Current Affairs for Competitive Exam

168 Pages·2017·4.11 MB·English

Current Affairs for Competitive Exam
Contents
INDIAN AFFAIRS ............................................................................................................................................................ 3
PLACES IN NEWS ......................................................................................................................................................... 47
FOREIGN VISITS .......................................................................................................................................................... 51
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS....................................................................................................................................... 53
SUMMITS & CONFERENCES ..................................................................................................................................... 66
RANKINGS & REPORTS ............................................................................................................................................. 71
BANKING & FINANCE ................................................................................................................................................. 74
BUSINESS ....................................................................................................................................................................... 83
AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS ..................................................................................................................................... 92
APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNS ................................................................................................................................. 106
ACQUISTIONS & MERGER ...................................................................................................................................... 119
MoUs ............................................................................................................................................................................ 120
SCHEMES ..................................................................................................................................................................... 123
COMMITTEE .............................................................................................................................................................. 126
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY ...................................................................................................................................... 130
DEFENCE ..................................................................................................................................................................... 138
ENVIRONMENT ......................................................................................................................................................... 145
SPORTS ........................................................................................................................................................................ 147
OBITUARY .................................................................................................................................................................. 158
BOOKS & AUTHORS ................................................................................................................................................ 165
IMPORTANT DAYS ................................................................................................................................................... 166

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INDIAN AFFAIRS

Narendra Modi inaugurate annual conference ‘Rajaswa Gyan Sangam’ in New Delhi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the annual conference – Rajaswa Gyan
Sangam, 2017 in New Delhi on 1st of Sep. He addressed the tax administrators during the
conference.
i.The Conference have been jointly organised by the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT)
and the Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC).
ii.The objective of the Conference is to enable a two-way communication between the policy-
makers and the senior officers in the field offices.
PAN-Aadhaar linking last date extended till 31 December
The deadline for linking Permanent Account Number (PAN) with Aadhaar has extended by
four months to 31st December announced by the government.
i.Earlier, the last date for linking PAN to Aadhaar was 31st August. The government had made
mandatory the linking of the two databases for filing ITRs.
ii.According to Section 139 AA (2) of the Income Tax Act that every person having PAN as on
1st July 2017 is eligible to obtain Aadhaar, must intimate his Aadhaar number to the tax authorities.
Youth Sports Centre to come up at Alipur, Delhi: Vijay Goel
On September 1, 2017 Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Shri Vijay Goel has
announced that a new Youth Sports Centre to be built at Alipur, Delhi.He said, the project could
be used by rural youth who can avail the facility for their overall development and promotion of
sports in rural areas of the capital. Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS) and Sports
Authority of India (SAI) will jointly create and run this unique Youth Sports Centre.
Facilities in the centre: –
• It will have a 200 bed Youth Hostel and facilities for providing training for Youth
Leadership, Skill Development, Life Skills, National Integration, Cultural and Folk-Art
activities and will also have an Information facility for providing relevant information to
the youth about the Flagship Schemes of Govt. of India for their development and
welfare.
• An amount of about Rs. 20 crore will be spent on the project.
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‘Yalla Kerala’ launched to attract Arab travelers
The Kerala Tourism department has launched a campaign called ‘Yalla Kerala’ (Yalla
means lets go). It has been launched to target tourists from Saudi Arabia, Oman, the
United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar.
i.This comes on the back of a promotional campaign launched in Dubai recently.
ii.It aimed at Arab travellers by showcasing the state’s backwaters and waterfalls on their city
taxis.
India gets its first Indigenous sniper rifle from West Bengal
India’s first indigenous sniper rifle was launched at the rifle factory in West Bengal.
i.Its total cost is Rs 2.5 lakh and weighing 6.7 Kg.
ii.The rifle has a shooting range of 800 meters. The factory has received orders from the CRPF
and police forces of Haryana and Rajasthan.
iii.These rifles are a must for urban police, for VIP protection, hostage situations and terror attacks.
Government plans to create Farmer Zone
With an aim to improve the condition of small and marginal farmers, the Union Ministry of
Science and Technology is planning to create Farmer Zone which is a collective open source
data platform for smart agriculture using biological research.
It was announced by Department of Biotechnology (DBT) at recently convened Smart
Agriculture Conclave in New Delhi on 30&31st of august, 2017.It was organised by Department of
Biotechnology in partnership with UK’s Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research
Council (BBSRC) and Research Councils UK (RCUK) India.
Environment Ministry to Launch ‘Prakriti Khoj’ – An Environment Quiz on Teachers’ Day
Environment Ministry will launch an environment awareness initiative. Under which an
online environmental quiz competition named “Prakriti Khoj” an Environment Quiz to be
conducted at the national level.
i.The quiz is being launched on 5th of September on the occasion of Teachers’ Day.
ii.It aims to motivate them towards effective participation in other major programmes related to
conservation and protection of the Ministry.
Narendra Modi Cabinet reshuffle with 9 New Faces as Ministers
On September 3,2017, the cabinet got extended and reshuffled for the third time. Modi expanded
his council of ministers twice–first on November 9, 2014 and then on July 5, 2016. Nine
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new Ministers of state were inducted into the Union Council of Ministers. Four Ministers of state
were elevated to the cabinet rank.
Ministers of State who got into Cabinet Rank: –
The ministers promoted were Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Dharmendra Pradhan, Piyush Goyal and
Nirmala Sitharaman.
1) Nirmala Sitharaman
She is promoted to ministry of defence. She is the first full time independent women
defence minister. He will however attend an international meeting of Defence Ministers in Japan.
Commerce and Industries department which was held by Nirmala sitharaman is now transferred
to Suresh Prabhu who exits as railway minister.
2) Piyush goyal
The railway department which was held by suresh prabhu is now transferred to Piyush
Goyal. Apart from Railways, Piyush Goyal retains the ministry of coal.
3) Dharmendra Pradhan
Dharmendra Pradhan, now cabinet minister, will continue to have charge of Petroleum and
Natural Gas and will also be minister for skill development and entrepreneurship, which
Rajiv Pratap Rudy gave up two days ago.
4) Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi
Minority Affairs Minister Muqtar Abbas Naqvi continues in his departments as a Cabinet
minister.
New members to the Cabinet: –
1) Shiv Pratap Shukla
• Shri Shiv Pratap Shukla is a Rajya Sabha MP from Uttar Pradesh. He is a Member of
the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development.
• He served as a Cabinet Minister in the Uttar Pradesh government for 8 years.
2) Ashwini Kumar Choubey
• Shri Ashwini Kumar Choubey is a Lok Sabha MP from Buxar, Bihar. He is member of
the Parliamentary Committee on Estimates and Standing Committee on Energy. He is also
a Member of Central Silk Board.
• Ashwini Kumar Choubey has been elected for 5 consecutive terms to the Bihar Legislative
Assembly.
3) Virendra Kumar
• Shri Virendra Kumar is a Lok Sabha MP from Tikamgah, Madhya Pradesh. He has
had a distinguished career in Public Service as a 6 term Lok Sabha MP.
4) Anantkumar Hegde
• Shri Anantkumar Hegde is a Lok Sabha MP from Uttara Kannada, Karnataka. He is a
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• Member of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs and Human
Resource Development.
• Having been elected as an MP for the first time at the young age of 28 years, Anantkumar
Hedge is now a 5th term Lok Sabha MP.
5) Raj Kumar Singh
• Shri Raj Kumar Singh is a Lok Sabha MP from Arrah, Bihar. He is a Member of the
Parliamentary Standing Committees on Health and Family Welfare, Personnel, Pensions
and Public Grievances and Law & Justice.
• Raj Kumar Singh is a former IAS officer of the 1975 batch, Bihar cadre.
6) Hardeep Singh Puri
• Shri Hardeep Puri is a decorated former IFS officer of the 1974 batch, known for his
experience and expertise in foreign policy and national security.
• Hardeep Puri is the President and Chairman of Research and Information System for
Developing Countries (RIS) think tank, and was the Vice President of International Peace
Institute, New York.
7) Gajendra Singh Shekhawat
• Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat is a Lok Sabha MP from Jodhpur, Rajasthan. He is a
Member of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance and Chairperson of the
Fellowship Committee.
8) Satya Pal Singh
• Shri Satya Pal Singh is a Lok Sabha MP from Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh. He is a
Member of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs and Chairperson of
the Joint Committee on Offices of Profit.
• Satya Pal Singh is a distinguished former IPS officer of the 1980 batch, Maharashtra
9) Alphons Kannanthanam

Delhi LG Anil Baijal bans dumping of solid waste at Ghazipur
On September 2 ,2017 Delhi lieutenant governor Anil Baijal banned dumping of waste at the
Ghazipur landfill site because on September 1 ,2017 a mountain of waste collapsed into a canal,
killing two people. Baijal ordered immediate halt to dumping of solid waste at the landfill
and clearing the site within two years.
i.The landfill has reached as high as 15 storey building putting people’s like at risk. A day after
torrential rain, the heaviest in three years lashed Delhi, a section of the pile in a landfill slumped
over a car and three two-wheelers, pushing the vehicles off the road and into a canal
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Karnataka to give free education to all girls till graduation
The Karnataka government has decided to make education free for all girls from Class 1 to
graduation level in all public and aided private schools and colleges from the next academic
year announced on 2nd Sept 2017.
i.Karnataka govt. is expecting around 18 lakh students whose parents’ income would be less than
Rs 10 lakh to opt for this scheme and are planning to earmark Rs 110 crore for this scheme.
ii.The scheme will apply to all private aided and government schools and colleges.
iii.Under this scheme, student must pay the fees first at the time of admission and later get
it reimbursed by the government.
iv.The main objective is to provide free education to underprivileged girls who generally
drop out of school after Class 10, especially in rural areas.
CIPAM-DIPP launches social media campaign to promote Geographical Indications
CIPAM, which works under the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) in
the ministry, has started an “#LetsTalkIP” initiative.
i.Cell for IPR Promotions and Management (CIPAM) has launched a social media campaign to
promote Indian Geographical Indications.
ii.It has been launched to make more people aware about the importance of intellectual
property rights (IPRs).
‘Ye India ka time hai’ event organized at NIT Raipur
‘Ye India ka time hai’ event was organized at National Institute of Technology, Raipur
Chhattisgarh on 3rd of Sept.
i.The event was held as per the directives of HRD ministry to mark India’s 70 years of
independence and 75 years of the Quit India movement.
ii.On the occasion of ‘Ye India ka time hai event’, students of NIT Raipur participated in a session
on ‘New India Manthan’.
Swiss president Doris Leuthard is on a three-day visit to India
Swiss president Doris Leuthard will begin her three day visit to India on August 6 2017. She will
be received gladly by India’s president Ram nath govind and PM Narendra Modi. These talks
will strengthen bilateral ties and it will ramp up trade and investment ties.
Issues to be discussed in the meet: –
i) The visit is significant as Switzerland is the chair of the Nuclear Suppliers Groupwhere
India has been seeking membership.
ii) Both countries will sign trade agreements and a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on
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railway infrastructure.
iii) India and Switzerland will try having new investment protection agreement.
President Ram Nath Kovind lays foundation stone for Link-4 of SAUNI Scheme
On 4th September 2017, Mr. Ram Nath Kovind, President of India laid the foundation for Link-
4 pipeline canal of SAUNI Scheme at Jasdan in Rajkot district of Gujarat.
SAUNI Scheme
i. Saurashtra Narmada Avataran Irrigation (SAUNI) Scheme was conceived by Mr. Narendra
Modi when he was the Chief Minister of Gujarat.
ii. This project aims to fill up 115 dams of 11 districts of Saurashtra by overflowing water
from Sardar Sarovar Dam on Narmada River by a web of 1126 km long pipeline network.
Link 1: From Machhu-II dam of Morbi district to Sani Dam of Jamanagar District
Link 2: From Limbdi Bhogavo-II Dam of Surendranagar District to Raidi Dam of Amreli District
Link 3: From Dholidhaja Dam of Surendranagar District to Venu-I Dam of Rajkot District
Link 4: From Limbdi Bhogavo-II Dam of Surendranagar District to Hiran-II Irrigation scheme of
Junagadh

First batch of 1000 E-rickshaws flagged off in Gurugram
Shri Nitin Gadkari, Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Shipping and Water Resources, River
Development and Ganga Rejuvenation has flagged off a fleet of first batch of 1000 E-
rickshaws from Huda City Centre metro station in Gurugram on 3rd of Sept 2017.The E
rickshaw fleet is being operated by Treasure Vase Ventures Private Limited in partnership of Delhi
Metro, under the SmartE brand name.
Government forms task force for speedy implementation Namami Gange
The Union Ministry of Water Resources, River Development, and Ganga Rejuvenation constituted
a task force for speedy implementation of various ongoing Namami Gange program.
i.The task force is expected to have ministers and officials from water resources, urban
development, drinking water and sanitation and rural development.
ii.Namami Gange programme is a program of Union Government aiming at integrating
various efforts to clean and protect River Ganga.
Disability pension for defence forces at par with civilians: Government
On 4th September 2017, the government has notified a new set of rules for disability
pensions for the armed forcesin New Delhi. The government has accepted the recommendations
of National Anomaly Committee (NAC) that disability pension to the defence forces will be
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granted as per regulations under the 6th Central Pay Commission (CPC) should be maintained.
Introduction of the new scheme for disabled army personnel:
i. The armed forces have been pressing to revert to the percentage-based sytem for the
disability pension and were strongly opposing the slab-based system put forth by the 7th CPC.
ii. The Ministry of Defence referred the matter to the National Anomaly Committee (NAC) to decide
the methodology for calculation of disability element of disability pension under the 7th CPC.
New scheme for the disabled army personnel:
i.The rules governed by the Sixth Central Pay Commission (6th CPC) instituted in 2006, stated
that disability pensions arising from battle injuries, or disabilities attributable to military service,
should be calculated on a “percentage basis”, related to the last pay drawn.
ii.Under the 7th CPC scheme, disability pensions will be calculated according to a “slab
system” that made the disability pension drawn by civilians greater than the one drawn by their
military counterparts
Yogi Adityanath and Rajnath Singh flagged-off Lucknow Metro
On 5th September 2017, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union Home
Minister Rajnath Singhflaged off the first run of the Lucknow Metro from the Transport Nagar
Metro Station in Lucknow.
Health Ministry launches two new contraceptives
On 5th September 2017, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has launched two new
contraceptives, an injectible MPA (Medroxyprogesterone Acetate) under
the ‘Antara’ programme and contraceptive pill ‘Chhaya’ in New Delhi.
1. The contraceptives are said to be safe and highly effective.
2. Antara(injectable) is effective for three months and Chayya (pill) works for one
week.
3. This will help to meet the changing needs of couples, especially women, to plan and
space their pregnancies.

NITI Aayog launches National Nutrition Strategy
On 5th September 2017, Leader of the Green Revolution Dr.M.S.Swaminathan and Padma Shri
Dr.H.Sudarshan launched the National Nutrition Strategy, along with Vice Chairman of Niti
Aayog Dr.Rajiv Kumar and Member of Niti Aayog Dr.Vinod Paul.
Aim of the National Nutrition Strategy:
The National Nutrition Strategy aims to ensure that every child, adolescent girl and woman
attains optimal nutritional status by 2022.
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National Nutritional Strategy:
1. The Integrated Child Development Services Mission would be expanded to form
a National Nutrition Mission along the lines of National Health Mission under the
Ministry of Women and Child Development (WCD) according to the National Nutritional
Strategy.
2. A steering group would be set up for monitoring the progress of the mission. This group
will report directly toPrime Minister Mr.Narendra Modi. The steering group will be
headed by WCD Minister Ms.Maneka Gandhi. Ministers from states with high burden
districts will be made members on a rotational basis. Other members will include
secretaries of WCD, members of finance ministry, health, panchayat raj, rural
development, drinking water supply and food, state chief secretaries and five sector
experts.
3. Under the National Nutrition Strategy the‘Nourishing India’ strategy proposes the use
of tracking and targeting children from birth until they are three years old, Mr.
Amitabh Kant, CEO of Niti Aayog mentioned.
Union council of ministers and Portfolios after reshuffle
On 3rd September 2017, the list of new Union Ministers after the reshuffle was announced by Prime
Minister Mr.Narendra Modi in New Delhi. The promoted ministers are Mr.Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi,
Mr.Dharmendra Pradhan, Mr.Piyush Goyal and Ms.Nirmala Sitharaman. Ms.Nirmala
Sitharaman has become the second woman defence minister of Indiaafter Ms.Indira Gandhi.
The revised portfolios of ministers are as follows:
Cabinet Ministers:
1. Mr.Rajnath Singh: Minister of Home Affairs.
2. Ms.Sushma Swaraj: Minister of External Affairs.
3. Mr.Arun Jaitley: Minister of Finance; Minister of Corporate Affairs.
4. Mr.Nitin Jairam Gadkari: Minister of Road Transport and Highways; Minister of Shipping;
Minister of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation
1. Mr.Suresh Prabhu: Minister of Commerce and Industry.
2. Mr.D.V.Sadananda Gowda: Minister of Statistics and Programme Implementation.
3. Ms.Uma Bharati: Minister of Drinking Water and Sanitation.
4. Mr.Ramvilas Paswan: Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution.
5. Ms.Maneka Sanjay Gandhi: Minister of Women and Child Development.
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6. Mr.Ananthkumar: Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers; Minister of Parliamentary Affairs.
7. Mr.Ravi Shankar Prasad: Minister of Law and Justice; Minister of Electronics and
Information Technology.
8. Mr.Jagat Prakash Nadda: Minister of Health and Family Welfare.
9. Mr.Ashok Gajapathi Raju Pusapati: Minister of Civil Aviation.
10. Mr.Anant Geete: Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises.
11. Ms.Harsimrat Kaur Badal: Minister of Food Processing Industries.
12. Mr.Narendra Singh Tomar: Minister of Rural Development; Minister of Panchayati Raj;
Minister of Mines.
13. Mr.Chaudhary Birender Singh: Minister of Steel.
14. Mr.Jual Oram: Minister of Tribal Affairs.
15. Mr.Radha Mohan Singh: Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
16. Mr.Thaawar Chand Gehlot: Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment.
17. Ms.Smriti Zubin Irani: Minister of Textiles; Minister of Information and Broadcasting.
18. Mr.Harsh Vardhan: Minister of Science and Technology; Minister of Earth Sciences;
Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
19. Mr.Prakash Javadekar: Minister of Human Resource Development.
20. Mr.Dharmendra Pradhan: Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas; Minister of Skill
Development and Entrepreneurship.
21. Mr.Piyush Goyal: Minister of Railways; Minister of Coal.
22. Ms.Nirmala Sitharaman: Minister of Defence.
23. Mr.Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi: Minister of Minority Affairs.
Odisha CM inaugurates fourth Govt medical college in koraput
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has inaugurated the Saheed Laxman Nayak Medical
College and Hospital (SLNMCH) in the tribal-dominated district of southern Odisha on 4th Sept.
2017.
i.With its inauguration, it became the fourth State-run medical college and hospital and the total
number of MBBS seats in the State has gone up to 850.
ii.The admission process in SLNMCH is already completed. A total number of 100 students have
been admitted to the first year MBBS course and the classes for the commencement of its first
academic session began from the day of inauguration.
Assam govt sets up DBT cell for implementation of Direct Benefit Transfer scheme
In Assam, the state govt. has set up a Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT)
Cell for implementation of DBT across schemes in the Country. It helps in coordinating
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