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2 GK Tornado Dear readers, This GK Tornado is a complete docket of important news and events that occurred in last 4.5 months (1 st June 15 th Oct 2017). Tornado is important and relevant for all competitive exams like Banking, Insurance, SSC and UPSC Exams. Banking & Financial Awareness 1. RBI keeps repo rate unchanged at 6% - On 4 th October 2017, RBI in its fourth Bi-Monthly Monetary Policy Statement decided to keep the policy Repo rate unchanged at 6%. Therefore, the reverse repo rate under the LAF remains at 5.75 per cent, and the marginal standing facility (MSF) rate and the Bank Rate at 6.25 per cent. However, RBI cut the Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR) by 0.5 percent to 19.5 percent. New Policy & Reserve Rates 1. Repo Rate 6% (unchanged) 2. Reverse Repo Rate 5.75% (unchanged) 3. CRR (Cash Reserve Ratio) 4.00% (unchanged) 4. SLR (Statutory Liquidity Ratio) 19.50% (changed) 5. MSF (Marginal Standing Facility) 6.25% (unchanged) 6. Bank Rate 6.25% (unchanged) 2. RBI opens branch in Dehradun RBI had opened its new branch in Dehradun, Uttarakhand. The branch was inaugurated by Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat. Earlier, the state government had to do financial transactions through the Kanpur branch of the RBI. 3. Reserve Bank of India recently acknowledged HDFC Bank Ltd as a Domestic-Systemically Important Bank (D-SIB). With this, HDFC Bank joins State Bank of India and ICICI Bank in the elite D-SIB list. Note: The higher capital requirements applicable to D- SIBs will be applicable from April 1, 2016, in a phased manner and would become fully effective from April 1, P2P platforms will now act as NBFCs: Govt. - According to the gazette notification issued by the government, all Peer-to-peer lending (P2P) platforms will now considered as Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) and will be regulated by Reserve Bank of India (RBI). About Peer-To-Peer Lending (P2P) - Peer-to-peer lending (P2P) is a method of bulk funding that enables individuals to borrow and lend money - without the use of any official financial institution or bank as an intermediary. Peer-to-peer lending removes the middleman from the process and matches lenders with borrowers online, but it also involves more time, effort and risk than the general lending process. 5. RBI issues guidelines for Peer to Peer lending platform Following are the guidelines - Unless an NBFC has received the Certificate of Registration, it cannot start the the business of a P2P lending platform. New companies who are looking for registration with the bank as an NBFC-P2P must have a net owned funds of not less than 20 million rupees or such higher amount as the RBI may specify. The existing NBFC-P2Ps have to apply for registration as NBFC-P2Ps within 3 months. Functions of NBFC-P2P Following are the functions of NBFC-P2P (i) It is necessary to provide online platform to members involved in P2P lending. (ii) Cannot lend on its own. (iv) Cannot hold its own balance sheet of funds received from lenders or funds given to borrowers 2 Page

3 (v) NBFC-P2P can t cross-sell products. Guidelines for lenders and borrowers (1) A lender can t lend more than Rs 10 lakh to all borrowers at any point of time across all P2Ps (2) Borrowers can t borrow more than Rs 10 lakh from all lenders at any point of time across all P2Ps (3) Not more than Rs 50,000 can be borrowed from single lender to the same borrower, across all P2Ps. (4) The maturity of the loans shall not exceed 36 months. Fund transfer mechanism Bank account is mandatory for transfer of funds. The transfer of funds between lenders & borrowers on the P2P platform will be done through escrow account mechanisms. Cash transactions are not allowed in P2P platform. 6. RBI to conduct financial literacy drive in 9 states The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has decided to launch a financial literacy drive in 80 blocks in 9 states. The nine states include - Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Odisha, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. Objective The main objective of the financial literacy drive is to educate people on e-transactions, formal sector borrowings and insurance purchases. Also, to create awareness among people on - e- transactions through electronic means such as NEFT, RTGS, IMPS, Internet Banking, Mobile Banking and UPI (Unified Payment Interface). Key points Depositor Education and Awareness Fund (DEAF) will implement the pilot project in collaboration with banks and six non-governmental organisations (NGOs) Six NGOs include - CRISIL Foundation, Dhan Foundation, Swadhaar Fin Access, Indian School of Micro Finance for Women (ISMW), Samarpit and the PACE Foundation. The total cost of the project over a period of three years would be around Rs Cr. 7. Masala Bonds to be treated as ECB: RBI - Masala bonds were treated by Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPI) till 3 rd October 2017.Now, The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced that it is free from FPI and being treated by External Commercial Borrowings (ECB). Note: Masala bonds are rupee-denominated overseas bonds. Currently, the limit for investment by Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) in corporate bonds is Rs 2,44,323 crore and this includes masala bonds of Rs.44,001 crore. 8. Two regional rural banks record Over Rs 150-cr Profit in FY17: According to the Reserve Bank of India s Report on Trend and Progress of Banking in India - Karnataka Vikas Grameena Bank and Andhra Pragathi Grameena Bank recorded net profit of more than 150 crore during RBI to pay Rs 30,659 cr dividend to Govt. - The Reserve Bank has to pay Rs 30,659 crore to the government for the fiscal ended June It is a less than half of what it paid in Previous year in 2016 RBI had paid Rs 65,876 crore dividend to the government. 10. RBI issues new Rs 200, Rs 50 banknotes - After demonetization, Rs 200 is the fourth note introduced by the apex bank. Features of Rs. 200 bank note The note will carry the signature of RBI governor Urjit Patel, the year of printing on the left, and the Swachh Bharat logo with the slogan. Colour The colour of the bank note is Bright Yellow. Design: It has a motif of Sanchi Stupa on the reverse, depicting the country s cultural heritage. Dimension - The dimension of the bank note will be 66mm X 146mm. Latent image with denominational numeral 200. Windowed security thread with inscriptions भ रत and RBI with colour shift. Colour of the thread changes from green to blue when the note is tilted. Denominational numeral with Rupee Symbol, 200 in colour changing ink (green to blue) on bottom right. Ashoka Pillar emblem on the right. Mahatma Gandhi portrait and electrotype (200) watermarks Features of 50 Rs bank note The note will carry the signature of RBI governor Urjit Patel, the year of printing on the left, and the Swachh Bharat logo with the slogan and language panel. Colour: The bank note is fluorescent blue in colour. Design: The note bears the motif of Hampi with Chariot on the reverse that depicts India s cultural heritage. Ashoka pillar emblem on the right side. Mahatma Gandhi portrait and electrotype (50) watermarks. Dimension - Dimension of the banknote will be 66 mm x 135 mm. Windowed demetalised security thread with inscriptions भ रत and RBI, 3 Page

4 Note: Till now, India has currency denominations of Rs. 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500 and 2, RBI identified 12 accounts with 25% of bank bad loans - The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had identified 12 accounts which represents 25% of the gross bad loans in the banking system. RBI had ordered the banks to implement the insolvency and bankruptcy code on these 12 accounts to recover the dues. These accounts are overdue of above Rs 5,000 crore each. Name of some accounts include - Lanco Infratech Ltd, Essar Steel, Bhushan Steel, Electrosteel Steel, Alok Industries, Jyoti Structures, Monnet Ispat and Jaypee Associates. Note: IDBI Bank has initiated insolvency proceeding against Lanco Infratech ltd. 12. RBI initiates PCA against six banks as NPA mounts - The Reserve Bank of India has initiated prompt corrective action (PCA) against six banks in view of the high level of bad loans. Six banks include Bank of Maharashtra, Central Bank of India, IDBI Bank, UCO Bank, Dena Bank and Indian Overseas Bank. The move will restrict the bank from announcing the dividend, opening branches, hiring and giving loans to companies rated below investment grade. 13. Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has set up Supervisory Colleges for six Scheduled Commercial Banks which have sizeable international presence. The banks include - - State Bank of India, ICICI Bank Ltd., Bank of India, Bank of Baroda, Axis Bank Ltd. and Punjab National Bank. The objectives of the colleges are to enhance information exchange and cooperation among supervisors, to improve understanding of the risk profile of the banking group and thereby facilitate more effective supervision of internationally active banks. 14. RBI fined Rs. 3 cr penalty on UBI - The RBI has imposed a penalty of Rs. 3 crore on state-owned Union Bank of India for non-compliance with the directions on Know Your Customer (KYC) norms. This action is based on deficiencies in regulatory compliance and is not intended to pronounce upon the validity of any transaction or agreement entered into by the bank with its customers. 15. RBI broadens scope of Banking Ombudsman Scheme With the amendment, from 1 July 2017, the banking ombudsman scheme will include i. sale of insurance, mutual funds and other third-party investment products by banks ii. mobile and online banking services. 4 Page Now, a bank customer also files a complaint to Banking Ombudsman on following issues i. Mutual Fund & Insurance policy - wrongly sold third party products such as mutual fund schemes & insurance policies. ii. mobile and online banking services - delay or failure of online payments or fund transfers and unauthorized electronic payments or fund transfers. Key points - So far, the banking ombudsman only accepted complaints about banking products and services. Third-party products sold by banks, such as insurance and mutual fund products, were kept out of its ambit. RBI has included in its amended scheme that in case of any grievance, you can lodge a complaint against the bank for its non-adherence to RBI s instructions on mobile banking and electronic banking services in India. Increase in compensation amount: The RBI has increased the compensation limit from Rs10 lakh to Rs20 lakh. The compensation excludes the amount involved in the dispute. For case, if you have a complaint about a transaction amount of, say, Rs15 lakh. The compensation will be over and above this amount. 16. RBI limits Customer liability in Online Banking As per the RB guidelines on customer liability The full amount will be credited to the account - If the customers report to the banks regarding the loss they suffer through online banking transactions within 3 days, then the amount involved will be credited to their accounts within a time period of 10 days. Only Rs. 25,000 will be credited to the account - In case the third-party fraud is reported with a delay of 4 to 7 working days, a customer will face liability of up to Rs. 25,000. Only Rs. 10,000 will be credited to the account - If the fraud is report after 7 days, the customer liability will be determined as per the bank s Board approved policy. The maximum liability of a savings bank account customer will be Rs10,000 in such cases. 17. RBI s notification related to Interest Subvention Scheme for Short Term Crop Loans during the year A farmer can avail loans up to Rs. 3 lakh at an interest rate of 7% p.a. during the year This interest subvention of 2 per cent will be calculated on the crop loan amount from the date

5 of its disbursement up to the date of actual repayment by the farmer or up to the due date of the loan fixed by the banks, whichever is earlier, subject to a maximum of one year. Aadhaar card mandatory - To ensure hassle-free benefits to farmers under the Interest Subvention Scheme, the banks are advised to make Aadhaar linkage mandatory for availing of short-term crop loans in Note: The Cabinet has approved the total expenditure of Rs 20,339 crore for this financial year (FY) as interest subsidy on short-term crop loans. India s GDP Growth Rate Projected by Different Org The Reserve Bank of India - 6.7% in UN projected World GDP growth rate at 2.7% in Note: Also, the projection of real GVA (Gross Value Added) growth for has been revised down to UN projected World GDP growth rate at 2.7% in 6.7 per cent from the August 2017 projection of per cent. UN Secretary General - António Guterres RBI Governor Dr. Urjit Patel UN headquarter New York, US RBI headquarter Mumbai, India Members countries International Monetary Fund (IMF) - 6.7% in The credit rating agency Fitch Ratings 6.9% for IMF projected India s GDP growth rate at 7.4% in Fitch CEO Paul Taylor Fitch Ratings headquarter New York, US IMF projected World GDP growth rate at 3.5% in 7. India Ratings and Research - 6.7% in and 3.6% in India Ratings and Research MD & CEO - Rohit IMF Chief Christine Lagarde Sawhney. IMF headquarter Washington, D.C. (US) India Ratings and Research headquarter Mumbai, 3. World Bank - 7% in Maharashtra World Bank projected India s GDP growth rate at 8. Domestic rating agency CRISIL - 6.7% in % in CRISIL MD & CEO - Ashu Suyash World Bank projected India s GDP growth rate at CRISIL headquarter Mumbai, Maharashtra 7.5% in The Central Statistics Office (CSO) - 7.1% in World Bank projected World GDP growth rate at CSO Director General Davendra Verma 2.7% in CSO headquarter New Delhi, India World Bank President Jim Yong Kim 10. Japanese financial holding company Nomura - 7.1% in World Bank headquarter Washington, D.C. (US) Members countries Nomura CEO: Koji Nagai 4. Asian Development Bank (ADB)- 7% in Nomura headquarter - Minato, Tokyo, Japan Asian Development Bank (ADB) projected India s 11. HSBC - 7.1% in GDP growth rate at 7.5% in HSBC CEO: Stuart Gulliver ADB President: Takehiko Nakao HSBC headquarter London, UK ADB headquarter Mandaluyong, Philippines 12. Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Members countries - 67 Development (OECD) - 6.7% in United Nation (UN) - 7.3% in OECD projected India s GDP growth rate at 7.2% in UN projected India s GDP growth rate at 7.9% in OECD Secretary-General: Angel Gurría OECD headquarter Paris, France Digital Banking 1. National Electronic Fund Transfer (NEFT) It is a payment system which facilitates one-to-one funds transfer. Under this facility, any customer can 5 Page electronically transfer funds from any bank branch to any individual, firm or corporate having an account with any other bank branch in the country.

6 Transaction Limit: There is no minimum & maximum limit of amount. Note: For cash-based remittance and remittance to Nepal - the maximum amount per transaction is limited to Rs 50,000. Timing: At present, NEFT operates in hourly batches - there are twelve settlements from 8 am to 7 pm on week days (Monday through Friday) and six settlements from 8 am to 1 pm on Saturdays. 2. Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) Under this facility the transfer of funds is done individually on an order by order basis (without any delay). The RTGS system is primarily meant for large value transactions. Transaction Limit: The minimum amount is Rs. 2 lakh. There is no upper ceiling for RTGS transactions. Timing: The RTGS service window for customer's transactions is available to banks from 9.00 hours to hours on week days and from 9.00 hours to 14:00 hours on Saturdays for settlement at the RBI end. However, the timings that the banks follow may vary depending on the customer timings of the bank branches. 3. Indian Financial System Code (IFSC) It is a 11-digit alpha-numeric code which identifies a bank-branch participating in the NEFT & RTGS system. IFSC is used by the NEFT system to identify the originating / destination banks / branches and also to route the messages appropriately to the concerned banks / branches. Note: IFSC code represent First 4 alpha characters indicate bank name Fifth characters is 0 Last 6 characters indicate bank branch. For ex - SBIN Here SBIN indicates State Bank of India represent the Lucknow Main Branch name. 4. About NPCI - National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) is an umbrella organization for all retail payments system in India. It was set up with the guidance and support of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and Indian Banks Association (IBA). NPCI Headquarter: Mumbai, Maharashtra 5. About Unified Payments Interface (UPI)- It is an instant payment system to transfer money between two parties bank accounts. It is a similar to NEFT or RTGS transfers in that way. It is developed by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). 6. Immediate payment service (IMPS) It is an instant real-time payment service which help customer to transfer money anytime and anywhere in India. This service is similar to NEFT & RTGS and available 24/7 throughout the year including bank holidays. This service is offered by National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). Transaction limit There is a maximum limit of 2 lakhs. 7. Interbank Mobile Payment Service (IMPS) It is an instant interbank fund transfer service in which mobile phones are used as channel through which transaction happens with the use of Mobile Money Identifier(MMID). For each account, MMID is generated by bank and it is linked with registered mobile number. Now, account details are fetched from MMID and via registered mobile number transaction occurs. **Only MMID and Registered Mobile Number of Payee are needed. Mobile Money Identifier is a 7 digit number, issued by banks. Transaction Limits - RBI has defined the maximum limit per day transaction. If transaction happens in encrypted format (from net banking) then limit is 50,000 rupees per day whereas if transaction happens in unencrypted messaging formats (from mobile instrument via text message) then limit is 1,000 rupees per day. 8. *99# Service It is a mobile banking facility which is based on Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD). With the help of this service a bank customer can perform financial activities by just dialing *99# from his/her mobile registered with the bank. *99# is a common number across all Telecom Service Providers (TSPs). The service works across all GSM service providers and handsets. 9. About Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) USSD allows transmission of information through a GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) network. It is used to send text message between a mobile phone and application program in the network. At present, it is one of the best accessible communications technology to deliver mobile financial services to low-income customers. 10. Aadhar Enabled Payment System (AEPS) It is an Indian payment system which is based on unique identification number, the AADHAAR. The system allows a person holding an Aadhaar number to carry out financial transaction on a Micro-ATM provided by the 6 Page

7 Banking correspondent. It is developed by National Payments Corporation of India. 11. Aadhaar Payments Bridge System (APBS): It is a payment gateway platform used for Aadhaar schemes. Under this facility - Aadhaar number used as a central key for electronically channelizing the Government subsidies and benefits in the Aadhaar Enabled Bank Accounts (AEBA) of the intended beneficiaries. It is developed by National Payments Corporation of India. It was used for the first time on 1 January 2013 when Direct Benefit Transfer was launched by Government of India. 12. BHIM APP Bharat Interface for Money (BHIM) is an instant payment application which allow users to transfer fund with the help of mobile phone. It is based on the Unified Payment Interface (UPI) and developed by National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). The Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched BHIM app for Android and ios devices on 30th Dec 2016 at the Digi Dhan Mela event in New Delhi. Features of BHIM App - Maximum limit- User can transfer maximum amount upto Rs 20,000 in a day. You can send upto Rs. 10,000 in a single transaction. Transaction Charges There is no transaction charges. UPI PIN It is a four or six digit number which is set by the users itself on BHIM after the registration process. UPI PIN is used for authenticating all transactions done on UPI platform (BHIM or *99# or UPI apps). VPA - Virtual Payment Address (VPA) is a unique identifier which you can use to send and receive money on UPI. Note: You can use two VPA s. First one is the default VPA (mobile number@upi). The second one, you can create on My Profile page. 1. State Bank of India has launched an Artificial Intelligence powered chat assistant to help customers in various banking activities. The chat assistant is known as SBI Intelligent Assistant (SIA). This chatbot is made by an Artificial intelligence banking platform - Payjo. SIA is considered as a revolution in the digital banking field. It can resolve and handle about 10,000 queries per second. 2. Canara Bank has launched its first digital Banking branch in Bengaluru. This branch is named as CANDI. 3. Airtel Payments Bank has become the first payment bank in India to merge the UPI (Unified Payment Interface) on its digital platform. With this initiative, the bank customers can now link their bank accounts on Bhim app and make UPI payments. Important news related to digital banking - Important points related to digital banking Note: Airtel Payments Bank (APB), a joint venture between Bharti Airtel Ltd and Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd. 4. Paytm Payments Bank join hands with NPCI for RuPay digital card - Paytm Payments Bank (PPB) joined with the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) for RuPay digital card. With this debit card customer will get free insurance cover of up to Rs 2 lakh in the case of death or permanent total disability. 5. Google Tez The new payment app for India by Google. It is a mobile wallet app which is based on the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) platform. This works similar to the BHIM app. 1. DCB Bank launches first iris-based ATM in Telangana - ATM dispense cash without a debit card as the machine verifies the customer from the Aadhaar details like the iris and fingerprint. 2. DCB Bank launched first Aadhaar-based ATM in Bengaluru - The ATM accepts Aadhaar number and Aadhaar fingerprint (biometric) instead of ATM / debit card and PIN to dispense cash from the bank account. 3. Country s first banking robot - Lakshmi launched by City Union Bank in Chennai. 4. RBL Bank becomes the first Indian bank to launch Aadhaar Payment Bridge System for small ticket microfinance loan disbursements. 5. RBL Bank launches India s first credit card exclusively for GOLF LOVERS. 6. India s first cash giving app CASHe launched by Tslc Pte Ltd. 7. First Digital State - Kerala declared first digital state in India. 7 Page

8 8. First Digital District Nagpur declared first digital district in India. 9. First Digital Village - Akodara village in Sabarkantha district of Gujarat became India s first Digital village. The village was adopted by ICICI Bank under its digital village project First cashless island - Karang, a small lake island in Manipur, has become the country s first cashless island. 11. First digital tribal colony - The Nedumkayam tribal colony at Nilambur in Malappuram lacks basic facilities including toilets. However, the colony has now become a role model to the country by becoming the first 'digital' tribal colony in India. List of committees on Digital Banking - Committee for accelerating growth of Digital Payments in India is headed by Ratan P. Watal. Committee to study financial technology and digital banking issues in India is headed by - Sudarshan Sen Mobile Apps launched by different banks 1. SBI Mingle - the social media banking platform for Facebook and Twitter users. Buddy - a mobile wallet app in collaboration with Accenture and MasterCard. eforex - an internet-based platform that enables customers to book their foreign exchange transactions online. MobiCash A digital wallet in partnership with Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL). SBI Quick With this app customer can get balance or mini statement of account through mobile phone. Samadhan A self-service mobile app for everyday banking needs. 2. ICICI Mera imobile - India s first mobile banking application for rural customers. imobile With the help of this app a customer can perform banking activities just like transfer of funds, bill payments, can check account balance, etc. Tap n Pay ICICI bank launched this service in collaboration with Tech Mahindra Limited which is based on Near Field Communications (NFC) technology. This service allows any customer to make over-the-counter payments without using cash. M- Pesa ICICI bank launched this service in collaboration with Vodafone. With this facility, a customer can transfer money and make payments via mobile phone. Pocket - ICICI Bank launches India's first digital bank app Pockets. Money2India - It is an online money transfer tracking service offered to Non-Resident Indians. Eazypay - India s first mobile app for merchants to accept payments on mobile phone through multiple digital modes. 8 Page ICICIBankPay on Twitter - This service in India enables ICICI Bank customers to transfer money to anyone in the country who has a Twitter account. Smart Vault Fully automated lockers which is based on robotic technology to access the lockers from the safe vault conveniently at any time of their preference in total privacy, without any intervention of the branch staff. Contactless Credit and Debit Cards - India s first Contactless debit and credit cards, enabling its customers to make electronic payments by just waving the cards near the merchant terminal in lieu of dipping or swiping them. Software robotics - ICICI bank launched India s first 'software robotics' initiative. Over 200 software robots are now performing over 1 million transactions per day for the bank which comprises 10% of its total transactions. ICICI Bank launched ATM on Wheels India s first Mobile ATM, in Mumbai. 3. HDFC EVA - HDFC Bank launches chatbot Eva for customer services. Electronic Virtual Assistant (Eva) is India's first Artificial Intelligence -based banking chatbot and can answer millions of customer queries across multiple channels. Chillar - It is India's first multi-bank mobile payment app that links directly to your bank account. It allows customer to send money instantly from their HDFC Bank account to anyone in their phone book or to a beneficiary using their Account number & IFSC code' or UPI ID. PayZapp With this you can do online payments and money transfer. 4. AXIS Lime - India s first Mobile App integrating Wallet, Shopping, Payments and Banking

9 First Multi- Currency Contactless Card service launched by - Axis Bank has launched the first Contactless Debit, Credit and Multi-Currency Forex Card in association with VISA paywave in the country 5. Federal Bank Scan N Pay - allows customers to instantly transfer money to any of the Federal Bank accounts through android phones Lotza is Unified Payment Interface app of Federal Bank. FedMobile Customers can access specified banking services including information relating to their Account(s), transaction details and such other services as may be made available by the Bank from time to time. FedBook Selfie - India s first mobile app for bank account opening. 6. PNB launches mbanking - With the help of this app a customer can perform banking activities just like transfer of funds, bill payments, can check account balance, etc. Wave N Pay Contactless credit cards, enabling its customers to make electronic payments by just waving the cards near the merchant terminal in lieu of dipping or swiping them. 7. Kotak Mahindra Bank 8 11 mobile app - digital banking system on mobile. Note: 811 offers a zero -balance savings account with zero charges for all digital transactions, Note: Kotak is the first bank in India to integrate the newly introduced Aadhaar-based OTP authentication process for account opening on mobile. Only Aadhaar and PAN numbers are required to open and operate 811. Banking & Financial terms 8. Yes Bank PhonePe - It works over the Unified Payments Interface(UPI) platform developed by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and is powered by YES Bank. PhonePe is a one stop UPIbased app which can serve all your payment needs, in a safe and secure manner. YES mpower - Yes Bank partnered with Silicon Valley-based bot platform Gupshup to launch an artificial intelligence-powered banking chatbot YES mpower that instantly gives information about loan products. The YES mpower bot is available through Facebook Messenger 9. Indian Bank IndPay A mobile application service that enables its customers to operate bank account from anywhere, anytime. 10. Bank of Baroda M-Connect - It offers you the chance to manage all of your banking operations using your Smartphone in a convenient, safe and simple manner. 11. Union Bank of India U-Mobile - The mobile banking facility that will help you do banking transactions using your mobile phone. 12. Project Ananya by Syndicate Bank Syndicate Bank had launched the Project Ananya which provide latest digital banking services to its customer. 13. MobiKwik launched Bubble Pin as a one-step offline payments mode, which allows users to make payments without data connection. 1. AEPS Aadhar Enabled Payment System 2. APBS Aadhar Payment Bridge System 3. ATM Automated Teller Machine 4. ALM - Asset Liability Management 5. BBPS Bharat Bill Payment System 6. BHIM - Bharat Interface for Money 7. CBS Core Banking System 8. CIDR - Central Identities Data Repository 9. CTS Cheque Truncation System 10. CDR - Corporate Debt Restructuring 11. CASA Current Account Saving Account 12. CAD Capital Account Deficit 13. CRR Cash Reserve Ratio 14. ECS Electronic Clearing Scheme 15. DNS - Domain Name System 9 Page 16. DEAF - Depositor Education and Awareness Fund 17. EFTPOS - Electronic funds transfer at point of sale 18. EFT Electronic Fund Transfer. 19. FRBM - Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management 20. LGD - Loss Given Default 21. GNFV - Gross Negative Fair Value 22. SFTs: Securities financing transactions 23. HCE - Host Card Emulation 24. PFE - Potential Future Exposure 25. ICAAP - Internal Capital Adequacy Assessment Process 26. IFSC - Indian Financial System Code 27. IMPS - Immediate Payment Service 28. IMPS - Interbank Mobile Payment Service 29. MMID - Mobile Money Identifier 30. MPIN - Mobile Personal Identification Number

10 31. NPA Non- Performing Assets 32. NPCI - National Payment Corporation of India 33. NFS National Financial Switch 34. NACH National Automated Clearing House 35. NEFT National Electronic Fund Transfer 36. NFC - Near field communication 37. NDTL Net Demand and Time Liabilities. 38. OTC Over the Counter 39. PIN Personal Identification Number 40. PAC - Personal Access Code 41. PCA - Prompt Corrective Action 42. PSPs - Payment Support Providers 43. RTGS Real Time Gross Settlement 44. USSD - Unstructured Supplementary Services Data 45. UIDAI - Unique Identification Authority of India 46. VPA - Virtual Payment Address. 47. GDR Global Depository Receipt 48. GAAR - General anti avoidance rule 49. PAN Permanent Account Number 50. PLR Prime Lending Rate 51. SLR Statutory Liquidity Ratio 52. SDR Special Drawing Rights 53. DTAA Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement 54. TIEA Tax Information Exchange Agreement 55. EFSF European Financial Stability Facility Agreement 56. PPP Purchasing Power Parity 57. PPP Public Private Partnership 58. NPS New Pension Scheme 59. EEFC - Exchange Earner's Foreign Currency 60. FII Foreign Institutional Investor 61. DII Domestic Institutional Investor 62. GST Goods and Services Tax 63. DTC Direct Tax Code 64. FCNRA Foreign Currency Non- Resident account 65. MFI - Micro Finance Institutions 66. MFDC Micro Finance Development Council 67. TRAI - Telecom Regulatory Authority of India 68. MSF Marginal Standing Facility 69. IDF Infrastructure Debt Fund 70. CRIS Comparative Rating Index for Sovereign 71. LIBOR London Inter Bank Operation Rate 72. MIBOR Mumbai Inter Bank Operation Rate 73. MICR Magnetic Ink Character Recognition 74. SARFAESI - Securitization and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest 75. BCBS - Basel Committee on Banking Supervision 76. NPCI - National Payments Corporation of India 1. IOC overtakes ONGC to become India's most profitable PSU - Indian Oil Corporation has overtaken Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) to become India s most profitable state-owned company. 2. SAAB & Adani Group join hands to build Gripen E fighter jets in India - Swedish defence major SAAB and Adani Group has join hands to manufacture Gripen E fighter jets in India under the Defence Ministry s $10 billion single-engine fighter jet procurement programme. 3. NABARD sanctioned loan of Rs 1,350-cr to Rajasthan Government for the creation of rural infrastructure in the state under the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF). 4. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will provide a USD 152 million to Nepal for the implementation and enhancement of its power transmission and distribution. ADB and Nepal s Ministry of Finance signed the loan agreement in Kathmandu. 5. The Finance Ministry & World Bank ink pact of $24 million to improve India s Forest Ecosystem Services. 6. World Bank to provide $250-million loan to train India's job seekers - The World Bank has cleared a USD 250-million loan for making Indian youth more employable through reskilling, in a move that is seen to aid the Skill India Mission. Under the program, adults in years of age, underemployed or unemployed, will get the skill training. 7. ADB approved loan of $80-Million to Himachal Pradesh - Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a loan of $80 million (about Rs 524 crore) for the modernization of Himachal Pradesh s technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions. 8. The government of India and Asian Development Bank (ADB) has signed a 220 million dollar loan for improving connectivity as well as transport efficiency and safety on State Highways of Rajasthan. 9. AIIB approves USD 329 mn loan to build roads in Gujarat - China based Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) announced its approval to a $329 million loan to build access roads across 4,000 villages in Gujarat. 10. To reduce emissions and promote sustainability to help India s smart city programme, France and the European Union have extended a grant of 3.5 million 10 Page

11 euros under the Moblise Your City (MYC) initiative. Three Indian cities- Nagpur, Kochi and Ahmedabad -- will get the grant as part of the EU s commitment under the Paris Climate agreement according to French Development Agency (AFD). 11. World Bank has approved a loan assistance of 44 million dollars for the Assam State Public Finance Institutional Reforms (ASPIRe) Project. 12. West Bengal Gets $300 Million ADB Loan - ADB has sanctioned a USD 300 million loan facility for carrying forward fiscal reforms in West Bengal. The board of Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved a loan of USD 300 million to continue a comprehensive series of fiscal reforms in West Bengal. 13. Reliance Defence inks Pact with Serbia s Yugoimport to Manufacture Ammunition in India. 14. Asian Development Bank has pledged USD 10 billion for development projects in India. 15. India, World Bank sign USD 35 million agreement to enhance efficiency in tax administration in Assam. 16. Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has approved $150 million equity investment loan to the India Infrastructure Fund. 17. India signed an agreement with Sri Lanka on 6 June 2017 to provide fresh assistance of USD 318 million as a line of credit for the development of the nation s railway sector. 18. India & World Bank signed an agreement for Himachal Pradesh Financial Management Capacity Building programme. USD 36 million. 19. India signed a USD 39.2 million loan agreement with the World Bank for the Assam Citizen Centric Service Delivery project Financial & Economy News 1. GIC Re launched India s 3 rd largest IPO - General Insurance Corp of India (GIC Re) launched its mega Rs 11,370 crore initial public offer (IPO). This is India's third biggest IPO ever after Coal India's Rs 15,200 crore and Reliance Power's Rs 11,700 crore issues. 2. Wholesale inflation rose to a four-month high of 3.24 per cent in August as prices of food articles, led by onions and vegetables, soared. Inflation based on the Wholesale Price Index was 1.88 per cent in July 2017 and 1.09 per cent in August First regional centre of New Development Bank opened in Johannesburg, South Africa. Note: The New Development Bank (NDB), formerly referred to as the BRICS Development Bank, is a multilateral development bank established by the BRICS states (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) with an initial authorised capital of the bank is USD 100 billion. The headquarter of NDB is in Shanghai, China. K.V. Kamath is the first President of NDB. 4. BSNL Launches digital wallet bespoke - BSNL went digital by launching a bespoke mobile wallet (mobile payment App) that would enable its existing 100 million customers to make Bill payments. The wallet has been developed and issued by MobiKwik on behalf of BSNL. 5. Nestle set up a first food safety institute in Manesar, Gurugram to help develop standards in food safety and quality. It will provide guidance and training on food safety. While this is the first such institute in India, Nestle already runs a similar Institute each in China and Lausanne, Switzerland. 6. India becomes 1st country to give to UN Tax Fund with $ contribution - India has contributed $100,000 to a UN fund to help developing countries actively participate in the discussion of tax issues, becoming the first country to make the contribution. The UN Tax Trust Fund aims to support the work of the Committee of Experts on International Cooperation in Tax Matters. 7. WTO estimated World Trade to grow at 3.6% in According to revised estimates circulated by the World Trade Organisation, the World trade in goods is estimated to grow at a higher 3.6 percent in Earlier growth was projected at 2.4 percent in US shut down Pakistan s Habib Bank - The US banking regulators has shut down the Pakistan s Habib Bank office in New York for constantly failing to attention concerns over possible terrorist financing and money laundering. Note: Habib Bank Limited (HBL) Pakistan is a Karachi based multinational bank. It is the largest bank by assets in Pakistan. Sultan Ali Allana is a Chairman and Nauman Dar is a President & CEO of HBL. 9. India s Forex reserves cross $400 billion for first time - According to Reserve Bank of India (RBI), India s foreign exchange (Forex) reserves have crossed $400 billion mark for the first time. The increase was due sharp rise in foreign currency assets. 11 Page

12 Note: India is now at sixth position in forex reserves ranking behind China (3,053 billion reserves), Japan ($1,188 billion), Switzerland ($743 billion), Saudi Arabia ($489 billion) and Taiwan ($441 billion). 10. Air India Ties up with PNB, IndusInd - Air India has tied up Punjab National Bank and IndusInd Bank to secure loans to the tune of over Rs 3,000 crore for meeting working capital requirements. 11. Core sector growth rises to 4.9% in August According to Ministry of Commerce & Industry, eight core sectors grew by 4.9% in August 2017, the highest growth rate since April It was higher than 3.1% in August 2016 and 2.6% in July IIP rises to 9-month high of 4.3% in August According to data released by Central Statistics Office (CSO), factory output measured in terms of Index of Industrial Production (IIP) has grown nine-month high to 4.3% in August About Index of Industrial Production (IIP) - The IIP is composite indicator that measures short-term changes in volume of production of basket of industrial products during given period with respect to chosen base period. It is compiled and published monthly by Central Statistical Organization (CSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation. Note: The CSO had revised base year of IIP from to in May 2017 to capture structural changes in economy and improve quality and representativeness of indices. The revised IIP ( ) reflects changes in industrial sector and also aligns it with base year of other macroeconomic indicators like Wholesale Price Index (WPI) and Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The IIP covers 407 item groups. Sector wise these items falls into 3 categories viz. Manufacturing (405 items), Mining (1 items) & Electricity (1 item). The weights of three sectors are 77.63%, 14.37%, 7.9% respectively. 13. ICEX launches world s first diamond futures contracts - The Indian Commodity Exchange (ICEX) as launched world s first diamond futures contracts to provide exporters with a hedging tool. ICEX has received approval from market regulator Securities Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to commence trading with diamond futures contracts. Indian Commodity Exchange (ICEX) ICEX is deemed recognized Stock exchange providing a nation-wide on-line trading platform in commodity derivative. It is a public-private partnership with Reliance Capital, MMTC Ltd, Indiabulls Housing Finance Ltd, Indian Potash Ltd, KRIBHCO and IDFC Bank as major shareholders. It was established under the SCRA, 1956 in terms of Section 131(B) of Finance Act, 2015 pursuant to central Government notification issued in August Union Government launches Bharat 22 ETF to sell stakes in 22 firms - The Union Finance Ministry has launched second exchange-traded fund (ETF), named Bharat 22. It will help to speed up Government s disinvestment programme budgeted to raise a record Rs 72,500 crore in the FY Note: Bharat 22 comprise of 22 stocks including those of central public sector enterprises (CPSEs), public sector banks (PSBs) and its holdings under the Specified Undertaking of Unit Trust of India (SUUTI). Bharat 22 is a well-diversified ETF spanning six sectors basic materials, energy, finance, industrials, FMCG and utilities. The sector wise weightage in the Bharat 22 Index is basic materials (4.4%), energy (17.5%), finance (20.3%), FMCG (15.2%), industrials (22.6%), and utilities (20%). About Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are essentially index funds that are listed and traded on exchanges like stocks. They are basically basket of stocks with assigned weights that reflects the composition of an index. They are similar to mutual funds in a certain manner but are more liquid as they can be sold quickly on stock exchanges like shares. The ETFs trading value is based on the net asset value of the underlying stocks that it represents 15. MCX gets SEBI approval to launch India s first gold options contract Commodity derivatives bourse Multi Commodity Exchange Ltd (MCX) has received markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India s (SEBI) approval to launch India s first gold options contract. Note: The MCX is the country s largest metals and energy commodity bourse. It is country s first listed commodity futures exchange that facilitates online 12 Page

13 trading, and clearing and settlement of commodity futures transactions, thereby providing a platform for risk management. 16. CCEA approves implementation of Dairy Processing & Infrastructure Development Fund scheme - The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved implementation of Dairy Processing & Infrastructure Development Fund (DIDF) scheme with an outlay of Rs crore. Note: The Dairy Processing & Infrastructure Development Fund will be set up as a corpus of Rs 8004 crore with National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD). The scheme will be implemented during the period from to The project will be implemented by National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) and National Dairy Development Corporation (NCDC) directly through the End Borrowers. 17. New Development Bank (NDB) - has approved USD 470 million loan for Madhya Pradesh s Multi-Village Rural Drinking Water Supply Scheme Project. 18. Telecom giant Verizon has acquired Yahoo s core business for $4.48bn ( 3.51m), thus ending Yahoo s two-decade long run as an independent company. Verizon is the No.1 wireless operator in the US. 19. Union Government restricts import of gold, silver items from South Korea. India is the world's biggest gold consumer after China and it imposes a 10 percent import duty on gold and silver. 20. India to import crude oil from US for first time India, the world s third-largest oil importer, for the first time will import crude oil from the United States. The purchase comes after Prime Minister Narendra Modi s visit to the US in June 2017 when President Donald Trump had assured that US looks forward to export more energy products to India. 21. DIPP to set up India s first TISC in Punjab Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) will establish India s first Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC) at Patent Information Centre of Punjab. TISC will be established in Punjab under the World Intellectual Property Organization s (WIPO) TISC program. 22. NMCE, ICEX to merge to create India s third biggest commodity exchange - National Multi Commodity Exchange (NMCE), India s first demutualised online national multi-commodities exchange will merge with Indian Commodity Exchange (ICEX). The merged entity will create India s third biggest commodity exchange. Note: The largest commodity exchange by volume is the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX) followed by National Commodity and Derivatives Exchange (NCDEX). At present, India has six national commodity exchanges namely, Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX), National Commodity and Derivatives Exchange (NCDEX), National Multi-Commodity Exchange (NMCE) and Indian Commodity Exchange (ICEX), ACE Derivatives exchange (ACE) and Universal commodity exchange (UCX) apart from numerous regional exchanges. Government had established regulatory body is Forward Markets Commission (FMC) in It was merged with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) in September Union Government launches new tax payer service module Aaykar Setu - Aaykar Setu, a new tax payer service module - The module was launched in a mobile responsive android version along with the desktop version to enhance mobile access experience. 24. India s Largest Municipal Bond Programme launched - Union Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu has launched India s largest municipal bond programme. The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) became the first municipal corporation in the country to tap money through municipal bonds in 14 years. The AA+ rated PMC s municipal bonds raised Rs 200 crore at 7.59 per cent rate at the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE). Note: This is the first-ever mobilisation of debt capital by a municipal corporation on the BSE BOND platform. This will also be the first issuance since the publication of Issue and Listing of Debt Securities by Municipalities Regulations, 2015 by Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) was assisted by the US Department of Treasury to create a debt policy. About Municipality Bonds - Municipality bonds can be issued by the city corporations to fund developmental projects. Institutional investors, as well as the public, can buy these bonds. The corporations can use the revenues earned from the developmental projects like Metro rail network to repay the interest and principal on these bonds. 13 Page

14 These municipal bonds have now been permitted for public offering by SEBI. Municipal bonds have been in existence in India from the year Cities such as Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Nashik and Madurai have already issued them. These bonds will help the city corporations to directly raise funds without the help of grants from the state governments or agencies such as World Bank. SBI Bank in News 1. SBI launched India s first bond index in London - SBI along with FTSE Russell, global index and data provider launched FTSE SBI Bond Index series at London Stock Exchange (LSE). It is India s first bond index series for overseas investors. 2. SBI launches SBI Realty portal for home buyers - SBI has launched SBI Realty a dedicated portal that will help home buyers to choose flats from its 3,000 approved projects across the country. 3. SBI launched SME Assist for MSME Clients SBI has launched a new initiative SME Assist to provide a short-term working capital demand loan to its MSME clients. It offers loans to MSME customers on the basis of their input credit claims under Goods and Services Tax (GST). The loan processing fee under the scheme is Rs 2, SBI to set up India s largest Innovation Centre in Mumbai SBI will set up a 15,000-sqft innovation centre at its Global IT Centre in Belapur in Navi Mumbai. 5. SBI launches first paperless Banking services sbiintouch in Nepal SBI has launched its fully automatic digital banking services in the Nepalese capital Kathmandu. 6. SBI, World Bank finance 400-cr solar projects SBI and the World Bank had financed 100 MW of rooftop solar projects worth Rs. 400 crore in India. 7. SBI tops share of Wilful Default to PSBs - SBI, accounts for over 27 per cent of the total amount owed to public sector banks by wilful defaulters. As many as 1,762 wilful defaulters owed SBI Rs 25,104 crore. Punjab National Bank (PNB) is next on the list with 1,120 wilful defaulters having outstanding nonperforming assets (NPAs) of Rs 12,278 crore. Together these two banks account for Rs 37,382 crore or 40 per cent of the total outstanding loans. 8. SBI Tops Trust and Popularity Charts - According to a survey conducted by Brand Finance, a business valuation and strategic consultancy, SBI is India s most trusted and most popular bank. Note: On the trust charts, SBI is followed by HDFC Bank and Central Bank of India whereas on the popularity charts, ICICI Bank and HDFC Bank take the second and third spots respectively. 9. SBI Eases Minimum Balance Rules On Savings Accounts - SBI had lowered the Minimum Average Monthly Balance (MAB) requirement in a savings account to Rs 3,000 from Rs 5,000 and also revised downwards penalties for not maintaining such a balance. Other Bank in News 1. IDBI Bank only PSB to get high rating for code compliance - According to the Code Compliance Rating of banks done by the Banking Codes and Standards Board of India (BCSBI) 2017, only one (IDBI Bank) out of 26 public sector banks and eight out of 17 private sector banks got high rating for their adherence to code compliance. The eight private sector banks that got high rating are- Axis Bank, DCB Bank, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, IndusInd Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, RBL Bank and YES Bank. The three foreign banks are Citibank, HSBC and Standard Chartered Bank, that were surveyed got high ranking. 2. Kotak Bank launched Kotak Remit an Aadhaarbased integrated outward forex remittance solution for both customers and non-customers. 3. Fincare Small Finance Bank starts banking operations - Fincare Small Finance Bank (previously known as Disha Microfin Limited) kickstarted its banking operations with about 25 operational branches across Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. The bank was given final small finance bank (SFB) licence from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in May Note: Rajeev Yadav is the CEO of Fincare Small Finance Bank. Its headquartered is in Bengaluru, Karnataka. 14 Page

15 4. PNB & BSNL ties up for mobile wallet Speedpay - Punjab National Bank (PNB) & BSNL has joined hands to roll out open mobile wallet Speedpay across 10 states in the country. Under the agreement, BSNL will expand Speedpay services in Punjab, Chandigarh(UT), Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Uttarakhand. 5. Ujjivan Small Finance Bank receives scheduled bank status from RBI - Ujjivan Small Finance Bank Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ujjivan Financial Services Ltd, has been given scheduled bank status by RBI. Ujjivan SFB commenced its operations as a Small Finance Bank with effect from February 1, Note: Samit Ghosh is the MD & CEO of Ujjivan SFB. It headquartered is in Bengaluru, Karnataka. 6. Fino Payments Bank has launched its mobile banking app called BPay. 7. Canara Bank has launched its first Digital Banking Branch named 'CANDI' in Bengaluru. The most attractive feature of the digital branch is a humanoid robot that addresses basic queries of customers on banking products and services. This is a first-of-its kind initiative by a public-sector bank in the country. 8. Karur Vysya Bank opens its first Aadhaar Enrolment Centre in Chennai. KVB is the first private sector bank to provide this service in India. Rank of India in Global Indexes: Corporation Bank has bagged the best performance awards for Self Help Groups bank linkage program for Karnataka for and from National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard). 10. KVGB Bags Best Performer Award - National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has conferred the best performance award for and to Karnataka Vikas Grameen Bank (KVGB) for its work in the field of credit-linking joint liability groups (JLGs). 11. IDBI Bank has launched Project Nishchay in partnership with the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) to accelerate its turnaround program and improve financial performance. 12. HDFC Life Insurance Company has launched 'Neo', a servicing bot for Twitter that uses artificial intelligence for customer service. This is the second bot put in operation by HDFC Life, after the launch of SPOK, which was an bot to answer customer queries. 13. Tata AIA Life Launches Eazy Connect - Tata AIA Life announced the launch of Eazy Connect, that will extend online customer service to social media platforms. 1. Global Financial Centres Index 2017 India s financial capital Mumbai was ranked at 60th position among 92 financial centres. The repost is published by the Z/Yen and China Development Institute. London has topped the index followed by New York & Hong Kong. The GFCI is released twice a year in March & September. 2. Global Hunger Index 2017: India ranked at 100 th positions among 119 countries. The report is published by International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). India s Previous year ranking 97 th Most hunger countries in the list The Central African Republic (CAR), Chad and Sierra Leone. IFPRI headquarter Washington D.C., US Director General - Shenggen Fan 3. Global Retail Development Index 2017 India ranked at the top position among 30 countries. The repost is published by - A.T. Kearney's. India s Previous year ranking 2 nd The countries ranked on second & third spot China and Malaysia. A.T. Kearney Headquarter Chicago, Illinois, United States CEO - Johan Aurik 4. World Human Development Index 2017 India ranked at 131st positions among 188 countries. The report is published by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). India s Previous year ranking 130 Top three countries are - Norway, Australia and Switzerland. UNDP Headquarter New York Director General - Achim Steiner 5. Global Connectivity Index 2017 India ranked at 43rd positions among 50 countries. The report is compiled and published by Huawei a leading global information and communications technology. India s Previous year ranking - 44 Top three countries are US, Singapore and Sweden. Huawei headquarters Shenzhen, China CEO - Ren Zhengfei (CEO) 15 Page

16 6. Word Press Freedom Index 2017 India ranked at 136th positions among 180 countries. The report is compiled and published by Reporters Without Borders. India s Previous year ranking Top three countries are Norway, Sweden & Finland. Reporters Without Borders Headquarters Paris, France Director General - Christophe Deloire 7. Ease of Doing Business 2017 India ranked at 130th positions among 190 countries. The report is published by World Bank Group. India s Previous year ranking Top three countries are New Zealand, Singapore & Denmark. World Bank Group Headquarters Washington, DC, USA President - Jim Yong Kim 8. Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Confidence Index 2017 India ranked at 8th positions among 25 countries. The report is published by A.T. Kearney. India s Previous year ranking 9th Top three countries are -US, Germany & China. A.T. Kearney Headquarter Chicago, Illinois, United States CEO - Johan Aurik 9. Global Competitiveness Index 2017 India ranked at 40 th positions among 137 countries. The report is published by World Economic Forum (WEF). India s Previous year ranking 39 th Top three countries are Switzerland, US & Singapore. World Economic Forum Headquarter Cologny, Switzerland Founder & CEO - Klaus Schwab 10. Global Human Capital index 2017 India ranked at 103rd positions among 130 countries. The report is published by the World Economic Forum. India s Previous year ranking 105 Top three countries are Norway, Finland & Switzerland. World Economic Forum Headquarter Cologny, Switzerland Founder & CEO - Klaus Schwab 11. Global Innovation Index India ranked at 60th positions among 130 countries. The report is published by Cornell University, INSEAD, and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). India s Previous year ranking 66 Top three countries are Switzerland, Switzerland & the Netherlands. World Intellectual Property Organization Headquarter Geneva, Switzerland CEO - Francis Gurry 12. Global Peace Index India ranked at 137th positions among 163 countries. The report is published by the Institute for Economics & Peace. India s Previous year ranking 141 Top three countries are Iceland, New Zealand & Portugal. Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP) headquarter Sydney, Australia. Chairman - Steve Killelea 13. World Happiness Index India ranked at 122nd positions among 155 countries. The report is published by United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network. India s Previous year ranking 118 Top three countries are Norway, Denmark & Iceland. UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network Headquarter New York, USA Director - Jeffrey Sachs 14. Global Resilience Index India ranked at 60th positions among 130 countries. The report is published by FM Global. India s Previous year ranking 107 Top three countries are Switzerland, Luxembourg & United Kingdom. FM Global Headquarter Johnston, (US) Chairman & CEO - Shivan S. Subramaniam 15. Economic Freedom Index 2017 India ranked at 143rd positions among 186 countries. The report is published by The Heritage Foundation. India s Previous year ranking 123 Top three countries are Hong Kong, Singapore & New Zealand. The Heritage Foundation headquarter Washington, D.C President - Edwin Feulner 16. International Intellectual Property Index 2017 India ranked at 43rd positions among 45 countries. The report is published by US Chamber of Commerce s Global Intellectual Property Centre (GIPC). India s Previous year ranking Page

17 Top three countries are United States, United Kingdom & Germany. US Chamber of Commerce s Global Intellectual Property Centre (GIPC) headquarter Washington, D.C President & CEO- David Hirschmann 17. Sustainable Development Goal Index India ranked at 116th positions among 157 countries. The report is published by Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) and the Bertelsmann Stiftung. India s Previous year ranking 110 Top three countries are Sweden, Denmark & Finland. 18. Corruption Perception Index (CPI) 2017 India ranked at 79th positions among 176 countries. The report is published by Transparency International (TI). India s Previous year ranking 76 Top 3 countries - New Zealand and Denmark in joint first place followed by Finland and Sweden. Counties bottom of the index: Somalia was ranked the most corrupt country. Other countries with lower rankings were Syria, South Sudan, North Korea. Transparency International (TI) Headquarter Berlin, Germany Chairman - José Ugaz 19. Global Index of Talent Competitiveness 2017 India ranked at 92th positions among 118 countries. The report is published by INSEAD in partnership with The Adecco Group and the Human Capital Leadership Institute of Singapore (HCLI). India s Previous year ranking 89 Top three countries are Switzerland, Singapore, United Kingdom 21. Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index (TTCI) India ranked at 40th positions among 130 countries. The report is published by the World Economic Forum. India s Previous year ranking 52 Top three countries are Spain, France & Germany. World Economic Forum Headquarter Cologny, Switzerland Founder & CEO - Klaus Schwab Schemes under Ministry of Finance 1. Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana (PMVVY)- For the senior citizens aged 60 years and above The Scheme provides an assured return of 8% p.a. payable monthly (equivalent to 8.30% p.a. effective) for 10 years. The scheme will be operated by LIC. 2. Jan Suraksha Yojana- (i) PRADHAN MANTRI JEEVAN JYOTI BIMA YOJANA- PMJJBY is a one-year life insurance scheme. Renewable from year to year, offering coverage for death due to any reason and is available to people in the age group of 18 to 50 years Premium of Rs.330/- per annum per member life cover of Rs. 2 lakhs (ii) PRADHAN MANTRI SURAKSHA BIMA YOJANA- Premium of Rs.12 per year Age group 18 to 70 years Under it, risk coverage available will be Rs.2 lakh for accidental death and permanent total disability and Rs. 1 lakh for permanent partial disability (iii) Atal Pension Yojana- Launched in 2015 Focussed on all citizens in the unorganised sector Age- min 18 years, Max- 40 years The Union Govt. would also co-contribute 50% of the subscriber s contribution or Rs per annum, whichever is lower. Subscribers would receive the fixed pension at the age of 60 years, depending on their contributions. 3. PRADHAN MANTRI MUDRA YOJANA (PMMY)- Launched in 2015 In this scheme, Mudra (Micro Units Development and Refinance Agency) bank has been opened to fund all MFI (Micro Financial institutions) which provide loans to the MSMEs. The lending priority will be given to SC/ST enterprises. MUDRA Bank has launched three loan instruments: (i) Shishu- loans up to Rs 50,000 (ii) Kishor- loans above Rs 50,000 and up to Rs. 5 lakhs (iii) Tarun- loans above Rs 5 lakh and up to Rs 10 lakh 4. Varishtha Pension Bima Yojana- 17 Page

18 To provide social security to the persons who are above or equal to 60 years. Implemented through LIC. It will provide an assured pension based on a rate of return of 8% per annum for ten years. Schemes under Ministry of Women and Child Development 1. Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP)- Launched by the PM on January 22, 2015 at Panipat, Haryana. Objective- Improve Child Sex Ratio, Protection and education of girl child. Current brand ambassador-olympic Bronze medallist Sakshi Malik. 2. Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana- Launched by the Prime Minister on January 21, Under Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Women and Child Development. It is a part of BBBP (Beti Bachao Beti Padhao). Only for girls whose age are equal or below 10 years. Tenure- 21 years from the date of opening or girl s marriage Current interest rate- 8.3 Percent. Account can be opened via post offices or commercial banks. 3. POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses) e- Box- Online complaint management system Action against the offenders under the POCSO Act, Any human being up to the age of 18 years is recognised as a child under the POCSO Act. 4. SHe-box (sexual harassment electronic box) portal- Launched in July Online platform to enable women employees of the central govt. to file complaints related to sexual harassment at the workplace. 5. SABLA Scheme- Launched in 2010, also known as Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for Empowerment of Adolescent Girls. Development of adolescent girls of years by making them self-reliant. Focus areas- Nutrition, Skill development and Health. 6. Tejaswini Project- 18 Page Initially the project has been implemented in 17 districts in Jharkhand. Tejaswini Socio-Economic Empowerment of Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW) Project. Project is financed by World Bank. 7. Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Launched in October 2, Provides food, education, and primary healthcare to children under 6 years of age and their mothers. Anyone can visit to the Aanganwadi centre and enroll these services. 8. Indira Gandhi Matritva Sahayog Yojana- Provide financial aid of Rs 6,000 to pregnant women who undergo institutional delivery for hospital admission. The scheme provided cash transfer to pregnant women above the age of 18 years for up to two live births. Schemes under Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare 1. Pradhan Mantri FASAL Bima Yojana (PMFBY)- Launched in 2016 and replaced two crop insurance schemes National Agricultural Insurance Scheme (NAIS) and Modified NAIS. Provide insurance coverage and financial support to the farmers in the case of failure of any of the notified crop as a result of natural calamities, pests & diseases. Premium Paid by farmers are- Rabi crop- 1.5 Percent Kharif crop- 2 Percent Annual commercial and horticultural crops- 5 percent 2. Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana- Attract investments in irrigation system and bringing efficiency in water usage in irrigation. Nodal Agency- State Agriculture Departments (Because Agriculture is a state subject in schedule VII of the constitution.) Tagline- Per drop more crop 3. Soil Health Card Scheme- Launched by the Prime Minister on February 2015 at Suratgarh in Rajasthan. In this scheme, the government issue soil cards to farmers which will carry crop-wise information of nutrients and fertilisers required for the individual farms to help farmers to improve productivity. 4. NAM (National Agricultural Market)

19 National Agricultural Market is a whole-india electronic trading portal to facilitate farmers, traders, buyers, exporters and processors with a common platform for trading commodities. Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) is a marketing board established by state governments which forces the farmers to sell their produce only to middlemen approved by the government in authorized Mandis (markets). 5. Rashtriya Gokul Mission- Conservation of indigenous breeds and their development to improve their genetic makeup, enhancing the milk productivity and distribution of disease free high genetic breed. 6. Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojajna- Launched in Improve organic farming and soil health. Also known as Traditional Farming Improvement Programme. Note- Sikkim has become India's first fully organic state by implementing organic practices on around 75,000 hectares of agricultural land. 7. e-pashuhaat portal- Connect farmers and breeders of bovine animals. Launched in November 26, 2016 on the occasion of birth anniversary of the father of India s White Revolution Verghese Kurien. 8. Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture Launched in during 12 th five-year plan This mission integrates the following schemes- (1) National Horticulture Mission (2) Horticulture Mission for North East & Himalayan States (3) National Bamboo Mission (4) National Horticulture Board (5) Coconut Development Board (6) Central Institute for Horticulture, Nagaland 9. Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Unnat Krishi Shiksha Scheme Launched in the year Promote agricultural education 10. Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana- Launched in 2007 to achieve 4 percent annual growth in the agricultural sector during the 11th five-year plan. Incentivize the states to increase their investment in Agriculture 11. Price Stabilization Fund- Launched in to help regulate the price volatility of important agri-horticultural commodities like onion, potatoes and pulses were also added subsequently. The fund provides a strategic buffer. 12. Mission Fingerling- Development and management of fisheries sector in India to achieve fish production targets under the Blue Revolution. In this 20 States have been identified based on their potential and other relevant factors to strengthen the Fish Seed infrastructure in the country. Other programs and schemes- 1. Saubhagya (Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana) Scheme- Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched 'Power for all' scheme today to mark the birth anniversary of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya. The scheme will be named Saubhagya and will provide subsidy on equipment like transformers, meters and wires. 2. Mission Indradhanush It was launched by Union Health Minister J. P. Nadda on 25 December It aims to immunize all children under the age of 2 years, as well as all pregnant women, against seven vaccine preventable diseases. The diseases being targeted are diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, poliomyelitis, tuberculosis, measles and Hepatitis B. Later Japanese Encephalitis and Haemophilus influenzae type B, Rubella, Japanese Encephalitis, Injectable Polio Vaccine Bivalent and Rotavirus also added. 3. Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) Prime Minister Modi launched the Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) at Vadnagar in Gujarat on October 8, Through this programme, Government of India aims to reach each and every child under two years of age and all those pregnant women who 19 Page

20 have been left uncovered under the routine immunisation programme. 4. Udaan Udaan provides exposure to the youth of J&K to the best of corporate India and corporate India to the rich talent pool available in the State. The scheme not only provides skill enhancement and job opportunity but also connects these bright youths from the J&K with the vibrant corporate sector of India. 5. UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik) is a regional airport development and "Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS)" 6. UJALA Scheme- Prime Minister of India Sh. Narendra Modi on January 5, 2015 had launched the world's largest and most extensive LED distribution programme, UJALA (Unnat Jyoti by Affordable Lighting for All). Recently UJALA scheme launched in Melaka, Malaysia. 7. Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana was launched by Prime Minister on May 1st, 2016 in Ballia, Uttar Pradesh. It is an ambitious social welfare scheme which aims to provide free LPG connections to BPL households in the country. 8. Sagarmala project Sagar Mala project is a strategic and customeroriented initiative of the Government of India to modernize India's Ports so that port-led development can be augmented and coastlines can be developed to contribute in India's growth. 9. Himayat Programme It is a training-cum-placement programme for unemployed youth in Jammu and Kashmir. 10. DIKSHA Portal For teacher training by HRD Ministry 11. DISHA- District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committee (DDCMC) to be named Disha for effective development coordination of almost all the programmes of Central Government 12. Mission Bhagiratha Safe drinking water scheme launched in in Medak District of Telangana by PM. 13. E-Library Sugamya Pustakalaya The Union Government has launched Accessible E- Library Sugamya Pustakalaya for Divyang under Prime Minister s Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan. 14. National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) The scheme was announced by the union government which aims to providing apprenticeship training to over 50 lakh youngsters in order to create more jobs. 15. Swadesh Darshan scheme The scheme was launched by Union Tourism Ministry with an aim to develop theme based tourist circuits in the country. 16. Smart Ganga City Scheme in 10 cities The scheme was launched by Union Minister for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Uma Bharti and Union Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu. These cities are 1. Haridwar, 2. Rishikesh, 3. Mathura-Vrindavan, 4. Varanasi, 5. Kanpur, 6. Allahabad, 7. Lucknow, 8. Patna, 9. Sahibgunj, 10. Barrackpore. Biotech-KISAN Programme- Empowers farmers, especially women farmers. Launched by of the Department of Biotechnology, where scientists will work in sync with farmers to understand problems and find solutions. Urja Ganga gas pipeline project in Varanasi Urja Ganga, 1500 km long gas pipeline project which costing Rs 51,000 crore to provide piped cooking gas to residents of Varanasi within two years. Kaushalya Setu Skill development programme by Maharashtra govt. 'Farm Tourism' Launched by Haryana to attract people to villages. Annapurna Rasoi Scheme Rajasthan Government has launched Annapurna Rasoi Scheme to provide quality meal at cheap price to poor and needy on lines with Tamil Nadu Government s Amma canteens. The tagline for the scheme is: Sabke liye bhojan, sabke liye sammaan (Food for all, respect for all). Vittiya Saksharata Abhiyan (VISAKA) launched by the Union Ministry for Human Resource Development (HRD) to make people aware about cashless economic system. Obituaries 20 Page

21 1. IAF Marshal passed away recently, who led the Indian Air Force in the 1965 India-Pakistan War -- Arjan Singh. Note: Mr. Singh served as the IAF's Chief of Staff during the 1965 India-Pakistan war. Mr. Singh also served the nation as an ambassador to Switzerland (in 1971), as High Commissioner to Kenya (in 1974) and became the Lt. Governor of Delhi (in 1989). 2. Noted BJP politician and religious leader, has passed away at a Delhi -- Mahant Chand Nath. Note: He had won the Alwar seat in the 2014 parliamentary elections after defeating Congress candidate and former Union minister Jitendra Singh. 3. Bollywood actress passed away due to heart attack -- Shakila. Note: She best known for her roles in Guru Dutt's films, Aar Paar (1954) and C.I.D. (1956). 4. Veteran American actor, musician, and singer has passed away in Los Angeles, United States -- Harry Dean Stanton. 5. French businesswoman, world's richest woman passed away in Paris -- Liliane Bettencourt. Note: In 2016, Bettencourt was ranked as the richest woman in the world with a fortune of USD 39.5bn by Forbes magazine. Bettencourt was the only child of Louise Madelaine Berthe and Eugene Schueller (founded L Oreal). 6. Veteran Marathi writer and journalist passed away in Mumbai -- Arun Sadhu. Note: He is better known for his novel in Marathi "Simhasan" and "Mumbai Dinank". As a journalist, he has won several awards including Sahitya Academy award, Bharatiya Bhasha Parishad, NC Kelkar and Acharya Atre award. 7. An American men's lifestyle and entertainment magazine Playboy founder has passed away at his home -- Hugh Hefner. Note: In 1953, Playboy magazine was founded by Hugh Hefner and his associates in Chicago. Hefner built a brand that defined the sexual culture of the second half of the 20th century. 8. The Indian actor of American descent passed away at his residence in Mumbai -- Tom Alter. Note: He made his big screen debut in 1976 with a small role in Dharmendra-starrer Charas and later went on to work in films like Shatranj Ke Khiladi, Gandhi, Kranti, Bose: The Forgotten Hero and Veer Zara. 9. A veteran Congress leader passed away at a hospital in Gurugram -- Makhan Lal Fotedar Note: Fotedar was ushered into politics by Jawaharlal Nehru in early 1950s and he gradually strengthened his position in the Congress to become one of the most powerful persons in the party. 10. Veteran Parliamentarian and freedom fighter passed away at Vellore in Tamil Nadu -- Era Sezhiyan. Note: Sezhiyan was first elected to the Lok Sabha in 1962 on a DMK ticket from Perambalur constituency. 11. Tamil poet popularly known as Kavikko has passed away in Chennai -- S. Abdul Rahman. Note: Rahman was one of the most admired poets of modern Tamil literature. 12. Noted historian and former ICHR chairman passed away in Guwahati, Assam -- Basudev Chatterji. Note: He taught at St Stephen's College in Delhi, the University of Hyderabad besides supervising undergraduates at the University of Cambridge. 13. Eminent rights activist and the protagonist of a reformist movement 'Muslim Satyashodhak Mandal' passed away in Pune -- Mehrunnisa Dalwai. Note: She has worked for justice and equal rights for Muslim women and spearheaded a march in Mumbai seeking abolition of triple 'talaq'. 14. Noted politician of Indian National Congress has passed away -- Palvai Govardhan Reddy. Note: He was representing the Telangana State as a Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha). 15. The star of hit TV series Batman passed away -- Adam West. Note: Adam West was the popular star of 1960s Batman TV show. 16. P N Bhagwati, who passed away recently, was known for introducing -- Public Interest Litigation (PIL). Note: Former Chief Justice of India P N Bhagwati considered a pioneer of judicial activism in the country for introducing the concept of PILs (Public Interest Litigation) passed away after brief illness. 17. Former German Chancellor passed away at his house in the western state of Germany --Helmut Kohl. 18. British actor who played Professor Everard in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix passed away-- Sam Beazley. Note: As Professor Everard, Beazley became known as one of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry's most celebrated head teachers. 21 Page

22 19. The President of Ramakrishna Math and Mission passed away in a Kolkata -- Swami Atmasthananda. Note: Atmasthananda was born near Dhaka (now in Bangladesh) and had received mantra diksha from Swami Vijnananandaji Maharaj in Baldwin Lonsdale passed away recently, was the President of --Vanuatu. Note: President of Vanuatu Baldwin Jacobson Lonsdale has passed away in Port Vila, Vanuatu. 21. Italian fashion legend passed away in Rome -- Carla Fendi. Note: Carla, one of the five Italian sisters (Paola, Anna, Franca, and Alda) at the helm of the iconic Italian label, was the public face of the company famous colourful 'baguette' bags. 22. The founder and chairman of pharmaceutical major Lupin Ltd, has passed away -- Desh Bandhu Gupta. Note: He founded Lupin in 1968 and created a global pharmaceutical major with a presence in over 100 countries. 23. Noted singer has passed away in Kolkata, West Bengal -- Sabita Chowdhury. Note: She was wife of legendary composer Salil Chowdhury. 24. The French politician and Holocaust survivor passed away in her home in Paris -- Simone Veil. Note: Simone served as minister of health under the centerright government of Valery Giscard d Estaing and later as president of the European Parliament. 25. Renowned cartoonist passed away at the hospital in Pune -- Mangesh Tendulkar. Note: His cartoons specially about government offices and on traffic rules was famous. 26. The Chinese Nobel Peace Prize laureate and democracy campaigner, has passed away -- Liu Xiaobo. Note: He was the most prominent human rights and democracy advocate of China. 27. India's former ambassador to the US passed away in Goa -- Naresh Chandra. Note: He was conferred with the Padma Vibhushan - India's second highest civil honour - in The legendary South African jazz musician, has passed away in Nelspruit, South Africa -- Ray Phiri. Note: Phiri was known primarily for his contributions to Paul Simon s Graceland album and ensuing tours. 29. Veteran Bengali actress has passed away in Kolkata, West Bengal -- Sumita Sanyal 22 Page Note: She has worked in around 50 Bengali films and was also part of Hindi films like Guddi, Mili, Aashirwad and Mere Apne. 30. The Oscar-winning American film and television actor passed away at UCLA Medical Center due to unexpected complications during a short hospitalization --- Martin Landau. Note: He won his Academy Award (Oscars) for his poignant portrayal of washed-up Bela Lugosi in 1994 s Tim Burton s Ed Wood. 31. The former Chief Minister of Sikkim has passed away in New Delhi -- Nar Bahadur Bhandari. Note: Bhandari was the founder leader of Sikkim Sangram Parishad had governed Sikkim from 1979 to An Iranian- born mathematician who was the first woman to win the coveted Fields Medal passed away - - Maryam Mirzakhani. Note: Mirzakhani, a professor at Stanford University in California won the Fields Medal, the equivalent of the Nobel Prize for Mathematics in Space scientist and the former chairman of the Indian Space Research Organization(ISRO) passed away in Bengaluru-- Prof. 'Udupi Ramachandra Rao. Note: He initiated the development of the medium powered GSLV rocket for two-tonne spacecraft in 1991.Prof. Rao was decorated with the Padma Vibhushan (2017) and the Padma Shri (1976). 34. American songwriter the lead singer of Linkin Park passed away in California, U.S.-- Chester Bennington. Note: He was best known as the front man for the rock band Linkin Park the sixth-greatest band of the music video era and the third-best of the new millennium. 35. Renowned scientist known for his contributions to the study of cosmic rays passed away at his residence in Noida -- Professor Yash Pal. Note: He received the Kalinga Prize (in 2009) awarded by UNESCO, Padma Bhushan (in 1976) and Padma Vibhushan (in 2013). 36. Former Chief Minister of Karnataka and Congress Leader passed away due to heart attack in Bengaluru - - N. Dharam Singh. Note: Mr. Singh headed the Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) coalition government from May 2004 to February He represented the Karnataka Legislative Assembly seven times without a defeat and was a member of the Lok Sabha from Bidar constituency in 2009 general election.

23 37. Bollywood actor passed away due to heart attack at his residence in Andheri Mumbai-- Inder Kumar. Note: Inder has worked in several popular films like Wanted, Tumko Na Bhool Payenge Kahin Pyaar Na Ho Jaaye and Akshay Kumar s 'Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi.' 38. Veteran congress leader and former union minister passed away in Silchar, Assam -- Santosh Mohan Dev. Note: He was Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprise in the first UPA government led by Dr Manmohan Singh. 39. The veteran molecular biologist and a vehement critic of genetically modified crops, has passed away in Hyderabad--Pushpa Bhargava. Note: Mr. Bhargava was the Founder-Director of Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad. Bhargava is a recipient of over 100 national & international awards and the Legion d'honneur in 1998 of France. 40. The veteran Karnataka BJP leader who credited with building the party brick by brick in its early years in the State passed away in Bengaluru -- BB Shivappa. Note: Shivappa played an important role in the formation of the first ever non-congress government in Karnataka, led by Ramakrishna Hegde in Eminent Dhrupad singer passed away in Pune-- Ustad Sayeeduddin Dagar. Note: He had dedicated his life to keeping the Dhrupad tradition alive.dhrupad is a genre in Hindustani classical music initially sung only in the temples, the singer facing the Lord. 42. Noted actor who portrayed the role of Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge in four of the Harry Potter films passed away in London, England --Robert Hard. 43. Former Union minister and BJP's Member of Parliament from Ajmer passed away in New Delhi -- Prof Sanwar Lal Jat. Note: Prof Sanwar Lal Jat was member of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly for five terms and also served as Minister in the Rajasthan Government thrice. 44. Bollywood actor who made his Bollywood debut with Bandit Queen passed away -- Sitaram Panchal. 45. Veteran poet and writer passed away due to illness -- Vijay Nambisan. Note: In 1988, he became the first All India Poetry Champion for his poem 'Madras Central' organised by the Poetry Society of India and the British Council. He also translated works of devotional poetry of Poonthanam and Melpathur Narayana Bhattathiri. 23 Page 46. German-born Catholic Missionary Sister who devoted her life to eradicating leprosy in Pakistan passed away in Karachi, Pakistan -- Ruth Pfau. Note: She was also known as Pakistan's Mother Teresa and founder of Marie Adelaide Leprosy Centre in Karachi. Ruth Pfau was honoured with the country's two highest civilian awards the Hilal-e-Imtiaz and the Hilal-e- Pakistan. 47. Australia's former Olympic and world cycle champion passed away --Stephen Wooldridge. Note: He won gold for Australia in the 2004 Athens Olympics, was also a four-time world champion in the discipline and the 2002 Commonwealth Games champion. He was inducted into the NSW Hall of Champions in Veteran photographer passed away at a private hospital in New Delhi -- S Paul. Note: He joined The Indian Express in the 1960s and retired from the newspaper in Paul received recognition and fame as a professional photographer when his pictures were selected for publication in three renowned British publications (Amateur Photographer, Miniature Camera & Miniature Camera World). 49. The first woman doctor of Madhya Pradesh has passed away in Indore -- Dr. Bhakti Yadav. Note: Dr. Yadav had offered free treatment to patients for last 68 years. She was awarded Padma Shri for her exemplary services in the field of medicine in April Noted Polish-US playwright and screenwriter passed away -- Janusz Glowacki. Note: Glowacki was the author of award-winning plays The Fourth Sister and Antigone in New York. 51. Hollywood's one of the most successful comedians passed away at his home in Las Vegas US-- Jerry Lewis. Note: He was started out on New York's Borscht Belt comedy circuit as a singer at the age of five. Jerry Lewis was one of the most popular comic actors of the 1950s and '60s. 52. Former Manipur Chief Minister and a member of the first Lok Sabha, has passed away in Imphal, Manipur -- Rishang Keishing. Note: Keishing served as Chief Minister of Manipur from (1980 to 1988) and (1994 to 1997). Raishang joined Congress under Jawaharlal Nehru and his political career spanned over 70 years. 53. Oldest Indian cinematographer passed away in Kolkata, West Bengal-- Ramanda Sengupta. Note: He worked with legends like Jean Renoir, Ritwik Ghatak, and Mrinal Sen. In 1946, the first film as a fulltime cinematographer was in Purbaraag directed by Ardhendu Mukherjee.

24 54. The well-known comic and character actor, has passed away in California, United States -- Jay Thomas. Note: Jay played obnoxious TV talk show host Jerry Gold on Murphy Brown from 1989 until The well-known climate awareness activist former Marshall Islands foreign has passed away in Majuro, Marshall Islands -- Tony de Brum. 56. India's oldest football Olympian passed away at his residence in Bengaluru -- Ahmed Khan. Note: Ahmed was part of the famous 'barefoot' football squad that made its debut in Olympic football at the 1948 London Games. 57. Pulitzer-prize winning poet passed away in Hudson, New York -- John Ashbery. Note: His 1975 collection, "Self-Portrait in a Convex Mirror," was the rare winner of the book world's unofficial triple crown: the Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Award, and the National Book Critics Circle prize. 58. Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP passed away after suffering a cardiac arrest -- Sultan Ahmed. Note: Mr. Ahmed was elected to the 15th Lok Sabha from Uluberia (Lok Sabha constituency) on a Trinamool Congress ticket. He also served as the Union Minister of State for Tourism in the Manmohan Singh government. 59. Arunachal Pradesh health and family welfare minister passed away at a private hospital in Guwahati -- Jomde Kena. Note: He was a resident of Gensi village in Lower Siang district. Kena was elected as the deputy speaker during the Nabam Tuki government and served as a parliamentary secretary under the Dorjee Khandu and Jarbom Gamlin ministries. 60. The renowned Marathi poet and activist has passed away in Mumbai, Maharashtra -- Shirish Pai. Note: Pai was the daughter of noted writer-journalist Acharya Pralhad Keshav Atre. 61. Noted journalist and activists was shot dead at her Rajarajeshwari Nagar's residence in Bengaluru -- Gauri Lankesh. Note: She was the editor of popular Kannada tabloid Lankesh Patrike founded by her father P Lankesh(writer). 62. The veteran Kannada actor, producer and singer who passed away in Bengaluru, Karnataka -- Rattihalli Nagendra Sudarshan. Note: In his five-decade film career he acted in Tamil, Kannada, Hindi, Telugu, and Malayalam films. 63. Veteran actor passed away during open heart surgery in New Jersey -- Frank Vincent. Note: He is known for his role in films like The Sopranos and Goodfellas.Vincent most notably appeared as Tony Soprano s arch nemesis, Phil Leotardo in the The Sopranos starting in season five and until the series conclusion in The major litigant in Ayodhya's disputed structure case passed away due to cardiac arrest -- Swami Bhaskar Das. Note: He was the Chief of Nirmohi Akhara and main priest of Hanumangarhi temple in Ayodhya. Swami Jee has challenged the Allahabad High Court verdict of 2010 in the Supreme Court claiming ownership of Akhara over entire campus of disputed structure. International New Appointments 1. US President Trump has nominated former justice department official as the new director of the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) -- Christopher Wray. Note: He has replaced James Comey. 2. The Chancellor of Germany is --Angela Merkel. Note: In German politics, the Chancellor is the equivalent of a prime minister in many other countries. 3. Indian American has been chosen for the 2017 NASA Astronaut Candidate Class--Lt Col Raja Grinder Chari. Note: Lt Col Raja Grinder Chari is a commander of the 461st Flight Test Squadron as well as the director of the F- 35 Integrated Test Force at Edwards Air Force Base in California. 4. The first Sikh to be elected to the British Parliament s House of Commons -- Preet Kaur Gill. Note: Labour Party candidate Preet Kaur Gill has won Birmingham Edgbaston seat. 5. The newly appointed Indian Ambassador to European Union (EU) -- Gaitri Issar Kumar. 6. Indian-origin has become the youngest Prime Minister of Ireland -- Leo Varadkar. 24 Page

25 7. International Law expert has been elected as the Judge of the United Nations' International Tribunal for Law of the Sea (ITLOS) -- Neeru Chadha. Note: Chadha got 120 votes with the highest in the Asia- Pacific group. 8. UNICEF has appointed education activist & Syrian refugee as its newest and youngest Goodwill Ambassador -- Muzoon Almellehan. Note: Almellehan lived as a refugee for three years in Jordan before being resettled in the United Kingdom (UK). 9. India has re-nominated Justice as its candidate for another term as Judge at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) -- Dalveer Bhandari. Note: He was elected in April 2012 during simultaneous balloting in both the General Assembly and the Security Council to a seat on the ICJ. 10. The new crown prince of Saudi Arabia by King Salman -- Mohammed bin Salman. Note: Saudi King Salman named his son Mohammed bin Salman as crown prince also named deputy prime minister and minister of defence. 11. Russian Diplomat appointed as Chief of United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre -- Vladimir Voronkov. 12. The new MD & CEO of National Stock Exchange(NSE) -- Vikram Limaye. 13. The new Deputy Chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC) board-- Imran Khawaja. Note: Imran Khawaja has been unanimously elected as the new Deputy Chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC) board. 14. New Prime Minister in Romania -- Mihai Tudose. 15. The president of the India International Centre (IIC)--N N Vohra 16. The President of the International Economic Association (IEA) for three years -- Kaushik Basu. Note: Kaushik Basu has served as India s chief economic adviser and chief economist at the World Bank. 17. The first woman chief executive of Hong Kong --Carrie Lam. Note: The Chief Executive of Hong Kong (CE) is the highest office of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). 18. The first female Prime Minister of Serbia -- Ana Brnabic. Note: She succeeded Ivica Dacic. 19. Newly elected President of Mongolia-- Khaltmaagiin Battulga. Note: Khaltmaagiin Battulga has won the 2017 Mongolian presidential election by 50.6% votes. 25 Page 20. The new Prime Minister of Mongolia -- Ukhnaa Khurelsukh. Note: President of Mongolia has appointed Ukhnaa Khurelsukh as the new Prime Minister of Mongolia. 21. Indian-origin personality appointed as the UNICEF s Global Goodwill Ambassador -- Lilly Singh. Note: She will use her channel to showcase the organisation s work and urge millions of her followers to work for children s rights. 22. India s alternate Governor on the Board of Governors of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) -- Subhash Chandra Garg. Note: The secretary of Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) Subhash Chandra Garg has been appointed as India s Alternate Governor on the Board of Governors of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Manila, Philippines. 23. The new Ambassador of India to the Republic of Kazakhstan -- Prabhat Kumar. 24. Newly elected Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea -- Peter O Neill. Note: Peter O Neill is the leader of the People s National Congress and represents the constituency of Ialibu- Pangia. 25. Who has been re-elected as President of Kenya -- Uhuru Kenyatta. Note: Kenyatta got % votes beating his rival Raifa Odinga who got 44.74% of votes. Kenya is a country in East Africa with coastline on the Indian Ocean. 26. Pakistan s High Commissioner to India -- Sohail Mahmood. Note: He replaced Abdul Basit after his premature retirement earlier this month. 27. Russian President Vladimir Putin has appointed career diplomat as Russia's new ambassador to India -- Nikolay Kudashev. Note: Currently, Nikolay Kudashev is the Deputy Director General Secretariat of the Ministry of foreign Affairs of Russia. Kudashev s appointment comes nearly seven months after the death of Russia's previous ambassador to India Alexander Kadakin. 28. America's foremost expert on US-India trade relations has been nominated as the U.S ambassador to India -- Kenneth I. Juster. Note: The United States Ambassador to India is the chief diplomatic representative of United States in India.

26 29. Former speaker of Singapore s parliament has been declared as the President of Singapore -- Mdm Halimah Yacob. Note: Under section 15 of the Presidential Election Act, declared Mdm Halimah to be elected to the office of President as only one candidate stands nominated at end of nomination period. 30. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has appointed the first special envoy for the oceans --Peter Thomson. Note: Peter Thomson played a leading role at the firstever UN conference on oceans in June. The 193 UN member states issued an urgent call for action to reverse the decline in the health and productivity of the world's oceans. 31. Former Secretary-General of UN has been elected as Chair of Ethics Commission of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) -- Ban Ki-moon. Note: Mr. Moon was the 8th Secretary-General of the United Nations (Jan Dec 2016). 32. Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski has appointed former Economy Minister as his new Prime Minister -- Mercedes Araoz. Note: Araoz replaced Fernando Zavala. She served as Minister of Foreign Trade and Tourism from 2006 to July 2009, after which she was appointed Peru's finance minister. 33. The Prime Minister has given resignation to the President Gudni Th. Johannesson -- Iceland. Note:The resignation paves the way for the new election to be held on 4th November New President of Southern African country Angola -- Joao Lourenco. Note: He took over the position from Jose Eduardo dos Santos. Lourenco will be Angola's first head of state to be constitutionally limited to serving two five-year terms. 35. The deputy Director-General (DG) of World Health Organization (WHO) -- Soumya Swaminathan. Note: This position is the second-highest at the UN s health agency. Dr. Swaminathan is a pediatrician and an internationally-recognized researcher on TB (Tuberculosis) and HIV. National 1. The new chairperson of the premier Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) --Veteran actor Anupam Kher. Note: He will succeed Gajendra Chauhan. FTII is considered as a premier institute for training in Cinema and Television established in He was conferred the Padma Shri (2004) and the Padma Bhushan (2016) for his contribution in the field of cinema and arts. 2. The Cross of the Order of Merit, the highest civilian honour awarded to individuals for their services to Germany -- Rajesh Nath. Note: The award was instituted in 1951 and is Germany s only honour that is awarded to both Germans and foreigners for achievements in the economic, social, political, or intellectual realms. 3. Former Indian-American assistant secretary of South and central Asia has been appointed as the President of US India Business Council (USIBC) -- Nisha Desai Biswal. Note: USIBC serves as a direct link between business and Government leaders, resulting in increased trade and investment to strengthen ties between the two nations. 4. HSBC has appointed as its next chief executive -- John Flint. Note: He will take over from current chief executive Stuart Gulliver. 26 Page 5. The Indian govt. has appointed as its next ambassador to China -- Gautam Bambawale. Note: Currently, Bambawale is India s high commissioner to Pakistan. 6. Registrar of Copyrights for a period of five years -- Hoshiar Singh. Note: The Copyright Office is under the control of a Registrar of Copyrights, who acts under the superintendence and directions of the central government. 7. The new Independent Directors of India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) for a period of 3 years -- K G Karmakar and Gauri Shankar. 8. New MD of Manappuram Home Finance -- Jeevandas Narayan. Note: Earlier, Mr. Narayan was the managing director of the erstwhile State Bank of Travancore until retirement in New Managing Director(MD) and CEO of IDFC Ltd for 3 years -- Sunil Kakar. Note: Prior, Kaka had worked with Max New York Life Insurance Company since 2001 as CFO. 10. New Chairperson on the Board of Governors of the National Institute of Fashion Technology(NIFT) -- Shri Rajesh V. Shah. Note: He has replaced Shri Chetan Chauhan.

27 11. India s 14th President replacing Pranab Mukherjee -- Ram Nath Kovind. Note: He was administered the oath of office by Chief Justice of India JS Khehar at a special function in the central hall of Parliament. Kovind was elected as the President on 20 July 2017 after he defeated the Opposition parties' nominee Meira Kumar. 12. The new Chief Election Commissioner of India -- Achal Kumar Jyoti. Note: Currently, Achal Kumar Jyoti is the Election Commissioner of India along with O P Rawat. 13. The new CEO & MD of Larsen & Toubro -- SN Subrahmanyan. Note: He replaced AM Naik, who will continue as Non- Executive Chairman for three years. 14. The Attorney General of India --K K Venugopal. Note: Attorney General appointed by the President of India under Article 76(1) of the Constitution and holds office during the pleasure of the President. 15. The new Chairman of Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Amritsar -- Sanjay Gupta. Note: Sanjay Gupta is the Editor in Chief of Dainik Jagran since 2014 and has been associated with the Jagran Group for more than two decades. 16. The new chief of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) -- Sanjay Kumar Note: He will succeed R K Pachnanda, who was has taken charge as DG the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP). 17. The new Ambassador of India to the Republic of Indonesia -- Pradeep Kumar Rawat. Note: He will succeed Nengcha Lhouvum Mukhopadhaya. 18. Who has been appointed Chairman of IIT-Kharagpur -- Sanjiv Goenka. Note:The Chairman of RP Sanjiv Goenka Group 'Sanjiv Goenka' has been selected as the Chairman of the Board of Governors at IIT-Kharagpur for three years. 19. Who has been appointed as the Goodwill Ambassador for Autism-- Saima Wazed Hossain. Note: Saima is a globally renowned champion for the cause of Autism spectrum disorder. She will serve as the goodwill ambassador for autism in the South-East Asia region for a period of 2 years. 20. The new Chairperson of Broadcasting Content Complaints Council (BCCC) -- Vikramajit Sen. Note: Former Supreme Court Judge Justice Vikramajit Sen has been appointed as the new Chairperson of Broadcasting Content Complaints Council (BCCC) for three years. 21. The new director-general(dg) of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) -- Debi Prasad Dash. Note: DRI is the major intelligence agency that works to secure India s national and economic security by preventing the outright smuggling of contraband such as firearms, gold, narcotics, Fake Indian Currency notes, antiques, wildlife and environmental products. 22. The president of the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) -- Raninder Singh. Note: The NRAI is associated with International Shooting Sports Federation, Asian Shooting Confederation, Commonwealth Shooting Federation, South Asian Shooting Confederation, and Indian Olympic Association. 23. The new Director General (DG)of Goods and Services Tax Intelligence (GSTI)-- John Joseph. 24. New secretary of the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) in the finance ministry-- Subhash Garg. Note:He will oversee capital markets, Budget preparation as well as infrastructure financing and decide on borrowing, along with RBI. 25. The new MD & CEO of Oriental Bank of Commerce -- Mukesh Kumar Jain. Note: He has replaced Animesh Chauhan. Slogan of Oriental Bank of Commerce is 'Where every individual is committed'. 26. The governing body of Ramakrishna Mission unanimously elected the 16th president of Ramakrishna Math and Mission -- Swami Smarananandaji Maharaj. Note: He succeed Swami Atmasthanandaji Maharaj who passed away in June this year. 27. Who has been appointed as the Chief Minister of Nagaland -- TR Zeliang. Note: Zeliang staked claim to form government in Nagaland with a majority support of 47 members of the Legislative Assembly. 28. Offer letter to the Rio Olympics silver medallist P V Sindhu as a Group-I officer in the state -- Andhra Pradesh. Note: In Olympics history, Sindhu has become the fifth Indian woman (Karnam Malleswari, Mary Kom, Saina Nehwal and Sakshi Malik) to clinch a medal. 29. Tamil film actor has been appointed brand icon of Pro Kabaddi League franchise Tamil Thalaivas -- Kamal Haasan. Note: Tamil Thalaivas co-owned by India batting legend Sachin Tendulkar. 27 Page

28 30. The new Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar-- Sushil Kumar Modi. 31. Who re-appointed as Managing Director (MD) & Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Axis Bank for three-year from June Shikha Sharma. Note: Sharma began her career with the erstwhile infra lender ICICI Ltd in The new secretary general of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) -- Sanjaya Baru. Note: He will assume the charge from 1st September,2017 and will succeed A Didar Singh. The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) is an association of business organizations in India. 33. Officially sworn-in as the 7th President of Iran -- Hassan Rouhani. Note: Rouhani won re-election in May 2017, after securing 57% of the votes and defeating his main contender Ebrahim Raeisi. 28 Page 34. Vice chairman of NITI Aayog resigned -- Arvind Panagariya. Note: He has submitted a letter to PM Narendra Modi and requested to be relieved by the end of this month. The Union Government of India announced the formation of NITI Aayog on 1st January 2015 and the Prime Minister serves as the Ex-officio chairman. 35. Noted economist will be the new Vice-Chairman of NITI Aayog -- Dr. Rajiv Kumar. Note: Currently, Rajiv Kumar is a senior fellow at the Centre for Policy Research, a non-governmental think tank on public policy based out of New Delhi. 36. New chairman of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) -- Dhirendra Swarup. Note: Swarup was the former Chairman of the Pension Funds Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA). The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) is an Indian stock exchange located at Dalal Street, Kala Ghoda, Mumbai Maharashtra 37. New CMD of Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) -- Mohammad Mustafa. Note: SIDBI is an independent financial institution aimed to aid the growth and development of micro, small and medium-scale enterprises (MSME) in India and is headquartered in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. 38. The brand ambassador for Swachh Bharat Mission in UP- - Akshay Kumar. Note: The chief minister Yogi Aditya Nath has announced to make his upcoming movie Toilet Ek Prem Katha taxfree in the state. The movie stresses on the importance of building toilets and ending open defecation in the country. 39. The new Chief Justice of India (CJI) -- Justice Dipak Misra. Note: He replaced incumbent Justice J S Khehar. The Chief Justice of India (CJI) is the head of the judiciary of India and the Supreme Court of India. 40. Indian-American has been appointed as the Deputy Comptroller for Minority Affairs of Nassau County, New York -- Dilip Chauhan. Note: The Comptroller s Office has been a driving force in advocating for increased business opportunities for Minority and Women Owned Enterprises (MWBEs) to meet the County s goals. 41. Who sworn in as the Vice President of India -- Muppavarapu Venkaiah Naidu. Note: Naidu was elected as the Vice President by defeating opposition candidate Gopal Krishna Gandhi (Mahatma Gandhi's grandson). The Vice-President of India is elected by an electoral college consisting of Elected and nominated members of both house (Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha) of Parliament. 42. The union govt. has appointed lyricist as Chairman of the Central Board of Film Certification(CBFC) -- Prasoon Joshi. Note: He has replaced former Chairman Pahlaj Nihalani. There are 12 members in the new board, which include Ms. Gautami Tadimalla, Narendra Kohli, Naresh Chandra Lal, Vivek Agnihotri and Ms Vidya Balan. 43. Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Hindustan Copper Limited (HCL) for a period of five years-- Santosh Sharma. Note: Hindustan Copper Ltd. is a Government-owned corporation in the Central Public-Sector Enterprise under the Ministry of Mines (India), Government of India. 44. The new MD & CEO of India Infrastructure Finance Company Limited (IIFCL) -- Sankara Rao. Note: Currently, he is the Chief General Manager at IIFCL. 45. Resigned as managing director (MD) and Chief executive officer(ceo) of Infosys Ltd.-- Dr. Vishal Sikka. Note: The company's board has accepted his resignation with immediate effect. 46. The President and Managing Director (MD) of General Motors (GM) India -- Sanjiv Gupta. Note: He will replace Kaher Kazem. General Motors Company(GM) is an American multinational corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan. 47. The Executive Director of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) -- Mamta Suri.

29 Note: Earlier, Dr. Suri was serving as the Chief General Manager of the Insurance Regulatory Development Authority of India. IBBI is a regulator over the Insolvency Professionals, Insolvency Professional Agencies and Information Utilities. 48. The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Rajya Sabha TV -- Shashi Shekhar Vempati. Note: The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at public broadcaster Prasar Bharati Shashi Shekhar Vempati has been given the additional charge of CEO in Rajya Sabha TV (RSTV). 49. The new Chairman of Railway Board -- Ashwani Lohani. Note: Lohani, who is the Current Chairman and Managing Director of Air India has a degree in mechanical engineering and has also served as Delhi s Divisional Railway Manager. 50. The union govt. has appointed senior IAS officer as the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Air India -- Rajiv Bansal. Note: Air India is the flag carrier airline of India, owned by Air India Limited and operates a fleet of Airbus and Boeing aircraft serving 90 domestic and international destinations. 51. Non-official director/non-executive chairman of Syndicate Bank -- Mr. Ajay Vipin Nanavati. Note: In 2015, the government had bifurcated the posts of chairman and managing director in public sector banks. 52. The Director General (DG) Railway Protection Force -- Shri Dharmendra Kumar. Note: Presently he is working in CISF as Additional DG. The Railway Protection Force (RPF) is a security force of India entrusted with protecting railway passengers, passenger area and railway property of the Indian Railways. 53. The new non-executive Chairman of Infosys-- Nandan Nilekani. Note: The Infosys co-founder and the architect of Aadhaar Nandan Nilekani has been appointed as the new nonexecutive chairman of the board of directors of Infosys. 54. After latest Union cabinet reshuffle, who has become the new Defence Minister of India -- Nirmala Sitharaman. Note: She has become the India s first woman Defence Minister after Indira Gandhi. Now, Suresh Prabhu has become the new Union Minister of Commerce and Industry. 55. The new Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India -- Rajiv Mehrishi. Note: Three senior bureaucrats (Ashwini Attri, Anita Pattanayak and Ranjan Kumar Ghose) have been appointed as the Deputy Controller and Auditor General. 56. Senior IAS officer took charge as the Union Home Secretary -- Rajiv Gauba. Note: Rajiv Gauba has a graduate degree and is a Gold Medallist in Physics (BSc) from Patna University. 57. Senior bureaucrat has been appointed Secretary in the Department of Financial Services (DFS) -- Rajiv Kumar. Note:The DFS looks after the functioning of banks, financial institutions, insurance companies and the national pension system. 58. The Chairman of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) -- Anita Karwal. Note: She has replaced Rajesh Kumar Chaturvedi who has been moved to the National Skill Development Agency as Director General(DG). 59. Former Information and Broadcasting Secretary will be the new the Election Commissioner of India-- Sunil Arora. Note: Achal Kumar Joti is the CEC (Chief Election Commissioner of India), Om Prakash Rawat is the other Election Commissioner. Election Commission of India is a permanent Constitutional Body established under Article 324 of the Constitution. 60. Who has been appointed as the new Union Minister of Railways -- Piyush Goyal. Note:He succeeded Suresh Prabhu, who has become the new Union Minister of Commerce and Industry. 61. Who has taken charge as Managing Director (MD)and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Vijaya Bank -- R A Sankara Narayanan. Note:He took charge from Dr Kishore Sansi, who had attained Superannuation on 31st August. 62. Bollywood actress has been appointed woman ambassador in 'Friends of Australia' (FOA) advocacy panel -- Parineeti Chopra. Note: She will be the first Indian woman ambassador to be a part of the FOA advocacy panel. The 'Friends of Australia' (FOA) program has been devised as a way of fostering mutually beneficial and long-term friendship with those that Tourism Australia regards as unique storytellers. 63. Chairman-cum-Managing Director of NMDC (National Mineral Development Corporation) -- N Baijendra Kumar. Note: The NMDC (National Mineral Development Corporation) Limited is a state-controlled mineral producer of the Government of India under administrative control of the Ministry of Steel. 29 Page

30 64. Unanimously elected as the Chairman of Press Trust of India (PTI) -- Viveck Goenka. Note: Press Trust of India (PTI) is the news agency in India, headquartered in New Delhi and is a non-profit cooperative among more than 500 Indian newspapers. 65. The union govt. has appointed interim GSTN Chairman -- A.B Panday. Note: The union govt. has given Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) CEO A.B. Pandey additional charge of Goods and Services Tax Network (GSTN). 66. The chairman-cum-managing director (CMD) of Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) Ltd. for five years -- Mahendra Pratap Mall. Note: Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) is a subsidiary of the Indian Railways that handles the catering, tourism, and online ticketing operations of the Indian railways. 67. The chairman-cum-managing director (CMD) of the United India Insurance Co. Ltd. for five years--m. Nagaraja Sarma. Note: Currently, Sarma is the general manager, Oriental Insurance Co. Ltd. 68. The Director General (DG) of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) -- Y.C Modi. Note: Mr. Modi will take over from Sharad Kumar after he completes his tenure on 30th October this year. National Investigation Agency (NIA) is a central agency established by the Indian Government to combat terror in India. 69. The director general (DG) of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) -- Rajni Kant Misra. Note: He will hold the post till the date of his superannuation (31st August,2019). Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) is one of India's Central Armed Police Forces, currently under the administrative control of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). 70. Bollywood Actor has been appointed as the Brand Ambassador of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan in Uttarakhand -- Akshay Kumar. Note: In August 2017, he was also appointed as the brand ambassador for the cleanliness campaign in Uttar Pradesh 71. The Union government has constituted a GST Committee on Exports headed by -- Dr Hasmukh Adhia. Note: The panel is mandated to recommend to the GST Council a suitable strategy for helping the export sector in the post-gst set-up. 72. NPCI s (National Payments Corporation of India) interim Chairman -- B Sambamurthy. Note: National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) is the umbrella organisation for all retail payment systems in India, aims to allow Indian citizens to have unrestricted access to e-payment services. 73. The chairman-cum-managing director (CMD) of National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) Ltd.-- Balraj Joshi. Note: NHPC Limited is an Indian Hydropower generation company that was incorporated in the year 1975 with an objective to plan, promote and organize an integrated and efficient development of hydroelectric power in all aspects. 74. The CMD of Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) Ltd. for a period of five years -- P. Alli Rani. Note: Currently, she is director (finance) in Container Corporation of India Limited. 75. The Chairman and Managing Director of ONGC (Oil and Natural Gas Corporation) -- Shashi Shanker. Note: Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) is a Public-Sector Undertaking (PSU) of the Government of India, under the administrative control of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas. It produces around 77% of India's crude oil (equivalent to around 30% of the country's total demand) and around 62% of its natural gas. 76. The first Chairman of the five-member Economic Advisory Council (EAC- PM) --Bibek Debroy. Note: The Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (PMEAC) is a non-constitutional, non-permanent and independent body constituted to give economic advice to the Government of India, specifically the Prime Minister. 77. The new Governor of Bihar -- Satya Pal Malik. 78. Assam Governor Banwarilal Purohit will now be the new Governor -- Tamil Nadu. 79. The new Governor of Assam -- Prof Jagdish Mukhi. 80. The Lieutenant Governor of Andaman and Nicobar-- Admiral (Retd) Devendra Kumar Joshi. 81. The Governor of Arunachal Pradesh_-- Brigadier (Retd) B D Mishra. 82. The Governor of Meghalaya -- Ganga Prasad. 83. The Supreme Court of India (SCI) has appointed senior advocate and former additional solicitor general as amicus curiae on a petition seeking re probe into the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi-- Amrender Sharan. Note: Mahatma Gandhi was shot dead at point blank range in New Delhi on 30 th January 1948 by Nathuram Vinayak Godse. 84. A five-member Commission to examine the subcategorization of the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) -- Justice (Retd.) G. Rohini. Note: The Commission will examine the extent of inequitable distribution of benefits of reservation among the castes or communities included in the broad category 30 Page

31 of OBCs with reference to such classes included in the Central List. 85. The Union govt. has set up a study group under Special secretary in the home ministry to examine the problems of people along IB, LOC in J&K -- Rina Mitra. Note: The study group will look into broadly three issues demand for land for relocation in case of shelling, construction of more bunkers and compensation issues related to shelling. 86. New Managing Director (MD)& Chief Executive Officer (CEO) PNB MetLife India Insurance Company Ltd (PNB MetLife) --Ashish Srivastava. Note: Earlier, Srivastava was an interim CEO at PNB MetLife. Books & Authors 1. Book titled The Coalition Years authored by Pranab Mukherjee (Former President of India) 2. Book titled I Do What I Do authored by Raghuram Rajan (former RBI Governor) 3. Book titled Immortal India authored by Amish Tripathi. 4. Book titled A Horse Walks into a Bar authored by - David Grossman (Winner - Man Booker International Prize 2017) 5. Book titled How India Sees the World Shyam Saran. 6. Book titled Hit Refresh Satya Nadella. 7. Book titled Unstoppable: My Life So far authored by Maria Sharapova. 8. Book titled The Shershah of Kargil authored by - Deepak Surana (Biography of Kargil war hero Late Captain Vikram Batra) 9. Book titled Kadve Vachan authored by Tarun Sagar Maharaj. 10. Book titled I am HIV positive, so what? authored by Jayanta Kalita (The book is based on the life of an international bodybuilding champion Khundrakpam Pradipkumar Singh hailing from Manipur, who was diagnosed HIV-positive.) 11. Book titled Cryptocurrency for Beginners authored by Amit Bhardwaj. 12. Book titled Making of a legend authored by Bindeshawr Pathak. 13. Book titled Dalhousie Through My Eyes authored by Kiran Chadha. 14. Book titled Playing With Fire authored by Katie Price. 15. Book titled Future of Indian Universities: Comparative and International Perspectives authored by C. Raj Kumar. 16. Book titled The Ministry of Utmost Happiness authored by Arundhati Roy. 17. Book titled The Crisis Within authored by Ganesh Devy. 18. Book titled Indira Gandhi A life in Nature authored by Jairam Ramesh. 19. Book titled Beren And Luthien authored by J.R.R. Tolkien. 20. Book titled Yug Purush, Bharat Ratna, Atal Ji authored by Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank. 21. Book titled Matoshree authored by - Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan Honors & Awards National Awards 1. The Femina Miss India 2017 title -- Manushi Chillar (Haryana). First runner up: Sana Dua (Miss J&K). Second runner up: Priyanka Kumari (Miss Bihar). 2. The Sahitya Academy Yuva Puraskar 2017 in English Language -- Manu S Pillai. Note: He won the award for his book The Ivory Throne Chronicles of the House of Travancore. 3. Indian mountaineer has honored by Govt. of Nepal for scaling Mt. Everest for a record six times -- Love Raj Singh Dharmashaktu. 4. The RedInk Award Journalist of the Year Raj Kamal Jha. 5. France s highest civilian award Legion of Honor -- Soumitra Chatterjee Note: Bengali actor Chatterjee has been selected for his outstanding contribution to cinema and theatre. 31 Page

32 6. The water conservation model has been selected for the national award for excellence in the MGNREGP -- Jal Sanchay. Note: The model is adopted successfully by the authorities in Nalanda district of south central Bihar. 7. IIT Kanpur. conferred honorary doctorate degree (D.Sc) to PT Usha. Note: P T Usha has conferred honorary doctorate degree for her contributions to Indian sports and women empowerment. 8. 5th Bhupen Hazarika National Award Yeshe Dorjee Thongchi. Note: The award has been instituted a Maharashtrabased social organisation Sarhad for outstanding literary work at national and international level. 9. The Yoga Institute selected as the first recipient of the Prime Minister's Award for outstanding contribution for promotion and development of yoga -- Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute,Pune. 10. The state has gotten the awarded for constructing the highest number of rural roads, under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY)-- Bihar. 11. The state has gotten the award for use of nonconventional construction material in constructing roads -- Madhya Pradesh. 12. The state govt. has won the prestigious UN Public Service Award for year West Bengal. Note: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has received the 2017 UN Public Service Award at a ceremony held in The Hague, Netherlands on behalf of her state govt. 13. Honored with Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy for his efforts to reform public-school system in India -- Azim Premji. Note: The Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy considered the most prestigious prize in philanthropy. 14. The city has topped the newly released list of 30 cities for development as smart cities under Smart City Mission -- Thiruvananthapuram. 15. Indian personality has been bestowed with the 2017 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report Heroes Award -- Mahesh Bhagwat. Note: Currently, he is serving as the first Commissioner of Police of Rachakonda. 16. The Indian metro has become the world s first completely green metro system -- Delhi Metro. Note: Delhi Metro has secured the platinum rating for adherence to green building norms for its 10 residential colonies from the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) Mahanayak Samman -- Shakuntala Barua. 18. Best Action Movie award at the Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF) -- Sultan. 19. Prime Minister s trophy for Best Performing Integrated Steel Plant in Tata Steel. Ltd. Note: Tata Steel Ltd. (TISCO) has won the Prime Minister s trophy for Best Performing Integrated Steel Plant in India during and Eminent scientist has chosen for the prestigious Von Hippel Award for his immense contribution in materials research-- Professor C.N.R Rao. Note: The award citation noted Mr. Rao s immense work on novel functional materials, including nanomaterials, graphene and 2D materials, superconductivity, and colossal magnetoresistance. 21. Indian film Best Foreign Film category at the Oscars Newton. Note: Newton is a 2017 Indian Hindi-language black comedy film directed by Amit V Masurkar and Produced by Drishyam Films. 22. The Sportsperson of the Year award during the Maruti Suzuki Sportsperson of the Year Charity Gala Awards - - P V Sindhu. 23. Indian music composer has been shortlisted for the 2017 World Soundtrack Awards (public choice award) -- A R Rahman. 24. Indian city has been declared as a World Heritage City (WHC) by UNESCO -- Ahmedabad. 25. Veteran Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader has received the Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions as a Lok Sabha member -- LK Advani. 26. JD(U) leader has also received the Lifetime Achievement Award as a Rajya Sabha MP -- Sharad Yadav. 27. Best film award at 18th IIFA Awards Neerja. Note: Neerja is a 2016 Indian Hindi-language biographical thriller film directed by Ram Madhvani and written by Saiwyn Quadras and Sanyuktha Chawla Shaikh. 28. The Bollywood star has received the Global Diversity Award at Britain s House of Commons - Salman Khan. 29. The prestigious A Nageswara Rao (ANR) National Award for his contribution to the Telugu film industry - - S S Rajamouli. Note: The ANR National Award was instituted by the Akkineni International foundation in the honor of Akkineni Nageswara Rao. 30. The National Institute of Ayurveda has entered the Guinness Book for 'Most people receiving Nasya Panch Kararma simultaneously' -- Jaipur. 32 Page

33 Note: 733 Ayurvedic practitioners performed Nasya Karma, which has been registered in the Guinness Book of records. 31. The Biju Patnaik Award for Scientific Excellence Digambar Behera. Note: The Biju Patnaik Award for Scientific Excellence for the year 2016 to Prof Digambar Behera. The award was instituted by Odisha Bigyan Academy (OBA) and is given to any Odia scientist working anywhere in India or abroad each year for his/her lifetime research contributions in the field of science and technology. 32. Kolkata s transwoman has crowned the first Miss TransQueen India in Gurugram, Haryana-- Nitasha Biswas. Note: Currently, Biswas is pursuing Masters in Business Management in Kolkata, West Bengal. Miss Transsexual Australia 2017 Laeticia Phylliscia Raveena had crowned the first Miss TransQueen India. 33. The Airport has bagged the National Award for Excellence in Energy Management -- Rajiv Gandhi International Airport. 34. Indian personality has won the PLuS Alliance Prize for Global Leadership -- N R Narayana Murthy. Note: Narayana Murthy for Global Leadership and Veena Sahajwalla for Research Innovation for her project 'The new science of green manufacturing. 35. First lifetime achievement award for his contribution to Badminton -- Prakash Padukone. Note: Padukone had won the 1980 All England, besides bagging a bronze at the 1983 World Championship in Copenhagen and a gold medal at the 1978 Commonwealth Games. 36. According the 2018 Times Higher Education (THE) World university ranking, Indian university has been names the top university in India -- IISc-Bangalore. Note: The University of Oxford has retained its first place in the rankings, followed by University of Cambridge, California Institute of Technology and Stanford University. 37. The state s CM has announced a reward of one crore rupees to Arjuna awardee archer Vennam Jyoti Surekha -- Andhra Pradesh. Note: He also announced a 500- sq yd house site in Vijayawada and a government job for her. The Chief Minister also announced 10 lakh rupees reward for Devisri Prasad (10-year) of Tirupati on setting the Guinness World Record in skating. 38. Agriculture Leadership Award K Chandrashekhar Rao Note: He has been selected for his innovative services rendered to the welfare of farmers and the farm sector. 39. Indian-origin crowned as the UK s Child Genius in a popular television quiz competition --Rahul Doshi Note: He won the Channel 4 show 'Child Genius' by defeating his nine-year-old opponent Ronan 10-4 in the programme's finale. Rahul has an IQ of 162, which is believed to be higher than the likes of Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking. 40. Internationally-acclaimed senior kathak dancer has been conferred with a fellowship by the Department of Culture, Government of India (GoI) -- Nandakishore Kapote. Note: Kapote will carry out a detailed study on Hand Gestures and Kathak Dance in Abhinaydarpan 41. Bollywood actress has won the 2017 IIFA Women of the Year award -- Tapsee Pannu Note: She has won the 2017 IIFA Woman of The Year for her role in Pink at the 18th edition of the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Awards in New York City, United States. 42. Mohun Bagan Ratna Award Subrata Bhattacharya. Note: Former club striker Balwant Singh has been awarded the Best Football Player of the Year prize. 43. East Bengal football club s highest honour 'Bharat Gaurav' - Dhanraj Pillay Note: He represented the country in four Olympics, World Cups, Champions Trophy, and Asian Games. He played total 339 matches for India, scoring 170 goals. 44. Mukesh Ambani has become the Asia s second richest man according to the 2017 Bloomberg Billionaires Index (BBI). Note: Currently, Alibaba Group founder Jack Ma is the richest person in Asia with a net worth of USD 43.2 billion. 45. Three-time National Award Winner Veteran actress has been selected for this year's Prem Nazir Award -- Sharada. Note: The award, carrying a purse of Rs 75,000, a statuette and a citation.the award will be presented to Sharada at a function at Chirayankeezhu (Kerala) on 15th August. 46. Veteran journalist and star of Mysore Columnist has bagged for the first Kesari Media Award -- T J S George. 47. The first person from India to win Anna Politkovskaya Award -- Gauri Lankesh. 33 Page

34 Note: The Anna Politkovskaya Award was established to remember and honour Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya, who was murdered in Moscow on October 7, 2006 over her reportage of the second war in Chechnya. 48. Indian-origin personality will be honoured with the Asia Game Changers Award Dev Patel. Note: He will be honoured by the Asia Society for making a transformative and positive difference for the future of Asia and the world. Patel has turned his attention and star power to philanthropy. International Awards Nobel Prize Nobel Prize in Peace Winner - International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) Field - ICAN for its work to draw attention to the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of any use of nuclear weapons and for its ground-breaking efforts to achieve a treaty-based prohibition of such weapons. ICAN headquarter at Geneva, Switzerland. ICAN Executive Director - Beatrice Fihn 2. Nobel Prize in Literature Winner - Kazuo Ishiguro. He is a British author and best known for his novel The Remains of the Day. He was born in Nagasaki, Japan. 3. Nobel Prize in Economics Winner - Richard Thaler Field for his work in behavioral economics. Richard Thaler born in New Jersey, United States. He is a professor of behavioural sciences and economics at University of Chicago. 4. Nobel Prize in Medicine Winner - Jeffrey C. Hall, Michael Rosbash and Michael W. Young Field - for their discoveries on how plants, animals and humans adapt their biological rhythm so that it is synchronized with the Earth's revolutions. Jeffrey C. Hall He is from New York, US and currently Professor at Brandeis University. Michael Rosbash He is from Missouri, US and currently Professor at Brandeis University. Michael W. Young He is from Miami, Florida, US and Professor at Rockefeller University, University of Texas at Austin, Stanford University School of Medicine. 5. Nobel Prize in Physics Winner - Rainer Weiss, Barry C. Barish and Kip S. Thorne. Field - Their decisive contributions to the LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational wave Observatory) detector and the observation of gravitational waves. Rainer Weiss born in Berlin, Germany. He is a Professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Barry C. Barish born in Nebraska, U.S. He is a professor at California Institute of Technology. Kip S. Thorne born in Utah, U.S. He is a professor at California Institute of Technology. 6. Nobel Prize in Chemistry Winner - Jacques Dubochet, Joachim Frank and Richard Henderson. Field - They developed cryo-electron microscopy for the high-resolution structure determination of biomolecules in solution. It s a method of simplifying and improving the imaging of biomolecules. Jacques Dubochet born in Aigle, Switzerland. He is a professor at University of Lausanne. Joachim Frank born in Siegen, Germany. He is a professor at Columbia University. Richard Henderson born in Edinburgh, Scotland. He is a professor at Laboratory of Molecular Biology. Other Awards 1. The first Israeli author to win the Man Booker International Prize 2017 for his novel A Horse Walks Into a Bar -- David Grossman. 2. Indian mountaineer has honored by Govt. of Nepal for scaling Mt. Everest for a record six times -- Love Raj Singh Dharmashaktu. Note: He has been honored by Adventure Sports Tourism Society in Lalitpur Metropolitan City near Kathmandu, Nepal. 3. US author has won the 2017 Man Booker Prize---George Saunders. 34 Page

35 Note: He has become only the second American writer to win Britain's renowned Prize, which was awarded for his first full-length novel "Lincoln in the Bardo". 4. The 2017 Orwell Prize winner-- John Bew. Note: John Bew has been bestowed with the 2017 Orwell Prize for his extraordinary biography Citizen Clem, which is about Clement Attlee. 5. The Member of the Order of the British Empire person is - - Annabel Mehta. Note: Social activist Annabel Mehta has been conferred with the Member of the Order of the British Empire in recognition of her 40 years of service to underprivileged communities in Mumbai and the NGO 'Apnalaya'. 6. The World s best Airline at the SKYTRAX World Airline Awards 2017 at the Paris Air Show France -- Qatar Airline. Note: Qatar Airways also won the World s Best Business Class, the World s Best First-Class Lounge, and the Best Airline in the Middle East awards. 7. An Indian-origin boy in the UK has secured the top possible score of 162 on a Mensa IQ test -- Arnav Sharma. 8. The Indian anti-hunger activist has honoured for the prestigious Queen s Young Leaders Award -- Ankit Kawatra. 9. Indian NGO has won the 2017 UNDP Equator Prize for sustainable farming model -- Swayam Shikshan Prayog. 10. Indian-Americans, will be honoured with the Great Immigrants Award for their role in helping advance the country's society, culture, and economy -- Shantanu Narayen and Vivek Murthy. 11. The old city of Hebron in the west bank has been declared as the Palestinian World Heritage Site by -- UNESCO. 12. A Nigerian lawyer teacher & peacemaker has won the 2017 UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) -- Zannah Mustapha. Note: Mustapha founded a school 10 years ago in Maiduguri which is the epicentre of the Boko Haram insurgency. 13. The best actor in drama series at the 69th Prime time Emmy Awards Sterling K Brown. 14. The Personality of the Year award by Skoch Consultancy Services (SCS) Kishore Sansi. 15. Highest civilian award Order of Australia for community work in Australia - Guruswamy Jayraman (Indian origin) 16. The WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Autism in South-East Asia Region -- Saima Wazed Hossain. 17. The television series has won the Outstanding Drama Series award at the 69th Annual Primetime Emmy Award -- The Handmaid's Tale. 18. The Climate and energy efficiency solutions company, has been conferred with the Golden Peacock Award -- Danfoss India. Note: The company has been recognized for its LEED Platinum rated constructed manufacturing facility in Chennai. 19. Megastar Amitabh Bachchan's ambassadorship extended for another two years after success of polio drive--united Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). Note: Earlier, He had served as UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador for Polio in India. The World Health Organization (WHO) also appointed Bachchan as its goodwill ambassador for hepatitis in South-East Asia region to boost awareness and intensify action to arrest the epidemic. 20. The world's most liveable city named by Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) -- Melbourne (Australia). Note: It was a record seventh time in a row from 2011 to 2017 in the top spot for Melbourne. Vienna once again came second and Vancouver third.the Economist Intelligence Unit's (EIU) Liveability Index ranks 140 cities each year on those topics, as well as stability, culture, and environment. Summits & Conference rd International Conference on Yoga 2017 New Delhi, India. Theme of the conference is Yoga for Wellness. Conference was organised by Ministry of Ayush. Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu inaugurated the conference th Global Conference on Cyber Space 2017 New Delhi, India. Theme of the conference Cyber4All: An Inclusive, Sustainable, Developmental, Safe and Secure Cyberspace The 4th GCCS conference held in The Hague, Netherlands. 3. India ASEAN Youth Summit 2017 Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh Theme of the summit - Shared Values, Common Destiny 35 Page

36 4. First ASEAN India Music Festival held in New Delhi, India. Note: Theme Shared Values, Common Destiny th India - European Union (EU) 2017 Summit New Delhi, India. President of European Union (EU) Donald Tusk. Member countries 28 European Union (EU) headquarter - Brussels, Belgium. The 15th India-EU Summit will be held in Brussels, Belgium. The 13th India-EU Summit was held in Brussels, Belgium th Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) Hyderabad, India. Theme of the Summit Women First, Prosperity for All. 7 th Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) 2016 Silicon Valley, USA. 7. 3rd India International Science Festival (IISF) 2017 Chennai, Tamil Nadu. The 2 nd IISF held in New Delhi in The 1st IISF was held at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) New Delhi in India Mobile Congress New Delhi. Note: This is the first time India is all set to host its own mobile mega show. The Indian telecom market is the second-largest in the world after China. India has a total subscriber base of over 1.18 billion subscribers th UN Climate Change Summit Bonn, Germany. Note: The United Nations Climate Change Conferences are yearly conferences held in the framework of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). 18 th UN Climate Change Summit Marrakech, Morocco th BRICS Summit Xiamen, China. Theme of the Summit - BRICS: Stronger Partnership for a Brighter Future. The Summit was attended by President of Brazil Michel Temer President of Russia Vladimir Putin Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi President of China Xi, Jinping President of South Africa Jacob Zuma Note: BRICS comprises 5-member countries: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. Venue of 10 th BRICS Summit Johannesburg, South Africa. Venue of 8 th BRICS Summit Goa, India. 11. Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit 2017 Astana, Kazakhstan. Note: SCO General Secretary Rashid Alimov. SCO Headquarter - Beijing, China. Official Language Chinese, Russian. SCO comprises 8-member countries: China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India and Pakistan. India and Pakistan became full members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) on 9 June Venue of SCO Summit China. Venue of SCO Summit Tashkent, Uzbekistan. About Kazakhstan Kazakhstan is a Central Asian country, it has eastern border with China and Russia. Capital Astana Currency - Tenge President - Nursultan Nazarbayev Prime Minister - Bakhytzhan Sagintayev Legislature - Parliament Upper house - Senate Lower house - Mazhilis 12. ASEAN (30 th & 31 st ) 2017 Summit Manila, Philippines. Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) organisation comprising 10 South east Asian countries - Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Its motto is - One Vision, One Identity, One Community. Note: ASEAN Summit held twice a year. Secretary General Le Luong Minh. Chairman - Philippines Rodrigo Duterte ASEAN headquarter Jakarta, Indonesia. Venue of ASEAN (32 nd & 33 rd ) 2018 Summit - Singapore. Venue of 28-29th ASEAN Summit 2016 Vientiane, Laos th APEC 2017 Summit Danang, Vietnam Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)organisation comprising 21 members countries Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, People's Republic of China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, The 36 Page

37 Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, United States, Vietnam. Chairman - Trần Đại Quang Executive Director - Alan Bollard APEC headquarter Singapore Venue of 30 th APEC 2018 Summit - Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. Venue of 28th APEC Summit 2016 Peru, Lima th BIMSTEC 2017 Summit Kathmandu, Nepal Note: Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC)organisation comprising 7 members countries Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand. Chairmanship Nepal (since 2014) BIMSTEC headquarter Dhaka, Bangladesh Venue of 3rd BIMSTEC Summit Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar. 15. G-20 Summit 2017 Hamburg, Germany. Theme of the summit Shaping an Interconnected World The G20 comprises 19 countries plus the European Union. These countries are Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States of America (USA). Meeting of G20 Labour Ministers 2017 Bad Neuenahr, Germany. Meeting of G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors 2017 Baden, Germany. Venue of G Summit - Buenos Aires, Argentina Venue of G Summit Hangzhou, China rd G-7 Summit Sicily, Italy. Theme of the summit - Building the foundations of renewed trust. The G-7 comprises 7 countries Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom, United States. Venue of 42 nd G Summit Shima, Japan Venue of 44 th G Summit Canada 17. NATO Summit 2017 Brussels, Belgium. Note: 37 Page The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) comprises 29 countries Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States. NATO headquarter - Brussels, Belgium. NATO Secretary General - Jens Stoltenberg NATO 2018 Summit Brussels, Belgium. NATO 2016 Summit -Warsaw, Poland Note: Turkey s offer to host the 2018 NATO summit is rejected by Canada and 18 European NATO members. Hence, 2018 NATO Summit will be held in Brussels, Belgium th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBS) 2017 Bengaluru, Karnataka. Theme of 2017 PBS is Redefined Engagement With Indian Diaspora. Note: Chief Guest at 14 th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2017 is - H.E. Dr. Antonio Costa, Prime Minister of the Republic of Portugal. The PBS convention is held on January 9th each year to commemorate the return of Mahatma Gandhi from South Africa in It is celebrated to mark the contribution of the overseas Indian community to the development of the country. Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBS) 2016 was cancelled. 13 th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBS) 2015 Gandhinagar, Gujarat. Singapore to Host Regional Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in th Indian Science Congress 2017 SV University, Tirupati. Focal theme - Science & Technology for National Development. 105th Indian Science Congress 2018 to be hosted by Osmania University, Hyderabad. Focal Theme - Reaching the Unreached Through Science & Technology th CHOGM 2018 Summit The next 25th meeting of the heads of government of the Commonwealth of Nations will be held in the London, United Kingdom. Note: In 2017, Vanuatu was selected to host 25 th CHOGM Summit but due to the damage done by Cyclone Pam, it was decided to be held in United Kingdom in 2018.

38 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting held after a gap of every two years. Total member countries 52. Headquarter London, United Kingdom. CHOGM 2015 Summit Malta rd World Conference on Environment 2017 New Delhi, India. It was organized by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and inaugurated by the President Pranab Mukherjee. Important News India 1. The TATA Projects has launched initiative to promote green cover and to protect the environment -- Green Thumb. 2. India successfully test-fires 1st all weather trackedchassis -- QR-SAM. Note: India successfully test-fired its first all-weather tracked-chassis Quick Reaction Surface-to-Air Missile (QR-SAM) from a mobile launcher at Integrated Test Range at Chandipur in Odisha. 3. A pact with Bird Academy to train more than thirty thousand unemployed youth across various states in the aviation space -- The National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC). Note: Now, they will set up training centres in India under the guidance of aerospace and aviation sector skill council. 4. Rutland Island (South Andaman) site for the country s long-range missile test facility -- National Board of Wildlife. Note: Since 2012, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has been seeking the approval for the test facility. 5. The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has passed a resolution to rename the city s The Officers' Mess Road in Chanakyapuri area to -- Alexander M Kadakin Marg. Note: Alexander M Kadakin was born in Chisna, Russia and served as ambassador from 2009 in India until his last breath in January The three mobile Apps (Mycall App, Myspeed App and Do Not Disturb), an upgraded official website and a portal in New Delhi -- Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). Note: The three Apps have been launched with a view to help mobile phone users rate their experience about voice call quality in real time. 7. India has signed an agreement with Sri Lanka to provide fresh assistance of 318 million US Dollar credit line for the development of --Railway sector. Note: India has already provided four Lines of Credit for the development of railway in Sri Lanka through its EXIM bank amounting around USD 966 million. 8. The ministry has launched Skill for Life, Save a Life initiative to promote skill development in the health sector in New Delhi -- Health Ministry. 38 Page Note: The initiative aims to upscale the quality and quantity of trained professionals in the healthcare system. 9. The Vatsalya Maatri Amrit Kosh a National Human Milk Bank and Lactation Counselling Centre at the Lady Hardinge Medical College (LHMC) in New Delhi_- - Mr. C K Mishra. Note: It is established in collaboration with the Norwegian government, Oslo University, and Norway-India Partnership Initiative (NIPI). 10. Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd (KRCL) is planning to develop how many stations on the Konkan route-- twenty-one. Note: A total 147 kms of railway track would be doubled under the expansion and modernization project at a cost of Rs. 3,000 crores. 11. The union ministry has launched Mission Retro- Fitment program -- Railway ministry. Note: Mission Retro-Fitment is an ambitious program to upgrade the level of furnishing & amenities in the coaches of Indian Railways. 12. The SATH program for cooperative federalism -- NITI Aayog. Note: NITI Aayog has launched a program Sustainable Action for Transforming Human capital (SATH) with the State Governments for cooperative federalism. 13. Indian Railways Human Resources Round Table Conference has started in the city -- New Delhi. Note: The 3-themes of the conference are Stakeholders Expectations from HR, The Future of Work HR Role and Creativity Within Constraints. 14. The Union Govt. has launched a video conferencing aided legal service for the people living in rural areas - - Tele Law. Note: The Tele-Law portal will be available across the Common Service Centre network connecting the citizens to legal service providers. 15. The first underwater metro tunnel in India will come up in the city -- Kolkata.

39 Note: It will pass through the Hooghly River and connect the two main terminals Howrah and Sealdah 16. The city to host the second edition of National Health Editors Conference on Yoga New Delhi. Note: The conference on Yoga was inaugurated by the Minister of State for AYUSH (Independent Charge) Shripad Yesso Naik. 17. India's first canal top solar PV System on cooling water (CW) channel inside power station--ntpc Mouda (Nagpur). Note: This novel Solar PV system makes use of side walls of CW channels as load bearing structure thereby significantly decreasing cost of civil and mounting structure. 18. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for Participation in the ANUGA 2017 Exhibition -- India. Note: ANUGA (Allgemeine Nahrungs Und Genußmittel Ausstellung) is the world s biggest and most important trade fair for Food and beverage trade. 19. The first phase of Metro for the city in Kerala -- Kochi Metro. Note: The Kochi metro project became the first metro in the country which connects rail, road, and water transport facilities. Kochi Metro Rail Limited is a Joint Venture of Centre and the Kerala government. 20. The 71st country to join the United Nations TIR (Transports Internationaux Routiers) Convention to boost trade through smoother movement of goods across territories -- India. Note: It is part of its multi-modal transport strategy that aims at integrating Indian economy with global and regional production networks through better connectivity. 21. Sushma Swaraj has inaugurated a Programme for young overseas Indians in New Delhi-- Know India Programme (KIP). Note: The Know India Programme (KIP) is a three-week orientation programme for the Indian diaspora. 22. A special blue 'umbrella emoji' for its Indian users to celebrate monsoon -- Twitter. Note: The emoji went live on 16th June and will be active till 31st August this year. 23. The authority has cleared the final raising of Sardar Sarovar Dam (SSD) in Gujarat by lowering of gates and impounding of water in the reservoir upto its Full Reservoir Level (FRL) of EL mts --Narmada Control Authority (NCA). Note: The Sardar Sarovar Project would primarily meet the water requirement of drought prone and desert areas of Gujarat and Rajasthan. 24. The ministry has launched National Mission on Cultural Mapping of India -- Ministry of Culture. Note: This Mission is part of the Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat umbrella and a stage will be provided to the registered artists for performance and displaying their talent. 25. The American aerospace giant and Tata Group have signed a pact to produce, operate, and export the combat-proven F-16 fighters in India -- Lockheed Martin. Note: The deal announced during the Paris Air show between Tata Advanced Systems Ltd (TASL) and Lockheed Martin is ideally suited to meet Indian Air Force's single-engine fighter needs. 26. Airports in small towns would come on the aviation map by this September through the regional connectivity scheme UDAAN -- thirty-three. Note: The UDAAN scheme is designed as a demand-driven one so that States can participate in it to make it fruitful. 27. A Mobile App Celebrating Yoga to connect people through Yoga for a scientific healthy living at a function in New Delhi -- Dr. Harsh Vardhan. Note: The mobile application will help to provide a platform to share information and insights about people's participation during Yoga activities on International Yoga Day (21st June). 28. Aa dedicated Webpage has been launched for facilitating taxpayers with regard to addressing issues related to Information Technology Services and Electronics goods-- The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. Note: Now, the Webpage can be accessed through Ministry s Web Portal Individuals, Companies and Entrepreneurs in IT and Electronics sector can visit the webpage for sector-specific information. 29. People suffering from tuberculosis (TB) will have to submit their number to avail benefits under a central government scheme -- Aadhaar number. Note: The Health Ministry also asked those who do not have Aadhaar card to get themselves enrolled by 31st August Page

40 30. A scheme 'Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty' (VAJRA)has been launched to bring together the Indian scientists abroad --The Department of Science and Technology (DST). Note: The idea of the scheme is to bring the best of the world to India and conduct research here. 31. Election Commission (EC) has disqualified Madhya Pradesh Minister for submitting wrong expenditure accounts in the 2008 poll -- Narottam Mishra. Note: Mr. Mishra has also been debarred from contesting poll for three years. 32. The Union Minister has presented the 100 volumes of The Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi(CWMG) published by the Publications Division to Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad -- Venkaiah Naidu. Note: To ensure that Gandhian thoughts reach the new generation readers, all these restored editions have also been made available as e-books, and are available for online sale. 33. Kalraj Mishra has launched a Scheme to boost Digital India Mission -- Digital MSME Scheme. Note: This scheme revolves around Cloud Computing which is emerging as a cost effective and viable alternative in comparison to in-house Infrastructure installed by MSMEs. 34. The union Govt. has cleared the proposal for setting up a new airport in -- Jewar (Greater Noida). Note: The Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority has notified 3,000 hectares of land for a world-class international airport. 35. India's First Blood Bank for Cattle to Come up in the state -- Odisha. Note: The blood bank would be established on the premises of Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology at an estimated cost of Rs crore. 36. Harsh Vardhan has launched "National Biopharma Mission" to accelerate biopharmaceutical development in India. Note: Under the Mission, the ministry launched a programme named Innovate in India (i3) to create an enabling ecosystem to promote entrepreneurship and indigenous manufacturing in the sector. 37. India s tallest Air Traffic Control (ATC) tower has installed at -- Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), Delhi. Note: It will be the 7th tallest ATC tower in the world. 38. Who has launched a month-long plantation drive to mark Van Mahotsav -- Dr. Harsh Vardhan. Note: Van Mahotsav is an annual tree-planting movement in India, which began in The purpose of the festival is to raise the awareness of trees among people and to highlight the need for planting and tending of trees as one of the best ways to prevent global warming and reduce pollution. 39. An agreement with Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd (KHI) of Japan to manufacture stainless steel coaches and bogies for metro rail -- The Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL). Note: The agreement covers establishing engineering, design, and manufacturing facilities at BHEL using Japanese technology. It will also entitle BHEL for all technology advances and upgrades. 40. India s first university only for Dalit students will come up in -- Hyderabad. Note: The purpose of establishing an exclusive university for Dalit students is to provide them a comprehensive education, so that they would come out as complete and knowledgeable citizens. 41. The Asia-Africa-Europe (AAE-1) submarine cable system stretch from Marseille in France to Hong Kong -- Reliance Jio. Note: He was administered the oath of office by Chief Justice of India JS Khehar at a special function in the central hall of Parliament. AAE-1 is claimed to be the world s longest 100Gbps technology-based submarine system. It will have 21 cable landings across Asia and Europe. 42. Western Railways have changed the name of Elphinstone Road station as -- Prabhadevi. Note: Prabhadevi is a local deity, whose temple is located in the vicinity of the railway station. In December 2016, the Maharashtra Assembly had unanimously adopted a resolution to rename these railway stations which were subsequently followed by a nod from the Central Government. 43. The Power Ministry has launched the app and the portal for providing e-bidding solution to states to select Independent Power Producers (IPPs) -- MERIT. Note: The objective of is to increase transparency and accountability and transfer maximum benefit to the consumer reflects a 360-degree approach of a government in action.the app also gives information regarding reasons for deviation from merit order such as must run conditions, transmission constraints etc. 40 Page

41 44. The first government hospital in the country to perform a lung transplant -- PGIMER, Chandigarh. Note: The institute has been successfully performing heart, kidney, pancreas, liver, and Cornea transplants. 45. India s first high-speed rail training centre will set up in the state -- Gujarat. Note: The rail training centre will set up at a cost of Rs 600 crore, and is expected to start operating by The union govt will organize three-day international fair in 3 to 5 November World Food India Note: International fair will provide a platform to Indian farmers and manufacturers to showcase their products and explore partnerships with foreign companies, organized by the Food Processing Ministry. The World Food India is a step aimed at creating India a 'Global Food Factory' and 'Global Food Retail Market'. 47. Indian Railways has launched virtual server to optimize server usage and faster connectivity -- RailCloud. Note: The technology is developed by rail PSU RailTel at an estimated cost of approx Rs 53 crore. The RailCloud technology enables maximising the usage of available server and storage resulting in accommodation of bigger data and more applications within same server space. 48. The two programmes to take education to the remotest corners of the country with the help of technology -- Swayam and Swayam Prabha. Note: Under Swayam, courses would be offered through digital classrooms with online study material available free of cost in videos. Swayam Prabha would tap into the potential of Direct to Home Service wherein a person can install a dish antenna for about Rs 1,500 & have access to 32 digital educational channels run by the HRD Ministry. 49. The union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu has inaugurated the Science Express Climate Action Special at -- Madgaon station. Note: The Science Express is an innovative mobile science exhibition of the Department of Science and Technology mounted on a 16-coach AC train. The objective is to increase awareness on climate change and its mitigation among various sections of society, especially students metres from the edge of River Ganga as a No- Development Zone in the stretch between Haridwar (Uttarakhand) and Unnao (Uttar Pradesh) -- NGT (National Green Tribunal). 41 Page Note: There shall be no dumping of waste of any kind within 500 metres from the edge of River Ganga.The NGT also declared an environment compensation of Rs. 50,000 on anyone who dumps waste in River Ganga. 51. The union Cabinet has approved the establishment of the International Rice Research Institute, South Asia Regional Center at the campus of National Seed Research and Training Center in -- Varanasi. Note: This Center will be the first international Center in eastern India and it will play a major role in harnessing and sustaining rice production in the region. The Centre will also undertake capacity building exercises for stakeholders across the rice value chain. 52. The National Strategic Plan for Malaria Elimination ( ) launched by -- Shri J P Nadda. Note: The Strategic Plan gives year wise elimination targets in various parts of the country depending upon the endemicity of malaria in the next 5 years. This plan focuses on the states like Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra. 53. Indian scientists have discovered an extremely large supercluster of galaxies, which is as big as 20 million billion suns-- Saraswati. Note: Inter University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA) team of astronomers has named it Saraswati. This is one of the largest known structures in the neighborhood of the universe, 4,000 million light-years away from Earth and roughly more than 10 billion years old. 54. The city hosted the National Conference of NITI Aayog -- New Delhi. Note: The focus of the conference is on best practices in social and economic sectors across states. 55. The union minister Arun Jaitley has launched a new pension scheme for the senior citizens in new Delhi -- Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana. Note: The scheme provides an assured return of 8% per annum payable monthly for 10 years and exempted from Service Tax or GST. The scheme can be purchased offline as well as online through Life Insurance Corporation of India(LIC). The PMVVY scheme will be available till 3rd May, The first solar-powered 1600 HP DEMU train in India has launched from the station -- Safdarjung railway station. 57. The ministry will launch a new sub-scheme Aajeevika Grameen Express Yojana (AGEY) under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana--The Union Rural Development ministry. Note: The AGEY aims to provide an alternative source of livelihoods to members of Self Help Groups (SHGs) under DAY-NRLM by facilitating them to operate public transport services in backward rural areas.

42 58. The Indian Railways has launched an integrated mobile application to cater various passenger requirements -- SAARTHI. Note: The Rail SAARTHI (synergised advanced application rail travel help and information) such as safety for women, complaint facility and suggestion for improvement. 59. The 5th North East Connectivity Summit will be held in the state -- Arunachal Pradesh. Note: The summit organised by the FICCI is one of the most important forums for action oriented deliberations on sub-regional economic integration and connectivity between North East India and South-East Asia. The 4th North East Connectivity Summit will be held in Nagaland in September The National Trade Facilitation Action Plan (NTFAP) in New Delhi-- Arun Jaitley. Note: The WTO-Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) was a major milestone for the global trading system and all actions covered under the plan have been categorised by prioritising the activities into short, mid, and long term. 61. The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has launched the mobile app for syncing Aadhaar data on the mobile phone-- maadhaar app. Note: Once you register in maadhar app, your Aadhaar card profile including phone number, address and other details get stored on the app. 62. The country s first Bio-CNG (bio-methane) bus at a bio-energy programme, Urja Utsav --Tata Motors. Note: The use of Bio-CNG will contribute in a positive manner to the Smart Cities proposition of keeping them clean. The bio-methane engines could be used in LCV, ICV and MCV buses. 63. The railway station has become the India s first station to run by all women staff -- Matunga railway station. 64. The science & technology ministry has launched a lowcost indigenously developed hearing screening device for newborns -- Sohum. Note: The Sohum uses brain-stem auditory evoked response technology which is recommended as best screening choice. SOHUM, has been developed by School of International Biodesign (SIB), a startup M/S Sohum Innovation Labs India Pvt. Ltd. 65. The Union Government has approved climate change projects for three states under National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change (NAFCC)-- Rajasthan, Gujarat and Sikkim. 66. The United Nations Peacekeeping Course for African Partners (UNPCAP-02) 2017 has started in the city -- New Delhi. 67. The city will host the tenth edition of Urban Mobility India conference beginning 4th November this year -- Hyderabad. Note: The three-day event will be jointly organised by the Union Ministry of Urban Development and the Telangana Government.The theme of this year s conference is intelligent, inclusive and sustainable mobility. 68. The union Minister Maneka Gandhi has launched online complaint system for registering sexual harassment complaints at workplace in New Delhi -- sexual harassment e-box. Note: This online portal is open for central government women employees only and later on, complaints from private sector will be entertained effectively. The Ministry will soon conduct a national level survey to examine the magnitude of sexual harassment at workplace. 69. Who has formed a new catering policy to improve food quality in trains & stations-- Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd (IRCTC). Note: As per the new catering policy of 2017, the IRCTC will manage catering services on all mobile units, and pantry car contracts will also be reassigned to railways' catering arm. Now, IRCTC will not have the right to outsource or issue licenses for provision of catering services to private licensees 70. Online application has been invited from girl students for enrolment in UDAAN project The Central Board of Secondary Education(CBSE). Note: The scheme is open for deserving girl students who aspire to pursue higher education in engineering and to assist them to prepare for entrance exam while studying in Class 11 and 12th in Kendriya Vidyalaya(KV), Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya(JNV) or government schools affiliated to CBSE or any board. 71. Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has planned to install 1,100 water vending machines at 450 stations in to ensure clean drinking water at low cost. Note: A glass of 300 ml water dispensed through these machines will cost just one rupee. At present, there are 1,106 water vending machines at 345 stations in the country. 72. The Union minister has launched a mobile app for road maintenance in all the States -- Aarambh. Note:The mobile phone app aims at use of Geographic Information System (GIS) based mapping for making road inventories, condition surveys, and producing 42 Page

43 cost estimates and other relevant data for preparation and monitoring of annual road maintenance plans. 73. The FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) directs the concerned food business operators to discontinue the manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import of stapled tea bags by--1st January,2018. Note: The FSSAI has also directed all food safety commissioners to take action to prevent the use of unsafe packaging materials by companies and take up measures for enforcement of its order. 74. The first two Naval Offshore Patrol Vessels (NOPVs) Shachi and Shruti at their shipyard in Pipavav, Gujarat --Reliance Defence and Engineering Limited (RDEL). Note: These two NOPVs are the first warships to be launched by a private sector shipyard in India. 75. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated a national memorial on the second death anniversary of former president Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam in -- Rameshwaram (Tamil Nadu). Note: The Kalam memorial was built by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in Pei Karumbu. The memorial, build at a cost of 20 crores, blends Mughal and Indian architecture. Its main entrance resembles Delhi's India gate and the main door is a replica of the entrance of the Brihadiswara Temple in Tanjavur. 76. Microsoft officially unveiled a mobile-only productivity application to simplify large group communication for Indian organisations -- Kaizala. Note: Microsoft Kaizala, a made for India product, brings together the two disparate worlds of mobile only messaging apps and a digitally integrated modern workplace The application had been optimized for 2G networks to enable connectivity in remote locations and offered features with offline support. 77. The High Court ordered that Vande Mataram must be played and sung in all schools, colleges, and universities at least once a week -- Madras High Court. Note: The court also ruled that the national song must be played and sung in all government offices and institutions, private companies, factories, and industries at least once a month. 78. Scientists have developed new Artificial intelligence (AI) software to create three dimensional (3D) models from 2D photographs -- SurfNet. Note: It will give them the ability to understand the 3D environment around them using standard 2D cameras. SurfNet software can be used in object recognition, robotics, and even self-driving cars. 79. The union govt. will provide vaccine free from next year and it would help in tackling the liver related diseases -- Hepatitis C. Note: For this purpose, union government is planning to provide up to 3,000 crore rupees in the budget. 80. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has launched India's first unmanned tank that was being developed in Chennai lab -- Muntra (Mission UNmanned TRAcked). Note: Muntra-S: Country's first unmanned surveillance missions. Muntra-M: for detecting mines. Muntra-N: for operation in areas where there is a nuclear radiation or bio weapon risk. 81. The oil company will operate India s first petroleum R&D facility for testing high-end BS-VI quality fuel emissions-- Indian Oil Corp (IOC). 82. The Union government has launched a portal to provide a platform to sell agricultural produce -- e- RaKAM. Note: The e-rakam is a first of its kind initiative that leverages technology to connect farmers of the smallest villages to the biggest markets of the world through internet. 83. Indian Army has developed a mobile app for soldiers to track promotions and postings-- Humraaz app. Note: With the help of this app soldiers can view their monthly salary slips & the Form 16 and also download them.the app will be launched in the second week of August for prompt communication of information to junior commissioner officers and other personnel. 84. The Supreme Court bench headed by Justice Madan B Lokur has imposed a ban on the use of five harmful metals in firecrackers as they cause enormous air pollution -- lithium, mercury, arsenic, antimony, lead metals. Note: The order came after the Central Pollution Control Board's (CPCB) Member Secretary told the top court that standards on air pollution caused by the bursting of firecrackers are yet to be laid down. 43 Page

44 85. India s first private sector missile sub-systems manufacturing facility has set up in the city -- Hyderabad. Note:It has been established a line with the Make in India initiative and Government s policy to encourage private sector participation in defense product. 86. The union govt. has ordered state-run oil companies to raise subsidised cooking gas (LPG) prices by four rupees per cylinder every month to eliminate all the subsidies by -- March Note: Every household is entitled to 12 cylinders (14.2-kg each) at subsidised rates in a year and any requirement beyond that is to be purchased at market price. 87. SEBI has constituted a committee on fair market conduct, which will be headed by former Lok Sabha secretary and law secretary T K Viswanathan. Note: The committee has been tasked with suggesting improvements to the existing SEBI norms, including on insider trading and Fraudulent and Unfair Trade practices (FUTP). 88. The 2nd programme of AGRI-UDAAN to promote innovation and entrepreneurship in agriculture launched in -- New Delhi. Note: It will mentor startups and help them connect with potential investors. The program focuses on catalyzing scale-up stage food and agribusiness startups through rigorous mentoring, industry networking and investor pitching. 89. The Union Ministry has launched a contest for designing a logo for the 'Women of India Festival' to be held at Dilli Haat in October Women and Child Development Ministry. Note: The event is organized and fully sponsored by the Ministry as part of their major initiative of economic empowerment of women. The Women of India Festival offers the biggest selection of organic products prepared or grown by women. 90. The World Bank has allowed India to construct hydroelectric power facilities on tributaries of the Jhelum and Chenab rivers under the Treaty -- Indus Waters Treaty. Note: Earlier, Pakistan is opposed to the construction of the Kishanganga and Ratle hydroelectric power plants being built by India in Jammu and Kashmir. India is permitted to construct hydroelectric power facilities on these rivers subject to specified constraints. 91. Tata Memorial Centre has joined hands with the Indian Dental Association (IDA) to start India's first digital initiative for prevention and early detection of oral cancer. Note: Tata Memorial Centre and The Indian Dental Association (IDA) together have launched a special course on Oral Cancer on 27th last month. The day is celebrated as the World Head and Neck Cancer Day to create awareness and early detection of oral cancer. 92. The union Govt. has proposed to establish new AIIMS under various phases of Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana in different parts of the country Note: An additional 1,563 new beds will be added in the existing capacity of AIIMS at Delhi and 73 existing medical institutions are being upgraded by setting up of super specialty blocks, trauma centres in the country. 93. Delhi Police's women safety mobile application via cab aggregator Uber's application while travelling in taxis -- Himmat. Note: In addition to the emergency button in the Uber app, riders will now have one more touch point to access the police helpline in case of an emergency. 94. Union ministry has launched a 2017 Swachh Survekshan (Gramin) -- Drinking Water and Sanitation ministry. Note: All districts of the country will be ranked on the basis of performance, sustainability and transparency Under the Swachh Survekshan Gramin. 95. A special event Dawn of cruise tourism in India has launched in the city to promote cruise tourism in India -- Mumbai. Note: This initiative has a potential revenue gains to all stakeholders of close to Rs crores. 96. NITI Aayog shortlisted Uttar Pradesh, Assam, and Karnataka under its 'Sustainable Action for Transforming Human Capital', SATH initiative to handhold them and transform their health sector. Note: To give major push to competitive, cooperative federalism, the government think tank had invited all states and Union Territories to participate in its SATH initiative to transform Health and Education sectors. 97. India s first micro forest being built in -- Chhattisgarh. Note: Micro forest (land of 19 acres), housed around 70 government office buildings in Raipur (Chhattisgarh) 44 Page

45 is being converted into India s first micro forest to create an oxy-zone. 98. Indian city to host the India ASEAN Youth summit Bhopal. Note: The India ASEAN Youth summit held in Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) with theme Shared values, common destiny.over 175 delegations of youths from Indonesia, Singapore, Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam and India will attend the Summit. 99. The NCERT s Web portal for supply of textbooks to schools and individuals-- Note: The portal will ensure better distribution of textbooks across the country and address the concerns of schools and parents, regarding unavailability of textbooks The union govt. has fixed an ambitious target of installing 60 giga watt (GW) wind power capacity in the country by Note: The annual wind power capacity addition of around 5500 mega-watts is required to meet wind capacity target of 60 GW.The current wind power installed capacity in the country is over 32.5 GW The union govt. has set a target of providing skill training to one crore people in next three years under -- Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana. Note: The skill training will be provided through Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendra(PMKK). The target is to set up five hundred such Kendras in various parts of the country out of which two hundred are functional. A separate national skill certification board will be set up in the Ministry to enable the ITIs to provide equivalence to class 10th and 12th at par with CBSE and ICSE National Green Tribunal (NGT) has imposed an interim ban on use of non-biodegradable plastic bags which are less than 50 microns in the entire Delhi Note: An environment compensation of Rs. 5,000 on anyone found in possession of such banned plastic. The tribunal directed Delhi government to seize the entire stock of plastic within one week. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) was established in 2010 by the National Green Tribunal Act Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) under Ministry of Commerce and Industry has approved two projects for development of industrial clusters in Andhra Pradesh -- Hindupur and Bobbili. Note: The objective of the above projects is to provide quality and reliable infrastructure to industrial units located in these clusters The National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and Google India jointly launched the Android Skill Development Programme to impart mobile app development training on the Android and Web platform Note: It will also improve the quality of mobile app development ecosystem in India. Now, NSDC would introduce a specific course to create applications for the mobile platform that can be used on smartphones and tablets running on the Android operating system All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has decided to close down those technical colleges which recorded less than 30% admissions in the last five years. Note: With over 27 lakh seats lying vacant in various engineering colleges across the country, such colleges will be closed down from next year The ministry will celebrate Sankalp to Siddhi- New India Manthan in all the districts of the country from 19th to 30th of this month -- Agriculture and Farmers Welfare ministry. Note: This program will last for two and a half hours in which the first video message of the Prime Minister to be shown. A film will be shown on the efforts being made by the government for agricultural development and the resolution will be taken to free the country from poverty, corruption, terrorism, communalism and casteism The nationwide campaign Gaj Yatra has been launched by the Union Govt. to protect elephant The parliamentary panel B C Khanduri has recommended 100% pension to widow of deceased soldier. Note: In the report, the panel has recommended the 100% pension to widow of deceased soldier so that she can take care of her family Defence Ministry has approved delegation of administrative and financial powers to the Border Roads Organisation (BRO). Note:BRO develops and maintains road networks in India s border areas and friendly neighbouring countries. 45 Page

46 110. The Union govt. has directed internet majors Google, Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, Microsoft, and Yahoo to immediately remove links of the dangerous online game -- Blue Whale Challenge. Note: There are instances of children committing suicide in India while playing this online game. The Blue Whale Challenge is a suicide game in which the player is given certain tasks to complete for a period of 50 days and the final task leads to suicide The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved the proposal for the strategic disinvestment -- Department of Investment and public Asset Management (DIPAM). Note: The department will set up an alternative mechanism comprising of the Finance Minister, Minister for Road Transport and Highways and Minister of Administrative Department to decide on the matters relating to terms and conditions of the sale from the stage of inviting of Express of Interests till inviting of financial bid The union minister Rajnath Singh has launched the live twitter wall for promoting Bharat Ke Veer portal. Note: This portal facilitates online donation directly to the families of CAPF Martyrs who have sacrificed their lives for the country in line of duty from January JP Nadda has launched 15 medical outlets of AMRIT Deendayal in Assam, Uttar Pradesh, and Punjab through Video Conference from Shimla. Note: Mr Nadda has also inaugurated one outlet of AMRIT Deendayal at Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC), Shimla.The purpose of AMRIT Deendayal programme is to provide different kind of medicines and equipment s on cheap rates to the patients Energy Efficiency Services Limited has signed an MoU with oil marketing companies for distribution of UJALA Energy Efficient Appliances through-- Petrol Pumps. Note: In the first phase, distribution will commence from Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra. The consumer can purchase Energy efficient LED bulb at Rs. 70, tube light at Rs. 220 and 5 star rated ceiling fans at Rs The Government emarketplace (GeM) SPV and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a GeM Industry forum -- GeMSamvad. Note: GeMSamvad will be a participative and collaborative approach with the industry for promoting Indian industry and entrepreneurship. The purchases through GeM have been made mandatory by Union Finance Ministry by adding Rule No 149 in the General Financial Rules, Dr. Harsh Vardhan has launched the Harit Diwali, Swasth Diwali campaign in New Delhi. Note: As a part of the campaign, the Environment Ministry will undertake various activities to create awareness among various stakeholders and encourage people to participate in combating air pollution The historical annual Manimahesh Yatra is under way these days in -- Chamba district (Himachal Pradesh). Note: Pilgrims are visiting Manimahesh to worship God Shiva and Goddess Parvati. The famous sacred Manimahesh Lake is situated at nearly 14,000 feet height in Bharmour area. Every year this yatra begins on Janamashtami and concludes after fifteen days on Radha Ashtami The Defence Acquisition Council meeting has cleared a proposal to procure AH-64 Apache attack helicopters for Army -- Six. Note: The cost of Apaches (including associated equipment, spares, training, weapons and armaments) is about 4,168 crore rupees.the Council has also approved a proposal to procure two gas turbine engines for Naval ships at a cost of 490 crore rupees Textile Minister Smriti Irani has inaugurated "Second Groundbreaking ceremony at Jamshedpur in Jharkhand for laying foundation stones of 70 new companies. Note: The foundation stones for 70 companies were laid whose permissions have been granted after receiving the proposals few months ago. This is part of Jharkhand government emphasis to boost manufacturing in the state The union govt. has doubled the child care allowance for women employees with disabilities to -- Rs per month. Note: Currently, the allowance of Rs. 1,500 per month is given to Divyang female employees for taking care of their newborn child. The decision to hike the allowance is based on the recommendations of seventh central pay commission India has registered a growth of foreign tourist arrivals from January to July this year -- over 15%. 46 Page

47 Note: The highest number of tourists arrived from Bangladesh (20.12%), followed by the US (16.26%), the UK (10.88%) and France (3.01%) India s first museum on the Partition of the Indian Subcontinent will open in the state -- Punjab. Note: The museum will include newspaper clippings and donated personal items meant to tell the story of how the region s struggle for freedom from colonial rule turned into one of its most violent episodes The National Highways Authority of India has launched a mobile app for smooth functioning of electronic toll collection --MyFASTag. Note:The mobile apps will ease the process and will make it possible to buy or recharge FASTags at the click of a mobile button The board of oil and gas company has given 'inprinciple' approval to acquire government's % stake in Hindustan Petroleum Corp Ltd. in New Delhi - - Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC). Note: The ONGC board also constituted a committee of directors to examine various aspects of the acquisition and to provide its recommendations to the board of directors.earlier, the union govt. had also approved the sale of its 51.11% stake in oil refiner HPCL to India's largest oil producer ONGC The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to jointly conduct capacity building exercises in the fields of broadcasting and telecommunications regulation UIDAI (Unique Identification Authority of India) has joined hands with CSC India for launching door step enrolment facility in the national capital who cannot travel the Aadhar centres. Note: CSC India provides permit and monitors operations of common service centres across India which are meant to provide government services in rural area Venkaiah Naidu has officially launch the Sports Ministry s National Sports Talent Search Portal at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi. Note: The portal will provide a three-step simple process for registration, profile creation and upload of achievements. Around 1000 kids will be selected and they will receive scholarships of Rs 5 lakh per year for eight years The task force has been constituted by the Union Government on Artificial Intelligence (AI) for India s economic transformation -- V. Kamakoti task force Note: The eighteen members panel, headed by Dr. V. Kamakoti will comprise of experts, academics, researchers, and industry leaders. It will explore 47 Page possibilities to leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI) for development across various fields The National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant has launched the Mentor India Campaign in -- New Delhi. Note: The campaign is a strategic nation building initiative to engage leaders who can nurture and guide students at more than 900 Atal Tinkering Labs. The labs are dedicated workspaces where students from Class 6th to 12th learn innovation skills and develop ideas that will go on to transform India National Sports Museum to be established to popularize the sports as a way of life within the country in -- New Delhi. Note: The Museum will showcase India s achievements in sports and also focus on the traditional sports within the country.the proposed Museum would go beyond the classical approach of a collection of memorabilia to become an interactive venue of interest for all age groups The union External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has inaugurated the country s first Videsh Bhavan -- Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), Mumbai. Note: The Videsh Bhavan in the city is the first integrated office complex of the MEA established in any state of the country. The facility will help in effective management of the MEA s engagement with the Maharashtra government Who planning to form a national registry of skilled people to help upgrade the large number of unskilled population in the country -- Indian Society for Training and Development (ISTD). Note: ISTD has been appointed as the nodal agency for assessment for testing and certification of skills for all sectors and states Arun Jaitley has launched BEML s third Line Ultra- Modern Metro Manufacturing Facility to enhance the production of metro cars for the forthcoming metro projects in India. Note: He also inaugurated the indigenously designed and developed biggest ever diesel excavator BE1800D and crawler dozer BD475-1 and T-72 hull. It has been designed for fitting into tanks, at Kolar Gold Fields (KGF) unit of Bharath Earth Movers Limited Ministry of Textiles will organize a Pan India camps in handlooms and handicrafts clusters, under the initiative Hastkala Sahyog Shivir on 7-17th of October this year. Note: This initiative is dedicated to Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Garib Kalyan Varsh, the birth centenary year of Pandit Deendayal Upadhayay. These camps will be organized in more than 200 handloom Block Level Clusters and Weavers Service Centres in collaboration with State Governments.

48 135. Scientists have developed carbon nanotubes over 50,000 times thinner than a human hair which can separate salt from-- seawater. Note: The team found that water permeability in carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with diameters of 0.8 nanometre significantly exceeds that of wider carbon nanotubes The ministry will launch Deep Ocean Mission by January 2018 to spur research activities in ocean science and develop technology to harness ocean resources-- Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES). Note: The proposed inter-ministerial and interdisciplinary project aims to explore and harness mineral resources beneath the ocean floor The union govt. extended the deadline to furnish Aaadhar to avail benefits of social welfare schemes till -- 31st December Rajnath Singh has inaugurated an initiative under Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana YUVA a skill development program, by Delhi Police. Note: This initiative will connect with youth by upgrading their skill as per their competencies. Now, the Delhi Police has tied up with National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) for providing mass job linked skill training for selected youth Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has launched its navigation satellite IRNSS-1H from Satish Dhavan Space Centre at Sriharikotta, on board the rocket PSLV C39. Note: The satellite IRNSS-1H is a part of the indigenous navigation system called NavIC. NavIC system is equivalent to the GPS service, having footprint over the whole of India and about 1500 kilometers from its borders on all sides The union Govt. has approved increase in income criteria for creamy layer for excluding socially advanced persons from the purview of reservation of other backward classes (OBC) from six lakh rupees per annum to -- eight lakh rupees per annum Note: Now, more people to take advantage of reservation benefits extended to the OBCs in government services and in admission to Central educational institutions. The income limit is based on increase in consumer price index Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the annual conference of Rajaswa Gyan Sangam, 2017 in -- New Delhi. Note: The objective of the Conference is to enable a two-way communication between the policy-makers and the senior officers in the field offices with a view to increase revenue collection and facilitate effective implementation of law and policies in key result areas Sumitra Mahajan and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi inaugurated an exhibition Naya Bharat-Hum Karke Rahenge to aware the youth in -- New Delhi. Note: Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs has organised the event in coordination with DAVP. It is being organized at 39 places across the county to commemorate the 75 years of Quit India Movement and forthcoming 75 years of Independence in The union Govt. has extended the deadline for linking of Permanent Account Number (PAN) with Aadhaar till -- 31st Dec Note: Earlier, the govt. has granted a similar extension for furnishing of Aadhaar for availing the benefits of various social welfare schemes The ministry has approved constitution of a 13- member Empowered Steering Committee (ESC) to shape and influence India's preparation for multidisciplinary events -- Sports Ministry. Note: The Steering Committee will have the mandate to work till 31st December 2020 with clearly defined terms and references. These include review of the core probable list of each High Priority and Priority disciplines for the Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, and Olympic Games Ahmedabad city has been formally accorded the status of India s first World Heritage City by UNESCO - - Note: Earlier, in July the UN agency had inscribed Ahmedabad as India's first World Heritage City at a meeting held in Poland The formation of an inter-ministerial task force to expedite implementation of the Centre s Namami Gange mission -- Nitin Gadkari. Note:The ministry will come out with a detailed schedule on achieving various targets under the mission in a timebound and transparent manner The Environment Ministry has launched an environment awareness initiative on the occasion of - -Teacher s Day. Note: Under the initiative, an online environmental quiz competition will be conducted at the national level to generate interest among school children about the science related to environment.this will help in sensitizing the children on the issues related to environment and development India-Nepal joint military exercise Surya Kiran XII was held at -- Saljhandi, Nepal. 48 Page

49 Note: It is largest exercise in terms of troop s participation in series of military training exercises undertaken by India with various countries. Surya Kiran series of exercises are held alternately in India and Nepal Who has constituted an Expert Task Force to provide a major thrust to job creation by enhancing India s exports -- NITI Aayog. Note: The panel will give recommendations on sectorspecific policy interventions in key employment sectors and measures to enhance trade in services with high employment potential. An urgent and sustained expansion of the organized sector is essential to address India s unemployment and underemployment issue The union govt. has been constituted under the Chairmanship of former apex court judge to identify key data protection issues in India -- Justice BN Srikrishna. Note: The committee will study various issues and make specific suggestions for consideration of the government on the principles to be considered for data protection Indian Ambassador to Nepal laid the foundation stone for the proposed Pension Paying Office (PPO) at Butwal Nepal-- Manjeev Singh Puri. Note: It will benefit approximate Indian Army Gorkha pensioners and family pensioners in the region.this bond with the Ex-Servicemen contributes immensely to warmth and strength of India-Nepal relationship India and Sri Lankan joint maritime naval 7th Edition exercise has begun at Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh -- SLINEX Note: The exercise will be concluded on 14th September this year. The exercises were held in both Harbour Phase (professional, cultural, and social interactions) and Sea Phase (anti-piracy exercises, cross-deck helicopter operations, gun firings and anti-surface exercises) The first BIMSTEC Disaster Management Exercise will be conducted by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) as the lead agency in -- Delhi. Note: The delegates from all 7 nations of the BIMSTEC grouping (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand) will participate in the event The union minister has inaugurated the new head quarter building of Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D) in New Delhi -- Rajnath Singh. Note: BPR&D was set up in 1970 to identify the needs and problems of the police in the country. The Bureau undertake research projects and studies, and suggest modalities to overcome problems and challenges and meet the needs and requirements of the police The union govt. allowed import of 3 lakh metric tonnes of raw sugar at concessional duty of -- 25%. Note: The import shall be open to millers and refiners who have their own capacity to convert raw sugar into refined According to the govt. report, the Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana (PMMY) has helped in creating jobs crore. Note: Around Rs 3.42 lakh crore loan has been disbursed to over 8 crore people under the scheme (mostly small entrepreneurs). MUDRA loan is available for nonagricultural activities (like dairy, poultry, beekeeping) for up to Rs 10 lakh An eight feet bronze statue of Indian freedom struggle leader was unveiled at the naval base INS Netaji Subhas at Kolkata -- Subhas Chandra Bose. Note: The Statute has been unveiled by Mr. Krishna Bose (Niece-in-law of Netaji) and Vice Admiral H.C.S. Bisht (Eastern Naval Command Chief) by cutting the ribbon together Kochi city will host the fifth edition of the Coastal Shipping and Inland Water Transportation Business Summit 2017 at Hotel Crowne Plaza. Note: The summit will create a platform to discuss various topics such as Indian Coastal Shipping & Inland Water Transport (Policies, Current Updates & Vision) The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) will constitute a committee to advise the method and process for undertaking large scale community reform program within the Islamic Shariah. Note: The Board reiterated that Talaq-e-biddat or triple Talaq in one-sitting, is sinful but valid The food regulator has launched a nationwide online platform to bring in transparency in food safety inspection and sampling -- Food Safety and Standards Authority of India(FSSAI). Note: The food regulator asked the state govt. to adopt this system as it would help eliminate discrepancy and make food safety officers accountable.the system will ease out the process of sample collection, make it 49 Page

50 transparent and traceable and controls the quality of compliances Telecom company has launched Voice over LTE (VoLTE) services in Mumbai -- Bharti Airtel. Note: VoLTE (works over 4G) will offer High Definition (HD) voice calls along with faster call setup time.voice over Long-Term Evolution (VoLTE) is a standard for highspeed wireless communication for mobile phones and data terminals The online facility has been launched by the Union government to resolve foreign trade issues -- Contact@DGFT. Note: The Union government has set up an online service facility that can be used by importers and exporters to resolve all foreign trade-related issues India s first Hyperloop project will come up in the state -- Andhra Pradesh. Note: The Hyperloop Technology is a brainchild idea of Tesla founder Elon Musk, who dubs it as the 5th mode of transportation The Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju has launched BSF Half Marathon online registration portal at a function in New Delhi -- Note: The marathon will be held at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Delhi on 22nd October.It will be dedicated to martyrs and BSF will facilitate their family members on the occasion Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe jointly laid the foundation stone for the high-speed bullet train project between - - Ahmedabad and Mumbai. Note: The high-speed bullet train project expected to be completed by The train will cover distance of 508-km in around two hours, cost an estimated Rs.1,10,000 crore 166. According to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) report, India's telecom subscriber base dipped marginally in July this year by 1.3 lakh to crore. Note: The landline or fixed line customer base declined to 2.39 crore from 2.4 crore The Tribunal has refused to lift ban on 10-year-old diesel vehicles in the Delhi-National Capital Region -- National Green Tribunal (NGT). Note: The NGT has also dismissed the Centre's plea seeking modification of its ban order on diesel vehicles. According to the NGT, one diesel vehicle causes pollution equal to 24 petrol vehicles and 40 CNG vehicles PM Modi dedicated to the nation the Dam on Narmada river at Kevadia in Gujarat -- Sardar Sarovar Dam. Note: The project will irrigate 2,46,000 hectares of land in the strategically important desert districts of Barmer and Jalore in Rajasthan and 37,500 hectares in the tribal hilly tract of Maharashtra. The storage capacity also rose to 4.73 million cubic metres, MCM (earlier,1.27 MCM). The foundation stone of the project was laid out by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru on 5th April, The Minister of State for Culture, EF & CC Dr. Mahesh Sharma has inaugurated the Aizawl Circle of Archeaological Survey of India (ASI) in -- Mizoram. Note: The Aizawl Circle of ASI will cover Mizoram, Manipur & Tripura. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is the premier organization for the archaeological researches and protection of the cultural heritage of the nation The Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh made operational the New Intelligence Set-up of -- Sashastra Seema Bal. Note: This new unit will gather information along the borders with Bhutan and Nepal The 38th meeting of Transport Development Council is scheduled to be held in this city --Vadodara. Note: The Council meeting has given an opportunity to the state Transport Ministers to get an exposure on the new and upcoming reforms in the transport sector. A discussion on the subject of Public Transport Reforms and way forward to Bus Ports India s first State of art virology laboratory at Dr Anjali Chatterjee Regional Research Institute for Homoeopathy in --Kolkata. Note:The laboratory will also be used to create new drugs and technologies in treating these viral diseases New Delhi city hosted the first-ever National Conference on Mission Mode to address Under- Nutrition. Note: The conference has been organized by the Ministry of Women & Child Development in collaboration with Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation and Ministry of Health & Family Welfare The Union Cabinet has approved increase of cost norms for supplementary nutrition provided in 50 Page

51 Anganwadis and for out of school adolescent girls under-- Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS). Note: It will involve an additional investment of 12 thousand crore rupees over the next three years. Now, the revised cost norms for children up to 6 years will be Rs. 8 eight, for adolescent girls, pregnant women, and lactating mothers, it will be Rs and for severely malnourished category Rs. 12 will be given The union Govt. will introduce a curated food experience zone 'Food Street' at the global food fair in -- New Delhi. Note: It will provide a platform to investors to taste the foods and then take a call on investing in India under the make in India programme. This will bring together culinary practices, flavours, fragrances from cuisines across the world TARASA Ship has been Commissioned into the Indian Navy at Naval Dockyard, Mumbai ---. Note: INS Tarasa (T94) is a patrol vessel of the Car Nicobarclass of Indian Navy and the last ship in the series of four Water Jet Fast Attack Craft. The ship is designed for a maximum speed of 35 knots, with an endurance of nearly 2,000 nautical miles at knots A web portal has been launched for effective implementation of National Child Labour Project (NCLP)-- PENCIL (Platform for Effective Enforcement for No Child Labour). Note: PENCIL portal has five components (Child Tracking System, Complaint Corner, State Government, National Child Labour Project, and Convergence) and developed by the Labour Ministry The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change will hold a quiz on environment throughout the country_--prakriti Khoj. Note: The quiz is planned in five rounds, the qualifying round (first round) will begin on 25th Sep and continue till 29th of this month.the second round (30th October to 3rd of November), the third round (20th to 24 of November) while the fourth round (4th to 6th of December) and fifth round (18th to 20th December) The Minister of Communication Shri Manoj Sinha has launched the Internet and Technology event in India at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi -- India Mobile Congress Note: The India Mobile Congress is being organised by Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) The 6th edition of the four-day international textile and apparel fair in Jaipur, Rajasthan -- VASTRA Note: VASTRA 2017 is an all-encompassing trade fair and conference on Textiles and Apparel presenting a fusion of the finest and the latest in textiles products. More than 50 countries and 13 Indian States are participating in VASTRA The Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched the 'Power for all' scheme in New Delhi -- Saubhagya Note: The scheme Saubhagya will provide subsidy on equipment like transformers, meters, and wires and expected to cover all rural families after expected electrification of all villages by the end of The Web Portal of Warehousing Development and Regulatory Authority (WDRA) and Electronic Negotiable Warehouse Receipt (e-nwr) System in New Delhi. Note: The e-nwrs would be immune from any tempering, mutilation, fudging, loss or damage and with no possibility of any multiple financing. These NWRs will not only facilitate an easy pledge financing by banks and other financial institutions but also smooth trading on various trading centres like commodity exchanges, electronic National Agriculture Markets (e- NAM) and other electronic platforms The Union Cabinet has approved the enhancement of age of superannuation of doctors other than Central Health Service (CHS) doctors to years. Note: The decision would help in better patient care, proper academic activities in Medical colleges as also in effective implementation of National Health Programmes for delivery of health care services. The retirement age of doctors in some departments is 60 years and others A monthly Jan Sampark program to enable the public to interact with its officials for seeking information related to adoption as well as flagging their concerns - - Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA). Note: Around 150 Prospective Adoptive Parents (PAPs), Adoptive Parents and representatives of agencies participated in the session.the event will now be a regular feature every month apart from the quarterly Facebook live chat by CEO CARA The third India International Science Festival will be held from October at -- IIT-Chennai. Note: The festival is being organised by the Ministry of Earth Sciences and Ministry of Science and Technology. The 51 Page

52 first two were held at IIT-Delhi and National Physical Laboratory, Delhi Energy Efficiency Services Limited will procure ten thousand electric vehicles from -- Tata Motors. Note: These cars will be used to replace the petrol and diesel cars used by government and its agencies over a 3-4 years period. The total number of vehicles used by the government and its agencies is estimated to be 5 lakhs The Kandla Port has been renamed as -- Deendayal Port. Note: Kandla Port is the largest sea port of India (by volume of cargo handled) located in Kutch District of Gujarat The international exhibition World Dental Show 2017 has opened in the Indian city -- Mumbai. Note: Indian Dental Association (IDA) hosted the exhibition which has witnessed participation from the international exhibitors are displaying their latest dental wares in 250 well-furnished stalls The first US crude oil cargo of 1.6 million barrels bought by Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) from the US reached at -- Paradip Port (Odisha). Note: Now, Indian Oil will process the crude at its East-Coast base refineries, located at Paradip, Haldia, Barauni and Bongaigaon The first ever ASEAN-India Music Festival hosted by the city Indian -- New Delhi. Note: The music festival has been organized by the External Affairs Ministry in collaboration with Culture Ministry to celebrate the 25th year anniversary of ASEAN-India Dialogue Relations The union minister has launched the countrywide five days Free Eye Check-up Campaign and distribution of spectacles for truck drivers, cleaners, and helpers -- Nitin Gadkari. Note:The objective of this initiative is to ensure clearer vision and safe travel for truck drivers who are the most frequent users of national highways The Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has launched a health scheme to promote women s health and hygiene, especially in rural areas -- Sanitease. Note: The objective of Sanitease is to create awareness and provide logistics for women specially in the rural parts of the state A festival of Tourism will begin all over the country and continue till 25th of this month -- Paryatan Parv. Note: The festival organized by the Ministry of Tourism in collaboration with other Central Ministries, State Governments, and Stakeholders.It will have three main components, Dekho Apna Desh, Tourism for All and Tourism & Governance The Chairman of National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has launched a world-class, new multilingual website of the organization -- Shri Deepak Kumar. Note: A Project Monitoring Information System (PMIS) Mobile App that will facilitate close, in-house monitoring of NHAI projects on a mobile phone 195. The union minister Harsh Vardhan has launched SECURE Himalaya project in association with UNDP at the Global Wildlife Programme (GWP) conference in New Delhi. Note: The purpose of the 6-year project is to secure livelihoods, conservation, sustainable use and restoration of high range Himalayan ecosystems, which is meant for specific landscapes. Important Day 1. The Global Day of Parents is observed every year on -- 1st June. Note: The Day was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 2012 with resolution A/RES/66/292 and honours parents throughout the world. 2. The World Milk Day has been observed on -- 1st June. Note: The World Milk Day is a day established by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to recognize the importance of milk as a global food. 3. The International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression is a UN observance each year on-- 4th June. 52 Page Note: It was established on 19th August The World Environment Day (WED) observed every year across the world on -- 5th June. Note: The theme for World Environment Day 2017 is "Connecting People to Nature" and the host country is Canada. 5. The World Oceans Day is observed every year on -- 8 th June. Note: The overall theme of this year is 'Our Oceans, Our Future'. 6. The World Day Against Child Labour is observed every year on -- 12th June.

53 Note: The day focus attention on the global extent of child labour and the action and efforts needed to eliminate it. 7. The International Albinism Awareness Day (IAAD) is observed every year on --13th June. Note: The day raise worldwide awareness on albinism and to prevent attacks and discrimination against persons with albinism. 8. Countries around the world celebrate World Blood Donor Day (WBDD) every year on -- 14th June. Note: The day raise awareness of the need for safe blood and blood products, and to thank blood donors for their voluntary, life-saving gifts of blood. 9. The ASEAN Dengue Day (ADD) is observed every year on-- 15th June. Note: The day raise awareness on dengue and to mobilize resources for prevention and control involving private and public-sector stakeholders. The theme of the 2017 is United fight against dengue. 10. The World Day to Combat Desertification (WDCD) is being observed globally on --17th June. Note: The theme of 2017 is 'Link between land degradation and migration'. 11. International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict is being observed on -- 19th June. Note: Theme of this year is Preventing Sexual Violence Crimes through Justice and Deterrence. 12. The World Refugee Day (WRD) is observed every year on th June. Note: The day raise awareness of the situation of refugees throughout the world. 13. International Yoga Day is being celebrated world-wide on st June Note: The theme of this year is "Yoga for Health", to highlight the fact that yoga can contribute in a holistic way to achieving an equilibrium between mind and body. 14. The United Nations Public Service Day is observed every year on -- 23rd June. Note: The day recognize the work of public servants and to encourage young people to pursue careers in the public sector. 15. The International Widows day (IWD) is observed every year on-- 23rd June. Note: 2017 theme is Empowering Women for Greater Achievements. 16. The Day of the Seafarer (DotS) was observed on --25 June. Note: The theme of this year is 'Seafarers Matter'. 17. The United Nations (UN) International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking is observed every year on --26th June. Note: The theme for 2017 is Listen First - Listening to children and youth is the first step to help them grow healthy and safe. 18. The National Doctors Day (NDD) is celebrated every year in India on -- 1st July. Note: The day honour the legendary physician and the 2nd Chief Minister of West Bengal, Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy. 19. International Co-operative Day is an annual celebration of the co-operative movement observed on -- the first Saturday in July. Note: The theme for the 2017 International Day of Cooperatives is Co-operatives ensure no-one is left behind. 20. The World Sports Journalist Day (WSJD) is observed on --2nd July. Note: The day mark the services of sports journalists for the promotion of sports. 21. The 2017 International Plastic Bag Free Day (IPBFD) is observed on -- 3rd July. Note: The day highlight the need to phase-out plastic bags and to promote organic reusable bags. 22. The World Population Day is observed across the world on -- 11th July. Note: The theme of this year is Family Planning- Empowering People, Developing Nations. 23. The World Youth Skills Day is observed globally every year on --15th July. Note: The theme of 2017 is "Skills for the Future of Work". 24. The 2017 World Day for International Justice (WDIJ) is observed on --17th July. 25. Nelson Mandela International Day celebrated every year in honour of Mandela's birthday on --18th July. Note: The day is observed annually with the slogan Take Action! Inspire Change. 26. The 2017 National Broadcasting Day (NBD) is celebrated in India rd July. 27. Kargil Vijay Diwas is observed every year in honour of the Kargil War's Heroes -- 26th July. Note: On this day in 1999 that the Indian Armed Forces, as part of Operation Vijay recaptured Indian posts in Kargil which had been occupied by Pakistan's army.the Kargil war was fought for more than 60 days, 527 soldiers from Indian Armed Forces sacrificed their lives during the war. 28. The World Hepatitis Day is being observed on -- 28th July. 53 Page

54 Note: The Theme of this year is "Eliminate Hepatitis" to mobilize intensified action towards the health targets in the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. 29. The International Tiger Day is observed globally to raise awareness for tiger conservation -- 29th July. Note: According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), only 3,890 tigers are left in the world. 30. The World Day against Trafficking in Persons is observed across the world -- 30th July. Note: The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) selected this year Act to Protect and Assist Trafficked Persons as the focus of the Day. 31. The World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) is observed every year from -- 1st to 7th August. Note: The 2017 theme is Sustaining Breastfeeding Together. 32. The National Handloom Day is celebrated in India -- 7th August. Note: The National Handloom Day is celebrated in India on 7th to mark a 1905 movement that boycotted British products in favour of the revival of domestic ones. 33. The International Day of the World s Indigenous Peoples is observed on -- 9th August. Note: The day promote and protect the rights of the world s indigenous population. 34. The International Biodiesel Day (IBD) is celebrated every year on --10th August. Note: The Biodiesel is an alternative fuel which can be used in place of fossil fuels. It is manufactured from vegetable oils, recycled grease, algae, and animal fat. 35. The International Youth Day (IYD) is observed every year on- -12th August. Note: The 2017 theme is Youth Building Peace, which recognizes the contributions of young people to preventing conflict, supporting inclusion, social justice, and sustainable peace. 36. The Parsi New Year is being celebrated across the world -- Navroz. Note: The day is dedicated to clean and purify the mind and start a new year with love and peace. 37. The World Humanitarian Day (WHD) is observed every year across the world on --19th August. Note: The theme of this year 2017 is #NotATarget. 38. The World Photography Day is observed every year across the world on --19th August. Note: On this day, camera persons take stock of the different kind of photography that has come to the fore. 39. The 2017 World Mosquito Day (WMD) is observed on -- 20th August. Note: The World Mosquito Day (WMD) raise awareness about the threat of malaria and other diseases transmitted by one of the world s deadliest killers the mosquito. 40. The 413th birthday of 11th guru of Sikhs is being celebrated with religious fervor--sri Guru Granth Sahib. Note: The Guru Granth Sahib (also called the Adi Granth or Adi Guru Darbar) is more than just a scripture of the Sikhs for the Sikhs treat this Granth as their living perpetual Guru. Sri Guru Arjan Dev ji completed the Aad Granth in 1604 and first Parkash was done at Sri Harmandir Sahib. 41. The 2017 International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition is observed on --23rd August. Note: The day pay tribute to all those who fought for freedom, and, in their name, to continue teaching about their story and the values therein. 42. The 2017 International Day against Nuclear Tests (IDANT) is observed on -- 29th August. Note: The purpose of the day is to end nuclear testing and to promote peace and security. 43. The National Sports day in India is celebrated every year to mark the birthday of hockey player Dhyan Chand -- 29th August. Note: Dhyan Chand was an Indian field hockey player, who is considered as one of the greatest field hockey players of all time. 44. The state is celebrating the biggest cultural festival Thiruonam (the 10th day) and the most auspicious day of Onam -- Kerala. Note: Keralites across the globe irrespective of religious differences is celebrating the festival in full vigour. 45. Teachers' Day is being celebrated throughout the country on -- 5th September. Note: On Teacher's Day, students across the nation honour the teachers and gurus in their lives. 46. The International Literacy Day (ILD) is being observe on -- 8th September. Note: The day raise public awareness to eradicate illiteracy and create environment in favour of adult education programmes. The International Literacy Day (51st) is being celebrated at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi (India). 47. The traditional Bonderam festival has started in Divar Island of Goa on -- 9th September. Note: The word Bonderam originated from the involvement of flags. 54 Page

55 48. The International Day for South-South Cooperation has been observed on -- 12th September. Note: The day celebrates the economic, social and political developments made in recent years by regions and countries in the south. The Global South-South Development Expo 2017 will be hosted by Turkey. 49. The Cauvery Maha Pushkaram has been celebrated from today on the banks of river Cauvery in --Tamil Nadu. Note: Maha Pushkaram is celebrated from 12 September and is considered auspicious as the configuration of stars happen only once in 144 years. 50. The National Hindi Divas is being observed every year across the country on -- 14th September. Note: In 1949, on this day the Constituent Assembly adopted Hindi written in Devanagari script as the official language of the country. 51. The National Engineers Day (NED) 2017 is celebrated in India -- 15th September. Note: This year's theme of democracy and conflict prevention focuses on the critical need to strengthen democratic institutions to promote peace and stability. 52. The International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer is observed every year on -- 16th September. Note: The Ozone layer is a fragile shield of gas which protects the Earth from the harmful ultraviolet radiation of the sun and thus helping preserve life on the planet. This year, the theme for the Day is 'Caring for all life under the sun'. 53. The International Day of Peace is observed across the world annually on -- 21st September. Note: The theme for 2017 is Together for Peace: Respect, Safety and Dignity for All. 54. The World Tourism Day (WTD) is being observed annually on -- 27th September. Note: The theme of this year is 'International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development. 55. The World Rabies Day is observed across the world to raise awareness about the rabies disease and its preventable measures - 28th September. Note: The theme for World Rabies Day-2017 is Rabies: Zero by The World Maritime Day is being observed across the world on -- 28th September (last Thursday of September). Note: 2017 Theme: Connecting Ships, Ports, and People. 57. International Translation Day is celebrated every year on -- 30th September. Note: This year, the United Nations celebrates for the first time International Translation Day. The celebrations have been promoted by FIT (the International Federation of Translators) ever since it was set up in The International Day of Older Persons --1st October. Note: The theme of this year is Stepping into the Future: Tapping the Talents, Contributions and Participation of Older Persons in Society. 59. International Day of Non-violence is observed on -- 2nd October. Note: The International Day of Non-violence was established by the UN General Assembly (UNGA) by passing the resolution in 2007 in an effort to spread the message of non-violence 60. The World Habitat Day is observed every year on -- first Monday of October. Note: The theme of 2017 is 2017 Housing Policies: Affordable Homes. 61. The 2017 World Animal Day (WAD) is observed every year on -- 4th October. Note: The day raise the status of animals in order to improve welfare standards around the globe. It is done by encouraging individuals, animal welfare organisations, community groups, youth and children s clubs and businesses to organise events in celebration of this day. 62. The World Teachers Day (WTD) 2017 is being observed across the world on -- 5th October. Note: The theme of 2017 World Teachers Day is Teaching in Freedom, Empowering Teachers. 58. Air Force Day 2017 is being observed annually across India on -- 8th October. Note: The Indian Air Force has displayed various Aircraft at Air Force Station Hindan air base near Delhi with parade and air display. 59. World Post Day is celebrated each year on -- 9th October Note:The anniversary of the establishment of the Universal Postal Union in 1874 in the Swiss Capital, Bern. 60. The International Day of the Girl Child (IDGC) is observed every year across the world on -- 11th October. Note: The theme of 2017 is EmPOWER Girls: Before, during and after crises. States News 1. UNDOC will collaborate with the state govt. to intensify anti-drug drive -- Punjab. Note: The Punjab government has decided to collaborate with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) 55 Page

56 as part of its efforts to root out the drug menace in the State. 2. India s first automatic coastal warning for disasters will come up in the state -- Odisha. Note: Odisha will be able to warn its coastal population by pressing a single button from a control room in the event of natural disasters like tsunami or cyclone. 3. India s first state to launch single-women pension scheme -- Telangana. Note: 56 Page The Telangana Govt. has become the only state government in India to launch the single-women pension scheme. 4. The state govt. has launched a web portal 'Mahaswayam -- Maharashtra. Note: This web portal will cater to job seekers, employers, entrepreneurs, and training institutes who can avail details regarding skill development and employment. 5. India s first freight village will be developed by the Inland waterways authority of India (IWAI) in -- Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. Note: Freight Village is a focused industrial estate that attracts companies requiring logistic services. 6. India s first-ever Rural LED Street Lighting Project will be set up in the state -- Andhra Pradesh. Note: under center's Street Lighting National Project, 10 lakh conventional street lights with LED lights in Gram Panchayats of 7 districts (Guntur, Prakasham, Nellore, Kurnool, Kadapa, Ananthapur, and Chittoor) in Andhra Pradesh. 7. The state government has launched digital wallet T- Wallet --Telangana. Note: This is the first official e-wallet from any state government in India and used over the web version. 8. The state govt. has signed MoU with Union Aviation Ministry for Udan scheme -- Tamil Nadu. Note: Tamil Nadu state govt. has signed a MoU with the union Ministry of Civil Aviation for the implementation of the UDAN scheme in the state. 9. The Kerala government unveiled an empowerment programme for the differently abled persons -- Anuyatra. Note: Twenty-three differently abled children who were given special training in magic at the Thiruvananthapurambased Magic Academy were declared as the ambassadors of anuyatra. 10. The state govt. will carry out a social audit of the Public Distribution System to determine effective implementation of the Right to Food Act, 2013 in the state -- Bihar govt. Note: Bihar was the first state to implement the Right to Food Act on February 1, The state govt. will start free mortuary van service for citizens -- Punjab. 12. The Indian University has signed MoU with South Korea s Academy of Korean Studies for academic linkages and collaborations --Nalanda. 13. As per latest Child Rights and You (CRY) report 2017 Indian state has highest number of child labourers -- Uttar Pradesh. Note: Around 8 lakh children in India between the age group 5 and 6 years are engaged in child labour. 14. The state Cabinet has approved for setting up of a cloud based IP CCTV surveillance system in the State - Andhra Pradesh. 15. The state government launched the website 'PashuBazar' to facilitate online sale or purchase of cattle --Telangana. Note: New cattle rules issued by the Central government were under study and the rules would be applicable to online sale too. 16. The state govt. has announced to wave off entire crop loans up to Rs. 2 lakhs for small and marginal farmers -- Punjab. Note: The state govt. will take over the outstanding crop loan from institutional sources of all the families of farmers who committed suicides in the state. 17. A regional Silk Research and Production centre will be set up in the city of Uttar Pradesh -- Gorkahpur. 18. The state s government has launched the Anuyatra campaign for disabled persons -- Kerala. 19. Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandra babu Naidu has laid foundation stone of the Greenfield Airport at -- Orvakal (Kurnool district). Note: The airport will be constructed in 2,000 acres land at a cost of Rs. 120 crores with international standards. 20. The Odisha Govt. has approved projects under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) urban projects. Note: These new projects would be carried out in nine cities including Bhubaneswar, Puri, Cuttack and Balasore, with fund sharing patter of 50:50 (Centre and state government). 21. Maharashtra Forest Minister has announced to launch a mobile app to help in recording data about tree plantations in the state -- My Plant. Note: Using this app, people and organizations can feed the data about the saplings they have planted with the Forest Department. 22. The state govt. entered into an agreement with c Ola to train 20,000 youth to become micro-entrepreneurs in the field of passenger transport in the next five years -- Maharashtra govt. Note: The state govt intends to develop skills of youth and create jobs and through the Pramod Mahajan Kaushalya Vikas Yojana.

57 23. The state govt. will implement a health insurance scheme in the state to provide free health services to the poor -- Haryana. Note: The Haryana government will bear the cost of the premium. The state govt. will establish medical colleges in every district to meet the shortage of doctors in government hospitals. 24. The state govt. has decided to increase the retirement age of regular state government employees to 60 years -- Arunachal Pradesh. 25. The state govt. will construct 9 thousand kilometre of roads under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMSSY) in the next one year-- Assam govt. Note: 720 new bridges will be constructed and another 1000 wooden bridges will be converted to reinforced concrete or RCC during this period. 26. The Union Minister of MSMEs Kalraj Mishra has announced sanctioning Rs. 20 crores for a Technology Centre for the state -- Tripura. Note: This centre will be utilized for bamboo and rubber elated enterprising works, which will benefit the youth of the state. 27. The state govt. will establish Micro, Small, Medium Entrepreneurs (MSME) Corporation by earmarking 100 crore rupees. -- Andhra Pradesh. Note: The MSME Corporation office will be constructed at Amaravati in 15 acres of land. 28. The state government has launched a digital ride sharing app 'G-Ride'for techies -- Kerala. Note: The G-Ride app automatically matches co-workers and neighbours and help them travel together to work. 29. The state govt. has launched Elevate 100 scheme to identify and nurture innovative start-ups -- Karnataka. Note: The purpose of the scheme is to identify 100 most innovative start-ups in the state to elevate them to the next level of success. 30. The 2017 Dree festival has celebrated in the state -- Arunachal Pradesh. Note: Apatanis pray their traditional Gods to bring in a bountiful harvest season along with defeat of destructive forces in the society through this festival. The festival is marked by grand ritual and community feasts. 31. India s biggest Global Skill Park will be set up in the city -- Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. Note:37-acre land has been allotted in Narela Shankari area of Bhopal for the Global Skill Park. Training will be imparted to 1000 students every year by trainers of international standard. The park will function on the spirit of With Industry -For Industry." 32. Arunachal Pradesh CM Pema Khandu has launched a web portal to assist visitors to apply for and obtain the mandatory ILP, online from anywhere in the country-- arunachalilp.com. Note:The e-inner Line Permit (eilp) programme is a digital step for hassle-free entry of domestic visitors to the state. Inner Line Permit (ILP) is an official travel document issued by the Government of India (GoI) to allow inward travel of an Indian citizen into a protected area for a limited period. 33. Delhi Traffic Police relaunched its mobile app in an improved avatar that will allow general-public to report traffic offences occurring on city roads --Traffic Sentinel. Note: The mobile application was lunched under the Traffic Sentinel scheme in December 2015, that allowed users to report traffic violations by uploading photos and videos and earn reward points. 34. The state govt. has launched a scheme to deposit the salary of two lakh six thousand Anganwadi Sevika and assistants in the state directly into their bank accounts - - Maharashtra. Note: The scheme which reduces the delay in disbursement of the salary of these employees. The money will be deposited through Public Financial Management System. 35. The Tamil Nadu Housing and Urban Development Minister K Radhakrishnan, Chennai Metropolitan Area will be expanded to -- 8,878 square KMs. Note: Now, the whole of Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts besides Arakkonam taluk in Vellore would be included in Chennai Metropolitan Area. 36. The state has been declared as disturbed area under AFSPA for next 6 more months under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act -- Nagaland. Note: According to The Disturbed Areas (Special Courts) Act, 1976 once declared disturbed, the area has to maintain status quo for a minimum of 3 months. 37. The state who has become the first Indian state to make social boycott a crime -- Maharashtra. Note: The Maharashtra Prohibition of People from Social Boycott (Prevention Prohibition and Redressal) Act prescribes a maximum punishment of 3 year in jail and a fine of Rs 1 lakh. 38. The state government will set up modern ornamental fish hatchery in the state-- Haryana Note: The fish hatchery would be set up in district Jhajjar at a cost of Rs crore. 39. The Central Public-Sector Unit Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) will invest how many crores in Tamil Nadu over the next three years --Rs. 11,000 crores. Note: The scheme of giving solar pumps for farming will be extended to cover the whole country soon. The UDAY 57 Page

58 scheme has enabled the Tamil Nadu discom to reduce its debt burden from nearly 14-thousand crore rupees in to 3783 crore rupees last year. 40. The state govt. has decided to merge all regional Co- Operative Banks into a mega State Co-Operative Bank-- Chhattisgarh. Note: Now, the 264 branches will remain functional and will hereon work as Scheduled Co-Operative Banks. It will help in reducing the interests on farm loans by up to 2%. The farmers will get modern facilities including corebanking, mobile and internet banking. 41. The state govt. has decided to extend the current subsidy on electricity for citizens who use up to 400 units a month--delhi govt. Note: Now, the subsidy will continue to be Rs 2 per unit for consumers in the slab of units, and Rs.2.97 per unit for consumers in the slab of units. The total amount of subsidy will be 1,720 crore rupees for the current financial year. 42. The state govt. has launched a flagship programme Livelihood Intervention and Facilitation of Entrepreneurship (LIFE) at Songsak--Meghalaya. Note: LIFE is a programme of the State Rural Livelihood Society, which is implementing the Centre's flagship programme National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM). NRLM promotes livelihood through women Self Help Groups (SHGs) and their Federations. 43. Uttar Pradesh government has signed Memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Centre for setting up of an All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) hospital in -- Gorakhpur. Note: The hospital will have 750 free beds and the project will cost 1,750 crore rupees. The OPD of the new AIIMS will start by September,2018 and trauma centres will be established by The first Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC) of India will be set up in -- Punjab. Note: TISC will be set up at Patent Information Centre in Punjab under the World Intellectual Property Organization s (WIPO) TISC program. 45. The state hosted the National conference on crowd management -- Kerala. Note:The conference was organized by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) jointly with the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA). 46. The state govt. will set up 60 new primary Health Centers in the rural areas of the state -- Gujarat Government. Note: This expansion of existing primary health centre networks will benefit the rural population of the state. The State government has given approval to 60 more primary health centers (PHCs), which will take the total number of PHCs in Gujarat to The state govt. has decided to set up eight new Women Police Stations at sub-division level in the state-- Haryana Govt. Note: These will be established at Assandh, Dadri, Hansi, Gohana, Manesar, Dabwali, Ballabgarh and Naraingarh and each Women Police Station would have a hundred percent lady police staff. 48. The state govt. has formed the Saputara Area Development Authority (SADA) for comprehensive development Dang district -- Gujarat govt. Note: The authority will carry out planned development in 419-hectare area of Saputara for tourism purpose. The SADA will prepare maps and development plans considering the future requirements of next twentyyears. 49. Odisha CM has dedicated the state s longest road bridge to the nation named it after -- Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. Note:The 2.88 km bridge over the river Kathajodi will connect the Bhubaneswar with Cuttack and reduce the distance by 12 km. 50. Madhya Pradesh govt. has started a Yojana in 25 thousand schools of the state to encourage best works - - Shala Siddhi Prohatsan Yojana. Note: The selection committee will forward applications of three primary and three middle schools for awards to the District Institute for Education and Training (DIET).The Yojana will help in encouraging teachers working in the government schools by recognizing their best works. 51. The metro city will host global business meet in November Kolkata. Note: The Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) in association with the West Bengal Government will host a Global Business meeting Horasis Asia Meeting in November this year. It will focus on sustainable business practices in various areas, including power and energy. 52. The state govt. has organized first ever weekly cultural programme Cultrue of Cruise' at Dal Lake to bring artists from various fields on one stage -- Jammu and Kashmir (J-K). Note: In the festival, the organisers would hold regular interactions with cross sections of the society and tourists who visit 53. Janahitha to receive complaints from public through a special portal -- Telangana. 54. The Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju has inaugurated the Research Institution of World Ancient, Traditional, Culture & Heritage (RIWATCH) Museum at Roing (Arunachal Pradesh). Note: It will serve as a place of exchange of cultural values of various tribes of the state and the North East. 58 Page

59 55. The Mission Football at a grand ceremony at JN Sports Complex, Shillong launched by -- Dr. Mukul Sangma. Note: Mission Football is an initiative to help develop skills of football enthusiasts and develop young footballers for the country. 56. Rojgar Mela inaugurated by the minister in Kukas area of Jaipur(Rajasthan) -- Col Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore. Note: Three thousand students have been enrolled in the Rojgar Mela and more than 40 companies would take interviews of them. 57. The state hosted the fifth edition of South India Writers Ensemble (SIWE) at Chengannur -- Kerala state. Note: The core theme of this year festival is tolerance.the three-day event is being organized by People for Performing Arts and More, an art and cultural outfit. 58. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has launched online UP- RERA (Real Estate Regulatory Act.) registration platform in Lucknow-- Note: Now the builders of Uttar Pradesh can register their projects on the site and instantly get a RERA registration number. 59. The state government has formally named the Outer Wheeler island in Bhadrak district as APJ Abdul Kalam Island as a tribute to the former president -- Odisha government. Note: Dr Kalam's emotional attachment with the interim test range at Chandipur in Balasore district and Wheeler Island in Bhadrak district. 60. The Union government has launched two Mobile apps to the user community in timely manner for their safety--india Quake & Sagar Vani. Note: The 'India Quake' will automatically disseminate relevant parameter (location, time and magnitude) after the occurrence of earthquakes. The 'Sagar Vani' is a software platform where various dissemination modes are integrated on a single central server.mobile apps have been Developed by the National Centre for Seismology (NCS). 61. The state government has launched its flagship health scheme Care Companion Programme (CCP) -- Punjab. Note: The CCP scheme is targeted to improve patient outcome by implementing better family engagement. 62. The state government has signed MoU with Airport Authority of India (AAI) for aviation development -- Uttarakhand. Note: The Airport Authority of India (AAI) has signed MoU with Govt. of Uttarakhand for development for aviation sector in the state. 63. The 2017 Aadi Perukku festival is celebrated in which Indian state -- Tamil Nadu. Note: The Aadi Perukku festival is being celebrated with traditional gaiety to express gratitude to water bodies in Tamil Nadu. 64. The union Govt. has approved establishment of Post Graduate Institutes for Research in Yoga and Naturopathy at -- Nagmangla(Karnataka) and Jhajjar(Haryana). Note: An autonomous Research body, Central Council for Research in Yoga and Naturopathy (CCRYN) is working under the Ministry of AYUSH as the apex body for Research and Education in the field of Yoga and Naturopathy. 65. Telangana state has tied up with Microsoft to use its AIbased MINE platform to screen children for eye problems. Note:The Microsoft Intelligent Network for Eyecare (MINE) is an artificial intelligence platform to reduce avoidable blindness. 66. The Punjab govt. has initiated the process of inducting Harmanpreet Kaur to the post of Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) in the state police. Note: The state Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has directed the state Director General of Police (DGP) to complete the necessary formalities for her appointment. 67. The Maharashtra government has constituted committee on safety measures for women in IT sector -- Rashmi Shukla committee. Note: The committee will suggest measures that can be undertaken to ensure safety of women working in the IT sector. 68. The Maharashtra govt. has launched Aadhaarauthenticated Direct Benefit Transfer portal -- MahaDBT. Note: Now, Maharashtra state has become the first state in India to launch such a system that will provide direct benefits with Aadhaar authentication. The MahaDBT portal is an Aadhaar-authenticated electronic mechanism that will enable direct transfer of benefits for over 40 schemes currently implemented. 69. Jharkhand state Cabinet has approved Religious Freedom Bill 2017 in which forceful or allurement induced religious conversion will be a non-bailable criminal offence. Note: In the event of violation of section three, there will be up to three years imprisonment or Rs. 50,000 penalties or both. If the crime involved a minor, woman or person from SC or ST community then the prison term would be up to four years and a penalty of one lakh rupees. 59 Page

60 70. The Uttar Pradesh state cabinet has decided to go Digital by transforming all state-run offices into e- offices. Note: e-office would commence from the state secretariat from 1st October and by January next year all the state government offices would be equipped with the system. The Cabinet has also decided to spend around 57 crore rupees for purchase of computers and training of the employees for the purpose. 71. Bihar Govt. has decided to compulsory retire nonperforming head masters, teachers, and education department officials above the age of 50 years. Note: Those teachers having failed thrice in the assessment test would also be removed. The state government is in process of identifying non-performing institutions and all those responsible for poor show will be given compulsory retirement. 72. A service to provide air transit from Kempegowda International airport to Electronic City within Bengaluru city -- Helitaxi service. Note: The commercial operations will begin in another couple of months. 73. The Maharashtra Govt. has launched two online portals 'MahaDBT & MahaVASTU' to streamline the process of Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). Note: The portals were launched with an aim to bring in more transparency in construction sector and to provide direct benefits with 'Aadhaar' authentication. MahaDBT portal is Aadhaar-authenticated electronic mechanism that will enable direct transfer of benefits for over 40 schemes and DBT scheme,aadhaar will be mandatory to claim benefits through this portal. MahaVASTU portal is an Online Building Permission Management System with an electronic workflow for sanctioning building approvals with full transparency. 74. India s initiative to develop green airports, two airports in Andhra Pradesh are going to go completely green -- Tirupati and Vijayawada. Note:Airports Authority of India (AAI) has commenced installation of 1MWp solar power plant at both the airports. It has also completed installation of solar power plants at 29 airports/locations with a total capacity of MWp 75. The state govt. to provide land with record to landless slum dwellers -- Odisha. Note: According to the decision, 600 square feet land will be provided in 112 Notified Area Councils while 450 square feet land would be provided in 107 municipal areas. In corporation areas, government will provide houses to the slum dwellers. 76. The Jammu and Kashmir govt. has announced to spend around Rs 1 lakh Cr on development works with special emphasis on education and road connectivity over the next five years. 60 Page Note: The new projects are being taken up regularly whereas old ones are being completed with expedited urgency. 77. The UP govt. has launched awareness drive along banks of river Ganga to maintain cleanliness. Note: The Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath flagged off an awareness drive the 'Namami Gange Jagriti Yatra in 25 districts situated on the banks of river Ganga for maintaining the cleanliness and ever-flowing nature of the river. Around one lakh Home guard volunteers will organise public gathering and other awareness programmes in the district under this project till the 6th Sep The Gujarat govt. has distributed NAMO e-tabs to college students across the state. Note: e-tablet which costs Rs 8000 is being distributed to the students for one thousand Rupees only. The Government will distribute e-tablets to 4 lakh students during this year for which provision of Rs.300 crore has been made lakh students have already registered for this NAMO- e-tab. 79. Bihar govt. has launched mobile therapy vans which would provide basic medical assistance to elderly people, widows and other section who requires social security. Note: The vans equipped with basic medical apparatus and accompanied by technical team would provide basic medical care to elderly people, widows and disabled in the districts. The van is an outcome of a joint project of the World Bank and the Bihar government which is run by Social Welfare department. 80. Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis has launched an initiative providing job opportunities to unemployed youth in Mumbai -- Namo Yuva Rojgar Kendra. Note: Under this Yuva Rojgar Kendra and Mumbaikars can get fresh and healthy food as well as farm produce procured directly from farmers. 81. The state assembly has passed Religious Freedom Bill 2017, which aims to stop the forced conversions in the state -- Jharkhand. Note: A person converting willingly will have to inform the Deputy Commissioner about details such as time, place and the person who administers the conversion proceedings. 82. Chief Minister of Odisha 'Naveen Patnaik' has launched Facebook's programme for women entrepreneurs in the state -- She Means Business. Note: The SheMeansBusiness programme has been launched in 16 countries across the world including India.The programme was launched in partnership with Odisha s micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) department and Project Mission Shakti.Around women entrepreneurs and Self-Help Group (SHG)

61 members will get training on digital marketing skills by the end of The Indian cities have been selected for the implementation of a biodiversity conservation project supported by Germany -- Kochi, Mangaluru, and Panaji. Note: These cities will receive support for the project, which aims to support the implementation of National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans through the mainstreaming of biodiversity objectives across city regions. The project s primarily aims to achieve Aichi Target The state government has launched Indira Canteen for urban poor-- Karnataka. Note: Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi has launched the Indira Canteen scheme aimed at providing food at low cost to the urban poor.the canteens are loosely modelled on late Tamil Nadu chief minister J. Jayalalithaa s Amma Canteens. 85. Social education start-up Meghshala Trust has launched offline mobile app on Google Play Store for Karnataka teachers --Meghshala. Note: The app empowers teachers with the necessary tools and resources to create classroom learning experiences. It is preloaded with over 2,500 of Meghashala s TeachKits, aligned to the Karnataka State curriculum for science, maths, English and social studies in Kannada, English, and Hindi. 86. India s first-ever railways disaster management centre will come up in the city -- Bengaluru. Note: India s first-ever railways disaster management centre will come up near Bengaluru, Karnataka by India s first-ever aviation university Rajiv Gandhi National Aviation University (RGNAU) will come up in Uttar Pradesh. Note: India s first-ever aviation university will be inaugurated at Fursatganj in Rae Bareli, Uttar Pradesh. 88. New Delhi hosted the Chief Electoral Officers Conference of all States and Union Territories. Note: The Chief Electoral Officers Conference of all States and Union Territories has been inaugurated by Chief Election Commissioner Achal Kumar Joti and Election Commissioner OP Rawat in New Delhi. 89. The Telangana govt. has launched an exclusive 24 7 helpline 181 for women. Note: The helpline will respond to calls on dowry harassment cases, stalking, domestic violence, sale of girl child and immoral trafficking. 90. The Telangana govt. has decided to conduct a comprehensive land survey in the state to address disputes and litigations over maintenance of land records and ownership. 61 Page Note: The survey would be done in 10,875 villages in the state.the surveying personnel would stay put in the villages for conducting the survey and they will update land records online. 91. The state govt. has decided to build an Eco-Park on thirty-four acres of land -- Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). Note: The park is a first-of-its-kind project in the region, planned under the convergence of local resources and it is expected to be completed by end of this year.the ecopark will have a botanical garden, a cactus garden, a cafeteria and other amenities 92. The state government has launched a new E-Waste Disposal scheme in state schools -- Kerala. Note: The E-waste includes old monitors, mouses, keyboards and UPS, among other things that have been lying unused since 2000 in the state. 93. The UP govt. has decided to end the process of holding interview for selection of candidates for the government jobs in all the non-gazetted posts of Group B, C and D categories. Note: The decision has been taken keeping in mind the system followed by the Government of India. The state government has decided to do away with interview in the recruitment of non-gazetted officers from Class II to IV. 94. The Gurugram city to host Digital Haryana Summit (SHS). Note: The Haryana government will organize Digital Haryana Summit (DHS) in Gurugram on 15th September The purpose of the summit is to bring together different stakeholders and develop a singular agenda for the digital transformation of Haryana, in line with the Digital India initiative. 95. The Karnataka govt. has tied up with tech giant Microsoft to develop India s first Farm Price Forecasting Model. 96. Coast Guard launched an aviation infrastructure including a multi-mission maritime aircraft hanger, MMMA in -- Bhubaneswar. Note: This is part of the ongoing effort by the Coast Guard to strengthen the maritime and coastal security. The newly launched aviation infrastructure would provide a fillip towards futuristic expansion plan of Coast Guard's air arm. 97. The state govt. will provide free education to girls up to graduation -- Karnataka. Note: The state govt. will provide free education for girls across the state from Class 1 up to graduation in all public and aided private schools and colleges, excluding professional institutions. 98. The Chief Minister of Odisha Naveen Patnaik has inaugurated the fourth Government Medical College in - - Koraput.

62 Note: The Medical College has been named after Saheed Laxman Naik (freedom fighter of Koraput). 99. Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has launched a project at Shahpur primary school -- Gyankunj e-class project. Note: The entire project will work on pilot basis with Interactive e-class room and smart boards have been provided under this initiative government primary schools have been provided laptop, projector, infrared camera, smart board, speaker and WiFi router facilities for 3,173 class rooms of standard 7 and Ye India ka time hai event has been organized at National Institute of Technology at -- Raipur, Chattisgarh. Note: Students of NIT Raipur participated in a brainstorming session on 'New India Manthan' and discussed their views on what kind of India do they imagine for the year The Gujarat state Govt. have signed the Memorandum of Understanding(MoU) to save the children of Anganwadi from malnutrition -- Amul (Gujarat Milk Marketing Federation). Note: Under the Take Home Ration, district dairies in cooperation with the Gujarat milk marketing federation will provide nutritive foods to more than 42-lakh children of more than 53 thousand Anganwadis, pregnant-mothers, lactating mothers and young girls The state govt. will upgrade employment exchanges to Modern Career Centres -- Assam. Note: As a pilot project two district employment exchanges in Guwahati and Jorhat will be upgraded as modern career centres The state has set up a Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) Cell for the implementation of DBT across schemes in the country-- Assam govt. Note: The purpose of the cell is to coordinate efforts at the state level in taking the DBT initiative forward with immediate effect. The Chairman of the cell will be the Chief Secretary of Assam The state govt. has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Google India to take Internet connectivity to the remotest part of the state-- Assam govt. Note: Through the MoU with Google, Assam govt. would work to provide Internet connection to 26,000 villages and 1,500 tea garden areas to increase digital literacy.the MoU would be used as a launch pad to materialise the state government's vision of women empowerment, skill development and universal education The state govt. has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the US-based Hyperloop Transportation Technologies (HTT) to build India's first Hyperloop system -- Andhra Pradesh govt. Note: Hyperloop will cover 35 km distance between Vijayawada and Amaravati only in five minutes.hyperloop is a transportation system which proposes to propel a pod-like vehicle through a nearvacuum tube at more than airline speed. Hyperloop is faster than fastest high-speed rail and claimed to have speeds even greater than commercial air travel The state govt. has hiked the Freedom Fighters pension from 12-thousand rupees to thirteen thousand rupees per month -- Tamil Nadu govt. Note: According to an order by the Public Department, family pension to their eligible heirs would be enhanced from 6000 rupees to 6500 rupees with retrospective effect from the 15th August The state govt. will start implementing Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) under MGNREGA to ensure transparency and check corruption at all levels -- Nagaland govt. Note: Wages of the MGNREGA workers will be directly credited to the individual accounts of the job card holders through National Electronic Fund Management System or Public Financial Management System The state govt. has announced 1 lakh Rupees cash reward to those providing information about the administrators and curators of the deadly Blue Whale Challenge -- Gujarat govt. Note: The cyber cell of the Gujarat police has launched a helpline number ( ) for anyone seeking information on the online game The state govt. will provide skill development training to 30 thousand surrendered militants -- Assam govt. Note: Another 24 thousand youths in Assam will be trained under the Prime Minister Kaushal Vikash Yojna. The Assam Skill Development Mission will provide skill training in 40 sectors The state govt. and Mother Dairy Fruit & Vegetable Pvt. Ltd have signed a lease agreement to set up a state of the art milk and milk products processing plant -- Maharashtra Govt. Note: As per the MoU, a dairy development initiative will begin in Vidarbha and Marathwada regions in the state to provide access to milk producers to markets in Nagpur and Mumbai The state assembly has passed a bill seeking to deduct a fraction of the salary of state govt. employees for the benefit of their parents -- Assam. Note: The Assam Employees Parents Responsibility and Norms for Accountability and Monitoring Bill-2017 is aimed at ensuring that employees do not neglect their loved ones in times of need. The bill has provisions for deducting 10% of an employee s pay and transferring it to the account of the relative concerned. 62 Page

63 112. The state govt. has fixed a target of constructing 5 lakhs 39 thousand houses in the next 15 months for the urban poor in the state -- Andhra Pradesh. Note: Construction of one lakh and 30 thousand houses is underway and the remaining houses will be grounded soon.ap Township and Infrastructure Development Corporation is chosen as the nodal agency for construction of these houses A well-equipped skill city with a capacity of 10 thousand training seats will be set up at block levels in -- Assam. Note: A Singapore based premier institute will support the state govt. in this regard and it will take 4 to 5 years to complete.a temporary complex with 400 capacities is being set up in Guwahati The state govt. has inaugurated the second International Yoga Festival and International Yoga Sports Championship 2017 in -- Kashmir. Note: Around 300 participants from various parts of India, Vietnam, Taiwan, Canada, Bulgaria, USA, and Nepal are participating in the festival. The festival is being organized by the Yoga Society of Kashmir at the Sher-i- Kashmir International Conference Centre The state s high court has ordered the state government to grant books and uniform instead of cash to the Below Poverty Line students -- Chhattisgarh The state government has launched Shaheed Gram Vikas Yojana to provide houses to freedom fighters -- Jharkhand. Note: Under the scheme, villages of many tribal freedom fighters will be developed and their habitants will be provided with basic amenities The first Indian state to set up family welfare district committees to examine the complaints of women against their husbands and in-laws and find an amicable solution -- Tripura. Note: Now, Tripura High Court is the first high court among 24 high courts of the country that has constituted the family welfare district committees The state govt. has constituted a Screening Committee on anti-profiteering -- Haryana. Note: It is mandatory (under section 171 of GST Act.) to pass on benefit to the customer. If a person is not getting the benefit of reduction in tax, he/she can send the grievance to the steering committee. The Steering Committee would send the consumer complaints to the Standing Committee which will examine the prima facie evidence within two months The first Indian state to launch electric bus service -- Himachal Pradesh. Note: The state govt. has launched the first electric bus service on 51km ecologically fragile between Manali and Rohtang Pass.The move was made amidst concern over 63 Page increasing environmental degradation in the Rohtang Pass area due to plying of diesel taxis The Union Minister has launched 'Pt Deen Dayal Upadhayay Vigyan Gram Sankul Pariyojana' in Uttarakhand-- Dr. Harshvardhan. Note: It will experiment and endeavour to formulate and implement appropriate S&T Interventions for Sustainable Development through cluster approach in Uttarakhand.This project has been inspired by teachings and ideals of Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhayay whose birth centenary is being celebrated this year Odisha state Govt. has launched a scheme for pregnant women, in Odisha-- Sampurna Yojna. Note: The main objective of this scheme is to reduce the death ration of the new born child and mother mortality rate The state govt has launched 'Vision-2025' project across the state Karnataka. Note: The project aimed at evolving a draft policy for development of the state for the year 2025 by seeking the opinion of the general public The union govt. has approved 221 rural roads projects and bridges involving an expenditure of crore rupees under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY)-- Himachal Pradesh. Note: The projects would be funded in the ratio of 90:10 by the central and state governments. The approval includes 11 bridges at different locations in the state The state govt. has launched a mass marriage scheme Mukhyamantri Samoohik Vivaah Yojana for BPL families Uttar Pradesh. Note: The state govt. will spend Rs 35,000 on each couple, besides gifting them mobile phones and household items, and the social welfare department will conduct the mass marriages The state govt. has launched a campaign against child marriage & dowry on the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi s birth anniversary -- Bihar. Note: People pledged not to get married a girl below 18 years or a boy below 21 or participate in a child marriage or a wedding with dowry Prime Minister Narander Modi laid the foundation stone of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) at --Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh. Note: The 750-bed hospital AIIMS, will be built at a cost of approximately 1,350 crore rupees Uttar Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh & Meghalaya have signed an MoU under a program to boost cultural ties -- Ek Bharat, Shrestha Bharat. Note: Under the program, the states will connect with each other to know more about the culture, heritage, and traditions of each other.

64 128. A research centre for start-ups, academicians, environmentalists, and entrepreneurs in Guwahati, Assam -- Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). Note: ISRO will explore the possibility of using geospatial technology, which include data generated through global positioning system (GPS), geographical information systems (GIS) and satellite remote sensing for expediting the development of Assam India s first-ever Industrial Training Institute for the Divyangans will come up in the state-- Assam. Note: The foundation stone for the institute was laid at Dibrugarh ITI Complex at Borboruah in Assam. Important News World 1. Officially joined North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and become the 29th member country -- Montenegro Note: Earlier, Montenegro Foreign Minister Srdjan Darmanovic submitted the official accession papers in a ceremony at the US State Department. 2. India and Spain signed agreements in cyber security, renewable energy, technical cooperation in civil aviation, visa waiver for diplomatic passport holders--seven. Note: The agreements were signed after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held wide-ranging talks with President of Government of Spain Mariano Rajoy at the Moncloa Palace in Madrid. 3. The temple was discovered by Chinese archaeologists, remained hidden for nearly 1000 years-- The Fugan Temple. 4. The city hosted the 2017 Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit -- Astana. Note: The SCO is a Eurasian political, economic, and military organisation which was founded in 2001 in Shanghai by the leaders of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. 5. Nepal has tied up with the country to build Budhi-Gandaki Hydropower Project (1200MW) -- China. Note: Nepal has signed a agreement with Gezhouba Group Corporation (CGGC) of China to build 1,200-megawatt Budhi-Gandaki hydroelectric project. 6. The news agency will set up USD 1 million fund to boost BRICS media cooperation -- Xinhua (China). Note: Xinhua (news agency of China) will set up a USD million fund to institutionalize media cooperation among the BRICS countries including awards for journalists from the five-member states. 7. The 2017 European Union Film Festival (EUFF) held in the city -- New Delhi. Note: The European Union Film Festival (EUFF) has started at Siri Fort Auditorium in New Delhi with an aim to improve cultural ties between India and European countries. 8. The 2017 Little Miss Universe Internet beauty contest title --Padmalaya Nanda. Note: Now, she will participate in the Little Miss World 2017 competition that will be held at Greece. 9. The country has ratified automatic exchange of information with India to help flush out black money-- Switzerland. 10. Re-elected to the UN's principal organ on economic, social, and environmental issues for another three-year term -- India Note: India was among 18 nations to win election to the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). 11. The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) Board of Governors has approved the membership of the countries at its second annual meeting --Argentina, Madagascar, and Tonga. Note: These members will join the AIIB once they complete the required domestic processes and deposit the first instalment of the capital with the bank. 12. A country has announced to opening of online visitor visa applications for Indian nationals --Australia. Note: The online application option would make applying for the country's visitor visas easier and enhance the experience for Indians. 13. The countries have been re-elected to the United Nations Economic and Social Council -- India, Japan, and the Philippines. 14. The first Afghanistan-India air corridor at the Kabul International Airport, Afghanistan -- Ashraf Ghani. Note: The aim of the corridor is to create direct route (bypass Pakistan) to improve commerce in Afghanistan. 15. The interplanetary Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) of ISRO completed 1000 Earth days in its orbit -- Mangalyaan. 16. The city hosted the World Summit on Information Society (WSIS) Forum Geneva (Switzerland). 17. As per a new study conducted by the UN Refugee Agency, the number of people displaced worldwide in million 18. The first country to contribute one lakh US Dollars to a UN fund -- India. Note: The UN Tax Trust Fund aims to support the work of the Committee of Experts on International Cooperation in Tax Matters. 19. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) city has been declared the World Book Capital for the year 2019 by UNESCO -- Sharjah. Note: Sharjah has been chosen by an international committee of UNESCO experts for the quality of its literary 64 Page

65 and cultural activities, and its efforts to make books accessible to the entire population of the country. 20. The biggest new generation destroyer weighing 10,000 tonnes to become a global naval power at the Jiangnan Shipyard -- China Navy. Note: It is equipped with new air defence, anti-missile, anti-ship, and anti-submarine weapons. 21. The 6th Joint Trade Committee (JTC) Meeting was convened between India and -- Myanmar. 22. The 41st session of UNESCO World Heritage Committee has started in -- Krakow, Poland. Note: The World Heritage Committee consists of representatives from 21 of the States Parties to the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, elected by the General Assembly of States Parties to the Convention. 23. The world's most detailed scan of the brain's internal wiring has been produced by scientists at -- Cardiff University. Note: The MRI machine reveals the fibres which carry all the brain's thought processes. It has been done in Cardiff, Nottingham, Cambridge, and Stockport, as well as London England and London Ontario. 24. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the end of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in the -- Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Note: Though the agency marks an end to the outbreak in the country, enhanced surveillance will continue, as well as strengthening of preparedness and readiness for Ebola outbreaks. 25. A new fast-growing Israeli flower has named after Prime Minister Narendra Modi -- Crysanthumun. Note: The Danziger flower farm is one of Israel's leading floriculture companies with approximately 80,000 square meters of state-of-the-art greenhouses specializing in reproduction of plants. 26. The Informal Leader s Meeting of the 5 BRICS countries was held in -- Hamburg, Germany. Note: The meeting was held in run up for the upcoming 9th BRICS Summit, which will take place in Xiamen, China in September. 27. The country hosted the 2017 Everest International Model United Nations (EIMUN) Regional Conference -- Nepal. Note: The fourth edition of Everest International Model United Nations (EIMUN) Regional Conference was held in Kathmandu, Nepal from July, The world s first centre for breeding Saola will be constructed at Bach Ma National Park in -- Vietnam. Note: Saola is recognised by two parallel horns with sharp ends, which can reach 51cm in length and are found on both males and females. 29. The eighth meeting of the SAARC Ministers of Law and Order preceded by meeting of the SAARC Secretaries of Law and Order and Immigration Authorities has begun in -- Colombo, Sri Lanka. Note: The meeting focused on the issue of tackling terrorism apart from discussing liberalization of visa, illegal trafficking in narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, and small arms. The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is the regional intergovernmental organization and geopolitical union of nations in South Asia. 15. Recently, the US House of Representatives has passed a bill that proposes to advance defence cooperation with -- India. Note: The amendment passed by the House requires the Secretary of Defence, in consultation with the Secretary of State, to develop a strategy for advancing defence cooperation 16. The country will introduce a new procedure for officials visiting the country to meet political representatives and prisoners -- Sri Lankan. Note: The move comes as government is unhappy with the outcome of the visit by UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and Counter-terrorism. 17. The Navy has tested the world's first-ever active laser weapons system (LaWS) which is now deployed and ready for war -- United States Navy. Note: The system has special materials that release photons and at the speed of light, it silently hits an object, burning it to a temperature of thousands of degrees. Each strike travels 50,000 times the speed of an incoming ICBM. 18. Tri-Nation navies concluded the eight days 'Malabar Naval Exercise' aimed at achieving deeper military ties between the three nations near Chennai in Bay of Bengal -- US, Japanese and Indian Note: The naval exercise featured 95 aircraft, 16 ships and two sub marines. Aim of exercise is to Increase interoperability amongst the three navies and develop common understanding of procedures for Maritime Security Operations. 19. The country to host the 2022 World Short Course Swimming Championships -- Russia. Note: The International Swimming Federation (FINA) has selected the Russian city to host the 2022 World Short Course Swimming Championships. 20. The country has declared total independence from IMF and World Bank (WB)-- Bolivia. Note: The President of Bolivia Evo Morales has declared his government s full independence from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank. 21. The country who has successfully launched an advanced satellite-carrying rocket Simorgh -- Iran. Note: Iran has successfully launched Simorgh into space from the Imam Khomeini National Space Station in Semnan. 65 Page

66 22. The world's first full-scale floating wind farm has started to take shape off the north-east coast of -- Scotland. Note: The technology will allow wind power to be harvested in waters too deep for the current conventional bottom-standing turbines used. The Peterhead wind farm (Hywind) is a trial which will bring power to 20,000 homes. 23. The new species of giant ocean sunfish has been discovered by an international team of researchers led by Murdoch University in Perth, Australia --hoodwinker (mola tecta). Note: The heaviest type of bony fish that can weigh over two tonnes and grow to three metres long. The new species has so far been found around New Zealand, around the southeast coast of Australia, off Africa and southern Chile. 24. Dubai as the data hub for the Middle East North Africa and South Asia (MENASA) region for the city s integrated initiatives to mine and manage its data -- The United Nations (UN). Note: The designation will be part of a portfolio of local and regional data portals, analytics and reports to engage stakeholders and help accelerate progress. 25. The 2017 BRICS Youth Forum opened to discuss the development of the youth in the countries of the grouping in-- Beijing, China. Note: The three-day forum gathered 50 youth representatives working as civil servants, scholars, entrepreneurs, artists, and journalists from the BRICS countries. The theme of the forum is 'Enhance BRICS Partnership, Promote Youth Development'. 26. The mostly submerged unknown continent beneath the South Pacific has been named as -- Zealandia. Note: Zealandia measured 1.9 million square miles and is 94% underwater. It had only three major landmasses, New Zealand s North, and South Islands to the south, and New Caledonia to the north Zealandia. 27. The 7th edition of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Artists Camp & Exhibition of Paintings begins in -- Nepal. Note: These events provide platform to artists for exchanging ideas with fellow artists and helping in creating special bonding among them. Around 40 artists from SAARC member countries (except Afghanistan) taking part in the camp. 28. The world s longest pedestrian suspension bridge has opened in the country -- Switzerland. Note: The longest pedestrian suspension bridge 'Charles Kuonen Suspension Bridge' has opened in Swiss Alpine resort of Zermatt Matterhorn in south Switzerland. 29. International organization has released 2017 ICT Facts and Figures report -- International Telecommunication Union. Note: 830 million young people online worldwide, 320 million are in China and India. 30. Country to host the 15th meeting of the Foreign Ministers of BIMSTEC countries --Nepal. Note: The 15th meeting of the Foreign Ministers of BIMSTEC countries will be held in Kathmandu, Nepal. 31. Israel launched the country s first environmental research satellite from a launch site in French Guiana -- VENμS. Note: It in a joint venture between the Israel Space Agency (ISA) and its French counterpart CNES (Centre National d Etudes Spatiales). 32. The country has officially informed the United Nations (UN) that it will withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement -- United States. Note: In June 2017, President Donald Trump announced his decision to withdraw from the Paris deal. Earlier, Former US President Barack Obama had pledged as part of the Paris accord to cut US greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 28% from 2005 levels by 2025 to help slow global warming. 33. India and the country have signed a bilateral agreement for the transfer of sentenced prisoners -- Somalia. Note: The agreement was signed between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Foreign Minister of the Federal Republic of Somalia Yusuf Garaad Omar.The agreement will help Indian inmates imprisoned in Somalia or vice versa be near their families while serving the remainder of their sentence and also facilitate their social rehabilitation. 34. The country has announced scrapping of visa requirements for visitors from 80 countries including India to host the Football World Cup Qatar. Note: Citizens of 33 mostly European countries can enter without a visa for 90 days in single or multiple trips during a 180-day period. Americans, Britons, Canadians, and citizens of 44 other countries can enter visa-free for an initial 30 days on single or multiple trips, and can extend that for a further 30 days. 35. The country has ratified the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol that commits countries to contain the emission of greenhouse gases, reaffirming its stand on climate action-- India. Note: India deposited its Instrument of Acceptance of the Doha Amendment to the Kyoto Protocol under the UN Convention on Climate Change. 36. The External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has participated in the two days 15th BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting in --Nepal. 66 Page

67 Note: During the meeting of foreign ministers of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), countries will review the progress in identified fourteen areas of cooperation and discuss ways to accelerate cooperation. The BIMSTEC (Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan, and Nepal) states are among the countries dependent on the Bay of Bengal. 37. An India-built state-of-the-art Advanced Offshore Patrol Vessel (AOPV) to boost its search and rescue capabilities - - Sri Lankan Navy. Note: The new patrol vessel is named as SLNS Sayurala. It is the largest vessel built by an Indian ship builder for a foreign navy to date. 38. India and US will co-host the Global Entrepreneurship Summit from 28th to 30th November this year at -- Hyderabad. Note: The Summit is an unique opportunity for bringing together entrepreneurs and start-ups with global leaders. Mr. Modi during his meeting with Trump in Washington in June had invited Ivanka (US President Donald Trump s daughter) for the Summit. 39. The UN health agency, World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the country free of polio. -- Somalia Note: According to the UN health agency, it had not recorded any case of polio disease in Somalia in the last three years. Somalia recorded the last case of polio in 2014 in the central part of the country. 40. The Oxford University Press has launched online dictionaries in the Indian languages -- Tamil and Gujarati. Note: The launch is a part of Oxford Global Languages initiative with an aim to build dictionaries and lexicographical resources for around 100 of the world s languages and to make them available online. Earlier, the Hindi online dictionary was launched in The ISRO and NASA are jointly working on the mission to co-develop and launch a dual frequency (L & S Band) synthetic aperture radar satellite by NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR). Note: In this joint mission, NASA will be responsible for design and development of L-band SAR, 12m un-furlable antenna, GPS system and data recorder. It is the first big collaboration between NASA and ISRO. 42. The host of summit of Group of Seven (G-7) Interior Ministers centered on security issues in the fall -- Italy. Note: Italy currently holds the rotating helm of the G-7 industrialized nations. The group consists of seven major advanced economies including Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom and the United States. 43. According to global leader in broadband testing Ookla, the fastest mobile Internet in the world -- Norway. 67 Page Note: Average internet connection speed of Norwegians' mobile phones has increased by 69% during the last year and has speed of 52.6 megabits per second.the Netherlands and Hungary are ranked number two and three on the list of the world's fastest mobile networks, 44. Nepal and China have signed three pacts to further boost their ties in -- Power and energy sectors. Note: The pacts were signed to undertake a feasibility study to excavate natural gas and petroleum in the Himalayan country.the agreements signed will cover economic and technological cooperation, oil and gas resources exploration, and promotion of investment. 45. According to Rice University scientist, a microplate discovered off the west coast of Ecuador adds another piece to Earth s tectonic puzzle-- Malpelo. Note: The Malpelo Plate, named for an island and an underwater ridge it contains. 46. The country has launched its first cyber court specializing in handling Internet-related cases in the e-commerce hub of Hangzhou -- China. Note: The Hangzhou Internet Court in Hangzhou will handle cases such as online trade disputes and copyright lawsuits. The cases handled by the court will be tried online. 47. The United States (US) and South Korean forces has begun joint drills in the South -- Ulchi Freedom Guardian. Note: 17,500 US soldiers and about 50,000 South Korean troops are participating in the drill. This year's drills will center on war games to confirm arrangements to coordinate their command systems by using computers. 48. The country will chair the IONS maiden International Maritime Search and Rescue Exercise Bangladesh. Note: The International Maritime Search and Rescue Exercise will be chaired by Bangladesh at the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) in the Bay of Bengal in November Google has launched the latest version of its mobile operating system -- Android Oreo. Note: The Oreo boasts of a two times faster boot speed, autofill option, and a longer battery life. The new update comes with a Picture-in-Picture feature that allows the user to see two apps simultaneously. 50. British scientists have developed the world s smallest surgical robot which could transform daily operations for tens of thousands of patients -- Versius. Note: The robot Versius mimics the human arm and can be used to carry out a wide range of laparoscopic procedures like hernia repairs, colorectal operations, and prostate and ear, nose, and throat surgery.the robot is

68 controlled by a surgeon at a console guided by a 3D screen in the operating theatre. 51. US-based Indian doctor has discovered an inexpensive prevention technique against sepsis -- Dr. Pinaki Panigrahi. Note: His team found that feeding babies with probiotic bacteria dramatically reduces the risk of sepsis in new borns. This is a breakthrough study and going to be an inexpensive treatment that could possibly save hundreds of thousands of newborns from a top killer Sepsis. 52. Indian scientists have discovered a new species of frog that has a snout-shaped nose, just like a pig in West Ghats -- Nasikabatrachus bhupathi. Note: Soiled-dwelling species Nasikabatrachus bhupathi discovered by scientists from the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) in Hyderabad. It has been named after the Indian herpetologist S. Bhupathy. 53. Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) has signed the MoU with the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nepal (ICAN) to establish mutual cooperation for the advancement of accounting knowledge. Note: ICAI has a membership base of over 5,000 members in Nepal 54. A two-day meeting of Heads of Governments of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Member States has begun in --Kyrgyz Republic. Note: Rajnath Singh (Home Minister) is leading the Indian delegation which includes senior officers from Home and External Affairs Ministries and National Disaster Management Authority. 55. A deep learning acceleration platform 'Project Brainwave' for real-time artificial intelligence (AI) --Microsoft. Note: Real-time AI is becoming increasingly important as cloud infrastructures process live data streams, whether they be search queries, videos, sensor streams, or interactions with users.the 'Project Brainwave' uses the massive field-programmable gate array (FPGA) infrastructure that Microsoft has been deploying over the past few years. 62. Swedish defence giant and Adani group have announced a collaboration in defence manufacturing entailing billions of dollars of investment -- Saab. Note: They mainly eyeing a contract for single-engine fighter jets for the Indian Air Force. The project will encompass design, development, and production of Gripen jets for India in line with the Make in India initiative. 63. The 9th BRICS summit has begun in the Chinese city with theme BRICS: Stronger Partnership for a Brighter Future -- Xiamen. Note: In a joint declaration, Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (BRICS) condemned all terror attacks worldwide, including those attacks in the member states, 56. A internet based software has been launched by the Election Commission of India in Assam -- Eronet. Note: Eronet is useful for various activities relating to electoral roll such as the inclusion of name, deletion, name correction, transfer of name including providing the new photo identity cards. 57. The world's toughest law against plastic bags in the country to reduce plastic pollution -- Kenya. Note: The law punishes Kenyans producing, selling or using plastic bags with a maximum fine of over Rs. 25 lakhs or a four-year jail term. It took Kenya three attempts over ten years to pass the ban which critics say could cut 80,000 jobs. 58. A group of 20 students of the country have been sponsored by Government of India (GoI) to study Hindi at the Central Institute of Hindi in Agra --Sri Lankan. Note: Government of India has sponsored their visit, academic fees, and local hospitality for one year in Agra.Hindi is the most popular foreign language in Sri Lanka and is being taught in almost 80 institutions all over the island. 59. President of Swiss Confederation arrived in New Delhi on a three-day visit to India -- Ms. Doris Leuthard. Note: India and Switzerland enjoy robust economic ties, with Switzerland being seventh largest trading partner and eleventh largest foreign investor for India. It will provide an opportunity to both sides for holding wideranging discussions on bilateral, global, and regional issues of mutual interest. 60. Two-day Indian Ocean Conference 2017 being organized by India Foundation in Temple Trees in -- Colombo. Note: The theme of this year s conference is Peace, Progress and Prosperity and will involve participants from more than 35 countries. This will be second IOC conference (first edition-sep16 in Singapore). 61. The 2017 International Military Music Festival Spasskaya Tower has started in --Moscow, Russia. Note: Music Festival is a mega event, where military musicians represent the variety of national, artistic and military traditions of the world. stressing that there can be no justification whatsoever for any such act. 64. The world s highest sandcastle has built in the country -- Germany. Note: According to the Guinness World Records, the world's highest sandcastle is now standing meters tall in the German city of Duisburg. 65. Astronaut returned to Earth, wrapping up a recordbreaking flight that catapulted her to first place for U.S. space endurance -- Peggy Whitson. Note: Whitson s 665 days off the planet 288 days on this mission alone exceeds that of any other American and any other woman worldwide. 68 Page

69 66. Nepal has signed how much amount of United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) for the next five years -- USD 635 million. 67. The species who has moved from Endangered to Vulnerable category in the IUCN Red List -- Snow Leopard. 68. The United States of America is considering closing its embassy located in the country -- Cuba. 69. International organisation WHO has granted USD 175,000 for healthcare of Rohingya refugees in Cox s Bazar of -- Bangladesh. Note: The WHO grant will support 20 mobile medical teams to provide essential services for at least two months. 70. The country will lift its ban on internet calling applications, easing restrictions online as the conservative kingdom faces new criticism over censorship-- Saudi Arabia. Note: Now, Voice and video calling apps such as WhatsApp and Skype will be widely available to users. The move is aimed at improving business confidence as the kingdom transitions into a post-oil era, access to VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) will reduce operational costs and spur digital entrepreneurship. 71. The National Institution for Transforming India (NITI Aayog) and the federation have signed a Statement of Intent (SoI) to cooperate in the field of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) -- International Road Federation, Geneva (IRF Geneva). Note: The objectives of this national ITS Policy will be to contribute to reducing urban traffic congestion, improving the situation around parking of vehicles in cities, improving road safety, and improving the security of passenger and goods traffic. 72. The countries have signed a treaty to ban nuclear weapons, a pact that the world s nuclear powers spurned but supporters hailed as a historic agreement nonetheless Fifty countries. Note: They would be barred from developing, testing, producing, manufacturing, otherwise acquiring, possessing, or stockpiling nuclear weapons under any circumstances. 73. Who will limit oil exports to North Korea under UN sanctions over its nuclear and missile development -- China Note: China accounts for some 90% of the North's trade, making its cooperation critical to any efforts to derail Pyongyang's development of nuclear weapons and longrange missiles. 74. Iran has tested a new ballistic missile that can carry multiple warheads and has a range of 2,000km- Khorramshahr. Note: The Khorramshahr missile has become smaller in size and more tactical. Iran unveiled the ballistic missile as its president stepped up pressure on the United States by defending its right to strengthen military defenses. 75. Twitter has announced a test project allowing tweets to be expanded to characters. Note: Twitter is an online news and social networking service where users post and interact with messages (tweets). Registered users can post tweets, but those who are unregistered can only read them. 76. Who has provisionally suspended the WADA accreditation of the laboratory of the National Anti-Doping Organization of France due to analytical issues -- World Anti-Doping Agency(WADA). Note: The provisional suspension came into effect on Sunday and prohibits the Paris Laboratory from carrying out any anti-doping activities, including all analyses of urine and blood samples. National Sports News 1. The first Indian woman to cross the 65m mark in the hammer throw -- Sarita R Singh. 2. The 2017 HCL Asian Junior Tennis Championship boys singles title --Nitin Kumar Sinha. Note: Indian wild card Nitin Kumar Sinha has won the boys singles title of HCL Asian Junior Tennis Championship at the Shri Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Pune. 3. The 2017 men s singles title at the Thailand Grand Prix Gold badminton tournament -- B Sai Praneeth. Note: The Thailand Masters Grand Prix Gold 2017 was the third Grand Prix's badminton tournament of the 2017 BWF Grand Prix Gold and Grand Prix. 4. First Indian Pair to reach Quarter finals in World TT Championships -- Manika Batra and Mouma Das. Note: They created history with luck on their side as they got a walkover from the Netherlands and Polish combination of Li Jie and Li Quian. 5. The ITF men's Futures tennis title in Singapore -- Ramkumar Ramanathan. 6. The first-ever AIFF Women s player of the year for Sasmita Malik. Note: She won the award for her immense contribution to the success and growth of the Indian women s football team. 7. Mohun Bagan striker has won the 2016 AIFF player of the year -- Jeje Lalpekhlua. Note: Jeje Lalpekhlua won the award for scoring a total of 7 goals in the last 9 games he has played for India in the season. 69 Page

70 8. Indian sportsperson has featured in the 2017 Forbes list of world s highest paid atheltes -- Virat Kohli. 9. Indian pair have won gold in mixed team 10m air pistol event at 2017 International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Gabala World Cup-- Jitu Rai and Heena Sidhu. Note: The event will see the eight best shooters of the world compete in each Olympic discipline along with reigning Olympic and World Championship medalists and wild-cards. 10. Nguyen Duc Hoa has won the 2017 Mumbai Mayor s Cup International Open Chess Tournament. Note: He defeated Indian chess player Grandmaster Neelotpal Das in the final round with 8.5 points. 11. India s shuttler Kidambi Srikanth has lifted the Indonesia Open Super Series men's singles Premier title at Jakarta, Indonesia. Note: In the final, Srikanth defeated Kazumasa Sakai (Japan) in straight games 21-11, India bag how many medals in Asian Junior Wrestling Championships--five. Note: India bagged five medals (Gold-1-, Silver-2, Bronze- 2) in the 2017 Asian Junior Wrestling Championships in Taiwan. 13. Former Indian Captain has resigned from the post of Head Coach of the Senior Indian Cricket team -- Anil Kumble. 14. International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced that the Women s World Cup winning team will bag a handy prize money of -- USD 660,000. Note: Earlier, the ICC had declared that the total prize money for the tournament would be 2 million US Dollars. 15. Yashaswini Singh Deswal has won a gold at the women's 10 metre air pistol event in the ISSF Junior World Championship Rifle/Pistol competition in Suhl, Germany. 16. Indian shuttler has won the Australian Open Super Series Badminton trophy -- Kidambi Srikanth. Note: Srikanth beat Olympic champion Chen Long (World No.6) 22-20, to win the Series title. 17. India has won Team Bronze in 25- meter Rapid Fire Pistol Men Junior Shooting World Championship in Suhl, Germany --. Note: The trio of Anish, Anhad Jawanda, and Shivam Shukla notched up a combined score of 1711 to claim third place and take India's overall tally from the competition to two Golds, one Silver and one Bronze medal. 18. India has won medals in the Wushu competition of the first ever BRICS Games in Guangzhou, China -- Six. Note: Around 300 athletes from five countries Brazil, China, India, Russia, South Africa) with 10 events in 3 sports (men's basketball, women's volleyball and Wushu). 19. Srinivas Gokulnath has become the first Indians to complete the 4,900-km Race Across America (RAAM) in the solo age category. Note: Srinivas Gokulnath finished the distance in 11 days and 18 hours and Samarth took 11 days and 21 hours to finish the race. The race was won by Christoph Strasser. 20. Former India hockey captain will be awarded, East Bengal football club s highest honour Bharat Gaurav -- Dhanraj Pillay. Note: Currently, Pillay serves as the manager of the Indian national hockey team. 21. The Indian Super League (ISL) has been granted official recognition by the -- Asian Football Confederation (AFC). Note: Now, there will be two national leagues in the country from and the winner of the I-league will participate in the AFC Champions League qualifiers. 22. The first Indian woman wrestler Kavita Devi to compete in World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). Note: Former Indian powerlifter and South Asian Games gold medal winner Kavita Devi will become the first Indian woman to compete in the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). 23. Ankush Dahiya has won gold in the 60kg category at the 2017 Ulaanbaatar Cup boxing tournament. 24. The flag bearer athlete for the Indian contingent in the 22nd Asian Athletics Championship (AAC) Tintu Luka. Note: Over 1,200 athletes and officials from 43 countries in Asia witnessed the largest sporting event at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. The official mascot of the Championship is 'Olly Turtle' that represents the famous Olive Ridley sea turtle. 25. India has won the 2017 Asian Team Snooker Championship -- Note: India's leading cueist Pankaj Advani teamed up with Laxman Rawat to demolish Pakistan in the final of the Asian Team Snooker Championship in Bishskek, Kyrgyszstan. 26. The new chief coach of the Indian cricket team till ICC World Cup Ravi Shastri. Note: Earlier, the head coach Anil Kumble has resigned from the post after the ICC Champions Trophy The first Indian to complete the 4,900- Kilometers RAAM (Race Across America) in the solo category -- Gokulnath. Note: A solo rider has 12 days to finish the race and has to ride over 400 kilometers a day to finish it in given time. Sleep is for under 3-hours a day. 28. Indian women's cricket team skipper has surpassed former England captain'charlotte Edwards' (5992 runs) to 70 Page

71 become the highest run-scorer in the One-Day Internationals (ODI) -- Mithali Raj. Note: Mithali Raj became the first women s player to reach 6000 ODI runs. Now, Mithali Raj has 6,028 runs in 181 ODIs at an average of Harinder Pal Sandhu has won the South Australian Open Squash tournament Note: Harinder Pal Sandhu from India has won the South Australian Open squash title by defeating Rhys Dowling in the final by 11-8, 12-10, 11-4 at Adelaide, Australia. 30. Sundar Singh Gurjar has won the gold at World Para Athletics Championships. Note: The 2017 World Para Athletics Championships is a track and field meet for athletes with disabilities, governed by the International Paralympic Committee, being held at Olympic Stadium in London. 31. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has appointed the Indian Cricket team's bowling coach -- Bharat Arun. Note: Bharat Arun coaching career started with Tamil Nadu in 2002, where he continued to work for four years and led the team into the finals of Ranji Trophy twice, in 2003 and 2004 respectively. 32. Olympic bronze-medallist has become the first Indian to be picked as the International Boxing Association's representative for the IOC Athletes' Forum -- MC Mary Kom. Note: She has been invited to attend the 8th International Olympic Committee's (IOC) Athletes' Forum in Lausanne from 11th to 13th November this year. 33. The 57th National Open Athletics Championships 2017 has begun at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in -- Chennai. Note: Around 1200 athletes from various states and departments & public-sector undertakings would be taking part in the four-day meet. 34. Indian Shuttler Vaishnavi Reddy has clinched the women's singles Under-19 title at the Belgian Junior Open badminton tournament at Herstal, Belgium. Note: She defeated Vivien Sandorhazi (top seed, Hungary) in a three-game final (21-19, 17-21, 21-12) in summit clash at the Hall Omnisport La Prealle. 35. The Indian duo Manav Thakkar and Manush Shah claimed gold in the doubles event of Slovenia Open Junior and Cadet Open Table Tennis championship. Note: Indian duo beat the top-seeded Chinese Taipei pair of Feng I-Hsin and Tai Ming-Wei 11-7, 11-6, at Otocec, Slovenia. 36. India will host the South Asian boxing Championship (SABC) for the first time from 6th to 10th December this year --. Note:Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, SARCC countries and countries like Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Ukraine among other top boxing nations participating in the Championship. 71 Page 37. India's boxer Gaurav Bidhuri has won the bronze medal at the 2017 World Boxing Championships in Hamburg, Germany. Note: He lost his semi-final bantamweight (56kg) category clash to Duke Ragan (America). 38. Divya Deshmukh has won gold in the girls Under-12 category at the World Cadets Chess Championship. Note: It is Divya s second world title after her victory in the under-10 World Youth Chess Championship-2014 in Durban. 39. Mahendra Singh Dhoni has become the first wicketkeeper in world cricket to effect 100 stumpings in One Day Internationals(ODI) --. Note: Mr. Dhoni achieved the feat in his 301st ODI in Colombo (Sri Lanka), when he whipped off the bails to remove batsman Akila Dananjaya (Sri Lankan) off legspinner Yuzvendra Chahal's bowling. 40. Konsam Ormila Devi bagged a gold medal in 44kg weight category at Commonwealth Youth (boys & girls) weightlifting championships in Australia --. Note: Ormila lifted 57kg in snatch and 76kg in clean and jerk for an overall effort of 133kg, to finish on the top of the podium. 41. Indian pair Rohan Kapoor and Kuhoo Garg has won the mixed doubles title at 2017 Hellas Open International Badminton Series --. Note: They defeated compatriots Karishma Wadkar and Utkarsh Arora by in the final. 42. Neel Joshi (boy) and Ananya Dabke (girl) bagged the under-15 (boys & girls) titles in the Dutch Open Junior Squash Championship in Amsterdam, Netherlands. 43. I H Manudev has won the first National Masters snooker tournament title in Chennai. Note: Manudev defeated former Asian champion Alok Kumar 4-1 to win the National Masters Snooker s Title. 44. Harinder Pal Sandhu has won the Victorian Open squash tournament in Melbourne, Australia. Note: He defeated top-seed Rex Hedrick (Australia) by 12-14, 11-3, ICC has chosen captain of the ICC Women s World Cup 2017 team -- Mithali Raj. 46. Indian Shuttler H S Prannoy has won the 2017 US Open Grand Prix Gold badminton tournament title at Anaheim --. Note: In the final match, Prannoy beat Kashyap(India) 21-15, 20-22, In the women's singles tournament, Aya Ohori (Japan) won the final beating Michelle Li (Canada). 47. India will host the men's World Championship for the first time in 2021, Note: Earlier, the major men's boxing events hosted by India have been the 1990 World Cup in Mumbai and the 2010 Commonwealth Championships in New Delhi.

72 48. Indian weightlifter Konsam Ormila Devi has bagged a gold medal at the Asian Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championships in Kathmandu, Nepal, Note: The weightlifter from Manipur lifted 56kg in snatch and 70kg in clean & jerk for a total effort of 126kg in the 44kg weight category to finish on the top of the podium. 49. The first Indian to win in the FIA Formula 3 European Championship -- Jehan Daruvala. 50. The world youth champion Indian boxer has clinched a gold medal in Commonwealth Youth Games Bahamas -- Sachin Siwach. Note: Siwach defeated Welsh boxer James Nathan Probert 4-1 in the final to claim the gold in the light flyweight (49kg) category. 51. Ajay Singh has won bronze medal in Asian Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championships at Kathmandu, Nepal. Note: Dressel won the 50m freestyle (22.76) and the 100m butterfly before leading off a world-record performance in the 4x100-meter mixed freestyle relay. Dressel has become the second swimmer to win seven gold medals at a single World Championships, after Michael Phelps. 52. Indian shuttler has won the men s singles Lagos International Rahul Yadav Chittaboina. Note: He won the men s singles title by defeating his compatriot Karan Rajan Rajarajan by in the summit clash at the 2017 Lagos International Badminton Classics in Lagos, Nigeria. 53. Manju Kumari has won the bronze medal in the 59kg category Junior World Wrestling Championship in Tampere, Finland. 54. Veer Dev Gulia bagged a bronze medal on the competition at Tampere in Finland. Note: In the Men's 74 kg freestyle category, Gulia finished third after beating Yamasaki Yajuro of Japan, 8-5 in the bronze medal play-off bout. Gulia had made it to the playoff despite losing in the quarterfinals as his last-eight stage opponent Isa Shapiev of Uzbekistan reached the gold medal round. 55. Indian athlete bagged Gold in women's pentathlon event at the 5th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in Turkmenistan -- Purnima Hembram. 56. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has nominated Padma Bhushan for his contribution to the game -- Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Note: Dhoni is already a recipient of the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna and the Padma Shri award. 57. Hyderabad has won the 2017 Kalpathi AGS Buchi Babu All-India Invitation cricket tournament. Note:The Hyderabad team have won the 2017 Kalpathi AGS Buchi Babu All-India Invitation cricket tournament. 58. The player has won the 2017 BWF Korean Open Super Series Women s Singles title -- PV Sindhu. 72 Page Note: With this, Sindhu has become the first Indian to win the Korea Super Series crown. 59. Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has won the All- India MCC-Murugappa Gold Cup hockey tournament Note: The Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has won the 91st edition of All-India MCC-Murugappa Gold Cup hockey tournament at Chennai, Tamil Nadu. 60. Indian shooter has won a bronze in men's trap event at the 7th Asian Championship Shotgun at Astana, Kazakhstan -- Kynan Chenai. Note: Kynan first shot 116 out of 125 to qualify for the six men final round in third sport and then held on to the position till the end of the finals. 61. Young Indian shuttler clinched the Bulgaria Open International Series title in Sofia, Bulgaria -- Lakshya Sen. Note: He defeated second seed Zvonimir Durkinjak (Croatia) in a 57-minute match. 62. Shapath Bharadwaj has won a bronze medal in the double trap event at the ISSF Junior Shotgun World Cup in Porpetto, Italy. Note: Lakshay Sheoran and Manisha Keer combined to win a bronze in the mixed team trap competition. He shot a 48 in the final to finish behind gold-medal winning Briton James Dedman and silver medalist Finland's Miki Ylonen. 63. Dhyan Chand Award will be given to Bhupender Singh(Athletics), Syed Shahid Hakim(Football) and Sumarai Tete(Hockey) for their life time contribution to -- Sports development. Note: The awardees will receive their awards from President Ram Nath Kovind in a special function at the Rashtrapati Bhawan on 29th of August. 64. Para Athlete and Hockey player have been selected for this year's Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award_-- Sardar Singh & Devendra. Note: Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award is given for the spectacular performance in the field of sports by a sportsperson over a period of four years. 65. The 58th edition of Subroto Cup International Football Tournament held in --New Delhi. Note: A total of 99 teams from India and abroad are participating across three categories in this edition of famous inter-school football tournament. Teams from Bangladesh, Indonesia, Nepal, Afghanistan and Singapore are participating in this edition.football carnival will be played in three categories Sub-Junior boys (Under-14), Junior Girls (Under-17), Junior Boys (Under-17). 66. The Indian pair have won bronze in mixed team trap event in Asian Shotgun Shooting Championship in Astana, Kazakhstan -- Kynan Chenai & Shreyasi Singh. Note: They defeated Lebanon shooters Kynan Chenai had won bronze in men's trap event. 67. India's shooter bagged a bronze medal at the Asian Shotgun Championship in Kazakhstan -- Maheshwari Chauhan.

73 Note: Maheshwari also led India to the team silver, alongside compatriots Rashmmi Rathore and Saniya Sheikh. 68. Indian pair has won gold in the skeet mixed team event at the 7th Asian Championship Shotgun --Mairaj Ahmad Khan and Rashmmi Rathore. 69. India player continued to be the world's top-ranked Oneday International (ODI) batsman in the latest ICC ODI rankings_--virat Kohli. Note: Other Indian batsmen in the top-15 are former skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni(12th), Shikhar Dhawan (13th) and vice-captain Rohit Sharma(14th). As for the ICC ODI Team Rankings, India team are currently at number three. 70. The company has won the coveted Indian Premier League (IPL) media rights for Star India. Note: Star India acquired digital as well as media rights for Indian Premier League for a term of five years with a whooping bid of Rs. 16, crores on 4 th September Indian sportsperson has won silver in senior men s double trap at 2017 ISSF World Shotgun Championship in Moscow -- Ankur Mittal. 72. The country will host the 2019 edition of the Commonwealth (Youth, Junior and Senior) Weightlifting Championships -- India. Note: The Executive Board of Commonwealth Weightlifting Federation met at Gold Coast, Australia and decided to allot the 2019 edition of the competitions to India. 73. Indian weightlifters Rahul have qualified for next year's Commonwealth Games after winning a gold medal each in their respective weight divisions -- Sivalingam Sathish Kumar and Ragala Venkat. Note: Rahul created new records en-route to his standout total lift of 351 kilogram (156kg in snatch and195 kilograms in clean & jerk). 74. The Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Senior Badminton Championship has begun at -- Kochi Note: A total of 665 players (175-Indian players) from forty countries in eight different groups are participating International in the week-long Championship. It is for the first time the Championship is being held in India. 75. India finishes in medals tally with one gold and two silver medals at Moscow Shotgun World Championships -- fifth. Note: Italy topped the tally with nine gold medals for a total of 17 medals in all and USA (12 medals) -2nd. 76. Who has lead Indian challenge at Korea Super Series, in Seoul, South Korea -- P V Sindhu. 77. The state has won the Chief Minister's cup with 45 gold medals at the National kickboxing championship being held in Raipur -- Maharashtra. Note: Chhattisgarh secured second position with 27 gold and Haryana third with 15 gold medals. Around two thousand players from 27 states participated in the fourday event. 78. The country to host Junior Asian Wrestling Championship (JAWC) India. Note: India will host the Junior Asian Wrestling Championship (JAWC)- 2018, which is scheduled to be held from 19 to 22 July 2018, in New Delhi. 79. Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has released its first ever players handbook '100 things every professional cricketer must know' in New Delhi -- Note: The book was released by the Committee of Administrators (COA) and is in line with the recommendations of the Lodha panel. 80. The four-day annual Border Security Force (BSF) sports meet has begun in -- Jammu. Note: The Inter-Frontier Sports Competition of the Border Security Force is aimed at preparing the Jawans for national and international-level championships. 81. India lose Davis Cup Tennis World Group Play-offs tie against -- Canada. Note: India has lost the World Group Play-off tie of Davis Cup Tennis Tournament to the host Canada India's Pooja Kadian has won the first ever gold medal at Wushu World Championships in Kazan, Russia. Note: Pooja defeated Evgeniya Stepanova in the final. 1. The football club has won the 2017 UEFA Champions League trophy -- Real Madrid. Note: Real Madrid is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. 2. West Indies cricket team's official name changed to -- WINDIES. Note: The cricket board for West Indies has re-branded themselves as Cricket West Indies from the former West Indies Cricket board. 73 Page 3. The Cricketing country has launched Twenty20 league, the league will be called the T20 Global League-- South Africa. 4. The French Open mixed doubles tournament Bopanna and Dabrowski. Note: They beat the pair of Anna-Lena Groenefeld (Germany) and Robert Farah (Colombia) by 2-6, 6-2, Rohan Bopanna has become only the fourth Indian (after Leander Paes, Mahesh Bhupathi, and Sania Mirza) to win a Grand Slam crown.

74 5. Rafael Nadal has won the 2017 French Open Men s Singles Tennis Tournament. 6. The first Sri Lankan cricketer to be inducted into ICC Hall of Frame -- Muttiah Muralidaran. Note: Muralidaran has become the first player from Sri Lanka and the 83rd overall to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. 7. Who has won the 2017 Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix tournament -- Lewis Hamilton. Note: British Formula One racing driver Lewis Hamilton has won the 2017 Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix tournament Canadian Grand Prix at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, Canada. 8. Pakistan has clinched its maiden ICC Champions Trophy title with a massive 180-run victory over India at the Oval in London. Note: The Man of the series: Hasan Ali (Pakistan). 9. Jelena Ostapenko has won the 2017 French Open Women s Singles Tennis Tournament. Note: Jelena Ostapenko has won the 2017 French Open Women s Singles Tennis Tournament by defeating Simona Halep (Romania) in the final by 4 6, 6 4, The winner of the 2017 Halle Open Men s Singles title is -- Roger Federer Note: The Halle Open is a tennis tournament held in Halle, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. 11. Germany has won the 10th edition of FIFA Confederation Cup Football-2017 title. Note: The four-time World Cup winners, Germany won the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup by defeating Chile 1 0 in the final to win their first title.the FIFA Confederations Cup is an international association football tournament for national teams, currently held every four years by FIFA. 12. Tennis star of Serbia defeated Gael Monfils to clinch the Eastbourne International Men s Singles title -- Novak Djokovic 13. Karolina Pliskova has won the Eastbourne International Women s Singles title. 14. Finnish racing driver has won the Formula One Austrian Grand Prix tournament Valtteri Bottas. Note: Finnish racing driver Valtteri Bottas has won the 2017 Formula One Austrian Grand Prix tournament at Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Austria. 15. The International Cricket Council (ICC) has launched an anti-corruption investigation in --. Sri Lanka, Note: According to the Sri Lanka Cricket, forty of its contracted players called for an immediate inquiry into the allegations made by Pramodya Wickremasinghe (former player and selector) insinuating unnatural and mysterious match patterns. 16. Lewis Hamilton has won the Formula One British Grand Prix. Note: Lewis Carl Davidson Hamilton is a British Formula One racing driver who races for the Mercedes AMG Petronas team. British Grand Prix is currently held at the Silverstone Circuit near the village of Silverstone in North amptonshire in England. 17. Roger Federer has won the 2017 Wimbledon title in the men s single category. Note: Federer defeated Marin Cilic (Croatia) by 6-3, 6-1, 6-4. It was Federer s record 8th Wimbledon title and overall 19th Grand Slam. 18. Garbine Muguruza. has won Wimbledon Women s singles title beating Venus Williams (United States) 7-5, 6-0. Note: The 2017 Wimbledon Championships was a Grand Slam tennis tournament which took place at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, London, United Kingdom. 19. England has won the 2017 ICC women world cup title by defeating India at Lord s Cricket Ground in London. Note: Chasing a target of 229, India being bowled out for 219 in 48.4 overs. Shrubsole (England) who took six wickets was declared Player of the Match. Tammy Beaumont (England) was awarded Player of the Series title. She had made 410- runs in the tournament. 20. British racing driver has won the Singapore Grand Prix -- Lewis Hamilton. Note: Hamilton has built a 28-point cushion, courtesy a no show from main championship rival Vettel (235 points) and Hamilton (263 points). The Singapore Grand Prix is a motor race on the calendar of the FIA Formula One World Championship. 21. The World Cup 2019 will be played from 30th May to 15th July in 2019 in -- United Kingdom (UK). 22. Kylie Masse has won the women's 100m backstroke gold in a new world-record time at the world aquatics championships in Budapest. 23. Sebastian Vettel (Germany) has won the Hungarian Formula One Grand Prix at the Hungaroring in Mogyoród. Note: The 2017 Hungarian Formula One Grand Prix was the eleventh round of the 2017 Formula One season and the 32nd running of the Hungarian Grand Prix. 24. American newest star of the pool has become the first swimmer to win three gold medals on a single night at either the worlds or the Olympics -- Caeleb Dressel. 25. The world's most expensive footballer, with Paris Saint- Germain signing him for a five-year deal from Barcelona for a fee of Rs. 1,680 crores -- Neymar. Note: Earlier, Paul Pogba (Manchester United) was the most expensive player. Neymar scored 105 goals in Page

75 Barcelona appearances, will earn Rs. 6.5 crore-a-week before tax. 26. Who formally announced its bid for the 2028 Summer Olympics after agreeing on a deal with the Olympic organizers -- Los Angeles (United States). Note: Now, this deal with Olympic organizers paves the way for Paris to host the Summer Olympics in 2024.The 2020 Summer Olympics will be hosted by Tokyo, Japan.Earlier, Los Angeles hosted Olympics in The ten days grand event World Athletics Championships will begin in -- London. Note: 25 Indian athletes are taking part in this event. India has taken part in every championship since the first one in 1983.Legendary long jumper Anju Bobby George's bronze in Paris 2003 has been the lone medal at this global stage. 28. The country is hosting the FIBA Asia Championship Lebanon. Note: Asia s biggest basketball tournament, the FIBA Asia Cup has started in Beirut, Lebanon. 29. Olympic Champion has won the men's 400 meters event and retained his title in World Athletics Championships, London --Wayde Van Niekerk (South African). Note: Niekerk, clocked seconds to finish at the top of podium. Steve Gardiner (Bahamas) finished second in the event while Abdalelah Haroun (Qatar) claimed the Bronze. 30. Olympic gold medallist has won the men's 3,000 metres steeplechase at the IAAF World Athletics Championships in London -- Conseslus Kipruto. Note: The Kenyan clocked eight minutes and seconds to continue his in-form performance in the event after the Rio Olympic Games last year. 31. The team has won the UEFA Super Cup football tournament Real Madrid. Note: Real Madrid has won the 2017 UEFA Super Cup football tournament by defeating Manchester United in the final by 2-1 at the Philip II Arena in Skopje, Macedonia.It is their 4th UEFA Super Cup title. 32. Legendary sprinter retires from the Athletics world -- Usain Bolt. Note: Running the final race of his career, after taking the baton from his Jamaican teammate Yohan Blake, suffered cramps on his left hamstring as he tried, in vain, to chase down his rivals in the men's 4x100m relay race in the World Athletics Championships in London. Britain won the gold in seconds while United States (38.01) and Japan took the silver and bronze respectively. 33. Alexander Zverev has won fifth Rogers Cup championship. Note: He defeated Swiss Roger Federer in straight set 6-3, 6-4 at the Rogers Cup final to claim his second Masters 1000 title in Montreal, Canada. The events alternate from year to year between the cities of Montreal and Toronto. 34. Real Madrid star has been banned for five-match by the Spanish football federation after pushing the referee following his red card -- Cristiano Ronaldo. Note: Ronaldo received an automatic one-match ban and an extra four games for his reaction towards referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea. He has also been fined USD 4, Real Madrid has won the 2017 Spanish Super Cup beat their rivals Barcelona 2-0 at a joyous Santiago Bernabeu. Note: Real Madrid football club is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain founded on 6th March 1902 as Madrid Football Club.The Spanish Super Cup is a Spanish football championship contested by the winners of La Liga and the Copa del Rey. 36. British racing driver has won the 2017 Belgian Grand Prix of Formula One (F1) at Circuit de Spa- Francorchamps Stavelot, Belgium--Lewis Hamilton. Note: Hamilton is the only driver to have won at least one Grand Prix in every season he has competed in.the Belgian Grand Prix is an automobile race, part of the Formula One World Championship. 37. Nozomi Okuhara defeated ace shuttler PV Sindhu to claim the 2017 BWF World Championships at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow, Scotland Note: Sindhu lost to her Japanese rival Okuhara Sindhu became only the second Indian to win a silver medal after Saina Nehwal had achieved the feat in the last edition at Jakarta in The 2017 Italian Formula One Grand Prix tournament - - Lewis Hamilton. Note: British racing driver Lewis Hamilton has won the 2017 Italian Formula One Grand Prix tournament at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza in Monza, Italy. 39. A Spanish professional tennis player has defeated Kevin Anderson (South Africa) to claim US Open tennis tournament-2017 in New York -- Rafael Nadal Note: It is Nadal's second Grand Slam title of the year and 16th overall. 40. American tennis player defeated Madison Keys to win 2017 US Open Women's Singles title -- Sloane Stephens. Note: The US Open is owned and organized by a notfor-profit organization United States Tennis Association (USTA). 41. Los Angeles (USA). will host the 2028 Olympics. 75 Page

76 Note: The full IOC will award the 2024 Games to Paris and the 2028 Games to Los Angeles. 42. Australian fast bowler has called it quits from Test Match and ODIs --John Hastings. Note: Hastings wants to solely focus on T20 cricket. He has represented Australia in 1 test, 29 ODIs and 9 T20Is. List of Upcoming Sports Venue 43. American has won the all-around title at the gymnastics world championships in Montreal --Morgan Hurd. Note: She won the United States' seventh straight Olympic by edging out Elsabeth Black (Canada) to Asian Games - The Asian Games, also known as Asiad is a Pancontinental multi-sport event held every four years among athletes from all over Asia. The Games were regulated by the Asian Games Federation (AGF). Note: First Asian games were held in New Delhi, India in Venue of Asian Games 2014 Incheon, South Korea. Venue of Asian Games Jakarta-Palembang, Indonesia. Venue of Asian Games 2022 Hangzhou, China. Venue of Asian Games 2026 Nagoya, Japan. 2. Commonwealth Games (CWG) - The Commonwealth Games is an international multi-sport event involving athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations held every four years. Note: The first Commonwealth Games held in 1911 in London, England. Venue of CWG Games 2010 New Delhi, India. Venue of CWG Games 2014 Glasgow, Scotland. Venue of CWG Games 2018 Gold Coast, Australia. Venue of CWG Games 2022 Birmingham, England. Note: The 2022 Commonwealth Games will no longer take place in Durban, South Africa as the South African government failed to give financial guarantees for the event. 3. Olympics Games - The Olympic Games are held every four years, with the Summer and Winter Games alternating by occurring every four years but two years apart. Note: The first modern Olympics games were held in Athens, Greece, in International Olympic Committee (IOC) headquarter - Lausanne, Switzerland. IOC President - Thomas Bach Summer Olympic - Venue of Summer Olympic Games 2016 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Venue of Summer Olympic Games 2020 Tokyo, Japan Venue of Summer Olympic Games 2024 Paris, France Winter Olympic Venue of Winter Olympic Games 2014 Sochi, Russia. Venue of Winter Olympic Games 2018 Pyeongchang, South Korea. Venue of Winter Olympic Games 2022 Beijing, China. 4. ICC World Cup Cricket - The ICC Cricket World Cup is the international championship of One Day International (ODI) cricket. The event is organised by the International Cricket Council (ICC), every four years. Note: The first World Cup was held in England in June West Indies won the title by defeating Australia in the final. Australia has been the most successful team in the World Cup, with 5 titles and 2 runners up. India won the first World Cup title in 1983 by defeating West Indies in the final. Australia won the World Cup title in 2015 after defeating New Zealand in the final. International Cricket Council (ICC) headquarter - Dubai, United Arab Emirates. President of ICC Zaheer Abbas. Chairman of ICC Shashank Manohar. 76 Page

77 CEO David Richardson. Venue of ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh. Venue of ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 Australia & New Zealand. Venue of ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 England, Wales. Venue of ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 India. 5. ICC World Cup T20 The ICC World Twenty20 is the international championship of Twenty20 cricket. It is organised the International Cricket Council (ICC). Note: The first T20 World Cup was held in Johannesburg, South Africa in India won the first T20 world cup title after defeating Pakistan in the final. West Indies won the T20 World Cup title two times. West Indies wont the title in 2016 after defeating England in the final. Venue of World Cup 2014 Bangladesh. Venue of World Cup T India. Venue of World Cup 2020 Australia. 6. ICC Women s Cricket World Cup The ICC Women's Cricket World Cup is the oldest and most prestigious international women's cricket tournament. Note: The first Women s World Cup was held in England in 1973, two years before the inaugural men's tournament. England won the title by defeating Australia in the final. Australia has been the most successful team in the Women s World Cup, with 6 titles and 3 runners up. England won the Women s World Cup in 2017 by defeating India in the final. Venue of ICC Women Cricket World Cup 2013 India. Venue of ICC Women Cricket World Cup 2017 England. Venue of ICC Women Cricket World Cup 2021 New Zealand. 7. ICC Women s World Cup T20 - The ICC Women s World Twenty20 is the international championship for Women s Twenty20 cricket. It is organised the International Cricket Council (ICC). Note: The first Women s T20 World Cup was held in England in England won the first T20 world cup title after defeating New Zealand in the final. Australia has been the most successful team in the Women s World Cup, with 3 titles and 1 runners up. West Indies won the title in 2016 after defeating Australia in the final. Venue of World Cup 2014 Bangladesh. Venue of World Cup T India. Venue of World Cup 2020 Australia. 8. Hockey Men s World Cup The Hockey World Cup is an international field hockey competition organised by the International Hockey Federation (FIH). It is held every four years, bridging the four years between the Summer Olympics. Note: The first Men s Hockey World Cup was held in 1971 Barcelona, Spain. Pakistan won the title after defeating Spain in the final. Pakistan has been the most successful team in the World Cup, with 4 titles from 6 appearances in the final. Australia won the title in 2014 after defeating Netherlands in the final. Note: International Hockey Federation (IHF) headquarter - Lausanne, Switzerland. President of IHF - Narinder Batra. Venue of Hockey Men s World Cup 2010 New Delhi, India. Venue of Hockey Men s World Cup 2014 The Hague, Netherlands. Venue of Hockey Men s World Cup 2018 Bhubaneswar, India. 9. Hockey Women s World Cup - The Women s Hockey World Cup is an international field hockey competition organised by the International Hockey Federation (FIH). It is held every four years, bridging the four years between the Summer Olympics. 77 Page

78 Note: The first Women s Hockey World Cup was held in 1974 in Mandelieu, France. Netherlands won the title after defeating Argentina in the final. Netherlands has been the most successful team in the World Cup, with 7 titles from 11 appearances in the final. Netherlands won the title in 2014 after defeating Australia in the final. Venue of Hockey Men s World Cup 2010 Rosario, Argentina. Venue of Hockey Men s World Cup 2014 The Hague, Netherlands. Venue of Hockey Men s World Cup 2018 London, England. 10. FIFA (Football) World Cup The FIFA World Cup is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA). It is held every four years. Note: The first FIFA World Cup was held in 1930 in Uruguay. Uruguay won the title after defeating Argentina in the final. Brazil has been the most successful team in the World Cup, with 5 titles from 7 appearances in the final. Germany won the title in 2014 after defeating Argentina in the final. Note: Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) headquarter - Zürich, Switzerland. President of FIFA - Gianni Infantino. Venue of FIFA World Cup 2014 Brazil. Venue of FIFA World Cup 2018 Russia. Venue of FIFA World Cup 2022 Qatar. 11. FIFA Women's World Cup The FIFA Women's World Cup is an international football competition contested by the senior women's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA). It is held every four years. Note: The first FIFA Women s World Cup was held in 1991 in China. United States won the title after defeating Norway in the final. USA is the most successful nation in the tournament's history, with 3 titles and 1 runners up. USA won the title in 2015 after defeating Japan in the final. Venue of FIFA World Cup 2015 Canada. Venue of FIFA World Cup 2019 France. 12. FIFA (U-17) World Cup The FIFA U-17 World Cup, founded as the FIFA U-16 World Championship, later changed to its current name in 2007, is the world championship of association football for male players under the age of 17 organized by Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA). It is held every two years. Note: The first FIFA (U-17) World Cup was held in 1991 in Italy. Ghana won the title after defeating Spain in the final. Nigeria is the most successful nation in the tournament's history, with five titles and three runners up. Nigeria won the title in 2015 after defeating Mali in the final. Venue of FIFA (U-17) World Cup 2015 Chile. Venue of FIFA (U-17) World Cup 2017 India. Best wishes for your exams! 78 Page

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