TNPSCSHOUTERS CURRENT AFFAIRS - AUGUST 2017 - ENGLISH PDF

1ST AUGUST 2017

Around INDIA

• After a row broke out, DRSDO banned the media and the visitors taking photograph at Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam memorial
• State must stop lynchings: Centre
• Ahead of the festive seasons of Dussehra and Deepavali, the Supreme Court prohibited the se of five chemicals, labelled as toxic by the CPCB (Central Pollution Control Board) in the manufacture of firecrackers
• No firecrackers should contain antimony, lithium, mercury, arsenic and lead in any form
• DRDO launched India's first unmanned tank MUNTRA (Mission UNmanned TRAcked) that was developed in Avadi, Chennai
• Flood toll in West Bengal claimed 39 lives; while in Odisha lightning claims 34 lives
• Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi, has invited ideas for his address to the nation on 15th August 2017.
• Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs released a song with opening line ‘Swachhata Ki Jyot Jagi Hai’.(The flame of sanitation has been lit); scripted by Prasoon Joshi and sung by Babul Supriyo, Udit Narayanan and Alka Yagnik
• Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs launched the third cleanliness survey named the Swachh Survekshan - 2018 to rank 4041 cities and towns across the country
• Doordarshan to change its 53 years logo

TAMIL NADU

• Government suffered another set back on the NEET issue with the Madras High Court upholding the order of single judge who quashed the government notification providing 85% reservation for students from the State Board in admissions to MBBS / BDS courses under the State quota
• Government clarified that it would continue to provide ration supplies to all eligible ration card holders under the Universal Public Distribution System, despite notifying some guidelines as part of the implementation of the National Food Security Act
• Divide Tamil Nadu into 60 districts: PMK Chief, Dr. Ramdoss
• Why can't CBI probe on gutkha scam? - Madras High Court

STATES SCAN

• Kerala: Chief Minister, Mr. Pinarayi Vijayan convened all - party meeting to restore peace in the State
• Maharashtra: Government is planning to create cycle tracks through "Streets with Cycle Track" project in order to encourage the use of bicycles, to ease congestion and reduce air pollution; the pilot project will be implemented in 10 cities across the state
• Telangana: we are forced to sell land for the Kondapochamma Reservoir Project - Farmers to TJAC (Telangana Joint Action Committee)

BILATERAL ISSUES

• Indian Army Team with T90 tanks participated in Tank Biathlon 2017 in Russia
• New Agreement on Trade, Commerce and Transit between India and Bhutan has come into force
• In order to facilitate movement of cargo across the border, India and Bangladesh have agreed to operate Petrapole-Benapole ICP 24x7, with effect from 01st August 2017. 
• India and Pakistan hold talks on two hydropower projects (Kishenganga and Ratle) under the framework of 1960 Indus Water Treaty at the World Bank headquarters in Washington D. C.

WORLD

• China: successfully produced natural gas from methane hydrate, also known as "flammable ice" in an experiment project conducted in the South China Sea
• Russia: President Mr. Vladimir Putin signed a law that prohibits technology that provides access to websites banned in Russia; the law will ban the use of VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) and other technologies, (known as anonymisers) that allow people to surf the web anonymously
• USA: tested the THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defence) system in Alaska by launching a ballistic missile over the Pacific Ocean; the missile - defence system test came after North Korea conducted an ICBM test

ECONOMICS

• Deputy Governor of Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Mr. S. S. Mudra to retire today
• Core sector growth slows to 0.4% in June (May: 6.92%); lowest since the growth of 0.18% in Nov 2015
• HDFC Life, Max call off merger

SPORTS

• Falcons TTC won the inaugural edition of UTT (Ultimate Table Tennis) league by defeating Shaze Challengers in the finals
• World Swimming (Aquatics) Championship 2017 (held at Budapest): Caelb Dressel (USA) won the historic seventh gold medal, equalling the record of Michael Phelps; USA lead the medal table with 46 medals followed by China with 30 and Russia with 25

MISC

• Delhi Metro Railway Corporation (DMRC) was declared as the World's first green metro after it added a green certification for all its buildings and installations
• Noted Hindustani classical vocalist Ustad Hussain Sayeeduddin Dagar passed away

                                     2nd AUGUST 2017

Around INDIA

• Mr. Arvind Panagariya has stepped down as Vice - chairman of the government think tank NITI Aayog
• The noted economist, was appointed to the post by Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi in Jan 2015
• Centre informed the Supreme Court that, it had constituted a committee of experts led by former Supreme Court judge, B. N. Srikrishna to identify "key data protection issues" and suggest a draft data protection Bill
• At a high speed of Horse trading in Gujarat, Election Commission of India introduced NOTA for Rajya Sabha polls for the first time
• Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi announced a relief package of over Rs. 2000 crore for relief, rehabilitation, reconstruction and flood mitigation measures in the flood-affected North-Eastern states.
• Government came under attack from Opposition parties in both Houses of Parliament over its decision to increase the rates of cooking gas by  Rs. 4 each month till LPG Subsidy comes to end
• Rajya Sabha passed Bill to create a new commission with constitutional status for OBCs 
• BJP went into damage control mode after the  treasury benches faced an embarrassment in the Rajya Sabha when a Bill (123rd Amendment Bill) conferring Constitutional Status on the Backward Classes Commission saw the opposition get an amendment through, largely due to the absence of the ruling party MPs 

TAMIL NADU

• Procedural flaws established but no criminality made out in Rs. 570 crore cash transfer from Coimbatore to Vizag in the run - up to the 2016 Assembly Elections: CBI flies a closure report in the Madras High Court

STATES SCAN

• Haryana: Government bans the use of liquid nitrogen in drinks and food
• Maharashtra: Government urges the Centre to ban online games; move comes after a death of 14 - year old boy participating in the online game "Blue Whale Challenge"
• Punjab: to introduce injection safety programme; first State to do so
• West Bengal: 6 candidates (5 from AITC and 1 from INC) elected unopposed to Rajya Sabha; for the fist time no one from Left Parties elected to Rajya Sabha from the State

BILATERAL ISSUES

• India and Somalia signed an agreement for transfer of sentenced convicts

WORLD

• China: is constructing train tunnel of 12 km in length through one of the portions of its iconic Great Wall to connect Zhangjiako city, which is due to co - host the 2022 Winter Olympics along with Beijing
• Pakistan: Lawmakers elected Mr. Shahid Khaqan Abbasi as the new Prime Minister
• Switzerland: world's longest suspension footbridge was inaugurated; known as "Charles Kuonen Suspension Bridge"; 1621 feet and a height of 279 feet

ECONOMICS

• Flipkart completed its merger with eBay India
• Google hosts first ‘App Excellence Summit’ in Bengaluru to help developers create locally relevant apps

SPORTS

• Paris to host 2024 Summer Olympics; Paris earlier hosted the games in  1924; returns after a gap of 100 years
• Los Angeles to host 2028 Summer Olympics; with this Los Angeles will be hosting the games for third time since its first hosted in 1932 and then in 1984
• Sports is a State subject and, therefore, it is primarily the responsibility of the State Government to promote and develop Sports in the country: MoS for Youth Affairs and Sports, Mr. Vijay Goel

MISC

• Veteran molecular biologist and a vehement critic of GM crops, Pushpa Mittra Bhargava passed away
• George and Amal Clooney have partnered with UNICEF to open schools for Syrian refugee children

3rd AUGUST 2017

• Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi launches Jiyo Parsi Publicity Phase-2" in Mumbai
• John Kelly Sworn In as White House Chief of Staff
• Dhrupad maestro Ustad Sayeeduddin Dagar dies aged 78
• Government Forms Panel To Suggest Data Protection Framework
• China opens first overseas base in Djibouti
• ICC Rankings: Ravindra Jadeja Maintains Top Position, Virat Kohli Stays Fifth
• Tata Power awarded for excellence in cost management
• Indian Air Force felicitates India women’s cricketer Shikha Pandey
• BSE appoints Swarup as new Chairman
• Cabinet to take up scrapping of no-detention policy in schools
• Bills to extend GST to J-K passed by Lok Sabha
• BRICS trade ministers meet concludes in Shanghai
• Donald Trump signs Russia sanctions Bill into law
• US Senate confirms Christopher Wray as FBI Director
• Bitcoin 'clone' sees a slow start following split

4th AUGUST 2017

Around INDIA

• Despite a successful trial run last year, Spanish train Talgo unable to roll out in India as the Government unable to find way around tendering issues for Talgo
• NOTA option will remain on the ballot paper in the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections in Gujarat: Supreme Court
• India's first private sector missile sub - systems manufacturing facility was inaugurated in Hyderabad
• Minister of Road Transport & Highways, Mr. Nitin Gadkari unveiled the logo for “HIGHWAY VILLAGE” and “HIGHWAY NEST” in New Delhi 
• Indian Army has developed a mobile application named "Humraaz"; the app will allow serving soldiers to track details like postings and promotions
• Lok Sabha passed the NABARD (Amendment) Bill, 2017; the bill enables exit of the RBI from the NABARD and increase authorised capital of the development institution six times to Rs. 30000 crore

TAMIL NADU

• Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court issued to notice to Chief Minister, Mr. Edappadi K. Palaniswami and four other Ministers on taking instructions from a third party (convict V. K. Sasikala from Bengaluru prison)
• Actor Shivaji Ganesan statue removed from Kamarajar Road (Marina Beach Road); now the statue will be installed in the newly built Shivaji Ganesan memorial in Adyar; earlier the Madras High Court directed the State Government to remove the statue from the junction on Kamarajar Road
• Tamil Nadu Prison Department has procured German - made jammers to curb the use of mobile phones by inmates in 12 central prisons across the State
• Health Minister, Mr. Vijaya Baskar should be sacked: Opposition leader, Mr. M. K. Stalin

STATES SCAN

• Maharashtra: IAS Officer, Mr. Radheshyam Mopalwar has been removed from the post on the allegations of corruption and kidnapping
• BILATERAL ISSUES
• War was not a solution and wisdom was to resolve issues diplomatically: External Affairs Minister, Ms. Sushma Swaraj in the Rajya Sabha on the ongoing standoff with China at Doklam
• The first meeting of the Japan-India Coordination Forum (JICF) for Development of North-Eastern Region was held in New Delhi
• ISRO and NASA are working towards realisation of NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission by 2021

WORLD

• Chile: Parliament lifts ban on abortion
• USA: President, Mr. Donald Trump said the relations with Russia had hit an all - time and "very dangerous" low, putting the blame on Congress after he reluctantly approved sanctions against Russia

SPORTS

• Devendra Jhajharia (Javelin throw) and Sardar Singh (Football) are recommended for Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award
• 17 athletes have been recommended for the Arjuna Award

MISC

• Aug 01 - 07: World Breastfeeding Week; theme: "Sustaining Breastfeeding"
• A team of researchers have recently made a historic discovery of solar seismic waves which revealed that Sun's core is rotating for times faster than its surface

5TH AUGUST 2017

Around INDIA

• 15th Vice-Presidential election to beheld today
• Mr. Gopalkrishna Gandhi Vs Mr. Venkaiah Naidu
• Rajya Sabha Secretary-General Mr. Shumsher K. Sheriff will serve as the Returning Officer 
• The rules banning cattle slaughter never placed before Parliament - which the government should have done before implementing them- the Lok Sabha Secretariat has said in its reply to an RTI request by one of the petitioners who has moved the Supreme Court challenging the ban
• The government made Aadhar numbers a pre - requisite for issuing death certificates to residents of all States, barring Jammu & Kashmir, Meghalaya and Assam in order to establish the identity of the deceased, with effect from Oct 01, 2017
• ISRO to launch a replacement navigation satellite fitted with corrected atomic clocks to make up for the crippled satellite, IRNSS - 1A
• Ministry of Human Resources Development to choose 10governmetn and 10 private institutions (institutions that came under top 50 in NIRF [National Institute Ranking Framework]) and offer them complete autonomy from UGC
• High Level Committee (headed by Just B. N. Srikrishna) to review the institutionalization of arbitration mechanism and suggest reforms thereto submitted its report
• ICAR-NAARM Technology Business Incubator (TBI), a-IDEA and Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad’s (IIM-A) incubator Center for Innovation, Incubation and Entrepreneurship (CIIE) announced “AGRI UDAAN”- Food and Agribusiness Accelerator 2.0.

TAMIL NADU

• Union Finance Minister, Mr. Arun Jaitley has turned down the request of Chief Minister, Mr. Edappadi K. Palaniswam for waiver of loan farms

STATES SCAN

• Haryana: government banned government school teachers to bring mobile phones to classrooms
• Karnataka: Bengaluru gets India's first "heli - taxi" service
• Karnataka: Bengaluru Metro Train (Namma Metro) Corporation Ltd, started removing Hindi signages from Metro stations
• Rajasthan: in a first in the country, the government has barred tobacco sellers from displaying tobacco products in their shops

BILATERAL ISSUES

• India signed loan agreement with the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) for financing 329 million (US $) for Gujarat rural roads project

WORLD

• Israel: Supreme Court has said gay people have right to become parents through surrogacy
• USA: 3 Indian - Americans picked by the President have been confirmed by the US Senate to key governmental posts

                (i) Neil Chatterjee: Member of the Federal Regulatory Commission (FERC), a body that oversees electricity, natural gas an oil at the national level
               (ii) Vishal Amin: Intellectual Property (IP) Enforcement Cooridnator
              (iii) Krishna R Urs: US Ambassador to Peru
ECONOMICS

• Union Finance Minister, Mr. Arun Jaitley announced a new Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) by the name BHARAT 22.

MISC

• Astronomers have identified the oldest known asteroid family (known as planetesimals), orbiting the Sun between Mars and Jupiter.

6th AUGUST 2017

NATIONAL

• Indian Railways Signs First EPC Contract With L&T To Speed Up Electrification - With the aim of boosting its “Mission Electrification” plan, Indian Railways signed its first Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract with L&T for large electrification projects. The contract valuing Rs 1,050 crore for electrification of 781 route kilometres (RKM) was awarded by Central Organisation for Railway Electrification (CORE) and Konkan Railways.
• ISRO To Sign MoU With CSIR-NPL To Make Desi GPS - Seeking to make desi GPS – indigenous regional positioning system named as Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC) – independent from the US clock system, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)will on Friday sign an MoU with CSIR-National Physical Laboratory (NPL) for time and frequency traceability services. The move will help the desi GPS get formally synchronized with the Indian Standard Time (IST) which is being maintained by the Delhi-based NPL – the timekeeper of India.
• India hopeful operations at Chabahar Port will start by 2018 - The Minister for Road Transport & Highways and Shipping Shri Nitin Gadkari has said that the government is keen on developing Chabahar Port in Iran and is hopeful of starting operations by 2018. Shri Gadkari is in Teheran, to represent India at the taking over of office by President Hassan Rouhani for the second term. The Indian Government has allocated Rs 6 billion for the development of the port. Out of this, tenders worth Rs 380 Crore for equipment have already been finalized.
• About Chabahar Port - Iran’s Chabahar port located in the Sistan-Baluchistan Province on the south-eastern coast is a port of great strategic utility for India. It lies outside the Persian Gulf and is accessed from India’s western coast. As per an MoU signed between India and Iran in May last year, India is to equip and operate two berths in Chabahar Port Phase-I with capital investment of USD 85.21 million and annual revenue expenditure of USD 22.95 million on a 10-year lease.
• Bihar Government announced Compulsory retirement for non-performing teachers and education officials above 50. The Bihar Government has informed that it has decided to compulsory retirement to the non-performing teachers, head masters and education department officials above the age of 50 years. The committee is headed by RK Mahajan. The main aim is to improve results in matriculation and intermediate.
• India’s First Heli-taxi service launched by MoS for Civil Aviation Jayanth Sinha in Bengaluru - Thumby Aviation, a private helicopter service provider, and Bangalore International Airport Ltd., (BIAL) have partnered to launch Heli-Taxi service from Bengaluru Airport. Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) is the first airport and Bengaluru is the first city in the country with such a service.
• The Maharashtra government dedicated 10 motorbike ambulances equipped with primary facilities to provide swift assistance to patients, as part of a pilot project. This will work as an emergency first responder medical service, which will be available through 108 free helpline and have teams of paramedics who will stabilise the patient until the four-wheeler ambulance arrives.
• Aadhaar number has been made mandatory for the registration of death from 1st of October. The rule will come into force across the country except Jammu and Kashmir, Assam and Meghalaya. It will provide an effective method to prevent identity fraud. Under the new rule, applications for a death certificate would have to provide the Aadhaar number, or enrollment number of the dead person.
• The first meeting of the Japan-India Coordination Forum (JICF) for Development of North-Eastern Region was held in New Delhi. The first meeting of the Japan-India Coordination Forum (JICF) for Development of North-Eastern Region was held in New Delhi. The Japanese delegation was led by the Japanese Ambassador to India, Mr. Kenji Hiramatsu while Secretary, Ministry of Development of North-Eastern Region (DoNER), Shri Naveen Verma led the Indian side.

INTERNATIONAL

• UN Security Council Imposes New Sanctions On North Korea - United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has passed a resolution imposing new sanctions on North Korea for its continued intercontinental ballistic missile testing and violations of UN resolutions. The UNSC unanimously approved tough new sanctions ban on coal and other exports worth over 1 billion dollars. The measures would be the seventh set of UN sanctions imposed on North Korea since it first carried out a nuclear test in 2006. The resolution prevents North Korea from increasing the number of workers it sends abroad.
• Qatar’s Cabinet approved a draft law making permanent residency available to some non-citizens of the country. Under the new law, Residency permits will be granted to children of Qatari women married to foreigners. The residency permit gives holders similar rights as Qataris in terms of property ownership and access to generous education and health care services. According to the provisions of the bill, the minister of interior may grant a permanent residency ID to a non-Qatari if they meet the conditions specified in the law.

APPOINTMENTS

• Venkaiah Naidu Elected As Vice President - The ruling NDA candidate and former Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu was elected as the next Vice-President of India. He will replace Mohammad Hamid Ansari, whose second term ends. Mr. Naidu, former Union Minister was elected as the 13th Vice President, after he defeated the Opposition nominee Gopalkrishna Gandhi. 
• Economist Rajiv Kumar will be the new Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog. He will succeed Arvind Panagariya, the first Vice Chairman of the NITI Aayog. Mr. Panagariya had recently resigned from his post. Earlier, he was Secretary General of the FICCI and had also served as Director and Chief Executive of the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations. He has also served as the chief economist of the Confederation of Indian Industries and held senior positions in the Asian Development Bank, the Indian Ministry of Industries, and the Ministry of Finance. The government has also appointed Dr Vinod Paul, a pediatrician at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences as a member of the NITI Aayog. Dr Paul has done substantial work in public health.
• Indo-Canadian Named Canada’s Consul General In San Francisco - Rana Sarkar, an Indo-Canadian entrepreneur, has been appointed as Canada’s Consul General in San Francisco as well as a member of the Canadian official team tasked with renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement, NAFTA with the US and Mexico. Sarkar was till recently national director for high growth markets at the Toronto-based multi-national KPMG. Sarkar is part of a 13-member group tasked with helping the Canada navigate the renegotiation of NAFTA.
• Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar is the brand ambassador of the Swachh Bharat Mission in UP

SPORTS

• Usain Bolt has been stunned as he finished third in the 100 meters Final of World Athletics Championship at London. In his farewell 100 meters, Bolt clocked a time of 9.95 seconds but was left behind by veteran American sprinter Justin Gatlin who clocked 9.92 seconds to claim Gold, his compatriot Christian Coleman came second with 9.94 seconds.
• Vijender Beats Zulpikar To Win WBO Oriental Super Middleweight Title - Indian professional boxer Vijender Singh outslugged his Chinese opponent Zulpikar Maimaitiali to retain the WBO Asia Pacific Super Middleweight title and win the WBO Oriental Super Middleweight title, Mumbai. 
• Ankur Mittal Wins Gold In Asian Shotgun Championship - Indian shooter Ankur Mittal clinched the individual as well as the team gold medal in men’s double trap at the 7th Asian Shotgun Championship at Astana, Kazakhstan. With scores of Sangram Dahiya and Mohammad Asabadded to Mittal’s final total, India managed to bag the top prize in the team event also. In the individual event, Dahiya finished fourth, while Asab had to be contend with the fifth position.
• Manish, Sajan Enter Bronze Medal Round In Junior World Wrestling - Two Indian Greco-Roman wrestlers Manish (60kg) and Sajan (74kg) have entered the bronze-medal round of their respective weight categories in the Junior World Wrestling championships in Finland.
• Tenth Successive Global Title For Fabulous Farah - British athletics legend Mo Farah won his 10th successive global title claiming the 10,000 metres world crown at the London Stadium where he won Olympic gold in 2012. Ugandan youngster Joshua Cheptegei took silver and Paul Tanui of Kenya claimed bronze with Farah having once again foiled their respective nations’ tactics.
• Neymar signs world record deal with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) - Neymar has become the most expensive player in football history after completing his blockbuster transfer to Paris Saint-Germain from Barcelona for 222 million euros ($262 million). Neymar had signed a five-year contract to PSG until June 2022. This is the first time in history that a French club has broken the record, with Spanish, Italian and English clubs.

BANKING & ECONOMY

• Finance Minister Arun Jaitley announces new ETF-Bharat-22, Sectoral cap set at 20% - Finance Minister Arun Jaitley launched a new Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) under the name Bharat 22, comprising shares of 22 companies from 6 sectors of the economy. This decision comes on the basis of past experiments with CPSE-ETF which proved to be successful. The ETF will feature four banking stocks — SBI, Axis Bank, Bank of Baroda and Indian Bank — other than CPSEs such as Nalco, ONGC, IOC, BPCL and Coal India. Besides, there will be nine other PSUs as well as REC and PFC.
• IndusInd Bank became the 6th Indian bank whose market capitalisation soared past the Rupee 1 lakh crore-mark. HDFC Bank is the country’s most valued bank with a market capital of Rupee 4.6 lakh crore, followed by State Bank of India, and ICICI Bank.

7th AUGUST 2017

INDIAN AFFAIRS

Govt merges NCRB with BPRD

• On August 4, 2017, Union Home Ministry passed an order to merge the three-decade old National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) with Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRD).
• Government has taken this decision with an aim to improve administrative efficiency and optimal utilisation of resources.
• The BPRD Director General (DG) will be the head of the merged new entity, where the NCRB Director, an Additional DG rank post will report to the former.

GST council approves hike in luxury car cess

• Sports utility vehicles (SUVs) and luxury cars, which became cheaper after the rollout of the goods and services tax (GST) from July 1, 2017, may now cost more as the GST Council, has decided to raise cess on them from 15% now to up to 25%.
• After GST was introduced, the total tax incidence on motor vehicles comprising the GST rate and the cess came down compared to the total tax incidence in pre-GST regime.
• However, GST Council considered this issue at its 20th meeting on August 5, 2017, and recommended to the Central Government to move legislative amendments required for increasing the maximum ceiling of cess leviable on motor vehicles to 25% instead of present 15%.
• The proposal to raise the ceiling of cess covers large motor vehicles with capacity for 10-13 persons, mid segment and large cars, sports utility vehicles, mid segment hybrid cars and other hybrid vehicles, all of which at present attract 15% cess.

BANKING & FINANCE

Mastercard, PayPal expand partnership into Asia Pacific

• Mastercard and PayPal have announced an extension of their partnership into Asia Pacific for making Mastercard a clear payment option within PayPal.
• PayPal will add Mastercard as a payment method to their e-wallet and consumers can make it their default payment option.
• Card Company will provide tokenization services and will enable mobile payments using PayPal’sdigital wallet at more than 6.5 millioncontactless-enabled merchant locations across the globe.
• The partnership will also add Master pass as a payment option for merchants that process payments via Braintree.
• The partnership will allow consumers and small businesses across Asia Pacific to cash ou t funds held in their PayPal e-wallet to a Mastercard debit card.

PNB customers to pay higher charges for non-credit services

• PNB customers will have to pay charges for depositing cash above Rs 5,000 in a non-base branch even if it is located in the same city.
• Currently, the customers of Punjab National Bank (PNB) are levied charges only for depositing cash over Rs 25,000 at a non-base branch within the same city.
• A customer will have to pay Re 1 per Rs 1,000 for above Rs 5,000 cash deposit or part thereof with a minimum of Rs 25 per transaction.
• It has been decided to revise the non-credit related charges exclusive of GST with effect from 1st of September 2017 for cash deposit above Rs 5,000 at other than base branch within the same city.
• The bank has also revised upwards the cheque returning charges for a payment of ab ove Rs 1 crore to Rs 2,000 for first cheque and Rs 2,500 for subsequent bounces.
• Currently, for a cheque returns of above Rs 1 crore, the charges are Rs 1,000 for first cheque and Rs 1,500 for subsequent instances.
• At an outstation branch, cash deposit up to Rs 5,000 will be free of cost from 1st of September, which at present is limited for Rs 25,000.
• For above Rs 5,000 cash deposit at outstation branch, the bank will levy Rs 2 per Rs 1,000 or part thereof with a minimum of Rs 25 per transaction.
• The locker rent is being raised by 25% for small, medium, large and extra-large sizes to Rs 1,500, Rs 3,500, Rs 5,500 and Rs 10,000 respectively, for metro branches.
• PNB will levy a premium of 25% of the locker rent in 22 identified branches, 19 of which are in Delhi, one in Gurgaon and two in Faridabad.
• All the charges are exclusive of Goods and Services Tax (GST) which came into effect from 1st of July this year and attract a charge of 18% which is 15% from previous tax regime charges.

BUSINESS

Government forms action plan for easy execution of trade facilitation agreement

• Indian government has formulated National Trade Facilitation Action Plan (2017-20), a detailed action plan with timelines for smooth implementation of WTO’s Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA). Recommendations made by four working groups on legislative changes, time release study, outreach programme and infrastructure augmentation have been included in this plan.
• Implementation of the plan, which also includes suggestions of the private sector, has been divided into short term (0-6 months), medium term (6-18 months) and long term (18-36 months).
• The short term action plan includes augmentation of storage infrastructure for perishable goods and clearance of such goods within 12 hours of landing for import and 8 hours for export

FMCG Britannia to set up largest plant in Maharashtra

• India’s leading FMCG Britannia Industries would set up its largest plant in Maharashtra in a food park at Ranjangaon announced on 7th August 2017.

AWARDS & RECOGNITION'S

Indian Philanthropist Firoz Merchant honoured by UAE Govt.

• Firoz Merchant, an Indian businessman in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), who has spent over USD 4 million to help free prisoners languishing in jails due to non-payment of debts, has been honoured with UAE’s prestigious Community Service Medal.
• UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior of the UAE, Lt General HH Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, honoured Indian businessman and philanthropist Firoz Merchant with the Community Service Medal on Augsut 7, 2017.
• The award, which is given in the form of a medal, was given to Merchant in recognition of his efforts to serve the community in the country and beyond.

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNS

Aparna appointed as Executive Director of World Bank

• Senior bureaucrat S Aparna, presently Principal Secretary to Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, has been appointed as an Executive Director in the World Bank in the US.
• As the Executive Director at World Bank, Ms. Aparna will represent the constituency of India, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Sri Lanka.
• Aparna has been appointed in place of S C Garg, who has recently taken over as Secretary, Department

ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS

Infosys to buy London’s Brilliant Basics for Rs 63 crore

• Software services firm Infosys would acquire London-based firm Brilliant Basics for Rs 62.76 crore (£7.5 million).

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

IISc researchers developed low-cost sensitive carbon monoxide sensor

• Indian Institute of Science (IISc)researchers from Bengaluru have developed a highly sensitive, low cost nanometre-scale carbon monoxide (CO) sensor with possible applications in environmental pollution monitoring.

NASA’s Hubble detects Exoplanet with glowing water atmosphere

• NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope has discovered the strongest evidence for a stratosphere on an enormous planet outside our solar system, WASP-121b. 

SPORTS

ONGC beats Bengaluru Hockey 4-2, wins MCC-Murugappa Gold Cup

• Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has beaten Bengaluru Hockey Association (BHA) by 4-2 in the final in 91st All-India MCC-Murugappa Gold Cup hockey tournament on 6th of August 2017.

Ankur Mittal Wins Gold Medal in Asian Shotgun Championship

• Indian shooter Ankur Mittal has won the individual as well as the team gold medal in Men’s double trap at the 7th Asian Shotgun Championship on 5th of August 2017.

BCCI ordered to lift lifetime ban on cricketer Sreesanth by Kerela HC

• On August 4, 2017, Kerala High Court ordered Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to lift the life ban imposed on Cricketer Sreesanth in the wake of the 2013 IPL spot-fixing scandal.

BOOKS & AUTHORS

World’s Shortest Woman Unveils 51-Feet High Book

• The world’s shortest woman Jyoti Amge has presented a 51-feet high book at a programme on 6th of August 2017.

8th AUGUST 2017

INDIAN AFFAIRS

Government gives funds to States/UTs under NAM to develop AYUSH System of Medicine

• On August 8, 2017, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for AYUSH, Mr. Shripad Yesso Naik, informed that during the year 2016-17, central Government released Rs. 41711.849 lakhs fund to State/UT Governments under National AYUSH Mission (NAM). Abbreviation AYUSH stands for Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy.
• For special Category states (NE States and three hilly States of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir), grant-in-aid component is 90% from Govt. of India and remaining 10% is to be the State contribution towards all components under the scheme. For other States/UTs the sharing pattern is 75% : 25%.
• Supporting the cultivation of medicinal plants is financed 100% by Central Government in North Eastern State and hilly State of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jammu & Kashmir where as in other states it is shared in the ratio of 90:10 between Centre and States.

Maharashtra Government to raise $270 mn from Green Climate Fund

• The 2030 Water Resources Group (2030WRG) will help the Maharashtra Government to raise $270 million from the Green Climate Fund, which will be invested in integrated watershed programmes in the state
• For raising money from the Green Climate Fund, Maharashtra State Level Climate Change Committee will endorse the proposal next week, after which it would be referred to the Central Government.
• The approvals will be in place in early 2018 and it could take a year to get the funding.Fund will also be used in crop diversification and adding market linkages.

Government launches second phase of Measles-rubella vaccination campaign

• In a bid to eliminate measles and curb instances of rubella by 2020, Union Government has rolled out the second phase of its measles-rubella (MR) vaccination campaign in the country.
• Union Health Ministry’s campaign against these two diseases intends to cover approximately 41 crore children in a phased manner, making it the largest-ever worldwide.
• In the second phase, nearly 3.4 crore children across eight states and union territories — Andhra Pradesh, Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Telangana, Uttarakhand, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu — will be covered.

Dawn of cruise tourism in India inaugurated in Mumbai

• The dawn of cruise tourism in India was inaugurated in Mumbai on 8th of August 2017.
• There is the launch of three reports, “Mumbai Port SoP’s for cruise operations”, “Road map for Sea cruise tourism” and “Cruise terminals in India”.
• Mumbai Port and Ministry of shipping to host cruise vessels in the country is revealed to a worldwide audience at the event.
• According to the reports, this initiative would gain potential revenue close to Rs. 35000 crore for all stakeholders.
• With this new initiative, Promotion of cruise tourism is expected to create over 2, 50,000 jobs and number of cruise ships visiting India could go up from 158 per year to 955 per year.
• It includes greater transparency, lesser red tape-ism, result oriented time bound target completion.
• Nitin Gadkari is the current Minister for Road Transport and Highways and Shipping.

Meeting of Regional Technical Group on Trade, Commerce and Investment CBM of the Heart of Asia – Istanbul Process held in New Delhi

• The 8th meeting of the Regional Technical Group of Confidence Building Measure on Trade, Commerce & Investment Opportunities under the Heart of Asia – Istanbul Process was hosted by India.

Centre declares entire Assam as “disturbed area” under AFSPA under another month

• The Centre has declared the entire Assam as a “disturbed” area under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, the AFSPA for three more months. 

Coconut regains tree status in Goa as Assembly Passes Bill

• The Goa Legislative Assembly has passed a bill which regain coconut as a `tree, ensuring legal protection for it on 8th of August 2017.

Dahi Handi festival: Children under 14 years of age not allowed to participate, says Bombay HC

• The Bombay High Court has accepted Maharashtra government’s statement that it would not allow children under the age of 14 years to participate in the ‘Dahi Handi’ festival on 7th of august 2017.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

India to MGC nations – Expand areas of cooperation

• On August 7, 2017, at Eighth Mekong Ganga Cooperation Ministerial Meeting in Manila, Philippines, India called for expanding the areas of cooperation among the member countries of the bloc to further deepen mutually beneficial partnership and cooperation. Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh represented India at this meeting.

BUSINESS

Bajaj Auto ties up with Triumph to make mid-capacity motorcycles

• Bajaj Auto has announced a partnership with Triumph Motorcycles UK on 8th of August 2017.

ONGC plans to invest $150 million in Colombia,Kazakhstan & Bangladesh

• ONGC Videsh, the overseas arm of the state-run Oil and Natural Gas Corp has planned to invest $150 million in exploration to drill more wells in Colombia, Kazakhstan and Bangladesh.

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

Dev Patel to be honoured with Asia Society Game Changers Award

• Indian-origin actor Dev Patel is to be honoured by a leading educational organisation for making a “transformative and positive” difference for the future of Asia and the world.

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNS

Indian-American appointed deputy comptroller for minority affairs of Nassau County

• Indian-American Dilip Chauhan has been appointed Deputy Comptroller to the minority affairs in Nassau County announced on 8th August 2017.

Health and wellness startup cure.fi signed Hrithik Roshan as brand Ambassador

• Hritik Roshan has been signed as a brand ambassador by a health and wellness startup Cure.fit announced on 8th of August 2017.

ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS

Netflix buys comic book publisher Millarworld in company’s first ever acquistion

• Online entertainment platform Netflix has announced that it has acquired Millarworld, a comic book company. 

ENVIRONMENT

Two new species of Cycas discovered

• Research conducted on a tree found in the Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Indian Botanic Garden in West Bengal has revealed two new species of Cycas to the world.

India’s first micro forest being built in Chhattisgarh

• The land of 19 acres of land which housed around 70 government office buildings in Chattisgarh’s Raipur is being converted into India’s first micro forest to create an oxy-zone.

SPORTS

Ravindra Jadeja becomes No.1 test all- rounder in the ICC 2017 rankings

• In the latest International Cricket Council (ICC) Test rankings, Ravindra Jadeja has been ranked as World No. 1 all-rounder after eclipsing Shakib Al Hasan of Bangladesh.

OBITUARY

• Ex-MP Vishvjit P Singh passed away - On August 8, 2017, Rajya Sabha mourned the death of its former member Vishvjit P Singh.

9th AUGUST 2017

INDIAN AFFAIRS

Government to expand Logistics Data Bank project to South India

• Government will soon expand operation of Logistics Data Bank (LDB) project to India’s southern region. So far, it had covered only the western logistics corridor.
• Logistics Data Bank (LDB) project was unveiled in July 2016 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Port, Mumbai with an aim to bring efficiency in the current Logistics & Supply Chain environment through use of information technology that would be helpful for tracking and viewing the movement of containers across the port.
• The LDB is being implemented through a Special Purpose Vehicle called Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor Development Corporation Logistics Data Services Ltd. (DLDSL) — that is jointly (50:50) owned by the Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) Trust and Japanese IT services major NEC Corporation.

NITI Aayog partners with 6 states to transform Health & Education sectors

• On August 8, 2017, NITI Aayog announced partnership with six states (with three states for health sector reforms and three states for education sector reforms) under its Sustainable Action for Transforming Human Capital (SATH) initiative. 
• NITI Aayog has selected Uttar Pradesh, Assam, and Karnataka to improve healthcare delivery and key outcomes in these States.
• For Education sector, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and Jharkhand have been selected for support to better learning outcomes.

Government constitute committee to make drugs more affordable

• Government has constituted a committee of joint secretaries for ensuring enhanced affordability, availability and accessibility of drugs for the citizens announced on the parliament on 8th of August 2017.
• The committee will suggest ways to make pricing policy in favour of poor patients.
• The committee would also review the scope of Drugs (Price Control) Order 2013 and suggest ways for strengthening the regulatory provisions of the order.
• The panel will also look at procedural improvements and process of re-engineering in NPPA to ensure better and quicker implementation of the government policy.
• It will bring greater transparency so as to reduce litigations and review petitions.

Kerela,Haryana top sanitation survey

• According to the survey, almost all rural households in Kerala and Haryana had access to a toilet report published on 9th of August 2017.
• The survey is released by the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation and was carried out by the Quality Council of India (QCI).
• Bihar and Uttar Pradesh has least access to toilets compared to other states.
• Northeastern States of Sikkim, Manipur and Nagaland were top performers with 95% rural households covered by toilets.
• The Himalayan States of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand with over 90% toilet coverage of the rural houses
• In Bihar, only 30% of the rural households had access to toilets while Uttar Pradesh was marginally better at 37%
• Jharkhand has also scored the same as Uttar Pradesh.

Dhaka to open diplomatic station in Chennai

• Bangladesh will open a new diplomatic station in Chennai. It is likely to focus on medical tourism and educational centres that drew thousands of Bangladesh citizens to India every year.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

India ratifies 2nd commitment period of Kyoto Protocol

• India has ratified the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol announced on 9th of August 2017 that commits countries to contain the emission of greenhouse gases, reaffirming its stand on climate action.

India ranks 43rd in Global Retirement Index

• India ranked 43rd position in 2017 Global Retirement Index (GRI). It is published by French asset management company Natixis Global.

Citizens of 80 countries including India don’t require visa to enter QATAR

• The Qatari government has announced that citizens belonging to 80 countries including India, Canada, US and UK can now enter Qatar without the need of applying for a visa.

BANKING & FINANCE

Vijaya Bank opens self-employment training institute in Indore

• Vijaya Bank has disbursed loan sanction letters to beneficiaries who were trained at the Vijaya Bank Self Employment Training Institute (VIBSETI) in Bhenslay Village, Indore, Madhya Pradesh.

Finance Ministry panel to resolve bank pensioner’s issues

• The Department of Financial Services under Ministry of Finance has set up a committee to resolve the pending issues of bank pensioners and retirees. This is the outcome of a series of meetings the All India Pensioners and Retirees’ Confederation had with the Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley; Minister of State Santosh Kumar Gangwar and department officials.

ICICI bank launches instant credit card with the limit upto 4 lakhs

• ICICI Bank has announced the launch of Instant Credit Card Service that will enable its savings account customers to get a credit card instantly, in a completely digital and paperless manner.

IDFC Bank partners with ZETA for digital payments solution

• IDFC Bank has partnered with digital payments company Zeta, to launch ‘IDFC Bank Benefits’ announced on 9th August 2017.

BUSINESS

Amazon launches Virtual Customer Service in India

• Amazon has announced the launch of Virtual Customer Service (VCS) model on 9th of August 2017.It is an initiative launched to create cost efficient employment prospects for skilled candidates seeking more flexible work opportunities.

Amazon India and Telengana Handloom dept ink pact

• Amazon India has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)with the Telangana Department of Handloom and Textiles on 8th of August 2017.

Gujarat first state to implement coal utilisation between power units

• The Gujarat government has issued a tender for power developers to receive cheap coal. It is marked for the state in return for selling coal-based power at less than Rs 2.82 a unit.

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNS

Justice Dipak Misra appointed as 45th Cheif Justice of India

• On August 8, 2018, Union Government appointed Justice Dipak Misra as the 45th Chief Justice of India (CJI) with effect from August 28, 2017. He will be replacing incumbent Justice J S Khehar, who is set to retire on August 27, 2017
• Justice Misra will have tenure of about 14 months till October 2, 2018.
• It is to be noted that Justice Misra will be the third person from Odisha to be appointed the Chief Justice of India, after Justices Ranganath Misra and G B Pattanaik.

ENVIRONMENT

New Species of Grass Snake Identified in Europe

• Scientists have identified a new type of barred snakes, now the total number of European grass snakes species to four.

SPORTS

Kynan Chenai won Bronze at 7th Asian Shortgun Championship

• Trap shooter and Olympian Kynan Chenai won the bronze medal in the Men’s Trap, at the ongoing 7th Asian Championship Shotgun, being held at Astana, Kazakhstan.

OBITUARY

BJP MP from Ajmer and Former Union Minister Ajmer Sanwar Lal Jat passed away

• Former Union minister and BJP MP from Ajmer Sanwar Lal Jat passed away on 9th of August 2017.He was 62.

IMPORTANT DAYS

International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples – August 9 2017

• The resolution 49/214 of 23 December 1994, the United Nations General Assembly has decided that the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples will be observed on 9th August every year.

75th anniversary of Quit India Movement

• The nation is celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Quit India Movement on 9th of August 2017.
• A number of events are being planned at organisational and local levels to mark the occasion.
• This year’s theme is “Sankalp se Siddhi- the attainment through resolve.
• Prime Minister Modi termed the month of August as a month of revolution as the non-cooperation movement was launched on 1st of August 1920, Quit-India movement on 9thAugust 1942 and on 15th August 1947 India became independent.
• The National Archives of India is organizing a special exhibition in New Delhi from today to mark the 75th year of Quit India Movement and Azad Hind Fauz.
• The two big events of the Indian history will be displayed through thousands of declassified files and documents.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also taken oath to create a “New India of our dreams” by 2022 by eliminating poverty, dirt, corruption, terrorism, casteism, and communalism.
• The Quit India Movement was an important milestone in the Indian freedom struggle. Under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, people across India came together to uproot imperialism.

10th AUGUST 2017

NATIONAL

NCERT Launches Web Portal For Supply Of NCERT Textbooks

• Minister of State for Human Resource Development Upendra Kushwaha launched the NCERT’s Web portal for supply of textbooks to schools and individuals at a function in New Delhi.
• The portal will ensure better distribution of textbooks across the country and address the concerns of schools and parents, regarding unavailability of textbooks. The Web Portal can be accessed at www.ncertbooks.ncert.gov.in. The schools will be able to log on to the portal, by entering their respective Boards’ affiliation numbers and other details, till 8th September 2017 for placing their orders for the session 2018-19. 

Gujarat First State To Implement Coal Utilisation Between Power Units

• Gujarat has issued tender for power developers to receive cheap coal marked for the state in return of selling it coal-based power at less than Rs 2.82 per unit. Through the auction, Gujarat will transfer the coal allocated to power generating stations owned by Gujarat State Electricity Corporation (GSECL) to more fuel efficient private power plants.
• The reverse auction would be held in September for procuring 1000 MW of power. The successful power plant would be selling electricity to the state from October 1 to June 30, 2018.

Kerala, Haryana Top Sanitation Survey

• According to the survey, almost all rural households in Kerala and Haryana access to a toilet report. The survey is released by the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation and was carried out by the Quality Council of India (QCI).
• The Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation released the findings of the survey of 1.4 lakh rural households, undertaken by the Quality Council of India (QCI) between May and June this year.
• North-eastern States of Sikkim, Manipur and Nagaland were top performers with 95% rural households covered by toilets. And so were the Himalayan States of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand with over 90% toilet coverage of the rural houses. Apart from Kerala, Tamil Nadu was the other performer as 79% rural households had access to a toilet. However, neighbouring Puducherry scored poorly with just 43%.

CM Flags Off ‘Namami Gange Jagriti Yatra’

• After flagging off ‘Namami Gange Jagriti Yatra’ from his official residence in Lucknow, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that if the present generation failed to protect rivers like Ganga and Yamuna then the plains of UP and Bihar will be reduced to desert in near future.

ISRO To Develop Full-Fledged Earth Observation Satellite

• A new set of future satellites called hyper spectral imaging satellites is set to add teeth to the way India is gleaned from about 600 km in space. Hyper spectral imaging or hype imaging (imaging spectroscopy) combines the power of digital imaging and spectroscopy.
• The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) says it plans to launch a full-fledged niche Earth observation (EO) satellite called the Hyper spectral Imaging Satellite or HySIS using a critical chip it has developed. The HySIS satellite critical chip called an “optical imaging detector array’” indigenously developed by ISRO.

INTERNATIONAL

Dhaka To Open Diplomatic Station In Chennai

• Bangladesh will soon open a new diplomatic station in Chennai. The main focus of the new diplomatic station in Chennai will be to address the needs of Bangladeshi citizens who visit India for medical and educational purposes. We are opening 17 new diplomatic missions across the world, including the new one in Chennai.

Citizens Of 80 Countries Including India Now Don’t Require Visa To Enter Qatar

• Citizens of 80 countries including India can now enter Qatar visa-free. The countries include India, the UK, the US, Canada, South Africa, Seychelles, Australia and New Zealand.
• A multi-entry waiver will be issued free-of-charge at the port of entry, upon presentation of a valid passport with a minimum validity of six months and a confirmed onward or return ticket.

India Ratifies 2nd Commitment Period Of Kyoto Protocol

• India 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.
• In a brief statement, India’s Permanent Mission to the UN said that India deposited its Instrument of Acceptance of the Doha Amendment to the Kyoto Protocol under the UN Convention on Climate Change.
• With this, India became the 80th country to accept the amendment relating to the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol, the international emissions reduction treaty. The Kyoto Protocol is an international agreement linked to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which commits its Parties by setting internationally binding emission reduction targets.

BANKING & BUSINESS

IDFC Bank Partners With Zeta For Digital Payments Solution

• Private sector lender IDFC Bank has partnered with digital payments company Zeta, to launch ‘IDFC Bank Benefits’– a payment solution for corporate that digitises employee spends and claims, making the process simple, real-time and paperless.
• The end-to-end digital solution comprises an IDFC Bank Benefits Card and Zeta app which integrates the full suite of allowances and reimbursements offered by an employer into one preloaded card. Employees can also access the Benefits Card via the Zeta app on mobile or web. This enables them to track spends, entitlement limits and submit claims, digitally, while on-the-move.

Amazon Launches Virtual Customer Service In Four Indian Cities

• Amazon announced the launch of virtual customer service (VCS) model, an initiative launched to create cost efficient employment prospects for skilled candidates seeking more flexible work opportunities.
• VCS has currently been launched in Hyderabad, Pune, Coimbatore and Noida and is hiring for entry level job opportunities along with opportunities for team managers and group managers in these cities, it said.

ICICI Bank Introduces Instant Credit Card

• First bank in the country to provide customers a credit card instantly Customers can immediately start online shopping
• ICICI Bank, India’s largest private sector bank by consolidated assets, announced the launch of instant credit cards. This first-of-its-kind offering in the Indian banking industry enables the savings account customers of the Bank to get a credit card instantly, in a completely digital and paperless manner.
• This new offering enables a few lakhs of pre-qualified customers to instantly get the credit card number and other important details online, using which, he/she can immediately start shopping online, without having to wait for the physical card to arrive.
• Available round-the-clock and on all days, a customer can get a credit card instantly with a credit limit of up to Rs four lakh based on pre-checked bureau scores.

Finance Ministry Panel To Resolve Bank Pensioners’ Issues

• The Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance, has set up a committee to resolve the pending issuesof bank pensioners and retirees.
• Demands of the pensioners/retirees include 100 per cent DA neutralisation for pre-2002 retirees; improvement in family pension, medical insurance and a medical benefit scheme; pension updation; second options to compulsorily retired officers and resignees who have put in a pensionable service.
• Suprita Sarkar, acting general secretary, said that the Confederation had been pursuing these with the government and the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA).

Vijaya Bank Opens Self-Employment Training Institute In Indore

• Vijaya Bank has disbursed loan sanction letters to beneficiaries who were trained at the Vijaya Bank Self Employment Training Institute (VIBSETI) in Bhenslay Village, Indore, Madhya Pradesh.
• VIBSETI trains youth for starting their own enterprises. Kishore Sansi, Managing Director and CEO, Vijaya Bank, inaugurated the new premises recently. So far, more than 50,000 candidates have been trained, 70 per centof whom have set up their own micro enterprises.

NSDC, Google India To Launch Mobile App Development Programme

• The NSDC and Google India will come together to train app developers for mobile platform on the Android and web platforms, a move aimed at improving the country’s mobile application development ecosystem.
• The National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) is a public-private partnership enterprise under the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship. Under the initiative, NSDC will introduce a specific course with the scope to train developers to create applications for the mobile platform that can be used on Smartphone and tablets running on the Android operating system.
• The 100-hour duration course is designed to be delivered by NSDC’s partner agencies, outside the formal education system. NSDC MD & CEO Manish Kumar said the collaboration aims to accelerate mobile skill training and create opportunities for youth in the country.

NCLT Admits Insolvency Proceedings Against Lanco Infratech

• The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) has admitted insolvency proceedings against Lanco Infratech Ltd, among the 12 identified cases referred to the tribunal following the Reserve Bank of India.
• The Hyderabad bench of NCLT accepted the petition moved by IDBI Bank and appointed Savan Godiawala as the interim insolvency professional.

IDFC Arm Raises Rs250 Crore To Refinance Two Solar Plants

• IDFC Alternatives Ltd’s India Infrastructure Fund II has raised long-term project finance of Rs250 crore by selling non-convertible debentures to infrastructure debt funds and financial institutions.
• The proceeds will be used to refinance two of its solar plants, which it has recently acquired from Gurgaon-based Punj Lloyd group and to repay existing loans. The acquisition of the two plants, both located in Punjab, was made through IDFC’s renewable energy platform Vector Green Energy Pvt. Ltd. The company has a long-term agreement with the state utility for the sale.

AWARDS

ASSOCHAM Confers Best Skilling India Award On NACER

• ASSOCHAM, which has instituted skilling India awards to recognize contributions by individuals and organizations in successfully integrating developmental initiatives, processes and operations to meet growing skilling needs of the country, has conferred the “Best Skilling Award” on National Centre for Excellence of RSETIs (NACER). 
• NACERis an apex level organization for mentoring and monitoring RSETIs working under ministry of rural development.

11th AUGUST 2017

Namami Gange Jagriti Yatra: The New Clean Ganga Campaign Launched by UP Government

• Uttar Pradesh Government has launched a new awareness drive called Namami Gange Jagriti Yatra. The drive will be focusing on cleanliness along the banks of Ganga river and maintain hygiene.
• The drive will be covering a total area of around 1,025 kms. It will pass through 108 blocks of 25 districts of UP from Bijnore to Ballia alongside the Ganga river.

NSDC, Google India to Launch Mobile App Development Program

• National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and Google India launched Android Skill Development Programme to impart mobile app development training on the Android and Web platform and improve the quality of mobile app development ecosystem in India.
• Under the initiative, NSDC would introduce a specific course to create applications for the mobile platform that can be used on smart phones and tablets running on the Android operating system.

All You Need to Know About the 13th Vice President of India: M. Venkaiah Naidu

• M. Venkaiah Naidu was sworn in as the 13th Vice President of India at Rashtrapati Bhawan, New Delhi. President Ram Nath Kovind administered the oath to 68-year-old Naidu at a grand ceremony.
• The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader defeated opposition candidate Gopalkrishna Gandhi, the grandson of Mahatma Gandhi in the vice-presidential election held on 5 August. Naidu succeeds Hamid Ansari, who finished his decade-long tenure as the vice president and Rajya Sabha chairman.

Lok Sabha Passes Bill Approving Merger of Associate Banks with SBI

• The Lok Sabha passed a bill that approved merger of associate banks with the SBI with the government. The Lok Sabha passed the bill to repeal the SBI (Subsidiary Banks) Act 1959, State Bank of Hyderabad Act 1956 and to further amend the State Bank of India Act, 1955, following the merger of five associates with the parent SBI.
• State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur (SBBJ), State Bank of Hyderabad (SBH), State Bank of Mysore (SBM), State Bank of Patiala (SBP) and State Bank of Travancore (SBT) merged with SBI on 1 April along with the Bharatiya Mahila Bank. 

NGT Bans Use of Non-Biodegradable Plastic Bags in Delhi

• The National Green Tribunal (NGT) imposed an interim ban on use of non-biodegradable plastic bags which are less than 50 microns in the entire national capital. A bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar also announced an environment compensation of Rs5,000 on anyone found in possession of such banned plastic.
• It had also said that an environment compensation of Rs10,000 would be imposed on vegetable vendors and slaughter houses for throwing garbage in public places.

RBI to Pay Rs 30,659 cr Dividend to Government

• Acc. to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), it will pay Rs 30,659 crore dividend to the government for the year ended June 30, less than half of what it paid in 2016. The central bank had in the previous year paid Rs 65,876 crore dividend to the government.
• RBI had in 2014-15 paid Rs 65,896 crore dividend and Rs 52,679 crore in the year prior to that.

PNB Introduces Biometric Attendance Register

• Punjab National Bank (PNB) has introduced biometric attendance in the place of the existing system of signing attendance in the attendance register.
• Manual attendance system will run parallel up to August 31, to streamline the process. In exceptional cases, but in no case more than three occasions in a month, an employee may be permitted a grace margin of up to 15 minutes. Reporting/exit timings will be uploaded in the HR system automatically. 

India and US to Co-host the Global Entrepreneurship Summit at Hyderabad

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi has stated that India and the United States will co-host the Global Entrepreneurship Summit at Hyderabad from November 28, 2017. President Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka will lead the American delegation.
• The Summit is a unique opportunity for bringing together entrepreneurs and start-ups with global leaders. The summit is being organized by the NITI Aayog in coordination with the Ministry of External Affairs.

SEBI Launches Online Registration for Custodians of Securities

• Markets regulator SEBI has introduced an online registration mechanism for custodians of securities to make it convenient for them to do business. 
• The new system would help custodian of securities to complete registration and other regulatory filings with Sebi much faster and in a cost-effective manner. 

Facebook Launches Youtube Competitor Called ‘Watch’

• In an apparent bid to take on Google-owned YouTube, Facebook has rolled out 'Watch', a redesigned video platform for creators and publishers.
• Watch is a platform for all creators and publishers to find an audience, build a community of passionate fans, and earn money for their work. It is personalized to one in discovering new shows, organized around what your friends and communities are watching.

Davinder Singh Kang, First Indian to Qualify for Javelin Throw Finals

• Davinder Singh Kang has become the first Indian to qualify for the final round of the javelin throw World Championships while his compatriot Neeraj Chopra crashed out in the qualification round.
• He had an 82.22m in his opening throw and then came up with 82.14m in his second. No Indian has ever qualified in the men’s javelin throw final round in any world championship.

12th AUGUST 2017

INDIAN AFFAIRS

Bill to fix minimum wage for unorganized sector introduced in Lok Sabha

• Code on Wages 2017 Bill that seeks to fix a national minimum wage was introduced in the Lok Sabha on August 10, 2017. Introducing the Bill, Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya said, Code on Wages Bill will consolidate and amend the laws relating to wages and bonus.
• The Code offers for the government to determine the minimum wages every five years using factors like skills required for the job, arduousness of work, geographical location of work place and other aspects.
• The Bill seeks to unite four laws — the Payment of Wages Act 1936, the Minimum Wages Act 1948, the Payment of Bonus Act 1965 and the Equal Remuneration Act 1976.
• The Code stipulates that the wages are to be paid in coin or currency notes or by cheque or through digital or electronic mode or by crediting the wages in the bank account of the employee.
• The government may specify industrial or other establishment where the salary will be paid only through cheque or digital mode. 
• The Bill will help 40 crore unorganised sector workers to avail the universal minimum wage.

Govt launches Indian National Anthem video in sign language

• The Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry has launched a new video of the National Anthem in sign language, featuring disabled and partially disabled children announced on 10th of August 2017.
• It is directed by veteran filmmaker GovindNihalani. The 3-minute video features film star Amitabh Bachchan along with physically challenged children performing the anthem in sign language with the Red Fort in the background.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the physically challenged “divyang” and not “viklang” to ensure there was no distinction. 
• The Minister also mentioned that we should create an environment where such persons are able to “earn a livelihood and live an independent life like any other citizen”.
• The government’s decision is to increase reservation in government vacancies from 3% to 4% for persons with benchmark disability.
• The video was also launched in Goa, Bhopal, Chandigarh and Kolhapur.

Telangana launches Smart Streets Lab

• To improve road safety in Hyderabad with the use of technology, the Government of Telangana, along with World Resources Institute (WRI) India Ross Center, has announced the launch of Smart Streets Lab program.
• The Lab will pilot innovative road-safety and women safety solutions and leverage new developments in technology and IT to transform the streets of Hyderabad.
• As a part of the initiative, an online challenge seekng applications (till September 1, 2017) for projects designed to make Hyderabad’s streets ‘smart’ was announced.
• It seeks applications (from any organization, start-up etc) for innovations that are infrastructure independent and easy to integrate into the existing system.
• 10 projects will be selected, and will undergo a training programme with the Indian School of Business (ISB).

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

Pakistan’s ‘Mother Teresa’ Dr Ruth pfau dies

• Dr Ruth Pfau, a German doctor popularly known as Pakistan’s ‘Mother Teresa’ for dedicating her life to eradicate leprosy in the country passed away on August 10, 2017 in Karachi.
• She was born in 1929 in Germany and lived through the horrors of the World War II.
• Dr. Pfau first visited Pakistan in 1960 and was so touched by the plight of leprosy victims that she decided to stay forever in the country to treat them.
• She founded the Marie Adelaide Leprosy Centre in Karachi in 1962 and later set up its branches in all provinces of Pakistan, including Gilgit-Baltistan, and treated over 50,000 families.
• Due to her tireless efforts, the World Health Organisation in 1996 declared Pakistan one of the first countries in Asia to be free of leprosy.
• She was awarded the Hilal-e-Imtiaz — Pakistan’s second highest civilian award — in 1979, the Hilal-e-Pakistan in 1989.

Indian-American appointed to chair US energy commission

• US President Donald Trump had appointed Indian-American Neil Chatterjeeas chair of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)
• Previously, Chatterjee had been an energy policy advisor to US Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.
• The Indian American Neil was last week confirmed as a member of the FERC.

BANKING & FINANCE

Canara Bank launches two new digital services

• On August 10, 2017, Canara Bank unveiled two new digital services for online payments. Bharat QR (Quick Response) for payment settlement at merchant locations and Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS), an integrated bill payment system for net banking customers.
• Bharat QR (Quick Response): It is a mobile application, which enables a merchant to accept payments as settlement for sale of goods or services. The service product rides on VISA/MasterCard/RuPay cards and holders need not divulge card information to merchants.
• Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS): It is an initiative of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and is managed by the National Payments Corp of India (NPCI). It offers bill payment services to the bank’s net banking customers with network of agents.

BUSINESS

Hindustan Unilever, Asian Paints and BhartiAirtel – Forbes’ list of the world’s 100 most innovative companies

• Three Indian firms namely Hindustan Unilever, Asian Paints and BhartiAirtel are among Forbes’ list of the world’s 100 most innovative companies.
• Salesforce.com has replaced Tesla Motors on the top position. BhartiAirtel has entered the ranking at 78th position. HUL and Asian Paints have moved up in their ranks to 7thand 8threspectively (from 31st and 18th last year).
• HUL recorded an innovation premium of 68.59%;Asian Paints (68.28%) and BhartiAirtel (41.4%).
• Among others in the top 10 are — Amazon.com (3rd position), Shanghai RAAS Blood Products (4th), Netflix (5th), Incyte (6th), Naver (9th) and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals (10th).
• The annual ‘World’s Most Innovative Companies’ are the ones that investors expect to be innovative now and in the future.To be included in the list, firms need seven years of public financial data and USD 10 billion in market cap.
• According to Forbes, companies are ranked by their innovation premium. The difference between their market capitalisation and the net present value of cash flows from existing businesses.
• Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Sun Pharma and Larsen & Toubro were also on the 2016 list.This year these companies failed to make the cut this year, bringing down the total number of Indian firms from five to three.

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

GerishKhemani and Akshat Nigam awarded “Hindu playwright Award 2017” 

• The Hindu Playwright Award 2017 is awarded to GerishKhemani and Akshat Nigam for their play ‘In Search of DariyaSagar’. 

Veteran journalist T J S George bags first-ever Kesari Media Award

• Veteran journalist T J S George has bagged for the first Kesari Media Awardannounced on 11th of August 2017.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

ISRO lines up 21 rockets, to launch 70 satellites in 5 years

• Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has lined up over 21 rocket launchesand will be putting over 70 satellites in space over the next five years.
• More Details about ISRO’s upcoming Rocket/Satellite Launches:
• ISRO’s plan to launch 21 rockets in coming years is a part of the Rs 8,658.74 croresanctioned by the Indian Government to build and launch about 31 rockets, including 15 PSLVs, 13 GSLV’s and three GSLV MK-III.
• Currently, ISRO’s launch vehicles are being used for launching national satellites towards meeting the earth observation, communication, navigation and scientific needs of the country and the excess capacity is being used to launch satellites of other countries.
• India currently uses the Ariane 5 rocket, of Arianespace, the European Space Agency to launch its heavier communication satellites into space.

US scientists develop micropropulsion system based on liquid water

• Engineers at Purdue University in the US have designed and tested a micropropulsion system. It is used liquid water as the propellant for orbital maneuvering of tiny satellites called CubeSats.

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNS

Prasoon Joshi appointed as Chairperson of CBFC

• Bollywood lyricist-screenwriter and ad guru Prasoon Joshihas replaced PahlajNihalani as CBFC chairperson on 11th of August 2017.

Gaitri Issar Kumar accredited as the Ambassador of India to the Grand Duchy Luxembourg

• GaitriIssar Kumar an IFS: 1986 presently Ambassador of India to Belgium. She has been concurrently accredited as the Ambassador of India to the Grand Duchy Luxembourg, with residence in Brussels.

Jet Airways appoints Vinay Dube as CEO

• Vinay Dube has joined as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Jet Airways. Jet Airways has been without a full-time CEO since Cramer Ball quit in February 2016.

13th AUGUST 2017

INDIAN AFFAIRS

9-yr-old Indian youngest to climb 6,153m mountain in Kashmir

• The 9 year old Kaamya Karthikeyan became the youngest person to reach the summit of the 6,153 metres-high Mt Stok Kangri in Kashmir.

Jharkhand Assembly passed the below two bills on August 12, 2017

• Jharkhand Assembly Passes Religious Freedom Bill
• On August 12, 2017, Jharkhand Assembly passed Religious Freedom Bill, 2017introduced by BJP-led Government. The Bill aims to stop the forced conversions in the state. The bill will now be sent to the Governor. After the approval by Governor, it will be sent to the President for assent.
• About Jharkhand Assembly passes land acquisition 2013 amendment bill
• On August 12, 2017, Jharkhand Assembly passed amendments to the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 (also called Land Acquisition Act, 2013)

Indian Coast Guard ship ‘Shaurya’ commissioned in Goa

• On August 12, 2017, Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Dharmendra Pradhan commissioned Indian Coast Guard ship ‘Shaurya’ in Goa.
• Features of Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) ‘Shaurya’:
• ICGS ‘Shaurya’ is the fifth in the series of six 105-metre offshore patrol vessels (OPVs).
• It has been designed and built indigenously by Goa Shipyard Ltd and is fitted with state-of-the-art navigation and communication equipment, sensors and machineries.
• ICGS ‘Shaurya’ draws 2,350 tonne and is propelled by 9100 kilowatt diesel engine.
• ICGS ‘Shaurya’ will be based at Chennaiand will be placed under the operational and administrative control of Commander Coast Guard Region (East).

No Gandhi Jayanti holiday this year in Rajasthan varsities

• All state-run universities in Rajasthan will not observe a holiday on October 2 on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti this year announced on 11th of August 2017.
• Only 24 holidays have been listed for the academic year 2017-18, in the calendar issued by the office of Rajasthan governor Kalyan Singh and by the Chancellor of all state universities.
• The changes in the new holiday calendar for the academic year 2017-18 have been issued in which the amendment has been made.
• The list has been circulated to all the 12 state-run universities two months ago.
• Some have already adopted it and the rest will follow the same after their respective governing body’s next meeting.

Parliamentary panel headed by B C Khanduri recommends 100% pension to widow of deceased soldiers

• A Parliamentary Panel has suggested that 100 per cent pension should be given to the widow of the deceased soldier. Standing Committee on Defence headed by Maj. General (Retired) B C Khanduri tabled its report in Parliament. The report said after the death of a soldier, the pension of the spouse comes down to 60 per cent of his pension.
• The committee also recommended that liberalized and special family pensions to be exempted from income tax for the widows of war like counter insurgency situations or on the line of control as is being given to disabled soldiers.
• The panel also supported the demand of Defence Forces representative should be included in the Central Pay Commission to address the grievances in respect of pay and allowances and their issues.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

Indian Army’s T-90 Performance in Tank Biathlon Russia 2017

• The Indian Army has been evicted from a multi-nation tank competition in Tank Biathlon Russia 2017 at Russia due to their T-90 main battle tanks had technical problems at the Alabino ranges in the Moscow region.
• Our Army sent two T-90s – a main tank and a reserve one – and a 21-man crew for the tank biathlon at the 2017 International Army Games in Russia.India decided to field its Russian designed T-90 Main Battle Tank instead of the Arjun tank which was widely expected to participate at this games.
• India had a good start at the biathlon but it was disqualified from the competition after both Russian-origin tanks broke down during the penultimate round.
• China with its Type-96B tank and Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan with different T-72 raced to the last round of the competition.
• Other participants included Azerbaijan, Angola, Armenia, Belarus, Venezuela, Zimbabwe, Iran and Mongolia of totally 19 countries were participated.
• New third-generation missiles are also part of the T-90 upgrade. The T-90s are a replacement for the T-55 tanks and the older variants of the T-72s. More than 1,000 T-90s have been included in the army.

Aishwarya becomes first woman to raise Indian flag at IFFM 2017

• Bollywood star Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has become the first female actor ever to hoist the Indian National Flag at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM),Australia’s annual celebration of film from India and the subcontinent.

BANKING & FINANCE

Indian Bank Brings 2-tier Interest Rate for Savings Accounts

• Indian Bank has introduced two tier interest rate structures for saving bank accounts. It will offer 4% per interest per annum for incremental balance over Rs 50 lakh and 3.50% per annum for balance up to Rs 50 lakh.

Flipkart has become the third most funded private company globally

• Flipkart has taken over the rein of the market by becoming the third most funded private company in the world.

Hike messenger acquires Bengaluru-based tech start-up Creo

• Indian messaging app Hike has acquired a Bangalore-based startup Creo. It is known for releasing smartphones, media streaming dongles, and an operating system.

APPOINTMENT & RESIGNS

Dilip Asbe appointed as the acting chief executive of NPCI, after A.P. Hota retires

• National Payments Corporation of India has appointed Dilip Asbe, as its Chief Executive Officer in the wake of the retirement of A. P. Hota, its founding Managing Director.

Lalit Modi resigns from Rajasthan Cricket Association

• Lalit Modi has resigned as the president of the Nagaur District Association on 12thof August 2017. He was severing his ties with the Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA).

Milkha Singh Appointed WHO Goodwill Ambassador 

• Former Indian track and field sprinter Milkha Singh has been appointed as the World Health Organisation’s goodwill ambassador for physical activity in South-East Asia Region (SEAR).

VidyaBalan, Gautami in reconstituted CBFC board

• National Award winning actressVidyaBalan and Gautamihas appointed as part of the reconstituted Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) on 11th of August 2017.

Earthport appoints Sandeep Gupta as new India Head

• Earthport has appointed Sandeep Gupta as its head of India on 10th of August 2017.

RajyaSabha TV CEO Gurdeep Singh Sappal resigns

• Gurdeep Singh Sappal has resigned as Rajya Sabha TV CEO and Prasar Bharati CEO Shashi Shekhar Vempati has been given the additional charge of the channel.

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

N.K. Jemisin Has Won the Hugo for Best Science Fiction Novel

• African-American author Nora K. Jemisin, has won the Hugo Award for Best Novel 2017 for her work ‘The Obelisk Gate’. The award was presented at the 75th World Science Fiction Convention in Helsinki, Finland on August 11, 2017.

ENVIRONMENT

New ‘invisible’ worm species discovered via fossils

• Canada based researchers have discovered fossils of a new species of arrow-shaped marine animals.

13-mn-year-old ape skull confirms African origin of humans

• Anthropologists in Kenya have discovered a 13 million year-old baby ape skull that reveals what the common ancestor of all living humans and apes would have looked like.

SPORTS

Maheshwari wins India’s first solo medal in women’s skeet

• Maheshwari Chauhan has won an individual bronze medal at the 7th Asian Championship Shotgun in Astana, Kazakhstan.

IMPORTANT DAYS

International Lefthanders Day – August 13

• International Left-Handers Day is being observed on 13th August. International Left-Handers Day is designated by Lefthanders International. It was first observed on the 13th of August, in the year 1976. 

World Organ donation day

• Organ Donation Day is observed every year on 13th of August. The aim of this day is to motivate people to donate organs after death, and to spread awareness about the importance of organ donation.
• Organ Donation is donating a donor’s organs like heart, liver, kidneys, intestines, lungs, and pancreas, after the donor dies, for the purpose of transplanting them into another person who is in need of an organ.

13th August 2017

STATE

Government of Telangana Launched ‘Smart Streets Lab’ in Hyderabad

The government of Telangana in association with the World Resources Institute (WRI) India – Ross Centre and the Indian School of Business (ISB) launched the ‘Smart Streets Lab’ program. It is an effort to apply and figure out technology-based solutions for women and road safety in Hyderabad. Through the ‘Smart Streets Lab’, the state government aims to utilize technological interventions from outside and integrate them with its various departments.

Delhi Assembly passes Minimum Wages (Delhi) Amendment Bill 2017,Netaji Subash Varsity bill

The Delhi Assembly has passed the Minimum Wages (Delhi) Amendment Bill 2017 and the Delhi Netaji Subhash University of Technology Bill 2017. The Minimum Wages (Delhi) Amendment Bill 2017 seeks to make the punishment to violators of minimum wages norm stricter. In the amended bill, the penalty for violation of law had been raised from the existing Rs 500 to Rs 50,000 and minimum imprisonment of 6 months increased to 3 years.

Ministry of Commerce and Industry gave approval of Industrial Parks in Andhra Pradesh

Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) under Ministry of Commerce and Industry has approved two projects for development of industrial clusters at Hindupur and Bobbili in the respective districts of Ananatapur and Vizianagaram of Andhra Pradesh. These projects have employment potential of about 5500 persons (direct) and 8500 persons.

NATIONAL

Government Launches National Anthem Video in Sign Language

Union Minister of State for HRD Mahendra Nath Pandey has launched an Indian National Anthem video in sign language, featuring differently-abled and partially differently-abled children. Directed by filmmaker Govind Nihalani, the three-minute video features Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan along with physically challenged childrenperforming the anthem in sign language with the Red Fort in the background. The video was also launched in Goa, Bhopal, Chandigarh and Kolhapur.

AGREEMENT

SEBI and SEO of Iran have entered into a bilateral MoU for mutual cooperation and technical assistance

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and Securities & Exchange Organization (SEO) of Iran have entered into a bilateral MoU for mutual cooperation and technical assistance. It will facilitate mutual assistance, contribute towards efficient performance of the supervisory functions, and enable effective enforcement of laws and regulations governing the securities markets. The MoU was signed by SEBI chief Ajay Tyagi and SEO Iran chairman Shapour Mohammadi.

APPOINTMENT

Reenat Sandhu accredited as the next Ambassador of India to the Republic of San Marino

ReenatSandhu, (lFS: 1989), presently Ambassador of lndia to ltaly. She has been concurrently accredited as the next Ambassador of lndia to the Republic of San Marino, with residence in Rome.

NPCI has been appointed Dilip Asbe as its chief executive officer

National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has appointed Dilip Asbe to act as its chief executive officer in the wake of the retirement of A. P. Hota, its founding managing director. Hota who had served as the MD of NPCI since its inception retired recently. Asbe who currently serves as the organisations’ chief operating officer will continue in the same designation, but will also act as the chief executive of NPCI.

Jet Airways India Ltd named Vinay Dube as its Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

Jet Airways India Ltd named Vinay Dube as its Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Jet Airways has been without a full-time CEO since Cramer Ball quit in February 2016. Mr. Dube is currently senior vice president, Asia Pacific with Delta Air Lines Inc., one of the world’s largest and most profitable airlines.

Actress Vidya Balan has been appointed a Member of the reconstituted Censor Board

The National Award-winning actress Vidya Balan was appointed as part of the reconstituted Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC)

Other Members:

• Vivek Agnihotri
• Gautami Tadimalla
• Narendra Kohli
• Naresh Chandra Lal
• Neil Herbert Nongkynrih

AWARDS

Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) 2017

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, is first Indian actress to hoist the Indian flag at the event. She Hoisted the Indian flag to mark the 70th Independence Day celebration.

Full Winners List:

• Best Film – Pink
• Best Actress – Konkona Sen Sharma for Lipstick Under my Burkha
• Best Actor – Sushant Singh Rajput for Dhoni
• Best Actor – (Special Mention) – Raj Kumar Rao for Trapped
• Best Director – Nitesh Tiwari for Dangal
• People’s Choice Award – Dangal & Bahubali 2
• Best Indie Film – Lipstick Under My Burkha
• Equality in Cinema Award – Director/Actor Rahul Bose for Poorna
• Leadership in Cinema – Karan Johar (he also presented the IFFM Diversity Award to Garth Davis, director of the Academy nominated film LION)
• Westpac IFFM Excellence in Global Cinema – Aishwarya Rai Bachchan

SPORT

Real Madrid won the 2017 UEFA super cup football tournament

Real Madrid, a professional football club of Spain, has won the 2017 UEFA Super Cup football tournament by defeating Manchester United in the final by 2-1.

India drops one spot to 97th in latest FIFA rankings

According to the previous FIFA rankings , India dropped one step to be placed 97th in the latest edition of the FIFA rankings issued. Among Asian countries, India is the 12th highest ranked team in the continent while Iran leads the chart at 24th spot.

14th AUGUST 2017

STATE

A three-day annual cultural festival named ‘Fete de Puducherry’ begins in Puducherry

A three-day annual cultural festival named ‘Fete de Puducherry’ organised by the government of India begins in Puducherry. The festival is held in association with the South Zone Cultural Centre (Tamil Nadu) every year to bring to focus the multi-faceted cultural features of various states. The Puducherry government has been holding the festival since 1985 as part of celebrating Independence Day and also Liberation Day of Puducherry (August 16).

'Sankalp Se Siddhi Program’ organized in Coimbatore, Tamilnadu by Ministry of Culture

To take forward the initiative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a New India movement from 2017-2022, a Sankalp Se Siddhi (Attainment through Resolve) Program was organized at Coimbatore. Minister of State for Culture and Tourism (Independent Charge), Dr. Mahesh Sharma graced the occasion. The New India Movement 2017-2022 envisages an India free of Poverty, Corruption, Terrorism, Communalism, Casteism and Un-cleanliness.

Minister of State for Culture and Tourism (Independent Charge) – Mahesh Sharma

Constituency – Gautam Buddha Nagar, Uttar Pradesh

NATIONAL

3 Indian firms, Hindustan Unilever, Asian Paints and Bharti Airtel are among Forbes’ list of the world’s 100 most innovative companies

Three Indian firms, Hindustan Unilever, Asian Paints and Bharti Airtel are among Forbes’ list of the world’s 100 most innovative companies, where Salesforce.Com has replaced Tesla Motors on the top position. While HUL and Asian Paints have moved up in their ranks to seventh and eighth respectively (from 31st and 18th last year), Bharti Airtel has entered the ranking at 78th position.

India’s First Online Course on Infusion Therapy for nurse has been Launched

Infusion Nurses Society (INS), a global authority in infusion therapy launched India’s first online course on Infusion Therapy for nurses. Under this, it aims to train over 3,000 nurses in the vital medical procedure. As per the INS, due to the reach and ease of the digital platform, the course will enable members to access the various infusion therapy modules and presentations through its website.

Make in India Seminar Held in New Delhi

Second Seminar on ‘MAKE’ projects for Indian Army was held at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi jointly under aegis of Indian Army and Confederation of Indian Industry (Cll). During the course of the seminar, a round table interaction of various Directorates of Integrated Headquarters of MoD (Army) with industry reps was also held at the same venue. The seminar was attended by Senior Officers of the Army as well as from Ministry of Defence.

INTERNATIONAL

World Health Organisation (WHO) declared Somalia free of polio

The World Health Organisation (WHO) declared Somalia free of polio. The UN health agency announced that it had not recorded any case of polio disease in Somalia in the last three years. The declaration by WHO keeps Somalia outside the last group of countries which still record cases of polio in the world. Afghanistan, Nigeria, and Pakistan are the remaining countries where polio is still being recorded.

AWARD

Veteran journalist T J S George has been chosen for the first Kesari Media Award

Veteran journalist T J S George has been chosen for the first Kesari Media Award, instituted by the Kesari Memorial Journalist Trust. The award comprises a purse of Rs 50,000, citation and a statuette designed by renowned artist Bhatathiri.

APPOINTMENT

Shashi Shekhar Vempati CEO of Prasar Bharati has been appointed as the chief of Rajya Sabha TV

Shashi Shekhar Vempati, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at public broadcaster Prasar Bharati has been appointed as the chief of Rajya Sabha TV. Rajya Sabha TV is owned and operated by Rajya Sabha and covers the proceedings of the upper house of the Parliament. Vempati will replace Gurdeep Singh Sappal who has been serving as the CEO and editor-in-chief of Rajya Sabha TV since 2011.

Union Minister of Information & Broadcasting – Smriti Irani

Constituency – Gujarat, Rajya Sabha

Indian-American appointed to chair US energy commission

US President Donald Trump had appointed Indian-American Neil Chatterjeeas chair of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Previously, Chatterjee had been an energy policy advisor to US Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

Gaitri Issar Kumar accredited as the Ambassador of India to the Grand Duchy Luxembourg

GaitriIssar Kumar an IFS: 1986 presently Ambassador of India to Belgium. She has been concurrently accredited as the Ambassador of India to the Grand Duchy Luxembourg, with residence in Brussels.

David Rasquinha has been appointed as EXIM Bank MD

David Rasquinha has been appointed as Managing Director of Export-Import Bank of India (Exim Bank). Rasquinha is at present Deputy Managing Director of the Exim Bank.

DEFENCE

Indian Coast Guard Ship ‘Shaurya’ was commissioned in Goa by Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan

Indian Coast Guard ship ‘Shaurya’, the fifth in the series of six 105-metre Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs), was commissioned in Goa by Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan. The OPV, which draws 2,350 tonne and is propelled by 9100 kilowatt diesel engine, has been designed and built indigenously by Goa Shipyard Ltd and is fitted with state-of-the-art navigation and communication equipment, sensors and machineries.

SPORT

65th edition of the prestigious Nehru Trophy won by Gabriel Chundan

Gabriel Chundan won the 65th edition of the prestigious Nehru Trophy held at the Punnamda Lake in Kerala. While ‘Mahadevikkad Kattilthekkethil’ came second, ‘Payippad’ and ‘Karichal’, last year’s winner, secured the third and fourth spots respectively. The members of the Ernakulam-based boat club dipped their oars in unison, leading the majestic Chundan (snake boat) to the finishing point, pushing fellow competitors behind.

Mairaj-Rashmmi pair bags gold at Asian Shotgun Championship

India bagged a gold medal in the skeet mixed team event. The Indian duo of Mairaj Ahmad Khan and Rashmmi Rathore eked out a narrow 28-27 win over the Chinese pair of Liu Jiangchi and Gao Jianmei. The host combination of Vladislav Mukhamediyev and Olga Panarina settled for the bronze.

15th AUGUST 2017

IMPORTANT DAY

Nation celebrates its 71st Independence Day

The nation celebrates its 71st Independence Day (15th August 2017) and the main function was held at the Red Fort of the national capital where Prime Minister Narendra Modi hoisted the National Flag.

STATE

India-ASEAN Youth Summit Begins in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh

The India-ASEAN Youth Summit begins in Bhopal. The event is being organised by Foreign Ministry, Madhya Pradesh government and India Foundation. Minister of State for External Affairs General VK Singh, and Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan inaugurated the five day Summit. The exercise will mark the 25th anniversary of the ASEAN-India dialogue partnership in the ongoing year and also the commemorative year’s theme of “Shared Values, Common Destiny”.

Lalit Modi has resigned as president of the Nagaur District Association, Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA)

Lalit Modi has resigned as president of the Nagaur District Association, marking an end to his presence in the Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA), which was banned by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for allowing him in its fold.

Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis launched “Namo Yuva Rojgar Kendra” an initiative providing job opportunities to unemployed youth

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis launched Namo Yuva Rojgar Kendraan initiative providing job opportunities to unemployed youth in Mumbai. There are various schemes like farmers weekly market, farmers mobile market and mother’s Tiffin, under this Yuva Rojgar Kendra. These products will be made available with the help of mobile vans all over Mumbai and the information about the location of the vans is made available through an app. This app was also launched by the Chief Minister.

Odisha Government and Facebook Launches ‘SheMeansBusiness’ Program

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik launched ‘She Means Business’ program of Facebook for women entrepreneurs in Odisha. Under the scheme 25, 000 women entrepreneurs and self-help group (SHG) members will be given training on digital marketing skills within next one year. Facebook will also make a database of entrepreneurs in the state and will monitor their growth, turnover and profit after one year.

NATIONAL

Home Minister Rajnath Singh has launched the live twitter wall for promoting Bharat Ke Veer portal

Home Minister Rajnath Singh has launched the live twitter wall for promoting Bharat Ke Veer portal on the eve of 71st Independence Day. On the occasion, Mr Singh and Ministers of State for Home Affairs Hansraj Gangaram Ahir and Kiren Rijiju contributed their one month salary for Bharat Ke Veer corpus. Mr Singh has handed over a cheque of 1.59 lakh rupees to the Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi in New Delhi.

‘Bharat Ke Veer’ portal aims to facilitate online donation directly to the families of paramilitary troopers who have sacrificed their lives for the country in the line of duty from January 1, 2016.

Bharat Ke Veer portal is technically supported by National Informatics Centre (NIC) and powered by State Bank of India.

Indian government has directed internet majors to immediately remove the links of dangerous online game Blue Whale Challenge

The Indian government has directed internet majors- Google, Facebook, Whatsapp, Instagram, Microsoft and Yahoo – to immediately remove the links of dangerous online game Blue Whale Challenge, which has led to suicide of children in India and other countries. Mumbai and West Midnapore district have reported deaths linked to this game. Ministry of Electronics and IT (Meity) instructed the internet majors in a letter to ensure that any such link of this deadly game in its own name or similar game is immediately removed from their platform. The letter was issued following instructions from Law and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad.

Nation Tribute to Sri Aurobindo on 145th Birth Anniversary

India paid tributes to Sri Aurobindo on his 145th Birth Anniversary. Sri Aurobindo’s rich thoughts and grand vision for India continues to be a great source of inspiration. A spiritual reformer and philosopher, Sri Aurobindo had a major contribution in the Indian freedom struggle.

9 year old Kaamya Karthikeyan became the youngest person to reach the 6,153 metres-high Mt Stok Kangri in Kashmir

The 9 year old Kaamya Karthikeyan became the youngest person to reach the summit of the 6,153 metres-high Mt Stok Kangri in Kashmir. Kaamya reached the peak by climbing 30 Km over a course of 3 days, with an altitude gain of 2,750 metres. In May 2017, Kaamya had successfully reached the base camp of Mt. Everest at 5,464 metres.

No Gandhi Jayanti holiday this year in Rajasthan state-run universities

All state-run universities in Rajasthan will not observe a holiday on October 2 on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti this year. Only 24 holidays have been listed for the academic year 2017-18, in the calendar issued by the office of Rajasthan governor Kalyan Singh and by the Chancellor of all state universities.

APPOINTMENT

Earthport appoints Sandeep Gupta as new India Head

Earthport has appointed Sandeep Gupta as its head of India Earthport is a company which runs a network for cross-border payments. Earthportis also recently announced its partnership with Kotak Mahindra Bank.

AWARD

112 Gallantry Awards have been approved by the President Ram Nath Kovind for the Armed Forces and Paramilitary Forces

• On the occasion of 71st Independence Day, 112 Gallantry Awards have been approved by the President Ram Nath Kovind for the Armed Forces and Paramilitary Forces. It includes five Kirti Chakras, 17 Shaurya Chakras, 85 Sena Medals (Gallantry), three Nao Sena Medals (Gallantry) and two Vayu Sena Medals (Gallantry).
• Havaldar Giris Gurung from first Gorkha Rifles who was martyred during a major counter-infiltration operation along the Line of Control in Naugam sector of Kashmir has been awarded Kirti Chakra posthumously.
• Major David Manlun, who was martyred during an encounter with militants in Mon district of Nagaland, CRPF commandant Pramod Kumar who was martyred in a terror attack in Srinagar’s Nowhatta hours before last Independence Day has also been awarded Kirti Chakra Posthumously.
• CRPF commandant Chetan Kumar Cheetah who miraculously recovered from the deep coma after being hit by at least nine bullets during a gun battle with terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir has been awarded Kirti Chakra, the 2nd highest peacetime gallantry award.

Indian Army’s T-90 Performance in Tank Biathlon Russia 2017

The Indian Army has been evicted from a multi-nation tank competition in Tank Biathlon Russia 2017 at Russia due to their T-90 main battle tanks had technical problems at the Alabino ranges in the Moscow region.

SPORT

The greatest sprinter of modern times, Usain Bolt from Jamaica retired from the Athletics

The greatest sprinter of modern times, Usain Bolt from Jamaica retired from the Athletics world. But at farewell Race, he injured himself while running the last lap of the men’s 4x100m relay race in the World Athletics Championships in London. Running the final race of his career, the 30-year-old Bolt, after taking the baton from his Jamaican teammate Yohan Blake, suffered cramps on his left hamstring.

Cristiano Ronaldo was banned for five-match by the Spanish football federation

World Player of the Year, Cristiano Ronaldo was banned for five-match by the Spanish football federation. He has been banned for pushing the referee after being sent-off in Real Madrid’s 3-1 win over Barcelona in the First Leg of Spanish Super Cup. Ronaldo received an automatic one-match ban for his dismissal and an extra four games for his reaction towards referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea. He has also been fined 4,500 US dollars and has 10 days to appeal the ban.

India bagged two gold in the 6th Golden Glove Women’s Boxing Tournament at Vojvodina, Serbia

India bagged two gold in the 6th Golden Glove Women’s Boxing Tournament at Vojvodina, Serbia. While Jyoti won Gold in 51 kg category, and Vanlalharitpuii bagged it 60 kg category. In all, India won two gold, four silver and four bronze medals in the tournament. The silver medals were clinched by Anjali in 48kg, Sakshi in 54kg, Ashtha in 69kg and Anupama in 81kg categories. Mandeep in 57kg, Nisha in 64kg, Shruti in 75kg and Neha in 81+kg category settled for bronze medals.

India Won Total 10 Medals

2 Gold Medals

1. Jyoti – 51 kg category
2. Vanlalharitpuii – 60 kg category

4 Silver Medals

1. Anjali – 48kg category
2. Sakshi – 54kg category
3. Ashtha – 69kg category
4. Anupama – 81kg category

4 Bronze Medals

1. Mandeep – 57kg category
2. Nisha – 64kg category
3. Shruti – 75kg category
4. Neha – 81+kg category

16th AUGUST 2017

STATE

Odisha Government will soon launch “Durgama Anchalare Malaria Nirakaran” (DAMON)

Odisha Government will soon launch “Durgama Anchalare Malaria Nirakaran” (DAMON), a special programme to prevent the spread of malaria in remote areas of Ganjam district. Under this programme, camps will be held in remote areas for mass test for malaria. As many as 103 camps will be held in the next three months. Around 15,000 people would be covered under the programme.

India’s first museum on Partition of the Indian subcontinent will open in Amritsar Punjab

India’s first museum on Partition of the Indian subcontinent will open this week in Amritsar Punjab, as India and Pakistan celebrate 70 years as independent nations. The museum will include photographs, newspaper clippings, donated personal items, and screens showing video interviews with survivors. It will also have ‘The Gallery of Hope’, where visitors can scribble messages of love and peace. Tickets are priced low at Rs10 for Indians and Rs150 for foreigners.

NATIONAL

India to Host Next Steering Committee Meeting of TAPI Gas Pipeline

India (New Delhi) will host the next steering committee meeting of the proposed 1,814 kilometre-long Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipelinesenior officials on both sides confirmed. The decision came during the sixth joint Inter-Governmental Committee (IGC) meeting on trade, economic, scientific and technological cooperation. The meeting was followed by a meeting between visiting Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov and Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan.

Narendra Modi has launched a website to honour all the gallantry award winners

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched a website to honour all the gallantry award winners since Independence. The portal will preserve and tell the stories of bravest men and women, civilians as well as armed forces personnel.

INTERNATIONAL

Australian state government has approved the world’s biggest single tower solar thermal power plant

Australian state government has approved the world’s biggest single tower solar thermal power plant, a 150-megawatt structure to be built in South Australia by 2020. Solar thermal technology uses mirrors to concentrate the Sun’s light at the top of a tower. This heats the stored molten salt and the heat is then used to operate steam turbines. The Aurora Solar Energy Project will be built and managed by SolarReserve company.

Norway has the fastest mobile Internet in the world, report by broadband testing Ookla

According to global leader in broadband testing Ookla, Norway has the fastest mobile Internet in the world. The Netherlands and Hungary are ranked number two and three on the list of the world’s fastest mobile networks. In only 13 months, Norway has jumped from 11th to first place on the list of world best providers of fast Internet connection.

China halts iron, iron ore and seafood imports from North Korea

China halts iron, iron ore and seafood imports from North Korea, following through on new UN sanctions over its ally’s nuclear program. The United Nations Security Council, including permanent member Beijing, approved tough sanctions against Pyongyang that could cost the country $1 billion a year. China, which is suspected of failing to enforce past UN measures, accounts for 90% of North Korea’s trade.

Melbourne (in Australia) has been named world’s most liveable city

Melbourne (in Australia) has been named world’s most liveable city for a record seventh year in a row, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Global Liveability Report 2017. Melbourne scored an overall rating of 97.5 out of 100 on the liveability index. Damascus in Syria was deemed the world’s worst among the 140 cities surveyed. It is the first time in the survey’s 15-year history that a city has held the No 1 rank in its own right for seven consecutive years. Vienna (in Austria) and Vancouver (in Canada) were on 2nd and 3rd Positions, respectively.

Earth’s Largest Volcanic Region Discovered in Antarctica

The largest volcanic region on Earth, with nearly 100 volcanoes, has been discovered two km below the surface of the vast ice sheet in West Antarctica. Researchers from the University of Edinburgh in Britain found a staggering 91 previously unknown volcanoes, adding to the 47 others. These newly discovered volcanoes range in height from 100 to 3,850 meters, with the highest almost as tall as Switzerland’s 3,970 meters Eiger mountain. These active peaks are concentrated in a region known as the West Antarctic rift system.

BANKING & ECONOMY

ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund has launched a new website ‘PlanYourGoal.com’

ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund has launched a new website ‘PlanYourGoal.com’ to help users plan their investments according to their future financial goals. The website guides the users to plan their big spends, tax investments as well as the corpus required during retirement. The website also provides recommendations based on calculations.

APPOINTMENT

Santosh Sharma has Appointed as CMD of Hindustan Copper Limited

Santosh Sharma has appointed as Chairman and Managing Director of Hindustan Coper Limited (HCL). He is at present Director (Operations) in the HCL. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved his appointment to the post for a period of five years, an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT).

Sankara Rao has been appointed as MD & CEO of IFCI

IFCI Ltd, a government company, is set to have a new Managing Director & CEO in E Sankara Rao, who is currently Chief General Manager at India Infrastructure Finance Company Ltd (IIFCL). The Appointments Committee of Cabinet has given its nod for the Department of Financial Services (DFS) proposal to appoint Emandi Sankara Rao as Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer of IFCI Ltd. Rao’s appointment will be valid for three years. Rao is also currently a director and chief executive officer at IIFCL Asset Management Company Ltd.

AWARD

Preethi Srinivasan receives Kalpana Chawla award

Preethi Srinivasan, the former State under-19 cricket captain, who braved a crippling accident to support those suffering from spinal cord injuries like her, was on Tuesday presented with the ‘Kalpana Chawla Award for Courage and Daring Enterprise’ award by Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami during the 71st Independence Day celebrations at Fort St. George in Chennai.

SPORT

Alexander Zverev Beats Roger Federer to Win Rogers Cup

Alexander Zverev won 6-3 6-4 at the Rogers Cup to claim his second Masters 1000 title and extend his winning run to 10 matches. Zverev is the youngest Rogers Cup finalist since Novak Djokovic in 2007. Alexander Zverev and Roger Federer now have five tournament titles this year.

Indian cricket team celebrates nation’s 71st Independence Day at Pallekele, Sri Lanka

The Indian cricket team celebrated the nation’s 71st Independence Day at Pallekele with captain Virat Kohli hoisting the tricolour in the presence of the entire squad. The Indian cricket team, which whitewashed hosts Sri Lanka 3-0 in the three-match Test series, is now gearing up for five ODIs and one-off Twenty20 game. The first 50-over encounter between the two teams is slated to be held in Dambulla on August 20.

17th AUGUST 2017

NATIONAL:

Delhi’s voters was integrated with the national database through an ERONET system on 16th August

To prevent the issuance of multiple voter identity cards, the database of Delhi’s voters was integrated with the national database through an ERONET system on 16th August. It will help in real-time detection of people who apply for voter ID in Delhi while already possessing one in another state. Notably, ERONET is a single database of all voters registered across India.

Punjab CM to inaugurate India’s first Partition Museum in Amritsar on August 17:

Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh will inaugurate India’s first Partition Museum in the historic Town Hall building of Amritsar on August 17.India ‘s first museum will open this week in Amritsar Punjab.India and Pakistan celebrate 70 years as independent nations.

The museum will include photographs, donated personal items, newspaper clippings, and screens showing video interviews with survivors. It will have ‘The Gallery of Hope,’ where visitors can scribble messages of love & peace.

Central Ministers to get electric cars from November

The government is planning to get 1,000 four-door Electric Vehicles (EV) for Central ministers and senior bureaucrats by November. The cars can reportedly run 120-150 km on a single charge. Notably, Energy Efficiency Services Ltd, a company promoted by state-run power utilities, is set to float global bids to install 10,000 battery operated cars and 4,000 charging stations in NCR.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY NEWS

Air India all-women crew operates maiden Stockholm flight

Air India launched direct Delhi-Stockholm flights on 16th Agust, with an all-women crew operating the Dreamliner Boeing 787. Olympic shooter Gagan Narang and cricketer Harbhajan Singh were among the passengers onboard the maiden flight, which was launched in the presence of Air India Chairman Ashwani Lohani. Air India is expected to launch flights to Danish capital Copenhagen next month.

Airtel’s stock surged 33% in 2017 despite fall in profits

Shares of Sunil Mittal-led Bharti Airtel have gained 33% till date in 2017, while the Sensex gained 19%. The surge in stock came even as the country’s largest telecom operator reported a 75% fall in June quarter net profit to ₹367 crore. The fall in profit came mainly due to the entry of Reliance Jio in September 2016.

Reliance Communications merger with Aircel got National Company Law Tribunal

The National Company Law Tribunal approved the merger of Reliance Communications (RCom) and Aircel. Reliance Communications will merge into Aircel, and a new entity will be created called Aircom, with both partners having so% equity stakes. The new company will have earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortization (Ebitda) of Rs 15,000 crore based on current trends.

APPOINTMENTS:

Sohail Mahmood appointed Pak’s new Ambassador to India

Sohail Mahmood on Wednesday took over as Pakistan’s new High Commissioner to India, succeeding Abdul Basit. A Pakistan Foreign Service officer of 1985 batch, he previously served as Ambassador to Turkey and Thailand. Notably, Mahmood has no experience of serving in any senior positions dealing with India or other South Asian countries.

SPORTS NEWS:

Real Madrid beat Barcelona 5-1 on aggregate to win Super Cup

European and Spanish Champions Real Madrid, playing without Cristiano Ronaldo, downed rivals Barcelona 5-1 on aggregate, after a 2-0 second-leg win on Wednesday, to win the Spanish Super Cup. This was the Los Blancos’ 10th Super Cup, compared to Barcelona’s 12. Over the two legs, Real youngster Marco Asensio scored two long-range goals while Messi scored Barcelona’s only goal.

Indian athletes bag record 37 medals at World Dwarf Games in Canada

The 21-member Indian contingent captured a record haul of 37 medals at the recently concluded 7th World Dwarf Games in Canada. India won 15 gold, 10 silver and 12 bronze medals across events at the games, which saw participation of nearly 400 athletes from 24 countries. Indian athletes were felicitated at the Indian consulate in Toronto on Independence Day.

18th AUGUST 2017

STATE

Karnataka Launches ‘Indira Canteen’ in Bengaluru

Indira Canteen’, aimed at serving food to poor at subsidized rates, was inaugurated in Bengaluru, by Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi. Rahul Gandhi who had the first breakfast at the canteen in Jayanagar, said ‘Indira Canteens’ would serve the migrants who came to Bengaluru with a dream to build something.

NATIONAL

HRD ministry to Conduct National Assessment Survey (NAS) for the students of class 3, 5, and 8

The Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry has announced November 13 as the date for conducting its National Assessment Survey (NAS) for the students of class 3, 5, and 8. So far, during several rounds of the survey, a total of 4.45 lakh students have been tested for various learning outcomes. This time, approximately 30 lakh students will be assessed in the year 2017-18 making it the world’s largest sample survey of student learning achievement.

Harsh Vardhan, launched the “Harit Diwali, Swasth Diwali” campaign

Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Dr. Harsh Vardhan, launched the “Harit Diwali, Swasth Diwali” campaign. Addressing a gathering of about 800 children from schools of Delhi and NCR, the Minister impressed upon the children the importance of their contribution towards reducing pollution by not bursting harmful fire crackers during Diwali.

Union Cabinet chaired by PM Modi Approves Completion of North Koel Reservoir Project in Jharkhand and Bihar

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given its approval to the proposal to complete the balance works of the North Koel Reservoir Project in Jharkhand and Bihar at an estimated expenditure of Rs.1622.27 crore to be incurred during three financial years from the start of the project. The Cabinet also approved storage of water in dam restricted at lower level than envisaged earlier to reduce the submergence and to protect Betla National Park and Palamau Tiger Reserve.

Tata Power has become the first power utility to introduce a QR code based bill payments system in India

Tata Power has become the first power utility to introduce a QR code based bill payments system in India. The QR code linked to Unified Payments Interface (UPI) will be printed on the electricity bills. The customers can scan the QR code with BHIM app or any other UPI linked bank app and pay their bills without any hassle.

Vishal Sikka has resigned as Managing Director and Chief Executive of Infosys Ltd

Vishal Sikka of Infosys Ltd has resigned as Managing Director and Chief Executive of the company with immediate effect. U.B. Pravin Rao has been appointed as interim-managing director and chief executive. Mr. Sikka has now been appointed as executive vice-chairman of the company.

National Highways Authority of India launched two mobile Apps – MyFASTag and FASTag

National Highways Authority of India launched two mobile Apps – MyFASTag and FASTag Partner in New Delhi, to facilitate the availability of FASTags for Electronic Toll Collection. MyFASTag is a consumer App that can be downloaded from the App Store for both Android and iOS systems. FASTag Partner is a merchant App. Agencies like Common Services Centre, banking partners, and vehicle dealers can sell and enroll FASTag through this App.

BSNL Launches Digital Wallet Powered by MobiKwik

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) went digital by launching a bespoke mobile wallet (mobile payment App) that would enable its existing 100 million customers to make Bill payments. This digital wallet was launched at an event by Manoj Sinha, Minister for Telecommunications in the capital. The wallet has been developed and issued by MobiKwik on behalf of BSNL.

INTERNATIONAL

Emma Stone has been named Hollywood’s highest-paid female actor in Forbes annual list

Emma Stone has been named Hollywood’s best-paid female actor in Forbes annual list oftop earners. The 28-year-old made $26m in the last 12 months, the majority of which was earned from her Oscar-winning performance in the musical romance La La Land. The film made over $445m worldwide.

US Declares Hizbul Mujahideen as Global Terrorist Group

The United States named Pakistan-based Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist group. The Hizb is one of the two most active Pakistan-based terrorist groups operating in Jammu and Kashmir, and claimed responsibility for several attacks, including the April 2014 explosives attack in Kashmir.

5 Indian-Origin Persons in Fortune’s Annual ‘40 Under 40’ List

Five Indian-origin persons, including Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, have featured in Fortune’s annual list of 40 young and influential people in the field of business. Fortune’s 2017 ‘40 Under 40’ list is an annual ranking of the most influential young people who are under 40 in business. The list has been topped by 39-year-old French President Emmanuel Macron “France’s youngest leader since Napoleon”. The Indian-origin persons on the list are 26-year-old Divya Nag, who oversees Apple’s ambitious ResearchKit and CareKit programmes, Rishi Shah, 31, and Shradha Agarwal, 32, 31-year-old Leila Janah. The list also includes Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg on the second spot.

BANKING, BUSINESS & ECONOMY

Uber has launched a business to business model called “Uber for Business “

Ridesharing app Uber has launched a business to business model called “Uber for Business “ to enable new use cases like daily commute, late-night rides home from work, between-office transportation. This new model comes with the features like Set-and-forget travel programs, new permissions, Different access for different groups and a fresh user interface.

Government has banned exports of gold jewellery, medallions and other articles above 22- carat purity

The government has banned exports of gold jewellery, medallions and other articles above 22- carat purity in a bid to check round tripping of the precious metal. According to the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), certain provisions of the foreign trade policy (2015-20) are amended to allow export of gold jewellery and articles containing gold of 8 carats and above up to a maximum limit of 22 carats only from domestic tariff area and export-oriented units, electronics hardware technology parks, software technology parks and bio technology parks.

HDFC Bank Revises Interest Rates On Saving Accounts

HDFC Bank Ltd has announced a revision in its savings bank interest rate effective August 19, 2017. Post revision, customers maintaining savings bank account balance of Rs 50 lakh and above will continue to earn interest at 4 per cent per annum. Customers maintaining account balance of below Rs 50 lakh will earn interest at 3.5 per cent per annum from earlier 4 per cent. The revised rates will be applicable to both resident and Non-resident customers.

AGREEMENT

Finance Ministry and the World Bank signed a $24 Million to Enhance India’s Forest Ecosystem Services

The Finance Ministry and the World Bank signed a grant agreement of $24.64 millionfrom the Global Environment Facility (GEF) of the World Bank for ecosystem service improvement project. The project would be financed entirely by the World Bank out of its GEF Trust Fund. The project’s duration is five years. The objective of the Project is to strengthen the institutional capacity of the departments of forestry and community organizations to enhance forest ecosystem services and improve the livelihoods of forest dependent communities in central Indian highlands.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

SpaceX successfully launches HP’s supercomputer to ISS

Space X has successfully launched Hewlett Packard Enterprises (HPE) Spaceborne Computer towards the International Space Station using Falcon 9 rocket.

SPORT

Young Indian shuttler Lakshya Sen Wins Bulgaria Open International Series

Young Indian shuttler Lakshya Sen clinched the Bulgaria Open International Series titleafter notching up a hard-fought win over Croatia’s Zvonimir Durkinjak in the men’s singles final in Sofia, Bulgaria. The 16-year-old shuttler defeated second seed Zvonimir 18-21 21-12 21-17 in a 57-minute match.

16th edition of IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations) World Championships 2017

The 16th edition of IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations) World Championships 2017 was held in London. The championships were held in the London Stadium in Stratford. ‘Hero-the Hedgehog’ was a Mascot of 2017 IAAF World Championships and ‘Whizbee-the Bee’ was the Mascot for the Para Athletics.

Top 5 Countries in the list of Medals

1. US (30 Medals)
2. Kenya (11 Medals)
3. Great Britain (6 Medals)
4. Poland (8 Medals)
5. China (7 Medals)

• Legendary Sprinter Usain Bolt Retires.
• Justin Gatlin wins men’s 100m gold.
• Davinder Singh Kang has become the first Indian to qualify for the final round of the javelin throw at World Championships.
• High jump champion Ruth Beitia of Spain receives Fair Play Award.

19th AUGUST 2017

IMPORTANT DAY

World Humanitarian Day: 19th August

World Humanitarian Day (WHD) is held every year on 19 August to pay tribute to aid workers who risk their lives in humanitarian service, and to rally support for people affected by crises around the world. The campaign was launched on WHD with the theme- #NotATarget. The Day is organized by the United Nations.

STATE

India’s first World Peace University inaugurated in MIT, Pune

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has inaugurated Dr.Vishwanath Karad MIT World Peace University (MITWPU). MIT World Peace University is an entirely new conceptand a model for moulding global citizens. The inauguration ceremony was held at the Swami Vivekananda Mandap at the MIT World Peace University’s Kothrud Campus.

INTERNATIONAL

US and Japan have agreed to advance defence cooperation with countries like India, South Korea and Australia

The US and Japan have agreed to advance their multilateral security and defence cooperation with countries like India, South Korea and Australia, amidst China’s growing assertiveness in the Asia Pacific region. During the meeting the ministers underscored the importance of cooperating to promote a rules-based international order, taking note of the United States continued commitment to maintain a strong presence in the region and Japans initiatives demonstrated by its “Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy”.

China Launches First Cyber Court in e-commerce Hub

China launched its first cyber court specializing in handling Internet-related cases in the e-commerce hub of Hangzhou. The Hangzhou Internet Court in Hangzhou will handle cases such as online trade disputes and copyright lawsuits. Hangzhou is home to many Internet companies, including e-commerce giant Alibaba.

Saudi Arabia to open Salwa border point to Qatari pilgrims for Haj

Saudi Arabia is going to open up its border and airports for those attending the annual Haj pilgrimage. Saudi Press Agency (SPA) announced that the Salwa border point would be open for Qataris performing the Haj, which this year runs from late August to early September.

Qatar has launched a new direct route to Pakistan

Qatar has launched a new direct route between the country’s Hamad Port and Pakistan’s port of Karachi. It will boost trade between the two countries. It will also offer “fast and secure” corridor for importers and exporters, with transit time of six days from Qatar to Karachi and eight days back.

Nobel Laureate Malala Yousafzai to study at Oxford

Pakistani Nobel Prize winner MalalaYousafzai will study at Oxford University. The 20-year-old will study philosophy, politics and economics. In April, she became the youngest-ever UN Messenger of Peace. Notable Oxford alumni include Pakistan former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and Myanmar’s pro-democracy campaigner Aung San SuuKyi as well as former British Prime Minister David Cameron and his one-time Labour opponent Ed Miliband.

BANKING & ECONOMY

Axis Bank to waive 12 EMIs on home loans under Shubh Aarambh scheme

Under the new scheme Shubh Aarambh Home Loans Axis Bank will waive 12 equated monthly installments (EMIs) on regular repayments of loans of up to Rs 30 lakh. The lender has introduced ShubhAarambh Home Loans, in which 12 EMIs are waived 4 EMIs each after the fourth, eighth and 12th year from the date of the first disbursement.

AGREEMENT

Union Bank of India signs agreement with Bajaj Allianz General Insurance and Cholamandalam MS General Insurance

Union Bank of India entered into a corporate agency agreement with Bajaj Allianz General Insurance and Cholamandalam MS General Insurance for distribution of their insurance products. The public sector bank already has a corporate agency agreement with The New India Assurance.

APPOINTMENT

General Motors India appointed Sanjiv Gupta as the new President and MD of the company

General Motors India announced the appointment of Sanjiv Gupta as the new President and Managing Director of the company. Sanjiv Gupta will replace Kaher Kazem. Kazem has been appointed as the President and CEO of GM Korea.

Russian President appointed career diplomat Nikolay Kudashev as Russia’s new ambassador to India

Russian President Vladimir Putin appointed career diplomat Nikolay Kudashev as Russia’s new ambassador to India. The appointment of Kudashev comes nearly seven months after the death of Russia’s previous ambassador to India Alexander Kadakin.

Sri Lanka Appoints First Tamil Navy Chief After Four Decades

Rear Admiral Travis Sinniah was appointed as the chief of Sri Lanka’s naval forces,making him the first from the minority Tamil community to head the Navy since the brutal civil war erupted in the country 45 years ago. He was appointed as the Navy chief by President Maithripala Sirisena. Sinniah succeeds Vice Admiral Ravi Wijegunaratne who has retired.

Mamta Suri took charge as Executive Director of Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI)

Dr. Mamta Suri took charge as Executive Director of Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) in New Delhi. Before joining IBBI, Dr. Suri was serving as Chief General Manager, Insurance Regulatory Development Authority of India (IRDAI). She has also received Honorary membership for High Scholastic Achievement from USA.

World’s Most expensive player Neymar became the Goodwill Ambassador for Handicap International

World’s Most expensive player Neymar became the Goodwill Ambassador for Handicap International, pledging to work for millions who are “less visible” but deserve equality. The charity was founded in 1982 to assist 6,000 Cambodian refugees who had lost limbs and later co-founded the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) in 1992 which won the Nobel Peace Prize.

DEFENCE

Army to Get 6 Apache AH64E Attack Helicopters in Deal worth Rs 4,168 Crore

India’s Defence acquisition council (DAC) gave the green light to a proposal to buy six Apache AH64E attack helicopters for the army from the United States. The approval was given at a meeting of Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) chaired by Defence Minister Arun Jaitley. The six Apache AH64E attack helicopters along with weapons systems from American giant Boeing at a cost of Rs 4,168 crore will be Indian Army’s first fleet of attack choppers.

Central Government has approved a nearly Rs 32,000 crore plan for boosting Coast Guard capabilities

Central Government has approved a nearly Rs 32,000 crore “definitive five-year action programme” for the Indian Coast Guard to enhance its capability in maintaining vigil on coastal waters. The action plan to give a boost to the Coast Guard in terms of infrastructure and equipment like offshore patrol vessels, interceptor boats, helicopters, aircraft and critical operational infrastructure were cleared at a meeting chaired by Defence Secretary Sanjay Mitra.

20th AUGUST 2017

IMPORTANT DAY

Sadbhavana Diwas or Harmony Day – August 20th

The Sadbhavana Diwas or Harmony Day is celebrated to commemorate the birth anniversary (August 20) of Rajiv Gandhi. On this day national integration, peace, love, affection and communal harmony among all Indians is encouraged. Shri Rajiv Gandhi was born on August 20, 1944, in Bombay. At 40, Mr. Rajiv Gandhi was the youngest Prime Minister of India.

STATE

Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath launched ‘Swachh Uttar Pradesh, Swasth Uttar Pradesh’ campaign

Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath launched ‘Swachh Uttar Pradesh, Swasth Uttar Pradesh‘ campaign and swept a street in Gorakhpur under the initiative.

NATIONAL

‘Champions of Change’ Initiative Organised by NITI Aayog

PM Narendra Modi addressed a gathering of young entrepreneurs and CEOs startups at an event organised by NITI Aayog. The event called ‘Champions of Change’ was organised by India’s policy think-tank, was aimed at bringing together young businessmen at a place and share ideas. The “Champions of Change” initiative is one effort to bring together diverse strengths for the benefit of the nation and society.

40 percent reservation for girls at planned Navodaya schools: Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi

The government has decided to offer 40 per cent reservation for girls at 100 Navodaya-type schools. The Minister of State for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said the government is mulling to open 100 Navodaya-type schools in minority concentrated areas of the country.

INTERNATIONAL

Italy to host fall G-7 interior Ministers summit on security

Italy would be hosting the summit of Group of Seven Interior Ministers to discuss on security matters in October 2017. The meeting is being organised at the request of Italy’s G-7 partners- Canada, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Japan and the United States.

BANKING & ECONOMY

RBI will shortly issue Rs 50 denomination banknotes in the Mahatma Gandhi (New) Series

The Reserve Bank of India will shortly issue Rs 50 denomination banknotes in the Mahatma Gandhi (New) Series signed by Governor of RBI Dr. Urjit Patel. The base colour of the note is fluorescent blue. The new Rs 50 banknote has a motif of Hampi with a chariot, depicting the country’s cultural heritage, and the Swachh Bharat logo with slogan on the reverse. All the banknotes in the denomination of Rs 50 issued by the Reserve Bank in the earlier series will continue to be legal tender.

Aadhar must for subsidised farm loans: RBI

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has made Aadhar linkage mandatory for farmers who wish to avail short-term crop loans in 2017-18. Under Interest Subvention Scheme, the banks are advised to make Aadhar linkage mandatory for availing short-term crop loans in 2017-18. RBI has defined that farmers can avail of short-term crop loans of up to Rs 3 lakh at the subsidised interest rate of 7% that could go down to 4% on prompt repayment.

Karur Vysya Bank inaugurates AADHAAR enrolment centre in Chennai

Private sector Karur Vysya Bank has unveiled the Aadhaar Enrolment Centre in Chennai. The Unique Identification Authority of India had advised commercial banks to provide Aadhaar enrolment and updation facility at various branches. KVB is the first private sector bank to provide Aadhaar Enrolment Centre service in the country.

AGREEMENT

GeM and CII sign MoU to establish GeMSamvad

A MoU was signed between Government eMarketplace (GeM) special-purpose vehicle SPV and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), in the presence of Ms. Nirmala Sitharaman, Commerce & Industry Minister at Udyog Bhawan, New Delhi. This MoU between GeM and CII is aimed at establishing GeM Samvaad – a participative and collaborative approach with the industry for promoting Indian industry and entrepreneurship.

Nepal and China has signed three pacts to boost their ties in power and energy sectors

Nepal and China has signed three pacts to boost their ties in power and energy sectors and undertake a feasibility study to excavate natural gas and petroleum in the Himalayan country, including in the southern Terai plains. The agreements have coveredeconomic and technological cooperation, oil and gas resources exploration, and promotion of investment.

21st AUGUST 2017

STATE

Smriti Irani has inaugurated Jharkhand’s first textiles manufacturing and export unit ‘Orient Craft Ltd’

Smriti Irani has inaugurated Jharkhand’s first textiles manufacturing and exportunit ‘Orient Craft Ltd’.Irani will also lay foundation stones of numerous companies under special make in Jharkhand drive, called “Momentum Jharkhand” in Jamshedpur. The ongoing ceremony, named as ”Second Groundbreaking Ceremony” foundation stones for 70 companies.

NATIONAL

Nepalese Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba will arrive on a four-day trip to India

Nepalese Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba will arrive on a four-day trip. During the visit, he will hold wide-ranging talks with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on issues of mutual interest.Deuba will be accompanied by a high-level delegation and will also call on the President and the Vice-President.

INTERNATIONAL

India and US have established new two-by-two (2 by 2) ministerial dialogue to enhance strategic coordination

India and US have established new two-by-two (2 by 2) ministerial dialogue to enhance strategic coordination between them and maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.The new dialogue format will replace the earlier India-US Strategic and Commercial Dialogue. It will be similar to the India-Japan 2+2 dialogue format between foreign and defence secretaries of the two countries.

12-year-old Indian-origin boy Rahul Doshi has been crowned as the UK’s ‘Child Genius’

A 12-year-old Indian-origin boy named Rahul Doshi has been crowned as the UK’s ‘Child Genius’ in a popular television quiz competition, days after he became an overnight sensation after answering all questions correctly.Rahul Doshi won the Channel 4 show ‘Child Genius’ by beating his nine-year-old opponent – Ronan – 10-4. The school boy is from north London.

BANKING & ECONOMY

Country’s largest lender, SBI Tops Share of Wilful Default to PSBs

The country’s largest lender, 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 Rs25,104 crore.Punjab National Bank (PNB) is next on the list with 1,120 wilful defaulters having outstanding non-performing assets (NPAs) of Rs12,278 crore. Together these two banks account for Rs37,382 crore or 40 per cent of the total outstanding loans.

First regional centre of the New Development Bank Opens in South Africa

The first regional centre of theNew Development Bank, set up by India and other BRICS nations, was officially opened by South African President Jacob Zuma and the bank’s Indian head K V Kamath.NDB has anauthorized capital of the bank is USD 100 billion. In 2018 it is expected to present about 15 to 20 projects involving a total lending of about USD 4 billion for the boards consideration.

AGREEMENT

Power Grid Corp announced to get USD 500 million loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB)

State-run power transmission utility Power Grid Corp announced that it will get a loan ofUSD 500 million from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for its various projects.The proceeds of the loan are proposed to be utilised for funding of Green Energy Corridor (Part D); 800KV High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) bipole link between Western Region (Raigarh, Chhattisgarh) and Southern Region (Pugalur, Tamil Nadu) and 320 KV HDVC link between Pugalur and North Trichur (Kerala).

Nestle India has tied up with Amazon India for the launch of its new Nutrilicious range of Maggi Noodles

Nestle India has tied up with Amazon India for the launch of its new Nutrilicious range of Maggi Noodles. The new range will be available first on Amazon.in, and the company, subsequently, aims to roll it out across retail outlets in India.New Maggi Nutritious Noodles are in line with Nestle’s “Simply Good” initiative to provide healthier & tastier choices to consumers.

AWARD

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao has been selected for the prestigious Agriculture Leadership Award-2017

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao has been selected for the prestigious Agriculture Leadership Award-2017. The award will be presented on September 5 at Taj Palace Hotel in New Delhi.The Chief Minister has been selected for the award for his innovative services rendered to the welfare of farmers and the farm sector.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

British scientists have developed the world’s smallest surgical robot

British scientists have developed the world’s smallest surgical robot which could transform daily operations for tens of thousands of patients. A team of 100 scientists and engineers have used low-cost technology originally developed for mobile phones and space industry.The robot, called Versius, mimics the human arm and can be used to carry out a wide range of laparoscopic procedures. The robot is set to be launched next year.

DEFENCE

Union Ministry of Defence Approves Delegation of Powers to Border Roads Organisation

The Ministry of Defence has decided to delegate administrative and financial powers to the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) to avoid delays on account of references between the Chief Engineer, HQ DGBR and the Ministry.The Ministry of Defence has approved that for both departmental and contractual mode of execution. A chief engineer of the BRO can accord administrative approval up to Rs. 50 crore, ADGBR up to Rs. 75 crore and DGBR up to Rs. 100 crore. Defence Ministry has approved policy guidelines based on which the BRO may engage big construction companies for taking up road projects on a turnkey basis.

US and South Korea began a 10-day-long annual military exercise, The Ulchi Freedom Guardian drill

The US and South Korea began a 10-day-long annual military exercise. The Ulchi Freedom Guardian drill is a computer-simulated defensive exercise designed to enhance readiness and maintain stability on the Korean peninsula. The Ulchi Freedom Guardian drills will be the first joint military exercise between the allies since North Korea successfully flight-tested two intercontinental ballistic missiles in July and threatened to bracket Guam with intermediate range ballistic missile fire in August.

Under project Navika Sagar Parikrama : Indian Navy’s All women Team to Circumnavigate Globe on an Indian-built sail boat INSV Tarini

Under project Navika Sagar Parikrama, a team of women officers of the Indian Navy would circumnavigate the globe on an Indian-built sail boat INSV Tarini. This is the first ever Indian circumnavigation of the globe by an all-women crew.The project is considered essential towards promoting Ocean Sailing activities in the Navy while depicting Government of India’s thrust for ‘Nari Shakti’.