Current Affairs Revision PDF - November 2016 To February 2017

CURRENT AFFAIRS REVISION PDF NOV to FEB
AWARDS AND HONOURS

NAME OF THE AWARD AWARD WINNER KEY POINTS TO NOTE
Dubai International Film Festival with a Rekha Indian actress
Lifetime Achievement Award
Country Music Association Awards 2016 Chris Stapleton The female vocalist honour
German Education Ministry Award Shamik Chowdhury He is PhD student in
environmental engineering from
the National University of
Singapore
Businesswoman of the Year in Australia Uppma Virdi She an Indian hailing from Punjab
lifetime achievement award Meryl Streep Conferred by the Golden Globes
Kalidas Samman Award Shri Raj Bisaria Rashtriya Kalidas Samman,
established by Madhya Pradesh
government for the field of theatre.
Honorary Oscar Award Jackie Chan It is the recognition of an illustrious
career spanning over five decades.
Global Citizen Award Imtiaz Sooliman He is an Indian-origin man in
South Africa
Deng Adut Australias He is a Sudanese migrants
highest civic awards
2017
2016 ATP World Tour Awards Roger Federer Federer received the Stefan Edberg
Sportsmanship Award
Golden Peacock Award Steel Authority Ashwini Kumar, CEO of Rourkela
of India Limited Steel Plant (RSP) on behalf of SAIL
(SAIL)
Tata Literature Live Lifetime Amitav Ghosh The recognition of his outstanding
Achievement Award contribution to the Indian literary
space.
Kalidas Samman Shri Raj Bisaria The award by Madhya Pradesh
government for the field of theatre.
Goalkeeper of the Year award 2016 P.R. Sreejesh Indian mens hockey captain
Best Film Nahid Hasanzadehs 22nd Kolkata International Film
Another Time Festival
Asia Corporate Excellence and Tata consultancy Top Companies to Work for in Asia.
Sustainability Awards (ACES) serives
Mother Teresa International Award Al Nahyan Award by the Mumbai-based NGO
Harmony Foundation.
Shakti Bhatt First Book Prize Akshaya Mukul
Infosys Prize 2016 Professor V Kumaran Awared by Infosys Science
Foundation
IMO Award for Exceptional Bravery at Radhika Menon For her role in the dramatic rescue
Sea of seven fishermen
1|Page www.DayTodayGK.com
American Music Awards Canadian rapper Ariana Grande-Butera, known

Drake professionally as Ariana Grande is
an American singer and actress.
International Press Freedom Award Malini Subramaniam Jailed Egyptian photographer
Abou Zeid, known as Shawkan, was
given an award in absentia.
World Sanskrit Award Maha Chakri She is Thailands Princess
Sirindhorn
Legends Award from the International M C Mary Kom Indian boxer
Boxing Association (AIBA)
Best Actor Award Manoj Bajpayee Best performance award by an
actor at the 10th Asia Pacific Screen
Awards
Golden Peacock award Iranian film 47th International Film Festival of
Daughter India (IFFI).
2016 Sumitra Charat Ram Award The prestigious award bestowed
Pandit Hari Prasad upon him by Lt Governor Najeeb
Chourasia Jung at a function held in New
Delhi.
2016 Golden Peacock Award Steel Authority of Ashwini Kumar, CEO of Rourkela
India Limited (SAIL) Steel Plant (RSP)
UNESCO Salon Competition Magical Piano short film by the Toonz Media
Group
It is the recognition of an illustrious
Honorary Oscar Award Jackie Chan career spanning over five decades.
ICCR distinguished ideologist award Prof. Yu Long Yu For the contribution of foreign
scholars to the development of
Indology
Top in Global Education Rankings Singapore Primary 4 and Secondary 2
students topped both subjects in
the Trends in International
Mathematics and Science Study
(TIMSS)
Best cities award Kolkata Kolkata is the only Indian city to
receive the prestigious award. It
received the award during the C40
Mayors Summit held in Mexico
City.
Athlete of the Year Usain Bolt Bolt will retire next year, following
the 2017 World Athletics
Championships in London.
worlds 22nd most connected airport Delhi Airport Toppedby Chicago Airport
International Childrens Peace Prize Kehkashan Basu
Miss Supranational 2016 Srinidhi Shetty She also won the title of Miss Asia-
Oceania.
Highest French civilian Award John Kerry
First Indian to medal at Mr Olympia Iqbal Sayed The Mr Olympia amateur event
held in Hong Kong.
NaturePhotographer of the Year Contest La La Land 'Best Picture' at Critics' Choice
Awards
Best Footballer in the World Cristiano Ronaldo He has been voted the best player
in the world for a fourth time.
Brazil player of the year Chapecoense He killed in the Colombian air
goalkeeper Danilo crash last month
ITF World Champion Britains Andy Murray
and Germanys
Angelique Kerber
Most Improved Player of the Year award PV Sindhu The Award conferred by
Badminton World Federation
(BWF)
SASTRA Ramanujan award Kaisa Matomaki, The award for Excellence of
Maksym Radziwill Mathematics
AIBA's Legends Award MC Mary Kom She is alsoRajya Sabha MP
AIBA Pro boxing Best Boxer trophy Vikas Krishnan _
Favourite fanatics of 2016 Nandan Nilekani He is a prominent figure in Indian
business and politics
Sahitya Academy Award Asaram Lomte For his story collection 'Alok'
SKOCH silver award Corporation Bank For attaining the position of
number1 channel partner of LIC of
India
Most Innovative Citizen Engagement Coimbatore City It has been selected for Digital
Municipal Corporation India Award
2016 Jnanpith Award Bengali poet Shankha He is the 52nd recipient of
Ghosh Jnanpith Award.
SIES-Sri Chandrasekarendra Saraswati Maharashtra CM

National Eminence Award. Devendra Fadnavis,
ISRO chairman A S
Kiran Kumar ,
UK-based scholar _
John Ralston Marr
and
Hari Katha exponent
Kamala Murthy
FIFA Ballon dOr Award Real Madrid forward He won worlds best football player
Cristiano Ronaldo for fourth time.
2016 prestigious International Childrens UAE based Indian _

Peace Prize. environmental activist
Kehkashan Basu
PETAs Person of the Year Sunny Leone For her dedication to promoting the
rescue of homeless dogs and cats,
AIFF Player of the Year 2016 Jeje Lalpekhlua
2016 AIFF Woman Footballer of the Year Sasmita Malik Sasmita Malik is an Indian women
footballer
2016 AIFF Emerging Player of the Year Rowllin Borges Rowllin Borges is an Indian
footballer who currently plays for
East Bengal
2016 AIFF Emerging Woman Footballer Sanju Pradhan Sanju Pradhan is an Indian
of the Year footballer who plays as a winger for
East Bengal in the I-League
2016 AIFF Award for Best Grassroots Punjab Football
Development Programme Association
2016 AIFF Award for long-time Nike Nike, Inc. is an American
contribution to Indian Football multinational corporation
2016 AIFF Award for Best Referee Pranjal Banerjee Bengal referee
2016 AIFF Award for Best Assistant Joseph Tony _
Referee
Miss World 2016 Stephanie Del Valle She is hailing from Puerto Rico
National title in 6-Red Snooker Pankaj Advani
2016 Forbes India Celebrity 100 List Salman Khan _
Jnanpith Award 2016 Shankha Ghosh He is Bengali poet and literary critic
World's Best Playmaker of 2016 Lionel Messi The Award conferred by the
International Federation of
Football History and Statistics
(IFFHS)
knighthood from British Queen Shankar He is an Indian-origin British
Balasubramanian professor of chemistry
Bharatiya Jananpith 2016 Shraddha and 'Hawa Mein Phadphadati Chitthi'
Ghyansham Kumar and on Devansh for his poem
Devansh 'Akash Mein Deh'
BihariPuraskar 2016 Satya Narayan For his Hindi book titled, "Yeh Ek
Dunia"
Andy Murray Knighthood in the
New Years honours
list in Britain
Virat Kohli India's Sportsperson In India Today poll
of 2016
Ophthalmology Hall of Fame Dr Gullapalli N Rao By the American Society of Cataract
and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS)
National Geoscience Award for 2016 Keshav Krishna He is a scientist of National

Geophysical Research Institute
(NGRI)
Miss Universe 2016 Iris Mittenaere France
Bharatiya Jananpith Navlekhan Award writers Shraddha and Devansh for the poem Akash Mein
2016 Ghyansham Kumar Deh
Devansh
Power & Energy Personas Award for K M Singh He is National Hydroelectric Power
Individual Excellence Corporation (NHPC) Chairman and
Managing Director
US Embassy for TB awareness Amitabh Bachchan He is brand ambassador for the
cause.
ICC Cricket Hall of Fame Arthur Morris Former Australia cricketer
Silver Award for Excellence in Citizen Petroleum Ministry Indian Oil, HPCL and BPCL
Centric Services collectively received silver Award
2017 Laureus World Sportsman of Year Cristiano Ronaldo FIFA World Player of the Year
The highest civilian honour of America Joe Biden Vice President of America
Sena Medal Lance Naik
Hanamanthappa
2017 Crafoord Prize Fred Ramsdell, To discovery of regulatory T cells,
Alexander Rudensky cells that can be regarded as our
and Shimon Sakaguchi immune systems security guards.
Italian football hall of fame Diego Maradona He is Former Argentine footballer
UNESCOs Intangible Cultural Heritage Sitalpati or cool mat These mats are used for sitting or to
from the Cooch Behar hang on doors or by windows
district during summer.
Peoples Choice history Award Ellen Degeneres She is Actress and comedienne
UN award ISKCONs Govardhan For taking innovative measures of
eco village sustainable tourism in country.
Australian Cricket Hall of Fame David Boon 2017 Allan Border Medal ceremony
Matthew Hayden in Sydney.
2016 National Entrepreneurship Awards Rajiv Pratap Rudy To recognize the entrepreneurial
spirit of Indias youth
eGov awards Rajasthan and CSI -Nihilent eGovernance Awards
Telangana is Instituted by the Computer
Society of Indias (CSI)
Most Excellent Order of the British Alastair Cook England Test captain
Empire (CBE)
Hivor Tiger Award Sexy Durga At International Film Festival of
Malayalam film Rotterdam
2016 B C Roy Award Dr P Raghu Ram For outstanding service in the field
of socio medical relief for 2016.
APPOINTMENTS
Name of the Person Department/Field
Sushil Chandra Chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes
(CBDT)
Ranveer Singh Indian ambassador for promoting 2017 Switzerland
Tourisms campaign
Sanjiv Arora Indias Ambassador to Lebanon
Ratnesh Kumar MD and CEO of BoB Capital Markets
M Rajeshwar Rao Executive Director of RBI
Vinod Rai Chairman of Fund Trustee and Advisory
Commission of Kerala
Harish Bhat Chairman of Tata Global Beverages
Narinder Batra International Hockey Federation chief
Ishaat Hussain Chairman of Tata Sons
Pramila Jayapal Representative of Washington State Senate seat.
Kamala Harris U.S. Senator seat of Illinois
M. M. Kutty Delhi Chief Secretary
Susan Kiefel Australias first woman highest ranking judge
Lt Gen Qamar Bajwa Pakistan Army Chief
Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn Thailand King
Shavkat Mirziyoyev Uzbekistan President
Alexander Van der Bellen Austrian President
O. Panneerselvam Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu
Nana Akufo-Addo Ghana President
Adwaita Gadanayak Head National Gallery of Modern Art
Rajendra Kumar New CBDT member
Paolo Gentiloni Italian Prime Minister
Bill English New Zealand PM
Antonio Guterres UN Secretary General
Pulkit Trivedi Indias new Industry Director
Lt Gen Naveed Mukhtar Director General of the Inter-Services Intelligence
(ISI).
Saina Nehwal Integrity Ambassador of Badminton World
Federation (BWF)
J Ravichandran Interim Chief of National Stock Exchange
Lt Gen BipinRawat The new army chief
Air Marshal BS Dhanoa Chief of the Indian Air Force
Anil Dhasmana RAW chief
Rajiv Jain IB chief
Priyanka Chopra Brand ambassador for Assam tourism
Justice J S Khehar Chief justice of India
Virat Kohli Brand ambassador of American Tourister
Deepak Agarwal Noida CEO Authority

Rahil Ansari Audi India head
Sorin Grindeanu Romanias president
Navy Chief Sunil Lanba Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee
Anil Baijal Lieutenant Governor of Delhi
Vijay Bhatkar vice-chancellor of Nalanda University
Banwarilal Purohit Governor of Meghalaya
Derk Segaar Director of the United Nations Information Centre
(UNIC)
Uttam Dhillon key White House position
Vinod Rai BCCI chief
AP Singh Interim head of Postal Bank
Vishwanath Shetty Karnataka Lokayukta
Amulya Patnaik Commissioner of Delhi Police
Shaikh Rafik Mohammed Major General of Kyrgyzstan
Air Marshal Anil Khosla Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Air
Command.
Justice Mian Saqib Nisar 25th Chief Justice of Pakistan
David R Syiemlieh Chairman of the Union Public Service Commission
(UPSC)
Karan Bajwa IBM India Managing Director
Justice JS Khehar Indias 44th Chief Justice
Surekha Marandi RBI Executive Director
Raj Shah the Deputy Assistant to the President, USA
Jovenel Moise Haitis president
S Padmanabhan Chairman of Tata Power Company
Rajiv J Shah President of Rockefeller Foundation
Sir Tim Barrow Britains EU ambassador
Gen. Raheel Sharif Head Islamic Military Alliance
Virat Kohli brand ambassador of Gionee
Nana Akufo-Addo president of Ghana
Vishal Kaul COO of Ola
Anurag Thakur Head of HPOA
Vikram Pawah The President of India operations of BMW
Jimmy Adams West Indies Cricket director
Daniel Ortega Nicaraguas President
Jason Kothari Head of strategy of Sanpdeal
Praful Patel Member of FIFA finance committee.
Alok Verma Director of the CBI.
Qi Zhala Tibet Governor
Kalyan Krishnamurthy New CEO of Flip kart
Surekha Marandi Executive Director of RBI
Moussa Faki Mahamat Head of African Union
Rex Tillerson US secretary of state

Anushka Ambassador of Swachh Bharat campaign
Anand Kumar Gupta Director of NTPC
Sanjeev Sanyal Principal Economic Adviser
Vikram Limaye CEO, MD of National Stock Exchange
Arun M Kumar KPMG India chairman
Rajiv Singh CEO of Prasar Bharati
Arun M Kumar KPMG India chairman
Ajay Tyagi SEBI chief
Hemant Bhargava MD of LIC
Neelu Rohmetra First woman Director of an IIM
Frank-Walter Steinmeier Germany's president
INDIAN AFFAIRS
President Pranab Mukherjee inaugurated the India International Trade Fair inDelhi which will
see participation of over 150 companies from 27 countries.
This years edition of the mega trade fair withDigital India theme is being held between
November 14 and 27.
The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), launched a revamped version of its Toll-
free helpline number: 1947, to help residents get quick access to information about Aadhaar.
The three day International Conference on Brucellosis, beginning is being organized by the
Department of Biotechnology in collaboration with Indian Council for Agriculture Research.
Jairambati (WB) Amul, a brand owned by Kaira District Cooperative Milk Producers Union in
Gujarat, will set up its seventh centralised milk processing plant at Sankrail Food Park in Howrah.
The Indian Railways is organizing the three-day Shivir from 18 November 2016. The aim of the
Shivir is to generate numerous innovative ideas across most critical areas of the railway
operations for substantial progress of this sector.
The President of India has launched the National Student Startup Policy on the opening day of the
second Visitors Conference on November 16, 2016 at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
India and the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN) signed an agreement on
making India an associate member state of the research organisation that operates the
largest particle physics laboratory in the world.
The 13th World Robot Olympiad will be held in India for the first time. The World Robotic
Olympiad is an event for science, technology and education which brings together young people
from across the world.
The Union Cabinet has approved the Merchant Shipping Bill, 2016 for introducing it in the
Parliament.
The Centre announced a new committee, headed by Niti Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant, to form a
strategy to expedite the process of transforming India into a cashless economy.
Union culture ministry has released a commemorative non-circulation Rs.500 and Rs 10
coin circulation coin as part of the yearlong celebrations marking the 500th anniversary of Hindu
saint and social reformer Shri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhus visit to Vrindavan.
The International Film Festival of India is showing movies for the visually impaired, with special
audio described technology.
Post-Independence, 51st Annual Conference of Directors General / Inspectors General of Police of
States and UTs and Heads of Central Police Organisations will be held on November 25-27, 2016
at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy,
The Union Agriculture & Farmers Welfare Minister, Shri Radha Mohan Singh launched e-
pashuhaat portal (epashuhaat.gov.in) on the occasion of National Milk Day.
Taxation Laws (Second Amendment) Bill, 2016 introduced in Lok Sabha, A scheme namely,
Taxation and Investment Regime for Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana, 2016 (PMGKY)
proposed in the Bill.
Chhattisgarh has become the first state to adopt a resolution demonetisation of high-value
currency notes, the state Assembly adopted a resolution moved by Chief Minister Raman Singh.
Shri Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, the Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs (Independent Charge)
and Parliamentary Affairs launched the logo of Hunar Haat. The logo will be used for branding
exhibitions.
Uttar Pradesh has Asias first cycle highway. A first-of-its-kind project, the 207-km-long cycle
highway runs between Etawah and Agra and was declared open.
Assams picturesque hill station Haflong will host the three-day Judima Festival next month.
The government framed Jharkhand Nizi Niyozani Abhikaran and Gharelu Kamgar (viniyam)
vidheyak 2016 (Jharkhand private employment agency and domestic employee bill).
The Jharkhand government has introduced a strict law against placement agencies to rein in those
involved in exploiting people on the pretext of giving employment outside the state.
The theme of the festival, to be held on December 18-20, will be centered on preservation,
promotion and nurturing of ethnic culture, music, dance, craft and folk-art of Dimasa tribals
living in Dima Hasao district of the state.
Maharashtra government has issued a notification naming the new Oshiwara station, which is
located between Jogeshwari and Goregaon, Ram Mandir.
The first-ever International Gita Mahotsav, being organised and celebrated by the Haryana
government in Kurukshetra, will offer people a unique spectacle and also make for a nucleus of
global attraction.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has launched a new Scheme named as Har Ghar Bijli
Yojana. Under this scheme in Current Financial year Electricity Connections will be provided to
20 million homes
Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani has distributed PAHCHAN identity cards to artisans of five
clusters of Gujarat, Jamnagar, Naroda, Surendranagar, Amreli and Kaloli.
Agra-Lucknow expressway is Indias longest expressway inauguration on November 20, Uttar
Pradesh CM Akhilesh Yadav hopes to project to the state that his governments focus is on
development.
The 47th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2016 began at Panaji in Goa. Information and
Broadcasting Minister Venkaiah Naidu inaugurated the festival.
The 5th International Tourism Mart (ITM) was inaugurated by the Chief Minister of Manipur Shri
Okram Ibobi Singh in presence of Union Tourism Secretary Shri Vinod Zutshi in Imphal Manipur.
President Pranab Mukherjee has inaugurated the India International Trade Fair inDelhi which
will see participation of over 150 companies from 27 countries.
India is set to host the crucial global tobacco control conferencefor the first time, where it will
push for incorporating smokeless tobacco as an agenda.
Goods and Services Tax Network (GSTN), the company which was tasked to set up IT
infrastructure for the GST, said that by January it will start training around 60,000 state
government officials to equip them to handle GST roll
The Centre has decided to open Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Kendra in every Parliamentary
Constituency to impart skill training to the people and make them employable.
A three-day international event of Global Rajasthan Agritechi Meet (GRAM)for farmers will
begin in Jaipur on November 9 which will showcase best global practices and technologies
suitable for farmers.
The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship has announced launch of Pradhan
Mantri Yuva Yojanato scale up an ecosystem of entrepreneurship for youngsters.
Competition Commission of India (CCI)selected to host ICN 2018 Annual Conferencein New
Delhi in March April 2018.
Union Government on 9 November 2016 announced that cash deposits above 2.5 lakh rupees
threshold under the 50-day window could attract tax plus a 200 percent penalty in case of income
mismatch.
Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) launched Kahin Bhi-Kabhi Bhi medical facilities
for its beneficiaries of Delhi. Kahin Bhi means any dispensary/Hospital and Kabhi Bhi means
anytime.
The Defence Acquisitions Council (DAC), under the Union Government, on 7 November 2016
approved the guidelines for suspension or banning of business dealings with arms companies.
Thiruvananthapuramhas been termed as the countrys breast cancer capital, with cases at a
record high of 40 per lakh of population.
Rajasthan governmentis planning to launch a pension scheme for the labourers who have
crossed the age limit of 60 years.
Meghalayabecame the first state to start Indias first Cherry Blossom Festival, which is widely
celebrated in Japan.
Himachal Pradeshis set to host the paragliding world cup at Bir Billing area of Kangra district in
October.
Sikkim hasrecently laid the foundation stone of a ropeway and support facilities for
the Bhaleydhunga Skywalk Project at Dhapperi in Yangang, which once completed, will be the
worlds highest skywalk.
Union health minister J.P. Nadda launched No more tension mobile app to help- manage stress.
The app will help users manage stress by providing appropriate information, symptoms and its
management on stress.
Indian Navy Sailing Vessel Mhadei with an all-women crew was flagged off from Goa to Cape
TownSouth Africa by Rear Admiral Monty Khanna, Commandant Naval War College on 09 Nov 16
in a ceremony held at the Boat Pool of INS Mandovi, Goa.
The regional news Unit of Radio Kashmir Jammu on 10 November 2016 started morning news
bulletin in Gojri language.
Rishi Jaitly, Twitters India head who helped popularize the adoption of the micro-blogging
website among government departments to respond to citizen queries, has quit the company.
The Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Amendment Act, 2016, designed to curb black money and
passed by parliament in August, came into effect.
10 | P a g e www.DayTodayGK.com
The government allowed online applications for affordable homes under the Pradhan Mantri
Awas Yojana (Urban) from November 3, with an aim to ease the process and boost the number
of applications.
The Paris Agreement to combat climate change officially entered into force after 55 partiesto the
convention accounting for at least 55% of total GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions ratified it.
An Inter-Ministerial Committee of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry in the first week of
November 2016 asked for one-day ban on a leading Hindi News Channel, NDTV India from 12.01
A.M. of 9 November to 12.01 A.M. of 10 November 2016.
The book An Era of Darkness: The British Empire in India has been authored by Dr. Shashi
Tharoor, the Lok Sabha MP.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the first International Agro bio-diversity
Congressin the national capital where 900 delegates from 60 countries will discuss conservation
of genetic resources.
Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government ofIndia is hosting the Seventh Session of the
Conference of Parties (COP7) to WHO FCTC during 7-12 November, 2016, at India Exposition
Mart Ltd., Greater Noida, District Gautam Buddha Nagar, Uttar Pradesh.
Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA)launched by the Union Government.
Under this scheme, free health check-ups to pregnant women at government health centres and
hospitals will be provided.
Prime Minister is set to be the mascot of the Incredible India campaign with the Tourism
Ministry deciding to do away with plans to rope in any Bollywood stars.
The finance ministry released first installment of special assistance of Rs 1,093.34 crore for repair
and permanent restoration of damaged public buildings in J&K.
The Odisha government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Software
Technology Parks of India (STPI) to set up four STPI centre in the state.
Chhattisgarh government has launched a campaign to complete the irrigation projects that could
not be completed. Under the campaign called Lakshya Bhagirathi.
In a shocking revelation, as many as 76 tiger deaths have been reported in the country from
January to October this year.
The Indian army has successfully completed its task of laying an irrigation pipeline in the
Demchok region of Eastern Ladakh.
The project was being conducted under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment
Guarantee Schemeto link the villages in the region with a hot spring
Madhya Pradesh is at the top of the list, accounting for nearly a third of all mortalities. Karnataka,
which boasts the highest tiger population among states, is in second spot with 13 deaths.
The Haryana government announced that as part of its International Gita Mahotsav the
government is tying up with various organisations to holding aarti simultaneously across different
countries.
IIT Kharagpur now claim they have found evidence of another lost Indian river Called
Chandrabhaga, this ancient river is believed to have existed at a distance of about two km from
the 13th century Sun Temple at Konark, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the eastern state of
Odisha.
Maharashtra government has offered jobs to eight sports-persons, who have brought laurels to the
state through their performance at the national and international level.
Free Wi-Fi for all at Cuttack Railway Station has been inaugurated by local MP Bhartruhari
Mahatab in presence of Devraj Panda, Divisional Railway Manager of Khurda Road.
Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have jointly topped the ease of doing business ranking, while
Gujarat has slipped to the third position in the list prepared by the World Bank.
Kerala has become the third Open Defecation Free (ODF) state in the country. The announcement
was made on the states foundation day.
The ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) will launch Jana Chaitanya Yatra in Andhra Pradesh to
highlight the welfare and developmental initiatives of the government.
Maharashtra has been ranked first state in the country on reforms in agricultural marketing,
followed by Gujarat and Rajasthan, by the NITI Aayog.
The countrys first tea museum was inaugurated at Munnar in the high ranges of Keralas Idukki
district.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Saur Sujala Yojana in Chhattisgarh that would
provide solar powered irrigation pumps to farmers at a subsidized price.
Maharashtra is converting 42 state-of-the-art cyber-crime labs into cyber police stations, as part
of the BJP-led governments strategy to take on cyber criminals.
The first titanium project of India being established by Saraf Group in Ganjam district of Odisha
started its test production.
After Operation Calm down in South Kashmir, Army is now focusing on another operation
School Chalo, under which it identifies areas and provides students with free coaching and make
them participate in extra-curricular activities.
Himachal Pradesh Raj Bhawan would go cashless and all payments be made online.
Haritha Keralam, an ambitious programme envisaged by the Kerala government to make the state
clean, protect its water sources and soil.
Union Minister of Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Nitin Gadkari has laid the foundation
stones for 17 road projects at a cost of Rs 1152 cr in two functions held at Jiribam and Imphal.
State-run energy behemoth ONGC will set up a new basin in Agartala by the end of next year as it
looks to focus more on exploration of oil and gas in the North-East region.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandababu Naidu launched the website apedb.gov.in of the
Andhra Pradesh Economic Development Board (APEDB).
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has launched Narmada Seva yatra at
Amarkantak. The Narmada Sewa yatra will create awareness about the conservation of the river.
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has given approval for implementation of the Rs 50-
crore National Hydrology Project to be set up in the state with 100 per cent assistance from the
Centre.
West Bengal government has announced setting up a panel for prevention of child trafficking in
the wake of a child smuggling racket being unearthed in the state.
The Odisha government has decided to appoint one thousand Banking Correspondents in about
one thousand unbanked Gram Panchayats of 107 blocks across the State.
The Andhra Pradesh government has launched AP Purse, a new platform to help people in the
state move to cashless payments using mobile wallets.
Ministry of AYUSH has support the World Ayurveda Foundation is organizing the 7thWorld
Ayurveda Congress on December 2-4 at Science City in Kolkata.
The Maharashtra Government has started an application named Maha Wallet to encourage the
cashless transaction.
The Punjab government has launched its ambitious amphibious bus project at the Harike wetland
near Amritsar.
The Karnataka government is set to launch an online portal for trading livestock, beginning with
the auction of cattle and sheep.
Maharashtra has ranked second in the country in distribution of LED bulbs as part of country-
wide campaign for reducing power consumption. Gujarat tops the list.
Kerala government decided to hand over 70 acres of land at zero cost in Palakkad district for
setting up the permanent campus of Indian Institute of Technology.
Asia Pacific countries that account for over 55% of global urban population have resolved to adopt
Urban Plus approach taking urban planning and development beyond city limits to prevent
unmanageable and unsustainable urban expansion.
The Department of Telecom (DoT) is set to launch a portal Tarang with data on all mobile
towers and transmitters across the country in a month that will allow a user to check the radiation
compliance status.
Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY) has comes into effect. Any unaccounted cash or
deposit in a bank account can be disclosed under the scheme before April 1, 2017.
Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Vijay Goel to inaugurate Conference on Youth
Development in New Delhi.
Swasthya Rakshan Program has been initiated to organize Swasthya Rakshan OPDs, Swasthya
Parikshan Camps and Health/Hygiene awareness programme.
The Centre has decided to set up a single, permanent Tribunal to adjudicate all inter-state river
water disputes subsuming existing tribunals, a step which is aimed at resolving grievances of
states in a speedy manner.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation of Indian Institute of Skills in Kanpur with
the aim of making youths more employable and self-reliant.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has inaugurated Karnatakas first air ambulance service at HAL
airport in the state capital.
In a first in the country, the Maharashtra forest department will launch a state-wide call centre
facility from January 6.
Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh has established a new global skin bank in the
Shah Satnam Ji Specialty Hospital in Sirsa from the revenue that was generated from his movie
"MSG 2 - The Messenger".
Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament (MP) Ramgopal Yadav will inaugurate and lay the foundation
stone of 39 projects of Ghaziabad Development Authoritys (GDA) valued at Rs 1,260 crore.
India will host the fifth edition of the Global Conference on Cyber Space (GCSS) in 2017 in which
over 100 countries are expected to participate, IT and Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad.
National Mathematics Day in India is celebrated on December 22. . It commemorates the birth
anniversary of Srinivasa Ramanujan, an Indian mathematician.
The NGT has imposed a complete ban on burning of waste in open places across the country and
announced a fine of Rs 25,000 on each incident of bulk waste burning.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has laid foundation stone for a cancer centre and a super speciality
hospital besides touring Kabir Nagar area to inspect lying of underground cables, installation of
heritage streetlights and lighting of heritage buildings.
The Union Water Resources Ministry has reconstituted a committee that was tasked with assisting
the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB).
According to Global Wage Report 2016-17 released by the International Labour Organisation
(ILO), India suffers from huge gender pay gap.
The President of India has promulgated the Enemy Property (Amendment and Validation) Fifth
Ordinance, 2016 (8 of 2016) on 22nd December, 2016.
A Performance on Health Outcomes index, spearheaded by NITI Aayog along with Ministry of
Health and Family Welfare, to nudge States towards transformative action in the Health sector
was launched.
AYUSH Minister Shripad Yesso Naik has inaugurated the North Eastern Institute of Ayurveda and
Homeopathy (NEIAH) to provide health care to the people of north eastern states.
The Government of India calendar 2017 has released that features Prime Minister Narendra Modi
on each page draw flak on social media.
The theme of the calendar is Mera Desh Badal Raha Hai, Aage Badh Raha Hai.
In an initiative to harness renewable energy, a 3.5 MW solar power project was inaugurated at the
Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) airport in Bengaluru.
The Defence and Research Development Organization (DRDO) has successfully flight tested the
Smart Anti-Airfield Weapon (SAAW) from an Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft.
The government of India gave the go ahead to the IAF to purchase one more C17 heavy transport
aircraft and also gave the nod to the Coast Guards proposal to acquire six multi-mission maritime
aircraft for Rs 5,500 crore.
Google India has partnered Ministry of Consumer Affairs for rolling out a nationwide Digitally
Safe Consumer campaign.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav inaugurated and laid foundation stone of more than
over 5,500 projects in about six hours, at 13 different places in Lucknow.
Union government is all set to launch its second centre of excellence for sericulture in Bengaluru.
The Warangal police have secured its place in the Guinness Book of World Records by organizing
the largest self-defence training class, for 21,276 female students simultaneously.
Himachal Pradesh has achieved 100 % Aadhaar saturation on the basis of population of year 2015,
making it the sixth state after Delhi, Telangana, Haryana, Punjab and Chandigarh to have
achieved this milestone.
Bengaluru will host Indias first Beer Mile Run, wherein a participant will be required to drink a
pint of beer, run a quarter mile, and then repeat the process until a mile is completed.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay foundation stone for the grand memorial of Maratha
warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and the metro rail projects in Mumbai and Pune.
Assam CM Sarbananda Sonowal has launched 'Atal-Amrit Abhiyan' scheme. The initiative is a
health assurance scheme
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has launched Biju Sishu Surakshya Yojana for care and
protection of HIV-positive orphan children in the state.
Gujarat government has announced Aerospace and Defence Policy-2016 to attract investment into
fields of aerospace and defence design, development and manufacturing in the state.
Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh has inaugurated two new districts Pherzawl and
Noney. Pherzawl carved out of Churachandpur the district, and Noney from Tamenglong district
in Manipur.
Odisha government has decided to construct more 2,000 kilometre of cement concrete roads
under the Gopabandhu Gramin Yojana in rural areas by March 2017.
Agni-5, Indias longest range nuclear capable missile, was successfully test fired from the Kalam
Island off Odisha coast by DRDO.
Union Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal recently laid the foundation stone of
Punjabs first second-generation bioethanol plant at Talwandi Sabo in Bathinda district.
The Union Government has launched Smart Consumer mobile App and an Online Consumer
Mediation Centre (OCMC) to provide speedy redressal of consumer grievances.
The Odisha government has decided to launch a new malaria control programme, DAMAN
(Durgama Anchalare Malaria Nirakaran (malaria control in inaccessible areas)), in inaccessible
areas with annual expenditure of Rs 24 crore from the state budget.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of the Char Dham Highway
Development Project in Uttarakhands Dehradun.
The government has launched a door-to-door screening campaign for tuberculosis (TB).The
campaign has been launched in five Indian states, while the official launch will take place in
January 2017.
The government has decided to augment capacity of states in investigation of crimes like rape,
acid attack, dowry death and human trafficking by setting up 200 special investigating units after
identifying the most crime-prone districts.
Assams BJP led government has rolled out Atal-Amrit Abhiyan health insurance scheme which
will provide coverage against several critical illnesses.
The Indian Visa Application Centre in Mirpur will receive walk-in tourist visa applications from
confirmed travellers and senior citizens from January 1.
India has emerged as the second largest purchaser of arms among developing nations after Saudi
Arabia.
The government of India has cancelled the FCRA license of close to 20,000 of the 33,000 NGOs
operating in the country after they were found to be flouting certain norms laid out in the Foreign
Contributions Registrations Act, 2010.
Antlers of spotted deer and sambar may find their way into Ayurveda medicines if a
recommendation of the Kerala State Board for Wildlife (SBWL) finds favour with the National
Board for Wildlife and the Ministry of Environment and Forests.
Gujarat Government announced its Biotechnology Policy-2016 to establish state as a preferred
destination for manufacturing of biotechnology products.
Eminent Rajasthan litterateur Satya Narayan has been chosen for the 26th Bihari Puraskar, 2016
for his Hindi book titled, Yeh Ek Dunia.
The Cabinet approved the promulgation of an ordinance extinguishing the Reserve Bank of Indias
liability for cancelled Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes as the logical conclusion to the governments
demonetisation initiative.
Meghalaya will host National Games in the year 2022, as the Indian Olympic Association (IOA)
has accepted the States bid for the games. The year 2022 will also mark the 50 years of its
statehood.
Swachh SwasthSarvatra, an inter-ministerial joint initiative between the Ministry of Drinking
Water and Sanitation and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare was launched in the Capital.
High Commissioner of Mauritius to India, Jagdishwar Goburdhun has said that a World Bhojpuri
Conference will be held from December 30 2016 to January 1 2017.
The government has launched an Integrated Voice Response System (IVRS) system at multiple
locations including Delhi and Mumbai to obtain direct feedback from subscribers on call quality.
The Haryana police have set up the countrys first centre for digital investigation and training in
Gurgaon in a bid to enhance cyber policing and monitor social media content.
The government has announced a series of steps that would help single mothers, orphaned
children, and sadhus obtain passports with ease.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched a mobile app for the Unified Payment Interface
(UPI). The application, which will be common across all banks and financial institutions, is called
BHIM (Bharat Interface for Mobile).
The Union government has launched an Integrated Voice Response System (IVRS) system at
multiple locations including Delhi and Mumbai to obtain direct feedback from subscribers on call
quality.
Veteran actor Rishi Kapoor is going to launch his autobiography titled An Unsuitable Boy has
unknown and intimate details of Karans life, his growing up years, and his Bollywood career.
Amazon has launched a service called Sell as Individual, which will let you sell old goods on its
platform.
The Union Cabinet has given its ex-post facto approval to the proposal of Ministry of New &
Renewable Energy (MNRE) for ratification of ISAs Framework Agreement by India.
Telangana International Kite Festival (TIKF) is a family fun festival celebrating Sankranthi from
12th-17th January 2017.
Indias first transgender school opened in Kochi. The school, named Sahaj International, was
inaugurated by transgender activist, writer and actor Kalki Subramaniam at Thrikkakara in
Keralas Ernakulam district.
The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has defended the safety record of Air Traffic Control (ATC)
at all airports in the country as being very good and comparable to the best in the world.
President Pranab Mukherjee approved an ordinance allowing more time for non-resident Indians
(NRIs) to deposit their old notes and imposing stiff fines on residents holding or trading in
demonetized currency.
The Lok Sabha has passed the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan yojna (Second Amendment) Bill,
2016 in the Lok Sabha. The Bill was introduced as some of the existing provisions of the Income
Tax Act, 1961.
Odishas World famous 11-day gala festival Bargarh Dhanuai Jatra is all set to begin on 2 January
2017.
Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani dedicated Indias first laser technology-based advanced AVMS
RTO check-post at Shamlaji of Aravalli district.
India has successfully tested the Agni-IV ballistic missile, which has a strike range of 4,000km,
from the Wheeler Island off Odisha coast.
Sikkim became Indias first fully organic state, while the famed Kanchenjunga National Park was
inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Sciences) Delhi has partnered with MobiKwik to go cashless.
India has ranked third among the countries offering the highest average annual salary to
expatriates, according to HSBC Holdings data.
Four biology start-up firms have signed up with the city-based Centre for Cellular and Molecular
Biology (CCMB) to incubate their companies at Innovation Hub (iHUB).
The Union Ministry of Minority Affairs has launched Mobile App for Haj Pilgrimage. The app will
provide information and facilitate e-payments for the pilgrimage.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababui Naidu launched Arogya Raksha, a health
insurance scheme. By paying Rs.1,200 a year as premium one can get an insurance coverage of
Rs.2 lakh.
Maharashtra government has decided to allot a 20-acre plot to set up Indias first training
institute for gaming, visual effects, animation and comics at Film City in Mumbai.
The Union Ministry of Urban Development launched Swachh Survekshan 2017 to rank 500
cities/towns across the country on cleanliness with a population of 1 lakh and above.
Union Cabinet has approved the signing of an agreement between India and Portugal for
cooperation in the field of agriculture and allied sectors.
The Union Cabinet has approved signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between
India and Kenya on bilateral cooperation in the field of agriculture and allied sectors.
The Union Cabinet has approved the signing of an agreement between India and Uruguay for
cooperation in matters related to customs.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 104th Indian Science Congress at Sri
Venkateswara University in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh.
India and Kazakhstan signed a Protocol to amend the existing Double Taxation Avoidance
Convention (DTAC). The Protocol provides internationally accepted standards for effective
exchange of information on tax matters.
The 16th meeting of the Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC) was held in New
Delhi.
The Central Government had established Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC) in
December 2010 with the Finance Minister as it Chairman.
The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has issued a notification amending a trade
policy to prohibit the import of skins of reptiles and fur of chinchillas, minks and foxes.
Retirement fund body EPFO has made it mandatory for its about 50 lakh pensioners and around
four crore subscribers to provide either Aadhaar or a proof that they have applied for it till month-
end to remain the beneficiary of its social security schemes.
Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) Limited will soon launch a new
ticketing App which will have several features added to the existing one for faster booking of
tickets.
The 25th edition of the New Delhi World Book Fair themed Manushi writings on and by
women begun with over 800 participating publishers from across the country and abroad.
According to growth projection released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO), Indias Gross
Domestic Product (GDP) growth is expected to grow at a slower pace at 7.1% in 2016-17 as
compared to 7.6% in 2015-16.
India asked the World Bank not to rush in brokering a deal on its dispute with Pakistan over Ratle
and Kishenganga projects coming up in Jammu and Kashmir.
Air India, with a nearly 39% chance of a flight delay, has been rated the third worst international
airline of 2016 by aviation insights company Flight Stats.
The Pravasi Kaushalya Vikas Yojana (PKVY), a skill development scheme, is aimed at boosting the
confidence level of the Indian youth will be launched as a skill development programme for young
Indians seeking jobs abroad.
The 20th National Conference on e-Governance began in Visakhapatnam. A film on e- governance

Transforming India was screened on the occasion.
India and Portugal signed six agreements including one on defence cooperation after Prime
Minister Narendra Modi held bilateral talks with Portugals Prime Minister Antonio Costa.
Bombay Stock Exchange has announced the launch of the BSE StAR MF mobile application. The
app is currently available to android mobile users.
Haryana achieved a sex ratio of 900 girls as against 1000 boys in 2016. Sex ratio at birth in the
State this past year touched the 900-mark for the first time in almost two decades.
Power Minister Piyush Goyal will unveil the world's largest street light replacement in South Delhi
Municipal Corporation area where two lakh led lights will replace inefficient lamps.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated Indias first international exchange India INX at
the International Financial Service Centre (IFSC) of GIFT City it will enable Indian firms to
compete on equal footing with offshore firms.
Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has inaugurated the Digidhan Mela organized in
Guwahati. The two-day Digidhan Mela is being organised with an aim to enable citizens and
merchants to familiarize and adopt real time digital transactions.
Railways have launched a new ticketing App, IRCTC Rail Connect, to facilitate booking of train
tickets in a faster and easier way.
India will for the first time introduce a vaccine against Rubella a viral disease that infects
pregnant women and leads to babies being born with cardiac, cerebral, ophthalmic and auditory
defects.
The worlds first Gender Literature Festival will be held in Patna in the second week of April. The
Gender Resource Centre of Bihars Women Development Corporation will be organising the
festival.
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has invited comments on the draft
notification of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Dog Breeding and Marketing Rules), 2016.
The Telangana government has signed a MoU with the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Airports
Authority of India under the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) for air connectivity by
developing small airports and airstrips in the state.
The National Green Tribunal has directed the Centre to test cosmetic products containing
microbeads after a plea sought ban on their use on the ground they are extremely dangerous for
aquatic life and environment
On-road emission tests for vehicles plying on Indian roads will be mandatory once the Bharat
Stage VI norm kicks in from 2020, for which testing agency ARAI is developing a unified test
cycle.
INS Khanderi, second of the Scorpene class submarine, was launched in Mumbai. The submarine,
which was launched at the Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), will undergo trials before
being inducted in the Indian Navy.
Delhi Airport has claimed it has become the first aerodrome in the world to adopt unique
performance and benchmarking digital platform, Arc, which helps in tracking and monitoring
building performance.
The NITI Aayog has estimated a growth rate of 8% for 2016-17. Niti Aayog Vice-Chairman Arvind
Panagariya has said.
State-run NTPC has signed a non-binding agreement with Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Utpadan
Nigam Ltd and Rajasthan Urja Vikas Nigam Ltd for takeover of Chhabra Thermal Power Plant.
The festival of Lohri, celebrated with much joy and vigour in Punjab, marks the onset of the
harvest season.
Magh Bihui (Makar Sankranti) festival, organised by Ministry of Development of North-East
Region (DoNER) at Dilli Haat. The theme of the festival was Integration through fusion.
The NDA government's ambitious Ken-Betwa river linking project, which aims at addressing
water needs of dry swathes in Madhya Pradesh and poll-bound Uttar Pradesh inter alia, has
received environment, forest and tribal clearances.
Launching a solar-powered boat service at vaikom in the district to promote environment-friendly
projects.
The first edition of ABU International Television Dance Festival, showcasing traditional and
contemporary dance performances by artistes from over 10 counties across the Asia-Pacific
region.
The Government mounted the Socio Economic and Caste Census (SECC) with the purpose of
ranking households for receiving benefits under government programmes.
In Madhya Pradesh Indore district has inaugurated a scheme Digital Dakiya or Digital Postman
will visit different places to teach and encourage people about cashless transactions and its
benefits.
Installation of the idol of Goddess Brajeshwari Devi made of 1,600 kg of clarified butter in the
famous Brajeshwari Devi temple in Himachal Pradesh.
The fourth International Kite Festival began in New Delhi. The three-day festival, which will have
an exhibition on the history of kites as well.
Border Security Force (BSF) has launched operation Sard Hawa at the western international
border of Rajasthan. The purpose of the operation is to keep a hawks eye on the international
border.
Tamil Nadu government has launched a mobile application Pinakin. It will seek to provide
information of famous tourist destinations in the state.
India became an Associate member of CERN with the Indian government completing its internal
approval procedures in respect of the agreement it had signed with CERN on November 21, 2016.
Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Petroleum & natural Gas, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan
will inaugurate a month long awareness programme Saksham 2017 on 16th January, 2016 at
Siri Fort Auditorium, New Delhi.
The Government of Nagaland and the World Bank have signed a massive 48 million dollars credit
agreement for the Nagaland Health Project, which aims to improve health services across the
state.
India ranked 92nd on the global index of talent competitiveness that measures how countries
grow, attract and retain talent, a list topped by Switzerland.
India has been ranked 60th among 79 developing economies, below neighbouring China and
Pakistan, in the inclusive development index, according to a WEF report.
India has been ranked 60th among 79 developing economies, below neighbouring China and
Pakistan, in the inclusive development index, according to a WEF report.
A panel has recommended reservation for girl students in IITs to address the issue of slump in the
number of female students entering the prestigious institutes.
Karang, a small lake island in Manipur, has become the countrys first cashless island.
State-run power equipment maker BHEL has said it has commissioned another 500 MW unit of
Sagardighi Thermal Power Station Phase II in West Bengal.
Transcend is SIBM Punes annual management and cultural fest. This is Indias one of the biggest
B-School Events.
Exchange programmes in the field of Youth Affairs between India and Russia will help in
promoting exchange of ideas, values and culture amongst Youth through establishment of people-
to-people contacts and in consolidating friendly relations between the two countries.
Abu Dhabi Crown Prince, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who will be the chief guest at
this years Republic Day of India.
The Union Cabinet has given ex-post facto approval to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
between India and Vietnam in the field of Cyber Security.
The Union Cabinet has given ex-post facto approval to the MoU signed between India and Serbia
for promoting cooperation in the field of Information Technology and Electronics.
The Union Cabinet has approved holding negotiations for Trade Agreement with Peru on trade in
goods, services and investment.
The Union Cabinet has given ex-post facto approval to the package for supporting Micro and
Small Enterprises (MSEs) Augmentation of the Corpus of Credit Guarantee Trust Fund for
Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE).
The Regional Passport Office (RPO), Mumbai will organise a Passport Mela in the city to address
complaints regarding passport issuance.
The Karnataka government has decided to allow the sale of white kerosene in open market. Those
interested in selling white kerosene in open market can approach the office of the Food and Civil
Supplies in their districts.
The hilsa fish is on the brink of extinction because of migration barriers, population and over-
fishing.
The Union HRD Minister Shri Prakash Javadekar launched a dedicated web portal ShaGun for
the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan at New Delhi.
ShaGun aims to capture and showcase innovations and progress in Elementary Education sector
of India by continuous monitoring of the flagship scheme - Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA).
The government has decided to list five state-owned general insurers and said it will bring down
its stake in these insurance companies to 75%.
The countrys longest rail-cum-road bridge the Bogibeel Bridge over the Brahmaputra in
Dibrugarh is likely to be ready by December this year.
Mawlynnong village in Meghalaya has become a role model for other states in maintaining
cleanliness and also tourists hotspot.
The 58th edition of India International Garment Fair (IIGF) is beginning in New Delhi. Organized
by Apparel Export Promotion Council India, the event is one of the largest and most popular
platforms in Asia.
President Pranab Mukherjee will inaugurate the 28th Dantan Gramin Mela in West Midnapore
district in West Bengal.
Bangalore, Indias tech hub is the worlds fastest-changing city, triumphing over established global
IT capitals like Silicon Valley and London.
The Union Cabinet has given its approval to the proposal for Indias taking full membership of the
International Vaccine Institute (IVI) Governing Council.
Union Cabinet approved an alternative mechanism to decide the modalities to do with stake sales
in public sector undertakings (PSUs), so as to speed up the process.
Diabetes is part of a larger global epidemic of non- communicable diseases. It has become a major
public health challenge globally. This disease affects 6.6% (285 million people) of the world's
population in the 20-79 years age group.
Goa will become the first state in the country to opt for electronic transmission of postal ballot to
service voters in the upcoming assembly polls, chief election commissioner (CEC) Syed Nasim
Zaidi.
Over 3.5 lakh people have set a new world record by singing the national anthem at an event at
Kagvad in Rajkot district of Gujarat.
The Steel Ministry has proposed setting up Greenfield steel plants along Indias coastline to tap
cheap imported raw materials such as cooking coal.
A committee has been constituted by the Centre to frame uniform rules for the states to avoid
delay in proper implementation of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act across the country.
The Centre has reiterated that the General Anti Avoidance Rules aimed at curbing tax
avoidance.
India has been ranked 79th among 176 countries in the Corruption Perception Index 2016
released by the Transparency International organisation.
The Andhra Pradesh under Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has announced Rs 100-crore fund
of funds to invest in Fintech startups.
Aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya backed by nuclear submarine INS Chakra besides fighting
assets of the Indian Navy and Coast Guard have come together in the countrys biggest inter-
service Tropex exercise along the western seaboard.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate the 29th Kerala Science Congress, jointly
organised by the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment. Theme: Ecology
and Environment.
The three-day Brahmaputra Literary festival has held in Guwahati.
The guided Pinaka rocket was successfully test-fired for the second time from launch complex-III
of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) launch pad at Chandipur.
Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has announced a total ban on polythene carry bags from
May 1 in Madhya Pradesh in a bid to conserve environment, protect cows and promote
cleanliness.
Burj Khalifa tower, the worlds tallest building located in Dubai, will be lit up in the colours of the
Indian National flag to celebrate Indias 68th Republic Day.
Indias largest online travel portal has launched the first ever social luxury travel magazine called
Luxury Travel Times.
Government will carefully examine recommendations of the high-powered chief ministers panel
for levying a Banking Cash Transaction Tax (BCTT) on cash deals of Rs 50,000 and above before
taking a final view on it.
Revv, the Delhi-NCR-based shared mobility platform, is launching its car sharing services in three
new cities Mumbai, Chennai and Jaipur taking its national footprint to seven cities.
Commerce & Industry Minister Smt Nirmala Sitharaman has launched Rubber Soil Information
System (RubSIS), an online system for recommending application of appropriate mix of fertilizers
to the specific plantations of rubber growers depending upon their soil nature in New Delh.
Bharat Parv, a national festival showcasing the countrys diverse culture, cuisines, handicrafts and
catch glimpses of a progressive India was inaugurated.
Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal mooted for cashless transactions through grass root
level programmes, saying his government has initiated several steps to digitise payment methods.
E-Health Kerala, the project envisaged by the health department in association with the state IT
Mission, was launched officially by chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
One of the countrys first post office Passport Seva Kendras (PSK) began its operations in Mysuru.
India is ranked at the sixth spot, behind China and Japan, in a list of eight great powers for the
year 2017 by a leading American foreign policy magazine which is topped by the US.
The seventh edition of Hyderabad Literary Festival will be held from January 27-29, 2017 at the
Hyderabad Public School (HPS), Begumpet.
The annual cultural extravaganza of the Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad (IIM-A),
Chaos-2017, kicked off, with the theme of wanderlust.
Arunachal Pradesh launched Dulari Kanya, a special scheme to check infant mortality in the
state, on the occasion of the 68th Republic Day.
India has been ranked 79th among 176 countries in the Corruption Perception Index 2016
released by the Transparency International organisation.
The Deshpande Foundation, the philanthropy arm of Silicon Valley entrepreneur Gururaj Desh
Deshpande, will launch the countrys largest start-up incubation centre.
The Centre will invest Rs 15,000 crores to develop 1,253 kilometres of roads in Assam into
National Highways over the next few years.
Minister Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani inaugurated the 1st North East Investors Summit, organized
jointly by the Ministry of Textiles and the Ministry of DoNER, at the State Convention Centre, in
Shillong.
A nationwide Sparsh Leprosy Awareness Campaign will be launched on January 30, which is also
marked as Anti-Leprosy Day.
Countrys foreign exchange reserves surged for the second consecutive week by USD 932.4 million
to USD 360.775 billion in the week to January 20 on account of rise in foreign currency assets.
The Karnataka government has decided to amend laws legalising Kambala, a traditional annual
buffalo race held in Mangalore and Udupi. Bullock
Indian actress Priyanka Chopra, who has been turning heads on the red carpet with her elegant
choice of outfits, has made it to the list of Harpers Bazaars 150 most fashionable women.
Cab-hailing firm Uber has launched two-wheeler aggregation service UberMOTO in Hyderabad.
The Finance Ministry has agreed to contribute partially to a new dedicated railway safety fund in
the upcoming Budget to be presented on February 1.
Minister of State (I/C) for Youth Affairs and Sports Shri Vijay Goel has said that the Prime
Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the constitution of the Task Force committee for
preparing action plan for next three Olympic Games 2020, 2024 and 2028.
BANKING AND FINANCE

Global payments & technology company MasterCard has introduced Masterpass QR, a safe and
secure quick response (QR) mobile payments solution in India.
The Reserve Bank of India(RBI) has allowed foreign investors to buy securitised debtwhich refers
to securities such as mortgages structured by issuers, as part of efforts to attract more flows into
debt markets.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has proposed opening of Islamic window in conventional
banks for gradual introduction of Sharia-compliant or interest-free banking in the country.
Airtel has launched Indias first live payments bank aimed at testing systems and processes ahead
of a full-scale pan-India launch, Airtel Payments Bank has rolled out a pilot of its banking services
in Rajasthan
State Bank of India (SBI) has to facilitate this transaction at the nearest INOX multiplex using a
debit card. Citizens can simply swipe their debit cards, enter their PIN number and take up to Rs
2,000 in cash per card per day
South Indian Bank has announced the launch of its contactless debit card. The Near Field
Communication (NFC) technology makes the contactless cards very secure, as the card does not
leave the cardholders possession.
The Reserve Bank introduced an incremental Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) of 100 per cent. CRR is
the portion of the deposits which banks are required to park to the RBI. Currently it is at 4 per
cent.
E-commerce operators like Flip kart and Sanpdeal will have to deduct TCS (tax collected at
source) while making payments to their suppliers, according to the new model GST law, which has
done away with the definition of aggregator.
RBL Bank has collaborated with Bajaj Finance to launch a series of co-branded credit cards for the
customers in the country.
The operational framework for insolvency and bankruptcy law, IBBI is being assisted by two
advisory panels with inputs on various aspects, including on service providers and corporate
liquidation.
State-owned lender Canara Bank and Bajaj Allianz General Insurance, a private sector general
insurer, have signed corporate agency agreement for the distribution of Bajaj Allianzs general
insurance products through Canara Banks extensive network of 5,920 branches across the
country.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI)issued clarifications on hedging of currency for external
commercial borrowings (ECBs) in a notification on its website.
City Union Bank (CUB)plans to deploy robots named CUB-Lakshmi in its branches, becoming the
first bank in the country to do so. Japans Soft Bank was the first to use a robot in banking
operations.
Kerala based, Federal Bank announced that RBI has given its approval vide letter dated 08
November 2016 to open a representative office of the Bank in Manama, Bahrainand also to open a
branch in DIFC, Dubai,
Axis Bank, Indias third largest private bank, is set to launch intelligent banking chat botsto
make mobile banking services more conversational.
Reserve Bank of India on 14 November 2016constituted an eight-member task force to re-
calibrate all ATMs. The eight-member task force led by RBI deputy governor SS Mundra.
State Bank of India (SBI), has cut its home loan rate to the lowest level in six years. The
countrys largest public sector lender has cut its home loan rate to 9.1%.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) allowed banks to issue rupee denominated bonds, or masala
bonds, in the overseas market to shore up their capital base as well as for financing infrastructure
and affordable housing.
Earth port Plc, the leading payment network for cross-border transactions, has received the
Reserve Bank of Indias permission to provide outbound cross border payment services to banks
in India.
Construction major HCCs Rs.5,000 crore debt recast has become the first case to get approval of
a high-level panel set up under RBIs new scheme for Sustainable Structuring of Stressed Assets
(S4A).
Telecom Sector Skill Council (TSSC), a not-for-profit public-private partnership between National
Skill Development Corporation and the industry, has signed a MoU with Taiwan to strengthen
cooperation in the field of corporate job vacancies and recruitment services post skilling in India
and internationally.
ICICI Bank has announced that it will transform 100 villages into Digital Villages in as many
days as part of its continuing effort to provide digital ecosystem across the country, including rural
India.
The Reserve Bank of India has put withdrawal limits on bank accounts opened under Pradhan
Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) which are funded through deposits of Specified Bank Notes
(SBNs) after November 9. T
Central Mine Planning and Design Institute Ltd (CMPDI) the consultancy arm of Coal India Ltd.,
has signed a memorandum of understanding with investment banker SBI Capital Markets.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has clarified that banks will have to bear the full liability in the
event of any security breach or compromise in the authorised card network.
Public Sector Company MMTC will tie-up with the State Bank of India (SBI) to sell government-
minted Indian Gold Coin.
Yes Bank has partnered cab aggregator Ola to set up mobile ATMs across 30 locations in the
country that will allow people to withdraw up to Rs 2,000 per card.
Public sector player Bank of Baroda has raised Rs. 1,000 crore by issuing bonds that are compliant
with global capital adequacy norms or Basel III.
In order to promote digital transactions across the country, government has asked banks to install
10 lakh additional Point of sale (PoS) terminals within four months.
The Committee on Digital Payments, headed by former Finance Secretary Ratan P. Watal,
submitted its final report.
Minister of State ( I/C) for Youth Affairs and Sports Vijay Goel has led a Mobile and Digital
Banking induction campaign for youth at Maj. Dhyanchand National Stadium.
Privatbank, Ukraines largest private bank is being nationalised to protect the countrys financial
system and preserve an essential bailout loan from the International Monetary Fund.
State Bank of India (SBI) has launched Mobicash Mobile Wallet in association with state-owned
telecommunications company Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL).
YES Bank, Indias fifth largest private sector bank has partnered with Ola, one of the popular
mobile apps for transportation, to provide cash-on-demand at customers doorstep.
A village in central Kashmir's Budgam district has become the first village in the state to go
'cashless'.
Amazon India has launched its online wallet Amazon Pay Balance, in a bid to increase cashless
orders.
The Reserve Bank of India has said that it will issue Rs 50 denomination banknotes in the
Mahatma Gandhi Series-2005, with inset letter L, R in both the number panels, bearing
signature of Dr Urjit R.Patel, Governor, Reserve Bank of India, and the year of printing 2016
printed on the reverse of the banknote.
In a first and major step towards breaking gender stereotypes, Deutsche Bank (DB) has delinked
parental leave from gender.
The Reserve Bank has imposed penalty on five foreign banks, including Deutsche Bank and
Standard Chartered Bank, for violation of its instructions on reporting requirements of the FEMA.
Employee's Provident Fund Organization EPFO decided to lower the interest on EPF deposits for
the current fiscal to 8.65%, from 8.8% provided in 2015-16, for its over four crore subscribers.
Mori, a tiny village under Sakhinetipalli mandal in East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh,
sealed its place on Indias digital map by transforming completely into a Smart Digital Village, in
every sense of the term.
MobiKwik, a mobile wallet company has announced that it had got an in-principle
approval from the Reserve Bank of India to set up Bharat Bill Payments Operating Unit
(BBPOU).
The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has announced signing of four more unilateral Advance
Pricing Agreements (APAs) on 6th February, 2017.
Assam Government has launched Chief Minister Samagra Gramya Unnayan Yojana (CMSGUY) to
bring about paradigm shift towards holistic development of villages in the state.
Elahiganj in Murshidabad district has become the first village in Bengal to ban sale and
consumption of alcohol and narcotics within its limits and impose a stiff fine for those flouting the
rule.
One of the most unique festivals is the Jaisalmer Desert Festival that will be held from February 8
to 10 this year.
Rajya Sabha has passed the Payment of Wages Amendment Bill 2017 which allows employers to
pay wages in non-cash mode without formal approval from workers, a day after the Lok Sabha
passed it.
Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das has launched energy efficient fans and LED tube lights
under the Unnat Jeevan by Affordable LEDs and Appliances for All (UJALA) scheme in the state.
The state government set a goal to electrify the rest 23 lakh households by March 2019.
A group backed by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation that works on Indias immunisation
programmes will now be funded by the health ministry.
The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance has
entered into four more unilateral Advance Pricing Agreements (APAs).
Arunachal to become first state to introduce e-Cabinet. Arunachal Pradesh has become the first
state in the northeast to implement e-Cabinet solution for the state cabinet members.
The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved Pradhan
Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA) to make 6 crore rural households
digitally literate.
India remains near the bottom in an international Intellectual Property (IP) index by being ranked
43rd out of 45 countries, according to a report by the U.S. Chamber of Commerces Global
Intellectual Property Center (GIPC).
Head Post Offices as Passport Seva Kendra, the government has now decided to scale up this
programme by opening 56 such facilities across the country.
After Ola, US-based cab aggregator Uber has now launched UberHIRE that will allow users to
hire a cab for up to 12 hours.
Union Minister for Chemicals & Fertilizers and Parliamentary Affairs, Shri Ananthkumar
inaugurated the 2nd edition of India Pharma & India Medical Device International Conference in
Bengaluru.
The Bharat Interface for Money, or BHIM, an app developed by the government to further its
cashless push, has been finally launched on the iOS platform .
The Great Himalayan National Park (GHNP) in Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh was accorded
the Unesco World Heritage Site status.
Stage has been set for single NEET-like examination for entrance to engineering colleges from the
academic year 2018-19, with the HRD ministry asking the All India Council for Technical
Education (AICTE) to spell out suitable norms for holding such an exercise.
A key committee set up by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar to suggest ways to restructure the
acquisition wing will submit its report which will pitch in for a separate set up for defence
procurement.
Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu has unveiled the first phase of the Station Redevelopment
Programme as part of which tenders are being floated for 23 of a total of 400 stations set to get a
facelift.
Karnataka assembly has passed a bill to facilitate the conduct of "Kambala", a traditional annual
buffalo race in marshy fields, held in the coastal districts of the state.
Indian Navys survey vessel INS Sarvekshak has gone green by installing a solar power system on
board.
The 11th biennial edition of International Aerospace and Defence Exhibition - Aero India 2017 will
be held at the Air Force Station, Yelahanka here from February 14-18.
The three-day International Spice Conference, beginning on Feb 12, will deliberate on effective
strategies and innovative technologies to improve the livelihood of spices farmers and address
challenges being faced by the industry.
The Election Commission wants students to learn from the secondary-school level how to become
responsible voters. In a bid to educate 15 to 17-year-old future voters, who would enrol as voters
when they turn 18.
Over 8 lakh people have been awarded a total of Rs 133 crore in the last 50 days under the Niti
Aayog's scheme to promote digital payments.
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
Sweden aims to decide on whether to issue a digital currency called ekrona within two
years. Cecilia Skingsley, deputy governor of Swedens central bank Riksbank
Thailand celebrated the festival of lights called Loi Krathong, which is celebrated to pay homage to
Lord Buddha.
The Philippine economy is the fastest growing in Asia, at 7.1% on-year July September,
announced by the Philippine Statistics Authority.
President Vladimir Putin signed an executive order removing Russias signature from
the International Criminal Courts founding treaty.
The supercomputer called Sunway-TaihuLight developed by the National Research Centre of
Parallel Computer Engineering and Technology (NRCPC) is named the worlds most powerful
supercomputer.
The worlds first Bollywood Park has just been opened in Dubai.
Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos signed a revised peace agreement with the countrys
largest rebel movement, making a second attempt within months to end a half century of
hostilities.
Pakistan has approved Russias request to use the strategic Gwadar Port for its exports, signaling a
new alignment in bilateral relations after decades of sour ties during the Cold War era.
Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani and his Turkmenistan counterpart Gurbanguly
Berdimuhamedow officially inaugurated the Imamnazar (Turkmenistan) and Aqina (Afghanistan)
Railway Line between the two countries.
The European Union has offered its best technical expertise to help India combat deteriorating air
quality.
India and Cyprus have signed a new double tax avoidance pact under which capital gains tax will
be levied on sale of shares on investments made after April 1, 2017.
Global travel Search Company Sky scanner drew comparisons between travel searches from 2015
and 2016, highlighting the places where Indian travellers will be ushering in 2017.
Australia and New Zealandhave emerged as favourite destinations amongst Indian travellers.
Online marketplace Amazon India products from leading dairy brand Amul will be available in
nine countries, starting with the US on 25 November.
The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forums Week started at Lima in Peru on
November 14 bringing together leaders of worlds largest economies, businessmen and investors.
Colombias government and the Marxist FARC rebelssaid they agreed on a revised peace deal to
end a 52-year war, six weeks after the original was narrowly rejected in a referendum amid
objections it was too favorable to the rebels.
Australiawill host the 2018 Invictus Games for wounded military personnel, Britains Prince
Harry announced on November 12.
With political upheavals like the election of Donald Trump to the US presidency and Brexit,
Oxford Dictionaries has declared post-truth to be its international word of the year citing a
2,000 per cent spike in its usage.
Over 20 countries, including Braziland France, have become signatories to the framework
agreement of the International Solar Alliance.
The framework agreement of International Solar Alliance (ISA)was opened for signatures on
the sidelines of CoP22 with Environment Minister Anil Madhav Dave saying that with this legal
framework in place, the ISA will be a major international body headquartered in India.
The union government and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have signed a $500 million
loanagreement to build a 9.8-km River Bridge, the countryslongest, across the river Ganga.
India and Japansigned a bilateral civilian nuclear cooperation agreement seen as crucial for
energy-starved India to access sensitive technologies to generate clean electricity.
India and Bhutansigned a new bilateral trade agreement to enhance trade between the two
countries through trade facilitation by improving procedures.
The India-ChinaJoint Training Exercise Hand in Hand 2016 will be held in Pune from
November 15 to 27. The exercise is in continuation of the series of joint exercises between India
and China.
India will preside the eighth edition of the Conference of Parties (COP) to WHO Framework
Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC)which will be held in Switzerlands Geneva in 2018.
Ten UK-based companies have pledged to invest 29.29 million pound to train about 20 lakh
people in India by 2020
Karnatakas chief minister Siddaramaiahasked British Prime Minister Theresa May to relax visa
rules for Indian technology professionals saying that the UK can actually reduce migration while
reaping economic benefits by allowing workers on short-term job visits.
India and Israel inked two agreements in the field of water resources management and
agriculture. The agreements were inked on 15 November 2016 after the delegation level talks
between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and visiting Israeli President Reuven Rivlin in New Delhi.
The EU and Canada signed a free trade deal that was almost derailed last week by objections from
French-speaking Belgians, exposing the difficulties of securing agreement from 28 member states
as Britain prepares for Brexit talks.
Australia is considering joint military patrols with Indonesia in the contested waters of the South
China Sea amid growing concerns in the west that a Chinese diplomatic offensive in Southeast
Asia is upending the regions balance of power.
China adopted a controversial cyber security law to counter what Beijing says are growing threats
such as hacking and terrorism, but the law triggered concerns among foreign business and rights
groups.
India and Palestine signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for setting up a Palestine-
India Techno Park in Ramallah, the External Affairs Ministry.
India and Nepalcommenced their 10th joint military exercise here which will be held over two
weeks with emphasis on counterterrorism in mountainous terrain.
The Indo-Nepal Joint Military Exercise Surya Kiran-X commenced at Army Battle School,
Saljhandi in Nepal.
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Indias largest IT Services provider said that University of New
South Wales (UNSW) Australiaand TCS have signed a memorandum of understanding to pursue
technology research collaboration.
National Security Advisors of India and Japanheld bilateral consultations in New Delhi.
Googlehas tied up with Archeological Survey of India (ASI) for 360 degree virtual tour of 280-odd
monuments across the country.
India-Bangladesh joint military exercise Sampriti-2016. Sixth in the series of joint exercises, this
edition would be conducted at Bangabandhu Senanibas (BBS) at Tangail between November 5
and November 18 and would focus on counter terrorism and counter insurgency operations in
semi mountainous and jungle terrain.
India and the UK have signed two memorandums of understanding (MoUs) on increasing
cooperation in intellectual property rights (IPRs) and ease of doing business.
Two MoUs were signed during the high level engagement and the UK was in voice with India
against those who perpetrate and foster terrorism.
The BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) countries have agreed to share tax
information automatically as per their commitment to ensure the fairness of the international tax
system.
Singapores teens are the best in the world, according to international education survey.
In all three subjects, Singapore students demonstrated knowledge and skills equivalent to almost
two additional years of schooling compared to students in the US, France and Sweden.
Regular rail service through the worlds longest tunnel began on carrying passengers deep under
the Swiss Alps from Zurich to Lugano.
The Venezuelan government is to withdraw its largest banknote from circulation in its latest
attempt to tackle the worlds worst inflation crisis.
Softbank Group is looking for investing partners as it assembles the worlds largest private equity
fund and may connect with Apple for a small portion of the $100 billion.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was placed at 9th position among 74 of the worlds most powerful
people list released by the Forbes Magazine.
China has successfully launched Fengyun-4 satellite, first of its new generation weather satellites
into geostationary orbit.
Japans space agency (JAXA) successfully launched a Kounotori 6 (HTV-6) spacecraft that will
deliver a large magnetic tether, a space junk collector technology into orbit.
English has been ranked first in the top 10 most powerful languages in the world according to the
2016 World Power Language Index (PLI).
Researchers from the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB),
Delhi have found a novel route to discover new drug targets and potential drugs.
The South American economic bloc Mercosur has suspended Venezuela from it for violating the
blocs democratic principles and failing to meet its basic standards.
Scientists from Russia have developed a new unique, low-cost method for producing high-quality
nuclear fuel using electricity. It is alternative novel method that forms the basis of powder
metallurgy and involves electric pulse sintering under pressure.
An independent panel of British scientists and experts has formally given nod to introduce so-
called three-parent baby fertility treatments or mitochondrial gene therapy (MGT) procedures.
Konkan 16, the 2016 edition of the annual bilateral maritime exercise between the Indian Navy
and the Royal Navy, is being held till December 16 in Mumbai and Goa.
India and Indonesia have signed three agreements following delegation-level talks here headed by
Prime Minister and visiting Indonesian President Joko Widodo.
A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed on cooperation in the area of youth and
sports. Another MoU was signed on cooperation in the area of standardisation.
The Grand Palais in Paris put on an eye-catching party on ice to open their 2,700 square metre
rink to the public.
A 2,700-square-meter skating space, which is being considered the world's largest non-permanent
indoor ice rink, recently opened at the Grand Palais in Paris, France.
Irans President Hassan Rouhani unveiled a bill of rights was guaranteeing freedom of speech,
protest, fair trials and privacy.
Pakistan Navy has undertaken live missile firing in the North Arabian Sea. Pakistan Chief of Naval
Staff Admiral Muhammad Zakaullah witnessed the launch of the surface-to-surface anti-ship
missile from sword class frigate PNS Aslat.
The Pakistan Senate has passed a resolution seeking withdrawal of high denomination Rs. 5000
currency notes from circulation in order to curb the flow of black money.
Beginning a new level of bilateral military engagement, Nepal will hold its first ever joint military
exercise with China on February 10.
France has just opened the first public solar panel road in the world. The road, called the
Wattway, was officially opened by French Minister of Ecology Sgolne Royal and Mayor Guy
Monhe.
The cabinet of Japans Prime Minister Shinzo Abe approved a record 5.05 trillion yen ($41.4
billion) defense budget for fiscal year 2016/2017.
China has launched a carbon dioxide monitoring satellite via a Long March-2D rocket from
Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest Chinas Gobi Desert.
The French postal service is beginning an experimental drone delivery program to deliver parcels
on a nine mile route once a week.
Japans space agency has successfully launched a solid fuel rocket named Epsilon-2.
Companies building a multi-billion dollar bridge to link the Russian mainland with annexed
Crimea, a project close to the heart President Vladimir Putin, were targeted by the United States
in an updated sanctions blacklist.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has termed Kyrgyz Republic as India's valuable partner in pursuit
of making Central Asia a region of sustainable peace.
The five-day India-Nepal Folk Crafts Festival (INCF-2016) begins in Kathmandu, Nepal on
December 19, 2016 to promote cultural exchanges between the two countries.
The India-Nepal Folk Crafts Festival (INCF), an initiative of South Asia Foundation (SAF) to
promote cultural exchanges between the two neighbors.
India and Tajikistan have signed four agreements, including one on exchange of financial
intelligence, following delegation-level talks headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Tajik
President Emomali Rahmon.
India and Kazakhstan have inked a new protocol to take bilateral ties, especially in trade and
economic relations, forward
US President Barack Obama has signed into law the USD 618 billion defence budget for 2017,
which enhances security cooperation with India and conditions nearly half of the funding to
Pakistan on a certification that it is taking demonstrable steps against the Haqqani Network.
International Civil Aviation Negotiations (ICAN) 2016 was held recently in Nassau.Open Skies
agreement allows the unlimited number of flights to six metro airports namely Delhi, Mumbai,
Hyderabad, Kolkata, Bengaluru and Chennai, was signed with six countries namely Jamaica,
Guyana, Czech Republic, Finland, Spain and Sri Lanka.
India has signed a Grant Agreement of USD 5.19 million with International Bank for
Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) for Additional Financing for Financing Energy
Efficiency at MSMEs Project- Programmatic Framework for Energy Efficiency on 13 December
2016.
The world's highest bridge has opened to traffic in China, connecting two provinces in the
mountainous southwest.
Egypt's government has approved a deal to hand over two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia and has
sent it to parliament for ratification.
Colombias Congress has approved an amnesty law to protect thousands of demobilising Farc
guerrilla fighters from prosecution for minor crimes committed during the countrys 52-year war.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Sao Tome and Principe counterpart Urbino Botelho held
talks at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, and signed a joint communique on resuming
diplomatic relations.
Italys government approved a state bailout for Monte dei Paschi di Siena, after the worlds oldest
bank failed to secure backing from private investors.
China has passed a new law to levy environment tax on polluters, especially on heavy industries.
China has tested the latest version of its fifth-generation stealth fighter. The new FC-31 has better
stealth capabilities, improved electronic equipment and a larger payload capacity than
the previous version which debuted in October 2012.
Saudi Arabia will introduce an expat levy on foreign workers with dependents from 2017, which
was revealed during the countrys budget announcement.
The foreign ministers of Russia and Turkey agreed in a telephone conversation to push for a
ceasefire in Syria and to prepare for possible peace talks planned in the Kazakh capital of Astana.
A team of international astronomers has discovered Vela super cluster, one of the biggest super
galaxy clusters near the Milky Way.
The Union Cabinet has given post facto approval to Indias ratification of the framework
agreement of the International Solar Alliance (ISA).
Russia has sent two warships to the Philippines in the first official navy-to-navy contact between
the countries.
Indonesia has suspended military cooperation with Australia, which had been a close partner in
the fight against terrorism.
Jovenel Moise was declared the President of Haiti in a re-run presidential election.
China has launched its first freight train to London over 12,000 kms away as part of efforts by the
worlds second largest economy to expand rail links to different areas across the globe
Pakistan has successfully test-fired its first Submarine-Launched Cruise Missile capable of
carrying a nuclear warhead up to 450km
Europes first underwater sculpture museum featuring over 300 life-sized figures has been
inaugurated.
IBM received the most patents for the 24th year in a row and broke the US record in 2016.
China has successfully sent three satellites into space in its first commercial mission using an
updated version of the low-cost Kuaizhou-1A rocket, amidst the Communist giant's determined
bid to expand its ambitious space programme.
American researchers have discovered the true function of the appendix. The researchers say it
acts as a safe house for good bacteria, which can be used to effectively reboot the gut following a
bout of dysentery or cholera.
Russia has amended its laws, allowing long-term contracts for spares and support for military
equipment supplied to India.
Afghan authorities at the Torkham international border between Pakistan and Afghanistan
announced that Pakistani nationals without a valid passport and visa will not be permitted to
enter Afghanistan starting January 1, 2017.
Russia began withdrawing its forces from Syria in a move that will leave the Syrian government to
fend for itself to a much greater . The first group of Russian planes left Hmeymim air base in
Syria.
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has declared the year 2017 as the International
Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development.
British artist Jason DeCaires Taylor has created what is the first underwater museum in Europe.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has signed a 1-trillion yen (about $8.7 billion) aid package
over the next five years to the Philippines.
Joint military exercises between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and British forces started in the
Gulf Arab state named Dubbed Sea Dagger 2017.
India and the US have signed an MoU to collaborate in the fields of developmental activities and
aid in third world countries.
The United States is set to issue a commemorative $100 gold coin that depicts Lady Liberty.
Ecuador has taken over from Thailand as chair of the Group of 77 which promotes the interests of
the 134 developing countries it represents at the United Nations, including China.
American snack and beverage giant PepsiCo India has sold a 2.5 acre land parcel in the Central
suburb Chembur to The Wadhwa Group for 190-200 crore.
Beijings air quality target for 2017 is more than double the acceptable standard set by the World
Health Organisation (WHO).
South Korea is still the worlds most innovative economy, according to the 2017 Bloomberg
Innovation Index.
China has handed over two ships to the Pakistan Navy to safeguard the strategic Gwadar port and
trade routes under the $46 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, a move likely to raise alarm
in India.
The outgoing Barack Obama administration announced a contribution of half a billion dollars to
the UN Green Climate Fund, just three days before Donald Trump takes over the White House.
The first China-to-Britain freight train arrived in London after a 7,500-mile journey, marking a
milestone in Chinas push to build commercial links across Europe and Asia.
Israels upgraded ballistic missile shield became operational in a Star Wars-like extension of its
capabilities to outer space where incoming missiles can be safely destroyed.
Hong Kong, a special administrative region of China, has withdrawn the visa-free facility for
Indians who will have to complete a pre-arrival registration. The Pre-arrival Registration for
Indian Nationals will be implemented on January 23.
Nepal government has launched a 10-year-plan to cut dependence on vegetable imports from
India and make the land-locked country self-reliant in food.
The annual "Surya Namaskar Yajna" or "Health for Humanity Yogathon" has been recognized in
the US House of Representative on the occasion of its 10th anniversary.
China has built up worlds largest solar farm in Qinghai province which will generate 850 MW of
energy which is enough to light up more than 200,000 houses in China.
Nepalese workers going to India would be provided mandatory insurance cover under an
ambitious plan unveiled by Prime Minister Prachanda for the welfare of people working in foreign
countries.
India has partnered with the British experts (UK) over a project that aims to study the air
pollution level in Delhi and health problems associated it.
Google has rolled out the Instant Apps feature for Android smartphone users, but currently, it is
in a limited testing phase. The Instant Apps was announced by Google in its yearly I/O conference
in 2016.
A China-made quadruped robot has walked its way on to the pages of the Guinness World Records
book for covering over 134-km in 54 hours, beating a previous record held by an American robot.
India and Rwanda have agreed to raise the level of bilateral cooperation to a strategic partnership
and India extended a $120 million credit to bring over 41,190 hectares of cultivable land under
irrigation in the African country.
Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister met Israeli delegation led by the Agriculture
and Rural Development Minister of Israel to discuss issues relating to bilateral cooperation in
agriculture between India and Israel.
India and Kenya have signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the agriculture
sector and allied sector and Line of Credit for USD100 million for agricultural mechanisation.
The Katas Raj temple is revered by Hindus across the globe as legend has it that the foundation of
the sacred site was laid by Lord Shiva.
India and the UAE have held their first strategic dialogue during which they finalized the Strategic
Cooperation Agreement aimed at expanding bilateral cooperation to new key areas including
energy, defence and security that will be signed during the visit of Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi next
week.
India and the UAE held the first meeting of their strategic dialogue in an attempt to finalise the
cooperation agreement.
Private sector Axis Bank has become the third lender in the country to announce usage of block
chain solutions for its operations, after its peers ICICI Bank and Yes Bank.
Foreign lender Citi India has launched voice biometrics authentication that would replace the
current practice of interactive voice response (IVR) for its customers.
The World Bank has sharply cut its economic growth forecast for India to 7 per cent in 2016-17
after taking into account the impact of demonetisation and the fall in private investments.
Airtel Payments Bank (APB), a joint venture between Bharti Airtel Ltd and Kotak Mahindra Bank
Ltd, said it will spend Rs3,000 crore to develop a pan-India banking network and digital
payments ecosystem.
ICICI Bank Ltd has blocked transactions on payments app PhonePe in at least the second such
instance of a commercial bank trying to protect its turf against non-bank mobile wallet and
payment companies.
Mahindra Asset Management Company Pvt. Ltd (MAMCPL) has announced launch of Mahindra
Mutual Fund Dhan Sanchay Yojna scheme.
Countrys largest telecom player Bharti Airtel had said it would make an initial investment of Rs
3,000 crore to build a pan-India banking system and a digital payment eco-system.
The Oman-India Joint Investment Fund (OIJIF), a mid-market India-focused private equity fund,
announced the first closure of its second fund, OIJIF Fund II with an initial corpus of USD 220
million.
Punjab National Bank and India Post Payments Bank have signed a memorandum of
understanding, whereby PNB will provide technology platform for pilot launch of IPPB on receipt
of regulatory nod from the Reserve Bank of India.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has infused around 60 per cent of the total banned currency
notes after demonetisation.
Electronic Commerce Company Flipkart continues to retain its apex position as Indias most
trusted e-commerce brand, in a nationwide consumer study titled the The Indian E-tailing
Leadership Index.
FreeCharge, Indias leading digital payments platform has announced the launch of Mutual Funds
on its platform in partnership with Reliance Mutual Fund.
Punjab National Bank (PNB) has launched a Contactless Credit Card. This new credit card, which
has been named PNB Wave N Pay Contactless Card
Boston Consulting Group has named technology giant Apple as the most innovative company in
2016 in its annual list of the world's 50 "Most Innovative Companies."
The government has said 119 banks are connected with the Aadhaar-enabled payment system and
33.87 crore transactions have taken place through Aadhaar-enabled payment systems.
State Bank of India (SBI) has launched SBI Exclusif, its wealth management offering, in Kochi. It
will be rolled out in other cities in the state during the course of the year.
The first Digi Dhan mela has organised in Gurugram on December 26
The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has comprises two regional organisations and 35 member
jurisdictions, including India, US, UK, China and the European Commission.
Karnataka Bank Ltd has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Rajkot-based
Tirth Agro Technology Pvt Ltd (manufacturer of agricultural equipment and implements) for
financing agricultural mechanisation.
India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) has kicked off its operations by rolling out pilot services in
Raipur and Ranchi.
Future Generali India Insurance Company Ltd (FGIL) has entered into a corporate agency tie-up
for its products with Bank of Maharashtra (BOM), a public sector bank.
A Johnson & Johnson unit is allegedly selling defective breast implants that are causing health
problems for some women, including muscle pain and nausea, according to the first state-court
lawsuit in California over the devices.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has warned that the military is ready to respond with air
strikes if Maoist rebels launch attacks.
China has surpassed Germany to become the worlds largest producer of solar energy after nearly
doubling its installed photovoltaic capacity in 2016.
The fourth edition of BIMSTEC Summit-2017 will be held in Nepal. It was announced in the 17th
session of BIMSTEC Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) held in Kathmandu, capital Nepal.
India and Austria signed a Protocol amending the existing Convention between the two countries
for Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with respect to Taxes on
Income.
China has become the worlds largest producer of solar energy, according to a new report from the
countrys energy administration.
A bitterly divided U.S. Senate confirmed Republican Senator Jeff Sessions as the next attorney
general of the United States.
India and the US agreed to sustain the momentum in their defence collaboration while
committing to build on the tremendous progress made in the sector as Defence Secretary James
Mattis held his first telephonic conversation with Indian counterpart Manohar Parrikar.
Boris Johnson, the New York-born British foreign secretary and former mayor of London,
renounced his U.S. citizenship last year.
The longest elevated bike path in the world has been opened in the Chinese city of Xiamen.
A new underwater eatery has opened in Brussels at the bottom of one of the deepest pools in the
world.
Queen Elizabeth II will host a spectacular UK-India Year of Culture launch at Buckingham Palace
to strengthen the special cultural partnership between the two countries.
Grammys, a man and a transgender woman will join the so-called trophy girls who bring musics
top honours onstage.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Rustom-II, Indias indigenously developed long-endurance combat-capable drone successfully

completed its maiden-flight, giving a boost to Indias development programme for Unmanned
Aerial Vehicles (UAV).
Canadian Scientists have succeeded to develop first functional pacemaker cells from human stem
cells that can be considered as a promising alternative to electronic pacemakers.
China today successfully launched a pair of high-resolution remote sensing satellites to get
commercial images. The satellites were launched today from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centre
in Shanxi Province.
The DRDO successfully carried out the maiden-flight of TAPAS 201 (RUSTOMII), a Medium
Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) UAV.
India successfully test-fired its indigenously built nuclear capable Agni-I ballistic missile, which
can hit a target 700 km away, as part of a user trial by Army from a test range off Odisha coast.
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar commissioned the newest indigenously-built destroyer INS
Chennai into the force.
The upgraded Jaguar DARIN III twin-seat aircraft has received Initial Operation Clearance (IOC).
Railways may soon get an advanced system, called Tri-Netra, on its trains which will help reduce
train accidents by keeping a record of the track maintenance and will also provide better visibility
during foggy days.
The seventh ship of LCU MK IV project is launched on 24 November 2016 at an impressive
ceremony at Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd, Kolkata.
MobiKwik has announced the launch of MobiKwik Lite, a light mobile wallet app that is easy to
download and works even on basic Internet connection.
Technology giant Google has through its cultural arm Google Arts & Culture,unveiled a virtual
collection of artworks and exhibitions. Women in India: Unheard Stories, is a collection of over
fifty virtual exhibitions
Rustom-2, Indias long endurance Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle (UCAV) finally completed its
first flight early in Challakere,about 200km from Bengaluru.
A companion to the worlds most powerful private Earth-imaging satellite rocketed
into space today from the U.S.
Indias first liquefied natural gas-drivenbus was launched. The first pilot run of the eco-friendly
bus on the sidelines of the fourth meeting of the Group of Ministers, set up by the Ministry of
Road Transport and Highways.
The 4th Young Scientists Meet (YSM), organized by the Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied
Sciences (INMAS), New Delhi along with other Delhi based laboratories of the DRDO,
commenced.
Union HRD Minister Shri Prakash Javadekar has inaugurated the worlds largest digital national
building initiative Smart India Hackathon 2017 by handing over a torch to technology students.
The moon came closer to Earth than at any other time since 1948. The supermoon reached its
brightest in Asia on 14 November 2016. The Moon was closest, only 2 lakh 21 thousand 524 miles
(356509 km).
NASA has revealed a new easy to use map as part of its Spot the Station tool to help stargazers
find the ISS, providing the best sighting opportunities for each pinned location on the map.
NASA has MagnetosphericMultiscale mission, or MMS that is giving scientists new insight into
Earth magnetosphere now holds the Guinness World Record for highest altitude fix of a GPS
signal.
NHPC, Indias largest hydropower generation company, announced that it
has commissioned its 50 Megawatt (MW) wind power project (WPP) in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan.
Indias Telecom regulatory authority, TRAI, has made it compulsory for all the Broadband
providers to at least ensure a minimum speed of 512 Kbps after users exhaust their initial data
quota.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will launch 83 satellites, 80 of them foreign, in
one go in January. The 80 satellites weighing 500 kg, belong to Israel, Kazakhstan, Netherlands,
Switzerland and the U.S.
The drugs technical advisory board recently recommended one-time licensing for manufacture
and sales of drugs, with a rider that there be at least one annual inspection and in cases where risk
is high.
The Union Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) has launched Winter Fog Experiment (WIFEX
2016-17) to study presence of extended periods of fog in northern parts of the country.
ISROs Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle successfully launched the 1235 kg RESOURCESAT-2A
Satellite from Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR, Sriharikota.
India International Science Festival (IISF-2016) inaugurated in New Delhi.
Japan has launched a cargo ship bound for the International Space Station (ISS), carrying a space
junk collector that was made with the help of a fishnet company.
The Fengyun-4 satellite, the first of China's second-generation weather satellites in geostationary
orbit to have been launched, is also the country's first quantitative remote-sensing satellite in
highest orbit.
The Indian Space Research Organisation has roped in a consortium of six companies to deliver the
countrys first industry-built spacecraft by late 2017.
Google has announced the roll out of its Railwire high-speed Wi-Fi at Udhagamandalam (Ooty)
station, bringing Internet to 100 of the busiest railway stations across India.
Researchers have collected stem cells from human amniotic fluid the protective fluid that
surrounds the baby in the uterus and used them to treat mice with brittle bone disease.
A free instant messaging service for work and business environments, Flock has launched worlds
first chat operating system FlockOS by Bhavin Turakhia, Flock CEO on December 20, 2016
Flockos.
China has launched the first of its new generation weather satellites Fengyun-4.
China commissioned its first seven-tonne helicopter. AC352 civil helicopter can be used for
operations like search and rescue and law enforcement, marking a new advancement in its
aviation industry.
NASA is sending an African-American astronaut to the International Space Station for the first
time. The traveler is Jeanette Epps, a physics and science whiz who used to work for the CIA as a
technical intelligence officer.
Scientists have spotted a rare double-ringed elliptical galaxy, approximately 359 light years away
from the Earth.
The year 2016 saw the second hottest December in the last 10 years in Coimbatore.
Scientists have discovered a new species of gibbon living in south-west Chinas rainforests.
Stanford engineers, including those of Indian origin, have built an ultra-low-cost, human-powered
centrifuge that separates blood into its individual components in only 1.5 minutes, and may
enable precise diagnosis and treatment of diseases such as malaria, HIV and tuberculosis.
Indian Space Research Organisation and French Space agency have signed a partnership
agreement in satellite launch technology.
Reliance Jio beat Airtel, Vodafone and others, becoming the fastest among all 4G service
providers in India in December 2016, according to data released by the Telecom Regulatory
Authority of India.
Scientists have produced a new form of hydrogen in the lab negatively charged hydrogen clusters.
Each cluster consists of hydrogen molecules arranged around a negatively charged hydrogen ion
a single hydrogen atom with an extra electron at temperatures near absolute zero.
Guided Pinaka, which has been upgraded from Pinaka Rocket, was successfully test fired from the
Integrated Test Range at Chandipur.
The new ship CNS Kaiyangxing, or Mizar, with hull code 856, was delivered to a combat support
flotilla of the North Sea Fleet in Qingdao, Shandong
province
The American SpaceX rocket company has resumed flights, launching a Falcon 9 vehicle from the
Vandenberg Air Force Base on the California coast.
A massive bow-shaped bulge has been spotted in the upper atmosphere of Venus, and
astronomers are trying to explain how it could withstand the gush of sulphuric acid clouds that are
spinning faster than the planet itself.
Scientists have developed the worlds lightest high-performance mechanical watch made using the
wonder material graphene and weighing just 40 grammes.
Silicon likely makes up a significant proportion of the Earths core after iron and nickel, say
scientists who claim to have identified the missing element in the deep interiors of our planet
that has eluded us for decades.
Brain considered to be the first major personal computer virus, was created on January 19, 1986,
by Basit and Amjad Farooq Alvi at their computer shop in Lahore, Pakistan.
Indigenously-made fighter jet Tejas will make its Republic Day debut in this years parade, the
Indian Air Force.
Students of the Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay (IIT-B) might no longer need to seek help
from outsiders to support their start-up ideas, as work on a Research Park will finally start in
2017.
Harvard University and Boston Childrens Hospital researchers have developed a customizable
soft robot that fits around a heart and helps it beat, potentially opening new treatment options for
people suffering from heart failure.
An astronomer has studied an exoplanet called Wolf 1061c and found that the celestial body could
be habitable.
Astronomer Stephen Kane from San Francisco State University focused on finding habitable
zones where water could exist in a liquid state on a planets surface.
China has commissioned its 31st stealth warship as it got its battle group under its first aircraft
carrier ready amid tensions with the U.S. and other nations over its assertiveness in the disputed
South China Sea.
Scientists have developed a new method for medical testing that may lead to faster diagnosis of
HIV, Lyme disease, syphilis and rotavirus infections.
A gigantic chunk of ice that is breaking away from West Antarctica is attached to its parent ice
shelf just by a thread. Covering 5,000 sq km and nearly 100 storeys-deep, the formation is poised
to snap off from Larsen C ice shelf, creating one of the largest icebergs ever recorded.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will set a record when it launches 103 satellites in
one go on a single rocket in the first week of February.
Scientists have created the first stable semi-synthetic organism a single-celled bacterium that
may play important roles in drug discovery and other applications.
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully ground tested the Cryogenic Upper
Stage engine meant for the rocket GSLV-Mark-III.
NavIC, the indigenously built satellite- based positioning system, has developed. In the NavIC, a
constellation of seven satellites, one of the three crucial rubidium timekeepers on IRNSS-1A
spacecraft failed six months ago.
Helium, considered to be a chemically inert and unreactive gas due to its extremely stable and
closed-shell electronic configuration, has been confirmed to form a stable compound (Na2He)
with sodium under high pressure.
A medicinal plant endemic to the southern parts of Western Ghats and Sri Lanka could offer
scientists the key to new herbal formulations and modern drugs for the treatment of cancer and
wounds and burns.
MIT scientists have developed a small battery that runs on stomach acids and could power next-
generation ingestible electronic pills which may monitor patient health or treat diseases by
residing in the gastrointestinal tract for extended periods of time.
Scientists have developed a next generation system which can transmit digital data over 10 times
faster than 5G mobile networks;advances that will pave the way for faster downloads and improve
in-flight network connection speeds.
Indian Space Research Organisation has said that the indigenous development of Telemetry &
Telecommand Processor (TTCP) has been realised and its productionisation will be initiated with
the help of Indian industry.
Dr Shawna Pandya is a general physician in Canadas Alberta University Hospital. She is also an
astronaut preparing for two crucial space missions.
India has successfully test-fired its interceptor missile off the Odisha coast, achieving a significant
milestone in the direction of developing a two-layered Ballistic Missile Defence system.
Indian Space Research Organisations (ISRO) workhorse Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV)
will carry a record 104 satellites in a single mission on 15 February from the space centre at
Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.
Japanese tinkerers created a tiny, flower-pollinating drone for a world without insects.Its a sad
factbee populations are in decline in many parts of the world.
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is planning to deploy a rover on the lunar surface in
the Chandrayaan-2 mission.
In a first, scientists have developed an effective, rapid and economical treatment for the deadly
Ebola virus using antibodies from horses.
The US and Japanese military have successfully tested the Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) Block IIA
missile defence system by intercepting a medium-range ballistic missile target in space for the
first time.
MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS

Telecom operator Bharti Airtel has announced completion of the merger of its subsidiary
Bangladesh telecommunication with Robi Axiata Limited.
Snap Inc, the parent company behind the popular Snapchat app, has acquired an augmented
reality company Cimagine Media for an estimated $30-40 million.
Microsoft has acquired Sweden-based Company Simplygon to accelerate innovation in enabling
3D for everyone.
Alphabet Incs Google said it would sell its satellite imaging business, Terra Bella, to Planet Labs, a
San Francisco-based private satellite operator founded by former Nasa scientists.
Google has acquired Twitters mobile app developer platform Fabric.
U.S. healthcare giant Johnson & Johnson (JNJ.N) will buy Swiss biotech company Actelion
(ATLN.S) in a $30 billion all-cash deal that includes spinning off Actelions research and
development pipeline.
Economic Survey highlights 2016-2017

Indias economy should grow between 6.75 percent and 7.5 percent in the financial year beginning on
April 1.
The Economic Survey, which sets the scene for Finance Minister Arun Jaitleys fourth annual budget,
forecast that Asias third-largest economy should steady after a hit from the governments shock
decision in November to scrap most cash in circulation. The survey was prepared by the finance
ministrys chief economic adviser Arvind Subramanian.
GROWTH
2017/18 GDP growth seen between 6.75 and 7.5 percent year on year
GDP growth rate at constant market prices for the current year 2016/17 is placed at 7.1 percent
The federal statistics offices estimate of 7.1 percent growth for 2016/17 likely to be revised
downwards
Service sector is estimated to grow at 8.9 percent in 2016/17
Industrial growth rate expected to moderate to 5.2 percent in 2016/17 from 7.4 percent in 2015/16
The agriculture sector is estimated to grow at 4.1 percent in 2016/17 as opposed to 1.2 percent in
2015/16
FISCAL DEFICIT
Implementation of wage hike, muted tax receipts to put pressure on fiscal deficit in 2017/18
Need for fiscal prudence for both centre and states for fiscal health of the economy
Fiscal windfall from low oil prices to disappear in 2017/18 TV channels
INFLATION
The average consumer price index (CPI) inflation rate declined to 4.9 percent in 2015/16 from 5.9
percent in 2014/15
CPI-based core inflation has remained sticky in the current fiscal year averaging around 5 percent
Oil prices, seen rising by one-sixth in 2017/18 over 2016/17 prices, could dampen Indias
economic growth
DEMONETISATION
Remonetisation will ensure that the cash squeeze is eliminated by April 2017
Supply of currency should follow actual demand and not be dictated by official estimate of
desirable demand
Government windfall arising from unreturned notes should be deployed towards capital spending
MONETARY POLICY
Sharp rise in prices in 2017/18 may cap monetary easing headroom ET NOW on Twitter
Market interest rates seen lower in 2017/18 due to demonetisation ET NOW on Twitter
GOVERNMENT DEBT
Government debt to GDP ratio in 2016 seen at 68.5 percent down from 69.1 percent in 2015
BANKING
Suggests setting up public sector asset rehabilitation agency to take charge of large bad loans in
banks
Central agency with government backing could overcome coordination and political issues on bad
loans
TAXATION
Income tax rates and real estate stamp duties could be reduced
Timetable for reducing corporate tax rate could be accelerated
UNIVERSAL BASIC INCOME

Universal Basic Income (UBI) proposal a powerful idea, but not ready for implementation.
UBI an alternative to plethora of state subsidies for poverty alleviation; UBI would cost between 4
and 5 percent of GDP.
WHATS SPECIAL ABOUT D2G?
Also Download DayTodayGK Android APP in Google Playstore
IMPORTANT DAYS OBSERVED

DATE DAY OBSERVED Theme/ Purpose
November 1 World Vegan Day
November 5 First World Tsunami Awareness Day Effective Education and Evacuati
Drills
November 6 Infant Protection Day,
World Cancer Awareness Day
November 7 National Cancer Awareness Day Birth anniversary of Sir CV Raman
November 8 World Radiology Day Breast Imaging
November 9 World Legal Service Day
November 10 World Science day for Peace and Celebrating Science Centres a
Development Science Museums
Public Transport Day
November 11 National Education Day
November 12 World Pneumonia Day Keep the Promise, Stop Pneumon
Now
Public Service Broadcasting Day
November 13 World Kindness Day
November 14 Childrens Day(India)
World Diabetes Day Eyes on Diabetes
November 16 International Day for Endurance or Tolerance
November 17 International Students Day, Gurunanak Dev's
Birth Anniversary, National epilepsy day
November 19 World Toilet Day, International Mens Day,
National Integration Day
November 20 Universal Childrens Day Stop Violence against the Children
3rd Sunday World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic
November Victims
3rd Thursday World Philosophy Day
November
November 21 World Fisheries Day
World Hello Day
World Television Day
Third Sunday World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Vital post-crash actions Medic
November Victims Care, Investigation, Justice.
November 25 International Day for the Elimination of Violence
Against Women, World Non Veg day
November 26 National Law Day or National constitution Day
November 30 Indian Organ Donation Day
National Flag Day
International Day of Solidarity with the
Palestinian People
December 1 World AIDS Day
December 2 World Computer Literacy Day, International
Day for the Abolition of Slavery
December 3 International Day of People with Disability or Achieving 17 Goals for the Future
World Disability Day We Want
December 4 Indian Navy Day
December 5 International Volunteer Day for Economic and Global Applause give volunteers
Social Development a hand.
December 5 World Soil Day Soils and pulses, a symbiosis for
life
December 7 International Civil Aviation Day Working together to ensure no
country is left behind
Indian Armed Force Flag Day
December 9 The International Anti Corruption day United against corruption for
development, peace and security
December 10 UN Human Rights Day Stand up for someones rights
today
International Children's Day of Broadcasting Mountain Cultures: Celebrating
diversity and strengthening
identity
December 11 International Mountain Day
UNICEF Day
December 14 National Energy Conservation Day(India)
December 15 International Tea day
December 16 Kargil Vijay Diwas
December 17 International Day to End Violence Against Sex
Workers
December 18 International Migrants day To recognizes migrants around
National Minorities day the world.
December 19 Goas Liberation day
December 20 International Human Solidarity day The importance of solidarity in
working towards eradicating
poverty.
December 21 Handloom Week
December 22 National Mathematics Day Birth anniversary of Srinivasa
Ramanujan.
December 24 National Consumer Day To promote the basic rights of all
consumers
December 25 Good Governance Day To honor Prime Minister Vajpayee
by fostering awareness.
December 29 International Bio-diversity day
January 1 Global Family Day,

Army Medical Corps Establishment Day
January 4 National Youth Day Indian youth for development
skill and harmony
January 5 National Bird Day
January 6 World War Orphans Day
January 8 African National Congress Foundation Day
January 9 NRI Day or Pravasi Bhartiya Diwas
January 10 World Laughter Day: World Hindi Day

January 11 Death anniversary of Lal Bahadur Shastri
January 12 National Youth Day or Birthday of Swami
Vivekananda
January 15 National Army Day
January 23 Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose's Birth
Anniversary
January 25 National Voters Day Empowering young and future
events
January 25 National Tourism Day
January 26 International Customs Day Digital Customs: Progressive
Engagement
January 26 68th Republic Day Skill India and Beti Bachao Beti
Padhao.
January 27 International Day of Commemoration in From Words to Genocide:
memory of the victims of the Holocaust Antisemitic Propaganda and the
Holocaust
last Sunday of World Leprosy Day
January
January 30 Martyrs Day Death anniversary of Mahathma
Gandhi
January 31 12th Raising Day of National Disaster Response To commended the NDRF for its
Force efforts during disaster response
February 2 World Wetland day Wetlands for our Future
Sustainable Livelihoods
National Day of Shri Lanka
February 4 World Cancer Day We can I can
Sri Lanka Independence Day
February 5 Kashmir Martyrs' Day

February 6 International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Achieving the new Global Goals
Genital Mutilation through the elimination of Female
Waitangi Day (New Zealand) Genital Mutilation by 2030
February 7 68th Nowshera Day To honour the sacrifice of jawans

who sacrifice their lives in
Nowshera in 1947.
February 11 International Day Women and Girls in Science Transforming the World: Parity in
Science
February Darwin day The day is used to highlight
Darwin's contribution to science
and to promote science in general.
February 13 World Radio Day Radio in Times of Emergency and
Disaster
Sarojini Naidu's Birth Anniversary
February 15 International Childhood Cancer Day We can, I can
SPORTS
WINNER TITLE SPORT/ VENUE
India Womens Asian Champions Trophy Defeated Malaysia
Cibulkova WTA Finals title Defeated Kerber
India South Asian Aquatic Championship Held in Sri-Lanka
Petra Kvitova WTA Elite Trophy Defeated Ukrainian Elina
Svitolina
Henri Kontinen and 2016 BNP Paribas Masters Doubles title They have won their first Masters
John Peers 1000 titles
Aditi Ashok Ladies European Tour event Shooting
Lewis Hamilton Brazil Grand Prix Formula one
Henri Kontinen and 2016 BNP Paribas Masters Doubles title Tennis
John Peers
S. S. P. Chawrasia Resorts World Manila Masters 2016 Indian golfer
P V Sindhu China Open Super series she defeated Chinas Sun Yu
Andy Murray Barclays ATP World Tour
Gaganjeet Bhullar BRI-JCB Indonesia Open Pondok Indah Golf Course
India FIFA U-20 World Cup
Sachin Singh Youth World Championship Indian boxer
Aditi Ashok Qatar Ladies Open Lydia Hall and Caroline Hedwall
IAS officer Suhas LY Para-Badminton Championships By defeating Indonesian player
Harry Susanto
Pankaj Advani World Snooker Championship wins bronze
Argentina 2016 Davis Cup Defeats Croatia
India Womens Asia Cup Held in Terdthai Cricket Ground,
Bangkok.
Pankaj Advani World Billiards Championship Singapore
Olympian Shiva Gold in national boxing championships
Thapa
Magnus Carlsen World Chess Championship 2016 He retained the title after
defeating Sergey Karjakin of
Russia.
India Junior World Cup Hockey Major Dhyan Chand Stadium.
India
Indian Super League Atletico de Kolkata Cricket
champions
Karun Nair Indian cricketer to score triple century in Tests MA Chidambaram Stadium in
Chennai.
3rd BBC Sports Andy Murray
personality of the
year
Arjun Bhati Kids Golf World Championship Malaysia
Shiva Keshavan Asian Luge Championships Japan
Argentina FIFA Team of the Year title Belgium
Ravichandran Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy He also ICC Cricketer of the year
Ashwin
India U-19 Asia Cup Defeated Sri Lanka
Virat Kohli Top of list of best players of 2016 Lord's Cricket Ground have
followed the trend and selected
top 20 players for this calendar
year.
Kush Bhagat Youth Chess Championship She is 7-year-old Mumbai based
girl
Sergey Karjakin World Blitz Chess Championship Doha, Qatar
Pankaj Advani 29th National Snooker title Snooker
India Asian Junior Squash Championships Malaysia
India T20 Blind World Cup Defeated pakistan
OBITUARY
NAME OF THE PERSON FIELD
Pandit Amaradeva Sri Lankan singer
Lulu Mohapatra Odisha Politician
Mangat Ram Sharma J&K Politician
Mangat Ram Sharma Politician
Leonard Cohen Singer, songwriter
Yu Xu Chinas first woman pilot
Lt Gen S K Sinha Former Jammu and Kashmir Governor
Denton Cooley The world`s first artificial heart transplant surgeon
William Trevor Irish author
M Balamuralikrishna Indian Musician
K. Subaash Tamil filmmaker
Dileep Padgaonkar Indian Journalist
Vera Rubin A pioneering astronomer
Barbara Tarbuck Actress
Balasaheb Vikhe Patil Former Union Minister and Congress leader
Fritz Weaver Actor
Sammy Lee Olympic gold medal-winning diver
J. Jayalalithaa Tamil Nadu CM
John Glenn American to Orbit Earth
Ramesh Prabhu Politician
Saumitra Chaudhuri Noted economist and former Planning Commission
member
Henry Heimlic Developer of life saving Heimlich manoeuvre
Chetan Ramarao Veteran Kannada actor
George Michael British singer
Dinanath Bhargava Co-Artist of national emblem
Bernard Fox Actor
Walter Swinburn Renowned jockey
Sunder Lal Patwa Madhya pradesh CM
Richard Adams Writer
Ratnasiri Wickremanayake Former Sri Lankan PM
Carrie Fisher Actress
Colonel Nizamuddin(116) Netaji Subhash Chandra Boses driver and INA
veteran
Racharla Samrajyam veteran freedom fighter
Sir Peter Mansfield MRI pioneer and Nobel laureate
Jiro Taniguchi Japan's comic artist
T V Parasuram Journalist
Al Jarreau Legendary jazz singer
ANNOUNCEMENT
Join DayTodayGKs Official Telegram Channel & Get Daily Current

Affairs, Static Gk, Pdfs, Job Updates...etc in your mobile.
LINK - http://telegram.me/daytodaygk
******************
IMPORTANT LINKS OF DAYTODAYGK
CURRENT AFFAIRS
Current Affairs Daily Digest
Current Affairs Questions and Answers PDFs Free Download
Current Affairs Quiz
Current Affairs Online Test Month Wise
ENGLISH
Read Editorials in a easier way with D2G
Learn 10 Words a Day with D2Gs Glossary
FREE DOWNLOADS
Study Materials FREE PDFs
****************
ALL THE BEST FOR YOUR EXAMS!!! SHARE THIS PDF

WITH YOUR FRIENDS.
Contact us at arunsathyan.day2daygk@gmail.com

Current Affairs Revision PDF - November 2016 To February 2017

Caricato da

Informazioni sul documento

Titolo originale

Copyright

Formati disponibili

Condividi questo documento

Condividi o incorpora il documento

Opzioni di condivisione

Hai trovato utile questo documento?

Questo contenuto è inappropriato?

Copyright:

Formati disponibili

Current Affairs Revision PDF - November 2016 To February 2017

Caricato da

Copyright:

Formati disponibili

CURRENT AFFAIRS REVISION PDF NOV to FEB

AWARDS AND HONOURS

American Music Awards Canadian rapper Ariana Grande-Butera, known

SIES-Sri Chandrasekarendra Saraswati Maharashtra CM

2016 prestigious International Childrens UAE based Indian _

National Geoscience Award for 2016 Keshav Krishna He is a scientist of National

Deepak Agarwal Noida CEO Authority

Rex Tillerson US secretary of state

The 20th National Conference on e-Governance began in Visakhapatnam. A film on e- governance

BANKING AND FINANCE

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Rustom-II, Indias indigenously developed long-endurance combat-capable drone successfully

MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS

Economic Survey highlights 2016-2017

UNIVERSAL BASIC INCOME

WHATS SPECIAL ABOUT D2G?

Also Download DayTodayGK Android APP in Google Playstore

IMPORTANT DAYS OBSERVED

January 1 Global Family Day,

January 10 World Laughter Day: World Hindi Day

Sri Lanka Independence Day

February 5 Kashmir Martyrs' Day

February 7 68th Nowshera Day To honour the sacrifice of jawans

Olympian Shiva Gold in national boxing championships

Join DayTodayGKs Official Telegram Channel & Get Daily Current

ALL THE BEST FOR YOUR EXAMS!!! SHARE THIS PDF

Potrebbero piacerti anche