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Mahendra Publication CONTENTS Pvt. Ltd. VOL-13 ISSUE -02
Editor Success Saga 5 N.K. Jain IBPS 6-9 Advisors Spotlight 10 Neeraj Chabra The People 12-28 K.C.Gupta News Bytes 29-83 Know your customer 84-86 Registered Office Old 500 and 1000 notes 87-90 Mahendra Publication Pvt. Ltd. International children’s peace prize 90-92 103, Pragatideep Building, Trade related aspects of intellectual property rights 93-94 Plot No. 08, Laxminagar, Basel III norms in India 95 District Centre, New Delhi - 110092 Que Tm - General Awareness 97-102 TIN-07136921593 NP QUIZ 104-105 w.e.f. 10-04-2014 DIGI PAGE 106-107 Graphic Factory 108-112 Branch Office Who’s Who 113 Mahendra Publication Pvt. Ltd. E-42,43,44, Sector-7, Noida (U.P.) Know your customer For queries regarding promotion, distribution & advertisement, contact:- [email protected] Ph.: +91-9670575613 Old 500 and 1000 notes
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must Take a Realistic Resolution for New Year 2017 Resolution
Dear Aspirants, With a zenith level of zeal we present you again with February issue of your favourite magazine meticulously made for aspirants who want to be ahead of others in the field of competitive examination. We take privilege to present you study material relevant for the competitive examination keeping in view the requirement of our esteemed readers. If you read the issue carefully like an eager-beaver, we assure you will be fully equipped in the battlefield of the competitive examination. This issue of February we provide you will some of the imperative and substantial event, e.g. Basel III norms in India, International children peace prize, Know Your Customer, demonetization (the ban on Rs. 500 and 1000 notes), Trade related aspects of Intellectual and Property rights. We always try to paint the demands, suggestions and changes of our readers in our magazine. We make all effort to include them in the further issue of the magazine, It gives us great exhilaration that our readers unanimously endorse our drudgery and skill nationally. MICA gives you guidance, counselling and keeps ahead in every aspect of competition, because we believe in the quote “Your Success is Our Success” Gratitude
With Best Wishes Mahendra Publication Pvt. Ltd. SUCCESS SAGA PRIYANK PERSONAL DETAILS Computer & Marketing: Name : Priyank Jain From Mahendras study material & class notes. Father’s Name : Ajit Jain MICA : How do you take “Master in Current Affairs Mother’s Name : Renu Jain Magazine”, and “Mahendra Guru” Website? Education : BE(Civil ) & Priyank: Specially Mahendra Guru website was full of M.Sc.(Physics) content, Interview videos were very helpful like I personally like exam review a lot. I take it as Hobbies : Cricket a good initiative by Mahendras. Mahendra Guru It is my 2nd attempt. Prior Selection : is very helpful website where one can find all Name of the Exam : SBI PO 2016 comprehensive data for preparation. Roll No. of Qualified Exam : 3971320908 MICA : What is the best thing about your coaching Roll No. of Mahendra Institute : PDH0271072680 institute, according to you? MICA : Mahendras family expresses its heartiest Priyank: 1. Inspiring faculties and so competitive congratulations on your success as PO in SBI- ambience. 2016. 2. The facility of rejoining batches MICA : To whom do you want to give the credit of your 3. The faculty member are very polite and selection? they tried their best to clear our doubt. Priyank : I want to give credit of my selection to Mahendra MICA : What is the role of “Time Management” in one’s Institute and my parents for constantly supporting success? and motivating me. Priyank : Time management is very important if one wants MICA : After how many attempts did you succeed in to crack SBI PO and Mahendra speed test are examination? helpful in improving Time Management Skills. Priyank : It was my 2nd attempt. MICA : How did you prepare for the Interview? MICA : What is the role of Mahendra institute in your Priyank: I talked to previously selected students and selection? searched for frequently asked question in Priyank : Mahendra Institute gave me proper idea how to interview. prepare and in case of scarcity of time how to MICA : Tell us about the Interview Board and the optimize your efforts.I have also joined the rejoin questions asked? batches ,which helped me a lot. Priyank: My interview was taken by Panel number-1. It MICA : How did you prepare for the written examination? consisted of 5 members, each of them expert in Priyank : Since, I got registered myself with Mahendras, so their respective field. its ST helped me a lot in increasing my speed and accuracy. The questions asked were: (I) Why do you want to switch your job ? Quantitative Aptitude: Keep your basics clear.and have patience while solving (II) What are Basel 3 norms ? questions .Practice of previous year paper will improve (III) Name the two coast of India. speed. Eg. Mahendras Maths Book (IV) What is the symbol of Gold ? Reasoning Ability: (V) What are directive principles of state policy ? Keep practicing reasoning questions of previous papers, MICA : By whom did you get information of your STs and Mahendras Reasoning Book will help a lot. Eg. selection and what was your reaction? Mahendra Reasoning book & practice paper Priyank: I checked the result on SBI’s website and I was English: very happy to be finally selected as SBI PO. I have taken help from Mahendra Guru, STs and Hindu MICA : What message do you want to convey to other Newspaper that helped me in knowing the pattern of aspirants? error. Speed test were so helpful and read text book Eg. Never loose hope and keep trying for what you thouroughly for all subjects. Priyank : aimed. General Awareness: MICA : Congratulations once again on your success Read newspaper for being updated with weekly current because “Your success is our success”. affairs and its periodic revision. Eg. Internet, Mahendras Thank You Mahendra for guiding me to Success. for banking, MICA & Monthly Boosters. Priyank :
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TM FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS @Mahendra’s 5 IBPS One Liner ## Recently, a country with which India has signed a defence deal worth nearly Rs. 39,000 crore to purchase five state of art S-400 ‘Triumf’ air defence systems is- Russia ## Rosneft Oil Company has agreed to acquire India’s second biggest private oil firm Essar Oil in an all-cash deal valued at about US $13 billion.The country with which Rosneft belongs to- Russia ## Country which won the inaugural BRICS U-17 Football Tournament 2016 held at Goa on the occasion of the 8th BRICS hosted in India is- Brazil ## System which was launched by Union Ministry to check illegal mining by using latest satellite technology is named as - Mining Surveillance System ## State in which, Union Government has launched National Seismic Programme (NSP) to trace hydrocarbon resources is- Odisha ## City in which the second edition of Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav (RSM)-2016 was inaugurated by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh is- New Delhi ## Player who won Shanghai Masters 2016 men’s singles title is- Andy Murray ## Player who won female’s singles title at the Tennis Hong Kong Open title 2016 is - Caroline Wozniacki ## Player who won men’s singles title at the Chinese Taipei Open Grand Prix tournament 2016 is- Sourabh Verma ## Female cyclist and Olympic heavyweight champion Anna Meares announced her retirement. Country ,she hails from- Australia
## Recently a country which decommissioned its first nuclear-powered submarine after more than 40 years of military service is- China ## All-rounder Hardik Pandya became the ______Indian to be named as “Man of the Match” on ODI debut. 4th ## City which has been nominated as one of the three European Capitals of Culture 2021 is- Novi Sad
## Country which will host the ninth BRICS annual summit in 2017- China ## Newly appointed Ambassador to United Arab Emirates is- Navdeep Singh Suri ## India has quietly completed its nuclear triad by inducting the indigenously built strategic nuclear submarine INS Arihant into service. In this context ATV stands for- Advance Technology Vessel
## Island which has been listed in National Geographic’s ‘Around the World in 24 Hours’ list is- Kakkathuruthu ## Indian film which has won the distinguished ‘Megacity short docs, Best FilmAward (report Solution) 2016’ at the French International Sortdoc Indian film festival is- Reclaiming the Night ## State in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the National SC/ST Hub is- Punjab ## City which tops the list of 2016 Global Power City Index, which was released by the Mori Memorial Foundation’s Institute for Urban Strategies is- London ## Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu laid foundation stone of ______projects for laying broad gauge connecting Rewa-Sidhi- Singrauli districts and the new Sidhi railway station building in Madhya Pradesh. 2200 Cr
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TM @Mahendra’s 6 FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS IBPS One Liner ## The country from which Mewa Ramgobin hails is - South Africa ## Punjab won both the boys and girls National Junior Netball Championships title 2016 by defeating ______. Rajasthan. ## Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s political party name is- Muslim League- Nawaz ## Recently the book “Driven” was launched by Former cricketers Anil Kumble and Virender Sehwag which is based on the life of- Virat Kohli ## Place where second joint tactical exercise under the “China-India Cooperation 2016” and was held is- Chushul (J&K) ## Indian Football club which became the first Indian club to reach the final of Asian Cup 2016 is Bengaluru FC ## N Kumar, Director of ______died. CIL
## India’s rank according to the latest FIFA rankings 2016 is- 135th ## According to RBI, permitted FDI % under ‘Other Financial Services’ carried out by non-banking finance firms is- 100 % ## Recently New York City declared ______2016 as Waris Ahluwalia day. October 19 ## Name the India’s First Female Olympic Wrestler who has been appointed DSP in Haryana Police recently is- Geeta Phogat ## The city which is declared as its 5th zone in North-East India by State Bank of India (SBI) is- Silchar ## Newly elected President of the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) is- Morinari Watanabe ## World’s oldest aircraft carrier is INS Virat
## Player which has become the first Bangladeshi to take 150 test wickets is Shakib Al Hasan ## India’s ODI captain ______became the fastest wicketkeeper-batsman to score 9,000+ runs in ODIs. M.S. Dhoni ## Airline which has created the world record for longest nonstop flight is- Air India ## The first woman to climb Mount Everest Junko Tabei died. She hails from country- Japan ## Number of persons who will be awarded with the Uttar Pradesh government’s “Yash Bharati” 2016 award for their contributions in respective fields are- 54 ## Recently at 5th Phil-Asia bodybuilding championships in the Philippines, the Mr. Asia 2016 title given to- G. Balakrishna ## Animal which has been chosen as mascot of the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia is- Wolf
## Country which will host the first Asian Ministerial Conference for Disaster Risk Reduction (AMCDRR) is - India
## Player who has won the men’s single title at the Stockholm Open tennis tournament 2016 is- Juan Martin ## Jimmy Perry, who died recently was a famous- Writer ## A system through which the government has allowed the service voters, including armed forces personnel, to cast their votes in elections is- e-postal ballot
## Player who won the US Grand Prix 2016 is- Lewis Hamilton
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TM @Mahendra’s 7 FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS IBPS One Liner ## A newly appointed chairperson of the State Human Rights Comission (SHRC) is- N.N.Vohra ## Maharashtra Governor C Vidyasagar Rao presented ‘Parmarth Seva Ratna Award’ 2016 to- Sajjan Jindal ## India’s rank in the World Bank Ease of Doing Business 2017 report is- 130
## The first American author who win the prestigious Man Booker Prize 2016 for ‘The Sellout’ is- Paul Beatty ## A newly appointed President of National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), constituted to expedite adjudication matters under the companies law is- M.M.Kumar ## A joint military exercise between India and Sri Lanka, which was recently started in Ambepussa (Sri Lanka) is named as- Mitra Shakti 2016 ## According to World Economic Forum (WEF)2016 report, India’s rank in gender gap is- 87 ## City in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated first NationalTribal Carnival is- New Delhi ## A tennis star who has been presented with the WTA Year-End World No.1 award 2016 is- Angelique Kerber ## Padma Shri awardee Raj Begum died. She was a famous- Singer ## According to the data given by the Registrar General of India (RGI) in 2016, a state which has the highest life expectancy, except life expectancy at birth is- J&K ## A first Indian who has won the 2016 ‘Wildscreen National Geographic Roar Talent Bursary Award’ at the Wildscreen festival is- Malaika Vaz ## Most valuable athlete brand of 2016 by Forbes is- Roger Federer ## The state in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Saur Sujala Scheme to provide solar powered water-pumps to farmers at subsidised rates is- Chattisgarh ## Foundation with which L&T Infotech announced its collaboration for promoting literacy of 10,000 children studying in 35 government schools in and around Bengaluru is- Akshay Patra ## City which has topped the ease of doing business ranking, according to the list prepared by the World Bank and the Indian government’s department of industrial policy and promotion this year 2016 is- Andhra Pradesh & Telangana
## Malaysian Grand Prix motorcycle racing event 2016 won by- Francesco ‘Pecco’ Bagnaia
## 13th president of Lebanon is- Michel Aoun ## Person who has been chosen for the ‘Raja Ram Mohan Roy Award’2016 for his outstanding contribution to journalism which is presented by the Press Council of India (PCI) is- S Nihal Singh ## Centenary Award for Indian Film Personality of the year at the 47th IFFI honoured to- S.P. Balasubrahmanyam ## A newly appointed chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) is- Sushil Chandra ## Bahrain International Challenge Badminton Tournament 2016 won by- Pratul ## India’s ratings 2016 as per Standard and Poor’s is- BBB-A3
## ‘Sampriti 2016’ is Joint Millitary Exercise between- India and Bangladesh ## First Sikh to be appointed to the Canadian Senate is- Sarabjit Singh Marwah Get Free Study Material On - www.mahendraguru.com
TM @Mahendra’s 8 FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS IBPS One Liner ## Person who won the female vocalist honour at the 2016 Country Music Association Awards is- Carrie Underwood ## Capital of Indonesia is- Jakarta ## P Harikrishna is related to- Chess ## WTA Elite Trophy 2016 is won by- Petra Kvitova ## India’s GDP rate as per NCAER in 2016 shall be- 7.6 % ## Country which has won the Women’s Asian Champions Trophy 2016 is- India ## Famous pianist and Musician Zoltan Kocsis died. He hails from country- Hungary ## Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the first ever InternationalAgro-biodiversity Congress in- New Delhi ## Paris Masters title 2016 is won by- Andy Murray ## Male double who won ATP World Tour Masters 1000 team title at the BNP Paribas Masters 2016 in Paris are- Henri Kontinen and John Peers ## Newly appointed Executive Director of RBI is- M Rajeshwar Rao ## Newly appointed managing director and CEO of BOB Capital Markets is- Ratnesh Kumar ## Girish Nikam who died recently was a famous- Journalist ## National Kalidas Samman for the year 2015-16 awarded to- Raj Bisaria ## Film which has been nominated as India’s entry for the International Council for Film, Television and Audio-visual Communication (ICFT) UNESCO Gandhi Medal at the 47th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) is- Allama ## Second Hindu-American to be elected to the US House of Representatives is- Raja Krishnamoorthi ## First Indian American woman US Senate of Caliornia is - Kamala Harris ## State in which, India’s first LNG-powered bus rolls out is- Kerala ## The 45th President of the United States of America is- Donald Trump ## On the occasion of the state’s 17th foundation day, Chief Minister Harish Rawat conferred the Uttarakhand Ratna award to- Narayan Dutt ## Union Health Minister J P Nadda launched ______mobile application with which people can measure their stress levels. No More Tension ## The ninth president of the World Squash Federation (WSF) is- Jacques Fontaine ## Newly appointed chairman of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) is- Ishaat Hussain ## Newly appointed brand ambassador for the 2nd T20 World Cup Cricket for the Blind, to be held in January and February 2017 is- Rahul Dravid ## The first Chinese official who was elected as the President of Interpol is- Meng Hongwei ## The country in which worlds highest road tunnel is situated is- China ## The novel ‘Solar Bones’, that has been awarded with the ‘2016 Goldsmiths Prize’ is written by- Mike McCormac ## The place at which ‘NATO-Georgia Exercise 2016’ commenced is- Tbilisi (Capital of Georgia ) Get Free Study Material On - www.mahendraguru.com
TM @Mahendra’s 9 FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS SPOTLIGHT ALL THAT MATTERS ABBREVIATIONS BOOKS AND AUTHORS CAGR Compound Annual Growth Rate HELOC Home Equity Line of Credit FDIC Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation HUDCO Housing & Urban Development Corporation NRLM National Rural Livelihood Mission IIP Index of Industrial Production LERMS Liberalised Exchange Rate Management Kohinoor: The story of the World’s Most Infamous Diamond System :-William Dalrymple & Anita Anand QIB Qualified Institutional Buyer IMPORTANT DAYS AND DATES 1st December World’s AIDS DAY 2nd December World Pollution Prevention Day 3rd December World Disabled Day 4rth December Indian Navy Day The Ashes of Berlin : The Divided City 7th December International Civil Aviation Day :- Luke McCallin 9th December International Anti Corruption Day 10th December Human Rights Day 14th December National Energy Conservation Day 16th December Vijay Diwas 18th December International Migrants Day ECONOMIC GLOSSARY The Dashing Ladies of Shiv Sena : Political Matronage GLOSSARY: in Urbanizing India Green Building :- Tarini Bedi With the growing population, India has to not only provide adequate housing, commercial buildings, infrastructure, institutions etc. to cater to the basic shelter needs and the growing aspirational needs of people but also to ensure that the process is environmentally sustainable. In recent times, there has been a greater consciousness about environmental degradation and alternatives to Defeat is an Orphan How Pakistan Lost the Great cement are being actively considered. South Asian War :- Myra Macdonald Materials which use less water and other natural resources and require less energy to be maintained are increasingly being preferred by Government town planners in India. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has developed an organization called Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment (GRIHA) along with TERI to ensure that more and more Green Buildings are created. Clear parameters have been defined to indicate what constitutes a green building. The Diary of a Young Girl- Anne Frank
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TM FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS @Mahendra’s 10
THE PEOPLE appointment ## It is the first time in last 10 years, that no new CBI appointment chief has been named to succeed an incumbent. Sinha R K Dutta completed his two-year tenure. enior IPS officer Rupak Kumar ## According to the order issued by the Department of Dutta, Special Director in Personnel and Training the competent authority has SCBI, was appointed as Special approved assignment of additional charge of the post Secretary (Internal Security) in Home of Director, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), to Ministry against a newly-created post. Rakesh Asthana, IPS (1984), Additional Director, CBI ## Dutta’s new assignment assumes with effect from the date of relinquishment of charge significance as it comes barely by Anil Kumar Sinha, IPS (1979) on completion of his days ahead of the appointment tenure with immediate effect and until further orders. of new CBI Director to replace ## The CBI chief is selected through a collegium comprising incumbent Anil Sinha, who retired on December 2. the Prime Minister, the Leader of Opposition or largest ## Dutta was one of the contenders for the CBI chief party in opposition in Lok Sabha and the Chief Justice of post. India. The collegium has not been able to meet. ## It is for the first time that two Special Secretaries Gopal Jiwarajka would work in the Home Ministry for the crucial HD Chamber of Commerce and internal security division. Industry said that Chairman and ## Besides him, M K Singla is already working as PManaging Director of Salora Special Secretary (Internal Security). International, Gopal Jiwarajka has taken over as its President. Devraj Anbu ## SNK Corp Chairman Anil Khaitan ieutenant General Devraj Anbu and DLF Chief Executive Officer took over as chief of Army’s Rajeev Talwar are the respective Lnorthern command overlooking Senior Vice President and Vice President of the chamber. the operational command of Jammu ## Jiwarajka has over 35 years of experience in and Kashmir. manufacturing, marketing and finance. ## According to the Defence J Ravichandran Spokesman of Northern n a surprise move, Chitra Ramkrishna Command, Lt Gen Devraj took quit as Managing Director and CEO charge of the Udhampur-based Northern command. Iof the National Stock Exchange ## Devraj succeeded Lt Gen D S Hooda, who retired with immediate effect presumably over after an illustrious career of 40 years. differences with some board members, after having served the premier bourse for ## Lt Gen Devraj was commissioned into the Sikh Light over two decades since its inception. Infantry in 1980 and has extensive staff and command exposures. ## While the exchange cited “personal reasons” for her departure, sources Rakesh Asthana said the exchange veteran decided to leave -- months BI Director Anil Sinha retired ahead of its proposed IPO -- following differences with from the post handing over some board members. Cthe baton to his second-in- ## Senior executive J Ravichandran has been given the command, Gujarat-cadre IPS officer interim charge till the NSE board, headed by former Rakesh Asthana, as the government did Finance Secretary Ashok Chawla, finds a full-time not name any full-time chief. replacement for Ramkrishna, who rose through the ranks to head the exchange and was part of the team that set up ## Asthana, a Gujarat-cadre officer NSE in 1992. of 1984-batch, got elevated as ## The exit of 52-year-old Ramkrishna, one of the few the second-in-command in CBI two days ago when women executives heading a leading exchange globally, Special Director R K Dutta, who was among the also comes at a time when NSE has been in focus over a frontrunners for the top post, was shifted to the Home new regulatory framework for high frequency trades and Ministry as a Special Secretary. The post of second co-location facilities, which some believe give undue special secretary was created for the first time in the advantage to some brokers and traders. ministry. Get Free Study Material On - www.mahendraguru.com
TM @Mahendra’s 12 FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS THE PEOPLE appointment ## Her tenure was scheduled to end in March 2018. She as to ensure the safety of life and ships at sea. She is at took charge as Managing Director and CEO in April present working in her cadre state--Maharashtra. 2013 when she succeeded Ravi Narain, who was also ## P V Ramesh Babu will be chief of Rural Electrification part of the first leadership team of the exchange. Corporation Limited (REC), a listed Navratna public ## Currently, Narain is the Vice Chairman of NSE. sector enterprise mandated to finance and promote Sunil Taldar power sector projects all over the country. elecom operator Bharti Airtel ## Babu, a 1985 batch IAS officer, is working in his cadre announced top level changes by state-- Andhra Pradesh. Tappointing Sunil Taldar as CEO & ## Sanjiv Mittal, an officer of Indian Defence Accounts Director of its DTH arm -- Airtel Digital Service, has been appointed as Additional Secretary in TV -- and moving incumbent Shashi Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation. Arora as MD & CEO, Airtel Payments Mittal is Secretary, Oil Industries Development Board. Bank. ## Rabindra Panwar and Anshu Prakash have been ## Taldar will be a member of the Airtel appointed as Additional Secretary and Financial Adviser Management Board and report to in Home and Rural Development ministries respectively. Gopal Vittal, MD & CEO (India & South Asia), Bharti Nagesh Singh, an officer of Indian Economic Service, Airtel. has been also appointed as Additional Secretary in ## He takes over from Arora who, after a stint of around Department of Rural Development. five years as CEO - DTH, has moved as MD & CEO, Airtel Payments Bank. ## Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer Madhu Mahajan has been appointed as Member Secretary, National ## In his new role, Taldar will be responsible for driving Commission for Women. growth and innovation for Airtel Digital TV, which is a key growth driver within the company’s B2C portfolio. ## The post of Financial Adviser BSF in the Ministry of Home Affairs held by V Venugopal has been upgraded ## Prior to this, Taldar, who has an experience of over 28 as Additional Secretary level post. Senior IAS officer R years in the FMCG sector, had worked with Mondelez K Vats will be Additional Secretary in Health Ministry. where he held several senior leadership positions across multiple geographies, including India, China, and BS Bhullar Singapore across sales, marketing, media and general enior bureaucrat B S Bhullar was appointed as chief management.Airtel Digital TV had over 12.4 million of aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil customers at the end of the quarter ended September SAviation (DGCA). 2016. ## He is presently working as Additional Secretary in Yaduvendra Mathur Civil Aviation Ministry. aduvendra Mathur, Chairman ## The post has been lying vacant for past over four and Managing Director of months after M Sathiyavathy, first woman chief of the Export-Import Bank of India Y aviation regulator, was named as new Union Labour (Exim), has been appointed as Additional Secretary in July this year. Secretary in Niti Aayog. ## ## The Appointments Committee of Sathiyavathi, a 1982-batch IAS officer of the union territories cadre, was appointed as the Director General Cabinet has approved appointment of Civil Aviation in September last year. of Mathur, a 1986 batch IAS officer of Rajasthan cadre, to the new post. The officer would J.S. Khehar assume charge of the post on completion of his tenure ustice Khehar, who will be sworn in on January 4, as the as CMD, Exim Bank. 44th chief justice of India will hold the tenure for over ## Besides him, nine other bureaucrats have been Jseven months till August 27, 2017. appointed to various ministries. Of these officers, seven ## Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar, who led the five-judge are from Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and rest constitution bench in the Supreme Court which from other services. had struck down the controversial NJAC Act for ## Another senior IAS officer Malini Shankar has been appointment of judges, was recommended as the 44th appointed as Director General of Shipping, trusted with Chief Justice of India. implementation of shipping policy and legislation so Get Free Study Material On - www.mahendraguru.com
TM @Mahendra’s 13 FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS THE PEOPLE appointment ## Chief Justice of India T S Thakur wrote a letter ## UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has sent a letter recommending the name of Justice Khehar, who is informing the Security Council of his intention to the senior most judge of the Supreme Court to be his appoint David Shearer as the UN envoy to South Sudan successor. and head of UNMISS, succeeding Ellen Margrethe Loj of Denmark. ## Justice Khehar, 64, will be the first Chief Justice from the Sikh community and he will succeed CJI Thakur ## Shearer, a 59-year-old member of New Zealand’s who will be demitting office on January 3, 2017. parliament, served as UN deputy envoy in Iraq ## Justice Khehar, who will be sworn in on January 4, will from 2007 to 2009, following UN assignments in hold the tenure for over seven months till August 27, Afghanistan, Lebanon, Israel, Rwanda, Liberia and the 2017. Balkans. ## Besides heading the bench in NJAC matter, Justice ## The United Nations has some 14,000 peacekeepers in Khehar has also headed a bench which had set aside the South Sudan, where a civil war has been raging since imposition of President’s Rule in Arunachal Pradesh in December 2013. January this year. ## The peacekeepers have come under heavy criticism for ## He was also a part of the bench which sent Sahara chief failing to protect civilians, including women who were Subrata Roy to jail while hearing the matter relating raped by government soldiers in Jubly, not far from the to the refund of money invested by people in his two gates of a UN compound in Juba. companies. ## Ban last month warned the council that South Sudan ## Justice Khehar also headed a bench which recently faces a “very real risk of mass atrocities” and that peacekeepers would be powerless to stop such a gave a significant verdict holding that the principal of bloodbath. ‘equal pay for equal work’ has to be made applicable to those engaged as daily wagers, casual and contractual ## The conflict has killed tens of thousands of people and employees who perform the same duties as the regulars. displaced more than 2.5 million, but UN diplomats Vinod Pande expect the crisis to worsen. he ombudsman appointed by ## South Sudan won independence from Sudan in 2011 pension fund regulator PFRDA, with strong support from the United States. TVinod Pande, assumed the office ## The United States is pushing for an arms embargo and in New Delhi on December 1. sanctions, but Russia and China are opposed to such ## The subscribers will have direct measures. access to the Ombudsman where Saqib Nisar they can lodge complaints against resident Mamnoon Hussain any intermediary for resolution appointed Justice Saqib Nisar as through adjudication and amicable settlement. Pthe new chief justice of Pakistan. ## This may be considered an important milestone in Nisar, the most senior judge of the the evolution of the NPS as it deals exclusively as Supreme Court, will replace chief justice an initiative for grievance redressal in accordance Anwar Zaheer Jamali who retires on with PFRDA (Redressal of Subscriber Grievance) December 31. Regulations, 2015, framed under PFRDA Act. ## Earlier this year, when Jamali went ## As the number of NPS subscribers keep growing for pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia, Nisar had served as the -- currently around 1.60 crore -- the grievances/ Acting Chief Justice. Nisar was born on January 18, complaints are also bound to grow, adding the 1954 in Lahore and obtained an undergraduate degree institution of Ombudsman will facilitate resolution of in law from University of Punjab. such complaints /grievances/disputes and will enhance ## In 1982, Justice Nisar became an advocate of the High the confidence of the subscribers and stakeholders in Court and advocate of the Supreme Court of Pakistan the NPS. in 1994. He was then elevated as the Judge of the High David Shearer Court in 1998 and of the Supreme Court in 2010. New Zealand lawmaker who has led UN aid efforts ## Nisar has also worked as a part-time lecturer at Punjab worldwide is to be named UN mission chief in South Law College and Pakistan College of Law, where he ASudan, one of the world’s toughest peacekeeping taught Civil Procedure Code and the Constitution. jobs. Get Free Study Material On - www.mahendraguru.com
TM @Mahendra’s 14 FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS THE PEOPLE appointment ## Outgoing Justice Jamali served for 15 months after he Pulkit Trivedi was appointed in September 2015. acebook announced the Tenzin Dorjee appointment of Pulkit Trivedi as Industry Director for e-commerce, enzin Dorjee, a well-known Tibetan writer, has been F retail, travel and financial services appointed as Commissioner to the US Commission verticals. Ton International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), an independent, bipartisan federal body that monitors religious ## In his new role, Trivedi will lead in freedom internationally. building and maintaining strategic relationships with clients in the ## The appointment of Dorjee to the USCIRF was made country. on recommendation of the House Minority Leader, ## Pulkit comes to Facebook with over 18 years of Nancy Pelosi, who is well known for her support to extensive industry experience covering sales, Tibetan cause. business development and partnerships for Indian and ## Dorjee is an Associate Professor at the Department multinational technology companies such as Google, of Human Communication Studies, California State Intel, Microsoft, IBM and HCL. University, Fullerton (CSUF). Akbar Ebrahim ## His primary teaching and research interests eteran Akbar Ebrahim has been include intergroup, intercultural, intergenerational elected as the FMSCI president, communication, identity issues, peace building, and Vreplacing Zayn Khan to lead the conflict resolution. Indian motorsport governing body. ## Dorjee has also authored and co-authored peer- ## Ebrahim was elected president at the reviewed articles and chapters on Tibetan culture, FMSCI Annual General Meeting, identity and communication, non-violence and middle which was held in Chennai. J way approaches to Sino-Tibetan conflict. Prithiviraj was elected as the vice- ## Earlier in 2013, he volunteered for over two months president. at the office of Dalai Lama in Dharamsala, India, and ## Ebrahim replaces Khan, who took charge in September has been part of various educational programmes in the last year following the sudden death of incumbent R country. Bharath Raj. Ebrahim has been on the FMSCI council for the past four years and is also chairman of four ## A former Member-At-Large in the Executive Council wheel racing commission. of the Western States Communication Association (WSCA), he was also the President of the Tibetan Antonio Guterres Association of Southern California. ntonio Guterres, who was the C B Bhave Prime Minister of Portugal Afrom 1995 to 2002, was sworn- istaar Financial Services, an in as the UN Secretary General. He will MSME-focused financing firm, succeed Ban Ki-moon as the ninth chief Vhas appointed former Sebi chief of the organisation. C B Bhave as non-executive Chairman ## President of the UN General and Independent Director. Assembly Peter Thomson administered his Oath of ## Bhave was the Chairman of Office at a special plenary meeting of the 193-member Securities and Exchange Board General Assembly at the United Nations. After the of India (Sebi) for a period of sworn-in ceremony, Guterres, 67, also addressed the three years during 2008-11, prior to which he was General Assembly. the Chairman and Managing Director of National ## Addressing the UN General Assembly, the new UN Securities Depositories Ltd (NSDL). Secretary-General vowed to reform the 71-year-old ## Vistaar Finance has a loan portfolio size of Rs 1,000 world body, making it decentralised and flexible to crore and currently has 198 branches primarily in rural improve its ability to respond to global crises. He said and semi-urban areas spread across 135 districts and the organisation is the cornerstone of multilateralism 12 states. and has contributed to decades of relative peace, but the challenges are now surpassing our ability to respond. Get Free Study Material On - www.mahendraguru.com
TM @Mahendra’s 15 FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS THE PEOPLE appointment ## Portugal’s Antonio Guterres appointed UN Secretary- teacher and an officer in a commercial bank as well as General in non-profit management. ## Guterres was unanimously appointed by the General ## Two days after taking charge, she issued her first Assembly as the successor to Ban, after the 15-nation proclamation as the Cupertino Mayor in education. Security Council had in October 2016 decided by ## Savita is the first Indian-American Mayor of Cupertino, acclamation to send his name to the Assembly for final which according to Forbes is one of the most educated approval. small towns in the country with local public schools ## Guterres will assume his new role for a five-year ranking highly. tenure beginning 1 January 2017. He will serve the ## According to her campaign website, Savita has been organisation till ending 31 December 2021. a Cupertino resident for over 19 years and has been About Antonio Guterres deeply involved in several community activities in the ## He served as the UN High Commissioner for Refugees city. from June 2005 to December 2015. He was the 10th Amina Mohammed High Commissioner for Refugees. ncoming United Nations (UN) ## He was elected to the Portuguese Parliament in 1976, Chief Antonio Guterres appointed where he served for 17 years. INigeria’s Environment Minister ## During his seven-year tenure as the Prime Minister of Amina Mohammed as his Deputy Portugal, he was involved in the international effort to Secretary-General. resolve the crisis in East Timor. ## Guterres was recently sworn in as ## Born on 30 April 1949, Guterres spent more than 20 the ninth male UN Chief. He pledged years in government and public service. to reach gender parity among senior leadership within his five-year term. He will take over ## He briefly presided over the European Council in early from current Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on 1 2000. January 2017. ## He also founded the Portuguese Refugee Council in ## Also, Guterres appointed Brazilian diplomat Maria 1991. Luiza Ribeiro Viotti as Chef de Cabinet and South ## He graduated from the Instituto Superior Técnico with Korea’s Kyung-wha Kang as Special Adviser on Policy. a degree in engineering in 1971. About Amina Mohammed ## Besides, Guterres is the first Secretary-General from ## On 11 November 2015, Amina Mohammed was Western Europe since Kurt Waldheim who served the appointed as the Minister of Environment of Nigeria. organisation from 1972 to 1981. ## Previously, she served as Founder and CEO of the About United Nations Secretary-General Center for Development Policy Solutions. ## The United Nations (UN) Secretary is the head of the ## She also served as an Adjunct Professor for the Master’s UN Secretariat, which is one of the principle organs of in Development Practice program at Columbia the United Nations. He acts as de facto spokesperson University. and leader of the United Nations. ## Born in 1961, she was the United Nations Secretary- ## • The role of the UN Secretary-General and General Ban Ki-moon’s Special Adviser on Post-2015 Secretariat is laid out by Chapter XV (Articles 97 to Development Planning. She was appointed to the 101) of the United Nations Charter. The post lasts for position on 7 June 2012. five years and is limited to a maximum of two terms. David Friedman Savita Vaidhyanathan S President-elect Donald Trump or the first time, an Indian- announced that he selected American woman, Savita Uattorney David Friedman to be FVaidhyanathan has been elected ambassador to Israel. as the new Mayor of the key Californian city of Cupertino, globally known for its ## Friedman was one of Trump’s Apple headquarters. key advisers during the election campaign regarding US-Israeli ## Savita Vaidhyanathan, an MBA relations. who worked as a high school Math Get Free Study Material On - www.mahendraguru.com
TM @Mahendra’s 16 FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS THE PEOPLE appointment ## The future ambassador has been a long-time friend and ## Arora’s appointment was approved by the Appointments trusted adviser to me. His strong relationships in Israel Committee of the Cabinet (ACC). He will serve the will form the foundation of his diplomatic mission and office for a period of five years or till attaining 65 years be a tremendous asset to our country as we strengthen of age or until further orders, whichever is the earliest. the ties with our allies and strive for peace in the ## IICA is a think tank that comes under the Union Middle East. Ministry of Corporate Affairs. It focuses on matters ## All US ambassadors nominated by the President must impacting the functioning of corporates. Moreover, be confirmed by the Senate. it work towards capacity building with various ## Friedman, 57, is currently a founding partner of a law stakeholders including regulators and professionals. firm having about 300 attorneys and which for the last About Sunil Arora:- 35 years has specialised in litigation and bankruptcies. ## He is an Indian Administrative Officer (IAS) of Vijay Sazawal 1980-batch of Rajasthan cadre. noted Indian-American expert, ## Earlier this year, he retired as Information and Vijay Sazawal has been re- Broadcasting Secretary. Aappointed to the Civil Nuclear ## He is presently serving as an Advisor at Prasar Bharati. Trade Advisory Committee of the US Department of Commerce. ## At the Centre, he worked in various Ministries such as Finance, Textiles and Planning Commission. ## Vijay Sazawal’s appointment to Civil Nuclear Trade Advisory Committee ## He also served as Joint Secretary in Ministry of Civil (CINTAC) was announced by US Aviation during 1999-2002. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker along with 38 ## In Rajasthan, besides district postings in Dholpur, other members. Alwar, Nagaur and Jodhpur, he was Secretary to the ## Sazawal is the only Indian-American in the advisory Chief Minister during 1993-1998. committee. Bipin Rawat and B.S Dhanoa ## Born, raised and schooled in Srinagar, Sazawal came ieutenant general Bipin Rawat to the US in 1970 to pursue his doctoral degree in will be the new chief of Army Structural Mechanics at Michigan Tech. LStaff while Air Marshal B.S. Vijay Sharma Dhanoa will be the new chief of Air Staff, Ministry of Defence confirmed. ijay Kumar Sharma assumed Government has decided to appoint Lt charge as Chairman of the Gen Bipin Rawat, vice chief of army Vnation’s largest financial staff, as the next chief of army staff with powerhouse Life Insurance Corporation. effect from afternoon of December 31. ## The Government had appointed ## Rawat will succeed General Dalbir Singh, who will Sharma, who was named Acting retire at the end of this month while Dhanoa will replace Chairman on September 16, as the Arup Raha at the helm of Air Staff on December 31. head of the state-run life insurer, where he will have a five-year term. ## Lt Gen Rawat, an infantry soldier, superseded senior most army commander Lt Gen Praveen Bakshi, who ## Sharma, a Managing Director, was given the role of headed the Eastern Command and was next in line to Acting Chairman when incumbent S K Roy was be the army chief, besides Southern Command Chief relieved of his duties. Roy had resigned in June, nearly P M Hariz. two years ahead of his term. He was appointed in June 2013 by the previous Congress-led UPA Government. ## He has handled various operational responsibilities in many areas, including along the LoC with Pakistan, the Sunil Arora LAC with China and in the North-East. He is known for ormer Information and his balanced approach towards soldiering, compassion, Broadcasting Secretary Sunil and connect with civil society. FArora was appointed as the ## His experience as GOC-in-C Southern Army Command Director General and Chief Executive in Mechanised Warfare has been focused towards the Officer of the Indian Institute of western borders, in coordination with the other two Corporate Affairs (IICA). services. Get Free Study Material On - www.mahendraguru.com
TM @Mahendra’s 17 FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS THE PEOPLE appointment Rajiv Jain and Anil Kumar Dhasmana About Anil Kumar Dhasmana n new appointment series two more names are added, ## Anil Kumar Dhasmana, who joined the R&AW in 1993 Anil Dhasmana and Rajiv Jain were appointed as the from his parent cadre Madhya Pradesh, has worked Inext chiefs of Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and extensively with the external intelligence agency’s Intelligence Bureau (IB), respectively. Dhasmana and Jain Pakistan desk. will succeed Rajinder Khanna and Dineshwar Sharma. ## Dhasmana, a 1981-batch IPS officer, was made the Both the officers will have a tenure of two years. agency’s points man by National Security Adviser ## The government elevated the Ajit Doval for intra- committee meetings over the past deputies at the country’s top spy several months. He is now deputy to Rajinder. agencies – the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and the Research and Analysis About RAW and its working Wing (R&AW). ## Research & Analysis is an India’s international intelligence agency.It is established on 21st ## Jain and Dhasmana will have a fixed tenure of two years each. September,1968.Its head office is in New Delhi. ## When Analysis Bureau did not performed well in 1962 About Rajiv Jain India-China War and 1965 India-Pakistan War , then ## As the new IB chief, Jharkhand-cadre IPS Officer Government felt need to establish such organization Rajiv Jain will sharpen focus on coordinating the which work independently & efficiently for collecting government’s financial surveillance programme after imformation from outside. Which gives the reason to the demonetisation move. He is now the senior-most establish RAW. special director at the domestic intelligence agency. ## RAW main work is to collect information,stop ## Jain, a 1980-batch officer, joined the IB in 1989 as terrorism,operate secret operations. assistant director and later became a “hardcore”, a Praful Patel moniker used for officers permanently drafted into the agency. raful Patel was re-elected unopposed as the president of All India Football Federation for a four-year term ## Jain has handled assignments as chief of Subsidiary - his third successive - and he promised to run AIFF Intelligence Bureau (SIB) — the name given to units P in a “transparent” manner. in state capitals. ## The electoral process was completed in the presence of ## He headed the Ahmedabad SIB between 2005 and 2008, and later in Delhi from 2008 to 2012. the appointed returning officer Justice Bipin Chandra Kandpal (Retd.) who declared Patel elected along with ## The Delhi SIB is considered one of the most crucial the Executive Committee for the term 2017-2020. assignments and two officers, Syed Asif Ibrahim and ## Patel, a former Union Minister, served as acting Rajiv Mathur, who headed this unit, went on to become president for one year after long-time head Priya IB bosses. Ranjan Dasmunshi suffered a cardiac arrest in 2008. About IB ## He took over as full time president in October 2009 ## It is India’s internal secret agency,which is among before being re-elected for the top job in December the world’s oldest secret agencies. Which work in 2012. secret informations collection from inside India. Simultaneously it also work in Anti terrorism activities. Pradeep Gupta n Indian-American engineer ## It was established in 1947 under Home Ministry as a Pradeep Gupta has been elected Central Intelligence Bureau. Aas Mayor of South San Francisco ## From 1951 to 1968, with internal intelligence city in the US state of California. information IB have also to work in External ## Pradeep Gupta, an IIT Chennai Intelligence as well. To remove this additional alumni, was sworn in as the Mayor responsibility RAE was established. of the city early this month. ## In this Intelligence Bureau, officers from Law ## With this he has become the second Enforcement Agency are appointed, especially Indian-American to be elected as the Mayor of the from Indian Police Service or Army. But Director of Californian city. Intelligence Bureau is always an IPS Officer.
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TM @Mahendra’s 18 FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS THE PEOPLE appointment ## Gupta was appointed to the South San Francisco City ## Acharya’s research interests lie in the regulation Council for a one-year term on December 31, 2012 and of banks and financial institutions, credit risk and was elected to a full four-year term in November 2013. valuation of corporate debt, and asset pricing with a ## Prior to his appointment to the City Council, he was main focus on the effects of liquidity risk. on the South San Francisco Planning Commission for ## Acharya has significant experience in global finance three years, serving as the Commissions Chair in 2011. specifically in theoretical risk assessment of the ## He has a Master’s degree and a Doctorate from Purdue financial sector. University in Electrical Engineering, specialising in ## In 2015, Acharya co-authored a research paper that the area of energy efficiency and long term planning of analysed the precarious condition of public sector electric utility systems. banks in India. ## Gupta’s professional career spans over thirty years of ## He has previously served on the International Advisory working with electric utility industries both in the US Board of Securities and Exchange Board of India. and abroad. He earlier served as Vice Mayor of the Dr. K K Aggarwal City. adma Shri and Dr. B C Roy ## This election season, Savita Vaidhyanathan was elected National Awardee Dr. K K as the new Mayor of Cupertino in California. PAggarwal was sworn in as the 88th Vinod Vashisht President of Indian Medical Association t Gen Vinod Vashisht took over (IMA). the reins of National Cadet Corps ## Dr. RN Tandon will support him as L(NCC) as its Director General on the association’s Secretary General. 23 December 2016. ## The constitution of IMA’s new ## An alumnus of National Defence Governing Body took place at its 77th Central Council Academy, the General was Meeting, NATCON’16, in the presence of Dr. Ketan commissioned into the Regiment of Desai, President World Medical Association; Dr. Artillery on 09 June 1979. A graduate Jayshree Ben Mehta, President MCI; and Mr AR Kohli, from Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, and former Governor of Mizoram. the General has attended the Higher Command Course, Admiral Sunil Lanba National Defence College, IAS Professional Course and Emergency Management Course at Melbourne, avy chief Admiral Sunil Lanba took over the baton Australia. He has held various staff and command of the chairman of the chief of staff committee appointments and has been awarded with COAS & N(CoSC) from outgoing IAF chief Air Chief GOC-in-C Central Command Commendation, VSM Marshal Arup Raha even as the government plans to create & Bar for distinguished service in command and staff a new post to focus exclusively on inter-services issues and assignments. He held the appointment of Additional acquisitions. Director General in Military Training and Additional ## He would, however, be assuming charge as Chairman Military Secretary (A) at the IHQ of MoD (Army). Chief of Staff Committee with effect from afternoon He was the Commandant, Officers Training Academy, of December 31. Army chief Gen Dalbir Singh, who Gaya prior to the current assignment. He succeeds Lt also retires from service on December 31 and Principal Gen A Chakravarty, who retired on31 August 2016. Staff Officers of all three Services and HQ Integrated Viral V Acharya Defence Staff were present on the occasion. The government is working on either creating a post of iral V Acharya was appointed as the Deputy chief of defence staff (CDS) or a permanent chairman Governor of Reserve Bank of India (RBI). He is a COSC chairman. Vprofessor of economics at New York University. ## While the contentious CDS is likely to be a five star post, ## He will be joining the ranks of Vishwanathan, S S the permanent Chairman COSC will be a four-star, a Mundra, R Gandhi as one of four Deputy Governors of post that that the three Services have agreed to. Admiral RBI. He will be serving under RBI Governor Urjit Patel. Lanba assumed command of the Indian Navy on May 31 About Viral V Acharya this year. He is a Navigation and Direction specialist and ## Hailing from an academic background, he has been has served on board numerous ships in both the Eastern serving as CV Starr Professor of Economics at the New and Western Fleets.Air Chief Marshal Raha, had taken York University Stern School of Business since 2008. over as Chairman COSC on August 1, 2014. Get Free Study Material On - www.mahendraguru.com
TM @Mahendra’s 19 FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS THE PEOPLE awards/honours ## Ken Loach missed out on the Best Director prize, but AWARDS/HONOURS “I, Daniel Blake”, his heart-wrenching exploration Audrey Hepburn Humanitarian Award of the lives of those dependent on Britain’s welfare illary Clinton honoured singer system, landed stars Dave Johns and Hayley Squires Katy Perry with an Audrey an award each. HHepburn Humanitarian Award at ## Funnyman-turned-actor Johns won the Best Actor UNICEF Gala. award for his role as Daniel Blake, while Hayley was ## Clinton, 69, made a surprise named the Best Newcomer. appearance at UNICEF’s Annual Grammy nominations Snowflake Ball to give the award itarist Anoushka Shankar and Amy to Perry, who was an outspoken director Asif Kapadia are among supporter of her during US presidential campaign. Sthe Indian origin names featuring ## A global megastar, a social media queen with the most in the nominees list at the 58th Grammy Twitter followers in the world- although she’s getting awards. Shankar, 34, has been nominated some competition- and someone whose powerful voice in the Best World Music Album category and creative lyrics remind us when you get knocked for her solo album Home, which is a pure down to get back up. Indian classical album showcasing the Best Cities Award meditative and virtuosic qualities of the Indian raga. olkata, along with 10 other cities # from across the globe, has been # Home features two ragas, one of which is a creation honoured with the best cities of of her late father Ravi Shankar. This is her fifth K nomination in the same category. Indo-British director 2016 award in recognition of its inspiring and innovative programme with regard Asif Kapadia features in the nominees list of Best to solid waste management. Music Film category for Amy, his documentary on late singer Amy Winehouse. ## “Kolkata Solid Waste Management Improvement Project has achieved SJAM’s Lifetime Achievement Award 60-80 per cent (depending on site) segregation of waste unil Gavaskar was conferred at its source, with further waste segregation occurring at with the Golden Jubilee Lifetime transfer stations,” a media release said on the occasion SAchievement Award by the Sports of international summit of Mayors of millions plus Journalists Association of Mumbai cities of which Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai and New (SJAM). Delhi are its members from India. ## The award was presented by former ## Kolkata is the only Indian city to receive the prestigious India captain Ajit Wadekar and award. It received the award during the C40 Mayors former India player Madhav Apte at Summit held in Mexico City. the Cricket Club of India. Gavaskar was presented with ## Other cities that won the award are Addis Adaba, a citation and a certificate which has details of all his Copenhagen, Curitiba, Sydney and Malborne, Paris, 34 centuries. Portland, Seoul Shenzhen, and Yokohama. Golden Globe Award Nominations British Independent Film Award a La Land”, a musical about two aspiring artistes ndrea Arnold’s film “American finding romance in Hollywood, is leading Honey” and “I, Daniel Blake” “Lthe 74th Golden Globe Awards nominations were the big winners at the while India-Australia set drama “Lion” bagged four nods, A including the best supporting actor for Dev Patel. British Independent Film Awards (BIFAs). ## Writer-director Damien Chazelles ode to classic ## “American Honey”, which is about Hollywood musicals, “La La Land,” won seven nods a gang of teenagers in the US in all, including for its lead pair Emma Stone and Ryan Mid-West earned Andrea the Best Gosling in the comedy or musical categories. Director award and the movie also took home the Best ## Chazelle earned nominations for best director and best British Independent Film prize, while its star, Sasha screenplay. “La La Land” is facing competition from Lane, won the Best Actress honour, reported Variety. “20th Century Women”, superhero drama “Deadpool”, Get Free Study Material On - www.mahendraguru.com
TM @Mahendra’s 20 FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS THE PEOPLE awards/honours Meryl Streep-starrer “Florence ## All 10 finalists will be invited to Dubai for the award Foster Jenkins” and “Sing Street” ceremony at the annual Global Education and Skills and “Moonlight” in the best comedy/ Forum (GESF), to be held on March 19 next year, musical film at the Golden Globes. where the winner will be announced live. Coming-of-age drama “Moonlight” ## She has already received many awards - not just for scored six nods, including directing physics but also for her environmental projects within and screenplay for Barry Jenkins the school. She was the global winner of the School and best supporting nominations Enterprise challenge and was recognised by the World for Naomie Harris and Mahershala Education Summit 2016 for Becoming Enthusiastic Ali. Patel will be pitted against Ali (Moonlight), Jeff about Maths and Science (BEAMS) project. Bridges (Hell or High Water), Simon Helberg (Florence Foster Jenkins) and Aaron Taylor Johnson (Nocturnal Hunterian Professorship and the Medal 2017 Animals) in the best supporting actor category. renowed Indian-origin ## Kidman, who plays Patel’s adoptive Australian mother, orthopaedic surgeon has is nominated in the best supporting actress role. The A been awarded the prestigious movie has also earned best motion picture/drama and Hunterian Professorship and the Medal best original score nominations. for 2017 by UK’s Royal College of Surgeons for his research on stem cells ## “Manchester by the Sea,” a drama about a family in articular cartilage repair. grappling with tragedy, earned five nominations. ## Anan Shetty is a knee surgeon in the ## Casey Affleck, Joel Edgerton, Andrew Garfield, Viggo UK and a Chairman and Director of stem cell research Mortensen and Denzel Washington will vie for best at Canterbury Christ Church University. actor in a motion picture drama while Amy Adams, Jessica Chastain, Isabelle Huppert, Ruth Negga and ## Named after the pioneering surgeon and scientist John Natalie Portman are competing for best actress in that Hunter and dating back to over two centuries, the category. Hunterian Professorship is among the most highly- regarded annual awards in the field of surgery. Global Teacher Prize ## The Hunterian Professorship is considered one of the woman Indian physics teacher proudest traditional honours of the college bestowed on in the UK, recognised for her surgeons of eminence who have richly contributed to experiential method of teaching A the field of surgery by original research or innovations. physics, is among the top 50 contenders from around the world for a global prize ## Besides training orthopaedic surgeons at the Royal of USD one million. College of Surgeons of England, Shetty is leading world class research in knee surgery. ## Kavita Sanghvi has been recognised for her experiential method of ## Apart from his surgical innovations, he is the first teaching physics as principal of MET Rishikul surgeon to use robotics in arthroscopic knee surgery in Vidyalaya in Mumbai by The Global Teacher Prize the world and gel-based cartilage repair surgery in the 2017. UK. ## She helped her students grasp the application of ## More recently, he has been developing some of the textbook concepts in real life situations. revolutionary surgical techniques for cartilage repair, Gel ACI (Autologous chondrocyte Implantation) with ## The Global Teacher Prize, now in its third year, was Professor Kim, Director of cell therapy, Catholic set up by Indian-origin entrepreneur Sunny Varkey to University Hospital Seol, South Korea. recognise one exceptional teacher who has made an outstanding contribution to the profession as well as to ## Shetty is the founder and director of the Kent Knee shine a spotlight on the important role teacher’s play Unit based at the Spire Alexandra Hospital in south- in society. This year’s top 50 was whittled down from east England, which was established in response to the over 20,000 nominations and applications from across requirements and management of knee disorders. 179 countries. ## He has authored many books and is the winner of the ## Ten candidates will be chosen from the top 50 by Fred Heatley Prize for Research and Elsevier Prize for February 2017 and the winner will then be picked from Best Publication. the final 10 by a Global Teacher Prize Academy. ## In 2008, he was awarded the silver medal in recognition of his teaching and research. Get Free Study Material On - www.mahendraguru.com
TM @Mahendra’s 21 FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS THE PEOPLE awards/honours 89th Academy Award Nominations ## Singh, who is trustee of Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust t could be a double whammy for (IGMT), gave the prize to UNHCR India Chief of Indian music maestro A.R. Rahman Mission, Yasuko Shimizu, in the presence of the trusts Ionce again at the Academy Awards Chairperson Sonia Gandhi. as his work for ‘Pele: Birth of a Legend’ ## The prize, which was announced last year by a jury has found a spot in the list of Oscar headed by Vice President Hamid Ansari, consists of a contenders for the year. trophy with a portrait of the late prime minister in the ## Rahman had registered a double tradition of Jaipur miniature paintings, a cash award of Oscar win for his music ‘Slumdog Rs. one crore and a citation. Millionaire’ in 2009. ## This time, his name features in a long list of 145 scores ## Established by the UN General Assembly in December in contention for a nomination in the Original Score 1950, UNHCR works in 128 countries and its mission category for the 89th Academy Awards. is to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees and seek lasting solutions to their plight. ## Also, ‘Ginga’, his acclaimed number from the 2016 biographical film, is in the Oscar race too. It is part of SKOCH Award the long list of 91 songs, which are competing for a spot he National Commission for in the final nominations for the Original Song category. Protection of Child Rights ## Final nominations for the 89th Academy Awards will (NCPCR) of Ministry of Women be announced on January 24, ahead of the presentation T and Child Development has been ceremony, which will take place on February 26 at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center in conferred the Skoch Silver and Skoch Hollywood. Order-of Merit award. ## Rahman had earlier made India proud with his twin win ## The award was received by NCPCR Chairperson at the Academy Awards platform for Danny Boyle’s Stuti Kacker from Ajay Kumar, Additional Secretary, ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ in 2009. He was lauded for his Ministry of Electronics & IT at an event attended by Best Original Score as also the Best Original Song ‘Jai representatives of Technology Companies, Govt. ho’ from the same film, with lyrics by Gulzar. Departments, Public Sector Undertaking, and Research Officier de la Legion dHonneur Organisations in New Delhi last week. hairperson and Editorial Director of Hindustan ## The two awards were received by NCPCR for applying Times, Shobhana Bhartia was conferred Frances top technology to develop an electronic drop box, POCSO Ccivilian honour - Officier de la Legion dHonneur. e-Box for registering complaints on Child Sexual ## Ambassador of France to India Alexandre Ziegler Abuse. presented the award to Bhartia at an event organised at ## Speaking on the occasion, Kacker said that everybody the French embassy . should stand up against Child Sexual Abuse, a heinous ## Bhartia, a former Rajya Sabha member, said the award crime that leaves permanent scars on the psyche of the is a matter of privilege for her and an opportunity to child. add to the “strong ties” shared by India and France. ## The competition saw more than 3000 participants ## The low-key event was attended by Congress leaders and NCPCR’s project, POCSO e-box was considered Jyotiraditya Scindia and R P N Singh, among others. among the top 30 entries. ## Bhartia also featured in the list of 100 most powerful woman published by Forbes magazine this year. ## According to a study, conducted by Ministry of Women & Child Development during 2007, about 53% of Indira Gandhi Peace Prize 2015 children surveyed, reported having faced one or the ormer Prime Minister Manmohan other form of sexual abuse in their lifetime. Singh presented Indira Gandhi FPrize for Peace, Disarmament ## It has been found that in most cases, the offender is a and Development for 2015 to the family member/near relative or an acquaintance. The United Nations High Commissioner for child victim in such cases generally does not report Refugees (UNHCR) at a function. such incidences.
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TM @Mahendra’s 22 FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS THE PEOPLE awards/honours About POCSO e-box:- to be held in Kolhapur. The degree is ## POCSO e-box is a unique endeavor by NCPCR for being conferred on Paudwal for her receiving online complaint of Child Sexual Abuse outstanding contribution in popularising directly from the victim. Sanskrit shlokas from Durga saptashati, Shiv Mahima Srot, Bhagwad Gita and ## The system maintains confidentiality of the victim/ other religious texts, vice chancellor of complainant. Through a well-defined procedure the university, Dr Prakash B Behere said complaints are directly followed up by a team which a statement issued. counsels the victim, providing further guidance for required legal action. Through a short animation film ## The 64-year-old artist, in her career spanning over more embedded in the e-box it assures the victim not to feel than three decades in Bollywood, non-film and regional bad, helpless or confused as it’s not her fault. With the music, has given scores of memorable hits, esepcially e-box, it is easy to register complaint through a step- during the 90s. by-step guided process. ## A National Award recipient, she is also the four-time AIBA 70th Anniversary Award winner of prestigious Filmfare Award. he legendary M C Mary Kom ## Paudwal started her career as playback singer in 1973 and former Asian Games gold- medallist Vikas Krishan shone and went on to sing over 5,000 songs in Hindi, Punjabi, T Bengali, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Oriya and Nepali bright at the International Boxing Associations 70th anniversary gala in films. Montreux, Switzerland, picking up ## Besides giving superhit songs from films like Hero, different awards for their performances. Ram Lakhan, Tezab, Ashiquee, Jung, Dil, Dil Hai ## While five-time world champion and Ke Manta Nahi, Paudwal’s devotional songs became Olympic bronze-medallist Mary Kom was presented widely popular and achieved her a distinct mark in the the AIBA Legends award for her trailblazing boxing film and music industry. career, Vikas was handed the APB (AIBA Pro Boxing) Best Boxer trophy. Navlekhan award 2016 Bihari Puraskar wo new Hindi writers Shraddha and Ghyansham Kumar Devansh have been chosen for Bharatiya he K K Birla Foundation Jnanpith Navlekhan Award for the year 2016. announced that eminent T TRajasthani litterateur Satya ## The decision to confer the award on Shraddha for her Narayan has been chosen for the 26th short story, Hawa Mein Phadphadati Chitthi and on Bihari Puraskar, 2016 for his Hindi book Devansh for his poem Akash Mein Deh was taken titled, “Yeh Ek Dunia”. unanimously by a selection panel chaired by eminent ## Instituted in 1991 by the Foundation, poet Vishnu Nagar. the award which is named after ## The award, that is given to young authors in Hindi for famous Hindi poet Bihari, recognises their first creations, consists of a statue of Goddess outstanding work in Hindi or Rajasthani, published Saraswati, a citation and a cash prize each, besides during the last ten years by a Rajasthani writer. Jnanpith publishing their works, according to a ## “K K Birla Foundation announces that the twenty- statement signed by Leeladhar Mandloi, Director of sixth Bihari Puraskar for the year 2016 will be given Bharatiya Jnanpith. to Dr Satya Narayan for his Hindi reportage Yeh Ek Dunia. This book was published in 2010”. With Yeh ## The selection Board that also comprised of writer and Ek Dunia, which is a meticulous depiction of various journalist Madhusudan Anand, poet and critic Om circumstances of life in the contemporary world, Nischal and Mandloi, also shortlisted several other Narayan has gone beyond the boundaries of formal manuscripts for publication including short stories format of reporting. Bohani by Bhumika Dwivedi and Amarbel Ki Udas Shakhein by Amiya Bindu, besides two works of poetry Honorary D.Litt degree by D Y Patil University -- Ek Atirikt by Reshmi Bharadwaj and Anantim Geet oted playback singer Anuradha Paudwal will be Ke Beech by Sujata. conferred with honorary D. Litt degree by the D Y NPatil University on its 5th convocation ceremony, Get Free Study Material On - www.mahendraguru.com
TM @Mahendra’s 23 FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS
THE PEOPLE OBITUARY Bekal Utsahi obituary eteran poet and former Rajya John Mansfield Sabha MP Bekal Utsahi ohn Mansfield, Britain’s oldest man Vpassed away following brain survived two world wars and saw haemmorhage. He was 88. Jhistoric events like the April 1912 ## Utsahi was awarded the sinking of Titanic, has died at the age of Padmashree in 1976 for his 108. contribution to literature. He was ## John Mansfield, fondly known as also honoured with Yash Bharti by Jack, was just 16 days away from the UP government. his 109th birthday when he died in Syed Abdus Salam Derbyshire County in England. ormer India footballer and ## Jack, who was born in 1907, passed away peacefully Coach Syed Abdus Salam, who in his sleep just six weeks after breaking the record of was awarded Best Defender in Britain’s oldest man. He has lived through 19 Prime F the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, died at Ministers and five monarchs. his Salarjung Colony residence. He was ## Jack also worked through the Great Depression and saw 77. historic events such as man’s first journey into space ## He represented India under Badru and the sinking of Titanic. Banerjee at the Melbourne Games Sulabha Brahme where India finished fourth and was the last football minent economist and Left ideologue Sulabha team to have made the Olympics. Brahme passed away. She was 84. Born as daughter of ## At club level, Salam represented Mohammedan Eacclaimed economist and former deputy chairman of Sporting and led the team to win both the Calcutta planning commission D R Gadgil and social worker Pramila Football League and IFA Shield in 1957. Gadgil, Brahme founded Shankar Brahme Samaj Vidnyan ## Mohammedan Sporting President Sultan Ahmed Granthalaya which became a centre for Left, progressive and secular tendencies in Pune and Maharashtra. condoled Salam’s death and the club kept the flag at half-mast. ## She co-founded many platforms to further these causes, ## Salam had guided India to become joint winners with including the Lok Vidnyan Sanghatana, Maharashtra Iran in the Asian Youth U-19 Cup in Bangkok in 1974. Dushkal Nivaran and Nirmulan Mandal,Purogami Mahila Sanghatana, Lokayat, Jagatikikaran Virodhi ## He also coached Andhra Pradesh and was the first Kruti Samiti and Bayaja Trust. coach of the Sports Authority of Andhra Pradesh in 1981 and retired there as a deputy director. ## Brahme was actively involved in experiments to promote organic and sustainable agriculture in the Jayalalithaa Konkan area. jayalalithaa, the iconic Tamil Nadu ## She authored more than 50 high quality booklets in Chief Minister, who scorched a Marathi and monographs on these topics to create J lonely, often controversial, road awareness among people and to educate activists. She from cinema to an almost mythic maintained close links with all the different shades and political status among her followers, strands of progressive people’s movements. who mastered the art of the comeback despite setbacks electoral and legal, A V Sreedharan passed away. ormer Deputy Speaker of Puducherry Assembly and ## Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Jayalalithaa introduced senior Congress leader A V Sreedharan passed away. He was 72. Sreedharan was a dedicated Congress a number of pro-poor schemes in various fields, F including education, food security, provision of safe functionary and a trade unionist in Mahe region, who headed drinking water, the girl child etc. the INTUC in an NTC run textile mills in the region which is an enclave of Puducherry in Kerala. He was the Deputy ## Her life was dedicated to the socio-economic Speaker of Puducherry Assembly between 2006 and 2011. transformation of Tamil Nadu and its people.
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TM @Mahendra’s 25 FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS THE PEOPLE OBITUARY Cho Ramaswamy kids. In the last season, Leonardo DiCaprio appeared eteran Indian journalist, former as a homeless teen who moves in with the family. Rajya Sabha member and ## Born in Kirkland Lake, Ontario in 1947, Thicke Vpolitical commentator Cho attended the University of Western Ontario after Ramaswamy died. He was 82. graduating from secondary school. He hosted a game ## Ramaswamy was founder editor of show, “First Impressions,” in Canada, as well as a talk Thuqlaq magazine and was known show, “The Alan Thicke Show.” as a satirist. Zsa Zsa Gabor ## He had acted in many movies and featured with top sa Zsa Gabor, the Hungarian actors like Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan. actress, known for her life full of glamour and glitz has died. John Glenn Z She was 99.The actress, whose love life ormer US Senator and astronaut always made headlines, passed away, just John Glenn, who became the first two months before of her 100th birthday. American to orbit the earth, has F ## According to her publicist Ed Lozzi died in Ohio. He was 95. Gabor died in her Bel Air mansion. ## Glenn, who circled the earth three She had been on life support for the times, was the third US astronaut last five years. in space. He was the first to get into orbit. ## More than her work as an actress, Gabor was famous for her outlandish persona, extravagant lifestyle, ## Known for his small-town decency and calm heroics, penchant for calling everyone “dahling” and one-liners Glenn was the last survivor of the original Mercury 7 about her jewels. astronauts. Anupam Mishra ## He made history a second time in 1998, when he returned to space decades later at the age of 77 only to oted journalist, environmentalist, become the oldest person sent into space. and water conservationist NAnupam Mishra passed away. ## Glenn was a highly-decorated Marine who flew 59 He was 68. He was battling prostate combat missions in the South Pacific during World War cancer for the last one year. II. During the Korean War, he flew 90 combat missions, ## Mishra had been awarded the using different models of new jet fighters. 1996 Indira Gandhi Paryavaran ## He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, Puraskar (IGPP) award instituted the country’s highest civilian honour, in 2012, by by the Ministry of Environment and President Barack Obama. Forests, Government of India. Alan Thicke Jagannatha Varma eteran actor Alan Thicke best eteran Malayalam Film and known for playing the head of Television actor K N Jagannatha Vthe Seaver family on the popular VVarma passed away. He was 77. ABC sitcom “Growing Pains,” has died. Varma was hospitalised two days ago He was 69. following complaints of Pneumonia. ## Thicke, who was the father of singer ## An accomplished Kathakali artist, Robin Thicke, reportedly suffered a Varma was in the Kerala Police force heart attack while playing hockey and had retired as Superintendent of with his son Carter. He was taken to Providence St Police. Joseph’s Medical Center in Burbank, California, where he died. ## He made his debut in Malayalam films in 1978 with Mattoly and went on to do memorable roles in over ## “Growing Pains” aired on ABC for seven seasons, from 500 films. September 1985 to April 1992. Thicke played Jason Seaver, a psychiatrist who works from home. Joanna ## Among his well-known films are, New Delhi, Lelam, Kerns portrayed his wife and Kirk Cameron, Tracey Pathram, Nakshatrangale Sakshi, Sughamo Devi, Ee Gold, Jeremy Miller and Ashley Johnson were their Thanuthe Veluppan Kalathu and No 20 Madras Mail. Get Free Study Material On - www.mahendraguru.com
TM @Mahendra’s 26 FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS THE PEOPLE OBITUARY Michele Morgan in the Congress government of Bindeshwari Dubey rench screen legend Michele from 1985-1988. Morgan, who starred in some 70 ## He also worked for Press Trust of India as its Rajgir Fmovies and took home the best correspondent in the past. In his condolence message, actress prize at the first-ever Cannes film the chief minister described the departed leader as a festival has died at the age of 96 years. prominent politician and social worker. ## An icon of glamour, Morgan was George Michael remembered for a regal azure gaze ritish pop singer George Michael, which she first turned on Jean Gabin as an 18-year-old ingenue in “Port of Shadows” (“Quai who rose to fame with the band des Brumes”), a 1938 gangster movie. Claude Lelouch, BWham! And sold more than 100 who directed her in the 1975 “Cat and Mouse,” paid million albums in his career, has died tribute to her as “the one we all wanted to hold in our aged 53. arms”. One of the giants of `80s and `90s music, ## Morgan starred alongside Gabin, Jean Marais and and an early idol for the MTV generation, Michel Simon, as well as Humphrey Bogart, and Michael enjoyed immense popularity won her Cannes award in 1946 for her role as a blind from the start with hits such as “Wake Me up before You woman in “La Symphonie Pastorale”, Jean Delannoy’s Go-Go,” “Young Guns (Go For It)” and “Freedom.” adaptation of an Andre Gide novel. Vera Rubin ## Her career flourished in the 1940s to 1960s, and faded pioneering astronomer who with the arrival of new wave cinema. helped find powerful evidence of Mehar Singh A dark matter has died. Vera Rubin orld War II veteran Mehar was 88. Singh, who had served with ## Rubin found that galaxies don’t WRoyal Corps of Signals, quite rotate the way they were passed away on December 15. predicted, and that lent support to ## Sant Mehar Singh joined the Royal the theory that some other force is at Corps of Signals in 1942 and work, namely dark matter. worked as a despatch rider. He saw ## Dark matter, which hasn’t been directly observed, operations in Imphal and during makes up 27 per cent of universe as opposed to 5 per India-Pakistan war in 1947-48. cent of the universe being normal matter. Scientists ## In one of the operations, Sant Mehar Singh along with better understand what dark matter isn’t rather than three of his colleagues trekked through deep jungles what it is. to establish contact with garrison of Bagh, and saved ## Rubin’s scientific achievements earned her numerous 50,000 lives. honors, including becoming the second female ## In 1948, Mehar bid good bye to uniform and in 1954 astronomer to be elected to the National Academy of laid the foundation of Nirmal Kutia Ashram at Batote Sciences. in Ramban district of Jammu and Kashmir. Carrie Fisher ## Sant Mehar Singh had also laid the foundation of Sarv Dharm Sthal at Dharmund. ctress Carrie Fisher, who found enduring fame as Princess Leia Surendra Prasad Tarun Ain the original “Star Wars,” has ormer Bihar Education Minister and veteran Congress died. She was 60. leader Surendra Prasad Tarun passed away after ## Fisher’s daughter, Billie Lourd, Fprolonged illness. He was 88.Chief Minister Nitish released a statement through her Kumar expressed grief over Tarun’s demise and announced spokesman saying Fisher died in a state funeral for him. Los Angeles. ## A native of Panditpur village of Nalanda, Tarun, a ## two-time former MLA from Atri in Gaya and Hilsa in She made her feature film debut opposite Warren Beatty in the 1975 hit “Shampoo.” Nalanda district, was the minister of state for education
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TM @Mahendra’s 27 FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS THE PEOPLE OBITUARY Ratnasiri Wickremanayake Sunderlal Patwa eteran politician Ratnasiri eteran BJP leader and former Wickremanayake who served Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Vtwice as Prime Minister of Sri VSunderlal Patwa passed away. Lanka passed away. He was 83. He was 92. Patwa suffered a heart attack ## Wickremanayake held many key in the morning and was rushed to hospital ministerial positions since 1970. where he breathed his last. ## Wickremanayake served twice as Balasaheb Vikhe-Patil the Island nation’s premier first from eteran Congress leader and former Union Minister 2000 to 2001 and then from 2005 to 2010. Balasaheb Vikhe-Patil passed away. He was 84. ## He was appointed prime minister by former Sri Lankan VAiling since sometime, he breathed his last at his president Mahinda Rajapaksa on November 21, 2005. home in Loni-Pravara. ## It was Wickremanayake who paved the way for ## Considered a pillar of the cooperatives movement in Rajapaksa to emerge as the next leader of the Sri Lanka the state and his family credited with launching Asia’s Freedom Party (SLFP). first sugar cooperative factory in Loni, Vikhe-Patil had been elected Member of Parliament eight times from ## He resigned from his position as the leader of the Ahmednagar. main opposition in 2002 to make way for Rajapaksa to become the leader of the opposition.
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TM @Mahendra’s 28 FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS NEWS BYTES NATIONAL NATIONAL Burning Topics of the Month 1. Lanura beats cash crunch, becomes first to go cashless in Jammu and Kashmir. 2. Prime Minister unveils First Ever Indian Institute Of Skills of India at Kanpur. 3. Assam Government launches Health Insurance Scheme Atal-Amrit Abhiyan. Government approves inclusion of 15 new castes in Central OBC list, 01 Dec. 2016
cooperation in education between the two countries. According to the India’s ambassador to Cairo Sanjay Bhattacharyya the centre will be set up in the engineering department of the university early next year. Bhattacharyya called on Grand Sheikh of Al-Azhar Ahmed el-Tayeb to discuss ways to enhance cooperation between India and the varsity on different issues. Noting that the India government will pay all the cost of the project, the ambassador said another major issue he discussed with el-Tayeb was Al-Azhar’s role in spreading moderate Islam.
he Government approved the inclusion of 15 new Hazaribagh-Barkakana railway line opened castes and modification in 13 other castes in the for traffic, 08 Dec. 2016 Central list of Other Backward Classes (OBCs). T he long awaited 57 km long Hazaribagh-Barkakana The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra section of Koderma-Ranchi new line project in Modi approved the proposal. TJharkhand was inaugurated by Railway Minister The National Commission of Backward Classes (NCBC) Suresh Prabhu in the presence of Chief Minister Raghubar had recommended a total of 28 changes in respect of 8 Das. states — Assam, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, The 203 km long Koderma- Ranchi new line project, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir and sanctioned in 1998-99, which was pending for soo many Uttarakhand. years is now near completion. Out of these 28, 15 were new entries, 9 were synonyms or 80 km long Koderma- Hazaribagh section was commissioned sub-castes of the castes which were already in the list and by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 20, 2015 4 were corrections. and passenger services are being introduced in further On the NCBC recommendation, a total of 2479 Entries for 57 km long section of Hazaribagh- Barkakana. Work on inclusion, including its synonyms, sub-castes, etc. in the Barkakana-Ranchi section which is 66 km long is also in Central List of OBCs have been notified in 25 States and 6 progress. Union Territories. With completion of this link, distance from Barkakana to The last such notification was issued till September, 2016. Koderma by rail route will reduce by 60 km. This will also facilitate movement of coal traffic. India to set up center of excellence at Al- This will also pave way for completion of this entire project Azhar University, 07 Dec. 2016 which was sanctioned 18 years back. The project is on ndia will establish a center of excellence in information 50:50 cost sharing basis with Jharkhand and hence the state technology at Egypt’s oldest and most prestigious government has also played its role in not only in facilitating IAl-Azhar University as part of an effort to enhance the project execution but also in funding. Get Free Study Material On - www.mahendraguru.com
TM FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS @Mahendra’s 29 NEWS BYTES NATIONAL Govt approves MoU between Rural Develop- President of India inaugurates ninth World ment Ministry & FAO, 15 Dec. 2016 Confluence of Humanity, Power and Spiritu- ality, 17 Dec. 2016
he President of India, Pranab Mukherjee addressed the inaugural session of the ninth World Confluence Tof Humanity, Power and Spirituality, organized by ASSOCHAM, Srei Foundation and the Times Group (December 16, 2016) in New Delhi. ith the aim to improve effectiveness of rural Speaking on the occasion, the President said that the theme development programmes, the government of this convention, “Sach Bharat: Spirituality at Work”, is of approved the memorandum of understanding W immense relevance. He stated that spirituality is important (MoU) between Rural Development Ministry and Food and for any individual. At times, it is confused with religion but Agriculture Organization (FAO). spirituality carries a deeper meaning in its strong connect in The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra our daily lives, including our workplace. Being spiritual is Modi approved the MoU. being devoted, including devotion to one’s work. Working The MoU will support an integrated approach to rural harder for the growth of the nation is an act of devotion poverty reduction through activities aimed to promote the in itself. He expressed hope that the forum would help in economic empowerment of rural women, access of rural propagating such a message. poor to natural resources and their sustainable use and social protection. Lanura beats cash crunch, becomes first to go cashless in Jammu and Kashmir, 19 Dec. 2016 According to the Rural Development Ministry statement, it will strengthen the vertical upscaling of the livelihoods of rural populations that are supported by DAY-NRLM help to develop inclusive and sustainable value chains for key crops and skills development for rural youth. Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY -NRLM) is a flagship rural poverty reduction programme of Rural Development Ministry launched nationwide with the objective of social mobilisation, financial inclusion and sustainable livelihoods promotion. One of the major focus areas of DAY - NRLM is promotion of existing livelihood portfolios of the rural poor in farm and non-farm sectors. The programme aims at creating efficient and effective institutional platforms for the rural poor enabling them to increase household income through sustainable livelihood village in central Kashmir’s Budgam district has enhancements and improved access to financial services. become the first village in the state to go ‘cashless’. Lanura village, about 30 kms from the summer FAO’s programme for rural poverty reduction supports A governments and national stakeholders in overcoming the capital here, has become the first village in Jammu and Kashmir to go cashless. hurdles laced by the rural poor and by aligning agricultural sector and food security policies with broader rural He said at least one member of each household in the village development objectives . has been trained to use Electronic Payment System (EPS). Get Free Study Material On - www.mahendraguru.com
TM FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS @Mahendra’s 30 NEWS BYTES NATIONAL So far, 150 persons have been provided training to use laid the foundation stone of the first ever “Indian Institute EPS at Lanura which falls in Panchayat Bugroo-B in block of Skills” in the country at Kanpur. The Institute has been Khansahab of the district. conceptualized by the Prime Minister during his visit to The feat has become possible through rigorous efforts by Singapore’s Institute of Technical Education. CSC e-Governance Services India Limited and National Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Informatics Centre (NIC) under the objective of Digital headed by Rajiv Pratap Rudy, in partnership with the Financial Inclusion. Institute of Technical Education, Singapore decided to open The government has been pushing for digital transactions an institute first ever of its kind in the country, the institute with Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealing people to is inspired by the Singapore model of training and would move to a cashless economy. adopt various best practices from the country. The Ministry has decided to have six such institutes all across. Lanura Village is at 30 Km distance from Sri Nagar.This village comes under Khan Sahab Block under Bagru B Prime Minister also inaugurated the Kaushal Pradarshini Panchayat. (Skill Exhibition) for the youth of Uttar Pradesh. The Exhibition showcases state-of-the-art vocational training About Budgam District practices across different sectors, and will remain open for ## In 1979, Budgam was announced as district. public view at the Railway Grounds, Kanpur between 19th to 22nd December. ## Before this,it was the part of Srinagar,the time when Srinagar was a part of Anantnaag and the Budgam was Modi launched an array of skill development initiatives for counted under Baramula District. the youth of the country, including Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendras (PMKKs) and Drivers’ Training Institutes. There ## This is Shia population dominated area of Kashmir. was also strategic partnership with various industries that ## According to census 2011, Budgam had a population of will train and employ approximate 4 Lakh youth over the 735753 people. Same as Alaska & Guyana of America. next 3 years. ## According to sex ratio of this place 883 female per Prime Minister had shown concern about the training of 1000 male. drivers so to achieve his dream Ministry has decided to Cashless Economy open up 100 Driver Training Institutes all across India soon. NSDC has signed a MoU with OLA cabs. OLA cabs need Under this method, the payment are made digitally by card 1 lakh drivers and India will ensure them provide trained or any other medium. At present time, Modi Government drivers. want to apply this method in all over India. The Prime Minister had announced “National Apprentice Prime Minister unveils First Ever Indian In- Promotion Scheme” in the State where the State Government stitute Of Skills of India at Kanpur, has a major role in its successful implementation. There 19 Dec. 2016 are only 23000 private companies that are engaged in apprenticeship across the country. It is MSDE’s endeavour to encourage State Government support and ensure engagement with more corporates on apprenticeship trainings. This is one direct way of bridging the gap between the potential employee and the employer and has models under Apprenticeship training has benefited economies of many countries. The financial year target for 2016-17 is to ensure enrolment of 5 lakh apprentices at least across the country. Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) has plans to open one Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendra (PMKK) each, in each district of the country creating opportunities of growth for the youth locally and the launch of some 31 PMKKs was announced by Modi at the event. n line with the vision of making India the Skill Capital Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendras are iconic state-of-the- of the World by empowering its youth to be more art skill development centres with modern infrastructure to employable and self-sustainable, the Prime Minister I facilitate skill trainings in the country. Get Free Study Material On - www.mahendraguru.com
TM FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS @Mahendra’s 31 NEWS BYTES NATIONAL Daman and Diu becomes first cashless region Chandipur in Odisha. The sophisticated missile with a in the country, 21 Dec. 2016 strike range of 1,000 km was test launched from a specially- designed launcher around noon from the launch complex-3 of the ITR near here . Shortly after the launch, there were reports that the test had failed like most of the earlier launches. Neither the Defence Ministry nor the DRDO, which is the agency involved in the launch, were ready to comment on the development. They also refused to react to reports that the launch was a failure. Powered by a solid rocket motor booster, Nirbhay missile he tiny Union Territory along the Arabian Sea coast, with a turbo-fan engine is guided by a highly advanced inertial navigation system. Daman and Diu, has become the first cashless region Tof the country. After the missile achieves designated altitude and velocity Minister of State for Home Hansraj Gangaram Ahir has the booster motor is separated and the torfan engine commended the UT administration for taking the initiative automatically switches on taking over further propulsion, a Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to make Daman and Diu as the first cashless region of the country. scientist associated with this project said. During a recent visit to the Union Territory, Ahir lauded the He said that mid-way in its flight, missiles wing opens up painstaking efforts of the UT administration in successfully by the commands generated by the sophisticated on board making Daman and Diu a cashless region. computer for stabilising the flight path. At least 190 teams of trained volunteers visited over 25,000 The missile was tracked with the help of ground based households spread across the UT to educate their members radars and its health parameters were monitored by indigenous telemetry stations by team of professionals from about the benefits of cashless transactions. DRDOs ITR and LRDE (Electronics & Radar Development The administration has introduced free Wi-fi services in Establishment). the Union Territory recently and 3,500 GB Data was used by over 32,000 tourists and local people during the last 45 Shripad Naik formally inaugurates the North days. Eastern Institute of Ayurveda & Homoeopa- This initiative was appreciated by Ahir as it will help in thy at Shillong, 23 Dec. 2016 promoting the government’s initiative of Digital India and e-transactions. Subsonic cruise missile Nirbhay flight tested in Chandipur, 22 Dec. 2016
he Minister of State for AYUSH Shripad Yesso Naik formally inaugurated the North Eastern ndia conducted the flight test of indigenously-designed TInstitute of Ayurveda and Homoeopathy (NEIAH), and developed long range subsonic cruise missile an autonomous Institute under Ministry of AYUSH, INirbhay from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Government of India, in Shillong, Meghalaya. With this, Get Free Study Material On - www.mahendraguru.com
TM FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS @Mahendra’s 32 NEWS BYTES NATIONAL it became the second Ayurvedic College in the North East Niti Aayog health index to rank states on Region with a Homeopathy college and the only Central ‘measurable’ indicators, 26 Dec. 2016 Academic Institute of Ayush. Expressing his pleasure in dedicating the NEIAH to the nation, Shripad Yesso Naik was hopeful that this prestigious Institute will cater to the need of all the states of the North East. ‘The primary aim of the Institute is to produce quality human resource in the area of AYUSH in general, particularly in the Ayurveda and Homeopathy along with the Yoga systems. The AYUSH Minister said that the establishment of this Institute will solve the problem of scarcity of doctors in remote areas of the North Eastern regions to a great extent as it will produce quality medical graduates in the stream of Ayurveda and Homeopathy; iti Aayog’s health index will rank states on the basis and thereby it will suitably help in implementing and of their performance on ‘measurable’ indicators improving the execution of national health policies. Nlike infant mortality rate, sex ratio at birth and Union Government launches Coal Mitra functional 24x7 public health centres. portal to facilitate flexibility in utilization of According to the ‘Health Book’ released by the government domestic coal, 23 Dec. 2016 think tank the maximum weightage is awarded to measurable outcomes (in ranking states on the basis of their he Union Ministry of Coal has launched Coal Mitra, performance) since these remain the focus of achievement. a web portal for allowing flexibility in utilization of The Aayog launched the ‘Performance on Health Outcomes’ Tdomestic Coal. index which will be used to propel action in the states to It was launched by Union Minister of State (IC) for Power, improve health outcomes and improve data collection Coal, New & Renewable Energy and Mines Piyush Goyal systems. in New Delhi. States/UTs will be ranked in categories to ensure comparison Key Facts among similar entities. ## The Coal Mitra Web Portal aims at optimum utilisation Government of India kick-starts the awards by private as well as public power companies of the of the Lucky Grahak Yojana and Digi-Dhan coal. Vyapar Yojana, 26 Dec. 2016 ## It facilitates transfer of the coal reserves to more cost efficient State/Centre owned or Private sector generating stations. ## The portal allows coal swapping between PSUs and the Private Sector in transparent manner and also helps to reduce operational and logistic costs, bringing power tariffs down for the consumers. ## It facilitates state/Central Gencos to display information about normative fixed and variable charges of electricity for the previous month. ## They can also display margin available for additional generation so as to enable the utilities identify stations for transfer of coal. ## It will host data on Quantity and source of supply coal to the power plant, Operational and Financial n order to incentivize Digital Payments, the Government parameters of each coal based station and Distance of of India, kick-started the Lucky Grahak Yojana and Digi- Power plant form the Coal mine. IDhan Vyapar Yojana awards at the Vigyan Bhavan, New Get Free Study Material On - www.mahendraguru.com
TM FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS @Mahendra’s 33 NEWS BYTES NATIONAL Delhi. Arun Jaitley, Hon’ble Union Minister of Finance and Assam Government launches Health Insur- Corporate Affairs, GoI and Ravi Shankar Prasad, Hon’ble ance Scheme Atal-Amrit Abhiyan, Union Minister of Electronics & Information Technology and Law & Justice, GoI launched the awards. 27 Dec. 2016 To make Digital payments and a less cash society a mass movement in India, the Digi Dhan Mela will take place in 100 different cities across the country over the next 100 days until March. Digi Dhan Mela witnessed the participation of nearly 5000 people. A total of 15000 winners were selected under 4 broad categories (USSD, UPI, AEPS, RuPay) from the 8 crore digital transactions that took place between 9th November 2016 to 21st December 2016. NPCI announced the winners of lucky draw will receive a message from their banks and the reward money will be credited into their bank accounts over the next 24 hours. Citizens may check if they have received the reward by logging on to: www.digidhanlucky.mygov.in. ssam Government rolled out ‘Atal-Amrit Abhiyan’, Special stamp on freedom fighter Gaya a health insurance scheme to provide coverage Prasad Katiyar released, 27 Dec. 2016 Aagainst several critical illnesses. Atal-Amrit Abhiyan aims to make quality health care affordable to every individual member of a family in the state. This scheme is claimed to be the biggest health care initiative undertaken by any State Government in the country. It has financial outlay of the scheme is around Rs 200 crore. Under the scheme ## Both Below Poverty Line (BPL) and Above Poverty Line (APL) families with annual income below Rs. 5 lakh are eligible to avail benefit. ## Cashless cards will be provided to eligible individuals epartment of Posts has brought out a special stamp to avail treatment for as many as 437 diseases under six on freedom fighter Gaya Prasad Katiyar. categories at most major hospitals across the country. DBesides, it has unveiled a set of eight commemorative ## The six categories are cardiovascular diseases, kidney postage stamps on Personalities Series: Bihar and a stamp diseases, cancer, neo-natal diseases, neurological on Hardayal Municipal Heritage Public Library in the City. conditions and burns. The stamps were released by Anupriya Patel, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare. India likely to host key RCEP meeting in July,
The Department has commemorated great deeds and 27 Dec. 2016 achievements of following eight personalities of Bihar by ndia is expected to host in July next year the negotiations releasing stamps on them. for mega trade deal RCEP which aims at liberalising These include Dr Sachchidananda Sinha (lawyer and Inorms for trade in goods and services and boost journalist), Karpoori Thakur (politician), Dashrath Manjhi investment among 16-member countries. (known for carving a path through a hillock using only a This will be a crucial meeting of the Regional Comprehensive hammer and chisel), Vidyapati (Maithili poet), Kailashpati Economic Partnership (RCEP). Mishra (politician), Kunwar Singh (freedom fighter), Currently, the member countries are deliberating upon the Phanishwar Nath Renu (writer) and Krishna Sinha (first single-tier system of duty relaxation under the proposed Chief Minister of Bihar). pact.
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TM FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS @Mahendra’s 34 NEWS BYTES NATIONAL ith Kollam in south India becoming Wi-Fi- enabled, railways have completed the task of Wequipping 100 stations with free Wi-Fi service across the country by the end of 2016. The next move is to cover 400 major stations with free Wi- Fi by next year. According to the Railway Ministry official release they have started with Mumbai station and now connected Kollam in down south with free Wi-Fi network and with this we have completed the target of providing free Wi-Fi service at 100 busiest stations in partnership with Google by the year end. In January this year, railways launched its first free Wi-Fi services at Mumbai Central station and then continued with Under this system, the members have to finalise the connecting all busy stations like Bhubaneswar, Bangalore, maximum number of goods on which duties will either be Howrah, Kanpur, Mathura, Aligarh, Bareilly and Varanasi eliminated or reduced significantly. stations with the free internet service at rail premises. The agreement aims to cover goods, services, investments, Railway’s plan is to cover total 400 major stations with free economic and technical cooperation, competition and Wi-Fi service by the end of next year. intellectual property rights. According to railways, over 10 million people who pass As the domestic industry has apprehensions over a deluge through these stations every day now have an access to in imports from countries such as China after the duty cut fast Internet speed to stream, research their destination or under the agreement, India wants certain deviations for download a new book or game for the journey ahead. such countries. Cabinet approves note ban ordinance, Under deviations, India may propose a longer duration for either reduction or elimination of import duties for such 28 Dec. 2016 countries. The talks for the pact started in Phnom Penh in November 2012. The 16 countries account for over a quarter of the world’s economy, estimated to be more than USD 75 trillion. The 16—member bloc RCEP comprises 10 ASEAN members (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Laos and Vietnam) and their six FTA partners — India, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. Free Wi-Fi service at 100 railway stations, he government approved ordinance on demonetisation bringing much needed clarity over note ban. The
27 Dec. 2016 Tordinance is to extinguish liability of government and RBI on the demonetised high-denomination notes. Under the ordinance, hoarding, receiving or transferring banned Rs. 500, 1000 notes after March 31, 2017 will invite punishment. One can only have a maximum of 10 old notes. WHAT THE ORDINANCE MEANS: The Specified Bank Notes Cessation of Liabilities Ordinance approved by Modi Cabinet. After December 30, banned Rs. 500, 1000 notes will only be submitted through selected branches of RBI. In case an individual deposits old currency in RBI after December 30 then a declaration has to be submitted on why he/she couldn’t submit in the given timeframe. Get Free Study Material On - www.mahendraguru.com
TM FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS @Mahendra’s 35 NEWS BYTES NATIONAL Till March 31, 2017, in case you are not able to go physically Subscribers will receive an IVRS call from the short code to an RBI branch then you can send it through an insured 1955. They will be asked a few questions on the subject of post along with a declaration why you couldn’t come, why call drops such as “Are they facing call drops in their area you have not been able to deposit the money till now. or not? They can also send a toll-free SMS to the same short The penalty rules will kick in if old notes are not declared code 1955, containing the location of city/town/village, after March 31, 2017. Punishment for possession of more where they might be facing the problem of frequent call than 10 old notes. drops. 4-year jail term if you keep old notes post March31, 2017. The feedback of the subscribers will be shared with the Telecom Service Providers so that they can take corrective Rs. 5,000 fine on transaction in old notes. steps in the identified areas, to improve the mobile network In 1978, a similar ordinance was issued to end the for addressing the problem of call drops. government’s liability after Rs. 1,000, Rs. 5,000 and Rs. 10,000 notes were demonetised by the Janata Party Government launches Swachh Swasth Sarva- government under Morarji Desai. tra initiative, 30 Dec. 2016 The government had, while announcing the demonetisation of the old currency on November 8, allowed holders to either exchange them or deposit in bank and post office accounts. While the facility to exchange the old notes has since been withdrawn, depositors have time till Friday (December 30) to deposit the holding in their accounts. Centre launches IVRS platform to address the problem of call drops, 28 Dec. 2016
nion Government launched Swachh Swasth Sarvatra initiative to strengthen health centres in Uopen defecation-free (ODF) blocks. The objective of this initiative is to strengthen community health centres in 708 ODF blocks across the country to enable them to achieve higher levels of cleanliness and hygiene. The Swachh Swasth Sarvatra is a part of the Union Government’s flagship Swachh Bharat Mission and is focused on the twin objectives of constructing toilets and epartment of Telecommunications (DoT) has been enabling behavioural change. It is joint initiative of Ministry taking various initiatives to address the problem of of Health and Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation Dcall drops faced by subscribers in mobile networks. to achieve better health outcomes through improved sanitation and increase awareness on healthy lifestyles. The Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) have installed more Its objective is to build on and leverage achievements of than 1,30,000 additional BTSs (Base Transceiver Stations) two complementary programmes – Swachh Bharat Mission across the country during the period from June 2016 to October 2016 and further plan to install more than 1,50,000 (SBM) and Kayakalp. Under it, financial assistance of 10 lakh rupees will be given to the community health centres additional BTSs across the country up to 31st March 2017. so that they can be strengthened to meet the standards of In order to obtain direct feedback from subscribers and use sanitation, hygiene and infection control. Along with this, that feedback to solve the problem of call drops, DoT has Union Health Minister J P Nadda and Union HRD Minister launched an Integrated Voice Response System (IVRS) Prakash Javadekar also jointly launched a booklet- Healthy system in Delhi, Mumbai, Punjab, UP, Uttarakhand, Children Healthy India. The booklet contains tips on leading Maharashtra and Goa on 23rd December 2016. The IVRS a healthy life for children. system will be extended to the entire country very soon. Get Free Study Material On - www.mahendraguru.com
TM FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS @Mahendra’s 36 NEWS BYTES NATIONAL President Pranab Mukherjee inaugurated the rime Minister Narendra Modi launched an Aadhaar 77th Session of Indian History Congress at based mobile payment application called BHIM (Bharat Interface for Money) which is a rebranded Thiruvananthapuram, 30 Dec. 2016 P version of UPI (Unified Payment Interface) and USSD (Unstructured Supplementary Service Data), at the Digi Dhan Mela event in Talkatora stadium in New Delhi. PM also made a transaction using BHIM application to Khadi. Merchants would need to download the Aadhaar Cashless merchant app and connect to a biometric reader, one that is currently on sale for Rs 2,000. All the customer needs to do is feed in his or her Aadhaar number into the app and select the bank for the transaction. The customer can then use the scanner to identify the customer and authenticate the transaction. Indeed this eliminates the need for One Time Passwords (OTPs), PINs and much more that are a common requirement resident Pranab Mukherjee inaugurated the for plastic or digital transaction these days. Almost 40 crore 77th Session of Indian History Congress at Aadhaar numbers already stand linked to bank accounts – PThiruvananthapuram. (December 29, 2016). that is half the adults in India. The aim is to link all Aadhaar Speaking on the occasion, the President said an objective numbers with bank accounts by March, 2017. pursuit of history requires an impartial mind of a judge and 20th fast patrol vessel delivered to Coast not the mind of an advocate. We must keep our eyes open for unfamiliar ideas and be ready to consider a range of Guard, 31 Dec. 2016 different inferences or assumptions. This necessarily bars intolerance of contrary opinions or judgements. There has been an unfortunate tendency in our country from time to time to take umbrage at the expression of any view perceived to be hostile to our social or cultural institutions, past or present. Similarly, critical appraisals of our heroes and national icons of the past have been met with hostility and sometimes even violence. The freedom to doubt, disagree and dispute intellectually must be protected as an essential pillar of our democracy. Nothing should lie outside the realm of reason, and therefore of discussion and argument. Such freedom is vital for progress in any field, especially a calling and a craft like history. he Cochin Shipyard delivered ICGS AYUSH, the Narendra Modi Launched BHIM, an Aadhar 20th Fast Patrol Vessel, to the Indian Coast Guard, Based Mobile Payment App, 31 Dec. 2016 Tthree months ahead of schedule. With this, the Shipyard has completed construction of 20 Fast Patrol Vessel series for the Coast Guard. Awarded the work of constructing 20 Fast Patrol Vessels on October 20, 2010, CSL delivered the first vessel in September 2013 and subsequently delivered vessels at about two months interval. CSL started delivering vessels ahead of schedule from the 13th vessel onwards. ICGS AYUSH, the 20th Fast Patrol Vessel, the last in the series (CSL Yard No BY 520) was delivered today, three months ahead of schedule.The ceremony of first reading of D448 of the ship was held at the CSL.
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TM FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS @Mahendra’s 37 NEWS BYTES STATE
Burning Topics of the Month Assam’s Hailakandi becomes 1st district to STATE pay cashless transactions wages, 05 Dec. 2016 1. Assam’s Hailakandi becomes 1st district to pay cashless transactions wages. 2. Haryana first state to adopt Mahila Po- lice volunteer scheme. 3. Priyanka Chopra named Assam tourism brand ambassador. Patanjali Food Park to come up on 455 acres in U.P. , 01 Dec. 2016
ailakandi district of Assam has become the first district to pay wages to tea garden workers through Hindividual bank accounts. It completed this task before the December 15, 2016 deadline set by the state government for cashless transactions of salary payments to the plantation workers. Key Facts: At least 504 workers of Burnie Braes tea estate received their wages through bank accounts. Panneerselvam sworn in as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister for third time, 06 Dec. 2016
romoting Uttar Pradesh as a “market” for investment and entrepreneurial activities, Chief Minister PAkhilesh Yadav laid the foundation for a 455-acre food park to be run by yoga guru Baba Ramdev’s Patanjali group. The Patanjali Food and Herbal Park will come up near Greater Noida under the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority. The foundation ceremony was, however, conducted in the midst a pall of gloom following Chief Minister State capital by Mr. Yadav in the presence of Baba Ramdev Jayalalithaa’s death, senior AIADMK leader and Patanjali MD Acharya Balkrishna. AO. Panneerselvam was elected the leader of the The Haridwar-based Patanjali Company plans to invest Legislature Party shortly and sworn in as Chief Minister of more than Rs. 1,666 crore in the project, which according to Tamil Nadu. U.P. chief secretary Rahul Bhatnagar, would provide direct At a solemn ceremony in the Raj Bhavan, Mr. Panneerselvam employment to 8,000 people and indirect livelihood to was administered the oath of office and secrecy by Governor 80,000. Baba Ramdev said the project would be completed Ch. Vidyasagar Rao. This was his third swearing-in as Chief by the end of 2017. Minister. The Patanjali food park will have units producing All 31 members of the outgoing Ministry were sworn in agricultural, herbal and medicinal products, dairy and along with him. animal feed. It will have the potential to process 400 tonnes As Jayalalithaa’s trusted man, Mr. Panneerselvam had of fruits and vegetables and produce 750 tonnes of organic stepped into her shoes for two brief periods — during 2001- wheat flour daily. 02 and 2014-15 — after she was unseated by the courts. Get Free Study Material On - www.mahendraguru.com
TM @Mahendra’s 38 FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS NEWS BYTES STATE Haryana to celebrate Beti Bachao-Beti Pad- aryana has become the first state to adopt the hao Divas, 12 Dec. 2016 Centre’s Mahila Police Volunteer scheme in two of Hits districts and has inducted 1,000 women as part of the programme. Karnal and Mahindergarh are the two districts which have adopted this initiative, which aims to have a gender responsive police service with increased presence of female personnel within the police force and in community outreach. Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Secretary, Union Ministry of Women and Child Development, Leena Nair were present at the induction ceremony of these women volunteers in Karnal. Director General of Police, Haryana and KP Singh said aryana government would celebrate ‘Beti Bachao- with this initiative, the state has improved the presence of Beti Padhao Divas’ on January 22, next year, by women personnel in its police force by two per cent. Hlaying the foundation stone for 22 girls’ colleges in the state, infamous for its skewed sex ratio. Badal inaugurates Punjab Kisan Vikas As part of the celebrations, foundation stones of 22 girls Chamber, 16 Dec. 2016 colleges will be laid to promote girl education in the state. The Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao scheme, which seeks to address gender imbalance and discrimination against the girl child, was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Panipat last year. Infamous for skewed sex ratio, Haryana saw improvement in it with the number of girls crossing 900 mark this year, a development which happened for the first time in 10 years. A circular road would be constructed in Jind city at a cost of Rs 110 crore. The road would start from village Ikkas and extend up to Narwana road in west side of Jhanj, Khattar has announced while addressing public meetings at Uklana and Jind. While speaking at Uklana, the Chief Minister said that development works worth Rs 67 crore had been carried out in the Assembly constituency. He announced development works worth Rs 165 crore for the area. Haryana first state to adopt Mahila Police volunteer scheme, 15 Dec. 2016
hief Minister Parkash Singh Badal envisioned that farmers’ advisory body Punjab Kisan Vikas CChamber (PKVC) would be instrumental in transforming agriculture and allied activities as a profitable venture. Addressing the gathering after inaugurating the PKVC, he said that this non-political organization would help agrarian economy to stage a come-back as this platform would prove to be a milestone in putting the views of eminent agriculture experts and economists across the state government as well as Centre in streamlining the policies related to agriculture
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TM @Mahendra’s 39 FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS NEWS BYTES STATE and allied farming. He said that this farmers’ autonomous Uttarakhand’s first international stadium body would certainly help in lobbying to get their genuine thrown open, 19 Dec. 2016 demands accepted at the Centre’s level through persuasion within the democratic means. Badal said this Chamber is formed on the pattern of industrial organizations like Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), PHD Chamber of Commerce, Assocham and FICCI would provide affirmative say of peasantry in the policies and programmes related to agricultural and allied activities. Chattisgarh inks pact with Chinese firm for setting infra projects, 16 Dec. 2016 hief Minister Harish Rawat and IPL chairman Rajeev Shukla inaugurated Rajiv Gandhi multi- Cpurpose stadium, Uttarakhand’s first international one, at Raipur in Dehradun. As part of the inauguration, a day-and-night cricket match between Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh was held at the venue.Indian cricketers, Suresh Raina and Piyush Chawla were among those who played in the match. The stadium has been built as per international norms on 23 acres of land and has a capacity of 25,000. The two Congress leaders also launched ‘Mauli’, the mascot for the 38th National Games to be held in the state in 2018. Congress is looking forward to reap political dividends from the stadium, pegging it a great leap for the state’s sports infrastructure. NTPC, Nalco to set up 2,400 Mw power plant in Odisha, 19 Dec. 2016 TPC Ltd and National Aluminium Company (Nalco) have jointly agreed to set up a coal-based hhattisgarh Government has signed a MoU Npower project, having a production capacity of with Guizhou Martime Silk Road International 2,400 Mw, in Odisha’s Dhenkanal district. CInvestment Corporation of China for setting up NTPC signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with integrated infrastructure projects in the state. Nalco to form a joint venture company that will develop a The deal was signed between state Commerce and Industry coal-based power plant in Gajmara. The energy produced at Secretary, Subodh Singh and the officials of GMSRIC in this unit will be used to supply power to Nalco’s aluminium the presence of Chief Minister Raman Singhat at his official smelter. residence. Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal, who was present As per the agreement, the Chinese company will invest during the occasion along with the Union Oil Minister forsetting up the integrated infrastructure projects in Dharmendra Pradhan, appreciated NTPC for running the Chhattisgarh. nearly 50-year-old Talcher Thermal Power Station at more A 15-member business delegation from Guizhou of than 90 per cent PLF (plant load factor). Chinawas on visit of Chhattisgarh, during which it explored On this occasion,Goyal stated that Nalco will use the investment opportunities with state government. The produced electricity in this plant in the extension of 5 Lakh delegation from Guizhou province includes Zhang Lin, ton Aluminium smelter plant. This aluminium plant is in Chairman of the company, and Zhang Zhaom, CEO & Vice- Angul,which is extended with the investment of Rs.10,000 Chairman. Cr.Beside of this in in 6 lakh ton new smelter plant of Kamakhya,Odisha only this electricity will be used. Get Free Study Material On - www.mahendraguru.com
TM @Mahendra’s 40 FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS NEWS BYTES STATE Priyanka Chopra named Assam tourism The HDFC said that the MoU will allow residents of the brand ambassador, 20 Dec. 2016 state to pay electricity bills online in a quick and convenient manner by any debit card, credit card, or netbanking facility, from the comfort of their homes or offices . The initiative will benefit over 6 crore people in the state. HDFC Bank has 90 branches and 239 ATMs in Bihar. Bihar State Power Holding Company generates, distributes and transmits electricity in the state. As part of agreement, HDFC Bank will provide its electronic cash management platform for the payment of fee through RTGS, NEFT & Electronic Fund Transfer. The initiatives are part of the banks strategic focus on customer convenience, access and delight, using technology as an enabler. Shah Rukh conferred honorary doctorate by Hyderabad-based varsity, 26 Dec. 2016
fter being turned down by cricket maestro Sachin Tendulkar, Assam government said Bollywood star APriyanka Chopra would be the brand ambassador of the state’s tourism for two years. Assam Tourism Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said at a press conference that they approached Sachin Tendulkar, but he refused. After that, we went to 4-5 more celebrities. Finally, we zeroed in on Priyanka Chopra . He, however, did not reveal the reasons for the Bharat Ratna awardee declining the states proposal. Sarma said that the government had already signed a two- year agreement with Chopra “free of cost”. ollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan was conferred honorary doctorate by the Maulana Azad National HDFC inks MoU for online electricity bill BUrdu University for contribution towards promotion payments in Bihar, 22 Dec. 2016 of Urdu culture. Chancellor Zafar Sareshwala conferred the ‘honorius causa’ (doctor of letters) on Khan and Rekhta Foundation founder Sanjiv Saraf at the sixth convocation of the university, for their contribution in the promotion of Urdu language and culture. Expressing happiness on being conferred the honorary doctorate, Khan said the honour would make his (late) father happy as he was a freedom fighter and held Maulana Azad and also education in high esteem. The actor said he would try to live up to the responsibility bestowed on him.
rivate lender HDFC Bank signed a MoU with Bihar Before the starting of the programme, the organisers said that State Power Holding Company to enable residents President Pranab Mukherjee, who was scheduled to attend pay electricity bill online. the event as chief guest, could not do so due to unavoidable P reasons. The university was established here in 1998.DEC 29 Get Free Study Material On - www.mahendraguru.com
TM @Mahendra’s 41 FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS NEWS BYTES STATE Jharkhand government signs MoU with IIM- MP plans to develop 1,100 climate-smart vil- A for setting up innovation lab, 29 Dec. 2016 lages, 30 Dec. 2016
adhya Pradesh has embarked on an ambitious harkhand government signed an MoU with IIM, plan to develop 1,100 climate-smart villages with Ahmedabad for setting up an international standard Man aim to prepare farmers to manage the climate J‘Jharkhand Innovation Lab’ with Chief Minister change risks timely and ensure good productivity. Raghubar Das saying this will give a new direction to the State Farmer Welfare & Agriculture Development youth and entrepreneurs. Department Principal Secretary Dr Rajesh Rajora stated that Jharkhand Information Technology Secretary Sunil Kumar the government has been planning to develop 1,100 villages Barnwal and IIM Ahmedabad’s Sailesh Gandhi inked the as climate-smart villages in a period of next six years. MoU, an official release said. The Chief Minister said this He said 100 villages in each of the 11 agro-climatic zones would generate job opportunities, local resources would be of the state would be taken up under the plan, which would utilised and economic activity would increase. incur a cost about Rs 150 crore every year. Barnwal said there would be a work station in the lab, it The work is being taken up under the National Agriculture would be WiFi and it would be functional in eight months. Development Programme (NADP) and Indian National Gandhi said the main centre of the innovation lab would in Mission on Sustainable Agriculture. Ranchi and sub-centres would be opened at training centres. In these villages, the farmers would be encouraged to go for This lab would be connected with foreign investors, banks, short duration variety of crops, in addition to using drought- corporate, industries association, foundry institution and resistance seeds. others.
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TM @Mahendra’s 42 FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS NEWS BYTES INTERNATIONAL Ultra Light Howitzers (ULH) from the US under ‘Foreign Burning Topics of the Month INTERNATONAL Military Sales’. 1. Bill English chosen as New Zealand’s According to the Dr. Joe Senftle, vice president & general prime minister. manager for Weapon Systems at BAE Systems statement they look forward to providing the Indian Army with the 2. Ukraine nationalised country’s largest combat-proven M777. The Company anticipates signing a bank. contract in the coming weeks with the U.S. Department of Defense to supply the M777 to the army. 3. Australia signs 50 billion dollars deal with France for 12 submarines. The Indian army bought its first artillery guns this year after a thirty-year gap. Earlier this year, the government cleared India signs Rs 5000 crore M777 howitzer buys of the first batch of Dhanush 155/45 mm howitzers contract with US, 01 Dec. 2016 built by the Ordnance Factory Board. The first six Dhanush howitzers are already undergoing user familiarization with the army’s artillery units in Siachen and in the desert. India signed its last howitzer contracts in 1986 but a bribery controversy that broke in 1987 scuttled the acquisition of more guns. The Bofors howitzers played a decisive role in the 1999 Kargil War between India and Pakistan. An artillery modernisation plan mooted in 2000 called for acquiring over 2200 new guns but multiple bribery controversies scuttled new gun acquisitions. Crown prince proclaimed Thai King, new era begins, 02 Dec. 2016
nding a three-decade-old howitzer drought, India today signed a contract with the US for buying 145 EM777 ultralight howitzers for $737 million (Rs 5000 crore). A senior MoD official formally signed the Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) with the US government for the seven regiments of howitzers. The acquisition of the ‘Ultra Light Howitzers’, thus called because at 4.2 tons, they weigh only a third of normal 155 mm howitzers. The guns, which can be carried underslung by heavy lift helicopters like the Chinook, will give the army tremendous flexibility especially along the mountainous border with China. Sources said the first three M777 howitzers will be delivered rown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn was proclaimed within the next three months to allow high-altitude and the new Thai King, heralding a new chapter in desert trials with Indian-made ammunition. The three guns Cthe country’s monarchy after the passing away of will also be used to train Indian gunners. The first batch his revered father who was the world’s longest reigning of 20 guns (18 guns make an artillery regiment) will be monarch. delivered by manufacturer BAE Systems in two years. The remaining 120 guns will be assembled in India between Vajiralongkorn, 64, accepted the throne of politically 48-54 months by BAE partner Mahindra Defence at their troubled nation following an invitation from the head of the plant in Faridabad, Haryana. National Legislative Assembly (NLA), becoming the 10th monarch of the Chakri dynasty that dates back to 1782. The deal was cleared by the Cabinet Committee on Security chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November The sombre ceremony at his Bangkok palace was attended 15. It has been in the pipeline for nearly a decade since by powerful junta leader and NLA chief Prayut Chan-O- the Indian army mooted the acquisition of the M777 Cha.
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TM @Mahendra’s 43 FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS NEWS BYTES INTERNATIONAL He succeeds his father King Bhumibol Adulyadej, also the presidential election. Cazeneuve, who has overseen the called King Rama the IX who died in October aged 88 and security forces’ reaction to a string of jihadist attacks that was the world’s longest-reigning monarch. have killed more than 230 people in France over the past Vajiralongkorn’s accession to the throne ends a period of two years, will take control of the Socialist government uncertainty during which Privy Council President Gen until legislative elections in June. Prem Tinsulanonda, a 96-year-old former prime minister, Till june, he will hold this designation till the parliament was serving as regent. election. He ascends the throne 50 days after King Bhumibol Manuel Valls had submitted his resignation to Francois Adulyadej’s death. Hollande after that Cazeneuve was appointed as Prime Earlier, Prime Minister Prayut led members of the Cabinet Minister. and government officials in front of Government House to From Hollande’s Office confirmed that the resignation is mark the 50th day of mourning for King Bhumibol. accepted now. New Zealand Prime Minister John Key re- In his provogative speech,54 tears Valls taken a pledge to fight with conservative front and core southism national signs, 05 Dec. 2016 front . These both was ahead of socialist in election. India, UK MoU for cooperation in field of Intellectual Property approved, 08 Dec. 2016
ohn Key, the New Zealand prime minister and leader of the National party, has resigned in a decision that has Jtaken the country by surprise. Key held a media conference in Wellington at 12.45pm he Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister local time, after informing the cabinet of his decision. Narendra Modi has given its ex-post facto approval His resignation will be effective from 12 December, when Tto the MoU between India and United Kingdom National MP’s will meet to select a new leader. (UK) for cooperation in the field of Intellectual Property (IP). Key said he would vote for his deputy prime minister, Bill The MoU, which was signed on November 7, 2016, English, if he put his name forward. English briefly led the party to its worst-ever electoral defeat in the 2002 election, seeks to establish a wide-ranging and flexible mechanism for developing and furthering the cooperation in the but has since served as a successful finance minister. development of automation, new documentation and Key is widely regarded as one of the most popular prime information systems in IP. ministers in New Zealand’s history. He was first elected in 2008, and recently marked his 10-year anniversary as It provides an opportunity for collaboration in training leader of the National party. programmes, exchange of experts and technical exchanges and outreach activities. Bernard Cazeneuve appointed French PM Implementation of the MoU will result in enhancement of after Manuel Valls’ resignation, 06 Dec. 2016 the capacity of the office of Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trademarks to examine patent applications, rench Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve was which in turn will impact innovation positively. appointed as the new prime minister after Manuel FValls resigned to seek the Socialist nomination in Cabinet approves MoU with Afghanistan on cooperation in peaceful uses of outer space Get Free Study Material On - www.mahendraguru.com
TM @Mahendra’s 44 FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS NEWS BYTES INTERNATIONAL The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister The agreement signed in Hong Kong between China Narendra Modi has given its ex-post facto approval to the Telecom Global and Nepal Telecom (NT) comes after the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and two countries were connected with optical fibre through Afghanistan on cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer the Geelong (Keyrong)- Rasuwagadhi border point in June, space. ending Nepal’s sole dependence on India for connecting it The MoU envisages cooperation between the two countries with global telecom and internet services. for application of space technologies in education, Geelong Port (Kerung) of China will be used as the route agriculture, weather forecasting, telecommunications, rural for providing the internet service. health, sanitation, urban development, resource mapping navigation, remote sensing and any other areas mutually India, Vietnam sign N-pact, three other agree- agreed upon. ments, 10 Dec. 2016 The MoU will benefit both countries in the following n a significant development, India and influential East manner: Development of space sector in Afghanistan; Asian nation Vietnam signed a civil nuclear cooperation Burnish India’s credentials as a nation with advanced Iagreement, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi space technology, one that can also assist other countries; asserting that it will further strengthen the comprehensive Afghanistan will move towards self-reliance in the space strategic partnership between the two countries. sector; Help deepen bilateral ties and mutual understanding The two countries also signed three other agreements -- to and trust between India and Afghanistan; Provide India enhance aviation links, to jointly work in the area of energy with a foothold in Afghanistan’s strategic space and efficiency and promotion of parliamentary cooperation. communication sector. The four pacts, aimed at boosting the relations, were signed Further, the MoU will boost high-tech jobs in the two here in presence of Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan countries in both core Science and Technology and and visiting President of Vietnams National Assembly Research and Development fields, and also the field of Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan after their talks on enhancing the implementation. ties. With ushering in of the era of mobile and internet-based Ngan, who is leading a Vietnamese Parliamentary applications and commerce, better communication and delegation, also met the Prime Minister who said the internet connectivity will boost creation of jobs in diverse Agreement on Cooperation in Peaceful Uses of Atomic fields. Energy “will further strengthen the comprehensive strategic Nepal Telecom, China Telecom Global sign partnership between India and Vietnam.” internet service deal, 09 Dec. 2016 Bill English chosen as New Zealand’s prime minister, 12 Dec. 2016
iming to reduce Nepal’s dependence on India for its internet connectivity, a leading Chinese company ew Zealand’s ruling National Party appointed the Aand Nepal’s state-owned Nepal Telecom have experienced Bill English as the country’s new signed an agreement on providing cross-border internet Nprime minister following resignation of John Key protocol service between the two countries. from his post. Get Free Study Material On - www.mahendraguru.com
TM @Mahendra’s 45 FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS NEWS BYTES INTERNATIONAL The centre-right National Party caucus met to confirm Defence and security cooperation: Agreed to prioritize the decision, with English to be officially sworn in at defence and security cooperation to ensure safety and Government House in Wellington later in the day. security of sea lanes, environmental protection and disaster State Services Minister Paula Bennett was named as deputy response. Further boost partnership for combating terrorism, prime minister. organized crime, drugs and human trafficking. ASEAN and RCEP: Agreed for an early implementation India, Indonesia sign three agreements to en- of India-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement in Services and hance strategic partnership, 13 Dec. 2016 investment, and finalization of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). Pak successfully test-fires cruise missile, 15 Dec. 2016
ndia and Indonesia have signed three agreements in various areas to enhance strategic partnership. These Iagreements were signed after delegation level talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and visiting President of Indonesia Joko Widodo in New Delhi. akistan Army successfully test-fired an enhanced version of an indigenously-designed cruise missile Signed Agreements are Pthat can hit targets at 700 kms with all kinds of ## MoU on Youth and Sports Cooperation. warheads, bringing many Indian cities within its range. ## MoU on Standardization Cooperation. Called Babur after Mughal invader and founder of the ## Joint Communiqué on Voluntary International dynasty of same name, the missile is part of Babur Weapon Cooperation to Combat Illegal, Unregulated and System version- 2 because it is enhanced version of earlier Unreported (IUU) Fishing and to promote Sustainable missile. Fisheries Governance. Besides, both countries decided to Army said in a statement that it incorporates advanced strengthen their defence and maritime security relations aerodynamics and avionics that can strike targets both at and resolved to effectively address the issue of terrorism. land and sea with high accuracy. Outcomes of delegation level talks, The missile is equipped with state-of-the-art navigational Terrorism: technologies of Terrain Contour Matching (TERCOM) and all time Digital Scene Matching & Area Co-relation Condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations in (DSMAC), which enables it to engage various type of the strongest terms. Emphasized zero tolerance for acts of targets with pinpoint accuracy even in the absence of GPS terrorism. Called upon all countries to implement the UNSC navigation. Resolution 1267 (banning militant groups and their leaders) and other resolutions designating terrorist entities. Called India to ink revised air services agreement upon all countries to work towards eliminating terrorist safe havens and infrastructure in disrupting terrorist networks with Nigeria, 15 Dec. 2016 and financing channels, and stopping cross-border terrorism. abinet cleared the proposal to ink a revised air Economic and Development: Agreed to build a strong services agreement between India and Nigeria, with economic and development partnership to strengthen the Can objective to improve air connectivity between flow of trade, capital and people between them. the two countries.
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TM @Mahendra’s 46 FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS NEWS BYTES INTERNATIONAL The previous Air Services Agreement (ASA) was inked in Local media reported Japan was expected to agree to January 1978. The updation of the Agreement is as per latest provide an economic package worth about 300 billion yen International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) template ($2.5 billion), including private sector projects in areas keeping in view of latest developments in civil aviation such as mining, and loans for natural gas exploration and sector and with an objective to improve the air connectivity economic development in Russia’s Far East. between the two countries. Approval for the revised pact The Soviet Union seized four islands off Japan’s northern has been given by the Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister coast in 1945 in the closing days of the war. Narendra Modi. ASA permits both sides to designate one or more airlines and they would have the right to establish Ukraine nationalises country’s largest bank, offices in each other’s territory for promotion as well as sale 19 Dec. 2016 of air services. According to the release, both sides agreed to operate any number of all cargo services between each other’s territory with any type of aircraft. As per new provision, each side shall be entitled to operate a maximum of 7 frequencies per week in each direction on the routes specified in the route schedule. Besides, the revised pact has provisions relating to revocation or suspension of operating authorisation, principles governing operations of agreed services, routing flexibility, commercial opportunities and aviation safety, among others. Japan and Russia Wrap Up Peace Treaty Summit, 16 Dec. 2016 kraine has nationalised the country’s biggest bank in a bid to avert a financial meltdown in the war- Uscarred former Soviet state. The government moved to take over Private Bank after months of rumours that the lender was heavily burdened by bad debts. Private Bank controls one-third of the east European country’s bank deposits and even has branches in the Baltic States. The Ukrainian government said in a statement that it was now the “100 per cent owner of Private Bank and guaranteed the uninterrupted functioning of this institution and the safety of its clients’ money.” India, Tajikistan sign four agreements, apan and Russia struck economic deals to build confidence towards a peace treaty to formally end 19 Dec. 2016 JWorld War II that has been prevented by a spat over Russian-occupied islands claimed by Tokyo. The second and final day of talks in Tokyo comes after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and President Vladimir Putin met Thursday in Abe’s ancestral hometown in western Japan in the hopes of achieving a breakthrough. But despite a “frank” exchange of views the leaders announced no major headway on a peace treaty, though they did make progress on ways to cooperate economically, including in the contested area. ndia and Tajikistan signed four agreements, including Mr Abe with Mr Putin had agreed to do “more than 60 one on exchange of financial intelligence, following projects” in economic-related areas. Idelegation-level talks headed by Prime Minister Get Free Study Material On - www.mahendraguru.com
TM @Mahendra’s 47 FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS NEWS BYTES INTERNATIONAL Narendra Modi and Tajik President Emomali Rahmon. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed on cooperation in the exchange of financial intelligence related to money laundering, related crimes and financing of terrorism. The two sides signed a protocol amending avoidance of double taxation and prevention of fiscal evasion. Another MoU was signed regarding cooperation on broadcasting in exchange of audio-visual programmes. The two sides also initialled a document on bilateral investment. ## A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed on cooperation in youth exchange. Australia signs 50 billion dollars deal with France for 12 submarines, 20 Dec. 2016 ## Another MoU was signed on cooperation between the Foreign Service Institute and the Diplomatic Academy of the Kyrgyz Republic. ## A third MoU was signed on cooperation in the field of tourism, while a fourth one was signed on cooperation in the field of broadcasting and exchange of audio- visual programmes. ## A fifth agreement was signed on cooperation in youth development. ## Another agreement was signed on cooperation in agriculture and the food industry. BRICS bank approves USD 75 mn loan for solar project in China, 22 Dec. 2016
ustralia signed a 50 billion dollars deal with France for 12 sophisticated submarines to be built by AFrench defence major DCNS, that was at the centre of a controversy this year surrounding the leak of documents relating to India’s Scorpene submarines. Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian signed the inter- governmental agreement (IGA) in Adelaide, where they officially opened the Australian headquarters of DCNS that will design and build the Shortfin Barracuda. Turnbull said that the IGA is the last foundation stone needed to ensure Australia is able to develop a cutting- edge sovereign submarine capability. The pact is a critically important step in the development of our security, in the he New Development Bank, jointly founded by the assurance of our government in delivering Australians the BRICS countries including India, approved USD 75 security and the prosperity that they need . Tmillion loan for a solar project in China. Asian Development Bank (ADB) said that the loan was India, Kyrgyzstan sign six agreements, given to Shanghai Lingang Distributed Solar Power Project 21 Dec. 2016 with a maturity length of 17 years under an agreement signed ndia and Kyrgyzstan signed six agreements, including on between New Development Bank (NDB), the Ministry of tourism, agriculture and youth affairs, following delegation- Finance and the Shanghai municipal government. Ilevel talks led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shi Yaobin, China’s vice finance minister, said that under Kyrgyz President Almazbek Sharshenovich Atambayev. the global sluggish economic recovery, NDB can play Get Free Study Material On - www.mahendraguru.com
TM @Mahendra’s 48 FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS NEWS BYTES INTERNATIONAL its role in providing fund support for member states and Nepal SBI Bank launches POS services, expand global demand. 23 Dec. 2016 The project by Shanghai Lingang Hongbo New Energy Development is a solar photo-voltaic power plant with total capacity of 100 MW. Jointly founded by the BRICS (Brazil, India, China and South Africa) and headquartered in Shanghai, NDB was formally opened in July last year. It was created with the objective of financing infrastructure and sustainable development projects in BRICS and other emerging economies and developing countries. The bank had earlier approved its first package of loans worth USD 811 million, including USD 350 million loan for road development in Madhya Pradesh and an offshore epal SBI Bank, the largest overseas subsidiary of wind project in China. SBI, has started point-of-sale (POS) services to Chicago University, TSSC sign pact for digital Npush digital transactions. training, 22 Dec. 2016 SBI Deputy Managing Director (International Banking) Sidhartha Sengupta said that this effort will facilitate cashless transactions in Nepal. Besides, the bank is also in the process of tying up with Nepal Clearing House Ltd for bringing other Nepalese banks and financial institutions onto the platform. China’s New Stealth Fighter FC-31 Gyrfal- con Challenges West Monopoly on Advanced Warplanes: Report, 27 Dec. 2016 hina has tested the latest version of its fifth- generation stealth fighter plane FC-31, as it tries Cto end the West’s monopoly on the world’s most advanced warplanes. The test comes as the nation flexes its military muscles, sending its sole aircraft carrier the Liaoning into the western he University of Chicago signed a Memorandum of Pacific in recent days to lead drills there for the first time. Understanding with the Telecom Sector Skill Council The newest version of the J-31 -- now renamed the FC-31 Tof India (TSSC) for devising training programmes Gyrfalcon -- took to the air for the first time. focused on advanced telecom and digital skills. The so-called “fifth-generation” twin-engine jet is China’s According to the Chicago University under the answer to the US F-35, the world’s most technically memorandum of understanding, Chicago will help TSSC, advanced fighter. a public-private partnership focused on capacity building The new FC-31 has “better stealth capabilities, improved in the Indian telecom sector, create training programmes electronic equipment and a larger payload capacity” than focused on advanced telecom and digital skills. the previous version which debuted in October 2012. As a knowledge partner, The University of Chicago will The jet is manufactured by Shenyang Aircraft Corp., a help create targeted educational tools for TSSC trainers. subsidiary of the Aviation Industry Corp of China (AVIC). The MoU was inked in the presence of Minister of State for The fighter is expected to sell for around $70 million, the Electronics and Information Technology, P P Chaudhary. article said, aiming to take market share away from more The Indian telecom sector employs close to 2.8 million expensive fourth-generation fighters like the Eurofighter people directly and almost another seven million indirectly, Typhoon. making it one of the largest employment generating sectors.
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TM @Mahendra’s 49 FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS
NEWS BYTES ECONOMY ECONOMY Burning Topics of the Month
1. EPFO rate at 4-year low of 8.65 per cent. 2. JICA inks pact for Mumbai-Ahmedabad high speed rail project. 3. Vodafone M-Pesa PAY Enables Merchants to Accept Cashless Payments.
SBI-Bharatiya Mahila Bank merger gets of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission competition commission nod, 01 Dec. 2016 for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)- India’s economy is projected to sustain a 7.6 per cent growth rate in both fiscal years 2016-17 and 2017-18. The report said India’s economic growth is expected to remain at 7.6 per cent in 2017 as investment regains momentum and the manufacturing base strengthens on the back of structural reforms. The ongoing structural reforms are also expected to benefit private investment in India. It said in India while growth in the first quarter of the current fiscal year (April-June 2016) moderated due toa contraction in fixed investment, a rebound is expected. The economic growth rate in China is projected to ease ompetition Commission has approved the merger slightly to 6.4 per cent in 2017 as rebalancing towards of Bharatiya Mahila Bank with the country’s consumption, services and higher value-added activities Clargest lender State Bank of India (SBI). makes further progress . In August, the board of SBI cleared the merger of Bharatiya Mahila Bank Ltd (BMBL) and that of five associate lenders Now pay for fuel at HPCL, IOCL with Ola with itself. Money, 02 Dec. 2016 Competition Commission of India (CCI) website showed that the amalgamation of BMBL with SBI has been approved,. As per the summary of the deal, the combination is in the form of amalgamation whereby the business of BMBL, including its assets and liabilities, will be acquired by SBI. While SBI has global presence, including offices in 37 countries, BMBL is a nascent bank set up in November 2013. ab aggregator Ola’s mobile wallet ‘Ola Money’ is India projected to grow 7.6 per cent in 2017: now accepted at over 20,000 Hindustan Petroleum UN report, 02 Dec. 2016 CCorporation Ltd and Indian Oil Corporation Ltd ndia’s economy is projected to grow at 7.6 per fuel vends across the country. cent in 2017 as investment regains momentum and Users can now pay for fuel with ‘Ola Money’ on Verifone Imanufacturing base strengthens on the back of structural enabled point of sale (PoS) devices in any of these fuel reforms in the country, a UN study said, crediting India and stations with a one-step mobile verification process. China for steady growth of the Asia-Pacific region. Ola Money can be recharged using net banking debit cards According to the year-end update of the flagship report or credit cards including MasterCard, VISA, American Economic and Social Survey for Asia and the Pacific 2016 Express and RuPay. Get Free Study Material On - www.mahendraguru.com
TM @Mahendra’s 51 FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS NEWS BYTES ECONOMY India Ratings lowers GDP forecast to 6.8% These lenders are Indian Overseas Bank, Vijaya Bank, post demonetization, 03 Dec. 2016 Federal Bank, Yes Bank, Andhra Bank, ICICI Bank and HDFC Bank. The coin is being sold to customers through their 400 designated branches across the country. MMTC will now enter into a similar agreement with the country’s largest lender, Prakash said, adding the coin is also available at all the 383 outlets of the PSU. The coin is India’s first-ever sovereign gold offering and the only one to be hallmarked by Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) for purity. Cash shortage may slowdown GDP to 6.5% in Oct-Dec qtr: Nomura, 05 Dec. 2016 ndia Ratings lowered its GDP forecast for 2016-17 to 6.8 per cent from 7.8 per cent earlier, stating that the Idemonetisation drive will lead to an erosion of Rs 1.5 trillion this fiscal. India Ratings have revised GDP growth forecast for 2016-17 to 6.8 per cent, 100 basis points lower than earlier projection of 7.8 per cent. The downward revision is a fallout of the disruptions caused at various levels in the economy due to the de-legalisation of banknotes from November 9, which according to our analysis can cost economy a Rs 1.5 trillion. It said the measure, which the government claims root out black money, is likely to destroy Rs 4.004 trillion worth of cash held in black money and fake currencies.
MMTC to tie-up with SBI to sell govt minted ash crunch post demonetisation is expected to slow ‘Indian Gold Coin’, 05 Dec. 2016 down India’s GDP growth to 6.5 per cent for the Cfourth quarter of 2016 and is likely to spill over into the first quarter of 2017. According to global financial services firm Nomura, the cash shortage is likely to last till January. Nomura noted that even though the economy experienced a robust aggregate momentum before the demonetisation, its recovery was narrow-based due to weak investments and slow non-agriculture sectors with consumption serving as the only growth engine. As per the report, cash-dependent sectors (agriculture, trade, real estate, construction and transport) and conspicuous consumption demand (high-end white goods, high-end ccording to the Chairman and Managing Director cars, gold and jewellery and travel) would likely to be of MMTC,Ved Prakash ,the Public sector company “particularly hit” by demonetisation. AMMTC will tie-up with the State Bank of India Nomura also said that in the light of the near-term growth (SBI) to sell government-minted “Indian Gold Coin”, its slowdown, it is expecting the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) The state-run bullion trader, which has already tied up with to deliver a 25 basis point repo rate cut to 6 per cent in its over half a dozen banks, has so far sold one lakh pieces policy review next week. of “Indian Gold Coin” and has set a target of selling 5 India’s GDP growth accelerated to 7.3 per cent for three lakhs units in the next few years. The coin is available in month-ended September 2016, better than 7.1 per cent in denominations of 5gm, 10gm and 20 gm bar. the previous quarter but marginally below expectations. Get Free Study Material On - www.mahendraguru.com
TM @Mahendra’s 52 FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS NEWS BYTES ECONOMY Punjab National Bank partners with Ola to The central bank said that the downside risks in the near deploy mobile-ATMs, 06 Dec. 2016 term could come through two major channels — short-run disruptions in economic activity in cash-intensive sectors and aggregate demand compression associated with adverse wealth effects. The impact of the first channel should, however, ebb with the progressive increase in the circulation of new currency notes and greater usage of non-cash based payment instruments in the economy. While the impact of the second channel is likely to be limited. In October 2016, GVA growth in H2 was projected at 7.7 per cent and for the full year at 7.6 per cent. India Post, SBI to help ‘Mahila E-haat’ ex- pand operations, 07 Dec. 2016 unjab National Bank (PNB) announced a partnership he Women and Child Development Ministry has with cab aggregator Ola to aid cash withdrawals for tied up with India Post and State Bank of India to Pthe citizens of Delhi and the National Capital Region offer more payment options to buyers and simplify (NCR). T shipping of products bought from “Mahila E-haat”, an Through the extensive network of Ola cabs present across online marketing platform for women entrepreneurs. the state, we are able to bring these mobile ATMs closer to SBI users can avail multiple options for making payments citizens, saving them from the hassles of cash withdrawals. such as draft, cheque, e-banking and e-wallet through “SBI PNB ATM machine equipped Ola cabs have been stationed Buddy” application. SBI customers abroad can make use of in Gurgaon, Laxmi Nagar, Janakpuri, Civil Lines, AIIMS, “SBI Global”. Netaji Subhash Place, Manesar, Nehru Place, Bhikaji Also, one can take advantage of options like “general Cama Place, Mayur Vihar, Faridabad, Tilak Nagar, Rajouri insurance” for insuring the item being couriered. The tie- Garden and Greater Kailash, with Ola volunteers and PNB up with India Post will help women selling products on the executives, to assist people in withdrawing cash without forum locate the nearest post office for shipping purposes. any hassle. The entrepreneurs can also enter a vendor agreement with Earlier this week, Ola rolled out similar activity for the India Post, which will help them get a discount on bulk citizens of Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Pune, Kolkata, consignments. Chandigarh, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad and Jaipur, in partnership with Yes Bank. “Mahila E-haat”, launched in March, was set up for the socio-economic empowerment of women and sellers can Through this activity, Ola has increased touch points to register their products on the platform without having to PNB’s existing network by creating more avenues for pay any listing fee. withdrawing money through micro ATMs/point of sales machines . Around 251 vendors have registered themselves with the forum. They have a network of nearly 1700 self-help groups India’s Central Bank Lowers Growth Fore- that put up their products for sale. cast To 7.1%, 07 Dec. 2016 Paytm launches new payment method for us- he Reserve Bank of India (RBI) lowered the country’s ers without Internet, 07 Dec. 2016 growth forecast for 2016-17 to 7.1 per cent from 7.6 Tper cent during its fifth bi-monthly monetary policy review. According to the Monetary Policy Committee of the RBI statement in its monetary policy statement, the outlook for GVA (gross value added) growth for 2016-17 has turned uncertain after the unexpected loss of momentum by 50 basis points in Q2 and the effects of the withdrawal of SBNs (specified bank notes) which are still playing out.
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TM @Mahendra’s 53 FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS NEWS BYTES ECONOMY aytm has announced a toll-free number 1800-1800- The three firms signed the pact for the 60-million tonne 1234 to enable consumers and merchants without a year refinery in Maharashtra with IOC as leader of the Pan internet connection to pay and receive money consortium. instantly and also recharge their mobile phones. This will IOC will hold a 50 per cent stake in the project while BPCL and empower millions of non-smartphone users to go cashless HPCL will have 25 per cent each. The consortium agreement even without a smartphone. was signed on the sidelines of the Petrotech conference here. To use this service, as a first step, customers and merchants Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said oil majors like Saudi need to register with Paytm with their mobile number and Aramco of Saudi Arabia are interested in taking a stake in the set their four Digit Paytm PIN. They can then enter the project, but nothing has been finalised as yet. recipient’s mobile number, amount and their Paytm PIN to The 60-million tonne a year refinery and a mega successfully transfer the money from their Paytm wallet to petrochemical complex will be set up in two phases. another Paytm wallet. Phase-1 capacity will be 40 mt together with an aromatic Currently over a million offline merchants across India complex, naphtha cracker unit and a polymer complex. This accept Paytm as a payment mode. Paytm is being accepted will cost Rs 1.2-1.5 lakh crore and will come up in 5-6 years in taxis, autos, petrol pumps, grocery shops, restaurants, from the date of land acquisition. coffee shops, multiplexes, parking, pharmacies, hospitals, kirana shops and more. The mega complex will require 12,000-15,000 acres and two-three sites on coast of Maharashtra are being explored. Paytm can also be used to pay for services like recharges and bill payments, utility payments, movie tickets, travel The second phase, involving a 20-mt refinery, will cost Rs bookings, food ordering and shopping. With its assertive 50,000-60,000 crore. focus on mobile payments, the company is inching closer to its aim of making cashless transactions a way of life across Maruti, Ola join hands to train aspiring India. drivers, 09 Dec. 2016 One97 Communications, the firm that owns Paytm, is restructuring its business ahead of the launch of its Payments Bank, merging the wallet business with payments bank operation. The company had incorporated Paytm E-commerce and Paytm Payments Bank as separate companies earlier this year.
IOC, BPCL, HPCL sign deal to set up India’s he country’s largest car maker Maruti Suzuki India biggest oil refinery, 08 Dec. 2016 joined hands with taxi aggregator Ola to train Taspiring drivers-partners. According to the Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) statement under a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the two, the exercise aims to benefit 40,000 individuals/ Ola drivers-partners in safe driving over a period of three years,. The Maruti Ola Training Program will create entrepreneurship opportunities for aspiring drivers-partners as well as make urban transportation safe, reliable and convenient . The pilot phase of the initiative will be rolled out in Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai and NCR. The driving training programme will be gradually rolled out in Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Pune. According to the MoU, Maruti Suzuki would help the individuals/ Ola drivers-partners obtain commercial license and also assist in availing vehicle financing to purchase their own car, after the completion of their course. ndian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum Corporation and Hindustan Petroleum Corp signed a pact to build Ola will also provide qualified leads of potential drivers- IIndia’s biggest oil refinery at a cost of $30 billion on the partners to Maruti Suzuki for facilitating them with west coast. commercial driving training. Get Free Study Material On - www.mahendraguru.com
TM @Mahendra’s 54 FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS NEWS BYTES ECONOMY Agri slowdown, demonetisation pull down Vodafone M-Pesa PAY Enables Merchants to ADB’s India 2016 growth forecast to 7.0%, Accept Cashless Payments, 14 Dec. 2016 13 Dec. 2016
odafone announced the launch of Vodafone M-Pesa PAY, a digital payment solution for merchants Vand retailers to receive cashless payments from customers. The announcement by the telecom operator is another move by tech companies and service providers in India to boost the digital payments drive in India that received fresh impetus from the recent demonetisation initiative. he Asian Development Bank (ADB) slightly lowered The company says that retailers and merchants will need its 2016 growth forecast for developing Asia , to download the Vodafone M-Pesa app, which has been Treflecting slower-than-expected expansion in India. offering payment and money transfer options to end users Developing Asia, which groups 45 countries in the Asia- for a while, and then register themselves as a merchant. They Pacific region, is now expected to expand 5.6 per cent this can then notify individual customers to make payments. year, rather than 5.7 per cent, the ADB said in a supplement Customers, also using the M-Pesa app, will receive a to its Asian Development Outlook 2016. notification that will let them make the payment using their wallet balance, bank account, credit card, or debit card. The ADB trimmed its 2016 growth estimate for India to 7.0 per cent from 7.4 per cent due to weak investment, Company started its journey towards enabling financial agricultural slowdown and the government’s recent and digital inclusion in 2013 with the launch of Vodafone demonetisation. M-Pesa and have since made considerable progress by successfully establishing a franchise of over 8.4 million But India’s growth forecast for 2017 was kept at 7.8 per customers and nearly 1,30,000 outlets across the country. cent. The launch of Vodafone M-Pesa PAY, is accelerating The Manila-based lender kept China’s growth forecasts the digital journey by creating a platform for merchants for this year and next at 6.6 per cent and 6.4 per cent, and retailers to easily embrace digital payments and also respectively. encourage their millions of customers to pay via digital According to ADB deputy chief economist Juzhong Zhuang, currency. Asian economies continue their robust expansion in the face of global economic uncertainties . EPFO rate at 4-year low of 8.65 per cent, Structural reforms to boost productivity, improve investment 20 Dec. 2016 climate, and support domestic demand can help maintain mployees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has growth momentum. lowered the interest rate Employee Provident Fund The growth estimate for Southeast Asia was kept at 4.5 per E(EPF) deposits to 8.65 per cent in 2016-17 from 8.8 cent for this year and 4.6 per cent in 2017, supported by per cent. This is the lowest rate of interest in four years. strong growth in Malaysia and the Philippines. As per general practice, the decision of the CBT, the Economies in South Asia are projected to expand by 6.6 per governing body chaired by the Labour Minister that manages cent in 2016, down from the previous estimate of 6.9 per the fund, will need the Finance Ministry’s approval. cent. For next year, growth in that region will bounce back Taking into account relevant factors, the central board to 7.3 per cent . decided to recommend 8.65 per cent interest to its Get Free Study Material On - www.mahendraguru.com
TM @Mahendra’s 55 FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS NEWS BYTES ECONOMY obile phone brand Micromax Informatics, and taxi-hailing service Uber announced a partnership Mthat will help Micromax customers book an Uber ride on their phones without having to download application. Through the partnership, Micromax aims to push nearly 100 million devices that offer an integrated experience with Uber over the next three years. This move will propel both the companies to create a feature-driven experience for smartphone users and as a part of this partnership, the Uber app will come in-built in close to 100 million Micromax smartphones . JICA inks pact for Mumbai-Ahmedabad high speed rail project, 22 Dec. 2016
subscribers for the year 2016-17. The EPFO statement further said that the interest for provident fund investments for 2016-17 has been estimated mainly on the basis of interest income received/ receivable in the financial year 2016-17, including surplus from previous year of Rs. 410 crore. Of its nearly 17 crore subscribers, about four crore are contributing subscribers. The income of EPFO for 2015-16 had included a surplus of Rs. 1,604 crore from the previous year. Central Provident Fund Commissioner V P Joy told The Indian Express that a 0.1 percentage point change in the interest rate translates into around Rs. 420 crore. Retaining the interest rate at 8.8 per cent for 2016-17 would have resulted in an increase of 0.15 percentage points in the interest outgo, which in turn would have translated into a deficit of about Rs. 650 crore. Joy said the decision to fix interest rate at 8.65 per cent was taken “unanimously” and the proposal would be referred to the government for its approval. Micromax partners with Uber to offer inte- apanese funding agency JICA has inked a tripartite grated experience, 20 Dec. 2016 consultancy pact with Railway Ministry and National JHigh Speed Rail Corporation for the high-speed railway project between Mumbai and Ahmedabad. JICA promotes smooth implementation of the Mumbai- Ahmedabad High Speed Railway Project by signing the Memorandum for General Consultancy. JICA gave a statement that the GC is to provide design and bidding assistance for the public works and systems required for the construction of a high-speed railway linking two cities Mumbai and Ahmedabad in India, which was agreed to at the Japan-India Summit Meeting held in December 2015. Get Free Study Material On - www.mahendraguru.com
TM @Mahendra’s 56 FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS OUR PRESENCE BRANCH MOBILE NO.
Branch Name Phone Number Durgapur 7076856390 Agra 9235253430/ 9236455136 Ernakulam 9645415987 Ahmedabad 9227575027 Etah 9208237386 Ajmer 9261503888 Faizabad 9235253421 Aligarh 7706008037 Faridabad 9643396140 Allahabad 9235253403 Farrukhabad 7706008029 Alwar 9521177944 Fatehpur 9554330811 Ambala 9253058711 /7206424816 Firozabad 9208235736 Ambikapur 8823868882 Gaya 9204311416 Amritsar 9646606160 Ghaziabad 9212229752/24 Asansol 7076880723 Ghazipur 9208244539 Azamgarh 9208242842 Gonda 9208250778 Badaun 9627671787 Gorakhpur 9235253400/ 9208205892 Bahraich 9208249852 Gurgaon 9643396139 Balasore 9583185223 Guwahati 8134935078 Ballia 9208243152 Gwalior 9229174910 Banda 9554334847 Haldwani 9208256021 Bangalore 9538712808 Hardoi 9208248208 Bareilly 9235253431 Haridwar 7706008034 Basti 7706008031 Hisar 9253678050 Berhampur 9078907945 Hoshangabad 8358831338 Bhagalpur 9204363221 Hyderabad 9247749865 /8790034792 Bhilai-Durg 8878783345 Hyderbad- 7032410704/ 9032168413 Bhopal 9229174901 Dilsukh Nagar Indore- Bhopal-Lalghati 9229174902 7581800954 Bhawarkuan Bhubaneshwar 9237026745/ 9237081352 Indore 7581800952 Bijnor 7706008027 Jabalpur 9229174905 Bilaspur 8878817515 Jaipur 9261601713/ 9261518894 Bulandshahr 7706008030 Jammu 9419305561 Chandigarh 9256002024 Jamshedpur 8877187640 Chennai 8939777224 Jaunpur 9208244355 Coimbatore 8110967668 Jhalandhar 8557088164 Cuttack 7894013095 Jhansi 9235253424 Darbhanga 9204303818/ 9204300620 Jodhpur 9636512855 Dehradun 9236510116 Kanpur Kakadev 9235253484 Delhi Janakpuri 9212069515 Kanpur Delhi Kingsway 9268561517 9235253482 Kidwainagar Delhi Laxmi 9268209355 /9268693952 Kanpur Mall Nagar 9236757143/ 9236720133 Road Delhi Munirka 9210092245 Karnal 8930175568 Delhi Rohini 9250239674 Kolkata 8017652042/45 Deoria 9208248122 Kurukshetra 9253678053 Dhanbad 9204979723/24 Lakhimpur 9208251562 Get Free Study Material On - www.mahendraguru.com
TM @Mahendra’s 57 FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS
OUR PRESENCE BRANCH MOBILE NO.
Lucknow Pilibhit 9837186684 9235253521 Alambagh Po Pratapgarh 9208245660 Lucknow 9235253438/66 Pune 9225231629 Alambagh Ssc Raebareilly 9235253412 Lucknow 9235253528 Raipur 9229174912/ 9200193438 Bhootnath 9979316870 Lucknow Gomti Rajkot 9235253548 Nagar Rampur 9208255388 Lucknow Ranchi 9204855313 9235253443 Mahanagar Po Rewa 7415690904/ 7415690846 Lucknow 9235253425 Rohtak 8930403886 Rajajipuram Roorkee 7706008033 Ludhiana 9256002028 Sagar 7509219781 Mainpuri 9208241450 Saharanpur 9235253445 9208235067 Mathura Sambalpur 8594958962/ 8594959148 Meerut 9235253448 Shahjahanpur 9208256201 9208243884 Mirzapur Shimla 8894100342 Moradabad 9235253442 Siliguri 7602742939 Mumbai 9221944071 Sitapur 7706008028/ 9235253514 Muzaffarnagar 7706008032 Sultanpur 9208252915 Muzaffarpur 9204303515/ 9204355614 Surat 9537360459 Nagpur 9272273686 Tirupati 9581933099 Nagpur-Buldi 9168558073 Trivandrum 9645415029 Nasik 9168512624/ 9168511626 Unnao 9208242493 Noida 9953948834 Vadodara 9537589477 Orai 9208237457 Varanasi 9235253419 Patiala 9780859721 Vijaywada 8886309897 Patna Boaring 9204855301/02 Vishakapatnam 9966593419 Road Warangal 8142230661 Patna Fraizer 9204855305/06/09/11 Road
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TM @Mahendra’s 60 FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS NEWS BYTES ECONOMY IDFC Bank launches Aadhaar-linked cashless Tata Motors signs Akshay Kumar as brand merchant solution, 26 Dec. 2016 ambassador for its commercial vehicles unit, 27 Dec. 2016
DFC Bank announced the nation-wide launch of Aadhaar-linked cashless merchant solution that uses a Tata Motors announced the appointment of Bollywood Iretailer’s smartphone to enable digital payments. film star Akshay Kumar, as the brand ambassador for its According to the bank statement, Aadhaar Pay, launched Commercial Vehicle Business Unit. Indian Cinema’s by the government , has been developed by IDFC Bank in ‘original Khiladi’ will make his blockbuster entry in this association with Unique Identification Authority of India new role at the launch of Tata Motors’ latest offering in (UIDAI) and the National Payments Corporation of India Commercial Vehicles, slated in January 2017. (NPCI). Tata Motors’ association with Akshay Kumar for It said IDFC Aadhaar Pay will enable millions of merchants Commercial vehicles will be supported by a high-decibel, across the country to facilitate cashless purchases for multi-media campaign, beginning in the first week of customers in a cost-effective and scalable way. January 2017. Besides products and solutions, Akshay will be actively involved in a host of innovative marketing and There are no transaction fees for both merchants and customer experience initiatives to be rolled out by Tata customers, adding that IDFC Aadhaar Pay will accelerate Motors. the pace of growth for cashless payments. AU Financiers gets final licence from RBI to Ranveer Singh becomes new face of Thums start small finance bank, 27 Dec. 2016 Up campaign, 27 Dec. 2016
U Financiers (India) Ltd said it has received the final licence from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Ato start a small finance bank, becoming the seventh entity to do so. oca-Cola India has signed Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh as brand ambassador for its Thums Up brand. AU Financiers was the only non-banking finance company (NBFC) among the 10 entities to receive in-principle CThe company launched new thematic campaign approvals to start small finance banks in September 2015. starring Ranveer Singh in its Toofani series, Coca-Cola India said in a statement, nearly four months after ending “The transition of AU Financiers from an NBFC into a small association with Bollywood superstar Salman Khan. finance bank is a natural progression for us. It will enable Get Free Study Material On - www.mahendraguru.com
TM @Mahendra’s 61 FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS NEWS BYTES ECONOMY us to serve entire bouquet of financial services to our under- Despite challenging times, we are committed to setting served customer base thereby furthering financial inclusion. a path of high growth in our branded portfolio in 2017 along with an overall consolidation theme in the edible oil AU Financiers has finalized four investment bankers to manage its proposed share sale slated for early next year, business. The increasing traction of Ruchi Soya’s brands Mint reported on 7 December. Central bank guidelines like Nutrela, Sunrich, Mahakosh, Ruchi Gold and Ruchi Star; will also bolster our revenues in the next 2-3 years,” require small finance banks to maintain foreign shareholding below 49%. added Shahra. AU Financiers recently cut its foreign holding to 49%, the The Fortune India 500 is a ranking of the top corporations in India compiled on the basis of latest sales and gross revenue maximum allowed for a small finance bank, after Kedaara Capital, Chyrs Capital Investment Advisors India Pvt. Ltd, figures. The list is published annually by Fortune magazine. International Finance Corp. and Warburg Pincus Llc sold The Fortune India 500 list ranks publicly traded companies some of their stakes in the company. Motilal Oswal Private by their annual audited total income for the financial year Equity made a complete exit. ending on or before June 30. The list has been published in its current form since Janalakshmi Financial Services Pvt. Ltd, Disha Microfin Pvt. Ltd and RGVN (North East) Microfinance Ltd are yet 2010, and also includes financial corporations and service providers, leading by revenue. to receive the final nod from the central bank. So far, only Capital Small Finance Bank and Equitas Small Finance Twitter partners with ICICI Bank to smooth- Bank have started operations. en customer experience, 29 Dec. 2016 The licence holders need to start operations by March next year before the in-principle approval lapses. Ruchi Soya Ranked No. 1 ‘Food and Agri Products Company in Fortune 500 Report on India’s largest corporations, 29 Dec. 2016
witter and ICICI Bank announced a partnership that integrates a slew of digital customer care support ortune Magazine’s latest issue on India’s largest 500 Tfeatures for the bank, benefiting millions of its corporations has ranked Ruchi Soya as the number customers with direct online response to their queries and Fone company in the Food and Agri product sector in feedback in real-time. India. ICICI Bank is the first bank in India to implement the Ruchi Soya which recorded revenue of over Rs. 27,000 crore new features to its Twitter account @ICICIBank_Care for in FY 2015-16 was ranked 83rd overall among ‘India’s 500 customer care. Largest Corporations’ by Fortune India. It is the only food With the latest customer care features from Twitter, we hope and agri company in the Top 100 of the Fortune India 500 the bank and their customers will find greater convenience list. in their digital engagement and stronger customer Dinesh Shahra, Managing Director, Ruchi Soya Industries relationships as a result. stated that they are delighted to be ranked as India’s number The bank has activated the support indicator, introduced one Food and Agri products company by a reputed global the message button and embedded deep links for moving brand like Fortune. The latest Fortune 500 report reaffirms a conversation from public to private thereby allowing the leadership position of Ruchi Soya in the country’s food customers to provide feedback on a service interaction. The and agri sector. features are available to businesses globally. Get Free Study Material On - www.mahendraguru.com
TM @Mahendra’s 62 FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS NEWS BYTES SPORTS
Burning Topics of the Month UAE’s Omar Abdulrahman named Asian SPORTS player of 2016, 02 Dec. 2016 1. Virat Kohli is the fifth cricketer to score three double test centuries in a calendar year. 2. Football: Ronaldo wins fourth Ballon d’ Or crown. 3. Smriti Mandhana lone Indian in ICC Women’s Team of the Year.
Norwegian Carlsen wins third World Chess Championship, 01 Dec. 2016
mar Abdulrahman, arguably Asia’s biggest star, was crowned AFC player of the year in a glittering Oceremony in his home country of United Arab Emirates. The left-sided midfielder and winger is the second Emirati to win the trophy in consecutive years and his award was greeted with a huge cheer in the Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi. Capped more than 50 times, he also carries the international hopes of the UAE, which has a real chance of qualifying for the 2018 World Cup finals. Leicester City’s Shinji Okazaki was crowned international player of the year, the award given to those who play in a league outside the AFC. Women’s player of the year was Caitlin Ford, a former AFC young player of the year. She is the first woman to win both orwegian Magnus Carlsen extended his dominance awards. over the chess world by winning the World Chess PV Sindhu Achieves Career-Best Rank of 7, NChampionship for the third consecutive time, beating his Russian challenger Sergei Karyakin in a tie Saina Nehwal Back In Top-10, 03 Dec. 2016 breaker. The win puts Carlsen closer to the status of chess legends such as Garry Kasparov, who dominated the game for 15 years. The battle for the world chess crown ended up in the dramatic tiebreaker after a win apiece and nine draws. So the young stars -- both aged just 26 -- headed into the chess equivalent of extra time in soccer. The accelerated games left plenty of opportunity for harried mistakes, and while predictions were difficult, Carlsen -- a king of the blitz format and world number-one since 2010 -- had remained favorite. lympic silver medallist PV Sindhu jumped two Carlsen won the championship -- organized by the places to achieve her career-best ranking of seven in International Chess Federation, FIDE -- in 2013 and 2014, the world while Saina Nehwal was also back in the beating Indian Viswanathan Anand. O top 10 in the latest BWF World Ranking.
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TM FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS @Mahendra’s 63 NEWS BYTES SPORTS Sindhu, who clinched the China Open and then reached the Bolt won gold’s in the 100 meters, 200 meters and 4x100 finals at the Hong Open, has 68,699 ranking points. She meters at the Rio Olympics, repeating his feats of the 2012 will carry India hopes at the Dubai Super Series Final, a London Games and in Beijing in 2008. prestigious tournament she qualified for the first time. Ayana smashed the world record in the Olympic 10,000m. Former World No.1 Saina, who is on a comeback trail after Her time of 29:17.45 shaved more than 14 seconds off the recovering from a serious injury, improved a spot after previous best. slipping five places to 11th place last week. Japanese Matsuyuma triumphs in 2016 Hero K Srikanth, who is out of action since undergoing an injury, slipped a place to World No. 13, while Hong Kong Finalist World Challenge, 05 Dec. 2016 Sameer Verma jumped 13 places to be World No. 30. Manu Attri and B Sumeeth Reddy slipped a place to World No. 23rd. World champion Rosberg announces shock retirement, 03 Dec. 2016
apanese Hideki Matsuyuma won the 2016 Hero World Challenge Golf title. JReturning from a 15-month layoff, the longest of his illustrious career, Woods wrapped up his campaign with a four over 76 at the Albany Golf Club and finished 15th in a 17-man field. Woods was four-under for the tournament with rounds of 73, ico Rosberg quit Formula One, just five days after a stunning 65 on the second day, 70 and 76. The American winning the world title for Mercedes in a move that had quite a few positives from the tournament and his back Nstunned motor racing. seemed to have held up well after undergoing two surgeries. The 31-year-old German, who beat off teammate Lewis For Matsuyuma, it was his fourth win in his last five outings, Hamilton in the finale, is the first reigning champion to quit including the WGC-HSBC Champions in China. He saw off since Alain Prost in 1993. the challenge of Sweden’s Rio Olympics silver medallist Rosberg made the bombshell revelation in Vienna ahead Henrik Stenson by two strokes despite shooting a poor 39 of the International Automobile Federation (FIA) annual on the back nine on the final day. awards ceremony. Armaan wins Pro Am title in Super Trofeo Bolt is IAAF athlete of year; Ayana wins women’s award Series, 05 Dec. 2016 Usain Bolt is track and field’s male athlete of the year, winning the award from the sport’s governing body for a sixth time. Almaz Ayana of Ethiopia won the women’s award, after her world-record run to win Olympic gold in the 10,000 meters. The awards were handed out by the IAAF at a gala ceremony. The winners were chosen by athletics officials, athletes, journalists and an online public poll.
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TM FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS @Mahendra’s 64 NEWS BYTES SPORTS ndian racer Armaan Ebrahim and his Sri Lankan Jennifer from Little Angels School in Sonipat defeated teammate Dilantha Malagamuwa concluded their Gauri from M M Public School in Pitampura 4-2 4-2 in the I2016 racing season on a high by winning the Pro Am girls final. Championship in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo Series. In the boys U-14 category, Kanishk Pal of M.M. Public The duo also took the third position in the Pro category, School, Pitampura outplayed Anurag of Little Angels, courtesy their consistent performances through the year. Sonipat 4-1 4-1 while Deepa Laxmi (DAV Chennai) beat Sanskriti (DPS Bangalore) 4-2 4-2 in the girls summit clash. In Round 6, Armaan and Dilantha finished third in the morning race and fourth in the afternoon one to garner A total of 56 schools with more than 350 players from India enough points to clinch the title. and the Gulf countries of Oman, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates competed in the championship. Mukesh Kumar lifts Panasonic Open, be- comes oldest Asian Tour winner, 05 Dec. 2016 Shiv Kapur stays best Indian at Hong Kong Open, 10 Dec. 2016 hiv Kapur remained as the best-placed Indian at the midway stage of the USD 2 million UBS Hong Kong SOpen as only three Indians survived the 36-hole cut at the Hong Kong Golf Club. Kapur, who shot 68 on the first day, added a one-under 69 on the second to move up to three-under 137 and Tied-18th, up four places. Gaganjeet Bhullar (69-69) in Tied-29th place and Arjun Atwal (70-70) at Tied-49th were the only other Indians making the cut. Rahil Gangjee (71-70) missed by one shot, ndia’s Mukesh Kumar became the oldest golfer to while Jyoti Randhawa (71-72) and Chiragh Kumar (73-70), win an Asian Tour title when he lifted the weather-hit SSP Chawrasia (71-74), Himmat Rai (72-75) were further IPanasonic Open here after it was curtailed to 54 holes. down. Rashid Khan pulled out after the first round. The 51-year-old Mukesh, who has 123 PGTI titles under Virat Kohli retains second spot in ICC ODI his belt, turned in a two-under 70 in the final round to total batsmen rankings, 10 Dec. 2016 10-under 206 to claim the trophy — his first on the Asian Tour. ndia’s Virat Kohli retained his second spot in the latest ICC Player Rankings for ODI Batsmen but Australian In fact, India dominated the top half of the leader borad opener David Warner was breathing down his neck with with Jyoti Randhawa and Rashid Khan sharing the second I just two points behind in the chart issued. position, a stroke adrift of Mukesh. Warner cut Kohli’s earlier 62 point lead to just two Both Randhawa and Rashid carded four-under 68 in the following a stellar performance in the Chappell-Hadlee final round. series against New Zealand, which concluded in Melbourne Honey Baisoya took the sole fifth spot with a five-under 67 with Australia winning 3-0. in the final round which left him with a total of seven-under 209. Warner finished as the leading run-getter with 299 runs in three matches to consolidate his number three ranking. Mithun Parera from Sri lanka was on 4rth Position with 208 South Africa’s AB de Villiers is still the number one ranked Points. He was only foreign player among top ten. batsman with 13 points ahead of Kohli. Faisal and Jennifer clinch U-19 singles titles The fight for the No.1 ranking will resume next month when Kohli is expected to feature in the three-match series at CBSE event, 06 Dec. 2016 against England (January 15-23), Warner will take the field aisal Qamar and Jennifer emerged Under-19 boys against Pakistan in the five-match series (January 13-26) and girls singles champions respectively at the CBSE and de Villiers is set to lead South Africa in the five-ODI Fnational tennis championship. series against Sri Lanka (January 28 to February 10). Faisal from St. Joseph Public School in Rajasthan edged Meanwhile, New Zealand opener Martin Guptill and past Chinmaya from Sarla Devi School in Noida 6-4 6-4 at Australia’s trio of Steve Smith, Mitchell Marsh and Josh the Billabong High International School. Hazelwood have all achieved career-high rankings. Get Free Study Material On - www.mahendraguru.com
TM FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS @Mahendra’s 65 NEWS BYTES SPORTS Vice President inaugurates Biju Patnaik Ru- His first double-ton was scored against West Indies, while ral Hockey Tournament, 10 Dec. 2016 the second came in Indore against New Zealand. His third double test-century also made him the first batsman to score ice President Hamid Ansari inaugurated the Biju a double-century in three successive series in a year. He is Patnaik Rural Hockey Tournament which will also first Indian to score three double-tons in a year. see over 1500 teams from Odisha, Jharkhand and V His score of 235 also became the highest score for an Chhattisgarh competing for the title from December 16 to Indian captain in Test cricket. The previous best score was March 17. 224, which was scored by Mahendra Singh Dhoni against The tournament is organized by the foundation of former Australia in Chennai in 2013. hockey India captain and BJD MP Dilip Tirkey. Beside this, Kohli is the only player to have an average of The tournament is going to be the biggest sports event in 50+ in all formats of the game. Beside this, Kohli is the only the state so far and likely to find a place in the Guinness player to have an average of 50+ in all formats of the game. Book of World Records. Around 1500 teams comprising His averages in the three formats are 22,000 players from Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand Test : 50.53 are expected to participate in the event. ODIs : 52.93 Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and Union Minister Jual Oram also attended the tournament that is aimed at Twenty20 internationals : 57.13 encouraging rural youth towards the sport and inspiring youth living in bordering and Maoist-afflicted areas to pick Football: Ronaldo wins fourth Ballon d’Or up the hockey stick and instead of guns. crown, 13 Dec. 2016 There will be 30 venues in the three states for the tournament. The finals will be played in March, said Tirkey. Virat Kohli is the fifth cricketer to score three double test centuries in a calendar year, 12 Dec. 2016
ristiano Ronaldo was named winner of the Ballon d’Or for the fourth time, capping a terrific year for Cthe Real Madrid star. The 31-year-old Portuguese, who won the Champions irat Kohli, India’s captain for Test Cricket, on 11 League with Real and European Championships with December 2016 became the fifth batsman in the Portugal in recent months, inherits the title of the best Vworld to score three double-hundreds in a calendar player in the world from his long-time Barcelona rival year. He scored his third double-century in the first innings Lionel Messi. of the third test match against England. Pankaj Advani wins World Billiards Champi- With this, Kohli, who fell on his personal score of 235runs onships title, 13 Dec. 2016 to Chris Woakes, has joined the elite group of cricketers like Michael Clarke (4 centuries) in 2012, Don Bradman (3 ce Indian cueist Pankaj Advani won his 11th World centuries) in 1930, Ricky Ponting (3 centuries) in 2003 and Billiards (150-Up format) Championships title by Brendon McCullum (3 centuries) in 2014, who had scored Abeating Peter Gilchrist of Singapore in the summit three or more double hundreds in a calendar year. clash.
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TM FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS @Mahendra’s 66 NEWS BYTES SPORTS Smriti Mandhana lone Indian in ICC Wom- en’s Team of the Year, 14 Dec. 2016
Advani beat multiple world champion Gilchrist by six games to three in a gripping final contest to wrap up his 16th world title overall. Coming into the finals with right frame of mind after defeating Myanmar’s Aung Htay in the semifinals, Advani scripted a convincing victory over his Singapore-based British opponent. ndian batswoman Smriti Mandhana has been named in The Indian champion beat Gilchrist 151 (98)-33, 150 (97)- the Women’s Team of the Year 2016, the International 95, 124-150, 101 (98)-150 (89), 150 (87)-50, 152-37, 86 ICricket Council (ICC). (86)-150, 151 (110)-104, 150 (88)-15. The women’s team of the year, which will be captained by West Indies’ Stafanie Taylor, has been added to the Manoj elected players representative in BFI list of awards to acknowledge and appreciate outstanding EC, 14 Dec. 2016 performances of women’s cricketers over a 12-month period. Based on their performance between September 14, 2015 and September 20, 2016, which included the ICC Women’s World Twenty20 and the ICC Women’s Championship, the players have been selected. The previous Women’s ODI Player of the Year include Australia’s Karen Rolton (2006), Jhulan Goswami of India (2007), Charlotte Edwards of England (2008), Claire Taylor of England (2009), Australia’s Shelley Nitschke (2010), West Indies’ Stafanie Taylor (2011 and 2012), Sarah Taylor of England (2014) and Australia’s Meg Lanning (2015). Women’s Team of the Year (in batting order): Suzie Bates (New Zealand), Rachel Priest (New Zealand, wicketkeeper), Smriti Mandhana (India), Stafanie Taylor (West Indies, captain), Meg Lanning (Australia), Ellyse Perry (Australia), Heather Knight (England), Deandra Dottin (West Indies), Sune Luus (South Africa), Anya Shrubsole (England), Leigh Kasperek (New Zealand). 12th player: Kim Garth n a first for Indian boxing, former Commonwealth (Ireland). Games gold medallist Manoj Kumar was elected the Manjit pips Jitu Rai to win men’s 50m pistol Iplayers representative for male boxers in the recently- formed Boxing Federation of Indias Executive Committee. gold at Shooting Nationals, 15 Dec. 2016 Manoj, a two-time Olympian, was elected to the newly- anjit, who represents Army Marksmanship Unit created position during the National Championships. (AMU), pipped teammate and star Olympian MJitu Rai in the final of Men’s 50m Pistol event Get Free Study Material On - www.mahendraguru.com
TM FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS @Mahendra’s 67 NEWS BYTES SPORTS to claim the national champion crown at the ongoing 60th India beat Belgium to win Junior Hockey National Shooting Championship Competitions (NSCC) in World Cup after 15 yrs, 19 Dec. 2016 Pune. Manjit, who qualified for the eight-man final in third position with a score of 552, shot 187.4 in the 20 shot final to win gold at the Balewadi shooting range at Pune. Jitu, who qualified in fifth position with a score of 550, could only manage a score of 185.7 in the final to settle for silver. Navy’s Omkar Singh won the bronze medal with a score of 164.8. Manjit and Jitu also helped their AMU team win the team gold in the event quite comprehensively, shooting a total of 1642 in the company of Om Prakash. The Air Force Team won silver with a score 1636 while Maharashtra won the bronze shooting a combined total of 1606. ndia created history by winning the FIH Junior Hockey World Cup after a gap of 15 long years with a clinical In Junior Male 50 Mt. pistol competition, Ajroon Singh 2-1 victory against Belgium in the final. Cheema (183.4) of Punjab defeated Anmol Jain (181) of I Haryana. Mankaran Preet Singh of Punjab won Bronze by The hosts scored two beautifully crafted field goals in the 157.6 points. first half through Gurjant Singh (8th minute) and Simranjeet Singh (22nd) while controlling the proceedings for better Punjab Team won Gold Medal in Team Competition in part of the game to emerge as deserving winners. which Ajroon,Mankaran and Surindar Singh make total The team coached by Harendra Singh in association with score 1604. Team Haryana won Silver Medal and Team senior team’s chief coach Roelant Oltmans accomplished Uttarakhand won Bronze Medal. what the ‘Class of 2001’ comprising of some of the best of Alastair Cook becomes first England player to their times like Gagan Ajit Singh, Yugraj Singh achieved then. cross 11, 000 Test runs, 16 Dec. 2016 Having finished a lowly 13th in the last edition ofthe s Alastair Cook ran a couple off the first ball of the tournament in New Delhi, it was a mission for the hosts to fifth Test against India after getting a leading edge, rewrite history and the hosts duly achieved that riding on its Ahe took his run tally in Test cricket to 11, 000. brilliant performance in the 11th edition of the event. Those two runs made his the first England player ever to It turned out to be a historic day for India as they reclaimed cross the 11, 000-run mark in Test cricket. the title for the second time in the history of the tournament. The England captain is one of the most decorated batsmen in India had last won the tournament way back in 2001 in the England history as he has played the most Test matches Hobart. for them. He also has 30 Test centuries which is the highest Kuheli crowned Women’s 50m Rifle Prone for any player from his country. National Champion, 20 Dec. 2016 While Cook became the 10th player in history of Test cricket to make 11, 000 runs, India’s Sachin Tendulkar still sits at the top of the tree with 15, 921 runs from 200 Tests, the highest ever for a player. Tendulkar is followed by Australia’s Ricky Ponting who has scored 13, 378 runs in Tests. Third on this list is South Africa allrounder Jacques Kallis who has 13, 289 Test runs to his names. This is Cook’s third tour to India and second as captain. The 2012-13 tour to India was a successful one for the England captain as they won the four-match Test series 2-1.
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TM FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS @Mahendra’s 68 NEWS BYTES SPORTS eteran women’s rifle shooter and Commonwealth No 1 in the ICC Test Championship - Sehwag had fallen Games gold medallist, Kuheli Gangulee, won short of scoring India’s third triple-century when he was out Vthe Women’s 50m Rifle Prone event at the 60th for 293. On day four in Chennai, Nair ticked off several National Shooting Championship Competitions (NSCC). individual landmarks for an Indian batsman, including Kuheli, representing CISF, shot a total of 626.5 points to going past Sehwag’s 293 and on the way to a rare triple- clinch the national champion title. century. Sehwag’s scores of 319, scored on the same ground versus South Africa in 2008, and 309 in Multan, are India’s Maharashtra shooter Tejaswini R Sawant walked away highest individual scores. with the silver medal, shooting a total of 625 points while Gujarat’s Lajja Gauswami shot 618.3 to settle for the bronze. The other milestones for Nair include becoming the first Indian batsman to convert a maiden Test hundred into a In the team event of the Women’s 50m Rifle Prone event, the triple-hundred, the first Indian batting at No. 5 or lower to Maharashtrian Trio of Tejaswini R Sawant (625), Deepali reach 300, and the highest score by an Asian batsman as a Avinash Deshpande (614.3) and Shweta Devadi (609.5) maiden Test century. bagged the gold with a total of 1848.8 points. Ruchira Arun Lawand (618.2), Tejaswini Mulley (612.9) AIBA grants full membership to Boxing Fed- and Jayshree Das (609.7) from Railways secured the silver, eration of India, 20 Dec. 2016 shooting a total of 1840. 8, while BSF’s Amandeep Kaur (615.5), Rubina (613.1) and Sonia Dadwal (611.8) claimed the bronze medal, earning 1840.4 points. In the Junior Women’s 50m Rifle Prone event, Shirin Godara from Chandigarh shot a total of 615.2 to be crowned the national champion, while J&K’s Shreya Saksena walked away with the silver with a total of 615.1 points. Tamil Nadu shooter Gayathri N grabbed 612.3 points for a bronze. Karun Nair becomes second Indian to score 300 in Tests, 20 Dec. 2016 ndia’s return to the international boxing fold was complete with the AIBA unanimously granting full Imembership to the recently-formed Boxing Federation of India (BFI) at a meeting on the sidelines of its 70th anniversary gala in Montreux, Switzerland. The BFI was voted to office in September earlier this year, ending four years of administrative logjam in the sport. The BFI has already been granted affiliation by the Sports Ministry but is awaiting recognition from the Indian Olympic Association, which has referred the matter to arnataka batsman Karun Nair entered an exclusive an affiliation committee. Indian boxing was thrown into club, joining Virender Sehwag as the second Indian disarray back in 2012 when the erstwhile Indian Amateur Kto score a triple-century in Tests. Nair, in his third Boxing Federation (IABF) was first suspended and later Test, finished not out on 303 as India declared with their terminated for “possible manipulation in elections”. highest score in Tests, a massive 759/7, at the iconic MA IABF paved the way for Boxing India in 2014 but the Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. body could not run the show for even one year and lost a At 25 years and 13 days, Nair also overtook Sehwag’s no confidence motion moved by disgruntled state units in Indian record of youngest Test triple-centurion. Sehwag - 2015. After another year of wrangling, BFI took shape in who tweeted his congratulations to Nair - had been 25 years September following elections conducted in the presence and 160 days in 2004 when he hit that epic 309 against of observers from the International Boxing Association Pakistan in Multan. (AIBA) and the Sports Ministry. India’s previous highest total in Test cricket was the 726/9 Since being voted in, the BFI has conducted the National declared scored against Sri Lanka in Mumbai in December Championships for both men and women and will be 2009. In that Test - which MS Dhoni’s team won to become holding the Nationals for youth boxers next month. Get Free Study Material On - www.mahendraguru.com
TM FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS @Mahendra’s 69 NEWS BYTES SPORTS Ravichandran Ashwin lone Indian in ICC’s scored in the 55th and 58th minutes. China was the winner Test Team of 2016; Virat Kohli named captain of the Women Under-18 Asia Cup. The country emerged victorious with a 4-2 victory over defending champions of ODI team, 22 Dec. 2016 Japan in the final at the National Hockey Training Centre. About Asian Hockey Federation ## The Asia Cup is an international men’s and women’s field hockey tournament governed by the Asian Hockey Federation (ASHF). ## The Asian Hockey Federation was formed during the Asian Games of 1958 in Tokyo when hockey was first played in the Games. ## The first five member countries of the ASHF were India, Japan, Korea, Malaysian and Pakistan. Satyendra wins on concluding day of Shooting ndia off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who was Nationals, 27 Dec. 2016 named ICC Test Cricketer of the Year and bagged the ISir Garfield Sobers Trophy for Cricketer of the Year, was the lone Indian player to be included in the Test Team of the year for 2016. Ashwin, who is ending 2016 as the No. 1 ranked Test bowler and all-rounder in the ICC rankings, is the third Indian after Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid to win the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy. He then went on to thank the International Cricket Council (ICC) and his team mates. rmy Marksmanship Unit’s (AMU) Satyendra Singh got the better of teammate and Olympian Chain India wins bronze at women’s U18 Hockey ASingh to clinch the gold medal in men’s 50m rifle Asia Cup, 23 Dec. 2016 3 positions event on the concluding day of 60th National Shooting Championship. Satyendra qualified for the eight- man final in second position behind Chain Singh with a score of 1164, which was identical to Chain’s effort, but had nine fewer inner 10s. In the final though, he managed to turn the tables onhis more internationally accomplished teammate, amassing a score of 450.9 in the stipulated 45 shots to Chain’s 448.4. Rahul Poonia of the Navy won the bronze by shooting 439.1. In the junior men’s 50m rifle 3 positions event, Subhankar Pramanick of West Bengal capped off a brilliant year, adding the national title to the Junior World Cup gold he had won earlier in the year. ndia defeated South Korea 3-0 to secure the bronze The World Cup gold was in the rifle prone event, which medal at the 4th Women’s U18 Asia Cup 2016 hockey amply shows Subhankar’s versatility. Subhankar qualified for tournament in Bangkok. I the final in second position, shooting a score of 1132 behind After the win, Hockey India announced cash rewards of Syed Araib Pervez of Madhya Pradesh, who shot 1133. Rs.1 lakh for each player. It also announced Rs.50000 for Subhankar also won a silver in the 50m rifle 3 positions each member of the support staff. Civilian championships in the junior section to conclude a In the first half of the game, both teams played were successful day at the range. In a field packed with Olympians goalless. The best chance of the half fell to India’s Mahima and even a former Olympic silver medallist, teenager Anmol Choudhary. India took the lead minutes after the break as Jain of Haryana caused a flutter, winning the men’s 10m air Ritu scored the opener off a penalty corner. Sangita Kumari pistol event at the Balewadi Sports Complex. Get Free Study Material On - www.mahendraguru.com
TM FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS @Mahendra’s 70 NEWS BYTES SPORTS Former world number one Ana Ivanovic re- Her French Open victory catapulted Ivanovic to the summit tires at 29, 30 Dec. 2016 of the WTA tour rankings but she only occupied top spot for a few weeks and dropped to 22nd at the end of 2009 after a dramatic loss of form. Solanki clinches gold in Sr National Weight- lifting, 30 Dec. 2016 ishal Solanki of RSPB won the gold in men’s 105kg category on day four of the Senior National VWeightlifting Championships. Solanki lifted 150kg in snatch and 180kg in clean and jerk for a total of 330kg to bag the gold. V A Christopher of Tamil Nadu and Chandrakant Mali of Services took the silver and bronze respectively with efforts of 325kg (142+183) and 319kg (143+176) respectively. In men’s 94kg, Pradeep Singh of RSPB bagged the gold with a total lift of 319kg (138+181) while Jagdish Vishwakarma ormer French Open champion Ana Ivanovic of Services and Sahil Sharma of Chandigarh won the silver announced her retirement from tennis at the age of 29 and bronze with efforts of 318kg (140+178) and 314kg Fbecause she no longer feels fit enough to compete at (141+173). the highest level. In women’s 75kg category, Rajwant Kaur of Police clinched Ivanovic became the first Serbian woman to win a grand the gold with a total effort of 223kg (98+125). Seema of slam tournament when she beat Russian Dinara Safina in Delhi and Manpreet Kaur got the silver and bronze with total the 2008 French Open final, following in the footsteps of lifts of 204kg (89+115) and 184kg (79+105) respectively. compatriot Novak Djokovic who clinched the Australian Open title the same year.
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TM FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS @Mahendra’s 71 NEWS BYTES SCIENCE Resourcesat-1 was put in space in October 2003 and Burning Topics of the Month SCIENCE Resourcesat-2 in April 2011, each with a planned life of five 1. India successfully tests smart anti-airfield years. weapon system SAAW. China launches satellite to monitor global car- 2. DRDO successfully test-fires India’s longest bon emissions, 22 Dec. 2016 range nuclear capable Agni-5 missile. 3. China aims to become first country to land on far side of moon
Remote sensing satellite Resourcesat-2A launched, 07 Dec. 2016
hina launched a global carbon dioxide monitoring satellite ‘TanSat’ to understand climate change, Chours after it lifted nearly a week-long red alert for the worst smog that engulfed about 40 cities in the country. The 620-kg satellite TanSat was put into orbit by Long March-2D rocket from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in northwest China’s Gobi Desert.
emote sensing satellite Resourcesat-2A was This was the 243rd mission of the Long March series rockets. launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre Besides TanSat, the rocket also carried a high-resolution (SDSC) in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh at 10:24 micro-nano satellite and two spectrum micro-nano satellites R for agricultural and forestry monitoring. a.m. China is the third country after Japan and the US to monitor The spacecraft was flown aboard a PSLV-C36 rocket. greenhouse gases through its own satellite. The satellite was It was the 37th consecutive successful flight of the sent into a sun synchronous orbit about 700 kms above the indigenous light-lifting rocket. earth and will monitor the concentration, distribution and The 1,235-kg spacecraft has started orbiting pole-to-pole flow of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere. at 824 km from Earth. The satellite will help understanding of climate change and The three cameras of different resolution on the spacecraft provide Chinas policy makers with independent data. will give regular micro and macro information on land and On a three-year mission, TanSat will thoroughly examine water bodies below, farm lands and crop extent, forests, global carbon dioxide levels every 16 days, accurate to at mineral deposits, coastal information, rural and urban least 4 ppm (parts per million). spreads besides helping in disaster management. The new satellite will enable China to obtain emissions data The ISRO put a few specialties into what is otherwise a first-hand and share it with researchers worldwide. routine follow-on mission. The Paris agreement on climate change came into force on SDSC Director P. Kunhikrishnan said this was ISRO’s November 4, with more than 100 countries committed to ninth launch in 2016, including the more powerful and reducing their carbon emissions. operational GSLV. A new avionics and flight navigation system was tested. The satellite can trace the sources of greenhouse gases and help evaluate whether countries are fulfilling their Resourcesat-2A is a follow-on of two predecessor commitments. spacecraft for Earth observation from space. For the next TanSat means a louder voice for China on climate change, five years, it will ensure continuity of remote-sensing data given by the two older ones of this theme. carbon reduction and in negotiations with a bigger say on carbon trading.
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TM FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS @Mahendra’s 72 NEWS BYTES SCIENCE India successfully tests smart anti-airfield warhead of more than one tonne. Unlike other missiles of weapon system SAAW, 26 Dec. 2016 Agni series, the latest one ‘Agni-5’ is the most advanced having some new technologies incorporated with it in terms of navigation and guidance, warhead and engine. Lot of new technologies developed indigenously were successfully tested in the first Agni-5 trial. The redundant navigation systems, very high accuracy Ring Laser Gyro based Inertial Navigation System (RINS) and the most modern and accurate Micro Navigation System (MINS) had ensured the Missile reach the target point within few metres of accuracy. China aims to become first country to land on far side of moon, 27 Dec. 2016
ndia successfully tested the smart anti-airfield weapon system, capable of engaging ground targets in a range Iof 100 kms from a fighter aircraft, at the integrated test range here in Chandipur. A DRDO statement said that SAAW, an indigenously designed and developed 120 kg class smart weapon, developed by DRDO, is a light-weight high-precision- guided bomb and one of the world class weapons systems. The captive and release trials were tracked by Radar and Telemetry ground stations at ITR during the entire duration of the flight. The performance of all the systems was satisfactory with all the mission objectives achieved. The government sanctioned the Rs 56.58-crore SAAW project in September 2013. In May, the DRDO conducted the first test on the weapon hina said it will launch a lunar probe in 2018 to system from the IAF Jaguar DARIN-II aircraft. achieve the world’s first soft landing on the far Cside of the moon to showcase its ambitious space DRDO successfully test-fires India’s longest programme. range nuclear capable Agni-5 missile, A White Paper titled ‘China’s Space Activities in 2016’ 26 Dec. 2016 release said that China will continue its lunar exploration he Defence and Research Development Organisation project in the next five years and strive to attain the automated (DRDO) has successfully tested its indigenously extra-terrestrial sampling and returning technology by Tdeveloped intercontinental surface-to-surface space explorers. nuclear capable ballistic missile ‘Agni-5’ from the Wheeler China has already landed a rover on the moon in the past Island off Odisha coast. but wants to explore the dark side of the lunar surface to The three stage, solid propellant missile test-fired from carve out a niche for itself as it has not been done by other a mobile launcher from the launch complex-4 of the countries. Integrated Test Range (ITR). The lunar probe Chang’e-4 will conduct in situ and roving This was the fourth trial of the long range missile. detection and relay communications at earth-moon L2 point. The indigenously-developed surface-to-surface missile, The probe plans to fulfil the three strategic steps of “orbiting, ‘Agni-5’, is capable of striking a target more than 5,000 landing and returning” for the lunar exploration project by km. It is about 17-metre long, 2-metre wide and has launch launching the Chang’e-5 lunar probe by the end of 2017 and weight of around 50 tonnes. The missile can carry a nuclear realising regional soft landing, sampling and return.
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TM FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS @Mahendra’s 73 NEWS BYTES SCIENCE China launches two high-resolution remote sensing satellites, 28 Dec. 2016
hina successfully launched a pair of high-resolution remote sensing satellites to get commercial images. CThe satellites were launched from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centre in Shanxi Province. The satellites, SuperView-1 01/02, blasted off at 11:23 am Beijing time on the back of a Long March 2D rocket. They are able to provide commercial images at 0.5-meter resolution. The satellites launch followed release of a white paper yesterday which said China plans to form a BeiDou network research team of astronomers from South Africa, Australia consisting of 35 satellites for global navigation services and Europe with help slew of telescopes including the by 2020. It is expected to compete with America’s Global Anglo-Australian Telescope (Sydney) and South African Positioning system. Large Telescope (Cape Town). China plans to start providing basic services to countries Vela super cluster is massive and it is estimated to carry along the Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st-century 100,000 galaxies with trillions of stars. It is one of the Maritime Silk Road in 2018. biggest concentrations of galaxies found in the Universe. Besides satellite services, the paper said China will launch It is possibly biggest galaxy in neighborhood of our Milky a lunar probe in 2018 to achieve world’s first soft landing Galaxy and is at a distance of 840 million light-years from on the far side of the Moon to show case its ambitious space Earth. programme, which included several manned missions, Our galaxy Milky Way, part of Laniakea supercluster is building permanent space station and reaching to Mars. puny when compared to Vela. Astronomers discover universe’s biggest Gal- This new discovery may help astronomers to answer the axy Supercluster near Milky Way, retardation on the speed of Milky Way, which has mass of 400 billion suns and is containing 100 billion or more stars. 29 Dec. 2016 Vela can also offer hints on how Milky Way got to the current team of international astronomers has discovered location in the universe and gravity of the supercluster can Vela super cluster, one of the biggest super galaxy explain the variations in Milky Way’s measured motion in Aclusters near the Milky Way. It was spotted by a space. Get Free Study Material On - www.mahendraguru.com
TM FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS @Mahendra’s 74 NEWS BYTES miscellaneous China ranked first with 52 universities while India was Burning Topics of the Month MISCELLANEOUS on the second spot with 27 universities in the ranking -- BRICS and Emerging Economies University Rankings 1. PM Narendra Modi wins Time’s Person of the 2017 -- compiled annually by Times Higher Education Year online readers’ poll. which released its report. 2. Priyanka Chopra Appointed As UNICEF’s India is making great strides. Its flagship university, the Global Goodwill Ambassador. Indian Institute of Science (IISc), breaks into the top 15 for 3. Donald Trump is Time magazines Person of the the first time this year in 14th place, due to improved scores Year 2016. for its teaching environment and research influence. The Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (IIT-B) India ranked 102nd on enabling cross border climbs three places to 26th, its highest ever rank, due to trade: WEF, 01 Dec. 2016 improved scores across all of the five pillars underlying the methodology. Peking and Tsinghua universities in China held on to the two top spots for the fourth year running and China has a further four universities in the top 10. Lomonosov Moscow State University in Russia, University of Cape Town and University of Science and Technology of China complete the top five rankings. The other Indian universities to make the cut this year include IIT Delhi and IIT Kanpur at joint 32; IIT Madras at 35; IIT Roorkee at 62; IIT Kharagpur at 71; Jadavpur University at 99; IIT Guwahati at 106; Tata Institute of Fundamental Research at 107; University of Delhi at 109; Panjab University at 135; Tezpur University at 140; Savitribai Phule Pune University at 143; Aligarh Muslim University at 157; University of Calcutta at 179; Sri Venkateswara University at 186; National Institute ccording to the World Economic Forum (WEF), of Technology Rourkela at 195; and Birla Institute of India has improved its ranking by four places to Technology and Science, Pilani, at 196. A102nd position among 136 economies in terms of enabling cross border trade, with Singapore leading the Yoga in UNESCO’s Representative List of list. intangible heritage, 02 Dec. 2016 Among the BRICS nations, India, China and South Africa have improved their ranking from the previous edition. While India’s position has jumped four slots to 102, that of South Africa has improved three places to 55 while that of China stood at 61 compared with the previous ranking of 63. Brazil’s ranking has slipped to 110 from the earlier 97 while that of Russia dropped to 111 from the 105th position. The Global Enabling Trade Report 2016 -- published by WEF and the Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation -- assesses the performance of 136 economies by way of Enabling Trade Index (ETI). n a diplomatic triumph for India, an intergovernmental committee of the United Nations has inscribed yoga India grabs 2nd spot in emerging markets Iin UNESCO’s Representative List as the Intangible university rankings, 02 Dec. 2016 Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This declaration of yoga as a Human Treasure enjoyed ndia was ranked second in a list of 300 top universities the unanimous support of 24-member Intergovernmental in emerging economies, “making great strides” in the Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Icompilation topped by China. Get Free Study Material On - www.mahendraguru.com
TM FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS @Mahendra’s 75 NEWS BYTES miscellaneous Heritage, which overturned the decision of an Evaluation The analysis of poll results showed varying pattern of Body of technical experts, seeking to defer the case to the choices in different parts of the world. Poll host Apester next session of the Committee in 2017. found that “preferences differ across the world and the The tag emphasises yoga’s role as a social practice, an oral United States. tradition and a system of ancient and scientific knowledge, According to Apester, Modi performed particularly well facilitating an enhanced harmony and peace across caste, among Indian voters as well as those in California and New creed, gender, age and nationality. Jersey. The eleventh session of the Intergovernmental Committee Srinidhi Shetty won 2016 Miss Supranational is being held in Addis Abeba, Ethiopia, from November 28 to December 2. title, 06 Dec. 2016 PM Narendra Modi wins Time’s Person of the Year online readers’ poll, 05 Dec. 2016
rime Minister Narendra Modi has won the online reader’s poll for TIME Person of the Year. PM Modi Pbeat other world leaders, artists and politicians as the rinidhi Shetty, a girl from Mangalore, was crowned most influential figure in 2016. Miss Supranational 2016 in the first week of SDecember 2016. She was crowned at a ceremony Modi has won the popular vote but the Time magazine’s held in Krynica Zdroj, Poland. With this, India became the editors will decide the final Person of the Year. But the first country to win Miss Supranational twice in three years. online vote has given an idea how the world see these personalities. Along with the crown, Shetty, an engineer by profession, also received the prize amount of $30,000. In addition, she Modi won with 18 per cent of the total votes polled in the also won the title of Miss Asia-Oceania. survey, which closed at midnight. Other four finalists of the title were PM Modi was well ahead of his closest contenders, including Barack Obama, Donald Trump and Julian Assange, who all ## Venezuela’s Valeria Vespoli (2nd) received 7 per cent of the “yes” vote. Hillary Clinton got 4 ## Suriname’s Jaleesa Pigot (3rd) per cent of the votes. ## Sri Lanka’s Ornella Gunesekere (4th) Modi was placed far ahead of Facebook founder and ## Hungary’s Korinna Kocsis (5th) immensely popular online personality Mark Zuckerberg, who got only 2 per cent. Shetty is the second Indian to win the title after Asha Bhatt. Bhatt clinched the title three years ago. Commenting on the poll results, the Time magazine said, in recent months, Modi saw high approval ratings from Donald Trump is Time magazines Person of Indians, according to a September Pew poll, and ratified the the Year 2016, 08 Dec. 2016 Paris Climate Change Agreement. S President-elect Donald Trump was named by The magazine also factored in the demonetisation decision Time magazine as its Person of the Year 2016 taken by the government. Time commented that Modi has for his stunning victory in the presidential polls, come under scrutiny recently for getting rid of 500- and U describing him as “President of the Divided States of 1,000-rupee notes, impacting cash-based businesses and America”. threatening India’s economy. Get Free Study Material On - www.mahendraguru.com
TM FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS @Mahendra’s 76 NEWS BYTES miscellaneous Trump was chosen by Time editors for the annual honour Dr. Harsh Vardhan informed that IISF-2016 is not only a from among world leaders, artists, corporate tycoons and festival but a movement to connect common people with path-breaking organisations as the person who had the science and its contributions to our day-to-day life. greatest influence, for better or worse, on the events of the IISF-2016 is being held at CSIR-National Physical year. Laboratory (NPL) Campus, New Delhi during 7-11 Trump, who has appeared on various covers of Time December, 2016. magazine, will now be on its cover as Person of the Year, with the sub-headline President of the Divided States of Wind music festival in Vizag on Dec 17, America. 12 Dec. 2016 The first runner-up is Trumps rival in the presidential elections and Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, who Time said made history for three decades as an advocate, a First Lady, a Senator, and a Secretary of State, but she will now be remembered as much for what she didn’t do as what she did. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was among the 11 candidates shortlisted by Time for its annual honour. Modi won the online reader’s poll conducted by Time magazine for Person of the Year 2016, the second time he emerged winner of the reader’s choice poll. India International Science Festival (IISF- 2016) inaugurated in New Delhi, 08 Dec. 2016 isakhapatnam city will host the world’s first ever Wind Music festival on December 17 to entertain Venthusiasts. Addressing a media conference , the minister said the one- day festival is being presented by flautist Naveen Kumar who is known for his contribution to both classical music and film projects especially in collaborations with Oscar winning composer A R Rahman. Apart from Naveen Kumar, legendary musicians like Ronu Majmundar, Rakesh Chaurasia, A Sravamani, Shashank Subramanyan, Kishore, Raj Sodha, S Ballesh and Tom Thomas among others will perform in the festival. ndia has achieved a pre-eminent position in the field Srinivasa Rao said Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister of Science & Technology, Space, Atomic Energy, Chandrababu Naidu and Union Minister Venkaiah Naiduwill IInformation Technology and newly emerging also attend the programme. technologies such as Nano Technology and Bio Technology. Kumar said the programme was being organised to create ‘In this process, we have created one of the world’s largest awareness about wind instruments among youth. network of scientific laboratories and research institutions’, Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister for Science & India to have highest salary increase in Asia Technology and Earth Sciences said while informing the Pacific in 2017,12 Dec. 2016 Lok Sabha about the India International Science Festival (IISF-2016) – the largest festival of science in this country with its focus on “Science for the Masses”. The Minister added that the Prime Minister has directed that the benefits of advancements in Science & Technology must reach to the masses. Towards this, Ministry of Science & Technology and Earth Sciences has taken the initiative of launching India International Science Festival (IISF).
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TM FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS @Mahendra’s 77 NEWS BYTES miscellaneous ndia and Vietnam will have the highest salary increases Vacations play a critical role in creating work-life balance next year with a projected rise of 10.8 per cent and 9.2 as it re-energises people to be more focused at work (95 per Iper cent respectively among Asia Pacific’s emerging cent of Indians agree in the survey). economies, according to a report by a global consulting The report was conducted on behalf of Expedia by North firm. A report by Mercer has forecast a 10.8 per cent salary star, a globally integrated strategic insights consulting firm increase in India and 9.2 per cent in Vietnam in 2017. online from September 12-29, 2016, across North America, Salary increases in Hong Kong and Singapore, Asia’s Europe, South America, and Asia Pacific. financial hubs, are forecast to see a 4.2 per cent and4.1 per cent increase, respectively, said Mercer, in their report Priyanka Chopra Appointed As UNICEF’s “Compensation Planning for 2017. Global Goodwill Ambassador, 13 Dec. 2016 Japan is forecast to receive the lowest increase of 2.2 per cent, followed by New Zealand 2.8 per cent and Australia 2.9 per cent, said the report based on Mercer’s Annual Total Remuneration Survey (TRS), and its bi-annual Market Pulse Surveys. A closer look at pay parity, in terms of annual total cash, says that there are now several ‘tiers’ of countries across the region. Starting salaries are much lower, often just USD 5,000, in low-cost manufacturing bases, but again increase significantly at top management levels. India ranks 4th most vacation deprived coun- try globally: Report, 13 Dec. 2016
ctress Priyanka Chopra, appointed as UNICEF’s newest global Goodwill Ambassador, urged people Afrom across nations to become the ‘collective voice’ of oppressed children in the world and join forces to leave a better future for the coming generations. Footballer David Beckham and 12-year-old British actress Millie Bobby Brown announced Chopra’s appointment as UNICEF’s newest global Goodwill Ambassador at a star- studded celebration here on Monday night to commemorate 70 years of the world body’s children’s agency. Indians in US Richest Entrepreneurs under 40 list: Forbes, 13 Dec. 2016 Two Indian-origin men have figured in Forbes magazine’s second annual list of wealthiest entrepreneurs under the ndia has been ranked as the fourth most vacation age of 40 which is topped by Facebook founder Mark deprived country globally, as 63 per cent take fewer Zuckeberg. Idays of the vacations that they get. Vivek Ramaswamy, a successful biotech entrepreneur “After Spain (68 per cent), UAE (68 per cent), Malaysia has been ranked 24th on Americas Richest Entrepreneurs (67 per cent) and South Korea (64 per cent), India is ranked Under 40 2016 list with a networth of 600 million dollars as the fourth most vacation deprived country globally,” and Apoorva Mehta stands at 31st spot with a 360 million according to Expedia Vacation Deprivation report 2016. dollars networth. The report revealed that 40 per cent Indians don’t use all Ramaswamy, 31, a Harvard University and Yale School vacation days as work schedule does not allow for vacation of Management alumnus, continues to make waves in the or don’t have enough staff to cover and 32 per cent are not biotech business with his deals and drug development able to take vacation days due to personal schedule. plans, Forbes said. Get Free Study Material On - www.mahendraguru.com
TM FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS @Mahendra’s 78 NEWS BYTES miscellaneous He was behind the biggest biotechnology initial public 9th edition of Indo-Russia Naval exercise to offering of 2016, Myovant Sciences, which raised USD 218 begin from, 14 Dec. 2016 million listing its shares on NASDAQ in October, it said. Last year, Ramaswamy pulled off the biggest IPO in the US biotech history by listing shares of Axovant, a company that is trying to develop a new Alzheimers drug. He runs Roivant Sciences, a biotech holding company with an innovative financial strategy to develop drugs, often by purchasing drugs that have been forgotten or abandoned by the pharmaceutical industry. Forbes called Mehta one of Silicon Valley’s youngest immigrant success stories. Rio gets UNESCO world heritage status, 14 Dec. 2016 he ninth edition of ‘Indra- Navy exercise, an annual bilateral maritime conducted between the Indian TNavy and the Russian Navy will be conducted in the Bay of Bengal from December 14 to 21. The primary aim of exercise Indra Navy-2016 is to increase inter-operability amongst the two navies and develop common understanding and procedures for maritime security operations. The scope of the exercise includes wide-ranging professional interactions in harbor phase and a diverse canvas of operational activities across a spectrum of maritime operations at sea. Forbes ranks Modi 9th among world’s 10 most powerful people, 15 Dec. 2016
io de Janeiro, nicknamed the Marvelous City, officially entered the UN’s list of world heritage Rsites in recognition of its soaring granite cliffs, urban rainforest and beaches. The UN cultural body, UNESCO, highlighted the “extraordinary fusion” of man-made and natural beauty in certifying Rio on the world heritage list during a ceremony held at the Christ the Redeemer statue. That blend has “created an urban landscape perceived to be of great beauty by many writers and travelers and one that has shaped the culture of the city”.
Rio got a big tourism boost during the 2014 football World rime Minister Narendra Modi has been ranked Cup and this August’s Olympic Games. However, persistent among the top 10 most powerful people in the world high crime, last year’s Zika epidemic, and political by Forbes in a list that has been topped by Russian instability have hurt the city’s image. P President Vladimir Putin for a fourth straight year and had The UNESCO status was announced in 2012, but only US President-elect Donald Trump in the second place. became official after the Brazilian authorities were given Modi ranks 9th on the Forbes list of 74 of the World’s Most four years to report on their plans for protecting the likes Powerful People.Forbes said India’s populist prime minister of Flamengo Park, Sugarloaf Mountain, the Corcovado, remains hugely popular in his country of 1.3 billion people. Copacabana beach, the Botanical Garden and Tijuca forest. Get Free Study Material On - www.mahendraguru.com
TM FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS @Mahendra’s 79 NEWS BYTES miscellaneous Modi has raised his profile as a global leader in recent years Ahead of the International Migrants Day, Pew Research during official visits with Barack Obama and Xi Jinping. He said as of 2015, nearly 3.5 million Indians lived in the UAE, has also emerged as a key figure in the international effort the world’s second-largest migration corridor. to tackle climate change, as planetary warming will deeply Unlike the Mexico-US corridor, the number of Indians living affect millions of his country’s rural and most vulnerable in the UAE and other Persian Gulf countries has increased citizens. substantially during the past decade, from 2 million in 1990 It also took note of the unexpected decision made by Modi to more than eight million in 2015 . last month to demonetise India’s two high value currency Most have migrated for economic opportunities in these oil- notes in a bid to reduce money laundering and corruption, rich countries. creating a nationwide frenzy to quickly swap out the bills. Authored by Philip Connor, the report said if all of the The list has been topped by Putin, who retains the title of the world’s international migrants (people living in a country world’s most powerful person for four years running. US that is different from their country or territory of birth) lived President Obama comes in on the 48th spot. in a single country, it would be the world’s fifth largest, with The list includes Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh around 244 million people. Ambani on the 38the spot. Overall, international migrants make up 3.3 per cent of the India remains one of fastest-growing countries world’s population in present time. in the world: WH, 16 Dec. 2016 The top origins of international migrants are India (15.6 million), followed by Mexico (12.3 million), Russia (10.6 million), China (9.5 million) and Bangladesh (7.2 million). Among destination countries, the US has more international migrants than any other country. It is home to about one-in-five international migrants (46.6 million), it said. Other top destinations of migrants include Germany (12.0 million), Russia (11.6 million), Saudi Arabia (10.2 million) and the United Kingdom (8.5 million). Indo- Maldives Joint Military Exercise Com- mences in Maldives, 17 Dec. 2016 ndia remains one of the fastest-growing countries in the world, the White House said even as it underlined that Iinefficiencies remain in the public sector of the country with the poor population still lacking healthcare coverage and access to financial services. According to economic report of the President for the year 2017, which was sent to the Congress India remains one of the fastest-growing countries in the world, with real GDP expanding at 7.3 per cent in the four quarters through 2016:Q3. The voluminous report running into nearly 600 pages says that economic growth in India continues at a solid pace of a projected 7.4 per cent over the four quarters of 2016. 14 days joint training exercise of the Indian Army and India top country of origin of international the Maldives National Defence Force commenced migrants: Pew, 16 Dec. 2016 A with the Opening Ceremony at Kadhdhoo, Lammu Atoll in Maldives. ndia is the top country of origin of international migrants, with 15.6 million Indians living abroad, according to a The training contingents comprised of a platoon strength IPew research which said international migrants make from BIHAR Regiment and a similar strength of the up 3.3 per cent of the world’s population. Maldivian National Defence Force. Senior military Get Free Study Material On - www.mahendraguru.com
TM FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS @Mahendra’s 80 NEWS BYTES miscellaneous observers of both the countries will be witnessing the Pakistan third most prolific executioner, validation phase of the Exercise. 19 Dec. 2016 Exercise EKUVERIN – 2016 will be the seventh edition of Joint Exercise and is in continuation of a series of joint Exercises between the Indian Army and Maldivian National Defence Force. The previous edition of the Exercise was held at Trivandrum, India in 2015. The aim of the Joint Exercise is to acquaint both forces with each other’s operating procedures in the backdrop of amphibious and counter insurgency/ Counter terrorism environment as also to enhance the existing military relationship between the Indian Army and the Maldivian National Defence Force. The Indian Army contingent had landed at Male International Airport on 14 Dec 2016 on a C-130 military aircraft of the Indian Air Force. The exercise aims to enhance the interoperability between the Indian Army and Maldivian ccording to the a rights group Amnesty National Defence Forces in conducting joint operations and International, for the second year in a row, Pakistan cement bonds of friendship between the two countries. Ahas retained its “notorious status” of being the “third most prolific executioner” in the world, executing Miss Puerto Rico lands Miss World 2016 419 people in two years. crown, 19 Dec. 2016 According to Amnesty International, at least 1,634 people were executed in 25 countries in 2015. Out of these, most of the executions took place in China, Iran, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the USA in that order. India at 3rd place in USGBC’s list of top 10 nations for LEED, 21 Dec. 2016
tephanie del Valle of Puerto Rico has been crowned Miss World 2016, edging out runners-up from the SDominican Republic and Indonesia, and beauties from around the globe. Del Valle, 19, is a brown-eyed brunette student who speaks Spanish, English and French, and hopes to get into the entertainment industry. Crowned by Miss World 2015 Mireia Lalaguna of Spain, del Valle called it an “honor and a great responsibility” to represent her Caribbean homeland.
First runner-up was Yaritza Miguelina Reyes Ramirez of the ndia remained at the third position in the USGBC’s Dominican Republic, followed by Miss World Indonesia annual ranking of the top 10 countries for LEED, which Natasha Mannuela. Iis a green building rating system. Contestants from Kenya and Catriona Gray of the According to the US Green Building Council (USGBC) Philippines also were in the final five. the list highlights countries outside of the US that are
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TM FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS @Mahendra’s 81 NEWS BYTES miscellaneous making significant strides in sustainable building design, Kuchipudi performers dance their way into construction and operations. Guinness Records, 26 Dec. 2016 This year, India remained in third position with 15.90 million gross square meters (GSM) of LEED-certified space and an additional 89.28 million cumulative GSM of LEED-certified and-registered space, totalling 2,386 projects participating in LEED across the country. China ranked first with 34.62 million GSM, followed by Canada with 34.39 million GSM. Conducted in 70 countries, the report found that emerging economies will continue to be engines of green growth, with development varying from two fold to six fold over current green building levels. ndhra Pradesh’s own classical dance ‘Kuchipudi’ Increased consumer demand has also pushed the world’s found a place in the Guinness World Records yet green building market to a trillion-dollar industry, a surge again when a record 6,117 dancers came together that has led to a corresponding increase in the scope and size A to present a show at the IGMC Stadium. of the green building materials market, which is expected to reach USD 234 billion by 2019. Guinness adjudicator Rishinath declared that “Jayamu Jayamu” item presented in unison by the participants India takes over Britain to become world’s created a new record and handed over a certificate to Andhra 5th largest economy, 21 Dec. 2016 Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu. In 2012, a similar feat was achieved when 5,900 dancers performed ‘Kuchipudi’ in Hyderabad. The “Maha Brunda Natyam” (grand group dance) was organised as part of the ‘5th International Kuchipudi Dance Convention’ organised by the state Department of Language and Culture. “Jayamu Jayamu” is one of the glorious items of ‘Kuchipudi’ dance choreographed by the legend Vempati China Satyam. This 12-minute item was chosen for this year’s group dance at the event. Dancers from across the country as also from countries like ith its fast economic growth in over two decades US, UAE, UK, Russia, Hong Kong and Mauritius took part and a half, India has now taken over the United in it. WKingdom as the fifth largest economy in the Union Information and Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah world. A report published in Forbes magazine said that this Naidu, eminent ‘Kuchipudi’ gurus of yesteryears Raja- dramatic shift has been driven by India’s rapid economic Radha Reddy, Yamini Krishna Murthy and many others growth over the past 25 years as well as Britain’s recent attended the closing ceremony. woes with the Brexit. Once expected to overtake the UK GDP in 2020, the India second largest arms purchaser after surpasso has been accelerated by the nearly 20 per cent Saudi Arabia: Report, 28 Dec. 2016 decline in the value of the pound over the last 12 months, ccording to a latest Congressional as India consequently UK’s 2016 GDP of GBP 1.87 trillion converts embarks on a massive modernisation plan for its to $2.29 trillion at exchange rate of GBP 0.81 per $1, defence forces, it has emerged as the second largest whereas India’s GDP of Rs. 153 trillion converts to $2.30 A purchaser of arms among developing nations after Saudi trillion at exchange rate of Rs. 66.6 per $1. Arabia. The report further said that this gap is expected to widen as Between 2008 and 2015, India purchased defence India grows at 6 to 8 per cent per annum compared to UK’s equipment worth $34 billion, which is a distant second after growth of 1 to 2 per cent per annum until 2020, and likely beyond. Saudi Arabia’s $93.5 billion, said the report ‘Conventional Arms Transfers to Developing Nations 2008-2015’ released Get Free Study Material On - www.mahendraguru.com
TM FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS @Mahendra’s 82 NEWS BYTES miscellaneous World’s highest bridge inaugurated in China, 30 Dec. 2016 hina inaugurated the world’s highest bridge that rises 565 metres above the Nizhu river canyon and Cconnects the southern provinces of Yunnan and Guizhou. The construction of the Beipanjiang Bridge, 1,341 metres in length, began in 2013 and ended in September. Over 1,000 engineers and technicians were employed for the construction of the suspension bridge built at a cost of one billion yuan ($144 million). Located on the Beipanjiang Valley, it boasts the maximum vertical distance between the bridge’s deck and the earth or water surface below, and is as high as a 200-floor building, said the Guizhou Provincial Department of Transportation. The bridge is part of a highway that connects Hangzhou, capital of the eastern province of Zheihjiang, and Ruili in Yunnan. Rishi Kapoor’s autobiography to be out in by Congressional Research Service (CRS). As the name January 2017, 31 Dec. 2016 reflects, CRS is an independent bipartisan research wing of the US Congress. It prepares reports on a wide range of issues for lawmakers to make informed decisions. CRS reports are not considered official reports of the US Congress. “Saudi Arabia was the leading developing world arms purchaser from 2008-2015, with agreements totalling $93.5 billion. India was the second largest developing world arms purchaser from 2008 to 2015, making arms transfer agreements totalling $34 billion during these years (in current dollars),” it said, adding these increases reflect the military modernisation efforts by India. In its report, CRS highlights recent Indian efforts to diversify its procurement of arms, of which the US has been a major beneficiary. CRS said that it is notable that India, while the principal Veteran actor Rishi Kapoor, who is known for his brazen Russian arms customer, during recent years has sought to honesty in the real as well as virtual world, is looking diversify its weapons supplier base, purchasing the Phalcon forward to the release of his autobiography titled “Khullam early warning defense system aircraft in 2004 from Israel Khulla” in January next year 2017. and numerous items from France in 2005, in particular six The actor says he has opened up about his life for the book Scorpene diesel attack submarines. In 2008, India purchased with all his heart. The book’s title has been borrowed from six C130J cargo aircraft from the United States. one of his famous songs — “Khullam Khulla Pyar Karenge In 2010, the UK sold India 57 Hawk jet trainers for $1 Hum Dono”. billion. In 2010, Italy also sold India 12 AW101 helicopters. The 64-year-old tweeted: “My autobiography – Rishi In 2011, France secured a $2.4 billion contract with India Kapoor-uncensored! ‘Khullam Khulla’ releases 15th to upgrade 51 of its Mirage-2000 combat fighters, and the January. This one’s from the heart, my life and times, as I US agreed to sell India 10 C-17 Globemaster III aircraft for lived it.” $4.1 billion.
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TM FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS @Mahendra’s 83 KNOW YOUR CUSTOMER ARTICLE This is a summarised and simplified version of the Reserve Bank of India’s Know Your Customer guidelines. KYC KYC means “Know Your Customer”. It is a process by which banks obtain information about the identity and address of the customers. This process helps to ensure that banks’ services are not misused. The KYC procedure is to be completed by the banks while opening accounts. Banks are also required to periodically update their customers’ KYC details. KYC requirements for opening a bank account:- To open a bank account, one needs to submit a ‘proof of identity and proof of address’ together with a recent photograph. Such accounts remain operational initially for a period The documents to be given as ‘proof of identity’ and of twelve months and thereafter, for a further period of ‘proof of address’:- twelve months if the holder of such an account provides evidence to the bank of having applied for any of the The Government of India has notified six documents as ‘Officially Valid Documents’ (OVDs) for the purpose of officially valid documents within twelve months of the producing proof of identity. opening of such account. These six documents are Passport, Driving Licence, Posibilities If a customer do not have any of the Voters’ Identity Card, PAN Card, Aadhaar Card issued by officially valid documents, to have a bank account, UIDAI and NREGA Job Card. You need to submit any one which is not subjected to any limitations as in the case of these documents as proof of identity. of ‘small accounts:- If these documents also contain your address details, then A normal account can be opened by submitting a copy of any one of the following documents as Proof of Identity it would also be accepted as ‘proof of address’. (PoI): If the document submitted by you for proof of identity does not contain address details, then you will have to (i) Identity card with person’s photograph issued by Central/State Government Departments, Statutory/ submit another officially valid document which contains address details. Regulatory Authorities, Public Sector Undertakings, Scheduled Commercial Banks, and Public Financial If customer do not have any of the documents listed Institutions; above to show my ‘proof of identity’, can they still or open a bank account:- Yes, you can still open a bank account known as ‘Small (ii) letter issued by a gazetted officer, with a duly attested Account’ by submitting your recent photograph and photograph of the person. putting your signature or thumb impression in the presence For Proof of Address (PoA), customer may submit of the bank official. the following documents: The difference between such ‘small accounts’ and ## Utility bill, which is not more than two months old, of other accounts any service provider (electricity, telephone, post-paid mobile phone, piped gas, water bill). The ‘Small Accounts’ have certain limitations such as: ## Balance in such accounts at any point of time should ## Property or Municipal Tax receipt. not exceed Rs.50,000. ## Bank account or Post Office savings bank account ## Total credits in one year should not exceed statement. Rs.1,00,000. ## Pension or family Pension Payment Orders (PPOs) ## Total withdrawal and transfers in a month should not issued to retired employees by Government exceed Rs.10,000. Departments or Public Sector Undertakings, if they contain the address. ## Foreign remittances cannot be credited to such accounts. ## Letter of allotment of accommodation from employer issued by State or Central Government departments, Get Free Study Material On - www.mahendraguru.com
TM FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS @Mahendra’s 84 KNOW YOUR CUSTOMER ARTICLE statutory or regulatory bodies, public sector If any customer staying in Chennai but if his/her proof undertakings, scheduled commercial banks, financial of address shows his/her address of New Delhi, can he/ institutions and listed companies. Similarly, leave her still open an account in Chennai? and license agreements with such employers allotting Yes, you can open a bank account in Chennai even if official accommodation. the address in the “Officially Valid Document” is that of ## Documents issued by Government departments New Delhi and you do not have a proof of address for of foreign jurisdictions or letter issued by Foreign your Chennai address. In such case, you can submit the Embassy or Mission in India. officially valid document having your New Delhi address, This, however, is not a general rule and it is left to the together with a declaration about your Chennai address for judgement of the banks to decide whether this simplified communication purposes. procedure can be adopted in respect of any customer. Can customer transfer his/her existing bank account The opening of account, if customer’s name has been from one place to another? Do he/her need to undergo changed and he do not have any OVD in the new name: full KYC again? A copy of the marriage certificate issued by the State It is possible to transfer an account from one branch to Government or Gazette notification indicating change another branch of the same bank. There is no need to in name together with a certified copy of the ‘Officially undergo KYC exercise again for such transfer. However, if Valid Documents’ in the prior name of the person is to be there is a change of address, then you will have to submit furnished for opening of account in cases of persons who a declaration about the current address. change their names on account of marriage or otherwise. If the address appearing in the ‘Officially Valid Documents’ Bank’s categorization of their customers based on risk (OVDs) submitted for proof of address is no longer your assessment: valid address (i.e. neither your permanent address nor Banks are required to classify their customers into ‘low’, your current address), you need to get an Officially Valid ‘medium’ and ‘high’ risk categories depending on their Document for Proof of Address containing the current or AML risk assessment. the permanent address and furnish the same within six months. In case of opening an account in another bank, If customer refuse to provide requested documents for however, you will have to undergo KYC exercise afresh. KYC to bank for opening an account, in this case the result will be: KYC documents for each account he/her open in a If customer do not provide the required documents for bank even though he/her have furnished the documents KYC, the bank will not be able to open his/her account. of proof of identity and address, that customer have to furnish : Can customer open a bank account with only an Aadhaar card: If customer have opened a KYC compliant account with a Yes, Aadhaar card is accepted as a proof of both identity bank, other than a ‘small account’, then for opening another and address. account with the same bank, furnishing of documents is Compulsion to furnish Aadhaar Card for opening an not necessary. account:- The banking transactions for which the customer need No, you may furnish Aadhaar card or any of the other five to quote his/her PAN number:- OVDs for opening an account. PAN number needs to be quoted for transactions such as e-KYC & e-KYC work:- account opening, transactions above Rs.50,000 (whether e-KYC refers to electronic KYC. in cash or non-cash), etc. A full list of transactions where PAN number needs to be quoted can be accessed from e-KYC is possible only for those who have Aadhaar website of Income Tax Department at the specified URL. numbers. While using e-KYC service, you have to authorise the Unique Identification Authority of India KYC applicability for Credit/Debit cards:- (UIDAI), by explicit consent, to release your identity/ KYC exercise is necessary for Credit/ Smart Cards and address through biometric authentication to the bank also in respect of add-on/ supplementary cards. branches/business correspondent (BC). The UIDAI then transfers your data comprising your name, age, gender, Since debit cards are issued only to account holders and and photograph electronically to the bank. Information accounts are opened only after the KYC procedure is thus provided through e-KYC process is permitted to completed, there is no need for separate KYC for issuing be treated as an ‘Officially Valid Document’ under PML debit card. Rules and is a valid process for KYC verification. Get Free Study Material On - www.mahendraguru.com
TM FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS @Mahendra’s 85 KNOW YOUR CUSTOMER ARTICLE Customer’s need to submit KYC documents to the (proof of address) by mail/post, etc. Physical presence bank while purchasing third party products (like of such low risk customer is not required at the time of insurance or mutual fund products) from banks:- periodic updation. All customers who do not have accounts with the bank Customers who are minors have to submit fresh photograph (known as walk-in customers) have to produce proof of on becoming major. identity and address while purchasing third party products The case in which customer do not provide the KYC from banks if the transaction is for Rs.50,000 and above. documents at the time of periodic updation:- KYC exercise will not be necessary for bank’s own customers for purchasing third party products. However, If you do not provide your KYC documents at the time instructions to make payment by debit to customers’ of periodic updation, bank has the option to close your accounts or against cheques for remittance of funds/issue account. Before closing the account, the bank may, of travellers’ cheques, sale of gold/silver/platinum and however, impose ‘partial freezing’ (i.e. initially allowing the requirement of quoting PAN number for transactions all credits and disallowing all debits while giving an of Rs.50,000 and above will be applicable to purchase of option to you to close the account and take your money third party products from bank by its customers as also to back). Later, even credits also would not be allowed. The walk-in customers. ‘partial freezing’ however, would be exercised by the bank Rules regarding periodic updation of KYC:- after giving you due notice. Different periodicities have been prescribed for updation Imposition of partial freezing :- of KYC records depending on the risk perception of the Partial freezing is imposed in the following ways: bank. KYC is required to be done at least once in two ## Banks have to give due notice of three months years for high risk customers, once in eight years for initially to the customers before exercising the option medium risk customers and once in ten years for low risk customers. This exercise would involve all formalities for of ‘partial freezing’. KYC normally taken at the time of opening the account. ## After that a reminder for further period of three While periodic updation of KYC has to be carried out months will be issued. in respect of customer categorised as ‘low risk’ also, if ## Thereafter, banks shall impose ‘partial freezing’ by there is no change in status with respect to the identity allowing all credits and disallowing all debits with the (change in name, etc.) and/or address of such customers freedom to close the accounts. the banks may ask such customers to submit only a self- ## If the accounts are still KYC non-compliant after six certification about ‘no-change in status’ at the time of months of imposing initial ‘partial freezing’ banks periodic updation. Banks may not ask such customers to shall disallow all debits and credits from/to the submit copies of ‘Officially Valid Documents’ for periodic accounts, classifying them inoperative. updation. ## Meanwhile, the account holders can revive accounts In case of change of address of such ‘low risk’ customers, by submitting the KYC documents. they could merely forward a certified copy of the document
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TM FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS @Mahendra’s 86 OLD 500 AND 1000 NOTES ARTICLE Withdrawal of Legal Tender Character of the old Bank Notes in the denominations of `500/- and `1000/- (Updated as on December 13, 2016) Scheme Introduction:- The incidence of fake Indian currency notes in higher denomination has increased. For ordinary persons, the fake notes look similar to genuine notes, even though no security feature has been copied. The fake notes are used for antinational and illegal activities. High denomination notes have been misused by terrorists and for hoarding black money. India remains a cash based economy hence the circulation of Fake Indian Currency Notes continues to be a menace. In order to contain the rising incidence of fake notes and black money, the scheme to withdraw has been introduced. About Scheme:- payments such as Internet banking, mobile wallets, IMPS, The legal tender character of the existing bank notes credit/debit cards etc. in denominations of `500 and `1000 issued by the Cash in exchange for specified banknotes over the bank Reserve bank of India till November 8, 2016 (hereinafter counter, custmer will get: referred to as Specified Bank Notes) stands withdrawn. No, over the counter exchange (in cash) of SBNs is not In consequence thereof these Bank Notes cannot be used permitted from November 25, 2016. Members of public for transacting business and/or store of value for future who approach the banks for over the counter exchange usage. The Specified Bank Notes can be exchanged for of SBN are encouraged to deposit SBNs into their bank value at any of the 19 offices of the Reserve Bank of India accounts. Banks have been advised to facilitate opening of and deposited at any of the bank branches of commercial new accounts for unbanked people. banks/ Regional Rural Banks/ Co-operative banks (only Urban Co-operative Banks and State Co-operative Banks) If customer don’t have any bank account:- or at any Head Post Office or Sub-Post Office. You can always open a bank account by approaching a District Central Cooperative Banks (DCCBs) can allow bank branch with necessary documents required for their existing customers to withdraw money from their fulfilling the KYC requirements. accounts upto `24,000 per week. No exchange facility If, if customer have only JDY account:- against the specified bank notes (`500 and `1000) or A JDY account holder can avail the deposit facility subject deposit of such notes should be entertained by DCCB’s. to the caps and other laid down limits in accord with norms The Reserve Bank has accordingly advised all banks to and procedures. permit withdrawal of cash by DCCBs from their accounts based on need. With a view to protect the innocent farmers and rural account holders of PMJDY from activities of money Scheme applied for pre 2005 banknotes of `500 and launders and legal consequences under the Benami `1000 : Property Transaction & Money Laundering laws, it Specified banknotes (SBN) include pre 2005 banknotes in has been decided to place certain limits, as a matter of the denominations of `500 and `1000. Banks should accept precaution, on the operations in the PMJDY accounts deposits of pre-2005 bank notes in the denominations of funded through deposits of Specified Bank Notes (SBNs) `500 and `1000 under the scheme. However, these notes after November 09, 2016. As a temporary measure, the can be exchanged at RBI Offices only. banks have been advised that: Value, customer will get : (1) Fully KYC complaint account holders may be You will get value for the entire volume of notes tendered allowed to withdraw `10,000/- from their account, at the bank branches / RBI offices. in a month. The branch managers may allow further withdrawals beyond `10,000 within the All cash, customer will get : current applicable limits only after ascertaining The Scheme does not provide for it, given its objectives. the genuineness of such withdrawals and duly You can use balances in bank accounts to pay for other documenting the same on bank’s record. requirements by cheque or through electronic means of Get Free Study Material On - www.mahendraguru.com
TM FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS @Mahendra’s 87 OLD 500 AND 1000 NOTES ARTICLE (2) Limited or Non KYC compliant account holders Customer withdraw cash against cheque: may be allowed to withdraw `5,000 per month Yes, you can withdraw cash against withdrawal slip or from the amount deposited through SBNs after cheque subject to a weekly limit of `24000/- (including November 09, 2016 within the overall ceiling of withdrawals from ATMs and over the counter) from the `10,000. bank accounts. Exchange the notes by customer: Business entities having Current Accounts which are The exchange facility has been stopped at bank branches operational for last three months or more will be allowed with effect from November 25, 2016. to draw `50,000/-per week. This can be done in a single Should customer go to bank personally for deposit or can transaction or multiple transactions. This facility has he/her send the notes through his/her representative:- been extended to Overdraft and Cash Credit accounts and traders registered with the Agricultural Produce Market Personal visit to the branch is preferable. In case it is not Committee (APMC) markets or mandis. Accordingly, possible for you to visit the branch you may send your holders of current / overdraft / cash credit accounts, which representative with an express mandate i.e. a written authorisation. The representative should produce authority are operational for the last three months or more, may letter and his / her valid identity proof while tendering the withdraw upto `50000 in cash, in a week. Such withdrawals notes. may be disbursed predominantly in `2000 denomination bank notes. This enhanced limit for weekly withdrawal is In case you want to go to a branch of any other bank not applicable for personal overdraft accounts. Farmers where you are not maintaining an account, you will have are allowed to draw upto `25000/- per week in cash from to furnish valid identity proof and bank account details their loan (including Kisan Credit Card limit) or deposit required for electronic fund transfer to your account. accounts subject to their accounts being compliant with Customer withdraw from ATM:- the extant KYC norms. The ATMs are progressively getting recalibrated. As and Customer’s withdraw a higher amount for the purpose when they are recalibrated, the cash limit of such ATMs of customer ward’s wedding: will stand enhanced to `2500/- per day. This will enable With a view to enable members of the public to perform dispensing of lower denomination currency notes for and celebrate weddings of their wards it has been decided about `500/- per withdrawal. Other ATMs which are yet to allow a cash withdrawal of maximum `250000/- from to be recalibrated, will continue to dispense `2000/- till their bank deposit accounts till December 30, 2016 out of they are recalibrated. the balances at credit in the account as at close of business Banks have also been advised to increase the Business on November 08, 2016 to meet wedding related expenses. Correspondents’ limit of dispensing cash to `2500/- for This is subject to the following conditions: withdrawal from bank accounts. i. Withdrawals are permitted only from fully KYC The levied ATM charges:- compliant accounts. It has been decided that banks shall waive levy of ATM ii. The amounts can be withdrawn only if the date of charges for all transactions (inclusive of both financial marriage is on or before December 30, 2016. and non-financial transactions) by savings bank customers done at their own banks’ ATMs as well as at other banks’ iii. Withdrawals can be made by either of the parents or ATMs, irrespective of the number of transactions during the person getting married. (Only one of them will be the month. This waiver is applicable on transactions done permitted to withdraw). at ATMs from November 10, 2016 till December 30, 2016, iv. Since the amount proposed to be withdrawn is subject to review. meant to be used for cash disbursements, it has to be Does the limit of `24000 withdrawal apply to established that the persons for whom the payment is withdrawals from bank account of one bank from proposed to be made do not have a bank account. another bank? v. The application for withdrawal shall be accompanied These limits are not applicable to cash withdrawal from a by following documents: bank account by one bank from another bank, Post Office, ## An application as per the format Money changers operating at International airports and operators of White Label ATMs. The branches maintaining ## Evidence of the wedding, including the invitation Currency Chests have been advised to accommodate the card, copies of receipts for advance payments already requests from other branches in their vicinity – linked or made, such as Marriage hall booking, advance otherwise – for supply of cash. payments to caterers, etc. Get Free Study Material On - www.mahendraguru.com
TM FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS @Mahendra’s 88 OLD 500 AND 1000 NOTES ARTICLE ## A detailed list of persons to whom the cash withdrawn Customer use of electronic (NEFT/RTGS /IMPS/ is proposed to be paid, together with a declaration from Internet Banking / Mobile banking etc.) mode: such persons that they do not have a bank account, Custmer can use NEFT/RTGS/IMPS/Internet Banking/ where the amount proposed to be paid is `10,000/- or Mobile Banking or any other electronic/ non-cash mode more. The list should indicate the purpose for which of payment. In order to meet the transactional needs of the proposed payments are being made. the public through digital means, additional measures have ## Banks may keep a proper record of the evidence and been introduce by way of special dispensation for small produce them for verification by the authorities in merchants and enhancement in limits for semi-closed case of need. The scheme will be reviewed based on Prepaid Payment Instruments (PPIs). authenticity/ bona fide use thereof. Yet, banks should PPIs issuers can issue PPIs to such merchants. While encourage families to incur wedding expenses through balance in such PPIs cannot exceed `20,000/- at any point non-cash means viz. cheques /drafts, credit/debit of time, the merchants can transfer funds from such PPIs cards, prepaid cards, mobile transfers, internet banking to their own linked bank accounts upto `50,000/- per channels, NEFT/RTGS, etc. Therefore, members of month, without any limit per transaction. Merchants only the public should be advised, while granting cash need to provide a self-declaration in respect of their status withdrawals, to use cash to meet expenses which have and details of their bank account. to be met only through cash mode. The limit of semi-closed PPIs issued with minimum For the farmers:- details has been enhanced to `20,000/- from the existing Farmers are allowed to draw upto `25000/- per week in `10,000/-. The total value of reloads during any given cash from their loan (including Kisan Credit Card limit) or month has also been enhanced to `20,000/-. deposit accounts subject to their accounts being compliant Extant instructions for other categories of PPIs remain with the extant KYC norms. unchanged. Full KYC PPIs with balance upto `1,00,000/- Specified banknotes in the denomination can be used for can continue to be made available by authorised PPI issuers. making payments towards purchase of seeds from the The above measures will be effective from November 21, centres, units or outlets belonging to the Central or State 2016 till December 30, 2016, subject to review. Governments, Public Sector Undertakings, National or Relaxation in Additional Factor of Authentication (AFA) State Seeds Corporations, Central or State Agricultural for payments upto `2000/- for card network provided Universities and the Indian Council of Agricultural authentication solutions has been permitted for the Card Research, on production of proof of identity. Not Present (CNP) transactions. For details please refer Towards ensuring unhindered farming operations during RBI DPSS circular dated December 6, 2016. the Rabi crop season, NABARD would be utilizing its own If right now customer is not in India, then : cash credit limits up to about `23,000 crore to enable the DCCBs to disburse the required crop loans to PACS and If you have Specified banknotes in India, you may authorise farmers. Banks with currency chests have been advised to in writing enabling another person in India to deposit the ensure adequate cash supply to the DCCBs and RRBs. notes into your bank account. The person so authorised has to come to the bank branch with the Specified banknotes, Adequate cash supply should also be ensured for rural the authority letter given by you and a valid identity proof branches of all commercial (including RRBs). Bank (Valid Identity proof is any of the following: Aadhaar branches located in APMCs may also be given adequate Card, Driving License, Voter ID Card, Pass Port, NREGA cash to facilitate smooth procurement. Card, PAN Card, Identity Card Issued by Government Customer deposit Specified Bank Notes through Department, Public Sector Unit to its Staff) ATMs, Cash Deposit Machine, cash Recycler and bank When Customer is an NRI and hold NRO account, then: branches multiple times: Customer can deposit the Specified banknotes to your Specified Bank Notes can be deposited in Cash Deposits NRO account. machines / Cash Recyclers or at bank branches more than once till December 30, 2016. Customer is an foreign tourist, the amount of Indian currency can he/her get after the announcement At bank branches, customers should use separate pay-in- of withdrawal of legal tender status for specified slips for depositing specified bank notes and other legal banknotes is: tender bank notes.(If a depositor has a mixed bunch of SBN and legal tender notes, he has to segregate them and Foreign citizens will be permitted to exchange foreign submit two separate Pay-in slips). currency up to `5000 per week. Necessary entry to this effect will be made in their passports. Get Free Study Material On - www.mahendraguru.com
TM FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS @Mahendra’s 89 OLD 500 AND 1000 NOTES ARTICLE Customer have emergency needs of cash specified bank notes shall mean bank notes of the (hospitalisation, travel, life saving medicines) then he/ denominational value of five hundred rupees her should do: (o) Payment of School fees up to `2000 per student in Till the December 15, 2016, specified banknotes of only Central Government, State Government, Municipality 500 denomination can be used as under:— and local body schools; (a) for making payments in Government hospitals for (p) Payment of fees in Central or State Government medical treatment and pharmacies in Government colleges; hospitals for buying medicines with doctor’s (q) Payments towards pre- paid mobile top-up to a limit prescription; of `500 per top-up (b) at railway ticketing counters, ticket counters of (r) Toll payment at these toll plazas of the Ministry of Road Government or Public Sector Undertakings buses for Transport and Highways may be made through old purchase of tickets (to be discontinued with effect `500 notes from 3.12.2016 to 15.12.2016 (as they have from December 10, 2016); continued the toll free arrangement up to 2.12.2016). (c) for purchases at consumer cooperative stores operated Customer use the Specified banknotes to settle under authorisation of Central or State Governments outstanding in his/her loan account: and the customers shall provide their identity proof; Deposits of Specified bank Notes into all types of deposit/ However, the purchase from Consumer Cooperative loan accounts of Public Sector Banks/ Private Sector Stores will be limited to `5000 at a time; Banks / Foreign Banks/Regional Rural Banks / Urban (d) for purchase at milk booths operating under Cooperative Banks/ State Cooperative Banks is allowed authorisation of the Central or State Governments; subject to CTR/STR reporting. Anybody depositing more (e) for payments at crematoria and burial grounds; than `50,000/- in cash in their bank account has to submit a copy of the PAN card in case the bank account is not (f) for making payments in all pharmacies on production seeded with PAN. of doctor’s prescription and proof of identity; Can customer deposit SBN to Small Savings Scheme? (g) for payments on purchases LPG gas cylinders; Government of India has decided that subscribers of Small (h) for making payments to catering services on board, Savings Schemes may not be allowed to deposit SBNs in during travel by rail (to be discontinued with effect Small Savings Schemes. Banks have been advised not from December 10, 2016) to accept SBNs for deposits in Small Saving Schemes (i) for making payments for purchasing tickets for with immediate effect. However deposits into Post Office travel by suburban and metro rail services (to be Savings account are permitted discontinued with effect from December 10, 2016); Proof of identity:- (j) for making payments for purchase of entry tickets Valid Identity proof is any of the following: Aadhaar for any monument maintained by the Archaeological Card, Driving License, Voter ID Card, Pass Port, NREGA Survey of India. Card, PAN Card, Identity Card Issued by Government (k) for making payments towards any fees, charges, Department, Public Sector Unit to its Staff. taxes or penalties, payable to the Central or State Steps have been taken for queue management:- Governments including Municipal and local bodies; Banks have been advised to make arrangements for (l) for making payments towards utility charges for water separate queues for Senior citizens and Divyang (disabled) and electricity only. -which shall be restricted to persons. Similarly, separate queues should also be arranged individuals or households for payment of only arrears for those who come to exchange SBN for cash and those or current charges. No advance payments shall be who come to deposit into bank accounts. allowed The last date for submission of the annual life certificate (m) for payments towards court fees for the government pensioners which is to be submitted in November every year has been extended upto January 15, (n) for making payments towards purchase of seeds from 2017 to facilitate. the centres, units or outlets belonging to the Central or State Governments, Public Sector Undertakings, The Reserve Bank assures members of the public that enough National or State Seeds Corporations, Central or cash in small denominations is also available at the Reserve State Agricultural Universities and the Indian Council Bank and banks. The Reserve Bank urges that public need of Agricultural Research, on production of proof of not be anxious; need not come over to banks repeatedly to identity: Provided that for the purposes of this clause, draw and hoard; Cash is available when they need it. Get Free Study Material On - www.mahendraguru.com
TM FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS @Mahendra’s 90 International Children’s Peace Prize ARTICLE The International Children’s Peace Prize is awarded annually to a child who has made a significant contribution to advocating children’s rights and improving the situation of vulnerable children such as orphans, child labourers and children with HIV/AIDS. The prize is an initiative of the Kids Rights Foundation, an international children’s aid and advocacy organisation based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Kids Rights should not be confused with the group which grants the Nobel Peace Prize. The first Children’s Peace Prize was launched in November 2005 during the World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates in About Kehkashan Basu (UAE):- Rome, an annual meeting of Nobel Peace Prize winners and “Do not stop what you’re doing. No matter what happens, international organisations such as UNICEF and Amnesty we have to continue to save the planet,” the 16-year-old International. said. Mikhail Gorbachev presented the 2005 prize, which was Award-winning teen environmental activist Kehkashan posthumously awarded to Nkosi Johnson, a South African Basu said ecologists should “not lose hope” in their battle boy who brought international attention to children with to fight climate change, despite scepticism from world HIV/AIDS and founded the Nkosi’s Haven home for leaders including U.S. President-elect Donald Trump. HIV-positive mothers and children. The winner receives World leaders, CEOs, negotiators and activists attending a 100,000 euro donation to benefit a charitable project for a U.N. conference earlier this month in Marrakesh voiced children, as well as a statuette which has been named the concern following the election of Mr. Trump, who has vowed Nkosi in Nkosi Johnson’s honour. to withdraw the U.S. from a hard-won global agreement on The 2006 award was handed out by Nobel Peace Prize climate change. Ms. Basu is being honoured for the work laureate Frederik Willem de Klerk in a ceremony at the done by her child-run organisation Green Hope, based in Binnenhof, the seat of the Dutch parliament in The Hague. the United Arab Emirates, which now has more than 1,000 The 2007 was presented at the Binnenhof by Bob Geldof volunteers in 10 countries around the world. and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Betty Williams. The 2008 The ambitious teen founded Green Hope at the age of prize was presented by Desmond Tutu. 12 and within four years managed several successful The prize is awarded annually “to a child who fights environmental projects, including planting 5,000 trees in courageously for children’s rights,” Kids Rights said. It also Colombia, France, Mexico, Nepal, Oman and the United includes a 100,000 euro ($106,000) investment for projects States. What started as one young girl’s initiative is now a in the winner’s home country. sizeable organisation with a management team comprised entirely of children who even use their own pocket money Recipients to fund their environmental activities. 2005 - Nkosi Johnson, South Africa Apart from planting trees, Green Hope also focuses on 2006 - Om Prakash Gurjar, India activities such as cleaning up mangrove swamps around the UAE, who hoped to draw special attention to the threats 2007 - Thandiwe Chama, Zambia facing fragile coastal forests. Mangroves are considered vital 2008 - Mayra Avellar Neves, Brazil to coral reefs and fisheries and serve as important buffers 2009 - Baruani Ndume, Tanzania for coastal cities against rising sea levels and storm surges. The WWF last year said the species are facing deforestation 2010 - Francia Simon, Dominican Republic rates three to five times higher than the average global forest 2011 - Michaela ‘Chaeli’ Mycroft, South Africa loss. Ms. Basu, who was inspired by her grandmother’s 2012 - Kesz Váldez, Philippines rooftop garden in Kolkata, India, received the prize from 2006 Nobel Peace laureate and anti-poverty campaigner 2013 - Malala Yousafzai, Pakistan Muhammad Yunus. Kids Rights is very proud to announce 2014 - Neha Gupta, United States that a record number of 120 nominations from 49 countries have been received. International Children’s Peace Prize 2015 - Abraham M Keita, Liberia winners awarded on December 2nd 2016 in The Hague, the 2016 - Kehkashan Basu, UAE Netherlands.
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TM FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS @Mahendra’s 91 International Children’s Peace Prize ARTICLE Refugee children to the children of Rio’s favelas to integrate them in the The 120 brave children have personally improved the rights march towards sustainability. Kehkashan is the founder of of children in their respective countries on themes including a youth organization, GREEN HOPE UAE, which seeks Peace, Education and Child Participation. Especially to provide a networking platform to children and youth noteworthy this year were the great number of nominations in the region to carry forward the Rio legacy. She is a relating to the rights of children in refugee camps. Various Climate Justice Ambassador for Plant-for-the-Planet and nominees have fought courageously for the rights of in her role as the Academy Coordinator conducted the first children in such camps in order to combat violations Plant-for-the-Planet in the UAE which inducted scores of including child labour and to champion refugee children’s school children in the fight for climate justice. Kehkashan rights to education and peaceful coexistence within local is a youth ambassador for the World Future Council and communities. Moreover, many of the nominations relate she also holds positions such as Regional Ambassador of to girl’s rights. Several nominees have demonstrated TUNZA Ecogeneration, UAE Country Coordinator of wonderful commitment to combating, among other issues, TARUMITRA & GREEN The GENE. She is an active child marriage, violence against girls and discrimination member of United Nations Major Groups for Children & against indigenous girls. Other themes include access to Youth (UNCSD MGCY), UNEP TUNZA and the Emirates technology, child trafficking, poverty, hunger, children with Environmental Group. disabilities and environmental issues. She is currently the Chairperson of the UAE chapter of Nominations by renowned child rights advocates the International Youth Council. She has actively pursued a number of ground level projects on the environment During the nomination window, Kids Rights received and biodiversity conservation. She plants a tree on every submissions from various famous children’s rights advocates, birthday as a symbol of her solidarity to the green cause. including Malala Yousafzai, who won the International Children’s Peace Prize in 2013 and went on to win the Nobel She has planted over a hundred saplings in the UAE, Peace Prize the very next year. 2011’s winner Chaeli Mycroft Indonesia, Kenya and Brazil. Public speaking, debating has also nominated a child, as did Mrs Tawakkol Karman, who and leadership are Kehkashan’s forte and she was the was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2011. Most nominations Head Girl of her Junior School and is currently a Student were from NGOs, both NGOs active on a national platform as Representative Council member. Kehkashan is a proficient well as international organizations such as Save the Children, musician and she sings, plays the piano and guitar .She has SOS Children’s Villages and Plan International. won several quiz, art, poetry and photography competitions. Nominating countries Kehkashan was the Global Coordinator for Children & Youth and a member of UNEP’s Major Groups Facilitating The top six nominating countries are India (ten nominees), Pakistan (nine nominees), Colombia (seven nominees), Committee. She is the first minor, ever, to be elected into this position. In 2013 she has also been elected as Global Afghanistan, Nigeria (six nominees) and Palestine (five President of the Children’s Board of Plant-for-the-Planet. nominees). In 2010 and 2013 Kehkashan won the highest educational Kehkashan Basu award of the gulf region, the prestigious HH Sheikh Hamdan Kehkashan Basu, the Youth Ambassador for the World Award for Distinguished Academic Performance. On July Future Council, is a 15 year old environmental and social 1, 2013 Kehkashan won a prize at the 2013 International activist living in the United Arab Emirates whose sole School Essay Competition held by The Living Rainforest, objective is to involve and mobilise children and youth in UK, competing against a total of 831 entries from 65 the movement for a sustainable and green future around the countries. Because of her impressive engagement UN world. Born on 5th June which is also World Environment Women recognised her for this unique initiative and invited Day, she feels that it was pre-ordained that she should grow her to speak at the “Leaders Forum on Climate Change” up to be an eco-warrior. Spreading the message of peace held in New York on 22nd Sep2014. and sustainability has been her passion since she was only 8 The UK Youth Climate Coalition named her as one of the years old and she has worked tirelessly to enlist the support Climate Heroines of 2014. As the youngest member of of children and youth across geographical boundaries. Middle East Solar, she has been a speaker at its forums She was the youngest participating international delegate at as a voice of her youth constituency & part of “WOMEN Rio+20 held in June 2012 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. While IN SOLAR” group, which seeks to encourage women in in Rio, she won a global award from UNCCD and she was the solar industry. She works with UNICEF and UNHCR the only child to be a part of a UN press conference there, , conducting relief campaigns for migrants, refugees and held to mark the World Day to Combat Desertification. At disaster victims.For her inspiring work, she is the recipient Rio+20, she conducted several workshops on sustainability of the 2014 Non Resident Indian of the Year award, the and also launched the first Asia Pacific Youth Water Summit. 2014 GESS Award as Ambassador for the Environment and She was chosen by UNCSD MGCY to be the voice of the 2015 Diana Award for Active Campaigner. the children and youth at several forums and reached out
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TM FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS @Mahendra’s 92 Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights ARTICLE Intellectual property rights are the rights of a person / agency Trade Mark for their creativity / innovation are given. These rights None-the trade mark has been defined as a combination creator of his / her creation for a determined period of time, of marks or symbols which the goods or services of one the exclusive right to offer. The importance of intellectual undertaking from the goods or services of other undertakings property in India, legal, administrative and judicial, at all to be able to distinguish the trade mark is known. Under levels. The agreement, among other things, trade-related the provisions of the TRIPS Agreement, such as special aspects of intellectual property rights (Trips- TRIPS) on content constitute savable. According to the agreement an agreement which came into force January 1, 1995. In the initial registration and each renewal of registration can those Member States where the distortions and obstacles not be shorter than 7, and registration will be convertible to international trade are efficient and adequate protection indefinitely. The compulsory licensing of trade marks is not of intellectual property rights to promote the need for allowed. intellectual property rights protection and sets minimum standards for applying them. Member States obligations Act relating to trade marks under the TRIPS Agreement, subject to the legal system and ## Trade Mark Act practices related to the provisions of the minimum standard of protection. ## Trade Mark Act 1999 This agreement provides intellectual property in the areas ## Trade Mark Act, the new elements of the 1999 of standards and criteria is- Copyright ## Patents India’s copyright law Indian Copyright Act, 1957 has been. ## Trade mark The Copyright (Amendment) Act, 1999 was amended by the amended Act and the Berne Convention on copyright, ## Copyright which India was a member of the effect looks. Besides ## Geographical Indications India, the Geneva Convention on the protection of the rights of producers of phonograms and is a member of ## Industrial Design the Universal Copyright Convention. India is the World Copyright and rights related to copyright: - literary and Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), Geneva, and is artistic works (such as books and other writings, music a member of the UNESCO Skria. collection, paintings, sculpture, computer programs and Copyright law to keep pace with the changing needs films) are protected by copyright rights of the authors. over time has been changed. Copyright law was recently Related and adjacent rights protection are guaranteed to act amended in May, 1995, which was affected by, and it was like (execution) rights (eg actors, singers and musicians), the beginning of radical changes to copyright law satellite producers of phonograms (sound recordings) and broadcasting, computer software and digital technology broadcasting organizations. included with the development. Rome Convention for the TRIPS Agreement a minimum of 20 years from the date of first time in many fantasy amended law protecting the rights filing provides the protection period. of the exhibitors have been provided. Article 70.8 and 70.9 of the TRIPS agreement, India Copyright implementing several measures have been taken acknowledged its obligations under the said. to streamline. These Copyright Enforcement Advisory Council, set up training programs for enforcement officers Act relating to patents and special policy for the disposal of cases relating to # Patents Act, 1970 copyright infringement involves setting sail. # Patents (Amendment) Act, 1999 Copyright act # Patents (Amendment) Act, 2002 ## Copyright (Amendment) Act, 2012 # Patents (Amendment) Act, 2005 ## Copyright, Act, 1957 Rules relating to patents ## Copyright Law 1958 # Patents Rules 2003 ## International Copyright Order 1999 # Patents (Amendment) Rules 2005, ## Copyright Piracy in India # Patents (Amendment) Rules 2006 ## Act
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TM FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS @Mahendra’s 93 Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights ARTICLE Geographical Indications Industrial Design Geographical indications of goods (Registration and Industrial design creative activity which indicates the Protection) Act, 1999 provided that the geographical presence of the object texture or formal. Industrial design indication means an indication which identifies objects, is an element of intellectual property. Under the TRIPS such as agricultural products, natural goods or manufactured Agreement, the minimum standard of protection of industrial goods originating in the territory of a country depending designs have been provided. India as a developing country on where the items given quality, reputation or other to these minimum standards in their national legislation is characteristics essentially contribute its geographical origin. amended. There are two types of geographical indications The essential objective of the law is to promote the design (i) In the first type of product geographical name and production of industrial design elements are intended to which explains the name of place of origin, such as protect. Its purpose is to promote innovative developments Champagne, etc. Darjeeling. in the field of industry. New Design Act, 2000 in India and the current legislation on industrial design act the rapid (ii) other non-geographical traditional name, which it changes in technology and international developments points out that a product is associated with a particular area, such as Alphonso, basmati etc. will meet its purpose well. Status to India in the field of industrial design is mature and approach the globalization Geographical indications of goods (Registration of the economy, according to the current law is changed, and Protection) Act, 1999 that govern geographical and the technical and commercial landscape design is made indications in India. in line with international trends in governance. Under the Act, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Conclusion Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion under the WTO India will benefit from the new system, it is a matter of Controller General, patent, design and trade route, ‘the discussion, we know that about 80% of goods and services Registrar of Geographical Indications’ are’. Controller to individual ownership of patents and copyright is held by General, Patents, Designs and Trade route Geographical the world’s developing countries. Indications Registry (GIR) directs and supervises the functioning of.
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TM FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS @Mahendra’s 94 Basel III Norms in India ARTICLE INTRODUCTION Countercyclical Buffer: This is also one of the key elements Basel III or Basel 3 released in December, 2010 is the third of Basel III. The countercyclical buffer has been introduced in the series of Basel Accords. These accords deal with with the objective to increase capital requirements in good risk management aspects for the banking sector. So we can times and decrease the same in bad times. The buffer will say that Basel III is the global regulatory standard on bank slow banking activity when it overheats and will encourage lending when times are tough i.e. in bad times. The buffer capital adequacy, stress testing and market liquidity risk. will range from 0% to 2.5%, consisting of common equity (Basel I and Basel II are the earlier versions of the same, or other fully loss-absorbing capital. and were less stringent). Norms to be implemented from March 31, 2015 in phases and would be fully implemented Minimum Common Equity and Tier 1 Capital as on March 31, 2018 Requirements: The minimum requirement for common equity, the highest form of loss-absorbing capital, has been Basel III is all about:- raised under Basel III from 2% to 4.5% of total risk-weighted According to Basel Committee on Banking Supervision assets. The overall Tier 1 capital requirement, consisting of “Basel III is a comprehensive set of reform measures, not only common equity but also other qualifying financial developed by the Basel Committee on Banking instruments, will also increase from the current minimum of Supervision, to strengthen the regulation, supervision and 4% to 6%. Although the minimum total capital requirement risk management of the banking sector”. will remain at the current 8% level, yet the required total Thus, we can say that Basel III is only a continuation of effort capital will increase to 10.5% when combined with the initiated by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision conservation buffer. to improve the banking regulatory framework under Basel Leverage Ratio: A review of the financial crisis of 2008 I and Basel II. This latest Accord now seeks to improve the has indicted that the value of many assets fell quicker than banking sector’s ability to deal with financial and economic assumed from historical experience. Thus, now Basel III stress, improve risk management and strengthen the banks’ rules include a leverage ratio to serve as a safety net. A transparency. leverage ratio is the relative amount of capital to total assets (not risk-weighted). This aims to put a cap on swelling Objectives / Aims of the Basel III measures:- of leverage in the banking sector on a global basis. 3% Basel 3 measures aim to: leverage ratio of Tier 1 will be tested before a mandatory ## Improve the banking sector’s ability to absorb ups and leverage ratio is introduced in January 2018. downs arising from financial and economic instability Liquidity Ratios: Under Basel III, a framework for liquidity ## Improve risk management ability and governance of risk management will be created. A new Liquidity Coverage banking sector Ratio (LCR) and Net Stable Funding Ratio (NSFR) are to be introduced in 2015 and 2018, respectively. ## Strengthen banks’ transparency and disclosures Systemically Important Financial Institutions (SIFI): Thus we can say that Basel III guidelines are targeted at As part of the macro-prudential framework, systemically to improve the ability of banks to withstand periods of important banks will be expected to have loss-absorbing economic and financial stress as the new guidelines are capability beyond the Basel III requirements. Options for more stringent than the earlier requirements for capital and implementation include capital surcharges, contingent liquidity in the banking sector. capital and bail-in-debt Major changes proposed in Basel III over earlier accords Basel III Norms Will Affect on Indian Banks:- i.e. Basel I and Basel II:- The Basel III which is to be implemented by banks in India Better Capital Quality: One of the key elements of Basel as per the guidelines issued by RBI from time to time will 3 is the introduction of much stricter definition of capital. be challenging task not only for the banks but also for Better quality capital means the higher loss-absorbing Government of India. It is estimated that Indian banks will capacity. This in turn will mean that banks will be stronger, be required to raise Rs 6, 00,000 crores in external capital in allowing them to better withstand periods of stress. next nine years or so i.e. by 2020 (The estimates vary from Capital Conservation Buffer: Another key feature of organisation to organisation). Expansion of capital to this Basel iii is that now banks will be required to hold a capital extent will affect the returns on the equity of these banks conservation buffer of 2.5%. The aim of asking to build especially public sector banks. However, only consolation conservation buffer is to ensure that banks maintain a for Indian banks is the fact that historically they have cushion of capital that can be used to absorb losses during maintained their core and overall capital well in excess of periods of financial and economic stress. the regulatory minimum.
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TM FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS @Mahendra’s 95
Que TM General Awareness Q.1. How many Indian born CEO’s the country’s largest lender Q.13. Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn has been featured in Fortune’s State Bank of India (SBI)? has been proclaimed the new “Businessperson of the Year” 1) RBI King of- list 2016? 2) NITI Aayog 1) Philippines 2) Indonesia 1) 1 2) 2 3) Commerce Ministry 3) Malaysia 4) Singapore 3) 3 4) 4 4) CCI 5) Thailand 5) 5 5) Finance Ministry Q.14. ______Health Minister Q.2. Picture of whom is among the Q.8. Recently who was honoured Himanta Biswa Sarma launched 100 most influential images with the Audrey Hepburn an ‘e-blood bank software’ of all time, according to a Humanitarian Award 2016 at a which will interconnect all compilation by Time magazine UNICEF event? blood banks located at different in 2016? places of the state and help 1) Katy Perry maintain a centralised database. 1) Narendra Modi 2) Shakira 2) Mahatma Gandhi 3) Britney Spears 1) Tamil Nadu 3) Swamy Vivekanand 4) Jennifer Lopez 2) Odisha 4) Rabindra Nath Tagore 5) Lady Gaga 3) Assam 5) Indira Gandhi 4) Himachal Pradesh Q.9. Who among the following Name the second Indian- 5) Arunachal Pradesh Q.3. defeated Sergei Karjakin to win American woman, at a top the World Chess Championship Q.15. Which country has won the administration position in US 2016 for the third consecutive AFC Developing Member Federal Agency? time? Association of the Year 1) Kamla Harris Award at the Asian Football 1) Garry Kasparov 2) Pramila Jayapal Confederations Annual Awards 2) Vishwanathan Anand 3) Diane Humetewa 2016? 3) Vladimir Kramnik 4) Shashi Singh 1) Laos 2) Malaysia 5) Seema Verma 4) Hiraku Nakamura 5) Magnus Carlson 3) Myanmar 4) Vietnam Q.4. Keo Woolford who died 5) India Q.10. Government issues securities recently was related to- Q.16. Who has been awarded this to maintain money flow and to year’s 2016 prestigious 1) Sports 2) Literature raise short term funds which International Children’s 3) Film Industry 4) Culture one is not a government security 5) Politics Peace Prize for her fight for 1) Treasury Bills climate justice and combating Q.5. Who among the following was 2) Dated Government Securities environmental degradation? named the “International Man 3) Commercial Papers of the Year” at the 2016 EsQ. 1) Paul Watson 4) Sovereign Gold Bond uire “Man at His Best Awards” 2) John Vidal 5) None of these held in Dubai? 3) Kehkashan Basu Which country is on top, 4) Mohammad Yunus 1) Ranbir Kapoor Q.11. according to the Times 2) Salman Khan 5) Aruna Krishnamurthy 3) Sushant Singh Rajpoot Higher Education ‘BRICS Q.17. Which state Tourism has 4) Ranveer Singh and Emerging Economies been adjudged as “One of the 5) John Abraham University Rankings 2017’? best emerging destination for adventure” by a leading US- Q.6. According to the World 1) India 2) China Economic Forum (WEF), 3) Japan 4) USA based travel magazine Conde what is India’s rank in terms of 5) Russia Nast? enabling cross border trade in Q.12. What has been included recently 1) J&K 2) Gujarat 2016 ? in UNESCO’s Representative 3) Odisha 4) Rajasthan 1) 101 2) 102 List as the Intangible Cultural 5) Kerala 3) 103 4) 104 Heritage of Humanity? Q.18. Who among the following 5) 105 1) Cuisine 2) Skills announced his retirement from Q.7. Who has approved the merger 3) Music 4) Yoga Formula One, just after winning of Bharatiya Mahila Bank with 5) Dance German Grand Prix 2016? Get Free Study Material On - www.mahendraguru.com
TM FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS @Mahendra’s 97 Que TM General Awareness 1) Lewis Hamilton Q.25. Who among the following 4) Identity Proofs 2) Sebastian Vettel became the oldest golfer to win 5) None of these 3) Sergio Perez an Asian Tour title after lifting Q.31. Which of the following shall 4) Nico Roseberg the Panasonic Open? succeed Chief Justice TS 5) Daniel Ricciardo 1) Mukesh Kumar Thakur who will retire on Q.19. Recently,who among the 2) Jeev Milkha Singh January 3, 2017? following became the incharge 3) Anirban Lahiri of NSE after its CEO Q.uits? 1) Bijan Kumar Mukherjea 4) Rishi Narayan 2) Mehr Chand Mahajan 1) Surabhi Aggarwal 5) Gaurav Ghei 3) H. J. Kania 2) Sagar Malviya Q.26. Who has been appointed as the 4) H.L.Dattu 3) Ashish Chauhan new PM of France by President 5) Jagdish Singh Khehar 4) Chitra Ramkrishna Francois Hollande? 5) J Ravichandran Q.32. According to World Economic 1) John Key Forum, which language has Choose the correct pair which Q.20. 2) Malcolum Turnbull been selected as the most comes under LAF 3) Bernard Cazeneuve powerful language on the 1) CRR and SLR 4) Theresa May planet? 2) Repo rate and Reverse Repo Rate 5) Stefan Löfven 1) English 2) Hindi 3) Base rate and MCLR 4) CRR and Repo Rate Q.27. Who sworn in as Chief Minister 3) Chinese 4) Urdu 5) Repo Rate and Bank Rate of Tamil Nadu after the death 5) Arabic of AIADMK Supremo J Q.33. According to RBI, which of Q.21. John Key, PM of which country Jayalalithaa? has announced his resignation the following is the economic recently? 1) Karunanidhi growth forecast for the year 2) C. Rangarajan 2016-17? 1) Australia 3) E.S.L. Narasimhan 2) New Zealand 1) 7.5 % 2) 7.4 % 4) O.Panneerselvam 3) Germany 3) 7.3 % 4) 7.2 % 5) N. Rangaswamy 4) Netherland 5) 7.1 % Recently who has been 5) England Q.28. Q.34. “Konkan 16” is a Joint Naval appointed as the Directorate Q.22. Sachin Bansal and Binny Exercise between- Bansal, founders of ______General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)? 1) India and USA have been chosen for the Asian 2) India and Britain of the Year 2016 awards by 1) Ashok Gajapathi Raju 3) India and Nepal Straits Times of Singapore. 2) Ajit Singh 4) India and Bangladesh 1) Snapdeal 2) Jabong 3) Vayalar Ravi 5) India and France 3) Amazon 4) Flipkart 4) Praful Patel According to a new list released 5) Myntra 5) B.S.Bhullar Q.35. by Glassdoor, which company Q.23. With which bank, public sector Q.29. ______Prime Minister became the best technology company MMTC has tied-up to Shavkat Mirziyoyev became company to work for US in sell government-minted ‘Indian the country’s second president. 2017 ? Gold Coins’? 1) Uzbekistan’s 1) Google 2) AT&T 1) ICICI Bank 2) Yes Bank 2) Afghanistan’s 3) L&T 4) Facebook 3) SBI 4) Axis Bank 3) Israel’s 5) Intel 5) HDFC Bank 4) Turkey’s Q.36. Pakistan President ______Who among the following 5) MozambiQ.ue’s Q.24. appointed Justice Saqib Nisar has won the 2016 Hero World Q.30. RBI issued guidelines to as the new chief justice of Challenge Golf title? know customer better named Pakistan. 1) Henrik Stenson KYC, which is not a necessary 1) Mamnoon Hussain 2) Bubba Watson document to complete KYC 3) Patrick Reed 2) Nawaz Sharif 1) Photographs 3) Ashraf Ghani 4) Hideki Matsuyama 2) Birth Certificate 5) Jordan Spieth 4) Abdel Fateh el-sisi 3) Address Proof 5) Abdul Hamid Get Free Study Material On - www.mahendraguru.com
TM FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS @Mahendra’s 98 Que TM General Awareness Q.37. Which company has been Q.43. According to the Global in a bid to reach out to its ex- named as the ‘company of the Terrorism Index (GTI) 2016, servicemen. year’ by Fortune magazine in what is India’s rank in the list 1) Narendra Modi its annual Blue Ribbon ranking of countries most impacted by 2) Manohar Parikar 2016 ? terrorism in 2015? 3) Sunil Lanba 1) Facebook 2) AT&T 1) 2nd 2) 5th 4) Ajit Dhobal 3) Microsoft 4) IBM 3) 7th 4) 9th 5) Dalbir Singh Suhag 5) Alphabet 5) 11th Q.49. Recently, which train was Q.38. In collaboration with which Q.44. Recently,which of the following unveiled by Indian Railways bank, Arunachal Pradesh company joined hands with taxi which has features like CCTVs State Co-operative Apex Bank aggregator Ola to train aspiring and braille-integrated displays? launched Mobile Banking drivers-partners? 1) Humsafar 2) Tejas Service named ‘SIM se PaY’? 1) Hyundai 2) Mahindra 3) UDAY 4) Gatimaan 1) ICICI Bank 5) Durunto 3) Tata 4) Toyota 2) HDFC Bank 5) Maruti Suzuki Q.50. If a bank is not able to provide 3) Yes Bank appropriate banking facilities, Q.45. According to a report in Times 4) Axis Bank the risk is known as- 5) RBL Bank of India, which Stadium of India will be the biggest cricket 1) Market Risk Q.39. Michael Jordan has been named 2) Distribution Risk as the highest-paid athlete of all stadium in the world in terms of seating capacity? 3) Capital Risk time by Forbes magazine. He 4) Managerial Risk belongs to which sport? 1) Sardar Patel Cricket Stadium 5) Operational Risk 1) Shooting 2) Running 2) Greater Noida Cricket Stadium 3) Buddh International Circuit Q.51. Which country has launched 3) Tennis 4) Cricket a new weather satellite 5) Basketball 4) Eden Gardens 5) Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium ‘Fengyun-4’ marking an Q.40. Interbank call money refers to upgrade of its meteorological borrowing among banks for Q.46. Which mission was recently satellites in geostationary orbit? launched by Union IT Minister how many days 1) North Korea 2) China Ravishankar Prasad to enable 1) For one day only 3) Japan 4) France every citizen, small traders 2) For two days 5) Thailand 3) More than two days and merchants to adopt digital Q.52. Who has been appointed as 4) For 90 days payments in their everyday financial transactions? the New Zealand’s new prime 5) up to one year minister following resignation Q.41. Who has been appointed as 1) Virtual Money of John Key from his post? Commissioner to the US 2) Digidhan Abhiyan 3) Swayam 1) Theresa May Commission on International 2) Malcolm Turnbull 4) Digital India Religious Freedom (USCIRF)? 3) Mark Rutte 5) Digital Pay 1) Tenzin Dorjee 4) Bill English 2) Gabriel García MárQ.uez Q.47. According to Forbes, who 5) Stefan Löfven 3) Haruki Murakami among the following become Q.53. Recently who has been the second richest person in the 4) John Irving conferred with the Golden 5) Don DeLillo world in 2016 ? Jubilee Lifetime Achievement Q.42. According to the Swachh 1) Bill Gates Award 2016 by the Sports Sarvekshan rural report 2016, 2) Donald Trump Journalists Association of which of the following state 3) Warren Buffett Mumbai (SJAM)? has been chosen as the cleanest 4) Larry Page 1) Sunil Gavaskar state of India? 5) Mark Zukerberg 2) Kapil Dev 1) Kerala 2) Sikkim Q.48. The Chief of the Army Staff 3) Sachin Tendulkar 3) Mizoram 4) Odisha (COAS) ______has launched 4) Saurav Ganguly 5) Tamil Nadu a ‘Veterans Outreach App’ 5) Rahul Dravid Get Free Study Material On - www.mahendraguru.com
TM FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS @Mahendra’s 99 Que TM General Awareness Q.54. Famous Book ‘Eminent World Q.60. According to RBI guidelines 4) Australia Scientists’ written by- which facilities are not provided 5) England by White label ATMs 1) SS Dogra Q.66. Who among the following has 2) Sicily Kodian 1) Regular Bills Payments been named as world’s most 3) J.K. Rowling 2) Pin Change powerful CEO 2016 by Forbes? 4) Stephen King 3) Account Related Information 1) Mark Zuckerberg 5) Philip Roth 4) ReQ.uest for CheQ.ue Book 2) Larry Page 5) Mini Statements Facility Q.55. Which city hosted the world’s 3) Jeff Bezos first ever Wind Music festival Q.61. Who has been awarded 4) Ratan Tata on 17 December,2016? the prestigious ‘Hunterian 5) Sunder Pichai Professorship and the Medal for 1) Bengaluru Q.67. Who has been named as the 2) Mysuru 2017’ by UK’s Royal College World’s Most Powerful Person 3) Visakhapatnam of Surgeons for his research on 2016 by Forbes, for the fourth 4) Pune stem cells in articular cartilage consecutive year? repair? 5) Goa 1) Donald Trump 1) Aamod Rao Q.56. Who has been announced as 2) Narendra Modi the UNICEF Global Goodwill 2) Sanjay Borude 3) Vladimir Putin Ambassador to promote child 3) Ashim Desai 4) John Key rights at the UNICEF 70th 4) Anan Shetty 5) Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi anniversary event? 5) Ajay Rathod Q.68. For the current year 2016, who 1) Aishwarya Rai Q.62. Who among the following was conferred with the France’s 2) Priyanka Chopra has been nominated for ‘The top civilian honour - Officier de 3) Vidya Balan Global Teacher Prize 2017’? la Legion dHonneur? 4) Deepika Padukone 1) Raghuram Rajan 1) Arundhati Bhattacharya 5) Anushka Sharma 2) Mira Nair 2) Chanda Kochhar 3) Mahadevi Verma Q.57. Cristiano Ronaldo has won the 3) Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw Ballon d’Or award 2016 for 4) Manmohan Singh 4) Shobhana Bhartiya the fourth time. He hails from 5) Kavita Sanghvi 5) Sushma Swaraj which country? Which of the following site has Q.63. Q.69. Noble Prize winner Thomas 1) Argentina 2) France been recently included in the Schelling who died recently 3) Portugal 4) Germany list of ‘World Heritage Sites’ by was related to which field? UNESCO? 5) Brazil 1) Chemistry 2) Physics 1) Rio de Janeiro Q.58. Who among the following 3) Peace 4) Literature has won his 11th World 2) Nalanda University 5) Economics Billiards (150-Up format) 3) Gorham’s Cave Complex Q.70. Scheduled and Non- scheduled Championships title by beating 4) The Persian Q.anat 5) Royal Palaces of Abomey banks are described under 2nd Peter Gilchrist of Singapore? article of which act? 1) Jayson Shaw Q.64. “Indra Navy 2016” is a joint naval exercise between- 1) Banking regulation Act 1949 2) Andy Lucas 2) Negotiable Instrument Act 1881 3) Liam Dunster 1) India and Vietnam 3) State Bank of India Act 1955 4) Geet Sethi 2) India and USA 4) Reserve Bank of India Act 1934 5) Pankaj Advani 3) India and Russia 5) Regional Rural Bank Act 1976 4) India and Indonesia Q.59. According to Expedia ‘Vacation 5) India and United Kingdom Q.71. Which of the following will be Deprivation report 2016’, what conferred Bharatmuni Samman is India’s rank in the most Q.65. Famous cricketer Sid O’Linn 2016? vacation deprived country died recently. He was hailed globally? from which country? 1) Hema Malini 2) Tijan Bai 1) 5th 2) 4th 1) West Indies 3) Padma Sachdev 3) 3rd 4) 2nd 2) South Africa 4) Veerappa Moily 5) 1st 3) New Zealand 5) Manoj Das Get Free Study Material On - www.mahendraguru.com
TM FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS @Mahendra’s 100 Que TM General Awareness Q.72. For the first time, which Indian- Q.78. Government of which state 4) B.S.Negi American woman has been has launched ‘Sustainable 5) Ajit Singh Dobhal elected as the new Mayor of Action for Climate Resilient Q.84. Who took over as the President the key Californian city of Development in Majuli’ of the Federation of Indian Cupertino? (SACReD, Majuli) to make Chambers of Commerce & river island Majuli country’s 1) Pramila Jayapal Industry (FICCI) for 2016-17 at 2) Seema Verma first ever Carbon Neutral the conclusion of the Chamber’s district by 2020? 3) Savita Vaidhyanathan 89th Annual General Meeting? 4) Sushila Karki 1) Kerala 2) Tamil Nadu 1) Pankaj R. Patel 5) Kamla Harris 3) Odisha 4) Assam 2) Bipin Rawat 5) Goa Q.73. Which state has become the 3) Rajiv Jain first state to adopt the Centre’s Q.79. “EKUVERIN- 2016” is a joint 4) Anil Dhasmana Mahila Police Volunteer military exercise between- 5) Dineshwar Sharma scheme in two of its districts 1) India and Indonesia Q.85. Recently, who has been and has inducted 1,000 women 2) India and Maldives as part of the programme? appointed as the new chief of 3) India and Vietnam Intelligence Bureau (IB)? 1) Tamil Nadu 2) Odisha 4) India and USA 3) Bihar 4) Punjab 5) India and Afghanistan 1) Pankaj R. Patel 5) Haryana 2) Bipin Rawat Q.80. Choose the correct process of 3) Rajiv Jain Q.74. According to Pew research money laundering 4) Anil Dhasmana 2016, what is India’s rank 1) Placement, Layering, 5) Dineshwar Sharma in the list of countries Integration having maximum number of Q.86. Where did Prime Minister international migrants? 2) Integration, Layering, Narendra Modi laid the placement foundation stone of the first 1) 1 2) 2 3) Placement, Integration, ever ‘Indian Institute of Skills’ 3) 3 4) 4 in the country? 5) 5 Layering 1) Kanpur 2) Lucknow Which of the following has 4) Layering, Integration, Q.75. 3) Banaras 4) Noida been re-appointed to the Placement 5) Gorakhpur Civil Nuclear Trade Advisory 5) Layering, Placement, Committee of the US Integration Q.87. The EPFO has cut the interest Department of Commerce? rates on Provident Fund Who has been crowned Miss Q.81. deposits for 2016-17 to- 1) Arun Kumar Singh World 2016? 2) Subrahmanyam Jaishankar 1) 8.80 % 2) 8.65 % 1) Priyadarshini Chatterjee 3) Navtej Sarna 3) 8.50 % 4) 8.35 % 2) Pooja Priyanka 4) Vijay Sazawal 5) 8.20 % 3) Stephanie del Valle 5) Nirupama Rao 4) Mirka Cabrera Q.88. Government of which state Q.76. Which country has launched 5) Natálie Kotková has appointed Bollywood star its first fully- owned overseas Priyanka Chopra as the brand Q.82. Which country has won the satellite ground station near the ambassador of the state’s Hockey world cup 2016? North Pole? tourism for two years? 1) Australia 2) Belgium 1) Japan 2) China 3) India 4) Pakistan 1) Bihar 2) Odisha 3) USA 4) Russia 5) Germany 3) Assam 4) Rajasthan 5) India 5) Uttar Pradesh Q.83. Recently, who among the Which country will host the Q.77. following will succeed General Q.89. Recently, the National 71st Commissions Meeting of Dalbir Singh as the new Army Commission for Protection AIBA in February? chief? of Child Rights (NCPCR) 1) USA 2) France has been conferred the Skoch 1) Bipin Rawat 3) India 4) UAE Silver and Skoch Order-of 2) Praveen Bakshi 5) Russia Merit award 2016 for- 3) P.M.Hariz Get Free Study Material On - www.mahendraguru.com
TM FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS @Mahendra’s 101 Que TM General Awareness 1) Hour of Code 1) Flipkart 2) Snapdeal Q.98. Government of which state has 2) POCSO e-Box 3) Amazon 4) Jabong launched ‘Annapurna Rasoi 3) Save the Children Campaign 5) Myntra Scheme’ to provide Q.uality meal at cheap price to poor and 4) 100 Million for 100 Million Q.94. Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), needy on lines with Tamil Nadu campaign Bharat Petroleum Corporation Government’s Amma canteens? 5) Every Last Child Campaign (BPCL) and Hindustan 1) Bihar 2) Odisha Q.90. Reserve Bank of India Petroleum Corporation (HPCL) constituted a committee for signed a pact to build India’s 3) Maharashtra 4) Rajasthan Financial Technology (Fintech) biggest oil refinery with an 5) Kerala and Digital Banking in India. estimated cost of- Q.99. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley The committee will work 1) 60 Billion dollar and Minister of state for under- 2) 50 Billion dollar communications and Railways, 1) Harun Rashid Khan 3) 40 Billion dollar Manoj Sinha launched State 2) Urjit Patel 4) 30 Billion dollar Bank MobiCash Mobile Wallet, 3) N.S.Vishwanathan 5) 20 Billion dollar which is product of- 4) Sudarshan Sen Q.95. Who is the new president of 1) SBI and Vodafone 5) C.Rangarajan South Korea? 2) SBI and Airtel 3) SBI and IDEA Q.91. How many new castes have 1) Park Geun-hye been included in the Central 4) SBI and Jio 2) Lee Myung-bak 5) SBI and BSNL list of Other Backward Classes 3) Hwang Kyo-ahn (OBCs) by Government? 4) Roh Moo-hyun Q.100. Consider the following 1) 11 2) 13 5) Kim Dae-jung statements about money market 3) 15 4) 17 and choose the wrong one- Q.96. Which state Government 5) 19 1) Money market is the market has launched country’s first where short term securities are Q.92. According to air travel amphibious bus project intelligence company OAG, recently? traded what is the rank of Indira Gandhi 2) In money market short term 1) Haryana 2) Tamil Nadu International Airport in “World’s funds are lend and borrowed 3) Kerala 4) Punjab most connected airport”? 5) Goa 3) The whole money market are 1) 20th 2) 21th regulated by the RBI Q.97. What is the name of the 3) 22nd 4) 23rd indigenously-designed cruise 4) Tenor of money market 5) 24th missile launched by Pakistan instruments is less than 365 Q.93. Which e-commerce company that can hit targets at 700 kms? days has launched its global startup 1) Babur 2) Shaheen 5) EQ.uities are important program ‘Launchpad’ in India 3) Ghaznavi 4) Ghauri instruments of money market that will enable Indian startups to raise short term funds to sell their products overseas? 5) Abdali ANSWER - GENERAL AWARENESS Q.1.(4). Q.2.(2). Q.3.(5). Q.4.(3). Q.5.(4). Q.6.(2). Q.7.(4). Q.8.(1). Q.9.(5). Q.10.(3). Q.11.(2). Q.12.(4). Q.13.(5). Q.14.(3). Q.15.(5). Q.16.(3). Q.17.(1). Q.18.(4). Q.19.(5). Q.20.(2). Q.21.(2). Q.22.(4). Q.23.(3). Q.24.(4). Q.25.(1). Q.26.(3). Q.27.(4). Q.28.(5). Q.29.(1). Q.30.(2). Q.31.(5). Q.32.(1). Q.33.(5). Q.34.(2). Q.35.(4). Q.36.(1). Q.37.(5). Q.38.(3). Q.39.(5). Q.40.(1). Q.41.(1). Q.42.(2). Q.43.(3). Q.44.(5). Q.45.(1). Q.46.(2). Q.47.(3). Q.48.(5). Q.49.(1). Q.50.(5). Q.51.(2). Q.52.(4). Q.53.(1). Q.54.(2). Q.55.(3). Q.56.(2). Q.57.(3). Q.58.(5). Q.59.(2). Q.60.(1). Q.61.(4). Q.62.(5). Q.63.(1). Q.64.(3). Q.65.(2). Q.66.(2). Q.67.(3). Q.68.(4). Q.69.(5). Q.70.(4). Q.71.(2). Q.72.(3). Q.73.(5). Q.74.(1). Q.75.(4). Q.76.(2). Q.77.(3). Q.78.(4). Q.79.(2). Q.80.(1). Q.81.(3). Q.82.(3). Q.83.(1). Q.84.(1). Q.85.(3). Q.86.(1). Q.87.(2). Q.88.(3). Q.89.(2). Q.90.(4). Q.91.(3). Q.92.(3). Q.93.(3). Q.94.(4). Q.95.(3). Q.96.(4). Q.97.(1). Q.98.(4). Q.99.(5). Q.100.(5). Get Free Study Material On - www.mahendraguru.com
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NP QUIZ CURRENT AFFAIRS Q.1. Which state has started health 1) Axis bank 2) Yes bank 5) Najeem Ahmed insurance scheme Atal Amrit 3) Bandhan bank 4) IDFC bank Ans-3) Abhiyan? 5) ICICI bank Source: the financial express 1) Gujrat Ans-5) 2) Madhya Pradesh Q.11. Who is the present president of Source: the Indian express FIFA? 3) Assam 4) Uttar Pradesh Q.6. What is the name of the 1) Sepp Blatter 5) Haryana 11member committee on digital 2) Gary Battman payment headed by Niti Aayog 3) Gil Stein Ans- 3) principal advisor? 4) Gianni Infantino Source: the economic times 1) Arvind subrmanyam 5) None of these Q.2. According to google India, 2) Amitabh Kant Ans – 4) which country is on top position 3) Shaktikant Das Source: The Financial Express in demand for mobile developer 4) Rattan P Wattal How many digits does courses? 5) Mr Narendra Modi Q.12. AADHAR no have? 1) USA 2) CHINA Ans-4) 1) 12 2) 14 3) INDIA 4) JAPAN Source: the Indian express 3) 15 4) 17 5) NONE OF THESE Q.7. Who has been appointed as 5) 11 Ans- 3) the brand ambassador of Tata ANS-1) Source: THE FINANCIAL Motors? Source: The Financial Express EXPRESS 1) Virat Kohli Q.13. Who is appointed as new deputy Q.3. What is the full form of EPFO? 2) Sharukh Khan governor of RBI? 3) Salman Khan 1) Employee public fund 1) Amitabh Kant 4) Akshay Kumar organisation 2) Arvind Subramanian 5) Ranbeer Kapoor 2) Employee provident fund 3) Viral V. Acharya organisation Ans-4) 4) Raghubar das 5) Arundhati Bhattacharya 3) Employee pension fund Source: the financial express Ans-3) organisation Q.8. Where did PM Narendra Modi 4) Employees provident fund has laid the foundation stone of Source: The economic times organisation Chardham highway project? Q.14. Which of the following country has started world’s longest 5) Employees public fund 1) Dehradun 2) Chamoli bullet train line? organisation 3) Haridwar 4) Nainital 5) Shimla 1) India 2) USA Ans-4) Source: the economic times 3) Japan 4) China Source- the financial express 5) None of these Q.9. In which of the following Q.4. FCRA licences of 20,000 NGOs city, Sagarmala Development Ans-4) has been cancelled, what does company office opened ? Source: the financial express FCRA stand for? 1) Lucknow 2) Mumbai Q.15. Government has launched 1) Foreign currency resident a/c 3) Gujrat 4) New Delhi IVRS system to tackle call 2) Foreign currency residential a/c 5) None of these drops. What is the full form of IVRS? 3) Foreigner currency resident a/c Ans-4) 1) Indian voice response system 4) Foreign currency residency a/c Source: the economic times 2) International vice response 5) None of these Q.10. Who is the present chairman of system Tata Motors? Ans-1) 3) Integrated voice response 1) Cyrus Mistry Source: the financial express system 2) Nasser Munjee Q.5. Which bank has started Eazy 3) Ratan Tata 4) Integrated voice resolution Pay mobile app? 4) Guenter Butschek system Get Free Study Material On - www.mahendraguru.com
TM @Mahendra’s 104 FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS NP QUIZ CURRENT AFFAIRS 5) None of these Ans-3) Ans-4) Ans-3) Source: Dainik Jagran Source: India today Source: the financial express Q.21. Who has clinched a gold medal Q.26. Recently telecom Vodafone has in senior National weightlifting launched 4g services in which Q.16. Who is the current president of championship? of the following state? IOA? 1) Rajwant kaur 1) Tamilnadu 2) Haryana 1) R Ramachandran 2) Manpreet kaur 3) Gujarat 4)Uttar Pradesh 2) N Ramachandran 3) Chandrakant mali 5) New Delhi 3) Anoop Bhattacharya 4) VA Christopher Ans-1) 4) Ravi Shastri 5) Vishal Solanki 5) None of these Ans – 5) Source- the financial express Ans-2) Q.27. World’s highest bridge has been Source: The Financial Express Source: the Hindu constructed in which country? Q.22. Which famous personality has 1) India 2) USA Q.17. Carrie Fisher who died recently been conferred with honorary was related to which field? D. Litt degree by the DY 3) Japan 4) China 5) Indonesia 1) Dancer 2) Singer Patil University on its 5th 3) Player 4) Actor conservation ceremony ? Ans-4) 5) Writer 1) Sonu Nigam Source: the economic times 2) Lata Mangeshkar Ans-4) Q.28. Debble Reyneld, who has 3) Anuradha Paudwal passed away recently,is related Source: the Hindu 4) Udit Narayan to which field? Q.18. Who is the founder of Amazon? 5) Asha Bhosle 1) Dancer 2) writer Ans-3) 1) Louis Vuitton 3) Artist 4) Player 2) Bernard Arnault Source: dainik jagran 5) Actor 3) Jeff Bezos Q.23. Recently who has been Ans-5) 4) Mark Cuban appointed as the new Lieutenant
5) David Koch Governor of Delhi? Source: the financial express Carlos Tévez is related to which Ans-3) 1) J.S Thakur Q.29. game? Source: the financial express 2) Najeeb Jung 3) Anil Baijal 1) Cricket 2) Wrestling Q.19. According to Forbes,who is on 4) Ram Nath Kovind 3) Football 4) Archery top position in the list of worlds 5) None of these 5) Badminton top grossing actor of 2016? Ans - 3) Ans-3) 1) Chris Evans 2) Margot Robbie Source: the Hindu Source: the economic times 3) Scarlett Johansson Q.24. UJJWALA Yojna was launched Q.30. What is full form of FIPB? 4) Henry Cavill on which date? 1) Foreign Investment 5) Will Smith 1) 1 july 2016 Promotion Board Ans-3) 2) 1 august 2016 2) Foreign investment 3) 1 january 2016 promotional board Source: the economic times 4) 1 may 2016 Q.20. Who among the following has 5) 1 june 2016 3) Fiscal investment promotion board been chosen for the 26th Bihari Ans-4) award 2016? 4) Financial investment Source: the Hindu 1) Sangeeta Ghosh promotion board Q.25. Ronda Rousey belongs to which 2) Vinod Vashisht 5) Finance investment field? 3) Satya Narayan promotion board 1) Cricket 2) Dancing 4) Srinivas rai Ans-1) 5) Shiva Kesharwani 3) Politician 4) Martial art 5) Shooting Source: the financial express Get Free Study Material On - www.mahendraguru.com
TM @Mahendra’s 105 FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS Forbes List 2016
Most Powerful Person Position Person Detail 1st Vladimir Putin President(Russia) 2nd Donald Trump President(USA) 3rd Angela Merkel German Chancellor 9th Narendra Modi PM(India) Richest Person Position Person Company 1st Bill Gates Microsoft 2nd Warren Buffet Berkshire Hathaway 3rd Amancio Ortega Zara Powerful CEO under 40 Position Person Company 1st Larry Page Alphabet 2nd Mark Zuckerberg Facebook 3rd Jeff Bezos Amazon
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TM @Mahendra’s 106 FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS Fortune Businessperson of the year-2016
Fortune Businessperson of the year-2016 Ranking Person Name(CEO) Company
1 Mark Zuckerberg Facebook
2 Jeff Bezos Amazon
3 Marry Dillon Ulta Beauty
4 Larry Page Alphabet
5 Satya Nadella Microsoft
6 Brad Smith Intuit
7 Jen Hsun Huang Nvidia
8 Cheng Wei Didi Chuxing
9 Rodney Sacks Monster Beverage
10 Jack Ma Alibaba (Executive Chairman)
34 Ajita Rajendra A.O.Smith
36 Aditya Puri HDFC Bank (MD)
40 Ajay Banga Mastercard
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TM @Mahendra’s 107 FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS GRAPHIC FACTORY IMAGEOGRAPHY
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TM @Mahendra’s 108 FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS GRAPHIC FACTORY IMAGEOGRAPHY
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TM @Mahendra’s 109 FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS GRAPHIC FACTORY IMAGEOGRAPHY
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TM @Mahendra’s 110 FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS GRAPHIC FACTORY IMAGEOGRAPHY
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TM @Mahendra’s 111 FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS GRAPHIC FACTORY IMAGEOGRAPHY
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TM @Mahendra’s 112 FEBRUARY/2017/MASTER IN CURRENT AFFAIRS WHO’S WHO DESIGNATION WHO’S WHO S.No. DESIGNATION NAME 1. Chairman, Rajya Sabha Mohd.Hamid Ansari 2. Chairperson of Lok Sabha Sumitra Mahajan 3. Chairman of Niti Ayog Narendra D Modi 4. Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Gulam Nabi Azad 5. Leader of House in Lok Sabha Narendra D Modi 6. Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge 7. Chief Election Commissioner Syed Nasim Ahmed Zaidi 8. Election Commissioner Om Prakash Rawat 9. Election Commissioner Achal kumar jyoti 10. Chief Vigilance Commissioner K V chaudhary 11. Foreign Secretary Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar 12. Comptroller & Auditor General of India Shashi Kant Sharma 13. Chairman, National Commission for Backward Classes Jus. Vangala Eswaraiah 14. Chairman, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India R. S Sharma 15. CBI Director Anil Kumar Sinha 16. Chairman, National Commission for Scheduled Tribes Rameshwar Oraon 17. Chairperson, National Commission for Minorities Naseem Ahmed 18. Chairman, UPSC Deepak Gupta 19. Director General, National Investigation Agency Sharad Kumar 20. Chairman, UGC Ved Prakash 21. Chairman, Space Commission and ISRO A S Kiran kumar 22. Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission and Sec. Deptt. of Atomic Energy Sekhar Basu 23. Chairman, SSC Ashim Khurana 24. Chairman,National Human Rights Commission Justice H.L. Dattu 25. Registrar General of India and Census Commissioner Sailesh 26. Chairman, Central Board of Direct Taxes Sushil Chandra 27. Chairman, Insurance Regulatory Development Authority T.S. Vijayan 28. Chairman, Securities & Exchange Board of India Upendra Kr. Sinha 29. Chairperson, State Bank of India Arundhati Bhattacharya 30. Chairman, LIC V.K. Sharma 31. India’s permanent representative in UNO Syed Akbaruddin 32. Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi 33. Chairperson of National Commission for Women Lalitha Kumaramanglam 34. Chairman, 14th Finance Commission Y.Venugopal Reddy 35. Chairman, Competition Commission of India Devendra Kumar Sikri 36. Chairperson,CentralBoard of Film Certification Pahlaj Nihalani 37. President, ASSOCHAM Sunil kanoria 38. Chairman, NASSCOM C.P. Gurnani 39. New Chief of Army Staff Bipin Rawat 40. Director General, RAW Rajinder Khanna 41. Chairperson, Children Film Society of India Mukesh Khanna 42. Director, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre Kamlesh Nilkanth Vyas 43. President, CII Dr. Naushad Forbes 44. President, FICCI Harshavardhan Neotia 45. Chairman, National Knowledge Commission Sam Pitroda 46. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval 47. Chairperson, Prasar Bharati Dr. A. Surya Prakash 48. Chairman, Investment Commission Ratan Tata 49. Finance Secretary Ashok Lavasa 50. Chairman, Indian Banks Association T.M.Basin Get Free Study Material On - www.mahendraguru.com
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