealed that maximum absorption of Vitamin D in students total forest and tree cover in India has increased through natural sunlight. of over 8,021 sq. km (about 80.20 million • India’s first insect museum with state-of-the-art hectare) which is one percent increase from amenities was unveiled at Tamil Nadu 2015. Agricultural University campus in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. • Mangalajodi Ecotourism Trust in Odisha has won • The Brazzaville declaration was singed to prestigious United Nations World Tourism promote better management and conservation Organisation (UNWTO) Award for Innovation in world’s largest tropical peatlands-Cuvette Tourism Enterprise at 14th UNWTO Awards Centrale region in Congo Basin from unregulated ceremony held in Madrid, Spain. land use and prevent its drainage and • China has constructed Xian smog tower, an degradation. experimental air purifying tower touted to be the • The twelfth edition of Earth Hour was observed world’s biggest at height of over 100 meters (328 across the world on 24 March 2018 to take a feet) in an attempt to fight air pollution. global call on climate change. • The Ministry of Environment and Forests and • According to International Energy Agency (IEA), Climate Change (MoEFCC) has refused to allow the global energy-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions rose to historic high of 32.5 captive breeding of Chiru (Tibetan antelope), gigatonnes in 2017. whose underfur is used for making famous • Chilika lake in Odisha has emerged as the single shahtoosh shawls largest habitat of Irrawaddy dolphins in the world

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

• India successfully test-fired its indigenously • The world’s first International Centre for developed nuclear capable Long Range Ballistic Humanitarian Forensics was launched in Missile, Agni-5 from the Abdul Kalam Island off Gandhinagar, Gujarat. the Odisha coast. • ISRO’s rocket sciences arm Vikram Sarabhai • India successfully carried out the flight test of Space Centre (VSSC) has decided to transfer its Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR) propulsion own in-house lithium ion (Li ion) cell technology based missile. to successful Indian industries and start-ups on • China successfully launched a new Earth non-exclusive basis in automobiles for Rs.1 observation satellite 'the Gaofen-6' which will be crore. The initiative aims to accelerate mainly used in agricultural resources research development of indigenous Electric Vehicle and disaster monitoring. industry. • The indigenously upgraded artillery gun Dhanush • Russian State Atomic Energy Corporation has successfully completed final user trials and is (Rosatom) had announced that its subsidiary ready for induction into the Army. Nikiret has signed an agreement with Indian • Russia has successfully launched Glonass-M engineering services firm Core Energy Systems positioning satellite on board of Soyuz-2.1b Pvt Ltd for the promotion of its technical security carrier rocket. equipment in India.

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• India successfully test-fired the Indo-Russian joint • The tenth edition of a biennial exhibition of venture BrahMos supersonic cruise missile. weapons and military hardware - DefExpo India- • The California-based aerospace company, 2018 was held at Kancheepuram in Tamil Nadu. SpaceX has blasted off its most powerful Falcon • Indo-Korean joint anti-piracy, search and rescue 9 rocket, which is certified to carry humans to exercise ‘Sahyog- Hyeoblyeog 2018’ was space later this year. conducted off the Chennai coast, in Tamil Nadu. • China has successfully launched a hyperspectral • Indigenously developed Light Combat Aircraft imaging satellite 'Gaofen-5' for comprehensive (LCA) Tejas has successfully fired an air-to-air observation of the atmosphere, including air beyond visual range (BVR) missile. pollution which is one of the country's major • INS Ganga, an indigenously built frigate of the problems. Indian Navy, was decommissioned in Mumbai after over three decades of service. • The Indian Space Research Organization has • The world’s biggest cruise-liner, Symphony of the developed an atomic clock to be used in Seas, has left the shipyard of Saint-Nazaire in navigation satellites. France to embark on its maiden voyage in the • The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired Mediterranean. by Smt Nirmala Sitharaman, accorded approval • Asian Development Bank (ADB) & the for the procurement of equipment for the Defence International Solar Alliance (ISA) has signed a Forces valued at over Rs.6900 crore. cooperation arrangement to promote solar energy • The Indian Navy commissioned the IN LCU L54, deployment in Asia & the Pacific. the fourth ship of Landing Craft Utility MK-IV, into • India has announced a new Line of Credit of USD its fleet at Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar. 100 million for defense procurement by Mauritius. • Indian Army has finalised a mega 15,000 crore • ISRO has entered into a Technology Transfer rupees project under which a range of Agreement (TTA) with Bharat Heavy Electricals ammunition for its critical weapons and tanks will Limited (BHEL), to transfer the technology for the be produced indigenously. manufacture of space grade Li-Ion cells. • According to Stockholm International Peace • ISRO launched the GSLV-F08 carrying the Research Institute (SIPRI) Report, India has GSAT6A communication satellite from Satish surpassed France to become one of the world's Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) in Sriharikota, five largest military spenders. Andhra Pradesh. However, the satellite has later • The Indian Space Research Organisation developed a technical problem on which the launched the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite scientists of ISRO are currently working. System-1I, the eighth such satellite to be a part of • As per the Union Minister of State of the Atomic a constellation. Energy & Space, Dr Jitendra Singh, ISRO is • Researchers have discovered the world’s planning to launch Chandrayan-2 Mission around smallest land fern named Malvi’s adder’s-tongue April 2018. Chandrayaan-2 is the country's fern (Ophioglossum malviae) inAhwa forests of second mission to the moon. Western Ghats. • India successfully test-fired its indigenously • 34 leading global technology firms including developed nuclear capable Prithvi-II missile Facebook, Microsoft, HP, ARM, Cisco, and which has a strike range of 350 km. Oracle have signed Cybersecurity Tech Accord to • Hindustan Aeronautics Limited developed the first work together on cyber security issues. flight of Hawk-i with indigenous Real Time • The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has Operating System (RTOS). approved use of Acuvue Oasys Contact Lenses • Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman constituted with Transitions Light Intelligent Technology, a 13-member advisory committee headed by world’s first contact lens that automatically Vinay Sheel Oberoi, to monitor and expedite darkens when exposed to light. capital acquisition projects for the modernisation • The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Delhi has of the armed forces. installed Massive Multiple-Input, Multiple-Output • India successfully test-fired Agni II medium-range (MIMO) lab on campus for standardisation, R&D nuclear-capable missile from APJ Abdul Kalam and manufacturing of 5g equipment. island off the Odisha coast. • The RH-300 MKII sounding rocket for • The Indian & Indonesian armies began the sixth atmospheric studies developed by IRSO’s Vikram edition of their annual military exercise named Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) was successfully 'Garuda Shakti' in Bandung, Indonesia. launched from Thumba Equatorial Rocket • India successfully test-fired the nuclear-capable Launching station in Kerala. surface-to-surface 'Dhanush' ballistic missile with • Exercise ‘Sagar Kavach’ is being conducted to a strike range of 350 km from a naval ship off strengthen and assess the loopholes in the Odisha coast. coastal security mechanism along Kerala shores. • DRDO successfully flown its Unmanned Combat • A joint training exercise Harimau Shakti was Aerial Vehicle RUSTOM 2 in Karnataka. conducted between India and Malaysia in Sengai • Indian Navy launched 'INS Karanj', the third of Perdik, Hulu Langat, Malaysia. the six indigenous Scorpene-class submarines.

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• Armies of India & Vietnam have begun a six- • American & Japanese military forces launched daylong military exercise in Jabalpur in Madhya joint exercise named Iron Fist. Pradesh. The exercise named ‘VINBAX’ is the • Defence Ministry cleared contracts worth 2,420 first military exercise between the two countries. crore rupees for Navy & Army which includes the • India test-fired its nuclear-capable Agni-V procurement of P-8I Training Solution & Low intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), which Intensity Conflict Electronic Warfare System has a strike range of over 5,000km. It was test (LICEWS). fired successfully from Abdul Kalam island off the coast of the eastern state of Odisha.

PERSONS IN NEWS

• The ICICI Bank board has appointed ICICI • The U.S India Business Council named Ambika Prudential Life Insurance CEO Sandeep Bakhshi Sharma as its head for India. as whole-time director and chief operating officer • The President of India has appointed Uttam (COO). Pacharne, as regular Chairman of Lalit Kala • The government appointed Arjit Basu as Akademi. Managing Director of the State Bank of India. • In the latest Cabinet rejig the following ministers • Ivan Duque has won the election to become were given charge: president of Columbia. Piyush Goyal — Finance Ministry, • Former World Bank Economist Omar al-Razzaz Smriti Irani — Textiles Ministry, was sworn in as Jordan's Prime Minister Rajvardhan Rathore — Information and • Dr. Inder Jit Singh assumed charge as Broadcasting Ministry, Secretary, Ministry of Coal. SS Ahluwalia — Electronics Ministry, • An Indian-American woman, Dhivya Suryadevara KJ Alphons — Tourism Ministry. has been named the Chief Finance Officer of the • Mahathir Mohamad was sworn in as Prime USA’s largest automaker, General Motors. Minister of Malaysia. • Arvind Saxena has been appointed to serve as • Armenia’s parliament elected Nikol Pashinyan as the acting Chairman of the Union Public Service a new prime minister. Commission (UPSC). • Carlos Alvarado was sworn in as the new • The Centre has appointed MK Jain, Managing President of Costa Rica. Director, and CEO of IDBI Bank, as the RBI’s • Vladimir Putin was sworn-in as the President of Deputy Governor. Russia for the fourth time, renewing another six- • Defence Secretary Sanjay Mitra Gets Additional year term in office. Charge Of DRDO Chairman. • Subhash Chandra Khuntia has been appointed • Pedro Sanchez Sworn in As Spain's Prime Chairman of Insurance Regulatory and Minister. Development Authority of India (IRDAI). • In Egypt, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi was • Sitanshu Ranjan Kar took over as the 27th sworn in for a second four-year term in office. Principal Spokesperson of the Government of • Giuseppe Conte was sworn in as prime minister India and Director General of Press Information of Italy’s new populist government Bureau in New Delhi. • Anukreethy Vas, from Tamil Nadu has been • The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) has crowned Femina Miss India 2018. promoted Stacey Cunningham to President, • Turkey's long-standing leader Recep Tayyip making her the first sole woman head of the 226- Erdogan has won a new five-year term as year-old exchange. president. • Indu Malhotra become the first woman lawyer to • Sudha Balakrishnan has been appointed the first- be directly appointed as a Supreme Court judge. ever chief financial officer (CFO) of the Reserve • Mario Abdo Benitez won the presidential election Bank of India (RBI). conducted in Paraguay. • The Caribbean island of Barbados has elected • Dilip Chenoy was appointed as the Secretary- Mia Mottley as its first female Prime Minister. General of industry body Federation of Indian • Airtel Payments Bank has appointed Anubrata Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). Biswas as its Managing Director and Chief • Lieutenant General PP Malhotra assumed charge Executive Officer. as Director General of National Cadet Corps • HD Kumaraswamy was sworn-in as the New (NCC) Chief Minister of Karnataka • Rajesh Ranjan was appointed as Director • Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro was re- General of Central Industrial Security Force elected for a second six-year term in presidential (CISF). elections. • Balram Bhargava has been appointed the new • Anil Kumar Jha was appointed Chairman and Director General of the Indian Council of Medical Managing Director (CMD) of Coal India. Research (ICMR). • Gina Haspel was appointed the first female • Ban Ki-moon has been elected chairman of 'Boao director of Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Forum for Asia' (BFA).

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• Rishad Premji, Board member of Wipro Ltd. has • Veteran director Shekhar Kapur has been been appointed as the Chairman of the National appointed the chairman of the central panel of the Association of Software and Services Companies 65th National Film Awards • Stephen Hawking, the brightest star in the (NASSCOM) for 2018-19 firmament of science, whose insights shaped • SBI Life Insurance has appointed Sanjeev modern cosmology & inspired global audiences in Nautiyal as its new Managing Director and CEO. the millions, has died at the age of 76. • Himanta Biswa Sarma was unanimously elected • Rear Admiral Mukul Asthana appointed as the Badminton Association of India (BAI). Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Air) at New Delhi. • Debjani Ghosh, former managing director of Intel • PepsiCo Chairman and CEO Indra Nooyi South Asia, is the new president of Nasscom. appointed as the International Cricket Council's (ICC) first-ever independent female director. • American diplomat Rosemary DiCarlo was • Kannada litterateur Chandrashekar Kambar appointed to become the first woman to head UN elected as president of the Sahitya Akademi. political affairs • Cyril Ramaphosa, head of the ruling African • Chandra Bhushan Kumar has been appointed National Congress (ANC) sworn in as South as Deputy Election Commissioner. Africa's new President. • Vineet Joshi has been appointed as the first • Japan's government reappointed Bank of Japan Director-General (DG) of the National Testing Governor Haruhiko Kuroda for another term. Agency (NTA). • K.P. Sharma Oli was sworn in as Nepal’s PM for • Mukesh Ambani (24th Rank) and human rights the second time. lawyer Indira Jaising (20th Rank) have been • Archaeologist & historian Arvind P. Jamkhedkar named by Fortune magazine as the World's will be the next Chairman of the Indian Council of Greatest Leaders of 2018. This year's list is Historical Research (ICHR). topped by 'The Students' of Marjory Stoneman • Neelam Kapur was appointed Director-General of Douglas and other schools of US that witnessed Sports Authority of India (SAI). gun violence. • Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades has won • Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Chamling became re-election for a second term. the longest-serving Chief Minister in India, • Flying officer Avani Chaturvedi scripted history by surpassing the record of Jyoti Basu, who served becoming the first Indian woman to fly a fighter as West Bengal CM from 1977 to 2000. aircraft solo. • National People’s Party President Conrad • Indian-American Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen Sangma took oath as the CM of Meghalaya. has been elected as the Vice Chairman of the • Nagaland Governor PB Acharya has appointed US-India Strategic & Partnership Forum. Neiphiu Rio as the new CM of the state. • ISRO's Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) • Prakriti has been inducted as the first direct-entry director S Somanath has taken charge as the woman combat officer in the Indo-Tibetan Border new director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre Police. (VSSC). • Biplab Kumar Deb was sworn in as the CM of • Usha Ananth Subramanian, MD & CEO, Tripura. Allahabad Bank, has been elected the first • Nepal’s first woman President Bidya Devi woman chairman of Indian Banks’ Association. Bhandari was re-elected for a second term • Industry Chamber Federation of Indian Chambers • Germany’s Parliament elected Angela Merkel for of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) has appointed her fourth term as chancellor. Dilip Chenoy as its Director General. • Xi Jinping was re-elected as President for a • Former Gujarat CM Anandiben Patel has been second five-year tenure by China's parliament. named as the new governor of Madhya Pradesh. • Russian President Vladimir Putin stormed to • SEBI approved the appointment of Vijay Kumar victory in presidential election, giving him another as MD & CEO of country’s largest agricommodity six years in power. bourse NCDEX. • Yi Gang has been named the next governor of • Supreme Court collegium recommended the China's central bank, the People's Bank of China name of senior advocate Indu Malhotra as the (PBOC). first woman lawyer to be directly appointed as a • Martin Vizcarra has been sworn in as the judge of the Supreme Court of India. country's new president of Peru. • Indian Olympic Association (IOA) appointed • Krishnaswamy Vijay Raghavan was appointed Harjinder Singh as the Chef De Mission for the the principal scientific adviser to the government 23rd Winter Olympic Games to be held in of India. PyeongChang, South Korea in February 2018. • Indu Bhushan was appointed as the Chief • Sivan K was appointed as the 9th chairman of Executive Officer (CEO) of the Union Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). Government’s ambitious Ayushman Bharat • National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) National Health Protection Mission (ABNHPM). has appointed Dilip Asbe as Managing Director & • Myanmar's Parliament elected Win Myint as the CEO of the organisation. country's new President.

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• A R Rahman became the brand ambassador of • Pankaj Jain, Joint Secretary in the Department of Sikkim. Financial Services (DFS), has assumed charge • Vijay Keshav Gokhale has been appointed the as the Managing Director of India Infrastructure foreign secretary of India. He has succeeded S Finance Company Ltd (IIFCL). Jaishankar.

AWARDS

• SKOCH Group has conferred the ‘Best • Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) performing Social Sector Ministry’ award on the has been awarded the Clarivate Analytics India Ministry of Women and Child Development for Innovation Award 2018 in the Government the achievements in delivering the promises Research Organizations Category. made and for its significant achievements and • Minister for Women and Child Development, initiatives from the last 4 years. Maneka Gandhi presented the prestigious Nari • According to the Housing and Urban Affairs Shakti Puraskar 2017 to the members of the Ministry Surat has been awarded for showcasing INSV Tarini team in New Delhi. "great momentum" in the implementation of • Barcelona forward Lionel Messi has won the projects under the Smart Cities Mission. European Golden Shoe for the fifth time. Bhopal and Ahmedabad were selected in the • "Shoplifters", a family tale by Japanese veteran ‘Innovative Idea' category for their "transformative director Hirokazu Kore-eda, won the Palme d'Or approach towards sustainable integrated top prize at the 2018 Cannes film festival. development". • NMDC (National Mineral Development • Vishwas Mandalik from Nasik and the Yoga Corporation) Limited has bagged the S&P Global Institute in Mumbai have been selected as PLATTS Global Metals Award 2018 in corporate recipients of the Prime Minister’s award for social responsibility (CSR) category. outstanding contribution for promotion and • Polish author Olga Tokarczuk has won the Man development of yoga for the year 2018. Booker International Prize for her novel ‘Flights’. • Social reformer and founder of Sulabh • Nobel laureate and noted economist Muhammad International, Bindeshwar Pathak was honoured Yunus was honoured with the 11th KISS with Japan’s prestigious Nikkei Asia Prize. Humanitarian Award 2018. • Indian captain Virat Kohli has received the • Nisha Bhalla, holistic coach and consultant from prestigious Polly Umrigar Trophy (Cricketer of the Mumbai was felicitated at the recently concluded Year) award for two consecutive seasons (2016- Annual Women Economic Forum (WEF) 2018 17 and 2017-18) at the BCCI Annual Awards Awards. WEF is the largest global gathering of function. women entrepreneurs and leaders worldwide. • Kendrick Lamar received the Pulitzer Prize in • The Swedish Academy has decided to postpone music for his album “Damn.” Lamar is the first the 2018 Nobel Prize in Literature, with the rapper in history to be given the award. intention of awarding it in 2019. • President Ram Nath Kovind presented the • Yuvraj Singh has been awarded the 'most 'Santokbaa Humanitarian Award' to Child rights inspiring icon of the year for Social Welfare' activist and Noble Laureate Kailash Satyarthi and award by the Dadasaheb Phalke International space scientist A S Kiran Kumar, former Film Festival (DPIFF) for his exemplary Chairman of Indian Space Research contribution in the field of social welfare. Organisation (ISRO) • Indian botanist Kamaljit S. Bawa (president of • The Ministry of Shipping’s flagship programme for Bengaluru-based non-profit Ashoka Trust for port-led-prosperity ‘Sagarmala’ received the ‘Gold Research in Ecology and the Environment) Award’ in infrastructure sector in the recently received the prestigious Linnean Medal in Botany concluded 52nd Skoch Summit 2018 in New from the Linnean Society of London. Delhi. The Linnean Medal is awarded to a biologist • Lawrence Haddad, who is a British economist every year by the Linnean Society of London. and food policy researcher, and Dr David • The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research Nabarro, who has worked with the World Health (CSIR) is awarded the National Intellectual Organization and United Nations on health and Property (IP) Award 2018 in the category “Top hunger issues, were named the 2018 World Food R&D Institution / Organization for Patents and Prize recipients. Commercialization”. • Kalki Koechlin was conferred with the French • Egyptian photographer Mahmoud Abu distinction of Knight of the Order of Arts and Zeid, popularly known as Shawkan won the Letters (Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Arts et des 2018 Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize Lettres), for her contribution in enhancing Indo- of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and French ties in cinema. Cultural Organization. • Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje was • Indu Jain, chairman of Bennett, Coleman & conferred the ‘Chief Minister of the Year’ award Co, India’s largest media house, has received for her remarkable work in e-governance. the All India Management Association’s

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(AIMA’s) annual award for lifetime contribution to Best Picture: The Shape of Water. Best Actress: media. Frances McDormand (Three Billboards Outside • Dadahaheb Phalke Excellence Awards Ebbing, Missouri as Mildred Hayes). 2018 honoured the individuals from the Best Actor: Gary Old(Darkest Hour as Winston entertainment industry for their outstanding Churchill) Best Director: Guillermo del Toro (The contribution towards the growth and development Shape of Water). of cinema and/or television. Best Supporting Actress: Allison Janney – I Best actor (male): Shahid Kapoor Best actor (Tonya) people's choice award: Ranveer Singh Best Supporting Actor: Sam Rockwell (Three Entertainer of the year: Kartik Aryan Best actress Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (critics): Aditi Rao Hydari Lifetime achievement • Shatrughan Sinha has been honoured with the award: Simi Garewal Pride of Indian lifetime achievement award for his contribution to cinema: Sanjay Dutt Path breaking producer of the fields of arts & politics in the United Kingdom. the year: Anushka Sharma and Karnesh Sharma • Architect Balkrishna Vithaldas Doshi has • Lalit Kala Akademi, organised the award become the first Indian to win the Pritzker Prize, ceremony of the '1st Print Biennale India 2018 the highest award in architecture. (PBI)' in New Delhi. Arup Kumar Kuity (Andhra • India has won the "Best Exhibitor Award " at ITB Pradesh), Satya Narayana Gavara (Andhra – Berlin. ‘ITB- Berlin World Tourist Meet’ was Pradesh), Preya Bhagat (Uttar Pradesh), Purvi convened at Berlin, Germany. Parmar (Gujrat) and Sonal Varshneya (Uttar • Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) was Pradesh) were given the award in the 1st PBI. awarded the International Kochon Prize 2017 for • Madhya Pradesh was conferred the award for encouraging research & development (R&D) the Most Film Friendly State for its efforts towards efforts towards tuberculosis treatment. easing filming in the State by creating a well- • Robert Langlands won the prestigious Abel Prize structured website and film-friendly infrastructure. for developing a programme connecting • Vinod Khanna was awarded the Dadasaheb representation theory to number theory. Phalke Award for his contribution to Indian • Actor Jackie Shroff's short film 'Shunyata' has Cinema. This was announced during the 65th won an award at Best of India Short Film Festival National Film Awards. in Los Angeles, US. • The Pulitzer Prizes for 2018 has been • Defence Research & Development Organisation announced. (DRDO) has received the ‘Most Informative 1. Fiction- Andrew Sean Greer’s “Less” has won Pavilion’ Award in Pride of India Expo organized the Pulitzer Prize for fiction. as part of the 105th Indian Science Congress at 2. Drama- Cost of Living, by Martyna Majok. Manipur University, Imphal. 3. History-The Gulf: The Making of an American • PM Modi conferred the 'Grand Collar of the State Sea, by Jack E. Davis (Liveright/W.W. of Palestine' by President of Palestine Mahmoud Norton). Abbas, recognising his key contribution to 4. Biography- Prairie Fires: The American promote relations between India and Palestine. Dreams of Laura Ingalls Wilder, by Caroline • India’s Umang App named winner of Best Fraser (Metropolitan Books). MGovernment Service award in the Accessible 5. Poetry- Half-light: Collected Poems 1965- Government category while Aadhar won the best 2016, by Frank Bidar emerging technology award at World Journalism: Public Service: The New York Times, Government Summit 2018 in Dubai, where India The New Yorker had the status of ‘Guest of Honour’ country. • The 65th National Film Awards were announced • Milkbasket, India's first & largest micro-delivery in Shastri Bhawan, New Delhi. Best Film: Assamese film Village Rockstars platform recognised as 'Startup of the Year' 2017 Best Direction: Jayaraj, Bhayanakam at the 7th Small Business Awards held in New Best Actor (Male): Riddhi Sen, Nagarkirtan Delhi. Best Actor (Female): Sridevi, MOM • Vikas Sathaye, honoured with the Scientific & • Sreekumaran Thampi has been selected for the Engineering Academy Award at the Oscars J.C. Daniel Award, the Kerala government’s Scientific & Technical Awards 2018 at Beverly highest honour for lifetime contribution to Hills in Los Angeles, California. Malayalam cinema. • Business consultancy firm EY has named Bajaj • Gujarati poet, playwright and academic Sitanshu Finserv’s Sanjiv Bajaj as the entrepreneur for Yashaschandra was selected for 2017 Saraswati 2017. Samman for his collection of verses (poetry) titled • Shabnam Asthana was awarded the 'Times “Vakhar”. Power Women of the Year 2017'- Pune for Global • The 90th Academy Awards commonly referred to PR. as Oscars was held at the Dolby Theatre in • Magahi writer Shesh Anand Madhukar, who has Hollywood, Los Angeles, California. been working extensively for the development of • The Shape of Water won the most number of the language, was honoured with this year's awards totalling to four at the ceremony after it Sahitya Akademi Bhasha Samman award. was nominated into highest 13 categories.

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• List of winners from the British Academy of Film Best Motion Picture Musical/Comedy: Lady Bird. and Television Arts (Bafta) ceremony, held at Best Director in Motion Picture -Drama: Guillermo London's Royal Albert Hall. del Toro (The Shape of Water). • Best film-"Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Best Actor in Motion Picture-Drama: Gary Missouri" Oldman (Darkest Hour) as Winston Churchill. • Outstanding British film-"Three Billboards Best Actress in Motion Picture-Drama: Frances Outside Ebbing, Missouri" McDormand (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, • Leading actor-Gary Oldman ("Darkest Hour") Missouri) as Mildred Hayes • Leading actress-Frances McDormand ("Three Best Actor in Motion Picture or Musical or Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri") Comedy: James Franco (The Disaster Artist) as • Director-Guillermo del Toro ("The Shape of Tommy Wiseau. Water") • Bengali actor Soumitra Chatterjee (83) was • Crime drama Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, awarded France’s highest civilian award, Legion Missouri won maximum prizes d’Honneur. • The President of India has approved the awards • Asha Bhosle was chosen for fifth edition of Yash for 85 individuals, which includes 3 Padma Chopra Memorial Award for her outstanding Vibhushan, 9 Padma Bhushan and 73 Padma contribution to the Hindi film industry. Shri. • India’s highest peacetime military decoration • Padma Vibhushan : Ashok Chakra was awarded posthumously to Ilaiyaraaja – Art( Music) Indian Air Force (IAF) Garud commando Corporal Ghulam Mustafa Khan – Art( Music) Jyoti Prakash Nirala. P Parameswaran- Literature and Education • President Ram Nath Kovind has felicitated 112 • The 60th Annual Grammy Awards were held at exceptional women achievers at Rashtrapati Madison Square Garden in New York . Bhawan in New Delhi. These women achievers Album of The Year: Bruno Mars ‘FIRST LADIES’ are those who are first to set Song of the Year: Bruno Mars', That's What I milestone of achievement in their respective fields. Like • The 75th Annual Golden Globe Awards honored Record of The Year: Bruno Mars, 24K Magic the best in film and American television of 2017. Best Pop Solo Performance: Ed Sheeran, Best Motion Picture Drama: Three Billboards Shape of You Outside Ebbing, Missouri. Best Pop Vocal Album: Ed Sheeran, Divide Best Motion Picture Musical/Comedy: Lady Bird. Best Dance Recording: LCD Soundsystem, Best Director in Motion Picture -Drama: Tonite Guillermo del Toro (The Shape of Water). Best Music Film: The Defiant Ones Best Actor in Motion Picture-Drama: Gary Best Children's Album: Feel What U Feel, Lisa Oldman (Darkest Hour) as Winston Churchill. Loeb Best Actress in Motion Picture-Drama: Frances Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual McDormand (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Media: La Land Missouri) as Mildred Hayes Producer of the Year, Classical: David Frost Best Actor in Motion Picture or Musical or • NITI Aayog member Dr Vinod Paul became first Comedy: James Franco (The Disaster Artist) as Indian to be awarded prestigious IhsanDogramaci Tommy Wiseau. Family Health Foundation Prize by World Health • Best Actress in Motion Picture Musical/Comedy: Organisation. Saoirse Ronan (Lady Bird) as Christine “Lady • Bengali actor Soumitra Chatterjee (83) was Bird” McPherson awarded France’s highest civilian award, Legion • List of Winners of ICC Award 2017- d’Honneur. 1. Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Men’s • Asha Bhosle was chosen for fifth edition of Yash Cricketer of the Year - Virat Kohli (India) Chopra Memorial Award for her outstanding 2. ICC Men’s Test Cricketer of the Year - contribution to the Hindi film industry. Steve Smith (Australia) • India’s highest peacetime military decoration 3. ICC Men’s ODI Cricketer of the Year - Virat Ashok Chakra was awarded posthumously to Kohli (India) Indian Air Force (IAF) Garud commando Corporal 4. ICC Men’s Emerging Cricketer of the Year Jyoti Prakash Nirala. - Hasan Ali (Pakistan) 5. ICC Men’s Associate Cricketer of the Year • President Ram Nath Kovind has felicitated 112 - Rashid Khan (Afghanistan) exceptional women achievers at Rashtrapati 6. ICC Men’s T20I Performance of the Year - Bhawan in New Delhi. These women achievers Yuzvendra Chahal (6-25 v England) (India) ‘FIRST LADIES’ are those who are first to set 7. David Shepherd Trophy for ICC Umpire of milestone of achievement in their respective the Year – Marais Erasmus fields. 8. ICC Spirit of Cricket - Anya Shrubsole • The 75th Annual Golden Globe Awards honored (England) the best in film and American television of 2017. 9. ICC Fans Moment of the Year - Pakistan Best Motion Picture Drama: Three Billboards stuns India to win the ICC Champions Trophy Outside Ebbing, Missouri. 2017.

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• 63rd Filmfare Awards: • India's Sanjana Ramesh was awarded the 'Most Bollywood came together to celebrate the Valuable Player' (MVP) even as compatriot industry's talent at 63rd Jio Filmfare Awards Vaishnavi Yadav won the 'Girls Grit Award' on the 2018, held in Mumbai. fourth and final day of Basketball Without Borders Best Film - 'Hindi Medium' Asia 2018, which featured 66 campers from 16 Critics' Award for Best Film- 'Newton' countries from the Asia-Pacific region. Best Actor In A Leading Role (Female) -Vidya • The ICC has included Nepal, Netherlands, Balan for 'Tumhari Sulu' Scotland and the UAE in their ODI rankings list Best Actor In A Leading Role (Male) - Irrfan apart from the 12 existing countries. Khan for 'Hindi Medium • India sprinter Dutee Chand set a new national Best Director Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari for 'Bareilly Ki Barfi’ record in the women’s 100-metre race when she clocked 11.29 seconds at the 58th National Inter- SPORTS State Senior Athletics Championships being held • Roger Federer claimed his 98th ATP title. He in Guwahati, Assam. defeated Milos Raonic in the Stuttgart Cup final. • Forward Rani Rampal was named as the captain • India Women's Cricket team opener Smriti of India’s 18-member squad for the women’s Mandhana will become the first Indian player to hockey World Cup to be played in London. appear in Kia Super League - the women's • Indian swimmer Sandeep Sejwal put up an cricket super league in England. impressive performance to clinch the gold medal • The United States, Mexico and Canada won the in men's 50m breaststroke event at the right to host the 2026 World Cup after defeating Singapore National Swimming Championships in Morocco in a vote by FIFA member nations in Singapore. Moscow. • Archer Deepika Kumari won her first individual • American golfer Brooks Koepka has made history gold medal in six years at the Salt Lake World and finished strong as he became the first player Cup, in the USA. in 29 years to win back-to-back US Open titles • India’s R Praggnanandhaa has become the • The 2018 French Open (also known as Roland country’s youngest and the world’s second Garros) was a Grand Slam tennis tournament youngest Grand Master at the age of 12 years. played on outdoor clay courts. It was the 122nd • Daniel Ricciardo won the Formula One at edition of the French Open. Monaco GP. Men’s Singles: Rafael Nadal (winner), Dominic Daniel Joseph Ricciardo is an Australian racing Thiem (runner). driver who is currently competing in Formula One Women’s Singles: Simona Halep (winner), for Red Bull Racing. Sloane Stephens (runner) • Chennai Super Kings has defeated SunRisers Men’s Doubles : Nicolas Mahut and Pierre- Hyderabad to clinch their third Indian Premier Hugues Herbert (winner), Oliver Marach and League title. Mate Pavic (runner) • Spanish football team Real Madrid have won Women’s Doubles :Barbara Krejcikova and Champions League title by beating English Katerina Siniakova (winner), Eri Hozumi and side Liverpool. Makoto Ninomiya (runner) • The UEFA Champions League is an annual continental club football competition organised by • American fighter Ronda Rousey will become the the Union of European Football Associations first female MMA fighter to be inducted into the (UEFA) and contested by European clubs. Ultimate Fighting Championship Hall of Fame. • Japan's women won the Uber Cup, against • India has won the Intercontinental Cup football Thailand. title defeating Kenya. Uber Cup, also called as the World Team • India cricketer Mithali Raj has become the first Championships for Women, is a major batter from the country to score 2000 runs in T20I international badminton competition contested by cricket. She achieved the feat during India's women's national badminton teams. Women's T20 Asia Cup match against Sri Lanka. • Tejaswini Sawant an Indian shooter had bagged • India cricket captain Virat Kohli is among the the gold in the Grand Prix in Munich, Germany. world's highest-paid athletes, according to a • Rafael Nadal of Spain has beaten Germany’s Forbes' compilation which is topped by American Alexander Zverev to win Italian Open title. boxing champion Floyd Mayweather. • South Korea won the 2018 Women’s Asian • Kagiso Rabada, the world's number one Test bowler, Champions trophy defeating India. was named South Africa's Cricketer of the Year. • Indian shooter Heena Sidhu won the gold medal • The ICC has included Nepal, Netherlands, while P Shri Nivetha settled for bronze in the Scotland and the UAE in their ODI rankings list women's 10m air pistol at the International apart from the 12 existing countries. Shooting Competitions of Hannover (ISCH), in • Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) reclaimed the world Germany. championship lead with a dominant victory in the • Indian boxer Neeraj Goyat has been conferred French Grand Prix. with the WBC Asia Boxer of the Year Award.

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• Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah has been Australia with 198 medals (80 Gold, 59 Silver and named the Football Writers' Association 59 Bronze) topped the chart and England with Footballer of the Year. 136 Medals (45 Gold, 45 Silver and 46 Bronze) • Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes has won the stood second. Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2018. Gold Medals won by India • Indian shooter Shahzar Rizvi became the world • Gold Medals in Weight Lifting: Chanu Saikhom number one shooter in the 10-metre air pistol Mirabai, Venkat Rahul Ragala, Sanjitha Chanu, category after having won a silver medal at the Satish Kumar, Punam Yadav recently concluded shooting World Cup in South Gold Medals in Shooting: Manu Bhaker, Hina Korea. Sidhu, Anish Bhanwala, Sanjeev Rajput, • India's CA Bhavani Devi won a silver medal in the Tejaswini Sawant , Shreyasi Singh sabre event of the Tournoi World Cup Satellite Gold Medals in Wrestling: Sushil Kumar, Sumit, Fencing Championship in Reykjavik, Iceland. Rahul Aware, Bajrang, Vinesh Phogat • Indian skipper Virat Kohli has emerged as the Gold Medals in Boxing: Gaurav Solanki, Vikas International Cricketer of the Year at the CEAT Krishnan, MC Mary Kom Gold Medals in Table Cricket Ratings awards, which were presented in Tennis: Men’s and Women’s team, Manika Batra Mumbai. (Womens Singles). • India has won 8th South Asian Judo • Gold Medals in Badminton : Saina Nehwal Championship held in Lalitpur, Nepal. (womens singles), Mixed Team event In the men's team category, India defeated • Gold Medal in Athletics: Neeraj chopra (Javelin Pakistan. In the women’s category India defeated throw) Nepal. • Rafael Nadal has won his 11th Barcelona Open • Rafael Nadal of Spain has won the 11th Monte title on clay. He defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas to Carlo Masters title by defeating Japan's Kei clinch the title. Nishikori. • Navjot Kaur clinched the 1st gold medal for India • Daniel Ricciardo won the 2018 Chinese grand in the Asian Wrestling championship in Bishkek, prix ahead of Valtteri Bottas and Kimi Raikkonen. Kyrgyzstan. • 'Son of Dreams' was unveiled as official Mascot • International Olympic Committee (IOC) has of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 in China. restored Russia's Olympic membership with • Pune-based 17-year-old swimmer Sampanna immediate effect following its suspension from Ramesh Shelar has set a world record to double the Winter Olympics at PyeongChang in South cross the Bangla Channel. Korea. • Kidambi Srikanth has become the first Indian • India won the inaugural IBSF Snooker Team male badminton player to attain the world number World Cup in Doha, Qatar. India beat Pakistan in one ranking since Prakash Padukone in the the best-of five final. 1980s. • World champions Australia have lifted the • Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel won his second Grand coveted Sultan Azlan Shah Hockey title. In the Prix at the Bahrain Grand Prix, while Mercedes' final at Ipoh, Malaysia, they beat defending Valtteri Bottas finished second by just 0.699 champions England. seconds. • Indian para-athlete Deepa Malik won a gold • Leander Paes became the most successful medal in the F-53/54 category javelin event at the doubles player in the history of Davis Cup as he World Para Athletics Grand Prix in Dubai. combined with Rohan Bopanna to not only grab a • India’s Purva Barve has won the Women’s Singles record 43rd win but also bring the country back in (Under-19) title at the Israel Junior 2018 Badminton the tie against China. tournament held in Rishon LeZion, Israel. • Indian women's cricket team captain Mithali • Indian Olympic Association (IOA) chooses PV Raj has become the most capped player in Sindhu as the flag-bearer of the Indian contingent women's ODI cricket after turning out for the for the opening ceremony of the Gold Coast 192nd time against England. Commonwealth Games. • The Miami Open, sometimes known as the Miami • Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari) won Australian Grand Masters, is an annual tennis tournament for men Prix. and women currently held in Florida, the USA. • Pankaj Advani defended his Asian Billiards John Isner won his first ever Masters 1,000 title Championships title. With this win, Advani with a victory over German Alexander Zverev in remains the reigning Indian, Asian & world the Miami Open final. S. Stephens won in the champion in billiards for 2017- 18. Women's singles category. She has defeated J. • Indian women's cricket team pacer Jhulan Ostapenko. Goswami has become the first woman in the • Kerala won their sixth Santosh Trophy Football. world to take 200 wickets in ODI. The defending champions was Bengal. • The first Khelo India School Games concluded in • India finished third in the medals tally at the New Delhi with Haryana topped the overall medal Commonwealth Games 2018, (66 tally. The state won 102 medals. Maharashtra medals including 26 gold, 20 silver and 20 bronze with 110 medals (36 of them gold) finished medals) held at Goldcoast, Australia . second while Delhi with 94 medals came third.

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• Sharmila Nicollet become the first Indian golfer to Senior National Weightlifting Championships, in qualify for the China Ladies PGA Tour. Mangaluru, Karnataka. • Rohan More became the first Asian as well as the • International Cricket Council (ICC) announced, first Indian to swim across the Ocean Seven. the 2018 edition of the Women’s World T20 will • Roger Federer became the most decorated be hosted by West Indies in November 2018. winner in the history of Laureus World Sports • India beat Pakistan by two wickets to win the Blind Awards after he won twin honours at the 18th Cricket World Cup 2018 for the second time. Sunil edition of the awards ceremony in Monaco. It was Ramesh was declared the man of the match. his sixth award. • Aanchal Thakur made history as she won India's • Serena Williams won the Sportswoman of the first ever international medal in skiing. She clinched Year Award following her Australian Open bronze in the coveted Alpine Ejder 3200 Cup. success. • Indian golfer Shiv Kapur won the Royal Cup at • Aruna Budda Reddy has created history by Pattaya, which is his third Asian Tour title of 2017. becoming the first Indian to win an individual • Switzerland won their third Hopman Cup as Roger medal at the Gymnastics World Cup in Federer and Belinda Bencic beat Germany's Melbourne, Australia. She clinched a Bronze Alexander Zverev & Angelique Kerber in the finals. medal in the Women’s Vault. • Elina Svitolina secured her first WTA title in • PyeongChang Winter Olympics 2018, officially Australia with a straight-sets victory in the known as the XXIII Olympic Winter Games were Brisbane International final. held in PyeongChang, South Korea. The motto of • G Sathiyan become India’s highest-ranked player Winter Olympics 2018 was “Passion Connected”. in the latest International Table Tennis Federation Soohorang, a white tiger, & Bandabi, an Asiatic (ITTF) rankings. black bear were the official mascots for this • Meghalaya signed the Host City Contract with the event. Indian Olympic Association (IOA) for hosting the • India has defeated Australia to lift the Under 19 39th National Games in 2022. World cup for the fourth time. • Vidarbha created history by winning the Ranji • Indian cricketers Jasprit Bumrah & Harmanpreet Trophy for the first time in history with a thumping Kaur as well India women’s hockey team nine-wicket win over Delhi goalkeeper Savita Punia & shooter Heena Sidhu • The world no.1 Tai Tzu Ying of Taiwan has are among Forbes India 30 Under 30 list. defeated Saina Nehwal in the finals of the • Shubhankar Sharma has emerged as the best Indonesia Masters in Jakarta. Indian golfer in the world, grabbing the 72nd • Team Liverpool sold Brazilian football player position in the Official World Golf Ranking Philippe Coutinho to Team Barcelona for 160 (OWGR). million Euros ($192 million). With this, transfer of • Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the first Philippe Coutinho has become the 2nd Most Khelo India School Games at Indira Gandhi Expensive transfer in World Soccer History. Indoor Stadium in New Delhi. • The 2018 Australian Open was the 106th edition • Sandeep Lamichhane became the first cricketer of the tournament. Roger Federer successfully from Nepal to land a deal an IPL contract. He defended his title, defeating Marin Cilic in the was picked by Delhi Daredevils . final. It was Federer's 20th Grand Slam title. In • Weight Lifter Rakhi Halder created a new national women's' single, Caroline Wozniacki became the record in clean and jerk to a gold medal in the first Danish player to win a Grand Slam singles 63kg women’s category in the 33rd Women title, defeating Simona Halep in the final.

BOOKS AND AUTHORS

• The Vice President of India, M. Venkaiah Naidu • Love and Life in Lucknow: An Imaginary has received the book "Vedvigyan Alok" authored Biography of a City – Mehru Jaffer by Acharya Agnivarat Naishthik. • Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh The Book Vedvigyan Alok is the scriptural verse released a book titled ‘My Journey from Marxism- in Vedas' prose. Leninism to Nehruvian Socialism’ by former Planning Commission and Finance Commission • Eleven Gods And A Billion Indians- Boria member C H Hanumantha Rao. Majumdar • Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), on the occasion of the • There and Back: Twelve of the Great Routes of 70th independence of the island nation, paid a Human History – Stewart Gordan glowing tribute to former BCCI President • General Bipin Rawat, Chief of Army the Staff Jagmohan Dalmiya by releasing a book, titled ‘A released the book 'Across the Bench - Insight into Tribute to Jagu’. the Indian Military Judicial System' by Lt Gen • General Bipin Rawat, Chief of the Army Staff Gyan Bhushan, former Army Commander released a book on Paramveer Chakra Awardees • Ready To Fire: How India and I Survived the - ‘Paramveer Parwane’. It is written by Dr ISRO Spy Case – Nambi Narayanan and Arun Prabhakiran Jain. Ram • The Free Voice: On Democracy, Culture and the • Reshaping Art – T M Krishna Nation – Ravish Kumar

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• Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani • Sanjay Manjrekar launched his autobiography released 'India 2018' (English Version) and named ‘Imperfect’, in Mumbai. The book 'Bharat 2018' (Hindi Version). ‘Imperfect’ was released by Dilip Vengsarkar • The book penned down by PM Narendra Modi • resident Ram Nath Kovind unveiled a book on named 'Exam Warriors' was launched to reach heartfulness techniques & principles titled 'The out to the students across the country ahead of Heartfulness Way’ authored by Kamlesh D. Patel. their exams.

IMPORTANT DAYS

• June 1 – Global Day of Parents • April 23 – World Book and Copyright Day • June 3 – World Bicycle Day English Language Day • June 5 – World Environment Day • April 24 – National Panchayat Raj Day • June 8 – World Oceans Day • April 25 – World Malaria Day • June 12 – World Day Against Child Labour • April 26 – International Chernobyl Disaster • June 14 – World Blood Donor Day Remembrance Day • June 15 – World Elder Abuse Awareness Day – World Intellectual property Day • June 16 – International Day of Family Remittance • April 28 – World Day for Safety and Health at • June 17 – World Day to combat Desertification work and Drought • April 30 – International Jazz day • June 20 – World Refugee Day • March 1 – Zero discrimination Day • June 21 – International Day of Yoga • March 3 – World Wildlife Day • June 23 – United Nations Public Service Day • March 8 - International Womens Day • World Music Day • March 15 - World Consumer Rights Day • June 25 – Day of the Seafarer • March 20 – International Day of Happiness • June 27 – Micro Small and Medium sized World Sparrow Day Enterprises Day • March 21 – International Day for Elimination Of • June 29 – International Day of the Tropics Racial Discrimination National Statistics Day • March 21 – World Poetry Day • June 30 – International Asteroid Day – International Day of Nowruz International Day of Parliamentarism – World Down Syndrome Day • May 1 – International Labour Day – International Day of Forests • May 2 – World Tuna Day • March 22 – World Water Day • May 3- World Press Freedom Day • March 23 – World Meteorological Day • May 8 – World Red Cross Day • March 24 – World Tuberculosis Day • May 11 – National Technology Day • March 27 – World Theatre Day • May 12 – International Nurses Day • February 4 – World Cancer Day • May 15 – International Day of Families • February 6 – International Day of zero tolerance • May 17 – World Telecommunication and to female genital mutilation Information Society Day • February 11 – International Day of women and • May 20 – World Bee Day girls in science • May 21 – National Anti-Terrorism Day • February 12 – National Productivity Day • May 22 – International Day for Biological • February 13 – World Radio Day Diversity • February 20 – World Day of Social Justice • May 29 – International Day of UN peace keepers • February 21 – International Mother Language • May 31 – World No Tobacco Day Day • April 2 – World Autism Awareness Day • February 28 – National Science Day • April 4 - International Day for mine awareness • January 1 – World Day of Peace and assistance in mine action • January 9 – Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas • April 6 – International Day of Sport for • January 10 – World Hindi Day Development and Peace • January 12 – National Youth day • April 7 – World Health Day • January 15 – Indian Army Day International Day of Reflection on the • January 25 – National Voters Day Genocide in Rwanda • January 26 – India Republic Day • April 12 – International Day of Human Space • January 27 – International Day of Commeoration Flight in memory of the victims of the Holocaust • April 17 – World Hemophilia Day • January 30 – National Martyr’s Day • April 18 – World Heritage Day • January 31 – World Leprosy Day • April 21 – World Creativity and Innovation day Thank You! • April 22 – International Mother Earth Day

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