GK POWER CAPSULE - MAY 2015 – HINDU REVIEWS This Capsule Has Been Prepared by the Career Power Institute Delhi (Formerly Known As Bank Power)

GK POWER CAPSULE - MAY 2015 – HINDU REVIEWS This capsule has been prepared by the Career Power Institute Delhi (Formerly known as Bank Power). This document contains all the important news and events of the Month May 2015, which can be helpful in the upcoming exams and interviews. 1. AIADMK General Secretary J Jayalalithaa was sworn- 7. President Pranab Mukherjee authorized Justice in as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu for fifth time. (retd) Cyriac Joseph to act as the interim She is the 18th Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and chairperson of the National Human Rights succeeded O Panneerselvam who resigned on 21 Commission (NHRC). He will replace K.G. May 2015 following her acquittal on 11 May 2015 in Balakrishnan. the disproportionate assets case by the Karnataka 8. Eminent banker Kundapur Vaman Kamath was High Court. The court overruled the Bangalore’s appointed as the first President of the New special court judgment which found Jayalalithaa Development Bank (NDB) of BRICS nations. He will guilty. serve a five year term after the bank becomes operational within one year. 9. The Union Ministry of Finance appointed a committee under the chairmanship of Justice Ajit Prakash Shah to look into the issue of Minimum Alternate Tax (MAT) on Foreign Institutional 2. David Cameron’s Conservative Party on 8 May 2015 Investors (FIIs). As per the Finance Act, 2015 the 20 won the UK General election 2015 by securing 331 percent MAT on Capital Gains made by FIIs is seats in a Parliament of 650. With this win, the waived off from the financial year 2015-16. incumbent Prime Minister David Cameroon will However, the issue of imposing MAT for past years continue to be in the office. (till 2014-15) has become controversial. At present, 3. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet gave Justice A P Shah is heading the 20th Law its nod for appointing G Mohan Kumar as the Commission of India. Secretary of the Ministry of Defence. 10. Achal Kumar Jyoti was appointed as the Election 4. Akhil Amar, an Indian-American professor from Yale Commissioner of India. At present, Nasim Zaidi, the University, was appointed as a member of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), is the other prestigious National Council on Humanities of member of election commission. United States. 5. Peter M Christian was elected as the eighth President of the Federated States of Micronesia. 6. SS Ahluwalia was appointed as the chairman of Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition

Rehabilitation and Resettlement (LARR) (Amendment) Bill, 2015. The committee has 20 11. Senior IPS officer Surender Singh took over as members from the Lok Sabha and 10 members from Director General of central paramilitary force the Rajya Sabha. Central Industrial Security Force. 12. Actor and producer Mukesh Khanna was appointed at the Washington DC International Film festival. as the Chairperson of the Children's Film Society of Kalki Koechlin-starrer film is a disability drama. India. 23. Prime Minister Narendra Modi conferred the 50th 13. Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz appointed his Jnanpith Award on eminent Marathi litterateur nephew Mohammed bin Nayef as the new Crown Bhalchandra Nemade. Prince and as a Deputy Prime Minister. 24. Former Union Finance Minister and veteran BJP 14. Hungarian writer Laszlo Krasznahorkai won the leader Yashwant Sinha was conferred with prestigious Man Booker International Prize for the Officier de la Légion d’Honneur(Officer of the 2015. Legion of Honour- highest French civilian 15. Veteran Bollywood actor Shashi Kapoor was distinction) in recognition of his valuable honoured with the prestigious Dada Saheb Phalke contribution to thought on international issues. award. 25. President of the United States (US) Barack Obama entered Guinness Book of World Record for reaching a million followers in a span of mere 5 hours after going live. Barack Obama debuted on Social Media Platform Twitter with @POTUS account. 16. The French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo was 26. V Shanmuganathan was sworn in as 15th Governor presented with the 2015 Freedom of Expression of Meghalaya at the Raj Bhawan in Shillong. Courage Award of the PEN American Centre at the 27. Indian-Origin Harbhajan Kaur Dheer became the American Museum of Natural History. first Asian woman to be elected as mayor in the 17. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and United Kingdom (UK). Cultural Organization (UNESCO) presented the 2015 28. Indian-origin Priti Patel was appointed as Minister UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom of State for Employment in British Government. Prize to Syrian journalist and rights activist Mazen 29. Bollywood actor Salman Khan was in news as he Darwish. was sentenced to five years imprisonment by 18. Ace tennis player Rafael Nadal received the Golden Mumbai Sessions Court. He was sentenced for his Medal for Merit in Work. Golden Medal is one of 28 September 2002 hit and run case in which one the top civilian honours of Spain which aims to pavement dweller was killed and four others were highlight an exemplary performance in any job or injured. profession. 19. Prannoy Roy, the Executive Co-chairman of NDTV, was conferred with the Redink Lifetime Achievement Award 2015 at a function in Mumbai. 20. Two Indians namely Dr Ananda Kumar and Dr Pramod Patil won the prestigious Whitley Awards (also known as Green Oscar) for their contribution to wildlife conservation. 21. Srinagar-born novelist Siddhartha Gigoo won the 2015 Commonwealth Short Story Prize for Asia region for his work Umbrella Man. 22. Margarita, with a Straw directed by Shonali Bose of 30. Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu O Panneerselvam India won the Audience Award for Best Feature Film resigned. 31. Veteran jazz musician Bob Belden passed away. Line of Credit to Mongolia. India-Mongolia signed 32. Eminent economist and academics Mrinal Datta 13 agreements including enhancement in Chaudhuri passed away. cooperation in border defence, air services, cyber 33. Popular Indian stage, film and television actress security, renewable energy and others. Modi Sudha Shivpuri died. addressed to the Mongolian Parliament. Modi 34. Aruna Shanbaug, the nurse of Mumbai’s King gifted a rare history manuscript to Mongolian Edward Memorial (KEM) Hospital, died on 18 May President. 2015. She died after battling with coma for past 42- 42. Highlights of the visit to South Korea - Narendra years following a sexual assault by a hospital ward Modi announced to set up a special panel to clear boy. and fast-track South Korean investments into India. 35. Veteran Hollywood actress Elizabeth Wilson passed South Korea became the second country after Japan away. for which a special panel will be constituted. South 36. Former Union Minister and veteran Congress leader Korea announced to invest 10 billion dollar for Baleshwar Ram. Indian infrastructure development. India-South Korea signed seven agreements including revised avoidance of double taxation, cooperation in audio- visual co-production, Youth Matters as well as cooperation between the National Security Council of India and South Korea. 43. Muglawali village of Yamun nagar district in

Haryana came into news after district authorities 37. Authorities of the Gangotri National Park in claimed that they have dugged out a paleo (old) Uttarakhand on 21 May 2015 opened the Nelong channel which resembles now inactive River Valley for tourists for the first time since its closure Saraswati. in 1962. 44. 19th century Dharahara (Bhimsen) tower at the 38. Islamic State for Iraq and Syria (ISIS) militants on 21 center of Sundhara in Kathmandu, Nepal on 25 April May 2015 seized full control of ancient city of 2015 was reduced to rubbles after an earthquake of Palmyra in Syria. magnitude 7.9 on the Richter scale struck the 39. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 19 May 2015 country. returned to India after completing his tour to three 45. The United Nations released Mid-2015 World nations namely China, Mongolia and South Korea. Economic Situation and Prospects. Growth of world 40. Highlights of the visit to China - Prime Minister GDP will accelerate slightly from 2.6 percent in 2014 raised the boundary question with China and asked to 2.8 percent in 2015. for an early settlement of the issue and decided to maintain peace and tranquility at the border point for maturity of relations. India-China signed 24 inter-governmental agreements. 21 business agreements worth 22 billion US dollars signed between Indian and Chinese companies. PM Modi inaugurated ICICI’s first branch in China at Shanghai. 41. Highlights of the visit to Mongolia - Modi is the first 46. United Nations Conference on Trade and ever Prime Minister of India to visit the country. Development (UNCTAD) released a report titled India announced to provide one billion US dollar Global Investment Trends Monitor. The report highlighted that developing Asia now invests more 56. The term Nuclear Insurance Pool was in news as the abroad than any other region. Hong Kong (China) General Insurance Corporation of India was and China were the second and the third largest collecting views from the stakeholders in the investors in the world, after the United States which Insurance industry and Nuclear Energy sector about remains the largest single source of outward foreign the creation of the NIP. The NIP is intended to cover direct investment (FDI). the liability of Nuclear Plant operators and 47. The World Economic Forum released the Human Equipment and Material Suppliers under Civil Capital Report 2015 in Geneva, Switzerland. India Liability for Nuclear Damages (CLND) Act, 2010 in occupied the 100th position among the 124 case of nuclear accidents. The creation of the Pool countries surveyed in the Index. Finland topped the has become necessary due to the reluctance of the list. foreign nuclear equipment suppliers to participate in the nuclear trade with India as the CNLD Act, 2010 has imposed liability on them in case of nuclear accidents. The GIC is given the responsibility by the Union Government for the creation of the NIP and it will be of 1500 crore rupees and the GIC 48. The Union Cabinet approved Polar Satellite Launch will invest 750 crore rupees in it. Vehicle (PSLV) Continuation Programme consisting 57. India launched a relief and rescue Operation named of fifteen operational flights PSLV-C36 to PSLV-C50. Maitri in earthquake hit Nepal. The operation will 49. The Union Cabinet gave its nod for building and involve two dozen military aircraft and choppers launching of GSAT-17 and GSAT-18 communication along with bus services through road route. India satellites. also pressed nearly 1000 trained personnel of the 50. India assumed Presidency of the 68th World Health National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) into Assembly (WHA) after 19 years. service. 51. 6th National Conference on Nuclear Energy was 58. The President of India Pranab Mukherjee held in New Delhi on 15 May 2015. The Conference inaugurated Namaste Russia festival in Moscow, was organised by ASSOCHAM with the Russia. theme Nuclear Energy: a Clean Energy option. 59. Book titled Unbelievable – Delhi to Islamabad 52. President Pranab Mukherjee inaugurated the 50th authored by senior Advocate Prof. Bhim Singh was anniversary of India’s first historic climb of Mount released by Vice President M Hamid Ansari in New Everest in 1965 at Rashtrapati Bhavan. On 20 May Delhi. 1965, Indian team led by Captain Mohan Singh Kohli of Indian Navy made history by climbing 8848- metres high Mt. Everest, the world’s highest peak. 53. Prime Minister Narendra Modi released a commemorative coin to mark the birth centenary of Swami Chinmayananda in New Delhi. 60. Mirage 2000 fighter jet of Indian air force landed 54. Singapore PM Lee Hsien Loong opened first successfully on Yamuna Expressway as part of museum Indian Heritage Centre in Little India. developing road runaway for emergency landing. 55. The term Multi-Object Tracking Radar (MOTR) was It's a kind of first for military aviation in India. in news as the Indian Space Research Organisation 61. Air-to-air missile, Astra was successfully test fired at (ISRO) announced its plans to commission the radar the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur in in June 2015. Odisha. It was test-fired aboard a Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter aircraft. Astra is India’s first beyond visual 69. Puducherry will be the first Union territory/state to range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) that is capable of implement direct benefit transfer (DBT) scheme for engaging its target at ranges of 37 km or beyond. It disbursal of food subsidy to the beneficiaries. has operational range of 60km. 70. Government approved a proposal allowing 62. Indian Army signed Memorandum of Understanding investment by non-resident Indians (NRI) to be (MoU) with the Bank of India (BOI) on the Defence deemed as domestic investment on a par with Salary Package. investment made by residents. This means NRI investment will not be included in the category of foreign investment. 71. An expert panel has recommended to the pension regulator to give the option of up to 50% (up from 15%) equity exposure to government employees under the National Pension System (NPS). The GN 63. The Naval establishment of Indian Navy at Bajpai panel, constituted by the Pension Regulatory Porbandar, Gujarat was commissioned as INS Sardar and Development Authority (PFRDA) on September Patel by Anandiben Patel, Chief Minister of Gujarat. 10, 2014 to review investment guidelines, has 64. India successfully conducted the 48th test firing of suggested that government employees also be the BrahMos Supersonic Cruise Missile from the Car given the option to choose their pension fund Nicobar Islands in Andaman and Nicobar. The manager (now not available) as well as switch them advanced version of the land-to-land configuration if not satisfied with performance. of BrahMos Block-III version was test-fired from a 72. The finance ministry notified the increased service Mobile Autonomous Launcher (MAL) for its full- tax rate of 14 per cent effective from 1st June. range of 290 km. However, the Swachchha Bharat Cess is yet to be 65. The first regiment of the indigenously developed notified. In Budget 2015-16, the government had Surface-to-Air missile Akash Weapon System was hiked the service tax to 14 per cent from the inducted into the Indian Army in New Delhi. current 12.36 per cent. The education cess and 66. The Fourteenth edition of the Indo-French naval secondary and higher education cess shall be exercise VARUNA 2015 concluded on 2 May 2015. subsumed in the new service tax rate. The exercise started on 23 April 2015 off the Goa 73. India and South Korea signed a revised double Coast. taxation avoidance pact and agreed to begin talks 67. State-owned United Bank of India has become the from mid next year to widen the scope of free trade first of the 17 lenders to publicly admit that it no pact to boost bilateral economic cooperation. longer expects to recover its dues from the beleaguered Kingfisher Airlines. Interestingly, the Kolkata-based lender was the first bank to attempt to get Vijay Mallya, the chairman of Kingfisher Airlines, tagged as a wilful defaulter.

68. RBI will soon set up a Central Fraud Registry as part of an early warning system. The idea is to set up a 74. South Korea decided to provide $10 billion to India structure for quick sharing of information about for infrastructure, development of smart cities, unscrupulous borrowers and help banks fight bad railways, power generation and other diversified loans. areas. 75. The government has limited fiscal deficit for 2014- The 21-member panel will give its report by the last 15 at 4% of GDP, lower than the revised estimate of day of the first week of the Monsoon Session. 4.1% announced in February. 84. Indian Railways will soon launch its ‘Tatkal Special’ 76. India announced a USD one billion credit line to train service, travelling on which will be dearer than Mongolia for infrastructure development as they on normal trains. upgraded their ties to “Strategic Partnership” and agreed to deepen defence cooperation besides exploring potential for tie ups in areas like the civil nuclear sector. 77. The Narendra Modi led government launched the

website of NITI Aayog with a blogs section that will have articles, field reports, work in progress and 85. Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) will opinions by the officials. offer a renewable one year accidental death-cum- disability cover of Rs 2 lakh for partial/permanent disability to all savings bank account holders in the age group of 18-70 years for a premium of Rs 12 per annum per subscriber. 86. Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY) 78. Monsoon is likely to hit the Kerala coast on May 30, will offer a renewable one year life cover of Rs 2 two days before its scheduled arrival in India even lakh to all savings bank account holders in the age as the country stares at the possibility of below group of 18-50 years, covering death due to any normal rains for a second consecutive year. reason, for a premium of Rs 330 per annum per 79. Wholesale price inflation stayed in the negative subscriber. 87. zone for the sixth month in a row, easing to -2.65% Atal Pension Yojana (APY) will focus on the in April. unorganised sector and provide subscribers a fixed 80. The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime minimum pension of Rs 1,000, Rs 2,000, Rs 3,000, Minister Narendra Modi approved amending the Rs 4,000 or Rs 5,000 per month, starting at the age Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Act, 1988 aimed of 60 years, depending on the contribution option at curbing the generation and laundering of black exercised on entering at an age between 18 and 40 money within the country. years. 81. Rating agency Moody’s said monsoon and global financial volatility will pose additional risks to India’s growth this year, but the GDP is likely to average around 7.5 per cent over the next 18-24 months due to improvement in business environment induced by reforms. US-based Moody’s has a 88. Traders with a turnover below R10 lakh a year positive outlook on India’s ‘Baa3′ rating. won’t have to register for or pay the goods and 82. Retail inflation in April softened further and fell to a services tax (GST), and those with annual sales of four-month low of 4.87 per cent as prices of food R10 lakh to R50 lakh will need to pay the tax at a items, vegetables and fruits turned cheaper. rate lower rate than the standard GST rate. 83. The proposed Goods and Service Tax (GST) Bill was 89. As part of its efforts to improve India’s ranking in referred to a Select Committee of Parliamentarians. the World Bank’s ‘Ease of Doing Business’ index, the government has set up a panel with a view to replace multiple prior permissions required to start 99. A court in Pakistan sentenced 10 men to life a business with a pre-existing regulatory imprisonment for attempting to kill Nobel-prize mechanism. The panel is headed by Jaijit winning teenage activist Malala Yousafzai in 2012. Bhattacharya. 100. Operation Maitri, India’s Army-led rescue and relief 90. Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi’s mission in quake-hit Nepal, would continue till constituency Amethi is set to be developed as a normalcy returned to the Himalayan country, the Smart City by the Narendra Modi-led government. Army said. 91. Cabinet enhanced the powers of Foreign 101. Raja Rajeswari, the first India-born woman to be Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) to take appointed a judge in New York City, was sworn-in decisions on foreign investments worth up to Rs by Mayor Bill de Blasio. 3,000 crore, up from the Rs 1,200 crore allowed as 102. The government decided to continue its Rs.1,000 per the FDI Policy, 2014. minimum monthly pension scheme run by the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation. 103. In an audit report tabled in Parliament, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) named Union Minister Nitin Gadkari as one of the ‘promoters and/or directors’ of Purti Sakhar

Karkhana Limited — a company that, it said, was 92. India and France decided to set up teams to work sanctioned a loan of Rs. 84.12 crore by the Indian out details of the acquisition of 36 Rafale fighter Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA) in jets in fly-away condition and a “time-bound violation of guidelines. manner”. 104. In the face of an uproar in the Rajya Sabha over 93. Cabinet approved a modification in the Mega Food “son-guaranteeing’’ medicine, Putrajivak Beejbeing Park scheme to streamline its implementation to sold by Yoga guru Baba Ramdev’s pharmacy, the attract investment in the food processing sector. government agreed to look into the issue and see 94. Finance Ministry clarified that LPG subsidy received how the “ayurvedic medicine” was issued a licence. by individuals in their bank accounts will continue 105. India is sending two of its senior most officials, to be exempt from income tax. Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar and National 95. The government said the birth rate in India is Security Adviser Ajit Doval, to Kathmandu to take greater than that of China and said the country’s stock of the situation and amplify its relief efforts. population will cross China’s by 2028. 96. A deal signed between engineering firm L&T and French nuclear vendor Areva for maximising the localisation of critical components for the proposed 10,000-MW nuclear power plant at Jaitapur.

97. Government decided to defer plans to set up an independent Public Debt Management Agency 106. In order help investors better understand risks (PDMA) this year, allowing the central bank to involved in mutual fund (MF) investments, SEBI, continue with regulating government bonds. replaced the mandatory colour codes with a 98. Eight core industries registered a negative growth ‘riskometer’ containing five levels of risks from low of 0.1 per cent in March, the lowest performance in to high. The five risk levels would be low, 17 months, due to a steep decline in production of moderately low, moderate, moderately high and steel, cement and refinery products. high. The new system would replace the existing practice of colour-coding the schemes wherein the and a fine of Rs. 25,000 in the 2002 hit-and-run funds needed to be given blue, yellow and brown case. codes to indicate low, medium and high risk 115. With 352 votes in favour, the Constitution (122nd respectively. Amendment) Bill for introduction of Goods and 107. Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Services Tax (GST) sailed through the Lok Sabha. said that it had ordered an FIR to be filed against 116. Union Cabinet met to approve an amendment that the CEO and the directors of Internet shopping would effectively dilute the scope of the Whistle company Snapdeal for allegedly selling prescription Blowers Protection Act of 2011. The amendment drugs online. incorporates ‘necessary provisions’ to keep issues of 108. NASA’s Messenger spacecraft has crashed into the national security out of its purview. surface of Mercury. 109. The Centre has approved the long-standing demand of Indian scientists that the country be an associate member of CERN (European Organisation for Nuclear Research). 110. Mutual fund managers pumped in over Rs.7,600 117. India and Iran signed an inter-Governmental crore in equity markets in April, making it their Memorandum of Understanding regarding India’s highest net inflow in more than seven years, mainly participation in the development of the Chabahar on account of positive investor sentiments and the Port in Iran. government’s reforms agenda. 118. The U.S. has handed over to Pakistan 14 combat 111. The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Bill aircraft, 59 military trainer jets and 374 armoured 2013 will be referred to a Select Committee by the personnel carriers, which were earlier used by Rajya Sabha. American forces in Afghanistan and Iraq. 119. The Lok Sabha passed a bill that provides for trying juveniles aged between 16 and 18 years for heinous crimes under laws for adults. 120. Parliament unanimously approved The Constitution (119th Amendment) Bill, operationalising the Land Boundary Agreement -- swapping territories 112. The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has between India and Bangladesh -- 41 years after the rejected allegations of unfair business practices 1974 Indira Gandhi-Sheikh Mujibur Rehman pact. against five online retail majors — Flipkart, Once the Bill is ratified by at least half the Snapdeal, Amazon, Jabong and Myntra — as it did legislatures of the country and gets presidential not find any prima facie evidence of violations. assent, it will likely be India’s 100th constitutional 113. IT major Infosys has asked the West Bengal amendment. government to either give SEZ (Special Economic Zone) status to the company’s proposed software development centre at Rajarhat or repay the money it has given in advance for the land. 114. A sessions court in Mumbai held Bollywood actor Salman Khan guilty of culpable homicide and 121. Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has said the sentenced him to five-year rigorous imprisonment Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mark-I Tejas being inducted into the Indian Air Force (IAF) has limited capability and does not meet the force’s 127. The Aam Aadmi Party Government said it would not operational requirements. allow foreign direct investment (FDI) in retail sector 122. The U.N. health agency declared Liberia Ebola-free. in the Capital. 123. RBI has advised all public sector banks and some 128. The Centre decided to continue with the aptitude private and foreign banks to appoint an internal test (General Studies Paper-II) in the Civil Services ombudsman. The internal ombudsman would be (Preliminary) Examination, fixing its minimum designated Chief Customer Service Officer. The apex qualifying marks at 33 per cent. bank, however, has made it clear that the CCSO 129. Union Cabinet approved a proposal to ban should not have worked in the bank in which he/she employment of children aged under 14 in all kinds is appointed as CCSO. of commercial enterprises. The Child Labour Prohibition Act, 1986, imposes the ban on only 18 hazardous industries. However, keeping in mind the “social fabric” of the country, the Cabinet has made an exception for work done in family enterprises and on farmlands, provided it is done after school hours and during vacations. The Cabinet has barred 124. India has lodged a protest against China’s employment of adolescents (14 to 18 years) in announcement of infrastructure projects in hazardous occupations and processes in the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). chemical industry and mines. 125. Commuters can now access Indian Railways’ 130. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has sent a schedule on their mobile phones and desktops legal notice to the makers of the film Gabbar is Back using Google Maps. Besides information on 12,000 demanding removal of “objectionable” scenes from trains, the Maps will now offer updated details for the movie that was released on May 1. bus and metro routes in eight cities: New Delhi, 131. The proportion of Christians in the U.S. population Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, dropped by ten per cent over the last seven years, Hyderabad and Pune. even as Hindus and Muslims nearly doubled their 126. Supreme Court restrained the government from share, according to a recent study. publishing the photographs of political leaders, Ministers or prominent persons in government advertisements. The court, however, drew an exception to this restraint in the case of the President, the Prime Minister and the Chief Justice of India. The verdict relies on guidelines on ‘Content Regulation of Government Advertising’ framed by a

three-member committee, led by legal academician 132. China’s move to build nuclear power plants in N.R. Madhava Menon. Pakistan is not consistent with the rules of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) and the U.S. has raised this issue in its bilateral meetings, a top Obama Administration official has said. 133. The Central Government will sell its 10 per cent stake in blue-chip Indian Oil Corporation and five per cent in power producer NTPC to mop up about Rs.13,600 crore in this fiscal’s first disinvestment approval. 134. RBI allowed Infrastructure Debt Fund-Non-Banking Bank Apollo Medical Benefits Card, which will Financial Companies to invest in public-private enable corporates to easily disburse medical partnerships (PPPs) and infrastructure projects allowance to their employees without waste of time which have completed at least one year of and incurring any cost. satisfactory commercial operation. The maximum 141. A Sukhoi-30 fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force exposure that an IDF-NBFC can take on individual crashed in Assam. projects will be at 50 per cent of its total capital 142. A fully assembled Astrosat, India’s first space funds. observatory, is ready for intensive tests before its launch around October. 143. India’s largest commercial bank the State Bank of India said that its tie up with Snapdeal for funding MSMEs will boost Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Make-in-India initiatives by putting more funds in 135. State Bank of India joined its private sector rivals to the hands of the small entrepreneurs enabling them launch contactless cards using latest near field to boost their industries. communication (NFC) technology. Called the SBIinTouch cards, these contactless debit and credit cards are more secure and hassle-free to use at merchant outlets or ATMs and use the NFC technology, which enables users to make payments by waving or tapping the card near the contactless 144. reader instead of swiping or dipping it. The Republic of Ireland became the first country to 136. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that legalise same-sex marriage through popular vote. India had decided to extend electronic tourist visas to Chinese nationals. 137. An Egyptian court sentenced deposed Islamist President Mohamed Morsy and more than 100 other people to death for their role in a mass jailbreak during the 2011 uprising. 138. Foreign exchange reserves grew by $262.4 million to touch a new record high of $352.13 billion for the week ended May 8, 2015 against $351.86 billion for the previous week, according to RBI weekly data. 139. Draupadi Murmu took oath as the ninth Governor of Jharkhand, the first tribal woman to occupy the position in the State.

140. HDFC Bank, in association with Apollo Hospitals, has launched a co-branded pre-paid card called HDFC