Unique IAS Academy – Current Affairs March 2017
01st March, 2017
Author Neil Gaiman Named U.N. Goodwill Ambassador i. The author Neil Gaiman has been appointed as a global Goodwill Ambassador of the UN Refugee Agency,UNHCR by Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. ii. He has appointed to raise awareness about the plight of forcibly displaced people and to generate much needed funds.
Delhi: India‟s first heliport inaugurated in Rohini i. Built by Pawan Hans Limited, a Public Sector Undertaking of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, India‟s first heliport has been inaugurated in north Delhi‟s Rohini. Union Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju inaugurated the heliport. ii. Pawan Hans Ltd Chairman and Managing Director B P Sharma stated that The heliport has come up at an investment of Rs 100 crore.The heliport has a terminal building having capacity of 150 passengers, four hangars with parking capacity of 16 helicopters and nine parking bays.
SIDBI, CSFB pact to help MSMEs avail loans at cheaper rate i. SIDBI signed an agreement with the Capital Small Finance Bank (CSFB) to enable it to provide loans at a concessional rate to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) through a multi-pronged strategy comprising of concessional funding at MCLR of CSFB (presently 9.60%) under refinance from SIDBI. ii. The MoU also envisages joint financing/co-financing of MSMEs for capital expenditure under „SIDBI Make in India Soft Loan Fund for Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises‟, popularly known as SMILE, at a concessional rate of 9.60% by SIDBI
OECD cuts India's growth forcast to 7% i. Paris based think tank Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has cut India's growth forecast for this fiscal year (2016-2017) to 7% from 7.4% earlier (2015-2016) because of demonetization. ii. But stated that the pace will accelerate to 7.3% next fiscal (2017-2018) and higher in Financial Year 2019. According to OECD India is already in the process of implementing a gradual reduction in corporate income tax to 25% from 30%.
IAS officer Sumit Mullick appointed as Chief Secretary of Maharashtra i. Senior IAS officer Sumit Mullick appointed as the Chief Secretary of Maharashtra. Mullick will succeed Swadheen Kshatriya, who was due for retirement on 31st of January,2017 but was given a month's extension. ii. He had earlier served as the Divisional Commissioner of Amravati and worked as Secretary of School Education. He was also Secretary to the Governor.
Lakshmi Vilas Bank ties with Centrum for its wealthy clients i. South-based Lakshmi Vilas Bank has tied up with Centrum Group in which the bank will refer its High Net Worth Individuals (HNI) to Centrum for wealth management and family office services. ii. Centrum will conduct the business through its wealth management arm, Centrum Wealth Management and will offer its existing portfolio of wealth management services to the bank‟s HNI clients. iii. This is the first time in the country that a private bank has given the charge to an independent professional wealth.
American Express launches 'Buyer Initiated Payments' to eliminate cheque, draft payments i. American Express, a global leader in payment solutions has launched an electronic payment platform linked to corporate card, Buyer Initiated Payments (BIP) to eliminate payment through cheques or drafts. ii. The BIP card will help organizations and their vendors by reducing the processing cost and offer extended payment terms compared to traditional invoice payments. BIP enables companies to increase the Days Payable Outstanding (DPO) while still paying vendors on time management firm for such services.
0422 4204182,9884267599 1st Street Gandhipuram Coimbatore Page 1
Unique IAS Academy – Current Affairs March 2017
Canara, HSBC and OBC Banks launched iSelect Term Plan i. Canara, HSBC and Oriental Bank of Commerce Life Insurance launched iSelect term plan to expand its online product suit with the meant for family protection. ii. iSelect term plan provides enhanced protection cover for the family at an affordable premium. iii. It is a pure protection online term plan that provides life insurance cover along with the option to cover against accidental death/ disability.
DIFC, GIFT City join hands for mutual co-operation i. Gujarat International Finance Tec City (GIFT) City has signed a pact with Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) for exchanging views and expertise in the fields of banking and financial services as well as regulatory practices. ii. The agreement was signed by Arif Amiri, chief executive officer of DIFC Authority and Ajay Pandey, director and group CEO of GIFT SEZ.
Cisco, Reliance Jio to build largest all-IP services platform i. LTE mobile network operator Reliance Jio has announced a collaboration with the networking giant Cisco to expand Jio‟s existing multi-terabit capacity with the first All-IP converged network in India. ii. With this Jio can offer a combination of high-speed data, mobile video, VoLTE, digital commerce, media, cloud and payment services.
MEITY to promote digital transactions in place of NITI Aayog i. The government has shifted the responsibility of promoting digital transactions in the country to the Ministry of IT and Electronics (MEITY) from NITI Aayog. ii. MEITY is responsible for promotion of e-governance for empowering citizens as well as promoting inclusive and sustainable growth of electronics and IT in the country. iii. Now NITI Aayog will focus on monitoring and suggesting ways to improve various government schemes rather than getting involved with implementation.
EU member states approve visa-free travel for Georgia i. European Union member states approved visa-free travel for Georgia, after agreeing safeguards to prevent any upsurge in arrivals from the former Soviet satellite. ii. Under the accord, Georgian citizens will be able to travel visa-free for 90 days in the EU during any 180-day period. iii. The accord does not apply to the United Kingdom or Ireland.
Popular Gujarati Writer Tarak Mehta Passes Away at 87 i. Popular Gujarati writer and noted play writer Tarak Mehta passed away. He was 87 and suffering from age related illness since long. The famous humorist was best known for his column 'Duniya Ne Undha Chasma' in Mumbai based Gujarati news weekly 'Chitralekha'. ii. He was awarded Padma Shri in 2015.The popular comic television serial „Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah' is a television adaptation of Padma Shri Taarak Mehta's column 'Duniya Ne Undha Chasma'.
Rangaswamy Becomes First Woman to Be Honored BCCI Lifetime Achievement Award i. To recongnize the contribution of women cricketers, the BCCI for the first time, has introduced the Lifetime Achievement Award for Women. Former captain, Ms. Shanta Rangaswamy has been nominated for the award. ii. She led India in 12 Test matches and in 16 ODIs. Apart from Mr. Vaman Viswanath Kumar and late Ramakant Desai have been nominated for the BCCI Special Award in recognition of their yeoman services to Indian Cricket.
Jitu Rai wins bronze in 10m shooting ISSF World Cup
0422 4204182,9884267599 1st Street Gandhipuram Coimbatore Page 2
Unique IAS Academy – Current Affairs March 2017 i. Ace pistol shooter Jitu Rai staged a remarkable comeback to clinch the bronze medal in the 10m air pistol event for India‟s fourth podium finish in the ongoing ISSF World Cup. ii. He shot a total of 216.7 points in the eight man final to finish third on the podium.The gold went to Japan‟s Tomoyuki Matsuda with a world record total of 240.1 points, while Vietnam‟s Xuan Vinh Hoang claimed silver with 236.6 points.
Jitu Rai wins gold at ISSF World Cup in 50m free pistol, Amanpreet Singh silver i. Jitu Rai won the gold medal in men‟s 50 meter free pistol event of the ISSF World Cup, with a world record score of 230.1. ii. India‟s Amanpreet Singh wins silver with a score of 226.9.
Indian Badminton Duo Tarun Kona and Alwin Francis Wins Uganda International Series Doubles Title i. Top seeded Indian shuttler duo Tarun Kona and Alwin Francis won the Men‟s Double title at the 2017 Uganda International Series by defeating Aatish Lubah and Georges Julien Paul of Mauritius, 21-8, 21-14 at MTN Arena Lugogo, Kampala. ii. The Uganda International Badminton Tournament 2017, sanctioned by the Badminton World Federation, was held from 23rd to 26th of February 2017. 02nd March, 2017
DRDO tests interceptor missile successfully i. India‟s Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) shield got a further fillip with the successful test of an interceptor supersonic missile conducted by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) ii. The Advanced Area Defence (AAD) endo-atmospheric missile capable of intercepting incoming target missile at an altitude of 15 to 25 km range was tested. iii. It was launched from the Abdul Kalam Island off Odisha coast to stop an incoming enemy missile which was launched from the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur.
Number of Jan Dhan accounts rose by 2.26 crore after note ban i. The demonetization of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 bank notes on November 8, 2016, seems to have given a thrust to new account opening under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY). ii. A hundred days after demonetization, the number of accounts under the PMJDY has increased by 2.26 crore and deposits by Rs 19,084 crore. A major share of new PMJDY accounts came from Uttar Pradesh (57.11 lakh), followed by Maharashtra (25.05 lakh), and Madhya Pradesh (24.11 lakh).
Panneerselvam inaugurates 'Amma Kalviyagam' i. Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Panneerselvam launched a portal which will be a hub of learning, interaction, opportunity, and connection. ii. The 'ammakalviyagam.in', named after late chief minister Jayalalithaa, was launched by Panneerselvam as part of her 69th birth anniversary celebrations. Jayalalithaa is fondly addressed as 'Amma' (Mother) by her supporters. iii. It is a platform for learners, experts, academic and industry professionals, and recruiters to meet, gain and provide skills, and discover and hone talent.
Aashray inks MoU with Jharkhand, to set up incubation center for start-ups i. Gujarat-based Incube Ventures Pvt Ltd, under the banner of Aashray Promotion of Social Enterprises Foundation announced the signing of an MoU with the Jharkhand government‟s Department of Information Technology and e-Governance (DoIT) to establish an incubation center for start-ups in the state. ii. The MoU was entered in the „Momentum Jharkhand Global Investors Summit 2017‟ held recently.
Ajay Tyagi takes charge as 9th Sebi chief i. IAS officer Ajay Tyagi is taking charge as the chairman of Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) on 2 March 2017. He has replaced Mr. U.K Sinha. Mr. Tyagi needs to immediately take a call on five key issues.
0422 4204182,9884267599 1st Street Gandhipuram Coimbatore Page 3
Unique IAS Academy – Current Affairs March 2017
World Bank offers over $1-billion loan to Maharashtra i. The World Bank has announced an assistance programme of over $1 billion in the areas of urban transport and climate resilient agriculture in Maharashtra, over the next 2-3 years. ii. This was announced by the World Bank‟s Chief Executive Officer, Kristalina Georgieva. Over the last five years, World Bank had invested over $1.4 billion in Maharashtra in urban transport, rural water supply, and agriculture.
Reliance General Insurance, Catholic Syrian Bank tie up i. Reliance General Insurance (RGI), a part of Reliance Capital, has entered into a bancassurance tie-up with Catholic Syrian Bank. ii. With this tie-up, RGI will offer its general insurance products to Catholic Syrian Bank's 1.5 million customer base spread across its 430 branches in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra.
JS Deepak named India‟s next Ambassador to WTO i. Telecom Secretary J S Deepak was named India‟s next Ambassador to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) from June 2017. ii. A 1982 batch IAS officer from Uttar Pradesh, Mr. Deepak has been shifted with “immediate effect” from the telecom ministry and has been made Officer on Special Duty in the commerce department.
BEML launches solar rooftop project in Karnataka i. BEML (Bharat Earth Movers Limited), a defense public sector company, has set itself a goal of utilizing 100 percent renewable energy for its consumption. ii. In this endeavor, the company has inaugurated a 200 KW grid connected rooftop solar project at its Mysore complex. To achieve 100% renewable energy, BEML has set up a 5 MW windmill project in Gadag district in north Karnataka.
Luis Norton de Matos appointed new head coach of India U-17 football team i. The All India Football Federation (AIFF) appointed Portugal's Luis Norton de Matos as the head coach of the India Under-17 team for the FIFA Under-17 World Cup. ii. The tournament is scheduled to be held in October 2017 in India. A former manager with the Benfica Reserve side, De Matos replaces Nicolai Adam, who was forced to resign under controversial circumstances after a revolt from the players.
Kohli nominated for Polly Umrigar award, Ashwin for Dilip Sardesai award i. India captain Virat Kohli was nominated for the prestigious Polly Umrigar award while all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin named for the Dilip Sardesai award.The awards will be presented at the BCCI Annual Awards to be held in Bengaluru on 8th March, 2017. ii. Kohli becomes the first Indian cricketer to get Polly Umrigar award on the third occasion after 2011-12 and 2014- 15 season. iii. Ashwin will also become the first cricketer to receive the 'Dilip Sardesai Award' twice. The award is given to honor the best performance in the bilateral Test series between India and West Indies.
03nd March, 2017
Indian Navy successfully test-fires missile from Kalvari submarine i. The Indian navy successfully test-fired an anti-ship missile for the first time from an indigenously built Kalvari class submarine. ii. The weapon was fired from the submarine, the first of India‟s six Scorpene-class submarines which are being built under the Project 75 and it “successfully hit” a surface target during the trial in the Arabian Sea. iii. The submarines were designed by French naval defense and energy company DCNS and are being built by Mazagon Dock Limited in Mumbai.
0422 4204182,9884267599 1st Street Gandhipuram Coimbatore Page 4
Unique IAS Academy – Current Affairs March 2017
Centre approves over 4,000 PG seats in medical colleges & hospitals i. Centre has approved over 4,000 Post Graduate seats in medical colleges and hospitals across the country for the academic session 2017-18. ii. Health Minister J P Nadda in an official statement stated that with this, the total number of PG seats available in the country will go up to over 35 thousand. He also said this will further boost nation's resolve to strengthen tertiary care and improve the medical education in the country. iii. Centre had announced the creation of additional 5,000 PG medical seats every year during this year's (2017) budget with an aim to bolster availability of specialist doctors at secondary and tertiary levels.
Govt launches nationwide 'Swachh Shakti Saptah' i. The Union Minister of Drinking Water and Sanitation Mr. Narendra Singh Tomar has launched 'Swachh Shakti Saptah' in Gurugram, Haryana to raise awareness on sanitation and cleanliness. ii. Mr. Tomar has decided to observe 'Swachh Shakti Saptah' from March 1 to 8, 2017 across the country. Over 1,500 women sarpanches of Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) and all women sarpanches of Gurugram division are participating in this event. iii. PM Modi will take part in a closing ceremony of the program on March 8, 2017 at Gandhinagar in Gujarat.
Himachal okays proposal to make Dharamshala its second capital i. The Himachal Pradesh cabinet approved the proposal to make Dharamshala as the second capital of the state. ii. The decision was taken at the cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, who had earlier during his winter sojourn to Kangra had expressed his desire to make Dharamshala as the second capital.
Government‟s biotech innovation BIRAC Regional Entrepreneurship Centre set up in Bengaluru i. The Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms – C-CAMP, technology, and innovation hub, will house the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) Regional Entrepreneurship Centre (BREC) in Bengaluru. ii. The center has been set up with the objective of encouraging the spirit of bio-entrepreneurship, facilitating the creation of life science start-ups and mentoring start-ups to increase their chances of success.
JNU wins Visitor's Awards 2017 for best university i. Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has won the annual Visitor's Award for the 'Best University', 2017. ii. Deepak Pant from the Central University of Himachal Pradesh won the Visitor's Award for 'Innovation' while the Visitor's Award for 'Research' has been jointly won by Shyam Sunder from Banaras Hindu University (BHU) and Professor Niranjan Karak from Tezpur University. iii. President Pranab Mukherjee will present the Visitor's Awards on 06 March 2017 at a function to be held at Rashtrapati Bhavan as part of the 'Festival of Innovations'.
GAIL signs 1st time-swap deal for US LNG with Gunvor i. State-run gas company Gas Authority of India Ltd. (GAIL) has signed a time-swap deal with Swiss trader Gunvor to sell some of its US Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) as the Indian firm tries to ease the burden of its costly foreign LNG supplies. ii. It is the first time-swap agreement by GAIL, which is trying to juggle its LNG portfolio to cut costs for price- sensitive Indian customers after a sharp fall in Asian spot prices made its US gas unattractive.
DRDO Hands Over 3 Developed Products to Indian Army i. Defense Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) handed over three of its products for induction into the Indian Army in a formal function.The products are namely: (a) Weapon Locating Radar (WLR), SWATHI (b) NBC Recce vehicle (c) NBC Drugs
0422 4204182,9884267599 1st Street Gandhipuram Coimbatore Page 5
Unique IAS Academy – Current Affairs March 2017 ii. The Defence Minister Shri Manohar Parrikar who presided the function handed over the products to the Chief of the Army Staff General Bipin Rawat on behalf of DRDO.
Jindal Steel to make high nitrogen steel for DRDO i. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has signed a technology transfer agreement with Haryana-based Jindal Stainless Ltd.(JSHL) for manufacturing High Nitrogen Steel (HNS). ii. HNS has higher ballistic strength. It is not only tough but also has good strength. It is non-magnetic and corrosion- resistant. Its cost is about 40% less than that of Rolled Homogeneous Armour steel (RHA).
MTNL appoints P K Purwar as Chairman and Managing Director i. P K Purwar was appointed as the Chairman and Managing Director of state-run telecom major Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL).The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved his appointment to the post for five years.
Singareni Collieries records new highs in coal output, dispatches i. Singareni Collieries Company Limited has set a new record with coal production of 58.7 lakh tons and highest dispatches of 57 lakh tons in a month during February 2017. ii. The mining company‟s 1,200 MW power plant has also logged high plant load factor. With this, SCCL recorded a growth of 9.31% in coal production against 53.7 lakh tons during February 2016.
04th March, 2017
Aadhaar number made mandatory for students to receive midday meals i. Students will now be required to have an Aadhaar number for getting their midday meals across the country.The HRD ministry issued this notification. This rule will be applicable across the country, except Jammu and Kashmir, Meghalaya and Assam. ii. However, the ministry has given time till June 30, 2017 for those who are not yet enrolled.
Ministry of Women & Child Development Observes Swachhta Pakhwada throughout India i. The Ministry of Women & Child Development is observing the Swachhta Pakhwada from March 1, 2017 to March 15, 2017 to raise awareness about Swachh Bharat Abhiyan among women and children. ii. The Swachhta Pakhwada is observed by various Ministries of Government of India to achieve the goal of universal sanitation, hygiene and „open defecation free‟ India by 2019. During the course of the progamme, various activities would be conducted throughout the country through the wide network of Anganwadi Centres (AWCs).
100 districts in India Declared ODF under Swachh Bharat Mission i. During occasion of 'Swachh Shakti Saptah' in Gurugram, Haryana. The Union Minister of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar has informed that the number of ODF (Open Defecation Free) districts in India has crossed 100, making it a milestone achievement under the Swachh Bharat Mission. ii. Besides, over 1.7 lakh villages over the country has also become ODF. Shri O.P Dhankar, Haryana Minister for Development & Panchayats, and Agriculture declared that Haryana will become an ODF State by November 2017.
India foreign exchange reserves increases to USD 362.79 billion i. India's foreign exchange reserves increased by USD 63.7 million to USD 362.79 billion. A RBI press release has informed that foreign currency assets, a major part of the overall reserves increased from 63.4 million to USD 339.783 billion. ii. In the previous week, the reserves had declined by USD 56.8 million to USD 362.73 billion. Gold reserves remained unchanged at 19.248 billion.
Govt approves Rs 756 cr scheme to treat cataract patients
0422 4204182,9884267599 1st Street Gandhipuram Coimbatore Page 6
Unique IAS Academy – Current Affairs March 2017 i. With an aim to free India from cataract by 2022, the government has approved a Rs 756 crore scheme to treat over 700 lakh such patients in the next five years. ii. The scheme would render Rs 2,000 as financial assistance for each operation, including cost of lenses. In addition to it, a mobile application will be developed to bring the government, private doctors, clinics and NGOs together for monitoring the endeavor.
Yatra inks MoU with Madhya Pradesh govt to promote homestays i. Online travel company Yatra.com has signed an agreement with Madhya Pradesh government to jointly promote homestays in the state. ii. Under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), Yatra will promote all the state tourism approved homestays, where travelers can book a room with a local family or the entire house.
Kerala‟s Capital Thiruvananthapuram Ranks Best City in Urban Governance Survey i. According to the fourth edition of the Annual Survey of India‟s City-Systems 2016 by Bengaluru-based advocacy group Janaagraha Centre for Citizenship and Democracy, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala has been ranked as the top Indian city to manage urban governance. ii. Thiruvananthapuram which also ranked No. 1 in 2015 was evaluated against 21 major cities across 18 states of India. Thiruvananthapuram followed by Pune and Kolkata which are in second and third position, respectively. iii. Delhi that has a population of about 18 million has been ranked at a distant 9, behind much smaller cities such as Bhopal and Kanpur.
NMCG Signs MoU with Rotary India for the Success of Namami Gange i. In its effort to make Namami Gange program a mass movement with the involvement of more and more voluntary organizations, National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) under Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation signed an MoU with Rotary India in New Delhi. ii. Rotary India will support clean Ganga mission through their WASH in Schools program in various schools.
SBI to charge for breaching monthly average balance in saving accounts i. State Bank of India (SBI), India‟s largest public lender, will resume charging customers who don‟t maintain Monthly Account Average Balance (MAB) in their savings bank accounts from April 1, 2017. ii. These charges will be based on the difference between the minimum balance required and the shortfall. iii. The minimum monthly balance for savings bank account holders in metropolitan areas is Rs 5,000. Similarly, in urban areas, SBI customers will need to maintain a monthly average balance of Rs 3000. In semi-urban areas, the amount is Rs 2,000, while for rural areas, the monthly average is Rs 1,000.
ET Money ties up with HDFC Life to launch data-led insurance policy i. Long-term life insurance provider HDFC Life has launched an exclusive Data-Led Group Term Insurance Plan in partnership with personal finance app ET Money of Times Internet. ii. This is the country's first term insurance plan which is based on the spending pattern of the users. ET Money Benefit, the group term life insurance plan can be exclusively availed by 1 million users of the ET MONEY app. World Wildlife Day: 3rd March i. On 20 December 2013, at its 68th session, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) proclaimed 3 March, as UN World Wildlife Day to celebrate and raise awareness of the world‟s wild animals and plants. ii. World Wildlife Day was celebrated in 2017 under the theme “Listen to the Young Voices”.
President of India presents „Standard‟ to 125 Helicopter Squadron and „Colours‟ to mechanical training institute of Indian Air Force i. The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee presented the „Standard‟ to 125 Helicopter Squadron and „Colours‟ to Mechanical Training Institute of Indian Air Force at Air Force Station, Tambaram, Tamil Nadu.
0422 4204182,9884267599 1st Street Gandhipuram Coimbatore Page 7
Unique IAS Academy – Current Affairs March 2017 ii. Mr. President complimented the 125 Helicopter Squadron and Mechanical Training Institute of Indian Air Force and stated that these units have a glorious past, embedded with rich heritage, stellar efforts and selfless service to the Nation.
Pakistan diplomat Amjad Hussain B Sial assumes office as new Sec Gen of SAARC i. South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) has named Amjad Hussain B Sial, as secretary general with immediate effect from March 1, 2017. ii. Mr.Sial from Pakistan succeeded Nepal‟s Arjun Bahadur Thapa as the SAARC secretary general who was appointed the Secretary-General in 2014.
13th ECO Summit ISLAMABAD i. The Heads of State and Government of the Member States of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) gathered on the occasion of the 13th ECO Summit Meeting, in Islamabad, Pakistan under the theme “Connectivity for Regional Prosperity” on the 1st March 2017. ii. It aimed to review the objective conditions and progress in the implementation of ECO programs and projects. The headquarter of ECO is in Tehran, Iran. INHS ASVINI Mumbai receives Raksha Mantri‟s Trophy, named best service Hospital in the AFMS i. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar presented the Raksha Mantri‟s Trophy and Citation for the best Service Hospital in the Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS) for the year 2016 to INHS Asvini, Mumbai. ii. The Command Hospital (Southern Command), Pune and Command Hospital (Northern Command) Udhampur have jointly adjudged the second best Service Hospitals.
Ukraine region to use Russian ruble as currency i. Ukraine‟s self-proclaimed Luhansk People‟s Republic, state in eastern Ukraine, will use the Russian ruble as its official currency, along with the Ukrainian Hryvnia. ii. The Russian ruble is already being used in pro-Russian territory which serves to stabilize the volatile economic situation in the region.
Rihanna Receives Harvard University's Humanitarian Award, 2017 i. Harvard named the 29-year-old singer Rihanna its Humanitarian of the Year, pointing to her projects that include an advanced center to treat breast cancer in her native Barbados and support for girls‟ education around the developing world.
French football legend Raymond Kopa passes away i. French football legend Raymond Kopa who won the European Cup three times with Real Madrid in the 1950s died in Paris after a long illness. He was 85. ii. He was a central part of the French side beaten by Pele‟s Brazil in a classic World Cup semi-final in 1958.
Bishnoi appointed international match referee i. Former India wrestler Kripa Shankar Bishnoi has been appointed as an international match referee by United World Wrestling (UWW), the sport's global governing body. ii. Bishnoi was selected by the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) for the annual training course for match referees conducted by the UWW.
Australian cricketer Sarah Coyte announces retirement i. Australian women cricketer Sarah Coyte, who was also a part of Australia's 2014 World T20-winning squad, has announced her retirement from all forms of the game. ii. Coyte's decision arrives a year after she stepped down from international duty with the Southern Stars to combat mental health issues.
05th March, 2017
0422 4204182,9884267599 1st Street Gandhipuram Coimbatore Page 8
Unique IAS Academy – Current Affairs March 2017
GST Council approves draft CGST and IGST Bills i. The Centre and States approved the model draft Bills for Centre and Integrated goods and services tax (GST).The Council has also included a revised peak rate of 20 percent under GST, instead of the earlier 18 percent. This would mean that the total incidence of the tax could go as high as 40 percent. ii. The next meeting of the Council will now be held on March 16, when it will finalize the draft Bills for State and Union Territory GST.
Punjab, J&K seal fresh deal on Shahpur Kandi project i. A renewed agreement between Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir has been sealed for the completion of the Shahpur Kandi Dam project, work on which was halted two years ago following a dispute. This move comes days before its annual Indus Water Commission meeting with Pakistan in Lahore. ii. The 55.5-meter high Shahpur Kandi dam in Punjab, will help in providing irrigation facility to 5000 hectares of land in Punjab and 32173 hectares in J&K, besides generation of 206 MW power.
Google India inks MoU with Telangana government i. Google India and Telangana government have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at supporting the digitization efforts of the state. ii. Google India will provide Google Cloud credits and access to all cloud platform products to eligible startups engaged with Telangana government‟s T-Hub initiative and through its Developer Relations team provide technical mentor-ship and advisory support to various startups.
Hyderabad University research projects bags Rs113 cr funding i. Strategic research projects at the University of Hyderabad (UoH) Centre-ARCHEM supported by the Defence Ministry will get a whopping Rs. 113 crore funding for the next five years. ii. The University, among the top five in the country will very soon become the first public-funded University to house a 500 MHz NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance), as a joint facility between the the Advanced Centre for Research in High Energy Materials (ARCHEM) and the School of Chemistry.
Former IFS and MP Syed Shahabuddin dies i. Former IFS and MP Syed Shahabuddin dies at the age of 82 after suffering from prolonged illness. ii. During his time, Shahabuddin had strongly opposed the demolition of the Babri Masjid and was the leader of the Babri Action Committee. Born in 1935, in Ranchi, Jharkhand, Shahabuddin began working as a diplomat for the Indian Foreign Service (IFS), but later became a politician. He served three terms from 1979-1996 as an MP. He was the Joint Secretary in charge of South East Asia, the Indian Ocean and the Pacific in the Ministry of External Affairs.
South Korea and United States Begin Annual Military Drill Foal Eagle i. The United States and South Korean troops started their large-scale annual military drill named Foal Eagle.The month-long exercises will run last in April 2017 and will overlap with the Key Resolve exercise which will begin on March 13, 2017. ii. The aim of the military exercise is to test their defense readiness against the threat from North Korea. North Korea conducted its first ballistic missile test of 2017 in February and views the Foal Eagle Exercise 2017 as preparation for war against it.
Cognizant buys Japanese digital firm Brilliant Service Co
0422 4204182,9884267599 1st Street Gandhipuram Coimbatore Page 9
Unique IAS Academy – Current Affairs March 2017
i. American multinational corporation Cognizant has pocketed a deal to acquire Japanese digital firm Brilliant Service Co which is specialized in intelligent products and solutions, digital strategy, product design and engineering, the Internet of Things, and enterprise mobility. ii. Subsequently, this acquisition will help cognizant to foster its digital transformation portfolio and capabilities to enable clients to build connected and collaborative businesses.
06th March, 2017
World‟s oldest serving aircraft carrier INS Viraat retires i. INS Viraat, the world‟s oldest aircraft carrier in active service will be decommissioned on 6 March 2017 with a ceremonial send-off in Mumbai. ii. A glorious chapter in the Indian Navy‟s history will come to an end when INS Viraat, the longest serving aircraft carrier will retire after serving the country for nearly three decades. iii. INS Viraat was commissioned in Indian Navy in 1987, before that the historic ship served Royal British Navy for 27 long years. It was built in 1943, during the Second World War.
Centre launches survey on Gangetic dolphins i. Centre has launched the first ever across-the-river survey in Ganga to determine the population of aquatic life, including that of the endangered Gangetic dolphin. ii. The study is crucial as the animal population in a river indicates the quality of its water. National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) committee has stated that the survey will create a baseline scientific data for the government to take suitable measures. iii. The first leg of the census was launched on March 1, 2017 from Narora to Bijnor in Uttar Pradesh. A study to figure out fish species composition in the 2525 km-long river has also been kick started from Harshil in Uttarakhand.
SBI to penalise non-maintenance of Monthly Average Balance i. State Bank of India has decided to reintroduce penalty on non-maintenance of minimum balance in accounts from 1st of April 2017. Failing to maintain monthly average balance in accounts will attract penalty up to 100 rupees plus service tax.The public sector bank has also revised its charges on other services, including ATMs.
India‟s tallest Tricolor hoisted at Attari border in Punjab i. The tallest national flag in the country measuring 360 feet was hoisted at the Attari-Wagah joint check post in Punjab. Earlier, the record was held by the one in Ranchi which is 293 feet high. ii. The flag is 120 feet in length, 80 feet in breadth and is hosted on a pole which is 360 feet high. The concrete base is 30 feet in length and another 30 feet in breadth.
Chandigarh to host Destination North East 2017 i. Chandigarh will host a three-day long 'Destination North East' 2017 event showcasing North East as a potential destination for investment. ii. Union Minister of State for Development of North Eastern Region, Jitendra Singh inaugurated the event. iii. It will see round table discussions and exhibition stalls showcasing various features of the North East Region in order to attract investments in tourism, food processing, handlooms and handicrafts, horticulture and floriculture, medicinal & aromatic plants, organic farming and bamboo development.
Assam Cabinet Declares Sanskrit as Compulsory Subject up to Class 8 i. In a cabinet meeting, the Assam government led by the Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal decided to make Sanskrit a compulsory language for students up to class 8th in the state. ii. The government also decided to promote computer education in the state. The government would appoint teachers for the two subject.
0422 4204182,9884267599 1st Street Gandhipuram Coimbatore Page 10
Unique IAS Academy – Current Affairs March 2017
West Bengal Clinical Establishment Bill passed i. The West Bengal Clinical Establishments (Registration, Regulation, and Transparency) Bill, 2017 was passed by the state legislative assembly with full support. ii. The Bill aims to regulate the private hospitals and bring transparency, end harassment of patients and take necessary steps to stop medical negligence in health institutes. iii. The Bill replaces the West Bengal Clinical Establishments Bill, 2010. The state will set up a 13 member West Bengal Clinical Establishment Regulatory Commission which will monitor private healthcare facilities.
West Bengal Gives Official Status to Tribal Language 'Kurukh' i. The West Bengal government has given an official status to 'Kurukh' language in the state which has been listed as an endangered language by the UNESCO. ii.The language was given the official status on the occasion of the International Mother Language Day. Kurukh is a tribal language that belongs to the Dravidian family.
Andhra Pradesh Renames Tirupati Airport and Vijayawada Airport i. The Andhra Pradesh State Cabinet during a meeting chaired by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu approved proposals to rename the Vijayawada Airport and the Tirupati Airport. ii. The cabinet renamed the Vijayawada Airport in Gannavaram as „Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao (NTR) Amaravati Airport‟ after the legendary actor and founder of the ruling Telugu Desam Party and the new capital of Andhra Pradesh. The Tirupati Airport at Renigunta has been renamed as „Sri Venkateswara Airport‟ after Lord Venkateswara of the temple town.
Haryana announces Tirtha Darshan scheme i. Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar announced that the state government had prepared a Tirtha Darshan scheme under which senior citizens above 60 years of age and of Haryana domicile would be able to go on a pilgrimage within the country at government expense. ii. Under the scheme, the government would bear the entire cost of the tour of senior citizens belonging to Below Poverty Line (BPL) families. The senior citizens would be selected for the pilgrimage on the basis of draw of lots. Over 400 destinations can be visited under the scheme. NPAs at record high of Rs 6.8 lakh crore i. As Non-Performing Assets (NPAs) of public sector banks soared to a staggering Rs 6.8 lakh crore, the chairman of a key Parliamentary panel favored 'naming and shaming' corporate houses which default on repayment of bank loans. ii. Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chief K V Thomas hopes 'naming and shaming' such corporate houses may help financial institutions get back their money. Out of the Rs 6.8 lakh crore of Non-Performing Assets of public sector banks, a whopping 70% are those of big corporate houses.
IRDAI proposes up to 50% hike in motor insurance premium i. The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has proposed to increase the insurance premium to 50 percent for cars, motor cycles as well as commercial vehicles from April 1, 2017. ii. The hike proposed in mid-segment cars (1,000-1,500 cc), as well as bigger cars and SUVs, is 50%.
Rs 10,000 penalty for bank branches refusing to exchange soiled notes: RBI i. The Reserve Bank of India has clarified that currency notes, which have messages scribbled on it are legal tender. Bank branches that refuse to exchange soiled notes from people will have to pay a penalty of Rs 10,000. ii. The RBI, stated that notes cease to be legal tender if message scribbled on it is political in nature. According to RBI‟s Clean Note Policy 1999, no banks can deny to exchange soiled or mutilated currency notes. iii. The restriction for exchanging soiled notes is that if one exchanges more than 20 notes or notes worth Rs 5,000 in a day, then banks will levy service charges.
Airtel, Millicom ink pact to merge in Ghana
0422 4204182,9884267599 1st Street Gandhipuram Coimbatore Page 11
Unique IAS Academy – Current Affairs March 2017 i. Telecom operator Bharti Airtel has signed an agreement with Millicom International Cellular to combine their operations in Ghana. ii. The companies through their respective subsidiaries entered into an agreement for Tigo Ghana and Airtel Ghana to combine their operations in Ghana. As a result, both the companies would have equal ownership and governance rights in the combined entity in Ghana, making it one of the largest communications companies in the country.
Sri Lanka Wins 'Most Popular Tourism Destination Award' i. Sri Lanka won the 'Most Popular Tourism Destination Award' at the Guangzhou International Travel Fair (GITF) in China. ii. The island nation won the prestigious award for the second consecutive year which is a testament to its growing popularity among Chinese travel enthusiasts. China has been Sri Lanka's second largest source market for tourism since 2014.
WCCB Conducts Operation Thunderbird & Operation Save Kurma to Combat Wildlife Crime i. The Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) under the Ministry of Environment and Forests coordinated 'Operation Thunder Bird' and 'Operation Save Kurma' nationwide. ii. The aim of „Operation Thunder Bird‟ is to combat illegal trade of wildlife animals in the country. The operation was undertaken in coordination with International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL). iii. Operation Thunder Bird is the code name for Interpol‟s multi-national and multi-species enforcement operation. It aimed to eliminate poaching of wildlife animals of India. iv. 'Operation Save Kurma' is a turtle-specific operation where over 15,000 live turtles were seized.
India to supply additional 60 MW power to Bangladesh i. North Eastern state Tripura has agreed to supply an additional 60 MW to Bangladesh over the 100 MW of power the north-eastern state is supplying to the neighboring country. ii. This development comes after Bangladesh sought 100 MW electricity from India to solve its power crisis in the eastern part of the nation. The Country has been receiving 100 MW since March 23, 2016, besides it has also been provided 500 MW by the West Bengal government.
To support women founded startups, Facebook launches 'SheLeadsTech' i. Social networking site Facebook launched a new initiative 'SheLeadsTech', to support women-founded or co- founded startups. ii. SheLeadsTech will give women-founded or co-founded start-ups access to a year-long program that provides tools, mentorship and resources. The announcement which came ahead of Women's Day aim to bring women on board India's digital revolution in a bigger way.
Kerala tops in GST registrations i. Kerala has achieved the maximum number of registrations under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime with at least 60% of an estimated 2.5 lakh traders migrating to the new platform. ii. Its record becomes even more significant considering the fact that these registrations are complete in all respects, including the crucial provision of digital signatures.
Sam Querrey wins ATP Mexico Open i. Unseeded American Sam Querrey has won the ATP Mexico Open hard court tennis tournament.In the final at Acapulco in Mexico, Querrey stunned second-seeded Rafael Nadal in straight sets 6-3, 7-6. ii. Nadal, the 2005 and 2013 champion, had never even lost a set in Acapulco. Querrey, ranked 40th in the world, fired 19 aces, backed up by powerful, precise groundstrokes, en route to his first career victory over Nadal in five meetings. For Querrey, it is his ninth ATP title.
ISSF 2017: India finish fifth with five medals at shooting World Cup
0422 4204182,9884267599 1st Street Gandhipuram Coimbatore Page 12
Unique IAS Academy – Current Affairs March 2017 i. India ended their campaign in the International Shooting Sports Federation (ISSF) World Cup (Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun) with five medals, including one Gold, two Silver and two Bronze medals at the Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range, New Delhi.
Andy Murray wins Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships for first title of 2017 i. The Dubai Tennis Championships were held at the Aviation Club Tennis Centre in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Britain‟s Andy Murray claimed his first title of the year with a straight-sets victory over Fernando Verdasco despite a soggy start in the high-octane game.
„Number Do Lie‟ authored by former cricketer Aakash Chopra i. Former Indian cricketer Akash Chopra released book titled Numbers Do Lie, 61 Hidden Cricket Stories which takes a different look at stats. It is based on the Impact Index analytics by Jaideep Verma, Soham Sarkhel and Nikhil Narain.
07th March, 2017
PM Narendra Modi to release Special Commemorative Postage Stamp i. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will release commemorative Postage Stamp on 100th Anniversary of the Yogoda Satsang Society of India at a function in New Delhi . ii. Yogoda Satsanga Society is a non-profit religious organization founded by Paramahansa Yogananda in 1917. Yogoda Satsanga Society of India (YSS) will celebrate its 100 years journey on 10th March 2017.
PM Narendra Modi to dedicate to nation Petrochemicals Complex i. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will dedicate to the nation a Petrochemical Complex of ONGC Petro Additions Limited at Dahej, Gujrat. ii. During his two-day visit to Gujarat, he will also dedicate a four-lane bridge over the Narmada at Bharuch on NH-8. The 1.4-kilometre 'extradosed' cable-stayed bridge is reportedly the longest in the country. iii. The Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone of Bharuch Bus Port.
Cabinet approval to MoU on energy efficiency between India-UAE i. The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, gave ex-post facto approval to the MoU between India's National Productivity Council (NPC) and UAE's Al Etihad Energy Services for various services in the field of energy management and conservation. ii. Under the MoU, the NPC, an autonomous body of the Commerce and Industry Ministry's Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion will provide energy assessment services, training and certification of energy auditors and demand side management.
Cabinet approves MoU with UN Women i. The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the signing of an agreement between India and UN Women to strengthen gender equality in governance institutions. ii. The MoU between India and the United Nations Entity of Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) seeks to provide technical support to the Ministry of Panchayati Raj to improve the opportunities for gender equality through legislation, policies and programs in ministry's institutions. iii. Activities under this MoU will be implemented at the district and sub-district level in six states - Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha, Karnataka, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.
Cabinet approves India-Portugal MoU on renewable energy i. The Indian cabinet gave post facto approval to the memorandum of understanding (MoU) on renewable energy between India and Portugal.
0422 4204182,9884267599 1st Street Gandhipuram Coimbatore Page 13
Unique IAS Academy – Current Affairs March 2017 ii. The MoU was signed on January 6, 2017. The MoU aims to promote bilateral technical cooperation on new and renewable issues. iii. The MoU envisages constitution of a Joint Working Group which can co-opt other members from Scientific Institutions, Research Centres and Universities.
Ola signs MoU with Government of Madhya Pradesh i. Taxi aggregator Ola has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Madhya Pradesh State Skill Development Mission (MPSSDM) and Directorate of Skill Development. ii. In line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Skill India initiative, the MOU is focused towards training, skill development and empowerment of 25,000 driver partners in the next two years.The aim of MoU is nurturing micro- entrepreneurship and skilling 50 lakh drivers by 2020.
National Conference on Jal Kranti Abhiyan to be held i. Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti will inaugurate a national conference on Jal Kranti Abhiyan in New Delhi . ii. About 700 participants representing various stakeholder groups such as farmers, panchayat members, NGOs and students will attend the day-long conference. iii. Ministry of Water Resources and River Development had launched Jal Kranti Abhiyan on June, 2015 to consolidate water conservation and management in the country through a holistic and integrated approach involving all stakeholders.
Indo-Oman joint military exercise 'Al-Nagah-II' begins i. In an effort to build bilateral military-to-military relations and skills, a 14-day joint defense exercise 'Al-Nagah-II' between the armies of India and Oman begun in Himachal Pradesh.' ii. Indo-Oman Joint Army Exercise- AL NAGAH-II 2017' was started on 6th march and will end on 19th March in the Dhauladhar Ranges at Bakloh in Himachal Pradesh.
Tribal festival 'Bhagoria' begins in MP i. Bhagoria Festival, also known as Bhagoria Haat Festival, celebrated by the tribal people of the Indian state Madhya Pradesh begun on March 6, 2017 in Jhabua district. ii. The festival which has been organized at 34 places in the state is celebrated in the month of March before the Holi Festival by the local tribes called Bhils and Bhilalas. iii. The week-long festival is organized at different Bhagoria haats (local markets) in the form of Svayamvara or Marriage Ceremony located in Jhabua, Alirajpur, Dhar, Khargone and Barwani districts in western Madhya Pradesh.
Finance Minister gives in-principle nod to ESOPs by PSU banks i. The Union Finance Ministry has given its in-principle nod to allow Public Sector Banks (PSUs) to offer stock options to their employees from 2017-18. ii. However, the Employee Stock Option Plans (ESOPs) can only be given by those banks which have earned a substantial profit as well as made a remarkable improvement in managing NPAs. iii. The proposal of ESOP by the Banks Board Bureau (BBB) will help to motivate employees to work towards strengthening the financial status of their banks and hence increase its share value.
HDFC Bank launched chatbot Eva for customer services i. Mumbai-headquartered HDFC Bank has launched India‟s first artificial intelligence based banking chatbot Electronic Virtual Assistant (EVA) for customer services . ii. Eva is India's first AI-based banking chatbot and can answer millions of customer queries across multiple channels instantly. It can assimilate knowledge from thousands of sources and provide answers in simple language in less than 0.4 seconds.
Canara Bank bags medals at PR Council's communication conclave
0422 4204182,9884267599 1st Street Gandhipuram Coimbatore Page 14
Unique IAS Academy – Current Affairs March 2017 i. Public sector Canara Bank has won a number of medals in the Collateral Awards Category at the 11th Global Communication Conclave held in Bengaluru by the Public Relations Council of India (PRCI). ii. The bank won a gold medal for a radio jingle and silver medals for Corporate Film and Brochure (CSR). iii. It won bronze medals for its in-house magazine (regional language), corporate advertisement – print, table calendar - 2017 and Big Diary 2017.
M P Veerendra Kumar presented Moortidevi award i. Eminent Malayalam author and journalist M P Veerendra Kumar presented the 30th Moortidevi award by Bharatiya Jnanpith organization. ii. Mr. Kumar was chosen for the prestigious award for his Malayalam travelogue 'Hymavathabhoovil', which dwells upon ancient trails of Indian culture, myth, literature, and people strewn in the plains, valleys, and mountains of India. iii. The award was presented by Jnanpith laureate M T Vasudevan Nair at a function at the Tagore Centenary, Calicut, Kerala.
Dr K Srinath Reddy appointed as adviser to the Odisha Govt i. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced appointment of Prof Dr K Srinath Reddy as the adviser to the Odisha government. ii. Prof Dr K Srinath Reddy will advise the state government on proper implementation and smooth delivery of the ongoing health service programs so as to better the indicators. iii. Reddy, a Padma Bhushan awardee, was the former head of the Department of Cardiology at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi.
Govt nod for strategic sale of 3 SAIL plants i. The Central government has approved outright sale of state-owned SAIL‟s three special steel units – Alloy Steels Plant (ASP), Salem Steel Plant (SSP) and Visvesvaraya Iron and Steel Plant (VISP). ii. ASP is located at Durgapur in West Bengal spread over around 467.22 hectares. iii. SSP in Tamil Nadu can produce stainless steel in the form of coils and sheets with an installed capacity of 70,000 tonnes a year. iv. VISP is located in Bhadravati, Karnataka has an installed capacity of 2.16 lakh tonnes of hot metal and 98,280 tonnes of alloy and special steels.
Vaikom Vijayalakshmi becomes first to play Gayathri veena for record five hours i. Kerala‟s playback singer Vaikom Vijayalakshmi created a new world record by playing the maximum number of songs in the shortest time (5 hrs) on Gayathri veena during a program in Kochi. ii. She played a total of 69 songs including various classical and filmy songs on the Gayathri veena became the first person to achieve the feat in the world.
Rabi Ray, former Lok Sabha Speaker, passes away i. Eminent socialist leader, former Union Minister and former Speaker of Lok Sabha Rabi Ray passed away after a prolonged illness. He was 91. ii. He was first elected to the Lok Sabha in 1967, from the Puri parliamentary constituency, and was the leader of the Samyukta Socialist Party in the Lok Sabha.
2017-Mexico Open i. Unseeded American Sam Querrey has won the ATP Mexico Open hardcourt tennis tournament.In the final at Acapulco in Mexico, Querrey stunned second-seeded Rafael Nadal in straight sets 6-3, 7-6 ii. Men‟s singles: Sam Querrey (United States) defeats Rafael Nadal (Spain) iii. Women‟s singles: Lesia Tsurenko (Ukraine) defeats Kristina Mladenovic (France) iv. Men‟s Doubles: Jamie Murray (Brazil) / Bruno Soares (United Kingdom) defeats John Isner (Spain) / Feliciano López (United States)
0422 4204182,9884267599 1st Street Gandhipuram Coimbatore Page 15
Unique IAS Academy – Current Affairs March 2017 v. Women‟s Doubles: Darija Jurak (Croatia) / Anastasia Rodionova (Australia) defeats Verónica Cepede Royg (Paraguay) / Mariana Duque Mariño (Colombia)
OPPO wins Indian cricket team sponsorship rights for five years i. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced that mobile manufacturing company Oppo Mobiles India Private Limited will be the new team sponsor of the Indian cricket team from April 1, 2017 for a period of five years. ii. It has replaced Star India.
08th March, 2017
International Women's Day being observed i. International Women's Day is observed globally on 8th March every year. ii. The theme of International Women's Day (IWD) 2017 campaign is 'Be Bold For Change'. iii. It is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women.
India announces new licensing policy to boost oil output i. India has announced an Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP) for conducting oil and gas exploration in India. The new OALP policy will allow the bidder to select the exploration areas on their own and carve out areas where they want to drill. ii. This will allow pricing and marketing freedom to operators and shifts to a revenue sharing model. iii. The auction of oil and gas blocks under the Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP) will be conducted twice a year with the first round being held in July 2017.
SBI launches 'Work from Home' facility for employees i. Country's largest lender State Bank of India launched a new facility to enable its employees to 'work from home'. ii. The Board of the bank has recently approved the 'Work from Home' policy to enable its employees to work while at home using mobile devices to address any urgent requirement they may have, that prevents their traveling to work. iii. The lender will be using mobile computing technologies and shall have continuous control over all the enabled devices. iv. The use of technology and services shall be monitored through carefully designed Management Information System (MIS) and dashboard to enable improvements and refinements.
International Yoga fest to begin in New Delhi i. The two-day International Yoga fest will begin in New Delhi. Information and Broadcasting Minister Venkaiah Naidu will inaugurate the fest at Talkatora stadium. ii. More than 3,500 participants including eminent yoga gurus, yoga masters, scholars, policy makers and representatives from 15-18 countries will participate in this mega event. iii. It will comprise parallel yoga workshop, lectures, Satsang, cultural programmes and yoga demos.
Indo-Nepal joint Military exercise begins i. A joint military exercise 'Surya Kiran-XI' between India and Nepal begins in Pithoragarh area of Uttarakhand.This is a battalion level joint exercise between the two armies. ii. The two-week long exercise is aimed at training of both the troops in the area of various counter-insurgency operations over a prolonged period. iii. It will also focus on other important aspects such as humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations and environmental conservation. The Surya Kiran series of exercises are being conducted biannually, alternatively in India and Nepal.
Hyderabad airport ranks 1st in the world in airport service quality
0422 4204182,9884267599 1st Street Gandhipuram Coimbatore Page 16
Unique IAS Academy – Current Affairs March 2017 i. GMR group led Rajiv Gandhi Hyderabad International Airport has secured first position in the world in the prestigious Airports Council International (ACI) Airport Service Quality (ASQ) survey in the 5-15 million passengers per annum (MPPA) category for the year 2016. ii. The survey shows that Hyderabad Airport has steadily improved its score from 4.4 in 2009 to 4.9 in 2016, according to a GMR's Hyderabad International Airport limited (GHIAL). iii. Besides, the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) in Delhi has been ranked world‟s second best airport in the category of passenger handling capacity of more than 40 million passengers annually.
CBSE introduces Exam Locator app to help students i. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has introduced a mobile application to help students appearing for class 10th and 12th examinations to locate their exam centres. ii. The App named 'Exam Locator', will help students to quickly know the exam center on the basis of their roll number. According to the CBSE, a student can easily find the address, images and geolocation of the designated centre on the map.
First smart tribal village inaugurated in Jammu and Kashmir i. Jammu and Kashmir Minister for Food, Civil Supplies, and Consumer Affairs Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali inaugurated the first smart tribal model village 'Habbi' in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir. ii. The Rural Development Department has introduced smart classes in schools, better roads, electricity, and water facility in the village.
MakeMyTrip, PayPal partner for hotel bookings i. Payments platform PayPal announced an extension of its merchant partnership with MakeMyTrip, Indian online travel booking company, to facilitate hotel and holidays booking in addition to airline tickets. ii. The partnership with MakeMyTrip will help foreign tourists continue to enjoy the seamless and secure PayPal experience to book hotels and holiday packages and tide through the recent challenges they are facing post the demonetization of select Indian currencies.
HC declares Manipur economic blockade 'illegal' i. The High Court of Manipur declared the economic blockade in Manipur called by United Naga Council (UNC) as illegal. ii. The order was passed by a bench of three judges Chief Justice R R Prasad, Justice N Kotiswar Singh and Justice Kh Nobin Singh on public interest litigation.
China overtakes eurozone as world‟s biggest bank system i. China‟s banking system has overtaken the eurozone to become the world‟s biggest by assets. ii. Statistics show Chinese bank assets hit $33 trillion at the end of 2016, versus $31 trillion for the eurozone. US assets stood at $16 trillion and the Japanese at $7 trillion. iii. The value of China‟s banking system is more than 3.1 times the size of the country‟s annual economic output, compared with 2.8 times for the eurozone and its banks.
Fitch Estimates Indian Economy to Grow 7.1% in 2016-17 i. Global rating agency Fitch stated that Indian economy will grow by 7.1% in the current fiscal, 2016-2017 before stepping up to 7.7% in the next two financial years. ii. The US-based agency, however, termed the 7% GDP growth for the October-December, 2016 quarter as surprising, a tad lower than 7.4% in the previous quarter.
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan wins best actress award i. The actor Aishwarya Rai Bachchan who played the character of Sarabjit Singh‟s sister Dalbir Kaur, has won the Best Actress award for Sarabjit at the International Film Festival and Awards of Australia (IFFAA).
0422 4204182,9884267599 1st Street Gandhipuram Coimbatore Page 17
Unique IAS Academy – Current Affairs March 2017
SERB Fellowship Award To Lalji Singh i. Former director of Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) Lalji Singh has been selected for „SERB Distinguished Fellow‟ award by the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) to support his research. ii. The award carries an amount of Rs.60,000 per month and a research grant of Rs.5 lakh a year for three years extendable by two years.
Bengal‟s Popular Folk Singer Kalikaprasad Bhattarcharya Dies i. Popular Bengali folk music singer Kalika Prasad Bhattacharya died in a road accident at Palsit in West Bengal. He was 47. ii. The folk singer voiced in films like Jaatishwar (2014), Moner Manush (2010) and Bhuban Majhi (2017).
Cuevas wins third Brasil Open tennis title i. Uruguay's Pablo Cuevas won his third consecutive Brasil Open title by beating Spain's Albert Ramos-Vinolas in a final. ii. The world No. 33 quickly took control, winning the second set 6-4 and then taking the third by the same score against the second-seeded Spaniard who is ranked 24th. iii. Doubles Men's Category: Winners- Rogério Dutra Silva (Brazil) and André Sá (Brazil), Runner Up- Marcus Daniell (New Zealand) and Marcelo Demoliner (Brazil).
09th March, 2017
List of Winners of BCCI Annual Award 2017 i. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the 'BCCI Annual Awards for 2015-16'. The awards were given away at a ceremony held in Bangaluru March 8, 2017 which also marks the International Women‟s Day. ii. Indian Skipper Virat Kohli was honored with the Polly Umrigar Award for third time. iii. R Ashwin was awarded the Dilip Sardesia Award for the second time for his brilliant performance in test cricket in 2016. He is also the only one to be awarded twice. iv. Vaman Viswanath Kumar and late Ramakant Desai were given the BCCI Special Award in recognition of their yeoman services to Indian Cricket.
2-day North-East Business Summit begins in New Delhi i. A two-day North-East Business Summit (NEBS) begins in New Delhi.The summit aims to display the strengths, potentials, and initiatives of the North-East, promote investment the region and also have focused deliberations on strategic areas like healthcare, connectivity, agriculture, food processing and energy. ii. The Summit will also showcase the untapped business potential of North-East to investors worldwide.
EPFO extends Digital Life Certificate submission through Jeevan Pramaan Patra by March 31 i. The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has extended the last date of submission of digital life certificate through Jeevan Pramaan Patra by March 31st, 2017 under Employees' Pension Scheme (EPS). ii. The decision was taken as many pensioners failed to submit their life certificates for continuation of drawal of pension. iii. An official released that members and pensioners of the EPS are required to furnish Aadhaar number by the end march, 2017.
First time Mobile World Congress to be held in India i. India to host its first mobile congress on 27 September 2017 with a special focus on reaching out to the South East Asian markets at Pragati Maidan, Delhi.This was announced by Rajan S Mathews, Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) Director General.
0422 4204182,9884267599 1st Street Gandhipuram Coimbatore Page 18
Unique IAS Academy – Current Affairs March 2017 ii. The three-day event will be organized by GSM Association. All Indian mobile operators, Facebook, Huawei, Ericsson, Cisco etc are likely to participate in the mobile congress. This is the first time held in India after Barcelona(Spain) and Shanghai(China).
Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah launches 'Pratibimba' to project achievements i. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah launched a comprehensive web-based platform Pratibimba to showcase the government‟s performance and achievements to the citizens. ii. This dash board will serve as a tool to improve efficiency in governance and allow citizens to track government‟s progress.It is available both in English and Kannada. iii. After Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka has such dash board which will help to report, track and measure departmental performance on programmes, projects and promises made by the government.
Committee to resolve women‟s grievances i. The Sports Ministry has decided to constitute a high-level committee to resolve the grievances and complaints of women sports persons in India. ii. Union Sports Minister Vijay Goel addressed a congregation of top women athletes of the country on International Women‟s Day at the Dhyan Chand National Stadium, New Delhi. iii. He assured the equality of right and all support to the sports women. The committee will function under the chairmanship of Joint Secretary (Sports) and will comprise athletes, an advocate, senior officers of the Sports Ministry and sports journalists.
India Has Highest Bribery Rate Among 16 Asia-Pacific Nations i. According to the Global Corruption Barometer released by Transparency International (TI), in Berlin for 16 Asia Pacific countries India tops the list for being the most corrupt nation. ii. According to the survey, about 69 percent of the population in India paid bribe to get their work done. India was followed by Vietnam (65%), Thailand (41%), Cambodia, Pakistan and Myanmar, each with 40%. Besides, China (26%) was one of the least corrupt nations and it was the lowest in Japan (0.2%).
Vice President Hamid Ansari Attends IORA Summit in Jakarta i. Vice President Hamid Ansari was on a two-day visit to Indonesia to attend the 21-nation Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Summit in Jakarta, Indonesia from March 6-7, 2017. ii. The theme of Summit is „Strengthening Maritime Cooperation for a Peaceful, Stable and Prosperous Indian Ocean‟. iii. IORA has 21 member states, including Australia, Bangladesh, Comoros, India, Indonesia, Iran, Kenya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mozambique, Oman, Seychelles, Singapore, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, UAE, and Yemen.
'India by Nile' fest to begin in Egypt i. India has organized the fifth edition of the mega cultural festival 'India by the Nile' in Egypt on 8th March to showcase the diversity of the country's culture, arts and cuisine for building enduring partnership between the two ancient civilizations. ii. For the first time, the Indian flag will be projected onto the Giza Pyramids as part of the celebration. The festival, to be held in Cairo, Giza, Alexandria, Port Said and Ismaila governorates from March 8 to April 27, 2017. iii. It is the largest cultural foreign festival in Egypt and has been a great success in the country.
IDFC Aadhaar Pay launched i. IDFC Bank has launched India‟s first biometric-based payment system 'Aadhaar Pay' in New Delhi. ii. The Aadhaar Pay app has been developed by IDFC Bank under the guidance of the Ministry of IT, NITI Aayog, Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), and National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).
0422 4204182,9884267599 1st Street Gandhipuram Coimbatore Page 19
Unique IAS Academy – Current Affairs March 2017
iii. The android app will use the fingerprint of the customer as a digital identity. Customers simply need to select their bank‟s name and enter their Aadhaar number in the merchant‟s phone.
Karur Vysya Bank launches 3 technology services Karur-based Karur Vysya Bank‟ s Chief Executive K. Venkataraman has rolled-out of three technology services FASTag, UPI and BBPS. i.FASTag : The FASTag service has been launched in association with the Indian Highways Management Company, a subsidiary of National Highways Authority of India.The preloaded tags affixed on vehicles are valid at all toll plazas throughout the country. ii.UPI app : United Payments Interface (UPI) is a mobile app that enables inter-bank transfer of funds. The transfer is effected through the IMPS (Immediate Payment Service) platform of NPCI (National Payments Corporation of India). iii.BBPS : BBPS (Bharat Bill Payment System) will make utility bill payments such as electricity bills, water charges and gas cylinders, among others, at a single site instead of accessing multiple sites.
D. Bala Venkatesh Varma concurrently accredited as the Ambassador of India to Andorra i. IFS officer, D. Bala Venkatesh Varma has been concurrently accredited as the next Ambassador of lndia to the Principality of Andorra, with residence in Madrid (Spain). Venkatesh was presently working as the ambassador of lndia to the Kingdom of Spain.
Environment Minister launches Web Portal for obtaining CRZ Clearances i. Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Anil Madhav Dave, launched the web portal for obtaining Coastal Regulation Zone clearances in New Delhi. ii. The interactive Portal is for obtaining clearances required from the Ministry under the 'Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ)' by the Project proponents which Minister also termed the launch of the portal as a good example of „Ease of Doing Business‟.
IIT-M solar inverter system wins award i. Indian Institute of Technology-Madras has won the 2017 Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Spectrum Technology in the Service of Society Award for its solar-direct current (DC) inverter system. ii. The system, developed using microgrid technology, converts in-home power distribution from 230V Analog Current to 48V DC to directly power appliances and devices.
Veteran journalist Arvind Padmanabhan dies i. Veteran journalist Arvind Padmanabhan, an Executive Editor at IANS, died of cardiac arrest.Padmanabhan, who would have turned 50 next month, breathed his last . ii. Arvind Padmanabhan had a long inning at IANS, joining the India Abroad newspaper that was then part of the wire service in 1999 as in-charge of its Business Section.He was earlier with the PTI, The Times of India and TV18.
Ashwin, Jadeja jointly ranked number one in ICC Test rankings i.India‟s Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja have become the first pair of spinners to be jointly top-ranked in the MRF Tyres ICC Player Rankings for Test Bowlers as Jadeja has caught up with his spin-partner in the rankings after the second Test against Australia in Bengaluru.
10th March, 2017
RBI to issue new Rs 10 notes soon with high-security features i. The Reserve Bank of India notified that it is soon going to issue Rs 10 denomination notes with enhanced security features for circulation.
0422 4204182,9884267599 1st Street Gandhipuram Coimbatore Page 20
Unique IAS Academy – Current Affairs March 2017 ii. Besides, RBI also notified that all the banknotes in the denomination of Rs 10 issued in the past will also continue to be legal tender. The note will be in the Mahatma Gandhi series-2005 and carry inset letter „L‟ on both number panels. iii. The year of printing (2017) will be on the reverse of the note. Numerals on both the panels will be in ascending size from left to right. The first three alpha-numeric characters (prefix) will remain constant in size.
India-Belgium signs Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement i. India and Belgium have signed an agreement to amending the existing Agreement and Protocol between the two countries for avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income in New Delhi. ii. The agreement was signed in the presence of Sushil Chandra, Chairman CBDT and Jan Luykx, Ambassador of Belgium to India.
10th International Conference on Theory and Practice of Electronic Governance (ICEGOV) i. The 10th edition of the International Conference on Theory and Practice of Electronic Governance (ICEGOV 2017) was held in New Delhi from March 7-9, 2017. The theme is 'Building Knowledge Societies-From Digital Government to Digital Empowerment'. ii. The Objective of ICEGOV 2017 is focused on the use of technology to transform relationships between government and citizens, businesses & civil society. It was inaugurated by the Union Minister of Electronics & IT and Law & Justice Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad.
Odisha govt launched 181 helpline for distressed women i. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has launched 24*7 helpline number 181 to assist women in distress on the occasion of International Women‟s Day (8th March 2017). ii. A woman from any part of the Odisha can dial 181 to get immediate assistance. The helpline will extend prompt response to women affected by violence, provide information about women-related government schemes and programs and a range of other services
Tamil Nadu launches Rs 1,580 crore housing scheme i. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami launched a housing scheme estimated at Rs 1,580 crore.The scheme was implemented by the state government with Central assistance for the economically poor. ii. In the year 2016-17, concrete houses will be constructed for 50,170 beneficiaries in town panchayat limits.
Minimum balance penalty needed to offset Jan Dhan account costs: SBI i. SBI recently announced that penalty for non-maintenance of Minimum Average Balance (MAB) from April 1, 2017 as the government asked SBI to reconsider charges. ii. Arundhati Bhattacharya, SBI chief clarify that the condition of maintaining minimum balance will not be applicable to the Jan Dhan accounts.
Parliament passes bill to raise maternity leave to 26 weeks i. Parliament approved a bill granting women working in the organized sector paid maternity leave of 26 weeks, up from 12 weeks now, a decision which will benefit around 1.8 million women. ii. The law will apply to all establishments employing 10 or more people and the entitlement will be for the first two children. For the third child, the entitlement will be 12 weeks. iii. With this, India becomes the country with the third highest maternity leave. Canada and Norway grant 50 weeks and 44 weeks respectively as paid maternity leave.
INS Tillanchang commissioned to Indian Navy i. The Vice Admiral Girish Luthra has commissioned INS Tillanchang to the Indian Navy in Karwar, Karnataka. INS Tillanchang is a Water Jet Fast Attack Craft (WJFAC) and will add to the firepower of the Indian Navy.
0422 4204182,9884267599 1st Street Gandhipuram Coimbatore Page 21
Unique IAS Academy – Current Affairs March 2017 ii. This announcement has come just one day after INS Viraat was decommissioned which the Indian Navy called an end to a glorious era of over 30 years. It was decommissioned in a grand ceremony at Naval Dockyard, Mumbai.
NTPC commissions 45 MW of Bhadla solar plant i. Indian Public Sector Undertaking company National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC) has commissioned 45 MW solar capacity at Bhadla in Rajasthan. Now the total installed capacity of the project is increased to 160 MW. ii. NTPC intends to become a 130-GW company up to 2032 with a with diversified fuel mix and a 600 billion units company in terms of generation. Last month, NTPC had commissioned 115 MW capacity out of the 260 MW Bhadla solar power project.
Iran successfully tests ballistic missile i. Iran's Revolutionary Guard has successfully tested a ballistic missile named Hormuz 2. ii. Gen Amir Ali Hajizadeh, chief of the Guard's aerospace division stated that the missile destroyed a target from a distance of 250 kilometers (155 miles). iii. The Hormuz 2 is capable of hitting floating targets with high accuracy within a range of 300 kilometers (186 miles). It provided no additional details.
Mohan Bhagwat conferred honorary degree of Doctor of Science i. RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat was conferred the honorary degree of Doctor of Science (DSc) by the Nagpur-based Maharashtra Animal and Fishery Sciences University. ii. He was conferred the degree for his contribution in the field of veterinary sciences and social work.
Konkani writer gets Saraswati Samman i. Eminent Konkani writer Mahabaleshwar Sail has been honored with the Saraswati Samman 2016 for his novel 'Hawthan'. ii. The 74-year-old‟s novel was shortlisted out of 22 books written in as many languages. iii. The award carries a cash prize of Rs 15 lakh and a citation. Mr. Sail is a bilingual writer who has four Marathi dramas and seven Konkani novels to his credit. He has also written five short stories and a novel in Marathi.
Viola Davis Conferred with Harvard‟s Artist of the Year Award 2017 i. The popular actress Viola Davis was awarded the 2017 Artist of the Year Award by Harvard Foundation during its 32nd annual Cultural Rhythms Festival in Memorial Hall‟s Sanders Theatre at Harvard University in Cambridge. ii. She also won her second Tony Award for the 2010 Broadway revival of the play.
11th March, 2017
Goa Election 2017: Francis D'Souza (BJP) wins from Mapusa i. Deputy Chief Minister Francis D'Souza wins from Mapusa constituency by a margin of over 6,000 votes. ii. The total voter turnout was 78.94% and Francis D‟souza was the candidate from BJP who had won followed by Ashish Tulshidas Shirodkar of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
RBI Restricts Cash Loan Against Gold by NBFC to Rs 25,000 i. Non-Banking Finance Companies (NBFCs) cannot lend more than Rs 25,000 in cash against gold according to RBI. ii. The earlier provision for NBFC was that high-value loans against the gold of Rs 1 lakh and above must only be disbursed by cheque. RBI reduced the amount to Rs 25,000 from the earlier Rs 1 lakh in line with the provisions of the Income Tax Act. iii. The decision was taken in the backdrop of government‟s focus on less cash economy and promoting digital payments.
0422 4204182,9884267599 1st Street Gandhipuram Coimbatore Page 22
Unique IAS Academy – Current Affairs March 2017
Himachal launches mobile app 'Mera Hunar HP' for job-seeker i. Virbhadra Singh led Himachal Pradesh government has launched mobile app and website titled „MeraHunar HP‟ or „My Talent‟ to help skilled and semi-skilled workers find jobs. ii. The mobile app will connect prospective employers with job aspirants as the latter‟s resume will contain addresses and contact numbers. iii. This initiative will foster the skill development scheme and be of great help to pass-outs of industrial training institutes also make available real-time employment data of the state.
President of India inaugurates the 12th CII-Exim bank conclave on India Africa Project Partnership i. President Pranab Mukherjee has inaugurated the two-day 12th CII-EXIM Bank Conclave on India-Africa Project Partnership in New Delhi.The first conclave has held in 2005. ii. It was organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in partnership with the EXIM Bank of India with the support of the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India. iii. The Objective is to discuss cooperation in Trade, Regional Integration & Infrastructure Development, Finance & Consultancy, Mining & Minerals, Agriculture & Agro-Processing, Power & Alternative Energy, Healthcare, Small & Medium Enterprises, Human Capital Development and People-to-People Contacts.
Government releases draft rules for wallet companies i. In a bid to make transactions through e-wallets safer and strengthen the grievance redressal mechanism for consumers, a government has released a set of guidelines for wallet firms. ii. The draft Information Technology (Security of Prepaid Payment Instruments) Rules 2017 which have been released for public consultation by the ministry of electronics and IT cover an entire spectrum such as protecting consumer information, especially financial data. The Rules mandate that each Prepaid Payment Instruments (PPI) company or wallet firm will have a privacy policy posted on its website. iii. It will also have to appoint a chief grievance officer, the contact details of whom will have to be prominently displayed on the website. The grievance officer will have to "act upon" any complaint within 36 hours and "close" it in a month's time.
Paytm to levy 2% fee on recharge via credit cards i. Digital wallet player Paytm will now levy a 2% fee for adding money to Paytm wallet using credit cards. ii. This is a result of multiple users using Paytm to get free credit by using credit cards to top up their digital wallets and transferring the money back to their bank accounts at zero transaction cost. iii. The digital payment wallet will, however, provide an equivalent amount of cashback for using credit card to add money to the wallet. The cost of adding money to the wallet through other modes such as net banking and debit cards remains non-chargeable.
IBM Researchers Creates World‟s Smallest Magnet to Store Single Bit Data i. A team of researchers at IBM has created the world‟s smallest magnet using a single atom which can store one bit of data on it.Currently, hard disk drives use about 100,000 atoms to store a single bit. ii. The IBM scientists used a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) to build and measure isolated single-atom bits using the holmium atoms. Then, they used an electrical current to write and read binary data (1s and 0s) on the atom.
Google acquires Kaggle for undisclosed amount to boost data play i. Technology giant Google has announced the acquisition of Kaggle, a start-up that hosts a number of data scientists, for an undisclosed amount at the Cloud Next 2017 conference. ii. Kaggle and Google Cloud will continue to support machine learning training and deployment services while offering the community the ability to store and query large datasets.
Ford Foundation appoints Pradeep Nair as regional director for India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka i. New York-based Ford Foundation has appointed Pradeep Nair as regional director for India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.Nair will take charge at the end of March from David Hulse.
0422 4204182,9884267599 1st Street Gandhipuram Coimbatore Page 23
Unique IAS Academy – Current Affairs March 2017 ii. He will lead the global non-profit grant-making organization‟s operations in New Delhi, serving the three countries.
Paddleboarder makes world-first Atlantic crossing i. A South African man Chris Bertish has become the first person to cross the Atlantic Ocean on a stand-up paddleboard after completing an epic 4,050-mile voyage alone at sea. ii. Chris Bertish pulled into Antigua, in the Leeward islands of the Caribbean after departing from Agadir, Morocco, 93 days ago. Bertish, 42, a big-wave surfer as well as a sailor, who won the renowned Mavericks surf contest in northern California in 2010.
12th March, 2017
B P Kanungo was appointed Deputy Governor in Reserve Bank of India (RBI) i. B P Kanungo was on Friday appointed Deputy Governor in Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for three years. ii. He has been appointed in place of R Gandhi. iii. Kanungo was in March last year appointed as executive director in the central bank.
'Dangal' won the Viewer's Choice Best Film award at Zee Cine Awards 2017 i. 'Dangal' won the Viewer's Choice Best Film award at Zee Cine Awards 2017 on 11th March 2017. ii. Salman Khan won the Best Actor and Anushka Sharma was named the Best Actress for their film 'Sultan' based on votes by viewers. iii. The song 'Channa Mereya' from the film 'Ae Dil Hai Mushkil' was named the Viewer's Choice Song of the Year.
Maritime Admiralty Bill passed by Lok Sabha i. The Lok Sabha on 10 March 2017 passed the Admiralty (Jurisdiction and Settlement of Maritime Claims) Bill,2016. ii. The Bill aims to establish a legal framework to consolidate the existing laws relating to admiralty jurisdiction of courts, admiralty proceedings on maritime claims, arrest of vessels and related issues. It also aims to replace archaic laws which are hindering efficient governance.
Reliance Capital‟s CEO Sam Ghosh to quit after 9 years i. Reliance Capital‟s long serving CEO Sam Ghosh will leave the company on 31 March, after spending nine years at the financial services arm of Anil Ambani-led business conglomerate. ii. Ghosh, a Chartered Accountant from England had joined the company in April 2008 as group chief executive officer of Reliance Capital, while he was elevated to the board in May 2015.
Thai contestant wins transgender beauty pageant i. Thai contestant Jiratchaya Sirimongkolnawin was crowned Miss International Queen 2016 on Friday at a contest billed as the world's largest and most popular transgender pageant. ii. The 25-year-old beat 24 other contestants for the crown, with the second and third place going to contestants from Brazil and Venezuela, respectively. iii. The contest was held at the Tiffany's nightclub in the Thai seaside town of Pattaya.
Exhibition “Revolutionary Patriots (1905-1947)” was Inaugurated
0422 4204182,9884267599 1st Street Gandhipuram Coimbatore Page 24
Unique IAS Academy – Current Affairs March 2017 i. On the occasion of 127th Foundation Day of National Archives of India (NAI), an exhibition entitled “Revolutionary Patriots (1905-1947)” was inaugurated by Shri N.K. Sinha, Secretary, Ministry of Culture in the presence of Shri Raghvendra Singh, Director General of NAI and many dignitaries. ii. Addressing on the occasion, Shri N.K. Sinha praised the initiative of NAI and opined that the Digital Technology can make a lot of difference in collection and preservation of historical treasures in NAI.
India launches second stage of HCFCs phaseout plan i. Environment minister Anil Madhav Dave, on Monday released the second stage of the Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFC) phase-out management plan (HPMP), greenhouse gases that damage the earth‟s ozone layer. ii. It is estimated that with this plan, there would be a net direct CO2-equivalent emission reductions of about 8.5 million metric tonnes annually from 2023. India has already successfully implemented HPMP stage-I.
13-14th March, 2017
No Limit On Cash Withdrawals From Savings Bank Accounts i. All limits on savings bank cash withdrawals post-demonetisation ended on 13 march 2017, as had been announced by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) last month. ii. In a two-stage process, the weekly withdrawal limit per account had been raised to Rs. 50,000, from Rs. 24,000, with effect from February 20,2017, and all limits on ATM withdrawals were slated to cease from March 13, 2017. iii. It kept its key interest rate unchanged at 6.25%, saying it awaited data on the full impact of the government's demonetisation drive.
Jaitley gets additional charge of Defence Ministry i. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley was given the additional charge of the Defence Ministry after Manohar Parrikar resigned to take on the new role of Goa Chief Minister. ii. This is the second time that Jaitley is holding the additional portfolio of Defence Ministry during the present NDA government. iii. He was incharge of the ministry earlier from May 26 to November 9 in 2014.
Manohar Parrikar appointed Goa chief minister i. Defence minister Manohar Parrikar appointed as the Goa chief minister after BJP concluded hectic negotiations with regional parties and independents to stitch up the numbers to form a government. ii. He was made the Defence Minister at the Centre in 2014 and was succeeded by Laxmikant Parsekar as the Chief Minister. iii. He will take oath as the chief minister on 14th March, 2017.
India Bangladesh border guards celebrate Holi together i. Border guards of India and Bangladesh celebrated the festival of Holi together along the international border. ii. India‟s Border Security Force (BSF) and Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) played Holi at Akhaura, an integrated checkpost, and other bordering areas of Tripura and exchanged sweets. iii. BSF and BGB are very close and have celebrated various annual carnivals each year.
Women Safety app „Ammavin Aran‟ launched by AIADMK i. The AIADMK IT Wing has launched the first-of-its-kind women safety application in Tamil Nadu. The app is called 'Ammavin Aran' meaning 'mother's fortress'. ii. The app will give the user details about the nearest police station and hospital along with map details and phone number.
0422 4204182,9884267599 1st Street Gandhipuram Coimbatore Page 25
Unique IAS Academy – Current Affairs March 2017 iii. There is an in-built whistle, which can manipulate the phone speaker to create a loud noise when pressed by anyone in distress.Also the app carries an in-built call recorder and and 'Tips' icon to provide life saving information.
Arunachal Pradesh Launches Adarsh Gram Yojana for Rural Poor i. The Arunachal Pradesh government has launched a new scheme Adarsh Gram Yojana that is in accordance with the basic philosophy of the Prime Minister 'Sabka Saath Sabka Vikaas'. ii. The scheme aims to reach the poor people in rural areas of the state to serve them better. Under the scheme, 123 villages (comprising one village per circle) will be developed as 'Model Villages' during the fiscal year 2017-18.
Karnataka announces Rs10-crore fund for women entrepreneurs i. Karnataka has announced an Idea2POC (Proof of Concept) fund of Rs10 crore for women entrepreneurs. ii. Under this (Idea2POC) scheme, the Karnataka Department of IT, BT and S&T will fund up to Rs50 lakh for any woman innovator looking for funds for Proof of Concept validation, certification, and cover costs in manufacturing of pilot devices. iii. The IT/BT Department, under the Multi-Sector Startup Policy of Karnataka, created the Idea2PoC Fund.
Rs605-crore „KCR Kit‟ scheme for pregnant women, new born i. Focussing on women welfare and new born, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has come out with an innovative scheme – KCR Kit. The scheme is designed to address complications during the time of pregnancy and aimed at reducing infant mortality rate and encourage institutional deliveries. ii. The KCR Kit consists of 16 essential things needed for a new-born and will be useful for up to three months.The government proposes to earmark Rs605 crore for the scheme.
Over 1 lakh SB accounts opened in TN: Airtel Payments Bank i. Airtel Payments Bank, offered by telecom major Bharti Airtel, announced that over one lakh savings accounts were opened in 100 villages across Tamil Nadu. ii. Through the initiative, the villages would have access to banking services along with the option of making digital payments. iii. Till date, over one lakh savings accounts have been opened with Airtel Payments Bank across Tamil Nadu. iv. By launching the service, Airtel Payments Bank will not charge any processing fee from its customers and merchant partners for digital transactions. Payment Banks accept deposits from individuals and small businesses up to a maximum of Rs 1 lakh per account.
HSBC breaks with tradition, names AIA boss Tucker as Chairman i. HSBC Holdings Plc , Europe's biggest bank, tapped an outsider for its top job appointed insurance veteran and AIA Group boss Mark Tucker as chairman to replace Douglas Flint, who plans to step down in 2017.
ICICI Bank, SBI top bank frauds list: RBI i. As per RBI data, ICICI Bank topped the list of banks that witnessed most number of frauds during April to December period of 2016 with state-owned SBI taking the second spot. ii. During the first nine months of the current fiscal, as many as 455 fraud cases, involving 1 lakh rupees and above, were detected in ICICI Bank, closely followed by SBI with 429, Standard Chartered with 244 and HDFC Bank with 237. iii. However, in value terms, frauds involving 2,237 crore rupees were reported in SBI, followed by Punjab National Bank with 2,250 crore rupees and Axis Bank with 1,998 crore rupees.
OnePlus India Ropes Amitabh Bachchan as its New Brand Ambassador i. Chinese smartphone company OnePlus has roped in Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan as its new brand ambassador for India.
0422 4204182,9884267599 1st Street Gandhipuram Coimbatore Page 26
Unique IAS Academy – Current Affairs March 2017
ii. Mr Bachchan is the first major face that OnePlus India is associating with for its latest flagship smartphone, OnePlus 3T. With this, Amitabh Bachchan has now joined the first-ever 'OnePlus Star' which is a select group of distinguished OnePlus users.
Pakistan set to conduct its first census in 19 years i. Pakistan is set to conduct its first national census in 19 years which will begin on Wednesday with the assistance of over 200,000 troops. ii. Army spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor and Minister of State for Information Marriyum Aurangzeb addressed a joint conference about preparation for the sixth census, which will be conducted in two phases and will be completed on May 25, 2017. iii.Islamabad last conducted a census in 1998, which recorded a national population of approximately 180 million at that time.
Hyundai Signs 3 Bn Euro Deal For Iran Oil Project i. Korea‟s Hyundai Engineering Co has signed a deal worth 3 billion euros (USD 3.2 billion) with an Iranian investment fund to invest in a major Iranian oil project. ii. This agreement covers construction of the second phase of the Kangan Petro Refining Complex in southwest Bushehr province of Iran in which Hyundai Engineering plans to invest 3.1 billion euros which is 95% of the overall project cost.
Intel to buy Mobileye for $ 15.3 billion i. U.S. chip giant Intel has agreed to buy Israeli driverless technology firm Mobileye for $15.3 billion, the largest ever acquisition of an Israeli high-tech company. ii. The $63.54 per share cash deal is the world's biggest purchase of a company solely focused on the autonomous driving sector. iii. Mobileye accounts for 70 percent of the global market for advanced driver-assistance and anti-collision systems.
Sena's Vishwanath Mahadeshwar elected as Mumbai Mayor i. Shiv Sena's Vishwanath Mahadeshwar elected as the Mayor of Mumbai with the support of the BJP, marking a coming together of the two parties after contesting the civic polls separately. ii. Mahadeshwar defeated Congress nominee Vitthal Lokare by 171-31 margin. He is the 76th mayor of the city.
KPMG elects Bill Thomas as Global Chairman i. William B Thomas has been elected Chairman of KPMG International. He will lead the KPMG global network of professional services firms for a 4-year term, effective October 1, 2017, succeeding John B Veihmeyer who is completing his term as Chairman and retiring from the firm, at the end of September 2017.
ICC appoint Sachin Tendulkar as official ambassador of women's World Cup 2017 i. Indian cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar was announced as the official ambassador of Women's Cricket World Cup 2017 by the International Cricket Council (ICC) yesterday, on the occasion of International Women's Day. ii. The women‟s World Cup this year starts on June 24, 2017 at England and Wales with eight top cricketing countries locking horns to grab the coveted trophy. iii. The 21-day tournament having 28 matches will be played at five different venues with the final at Lord's Cricket Ground,London.
UK parliament gives final approval for Brexit bill i. In UK, the House of Lords has passed the Brexit bill, paving the way for the government to trigger Article 50 so the UK can leave the EU. ii. The Prime Minister could theoretically invoke Article 50, which formally starts the Brexit process.
0422 4204182,9884267599 1st Street Gandhipuram Coimbatore Page 27
Unique IAS Academy – Current Affairs March 2017 iii.The EU Withdrawal Bill was passed unamended after peers voted by 274 votes to 118 not to challenge the Commons again over the issue of whether Parliament should have a veto on the terms of exit.
CAS upholds lifetime ban on Sergei Portugalov i. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) upheld a lifetime ban levied against Sergei Portugalov, former chief of the Russian Athletics Federation's Medical Commission for his role in providing illicit substances to Russian athletes. ii. The CAS stated that Portugalov had been found to have violated several articles of the IAAF anti-doping regulations, including the possession, trafficking and administration of prohibited substances.
Former Puducherry Agriculture Minister M Chandrakasu passes away The former Puducherry Agriculture Minister M. Chandrakasu passed away after a prolonged illness. He was 67 .
Chawrasia clinches second successive Indian Open title in Golf i. SSP Chawrasia has become only the second Indian golfer to successfully defend the Hero Indian Open title.He clinched a seven-stroke win at the redesigned DLF golf and country club in Gurgaon. ii. This was his sixth win on the Asian Tour and overall sixth international victory. Chawrasia pocketed a winner's cheque of 291,660 US Dollars. iii. He is the third player to win back-to-back Indian Open. The other two golfers who did so earlier are Jyoti Randhawa who won in 2006 and 2007 and Japan's Kenji Hosoishi who won in 1967 and 1968.
All England Open badminton: Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia lifts Men's Singles crown i. Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia has lifted the Men's Singles crown at the All England Open badminton championships.In the final in Birmingham, the 34-year-old world number one defeated Shi Yuqi of China in straight games 21-12, 21-10. ii. For the Malaysian, it is his fifth Singles Title in seven finals in the prestigeous championships.
15th March, 2017
Govt introduces bill on inter-state river water row in Lok Sabha i. The Inter-State River Water Disputes (Amendment) Bill, 2017 has been introduced in the Lok Sabha which proposes to streamline the adjudication of river water disputes and make the present legal and institutional architecture robust. ii. Minister of Water Resources and River Development Uma Bharti introduced the Bill in the house. iii. The tribunal will consist of one Chairperson, one Vice-Chairperson and not more than six other members. The total time period for adjudication of dispute has been fixed at maximum of four and half years.
Footwear Design And Development Institute Bill, 2017 Introduced In The Lok Sabha i. The Commerce & Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman introduced the Footwear Design and Development Institute (FDDI) Bill, 2017 in the Lok Sabha in order to declare the FDDI as an Institution of National Importance (INI). ii. To enable FDDI emerge as Centre of Excellence to meet with the international standards and address the shortage of trained human resource in the sector. iii. The FDDI was established by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India in the year 1986. It has pan-India presence with campuses at Noida, Kolkata, Chennai, Fursatganj (UP), Rohtak (Haryana), Chhindwara (M.P) and Jodhpur (Rajasthan).
World Consumer Rights Day being observed: 15 March i. World Consumer Rights Day is being observed today (15 March 2017) which is an awareness day and theme for this year is 'Building a Digital World Consumers can Trust‟. Several functions are being organized across the country to mark the occasion.
Union Government launches Rs.52000 lakh Mission Fingerling
0422 4204182,9884267599 1st Street Gandhipuram Coimbatore Page 28
Unique IAS Academy – Current Affairs March 2017 i. The Union government has launched Mission Fingerling to achieve Blue Revolution with the holistic development and management of fisheries in the country. ii. The Blue Revolution programme focuses on creating an environment that envisages integrated and holistic development and management of fisheries for the socio-economic development of the fishers and fish farmers. iii. The main motive behind this programme is to enhance the fisheries production from 10.79 mmt (2014-15) to 15 mmt by 2020-21.
Biren Singh to be Sworn in Next CM of Manipur i. The incumbent Chief Minister of Manipur Okram Ibobi Singh resigned from the post giving way for formation of a new ministry under the BJP. ii. This is the first time the BJP has come to power in the north-eastern state. The Congress leader Okram Ibobi announced to resign after BJP named Nongthombam Biren Singh as the party‟s leader to form the government with the majority win. iii. The BJP‟s N. Biren Singh will take oath as Manipur‟s next chief minister on 15th March 2017 along with his council of ministers in the presence of BJP president Amit Shah and Union Minister Jitendra Singh.
Digital push: Gujarat to provide e-marketplace for businesses i. The Gujarat government has entered into an agreement with a global cloud-based solutions provider cloudBuy.com to develop a B2B marketplace for small and large business units in the state. ii. The e-marketplace will be used to promote businesses in the state on one single platform, where members can trade with each other and across India and globally. The project has been developed as part of the Centre‟s „Digital India‟ and „Make in India‟ initiatives.
SBI announces Rs 6,000-cr tractor loan settlement scheme i. State Bank of India has announced a one-time farm loan settlement scheme worth 6,000 crore rupees primarily for tractors. SBI in a tweet stated that One Time Settlement is announced for Agriculture Loans and the Scheme is valid until 31st March 2017. ii. Managing Director of the bank Rajnish Kumar stated that loans disbursed before 2011 and falling under doubtful or loss category accounts as of September 2016, will be considered under the scheme. iii. The MD also said other agri-loans like kisan credit cards and other term-loans for tractors and farm loans may also be covered under the scheme. SBI's total farm loan portfolio is 1.25 Lakh Crore rupees and tractor loan book is about 6,000 crore rupees.
Wholesale Inflation rises to 6.55% in February 2017 i. Wholesale inflation shot up to a 39-month high of 6.55% in February 2017, on account of costlier food and fuel items. Wholesale price based inflation had stood at 5.25% in January 2017, and 3.68% in December 2016. ii. According to official data, food inflation jumped to 2.69% in February 2017, from minus 0.56% in January 2017. Inflation in the fuel basket spurted to 21.02% in February 2017, from 18.14% in January 2017.
Retail inflation rises to 4-month high of 3.65% i. Retail inflation rose to a 4-month high of 3.65% in February 2017, mainly due to an increase in the prices of food items.Inflation measured in terms of the Consumer Price Index had stood at 3.17% in January 2017. ii. Retail inflation was 5.26% in February 2016. According to data released by the Central Statistics Office, retail inflation in food items rose to 2.01% in February 2017, from 0.61% in January 2017. But prices of vegetables declined by 8.29% and of pulses by 9.02%.
World Bank loan for MP solar plant i. The World Bank has agreed to provide a loan to develop internal transmission arrangements of the upcoming Rewa Ultra Mega Solar project in Madhya Pradesh.
0422 4204182,9884267599 1st Street Gandhipuram Coimbatore Page 29
Unique IAS Academy – Current Affairs March 2017 ii. It will provide 25% of the loan amount under its Clean Technology Fund, where the money will be provided at an interest rate of only 0.25%. This would be the first solar power project in the country to receive a loan under Clean Technology Fund (CTF).
BoB approves bond issue i. The Capital Raising Committee of Bank of Baroda‟s board approved raising of funds through the issuance of Basel III compliant Additional Tier-I bonds (perpetual debt instrument) amounting to Rs 500 crore with green shoe option of Rs 500 crore. ii. In a stock exchange notification, the bank stated the issuance will be on private placement basis depending on market conditions.
Official language policy award i. Central Bank of India has been awarded first prize in the implementation of Official Language Policy in the western region for the year 2015-2016. ii. Sudhir Pathak, Chief Manager of Central Bank of India received the trophy and certificate from Kalyan Singh, Governor of Rajasthan at the Official Language Conference of Central and Western Regions in Udaipur recently.
IndusInd Bank to acquire IL & FS Securities Services i. IndusInd Bank has entered into an agreement with Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services Ltd (IL& FS) to acquire 100% stake in IL& FS Securities Services Ltd (ISSL). ii. The private sector bank, however, did not disclose the cost of acquisition or the price at which ISSL shares were acquired. iii. ISSL, which was incorporated in 2007 as a subsidiary of IL& FS, is a capital market intermediary for professional clearing, depository and custodial Services.
Reliance Comunications gets SEBI approval for merger with Aircel i. Reliance Communications has received approvals from markets regulator SEBI and the stock exchanges for proposed demerger of its wireless business into Aircel Ltd. ii. Reliance Communications has received approval of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), BSE and NSE for the proposed scheme of arrangement for demerger of the wireless division of the company into Aircel Ltd and Dishnet Wireless Ltd.
Government Establishes Banana Research Centre in Bihar i. The Union Agriculture and Farmer‟s Welfare Minister Shri Radha Mohan Singh laid the foundation stone of the Banana Research Centre at Vaishali, Bihar Centre to fulfill the aspirations of the local banana growers. ii. The new center will work to find reasons behind less production in banana, enhancement in acreage for cultivation, suitable utilization of the various parts of the plants, different products, marketing and value addition.
Pawan Goenka gets 2nd term as IIT-Madras Board Chairman i. Pawan Goenka Managing Director of Mahindra and Mahindra has been granted second-term as Chairman of the Board of Governors (BoG) of IIT-Madras. ii. The President of India, in his capacity as visitor of IIT-Madras, approved the nomination of Goenka, for three years with effect from June 9, 2017. iii. He had been serving as Chairman, BoG of IIT-Madras, since 9th June 2014 when he was first nominated to the position for a three-year period.
Vienna World‟s Best City in Quality of Life, Hyderabad Best Indian City: Mercer i. According to the Mercer‟s 19th annual Quality of Living survey released Vienna, the capital of Austria has topped the list of cities offering the highest quality of life for the eighth year in a row.
0422 4204182,9884267599 1st Street Gandhipuram Coimbatore Page 30
Unique IAS Academy – Current Affairs March 2017 ii. In India, Hyderabad emerged as the best city in terms of living standards among Indian cities for the third year in a row. iii. Baghdad was ranked the worst place at 230 to live due to continuous violence in the city.
Now, book an Uber when flying Jet Airways i. Full-service airline Jet Airways has announced a partnership with ride-hailing app Uber to book airport cabs through the Jet Airways app itself. ii. The airline will partner Uber and facilitate travel from the airport once a passenger has booked a ticket on the Jet Airways app. iii. Guests booking their flights on the app and using Uber for the first time will also benefit from a discount of Rs. 150 across their first three rides by using the promo code JETUBER. Commonwealth Day i. Commonwealth Day has celebrated annually across the Commonwealth of Nations on 13th March 2017. ii. The objective is to come together and celebrate its values and diversity. Theme is 'A peace-building Commonwealth'. It is marked by a multi-faith service in Westminster Abbey, normally attended by Queen Elizabeth II as Head of the Commonwealth along with the Commonwealth Secretary-General and Commonwealth High Commissioners in London.
Shashank Manohar resigns from ICC chairman‟s post i. In a surprise development, Shashank Manohar has resigned as International Cricket Council (ICC) chairman after merely eight months in office, citing personal reasons. ii. He became the first independent chairman of ICC but had several run-ins with the BCCI on revenue sharing pattern.
Filmmaker and Children‟s Author Amy Krouse Rosenthal Dies Popular American author, filmmaker and public speaker, Amy Krouse Rosenthal died due to ovarian cancer. She was 51.
16th March, 2017
Captain Amarinder Singh to be sworn-in as CM of Punjab i. Captain Amarinder Singh, who led the Congress to victory in Punjab after a decade, will be sworn-in as the Chief Minister for the second time. ii. Congress had won 77 of the 117 state Assembly seats in the recently held polls. The Aam Aadmi Party emerged as the largest opposition party with 20 seats. The Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP alliance finished third with 18 seats.
Govt approves National Health Policy i. The government has approved the National Health Policy which proposes to provide assured health services to all in the country. ii. The policy was approved at the meeting of Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. The policy increases the gambit of sectors covered in the Primary Health Centre (PHC) level and envisages a comprehensive approach.
Cabinet approves setting up of 50 Kendriya Vidyalayas i. Fifty new Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVs) will be established across the country to provide quality education to around 50,000 students with the Cabinet giving a go ahead to the project. ii. The schools, which will be set up under the civil sector for classes 1 to 5. iii. By providing a common syllabus and system of education, the KVs are intended to ensure that the children of government employees do not face education disadvantages while their parents are transferred from one location to another.
Namami Gange: 20 projects approved for swift implementation
0422 4204182,9884267599 1st Street Gandhipuram Coimbatore Page 31
Unique IAS Academy – Current Affairs March 2017 i. 20 projects worth Rs 1,900 Crore have been approved for swift implementation of Namami Gange Programme in Uttarakhand, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Delhi. The Executive Committee (EC) of National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) approved these projects. ii. Out of 20 projects which were given EC approval, 13 are in Uttarakhand that includes creating new sewage treatment plants, upgrading existing STPs and laying of sewage networks in Haridwar at an estimated cost of approximately Rs 415 crore. iii. This plan is aimed at treating sewage water generated by not only city's 1.5 lakh local dwellers, but also by people who visit the holy place for various purposes.
Cabinet clears special assistance for EAPs in Andhra Pradesh i. The Cabinet has approved financial assistance for bifurcated Andhra Pradesh by way of special dispensation in funding of Externally Aided Projects (EAPs) and also the irrigation component of Polavaram project. ii. The special assistance will be provided to the state towards repayment of loan and interest for EAPs signed and disbursed from 2015-16 to 2019-20.The Centre will also fund 100% of the irrigation component of the Polavaram project starting from 1st of April, 2014.
Govt launches new scheme for developing export linked infrastructure i. The government has launched a new scheme Trade Infrastructure for Export Scheme (TIES) for developing export linked infrastructure in states with a view to promote outbound shipments. ii. Launched by Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, TIES seeks to bridge the infrastructure gap and provide forward and backward linkages to units engaged in trade activities. iii. The TIES would focus on projects like customs checkpoints, last mile connectivity, border haats and integrated check posts. iv. The scheme, to be implemented from April 1, would have a budgetary allocation of Rs 600 crore for three years with an annual outlay of Rs 200 crore. It will be implemented from 2017-18 till 2019-20.
UCO Bank, Future Generali tie up i. Private insurer Future Generali India Insurance Company (FGII) has entered into a corporate agency tie-up for its products with public lender UCO Bank. ii. The PSU lender will provide a window at its bank branches for marketing FGII‟s offerings. Apart from UCO, the company has tie-ups with over 100 banks across the country.
HDFC Bank to offer online loans against securities i. HDFC Bank launched an instant digital Loan Against Securities (LAS) facility in collaboration with the National Securities Depository Ltd.(NSDL). ii. The bank stated that customers can avail themselves of overdraft facility against shares in three steps: (a) Select the shares to be pledged on net banking (b) Accept agreement through one-time password (OTP) (c) Pledge the shares with NSDL online through OTP. iii. Demat customers can calculate their eligibility for overdraft limit against shares, and open a current account instantly.
State Bank of India signs MoU with CREDAI i. State Bank of India and real estate developers‟ body Confederation of Real Estate Developers' Associations of India (CREDAI) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to jointly conduct various initiatives towards development of the realty sector. ii. The MoU will be in force for a period of 3 years. iii. CREDAI is the largest real estate association in the country with over 11,500 members.
McNally Bharat bags Rs. 415-cr solar power project in AP
0422 4204182,9884267599 1st Street Gandhipuram Coimbatore Page 32
Unique IAS Academy – Current Affairs March 2017 i. McNally Bharat Engineering Company Ltd has bagged a Rs. 415.29-crore order from Andhra Pradesh Power Generation Corporation Ltd. ii. The project entails design, engineering, manufacturing, supply, commissioning and operation and maintenance of 500-MW grid connected solar photovoltaic power project including civil works in Andhra Pradesh.
BHEL's first 800-MW supercritical plant becomes operational i. Power equipment maker BHEL has commenced commercial operations of its first 800-MW unit, a supercritical thermal plant in Karnataka. ii. Karnataka Power Corporation Ltd (KPCL) and BHEL are the main equity partners of RPCL, the owner and operator of this power plant. The milestone was achieved for the first unit of the 2x800-MW Yeramarus thermal power station of Raichur Power Corporation Ltd (RPCL), in Raichur district of Karnataka.
International Vision Zero Conference Begins In New Delhi i. The International Conference on the Vision Zero and its relevance to Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) began at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi. ii. The aim is to focus on the Occupational Safety and Health issues and challenges in the Manufacturing, Construction and Mining sector and provide a forum for promoting safety and health at work by exchanging knowledge, practices, and experience. iii. The conference was inaugurated by the Minister of State (Independent) for Labour and Employment, Shri Bandaru Dattatreya. Chennai Port Trust signs MoU with the Government of Puducherry i. Chennai Port Trust and the Government of Puducherry has signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for handling EXIM cargo originating from Puducherry Port hinterland in New Delhi. ii. The aim is to promote industrial growth in the region, generate substantial employment and attract investment by major industries. Around 5 Lakh to 10 Lakh tonnes of cargo is expected to be handled between this two ports.
India's contribution to UN increases to Rs 244 crore i. India's contribution to the United Nations rose 55% to Rs 244 crore in 2015-16 compared with the previous fiscal. ii. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj informed the Lok Sabha that the government had also made voluntary contributions to the tune of Rs 22 crore to international organizations, including UN agencies, in the last financial year. iii. The country contributed Rs 244 crore to the UN last fiscal compared with Rs 157 crore in 2014-15.
Annual Krishi Unnati Mela Begins in New Delhi i. The three-day annual Krishi Unnati Mela was inaugurated by Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh at the Indian Agriculture Research Institute in Pusa, New Delhi. ii. To provide information on new farm schemes and technologies and another welfare scheme that will help to double the farmer‟s incomes by 2022. iii. As a part of the event, the Minister also gave away Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay Rashtriya Krishi Vigyan Protsahan Puraskar 2016 to recognize the contribution of Krishi Vigyan.
Justice Sharma sworn in as Upalokayukta of Assam i. Justice Chittaranjan Sharma sworn in as Assam's Upalokayukta by Governor Banwarilal Purohit. ii. He was administered the oath of office by the governor at a simple ceremony in the Raj Bhawan. Justice Sharma was a former Judge of the Gauhati High Court.
Tata Steel, Wipro in world's most ethical companies' list i. Two Indian companies namely Tata Steel Limited and Wipro Limited have been named in the list of World‟s Most Ethical Companies 2017 by American think tank Ethisphere Institute. ii. Wipro is one among the two Information technology category firm named in the list. The other firm in that category is US based Xerox Corporation.
0422 4204182,9884267599 1st Street Gandhipuram Coimbatore Page 33
Unique IAS Academy – Current Affairs March 2017 iii. Besides, Tata Steel is also one of the two companies named in the metals, minerals and mining category. US-based Schnitzer Steel Industries Inc is the other company in this segment. iv. World‟s Most Ethical Companies 2017 list consists of 124 firms. US based Ford Motor Company has been named one of the World‟s Most Ethical Companies for the 8th straight year.
Babul Supriyo named vice-president of FIFA U-17 World Cup i. Union Minister of State for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, Babul Supriyo has been named as Vice President of the 2017 U-17 FIFA World Cup organizing committee stated by Praful Patel, president of All India Football Federation (AIFF). ii. For the first time, India to host FIFA U-17 World from October 6 to 28, 2017. Host cities are Mumbai, New Delhi, Kolkata, Kochi, Margao and Guwahati.
Joanna Rowsell Shand Announces Retirement i. Two times Olympic gold medallist Joanna Rowsell Shand announced her retirement from international cycling. ii. The 28-year-old track cyclist won gold in the women‟s team pursuit at London Olympics 2012 and Rio Olympics 2016.
17th March, 2017
Cabinet Approvals The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi in its meeting has approved several MoUs. Some important cabinet approvals are as follows: 1. National Health Policy, 2017 approved by Cabinet Focus on Preventive and Promotive Health Care and Universal access to good quality health care services. 2. MoUs for cooperation in Youth and Sports Matters with Indonesia and the Kyrgyz Republic. 3. MoU between India and Bangladesh on Aids to Navigation (AtoNs).
India joins WHO call to end TB by 2030 in South East Asian i. India with World Health Organization (WHO) signed a 'call for action' and pledged to scale up measures to end the Tuberculosis by 2030. ii. India among other countries in the South East Asian Region, which bear half of the global tuberculosis burden. India reports 2.8 million new TB cases annually and nearly half a million deaths due to the disease. iii. Six of the region's countries Bangladesh, Democratic People's Republic (DPR) Korea, India, Indonesia, Myanmar and Thailand are among the 30 high TB burden nations globally.
IISc, Bengaluru Placed Among Top 50 in THE‟s Asia Universities Ranking i. The Times Higher Education (THE) released its Asia University Rankings 2017. The top rank in the Asia University Rankings was attained by the National University of Singapore (NUS) for the second consecutive year. ii. According to the 2017 ranking, Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bengaluru has been ranked best Indian University and has been placed at 27th position among the universities in Asia. iii. Besides, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay was another Indian university among top 50 placed at 42 position.
Bandhan Bank, Avenues India tie up i. Bandhan Bank, has signed an agreement with Avenues India Pvt Ltd, a payment solution provider to provide merchants with seamless access to point-of-sales (POS) and payment gateway products. ii. Merchants are expected to have a faster and more direct access to POS machines, payment gateways, and competitive financing options.
BSE ties up with Sentifi for algo analysis, updates
0422 4204182,9884267599 1st Street Gandhipuram Coimbatore Page 34
Unique IAS Academy – Current Affairs March 2017 i. The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) has tied up with Sentifi, a Swiss company and leader in algorithmic-based analysis, for social media updates of 40,000 globally listed stocks. ii. Sentifi analyses in real time the public online communication of more than 60 lakh persons and organizations relevant to the financial markets. Under the partnership, Sentifi would track, analyze and report social media messages on various stocks which would be provided on the BSE website.
SEBI allows celebrity endorsements in MFs i. Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) allowed celebrities to endorse Mutual Fund products at the industry level and issued new advertising code that will require fund houses to communicate in a simple manner with the public. ii. SEBI stated that it has permitted celebrity endorsements at the industry level for the purpose of increasing awareness of mutual funds as a financial product category.
Dilip Shanghvi appointed as member of RBI's western board i. Sun Pharmaceuticals Managing Director Dilip Shanghvi has been appointed by the central government as a member of the western area local board of Reserve Bank of India. ii. The appointment is for four years with effect from March 11, 2017, as per the central bank.
Jwala Gutta appointed SAI governing body member i. India's most successful Badminton Doubles specialist Jwala Gutta has been appointed a member of the governing body of Sports Authority of India (SAI). ii. The 14-time national champion and two-time Olympian Jwala won the bronze medal at the 2011 World Championships. She is also a 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games champion and a silver medallist at the 2014 Glasgow Games in women's doubles.
Indian-American Teen Indrani Das Wins 2017 Regeneron Science Talent Search i. An Indian-American high school student, Indrani Das, 17, of New Jersey, has won the 2017 Regeneron Science Talent Search bagging the top award of 250,000 dollars. ii. Indrani, a student at the Academy for Medical Science Technology in Hackensack, won the prestigious high school science and mathematics competition for her new approach to neurological damage.
ONGC to invest Rs 21,500-crore in India's deepest gas find i. State-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) will invest over Rs 21,500 crore to develop India's deepest gas discovery by 2022-23, helping it more than double output from its prime KG basin block. ii. ONGC, which had last year firmed up an investment of Rs 34,012 crore in bringing to production 10 oil and gas discoveries in its Bay of Bengal block KG-DWN-98/2 (KG-D5), plans to invest another Rs 21,528 crore in developing the ultra-deepsea UD-1 find.
Aeries Financial Tech, Rubique form tie-up i. CASHe, a fin-tech product promoted by Aeries Financial Technologies, has entered into a strategic partnership with online marketplace for financial products Rubique. ii. Under the partnership, Rubique will enlist CASHe on its online platform for borrowers to avail viable short-term loan products from CASHe. iii.CASHe disburses multiple loan products ranging from Rs. 5,000-1 lakh payable over 15, 30 and 90 days.
Changi voted World's Best Airport for 5th consecutive year i. Singapore's Changi Airport has been voted the World's Best Airport by air travellers at the 2017 World Airport Awards for the fifth consecutive year. ii. The 2017 World Airport Awards are based on 13.82 million customer nominations across 105 nationalities of air travellers, with 550 airports worldwide taking part.
0422 4204182,9884267599 1st Street Gandhipuram Coimbatore Page 35
Unique IAS Academy – Current Affairs March 2017
China, Saudi Arabia ink deals worth about $65 billion i. China and Saudi Arabia have signed preliminary deals that is about $65 billion while four-day visit by Saudi King Salman to China. ii. China‟s Deputy Foreign Minister Zhang Ming stated that President Xi Jinping and King Salman inked a total 14 cooperation agreements, including a memorandum of understanding on 35 projects for production capacity and investment cooperation.
NEXTracker partners with to APL Apollo Tubes to expand domestic manufacturing i. Global solar tracker manufacturer, NEXTracker has partnered with APL Apollo Tubes for manufacturing a bulk of its products in India. ii. NEXTracker will be increasing its local steel content percentage to over 80% by volume and weight of its final product. NEXTracker also assess that the association with new Indian steel manufacturer reduces shipment time by up to 50%.
SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket Launches EchoStar 23 Satellite i. SpaceX‟s Falcon 9 rocket conducted its third flight of the year to launch a commercial communications satellite in the geosynchronous transfer orbit. ii. The launch took off from NASA‟s Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida and carried the EchoStar 23 communications satellite into orbit. iii. Having a mass of around 5,500 kilograms (12,000 lb), EchoStar XXIII was the heaviest geosynchronous payload yet launched by the Falcon 9 and will operate at 45 degrees west in geostationary orbit.
Pakistan successfully test-fires surface-to-sea missile i. Pakistan Navy conducted a successful test of a land-based anti-ship missile, bolstering the operational reach of the country‟s navy to launch long-range, anti-ship missiles from land. ii. The trial of the missile was conducted from the coastal region and the missile secured a hit on a target placed at sea. The missile is equipped with advanced technology and avionics, which enable engagement of targets at sea with a high degree of accuracy.
18th March, 2017
RBI to print Rs 10 plastic notes i. RBI has been authorized by Government of India (GOI) to conduct field trials of plastic notes of Rs 10 in five cities across the country viz Kochi, Mysore, Jaipur, Shimla and Bhubaneswar. ii. The main purpose of introducing plastic note is to extend the life cycle of banknotes. Moreover, Plastic notes are cleaner, lasts longer and are difficult to counterfeit.
Trivendra Rawat elected as Uttarakhand CM i. Trivendra Singh Rawat, a former Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Pracharak elected as Uttarakhand's 9th Chief Minister after replacing of Harish Rawat. ii. He is currently the convener of the Modi government‟s flagship program for Ganga cleanup, the „Namami Gange‟ program and also the party in charge in Jharkhand.
India, Russia sign long-term support pact on Sukhoi Su-30MKI i. India and Russia have signed two long-term support agreements for the Sukhoi Su-30MKI combat aircraft fleet, of the Indian Air Force (IAF). ii. Bangalore-headquartered Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) with United Aircraft Corporation and United Engine Corporation also signed an agreement for maintenance of other Russian-origin platforms.
Essar group: India‟s first private sector township to go cashless
0422 4204182,9884267599 1st Street Gandhipuram Coimbatore Page 36
Unique IAS Academy – Current Affairs March 2017 i. The Essar group‟s township at Hazira in Surat district of Gujarat has become India‟s first private sector township to go cashless. ii. This will prove to be an important step towards making India a cashless economy. iii. TMW is a Mumbai-based financial technology company whose wallet is powered by Mumbai-headquartered RBL Bank Ltd.
GST Council Approves SGST & UTGST Draft Bills i. The Goods and Service Tax (GST) council headed by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley cleared the remaining State GST (SGST) and Union Territory GST (UTGST) draft bills during its 12 Council meeting. ii. Now with this Council has approved all five draft bills for GST which is likely to be rollout by July 1, 2017. iii. The UTGST draft law is for the Union Territories like Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli, which do not have legislative assemblies.
Indian railways signs agreement with Australian research center i. To support future research and technology development, related to critical infrastructure in India, a railway research center in Australia has entered into an agreement with the Indian Railways. ii. Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India (DFCCIL), a Special Purpose Vehicle set up under the administrative control of Ministry of Railways, has signed an agreement with representatives from Monash University's Institute of Railway Technology (IRT), Australia in New Delhi. iii. Establishment of a new applied research and development institute in India, SRESTHA (Special Railway Establishment for Strategic Technology & Holistic Advancement) will be guided by them.
Sanjauli police post becomes first in India to be linked with CCTNS i. Sanjauli police station of Sanjauli the main suburb of the city of Shimla, Himachal Pradesh has become the first police post in the country to be linked with Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS), a nationwide online tracking system. Chief minister Virbhadra Singh inaugurated the system. ii. The system will facilitate people in lodging online/offline complaints, police verification of job applicants, tenants, character verification and migrant labourer registration.
Kerala gets first private bank: ESAF Small Finance Bank i. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan launched ESAF (Evangelical Social Action Forum) Small Finance Bank, Kerala‟s first private sector bank since the country‟s Independence, in Thrissur, Kerala. ii. R Prabha, former Chairman, Kerala Grameen Bank, is the Chairman of ESAF Small Finance Bank. The Bank will launch a new social deposit scheme „Hridaya Deposits‟ for HNI and NRI customers.
World Bank approves funding for India's ambitious National Hydrology Project i. The World Bank has approved a $175 million loan to India for the National Hydrology Project to improve India‟s ability to forecast floods and reduce the recurring chances of floods and droughts. ii. The loan would be disbursed by the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD). The loan has a six-year grace period in which no interest payments will be due and will mature in 23 years.
Social Security Agreement between India and Brazil i. India and Brazil initialed the text of the Social Security Agreement (SSA) in Brazil. ii. The SSA between India and Brazil once in force by early 2018 will be the first such agreement between the BRICS countries.
Mallikarjun Kharge becomes next PAC Chairman i. Former Minister of Inidan Railways Mallikarjun Kharge has been nominated for the post of chairman of the Public‟s Account Committee (PAC) of Parliament. ii. Kharge will take charge from K.V. Thomas on May 1, 2017.
0422 4204182,9884267599 1st Street Gandhipuram Coimbatore Page 37
Unique IAS Academy – Current Affairs March 2017
India ranks 148 in 2017 UN Women in Politics Map i. The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and UN Women launched the „Women in Politics 2017 Map‟ in New York. ii. The Women in Politics 2017 Map is the visual representation of women‟s political empowerment in executive government and parliament as on January 1, 2017. iii. As per the Map, India ranked 148 out of 193 UN member nations in representing women in the executive government. The theme for 2017 is 'Women‟s Economic Empowerment In The Changing World Of Work'. iv. Top 5 countries with highest women in parliament: Rwanda, Bolivia, Cuba, Iceland and Nicaragua.
Michael Clarke‟s launches his autobiography „My Story‟ i. Former Australia captain Michael Clarke has launched his autobiography named „My Story‟ in Kolkata. ii. This book was triggered by how he was affected by Phil Hughes‟ death when India was touring Australia in 2014- 15.
19th March, 2017
Uttar Pradesh now have two Deputy CM i. Yogi Adityanath, the 32nd Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh now have two deputies Keshav Prasad Maurya and Dinesh Sharma. ii.Other states who have had two Deputy CM are Meghalaya, Telangana and Jharkhand.
First fully India-made train flagged off at Dadar station i.Medha, the made-in-India rake was flagged off for the maiden run of the 12-coach train from Dadar to Borivali, at Lokmanya Tilak Terminus. ii.Medha has been manufactured by the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai, which has installed LED lighting to reduce energy consumption.
Amitabh Bachchan launches world's first app for breast health i.Mumbai-based Ushalakshmi Breast Cancer Foundation has released an app to provide information under one roof. ii.Launched by Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan, the app – „ABC of Breast Health‟ – will provide information in 12 languages.
Punjab to provide 33 percent reservation for women in govt jobs i.Punjab cabinet has decided to provide 33 per cent reservation for women in all government jobs. ii.The cabinet also decided to increase representation of women in the Panchayati Raj Institutions and Urban Local Bodies from the present 33 per cent to 50 per cent.
March 16: Indian-American Appreciation Day recognised by Kansas i.The U.S. state of Kansas has recognised March 16 as „Indian-American Appreciation Day‟ to honour an Indian techie Srinivas Kuchibhotla who was killed last month in a racially-motivated hate crime.
20th March, 2017
Finance Minister finalized capital infusion for 10 PSU banks
0422 4204182,9884267599 1st Street Gandhipuram Coimbatore Page 38
Unique IAS Academy – Current Affairs March 2017 i. Coming in support of weak and non-performing Public Sector Banks (PSBs), the Finance Ministry has chalked out a turnaround-linked Rs 8,586-crore capital infusion plan for 10 PSBs. ii. The Top five capital gaining banks are IDBI Bank (Rs 1,900 crore), Bank of India (Rs 1,500 crore), UCO Bank ( Rs 1,150 crore), Andhra Bank and Indian Overseas Bank with Rs (1,100 crore) each.
3 Day International Buddhist Conference in Bihar i. The three days 'International Buddhist Conference' organized by Ministry of Culture and Nava Nalanda Mahavira Deemed University in Rajgir, Bihar. ii. The two highlights of the inaugural session- first, the release of the reprint of the Pali Tripitaka in Devanagari script by the Dalai lama and second highlight was the announcement of the opening of the department of the Buddhist science for the first time in Asia.
Harsh Vardhan to inaugurate 5th foundation day function of BIRAC i. Union Science and Technology Minister Harsh Vardhan will inaugurate the 5th foundation day function of the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) in New Delhi. ii. The discussion will focus on the impact the Biotech Ecosystem is making on the Indian economy and the opportunities which exist for the Indian Biotech Sector as a global player.
Amazon India brings out „A-Z GST Guide‟ program i. E-commerce major Amazon India has come out with a new program for sellers to get insights and help related to the goods and services tax (GST), called the „A-Z GST Guide‟. ii. The programme in its pilot phase has already trained over 5,000 sellers on the Amazon platform. The portal provides resources in the form of tutorials, blogs, and free online training sessions.
Idea Cellular board approves merger with Vodafone India i. The boards of Aditya Birla Group and Vodafone Group have approved a merger between Idea Cellular and Vodafone India Ltd. ii. Vodafone India will own 45.1 percent stake in the merged entity. Promoters of Idea will hold 26 percent stake in the company and the remaining will be held by the public.
World Bank announces 57 billion US dollar for sub-Saharan Africa i. World Bank has announced 57 billion US dollar financing for sub-Saharan Africa over the next three fiscal years (2017-2019). ii. Of that total, 45 billion dollars will come from the International Development Association (IDA), 8 billion dollars from the International Finance Corporation (IFC), and USD 4 billion dollars will come from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD).
Government swaps chief executives of IDBI Bank, Indian Bank i. The Centre has swapped the Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of state-owned Indian Bank and IDBI Bank. ii. Mahesh Kumar Jain, who was Managing Director & CEO at Indian Bank, has been appointed as Managing Director & CEO of IDBI Bank. iii. Kishore Piraji Kharat, who was appointed as IDBI Bank CEO, has now been appointed as Managing Director and CEO of Indian Bank.
ONGC signs pact to buy out GSPC‟s KG block stake State-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has signed definitive agreements to buy out debt-ridden Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation‟s (GSPC) entire 80% stake in KG-basin natural gas block for $1.2 billion.
Snapdeal appoints Jason Kothari as CEO of FreeCharge i. E-commerce firm Snapdeal announced the appointment of Jason Kothari as the Chief Executive Officer of its digital payment platform FreeCharge.
0422 4204182,9884267599 1st Street Gandhipuram Coimbatore Page 39
Unique IAS Academy – Current Affairs March 2017 ii. In addition to taking on the role of CEO, Jason will continue his key leadership role as Chief Strategy and Investment Officer at Snapdeal.
Kumar Mangalam Birla named Chairman of Vodafone-Idea merged entity i. British telecom major Vodafone and Aditya Birla group-run Idea Cellular announced the merger of their operations and Mr. Kumar Mangalam Birla has been appointed as the Chairman of Vodafone-Idea merged entity.
Indian-American Computer Scientist Anshumali Wins NSF‟s CAREER Award i. An Indian-American computer scientist, Anshumali Shrivastava, was honored with the National Science Foundation‟s prestigious CAREER Award for his research on redesigning current machine-learning processes.
Former Odisha MP Pyarimohan Mohapatra passes away i. Former Rajya Sabha member Pyarimohan Mohapatra passed away in Mumbai after a prolonged illness. He was 77. ii. Mohapatra was the Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister when Biju Patnaik occupied the top post.
Meteorologist Dev Raj Sikka passes away i. Dev Raj Sikka, former director of the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune died of a cardiac arrest. He was 85 years old. ii. He was the first to propose a link between the El Nino phenomenon and the Indian monsoon.
Shahid Afridi appointed as ambassador of Blind Cricket World Cup i. Former Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi has been appointed as the ambassador for the fifth edition of the Blind Cricket World Cup 2018. ii. The announcement was made by the Pakistan Blind Cricket Council (PBCC). Blind Cricket World Cup will be hosted by PBCC in the United Arab Emirates(UAE) and Pakistan in January 2018.
Roger Federer claims fifth Indian Wells Masters title i. World famous tennis player Roger Federer (Switzerland) claimed his fifth BNP PARIBAS OPEN, ATP Indian Wells Masters title after defeating Stan Wawrinka in California, USA. ii. Federer joined Novak Djokovic as the only men to win five Indian Wells titles, adding to those he won in 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2012.
21st March, 2017
International Day of Forests: 21 March i. March 21 is the United Nations‟ (UN) International Day of Forests, which promotes the importance of forests and trees in our lives. ii. The 2017 theme is 'Forests and energy'.
Bharatiya Mahila Bank to be merged with SBI i. New-Delhi headquartered The Bharatiya Mahila Bank (BMB) will be merged with the country's largest lender State Bank of India (SBI). ii. The move will ensure that banking services are provided to more women at a faster pace, given the advantage of the large network of SBI.
Branches of SBBJ, SBH, SBM, SBP and SBT to operate as branches of SBI from April 1, 2017 i. All branches of State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur (SBBJ), State Bank of Hyderabad (SBH), State Bank of Mysore (SBM), State Bank of Patiala (SBP) and State Bank of Travancore (SBT) will function as branches of State Bank of India from April 1, 2017. ii. The Customers, including depositors of all the five Banks will be treated as customers of State Bank of India with effect from April 1, 2017.
0422 4204182,9884267599 1st Street Gandhipuram Coimbatore Page 40
Unique IAS Academy – Current Affairs March 2017
India home to 101 billionaires, Mukesh Ambani tops the list: Forbes i. India is home to world‟s fourth highest number of billionaires with Reliance Industries chief Mukesh Ambani (33rd position globally) leading the club of more than 100 super rich Indians. ii. The list has been topped by Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates for the fourth year in a row.
Uttarakhand HC accords human status to Ganga, Yamuna i. The Uttarakhand High Court has given the status of "living human entities" to the Ganga and Yamuna. ii. The Director of Namami Gange project for cleaning and rejuvenating the river, the Chief Secretary and the Advocate General of Uttarakhand will act as the "legal parents" of the holy rivers and work as the human face to protect, conserve and preserve them and their tributaries.
India's first sign language dictionary to come up soon i. The government is all set to come up with the country's first-of-its-kind dictionary which aims to bring uniformity in sign languages used by hearing and speech impaired people across the nation. ii. The Indian Sign Language (ISL) dictionary is being developed by the Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre (ISLRTC). The dictionary is being developed in both print and video format.
Solar Energy Scheme for Small Powerloom Units i. The Government has approved a new scheme to provide financial assistance or capital subsidy to small powerloom units, for installation of Solar Photo Voltaic (SPV) plant, in order to alleviate the problem of power cut and shortages faced by decentralized powerloom units in India. ii. Under the Solar Energy Scheme, the plants have two options: On-Grid Solar Power Plant where power cut/shortage is negligible and power tariff is high. Off-Grid Solar Power Plant in areas where there is power shortage & on-grid power is not continuously available.
ICICI Bank launches new app for rural customers i. ICICI Bank, India‟s largest private sector bank by consolidated assets has announced the launch of a mobile banking app 'Mera iMobile' for rural customers. ii. This app will allow them to access banking services as well as information on agri-services.
India ranks 122nd in World Happiness Report i. India ranked 122nd out of 155 countries in the recently released World Happiness Report, 2017. ii. India is behind Pakistan (80th) and Nepal (99th) in the global list of the happiest countries. The top three happiest countries in the list are- Norway, Denmark and Iceland.
ICRISAT, ICAR join hands for crop improvement i. Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) would work together on crop improvement and agronomy programmes for grain legumes and dryland cereals. ii. ICAR and ICRISAT, recently signed an agreement in New Delhi, in which climate-smart crops, smart food and digitalisation of breeding database were identified as some of the core areas of research.
IIT-Madras inks pact with Tanstia-FNF Service i. IIT-Madras and small scale industry body Tanstia-FNF Service Centre have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for technology transfer of water treatment analysis kits designed to treat drinking water mainly in rural areas. ii. The research at IIT-Madras for developing the filter and the kit was funded by International Development Research Centre, Canada.
NBCC to execute social housing project in Mauritius
0422 4204182,9884267599 1st Street Gandhipuram Coimbatore Page 41
Unique IAS Academy – Current Affairs March 2017 i. National Building Construction Corporation (NBCC), a Navratna construction major under the Ministry of Urban Development will execute a US $ 20 million (Rs.130 crore) social housing project in Mauritius. ii. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in this regard was signed between NBCC and Mauritius.
Canadian wins $1m Global Teacher Prize i. A Canadian school teacher Maggie MacDonnell was awarded the annual Global Teacher Prize and won a $1-million prize during a ceremony in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Five Indians in WEF‟s 100 Young Global Leaders list i. Five Indians have made it to the World Economic Forum's list of 100 Young Global Leaders under 40 years of age. ii. These include Paytm Founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma, Blippar app's Founder Ambarish Mitra, journalist in Fortune India Hindol Sengupta, Swaniti Initiative's Rwitwika Bhattacharya and The Tamara Coorg hospitality's Shruti Shibulal. All the people in the list are entitled to a five-year leadership journey.
2017 healthiest country index i. Bloomberg released it's 2017 World Health Index. Italy has been named the healthiest country by the index followed by Iceland and Switzerland at the top second and third position respectively. ii. The list graded 163 countries based on variables such as life expectancy, causes of death and health risks such as high blood pressure, malnutrition, the availability of clean water and tobacco use.
Tamil Nadu wins Vijay Hazare Trophy i. In Cricket, Tamil Nadu has won the domestic 50-over competition, the Vijay Hazare Trophy, for the fifth time. ii. In the Final played at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium in New Delhi, Tamil Nadu defeated Bengal. Dinesh Karthik was named man of the match.
Cheteshwar Pujara becomes first Indian to face 500 balls in Test innings i. Cheteshwar Pujara has become the first Indian to face 500-plus balls in an innings, going past the mark against Australia. ii. He broke past Rahul Dravid's record of 495 balls, which were the most faced by an Indian in one Test innings.
BCCI‟s new constitution ousts Mumbai Cricket Association as full member i. Mumbai, 41-time Ranji Trophy champions, will no longer be considered a Full Member association in accordance with the Board of Control for Cricket in India‟s (BCCI) new constitution. ii. The new constitution stipulates that only 30 associations will function as controlling bodies for domestic cricket in their respective states by the Justice Lodha Committee. iii. Maharashtra and Gujarat cricket associations were included in the list of Full Members which means that the cricket associations of Mumbai, Vidarbha, Saurashtra and Baroda previously functioning as Full Members will now be considered Associate Members henceforth.
22nd March, 2017
World water day observed globally i. World Water Day is held annually on 22 March as a means of focusing attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. ii. In 2017, the theme for World Water Day is 'Wastewater'.
Rs 2 lakh is the cash transaction limit, Aadhaar mandatory for I-T returns i. The Rs 3-lakh limit proposed for cash payments in the Budget for 2017-18 will be brought down to Rs 2 lakh as part of an unprecedented 40 amendments to the Finance Bill.
0422 4204182,9884267599 1st Street Gandhipuram Coimbatore Page 42
Unique IAS Academy – Current Affairs March 2017 ii. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley announced the amendments in the lower House. This is aimed at tightening the noose on those dealing in cash. iii. Most other amendments are making Aadhaar mandatory for filing tax returns, applying for permanent account numbers (PAN) and allowing payments by only non-cash modes such as cheques, bank drafts or electronic transfers for electoral trusts are also aimed at curbing black money.
RBI proposes to fix upper limit in PPIs at Rs 1 Lakh i. The RBI proposed to fix the upper limit for Pre-paid Payment Instruments (PPIs) at Rs 1 lakh in view of growing usage of PPIs for a purchase of goods and services. ii. The central bank has sought comments on draft circular on Master Directions on Issuance and Operation of Pre- paid Payment Instruments (PPIs) in India till March 31, 2017. iii. As per the draft, the amount in a PPI should not exceed Rs 1 lakh at any point of time if the customer provides full KYC and Rs 20,000 if the customer provides minimum KYC details to the PPI issuing entity. Assam Government approves recommendation of 7th Pay Commission i. The Assam state cabinet has decided to implement the recommendation of the Seventh Pay Commission. ii. The implementation will make state exchequer bear an additional burden of over Rs. 3000 Crore in the next financial year and the proposed pay structure would come into effect from 1 April 2016.
Second India-UAE conference on globalization to be held in Dubai i. The second India-UAE conference on globalization held at Dubai with an aim to promote cooperation between the two countries, organized by All India Management Association (AIMA). ii. Health care innovation will be among the subjects discussed during the conference themed as „Resetting Globalisation: Collaborating in a Fast Changing World'.
Russia‟s VTB bank to shut India office i. Russian bank VTB has decided to close its only office in New Delhi, India to cut costs but will continue to work in India. ii. The decision to shut the branch in India was taken as part of a strategy of VTB Group aimed at optimizing costs and will continue to work on the Indian market expanding its cooperation with local partners.
Madhabi Puri Buch appointed as SEBI whole time member i. The government has announced Madhabi Puri Buch as new whole time member of Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) for the period of three years. ii. She is currently serving in the New Development Bank, Shanghai.
ABB India bags award for restoring 1,035 MW Sharavathi plant in Karnataka i. ABB India has restored and modernized the critical 1,035 MW Sharavathi hydropower plant in Karnataka that accounts for 25% of Karnataka Power Corporation‟s generation. ii. For restoring the crucial power infrastructure, the ABB has bagged 'the India Smart Grid Foundation (ISGF) innovation award'.
ISRO commissions two major facilities at VSSC i. Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) commissioned two major facilities a Hypersonic Wind Tunnel and Shock Tunnel at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre at Thiruvananthapuram. ii. Commissioning of such facilities would provide adequate data for design and development of current and future space transportation systems in the country.
Majuli all set to become India‟s 1st carbon neutral district
0422 4204182,9884267599 1st Street Gandhipuram Coimbatore Page 43
Unique IAS Academy – Current Affairs March 2017 i. Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal launched initiatives to develop Majuli, world biggest river island, as India‟s first carbon neutral district and as a biodiversity heritage- yet not officially released. ii. He launched “Forests are Lives” campaign to celebrate the importance of Assam‟s rich forest and biodiversity.
Shri Upendra Tripathy Appointed as Full Time Interim Director General of ISA i. Shri Piyush Goyal, Union Minister for Power, Coal, New and Renewable Energy and Mines and Ms. Ségolène Royal, Minister for Environment, Energy and Marine Affairs Government of France jointly decided to appoint Mr. Upendra Tripathy, as the Interim Director General (IDG) of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) on a full time basis. ii. Mr. Upendra Tripathy was the Former Secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.
ICMR head named to UN group on antimicrobial resistance i. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Director Soumya Swaminathan has been named to a high-level group set up by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to provide expertise on and coordinate the global fight against antimicrobial resistance.
4 Indian cities among cheapest globally: EIU i. Four Indian cities are among the cheapest to live in globally, while Singapore (last in the list) has been ranked as the most expensive for the fourth consecutive year, according to a 'Worldwide Cost of Living 2017' report by Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). ii. Bengaluru (3rd place), Chennai (6th), Mumbai (7th) and New Delhi (10th) have been ranked by EIU among the 10 cheapest cities in the world. iii. Almaty has been ranked as the cheapest city in the world.
Major Rohit Suri awarded Kirti Chakra i. Major Rohit Suri, from the Parachute Regiment who led the army team that carried out a surgical strike in PoK last year, was presented the second highest peacetime gallantry award Kirti Chakra by President Pranab Mukherjee. ii. Corporal Gursevak Singh of Indian Air Force was posthumously conferred the Shaurya Chakra for putting up a valiant fight against terrorists who had attacked the frontline Pathankot air base.
K T Irfan Wins Bronze in Asian Racewalking Championships i. India‟s national record holder in men‟s 20km race walk, K T Irfan has won bronze at the Asian Race Walking Championships in Nomi, Japan.
23rd March, 2017
Nation paying tribute on 86th martyrdom day: 23 March i. Nation is paying tributes to freedom fighters -Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev on their 86th martyrdom day (23 March). ii. On this day in 1931, British rulers had executed them in Lahore for their revolutionary activities against the British rule.
World Meteorological Day 2017 observed globally i. The World Meteorological Day was observed globally on 23rd March 2017. ii. The theme of WMD 2017 is 'Understanding Cloud' to highlight the enormous importance of clouds for weather climate and water. iii. The day is organized every year by World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
Govt approves 1.17 lakh more affordable houses under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana
0422 4204182,9884267599 1st Street Gandhipuram Coimbatore Page 44
Unique IAS Academy – Current Affairs March 2017 i. The government approved construction of 117,814 more affordable houses for urban poor under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) in six states (Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha) with a total investment of Rs 5,773 crore and with central assistance of Rs 1,816 crore. ii. With this, the total number of affordable homes sanctioned under PMAY so far has gone up to 1,760,507, with a total investment of Rs 96,018 crore and a central assistance of Rs 27,714 crore.
Cabinet approves proposal for Amendments to the NABARD Act, 1981 i. Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the following proposals: (a) Amendments to National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) Act, 1981, include provisions that enable Central Government to increase the authorized capital of NABARD from Rs. 5,000 crore to Rs. 30,000 crore and to increase it beyond Rs. 30,000 crore in consultation with RBI. (b) Transfer of 0.4 percent equity of RBI in NABARD amounting to Rs. 20 crores to the Government of India.
India ranks 131 on Human Development Index, Norway No.1 i. In the recently released Human Development Index by United Nations, India is ranked 131 out of 188 countries in the list. ii. The list is topped by Norway followed by Australia and Switzerland on 2nd and 3rd positions respectively. iii. India‟s HDI value for 2015 is 0.624, which puts the country in the medium human development category but behind fellow South Asian countries like Sri Lanka (73rd)and the Maldives(105th).
PM to inaugurate India‟s longest road tunnel in J&K on April 2 i. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will dedicate to the nation, the country‟s longest road tunnel named Chenani-Nashri tunnel, built on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, which will cut short the distance between Jammu and Srinagar by nearly 30 km. ii. The Prime Minister will inaugurate the 9.2 km long twin-tube tunnel on JK highway on April 2, 2017.
NABARD launches water conservation campaign in Karnataka i. NABARD (National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development) will help Karnataka with low-cost technologies for water conservation and efficient use of water in the drought-affected districts. ii. The main focus of the save water programme would be to create awareness and to cover maximum number of villages in the districts.
India and ADB Signed $350 Million Loan for Roads in Madhya Pradesh i. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of India signed a $350 million loan for improving about 1,500 kilometers of major district roads in Madhya Pradesh in line with the State‟s Road Development Plan. ii. The Project will involve upgrading roads with concrete pavements, strengthening culverts and bridges, and maintaining the improved road assets for a period of five years. iii. Along with ADB‟s loan, the Government of Madhya Pradesh will provide counterpart support of $150 million.
High level committee to examine working of CCIM, CCH and their governing legislation i. The high-level Committee has been formed to examine the working of the regulatory bodies Central Council of Indian Medicine (CCIM) and Central Council of Homoeopathy (CCH) and their governing legislations namely, Indian Medicine Central Council Act 1970 and Homoeopathy Central Council Act 1973 respectively, for suggesting suitable reforms for AYUSH. ii. The committee will be headed by Arvind Panagariya, Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog. Other members of the committee are Chief Executive Officer (CEO), NITI Aayog and Secretary, Ministry of AYUSH.
IIT-Kharagpur to get supercomputing facility i. The Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, is the first academic institution to get a supercomputing facility under the National Supercomputing Mission (NSM).
0422 4204182,9884267599 1st Street Gandhipuram Coimbatore Page 45
Unique IAS Academy – Current Affairs March 2017 ii. This will provide large computational support to users to carry out both research and teaching activities that involve modern High Performance Computing (HPC) and usher in a new age in research and innovation in the country.
Samsung Pay launched in India i. Android phone maker Samsung launched its digital payment application, called 'Samsung Pay', in the country as Indians look to shift to newer payment methods after Prime Minister Narendra Modi‟s demonetisation exercise. ii. The early access service is available only with a few banks - Axis, HDFC, ICICI, SBI, and Standard Chartered.'Samsung Pay' works with both NFC (near field communication) and MST (Magnetic Secure Transmission).
HUDCO gets SEBI approval to float IPO i. State-run Housing and Urban Development Corp. Ltd (HUDCO) has received capital markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India‟s (SEBI) approval to raise funds through an initial share sale as part of the government‟s disinvestment drive. ii. The government holds 100 per cent stake in the company.IDBI Capital, Nomura Financial Advisory and Securities, SBI Capital Markets and ICICI Securities will manage the company‟s public issue.
World Sparrow Day: 20 March i. The World Sparrow Day was observed across the World on 20 March 2017. The day was created with an aim to raise awareness about the house sparrow and then other common birds to urban environments. ii. The first World Sparrow Day was celebrated in 2010 across the World.
PepsiCo ropes in PV Sindhu as brand ambassador i. PepsiCo‟s sports drink brand Gatorade has roped in Indian shuttler PV Sindhu as its brand ambassador. ii. Sindhu is the first Indian brand ambassador of the PepsiCo brand.
ICC appoints Ankur Khanna as new CFO i. The International Cricket Council (ICC) on announced the appointment of Ankur Khanna as its Chief Financial Officer (CFO). ii. Khanna will join the ICC at the end of March leaving Air Asia India where he has held the post of CFO for the last one year.
Ravindra Jadeja replaces Ravichandran Ashwin to rank top test bowler in ICC rankings i. Ravindra Jadeja replaces R Ashwin to become number 1 Test bowler. ii. Ravindra Jadeja tops the ICC Test bowlers ranking. He is at number one position with 899 points.
24th March, 2017
World Tuberculosis Day- 24 March i. World Tuberculosis Day celebrated on 24 March each year. ii. The theme for World Tuberculosis Day 2017 is 'Unite to End TB: Leave no one behind'. 2017 is the second year of a two-year "Unite to End TB" campaign for World TB Day.
ISRO commissions world's third largest hypersonic wind tunnel i. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) created history by commissioning the world‟s third largest hypersonic wind tunnel at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. ii. A wind tunnel is used to study the effects of air flowing past a solid object in ISRO's case, space vehicles.
India Notifies Amended Tax Treaty with Singapore i. The government notified the amended India-Singapore tax treaty under which capital gains tax will be levied at source of investments with effect from April 1,2017.
0422 4204182,9884267599 1st Street Gandhipuram Coimbatore Page 46
Unique IAS Academy – Current Affairs March 2017 ii. India had amended the tax treaty with Singapore on December 30, 2016, under which for two years capital gains tax will be imposed at 50 percent of the prevailing domestic rate. Full rate will apply from April 1, 2019. iii. The revision of tax treaty will help curb revenue loss, prevent double non-taxation and streamline the flow of investments adding that the amended tax treaty has been notified.
Assam govt, SBI sign MoU over housing, educational loan at subsidized interest rates i. The state government of Assam has signed two MoUs with Mumbai-based State Bank of India(SBI) to provide housing loan and education loan for its employees. ii. To provide housing loan at hugely subsidized interest rates of 5% for its women employees and 5.5 % for men, and education loan for higher education for their children at 4% interest rate. Both types of loans will be free of any collateral security and processing fee.
South Indian Bank introduces Aadhar-based payment app i. To promote cashless digital transactions, South Indian Bank (SIB) has introduced Aadhar-based payment in its Unified Payment Interface (UPI) mobile application- 'SIB M-Pay'. ii. Even non-customers of South Indian Bank can link any of their bank accounts in this mobile application. iii. With the latest addition in SIB M-Pay, the fund transfers can be done by just entering the Aadhar number of the beneficiary. SIB M-Pay app is currently available in Android Playstore.
World Bank signs US$ 100 million credit agreement with Uttarakhand, Centre i. The World Bank has signed a 100 million US dollar credit agreement with the Centre and Uttarakhand in New Delhi to improve the quality of health care services in all 13 districts of the state. ii. The project aims to reduce the financial risk for its citizens and make affordable, quality health care available to all.
Airtel acquires Tikona‟s 4G business for ₹1,600 crore i. Bharti Airtel has acquired Tikona Digital's 4G airwaves for Rs 1,600 crore, ramping up its high-speed broadband spectrum capacity to take on Reliance Jio Infocomm and the Vodafone-Idea Cellular in the competitive market. ii. Bharti Airtel as India's largest telecom company provides access to Tikona's 4G airwaves in five circles are Gujarat, UP (East), UP (West), Himachal Pradesh, and Rajasthan.
BSE, NSE to launch F&O series in 15 companies i. Indian capital markets Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and National Stock Exchange (NSE) will introduce futures and options (F&O) contracts in 15 companies including InterGlobe Aviation and Indian Bank from 31 March 2017. ii. F&O are derivative securities derived from a debt instrument, share, loan, whether secured or unsecured or any other form of security. It also derives its value from the prices, or index of prices, of underlying securities.
Raghu Rai conferred with Lifetime Achievement award i. Photojournalist Raghu Rai was conferred with the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Minister Mr. Venkaiah Naidu for “his remarkable contribution to the field.” at 6th National Photography Awards organized by the photo division of the ministry in the capital. ii. Rai is also a Padma Shri awardee.
Yves Meyer wins the 2017 Abel Prize i. The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters has awarded the Abel Prize for 2017 to mathematician Yves Meyer. ii. He was awarded for his pivotal role in the development of the mathematical theory of wavelets. The theory of wavelets that he started and made fundamental contributions to finds wide-ranging applications from image processing to fluid dynamics.
8th Laadli Media Awards 2016
0422 4204182,9884267599 1st Street Gandhipuram Coimbatore Page 47
Unique IAS Academy – Current Affairs March 2017 i. The 8th Laadli Media Awards for Gender Sensitivity 2016 (Northern and Eastern Region) were announced at the Chinmaya Mission in New Delhi. ii. Anima Pookkunnyil, Assistant Editor with BusinessLine, and Shreya Ila Anasuya, a freelance journalist, were awarded this year for their critical gender-sensitive reportage. iii. Ila Anasuya was awarded for her report on Suzette Jordan. Anima Pookkunnyi was awarded for her story about Kamlesh Kairi‟s petition to the Supreme Court against the unjust laws.
RBI okays appointment of T S Anantharaman as part-time chairman i. The Reserve Bank of India has accorded its approval for the appointment of T S Anantharaman as part-time Chairman of the bank. ii. Anantharaman has been holding the position of Non-Executive Director of the bank since August 28, 2009. iii. At present, he is an investment consultant and director of a number of other companies and institutions.
India ranks 87th on energy architecture performance: WEF i. India has marginally improved its position to 87th place on a global energy architecture performance index, but ranks among the worst for pollution, a survey showed. ii. Switzerland topped the annual list released by Geneva- based World Economic Forum (WEF) and was followed by Norway, Sweden, Denmark and France in the top five. India's rank improved three places from 90th last year.
Sarbananda Sonowal launches initiative to make Majuli carbon neutral i. Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal launched initiative to develop Majuli, the world‟s largest river island, as the country‟s first carbon neutral district and a biodiversity heritage site. ii. He launched the Sustainable Actions for Climate Resilient Development (SaCReD) Initiative would ensure that infrastructure in Majuli had less carbon.
Radha Mohan Singh launched Book titled '50 Years – The Great Indian Milk Revolution' i. The Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shri Radha Mohan Singh has launched a Coffee Table Book titled “50 Years – The Great Indian Milk Revolution” commemorating National Dairy Development Board‟s (NDDB) Golden Jubilee year.
Writer Ashokamitran passes away i. Prominent Tamil writer and Sahitya Akademi winner Ashokamitran died at the age of 86. ii. He was given the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1996 for his work Appavin Snegidhar, a collection of short stories.
Ankur Mittal wins gold in double trap at ISSF World Cup i. Young Indian shooter Ankur Mittal, defeated rival James Willett, and bagged the first World Cup gold medal of his career in double trap at the International Shooting Sports Federation (ISSF) World Cup. ii. The event was held in Acapulco, Mexico.
25th March, 2017
'Earth Hour' being observed today: 25 March i. The World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF) is observing the 10th anniversary of 'Earth Hour' today i.e. 25 March,2017. ii. The worldwide event is held annually encouraging individuals to turn off non-essential lights for one hour, from 8:30 to 9:30 PM local time as a symbol of their commitment to the planet. It was started as a lights-off event in Sydney, Australia, in 2007.
Aadhaar mandatory for mobile connection
0422 4204182,9884267599 1st Street Gandhipuram Coimbatore Page 48
Unique IAS Academy – Current Affairs March 2017 i. After making Aadhaar mandatory for filing income tax returns and applying for a Permanent Account Number (PAN), the government has moved to make Aadhaar-based e-KYC (know your customer) mandatory for mobile phone connections. ii. The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) directed all mobile phone service providers to reverify existing customers, prepaid and postpaid, using their unique Aadhaar identity number and biometric details. Aadhaar-based e- KYC would also be mandatory for customers procuring new SIM card.
Nellore in AP to get Post Office Passport Seva Kendra i. The External Affairs Ministry and the department of posts announced the opening of a Post Office Passport Seva Kendra (POPSK) at Nellore in Andhra Pradesh. ii. It would be the 86th POPSK in the country. The Ministry of External Affairs and the Department of Posts will be working closely for the early operationalisation of this POPSK at Nellore.
Pawan Hans to start 'Dilli Darshan' chopper rides at Rs 2,500 i. National chopper operator Pawan Hans is set to launch its "Delhi Darshan" rides with a 10-minute sortie costing Rs 2,499 per person. ii. Besides, the state-owned aviation firm will also offer a 20-minute helicopter ride for Rs 4,999. The company's Chairman and Managing Director, B P Sharma, announced the roll out of these services from April 1, 2017.
Navy gets three naval systems from DRDO i. Defence Minister Arun Jaitley handed over three naval systems, developed by premier Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to the Indian Navy. ii. The naval systems, given to Indian Navy, are USHUS-II submarine sonar, directing gear for hull-mounted sonar array and inertial navigation system for ship applications.
Indian Navy fires surface-to-air missile from INS Vikramaditya i. The country‟s sole aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya successfully carried out the maiden test of the newly installed Barak short-range surface-to-air missile (SAM). ii. The 44,500-tonne carrier was commissioned into the Navy in November 2013 at Severodvinsk in Russia.
CBEC renamed as CBIC under GST regime i. The Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) will be reorganized for the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime and will be renamed as the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) following Parliamentary approval. ii. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has approved the reorganization of the field formations of the CBEC for the implementation of GST.
SBI's Arundhati Bhattacharya among world's greatest leaders i. State Bank of India (SBI) Chairperson Arundhati Bhattacharya has been ranked 26th among the world's 50 greatest leaders, according to Fortune Magazine. ii. With this, Bhattacharya has become the only Indian corporate leader to be featured on the list. The list has been topped by Theo Epstein President, Baseball Operations in Chicago Cubs.
Osmania University to host 105th Indian Science Congress i. The 105th session of Indian Science Congress (ISC) will be hosted by Osmania University, Hyderabad during January 3-7, 2018. ii. The theme of the 105th session of Indian Science Congress is 'Science and Technology - Reaching the Unreached‟. This will be the sixth time that the university will be hosing the conferrer. The congress will be meeting in Hyderabad for the seventh time.
0422 4204182,9884267599 1st Street Gandhipuram Coimbatore Page 49
Unique IAS Academy – Current Affairs March 2017
Ashwin breaks record for most wickets in a Test season i. Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has broken the record for most wickets in a single Test season, taking his 79th this season during the Dharamsala Test against Australia. ii. Ashwin went past South African pacer Dale Steyn, who had claimed 78 wickets in 12 Tests in 2007-08. Ashwin has taken seven five-wicket hauls this season in 13 matches.
26th March, 2017
Bangladesh celebrates 46th Independence Day i. On March 26 Bangladesh celebrates its Independence day. ii.Bangladesh's President Md Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina placed wreaths at National Memorial in Savar paying respects to those who sacrificed their lives for the freedom.
Vettel wins Australian Grand Prix i.Four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel won the Australian Grand Prix for Ferrari. ii.It was Vettel's fourth win for Ferrari and his first since the Singapore Grand Prix in September 2015.
Indian Railways to install Wi-Fi kiosks at 500 remote stations for e-services i. Railways will set up Wi-Fi hotspot kiosks at about 500 stations and help people access an array of online services, including various government schemes. ii. Christened as Railwire Saathi, the Wi-Fi kiosks will function like a PCO for Digital India and enable people to use services like e-commerce, online banking and much more.
India becomes third largest aviation market in domestic traffic i. India has become the third largest aviation market in terms of domestic passenger traffic, beating Japan. ii. United States with 815 million passengers in 2016 enjoyed the top position, followed by China with 490 million.
Cheteshwar Pujara sets a record by scoring the most runs in a Test season by an Indian i.Pujara achieved the landmark for scoring the most runs in a Test season, surpassing the mark of 1269 by Gautam Gambhir which he achieved in the 2008/09 season. ii.He has scored 1316 runs at an average of 65.8 in the season, the most ever by an Indian batsman in Tests. iii. He needs 168 runs to break Ricky Ponting‟s mark, who holds the record for the most runs ever by a batsman in a season, with 1483 runs at an average of 78.05.
27th March, 2017
World Theatre Day- 27th March i. World Theatre Day is observed globally on 27th March every year. World Theatre Day was initiated in 1961 by the International Theatre Institute (ITI), France. ii. The first World Theatre Day Message was written by Jean Cocteau in 1962.
Environment Ministry official to chair animal welfare board i. The government has notified that Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI), a statutory advisory body under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF) will now be permanently chaired by a senior MoEF official.
0422 4204182,9884267599 1st Street Gandhipuram Coimbatore Page 50
Unique IAS Academy – Current Affairs March 2017 ii. This step came into effect due to the recently held Jallikattu Protest in Tamil Nadu. Central Government applies its preference now in the management of the organization by making a new Board of 18 members, chaired by Sharad Singh Negi, Special Secretary and Director-General (Forests).
CCEA approved closing of CHBL and ICBL i. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved closure/winding up of CREDA HPCL Biofuel Ltd (CHBL) and IndianOil - Chhattisgarh Renewable Energy Development Agency (CREDA) Biofuels Limited (ICBL). ii. Joint Ventures between CREDA HPCL Biofuel Ltd (CHBL) and IndianOil-CREDA Biofuels Limited (ICBL) were formed for carrying out energy crop (Jatropha) plantation and production of bio-diesel in 2008 and 2009 respectively.
AP tops in Aadhaar seeding of Jan Dhan accounts i. The list of state with highest seeded Aadhaar numbers was topped by Andhra Pradesh which had linked 87.73 per cent of its Jan-Dhan accounts with Aadhaar numbers followed by Tripura at 87.08 per cent and Telangana 83.56 percent. ii. Post demonetization of specified bank notes on November 8, 2016, more accounts under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) have been seeded with Aadhaar numbers.
GIC to be first PSU general insurer to launch IPO i. General Insurance Corporation (GIC Re) is likely to be the first PSU insurer to tap the capital market as the Finance Ministry has started scouting for merchant bankers to manage its Initial Public Offering (IPO), yet not officially released. ii. The government holds 100 per cent stake in GIC Re, which provides reinsurance support to 54 general and life insurance companies, both public and private, in the Indian market.
Karnataka Bank‟s launched platinum card i. Karnataka Bank has launched the „MoneyPlant RuPay International Platinum Debit Card‟ to provide more privileges to its premium and HNI (high net worth individual) customers. ii. The card can be used for domestic and international cash withdrawals and purchases. The card has a withdrawal limit of Rs75,000 and purchases limit ofRs2 lakh a day at point-of-sales terminals and e-commerce sites.
Repco ties up with NHB i. Repco Home Finance Ltd (RHFL) has signed an agreement with National Housing Bank (NHB) for implementation of a credit-linked subsidy scheme for the middle-income group. ii. The scheme will be implemented for one year with effect from January 1, 2017, in all statutory towns. The scheme divides middle-income group into two categories with annual household income up to Rs12 lakh and Rs 18 lakh. iii. The subsidy will be available for the two brackets for a loan amount of Rs 9 lakh and Rs 12 lakh at the rate of 4 per cent and 3 per cent per annum, respectively, for a tenure of 20 years. The maximum subsidy amount for an individual beneficiary is Rs 2.35 lakh.
Pawan Hans ties-up with HAL to train helicopter pilots i. State-run Pawan Hans has joined hands with public sector chopper maker Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) to train helicopter pilots. ii. Pawan Hans is a joint venture where state-owned ONGC holds 49 per cent.
BHEL commissions 250-MW eco-friendly unit in Gujarat i. State-owned power equipment maker BHEL has commissioned a 250-MW eco-friendly unit using low-grade coal (lignite) as a primary fuel. ii. The lignite-based thermal unit, based on circulating fluidised bed combustion (CFBC) technology, is the second
0422 4204182,9884267599 1st Street Gandhipuram Coimbatore Page 51
Unique IAS Academy – Current Affairs March 2017 such facility to be commissioned at Bhavnagar Energy Company‟s (BECL) 2x250-MW thermal power project at Padva in Bhavnagar district of Gujarat.
Conference on 'Make in India' held in Houston i. A first-ever Houston India conference on 'Make in India' was held in Houston, the USA, for bringing together various constituencies that have an interest in doing business in India and discussing the latest developments. ii. The two-day Houston India Conference was hosted by Asia Society Texas Center which began on 25th March 2017. The theme of the Conference is 'Make in India -The Inside Story'.
HDFC Bank's Aditya Puri named in world's 30 Best CEOs list i. American financial magazine Barron's has listed the name of HDFC Bank Managing Director Aditya Puri‟s name in its list of world‟s 30 best CEOs. ii. He holds the 23rd position in the list beating social media giant Facebook‟s CEO Mark Zuckerberg who is listed on the 30th spot. iii. The top position has been secured by Mary Barra of General Motors.
Anupam Kher receives Kala Ratan Award from Vice President i. Veteran actor Anupam Kher was honored with the Kala Ratan Award by Vice President Hamid Ansari at Punjab University, Chandigarh. ii. Anupam Kher was honored him the Padma Shri in 2004 and the Padma Bhushan in 2016 for his contribution in the field of cinema and arts.
BSF gets first woman combat officer after 51 years i. Tanushree Pareek became the first woman combat officer to be commissioned in the 51-year history of the BSF, the country‟s largest border guarding force. ii. A resident of Rajasthan‟s Bikaner, she is the first woman to join the force in the officer rank after she was selected in the all-India exam conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) in 2014.
World's largest capstone discovered by archaeologists in Telangana i. The archaeology department of Telangana has discovered the world's largest capstone after excavating an ancient human burial site in Siddipet district, Telangana. The capstone of the menhir burial reportedly weighs about 40 tonnes.
Australia fast bowler Shaun Tait retires from cricket i. Australia fast bowler Shaun Tait has announced his retirement from international cricket. Tait who last played for Australia in a Twenty20 international against India in January 2016, cited his chronic elbow trouble as the reason for quitting the game.
14-year-old becomes first girl to swim from Sea Link to Gateway of India i. Gauri Singh, 14-year-old girl became the first girl to explore the route from Sea Link near Worli Koliwada to the Gateway of India. ii. The 36 km long distance route, which she started was completed in 6 hours and 30 minutes.
FIFA U-17 World Cup: Kolkata to host final i. FIFA confirmed that the Salt Lake stadium in Kolkata will be the venue of the final of the FIFA Under 17 World Cup to be held later in 2017. ii. The World Cup gets underway from October 6, 2017 and the slogan of the tournament will be "Football Takes Over".
Important Takeaways from above G.K. Update World Theatre Day is celebrated on 27th March
0422 4204182,9884267599 1st Street Gandhipuram Coimbatore Page 52
Unique IAS Academy – Current Affairs March 2017
WTD is organized by International Theatre Institute (ITI) ITI is headquartered in Paris, France Chairperson of Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) is Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Full form of CREDA- Chhattisgarh Renewable Energy Development Agency Full form of CHBL- CREDA HPCL Biofuel Ltd and Full form of CHBL- CREDA HPCL Biofuel Ltd Karnataka bank has launched 'MoneyPlant RuPay International Platinum Debit Card' Karnataka bank headquarter is in Mangalore Karnataka bank was founded in 1924 Karnataka bank motto is'Your family bank across India' CEO of Karnataka bank is Polali Jayarama Bhat. The first-ever Houston India conference on 'Make in India' was held in Houston, the USA The theme of the Conference is 'Make in India-The Inside Story' The Make in India initiative was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in September 2014 NHB CEO is Shri Sriram Kalyanaraman NHB headquarter is in New Delhi NHB founded in 1988 RHFL ties with NHB for implementation of credit-linked subsidy scheme for the middle-income group. Pawan Hans ties-up with HAL to train helicopter pilots HAL- the Company which had its origin as the Hindustan Aircraft Company was incorporated on 23 Dec 1940 at Bangalore by Shri Walchand Hirachand Shri T. Suvarna Raju is the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of HAL BSF full form is Border Security Force BSF was formed in 1965 Tanushree Pareek, first woman combat officer commissioned in the 51-year history of the BSF. Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) now be permanently chaired by a senior MoEF AWBI is a statutory advisory body on Animal Welfare Laws and promotes animal welfare in the country AWBI was established in 1962 Full form of MoEF is Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change The board will be chaired by Sharad Singh Negi for the tenure of three years Anupam Kher was honored with the Kala Ratan Award The award was given by Vice President of India Hamid Ansari CEO of HDFC bank is Aditya Puri has been listed as the 23rd in the world's 30 best CEO list by Barron's Magazine The list is topped by Mary Barra of General Motors HDFC bank headquarter is in Mumbai HDFC bank was founded in 1994. GIC headquarter is in Mumbai GIC was founded in 1972 Chairman-cum-Managing Director of GIC is Mrs. Alice G Vaidyan. FIFA world cup final will be held in Salt Lake stadium, Kolkata FIFA full form is International Federation of Association Football Gianni Infantino is the President of FIFA.
28th March, 2017 Union Petroleum Ministry launches MoPNG e Seva i. Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan launched MoP&NG e-Seva. ii. It is a dedicated grievances redressal platform on Social Media for all queries and grievances relating to Oil and Gas Sector.
0422 4204182,9884267599 1st Street Gandhipuram Coimbatore Page 53
Unique IAS Academy – Current Affairs March 2017
ESIC launched Mobile Clinic Services in AP and Telangana i. The Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) launched Mobile Clinic Services for the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. ii. Union minister of state for labour and employment Bandaru Dattatreya, launched the ESIC Mobile Clinic Services by flagging off 'Jan Suraksha Ambulances'. iii. It is for the first time in the country that the ESIC Mobile Clinic Services are launched in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
Odisha becomes first state to bring banking to remote rural areas through SHG i. Odisha became the first state in the country to carry financial inclusion and extend banking services to unbanked areas through Self Help Groups (SHGs). ii. The state government signed an agreement with State Bank of India in this regard. The system would be of great help to people in rural areas under social security schemes.
KVB bags „best small bank‟ award i. Karur Vysya Bank (KVB) has been adjudged the „Best Small Bank for 2016‟. ii. This is the eighth award won by KVB in the current fiscal.
Vijaya Bank inks MoU with Piaggio Vehicles i. Vijaya Bank entered into an MoU with Piaggio Vehicles for providing financial support for the purchase of vehicles under Small Road Transport Operators (SRTO) scheme in Bengaluru. ii. Vijaya Bank Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Kishore Sansi flagged off the first batch of vehicles under the MoU in the presence of Piaggio Vehicles Vice-President Praveen Nagpal.
Syndicate Bank opens 40 „Ananya‟ branches i. Syndicate Bank digitally inaugurated 40 „Ananya‟ transformed branches. Project Ananya is a two-year large-scale transformation project undertaken by the bank to provide customers with „best in class‟ services while improving and modernizing the whole bank. ii. The aim is to enhance customer experience, improve sales focus, and improve digital transactions through a dedicated digit zone. The bank also launched its first MSME hub in Bengaluru.
Bharat Dynamics, L&T sign up for torpedo export i. Bharat Dynamics Ltd (BDL), a defence public sector undertaking, signed an MoU with Larsen & Toubro (L&T) for export of torpedoes. ii. The torpedoes are designed and developed at Naval Science and Technological Laboratory (NSTL), Visakhaptnam and manufactured by BDL.
ICICI Bank partners with Truecaller i. ICICI Bank announced a partnership with mobile app firm Truecaller for a new UPI-based mobile payment service.The new feature called as Truecaller Pay, and it will allow users of the app to instantly create a UPI ID, send money to any UPI ID or a mobile number registered with the BHIM app. ii. It will also enable users to recharge their mobile number from within the Truecaller app itself.
Truecaller partners with Google
0422 4204182,9884267599 1st Street Gandhipuram Coimbatore Page 54
Unique IAS Academy – Current Affairs March 2017 i. Leading communication app Truecaller has tied up with Google to integrate the tech giant's video calling app Duo within the Truecaller app. ii. According to the agreement, Truecaller integration with Google Duo will be available in the Android and iOS as a permission-based service, where users will be able to opt-in and out at any time.
Indian-American Vanita Gupta appointed president of „Leadership Conference‟ i. Indian-American Vanita Gupta has been appointed as president and CEO of „The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights‟, becoming the first woman to head the prestigious organization. ii. She will replace Wade Henderson who is stepping down after more than two decades. She will begin her new role on June 1, 2017.
Filmmaker Gurinder Chadha gets Sikh Jewel Award i. Indian-origin British Director Gurinder Chadha has been honored with the Sikh Jewel Award for 2017 for her immense contribution to British cinema. ii. Chadha, whose films include Bhaji on the Beach, Bend It Like Beckham and Bride and Prejudice, received the award from UK Defence Secretary Michael Fallon. The event was organized by the British Sikh Association.
CCI imposes reduced penalty of Rs591 crore on Coal India for fuel supply pacts i. The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has imposed a reduced penalty of Rs 591 crore on Coal India Ltd for fuel supply pacts. ii. CCI asked Coal India to modify the Fuel Supply Agreements (FSAs) and also ensure that uniformity between old and new power producers as well as between private and state power producers.
Minoru Kato appointed as new HMSI CEO i. Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI) has appointed Minoru Kato as a new President and Chief Executive Office of the company effective from April 1, 2017. ii. He will be replacing Keita Muramatsu, the current President & CEO who spear-headed Honda‟s Indian two- wheeler operations for the last six years.
Eminent Jurist TR Andhyarujina Passes Away i. Senior Advocate and eminent jurist Tehmtan R. Andhyarujina passed away. He was the Solicitor General of India from 1996 to 1998.
Satwik-Chirag pair wins Vietnam Challenger i. Promising Indian men‟s doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty clinched the $20,000 Vietnam Open International challenger badminton doubles title after defeating Thai pair of Trawut Potieng and Nanthakam Yordphaisong in a final in Hanoi, Vietnam.
Important Takeaways from above G.K. update are as follows BDL and L&T signed an MoU for export of torpedoes Torpedoes are cigar-shaped self-propelled underwater missile designed to be fired from a ship or submarine Bharat Dynamics Ltd headquarter is in Hyderabad BDL was founded in 1970 KVB bank has bagged the „best small bank‟award 2016 KVB headquarter is in Karur, Tamil Nadu
0422 4204182,9884267599 1st Street Gandhipuram Coimbatore Page 55
Unique IAS Academy – Current Affairs March 2017
KVB bank founded in 1916 KVB bank slogan is 'smart way to bank' Union Petroleum Ministry launches MoPNG e-Seva Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas is Shri Dharmendra Pradhan MoPNG dedicated grievances redressal platform on Social Media for all queries and grievances Odisha becomes the first state to bring banking to remote rural areas through SHG Self-Help Group (SHG) is a small voluntary association of poor people, preferably from the same socio- economic background Chief Minister of Odisha is Shri Naveen Patnaik Governor of Odisha is Shri S. C. Jamir Syndicate bank has digitally inaugurated 40 „Ananya‟ transformed branches Headquartered in Karnataka, it was founded in 1925 Syndicate bank CEO is Arun Shrivastava Slogan of Syndicate bank is 'Faithful Friendly' Vijaya bank entered into an MoU with Piaggio Vehicles Vijaya bank headquarter is in Bengaluru Vijaya bank was founded in 1931 by A.B. Shetty Vijaya bank CEO is Kishore Kumar Sansi. Senior Advocate and eminent jurist Tehmtan R. Andhyarujina passed away He authored 'The Kesavananda Bharati Case: The untold story of struggle for supremacy by Supreme Court and Parliament' ESIC launched Mobile Clinic Services for Andhra Pradesh and Telangana Union minister of state for labour and employment is Bandaru Dattatreya ESIC day is observed on 24th February of every year Vanita Gupta has been appointed as president and CEO of „The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights‟ She has replaced Wade Henderson She will begin her new role on June 1, 2017. Indian-origin British Director Gurinder Chadha has been honored with the Sikh Jewel Award for 2017 Michael Fallon is UK Defence Secretary Y K Sinha is The High Commissioner of India to the UK ICICI bank partnered with mobile app firm Truecaller CEO of ICICI bank is Chanda Kochhar ICICI bank headquarter is in Mumbai ICICI bank was founded in 1994 Truecaller has tied up with Google Google headquarter is in U.S.A. CEO of Google is Sundar Pichai Parent Company of google is Alphabet Inc. Google was founded in 1998.
29th March, 2017 AAI, DRDO and Govt. of Jharkhand Signed a Tripartite MoU i. The Airports Authority of India (AAI), the Defense Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Government of Jharkhand signed an MoU for the development of the Deoghar Airport in Deoghar district of Jharkhand. ii. The existing Deoghar Airport will be developed for operations of A-320 and C-130 Aircraft. The time frame given to develop and operationalize the Deoghar Airport is two years.
1st time India becomes Net Exporter of Electricity
0422 4204182,9884267599 1st Street Gandhipuram Coimbatore Page 56
Unique IAS Academy – Current Affairs March 2017 i. As per Central Electricity Authority, the Designated Authority of Government of India for Cross Border Trade of Electricity, 1st time India has turned around from a net importer of electricity to Net Exporter of electricity. ii. During the current year 2016-17 (April 2016 to February 2017), India has exported around 5,798 Million Units to Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar which is 213 Million units more than the import of around 5,585 Million units from Bhutan.
SBI launches 'Unnati' credit card i. SBI Card launched a unique credit card „SBI Card Unnati‟ targeted at all SBI customers, including Jan Dhan account-holders across the country. ii. As per the statement of SBI Card CEO, Vijay Jasuja, any SBI customer with a balance of at least Rs 25,000 in his/her savings account with the bank would be eligible for the Unnati credit card without the need for any credit score or credit history.
Karnataka Bank‟s PoS installations reach 10,000-mark i. The total tally of PoS (point-of-sale) installations of Karnataka Bank Ltd has reached 10,000. The bank has been offering PoS services since 2011. ii. This service enabled the merchant establishments to accept card payments and boost their business. The bank is also providing „PoS Manager‟, an android mobile app to help merchants.
Paytm, The first e-commerce company to become ASCI member i. The country‟s fast-growing e-commerce industry Paytm is all set to become a member of the self-regulatory voluntary organization Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) from April, 2017. ii. The move is significant because advertising violations by e-commerce companies, which are big spenders on television, print and digital media, have been on the rise in recent years. iii. The Alibaba-backed Paytm has also set up a new company named Paytm Financial Services, which will sell financial products like insurance and mutual funds to its planned payments bank account holders.
IRDAI imposed penalty on ICICI Pru Life i. The Insurance Regulatory and Development authority of India (IRDAI) has imposed a penalty of Rs 20 lakh on ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Company on various charges. ii. The charges include free look cancellations not being in line with regulations and delay in processing surrenders/partial withdrawals.
INLCU L51 commissioned into India Navy i. Indian Navy inducts surveillance ship INLCU L51, the first of the eight ships of the Landing Craft Utility MK IV Class, was commissioned into the India Navy in Port Blair. ii. The commissioning of the ship adds a feather to the glorious chapter in the nation‟s „Make in India‟ initiatives and indigenisation efforts in the field of warship design and construction.
NTPC commissions 55 MW solar project at Bhadla i. State-run power producer NTPC has commissioned 55 Mega Watt (MW) of Bhadla Solar Power Project in Rajasthan. ii. With this, the installed capacity of Bhadla Solar Power project has become 260 MW and that of NTPC's solar power projects has become 620 MW.
Sima Kamil becomes first woman to lead a major Pakistani bank i. United Bank Limited (UBL) has appointed Sima Kamil as the new president and chief executive officer (CEO) of the bank. ii. She will take charge on June 1, 2017 by replacing outgoing CEO Wajahat Hussain. She is the first woman to head a major commercial bank in Pakistan.
0422 4204182,9884267599 1st Street Gandhipuram Coimbatore Page 57
Unique IAS Academy – Current Affairs March 2017
UN appoints David Beasley to head World Food Programme i. United Nations Chief Antonio Guterres has appointed former South Carolina Governor David Beasley to head the Rome-based World Food Programme (WFP). ii. Beasley will run the affairs of the world‟s largest humanitarian organization, serving more than 90 million beneficiaries in 80 countries. iii. He has replaced Etharin Cousin, who has been the WFP executive director since 2012.
Anil Ambani inducted into the Atlantic Council i. Reliance Group Chairman Anil Ambani has been inducted into the international advisory board of global think-tank the Atlantic Council. ii. The Atlantic Council headquartered in Washington, DC. The Atlantic Council chaired by Jon Huntsman Jr.
Bhubaneswar to host men‟s hockey World League Final 2017 i. The International Hockey Federation (FIH) confirmed Bhubaneswar as the venue for two of its major events the Men‟s Hockey World League Final in December 2017 and the men‟s World Cup in 2018. ii. The Kalinga Stadium in the Odisha capital was confirmed as host after the state government signed a deal with FIH to sponsor the two events.
R Ashwin receives Sir Garfield Sobers trophy i.India‟s off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin received Garfield Sobers Trophy for being named the ICC Cricketer of the Year as well as the ICC Test Cricketer of the Year in Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh. ii. With this Ashwin has become the third Indian and the 12th player overall to win the award after Rahul Dravid in 2004 and Sachin Tendulkar in 2010.
Important takeaways from above G.K. update are as follows:
Ravichandran Ashwin received Garfield Sobers Trophy R Ashwin is the third Indian to receive this Trophy. Rahul Dravid was first (2004) and Sachin Tendulkar was second (2010) Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy is a cricket trophy awarded annually by the ICC to its chosen world player of the year The trophy is handcrafted by leading international crystal manufacturer Swarovski The trophy is named after former West Indies cricket captain Sir Garfield Sobers. South Carolina Governor David Beasley will head the Rome-based World Food Programme. He has replaced Etharin Cousin who has been WFP Executive Director since 2012 Secretary-General of United Nations is Antonio Guterres IRDAI headquarter is in Hyderabad, Telangana IRDAI was established in 2002 T S Vijayan is the chairman of IRDAI Karnataka bank headquarter is in Mangalore, Karnataka The bank was founded in 1924 Karnataka bank CEO is Polali Jayarama Bhat. The bank is providing „PoS Manager‟ mobile app to help merchants. Indian Navy inducts INLCU L51 Chief of Naval staff (CNS) is Sunil Lanba the highest-ranking officer in the Indian Navy. Paytm is the first e-commerce company to become ASCI member
0422 4204182,9884267599 1st Street Gandhipuram Coimbatore Page 58
Unique IAS Academy – Current Affairs March 2017
Paytm is a 100% subsidiary of One97 Communications Paytm has set up a new company named Paytm Financial Services Vijay Shekhar Sharma is the founder and CEO of Paytm. India becomes Net Exporter of Electricity for the 1st time India has exported to Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Bhutan AAI, DRDO and Govt. of Jharkhand Signed a Tripartite MoU for the development of the Deoghar Airport in Jharkhand Minister of State for Civil Aviation is Sh. Jayant Sinha Chief Minister of Jharkhand is Sh. Raghubar Das. Bhubaneswar to host Men‟s Hockey World League Final, 2017 and men‟s World Cup in 2018 FIH headquarter is in Switzerland and its President is Narendra Batra SBI launched 'Unnati' credit card for SBI customers Chairman of SBI is Mrs, Arundhati Bhattacharya and is headquartered in Mumbai Headquarter of SBI Card is in Gurugram and its CEO is Vijay Jasuja Piyush Goyal is Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Power, Coal, New and Renewable Energy and Mines. Sima Kamil appointed as new president and CEO of United Bank Limited UBL headquarter is in Karachi, Pakistan UBL bank was founded in 1959.
30th March, 2017 Kerala, Tripura and Arunachal joined UDAY i. Kerala, Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh have joined the Centre‟s power distribution company debt relief scheme, Ujjwal Discom Assurance Yojna (UDAY). With this, 26 states have joined the scheme. ii. The government estimates that Kerala, Arunachal Pradesh and Tripura will gain net benefits of approximately Rs 4,178 crore, Rs 309 crore and Rs 810 crore respectively.
Union Government launches Online Film Certification System i. Information & Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah Naidu launched the online film certification system, 'e- cinepramaan' with an aim to censor corruption and promote clean cinema. ii. The new system of Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) will make the entire process of certification transparent and efficient. The payments made during the process by the producers will go to Bharat Kosh portal.
Chenani-Nashri Tunnel: The longest road tunnel in South Asia i. In the Historic move, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will formally open the longest road tunnel of South Asia- Chenani-Nashri Tunnel on 2nd April 2017.
Govt signs deal for Hydrocarbon project in Neduvasal i. The Government of India signed a contract for the Discovered Small Fields (DSF) Bid 2016 with GEM Laboratories for extracting Hydrocarbons at Neduvasal, in Tamil Nadu. ii. The contract was one of the many signed for 31 areas under the DSF Bid Round 2016.
India, Nepal renew fuel supply pact i. India and Nepal have renewed the fuel supply agreement between Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) and Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) for another five years. ii. Supplies to Nepal from India have been meeting the petroleum product requirements since 1974. Both countries are working together for the construction of petroleum product Motihari-Amlekhgunj Pipeline.
0422 4204182,9884267599 1st Street Gandhipuram Coimbatore Page 59
Unique IAS Academy – Current Affairs March 2017
Third meeting of G-20 framework working group held at Varanasi i. The 3rd G-20 Framework Working Group (FWG) Meeting under the G-20 German Presidency was held in Varanasi on 28th and 29th of March, 2017. ii. The first two G-20 FWG meetings under the G-20 German Presidency have already been held at Berlin in Dec 16 and at Riyadh in Feb 17. Since the inception of the FWG in 2009, this is the fourth occasion that India is hosting this meeting. iii. Previously, India had hosted the G-20 FWG Meetings in Rajasthan (2012), in Goa (2014) and in Kerala (2015) under different presidencies.
NASA, ISRO jointly working on project NISAR i. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) are jointly working on the development of Dual Frequency (L and S band) Synthetic Aperture Radar Imaging Satellite named as NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) ii. The L-band SAR is being developed by JPL/NASA, while ISRO is developing S-band SAR.
World Environmental Education Congress 2017 i. The 9th World Environmental Education Congress (WEEC) will be held in Vancouver, Canada between September 9-15 2017. The theme will be 'Weaving new connections'. ii. The International Organizing Committee is the WEEC Permanent Secretariat, based in Italy. The congress is an international meeting point for everyone working with education for environment and sustainable future or who has an interest in the field.
Amazon makes entry in UAE by acquiring Souq.com i. Amazon, the USA based e-commerce giant made its entry in UAE by acquiring Souq.com, the Middle East‟s largest online retailer. ii. This agreement brings Amazon into a fast-growing market as it expands into a wide range of services. Souq.com, based in Dubai is the largest e-commerce platform in the Arab world offering more than 400,000 products such as consumer electronics, fashion products, and household goods.
ALTBalaji ties up with MobiKwik i. ALTBalaji, the digital platform of Balalji Telefilms Ltd, has announced a partnership with mobile wallet major MobiKwik. ii. The Over-the-top (OTT) entertainment platform ALTBalaji will offer 250 hours of original content and subscribers can now avail themselves of 25 per cent cashback while paying for the service using MobiKwik wallet.
Indian Army Releases Book on Rashtriya Rifles i. General Bipin Rawat, Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) in New Delhi, released the book „Home of the Brave‟ on the history of Indian Army‟s Counter Insurgency Force, the Rashtriya Rifles (RR). ii. The book is authored by Mr. Nitin A Gokhale, Defence & Security Analyst and Brig S K Chatterji (Retired).
Important Takeaways from above GK Update are as follows-
Kerala, Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh have joined UDAY scheme First state to join UDAY scheme was Andhra Pradesh Ujjwal Discom Assurance Yojna is the full form of UDAY UDAY was launched in November 2015 Union govt launched online film certification system 'e-cinepramaan' M Venkaiah Naidu is Information & Broadcasting Minister
0422 4204182,9884267599 1st Street Gandhipuram Coimbatore Page 60
Unique IAS Academy – Current Affairs March 2017
CBFC full form is Central Board of Film Certification Govt of India signed contract for extracting Hydrocarbons at Neduvasal, Tamil Nadu Edappadi K. Palaniswami is the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu C.Vidyasagar Rao is the governor of Tamil Nadu. India and Nepal have renewed the supply agreement of fuel for another five years Prime Minister of Nepal is Pushpa Kamal Dahal India is supplying fuel to Nepal to meet the petroleum product requirements since 1974 The currency of Nepal is Nepalese Rupee and capital is Kathmandu. The 3rd G-20 FWG Meeting under the G-20 German Presidency was held in Varanasi The G-20 is the group of 19 countries and European Union (EU) deliberating on global economic issues The headquarter of G-20 developing nation is in Cancún, Mexico. NASA and ISRO are jointly working on project NISAR ISRO full form is Indian Space Research Organization ISRO chairman is Kiran Kumar and its headquarter is in Bengaluru, India Full form of NASA is National Aeronautics and Space Administration Full form of NISAR is NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar WEEC full form is World Environment Education Congress 9th WEEC will be held in Vancouver, Canada The Theme of WEEC 2017 is 'Weaving new connections' Amazon acquired Souq.com CEO of Amazon is Jeff Bezos Amazon headquarter is in the United States of America Souq.com headquarter is in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates CEO of Souq.com is Ronaldo Mouchawar MobiKwik partnered with ALTBalaji MobiKwik head office is in Gurgaon, India CEO of MobiKwik is Bipin Preet Singh ALTBalaji is the digital platform of Balaji Telefilms Ltd.
31st March, 2017 President inaugurated 'Namami Brahmaputra' festival in Assam i. The biggest river festival of India, Namami Brahmaputra, begins in 21 districts of Assam. ii. President Pranab Mukherjee inaugurated the festival on the banks of the river Brahmaputra, which is considered country's only male river. iii. The main purpose of the 5-day festival (31st March to 4th April) is to give a boost to the investment and tourism prospect in the state.
India signs First Loan Agreement with New Development Bank i. The Loan Agreement for New Development Bank (NDB) financing of US$ 350 Million for Development and Upgradation of Major District Roads Project in Madhya Pradesh was signed between Government of India and the New Development Bank (NDB). ii. This is the First Loan Agreement for NDB assisted project in India. The objective of the Project is upgradation of major district roads (Approx. 1,500 km) in Madhya Pradesh to improve connectivity of the interior areas of the state with the national and state highway networks. The project implementation is 5 years.
Mental Healthcare Bill passed in Parliament i. Parliament passed the Mental Healthcare Bill, 2016, which provides healthcare and services to the people with mental illness and also decriminalizes suicide.
0422 4204182,9884267599 1st Street Gandhipuram Coimbatore Page 61
Unique IAS Academy – Current Affairs March 2017 ii. The bill was passed by Rajya Sabha in August 2016. The Mental Healthcare Bill secured approval in Lok Sabha too, recently. On the clauses decriminalizing suicide, the bill states that a person who attempts suicide should be presumed to have severe stress, and shall not be punished. iii. Under the Mental Healthcare Bill, the punishment for flouting of provisions will attract up to six months in prison or Rs 10,000 fine or both.
RBI says payment systems to remain closed on April 1 i. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has said all payment systems will remain closed on April 1, in a change from its earlier directive asking banks to remain open on the first day of the next fiscal beginning April. ii. Electronic fund transfers using payment channels like RTGS (Real-time gross settlement) and NEFT (National Electronic Funds Transfer) would remain closed on Saturday. However, debit card and credit card transactions would remain unaffected.
Interest rates on small savings schemes cut by 0.1% i. The returns on small savings schemes, including Public Provident Fund (PPF), National Savings Certificate (NSC) and Kisan Vikas Patra, will be lowered by 0.1 percent for the April-June quarter. ii. Interest rates on all nine small savings schemes will be lower by 0.1%. Interest rates are reviewed quarterly. iii. According to finance ministry notification, investments in the public provident fund (PPF) scheme will fetch lower annual rate of 7.9%, the same as a five-year National Savings Certificate.
Karnataka Bank, SBI Card launch co-branded credit card i. Karnataka Bank and SBI Card have launched co-branded credit cards for the customers of Karnataka Bank. ii. Through this alliance, Karnataka Bank and SBI Card will launch two variants of the co-branded credit card named „Karnataka Bank Platinum SBI Card‟ and „Karnataka Bank SimplySAVE SBI Card‟. Sunaina Singh appointed as new Vice-Chancellor of Nalanda University i. Sunaina Singh has been appointed as the new Vice-Chancellor of Nalanda University. She was Vice Chancellor of Hyderabad-based EFL University. She has replaced George Yeo. ii. The University has received a total of 160 applications for the position and six people were called for interviews and three names were then sent to the Visitor. Singh‟s name was on top.
El Salvador becomes first country in the world to ban metals mining i. El Salvador, Central America‟s smallest nation, has become the first country in the world to ban metals mining nationwide. ii. The new law, supported by 70 lawmakers, bans all exploration, extraction, and processing of metals both in open pits and mines.
NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson breaks Sunita Williams‟ spacewalking record i. American astronaut Peggy Whitson made history when she floated outside the International Space Station (ISS). ii. She broke the record for the most spacewalks by a woman. Whitson at the age of 57, is making her eighth career spacewalk, surpassing the record of seven previously held by American Sunita Williams. iii. Ms. Whitson earned a doctorate in biochemistry and served as the first female space station commander in 2008.
India's S V Sunil named player of the year for 2016 in Asian Hockey Awards i. Indian forward player S V Sunil was named the Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) Player of the Year for 2016. ii. Drag-flick specialist Harmanpreet Singh was chosen as the Promising Player of the Year in the continental body‟s annual awards.
Sachin Tendulkar launches own mobile app
0422 4204182,9884267599 1st Street Gandhipuram Coimbatore Page 62
Unique IAS Academy – Current Affairs March 2017 i. Former cricketer Sachin Tendulkar launched his Android and iOS app called '100MB'. The app has been developed by Pune-based technology firm JetSynthesys. ii. The app allows users access to their personal social media account within the app and access to exclusive information and interaction with Tendulkar. Important Takeaways from above GK Update are as follows- The 5-day long Festival 'Namami Brahmaputra' begins in Assam Inaugurated by Indian President Pranab Mukherjee Prime Minister of Bhutan is Mr. Tshering Tobgay Brahmaputra River is country's only male river India signs First Loan Agreement of US$ 350 Million with New Development Bank for the first time The project implementation duration is 5 years The Government of Madhya Pradesh and MPRDC are the implementing agencies Judiciary capital of Madhya Pradesh is Jabalpur New Development Bank (NDB) is headquartered in Shanghai, China BRICS countries are members of NDB Parliament passed the Mental Healthcare Bill 2016 punishment for flouting of provisions will attract up to six months in prison or Rs 10,000 fine or both The bill was passed by Rajya Sabha in August 2016 and now passed in Lok Sabha too. All payment systems will remain closed on April 1 Electronic fund transfers using payment channels like RTGS and NEFT would remain closed on Saturday India signs First Loan Agreement of US$ 350 Million with New Development Bank for the first time The project implementation duration is 5 years The Government of Madhya Pradesh and MPRDC are the implementing agencies Judiciary capital of Madhya Pradesh is Jabalpur New Development Bank (NDB) is headquartered in Shanghai, China BRICS countries are members of NDB. Sunaina Singh appointed as the new Vice-Chancellor of Nalanda University She has replaced George Yeo Nalanda University is located in Nalanda District of Bihar It was established in 2014. El Salvador has become the first country in the world to ban metals mining El Salvador is Central America‟s smallest nation Capital and largest city of El Salvador is San Salvador Salvador Sánchez Cerén is the president of El Salvador NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson breaks Sunita Williams‟ spacewalking record She is making her eighth career spacewalk She was the first female space station commander in 2008 S V Sunil named the Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) Player of the Year for 2016 Harmanpreet Singh was named as the Promising Player of the Year Karnataka Bank and SBI Card have launched co-branded credit cards for the customers of Karnataka Bank named „Karnataka Bank Platinum SBI Card‟ and „Karnataka Bank SimplySAVE SBI Card‟ Polali Jayarama Bhat is CEO of Karnataka Bank and its Headquarter is in Mangalore Vijay Jasuja is CEO of SBI Card and its Headquarter is in Gurgaon.
0422 4204182,9884267599 1st Street Gandhipuram Coimbatore Page 63