CURRENT AFFAIRS FOR JUNE 2017 – HIGHLY USEFUL FOR IBPS PO/IBPS CLERKS/KVB AND OTHER PRIVATE BANKS OFFICERS/CLERKS RECRUITMENT--JUNE 16 TO 23, 2017

16^th June 2017

Nalanda University signs MoU

A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between Nalanda University and Academy of South Korean Studies in Patna for academic linkages and collaborations. The two universities agreed to enhance their bilateral ties through joint research programmes, faculty and student exchange etc. The MoU will be in effect for five years.

2D magnet created

Researchers at the University of Washington and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have created a 2D magnet that is just one atom thick for the very first time. This breakthrough could radically alter the way we use magnetic materials. The scientists used chromium tri-iodide, or CrI3 to show that it has magnetic properties in its monolayer form. The research was published in Nature.

New counter-terrorism office approved

The United Nations General Assembly has approved the establishment of a new United Nations office of counter-terrorism to help Member States implement UN’s global counter-terrorism strategy. With the creation of the new office the UN will transfer the relevant functions out of the UN Department of Political Affairs into the new body. The new Under-Secretary-General would Chair the Task Force

Justice PN Bhagwati passes away

Former Chief Justice of India Prafullachandra Natwarlal Bhagwati who is considered as a pioneer of Judicial Activism has passed away. He introduced the concepts of Public Interest Litigation and absolute liability to the Indian judicial system. Justice PN Bhagwati served as the 17th Chief Justice of India from July 1985 to December 1986.

Free education to transgenders in TN

The Tamil Nadu Government has announced free education for the transgender community in all the colleges of state’s Manonmaniam Sundaranar University. The decision will be implemented from this academic year. One seat in every course of all the colleges affiliated to the university has been reserved for the transgenders.

US to conduct naval drill in Qatar

Two US Navy vessels arrived in Doha to take part in a joint military exercise with the Qatari Emiri Navy. Notably, Qatar hosts the biggest US military base in the Middle East with more than 11,000 troops deployed or assigned to Al-Udeid Air Base. Qatar has also signed a agreement to purchase F-15 fighter jets from the US with an initial cost of $12 billion.

Virat Kohli scores the fastest 8000 runs

Virat Kohli has become the quickest batsman to score 8000 runs in one-day international cricket, beating AB de Villiers’ mark in seven fewer innings. Kohli crossed the 8000-run mark in his 175th innings, during the course of his unbeaten 96 off 78 deliveries against Bangladesh on June 15. AB de Villiers needed 182 innings to get to 8000 runs in August 2015.

RIL-BP to invest $6 bn in new gas fields

Reliance Industries and its partner BP plc announced an investment of $6 billion in developing new gas fields in the KG-D6 block after an eight-year hiatus. RIL chairman Mukesh Ambani said two firms have also agreed on a strategic cooperation on new opportunities for conventional and unconventional fuel trading It will also work for developing solar energy projects.

Real Madrid-Barcelona Legends game in WB

Kolkata will host an exhibition match between Real Madrid Legends and Barcelona Legends on September 15. The match, the venue for which is yet to be decided, will be a tribute to Barcelona legend Johan Cruyff. Former Real Madrid players Fernando Morientes and Michel Salgado have confirmed their participation, while Koke Contreras and Ivan Perez are also likely to feature

Controversial anti-terror law passed

Japan passed a controversial anti-terror law that sparked street protests and warnings from critics that it would stomp on citizens’ privacy rights and lead to over-the-top police surveillance. The government argues it is necessary to prevent terrorism ahead of the 2020 Olympics. The legislation would criminalise plotting and preparing to commit 277 “serious crimes”.

IIT Kharagpur develops wearable tech

A team of experts at the Indian Institute of Technology – Kharagpur has fashioned a hybrid material based on silk protein called silk fibroin. This novel material has the potential to spawn prototype textile-based smart electronic devices for soldiers and defence personnel as well as for biomedical applications. The USP of the material is that it is flexible, streachable etc.

MoneyTap raises Rs. 80 crore

MoneyTap, a lending app, has raised $12.3 million (about Rs. 80 crore) in a round led by Sequoia Capital India Advisors to expand its consumer credit line. MoneyTap was founded in September 2015 by Bala Parthasarathy, former managing partner and founder of Prime Venture Partners, a Bengaluru-based seed fund. Through the app working professionals can avail instant loans.

Mira Nair wins Directors Award

Indian-American filmmaker Mira Nair won the Dorothy Arzner Directors Award for the film Queen of Katwe at this year’s Women In Film Crystal + Lucy Awards. Queen of Katwe’s lead actress Lupita Nyong’o presented the award. Further, Elizabeth Banks won the Crystal Award for Excellence in Film and Tracee Ellis Ross won the Lucy Award for Excellence in Television.

Yeshe Dorjee Thongshi awarded

The Bhupen Hazarika National Award, 2017 has been conferred upon the noted writer Yeshe Dorjee Thongshi. The award has been instituted by Sarhad, a Maharashtra-based organisation.The award honours an outstanding literary work at national and international level. Yeshe Dorjee Thongshi belongs to the West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh.

India to consume 11GB data by 2022

Fuelled by fast smartphone adoption, changing users’ behaviour and disruptive pricing strategies, the data traffic per smartphone user in India will reach 11GB per month by 2022. According to the “Ericsson Mobility Report 2017”, the total mobile data traffic in India is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of around 40%. VoLTE subscriptions are projected to reach 4.6 billion.

India climbs global innovation charts

India continued to rise in the Global Innovation Index rankings for the second year in succession. In this year’s rankings released in Geneva, India improved its position from 66 to 60. Last year, it had improved from 81 to 66. The GII was first developed 10 years ago by the business school INSEAD in Paris as a way of benchmarking countries and their innovative capacities.

Health Ministry launches IDCF

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has launched the Intensified Diarrhea Control Fortnight (IDCF) in order to intensify efforts to reduce child deaths due to diarrhoea. Through this initiative, the Ministry will mobilize all stakeholders to prioritize investment in control of diarrhea. It aims to create mass awareness about the most effective and low-cost diarrhoea treatment.

AIIB grants $150 Mn loan to India

Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank has approved $150 million equity investment loan to the India Infrastructure Fund, the bank’s first such loan to fund private projects. The Board of Directors of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank who met in Jeju in South Korea has approved the loan. The Infrastructure Fund aims to invest in mid-cap infrastructure companies in India.

Telescope launched to study black holes

China successfully launched its first X-ray space telescope to study black holes, pulsars and gamma-ray bursts. A Long March-4B rocket carried the 2.5-tonne telescope into orbit from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China’s Gobi Desert. The Hard X-ray Modulation Telescope, named Insight, will allow scientists to observe magnetic fields and the interiors of pulsars.

$500 million approved for Afghanistan

The World Bank approved financing worth more than $500 million for Afghanistan to support a string of programs to boost the economy and help improve services in five provincial capitals. The largest chunk of the package, some $205.4 million, will go toward supporting communities affected by refugees returning from Pakistan. The rest will go to building hospitals, schools etc.

17^th June 2017

Aadhaar must for bank accounts

Govt has made Aadhaar card mandatory for opening bank accounts and conducting financial transactions of Rs 50,000 and above. Those with existing accounts will also have to submit their unique identification number by December end. For companies opening bank accounts, Aadhaar number of managers or employees holding an attorney to transact on the company’s behalf will have to be provided.

India’s Current Account Deficit narrowed

India’s current account deficit has narrowed during 2016-17 due to a contraction in country’s trade deficit. According RBI, CAD for last fiscal narrowed to 0.7% of the GDP from 1.1% in 2015-16. India’s trade deficit during the fiscal narrowed to $112.4 billion in 2016-17 from $130.1 billion in 2015-16. While FDI inflows in 2016-17 marginally declined to $35.6 billion from $36 billion.

Switzerland to share bank account info

Switzerland has ratified automatic exchange of financial account information with India and 40 other jurisdictions to facilitate immediate sharing of details about suspected black money. Implementation is planned for 2018 and first set of data should be exchanged in 2019. Joint Declaration for implementation of AEOI was signed between India and Switzerland in 2016.

Amazon to acquire Whole Foods

Online retail giant Amazon announced that it is buying organic grocery chain Whole Foods for $13.7 billion in cash. Whole Foods stores will continue to operate under the same name but as a separate unit of Amazon. Amazon has its own delivery service, AmazonFresh, and is experimenting with a “click and collect” model, offering customers to buy groceries online, then pick them up in person.

Haryana offers Insurance cover for crops

Haryana govt has announced immediate implementation of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana. ​It is aimed to help farmers avail of insurance cover against crop loss due to natural calamities for 2017-18. Under this scheme, paddy, bajra, maize and cotton crops would be covered during the Kharif season while wheat, gram, barley and mustard would be covered during the Rabi season.

John Avildsen passes away

John Avildsen who won an Oscar for directing Rocky has passed away. He also won Directors Guild of America Award for directing Rocky, which won Oscars for Best Picture, Film Editing & was nominated in multiple categories. His other most memorable works include first three original Karate Kid movies. He had developed a reputation for making movies about underdogs who somehow become winners.

DCB launches Iris scan verification

DCB bank has launched new services – India’s first Aadhaar based iris eye scan customer verification and fingerprint operated ATM in Telangana. These services will include a customer’s Aadhaar number, eye scan and fingerprint impression. The ATM also can be used with the usual ATM/ Debit Card. This launch coincides with inauguration of 3 new branches in Mancherial, Mothe and Narsapur.

Katy Perry hits 100 million followers

American singer Katy Perry has become the first ever person to hit 100 million followers on Twitter. She joined Twitter back in 2009 since then, she’s been an active user, sending out over 8,500 tweets. Justin Bieber and Barack Obama are not far behind with 97 million and 91 million followers respectively.

Sushma Swaraj inaugurates KIP

Sushma Swaraj inaugurated Know India Programme, for young overseas Indians in New Delhi. It is aimed at promoting awareness on different facets of life in India and progress made by India in various fields such as economic and education. It provides a unique forum for students and young professionals of Indian origin to visit India and develop closer bonds with contemporary India.

India re-elected to ECOSOC

India has been re-elected to the UN’s principal organ on economic, social and environmental issues for another three-year term. India was among 18 nations to win election to the Economic and Social Council. India received 183 of the 188 votes, the second highest after Japan who received 185 vote in the Asia Pacific category. Pakistan received just a single vote for the ECOSOC.

Kerala’s first metro in Kochi

Kerala’s first metro line was flagged off in Kochi by PM Modi. Kochi Metro is the first in India to use Communication Based Train Control technology to maximise frequencies and minimise errors. Each station on Kochi Metro will have solar panels, which will focus on producing 35% of the total power usage. It is the first public transport system to reserve jobs for members of the third sex.

Indian firms in Asia300 ranking

20 Indian firms have been named in top 100 of Nikkei Asian Review’s Asia300 companies list. HCL Technologies stood at 2nd place, followed by Zee Entertainment Enterprises and Tata Consultancy Services at 3rd and 4th place respectively. Indian players held 10 of the top 30 spots, outperforming their Chinese and Southeast Asian counterparts. The list was topped by Taiwan’s Largan Precision.

Serbia Appoints First Gay and Female PM

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has nominated Ana Brnabić to become the country’s first female and first openly gay Prime Minister. She is the youngest minister in the government, serving currently as the minister of public administration and local government. She is a marketing expert and has worked for U.S. companies before she assumed her Serbian government job.

India to host AIIB’s 3rd annual meeting

India will host the third annual meeting of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank in 2018. The third annual meeting of the AIIB’s board of governors will be held in Mumbai in June 2018. The first annual meeting was held in Beijing last year. AIIB is a multilateral development bank initiated by China which aims to provide financing for infrastructure improvement in Asia.

ClearTax launches GST ready Billbook

            India’s largest Income Tax returns e-filing and enterprise compliance service provider ClearTax has announced the launch of Bill book software for SMEs. It is a ready-to-use software platform that works both online and offline. Some of its key features include creating a sales invoice, recording of discount and insurance. ClearTax plans to reach out to 10 lakh SMEs across the country.

Indian wrestlers bag five medals

India bagged five medals,including a gold in the 2017 Asian Junior Wrestling Championships in Taiwan. India’s female wrestlers pocketed three medals while two came in the male Greco-Roman division. India’s gold came in the women’s 51kg freestyle category through Puja. Sonu clinched a silver medal in the 44kg category while Manu claimed a bronze in the 59kg division.

Second-hottest month in 137 years

According to a monthly analysis of global temperatures by NASA scientists May 2017 was the second hottest month in a span of 137 years. May 2016 was the hottest on record, this year’s May temperature was 0.05 degrees Celsius cooler than last year. The analysis was conducted by NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies which assembled data from 6300 meteorological stations around the world.

Helmut Kohl passes away

Former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl passed away. He was Germany’s longest-serving post-war chancellor and the architect of Germany’s reunification. In 1998 he became the 2nd person to be named Honorary Citizen of Europe by the European heads of state or government. Former US President George Bush once described him as the most important European leader of the late 20th century.

Environmental Impact Survey

Mozambique, rated as one of the poorest country has topped a survey of nations with the lowest global environmental impact. It topped the list as all its energy use comes from green sources. India was placed 75th with renewable energy making up only 15.2 per cent of all energy used. Africa as a continent topped the charts while Trinidad and Tobago stood at the bottom.

Punjab govt inks MoU with Centre, AAI

Punjab government has signed a tripartite agreement with the Centre and Airports Authority of India under UDAN scheme. The four airports of Bathinda, Ludhiana, Pathankot and Adampur have been connected under the scheme through five proposals. Approximately one lakh seats will be made available to passengers under the scheme, wherein 50 per cent – 50,000 seats will be under fare cap.

18^th June 2017

Srikanth wins Indonesia Open

India’s K Srikanth has lifted Indonesia Open Super Series badminton title by defeating Kazumasa Sakai in Men’s Singles final at Jakarta. It is his 3rd Super Series title. He had earlier won the 2014 China Open and 2015 India Open. He got the better of World No 1 Son Wan Ho in the semis by saving a match point and then converting on the third. The win is likely to move Srikanth in the top 5.

Council fixes rates for hotels, lottery

The GST council has fixed tax rate of 18% for hotel rooms between Rs 2,000 and Rs 7,500. Rooms with tariff above Rs 7,500 will attract 28% tax. Anti-profiteering and e-way bills have also been cleared by the council. The rate on state-run lottery will be 12% while govt authorised private lottery will draw 28%. Council has also relaxed GST return filing timelines for July and August.

Hybrid seed prices cut by 10%

Seed industry has decided to cut retail prices of hybrid seeds excluding cotton by 10%  through the ensuing 2017-18 kharif season. The decision in this regard was taken at a meeting called by Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh to reduce voluntarily the seed prices. Industry after consultation agreed to make arrangements for sale of hybrid seeds at prices 10% below MRP from June 19.

International Day of Yoga in Singapore

Yoga enthusiasts across Singapore were joined by Singaporean leaders, envoys of Cambodia and Israel to celebrate 3rd International Day of Yoga. UN International Day of Yoga is held on June 21 every year but it was celebrated today in Singapore. 85 yoga sessions were held in morning with 8000 participants. The events were held across the country with the support of local volunteer groups.

BMW to invest Rs 130 cr in India

BMW will be investing Rs 130 crore in India to enhance operations, taking its total investment in the country to Rs 1,250 crore. The investment will go into BMW group operations, including Motarrad as well as the financial services arm. The company will launch new version of its locally manufactured 5 Series later this month to strengthen its product portfolio in India.

BRICS Foreign Ministers to meet in China

According to Russian Foreign Ministry Foreign Ministers of BRICS countries will meet in Beijing, China on June 18-19. This was decided during the 2nd meeting of BRICS Sherpas and Sous-Sherpas held in China. It is the first time the foreign ministers meeting has been called by a host country holding the BRICS Summit. China took over the rotating presidency of the BRICS from India last year.

Sahapedia-Unesco Fellowships launched

Sahapedia, an open online resource on Indian arts in partnership jointly with Unesco, has launched a fellowship programme. Aim of Sahapedia is to provide vast and diverse body of cultural knowledge in India, especially about the lesser known practices and traditions in India. Fellowships is available in 2 variants – Sahapedia Project Fellowship and Sahapedia Research Fellowship.

Shivaprakash honoured with Kusumagraja

Kannada poet and playwright H S Shivaprakash has been honoured with prestigious Kusumagraja Rashtriya Puraskar for his outstanding contribution to social and educational fields. It was presented to him by Akshaykumar Kale, the president of the 90th Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan. He writes both in Kannada and English languages and has nine compilations of poems in his name.

Prompt corrective action for Bank of Mah

Reserve Bank of India has initiated prompt corrective action for Bank of Maharashtra because of its high level of bad loans. It is the 5th bank to come under curbs since RBI tightened the corrective action framework in April. Bank’s net non-performing assets ratio rose to 11.76% at the end of March. Under RBI rules, prompt corrective action is triggered if a bank’s NNPA ratio crosses 6%.

McDonald’s Ends Olympics Sponsorship

Fast food giant McDonald’s has ended its 41-year sponsorship with International Olympic Committee, pulling out of its contract 3 years early. McDonald’s have been a sponsor since 1976 and has contributed more than $1bn in every four-year cycle for the Games. Despite pulling out with immediate effect, McDonald’s will continue at next year’s Pyeongchang winter Olympics as a domestic sponsor.

Gandhi Darshan tourist train flagged off

To commemorate 100 years of Sabarmati Ashram, Indian Railways has decided to run Gandhi Darshan Special Tourist Train. Officially called Astha Special Tourist Train will be operated by IRCTC. Train will not only cover various places important in Gandhi’s life but also spread principles and message of Gandhi. Vijay Rupani, CM of Gujarat flagged off the train from Sabarmati railway station.

No ICC World T20 in 2018

World Twenty20 Championship’s seventh edition next year is all set to be scrapped and pushed to 2020. However, the venue is yet to be decided. Reason for the postponement is that the top member nations will be busy with bilateral commitments in 2018. The previous ICC World T20 was held in India in 2016. Next Champions Trophy scheduled in 2021 in India is still on.

Flying permit of Air Carnival suspended

Directorate General of Civil Aviation has suspended the flying licence of Air Carnival. Air Carnival has become the third regional carrier, after Air Pegasus and Air Costa, whose air operator permit has been suspended by the DGCA in the last eight months. DGCA has suspended Air Operator Permit  of Air Carnival after it failed to satisfy the regulator in its response to the show-cause notice.

Sabarmati Ashram Celebrates 100 Years

Sabarmati Ashram, Epicentre of country’s freedom struggle during Mahatma Gandhi stay will celebrate its centenary in presence of his grandson Gopalkrishna Gandhi. 2 new permanent exhibition galleries on Gandhi’s life – My Life is My Message Gallery and Charkha Gallery were opened at the Ashram on this occasion. 2 books ‘Letters to Gandhi’ and ‘Pioneers of Satyagraha’ were also released.

Vivid Sydney breaks World Record

World’s largest festival of light, music and ideas, Vivid Sydney has entered into Guinness World Book of Records. The global authority has awarded Vivid Sydney installation Dreamscape with the title for Largest interactive lighting display. It allows participants to decide the color, texture and pattern of the lighting across the cityscape via 3D interactive modelling.

SBI ties up with Tirumala Milk Products

State Bank of India has entered into a tie-up with Tirumala Milk Products. It’s main aim is to provide loans to dairy farmers. Under its scheme for financing dairy units, SBI offers loans for construction of shed, and purchase of milch animals, milking machine, and chaff cutter. Tie-up with SBI is company’s first bank tie-up in India.

Govt sets up GST facilitation cell

Govt has set up a GST facilitation cell in Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion to facilitate the rollout of GST. The cell is headed by Sudhansu Sekhar Das. It will remain in constant touch with major industry and business associations relating to the Department. It will be the first point of contact for addressing any issue being faced by any sector related to the Department.

President inaugurates Namma Metro

President Pranab Mukherjee inaugurated underground section of the Green Line of Bengaluru’s Namma Metro train service. It will connect Nagasandra in northern part of the city with Yelachanahalli in southern part. First phase of the project was initiated in 2005 and was estimated to be completed by 2015. Over 5 lakh people are expected to use metro daily after commercial operations begin.

India-Afghan air freight corridor

India and Afghanistan will operationalise their first air-freight corridor in next few days. The flight will be operated by Ariana Afghan Airlines (Afghanistan’s national carrier). It will carry commodities from Kabul to Delhi and then return with Indian goods to Kabul. The development is significant since Pakistan does not allow use of its land for trade between Afghanistan and India.

CRPF launches helpline ‘Madadgaar’

Central Reserve Police Force has launched a 24×7 helpline “Madadgaar” at Srinagar’s Tagore Hall. The aim of the helpline is to assist Kashmiris, especially students studying all over the country who face security issues and other problems away from the home. It would also aid in career counselling for those interested in joining the paramilitary forces.

19^th June 2017

Lockheed Martin signs pact with Tata

Lockheed Martin has signed an agreement with India’s Tata Advanced Systems to produce F-16 fighter planes in India. The announcement comes days before PM Modi travels to Washington for a first meeting with Trump. India will also have the chance to export F-16 that is flown by air forces around the world. Tata is already building airframe components for the C-130 military transport aircraft.

Ram Nath Kovind Nominated For President

Bihar Governor Ram Nath Kovind has been named as BJP’s presidential nominee. He is a lawyer by profession and has practised in both the Delhi HC and the Supreme Court. He was elected as a Rajya Sabha MP from Uttar Pradesh and served two consecutive terms for 12 years, from 1994 to 2006. He has also represented India at the United Nations and has addressed the UN General Assembly in 2002.

Greece blocks EU criticism

Greece has blocked a European Union statement at the United Nations criticizing China’s human rights record. EU diplomats said, the decision by Greece, which has benefited from huge Chinese infrastructure investment in recent times, undermined efforts to confront abuse by China. It marks the first time EU had failed to make its statement at the UN’s top rights body.

World’s Fastest Machine

According to a list released today by researchers in the US and Germany Two Chinese supercomputers have been declared the fastest machines in the world. China’s Sunway TaihuLight and Tianhe-2 are the world’s fastest and second fastest machines. While Switzerland’s Piz Daint and the US’ Titan took the third and fourth positions respectively.

South Korea to end use of nuclear power

South Korea’s President Moon Jae-in, has vowed to phase out the country’s dependence on nuclear power, following fears of a Fukushima-style meltdown. He has decided not extend the operation of ageing reactors, many of which will come to end of their lifespans between 2020 and 2030. He has decided to completely scrap construction plans for new nuclear reactors that are currently under way.

No departure card from July 1

Govt has decided to discontinue the practice of filling up of the departure card by Indians at all international airports with effect from July 1, 2017. The move is aimed at ensuring hassle-free movement of Indians going abroad. However, those going out of the country via rail, seaport and land immigration checkposts will have to fill the embarkation card.

RBI directs IDBI to start insolvency

Lanco Infratech has said that RBI has directed its lead lender IDBI Bank to initiate insolvency proceedings for the company under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code. The company is among 12 firms identified by the central bank with a combined debt of over Rs 1,50,000 crore. Shares of Lanco tanked 20% to a record low after the confirmation.

AIIB approves 3 new members

Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank has approved membership of Argentina, Madagascar and Tonga at its 2nd annual meeting of governors. Approved applicants included 1 regional prospective member of Tonga and 2 non-regional members of Argentina and Madagascar. They will officially join AIIB once they complete the required domestic processes and deposit first instalment of capital with bank.

Venkaiah launches Urban housing project

To give push to the National Mission of Housing for All in Andhra Pradesh, Union Minister of Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation Venkaiah Naidu launched urban housing project for financially backward people of state. The affordable housing project will be built in G+3 stories across 38 urban spaces in the State. National Mission of Housing for All aims to provide shelter to all by 2022.

Experts resign from Trump HIV/AIDS panel

Six top health advisors have resigned from Donald Trump’s advisory council on HIV/AIDS. HIV project director Scott Schoettes said the Trump administration has “no strategy” on AIDS and that he and his five colleagues will be more effective advocating for change from the outside. Schoettes cited data showing that only 40% of people living with HIV in the US can access life-saving medications.

Indian Energy Exchange files IPO

Indian Energy Exchange has filed draft papers with the SEBI to float an initial public offering. The IPO will see sale of 60,65,009 equity shares by existing shareholders, including Tata Power, private equity arm of Aditya Birla Group and Madison India Capital. IEX is India’s first power exchange providing automated trading platform for electricityand renewable energy certificates.

1st Indian building to get trademark

114-year-old Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai has become the 1st Indian building to get trademark. It has joined the elite club of trademarked properties in the world which includes the Empire State Building, the Eiffel Tower and Sydney Opera House. With IHCL trademarking the building, nobody can now use Taj Mahal Palace’s images for commercial purposes without paying the company a licensing fee.

India’s most expensive office market

According to bi-annual global prime office occupancy costs survey by CBRE Group, New Delhi’s central business district of Connaught Place is the 9th most expensive office market in the world. Mumbai’s Bandra Kurla Complex is ranked 20th while the CBD of Nariman Point is ranked 33 on the list. Central in Hong Kong and West End in London remain the two most expensive markets in the world.

The 2017 Orwell Prize

Britain’s most prestigious prize for political writing,Orwell Prize, was announced in London. The 2017 Orwell Prize for books was bestowed upon John Bew for his extraordinary biography Citizen Clem. Winners of the Orwell prize for journalism and the Orwell prize for Exposing Britain’s Social Evils were awarded to Fintan O’Toole and Felicity Lawrence respectively.

APY can now be subscribed digitally

Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority has introduced APY@eNPS which involves complete digital enrolment process. It has been done to give additional push to cover the unreached population at greater ease. Under APY, subscribers would receive a minimum guaranteed pension at the age of 60 years, depending on their contributions. APY subscribers’ base is more than 54 Lakhs.

China to send mini-ecosystems to Moon

China is planning to send mini-ecosystems containing potato seeds and silkworm eggs to the Moon next year. It’s aim is to study how the organisms develop on the lunar surface and to prepare for future moon landings and possible human inhabitants. The 3-kilogramme mini-ecosystem, developed by research teams led by Chongqing University in China, will be sent to the Moon in 2018.

Pakistan wins Champions Trophy title

Pakistan won the 2017 Champions Trophy cricket final after beating arch-rivals India by 180 runs at the Oval ground in Britain’s capital, London. With the win, Pakistan won their first Champions Trophy to add to their 1992 World Cup and 2009 World T20 wins. Pakistan had come into the tournament as the lowest-ranked team and lost heavily to India in its opening group match.

India’s biggest win over Pakistan

India demolished Pakistan 7-1 to register their third consecutive victory and seal a place in the quarter-finals of the Hockey World League Semi-Final. This was was India’s biggest over Pakistan, bettering the 7-4 effort against arch-rivals in 2003 Champions Trophy and 2010 Commonwealth Games. This was India’s 56th win over Pakistan in the 168th match between the two nations.

Orion spacecraft passes key safety tests

NASA’s Orion spacecraft designed to take astronauts to deep space destinations such as Moon & Mars has successfully completed a series of tests for its critical safety systems. Engineers tested abort motor for Orion’s launch abort system, firing 17-foot motor for 5 seconds. Abort motor is responsible for propelling crew module away from the Space Launch System rocket in case of an emergency.

Govt announces 149 new POPSK

            External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has announced that the govt. will soon open 149 new Post Office Passport Seva Kendra. These will be in addition to 86 POPSKs announced by MEA in the first phase. Govt. has set up a target that no one has to travel more than a radius of 50 kms to get a passport. NDA govt has altogether opened or announced 251 PSKs and POPSKs since coming to power.

20^th June 2017

Amitabh Bachchan to promote GST

Govt has roped in Amitabh Bachchan to promote Goods and Services Tax, ahead of its implementation scheduled on July 1. Central Board of Excise and Customs will be making the 74-year-old Bachchan brand ambassador for GST. A video featuring him has already been shot and is being circulated. In the video, he explains GST as an unifying force just like the 3 colours in the national flag.

Reliance Def inks pact with Yugoimport

Reliance Defence Ammunition has entered a strategic partnership with Serbia’s state-run defence major Yugoimport to manufacture ammunition in India. The Two will work together in the field of ammunition with projected minimum requirement of Rs 20,000 crore over next 10 years from Indian armed forces. Reliance Defence has proposed to set up a greenfield facility for production of ammunition.

Mobile App “Celebrating Yoga” launched

Minister for Science & Technology Dr. Harshvardhan launched a Mobile App “Celebrating Yoga”. The Mobile App developed by DST provides a platform to share information and insights about peoples’ participation in Yoga activities on the occasion of the International Yoga Day 2017. The App will be connected with Google Map where shared information can been seen by the users.

SC rejects DMRC plea

Supreme Court has rejected a petition filed by Delhi Metro Rail Corporation challenging the Delhi HC Order directing it to release Rs 60 crore as interim payment to Reliance Infrastructure. Reliance won a Rs 2,950 cr arbitration award against DMRC for alleged breach of the agreement on the Airport Express line. Court has directed DMRC to release the interim payment to DAMEPL within a week.

Keshari Tripathi gets additional charge

Bihar Governor Ram Nath Kovind has resigned from the gubernatorial post following his nomination as the ruling NDA’s presidential candidate. BJP yesterday announced his name for the president’s post, election of which is scheduled for July 17. West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi will discharge the functions of the Governor of Bihar, in addition to his own duties.

NASA finds 10 new Earth-like planets

NASA has announced the discovery of 10 rocky, Earth-sized planets in our Milky Way Galaxy that could potentially have liquid water and support life. These planets were orbiting their suns at a distance similar to Earth’s orbit around the sun. This discovery brings the total number of suspected exoplanets founded by the Kepler space telescope to be more than 4,000.

Australia suspends its air strikes

Australia has suspended its air strikes into Syria following US downing of a Syrian military jet. U.S. military shot down Syrian warplane, saying it had targeted an American-allied, Kurdish-led force that is battling the IS extremists. Australia is part of a U.S. led coalition that has been waging war against IS. It has 6 fighter jets based in UAE that strike targets in Syria and Iraq.

Free education from Nursery to PhD

Chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh has announced free education for girls from nursery to the doctorate level in government institutions of Punjab. Govt will also introduce free textbooks to all students of govt schools, and will introduce pre-primary classes in govt schools from the next academic session. He also announced free Wi-FI for 13,000 primary schools and all 48 govt colleges.

Syrian refugee as Goodwill Ambassador

UN Children’s Fund announced the appointment of Syrian refugee Muzoon Almellehan as its newest and youngest goodwill ambassador. The appointment makes Muzoon the first person with official refugee status to become an Ambassador for Unicef. She follows in the footsteps of the late actress and goodwill ambassador Audrey Hepburn who was also supported by UNICEF as a child.

Sweden to reach zero carbon emissions

Sweden has pledged to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045 in order to tackle climate change. Reaching net-zero carbon emissions will demand at least an 85% cut in domestic greenhouse gas emissions from Sweden’s 1990 levels. Swedish government will now be required to present a climate report during its annual budget bill.

Telangana govt sets up WiFi hotspots

Telangana govt has launched Hyderabad City Wi-Fi project, providing wireless networking technology at over 1,000 public places in Hyderabad. 3,000 public locations were identified in the city, however network has now been installed at 1,000 hotspots with an assured bandwidth of 5-10 Mbps offering 30 minutes of free wi-fi. Entire project is being rolled out at a cost of around Rs 300 crore.

ICC Team of Champions Trophy

Three Indians, including Virat Kohli, were named in the ICC Team of the Champions Trophy 2017, with Pakistan’s Sarfraz Ahmed named its captain. The side includes four Pakistanis, three Indians, three Englishmen and one Bangladeshi, with Kane Williamson of New Zealand as 12th man. Pakistan’s Fakhar Zaman was picked as Dhawan’s opening partner.

Punjab govt announces crop loan waiver

Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh has announced crop loan waiver of up to Rs 2 lakh for farmers who own up to 5 acres of agriculture land. Flat relief of Rs 2 lakh will be offered to all other marginal farmers, irrespective of the loan amount. The ex-gratia for suicide affected families has also been raised to Rs.5.00 lakh from the existing Rs.3.00 lakh.

Mangalyaan completes 1000 Earth days

Indian Mars Orbiter Mission also called Mangalyaan completed 1000 Earth days in its orbit on June 20, which is more than 5 times the number of days it was designated to last. It has now completed 388 orbits of Mars and relayed back a storm of data including over 715 images. It was launched on Nov 5, 2013 and entered the orbit of mars on September 24, 2014, in its first attempt.

New steel plant in Jharkhand

Vedanta group and Jharkhand Mineral Development Corporation will jointly set up a steel plant at Manoharpur in West Singhbhum district, Jharkhand. Rs 700 crore of the total MoU signed with prospective investors have already been implemented on the ground. Project proposals worth Rs 15 to 16,000 crore will be effective in July. Govt also plans to set up a world-class airport in Dhalbhumgarh

Indian Wushu Team bags six medals

India won 6 medals in Wushu competition of the 1st ever BRICS Games, which were held in China. The medals haul comprised 2 each in gold, silver and bronze. M. Gyandas and Anjul Namdev won a gold each while 2 silver medals came through Bidheswari Devi and Toshibala. It featured some 300 athletes from 5 countries with 10 events in 3 sports – men’s basketball, women’s volleyball and Wushu.

India re-nominates Dalveer Bhandari

India has re-nominated Justice Dalveer Bhandari as its candidate for another term as judge at the International Court of Justice. He was elected in April 2012 during simultaneous balloting in both the General Assembly and the Security Council to a seat on the ICJ. The ICJ elections will be held in November and if elected, he will serve a term of nine years.

India Ratifies UN TIR Convention

India has become the 71st country to ratify United Nations TIR Convention. The TIR convention is expected to boost trade and regional integration across South Asia and beyond. It will help India to integrate with Myanmar and Thailand as well as Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal. It will also enable India to move cargo along International North-South Transport Corridor via Chabahar port in Iran.

Energy Conservation Building Code 2017

Piyush Goyal launched the ECBC Code 2017 which prescribes energy performance standards for new commercial buildings to be constructed across India. It aims to optimise energy savings with comfort levels for occupants, and prefers life-cycle cost effectiveness to achieve energy neutrality in commercial buildings. Adoption of ECBC could lead to 30%-50% energy savings by commercial buildings.

SRK buys team in South Africa T20 league

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan has now bought a team in South Africa’s T20 Global League. SRK’s franchise will be based in Cape Town with JP Duminy as the marquee player. The name of the team will be Cape Town Knight Riders. This is SRK’s third team in T20 cricket leagues after Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League and Trinbago Knight Riders in the Caribbean Premier League.

21^st June 2017

Pakistan begins fencing its border

Pakistan will soon begin construction of a fence across its porous border with Afghanistan in order to improve security. In first phase high infiltration-prone border areas in Bajaur, Mohmand and Khyber are being fenced. New forts and border posts would be built in order to improve surveillance and defense. The 2 nations are divided by 2400km Durand Line, drawn by britishers in 1896.

30 days to deposit demonetised currency

Govt. has permitted banks and post offices to deposit junked Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes with the RBI by July 20. This is the second window the government has provided to banks, post offices and cooperative banks for depositing the junked notes with RBI. They will also have to provide a reason for why the currency was not deposited with the central bank within the specified period.

Most expensive city in India for expats

According to Mercer’s 23rd annual Cost of Living Survey, Mumbai is placed 57th on the list, while New Delhi is placed at 99. Mumbai ranked higher than major global cities such as Paris, Canberra, Seattle. Chennai, Bengaluru and Kolkata were the other Indian cities on the list. Luanda was named the costliest city globally for expats and Tunis is the least expensive.

World’s 1st data embassy

PM of Estonia Jüri Ratas and PM of Luxembourg Xavier Bettel signed an agreement on housing data and information systems between 2 countries, thereby creating world’s 1st data embassy. Luxembourg has been chosen as the location for the embassy and will begins its operations from 2018. Luxembourg has been chosen since it has capabilities to provide a high level of security for the stored data.

ISRO to launch Earth Observation Sat

India will launch its earth observation satellite Cartosat-2 series weighing 712 kg and 30 co-passenger satellites with its rocket Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle. According ISRO, the PSLV rocket’s XL variant is expected to lift off on 23rd June from the Sriharikota rocket port. The co-passenger satellites comprise 29 nano satellites from 14 countries as well as one Indian nanosatellite.

IDBI Federal Life partners with SunTec

IDBI Federal Life Insurance has partnered with SunTec, which will help facilitate in computing and invoicing of debit tax and credit tax that will be GST compliant. Under the agreement, for the debit tax mandate SunTec will help in analysing data from various sources for computation and invoicing purposes. IDBI Federal Life Insurance is headquartered in Mumbai.

World’s best budget airline

AirAsia has been named the World’s Best Low-Cost Airline for the ninth time in a row at the 2017 Skytrax World Airline Awards. The airline was also named Asia’s Best Low-Cost Airline in Asia. AirAsia X, AirAsia’s long-haul sister airline, bagged the World’s Best Low-Cost Airline Premium Cabin and World’s Best Low-Cost Airline Premium Seat awards for the fifth straight year.

65 million people displaced in 2016

According to a report by United Nations a record 65.6 million people worldwide were forcibly displaced from their homes owing to conflict or persecution by the end of 2016. This is the highest figure since UNHCR started collecting records. Syrians continued to be the largest forcibly displaced population, with 12 million peopleat the end of 2016.

International Yoga Day

Every year June 21 is celebrated as International Yoga Day in different parts of the world. The idea of International Day of Yoga was first proposed by PM Modi during his speech at the UNGA, on 27 September 2014. This year’s theme ‘Yoga for Health’ hopes to highlight yoga’s holistic approach to both physical and mental well-being and its ability to create a balance between body and mind.

Salman named Saudi Arabia’s crown prince

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman appointed his 31-year-old son Mohammed bin Salman as the crown prince. Mohammed bin Salman will replace Mohammed bin Nayef who has been relieved of his post. A royal decree appointed Mohammed bin Salman crown prince and deputy prime minister. He will also retains defense, oil and other portfolios.

Anil Kumble steps down as India coach

Anil Kumble has stepped down from the position of Indian cricket team’s head coach. His 1 year contract expired at the end of Champions Trophy but he was given the option to travel to West Indies for upcoming ODI series. He was appointed as the head coach in June 2016 by Cricket Advisory Committee. He said that Kohli had reservations with his style and about him continuing as head coach.

India and ADB Sign $275 Million Loan

Asian Development Bank and Govt of India has signed a $275 million loan for improving urban services in 64 small towns in the State of Madhya Pradesh. The state government will provide a USD 124 million counterpart support for the project which is estimated to be completed by June 2022. It will develop sustainable, inclusive and climate resilient water supply in 64 small and mid-sized towns.

Iyengar Institute wins first yoga award

Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute, Pune has been selected as the first recipient of Prime Minister’s Award for outstanding contribution for promotion and development of yoga. Decision has been taken by the screening committee and evaluation committee for the awards that were constituted in 2016. The institute was selected for its efforts in the field for over a period of 4 decades.

Baldwin Lonsdale dies after heart attack

President of Vanuatu, Baldwin Lonsdale, has died after a heart attack at the age of 67. While president he oversaw the vast rebuilding of parts of Vanuatu after Cyclone Pam left an estimated 75,000 people homeless in 2015. He was a civil servant before becoming an Anglican priest, was elected to the presidency in 2014. He sacked his government 2 years ago over a massive corruption scandal.

Travis Kalanick resigns as Uber CEO

Travis Kalanick, cofounder and CEO of Uber has stepped down as company’s top executive. He had taken a leave of absence amid a number of internal scandals that have plagued the company including complaints of sexual harassment and discrimination by employees. He faced strong opposition from shareholders, ultimately forcing him to step down. However he will stay on Uber’s board of directors.

Hike Messenger partners with YES Bank

Hike Messenger has launched a new version of the app with a completely new interface and addition of a mobile wallet,. Hike has partnered Yes Bank to facilitate money transfers to banks using UPI system. Wallet will allow instant money transfer among its clients and enable fund transfer to banks using UPI. Hike Messenger is the first messaging platform in India to launch payments facility.

World Refugee Day

World Refugee Day is held every year on June 20th to raise awareness of the situation of refugees throughout the world. On this day, refugee advocates urge people to focus on plight of those who have been displaced by famine and war. By the end of 2016, more than 65 million people worldwide were forced to leave their homes due to conflict, data published by the U.N. Refugee Agency reveals.

L&T launches Floating Dock for Navy

First indigenously built Floating Dock (FDN-2) to repair Indian Navy ships was launched at Larsen & Toubro Shipyard at Kattupalli, Chennai. It will be handed over to Navy after 3 to 4 months of trial. It can take up to 8,000-tonne ships with draught up to 7m, including submarine. FDN-2 will move to Andaman & Nicobar Islands to be used for assets not only of Navy but also of other Services.

Meghalaya Govt signs two MoUs with SBI

Meghalaya govt has signed 2 MoUs with the State Bank of India as a part of an initiative towards migrating government transactions to digital mode. Finance department signed 2 MoUs with the StateBank of India for their SBI ePay and SBI CMP facilities. SBI CMP will help the state govt to make its payments online and will reduce paper work and manual reconciliation of govt transactions.

Cooperation in the field of archives

A Protocol of Cooperation was signed b/w National Archives of India and Minister of Culture of Portuguese Republic in the field of archives in Portugal. National Archives of Portugal handed over to the National Archives of India digital copies of 62 volumes of the collection known as Moncoes do Reino. The collection is important primary source for study of the Portuguese expansion in Asia.

22^nd June 2017

Russian to lead UN counter-terror unit

UN has appointed veteran Russian diplomat Vladimir Voronkov to head a newly established counter-terrorism division. He will have the rank of Under Secretary-General. He has spent more than 30 years in Russia’s foreign service, serving in Vienna as an ambassador to UN organisations since 2011. Counter-Terrorism office would oversee the counter-terrorism efforts of 36 UN-funded programmes.

India to surpass China by 2024

According to a UN forecast India’s population could surpass that of China around 2024, two years later than previously estimated. India’s population is projected to touch 1.5 billion in 2030. India’s population may eventually see a decline in the half century after 2050 to 1.51 billion by 2100 but it will still be the most populous country in the world.

Rajiv Gauba to be home secretary

The appointments Committee of the Cabinet has appointed senior IAS officer Rajiv Gauba as Union home secretary. He will replace incumbent Rajiv Mehrishi who is set to retire in August 2017. He is currently posted as secretary in Ministry of Urban Development as Officer on Special Duty. Durga Shanker Mishra will replace Gauba as the Urban Development Secretary.

TB patients to submit Aadhaar details

People suffering from tuberculosis will now have to submit their Aadhaar number to avail benefits under a central government scheme. Health Ministry has asked those who do not have Aadhaar card to get themselves enrolled by 31st of August this year. The notification is applicable in all the states and Union territories except Assam, Meghalaya and Jammu and Kashmir.

Romanian Prime Minister ousted

Romanian Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu has been ousted after a vote of no confidence organised by chairman of his own ruling Social Democratic Party. He lost the motion by 241 votes to 10. He has been accused for failing to carry out necessary economic reforms in the country. He refused to resign, accusing Dragnea, who holds the party in a tight grip of trying to centralize all power.

Shrihari Chandraghatgi gets Japan Award

Indian Agricultural Microbiologist Dr Shrihari Chandraghatgi has been conferred with Ministry of Environment Award in Japan for developing cutting edge technologies to address environmental problems. He is the first foreigner to win this award in environmental sector in Japan. He has developed technologies by exploring capabilities of natural micro-organisms for environmental remediation.

Boris Becker declared bankrupt

Three-time Wimbledon tennis champion Boris Becker has been declared bankrupt by a court in London. He was declared bankrupt over the undisclosed sums of money he owed to the London-based private bankers Arbuthnot Latham & Co, since October 2015. Following the bankruptcy declaration Becker’s remaining assets and property will be disposed of to pay his creditors.

New tools to protect profile pictures

Facebook has introduced new tools in India that will allow users to protect their profile pictures from being downloaded and shared. The new tools are developed in partnership with safety organisations, including Centre for Social Research and Learning Links Foundation in New Delhi. Users in India will start seeing a step-by-step guide to add an optional profile picture guard.

Research project on South China Sea

China has launched a research project to compile historical data obtained during expeditions by its teams to South China Sea since late 1950s. A comparative analysis and research will provide insight into resources, environment and changes related to the Sea and its affiliated islands. It is 1 of the 14 resource investigation programmes approved by Chinese’s Ministry of Science & Technology.

Mswipe raises $31 mn from UC-RNT Fund

Mobile point-of-sale services provider Mswipe has raised Rs 200 crore from Ratan Tata-led UC-RNT Fund, Matrix Partners and other investors. These funds will be used to develop a wide network of merchants accepting digital payments in the country. Axis Bank made an exit by selling its entire 8% stake for Rs 81 crore.

Mswipe has a payment network of 2,46,000 terminals spread across 550 cities

Pune raises 200 crore in municipal bond

Pune Municipal Corporation has become the first local body in the country to issue municipal bonds in 15 years, raising Rs 200 crore for the smart city project. The issue was handled by SBI Capital Market, was oversubscribed six times, having received subscriptions worth Rs 1,200 crore. Domestic insurers, pension funds, and large state-owned banks have invested the PMC bonds.

Special secretary in Ayush ministry

Ayurveda physician Rajesh Kotecha has been appointed as special secretary in Ayush Ministry. He has been appointed for 3 years on a contract basis, according to an order issued by Department of Personnel and Training. The appointment is in line with Centre’s efforts to bring in specialists from the private sector in the govt. He is the chief consultant of Chakrapani Ayurveda Clinic, Jaipur.

Delhi Metro introduces smart watches

DMRC has introduced a smart watch which will act as a smart card and can be used as entry and exit pass. The commuter will simply have to touch the watch to the screens of the AFC gates at the metro stations to get access. DMRC has partnered with LAKS GmbH which will manufacture the watch. These watches will be called Watch2Pay, are available through an online e-commerce site.

Quikr acquires Babajob

Quikr India has acquired job listing company Babajob Services in an attempt to strengthen its position in the blue collar jobs segment. This the 11th acquisition for Quikr and its second in the online jobs marketplace space. The combined entity of Babajob and QuikrJobs will become the largest platform for blue collar job seekers. Quikr has decided to run Babajob as a separate entity.

MeitY launches GST portal

Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has launched a dedicated webpage to address issues related to IT Services and Electronics goods ahead of the roll out of the GST. The Webpage can be accessed through Ministry’s Web Portal www.meity.gov.in. Individuals, Companies and Entrepreneurs in IT and Electronics sector can visit the webpage for sector specific information.

First train that runs on virtual tracks

China has unveiled World’s 1st railless train – A train that runs on virtual tracks making use of sensor technology instead of metal rails. The new train is part of China’s attempts to develop “intelligent rail express system”. The 30m train has 3 carriages as of now and can carry 300 passengers. The train is powered by electricity as well, making it environment-friendly.

GDP growth to rise to 7.5% in FY19

According to Fitch Ratings, India’s GDP growth will steadily rise from 7.4% to 7.5% in 2018-19 and to 7.6% in 2019-20. Growth would be boosted by GST, increased public spending on infrastructure, and a supportive monetary policy over the last two years. Fitch also mentioned that the global growth was strengthening, with world GDP growth expected to pick up to 3.1% in 2018 from 2.5% in 2016.

1st Open loop EMV contactless metro card

Axis Bank in association with Kochi Metro Rail Corporation has launched KMRL Axis Bank ‘Kochi1’ Card, India’s first open loop EMV contactless metro card. Axis Bank has partnered with NPCI in developing this transit EMV contactless specification on interoperable open standards. The prepaid card has integrated benefits and offers Instant issuance of Personalized Cards.

Best airline in the world

Qatar Airways has been named Best Airline in the World for 2017 by consumer aviation website Skytrax. This is Qatar Airways’ fourth win in the last 10 years after securing the top spot in 2011, 2012, and 2015. Qatar Airways also took home the award for Best Business Class in the World and Best Airline in the Middle East. Two Indian airlines IndiGo and Jet Airways were on the Top 100 list.

Juster to be U.S. Ambassador to India

Kenneth Juster, deputy director of National Economic Council, will be appointed as the U.S. Ambassador to India. He would replace Richard Verma. Mr. Juster has been a strong advocate of India-U.S. partnership, and was the co-chair of the U.S.-India High Technology Cooperation Group set up during the George W. Bush presidency.

23^rd June 2017

Passports to be in English and Hindi

While addressing an event to mark 50 years of the Passport Act, 1967, External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj announced that passports will now be in both Hindi and English, and not just in English. Personal details in passports are now printed only in English. She also announced 10 per cent reduction in passport fee for applicants who are under eight and over 60 years of age.

Google Maps are not authenticated

India’s mapping and survey organisation, Survey of India has said that Google Maps is “not authenticated” and “unapproved” by the government. According to SOI google maps are not fit for high-end applications and is used by low-end applications with a confined accuracy. Survey of India’s maps are used for high-engineering applications like building a new railway line or a making canals

Uttarakhand, Haryana become ODF

Uttarakhand and Haryana have become the fourth and fifth Open Defecation Free states of India under the Swachh Bharat Mission. The two states joined the league of Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh and Kerala, which were the first three states to be declared ODF. Over two lakh villages and 147 districts have been declared Open Defacation Free across the country.

Law to allow serving liquor near Highway

Punjab Assembly has passed a amendment to allow serving liquor in hotels and clubs on highway. The move comes in the wake of the order of SC banning hotels and bars to serve liquor falling within the range of 500m from highways. Bill aims to ensure that notified places are allowed to serve alcohol only for consumption within their premises to secure livelihood of large segments of people.

Jadhav Files Second Mercy Plea

            Pakistani military has announced that former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav had filed a mercy petition with Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa. Seeking forgiveness for his actions he has requested the Chief of Army Staff to spare his life on compassionate grounds. The International Court of Justice in May halted the execution on India’s appeal.

Free electricity for BPL families

UP Cabinet Minister Shrikant Sharma has said that under the ‘Power For All’ scheme all the urban Below Poverty Line families would get free electricity connection. All urban dwellers below the poverty line shall receive free electricity connections. The ‘Power for All’ pact was signed in the presence of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union Minister of State for Power Piyush Goyal.

US approves sale of Guardian drones

According to govt. sources US has cleared the sale of 22 Guardian drones to India. Sale of these drones is “a game changer” as it operationalises India’s status of ‘major defence partner’. The Indian navy getting the unarmed surveillance drones it wants to keep watch over the Indian Ocean will be the first such purchase by a country that is not a member of the NATO alliance.

RBI inducts 3 more in oversight panel

RBI has expanded the overseeing committee by appointing 3 more members. The new members are MBN Rao, Y M Deosthalee and S Raman. Pradeep Kumar will head the now 5-member panel that will work through multiple benches. The reconstituted OC will work with an expanded mandate to review, in addition to cases being restructured under the Scheme for Sustainable Structuring of Stressed Assets.

No Cars, Phones For Uttarakhand Govt

Uttarakhand High Court has put a ban on purchase of cars, mobile phones and other luxury items by the government. This is because of state government’s failure to provide basic minimum amenities to children in the state-run schools. The high court observed that the government that cannot provide basic amenities to children has no moral right to spend money on luxuries.

Mizoram launches Test and Treat Strategy

Mizoram Health Minister Lal Thanzara has launched the ‘Test and Treat Strategy’ of the Mizoram state AIDS Control Society to improve treatment for HIV affected people in the state. Under the Strategy, HIV affected people would be given free Anti Retrovira Therapy irrespective of the CD4 count. ART has been found to be able to resist TB and other bacterial diseases.

Stricter norms for P-Notes

SEBI has tightened P-Note norms by levying a fee of $1000 on each instrument and barred their issuance for speculative purposes to check any misuse for channelising black money. P-Notes are issued by registered FPIs to overseas investors who wish to be a part of Indian stock markets without registering themselves directly. Entry norms for foreign portfolio investor has been relaxed by SEBI.

Meira Kumar is Opposition candidate

Opposition parties have named former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar as their candidate for the next President of India. Around 17 big and small parties including Congress, BSP and SP are with Meira Kumar. The nomination of Kumar from the Opposition camp has make Presidential election a Dalit Vs Dalit fight. Meira Kumar is India’s first woman Speaker of Lok Sabha, serving from 2009 to 2014.

Government launches VAJRA scheme

Dept. of Science & Technology has launched VAJRA scheme to bring together Indian scientists abroad and India-based researchers for conducting joint researches in India. VAJRA will boost research work and lead to newer, cutting edge technologies, which was needed in India. Under the scheme foreign researchers would receive endowments at par with those in their own countries.

Economic sanctions against Russia

European Union agreed to roll over economic sanctions against Russia for another six months. This is because Moscow has failed to meet its Ukraine ceasefire commitments. Union will extend economic sanctions against Russia for their lack of implementing the Minsk agreement. The decision will become effective on July 31, when the current measures are to expire.

Facebook Launches UK Initiative

Facebook is launching a UK program to train and fund local organizations to combat extremist material online. The new initiative will train NGO’s to help them monitor and respond to extremist content and create a dedicated support desk so they can communicate directly with Facebook. The program comes in wake of criticism by politicians that tech companies are slow to remove extremist content

IOC and Intel Worldwide TOP Partnership

The International Olympic Committee and Intel has announced a long-term technology partnership. Intel will focus primarily on infusing its 5G platforms, VR, 3D and 360-degree content development platforms and drones to enhance the Olympic Games. Intel will join “The Olympic Partner” worldwide sponsorship program, becoming a Worldwide TOP Partner through 2024.

Azim Premji Honoured

Azim Premji is among the honorees of this year’s Carnegie Medal for for his efforts to reform India’s public school system. It is driven by the Azim Premji Foundation’s direct field work, currently serving seven states and over 300,000 schools. The foundation went on to establish the Azim Premji University in 2011, with a focus on school education and related fields of human development.

30 cities under Smart City Mission

The Indian government has unveiled another list of 30 cities that will be developed under the Smart City initiative. With this the total number of smart cities has gone up to 90. Kerala capital Thiruvanathapuram has topped the list this time, followed by Chhattisgarh’s new capital Naya Raipur. These cities have proposed to invest Rs 57,393 crore under respective smart city plans.

Saudi imposes family tax

Saudi Arabia has decided to impose a family tax of 100 riyals per dependent per month on expatriates. The fee will be implemented from July 1 and is expected to pose a financial burden on over 41 lakh Indian families living in Saudi. It will be doubled to 200 Saudi riyals for every dependent from July 2018, tripled to 300 Saudi riyals in 2019 and quadrupled to 400 Saudi riyals from July 2020

Test Status to Afghanistan and Ireland

International Cricket Council during its annual conference in London confirmed Afghanistan and Ireland as Full Member of ICC thereby granting them Test status. Ireland and Afghanistan have been playing as associate members since 1993 and 2013, respectively. The move takes the number of Test-playing nations from 10 to 12. They are the first to receive Test status since Bangladesh in 2000.

source:  www.testbook.com     thanks