Current Affairs Study PDF - May 2017 by AffairsCloud PDF

Current Affairs May 2017
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Current Affairs PDF: May 2017
Current Affairs for Competitive Exam

Contents
INDIAN AFFAIRS............................................................................................................................................................ 3
PLACES IN NEWS .........................................................................................................................................................24
FOREIGN VISITS ..........................................................................................................................................................30
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS.......................................................................................................................................35
SUMMITS & CONFERENCES .....................................................................................................................................41
RANKINGS & REPORTS .............................................................................................................................................48
BANKING & FINANCE .................................................................................................................................................60
BUSINESS .......................................................................................................................................................................73
AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS.....................................................................................................................................80
APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNS....................................................................................................................................92
ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS .................................................................................................................................. 101
MoUs ............................................................................................................................................................................ 102
SCHEMES ..................................................................................................................................................................... 108
COMMITTEE .............................................................................................................................................................. 110
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY ...................................................................................................................................... 112
DEFENCE ..................................................................................................................................................................... 121
ENVIRONMENT ......................................................................................................................................................... 124
SPORTS ........................................................................................................................................................................ 127
OBITUARY .................................................................................................................................................................. 139
BOOKS & AUTHORS ................................................................................................................................................ 144
IMPORTANT DAYS ................................................................................................................................................... 147
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INDIAN AFFAIRS
HRD Minister Prakash Javedekar launches Vidhya Veerta Abhiyan

The Minister for Human Resource and Development, Prakash Javadekar has launched Students
for soldiers- a nationwide Vidya Veerta Abhiyan.
i. The portraits of Param Veer Chakra decorated soldiers were handed over to the Vice Chancellors
of Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi University, Jamia Milia Islamia, Jammu and IIT Delhi.
ii. The wall of heroes depicting portraits of brave soldiers who showed exemplary bravery in
defending the nation is expected to instil a sense of patriotism and nationalism among students.
Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act roll out from May 1, 2017
The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act - RERA has come into effect from May 1,
2017. Governments objective behind this Act is to protect home buyers and bring in overall
transparency in the real estate sector which will encourage genuine private developers.
It is to be noted that Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Bill, 2016 was passed
by Parliament in March 2016. So far only 13 States and Union Territories have notified the
rules under this act.
Some important provisions of RERA:
All State/UT governments have to appoint regulatory authorities for implementing the
rules framed under RERA.
It has been made mandatory for developers to disclose all details about the project
on regulators website and provide updates about construction progress at intervals of
three months.
The real estate agents will also have to get themselves registered with the concerned
authority.
The developers will have to deposit 70% of the funds collected from buyers in a
separate bank account for construction of the project
It is promoters responsibility to rectify any structural or workmanship defects which
has been notified by the buyer within a period of five years from the date of handing
over possession. Such defects have to be rectified within 30 days and the buyer should
not be charged for the same, failing which the buyer is entitled to receive compensation
under RERA.
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Uttar Pradesh launches ambulance service to rescue ill or injured cows

Uttar Pradesh has launched an ambulance service for cows. Gauvansh Chikitsa Mobile
Vans has launched to rescue ill or injured cows.
i. An ill or injured cow has been taken to either gaushalas (cow shelters) or veterinary doctors
ii. The service will initially be available in Allahabad, Gorakhpur, Lucknow,
Mathura and Varanasi.
iii. Uttar Pradesh is the second state after Madhya Pradesh to have an ambulance service for
cows.
Centre plans aerotropolis in Assam, seeks 2,000 acres

Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha has mentioned that Central
Government is planning to build an aerotropolis in Assam and has sought 2,000 acres from the
state government for the purpose.
i. The proposed aerotropolis would bring huge benefits to the region in terms of civil aviation and
air connectivity.
ii. Mr. Sinha has requested the Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal to allot 2,000 acres
land at an hours journey away from Guwahati city near Brahmaputra River.
Punjab govt makes Aadhar cards mandatory for all financial assistance schemes
Punjab State Government under Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has made Aadhaar
Cards mandatory in place of Ration Cards for all Financial Assistance Schemes. It has also
introduced new forms to get the benefit of old age pensions.
i. This decision has been taken to ensure that only genuine people get the benefits of financial
assistance schemes and pension scheme.
ii. Punjab States Department of Social Security and Women & Child Development has been
directed by Chief Minister to undertake a survey of the existing beneficiaries of various schemes
and to weed out the ineligible beneficiaries.
Centre declares entire Assam as disturbed area under AFSPA for three more months
In a gazette notification, the Union Home Ministry said the entire Assam along with bordering
areas of Meghalaya, have been declared disturbed under the Armed Forces (Special
Powers) Act - AFSPA for three months with effect from May 3, 2017.
i. 75 incidents of violence took place in Assam during 2016 which killed 33 people including 4
security personnel. These violent acts have been perpetrated by insurgent groups
like ULFA and NDFB.
ii. Special Powers to Armed Forces under AFSPA:Under AFSPA, armed forces have the
authority to open fire and use force against any person acting against the law. Moreover any person
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can be arrested without a warrant.
Govt unveils no-fly list and rules to handle unruly air passengers
The Ministry of Civil Aviation has released draft rules for a "national no-fly list" of unruly
passengers for all domestic carriers. Government has come up with this initiative in wake of a
recent incident in which Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad, repeatedly hit Air India staff with a
slipper as he was not allotted a business class seat on an all economy flight. This incident took
place at New Delhis Indira Gandhi International Airport in March 2017.
Important Rules for the proposed National No-Fly List:
The National No-Fly List will comprise passengers who have been identified as unruly
after an inquiry by a committee formed by that particular airline.
The committee will have to complete the inquiry process within 10 days during which
the passenger will not be allowed to fly with the airlines.
A three-member committee comprising a retired district/sessions judge, representative
of a different airline and a member from passengers' association/consumer association/a
retired consumer forum official has been recommended.
The passenger has been given a right to challenge the ban and approach an appeals
committee which will be set up by the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation and will be headed
by a high court judge.
The National No-Fly List will also include individuals who have been identified as a threat
by security agencies. Moreover, such blacklisted passengers have not been given the
right to approach the appeals committee.
Government has identified following three levels of unruly behaviours and has also
recommended corresponding duration of flying ban:
Level Unruly Behaviour Duration of flying ban
Level 1 Disruptive behaviour such as physical gestures, 3 months
verbal harassment and unruly behaviour because of
inebriation
Level 2 Physically abusive behaviour such as pushing, hitting, 6 months
grabbing, inappropriate touching or sexual
harassment
Level 3 Life threatening behaviour such as damage to aircraft 2 years or more without limit
operating system, physical violence such as choking
or murderous assault and attempted breach of flight
crew compartment
Centre sanctions Rs 200 crore for Jammu and Kashmir primary teachers
For paying pending salaries of primary teachers in Jammu and Kashmir Union Human Resource
Development Minister Prakash Javadekar has sanctioned Rs 200 crore.
i. Prakash Javadekar has sanctioned Rs 25 crore and Rs 52 crore for two engineering colleges in
the state.
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ii. Scholarships will be available to polytechnic students.
eVIN Project of Health Ministry becomes global best practise in immunisation

eVIN (Electronic Vaccine Intelligence Network) project of Union Health Ministry has become
global best practise in immunisation. Representatives from Philippines, Indonesia, Bangladesh,
Nepal and Thailand are on a visit to India to study the project.
This five-country international delegation interacted with Health Secretary Mr. C K Mishra to
learn more about the global best practice of eVIN (electronic vaccine intelligence network) project.
i. It is an indigenously developed technology system that digitizes vaccine stocks and monitors the
temperature of the cold chain through a smart phone application.
ii. Currently it is being implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in 12
states of India.
India opens small arms manufacturing unit in MP in a joint venture with Israel
Punj Lloyd Ltd and JV partner Israel Weapon Industries (IWI) has inaugurated the country's
first private sector small arms manufacturing plant at Malanpur in Madhya Pradesh.
i. It aims to manufacture small arms in the plant for the Indian defence forces and also for exports.
ii. It is the first time to get its own 'Made in India' small arms.
iii. Total cost of this programme is Rs 200 crore for fabrication and assembly facility for defence
systems, primarily for small arms.
Chhattisgarh auctions India's most expensive limestone block

The Kesla-II limestone block in Raipur district of Chhattisgarh with an estimated reserve of
215 million tonnes has been auctioned at 96.15 per cent of Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM) prices,
thereby becoming Indias most expensive limestone block.
i. Auction went on for 24 hours during which 600 bids were received. Four prominent cement
makers, including Dalmia (Bharat) Cement, Adani, UltraTech and Mangalam Cement submitted the
bids. The block finally went to Dalmia (Bharat) Cement.
ii. This deal will fetch revenue of Rs 11,894 crore to the Chhattisgarh government over the lease
period, which is more than Rs 8,215.8 crore raised by the auction of Ghoraburhani-Sagashi iron
ore block in Odisha, the highest revenue earner till date.
Odisha's Sualgiri, Swalgiri communities notified as scheduled castes

Odishas Sualgiri and Swalgiri communities have been notified as Scheduled Castes. It is
followed by the President Pranab Mukherjees assent to a new law
i. The Rajya Sabha had passed the bill and it was cleared by the Lok Sabha in March.
ii. As per the modified list for Odisha, the Sabakhia, Sualgiri, Swalgiri are notified Scheduled
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Castes.
v. The new law has also replaced the term Union Territory of Pondicherry to Puducherry in the
Constitution (Pondicherry) Scheduled Castes Order, 1964.
World's highest rail bridge taller than Eiffel Tower on Chenab to be completed in two
years
World's highest railway bridge that is expected to be 35 metres taller than the Eiffel Tower will
be built on Chenab River in Jammu & Kashmir within next two years.
Specifications of Highest Railway Bridge to be built on River Chenab:
i. The arc-shaped bridge will have a height of 359 m above the river bed.
ii. 315 km long bridge will connect Bakkal (Katra) and Kauri (Srinagar).
iii. Estimated cost of construction is around 1100 crore.
iv. Over 24,000 tonnes of steel will be used for construction.
Swachhta Pakhwada being observed by the Ministry of Textiles

The Ministry of Ministry of Textiles celebrated Swachhta Pakhwada. It is celebrated between 1st
to 15th May, 2017.
The list of activities that would be undertaken by the Ministry of Textiles during the
Swachhta Pakhwada includes the following:
i. Visit of Minister of State, Textiles to Powerloom Service Centres in Delhi/Haryana/Uttarakhand
and Silk Cluster in Haridwar for a special Swachhta drive
ii. Seminar on the theme "Waste to Wealth" to be organized
iii. Films on Waste to Wealth" to be made by NIFT, and to be shown by all organizations
Jharkhand announces Jan-Dec FY

Jharkhand will become the second state in the country to announce its financial year from January
to December.
i. According to Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das the new budget will be scheduled in
December.
ii. The new fiscal year for Jharkhand would commence from January 1, 2018 and end on December
31, 2018.
IRCTC launches Southern Sojourn and Southern Jewels

This year Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation has decided to launch two new circuits
of its flagship luxury train Maharajas' Express.
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i. The luxury train will be running on two new tour circuits named as Southern Sojourn and
Southern Jewels.
ii. The Southern Sojourn will cover Goa, Hampi, Mysore, Ernakulam, Kumarakom and Trivandrum.
iii. The Southern Jewels will cover Chettinad, Mahabalipuram, Mysore, Hampi and Goa.
Odisha to introduce boat ambulances in four districts

Odisha will introduce boat ambulance service in four districts where people face difficulties in
getting health service.
i. The boat ambulance service will be available in Koraput, Malkangiri, Kendrapara and
Kalahandi districts.
ii. The state government has sanctioned six boat ambulances for these areas which will be part of
the 108 ambulance service.
Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu flags off Naharlagun-Guwahati Shatabdi Express

On May 7, 2017, Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu flagged off the Naharlagun-Guwahati
Shatabdi Express.
i. He also laid the foundation of the Murkongselek-Pasighat broad gauge line in Arunachal
Pradesh.
ii. The train will depart on every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from Naharalagun and on
Monday, Wednesday and Friday from Guwahati. Enroute to Guwahati, the train will have stoppages
at Harmuti, Rangapara (North) and Rangiya.
Cabinet approves NPA package for banks

The cabinet has cleared the nonperforming asset (NPA) resolution package that includes an
ordinance to amend the Banking Regulation Act for empowering the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)
to deal with bad assets in an effective manner.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the measures would be sent to President for
approval.
As per the latest government data, public sector banks gross bad loans stood at Rs
6.07 lakh crore as on December 31, 2016 as compared to Rs 5.02 lakh crore on
March 31, 2017.
Cabinet approves modifications in the 7th CPC recommendations on pay and pensionary
benefits
Union Cabinet has approved modifications in the recommendations of the 7th Central Pay
Commission (CPC) relating to the method of revision of pension of pre-2016 pensioners
and family pensioners. The modifications were based on recommendations made by the
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Committee chaired by Secretary (Pensions) which was constituted with the approval of the Cabinet.
Besides, cabinet also approved the retention of percentage-based regime of
disability pension implemented post 6th CPC. 7th CPC had recommended replacing this
regime by a slab-based system.
The benefit of the proposed modifications will be available with effect from the date of
implementation of 7th CPC recommendations i.e. 1st January, 2016.
Cabinet approves Policy for providing preference to domestically manufactured iron &
steel products in government procurement
With an objective to encourage domestic manufacturing, Union Cabinet has approved the policy for
providing preference to Domestically Manufactured Iron & Steel Products
(DMI&SP) on Government procurement. The policy is applicable on all government tenders where
price bidding has not yet started.
Nitin Gadkari inaugurates The Highway Saga, SRISHTI exhibitions

On May 3, 2017, Mr. Nitin Gadkari Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways,
inaugurated two exhibitions, The Highway Saga: Past Present & Future and Safe Road &
Inter State Highways Transforming India (SRISHTI) in New Delhi.
i. These exhibitions are part of India Integrated Transport and Logistics Summit
(IITLS) organized by the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways from 3rd to 5th of May,
2017.
ii. About The Highway Saga: Past, Present & Future - As the name indicates, this exhibition
displayed the evolution of road transport in India starting from Indus Valley Civilisation to current
times.
iii. About Safe Road & Inter State Highways Transforming India (SRISHTI): This exhibition had
some interactive activities aimed at enhancing visitors awareness of road safety issues.
FSSAI panel clamps down on junk food, bats for tax, ad ban
In a bid to cut down consumption of unhealthy food products and reducing the rising burden of
chronic diseases like cancer and diabetes, Indian food regulator, Food Safety and Standards
Authority of India (FSSAI) has proposed a set of measures, including tax, strict labelling norms
and ban on advertisements of such products.
These measures have been recommended by FSSAIs 11-member panel on Consumption
of Fat, Sugar and Salt (FSS) and its health effects on Indian population.
Recommendations of FSSAIs Panel:
The report of expert panel recommended balanced diet comprising around 60-70% of total
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calories from carbohydrate, 10-12% fromprotein and 20-30% from fat.

Taxes: Imposition of additional taxes on highly processed commodities and sugar-
sweetened beverages in order to discourage its intake which will eventually lead to
positive health effects.
Advertisements: The panel has recommended that advertisements of foods high on FSS
should be banned during children TV shows and on kids oriented TV channels.
Labelling norms: It should be mandatory to mention information about total calories,
carbohydrates, sugar, fat, protein, sodium, dietary fibre and trans-fat on the label of the
food product.
PM Modi launches integrated case management system of Supreme Court in presence of

CJI
On May 10, 2017, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Integrated Case Management
System of the Supreme Court. Chief Justice of India (CJI), J S Khehar and Union Law and
IT Minister, Ravi Shankar Prasad were also present at the occasion.
CJI Jagdish Singh Khehar has proposed to integrate the system with all the 24 high courts and
the subordinate courts.
Expected Benefits from Integrated Case Management System of the Supreme Court:
This system will serve as a digital repository for case-related information, enabling
litigants to access data and retrieve information online. All records of cases (pertaining to
all stages) at district court or high court will be available in digital form.
It is a step in the direction of paperless Supreme Court, which contributes to saving
environment as well as achieving the vision of Digital India.
This is another instance where Government has adopted technology based innovation to improve
the functioning of legal system in India. Earlier, on April 20, 2017, Union Law Ministry launched
three technology-backed initiatives - pro-bono legal services, a tele-law service and Nyaya
Mitra scheme - for offering legal aid to the marginalised, poor and vulnerable communities.
NBT to host book fairs in panchayats

The National Book Trust (NBT) has launched Panchayat Pustak Mela. Its aim is to organize
regular book fairs in rural areas across the country.
i. The main objective of hosting book fairs in Panchayat level is to encourage the growth of
reading habit in villages.
ii. The NBT will start to host book fairs bodies in the Maoist-hit areas of Chhattisgarh.
iii. The organisation recently brought out eight books in local laguage used in the Bastar region of
Chhattisgarh, in Devnagri script.
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IRCTC starts cash-on-delivery service on train tickets

IRCTC has offered delivery of rail tickets allowing passengers to make payment through any
payment mode, including cash.
i. IRCTC through its website and mobile app has now introduced pay-on-delivery as one of the
payment options for its customers.
ii. Passengers can book train tickets online and pay at the time of delivery.
Maharashtra bans junk food in school canteens

Maharashtra Govt. has imposed a ban on the sale of junk food in school canteens.
i. Junk food leads to obesity, dental diseases, and diabetes and heart ailments.
ii. High in fat, salt and sugar food at school canteens will be stopped.
iii. The government creating awareness among children about consuming nutritional food.
Centre tells States to link Prisons with Courts via video

The Centre has asked all states to link prisons with courts through video conferencing.
i. The prison e-system should be integrated with Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and
Systems (CCTNS) as well as e-courts on priority basis.
ii. It is aimed to having an effective prison administration system.Separate training course on
deradicalisation of prisoners should also be conducted.
Supreme Court sentences Justice Karnan to 6 months imprisonment

The Supreme Court sentenced Calcutta high court judge C.S. Karnan to six-month imprisonment.
i. It had been declared by a seven-judge bench headed by chief justice of India S. Khehar.
ii. On 1 March, the apex court had ordered a Calcutta government hospital to constitute a medical
board, examine his condition and submit a report to the court by 8 May.
iii. The medical board was to be assisted by the West Bengal director general of police (DGP) and
a team of police personnel in carrying out the directions passed by the court.
Haryana to start door-to-door survey to collect data of every resident, issue smart IDs to
every house
Haryana government has decided to gather a detailed data of every resident and issue a smart IDs
for every house in Haryana.
i. The aim of this survey is to get details of land holdings and the status of facilities such as social
security pension, scholarship, MGNREGA, loans and LPG connection.
ii. The data will be used to make sure that benefits of 150 services of 87 departments are provided
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online.
iii. The unemployed youth will be provided employment through the survey and every hired youth
(Saksham) will cover 150 to 200 houses.
DIPP, WIPO to set up Technology and Innovation Support Centres for IP generation
Industrial promotion body DIPP and the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO)
have signed an agreement to establish Technology and Innovation Support Centres in the country.
i. It aims to boost generation and commercialization of intellectual properties.
ii. It will provide an impulsion to knowledge sharing, capacity building and sharing of best practices
among the over 500 TISCs operating worldwide.
iii. WIPO's TISC programme provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally
based, high quality technology information and related services.
Rajnath Singh chairs Northern Zonal Council meeting in Chandigarh

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh will chair the 28th meeting of the Northern Zonal
Council on 12th of May in Chandigarh.
i. North Zonal Council comprises the Chandigarh, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and
Kashmir, Rajasthan and Delhi.
ii. Five Zonal Councils Central, Western, Northern, Southern and Easternhave been established
under the State Reorganisation Act, 1956.
Health Minister J P Nadda launches new Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine for pneumonia
On May 13, 2017, Union Health and Family Welfare Minister, Mr. J P Nadda launched
new Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV), for Pneumonia at Lal Bahadur Shastri Medical
College Hospital in Mandi District of Himachal Pradesh.
Under Phase I, this vaccine has been launched in entire state of Himachal Pradesh as well as 6
districts of Uttar Pradesh and 17 districts of Bihar.
In a first, UPSC to share competitive exams scores online

Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has decided to disclose information like marks
obtained and educational qualifications of candidates who appeared in the final stage of
examination (interview) but were not recommended.
i. Scores of such candidates which will be available online through Integrated Information
System for Public Recruitment Agencies -- a dedicated website being developed by
the National Informatics Centre (NIC), will enable other employers to identify good, employable
candidates.
ii. Candidates can opt in or opt out of this facility by indicating their preference while filling the
application form.
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Election Commission of India Launches National Contact Centre

The Election Commission of India has launched National Contact Centre.
i. The National Contact Centre is operated on a National Grievance Redressal System
Software.
ii. This software is a single window platform to manage complaints and feedback received through
calls, emails, SMS and website access in an integrated and time-bound manner.
Ahmedabad to host biggest ever International Yoga Day event on June 21

Ahmedabad is going to host biggest International Yoga Day event on 21st June.
i. The event will include the participation of 5 Lakh people.
ii. The event would be inaugurated by the states Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and BJP president
Amit Shah.
iii. It would be jointly hosted by the citys GMDC and AES grounds.
5 judges of 5 faiths on Supreme Court's triple talaq bench

The five-member bench of the Supreme Court of India will hear the final arguments of the
Islamic practice of triple talaq.
i. The five-member bench, which is hearing the casecomprises of Chief Justice JS
Khehar (Sikh), Justice Kurian Joseph (Christian), Justice Rohinton Nariman (Parsi), Justice
UdayLalit (Hindu) and Justice Abdul Nazeer (Muslim).
ii. The Supreme Court will examine the issue and to give a formal declaration of opinion on the
constitutional and legal validity of 'triple talaq', 'nikahhalala' and polygamy practices among
Muslims.
I-T dept launches e-facility to link person's Aadhaar with PAN

The Income Tax department has launched a new e-facility to link a person's Aadhaar with the
Permanent Account Number (PAN). It is a mandatory procedure for filing I-T returns.
i. The department's e-filing website -https://incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in- has created a new
link on its homepage making it "easy" to link the two unique identities of an individual.
ii. Aadhaar has been made mandatory for applying for permanent account number with effect
from July 1, 2017.
IIT Kharagpur collaborates with British Geological Survey to turn Varanasi into smart city
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) - Kharagpur has collaborated with the British
Geological Survey to turn Varanasi into a smart city.
Underground 3D study of Varanasi:
i. Three dimensional geological modelling of the geology under Varanasi will be prepared, that
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will help in building new transport and service infrastructure.

ii. The project includes application of geo-scientific methods such as drilling and remote sensing.
Centre to spend Rs.11,000cr on roads in Naxal-hit districts

Centre will spend Rs 11,000-crore on roads in Naxal affected areas. It will provide road
connectivity to 44 Naxal-affected districts.
i. It includes Sukma district in Chhattisgarh which had recently witnessed a Maoist attack.
ii. The project will be implemented under the PradhanMantri Gram Sadak Yojana.
Rajnath Singh inaugurates 2nd NPDRR meeting in Delhi

Rajnath Singh (Home Minister) inaugurated the second meeting of National Platform for
Disaster Risk Reduction (NPDRR) in New Delhi on 15 May 2017.
i. The second meeting of NPDRR will be held from 15 to 16 May 2017.
ii. The event has welcomed entries from over 500 applicants from countries across the world.
iii. The theme of NPDRR is Disaster Risk Reduction for Sustainable Development: Making
India resilient by 2030.
Railways to install CCTV cameras at over 900 stations under Nirbhaya fund
Indian Railways will install about 19,000 high definition CCTV cameras at 983
stations across the country to strengthen security of passengers including women at rail premises.
i. Amount of 500 crore from Nirbhaya Fund has been approved for this project.
ii. The CCTV cameras will be installed on platforms and waiting areas.
iii. The footage of CCTV cameras will be continuously monitored by trained Railway Protection Force
(RPF) personnel.
PM Modi launches Narmada Seva Mission in Madhya Pradesh

On May 15, 2017, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched Narmada Seva Mission, which
enlists steps to be taken for the conservation of the Narmada River in Madhya Pradesh. PM Modi
launched this mission document at the concluding ceremony of the Namami Devi Narmade
Sewa Yatra at Amarkantak in Anuppur district of Madhya Pradesh. Amarkantak is the origin
place of River Narmada.
About Namami Devi Narmade Sewa Yatra:
Namami Devi Narmade Sewa Yatra, an awareness campaign for conservation of River Narmada
was launched by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on December 11,
2016 from Amarkantak.
A core team of 50 sevaks covered a distance of 1831 km on the southern bank of the
river and 1513 km on the northern bank passing through nearly 1100 villages and
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towns. Various public functions and events were organised along the course of the yatra
for involving masses in this conservation campaign.
Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan and spiritual leader Dalai Lama extended
support to this campaign.
West Bengal makes Bengali Mandatory in all Schools

The West Bengal government has made the Bengali language mandatory in all schools.
i. It was declared by the States Education Minister Partha Chatterjee on 15 May 2017.
ii. The Bengali language is compulsory for all schools including English medium.
iii. The students who select any of the other languages as their first language would need to pick
up two other languages, among which one would have to be Bengali.
NASA, ISRO to jointly inspect 'oldest civilisation' site in Haryana

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) of the United States and the Indian Space
Research Organisation(ISRO) would jointly inspect the excavation being carried out at
an archaeological site in Haryana's Fatehabad district.
i. It aims to verify claims of it being the oldest civilization in the world.
ii. Archaeologists have recovered arte facts pre-dating the Harappan Civilisation from the site,
located in village Kunal in Fatehabad district.
PM Narendra Modi releases stamp on Ramanujacharya's 1000th birth anniversary

Prime Minister NarendraModi released a commemorative stamp on the 1,000th birth
anniversary of Saint Ramanujacharya on May 1, 2017 in New Delhi
i. The central message of Saint Ramanujacharya's life was inclusive society, religion and
philosophy.
ii. Ramanujacharya saw manifestation of God in human beings and saw all devotees of God as
equal.
ICMR to implement UN agency's standards on clinical trials

Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), along with other leading research funders and
international NGOs will adopt UN health agency's recommendations to register and publicly
disclose results of all clinical trials they fund, co-fund, sponsor or support.
i. Policies for the same will be developed and implemented within next 12 months.
ii. Besides agreeing to disclose results within specified timeframes, these entities have also agreed
to monitor compliance with registration requirements and to endorse the development of systems
to monitor results
iii. Currently about 50% of clinical trials go unreported owing to negative results.
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NITI Aayog holds the first Samavesh meeting

On May 17, 2017, first meeting of the National Steering Group and other knowledge partners was
held in NITI Aayog. This meeting was co-chaired by Amitabh Kant CEO of NITI Aayog and
Ratan P Watal - Principal Adviser, NITI Aayog.
i. This meeting is the first ever initiative to bring the large number of institutions from diverse
domain to deliberate together on the road map for inclusive development in India.
ii. Knowledge partners comprised 32 premier educational and policy research institutions.
Representatives of four State Governments viz. Assam, Kerala, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh also
attended the meeting.
Government's decision to set up 10 atomic power plants to generate 33,400 jobs, Rs

70,000-crore opportunity
India will set up 7000 mw of indigenous nuclear power plants, power, coal, renewable and
mines minister Piyush Goyal announced.
i. Once completed, the 10 reactors of 700 MW each will give much needed fillip to the domestic
nuclear industry.
ii. The decision will lead to Rs 70,000 crore domestic orders for pressurized heat water reactors
and create 33,400 direct and indirect jobs.
Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad to go 100 per cent LED-lit

The Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad has become South Indias first airport
to go 100% LED-lit.
i. The airport currently caters to more than 15 Million Passengers annually with close to 400 daily
air traffic movements.
ii. Out of the 26,000 conventional lamps, more than 19,500 have been converted into LED, saving
2.2 Million Units of electricity per annum.
CCEA approves mission for development of bio-pharmaceuticals

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved a collaborative mission
between industry and academia called Innovate in India empowering biotech entrepreneurs and
accelerating inclusive innovation.
i. It aimed at accelerating research for early development of bio-pharmaceuticals.
ii. The mission will concentrate on development of specific products such as vaccines, bio
therapeutics, medical devices and diagnostics etc.
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iii. The mission will be implemented by Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council
(BIRAC), a public sector undertaking working under the Department of Biotechnology (DBT).
GST Council finalises tax rates on 80-90% goods, services

On May 18, 2017, the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council headed by Union Finance
Minister Arun Jaitley and comprising representatives of all states has finalised tax rates on 80-
90% of goods and services under four brackets (5%, 12%, 18% and 28%). Essential items of daily
use have been kept in the lowest bracket of 5%.
The GST Council also approved 7 set of rules for the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime
that will be rolled out from July 1, 2017.
Srinagar gets first semi-mechanised Car parking facility

A semi-mechanised car park, the first of its kind in Jammu and Kashmir has inaugurated by
Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti.
i. It aims to ease traffic congestion in and around Lal Chowk.
ii. It has been set up at a cost of Rs 27.15 crore and has a capacity to hold 288 vehicles.
Pune doctors successfully perform country's first uterus transplant

A team of Pune doctors successfully performed country's first womb (uterus) transplant on a
21-year-old Solapur woman on 18th of May.
i. Since birth the woman has been suffering from congenital absence of uterus. It was fitted with
her mother's womb so that she can conceive normally.
ii. Transplant performed only through open surgery and it took nine hours.
Cabinet approves Pan-India implementation of Maternity Benefit Program

Union Cabinet has given ex-post facto approval to Pan-India implementation of Maternity Benefit
Program which was announced by PM Modi in his address to the nation on December 31, 2016.
Under Maternity benefit program all eligible Pregnant Women and Lactating Mothers
(PW&LM), excluding central, state and PSU employees, are given cash incentive as
partial compensation for the wage loss so that the woman can take adequate rest before
and after delivery of the first living child.
With effect from January 1, 2017, this program has been extended to all districts
of India.
AP amends Act to appoint PV Sindhu as Group-1 officer

The Andhra Pradesh Legislature on 16th of May has passed a Bill to appoint Olympics winner
shuttler PV Sindhu as a Group-1 officer in the government by amending the state public
services Act.
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Bandaru Dattatreya launches EPFOs Citizens Charter 2017 & e-court management
system
Shri Bandaru Dattatreya the Minister of State for Labour& Employment(IC) has launched
an EPFOs Citizens Charter 2017 and e-court management system in Bangalore.
i. Citizens Charter 2017 is aim to bring transparency and accountability on the part of EPFO.
ii. Its vision is of social security coverage to all employees as well as implementation of
policies for benefit of all stakeholders.
iii. The objective of the project is a transparent and electronic case management system.
Manual titled Living conditions in Institutions for Children in conflict with Law released
by WCD Ministry
As per the directions of the Supreme Court, Union Ministry of Women and Child
Development has developed a manual titled Living conditions in Institutions for Children in
conflict with Law.
Objective: To provide guidelines to the States/UTs and other stakeholders which will help them to
establish institutions for children in conflict with law and providing appropriate institutional and
rehabilitative services to them.
About the Manual:
i. The Manual has been framed within the purview of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection
of Children) Act, 2015 and Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Model
Rules, 2016.
ii. It will serve as a single point reference for all aspects of the living conditions and other issues
pertaining to children in conflict with law who are in Observation Homes, Special Homes and Place
of Safety.
iii. Processes to be followed by all concerned stakeholders while providing services to children have
been comprehensively listed in this manual.
Ms. Maneka Gandhi is the current Union Cabinet Minister for Women & Child Development.
Indias Anshu Jamsenpa becomes first Indian woman to conquer Mt Everest twice within
5 days
Indias Anshu Jamsenpa has become the first woman to conquer Mount Everest twice
within five days.
i. Anshu Jamsenpa along with Nepali climber Furi Sherpa scaled the peak at 8:00 am on
21st of May.
ii. Jamsenpa set the world record becoming the first woman climber to make double ascent in five
days time.
iii. She is also the first Indian woman to scale Mt Everest for the fifth time.
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Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu flags off high-speed Tejas Express between Mumbai-Goa
The luxurious train, Tejas Express set to be running between Chhatrapati Shivaji
Terminus and Karmali in North Goa on May 22.
i. Tejas Express has ultra-modern facilities like LED TV, wi-fi, CCTV etc.The Tejas Express
would operate between Mumbai and Karmali (Goa) five days a week during non-monsoon
period and during monsoon, just three days a week.
ii. It has 20 coaches - one executive AC chair car with 56 seating capacity and 12 AC chair cars
with 78 seat capacity of each coach.It is a super-fast train, which will run at a speed of 130
kmph.
Madhya Pradesh govt announces indefinite ban on sand mining in Narmada river
The Madhya Pradesh government has announced a total ban on sand mining in Narmada
River.
i. The river flows through 18 districts in Madhya Pradesh and the ban will be effective in all 18
districts.
ii. The state government has also imposed a complete ban on use of all kinds of machines for
mining from the remaining rivers in the state.
Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu inaugurated WiFi facility at 28 Railway Stations

Minister of Railways Suresh Prabhu inaugurated free Wi-Fi facility at 28 Railway Stations on
21st of May.
i. It has inaugurated in Konkan Railway from Kudal Railway Station in Maharashtra.
ii. Indian Railways has tied by with SYSCON/JOISTER for providing 2 Mbps peer-to-peer.
iii. Free Wi-Fi bandwidth is available for 24 hrs at 28 railway stations of Konkan Railway.
Maharashtra Govt Forms 'Good Morning Squad' To Monitor Open Defecation

The Maharashtra government has decided to form good morning squads to curb open
defecation in all villages and districts across the State.
i. The squads will comprise representatives of local bodies, self-help groups, NGOs, students and
social workers working in the area of sanitation and cleanliness.
ii. The members of the squads have been asked to monitor areas where the practice is still
prevalent.
PM Modi lays foundation stone for six projects of Kandla Port Trust
Prime Minister NarendraModi laid the foundation stone for 6 projects related to development of
Kandla port.
i. Its total cost worth Rs 993 crore.
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ii. The Kandla Port Trust is named after Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay, who stood for the uplift of
all sections of the society.
Shri Manoj Sinha launches BSNLs satellite phone service and Pandit Deen Dayal
Upadhyaya Telecom Skill Excellence Award Scheme & Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya
Sanchar Kaushal Vikas Pratisthan Scheme
Shri Manoj Sinha launches BSNLs satellite phone service and Pandit Deen Dayal
Upadhyaya Telecom Skill Excellence Award Scheme & Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya
Sanchar Kaushal Vikas Pratisthan Scheme
On May 24, 2017, Union Minister of State for Communications (Independent Charge), Shri
Manoj Sinha launched BSNLs satellite phone service, Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Telecom Skill
Excellence Award Scheme and Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Sanchar Kaushal Vikas Pratisthan
Scheme
BSNLs Satellite Phone Service:
In the first phase, this service will be provided to agencies handling a disaster, state
police, railways, Border Security Force and other government agencies.
BSNLs satellite phone service will be enabled by INMARSAT which has a constellation of
geostationary communication satellites.
Currently Tata Communications Ltd (TCL) is permitted to provide INMARSAT satellite
phone services in India under their International Long Distance (ILD) licence granted by
Department of Telecommunications (DoT). The services of TCL will be phased out by June
30, 2017.
Cabinet approves Raising of Bonds of Rs. 2360 crores for Renewable Energy
Union Cabinet has given its approval to raise Bonds of Rs. 2360 crores for renewable energy
through the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA) during the 2017-18.
Background Information:
In Union Budget 2016-17, Government had allocated Rs. 4000 crores to IREDA to raise GOI fully
serviced taxable Bonds on behalf of the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) during the
FY 2016-17. So far, IREDA has raised Rs. 1640 crores as per the requirement of MNRE. The MNRE
subsequently approached the Cabinet, to approve raising of balance Rs. 2360 crores.
Cabinet approves phasing out Foreign Investment Promotion Board

Union cabinet has approved phasing out of Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB).
Now onwards processing of applications for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and seeking
approval of the Government will be handled by the concerned Ministries/Departments in
consultation with the Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP) under
Union Ministry of Commerce.
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DIPP will soon issue the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the same.
This move will enhance ease of doing business in India and will position India as an
attractive investment destination for foreign investors.
Pondy CM Presents Tax-Free Budget For 2017-2018

On May 25, 2017, Chief Minister of Puducherry, V Narayanasamy presented Rs.6945 crore
tax-free budget for the fiscal 2017-2018.
Highlights of Puducherry Budget 2017-18:
i. Total budget outlay of Rs.6945 crore comprises Rs. 4,445 crore for non-plan head and Rs. 2,500
crore under plan.
ii. Puducherry Government will contribute Rs.4022 crore from its own resources, while Central
assistance will be of Rs.1411 crore.
iii. Grants under the centrally-sponsored schemes (CSS) including the Central Road Fund (CRF) has
been estimated at Rs.361 crore.
iv. 1151 crore would beraised through open market borrowing and from other financial institutions.
v. During fiscal 2016-17, Puducherry Government incurred expenditure to the tune of Rs.6144
crore, which is the highest ever spending in the history of the Union Territory of Puducherry.
J&K agriculture minister launches e-plant clinics

The J&K government has launched an e-clinics service for farmers on 24th of May, 2017
i. It is being launched with an aim to double farmers income by 2022.
ii. The Department of Agriculture, in collaboration with Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences
International (CABI), has set up 15 plant clinics in Samba, Kathua and Jammu.
iii. By setting up of these clinics will also help in achieving the goal of doubling the famers income
by 2022.
Centre bans sale of cows for slaughter at animal markets, brings restrictions on cattle
trade
As per new rules notified by the Environment Ministry, Government has banned the sale of all
kinds of cattle for slaughter at animal markets across the country. This new rule has been notified
under Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act of 1960.
New Rules pertaining to Cattle Trade:
Now onwards only farmland owners will be allowed to trade at animal markets.
As per the notification, cattle comprise bulls, bullocks, cows, buffaloes, steers,
heifers, calves and camels.
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Sellers and buyers will be required to produce identity and farmland ownership
documents at the time of trade.
Traders will have to submit the copies of proof of sale to local revenue office, the local
veterinary doctor in the district of the purchaser and animal market committee.
The notification has banned setting up of animal markets within 50 km of an
international border and 25 km of a state border.
Uttar Pradesh government launches JE vaccination drive in 38 districts

Uttar Pradesh (UP) Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has launched a JE immunisation drive in 38
districts on 25 May 2017.
Key Highlights:
i. It has been launched to eradicate Japanese Encephalitis (JE).
ii. This anti-encephalitis drive was launched from Kushinagar district.
Fadnavis launch Samwad Sabha to reach out to farmers

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has launched a 'ShivarSamwad Sabha to reach
out to farmers in the state and to address their issues.
i. Nearly 4,000 elected representatives of the party will participate in the campaign.
ii. Meetings will also be conducted with the farmers at various locations.
iii. It is a 4 day initiative to reduce the rising resentment among farmers across the state over
delay in procurement of tur this year.
Union Minister Vijay Goel flags off Slum Yuva Daud

Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Vijay Goel flagged off the Slum Yuva Daud to mark the
beginning of the Adopt Slum Campaign in New Delhi.
i. It was initiated by the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports and Nehru Yuva Kendra
Sangathan.
ii. The run started from Delhi Universitys Shankarlal Hall and ended at the Rugby Stadium with
participation of about 5000 youngsters from various slums of Delhi.
WHO confirms first three Zika virus cases in India

According to World Health Organisation (WHO) report India has detected first three Zika-
affected patients all from Ahmedabad in Gujarat.
Key Points:
i. The cases were brought to the knowledge of the WHO by the Health Ministry on May 15, 2017.
ii. The virus is transmitted to people through a bite of an infected mosquito called Aedes Aegypti,
which also transmits dengue and chikungunya.
iii. Earlier, all the three cases had been confirmed by the Union Health Ministrys labratories -first in
January 2016, then in November 2016 and the last one in January 2017.
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Amitabh Bachchan led Toilet Usage Campaign, Darwaza Band, launched

On May 30, 2017, Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan launched Drinking Water and Sanitation
Ministrys Darwaza Band campaign for promotion of toilet usage across the country. Narendra
Singh Tomar - Union Minister for Drinking Water and Sanitation, Devendra Fadnavis - Chief
Minister of Maharashtra and other dignitaries were present at the formal launch of the campaign
in Mumbai.
About Darwaza Band Campaign:
This campaign is an initiative of the Union Drinking Water and Sanitation
Ministry and is supported by the World Bank.
It has been rolled out countrywide immediately after the launch.
The objective of the campaign is to encourage behaviour change in men who have
toilets but are not using them.
Gadkari lays foundation of Rs 1,117 crprojs at JNPT

Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari has laid foundation stone of eight connectivity projects worth Rs
1,117.03 crore at Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT), Mumbai on May 30, 2017
i.The main aim to lay the foundation is to boost port infrastructure.
ii. These projects will enhance connectivity of the hinterland to the port.
iii. The projects include integrated common rail yard facility at JNPT, construction of coastal berth,
and restructuring of yard behind shallow water berth, the Ministry of Shipping said in a release.
Delhi Police launch bicycle patrol

The Delhi Police has launched the Bicycle Patrols for better policing on 30 May 2017.
i. It was launched by Union minister of Home Affairs Hansraj Gangaram Ahir.
ii. In the first phase, a total of 65 high-end bicycles have been operationalised.
iii. Out of 65 bicycles, 30 were allotted for North East district, 20 for East district and 15 for
Shahdara district.
Jaitley inaugurates Telangana solar plant, Karna windmill

Defence Minister Arun Jaitley has inaugurated a solar power plant of 16 MW capacity at the
Ordinance Factory in Telanganas Medak on 30 th May, 2017
i. The solar power plant at Medak has been set up at a cost of Rs 105 crore by Bharat
Electronics Limited.
ii. A9 MW capacity windmill project has installed at Dammur in Karnataka at a cost of Rs 53 crore
by BEML.
iii. Jaitley has also presented an excellence awards to various defence PSUs.
iv. The excellence award in the institutional category for 2014-15 was given to
Bharat Dynamics Limited, Hyderabad.
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v. The award for 2015-16 was conferred on Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Bengaluru.
vi. The best performance award in exports for 2014-15 was given to Goa Shipyard Limited
while
vii. The award for 2015-16 was conferred on Bharat Electronics Limited, Bengaluru.
Ministry of Earth Sciences to launch Deep Ocean Mission by January 2018

M Rajeevan, Secretary of Ministry of Earth Sciences has announced that India is all set to
launch Deep Ocean Mission by January 2018.
i. Deep Ocean Mission will improve Indias position in ocean research field.
ii. Seven premier science agencies including NIO, ISRO and DRDO will participate in this venture.
iii. This announcement was made by Mr. Rajeevan, while addressing the workshop on Three
decades of India acquiring Pioneer Investor Status- Achievements and way forward,
arranged by National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula, Goa.
India to be first in world to run all government ports on green energy

All 12 major domestic ports in India will soon switch to renewable energy to meet their entire
power requirements. Thus India will become first in the world to run all government ports on green
energy.
i. Indian Government is planning to install 150 mw of solar power and 50 mw wind power
generation capacity by year 2019. The resulting 200 MW of renewable energy generation
capacity will be ramped up to 500 mw in the next few years.
ii. Total initial investment in the project is expected to be Rs 500 crore.
PLACES IN NEWS
MP first to switch to Jan-Dec fiscal year
Madhya Pradesh became the first state in India to switch to the January-December financial year
from existing April-March cycle.
i. It will break a 150-year old tradition of adopting the financial year from April to March.
ii. This practice of April-March financial year was adopted by the British Government in 1867.
iii. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan decided to shift the financial year to January-December.
Cabinet approves Vijayawada Airport as International Airport

Union Cabinet has given its approval for the declaration of Vijayawada Airport in Andhra
Pradesh as International Airport. The decision is in accordance with the provisions of Andhra
Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014.
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The decision was taken on account of repeated demands from airline operators and surge in
passenger traffic. The infrastructure upgradation required for international operations will be
carried out by Airports Authority of India.
Nagpur will be the first Indian city to get electric radio cabs
Nagpur will be the first Indian city to get electric radio cabs. It will be started from 26th of
May. It will be launched by Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari.
i. The Project will be undertaken by Nagpur Municipal Corporation.and is the first project of
its kind in the country.
ii. The pilot project will see around 200 e-cabs in Nagpur with the local body to provide for the
charging stations across the city.
iii. It will promote the usage of electric and hybrid vehicles in India as the country is moving
towards its goal of going all electric by 2030.
Invisible' laser walls to bolster security along border with Pakistan in J-K
Border Security Force (BSF) has set Invisible' laser walls to bolster security along border Pakistan in
J-K.
i. The 198 km India-Pakistan international border will use a newly developed Invisible laser
technology.
ii. It is developed by the Delhi-based defenceIoT firm, CRON Systems.
iii. It is made-in-India technology called Kavach (KVx) series laser walls and is a notch higher than
the existing laser walls.
iv. CRON Systems have intrusion detection system based on infrared array, which is invisible.
Bishu Parv or Sendra observed in Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary

The Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary is located 10 km from the city of Jamshedpur
in Jharkhand. The 2017 hunting festival BishuParv was observed in Jharkhand. It is famous
for holding many elephants and other animals, which come downhill during the monsoons and
winter and enter nearby villages and towns of Jharkhand and West Bengal.
Plastic park to come up in Panipat: Union Minister Ananth Kumar

Two centres of the Central Institute of Plastics Engineering and Technology (CIPET) will be set up
in west and south Haryana.
i. These centres will help meet industry requirements for plastic engineers and technicians.
ii. Plastic Park will be set up over a 75 acre land in Panipat at a cost of Rs 1,500 crore, while
a Pharma Park will be set in over a 100 acre land in Karnal.
iii. It will generate employment opportunities for 30,000 plastic engineers and technicians.
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Sankhyiki Bhawan, the new office of (NSSO) inaugurated in New Delhi

Sankhyiki Bhawanis the new office of (NSSO) has been inaugurated in New Delhi
i. India is participating in the current phase of International Comparison Programme (ICP)
with reference to 2017.
ii.This was stated by the Minister for Statistics &Programme Implementation Shri D.V.Sadananda
Gowda.
Country's first ornamental fish park to come up at Chennai

India's first Aquatic Rainbow Technology Park (ARTP) will be set up in Chennai.
i. The park will include an ultra-modern facility for ornamental fish equipped with multi-species
hatchery and live feed culture units.
ii. Tamil Nadu is the second largest exporter of ornamental fish after West Bengal.
iii. It will bear total cost of Rs 61.89 crore.
Country's first bio refinery plant inaugurated in Pune

On May 7, 2017, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highway, Nitin
Gadkari inaugurated Indias first bio refinery plant for renewable fuels and chemicals at Rahu
in Pune district of Maharashtra.
CRPF Command Shifted from Kolkata to Chhattisgarh

Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has shifted its strategic anti-Maoist command headquarters
from Kolkata to Chhattisgarh.
i. Its aim is to bring focus on combing operations in Chhattisgarh.
ii. The move is in line with the Centres plan to redeploy its forces from peaceful West Bengal to
Maoist of Abujmad in Chhattisgarh.
Biggest combing operation in Kashmir since 90s

A massive ''cordon and combing'' operation had been launched by the security forces in south
Kashmirs Shopian district by seeing the growing attacks on policemen and incidents of bank
robberies.
i. The massive door-to-door joint search operation launched by the Army, paramilitary and J&K
Police.
ii. Army Chief General Bipin Rawat mentioned operation was being carried out to bring the
situation in the Valley under control.
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iii. The operation was launched after a vehicle carrying soldiers of 62 Rashtriya Rifles, who were
involved in the operation, were attacked by militants near the Imam Sahib area.
Maharashtra becomes first Indian state to use Automated Weather Stations

Devendra Fadnavis a Maharashtra chief minister has inaugurated the states first automatic
weather station at Dongargaon in Nagpur.
i. The state government will install 2,065 weather stations across the state on a public private
partnership (PPP) mode in 2017 and 1000 in next year.
ii. It aims to measure the wind direction, wind speed, air temperature, relative humidity and record
amount of rainfall.
'Second-tallest' flag post comes up in Kolhapur, Maharashtra

On May 1st 2017 ,Indias second tallest flag pole has been inaugurated in Kolhapur at Western
Maharashtra.
i. The pole is 90 feet long and 60 feet wide, weighs 24 tone ,and it cost around 1.1 crore for the
installation.
ii. The pole which is 303 feet high has been constructed at the Police Garden located opposite of
Superintendent of Police headquarters in the Kasaba Bawada area.
iii. On March 6th 2017, the flag pole with 360 foot long is located at the Indo-Pak Attari Border
inaugurated the First tallest Flag pole.
Prabhu Flags Off Ahmedabad-Chennai Humsafar Express

On May 2, 2017, Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu flagged-off Western Railways' first
Humsafar Express between Ahmedabad and Chennai at a function held in Udvada town in
Valsad district of Gujarat. Full-fledged operations of the train will start from May 8, 2017 from
Ahmedabad and from May 10, 2017 from Chennai.
i. The first Humsafar Express was introduced on December, 16 2016
between Gorakhpur (Uttar Pradesh) and Anand Vihar terminal in Delhi.
Yogi Adityanathgovt to merge local bodies of Mathura-Vrindavan, Ayodhya-Faizabad

The Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government decided to merge the local bodies of two
temple towns of Ayodhya-Faizabad and Mathura-Vrindavan on 9th May 2017.
i. Its main aim is to generate more revenue by providing better facilities to the tourists.
ii. The cabinet passed Lord Krishna's town Mathura-Vrindavan as a Nagar Nigam and Ayodhya-
Faizabad as a municipal corporation-Nagar Nigam.
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Telangana first state to have logo for vehicles driven by persons with hearing impairment
Telangana is the first state to introduce a logo for identifying vehicles driven by persons with
hearing impairment.
i. The logo is designed by the Hyderabad-based graphic designer Manikanta Annapragada. He is
the first person to obtain a driving license in the hearing impaired category.
Venkaiah Naidu, Tamil Nadu CM inaugurated 7.4 km long stretch of Chennai Metro Train
service
On May 14, 2017, Union Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu and Tamil Nadu Chief
Minister Edappadi K Paklaniswamy jointly inaugurated 7.4 km long stretch of Chennai Metro
Train service in Chennai.
i. With this inauguration, 28 km stretch of the total of 54 km stretch under first phase has been
made operational.
ii. Pending work under first phase is expected to be completed by end of 2017. Detailed plan for
expanding the network by covering additional 107.55 km has been prepared by the RITES Ltd.
iii. Expansion of the network as per the plan will involve an estimated cost of Rs. 85000 crore.
Cabinet approves setting up of new AIIMS in Kamrup, Assam

Union Cabinet has given its approval for establishment of new All India Institute of Medical Sciences
(AIIMS) at Kamrup, Assam. It will be set up under Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha
Yojana (PMSSY) at the cost of Rs.1123 crore.
Setting up of AIIMS, Kamrup will take 48 months.
Indias first underwater rail tunnel completed ahead of schedule

Indias first underwater rail tunnel has completed ahead of schedule.
i. Indias first underwater rail tunnel was being constructed under the Hooghly river.
ii. The construction of the tunnel was jointly undertaken by Afcons Transtonnelstroy
and Kolkata Metro Railway Corporation Ltd.
iii. The deadline for the completion of this underwater tunnel was of July 2017.
iv. It got completed on 23 May 2017, ahead of the scheduled time.
v. The total project cost is around Rs 5000 crore.
PM Modi inaugurates India's longest bridge Dhola-Sadiya Bridge in Assam

On May 26, 2017, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Indias longest river bridge,
the Dhola-Sadiya bridge. This bridge has been named after late legendary singer Bhupen
Hazarika. Sadiya was the birth place of Bhupen Hazarika.
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Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways and Shipping, Nitin Gadkari. Assam
governor Banwarilal Purohit and Assam Chief Minister Sarbanada Sonowal accompanied
PM Modi at the inauguration function.
Details about Dhola-Sadiya Bridge in Assam:
The bridge is a three lane carriage way which links Assam to Arunachal Pradesh.
15 km long Dhola-Sadiya Bridge is longer than the Bandra-Worli Sea Link (5.6 km) in
Mumbai.
It has been built at a cost of about Rs 2,056 crore over river Lohit, a tributary of the
Brahmaputra.
The bridge will reduce the distance from Rupai in Assam to Meka/Roing in Arunachal
Pradesh by 165 km.
PM Modi lays foundation stone for two key projects AIIMS & ICAR in Assam
On May 26, 2017, PM Modi laid the foundation stone for an Indian Agricultural Research
Institute (IARI) at Gogamukh in Dhemaji district of Assam.
He also laid the foundation stone for an All India Institute of Medical Sciences
(AIIMS), at Changsari in Kamrup district of Assam by pressing a remote from the Sarusajai
Stadium in Guwahati. AIIMS in Kmarup will be constructed at a cost of Rs 1,123 crore under
Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana. It will be completed within the next four
years.
Nagpur becomes first city with electric mass mobility system

On May 26, 2017, Nagpur earned the distinction of becoming Indias first city with electric
mass mobility system as Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis along with Union
Surface Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari flagged off taxi aggregator Ola's electronic vehicle
(EV) services in the city.
i. Olas 200-strong fleet of EVs comprise taxis, buses and rickshaws. 100 new e2o Plus cars of
Mahindra are also a part of this fleet. Rest of the vehicles have been sourced from other Original
Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), including Tata Motors, Kinetic, BYD and TVS.
ii. Ola has invested more than Rs 50 crore in EVs and for setting up charging infrastructure.
Kejriwal, Venkaiah Naidu flag off Delhi metro Heritage Line

On May 28, 2017, Delhi Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal and Union Urban Development Minister, M
Venkaiah Naidu flagged off Heritage Line of Delhi Metro through video conferencing at Metro
Bhawan in Delhi. Union Minister of Science and Technology, Harsh Vardhan was also present at
the event.
About Heritage Line of Delhi Metro
This heritage line will connect Old Delhi areas with the commercial hub of Delhi at Janpath.
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It is an extension of the existing Violet Line that runs between Faridabad and ITO and
is expected to take considerable load off Chandni Chowk and Chawri Bazar stations of
Yellow Line.
Heritage Line comprises four stations viz. Kashmere Gate, Dilli
Gate,Jama Masjid and Lal Qila on the stretch of 5.17 km.
All these stations have been decorated in line with historical theme, depicting the glorious
past and buzzing present. The artwork has been done by the Indian National Trust for
Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH).
Dailong village in Manipur declared Biodiversity Heritage Site

The Manipur government has declared Dailong village of Tamenglong district as a Biodiversity
Heritage Site of the state.
i. Dialong village is declared by joint secretary of forest and environment, Kengoo Zuringla.
ii. It has an area of 11.35 sq km.
iii. It has been declared as Biodiversity Heritage Site under Section 37(1) of Biological Diversity
Act, 2002.
Goa bans thin plastic bags to tackle garbage

The Goa State government has decided to ban buying and selling of plastic bags below 50
microns.
i. The ban will come to effect from July 2017
ii. Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar implemented the law with the fine of Rs 500 and then the
fine will be subsequently raised to Rs 5,000.
FOREIGN VISITS
Sri Lanka PM Ranil Wickremesinghes 5-day visit to India
Ranil Wickremesinghe, the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka was on an official visit to India from
25-30 April, 2017. He is the third leader from South Asian region to visit India during April 2017.
Earlier, Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina (from 7th 10th April) and President of Nepal Bidya
Devi Bhandari (from 17th 21st April) visited India.
India & Sri Lanka sign MoU on economic co-operation:
On April 26, 2017, during the visit of Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, India and Sri
Lanka signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on economic cooperation in New Delhi.
The objective of this MoU is to achieve greater economic, investment and development
cooperation in a progressive manner.
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Projects included in the India Sri Lanka MoU on Economic Cooperation:

Construction of 500-mega watt (MW) capacity power plant that will run on
regasified liquefied natural gas (LNG).
LNG terminal and a Floating Storage Regasification Unit (FSRU) will be constructed
in Colombo.
A 50-MW solar power unit at Sampur in the Trincomalee District of Sri Lanka.
Creation of industrial zones or Special Economic Zones (SEZs) at specific locations in Sri
Lanka.
Projects to improve road connectivity in Sri Lanka.
Upgradation of railway tracks and purchase of rolling stock and a container terminal in
Colombo Port through a joint venture.
President of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades has arrived in India on a 5-day visit

Nicos Anastasiades, the President of Cyprus was on an official visit to India from 25-30 April
2017. He arrived in Mumbai on April 25, 2017. During his stay in Mumbai, he met Vidyasagar
Rao Governor of Maharashtra. He also gave a keynote address at a Business Forum.
In New Delhi, Nicos Anastasiades was accorded a ceremonial guard of honour in the
forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan. He also paid tribute to Mahatma
Gandhi at Rajghat and described him as a "spiritual leader of Cyprus and inspiration for
its freedom struggle".
On April 28, 2017 Mr. Anastasiades conferred the Grand Collar of the Order of
Makarios III (Cyprus's highest civilian honour) on President Pranab Mukherjee.
He also held delegation level talks with Indian President Pranab Mukherjee, Vice-
President Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs
Minister Sushma Swaraj.
India and Cyprus signed following 4 agreements:
1. Executive programme on culture, education and scientific cooperation for the period
2017-2020. This agreement was exchanged between Indian External Affairs
Minister, Sushma Swaraj and Cyprus Finance Minister, Harris Georgiades.
2. A work plan under a programme of cooperation in agriculture for the period 2017-2018.
3. Cooperation in the area of merchant shipping.
4. Agreement to boost air services between the two countries. This agreement
was exchanged between Indian Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Anupriya
Patel and Cyprus Minister of Transport and Communications, Marios Demetriades.
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Turkish President Erdogan to arrive New Delhi on 2-day India visit

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the President of Turkey was on an official visit to India from April 30,
2017 to May 1, 2017. This is Erdogans first visit to India as President of Turkey. Earlier, in 2008 he
visited India as Prime Minister of Turkey.
India-Turkey Business Summit
India-Turkey Business Summit was held on May 1, 2017 in New Delhi. President of Turkey,
Recep Tayyip Erdogan along with his 150-member business delegation took part in this
summit.
PM Modi highlighted that India-Turkey bilateral trade has gone up to USD 6.4 billion
in 2016 as compared to USD 2.8 billion in 2008.
Highlights of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogans Speeh at India-Turkey Business
Summit:
Erdogan called for a free trade agreement with India to enlarge the scope of bilateral economic ties.
He also suggested that both countries should explore the possibility of trade in local
currency to minimise negative effects of exchange rate fluctuations.
India, Turkey sign three agreements after delegation level talks
Prime Minister Narendra Modi held delegation-level talks with Mr. Erdogan on 1st May, 2017 in New
Delhi. After the talks, following three agreements were signed between Indian and Turkey:
1. An agreement on cultural exchange programme for 2017-2020.
2. MoU on cooperation in training, signed between Foreign Services Institute (FSI) of
India and the Diplomacy Academy of Turkey.
3. MoU on cooperation in the area of information and communication technologies
(ICT).
Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas four day visit to India

On May 14, 2017, Mahmoud Abbas President of Palestine, arrived in India for a 4-day official
visit.
During the course of his visit, Mr. Abbas held extensive talks with Indian Prime Minister
Narendra Modi on key bilateral, regional and international issues including the Middle
East peace process.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas presented a mosaic and an artwork to Prime
Minister Narendra Modi with his name written in it in Arabic.
He also visited C-DAC (the Centre for Development of Advanced
Computing) in Noida to seek cooperation of Indian IT industry for Palestine-India
Techno Park, being built by India in Ramallah, Palestine at cost of $12 million.
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India and Palestine signed five MoUs

On May 16, 2017, India and Palestine signed following five MoUs post delegation level talks
between Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New
Delhi:
(i)Visa exemption for diplomatic passport holder
(ii)Agricultural cooperation
(iii)Cooperation in field of IT & Electronics
(iv)Cooperation in health sector
(v)Cooperation in the field of youth affairs and sports
Finance Minister Arun Jaitelys 3-day visit to Japan

On May 6, 2017, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, embarked on a 3-day visit to Japan. Mr.
Jaitley attended the annual Meeting of Board of Governors' of Asian Development
Bank in Yokohama, Japan.
In Japan, Mr. Jaitley met Taro Aso, who is the Deputy Prime Minister of Japan as well as
the Finance Minister of Japan. As Arun Jaitley is also the Defense Minister of India, he held
talks with Japanese Defense Minister, Tomomi Inada.
50th annual meeting of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Board of Governors May 4-7,
2017
Every year, the Board of Governors of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) hold a meeting to
discuss development issues and institutional matters.
This year the meeting was held from 4th 7th May 2017 in Yokohama, Japan. The meeting
was attended by Finance Ministers, Central Bank Governors, private sector and civil
society delegates from across the world.
Theme of 50th annual meeting of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Board of
Governors was Building Together the Prosperity of Asia
India and Japan affirm plans to strengthen their defence cooperation amid rising tension
in Asian region
Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who also holds defense portfolio, met his Japanese counterpart
Tomomi Inada on May 8, 2017 in Tokyo, Japan.
Both countries have affirmed plans to strengthen their military cooperation amid rising
tension in the Asian region. Territorial disputes with China in South China Sea and nuclear
as well as missile tests by North Korea are key security concerns for Japan.
Mr. Arun Jaitley welcomed a planned trilateral naval exercise Malabar among the
US, India and Japan in Bay of Bengal which is scheduled to be held in July 2017. This
exercise will strengthen defense cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region.
During recent times, Japan and India have made efforts to step up their defense
cooperation in order to counter the Chinese influence in the region.
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PM Narendra Modis two day visit to Sri Lanka

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on a two-day visit to Sri Lanka on 11th and 12th May 2017.
During this visit, he participated in the International Vesak Day celebrations, the biggest
festival of Buddhists and attended several other programmes.
PM Modi addresses Vesak Day celebrations in Colombo
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the chief guest for the 14th International Vesak Day
celebration in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
UN Vesak Day celebration from May 12-14
14th edition of United Nations Vesak Day celebration was held in Colombo, Sri Lanka from 12th
14th May 2017. Sri Lanka hosted this celebration for the first time. Large number of local and
foreign delegates participated in this celebration.
The theme of this years celebration was Buddhist Teachings for Social Justice and
Sustainable World Peace.
The celebration included an academic conference, a cultural show and creation of special
Vesak zone at different places in Sri Lanka from 12th to 14th May 2017.
Narendra Modi inaugurates multi-specialty hospital in Sri Lanka
On May 12, 2017 Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated a multi-specialty hospital at Dickoya
in Nuwara Eliya district of Sri Lanka.
This 150-bed capacity hospital is located in an area which is home to a large Indian-origin
Tamil community.
The construction cost of this hospital has been drawn from $2.6 billion developmental
aid committed by India to Sri Lanka.
Mauritius PM Pravind Jugnauths 3 day visit to India

On May 26, 2017, Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth arrived in India for a three-day
official visit.
On May 26, 2017, he held discussions with Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Railway
Minister Suresh Prabhu and Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra
Pradhan.
On May 27, 2017 Mr Jugnauth held delegation level talks with Indian Prime
Minister Narendra Modi.
During the course of his visit, he also met President Mukherjee, Vice President
Hamid Ansari, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Defence and Finance
Minister Arun Jaitley.
India has announced USD 500 Million assistance in form of Line of Credit to Mauritius, which will be
used for various projects. This Line of Credit (LOC) agreement was signed between SBM Mauritius
Infrastructure Development Co. Ltd and Export-Import Bank of India. PM Modi mentioned that India
is proud to participate actively in the ongoing development activities in Mauritius.
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India, Mauritius sign 4 agreements including bilateral maritime security

India and Mauritius signed following 4 agreements after extensive talks between Prime Minister
Narendra Modi and his Mauritian counterpart Pravind Jugnauth:
Setting up of a civil services college in Mauritius
Cooperation in ocean research
USD 500 million Line of Credit (LOC) agreement between the SBM Mauritius
Infrastructure Development Company and Export-Import Bank of India.
Maritime Security Agreement
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
15th edition of WFH International Musculoskeletal Congress (IMC) held in Seoul
The 15th edition of WFH International Musculoskeletal Congress (IMC) held in Seoul. It is a 3
day event started from 5th of May to 7th of May, 2017
i. The IMC program will feature presentations, posters, and exhibit displays with a focus on surgical
and nonsurgical approaches to the prevention and management of hemophilic arthropathy.
ii. Key developments in the field would be addressed, and made the event relevant to orthopedists
and physical therapists around the world.
27th Session of Universal Periodic Review Working Group being held in UNHRC in Geneva
The 27th Session of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Working Group is being held from
1st to 12th of May 2017 at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva.
Mukul Rohatgi represents India at the 2017 Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of the
UNHRC India's National Report for the UPR-III was reviewed on the May 4, 2017. India was
represented by Mukul Rohatgi - the Attorney General of India. Mr. P.S. Patwalia -
Additional Solicitor General of India and Ms. Ruchi Ghanashyam - Secretary (West) in the
Ministry of External Affairs were a part of 18-member Indian delegation that accompanied Mr.
Rohatgi.
Turkey, Russia and Iran sign 'safe zones' deal for Syria
Turkey, Russia and Iran has signed safe zones deal for Syria to encourage an agreement
between the Syrian government and the rebel forces.
i. The deal was signed by the heads of the delegations that represents the three ally countries
during peace talks in Kazakhstans capital city, Astana.
ii. The representative delegations reviewed the implementation of the ceasefire agreement and the
termination of hostilities during the two-day talk in Astana.
iii. The main objective of the deal is to put an immediate end to the violence.
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World's first quantum computing machine made in China

A team of Chinese scientists led by renowned quantum physicist Pan Jianwei have announced that
they have built the world's first quantum computing machine that is 24,000 times faster than its
international counterparts.
i. Researchers believe that quantum computers in some ways may dwarf the processing powers of
current day supercomputers.
ii. Analogy to explain the power of quantum computing: Conventional computing is like reading a
book in the library one at a time, whereas quantum computing is like reading all books in the
library at the same time.
India to hold festival in Egypt to mark Rabindranath Tagore's birth anniversary

India will organise cultural festival in Egypt to mark 156th birth anniversary of Rabindranath
Tagore. Maulana Azad Centre for Indian Culture (MACIC), the cultural wing of the Indian
Embassy in Cairo will organise this festival from 8th -12th May 2017, which will feature a dance
show, film screening, a play and painting competition.
i. The festival is being organised in cooperation with the Egyptian Ministry of Culture, Cairo Opera
House, Cultural Production Sector, Dancers Guild and the Indian Community Association in Egypt.
ii. Screening of movie 'Kabuliwala' directed by Hemen Gupta.
India redrawing BBIN transport plan as Bhutan withdraws

BBIN (Bangladesh-Bhutan-India-Nepal) Motor Vehicles Agreement (MVA) is an ambitious sub-
regional transport project.
i. The BBIN is promoted by India and it aimed at creating seamless connectivity between the four
countries.
ii. Bhutan has announced that it will not be able to ratify the plan before it addresses some of
concerns raised domestically over the project.The remaining three countries have already
ratified the plan.
Dubai becomes first city to get its own Microsoft font

Dubai has become the first city in the world to get its own Microsoft-designed font. It was created
in partnership with Microsoft. It was launched on May 1st 2017.
i. The font was developed in Latin and Arabic script and is available in 23 languages in
versions of Microsoft Office to 100 million Office 365 users around the world.
ii. The font, available in three styles as 'Dubai', 'Dubai Medium' and 'Dubai Light', can be in italics,
underlined and bold.
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India unanimously elected to head UN-Habitat, the United Nations Human Settlements
Programme
India has been unanimously elected as the President of UN-Habitat for next two years. UN-
Habitat is an organ of United Nations, which promotes environmentally and socially sustainable
global human settlements. In the past, India held the presidency of UN-Habitat in 1988 and 2007.
26th Meeting of the Governing Council of UN-Habitat:
Consequential to India being elected as President of UN-Habitat, Venkaiah Naidu
Union Minister of Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation chaired the 26th Meeting
of the Governing Council of UN-Habitat which began in Nairobi, Kenya on May 8,
2017.
Theme of 26th Meeting of the Governing Council of UN-Habitat was Opportunities for
effective implementation of the New Urban Agenda.
India to replace Maitri station in Antarctica, expand research activity

India has planning to replace its Maitri research station in Antarctica with a new one in the next
three to four years.
i. India is drafting its own laws to safeguard its interest in Antarctica, as it is currently governed by
international laws.
ii. India assured to expand its research activity in the Antarctica and a new ship, with a special ice-
cutting facility, will be procured for the purpose.
India, US exchange views on maritime developments in Asia-Pacific & IOR

During the two-day India-US Maritime Security Dialogue in Rhode Island, US, top Indian and
American officials exchanged views on maritime developments in the Asia-Pacific and Indian
Ocean Region (IOR).
i. Besides reviewing the implementation of the decisions taken at the first Maritime Security
Dialogue, the officials also discussed ways to strengthen bilateral maritime security cooperation.
ii. Indian delegation was led by Pankaj Sharma - Joint Secretary (Disarmament and
International Security Affairs), whereas David Helvey, the acting Assistant Secretary of
Defence for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs led the American Delegation.
iii. Next round of the dialogues will take place in India.
WHO declares Ebola outbreak in Congo

World Health Organization (WHO) has declared an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic
of Congo.
i. According to WHO report at least one person has died after contracting the virus in the country's
north-east.
ii. More than 11,000 people died in the Ebola outbreak in West Africa in 2014-2015, mainly in
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Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia.
US approves USD 75 million chemical protective gear for Indian soldiers

The United States (US) Govt. has approved the sale of $ 75 million worth high-tech chemical
protective clothing for the Indian armed forces that will protect Indian soldiers against biological
and chemical warfare.
i. Referred to as Joint Service Lightweight Integrated Suit Technology (JSLIST), it consists
of 38,034 suits, pairs of trousers, gloves, boots, aprons, protective filters and hoods. The sale deal
also includes 38,034 M50 general purpose masks.
ii. India Government had made a request to US Govt. for these JSLIST as part of its military
modernisation programme.
Headquarters of IPHRC of OIC inaugurated in Saudi Arabia

The headquarter of the Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC) of
Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) will inaugurate in Saudi Arabia.
i. The Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC) is a branch of the
Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
ii. The IPHRC was launched during the 38th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers held in
Astana, Kazakhstan in June 2011.
India's 'Ujala' to light up homes in United Kingdom

India has launched the process to export 'Ujala to the United Kingdom with affordable 'Made
in India' LED bulbs.
i. Ujala is globally one of the largest efficiency programmes and being run by Energy Efficiency
Services Ltd.
ii. The programme has turned India into the world's LED capital, accounting for 10-12% of the
global market 4 billion bulbs.
China, ASEAN Countries Agree on Framework for South China Sea Code of Conduct
China and the member countries of the Association of South East Asian Nations
(ASEAN) have agreed to a framework on code of conduct in the disputed South China Sea.
i. The objective of this agreement is to reduce the risk of clashes in the South China Sea, which is
one of the busiest waterways in the world.
ii. Chinese and ASEAN officials arrived at the agreement during the meeting held in the Chinese
city of Guiyang.
Indian-American student wins National Geographic Bee contest

A 14-year-old Indian-American student,Pranay Varada has won the
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prestigious National Geographic Bee competition.

i. He gets $50,000 in scholarship and other prizes.
ii. Veda Bhattaram another Indian-American from New Jersey finished third at the finals.
Mt Lhotse records first successful ascent after three years

Anshu Jamsenpa from Arunachal Pradesh on 16th of May scaled the worlds highest peak,
Mount Everest for the fourth time.
i. Anshu reached the top of the world at 0900 hours.
ii. She had scaled Mount Everest twice in May 2011 and again on May 18, 2013.
iii. The officials at the Everest Base Camp and Kathmandu spoke to Anshu over satellite phone from
highest peak of the world after unfurling the Indian Tri-colour and clicking testimonial photos.
Commissioning a Study on Common Risk Mitigation Mechanism for Solar Power

Generation Projects in Solar Resource Rich Countries Under Aegis of ISA
India and other solar rich countries including Argentina, Burkina-Faso, Chad, France, Ivory
Coast, Mali, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Sngal, Uganda and Yemen have jointly supported
commissioning of a study to define and structure a Common Risk Mitigation Mechanism
(CRMM) for solar power generation projects in solar rich countries.
Currently, cost of capital, accounts for major portion of the final cost of renewable energy, in
particular solar PV. As per a calculation by Council on Energy, Environment and Water, cost of
capital accounts for 70% of the total cost of solar power in India.
Objectives of Common Risk Mitigation Mechanism (CRMM):
The proposed CRMM will facilitate in creating a secure environment for private institutional
investment in solar assets. It will help to diversify and pool risks on mutualized public resources
and unlock significant investments.
Jaipur Literature Festival kicked off in London

The Jaipur Literature Festival was inaugurated in London on 21st of May, 2017
Key Highlights:
i. At the festival South Asia's literary heritage, oral and performing arts, books and ideas,
dialogue and debate are presented.
ii. It included a wide array of authors and artists from India and the UK.
iii. This year marks the fourth London edition of the festival, which has its roots in the Pink City of
Jaipur where it marked its 10th anniversary in January this year.
Jordan's Azraq becomes world first clean energy refugee camp

Azraq has become the world's first refugee camp powered by renewable energy.
i. To serve 20,000 Syrian refugees in the remote Azraq camp in Jordan's desert the United Nations
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refugee agency switched on a newly built solar power plant.

ii. The $9.7 million plant was funded by the Ikea the global home furnishings retailer.
UN Publishes First Draft of Nuclear Ban Treaty

On May 22, 2017, a UN conference on eliminating nuclear weapons published its first draft text.
i. This draft was strongly opposed by nuclear armed states including US.
ii. The treaty would require ratification by 40 states to come into force.
Japan to build World War 2 museum in Manipur

Japan is going to build a war museum at MaibamLokpaChing in Manipurs Bishenpur district.
Key Points:
i. MaibamLokpaChing is a historical place where the British and the Japanese fought during the
Second World War.
ii. On special occasions, relatives of the Japanese soldiers who died during the war, come to
Manipur in memory of their loved ones.
iii. About 70,000 Japanese has lost their lives in the Imphal and Kohima battles, which are
regarded as the fiercest.
Dubai Police recruit UAEs first Robocop

The Dubai Police has recuited UAEs First Robocop. It is used to chase down suspects and nab
parking fee dodgers.
Key Points:
i. The Dubai Police director general of smart services Brig Khalid Al Razooqi said this is the official
launch of our first Robocop.
ii. With this tool the police can reach the public 24/7.
iii. It is a smart intelligent system and it can easily protect people from crime.
Taiwan court rules in favor of same-sex marriage, first in Asia

Taiwans constitutional court has declared that same-sex couples have the right to legally
marry.
i. This is first such rule in favour of same sex marriage in Asia.
ii. The court gave the countrys parliament a period of two years for laws to be amended to allow
same-sex marriage.
Nepalese Sherpa Scales Everest For Record 21 Times

On May 27, 2017, 47-year-old Kami Rita Sherpa scripted history by becoming the third climber
to scale Mount Everest for a record 21 times.
i. He became one of the three climbers in the world to hold the record for most of the summits on
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Mt Everest. Earlier, Apa Sherpa and Phurba Tashi Sherpa have scaled the highest peak 21
times.
ii. Everest (8,848 metre) was first scaled in year 1953 by Edmund Hillary and Tenzing
Norgay.
Global forum on disaster risk reduction takes place in Mexico

5th edition of Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GPDRR) took place from 22nd to
26th May 2017, in Cancun, Mexico.
i. Around 4,000 participants and delegations from over 180 countries attended this 5th edition of
the Global Platform which was held outside Geneva, Switzerland for the first time and hosted and
co-organised with the Mexican government.
ii. This is the first international summit on disaster since the Sendai Framework, which
was adopted in 2015 in Japan.
iii. 6th edition of Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction will take place in 2019 in Geneva,
Switzerland.
Construction begins on world's largest telescope in Chilean desert

Construction began on worlds largest telescope the European Extremely Large Telescope (ELT), in
Chilean desert on 26 May 2017.
i. The telescope will be located in Chile's Atacama Desert.
ii. The ELT will be around five times larger than the top observing instruments which are used
today.
iii. It is conceived by the European Southern Observatory (ESO).
First women's TV channel launched in Afghanistan

The first-ever women television channel Zan TV (or Womens TV) has started in Kabul,
Afghanistan.
i. It has been started on May 30, 2017 with a staff of all female presenters and producers.
ii. Founder of Zan TV is Hamid Samar
SUMMITS & CONFERENCES

Nitin Gadkari inaugurates India Integrated Transport and Logistics Summit 2017 in New
Delhi
On May 4, 2017, Minister of Road Transport and Highways Mr. Nitin Gadkari inaugurated the
first ever India Integrated Transport and Logistics Summit (IITLS) in New Delhi. This three-
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day summit has been organised by Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
Earlier on May 3, 2017, Mr. Gadkari inaugurated two exhibitions, The Highway Saga: Past
Present & Future and Safe Road & Inter State Highways Transforming India
(SRISHTI) at the Vigyan Bhawan Lawns in New Delhi which were organised as a part of
IITLS.
Objective of India Integrated Transport and Logistics Summit (IITLS):
Objective of IITLS is to serve as a platform for bringing together stakeholders in transport and
logistics sector, so that they can collaborate and explore mutually beneficial opportunities in
logistic parks, freight corridors and IT solutions. The summit will enable various ministries viz. Road
Transport & Highways, Shipping, Commerce, Railways, Consumer Affairs, Urban Development,
Finance, Food and Public Distribution, Civil Aviation, Skill Development and other state
governments to jointly deliberate upon measures required to develop multimodal infrastructure in
India.
Four key solution themes to improve the state of logistics in India:
As per a study called the Logistics Efficiency Enhancement Programme (LEEP) undertaken by
Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) following four themes have been identified:
1. Seamless interstate movement
2. Freight corridor upgradation
3. Logistics park development
4. Electronic toll collection systems.
34 MoUs worth Rs 2 lakh crorer signed at India Integrated Transport & Logistics Summit
On the first day itself, 34 MoUs worth Rs 2 lakh crore were signed at India Integrated Transport
& Logistics Summit.
Sushma inaugurates 8th conference of head of missions in Delhi

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has inaugurated the eighth conference of head of
missions in Delhi.
i. It is a four-day annual conference which aims to discuss major developments globally and how
India should mould its policy to deal with them.
ii. Indias ties with the African continent as well as with the Gulf countries and the situation in
the Middle East are also expected to be discussed during the meet.
4th National Standards Conclave held in New Delhi

4th National Standards Conclave was held in New Delhi on 1st & 2nd May 2017.
i. Organised by: Department of Commerce, Government of India in collaboration with
Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and the National
Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies (NABCB) and other knowledge partners
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ii. Objective of 4th National Standards Conclave: To bring awareness and prepare Industries,
Central Government Ministries, State Governments, regulatory/standards setting and conformity
assessment bodies on the growing importance of Standards in the changing scenario of global
trade.
International Permaculture conference to be held in Hyderabad

The 13th International Permaculture Convergence (IPC) experts will be held on November 27
to December 2, 2017 in Hyderabad
i. The theme of IPC is 'Towards healthy societies'.
ii. It is being organized by Hyderabad-based environmental and developmental NGO Aranya
Agricultural Alternatives.
iii. The IPC team will host a crowd funding activity on milaap.org from May 3 till July 1, 2017.
Inter-Ministerial Delegation Participated in Basel, Rotterdam, Stockholm Conventions in

Geneva
An inter-ministerial Indian delegation headed by Mr. Ajay Narayan Jha - Secretary, Ministry of
Environment, Forest and Climate Change participated in the 2017 Conference of Parties
(COPs) to the Basel, Rotterdam, Stockholm (BRS) Conventions.
i. All three conferences were held jointly and back-to-back from 24th April 2017 to 5th May 2017
in Geneva, Switzerland.
ii. Theme of these meeting was: "A future detoxified: sound management of chemicals and
waste"
Conference of Parties Discussion Topic
13th meeting of the Conference of Parties to Control of transboundary movements of
Basel Convention (BC COP 13) hazardous wastes and their disposal
8th meeting of the Conference of Parties to Prior informed consent procedure for certain
Rotterdam Convention (RC COP 8) hazardous chemicals and pesticides in
international trade
8th meeting of the Conference of Parties to Persistent organic pollutants (POPs)
Stockholm Convention (SC COP 8)
First Videsh Sampark held in Telangana

First outreach programme of the Ministry of External Affairs, Videsh Sampark was hosted
in Telangana. The conference was held on May 13, 2017 in Hyderabad. It was inaugurated
by Gen. V.K. Singh - Minister of State for External Affairs.
i. The objective of Videsh Sampark conference is to involve State Governments in creating
awareness on the schemes and initiatives launched by Ministry of External Affairs pertaining to
consular and passport services, engagement with overseas Indians, and welfare and protection of
overseas Indians.
ii. During this Videsh Sampark conference, Telangana also became first state in India where
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Ministry of External Affairs pilot 'e-Sanad' project for online attestation of documents was rolled
out.
52nd Annual Meetings of AfDB held in Gujarat

India hosted 52nd Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank (AfDB) from 22nd to
26th May 2017 in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. This is the first time that the Annual Meetings of AfDB
were held in India.
Details about 52nd Annual Meetings of AfDB:
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 52nd Annual Meetings of AfDB.
Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of AfDB (comprising Finance Ministers of
countries) and number of official, knowledge, and side events were held from 22nd to 26th May
2017.
Indias Governor to AfDB Arun Jaitley chaired the Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors
of AfDB. Governors of the Bank were from the 54 African regional member countries and 27
non-regional member countries including India.
Heads of State/Government who attended 52nd Annual Meetings of AfDB:
Macky Sall President of Senegal, Patrice Talon President of Republic of Benin, Daniel Kablan
Duncan Vice President of Republic of Cote DIvoire, D.A.S. Hassani Vice President of Union
of Comoros.
The next meeting of AfDB is scheduled to be held in Busan, South Korea in 2018.
3rd International Solar Alliance launched at AfDB Meeting:
Union minister Piyush Goyal today launched the 3rd International Solar Alliance (ISA) programme
on 'scaling up mini-grids and micro-grids'
Nauru Ratifies International Solar Alliance Framework Pact
The worlds smallest nation, Nauru has ratified the International Solar
Alliance (ISA) Framework Pact. Aaron Cook, Naurus Commerce, Industry and
Environment Minister handed over the ratification document to Union Finance, Defence and
Corporate Affairs Minister Arun Jaitley on May 22, 2017.
Five more countries sign up to International Solar Alliance
On May 22, 2017, Djibouti, Comoros, Cote dIvoire, Somalia and Ghana signed the
International Solar Alliance (ISA) framework agreement on the sidelines of African Development
Bank (AfDB) meeting in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
2017 Arctic Energy Summit (AES) held in Finland

The 2017 Arctic Energy Summit (AES) will be held in Helsinki, Finland from September 18-
20 2017.
Key Points:
i. It will be hosted by the Institute of the North and Finland Ministry of Economy
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and Employment.
ii. The 2017 Arctic Energy Summit builds on the Sustainable Development Working Groups.
iii. It addresses energy as a fundamental element of the sustainable development of the Arctic, and
occurs during Finlands Chairmanship of the Arctic Council (2017-2019).
iv. The three-day Summit will focus on a diverse set of topics, including: oil and gas; geothermal,
solar, wind, hydro and tidal energy; utilities; microgrids; energy policy and regulation; community
impacts; energy finance and investment; climate change; and energy security.
v. The AES is a multi-disciplinary event expected to draw several hundred industry officials,
scientists, academics, policy makers, energy professionals and community leaders together to
collaborate and share leading approaches on Arctic energy issues.
India skips One Belt One Road Summit in Beijing

India boycotted the two-day conference on Chinas "One Belt One Road" (OBOR) initiative,
which was held in Beijing on 14th and 15th May 2017.
The boycott by India is a diplomatic retaliation to Chinas action of blocking Indias membership of
the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) and blocking UN sanctions on Pakistan-based terrorist
Masood Azhar.
43rd G7 Summit held in Sicily, Italy

43rd G7 summit was held on May 2627, 2017 in Taormina, Sicily, Italy. The summit was
attended by leaders of G7 countries viz. US, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Japan and Canada as
well as the representatives of European Union.
G7 presidency rotates annually between member countries. Presidency for the year 2017
is held by Italy. The theme of the Italian G7 presidency in 2017 is "Building the
foundations of renewed trust."
Highlights of 43rd G7 Summit:
Discussions at 43rd G7 Summit focused on foreign policy, the global economy and
the reduction of inequalities, and the migration crisis.
Foreign Policy discussions revolved around Syrian war, North Korean missile tests,
situation in Libya and Ukraine.
G7 leaders have reiterated their commitment to use all policy measures, including
monetary, fiscal and structural, to achieve sustainable, balanced and inclusive growth.
Acknowledging that gender equality is crucial for sustainable development; a G7
Roadmap for Gender-Responsive Economic Environment was adopted.
Leaders have agreed to put in coordinated efforts to contain the problem of large scale
migration and also establish partnership with countries to address the causes of
migration.
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G7 Taormina Statement on the fight against terrorism and violent extremism was
also adopted at the 43rd G7 Summit.
This was the first G7 summit for British Prime Minister Theresa May, French
President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni, and U.S.
President Donald Trump.
G7 summit ends deadlocked on climate change:
G7 communique released on May 27, 2017 at the conclusion of the summit stated that all member
countries - except the US - had reaffirmed their "strong commitment" to abide by the 2015 Paris
climate agreement to rein in greenhouse gas emissions.
2nd India-OPEC Institutional Dialogue held in Vienna Austria

On May 22, 2017, Dharmendra Pradhan - Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Petroleum
and Natural Gas, co-chaired the 2 nd India-OPEC Institutional Dialogue at the OPEC headquarters in
Vienna, Austria.
Mr.Pradhan held a one-to-one meeting with Mr Mohammad Sanusi Barkindo - Secretary General
of OPEC.
3rd RCEP Inter-sessional Ministerial Meeting

3rd Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Inter-sessional Ministerial Meeting was
held on 21-22 May 2017 in Hanoi, Vietnam.
Trade Ministers of all 16 RCEP countries participated in this meeting.
Indian delegation to this meeting was led by Union Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala
Sitharaman.
As Philippines is currently holding the Presidency of ASEAN, the RCEP Inter-sessional Ministerial
Meeting was chaired by Ramon Lopez - Trade Minister and Industry Minister of Philippines.
Start Up India Summit held In UAE

A two-day Startup India Summit was held in Abu Dhabi, UAE, on 23rd and 24th May 2017.
i. This summit was held by the Consul General of India (CGI) in Dubai and Embassy of India in
Abu Dhabi in partnership with iSPIRIT, a nonprofit think tank and was supported by TiE Dubai, a
nonprofit association dedicated to fostering entrepreneurship.
ii. The summit aimed to provide a shared platform for the Startup eco system in both, India and
UAE for greater collaboration, exchange of ideas, interaction with academia, investors and industry
and for having access to funding from the venture capitalist in the UAE.
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2017 North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit held in Belgium

The 28th edition of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit has started in Brussels
Belgium on May 24 and 25, 2017.
i. The top agenda of the meeting was terrorism.
ii. It is also expected that NATO is to join the US-led anti-Islamic State coalition (IS).
iii. The main aim is to fight against Islamist terrorism.
iv. The 2018 NATO summit will be held in Istanbul, Turkey.
India-Pacific islands conference held in Fiji

Indias Ministry of External Affairs hosted the 'India-Pacific Islands Sustainable Development
Conference in Suva, Fiji, on 25th and 26th May 2017.
More Information about India-Pacific Islands Sustainable Development Conference:
i. The conference was inaugurated by Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, the Acting Prime Minister of Fiji.
ii. It was held under the framework of the Forum for India Pacific Islands Co-operation
(FIPIC). The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) was key knowledge partner.
iii. Minister of State for External Affairs, Gen. (Dr.) V K Singh hosted the conference. He also
announced that India will contribute US$ 1 million to Fijis Trust Fund for their Presidency
of COP-23 to be held in November 2017.
Issues discussed at India-Pacific Islands Sustainable Development Conference:
Blue economy, Adaptation-mitigation practices for climate change, Disaster preparedness Health,
International Solar Alliance and Finding practical solutions to Nationally Determined Contributions
(NDC) implementation.
Delhi to host 3-day Indian Mobile Congress in September

Union Minister for Communications Manoj Sinha has announced that the Mobile Congress 2017
(IMC 2017) in New Delhi on 31st of May.
i. It is a 3 day programme and is scheduled from 27th to 29th September 2017.
ii. This is the first time India is all set to host its own mobile mega show.
iii. The Indian telecom market is the second-largest in the world after China.
iv. India has a total subscriber base of over 1.18 billion subscribers
70th edition of World Health Assembly (WHA70) held in Geneva

70th World Health Assembly (WHA70) was held from 22nd to 31st May 2017 in Geneva,
Switzerland.
Highlights of WHA70:
i. Dr Margaret Chan gave her last address as Director-General of the WHO, with her tenure
coming to an end.
ii. Member States of WHO, elected Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus as the new Director-
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General of WHO.
iii. Delegates at the World Health Assembly approved the organizations proposed
programme budget of US$ 4421.5 million for the biennium, which includes a 3% (or US$ 28
million) increase in Member State assessed contributions for 20182019.
G20 Labour & Employment Ministers meet held in Germany

G20 Labour and Employment Ministers Meet was held in Bad Neuenahr, Germany from 18-
19 May 2017.Germany chaired the G20 Labour and Employment Ministers Meet, as it currently
holds the G20 presidency.
The meeting focused on the theme Towards an Inclusive Future Shaping the
World of Work.
Topics discussed in the meeting were geared towards achieving the G20s common goal
of strong, sustainable and balanced growth.
A G20 Labour and Employment Ministerial Declaration was adopted at the end of
this meeting, which will be presented at G20 Summit scheduled to be held in
Hamburg, Germany on 7th and 8th July 2017.
Dattatreya advocates policy interventions aimed at incentivizing MSMEs at G20 forum in
Germany
The Indian delegation to G20 Labour and Employment Ministers Meet in Germany was led
by Union Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya. He was accompanied by Labour Secretary M
Sathiyavathy and other senior officials.
At G20 forum in Germany, Dattatreya advocated policy interventions aimed at promoting
labour mobility for skilled youth, incentivizing MSMEs as well as responsibility of
developed states in the Global Supply Chains for capacity building, skill development and
technology transfer to promote more inclusive and fair globalization.
RANKINGS & REPORTS

Indore is Indias cleanest city, UPs Gonda dirtiest: Swachh Bharat survey
On May 4, 2017 Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu released 3rd edition of the
Swachh Survekshan which ranked 434 Indian cities on various cleanliness parameters. Indore in
Madhya Pradesh emerged as the cleanest city and Gonda in Uttar Pradesh ranked at the
bottom as the dirtiest city.
Data for compiling the rankings were provided by municipal corporations and independent
assessors. Quality Council of India deployed 421 assessors for on the spot assessment of
17,500 locations in 434 cities and towns.
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Top 10 Clean Cities - Swachh Survekshan 2017:

Rank Cities
1st Indore Madhya Pradesh
2nd Bhopal Madhya Pradesh
3rd Visakhapatnam Andhra Pradesh
4th Surat Gujarat
th
5 Mysuru Karnataka
6th Tiruchirapally Tamil Nadu
7th NDMC Delhi
th
8 Navi Mumbai Maharashtra
9th Tirupathi Andhra Pradesh
10th Vadodara Gujarat
Bottom 10 Cities Swachh Survekshan 2017:

Rank Cities
434th Gonda Uttar Pradesh
433rd Bhusawal Maharashtra
432nd Bagaha Bihar
431st Hardoi Uttar Pradesh
430th Katihar Bihar
429th Bahraich Uttar Pradesh
428th Muktsar Punjab
427th Abohar Punjab
426th Shahjahanpur Uttar Pradesh
425th Khurja Uttar Pradesh
Highlights of Swachh Survekshan 2017:

Mysuru, which was holding the top spot since past two surveys, slipped to No. 5 position this time.
50 out of 62 cities of Uttar Pradesh in the survey ranked below 300. 5 out of bottom 10
cities are of Uttar Pradesh.
Varanasi, which is PM Modis contituency has registered a meteoric rise in rankings. In
2014, it ranked 418th, in 2016 it ranked 65th and in 2017 it ranked 32nd.
Cities of Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh have been best performers in terms of
improvement in rankings.
West Bengal State Govt. did not participate in Swachh Sarvekshan 2017, thus its cities
have not been ranked.
Hinduja brothers top United Kingdom annual rich list

As per latest edition of Sunday Times Rich List, Indian-origin Hinduja Brothers (Srichand
Hinduja and Gopichand Hinduja) have topped the 2017 list of the richest people in the United
Kingdom (UK). Their estimated fortune stood at 16.2 billion marking a 3.2 billion hike over
previous years estimate.
i. Besides Hinduja Brothers, 40 other Indian-Origin Tycoons are on Sunday Times Rich List.
India-born entrepreneurial brothers, David and Simon Reuben have ranked 3rd on the list with a
fortune of 14 billion.
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India to clock 7.1 per cent GDP this year, 7.5 per cent in 2018: UN report
As per 'The Economic and Social Survey of Asia and the Pacific 2017' released by UN
Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), Indian economy is
expected to register 7.1% GDP growth in 2017 and 7.5% in 2018.
The survey was launched by ESCAP Executive Secretary Shamshad Akhtar in Bangkok.
Growth Outlook for India:
The survey has forecasted 7.1% growth for Indian economy in 2017. The growth will come on the
back of increased Government spending on infrastructure projects and remonetisation activity by
Reserve Bank of India, which is expected to restore consumption patterns.
For 2017-18 the inflation is expected to be in the range of 3-5.5%, which breaches the
official target of 4.5-5.0%.
Gross non performing asset (NPA) ratio in public sector banks, which reached 12%
level in 2016, has been identified as biggest downside risk to growth of Indian economy.
The survey has highlighted the need for bank re-capitalisation.
The survey also noted that despite broader fiscal tightening, capital
expenditure under Union Budget 2017-18 has been 25% higher as compared to
previous years budget.
Growth Outlook for Asia-Pacific Region:
Asia-Pacific regions developing economies are expected to grow at 0% in 2017 as
compared to 4.9% in 2016. For 2018, the forecasted growth rate is 5.1%.
The survey has maintained an overall moderate growth outlook for Asia-Pacific
economies. However it states that these economies are vulnerable to global uncertainties
and protectionist policies adopted by certain nations in international trade. Any radical
increase in these factors can reduce the regional growth in 2017 by 1.2%.
India betters ranking in international tourist arrivals

India has ranked 24th in terms of International Tourist Arrivals (ITA) for 2014 and 2015 as
pre revised rankings of World Tourism Barometer by World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO).
Inclusion of arrivals of Non-Resident Indians (NRIs):
It is to be noted that earlier, India ranked 41st and 40th in 2014 and 2015, respectively.
However, on inclusion of non- resident Indians among international tourists, India leaped up 16
places to rank at 24th.
Including arrivals of Non-Resident Indians (NRIs),Indias share in international tourist
arrivals (ITA) for 2015 has increased to 1.12% from 0.68% before inclusion.
Travel and Tourism Sector in India:
This sector generated Rs 14.1 trillion in 2016 which is equivalent to 6% of India's GDP.
3 million Jobs were created in travel and tourism sector of India in 2016.
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Overall, the sector accounts for 3% of total jobs in India.

For the year 2016, India's Travel and Tourism sector registered a growth of 8.5% -
the fastest amongst G20 countries.
India ranked 40th on Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index (TTCI), 2017. This
marks a jump of 12 spots as compared to 52nd rank in previous edition of this index,
released in 2015.
India Ranked 2nd In EY Renewable Energy Attractiveness Index

Indian has ranked 2nd among 40 countries on Renewable Energy Country Attractiveness
Index 2017 released by Ernst and Young (EY). This marks an improvement of one spot as
compared to 3rd rank in 2016.
i. India maintained its upward trajectory on the index on account of Central Governments
programme to build 175 GW in renewable energy generation by year 2022.
ii. This initiative is in direction to realise a larger vision of wherein renewable energy will account
for 40% of installed capacity by year 2040.
India ranks at 154, below Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, on healthcare index
India has ranked 154th among 195 countries on healthcare index in Lancet medical
journals report titled 'Global Burden of Disease'. Performance of countries was
assessed for a period of 25 years from 1990-2015, based on death rates from 32 diseases that
could be avoided by effective medical care.
Tuberculosis, diabetes, diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus and measles, treatable
cancer, rheumatic heart disease, hypertensive heart disease, chronic kidney disease, and
maternal or neonatal disorders are some of the diseases for which death rate was
tracked.
This study has been funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Highlights of Global Burden of Disease':
Even though healthcare quality and access has improved over 25 years, the inequality between the
best and worst performing countries has widened.
India index score was 44.8, which marks an improvement of 14.1
points as compared to 1990.
Performance of Indias Neighbouring countries:
Country Index Score
China 74
Sri Lanka 72.8
Bhutan 52.7
Bangladesh 51.7
Nepal 50.8
Pakistan 43.1
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India ageing gradually, every 5th person to be 60+ by 2050 CRISIL, PFRDA
As per a joint report titled Financial Security for Indias ElderlyThe
Imperatives from CRISIL and pension regulator Pension Fund Regulatory and
Development Authority (PFRDA), by 2050 every 5th Indian will be in their 60s as against
every 12th at present.
Highlights of Financial Security for Indias ElderlyThe Imperatives Report:
Currently 9% of Indian population is above the age of 60, which will rise to 19.4% by year
2050.
Considering the current situation as an ideal one, PFRDA has highlighted the need to
develop the under-penetrated pension market in India.
PFRDA Chairman Hemant G Contractorhas mentioned that promotion and
development of a pension system will accomplish several objectives viz. providing income
security to the ageing population, pooling long-term funds for growth-driving sectors of
Indian economy and will also boost the liquidity in capital market.
Currently, only 14% of domestic savings are placed in pension and provident
funds. Major chunk of this comes from organised section.
The report has identified that increasing the penetration of pension products via voluntary
pension schemeshas been the biggest challenge due to the huge size of the unorganised
sector.
Referring to Atal Pension Yojana, the report mentioned that out of 47 lakh subscribers,
almost 49% have subscribed for Rs 1,000 pension (lowest range) and about 37% for Rs
5,000(highest range).The report inferred that despite pension amounts being low, people
are not able to afford these contributions.
Railway station survey - Andhra's Visakhapatnam cleanest, Bihar's Darbhanga dirtiest

As per the report of a survey carried out by the Quality Council of
India, Visakhapatnam railway station in Andhra Pradesh has been adjudged as
the cleanest, whereas Darbhanga railway station in Bihar is the dirtiest among busiest
stations in India.
i. The report of the survey was released by Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu on May 17,
2017.
ii. This was the 3rd such survey aimed at ascertaining cleanliness at rail premises. The survey is a
part of Swachh Rail campaign.
Fitch affirms India's sovereign rating at 'BBB-'

Global agency Fitch Ratings has affirmed India's long-term foreign- and local-currency rating at
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'BBB.
i. The agency has revealed stable outlook for the countrys ratings.
ii. Fitch forecasts Indias real gross domestic product (GDP) growth to accelerate to 7.7% in
FY17 and FY18, from 7.1% in FY16.
iii. The agency expects Indias current-account balance to narrow to -0.9% in FY17.
iv. Fitch also mentioned that Indian governments budgeted INR 700 billion capital injection into
banks between FY16 and FY19 will be sufficient.
Yusuff Ali, Sanjeev Chadha Among Top 100 Indian Business Leaders
Owner of LuLu Hypermarket chain in Middle East, Yusuff Ali has featured in Forbes Middle East
annual ranking of the top 100 Indian Business Owners, whereas Pepsico CEO, Asia, Middle
East and Africa, Sanjeev Chadha has featured in Forbes Middle East annual ranking of Top 50
Indians in Executive Management.
i. Most of the top 100 business owners in the Forbes ranking own diversified conglomerates,
whereas some of them come from retail, real estate and construction sectors. The top 10
business owners generate up to USD 28.9 billion revenue.
ii. 15 out of the top 50 executives work in banking and financial services companies. 24 of the
companies represented by the top 50 executives generate revenue of over USD 1 billion.
Indians 6th biggest private spenders on health among low-middle income nations
According to an India Spend analysis of two recent studies by The Lancet, a British medical
journal, Indians were the 6th biggest private spenders on health in the low-middle income
group of 50 nations in year 2014.
i. In India spending on Public Health was 3% of total health spending in 2014. Indian
Government ranked 147 among 184 countries on this parameter.
ii. The Global average for the same was 55% for 2014.Among the 50 lower-middle-
income countries, India ranked 39th, as the average for these countries was 2%.
Bengaluru ranked world's most affordable tech city

As per Savills Tech Cities 2017 rankings, Bengaluru has been adjudged as the most affordable
city having the lowest cost of living out of 22 tech cities across the world.
Assessment of Cost of Living in Bengaluru:
The mainstream weekly residential rent in Bengaluru is $236 which is much cheaper as
compared to all 22 tech cities average of $368.
Established tech firm office rent in Bengaluru is $12 per square feet as compared to all 22
tech cities average of $53 per square feet.
One way ticket on local transport costs $0.31 in Bengaluru as compared all 22 tech
cities average of $2.13.
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It is to be noted that cost of living does not include the property cost. Cost of living is one of the
parameter under the category of City Buzz and Wellness.
Bengalurus Rankings in Categories:
Business Environment: This category evaluates investment avenues and established R&D
facilities. Bengaluru ranked 19th out of 22 cities. New York ranked first in this
category
Tech Environment: This category evaluates size and value of tech
infrastructure. Bengaluru ranked 21st. San Francisco ranked first in this category
City Buzz and Wellness: This category evaluates urban environment, pollution levels,
healthcare facilities, civic amenities, equality in pay, night life, entertainment avenues
and cost of living. Despite topping on the factor of cost of living, Bengaluru ranked
lowest at 22nd in this category. Berlin ranked first in this category.
Talent Pool: This category evaluates immigration and talent attractiveness and higher
education opportunities. Bengaluru ranked 17th. Boston ranked first in this category.
Real Estate Cost: Bengaluru has ranked 5th. Buenos Aires is the least
expensive whereas Tokyo is the most expensive for owning Real Estate.
Overall Ranking of 20 Tech Cities:
Overall Rank Tech City Overall Rank Tech City
1 Austin, US 11 Stockholm, Sweden
2 San Francisco, US 12 Dublin, Ireland
3 New York, US 13 Seattle, US
4 London, UK 14 Melbourne, Australia
5 Amsterdam, Netherlands 15 Tel Aviv, Israel
6 Toronto, Canada 16 Seoul, South Korea
7 Copenhagen, Denmark 17 Hong Kong
8 Boston, 18 Tokyo, Japan
9 Berlin, Germany 19 Santiago, Chile
10 Singapore 20 Bengaluru, India
India jumps up 73 places in ease of getting electricity
India has ranked 26th in World Bank's electricity accessibility ranking for the current year.
This marks a remarkable jump of 73 places from 99th rank in 2014.
This improvement has been on account of following initiatives taken by Indian Govt.:
i. Amendment of the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) regulations for installing transformers (up
to 500KVA) on double-pole structures.
ii. Waiver of approval from electrical inspector for 11kV installations by Distribution Companies
(DISCOMs) and allowing self-certification by DISCOM engineers.
iii. Changing tariff regulations and Rationalizing low tension tariff.
iv. Setting up online portals enabling customers to apply for connections without the need for
physical documents.
v. Reducing the procedural steps for the issuing new connection.
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Dalits, Adivasis, Muslims worst off, says Indian Exclusion Report

As per 2016 Indian Exclusion Report (IXR) released by the Centre for Equity Studies
(CES) in New Delhi on May 10, 2017 Dalits, Adivasis and Muslims continue to be the worst-hit
communities in terms of exclusion from access to public goods.
i. The report has observed that Dalits, Adivasis, Muslims, and persons with disabilities and age-
related vulnerabilities are the groups which have consistently been most prone to exclusion from
any developments and advancements.
ii. Measures decided for the benefit of Dalits, women and Muslims have not been properly
implemented.
Kerala tops, Bihar last in Public Affairs Index

Kerala has secured first rank and Bihar has ranked last on this years Public Affairs Index
(PAI), compiled on basis of a survey by Bengaluru-based think-tank Public Affairs Centre
(PAC). The survey was based on 10 themes, 26 focus subjects and 82 indicators.
It was released by former Chief Justice of India M.N. Venkatachaliah. Former Karnataka
Lokayukta N. Santosh Hegde, Director of Public Affairs Centre (PAC) G. Gurucharan and
former Chief Secretary of Rajasthan C.K. Mathew were also present at the event.
Highlights of Public Affairs Index Survey:
In the overall rankings of large states, Kerala was followed by Tamil Nadu at second position and
Gujarat at third position.
This years bottom three large states - Bihar (18th), Jharkhand (17th) and Odisha (16th)
ranked at the same position even in 2016.
Among 12 small States (states having population of less than two
crore), Himachal Pradesh secured the first rank whereas Meghalaya ranked at last
position (12th).
In the category of essential infrastructure, Punjab emerged as the best performer.
In Support to Human Development, Kerala, Maharashtra, and Punjab are the top
three states, whereas Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Assam are the bottom three
states.
Top three slots in implementation of social protection policies were taken up
by Kerala, Assam and Madhya Pradesh. Telangana, Haryana and Punjab are lagging
the most on this theme.
In the category of women and children, Kerala ranked first followed by Odisha and
Karnataka. Jharkhand, Haryana and Maharashtraare the worst performers on this theme.
Tamil Nadu is the best performer on three themes viz. maintaining law and
order, delivery of justice and environment.
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In fiscal management,Telangana topped the list, whereas its neighbour Andhra

Pradesh is at the bottom of the list.
PM Modis home state Gujarat is No. 1 in economic freedom, whereas Nitish Kumars
Bihar ranked last in this category.
Mumbai, Delhi, 7 other Indian cities in JLL's global 300

Mumbai, Delhi and 7 other Indian cities have featured in the list of top 300 global cities which
are the focus of commercial activity and interest. This list has been compiled by real estate services
firm Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL).
i. On Commercial Attraction Index, New York has ranked 1st, whereas in terms of Economic
Size, Tokyo has ranked 1st.
ii. Nine Indian Cities in JLLs Global 300 List In Terms of Economic Size:
City Rank
Mumbai 17
Delhi 22
Kolkata 63
Bengaluru 75
Chennai 81
Ahmedabad 92
Surat 111
Pune 116
Hyderabad 147
India Ranks Third Highest Globally In Internal Displacement Numbers: Report
As per Global Report on Internal Displacement (GRID) 2016, released by Internal Displacement
Monitoring Centre (IDMC) of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), nearly 2.4 million people in
India were internally displaced due to conflict, violence and disasters in 2016.
Internal Displacement in India:
With 2.4 million people displaced in 2016, India ranked third globally after China
(7.4 displacement million) and the Philippines(5.9 million).
Out of 2.4 million, about 796,000 people were displaced as a result of conflict and violence.
Monsoon season floods in Bihar between mid-July and October led to more than 1.6 million
displacements.
India becomes second largest steel producer in the world

According to the International Stainless Steel Forum (ISSF) in May 2017 India overtook Japan
to become the second-largest steel producer in the world in 2016.
Key Points:
i. The data was released by the International Stainless Steel Forum at a annual conference
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in Tokyo, Japan.
ii. The top producer of the steel of the world in the year 2016 is China.
iii. In 2016-17 India became net exporter of steel with 8.2 MT of exports, registering a 102 per
cent growth over previous fiscal
iv. Indias stainless steel production rose to 3.32 million tons for 2016.
v. The data showed a growth of about 9 per cent over 3.0 million tons achieved in 2015.
India's Tax Laws, 2nd Most Complex in Asia-Pacific - Deloitte Survey

As per the Asia Pacific Tax Complexity Survey conducted by professional services
firm, Deloitte, India has the second most complex taxation system in the Asia-Pacific
Region. This outcome is based on a survey of over 300 financial and tax executives in 20 countries
across Asia Pacific. 147 of these respondents have business operations in India. The respondents
were asked to give their views on the current and anticipated tax environment for their respective
countries.
Top 5 Asia-Pacific Countries in terms of Tax Complexity:
Rank Country
1st China
2nd India
3rd Japan
4th Australia
5th Indonesia
Mumbai, Kota among world's most crowded cities says WEF

Two Indian cities Mumbai and Kota have been named among the world's most crowded
cities.
According to World Economic Forum (WEF) citing UN Habitat data the list is topped by Dhaka.
Dhaka has a population density of 44,500 people per square kilometer.
Dhaka is the most crowded city on the planet, followed by India's financial capital
Mumbai.
Mumbai has a population density of 31,700 people per square kilometre at the second
place.
Medellin in Columbia ranked third with 19,700 people per square kilometer followed
by Manila at the 4th place with a density of 14,800.
Casablanca, Morocco at 5th place with a density of 14,200.
Nigeria at 6th place with a density of 13,300.
Kota in Rajasthan with 12,100 people per square kilometre was ranked seventh.
Singapore at 8th place with a density of 10,200.
Jakarta, Indonesia at 9th place with a density of 9,600.
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Taj Mahal only Indian monument to figure in top 10 global landmarks

Taj Mahal is the only Indian monument which has featured in the list of top 10 Global
Landmarks, by Travellers Choice. Taj Mahal has secured 5th position on this list.
Travellers Choice Top 10 Global Landmarks:
Rank Landmark Country
1st Angkor Wat in Siem Reap Cambodia
2nd Zayed Grand Mosque Center in Abu Dhabi UAE
rd
3 Mezquita Cathedral de Cordoba in Cordoba Spain
4th St Peters Basilica in Vatican City Italy
5th Taj Mahal in Agra India
th
6 Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood in St Petersburg Russia
7th Great Wall at Mutianyu in Beijing China
8th Machu Picchu Peru
th
9 Plaza de Espana Spain
10th Duomo di Milano Italy
In the list of top Asian Landmarks, Taj Mahal secured second position.
Travellers Choice Top 10 Asian Landmarks:
Rank Landmark Country
1st Angkor Wat in Siem Reap Cambodia
nd
2 Taj Mahal in Agra India
3rd Great Wall at Mutianyu in Beijing China
4th Temple of the Reclining Buddha Thailand
th
5 Fushimi Inari in Kyoto Japan
6th Petronas Twin Towers Malaysia
7th Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon Myanmar
th
8 Cu Chi Tunnels in Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam
9th The Grand Palace Thailand
10th Kinkakuji Temple in Kyoto Japan
HDFC among top 10 consumer financial services companies globally
HDFC is the only Indian company to be named among the top 10 consumer financial services
companies in the world.
HDFC is among top 10 consumer financial services sector on a Forbes list companies globally.
The list is topped by global major American Express.
The Capital One Financial and Visa in the 2nd and 3rd place.
There are total 56 Indian companies on the list.
Reliance Industries ranked 1st among Indian firms.
The HDFC rank is 7thin the list.
Among the worlds list of 2,000 largest and most powerful public companies HDFC is
ranked 404th while it is at tenth position among Indian firms.
Out of 56 companies, 22 public sector lenders have been named in the regional banks
category.
State Bank of India was ranked 149 on the list.
Total 58 Indian companies appeared in the overall Forbes Global 2000 list.
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India ranks 120th among 131 nations in women workforce, says World Bank report
As per India Development Report released by World Bank on May 29, 2017, India ranks
120th among 131 countries in terms of women participation in the workforce.
Women participation in the Indian workforce:
As per the report, participation level of women in Indian workforce has been dropping since year
2005, despite having 42% women who are graduates.
Report has estimated that if women participation increased, Indias potential GDP
growth rate can rise by one percentage point.
Indian services and industry sector have less than 20% women in workforce. In
India, agriculture sector offers more jobs to women as compared to services and industry.
The report has outlined that those women who are moving out of the agriculture are not
being able to find jobs in other sectors.
In India, the women participation in workforce is only 27%, which is much lower
as compared to China and Brazil where it is in the range of 65-70%. In this context,
neighbouring countries, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are having better numbers than India.
The report has highlighted that women entrepreneurs typically create more job
opportunities for women, but in India the number of such women entrepreneurs itself is
low.
This information is even more worrisome in backdrop of Census 2011 data, which has
revealed that during 2001 and 2011, there was a 116% increase in women
graduates, compared to a 65% increase for men.
Mukesh Ambani tops Forbes list of Global Game Changers

Mukesh Ambani, a Reliance Industries Chairman has topped the Forbes list of Global Game
Changers.
i. The top 3 spots in the list have been occupied by: Mukesh Ambani of India (1st), Ziv
Aviram, Amnon Shashua of Israel (2nd), Stewart Butterfield of United States (3rd).
ii. The oldest person to feature on the list is Christo Wiese, 75, who is credited for creating
Africas largest retail empire.
Number of unaccompanied refugee and migrant children hits 'record high' UNICEF
On May 18, 2017, United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) mentioned that number of children
travelling alone has increased fivefold since year 2010. According to the new UNICEF report
titled A Child is a Child: Protecting children on the move from violence, abuse and
exploitation, at least 300,000 unaccompanied and separated children were recorded in
some 80 countries in the combined years of 2015 and 2016, up from 66,000 in 2010 and 2011.
Highlights of UNICEF Report:
Out of the 300,000 unaccompanied and separated children, 170000 sought asylum in Europe. Most
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of them arrived in Europe by undertaking a dangerous journey across the Mediterranean Sea.
About 100000 children were counted at US-Mexico border.
92% of children who arrived by boat in Italy in 2016 and early 2017
came unaccompanied. They migrated from African nations of Eritrea, Gambia, Nigeria,
Egypt and Guinea.
Sub-Saharan Africa and Central America and the Caribbean have the highest share
of children among detected trafficking victims at 64% and 62% respectively.
The report also mentioned that as much as 20% of smugglers have links to human
trafficking networks.
Children account for approximately 28% of trafficking victims globally.
BANKING & FINANCE

RBI announces rate of interest on Floating Rate Bonds, 2024
On May 5, 2017, Reserve Bank of India announced that rate of interest on the Floating Rate
Bonds, 2024 (FRB 2024) for the half year May 7, 2017 to November 6, 2017 has been fixed
at 6.30% per annum.
This rate is the average rate of the implicit yields (computed by considering 365 days in a
year) at the cut-off prices of the last three auctions of Government of India 182 day Treasury
Bills held up to May 7, 2017.
RBI makes substantial changes in norms for dealing with stressed loans
The Reserve Bank of India has released a notification through which it has introduced substantial
changes in norms for dealing with stressed loans.
This move comes on the back of Governments ordinance to amend the Banking Regulation
Act which has authorised RBI to issue directions to any banking company or banking
companies to initiate insolvency resolution process in respect of a default under the provisions
of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC), 2016.
Major Changes introduced by RBI for dealing with stressed loans:
To enable timely decision making, RBI has been decided that, now onwards the decisions
agreed upon by a minimum of 60% of creditors by value and 50% of creditors by
number in the Joint Lenders Forum (JLF) would be considered as the basis for
deciding the Corrective Action Plan (CAP) under the 'Framework for Revitalising
Distressed Assets in the Economy. Earlier the decision for CAP depended upon
agreement by a minimum of 75% of creditors by value and 60% by number.
The banks have been directed to provide appropriate mandates to their representative on
JLF for implementing the decisions. In addition to this, the board of the bank should also
empower their executives to implement the decision without any approval.
Banks should implement the decision of JLP within the stipulated time of 90 days.
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President promulgates ordinance on empowering RBI on bad loans resolution

To initiate insolvency proceedings for the recovery of bad loans the government gave wide-ranging
legislative powers to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to issue directions to lenders.
i. Non-performing assets (NPAs) or bad loans of public sector banks (PSBs) have reached at a
very high level over Rs 6 lakh crore in sectors such as power, steel, road infrastructure and
textiles.
ii. The much-awaited ordinance to amend the Banking Regulation Act was announced by
President Pranab Mukherjee.
iii. Under this Reserve Bank to issue directions to any banking companies to initiate insolvency
resolution process in respect of a default under the provisions of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy
Code (IBC), 2016.
FinMomenta launches peer-to-peeronline lending platform Tachyloans

Singapore based Fintech startup FinMomenta has announced the launch of Tachyloans. It is a
first digital lending platform in India for individuals as well as businesses.
i. Tachyloans is a credit scoring model which is used to assess the creditworthiness of applicants.
ii. It provides the fastest digital lending platform in India.
iii. Borrowers can avail loan at lower interest rates starting from 11.5 percent per annum.
iv. It verifies by using the KYC (Know Your Customer) documentation provided, and qualifies them
through their credit decision model.
v. It provides products like education loans, medical loans and wedding loans besides personal
loans.
AIIB grants $160 million for Andhra Pradesh power project

Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank has approved $ 160 million loan for a power project
in Andhra Pradesh.
i. India is the second largest shareholder of Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) after
China.
ii. Its aim is to strengthen the power transmission and distribution system in Andhra Pradesh.
iii. DJ Pandian is the Vice President and Chief Investment Officer of the AIIB.
iv. Andhra Pradesh is one of the first states to be selected for this programme.
v. It helps in improving system reliability and also helps in improving the commercial performance
of the states distribution companies.
$770 billion Worth of Black Money entered into India during 2005-2014: GFI
As per a latest report titled Illicit Financial Flows to and from Developing Countries: 2005-
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2014 compiled by US-based think tank Global Financial Integrity (GFI), an estimated $770
billion in black money entered India while $165 billion exited the country during 2005-2014.
i. The report stated that during 2014 alone, the inflow of black money was about $101 billion while
the outflow was $ 23 billion.
ii. The inflow of $ 770 billion was 14% and outflow of $165 billion was 3% of Indias total
trade of $ 5,500 billion during the 10-year period.
Ujjivan Small Finance Bank commences operations in Pune

Ujjivan Small Finance Bank has started its operations in Pune. Its total branches now come to
30 across the country.
i. It has started its operations from 4 locations. The four locations are Swargate, Pimpri, Akurdi
and Hadapsar.
ii. It provide services like doorstep banking, mobile, internet and phone banking, access
to biometric ATMs and Aadhar enabled debit cards.
iii. It offers savings bank account with no charges for minimum balance.
ADB Predicts 7.4 percent growth for Indian Economy this Fiscal
Asian Development Bank predicts 7.4% in the current fiscal year 2017-18 and 7.1% in the
fiscal year.
i. It is projected by ADB that India market is more deregulated and have open the paths to
welcoming to FDIs.
ii. One of the reasons of Asian economies growth is that they have enjoyed from open free trade
system.
iii. The overall export performance of India is also become positive day by day.
iv. ADB forecast 7.6% growth for next year.
SEBI finalises norms for listing of Green bonds

Securities and Exchange Board of India has finalised norms for issuance and listing of green
bonds.
i. It will help in raising funds from capital markets for investment in the renewable energy.The rules
have been finalised by the SEBI.
ii. After taking into account inputs from the Finance and Environment ministries from the Ministry
of New and Renewable Energy.
iii. A green bond is like debt instrument issued by an entity for raising funds from investors.
iv. Green bonds help to meet an ambitious target India has of building 175 gigawatt of
renewable energy capacity by 2022.
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ICICI to make 600 villages digitally-enabled in 2017

On May 2, 2017, ICICI Bank said it has made 100 villages digitally-enabled in 2017 and plans
to transform 500 more by the year-end.
i. The 100 villages which have been transformed into 'ICICI Digital Villages' are located across
17 states in India.
ii. These include 16 in Gujarat, 14 each in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, 12 each in Tamil
Nadu and Karnataka and 11 in Rajasthan among others.
iii. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley inaugurated the 100 ICICI digital villages and said
"The ICICI initiative should be followed by other banks in rural areas."
Edelweiss Tokio launches India's first insurance that can be bought at PoS
Edelweiss Tokio Life Insurance has launched Indias first insurance product that can be bought
at a point of sale (PoS). The product has been named PoS Saral Nivesh. It is the first product to
be approved by the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India's guidelines
on point of sale-life insurance products.
i. In November 2016, Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India had
issued Guidelines on Point of Sales Life Insurance Products in order to facilitate access to
insurance products for general public and increase the overall penetration of insurance.
ii. In the guidelines, it has been directed that for all PoS products, the benefits have to be
predefined and disclosed upfront at the time of sale itself. Moreover it should be very simple to
understand.
RBI extends BBPS deadline by seven months

On May 9, 2017, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) extended the deadline for companies undertaking
billing business under the Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS) by seven months to December
31, 2017.
i. The extension has been granted on account of difficulties expressed by various entities in
meeting the deadline.
ii. The extension is for those companies intending to become an agent of an authorised Bharat Bill
Payment Operating Unit (BBPOU) or wants to exit the business of bill payments
iii. As per the guidelines issued on November 28, 2014, for implementation of BBPS, banks and
non-bank entities, currently engaged in the bill payment activities covered under ambit of BBPS can
participate either as Bharat Bill Payment Operating Units (BBPOUs) or as an agent of an authorised
BBPOU.
SEBI allows subscription to MF schemes through e-wallets

Securities markets regulator Sebi has permitted subscription to mutual fund (MF) schemes
through e-wallets.
i. According to Sebi's guidelines, investors can invest up to Rs 50,000 per MF per financial year
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through e-wallets.
ii. MFs/AMCs shall ensure that only amounts loaded into e-wallet through cash or debit card or net
banking, can be used for subscription to MF schemes.
iii. MFs/AMCs shall ensure that e-wallet issuers shall not offer any incentives such as cashback,
voucher.
iv. MFs/ AMCs can offer IAF only in liquid schemes of the MF.
v. The monetary limit under IAF shall be Rs 50,000 or 90 per cent of latest value of investment
in the scheme, whichever is lower.
Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari launches NHAI's first masala bond in UK
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has raised Rs. 3000 crore through Masala
Bonds at London Stock Exchange. Funds raised through these Masala Bonds will be used for
constructing roads and transport infrastructure in India.
i. The NHAI Masala Bonds issue was launched by Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari
on May 11, 2017, in London.
ii. Initially, issue size of NHAI Masala Bonds was Rs. 1500 crore. Owing to positive response from
investors, the issue size was raised to Rs. 3000 crore.These bonds will give 3% annual returns to
investors.
iii. It is the largest ever 5-year issuance and also the largest inaugural transaction so far in the
masala bond market.
Government asks NGOs to open bank accounts in core banking format

In a bid to keep a check on "errant" NGOs, especially those receiving foreign funding, Union Home
Ministry has asked as many as 5,845 organisations to open their accounts in banks having
core banking facilities. This will enable security agencies to have real-time access to all relevant
details.
This decision was taken as it was detected that most of the NGOs have accounts in cooperative
banks or State Govt. banks, which do not have core banking facility.
DIPAM launches online investor facilitation platform

The Finance Ministry has set up an "Investor Facilitation Platform". It will provide information
about stocks of public sector units.
i. The platform that launched by the DIPAM is developed and maintained by PRIME Database.
ii. PRIME Database is India's first database that works for the primary capital market covering
fund raising by the Indian corporate sector and the Government through equity, debt or
securitization, in India or abroad.
LIC Housing Finance Launches New Home Loan Product Griha Siddhi'
LIC Housing Finance launches new home loan product Griha Siddhi
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i. Griha Siddhi will offer loans for construction, purchase of house or flat and repairs or renovation
to the existing properties.
ii. It will offer interest rate of 40 per cent up to Rs 25 lakh and for loans up to Rs 1 crore the
interest rate will be 8.50 per cent per annum for the borrowers.
iii. For women borrowers a special interest rate of 35 per cent for loans up to Rs 25 lakh.
RBI restricts loss making IDBI Bank from hiring, opening branches
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has initiated an action on IDBI Bank that will restrict bank
from hiring, opening branches and giving big ticket loans.
i. The directions from the RBI is aimed at ensuring that the bank takes measures to cut down its
losses by reducing expenses and recovering problem loans from hiring, opening branches.
ii. IDBI Bank is the first bank against which the revised PCA has been implored..
IFSC at GIFT inks pact with GNLU to start course on IFSC regulations
India's first International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) and International Finance-Tec
City (GIFT) signed an agreement with Gujarat National Law University (GNLU).
i. It aims to collaborate on efforts for Skill Development in the field of International Financial
Services & Regulations.
ii. Under this new pact the GNLU will introduce a new course on International Financial Services
Centre.It will start from June 2017.
Disha Microfin gets final nod from RBI for Small Finance Bank
Disha Microfin has received the final license from Reserve Bank on 12th of May to operate
as a small finance bank.
i. The Bank will start operations from July this year. The bank will be called Fincare Small Finance
Bank.
ii. Its main focus will be on the priority sector and retail segments, and will additionally offer
products such as gold loans and affordable housing loans.
SBI revises service charges; to charge ATM withdrawals at Rs 25

State Bank of India the country's largest public sector lender has announced that it will
start levying charges of Rs 25 for every withdrawal done at its automated teller machine or ATM
kiosks.
i. The bank has also mentioned that it will also charge the amount for exchange of "sullied" notes
worth and above Rs 5,000.
ii. All categories require Rs 5,000, Rs 3,000, Rs 2,000 and Rs 1,000 minimum balance to be
maintained to avoid suspension of the accounts.
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India to grow at 7.7 per cent in 2018-19 - IMF

The International Monetary Fund has predicted India to grow at 7.7% in 2018-2019.
Indias growth is expected to 7.2 per cent in the 2017-18 fiscal year.
i. The main challenge before the Indian economy will be to improve agricultural productivity.
ii. According to the report, Asia will see a rise in growth from 5.3% in 2016 to 5.5% in 2017.
India is one of the countries that have excellently performing reforms.
Cashkaro.com ties up with YES Bank to launch card-linked offers

Private sector bank Yes Bank announced its tie-up with Cashkaro to launch Indias first Card
Linked Offers (CLO) cash-back proposition.
i. The new launch is an innovative customer loyalty platform that provides online and offline
shoppers on which shoppers can avail cash-back offers with personalized merchant deals.
ii. It is a fully automated program removing the need for additional coupon codes and merchant
integrations.
iii. Yes Bank along with CashKaro will launch the Card Linked Offers pan India.
UCO Bank faces business restrictions from RBI

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has initiated "prompt corrective action" (PCA) on Kolkata-
based public sector lender UCO Bank on account of high bad loans and negative return on
assets.
i. After the recent revision of the "prompt corrective action" framework, UCO bank is the second
Bank after IDBI Bank against which PCA has been invoked by RBI.
ii. Exact details about PCA have not been revealed by UCO Bank, but it may include business
restrictions such as restrictions on big-ticket lending and branch expansion.
Indias GDP Growth Forecast for 2017 Revised Downward by UN

As per United Nations World Economic Situation and Prospects as of mid- 2017 report,
Indias Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth forecast for FY 2017 has been revised
downwards to 7.3% as compared to 7.7% projection made in January 2017.
i. However, GDP growth forecast for FY 2018 has been revised upwards to 7.9% as compared
to 7.6% projection made in January 2017.
ii. The report mentioned that stressed balance sheets in Indian banking sector, will restrict the
restoration of investment cycle in the country.
Kotak Mahindra Bank enables blockchain based trade financing operation

In a first of its kind transaction in India, Kotak Mahindra Bank enabled end to end trade financing
for one of its clients by applying the blockchain technology.
i. By utilising the blockchain technology, time for processing the letter of credit (LC) reduced
from 20-30 days to few hours. For this transaction Kotak Mahindra Bank had partnered
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with Deloitte. JP Morgan Singapore was the partner bank.

ii. LC is a written commitment to pay by buyers/importers bank to sellers/exporters bank.The LC
guarantees payment when prescribed list of documents are provided by the seller/exporter within
the stipulated timeframe.
Economy to grow at 7.4% in FY18, says FICCI survey

As per latest Economic Outlook Survey by Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and
Industry (FICCI), Indian Economy is expected to grow at 7.4% for the fiscal year 2017-18.
The survey has also mentioned minimum level of 7.0% and maximum level of 7.6%.
This survey was conducted during March and April 2017.
Highlights of FICCIs Economic Outlook Survey:
Services sector is expected to grow by 4% in 2017-18.
Industry is expected to grow by 9% in 2017-18.
Agriculture sector is estimated to clock 5% growth.
For FY 2017-18, average growth in IIP has been forecasted at 0%. However, extreme
range has been mentioned as 1.5% minimum and 6.8% maximum.
Wholesale Price Inflation (WPI) has been projected at 5% with a minimum and
maximum range of 3.6% and 5.9% respectively.
Consumer Price Inflation (CPI) has been projected at 8% with a minimum and
maximum level of 4% and 5.3% respectively.
HDFC Life inks distribution tie-up with Catholic Syrian Bank

HDFC Life has tied up with Catholic Syrian Bank. It includes selling of life assurance and other
insurance products and services by banking institutions.
i. It aims to distribute its individual life insurance products to the private lenders customers.
ii. HDFC Life will offer its leading range of individual life insurance, health and pension products to
the Catholic Syrian Banks 1.5 million customer base across all its branches over a period of time.
RBI issues new branch expansion norms

To promote financial inclusion, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has allowed the opening of
mini branches or banking outlets across the country without taking permission from the
regulator.
i. It is applicable to all domestic scheduled commercial banks except Regional Rural
Banks.
ii. According to RBI norms banks need to open atleast 25 per cent of their banking outlets in a
year in unbanked rural centres.
iii. The RBI also clarified that ATM kiosks, cash depositing counters and mobile branches will not be
treated as banking outlets.
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iv. RBI also mentioned that the first branch opened in a tier five or tier six city will be counted as a
banking outlet.
Karnataka Bank and LIC ink pact

Karnataka Bank Ltd has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Life Insurance
Corporation (LIC) of India for selling life insurance products of LIC
i. With this MoU the bank will provide the abundance choices of life insurance products to its
customers across all its 769 branches.
ii. The bank signed the corporate agency agreement with LIC in Mangaluru, Karnataka.
HDFC Life launches AI-based insurance email bot 'SPOK'

HDFC Life has announced the launch of an artificial intelligence-based application named
SPOK.
i. It can automatically read, understand, categorise, prioritise and respond to customer emails sent
to the private insurer.
ii. SPOK is an insurance email bot that can read customer queries within milliseconds and
respond to them.
iii. The email Bot is built on cutting-edge Artificial Intelligence and Natural Language Processing
technologies
Paytm launches Payments Bank

Paytm launched its Payments Bank on May 23, 2017, and thereby became third entity (after Airtel
Payments Bank and India Post Payments Bank) to commence operation as Payments Bank.
However, services of Paytm Payments Bank are currently available only via invitation.
More Details about Paytm Payments Bank:
The first physical branch of Paytm Payments Bank is in Noida.
Over the next two years, Rs. 400 crore will be invested to build the banking network. One97
Communications (Paytm Payments Banks parent company) has already invested Rs. 220 crore.
*Renu Satti as the CEO of Paytm Payments Bank.
Federal Bank launches new trading platform 'Selfie'

Federal Bank has launched a new trading platform called Selfie for customers.
i. Federal bank has launched in association with Geojit.
ii. The Selfie Trading Platform has a uniform feature across multiple platforms and devices and an
advanced charting platform.
iii. It enables users to trade directly from charts, among others.
iv. It will give its users absolute control over their investments with timely research inputs to make
sound investment decisions.
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Karnataka Bank pact with HDFC Asset Mgmt

Karnataka Bank Ltd has signed an agreement HDFC Capital Asset Management
Ltd (HDFCAML).
i. The main aim of signing the agreement is to sell the mutual fund products of HDFCAML.
ii. Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Karnataka Bank is Mahabaleswara MS.
Entertainment, Cable, DTH to attract lower taxes under GST.

Government has announced that 'entertainment tax' levied by states has been subsumed in the
GST and thus, taxation on cable and DTH services shall come down post the roll-out of GST
from July 1, 2017.
Taxation on Entertainment, Cable and DTH under GST regime:
i. Finance Ministry has stated that services by way of admission to entertainment events or
cinematography films in cinema theatres will attract 28% GST.
ii. Currently, states impose entertainment tax of up to 100 per cent in respect of exhibition of
cinematography films in theatres/cinema halls.
iii. Under GST, the entertainment tax has been subsumed, and hence only the taxes levied by a
panchayat or municipality on entertainments and amusements will continue.
iv. In addition to the benefit of lower headline rates of GST, the entertainment service providers
shall be eligible for full input tax credits (ITC) of GST paid in respect of inputs and input services.
v. GST Council has finalised 18% tax rate on cable TV and Direct-To- Home (DTH) services.
CBDT signs 2 more unilateral pacts with taxpayers

i. The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has signed two unilateral advance pricing
agreements (APAs) with Indian taxpayers in a bid to reduce litigation by providing certainty in
transfer pricing.
ii. The two APAs signed pertain to sectors like chip design or development of embedded software
and information technology (software development).
iii. Including these, total four APAs have been signed during this fiscal so far.
RBI to revamp oversight panel to tackle bad loans

The Reserve Bank of India on 22nd may 2017 had declared that it will reconstitute and expand
the oversight committee to deal with rising bad loans.
i. The RBI will now reconstitute the Oversight Committee (OC) under its aegis and the two current
members will continue in the revamped panel.
ii. The RBI is now developing a framework for an objective and consistent decision-making
process.
iii. It is framing the process for resolution under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016
(IBC).
iv. The central bank will expand the panel to include more members.
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v. The existing OC, which has two members, was constituted by the Indian Banks Association.
vi. The RBI will also expand the scope of cases to be referred to the OC beyond those under S4A
(Scheme for Sustainable Structuring of Stressed Assets) as required currently.
IFFCO launches debit card for farmers in collaboration with Bank of Baroda
Bank of Baroda (BoB) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with IFFCO.
Key Highlights:
i. The MOU has signed to launch theirfirst set of co-branded debit cards for the farmers.
ii. This step has been taken to promote more digitalization and cashless economy.
iii. The debit cards has a facility of overdraft of Rs 2,500 in special savings bank account.
iv. It is used for purchase of various agri-products at IFFCO sale counters.
SBI launches national hackathon

State Bank of India (SBI) has launched a National Hackathon for developers, start-ups and
students.
i. The main aim to launch National hackathaon is to come up with innovative ideas
and solutions for the banking sector.
ii. Hackathon which will start from June 6, 2017 and ends on June 20, 2017.
iii. The hackathon has named 'Code For Bank'.
RBI allows co-operative banks to issue mobile wallets

On May 25, 2017, Reserve Bank of India announced that it has decided to permit all licensed co-
operative banks having their own ATM network to issue semi-closed prepaid payment
instruments PPIs like mobile wallets.
A notification has been issued by RBI which enlists strict norms and conditions to be followed by
co-operative banks before permitting them to issue wallets for utility bill payments and other
activities up to a limit of Rs 10,000.
Besides, RBI has also laid down following criteria:
i. Banks should be core banking or CBS compliant
ii. The net non-performing assets should be less than 3%
iii. The bank should be profitable in the previous financial year.
iv. There should be no monetary penalty being imposed on the entity during the last two financial
years
v. A comprehensive customer grievance redressal mechanism should be set up.
vi. The bank should have internal and audit inspection processes both for its branches as well as
the head office.
India retains world's highest FDI recipient crown: Report

As per fDi Report 2017, compiled by fDi intelligence, a division of the Financial
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Times, India has retained its position as worlds top greenfield Foreign Direct Investment
(FDI) destination for the second consecutive year. Attracting $62.3 billion FDI inflows in
2016, India remained much ahead of China and the US.
Highlights of fDi Report 2017:
FDI inflows in India during 2016 increased by 2% to USD 62.3 billion, deployed
across 809 projects.
In 2016, global FDI flows gravitated to destinations experiencing the strongest economic
growth, whereas destinations going through recession/ slow down saw major decline in
FDI inflows.
Global FDI flows in 2016 stood at USD 776.2 billion marking 6% growth. It is
the highest level since 2011.
Employment generation on account of FDI increased by 5% to 02 million.
Despite the growth in value, the number of FDI projects across the world
declined by 3 % 12,644.
Attracting $59 billion FDI inflows, China surpassed US and became the second biggest
country for FDI by capital investment. US attracted $48 billion FDI inflows.
Globally, real estate emerged as the best sector attracting $157.5 billion FDI in
2016, marking an increase of 58%.
India's retirement savings gap to rise to $85 trn in 2050: WEF

According to World Economic Forum study the size of retirement savings gap in India is expected
to touch $85 trillion by 2050.
Meaning of Saving Gap:
i. The savings gap is the amount of money required in each country.
ii. It includes contributions from governments, individuals and employers.
iii. It provides each person with a retirement income equal to 70 per cent of their pre-retirement
income.
iv. World Economic Forum has also predict the world's six largest pension saving systems the US,
UK, Japan, Netherlands, Canada and Australia are expected to reach a $224 trillion gap
by 2050.
v. The savings gap will grow fastest in China and India at growth rates of 7 per cent and 10
per cent respectively.
RBI to observe financial literacy week from June 5-9

RBI has decided to observe the week June 5-9, 2017 as Financial Literacy Week across the
country.
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i. The literacy week will focus on four broad themes that is KYC, Exercising Credit
Discipline, Grievance Redressal and Going Digital (UPI and *99#).
ii. Banks are advised to conduct special camps on each of the five days in unbanked areas.
Goldman, Citigroup among 5 bankers selected for IOC stake sale

Goldman Sachs and Citigroup are among the 5 merchant bankers selected by Department of
Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) to manage Governments 3% stake sale
in Indian Oil Corporation (IOC).
i. 3% stake sale in Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) at current market price will fetch about Rs. 6000..
ii. Deutsche Equities, SBI Capital Markets and ICICI Securities are other three entities which
have been selected to manage this stake sale. As many as 10 merchant bankers including Axis
Capital, Kotak Investment, Nomura Financial, Edelweiss Financial and IDFC Bank were vying for this
job.
India to grow at 7.2% in 2017-18 - World Bank

As per India Development Report by World Bank, Indian economy is expected to grow
at 7.2% in FY 2017-18 as compared to 6.8% in 2016-17.
i. The report has outlined that demonetisation in November 2016 caused a slight disruption to
Indias growth recovery.
ii. It is to be noted that 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 %.
EPFO gives nod to hike in stock investment to 15 per cent

The Employees Provident Fund Organisation has announced a hike in investment limit in Exchange
Traded Funds (ETFs) from 10% to 15 per cent.
i. The decision was taken during the meeting of the Central Board of Trustees (CBT) on 29th of May.
ii. Union Labour Minister is Bandaru Dattatreya.
Asian Development Bank (ADB) & Punjab National Bank (PNB) sign $100 million loan to
finance Solar Rooftop projects
On May 30, 2017, Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Punjab National Bank
(PNB) signed a $100 million loan agreement to finance large solar rooftop systems on industrial
and commercial buildings throughout India.
Details about ADBs Solar Rooftop Investment Program (SRIP):
i. This is the first tranche loan of the $500 million multi tranche finance facility Solar Rooftop
Investment Program (SRIP) approved by ADB in 2016.
ii. This agreement has been guaranteed by the Government of India
iii. PNB will use the ADB funds to make further loans to various developers and end users to install
rooftop solar systems.
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RBI to soon circulate new pink-green Re 1 notes

The Reserve Bank of India will soon circulate one rupee notes while the existing notes and coins will
also continue.
i. The new notes will be in Pink-Green colour with the representation of the one rupee coin on the
reverse of the note.
ii. According to RBI these currency notes are legal tender as provided in The Coinage Act 2011.
iii. The new notes will bear the bilingual signature of economic affairs secretary
Shaktikanta Das.
India's growth to accelerate to 7.5% this fiscal: Moody's

According to the Moody Indias economic growth will accelerate to 7.5 per cent in current fiscal and
will help in achieving the 8 per cent of GDP growth rate in about four years.
i. According to Moodys the economy will grow 7.5 per cent in fiscal year 2017 (2017-
18) and 7.7 per cent in fiscal year 2018 (2018-19).
ii. Indian economy grew 7.1 per cent in 2016-17 fiscal.
iii. The inflation rate will rise to around 5 per cent by the end of this year.
iv. GDP will grow at 6.6 per cent in 2017 and falling to 6.3 per cent in 2018.
BUSINESS
Facebook launches Express WiFi in India
Facebook has launched its Express Wi-Fi in India. This WiFi service is available through 700
hotspots in 4 states.
i. Express Wi-Fi is a program of Facebooks global initiative to enlarge internet connectivity.
ii. Express Wi-Fi services are currently active in Kenya, Nigeria, Indonesia, and Tanzania.
iii. It will include the states of Gujarat,Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, and Meghalaya.
iv. Facebook has also mentioned a partnership with Bharti Airtel.
Wipro launches new brand identity

Wipro has disclosed its new brand identity. The new brand identity addresses its business
requirements and drive future opportunities in this digital era.
i. The new brand identity marks the companys emergence as a trusted digital transformation
partner to clients.
ii. This new brand identity has two key attributes refer by clients as unique to Wipros brand.
Uber's food delivery service UberEATS starts in Mumbai

Uber Technologies Inc. has started its food delivery service UberEATS in Mumbai.
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i. The company has appointed Bhavik Rathod as the head of the food delivery business.
ii. Allen Penn is the Asia-Pacific head of UberEATS.
iii. UberEATS will also allow consumers to schedule a delivery up to a week in advance.
Cabinet approves National Steel Policy 2017

On May 3, 2017 Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved National
Steel Policy 2017 which aims to make India self sufficient in steel production. The policy is
geared towards increasing domestic steel consumption, ensuring high quality steel production and
creating a technology-driven globally competitive steel industry.
Goals of National Steel Policy 2017:
To achieve 300MT steel production capacity by year 2030-31.
To achieve 255 MT steel production by year 2030-31.
To reduce import dependence on coking coal from current 85% to around 65% by
2030-31.
To increase finished steel per capita consumption from current 61 kgs to 158 Kgs by
2030 31.
Key Features of National Steel Policy 2017:
Additional 10 lakh crore will be invested by year 2030-31 to increase the steel production
capacity.
Automobiles, infrastructure and housing have been identified as major sectors which will
help in increasing domestic steel consumption.
Encouraging MSMEs in steel sector to adopt energy efficient technologies to increase
productivity and reduce energy intensity.
Establishment of Steel Research and Technology Mission of India
(SRTMI) to facilitate Research and Development (R&D) in steel sector.
In order to ensure availability of raw materials like iron ore, coking coal and non-coking
coal, natural gas etc., Union Steel Ministry will adopt necessary policy measures.
Google introduces Solve for India Campaign

Google has announced the new "Solve for India" initiative for tier-2 cities.
i. Tier-2 cities include Pune, Jaipur, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Kochi, Indore, Nagpur, Nashik, Madurai,
Kanpur, and Chennai.
ii. Areas include agri-tech, healthcare, transportation, education, sanitation and more.
iii. Entrepreneurs will now have the opportunity to learn directly from Google engineers.
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India imposes anti-dumping duty on 47 steel products for 5 years

India has imposed an anti-dumping duty on 47 steel products for 5 years.
i. According to the government data Indias steel imports to drop 38% year-on-year basis between
April 2016 and January 2017
ii. The anti-dumping duty is levied on hot-rolled flat products of alloy or non-alloy steel originating
in or exported from China, Japan, Korea, Russia, Brazil
New IIP, WPI series introduced, show overall benign macronumbers

New-look Index of Industrial Production (IIP) and the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) were
unveiled on May 12, 2017. It has been built on the new series of data and is thereby reflecting a
healthier picture of the Indian economy in 2016-17 as compared to the old series.
Shifting of Base Year:
The base year for the Indexes in the new series is 2011-12. In the previous series, the base
year was 2004-05. The revision of the base year has been done after a period of 8 years.
TCA Anant, the Chief Statistician of India who heads the National Statistical
Commission (NSC) of India has mentioned that attempts will be made to revise the series more
frequently and a technical review committee has been established which will identify new items to
be included so as to keep the series relevant.
About New Series IIP:
The new series of the IIP has 809 items as compared to 620 items in old series.
In the new series, manufacturing sector has been accorded 6% weightage as
compared to 75.5% in old series. Weightage of mining has been reduced to 14.1% from
14.3%. Weightage of electricity too has been reduced to 7.9% from 10.3%.
About New Series WPI:
The new series of the WPI has 697 items as compared to 676 items in old series.
New vegetables and fruits such as radish, carrot, cucumber, bitter gourd, mosambi
(sweet lime), pomegranate, jackfruit, and pear have been added to the list of primary
articles.
In the mineral group, items like copper concentrate, lead concentrate and garnet
have been added whereas copper ore, gypsum, kaolin, dolomite, and magnesite have
been removed. Natural gas has been added as a new item.
In the manufacturing items list, around 173 new items including conveyer belt, rubber
tread, steel cables, tissue paper, and wooden splint have been added, while 135 items
like khandsari (unrefined raw white sugar), poppadom, and video CD players have been
removed.
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Andhra Pradesh inks deal with HCL Tech to set up Rs 500 crore research facilities
Andhra Pradesh IT Minister Nara Lokesh on 12th May signed a deal with HCL Technologies. To
set up of Rs 500-crore IT research facility in Vijayawada.
i. The company will invest Rs 500 crore in ten years, for a development centre, training facility
and other ancillary facilities.
ii. HCL will aim to hire, employ and train 5,000 local residents in the region in two phases.
Ola ties-up with Airtel to roll out integrated digital offerings to customers
Bharti Airtel has announced a strategic partnership with taxi aggregator Ola.
i. It aims to offer a range of exciting digital services to customers.
ii. Airtel Payments Banks, India's first payment bank, will join hands with Ola app to offer
convenient digital payments solutions to customers for their rides.
communication and mobility needs.
11 PIOs in Forbes's list of best venture capitalists

11 Person of Indian Origin (PIOs) have featured in Forbes Magazines 'Midas 2017' which
ranks worlds 100 best venture capitalists in the technology space. Midas 2017 has been
compiled by evaluating venture capitalists portfolio during past five years.
11 PIOs in Forbes's list of best venture capitalists are as follows:
Name Associated Venture Firm Rank on Midas 2017
Neeraj Agrawal General Partner in Battery Ventures 17th
Sameer Gandhi Partner in Accel Partners 23rd
Asheem Partner in Greylock Partners 28th
Chandna
Salil Deshpande Managing Director in Bain Capital Ventures 33rd
Aneel Bhusri CEO and Cofounder of Workday 37th
Gaurav Garg Founding Partner of Wing Venture Capital 48th
Promod Haque Senior Managing Partner of Norwest Venture 67th
Partners
Hemant Taneja Managing Director of General Catalyst Partners 70th
Navin Chaddha Managing Director of Mayfield Fund 73rd
Ravi Mhatre Partner in Lightspeed Venture Partners 76th
Deven Parekh Managing Director of Insight Venture Partners 99th
Three Indian brands among world's top 50 luxury goods companies

The three Indian companies -- Gitanjali Gems, Titan and PC Jeweller -- have been named in the
list of top 50 luxury companies.
i. It was topped by Louis Vuitton.
ii. Gitanjali Gems Ltd was placed in the 30th rank, followed by Titan Company (31st) and
PC Jeweller (44th) in the fourth annual Global Powers of Luxury Goods report.
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iii. The top three companies are LVMH Moet Hennessy-Louis Vuitton SA, Compaigne
Financiere Richemont SA and The Estee Lauder Companies Inc.
Anti-dumping duty imposed on certain Glasses, Radiators

Anti-dumping duty imposed on certain glasses from Iran and aluminum radiators from
China in order to protect the domestic industry from cheap imports.
i. The imposed fine on both products and it would be effective for a period of five years.
ii. The anti-dumping steps are not taken to restrict imports or cause an unreasonable increase in
the cost of products but instead to ensure fair trade and to provide a level-playing field to the
domestic industry.
IIM-K Launches Business Incubator 'LIVE'

Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode (IIM-K) has recently launched LIVE, a business
incubator and entrepreneurship development centre. LIVE stands for Laboratory for
Innovation, Venturing and Entrepreneurship.
i. In June 2016, LIVE was registered under the Indian Societies Act.
ii. It will support start-ups, not just founded by IIM-K's own students or alumni but also any idea
owner with innovation that is believed to have commercial potential.
iii. Department of Science and Technology (DST) under Union Ministry of Science and Technology
has sanctioned a grant of Rs 3 crore for LIVE.
Hyderabad's Turbo Megha Airways first private airline to get UDAN licence
Turbo Megha Airways, the Hyderabad-based airline became the first private airline to get a
licence to fly under UDAN, the government scheme for subsidized regional flights.
Ola Launches Progressive Web App

Cab aggregator Ola has announced the launch of its 'Progressive Web App' (PWA).
It is a lightweight mobile website that offers users, especially in smaller towns and cities, an app-
like experience on simple smartphones.
Tata Group is India's most valuable brand - Brand Finance

As per a latest report, released by Brand Finance on May 17, 2017, Tata Group is Indias most
valuable brand, carrying an estimated brand value of $13.1 billion.
i. Tata retained top position as Indias most valuable brand despite 4% reduction in its brand value
as compared to 2016.
ii. The total brand value of Indias top 100 brands grew by 15% in 2017. This growth is
higher than the global average of 11%.
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Anti-dumping duty imposed on Chinese chemical, aluminium foil

The Finance Ministry has imposed definitive anti-dumping duty on clear float glass imports
from Iran.
i. Clear float glass is a superior quality of glass which is used in the construction, refrigeration,
mirror and solar energy industries.
ii. The definitive anti-dumping duty imposed by the Revenue Department will be valid for five year
BHEL commissions 270 MW thermal unit in Maharashtra

BHEL has commissioned a 250 mw thermal unit in Maharashtra.
i. The project is owned by Maharashtra State Power Generation Company (Mahagenco).
ii. The unit has been commissioned at Parli Thermal Power Station (TPS), located in Beed district in
the Marathwada region of Maharashtra.
FSSAI allows up to 5 per cent vegetable fats in chocolates

Solvent Extractors Association, premier vegetable oil Association, said FSSAI has issued
notification dated 15th May, 2017, permitting addition of vegetable fats (from sal, kokum, mango
kernel, palm oil, mahua oil dhupa, phulwara, dharambe, etc) to a maximum 5 per cent of the
finished product.
Twitter introduces customizable Direct Message Card for businesses

Twitter has introduced a new customizable Direct Message Card for businesses.
i. It is used to promote and share bots and other customer experiences built in Direct Messages.
ii. This new card will help businesses to drive discovery of experiences both through
Promoted Tweets and Organic sharing.
RIL leads 58 Indian firms in Forbes Global 2000 latest list

Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries Ltd.(RIL) is the highest ranked Indian firm in 2017
Forbes Global 2000 list. Total 58 Indian companies have featured in this list.
Ranking in 2017 Forbes Global 2000 list is based on following metrics carrying equal weightage:
1.Sales 2.Profits 3.Assets and 4.Market Value
2017 Forbes Global 2000 list:
i. Reliance Industries ranked 106th on 2017 Forbes Global 2000 list
ii. Among Indian companies, Reliance Industries was followed State Bank of India at 244 and
ONGC at 246.
iii. Indian private sector banks HDFC Bank (258), ICICI Bank (310), Axis Bank (463)
and Kotak Mahindra Bank (744) are among the top 20 Indian companies in the overall list.
iv. 40% of companies in 2017 Forbes Global 2000 list are from China and US.
v. Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) topped the 2017 Forbes Global 2000 list.
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Centre amends definition of a start-up

The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) has amended the definition of a Startup.
The new definition of Startup is:
i. An entity will be considered as a Start-Up if its turnover is less than Rs 25 crore.
ii. It has not completed seven years from the date of its incorporation/registration.
iii. It includes scalability of the business model with a potential for employment generation or
wealth creation.
Apple opens first Southeast Asia store in Singapore

Apple has opened its first store in Southeast Asia at Singapore.
i. Apple already has almost 500 stores globally with more than a million visitors daily.
ii. Apart from Singapore it has stores located in Hong Kong, China and Japan in Asia.
iii. Apple expects this store to be one of the most of the most popular stores in the world.
The tech giant celebrated its 40th anniversary last year.
Govt permits DIPP to grant industrial licences to defence manufacturers

The government has announced the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) to
grant Industrial licences to defence manufacturers.
i. DIPP will now process the applications for grant of licence for manufacture of defence
items.
ii. Before DIPP the Home Ministry was carrying out this exercise.
iii. The department, under the commerce and industry ministry, is mainly responsible for
formulation of polices with regard to promotion of foreign investment and manufacturing industries.
JSPL commissions Odisha's largest integrated steel plant

Jindal Steel and Power Ltd (JSPL) has inaugrated the largest integrated steel plant of Odisha with
the commissioning of the country's largest blast furnace at Angul.
i. The Angul steel plant has been expanded from two million tonne per annum (MTPA) to six
MTPA.
ii. The plant was set up at an investment of about Rs 33,000 crore.
IOC overtakes ONGC to become India's most profitable PSU

Indian Oil Corp (IOC) has overtaken Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) to become India's
most profitable public sector undertaking (PSU).
i. For financial year ended March 31, 2017, IOC posted a net profit of Rs 19,106.40 crore,
which marks a 70% jump from previous year.
ii. This net profit figure is much higher than ONGCs Rs 17,900 crore for financial year ended
March 31, 2017
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AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS
Srinagar-based freelancer bags Wisden-MCC Cricket 'Photo of the Year' award

Saqib Majeed, a Srinagar-based freelance photographer has won the prestigious 2016
Wisden-MCC (Melbourne Cricket Council) Cricket Photograph of the Year. He won this
award for a stunning image, which captured boys playing cricket in the Nishat Gardens in
Srinagar.
i. Saqib Majeed, an engineer by profession has become second Asian after Atul Kamble to receive
this prestigious award. His award winning image will be displayed at Lords Cricket Ground in
England for a year.
ii. Majeeds picture has been included in this years edition of MCCs book titled Wisden
Cricketer Almanack.
Tezpur University Faculty Selected for INSA Young Scientist Medal

Sanjay Pratihar has been chosen for the prestigious Indian National Science Academy (INSA)
medal for the Young Scientist Award for the year 2017.
i. Sanjay is a scientist at Tezpur University.The award, consisting of a bronze medal and cash
award of Rs 25,000.
ii. He has been awarded for his excellent contribution to multi-metal complexes, theoretical
understanding, selective sensing of Hq2+ions and important applications in agriculture.
Shabana Azmi starrer The Black Prince awarded at film fest in Houston
On the occasion of the 50th annual world fest houstan international film festival awarded the
special jury remi award to Indian actress Shabana Azmi and singer-poet Satinder Sartaaj on 3
May 2017.
i. Shabana Azmi got the award for her starring role in Hollywood film 'The Black Prince'.
ii. 'The Black Prince' is a life story of the last king of Punjab - Maharajah Duleep Singh.
iii. Maharajah Duleep Singh was also named as the Black Prince of Perthshire.
Bengaluru FC skipper Chhetri wins Hero of I-League award

Bengaluru FC (Bengaluru Football Club) skipper Sunil Chhetri, who scored seven goals in the
recently concluded edition of the I-League football tournament, has won the most
coveted Hero of the League award.
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Other Winners of Hero I-League 2016-17 Awards:

Award Awardees
Best Goalkeeper Debjit Majumder of Mohun Bagan
'Jarnail Singh Best Defender' of the league Award Anas Edathodika of Mohun Bagan
Best Midfielder Alfred Kemah Jaryan of Aizawl FC
Best Striker Aser Pierrick Dipanda Dicka of Shillong Lajong
'Best Emerging Player of Hero I-League' Award Jerry Lalrinzuala of DSK Shivajians FC
(awarded for the first time)
'Syed Abdul Rahim Best Coach Award' Khalid Jamil of Aizawl FC
'Fairplay Award' of Hero I-League 2016-17 Churchill Brothers FC Goa
'Best Organiser Award' DSK Shivajians FC and Bengaluru FC
3 Indian-origin Scientists elected fellows of UK Royal Society
3 India-origin scientists, Krishna Chatterjee, Subhash Khot and Yadvinder Malhi are among
the distinguished scientists from across the world, to have been elected Fellows of UK Royal
Society for their outstanding contributions to science.
i. They are among the 50 scientists and 10 foreign members who have been elected as Fellows in
this years announcement.
ii. Nobel laureate Venkatraman Ramakrishnan, the current as well as the first Indian-origin
President of Royal Society welcomed the latest batch of fellows.
Sachin Tendulkar Conferred With Fellowship Award In UK

Sachin Tendulkar conferred with Fellowship Award at the 7th annual Asian Awards in UK.
i. Indias cricket icon plans to support charities and various initiatives to help the under-privileged
people in the second innings of his life.
ii. He also plans to provide solar lights to poor people in India.
iii. The ceremony, which celebrates excellence in the global Asian community, also paid tribute to
Indian actor Om Puri.
Sports Ministry announces changes in National Youth Awards

Union Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports Vijay Goel announces changes in the National Youth
Awards (NYA) on 3rd May 2017
i. The changes are done to bring transparency in the selection process.
ii. The National Youth Awards are granted by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports every year.
iii. A new Logo for the National Youth Awards was also released by the Union Ministry of Youth
Affairs & Sports.
iv. Increase in the number of the awards under National Youth Award.The prize money is now Rs
200000 with a Trophy and Certificate.
v. For the first time, the nominations for the National Youth Awards (NYA) will be received and
processed through online mode to cover the people on pan-India basis.
vi. It has been presented to give recognition to their outstanding work and to motivate them to
achieve excellence in the field on National Development and Social Service.
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vii. Applicants will be given 30 days to apply online at https://innovate.mygov.in/national-

youth-award/.
viii. The number of awards in the Individual category has now been increased to 25 and amount of
money for the Award has also been enhanced to Rs 50000.
Village Financial Services gets award

A Kolkata-based Micro Finance Institution, Village Financial Services has bagged MSME
Banking Excellence Awards 2016, instituted by the Chamber for Indian Micro, Small &
Medium Enterprises (CIMSME).
Village Financial Services won the award under the category Best NBFC-MFI for Promotional
Schemes. Village Financial Services was also adjudged as the runner-up in Eco-Technology Savvy
NBFC-MFI category.
The award was presented to Kuldip Maity - CEO and Managing Director of Village Financial
Services, by Arjun Ram Meghwal - Minister of State for Finance and Corporate Affairs in New
Delhi.
2017 Daytime Emmy Awards Winners List

Presentation ceremony of 44th Daytime Emmy Awards, was held on April 30, 2017
in Pasadena, Los Angeles, US. Mario Lopez and Sheryl Underwood hosted the ceremony.
These awards were given in recognition for outstanding achievement in all fields of daytime
television production for the calendar year 2016.
2017 Daytime Emmy Awards Winners List
Category Winners
Outstanding Talk Show Entertainment The Ellen DeGeneres Show
Outstanding Talk Show Informative The Dr. Oz Show
Outstanding Younger Actress in a Drama Series Lexi Ainsworth as Kristina Davis on General
Hospital
Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series Bryan Craig as Morgan Corinthos on General
Hospital
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series Gina Tognoni as Phyllis Summers on The Young
and the Restless
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series Scott Clifton as Liam Spencer on The Bold and
the Beautiful
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Kate Mansi as Abigail Deveraux on Days of Our
Series Lives
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Steve Burton as Dylan McAvoy on The Young
and the Restless
Outstanding Morning Program Good Morning America
Outstanding Entertainment News Program Entertainment Tonight
Outstanding Culinary Program Eat the World with Emeril Lagasse
Outstanding Special Guest Performer in a Drama Jim O'Heir as Matt Cannistra on The Bold and
Series the Beautiful
Outstanding Drama Series General Hospital
Outstanding Game Show Host Steve Harvey Family Feud
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Outstanding Entertainment Talk Show Host Julie Chen, Sara Gilbert, Sharon Osbourne, Aisha
Tyler, and Sheryl Underwood The Talk
Outstanding Drama Series Writing Team The Young and the Restless
Outstanding Game Show Jeoprady!
Outstanding Drama Series Directing Team General Hospital
Outstanding Entertainment Program in Spanish Destinos
Outstanding Informative Talk Show Host Steve Harvey Steve Harvey
Outstanding Daytime Talent in a Spanish Gaby Natale SuperLatina with Gaby Natale
Language Program
Lifetime Achievement Award Mary Hart
Padma Venkataraman Bestowed With Avvaiyar Award
On May 2, 2017, Tamil Nadu State Government honoured social worker Padma
Venkataraman with the states "Avvaiyar Award" for 2017. Padma Venkataraman is the
daughter of former President of India, the late R Venkataraman.
i. This award has been given to her for her efforts in the areas of womens welfare and
rehabilitation of leprosy-affected persons for the past 30 years.
ii. The award was given to her by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami.
Rajive Kaul gets Diplomatic Service Award from South Korea

Former president and Chairman of Nicco group of CII Rajive Kaul was conferred with the
Order of Diplomatic Service Merit Sungnye Medal of the Republic of Korea.
i. The award was conferred by the acting President and Prime Minister of South Korea Hwang Kyo-
ahn at a programme in New Delhi.
ii. He got this award for his services rendered as honorary consul general of South Korea in
Kolkata.
Emma Watson takes first major gender-neutral movie award

On May 7, 2017, actress, Emma Watson became the first person to win the MTV Movie and TV
Awards new gender-neutral Best Actor in a Movie award for her performance as Belle in
Beauty and the Beast.
i. This year, MTV Movie and TV Awards also added a gender-less best actor category award for
television.
ii. In this context, gender-neutral means, every award category had a single list of male as well as
female nominees together, unlike Oscars or Golden Globe, which have separate categories for Male
Actor and Female Actor.
Lion actor Sunny Pawar named Rising Star at Asian Awards

London Child actor Sunny Pawar has been chosen for the Rising Star Award.
i. The award will be presented to Sunny at the 7th Annual Asian Awards.
ii. He is known for his best performance in the Oscar-nominated film "Lion".
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Konkona bags Best Director and Best Actress awards at New York Indian Film Festival
Konkona Sensharma has bagged the best director for her debut film A Death in the Gunj.
i. Konkona had also bagged the best actress for Lipstick Under My Burkha at 2017's New
York Indian Film Festival (NYIFF).
ii. The film festival took place from April 30 to May 7.
iii. She received the top honour for her performance in Alankrita Shrivastava's Lipstick Under My
Burkha.She won the award for directing the drama thriller.
iv. K Kaladharan won the best actor for Malayalam film 'Ottayaaln Paatha'" (A Narrow Path).
v. Shubhashish Bhutiani's Mukti Bhawan was declared the best film at the 17th annual film
festival.
vi. Onir's film Aaba was declared the best short film at the festival.It was presented by the Indo-
American Arts Council.
VVS Laxman named an Honorary Life Member of MCC

Former India batsman V V S Laxman was awarded an honorary life membership to
the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) on 11 May 2017.
i. Laxman is the fifth Indian to receive the honour, after Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid,
Sourav Ganguly and Zaheer Khan.
ii. He was a right-hand batsman, who played mostly in the lower middle order.In 2012, he retired
from international cricket.
ICICI Bank Chief Chanda Kochhar receives 'Woodrow Wilson Award' for global corporate
citizenship
Chanda Kochhar, the Managing Director and Chief Executive of ICICI Bank became the first
Indian woman to be conferred with the prestigious Woodrow Wilson Award for Global
Corporate Citizenship.
i. The award was conferred by Woodrow Wilson Centre on May 10, 2017 in Washington DC, US.
Ms. Kochhar received this award for demonstrating a commitment to the common good beyond the
bottom line.
ii. 2017 Woodrow Wilson Award for Public Service has been conferred on United States
Senator, Mitch McConnell.
Presidential awards for classical Tamil presented

On May 9, 2017, the President of India, Mr. Pranab Mukherjee presented the Presidential
Awards for Classical Tamil for the years 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16 at Rashtrapati
Bhawan, New Delhi.
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Presidential Awards for Classical Tamil comprises:

Tholakpiyyar Award: It is a life time achievement award for Indian scholar given for an
outstanding contribution in the field of Tamil studies. This award carries a certificate of
honour, a memento and a one-time cash award of Rs. 5 Lakh.
Kural Peedam Award: These are two international awards; one for persons of Indian
origin and another for a person of non-Indian origin who have been identified as eminent
scholars of Classical Tamil. This award carries a certificate of honour, a memento and
a one-time cash award of Rs. 5 lakh.
Young Scholar Award: Five awards are given to young scholars in the age group of
30- 40, who have publications to their credit and have shown interest in Tamil studies.
This award carries a certificate of honour, a memento and a one-time cash award
of Rs. 1 lakh.
Winners of Presidential Awards for classical Tamil for 2013-14
Award Awardees
Tholakpiyyar Award Dr. S.N.Kandaswamy
Dr. Ula Balasubramaniyan
Dr. Kalai Chezhian
Dr. S. Rajalakshmi
Dr. T. Mahalakshmi
Young Scholar Award
Dr. S. P. Salavanisree
Award Awardees
Tholakpiyyar Award Dr. A. Dakshinamurthy
Dr. A. Sathish
Young Scholar Award
Dr. J. Muthuselvan
Dr. P. Thirugnanasammandam
Dr. M. Vasanthakumari
Dr. G. Sathish

Award Awardees
Tholakpiyyar Award Dr. R.Kalaikkovan
Dr. M. Vanitha
Dr. V. Prakash
Dr. S. Premkumar
Dr. G. Balaji
Dr. M. Munees Moorthy
Young Scholar Award
There are no Kural Peedam Awardees in the above mentioned years.
N'GoloKante named Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year

NGoloKante named 2017 Footballer of the Year by the Football Writers Association.
i. Kante topped the poll of the 340-strong membership ahead of his Blues team-mate Eden
Hazard, with Tottenhams Dele Alli in third place.
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ISKCON's Govardhan Eco Village wins Smart Village Award

Maharashtra's Govardhan Eco Village has won the "Smart Village" award for being a
sustainable project in rural Maharashtra.
The India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO)'s award was recieved by Nimai Lila Das to
Chief Sustainability Officer of Govardhan Eco Village, in New Delhi on May 13, 2017
ISRO receives 2014 Indira Gandhi Peace Prize

On May 18, 2017, Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh presented the
2014 Indira Gandhi Peace Prize to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) at a
function in New Delhi.
i. The prize was announced in the year 2014 by the jury headed by the Vice President M. Hamid
Ansari.
ii. The Prize was presented to AS Kiran Kumar - Chairman of ISRO, in presence of Sonia
Gandhi, Chairperson of the Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust (IGMT).
Indian-origin steel tycoon bags prestigious 'CEO of the Year' award in UK

Britains Indian-origin steel tycoon Sanjeev Gupta has bagged a top global award CEO of the
Yearfor his successful acquisitions.
i. Sanjeev is the executive chairman of the Liberty House Group has received the title "CEO of the
Year" at the prestigious Platts Global Metals Awards in London on 18th of May.
ii. He was chosen from a shortlist of 10 top metal industry executives, including Indian CEOs Sajjan
Jindal of JSW Steel and Prakash Kumar Singh of the Steel Authority of India.
Indian Prashant Ranganathan wins top intel science award in US

An Indian boy Prashant Ranganathan has won the top Intel Science Award in US. It is the
world's largest pre-college science competition in the US.
i. Prashant has won in the category of environmental engineering for his project on bio-
degradation of pesticides.
ii. Prashant Ranganathan along with 1700 students from across the worldhas participated in the
Intel International Science and Engineering Fair.
Reliance Jio gets TM Forum's 'Digital Service Innovator of the Year Award'
Reliance Jio, the wholly owned subsidiary of Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries has
received TM Forum's 'Digital Service Innovator of the Year Award' 2017.
i. RelianceJio got this award for acquiring 90 million customers in a short span of 4 months.
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ii. Digital Service Innovator of the Year Award is given to the company or organisation which has
made the most significant and innovative contribution to advancing the digital revolution in society.
Assams Purnima Barman & Karnatakas Sanjay Gubbi Win The Prestigious Green Oscars
Award
Two wildlife conservationists from India, Sanjay Gubbi of Karnataka and Purnima Barman of
Assam are among the six winners of this years prestigious Whitley Awards, which are popularly
referred to as Green Oscars.
i. The winners of Whitley Awards were felicitated at a special ceremony at the Royal Geographic
Society in London. They received the award from Princess Anne (daughter of Queen
Elizabeth II), The Princess Royal.
ii. The award honors outstanding contribution towards wildlife conservation outside the developed
world.
Indian scientist Shrinivas Kulkarni wins Dan David Prize

Indian scientist Shrinivas Kulkarni has won the prestigious Dan David prize for his
contribution in the field of astronomy.
i. Shrinivas Kulkarni is a professor of astrophysics and planetary science at California
Institute of Technology in Pasadena.
ii. He is a pioneer in the field of time-domain astrophysics.He has been credited for building and
conducting the Palomar Transient Factory, which is a large-area survey of the night sky that has
turned up with thousands of stellar explosions.
David Letterman wins Mark Twain Prize 2017 for American humour
David Letterman has won Mark Twain Prize 2017 for American humour on 17th May.
i. David became the 20th humorist to receive the prize.
ii. He is also a past recipient of Kennedy Centre Honours for his influence on American culture.
iii. He won 10 Emmy Awards while hosting NBC's "Late Night" and then "The Late Show" on CBS.
iv. He has hosted over 6000 late-night shows in 33 years.
Two Indian peacekeepers Brijesh Thapa and Private Ravi Kumar to be honored
posthumously with UN medal
Two Indian peacekeepers, Rifleman Brijesh Thapa and Private Ravi Kumar are among the 117
military, police and civilian personnel to be honoured with the prestigious Dag Hammarskjold
Medal by the United Nations posthumously for their courage and sacrifice in the line of duty.
Rifleman Brijesh Thapa served with the UN Organisation Stabilization Mission in the
Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) and Private Ravi Kumar was deployed
with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
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The medal will be awarded on May 29, 2017, observed as International Day of UN
Peacekeepers.
Deveshwar, Soumitra Chatterjee conferred Bengal's highest civilian award

Thespian Soumitra Chatterjee and Indias longest serving boss Y.C. Deveshwar have been
conferred with the Banga Samman.
It is the West Bengals highest civilian award, by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
IIT-Hyderabad professor Aravind Kumar Rengan bags INSA Young Scientist award
Aravind Kumar Rengan, Assistant Professor in Department of Biomedical Engineering at Indian
Institute of Technology (IIT) - Hyderabad has been awarded the prestigious Indian National
Science Academy (INSA) medal in the Young Scientist category for 2017.
i. Prof. Aravind has been awarded the medal for devising a novel way of nano delivery using
liposomes and gold nanoparticles which is useful for both, imaging and therapeutics
ii. His research work was published in two prestigious journals of nanotechnology field.
Pawan Kumar Chamling conferred with first BS Shekhawat award by President

Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling was conferred with the first Bhairon Singh
Shekhawat Lifetime Achievement Honour in Public Service by President Pranab Mukherjee.
i. Main aim of this award is to deliver public service and to bring change in the life of people and
improve their living conditions.
ii. Mukherjee applause Chamlings contribution to Sikkim and said it is emerging as a role model for
other states.
Adiyogi bust declared worlds largest by Guinness Book of World Records

The 112 feet tall 'Adiyogi' Lord Shiva steel statue has been declared the world's largest bust
by the Guinness Books of World Records.
i. It is situated in Coimbatore at the Isha Yoga Centre.
ii. It aims to create awareness among the people about adiyogi science.
Nepalese woman breaks world record for Most Everest summits

A 44-year-old Nepalese mountaineer Lhakpa Sherpa has broken her own world record for
the most Everest summits by a woman after scaling the worlds tallest peak for the eighth
time.
Mumbai crowned worlds busiest single-runway airport with 1 flight in 65 seconds
The GVK group-run Mumbai airport has become the worlds busiest single-runway airport.
i. The GVK group-run Mumbai airport handles 837 flights a day and in terms of the number of
passengers also, the city airport tops with 45.2 million people flying in and out in fiscal 2017.
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ii. Out of the 45.2 million passengers at the Mumbai airport, 12.4 million were international
travellers.
iii. The Mumbai airport handled on an average 48 flights, peaking at even 52 movements at
times, making it the busiest in the world.
iv. In fiscal year 2017, the city airport logged in an 8 per cent growth in volume over fiscal year
2016.
v. In terms of aircraft movement in a day, the city airport had one plane take-off or landing in 65
seconds.
vi. Recently, the city airport welcomed two Airbus A350-900 and become the only airport in the
country to handle daily operations of two of the worlds most advanced premium passenger aircraft.
Jacqueline Fernandez wins humanitarian award for her philanthropic work in India
Bollywood actress Jacqueline Fernandez has received the International Humanitarian Award at
the second annual Asian Voice Charity Awards. These awards have been instituted by Asian
Voice, a leading British Asian news weekly.
i. Jacqueline has been given this award for her humanitarian work in India and abroad. Since
past five years, she has been closely working with a non-profit organisation called Habitat for
Humanity which builds affordable houses for poor.
ii. She received the award from C B Patel, Publisher-Editor of Asian Voice newspaper and
Chairman of the Asian Voice Charity Awards.
Cochin Port Trust bags two awards

Cochin Port Trust has bagged two Best Performance Awards from the Ministry of Shipping.
i. Cochin Port has received the award for the highest growth in operating surplus.
ii. It also achieved the third highest growth in cargo traffic among the major ports in the year
2016-17.
Young Indian Cartoonist Rohan Chakravarty wins top conservation award for issues
related to Wildlife, Environment
Rohan Chakravarty, a young Indian wildlife and environment cartoonist has won
WWF International Presidents Award.
He won for his efforts to inspire change and attitudes towards nature.
The award is given to recognize outstanding leadership in young conservationists from around the
world.
The 2017 WWF International Presidents Award is presented in Manado, Indonesia.
Drake beats Adele's Billboard Music Awards record with 13 wins

Drake has beaten the Adele's record and was the big winner at the 2017 Billboard Music Awards.
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i. The rapper has bagged 13 awards.

ii. Hewon top artist, top male artist and top Billboard 200 album (Views) at the T-Mobile Arena in
Las Vegas.
iii. Adele set a record at the show in 2012 with 12 wins.
EDII and ITC bags Porter Prize 2017

Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDII), Gujarat and ITC Ltd has won
the Porter Prize 2017.
i. ITC has received the prize for Excellence in Corporate Governance and Integration and for its
contribution in Creating Shared Value.
ii. The Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDII) has set up in 1983.
Pranab Mukharjee presented the Dr. Ambedkar National Awards

The President of India Shri Pranab Mukherjee has presented the Dr. Ambedkar National Awards or
the years 2011, 2012 and 2014 on May 26, 2017 in New Delhi.
i. Dr. Ambedkar National Awards has been given for outstanding contribution to the promotion
of social understanding and for the upliftment of weaker sections of the society.
ii. The winners of Dr. Ambedkar National Awards Professorare as follows:
1.S K Thorat, a well-known scholar
2.Samta Sainik Dal a non-political organization founded by Dr. Ambedkar
3.Amar Sewa Sangam an institution working in the field of empowering differently abled persons.
4.Shri BabuLal Nirmal, a social activist from Rajasthan.
Pune city police receive FICCI Smart Policing Award 2017

The Pune city police have won the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and
Industries (FICCI) Smart Police Award for the year 2017.
i. The Pune city Police has been awarded for their initiatives on women and cyber security.
ii. The Pune city police have launched various initiatives like Buddy Cop,Damini squad, Lost &
Found portal, Beat Marshal Monitoring Sapience App.
Satyabrata Rout gets Sangeet Natak Akademi Puraskar

Sangeet Natak Akademi Puraskar for the year 2016 has been awarded to Satyabrata
Rout. Satyabrata Rout has been given this award for developing a unique method of teaching and
practising direction and design.
i. Stayabrata Rout is a professor from the Department of Theatre Arts, S N School of Arts and
Communication. He is a noted theatre director and scenographer.
ii. He is one of the pioneers of visual theatre in India, and has authored Scenography: An Indian
Perspective.
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The Square' wins top award at Cannes Film Festival 2017

The Ruben Ostlund-directed satire The Square has won the top prize at the 70th Cannes Film
Festival 2017.
i. The movie is directed by the Ruben Ostlund.
ii. Sofia Coppola became the second woman in the festivals history to win best director at this
auteurist temple.
Lionel Messi wins fourth Golden Shoe, ties record with Cristiano Ronaldo
Professional football player Lionel Messi has won the European Golden Shoe for a fourth
time. Playing for FC Barcelona, Lionel Messi scored 37 goals this season.
i. With the fourth Golden shoe to his name, Messi has equalled Real Madrids Cristiano
Ronaldos record.
ii. Lionel Messi topped the Golden Shoe table by scoring 37 goals and securing 74 points, and was
ahead of Bas Dost of Sporting Lisbon by six points.
Priyanka to receive Dadasaheb Phalke Academy Award

Actress Priyanka Chopra has received the Dadasaheb Phalke Academy Award.
i .Priyanka has received the award for being an international icon.
ii. The event will be held at Bhaidas Hall, Vile Parle West in Mumbai.
iii. She will be given the award for newly introduced 'Internationally Acclaimed
Actress' category at a ceremony.
Author Jhumpa Lahiri wins 2017 PEN/Malamud award

Author Jhumpa Lahiri wins PEN/Malamud Award 2017.PEN/Faulkner Foundation has announced
that Professor of Creative Writing Jhumpa Lahiri is the recipient of the 2017 PEN/Malamud
Award for Excellence in the Short Story.
i. Jhumpa Lahiri received the Pulitzer Prize in 2000 for Interpreter of Maladies, her debut story
collection that explores issues of love and identity among immigrants and cultural transplants.
ii. Her most recent books include In Other Words (Knopf, 2016) and a translation of Domenico
Starnones novel, Lacci, entitled Ties (Europa Editions, 2017).
Tata Motors awarded for contribution to Skill India

Tata Motors was awarded 'HR Innovation of the Year' for its significant contribution to skill
development in the automotive sector at the Asia-Pacific Excellence Awards on May 30, 2017
i. The programme was held in Hong Kong.
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ii. The major aim is to make the Indian automotive industry globally competitive; the skill
development program by Tata Motors.
APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNS

Govt appoints heads of 7 PSU banks; MDs of PNB, BoI shifted
In a major restructuring in the PSU banking space, the government appointed heads of various
public sector banks.
Bank New MD&CEO Earlier
Allahabad Bank UshaAnanthasubramanian RakeshSethi
Indian Overseas Bank R Subramania Kumar R Koteswaran
Bank of India DinabandhuMohapatra M O Rego
Union Bank of India RajkiranRai G ArunTiwari
Punjab National Bank Sunil Mehta UshaAnanthasubramanian
Vijaya Bank R K SankaraNarayana Kishore Kumar Sansi
Syndicate Bank M O Rego ArunSrivastava
Mr Anthony Lianzuala takes over as the new controller General of Accounts (CGA)
Mr. Anthony Lianzuala has become the New Controller General of Accounts (CGA).
i. Anthony Lianzuala is a 1982-batch Indian Civil Accounts Service (ICAS) Officer.
ii. MrLianzuala was the first Director of training institute in the field of Public Financial Management
and Accounting in the North-East named INGAF-NER, based in Aizawl, Mizoram.
iii. He will be the First person from the North-Eastern Region to hold this position.
Shobana Kamineni to take over as new CII president

Shobana Kamineni has been appointed as first Woman President of Confederation of Indian
Industry (CII)on May 1, 2017.
i. Shobana is an executive vice chairperson of the Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Limited.
ii. She is also vice-chairperson of the KEI Group, a diversified logistics, leisure & infrastructure
business.
Bharti Enterprises Appoints Soumen Ghosh As MD, Financial Services

Bharti Enterprises, has appointed Soumen (Sam) Ghosh as Managing Director Financial
Services. Ghosh will be responsible for business expansion, strengthening the management
processes and governance of these businesses.
i. He is a Chartered Accountant from England and a Mechanical Engineer.
ii. Prior to joining Bharti, Ghosh was heading the Financial Services business at Reliance Capital
which included insurance, mutual funds, commercial and housing finance, broking and distribution.
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Mallikarjun Kharge appointed as new chairman of PAC

Mallikarjun Kharge is appointed as the Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee
(PAC) of the Parliament.
i. Mallikarjun Kharge replaced K.V. Thomas.
ii. The Public Accounts Committee PAC has 14 members from Lok Sabha and seven from Rajya
Sabha.
Braj Bihari Kumar to succeed economist S K Thorat as ICSSR

Braj Bihari Kumar has been appointed as the chairman of the Indian Council of Social
Science Research (ICSSR). He succeeded economist S K Thorat.
Kumar is appointed for 3 years.He has been serving as the editor of the two quarterly
journals, published by a society called Astha Bharati.
Prabhat Kamal Bezboruah 1st Non-IAS to head tea board

Prabhat Kamal Bezboruah is a renowned tea planter from Assam has appointed the Chairman
of the Tea Board of India.
i. Bezboruah became the first Non-IAS and the first industry insider to head the Kolkata-
headquartered Tea Board.He will serve till Novermber 2018.
ii. The Renowned coffee grower M S Boje Gowda was appointed chairman of the Coffee Board of
India.
Moon Jae-in elected South Korea President

South Korea has chosen Moon Jae as its new President. Center-left candidate Moon Jae-in
was elected by a majority of votes.
i. Moon has replaced President Park Geun-hye.
ii. He belongs to liberal Democratic Party. He leads with 41.1% of the vote.
Twitter elevates Taranjeet Singh as Country Director for India

Twitter has elevated Taranjeet Singh as its Country Director for India. He was earlier leading
the charge for sales and marketing support for Twitter's advertisers in India.
i. Twitter, which allows users to engage with peers, corporate and government using 140
characters, has over 319 million users globally.
ii. Twitter had launched a lighter version of its platform Twitter Lite for users in India.
Baahubali 2' becomes first Indian movie to cross Rs 1000 cr at box office
Baahubali 2 is the first Indian movie to cross Rs 1000 croremark with its worldwide collections.
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i. Baahubali 2 crossed the 800 crore mark on 6th.

ii. Baahubali 2 Director SS Rajamouli.
Emmanuel Macron to be Frances youngest President

Emmanuel Macron an Independent centrist has become Frances youngest-ever president. He
is 39.
i. Emmanuel promised to unite a divided and fractured France.
ii. Despite Le Pens loss, she marked a historical high point for the French righ.
Bahamas elects Hubert Minnis as new prime minister

Dr. Hubert Minnis has been elected as the new Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of the
Bahamas.
i. He defeated Perry Christies Progressive Liberal Party in a 34-5 parliamentary split.
ii. Minnis will be sworn in as prime minister by Governor General Marguerite Pindling.
Vinay Mohan Kwatra named new ambassador to France

Vinay Mohan Kwatra named a new ambassador to France. Currently he is a joint secretary in the
Prime Minister's Office.
i. Vinay is a 1988-batch Foreign Service officer. He will succeed Mohan Kumar.
ii. He has an experience of dealing with the UN organisations such as International Labour
Organisation (ILO) and World Health Organisation (WHO).
Justice Mudgal elected as Chairman of FIFA Governance Committee

Justice Mukul Mudgal was elected as the Chairman of FIFA Governance Committee.
i. The appointment was made at the world football governing bodys 67th Congress at Manama,
Bahrain.
ii. Justice Mukul Mudgal is a retired Indian judge of Delhi High Court.
British foreign aid boss to be named UN humanitarian chief

Mark Lowcock, the head of Britain's International Development Department, has been appointed
as United Nations new humanitarian aid chief by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.
i. Mr. Lowcock will replace Stephen O'Brien.
ii. Lowcock will be the 4th British national to hold post of UN Humanitarian Chief since year
2007. His candidature for this post was strongly backed by British Prime Minister Theresa May.
Sanjay Mitra appointed as new Defense Secretary

Sanjay Mitra will be the next defence secretary of the country. He is the 1982 batch IAS
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officer from West Bengal cadre.

He will assume charge on May 24 when incumbent G Mohan Kumar retires.He was holding the
charge of secretary in the ministry of road transport and highways.
Other appointments are as follows:
i. Anant Kumar Singh, a 1984 batch IAS officer of Uttar Pradesh has been appointed as the
secretary in the textiles ministry.
ii. Rajiv Srivastava, a 1981 batch IAS officer of Rajasthan cadre, to be the next secretary in the
ministry of woman and child development.
iii. Jagdish Prasad Meena is selected for the post of secretary in the department of consumer
affairs.
iv. ArunaSundararajan will hold the additional charge of secretary, department of
telecommunications.
v. Jammu and Kashmir cadre and 1984 batch BR Sharma appointed as additional secretary in the
home ministry.
In a first, transgenders get jobs at Kochi Metro

Kochi Metro Rail Ltd has announced to employ 23 members from the transgender community.
i. It is the first time in the history of India that government has appointed members of the
transgender community.
ii. All the workers were appointed after a written test and interview.
iii. These 23 transgender workers will be a part of the 530 Kudumbasree workers to be employed
at 11 stations in Kochi Metros Aluva-Palarivattom corridor.
Sohail Mahmood, Pakistan's new High Commissioner to India

Sohail Mahmood the senior most officer of Pakistan Foreign Service has been designated
as Pakistans new High Commissioner to India.
R K Mahajan, Mahender Singh appointed CBEC members

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved appointment of senior bureaucrats R K
Mahajan and Mahender Singh as members in the Central Board of Excise and Customs
(CBEC).
i. Mahajan is the director general of Central Excise Intelligence and Singh is the director general
(audit). Both of them are Indian Revenue Service (Customs and Central Excise) officers.
ii. Prior to these appointments, CBEC had only two members -- Ananya Ray and S Ramesh --
against the sanctioned strength of six. Vanaja N Sarna is the current Chairperson of CBEC.
Amitabh Bachchan appointed WHO goodwill ambassador for Hepatitis

The World Health Organisation (WHO) appointed Amitabh Bachchan as its goodwill
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ambassador for hepatitis in South-East Asia region.

i. It aims to boost awareness and intensify action to arrest the epidemic.
ii. This is the first formal association between WHO and Mr.Bachchan.
V K Saraswat appointed new JNU Chancellor

On May 11, 2017, V K Saraswat, Scientist and former Director General of Defence Research and
Development Organisation (DRDO) was appointed as Chancellor of Jawaharlal
Nehru University for a five-year term. V K Saraswat succeeds former Indian Space Research
Organisation (ISRO) Chairman, K Kasturirangan, who completed his term on March 30, 2017.
Venu Rajamony appointed India's ambassador to Netherlands

Venu Rajamony a Press Secretary to President Pranab Mukherjee and senior diplomat has
been appointed India's Ambassador to the Netherlands.
Harsh Vardhan Gets Additional Charge Of Environment Ministry

The Minister of Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, Dr. Harsh Vardhan has been given
additional charge of the Environment Ministry.
i. Dr Harsh Vardhan, a senior minister in the Narendra Modi cabinet, holds the charge of the
ministries of earth sciences and science and technology.
ii. For a brief period in 2014, Harsh Vardhan was the Health Minister in the Modi cabinet.
Dish TV India appoints Anil Dua as Group CEO

Direct-to-home operator Dish TV India has appointed Anil Dua as group Chief Executive
Officer.
i. He is an alumnus of IIT-Delhi and IIM-Ahmedabad, has worked in several companies including
Unilever, Gillette and Hero MotoCorp.
ii. Dish TV India and Videocon d2h Ltd had filed a scheme of arrangement for amalgamation of
Vd2h into Dish TV.
German policewoman to become first female referee in Europe's top-flight leagues

A German policewoman Bibiana Steinhaus becomes the first female referee in Europes top
leagues. She is 38-year-old.
i. Bibiana Steinhaus has been a fourth official for Bundesliga matches and a German FA (DFB)
referee since 1999.
ii. She will be the first female referee in Europes top five leagues.
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Yes Bank appoint Debjani Ghosh as independent director

Yes Bank has appointed Debjani Ghosh as an independent director.
i. Yes Bank announced the appointment of computer hardware company Intels executive Debjani
Ghosh as an additional director on its board.
ii. She has been associated with Intel since 1996 and has held positions including country head and
managing director for South Asia
Emmanuel Macron picks centre-right douard Philippe as PM

French President Emmanuel Macron on 15 May 2017 named Edouard Philippe as the Prime
Minister of the country.
i. Edouard Philippe from a center-right party and he is a member of the Les Republicans party.
ii. Edouard Philippe is a French lawyer and politician and he was born on 28 November 1970.
Ovais Sarmad, an Indian appointed to high-level UN climate change post

Ovais Sarmad, a senior Indian official was appointed as the Deputy Executive Secretary of
the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) on May 2017.
i.Sarmadwas appointed as the assistant secretary-general level by UN Secretary-General Antonio
Guterres.
ii. He will succeed Canadas Richard Kinley.
First ever transgender appointed as lecturer in Quaid-i-Azam University

A lecturer from transgender community Aisha Mughal has appointed lecturer in Quaid-i-Azam
University in Islamabad.
i. The government of Pakistan has officially appointed a transgender as a teacher for the very first
time.
ii. Aisha has been appointed as the lecturer of the Department of Gender in Quaid-i-Azam
University.
Rouhani Wins Re-election in Iran by a Wide Margin

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani won re-election by a wide margin.
Accordning to reports, Rouhani won the re-election by a wide margin and secured a commanding
lead of 57 percent.
Anurag Mehrotra takes over as the new MD of Ford India

American carmaker Ford has appointed Anurag Mehrotra as Managing Director for its Indian
subsidiary.
Mehrotra will be the youngest MD of Ford India. He is 44 years only.
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Air Marshal PN Pradhan Appointed as Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff

Air Marshal PN Pradhan appointed as the Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (IDS)
(Operations).
i. He was closely associated with the induction and operationalisation of Embraer-135 and C-130
fleets in the Indian Air Force (IAF).
ii. He was awarded Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2014.
First Indian-born woman Rehana Ameer elected to City of London Corporation

AUK entrepreneur Rehana Ameer has become the first India-born woman to be elected as a
councillor to a ward in the UK.
i. Rehana Ameer was born in Chennai and she contested from Vintry ward in the City of London
country as an independent candidate.
ii. She was elected as a councilor to the Court of Common Council.
WHO Elects Ethiopia's Tedros as First Director General From Africa

On May 23, 2017, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus of Ethiopia was voted as the new Director-
General of the World Health Organization (WHO). He is the first African ever to hold this post.Dr
Tedros replaces Dr Margaret Chan of China, who has held this post from 2006.
Shuva Mundal to succeed Bharat Vasani as Group General Counsel of Tata Sons
Tata Sons has announced the appointment of Shuva Mandal as the Group General Counsel of Tata
Sons.
i. Shuva Mandal has succeeded Bharat Vasani.
ii. Mandal will join the company with from July.
Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' Resigns As Nepal Prime Minister

i. Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' announced his resignation while
addressing the nation in a live telecast.
ii. It was his second stint as the Prime Minister.
iii. He was elected as the 39th Prime Minister of Nepal.
P V Sindhu elected to Badminton World Federation Athletes Commission

On May 24, 2017, Indian badminton player P.V. Sindhu became the second Indian to be inducted
in the Badminton World Federation (BWF) Athletes' Commission. Indias Saina Nehwal is
already in the BWF Athletes Commission.
i. In the election which took place on the sidelines of the Sudirman Cup in Gold Coast, PV Sindhu
topped the ballot with 129 votes.
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ii. PV Sindhu, along with Marc Zweibler of Germany and Kristy Gilmour of Scotland will serve
a four-year term in this role.
Google's Rajan Anandan is now IAMAI Chairman

Google Vice-President Rajan Anandan is the new Chairman of Internet and Mobile
Association of India (IAMAI).
i. Deep Kalra, Chairman & Group CEO, MakeMyTrip, is the new Vice Chairman of IAMAI.
ii.He will replace Kunal Shah, Co-founder & Chief Executive Officer, FreeCharge.
Government makes 129 'non-performing' officers retire in Public interest

According to Union Minister Jitendra Singh, the government has forced 129 government
officers to retire for non-performance in the past few months.
i. In total 30 officers from Group A and 99 officers from Group B has been forced to retire in the
past few months.
ii. The government analyzed the service records of over 24,000 Group A officers and 42,251 Group
B officers for performance.
Socialist Lenin Moreno sworn in as President of Ecuador

Lenin Moreno was sworn in as President of Ecuador on 24th of May 2017.
i. The Lenin Moreno is a socialist and he is 64 year old.
ii. Moreno is one of the world's few paraplegic heads of state and he said in his speech that he will
continue anti-poverty programs.
Anurag Tripathy appointed as secretary of CBSE

Anurag Tripathy has appointed as Secretary of CBSE.
i. A 1998 batch officer of Indian Railway personnel Service (IRPS) Anurag
Tripathy has appointed the new secretary of the Central Board of Secondary
Education (CBSE).
ii. It is appointed by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT).
iii. He will hold the post for a period of five years.
Amul Thapar becomes second Indian-American judge of US Court of Appeals

Amul Thapar has become second Indian-American judge of US Court of Appeals.
i. Amul Thapar has appointed a judge to the Cincinnati-based Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals.
ii. He has become only the second Indian-American judge of an appeals court.
iii. After Senates approval Thapar has become President Trumps second judicial nominee to get
confirmed.
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Jaideep Mazumdar appointed as the next Ambassador of India to Philippines

Jaideep Mazumdar has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the Philippines.
i. The 1989 batch IFS officer is presently Joint Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs.
ii. He is expected to take up the assignment shortly.
International Fertiliser Association hires Rakesh Kapur as Chairman

Rakesh Kapoor has been appointed a chairman of International Fertilizer Association (IFA).
i. Rakesh Kapoor is a Joint Managing Director of Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited
(IFFCO).
ii. IFFCO is the World's largest fertilizer and marketing Cooperative represents 50 Million farmers
across the country.
Vani Sarraju Rao appointed as the next Ambassador of India to Finland

Ms. Vani Sarraju Rao has appointed the next Ambassador of India to Finland.
i. He is presently Joint Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs.
ii. She is expected to take up her assignment shortly.
Syed Ghayorul Hasan Rizvi assumes charge of Chairman of National Commission for
Minorities
Syed Ghayorul Hasan Rizvi has assumed a charge of the Chairman of the National
Commission for Minorities in New Delhi.
i. He served as Chairman, U.P Minority Finance Development Corporation Ltd.
ii. Syed Ghayorul Hasan Rizvi is a graduate in Arts and also holds Diploma in Mechanics.
Mission XI Million picks Chandigarh girl Ananya Kamboj

Ananya Kamboj, 8th standard student from Chandigarh has been selected as a young journalist at
the global Football for Friendship (F4F) Social Programme in Russia.
i. She is from Vivek High School, Mohali and has been selected to represent India.
ii. India joins the programme for the first time and 60 other countries will participate.
iii. Ananya will join young journalists programme in St. Petersburg, Russia in July 2017.
Manipur Governor, Najma Heptulla appointed as Jamia Chancellor

Manipur Governor Najma Heptulla has been unanimously appointed as the Chancellor (Amir-e-
Jamia) of Jamia Millia Islamia for a five year term by the Universitys Court (Anjuman).
i. She succeeds Lt. Gen. (Retd.) M.A. Zaki, who will complete his five-year term this month.
Appointment of Najma Heptulla was confirmed by Tala Ahmad, the Vice-Chancellor of Jamia Millia
Islamia.
ii. She has been a five-time member of the Rajya Sabha, and its Deputy Chairman for 16
years.
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Banks Board Bureau gets 2 more members Shubhalaxmi Panse and Pradip Shah
The appointment of two additional members of Banks Board Bureau (BBB) has announced on
30th of May.
The members are as follows:
1.Former Allahabad Bank chairperson and managing director Shubhalaxmi Panse
2.Private equity player Pradip Shah has been chosen into the board as independent members.
George Kurian appointed as Vice-Chairperson Of National Commission for Minorities

George Kurian has been appointed as vice-chairman of National Commission for Minorities
on 30th May, 2017
i. He is a renowned social and educational activist from Kerala.
ii. Other members of the Commission are Sulekha Kumbhare, Sunil Singhi and Vada Dasturji
Khurshed Kaikobad Dastoor.
ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS

Quikr acquires home services start-up Zimmber in a $10 million all-stock deal
Online classifieds company Quikr India Pvt. Ltd has acquired home services start-
up Zimmber (Rejuvenate Solutions Pvt. Ltd). It is about $10 million in an all-stock deal.
Techmagnate acquires BlogX, the largest blog conference in India

Techmagnate, Indias leading Digital Marketing Agency acquired BlogX. It is the Indias largest
blog conference where bloggers and content managers connect.
Railways to acquire EOTT system to run trains without guards

The Indian Railway will acquire EOTT systems to run trains without guards. Its total cost
is Rs 100 crore for acquiring sophisticated equipment to run 1000 trains without guards.
i. The End of Train Telemetry (EoTT) equipment is used to establish communication between the
locomotive driver and the last wagon of the train.
ii. EoTT system comprises two units one unit called cab display unit (CDU) fitted on the
locomotive and the other is sense and brake unit (SBU) fitted on the last coach or wagon of the
train.
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Apple becomes first company to hit $800 bn valuation mark & Apple acquires sleep-
tracking app 'Beddit'
Apple Inc became the first U.S. Company to top the $800 billion mark in market capitalization.
i. Apple has moved slightly more than two years after it crossed the $700 billion threshold.Apple
has bought Finnish sleep tracking firm Beddit.
ii. It aims to boost its health and fitness services.
iii. Beddit has been acquired by Apple on 8th
Paytm signs term sheet to acquire rival Freecharge: reports

Paytm has signed a non-exclusive term sheet to acquire Snapdeal-owned payments
platform FreeCharge.
i. The term sheet being non-exclusive means that Snapdeal will be able to propose FreeCharge to
other potential buyers as well.
ii. Paytm-FreeCharge deal could be finalised at $45 million to $90 million.
MoUs
AP, Singapore In Pact For Developing Amaravati Startup Area
Andhra Pradesh government inked a pact with Singapore for developing an area of 6.84 km
at capital Amaravati as startup area on 15th of May.
i. The Pact between the governments of Andhra Pradesh and Singapore include economic
development, master development of the startup area in Amaravati.
ii. It will promote bilateral trade and investments and enhancing capacities of government
departments.
Cabinet approves MoU on Third Line of Credit of US $ 4.5 billion to Bangladesh for
implementation of developmental projects
Union Cabinet has given ex-post facto approval to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
on 3rd Line of Credit (LoC) of US $ 4.5 billion to Bangladesh. The MoU was signed during the
visit of the Prime Minister of Bangladesh to India in April 2017.
This LoC has been extended for developmental projects in Bangladesh. It aims to
strengthen the bilateral relations between India and Bangladesh.
Cabinet approves MoU between the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington and
Defence Services Command and Staff College, Mirpur, Dhaka for Cooperation in Military
Education
This MoU seeks to establish a framework for enhanced cooperation in the field of military education
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concerning strategic and operational studies and promotion of closer and long-term cooperation
between India and Bangladesh
Through joint training and exercises, armed forces of both the countries will be able to
coordinate joint action in response to common challenges such as terrorism.
India, Chile Trade agreement to come into force from May 16

The Preferential Trade Agreement, (PTA) between India and Chile has come into effect
from 16th of May.
i. Under this trade agreement, both the countries have offered to lower or eliminate duties on a
number of items traded with each other.
Maharashtra Govt Ties Up With WHO for Eradication of Rubella

Maharashtra Health Minister Deepak Sawant has announced that the state has tied up
with World Health Organisation (WHO) for eradication of Rubella measles. The vaccination
drive for the same will start from March 2018 under which, children in Maharashtra aged between
9 months to 15 years, will be vaccinated for Rubella.
Cabinet approves MoU on Urea manufacturing Plant in Malaysia

Union Cabinet has given ex-post facto approval to signing of MoU with Malaysia on development of
a urea and ammonia manufacturing plant in Malaysia.
The plant will be built at an estimated cost $2.1 billion. It will have capacity to
produce 2.4 million tonnes of urea and 1.35 million tonnes of ammonia per
annum with provision of dedicated supply to Indian market.
Cabinet approves signing of MoU between India and Spain in Civil Aviation
Union Cabinet has approved the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Cooperation in
area of Civil Aviation with Spain.
This MoU will positively impact bilateral trade, investment, tourism and cultural
exchanges between India and Spain.
Cabinet approves MoU signed in 2011 and Renewal of MoU between the Institute of
Chartered Accountants of India and Higher Colleges of Technology, United Arab Emirates
Union Cabinet has given ex-post facto approval for the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
signed in 2011 and renewal of MoU between the Institute of Chartered Accountants, of India
(ICAI) and Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT), United Arab Emirates.
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Govt to set up 100 training institutes to skill drivers

Union Ministry of Road Transport & Highways and the Union Skill Development
Ministry have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to set up 100 driver training
institutes.
i. The MoU was signed in New Delhi on May 5, 2017 in the presence of Union Road Transport &
Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari and Union Skill Development & Entrepreneurship Minister Rajiv
Pratap Rudy.
ii. The objective of this MoU is to meet the rising demand for certified commercial drivers in the
automotive, construction and logistics sectors. Ministry of Road Transport & Highways will
allocate Rs 1 crore grant for each of the 100 driver training institutes.
Reliance, SAP launch 'SARAL GST' solution for taxpayers

Reliance Corporate IT Park Limited (RCITPL) it is a subsidiary of Reliance Industries has signed
a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with SAP to launch SARAL GST solution for
taxpayers.
i. SARAL GST will enable easy access to taxpayers once it will be started from 1st of July 2017.
ii. SARAL GST will provide simplified operations high quality of service and security to taxpayers.
iii. It will hold the proficiency of RCITPL as GST Suvidha Provider (GSP) and SAP as Application
Service Provider (ASP).
Goa Govt To Sign MoU Under PMBJP For Subsidised Medicines

Goa government has decided to sign memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Centre
under Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) to provide subsidised
medicines in the state.
The MoU will be signed in June 2017 in presence of Chief Minister of Goa, Mahohar Parrikar.
Under the MoU, all pharmacy stores run by Goa State Govt. would be converted into 'Jan Aushadi
Kendra' in a phased manner.
Oracle signs MoU with Jharkhand for cloud-based citizen services

The Government of Jharkhand and Oracle has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
for cloud-based citizen services.
i. Its main aim is to improve citizen services and to make Jharkhand an attractive destination
for start-ups.
ii. Oracle will support by its vast portfolio of technology solutions including Oracle Cloud.
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Indian Navy and Space Application Centre, Ahmedabad Sign Memorandum of

Understanding
Indian Navy and Space Application Centre (SAC), Ahmedabad have signed a Memorandum of
Understanding on Data Sharing and Scientific cooperation in the field of Meteorology and
Oceanology.
i. The MoU was signed by Vice Admiral SN Ghormade, AVSM, NM, Director General Naval
Operations and Mr Tapan Misra, Director, Space Application Centre (SAC) on May 15, 2017
at SAC.
BSNL Signs MoU with Facebook, MobiKwik, and Disney Land India
BSNL has inked agreements with Facebook, MobiKwik and Disney Land in order to popularize
the internet and its value added services among its customers.
i. BSNL has signed a MoU with Disney Land India to offer premium online gaming services to
its mobile customers.
ii. According to the agreement Facebook, BSNL will facilitate connectivity for Facebooks `Express
Wi-Fi Program.
IIT Kharagpur Signs MoU with Madhya Pradesh For Measuring Happiness Index
IIT Kharagpurs Rekhi Centre of Excellence for the Science of Happiness has signed a MoU
with Madhya Pradesh governments RajyaAnandamSansthan. It is a Department of Happiness.
Key Notes:
i. The MoU has been signed to collaborate on the development of a Happiness Index for measuring
the well-being of the residents of the state.
ii. The Happiness index would be developed by IIT-KGP and the data collected by the state
government.
Cabinet apprised of MoU between India and Bangladesh on cooperation in the peaceful
uses of outer space
Union Cabinet has been apprised of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India
and Bangladesh on cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space. The MoU was signed
in New Delhi in April, 2017.
Cabinet approves Joint Declaration of Intent between Germany and India regarding
cooperation in the sector of alternative medicine
The signing of the Joint Declaration of Intent (JDl) will enhance bilateral cooperation between India
and Germany in the areas of traditional/alternative medicine.
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Cabinet approves MoU between Spain and India on cooperation in the field of Organ
Transplant Service
Union Cabinet has approved the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
between Directorate General of Health Services under Union Ministry of Health and Family
Welfare National Transplant Organization, Ministry of Health, Social Services and
Equality, Spain on cooperation in the organ and tissue procurement and transplantation services.
India and Kazakhstan Pact of Transfer of Prisoners Comes Into Effect

India and Kazakhstan pact of transfer of prisoners comes into effect.
Key Points:
i. The Home Ministry has announced that the agreement between India and Kazakhstan concerning
transfer of sentenced persons came into effect from 26th of May.
ii. The pact was signed between by Indian and Kazakhstan in July 8, 2015 and ratified by India
on October 9, 2015 and by Kazakhstan on March 4, 2016.
India-Australia Pact Transfer Of Prisoners Comes Into Effect

India-Australia pact for transfer of each other's sentenced prisoners has come into effect with the
ratification of the treaty by both the countries.
India and FIJI sign MoU on Defence Cooperation

India has signed an MoU with FIJI on Defence Cooperation on May 29, 2017
i. The MoU will include in defence industry, military training, humanitarian assistance and disaster
management.
ii. The Meeting was held between our defence minister and his counterpart.
iii.The MoU has been signed in New Delhi the capital of India.
Prasar Bharati signs MoU with Morocco's SNRT

Prasar Bharati has signed an agreement with Moroccos Societe Nationale de Radio diffusionet de
Television (SNRT).
i. The MoU has been signed to step up cooperation in the broadcasting sector.
ii. Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Commerce and Industry had gone to attend the meeting.
iii. The MoU was signed during the the fifth India Morocco Joint Commission
Meeting (JCM) in Rabat.
Amul inks MoU with ISRO for Fodder acreage estimation

Amul has signed an MoU with ISRO for fodder Acreage estimation
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i. A GCMMF markets product comes under the brand name of 'Amul'.

ii. Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) has signed anMoU with Indian Space
Research Organization (ISRO).
Israel Aerospace Industries has signed a $630 million deal with the India
Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has signed a $ 630 million deal with the Indian State-
owned aerospace and defense company Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL).
Cabinet approves proposal to establish Indian Agricultural Institute (IARI) in Assam

Union cabinet has approved the proposal to establish Indian Agricultural Research Institute
(IARI) - Assam with 100% outlay of central government. IARI-Assam will be constructed on 587
acres land provided by Assam State Govt.
Cabinet approves MoU between India and Australia on Cooperation in Combating

International Terrorism and Transnational Organized Crime
Union Cabinet has given ex-post facto approval to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
between India and Australia on Cooperation in Combating International Terrorism and
Transnational Organized Crime.
Cabinet approves Agreement between India and Tajikistan on Cooperation and Mutual
Assistance in Customs Matters
This agreement will provide a legal framework for sharing of information and intelligence between
the Customs authorities of India and Tajikistan on following aspects:
Proper application of Customs laws
Prevention and investigation of Customs offences
Facilitation of legitimate trade
Cabinet approves Faculty Exchange Agreement between National Defence College, New
Delhi and National Defence College, Dhaka, Bangladesh
The purpose of the Agreement is to institutionalize regular exchange programs and establish
sustainable framework between the two National Defence Colleges for enhancing mutual
cooperation in the field of military education concerning strategic and operational studies.
The agreement envisages better coordination and cooperation among the armed
forces while addressing common challenges such as counter terrorism.
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SCHEMES
Haryana govt to offer meals at subsidised rates for workers
The Haryana government has decided to open canteens that offer meals at subsidized rates for
workers.
i. It offers meals to registered construction workers under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana, at 23
locations in the state.
ii. Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) is a Government of India sponsored scheme to provide highly
subsidized food to millions of the poorest families.
iii. Mobile food vans would also be started at 23 convenient sites with large number of workers.
iv. Meals would be served in these canteens between 8 am and 2 pm.
MoAs signed for first wind auction Scheme

The Memorandum of Agreements (MoAs) for purchase of 1000 MW wind power under MNREs
first wind auction Scheme was signed between PTC India.
i. According to MoAs for meeting their non-solar RPO (Renewable Purchase Obligations) UP to buy
449.9 MW, Bihar-200 MW, Jharkhand-200 MW, Delhi-100 MW, Assam-50 MW and Odisha-50MW of
wind power.
ii. The Letter of Award (LoA) to the successful wind power developers under the first wind auction
scheme have been issued by Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI).
iii. The projects are to be commissioned within 18 months from the date of issue of LoA.
iv. With the success of first wind auction scheme, MNRE launched a scheme for another round of
wind auction for 1000 MW capacity wind power projects.
India to give Rs 35 cr to children of freedom fighters in Bangladesh

Under the new Muktijodha scholarship scheme India will give Rs. 35 crore rupees to
children of freedom fighters in Bangladesh in the next five years.
i. All freedom fighters will be eligible for multiple entries on Indian visa for a period of five years.
ii. Every year 100 of them will be entitled to free medical treatment in Indian hospitals.
iii. Under the scheme, students at higher secondary level will get a one-time grant of Taka 20,000
(Rs 15,370) and students at the undergraduate level will get a grant of Taka 50,000 (Rs 38,430).
SAMADHAN - Rajnath Singh coins an acronym to wipe out left-wing terror

A meeting of the Chief Ministers of states affected by Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), presided over
by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh was held in New Delhi on May 8, 2017. In this
meeting, Mr. Rajnath Singh announced SAMADHAN, a new strategy to wipe out left wing terror.
Other Govt. functionaries who attended the meeting included Ajit Doval - National Security
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Adviser, Rajiv Mehrishi - Union Home Secretary, Director of Intelligence Bureau, State
Heads of Police Department and Heads of the Central Forces.
Components of SAMADHAN Strategy:
S Smart Leadership: In LWE affected areas, a Smart Leadership is required that can boost the
morale of jawans and reorient them towards victory.
A Aggressive Strategy: Aggression should be inculcated in thinking, operations and development
of infrastructure which can be useful during combat.
M Motivation and Training: Training based on careful analysis of enemys strengths and
weaknesses should be provided to security forces
A Actionable Intelligence: An efficient intelligence network should be developed by involving
locals and surrendered LWE cadre.
D - Dashboard KPIs and KRAs: Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and Key Result Areas (KRAs)
should be outlined for assessing the performance of state police and the central forces.
H Harnessing Technology: To gain an edge, Mr. Singh recommended extensive use of technology
such as high-resolution cameras, GPS tracking, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and satellite
images.
A Action Plan for each Theatre: As LWE is spread across vast geographical area spanning various
states, a specific action plan for each front has to be prepared.
N No access to financing: Mr. Singh mentioned that identifying and choking up the source of
funds of LWE should be the basic mantra.
Haryana announces pension scheme for journalists

On May 27, 2017, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar announced following incentives for
journalists at the "Swarna Jayanti Journalists' Meet" in Panchkula:
i. Rs 10,000 monthly pension scheme, for those who are above 60 years and have completed
20 years in the profession.
ii. A life insurance covers of Rs 10 lakh and a cashless media claim policy of Rs 500,000.
PM Narendra Modi launches Sampada scheme for value addition of agriculture produce
On May 26, 2017, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the launch of the new
scheme SAMPADA (Scheme for Agro-Marine Processing and Development of Agro-
Processing Clusters) which will bring value addition of agriculture produce and will thereby
increase farmers income. PM announced this scheme at a ceremony for laying the foundation stone
of Indian agricultural research institute in Gogamukh in Assam
Details about SAMPADA (Scheme for Agro-Marine Processing and Development of Agro-
Processing Clusters):
Financial Outlay: Rs. 6000 crore
To be implemented by: FY 2019-20
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PM Modi launches Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Sanchar Kaushal Vikas Pratisthan
Scheme
This scheme aims to train rural youth to maintain mobile towers, repair optical fibres and fix other
communication technologies.
Under first phase of this scheme, training will be provided to 10,000 people from 10
States/UTs including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha, Punjab and Haryana.
Government will spend Rs. 7 crore for this purpose.
Sinha mentioned that Department of Telecommunications (DoT) will establish more
than 1,000 Sanchar Kaushal Vikas Pratisthan in future under this scheme.
COMMITTEE
IBBI constitutes Technical Committee to lay down Technical Standards for performance
of core services
Under IBBI (Information Utilities) Regulations, 2017 the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of
India (IBBI) constitutes Technical Committee to lay down Technical Standards for the performance
of core services and other services.
Committee Members
Name and Position Position in committee
Dr. R. B. Barman (Chairman, National Statistical Chairperson
Commission)
Dr. NandLal Sarda (Emeritus Fellow, Indian Institute of Member
Technology, Bombay)
Dr. Pulak Ghosh (Professor, Indian Institute of Member
Management, Bangalore)
Sh. V. G. Kannan (Chief Executive, Indian Banks Member
Association)
Government sets up a high-level task force to compute timely data on employment

The government has set up a high-level task force to compute timely data on employment
situation in the country.
i. It will help in framing policies and it will also help in creating jobs.
ii. According to a task force has been created under the chairmanship of Aayog's vice
chairman Arvind Panagariya with labour secretary Sathiyavathy, secretary statistics T.C.A.
Ananth, Pulak Ghosh of NITI Aayog and Manish Sabharwal as members.
Chitale Committee recommends measures for desiltation of river Ganga

Chitale Committee on desiltation of River Ganga has come up with several
recommendations such as establishing annual sediment budgets to guide de-silting
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activities, morphological and flood routing studies and study of reach wise sediment
transport processes.
About Chitale Committee
Constituted in: July 2016
Chairperson of the Committee: Madhav Chitale (Expert Member of National Ganga River
Basin Authority)
Other Members of the Committee: Dr. Mukesh Sinha, Director, Central Water and Power
Research Station, Pune, Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change and
Secretary, Ministry of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation.
Mandate:
To prepare guidelines for desiltation of river Ganga from Bhimgauda (Uttarakhand) to
Farakka (West Bengal).
Establish difference between desilting and sand mining
Establish need for desilting for ecology and e-flow of the river Ganga
Important Remarks and Recommendations of Chitale Committee:
Committee has mentioned that though de-siltation works can improve hydraulic performance of the
river, it has no direct role in improving environment flow in the river.
Highlighting the importance of sediment transport in rivers, the committee recommended
thatbasic principles of siltation in rivers should be kept in mind while considering de-
siltation works.
Committee has recommended undertaking Catchment Area Treatment and
Watershed Development works in a comprehensive way to reduce silt inflow into the
river system.
The committee also recommended constructive uses of river gravels/sands/silts for
building houses, roads, embankment and reclamation works.
'Maa committee formed to check mid-day meal quality in UP schools

A Mothers Day gift has given for lakhs of children and their moms in Uttar Pradesh. Maa
committee is formed to check mid-day meal quality in UP schools.
i. Maa committee will aim to get nutritious food prepared in hygienic conditions.
ii. It is served to students in state-run primary schools.This scheme will be introduced on 14th of
May.
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SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Researchers develop synthetic soft retina

Researchers from Oxford University have developed a synthetic, soft tissue retina which closely
mimics the natural human retinal process. This breakthrough could lead to development of new,
less invasive technologies that more closely resemble human body tissues and will help in treating
degenerative eye conditions such as retinitis pigmentosa.
i. The new synthetic, double layeredretina replica consists of soft water droplets
(hydrogels) and biological cell membrane proteins.
ii. Unlike existing artificial retinal implants, the cell-cultures are created from natural,
biodegradable materials and do not contain foreign bodies or living entities.
Strike-delayed European Rocket launches In French Guiana

An Ariane 5 rocket that carries two telecommunications satellites for South Korea and Brazil
blasted off on 5th May. It was delayed since March 20 due to a incapacitate strike in French Guiana.
i. The rocket launched at 6:51 pm (2151 GMT) from Europe's space port in Kourou, Guiana, and
Arianespace.
ii. It helps to provide internet access to remote and underserved communities.
iii. The first satellite, SGDC, separated from the rocket just over 28 minutes after lift-off.
iv. The second, KOREASAT-7, was placed in orbit a little more than 36 minutes from launch.
NETRA inducts India's first high temperature drop tube reactor

India's first of its kind, indigenously developed high temperature drop tube reactor (DTR) system
has been installed by NTPC Energy Technology Research Alliance (NETRA).
The DTR system is used for designing advanced ultra super critical technology, combustion
characterisation of coal/biomass, and reducing carbon footprint from the fossil fuel plants.
Indian GSLV Rocket lifts off successfully with South Asia Communications Satellite
Prime Minister Narendra Modis Gift to south Asian nations, the South Asia Satellite (GSAT-
9) was successfully launched on May 5, 2017, by ISRO from Satish Dhawan Space Centre,
Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. GSAT-9 was launched using ISROs GSLV-F09 rocket.
South Asia Satellite will improve disaster and telecommunication links between India,
Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Maldives.
About South Asia Satellite:
It is a geosynchronous communications and meteorology satellite developed by Indian Space
Research Organisation (ISRO)
1. Weight: 2230 kg
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2. Transponders: 12 Ku-band transponders (36 Mhz each)

3. Mission Life: More than 12 years
4. Cost: 235 crore (entirely funded by India)
Benefits of South Asia Satellite:
The satellite will bring benefits in the areas of mapping of natural resources, IT-
connectivity, education, tele-medicine and people-to-people links.
Most importantly, it will enable linking among the countries for disaster information
transfer.
It will provide a significant capability to each of the participating countries in terms of DTH
(direct-to-home).
Each participating country will get access to one transponder through which they could beam
their own programming. There is also a scope to have a common South Asian
Programming.
The entire project cost, up to the launch has been borne by India. To derive benefits from this
satellite, the participating country will have to develop its own ground infrastructure. However,
India Government has shown willingness to extend technical assistance in this matter.
World's biggest X-ray laser generates first light

The worlds biggest X-ray laser has generated its first beam of light. It will allow scientists to get
a glimpse of new materials, drugs and chemical reactions at the atomic level.
i. The 3.4-kilometre-long European XFEL, that is located in underground tunnels in Germany, will
help in new era of European research.
ii. The X-ray light has a wavelength of 0.8 nanometre.
ISRO unveils solar hybrid electric car made of desi resources

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) recently demonstrated a solar hybrid
electric car, which has been designed and developed using in-house resources, at Vikram
Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Thiruvanathanapuram. .
Large Hadron Collider restarts for 2017 run, says CERN

The worlds largest and most powerful particle accelerator, Large Hadron Collider (LHC) has
restarted circulating beams of protons for the first time in 2017.
The operations were stopped in December 2016 for scheduled maintenance work which is
undertaken every year.
This time, along with the scheduled maintenance, certain parts were replaced and specific settings
were also changed in order to upgrade the overall functioning.
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Sweden created Worlds Fastest Camera, Shoots 5 Trillion Frames Per Second
Researchers at a university in Sweden have developed worlds fastest camera called FRAME
(Frequency Recognition Algorithm for Multiple Exposures). This camera can capture five
trillion frames per second.
IIT scientists create low-cost solar cells using Jamun

Scientists of IIT Roorkee have used Indian summer fruit, Jamun, to create low cost and more
efficient solar cells.
i. For creating the solar cells, the researchers made use of naturally occurring pigment present
in jamun as an inexpensive photosensitizer for Dye Sensitised Solar Cells (DSSCs) or Gratzel cells.
ii. Gratzel cells is a thin film solar cells made of a porous layer of titanium dioxide (TiO2) coated
photoanode.
Railways to use radio-frequency tags to track wagons, coaches

The Indian Railways is set to make use of the Radio-Frequency Identification tags (RFID) for
tracking of wagons, coaches and locomotives.
i. It helps in ensuring the effective and transparent functioning of the system.RFID tags have a
lifespan of 25 years.
ii. RFID tags will use in freight maintenance management, locomotive management and coach
maintenance management.
iii. For the first phase the Railways have sanctioned Rs 57 crore.
SpaceX Launches Intelligence Mission on Falcon 9

US based rocket manufacturing company SpaceX successfully launched and landed a rocket
carrying carrying NROL-76 for US intelligence from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida on May
1, 2017
i. This was the fourth SpaceX booster landing at Cape Canaveral and fifth successful mission in
2017.
ii. It is the SpaceX's first recycled rocket flew last month
Defence Minister Arun Jaitley hands over DRDO developed devices to forces
Defence Minister Arun Jaitley handed over a number of devices to National Security Guard (NSG),
Delhi Police and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).
i. These devices are developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
ii. The device includes 'E-Nasika', which is a hand-held equipment.
iii. 'OTL-300' - Device instantly detect partially camouflaged optical elements, such as telescopes,
binoculars and night vision devices.
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Department of telecom launches Tarang Sanchar portal for information on mobile tower
radiation
Department of Telecom (DoT), Ministry of Communications has launched Tarang Sanchar.It is a
web portal for Information sharing on Mobile Towers and EMF Emission Compliances.
i. It will allow tracking of radiation emitted from mobile towers within their locality.
ii. It checks their compliance with the Electromagnetic field (EMF) emission norms defined by the
government.
1st large Chinese-made passenger jet C919 makes its maiden flight
The first Chinese-built passenger jet C919 has made it maiden flight. It would move the
country into a new era of aviation.
i. The C919 is a twin-engine airliner designed to compete with the Airbus 320 and Boeing 737.
ii. It took off from Shanghais Pudong International airport and landed back there again 80
minutes later.
India test-fires Spyder surface-to-air missile from Odisha test range

On May 11, 2017, India test fired Spyder surface-to-air-missile at a test range in Odisha. This
trial was conducted for validating several parameters of the sophisticated weapon system in order
to strengthen Indias air defence system.
i. It has been acquired from Israel. It was originally a short range air-to-air defence system, but
was later modified to be used as surface-to-air defence system.
ii. It can strike enemy targets within a range of 15 km and at heights between 20-and-9,000
metres
Rajnath Singh launches the MHA Mobile Application for Grievances Redressal of CAPF
personnel
Home Minister Rajnath Singh has launched a Mobile-based grievance redressal application for
central paramilitary personnel, development.
i. The app is launched against the backdrop of huge incidents of troopers taking to social media to
voice their complaints.
ii. Family of every trooper killed in action gets a compensation of at least Rs 1 crore.
iii. Rajnath Singh has also launched an exclusive BSFMyApp for the personnel of the Border
Security Force.
Shri Piyush Goyal launches Saral Eindhan Vitaran Application (SEVA) App
On May 23, 2017, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Power, Coal, New & Renewable
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Energy and Mines, Shri Piyush Goyal launched the Saral Eindhan Vitaran Application (SEVA).
Objective and Utility of Saral Eindhan Vitaran Application (SEVA):
i. SEVA is aimed at increasing the Consumer Connect as well as the Transparency and
Accountability in Coal dispatch.
ii. SEVA Dashboard provides summary of quantity of coal dispatched along with grades for the
given day, month, and the latest yearly updates as well.
Swachh Bharat App Launched in National Museum

"Swachh Bharat App has been launched in National Museum under Ministry of Culture by the
Minister of State (I/C) for Culture & Tourism Dr Mahesh Sharma.
i. The main focus of this Swachh Bharat App is to basically involve people actively to become part
of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Clean India Movement).
Sushma Swaraj, Prakash Javdekar & Ravi Shankar Prasad jointly inaugurates integration
of e- sanad with CBSE's Academic Repository
On May 24, 2017, External Affairs Minister, Sushma Swaraj, Electronics and
Information Technology Minister, Ravi Shankar Prasad and Human Resource Development
Minister, Prakash Javadekar jointly inaugurated the integration of eSanad with Parinam
Manjusha.
i. Parinam Manjusha is CBSEs digital academic repository which allows students to find
their mark sheets and other certificates online.
ii. eSanad is aimed at online verification of the documents with an objective to extend contactless,
cashless and paperless document attestation/apostille service to applicants in India as well as
abroad.
Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister launch e-Krishi Samvad, an online
interface
On May 11, 2017, Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Radha Mohan Singh,
launched e-Krishi Samvad at Krishi Bhawan in New Delhi for welfare and development of
agricultural stakeholders in India.
i. e-Krishi Samvadis internet-based interface that will provide actionable and effective solutions to
the problems faced by farmers and stakeholders in the agriculture sector.
ii. By directly connecting to the ICAR website, appropriate solutions from the subject experts and
institutes can be availed through web or SMS.
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LCA Tejas successfully test fires beyond visual range missile

On May 11, 2017, indigenously-built Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas, successfully test
fired Beyond Visual Range (BVR) air-to-air missile. The success of this test asserts that LCA
Tejas can now be loaded with missiles having BVR capabilities.
i. LCA Tejas fired the missile to strike a manoeuvrable aerial target. The test was conducted to
assess the integration of the Derby BVR missile with avionics, fire-control radar, launchers and
missile weapon delivery system of Tejas.
ii. The missile fired by Tejas directly hit the target, testifying that all on-board systems performing
satisfactorily.
China tests 'Lunar Palace' as it eyes moon mission

China is testing the ability of four future astronauts to remain on the moon for longer periods.
China is planning to ramp up its ambitious space program.
i. Four postgraduate students entered a 160-square meter simulated space cabin, called
the "Yuegong-1" or "Lunar Palace," on 10th of May, 2017
ii. The group of four students will live in the cabin for 200 days.
iii. The "Lunar Palace" has two plant cultivation modules.
'WannaCry' ransomware cyber attack causing havoc worldwide

On May 12, 2017, a massive ransomware cyber attack dubbed 'WannaCry' hit hospitals, major
companies and government offices in 99 countries. Majority of the attacks targeted entities in
Russia, Ukraine and Taiwan. Several hospitals in UK, universities in China and reputed global firms
have also come under this cyber attack. However, as per initial calculations, around 5% of all
computers affected in the attack were located in India.
Naidu announces 24x7 DD channel for Jharkhand

Venkaiah Naidu a Union Information and Broadcasting Minister has announced a round-the-
clock Doordarshan channel for Jharkhand.
i. Jharkhand has been given the most film-friendly award by the National Film Awards.
ii. Naidu also ordered to set up a film city in the state, assistance will be taken from the National
Film Development Corporation and the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute in Kolkata.
IIEST creates India's first smart grid project

IIEST has created the country's first smart grid project that will generate power from
renewable sources of energy.
i. The smart grid will help in generating power from solar, wind and vegetable waste resources, and
it will depend on the weather conditions and availability of waste products.
ii. It is the first smart grid project in the country.
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Arun Jaitley, launches Operation Clean Portal

Arun Jaitley the Union Minister of Finance has launched the Portal of Operation Clean
Money https://www.cleanmoney.gov.in. in New Delhi.
i. Its aim is to tab dishonest citizens hiding their income to the authorities and
Government.
Indian Teen from Tamil Nadu develops the worlds smallest satellite for NASA
A18-year-old boy from Tamil Nadu has created the worlds smallest satellite named
KalamSat.
i. It is developed by Riftah Sharook.He is from Pallapatti town; Tamil Nadu.
ii. KalamSat weighs only 64 grams and is named after former President APJ Abdul Kalam.
IIT Delhi researchers develop cheapest respiratory filter

Researchers of Indian Institute of Technology Delhi have developed the device Naso
filters.
i. It is capable of restricting up to 95% of dust and air pollutants.
ii. It gives protection against the finest particulate pollutants especially the PM2.5 concentration.
iii. It is the cheapest Naso filter available costing Rs 10.
Scientists discover first Natural Human Antibodies against Ebola Virus

A team of scientists from the United States have discovered a possible cure for all five known
Ebola viruses, one of which severely damage West Africa in recent years.
i. A team of scientists discovered the first natural human antibodies that can neutralize and protect
animals against all three major disease-causing Ebola viruses.
ii. Kartik Chandran, a Professor in the Department of Microbiology at the Albert Einstein College
of Medicine in Bronx, New York, helped in identifying the antibodies.
First flight of HTT-40 prototype-2 successful

As per the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited the first flight of prototype-two of Indias indigenous
basic trainer aircraft, Hindustan Turbo Trainer-40 (HTT-40) was successful.
i.It is aimed at being used for the first stage training for all flying cadets of the three services.The
flight took place at the HAL.
ii. HTT-40programme aims to achieve its operational clearance by 2018.
Haryana launches e-textbook portal for school students

Haryana government has launched e-textbook portal for school students.
i. Students can now download school books instantly from the e-textbook portal of the Haryana
School Education Boar.
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ii. As of now, 26 textbooks of classes IX to XII have been uploaded on the portal and these can be
easily converted into audio files.
SpaceX launches Inmarsat communications satellite

On May 15, 2017, SpaceX launched a communications satellite for London-based mobile
broadband company Inmarsat.
Details related to the launch:
i. Inmarsat-5 F4 satellite, built by Boeing, blasted off atop aFalcon 9 rocket from Cape
Canaveral, Florida, US on May 15, 2017.
ii. SpaceX confirmed that the satellite was successfully deployed to a distant, geostationary orbit.
ISRO and NASA collaborate to build Earth - imaging satellite NISAR

NASA and ISRO will collaborate to build Earth - imaging satellite NISAR.
i. It has launched the worlds biggest and most expensive earth imaging satellite.
ii. It total cost $1.5 billion.
iii. The satellite has been named NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR).
Neil Armstrong's moon dust bag may fetch $4 mn at auction

An extremely rare bag used by NASA astronaut Neil Armstrong to collect the first dust samples
from the Moon may fetch up to USD 4 million at an auction in the US.
Airlander 10, World's Largest Aircraft, Completes Test Flight

Airlander 10 is the worlds largest aircraft and has successfully completed a test flight by flying
for a total of 180 minutes in Cardington, UK.
i. Airlander 10 is hybrid ship and it is a partly plane and partly airship filled with helium gas.
ii. It is 92-metre-long and 43.5m wide.
World's highest gain high-power laser amplifier developed in UK

The world's highest gain high-power laser amplifier that could amplify sounds from rustling of
leavesto that of a jumbo jet.
i. It has been developed in the UK.
ii. The laser developed at the University of Strathclyde.
iii. It helps in bringing new radiotherapy modalities for the treatment of cancer.
China launches Satellite Navigation Positioning System

China has launched national satellite navigation and positioning system on 28th of May.
i. It will provide positioning service to transportation, emergency medical rescue and city planning
and management.
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ii. China will launch 18 Beidou navigation satellites by 2018 and 6 to 8 Beidou satellites will
be sent into orbit in the second half this year.
Jaitely launches Aeronautical Test Range in Karna

Defence Minister Arun Jaitely has launched an Aeronautical Test Range (ATR) set up in
Chitradurga in Karnataka.
i. The total cost is Rs 1,300 crore.
ii. It has been planned by the Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) and in collaboration
with other Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) labs.
Health Indian researchers develop 3D bioprinted cartilage

Sourabh Ghosh from the Department of Textile Technology at the Indian Institute of Technology
(IIT) Delhi has been successful in 3D bioprinting of cartilage using a bioink.
i. It is the first time that permanent cartilage similar to natural ones has been developed.
ii. In other words, cartilages developed are molecularly similar to the ones seen in human knees.
Prakash Javadekar launches UGC App to fight Ragging

HRD minister Prakash Javadekar has launched an anti-ragging mobile app UGC app introduced
by the University Grants Commission on 29th of May 2017.
i. The app will help student register complaints to counter the menace of ragging.
ii. The app is available on Android platform.
India's own global positioning system NavIC to be operational from 2018

India's Global Positioning System (GPS), the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS),
alternatively named NavICis going to be operated from 2018.
i. The testing of the system includes ground verification and calibration of NavIC data to calculate
its accuracy.
ii. With the NavIC system India has joined the likes of the United States of America, Russia, and
the European Union.
Pentagon successfully tests ICBM defense system for first time

On May 31, 2017, US military conducted a successful missile defence test involving a simulated
attack by an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).
i. Firstly an ICBM-type missile was fired from the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall
Islands toward the waters at south of Alaska.
ii. Thereafter, a rocket was fired from the Ground-based Midcourse Defence (GMD)
system from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California which deployed an exo-atmospheric kill
vehicle that smashed into the ICBM-type missile and thereby destroyed it completely.
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Scientists at IIT Kharagpur Develop New Technology to Manufacture Biofuel

Scientists at IIT Kharagpur have developed with a new technology known as soil-to-soil
manufacturing technology.
i. It is used for manufacturing cheaper, quicker and pollution-free. The technology is in
the process of being patented.
ii. The new technology will help in manufacturing Biofuel. Biofuels are fuels which are in some way
derived from biomass.
iii. It is estimated that the biofuel business in India will touch Rs. 50,000 crore by 2022.
DEFENCE
INS Ganga placed in non-operational category
Indian Navy frigate INS Ganga is placed in non-operational category from 28th May 2017,
followed by decommissioning, after 32 years of service.
i. INS Ganga is a Godavari-class guided-missile frigate of the Indian Navy and was built in Mumbai
by Mazagon Dock Limited.INS Ganga was commissioned on December 30, 1985.
ii. Presently in her 24th Commission, is commanded by Captain NP Pradeep.
THAAD missile defense system now operational in South Korea

Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system is now operational
in South Korea. The system has attained initial intercept capability which will be augmented by
end of 2017 on arrival of new components.
About THAAD Missile Defense System in South Korea:
i. THAAD is United States Army anti-ballistic missile system designed to shoot down incoming
ballistic missiles.
ii. South Korean military has sought US armys help in deploying THAAD to counter missile threats
from North Korea.
Indian Army successfully test-fires advanced Block-III version of Brahmos cruise missile
On May 2, 2017, Indian Army successfully test-fired Block III version (an advanced version) of
the Brahmos land-attack cruise missile in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
i. In the test, Block-III version successfully hit the land-based target with desired precision in a
top attack configuration. This test fire has matched all the parameter of the
canonical textbook, involving high level and complex manoeuvring by the missile.
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ii. Earlier, in April 2017, the Indian Navy had successfully conducted its first test-firing of the sea-
to-land attack version of its advanced supersonic cruise missile Brahmos.
India test-fires Agni-II ballistic Missile from Wheeler Island, off Odisha coast
Indias nuclear-capable, surface-to-surface Agni-II ballistic missile was test-fired from the
Wheeler Island Odisha coast on May 4, 2017
i. Agni-II ballistic missile has a strike range of 2000 kilometers.The test was aimed at re-
establishing the operational effectiveness of the weapon system.
ii. Agni missile series being developed by DRDO as a deterrent against nuclear armed neighbours.
CASO reintroduced as part of counter-terror ops in Kashmir

The Army has decided to re-introduce Cordon and Search Operations (CASO) as a "permanent
feature" of its campaign against militants.
i. CASO will be carried out in a major way in militancy-hit areas of Kulgam, Pulwama, Tral,
Budgam and Shopian in south Kashmir.
ii. After a gap of 15 years CASO will be a permanent feature as a part of counter-terror operations.
iii. The armed forces had carried out a major operation involving 4,000 troops in south Kashmir last
week to flush out militants, indicating a change in strategy.
Indian Navy Decommissions Minesweepers - INS Karwar and INS Kakinada

On May 9, 2017, two minesweepers of Indian Navy - INS Karwar and INS Kakinada, were
decommissioned at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai in presence of Indian Navy Chief Sunil
Lanba.
Bilateral exercise between Indian Republic of Singapore Navy Simbex 17 commences

The 24th bilateral exercise between Indian Navy and Republic of Singapore Navy has
commenced in South China Sea.
Key Highlights:
i. SIMBEX means Singapore-India Maritime Bilateral Exercises.
ii. The exercise will be held from May 18, 2017 to May 24, 2017.
iii. The exercise would be conducted into two phases-the Harbour Phase and the Sea Phase.
29th India- Indonesia Co-Ordinated Patrol (Corpat) Commences

The 29th series of IndiaIndonesia CORPAT is scheduled from 9th to 25thMay 17.
i. The opening ceremony being conducted from 09 -12 May 17 at Port Blair.It will be conducted
under the aegis of Andaman and Nicobar Command.
ii. The Coordinated Patrol serves to enhance mutual understanding and interoperability between
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the two navies.

iv. The closing ceremony of the CORPAT is scheduled at Belawan, Indonesia from 22 25 May 17.
Philippines, US begin smaller-scale joint military exercises

Philippine and U.S. troops begin smaller scale joint military exercise. It major focus will be
on disaster response, humanitarian assistance and counter terrorism.
i. Balikatan" or "Shoulder-to-Shoulder" 12 day military exercises were led by Defense
Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and U.S. Ambassador Sung Kim.
ii. This year's exercises will be based on a scenario of troops responding to a super typhoon hitting
the Philippines.
"Jordan, US launch major military exercises Eager Lion

The 7,400 troops from 20 nations are taking part in Eager Lion military drills. It is the largest
and most complex until now.
i. Jordan and the United States will be going to start the Eager Lion, an annual military exercise.
ii. Eager Lion exercise is the seventh exercise and the largest and most complex.
iii. The exercise would include border security, cyber-defence, and "command and control"
exercises to strengthen coordination in response to threats including "terrorism".
India's INS Tarkash marks 'UK India Year of Culture'

Tarkash had arrived at its final docking point in Britain on the river Thames at West India Docks
in Londons Canary Wharf to mark UK India Year of Culture.
i. It helps in promoting cooperation and shared exchanges on naval operations, including disaster
management, anti-terrorism and anti-piracy.
ii. Tarkash arrived on UK shores at Plymouth harbour on 2nd May to participate in the annual
bilateral maritime exercise Konkan-17.
Joint Hadr Exercise commences at Naval Station Karwar

Joint HADR Exercise commences at Naval Station Karwar.The Annual Joint Humanitarian
Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) Exercise began on 18 May 2017.
i. The exercise is being conducted by Indian Navys Western Naval Command.
ii. It is named as 'Karavali Karunya'.
iii. It involves both professional exchange and actual disaster response mechanisms which is set on
a Tsunami disaster scenario.
Indian Army gets its first modern artillery gun almost 30 years after Bofors
Indian army has received two M777 Ultra Lightweight Howitzer artillery guns from BAE
Systems, US. These two guns have been procured under Indian Governments deal with US
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Government for total 145 M777 guns.

i. The deal for M777 guns was initiated US Govt. in 2010.Indian Govt. announced the deal to buy
145 M777 guns in June 2016.
ii. This government-to-government deal under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) route was
completed in November 2016
ENVIRONMENT
Madhya Pradesh Assembly declares Narmada living entity

Madhya Pradesh government has passed a law in the state to give recognition to Narmada River.
i. A special session of the state Assembly passed the resolution granting the 1312-km-
long Narmada.
ii. It provides all legal rights of a person or a living entity to ensure conservation of aquatic bio-
diversity linked with the purity and continual flow of the river.
Andhra Pradesh's Banganapalle mango gets GI tag

Andhra Pradesh's Banganapalle mango got Geographical Indication registration from the
Geographical Indications Registry.
Archaeologists discover 4000-year-old model garden outside Egypt tomb

A group of archaeologists discovered the remains of a nearly 4000 year old model
garden outside a tomb in the ancient Egyptian capital of Thebes known as Luxor.
i. The discovery was made by a Spanish team in the Draa Abul Nagaa necropolis across the
Nile from the modern-day city of Luxor.
ii. Two elevated spots were found in the middle of the garden, which were probably used for
planting trees.
17 mummies found at burial site in Egypt

Archaeological workers have unearthed an ancient human burial site with at least 17 intact
mummies near the Nile Valley city of Minya in Egypt.
i. These mummies have been discovered at a depth of about 25 feet.
NASA detects signs of water on distant 'warm Neptune'

Scientists using NASA telescopes have detected "a strong water signature" in the atmosphere
of Neptune-sized planet. It could help and understand more about the birth and development of
planetary systems.
i. It shows that the distant planet HAT- P-26b has a primitive atmosphere composed almost entirely
of hydrogen and helium.
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ii. HAT-P-26bs atmosphere is relatively clear of clouds and has a strong water signature.
iv. The analysis is one of the most detailed studies to date of a "warm Neptune," or a planet that
is Neptune-sized and close to its star.
New Butterfly Species found in Israel for 1st time in 109 Yrs
A new butterfly species found in Israel.It is the first such finding from the region in over a century
according to the scientists.
i. This is the first new butterfly species discovered and described from the territory of Israel in 109
years.
ii. It is named Acentrias fritillary.It is found on the slopes of Mount Hermon in northern
In tribute to APJ Abdul Kalam, NASA names new species after him
A newly discovered organismfound on the International Space Station has been named after
APJ Abdul Kalam by NASA.
i. The name of the bacterium is Solibacilluskalamii and the species name is after Dr Abdul
Kalam and genus name is Solibacillus which is a spore forming bacteria.
Henderson Island: World Heritage-listed site most polluted place on planet

Henderson Island is a remote place in the South Pacific that has been found to be the most
polluted place on the planet. It will have 37 million pieces littered on its beaches.
Proxima B likely to have Water and Support Alien Life

An Earth-Like Planet called Proxima B orbiting the closest neighbouring Star, Proxima
Centauri.
i. Scientists from the University of Exeter in the UK have undertaken new research to explore the
potential climate of the planet.
ii. It is about 4.2 light years (25 trillion miles) away from Earth likely to have liquid water and
also support alien life.
WMO initiates ""Year of Polar Prediction"" project"

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO)on May 15th 2017 officially launched the Year of
Polar Prediction, in Geneva, Switzerland.
i. The project concerns a two-year international effort, aiming to close gaps in polar forecasting
capacity.
ii. It aims to lead to better forecasts of weather and sea-ice conditions to improve future
environmental safety at both poles.
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Green court NGT bans open defecation, waste dumping on Yamuna floodplains
A Green court NGT has banned open defecation and waste dumping on the floodplains of the
Yamuna.
i. It is headed by the Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar.
ii. A fine of Rs 5,000 on people who will violate the rules and regulations.
iii. The STPs which is set up under Phase 1 of the Maili se Nirmal Yamuna Revitalisation
Project 2017 almost 67% of the wastewater reaching Yamuna are to be treated.
Climate change is turning Antarctica green

According to a new study it is found that there is a sharp increase in biological activity on the
continent in the last 50 years.
i. Due to climate change the plant life on Antarctica is growing rapidly.
ii. Scientists from the University of Exeter in the UK tested five cores from three sites and found
major biological changes had occurred over the past 50 years right across the Antarctic Peninsula.
Ozone2Climate Technology showcased in roadshow by Environment Ministry

The UN Environment OzonActions Compliance Assistance Programme has organised
an Ozone2Climate Technology Roadshow.
i. The Technology Roadshow was organised for the first time as part of the annual network meeting
for Ozone Officers of South Asia.
ii. It is organised along with post Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, on the sidelines of the
South Asia National Ozone Officers Annual Network Meeting 2017 in Agra.
After 84 years, cobra lily rediscovered in Nilgiris

The Cobra Lily is rediscovered in Nilgiris after 84 years.
i. The incredibly rare Arisaematranslucens commonly known as the cobra lily.
ii. It was last collected in 1932.
NASAs Juno Spacecraft Discovers Earth-Sized Storms on Jupiter

NASAs Juno spacecraft has discovered the Earth-sized cyclones at the poles of the Jupiter.
i. Both the poles of the Jupiter were found to be covered with Earth-sized swirling storms which are
densely clustered and rubbing together.
ii. The spacecraft flew for about 4,200 km of Jupiters swirling cloud top.
New species of bus-sized fossil reptile found in Russia

The new species of a fossil pliosaur (large predatory marine reptile from the 'age of dinosaur')
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has been found in Russia.

i. According to international team of scientists It has profoundly change how we understand the
evolution of the group.
ii. The skull of the new species dubbed "Luskhanitilensis," meaning the Master Spirit from the Volga
river is 1.5m in length, indicating a large animal.
Researchers discover glass frog so translucent you can see its heart
The newly discovered glass frog was found in the Amazonian lowlands of Ecuador.
i. Scientists have discovered a remarkable new species of glass frog whose beating heart can be
seen right through its chest.
ii. It has dark green spots on its back, and red heart that can be seen through chest.
Cyclone 'Mora' spins up over Bay, eyes Bangla coast for landfall
A deep depression in the Bay of Bengal has been declared intensified into a tropical cyclone
named Mora.
i. It is a second cyclone in the Bay of Bengal after Maarutha.
ii. Maarutha which was formed in April, 2017 triggering heavy rainfall in Sri Lanka, Myanmar and
Indias Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
v. Cyclone Mora is second such cyclone in the Indian Ocean.
Super-Earth found 21 light years away may host alien life

Super-Earth found 21 light years away may host alien life
Scientists at Astrophysics Institute in the Canary Islands have found a planet which may be
habitable and can host liquid water .
i. Scientists have discovered a potentially habitable Earth-like planet.
ii. It is only 21 light years away, and is one of the least massive known "Super-Earths".
SPORTS
ICC T20 rankings: India drop to No. 4 in ICC T20 rankings
Annual update of ICC Twenty20 International team
Rank Team
rankings was released on May 1, 2017. India has dropped 1st New Zealand
two places to slip to fourth position. 2nd England
3rd Pakistan
With 118 points India is behind Pakistan (121 points), 4th India
5th South Africa
England (121 points), and New Zealand (125 points).
6th Australia
Pakistan is behind England by fraction of a point and is 7th West Indies
8th Sri Lanka
positioned at No.3.
9th Afghanistan
10th Bangladesh
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Soumyajit Ghosh wins singles & doubles gold at Chile Open

Indian table tennis player Soumyajit Ghosh has bagged both the singles and doubles gold at
the Seamaster 2017 ITTF Challenge Chile Open in Santiago, Chile.
i. Mens singles final was contested between two Indian players, Soumyajit Ghosh and Anthony
Amalraj, in which Soumyajit clinched the title.
ii. In mens doubles final the Indian pair of Soumyajit & Amalraj defeated Philipp Floritz and
Hunor Szocs. This is the first time India has won a mens doubles title on either the ITTF
Challenge Series or ITTF World Tour.
Rafael Nadal clinches record 10th Barcelona Open title

On April 30, 2017, Spanish professional tennis player, Rafael Nadal beat Dominic Thiem of
Austria in the final to win the Barcelona Open for a record 10th time. This victory also marked
Nadal's 71st tournament win in his career.
i. Moreover he had reached this years finals of Barcelona Open after beating Andy Murray for the
first time in his career. However, Nadal just took 90 minutes to beat Thiem in the finals.
Valtteri Bottas stuns Vettel and Hamilton to win F1's Russian Grand Prix
Mercedes Finnish driver, Valtteri Bottas claimed his first Formula 1 victory, taking the flag at
the Russian Grand Prix after a close chase from Ferraris Sebastian Vettel, who finished at
second position.
Joshna Chinappa becomes first Indian to win Asian Squash title

On April 30, 2107 Joshna Chinappa created history by becoming the first Indian to clinch the
Asian Squash title with a thrilling win over compatriot Dipika Pallikal Karthik in the women's final
held in Chennai, India. The title match lasted for 78 minutes.
Aizawl FC script history, become first north-east club to win I-League title
On April 30, 2017, Aizawl FC, a small team from Mizoram, created history by becoming the first
club from north-east to win the I-League title.
i. In the run up to the title last week, Aizawl FC had beaten Mohun Bagan by 1-0 and were three
points ahead of Bagan on the points table. To win the title, Aizawl FC required a win or a 1-1 draw
against Shillong Lajong.
Shiva Thapa wins silver at Asian Boxing Championships

On May 6, 2017, Indian Boxer Shiva Thapa won a silver medal at the Asian Boxing
Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. He lost the final match to Elnur Abduraimov from
Uzbekistan as he got injured at the beginning of the match.
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i. Shiva Thapa had reached the finals by defeating Olympic bronze-medallist, Asian Games gold-
medallist and top seed Dorjnyambuu Otgondalai of Mongolia in semi-final match held on May 5,
2017.
ii. This is Shivas third back-to-back medal at Asian Boxing Championships. Earlier he won Gold
Medal in 2013 and Bronze Medal in 2015. 23-year old Shiva Thapa hails from Assam.
Great Britain wins Sultan Azlan Shah Cup beating Australia; India finishes third
Great Britain has won 26th edition of the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup Hockey tournament by
defeating Australia in the final match by 4-3. The final match was held on May 6, 2017 in Ipoh,
Malaysia.
i. Great Britain has won the Azlan Shah Cup after a gap of 23 years.
ii. India won the bronze medal in this tournament by defeating New Zealand. It is to be noted
that Australian team has won Azlan Shah Cup nine times.
Leander Paes wins Tallahassee Challenger Men's Doubles title

Indian tennis player Leander Paeshas won Tallahassee Challenger Mens Doubles title on
30th April 2017.
i. Leander Paes and his partner Scott Lipsky from America defeated Leonardo Mayer and
Maximo Gonzalez.
ii. Leander Paes has won his second title of the season.He earned 80 ranking points.
iii. Indias RamkumarRamanathan finished up as a runner-up in the Tallahassee Challenger Mens
Singles event.
iv. The title was won by Slovenias Blaz Rola.
India rises to 100th spot in FIFA rankings in 21 years

In the latest FIFA rankings the Indian football team has raised to be ranked 100th for the
first time ever in over two decades.
Top3: 1.Brazil 2. Argentina3. Germany
i. This is Indias best-ever FIFA ranking since April 1996.
ii. AIFF has been providing the national team the best of exposure and facilities.
NBA inaugurates academy in India

The National Basketball Association (NBA) -the governing body of Basketball
in US inaugurated its first ever academy in India in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh.
i. 21 boys in the age group of 12 to 17 years who were selected through a 3-month nationwide
basketball talent search comprise the first batch of academy.
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Jhulan Goswami named Highest Wicket-Taker in Womens One-Day Internationals

Indian fast bowler, Jhulan Goswami now holds the record as highest wicket-taker in womens
one-day international. In the ongoing Womens Quadrangular Series in South Africa, Jhulan
managed to get 3 wickets in a match against South African team, which took her career total
to 181 wickets in 153 matches. She thereby broke Australias Cathryn Fitzpatrickthes world
record of 180 wickets. Indias former left-arm spinner Neetu David is at No. 4 position with
141 wickets.
Rugby-SA Rugby gets approval to bid for 2023 World Cup after ban lifted
The South African government had lifted a ban on the country's rugby union after it made
progress improving racial diversity in the sport.
i. It gets approval to bid for 2023 Rugby World Cup.
ii. The government imposed the ban last year.
iii. The ban also applied to athletics, cricket and netball.
India Claim 2 Medals At World Para Athletics Grand Prix

India claimed a gold medal and a bronze medal at the World Para Athletics Grand Prix being
held in Beijing, China.
i. Ramudri Someshwara Rao, who became the fastest Indian blade runner in the recently-
concluded 17th National Para Athletics Championships at Jaipur, won a gold medal in the
200m race at World Para Athletics Grand Prix, Beijing.
ii. Shot putter Hokato Sema who also won gold at 17th National Para Athletics Championships at
Jaipur, won bronze at World Para Athletics Grand Prix, Beijing.
Grand Prix of Liberation: Heena Sindhu wins bronze, India come back with 7 medals
In the womens 10m Air Pistol Heena Sindhu won a bronze medal. India ended the Grand Prix
of Liberation Plezn 2017 shooting championships with seven medals.
i. Heena shot 218.8 in the eight-woman final on the championships final day to finish third.
ii. India won one gold, two silver and four bronze medals.
iii. Shri Nivetha Paramanantham finished fourth at 198.7.
iv. Tejaswini Sawant took silver in the 50m rifle prone.
v. Pemba Tamang bagged bronze in the mens 25m centre fire pistol.
vi. Anmol Jain had won bronze in mens 10m air pistol.
vii. Pooja Ghatkar finishing fourth in the womens 10m air rifle.
viii. Gurpreet Singh was sixth in the mens 25m rapid fire pistol Germanys Olympic champion
Christian Reitz won gold in the category.
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Hockey Him crowned champions of 7th Junior Women's Hockey C'ship

Hockey Him (Himachal) defeated Hockey Mizoram in the 7th Junior National Hockey
Championship 2017 (Women).
i. The match was held at the Aisbagh Stadium Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.
ii. The Hockey Him won by 5-0 to become champion.
Devender Singh becomes 2nd Indian javelin thrower to qualify for London Worlds
Indian javelin thrower Devender Singh qualified for the World Championships in London.
i. Devender Singhwith a stunning throw of 84.57 m won the gold medal at the Indian Grand Prix
Athletics meet in Patiala.
Harpreet Singh wins bronze at Asian Wrestling Championship

Harpreet Singh has bagged bronze medal in Greco-Roman weight divisions in the Asian
Wrestling Championship.
i. It was held at the K.D. Jadhav arena in the Indira Gandhi Stadium Complex in New Delhi.
ii. Harpreet clinched the bronze medal after beating his rival Jun Ji Na of China in 80 kg category.
Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik unveils logo, Mascot for 22nd Asian Athletics Championship
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik discloses the Logo, Mascot for 22nd Asian Athletics
Championship. It will be held at Kalinga Stadium Bhubaneswar
i. Olly Turtle is the mascot of 22nd Asian Athletics Championship Bhubaneswar 2017.
ii. The championship will be held from 1st July to 4th July of this year.
Indias Performance at Asian Wrestling Championship, New Delhi

The Asian Wrestling Championship concluded on May 14, 2017 in New Delhi. Indian wrestlers
bagged total 10 medals (1 Gold, 5 Silver and 4 Bronze).
This marks an improvement as compared to 9 medals won by India in previous
edition of this Championship in Bangkok.
In men's freestyle category, Iran won the championship title with 71 points,
followed by Japan with 55 points and Uzbekistan with 49 points. India finished at eight
position with 33 points.
Among womens teams, Japan won the title. Indian women's team finished second.
Following Indian Wrestlers won Medals at Asian Wrestling Championship, New Delhi:
1. Gold Medal Winner (Men Wrestler) Bajrang Punia
2. Silver Medal Winners (Female Wrestlers) Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat, Divya Kakran and
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Sarita
3. Silver Medal Winner (Men Wrestler) - Sumit
4. Bronze Medal Winners (Female Wrestlers) Jyoti and Ritu Phogat,
5. Bronze Medal Winner (Men Wrestler) Harpreet Singh and Anil Kumar
Anil, Jyoti bag bronze for India in Asian Wrestling
Anil Kumar and Jyoti won two bronze medals for India in their respective wrestling matches on the
second day of the Asian Wrestling Championship in New Delhi on May 11, 2017.
Anil Lumar won the bronze medal in the Greco-Roman 85kg category by
defeating Uzbekistans Muhammadali Shamsiddinov.
In womens 71 kg category, Indian wrestler Jyoti who lost to Japans Masako
Furuichi in semi-final bout, received the bronze without any bout as there were less
number of wrestlers in her weight category and had no opponent to fight in the repechage
round.
Bajrang Punia Wins Gold at Asian Wrestling Championship
On May 13, 2017, Indian wrestler Bajrang Punia won Gold medal for India in mens 65kg
freestyle category by defeating South Koreas Seunghui Lee at the Indira Gandhi Sports
Complex in Delhi.
This is Punias first gold medal in a major international tournament and is Indias first
Gold Medal in this championship.
It is to be noted that Bajrang Punia has been mentored by London Olympic bronze-
medallist Yogeshwar Dutt.
Earlier Bajrang Punia had defeated Uzbek wrestler Sirojiddin Hasanov in qualification
round, Meisam Nassiri of Iran in quarterfinal and Kukgwang Kim of North Korea in semi-
final.
Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat & Divya Kakran win silver in Asian Wrestling Championship
On May 12, 2017, Rio Olympics bronze-medallist Sakshi Malik won a silver medal for India
women's 60kg category at the Asian Wrestling Championship in Delhi.
In the final bout for Gold, Sakshi lost to Japan's Risako Kawai. Earlier, Sakshi defeated
Nabira Esenbaeva of Uzbekistan in the quarterfinal and then defeated Kazakhstan's
Ayaulym Kassymova in the semi-final.
Sakshi was competing in the 60kg category for the first time. She was initially enrolled for
the 58kg category was found overweight and was subsequently moved to 60k category
by Wrestling Federation of India (WFI).
In women's 55kg category, Vinesh Phogat won silver medal. She lost to Sae Nanjo of Japan
in the final bout. Divya Kakran (69 kg) also won a silver medal for India. In the final bout, Divya
was defeated by Japan's Sara Dosho. Earlier, Ritu Phogat won the bronze in the womens
48kg category after being given a walkover by the Chinese opponent
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Arjun Maini becomes First Indian to Win a GP3 Race

On May 14, 2017, Indian motor racing driver Arjun Maini became the first Indian to win a race
in the GP3 Series in Barcelona, Spain.
i. In this race, Arjun stole the lead from pole-sitter Raoul Hyman in the first lap, and maintained
his position to take the victory with an amazing six second gap to the nearest car behind him.
ii. Arjun Maini drives for Jenzer Motorsports and is supported by JK Racing and TVS.
Relentless Rafa Wins Fifth Madrid Crown

On May 14, 2017, Rafael Nadal beat Dominic Thiem to win Mutua Madrid Open at La Caja
Mgica in Madrid, Spain.
i. This is Nadals fifth Mutua Madrid Open title win and 30th ATP World Tour Masters 1000 crown.
ii. Rafael now stands with Novak Djokovic in lead position with 30 Masters 1000 Titles.
Amul to sponsor New Zealand cricket team for Champions trophy

Amul will be prime sponsor of the New Zealand cricket team in the upcoming ICC Champions
Trophy. It will start from June 1 in England.
i.New Zealand is also the world's number one T20 team as per the ICC Rankings.
ii.The first time New Zealand will play with Amul.
Lewis Hamilton wins Spanish Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton has won the Spanish Grand Prix in the Formula One championship.
i. It is Hamiltons 55th career win and second wins of the season.
ii. Runner-up of Spanish Grand Prix is Sebastian Vettel.
iii. It is held at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona.
Ramit Tandon wins maiden PSA title

Indian squash player Ramit Tandon won his first professional title in squash on 14 May
2017.
i. He beats his Indian counterpart, Kush Kumar in the Sys Open 2017.
ii. Itwas Tandon's third appearance in a Professional Squash Association final.
iii. He has won 6 junior national titles and was ranked No.1 in India when he ended his junior
career.
Deepti Sharma, Poonam Raut create cricket history with record 320-run stand
India womens cricket team openers Deepti Sharma and Poonam Raut became the first-ever pair
to share a record 320-run partnership in One-Day International.
i. This feat was accomplished in a match against Ireland at Potchefstroom during the
quadrangular series in South Africa.
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ii. Deepti and Poonam batted for over 45 overs. Deepti made 188 off 160 balls, while Poonam
made 109 off 116 balls.
Laxman wins All India Open Rapid FIDE Rating chess meet
R.R. Laxman of Integral Coach Factory won the All India Open Rapid World Chess
Federation (FIDE) Rating Chess Tournament.
i. The All India Open Rapid World Chess Federation (FIDE) Rating Chess Tournament held at
the Kshudiram Anushilan Kendra, Kolkata.
ii. He got 9.5 points defeating Mitrabha Guha who bagged 8.5 points.
Indian cricket team retains No.1 spot in ICC Test rankings, SA hot on heels
India retained its No.1 position on the International Cricket Council (ICC) Test team
rankings.
i. India has moved to 123 points after gaining one point.
ii. While second-ranked South Africa now has bowed from 109 points to 117 points.
Harikrishna posts first win in Moscow FIDE Grand Prix

Indian Grandmaster Pentala Harikrishna registered his first win at the Moscow FIDE Grand
Prix.
i. With this win, the World No. 16 Indian has now maintained his unbeaten run against Adams this
year.
ii. He recorded his second successive victory against him.
Mohd Anas breaks 400m National Record Qualifies For World Cships
Mohammad Anas from Kerala has breaked the national record in men's 400m race and won a
gold medal at the third leg of the Indian Grand Prix Athletics Meet in New Delhi.
i. He finished the race in 45.32 seconds at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.
ii. He also qualified for the World Championships to be held in London in August.
ICC hikes prize money for Champions Trophy 2017

The International Cricket Council (ICC)has hiked the prize money for 2017 Champions
Trophy by $500,000, making it $4.5 million with a winners share of $2.2 million.
i.The runner-up of the tournament will get a cheque of US $1.1 million, while the other two
semifinalists will earn US $450,000 each.
ii.Teams finishing third in each group will take home US $90,000 each, while the teams finishing
last in each group will get US $60,000 each.
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Vaishnavi shone won 2 gold medal in the first Asia level yoga competition
Vaishnavishone a Coimbatore girl won 2 gold medals in the first Asia level yoga
competition in Thailand. She has won in the junior category (13 to 15 years).
i. Overall 150 participants from Singapore and Thailand took part in the meet which was held
in Bangkok.
ii. Vaishnavi has received various awards and titles including "Yoga Rani" and "Yoga Natchathra"
and "Young Achiever Award" from India Yoga Association and Government of Tamil Nadu.
Harikrishna wins against Ian in Moscow FIDE Grand Prix

Indian Grand Master Pentala Harikrishna won against Russian GM Ian Nepomniachtchi.
i. Pentala Harikrishna beats Ian Nepomniachtchi in 8th round.
ii. The FIDE Grand Prix was held in Moscow.
iii. After claiming his second victory of the tournament, Harikrishna climbs up to 12th position.
Italian Open 2017 Overview

74th edition of the Italian Open tennis tournament took place at Romes Foro Italico from 10-
21 May, 2017.
Italian Open 2017 Winners:
Category Winner Runners-up
Mens Singles Alexander Zverev (Germany) Novak Djokovic (Serbia)
Womens Singles Elina Svitolina (Ukraine) Simona Halep (Romania)
Mens Doubles Pierre-Hugues Herbert (France) Ivan Dodig (Croatia)
Nicolas Mahut (France) Marcel Granollers (Spain)
Womens Doubles Martina Hingis (Switzerland) E Makarva (Russia)
Y Chan (Taiwan) E Vesnina (Russia)
India win all 10 gold medals in South Asian Junior Table Tennis Championships
In the South Asian Junior Table Tennis championship India has won 10 gold medals. A
proud moment for India.
i. The South Asian Junior Table Tennis championship was held in Mount Lavinia, near Colombia in
Sri Lanka.
ii. Apart from 10 gold medals, the Indian participants have also won 14 medals that total makes to
14.
Bengaluru FC beat Mohun Bagan to lift Federation Cup

On May 21, 2017, Bengaluru FC beat Mohun Bagan 2-0 to be crowned the Federation
Cup champions at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack, Odisha.
This victory will bring solace for Bengaluru, who finished at fourth position in the I-League.
This was Mohun Bagans 20th Final in the Federation Cup. Earlier, Mohun Bagan had finished
second to Aizawl in the I-League.
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Mumbai Indians win IPL title for third time

On May 21, 2017, Mumbai Indians (MI) defeated Rising Pune Supergiant (RPS) in the Grand
Finale by a margin of 1 run to win the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2017 title.
i. This final match of IPL 20217 was played at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in
Hyderabad.
ii. Mumbai Indians successfully defended this score by restricting Rising Pune Supergiant at 128/6.
iii. Krunal Pandya was named Man of the Match.
iv. With this win Mumbai Indians became the only IPL team to have won three
titles. Moreover, Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma became the only player to be on the
winning side for four times.
India's Vaishali wins gold in Asian Blitz Chess Championship

India's R Vaishali won the women's title in the Asian Continental Blitz Chess
Championship in Chengdu, China, on May 21, 2017.
i. Vaishali won seven games and posted two draws in the nine-round event. She scored 8 points
from 9 rounds.
ii. She drew her final round game against Uurtsaikh Uuriintuya of Mongolia to finish half-a-
point ahead of Iran's Sarasdat Khademalsharieh and clinch the gold medal.
iii. On May 19, 2017, Vaishali secured the third spot (bronze medal) in the womens event of Asian
Chess Championship.
iv. Another Indian chess player, Padmini Rout finished third with seven points after a last round
win over Yuxin Song of China.
Sweden beat Canada to win ice hockey world title

Sweden won the Ice Hockey World Championship title for the 10th Time.
i. Sweden won a championship with a 2-1 goal.
ii. This win is Sweden's first in four tries against Canada.
Harsh Malhotra Committee on Scouts & Guides submits final report to Goel
A High-Level Committee on 7-member Scouts and Guides has submitted its Final Report to
Minister for State (Independent Charge) for Youth Affairs & Sports, Vijay Goel with various
recommendations.
i. A committee was headed by Harsh Malhotra.
ii. The committee has suggested for the nomination of government nominees on the Boards of both
the organizations.
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Ashwin wins International Cricketer of the Year award

Ravichandran Ashwin an Indian spinner was bagged with International Cricketer of the Year
award at the CEAT Cricket Rating (CCR) International awards 2017 on 24 May 2017.
i. The ceremony was held at the Cricket Club of India in Mumbai.
ii. The award was presented by a former Indian Cricket Captain Sunil Gavaskar and Chairman of
RPG Enterprises Harsh Goenka.
iii. Ashwin has won the award second time as he had won the ICC Cricketer of the Year award in
2016 as well. With this, he has joined the ranks of Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar.
Egyptian Omar becomes first amputee to swim across Red Sea's Gulf of Aqaba
Egyptian swimmer Omar Hegazy has become the first amputee to swim across Red Seas 20
kilometer Aqaba Gulf from Egypt to Jordan.
i. Hegazy, a 26 year-old banker who lost his left leg in a motorcycle accident.
ii. Aqaba Gulf is a large gulf at the northern tip of the Red Sea.
iii. Its coastline is divided between four countries: Egypt, Israel, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia
Man United beat Ajax to claim Europa League title

Football club Manchester United has won the Europa League title after defeating Ajax
Amsterdam in the final match.
i. Owing to weak defence by Ajax, Manchester United built a two-goal lead early in the second half
and retained it till the end.
ii. This victory has also fetched an automatic spot for Manchester United in next season's UEFA
Champions League group phase.
South Korea defeat China to win 2017 Sudirman Cup

South Korea defeated China won badminton's Sudirman Cup for the first time in 14 years on
28th of May, 2017
i. South Korea has won by 3-2 points over 10-time champions China.
ii. It was held in Gold Coast Australia.
iii. The South Koreans claimed their fourth cup in the world mixed teams competition with a
charged 21-17, 21-13 win by Choi Sol-Gyu and ChaeYoo-Jung in the mixed doubles match.
Sebastian Vettel wins Monaco Grand Prix

Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel had won Monaco Grand Prix on 28 May 2017.
i. It was held at Circuit de Monaco, La Condamine and Monte Carlo, Monaco.
ii. The second place in the race was secured by Ferraris Kimi Raikkonen.iii. The third place was
secured by Red Bulls Daniel Ricciardo.
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Fencer Bhavani Devi becomes first Indian to win gold in International Event
Indias Chadalavada Anandha Sundhararaman Bhavani Devi has become first Indian to win
a Gold Medal in an International fencing tournament.
i. She participated in the sabre event of the Turnoi Satellite Fencing Championship held at
Reykjavik in Iceland.
ii. In the final, she defeated Sarah Jane Hampson of Great Britain.
Arsenal beat Chelsea 2-1 to win FA Cup for 13th time

Arsenal won its 13th FA Cup with a 2-1 victory over Chelsea the Premier League champion on
27 May 2017.
i. The match was held at Wembley Stadium in London, England.
ii. Arsenal maintained its 1-0 lead well into the second half.
Harmanpreet Kaur becomes the first Indian women cricketer to play in Englands T20
league
Harmanpreet Kaur, the captain of Indias T20 team has become the first Indian women
cricketer to play in Englands T20 league.
i. The Kia Super League is also known as the Womens Cricket Super League.
ii. The tournament will be started from August 10, 2017.
iii. It is the domestic T20 tournament held in England and Wales that features women cricketers.
Kohli only Indian in top 10 ICC rankings

India captain Virat Kohli is the only cricketer from the country to feature in the top 10 of the
ICC Players Rankings for ODIs.
i. He holds on third spot in the batsman's chart.
ii. The top three batsmen -De Villiers (874), Warner (871) and Kohli (852) are separated by just 22
points.
iii. Among other Indians to feature in the top 20 of ICC Players Ranking for ODIs are Rohit (12th),
Dhoni (13th) and Dhawan (15th).
Kohli and Dhoni amongst four Indian cricketers on ESPN World Fame 100
Indian cricketers Virat Kohli, Mahendra Singh Dhoni Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina, have featured
in this years ESPN World Fame 100 list.
i. Footballer Cristiano Ronaldo topped this years ESPN World Fame 100 Rankings
ii. Virat Kohli ranked 13th, which marks a drop from his previous year rank at 8th . M S
Dhonis too slipped by one spot to 15th from last years 14th
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OBITUARY
Former Mauritanian junta Chief Ely Ould Mohamed Vall dies of heart attack
Ely Ould Mohamed Vall, former military junta leader of Mauritania (West African
Country) died off a heart attack on May 5, 2017. Following the death of Ely Ould Mohamed Vall,
Mauritanias president has declared 3 days of national mourning.
i. Mohamed Vall led a junta that ruled the country between 2005 and 2007.
ii. In August 2005, a coup forced President Maaouya Ould Taya out of power and Vall became the
leader of the ruling Military Council for Justice and Democracy.
iii. Vall served as the head of a transition government that handed over power to Mauritanias first
democratically elected President Sidi Ould Chiekh Abdallahi.
Leila Seth, first woman judge of Delhi High Court, dies

The first woman chief justice of a Delhi high court Justice (retd)Leila Seth has died.
i. Leila was 86 and died of cardiac seizure.She was a mother of Vikram Seth a famous writer of A
Suitable Boy.
ii. She was the first woman to have topped the London Bar exam.
iii. She was also the first woman chief justice of a state high court (Himachal Pradesh).
iv. She was herself an author and her autobiography On Balance was a bestseller.
Ex-Madhya Pradesh minister Pratap Singh Baghel passes away

Congress leader and former Madhya Pradesh minister Pratap Singh Baghel had passed away. He
was 70.
i. He was also elected Member of Parliament from Dhar in 1985.
ii. Pratap Singh had served as minister in MP twice.
iii. He was elected MLA from Kukshi in 1972, 1977 and 1980.
Dronacharya awardee Wrestler Capt Chand Roop passes away

Dronacharya awardee and wrestler Capt. Chand Roop has passed away. He was 88.
i. Capt Chand Roop was received Dronacharya award in 2010
ii. He received the award for his contribution to Wrestling
iii. Roop joined the Indian Army in 1948 in Grenadiers regiment.
iv. After retirement from Army in 1979 from the post of captain, he opened an akhara at Azadpur
Mandi of New Delhi in 1980.
German painter AR Penck dies at 77

German artist A.R. Penck has passed away at the age of 77.
i. Penck was born in Dresden as Ralf Winkler.
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ii. It cited the Michael Werner Gallery, which first exhibited his work in the late 1960s.
iii. His works features primitive depictions of people and animals and recognized as an important
example of the new figurative style in Europe.
Renowned climber Ueli Steck dies near Mount Everest

Ueli Steck was one of the world's most famous climbers has died. He belongs to Switzerland.
i. Ueli Steck has been killed in a mountaineering accident near Mount Everest in Nepal.
ii. He died while climbing Mount Nuptse. His body has been retrieved and is being brought to
iii. Steck, who was known as the "Swiss Machine" for his speed and was planning to climb 8,850-
metre Mount Everest and nearby Mount Lhotse next month.
86-Year-Old Nepali Mountaineer dies on Mt Everest

Min Bahadur Sherchan, the oldest climber to scale the Mount Everest has died.She was 86-year-
old.
i. Sherchan had scaled the Everest at the age of 76 in 2008 and recorded his name in the
Guinness Book of World Records in 2010 as the oldest climber.
ii. He was a former British Gurkha. She aimed at reclaiming the crown of oldest climber to ascend
the 8,848-meter peak.
Pakistani Sitarist Ustad Raees Khan Dies

A Legendary sitar player Ustad Raees Khan died . He was 77.
i. He was honoured with Presidential award and Sitara-e- Imtiaz in 2005 and 2017,
respectively.
Stanley Weston, ACTV Founder & GI Joe Inventor dies at 84

Stanley Weston, co-founder of interactive TV programming company ACTV died on 1st May at 84
years old. He is the man who conceived the idea of the G.I. Joe action figure.
i. Upon the release of Barbie dolls in 1960, Weston decided that there should be an action figure
or boys and came up with the idea for a military action figure.
ii. He sold the concept that became G.I. Joe to the company that became Hasbro in 1963.
Former Maharashtra Minister Arjun Tulshiram Pawar passed away

Arjun Tulshiram Pawar, a senior NCP leader and former Maharashtra minister, passed away on
May 10, 2017, in Mumbai after prolonged illness. Arjun Pawar was 80 and was under treatment at
Bombay Hospital.
i. He represented Kalwan, a constituency reserved for Scheduled Tribes in Nashik district for
many years. However he lost the 2014 State Assembly election.
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ii. In 1999, he was the Minister for Tribal Welfare in the Congress-NCP government led by Chief
Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh.
Ramco Group Chairman Ramasubrahaneya Rajha passes away

P.R. Ramasubrahmaneya Rajha, Chairman of Ramco Group, an industrialist has passed away
in Rajapalayam on May 12, 2017
i. He was a philanthropist, educationist and an ardent devotee of the Sringeri Mutt.
ii. Rajha was born in 1936. He was a son of P.A.C. Ramasamy Raja, founder of Ramco Group.
iii. He was graduated from Madura Mills in Madurai.
Former Finnish President Mauno Koivisto Dies At 93

Finland's first leftist president, Mauno Koivisto who oversaw Finlands entry into European
Union, passed away on May 12, 2017, at the age of 93.
i. He became Finlands ninth president in 1982, and remained in office for two terms till 1994.
ii. He led Finland through the recession which was triggered by collapse of Soviet Union.
iii. He was the President when Finland applied for membership of the European Union (EU) in 1992.
Finland eventually joined the EU in 1995.
Himachal minister Karan Singh passes away

Himachal Pradesh Cabinet Minister Karan Singh has passed away on 12 May 2017. He was 59.
i. He was suffering from cancer. He represented the Banjar assembly constituency in Himachal
Pradesh Assembly.
ii. He was elected from the Banjar Assembly constituency thrice in 1990, 1998 and 2012.
iii. He was sworn as a minister in the Virbhadra Singh cabinet in August 2015, as the Ayurveda
Minister.
Stanley Greene, Teller of Uncomfortable Truths, Dies at 68

Stanley Greene has died at the age of 68 in Paris.
i. He was known for his intuitive and brutally honest photographs of wars, including conflicts in
Chechnya, Georgia, Afghanistan and Iraq.
ii. Stanley Greene was one of the few African-American photographers who worked internationally.
Environment Minister Anil Madhav Dave Passes Away

Union environment minister Anil Madhav Dave has passed away. He was 60.
i. He was born in Barnagar in Madhya Pradesh.
ii. He was elected to the Rajya Sabha in August 2009.
iii. He was sworn in as a minister with independent charge of environment, forest and climate
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change.
iv. Dave took charge as Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in July 2016.
Veteran actress Reema Lagoo passes away

Veteran actress Reema Lagoo has passed on 18thMay 2017 at Kokilaben Hospital in Mumbai.
i. She had suffered a massive cardiac arrest. She was 59.
ii. She had appeared in several Hindi and Marathi films also acted in numerous television shows like
TuTu Main Main and Shrimaan Shrimati.
Chris Cornel, the renowned singer passed away

Chris Cornel the renowned American musician, singer and songwriter, has recently passed
away at Michigan, United States. He was 52.
i. He was best known as the lead vocalist, primary songwriter and rhythm guitarist for Seattle rock
band Soundgarden.
ii. He was also lead vocalist and songwriter for the group Audioslave.
Former Puducherry CM Ramaswamy passes away

Former Puducherry Chief Minister Subrahmanyan Ramaswamy passed away on 15 May 2017 in
Puducherry. He was 80.
i. Subrahmanyan Ramaswamy was the Home Minister in the DMK-CPI coalition ministry from
1969 to 1973.
ii. He became Chief Minister of AIADMK in 1974 heading the AIADMK-CPI coalition ministry for
a brief period.
Former PIO Rammohan Rao passes away

Rammohan Rao, who had served as a media adviser to four prime ministers
and former Principal Information Officer (PIO), passed away at the age of 83.
i. Rao started his career with the Information Service in the 50s.
ii. He had served as media adviser to four former Prime Ministers - Rajiv Gandhi, V.P. Singh,
Chandrashekhar and P.V. Narasimha Rao.
Real-life hero Matthunny Mathews who inspired 'Airlift' dies in Kuwait

Prominent Indian businessman Matthunny Mathews has passed away in Kuwait.
i. He is 81 years old and hailed from Kumbanad in Pathnamthitta district.
ii. Mathews had done yeoman service to bring his countrymen, who had lost everything in the war.
iii. He is popularly known as 'Toyota Sunny'.
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Sir Roger Moore, James Bond actor, dies aged 89

James Bond actor Sir Roger Moore has died aged 89.
i. Moore was the third actor to play British secret agent James Bond in seven feature films.
ii. It was released between 1973 and 1985 that were based on the books by Ian Fleming.
Former DGP of Punjab KPS Gill passes away at 82

Former Punjab Director General of Police Kanwar Pal Singh Gill has died on 26th of May, 2017
i. KPS Gill was 82 years.
ii. He died at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in Delhi due to cardiac arrhythmia.
iii. He received a Padma Shri award in 1989 for his work in the civil service.
Pakistani music director Wajahat Attre dies

Pakistan's eminent music director Wajahat Attre, who composed the music of more than 200
films, passed away on May 26, 2017 in Lahore. He was 68.
i. Attre was born in Puna (Gujarat),India in 1945.After Partition, his family migrated to Pakistan.
ii. He was a son of noted music composer Rasheed Attre.
iii. He has several popular film songs to his credit such as "Wagdi nadi da paani", "Vay ik tera pyar
menu mileya", "Anda teray layi reshmi rumal".
iv. He worked with many eminent singers including Noor Jehan, Humera Channa, Saira
Naseem, Shabnam Majeed, Saima Mumtaz and Azra Jahan.
Former Mumbai Cricketer Kiran Ashar No More

Former cricketer Kiran Ashar passed away on May 27, 2017 in Mumbai. He was 69.
i. Ashar, born on June 19, 1947 in Bombay, played seven first class matches and scored 306
runs, with his highest being 105, from 1968/69 to 1977/78.
ii. He played as a wicketkeeper-batsman representing Bombay as well as the West Zone
iii. Kiran Ashar made his debut for Bombay in an Irani Cup match against the Rest of India at
Cricket Club of India in 1968/69 season.
Italian fashion designer Laura Biagiotti dies at 73

Lura Biagiotti has died in Rome, after suffering a cardiac arrest. She was 73.
i. Biagiotti was the first Italian designer to present a fashion show in China.
ii. She was among the first to show in Russia.
Gregg Allman, rock trailblazer, dies at 69

Gregg Allman, the soulful singer-songwriter and rock n' blues pioneer has died at the age of 69.
i. Gregg had founded The Allman Brothers Band with his late brother, Duane, and composed
such classics as "Midnight Rider," "Melissa" and the epic concert jam "Whipping Post.
143 | P a g e
ii. He was diagnosed with hepatitis C in 1999 and underwent a liver transplant in 2010.
Manuel Noriega, former Panama dictator, dies at 83

The Former Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega died on May 29, 2017 at the age of 83.
i. He was ousted as Panama's dictator by an American invasion in 1989.
ii. He also helped the U.S. seize drugs at sea and track money laundering in Panama's banks, and
reported on guerrilla and terrorist activities.
Former Greek Prime Minister Constantine Mitsotakis dies

A former Prime Minister of Greece Constantine Mitsotakis had died on 30th May 2017.
i. Mitsotakis was prime minister of Greece from 1990 to 1993.
ii. In liberal Governments, He served in several Cabinet posts, including finance minister of Greece.
MP, Veteran Filmmaker Dasari Narayana Rao Dies at 75

Dasari Narayana Rao is a well-known filmmaker and producer has died. He was 75 years old.
i. Rao has celebrated his 75th birthday on May 4 this year.
ii. Rao was a Congress MP from Andhra Pradesh and served as the Union Minister of State for Coal
between 2004-2006 and in his second term from 2006-2008.
ii. He holds a record in the Limca Book of Records for directing the maximum number of films.
iii. His most famous films are Tandra Paparayudu (1986),
Meghasandesam (1983) and Kaante Koothurne Kanu (2000)
Paravathamma Rajkumar passes away after prolonged illness

Noted film producer and wife of Kannada thespian Rajkumar, Paravathamma Rajkumar passed
away after a prolonged illness on May 31, 2017 in Bengaluru. She was 78.
i. Under the banners Vajreshwari Combines and Poornima Enterprises, Parvathamma produced
about 80 movies, featuring her husband Rajkumar and their sons.
ii. Blockbuster movies produced by her include "Trimurthy", "Haalu Jenu", "Kaviratna Kalidasa" and
"Jeevana Chaitra" starring Rajkumar.
BOOKS & AUTHORS

Venkaiah Naidu releases set of books titled Swachh Jungle kikahani DadikiZubani
Minister for Information & Broadcasting Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu released a set of books
titled Swachh Jungle kikahani DadikiZubani published by Publications Division.
i. The books aimed at transformation and creating awareness among children.
ii. The series of books had been published in 15 Indian languages.
iii. The books contain lot of interesting and eye-catching illustrations made by young artists.
144 | P a g e
President Pranab Mukherjee receives first copy of book Metaphysics, Morals and Politics
The President of India Pranab Mukherjee, on 18 May 2017 received the first copy of book
Metaphysics, Morals and Politics in Kolkata, West Bengal.
i. The book is authored by Professor Amal Kumar Mukhopadhyay.
ii. President Mukherjee thesis was published in a book titled The Ethics of Obedience.
Prime Minister Releases Book Series written by MS Swaminathan

The Prime Minister NarendraModi has released a book series written by the Agricultural
Scientist Dr. M.S. Swaminathan.
i. The series is titled M.S. Swaminathan: The Quest for a world without hunger.
ii. Dr. M S Swaminathan is known as the Father of the Green Revolution in India.
President of India receives books Jnan, a-Janan and Bijnan: Popper-erJnantatta and
Samudra Banijjer Prekshite Sthala Banijjya
The President of India Pranab Mukherjee receives books Jnan, a-Janan and Bijnan: Popper-
erJnantatta and Samudra Banijjer Prekshite Sthala Banijjya, Bharat Mahasagar Anchal, 1500-
1800.
i. The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee received the books Jnan, A-Janan and Bijnan:
Popper-erJnantatta and Samudra Banijjer Prekshite SthalaBanijjya, Bharat Mahasagar
Anchal, 1500-1800.
ii. He has received the books from Dr. Sushil Chaudhury and Dr. (Smt.) Mahasweta Chaudhury in
Kolkata, West Bengal on 19th May 2017.
Book titled Indias Indira: A Centennial Tribute launched

President Mukherjee has attended the programme of launch of a book, India's Indira- a
Centennial Tribute. It has been edited by Anand Sharma, a senior Congress leader.
i. The book was unveiled by Vice President Hamid Ansari. Indian National Congress (INC) vice
president Rahul Gandhi was also present at the event.
ii. The book has launched on 13th of May to commemorate the birth centenary celebrations of
former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
Union Home Minister releases the book India 2017 Yearbook authored by Rajiv Mehrishi
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has released the book India 2017 Yearbook.
i. It is authored by the Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi.
ii. The book was published by the McGraw Hill Education India.
KirenRijiju unveils world's first philosophical novel on God in Delhi

The worlds first philosophical novel on God was presented by Union Minister Kiren Rijiju.
145 | P a g e
i. IAS officer Haulianlal Guite has published a philosophical novel for God titled Confessions of
a dying mind: the blind faith of atheism.
ii. The book is termed as the worlds first philosophical novel for God.
iii. Haulianlal Guite is from Churachandpur district of Manipur.
iv. Haulianlal Guite is hailed as the first civil servant to write on Philosophy after John Stuart Mills
work titled On Liberty published in 1858.
"A new book "Winning like Virat: Think & Succeed like Kohli" by Abhirup Bhattacharya"
A new book "Winning like Virat: Think & Succeed like Kohli" by Abhirup Bhattacharya.
i. It discloses the secrets of the cricketer's consistent form, while attempting to decode his
philosophy towards life.
ii. Bhattacharya writes in his book If we focus on Virat, the cricketer and the man, we will find
some extraordinary traits.
President of India receive books Mann Ki Baat: A Social Revolution on Radio and
Marching with a Billion - Analysing Narendra Modis Government at Midterm
PM Mann Ki Baat is a unique initiative of Shri Narendra Modi to reach towards masses across the
country through the Radio. PM Modi's Mann Ki Baat programme was first started on 3rd October
2014.
i .President Pranab Mukherjee has received the first copy of two books 'Mann Ki Baat-A Social
Revolution on Radio'
ii. 'Marching with a Billion-Analysing NarendraModis Government at RashtrapatiBhavan in New
Delhi.
iii. Marching with a Billion- Analysing Narendra Modis Government at Mid-term written
by UdayMahurkar a journalist.
President Pranab Mukherjee recieves first copies of the books Colour Atlas of Oral
Implantology and Conservative Dentistry basics
President has received two copies of the book Colour Atlas of Oral Implantology and Conservative
Dentistry basics.
i. The Colour Atlas authored by Dr. Prafulbali & Lanka Mahesh.
ii. In this book it has been majorly focus on agniveer procedures performed by the author in the
field of dental in planetology.
iii. Dental implant: it is a surgical component that interferes with the boht is the jaw or skull to
support a dental prosthesis such as done, bridge facial prothesis to act as orthodontic anchor.
146 | P a g e
iv. Conservative dentistry- Basic focuses on the basics fundamental of the subject, clinical
picture and labeled diagram for better understanding of students.
v. It is authored by Dr. RK bali & Dr. Mazoomdar.
New book celebrates the Reang of Tripura

A unique and detailed publication by Lincoln Reang, named Mapping with respect to
Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups in Tripura, is being published by the Tribal Research
and Cultural Institute.
i. It has been celebrated to document and preserve the cultural and social diversity of the Reang.
ii. Reang (also known as Riang) is among the 19 tribes of Tripura and is the only one to be
classified as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) in the State.
IMPORTANT DAYS
May 1 2017
Remember Day:International Workers Day
Purpose:To pay tribute to workers sacrifices in achieving economic and social rights all over the
world.
Theme:Celebrating the international labour movement.
May 2 2017
Remember Day: World Tuna Day
Purpose: To protect one of the globes most popular fish to be caught and eaten.
Organization: UN
Remember Day:World Asthma Day (First Tuesday in May)

Purpose:To improve asthma awareness and care around the world
Organization:WHO
Theme: Better air better breathing
May 3 2017
Remember Day:World Press Freedom Day
Purpose:To mark the international community that freedom of the press and freedom of
expression are fundamental human rights.
Organization:UN, UNESCO
Theme: Critical Minds for Critical Times: Medias role in advancing peaceful, just and inclusive
societies
147 | P a g e
May 5 2017
Remember Day:International Midwives Day
Purpose:To commemorate and increase the awareness about the contribution of the midwives
towards the patients all over the world.
Organization:UNFPA
Theme: Midwives, Mothers and Families: Partners for Life!"
May 8 2017
Remember Day:World Red Cross day
Purpose:Anniversary of the birth of Henry Dunant (born 8 May 1828), the founder of International
Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
Organization:ICRC
Theme: Less Known Red Cross Stories
May 10 2017
Remember Day:World Migratory Bird Day
Purpose:To highlight the need to protect migratory birds and their habitats
Organization:UN
Theme: Their Future is our Future- a Healthy Planet for Migratory Birds and People
May 11 2017
Remember Day:National Technology Day
Purpose:The anniversary of first of the five tests of Operation Shakti (Pokhran-II) nuclear test
which was held on 11 May 1998 in Pokhran, Rajasthan.
Organization:GOI
Theme: Technology for inclusive and sustainable growth
May 12 2017
Remember Day:International Nurses Day
Purpose:The anniversary of Florence Nightingales birth
Organization:ICN
Theme: Nursing: A voice to lead Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
May 14 2017
Remember Day:Mothers Day
Purpose:To show their appreciation towards mothers and mother figures worldwide.
May 15 2017
Remember Day:International Day of Families
148 | P a g e
Purpose:An opportunity to promote awareness of issues relating to families and to increase

knowledge of the social, economic and demographic processes affecting families
Organization:UN
Theme: Families, education and well-being.
May 16 2017
Remember Day: National Dengue Day
Purpose: To mark the toll the deadly disease has been taking in terms of lives and to reaffirm
nationwide efforts to tackle the scourge by using both education and medical intervention.
Organization: GOI
May 17 2017
Remember Day:World Telecommunication and Information Society Day
Purpose:To mark the anniversary of the signature of the first International Telegraph Convention
in 1865
Organization:UN
Theme: Big Data for Big Impact
Remember Day:The International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia

Purpose:To raise awareness of Laws affecting Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and transgender violations
and generate interest in the rights
Organization:WHO
Remember Day:World Hypertension Day

Purpose:To increase the awareness of hypertension
Organization:WHO
Theme: Know Your Numbers
May 18 2017
Remember Day:World AIDS Vaccine Day
Purpose:To promoting the continued urgent need for a vaccine to prevent HIV infection and AIDS.
Organization:WHO
Remember Day:International Museum Day

Purpose:To provides the opportunity for museum professionals to meet the public and alert them
as to the challenges that museums face.
149 | P a g e
Organization:ICOM, UN
Theme: Museums and contested histories: Saying the unspeakable in museums.
May 20 2017
Remember Day:World Metrology Day
Purpose:To promote the importance of measurement.
Organization:BIPM and OIML
Theme: Measurements for transport
May 21 2017
Remember Day:World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development
Purpose:To provides us with an opportunity to deepen our understanding of the values of cultural
diversity
Organization:UNESCO
Remember Day:Anti-Terrorism Day

Purpose:26th Death Anniversary of former Prime Minister of India Rajiv Gandhi
Organization:GOI
May 22 2017
Remember Day:International Day for Biological Diversity
Purpose:For the promotion of biodiversity issues.
Organization:UN
Theme: Biodiversity and Sustainable Tourism
May 23 2017
Remember Day:International day to end obstetric fistula
Purpose:To promotes action towards treating and preventing obstetric fistula, a condition that
affects many girls and women in developing countries.
Organization:UN, UNFPA
Theme: Hope, healing, and dignity for all.
Remember Day:World Turtle Day

Purpose:To bring attention to, and increase knowledge of and respect for, turtles and tortoises,
and encourage human action to help them survive and thrive
May 25 2017
Remember Day:International Missing Childrens Day
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Purpose:To encourage everyone to think about children who remain missing and to spread a
message of hope.
Organization:ICMEC and NCMEC
May 29 2017
Remember Day: International Day of UN Peacekeepers
Purpose: To pay tribute to all the men and women who have served and continue to serve
in United Nations peacekeeping operations for their high level of professionalism, dedication, and
courage and to honor the memory of those who have lost their lives in the cause of peace
Organization: UN
Theme: Investing in Peace around the World
May 31 2017
Remember Day: World No Tobacco Day
Purpose: To draw attention to the widespread prevalence of tobacco use and to negative health
effects.
Organization: WHO
Theme: Tobacco a threat to development
151 | P a g e

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Current Affairs May 2017

Current Affairs for Competitive Exam

HRD Minister Prakash Javedekar launches Vidhya Veerta Abhiyan

Uttar Pradesh launches ambulance service to rescue ill or injured cows

Centre plans aerotropolis in Assam, seeks 2,000 acres

can be arrested without a warrant.

ii. Scholarships will be available to polytechnic students.

eVIN Project of Health Ministry becomes global best practise in immunisation

Chhattisgarh auctions India's most expensive limestone block

Odisha's Sualgiri, Swalgiri communities notified as scheduled castes

Swachhta Pakhwada being observed by the Ministry of Textiles

Jharkhand announces Jan-Dec FY

IRCTC launches Southern Sojourn and Southern Jewels

Odisha to introduce boat ambulances in four districts

Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu flags off Naharlagun-Guwahati Shatabdi Express

Cabinet approves NPA package for banks

Nitin Gadkari inaugurates The Highway Saga, SRISHTI exhibitions

calories from carbohydrate, 10-12% fromprotein and 20-30% from fat.

PM Modi launches integrated case management system of Supreme Court in presence of

NBT to host book fairs in panchayats

IRCTC starts cash-on-delivery service on train tickets

Maharashtra bans junk food in school canteens

Centre tells States to link Prisons with Courts via video

Supreme Court sentences Justice Karnan to 6 months imprisonment

Rajnath Singh chairs Northern Zonal Council meeting in Chandigarh

In a first, UPSC to share competitive exams scores online

Election Commission of India Launches National Contact Centre

Ahmedabad to host biggest ever International Yoga Day event on June 21

5 judges of 5 faiths on Supreme Court's triple talaq bench

I-T dept launches e-facility to link person's Aadhaar with PAN

will help in building new transport and service infrastructure.

Centre to spend Rs.11,000cr on roads in Naxal-hit districts

Rajnath Singh inaugurates 2nd NPDRR meeting in Delhi

PM Modi launches Narmada Seva Mission in Madhya Pradesh

West Bengal makes Bengali Mandatory in all Schools

NASA, ISRO to jointly inspect 'oldest civilisation' site in Haryana

PM Narendra Modi releases stamp on Ramanujacharya's 1000th birth anniversary

ICMR to implement UN agency's standards on clinical trials

NITI Aayog holds the first Samavesh meeting

Government's decision to set up 10 atomic power plants to generate 33,400 jobs, Rs

Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad to go 100 per cent LED-lit

CCEA approves mission for development of bio-pharmaceuticals

GST Council finalises tax rates on 80-90% goods, services

Srinagar gets first semi-mechanised Car parking facility

Pune doctors successfully perform country's first uterus transplant

Cabinet approves Pan-India implementation of Maternity Benefit Program

AP amends Act to appoint PV Sindhu as Group-1 officer

Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu inaugurated WiFi facility at 28 Railway Stations

Maharashtra Govt Forms 'Good Morning Squad' To Monitor Open Defecation

Cabinet approves phasing out Foreign Investment Promotion Board

Pondy CM Presents Tax-Free Budget For 2017-2018

J&K agriculture minister launches e-plant clinics

Uttar Pradesh government launches JE vaccination drive in 38 districts

Fadnavis launch Samwad Sabha to reach out to farmers

Union Minister Vijay Goel flags off Slum Yuva Daud

WHO confirms first three Zika virus cases in India

Amitabh Bachchan led Toilet Usage Campaign, Darwaza Band, launched

Gadkari lays foundation of Rs 1,117 crprojs at JNPT