Current Affairs For 2017

Current Affairs April 2017
PDF Capsule
Current Affairs PDF: April 2017
Current Affairs for Competitive Exam

Contents
INDIAN AFFAIRS............................................................................................................................................. 3
PLACES IN NEWS.......................................................................................................................................... 29
FOREIGN VISITS ........................................................................................................................................... 35
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS ....................................................................................................................... 40
SUMMITS & CONFERENCES ..................................................................................................................... 48
RANKING & REPORTS ................................................................................................................................ 55
BANKING & FINANCE ................................................................................................................................. 61
BUSINESS ........................................................................................................................................................ 78
AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS ..................................................................................................................... 85
APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNS .................................................................................................................. 100
ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS .................................................................................................................. 108
MoUs ............................................................................................................................................................... 109
SCHEMES ...................................................................................................................................................... 115
COMMITTEE ................................................................................................................................................ 123
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY ..................................................................................................................... 124
DEFENCE ...................................................................................................................................................... 134
ENVIRONMENT ........................................................................................................................................... 137
SPORTS .......................................................................................................................................................... 140
OBITUARY .................................................................................................................................................... 149
BOOKS & AUTHORS .................................................................................................................................. 155
IMPORTANT DAYS ..................................................................................................................................... 157
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INDIAN AFFAIRS
Cabinet approves ratification of 2 ILO conventions on prohibiting child labour

Moving towards the goal of eradication of child labour, Union Cabinet recently approved ratification
of 2 fundamental conventions of International Labour Organisation (ILO).
The two ratifications that were approved are as follows:
(i)ILO Convention No. 138 which deals with minimum age for admission to employment
(ii)ILO Convention No. 182 which deals with prohibition and immediate action for elimination of the
worst forms of child labour.
Cabinet allows unrestricted export of all certified organic agricultural products

With this approval, quantitative ceiling on exports of organic agricultural and organic processed
products has been squashed. However quantitative ceiling will still prevail on organic lentils and
pulses owing to its acute shortage in the domestic market.
Government awards 128 air routes under Regional Connectivity Scheme

In a bid to make the Regional Connectivity Scheme operational; Civil Aviation Ministry has
selected 27 proposals from 5 airlines to operate 128 routes across the country, connecting 31
unconnected airports. It added that first regional flight under UDAN scheme will start operating
from April 2017
The five selected airlines are:
Airline Operator Number of Proposals Number of Regional Connectivity
Scheme Routes
Air Deccan 4 34
Air Odisha 5 50
Alliance Air 8 15
SpiceJet 6 11
TruJet (Turbo Megha Airways) 4 18
Total 27 128
Pawan Hans to start chopper rides to Dilli Darshan at Rs 2500
Pawan Hans, the National chopper operator is all set to launch its Dilli Darshan rides from April
1, 2017 with a 10 minute chopper ride costing Rs 2499 per person. In addition to that, the
Chopper operator also offers a 20 minute helicopter ride for Rs 4999.
The service is to be rolled out at its first heliport in North-Delhis Rohini area which is
inaugurated by companys Chairman and Managing Director, B P Sharma and Civil Aviation
Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju.
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Barmer Munawab and Pipad Road-Bilara rail routes New Green Corridors in India
Indian railways has announced the 5 Green Corridors under which Barmer Munawab and Pipad
Road-Bilara rail routes in Rajasthan have been declared by North Western Railways as Green
Corridors. This initiative is taken under Swachh Rail- Swachh Bharat mission.
i. The five green corridors are
1.Manamadurai Rameswaram corridor,
2.Okha-Kanalus corridor,
3.Porbandar-Wasjaliya corridor,
4.Barmer-Munawab corridor and
5.Pipad Road-Bilara corridor.
ii. Among these corridors Manamadurai Rameswaram is Indias first green corridor.
New Urea Policy modifications approved by Cabinet

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved amendments to the New Urea
Policy2015 on March 31, 2017. The policy is effective from June 1, 2015 to March 31, 2019.
Amendments under New Urea Policy2015
The existing gas based units will be classified into three groups
i. Group I includes the units having pre-set energy norms between 0 G Cal/MT to 6.0 G Cal/MT.
Under this category there are 13 units.
ii. Group I includes the units having pre-set energy norms between 0 G Cal/MT to 7.0 G Cal/MT.
iii. Group I includes the units having pre-set energy norms more 0 G Cal/MT.
Amendments under Mega Power Policy 2009 approved by CCEA

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved the amendments in the Mega
Power Policy 2009 on March 31, 2017. Total of 25 projects comes under this policy.
States under these projects are Jammu and Kashmir, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam,
Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura.
i. Time period for the provisional Mega projects (25 projects); for furnishing the final mega
certificates to the tax authorities are extended to 120 months instead of 60 months from the date
of import.
ii. Developers would be required to keep their fixed deposit receipt (FDR) or bank guarantee alive.
Finance Bill gets presidential assent, takes effect from April 1

i. On 31st March 2017, President Pranab Mukherjee gave his assent to the Finance Bill 2017.
Thus, all financial and taxation related provisions as announced in Budget 2017 have now attained
a legal status.
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ii. Limiting cash transactions to 2 lakh. This cap is at par with requirement to quote PAN number
on cash spending.
President three day Visits to West Bengal, Jharkhand and Bihar

i. President of India Mr. Pranab Mukherjee is on an official visit to West Bengal, Jharkhand
and Bihar from 1st 3rd April 2017.
ii. 1st April 2017 Kolkata, West Bengal: President was the Chief Guest at 52nd Annual Convocation
of Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Calcutta.
iii. 2nd April 2017 Jharkhand: In the capital city Ranchi, President laid foundation stone
of Rabindra Bhawan and Haj House.
Centre sanctions Rs. 98 crore for tourism sector development in Assam

i. Union Ministry of Tourism has sanctioned Rs 98.35 crores for tourism development in Assam.
ii. The information was announced by Union Minister of State for Tourism and Culture Dr. Mahesh
Sarma while meeting Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal.
iii. The amount sanctioned will be used under the scheme of Swadesh Darshan. The cities to be
developed are Tezpur, Majuli and Sivasagar.
Government sets up National Board for Electric Mobility

In a bid to promote electric mobility and manufacturing of electric/hybrid vehicles and their
components, Central Government constituted National Board for Electric Mobility (NBEM) on
3rd April 2017.
Structure of National Board for Electric Mobility (NBEM):
Chairperson: Secretary of Department of Heavy Industry
Members: Senior Bureaucrats including Secretaries in the Department of Revenue, Department of
Economic Affairs, Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, Ministry of Power and Ministry of
Petroleum & Natural Gas
Tenure of Nominated Members: 2 years, or until further government order, whichever is earlier. If
their services are required they can even be re-nominated for an additional term.
Sub-committees: NBEM is also authorised to form sub-committees for seeking recommendations on
specific aspects.
Haryana to provide one-time grant of Rs. 21,000 to families for third girl child
i. In its ongoing efforts to combat the problem of declining child sex ratio in the state, Haryana
State Govt. has announced to provide one-time grant of Rs 21,000 to all those families whose third
girl child was born after August 24, 2015 under the currently operational 'Aapki Beti Humari
Beti' scheme.
ii. As per the scheme, the first girl child born in the families belonging to Scheduled Castes (SC)
and Below Poverty Line (BPL) category will be eligible for a grant of Rs. 21000/-
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iii. Similarly, second girl child, twin or multiple girl child born on or after January 22, 2015 in any
family will also be eligible for a grant of Rs. 21000/- (per girl child).
Gadkari announces first express highway project Rs.40000 Cr in northeast

i. Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways and Shipping, Nitin Gadkari has announced
the first North East Express Highway project at the closing ceremony of the 'Namami
Brahmaputra' festival on April 4, 2017.
ii. This 1300 Km highway project will be implemented with an outlay of Rs 40,000
crore in Assam
Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath waives Rs 36,359-crore loan for UP farmers
i. Uttar Pradesh chief minister, Yogi Adityanath declares Rs 36,359 crore farm loan waivers at
its first cabinet meeting on 4thApril 2017.
ii. The U.P government planned to waive off crop loans of up to Rs 1 lakh of small and marginal
farmers and the cabinet also decided to write off Rs 5,630 crore in non-performing assets (NPAs)
of 700,000 farmers in the state.
Cabinet approves setting up rail regulator to recommend passenger fares

On April 5, 2017, Union Cabinet approved a proposal to set up a regulator for Indian Railways to
recommend passenger and freight fares and set the performance benchmarks.
This entity will be named Railway Development Authority (RDA) and will be based in New
Delhi. Rs.50 crore has been earmarked to set up the authority.
Structure of Railway Development Authority (RDA):
Chairperson to be appointed by Central Government for 5-year term
Three external members (not associated with Indian Railways) to be appointed by
Central Government for 5-year term
Four Main Tasks of Railway Development Authority (RDA):
1. Tariff determination
2. Setting efficiency and performance standards
3. Ensuring a level playing field for stakeholder investment
4. Dissemination of information
Cabinet approves extension of implementation of Crime and Criminal Tracking Network

and Systems Project by one year
Union Home Ministrys proposal for extending the implementation of the Crime and Criminals
Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS) project for one year till March 2018 has been
approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the PM Narendra Modi. CCTNS
aims to create a national database of crimes and criminals.
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One-year extension will help the Govt. to achieve the pending goals of CCTNS
Jhargram Blooms as 22nd District in West Bengal

i. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on March 4, 2017 declared Jhargram as the
22nd district of Bengal and it has been bifurcated from West Midnapore.
ii. After Jhargram, West Burdwan has declared as 23rd district of West Bengal by West Bengal
CM Mamata Banerjee as a "Bengali New Year gift to the people."
Section 139AA - Aadhaar to be mandatory for IT returns, getting PAN from July 1
The government is making Aadhaar mandatory for filing income tax returns as well as to getting
PAN card through amendments to the finance bill 2017.The Finance Act, 2017 introduced Section
139AA of the Income-tax Act, 1961 which states that mandatory quoting of Aadhaar
/Enrolment ID of Aadhaar application form, for filing IT returns and application for allotment of
Permanent Account Number(PAN) with effect from July 1.
MP govt. to launch Hindu priesthood diploma course Purohityam - religion no bar

The Madhya Pradesh Government-run Maharshi Patanjali Sanskrit Sansthan plans to launch one
year diploma course from July 2017 known as Diploma in Purohityam for teaching
priesthood.
Russia hands over responsibility of Kudankulam 1 to India

The agreement was signed between representatives of Nuclear Power Corporation of India
Ltd (NPCIL) and the ASE Group of Companies, a subsidiary of ROSATOM State Atomic Energy
Corporation of Russia on the final settlement of Kudankulam 1.
Centre to revive ambitious North Koel irrigation project in Jharkhand

Union Govt. has decided to revive its 45-year-old North Koel river irrigation project with an
objective to provide irrigation facilities to over one lakh hectare of farm land
in Jharkhand, specifically in Daltonganj and Palamu region along with neighbouring districts of
Bihar. The pending work on this project will be completed at an estimated cost of Rs 1,622 crore.
The project was conceived in year 1972 and the construction work started in 1975.
Haryana sex ratio touches 950 for the first time

This was for the first time in the history of Haryana , the sex ratio has touched the 950 mark.
Haryana CM Manohar LalKhattar said that the sex ratio at birth stood at 950 girls to 1000 boys.
i. In 2016 for the first time Haryana sex ratio at birth crossed the 900 mark.
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ii. In the past Haryana sex ratio was 879 females per 1000 males which is very doleful matter
for a state.
Center declares Kerala drought-hit, announces Rs. 24000 crore relief to eight states
The union government declared Kerala as a drought hit state along with 7 other states and
announced a drought relief package of Rs 24000 crore to drought affected areas as well.
Major Key Points:
i. Government has allowed 50 additional working days under The NATIONAL RURAL
EMPLOYMENT GURANTEE SCHEME.
ii. Seven states which are included along with Kerala are Tamil Nadu, Karnataka,Uttarkhand,
UttarPradesh, AndhraPradesh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.
The Minister of Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation Shri Venkaiah Naidu launched 352
housing projects in 53 cities
On April 9, 2017, M Venkaiah Naidu Union Minister of Housing & Urban Poverty
Alleviation, launched 352 housing projects in 53 cities across 17 States. Mr. Naidu launched these
projects at a function in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
Specifications related to these projects:
1.No. Of affordable houses to be constructed: 2 lakh
2.Construction Cost per House: Rs. 15 lakh to Rs. 30 lakh
3.Total Investment: Rs. 38000 crore
State wise distribution of projects:
State Cities No. Of Investment
affordable
houses
Maharashtra Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Satara, 103719 Rs. 15576
Ahmednagar, Nashik, Jalna, crore
Malegaon, Banm and Solapur
National Capital Region of 41921 Rs. 6211
Delhi crore
Gujarat Ahmedabad, Surat, Rajkot, 28465 Rs. 9525
Vapi, Gandhinagar, Vadodara, crore
Rajkot, Navsari, Bharuch,
Modasa, Mehsana, Palanpur and
Sabarkantha
Karnataka Bengaluru, Gulbarga and Hubli 7037 Rs. 1679
crore
Uttar Pradesh Varanasi, Agra, Jhansi, Bareily, 6055 Rs. 1108
Kanpur and Allahabad
Rajasthan Jaipur, Ajmer and Jodhpur 4406 Rs. 389
crore
West Bengal Kolkata 2955 Rs. 663
crore
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Goa 1932 Rs. 464

crore
Telangana Hyderabad 1784 Rs. 663
crore
Madhya Pradesh Ujjain and Indore 1517 Rs. 284
crore
Kerala Trivendrum, Kochi, Ernakulam 1372 Rs. 186
and Calicut crore
Assam Guwahati 860 Rs. 145
crore
Tamil Nadu Coimbatore, Tiruchirapalli and 834 Rs. 145
Chennai crore
Odisha Bhubaneswar 520 Rs. 53 crore
Chhattisgarh Raiapur 244 Rs. 26 crore
Andhra Pradesh Tirupati 50 Rs. 10 crore
These projects will be executed with the help of Govt. in terms of interest subvention or assistance
under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Urban.
NMCG approved 26 projects worth Rs 2,154.28 cr for Namami Gange project

The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) has approved 26 projects worth Rs 2,154.28
crore under the Centres Namami Gange programme, focusing to reduce the rivers pollution.
i. NMCG will set up sewage treatment plants (STPs) and develop sewage network in four Ganga
basin states: Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jharkhand and Delhi.
ii. This amount would be spent for creation of new sewage treatment capacity of approximately
188 million litres per day.
PM Modi launched special digital exhibition marking 100 years of Champaran Satyagraha
On April 10, 2017, an exhibition titled Swachhagraha Bapu Ko Karyanjali Ek Abhiyan, Ek
Pradarshani inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi at National Archives of India (NIA) in New
Delhi. This exhibition has been organised to mark 100 years of Champaran Satyagraha, which was
Mahatma Gandhis first experiment in using non-violence and non-cooperation as methods to
protest.
PM Modi also launched an Online Interactive Quiz at the event, which will continue for 30
months till October, 2019 coinciding with 150th birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
The exhibition will feature several sections highlighting the key events that took place during
Champaran Satyagraha. Digital tools such as video walls and projectors will be used to engage
the visitors.
Venkaiah Naidu releases book 'Gandhi in Champaran' in Delhi
M Venkaiah Naidu - Minister for Information & Broadcasting, released following three
heritage books to mark 100 years of Champaran Satyagraha:
1.Gandhi in Champaran This book provides vivid description of Mahatma Gandhis experiences in
Champaran
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2.Romain Rolland and Gandhi Correspondence This book is a collection of letters exchanged
between Nobel Literature Prize Winner Romain Rolland and Mahatma Gandhi
3.Mahatma Series (8 volumes) This book is a biographical account of Mahatma Gandhi
All three books have been written by renowned author DG Tendulkar and have been published by
Publications division under Union Ministry of Information & Broadcasting.
AYUSH Minister Shripad Yesso Naik inaugurates the International Convention on World
Homoeopathy Day in New Delhi
Every year, April 10 is celebrated as World Homeopathy Day to commemorate the birth
anniversary of Dr. Christian Friedrich Samuel Hahnemann - the founder of Homoeopathy.
National Convention on World Homoeopathy, New Delhi:
To commemorate the 262nd birth anniversary of Dr. Christian Friedrich Samuel Hahnemann - the
founder of Homoeopathy, a National Convention on World Homoeopathy was held at New Delhi on
April 10, 2017. This convention was inaugurated by Mr. Shripad Yesso Naik - Minister of State
(Independent Charge), for AYUSH.
Details about National Convention on World Homoeopathy:
Theme of the convention: Enhancing Quality Research in Homoeopathy through scientific
evidence and rich clinical experiences
Convention will be Presided over by: Manoj Rajoria - Member of Parliament and
Parliamentary Standing Committee of Ministry of AYUSH, Health and Family Welfare
Lok Sabha passes 123rd Constitution Amendment Bill 2017

On April 10, 2017, Lok Sabha passed 123rd Constitution Amendment Bill, 2017 with 360
members voting in favour and two members voting against it. This amendment bill seeks to grant
constitutional status to National Commission for Socially and Educationally Backward
Classes.The amendment bill was introduced in Lok Sabha by Union Social Justice and
Empowerment Minister, Thaawarchand Gehlot on April 5, 2017.
Key Provisions of 123rd Constitution Amendment Bill, 2017:
The amendment bill seeks to insert Article 338B in the Indian Constitution. This article will list out
the structure and functions of the proposed National Commission for Socially and Educationally
Backward Classes.
The commission will have a Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson and three other members. To
hear the grievances of socially and educationally backward classes will be the main task
of this commission.
The amendment bill also seeks to insert a new article 342A which empowers the
President to specify the socially and educationally backward classes by public notification.
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Survey General Of India completes 250 Years

The Survey General of India completes 250 years on 10th April, 2017. The center launched a
website which allows the public access to 3000 maps which are prepared by Survey General of
India. It also made a subscription to Aadhaar mandatory for the service.
Nakshe Portal:
A Nakshe Portal was launched by the Union Minister for Science and Technology and Earth
Sciences, Dr. Harsh Vardhan on the occasion of 250th anniversary of Survey of India in New
Delhi
Making the Aadhaar mandatory for entering the website would ensure that only Indians
used it.
The SGI has provided a link on which one can download up to 3 maps a day using ones
Aadhaar number.
Motor Vehicle amendment bill passed by Lok Sabha

On April 10, 2017, Lok Sabha passed The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill 2016 by voice
vote. This bill amends the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.
Background Information:
This amendment bill was first introduced in Lok Sabha in August 2016 which proposed 89 clauses
for amendment. It was referred to Parliament Standing Committee on Transport, headed by Mukul
Roy, which accepted 57 out of 89 clauses for amendment.
Key Provisions of Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Bill 2016:
Penalties for traffic rule violations: Hefty penalty has been proposed for serious offences
such as overload, dangerous driving, drunken driving and not using seat belt and helmet.
Violations by Juveniles: Guardian/owner will be held guilty in case of offences committed
by juveniles. The juvenile will be tried under Juvenile Justice Act. The vehicle registration
will also be cancelled.
Road Accidents and Insurance: In cases of accidents that occur due to bad road,
the contractor will be held liable and will have to pay the fine. Maximum liability for third
party insurance in case of a motor accident has been capped at Rs 10 lakh in case of
death and at Rs 5 lakh in case of critical injury.
Motor Vehicle Accident Fund: To provide compulsory insurance cover to all road users in
India for specific types of accidents.
Driving Licence: The process of obtaining learning licence will be made online, thereby
eliminating the need to visit the transport office. Validity period of driving licences will be
increased. Requirement of educational qualification for licences will be done away with.
Taxi Aggregators: The bill defines aggregators as digital intermediaries who act as market
place for a passenger willing to commute and a driver willing to serve. Taxi aggregators
will be required to obtain licence and will have to comply with provisions of IT Act, 2000.
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Good Samaritans: As per the bill, any person who helps road accident victims should not
be subjected to civil or criminal proceedings.
Provisions for Auto Companies: Auto companies manufacturing faulty vehicles and
violating emission norms will have to pay a fine of up to Rs 100 crore. The companies
will also have to recall their faulty vehicles and refund the money to buyers.
Parliament passes Constitution (SC) Order (Amendment) Bill 2017

After passed by Rajyasabha The Parliament has passed the Constitution (Schedule Castes) Order
(Amendment) Bill 2017. It was already passed by LokSabha in March 2017.
i. The Bill seeks to amends the constitution (Schedule Castes) order, 1950 and the constitution
(Pondicherry) Scheduled Castes Order, 1964.
ii. The Bill seeks to modify the list of SCs for the state of Odisha.
Centre releases nearly 23500 Crore to States under MGNREGS

Ministry of Rural development has released nearly 23,500 crore rupees to the States under
Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS)
i. The GOI emphasized solely on Water Conservation and Water Management works under
MGNREGS.
ii. All the states have been advised to ensure that such works are taken up wherever required with
appropriate technical and scientific channel.
iii. A list of 2264 water-stressed Blocks prepared by Ministry of Water resources.These blocks
are located in 324 districts of 21 states.
Parliament passes HIV and AIDS (Prevention and Control) Bill 2017
On April 11, 2017, Parliament passed Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired
Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) (Prevention and Control) Bill, 2017 to ensure
equality for HIV positive persons in spheres of education, employment and treatment.
This Bill was already passed by Rajya Sabha on March 21, 2017.
Key Provisions of HIV and AIDS (Prevention and Control) Bill, 2017:
Prohibition of Discrimination: The bill prohibits discrimination towards HIV positive
persons in areas of education, jobs, healthcare treatment, availing insurance, holding
public/private office and residing or renting a property.
Prohibition of HIV testing for job and education: Practice of conducting HIV test before
recruiting for a job, giving admission in educational institution or providing health
care facility has been prohibited.
Disclosure of HIV Status: Affected persons informed consent has to be sought before
disclosing his/her HIV status.
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Rights of HIV positive persons below 18: Such persons have been granted right to reside
in a shared household and can enjoy the ensuing facilities.
Role of Govt.: Central and State Governments have been entrusted with several
responsibilities viz. preventing the spread of HIV, providing antiretroviral therapy (ART) to
affected persons, conducting HIV/AIDs awareness programmes for different sections of
the society and helping HIV positive person to take benefit of Govt. welfare schemes
Judicial Proceedings: Court cases involving HIV positive persons will be accorded priority.
During the proceedings, courts should take proper care to protect the identity of such
persons.
Violation of the Act: Complaints relating to violation of provisions of this act, shall be
looked into by an ombudsmen appointed by the State Govt. Ombudsmen is required to
update the status of these complaints to state govt., every six months.
Kerala makes Malayalam mandatory in school

The Kerala government has announced to make Malayalam language mandatory in all schools
in the state.
i. The new law will be applicable to schools. Those schools that violated the law will have to pay
huge fines.
ii. The usage of Malayalam as official language has been made compulsory in all government offices
from May 1.
After MP CM Shivraj , Chhattisgarhs Raman Singh announces phased liquor ban

Chhattisgarh CM Raman Singh impose liquor ban in Chhattisgarh after his meeting with Bihar
Chief minister Nitishkumar.
i. Chhattisgarh CM announced and imposes a ban on liquor. He made the announcement in Munger.
ii. He will first impose a ban on villages which has a population of more than 3000.
iii. Chhattisgarh has now become the second state to declare a ban on alcohol.
iv. The CM mentioned in his speech that first phase has already done with the government closing
down all the liquor shops located within a radius of 5 km.
Cabinet approves implementation of Supreme Courts Judgment regarding Target Plus

Scheme (TPS) under Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) 2004-09
The judgment pertaining to Target Plus Scheme (TPS) under Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) 2004-09
was passed by Supreme Court on October 27, 2015.
Implementing the Supreme Court judgement by settling the pending claims under TPS
will have financial implication of Rs. 2700 crore for the central govt.
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Cabinet approves setting up of Indian Institute of Petroleum and Energy (IIPE) at

Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh
IIPE will be built at a cost of over Rs. 655 crore. It will have a status of an Institute of National
Importance and will have a legal mandate to grant degrees just as any other Indian Institute of
Technology (IIT).
Building IIPE was one the commitments made to Andhra Pradesh, when Telangana was
carved out as a separate state.
Cabinet approves setting up of a Special Purpose Vehicle to be called Government e-

Marketplace (GeM SPV)
With a view to facilitate online procurement of common use goods and services by central and
state government entities in a transparent and efficient manner, Union Cabinet has decided to set
up a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to be called 'Government e-Marketplace (GeM SPV)
This SPV will be set up as a non-profit organisation under Companies Act, 2013. It will
replace the Directorate General of Supplies and Disposal (DGS&D).
Cabinet approves MSP for Raw Jute for 2017-18 season

In order to safeguard the economic interests of Jute farmers, Govt. has hiked the Minimum Support
Price (MSP) for raw Jute from Rs. 3200/- per quintal in previous season to Rs. 3500/- for 2017-
18 season.
Helping the Jute industry is high on Govt. agenda as around 40 lakh families (mainly in
West Bengal, Bihar and Assam) are dependent upon it. Jute is an essential raw material
for the packaging industry.
Petrol and Diesel prices to change everyday from 1st May

The Pilot Project has been launched by State-owned fuel retailers Indian Oil Corp (IOC), Bharat
Petroleum Corp Ltd (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corp Ltd (HPCL), for daily price revision
in five select cities from May 1 that owns nearly 58,000 petrol pumps in the country.
Key Highlights:
i. Firstly Oil companies will implement pilot project in 5 cities Puducherry, Vizag in Andhra
Pradesh, Udaipur in Rajasthan, Jamshedpur in Jharkhand and Chandigarh.
ii. If successful than it will be implemented in whole India.
Andhra to introduce Ammaku Vandanam in Schools

A unique programmeAmmaku Vandanamwill be launched by the Andhra Pradesh in the
government schools to pay tribute to mothers.
Key Points:
i. Under this programme the school children will take the blessings of their mothers and also
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do 'paada pooja' (washing her feet) called Mother Worship.

ii. Cost allocation of this programme will be Rs 2.50 crore.
Jharkhand police initiates Tara Zameen Par programme for underprivilieged children
With a motive to enlighten children in naxal-affected areas of Jharkhands Palamau district,
Jharkhand Police has initiated Tare Zameen Par program to encourage children to lead
happy lives.
i. Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), Vipul Shukla appealed to locals to donate bags, shoes,
books and clothes that will be distributed among poor children.
ii. People from all sections of society took part in the program held in Jharkhands Daltongunj city
contributing basic amenities for children.
After UP's Anti Romeo Squad Harayana launches Operation Durga

Haryana announced the launch of Durga Vahini - police squads it aims to stop harassment of
women on public spaces.
Major Highlights:
i. Over the last 24 hours, the units have caught 72 men and handed them over to the local police
stations.
ii. Strong actions will be taken against "eve-teasers".
iii. The teams comprise woman personnel, including nine Sub-inspectors of Police, 14 Assistant
Sub-inspectors, six Head Constables and 13 constables, besides other police officers from each
district.
33 years of Operation Meghdoot a saga of unmatched bravery

Operation Meghdoot' the code-name for an Indian Armed Forces operation, was launched 33
years back this day.
i. After 33 years of Operation Meghdoot, the Indian Army's longest deployment on strategically
located Siachen Glacier celebrating a saga for bravery, heroism, courage and sacrifice on the
world's highest and coldest battle field.
ii. Two disputed boundaries with Pakistan and China. It lies in the Karakoram Range in the North
West India.
Cab safety measures for women included in New Taxi Policy guidelines
The safety measures that are recommended by the Ministry of Women and Child
Development for the safety of women commuters who avails cab services have been included in
the new Taxi Policy Guidelines.
These measures have been recommended by the WCD Minister, Smt Maneka Sanjay Gandhi to
the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and Shipping..
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Recommendations of WCD Ministry included in the New Taxi Policy Guidelines are:
i. The taxis should be mandatorily fitted with GPS panic devices.
ii. The central locking system in the taxis should not be allowed for the safety of women and child
passengers.
iii. The driver's identification along with the photo and registration number of the vehicle must be
displayed in the taxi.
PM launches GNFC's cashless/less cash township model across 12 States

On April 14, 2017, during his Nagpur visit, PM Narendra Modi launched a less - cash township
model, developed by Gujarat Narmada Valley Fertilizers and Chemicals Ltd (GNFC), across
81 townships in 12 States.
The less-cash model across the States has been facilitated by GNFC under the auspices
of NITI Aayog. It is to be noted that GNFCs township at Bharuch in Gujarat became
Indias first 100 per cent cashless township.
Supreme court asks Center to include Urdu in NEET from 2018-2019

Urdu to be included in NEET exam the common test for admission into medical college
announced by the Supreme Court.
Key Points:
i. Urdu will be a language of medium for NEET possibly from this year or from next year directed by
the member committee.
ii. The committee headed by Dipak Mishra, AM Khanwilkar and MM Shantanagoudar.
PM Modi felicitates families of freedom fighters in Odisha

On April 16, 2017 Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. He felicitated the
family members of 16 freedom fighters who were martyred during the Paika Rebellion.
While interacting with descendants of freedom fighters, PM Modi mentioned that sacrifices
made by their ancestor will be recognised by Govt. in 2022 when India completes 75 years of
Independence.
About Paika Rebellion:
Paika Rebellion was an armed rebellion against British East India Company which took place in the
year 1817 across Odisha. Combination of social-political-economic causes triggered the Paika
rebellion. Paiks were the traditional warrior clan of Odisha.
Virtual Museums To Be Set Up In 50 Places
While felicitating the family members of freedom fighters in Bhubaneswar, PM Modi highlighted the
vital role of tribal communities during Indias struggle for independence.
He announced that Government will set up virtual museums at 50 places in the
country to display the valour and remember the contributions of tribal communities.
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Punjab CM bans names of Minister MLAs on inaugural stones

Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh announced the prohibition of the names of any Ministers,
MLAs on the foundation stone.
i. This was done because the cabinet minister Sadhu Singh Dharmasot threatened a school
principal for suspending him from school in finding his name was third on the inaugural stone as
minister wanted his name on the top of the inaugural stone.
ii. All the schemes that are announced by the CM or any other minister, MLAs and other officials
from now would be dedicated to the people of Punjab.
ASCI releases guidelines for celebrities in Advertising

ASCI (Advertising Standards Council of India) have released a set of guidelines for celebrities.
Major Points:
i. As per the guidelines Celebrities who endorse for the advertisements should take care of that the
advertisements should not be misleading and deceptive.
ii. Celebrities should not endorse those advertisements which by law require a Health warning.
iii. ASCI have barred celebrities to endorse products that are prohibited under The Drugs and
Magic remedies Act and the drug and Cosmetic Act..
Maharashtra to stage special drive for transgenders to register as voters for the first time
Maharashtra has become the first state to launch a special awareness drive to ensure that
transgenders in the state register as voters in larger numbers. On April 15, 2017, the state branch
of the Election Commission of India (ECI) launched a special drive for this purpose.
i. It is to be noted that 15th April is celebrated as Third Gender Day to commemorate
Supreme Court judgement in 2014 to recognise transgenders as Thrd Gender.
ii. Maharashtra is home to more than 10 lakh third genders. As per ECI data only 1700 are
registered voters.
Suresh Prabhu flags off trial run of Vistadome Coaches

Suresh Prabhu flagged off the trial run of new glass roof coaches of Vistadome between
Visakhapatnam and Arakuon on April 16, 2017
i. These coaches are specially designed for wide view to passengers.
ii. Cost of these coaches is Rs 4 crore for 4 coaches.
iii. It will give scenic beauty to foreigners at destination as well along with the journey.
iv. The 2 coaches will run on the Vizag-Araku route while 2 will be sent to Jammu And Kashmir
Telangana passes bill to hike reservations for Muslim and STs

The Telangana legislature has passed the bill to hike reservation for Muslim and STs
i. Under this bill the reservation for socially backward people and Muslim people has been
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increased.
ii. For Muslim 4% to 12% increment and for Scheduled tribes 6% to 10%.
PM Narendra Modis two day visit to Gujarat

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on a two-day visit to Gujarat on 16th and 17th April, 2017.
During this visit, he inaugurated many projects across the state.
PM inaugurates Multi-Speciality Hospital, Diamond Manufacturing Unit in Surat
On April 17, 2017, PM Modi inaugurated the Kiran Multispeciality Hospital and Research
Center in Surat. It is a state-of-the-art hospital built by a private trust - SAMAST PATIDAR
AAROGYA TRUST - at cost of Rs. 500 crore. This hospital is open for all patients, not only from
Gujarat but also from all over India.
Thereafter, PM Modi inaugurated a diamond manufacturing/polishing unit of Hari
Krishna Export Pvt. Limited in Ichhapur district.
PM inaugurates Cattle Feed Plant at Bajipura, Gujarat
At Bajipura village in Tapi district of Gujarat, PM Modi inaugurated a fully automated cattle feed
plant of SUMUL Dairy.
He also inaugurated an ice-cream plant and laid the foundation stone for dairy products plant
at Nava Pardi.
PM launches projects related to SAUNI Yojana at Botad
In Botad district of Gujarat, PM Modi inaugurated Phase-I of Link 2 pipeline canal of the
ambitious Saurashtra-Narmada Avtaran Irrigation (SAUNI) Yojana by formally releasing the
Narmada water in Krushna Sagar Lake.
He also laid the foundation stone for Phase - II of Link 2 pipeline.
PM Modi visits Dadra and Nagar Haveli, inaugurates various projects
During his Gujarat visit, PM Modi also visited Silvassa the capital of Union Territory of Dadra
and Nagar Haveli.
In Silvassa, PM inaugurated Passport Seva Kendra, Jan Aushadhi Kendra and Solar Photo
Voltaic Plant.
Centre launches training program for women panchayat leaders

The Centre launched a training programme for Women Panchayat leaders to skill and administers
them so that they can give special emphasis on efficient usage of funds for achieving their overall
development.
Major Points:The objective of launching this training programme is to bring awareness of the
laws and rights of women under Constitution of India.
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The National Commission for Women (NCW) with the help of Tata Institute of Social
Sciences, Mumbai, has developed training modules for empowering these elected women.
To build the confidence of the women representatives in dealing with the daily functioning
of the panchayats.
They will get training under experts from the National Institute of Rural
Development and Panchayati Raj (NIRD and PR) in Hyderabad.
The main focus of this scheme is to learn how funds are allocated for various
development programmes.
Kerala government to give pension to circus artistes

The CPI (M)-led LDF government in Kerala has decided to provide pension to former circus artistes
in the state.
i. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had recently visited Kannur district which is considered to be
the cradle of Indian circus.
ii. Kerala State Govt. has allocated Rs 1.13 crore for this purpose.
IIT Kharagpur to introduce Vastu Shastra

The country's oldest IIT (Indian Institute of Technology) is going to introduce Vastu Shastra
classes for its architecture students.Classes will be introduced from August, 2017
i. Vastu Shastra will be introduced to architecture students from the next academic session.
ii. It will be introduced to undergraduate students as part of courses on basic design and history of
architecture.
Cabinet approves procurement of Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail Units for use in the
General Elections, 2019
Union Cabinet has given its approval for procurement of Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail
(VVPAT) Units for use in the General Elections, 2019.
Govt. will purchase total 16,15,000 VVPAT units during 2017-18 and 2018-19. Tentative
price of each unit is Rs. 19650/-. These units will be purchased from Bharat Electronics
Ltd., Bangalore and Electronics Corporation of India Ltd., Hyderabad.
Cabinet gives approval for introduction of Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-third
Amendment) Bill 2017 and (ii) National Commission for Backward Classes (Repeal) Bill,
2017 in the Parliament
Union Cabinet has given its approval for Ex-post facto approval for Constitution (One Hundred and
Twenty-third Amendment) Bill 2017 and (ii) National Commission for Backward Classes (Repeal)
Bill, 2017.
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The Constitution 123rd amendment bill will insert Article 338B in the Indian Constitution,
which will list out the structure and functions of the proposed National Commission for
Socially and Educationally Backward Classes.
It will also insert a new article 342A which empowers the President to specify the
socially and educationally backward classes by public notification.
Govt bans red beacons on all VIP vehicles, including PM's from May 1
The Union Cabinet has decided to impose a ban on the use of red beacons atop vehicles of
government officials and VIPs. This rule will be effective from May 1, 2017.
Beacons will be allowed only for emergency vehicles viz. ambulances and fire brigades as
well as for police and army vehicles.
Cabinet Approves Extending Sugar Stock Limit for 6 Months

Union Cabinet has approved a proposal of extending stock limits on sugar traders by another six
months till October 2017.
For sugar traders, current stock limit has been fixed at 500 tonnes (1000 tonnes in
West Bengal) with turnover limit of 30 days.
Madhya Pradesh government DMRC to ink pact to supply power from Rewa Project
Power Purchase agreement (PPA) has signed between Delhi Metro Railways
Corporation (DMRC) & Madhya Pradesh Power Management Company (MPPMC) with Rewa
Ultra Mega Solar Limited, the implementing agency for the worlds largest single site solar power
project, the Rewa Ultra Mega Solar Power Project (UMSPP, 750MW) in Bhopal on April
17,2017 by Shri Piyush Goyal, Union Minister of State (IC) for Power, Coal, New & Renewable
Energy and Mines.
Rewa UMSPP had achieved historic results with a record low first year tariff of Rs 2.97 per
unit of electricity and a levelised tariff of Rs 3.30 over the term of 25 years.
Centre extends ceasefire with NSCN-R till 2018

Indian Govt. has extended the ceasefire with the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-
Reformation (NSCN-R) for one year till April 27, 2018.
i. This decision was taken during a meeting between Ceasefire Supervisory Board of the NSCN-R
and Union Home Ministry officials held in New Delhi.
ii. The Union Home Ministry team was headed by Satyendra Garg - Joint Secretary (North East),
while the NSCN-R was led by Imlongnuski Chang - Supervisor of the Ceasefire Supervisory
Board.
iii. NSCN-R is among several other armed groups of Nagaland such as NSCN-Isak Muivah, NSCN-
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Khaplang, NSCN-Unification and Naga National Council. It was formed on April 6, 2015 by Y.
Wangtin Naga and P. Tikhak after they were expelled from NSCN-Khaplang.
Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad launches Pro bono Services, Legal Aid Schemes, Nyaya
Mitra
On April 20, 2017, Union Law Minister, Ravi Shankar Prasad launched following 3 three
initiatives for providing legal aid to marginalised and vulnerable communities:
i. Pro bono legal service is a web-based initiative through which lawyers who want to volunteer for
pro bono services can register on the justice department website: doj.gov.in.
ii. Tele Law litigants from marginalised communities can avail legal advice from expert panel of
lawyers stationed at State Legal Services Centres (SLCA) by video conferencing through
the common service centres (CSCs).
iii. Nyaya Mitra Scheme aims to reduce pendency in lower courts of selected districts. Cases which
have been pending for more than 10 years will be accorded priority.
India develops National Action Plan to combat Antimicrobial Resistance(AMR)

Inter-Ministerial Consultation on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Containment was held
on April 19, 2017 in New Delhi. At this meeting, Union Health Minister J P Nadda announced
the finalization of Indias comprehensive and multi-sectoral National Action Plan to combat
Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR).
Mr. Ram Vila Paswan - Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Mr. Anil
Madhav Dave - Minister of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, and Ms. Anupriya
Patel - MoS (Health & Family Welfare) were also present at this meeting.
Delhi Declaration for collectively strategizing to contain AMR was signed by all the
ministers present at the meeting.
Important initiatives taken by Union Health Ministry:
1. Setting up a National Surveillance System for AMR
2. Enacted regulations (Schedule-H-1) to regulate sale of antibiotics
3. Released National Guidelines for use of antibiotics
Mr. Nadda mentioned that Indias National Action Plan has incorporated inputs from various
stakeholders. He added that the problem of AMR needs to be addressed holistically under One
Health Approach. He urged all State Govts. to come up with state specific action plan on AMR
and assured all possible support from Central Govt. for the same.
Supreme Court sets alimony benchmark: 25% of ex-husband's net salary

The Supreme Court (SC) of India in April 2017 set a benchmark for maintenance to be paid by a
husband to his former wife.
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i. The court has mentioned that 25% of his net salary to be given to his ex-wife for maintenance.
ii. Amount of maintenance or permanent alimony must be sufficient to ensure that a woman lived
with dignity after separating from her husband.
iii. The court has mentioned there was nothing wrong in the order of the high court but Supreme
Court has reduced the sum by Rs 3000 on the ground that the man had remarried and was
responsible for his new family.
Geo-tagging of MGNREGA assets reach the one crore landmark

Under rural employment program (MGNREGA) Ministry of Rural Development achieved
a milestone by successfully geotagging 1 crore assets. It started in 2006-07 and each year a
huge number of rural assets are created under MGNREGA. All the assets created under the program
will be geotagged.
PM Narendra Modis Nagpur visit to commemorate 126th birth anniversary of Dr.

Ambedkar
On April, 14, 2017, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on a day-long visit to Nagpur for a
series of programmes to commemorate 126th birth anniversary of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, the
chief architect of Indian Constitution. Firstly, PM Modi visited sacred Deekshabhoomi and paid
tributes to Dr. Ambedkar.
PM releases 2 special commemorative postal stamps - Deekshabhoomi and the twin
pictures of Lord Gautam Buddha and Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar
On the occasion of Dr. Ambedkars 126th birth anniversary, Prime Minister Narendra Modi released 2
special commemorative postal stamps. One stamp depicts Deekshabhoomi in its full glory and the
other stamp bears twin pictures of Lord Buddha and Dr. Ambedkar.
PM Modi inaugurates new units in Koradi thermal power station in Nagpur
On April 14, 2017 PM Modi inaugurated several units of thermal power plants across Maharashtra,
including three super-critical units (660 MWX3) at Koradi, two units (500 MW X 2)
at Chandrapur and one of 250 MW at Parli.
PM launches BHIM-Aadhar Platform to facilitate digital payments
On April 14, 2017 PM Modi formally launched BHIM-Aadhaar platform for merchants at a
function organized by the Niti Ayog at Mankapur Indoor Stadium in Nagpur.
This BHIM-Aadhar platform has been developed by National Payments Corporation of
India (NPCI) and is based on the Unified Payment Interface (UPI).
Pm Modi announces incentive platform for BHIM digital Platform
In a bid to encourage cashless transactions through the BHIM-Aadhar platform, PM Modi has
announced two incentive schemes.
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Referral Bonus (for consumers): Existing users of BHIM app will get Rs. 10 cash bonus per
successful referral. The individual, who adopts BHIM, too will get Rs. 10 credit.
Cashback (for merchants): The merchants will get cashback for every transaction executed
through BHIM-Aadhar platform.
Rs. 495 crore has been allocated for the above mentioned Referral Bonus and Cashback
schemes, which will be operational till October 14, 2017.
Other key events attended by PM Modi in Nagpur:
Prime Minister graced the 100th and final Digidhan Mela in Nagpur.
The Mega prize-winners of Lucky Grahak Yojana and Digidhan Vyapar Yojana were
felicitated by the PM
UP government to set up 40 Yoga wellness centers in 40 districts

Uttar Pradesh has decided to set up 40 Yoga wellness centers in 40 districts across the state in
this current year. The International Yoga Day (IYD) is celebrated across the world on 21
June.
Key Points:
i. Total out of 40 centres, 23 will be set up at Ayurvedic hospitals 12 at homeopathic and 7 at Unani
hospitals and colleges.
ii. The Centre is implementing National AYUSH Mission as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme.
Bihar assembly passes GST Bill

Bihar State Legislature has ratified the Constitution Amendment Bill on Goods and Services
Tax (GST) on April 24, 2017
India Post releases Coffee scented stamps

On 23 April 2017 The India Posthas released a Commemorative Postage Stamp on Coffee as
bring aFragrance Stamp in Bengaluru.
i. The stamp was released by Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Nirmala
Sitharaman and Union Minister of State for Communications Manoj Sinha.
ii. Nirmala Sitharamanhas released the stamp and printed 1 lakh stamps in the denomination
of Rs 100.
Andhra Pradesh sets up welfare board for transgenders

Andhra Pradesh has now established a welfare board for transgender persons in the state.
i. Andhra Pradesh has launched Hijra Transgender Welfare Board at the Sri Venkateshwara
University in Tirupati.
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ii. The welfare board will be run by direct democracy by the community, with special voting rights
for the minorities.
Venkaiah Naidu inaugurates 47th Foundation Day of HUDCO

M Venkaiah Naidu has inaugurated the function to commemorate HUDCOs 47th Foundation
Day in New Delhi on April 25, 2017. He is the Minister of Urban Development, Housing & Urban
Poverty Alleviation& Parliamentary Affairs.
i. HUDCO has completed 47 years of existence in providing housing and basic infrastructure
across the country.
ii. The Centre and States have to effectively engage the private sector to achieve the mission of
affordable housing for all by 2022.
Centre moots Aadhaar-like UID number for cows

On April 24, 2017, Central Govt. has submitted an expert panel report in the Supreme Court which
suggests tagging of cows with Aadhar-like unique identification (UID) number in order to
ensure better protection for them and check smuggling.
i. The proposed UID number for cattle will record important information such as age, breed, sex,
lactation, height, body, colour, horn type, tail switch and special marks details of the animal.
ii. The report was submitted before a bench comprising Chief Justice of India JS Khehar and
Justice DY Chandrachud. It was prepared by a committee headed by the joint secretary of the
home ministry.
Thaawarchand Gehlot inaugurates Photo exhibition The Paths We Walk

A Documentary Photo exhibition The Paths We Walk was inaugurated by Union Minister for
Social Justice & Empowerment, Mr. Thaawarchand Gehlot on April 24, 2017 in New Delhi.
It was organised by The National Trust under Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in
collaboration with Society for Child Development, New Delhi.
Union Home Minister inaugurates 2-day Civil Services Day

On April 20, 2017, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated the two-day 11th Civil
Services Day function in New Delhi. This function was organised by the Department of
Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) under Ministry of Personnel, Public
Grievances and Pensions.
The function was presided over by Dr. Jitendra Singh - Union Minister of State
(Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO,
Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space.
Civil Services Day function is being celebrated since the year 2006. "Making New
India was the theme for Civil Services Day, 2017.
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PM Modi presents awards to civil servants for commendable work

On April 21, 2017, Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented awards for Excellence in Public
Administration under following two areas:
Area: Innovation
Initiative Awardees
Cashless Village Palnar Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh
Solar Urja Lamps Project Dungarpur district of Rajasthan
Area: Implementation of Priority Programmes

Priority Programmes Awardees
Siaha district of Mizoram was awarded in North
East and Hill states category
Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana Banaskantha district of Gujarat was awarded under
the category of other states
Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana Gomati district of Tripura in North East and Hill
states category
Jalna district of Maharashtra under the category of
other states
e-National Agriculture Market (e-NAM) Solan district of Himachal Pradesh was awarded in
North East and Hill states category
Nizamabad district of Telangana was awarded
under the category of other states
Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana Sivasagar district of Assam in North East and Hill
states category
Nalanda district of Bihar under the category of
other states
Start-Up India Gujarat state under other states category
Stand-Up India North and Middle Andaman of Andaman & Nicobar
islands under Union Territories category.
PM Modi also released two books at the function:

1. New Beginning on Innovations
2. Fostering Excellence for initiatives under identified Priority Programmes.
During the function, a film titled Making New India - 2017, by DARPG was also screened.
Centre unveils model Agricultural Produce Market Committee Act

Central Govt. has unveiled a draft model law Agricultural Produce and Livestock Marketing
(Promotion and Facilitating) Act (APLM), 2017. This draft model seeks to liberalise the trade
in agri-products and livestock and will thereby help in doubling farmers income by 2022. It was
unveiled on April 25, 2017 following a meeting of state agriculture marketing ministers in New
Delhi.
The new model law has been drafted by a committee headed by Mr. Ashok Dalwai -
Additional Secretary at the Agriculture Ministry.
Key provisions of Agricultural Produce and Livestock Marketing (Promotion and
Facilitating) Act (APLM), 2017:
The new model law seeks to establish a regulated wholesale agri-market at a distance of
every 80 km. To enable this, it has proposed to issue licences to new private players and traders
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who wish to set up a wholesale market. Even private market yards, warehouses and cold storages
will be allowed to act as regulated markets.
Only by paying unified single fee, farmer/trader will be able to transact in all such
regulated agri-markets within the state. There will be no separate fees for individual
markets.
The new model law has also proposed specific limits on market fees and commission
charges payable by a farmer.
All regulatory powers, including the power to issue new licences will lie with the office of
the director of agricultural marketing in the state.
Centre takes 10 new Swachh Iconic Places under Swachh Bharat Mission
The second quarterly review meeting on the Swachh Iconic Places (SIP) was held at Mata
Vaishno Devi Shrine, in Katra, Jammu and Kashmir.
i. These ten new iconic places which are included to a higher standard of Swachh Bharat Mission.
ii. 10 places Gangotri, Yamunotri Mahakaleshwar Temple, Ujjain, Char Minar, Hyderabad, Church
and Convent of St. Francis of Assissi, Goa, Adi Shankaracharyas abode Kaladi in Ernakulam,
Gomateshwar in Shravanbelgola, BaijnathDham, Devghar, Gaya Tirth in Bihar and Somnath
temple in Gujarat.
e-SOT, e-PRAN cards launched for Atal Pension Yojana users

The subscribers of Atal Pension Yojana (APY) can now have online access to their statement of
transaction (e-SOT) and Permanent Retirement Account Number (e-PRAN).
i. Through the newly launched online tool, APY subscribers can get account related information
viz.pension commencement date, pension amount, transaction details, name of the nominee, name
of the associated bank
ii. Atal Pension Yojana is a guaranteed pension scheme, launched by Prime Minister Narendra
Modi on May 9, 2015. It became operational from June 1, 2015.
UP government to set up anti-land mafia task force

The Yogi Adityanath government has set up an anti-land mafia task force in Uttar Pradesh.
i. UP government ensure that the land mafia and the encroachers will not be spared and land or
property grabbing can be stopped.
ii. The 4-tier task force would be headed by a principal secretary followed by commissioner,
DM and SDM in their respective areas.
iii. The task force has been empowered to take action even against those who encroach on public
land in the name of religion.
NITI Aayog's vision - Houses, vehicles, ACs for all by 2032

On April 23, 2017, Vice-Chairman of NITI Aayog, Mr. Arvind Panagariya presented a glimpse
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of India 2031-32: Vision, Strategy and Action Agenda to Governing Council of NITI Aayog,
chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
NITI Aayog has envisaged houses, vehicles, Air Conditioners for all Indian Citizens by year
2032
Development Indicators as per India 2031-32: Vision, Strategy and Action Agenda:
100% literacy in society with universal access to health care.
Extensive connectivity as per modern standards through all modes viz. roads, railways,
waterways and air connectivity.
Enhanced level of overall cleanliness where every India citizen would have access to
quality air and water.
Per capita income would increase three times from Rs 1.06 lakh in 2015-16 to Rs 3.14
lakh in 2031-32.
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) would also increase three times from Rs 137 lakh crore in
2015-16 to Rs 469 lakh crore in 2031-32.
Central and State expenditure will rise from Rs 38 lakh crore in 2015-16 to Rs 130 lakh
crorein 2031-32.
It was mentioned that work on Fifteen Year Vision and Seven Year Strategy document spanning
2017-18 to 2031-32 is in progress. Moreover, the Three Year Action Agenda covering 2017-18 to
2019-20 which has been provided to the Governing Council Members would be finalised shortly.
As per Mr. Panagariyas presentation all efforts have been geared towards realising PM Modis vision
of Vibrant India by 2031-32.
Rajasthan Assembly & Jharkhand Legislative Assembly Passes State GST Bill
On April 26, 2017, Rajasthan assembly passed the Rajasthan Goods and Services Tax Bill
2017 and thereby became the third state assembly after Telangana and Bihar to adopt this
comprehensive indirect tax reform. The bill was passed by voice vote.
i. Three-day special session was convened to take up the GST Bill. 14 opposition MLAs who were
trying to disrupt the proceedings were suspended by Speaker Kailash Meghwal.
ii. On April 27, 2017, Jharkhand assembly passed the Jharkhand Goods and Services Tax Bill
2017. A one-day special session of the assembly was convened to take up the GST bill.
iii. Jharkhand Urban Development Minister C P Singh placed the bill in the assembly which
was unanimously passed by voice vote.
Haryana CM to interact with People on Twitter and Facebook

Haryana will become the first Indian state to invite all Twitter and Facebook users to
interact with the Chief Minister Manohar Lal.
i. The state government will launch an integrated Social Media Grievances Tracker Twitter and
Facebook. ii. It will be launched on 15th May 2017.
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Uma Bharti launches Centres extensive water conservation programme for drought
prone areas of country
On April 28, 2017, Uma Bharti - Union Water Resources, River Development and Ganga
Rejuvenation Minister launched Centres extensive water conservation programme for drought
prone areas of country. The programme was launched at Bandri in Sagar district of Madhya
Pradesh in presence of Narottam Mishra Irrigation Minister of Madhya Pradesh and
Dharmpal Sing Irrigation Minister of Uttar Pradesh.
This programme aims to increase irrigation area and replenish/protect water resources
in Bundelkhand region (spread across Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh), Marathawada
region (in Maharashtra) and Kalahandi, Bolangir and Koraput in Odisha.
Puducherry government to give free power supply to farmers

The government of Pondicherry announced that the farmers in the Union Territory will be
getting free power supply for pump sets used for irrigation purpose.
i. During the previous fiscal years budget session (2016- 2017) free power supply given by the
Agriculture Minister.
ii. The council of Ministers had approved the proposal for the free supply of electricity to small and
other classes of farmers in the Union Territory.
iii. The cost incurred by the government on the implementation of the scheme is estimated to be
around Rs 1.95 Cr in the current fiscal year.
All-woman battalion to take on Kashmir women pelters of stones

The decision to raise all-women battalion comes after it was observed that girl students were
throwing stones at security forces in Srinagar.
i. The battalion would also be assigned other law and order duties but it will be primarily locate for
tackling protesters.
ii. The all-women contingent will be among the five IRBs sanctioned by the Centre for the State
last year.
iii. The IRBs are being raised to provide jobs to the local youths, with 60% of the vacancies to be
filled with candidates from the border districts.
Government launches new Test and Treat policy for HIV

Union Health Minister JP Nadda has launched the Test and Treat policy for Human
Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) patients.
i. Under this policy anyone who is tested and found positive will get the treatment free of cost.
ii. All men, women, adolescents and children who have been diagnosed positively can benefit under
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this new policy.

iii. A person who has CD4 cell count below 200 is considered under this disease.
iv. The government will set to launch a National Strategic Plan for HIV for the next seven years,
which will be benefitted for ending AIDS.
Chhattisgarh passes state GST Bill, becomes fifth state to adopt tax reform law
Chhattisgarh passed Goods and Service Tax (GST) Bill on April 28th 2017 and become the fifth
state in the country after Bihar, Jharkhand, Telangana and Rajasthan.
i. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh said the bill has been enacted to implement the
concept of one nation, one tax, one market
PLACES IN NEWS
National Children's Film Festival held in Visakhapatnam
On April 7, 2017, Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting M.
Venkaiah Naidu inaugurated the three-day National Childrens Film Festival (NCFF) at VUDA
Childrens Arena in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.
i. The opening film of the NCFF is "Shanu - The Optimist", directed by K.N.T. Sastry and produced
by CFSI in 2016.
ii. This event has been organised by the Childrens Film Society India (CFSI) in association with
the Government of Andhra Pradesh.
iii. Nikhileshwar, the child artist who played the role of young Baahubali in the movie Baahubali:
The Beginning, attended the inaugural function as guest of honor.
Countrys longest Chenani-Nashri All-weather road tunnel inaugurated by Prime Minister

i. The Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi inaugurated the Indias longest Chenani-Nashri All-
weather road tunnel on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway on April 2, 2017. The tunnel is
among the longest highway tunnels in Asia.
ii. The tunnel was built at a cost of Rs 2519 crore in an altitude of 1,200 meters above sea level.
The Chenani-Nashri tunnel is Indias 1st and the worlds 6th tunnel to have transverse ventilation
system, providing fresh air to passengers.
Benefits of Chenani-Nashri All-weather road tunnel
The journey between the Chenani-Nashri is reduced by 30 km. The previous distance is
41 km.
It also reduces travel time by two hours.
Radhamohan Singh inaugurated International Center for Foot and Mouth Disease
i. Indias first International Centre for Foot and Mouth Disease (ICFMD) has been inaugurated
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by Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh at Argul near Bhubaneswar in Odisha on
1st April 2017.
ii. This centre will play a key role in protecting livestock from Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus
(FMDV).
iii. Construction of ICFMD started in April 2014. The estimated cost has been Rs. 450 crore.
First bio-gas bus with flat Re 1 fare inaugurated in Kolkata

i. Phoenix India Research and Development Group in Kolkata has designed a bus that will run
on biogas produced from cow dung.
ii. The company has tied-up with Ashok Leyland to manufacture the 54-seater bus at a cost of Rs
13 lakh approximately.
iii. The first bus will be flagged off on April 7, 2017 and will run between Ultadanga in the north
and Garia in the south in Kolkata.
iv. The ticket will be charged Re 1 for the 17.5 km stretch, which will be the cheapest mode of
transport for a passenger in the country.
Polythene manufactured below 50 microns is banned by Jammu & Kashmir Government

i. The Jammu & Kashmir state government has banned the usage of polythene bags which is
manufactured below 50 microns from April 3, 2017.
ii. The ban was officially announced by Minister for Forest, Environment and Ecology, Choudhary
Lal Singh.
Berhampur Thakurani Yatra Festival Begins in Odisha

i. The festival of Goddess Budhi Thakurani called Berhampur Thakurani Yatra begun in southern
Odisha on April 3, 2017.
ii. The month long festival will be celebrated by the weaving community, known as Devangiris
iii. The festival will be conducted till May 1, 2017 which accounts to a total of 29 days.
UP government renames Gorakhpur and Agra airports

The Yogi government has renamed the Gorakhpur and Agra airports.
i. The Gorakhpur Airforce Station has been renamed as Mahayogi Goraknath Airport.It was
named after the founder of the Nath monastic movement.
ii. The Agra Airport will be renamed after RSS ideologue Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay airport.
iii. The Department of Disabled Welfare will now be known as 'Divyang Jan Vikas Empowerment'.
PM Modi Lays the Foundation Stone of a Multi-Modal Terminal on River Ganga at

Sahibganj in Jharkhand
i. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on an official visit to Jharkhand to lays the foundation stone
of a multi-modal terminal on river Ganga in Sahibganj district on April 6, 2017.
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ii. At Sahibganj, PM Modi also laid the foundation stone of one of the longest river bridges on River
Ganga that will connect Sahibganj to Katihar district of Bihar. This 5.8 km long 4-lane bridge
will be built by National Highways Authority of India at an estimated cost of Rs 2,266 crore.
iii. PM Modi also inaugurate the Govindpur-Jamtara-Dumka-Sahebganj Highway, during this visit.
Vriksh organized Indias first micro-drama festival,Titled Thespis in Delhi

Vriksh is organising the countrys first ever micro-drama festival , Thespis which is scheduled to
be held at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts in Delhi. Theatre director is actor Ajith G
Maniyan
i. It will present a series of 10-minute plays. The festival is named after Thespis of Icaria, who
lived in 6th century BC and was the first actor to perform solo in Greek drama.
ii. The plays are visualized in 10 different languages, including Kashmiri, Rajasthani, Urdu, Punjabi,
Oriya, Tamil, Malayalam, Hindi and English.
iii. The festival inaugurated by Waman Kendre, director, National School of Drama and open to all.
UP govt to build music village in Bismillah Khan's honour

The Uttar Pradesh government led by Yogi Adityanath has given its approval to building a music
village named 'Bismillah Khan Sangeet Gram' to honour of legendary Shehnai player Ustad
Bismillah Khan.
i. This project is planned to develop at Varanasi, it will be evolved by Padma Shri Soma Ghosh,
the adopted daughter of the legendary shehnai player.
ii. It will have a museum centre, a training-cum-research centre and many other rarities associated
with musical gharanas.
A First in Indian Law: Ashok Khemka led Court Orders Summons on Whatsapp
A court of the financial commissioner headed by Ashok Khemka IAS officer has ordered summons
in a property dispute case on WhatsApp to one of the respondents who shifted to Kathmandu.
i. The respondent who involves in a property partition dispute was got a writ on Whatsapp
messenger Service.
ii. In such cases summons are usually sent by registered post to the respondent address.
Himachal Pradesh celebrating 70th Himachal Day

On April 15, 2017, Himachal Pradesh celebrated its 70th Foundation Day. It came into existence
in year 1948 post merger of 30 odd princely states.
i. On the occasion of the 70th foundation day of Himachal Pradesh, Chief Minister Virbhadra
Singh launched an 'Unemployment Allowance Scheme' at a state level function in Chamba.
ii. Under this scheme Himachal Pradesh State Government will provide unemployment allowance of
Rs 1,000 per month to youth having intermediate or above qualification whereas the
unemployed youth with disability would be provided allowance of Rs 1,500 per month.
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AP CM lays foundation stone for Rs 100-cr Ambedkar memorial park in Amaravati

On April 14, 2017, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu laid the foundation-
stone for Dr B R Ambedkar Smriti Vanam (memorial park) in states de facto capital Amaravati.
i. Mr. Naidu also laid the foundation-stone for a 126-ft statue of Dr. Ambedkar that will come up in
the park.
ii. Andhra Pradesh Govt. has allocated nearly Rs. 100 crore for this project (including the 126 ft.
Statue). The construction will be completed within 24 months
Madhya Pradesh bans plastic/polythene bag from May 1

The Madhya Pradesh government has planned to ban Plastic and Polythene bag from 1st of
May. It has been done because of the numbers of cow death across the state.
Bihar sets up court for prohibition cases

A Bihar government has set up a special court for speedy trial for those cases which are
registered against violation of the law.
i. The judge of the Special court has been appointed to Justice Trilokinath Tiwari.
ii. This court will hear Prohibition cases only of Patna district.A first special court has been set up
in Patna civil court.
Assam Celebrates Rongali Bihu

According to Assamese Calendar Rongali Bihu celebrates on the month of April which usually falls
on 13th and 14th of April.The first day known as Goru Bihu that is purely dedicated to cattle.
i. The Rongali Bihu marks the agricultural New Year and is celebrated as a festival of Prosperity.
ii. The Kati Bihu marks the completion of sowing and transplanting of paddies.
iii. The Magh Bihu marks the end of harvesting period.
Bhopal to have Indias first privately run Railway station

For the first time in Indian Railways history Habibganj station in Bhopal has been handed over
to Private firm to be operated by it.
Key Points:
i. The station building will be developed in line with airport terminals but trains at the station will be
run by the Railways.
ii. During 2016-2017 Rs 10,181 crore was earned by Indian railways which Indian railway want to
increase to Rs 14000 crore to this fiscal year.
President Pranab Mukherjee inaugurates Kempegowda festival in Delhi

President Pranab Mukherjee inaugurated the Kempegowda Festival in Delhi.
i. This foundation was founded on 17th April 2016.
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ii. The festival is organized by the Ndaprabhu Kempegowda foundation.

iii. He mentioned kempe Gowda was a just and humaneruler of Vijaynagara Empire.
iv. This foundation is working towards popularizing the legendary King and his works.
Punjab Govt. to set up Book Banks in school

Punjab Govt. took a decision to set up Book banks in all schools .The old students would be asked
to submit their old books which would be afforded to needy children free of charge.
i. This is very helpful to the needy students who couldnt purchase the books every academic year
and also to save the spending of considerable amount for books.
ii. Punjab Education Minister Aruna Chaudhary stated that the Education department decided
to initiate book banks in all schools of the state to prevent the paper wastage, precious time and
money of the students.
NDMA Conducted first Mock Exercise on forest fire

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has conducted first-of-its-kind State-
level mock exercise on forest fire in Uttarakhand.It is a 3 day event and started on 18th April
2017.
i. It was conducted on the basis of principle of Incident Response System (IRS)
ii. The exercises were conducted in coordination with various agencies, such as fire, forest, Army,
health, police, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response
Force (SDRF) and civil defense.
One of Asia's largest church inaugurated in Nagaland

The Sumi Baptist Church Zunheboto (SBCZ) is in the northeastern state of Nagaland, India. It
is finally set for dedication after almost a decade since its construction began.
i. It is the largest church building in Asia, the Sumi Baptist Church Zunheboto.
ii. It stands tall at 1864.9 m above the sea level and measures 23, 73,476 Sq.ft.
iii. Its budget is Rs 36 crore.
Indias first sea ropeway to link Mumbai and Elephanta Island

On April 24, 2017, Mumbai Port Trust announced plans to construct Indias first and longest
sea ropeway to connect Mumbai mainland with famous Elephanta Island in Arabain Sea.The 8-
km long ropeway connecting Elephanta Island with Mumbai will begin from Sewri (Eastern Edge
of South Mumbai).
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Central university for Divyangs to be set up in Uttar Pradesh

Government will set up a Central university for Divyangs in Uttar Pradesh.
i. It was stated by HRD Minister PrakashJavadekar while addressing the convocation function of
Shakuntala Mishra national rehabilitation university, Lucknow.
ii. The Minister mentioned the University Grants Commission has been instructed to make
arrangement for special training of instructors providing education to Divyangs.
AIIMS becomes Indias first public hospital for Eye tumours

The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) has become the Indias First public
hospital to start plaque brachytherapy facility for the treatment of eye tumours.
i. The facility is a form of local radiation delivered to the eye through a radioactive device which is
attached to the eye for a temporary period of time.
ii. This facility has been introduced at Rajendra Prasad Centre for Opthalmic Sciences.
Haryana Ballabgarh is now Balramgarh

The Haryana chief minister 'Manohar La lKhattar' has announced to change the name
of Ballabhgarh to Balramgarh.
Belgium opens honorary consulate in GIFT City

Belgium has become the first country to open an honorary consulate office in Gujarat
International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City).
i. The consulate was inaugurated by Belgian Secretary of State for Foreign Trade, Pieter De Crem.
ii. Belgium has expanded its diplomatic representation in India with this new office in Gandhinagar.
iii. Hari Sankaran was selected as Honorary Consul of the Kingdom of Belgium to the state of
Gujarat
Kazakhstan opens consulate in Chennai

Central Asian country, Kazakhstan has opened its consulate in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. This
consulate will cover Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
i. It will be headed by Mr. Suraj Shantakumar, the Chairman of diamond jewellery retailer
Kirtilals.
ii. India and Kazakhstan are having diplomatic relation since past 25 years.
E-taxi trial run to begin in Nagpur from May

The countrys first electric taxi trial in the country would be launched in Nagpur from May
24.
i. The first project of this kind will be undertaken by Nagpur Municipal Corporation.
ii. After completion of the project the road will become Indias first 135 km green road to be lit
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entirely by solar panels with advanced traffic system.

iii. Initially Mahindra and Mahindra is set to provide 200 taxis.
Kerala hosts country's first-ever athletics meet for transgender persons

Kerala is the first state to conduct the countrys first-ever transgender one-day athletic
meet in Thiruvananthapuram.
i. The event has 132 participants belonging to 12 districts of the state.It was jointly organized
by Kerala sports council and Sexual Gender Minority Federation of Kerala.
ii. In this competition total six events were conducted.
iii. Six events include 100 metres, 200 metres, and 400 metres running; 100x 4 relay race, high
jump and shot put.
India's first book village to come up in Maharashtra's Bhilar

Bhilar village in Maharastra will become Indias first book village. It will be started from
4th May, 2017
i. Under this book village tourists and locals can come and read books, magazines, newspapers
stacked at 25 premises.
ii. All these books are going to be available free of cost to the readers.
FOREIGN VISITS
Malaysian Prime Minister Mohd Najib Tun Razaks five day visit to India
Mohd Najib Tun Razak, the Prime Minister of Malaysia was on an official visit to India from
30th March 2017 to 3rd April 2017.
Following key developments pertaining to India-Malaysia bilateral relations can be
considered as highlights of Mr. Najibs India visit:
India, Malaysia agree on shared vision to enhance strategic partnership
After having considered a gamut of bilateral cultural, economic and strategic engagement avenues,
Mr. Najib and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed on a shared vision to strengthen their
strategic partnership by giving priority to action-oriented approach in which penetrating the
existing areas of cooperation and charting new territory for bilateral engagement are among the
key objectives.
India, Malaysia ink seven MoUs
MoUs that were signed in presence of Malaysian Prime Minister Mohd Najib Tun Razak and Indian
Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi:
1. A revised Air Service Agreement, which was in effect since 1974.
2. MoU on Cooperation in Fertiliser which pertains to development of Urea and Ammonia
plants in Malaysia. Besides, India has agreed to off take existing surplus urea from
Malaysia.
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3. MoU on mutual recognition of educational qualifications, signed between

Association of Indian Universities (AIU), India and Malaysian Qualifications Agency
(MQA), Malaysia.
4. MoU on cooperation in sports, which involves exchange of sportspersons, instructors, and
information related to sports training methodology.
5. MoU between the Malaysian Human Resource Fund/ Pembangunan Sumber Manusia
Berhad (PSMB) and Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDII), Ahmedabad:
As per this MoU, EDII will carry out training and other capacity building programmes on
behalf of the Human Resource Development, Malaysia.
6. MoU on technology development in the field of Palm Oil signed between Institute of
Chemical Technology (ICT), India and Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB)
7. MoU on implementation of 4th Generation Technology Park in Andhra
Pradesh, signed between Andhra Pradesh Economic Development Board and MIGHT
Technology Nurturing Sdn. Bhd (MTN)
Malaysia agrees to set up Technology Park in Andhra Pradesh
Out of the 7 MoUs signed between India and Malaysia, the most significant was the one
between Andhra Pradesh Economic Development Board and MIGHT Technology Nurturing
Sdn. Bhd (MTN) for implementation of 4th Generation Technology Park in Andhra Pradesh.
Indian, Malaysian firms exchange MoUs worth $36 bn
Mr. Najib was accompanied by a huge delegation comprising of Malaysian business tycoons. During
the course of his visit, Indian and Malaysian firms signed about 31 investment agreements worth a
whopping $36 billion covering areas of construction, education and pharmacy. These agreements
were signed in presence of Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and
Malysian Prime Minister Mohd Najib Tun Abdul Razak in New Delhi.
India-Malaysia CEO's Forum expressed keenness to take bilateral trade to $15 billion
Meanwhile, India-Malaysia CEO's Forum meeting which coincided with Mr. Najibs visit
issued a joint statement calling for a balanced Regional Comprehensive Economic
Partnership (RCEP) and its manifestation on immediate basis.
The forum identified healthcare, infrastructure, education and SMEs as key areas for
cooperation that will help in pushing bilateral trade to the tune of $15 billion.
Indian Army Chief conferred with Nepal Army honorary title in Kathmandu
i. General Bipin Rawat, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) has visited Nepal and Bangladesh from
March 28, 2017 to April 2, 2017 on his first foreign visit.
ii. On his visit to Nepal, the Army Chief was presented with Honorary General of the Nepalese
Army title by the President of Nepal on March 29, 2017.
iii. The main aim of this visit is to strengthen Indias defense cooperation.
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Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasinas four day visit to India

Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina was on an official visit to India from 7th to 10th April
2017.
India, Bangladesh sign 22 agreements;
In a bid to strengthen bilateral ties, India and Bangladesh signed 22 agreements for cooperation in
various areas viz. civil nuclear cooperation, cyber security, media, judicial sector, peaceful uses of
outer space, defence, information technology, electronics and transport connectivity.
PM Modi announces $4.5 billion line of credit to Bangladesh India Commits $500 Million
for Bangladesh Military
After comprehensive talks between Prime Ministers of India and Bangladesh, India
announced $4.5 billion line of credit for development projects in Bangladesh.
On account of this commitment, Indias resource allocation for Bangladesh has
aggregated to $8 billion in past few years. Besides, for the first time, India also
committed $500 million line of credit for Bangladeshs defence procurement.
Kolkata-Khulna-Dhaka bus service launched
With an aim to promote people-to-people ties and increasing connectivity, third bus service
between Kolkata and Dhahka via. Khulna (in Bangladesh) has been launched. The distance
covered by bus following this route will be 409 km.
Modi, Hasina flag off trial run of India-Bangladesh passenger train
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and West Bengal
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee jointly flagged off the trial run of the Kolkata-Khulna passenger
train through video-conference form New Delhi.
This train service has been named as Maitree Express-II. Full-fledged operations of this
train will commence from July 2017
India, Bangladesh to step up anti-terror cooperation
During Bangladesh Prime Minsiter Sheikh Hasinas India visit, both countries committed to step up
anti-terror cooperation. Indian Prime Minister Narednra Modi has termed spread of radicalism as a
grave threat to the peace and order of the entire region.
Indian, Bangladeshi companies ink pacts worth over $9 billion
On April 10, 2017, top leaders of Indian and Bangladeshi business firms signed agreements worth
$9 billion which mainly focused on energy requirements of Bangladesh.
These agreements were signed at an event coordinated by the Confederation of Indian
Industries (CII) in presence of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Union Oil
Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Modi-Hasina release Hindi translation of Mujib's autobiography:
After bilateral talks on April 8, 2017, PM Modi and Bangladeshi PM Sheikh Hasina jointly released
the Hindi translation Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's autobiography - "The Unfinished Memoirs".
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Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, father of Sheikh Hasina, was popularly known as Bangabandhu.
He was the key leader in Bangladeshi liberation war against Pakistan and is thus regarded
as founding leader of Bangladesh.
Australian PM Turnbull arrives in New Delhi on 4-day visit

Australian Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull was on an official visit to India from 9th-12th April,
2017. This was Turnbulls first visit to India after he assumed office in September 2015.
India, Australia Ink 6 Pacts; To Boost Counter-Terror
On April 10, 2017, India and Australia inked six pacts after comprehensive talks between PM
Narendra Modi and visiting Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull in New Delhi. The two leaders discussed
a range of bilateral, regional and international issues.
List of MoUs signed between India and Australia:
1. MoU on Cooperation in Counter-Terrorism and Organised crime
2. MoU on Cooperation in Sports
3. MoU for Promotion and Development of Cooperation in Civil Aviation Security
4. MoU on Cooperation in the field of Health and Medicine
5. MoU on Cooperation in the field of Environment, Climate and Wildlife
India and Australia have agreed to hold a bilateral maritime exercise named AUSINDEX in the
Bay of Bengal in 2018. Besides, holding joint exercise of Special Forces in later half of 2017 has
also been agreed upon.
Modi, Turnbull Inaugurate Nanobiotechnology Research Centre
On April 10, 2017, Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull and Indian PM Narendra Modi, jointly
inaugurated TERI-Deakin Nanobiotechnology Centre (TDNBC) through a video conference.
About TERI-Deakin Nanobiotechnology Centre:
TDNBC is located in Gurugram, Haryana and is a joint venture between The Energy and
Resources Institute (TERI), New Delhi and Deakin University, Australia.
India-Australia launch Sports Partnership in Mumbai
On April 12, 2017, Vijay Goel - Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Australian Prime Minister
Malcolm Turnbull launched Sports Partnership in Mumbai with an aim to increase cooperation in
sports among India and Australia. Legendary Cricketer, Sachin Tendulkar was also present at the
occasion.
Moreover, Two Australian Universities Victoria University and University of
Canberra will assist India to setup a National Sports University, similar to the Australian
Institute of Sport.
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Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's five days visit to USA

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley was on an official visit to United States from 21st to 25th April 2017.
During this visit, he attended the Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund
and World Bank, participated in a G-20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors
Meeting and interacted with high profile American investors.
Urjit Patel Governor of Reserve Bank of India, Arvind Subramanian - Chief Economic
Adviser (CEA) and Shaktikanta Das - Economic Affairs Secretary were the part of Mr.
Jaitleys delegation to US.
G-20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting:
On April 21, 2017, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley along with Mr. Urjit Patel and Mr. Shaktikanta Das
attended the G-20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting in Washington
D.C. The discussion in this meeting focused upon following areas:
1. Financial Sector Development and Regulations
2. International Financial Architecture
3. Global Financial Governance
4. Compact with Africa (framework for supporting private investment, including in
infrastructure in African continent)
On the same day, Mr. Jaitley also attended a meeting of the International Monetary and
Financial Committee (IMFC) on Global Development and Prospects. Thereafter he had a
meeting with CEOs of top American companies.
Other Meetings held during Finance Ministers US Visit:
On April 22, 2017, Mr. Jaitley had a meeting with US Treasury Secretary Steven
Mnuchin which was followed by a meeting with World Bank President Jim Yong Kim.
From 23-24 April, 2017, separate meetings were held with institutional investors and
long-term investors in New York.
Finance Minister also met the editorial board of New York Times.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley Raises H-1B Visa Issue With US Authorities:
On April 22, 2017, during the meeting with US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Finance
Minister Arun Jaitley raised the issue of tightening of the H-1B visa norms. Earlier he had raised this
issue with US commerce secretary Wilbur Ross.
Vice President Hamid Ansaris five days visit to Armenia & Poland
Indias Vice President Hamid Ansari was on an official visit to Armenia and Poland from 24-
28 April, 2017. During these visits, he held talks with leaders of the two countries and attended
several events. This was his first visit to Armenia and Poland.
India signs three agreements with Armenia
In Armenia, Indian Vice-President Hamid Ansari held extensive talks with the top leaders
including President Serzh Sargsyan, Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan and Foreign Minister
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Eduard Nalbandian. After the talks, India signed three agreements with Armenia in the field
of cultural co-operation, youth affairs and peaceful use of outer space.
India, Poland ink pact on agriculture
On April 27, 2017, following formal talks between Indian Vice President Hamid Ansari and Polish
Prime Minister Beata Szydlo, India and Poland signed an agreement on the exchange of
information and technology in the agriculture sector. From the Indian side, the agreement
was signed by Minister of State of Small Industries Giriraj Singh.
Poland supports Indias Permanent membership at UNSC
During Indian Vice-President Hamid Ansaris Poland visit, Polish leadership reiterated its support to
India's bid for Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) membership, Missile Technology Control Regime
(MTCR) issue and a permanent seat in the expanded UN Security Council.
President of Nepal, Bidya Devi Bhandaris visit to India

Bidya Devi Bhandari, the first female President of Nepal, was on an official visit to India from
17th to 21st April, 2017.
i. During Ms. Bhandaris visit, both sides assessed the implementation of ongoing cross-border
connectivity projects including development of Terai roads, cross-border railway lines, integrated
border check posts, and cross-border pipeline for carrying petroleum products which is first of its
kind in South Asia.
ii. Both sides also reviewed bilateral energy cooperation, including development of 5,723 crore
Arun 3 power project in Nepal and Muzaffarpur-Dhalkebar high capacity transmission line.
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
Israel approves settlement within West Bank for first time in 2 decades
i. Israel government approved the establishment of a new settlement within West Bank for the
first time in more than two decades on March 31, 2017. In addition, the government also laid the
groundwork for further expansion and the law is intended to prevent future evacuations.
ii. In other moves, 220 acres of land in the center of the West Bank had been declared State
land making it eligible for more settlers housing by allowing the marketing of some 2000
housing units out of the 5700 approved.
Myanmar becomes the 7th formal member of SASEC

South Asia Sub-regional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) program of Asian Development Bank
(ADB) accepts Myanmar as its 7th member in 2017.
Background
i. The SASEC program of ADB was formed in response to the request made by Bangladesh, Bhutan,
40 | P a g e
India and Nepal to assist their economic co-operations.

ii. Sri Lanka and Maldives joined the sub-regional group in 2014.
WTO sets up panel to resolve steel dispute with India, Japan

i. On April 3, 2017, the Dispute Settlement Body of World Trade Organisation (WTO) agreed to
set up a panel for resolving a dispute pertaining to imposition of safeguard duty on imports
of Japanese steel products by India
ii. Indian authorities have put forth an argument that imposition of duties were warranted by the
prevailing circumstances and is consistent with WTO norms.
Germany 1st NATO member to launch cyber command

i. Germany is the first NATO( North Atlantic Treaty Organization ) state to launch a self-
contained cyber command unit to protect from growing attacks. The Bundeswehrs Cyber and
Information Space (CIR) boasts a status of army, navy, and air force.
ii. The military's computers are attacked from online sources thousands of times each day. To
improve defense, has now launched its own cyber command
Launched Awareness against the fake news spread global wise

i. As a part of its ongoing effort to curb the spread of fake news and fabricated articles, leaders
from Tech industry and academic organizations joined together with $14 million to create an
awareness of news literacy and make trust in social media.
ii. The News Integrity Initiative will launch with $14 million from Facebook, the Ford
Foundation, Mozilla and others, based at the City University of New Yorks journalism
school.
Iceland is set to mandate equal pay for men and women

i. Iceland ranks first on the World Economic Forums 2015 Global Gender Gap Index, followed
by fellow Nordic nations Norway, Finland and Sweden.
ii. The bill has been passed from Iceland parliament to provide an equal pay to men and
women. The legislation would apply to discrimination based on race, national origin, religion,
disability, age, sexual orientation and gender identity.
Malala Yousafzai to become the youngest UN messenger of peace

Nobel Peace Prize winner from Pakistan, Malala Yousafzai is set to become the United Nations
youngest-ever Messenger of Peace. She has been selected for this honour by United Nations
current Secretary General Antonio Guterres
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Uruguay to Become First Country to Fully Legalize Marijuana

Uruguay is set to become the first country to allow recreational marijuana to be sold in pharmacies
in July. The country is trying for nearly four years to legalize the production, sale and consumption
of marijuana.
i. The country has stockpiled 400 kilograms (880 pounds) of marijuana so far.
ii. Uruguayan citizens and permanent residents who must be 18 or older will be allowed to
purchase marijuana from a pharmacy.
iii. People must enroll in a national registry of marijuana users before purchase.
iv. They will be limited to purchasing 40 grams (1.41 oz) per month and 10 grams per week. When
pharmacies first start selling marijuana, users can only purchase it in 5-gram containers at $1.30
(1.22 euros) per gram.
v. Non Resident Uruguayans or Foreigners will not be allowed to purchase marijuana from
pharmacies in Uruguay.
vi. The law also allows Uruguayans to grow their own marijuana at home or with marijuana clubs.
Pakistan sentences Indian spy Kulbhushan Jhadav to death

A Pakistani army court awarded death sentence to Indian national Kulbhushan Jhadav who was
arrested last year on charges of spying.
i. Jhadav was arrested in March last year in Balochistan accused of being a Research and Analysis
Wing (R&AW) agent.
ii. He was supplying the Baloch separatist movement and attempt to damage the $46 billion China
Pakistan economic corridor(CPEC)
iii. Chief of army staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa confirmed his death sentence given by FCGM.
First rail freight service to China departs UK

The first rail freight service from U K to China has departed on a journey of 7500 mile from
Essex. Thirty containers will carry British goods which include whiskey, soft drinks, vitamins
pharmaceuticals and baby products.
Key Facts:
i. The service is a part of Chinas One Belt, One Road programme of reviving the ancient Silk
Road.
ii. DP World London Gateway, one of the UK largest logistics hub.
iii. It travel over 7500 miles to reach Yiwu(China)a framed wholesale market town in the eastern
province of Zhejiang in 17 days.
iv. The train will pass through the seven countries which include France, Belgium, Germany,
Poland, Belarus, Russia, and Kazakhstan.
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100 Years of Gandhis Sabarmati Ashram Celebrated in London

The Hundredth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhis Sabarmati Ashram was celebrated
in London to retell Gandhis story with some interesting visual elements to the Internet generation.
Important Facts:
i. Sabarmati Ashram: The Home of Gandhis Experiments with Truth was screened at the Nehru
centre.
ii. It is written and produced by senior NRI journalist Vijay Rana.
Saudi Arabia raises $9 billion in first global islamic bond issue

Saudi Arabia raised $9 billion in its first global Islamic bond issue. The sale of Islamic bonds known
as Sukuks.
i. The global debt market for the first time raised $17.5 billion in a bond issue.It is the biggest
ever bond sale from an emerging-market nation,
ii. The government sold a $4.5 billion five-year Sukuk tranche at 100 basis points over the mid-
swap rate and an equally-sized 10-year tranche at a spread of 140 basis points.
US drops largest Non-Nuclear bomb in Afghanistan area populated ISIS members

US drops largest nuclear bomb in Afghanistan area populated ISIS members. The US has dropped
the "mother of all bombs"- the largest non-nuclear weapon.
i. The largest non-nuclear weapon used in combat by the US military - on an area
of eastern Afghanistan known to be populated by Isis-affiliated militants.
ii. MC-130 aircraft dropped a GBU-43 bomb. The weapon is known in the US Air Force by its
nickname MOAB, or "mother of all bombs".
iii. MOAB stands for massive ordnance air blast.The 'mother of all bombs' was developed and
tested before the 2003 Iraq war.
India and Nepal agree to resolve border disputes along UP district

India and Nepal have agreed to solve their border disputes by a Joint Survey of Boundaries.
Important Points:
i. The survey of the entire border between Kheri in UP and Kanchanpur in Nepal has been
done to resolve the border disputes. UP shares a 599.3 Km open border with Nepal that
touches seven districts.
ii. An agreement was signed between the two countries.
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Erdogan wins Turkey referendum as opposition cries foul

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan won a historic referendum on Sunday in the biggest
overhaul of modern Turkish politics and the opposition not satisfied about the result.
i. Turkey's mainly Kurdish southeast and its three main cities, including the capital Ankara and the
largest city Istanbul, put "No" after a bitter and divisive movement.
ii. The ruling system has been changing through civil politics for the first time in the history of the
Republic. The 'Yes' campaign won 51.4 percent of the vote against 48.6 percent for 'No'.
Australia abolishes 457 visas programme largely used by Indians

Australia has abolished a visa programme that is used by over 95,000 temporary foreign workers
and majority of them are Indians.Its objective is to tackle the growing unemployment in the
country.
i. Australia will adopt a new Australians First approach to skilled migration.
ii. Short-term visas will be issued for two years and medium-term visas will be issued only for more
critical skills shortages and for up to four years.
iii. The programme known as 457 Visa which permits business to employ foreign workers
for a period up to four years in skilled jobs where there is a shortage of Australian
workers.
US President Donald Trump signs executive order to tighten H-1B visa programme
To enforce and review of H-1B visa programme Donald Trump has signed an executive order.He
mentioned to countrys federal agencies to tighten the H-1B visa programme.
i. It brings discouragement to Indian IT companies because they send a huge number of software
engineers to the US on H1-B visas.
ii. In the document titled Buy American and Hire American order, Trump seeks to make
modifications in government procurement that would give a push for purchases of American
products in federal contracts.
China renames six places in Arunachal Pradesh on its official map

China has announced its official names for six places in Arunachal Pradesh and has strong protests
with India over the Dalai Lamas visit to the frontier state.
i. It was aimed at declare Chinas claim over Arunachal Pradesh.The official names of the six places
using the Roman alphabet are Wogyainling, Mila Ri, Qoidengarbo Ri, Mainquka, Bumo
La and Namkapub Ri.
ii. The India-China border dispute covers the 3,488 km-long Line of Actual Control (LAC).
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Gandhi stamps sold at 500,000 pounds at auction in UK

A set of four rare stamps, featuring the portrait of Mahatma Gandhi has fetched 5 lakh
pounds at an auction which is so far, the highest price ever paid for Indian stamps. The auction
was held in United Kingdom, the purchaser is a private Australian collector.
i. As per authoritative issue records, only 13 of these 1948 Gandhi 10-rupee Purple Brown and
Lake Service stamps are in circulation.
ii. The record price for a stamp sold at an auction is 7.4 million pounds.
UN to issue commemorative stamps for International yoga day

The United Nations will be going to issue special stamps commemorating the International Yoga
Day on June 21, 2017 said by Indias Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Syed
Akbaruddin
i. Special Event sheet @unstamps to commemorate on International Day of Yoga.
ii. United Nations stamps are issued at UN offices in New York, Geneva and Vienna.
iii. The special sheet consists of stamps with images of the sacred Indian sound Om and various
yogic asanas.
Australia announces sweeping changes to Citizenship laws

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has made broad changes to Citizenship laws for
new applicants.
i. To get the citizenship a person must be a permanent resident for at least four years, which is
three years longer than the present requirement.
ii. The applicant should not have got involved in criminal activity, including family violence.
iii. The applicants have to pass an English test which will focus purely on respect for women and
children.
Pakistans Gwadar port leased to Chinese company for 40 years

The China Overseas Port Holding Company would carry out all the development work on
the Gwadar port on the Arabian Sea.
i. Chinese company will handle the operations of Pakistans Gwadar port for a period of 40
years.
ii. It plans to eventually handle 300 million to 400 million tonnes of cargo a year
Five Madhesi parties unite ahead of local polls in Nepal

Five prominent Madhesi parties in Nepal have united to form a new united party named
the Rastriya Janata Party,It is the fifth largest party in Nepals Parliament.
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Key Highlights:
i. It has been announced that leaders of the five parties will lead the Rastriya Janata Party by
rotation.Madhesis account for 50% of Population of Nepal.
ii. The five parties that have united are Mahantha Thakurs Tarai Madhes Loktantrik Party,
RajendraMahatos Sadbhawana Party, Sharat Singh Bhandaris Rastriya Madhes Samajbadi Party,
Mahendra Yadavs Tarai Madhes Sadbhawana Party and Rajkishor Yadavs Madhesi Janadhikar
Forum- Ganatantrik.
Britain achieves its first ever coal-free day

As mentioned by officials of National Grid, April 21, 2017 was Britains first ever working day
without coal power since the Industrial Revolution. All coal-fired power plants went offline from
April 20, 2017.
Cuba and Morocco re-establish diplomatic ties after 37 years

Cuba and Morocco has signed an agreement to re-establish diplomatic ties after a time
period of 37 years. The two governments have also agreed to forge political, economic and
cultural cooperation.
Key Points:
i. The agreement was signed at the headquarters of the Permanent Mission of Cuba to the
United Nations.
ii. The decision to re-establish diplomatic ties has been made couple of weeks after King
Mohammeds private visit to Cuba.
India wins elections to two UN subsidiary bodies

India with 12 other members was elected to the Committee for Programme and Coordination
(CPC), a subsidiary body of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
i. India has won elections to two subsidiary bodies of a UN organ focused on social and economic
issues.
ii. India tops Asian group again in UN elections 49 of 50 members of Economic & Social Council
vote India to Committee for Program & Coordination.
NASA Astronaut Peggy Whitson breaks US Spaceflight record

Peggy Whitson is the first woman to command the space station twice. She holds the record
for most spacewalks conducted by a female astronaut.
i. Peggy Whitson is set to extend her mission with an additional three months at the International
Space Station.
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ii. NASA and the Russian space agency Roscosmos signed an agreement to extend Peggy Whitsons
stay on the space station into Expedition 52.
Freight train connects Russia with China

A freight train has introduced which connects Russia with China. It arrived in Ganzhou an
inland city in Jiangxi province that will carry goods from Moscow.
i. The aim of freight train is to bring resources from Europe and boost local development
ii. The journey started from Kansk, where buses first transported 38 containers more than 260 km
to Bazaiha.
iii. The freight train travelled more than 7,000 km, before reaching Ganzhou in eastern China.
Pakistan hindus allowed to worship at Shiva temple after 20 years

A Pakistani court allowed Hindus to worship at a Shiva temple in Abbottabad district which had
banned to them for 20 years.
i. Under section 20 of the Constitution the Peshawar High Court permitted Hindus to worship at the
temple of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
ii. The bench of the Peshawar High Court headed by Justice Ateeq Hussain Shah.
Shah Rukh Khan becomes first Indian actor to speak at TED Talks in Canada
Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan became the first Indian actor to deliver TED speech in
Vancouver, Canada.
i. Shah Rukh Khan partnered with TED to host the Hindi version of the famous talk show.
ii. He spoke out on various issues beginning from his stardom to the changes world.
El Salvador becomes the first country to ban mining of metals for environmental
protection
El Salvador became the first country in the world to ban metal mining. The law was favoured
by nearly 80 percent of the El Salvadorian population.
i. The El Salvador legislature passed the ban with support from a broad union.
ii. The law entered into force after being signed by President Salvador Sanchez Ceren.
iii. The law bans "prospection, exploration, exploitation, extraction or processing of metallic
minerals in El Salvador."
US places India yet again on IPR 'priority watch' list

On April 28, 2017, office of United States Trade Representative (USTR) released 2017 edition
of Special 301 Report. In this report, India has once again been placed in the Priority Watch
List for not providing adequate protection to Intellectual property Rights (IPR).
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Besides India, other countries that have been placed in this years Priority Watch List
are: China, Indonesia, Thailand, Algeria, Russia, Ukraine, Kuwait, Argentina, Chile and
Venezuela.
About USTR, Special 301 Report and Priority Watch List:
Office of the United States Trade Representative(USTR) is a government agency of United States
(US), which is entrusted with the responsibility to formulate and recommend foreign trade policy to
President of US. It also conducts bilateral and multilateral trade negotiations for US Govt.
It annually prepares Special 301 Report that identifies countries which do not provide
"adequate and effective" protection of intellectual property rights and fair and
equitable market access to US entities relying on IPR protection.
The Special Report 301 has three classifications viz. Priority Foreign Country, Priority
Watch List and Watch List.
Priority Foreign Country is the most extreme classification which includes countries that
out rightly deny IPR protection and fair and equitable market access. Countries placed in
this list could be subjected to sanctions by US Govt.
Priority Watch List includes countries where current IPR regulation has serious
deficiencies and requires active monitoring by USTR.
Watch List includes countries which have IPR regulation deficiencies but have yet not
been placed in Priority Watch List.
Indias Viewpoint:
India has categorically rejected the listings in the Special 301 report and has termed it as a
unilateral report of the US government. Union Commerce & Industry Minister Nirmala
Sitharaman has mentioned that Indias IPR laws are fully compliant with the global IP agreement
on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS).
SUMMITS & CONFERENCES

South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) Finance Ministers Meeting held in
New Delhi
Union Finance Minister, Mr. Arun Jaitley chaired the South Asia Subregional Economic
Cooperation (SASEC) Finance Ministers Meeting on 3rd April 2017 at Taj Palace Hotel, New
Delhi. Along with Finance Ministers from Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal and
Sri Lanka, officials from Asian Development Bank (ADB) were also present. It is to be noted that
ADB plays a role of a patron for SASEC and also serves as the Secretariat for the SASEC member
countries.
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From this meeting onwards, Myanmar has become the 7th nation to join SASEC as a member
country.
Improving Intra-Regional Connectivity to boost Trade and Tourism
SASEC Vision, announced during the meeting was centred on improving connectivity within the
region to boost trade and tourism. The objective is to generate $70 billion incremental GDP and
create 20 million jobs by year 2025.
SASEC Members have agreed to create synergies through following activities to achieve this goal:
1. Increasing volume of trade in Oil and Gas
2. Leveraging natural resources-based industries
3. Promoting industry-to-industry linkages
4. Improving people-to-people contact
5. Establishing gateways and hubs for expanding trade and commerce to regional and global
markets
The SASEC members aspire to become better, stronger and faster and thereby make South Asia
the economic powerhouse of Asia.The strategic vision document titled SASEC: Powering Asia in
the 21st Century will supplement the SASEC Operational Plan 2016-2025, which was released in
May 2016.
National conference on Communicating India 2017 held in New Delhi

i. The national conference on Communicating India 2017 held in New Delhi on April 5, 2017.
ii. The conference was organized by the Vivekananda International Foundation in collaboration with
the India Media Centre, University of Westminster, London, Nehru Memorial Museum and Library
and the Indian Institute of Mass Communication with the association of Prasar Bharati.
iii. A day-long conference was based on the three main themes
1.Telling India's story to the world
2.Communicating via Journalism and
3.Dialogue with Diaspora
Uttarakhand hosts 19th commonwealth forestry conference

i. The 19th Commonwealth Forestry Conference (CFC), 2017 begins at Forest Research Institute
(FRI) in Dehradun, Uttarakhand on April 3, 2017.
ii. The conference is inaugurated by Uttarakhand Governor Dr. K.K. Paul at Dehradun.The 5 day
conference is conducted on a theme Forests for Prosperity and Posterity.
iii. The conference is organized by Union Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change in
coordination with the Commonwealth Forestry Association of United Kingdom.
iv. The main topics to be discussed in the conference are about issues affecting climate change
and green cover.
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India and UK Economic and Financial Dialogue held in New delhi

9th UK-India Economic and Financial Dialogue held in New Delhi which was led by Finance Minister
Arun Jaitley and UK Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond
Aim: To combat cross border tax evasion, enhance cooperation in financial services and boost
investments by encouraging Indian companies to raise funds through masala bonds.
i. Green Growth Equity Fund :
1.Finance Minister Arun Jaitley announced that India and the UK has decided to set up Green
Growth Equity Fund to finance clean energy projects
2.Both contribution will contribute 120 million pounds to fulfill the energy needs in India
3.This is considered as sub-fund of National Infrastructure and Investment Fund (NIIF) and it will
be raised to 500 million pound.
ii. India and UK have agreed to work together to ensure effective implementation of the Financial
Action Task Force's (FATF) anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing standards
globally.
iii. Both countries have agreed to explore the possibility of regulatory cooperation
agreement between the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) of the UK and the Reserve Bank of
India in the April-June quarter of 2017.
Two-day national TB summit held in Dharamshala

Tow-Day National TB Summit, for raising awareness and increasing momentum to fight against TB
is being held in Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh on 7th and 8th April. The TB Summit will
conclude with a friendly cricket match between Bollywood celebrities and Members of Parliament.
Governor of Punjab VP Singh Badnore and Himachal Pradesh Health Minister
Kaul Singh Thakur inaugurate the summit.
This is the first such summit on TB which will bring together Central & State Ministers,
Members of Parliament (MPs), celebrities, bureaucrats, donors, corporate partners, health
experts and organisations working to eradicate TB. All these stakeholders will pledge their
support for TB free India by 2025.
Joint Organisers of the TB Summit:
International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union) supported by the United
States Agency for International Development (USAID)s, Challenge TB project.
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria
World Health Organisation (WHO)
India Vs. TB Cricket Match:
On second day of the summit a friendly T20 cricket match dubbed as India Vs. TB will be played
between teams of Bollywood celebrities and Members of Parliament at Dharamshala Cricket
Stadium. The Bollywood team will be led by actor Bobby Deol, whereas Lok Sabha
Member Anurag Thakur will lead the MPs team.
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Other dignitaries who will attend this event: Union Ministers JP Nadda, Venkaiah Naidu, Rajiv
Pratap Rudy and Kiran Rijiju, former Himachal Pradesh chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal and NITI
Aayog member Bibek Debroy.
Mega-conference of World Parliamentarians hosted by Bangladesh

i. The 136th Mega-Conference of World Parliamentarians has begun in Dhaka on April 1, 2017.The
conference was inaugurated by Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina. She will also release
a commemorative postage stamp and launch Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) web television.
ii. The main focus of this conference was to provide ways and means to end political and economic
inequality for upholding democracy and human rights.
iii. The mega-conference was organized by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU)
and Bangladesh Jatiya Sangsad.
iv. The 137th conference is to be held at St. Petersburg, Russia on 14-18 October 2017.
Rajnath Chairs 11th Standing Committee Meet of Interstate Council

The Union Home Minister, Shri Rajnath Singh chaired the 11th Standing Committee meeting
of the Inter-State council.
i. The ministers from states of Andhra Pradesh, Punjab and Rajasthan represented these
states at meeting.
ii. Members of Standing Committee includes Union Minister for finance , Corporate Affairs and
defence minister, Information and broadcasting, Road transport and shipping.
iii. The 11th Standing Committee meeting of the council will discuss the recommendations of the
Punchhi Commission on Center-State relations.
iv. Its major agenda is the role of governors, centrally sponsored schemes and financial transfers
from center to the states, creation of a unified agricultural market
BRICS special envoys on Middle-East meet held in Vishakhapatnam

A two-day meeting of BRICS special envoys on Middle-East was held in Visakhapatnam,
Andhra Pradesh on 11th and 12th April 2017. This was the second such meeting of BRICS envoys
on Middle-East.
i. Discussions revolved around military-political situation in Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Libya
and prospects for a Palestinian-Israeli settlement.
ii. Status of implementation of the UN Security Council resolutions to check terrorism was
also discussed.
G-7 Foreign Ministers meeting held in Lucca, Italy

On April 10, 2017, Foreign Ministers from the Group of Seven (G-7) countries gathered for the
annual meeting in Lucca, Italy.
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Foreign Ministers of G-7 countries at meeting in Lucca, Italy:

Foreign Minister/Secretary Country
Rex Tillerson United States
Boris Johnson United Kingdom
Sigmar Gabriel Germany
Christia Freeland Canada
Jean-Marc Ayrault France
Fumio Kishida Japan
Angelina Alfano Italy
Federica Mogherini, the EU High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy also attended this
meeting.
Key Issue discussed at G-7 Meeting:
Latest conflicts in Syria, dominated the G-7 foreign ministers meeting. United States and its allies
(including G-7 countries) believed that Syrian Govt. headed by Bashar al-Assad had used
chemical weapons to attack a rebel-controlled town last week in which 87 civilians were killed.
Reacting to this, US fired multiple missiles at Syrain Govt.s airbase.
G-7 countries have insisted that Russia should stop giving support to Syrian
President Bashar al-Assad. Imposing further sanctions on Russia is also being considered
as an option. Russia has negated the claims of chemical weapons being used and is
adamant to continue lending it support to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Deliberations on this issue along with other strategic issues will continue, and major
decisions can be expected during G7 Leaders Summit which is scheduled to be held on
26th-27th May 2017 in Taormina, Italy.
G20 Ministers issue declaration on Shaping Digitalisation for an Interconnected World

A ministerial conference of G20 ministers in charge of digitalisation was held on 6th and 7th April,
2017 in Dusseldorf, Germany. This was the first such meeting of G20 ministers responsible for
digitalisation.
i. They have issued a declaration on Shaping Digitalisation for an Interconnected World,
which lays out priorities and course of action.
ii. The declaration acknowledged that digital economies have the potential to contribute to
achieving the goals of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
President inaugurates Global exhibition on services in New Delhi

On April 17, 2017, President Pranab Mukherjee inaugurated 3rd edition of the Global
Exhibition on Services (GES 2017) at Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi. Finance Minister Arun
Jaitley also addressed the inaugural session. GES-2017 is being held at India Expo Mart in
Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh. It will continue till April 20, 2017.
i. Objective: To highlight Indias potential to boost its services exports across sectors.
ii. Organisers of GES 2017: Ministry of Commerce and Industry together with the Confederation of
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Indian Industry (CII) and Services Export Promotion Council.

iii. Participants: 550 exhibitors from 70 plus countries
Steel Minister Chaudhary Birender Singh inaugurates India Steel 2017 in Mumbai
India Steel 2017, the 3rd edition of International Conference and Exhibition on Steel Industry
was held at Mumbai Exhibition Center in Mumbai from 19th-21st April, 2017. It was inaugurated by
Union Steel Minister Chaudhary Birender Singh.
More Details About India Steel 2017:
This exhibition-cum-conference has been organised by Federation of Indian Chambers
of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) along with Union Ministry of Steel.
The objective was to provide a platform for stakeholders in Steel Industry to interact with
each other and explore mutually beneficial business opportunities.
A Reverse Buyer-Seller Meet, which is first-of-its-kind in steel sector was also
organised, wherein International buyers from Middle East, South East Asia, Africa,
Australia and SAARC countries were invited.
PRIDE Thrust areas of Union Ministry of Steel:
During the inaugural address, Mr. Singh mentioned about five thrust areas which Union Steel
Ministry has been focusing since July 2016. These thrust areas have been summed up as
PRIDE:
P Production and Productivity Increase
R Research and Development
I Indian-Made steel concept
D Demand boost for steel
E Excellence in Quality and Efficiency
PM Modi to inaugurate Textiles India 2017 on June 30

PM Narendra Modi will inaugurate a mega event Textiles India showcase the country as a global
sourcing hub in Gandhinagar on June 30, 2017
i. Its main objective is to provide a platform to connect and collaborate with global
manufacturers, investors and buyers in the textiles sector.
ii. Its theme is India as a global sourcing hub and an investment destination; exploring
growth potential of technical textiles; and carving a niche market globally for
handcrafted goods.
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India to host 18th World Road Meeting

The International Road Federation (IRF) has announced that India is set to host the 18th World
Road Meeting (WRM 2017) on November 13.The theme of World Road Meeting is Safe Roads
and Smart Mobility: The Engines of Economic Growth.
International Conference on Dara Shikoh begins

The international conference on Dara Shiko held on April 27 and 28. The theme of this
conference is Reclaiming Spiritual Legacy of India.
i. The conference will be organized by the Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR).
ii. The objective of the conference is to highlight Dara Shikohs contributions.
iii. The conference will includes the participation of eminent scholars from the US, Iran,
Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and India.
iv. To bring about spiritual alliance of Hinduism and Islam.
v. To build a cohesive social and cultural structure in India
Sri Lanka to host the 14th Edition of United Nations International Day of Vesak 2017
The 14th edition of United Nations International Day of Vesak will be hosted by Sri Lanka
from May 12-14, 2017.The PM Narendra Modi will be the chief guest for UN Vesak
Day.The theme of this edition is Buddhist Teachings for Social Justice and Sustainable
World Peace.
First India, Indonesia Energy Forum held in Jakarta

First India Indonesia Energy Forum was held in Jakarta, Indonesia on April 20, 2017. Mr.
Piyush Goyal - Union Minister of State (IC) for Power, Coal, New & Renewable Energy and Mines
and Mr. Ignasius Jonan - Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources of Indonesia took part in this
forum.
i. The reports of 2nd Joint Working Group (JWG) on Oil and Gas, 4th Joint Working Group on Coal
and 1st Joint Working Group on New and Renewable Energy (held through video-conferencing),
which preceded the energy forum, were presented to two Ministers during the Energy Forum.
ii. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Union Ministry of Petroleum and
Natural Gas and the Indonesias Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources on cooperation in
the field of Oil and Gas was signed at the energy forum.
24th Arabian Travel Market begins in Dubai

The 24th Arabian Travel Market begins in Dubai.
i. This year the event will focus on the latest industry trend of experiential travel.
ii. It focuses on encompasses travelling for adventure, culture, heritage, wellness, and theme
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parks
Global mobile internet conference held in Beijing

The Global Mobile Internet Conference(GMIC), organized by the Great Wall Association
(GWC) held from 27th April to the 29th April 2017 at the China National Convention Center (CNCC)
in Beijing, China.
i. The Global Mobile Internet Conference is hosted annually in Beijing and Silicon Valley. Mobile
executives, entrepreneurs, developers, and investors from around the globe and across platforms
attend GMIC each year.
ii. The first annual Global Mobile Internet Conference (GMIC) was hosted in Beijing, China, April
2325, 2009.
RANKING & REPORTS
NIRF 2017 Ranking announced by HRD Ministry - topped by IISc Bangalore

Union Human Resource Development Minister Mr. Prakash Javadekar announced India
Ranking 2017 based on National Institutional Ranking Framework.
Toppers of India Rankings 2017 (NIRF 2017):
Category College/Institute/University
Overall Indian Institute of Science Bangalore
Engineering Indian Institute of Technology Madras
Management Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad
Universities Indian Institute of Science Bangalore
Colleges Miranda House (Delhi)
Pharmacy Jamia Hamdard (Delhi)
India ranks 3rd in WADA doping charts for the Year 2015
India has been ranked 3rd in the doping violation report published by the World Anti-Doping
Agency (WADA) for the year 2015. The report stated that, 117 athletes from India have been
punished after testing positive for banned substances.
The following table shows the sport and number of offenders in each category
S.NO SPORTS OFFENDERS S.NO SPORTS OFFENDERS
1. Weightlifting 56 8. Power lifting 3
2. Athletics 21 9. Judo 2
3. Boxing 8 10. Wushu 2
4. Wrestling 8 11. Rowing 1
5. Cycling 4 12. Bodybuilding 1
6. Kabaddi 4 13. Hockey 1
7. Aquatics 3 14. Football 1
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India ranked 40th in WEF's global travel and tourism ranking

India has ranked 40th out of 136 countries on Global Travel and Tourism Competitiveness
Report 2017 published by World Economic Forum (WEF). This marks a commendable jump of 12
spots as compared to previous years rank. Rank Country
It is to be noted that all top 10 spots have been acquired by Spain 1st
France 2nd
developed nations.The results of this report hold special Germany 3rd
significance as tourism is an important sector for national Japan 4th
United Kingdom 5th
economy. It is estimated that tourism sector accounts for up to United States 6th
Australia 7th
1/10th of global Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and
Italy 8th
employment. Canada 9th
Switzerland 10th
India ranks 9th among 41 countries in corruption in businesses

India has ranked 9th out of 41 countries in bribery and corrupt practices in businesses as per the EY
(Ernst & Young) Europe, Middle East, India and Africa (EMEIA) Fraud Survey 2017. The
ranking has improved marginally since 2015 in which India ranked 6th.
Note - In context of this Survey, higher rankings indicate a negative scenario.
Improvement in Indias rank has been attributed to emphasis on transparency in
governance and better regulatory scrutiny.
Countries which rank higher than India in this survey are: Ukraine, Cyprus, Greece,
Slovenia, Croatia, Kenya, South Africa and Hungary.
In the survey, nearly 78 per cent of Indian respondents mentioned that bribery and
corrupt practices are widely prevalent in Indian businesses.
Other key findings from the survey:
Choices % of Indian Respondents

Those who would be prepared to act unethically to enhance 41%
their own career
Those who are prepared to provide false information to 13%
improve their career or pay
Those who stated that loyalty towards company prevents 58%
employees from reporting fraud, bribery or corruption
Haldia Port tops the list in the first ever ranking of ports on Sanitation parameteres
The Haldia Port of West Bengal has emerged as the cleanest ports among Indian ports on sanitation
parameters.
The ranking of all the 13 Indian ports was conducted by the Quality Council of
India. Haldia and Vizag ports receive the first and the second rank.
The ranking was based on the efforts made by these ports to address waste
generating sources with respect to port operation, office area, and township area.
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Iran, Saudi Arabia, China top world execution list 2016

Amnesty International published the review stated that China executed the most people in 2016,
followed by Iran and Saudi Arabia.
i. The china alone killed thousands of people when 23 countries together executed 1032, the
MENA region has executed the majority of 852 numbers.
ii. Amnesty s East Asia Director Nicholas Bequelin stated that china has refused to release
the number of execution but is believed to execute many thousands of people every year.
iii. According to the report, the total number of executions happened worldwide had dropped by 37
percent compared to 2015. For the first time in a decade, the United States was not included in the
top five countries on the list.Political activists by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Egypt ranked
sixth on the report.
Alia Bhatt features on Forbes 30 under 30 Asia list

Actress Alia Bhatt has featured in Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list. She is the only Bollywood
actress who has made it to this year.
i. The actress has got a place in Forbes Under 30 Asia list. Alia got her name in the elite list after
doing some of the highest earning films and gave best performances in recent times.
ii. India has 53 achievers on the list, second only to China which has 76 honorees
iii. Indians in the list - Sakshi Malik, Deepa Karmakar, Srikanth Bolla, Sharath Gayakwad, Trisha
Shetty, Kavin Bharti Mittal, etc
2-billion people drinking contaminated water says WHO GLASS report

The World Health Organization has published the Global Analysis and Assessment of
Sanitation and Drinking-Water (GLAAS) 2017 report that nearly 2 billion people worldwide
using Contaminated Water.
i. The WHO revealed that drinking and using contaminated water thousands of people die within a
year.
ii. In developing and under developed countries 38% of health care facilities lack improved water
source. 19% do not have proper sanitation and 35% lack water and shop for hand washing.
iii. By 2025, half of the worlds population will be living in water stressed areas.
Indias skewed sex ratio to worsen further says a Government report titled Youth in
India
According to the report of Youth in India the sex ratio in India falls to 898 girls for 1,000
boys in 2031 from 939 in 2011.
i. From the analysis of census and the World Bank Indias sex ratio has been decreasing since
1991.
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ii. By 2010, India accounted for 17.8% of the world population an increase of 2.7% since 1970.
iii. It is projected to continue and by 2030, young Indians would account for 17.97% of global
population.
iv. The projection is based on very low sex ratio at birth in India. The number of girls born for
1,000 boys -- the definition of sex ratio --- was 914 in 2011 and is projected to fall further in
coming decades.
Karnataka is the most corrupt state in the country, reveals Survey

According to survey based on 20 states karnataka is the most corrupt state in the country.
i. The Centre for Media Studies (CMS) released its 11th round of the the annual corruption study
CMS India Corruption Study 2017'.
ii. According to the survey, "77% of respondents" in Karnataka experienced corruption
in accessing public services.
iii. This is followed by Andhra Pradesh (74%), Tamil Nadu (68%), Maharashtra
(57%), Jammu and Kashmir (44%) and Punjab (42%).
iv. In 2005, the more corrupt states were Bihar (74%), Jammu and Kashmir (69%) Odisha (60%).
Philippine President Duterte wins TIME 100 Reader Poll

Rodrigo Duterte, the President of Philippines has won this years TIME magazine's Readers'
Poll of the 100 most influential people in the world. Duterte received 5% of total YES votes. He
maintained the lead, right from the beginning of the poll. TIME 100 Readers Poll closed on April 16,
2017.
i. Rodrigo Duterte is the 16th President of Philippines. On assuming charge in June 2016, he started
a violent and aggressive anti-drug campaign which has claimed more than 8000 lives so far
ii. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also named as a probable contender in this years
Readers Poll, but he did not receive any YES votes. US Democratic Presidential nominee Bernie
Sanders had won the TIME 100 Readers Poll in 2016.
India jumps to 8th place on Global FDI Confidence Index

India ranked at 8th position in the 2017 A.T. Kearney Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)
Confidence Index. In 2016 edition of this index, India ranked at 9th position. US has topped A.T.
Kearney Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Confidence Index for the fifth year in a row.
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Top 5 Countries on 2017 A.T. Kearney Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)

Rank Country
1st United States
2nd Germany
3rd China
4th United Kingdom
5th Canada
Modi, Paytm founder among Time's 100 most influential people of 2017
This year Margot Robbie has been featured in Time's 100 Most Influential People Of
2017.Margot Robbie is an Australian actress. She started her career in his late 2000s.
Important Highlights:
She was honoured by The Wolf of Wall Street director Martin Scorsese.
He applauded Margot Robbie and said 'Margot is stunning in all she is and all she does,
and she will astonish us forever.'
This years 14th annual issue features five worldwide covers.
President Donald Trump and Pope Francis join the likes of singer Demi Lovato and actress
Viola Davis on Time magazine's list of the 100 Most Influential People.
The Australian actress was joined on the list by fellow Hollywood stars Emma Stone, Ryan
Reynolds and James Corden.
In Times 100 two Indians are on the list Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Paytm
founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma.
Vijay Shekhar Sharma, Paytm founder is selected for his huge venture growth of Paytm
with 177 million users, compared with 122 million at the beginning of the year.
Modi is described as a maestro of the art of political seduction, playing on the existential
fears and cultural insecurities of people facing downward or blocked mobility.
Each featuring a member of the TIME 100: singer John Legend, actress Viola Davis,
Amazon chief executive Jeff Bezos, philanthropist Melinda Gates, and British actor Riz
Ahmed.
The latest edition of the magazine's annual list also includes Chance the Rapper, Amazon
CEO Jeff Bezos, Olympic gymnast Simone Biles and FBI Director James Comey.
This is the second time when Donald trump has made the list.
India becomes world's fifth largest military spender

As per figures revealed by Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), India
has become worlds fifth largest military spender in year 2016. Indias military expenditure
for 2016 was $55.9 billion, which marks 8.5% growth over 2015 figure.
Military Expenditure Data 2016:
Total world military expenditure in 2016 was $1686 billion, which marks an increase of 0.4%
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as compared to 2015 figure. This figure is very near to the peak of $1699 billion incurred in 2011.
World military spending constituted 2% of global GDP in 2016.
US retained its position as largest military Country Amount Spent in
2016
spender in the world. It registered 1.7% growth in US $611 billion
China $215 billion
military expenditure as compared to 2015.
Russia $69.2 billion
Military spending in China and Russia increased by Saudi Arabia $63.7 billion
India $55.9 billion
5.4% and 5.9% respectively.
Saudi Arabia which was 3rd largest military spender in 2015, dropped to fourth position
owing to 30% reduction in 2016.
India ranks 136 on World Press Freedom Index, slips three places since 2016
India ranks 136th among 180 countries in the 2017 World Press Freedom Index released
by Reporters Sans Frontires (RSF) also known as Reporters Without Borders. In 2016 India
ranked 133rd on this index.
Highlights of 2017 World Press Freedom Index:
The report specifically mentioned about the internet ban in Kashmir Rank Country
during protests in July 2016. 1st Norway
2nd Sweden
Many African countries, including dictator-ruled Zimbabwe, 3rd Finland
are ranking higher than India. 4th Denmark
5th Netherlands
China ranks 176th and has been described as the worlds 6th Costa Rica
leading prison for citizen journalists. 7th Switzerland
8th Jamaica
North Korea ranked at the bottom of the Index. 9th Belgium
10th Iceland
2017 World Press Freedom Index Indias Neighbouring Countries:

Indias Neighbouring Country Rank
Bhutan 84th
Nepal 100th
Afghanistan 120th
Pakistan 139th
Sri Lanka 141st
Bangladesh 146th
China 176th
Mumbai, Chennai among top 20 tourist destinations in Asia Pacific

Mumbai and Chennai have ranked among the top 20 tourist destinations in Asia Pacific Region as
per the Mastercard Asia Pacific Destinations Index 2017.
i. In terms of total expenditure by international tourists, Singapore hosted the highest
spending visitors at $254 per day. For the entire APAC region, overall tourism expenditure
stood at $244.9 billion
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ii. Chennai attracted 2 million international overnight arrivals and

ranked 14th. Mumbai ranked 15th with 4.9 million overnight arrivals.
Indias is the worlds 7th largest tourism economy in terms of GDP, says WTTC
According to a new report released by World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), India's travel
and tourism sector ranks 7th in the world in terms of its total contribution to the country's Gross
Domestic Product (GDP).
Important Data about India's Travel and Tourism Sector revealed by WTTC Report:
Contribution to GDP: This sector generated Rs 14.1 trillion in 2016 which is equivalent
to 6% of India's GDP. In absolute terms, it is 7th largest in the world.
Job Creation: 3 million jobs were created in travel and tourism sector of India in 2016.
On account of this remarkable figure, India ranked 2nd in the world in terms of total
employment generated. Overall, the sector accounts for 9.3% of total jobs in India.
Composition: As mentioned in WTTC report, the major chunk of total figure came from
domestic travel which accounts for 88% of the sector's contribution to GDP in 2016.Visitor
exports i.e. money spent by foreign travellers in India, was only 12% of tourism revenues
in 2016, culminating into 5.4% of the country's total exports. This is lower than global
average of 6.6%. Supplementing this information is the data from the UN World
Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) which ranked India at 40th position in the world in
terms of receiving international travellers.
BANKING & FINANCE

Govt lowers interest rates on small saving schemes like PPF, KVP and Sukanya Samriddhi
Yojana by 0.1 per cent for April-June quarter
Finance Ministry has notified the reduction in interest rates on Small Saving Schemes for April-
June 2017 quarter by 10 basis points (0.1%) as compared to Jan-Mar 2017 quarter. This move
is in line with the Govt.s practice of recalibrating the rates on quarterly basis, which is being
followed since April 2016.
Post this decision, the applicable interest rate on investment in various Small Savings
Schemes is as under:
Small Saving Scheme Interest Rate
Public Provident Fund (PPF) 7.9%
5-year National Savings Certificate (NSC) 7.9%
Kisan Vikas Patra (KVP) 7.6% - Maturity period will be 113 months as
against 112 months previously
Sukanya Samriddhi Account 8.4%
5-year Senior Citizens Savings Scheme 8.4% (Unchanged)
Savings Deposit 4.0% (Unchanged)
Term Deposits (1-5 year maturity) 6.9% to 7.7%
5-year Recurring Deposit 7.2%
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82nd Establishment Day of RBI, 1st April 2017

i. Having commenced operations from 1st April 1935, Indias central bank, Reserve Bank of
India (RBI) celebrated 82nd Establishment Day on 1st April 2017.
ii. Establishment of RBI was recommended by Hilton Young Commission to the then British
Government.RBI functions in accordance with provisions laid out in Reserve Bank of India Act,
1934.
Infrastructure projects in India Japan commits 371 billion Yen assistance

On March 31, 2017, Japan made a commitment with India for providing Official Development
Assistance (ODA) for Infrastructure projects in India. Japan is providing India with 371.345
billion yen (about Rs 21,590 crore) under the financial year 2016-17.
The information was given by S Selvakumar, Joint Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs
and Kenji Hamamatsu, Ambassador of Japan to India.
Co-branded Credit Card launched by Karnataka Bank and SBI Card

Private sector Karnataka Bank in collaboration with SBI Card launched co-branded credit cards
for Karnataka Bank customers on March 31, 2017. Two types of credit cards are launched namely
SBI card are
Savings Bank account holders with monthly average balance of Rs 1 lakh and above for last
three months.
Fixed Deposit account holders with minimum deposit amount of Rs 180000 and housing loan
account holder with loan amountof Rs 20 lakh and above.
Eligibilities for Karnataka Bank Simply SAVE Credit Card are
Savings Bank account holders with monthly average balance of Rs 20000 and above for last
three months
Fixed Deposit account holders with minimum deposit amount of Rs 50000 and housing loan
account holders with loan amount of Rs 8 lakh and above.
SBI merged with all its subsidiaries and entered in the league of top 50 Global Banks
On April 1, 2017, State Bank of India (SBI) successfully merged with its five associate banks and
Bharatiya Mahila Bank. By this merger, SBI entered the league of Top 50 Global Banks which
ranks 44th and a balance sheet size of Rs 41 lakh crore along with the new logo.
The associate banks of SBI are
1.State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur,
2.State Bank of Hyderabad,
3.State Bank of Mysore,
4.State Bank of Patiala and
5.State Bank of Travancore.
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NDB invests USD 1.5 billion in 7 projects in past 2 years of operation: Kamath
The New Development Bank (NDB) backed by BRICS has invested a total of USD 1.5 billion
through 7 projects in the year 2015 and 2016. The information was shared by NDB president K V
Kamath during the second annual meeting of the bank on April 1, 2017.
Out of the seven projects, six of the projects were from renewable sectors and one
in transport financing sector. The first ever project signed by NDB is with China in December,
2016. The second loan was signed with projects in India.
Plans by New Development Bank (NDB)
i. The NDB is planning to raise up-to $500 million through masala bonds and increase its
exposure to infrastructure projects in India.
ii. The NDB has begun its work for opening a regional centre in Africa which is to be completed by
May, 2017.
iii .Bank has an approval to raise 10 billion renminbi from China, out of which it has raised 3 billion
renminbi.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) set up separate Enforcement Department

i. Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance, Mr. Santosh Kumar Gangwar informed Lok Sabha
that Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is planning to set up a separate in-house Enforcement
Department which will be operational from 3rd April 2017.
ii. This Department will be responsible for framing broad policy related to enforcement and take
action against registered entities that violate it. It will function as centralised department to deal
with banks exclusively for enforcement action such as issuing warning or imposing penalty.
Tax Evasion over Rs 5 crore is a non-bailable offence under GST Regime.

i. The Central government has decided to make tax evasion of over Rs 5 crore under the proposed
Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime as a non-bailable offence.
ii. Earlier, the tax evasion of over Rs 2.5 crore was proposed by the Goods and Services Tax
(GST) regime.
ICICI Bank and Axis Bank sold Rs 1800 crore of loans of Ballarpur to Edelweiss Asset Re-
Company
i. Market leaders ICICI Bank and Axis Bank sold Rs 1800 crore worth loans of paper
maker Ballarpur Industries to Edelweiss Asset Reconstruction Company.
ii. This is the first time, a potential bad loan being sold off to an Asset Reconstruction Company at
book value.
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iii. Axis Bank sold loans of Rs.1200 crore and ICICI Bank sold loans of Rs.600 crore.
iv. The loan sold is under 15:85 structure where 15 per cent is paid in cash and the balance 85% is
paid in securities receipts.
New Rs 200 denominated notes proposal cleared by RBI

i. Indias central bank, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has cleared a proposal to introduce new
currency notes of Rs 200 on April 3, 2017.
ii. The proposal was cleared during the RBI board meeting held in March, 2017. The information
was passed by officials from RBI.
iii. The process of producing the Rs 200 notes will begin after June, if the central government
officially approves the new denomination.
Aditya Birla Group gets RBI licence to start payments bank

i. Aditya Birla Idea Payments Bank Ltd. has become the seventh entity to receive a final licence
from Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for carrying out the business of payments bank in India.
ii. Aditya Birla Idea Payments Bank Ltd. will be launched in the first half of year 2017.Its
headquarters is in Mumbai
Japan officially recognises Bitcoin as currency from April 2017

i. The currency of the Internet, Biticoin and other digital currencies have recognised as a payment
method by Japan with effect from its new fiscal year
ii. It was recognised under new banking law of Japan but it is not a legally-recognized currency.
iii. Bitcoin exchanges will come under additional regulatory scrutiny. They will be required to
comply with strict anti-money laundering (AML) and Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements,
along with annual audits.
RBI Monetary Policy Review: RBI keeps repo rate unchanged at 6.25%, raises reverse
repo rate to 6%
On 6th April 2017, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced First Bi-Monthly Monetary Policy
Statement for financial year 2017-18. This is the third straight meeting wherein the Policy Repo
Rate has been kept unchanged.
Post the First Bi-Monthly Monetary Policy Statement announcement, the policy rates and
reserve ratios are as follows:
Policy Repo Rate 6.25% Unchanged - since 4th October 2016
Reverse Repo Rate 6.00% Hiked by 25 basis points. Earlier it was 5.75%
Marginal Standing Facility Rate 6.50% Reduced by 25 basis points. Earlier it was 6.75%
Bank Rate 6.50% Reduced by 25 basis points. Earlier it was 6.75%
Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) 4.00% Unchanged - since 9th February 2013
Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR) 20.50% Effective from 1st January 2017
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India and ADB Sign $175 Million Loan Agreement to help improve Solar Transmission
System
The Government of India and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has signed a $175 million loan
agreement to support construction of high voltage transmission systems.
i. The project will improve the capacity and efficiency of interstate transmission networks,
particularly in transmitting the electricity generated from the new solar parks to the national grid.
ii. The loan will be given to the Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID).
iii. Apart from the mass departure of 2,500 megawatts(MW) of power from solar parks in Bhadla,
Rajasthan, and 700 MW from Banaskantha, Gujarat, POWERGRID is also including two additional
subprojects that will increase solar power generation by 4.2 gigawatt and lessen carbon emissions
by over 7 million tons every year.
Indias growth accelerate to 7.4% in 2017-2018

India recorded a growth rate of 7.4% in this fiscal year and it expects to be 7.6% in the next
financial year.
i. Despite the effect demonization Indias growth grew from 1% to 7.4%. India is the fastest
growing economy ahead of China mentioned by the ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK (ADB).
ii. With the ban of 500 and 1000 currencies it was supposed that Indias growth rate would reduce
at a high margin but all speculations went wrong and our economy recorded the fastest
growing economy.
RBI allow banks to invest in REITs And InvITs and enables faster money transfer by
finetuning NEFT Network
i. Banks will be allowed to invest in Real estate investment trusts (REITs)and Infrastructure
investment trusts (InvITs) by RBI. These trusts are a structured business model for
entrepreneurs and corporates to convert their capital locked in assets through issue of units to
investors.
ii. Banks which are currently allowed to invest 20% of their Net-owned funds in equity, mutual
funds, venture capital funds, and stocks may invest in these trusts within this limit.
iii. RBI enables faster money transfer by finetuning NEFT (National electronic Funds
Transfer)network by increasing the number of cycle to 23 from current 12 to allow faster
settlement of funds and more funds to settle in a day.
Ban on cash transactions of over Rs 2 lakh not applicable for withdrawals

The Income Tax Department clarified that the Rs 2 lakh cash transaction limit will not be
applicable on withdrawals from bank, cooperative bank or a post office savings account.
i. Section 269ST in the I-T Act, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) said the restriction shall
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not apply to withdrawal from banks and post offices.

ii. To control black money all over India , the government has fixed the top limit of Rs 2 lakh on
cash transactions, which is lower than the Rs 3 lakh proposed in Budget 2017-18. The penalty for
violating this is a fine equivalent to the amount of transaction.
HDFC Bank launches its UPI on Indias first multi bank payment app, Chillr
Private Sector Lender. HDFC Bank Ltd., announced the launch of its Unified Payments Interface
(UPI) on Chillr. Henceforth the HDFC Bank UPI will be available on Chillr, in addition to the banks
Mobile Banking app.
i. Nitin Chugh, Country Head- Digital Banking, HDFC Bank launched its UPI on Chillr with Mr.
Sony Joy, Co-Founder and CEO, Chillr, in the presence of senior officials of HDFC Bank in
Mumbai.
ii. Functionalities of the UPI like linking a mobile number on contacts list to a bank account,
sending money out, collect requests etc.
iii. Chillr will be allowed to link bank accounts from 44 banks which are on the payments platform
due to this deal.
RBL bank opens IFSC banking unit in GIFT city

RBI has allowed PUBLIC and PRIVATEsector banks to open an IFSC banking units at GIFT
city to undertake foreign exchange transactions with residents and non-residents Institutions.
i. RBL bank announced the opening of its IFSC banking unit at Gujarat International History of
RBL Bank Finance Tec-city called Gift city.
ii. Under this system IFSC banking units (IBU) will give RBL bank access to international financial
market and bank will offer a range of products and services to their clients.
iii. Through this system RBL will raise foreign currency funds to meet its requirements in IBU and
fund offshore subsidiaries of Indian companies.
South Indian Bank & Flyworld Money in pact for transfer of funds
South Indian Bank made an agreement with Flyworld Money Exchange to facilitate
remittances by Indian migrants in Australia.
i. NRIs in Australia could enjoy quick and cost-effective remittances to India using the SIB
Express facility. Using this facility, NRIs can now remit funds with ease to any commercial bank in
India.
ii. SIB marks the first remittance arrangement with an exchange house in Australia by this
agreement. SIB also has a correspondent banking arrangement with National Australia Bank for
remittances to India.
iii. Customers as well as non-customers can use this facility through the Flyworld Money Exchange
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across Australia or use the online platform provided by the exchange house to make remittances to
India.
FINO Paytech inks deal with ICICI group companies to distribute insurance products
FINO Paytecha primarily a business correspondent received a license to launch a Payments Bank by
RBI. It inked a deal with ICICI group companies to distribute Insurance products and also tied up
with Exide Life Insurance to sell products through distribution channel.
i. FINO Payments Bank will sell Life and General insurance products of ICICI Prudential and ICICI
Lombard.
ii. The Payments Bank will launch its operations with 3-4 products which include current and
saving account, Business correspondent lending, remittances and insurance.
ESAF Small Finance Bank launches social deposit scheme Hrudaya deposit
ESAF Small Finance Bank has launched a social deposit scheme called Hrudaya Deposit.
i. The deposit scheme is related with social cause through which ESAF bank provides the customers
an opportunity to be a part in social welfare projects.
ii. In this scheme whosoever customer deposit in it will become a part in national building.
iii. Their deposits are used for the welfare and infrastructure developments of the underdeveloped
sections of the society.
iv. An individual or a legal entity can join the Hrudaya deposit scheme with a minimum deposit
amount of Rs 15 lakh and for a minimum period of 2 years.
Align Bank Pay to that CPSESs : Bank Board Bureau

The Bank Board Bureau has recommended that government bring reforms in the compensation
process in Public Sector Banks similar to Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs).
Major Highlights:
i. BBB set up in Aril 2016 to select board members including MD & CEO in PSBs put out the list that
was submitted to the government on its website.
ii. To attract high quality talent for non-executive directors and chairman, BBB suggested a
platform with the private sector in relation to role, responsibility and remenuration.
Manappuram Finance launched co-branded prepaid cards with Yes bank

To promote financial transactions the Kerala based NBFC Manappuram Finance with launch its
own prepaid cards. It tied-up with Yes bank.
Major Facts:
i. In Manappuram YES bank prepaid money cards having the maximum amount is Rs 50000 and
it can also be used for online transcations with Pos terminals.
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ii. The company will issue the prepaid cards for 20 lakh customers.It also links their existing gold
loan accounts to the card.
Postal Dept, SBI join hands to promote cashless transactions

The Department of Posts has joined hands with the State Bank of India to promote cashless
transactions like 'SBI buddy e-wallet' and POS machines.
i. Swain said the installation of SBI Buddy e-wallet and POS Machines will make the
transactions easy through digital payments and cashless transactions in post offices.
ii. PK Swain, Chief Postmaster General, Punjab Circle and Anil Kishora, Chief General Manager, SBI,
Chandigarh dedicated SBI buddy e-wallet and SBI POS machines at Chandigarh General Post Office
for the general public.
Amazon gets RBI nod for e-wallet in India

RBI has given an approval to Amazon India to launch its own digital wallet or pre-paid
payment instrument (PPI) in India. This move by the RBI is believed an Amazon to enter Indias
fast-growing digital payments business.
i. Amazon had launched its Pay Balance service in order to boost cashless transactions.
ii. Amazon mentioned that their focus is providing customers a convenient and trusted cashless
payments experience.
World Bank approves $375-mn loan for Indias first waterway project
World Bank has approved a $375 million loan to India for developing its first waterway project -
The National Waterway 1. Under this project, a navigable stretch of 1360 km will be developed
on River Ganga from Varanasi (in Uttar Pradesh) to Haldia (in West Bengal). The loan has maturity
of 17 years and grace period of 7 years.
Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana tops target for 2016-17 loans cross target of Rs 1.8 lakh
Crore
Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) was announced by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in the
Union Budget for financial year 2016.
Loans extended under the PMMY during 2016-17 have crossed the target of Rs 1.8 lakh
crore.
It is an institution that would support the small entrepreneurs of India in the biggest possible
way to help the Indian economy grow and prosper
Estimated numbers of borrowers were more than 4 crore.
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Income Tax department launches 'Operation Clean Money-II to probe 60,000 people
On April 14, 2017, the Income Tax department launched second phase of Operation Clean
Money under which it will probe over 60000 individuals including 1300 high risk individuals.
The Income Tax Department had carried out first phase of Operation Clean Money from January
31, 2017 to February 15, 2017, under which it conducted e-verification of large cash deposits made
during the demonetisation window from November 9, 2016 to December 30, 2016.
The threshold for e-verification was cash transactions of Rs. 5 lakh and above. As a
result, nearly 18 lakh individuals were identified who undertook cash transactions which
were not in line with their Income Tax Returns.
Such individuals were asked to provide justification for their transactions through an
online portal enabled by Income Tax Department (ITD) within 10 days.
Target Group for Operation Clean Money II:

Businesses such as petrol pumps, hospitals and other essential services which have deposited much
higher amount of cash during note ban period as compared to the previous period.
Central and State Govt. employees including PSU employees who made large cash
deposits.
High Value Purchasers.
RBI tightens screws on banks to ease bad debt

To ease bad debt in the system, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had promised to come up with
stringent measures while releasing the first bi-monthly monetary policy statement for 2017-18 last
week.
On April 14, 2017, the RBI has come out with a revised Prompt Corrective Action (PCA)
framework for banks which will be effective from April 1, 2017. This framework is based on
certain risk thresholds, the breach of which could result into serious consequences such as
merger with another bank or even closure of the bank.
Financial reports of banks as on March 31, 2017 will be considered as reference to
evaluate banks condition vis-a-vis the thresholds. This new framework will be reviewed after
three years.
Triggers for breach of Risk Threshold 1:
Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) falls below 10.25% or common equity tier I (CET1)
capital ratio falls below 6.75%
Net Non-Performing Assets (NPA) rises above 6%
Leverage Ratio falls below 4%
Two consecutive years of negative Return on Assets (RoA)
Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) falls below 7.75% or common equity tier I (CET1) capital
ratio falls below 5.125%
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Net Non-Performing Assets (NPA) rises above 12%

Leverage Ratio falls below 3.5%
Three consecutive years of negative Return on Assets (RoA)
Common Equity Tier I (CET1) capital ratio falls below 3.625% in combination with NPA
above 12%
Four consecutive years of negative Return on Assets (RoA)
IRDAI unveils portal for insurers to sell policies online

All the Insurance companies, Brokers and Corporate agents now can sell insurance policies through
online platform.
i. IRDAI has now launched an online portal for insurance companies and allow them to register and
sell policies through online mode.
ii. The portal name is isnp.irda.gov.in
iii. Now, Insurers and intermediaries can create a login credentials for registration and
submit Insurance Self Networking Platform (ISNP) application online or on the portal.
Bank Boards Bureau evolves GRAF for PSBs

The Bank Board Bureau (BBB) has developed a Governance Reward and Accountability
(GRAF)framework for the public sector banks.
i. GRAF is framed so that PSBs can compete efficiently with Private sector banks, small finance
banks and foreign banks and NBFC.
ii. It is based on the advanced global benchmark on governance practices.
Indias Economy will grow by 7.2% in 2017-2018 predicts World Bank

World Bank predicts Indias gross domestic product (GDP) to 7.2% in the 2017-2018 from
6.8% in this fiscal year.Title of the World Bank report is Globalization Backlash.
i. According to Globalization Backlash Indias economic growth will rise to 7.7% in 2019-2020.
ii. Exports to grow by 6% in the coming year.
iii. Inflation to grow by 5.2% in 2017-2018 and 5.4% in 2018-2019
Finance Ministry approves 8.65% interest rate on EPF

EPFO( Employess Provident fund Organisation) has decided to reduce the interest rate on
Provident Fund Deposits to 65% from 8.8%.
i. It has been done because RBI has cut their lending rates and banks have reduced their deposit
rates.
ii. Loyalty cum benefit would be provided to all subscribers who have contributed to the scheme
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for 20 years or more on retirement.

iii. Around 17 crore subscribers accounts will be updated with this interest rate.
Current account deficit to widen to 1.6% from 0.5% of GDP : Nomura

Indias Current Account Deficit is expected to grow by 1.6% from 0.5% in this fiscal year.
i. Overall the stonger global demand and higher export prices are key factor of the exports
recovery.
ii. FDI inflows around 2% of GDP..
iii. The major reason of strengthening Indian economy is the appreciation of the Indian rupee.
iv. The difference between the value of Imports of Goods, services and investment incomes with
that of exports increased to $7.9 billion or 1.4% of GDP.
SBI surpasses ONGC to become most valued PSU stock

State Bank of India (SBI) surpassed ONGC to become the most valued public sector
undertaking (PSU) state-owned firm in terms of market valuation.
i. The shares of SBI rose by 2.33 per cent to Rs 296.40 and ONGC lost 1.36 per cent to Rs
180.60.
ii. SBI surged almost 16 per cent while that of ONGC fell by over 4 per cent.
iii. SBI m-cap stood of Rs 239,808 crore and ONGC having m-cap of Rs 236,003 crore.
PNB launches new products for customers on its foundation day

Punjab National Bank (PNB) has launched three new products for its customers on the occasion
of 123rd foundation Day.
i. PNB MD and CEO UshaAnanthasubramanian launched the three products.
ii. The three new products which are launched by PNB are automated electronic toll collection
to facilitate hassle-free toll payment collection, a Credit card Mobile App and a scheme
for financing a grid connected Roof Solar Power Project.
iii. To assist PNB employees to do their HR-related operations through their mobile phones.
RBI, Royal Monetary Authority of Bhutan ink MoU to share information

A new Memorandum of Understanding has signed between The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the
Royal Monetary Authority of Bhutan.
i. It was signed by RBI Deputy Governor S SMundra and Royal Monetary Authority of Bhutan
Deputy Governor PhajoDorjee.
ii. RBI has signed 39 such MoUs One Letter for Supervisory Co-operation and One Statement of
Co- operation.
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RBI opens new Ombudsman office for Chhattisgarh and Jammu

The Reserve Bank has started a new office at Raipur for Chattisgrah and for Jammmu.Focus
is to look into the grievances of residents and entities.
IMF trims India's growth forecast to 7.2 per cent for 2017
In the latest World Economic Outlook (WEO), International Monetary Fund (IMF) has cut
down Indias growth forecast for year 2017 by 0.4 percentage points to 7.2 %.
i. For Fiscal Year 2016-17, it has pegged Indias growth at 6.8%. The report states that
demonetisation drive by the Govt., affected the cash flow in the system and disrupted the
consumption pattern in India.
ii. However, as per the report, Indias growth prospects in medium term are favourable. If reforms
are carried out as per the plans and supply-side concerns are addressed, Indias growth rate is
expected to be 8% in the medium term.
ICICI Bank data centre becomes countrys first CII-IGBC platinum rated project
ICICI Bank Data Centre has become countrys first Platinum rated project under IGBC Green Data
Centre Rating System.
i. Main objective of becoming partner with IGBC is to bring the Green Building movement in
the country.
ii. IGBC Green Data Centre Rating System would provide tangible and intangible benefits.
iii. Tangible benefits include 20 to 25 per cent reduction in Power Usage Effectiveness and 25 to 30
per cent reduction in water consumption.
RBI caps banks exposure to REITs, InvITs at 10%

The RBI has allowed banks to invest up to 10 per cent of the unit capital of a Real Estate
Investment Trust (REITs) or Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs).
Key Points:
i. In its first bimonthly monetary policy of 2017-18, the RBI had permitted banks to invest in REITs
and InvITs.
ii. It main objective is to help strenghten the cash-starved infrastructure sector.
iii. Introduction to REITs/InvITs will be within the overall ceiling of 20 per cent of the net worth.
iv. Banks are permitted for direct investments in shares, convertible bonds/ debentures, units of
equity-oriented mutual funds and Venture Capital Funds (VCFs).
v. SEBI has kept regulations for REITs and InvITs and allow banks to invest in these schemes.
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India contributes USD 250000 to election assistance division of UN

India contributes USD 250000 to the United Nations programme for helping countries to hold
elections and develop their electoral systems.
i. India has done a second contribution of USD 250000 to the programmes for electoral assistance
and capacity building.
ii. The first contribution has been done in the year 2012.
iii. EenamGambhir, the first Secretary in India's Mission to the Unite Nations presented the
cheque to Kyoko Shiotani Chief of the Office of the Under-Secretary-General at the UN Department
of Political Affairs.
RBI, Bank of Guyana sign MoU for supervisory exchange of information

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has signed an MoU with the Bank of Guyana on "Supervisory
Cooperation and Exchange of Supervisory Information".
i. It was signed by Dr Gobind N. Ganga, Governor on behalf of Bank of Guyana and Dr Urjit R.
Patel, Governor on behalf of Reserve Bank of India.
ii. RBI had signed 40 such MoUs, one Letter for Supervisory Co-operation and one Statement of
Co-operation.
AU Financiers converts to small finance bank from a NBFC

Au Financiers India is a non-banking finance company that has converted into a small finance
bank and called AU Small Finance.
i. AU obtained a fresh certificate of incorporation from the Corporate Affairs Ministry on April 13.
ii. It also got license from RBI on April 19 for the commencement of operations of this small finance
bank.
Fino Paytech to help NABRAD digitise rural banks across 5 states

Payment Technology company will going to launch Payments bank FinoPaytech.It helps to
facilitate NABARD to help the rural bank digitization drive in the states of Haryana, MP, Bihar,
Gujarat and Maharashtra.
i. Fino will provide over 5000 Aadhaar enabled micro ATMs.
ii. Its main motive is to help rural masses with Aadhaar enabled micro ATMs as they facilitate eKYC,
paperless and instant banking.
iii. It also provides financial inclusion gateway services to district central cooperative (DCC) banks
and Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) across these states.
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India tops global remittances at $62.7 billion in 2016 - World Bank

As per Migration and Development Brief released by World Bank, India is worlds largest
remittance recipient for the year 2016. Remittance inflows to India amounted to $62.7 billion in
2016. However, there has been a drop of 8.9% as compared to $68.9 billion received in 2015.
Remittance Scenario in India - 2016:
Gulf countries like Kuwait and Saudi Arabia have huge clusters of migrant Indian
population who regularly remit money to India. Decline in remittances to India can be
attributed to drop in oil prices and fiscal tightening in Gulf countries.
In 2016, remittances accounted for 9% of Indias Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
State wise, remittances to Kerala accounted for 36.3% of the net state domestic product.
Top 5 Largest Remittance Recipients in 2016:
Country Remittance Amount in 2016
India $62.7 billion
China $61 billion
Philippines $29.9 billion
Mexico $28.5 billion
Pakistan $19.8 billion
Govt extends date for filing tax declarations under PMGKY till May 10
Filing of declarations about tax payment and deposits under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan
Yojna (PMGKY ) has been extended up to May 10 for black money holders.
i. The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has extended to May 10,2017 about filing of
declaration where tax, surcharge and penalty under PMGKY has been paid on or before the 31st
March and deposit under the Deposit Scheme has been made on or before April 30.
ii. The deposits can be made in the form of cash or in an account with bank or post office or
specified entity, with a tax, surcharge and penalty totaling up to 49.90 per cent.
First digital village inaugurated in Arunachal Pradesh

Nirjuli village-1 in Papum Pare district was declared as the first digital village of Arunachal
Pradesh.
i. It aims to improve connectivity to speed up socio-economic development of the masses.
ii. To benefit the masses and reduce their dependence on banks.
iii. It aims to give financial support to the villagers to improve their income level.
Sovereign gold bonds priced at Rs 2,901 per gm, issue opens on April 24, 2017
First tranche of Sovereign Gold Bonds Scheme for the year 2017-18 has opened for
subscription from April 24, 2017.
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Details about Sovereign Gold Bonds Scheme 2017-18--Series I:

1. Subscription Date: 24 -28 April, 2017
2. Bonds Issue Date: May 12, 2017
3. Issue Price: Rs. 2901 per gram of gold - includes a discount of Rs. 50/gram on nominal
value.
4. Tenure: 8 years
5. Interest Rate: 2.75% per annum, payable every 6 months on initial investment.
6. Exit Option: From 5th year onwards, to be exercised on interest payment dates
7. Denomination and Limits: Minimum Unit of 1 gm and maximum of 500 gm per person per
fiscal
8. Sold By: Banks, Post Offices, Stock Holding Corporation of India (SHCIL), National Stock
Exchange (NSE) and Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE)
SBI, CREDAI ink MoU for concessional loan for housing projects
SBI and CREDAI have signed an agreement to provide loans at a concessional rate to builders
as well as customers for affordable housing projects.
i. SBI and CREDAI have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to collaborate and work
towards the development of the real estate sector.
ii. The duration of the agreement is for a period of three years.
iii. SBI is a major player in home loans segment with 25 per cent market share.
iv. Memorandum of understanding has signed for the affordable housing and green housing
projects.
v. SBI will provide 10 basis points concession to home buyers and 10-35 basis points to
CREDAIs developer members.
GIC Re becomes first re-insurer to set up base in GIFT City

GIC Re has become the first re-insurer company to open an office at Indias first International
Financial Services Centre (IFSC) at Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City).
i. GIC Re is a wholly-owned by the government and its main focus on the growth of general
insurance business in the country.
ii. GIC Re becomes the first insurance company to sets up base in GIFT City, Gujarat.
iii. Chairman-cum-Managing Director of GIC Re is Mrs. Alice G Vaidyan.
Yes bank ties up with Palsabazzar.com

Yes Bank, a Private sector lender has announced a tie up with Paisabazaar.com. Under which the
bank will offer conditionally approved loans to the existing customers.
i. It aims is to make the process of availing a loan easy and act as a one stop financial solution
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provider for all retail lending needs of the customer.

ii. The bank will help through its advanced analytics and data mining capabilities.
iii. It offers customers financial marketplace with customized and conditionally approved offers
across retail lending products.
RBI to issue new Rs 5 and Rs 10 coins

The central bank of India the Reserve Bank is set to issue new Rs 10 and Rs 5 coins.
Rs 10 Coin has been minted to celebrate 125th year of National Archives of India.
Rs 5 coins to celebrate 150th anniversary of Allahabad High Court.
These coins are legal tender as provided in The Coinage Act 2011.
On the reverse of the Rs 10 coin there will be an image of National Archives Building in
the centre with inscription 125 YEARS below the image.
The year 1891 and 2016 in English shall be written on the upper and lower periphery
of the coin respectively.
The year 1916 and 2016 in international numerals shall be written respectively on left
and right top of the image.
The Rs 5 coin face will bear an image depicting centre facade of Allahabad High Court
Building emerging from the book.
The face of the Rs 5 and Rs 10 coins shall bear the Lion Capitol of Ashoka Pillar
in the centre with the legend "" inscribed below.
On the left margin with the word "" in Devanagari script and on the right
margin with the word "INDIA" in English.
RBI issues new draft rules for M&As

In accordance with the rules notified by Union Ministry of Corporate Affairs through Companies
(Compromises, Arrangements and Amalgamation) Amendment Rules, 2017 the Reserve Bank of
India (RBI) on 26 April 2017 issued draft guidelines on cross border Merger and Acquisitions
transactions.
i. The draft regulations will be known as 'Foreign Exchange Management (Cross Border
Merger) Regulations'.
ii. RBI proposed these Regulations under the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (FEMA).
iii. The regulation makes reporting of any cross-border activity mandatory within 180 days from
the date of sanction.
MFIN launches financial literacy app for microfinance clients

Microfinance Institutions Network (MFIN), a self-regulatory organization and industry
association of the microfinance industry in India launched the financial literacy mobile app for
microfinance clients on April 25, 2017.
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About MFINs Financial Literacy Mobile App:

i. The financial literacy app has been released on Android platform and will be available in Hindi,
Marathi, Telugu, Tamil and English.
ii. It will help microfinance clients in understanding dynamics involved in microfinance including
credit history, interest rates, repayment cycles and their rights as a borrower
SEBI makes P-Note norms stricter to curb black money in markets

Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has barred resident as well as non-resident
Indians (NRIs) from making investments through participatory notes (P-Notes).
i. This restriction has been imposed through a new provision in the Foreign Portfolio Investment
(FPI) regulations.
ii. The objective behind this decision is to prevent the misuse of P-Notes for routing domestic black
money. Under current regulation, this restriction was in the form of FAQ. On insistence of Finance
Ministry, SEBI inserted this new provision to clearly reflect the norm.
Paytm Launches Digital Gold, Makes Gold Investment Digital

Paytm launched Digital Gold on its platform to allow customers to buy and sell gold
through electronic platform.
i. It is the first wealth management product that was launched in partnership with gold refiner
MMTC-PAMP.
ii. It offers a real-time international pricing mechanism for the customers.
iii. To avail the benefit of the gold scheme Consumers need to provide KYC details who are
transacting over Rs 20000 through Paytm.
iv. Customers can buy and sell gold either by money (starting Re 1) or by weight (starting 0.1
gram).
v. Using Paytm mobile wallets, consumers can purchase 24K 999.9 purity gold online.
GST to push Indian growth to over 8%: IMF

International Monetary Fund has mentioned the Goods and Services Tax(GST) to be
implemented from July 1, 2017
i. GST would help raise Indias medium-term growth to above 8%.
ii. Indian Government has made significant progress on economic reforms.It will support strong
and sustainable growth.
iii. Indias is the fastest growing emerging market economy and IMFs believes that India is going
to continue to grow at fast pace with a projected 6.8% rate for 2016-2017, 7.2% 2017-2018.
Panchayat Ward in Kottayam becomes Indias first digitalised ward

This small Panchayat ward in Kerala has become the first one to go digital in the country.
i. It fulfills Prime Minister Narendra Modi's dream of transforming India into a digitally empowered
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society.
ii. The website also contains information about blood donors' forum and telephone directory of the
people of the ward.
Need to file your FATCA compliance to banks by April 30 to avoid an account freeze
As per a new financial norm, all bank accounts opened between July 1, 2014 and August 31,
2015, as well as investments made during this period in mutual funds and Insurance schemes will
freeze if FATCA compliance has been not filed by April 30, 2017.
i. FATCA compliance is basically a self-declaration to provide details about account holders tax
residency to the financial entity.
ii. It is mandatory for individual as well as non-individual account holders and investors.
RBI says ARCs must have minimum NOF of Rs100 crore by 2019
On April 28, 2017, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) said that all the existing asset reconstruction
companies (ARCs) must have a minimum Net Owned Fund (NOF) of Rs100 crore by March
2019.
i. As per amended SARFAESI Act, 2016, no ARC can commence or carry on the business of
securitisation or asset reconstruction without having Net Owned Fund of not less than Rs 2
crore or such other higher amount as the Reserve Bank may, by notification, specify.
ii. Asset Reconstruction Companies (ARCs) buy out non-performing assets (NPAs) and manages it
to make it profitable. In the current scenario, Central Govt. and RBI are envisaging an important
role for ARCs in dealing with stressed assets in the system.
iii. Minimum NOF of Rs 100 crore for ARCs was proposed by RBI in the first bi-monthly monetary
policy review for FY 2017-18.
BUSINESS
Operation of Kudankulam Nuclear Power plant 2nd unit started successfully

On March 31, 2017, 1,000 MW Atomic Power Reactor has begun its 1 year period of warranty
operation at Kundankulam Nuclear Power Project (KNPP) in Tamil Nadu. This was the 2nd unit
to be successfully launched for commercial operation out of 4 units. The information was
announced by the Russian builders.
As per the statement given by state-run nuclear energy corporation ASE Group, the Unit 2 of the
KNPP is under the warranty of its general designer and the suppliers of equipment from Russia.
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NTPC Power Generation crosses 50 GigaWatt Capacity mark

National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC) successfully crossed the 50 GW power
generation capacity on April 1, 2017. The information was announced by Piyush Goyal, Minister
of State with Independent Charge for Power, Coal, New and Renewable Energy.
The milestone was achieved after NTPC commissioned the 500 MW units at Unchahar in Uttar
Pradesh. By this, total installed capacity of NTPC has increased to 50498 MW.
Stent prices increased by around 2% NPPA

National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), the drug price regulator increased price of
stents by around 2 percent effective after taking into account the Wholesale Price Index (WPI)
on April 1, 2017.
i. In February 2017, the NPPA brought stents under price control and capped ceiling price of
coronary stents at Rs 7260 for bare metal stent and Rs 29,600 for drug eluting stents.
ii. The corresponding average MRPs before the price control stood at Rs 45100 and Rs 1.21 lakh,
respectively.
Full Multi-Crore Heavy Duty Satellite to be made by Private sector ISRO

i. For the first time, Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) on April 2, 2017 assigned a
task of making two Full Multi-Crore Heavy Duty Satellites to Alpha Design Technologies, a
private sector high-tech defense equipment supplier.
ii. A team of 70 engineers is working to make a flight ready satellite in the next six months. A sum
of Rs 400 crore is signed up with the company to give India its first large private satellite.
New set of surface-to-air missiles for Navy- Central Government clears proposal
i. Central government has approved the procurement of a fresh batch of Barak surface-to-air
missiles for its naval warships on April 3, 2017.
ii. The proposal was approved during a meeting of the Defense Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired
by Defense Minister of India Arun Jaitley, in New Delhi.
iii. The missiles will be procured under buy global category from Rafael Advance Defense
Systems Limited of Israel at an approximate cost of 77 million USD.
iv. DAC has proposed to approve capital acquisition proposals of 133 million USD.
A landmark contract for Alternate Fuel was signed by Indian Railways with Bharat Heavy
Electricals Limited.
i. The Indian Railways Organization for Alternate Fuel (IROAF) signed an agreement with Bharat
Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) for constructing the 2 Megawatt roof top solar power plant under the
government's incentive scheme.
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ii. The plant is set to be made to work within next 10 months.

iii. It will be set up at Diesel-Loco Modernization Works formerly known as Diesel Component
Works, Patiala.
iv. This is the first project comes under the Achievement Linked Incentive or Award Scheme
of Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) for government buildings.
Israel Aerospace Industries sign $2 billion/ INR 200 billion arms deal with India
Israel Aerospace Industries signs $2 billion with India. This is the largest arms deal in the history of
Israel's defense industries.
i. The deal made a $1.6 billion contract to deliver a medium-range surface-to-air missile defense
system(MRSAM), and a $400 million contract for a long-range surface-to-air missile defense
system(LRSAM). Both these system has related to Barak 8 missile defense system.
ii. These are designed to defend against the airborne threats, including ,nuclear missile, aircraft,
helicopters, anti-ship missiles and drones.
India Nears No.2 Spot as Steel Producer on Record Output

India set to become the worlds largest steel producer after China while boosting exports to the
highest ever. India becomes the Bright Spotfor growth in the global steel industry
i. Indias output jumped 11% to 101.3 million metric tons and the nation was become a net
exporter for the first time in 3 years.
ii. According to Provisional Steel Ministry data Doubling Shipments reached to 8.2 million. India will
overtake Japan as the second biggest producer by 2019.
India will overtake Japan as the second biggest producer by 2019.
The countrys output will rise from 103 million tons this year to 110 million in 2018
and 118 million by 2019.
Imports plunged 37% to 7.4 million tons after the government decides to implement a
measure of cheap shipments.
Shares of JSW Steel have climbed to 24% Tata Steel by 27% and SAIL up by 35%.
Domestic demand to grow by 3% to 83.9 million tons in the past 12 months.
By 2022 India will pump out 146 million tons to Japans 118 million.
The government has been planning to boost capacity with upgrades at existing mills and
state owned companies building new plants.
It has been recognized by the Australian iron miners, including Fortescue Metals Group
ltd. the countrys number three exporter.
BHEL and Indian Railways tie-up for rooftop SPV systems

The agreement of 2 MWp Roof Top SPV Systems to be installed at Diesel loco Modernization
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Works (DMW), Patiala was signed between Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited
BHEL & IROAF (Indian Railways Organisation for Alternate Fuels) in the presence of Mr. Amitabh
Mathur, Director (IS &P), BHEL and Mr. Ravinder Gupta CAO (IROAF).
The contract predicted the Design, supply, installation, testing & commissioning of grid
connected roof top solar photo voltaic power plant with all the electrical and associated
equipment including civil works and also includes 5 years operation & maintenance.
Nokia inks Mous with Airtel and BSNL to bring 5G network in India
Nokia has signed a Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) with Indian telecom Airtel and BSNL.
i. Nokia would expand their collaborative technology partnership to work on 5G technology
standard and management of connected devices.
ii. 5G connectivity is expected to take place during 2019-2020.
iii. The MoU will help BSNL to draw a framework from the current network to futuristic 5G network.
iv. Nokia is also setting up an experience centre in Bengaluru.
Cisco Launches 5th Global Cyber Range Lab in Gurugram

US-based tech giant Cisco has launched its fifth global cyber range lab in Gurugram, Haryana with
an aim to train Indian firms and government agencies on real-world cyber attacks. The facility was
inaugurated by National Cyber Security Coordinator Gulshan Rai.
i. Cisco has four other such labs in Australia.Cisco will also launch a Security Operations Centre
(SOC) in Pune , its fourth after the US, Poland and Japan in the next few months to provide a
broad range of services, including monitoring of threats and its end-to-end management for
enterprise needs.
ii. These centres are part of Cisco's USD 100 million investment commitment to India.
CPC in Benglaru gets new pin code for taxpayers benefit

The CPC is the central database centre of the department which receives all Income Tax Returns
(ITRs), both e-filed and sent through post, and processes them for issuance of refunds and also
deals with other tax related documents of a taxpayer.
i. The new pin code is-560500-while the CPC earlier old pin code was--560100.
ii. The Department of Post has allotted the pin code to the Central Processing Centre (CPC)
iii. To ensure that letters and mails sent by taxpayers and assesses are not lost and reach the
centre without delay.
Grasim gets RBI approval to hike FII limit

The RBI has allowed Aditya Birla Group firm Grasim Industries to raise the foreign
shareholding to 49% from 30%.
i. RBI has now mentioned that Foreign Institutional Investors can now invest 49% of the Paid up
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capital of Grasim Industries under the portfolio investment scheme.

ii. FII, NRIs, PIOs can invest in Primary and secondary capital markets in India through Portfolio
Investment Scheme.
iii. RBI will monitor investments of FII, NRIs, and PIOs on daily basis.RBI has fixed the cut off
points 2% points lower than the actual ceiling.
Tata Motors arm launches made in India robot TAL Brabo

A Wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Motors, The TAL Manufacturing Solutions has launched a
Made-In-India Robot.
i. TAL Brabo is the first robot which is deliberately designed in India.It is designed for
manufacturing units across the world.
ii. It can be used by Small Scale Industries as well as Large scale Industries.
iii. The robot has an efficiency of increasing productivity to 15-30% within 15-18 months.
iv. The robot can work 24*7 and can also perform complex task, operations within effective cost.
Cabinet approves listing 11 PSUs on stock exchanges

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the PM Narendra Modi has given its
approval for listing of the following 11 Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) on stock
exchanges:
1.Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL)
2.Indian Railway Finance Corporation (IRFC) Ltd.
3.IRCON International Limited
4.Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) Ltd.
5.RITES Ltd.
6.Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL)
7.Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) Ltd.
8.Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDSL)
9.North Eastern Electric Power Corporation (NEEPCO) Ltd.
10.MSTC Ltd.
11.Mishra Dhatu Nigam Ltd. (MIDHANI)
BHEL commission 2 units of Rattan India Project

BHEL (Bharat heavy electrical ltd.) has commissioned 2 units of 270 MW at Rattan India
Nashik Power ltd.
Key Points:
i. This is the project of 270 MW unit commissioned by BHEL in Phase-1 of the project.
ii. The 5*270 MW Thermal Power project located at Sinnar in Nashik district of Maharashtra.
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AP red chilli farmers to get Rs 1500 more per quintal above market price
The Red chillies farmers of Andhra Pradesh has to suffer a lot due to the price crash of chillies
from Rs 12000-14000 per quintal last year to below Rs 5,000 per quintal this year at the
Guntur Chilli market yard.
i. Chilli prices crashed from Rs12000-14000 per quintal last year to below Rs5,000 per quintal for
this year
ii. Under this scheme the government of Andhra Pradesh has mentioned that every farmer can get
an additional benefit of Rs1500 per quintal subject to a ceiling of 20 quintals.
RIL pips TCS to become most-valued Indian company

Reliance Industries CEO Mukesh Ambani has regained its status as India's most valued firm by
market capitalization. Reliance Industries has overtaken Tata Group's crown jewel TCS.
i. Shares of RIL were trading 3.43 per cent higher at Rs 1,416.40 on BSE.
ii. The company has a market capitalisation (m-cap) of Rs 4, 60,291.20 crore.
iii. The scrip of TCS was quoting 0.33 per cent lower at Rs 2,320.65.
NALCO: Govt sells 9.2% stake in NALCO, raises Rs 1200 Crore

The government has raised over Rs 1,200 crore through the sale of 9.2 per cent stake in
Nalco National Aluminium Company Ltd (Nalco) is the first disinvestment of the current fiscal
that has started on April 1
i. The government has set a target of Rs 46,500 crore through minority stake sale and Rs 15,000
crore from strategic disinvestment in 2017-18.
ii. The government had risen over Rs 46,247 crore from disinvestment.
iii. The green shoe option was used by the government for the first time.
Paying service charge in restaurants not mandatory, say govt guidelines

The government has approved guidelines on service charge. It is not mandatory for customers to
pay service charges in hotels and restaurant bills according to the Food and Consumer Affairs
Minister Ram Vilas Paswan.
i. As per the guidelines, the column of service charge in a bill will be left blank to customers to fill
up before making the final payment.
ii. Huge fines and strict action against violation cannot be taken at present as the current
Consumer Protection Law.
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Quality Mark Award Scheme for Dairy Cooperatives initiated by NDDB

Quality Mark Award Scheme for dairy Cooperatives has been initiated to promote and
encourage enhancement of safety, quality and hygiene of milk and milk
products manufactured by dairy cooperatives.
i. The National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) has been supported by the Department of
Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries under the White Revolution umbrella Schemes.
ii. National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) is in the process of registering the quality mark logo
under Trademarks Act, 1998. Those who meet the criteria for an award of quality mark will be
allowed to use the logo on the package containing milk and milk products.
India replaces Japan as no 2 LPG importer

India has replaced Japan as the worlds second-largest importer of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
LPG Imports for 2016-17, India and Japan:
Import of LPG, which is mostly used as cooking fuel in India, during 2016 -17 was 11 Million
Tonnes. This marks a growth of 23% as compared to previous year. During the same period Japan
imported 10.6 million tonnes LPG, marking a 3.2% reduction as compared to previous year.
In context of this news, it is to be noted that Japan is deliberately cutting back on usage
of LPG as cooking fuel and is moving to cheaper alternatives such as natural gas.
China has retained its position as worlds top LPG importer.
Australia to Import Indian Mangoes for first time

Indian mangoes will be imported to Australia for the first time after protocols were revised to
allow the Asian-grown fruit into the local economy.
i. The fruit would be allowed into Australia as long as they were treated with irradiation before
leaving India.
ii. This meant that Australians would be able to enjoy the fruit long after the local season ended.
India imposes anti-dumping duty on a chemical import from Thailand

For a period of five years India has imposed an anti-dumping duty of up to USD 135.40 per
tonne on imports of a chemical used in foam making from Thailand.
i. To ensure fair trade and provide a level-playing field to the domestic industry these are some
measures which are taken.
ii. The application for the anti-dumping investigation was filed by Manali Petrochemicals Ltd on
behalf of the domestic industry.
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Embraer, Air India to set up MRO facility in Secunderabad

Brazilian aerospace major Embraer has partnered with state owned Air India to maintain its
brand of private and business jets in the entire South east Asian region.
i. This partnership has done to set up maintenance and to repair MRO facility.
ii. It will come up at the Begumpet airport in Secunderabad in Telangana.
IOC to build new oil terminal at Motihari to supply fuel to Nepal

The Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) has planned to build a new oil terminal at Motihari in
Bihar.
i. It aims to supply fuel to Nepal from the planned pipeline up to Amlekganj in Nepal.
ii. The 69-km Motihari-Amlekganj pipeline will be built at a cost of Rs.325 crore.
iii. The old terminal at Raxaul in Bihar will be shut down as it not up to the current OISD
(Oil Industry Safety Directorate) guidelines.It functions under the ministry of Petroleum and Natural
gas.
Infosys launches Artificial Intelligence platform Nia for businesses

Infosys a global leader in consulting, technology and outsourcing has launched the next-
generation services called Infosys Nia.
i. Infosys Nia is the next-generation Artificial Intelligence Platform. It will help clients to solve a
wide variety of business problems.
ii. It can improve order-to-cash process by creating a real-time risk profile to customize the
collection strategy.
iii. Infosys first-generation AI platform was about IT, simplification, efficiency and cost.
AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

Andhra Pradesh CM selected for US India Business Council Award
i. N Chandrababu Naidu, Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh has been selected for the US India
Business Council (USIBC) award. The award is to be presented at the 2nd Annual West Coast
Summit to be held in Menlo Park, California on May 8, 2017.
ii. The award is to be presented under the category, Transformative Chief Minister of India by
USIBC. Aruna Sundararajan would also receive Transformative Leadership Award at the Summit.
Dawit Isaak to receive UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize, 2017
i. Dawit Isaak, an imprisoned Eritrean-Swedish journalist has been chosen for
the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize 2017 dedicated to promoting press
freedom. The award is to be presented on May 3, 2017.
ii. Dawit Isaak is a Swedish-Eritrean playwright, journalist and writer, born on October 28, 1964
in Asmara, Ethiopian Empire.
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Hema Malini and S P Balasubramanyam win NTR National Awards

i. NTR National Film Award for the year 2012 and 2013 were announced at the
Film Development Corporation office in Hyderabad by Andhra Pradesh government
ii. Each NTR award winners will get Rs.5 lakh and a citation.
iii. This award was not announced after 2011 because of disturbing situation prevailing due to
bifurcation.
List of Awardee:
1.NTR National Film Award 2012: S. P. Balasubrahmanyam(Singer)
2.B.N. Reddy National Film Award for the year 2012 - Singeetham Srinivasa Rao(Director)
3.Nagireddy and Chakrapani National Film award - Daggupati Suresh (Producer)
4.Raghupathi Venkaiah Film award - Kodi Rama Krishna(Director)
5.NTR National Film Award 2013: Hema Malini(Actor)
6.B.N. Reddy National Film award 2013 - Kodanda Remireddy,
7.Nagireddy and Chakrapani National Film award - Dil Raju and
8.Raghupathi Venkaiah film award - Vanisree(Actor)
64th National Awards - Complete list of winners

Category Film Awardee/s
Best FEATURE FILM Kasaav (Marathi) Director: Sumitra Bhave & Sunil
Sukthankar
Producer: Sumittra Bhave,
Sunil Sukthankar & Mohan
Aghase
BEST POPULAR FILM Sathamanam Bhavathi (Telugu) Director: Satish Vagesna
PROVIDING WHOLESOME Producer: V.Venkata Ramana
ENTERTAINMENT Reddy
BEST FILM ON SOCIAL ISSUES Pink (Hindi) Director: Anniruddha Roy
Chowdhury
Producer: Rashmi Sharma Films
BEST FILM ON ENVIRONMENT Loktak Lairembee (Manipuri) Director & Producer: Haoban
CONSERVATION/ Paban Kumar
PRESERVATION
BEST CHILDRENS FILM Dhanak (Hindi) Director: Nagesh Kukunoor
Producer: Drishyam Film
BEST ANIMATION FILM Mahayodha Rama (Hindi) Director: Rohit Vaid
Producer: Contiloe Pictures Pvt.
Ltd.
Animator: Deepak S.V
NARGIS DUTT AWARD FOR Dikchow Banat Palaax Director: Sanjib Sabha Pandit
BEST FEATURE FILM ON (Assamese) Producer: Canvascope
NATIONAL INTEGRATION
BEST ACTOR Rustom (Hindi) Akshay Kumar
BEST ACTRESS Minnaminungu the Firefly Surabhi C.M
(Malayalam)
BEST CHILD ARTIST a). Kunju Daivam (Malayalam) a) Adish Praveen
b) Sahaj Pather Gappo b) Nur Islam and Samiul Alam
(Bengali) c) Railway Children c) Manohara. K
(Kannada)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR Dashakriya (Marathi) Manoj Joshi
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BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS Dangal (Hindi) Zaira Wasim

BEST MALE PLAYBACK SINGER Film: Praktan (Bengali) Song : Iman Chakraborty
Tumi Jaake Bhalo Basho
BEST FEMALE PLAYBACK Film: Joker (Tamil) Song : Sundharayyar
SINGER Jasmine E
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY 24 (Tamil) S. Thirunavukarasu
BEST Screenplay Writer Maheshinte Prathikooram Syam Pushkaran
(Original) (Malayalam)
BEST Screenplay Writer Dashakriya (Marathi) Sanjay Krishnaji Patil
(Adapted)
BEST Dialogues Peli Chuplu (Telugu) Tarun Bhascker
BEST EDITING Ventilator (Marathi) Rameshwar
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN 24 (Tamil) Subrata Chakraborthy, Shreyas
Khedekar & Amit Ray
BEST COSTUME DESIGNER Cycle (Marathi) Sachin Lovalekar
BEST MAKE-UP ARTIST Allama (Kannada) NK Ramakrishna
BEST SPECIAL EFFECT Shivaay (Hindi) Naveen Paul
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY Janatha Garrage (Telugu) Raju Sundaram
BEST MUSIC DIRECTION Allama (Kannada) Bapu Padmanabha
Song & Background Score
SPECIAL JURY AWARD Munthirivallikal Thalirkkumbol, Mohan Lal
Janatha Garrage and
Pullimurugan,
SPECIAL MENTION Neerja (Hindi) Sonam Kapoor
SPECIAL MENTION Mukti Bhawan (Hindi) & Maj Adil Hussain
Rati Keteki (Assamese)
SPECIAL MENTION Mukti Bhawan (Hindi) Producer: Red Carper Moving
Pictures And Director:
Shubhashish Bhutiani
SPECIAL MENTION Kadvi Hawa (Hindi) Producer: Eleeanora Images
Private Ltd. And Director: Nila
Madhab Panda
BEST ENVIRONMENT FILM The Tiger Who Crossed The Line Producer & Director:
INCLUDING AGRICULTURE Krishnendu Bose Director
BEST SHORT FICTION FILM Aaba Producer: Raj Kumar Gupta
Director: Amar Kaushik
BEST NON FEATURE FILM Fireflies In The Abyss Producer & Director:
Chandrashekhar Reddy
Best Movies in languages that are specified in the Schedule VIII of Indian Constitution)
Joker Tamil
Wrong Side Raju Gujarati
Peli Chuplu Telugu
Dashakriya Marathi
Maheshinte Prathikaaram Malayalam
K Sera Sera Ghodpachen Ghoddtelem Konkani
Reservation Kannada
Bisorjon Bengali
Maj Rati Keteki Assamese
Neerja Hindi
Dhananjayan has been adjudged as the best Film Critic.Lata : Sur Gatha authored by Yatindra
Mishrahas been adjudged as the Best Book on Cinema, whereas book titled A Fly in the
Curry authored by K.P. Jayashankar - Anjali Monteiro has got Special Mention.
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Prem Bahadur Resmi Magar posthumously conferred Kirti Chakra

Lance Havildar Prem Bahadur Resmi Magar of Gorkha Rifles has been conferred with Kirti
Chakra by President Pranab Mukherjee at the defence investiture ceremony in New Delhi
The second highest peacetime gallantry award presented to the late Lance Havildar for his action
in Jammu and Kashmir operation on June 16, 2016
Other Awards presented by President :
i. 13 Shaurya Chakras (4 posthumous)
ii. 45 Distinguished Service medals include 15 Param Vishisht Seva Medals, 2 Uttam Yudh Seva
Medals and 28 Ati Vishisht Seva Medals.
Indian-origin educationist Asha Khema in UK named 'Asian Businesswoman of the Year'

Asha Khemka, an Indian-origin educationist in the United Kingdom (UK) has been named
the 'Asian Businesswoman of the Year' at the 5th annual Asian Business Awards Midlands,
which honours the outstanding achievements of local Asian businesses. The award ceremony was
held at Edgbaston cricket ground in Birmingham, UK.
Other awardees at 5th annual Asian Business Awards Midlands
Awardees Category
Morningside Pharmaceuticals Asian Business of the Year Award
Kailash Suri - Managing Director of Reel Cinemas Entrepreneur of the Year
Nishti Ismail - Founder of Nishti's Choice Community Champion
Judge Tej Bahadur Singh Family Court Judge Created Guinness World Record 6065
Cases in 327 Days
Tej Bhadur Singh has set a Guinness World Record for disposing of 6065 cases in just 327
working days.
i. The Guinness book of World records has mentioned the entry of the judge in the list of record
holders.
ii. Tej Bahadur mentioned in an interview that he decided 6065 cases in 327 days despite lawyers
strike in the district.
Colson Whitehead wins Pulitzer prize for The Underground Railroad

The prestigious Pulitzer Prizes for achievements in journalism, literature and musical composition
were announced on April 10, 2017. This is the 101st edition of Pulitzer Prizes.
A speculative history novel The Underground Railroad written by Colson Whitehead has
won the 2017 Pulitzer Prize in Fiction.
Other Winners of 2017 Pulitzer Prize:
Category Winners
Drama Sweat, by Lynn Nottage
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Poetry Olio, by Tyehimba Jess

History Blood in the Water: The Attica Prison Uprising of 1971 and Its
Legacy, by Heather Ann Thompson
General Nonfiction Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City, by Matthew
Desmond
Biography or Autobiography The Return: Fathers, Sons and the Land in Between, by Hisham
Matar
Music Angel's Bone, by Du Yun
Journalism
Category Winners
Breaking News Reporting Staff of East Bay Times, Oakland, CA
Investigative Reporting Eric Eyre of Charleston Gazette-Mail, Charleston,
WV
Explanatory Reporting International Consortium of Investigative
Journalists, McClatchy and Miami Herald
Local Reporting The Salt Lake Tribune Staff
National Reporting David A. Fahrenthold of The Washington Post
International Reporting The New York Times Staff
Feature Writing C. J. Chivers of The New York Times
Commentary Peggy Noonan of The Wall Street Journal
Criticism Hilton Als of The New Yorker
Editorial Writing Art Cullen of The Storm Lake Times, Storm Lake,
IA
Editorial Cartooning Jim Morin of Miami Herald
Breaking News Photography Daniel Berehulak, freelance photographer
Feature Photography E. Jason Wambsgans of Chicago Tribune
National Hindi Sevi Samman Awards announced

Professors from Japan, USA to be honoured for promoting Hindi.26 writers including 2 Japanese
and American Professors will be privileged for Hindi Sevi Samman by President Pranab Mukherjee
for their efforts to promote the language.
Major Highlights:
Central Hindi Institute an educational arm of union Human Resource Development
Ministry announced the list of winners in different categories.
They will be honored at the RashtrapatiBhavan.
Fujii Takeshi (Japan) and Gabriela NikIIieva(USA)will be presented George Grearson
award in the foreign Hindi writers category.
Pushpitaavasthi (Netherland) and Padmesh Gupta (London) will be presented the
award under NRI category.
S Shesharatnam (Vishakhapatnam) M GovindRajan (Chennai) Harmahendra Singh Bedi(
Amristar) and H Subadani Devi (Imphal) has been selected for writers from non-hindi
speaking states.
Ganesh Shankar Vidhyrthi award will be received by Rahul Dev and BaldevBhaisharma for
their contribution to Hindi journalism.
President of India presents National Geoscience Awards 2016

On April 12, 2017, President Pranab Mukherjee conferred National Geoscience Awards 2016 on
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27 bright Geo-scientists of India. The awards were conferred at a ceremony held in Rashtrapati
Bhawan.
The National Geoscience Awards 2016 comprises one Young Scientist Award and 16
individual/team awards in 11 fields of geosciences.
Winner of National Geoscience Awards 2016
Young Scientist Award 2016: Dr. Abhishek Saha, NIO, Goa
Section I: Mineral Discovery & Exploration
Field Awardees Type of Award
Mineral Discovery & Shri Chittaranjan Dash, GSI Team Award
Exploration (excluding fossil Shri Dinesh Kumar Thawait,
fuels) of economic and / or GSI
strategic importance and Shri Rohan Das, GSI
application of innovative Shri Shamiuddin Ahmad, GSI
techniques) (2 Awards)
Coal, Lignite and Coal Bed Shri Amit Soni, GSI Team Award
Methane Discovery & Ms. Manju S., GSI
Exploration of Economic and / Shri Kailash Chandra Sahoo,
or strategic importance and GSI
application of innovative Shri Sayan Kahali, GSI
techniques (1 Award)
Groundwater Exploration Dr. Pradeep Kumar Naik, Individual Award
(including project CGWB, Chandigarh
development, hydrogeological
studies and management of
groundwater resources) (1
Award)
Section II: Mining, Mineral Beneficiation And Sustainable Mineral Development

Mining Technology (including Shri Laxman Singh Shekhawat, Individual Award
development and application of Hindustan Zinc Limited, Udaipur Individual Award
new methods and technologies, Dr. Santosh Kumar Ray, CSIR-
research & development, Central Institute of Mining and
conservation of mineral Fuel Research, Dhanbad
resources, systematic mine
planning, mine safety, mine
fires, mine hazards, mine
reclamation & rehabilitation) (2
Awards)
Sustainable Mineral Dr. Ebhin Reginald Masto, Individual Award
Development (including mine CSIR- Central Institute of
closure, project development, Mining and Fuel Research,
institutional development and Dhanbad
capacity building) (1 Award)
Section III: Basic Geosciences
Basic Geo-sciences (including Dr. Santanu Banerjee, Indian Individual Award
Stratigraphy, Structural Institute of Technology Bombay
Geology, Paleontology,
Geomorphology, Economic
Geology, Geodynamics,
Petrology and Geochemistry
including Mineralogy,
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Geochronology and Isotope

Geology (2 Awards)
Section IV: Applied Geosciences
Applied Geology: Engineering Dr. Atul Nanda, Engineers India Team Individual Award
Geology, Geo-thermal Energy, Ltd. Individual Award
Seismotectonics, Geo-statistics, Dr. Ranjit Rath, Engineers India
Photo-geology and Remote Ltd.
Sensing andf Geo-Information Shri Saikat Pal, Engineers India
System(including spatial data Ltd.
management applications and Shri Gopi Kannan, Engineers
data integration) (2 Awards) India Ltd.
Prof. Supriyo Mitra, Indian
Institute of Science Education
and Research, Kolkata
Geophysics / Applied Dr. N. Purnachandra Rao, CSIR- Individual Award
Geophysics: New Technologies National Geophysical Research Team Award
in geophysical exploration, Institute, Hyderabad
application of geophysical Dr. Anand Kumar Chaturvedi,
methods, geo-magnetism, AMDER, Hyderabad
geophysical survey techniques Shri Markandeyulu Amulothu,
and instrumentation (2 Awards) AMDER, Hyderabad
Dr. Veldi Ramesh Babu,
AMDER, Hyderabad
Shri Shailesh Tripathi, AMDER,
Hyderabad
Geo-Environmental Studies Dr. Aradhi Keshava Krishna, Individual Award
relating to mining, urban, CSIR-National Geophysical
industrial, coastal and desert Research Institute, Hyderabad
management, paleoclimate,
paleoenvironment, medical
geology, climate change and
studies related to their impact
on ecosystem(1 Award)
Disaster Management including Prof. Javed Husain N. Malik, Individual Award
scientific studies related to IIT, Kanpur
natural hazards such as
earthquakes, landslides, floods
and tsunamis (1 Award)
Ocean Development: Dr. Pratima Mohan Kessarkar, Individual Award
Oceanography and Marine CSIR-National Institute of
Geology (1 Award) Oceanography, Goa
President Pranab Mukherjee presents SCOPE Awards

On the occasion of 8th President Pranab Mukherjee presented Scope excellence awards to honor
the outstanding Central Public Sector enterprises.
SCOPE Awards
Award Winners
Individual leadership Category- Anoopkumar MittalCMD NBCC (India ltd)
I (Maharatna/NavratnaPSEs)
SCOPE Excellence Award Individual Leadership A.K. Jain, MD, Rajasthan Electronics &
Category-II (Miniratna I & IIPSEs) Instruments Limited
SCOPE Excellence Award Individual Leadership K.S. Popli, CMD, Indian Renewable Energy Dev.
Category-III (Other Profit Making PSEs) Agency Limited
SCOPE Excellence Award for Outstanding Woman Pooja Kapoor, Head, Business Development,
Manager in PSEs WAPCOS Limited
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SCOPE Excellence Award Institutional Category Rural Electrification Corporation Limited &
I (Maharatna&Navratna PSEs) National Aluminum Company Limited
SCOPE Excellence Award Institutional Category ONGC Videsh Limited & Mineral Exploration
II (Miniratna I & II PSEs) Corporation Limited
SCOPE Excellence Award Institutional Category Electronics Corporation of India Limited
III (Other Profit Making PSEs)
Abdulqadir Rashik wins top prize at UN challenge for open source tools
An Indian software engineer Abdulqadir Rashik has won the top prize at a global challenge for an
open-source tool.
i. Abdulqadir Rashik, also an entrepreneur, won the Unite Ideas UNGA Viz Textual Analysis
and Visualisation Challenge for his Global Policy.
ii. Rashiks prototype will be made public and shared with United Nations bodies and member
states.
Dilip Kumar honoured with Living Legend Lifetime Award by Punjab Association
Veteran actor Dilip Kumar was honoured with the Living Legend Lifetime Award by
the Punjab Association.
i. The actor was also honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1994 and the Padma
Vibhushan in 2015 for his contribution to the Indian cinema.
ii. He is known for films like Devdas, Mughal-e-Azam and Karma.
Himachal bags Krishi Karman Award 2015-2016

The Union Ministry of Agriculture has selected Himachal Pradesh for the Krishi Karman Award
2015-16 for increase in food grains production.
i. It had been achieved because of the dedicated efforts of the department in technological inputs
and services to the farmers which resulted in increase in food grains production.
ii. The total food grains production has increased from 14.94 lakh tone to 16.34 lakh tone.
India-born engineer Dr. Arvind Sinha gets American Helicopter Society award
American Helicopter Society (AHS) International has awarded 'World's Outstanding Aerospace
Engineer Leadership Award' to Dr. Arvind Sinha - an India-born aeronautics engineer,
currently based in Australia.
i. This award is a prestigious honour for leadership excellence in the field of vertical flight
technology.
ii. Sinha has expertise in Tactical Aerospace Systems for unmanned aircrafts and helicopters.
Indian Engineer Tirupati Jain Wins Cartier Womens Initiative Award

Tirupati Jain is an environmental enginner who won a Cartier Womens Initiative Award.She
has chosen by an Independent International Jury.The Awardee will receive $100000 prize
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money.
i. Tirupati has given this award for providing innovative solutions of water management to the
women those working on farms and small farmers against drought and flash floods.
ii. She is the winner from a pool of 1900 applicants and from over 120 countries.
iii. Founder of this award is Sara- Kristina hanning Nour
iv. The Theme of this year is Transform, Lead the change you want to see
Hanchinal receives 6th M.S. Swaminathan Award

The 6th edition of M.S. Swaminathan Award for honouring outstanding contribution in the field of
agriculture has been given to Rayappa Ramappa Hanchinal - Chairperson of Protection of
Plant Varieties and Farmers Rights Authority.
This award has been given to Dr. Hanchinal for his contributions and continuous efforts in
areas of seed production technology, crop improvement for hot and very hot dry
environments and intellectual protection rights in plant varieties.
The Award was presented by C. Parthasarathy Secretary, Agriculture and
Cooperation, Government of Telangana, and M. Prabhakar Rao CMD of Nuziveedu
Seeds Ltd (NSL), on April 14, 2017 at a function in Hyderabad.
Shah Rukh Khan honoured at San Francisco Film Festival

Bollywood Superstar Shah Rukh Khan was honoured with a tribute at the ongoing 60th San
Francisco International Film Festival (SFIFF) in USA
i. He engaged in a conversation with American filmmaker Brett Ratner, which was live-streamed
on Twitter. Shah Rukh Khans film 'My Name Is Khan' was also screened at the festival.
ii. The SFIFF is organized every year for two weeks where about 200 films from over 50 countries
are screened. It is organised by San Francisco Film Society.
Shamabhavi Puraskar awarded to Mr. Hari Sankar Rout

Shambhavi Puraskar, 2017 has been persented to Hari Sankar Rout for his noteworthy
contribution towards social change. The award was presented by Chief Guest, Rajiv Pratap
Rudy - Union Minister of State for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (Independent Charge)
and Guest of Honour Prof. Swapan Kumar Datta, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the Visva-Bharati
University at a function held on April 16, 2017 in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.
Gururaja Bhat Award conferred on historian A.V. Narasimha Murthi

On April, 17, 2017, D.V. Sadananda Gowda - Union Minister for Statistics and Programme
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Implementation, conferred the Dr. Paduru Gururaja Bhat Memorial Award 2017 on historian
and archaeologist Prof. A.V. Narasimha Murthi in Udipi, Karnataka
i. A.V. Narasimha Murthi is the Chairman of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan (BVB), Mysuru and
former Head, Department of Ancient History and Archaeology at University of Mysore.
ii. This award has been conferred upon him to recognise his contribution to Indian Archaelogy,
Ancient History and Numismatics.
Sahitya Academy Award for translation of Murugans Maadhorubaagan

Aniruddhan Vasudevans has been chosen for Sahitya Academy award.He is chosen for his
novel "One Part Woman", a translation of Perumal Murugans controversial Tamil
novel "Maadhorubaagan".
i. Awardee has given the prize money of Rs 50000
ii. He has been chosen for the translation prize in English in 2016.
Pakistan Hindu youth selected for prestigious US award

Raj Kumar, a Hindu youth from Pakistan has been selected for the prestigious Emerging Young
Leaders Award given by the US State Department for the positive role played by youngsters in
building sustainable peace.
This is the 2nd edition of 'Emerging Young Leaders Award'. Along with Raj Kumar, 9 other
youngsters from Malta, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Algeria, Tajikistan, Belgium, Vietnam, Peru
and Israel have also been chosen for this award.
Saira Banu, Jackie honoured with Raj Kapoor Awards

Veteran Bollywood actress Saira Banu and actor Jackie Shroff have been named
by Maharashtra State Govt. for Raj Kapoor Lifetime Achievement Award and Raj Kapoor
Special Contribution award respectively. The announcement was made by Maharashtra Cultural
Affairs Minister Vinod Tawde.
i. Renowned Marathi actors, Vikram Gokhale and Arun Nalawade have been named for this
years V. Shantaram Lifetime Achievement Award and V.Shantaram Special Contribution Award.
ii. The Awards will be presented at the upcoming 54th Maharashtra State Marathi Film Festival.
UNESCO Peace Prize goes to Italys Mayor Glusi Nicolini

The Giuseppina (Giusi) Nicolini has awarded the peace prize by UNESCO.She is the mayor of
the Italian island of Lampedusa.
i. Giusi has been awarded for her commitment to saving the lives of migrants and refugees.
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ii. The UNESCO on 19 April 2017 also awarded the Felix Houphouet-Boigny Peace Prize to
Giuseppina Nicolini as well as to the nongovernmental organization SOS Mediterranee (France).
Victoria Beckham gets royal recognition

British Pop singer turned fashion designer, Victoria Beckham has been made an Officer of the
Most Excellent Order of the British Empire.
i. This award was presented to Victoria by Prince William at Buckingham Palace in United
Kingdom on April 19, 2017.
ii. Victorias husband, former football star David Beckham and her parents accompanied her for
the investiture ceremony.
Aamir Khan and Kapil Dev to get Dinanath Mangeshkar Award

The Dinanath Mangeshkar Awards has been given to Actor Aamir Khan and kapildev
cricketer.It is the 75th Master Dinanath Mangeshkar Award. It will be held on 24th April.
i. Aamir Khan will be honoured with the Vishesh Puraskar for Best Film Dangal
ii. Kapil Dev will be honoured for his outstanding contribution to Indian Cricket.
National Safety Councils NSCI Safety Awards 2016 presented to 70 Organisations

National Safety Councils NSCI Safety Awards for the year 2016 were presented by Mr.
Bandaru Dattatreya - Minister of State (Independent Charge), Labour & Employment on April 20,
2017 in New Delhi.
The Winners of Sarva Shreshtha Suraksha Puraskar are as follows:
Sector Awardees
Manufacturing Sector IOCL- Digboi Refinery
National Fertilisers Ltd., Panipat, Haryana
NPCIL, Kaiga Generating Station 3 & 4, Kaiga,
Uttar Kannada, Karnataka
Construction Sector L & T Ltd., Rawatbhata, Chittorgarh, Rajasthan
MSME Sector Godrej & Boyce Mfg. Co. Ltd., Electricals &
Electronics, Bhiwandi, Thane, Maharashtra
GNFC wins the Golden Peacock Award for Innovation of Cashless Township
The Gujarat Narmada Valley Fertilizers & Chemicals Ltd (GNFC) won the prestigious Golden
Peacock Award.It was given on 19th April 2017.
i. Rajiv Kumar Gupta (IAS), the managing director of the GNFC, was given the award at
a ceremony at the 27th World Congress at the Dubai Global Convention.
ii. It won in the category of Innovative Product/Service for pioneering
a cashless township transformation model.
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Dr Bhakti Yadav, first woman doctor from Indore receives Padma Shri Award
91 year old gynaecologist Dr Bhakti Yadav, the first woman doctor from Indore has received the
Padma Shri Award at her home.
i. The award was handed over to her by district collector P Narahari in presence of Madhya
Pradesh Cabinet Minister Jayant Malaiyya and Mayor Malini Gaud.
ii. Dr. Yadav could not attend the award ceremony in New Delhi on April 13, 2017 due to health
issues.
Aditi Ashok, SSP Chawrasia win Golf Industry Awards

Golf Industry Association awards 2017 has been won by Golfers Aditi Ashok, S.S.P
Chawrasia and Ali Sher on 20th April 2017.
TripAdvisor presents Bali with 2017 Travelers' Choice Awards

Indonesia Island Bali has been presented with 2017 Travelers' Choice Awards by American
travel website company TripAdvisor.
i. The award ceremony was held at the Seminyak Beach Resort and Spa on April, 20, 2017.
ii. China, Netherlands and India are the top three countries from where users did most
research on Bali.
Moushumi Chatterjee gets BFJA lifetime achievement award

Bengal film Journalists Association Awards (BFJA) has been given to Veteran actress
Moushumi Chatterjee. It is a lifetime achievement award.
i. Actor Ashish Vidyarthi was honoured for his contribution to Indian Cinema at the 80th Bengal
Film Journalists' Association (BFJA) awards.
ii. Rituparna Sengupta was given the best actress crown for her role in Rajkahini.
iii. Bengali film superstar Prosenjit Chatterjee was given the best actor award for his role
in Sankhachil
AIR Aizawl honored with prestigious Lelte Award

All India Radio (AIR) Aizawl has been honoured with the prestigious "Lelte Award". Lelte is a
popular Weekly Magazine in Mizoram which hit the stand since 1983.
i. "Lelte Awards" were instituted to recognize talents and skills of the young and budding Mizo
artists.
ii. As per the citation, "The award is being given in recognition of the role being played by All India
Radio, Aizawl for the overall progress & development of the state; for promotion of Mizo language &
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literature; for its enormous contribution in promotion of Mizo music and artists; for its contribution
in the field of healthcare & education; for its role in promotion of brotherhood."
Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Tripura chosen for Krishi Karman
Award
Madhya Pradesh (MP) has been selected for Krishi Karman Award 2015-16 for highest
production of wheat. MP has been selected for this award fifth time in a row.
i. Tamil Nadu has been chosen for Krishi Karman award 2015-16 in Category I where food
grains production is higher than 10 million tonnes
ii. Himachal Pradesh has been chosen for Krishi Karman award 2015-16 in Category II where
food grains production is between 1 10 million tonnes
iii. Tripura has been chosen for Krishi Karman award 2015-16 in Category III where food
grains production is lesser 1 million tonnes.
iv. Meghalaya has been selected for commendation award for total food grains production.
Goldman Environmental Prize for Prafulla Samantra

65 year-old social activist, Prafulla Samantra has been announced as one of the six winners
of 2017 Goldman Environmental Prize.
i. The award ceremony was held on April 24, 2017 in San Francisco, US.
ii. The Goldman Environmental Prize website describes Prafulla Samantra as An iconic leader of
social justice movements in India, who led a historic 12-year legal battle that affirmed the
indigenous Dongria Kondhs land rights and protected the Niyamgiri Hills from a massive, open-
pit aluminium ore mine.
P C Chandra Puraskaar awarded to Kailash Satyarthi

P C Chandra Puraskar has been given to Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi on 23 April 2017.
i. He was honoured with the award for his global campaign against child slavery and exploitative
child labour.
ii. Satyarthi was handed over a citation, a trophy and a cheque of Rs 10 lakh at an awards
ceremony in Kolkata.
Rajkummar Rao's 'Newton' Wins Best Film At The Hong Kong International Film Festival
Actor Rajkummar Rao-starrer film Newton in April 2017 won the best film honour at the 41st
Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF).
i. The film has its world premiere at the 67th Berlin Film Festival where it won the International
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Federation of Art Cinemas (CICAE) award in its Forum segment.

ii. It is directed by Amit Masurkar.
Legendary filmmaker and actor Kasinathuni Viswanath conferred prestigious Dadasaheb

Phalke award
Renowned film director and actor Kasinathuni Viswanath will be conferred the Dadasaheb
Phalke Award Indias highest award in cinema.
i. The Dadasaheb Phalke Award committee had recommended Kasinathuni Viswanaths name,
which was approved by M. Venkaiah Naidu - Union Information and Broadcasting Minister.
ii. The award will be conferred by President Pranab Mukherjee on May 3, 2017 in New Delhi.
Yes Bank receives prestigious Golden Peacock Award 2017 for innovative product
Yes Bank has won the prestigious Golden Peacock Innovative Product / Service Award
2017.
Key Notes:
i. Yes Bank is the 5th largest bank of the India.It gets the award for its innovative mobile
technology product, SIMsePAY at the Dubai Global Convention.
ii. Each application was assessed by an Assessment Group comprising of Quality, Business
Excellence and Training experts.
RDPR bagged e-Puraskar award

Karnataka Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Depthas bagged e-Puraskar Award.
i. They receive for the best performance in empowering panchayats by using Information and
Communication Technology tools, for 2016-17.
ii. Kerala bagged the 2nd prize, while West Bengal secured 3rd prize in the category of ICT tools.
iii. The cash prize cost Rs. 2 crore.
Srishti Kaur wins Miss Teen Universe Pageant

Srishti Kaur of India has been crowned Miss Teen Universe 2017 at Managua.
i. Srishti won after beating 25 contestants from across the world.She also bagged an award for the
best national costume.
ii. She succeeds Nieveles Gonzalez of Puerto Rico as the Miss Teen Universe.
Vani Jairam gets Ghantasala national award

Vani Jairam a versatile playback singer was received the Ghantasala national award.
i. It was instituted by the Ghantasala National Art Academy.
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ii. She received award from Andhra Pradesh High Court Judge A. RamalingeswaraRao.
iii. She is known in the North as Meerabai for her songs sung by the medieval poet in praise of Lord
Youngest Indian chancellor bags Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar International Foundation

award
Dileep K Nair, the youngest ever chancellor of any university in India has received Dr Babasaheb
Ambedkar International Foundation Kerala State award for the year 2016-17 for excellent
performance in the field of education.
Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman P J Kurien gave away this award to Nair in Trivendrum, Kerala.
Bhubaneswar becomes first Indian city to win Pierre L enfant Awards

Bhubaneswar the capital city of Odisha has been selected for the 2017 Pierre L'Enfant
International Planning Excellence Award by American Planning Association (APA).
Bhubaneswar has become the first Indian city to win this award.
i. Bhubaneswar has been selected for this award for Bhubaneswar Smart City Plan which is
based on a citizen engagement approach and envisages use of technology for improving the overall
quality of life.
ii. Four other US-based planning firms and agencies have been selected for 2017 National Planning
Awards in other categories. All recipients will be honoured on May 8, 2017 at the Awards Luncheon
at APA's National Planning Conference in New York.
Indian businessman Yusuff Ali wins Queens Enterprise Award

Kerala-born, UAE-based entrepreneur Yusaffali MA food processing plant Y International (UK)
Ltd in Britain has won the prestigious Queen's Enterprise Award 2017 for its exceptional
contribution to the UK's trade, industry and economy. Y International (UK) Ltdhas been chosen for
this award in International Trade category.
Two Indian-American, Ritu Raju and Sundeep R Muppidi selected for ACE fellowship
Two Indian-Americans are selected by American Council on Education for its prestigious
fellowship. It is the longest-running leadership development programme in the US.
i. Ritu Raju and Sundeep R Muppidi were named Fellows as part of the ACE Fellows Programme
2017-18 classes.
ii. The ACE Fellows Programme has strengthened institutions in American higher education.It was
started from 1965.
Hero MotoCorp named Indian MNC of the Year

Worlds largest two-wheeler manufacturer Hero MotoCorp was get the Indian MNC of the
year. It was given by All India Management Association.
i. In a very short span of timeBrand Hero has expanded to 35 countries spread across Asia, Africa
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and Central and South America.

ii. Heros manufacturing plant is situated in Vila Ricca, Colombia.
President of India presents CII Awards

The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee presented CII Presidents Award for Lifetime
Achievement to Mr. Rahul Bajaj and CII foundation Woman modal Award in New Delhi.
i. The President congratulated all the awardees Mr. Rahul Bajaj, Chairman, Bajaj Auto Ltd. for
receiving this years CII Presidents Award for Lifetime Achievement and those conferred with
Woman modal Awards.
ii. Cash reward of Rs 3, 00,000 each given to the winner.
Former Minister Ashwani Kumar named for Japanese honour

Japan has selected former Union Minister Ashwani Kumar for this years 'Order of the Rising
Sun' award for his contribution to strengthening of bilateral ties between Japan and India.
i. Ashwani Kumar will be conferred Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun Award which
is the highest category of decorations among the Orders of the Rising Sun.
ii. It is bestowed upon foreign nationals in recognition of their outstanding achievements.
Industrialist Ratan Tata has been one the Indian recipients of this award in the past.
Indian Sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik wins gold medal in Moscow Competition
Sudarsan Pattnaik is an internationally renowned sand artist. He won the jury prize gold medal at
the 10th Moscow Sand art Championship.
i. The competition was held between 22nd and 28th April at Kolomenskoye, Moscow in Russia.
ii. The theme for the competition was "The world around us".
APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNS

Rajiv Kumar Chander appointed as Permanent Representative to Geneva UN offices from
India
Rajiv Kumar Chander, who is from 1983 batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, has been
appointed the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of India to the UN offices in Geneva
(UNOG) on March 30, 2017.
He will succeeds Ajit Kumar, who is from 1979 batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) at the
Geneva office in May, 2017.
Tapan Singhel re-appointed Bajaj Allianz General CEO for five years
i. Tapan Singhel has been re-appointed as MD and CEO for Bajaj Allianz General Insurance for a
period of five years from April 1, 2017 to April 1, 2022.
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ii. Other Appointment :

Tarun Chugh has been appointed as MD and CEO of Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance. He replaced Anuj
Agarwal Who moving to Allianz group
Vipul takes charge as New Consul General of Dubai.

i. Diplomat Vipul, a 1998 batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer succeeded Anurag
Bhushan and took charge as the new Consul General of Dubai on April 2, 2017.
ii. Before joining the Consulate at Dubai, he was working at the office of External Affairs Minister of
India, Sushma Swaraj.
Lenin Moreno to sworn in as the Ecuador President

i. Ruling Party of Ecuador, Alianza PAIS candidate Lenin Moreno won the Ecuador's presidential
election held on April 3, 2017.
ii. He defeated conservative former banker Guillermo Lasso who demands a recount after three
exit polls.
New Chief Justice of Madras High Court - Indira Banerjee

i. Indira Banerjee, former judge of the Delhi High Court has been appointed as the Chief Justice
of Madras High Court. The appointment was made by the President of India Shri. Pranab
Mukherjee.
ii. She will sworn in as Chief Justice on April 5, 2017 after taking oath of office from Tamil Nadu
governor (in charge) Vidyasagar Rao.
iii. Indira Banerjee will succeed Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul, who was elected to the Supreme
Court on February 18, 2017.
Mahesh Kumar Jain named as IDBI bank MD and CEO

i. The Former MD and CEO of Indian Bank, Mahesh Kumar Jain took charge as the MD and CEO
of Industrial Development Bank of India (IDBI) Bank on April 4, 2017.ii. The former MD and
CEO of IDBI Bank, K Kharat has been transferred to Indian bank.
iii. The move was focused mainly on retail lending and resolution of bad assets if IDBI bank which
were the key priorities.
Indian Cricketer MS Dhoni named CEO of Gulf Oil for 1 day

i. The former Indian cricket team skipper MS Dhoni became an acting Chief Executive Officer
(CEO) of Gulf Oil India just for a day on April 3, 2017.
ii. He took charge of Gulf Oil India at the Mumbai head office. He was named CEO of the day by the
company.
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Brayan Jimenez banned for life-time by FIFA

i. Brayan Jimenez, a former member of the FIFA Committee for Fair Play and Social Responsibility
was banned for life-time by Fdration Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) from
April 3, 2017.
ii. He has been banned for offences which include bribery and corruption. The information was
shared by FIFA ethics committee.
DGP Geetha Johri - Gujarats first woman police chief

i. Director General of Police (DGP) Geetha Johri was appointed as Police Chief (in-charge) of
Gujarat on April 4, 2017. By this, Johari has become the 1st woman IPS officer to be appointed
as the Police Chief in Gujarat.
ii. The minister of state for home Pradeepsinh Jadeja officially announced the appointment of
Johri.
iii. Johri had replaced PP Pandey, who resigned as the DGP after his appointment was challenged
by former Police Julio Riberio in the Supreme Court.
Twitters VP of Asia Pacific, Aliza Knox quits

i. Followed by Carolyn Penner , head of product communications at Twitter and now twitter loses
its head of Asia pacific , Aliza Knox. She decided to quit after her successful near five -year
tenure with Twitter.
ii. After her dedicated four and half years at Twitter, she hand over her leadership responsibilities
to Maya Hari , Managing Director of India & southeast Asia of Twitter.
Prithika Yashini from Tamil Nadu become Indias first transgender police officer
i. Prithika Yashinis application for the police post was initially rejected and tried hard to become
the Indias first police officer from the transgender community( gender does not correspond
with their birth sex (i.e ) to transition from one sex to another).
ii. Prithika was born and raised as Pradeep Kumar. The 25 year-old computer application
graduate underwent sex change surgery to get the new face of Prithika.
Malvika Sinha took charge of new Executive Director of RBI

i. Malvika Sinha was Principal a Chief General Manager, Department of Cooperative Banking
Supervision in the Reserve Bank of India(RBI) now promoted as Executive Director (ED) of
RBI.
ii. As Executive Director, Ms. Sinha will take over Foreign Exchange Department, Department of
Government and Bank Accounts and Internal Debt Management Department.
iii. Malvika sinha has started her career in the year 1982 with RBI.
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iv. B P Kanungo was Executive Director of the Reserve Bank before being elevated to the post
of Deputy Governor.
Yokoyama replaces M Teresa as Director of India Resident Mission of Asian Development

Bank (ADB).
Kenichi Yokoyama appointed as the new Country Director of India Resident Mission of the Asian
Development Bank (ADB).
i. Yokoyama , heading the Nepal Resident Mission of ADB replaces M Teresa Kho ,now appointed
as Deputy Director General of ADB's East Asia Department in Manila.
ii. Yokoyama has good working experience with the government of Japan in the fields of
agriculture, forestry and fisheries.
iii. He joined ADB in 1999 and also worked for its operations in South Asia covering the water
resources sector.
Quatrro's Raman Roy is new CEO & Rishad Premji appointed as vice chairman of
NASSCOM
i. Raman Roy, was a chairman and managing director of Quatrro, been appointed as the new
Chairman of National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM) for the
year 2017-18.
ii. He will take over from C P Gurnani, MD and chief executive officer of Tech Mahindra.NASSCOM
considering Raman who is currently the CEO of his VC-funded BPO company Quatrro.
iii. Along with Raman Roy , Rishad Premji, Chief Strategy Officer & Member of the Board, Wipro
Limited has been elected as the new Vice Chairman of NASSCOM for the year 2017-18.
Vijay Goel Approves Appointment of Foreign Coaches in Athletics

Vijay Goel Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports has approved the appointment of foreign
coaches and support staff for India's athletics disciplines on April 6,2017
Recent Appointment :
Name Sports
Dave Smith (Australia) Race walking
Galina P Bukharina (USA) 400m and 400m relay
Dmitry Kislev (Russia) Masseur
Elmira Kisleva (Russia) Masseur.
L&T names S.N. Subrahmanyan as new CEO replacing A.M. Naik

Larsen and Toubro Ltd (L&T) has appointed with the current president & deputy MD S.N.
Subrahmanyan became companys new CEO replacing A.M. Naik who will now take charge as
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non-executive chairman.
i. S.N Subrahmanyan, currently the deputy managing director and president, to the position of
managing director and CEO with effect July 1.
ii. Subrahmanyan also takes charge at a challenging timeprivate investment demand in India
hasnt taken off, there is a slowdown in West Asia because of depressed oil prices.
Former Supreme Court judge Shiva Kirti Singh to head TDSAT

Retired Supreme Court judge Shiva Kirti Singh has been appointed as the chairman of the Telecom
Disputes Settlement & Appellate Tribunal Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate
Tribunal(TDSAT).
Mukta Dutta Tomar appointed as New Ambassador of India to Germany

Mukta Dutta Tomar (IFS: 1984), presently Additional Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs
has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the Federal Republic of Germany.
Anuja dhir becomes first non-white circuit judge at Old Bailey

Anuja Ravindra Dhir is the youngest circuit judge currently working at Central Criminal Courts in
London. She is an Indian origin woman becomes 1st non-white judge at London Old bailey
Court.
Smita Sandhane takes charge as MD of Saraswat Co-operative Bank

Smita Sandhane has taken charge as Managing Director of the Saraswat Co-operative Bank with
effect from April 1.
i. Smita is the first woman chief of Indias largest urban co-operative bank.
ii. She has been working at Saraswat Co-operative Bank since 1982 .
iii. Sandhane has succeeded S.K. Banerjee who retired from the services of the bank.
Ajit Kumar Srivastava & Shabri Bhattasali new CBDT member

Ajit Kumar Srivastava and Shabri Bhattsali appointed members of Cental Board Of Direct
Taxes (CBDT). It is the apex policy making body of the Income Tax Department.
Mahabaleshwara MS appointed as new MD and CEO of Karnataka Bank

Karnataka Bank, one of the leading private sectors banks in South India,MS Mahabaleshwara is
appointed as MD and CEO of the bank.
i. Mahabaleshwara become MD and CEO of the bank for a period of three years as per the
approval received from Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
ii. Mahabaleshwara mentioned that the bank would continue to be stronger and more efficient in
terms of socially responsible and commercially viable vibrant entity.
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UN Chief Guterres names Achim Steiner as new administrator of UNDP

Achim Steiner was become the new administrator of the United Nations Development Programme
(UNDP) by the UN chief Antonio Guterres.
i. Achim has served the United Nations at the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) from 2006 to
June 2016.
ii. He is also an expert in the environmental issues and politics.He also headed the UN office in
Kenya.
Justice Gita Mittal set to take over as acting Chief Justice of Delhi HC
Justice Gita Mittal, the senior-most judge of Delhi High Court has been appointed as the
acting Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court. She will assume charge of
the Delhi High Court with effect from April 14, 2017, a day after current Chief Justice Gorla
Rohini retires.
Actress Kristin Davis appointed UNHCR goodwill ambassador

UNHCR announced the appointment of Kristin Davis who is an admirable actress and
Philanthropist as its goodwill Ambassador.
i. American actress Kristin Davis one of the stars of the television series was appointed Goodwill
Ambassador of the high commissioner of UN on refugees.
ii. Davis has partnered with the UN for 3 years.
Govt. appoints 2 more MDs at LIC- B Venugopal, Sunita Sharma

i. B Venugopal and Sunita Sharma appointed by the Government as Managing Directors to the
nation's largest financial powerhouse LIC for a period of nearly two years.
ii. Venugopal is currently heading the Western zone of LIC in Mumbai, Sharma is the managing
director of its subsidiary, LIC HOUSING FINANCE. Venugopal took over as the head of the Mumbai
zone last year, where as Sharma has been heading LICHFL since November 2013.
iii. Now LIC has four MDs including of Usha Sangwan and Hemant Bhargava, who was
appointed in mid-February.
Harbhajan Singh Among Eight Ambassadors for ICC Champions Trophy

Eight cricketers including Harbhajan Singh and former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi have been
appointed as an ambassadors for the ICCChampions Trophy which is scheduled to be held from
June 1, 2017 in UK
i. The ambassadors will be involved in the ICC Champions Trophy Tour and will participate in the
Cricket for Good coaching clinics, a programme aimed at providing school children with an
opportunity to meet and play with legends.They will also be part of the ICC editorial team.
ii. Eight Ambassadors are
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1.Harbhajan Singh of India 2.Shahid Afridi of Pakistan 3.Habibul Bashar of Bangladesh

4.Ian Bell of England 5.Shane Bond of New Zealand 6.Mike Hussey of Australia
7.Kumar Sangakkara of Sri Lanka and 8.Graeme Smith of South Africa.
Sheela Patel named by the UN chief to panel on Urban development

Sheela Patel is a director of SPARC and a global expert of Urban Poverty Alleviation for Slum
dwellers has been named by the UN chief to panel on urban development.
i. Sheela is a Padamshree Awardee.She founded the SPARC in 1984 a Mumbai based NGO.
ii. She will address a high level independent panel on Urban Poverty alleviation for Slum DwellersIt
focuses on housing and infrastructure rights for the urban poor.
iii. She also played a vital role in development of Mahila Mission those women who lived in Slums
across India.
Devendra Kumar Sharma appointed as new BBMB chairman

Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) has appointed Devendra Kumar Sharma as a
Chairman for a period of 3 years.
i. Devendra Sharma is serving as the Managing Director of Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation
Limited
ii. He was also associated with the industrial giant Larsen & Toubro for a long time in its
infrastructure development projects.
Vinay Shah is new MD & CEO of LIC Housing Finance

The Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) Housing Finance has appointed Vinay Shah as the
new Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Director.
i. Shah was Executive DirectorMarketing/Product Development with LIC of India before
taking charge of LIC Housing finance.
ii. He replaced Sunita Sharma Government had elevated her to Managing Director of LIC.
B.N. Mohapatra appointed as Railway Financial Commissioner

B.N. Mohapatra has been appointed as the new Financial Commissioner (FC) of Indian Railways.
He took charge on April 17, 2017.
Prior to this posting, B.N.Mohapatra was posted as Additional Member (Finance) November 1,
2016.
Iran bars Mahmoud Ahmadinejad from running for President

Former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, whose diatribes against the United States and
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Israel made him a polarizing figure, was banned from running for president.
Mumbai-based gynaecologist appointed ISAR president

Mumbai- based gynaecologist Dr Duru Shah has been appointed as the president of the Indian
Society for Assisted Reproduction (ISAR) during ISARs annual function held at Gurugram,
Haryana.
Himanta Biswa Sarma becomes interim BAI president

BJP leader and Assam Badminton Association President Himanta Biswa Sarma has been
appointed Badminton Association of India's interim President during its executive
council meeting.
i. Himanta Biswa Sarma has been unanimously given the charge to become the acting president till
the next elections in 2018.
ii. The post of president was left vacant after the sudden demise of former president Akhilesh Das
Gupta.
Mridul Gehlot elected as president of kabaddi federation

On April 24,2017, Mridul Gehlot and Dinesh Patel elected unanimously president and general
secretary of Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India (AKFI) in Jaipur.The elections were held here
under the supervision of justice I S Israni.
Nita Ambani made member of IOCs important commissions

Nita Ambani in April 2017 has made a member of two important commissions of the
International Olympic Committees (IOC) governing body.
i. Nita Ambani was made as a member of the prestigious Olympic Channel and Olympic Education
Commission.
ii. She replaced International Paralympic Committee President Philip Craven.
Shri Rajiv Rai Bhatnagar appointed as DG, CRPF; Shri RK Pachnanda to be next DG, ITBP
Mr. Rajiv Rai Bhatnagar, IPS officer 1983 batch Uttar Pradesh Cadre, who is currently serving
as Director General of Narcotics Control Bureau has been appointed to the post of Director
General, Central Reserve Police Force. He will serve up to December 31, 2019.
i. Mr. R. K. Pachnanda, IPS officer 1983 batch West Bengal Cadre, who is currently serving as
Director General of National Disaster Response Force has been appointed to the post of Director
General, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP).
ii. He will take over from Current Director General of ITBP Mr. Krishna Choudhary, who is due to
retire on superannuation on June 30, 2017.
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Yushra Mardini appointed UNHCR goodwill ambassador

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, announced the appointment of Syrian refugee and Olympic
athlete Yusra Mardini as a Goodwill Ambassador.
i. Yusra Mardini has worked closely with UNHCR, highlighting with her own inspiring performances.
ii. Yusra studies full time in Germany.She is also selected for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
T Krishnakumar is Coca-cola Indias new chief

T Krishnakumar has been chosen Coca-cola Indias new chief.
i. T Krishnakumar has been appointed as the president of India and South West Asia Business Unit.
iii. He has replaced Venkatesh Kini.
Albania MPs elect speaker Meta as President

Albania's parliament elected speaker Ilir Meta as the new president of Albania
i. Meta is a former prime minister and leader of the Socialist Movement for Integration.He was
elected as Albania's new president on April 28, 2017.
ii. He is 48-year-old and Meta was elected to the post in the fourth ballot to choose a president.
ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS

ICICI Venture invest $20 to buy stake in Theobroma
i. ICICI Venture is planning to do a new project by investing $20 million to acquire a
considerable stake in Theobroma, owned and managed bakery, patisserie and chocolate based in
Mumbai, India.
ii. The investment will mark the third transaction from ICICI Venture.
Flipkart Buys eBay India Business, Gets $500 Million as Investment

Flipkart announced its biggest funding and it is buying eBays Indian operations and marked drastic
moves by the countrys largest online retailer. It builds a mahagathbandhan of global tech giants
to counter Amazon.
Major Highlights:
i. Indias largest e-commerce company buys eBays India business and closing $1.4 billion
fund raising from Tencent, eBay and Microsoft.
ii. $1.4 billion deal is led by Chinas Tencent with an investment of $700 million while eBay Inc will
contribute $500 million and also receive Flipkart stock worth of $200 million.
Vedanta-Cairn India merger becomes effective

i. Natural resources major Vedanta Ltd. merger with subsidiary energy firm Cairn India has
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become effective.
ii. Under the merger scheme, a Cairn India shareholder will get one Vedanta equity share and 7.5%
preference shares for every Cairn India with face value of 10 each.
Anil Agarwal buys 11.4% of minor Anglo American becomes 2nd largest holder
Anil Agarwal buys 11.4% of minor Anglo American and becomes the 2nd largest holder in Anglo
American.
i.Indian billionaire Anil Agarwal has become the second largest shareholder in Anglo American after
acquiring the shares of 11.44 per cent of the British mining group.
ii. The Volcan Holdings investment company that is owned by the Agarwal now owns 11.44 per
cent of the group's capital and voting rights.
HCL to acquire US-based mortgage BPO provider for $30 mn

HCL Technologies ,India's fourth largest software services will acquire US- based Urban Fulfillment
Services (UFS) for up to $30 million (over Rs 193 crore) in cash to boost its mortgage business
process outsourcing(BPO) business.
MoUs
Cabinet approves signing of Framework of Understanding between India and Bangladesh
on Cooperation in the hydrocarbon sector
The Union Cabinet, chaired by PM Narendra Modi has approved signing of Framework of
Understanding (FoU) on Cooperation in the Hydrocarbon Sector with Bangladesh.
Under this FoU, an institutional mechanism for boosting cooperation in hydrocarbon sector
will be established, which will be equally beneficial for both the countries. This non-binding
FoU will be valid for 5 years.
India, Georgia exploring options for free trade agreements

India and Georgia signed a joint statement on the launch of Joint feasibility study on the bilateral
free trade agreement.
i. The agreement was signed between the ministry of Economy and sustainable development of
Georgia Giorgi Gakharia and the Union minister of Commerce and Industry Nirmala
Sitharaman in New Delhi.
ii. The joint statement was signed to promote economic, trade and investment relations between
the two countries.
Cabinet approves MoU between Forum of Regulators and the National Association of
Regulatory Utility Commissioners
This MoU is a bilateral agreement pertaining to broad areas of cooperation between the two entities
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for large scale integration of renewable energy.

The scope of MoU includes design of frameworks, regulatory interventions, load forecasting
techniques, power purchase agreements, data analysis, information exchanges and other
ancillary services.
Cabinet Clears Revised Air Service Pacts With Malaysia, Serbia

These revised Air Service Agreements (ASA) are in accordance with the latest template
of International Civil Aviation Organisation and have factored in the recent developments in
civil aviation sector.
Although the new ASA with Malaysia was initiated in year 2011, it could not be signed as
there was some disagreement pertaining to remittance of earnings. However Malaysia
agreed to it in 2016 and the agreement was signed along with other arrangements viz.
Cabinet approves signing of Agreement for CIRDAP establishment Centre in Hyderabad

The Agreement was signed between Indian Ministry of Rural Development and Centre on
Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific (CIRDAP). The CIRDAP centre will be
setup at National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (NIRD&PR),
Hyderabad.
Objective: Promote integrated rural development in member countries through research,
training and information dissemination
Cabinet approves MoU between India and Australia on cooperation in the field of Health
and Medicine
With an aim to strengthen bilateral ties, Union Cabinet chaired by PM Modi has approved the
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in the field of Health and Medicine with
Australia
Cabinet approvals for Cooperation with Bangladesh

Ahead of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's official visit to India from April 7 to 10,
Indian cabinet approved various bilateral MoUs with Bangladesh. These MoUs pertain to cooperation
in following areas:
Agreement on Audio Visual Co-production: The Agreement includes co-production of films,
documentaries, and animated films. All co-produced audio-visuals under this agreement shall be
entitled to various benefits which are accorded to any national audio-visual work by both countries
as per their respective laws and regulations.
MoU on cooperation in the field of Mass Media: This MoU includes training and study tour of mass
media personnel, exchange of mass media experts, cooperation between training and educational
institutes in the field of mass media, sharing experiences related to regulation of mass media
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sector, facilitating certified mass media professionals of both countries to set up offices and giving
them required support.
Cabinet approves MoU between India and France on Technical Cooperation in Civil
Aviation
On 5th April 2017, Union Cabinet chaired by PM Modi approved the MoU between the Airports
Authority of India (AAI) and Civil Aviation Authority (DGAC), France to implement Technical
Cooperation Program in the Civil Aviation sector. This program will enhance skills and expertise of
AAIs officers.
Cabinet approves Air Services Agreement between India and Georgia

Air Services Agreement (ASA) between India and Georgia has been approved by Union Cabinet
chaired by the PM Modi.
This Air Service Agreement (ASA) is in accordance with the latest template
of International Civil Aviation Organisation and has factored in the recent
developments in civil aviation sector. It will help establish air connectivity between India
and Georgia and is expected to positively impact trade, investment, tourism and cultural
exchange between two countries.
Cabinet approves Collaboration Agreement to support the Belmont Forum Secretariat

Union Cabinet has given its approval for signing a Collaborative Agreement with French National
Research Agency (ANR), France for supporting the Belmont Forum Secretariat. The estimated
expenditure to support Belmont Forum Secretariat (currently hosted at ANR) from January 2015 to
December 2017 will be Euro 40,000
Belmont Forum:
The Belmont Forum is a group of countries who fund global environmental change research.
Created in: 2009
Current Secretariat: Hosted at the French National Research Agency (ANR) located in Paris.
Number of Member Countries: 18 (including India and European Commission)
Cabinet apprised of the MoU with Ferrovie Dello Stato Italiane S.P.A. of Italy on Technical
Cooperation in the Rail Sector:
Union Cabinet has been briefed about the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on
31st January 2017, with Ferrovie Dello Stato Italiane S.P.A. of the Republic of Italy. This MoU
pertains to cooperation in Rail Sector.
India-UK Agree on New Areas of Economic Cooperation

Indias Power and Renewable Energy Minister Piyush Goyal and UK's Secretary of State for
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Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Greg Clark agreed on important areas in the energy
sector.
i. During the visit of Prime Minister Modi to the UK in November 2015, MoU on cooperation has
been signed between India and U.K in the energy sector.
ii. Both the nations already agreed to set up a Green Growth Equity Fund (GGEF) to finance
energy needs.
US, China agree to pursue 100-day plan for reducing trade deficit
US President Donald Trump and President of the People's Republic of China & Chairman of the
Central Military Commission, Xi Jinping have agreed to pursue a '100-day plan' aimed at reducing
the US trade deficit with China.
i. The presidents agreed to the plan to correct the trade imbalance. It includes the boosting of US
exports to China.
ii. It is designed to cover 4 fields. They include law enforcement and cyber security, as well as the
economy.
Cabinet approves MoU on cooperation in the field of justice between India and Tunisia
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in the field of justice between India and the
North African country, Tunisia has been approved by the Union Cabinet. Signing of this MoU will
further strengthen India -Tunisia bilateral relation which has been moving in the positive direction
in recent years.
MOU Signed Between NSFDC Development Commissioner Handloom

The MOU has signed between NSFDC and the Development Commissioner (Handlooms).
i. The main objective of signing this MOU is to help and promote production and marketing of high
value quality Handlooms products among Scheduled class weavers.
ii. Under this MOU the parties will popularize the schemes through advertising and create
awareness among people.
Indian Academy Of Highway engineers signs MoU with university of New South Wales
A MoU has signed between the Indian academy of Highway Engineers and the University of
New South Wales, Australia
i. The agreement is signed to bring the innovation in the transportation sector.
ii. It seeks to start up a Centre of Excellence in Smart Transportation in India.
iii. It is signed between the director of IAHE VL Patankar and Vice chancellor of UNSW in presence
of Simon Birmingham Australian Minister of Education.
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Cabinet approves signing of the Protocol amending the Convention between India and
Portugal for avoidance of Double Taxation
In order to ensure prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income, Union Cabinet has
given its approval for signing of a Protocol amending the Convention
between India and Portugal for avoidance of double taxation.
Once the protocol is operational, Tax officials of India and Portugal would be able to
exchange information which shall help in curbing tax evasion.
Maharastra govt. sign MoU with Railways to expand Green cover & Railways to set up Rs
200 Crore Solar Power Plant
The Indian Railways is looking to set up a solar power plant in Bhilai (Chhattisgarh) where it has
spare land, through Railway Energy Management Company Limited (REMCL)
i. The project cost of the 50 MW plant is estimated at Rs 200 crore.
ii. Of the total cost 20 per cent will be borne by the Railways, while the remaining 80 per cent will
be raised through debt.
EU, India agree to strengthen counter-terrorism cooperation

Federica Mogherini a European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
is agreed to strengthen cooperation for counter-terrorism with India.
i. EU is one of the Indias largest trading partners with bilateral trade in goods that reach
to 85 billion dollars in 2016.
ii. India seeks to enhanced investments from EU companies in its Clean India, NamamiGange, Skill
India, and Start-Up India, Smart Cities, renewable energy and next-generation infrastructure
flagship programmes.
Iran Signs First Agreement on Reconstruction of Arak Reactor With China

China and Iran have signed the first agreement on the reconfiguration of Iran's Arak reactor.
i. The deal was concluded between the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) and a Chinese
company at the official ceremony in the Austrian capital Vienna.
ii. The reconstruction of the Arak heavy-water reactor is a part of the Joint
Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) deals which Tehran.
ISRO, BHEL tie-up for lithium-ion batteries to have buyback agreements

The MoU has signed between Indian space Research Organization (ISRO) and Bharat Heavy
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electrical Limited (BHEL) to develop low-cost lithium ion batteries for electric vehicles and also
an agreement of buyback commitment for such batteries.
i. The main objective is to promote commercial production of lithium ion batteries that uses
in electric motor vehicles.
ii. ISRO will provide support for scale-up, joint effort in cost optimisation, research and
development.
HPCL and Rajasthan Govt. sign revised Rs 43129 crore Mou for Barmer refinery
HPCL oil firm and Rajasthan government has signed a MoU for Rs 43,129 crore.
i. Memorandum of association is signed for oil refinery in Barmer district which will produce BS-VI
fuel.
ii. The state government will have 26 per cent stake in the refinery project while HPCL will
have the rest shareholding.
India and Republic of Korea sign Inter Governmental MOU for Defence
India and the Republic of Korea (RoK) have signed an Inter-governmental Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) for Defence Industry Co-operation in Shipbuilding.
i. The MoU was signed by Secretary (Defence Production), Shri Ashok Kumar Gupta and Minister
of Defence Acquisition and Programme Administration (DAPA) Chang Myoung-Jin
ii. It is valid for a period of 5 years.
CII signs MoUs with 3 Singapore Universities

A MoU has signed between CII and 3 Singapore Universities at the ASEAN-India Business
Forum held in Singapore.IE Singapore is ready to support companies as they develop and
execute their market engagement strategies.
i. The memorandum of understandings (MoUs) will allow the universities and International
Enterprise (IE) Singaporeto tap into CII#39 network of over 8,000 members to create overseas
attachment opportunities for enrolled students.
ii. Companies should closely examine their strategies for Southeast Asia and India, and transparent
to adopting new business entry models.
TERI, French firm sign MoU for 'Clean India'

To strengthen Indias waste management capabilities a Delhi-based green body, a French
waste company and a Geneva-based innovation foundation have joined hands with one
another.
i. The MoU has been signed among the Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), the Innovative
Finance Foundation (IFF) and 3WAYSTE Company for municipal solid waste management.
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ii. It has been addressed in the MoU that to bring sustainable development in the country.To
reduce human impact on environment.
TN govt signs agreement with BBNL to implement BharatNet

The Tamil Nadu government signed an agreement with Bharat Broadband Network
Limited (BBNL).
i. It is aimed to implement the Centre's rural internet connectivity programme"Bharatnet.
ii. The cost of total project is Rs 50 lakh.
Signing of Tripartite MOU for broadband services to Post Offices

A tripartite Memorandum of Understanding has been signed between BBNL, Department of Posts
and BSNL. It provides broadband connectivity of BharatNet to Post Offices in rural areas.
i. BBNL would facilitate and coordinate the entire project.It would provide broadband services.
ii. BharatNet is the centres rural internet connectivity Programme which is implemented by
Bharat Broadband Network Limited (BBNL).
iii. The project is being funded by Universal service Obligation Fund (USOF).
SCHEMES
Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana launched in Nellore, Andhra Pradesh
i. On 1st April 2017, Mr. Thaawarchand Gehlot, Minister for Social Justice and
Empowerment launched, first of its kind Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana in Nellore; Andhra
Pradesh aimed to make life comfortable for senior citizens of India.
ii. This scheme has been launched for providing Physical Aids and Assisted-living Devices to Senior
Citizens belonging to Below Poverty Line (BPL) category who suffer from age related problems viz.
hearing impairment, low vision, dental problems etc.
iii. This scheme was proposed in Union Budget 2015-16 and is fully funded by Central Government.
Money required to run this scheme will be drawn from Senior Citizens Welfare Fund.
Govt launches PowerTex India scheme for powerloom sector

i. Union Textiles Minister, Ms. Smriti Irani launched PowerTex India Scheme on 1stApril
2017 at Bhiwandi in Thane district of Maharashtra. It is a gamut of schemes aimed at
development of powerloom sector in India with a special focus on small powerloom weavers. The
scheme was simultaneously launched at 45 locations across India.
ii. She also launched PowerTex India helpline for scheme related assistance. For nationwide
publicity of scheme, a PowerTex van was also flagged off.
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Components of PowerTex India Scheme:

In-situ upgradation scheme of Plain Powerlooms: Provides subsidy to financially weak
powerloom unit owners for upgradation of looms. As a result of upgradation, productivity
and quality of fabrics will improve, which will provide a competitive edge to powerloom
fabrics in domestic and international markets.
Group Workshed Shceme (GWS): Provides subsidy for construction of worksheds for
shutterless looms. This will provide better working conditions in terms of more space.
Yarn Bank Scheme: Under this scheme, Government of India will provide Interest-Free
corpus fund to Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) or Consortium to purchase yarn at
wholesale price. This will benefit weavers by eliminating middlemens commission and
local suppliers brokerage.
Common Facility Centre: Government of India will provide Rs. 2 crore subsidy to setup
Common Facility Centre having pre-weaving and post-weaving facilities.
Pradhan Mantri Credit Scheme for Powerloom weavers: Provides access to affordable
credit facility to powerloom units (including SC, ST and Women Entrepreneurs)
through Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) and Stand-up India. Under PMMY in
context of PowerTex India Scheme, decentralised powerloom unit/weavers will be
provided 20% margin money of the project cost, subject to a ceiling of Rs. 1 lakh. They
will also get benefit of interest subvention at the rate of 6% per annum on working capital
and term loans up to Rs. 10 lakh for 5 years. Under Stand-up India in context of
PowerTex India Scheme, SC, ST & Women Entrepreneurs will be provide 25% margin
money of project cost, subject to a ceiling of Rs. 25 lakh.
Solar Energy Scheme: Provides subsidy to set up on-grid or off-grid Solar Photo Voltaic
Plant. This scheme will help weavers to save power cost and will also promote usage of
renewable energy.
Tax venture Capital Fund: Capital required for expansion will be provided to Micro Small
and Medium Enterprises by Ministry of Textiles through SIDBI Venture Capital Fund Ltd.
(SVCL)
Mizoram becomes 27th State to join UDAY scheme

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Government of India (GoI)
and Mizoram under the scheme Ujwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana (UDAY). The agreement was
signed for operational improvement of the States Power Distribution Department.
By this agreement Mizoram would get an overall net benefit of approximately Rs.198 crores by
participating in UDAY.
This benefit is achieved in the way of cheaper funds, reduction in Aggregate Technical and
Commercial (AT&C) and transmission losses and interventions in energy efficiency.
Benefits
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Government withdraws subsidy to mild hybrids under FAME scheme

As per a notification issued by Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, benefits to
given to mild hybrid vehicles under FAME India scheme have been withdrawn with effect from
1st April 2017. The notification also clarified that decision does not apply to sales of mild hybrid
vehicles made to retail purchasers up to 31st March 2017.
This news has negatively affected Maruti Suzuki the largest car maker in India, whose
popular models Ertiga and Ciaz use hybrid technology and were eligible for benefits under
FAME India scheme.
Beneficiaries of PMs Ujjwala Yojana crosses 2 crore mark

i. The number of people benefitting from the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana for providing
(Liquefied Petroleum Gas) LPG connections to Below Poverty Line (BPL) households has crossed 2
crore mark. This feat has been accomplished in less than a years time since its launch.
ii. This unparalleled success has been attributed to serious efforts made by Govt. authorities in
implementing the scheme.
Cabinet approves closure of Mahatma Gandhi Pravasi Suraksha Yojana

Union Cabinet has approved closure of the Mahatma Gandhi Pravasi
Suraksha Yojana (MGPSY). This scheme was launched in 2012 to provide insurance,
resettlement expenses and other social security needs of blue collar workers going abroad for work
to Emigration Check Required (ECR) countries.
Very low subscription and no new subscription received for more than a year were the
reasons cited for closure of this scheme. Closure of the scheme will save the recurring
administrative and record-keeping expenditure.
Deendayal Rasoi Yojana launched in 49 districts of MP

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has launched subsidized meal scheme at
Rs.5 in Gwalior. This scheme helps people to get economical nutritious and good quality food under
the Deendayal Rasoi Yojana at cheaper rates. It is launched in 49 districts across the state.
i. The scheme includes 49 districts in first phase. Under this scheme the poor people will get four
chapattis, one vegetable curry and dal everyday between 11 am to 3 pm.
ii. Breakfast will be served at Rs 5 and lunch will be served at Rs.8. All these arrangements will be
done by Level Coordination And Monitoring Commiittee in which they will monitor all aspects
of scheme and at least 2000 people will serve every day.
iii. The budget of this scheme is Rs 10 crore and it will be funded by Corporate Sector Under
Corporate Social Responsibility.
Government reduces number of centrally sponsored schemes to 28

The Government has reduced the number of Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) from 66 to
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28 and effective from the financial year 2016-2017.

i. The GOI has rationalized Centrally Sponsored Schemes based on the recommendation of the sub
group of chief ministers.
ii. The minister has mentioned that 6 Schemes have been categorized as Core of the Core 20
Schemes as Core Schemes and remaining 2 as Optional Schemes.
iii. The related Schemes could be merged and implemented as Umbrella Schemesto administer
the satisfactory component in the line with state specific requirements.
Uttar Pradesh govt scraps Samajwadi Pension Scheme

The Uttar Pradesh State Govt., headed by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has stalled the
Samajwadi Pension Scheme of the previous Samajwadi Party Govt. under Akhilesh Yadav. He has
ordered the officials to conduct a detailed review of this scheme to ascertain whether the
beneficiaries are deserving candidates fulfilling the eligibility criterion. The officials have been given
one months time to complete this task.
This decision was taken during second cabinet meeting in which CM Yogi Adityanath was
reviewing various social welfare schemes run by State Welfare Department.
About Samajwadi Pensions Scheme:
Samajwadi Pension Scheme was launched in year 2014 with an aim to provide financial
assistance to 40 lakh below poverty line (BPL) category families in Uttar Pradesh.
This yojana replaced the erstwhile Rani Laxmibai Pension Yojana.
Under this scheme, BPL families were entitled to monthly pension of Rs. 500 per
month for one year. The beneficiary family had to follow other conditions which were
related to children education, adult literacy and health standards.
Post completion of one year, the pension was to be hiked by Rs. 50 every year, till the
total amount reaches Rs. 750 per month. This hike of Rs. 50 was subject to fulfilment of
other conditions as listed above. Non-fulfilment of conditions would result in termination
of benefits.
The scheme was being administered by Uttar Pradesh State Welfare Department.
Lucky Grahak Yojana, Digi Dhan Vyapar Yojana mega draw at Rashtrapati Bhavan
On April 9, 2017, President Pranab Mukherjee will draw lots for Lucky Grahak Yojana (3 Mega
Prizes for worth Rs. 1 crore, Rs. 50 lakh, Rs. 25 lakh for consumers) and Digi Dhan Vyapar
Yojana (3 Mega Prizes worth Rs 50 lakhs, Rs. 25 lakh, Rs. 12 lakh for merchants) at a function
to be held at Rashtrapati Bahvan.
i. These Mega Prize winners will be felicitated by PM Narendra Modi on 14th April 2017
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in Nagpur on the occasion of Ambedkar Jayanti.

ii. Till March 30, 2017, 1350000 lucky consumers and 79,519 lucky merchants have received prizes
under these schemes.
Lucky Grahak Yojana (for Consumers):
Starting Date: 25th December 2016
Daily: Rs. 1000/- each for 15000 lucky winners
Weekly: 7000+ lucky winners. Prizes worth Rs. 1 lakh, Rs. 10000 and Rs. 5000
Mega Prize: 3 Mega Prize Winners, Prizes worth Rs. 1 crore, Rs. 50 lakh and Rs. 25 lakh.
Digi Dhan Vyapar Yojana (for Merchants):
Starting From: 25th December 2016
Weekly: 7000 lucky winners. Prizes worth Rs. 5000, Rs. 5000 and Rs. 2500
Mega Prize: 3 Mega Prize Winners, Prizes worth Rs. 50 lakh and Rs. 25 lakh and Rs. 12
lakh.
For Mega Prizes in both the above schemes, all transactions from 8th November 2016 will
be eligible.
Implementing Agency: National Payment Corporation of India (NPCI)
Eligibility: Transaction within the range of Rs 50/- and Rs 3000/- done through UPI,
USSD, Ru Pay cards and Aadhar Enabled Payment System (AEPS). Transactions through
credit cards and e-wallets are not eligible.
Estimated Expenditure (till 14th April 2017): Rs. 340 crore
Methodology to Select Winners: Random draw of digital transaction Ids
Government to launch Rs 6000-crore 'SAMPADA' scheme for food processing

Union Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal has announced that her ministry will soon
approach the Cabinet for the approval for an umbrella programme Scheme for Agro-Marine
Produce Processing and Development of Agro-Processing Clusters (SAMPADA).
About SAMPADA:
Financial Outlay: Rs. 6000 crore
To be implemented by: FY 2019-20
Proposed Schemes to improve food supply chain:
1. Creation/ Expansion of Food Processing and Preservation Capacities
2. New Agro-Processing Clusters
3. Backward and Forward Linkages
Initiative to create Food Processing Infrastructure:
Ms. Harsimrat Kaur also mentioned that in order to ensure seamless transfer of food products from
production place to consumption centre, Govt. will provide up to Rs 10 crore of subsidy grant or
35% subsidy (whichever is lower) for creating infrastructure at food clusters, agriculture hubs, food
labs and cold chains across the country.
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Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu relaunches Adarana

The 191st birth anniversary of social reformer Mahatma Jyotirao Phule. It is being celebrated for
the first time as a state function. Andhra Pradesh CM relaunches Adarana.
Key Highlights:
Chandrababu Naidu announced the re-launch of Adarana, a scheme for improving
traditional occupations.
It includes modern tools, technology, marketing, and financial support that are for the
artisans.
It also provides employment in the rural areas those pursuing traditional occupations to
raise their income levels.
Financial assistance was being provided under the NTR Unnata and Videsi
Vidyadarana
An assistance of Rs. 2.5 lakh was given for those preparing for all-India services, Rs.
30,000 was given for Group II, and Rs. 20,000 and Rs. 19,000 respectively for bank POs
and clerks.
The Government had allocated Rs. 25,000 crore for the welfare of the Backward Classes
(BCs) during the last three years and Rs. 10,000 crore during the year for BC welfare
and development.
UP govt, center sign MOU for Power for All scheme

MOU has been signed between Uttar Pradesh government and Centre for the Power for All
scheme in the state.
Highlights:
i. The main purpose of this scheme is to provide 24-hour quality power supply in the state by
October 2018.
ii. To provide electric connection to every house and agriculture field by 2019.
iii. The cost of the project will be 40 thousand crore and 20 thousand crore will be spent till
2018.
iv. UP government has also announced 1912 helpline for the power related complains.Smart
meter will also be installed to stop electricity theft.
'Advanced Farming - Enriched Farmer' scheme announced by Maharashtra Govt

Maharashtra State Govt. has announced Advanced Farming Enriched Farmer scheme, with
an aim to increase farmers income by cutting production cost and increasing the output.
i. The scheme will be launched in the upcoming kharif season.
ii. Major Tasks to be executed under 'Advanced Farming - Enriched Farmer' Scheme
1.Raising production of major crops (up to the level of its genetic yield potential)
2.Diversification of crops
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3.Introducing marketing techniques

4.Uniting farmers through farm producers companies and making them financially stable
iii. Additional measures under 'Advanced Farming - Enriched Farmer' scheme:
Maharashtra Govt. will spend 60% of the fund available for mechanisation of farming on
tractors, power tillers, transplanters, and machines for polishing, grading, and packing the produce.
Maharashtra Govt. has also announced to increase grants for construction of green houses, onion
shades and shade nets, among others.
A farmer outreach campaign will also be launched from May 25 to June 8 2017, to inform farmers
about the techniques to be used in agriculture ahead of the kharif season.
Bengal government introduces Social Security Yojana converges 5 beneficiary schemes

The Bengal government has launched the scheme for unorganized sectors and self-employed
people.
Key Notes:
A common beneficiary programme is prepared for all the sectors and according to that
workers from each of the sectors and their family members will be benefitted.
Children who will enroll in this scheme will also get education benefits.
5 crore people will get benefit from the Social Security Yojana and around 1 crore
will get direct benefit.
The state government has introduced Social Security Yojana by converging five separate
beneficiary schemes for workers.People will get more benefit from this new scheme as compared
with five earlier schemes.
1. State Assistance Scheme for Provident Fund for Unorganised Sector
2. West Bengal Unorganized Sector Workers Health Security Scheme
3. Social Security scheme for Construction Workers
4. West Bengal Transport Workers Social Security Scheme
5. West Bengal Bidi Workers Welfare Scheme are being converged.
Haryana extends Accidental insurance cover to all residents

One of the most prominent schemes of Modi government Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima
Yojana (PMSBY) has been implemented by the Haryana government.
Key Points:
i. The scheme is applicable for 1 year and renew after it. It offers accidental death and disability
cover.
ii. To cover to all Haryana residents in the age group of 18-70 years.
iii. All residents of Haryana must have Aadhaar-enabled saving bank accounts that are
entitled for this scheme.
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iv. In case of Accidental death sum insured would be Rs 2 lakh each and Rs 1 lakh in case of
total and irrecoverable loss of sight of one eye and loss of use of one hand or foot due to accident.
v. Aadhaar would be the primary KYC for the bank account and insurance coverage.
vi. The Premium of Rs 12 per annum will be deducted from the account holder's savings bank
account through 'auto-debit' facility in one instalment on or before June 1 of each annual coverage
period under the scheme.
PM Modi inaugurates maiden Shimla-New Delhi flight under UDAN scheme

On April 26, 2017, Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged-off first UDAN flight from Shimla to
Delhi under the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS). PM Modi also flagged off UDAN flights
from Kadapa (Andhra Pradesh) to Hyderabad and Nanded (Maharashtra) to
Hyderabad through video conferencing link.
While flagging-off the Shimla-Delhi flight from Shimla Airport, PM Modi mentioned that
UDAN flights will start operating from 70 airports across India in next one year.
About Shimla-Delhi UDAN Flight:
Travelling from Delhi to Shimla takes around 10 hours by road journey. Through the UDAN flight
this distance will be covered within an hour.
Exclusive rights to operate flights in Shimla-Delhi sector has been given to Alliance Air
(subsidiary of Air India).
Currently the frequency of this flights round trip is five times a week.
The fare for 24 seats reserved for UDAN passengers on this 70-seater flight has been
fixed at Rs. 2036/- per seat. 3340/- Viability Gap Funding (VGF) per seat will be
provided to Alliance Air for next 3 years.
Over Rs 1 lakh-cr investment approved for housing of urban poor

Under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation
has sanctioned 1, 00,537 houses for urban poor.
Key Facts:
i. The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) Programme launched by the Ministry of Housing and
Urban Poverty Alleviation (MoHUPA).
ii. Its mission is to make Housing for All by 2022 when the Nation completes 75 years of its
Independence.
iii. The Ministry has approved construction of 18, 75,389 houses for Economically Weaker Sections
under PMAY (Urban) in 2,151 cities and towns in 34 States/UTs.
iv. Subsidy for beneficiary-led individual house construction /enhancement.
v. Promotion of Affordable Housing for weaker section through credit linked subsidy.
vi. The total investment approved includes central assistance of Rs.29, 409 cr, assistance from
State Governments and beneficiary contribution.
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COMMITTEE
Government sets up inter-ministerial panel to monitor UDAN
The Government has set up an inter-ministerial committee to monitor the regional air
connectivity scheme UDAN which seeks to make flying affordable by connecting unserved and
under-served airports.
i. The Inter-Ministerial Monitoring-cum-coordination Committee would be responsible for overall
monitoring of the schemes.
ii. The panel would be responsible for coordination among the stakeholders including state
government.
iii. The panel members include Airport Authority of India chairman, Representatives from the
Directorate General of Civil Aviation , Bureau of Civil aviation security
Girdhar Malviya committee submits its report to Uma Bharti

The committee constituted to prepare draft Ganga Act submitted its report to the Union Minister of
Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation to Uma Bharti in New Delhi.
Major Highlights:
i. The Chairman of this committee is Justice Shri Girdhar Malviya.
ii. The committee has recognized the various challenges that are being faced to maintain the
(Nirmalta and Aviralta) of National River Ganga.
iii. Due to over stressed water demand from agricultural, domestic and industrial sectors, with no
possible increase in availability of water in river comparison to the increasing demands.
iv. Decreasing flow owing to climate change affects.
v. The committee has adopted certain strict provision to increase accountability and responsibility
for use of resources made available by National River Ganga.
Government constitutes an Inter-disciplinary committee chaired by special secretary

(Economic Affairs) to examine existing framework regarding Virtual currencies
Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance has made an Inter- Disciplinary
Committee chaired by Dinesh Sharma, Special Secretary (Economic Affairs) and representatives
from Department of Economic Affairs.
i. A committee of government and central bank officials in India is set to propose new regulations
related to digital currencies or virtual currencies
ii. It includes representatives from NITI Aayog a government think tank and the SBI the countrys
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largest bank.
iii. The Committee has been tasked to submit its report within three months.
HRD ministry forms committee to review UGC recommendations on 7th Pay commission in
educational institutes
On Implementation of 7th pay commission in educational institutions after teachers associations
the HRD ministry forms a committee headed by Higher education secretary, Kewal Kumar
Sharma
i. The panel had also suggested that pay of teachers should be in accordance with the 7th central
pay commission.
ii. For implementing the recommendations of the 7th pay commission in educational institutions,
universities and colleges has submitted its report to the Ministry.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Threat of Antibiotic Resistance Superbug Drug Launched to fight against it
Researchers from the University of Birmingham and Newcastle University in the United
Kingdom have found a drug to fight against drug resistant superbugs on April 1, 2017. The
process was clearly explained by Tony De Soyza, Senior Lecturer at Newcastle University.
This is an unusual approach of removing antibodies from the blood stream that could reduce
chronic infections.
Methods of curing
Chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa lung infections commonly occur in patients suffering from
bronchiectasis.
A process known as plasmapheresis is used which involves the removal, treatment and return of
blood plasma from circulation
This was done 5 times in a week in order to remove antibody from the patients.
MP E-Nagarpalika APP launched by Madhya Pradesh to provide Municipal Services Online

The Madhya Pradesh government has launched mobile application MP e-Nagarpalika to provide
various municipal services online. The App was launched by Chief Minister of Madhya
Pradesh Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
The mobile app is the part of Rs 225-crore e-nagarpalika project, under which all municipal
services would be made available online on a unified web platform.
A Massive Extra-solar planet discovered using X-ray observations

i. A group of scientist from India has discovered indications of a massive planet orbiting a low
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mass X-ray binary star system.

ii. The planet was discovered by scientists from Raman Research Institute,
Bangalore and University of Delhi. The results of the discovery have been published in Monthly
Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.
iii. The X-ray binary star system is named as MXB 1658-298.
BS-IV Grade Fuel launched by Central Government after BS-III ban

i. Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of State (I/C) for Petroleum and Natural Gas officially launched
the low emission Bharat stage (BS)-IV Grade fuel in Bhubaneswar on April 1, 2017.
ii. The launch was made on the special occasion of Utkal Diwas which is the foundation day
of Odisha.
iii. Bharat stage (BS)-IV Grade fuel was introduced after BS-III compatible vehicles sales and
registration were banned by Central government from April 1, 2017
iv. The launch was made in 12 cities of India. They were Varanasi, Vijayawada, Durgapur,
Gorakhpur, Imphal, Bhopal, Ranchi, Madurai, Nagpur, Patna, Guwahati and Shillong.
v. Oil Marketing Companies (OMC) are spending Rs 90000 crore on phase-wise up-gradation to
BS-IV fuel production.
Online tax filing portal ClearTax.com - tech platform for GST

Online tax filing portal ClearTax.com announced that it has developed a technology platform to help
businesses comply with the provisions of GST law.
i. Its a multi GSP (GST Suvidha Provider ) taxation solution and it helps to monitor one billion
invoices which will be generated once the GST comes into action.
ii. GSTN will become the worlds biggest and complex tax framework with shortlisted 34
companies to be the GSP.
Morocco King Launches Final Stage of Largest Solar Plant in The World
i. The final stage of the world's largest solar plant Noor Ouarzazate has been inaugurated by
Mohammed VI, King of Morocco in Ouarzazate.
ii. The plant is based on photovoltaic (PV) technology, which spanned over an area of 137 hectares
(1.37 square km).The cost of this plant is nearly 75 million U.S. dollars
iii. It will be built as a part of a partnership involving the Moroccan Agency for Sustainable Energy
(Masen), and a consortium of private operators led by the Saudi Arabian Acwa Power group and
German development bank KfW.
iv. It is scheduled to start operating in 2018 and it is expected to generate 582 megawatts
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Shri Hansraj Gangaram Ahir ,MoS Home affairs launches NPDRR website
i. The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri Hansraj Gangaram Ahir launched the
website, http://npdrr2-mha.net.in, during the meeting of National Platform on Disaster Risk
Reduction (NPDRR). This is an exclusive website to share all information related to the NPDRR.
ii. NPDRR is planning to organize the next meeting in the last week of April this year in New Delhi
with the theme of 'Disaster Risk Reduction for Sustainable Development: Making India
Resilient by 2030'.
iii. The first meeting was held on May 13 -14, 2013 in New Delhi with the theme 'Mainstreaming
DRR in Development: From Risk to Resilience'.
Centre kicks off programme on Cyber Physical Systems

The Department of Science and Technology (DST) under Union Ministry of Science and Technology
has initiated a Cyber Physical Systems (CPS) programme.
This programme has a financial outlay of Rs. 3000 crore, out of which Rs. 100 crore
have been earmarked in the current financial year itself. K.R. Murli Mohan is the head of
the CPS programme at DST. The initial action in this programme will take place at some
of the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs).
ISRO And Indian Agriculture Ministry Team Up To Geo-Tag Agricultural Assets

The Government is going to geo-tag all the agricultural assets in the country for better land and
crop management.
i. Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh is going to sign a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) with National Remote Sensing Agency (NRSA), ISRO, for geo-tagging the
agriculture land created under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna (RKVA) in the country.
ii. The implementation of space technology would help farmers get access to pesticide testing
labs, storage infrastructure, and market-related
Atmosphere found around Earth-like planet GJ 1132b at First Time

Astronomers have detected an atmosphere around the super-Earth GJ 1132b marks the first time
that an atmosphere has been detected around an Earth-like planet.
i. The exoplanet GJ 1132b, which orbits the dwarf star GJ 1132, is located about 39 light-years
away from Earth. It has a radius about 1.4 times that of Earth and is 1.6 times Earth's mass.
ii. Scientists from Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Germany , studied the planet known
as GJ 1132b, which is 1.4 times the size of our planet.
iii. A team of researchers escorted by John Southworth of Keele University in the U.K. used
the ESO/MPG telescope in Chile to capture images of the planets host star, GJ 1132.
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Discovers protein called PorB that increases effectiveness of vaccines against cancer
Scientists have discovered a protein which helps to make vaccinations provide protection from
diseases such as cancer, HIV, and influenza before they have a chance to establish within the
body.
i. Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) purified a protein found on
the exterior membrane of bacteria (neisseria meningidis) and were able to utilize it to create
better vaccine response.
ii. Vaccines can either increase the amount of antibody production or they can stimulate
cells (called cytotoxic T cells) to directly kill the offending agent that protein, called PorB
Home Minister Rajnath Singh launched 'Bharat ke Veer' web portal - contribute to
martyrs families
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated the web portal and mobile application named
Bharat ke Veer to enable the willing donors to contribute towards the family of soldiers who
sacrificed his/her life in line on duty.
i. The Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju and cine actor Akshay Kumar would also
participate in the function.
ii. The donated amounts will be credited to the account of Next of Kin of those Central Armed
Police Force/Central Para Military Force soldiers. This domain allows to anyone who is willing to
support the soldiers family financially.
NASAs Kepler space telescope discover Venus twin around dim star, Kepler-1649
NASA's Kepler space telescope have discovered a Venus-like planet orbiting a dim star and located
219 light-years away.
i. This new planet is slightly larger than Earth, and it tightly embrace its low-temperature star
called Kepler-1649, encircling it every nine days.
ii. The orbit causes the flux of sunlight reaching the planet to be 2.3 times as great as the solar flux
on Earth the solar flux on Venus is 1.9 times the terrestrial value.
Haryana launches e-sewa app to provide information about welfare schemes

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal has launched an mobile application named e-Sewa to
provide information about more than 250 schemes and programmes of 30 different departments
The Deputy Commissioner of Ambala, Prabhjot Singh's team was the developer of e-Sewa app.
i. People can get the information about various welfare schemes and programmes on their
mobile phones
ii. They can also check the status of their complaint on CM Window and also give their
suggestions on the app
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Piyush Goyal launches 'Urja Mitra' mobile app

Power Minister Piyush Goyal has launched the 'Urja Mitra' mobile application and Rural Feeder
Monitoring Scheme on April 11, 2017 in New Delhi.
i. Urja Mitra will allows consumers to exchange real-time information with electricity distribution
companies (discoms) on power supply.
ii. While Urban Jyoti Abhiyaan (Urja) app which was launched in June 2016 to monitor service
delivery to consumers in towns.
Karnataka unveils mobile app Suraksha and Pink petrol for womens safety
Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah launched a Mobile App Suraksha for the safety of women in the
city.
i. The app, that can be downloaded free on smartphones, help women in distress to alert police for
help.
ii. It is linked with the Police control room and Patrolling vehicles in the city.
iii. In Suraksha app one can list at least 2 contacts in case of emergency, along with the police
when the power button on the app is pressed 5 times.
iv. The police have identified various places like colleges, offices, temples, shopping malls, and
theatres where Pink Hoysalas will be placed.
v. Police will conduct review meetings at regular intervals to measure crime rate against women
and restructure the sanctioned areas on the city crime graph.
vi. The vehicles are equipped with GPS (Global Positioning System) and camera for the staff at the
police control room to monitor the video.
Global collaboration project Belle-II moves a step forward

The High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK) completed the experiment of the Belle-
II Tsukuba, Japan.
i. This experiment is designed to study violations of the Standard Model of particle physics.
ii. The fourth layer of the six-layer, highly sensitive particle detector, which is at the heart of Belle-
II, has been built by Indian scientists,
iii. It is led by Tariq Aziz and Gagan Mohanty from Tata Institute of Fundamental Research,
Mumbai.
AP CM Launches Mobile App CM Connect To Receive Feedback

On April 14, 2017, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu launched a new
mobile app CM Connect, at Secretariat at Velagapudi near Vijaywada. This mobile app runs
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on Microsofts Kaizala platform and will be useful in receiving feedback from the public directly
on any given issue.
i. People can share the confidential information with the Chief Minister directly. The identity of the
responder would be kept secret.
ii. The app would help in effective planning, improving and implementation of the schemes and
programmes.
CSIR-NIO develops robotic platform to track Oceanic processes

Researchers of CSIR National Institute of Oceanography have developed a platform of
Robotic that can be located at any depth from 0 to 200 meters.
i. It can be made to track the oceanic processes.It is designed to check the upwelling that occurs
regularly during June to September along the west coast of India.
ii. The sensors which are fitted on the Robotic platform can detect conditions such as low
temperature, low oxygen, high nutrients and changes in the density patterns.
iii. The Robot will be able to sit on seabed for 100 days.
Manipur CM launches web applications to check corruption DARPAN

On April 14, 2017, Manipur Chief Minister Nongthombam Biren Singh launched two web
applications to check corruption and keep track of government activities. These web applications
would monitor all government funded projects and ensure transparency and accountability.
i. Digital Application for Review by Public And Nation (DARPAN): This web application would
upload details of projects right from the initial stage till sanction of fund and photos of work-in-
progress from sites. As per CM Biren Singh, it will stop the corrupt culture of non-completion of
developmental projects after release of funds.
ii. Anti-Corruption Cell: The Chief Minister said that recently launched Anti-Corruption Cell has
received a series of complaints of corruption. This web application would augment in the
government's efforts to end corruption in the state. Cases have been registered based on genuine
complaints received through a dedicated telephone number.
NASA finds evidence of Hydothermal Vents on Saturns moon Enceladus

NASAs Cassini spacecraft has detected gases on Enceladus and some earth- based bacteria are
founded.
i. Enceladus is an icy moon of Saturn which hides an ocean and sprays water into space.
ii. It is the latest discovery by Cassini which is a spacecraft that is exploring Saturn its moons and
rings from past 13 years.
iii. It also found that the level of gases like carbon dioxide, hydrogen and methane were
imbalance which provide an energy source to organisms.
iv. The tidal forces of Saturn appear to generate so much heat that it can melt the ice easily.
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Google launches Areo, a food delivery and home services app for India
Google has launched a new food delivery and home services App called Areo for the Indian
market.It allows user to order food or scheduled appointments with a local beautician, plumber,
and painter, cleaner.
i. It is currently operated in Bangalore and Mumbai.
ii. Google has signed up with local partners like Urban Clap for home services and Faasos, box8 and
Freshmenu for food services.
Prakash Javadekar launches own portal and mobile app of RUSA

On April 17, 2017, Union HRD Minister Mr. Prakash Javadekar launched a portal and a mobile
app of Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) in New Delhi. 12 State Education
Ministers, Department Secretaries and RUSA Nodal officers were also present on the launch
occasion.
He also released the Booklet Digital Launch of Projects; Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan
(RUSA)
RUSA portal will serve as one-stop access point for following information:
States Higher Education Plans
Archives (in the form of gallery) of the projects initiated under RUSA
Details of the resources under this scheme
Decision of the States Higher Education Councils
Total 17 RUSA projects were launched digitally on April 17, 2017.
Fund and Reform Tracker, a mobile application for LIVE monitoring of RUSA-funded projects
was also launched by Mr. Javadekar on April 17, 2017.
Gupshup launches bot-to-bot communication platform 'InterBot'

Leading bot platform Gupshup has announced the launch of InterBot, a first of its type platform
that enables bot-to-bot communication. Ability to communicate will give bots human-like
capabilities to transact, co-ordinate, compete, collaborate and negotiate with each other.
Mongolia launches its first satellite Mongol Sat-1

Mongolia has launched its first satellite Sat-1 Mongol on 19th April 2017.It is 1227 megahertz
satellite
i. Main aim is to make use of new technology to diversify its resource-dependent economy.
ii. The satellite was launched in partnership with Asia Broadcast Satellite (ABS).
Amazon launches Fire TV Stick in India

On `April 19,2017 Amazon.com Inc. launched its content-streaming Fire TV Stick in India.
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i. Amazon Fire TV vice-president Marc Whitten stated that India is the fifth market where
Amazon Fire TV Stick has been introduced after the US, the UK, Germany, and Japan.
ii. The Fire TV Stick runs a customized version of Android and has support for Android apps and
games.
iii. It is capable of 1080p video output and comes with the Alexa Voice Remote allowing you to
search for content using voice commands.
China launches first unmanned cargo spacecraft

China has launched its first unmanned Cargo Spacecraft named Tianzhou 1.
i. It is programmed to conduct scientific experiments after reaching Chinas second space station.
ii. Powered by a Long March-7 Y2 carrier rocket Tianzhou-1 roared into the air from the Wenchang
Space centre in the Southern Hainan province.
iii. The tube craft measures 10.6 metres in length.It can carry over six tonnes of cargo as well as
satellite.
iv. China aims to build up permanent space station by 2022.
Malaysia Airline has become the first to use new satellite-based real-time global aircraft
tracking
Aireon and Flight Aware announced that Malaysia Airlines will be the first SITAONAIR airline
customer to benefit from a revolutionary flight-tracking partnership.
i. On March 8, 2014 Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 had been disappeared from radar
somewhere above the Indian Ocean with 239 people.
ii. This service will have access to minute-by-minute, 100% global, flight-tracking data, delivered
by SITAONAIRs AIRCOM Flight Tracker.
Harayana launches mobile app Kilkari to create awareness among pregnant women
The National Health Mission (NHM) in Haryana has launched a mobile-based
application.The application Kilkari was launched during the concluding day of the 'State-level
Orientation Workshop'. It had begun at the State Institute of Health and Family Welfare.
i. It has been developed to create awareness among pregnant women, parents and health
workers.
ii. To deliver the importance of ante and post natal care, institutional delivery and immunization.
New types of blood cells "Dendritic cells" discovered

Team of scientists, including Indian origin researchers Rahul Satija from New York University
and Karthik Shekhar from Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard in the US, have identified new
types of blood cells in the human immune system.
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i. The cells are new types of white blood cells called dendritic cells and monocytes. They have
also discovered a new dendritic cell progenitor.
ii. Dendritic cells display molecules called antigens on their surfaces. These molecules are
recognised by T cells which then mount an immune response. Monocytes are the largest type of
white blood cell and can develop into macrophages that digest debris in our cells.
Northeast Indias largest IT hub opens in Tripura

Northeast Indias largest Information Technology (IT) hub has been inaugurated in Tripuras
capital city Agartala on April 24, 2017. It is the sixth IT hub in the Northeast region.
i. The IT hub was inaugurated by Manik Sarkar Chief Minister of Tripura, Tapan Chakraborty
- IT and Education Minister of Tripura and Omkar Rai - Director General of Software Technology
Parks of India (STPI).
ii. This IT hub has been set up at a cost of Rs. 50 crore and with the help of technical knowledge
shared by STPI, under the union Ministry of Electronic and Information Technology.
NASA's Super Pressure Balloon Takes Flight From NZ

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration(NASA) has successfully launched a super
pressure balloon to conduct near space scientific investigations.
i. It is the the fifth attempt and it was launched from South Island Wanaka Airport, New
Zealand.
ii. The balloon is 532,000 cubic metres.It aims to remain airborne for more than 100 days.
Chinas first home-built aircraft carries hit water

China has launched its first domestically built aircraft carrier on 26 April 2017. It helps in
transferring the ship from a dry dock into open water in Dalian, a port city in Chinas Liaoning
Province.
i. The launch ceremony was chaired by Fan Changlong, the Vice-Chairman of the powerful
Central Military Commission.
ii. While its length is 315 m, its width is 75 m and it has a cruising speed of about 31 knots and a
displacement of 70,000 tonnes.
iii. The carrier, temporarily named Type 001A.
IITM K develops soil management app for Coffee growers

Indian Institute of Information Technology and Management-Kerala (IIITM-K) has launched an
application named Kaapi Soil Health Management and Monitoring (Kshemam).
i. This app is developed to provide soil nutrient information and fertiliser recommendation for coffee
plantation owners.
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ii. Farmers by entering information like geographic coordinates or their administrative divisions can
check the soil property, nutrient status and fertiliser recommendations for their land.
ISRO develops Solar Calculator android app

ISRO has launched a solar calculator app that can calculate the benefits of installing solar panels in
different regions of the country.
i. This app has been created by the Space Application Center (SAC).
ii. At present this app can be downloaded from New and Renewable Energy section at sac.gov.in.
iii. It primarily focuses on the design of space-borne instruments for ISRO missions.
iv. An app can get the location details through GPS.The App determines solar energy potential (in
kWh/m2) at any given location.
Venkaiah Naidu launches MyMSME mobile ap

Union Minister for Urban Development, Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation M Venkaiah
Naidu launched MyMSME Mobile App on 27 April 2017
i. MyMSME was launched as a part of Digital India Initiative.Through this app MSMEs can lodge
grievances pertaining to Ministry of MSME.
ii. This mobile app has enabled the MSME Sector to accompany in the era of M-Governance (Mobile
Governance) from e-Governance.
iii. MyMSME mobile app provides information on all schemes implemented by the Ministry of MSME
at one place.
NASA's Cassini spacecraft successfully travels between Saturn and its rings
NASAs Cassini spacecraft completed its final close of Saturns moon Titan and has now started
its final set of 22 orbits before jumping into Saturn on September 15, 2017 and completed its 20-
year long journey.
i. Cassini has dived successfully through the space between Saturn and its rings.
ii. It will perform another 21 dives through the same gap and will send more detailed information
about Saturn and its rings.
Scientists create Artificial Womb

By using an artificial womb the extremely premature babies could be kept alive in future.
i. A plastic bag filled with artificial amniotic fluid the nutrient-rich liquid that sustains a foetus in
the womb will allowed foetal lambs to develop at an age equivalent to 23 weeks in humans.
ii.Inside the device, the infant's own heart circulates blood through the umbilical cord into an
external gas-exchange machine.
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vi. It takes the place of the mother's placenta, while synthetic amniotic fluid enriched with nutrients
flows in and out of the temperature-controlled, near-sterile biobag.
China-built world's largest amphibious aircraft finished first glide test

China carried out maiden glide test of its first amphibious aircraft AG600, the largest in the
world, in the southern Chinese city of Zhuhai.
i. It designed to be the world's largest amphibious aircraft, the 37-meter AG600, with a wingspan
of 38.8 meters.
ii. It has a maximum take-off weight of 53.5 tones.
iii. It can collect 12 tones of water in 20 seconds, and transport up to 370 tones of water on a
single tank of fuel.
India to launch South Asia Satellite, a priceless gift, on 5 May: PM Modi

On April 30th 2017,Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced South Asia Satellite will be
launched on May 5 and describing it as India's "priceless gift" to its neighbours as 'sabka sath,
sabka vikas' (cooperation of all, development for all) concept.
i. India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Afghanistan of seven out of
eight SAARC countries are part of this project where eighth SAARC country Pakistan has refused to
join this project.
ii. The benefits will be in the areas of mapping of natural resources, tele-medicine, education, IT
connectivity and people-to-people links.
DEFENCE
India Mongolia Military Exercise kicks off in Mizoram
India- Mongolia military exercise training has started at Vairengte in Mizoram. Mangolian
Army is represented by 9 officers and 36 soldiers of the elite 084 Special Forces Task Battalion
while Indian contingent comprises 3 officers 4 Junior Commissioned officers and 39 soldiers of
Jammu and Kashmir Rifles.
i. It is a 14 day exercise which continues till 18th of April
ii. Christened Exercise Nomadic Elephant- XIIaimed at training troops in operations like
counter-terrorism and counter insurgency.
US conducts successful field test of new B61-12 nuclear bomb

The National Nuclear security Administration (NNSA) and US Air force have conducted a test of a
modification of the B61 atomic bomb.
B61-12 bomb was tested without a nuclear warhead.
The Bomb was dropped from the F-16 fighter bomber on the Nellis test site, Nevada.
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ii. It was conducted to extend the B61s operational life by upgrading its nuclear and non- nuclear
components and to improve the reliability of its security systems.
iii. It was the first test of the B61-12 with the usage of the F-16.
Coast Guard decommissions ICGS Varad after 27 years

On April 28, 2017, Indian Coast Guard ship, ICGS Varad, the eight in the Vikram-class offshore
patrol vessel, was decommissioned at Chennai Port. ICGS Varad was in service for 27 years.
i. ICGS Varad was built by Goa Shipyard Ltd. Its Construction work was launched on September
2, 1989.
ii. It was formally commissioned on July 19, 1990 by the then Governor of Goa, Khurshid
Alam Khan.
Nepal and China to Conduct Sagarmatha Friendship

First ever Joint military exercise begin between Nepal and China named Sagarmatha
Frienship 2017 in Kathmandu
i. It will be conducted from 17th April to 23rd 2017. The exercise will be taking place at
the Maharajgunj based training school.
ii. Its mainly focus on combining terror activities and disaster management.
Joint Indian-French naval exercise 'Varuna' begins

The Indian Navy began a joint maritime exercise Varuna with the French Navy at
the Mediterranean Sea.
i. The exercise was begun on 24th April 2017 and will be ended on 30th April 2017.
ii. It aims at deepening combat coordination between the two navies.
iii. The ships are part of the Indian Navy's overseas deployment to the Mediterranean Seaand West
Coast of Africa.
iv. Guided missile destroyer INS Mumbai, stealth frigate INS Trishul and fleet tanker INS Aditya are
taking part in the Varuna exercise.
INS Chennai dedicated, Chennai to become hub of Naval activities

INS Chennai a P 15A Guided Missile Destroyer of Indian Navy was dedicated to the city of
Chennai on April 17, 2017.The ship has a complement of about 45 officers and 395 personnel.
i. The ship is under the command of Captain CR Praveen Nair.
ii. Ceremony includes Shri Edappadi K Palaniswami, Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Dr D
Karthikeyan IAS, Commissioner of Chennai and Vice Admiral HCS Bisht.
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Navy successfully tests land-attack BrahMos supersonic missile

The BrahMos supersonic cruise missile has successfully test fired. It is a land-attack version with an
extended range increased from 290 km to 450 km.
i. The missile was test fired from a Mobile Autonomous Launcher (MAL) from the Integrated Test
Range (ITR) at
ii. It is two-stage missile, the first one being solid and the second one ramjet liquid propellant.
iii. It is capable of carrying a warhead of 300 kilogram, both conventional and nuclear.
iv. It has top supersonic speed of Mach 2.It is a joint venture of India and Russia.
INS Darshak conducting joint survey of Sri Lankan bay
INS Darshak, the Indian Navy's hydrographic survey ship is on a two-month deployment in
the Sri Lankan waters since March 3, 2017.
i. Along with Sri Lankan Navy, it is jointly undertaking a hydrographic survey of Weligama
Bay which was last studied in 1901. Weligama Bay is located in Southern Province of Sri Lanka,
about 130 km south-east of the capital city Colombo.
ii. INS Darshak was commissioned on April 28, 2001 at Visakhapatnam under Eastern Naval
Command of Indian Navy.
IAF Inducts Su-30 MKI into Frontline 221 Squadron

Indian Air Force introduced its frontline Su-30 MKI fighter aircraft into the 221 Squadron,
Valiants, at its base in Punjab to enhancing the IAFs capabilities.
i. The induction of Sukhoi fighter jets at a frontline base close to the India-Pakistan border will act
as a force-multiplier for the defence forces.
ii. Su-30 MKI is a state-of-the-art all-weather multi-role fighter jet.
iii. It is capable of undertaking varied air combat and ground attack missions.
Joint operational doctrine for army, navy, air force unveiled

A "joint doctrine" envisaging deeper operational synergies among the army, navy and air force was
unveiled on April 25, 2017. The three defence services will now follow a unified approach to deal
with all possible security challenges including conventional and proxy wars.
Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba, the Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC)
released the document in presence of Army Chief Gen. Bipin Rawat and IAF Chief B S
Dhanoa. This document is the second edition. First edition was released eight years ago.
Key Aspects of Joint Doctrine:
Transnational threats, "proxy war" in Jammu and Kashmir and left-wing extremism in
various parts of the countryhave been listed as primary security threats for India.
"Surgical Strikes" has been considered as an important option to counter terrorism.
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Joint training of personnel, unified command and control structure and tri-service
approach for modernisation of the three forces has been proposed.
A broad framework of concepts and principles will be established for joint planning and
conduct of operations across all the domains viz. land, air, sea, space and cyber-space.
Deterrent capabilities will be enhanced to safeguard Indias strategic interests along the
Northern, Western and Eastern borders including the Line of Control (LoC) and Line
of Actual Control (LAC).
Steps initiated for establishment of the 'Defence Cyber Agency', 'Defence Space
Agency' and 'Special Operations Division' have also been mentioned in the doctrine.
During war, doctrine has directed land, air and naval commandersto jointly formulate
orchestrate and implement war plans.
India successfully test-fires Agni-III ballistic missile

India has successfully test-fired 3000 kilometre range Agni-III ballistic missile on 27
April 2017. It has launched from Abdul Kalam Island off Odisha coast.
i. The test was carried by the Strategic Forces Command with logistics support from Defence
Research Development Organisation (DRDO).
ii. The test was aimed at re-establishing the operational effectiveness of the weapon system..
iv. This Surface-to-Surface nuclear capable intermediate-range ballistic missile can hit targets in
the range of around 3000 km.
v. It can carry a warhead of 1.5 tonne which is protected by carbon all composite heat shield.
ENVIRONMENT
Clean Environment with the help of Fungus that eats plastic

i. Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences have identified a soil fungus which uses
enzymes to rapidly break down plastic materials. The research was published in the journal
called Environmental Pollution.
ii. Aspergillus tubingensis is a fungus, which ordinarily lives in the soil. In laboratory trials, the
researchers found that it also grows on the surface of plastics.
iii.The fungus secretes enzymes onto the surface of the plastic, and these break the chemical
bonds between the plastic molecules.
iv. The research team also found that, the plastic-eating fungus was found in a rubbish tip
in Islamabad, Pakistan.
New tree-living crab species found in Kerala

i. The new tree-living species named Kani maranjandu has been found by Scientists
from University of Kerala in Kerala. It was stated in the Journal of Crustacean Biology.
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ii. Crab has hard upper shell, it has reproductive parts and diagnostic elongated walking legs
iii. For the first time, report showed a record of tree living crab species .While sightings of a long
legged tree crabs in Westerns Ghats was mentioned in 2014 survey of the freshwater crab fauna
iv. The Kani tribesmen of Kerala have helped to identify female and male specimen.
North India to gets India's first wildlife DNA bank

India's first DNA bank for wild animals will be setup by the Indian Veterinary Research Institute
(IVRI) at Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh.It was informed by R K Sharma,director of IVRI.
i. IVRI scientists are collecting DNA samples and serum of all wild animals for DNA bank.
ii. Now it has nearly 140 samples of 25 wild animals. Once the bank has start it's functioning then
it will be able to tell the name and schedule of the species from a part of the meat, hair, blood, skin
or bone of any animal.
Wildlife trafficking threatens 30% world natural Heritage Sites: WWF

As per a report titled `Not For Sale`, published by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF),
nearly 30% of World Heritage Sites are plagued by poaching, illegal logging and fishing. Owing
to these activities, endangered species within these sites have been pushed to the brink of
extinction and the livelihood of local people has been threatened.
Important Highlights of the Report:
The report has drawn attention to the disturbing trend in illegal trafficking for international trade
of CITES-listed species procured from ecologically sensitive places including natural World Heritage
Sites in India.
Species such as Snow Leopards, Elephants, Rhinos and Jaguars are on the hit list of
poachers. These species are mainly found in various World Heritage Sites across the
world.
The report has listed seven sites in India where illegal activities are carried out and have
been targeted towards rarest of rare species like snow leopards and pangolins. These
seven sites are: Great Himalayan National Park, Nanda Devi National Park,
Keoladeo National Park, Manas Wildlife Sanctuary, Kaziranga National Park, Western
Ghats and the recently added Khangchendzonga National Park.
The report pointed out that illegal harvesting of wildlife species at World Heritage Sites
was the key factor responsible for 60% drop in global wildlife population from 1970
to 2012.
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Moreover, these activities also tamper the natural ecosystem and create imbalances
which may have serious consequences.
Almost 90% of the World Heritage Sites are tourism destinations. If the wildlife species
within these sites which are the key attraction become extinct, it will result in loss of jobs
in tourism industry.
Newly discovered exoplanet LHS 1140b could host alien life

A temperate rocky 'Super-Earth' planet has been discovered.Temperate planet known as LHS
1140b is 39 light years from Earth.
Major Points:
i. The planet is around 1.4 times the size of Earth but is more than seven times heavier.
ii. It is probably made of rock with a dense iron core.Its temperature and chances of surface water
make it a prime candidate for life.
iii. The newly discovered super-Earth LHS 1140b orbits in the habitable zone around a faint red
dwarf star, named LHS 1140, in the constellation of Cetus.
Wax worm caterpillar (Galleria mellonella) will eat plastic shopping bags
Scientist Federica Bertocchini and his colleagues of the Institute of Biomedicine and Biotechnology
of Cantabria in Spain have found that a caterpillar commercially bred for fishing bait has the ability
to biodegrade polyethylene
i. They have discovered that the larva called Galleria mellonella, can able to biodegrade one of
the toughest, most resilient, and most used plastics known as polyethylene.
ii. Around a hundred wax worms were exposed to a plastic bag from a UK supermarket. Holes
started to appear after just 40 minutes.
iii. After 12 hours, there was a reduction in plastic mass of 92mg from the bag. In previous
discoveries bacteria can biodegrade some plastics just at a rate of just 13mg a day.
Iceball Planet Discovered Through Microlensing

NASA scientists have discovered a new planet- OGLE-2016-BLG-1195lb- that has the same
mass as Earth and orbits its star from the same distance as Earth orbits the sun.
Key Notes:
i. The newly discovered planet is nearly 13,000 light-years away and orbits a small star.
ii. According to scientists the planet is likely to be too cold to sustain life, as its star is so faint.
iii. The planet, called as iceball due to its probable cold state, is the lowest-mass planet ever
found through microlensing.
iv. It would help scientists figure out the distribution of planets in Milky Way.
v. This discovery was made through the Korea Microlensing Telescope Network (KMTNet),
which is operated by both the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute and Spitzer.
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70 million year old Dinosaur egg fossils discovered in China

Scientists have unearthed five ancient dinosaur egg fossils in China dating back to 70 million
years.
i. The shells, discovered near Foshan in the southeast part China, were found at a depth of about
eight metres, preserved in red sandstone.
ii. According to QiuLicheng from Guangdongs Archaeological Institute in China Scientists have
founded five eggs: three were destroyed, but they are still visible.
SPORTS
Grant Elliott announces Retirement from International cricket
i. New Zealand all-rounder Grant Elliott has confirmed his retirement from international cricket on
March 30, 2017. He will retire from cricket after playing his last T20 series against England.
ii. He registered is retirement officially after receiving a special presentation alongside with Nathan
McCullum.
iii. After retirement, Grant Elliott will join New Zealand internationals Colin de Grandhomme and
Jeetan Patel at the Birmingham Bears after signing a Kolpak deal.
Three world records held by Jepkosgei at Prague Half Marathon

Joyciline Jepkosgei of Kenya broke three world records by winning the Prague Half Marathon
in Czech Republic on April 1, 2017. Defending champion Violah Jepchumba and Fancy
Chemutai, both from Kenya finished 2nd and 3rd respectively.
In mens race, Tamirat Tola of Ethiopia won the race in 59:37. Kenyans Josphat Tanui and
Geoffrey Yegon were 2nd and 3rd respectively.
Records broken by Joyciline Jepkosgei
i. Joyciline Jepkosgei passed 10 km mark at 30:05 breaking previous record of 30:21 set by Paula
Radcliffe in 2003.
ii. She crossed 15 km mark at 45:37 which surpassed the world record of 46:14 set by Florence
Kiplagat in 2015.
Miami Open 2017 - An Overview

The 33rd edition of 2017 Miami Open presented by Ita was a professional men and women's
tennis tournament being played on outdoor hard courts which took place from March 20, 2017 to
April 2, 2017. All men and women events took place at the Tennis Center at Crandon Park,
Florida in USA.
CATEGORY WINNERs RUNNERs
Mens single Roger Federer(Switzerland) Rafael Nadal (Spain)
Womens single Johanna Konta (Great Britain) Caroline Wozniacki
(Denmark)
Mens doubles ukasz Kubot (Poland)/ Marcelo Nicholas Monroe (USA)/Jack
Melo (Brazil) Sock (USA)
Womens doubles Gabriela Dabrowski (Canada) Sania Mirza (India)/Barbora
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/Xu Yifan (china) Strcov (Czech Republic)

Womens singles champion of India Super Series tournament won by P V Sindhu
i. Rio Olympics silver medalist P V Sindhu won championship in India Super Series tournament on
April 2, 2017.
ii. She defeated the Olympic champion Carolina Marin from Spain in straight sets 21-19, 21-16.
iii. The game took place at Siri Fort Indoor Stadium, New Delhi. This was her 2nd Super-series title
win.
iv. The mens championship title was won by Viktor Axelsen from Denmark. He defeated Chou
Tien-Chen from Taiwan.
Mashrafe Mortaza announces retirement from T20Is

Mashrafe Mortaza(33) who led the Bangladesh international cricket team for One day
and Twenty20 international matches has announced retirement from T20Is in Colombo
He played his last T20I series against Sri Lanka on April 6, 2017 at R Premdasa stadium,
Colombo.
Virat Kohli named Wisden's Leading Cricketer in the World for 2016
A right handed Indian international cricketer Virat Kolhi(28) was named as the Leading
Cricketer in the World for the year 2016 by Wisden India Almanack
Kohli also features on the cover of the 2017 edition of the Wisden Cricketers Almanack
He became the third Indian cricketer to receive this honour after Virender Sehwag and Sachin
Tendulkar
Wisden Cricketers Almanack honours:
i. Leading Cricketer in the World: Virat Kohli
ii. Leading Woman Cricketer in the World: Ellyse Perry
iii. Cricketers of the Year: Misbah-ul-Haq, Younis Khan, Ben Duckett, Toby Roland-Jones, Chris
Woakes.
India rises to 101 in FIFA rankings, best-ever in two decades

i. After two decades, the Indian football team has risen to 101st from 132nd in the latest
FIFArankings which was released on April 6, 2017. Brazil retained its Rank Country
1 Brazil
top position. 2 Argentina
3 Germany
ii. Indian team also ranked 11th in Asia and the list is topped by
4 Chile
Iran which has placed 28th position in overall ranking. 5 Colombia
iii. It was achieved after the team has had 11 victories in 13 matches
PV Sindhu reaches career-best World No.2 ranking

The 21-year-old from Hyderabad became the second Indian woman after Saina Nehwal to smash
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into the top-five of the world rankings by earning 75759 points.

i. Rio Olympics silver medallist P V Sindhu achieves a career-best world number two ranking in
the latest Badminton World Federation (BWF) rankings list.
ii. Badminton World Federation rankings as Chinese Taipeis Tai Tzu Ying stayed at first position
while Sindhu moved up three places to become second.
iii. Sindhu had bagged the India Open title after defeating Carolina Marin of Spain in the
summit clash, but lost in the opening round of the ongoing Malaysia Open Super Series in Kuching.
NBA Launches India's first Basketball School In Mumbai

US based National Basketball Association (NBA) has launched its first basketball school
in Mumbai, India on April 7, 2017.More schools will be opened in India and around the world in
this year.
i. The school was opened as part of a multi-year agreement with India On Track (IOT).
ii. It is a network of tuition-based basketball development programmes to train the international
male and female players ages 6-18.
iii. The school's syllabus has been framed by the NBA's Elite Basketball Development team with
current and former NBA coaches, former NBA players, and player development experts
RCB, Nazara tie up to launch online cricket game

The IPL team owned by Royal Challengers Sports Private Ltd, Royal Challengers Bangalore(RCB)
joined hands with the gaming entity Nazara Games have announced the launch of online cricket
game named RCB Star Cricket on April 7, 2017
i. RCB Star Cricket game become the first cricket franchise to have a game off the field and on
the screen for 3 to 6 months
Boxer Shyam Kumar wins gold at Thailand International

India has finished the Thailand International Tournament with two medals includes 1 gold medal
and 1 bronze medal in Bangkok on April 8, 2017.
i. Indian boxer K Shyam Kumar (49kg) won a gold medal for the second time in
Thailand International Tournament.
ii. Kumar faced the Olympic champion Hasanboy Dusmatov from Uzbekistan in the men's Light
Flyweight (49kg) final.
iii. In 64kg category, Rohit Tokas has cliched a bronze medal after he lost in the semi-finals
Pakistan's Younis Khan to retire after West Indies Tests

Former captain of the Pakistan cricket team Younis Khan(39) has announced to retire
from international cricket matches after the 2017 test series against West Indies which will
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be ending on May 14 in Jamaica

i. Khan become the second Pakistani cricketer to announced his retirement after Misbah-ul-Haq in
the same month.
ii. Under his capitancy, Pakistan cricket team won the World Twenty20 title in 2009
iii. He became the first player in the history of Test cricket to score centuries in 11 countries
India win 12 medals at Asian Youth Chess Ch'ship

Indian team stood top at the Asian Youth Chess Championship in Tashkent,
Uzbekistan. They elevated our country with 12 medals, including four gold medals.
List of Indian gold medalist
1.Aakanksha Hagawane (Under-18 Girls),
2.Erigaisi Arjun (Under-14 Open),
3.Jishitha D (Under-14 Girls) and Sahithi Varshini M (Under-10 Girls).
List of Indian silver medalist
1.Sai Vishwesh C (Under-18 Open),
2.Jyothsna L (Under-14 Girls), Rakshitta Ravi (Under-12 Girls),
3.B Savitha Shri B (Under-10 Girls) and A R Ilamparathi (Under-8 Open).
List of Indian Bronze medalists
1.Rohith Krishna S (under-12 Open),
2.Divya Deshmukh (Under-12 Girls) and Tanmay Jain (Under-10 Open)
India topped the medal tally with 12 medals followed by Uzbekistan (10).
Lewis Hamilton wins Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix for Mercedes

Lewis Hamilton and his Mercedes team bounced back from defeat against Ferrari's Sebastian
Vettel in Australia, the German failing to present a major challenge this time.
i. Lewis Hamilton has picked title against Sebastian Vettel at the top of the Formula
One championship in China.
Indian Olympic Association grants affiliation to Boxing Federation of India

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has granted affiliation to the Boxing Federation of India
(BFI), a long-standing tie made between the two bodies.
i. The IOA stated in a letter to BFI President Ajay Singh , as per the directives of the
International Olympic Committee vide their letter dated February 7, the IOA grants affiliation to the
BFI subject to ratification by the Executive Council/General Body of the IOA.
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ii. Now the BFI becomes fully recognized one for Indian boxing, having already been granted
affiliation by International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA) and the Sports Ministry.
2017 Malaysia Super Series Premier Overview

The 2017 Malaysia Super Series Premier was the third super series tournament of the 2017 BWF
Super Series. The tournament was held in Kuching , Malaysia.
CATEGORY WINNERS RUNNERS
Mens Singles Lin Dan Lee Chong Wei
Womens Singles Tai Tzu-Ying Carolin Marin
Mens Doubles Marcus Fernaldi Gideon & Kevin Fu Haifeng & Zheng Siwei
Sanjaya Sukamuljo
Womens Doubles Yuki Fukushima & Sayaka hirota Huang Yaqiong & Tang
Jinhua
Mixed Doubles Zheng Siwel & Chen Qingchen Lu Kai & Huang Yaqiong
Marouane Fellaini becomes the first muslim player to captain Manchester United
Marouane Fellaini becomes the first Muslim to captain Manchester United. He is the worlds
most expensive player.
i. MarouaneFellaini is a Belgian professional football player who plays as a midfielder for Premier
League Club Manchester United and the Belgium national team.
ii. He is the first muslim captain of the Red Devils Squad.
US,Canada and Mexico to launch joint World Cup 2026 bid

The US, Mexico and Canada finally announced the details for a joint bid for the 2026 World Cup.
It would be the first World cup hosted by three nations and the first jointly hosted World Cup..
India school team beat Malaysia to lift Asian School Hockey Championship
The Indian School team beat Malaysia 5-1 to lift the title at the Fifth Asian School Hockey
Championship in Bhopal at the Aishbagh Stadium.
i. Indian Alishan Mohammad scored 2 goals and converted a penalty corner and a penalty stoke
in the goal.
ii. Indias lead to an impressive 3-0 and Alishan Mohammad played a very well in championship.
Pankaj Advani beats Sourav Kothari to win Asian Billiards Championship title
Pankaj Advani has won his 7th Title by defeating Sourav Kothari in the Asian Billiads
Championship.
i. PankajA dvani is the 16th time world champion.
ii. Advani defeated Sourav Kothari by 6-3 in the finals.
iii. It was held in Chandigarh from 8th April to 14th
Sai Praneeth Wins Singapore Open badminton

Sai Praneeth has won the Mens Single at Singapore Open Badminton championship. Srikanth is
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the first Indian to won a Superseries title after defeating K Srikanth in Singapore
i. For the first time in history of the game the two Indians will clash for the title in Super Series
Sebastian Vettel beats Lewis Hamilton in Baharain Grand Prix

Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari) won a Baharain Grand Prix by defeating Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes).It
was held at Baharain International circuit Baharain.
i. Sebastian Vettel gives 7 point lead over Hamilton in the championship.
ii. It was Sebastian 3rd victory in Bahrain and the 44th of his career.
iii. Sebastian Vettel belongs from Germany.
Pullela Gopichands daughter Gayatri wins twin crown in Jakarta

Pullela Gopichand a National Badminton coach daughter has won both single and double crown
at the Pembangunan Jaya Raya Junior Grand Prix in Jakarta on 16th of April, 2017
i. Gayatri teamed up with Samiya in doubles title and win over Indonesian players of Kelly Larissa
and Shelandry Vyola.
ii. Gayatri and Samiya both trained at the Pullela Gopichand Academy Hyderabad.
iii. She has won Under-15 doubles title.
Gayle becomes first cricketer to score 10,000 runs in T20

Chris Gayle became the first cricketer to score 10,000 runs in T20 cricket. He accomplished this
feat while playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore against Gujarat Lions in an Indian Premier
League (IPL), 2017 match.
Visually impaired Indian runner Sagar Baheti completes historic Boston Marathon
Indias Sagar Baheti on 17 April 2017 became the first visually impaired Indian runner to complete
the historic Boston Marathon.
i. Baheti completed a distance of 42.16 kilometres in just over four hours.
ii. The 31-year old runner finished the 121st Boston Marathon as one of 30000 runners.
ICC names Ganguly, Ponting as commentators for upcoming Champions Trophy

International Cricket Council (ICC) has named former Indian Cricket Team Captain, Sourav
Ganguly and former Australian Cricket Team Captain, Ricky Ponting as commentators for the
upcoming Champions Trophy, scheduled to be held in England from 1-8 June 2017.
i. Some of the other former captains in the commentator line-up include Brendon McCullum of New
Zealand, Kumar Sangakkara of Sri Lanka and Graeme Smith of South Africa.
ii. This tournament will see a state-of-the-art coverage through 34 cameras at every game,
including eight ultra-motion Hawk-Eye cameras, front and reverse view stump cameras and a
Spidercam.
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Five Indian shuttlers upgraded in latest BWF rankings

Five Indian Badminton players have been upgraded in the latest BWF rankings released on April 20,
2017.
i. PV Sindhu: Moved to number 3 position. Last week she was at number 5 position.
ii. Saina Nehwal: Ranked at number 8 position. Last week she was at number 9 position.
iii. Ajay Jayaram: Moved to 13th position. He is the highest ranked Indian in mens singles
category.
iv. Kidambi Srikanth: Moved to 21st position. Earlier he was at 29th position.
v. Sai Praneeth: Moved to 22nd position. Earlier he was at 30th position.
2022 Asian games to have video gaming as full sport

Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) has launched a new feature called Video gaming as a full sport at
the 2022 Asian Games which is scheduled to be held in Hangzhou, China from September 10 to
September 25, 2022.
i. OCA has entered into collaboration with Alisports, a unit of Chinas Alibaba Group.
ii. Main aim of launching this video is to bring the rapid development and popularity of this new
form of sports participation among the youth.
iii. E-sports has been introduced as a medal sport to the official program of the Asian Games at
Hangzhou, China
Cricket and Sambo removed from 2018 Asian Games

Cricket, Skateboarding, Sambo and Surfing are among the sports which have been removed
from the 2018 Asian Games to be held in Jakarta and Palembang in Indonesia. The decision
has been taken to reduce the organisational burden on Indonesian authorities.
i. Besides, kurash and belt wrestling have been altogether omitted. Competitions in ju jitsu, jet
ski, sport climbing, paragliding, bridge and wushu have been reduced.
ii. Total number of events has been reduced from 493 to 431.
Former Ranji cricketer Tushar Arothe appointed India women coach

Former Ranji cricketer Tushar Arothe has been appointed as the coach of the Indian
womens cricket team.:
i. Arothe has been appointed till the World Cup in June-July.
ii. Womens World Cup of 2017 will be held in England and Wales.
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Nadal wins Mens Singles and Bopanna and Cuevas Lift mens doubles in the Monte Carlo
Masters
Rafael Nadal has won the Mens Singles title of Monte Carlo Masters Tennis tournament on
April 23, 2017. He defeated Albert Vinolas in Monaco.
Category Winner Runner Up
Mens Single Rafael Nadal Albert Vinolas
Mens Double RohanBopanna Pablo Arneodo and Hugo Nys
Cuevas
Haryana Champion in National Youth Athletics

Haryana beats Kerala at the National Youth Athletics Meet at Hyderabad Kerala was at the
top place for the last five years but now Haryana emerged champions with 166.5 points.
i. The National youth athletics championships were held at the GMC Balayogi Athletics Stadium,
Gachibowli.
ii. It was held from April 21 to 23.The meet saw the participation of about 505 athletes.
iii. RohitY adav improved his personal best in javelin throw and has a set a new meet record.
101-year-old wins sprinting gold medal at the World Masters Games in Auckland
101-year-old Man Kaur has won Gold Medal for 100 metres sprint at the World Masters
Games in Auckland on April 24, 2017. Including this, she has won 17 Gold Medals so far.
i. Man Kaur took up athletics eight years ago, at the age of 93.
ii. She had no prior sporting experience. Her son Gurdev Singh suggested that she should join
him in competing on the international masters games circuit. After a medical check-up, she was
declared fit for the athletics.
MCC offers honorary life membership to Sandhya Agarwal

Sandhya Agarwal, former captain of the Indian womens Test Cricket team has been offered
honourary life membership of Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) in recognition of her
distinguished service to the game.
i. She is the current chairperson of girls U-19 and senior womens team of Madhya Pradesh Cricket
Association (MPCA)..
Shot putter Manpreet wins gold at Asian Grand Prix, qualifies for World Championships
Indian shot putter Manpreet Kaur has clinched gold in the Asian Grand Prix Athletics Meet.
It was held in Jinhua, China.
i. Manpreet came up with the best throw of 18.86 meter. She had broken her earlier record of 2015
which is record of 17.96 meters.
ii. Manpreet also qualified for the IAAF World Championships to be held in August 2017
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in London.
iii. India ended the one-day event with seven medals - 1Gold, 4 Silver and 2 Bronze.
India wins 16 medals at US Open Karate Championship

India has won 16 medals at US Open karate Championship and grabbed 3 gold 2 silver and 11
bronze medals.
The US Open Karate Championship was held in Las Vegas.It was held from April 12 to April 16.
i. India also won a gold medal in the team event.
ii. Shaifali Agarwal, Abhishek Sengupta won a gold medal, silver in two different individual events.
iii. The Indian team was led by Sensei Yashpal Singh Kalsi and Members of the Indian contingent
Abhishek Sengupta, Rantej Singh, Harcharan Singh Chowhan and Shaifali Agarwal were trained
under Sensei Kalsi.
iv. Sensei Yashpal Singh Kalsi is a world renowed martial artist from Gurgaon.
Pankaj Advani wins silver in Asian Snooker Championship

On April 28, 2017, Indian professional snooker player Pankaj Advani, won silver at the Asian
Snooker Championship at Doha, Qatar. He lost the finals to China's Lv Haotian by 3-6.
Gul Panag first Indian woman to drive Formula E racing car at a racetrack
Actress Gul Panag has become the first Indian woman to drive a Formula E racing car. She
drove the M4Electro at the Circuit de Calafat in Catalonia,Spain. The M4Electro is
a Mahindra fourth generation Formula E race car.
i. Before driving a race car on track, Gul Panag trained on a simulator with Felix Rosenqvist -
Mahindra Racing Formula E Team driver, at Mahindra Racings Development Centre in Barcelona.
ii. It is to be noted that Gul Panag owns a Mahindra's e2oPlus electric car, which runs on a 210 AH
lithium ion motor.
Jehan Daruvala becomes 1st Indian to take pole in FIA F3 European Championship
18-year-old racing driver Jehan Daruvala became the first Indian to take pole in the FIA F3
European series, securing the top spot on the starting grid for Race 1 of the second round of the
championship in Monza, Italy.
i. However, he was unable to translate this advantage into a race victory, and finished at second
place, behind his Carlin Racing teammate Lando Norris of the UK.
ii. Earlier, in February 2017, Jehan Daruvala won 2017 New Zealand Grand Prix and thereby
became first India to win a Grand Prix in motorsport.
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OBITUARY
Ajey Jhankar The Noted Scriptwriter passed away
i. Ajey Jhankar, the noted author and filmmaker passed away on April 3, 2017. He was born on
September 1, 1959 in Pune.
ii. He served as a Director of MM Activ Sci-Tech Communications Pvt. Ltd from January
2000.He was the writer of Marathi novel "Sarkarnama".
iii. In 1998, Jhankar produced the Marathi movie in the name Sarkarnama relating it to his novel.
Film-fare Award, 1998, Screen Award, 1998 and Maharashtra State Film Award, 1998.
Pop art pioneer James Rosenquist dies at 83

i. Artist James Rosenquist who well known for his pop art movement works, has died in New
York, USA . He was 83.
ii. In 1960s, Rosenquist has worked with Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein developed a powerful
graphic style.
iii. His best-known work is "F-111," which was made in 1964 and 1965 in part as a protest
against American militarism.
iv. His life and career history was entitled as an autobiography 'Painting Below Zero: Notes on
a Life in Art'
Kishori Amonkar a Hindustani classical vocalist passed away

i. Classical singer Kishori Amonkar passed away at the age of 84 at her house in Mumbai on April
3, 2017.
ii. Beside a singer, Amonkar was also a popular speaker and traveled throughout India giving
lectures, most notably on the theory of rasa in music.
iii. Amonkar received Padma Bhushan in 1987 and Padma Vibhushan in 2002.
iv. In 2010, she became a fellow of the Sangeet Natak Academy, the national academy of music,
arts, and dance. She also received Sangeet Natak Academy award in that year
Gilbert Baker The LGBT rainbow flag creator passed away

i. Gilbert Baker, a gay rights activist and the creator of the iconic Rainbow Flag passed away on
April 4, 2017.
ii. Baker was born on June 2, 1951 in Kansas, USA. He was a part of a gay rights community in San
Francisco in 1970.He had also served for the U.S Army for two years.
iii. Baker was well-known for being the first openly gay man to hold public office in USA.
iv. The rainbow flag debuted at the Gay Freedom Day Parade on June 25, 1978 in San Francisco.
It was designed for the movie named Milk.
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Comedian Don Rickles dead at 90

Legendary comedian Don Rickles has passed away in USA on April 6, 2017. He was 90.
i. Rickles earned the nickname "Mr. Warmth" because of his insult comedy
ii. He landed a small part in Robert Wise's submarine drama "Run Silent, Run Deep" (1958),
starring Clark Gable. In 1960, he was cast in "The Rat Race" with Tony Curtis and Debbie Reynolds.
iii. He also appeared in films such as "Kelly's Heroes" (1970), "Pajama Party" (1964), "Beach
Blanket Bingo" (1965) and Martin Scorsese's "Casino" (1995).
iv. He had two series titled "The Don Rickles Show".
Roland founder and music pioneer Ikutaro Kakehashi dies aged 87

The founder of the iconic electronic musical instrument manufacturer Roland, Ikutaro
Kakehashi died in Japan. He was 87.
i. Kakehashi is also the godfather of Musical Instrument Digital Interface(MIDI) which was
developed by Kakehashi with Dave Smith.
ii. He received the Technical Grammy Award with Smith for MIDI in 2013
iii. His iconic TR-808 was launched in 1980,he also launched TR-909.
Spains First Female Defence Minister Carme Chacon Dies

Carme Chacon Spains first female defence minister and she was a prominent socialist party
leader has died at the age of 46.
i. Chacon who was from Barcelona was a defence minister from 2008 to 2011 under PM Jose Luis
Rodriguez Zapatero.
ii. Before taking charge of the Defense Ministry she had previously been minister of housing and a
national law
Ex-Union minister and Badminton Association of India chief Akhilesh Das Gupta dies at
56
i. Former Union minister and Congress leader Akhilesh Das Gupta, 56 died due to cardiac arrest
in Lucknow.
ii. Fifty-six-year-old Gupta, the son of former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Banarasi Das Gupta, was
a former national level badminton player.
iii. He was a three-time Rajya Sabha member and the minister of steel in the Manmohan Singh
government between 2004 and 2009.
Veteran Malayalam actor Munshi Venu passes away

Veteran Malayalam actor Munshi Venu, who was popular in the industry for playing supporting
roles, passed away on April 13, 2017 at Chalakudy, Thrissur.
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i. The 63-year old actor was suffering from Kidney failure and was undergoing treatment for the
same. Venu aka Venu Narayanan is a native of Trivandrum.
ii. Debut: He made his debut through Director Kamal's comedy drama Pachakuthira and later was
part of many big-budget films.
iii. Achievements: Venu has acted in 75 Malayalam Films. He will be remembered for his comic
roles, especially for his role of a toothless Panchayat member in Asianet News' 'Munshi', a socio-
political satire.
Pioneering Canadian HIV/AIDS researcher Mark Wainberg passes away

Mark Wainberg a Canadian HIV/AIDS researcher has passed away.
i. He helped the worlds to understand of HIV/AIDS at a scientific, medical and political level.He was
also a director of McGills University AIDS centre.
ii. He was a former President of AIDS Society.He identified 3TC (Lamivudine) through which
effective treatments could be done for HIV people.
Former J&K Governor Girish 'Gary' Saxena Dies

Former Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Girish Chandra Saxena, lovingly called Gary, passed
away on April 14, 2017 after a brief illness. Garry was 90. He is survived by his wife and two
daughters.
i. He was the Director of Research & Analysis Wing (RAW) between 1983-86
ii. After his retirement from the RAW in 1986, Saxena served as an advisor to the then Prime
Minister Rajiv Gandhi till January 1988
iii. He took charge as the Jammu and Kashmir Governor for the first time on May 26, 1990 and
continued in the post till March 13, 1993. He was re-appointed in 1998.
Computer pioneer Robert W. Taylor dies at 85 in California

American computer scientist Robert W. Taylor, who is regarded as a pioneer in internet and
modern personal computer, passed away on April 13, 2017 in California, US. He was 85 and was
suffering from Parkinsons disease.
Robert W. Taylors Contribution in Development of Modern Computer Technology:
In 1961, Robert Taylor was a project manager for National Aeronautics and Space Administration
(NASA). At this time he directed funding to Douglas Engelbart at the Stanford Research Institute,
who is credited with the development of the modern computer mouse.
In 1966, when Taylor worked for the Pentagon, he oversaw the creation of ARPANET
(single computer communications network), which connected researchers across the US
and later evolved into the internet.
Thereafter, he went on to work at the Xerox Corp.'s PARC (Palo Alto Research Center). At
PARC, he led a team that helped create a pioneering personal computer named Alto,
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which provided an individual workstation to each researcher and substituted the need for
sharing time on a room-sized mainframe.
Ethernet and a text processing program that eventually became Microsoft Word were
also developed by inputs from Taylor's engineering team.
AltaVista, which is regarded as one of the first internet search engines was a creation of
Systems Research Center in Palo Alto run by Taylor in 1990s for Digital Equipment
Corporation.
Italian Emma Morano last known survivor of 19th Century dies

Emma Morano who is an Italian woman and the last survivor of the 19th Century died at the age
of 117.
i. Emma was born on 29th 1899 in northern Italy.
ii. According to Gerontology Research Group (GRG) the oldest person after Morano is Violet Brown
a Jamaican woman who turned 117 on March 10 the crown of the worlds oldest human being.
iii. Her secret of long life is to eat 2 raw eggs every day.
iv. She lived through 2 world wars, the Great depression, 10 pontiffs, and 90 separate Italian
governments.
Former Bihar minister Narsingh Baitha is dead

Former Bihar Minister Narsingh Baitha died in Patna after prolonged illness. He was 100 years
old and is survived by a son and five daughters. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has announced
that his cremation would take place with state honour.
i. Baitha was elected MLA for three times from Bagha reserved seat since 1962.
ii. Later, he represented Sikarpur reserved seat in West Champaran in the state Legislative
Assembly in 1985.
iii. He was minister in Congress government headed by Daroga Prasad Rai and Jagannath
Mishra.
Guitar Pioneer Allan Holdsworth dies at 70

The rock and Jazz fusion guitar pioneer Allan Holdsworth has died at the age of 70 in USA
i. Holdsworths 11th and most recent studio album was 2001s Flat Tire: Music for a Non-
Existent Movie. In 2009 he released the live album Blues for Tony a tribute to drummer.
ii. He first appeared on a record in 1969 and released his sole album with the Igginbottom's
Wrench in 1969.
iii. He was working on a new solo album at the time of his death.
Former Andhra Pradesh minister Devineni Rajashekhar passes away

Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader Devineni Nehru and former Andhra Pradesh minister had died.
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i. Nehru began his political career as a student union leader and founded the United Students
Organisation.
ii. He served as the minister in N.T. Rama Rao's cabinet from 1994 to 1996.
iii. He was made the Education Minister in the NTR Cabinet in 1994.
iv. He won the state elections in 1985, 1989 and 1994 as a TDP candidate from Kankipadu
constituency in Krishna district.
v. He was elected to Andhra Pradesh assembly from Kankipadu in 1983 and retained the seat in
1985, 1989 and 1994.
Top Maoist Leader Narayan Sanyal Passes Away

A top maoist leader Narayan Sanyal has passed away on April 18, 2017.He played a key role in
mergers of Naxalite factions.
i. Sanyal was known for his keen interest in football.
ii. He was born in Born in an affluent family in undivided Bengals Bogra district.
iii. He was the Polit Bureau member of the CPI (Maoist).
Mason dead in Jamaica motorbike crash

Germaine Mason has died at the age of 34. He is a British Olympic silver medallist.
i. Mason finished second in the high jump at the 2008 games in Beijing.
ii. He was killed in a motorcycle crash on the Norman Manley highway in Jamaica.He is a British
high-jumper.
iii. He fell off from his bike on the Norman Manley highway in East Kingston and died.
NC leader Ali Mohammad Naik passes away

Ali Mohammad Naika Senior National Conference (NC) leader and former speaker of Jammu
and Kashmir Legislative Assembly passed away.
i. He had served as general secretary of Plebiscite Front under NC founder and former chief
minister Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah
ii. Naik, a resident of Tral in south Kashmirs Pulwama district, was suffering from chest disease. He
was 87.
Vinod Khanna passes away at 70

Vinod Khanna a Bollywood actor and politician was expired at the age of 70.
i. In 1999, he received the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award.
153 | P a g e
ii. He was born on 6 October 1946, Khanna has featured 146 films.
iii. His famous films are Mere Apne, Insaaf and Amar, Akbar, Anthony. He was last seen in 2015 in
Shah Rukh Khans Dilwale.
iv. He served as the Union minister for culture and tourism in 2002.
v. He also became a minister of state in the Ministry of External Affair.
vi. He won Filmfare award for best supporting actor and the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement
Award in 1999
Legendary Serbian writer for children, Rasa Popov, passed away

Radivoje Rasa Popov was died on April 19, 2017 in Belgrade at the age of 84.He was a writer,
publisher, actor and longtime broadcast journalist, associate of Mokrinski newspapers, star of
children's TV show Tips & Tricks (Fazoni i Fore .He has written dozens of books for children and
adults.
He received the Annual Prize of Radio Belgrade in 1967 for the series Aspects of fascism.
i. He was in Television Belgrade until 1995 and also served as a lecturer in Serbo-Croatian
language in London, Birmingham and Nottingham from 1975 to 1977.
ii. He was also a chief editor of the publishing house ,Matica Srpska from 1983 to 1985.
iii. He has appeared in TV shows as a storyteller, some of the most famous are the Joy of
knowledge, Tips & Tricks, Varosarije, In the dream the dream, Bottomless hat.
Oscar -winning director Jonathan Demme dies at 73

The Oscar-winning director of The Silence of the Lambs, Jonathan Demme passed away on 26
April 2017. He was 73.
i. Jonathan was born on 22 February 1944; He was an American film director, producer, and
screenwriter.
ii. In 1977, he directed the comedy film Handle with Care for Paramount Pictures. The film was well
received by critics..
iii. He is best known for directing the movie The Silence of the Lambs.He won the Academy Award
for Best Director for his film The Silence of the Lambs
Tamil actor Vinu Chakravarthy passes away at 71

Vinu Chakravarthy, a renowned actor-director of Tamil Films, passed away on April 27, 2017.
71-year old Vinu was ill for past three years.
i. Vinu debuted with Gopurangal Saivathillai in 1982.
ii. He is known for his villainous roles in the 80s and 90s, followed by character roles later.
iii. Muni starring Raghava Lawrence, Kovai Sarala among others marked this actors 1000th
film.
Sufi legend Begum Yaman passes away at 52

Begum Yaman K. Khan has passed away. She is a famous sufi singer and daughter of legendary
154 | P a g e
Sitar Maestro (late) UstadVilayat Ali Khan.

i. Begum Yaman was the granddaughter of UstadInayat Khan and daughter of UstadVilayat Khan of
the Imdadkhani.
ii. She was the recipient of Hasrat Amir Khusrao Award by Urdu Press Club International.
iii. She received an award for her excellence and contribution to semi-classical and Sufianakalam
by Balkan-Ji-Bari International.
Veteran journalist Nora Chopra no more

Due to the multi organ failure, veteran journalist Nora Chopra who was 64, and is survived by
two sons passed away on April 21, 2017.
i. Chopra was esteemed for being a adoring, spirited and combative journalist. She was inspired
and admired by all other journalists.
ii. President Pranab Mukherjee , Information and Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah
Naidu , Congress president Sonia Gandhi , number of senior journalists and other people from
different walks of life expressed their condolences over Nora Chopras death.
iii. Ms Chopra had started her career with the Pioneer in Allahabad, and later worked for Northern
India Patrika, the Asian Age and Tehelka.
BOOKS & AUTHORS

Pranab Mukherjee releases book on Draupadi by Veerappa Moily
President Pranab Mukherjee has released the book on Draupadi authored by Veerappa Moily in
New Delhi on April 7, 2017
i. The book titled 'Flaming Tresses of Draupadi' was written in both English and Kannada and it
is published by Rupa.
ii. The book gives new perception into the Draupadis life and traces the life journey of Draupadi
from her birth to her marriage with the Pandavas.
Vice President receives first copy of the book titled Hope in a challenged democracy: An
Indian narrative authored by Shri Ashwini Kumar
i. Eminent writer Dr Ashwani Kumar has launched his second book 'Hope in a Challenged
Democracy An Indian Narrative ' in New Delhi on April 10, 2017
ii. The book analyses issues of fundamental importance in the framework of the dignitarian goals of
the republic, the role of a living Constitution, the necessity of equilibrium between executive,
legislature and judiciary, the role of media, importance of equitable growth, a responsive justice
system and a rising Indias engagement with the world.
155 | P a g e
Prime Minister Narendra Modi released a book Matoshree authored by Sumitra Mahajan
Prime Minister Narendra Modi release a book title Matoshree authored by Lok Sabha
Speaker Sumitra Mahajan on April 11, 2017
i. The book release function will be followed by a 105-minute play based on the book.
ii. The book Matoshree covers the life and times of legendary Devi Ahilyabai Holker who ruled
the Holkar Empire spread over the Malwa region from 1767 to 1795.
Dalai Lama releases book Ocean and Blue Mountains

The Dalai Lama released a book named - 'Ocean and Blue Mountains' published by department
of Karmik and Adhyatmik Affairs (DoKAA) in presence of Chief Minister Pema Khandu and other
dignitaries.
i. The book title refers to 'Ocean' as His Holiness and 'Blue Mountains' as the people of
Arunachal Pradesh, and is a collection of memoirs of the special bond shared between
the two.
ii. The Dalai Lama also released a book titled - 'Crossing of the Frontiers' describing his exile route
from Tibet to India, published by Losel Nyinje Charitable Society and Monyul Social Welfare
Association.
Salman Khan releases Asha Parekh's autobiography 'The Hit Girl'

Salman Khan launched the autobiography of Asha Parekh, The Hit Girl, with well known author
and journalist Khalid Mohamed who was the co-author of the biography
Arjun Gaind launches His Book 'Building the land of five rivers'
The author Arjun Gaind launched his book on Punjab, Building the land of five rivers. On the
occasion of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu a panel has organized a discussion in which there is
a discussion of Punjabs history, heritage, culture and growth.
PM Modi released 23 volumes of Vachana of Basavanna & other saints on social

reformer's birth anniversary
On April 29, 2017, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, unveiled translated volumes of Vachana,
penned by 12th century social reformer Basavanna and other saints in 23 Indian languages to
commemorate the 883rd birth anniversary of Basavanna.
i. This event coincides with golden jubilee of Basava Samithi, which has been actively propagating
Basava philosophy and the teachings of other saints of 12th Century across the world. Basava
Samithi was set up by former Vice-President of India, Dr. B.D. Jatti in year 1964.
ii. The translation of 23 Vachana volumes, edited by esteemed literary scholar late M M
Kalburgi was commissioned by the Bengaluru based Basava Samithi.
156 | P a g e
IMPORTANT DAYS
Apr 2 2017
Remember Day: World Autism Awareness Day
Purpose : To raise awareness about children with autism throughout the world.
Organization: UN
Theme: Toward Autonomy and Self-Determination
Apr 4 2017
Remember Day: International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action
Purpose : To raise awareness about landmines and progress toward their eradication
Organization: UN
Theme: Needs driven. People Centered
Apr 5 2017
Remember Day: National Maritime Day
Purpose : To commemorate the maiden voyage of the first Indian Vessel 'S. S. Loyalty' owned by
M/s. Scindia Steam Navigation Company from Mumbai to London on 5th April 1919.
Apr 6 2017
Remember Day: International Day of Sport for Development and Peace
Purpose : To promotes healthy lifestyles and emphasizes the International Olympic Committees
(IOC) focus on giving as many people as possible access to sport.
Organization: UNOSDP
Campaign: #WePlayTogether.
Apr 7 2017
Remember Day: World Health Day
Purpose : To celebrate the founding of the World Health Organization, the worlds leading health
organisation, on 7 April 1948.
Organization: WHO
Theme: Depression: Let's Talk'.
Apr 8 2017
Remember Day: International Romani Day
Purpose : to celebrate Romani culture and raise awareness of the issues facing Romani people.
Organization: UN
157 | P a g e
Apr 10 2017
Remember Day: World Homeopathy Day
Purpose : : To honour the Father of Homeopathy System of medicine Dr. Samuel Hahnemann.
Organization: WHO
Apr 11 2017
Remember Day: National Safe motherhood day
Purpose : To create awareness on proper healthcare and maternity facilities to pregnant and
lactating women.
Organization: GOI
Apr 12 2017
Remember Day: International Day of Human Space Flight
Purpose : To remembers the first human space flight on April 12, 1961.
Organization: UN
April 14 2017
Remembered Day: Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar 126th Birth Anniversary
Organization: GOI
Apr 17 2017
Remember Day: World Hemophilia Day
Purpose : To create awareness for hemophilia and other bleeding disorders, which also serves
to raise funds
Organization: WFH
Theme: Hear their voices.
Apr 18 2017
Remember Day: World Heritage Day
Purpose : To raise public awareness about the diversity and vulnerability of theworld's built
monuments and heritage sites and the efforts required to protect and conserve them.
Organization: UNESCO
Theme: Cultural Heritage & Sustainable Tourism
Apr 20 2017
Remember Day: Chinese Language Day
158 | P a g e
Purpose : To pay tribute to Cang Jie, a mythical figure who is presumed to have invented Chinese
characters about 5,000 years ago
Organization:UNESCO
Theme:
Apr 21 2017
Remember Day: Civil Services Day
Purpose : To re-dedicate and re-commit themselves to the cause of the people.
Organization:GOI
Theme: Making New India
Apr 22 2017
Remember Day: World Earth Day
Purpose : To demonstrate support for environmental protection.
Organization: UN
Theme: Environmental & Climate Literacy
Apr 23 2017
Remember Day: World Book and Copyright Day
Purpose : To promote reading, publishing and copyright.
April 24 2017
Remembered Day: National Panchayati Day
Purpose: The day marks the passing of Constitution[73rd Amendment]Act 1992 , that came into
force from 24th of April 1993.
Organization: India
Remembered Day: World Lab Animal Day

Purpose: To marked the birthday of former NAVS president Hugh Dowding, 1st Baron Dowding.
Organization: National Anti-Vivisection Society (NAVS)
April 25 2017
Remembered Day: World Malaria Day
Purpose: To recognise the global efforts to control malaria. It is an occasion to highlight the need
for continued investment and sustained political commitment for malaria control and elimination.
Organization: WHO
Theme:End malaria for good
159 | P a g e
Apr 26 2017
Remember Day: World Intellectual Property Day
Purpose : To raise awareness of how patents, copyright, trademarks and designs impact on daily
life and to celebrate creativity, and the contribution made by creators and innovators to the
development of societies across the globe
Organization: WIPO
Theme: Innovation Improving Lives
Remember Day: International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day

Purpose : To commemorates the explosion at the Ukraine's Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in 1986
Organization: UN
Remember Day: World Day for Safety and Health

Purpose : To promotes the prevention of occupational accidents and diseases globally.
Organization: ILO
Theme: Optimise the collection and use of OSH data
Apr 29 2017
Remember Day: International Dance Day
Purpose : To attract the attention of the wider public to the art of dance
Remember Day: International Day of Remembrance for all Victims of Chemical Warfare
Purpose : To pay a tribute to the victims of chemical warfare and to discourage the world to
prohibit
the use of chemical weapons.
Organization: UN
Apr 30 2017
Remember Day: International Jazz Day
Purpose : To promote peace,dialogue among various cultures,diversity,eradicating
discrimination,respect of human dignity, promotion gender equality and individual expression.
160 | P a g e

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Current Affairs April 2017

Current Affairs for Competitive Exam

Cabinet approves ratification of 2 ILO conventions on prohibiting child labour

Cabinet allows unrestricted export of all certified organic agricultural products

Government awards 128 air routes under Regional Connectivity Scheme

New Urea Policy modifications approved by Cabinet

Amendments under Mega Power Policy 2009 approved by CCEA

Finance Bill gets presidential assent, takes effect from April 1

President three day Visits to West Bengal, Jharkhand and Bihar

Centre sanctions Rs. 98 crore for tourism sector development in Assam

Government sets up National Board for Electric Mobility

Gadkari announces first express highway project Rs.40000 Cr in northeast

Cabinet approves setting up rail regulator to recommend passenger fares

Cabinet approves extension of implementation of Crime and Criminal Tracking Network

Jhargram Blooms as 22nd District in West Bengal

MP govt. to launch Hindu priesthood diploma course Purohityam - religion no bar

Russia hands over responsibility of Kudankulam 1 to India

Centre to revive ambitious North Koel irrigation project in Jharkhand

Haryana sex ratio touches 950 for the first time

Goa 1932 Rs. 464

NMCG approved 26 projects worth Rs 2,154.28 cr for Namami Gange project

Lok Sabha passes 123rd Constitution Amendment Bill 2017

Survey General Of India completes 250 Years

Motor Vehicle amendment bill passed by Lok Sabha

Parliament passes Constitution (SC) Order (Amendment) Bill 2017

Centre releases nearly 23500 Crore to States under MGNREGS

Kerala makes Malayalam mandatory in school

After MP CM Shivraj , Chhattisgarhs Raman Singh announces phased liquor ban

Cabinet approves implementation of Supreme Courts Judgment regarding Target Plus

Cabinet approves setting up of Indian Institute of Petroleum and Energy (IIPE) at

Cabinet approves setting up of a Special Purpose Vehicle to be called Government e-

Cabinet approves MSP for Raw Jute for 2017-18 season

Petrol and Diesel prices to change everyday from 1st May

Andhra to introduce Ammaku Vandanam in Schools

do 'paada pooja' (washing her feet) called Mother Worship.

After UP's Anti Romeo Squad Harayana launches Operation Durga

33 years of Operation Meghdoot a saga of unmatched bravery

PM launches GNFC's cashless/less cash township model across 12 States

Supreme court asks Center to include Urdu in NEET from 2018-2019

PM Modi felicitates families of freedom fighters in Odisha

Punjab CM bans names of Minister MLAs on inaugural stones

ASCI releases guidelines for celebrities in Advertising

Suresh Prabhu flags off trial run of Vistadome Coaches

Telangana passes bill to hike reservations for Muslim and STs

PM Narendra Modis two day visit to Gujarat

Centre launches training program for women panchayat leaders

Kerala government to give pension to circus artistes

IIT Kharagpur to introduce Vastu Shastra

Cabinet Approves Extending Sugar Stock Limit for 6 Months

Centre extends ceasefire with NSCN-R till 2018

India develops National Action Plan to combat Antimicrobial Resistance(AMR)

Supreme Court sets alimony benchmark: 25% of ex-husband's net salary

Geo-tagging of MGNREGA assets reach the one crore landmark

PM Narendra Modis Nagpur visit to commemorate 126th birth anniversary of Dr.

UP government to set up 40 Yoga wellness centers in 40 districts

Bihar assembly passes GST Bill

India Post releases Coffee scented stamps

Andhra Pradesh sets up welfare board for transgenders

Venkaiah Naidu inaugurates 47th Foundation Day of HUDCO

Centre moots Aadhaar-like UID number for cows

Thaawarchand Gehlot inaugurates Photo exhibition The Paths We Walk

Union Home Minister inaugurates 2-day Civil Services Day

PM Modi presents awards to civil servants for commendable work