2017 05 May Ebook

General Knowledge Today
Current Affairs: May, 2017 [Date-wise

Compendium]
Published Date: June 3, 2017

Published by: GKTODAY.IN
GKToday 2017 | All Rights Reserved
Suitable for Bank Probationary, Bank Clerical, IBPS Recruitment, NDA, CDS,
LIC/GIC, Railways, SSC, UGC and state / UPSC preliminary Examination.
Current Aairs: May, 2017 [Date-wise Compendium]
Contents
1-May-17 ................................................................................................................................................................ 3
India to give Rs 35 cr to children of freedom ghters in Bangladesh ............................................. 3
Background ................................................................................................................................................... 3
RBI asks ARCs to have a minimum net corpus of Rs100 crore by 2019 ....................................... 3
Asset Reconstruction companies (ARCs) ............................................................................................... 4
Real Estate Act comes into effect ............................................................................................................. 4
Salient Provisions ......................................................................................................................................... 4
Signicance ................................................................................................................................................... 5
Scientists at IIT Create Low Cost Solar Cells using Jamun ................................................................ 5
Signicance ................................................................................................................................................... 5
Aizawl FC become First Northeastern Club to Win I-League ........................................................... 5
I-League ......................................................................................................................................................... 5
Indian Railways to Track Wagons and Coaches with RFID tags ..................................................... 6
Signicance ................................................................................................................................................... 6
RFID tags ...................................................................................................................................................... 6
Maharashtra becomes First State to Use Automated Weather Stations (AWS) for Farmers
.................................................................................................................................................................. 6
Signicance ................................................................................................................................................... 7
Leander Paes Wins Tallahassee Challenger Title .................................................................................. 7
Tallahassee Tennis Challenger ................................................................................................................. 7
2-May-17 ............................................................................................................................................................... 8
Tejas Express: New Premier Train between Mumbai and Goa ........................................................ 8
Salient features ............................................................................................................................................. 8
Dubai becomes First City in World to gets its Own Microsoft Font ............................................... 8
Rationale ........................................................................................................................................................ 8
Dubai .............................................................................................................................................................. 9
Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu selected for USIBC Award ........................................... 9
USIBC ............................................................................................................................................................ 9
Sanjay Pratihar bags INSA Medal for Young Scientist ....................................................................... 9
INSA Medal for Young Scientist ............................................................................................................ 10
Uttar Pradesh: An Ambulance Service for Cows Flagged-Off ........................................................ 10
Department of Telecommunications launches Portal for Information on Mobile Tower
Radiation .............................................................................................................................................. 10
Background .................................................................................................................................................. 11
HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar launches Vidya-Veerta Abhiyan .................................................. 11
Param Veer Chakra ................................................................................................................................... 12
Indias Second Tallest Flag Pole inaugurated in Kolhapur ................................................................ 12
India-Turkey inks Three Agreements ................................................................................................... 12
India-Turkey ............................................................................................................................................... 13
BAT Repeats Brutality by Beheading Two Indian Soldiers .............................................................. 13
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2
BAT ............................................................................................................................................................... 13
3-May-17 ............................................................................................................................................................. 14
Madhya Pradesh becomes First State to Shift Financial Year to Jan-Dec Format ...................... 14
Indias Current Sovereign Ratings .......................................................................................................... 14
Analysis ......................................................................................................................................................... 15
Odishas Sualgiri, Swalgiri Communities Notied as Scheduled Castes ........................................ 15
Benets ......................................................................................................................................................... 15
Background ................................................................................................................................................. 15
Indian Army Test-Fires Advanced Version of Brahmos Cruise Missile ......................................... 16
Brahmos ....................................................................................................................................................... 16
Current ICC T-20 Rankings ................................................................................................................... 16
Criteria ......................................................................................................................................................... 17
$770 billion Worth of Black Money entered into India during 2005-2014: GFI ...................... 17
Global Financial Integrity (GFI) ............................................................................................................. 17
Worlds Highest Railway Bridge to Come up Over Chenab River ................................................. 17
Security features ......................................................................................................................................... 18
China to Launch its Own Encyclopaedia as a Rival to Wikipedia ................................................... 18
Highlights .................................................................................................................................................... 18
Background ................................................................................................................................................. 18
Apples Cash Reserve worth 2/3rd of Indias Forex Reserve .......................................................... 19
4-May-17 ............................................................................................................................................................. 19
Vijayawada Airport becomes International Airport ............................................................................ 19
Signicance ................................................................................................................................................. 19
Vijayawada ................................................................................................................................................... 19
Union Cabinet Clears New National Steel Policy ............................................................................... 20
Key features ................................................................................................................................................ 20
Salient Highlights ...................................................................................................................................... 20
Background ................................................................................................................................................ 20
Banganapalle Mango of Andhra Pradesh gets GI Tag ...................................................................... 21
GI Tag .......................................................................................................................................................... 21
Banganapalle Mango ................................................................................................................................. 21
Swachh Sarvekshan-2017: Indore is the Cleanest City ..................................................................... 21
Criteria ......................................................................................................................................................... 22
Best Performing Cities .............................................................................................................................. 22
Worst Performing Cities .......................................................................................................................... 22
Agni-II Ballistic Missile Test Fired Successfully .................................................................................. 22
Agni-II Ballistic Missile ............................................................................................................................. 22
Abdul Kalam Island ................................................................................................................................... 23
Union Cabinet clears Ordinance to tackle Bad Loans ....................................................................... 23
Signicance ................................................................................................................................................. 23
Background ................................................................................................................................................ 23
3
India Ranked 100th in FIFA Rankings ................................................................................................. 24

FIFA Rankings ........................................................................................................................................... 24
Nifty at New Peak, BSE Sensex ends Above 30,000 ....................................................................... 24
Stock Market Index .................................................................................................................................. 25
5-May-17 ............................................................................................................................................................. 25
Fact Box: SAMPADA Scheme ................................................................................................................ 25
Salient Highlights ....................................................................................................................................... 25
Signicance ................................................................................................................................................. 25
Other initiatives to boost Food Processing industry .......................................................................... 26
Russia, Turkey and Iran Sign Deal on Safe Zones in Syria ............................................................. 26
Draft Rules for No Fly List for Banning Unruly Passengers Unveiled ........................................... 27
Background ................................................................................................................................................ 27
Chiefs for Coffee and Tea Boards Appointed .................................................................................... 27
Indias First Private Sector Small Arms Manufacturing Plant Inaugurated .................................. 28
Background ................................................................................................................................................ 28
Facebook Launches Express Wi-Fi in India ....................................................................................... 28
Salient Features .......................................................................................................................................... 29
Biggest Combing Operation in 15 years conducted in South Kashmir ......................................... 29
6-May-17 ............................................................................................................................................................ 30
India launches South-Asia satellite ........................................................................................................ 30
Salient features ........................................................................................................................................... 30
Signicance ................................................................................................................................................. 30
Forex Reserves Touch Life Time High of $372.73 billion .............................................................. 30
Components ............................................................................................................................................... 30
Assam declared as Disturbed Area Under AFSPA for 3 More Months ...................................... 31
AFSPA .......................................................................................................................................................... 31
Kashmir based Saqib Majeed has bagged 2016 Wisden-MCC Cricket Photograph of the Year
Award .................................................................................................................................................. 32
RBI tightens Rules for JLFs ...................................................................................................................... 32
Need ............................................................................................................................................................. 32
Salient Highlights ....................................................................................................................................... 32
Fact Box: THAAD ..................................................................................................................................... 33
Salient Features .......................................................................................................................................... 33
Heads of 7 PSU Banks Appointed ......................................................................................................... 33
Reason ......................................................................................................................................................... 34
Chinas C919 Passenger Jet completed its Maiden Flight ................................................................ 34
C919 ............................................................................................................................................................ 34
Issues ............................................................................................................................................................ 35
Justice Leila Seth: First Woman Chief Justice of a State High Court Passed Away .................... 35
4
Indian Origin Scientists Elected Fellows of UK Royal Society ......................................................... 35

The Royal Society ..................................................................................................................................... 36
7, 8-May-2017 .................................................................................................................................................. 36
Indias First Bio Renery Plant inaugurated in Pune ......................................................................... 36
Signicance ................................................................................................................................................. 36
Biofuels ........................................................................................................................................................ 37
India to Organise Cultural Festival in Egypt to mark Tagores 156th Birth Anniversary ......... 37
Egypts Connection ................................................................................................................................... 37
Rabindranath Tagore ............................................................................................................................... 37
French Election: Emmanuel Macron elected as President of France ............................................. 38
Times Rich List 2017: Three out of Four Wealthiest in Britain are Indians ................................ 38
CRPF Command Shifted from Kolkata to Chhattisgarh .................................................................. 39
CRPF ............................................................................................................................................................ 39
Hollywood Actor Emma Watson bags rst ever genderless award ............................................ 40
India elected as President of UN-Habitat ............................................................................................ 40
UN-Habitat ................................................................................................................................................. 40
9-May-17 ............................................................................................................................................................. 41
IMF: India will Grow at 7.7% in 2018-19 ........................................................................................... 41
IMF ............................................................................................................................................................... 41
Home Ministry asks States to Link Prisons with Courts via Video Conferencing ....................... 41
CCTNS ........................................................................................................................................................ 42
e-Courts ...................................................................................................................................................... 42
Supreme Court Sentences Justice Karnan to 6 Months Imprisonment ........................................ 43
Background ................................................................................................................................................ 43
Indian American Nominated for Key Post in FERC .......................................................................... 43
Neil Chatterjee ........................................................................................................................................... 43
India & Japan to Strengthen Defence Cooperation ........................................................................... 43
SC holds Vijay Mallya Guilty of Contempt of Court ........................................................................ 44
Background ................................................................................................................................................ 44
India- Indonesia Co-Ordinated Patrol Commences .......................................................................... 45
CORPAT ..................................................................................................................................................... 45
Jhulan Goswami named Highest Wicket-Taker in Womens One-Day Internationals .............. 45
Jhulan Goswami ........................................................................................................................................ 45
Measurement of Liveability Index of Cities to commence Next Month ....................................... 46
10-May-17 .......................................................................................................................................................... 46
South Korea Election: Moon Jae-in elected as President ................................................................. 46
Moon Jae-in ............................................................................................................................................... 46
Government Sets Up Task Force for Reliable Employment Data ................................................. 47
Need ............................................................................................................................................................ 47
Labour Market .......................................................................................................................................... 47
5
ICJ Stays Kulbhusan Jadhavs Hanging ................................................................................................ 47

ICJ ................................................................................................................................................................ 48
PM Inaugurates Supreme Courts ICMIS ........................................................................................... 48
Signicance ................................................................................................................................................ 48
Taranjeet Singh becomes New Country Director of Twitter ......................................................... 48
Indian Railways to acquire EoTT Equipments to run Trains without Guards ............................ 49
Signicance ................................................................................................................................................ 49
Benchmark Indices Closes at all time High ........................................................................................ 49
Prime Minister to attend UN Vesak Day Celebrations in Sri Lanka .............................................. 50
Background ................................................................................................................................................ 50
11-May-17 ........................................................................................................................................................... 50
Indias Harpreet Singh wins bronze in Asian Wrestling Championship ....................................... 50
Home Ministry asks NGOs to open Bank Accounts in Core Banking format ............................ 51
Background ................................................................................................................................................. 51
Sanjay Mitra Appointed as Next Defence Secretary .......................................................................... 51
Other appointments ................................................................................................................................... 51
May 11: National Technology Day ......................................................................................................... 52
Signicance ................................................................................................................................................. 52
In a First for a Government Owned Company Kochi Metro Appoints Transgenders .............. 52
Kochi Metro ............................................................................................................................................... 53
India protests Participation of Canadas PM at Khalsa Day ........................................................... 53
Supreme Court begins hearing Final Arguments on the Constitutional Validity of Triple Talaq
................................................................................................................................................................ 53
Background ................................................................................................................................................ 54
Vinay Mohan Kwatra Appointed as Ambassador to France ........................................................... 54
12-May-17 ........................................................................................................................................................... 54
CASO to be Reintroduced as Part of Counter Terrorism Operations ........................................ 55
Background ................................................................................................................................................ 55
Justice Mudgal elected as Chairman of FIFA Governance Committee ......................................... 55
Fact Box: Science Express Climate Action Special (SECAS II) ....................................................... 56
Science Express .......................................................................................................................................... 56
SECAS II ..................................................................................................................................................... 56
NASA detects Signs of Water in a distant Neptune Sized Planet ................................................... 56
Signicance ................................................................................................................................................. 57
China Simulates Lunar-like Environment ............................................................................................ 57
Background ................................................................................................................................................ 57
Indian Exclusion Report (IXR): Historically Disadvantaged Groups remain Worst Off ............ 58
Amitabh Bachchan appointed as Goodwill Ambassador for Hepatitis in South-East Asia Region
................................................................................................................................................................ 59
6
Hepatitis ...................................................................................................................................................... 59
UPSC to share Online Scores of Candidates to boost Hiring ......................................................... 59
Background ................................................................................................................................................ 60
13-May-17 .......................................................................................................................................................... 60
Tejas Successfully Test Fires Air-to-Air Beyond Visual Range Missile ......................................... 60
Tejas ............................................................................................................................................................ 60
Forex Reserves reach Life-Time High of $375.71 billion ................................................................. 61
Components ................................................................................................................................................ 61
Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat & Divya Kakran bags Silver Medals at the Asian Wrestling
Championship ..................................................................................................................................... 61
New IIP, WPI Series Introduced ............................................................................................................ 62
Signicance ................................................................................................................................................. 62
BSF to use Invisible Laser Wall Kavach to Secure Border ............................................................... 63
Salient features ........................................................................................................................................... 63
Background ................................................................................................................................................ 63
New Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine against Pneumonia Launched ........................................ 63
Pneumonia .................................................................................................................................................. 64
Ransomware Cyber Attack Plays Havoc in Several Countries including India ........................... 64
Consequences ............................................................................................................................................ 65
India to Skip OBOR summit in China .................................................................................................. 65
Indias Concerns ........................................................................................................................................ 65
14, 15-May-2017 ............................................................................................................................................... 66
Arjun Maini becomes First Indian to Win a GP3 Race .................................................................... 66
Fact Box: North Koreas Missile Development Programme ........................................................... 66
Chronology of North Koreas Missile Development Programme .................................................. 66
Lewis Hamilton Wins Spanish Grand Prix .......................................................................................... 67
Lewis Hamilton ......................................................................................................................................... 67
US to Sell high-tech chemical protective clothing to India ............................................................. 68
Signicance ................................................................................................................................................ 68
Background ................................................................................................................................................ 68
World banks Power Accessibility List: India jumps 73 Spots to be ranked 26th ...................... 69
Background ................................................................................................................................................ 69
Rafael Nadal Wins Madrid Open Title ................................................................................................. 69
Railways to install CCTV Surveillance System under Nirbhaya Fund ........................................... 69
Nirbhaya Fund ........................................................................................................................................... 70
Fact Box: Public Affairs Index 2017 (PAI-2017) ............................................................................... 70
Themes ....................................................................................................................................................... 70
PAC ............................................................................................................................................................... 71
16-May-17 ........................................................................................................................................................... 71
PM Launches Narmada Seva Mission for Conservation of Narmada ............................................ 71
7
Namami Devi Narmade Sewa Yatra ..................................................................................................... 72

Background ................................................................................................................................................ 72
Womens Cricket: Indias Deepti Sharma and Poonam Raut Sets new Record .......................... 72
Edouard Philippe appointed as Prime Minister of France ................................................................ 73
Sensex and Nifty at new Record Highs ................................................................................................ 73
West Bengal makes Bengali Mandatory in all Schools ..................................................................... 73
Background ................................................................................................................................................ 74
MoU Signed between Indian Navy and Space Application Centre ............................................... 74
SAC .............................................................................................................................................................. 74
Outcomes of OBOR Summit ................................................................................................................. 74
Outcomes .................................................................................................................................................... 75
Infrastructure Deals .................................................................................................................................. 75
OBOR .......................................................................................................................................................... 75
PFRDA-CRISIL Report: India Ageing Gradually with Every 5th Person to be in 60s by 2050
................................................................................................................................................................ 75
Atal Pension Yojna .................................................................................................................................... 76
India and Palestine Inks 5 Agreements ................................................................................................ 76
Background ................................................................................................................................................ 77
17-May-17 .......................................................................................................................................................... 77
Ovais Sarmad Appointed to Key Post in UNFCCC .......................................................................... 77
Mt Lhotse records First Summit in 3 years ........................................................................................ 78
Mt Lhotse ................................................................................................................................................... 78
Indias GDP Growth Forecast for 2017 Revised Downward by UN ............................................ 78
World Economic Situation and Prospects ........................................................................................... 79
IT Department Launches Operation Clean Money ........................................................................... 79
Background ................................................................................................................................................ 80
Proxima B likely to have Water and Support Alien Life ................................................................... 80
Forbes Global Game Changers List: Mukesh Ambani Tops the List ............................................ 80
Anshu Jamsenpa: First Indian Women to scale Mount Everest Four Times ................................ 81
CCEA gives Approval to New Coal Linkage Policy ........................................................................... 81
Need ............................................................................................................................................................. 81
Coal linkage policy .................................................................................................................................... 82
Union Cabinet Approves Proposal to Build 10 Atomic Reactors ................................................... 82
Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors ........................................................................................................ 82
18-May-17 .......................................................................................................................................................... 82
BSNL Signs MoU with Facebook and MobiKwik ............................................................................. 82
8
Environment Minister Anil Madhav Dave Passes Away ................................................................... 83

Tata Group Named Countrys Most Valuable Brand in Brand Finance List ............................... 83
NITI Aayog Conducts First Samavesh Meeting ................................................................................ 84
NITI Aayog ................................................................................................................................................ 85
Indian Army gets its First Artillery Gun in 30 Years ........................................................................ 85
Union Cabinet Approves Pharma Mission to Develop Bio-Pharmaceuticals ............................... 86
Purnima Devi Burman and Sanjay Gubbi Wins Prestigious Whitley Awards .............................. 86
Indian Scientist Shrinivas Kulkarni Wins Prestigious Dan David Prize ......................................... 87
Dan David Prize ........................................................................................................................................ 87
Bilateral Exercise SIMBEX-17 between Indian & Republic Of Singapore Navy Commences
............................................................................................................................................................... 88
19-May-17 .......................................................................................................................................................... 88
GST Council Announces GST Rates ................................................................................................... 88
Signicance ................................................................................................................................................ 89
ICC Test Ranking: India Retains No.1 Spot ........................................................................................ 89
Scientists at IIT Delhi Develops Cheapest Respiratory Filter .......................................................... 90
Salient Features ......................................................................................................................................... 90
Background ................................................................................................................................................ 90
National Green Tribunal Bans Open Defecation and Waste Dumping on Yamuna Floodplains
............................................................................................................................................................... 90
Background ................................................................................................................................................. 91
Scientists discover First Natural Human Antibodies against Ebola Virus ...................................... 91
Background ................................................................................................................................................. 91
China, ASEAN Countries Agree on Framework for South China Sea Code of Conduct ........ 92
Background ................................................................................................................................................ 92
South China Sea ........................................................................................................................................ 92
Climate Change: Antarctica is Turning Green ................................................................................... 93
Background ................................................................................................................................................ 93
20-May-17 ......................................................................................................................................................... 94
Prime Minister Releases Book Series written by MS Swaminathan .............................................. 94
MS Swaminathan ...................................................................................................................................... 94
Madhav Chitale Committee Recommends Measures for De-silting Ganga ................................ 94
Salient Recommendations ....................................................................................................................... 95
Air Marshal PN Pradhan Appointed as Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff ................... 95
IDS ............................................................................................................................................................... 95
PN Pradhan ................................................................................................................................................ 95
GST Council Finalises 4-slab Service Tax Structure ........................................................................ 96
9

World Cup Archery: Indian Mens Team Wins Compound Gold ................................................. 96
Study on Common Risk Mitigation Mechanism (CRMM) for Solar Power Generation Projects
in Solar Rich Countries Commissioned ....................................................................................... 97
Need ............................................................................................................................................................ 97
ISA ............................................................................................................................................................... 97
Hassan Rouhani Wins Irans Presidential Election ............................................................................. 98
Indian Boy Wins Intel International Science Award in US .............................................................. 98
22-May-17 .......................................................................................................................................................... 98
India wins all 10 Gold Medals at South Asian Junior Table Tennis Championships ................. 98
Free Wi-Fi facility inaugurated at 28 Railway Stations ..................................................................... 99
22 May: World Biological Diversity Day ............................................................................................. 99
Fact Box: 52nd Annual General Meeting of African Development Bank (AfDB) ................... 100
Fact Box: Federation Cup and Other Football Tournaments & Leagues in India ...................... 101
Durand Cup .............................................................................................................................................. 101
IFA Shield .................................................................................................................................................. 101
Subroto Cup .............................................................................................................................................. 101
Santosh Trophy ....................................................................................................................................... 102
Indian Super League ............................................................................................................................... 102
I-League ..................................................................................................................................................... 102
Madhya Pradesh bans Sand Excavation in Narmada River ............................................................ 102
Background .............................................................................................................................................. 102
About Narmada River ............................................................................................................................ 103
NASA Names New Species After Abdul Kalam .............................................................................. 103
A.P.J. Abdul Kalam .................................................................................................................................. 103
23-May-17 ........................................................................................................................................................ 104
Harsh Malhotra Committee on Scouts and Guides Submits Report to the Sports Ministry
.............................................................................................................................................................. 104
Salient Highlights .................................................................................................................................... 104
Background .............................................................................................................................................. 104
RBI to Reconstitute Oversight Committee to Tackle Bad Loans .................................................. 105
Salient Highlights ..................................................................................................................................... 105
Background .............................................................................................................................................. 105
Paytm Launches Payments Bank .......................................................................................................... 105
Signicance ............................................................................................................................................... 105
Other Salient Features ............................................................................................................................ 106
Background .............................................................................................................................................. 106
PM Inaugurates African Development Banks 52nd Annual General Meeting ......................... 106
Background .............................................................................................................................................. 107
Worlds First Philosophical Novel on God Unveiled ........................................................................ 107
May 23: World Turtle Day ................................................................................................................... 107
10
Threats in India ....................................................................................................................................... 107

Nauru Raties International Solar Alliance Framework Pact ........................................................ 108
Nauru ......................................................................................................................................................... 108
ISA .............................................................................................................................................................. 108
Madhya Pradesh Signs MoU with IIT-Kharagpur for Developing Happiness Index ............... 108
Background ............................................................................................................................................. 109
24-May-17 ........................................................................................................................................................ 109
Airlander 10: Worlds Largest Aircraft Completes Test Flight ...................................................... 109
Airlander 10 .............................................................................................................................................. 109
James Bond Actor Roger Moore Passes Away .................................................................................. 110
Second Prototype of Light Utility Helicopter Completes Maiden Flight ...................................... 110
Light Utility Helicopter ............................................................................................................................ 110
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus Elected as Director General of WHO .................................. 111
WHO ............................................................................................................................................................ 111
Government Lays off 129 Non-Performing Ofcers in Public Interest ........................................ 111
Inauguration of Integration of eSanad with CBSEs Academic Repository ................................. 112
Implementation ......................................................................................................................................... 112
Union Cabinet Approves Abolition of FIPB ........................................................................................ 113
Rationale ..................................................................................................................................................... 113
New Mechanism ....................................................................................................................................... 113
Indias First Underwater Rail Tunnel Completed .............................................................................. 113
Swachh Bharat App Launched .............................................................................................................. 114
25-May-17 ......................................................................................................................................................... 114
Ravichandran Ashwin Wins International Cricketer of the Year Award ..................................... 114
Ravichandran Ashwin .............................................................................................................................. 114
Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Sanchar Kaushal Vikas Pratisthan Scheme Launched .............. 115
Union Cabinet Approves Allocation of 2.5% of Central Road Fund for National Waterways
Development ..................................................................................................................................... 115
Signicance ................................................................................................................................................ 115
Background ............................................................................................................................................... 116
Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda Resigns .................................................. 116
Background ............................................................................................................................................... 116
World Economic Forum: Mumbai and Kota among Worlds most Crowded ........................... 116
UN-Habitat ................................................................................................................................................ 117
Union Cabinet Approves National Procurement Policy Giving Preference to Make in India
............................................................................................................................................................... 117
Need ............................................................................................................................................................ 117
11

Fact Box: Cobra Lily ................................................................................................................................ 118
Salient features .......................................................................................................................................... 118
26-May-17 ......................................................................................................................................................... 119
PM Inaugurates Countrys Longest Bridge in Assam and Names it Bhupen Hazarika Bridge
............................................................................................................................................................... 119
Salient Features ......................................................................................................................................... 119
Signicance ................................................................................................................................................ 119
Googles Rajan Anandan Appointed Chairman of IAMAI .............................................................. 119
Challenges ................................................................................................................................................. 120
IAMAI ........................................................................................................................................................ 120
Government Amends Denition of Start-Ups .................................................................................. 120
Other Salient Amendments ................................................................................................................... 120
Signicance ................................................................................................................................................ 121
Anurag Tripathy Appointed as Secretary of CBSE ........................................................................... 121
CBSE ........................................................................................................................................................... 121
Amul Thapar: Second Indian Judge to US Circuit Court of Appeals ........................................... 121
Amul Thapar ............................................................................................................................................ 122
Government bans Sale of Cattle for Slaughter ................................................................................. 122
Criticisms ................................................................................................................................................... 122
KPS Gill who led Operation Black Thunder Passes Away ............................................................. 123
NASAs Juno Spacecraft Discovers Earth-Sized Storms on Jupiter .............................................. 123
Juno Spacecraft ........................................................................................................................................ 124
27-May-17 ........................................................................................................................................................ 124
PM lays Foundation Stone for AIIMS at Changsari ........................................................................ 124
Background .............................................................................................................................................. 124
DIPP to Grant Industrial Licenses for Defence Manufacturing ..................................................... 125
DIPP ............................................................................................................................................................ 125
PM lays Foundation Stone for IARI at Gogamukh .......................................................................... 125
IARI ............................................................................................................................................................ 126
Law Ministry: Poll Candidates have to Declare their and Spouses Source of Income ............ 126
Apple Opens First Ofcial Store in South East Asia at Singapore ................................................ 127
Apple Inc. .................................................................................................................................................. 127
Indias First Electric Mass Mobility System Launched in Nagpur ................................................. 127
Background .............................................................................................................................................. 127
India and Mauritius Inks Four Agreements ....................................................................................... 128
Four Agreements ..................................................................................................................................... 128
Construction Commences on Worlds Largest Telescope in Chile .............................................. 128
12
Signicance ............................................................................................................................................... 129

European Southern Observatory .......................................................................................................... 129
29-May-17 ........................................................................................................................................................ 129
C.A. Bhavani Devi becomes rst Indian to win a Gold in International Fencing tournament
.............................................................................................................................................................. 129
Fact Box: Tropical Cyclone Mora .................................................................................................... 129
About 2017 North Indian Ocean cyclone season ............................................................................ 130
Naming of Tropical Cyclone ................................................................................................................ 130
Fact Box: Newly Built Aeronautical Test Range at Chitradurga in Karnataka .......................... 130
Signicance ................................................................................................................................................ 131
Background ............................................................................................................................................... 131
Sangeet Natak Akademi Puraskar for Satyabrata Rout ................................................................... 131
Sangeet Natak Akademi ......................................................................................................................... 131
30-May-17 ........................................................................................................................................................ 132
Anti-Ragging Mobile App Launched to Fight Ragging ................................................................... 132
Fact Box: See Through Frog ................................................................................................................. 132
Under Threat ............................................................................................................................................ 132
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) .............................................................. 132
India and Fiji Inks Agreement on Defence Cooperation ................................................................ 133
India-Fiji ..................................................................................................................................................... 133
Goa Bans Thin Plastic Bags ................................................................................................................... 133
George Kurian Appointed as Vice-Chairman of National Commission for Minorities ........... 134
National Commission for Minorities ................................................................................................... 134
Darwaza Band Campaign Launched ................................................................................................... 134
Swachch Bharat Abhiyan ....................................................................................................................... 135
Virat Kohli becomes Only Indian in Top 10 of ICC ODI Rankings ............................................. 135
RBI to introduce New Re.1 Note ......................................................................................................... 136
Background .............................................................................................................................................. 136
31-May-17 ......................................................................................................................................................... 136
India and Germany Ink 12 Pacts .......................................................................................................... 136
Agreements ............................................................................................................................................... 137
Others ........................................................................................................................................................ 137
India Mobile Congress (IMC 2017) to be held in September ...................................................... 138
May 31: World No Tobacco Day ......................................................................................................... 138
Amul Signs MoU with ISRO ................................................................................................................. 139
13

SAC ............................................................................................................................................................ 140
GCMMF .................................................................................................................................................... 140
Scientists at IIT Kharagpur Develop New Technology to Manufacture Biofuel ...................... 140
Signicance ................................................................................................................................................ 141
India and Spain Sign Seven Agreements ............................................................................................ 141
Agreements ............................................................................................................................................... 141
US for the First Time Successfully Tests ICBM Defense System ................................................. 141
Need ........................................................................................................................................................... 142
14
1-May-17
India to give Rs 35 cr to children of freedom fighters in Bangladesh
01-May-17
India will give Rs. 35 crore rupees to children of freedom fighters in Bangladesh under the new
Muktijodha scholarship scheme in the next five years. Under the scheme, students at higher
secondary level will get a one-time grant of Tk 20,000 (Rs 15,370) and students at the undergraduate
level will get a grant of Tk 50,000 (Rs 38,430). In addition, all freedom fighters will be eligible for
multiple entries on Indian visa for a period of five years. Also, every year 100 of them will be entitled
to free medical treatment in Indian hospitals.
Background
Muktijodha Scholarship Scheme was initiated in 2006 to support the descendants of the 1971
Freedom Fighters. So far, more than 10,000 scholarships worth Tk150 million have been granted to
the descendants under the scheme. It is India who aided Bangladesh to gain independence from
Pakistan in 1971.
During Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasinas recent visit to India, Prime Minister Narendra
Modi had announced that India will provide scholarships to another 10,000 students under the new
Muktijodha scholarship. During the visit, India and Bangladesh had signed 22 agreements in various
fields such as defence, nuclear cooperation, judicial sector, earth sciences, navigation, peaceful uses of
outer space, to boost bilateral cooperation. India also announced concessional Line of Credit (LoC)
of $4.5 billion to Bangladesh for projects in priority sectors. Moreover, India also gave LoC of $500
million to Bangladesh for defence purchases.
Bangladesh gives away Friends of Bangladesh Liberation War Award to individuals and
organizations who had extended the most crucial support for Bangladeshs independence struggle.
Former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was the first to be honoured with this award. The
other prominent recipients include President Pranab Mukherjee and former Prime Minister Atal
Bihari Vajpayee.
RBI asks ARCs to have a minimum net corpus of Rs100 crore by 2019
01-May-17
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has asked all the existing asset reconstruction companies (ARCs) to
have a minimum net owned fund (NOF) of Rs100 crore by March 2019. This decision has been
taken by RBI in accordance with its last bi-monthly monetary policy in which it had proposed to
stipulate a minimum NOF of Rs100 crore taking into consideration the enhanced role and greater
cash based transactions carried out by ARCs.
As per amended SARFAESI Act, 2016, ARCs cannot carry on the business of securitisation or asset
2017 GKToday | All Rights Reserved | www.gktoday.in [Page 3]
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reconstruction without having NOF of not less than Rs 2 crore or any other amount stipulated by
the RBI. As per the notification of RBI,
the existing ARCs not meeting the minimum NOF criteria need to achieve the minimum NOF of
Rs100 crore latest by 31 March 2019.
Asset Reconstruction companies (ARCs)
ARC is a company registered under Section 3 of the Securitization and reconstruction of Financial
Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest (SARFAESI) Act, 2002. ARCs are regulated by the RBI.
They are the specialised agencies with a main role of resolving the stressed assets issue of the Indian
banking system. They are involved in buying bad loans from Indian banks to turn them around.
ARCs are similar to the asset management companies present in countries like Malaysia, Korea and
several other countries. Narsimham Committee II (1998) proposed setting up of ARCs on the
similar lines with that of asset management companies present globally. The main advantage of
ARCs is they help the banks to concentrate on normal banking operations rather than dealing with
stressed assets
Real Estate Act comes into effect
01-May-17
The Real Estate Act which aims to protect the interests of homebuyers by ensuring transparency has
come into effect. The Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation (HUPA) has asked all the
states and Union Territories to implement the Act with letter and spirit. Since land is a state
subject, real estate sector comes within the ambit of the state governments.
The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Bill, 2016 was passed by Parliament in March last
year. Partially, the act came into force on 1 May last year with 59 of 92 notified sections of the act
coming into force. The remaining provisions have come into the force now. Already the act has been
notified by 13 states and Union Territories including Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat,
Delhi, Daman and Diu.
Salient Provisions
Buyers and developers of real estate property can seek relief by approaching Real Estate Regulatory
Authorities against violation of the contractual obligations and other provisions of the Act.
The act provides for the mandatory registration of projects and real estate agents.
The act mandates depositing 70% of the funds collected from buyers in a separate bank account for
construction of the project. The funds could be withdrawn only for construction purposes.
The act prescribes penalty on developers if the project is delayed. The project developers are required
to disclose the project details on the website of the regulator and need to provide quarterly updates
on construction progress.
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Under the act, the Regulatory authorities are required dispose of complaints in 60 days and Appellate
Tribunals will be required to adjudicate cases in 60 days.
Significance
The act will ensure transparency and accountability in the real estate sector. It will enhance the
consumer confidence and will benefit the whole sector. It will help to attract more investments into
the real estate sector and may also open gates for FDI. This act will aid in the effective
implementation of projects such as Hosing for All by 2020 and Smart City.
Scientists at IIT Create Low Cost Solar Cells using Jamun
01-May-17
Scientists at IIT Roorkee have used Indian summer fruit, Jamun, to create low cost and more
efficient solar cells. To create the solar cells, the researchers made use of naturally occurring pigment
present in jamun as an inexpensive photosensitizer for Dye Sensitised Solar Cells (DSSCs) or Gratzel
cells. Gratzel cells are nothing but thin film solar cells made of a porous layer of titanium dioxide
(TiO2) coated photoanode, a layer of dye molecules that are capable of absorbing sunlight, an
electrolyte for regenerating the dye, and a cathode. The above components of the Gratzel cell form a
sandwich-like structure with the dye molecule playing a crucial role through its ability to absorb
visible light.
Researchers made use of ethanol to extract the dyes from jamun. The extracted coloured pigment
called anthocyanin was used as a sensitiser. The research got published in the Journal of
Photovoltaics.
Significance
Natural pigments are cheaper in comparison to regular Ruthenium-based pigments to create solar
cells. The research like this assumes importance at the backdrop of increasing pressure on fossil fuels
and concern about global warming. It will also augment in realizing the countrys vision of building
up a 40% share of non-fossil fuel capacity in the power sector by 2030.
Aizawl FC become First Northeastern Club to Win I-League
01-May-17
Aizawl FC has won its maiden I-League title against Shillong Lajong in their final game of the league
season to become the first ever club from the northeast to win the I-League title. This was the 10th
edition of the I-League held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Shillong, The victory of Aizawl FC
with a shoe-string budget against Shillong Lajong is considered as one of the biggest achievements in
Indian football history. Aizawl ended the league with 37 points.
I-League
The Hero I-League is an Indian professional league for mens association football clubs. The I-League
was formed in 2007 as the ONGC I-League with an aim to professionalize the game of football in
5
India. It is a successor of the National Football League and is considered as the primary competition
in the field of Indian football.
Indian Railways to Track Wagons and Coaches with RFID tags
01-May-17
Leveraging information technology in a big way, the Indian Railways is set to make use of the radio-
frequency identification tags (RFID) for tracking of wagons, coaches and locomotives to ensure the
effective and transparent functioning of the system. For this purpose, the RFID tags have been
designed by the Centre for Railway Information System (CRIS) at an estimated cost of Rs 1000 per
tag. For the first phase of implementation of this project, the Railways have sanctioned a sum of Rs
57 crore.
The trackside readers that will be installed at stations and other key points would read the RFID tag
fitted in the rolling stocks and would transmit the wagon identity over a network to a central
computer.
From here afterwards, all new wagons coming out of manufacturing units would be equipped with
RFID tags as a part of the standard practice. Indian railways have about 2.25 lakh wagons, 50,000
coaches and 9,000 locomotives in its possession. Earlier, the Railways used RFID tags
on Vishakhapatnam-Talcher-Paradeep section as a pilot project.
Significance
RFID tags will help the railways in knowing the exact location of wagons, locomotives and coaches.
Such data at present is manually maintained and hence are prone to errors. By the use of RFID tags,
the railways plans to address the issue of shortage of wagons, locomotives and coaches in a more
transparent and expeditious manner. As the RFID tags have a lifespan of 25 years, RFID tags can be
removed and reused. RFID tags will be of significant use especially in freight maintenance
management, locomotive management and coach maintenance management.
RFID tags
The RFID uses electromagnetic fields to automatically identify and track tags attached to objects. The
RFID tags contain electronically stored information. Unlike a bar code, the tag need not be within
the line of sight (LoS) of the reader, so it can be easily embedded in the tracked object. Hence, RFID
is a powerful enabling technology that is being applied in an astonishing range of applications
ranging from supply chain management and product inventory control to identity authentication
and access control.
Maharashtra becomes First State to Use Automated Weather Stations (AWS) for
Farmers
01-May-17
Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has inaugurated the states first automatic weather
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station at Dongargaon in Nagpur. The state government proposes to install around 2,065 such
weather stations across the state on a public private partnership (PPP) mode in this year and 1,000 in
next year.
The weather stations will be helpful in measuring the wind direction, wind speed, air temperature,
relative humidity and record amount of rainfall.
The information gathered by the weather stations would be shared among the farmers by making
them available on Mahavedh portal (Maharashtra agriculture weather information network) as
well as on the mobile application of Skymet. Weather forecast firm Skymet Weather Private Ltd will
be setting up these weather stations.
Significance
The farmers of the state can make use of the information to manage sowing in a much better and
planned way as per the weather conditions. These weather stations are significant because the IMD
forecast is limited to only four zones. The weather related information is not made available by the
IMD at the level of taluks. But, the AWS will provide forecast up to taluka level. As one weather
station will be installed for an area of around 1212 km, micro-level weather forecasts will be
possible.
In addition, the digital kiosks will be set-up in every Gram Panchayat to disburse weather related
information and expert advice on crop pattern to the farmers. During the first phase, information
will be shared using SMS. In the second phase, half hourly updates will be provided to all the Gram
Panchayats. The sensors of the AWS will be able to record important parameters relevant for
agriculture like temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and direction, rainfall, solar radiation,
leaf wetness, soil moisture and temperature and atmospheric pressure and evapotranspiration.
The state government plans to use the data provided by the AWS to prepare location-specific
agriculture advisories, better disaster management, design crop insurance schemes and establish a
weather database bank.
Leander Paes Wins Tallahassee Challenger Title

01-May-17
The top-seeded Indo-American pair of Leander Paes and Scott Lipsky defeated Argentine third seeds
Leonardo Mayer and Maximo Gonzalez to win the Tallahassee Challenger title of the mens double.
This title win is Paes 2nd Challenger level title of the season. The 2017 Tallahassee Tennis
Challenger was played on green clay courts between 24 and 29 April 2017.
Tallahassee Tennis Challenger
Tallahassee Tennis Challenger is a professional tennis tournament that is currently played as a part of
the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Challenger Tour. The tournament is played on
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outdoor hard courts. Since 2000, it is held annually at the Forestmeadows Tennis Complex
in Tallahassee, Florida, United States.
2-May-17
Tejas Express: New Premier Train between Mumbai and Goa
02-May-17
Indian Railways is expected to launch a new 20 coach premier train called the Tejas Express
connecting Mumbai and Goa in June. The Tejas service aims to provide comfort to passengers in the
inter-city journeys. Once the Mumbai-Goa run becomes operational, the Railways is likely to extend
the Tejas service in Delhi-Chandigarh route. The Tejas service was promised in the Union Railway
Budget 2016-17.
Salient features
The Tejas Express will be the first train of Indian Railways to have automatic doors and secured
gangways for all coaches. At present automatic doors are only operational in metro trains in the
country.
The coaches of Tejas Express would have integrated braille displays, digital destination boards, and
electronic passenger reservation charts.
The fare of the Tejas Express would be fixed similar to that of Rajdhani and Shatabdi trains.
The Tejas Express will have fire and smoke detection and suppression systems as well as improved
aesthetics. The other facilities include tea and coffee vending machines, magazines and snack tables.
In addition, passengers can enjoy the taste of choicest cuisine curated by celebrity chefs.
All the coaches will have water level indicators in the bio-vacuum toilets. Individual LCD screens
have been made available for all the passengers for entertainment purpose and for disseminating
passenger related information and safety instructions.
Dubai becomes First City in World to gets its Own Microsoft Font
02-May-17
Dubai has become the first city in the world to have its own Microsoft-designed font. The font will
have typeface both in Latin and Arabic script. It will be made available in 23 languages Afrikaans,
Arabic, Basque, Britannic, Catalan, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, Gaelic, German,
Icelandic, Indonesian, Italian, Norwegian, Farsi, Portuguese, Sami, Spanish, Swahili, Swedish and
Urdu.
The font was launched by the Crown Prince of Dubai Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid
Al Maktoum. The font will be used by UAEs government bodies and also by 100 million Office 365
users around the world.
Rationale
UAE has launched the Dubai Font in line with its vision of becoming a regional and global leader in
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innovation. The country views the launch as a part of its continuous efforts to be ranked first in the
digital world. The country expects the new font and its unique specifications to become popular
online and in smart technologies across the world. The launch of new font is expected to boost the
emirates competitiveness in smart technology.
Dubai
Dubai is the largest city in UAE. It has the worlds tallest tower, Burj Khalifa. Dubai has been taking a
series of initiatives to broaden its appeal by investing in technology and culture. Dubai will play host
to the six-month Expo 2020 under the themes of sustainability and mobility.
Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu selected for USIBC Award
02-May-17
The US-India Business Council (USIBC) has selected Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, Chandrababu
Naidu for the Transformative Chief Minister Award for his role in advancing the US-India
partnership at the state level. The award will be presented to him at the USIBC West Coast Summit
in the Silicon Valley on May 8th.
The USIBC West Coast Summit will see the participation of Indian government officials and 150
industry leaders from sectors such as information technology, banking, food processing, healthcare,
clean energy, digital payments, and manufacturing to explore the impacts of manufacturing in India,
digitisation, move towards adoption of a cashless society and the future of the US-India trade
relations. The companies such as Amazon, Paypal, Deloitte, Facebook, Mastercard, Dell, TransAsia,
Varian Medical and Visa will attend the summit.
In addition, the Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and IT Aruna Sundararajan will also be
honoured with the Transformative Leadership Award for excellence in public service and for her
role in advancing US-India cooperation and Digital India. Amitabh Kant, CEO of Niti Aayog was the
last years recipient of this award.
USIBC
USIBC was established in 1975 as a business advocacy organization for encouraging the private
sectors in the US and India to enhance investments. It acts a direct link between business and
government leaders to enhance the trade and investment ties between the two nations. USIBC works
in partnership with major trade associations of India like The Confederation of Indian Industry
(CII), The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), National Association
of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM) among others. President and CEO of MasterCard
Ajay Banga is the current chairman of USIBC.
Sanjay Pratihar bags INSA Medal for Young Scientist
02-May-17
Sanjay Pratihar, a scientist at Assams Tezpur University, has been selected for the prestigious Indian
9
National Science Academy (INSA) medal for the Young Scientist Award, 2017, for his contribution
to multi-metal complexes, theoretical understanding, selective sensing of Hq2+ions and important
applications in agriculture. Sanjay Pratihar has done his PhD in Organometallic Chemistry from the
Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur. Much of his research work focused on the re-source-
efficient design of products and processes which entails maximum utilization of all the products or
processes as far as possible.
Sanjay Pratihar had earlier received DST-INSPIRE Faculty award in 2012. The INSA award consists
of a bronze medal and a cash award of Rs. 25,000. The award will be presented during INSAs
anniversary meeting scheduled to be held in December.
INSA Medal for Young Scientist
The INSA medal was instituted in 1974 by the Indian National Science Academy. Since then, the
medal is awarded annually to honour talented young Indian scientists in recognition of their
outstanding contributions in science or technology. The award is considered to be the highest
recognition of promise, creativity and excellence in a young scientist. Till date, more than 700 young
scientists have been recognised by the INSA awards.
Uttar Pradesh: An Ambulance Service for Cows Flagged-Off
02-May-17
Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya has flagged off an ambulance service
that would cater to the needs of the cows. Under the Gauvansh Chikitsa Mobile Vans service,
initially, 5 ambulances were flagged off to cover Lucknow, Gorakhpur, Varanasi, Mathura and
Allahabad. The ambulance will have a veterinary doctor along with an assistant to rescue ill or
injured cows and transport them to gau shalas or take them for treatment to the veterinary hospital.
In addition, a gau seva toll-free number has also been released to enable common people to come
forward to help the cows.
The ambulance service will be run in collaboration with the MNREGA Mazdoor Kalyan
Sanghathan. Mazdoor Kalyan Sanghathan is an organization that claims to work for the welfare of
the labourers and others employed in the informal sector. The organization has a presence in 5
states. A similar initiative to save cows was initiated in Khargone district of Madhya Pradesh a few
days ago.
Department of Telecommunications launches Portal for Information on Mobile
Tower Radiation
02-May-17
The Department of Telecommunications has launched a web portal called the Tarang Sanchar
web portal that will allow tracking of radiation emitted from mobile towers within their locality and
10
check for their compliance with the Electromagnetic field (EMF) emission norms defined by the
government. The web portal is aimed at myths and misconceptions about mobile towers and
emissions from them.
Background
Recently, the Supreme Court had ordered the deactivation of a mobile tower in Gwalior after
hearing the plea of a 42-year-old cancer patient. The order intensified the debate on the impact of
radiation from mobile phone towers on health. However, the government has categorically stated
that the mobile tower emissions rules in India are 10 times more stringent than the global norms.
These are 10 times more stringent than those framed by the International Commission on Non-
Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP).
ICNIRP is the global agency that puts out norms on permissible radiation limits for
tower rms worldwide.
The ICNIRP pegs permissible tower emission at 4.5 watts/ sq m in popular 900 MHz band. In India,
the Department of Telecommunication (DoT) has lowered it to be 0.45 W/sq m.
Indias is among a handful of countries that have tougher emission standards than the ICNIRP
norms. The others are China, Russia, Switzerland, Israel, Italy, Greece, Belarus, Poland, Lithuania,
Belgium, Chile, Bulgaria and Liechtenstein
HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar launches Vidya-Veerta Abhiyan
02-May-17
The Minister for Human Resource and Development, Prakash Javadekar has launched Students for
soldiers- a nationwide Vidya Veerta Abhiyan to encourage Universities and educational
institutions across the country to display portraits of Param Veer Chakra-decorated soldiers.
The portraits of Param Veer Chakra decorated soldiers were handed over to the Vice Chancellors of
Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi University, Jamia Milia Islamia, Jammu and IIT Delhi, among
others, to put it in their educational institutions. The wall of heroes depicting portraits of brave
soldiers who showed exemplary bravery in defending the nation is expected to instil a sense of
patriotism and nationalism among students.
Background
This initiative has been launched in the wake of the demand made by the ex-servicemen that
portraits of martyrs and tanks used in wars be showcased in the universities and educational
institutions to instil a sense of nationalism and patriotism among the students. Last year, the HRD
Ministry had also unveiled Veergatha books on the 21 Param Veer Chakra awardees for educating
school children about the sacrifices made by the Param Veer Chakra awardees.
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Param Veer Chakra

The Param Veer Chakra (PVC) is Indias highest military decoration awarded to officers or
enlisted personnel from all branches of the Indian military for displaying distinguished acts of valour
during wartime. It is given for the most conspicuous bravery or some daring or pre-eminent act of
valour or self-sacrifice, in the presence of the enemy, whether on land, at sea, or in the air. The
Param Veer Chakra (PVC) is equivalent to the Medal of Honor in the United States and the Victoria
Cross in the United Kingdom.
The award was established on 26 January 1950 and since then has been awarded 21 times, of which
14 were posthumous awards and 16 has been awarded for acts of bravery committed during the
Indo-Pakistani conflicts. Of the 21 awardees, 20 have been from the Indian Army, and 1 has been
from the Indian Air Force. The design of the medal was designed by Savitri Khanolkar, the wife of
an Indian Army officer, Vikram Khanolkar of the Sikh Regiment.
Indias Second Tallest Flag Pole inaugurated in Kolhapur

02-May-17
Indias second tallest flag pole has been Inaugurated in Kolhapur. The pole which is 303 feet high
has been constructed in the Police training academy garden as a part of the Kolhapur beautification
project. The poll is 90 metres tall and 60 metres wide and weighs 24 tonne. Chief Minister Devendra
Fadnavis inaugurated the pole by unfurling a national flag of 5400sq ft as a part of the Maharashtra
Din celebrations in the state.
The Police training academy garden which was also inaugurated is host to different types of
flowering plants from India as well as other countries. The objective behind the development of the
garden is to educate people about the Indian armed forces and police and to inspire the next
generation to join them. As an attraction, murals depicting the struggle for independence from 1857
to 1947 have been created inside the garden. The countrys tallest flag pole is located at the Indo-Pak
Attari Border and is 360 feet high.
India-Turkey inks Three Agreements
02-May-17
India and Turkey have signed three agreements following delegation-level talks between Prime
Minister Narendra Modi and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. This is Turkish President
Recep Tayyip Erdogans first foreign visit after winning the April 16 referendum that will transform
Turkey into a presidential form of democracy.
The previous visit of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to India was made in 2008.
In total three agreements were signed by both the sides in the fields of ICT, training and culture:
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An agreement for a cultural exchange programme for the years 2017-2020 was signed.
A MoU was signed between the Foreign Services Institute (FSI) of India and the Diplomacy
Academy of Turkey.
A MoU was signed for cooperation in the area of information and communication
technologies (ICT).
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had also assured India of Turkeys full support in the fight
against terrorism and for Indias bid for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council.
During his visit, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was conferred the Degree of Doctor of
Letters (Honoris Causa) by the Jamia Millia Islamia university for his contribution to strengthen
international cooperation, peace and diplomacy as well as for his extraordinary humanitarian aid to
millions of refugees.
India-Turkey
India and Turkey established diplomatic relations in 1948. Bilateral trade between both the countries
stands at $6.5 billion. As of 2016, Turkeys exports to India stood at $652 million, while its imports
were $5.75 billion. Both the countries have set a target of increasing the volume of bilateral trade to
$10 billion by 2020. Intelligence cooperation between Turkey and India over ISIS has increased in
last few years, especially after it was found that many Indian nationals who attempted to travel to
Syria travelled through Turkey.
BAT Repeats Brutality by Beheading Two Indian Soldiers
02-May-17
Pakistans border action team (BAT) has beheaded two Indian soldiers by sneaking 200 metres into
Indian Territory in the Krishna Ghati sector in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir. During the
raid, bodies of Naib Subedar Paramjit Singh (22 Sikh Regiment) and head constable Prem Sagar (200
BSF Battalion) were left mutilated. This is the third such barbaric episode since the conduct of
surgical strikes against terror launch pads in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) on September 29. In
the same Krishna Ghati sector, BAT had beheaded Lance Naik Hemraj and severed the head of Lance
Naik Sudhakar Singh of 13 Rajputana Rifles in 2013.
India has strongly condemned this inhuman act and the Army has promised appropriate revenge at a
place and time of its choice. Since january, 65 ceasefire violations have already been recorded along
the LoC.
BAT
Pakistani BATs is a brutal and barbaric arm of Pakistan Army. The BAT typically consists of five to
six Pakistan Army soldiers as well as some terrorists. Pakistan armys elite Special Services Group
(SSG) commandos may also be present in the BAT actions. BATs are specialised to conduct cross-
border raids targeting Indian troops along the LoC. They carry out actions up to a depth of 1 to 3
13
kilometres. Pakistans Special Services Group (SSG) or the black storks were among the first
batches of intruders that crossed the LoC into Kargil in 1999 that finally resulted in an armed conflict
between the two countries.
3-May-17
Madhya Pradesh becomes First State to Shift Financial Year to Jan-Dec Format
03-May-17
Madhya Pradesh has become the first state in the country to shift its financial year from the present
April-March cycle to January-December. The states budget session for the next financial year would
be held in December-January. Hence, the state government plans to finish the current budget
proceedings by December this year.
Implications
Shifting of the financial year format to January-December would require shifting of the tax
assessment year. It also necessitates changes to be made in infrastructure especially at the level of
companies.
Background
The decision of the Madhya Pradesh state government comes in the backdrop of Prime Minister
Narendra Modis suggestion of shifting the fiscal year to January-December period during NITI
Aayog governing council meeting on April 23 held at New Delhi. He had reasoned that as
agricultural income is exceedingly important, budgets need to be prepared immediately after the
receipt of agricultural incomes for the year.
Indias Current Sovereign Ratings
03-May-17
Fitch, in its latest rating review, has affirmed Indias sovereign rating at BBB-, which is the lowest
investment grade rating. Despite pressure from the government and corporate for an upgrade in the
rating, Fitch has kept its sovereign rating on India unchanged. Although Fitch acknowledged Indias
strong growth and recent economic reforms, it has a given a BBB- rating owing to the weak state of
the governments finances. According to the rating agency, Indias general government debt burden
was 67.9% of GDP whereas the BBB median is 40.9%. Also, Fitch has estimated a wide fiscal balance
of -6.6% of GDP for FY17.
Similarly, Indias long-term foreign and local-currency issuer default ratings were also fixed at BBB-.
Fitch expects a strong medium-term growth outlook as well as favourable external balances with a
weak fiscal position and difficult business environment. However, it expects the business
environment to gradually improve with the implementation of the governments structural reform
agenda.
Fitch has said that economy of the country is less developed on a number of structural metrics. In
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India, the average per capita GDP remains low at $1,714, whereas the BBB range median is $9,701.
It has also observed that the governance standards of India also remain weak as evident from the
World Bank governance indicator for India at 46th percentile when compared to the BBB median
of 58th percentile.
Analysis
An official committee of the government reviewing the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget
Management (FRBM) Act has recommended lowering of the government debt to 60% of GDP. The
finance minister in his February 2017 budget speech has recognised that India is largely a tax non-
complaint society with a low number of taxpayers. The major liabilities for the sovereign emanates
largely from public sector banks with the menace of banking sectors non-performing assets (NPAs)
continuing to linger. Fitch expects the NPAs to rise to 9.7% of total loans by the end of FY17.
Odishas Sualgiri, Swalgiri Communities Notified as Scheduled Castes
03-May-17
Sualgiri and Swalgiri communities of Odisha have been notified as Scheduled Castes after
President Pranab Mukherjee gave his assent to the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order
(Amendment) Act, 2017. Last month, Rajya Sabha had passed the bill after it was cleared by the Lok
Sabha in March. Accordingly, the Sualgiri, Swalgiri communities have been notified as Scheduled
Castes in the modified list for Odisha.
Similarly, the Constitution (Pondicherry) Scheduled Castes Order, 1964 has replaced the term
Union Territory of Pondicherry to Puducherry.
Benefits
The Constitution provides certain privileges and concessions to the members of Scheduled Castes
notified under the provisions of Article 341 of the Constitution. The Scheduled Castes status will
entitle these communities to get reservation in government jobs and admission into educational
institutions in addition to some other financial benefits. The government implements various
schemes for the benefit of the Scheduled Castes like post-matric scholarship, national overseas
scholarship, Rajiv Gandhi national fellowship, concessional loans from National Scheduled Castes
Finance and Development Corporation, provision of hostel facilities for the SC boys and girls etc.
Background
The constitution of India empowers the Parliament of India to modify the list of notified scheduled
castes, which upon receiving the assent of the President of India can be notified as Scheduled Castes.
Under the provision of Article 341, list of SCs in relation to a states/UT is to be issued by a notified
Order of the President after consulting concerned state Government. But the clause (2) of Article 341
envisages that, any subsequent inclusion in or exclusion from the list of Scheduled Castes can be
effected only through an Act of Parliament.
15
Indian Army Test-Fires Advanced Version of Brahmos Cruise Missile

03-May-17
Indian Army has successfully test-fired advanced Block-III version of Brahmos cruise missile in
the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. During the test, the Brahmos cruise missile had successfully hit
the land-based target with desired precision in a top attack configuration demonstrating its high
level and complex manoeuvring and its unmatched lethality of hitting the target with at most
precision.
Recently, on April 22, the Indian Navy had successfully carried out its first test-firing of the sea-to-
land attack version of Brahmos.
Brahmos
The Brahmos is a supersonic cruise missile developed by a joint-venture between Russias
Mashinostroyenia and Indias Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
It operates on fire and forget principal and is capable of being launched from land, sea, sub-sea and
air against sea and land targets. It is capable of carrying a warhead of 300 kilogram and has top
supersonic speed of Mach 2.8 to 3 (that is roughly three times the speed of sound). It is a two-stage
missile, the first one being solid and the second one ramjet liquid propellant.
It is hailed as the worlds fastest anti-ship cruise missile in operation. After India has become
the member of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) in 2016, India and Russia have
proposed to jointly develop a new generation of Brahmos missiles with a range of 600-km plus and
capability to strike the targets with pinpoint accuracy.
Current ICC T-20 Rankings

03-May-17
In the recently updated ICC T20 International team rankings, India has been placed at the 4th
position behind second placed England and third placed Pakistan. India has earned 118 points
whereas England and Pakistan have earned 121 points each. New-Zealand has topped the table with
125 points.
South Africa has managed to secure the fifth place followed by countries like Australia (6th), West
Indies (7th), Sri Lanka (8th), Afghanistan (9th) and Bangladesh (10th).
The rankings assume significance in the light of 2020 World T20. World T20 tournament will be
hosted by the Australia. Apart from Australia, nine other top-ranked teams as on December 31, 2018
will be automatically qualified for the tournament. The bottom eight countries will join regional
qualifiers in the 2019 World T20 Qualifier. Six countries from the qualifier will be qualified to join
the 16-team World T20 pool.
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Criteria
The present rankings did not take into account the older results between May 2013 and April 2014.
The matches played between May 2014 and April 2016 were weighted at 50% and matches played
from May 1, 2016 were weighted at 100%. Indias win of 14 matches between May 2015 and April
2016 were weighted at 100% in the previous cycle but has now been weighted at 50%.
$770 billion Worth of Black Money entered into India during 2005-2014: GFI
03-May-17
US-based think tank Global Financial Integrity (GFI) in its report titled Illicit Financial Flows to and
from Developing Countries: 2005-2014, has estimated that $770 billion worth of black money entered
India during 2005-2014. During the same time period, the think tank estimates the exit of $165
billion in illicit money out of the country. It translates into 3% of Indias total trade of $5500.744
billion between the time period 2005-2014. This is the first global study that has placed equal
emphasis on illicit outflows and inflows. As per the report, in 2014 alone, $101 billion black money
entered India while USD 23 billion exited.
The report has suggested that the governments should set up public registries of verified beneficial
ownership information on all legal entities to check the menace of black money. It has also asked all
the banks to check for the true beneficial owner of any account.
Global Financial Integrity (GFI)
GFI is a non-profit, Washington, DC-based research and advisory organization founded by
Raymond Baker in 2006 with an aim to quantify and study the flow of illegal money. In 2008, it
published its first groundbreaking economic analysis of illicit financial flows flowing out of
developing world. It has estimated that $1 trillion flows out of developing and emerging economies
every year due to crime, corruption and tax evasion. Apart from producing an analysis of illicit
financial flows, it also advises the developing countries on effective policy solutions and promotes
pragmatic transparency in the international financial system.
Worlds Highest Railway Bridge to Come up Over Chenab River
03-May-17
Worlds highest railway bridge which will be 35 metres taller than the Eiffel Tower is to come up
over the Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir at a cost of around Rs. 1,100 crore in around two
years from now. The bridge will connect Bakkal (Katra) and Kauri (Srinagar). The bridge will be a
part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link project. Once completed, the bridge will be an
engineering marvel. The project is expected to be completed by 2019. After completion of the bridge
it will surpass the record of the Beipan river Shuibai railway bridge (275 m) in China. The
bridge is expected to contribute to the economic development of the state and improve its
accessibility.
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The new railway bridge will be of an arch-shaped structure in hostile terrain. It will be constructed
using over 24,000 tonnes of steel and will rise 359 m above the river bed. Steel has been chosen as
the construction material as it would be cheap and would be able to resist temperatures of -20
degrees Celsius and wind speeds of above 250 kmph. The design of the bridge will be such that it will
be able to withstand wind speed of up to 260 kmph.
Security features
The Indian Railways is also planning to install sensors on the bridge to check the wind velocity. The
sensors will turn the track signal red to prevent the train movement if the wind speed exceeds 90
kmph.
The bridge will be constructed using a 63mm thick special blast-proof steel to make the bridge to
withstand terrorist attacks as the region is prone to frequent terror attacks. In addition, the concrete
pillars of the bridge will be designed to withstand explosions.
A ring of aerial security will be provided to safeguard the bridge. In addition, to safeguard the
passengers and train at crucial times online monitoring and warning system will be installed on the
bridge.
China to Launch its Own Encyclopaedia as a Rival to Wikipedia
03-May-17
China plans to launch its own online encyclopaedia next year rivalling Wikipedia and Britains
Encyclopaedia Britannica. The main objective of this project is to guide public thought. China fears
that its citizens who use Wikipedia are being corrupted by foreign influences. The project will be
executed under the guidance of the state-owned China Publishing Group. The project would be
developed in such a way that it serves as a symbol of Chinas cultural and technological development
and promotes its soft power and international influence.
Highlights
Unlike the Chinese version of Wikipedia, Baidu Baike which are written by volunteers, the new
project will rope in the professionals for content creation. For the compilation of the project, nearly
20,000 scholars and academics have been tasked to create more than 300,000 entries before its 2018
launch. The new project will be based on a previously printed version published in 1993. The second
edition was released in 2009. The new project will be released online before publishing the printed
version.
Background
China has an estimated 700 million internet users. According to a study conducted in 2015 by the US
think tank Freedom House, China had the most restrictive online use policies among 65 nations it
studied. It ranks below Iran and Syria. China uses a various forms of web censorship called as The
Great Firewall to protect its national security. Chinese residents cannot even use Facebook and
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Twitter. In addition to the above restrictions, with effect from June 1, Chinese Internet users will be
required to provide their original names when accessing online news sources.
Apples Cash Reserve worth 2/3rd of Indias Forex Reserve
03-May-17
Apple has reported over $256 billion in cash and marketable securities. In the previous year, Apples
earnings report for the January-March quarter was $233 billion.
According to the rating agencies, the cash reserve possessed by the company is more
than Google, Microsoft and Amazons total cash. Compared to Apples $256 billion, Microsoft has
$126 billion, Alphabet has $92 billion, Amazon has $22 billion and Facebooks quarter one earnings
stood at $29.45 billion.
The reported cash reserve is more than that of the big companies in the world like Verizon, Oracle,
Walmart, and Visa among others.
Interestingly, Apples cash reserve is 70% more than that of Indias foreign exchange reserve. As on
April 28, Indias Foreign Exchange Reserves is equivalent to $371.13 billion. In addition, according
to Wall Street Journal, Apple has more cash than the foreign reserves of the United Kingdom and
Canada combined.
However, Apple has reported a huge debt of $88 billion. Experts predict that Apple might spend the
cash to acquire entities like Tesla Motors, or Netflix or Walt Disney, and to other activities like
paying off its debts, more R&D, advertising, constructing a plant in the US, compete with Amazon
and Microsoft in cloud computing among others.
4-May-17
Vijayawada Airport becomes International Airport
04-May-17
The Union Cabinet has granted international airport status for the Vijayawada Airport. The
approval was given as per provisions of Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014. The decision was
taken as the airport is witnessing significant growth in passenger traffic and also to cater to the
demands made by airlines as well as the Andhra Pradesh government. The airport is currently
undergoing infrastructural upgradations and improvement in facilities for international operations.
The upgradation works are being carried out by the Airports Authority of India.
Significance
The international status accorded to the airport will help in boosting the domestic and international
tourism besides promoting socio-economic development. It will also improve connectivity to the
capital of Andhra Pradesh.
Vijayawada
Vijayawada is metropolitan city situated on the banks of the River Krishna in Andhra Pradesh. The
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city forms a part of Andhra Pradesh Capital Region and the hosts the headquarters of Andhra
Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority. The city is one of the major trading and business
centres of the state and hence called as The Business Capital of Andhra Pradesh.
Union Cabinet Clears New National Steel Policy
04-May-17
The Union Cabinet has given its approval for National Steel Policy (NSP) 2017 to give impetus to the
steel sector. The policy aims to enhance domestic steel consumption and transform Indian steel
industry into a technologically advanced and globally competitive steel industry. The new policy
favours the domestic manufacturers.
Key features
Policy aims to create self-sufficiency in steel production by providing policy support and
guidance to private manufacturers, MSME steel producers, CPSEs
Encourages adequate capacity additions and promote the development of globally competitive
steel manufacturing capabilities.
Facilitates foreign investment and aims to enhance the domestic steel demand.
Promote cost-efficient production.
Aims to ensure the domestic availability of iron ore, coking coal & natural gas and other raw
materials at competitive prices.
Salient Highlights
The policy envisages the achievement of crude steel capacity of 300 million tonnes (MT),
production of 255 million tonnes (MT) and a robust finished steel per capita consumption of
158 Kgs by 2030 31. At present the current consumption is 61kgs.
The policy aims to meet the entire demand of high-grade automotive steel, electrical steel,
special steels and alloys for strategic applications through adequate local production.
It aims to increase domestic availability of washed coking coal in order to reduce import
dependence on coking coal from about 85% to around 65% by 2030-31.
All the government tenders would give preference to domestically manufactured iron and
steel products. The domestic manufacturers who import raw materials or intermediate
products will be able to claim the benefits of the domestic procurement provision if they add
a minimum of 15% value to the product.
R&D in the steel sector would be carried out through the establishment of Steel Research and
Technology Mission of India (SRTMI).
Background
India is the third largest producer of steel globally. The steel sector is contributing to about 2% of
the countrys GDP. India had produced 100 Million Tonnes (MT) of steel in 2016-17. Though the
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National Steel Policy 2005 charted out a roadmap for the sustained and efficient growth of the Indian
steel industry, the recent changes in the economic order calls for a new national policy.
Banganapalle Mango of Andhra Pradesh gets GI Tag
04-May-17
The Registrar of Geographical Indications Registry, Chennai, has accorded GI Tag for the much
famed Banganapalle Mango of Andhra Pradesh. Henceforth, Andhra Pradesh government will be the
registered proprietor of the GI tag for Banganapalle mangoes.
GI Tag
A GI tag specifies that the product comes from a specific region. Geographical Indications of Goods are
defined as that aspect of industrial property which refers to the geographical indication referring to a
country or to a place situated therein as being the country or place of origin of that product.
Typically, such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness.
Under Articles 1 (2) and 10 of the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property, geographical
indications are covered as an element of IPRs. They are also covered under Articles 22 to 24 of the
Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement.
A Geographical Indications Registry with all India jurisdiction operates in Chennai, as per the
Geographical Indication of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act 1999.
Banganapalle Mango
Banganapalle mango is known for its sweetness and is known as the King of fruits. Banganapalle
mangoes can retain their quality under cold storage even up to three months and have been growing
in Andhra Pradesh for over 100 years. The primary centre of origin of the fruit is Kurnool district.
Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra are the secondary centres of origin. Khammam, Mahabubnagar,
Rangareddy, Medak and Adilabad districts in Telangana also form as secondary centres of origin.
India exports around 5,500 tonnes of Banganappalle variety of mangoes to countries like the US and
UK.
Swachh Sarvekshan-2017: Indore is the Cleanest City
04-May-17
Union Urban Development Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu has announced the Cleanest Cities in the
Country and the fastest moving cities on sanitation ladder under Swachh Sarvekshan-2017.
Indore has been adjudged as the cleanest city in India while Gonda in Uttar Pradesh has been
ranked as the dirtiest city among surveyed. In total, 434 cities and towns with a population of one
lakh and above were surveyed. Last year survey had surveyed only 73 cities with a population of 10
lakh and above.
Cities and towns in West Bengal did not take part in the survey as the Mamata Banerjee government
did not participate in the Swachh Survekshan.
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Criteria
The criteria for selecting the cities for ranking for this year included 45% marks for cities becoming
open defecation-free; solid waste management like sweeping, collection, transportation and
processing of garbage; education and capacity building. 25% marks were given for field inspection
and another 30% marks were given for citizen feedback. In total, feedback from at least 18 lakh
citizens across the surveyed cities about the sanitation were received.
Best Performing Cities
The top ten highly ranked cities are: Indore (1st), Bhopal (2nd), Visakhapatnam (3rd), Surat (4th), Mysuru
(5th), Tiruchirapally of Tamil Nadu (6th), New Delhi Municipal Council (7th), Navi Mumbai (8th), Tirupati of
Andhra Pradesh (9th), Vadodara (10th).
Overall, Jharkhand and Chattisgarh have emerged as the best performing states in Swachh
Survekshan, 2017. States like Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh have performed well in
sanitation rankings
Worst Performing Cities
As per the survey, four among the dirtiest cities are from UP, two each from Bihar and Punjab and
one each from Uttarakhand and Maharashtra. Overall, UP and Bihar remains the biggest concerns.
In UP, 50 of the 62 cities/towns surveyed have been ranked beyond 305. In Bihar, 19 of 27
cities/towns surveyed have been ranked beyond 300.
The worst performing cities are: Gonda of Uttar Pradesh (434th), Bhusawal of Maharashtra (433rd), Bagaha
of Bihar (432nd), Hardoi of Uttar Pradesh (431st), Katihar of Bihar (430th), Bahraich of Uttar Pradesh (429th),
Muktsar of Punjab (428th), Abohar of Punjab (427th), Shahjahanpur of Uttar Pradesh (426th), Khurja of Uttar
Pradesh (425th).
Agni-II Ballistic Missile Test Fired Successfully
04-May-17
India has successfully carried out a fresh user trial of Agni-II ballistic missile from a defence test
facility in the Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha.
The objective of the test was to re-establish the operational effectiveness of the weapon system.
Agni-II Ballistic Missile
Agni-II missile is a nuclear-capable, surface-to-surface missile which forms a part of Indias
strategic forces arsenal for nuclear deterrence with a range of over 2000 km. It can carry a payload of
1000kg. It is equipped with an advanced high accuracy navigation system and guided by a novel
state-of-the-art command and control system. It is powered by a solid rocket propellant system and
already been inducted into the army.
Agni-II weighs 17 tonnes and the range of the missile can be increased to 3000 km by reducing the
payload. It can be fired from both rail and road mobile launchers and it takes only 15 minutes for the
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missile to be readied for firing. The Agni-II missile being developed by the Defence Research and
Development Organization (DRDO) is one of the sophisticated weapons that can act as a deterrent
against nuclear-armed neighbours.
Abdul Kalam Island
To inspire youngsters to work dedicatedly for the scientific research, the state government of Odisha
has renamed the Wheeler Island in Bhadrak district as Abdul Kalam Island as a humble tribute to
former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam. Prior to the renaming, the island was named after an English
commandant Lieutenant Wheeler.
Union Cabinet clears Ordinance to tackle Bad Loans

04-May-17
The Union Cabinet has cleared an ordinance that seeks to amend the Banking Regulation Act to give
more powers to Reserve Bank of India to deal with non-performing assets (NPAs) in the banking
sector. The ordinance has been sent to the President for assent.
Amendments will empower RBI to act against loan defaulters and defaulting companies under the
bankruptcy code. Amendments will enable RBI to set up multiple oversight committees to deal with
NPAs. Amendments will be made to make sure that bankers opting for resolution of bad debts are
ring-fenced from any regulatory backlash.
Significance
The ordinance would empower RBI to speed up the NPA resolution process. The NPAs would be
resolved faster as the bankruptcy code provides for a time-bound winding up of companies and
recovery of secured loans. The RBI and the government have already made ready a list of 50 top loan
defaulters against whom action can be initiated. Those corporate borrowers who have diverted loans
taken for specific purposes are expected to be first brought under the scanner.
Background
The assets of the banks which dont perform (that is dont bring any return) are called Non
Performing Assets (NPA) or bad loans. If customers dont pay either interest or part of principal or
both, the loan turns into bad loan. According to RBI, terms loans on which interest or instalment of
principal remains overdue for a period of more than 90 days from the end of a particular quarter are
termed as a Non-performing Asset.
The menace of NPAs has been rising in the banking sector. As per the finance ministry data, the
gross NPAs of the Scheduled commercial banks is Rs 9.64 lakh crore as on December 31, 2016. The
menace of NPAs is more in State-owned banks than in the Private banks. It has been estimated that
the state-owned banks had written off Rs 1.14 lakh crore of bad loans between 2013 and 2015. The
gross NPAs of the private sector banks have also increased to Rs 70,321 crore by December 31, 2016,
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from Rs 48,380 crore as on March 31, 2016.

India Ranked 100th in FIFA Rankings
04-May-17
As per the updated FIFA world football rankings, the Indian national football has managed to secure
a 100th spot and entered into the top 100 of FIFA rankings. This is the first time in 21 years that
India has been ranked into top 100. India has been placed 100th alongside Nicaragua, Lithuania and
Estonia with a total of 331 points.
India had ranked 101st in the FIFA rankings for April. The team climbed one spot up owing to the
recent wins over Cambodia and Myanmar. The current ranking is a 72-place jump from being 173rd
in March 2015. In 1996, India managed to secure the 94th spot. Till date, it remains the countrys best
ever FIFA ranking.
FIFA Rankings
The FIFA World Rankings ranks the mens national teams in association football. The rankings were
first introduced in 1992. The teams are ranked based on their game results of all FIFA-recognised full
international matches. The teams are ranked based on its performance over the last four years.
The rankings are currently led by Brazil. The teams like
Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain have also held top
positions previously.
Nifty at New Peak, BSE Sensex ends Above 30,000

04-May-17
The 50-share NSE Nifty spurted 47.95 points to end at a lifetime high of 9,359.90. Its previous
record closing was 9,351.85 achieved on April 26. Similarly, the BSE Sensex has ended above the
30,000-mark. The upbeat performance of market benchmark Nifty and BSE Sensex is to be seen at
the backdrop of reform steps taken by the government in banking and infra space. With
governments decision to bring an ordinance in the banking sector to empower RBI, banking stocks
surged up to 9%. Sentiments also remained upbeat following governments decision to boost steel
output and consumption as well as following strong earnings by the biggest private lender ICICI
Bank. The positive sentiments were also due to the decision of US Federal Reserve to keep its policy
rate unchanged.
The BSE Sensex closed at 30,126.21 which is its highest level since April 26 when it closed at a record
high of 30,133.35. Also, the Bank Nifty closed at an all-time high of 22,720.10 after registering an
intra-day record peak of 22,743.70.
On the macro front, as per the Nikkei India Services Purchasing Managers Index (PMI), services
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sector registered growth for the third straight month in April. However, the pace of growth got
slowed down due to slower rise in new business and employment.
Stock Market Index
A share market Index shows how a specified portfolio of share prices is moving in order to give an
indication of market trends. It is a basket of securities and the average price movement of the basket
of securities indicates the index movement, whether upwards or downwards. BSE Sensex is one
index. The BSE SENSEX is a free-float market capitalization weighted stock market index of 30 well-
established and financially sound companies listed on Bombay Stock Exchange.
5-May-17
Fact Box: SAMPADA Scheme
05-May-17
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved re-structuring the schemes of the
Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) under new Central Sector Scheme called as
SAMPADA (Scheme for Agro-Marine Processing and Development of Agro-Processing Clusters)
for the time period 2016-20.
Salient Highlights
SAMPADA is an umbrella scheme incorporating ongoing schemes of the Ministry of Food
Processing Industries (MoFPI) such as Mega Food Parks, Integrated Cold Chain and Value Addition
Infrastructure, Food Safety and Quality Assurance Infrastructure, etc. It will also incorporate the new
schemes like Infrastructure for Agro-processing Clusters, Creation of Backward and Forward
Linkages, as well as Creation / Expansion of Food Processing & Preservation Capacities.
SAMPADA with an allocation of Rs. 6,000 crore is expected to benefit 20 lakh farmers and generate
5,30,500 direct and indirect employment opportunities in the country by the year 2019-20.
The objective of SAMPADA is to supplement agriculture, modernize processing of agri products
and decrease their wastage.
Significance
The new umbrella scheme gives renewed thrust to the food processing sector in the country. It aims
to develop modern infrastructure to facilitate entrepreneurs to set up food processing units based on
cluster approach and provide effective and seamless backward and forward integration for processed
food industry. It proposes to achieve this by plugging gaps in supply chain and development of
infrastructure facilities for processing and preservation and modernization of existing food
processing units. As a result, SAMAPADA will result in the creation of modern infrastructure
coupled with efficient supply chain management from farm gate to a retail outlet. It would provide
better prices to farmers and would help in doubling their incomes. Implementation of the scheme
will result in creating huge employment opportunities, especially in rural areas. From the perspective
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of the consumer, it would promote the availability of safe and convenient processed foods at an
affordable price.
Other initiatives to boost Food Processing industry
The government has allowed 100% FDI in trading including through e-commerce with
respect to food products manufactured and produced in India.
The Governments has created a Special Fund of Rs. 2000 crore in NABARD to provide credit
at the concessional rate of interest to designated food parks and agro-processing units in the
designated food parks.
Food and agrobased processing units and cold chain infrastructure have been placed under
the ambit of Priority Sector Lending (PSL).
Russia, Turkey and Iran Sign Deal on Safe Zones in Syria
05-May-17
Russia and Iran which are allies of the Syrian regime as well as the rebel supporter Turkey signed a
Russia-backed plan for creating safe zones in Syria. The pact which was signed in the Kazakh capital
Astana was meant to halt fighting in the war-torn Syria. However, the Syrian government and rebel
delegations were not signatories to the agreement. Russia-backed plan to create safe zones in Syria is
targeted at further pacification and cessation of hostilities and a halt in fighting in the zones.
Salient Highlights
As per the plan, the zones were set to remain in place for six months. The time period could
eventually be extended. The zones would cover the whole of Idlib province, portions of the Latakia,
Aleppo, Hama and Homs provinces, parts of the Deraa and Quneitra provinces, as well as the Ghouta
suburb of Damascus.
As per the memorandum, there will be a halt in the usage of all categories of arms among
belligerents, including aerial weapons.
The major objective of the memorandum is to halt the violence and facilitate conditions for the safe,
voluntary return of refugees as well as to provide rapid and uninterrupted delivery of relief supplies
and medical aid.
However, the ways to monitor and police the safe zones are not clearly spelt out. Russia has stated
that ways to monitor the zones would be an issue for separate talks.
Background
Russia-backed plan has to be viewed at the backdrop of US President Donald Trumps call for the
establishment of safe zones in Syria.
The Syrian conflict is six years old. It has been estimated that more than 320,000 people have been
killed in Syria since the war began with anti-government protests in March 2011.
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Draft Rules for No Fly List for Banning Unruly Passengers Unveiled
05-May-17
The government has released draft rules for a no-fly list for banning unruly passengers. The
Ministry of Civil Aviation had set up a committee to come up with the final draft of the new set of
rules. The new rules would be opened for public comments for a period of one month. After
receiving comments, the civil aviation ministry would study the comments and then will release the
final Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR).
Salient Highlights
The government has come up with three levels of disruptions for flyers:
Level 1
Disruptive behaviour such as physical gestures. The unruly passenger would be suspended from
flying for a time period of three months.
Level 2
Physically abusive behaviour and sexual harassment. The passenger would be suspended from flying
for a time period of six months.
Level 3
Murderous assault or life-threatening behaviour as well as causing damage to aircraft operating
systems would invite suspension from flying for a time period of 2 years or more.
The above punishments would be applicable to the domestic carriers but the international airlines
can also make use of these inputs if they want to.
Background
The draft rules come at the backdrop of an assault of Air India employee by Shiv Sena MP Ravindra
Gaikwad in March. The existing Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) specify the steps that need to
be taken to deal with unruly passengers. However, those rules are silent about the creation of a no-fly
list. So, the existing Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) are being amended by the Directorate
General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
In the year 2015 alone, around 10,854 incidents of unruly behaviour by passengers have been
reported worldwide.
Chiefs for Coffee and Tea Boards Appointed
05-May-17
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointments of Prabhat Kamal
Bezboruah and M S Boje Gowda as chairmen of the Tea Board and the Coffee Board, respectively.
Prabhat Kamal Bezboruah is a leading tea association industrialist who was once a banker in the US.
Bezboruah is also the current head of the Tea Research Association (TRA) and has previously served
as the chairman of Assam Tea Planters Association.
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Bezboruah will be the first non-IAS to head the Tea Board of India. Bezboruahs tenure will last
until November 1, 2018. As per the recently released gazette notification of the Union government,
all agricultural boards under the ministry of commerce will be headed by a non-IAS and industry
person. However, the post of vice-chairman will be filled by an IAS officer.
The Tea Board of India headquartered in Kolkata is largely entrusted with regulating tea cultivation
and export of tea. The tea industry is plagued with the higher cost of production, social
responsibilities, labour problems and wage woes.
Gowda is a renowned coffee grower and will be in the post until December 14, 2018. The Bengaluru-
based Coffee Board works for promoting the interest of the coffee growers of the country.
Indias First Private Sector Small Arms Manufacturing Plant Inaugurated
05-May-17
Indias first private sector small arms manufacturing plant has been inaugurated in Madhya Pradesh
to supply world class weapons to the armed forces in line with the Indias defence indigenisation
programme.
The plant is a joint venture between Indias Punj Lloyd and Israel Weapon Systems. The plant will
manufacture four products, namely, X95 carbine and assault rifle, Galil sniper rifle, Tavor assault
rifle and Negev Light Machine Gun (LMG).
The joint venture company named as Punj Lloyd Raksha Systems will help in replacing the weapons
used by the armed forces with sophisticated and high precision products.
Background
The plant has been commissioned ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modis upcoming visit to Israel
during which many more defence pacts are expected to be signed.
India is the largest buyer of Israels military hardware. Over the last few years, India has bought
various weapon systems, missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles from Israel. Israel currently is the
fourth-largest arms supplier to India after the US, Russia and France. Prime Minister Narendra
Modis impending visit to Israel in July 2017 is expected to tighten the bilateral strategic partnership
between both countries.
India had formally recognised Israel in September 1950. Embassies were opened in 1992 after full
diplomatic relations were established. Since the upgradation of relations in 1992, defence and
agriculture have been the main pillars of bilateral engagement. However, in recent years, bilateral
ties have expanded to areas such as education, science and technology and homeland security.
Facebook Launches Express Wi-Fi in India
05-May-17
Facebook has launched its Express Wi-Fi commercially in India and the service is now available via
700 hotspots across four states of Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Meghalaya.
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Express Wi-Fi is a part of Facebooks global initiative to expand internet connectivity.
For the expansion of service, Facebook has announced a partnership with Bharti Airtel for setting up
an additional 20,000 hotspots covering millions of Indians over the next few months. Apart from
India, Express Wi-Fi services are currently active in Indonesia, Kenya, Nigeria, and Tanzania.
Salient Features
Express Wi-Fi services will complement mobile data offerings by providing a low-cost, high
bandwidth service allowing users to get online for accessing apps, downloading contents amongst
other things at affordable rates.
Anyone will be able to access the Express Wi-Fi network by signing up with an Express Wi-Fi
retailer and purchasing a daily, weekly or monthly data pack. They will then be allowed to start
browsing by connecting to the Express Wi-Fi hotspot.
Biggest Combing Operation in 15 years conducted in South Kashmir
05-May-17
The Army, security forces and police had launched a massive cordon and combing operation in south
Kashmirs Shopian district following the recent militant attacks on policemen and banking facilities.
This is the first time in 15 years that the combing operation of this magnitude has been conducted
by the security forces.
The major objective behind the combing operation is to bring the situation in the Kashmir Valley
under control. It is also aimed at exerting pressure on militants and force them to move out of their
comfort zone. The environment of the Shopian district with ravines and orchards offers ideal
hideouts for militants.
The operation was carried out by 4000 personnel including four battalions of Rashtriya Rifles, eight
companies of CRPF, and five platoons of J&K police and the Indian Reserve Police. The security
personnel using Mine Protected Vehicles (MPVs) and Bullet Proof Rakshaks and moved into 20
villages and laid a cordon in an area of 10kmx10km. House-to-house searches were carried out in
certain villages like Sugan, Turkwangam, Heff and Shirmal, from where many youths suspected to
have joined militant ranks. Army estimates the presence of around 100 active militants in south
Kashmir.
The security forces made use of area domination and sweep operations in the 1990s. During those
times, such operations were commonly conducted by the Indian Army. Later, following the
complaints of discomfort caused to the local population, the Army switched to specific intelligence-
based operations involving small teams.
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6-May-17
India launches South-Asia satellite
06-May-17
The South Asia satellite for use by countries of the South Asian Association for Regional
Cooperation (SAARC) region has been launched on May 5. The Prime Minister Narendra Modi has
hailed the satellite as an invaluable gift of India to South Asia and has further stated that the satellite
will go a long way in addressing South Asias economic and developmental priorities. During the
2014 SAARC summit that held in Nepal, the plan for the satellite was announced and subsequently
all SAARC countries have joined it except Pakistan. Hence, the beneficiaries of the satellite will be
Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and Maldives.
The total cost of launching the satellite (around Rs 235 crore) would be met by the Government of
India.
Salient features
The 2,230 kg satellite called GSAT-09 has been built by the Indian Space Research Organisation
(ISRO). It is cuboid in shape and is built around a central cylinder. It has 12 Ku-band transponders.
The satellite was launched from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota using a Geostationary
Launch Vehicle (GSLV) Mk-II launch vehicle. It will have a mission life of over 12 years. The launch
vehicle, GSLV-F09 is about 50m tall and is the 11th flight of the GSLV. Also, the launch is GSLVs
fourth consecutive flight with the indigenous Cryogenic Upper Stage (CUS) engine.
Significance
The satellite will provide a full range of applications and services in the fields of telecommunication
and broadcasting applications, namely, Television, Direct-to-Home (DTH), Very Small Aperture
Terminals (VSATs), Tele-education, Telemedicine and Disaster Management Support.
Each of the participating countries would be able to use a dedicated transponder with a capacity of 36
to 54 Mhz for its own internal use. The participating countries would be made responsible for the
content generation and its use.
Forex Reserves Touch Life Time High of $372.73 billion
06-May-17
According to the Reserve Bank of Indias weekly statistical supplement, Indias foreign exchange
(Forex) reserves have increased by $1.594 billion to touch a lifetime high of $372.73 billion in the
week that ended on April 28. The increase was due to increase in foreign currency assets (FCAs),
The reserves had increased by $1.250 billion to $371.14 billion in the previous week.
Components
The components of Indias Foreign Exchange Reserves include:
Foreign currency assets (FCAs)
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Gold
Special Drawing Rights (SDRs)
RBIs Reserve position with International Monetary Fund (IMF)
FCAs constitute the largest component of the Forex Reserves. FCA surged $1.569 billion to
$349.055 billion in the reporting week. FCAs consist of US dollar and other major non-US global
currencies. It also comprises of investments in US Treasury bonds, bonds of other selected
governments, deposits with foreign central and commercial banks. FCAs include with them the
effects of appreciation or depreciation of non-US currencies like the euro, pound, and the yen and is
expressed in terms of dollars.
The gold reserves stand at $19.869 billion. SDRs value has increased $8.5 million to reach $1.460
billion. RBIs reserve position with the IMF also increased by $15.8 million to reach $2.347 billion.
Assam declared as Disturbed Area Under AFSPA for 3 More Months

06-May-17
The government has declared the entire Assam as a disturbed area under the Armed Forces (Special
Powers) Act for another 3 months. As per the notification, the entire Assam besides bordering areas
of Meghalaya has been declared as Disturbed Areas. In addition, the government has placed three
districts of Arunachal Pradesh, namely, Tirap, Changlang and Longding and other areas falling under
16 police stations bordering Assam as disturbed area under the AFSPA.
The government has cited various violent activities carried out by certain insurgent groups like
ULFA, NDFB and others as a reason behind the extension of AFSPA. In Assam, 75 incidents of
violence have been reported in 2016 and 9 in 2017. The Assam has been placed under AFSPA since
November 1990. The AFSPA has been under force in the three Arunachal Pradesh districts since
January 2016.
AFSPA
Armed Forces (Special Powers) Acts is collective name of several acts passed by Indian parliament for
providing special powers to the Indian Armed Forces and to provide army officers and jawans legal
immunity for their actions in disturbed areas.
Governor of the State and Central Government are empowered to declare any part or full of any
state as disturbed area if it is in their opinion that it is necessary to prevent terrorist activity or any
such activity that might disrupt the sovereignty of India or cause insult to the national flag, anthem
or Indias Constitution. Section 4 of the act gives special powers to army officers in disturbed area to
shoot (even if it kills) any individual who violates law / or is suspected of violating law (this includes
assembly of five or more people, carrying of weapons) etc. The only condition is that the officer has
31
to give warning before opening fire.

Kashmir based Saqib Majeed has bagged 2016 Wisden-MCC Cricket Photograph
of the Year Award
06-May-17
Kashmir based freelance photographer has bagged prestigious 2016 Wisden-MCC (Melbourne
Cricket Council) Cricket Photograph of the Year for capturing a stunning image of boys playing
cricket at the Nishat garden in the outskirts of Srinagar. With this Saqib Majeed has become the first
Kashmiri and second Asian after Atul Kamble to receive the prestigious award.
Saqib Majeed is an engineer by profession. Every year MCC publishes a book with a title Wisden
Cricketer Almanack that includes best sports pictures that were taken across the globe. This years
edition of the book will also feature Majeeds picture.
Wisden Cricketer Almanack is a cricket reference book published annually by the MCC
in the United Kingdom. The book is hailed as the worlds most famous sports reference
book.
RBI tightens Rules for JLFs

06-May-17
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has tightened the rules around making the Joint Lenders Forum
(JLF) more effective, directing banks not to break any rules and to meet all deadlines. The RBI has
said that any breach of rules would attract a monetary penalty.
JLFs are meetings held to revitalise stressed assets. In JLF banks attempt to red-ag
stress early and check them by putting in place a corrective action plan (CAP).
Need
JLFs inefficiency basically stems out from the disagreements between lenders.The entire model of
JLF is based on the premise that collective action of banks against a borrower for recovery. However,
in reality, different lenders have different levels of comfort or discomfort, based on the exposure,
collateral, etc. Many lenders have also complained about the lack of transparency in JLF.
Salient Highlights
As per the new norms, RBI has lowered the threshold needed for implementing the corrective action
plan (CAP). Now, the decisions agreed to by a minimum of 60% of creditors by value and 50% of
creditors would now be valid to implement the CAP.
Once a decision is reached by the JLF, it would be binding on all other lenders and they must
implement it without any additional conditionalities. However, if a lender wants to exit by exercising
the substitution option but failed to exit within the given time, it has to go along with the decision
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taken.
RBI has asked all banks to ensure their representatives on the JLF to be armed with appropriate
mandates. It has also asked the executives to take an unambiguous and unconditional stand and vote
accordingly. As per the new norms, the executives after taking the decision should be suitably
empowered to implement them without necessitating any board approvals.
The CAP can include resolution through the flexible structuring of project loans, change in
ownership under strategic debt restructuring or scheme of the sustainable structuring of stressed
assets.
Fact Box: THAAD
06-May-17
The US Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-missile system is operational in South
Korea to guard against missile threats emanating from North Korea. South Korea is concerned about
the nuclear threat posed by the North Korea especially after the accession of Kim Jong-un as the
supreme leader of North Korea in 2012. However, China and North Korea have continually called
the deployment of THAAD in South Korea as an act of aggression.
Salient Features
THAAD, is a missile defence system capable of intercepting and destroying short and medium-
range ballistic missiles in their final flight phase. Each THAAD system consists of interceptors,
launchers, a radar, a fire control unit and support equipment. Its role is to simply track and destroy
missiles.
First, by using radar threats will be identified by those manning the system, who will then fire a
projectile from a truck called the interceptor to intercept the incoming missiles. The interceptor by
using its kinetic energy destroys the incoming ballistic missile. Hence it is considered safer as it does
not make use of warheads to destroy missiles.
The THAAD is highly mobile and can be deployed worldwide. It is also interoperable with other
ballistic missile defense systems. Hence, it will provide the critical capability to defend against short
and medium ranged ballistic missiles. It can intercept missiles inside and outside the atmosphere.
The THAAD system in many ways is similar to Israels missile defence system called Iron Dome,
which is in operation since 2011. Iron Dome helps Israel to prevent Gaza attacking Israels urban and
highly sensitive areas. Iron Dome has a much shorter detection range than THAAD and serves the
purpose of intercepting short and medium range missiles.
Heads of 7 PSU Banks Appointed
06-May-17
In a major restructuring in the banking sector, Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC),
headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi appointed heads of seven public sector banks besides
33
shifting managing directors of PNB and Bank of India.

PNB Managing Director (MD) Usha Ananthasubramanian has been appointed as the head of
Kolkata-based Allahabad Bank.
Melwyn Rego of Bank of India will head the Syndicate Bank.
Rajkiran Rai G, currently executive director of Oriental Bank of Commerce will head Union Bank of
India as its MD and CEO for a period of three years.
R Subramaniakumar, currently executive director of Indian Overseas Bank, has been made as its MD
and CEO.
Sunil Mehta, currently the executive director of Corporation Bank will head the PNB in place of
Usha Ananthasubramanian.
The executive director of Canara Bank Dinabandhu Mohapatra will be the MD and CEO of Bank of
India.
R A Sankara Narayanan, currently executive director of BoI will be the MD and CEO of Vijaya Bank.
Reason
Non-performance of the public sector banks in tackling the menace of non-performing assets
(NPAs) is said to be the reason behind the major restructuring of the public sector banks.
Bad loans of public sector banks (PSBs) surged by over Rs 1 lakh crore to reach Rs 6.06 lakh crore
during April-December of 2016-17. The bulk of the NPAs have emanated from the power, steel,
road infrastructure and textile sectors.
Last month, NPA-laden IDBI Banks head Kishor P Kharat was shifted to Indian Bank and the Indian
Banks Mahesh Kumar Jain was shifted to IDBI Bank.
Chinas C919 Passenger Jet completed its Maiden Flight
06-May-17
Chinas home-grown C919 passenger jet has completed its maiden flight. Chinas C919 is a symbol of
Chinas ambitions to take market share from Boeing and Airbus in the lucrative global jet market
estimated to be worth $2 trillion over the next two decades. It is a part of Chinas broader Made in
China 2025 plan aimed at boosting its domestic high-tech manufacturing.
As a part of its maiden flight, C919 passenger jet undertook an 80-minute flight flying over the
Yangtze River delta and touched down at Shanghais international airport.
C919
C919 is a made by state-owned Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC). The aircraft
can carry 158-168 passengers. The aircraft was conceived in 2008. The aircraft has been built relying
on overseas technology firms including General Electric, Frances Safran, Honeywell International
Inc and United Technologies Corp subsidiary UTC Aerospace Systems. Chinas Eastern Airlines has
placed 570 orders from 23 customers.
34
Issues
C-919 will require years of tests to get certified in China, as well as in the United States and Europe.
This will take years from first flight to commercial usage. For instance, Chinas first home-made jet,
the regional ARJ-21, received its certification six years after its first flight. In addition without the
certification by European and U.S. regulators, it cannot sell the jet in those countries that accept its
certification standards. Hence, it would be difficult for the COMAC and its partner United Aircraft
Corp to sell the jet in a global market dominated by Boeing and Airbus. Boeing has 100 years of
experience in the aviation market while the Airbus has over 40 years experience.
Justice Leila Seth: First Woman Chief Justice of a State High Court Passed Away
06-May-17
Justice Leila Seth who became the first woman Chief Justice of a State High Court has passed away at
the age of 86. She has also received the distinction of becoming the first woman to top the London
Bar exam as well as the becoming the first female judge of the Delhi High Court. Leila Seth is the
mother of the noted author Vikram Seth.
Justice Leila Seth began her career in 1959 as an advocate in the Calcutta high court as well as in the
Supreme Court. Justice Leila Seth had been on the panel of lawyers for the Bihar and the West
Bengal government. Justice Leila Seth was made as a permanent judge of the Delhi High Court in
1980. In 1991, she was made as the Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh high court.
Justice Leila Seth had also served as member of the 15th Law Commission of India (1997 to 2000).
She was also member of the Justice JS Verma committee which was mandated to take a relook at the
criminal laws after the December 16 gang rape incident. The committees work resulted in the
Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2013, that widened the definition of rape and made the
punishment more stringent.
Justice Leila Seth has also written a number of books, namely, an autobiography, titled On Balance,
We, the Children of India (2010), Talking of Justice: Peoples Rights in Modern India (2014).
Indian Origin Scientists Elected Fellows of UK Royal Society
06-May-17
Three Indian Scientist have been elected as the Fellows of The Royal Society, a premier scientific
academy of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth, for their outstanding contributions to
science. Eminent scientists, engineers and technologists from or living and working in the UK and
the Commonwealth are elected every year as the Fellows of The Royal Society.
Krishna Chatterjee from Cambridge University has been recognised for his discoveries of genetic
disorders of thyroid gland formation, regulation of hormone synthesis and hormone action. He was
responsible for the development of Clinical Research Facilities at the University of Cambridge.
Subhash Khot from New York University is a theoretical computer scientist who is known for his
35
definition of the Unique Games problem. He has been credited for throwing insight into
unresolved problems in the field of computational complexity.
Yadvinder Malhi from Oxford University is an ecosystem ecologist who is recognised for his
works on understanding the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems and its response to the pressures of
global change, including climate change, degradation and loss of large animals.
The Royal Society
The Royal Society is a self-governing fellowship society of the worlds most distinguished scientists
drawn from all areas of science, medicine and engineering. It is worlds oldest scientific academy in
continuous existence and was established in 1660. Its mission is to recognise, support and promote
excellence in science and to encourage the development and use of science for the benefit of
humanity. The Royal Society elects new Fellows and Foreign Members every year who have made
substantial contribution to the improvement of natural knowledge, including engineering science,
mathematics and medical science. Since its foundation, about 8,000 Fellows have been elected. First
Indian fellow to get elected was Ardaseer Cursetjee, an engineer, in 1841 and the second one was
Srinivasa Ramanujan, autodidact mathematician in 1918.
7, 8-May-2017
Indias First Bio Refinery Plant inaugurated in Pune
08-May-17
Union Minister for Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Nitin Gadkari has inaugurated Indias
First Integrated Biorefinery for Renewable Fuels & Chemicals for producing ethanol from a variety
of biomass. The plant is situated at Rahu in Pune district of Maharashtra. The demonstration plant
has been built by Praj industries.
The inaugurated Biorefinery plant is capable of producing one million litres of ethanol per annum
by processing a variety of biomass like rice and wheat straw, cotton stalk, bagasse, cane trash, corn
cobs & stover with superior product yields.
In 2015, the Government has asked Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) to target 10 % blending of
ethanol in as many States as possible. The fuel doping programme that required blending of 5%
ethanol had started in November 2012. It was notified under the Motor Spirits Act on January 2,
2013. The Government has also allowed the OMCs to procure ethanol produced from other non-
food feedstocks, like cellulosic and lignocellulosic materials including petrochemical route.
Significance
Biofuel is costeffective and pollutionfree. Ethanol blending is the practice of blending petrol with
ethanol. Globally many countries including India, have resorted to ethanol blending to reduce
vehicle exhaust emissions
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The inauguration of the refinery paves the way for stepping up 20% ethanol blending program and
can reduce the import burden of crude petroleum.
Biofuels
Biofuels are fuels which are in some way derived from biomass. The term covers solid biomass,
liquid fuels and various biogases and also denotes Biodiesel, Bio-alcohol and bio-gasoline. Common
Biofuel Crops The most common Biofuel crops include Corn, Rapeseed/Canola, Sugarcane, Palm
Oil, Jatropha, Soyabean, Cottonseed, Sunflower seeds, Wheat, Sugarbeet, Cassava, Algae, Coconut,
Jojoba, Castor Beans etc.
India to Organise Cultural Festival in Egypt to mark Tagores 156th Birth
Anniversary
08-May-17
India will organise Tagore cultural Festival in Egypt to mark the 156th birth anniversary of
Rabindranath Tagore from May 8-12. Tagore Festival will be organised by the Maulana Azad Centre
for Indian Culture (MACIC), which is the cultural wing of the Indian Embassy in Cairo. The fest will
be organised in cooperation with the Egyptian Ministry of Culture, Cairo Opera House, Cultural
Production Sector, Dancers Guild and the Indian Community Association in Egypt. The festival will
feature a dance show, film screening, a play and painting competition. As a part of the festival, a
dance drama based on Tagores work called Chitrangada will be performed by the Kolkata-based
Dancers Guild. Chitrangada is the warrior princess in the epic, Mahabharata.
Egypts Connection
Tagore visited Egypt as a young adolescent in 1878 and later in 1926. Tagore was impressed by the
strong literary trends of Egypt. On his visit, he met King Fouad and has interacted with many
scholars in Alexandria and Cairo. He had an enduring friendship with Egyptian poet Ahmed Shawki
and wrote a moving eulogy on his death in 1932. Tagore had also written about the beautiful
relationship between the Nile River and the flourishing civilisation of Egyptians.
Rabindranath Tagore
Rabindranath Tagore was a famous Indian poet (1861-1941). He was the first non-European to
receive the Nobel Prize. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913 for his collection of
poems, Gitanjali. His poetry, novels, plays, short stories and essays are world famous and are
widely read across the world. He has contributed immensely to Bengali literature and Indias literary
heritage. Rabindranath Tagore had renounced his knighthood protesting against
the Jallianwalla Bagh Massacre. Rabindranath Tagore was the youngest son of Debendranath Tagore
who was associated with the Brahmo Samaj.
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French Election: Emmanuel Macron elected as President of France

08-May-17
Thirty-nine-year-old Emmanuel Macron has been elected as the president of France. He has become
the youngest President and occupant of the lyse Palace. He is also the first President of France
outside of that countrys two traditional main parties. Macron defeated Marine Le Pen, his far-right
opponent by securing about 19.3 million votes, while Ms Le Pen secured about 10.4 million. With
the victory, Macron is poised to become one of Europes most powerful leaders. Macron has a highly
promising agenda of political and economic reform for France and the European Union. Unlike his
opponent Marine Le Pen, who threatened to pull out of the European Union, Macron holds a
business-friendly vision of European integration. This has brought huge relief to the European
Union nations who feared that France may follow Britains steps in exiting the EU.
Emmanuel Macron was the former investment banker. He had served for two years as the French
economy minister. However, he has never held elected office so far. Emmanuel Macrons movement
called En Marche counts more than 200,000 followers.
Though defeated, his opponent Le Pens National Front (FN) has managed to secure a good
performance. Le Pen during her campaign made attacks on Islamic fundamentalism, immigration,
and propounded close ties with Russia. Her France-first policies appealed to many poorer members
of the French society.
Times Rich List 2017: Three out of Four Wealthiest in Britain are Indians
08-May-17
As per the Times Rich List 2017, three India-born citizens are among top 5 richest people in Britain.
The 29th edition of the Sunday Times Rich List released the names of UKs 1000 wealthiest people
including 40 Indian-born citizens.
Hinduja Brothers Srichand and Gopichand have topped the list to become the top of 134
billionaires in the country. The Hinduja borthers has estimated assets worth 16.2 billion pounds.
Their investments in various industries include oil and gas, automotive, IT, energy, media, banking,
property and healthcare sectors.
The Mumbai-born David and Simon Reuben has been placed at the third position in this years
list with a net estimate of approximately 14 billion pounds. The Reuben brothers made their wealth
with lucrative property deals. The Reuben brothers were holding the first place in the previous
editions list.
The famous steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal has jumped up seven spots in this editions list to reach
the fourth spot this year. His net worth is estimated to be approximately 13.23 billion pounds.
This years list features a total of 40 Indian-origin people in the rankings. The other prominent
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Indians in the list include Gujarati brothers Mohsin and Zuber Issa of Euro Garages at 133rd position
and Lord Swraj Paul, an NRI with an estimated fortune of 600 million pounds at 194th position.
Interestingly, in this years edition, there is not even a single Briton among the top 5 wealthiest
Britains.
Overall, the billionaires in the United Kingdom are far richer than before as it is held widely that the
billionaires reaped benefits from Brexit boom. The assets of UKs top 500 people and families in this
edition are much more than the last years wealthiest 1,000. However, the list compiler has stated that
the revival in the stock market to be the reason behind the growth of fortunes.
The second place in the list was allotted to the Ukrainian businessman Len Blavatnik. Duke of
Westminster, Hugh Grosevenor, has been ranked 9th with assets worth 9.52 billion pounds.
The Sunday Times Rich List is a list of the 1,000 wealthiest people updated annually in
April. It is published by British national Sunday newspaper since 1989. Apart from the
British citizens, the List also includes individuals and families born overseas who
predominantly work or live in Britain.
CRPF Command Shifted from Kolkata to Chhattisgarh

08-May-17
The strategic anti-Naxal operations command headquarters of the Central Reserve Police Force
(CRPF) has been shifted back from Kolkata to Raipur. In 2010, the central zone command
headquarters was shifted from Raipur to Kolkata owing to logistics and connectivity issues. The
recent decision comes at the backdrop of ambush in Sukma district that killed 37 jawans of the
paramilitary force.
The central zone command headquarters was raised on August 7, 2009, to carry out the deployment
of troops to the States affected by Left Wing Extremism such as West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar,
Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
CRPF
CRPF is the largest central armed police force or paramilitary force in India. It functions under the
aegis of Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). It was established in 1939, under Crown Representatives
Police but after independence, it was made statutory after enactment of the CRPF Act, 1949. Its
primary role is to assist States/Union Territories in police operations to maintain law and order and
contain the insurgency. Apart from anti-Naxal operations, CRPF personnel also carries out several
operations in situations of crisis like terrorist attacks, counter-terrorism operations, rescuing citizens
during terrorist attacks among others.
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Hollywood Actor Emma Watson bags first ever genderless award

08-May-17
Hollywood actor Emma Watson has received the first-ever Genderless Acting Award for the Best
Actor category at the MTV Movie and TV Awards. This is the first ever genderless award that
doesnt separate nominees based on their sex. The 2017 edition of the MTV Movie & TV Awards
were held on May 7, 2017, in Los Angeles, California. It was the 26th edition of the
awards. The MTV Movie & TV Awards is a film and television awards presented annually to winners
decided online by the general public.
Emma Watson is a British actress, model, and activist. She is famous for her role as Hermione
Granger in the Harry Potter film series.
India elected as President of UN-Habitat
08-May-17
India has been unanimously elected as the President of the UN-Habitat. UN-Habitat, an organ of the
United Nations Organisation (UNO) reports to the United Nations General Assembly. UN-
Habitat promotes socially and environmentally sustainable human settlements across the world.
India has been elected as the President of UN-Habitat after a gap of 10 years. This is only the third
time that India has been elected as the President of UN-Habitat after 2007 and 1988. The UN-
Habitat was established in 1978.
The Governing Council of UN-Habitat is an inter-governmental policy making and decision making
body that aims to promote integral and comprehensive approach to human settlements, assist the
countries and regions in addressing human settlement problems and strengthen cooperation
among countries over the issue of human settlement. Subsequent to the election, Union Minister of
Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation M.Venkaiah Naidu will preside over the deliberations of the
Governing Council of UN-Habitat for the next two years. Accordingly he will chair the 26th Meeting
of 58 member Governing Council of UN-Habitat in Nairobi, Kenya. The theme of the meeting is
Opportunities for effective implementation of the New Urban Agenda
He will also chair the Bureau Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Ministers Conference on Housing and
Urban Development in Nairobi. The New Urban Agenda which was adopted by the world
community at Quito, Ecuador would focus on inclusive, sustainable and adequate housing for a better
future and sustainable urbanization and integrated human settlements.
UN-Habitat
UN-Habitat, also known as United Nations Human Settlements Program is a UN agency responsible
for sustainable urban development and human settlements. It was established in 1978 and has its
headquarters in the UN Office at Nairobi, Kenya. It is mandated by the United Nations General
40
Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities with the goal of
providing adequate shelter for all. It is also a member of UNDP. UN-Habitat works in more than 70
countries in five continents focusing on seven areas: Urban Legislation, Land and Governance;
Urban Planning and Design; Urban Economy; Urban Basic Services; Housing and Slum Upgrading;
Risk Reduction and Rehabilitation; Urban Research and Capacity Development.
9-May-17
IMF: India will Grow at 7.7% in 2018-19
09-May-17
The International Monetary Fund in its regional economic outlook has predicted the growth rate of
India as 7.2% in the 2017-18 fiscal and 7.7% in 2018-19 fiscal. The report has stated that the
disruptions caused by the demonetisation would be offset by a favorable monsoon and continued
progress in resolving supply-side bottlenecks. However, it has predicted the investment recovery to
remain modest and uneven across sectors. Though weaknesses in bank and corporate balance
sheets is likely to affect the near term credit growth, the report cites confidence and policy credibility
gains and continued fiscal consolidation and anti-inflationary monetary policy to be the factors
that underpin macroeconomic stability.
According to the report, IMF has recommended the removal of long-standing structural bottlenecks
to enhance market efficiency. The report has revised the growth downward in India due to effects
from the currency exchange initiative and in South Korea due to political uncertainty.
According to the report, improving agricultural productivity in the labour-intensive agricultural
sector remains a key challenge. It has said that much more needs to be done to address structural
bottlenecks and improve market efficiency. Liberalising commodity markets as per the report will
help in infusing more flexibility in the distribution and marketing of farm produce and will enhance
the competitiveness, efficiency, and transparency in state agriculture markets. IMF has said that input
subsidies to farmers should be administered through direct cash transfers as underpricing of
agricultural inputs would have large negative impacts on agricultural output.
IMF
International Monetary Fund (IMF) was established on December 27, 1945 with stated objectives to
promote international economic cooperation, international trade, employment, and exchange rate
stability, including by making resources available to member countries to meet balance of payments
needs. Its headquarters are in Washington, D.C. The IMF works to improve the economies of its
member countries.
Home Ministry asks States to Link Prisons with Courts via Video Conferencing
09-May-17
41
The Ministry of Home Affairs has asked all the state governments to link prisons with
courts through video conferencing in order to expedite trials and to save costs of escorting undertrials
to courts. The Home Ministrys advisory to the states has been issued following a national conference
of heads of prisons in states and UTs on prison reforms.
Salient Highlights
In the conference, the state governments were advised to implement the following suggestions aimed
at having an effective prison administration system:
The states have been asked to integrate prison e-system with Crime and Criminal Tracking Network
and Systems (CCTNS) as well as e-courts on a priority basis.
At periodic intervals, combined training of prison, police, health department and judiciary on
undertrial management should be conducted.
Separate training module on deradicalisation of prisoners should also be conducted.
The states should fill the existing vacancies in all ranks of prison departments expeditiously.
The nomenclature of Prisons Department may be changed to Prisons and Correctional
Administration. As per the changed nomenclature, it should have integrated prison, correctional
and probation services.
All states should establish a welfare wing comprising welfare officers, law officers, counsellors and
probation officers, under their respective prison departments.
To ensure uniformity in prison rules and regulations, all states/UTs should revise their existing
prison manuals by adopting provisions of the model prison manual, 2016 prepared by the home
ministry.
CCTNS
The Crime and Criminal Tracking Network System (CCTNS) project was initiated in 2009 as part
of police modernisation programme under the national e-governance project. It was conceived to
bring all 16,000 police stations in India under a single network to counter terror challenges.
The core objective of CCTNS is to connect all the police stations so that any of the police stations
can contact any other police station; thereby facilitate collection, storage, retrieval, analysis and
transfer the information among police stations, state headquarters and central police organizations.
e-Courts
e-Courts is a new concept where from filing of a petition till its disposal, use of paper is restricted to
bare minimum. In a full fledged e-court, the lawyers would not need to carry bulky files but would
come to court with laptops, pen drives and would be able to file the petitions in PDF.
E-courts help in various ways such as: Help judicial administrations of the courts, streamline day-to-
day activities, assist Judicial Administration in reducing pendency of cases, provides transparency of
42
information to litigants, and provides judges access to legal and judicial databases.
Supreme Court Sentences Justice Karnan to 6 Months Imprisonment
09-May-17
A seven-judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice J S Khehar has
sentenced the Calcutta High Court judge, Justice C S Karnan to six months of imprisonment for
repeated incidents of contempt of court. This is the first time that the Supreme Court has sent a
high court judge to jail on charges of contempt. Further, the bench also comprising Justices Dipak
Misra, J Chelameswar, Ranjan Gogoi, M B Lokur, P C Ghose and Kurian Joseph has
prohibited media, both print and electronic from publishing any further orders if any passed by
Justice Karnan.
Background
The Supreme Court bench headed by chief justice of India J.S. Khehar in February issued a contempt
notice to Justice C S Karnan who had accused several judges of corruption, nepotism and
casteism. On 1 March, the Supreme Court had ordered the Calcutta government hospital to
constitute a medical board to examine the medical condition of Justice Karnan and submit a report to
the court. However, Justice Karnan refused to undergo medical tests in compliance with courts
orders. Instead, he sentenced eight judges of the Supreme Court to five years of rigorous
imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs1,00,000 each under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled
Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act of 1989 and the amended Act of 2015.
Indian American Nominated for Key Post in FERC
09-May-17
US President Donald Trump has nominated Indian-American Neil Chatterjee as a Member of
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). FERC is an agency responsible for overseeing
Americas power grid and deciding on multibillion-dollar energy projects. His term will expire on
June 30, 2021. US Senate has to confirm Chatterjee before he can be sworn in as member of Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission.
Neil Chatterjee
Neil Chatterjee is a native of Kentucky. He graduated from St Lawrence University and the
University of Cincinnati College of Law. Chatterjee has served as a principal in Government
Relations for National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. He has also served as the energy
policy advisor to US Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and was very active in passing major
energy, highway and farm legislations.
India & Japan to Strengthen Defence Cooperation
09-May-17
India and Japan has decided to strengthen their military cooperation and hopes to pursue a strategic
43
partnership for ensuring regional peace and stability. The visit of Defence minister Arun Jaitley to
Tokyo comes at the backdrop of rising tension in the region such as territorial rows over the South
China Sea and nuclear and missile threats from North Korea. The purpose of visit of Arun Jaitley to
Tokyo was to attend an annual meeting of the Asian Development Bank. India and Japan have been
increasing their defence cooperation amid Chinas increasing assertiveness in the region.
India has welcomed the conduct of a planned trilateral naval exercise among the US, India and Japan
in July as a means to strengthen cooperation in the Asia-Pacific. The Malabar trilateral
exercise between Japan, the U.S. and India are slated to be held in the Bay of Bengal from July
10. Japan would send its helicopter carrier Izumo which is its largest warship to take part in the
exercise.
The Malabar series of exercise was initiated by the U.S. and India in 1992. Japan joined
the exercise in 2007. However, only since 2014, Japan has started to take part in every
years exercise. Recently, it was agreed that Japan will become a regular Malabar
member.
SC holds Vijay Mallya Guilty of Contempt of Court

09-May-17
The Supreme Court has held UB Group chairman Vijay Mallya guilty of contempt of
court for transferring 40 million dollars to his children in violation of the courts order. The Supreme
Court has ordered Vijay Mallya who is in the United Kingdom to appear before on the 10th of July to
argue on the quantum of punishment. On July 10, the apex court will decide on the quantum of
punishment to be awarded to Vijay Mallya.
Contempt petition against Mallya was moved by a consortium of banks in July 2016 accusing Mallya
for transferring 40 million dollars which he had received from British firm Diageo to his children in
violation to various judicial pronouncements.
Background
The State Bank of India led consortium of banks is seeking to recover more than Rs9,000 crore from
Vijay Mallya. The banks accuse Mallya for wilfully disobeying the orders of the Supreme Court by
making vague and unclear disclosure of his assets.
The Supreme Court had directed Vijay Mallya twice in 2016 to disclose his assets including those
held by his family. However, Mallya fled to London in March 2016 even before banks moved the apex
court. India has initiated extradition proceedings against him.
Contempt of court is an offence punishable with a simple imprisonment for a term of

44
maximum six months or a ne of up to Rs 2000 or both.
India- Indonesia Co-Ordinated Patrol Commences

09-May-17
The 29th IndiaIndonesia CORPAT has commenced at Port Blair under the aegis of Andaman and
Nicobar Command. The bilateral exercise is scheduled to be held from 9th to 25th May. The
Indonesian Naval Ship KRI Sutedi Senoputra has arrived to take part in the 29th series of
INDINDO CORPAT. An Indonesian Maritime Patrol Aircraft has also arrived with the Indonesian
Naval delegation.
Defence relations between India and Indonesia are growing steadily with regular joint activities and
interactions between the Armed Forces of the two countries.
The bilateral exercise aims to enhance mutual understanding and interoperability between the two
navies. It also reflects the shared concerns between the two navies for a peaceful Indian Ocean for the
benefit of international community.
CORPAT
CORPAT is a bilateral maritime exercise held between India and Indonesia under thebroad ambit
of strategic partnership. Both countries have been carrying out maritime exercise twice a year since
2002. The CORPAT exercise between the two navies carries search and rescue operations, institutes
measures for vessels indulged in unlawful activities as well as control pollution. The main aim of
CORPAT is to keep the vital part of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) safe and secure for commercial
shipping, International trade and legitimate marine activities. The CORPAT has helped to
strengthened understanding and interoperability between the two navies and also has promoted net
maritime security in the region.
Jhulan Goswami named Highest Wicket-Taker in Womens One-Day
Internationals
09-May-17
Jhulan Goswami has become the highest wicket-taker in one-day internationals. Goswami has so far
taken 181 wickets in 153 matches. She has broken the world record held by Australia fast bowler
Cathryn Fitzpatrick who has taken 180 wickets during Indias ongoing match against South Africa in
the Womens Quadrangular Series in Potchefstroom. She achieved this feat with the wicket of No.11
batsman Raisibe Ntozakhe of South Africa.
Jhulan Goswami
Jhulan Goswami is a right arm fast bowler who made her one-day debut back in 2002. She is
regarded as one of the fastest bowlers in the womens cricket. Her best bowling figures is 6 for 31. So
far, she has two five-wicket hauls in ODIs. She has awarded with Arjuna Award in 2010 and Padma
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Shri in 2012.
Measurement of Liveability Index of Cities to commence Next Month
09-May-17
Ministry of Urban Development will launch measuring of Liveability Index of cities in the next
month. The index will be based on indigenously evolved methodology. The Ministry of Urban
Development has already released a detailed document on Methodology for Collection and Computation
of Liveability Standards in Cities. The index will measure the Liveability Standards of 140 cities
including 53 cities with population of 1 million and above. To carry out the assessment, the Ministry
has invited bids for selecting the agency.
The aim of the assessment will be to instill a sense of healthy competition among cities and towns in
the country and to help them focus their attention on improving governance and infrastructure
availability.
Cities will be assessed on 15 core parameters relating to Governance, social infrastructure
pertaining to education, health and safety and security, economic aspects and physical infrastructure
like housing, open spaces, land use, energy and water availability, solid waste management, pollution
etc. Totally, based on 79 aspects, the Cities would be ranked on the Liveability Index.
10-May-17
South Korea Election: Moon Jae-in elected as President
10-May-17
Moon Jae-in has been declared winner in South Koreas presidential election by that countrys
National Election Commission. Moon, the Democratic Partys candidate has won with 41.08% of
votes. Moon will replace the ousted President Park Geun-hye, who was ejected from office in March
after a corruption scandal for which shes awaiting trial. Moon narrowly lost to Park in 2012 election.
Park was South Koreas first female President who has been impeached in a corruption scandal.
Moon is a 64 year old former human rights lawyer and a liberal who favors a more open policy
toward North Korea. He is likely to overhaul South Koreas policy on North Korea. Unlike his
predecessors, Moon favors engagement with North Korea and has challenged the deployment of US
missile defense system in South Korea. Moon is a strong proponent of the Sunshine Policy, which
aimed to improve relations between the two Koreas from 1998 to 2008.
Moon Jae-in
Moon was the son of refugees who fled North Korea during the 1950-53 Korean War. In 1975,
Moon was jailed for staging anti-government protests . Later, he became a human rights
lawyer and defended the rights of poor laborers and student activists. In 1972, Moon became a part
of a pro-democracy movement to topple the dictatorship of Park Chung-hee. Park Chung-hee ruled
46
South Korea for 18 years. He was the father of recently ousted President Park Geun-hye.
Government Sets Up Task Force for Reliable Employment Data
10-May-17
The government has set up a task force headed by NITI Aayog vice-chairman Arvind Panagariya to
come up with a methodology to generate timely and reliable employment data. The Prime Minister
Narendra Modi himself has initiated the process and has asked the task force to submit its
recommendations at the earliest. The other members of the task force are labour secretary M.
Sathiyavathy, secretary of the statistics department T.C.A. Ananth, NITI Aayogs Pulak Ghosh and
Manish Sabharwal, chairman and co-founder of staffing firm Teamlease Services Ltd.
Need
India does not have reliable data on jobs. The available data is currently outdated. The data on jobs in
the informal sector which employs countrys majority of the workforce is not easliy available. Also,
the data released by the Labour Bureau is restricted to the organized sector. National Sample Survey
Office (NSSO) data which is the most comprehensive data available on jobs is generated with a time
lag.
Better data on jobs data will help policy planners assess the impact of policies on jobs and will shed
light on the actual size of the informal economy
Labour Market
Indias labour market constitutes of over 470 million people. According to CRISIL, around 18 million
people enter the workforce every year. As per the data with the NSSO, India had created around 59.9
million jobs between 1999-2000 and 2004-05 and created nearly two million jobs between 2004-05
and 2009-10. Between 2009-10 and 2011-12, 13.9 million jobs were created in the country.
ICJ Stays Kulbhusan Jadhavs Hanging
10-May-17
India has received a stay order preventing Pakistan from executing the death sentence awarded to the
former naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav from the International Court of Justice at The Hague. Indias
team of lawyers led by senior advocate Harish Salve accused Pakistan of gross violations of
international laws. They also pointed out the violations of the Geneva convention that deals with
Consular relations. Pakistan had denied consular access to India despite 15 attempts. It also refused to
give any details of Jadhavs arrest and trial until the death sentence was passed.
India has rarely approached the ICJ especially when it comes to Pakistan. India is always hesitatant to
internationalise its bilateral relations. But given the nature of Jadhavs case in which Pakistan
refused to follow any established principle India was forced to take the extreme measure of taking the
case to the ICJ.
47
ICJ
International Court of Justice was established in 1945 via the UN Charter and its jurisdiction is
worldwide. It is located in The Hague in Netherlands. It is a part of the United Nations. The
International Court of Justice acts as a world court. The judgement passed by the ICJ have binding
force and are without appeal for the parties concerned. The major functions of the International
Court of Justice are to settle legal disputes submitted to it by states and to provide advisory opinions
on legal questions submitted to it by duly authorized international organs, agencies, and the UN
General Assembly.
PM Inaugurates Supreme Courts ICMIS
10-May-17
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated Supreme Courts Integrated Case Management
Information System (ICMIS). This digital filing system will mark Supreme Courts first towards
becoming a paperless, digital court. The inaugural function was held at Vigyan Bhavan when Prime
Minister Modi uploaded the Integrated Case Management System with the Supreme Court website.
The event was also attended by Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and other judges of the Supreme
Court. ICMIS is hailed as the Biggest and highest leap in judicial system.
Subsequently, all High Courts, District Courts, Sub-Division Courts will be integrated with the new
system. Later on, all the jails in the country will be Integrated by ICMIS software.
Significance
ICMIS will help litigants access data and obtain information about the filing, delays etc. It would pave
way for the integration of all courts in the country. The appellants hereafter is not required to file the
records as the records will be picked up electronically from trial courts and high courts. The digital
filing system will also help in ushering transparency as nothing can be manipulated with this
paperless system. Also, the litigants will be able to know the progress of the case on real time basis.
Taranjeet Singh becomes New Country Director of Twitter
10-May-17
Twitter has elevated Taranjeet Singh as its Country Director for India. Prior to this appointment,
Singh was responsible for sales and marketing support for Twitters advertisers in India. Before
joining twitter, Taranjeet Singh held various positions at BBC Advertising and Outlook
Publishing etc.
India is among the lucrative social media markets in the world. It is already among the worlds fastest
growing markets for companies like Facebook, WhatsApp and Google. Twitter has over 319 million
users globally and counts India among its top five audience markets.
Twitter is a Microblogging platform and allows its users to engage with peers, corporates and
government using 140 characters. Recently, Twitter launched its lighter version called Twitter
48
Lite to cater to the needs of users in India.

Indian Railways to acquire EoTT Equipments to run Trains without Guards
10-May-17
The Indian Railways has planned to acquire the End of Train Telemetry (EoTT) equipments to
run nearly 1,000 trains without guards in the current fiscal. The EoTT system is designed in such a
way that it will perform the guards job. EoTT system comprises two units, namely, cab display unit
(CDU) which is fitted on the locomotive and sense and brake unit (SBU) which is fitted on the last
coach of the train. The units will be fitted with radio transmitter which can communicate with each
other. The transmitter will send signals at regular intervals to the last coach to ensure that the train is
running intact. The Indian Railways will initially acquire 1,000 EoTT equipments for its container
operations and later on more units will be procured to be fitted on all trains. Accordingly, all goods
trains on the proposed dedicated freight corridors will run with EoTT system. Each set of EoTT
device will cost approximately Rs 10 lakh.
Significance
The EoTT system will help in establishing communication between the locomotive driver and the
last wagon of the train and ensure that the train is running as a complete unit. In case of parting of
coaches from the rear side of the train, it will give indication to the loco driver so that the driver can
apply brakes to the rear unit thereby averting collision of the rear portion with the front portion of
the train. The transmitter at the last coach is connected to the brakes and the brake gets applied so
that the broken away portion of wagons do not collide with the front portion.
Benchmark Indices Closes at all time High
10-May-17
The 30-share BSE Sensex reached its record close of 30,248. The index has surpassed its previous
record closing of 30,133.35 reached on April 26. It also surpassed its intra-day peak of 30,184.22
recorded on April 27 to hit a fresh intra-day high of 30,271.60.
The NSE index Nifty has breached the 9,400-mark for the first time. The NSE index registered a
record high of 9,415, surpassing its previous milestone of 9,377 reached on May 5.
The indices have settled at their respective closing highs after the IMDs new monsoon forecast has
predicted that India is likely to receive higher monsoon rainfall as the concern over the El Nino
weather condition has eased. Earlier, IMD had predicted that this years monsoon rains will be at 96%
of the 50-year average of 89 cm. The new forecast has raised the sentiments of the stock market as
the prospects of higher agricultural and economic growth is brighter. This has resulted in the shares
of consumer goods and agriculture-dependent companies to rise.
Stock Market Index
49
index. The BSE SENSEX is a free-float market capitalization-weighted stock market index of 30
well-established and financially sound companies listed on Bombay Stock Exchange.
Prime Minister to attend UN Vesak Day Celebrations in Sri Lanka
10-May-17
Prime Minister Modi will travel to Sri Lanka to attend the Buddhist festival Vesak Day (Buddha
Jayanti) that commemorates birth, enlighten and death of Buddha. This will be Prime Minister
Modis second visit to Sri Lanka since becoming the Prime Minister. International Day of Vesak
celebrations will be held in Colombo from May 12 to 14. As a part of the celebrations, International
Buddhist Conference will be held in which over 400 delegates from more than 100 countries will
participate. Vesak is the most important day in the Buddhist calendar. This is the first time Sri
Lanka will host the festival.
Background
The Buddhist link between India and Sri Lanka dates back to 2nd century BC. During the reign of
Emperor Ashoka, Buddhism was made as the official religion of India. Ashokas daughter
Sanghamitta is believed to have brought a branch of original Bodh tree to Anuradhapura. Theravada
Buddhism is widely practiced in Sri Lanka.
During last year Vesak celebrations held in Lumbini, China taking advantage of strained relation
between New Delhi and Kathmandu partnered with Nepal to celebrate Vesak. China has been
aggressively pursuing a strategy of staking claim to the legacy of Buddhism to boost its cultural
influence. India to counter Chinas strategy has been actively engaging with South East Asian
countries like Myanmar, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia and Laos to showcase its heritage.
11-May-17
Indias Harpreet Singh wins bronze in Asian Wrestling Championship
11-May-17
Harpreet Singh has bagged bronze medal in Greco-Roman weight divisions in the Asian Wrestling
Championship held at the K.D. Jadhav arena in the Indira Gandhi Stadium Complex in New Delhi.
Harpreet clinched the bronze medal after beating his rival Jun Ji Na of China in 80 kg category. The
other three Greco-Roman wrestlers, namely, Ravinder (66kg), Hardeep (98kg) and Naveen
(130kg) failed to win any medal. The Greco-Roman category is generally not considered as Indian
wrestlers forte.
In the championship, 112 freestyle, 103 Greco-Roman and 83 female wrestlers will compete for 24
Gold and Silver, and 48 bronze medals.
50
Asian Wrestling Championships are organized every year by the Asian Associated Wrestling
Committee (AAWC). While the mens wrestling tournament began in 1979, womens tournament
began in 1996.
Home Ministry asks NGOs to open Bank Accounts in Core Banking format
11-May-17
The Home Ministry has instructed 5,845 NGOs to open their accounts in banks having core banking
facilities. The NGOs are also required to furnish the account details for real time access of security
agencies in case of any discrepancy. The move is aimed at checking errant NGOs especially those
organizations receiving foreign funding.
The Home Ministry has mandated the NGOs registered under the Foreign Contribution Regulation
Act to have their accounts in either nationalised banks or in a few private banks that has core
banking facilities. Around 3,768 NGOs have been told that their accounts in banks does not
have core banking facilities. Another 2,077 NGOs have been instructed to furnish their bank accounts
details as such details are not available with the home ministry.
The significance of the move is that the core banking system with all of the branches of the
networked banks interconnected would allow the security agencies to access the accounts of the
NGOs on real time basis.
Background
The government has taken a slew of measures to regulate the NGOs especially those receiving
foreign funding. As a part of the measures, registration of more than 10,000 NGOs were suspended
for non filing of annual returns as per the FCRA. And more than 1,300 were denied renewal over the
past three years owing to various violations committed by these NGOs. In 2016, government had
directed around 11,000 NGOs to file applications for renewal before February 28, 2017. Out of
11,000, only 3,500 NGOs had filed applications for renewal before the expiry date. As a result of all
the above measures, there are only 24,000 active NGOs as against 40,000 in 2014-15.
Sanjay Mitra Appointed as Next Defence Secretary
11-May-17
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of 1982 West Bengal
cadre IAS officer Sanjay Mitra as the next defence secretary. He will have a fixed tenure of two years.
Prior to this appointment, Mitra was the secretary in the ministry of road transport and highways.
Other appointments
Anant Kumar Singh, a 1984 batch IAS officer of Uttar Pradesh has been appointed as the secretary
in the textiles ministry. Anant Kumar Singh is the first officer from the 1984 batch to get the
secretary-level appointment.
51
Rashmi Verma who was the secretary in the textiles ministry has been moved to a similar position
in the ministry of tourism.
Rajiv Srivastava, a 1981 batch IAS officer of Rajasthan cadre, will be the next secretary in the
ministry of woman and child development.
Leena Nair, a 1982 batch IAS of Tamil Nadu Cadre has been made secretary in the ministry of tribal
affairs.
Jagdish Prasad Meena has been appointed as secretary in the department of consumer affairs.
BR Sharma, a 1984 batch IAS officer of the Jammu and Kashmir cadre has been appointed as
additional secretary in the home ministry.
May 11: National Technology Day
11-May-17
National Technology Day is being observed across India on May 11 to mark Indias technological
advancements.
2017 National Technology Day Theme: Technology for inclusive and sustainable growth.
Significance
The day is being commemorated to celebrate the anniversary of first of the five tests of Operation
Shakti (Pokhran-II) nuclear test, held on 11 May 1998 in Pokhran, Rajasthan. The operation was
led by the former President APJ Abdul Kalam. After conducting two more tests as a part of the
Pokhran-II/Operation Shakti initiative, India was declared as a nuclear state by the then Prime
Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
On this same day countrys first indigenous aircraft Hansa-3 was test flown at Bangalore.
India also conducted successful test firing of the Trishul missile on the same day. The Trishul
missile was developed as a part of the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme by the
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The Trishul Missile got inducted by the
Indian Army and Indian Airforce.
Considering all these technical achievements, 11 May was chosen to be commemorated as National
Technology Day. To commemorate this day, Technology Development Board (TDB) has instituted a
National Award. This award is conferred on to various individuals and industries by the President
for their successful achievement in commercialization of Indigenous Technology.
In a First for a Government Owned Company Kochi Metro Appoints Transgenders
11-May-17
Kochi Metro will employ 23 members from the transgender community. This is the first time a
government owned company has formally appointed members of the transgender community. These
23 workers will be a part of the 530 Kudumbasree workers to be employed at 11 stations in the Kochi
52
Metro. While the better educated workers would be posted at ticket counters, the rest will be
deputed for housekeeping works, customer relations, parking, gardening and to man the coach-depot
canteen.
All of the workers have been appointed after written test and interview and have been imparted
training in soft and technical skills.
Kochi Metro
Kochi Metro is an under-construction metro system to cater to the needs of Kochi in Kerala. The
first phase of the metro project covering a 13.4 km distance from Aluva to Palarivattom is set to
become operational soon. A second 5km section of the line from Palarivattom up to Maharajas
College will be made operational after that.
India protests Participation of Canadas PM at Khalsa Day
11-May-17
India has protested the participation of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at Khalsa Day in
Toronto that saw felicitation of Sikh separatist elements and featured Khalistani flags and posters of
Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. Mr. Trudeau has become the first Canadian PM to attend the Khalsa
Day event in a decade since Paul Martin in 2005. The Khalsa Day event was organised to mark the
Sikh new year.
The parade organised by the Ontario Sikhs and Gurdwara Council felicitated two legislators, who had
authored a motion in the Ontario Assembly calling the 1984 anti-Sikh riots as genocide.
The resolution was passed by the Ontario Assembly on April 6. India had issued its strong protest
against the passage of the motion (34-5) terming it as a misguided motion based on a limited
understanding of India. Indian government had also expressed its reservations and concerns during
the meeting between Defence Minister Arun Jaitley and Canadas Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan on
April 18.
Also in the event, Sikh militant leaders Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, Amreek Singh and former
General Shahbeg Singh who were killed in Operation Bluestar in June 1984 were also glorified.
The issues over the growth of Khalistani groups in Canada is likely to be discussed during Mr.
Trudeaus expected visit to India late this year or early next year.
Supreme Court begins hearing Final Arguments on the Constitutional Validity of
Triple Talaq
11-May-17
A five-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India JS Khehar has begun hearing petitions
challenging the practice of triple talaq. The petitions that have been filed in the past two years by
Muslim women, who have been affected by the practice of Triple Talaq, has prayed for the abolition
of the practice as it was discriminatory and biased and violated their right to equality. The lead
53
petition has been titled Quest for Equality vs Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind. Interestingly, the case will be
heard by five judges from five different communities, namely, CJI J S Khehar (Sikh) and Justices
Kurian Joseph (Christian), R F Nariman (Parsi), U U Lalit (Hindu) and Abdul Nazeer (Muslim).
The Supreme Court will complete hearing of the petitions before May 19. A judgment in the case can
be expected to be delivered in the month of June.
The Supreme Court has stated that it would determine the constitutional validity of the triple talaq
and would not examine the Islamic custom of polygamy, while hearing petitions challenging triple
talaq.
Talaq-ul-bidat or Triple talaq is a Sharia law practice which men are given power to
end a marriage by simply saying the Urdu word talaq three times at one sitting.
Background
India has worlds third-largest Muslim population governed by the Sharia or Islamic jurisprudence.
Under the Sharia law, women face the threat of oral and out-of-court divorce by uttering triple
talaq. There are reports that several women are being divorced even via phone, text
messages, newspapers advertisements, instant messaging apps like WhatsApp.
According to the petitioners, triple talaq is not a form of divorce recognised in the Quran.
The Central government has come out in favour of abolishing the practice of triple talaq. The
Central government as a part of its written submissions to the Supreme Court has stated that since
gender equality is part of the basic structure of the Constitution, Muslim women cannot be denied
this right. This is the first time the Central government has taken a firm stand on this contentious
issue.
Vinay Mohan Kwatra Appointed as Ambassador to France
11-May-17
Diplomat Vinay Mohan Kwatra has been appointed as Indias next ambassador to France. He is
currently serving as joint secretary in the Prime Ministers Office (PMO). Kwatra will succeed Mohan
Kumar who is due to retire soon.
Kwatra has served in Indian diplomatic missions in China and the US and has experience dealing
with the UN organisations such as International Labour Organisation (ILO) and World Health
Organisation (WHO). In the MEA, he had served as the joint secretary incharge of the counter-
terrorism division in the MEA.
12-May-17
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CASO to be Reintroduced as Part of Counter Terrorism Operations

12-May-17
Indian Army has planned to re-introduce cordon and search operations (CASO) as a part of its
counter terrorism operations after a gap of 15 years. The major objective behind the reintroduction
of combing operations is to bring the situation in the Kashmir Valley under control. Hereafterwards,
Army will carry out CASO in a major way to flush out militants in the militancy-hit areas of Kulgam,
Pulwama, Tral, Budgam and Shopian in south Kashmir, indicating a change in strategy.
Background
CASO was a regular feature of Armys counter-terrorism operations in the 1990s. The security forces
made use of area domination and sweep operations in the 1990s. During those times, such
operations were commonly conducted by the Indian Army. Later, following the complaints of
discomfort caused to the local population, the Army switched to specific intelligence-based
operations involving small teams and CASO was discontinued.
The recent decision to re-introduce CASO comes against the backdrop of the recent killing of
unarmed Kashmiri Army officer Lieutenant Ummer Fayaz in Shopian by militants.
Recently, the Army, security forces and police had also carried out a massive cordon and
combing operation in south Kashmirs Shopian district following the recent militant attacks on
policemen and banking facilities. It was the first time in 15 years that the combing operation of this
magnitude involving 4,000 troops was conducted by the security forces.
Justice Mudgal elected as Chairman of FIFA Governance Committee

12-May-17
Retired judge of Delhi High Court Justice Mukul Mudgal has been elected as the Chairman of FIFA
Governance committee at the FIFAs 67th Congress held in Bahrains capital city of Manama.
Justice Mudgal was proposed for the vacant position by the FIFA Council after former chief Miguel
Maduro was removed for his role in allegedly blocking Russian World Cup official Vitaly Mutko
from retaining his seat on ruling council. Justice Mudgal will have a term of office of four years
which would come into effect immediately.
Olli Rehn of Finland has been elected as Justice Mudgals deputy. Olli Rehn is the former Vice-
President of the European Commission.
Justice Mudgal has served as the Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court from 2009 to
2011. in May last year, he was appointed as Deputy Chairman of the governance committee during
the FIFA Congress in Mexico.
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Fact Box: Science Express Climate Action Special (SECAS II)

12-May-17
Science Express
The Science Express is 16 coach AC mobile train science exhibition of Department of Science &
Technology (DST). The objective of the Express is to arouse interest of the young people in the field
of science and technology. Since its inception, the programme is being managed by Vikram A
Sarabhai Community Science Centre (VASCSC). The Science Express was launched from Delhi
Safdarjung Railway station on October 30, 2007. The Express has so far completed 8
phases by travelling 1,41,800 km, with 455 halts, and 1602 exhibition days. Thus, it is has become
the largest, longest running and the most visited mobile science exhibition with six entries in the
Limca Book of Records. Since its inception, over 1.61 crore people had visited Science Express.
The 8 phases completed by the train includes 4 phases of Science Express, which had showcased
cutting edge research in science and technology being carried worldwide; 3 phases of Biodiversity
Special (SEBS) which had showcased the rich biodiversity of India; and one phase of Climate Action
Special (SECAS) that highlighted the global challenge of climate change.
SECAS II
The Science Express Climate Action Special (SECAS II) constitutes 9th Phase and will stop at 68
stations for science popularisation across the country till September covering a total distance of
19,000 km. The current ninth phase of the Science Express was flagged off on February 17 this
year. The SECAS is a collaborative initiative of DST, Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate
Change (MoEFCC), Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Railways, Wildlife Institute of
India (WII) and Vikram A Sarabhai Community Science Centre (VASCSC).
The Broad themes covered by SECAS-II are: Underlying reasons for climate change; impact of
climate change and ways to reduce it; adaptation strategies and adaptation measures undertaken by
India; mitigation and various programmes implemented; international negotiations for climate
change etc.
NASA detects Signs of Water in a distant Neptune Sized Planet
12-May-17
Scientists have detected a strong water signature in the atmosphere of a distant Neptune-sized
planet called HAT-P-26b. The study conducted using NASAs Hubble and Spitzer space telescopes has
showed that HAT-P-26b has a primitive atmosphere composed almost entirely of hydrogen and
helium. Although the planet is not a water world, its atmosphere which is relatively clear of clouds
has a strong water signature.
Researchers have detected the presence of water by pooling data obtained from four transits when
the planet passed in front of its host star. By studying how the signatures of the starlight changes,
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researchers can come up with the chemical composition of the atmosphere. The study has
been published in the journal Science.
Significance
This study is one of the most detailed studies till date conducted in a planet that is roughly the size of
the Neptune and close to its star. The water measured in the planet is one of the best measurement of
water to date found on an exoplanet of this size. The HAT-P-26b is located about 437 light years
away. The significance of the study lies in the fact that it would help in understanding more about
the birth and development of planetary systems.
The data obtained will also come handy in estimating the HAT-P-26bs metallicity, which is an
indication of composition of elements heavier than hydrogen and helium. The planets metallicity
was found to be about 4.8 times that of the Sun. It would help in understanding the planet formation.
China Simulates Lunar-like Environment
12-May-17
China has set up a 160-square-meter (1,720-square-foot) laboratory dubbed as Yuegong-1, or
Lunar Palace for simulating a lunar-like environment. Four Postgraduate students from the
Beijings astronautics research university will live in the laboratory for up to 200 days in a bid to
prepare for Chinas long term goal of putting humans on the moon.
The student volunteers would be sealed inside the cabin with no input from the outside world in
order to simulate long-term, self-contained space mission. The cabin will have facilities for treatment
of human wastes through bio-fermentation process. The experimental crops would also be grown in
the labratory with the help of food and waste byproducts. The cabin according to Chinese agencies
represents the worlds most advanced closed-loop life-support technology so far.
The Lunar Palace is hailed as the worlds third bioregenerative life-support base and the first to
be developed in China. The Lunar Palace is the first of its kind facility to involve animals and
microorganisms as well as plants and humans. It has two plant cultivation modules and a living cabin
consisting of four bed cubicles, a common room, a bathroom, a waste-treatment room and a room
for raising animals.
Initially, a group of four students comprising two men and two women will be sealed inside the
cabin for an initial stay of 60 days who will then be replaced by another group of four, who will stay
for 200 days.
Though, China does not have any plans to land its astronauts on moon for at least another decade,
this project is expected to help it prepare lunar explorers for longer stays on the surface of the moon.
Background
China views the programme as a mark of its raising global stature and as a step to catch up with the
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United States and Europe. Recently, Chinas first cargo spacecraft, Tianzhou-1, successfully
docked with an orbiting space lab. However, so far China has been largely replicating the activities
carried out by the U.S. and Soviet Union decades ago. It was hailed as a major step towards Chinas
ambition of establishing a permanently manned space station by 2022. China has an ambitious plan
of building a permanent space station by 2022, that will be in the orbit for at least 10 years.
In May 2014, China conducted a 105-day experiment by placing a team comprising of two women
and one man from Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (BUAA) in Moon Palace 1, a
160-square-meter self-contained laboratory with an intention to prepare for placing astronauts in
outer space for extended periods of time.
Indian Exclusion Report (IXR): Historically Disadvantaged Groups remain Worst
Off
12-May-17
According to the 2016 Indian Exclusion Report (IXR) released by the Centre for Equity Studies
(CES), in terms of exclusion from access to public goods, Dalits, Adivasis and Muslims continue
to remain the worst-hit communities. The report has found out that the same historically
disadvantaged groups such as Dalits, Adivasis, Muslims, and persons with disabilities and age-related
vulnerabilities continue to remain as the most severely and consistently excluded groups of the
society.
Salient Highlights
Criteria
The 2016 IXR Report determines exclusion by taking into account four public goods,
namely, pensions for the elderly, digital access, agricultural land, and legal justice for undertrials.
Agricultural Land
With the respect to the criteria of agricultural land as a public good, the report has found that the
landowners to be invariably belonging to the upper castes, cultivators to be belonging to the middle
castes. Dalits and Adivasis remain largely as the agricultural workers and landlessness was highest
among Dalits (57.3%). Also, 52.6% of Muslims and 56.8% of women-headed households were
landless. In addition, Adivasis constituted around 40% of all those displaced by the developmental
activities.
The report has highlighted that the Land reform efforts have not benefited Dalits, women or
Muslims significantly. The land holdings of Dalits, Muslims and women were found to be meagre in
size. Also, it has noted that the Land allotments to SC/ST households were not implemented
efficiently.
Internet reach
The report has observed that even though India has been ranked among the top five nations in terms
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of the number of internet users, almost 1.063 billion Indians were found to be offline. It has
cited Poverty and geographic location to be the two major barriers to digital access.
The report has cited problems like poor infrastructure, inadequate institutional frameworks, low
literacy in the targeted areas, and poor cooperation from government officials as the major reasons
behind poor implementation of government schemes aimed at enhancing digital access. The report
has also cited the reluctance on the part of government to be a signatory to a non-binding UN
Human Rights Council resolution to protect human rights on the Internet.
Amitabh Bachchan appointed as Goodwill Ambassador for Hepatitis in South-
East Asia Region
12-May-17
World Health Organization (WHO) has appointed Amitabh Bachchan as its Goodwill Ambassador
for Hepatitis in South-East Asia Region. He has been appointed to boost awareness to stop the
spread of hepatitis, which is one of the leading causes of liver cancer and cirrhosis. As an
ambassador, Amitabh Bachchan will participate in public awareness programmes to scale up
prevention measures, early diagnosis and treatment.
It is estimated that around 325 million across the world suffer from chronic hepatitis which is an
inflammation of the liver resulting in liver scarring, liver cancer and death if untreated.
Hepatitis
Hepatitis viruses is one of the common cause of liver damage but other infections, toxic substances
such as alcohol, certain medicine, food contaminants, bad lifestyle and autoimmune diseases may also
result in chronic hepatitis.
Of the five hepatitis viruses, namely, types A, B, C, D and E, types B and C are the most deadly. These
two types are mostly responsible for liver damage. Hepatitis viruses B, C and D spread by contact
with contaminated blood or body fluids. Hepatitis A and E spreads through unsafe food and
drink. Symptoms of Hepatitis include yellowing of the skin and eyes, abdominal pain and swelling,
yellow urine, pale or dark stools, chronic fatigue, nausea and loss of appetite. Hepatitis B vaccination
are administered at 0, 1, 2, and 6 months to children to protect them against the disease as well as
to prevent mother-to-child transmission of the disease.
UPSC to share Online Scores of Candidates to boost Hiring
12-May-17
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has decided to share online scores of candidates
taking competitive exams in order to boost hiring by the private sector. As per the governments
proposal, the scores of the candidates taking part in the competitive exams will be linked to the
Integrated Information System for Public Recruitment Agencies, which will be a dedicated
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website being developed by the National Informatics Centre (NIC). The scores made available in the
website will act as a useful database for other employers to identify good, employable candidates.
Under the proposal, the UPSC has decided to disclose information such as name, date of birth,
category (whether SC, ST or physically handicapped) educational qualifications, total marks obtained
in the written examination and interview, address, e-mail id and mobile numbers of those
candidates who have reached the final stage of examination (interview) but were not
recommended by the commission.
As per the proposal, the candidates can either opt in or out of the disclosure scheme by making an
appropriate response in the application form. The UPSC will dispense information about the
disclosure scheme in its notice to various exams covered by this scheme. However, candidates
appearing for the recruitment exams for the armed forces and those applying for limited
departmental competitive examinations and the Central Industrial Security Force will not be covered
under the disclosure scheme.
Background
Last year, NITI Aayog had recommended to the government to disclose scores and ranking of
candidates in recruitment examinations to boost job opportunities for the unemployed. Similar idea
was mooted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in March last year to help the prospective employers
to choose quality talent. The results of the government conducted entrance examinations for
engineering and medical streams are already being utilized by private colleges for admission
purposes.
13-May-17
Tejas Successfully Test Fires Air-to-Air Beyond Visual Range Missile
13-May-17
Tejas, the Light Combat Aircraft has successfully test fired Derby Air-to-Air Beyond Visual Range
(BVR) missile in RADAR guided mode. The test was performed on a Manoeuvrable Aerial Target at
the Interim Test Range (ITR), Chandipur. The objective behind the test was to assess the Derby
integration with aircraft systems on-board Tejas including the aircraft avionics, fire-control radar,
launchers and Missile Weapon Delivery System and evaluate its performance.
The test firing achieved all its planned objectives and the missile hit directly on the target with
complete destruction of it. The flawless launch is a major step towards clearing BVR capabilities on
LCA aircraft for final operational clearance.
Tejas
The Indian Light Combat Aircraft is the worlds smallest, light weight, multi-role combat aircraft in
its class amongst modern supersonic aircraft. It is a single seat, single jet engine developed by
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited for the Indian Navy and the Air Force. the aircraft has delta wing
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configuration, with no tailplanes or foreplanes, features a single vertical fin. The LCA is constructed
of aluminium-lithium alloys, carbon-fibre composites, and titanium. LCA integrates modern design
concepts and the state-of-art technologies such as relaxed static stability, flyby-wire Flight Control
System, Advanced Digital Cockpit, Multi-Mode Radar, Integrated Digital Avionics System,
Advanced Composite Material Structures and a Flat Rated Engine.
Forex Reserves reach Life-Time High of $375.71 billion
13-May-17
According to RBI, Indias foreign exchange (Forex) reserves have increased by $2.985 billion to
touch a lifetime high of $375.71 billion in the week that ended on May 5. The increase was due to
increase in foreign currency assets (FCAs). The reserves had increased by $2.474 billion to $351.53
billion in the previous week.
Components
The components of Indias Foreign Exchange Reserves include: Foreign currency assets (FCAs),
Gold, Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) and RBIs Reserve position with International Monetary Fund
(IMF).
Out of all the components, FCAs constitute the largest component of the Forex Reserves. FCA rose
by $2.474 billion to $351.53 billion in the reporting week. FCAs consist of US dollar and other major
non-US global currencies. It also comprises of investments in US Treasury bonds, bonds of other
selected governments, deposits with foreign central and commercial banks. FCAs include with them
the effects of appreciation or depreciation of non-US currencies like the euro, pound, and the yen
and is expressed in terms of dollars.
The gold reserves increased $569.9 million to $20.438 billion. SDRs value decreased marginally by
$0.4 million to $1.459 billion. RBIs reserve position with the IMF declined $58.4 million to $2.288
billion.
Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat & Divya Kakran bags Silver Medals at the Asian
Wrestling Championship
13-May-17
Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat & Divya Kakran have bagged silver medals at the Asian Wrestling
Championship held at the KD Jadhav Stadium in New Delhi. Though wrestler Sakshi, Indias bronze
medallist at the Rio Olympics was strong in her first two rounds against Uzbekistans Nabira
Esenbaeva and then Kazakhstans Ayaulym Kassymova, she was defeated by Rio Gold medallist
Risako Kawai of Japan and got settled for a silver medal in the 60 kg category.
Divya Kakran and Vinesh Phogat bagged silver in the 69 kg and 55kg categories respectively.
In the championship, 112 freestyle,103 Greco-Roman and 83 female wrestlers are competing for 24
Gold and Silver, and 48 bronze medals. Asian Wrestling Championships are organized every year by
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the Asian Associated Wrestling Committee (AAWC). While the mens wrestling tournament began
in 1979, womens tournament began in 1996.
New IIP, WPI Series Introduced
13-May-17
The government has released new-look index of industrial production (IIP) and the wholesale price
index (WPI) , which have been built on the new series of data. The new IIP and WPI series has been
released by Chief Statistician of India and Secretary, Ministry of Statistics & Programme
Implementation, and Secretary, Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion to usher in greater
accuracy and improved synchronisation leading to better policies.
Salient Highlights
Instead of the earlier 2004-05, base year for the IIP and the WPI will be 2011-12. Already,
the Consumer Price Index (CPI), the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and gross value addition etc.,
have 2011-12 as the base year. The common base year of 2011-12 is aimed at reducing discrepancies.
IIP
The new series of IIP will include 809 manufacturing products and 55 mining products that are re-
grouped into 521 item groups. The new series of IIP will include technology items like smart phones,
tablets, LED television etc. A technical review committee has also been established to identify new
items by ensuring that the series remains relevant. The committee is slated to meet at least once a
year.
WPI
The number of items covered in the new series of the WPI has increased from 676 to 697. Overall,
199 new items have been added and 146 old items have been dropped.
Under the primary articles, new vegetables and fruits like radish, carrot, cucumber, bitter gourd,
mosambi (sweet lime), pomegranate, jackfruit, and pear have been added. Under the mineral group,
new items like copper concentrate, lead concentrate and garnet have been added and other items
like copper ore, gypsum, kaolin, dolomite, and magnesite have been dropped. Under the
manufacturing items, 173 new items including conveyer belt, rubber tread, steel cables, tissue paper,
and wooden splint have been added, while 135 items like khandsari, poppadom, and video CD
players have been taken out.
Under the new series of WPI, weight of manufactured items has decreased to 64.2 per cent from
64.9 per cent in old series. Similarly, the weight of fuel and power has decreased to 13.1 per cent from
14.9 per cent. On the other hand, the weight of primary items have increased to 22.6 per cent from
20.1 per cent.
Significance
The IIP has been revised after a gap of 13 years and the obsolete items which are no longer in
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production in the index have been replaced with contemporary products in the new index making it
to be more comprehensive in nature.
Introduction of the new series would make all the key macroeconomic indicators such as IIP, WPI,
CPI and national accounts to have a common base of 2011-12, paving way for easier comparisons
among them.
The new series indices have painted a healthier picture of the Indian economy in 2016-17 than that
of the old series.
BSF to use Invisible Laser Wall Kavach to Secure Border
13-May-17
The Border Security Force will make use of a newly developed technology that is capable of detecting
intrusions and relaying information to the nearest post for action to safeguard the 198 km India-
Pakistan international border in Jammu and Kashmir. The technology developed by the Delhi-based
defence IoT firm, CRON Systems is expected to bolster BSFs defences amid strained ties and
increase in the number of infiltration bids and ceasefire violations. The new technology called
Kavach (KVx) series laser walls has been built indigeneously and are a notch higher than the
existing laser walls.
BSF is presently pilot testing the Kavach walls along the Samba sector border in Jammu and
Kashmir.
Salient features
Kavach walls have intrusion detection system based on infrared array and hence are invisible. They
will also be effective in transparent water and glass. Kavach walls are all-terrain weather-proof
system that uses complex, encrypted technologies to monitor and immediately alert the nearest
outpost about intrusion attempts. It is capable of monitoring large swathes of any territory from a
single interface. The devices will use CRONet, an encrypted network, to communicate with each
other. Five such KVx-series walls will be capable of securing a kilometre-long stretch.
Background
India and Pakistan share 3000km border of which 198 km international border and 740 km Line of
Control (LoC) falls in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Infiltration of Pakistani terrorists along the
border area which has 13 rivers and rivulets is a major issue for the BSF.
BSF has been making use of various technologies like electric fencing, and other technologies such as
laser to detect and prevent intrusions. Adoption of Kavach walls are the latest in the series of
upgradations made by the force.
New Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine against Pneumonia Launched
13-May-17
Minister for Health and Family Welfare J P Nadda has launched new Pneumococcal Conjugate
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Vaccine, PCV, for Pneumonia at Lal Bahadur Shastri Medical College Hospital in Mandi district of
Himachal Pradesh. The vaccine is a part of governments Universal Immunization Programme (UIP).
Henceforth, the vaccine will be administered under routine immunization programme. The vaccine
would help in controlling pneumonia and reducing the child mortality rate. In India, more than 1
lakh children die of pneumonia every year.
The vaccine will provide protection against 13 types of pneumococcal bacteria which results
in pneumonia. This is the twelfth disease for which the Health Ministry has launched a vaccine. The
vaccine Pneumococcal Conjugate protects against Streptococcus pneumonia and diseases such as
pneumonia, ear infections, sinus infections and meningitis. PCV was first introduced in 2000.
The whole of Himachal Pradesh as well as six districts of Uttar Pradesh and seventeen districts of
Bihar will be covered under the first phase of the immunisation programme.
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is caused by inflammation of the airspaces in the lungs. It is most commonly due to an
infection. It is a leading cause of death for children under the age of five years around the world. It
may be caused by bacteria, viruses or fungi. The most common bacterial type that causes pneumonia
is Streptococcus pneumoniae. Signs and symptoms include fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, and
fatigue.
Ransomware Cyber Attack Plays Havoc in Several Countries including India
13-May-17
A global cyberattack has crippled nearly hundred countries, including India. A cyber gang called
Shadow Brokers, which is a mysterious organisation is held responsible for this massive cyberattack.
The organisation has carried out the attack by stealing a hacking tool called Eternal Blue from
the National Security Agency (NSA), Americas powerful military intelligence unit. The hacking tool
Eternal Blue gives unprecedented access to all computers using Microsoft Windows. It was
developed by NSA to gain access to computers used by terrorists and enemy states.
The cyberattack is considered as the biggest ransomware attack of its kind. As per security software
company Avast, its researchers have observed more than 75,000 attacks worldwide in 99
countries including the UK, Russia, Ukraine, India, China, Italy, and Egypt.
Ransomware is a type of malicious software when infected restricts the user

access until a ransom is paid to unlock it.
Hackers have spread ransomware known as WannaCry, WanaCrypt0r 2.0, WannaCry and WCry, often
through emails. The files in the infected computers gets locked up in such a way that the user cannot
access them anymore. It then demands payment in cryptocurrency Bitcoin to retrieve the locked files.
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Finance ministers and central bank governors of G7 nations such as the United States, Canada,
Japan, France, Germany, Italy and Britain have agreed to strengthen cooperation to counter cyber
threats such as the present global online attack.
Consequences
The cyberattack has crippled many hospitals, schools and universities in Europe and Asia.
Britains National Health Service (NHS) is among badly affected. Other affected high profile victims
are international shipper FedEx Corp, Spains telecommunications company Telefonica, Portugal
Telecom and Telefonica Argentina, Germanys railway operator Deutsche Bahn etc. According to
Avast, the countries such as Russia, Ukraine and Taiwan are the top targets around the world.
In India, Andhra Pradeshs police computers have come under the cyberattack. Computers in 18
police units in Chittoor, Krishna, Guntur, Visakhatpatnam and Srikakulam districts have been
affected.
India to Skip OBOR summit in China
13-May-17
India will skip the two day grand OBOR summit organised by China to showcase its plans to build a
network of trade routes under the One Belt, One Road (OBOR). OBOR is an ambitious Chinas
ambitious development strategy and framework that aims to boost its connectivity and trade that
will that will connect Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Europe. It was proposed by Chinese President
Xi Jinping in 2013.
The summit is expected to be attended by nearly 65 countries. However, only 20 heads of state is
expected to attend the summit. The US and Japan who were initially reluctant to attend the summit
have decided to send a representative at the last minute. India, however, has refused to send any
representative owing to sovereignty concerns related to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor
(CPEC).
The countries like Russia, South Korea, France, Germany and UK will send either ministerial or
official delegations to the summit. As far as indias neighbours are concerned, Pakistan is sending the
largest delegation consisting of four chief ministers and five federal ministers. Others like Sri Lanka,
Bangladesh, Nepal and Maldives will also have official representations. Bhutan will not participate as
it has no diplomatic relations with China.
Indias Concerns
China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which is a 3000 km project connecting Pakistans deep-
water port Gwadar and Chinas Xinjiang falls under the OBOR initiative of China. The CPEC passes
through Gilgit-Baltistan region of the Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. The Chinese presence in the
disputed region has raised sovereignty concerns for India. The Gwadar Port offers China to have its
naval presence in the Arabian Sea and to the Indian Ocean. Already, China has plans to station its
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marines in Djibouti in Horn of Africa in Indian Ocean. The other projects under the OBOR in South
and South East Asia also have security implications for India.
Unlike India, none of the other countries have sovereignty related issues with OBOR initiative.
14, 15-May-2017
Arjun Maini becomes First Indian to Win a GP3 Race
15-May-17
The 19-year-old Motorsports Indian driver Arjun Maini, who drives for Jenzer Motorsport, has
become the first Indian to win a GP3 Series (a feeder series to GP2) race at the Circuit de Catalunya
in Barcelona.
Arjun Maini is supported by JK Racing and TVS. This victory has moved Arjun Maini into third
place in the drivers championship standings after completion of the first round of the eight-round
GP3 series. He has 23 points. Nirei Fukuzumi of Japan leads the championship standings with 29
points, followed by Alessio Lorandi of Italy with 25 points.
This is the third instance that the Indian National Anthem was played during an F1 weekend with the
first two played after Karun Chandhoks two wins in GP2.
GP3 rounds are held as support events during F1 Grand Prixs. GP3 is a single
seater motor racing series which was launched in 2010 as a feeder series for the GP2
Series.
Fact Box: North Koreas Missile Development Programme

15-May-17
Defying calls to halt its weapons programme, North Korea has yet again test fired a ballistic
missile that flew for 30 minutes before dropping into the sea between North Koreas east coast and
Japan, only 97 km from south of Russias Vladivostok region. The missile has invited calls for
implementation of stronger sanctions against North Korea. The missile flew 700 km and reached an
altitude of more than 2,000 km before landing into the sea. The missile is considered to have a
range higher than an intermediate-range missile that North Korea successfully tested in February this
year. An intercontinental ballistic missile has a range of more than 6,000 km.
Chronology of North Koreas Missile Development Programme
Late 1970s: North Korea begins working on a version of the Soviet Scud-B having a range of 300 km.
The missile was test fired in 1984.
1999: In order to improve its ties with US, North Korea declares moratorium on long-range missile
tests.
2000: Fifth round of US-North Korean missile talks ended without reaching any significant
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agreement as US rejects North Koreas demand of being paid $1 billion a year in return for halting
missile exports.
2005: North Korea ends moratorium on long-range missile tests.
2006: North Korea conducted its first underground nuclear test
2009: North Korea conducted its second underground nuclear test.
2012: North Korea successfully placed an Earth observational satellite in orbit.
2013: North Korea Conducted its third underground nuclear test
January 2016: North conducted its fourth underground nuclear test. It claimed that test involved a
hydrogen bomb, a claim which is doubted by many experts.
March 2016: North Korea claimed that it has successfully miniaturised a thermo-nuclear warhead.
April 2016: North Korea test-fired a submarine-launched ballistic missile
September 2016: North Korea conducted its fifth nuclear test
October 2016: North Korea test fired an intermediate-range Musudan missile which is theoretically
capable of reaching US bases on Guam. The test was considered as a failure after the missile exploded
shortly after its launch.
March 2017: North Korea tested a new rocket engine
April 2017: North Korea fires a ballistic missile into the Sea of Japan which was an extended-range
Scud missile. It also staged few more failed missile tests in April.
May 2, 2017: THAAD anti-missile system becomes operational in South Korea
May 14, 2017: North test fired a ballistic missile. The missile flew 700 km and reached an altitude of
more than 2,000 km dropping into the sea between North Koreas east coast and Japan.
Lewis Hamilton Wins Spanish Grand Prix
15-May-17
Lewis Hamilton has won the Spanish Grand Prix from pole position in the Formula One
championship. This is Hamiltons 55th career win and second win of the season. Mercedess Hamilton
finished 3.4 seconds ahead of Ferraris Sebastian Vettel. Third position was occupied by Australian
Daniel Ricciardo.
Spanish Grand Prix is a Formula One motor race which is one of the oldest of its kind in the world.
The event which celebrated its centenary in 2013 is currently held at the Circuit de Barcelona-
Catalunya in Barcelona. The race has become a part of the Formula One World Championship since
1968 and is held at various venues.
Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton is a British Formula One racing driver. He is a three time Formula One World
Champion. He won his first title in 2008. Hamilton also received the distinction of becoming the first
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black driver to race in Formula One. He also has the distinction of becoming the first driver in the
history of F1 to have made to the podium after having started at 20th place or lower at least 3
times. Hamilton has won 55 Grand Prix which is the second highest of all behind only Michael
Schumacher with 99 victories.
US to Sell high-tech chemical protective clothing to India
15-May-17
The United States will be selling high-tech Joint Service Lightweight Integrated Suit
Technology (JSLIST) protective clothing worth $75 million to India. For the first time, the
Pentagon has notified the sale of CBRN (chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear) Support
Equipment, the Joint Service Lightweight Integrated Suit Technology (JSLIST) protective clothing,
to the US Congress. The entire package includes 38,034 M50 general purpose masks, 38,034 units
of suits, trousers, gloves, boots and NBC bags; 854 aprons; 854 alternative aprons; 9,509 Quick Doff
Hoods; and 114,102 M61 filters.
Significance
JSLIST protective clothing when used with the chemical protective mask would shield the Indian
Soldiers from exposure to any kind of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear
warfare that can result in a serious injury. The protective clothing includes the suit, boots and
gloves, pairs of trousers and NBC bags and can be worn for up to 24 hours in contaminated areas.
Background
The India-US defence partnership is among the fastest growing in the world. In the past few
years, the US has signed more than $10 billion in defence sales to India. This also the first major
foreign defence sale approved by the Trump administration.
Obama administration had designated India as a major defence partner, which places India at
par with other major allies of the US in terms of defence trade and sharing of technologies. In June
2015, India and the US had renewed this Defence Framework Agreement for the next 10 years.
The Defence framework paves way for high level strategic discussions, continued exchanges between
armed forces of both countries, and strengthening capabilities.
Indias formal cooperation with US in the area of defence also includes bilateral engagement on
defence through the Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) and the India-US
Research, Development, Testing and Evaluation (RDT&E) Agreement. While the
DTTI facilitates cooperation in defence research and development, the RDT&E
Agreement facilitates co-production and co-development of projects like sharing and design
of aircraft carrier technology and explore possible cooperation on development of jet engine
technology.
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World banks Power Accessibility List: India jumps 73 Spots to be ranked 26th
15-May-17
India has jumped 73 spots to be ranked 26th in World Banks electricity accessibility list. The country
was ranked 99th in 2014. Out of the 18,452 villages which lacked electricity, over 13,000 has been
provided access to electricity. In addition, a person applying for new electricity connection would be
able to get the connection within 24 hours in areas where power infrastructure is available and in
areas where there is no power infrastructure, electricity connection would be given in a week. The
governments rural electrification programme is on track for completion within the targeted 1,000
days.
Background
The flagship scheme Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY) was launched by
Prime Minister Narendra Modi with an aim to provide 247 uninterrupted electricity supply to each
rural household across the country by 2022. It aims to strengthen sub-transmission and distribution
network to prevent power losses. It focuses on feeder separation for rural households and
agricultural purpose. The other features include metering at all levels including at input points,
feeders and distribution transformers and strengthening of Micro grid and off grid distribution
network of rural electrification.
The Ministry of Power has also launched a new app, GARV-II to provide real-time data of all six
lakh villages of the country. The app is envisaged to ensure transparency in the implementation of
rural electrification programme.
Rafael Nadal Wins Madrid Open Title
15-May-17
Rafael Nadal beat Dominic Thiem to clinch his fifth Madrid Open title. With this victory, he
has won three straight titles after Barcelona Open and Monte Carlo Masters victories. Nadal will also
move into the worlds top four replacing 18-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer in the new
rankings.
Nadal has won his 30th ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title tying the all-time record with Serbias
Novok Djokovic.
The Madrid Open is a mens and womens professional tennis tournament held every year in early
May in Madrid, Spain. The tournament is classified as an ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event on
the Association of Tennis Professionals tour.
Railways to install CCTV Surveillance System under Nirbhaya Fund
15-May-17
Indian Railways will install 19,000 high definition CCTV cameras at over 983 stations across the
country under the Nirbhaya Fund at an approved cost of Rs 500 crore in order to ensure round-the-
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clock security to passengers including women. The cameras will be installed at platforms and waiting
areas. The CCTV footages would be monitored by trained RPF personnel and the concerned station
master will also be given access to the CCTV camera footage.
Indian Railways has about 8,000 stations. Of these only 344 stations have been installed with CCTV
cameras so far. Apart from them, the Shaan-e-Punjab Express is fully covered with CCTV cameras.
Some of the ladies compartments of Mumbai suburban service are also covered with CCTV cameras
under a pilot project. Similarly, the Hamsafar Express and the upcoming Tejas service will also be
equipped with CCTV cameras.
Nirbhaya Fund
Nirbhaya fund was announced with a corpus of Rs.1000 crore by the UPA government after the
December 16, 2012 Delhi gang rape incident. Nirbhaya Fund was announced in 2013 Union Budget
to support initiatives by the government and NGOs working towards protecting the dignity and
ensuring safety of women in India. The Fund is administered by Department of Economic Affairs
(DEA) of the finance ministry. Ministry of Women and Child Development is the nodal Ministry to
appraise schemes under the Nirbhaya Fund. The ministry also reviews and monitors the progress of
sanctioned Schemes in conjunction with other Ministries/Departments. From time to time,
Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) issues guidelines for administration and operationalisation
of the Fund.
Fact Box: Public Affairs Index 2017 (PAI-2017)
15-May-17
Kerala and Tamil Nadu have secured first and second rankings for the second consecutive year in
public affairs index (PAI) released by the Public Affairs Centre (PAC), Bengaluru. Gujarat has been
ranked third followed by Karnataka and Maharashtra at the fourth and fifth position respectively
in governance indicators.
The last four positions among the large states has been occupied by Bihar (18th), Jharkhand (17th),
Odisha (16th) and Assam (15th).
Among the 12 small states which have been categorised as small as they have population less than
two crore, Himachal Pradesh has been ranked first followed by Goa and Mizoram. Delhi which
occupied third position in 2016 index has slipped to ninth position in 2017. The last four positions
among small states have been occupied Meghalaya (12th), Arunachal Pradesh (11th) and Jammu and
Kashmir (10th).
Themes
The survey was carried out based on 10 themes, 26 focus subjects and 82 indicators. The report was
based on the following themes: essential infrastructure, support to human development, social
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protection, women and children, crime, law and order, delivery of justice, environment,
transparency and accountability, fiscal management and economic freedom.
In the category of essential infrastructure, Punjab has been adjudged as the best performer among all
States followed by Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat.
In the category of human development, Kerala, Maharshtra, and Punjab are the best performers
while Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Assam are the worst performers.
In implementation of social protection policies, Kerala, Assam and Madhya Pradesh are the best
performers while Telangana, Haryana and Punjab are the worst performers as they lagged behind
other states in executing various State and Central government schemes.
In the category of women and children, Kerala has been adjudged as the best performer while
Jharkhand, Haryana and Maharashtra are poor performers.
In the category of fiscal management, Telangana has been adjudged as the best performer
while Andhra Pradesh has been labelled as the poor performer.
In maintaining law and order, delivery of justice and environment categories, Tamil Nadu has been
adjudged as the best performer but the state has been ranked last in the parameter of transparency
and accountability in the administration.
In the category of economic freedom, Gujarat has secured top rank while Bihar has secured the last
rank.
PAC
Public Affairs Centre (PAC), Bengaluru had come up with a Public Affairs Index (PAI) to rank
governance inter-state by using data available in the public domain in key areas of governance. Public
Affairs Centre (PAC) is a not for profit think tank, established in 1994 with a mandate to improve
the quality of governance in India. The genesis of PAC is attributed to Dr. Samuel Paul in the early
nineties.
The objective of Public Affairs Index (PAI) is an attempt to bring together the states of the country
which are culturally, economically and socially diverse, into a common data-driven framework in
order to facilitate an interstate comparison. A well-framed methodology backed by statistical data
from government sources, has been included in the study to provide insights into the subject of good
governance.
16-May-17
PM Launches Narmada Seva Mission for Conservation of Narmada
16-May-17
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched the Narmada Seva Mission for the conservation of
river Narmada, which is a lifeline of Madhya Pradesh. Prime Minister released a road map for the
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series of steps to be taken for the conservation of Narmada river. The roadmap envisaging the
conservation efforts has been taken after wide-ranging consultations with various stakeholders,
including environmentalists, river conservation experts among others. The event was held at
Amarkantak in Anooppur district of Madhya Pradesh. The event also marked the conclusion of
Namami Devi Narmade Sewa Yatra.
Namami Devi Narmade Sewa Yatra
Namami Devi Narmade Sewa Yatra was launched on December 11, 2016 from Amarkantak, the
origin place of the River Narmada. The yatra covered a distance of 3,344 km and passing through
over 1,100 villages and towns and concluded on May 15, 2017. The yatra is hailed as as the worlds
biggest river conservation campaign with public participation.
Background
The river Narmada originates from the Maikal hills and flows 1,312 km before draining through the
Gulf of Khambhat into the Arabian Sea. Narmada, Tapti and Mahi are the only three major rivers in
the country that flows from east to west. The river acts as a source of irrigation to about 17 lakh
hectares of land and provides drinking water to more than four crore people. It also acts as a source
for generating over 2400 megawatts of power from hydropower plants situated on the river.
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) recently has found out in the Narmada river at least in
three stretches water quality is not even fit for bathing. The Madhya Pradesh state government in its
budget estimate for 2016-17 has allocated Rs 2095.31 for the Narmada valley development. In the
state more than 700 Narmada seva committees and over 74000 Narmada sevaks have registered to
protect the river.
Womens Cricket: Indias Deepti Sharma and Poonam Raut Sets new Record
16-May-17
The partnership of Deepti Sharma and Poonam Raut scored 320 in 45.3 overs in 45.3 overs to
become the worlds first pair, either male or female, to forge a 300-run opening-wicket
partnership in One-Day Internationals (ODIs). The earlier best partnership for the first wicket in
mens cricket was 286 scored by Sri Lankas Upul Tharanga and Sanath Jayasuriya against England in
2006, and the best partnership for the first wicket for womens cricket was 268 scored by Sarah
Taylor and Caroline Atkins against South Africa in 2008.
Also, Deepti Sharmas 188 runs is now the second highest score in womens one-day
international only behind Australias Belinda Clarks unbeaten 229 against Denmark in 1997. She has
also bettered the 138 runs scored by Jaya Sharma against Pakistan in 2005.
The stellar performance of Deepti and Poonam resulted in Indias massive 249-run win over Ireland
in the quadrangular series in Potchefstroom ,South Africa.
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Edouard Philippe appointed as Prime Minister of France

16-May-17
French President Emmanuel Macron has appointed Edouard Philippe as the new prime minister of
France. At 46, Edouard Philippe would be the second-youngest Prime Minister of France
after Laurent Fabius (1984 to 1986), who was 37 at the time of appointment. Philippe is the Mayor of
the port city Le Havre since 2010 and is a member of the Les Rpublicains party .
Edouard Philippe appointment as the new Prime Minister comes at the backdrop of Emmanuel
Macrons plans to draw support from the conservative opposition and appeal to rightwing voters in
elections for the National Assembly to be held next month. Although, Emmanuel Macron has won
with 66% of the vote, his party En Marche!, which was founded only last year has never held a single
National Assembly seat. Macron needs to have a majority in the National Assembly to have the
mandate to push his legislative agenda through.
Sensex and Nifty at new Record Highs
16-May-17
The 30-share BSE Sensex has reached an all-time intra-day high of 30,567 breaching
its previous intra-day high of 30,366.43 touched on May 11. The technology, power, FMCG, IT,
consumer durables and healthcare that leads the BSE sectoral indices had made gains up to 0.66 %.
The National Stock Exchange index Nifty did not disappoint either by gaining 0.39% to reach a new
high of 9,507.40 surpassing its previous intra-day high of 9,450.65 reached on May 11.
The good performance of the indices were due to upbeat sentiments backed by robust foreign fund
inflows and encouraging earnings by some blue-chip companies, besides the overnight gains in
Europe and the US markets.
Stock Market Index
index. The BSE SENSEX is a free-float market capitalization-weighted stock market index of 30
well-established and financially sound companies listed on Bombay Stock Exchange.
West Bengal makes Bengali Mandatory in all Schools
16-May-17
West Bengal State government has made Bengali mandatory in all schools, including private English
medium schools. Henceforth, it would be compulsory for all schools including English medium
schools affiliated to boards other than West Bengal Board of Secondary Education to teach Bengali
as an optional subject from Class I so that students can study it either as a second or third language.
At present, teaching of Bengali is not mandatory in the schools. Apart from Bengali, English and
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Hindi, students can opt for other languages such as Urdu, Gurumukhi, Nepali and Ol-chiki as the
medium of instruction in schools of the State.
Background
The decision of the West Bengal government making Bengali compulsory in schools comes at the
backdrop of Kerala governments recent promulgation of an ordinance in April making Teaching of
Malayalam compulsory in all schools of Kerala.
Earlier, the Left Front government had abolished teaching of English in primary sections of West
Bengal in 1984. But teaching of English was reintroduced in 1992 to Class V, in 1998 to Class III and
finally in 2003 to all classes from Class I onwards.
MoU Signed between Indian Navy and Space Application Centre
16-May-17
Indian Navy and the Space Application Centre has signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Data
Sharing and Scientific cooperation in the field of Meteorology and Oceanology. As per the MoU, the
scientific advancements and expertise achieved by SAC would be synergised into the Indian Naval
efforts in order to keep the Indian Navy abreast with rapid developments that has taken place in the
field of Environment Sciences and Satellite Data acquisition technology. The MoU has further
enhanced the already established collaboration between the two organisations.
The broad areas of cooperation under the MoU are: sharing of non-confidential observational data
for pre-launch sensor calibration and post launch satellite data validation, operational use of SAC
generated weather products, provisioning expertise for installation of various satellite data
processing modules at Naval METOC organisations, performing calibration and validation for ocean
models, transfer of technology to produce weather information, training on latest technology and
sharing of subject matter experts between the organisations facilitating effective knowledge transfer.
SAC
Space Applications Centre (SAC) is one of the major centres of ISRO. It was established in the year
1972. It primarily focuses on the design of space-borne instruments for ISRO missions. It also
develops applications of space technology covering the fields of communication, broadcasting,
navigation, disaster monitoring, meteorology, oceanography, environment monitoring and natural
resources survey for societal benefits. It is headquartered in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
Outcomes of OBOR Summit
16-May-17
Belt and Road Forum (BRF) is a gathering of world leaders from across the globe, organized by
China to showcase its plans to build a network of trade routes under the One Belt, One Road
(OBOR) initiative. As of now, 68 countries and international organisations have signed belt and road
agreements with China. China has stated that the Belt and Road initiative is an open and inclusive
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platform to explore and co-develop the China-led blueprint of reviving the Silk Road.
India, however, has boycotted the summit owing to sovereignty concerns related to the China-
Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Unlike India, none of the other countries have sovereignty
related issues with OBOR initiative.
Outcomes
The two-day Belt and Road Forum identified and agreed on 270 deliverable goals of Belt and Road
Initiative.The Forum resulted in signing of a joint communique by 30 heads of state that promised to
implement plans for cooperation in trade and infrastructure programs across Asia, Europe and
Africa. However, the forum ended with only promises of joint action by participating countries and
did not result in establishment of an institutional framework for implementing the planned
construction program.
The Signatories to the joint communique also pledged their support for promoting a rules-based,
open and multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organisation at its core.
China has assured the participating countries that it would not attempt to push a countrys political
ideologies and systems onto another country during the implementation of the Belt and Road
Initiative.
China has taken the first step to institutionalise the Belt and Road Forum (BRF) by announcing that
the next edition of the BRF would be held in Beijing in 2019 indicating that China will continue to
control the Belt and Road Initiative.
Infrastructure Deals
Although India skipped the initiative, 6 of its neighbours namely Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal,
Bangladesh, Myanmar and Afghanistan attended the summit and signed 20 infrastructure deals with
China at the Belt and Road Forum (BRF). They have also sought Chinas financial help for advancing
infrastructure, power, banking and finance sectors.
OBOR
OBOR is an ambitious Chinas ambitious development strategy and framework that aims to boost its
connectivity and trade that will that will connect Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Europe. It was
proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013. It comprises two components viz. the Silk Road
Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. OBOR initiative is part of Chinas revived
21st century Silk Road diplomacy that seeks to push it to take a bigger role in global affairs as a major
global power. It is basically investment and trade promotion scheme aiming to deepen economic
connections between China and rest of the world.
PFRDA-CRISIL Report: India Ageing Gradually with Every 5th Person to be in 60s
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by 2050
16-May-17
As per the PFRDA-CRISIL report titled, Financial security for Indias elderly The imperatives, India
will begin ageing gradually and transform from young to a greying with every 5th Indian to be in
60s in contrast to every 12th person at present. By 2050, persons above the age of 60 would increase
from the present 8.9% of the population to 19.4 %. Also, by 2050, the population of people above 80
is likely to increase from 0.9% to 2.8%. As of 2015, almost 90% of the population was below the age of
60 years and the proportion of working age population stood at 44% .
Salient Highlights
The report has stated that the continuously declining inter-generational support within families
necessitates the development of well-developed, self- sustaining pension system in the country. The
report calls for including personal finance and retirement planning as a part of formal education
curriculum as they promote the overall objective of financial literacy.
The promotion of pension system is vital as it helps in achieving twin objectives of providing income
security to a vast number of ageing population. It also helps in garnering long-term funds for critical,
growth-driving sectors of the economy as also the capital market. Hence, the report has called
for sufficient incentivisation of intermediaries to increase penetration of pension system in the
country.
In India, which is an under-penetrated financial market has most of the investors preferring to invest
in fixed deposits (FDs), which account for more than 44% of the financial savings as opposed to the
provident and pension funds which accounts to just 14% of the savings that are primarily fed by the
organised section of the society. The report has observed that in India, increasing the penetration of
pension products via voluntary pension schemes is the biggest hurdle in developing the pension
system.
Atal Pension Yojna
Atal Pension Yojana was launched in June 2015 to make the unorganized work force, which makes
major chunk of Indias labour force (88%) join the National Pension Scheme. The subscribers of Atal
Pension Yojana can receive a fixed monthly pension starting from Rs. 1000 up to Rs. 5000 after their
retirement age of 60 until death. After the death of the subscriber, the spouse will be entitled to get
exact same pension amount as the subscriber, until death of the spouse. The minimum age of joining
APY is 18 years and maximum age is 40 years and thus minimum period of contribution by
subscriber is 20 years.
India and Palestine Inks 5 Agreements
16-May-17
India and Palestine has signed five agreements during the 4 day visit of Palestinian
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President Mahmoud Abbas to India. This is Abbass fifth visit to India and the third state visit after
his earlier visits in 2008 and 2012.
These 5 MoUs signed were on visa exemption for diplomatic passport holder, agriculture
cooperation, cooperation in field of IT & Electronics, health sector and cooperation in the
field of youth affairs and sports.
Salient Highlights
India has called for early resumption of talks between Palestine and Israel and hoped to see a
sovereign, independent, united and viable Palestine, co-existing peacefully with Israel. Palestine for
its part has thanked India for supporting it in various international forums. Palestine also hopes that
India can play a vital role in Middle East Peace process. The Palestinian President also condemned
terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and called for regional and international efforts to fight
the menace.
India is assisting developmental projects in Palestine. It has been contributing to material & technical
assistance and is building a techno Park in Ramallah at the cost of $12 million.
Both the countries also called for enhancing cultural exchanges between the two sides. India has
sought Palestines participation in the International Yoga Day to be observed next month.
Background
India and Palestine enjoy a long standing friendship. In 1947, India registered its vote against he
partition of Palestine at the United Nations General Assembly. In 1974, India became the first Non-
Arab State to recognize PLO as sole and legitimate representative of the people of Palestine. In 2012,
India co-sponsored a resolution that resulted in up-gradation of the status of Palestine to a non-
member state. In 2014, India voted in favor of Palestine at the UN Human Rights Council. In 2015,
India supported installation of Palestinian flag at the UN Premises similar to the flags of the member
states.
17-May-17
Ovais Sarmad Appointed to Key Post in UNFCCC
17-May-17
Ovais Sarmad who is an Indian national has been appointed by the U.N. Secretary-General Antonio
Guterres to the post of Deputy Executive Secretary, which is a key post in the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). As per the U.N. Information Centre in
Delhi, the appointment has been made after making wide consultations with the Conference of
Parties. The appointment assumes significance as UNFCCC aims to slow down climate change.
Ovais Sarmad who was born in 1960 is a seasoned bureaucrat having nearly 27 years of experience
working with International Organization for Migration (IOM) at various capacities. He has worked
in several policy and management areas to strengthen the organizations operational effectiveness in
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close consultation with IOM member States. He is currently the Chief of Staff to the Director-
General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Ovais Sarmad was instrumental in
bringing IOM into the United Nations system as well as in the establishment of IOMs Ethics and
Conduct Office. He holds a bachelors degree in commerce from Osmania University in Hyderabad.
Mt Lhotse records First Summit in 3 years
17-May-17
Mt Lhotse has recorded its first summit in 3 years. Mt Lhotse is the fourth highest mountain in the
world. Indian climber Debasish Biswas and a woman climber from New Zealand were the first to
successfully climb Mt Lhotse after a team of Sherpas fixed the route to summit. John Snorri
Sigursson of Iceland and Cian O Brolchain of Ireland also scaled Mt. Lhotse becoming the first
mountaineer from their respective countries to summit Mt Lhotse.
After the destruction caused by an avalanche above the icefall section in 2014 and the devastating
earthquakes in 2015, the climbers could not summit Mt Lhotse in the past 3 years. Last year, the
climbing expeditions were halted after the death of high-altitude worker Ang Furba Sherpa. In this
season, more than 100 climbers along with their support staff would attempt to summit Mt Lhotse.
Mt Lhotse
Mt Lhotse (8,516 metre) is the fourth highest mountain in the world after Mt Everest, K2 and
Kangchenjunga. It is present on the border between Tibet and the Khumbu region of Nepal. In
addition to the main summit, the mountain also comprises of smaller peaks like Lhotse Middle
(8,414 m), Lhotse Shar (8,383 m). The main summit was first successfully climbed by the Swiss team
of Ernst Reiss and Fritz Luchsinger on May 18, 1956.
Indias GDP Growth Forecast for 2017 Revised Downward by UN
17-May-17
In the report titled, World Economic Situation and Prospects, the UN has projected a 7.3% growth for
India in 2017. Earlier in the reports January edition, UN had forecasted a growth of 7.7% for the
year. The revised report also has predicted an impressive 7.9% GDP growth for the year 2018 which
is an increase from its January estimate of 7.6%.
Salient Highlights
According to the report, despite Indias growth being revised downward, India remains one of the
fastest growing developing economy which is ahead of China. China is projected to grow at 6.5% in
2017 and 2018.
The report has observed that despite temporary disruptions caused by the demonetization policy,
economic conditions underpinned by sound fiscal and monetary policies remain robust. However,
the report has warned that the stressed balance sheets of the Indian banks is likely to have an adverse
impact on investment rebound in the country.
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World gross product is likely to expand by 2.7% in 2017 and 2.9% in 2018. This is an improvement
over 2.3% growth experienced in 2016.
The report expects a recovery in world industrial production and global trade backed by rising import
demand from East Asia.
The report expects firmer growth in developed economies and economies in transition, especially in
East and South Asia which is likely to remain as the worlds most dynamic regions supported by
robust domestic demand and supportive macroeconomic policies.
As a way forward, the report calls for renewed global commitments to deepen international policy
coordination in key areas such as aligning the multilateral trading system with the 2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development; enlarging official development aid; supporting climate finance and clean
technology transfer; and addressing the challenges posed by large movements of refugees and
migrants etc.
World Economic Situation and Prospects
World Economic Situation and Prospects is UN/DESAs flagship report on the state of the global
economy. It is a result of the joint work of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social
Affairs (UN/DESA), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and
the five United Nations regional commissions: Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Economic
Commission for Europe (ECE), Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean
(ECLAC), Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and Economic and
Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA). Apart from the above organizations, the United
Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) also contributs to the report.
IT Department Launches Operation Clean Money
17-May-17
Income Tax Department (ITD) has initiated Operation Clean Money to investigate tax evaders. As a
part of the operation, the government has launched a website on Operation Clean Money operation.
Salient Highlights
The Operation Clean Money portal has been designed by the Central Board of Direct Taxes
(CBDT). Initial phase of the operation involves identification of around 18 lakh persons who have
made large deposits or purchases between 9th November to 30th December 2016, which do not
appear to be in line with the tax payers profile.
The provision of online verification of these transactions is aimed at reducing the compliance cost
for the taxpayers while optimising the resources of the Income Tax department.
The PAN holders can view the information in the portal. The taxpayers would be allowed to submit
online explanation without the need to visiti the Income Tax Office. As a reminder, e-mail and SMS
will also be sent to the taxpayers for submission of online response on the portal.
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The IT department will make use of the data analytics to select cases for verification. After selection
of cases, additional information requested would be communicated electronically. On getting the
information, the portal will get dynamically updated. The taxpayers covered under this phase are
required to submit their responses within 10 days in order to avoid further notice and enforcement
actions under the Income Tax Act.
The response provided by the tax payer would be analyzed against available information with the
department. If response found justified, the verification would be closed. The verification will also be
closed if the cash deposit has been declared under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojna (PMGKY).
Background
Operation Clean Money was launched immediately after governments demonetisation drive in order
to bring the tax evaders with undeclared incomes under the tax net. The income tax department has
so far identified about 1.8 million persons and asked them o explain their deposits, pay tax or disclose
past undisclosed income through the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana.
Proxima B likely to have Water and Support Alien Life
17-May-17
An Earth Like Planet called Proxima B orbiting the closest neighboring Star, Proxima Centauri, which
is about 4.2 light years away is expected to have liquid water and the potential to support alien
life. The planet Proxima B was discovered in the last year. Earlier studies have concluded that the
planet is present in the habitable zone of its star Proxima Centauri so much so that it receives the
right amount of light to sustain liquid water on its surface. The planet is of similar size to the Earth
and is expected to have an Earth-like atmosphere.
Scientists from the University of Exeter in the UK have undertaken new research to explore the
potential climate of the planet. Scientists simulated the climate of Proxima B. In contrast to Earth,
the light from Proxima B were found to be mostly in the infra-red. They simulated a simpler
atmosphere with traces of carbon dioxide as well as variations of the planets orbit. The results from
the simulation showed that Proxima B could have the potential to be habitable and lie in a
remarkably stable climate regime. However, more studies need to be carried out to ascertain whether
they can sustain any form of life. The study has been published in the journal Astronomy and
Astrophysics.
Forbes Global Game Changers List: Mukesh Ambani Tops the List
17-May-17
Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani has topped the Forbes list of Global Game Changers.
Mukesh Ambani has been ranked at the top for his efforts to bring the internet to Indias masses.
This is Forbes second annual Global Game Changers list and includes 25 intrepid business
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leaders who are known to transform their industries and effect changes to the lives of billions of
people around the globe.
The top 10 spots in the list has been occupied by: Mukesh Ambani of India (1st) , Ziv Aviram,
Amnon Shashua of Israel (2nd), Stewart Butterfield of United States (3rd), John and Patrick Collison
of United States (4th), James Dyson of United Kingdom (5th), Scott Farquhar, Mike Cannon-
Brookes of Australia (6th), Larry Fink of United States (7th), Ken Frazier of United States
(8th), Taavet Hinrikus, Kristo Krmann of United Kingdom (9th), Robert Katz of United States
(10th).
The list overall has business leaders listed from eight different countries as well as six immigrants to
the U.S. The Youngest person to be featured in the list is Stripe co-founders John and Patrick
Collison, 26 and 28, as well as the Snapchat creator Evan Spiegel, 26. The oldest person to feature on
the list is Christo Wiese, 75, who is credited for creating Africas largest retail empire.
Anshu Jamsenpa: First Indian Women to scale Mount Everest Four Times
17-May-17
Anshu Jamsenpa, a native of Bomdila in Arunachal Pradesh has scripted history by becoming the first
Indian woman to scale Mount Everest for the fourth time. Anshu Jamsenpa who is a mother of two
children had already had ascaled Mount Everest twice in a season that too taking only a gap of 10 days
between the two climbs. She scaled the highest peak twice in May 2011. She again conquered the
peak on May 18, 2013.
Anshu began her summit expedition after 38 days of acclimatization and scaling several nearby peaks
and passes. Anshu Jamsenpa also plans to scale Mount Everest again in this season to create a new
record for becoming the first woman to do a double twice. She had sought the blessings of the Dalai
Lama on 2nd April from Guwahati before embarking upon the journey to Nepal.
Edmund Hillary of New Zealand and Tenzing Norgay of Nepal were the first climbers to conquer
Mount Everest. They achieved this feat on May 29, 1953. Reinhold Messner, an Italian explorer
became the first person to scale Mount Everest without supplemental oxygen in 1978. He is also first
climber to ascend all fourteen peaks over 8,000 metres (26,000 ft) above sea level, including the
Mount Everest.
CCEA gives Approval to New Coal Linkage Policy
17-May-17
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved a new coal linkage policy to
ensure adequate supply of the fuel to power plants through reverse auction. The new policy will help
in ensuring fuel supplies to the power plants in an organised manner.
Need
Though, the governments initiatives and prevailing market conditions to a large extent has helped
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to bring down the prices of the dry fuel and boosted the domestic production, a proper
mechanism for providing coal linkages to power plants at competitive rates was lacking. The new
policy will address this issue and will ensure proper sourcing of the dry fuel by the power plants as
per their schedules.
Coal linkage policy
Coal linkage policy is a policy designated by the union government for the allocation of coal among
thermal power plants. Inadequate availability of domestic coal coupled with high price for imported
coal requires the government to allocate the available coal rationally among the power plants. This is
especially necessary as the coal producing firms are public sector companies. Also, the pricing of coal
is an another important issue. In this context, the government designates coal linkage policies to
allocate coal among different thermal power plants.
Union Cabinet Approves Proposal to Build 10 Atomic Reactors
17-May-17
The Union Cabinet has cleared a proposal allowing for the construction of 10 indigenous Pressurised
Heavy Water Reactors (PHWR). The reactors will have a capacity of 700 MW. These reactors will
add 7000 MW capacity and will ramp up nuclear power generation in the country.
Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors
Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors use natural uranium as fuel and heavy water as both
moderator and coolant. Indias first PHWR was constructed at Rawatbhata in Rajasthan in technical
cooperation with the Atomic Energy Canada Ltd (AECL). However, the Canadas support was
immediately withdrawn after Indias first nuclear experiment at Pokhran in 1974. Indias first nuclear
power plant with a different design was built at Tarapur in Maharashtra. PHWR units are in
operation in Rawatbhata, Kaiga, Kakrapar, Kalpakkam and Narora. Recently, it was announced that
the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) is ready to sell Pressurised Heavy Water
Reactors of 220 MWe or 540 MWe capacity to other countries.
18-May-17
BSNL Signs MoU with Facebook and MobiKwik
18-May-17
BSNL has inked agreements with Facebook and MobiKwik in order to popularize the internet and its
value added services among its customers. Further, BSNL has also signed a third MoU with Disney
Land India to offer premium online gaming services to its mobile customers. The series of MoUs
signed by BSNL comes at the backdrop of a stiff competition faced by BSNL from private telecom
companies like Airtel and Reliance Jio.
Agreement with Facebook
As per the terms of agreement signed with Facebook, BSNL will facilitate connectivity for
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Facebooks `Express Wi-Fi Program. Express Wi-Fi service program of the Facebook has been
launched commercially in India and the service is now available via 700 hotspots across four states of
Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Meghalaya. Express Wi-Fi is a part of Facebooks global
initiative to expand internet connectivity. Express Wi-Fi services will complement mobile data
offerings by providing a low-cost, high bandwidth service allowing users to get online for accessing
apps, downloading contents amongst other things at affordable rates.
Agreement with MobiKwik
As per the MoU signed with the digital payments firm Mobikwik, BSNL and MobiKwik will work
together to create a BSNL mobile wallet to facilitate payment for its products and services. The
wallet will be made available exclusively to the customers of BSNL. In addition, MobiKwik will
also facilitate digital sale of BSNL SIM cards through its app and website.
Environment Minister Anil Madhav Dave Passes Away

18-May-17
Union environment minister Anil Madhav Dave has passed away. He was 60.
Anil Madhav Dave was born in Badnagar of Madhya Pradesh on July 6, 1956. He is a Member of
Parliament representing Madhya Pradesh. Dave was first elected to Rajya Sabha in 2009. Last year,
he was sworn in as a minister with independent charge of environment, forest and climate change.
He was very passionate on implementing environmental projects including conservation of
the Narmada river. He had also founded an organisation called Narmada Samagra for conservation
of Narmada.
Dave has also held various posts like Member, Standing Committee on Environment and Forest and
Science & Technology; Member, Standing Committee of Water Resources; Member (Board of
Governors) of Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan etc. He was also a nominated member of Indian
Council for Cultural Relations. He was the Chairman of Select Committees on Prevention of
Corruption (Amendment) Bill, 2013 as well as on Coal Mines (Special Provision) Bill, 2015.
Dave has also penned several books on the subject of environment and climate change. Some of his
famous books are: Beyond Copenhagen; Yes I Can, So Can We; Creation to Cremation; rafting through a
civilization: a travelogue; Shatabdi ke Paanch Kaale Panne; Sambhal Ke Rehna Apne Ghar Me Chhupe Hue
Gaddaron Se; Mahanayak Chandrashekhar Azad; Roti Aur Kamal ki Kahani; Samagra Gram Vikas etc.
Tata Group Named Countrys Most Valuable Brand in Brand Finance List
18-May-17
Brand finance in its 2017 report that lists Indias 100 most valuable brands has named Tata Group
as the most valuable brand in India at an estimated brand value of $13.1 billion. Brand Finance is a
global brand valuation and strategy consultancy firm. Tata Group has managed to top the list despite
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its brand value declining 4% from $13.7 billion in 2016.

As per the report, the total brand value of Indias top 100 brands have surged 15% in 2017 compared
to the global average of 11%. Overall 68 of Indias 100 most valuable brands have registered growth in
value this year.
Telecom operator Airtel at an estimated valuation of $7.7 billion has been ranked second in the list
followed by Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) with $6.8 billion.
IT firm Infosys and State Bank of India have been ranked fourth and fifth in the list with an
estimated value of $6.2 billion and $5.5 billion respectively.
Backed by the addition of 35 new routes and increase in operations in the existing route, Indigo
Airlines jumped from No. 95 in 2016 to No. 62 in 2017 in the Brand Finance list.
Handset maker Micromaxs performance has suffered the most with its brand value dropping by 39%
and fell to the 95th position in the list of top 100 brands.
Air carrier Indigo Airlines gained the most. Indigo jumped from No. 95 in 2016 to No. 62 in 2017 in
the Brand Finance list.
The report has named ITC as the most powerful brand in the country. As per the report it is the
countrys only AAA rated brand with a Brand Strength Index score of 86.
NITI Aayog Conducts First Samavesh Meeting
18-May-17
NITI Aayog has conducted the first Samavesh meeting of the National Steering Group and other
knowledge partners under the co-chairmanship of Amitabh Kant, CEO and Ratan P Watal, Principal
Adviser, NITI Aayog. The meeting was also attended by representatives of four States- Kerala,
Assam, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.
Salient Highlights
The objective of the meeting was to bring together 32 premier educational and policy research
institutions to boost the development process, improve institutional capacity and forge a field level
interface with the community in pursuance with the Prime Ministers call for a New India 2022,
In the meeting, Memorandum of Understands (MoUs) were signed between NITI Aayog and major
think tanks across the country with an aim to create an atmosphere of evidence based policy research.
This is the first ever initiative undertaken by the government to bring a huge number of
institutions across diverse domain themes to deliberate together to promote inclusive development
of the country. This network is expected to promote efficient knowledge sharing and information
exchange among all partners in order to achieve a sustainable and more inclusive development in line
with the National Development Agenda, Sustainable Development Goals and the 15 year Vision, 7
year strategy and 3 year action plan.
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NITI Aayog has been emphasizing upon the role that can be played by the countrys Premier
institutes to promote for inclusive development of the country. As a part of Samavesh initiative,
NITI Aayog will launch a new link in its website that would serve as a major repository of knowledge
based reports and case studies across different sectors of the economy.
NITI Aayog
NITI Aayog or National Institution for Transforming India was established on January 1,
2015 through a government resolution. NITI Aayog is essentially an advisory body that seeks to
provide critical directional and strategic inputs across spectrum of key elements of policy to the
centre as well as to the states. NITI Ayog was established by the government as a Think Tank
which has no power to impose policies. NITI Aayog seeks to put an end to the slow and tardy
implementation of the policy by fostering inter-ministry, inter-state and centre-state coordination. It
has been envisaged to follow the bottom-top development approach whereby, it would develop
mechanisms to formulate credible plans to the village level and aggregate these progressively at
higher levels of government.
Indian Army gets its First Artillery Gun in 30 Years
18-May-17
Nearly after 30 years after the induction of Bofors howitzers, Indian Army will get its first artillery
guns called M777 from BAE Systems. Swedish Bofors guns were inducted in late 1980s after which
Army has not inducted any modern artillery guns. The two M777s has arrived in New Delhi and will
be tested at the Pokhran field firing range in Rajasthan. The two M777 guns will be used for
compilation of firing tables. Indian Army has plans to equip 169 regiments with 3,503 guns by 2020.
Salient Highlights
The deal for procuring M777 guns from the United States was initiated in 2010. Finally, the
contract worth Rs 2,900-crore to buy 145 M777 guns were struck in November 2016. The
government-to-government deal was struck under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) route.
The 155 mm/39-caliber howitzers will increase the armys capabilities in high altitude and will be
deployed in the northern and eastern sectors. The modular design of the guns would come handy in
towing the guns along the narrow and treacherous mountain roads that is found in Indias borders
with both Pakistan and China. It will be especially used by the armys new mountain strike
corps which is being raised to counter China in the Northeast. The new corps is expected to be fully
operational by 2025.
The guns can also be airlifted by using heavy-lift helicopters like the Chinook. India has signed an
agreement to acquire Chinook from the US. The C130J Super Hercules, which are used for strategic
airlift by India is also capable of airlifting M777 guns.
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The M777 guns are already in service in the countries like the US, Canada and Australia. These guns
were deployed by these armies in Afghanistan and Iraq.
The first 25 guns will be inducted directly. The rest 120 guns will be be assembled in India by BAE
Systems in collaboration with Mahindra Defence.
Union Cabinet Approves Pharma Mission to Develop Bio-Pharmaceuticals
18-May-17
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved a collaborative mission between
industry and academia called Innovate in India empowering biotech entrepreneurs and accelerating inclusive
innovation that is aimed at accelerating research for early development of bio-pharmaceuticals.
Salient Highlights
The mission would attract an investment of Rs 1,500 crore from the central government over a
period of five years. Half of the funding would be funded through a loan from World Bank.
The mission will be implemented by Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council
(BIRAC), a public sector undertaking working under the Department of Biotechnology (DBT).
The mission will focus on key areas that would supplement countrys technological and product
development capabilities in the biopharmaceutical sector to enable the sector to become globally
competitive over the next 10-15 years.
The significance of the mission lies in the fact that National Biotechnology Development Strategy
2015-2020 announced by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) lays emphasis on making the
country achieve USD 100 billion biotech industry by 2025.
The mission will concentrate on development of specific products such as vaccines, biotherapeutics,
medical devices and diagnostics etc. Besides, the mission will also work on establishment of shared
infrastructure and facilities.
The mission will help in building and strengthening domain specific knowledge and management
skills at the same time creating and enhancing technology transfer capabilities in public and private
sector.
Purnima Devi Burman and Sanjay Gubbi Wins Prestigious Whitley Awards
18-May-17
Sanjay Gubbi of Karnataka and Purnima Barman of Assam have won the prestigious Whitley Award
for their contributions in wildlife conservation. Whitley awards are popularly known as Green
Oscars. The two Indians were among the six selected out of 169 applicants from 66 countries.
Purnima Devi Burman has been selected for her efforts for the conservation of greater adjutant
storks and its habitat. She created an all female network in three villages of Kamrup district to save
the adjutant storks and their habitats. The global population of adjutant storks is 1200-1800. Around
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800 of them are found in Assam and 150 in Bihar.

Sanjay Gubbi has been selected for his contribution to protect tiger corridors in Karnataka. Gubbi
who is wildlife biologist and scientist works with the Mysuru-based Nature Conservation
Foundation. Gubbi is also a member of the State Board for Wildlife and works actively to mitigate
conflict issues. In 2012, he was instrumental in securing the largest expansion of protected areas in
India since 1970. He helped to increase the size of protected areas in Karnataka by 37%.
Whitley Awards
Whitley Awards are instituted by the U.K.-registered charity Whitley Fund for Nature. These
awards are given annually to recognise national and regional conservationists and supports them in
their endeavour to conserve wildlife and nature. The awards are worth 35,000 and particularly
seeks to recognise wildlife conservationists from outside the developed world.
Indian Scientist Shrinivas Kulkarni Wins Prestigious Dan David Prize
18-May-17
Indian scientist Shrinivas Kulkarni has won the prestigious Dan David prize as a recognition for his
contributions made in the field of astronomy.
Shrinivas Kulkarni, a professor of astrophysics and planetary science at California Institute of
Technology in Pasadena, is a pioneer in the field of time-domain astrophysics. He has been credited
for building and conducting the Palomar Transient Factory, which is a large-area survey of the night
sky that has turned up with thousands of stellar explosions.
Shrinivas kulkarni would share the award with Andrej Udalski of the University of Warsaw and Neil
Gehrels of NASA for their discoveries on time-domain astrophysics in the Future category of the
prize.
With this award, Shrinivas Kulkarni will join other prominent Indians who have won the Dan David
prize like noted author Amitav Ghosh, music conductor Zubin Mehta and renowned chemist CNR
Rao.
Dan David Prize
The Dan David Foundation was established in 2000 by the late Dan David, an international
businessman and philanthropist. Three Dan David prizes of $1 million each are awarded each year in
the categories of Past, Present and Future to people who have made exemplary contributions to
humanity in the field of sciences, humanities, or for their work in civil society.
The recipients in the Past category are chosen from the field of history, archaeology, paleontology,
biography, etc;.
The recipients in the Present category are chosen from arts, media, policy, economics, etc.
The recipients in the Future category are chosen from one of the exact or natural sciences.
The prize mandates the laureates to donate 10% of their prize money to provide scholarships for
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graduate or post-graduate researchers in their respective fields.

Bilateral Exercise SIMBEX-17 between Indian & Republic Of Singapore Navy
Commences
18-May-17
The 24th bilateral exercise involving Indian Navy and Republic of Singapore Navy has commenced in
South China Sea. SIMBEX stands for Singapore-India Maritime Bilateral Exercises. The
exercise will be held from May 18, 2017 to May 24, 2017.
This edition of the bilateral exercise aims at increasing the interoperability among the two navies as
well as developing a common understanding and procedures among the two navies for maritime
security operations. The major thrust of the exercise will lie on Anti-Submarine Operations
(ASN), integrated operations with Surface, Air and Sub-surface Forces, Air Defence and Surface
Encounter Exercises.
The exercise would be conducted into two phases-the Harbour Phase and the Sea Phase. The Indian
Navy will be represented by Indian Naval Ships Shivalik, Sahyadri, Jyoti and Kamorta, one P8-I
Maritime Patrol and Anti-Submarine Warfare Aircraft. INS Sahyadri and INS Shivalik are both
multi-role stealth frigates. INS Kamorta is an indigenous Anti-Submarine Warfare Corvette. lNS
Jyoti is the fleet replenishment tanker. P 8I Maritime Patrol and Anti-Submarine Warfare Aircraft is
a long Range Maritime Reconnaissance Anti- Submarine (LRMRASW) aircraft.
The Singapore Navy will be represented by naval ships Supreme, Formidable and Victory, Maritime
Patrol Aircraft Fokker F50 as well as RSAF F-16 aircraft.
Background
The Indian & Republic of Singapore Navy began participating in the bilateral exercises in 1994. Since
then the two navies share a long standing relationship with regular professional interactions that
include exchange programs, staff talks and training courses. The earlier edition of the bilateral
exercise, SIMBEX-16 was held at Visakhapatnam in Bay of Bengal.
19-May-17
GST Council Announces GST Rates
19-May-17
The GST Council headed by finance Minister Arun Jaitley has finalised tax rates and has approved all
the seven rules for the GST regime that is scheduled to be implemented from July 1. The remaining
two rules of the GST pertaining to transition and return is under the examination of the legal
committee. In total, the council has fixed the rates of 1211 items. It will decide rates of some other
items and services in the coming days.
Salient Highlights
Out of 1211 items, 81% of the items will attract tax of 18% or less. Only the remaining 19% of
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items will attract a highest rate of 28%

Household items like Sugar, Tea, Coffee and edible oil will attract 5% levy. Cereals and milk
will be exempted from the tax.
Manufactured goods will attract 18% levy.
Luxury cars will attract 28% GST in addition to a cess of 15%. Small petrol cars will attract
28% GST plus a 1% cess, and diesel cars will be taxed at 28% plus 3% cess.
Capital goods, a key asset for the manufacturing sector, will be taxed at 28%.
Aerated drinks will fall under the 28% tax bracket.
Significance
The GST Council has not increased the overall tax in any of the 1211 items but have reduced tax on
many items. For example, Soap, which is now taxed at the rate of 22-24%, will be taxed at 18%.
The present tax incidence in excess of 28% on luxury items will be treated as cess and will be
deposited in the corpus for compensating states if they suffer any revenue loss.
Food items are expected to become cheaper. Daily use items like hair oil, toothpaste, and soap are
kept in the 18% tax slab instead of 28%.
The cost of energy generation is expected to become less as tax incidence on coal has been reduced
from 11% to 5%.
GST regime is expected to unify the whole of the country into a common market eliminating both
Central and State levies. Also, GST is expected to increase state and federal tax revenues, ease
inflation and boost economic growth by 1-2% points in the medium term.
ICC Test Ranking: India Retains No.1 Spot
19-May-17
Indian cricket team has retained its top position in the latest ICC Test rankings with 123 points.
Indian team is six points ahead of second placed South Africa.
Australia has been placed at the third place with 100 points followed by England at 4th (99 points),
New Zealand at 5th (97 points), Pakistan at 6th (93 points), Sri Lanka at 7th (91 points), West
Indies at 8th (75 points), Bangladesh at 9th (69 points) and Zimbabwe at 10th with zero points.
While Indian and South African teams have improved their performance, Australia, England and
Pakistan have made downward movements.
In the recent matches, India registered series wins against West Indies last year and defeated New
Zealand, England and Australia in home series. Out of the total 13 matches played in India, the
Indian team have registered 10 wins, 2 loses and one draw.
Other Rankings
In the ICC ODI Championship Rankings, Indian team has been placed at third position after South
Africa and Australia.
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In the ICC Twenty20 Championship Rankings, India occupies fourth position after New Zealand,
England and Pakistan.
In the ICC Womens Championships Rankings, Indian Womens team is at fourth position after
Australia, England and NewZealand.
Scientists at IIT Delhi Develops Cheapest Respiratory Filter
19-May-17
Scientists at Indian Institute of Technology Delhi have developed the device Nasofilters which is
capable of restricting up to 95% of dust and air pollutants. Involving a cost of Rs 10, it is the cheapest
naso filter available. The nano-respiratory filter is now ready for commercialisation. The researchers
involved in the project was recently awarded with the National Startups Award by President
Pranab Mukherjee.
Salient Features
The Nasofilter employs an incredible filter technology that gives protection against the finest
particulate pollutants especially the PM2.5 concentration. It offers protection for at least eight hours
and therefore helps in reducing the risk of respiratory diseases.
The device has an assembly of millions of small-sized pores that creates a thin flexible
membrane capable of capturing very small particles with high efficiency. The design of the filter
provides good breathability and comfort.
The filter is capable of getting struck with the users nasal orifice and would prevent the entry
of foreign particulate matter like PM2.5 particles, bacteria and pollen allergens.
Background
According to a new study of global air pollution issued jointly by Health Effects Institute, a Boston
research institute, Indias rapidly worsening air pollution has surpassed that of Chinas to become the
deadliest in the world. About 1.1 million people die prematurely each year in India which is an
alarming increase of nearly 50% of premature deaths between 1990 and 2015 period.
Particulate Matters are fine particles, less than fraction of the width of a human hair. These particles
are released from vehicles, particularly those with diesel engines, industries, as well as from natural
sources. They enter the bloodstream through the lungs, and increases the risk of stroke, heart failure
and cardiac disease. in addition it also results in severe respiratory problems, like pneumonia and
asthma.
National Green Tribunal Bans Open Defecation and Waste Dumping on Yamuna
Floodplains
19-May-17
A Bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar has banned open defecation and
waste dumping on the floodplains of the Yamuna. It has also slapped an environment compensation
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of Rs 5,000 for people who violated the order. Apart from this, the NGT has also constituted a
committee under the head of Delhi Jal Board CEO to oversee the cleaning works of the river and
ordered it to submit reports at regular intervals.
The tribunal has also ordered the Delhi government and the municipal corporations to immediately
take action against those polluting industries which function in residential areas. These industries are
held as the major source of pollution to the river.
NGTs above orders were issued after hearing a plea on the monitoring of execution of the Maili se
Nirmal Yamuna Revitalisation Project 2017.
Background
The NGT on May 1 ordered the inspection of the sewage treatment plants (STP) to make sure that
the effluents are treated before it got released into Yamuna. Almost 67% of the wastewater reaching
Yamuna are to be treated under the STPs set up under Phase 1 of the Maili se Nirmal Yamuna
Revitalisation Project 2017. Out of the total 14 STP projects that are to be built for treating
wastewater, seven STP projects will be built by the Delhi Jal Board with its own funds.
The central government had sanctioned the Yamuna Action Plan (YAP)-I and YAP-II schemes for
the states of Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. YAP-III projects which are to be completed by
December 2018 has been introduced in Delhi with financial assistance from Japan International
Cooperation Agency (JICA). The project involves works like sewerage/interception and diversion of
drains, sewage treatment plants, low-cost sanitation and community toilet complexes, electric and
improved wood crematoria among others.
Scientists discover First Natural Human Antibodies against Ebola Virus
19-May-17
A team of scientists from the United States have discovered a possible cure for Ebola viruses. They
have discovered the first natural human antibodies that are capable of neutralizing and protecting
animals against all three major disease-causing ebola viruses. The findings could lead to the discovery
of first effective ebolavirus therapies and vaccines.
Scientists have discovered the broadly neutralizing antibodies from the blood of a survivor of the
2013-16 Ebola outbreak. Scientists have also pinpointed the human gene which is expected to be the
source of the immune cells that produce these antibodies. These antibodies could emerge as a single
therapy to treat all Ebola viruses.
Background
Ebola virus disease (EVD) is a severe, often fatal illness in humans. It was first identified in 1976 in
the Democratic Republic of Congo in a village near the Ebola River, from which it takes its name. It
is transmitted to people from wild animals and spreads in the human population through human-to-
human transmission. Fruit bats are natural host of this virus. It spreads through contact with body
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fluids of inflected persons such as blood, urine and saliva. Symptoms faced by people who have
contracted the Ebola virus include high fever, bleeding and central nervous system damage. In 2014,
Ebola virus had erupted periodically mainly across west and east Africa mainly in Guinea, Liberia and
Sierra Leone. It was the deadly outbreak of the virus in the history that had killed 11,000 people.
China, ASEAN Countries Agree on Framework for South China Sea Code of
Conduct
19-May-17
China and the 10 member of the ASEAN grouping have agreed to a framework of a legally binding
code of conduct aimed at preventing disputes in the strategic South China Sea. Though the draft of
the framework has been finalised, no details about the text of the framework agreement has been
released. Also, no date has been given on which the full code of conduct is set to be adopted by the
parties. However, all the parties have agreed to continue to constructively advance the
negotiations and work towards the early conclusion of the code of conduct.
Background
China and the ASEAN members had committed to sign a code of conduct around 15 years ago. But
the pace of the negotiations was slow as China claimed the South China in its entirety. ASEAN
members like Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam and Brunei also maintain claims in the South China
Sea. In the absence of the code of conduct, each country followed a separate document called
the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), which has a provision
committing parties to explore ways to build trust and confidence based on the principles of equality
and mutual respect. Last year, China was enraged by the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in
Hague, the Netherlands, which in its ruling has rejected Chinas claims to economic rights across
large swathes of South China Sea in a case brought by the Philippines.
10 ASEAN Members: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar,
Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
South China Sea
South China Sea is part of Pacific Ocean spreading an area of some 35 lakh square km with eight
littoral countries / territories viz. China, Taiwan, Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei,
Singapore and Vietnam. It is strategically located in the international shipping route that sees the
passage of worlds half of the merchant ships. The sea is rich in energy reserves including petroleum,
mineral and fishing resources. It is made of some 200 tiny islands, coral reefs, shoals, sandbanks etc.
grouped into three archipelagos of Spratlys, Paracels and Pratas. The Macclesfield Bank and
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Scarborough Shoal are also part of South China Sea. Several countries have made competing
territorial claims over the South China Sea. Such disputes have been regarded as Asias most
potentially dangerous point of conflict.
Climate Change: Antarctica is Turning Green
19-May-17
According to a new study conducted by a team of scientists from the University of Exeter in the UK,
plant life on Antarctica is growing rapidly due to climate change. The scientists have observed a
sharp increase in biological activity in Antarctica in the last 50 years. For ascertaining the growth, the
scientists conducted tests at five cores from three sites and has observed the occurrence of major
biological changes across the Antarctic Peninsula. The scientists made use of 150 years worth of
data to arrive at the conclusion. The study has been published in the journal Current Biology.
According to the scientists, Antarctica will be much greener in the future and the continents plants and
soils will change substantially even with only modest further warming. The continuous retreat of
glaciers will make Antarctica much greener in the future. As per the study, the growth of moss in the
continent is a signifier that the region is already undergoing change. At present, the plant life exists
only in 0.3% of Antarctica. With increase in land cover occurs decrease in snow and ice cover. The
thinner ice cover permits the penetration of sunlight into the previously dark areas allowing the
planktons to grow. This would bring ecosystem shift to Antarctica similar to what has happened in
Arctic.
Background
In March 2017, the US and European scientists had observed that the extent of sea ice at both poles
has hit new record lows in this years season. The disappearing sea ice comes as the Earth marks
three consecutive years of record-breaking heat and temperature rise, raising fresh concerns about
the accelerating pace of global warming. Also, for the past two years, Antarctica saw record high sea
ice extents and decades of moderate sea ice growth.
Recently, the researchers have also found that the Southern Antarctic Peninsula showed no signs of
change up to 2009. But after 2009, multiple glaciers along a vast coastal expanse suddenly started to
shed ice into the ocean. These glaciers measure around 750 km in length and are shrinking nearly at
a constant rate of 60 cubic km and adding about 55 trillion litres of water each year. With this level
of shrinking, the region has become the second largest contributor to sea level rise in Antarctica
causing small changes in the gravity field of the Earth.
Bharti is the name of third Research station commissioned by India at Antarctica. It will be the third
and second active research station along with Maitri (active) and Dakshin Gangotri(abandoned, but
used as supply base) for the nation.
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20-May-17
Prime Minister Releases Book Series written by MS Swaminathan
20-May-17
The Prime Minister Narendra Modi has released a two-part book series written by the eminent
agricultural scientist Dr. M.S. Swaminathan. The series is titled M.S. Swaminathan: The Quest
for a world without hunger.
MS Swaminathan
Dr. M S Swaminathan is known as the Father of the Green Revolution in India for his leadership
and success in introducing and further developing high-yielding varieties of wheat in India. He is the
founder and Chairman of the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation, Chennai. The Indian
Government has honored him with its prestigious national decorations like Padma Shri and Padma
Bhusan and he has been the recipient of numerous awards and prizes and medals from all over the
world. He has been named Commandeur of the Order of the Golden Ark of the Netherlands, and has
received the Magsaysay Award for Community Leadership, the Ordre du Merite Agricole of France,
and the Golden Heart Presidential Award of the Philippines. He has been awarded the Charles
Darwin International Science and Environment Medal, the Volvo Environment Prize, the UNESCO
Gandhi Gold Medal, the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Four Freedoms Medal, and the Indira Gandhi
Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development to name just a few. In 1987, he was the first
recipient of the World Food Prize, considered equal to a Nobel in the field of agriculture.
Some of the other books written by Dr. M S Swaminathan are: An Evergreen Revolution (2006), I
Predict: A Century of Hope Towards an Era of Harmony with Nature and Freedom from Hunger (1999),
Gender Dimensions in Biodiversity Management (1998), Implementing the Benefit Sharing Provisions of the
Convention on Biological Diversity: Challenges and opportunities (1997), Agrobiodiversity and Farmers
Rights (1996), Sustainable Agriculture: Towards Food Security Farmers Rights and Plant Genetic Resources: A
dialogue (1995), Wheat Revolution: a Dialogue (1993).
Madhav Chitale Committee Recommends Measures for De-silting Ganga
20-May-17
The Union Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation had
constituted a committee to prepare guidelines for desiltation of Ganga River last year. The four
member committee is headed by Madhav Chitale (Expert Member of National Ganga River Basin
Authority). The other members of the committee include Secretary, Union Ministry of Water
Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation, Secretary, Union Ministry of Environment,
Forests & Climate Change and Dr. Mukesh Sinha, Director, Central Water and Power Research
Station, Pune. The committee was constituted as per the commitment made by Union Minister for
Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Uma Bharti while chairing the 6th
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meeting of the National Ganga River Basin Authority in New Delhi in July, 2016.
Salient Recommendations
The committee has recommended a series of measures that includes creation of sand registry for de-
silting of the Ganga, study to guide de-silting activities and establishment of a technical institute to
conduct the sediment budget.
The committee has recommended for the establishment of an institute for flood routing studies.
The committee has observed that erosion, sediment transport and siltation are very complex
phenomena and hence one-size-fits-all approach cannot be applied to sediment management and
control as the issues involved are regionally-specific. So, the committee suggests to evolve guidelines,
better broad principles while planning and implementing de-silting works as the indiscriminate se-
siltation works may cause more harm to ecology.
The committee recommends good agricultural practices, river bank anti-erosion works and
reclamation of adjoining lakes along the river. The committee also favors de-silting of adjoining lakes
to increase their storage capacities.
It has recommended dredging of shoals in the Farakka Barrage and usage of such sediments for re-
grading the Farakka Feeder Canal. It has also suggested to modify the bridges across the Ganga
which are causing large afflux.
Air Marshal PN Pradhan Appointed as Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff
20-May-17
Air Marshal PN Pradhan has been appointed as the Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff
(Operations).
IDS
Integrated Defence Staff was created in 2001 following the recommendation of GoM which was set
up after the Kargil war to review Indias defence management. IDS was established to ensure a high
degree of synergy between the Armed forces. IDS works towards integration of policies, war fighting
and procurement by employing best management practices. The IDS comprises of Service Officers,
Civilian Officers and Scientists who perform roles and functions allocated to them based on
responsibilities of Integrated Defence Staff.
PN Pradhan
PN Pradhan was commissioned as a pilot in Indian Air Force in 1981. Pradhan has held four
command tenures and various key positions like Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Transport and
Helicopters) and Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Personal Airmen & Civilians) at Air Headquarters and
served as the Senior Air Staff Officer of Southern Air Command. Pradhan was associated with the
induction and operationalisation of Embraer-135, BBJ and C-130 fleets into the Indian Airforce. In
recognition of his distinguished service, he was awarded with Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2014.
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GST Council Finalises 4-slab Service Tax Structure

20-May-17
The GST Council headed by finance Minister Arun Jaitley has finalised a 4-slab service tax structure
at the rates of 5, 12, 18 and 28 per cent as against the single rate of 15% levied on all taxable
services. GST regime is scheduled to be implemented from July 1. In the next GST Council meeting,
tax rates on gold and other precious metals will be taken up for discussion.
Salient Highlights
Luxury hotels, gambling, race club betting and cinema services will attract a tax rate of 28%.
Education, healthcare and non-AC rail travel will remain exempted from the GST tax regime.
However, the states will be given the option to levy additional taxes on cinema to compensate for the
revenue losses entailed due to merging of entertainment tax with GST. At present, the total tax
incidence on cinema including entertainment and service tax is in the range of 55%. The states need
to use the legislative route if it wants to levy additional tax on cinema.
States will also be permitted to levy any new tax as the taxation powers of the states have only been
restricted and not abolished after the rollout of GST.
Telecom and financial services will be taxed at a rate of 18%.
Transport services will be taxed at the rate of 5%. Cab aggregators like Ola and Uber will have to pay
5% under GST in place of 6%. AC rail travel will attract 5% tax. Economy class air travel will attract 5
% GST while business class will attract 12%. Travelling on metro, local train and religious travel such
as Haj Yatra would be exempted from GST.
The e-commerce players like Flipkart and Snapdeal would be required to shell out 1% Tax Collected
at Source (TCS).
Non-AC restaurants and AC restaurants will attract a GST of 12% and 18% respectively.
Advertisements published in newspapers will attract 5% GST. At present it is exempt from service
tax.
World Cup Archery: Indian Mens Team Wins Compound Gold
20-May-17
The Indian Mens compound archery team has managed to win gold after defeating
Columbia 226-221 in the archery World Cup stage 1 championships held in Shanghai, China. Indian
archery team were represented by Abhishek Verma, Chinna Raju Srither and Amanjeet Singh. The
Colombian team comprised Camilo Andres Cardona, Jose Carlos Ospina and Daniel Munoz. India
beat USA in the semifinal and edged out Iran in the quarterfinals. The team also defeated Vietnam in
the first round.
The womens team, however, failed to shine in the event. In the Womens event, South Korea,
Denmark and Russia emerged as winners in that order.
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Study on Common Risk Mitigation Mechanism (CRMM) for Solar Power

Generation Projects in Solar Rich Countries Commissioned
20-May-17
India along with countries like Argentina, Burkina-Faso, Chad, France, Ivory Coast, Mali, Namibia,
Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Uganda and Yemen has jointly commissioned a study to define and structure
a Common Risk Mitigation Mechanism (CRMM) for solar power generation projects in solar rich
countries. The commissioning of the study is aimed at dramatic reduction in the cost of finance for
renewable energy and the overall price of electricity. The exercise is part of the international efforts
aimed at implementing the the Paris Declaration of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) adopted on
30 November 2015.
The study has been entrusted to a task force chaired by Terrawatt Initiative (TWI), the World Bank
Group, the Currency Exchange Fund (TCX), the Council on Energy, Environment and Water
(CEEW) and also the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII). Each of the participating countries
will also appoint a qualified representative who will cooperate with the task force and provide
information regarding the country specific expectations, experience and needs of the task force. All
the countries lying fully or partially between the Tropics are also invited to join the task force and
support this initiative in order to attract investments into solar sector.
Need
The Council on Energy, Environment and Water calculates the cost of capital to form a substantial
amount in the total costs of renewable energy. In India it accounts for 70% of the total cost of solar
Power. In this regard, the CRMM is expected to offer a simple and affordable tool that will develop a
secure environment for private institutional investment in solar assets.
ISA
On the first day of the COP-21 summit, the International Solar Alliance was launched by Indian
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Francois Hollande as a union of countries with
abundant sunlight. Under this alliance, 121 countries that fall within the tropics {i.e. between Tropic
of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn} have been invited to make collaborative efforts to harness solar
energy to generate the electricity. Most of these countries fall within Asia, Africa and South
America.There are three objectives behind the International Solar Alliance. First is to force down
prices by driving demand; second is to bring standardization in solar technologies and third is to
foster research and development.
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Hassan Rouhani Wins Irans Presidential Election

20-May-17
Hassan Rouhani has been re-elected as the President of Iran. He was elected as president for his first
term in 2013. He won 2013 elections by pledging to end Irans isolation and improve civil rights at
home.
Rouhani was born in Semnan province on November 12, 1948. He is a graduate of University of
Tehran and did his PhD from Scotlands Glasgow Caledonian University. The 68 year old Rouhani is
a lawyer, academic and a former diplomat.
Rouhani has won his second term by presenting himself as the candidate of change and
social freedoms that ended many sanctions and a 13 year standoff over Irans nuclear programme. He
has held various key positions like the key defence portfolios during the 1980 -88 Iran-Iraq war. He
had spent 16 years as secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, which is Irans top security
post. Rouhani consistently worked to rebuild Irans relations with the West. He also became the first
Iranian leader to speak with the President of United States when Barack Obama phoned in
September 2013.
Indian Boy Wins Intel International Science Award in US
20-May-17
Prashant Ranganathan has emerged winner in the worlds largest pre-college science
competition in the environment engineering category for his work on biodegradation of pesticides.
Prashant is among the 20 high schools students from various parts of the country who participated in
the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair held in the US. More than 1700 students across
the world had participated in the event.
Prashant Ranganathan is a student of Carmel Junior College in Jamshedpur. His project
titled Biodegradation of Chlorpyrifos using native bacteria is aimed at helping farmers to biodegrade
the harmful pesticides.
In all, Four Indian-Americans received top awards in various categories. Indian American Pratik
Naidu has won an award in the category of computational biology and bioinformatics. Other Indian-
American winners include Adam Nayak who has won in earth and environmental sciences, Karthik
Yegnesh in Mathematics and Rahul Subramaniam in the microbiology category.
22-May-17
India wins all 10 Gold Medals at South Asian Junior Table Tennis Championships
22-May-17
The South Asian Junior Table Tennis championship was held in Mount Lavinia, near Colombia in
Sri Lanka. In a stunning performance, the paddlers from India have won all the 10 Gold Medals on
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offer in this tournament. Apart from 10 gold medals, the Indian participants have also won 14
medals, thus taking the medal tally to 14.
In this championship, top seeded Manav Thakkar won Junior Boys final; while Archana Girish
Kamath won Junior Girls final. In Cadet Boys final, top-seed H. Jeho won the Gold Medal. India led
the championship with eight points, followed by Sri Lanka (six points).
Free Wi-Fi facility inaugurated at 28 Railway Stations
22-May-17
On May 21, Minister of Railways Suresh Prabhu inaugurated free Wi-Fi facility at 28 Railway
Stations of Konkan Railway from Kudal Railway Station in Maharashtra. Indian Railways has tied by
with SYSCON/JOISTER for providing 2 Mbps peer-to-peer 24 hrs Free Wi-Fi bandwidth at 28
railway stations of Konkan Railway.
In line with Governments Digital India initiative, SYSCON/JOISTER are providing the
JOISPOT brand Wi-Fi in Pune and Mumbai educational institutions in Maharashtra state.
The company has now undertaken as a part of their CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility)
activity of providing free Wi-Fi to rural area on the Konkan Route.
The 28 stations include Kolad; Mangaon; Veer; Karanjadi; Vinhere; Diwankhavati; Khed;
Anjani; Chiplun; Kamthe; Sawarda; Aravali Road; Sangameshwar; Ukshi; Bhoke; Ratnagiri;
Nivasar; Adavali; Vilavade; Rajapur Road; Vaibhavwadi Road; Nandgaon Road; Kankavali;
Sindhudurg; Kudal; Zarap; Sawantwadi Road and Madure.
The free Wi-Fi facility would help the travelers, commuters and tourists access essential information
while waiting for trains on railway stations.
22 May: World Biological Diversity Day
22-May-17
Every year, May 22 is observed as International Day for Biodiversity or World Biodiversity Day. This
date commemorates the date of Adoption of the Agreed Text of the Convention on Biological
Diversity at UNEP Headquarters, Nairobi on 22 May 1992. In 2000, UN General Assembly via
resolution 55/201 decided to celebrate World Biodiversity Day on May 22 instead of December 29,
which was previously designated as International Biodiversity Day.
Theme
The theme for 2017 for World Biodiversity Day is Biodiversity and Sustainable Tourism. The theme
is in sync with the observance of 2017 as International Year of Sustainable Tourism for
Development as proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly. UN has already declared
2011-20 as United Nations Decade on Biodiversity to support and promote reducing the loss of
biodiversity.
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About Global Biodiversity

The term Biological Diversity was first coined by wildlife scientist and conservationist Raymond F.
Dasmann in 1968. This term became widespread in use during 1980s. Biodiversity refers to the
totality of genes, species and ecosystems of a region. There are three levels of biodiversity viz.
species diversity, ecosystem diversity and genetic diversity. The term biodiveristy is used to address
several problems in conservation of environment including loss of species, destruction of habitats,
invasive species, genetic pollution, over exploitation and effects of climate change on biodiversity.
The spatial distribution of organisms, species and ecosystems is called Biogeography. Biodiversity is
unequally distributed on Earth and it varies across regions on the basis of climatic and geographical
factors. On earth, highest biodiversity is found in tropics. In comparison to Oceans, terrestrial
biodiversity is much greater. It is estimated that there are 8.7 million species on earth of which 2.1
million live in Oceans while rest are terrestrial. The terrestrial biodiversity is greater at equator in
comparison to poles. Around 90% of worlds biodiversity is found n tropical rainforests which
occupy less than 10 percent of Earths surface. The marine biodiversity is highest along the coasts in
the Western Pacific which is known for highest sea temperature. Around 70% of World species are
found in 12 countries viz. Australia, Brazil, China, Columbia, Costa Rica, Congo, Ecuador, India,
Indonesia, Madagascar, Mexico and Peru.
Fact Box: 52nd Annual General Meeting of African Development Bank (AfDB)
22-May-17
The 52nd Annual General Meeting of African Development Bank (AfDB) is being held at
Gandhinagar in Gujarat from May 22-26, 2017. This is for the first time that this meeting is being
held in India. This meeting is expected to be attended by some 4500 delegates including the finance
ministers and central bank governors of AfDBs members and non-member countries.
About African Development Bank (AfDB)
African Development Bank Group (AfDB) also known as Banque Africaine de Developpment (BAD)
was founded in 1964 with a mission to fight poverty and improve living conditions of the people of
African continent by promoting investment in government and private capital in development
projects. The bank is made of three entities viz. African Development Bank, African Development Fund,
and Nigeria Trust Fund. Its headquarters are at Abidjan, Cte dIvoire (Ivory Coast). The motto of the
bank is Building today, a better Africa tomorrow and currently, it has total 78 members including
India. India had joined this bank in 1983. Its unit currency (for accounting purpose) is XUA under
the ISO 4217 standard currency code.
India and other Non-African Members
India is a non-African member country for this bank. Some other non-African member countries
include US, Japan, Germany, Canada, France, China etc. Nigeria is the largest country in terms of
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voting powers at the African Development Bank, followed by United States.

Significance of the meet
So far, the annual conferences of the bank have held within African continent only. For the first time
in 2017, the bank is holding its first annual conference outside Africa at Gandhinagar. This event is
to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This meet is seen as a logical follow up to the
India Africa Forum summit which was held in 2015 in Delhi.
Fact Box: Federation Cup and Other Football Tournaments & Leagues in India
22-May-17
On 21st May, 2017, the Bengaluru FC defeated Mohun Bagan 2-0 to win the Federation Cup. The
final event was held in Barabati Stadium in Cuttack, Odisha.
Federation Cup is Indias first major football competition involving the clubs. It was established by
the All India Football Federation in 1977. During 1980s and 1990s, it was considered to be most
popular foot ball tournament in India. The other popular football tournaments of India include
Durand Cup, Santosh Trophy, Indian Super League, Subroto Cup, IFA Shield etc. Important facts
about these tournaments are given below:
Durand Cup
Durand Cup is Indias oldest football tournament and is among the oldest in the world. It is named
after its founder Sir Mortimer Durand, who served as Foreign Secretary in charge of India from 1884
to 1894. The first Durand Cup tournament was held in 1888. In the beginning, it was an Army cup
for the British Indian Army troops. Over the years, it opened up for civilian teams. In 2006, the army
passed its administration to civilians organizations called Durand Football Tournament Society
(DFTS) and Osians. The latest Durand Cup Tournament was held in 2016 and current champion is
Army Green.
IFA Shield
IFA Shield is second oldest football competition of India organized by Indian Football Association
and in existence since 1893. Since 2015, IFA Shield has been designed as an under-19 youth football
tournament. Its current sponsor is LG and latest competition was held in 2016, won by Tata Football
Academy.
Subroto Cup
Subroto Cup Football Tournament is an inter-school football tournament named after Air Marshal
Subroto Mukerjee. It was started in 1960. More than 50 school teams participate in this competition
including schools from Nepal and Afghanistan. It is conducted by the Indian Air Force, with support
from Indias Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports. The Madhyamgram High School, in West Bengal us
known for winning this tournament for seven times.
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Santosh Trophy
Santosh Trophy, started in 1941, is an annual Indian football tournament platyed by states and
government institutions. It is named after Maharaja Sir Manmatha Nath Roy Chowdhary of Santosh,
who served as President of the IFA. The first winners were Bengal. West Bengal has been the most
successful team in the tournament and also the current champion with its 32nd title in hand.
Indian Super League
Indian Super League (ISL) [Offocially Hero ISL] is a mens professional football league. It was
founded in 2013 and is based on franchise model on the lines of IPL. Currently, there are eight teams
in ISL viz. Atltico de Kolkata; Chennaiyin FC; Delhi Dynamos; Goa; Kerala Blasters; Mumbai City;
North East United and Pune City. So far three seasons have held of which two have been won by
Atltico de Kolkata (2014 & 2016) while one season was won by Chennaiyin FC (2015).
I-League
I-League (officially Hero I League) is another professional league in football in India. It was launched
in 2007 as ONGC I-League and as a successor of National Football League. So far, nine sessions have
been conducted of this league. It is contested by 10 football clubs and considered to be the primary
competition in Indian football. The 10 clubs are Aizawl, Bengaluru FC, Chennai City, Churchill
Brothers, DSK Shivajians, East Bengal, Minerva Punjab, Mohun Bagan, Mumbai and Shillong
Lajong.
Madhya Pradesh bans Sand Excavation in Narmada River
22-May-17
The State Government of Madhya Pradesh has put an indefinite ban on the sand excavation in the
Narmada River. This announcement has been made by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in
Bhopal. The government has also set up a committee to suggest the scientific ways of mining the
rivers. This committee will submit the report to state government after exploring ways for sand
excavation without harming rivers. The government will also promote manufactured sand (made by
mixing stones).
Background
Illegal sand mining is one of the serious law & order and environmental issues in several states of
India including Madhya Pradesh. The business has flourished mainly because of nexus between sand
mafia, officers and politicians. Many people including police officers and activists have lost their lives
while making attempts to check this illegal activity. The Chief Minister was has been travelling along
side Narmada River to make Save Narmada a peoples movement through his Namami Narmada
Yatra. However, in February 2017, his government had faced embarrassment when a company
belonging to nephew of chief minister was alleged to be engaged in illegal mining.
The issue of illegal mining in Narmada was sub-judice in state High Court but in July 2015, it was
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transferred to National Green Tribunal. On the basis of a complaint by Medha Patkar (of Narmada
Bachao Aandolan), the NGT had sent a team to investigate the matter. After investigation, NGT had
directed state government to take strong measures and report the progress.
About Narmada River
Narmada (giver of pleasure), is one of the largest rivers of India, originating in Amarkantak Hills and
flowing through Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra. It is third largest river after Ganga and
Godavari to flow within political boundaries of India. It flows in a rift valley between the Satpura
and Vindhya Ranges; and serves as lifeline of Madhya Pradesh. Its basin covers large areas in the
states of Madhya Pradesh (86%), Gujarat (14%) and a smaller area (2%) in Maharashtra. In the river
course of 1,312 km, there are 41 tributaries, out of which 22 are from the Satpuda range and the rest
on the right bank are from the Vindhya Range. Geologically, Narmada River is older than the river
Ganges. In Puranas, it has been mentioned as Rewa. In Indian history, the river has played role to
divide North India (Uttarpatha) from South India (Dakshinpatha). The Chalukya emperor
Pulakeshin-II had defeated emperor Harshavardhana on the banks of Narmada River, thus forcing
him to agree this river as his southern border after this war.
NASA Names New Species After Abdul Kalam
22-May-17
NASA has named a new bacteria discovered on the filters of the International Space Station, ISS,
as Solibacillus kalamii to honour the late president Dr A P J Abdul Kalam. The genus
is Solibacillus and the species name is kalamii. Researchers at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory has found
that the bacteria remained on board the International Space Station for 40 months. The new
organism is found only on the ISS and has not been found anywhere on the earth. In 1963, Dr.
Kalam had his early training at NASA before setting up Indias first rocket launching facility at
Thumba in Kerala.
A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen (A.P.J) Abdul Kalam was born on 15 October 1931 in Rameswaram,
Ramanathapuram District of Tamil Nadu. In 1960, he had joined Defence Research and
Development Organisation (DRDO) as a scientist and started his career by designing a small
helicopter for the Indian Army. In 1969, he had joined India Space Research Organisation (ISRO) as
the project director for Indias first indigenous satellite launch vehicle programme. Under his
leadership and vision, India entered into the elite space club after Rohini satellite was place into the
orbit in 1980. He was a pioneer and instrumental in development of the Polar Satellite Launch
Vehicle (PSLV), Indias space workhorse. In 1980, he was appointed Chairman of Integrated Guided
Missile Development Program (IGMDP) and was brain behind developing Agni and Prithvi missiles.
Thus he came to be known as the Missile Man of India for his work on the development of ballistic
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missile. He was Chief Project Coordinator of Pokhran II Nuclear Test (Operation Shakti) which was
conducted on 11 May 1998. He was the 11th President of India and was in office from 2002 to 2007.
He was Indias most popular President and famously known as Peoples President. He has been
awarded with Bharat Ratna (1997), Padma Vibhushan (1990), Padma Bhushan (1981).
23-May-17
Harsh Malhotra Committee on Scouts and Guides Submits Report to the Sports
Ministry
23-May-17
A seven-member High-Level Committee on Scouts and Guides has submitted its Final Report to
Minister for State (Independent Charge) for Youth Affairs & Sports, Vijay Goel with various
recommendations.
Salient Highlights
The committee has suggested for the constitution of an Enquiry Committee to take stock of
complaints and grievances and submit its report.
The committee has suggested for completely revamping the Bharat Scout & Guides and Hindustan
Scouts and Guides. It has stressed upon the need for streamlining the organizational set up of Bharat
Scouts and Guides and Hindustan Scouts and Guides. It has also said that it has observed a number of
irregularities and anomalies in the financial management of the Scouts and Guides which are audited
by the Chartered Accountant. So, the committee has recommended for the constitution of a
permanent monitoring Committee to periodically assess the activities of both the organisations and
submit report to the Union Sports Ministry.
The committee has suggested for the nomination of government nominees on the Boards of both the
organizations.
Background
After receiving various complaints from various sectors against the Bharat Scouts and Guides and
Hindustan Scouts and Guides, sports ministry had constituted a seven-member High Level
Committee under the chairmanship of Harsh Malhotra in October 2016 to look into the
infrastructure and assets of the two recognized Scouts and Guides Organizations.
The high level committee submitted its first interim report on January 31, 2017 recommending to
make Scouts movement as an integral part of Youth movement.
Bharat Scouts and Guides and Hindustan Scouts and Guides are the two organizations
recognized by the Sports Ministry for conducting scouting and guiding activities across
the country. These two organizations also receives grant-in-aid for conducting the
scouting/guiding activities.
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RBI to Reconstitute Oversight Committee to Tackle Bad Loans

23-May-17
The Reserve Bank of India is set to reconstitute Oversight Committee to operationalise the banking
ordinance, which was recently cleared by the Union Cabinet to amend the Banking Regulation Act
for the sake of giving more powers to Reserve Bank of India for effectively dealing with non-
performing assets (NPAs) in the banking sector. The existing Oversight Committee was constituted
by the Indian Banks Association (IBA). The move is aimed at containing the bad loans which have
reached to over Rs 8 lakh crore.
Salient Highlights
In addition to reconstituting the Oversight Committee (OC), the RBI has also proposed to include
some more members so that it can constitute requisite benches to deal with the volume of cases
referred to the committee. the existing OC constituted by the IBA has only two members.
RBI is also working on a framework to facilitate consistent decision making in those cases which are
referred for resolution under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016.
RBI envisages a vital role for the credit rating agencies and is exploring the feasibility of rating
assignments being determined by the RBI itself. The agencies would be paid out of a fund constituted
out of contributions from the banks and the Reserve Banks.
RBI envisages coordination among various stakeholders including banks, ARCs, rating agencies,
IBBI and PE firms. The apex bank has already sought information on the present status of the large
stressed assets from the banks.
Background
Recently, the union cabinet had authorised the RBI to issue directions to any banking company or
banking companies to initiate insolvency resolution process under the provisions of the Insolvency
and Bankruptcy Code, 2016. The ordinance also empowered the RBI to act against loan defaulters
and defaulting companies under the bankruptcy code. Amendments will enable RBI to set up
multiple oversight committees to deal with NPAs.
Paytm Launches Payments Bank
23-May-17
Paytm has rolled out its Payments Bank operations by launching its first physical branch in Noida.
With this launch, there are three payments bank operational in the country, the other two
being Airtel Payments Bank Ltd and India Post Payments Bank Ltd. The Paytm Payments Bank will
be the first bank in the country to offer cashbacks on deposits.
Significance
As a Payments Bank, Paytm will be able to accept deposits upto Rs 1 lakh per customer in wallet and
savings/current accounts. Further it can also offer other services like Debit Cards, Online Banking
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and Mobile Banking. It will not be allowed to lend to customers. However, it will be able to offer
financial products like loans, insurance, mutual funds, pension funds etc by partnering with other
financial institutions and banks.
Other Salient Features
Interest Rate
Paytm Payments Bank will offer 4% interest on savings account in line with the interest rates of all
leading commercial banks including State Bank of India, Bank of Baroda and ICICI Bank Ltd, which
also offers 4% interest rate on savings account deposits.
Cash withdrawal charges
Customers will be given five free transactions in non-metro cities and three free transactions in
metro cities. After the exhaustion of free limits, customers will be charged Rs 20 for each subsequent
cash transactions.
Debit Cards
The customers will be offered a Rupay debit card at an annual subscription cost of Rs 100 plus
delivery charges. The bank will also provide a cheque book at a cost of Rs 100.
Online fund transfer
Paytm Payments Bank will provide services such as Immediate Payment Service (IMPS), Unified
Payment Interface (UPI) and National Electronic Fund Transfer (NEFT) free of cost to its customers.
Background
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had given in principle approval to Paytm Payments Bank Ltd, an
entity majority owned by One97 Communications earlier this year. In 2015, RBI had awarded in-
principle approval to Vijay Shekhar Sharma to set up a Payments Bank along with 10 others with an
objective of deepening financial inclusion. The Paytm Payments Bank aims to plans to roll out
operations in 31 branches and 3,000 customer service points in the first year.
PM Inaugurates African Development Banks 52nd Annual General Meeting
23-May-17
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the 52nd Annual General Meeting of the African
Development Bank in Gandhinagar. The AGM will be held in from May 22-26. This is the first
time that India is hosting the annual meetings of the AfDB and its sister institutions, including of
finance ministers of member countries, who comprise the AfDB board of governors. India had
joined the African Development Bank (AfDB) in 1983.
The Annual Meetings are the Banks largest annual event and offers a unique forum for
representatives of government, business, civil society, think-tanks, academia and the media to debate
key issues on Africas development. The event will see the participation of 4500 delegates including
finance ministers and central bank governors belonging to AfDBs 54 member countries and 26 non-
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member countries. The event is expected to deepen Indias ties with African continent.
Background
India is the fifth largest investor in Africa. Indo-African trade had doubled to reach USD 72 billion in
the five year time period that ended in 2014-15. In 2015-16, it felled sharply to USD 56 billion.
However, the presence of Indian private sector in Africa is noteworthy and amounts to USD 35
billion made in the sectors like automobile, drugs and pharmaceuticals, textiles, IT services, water
treatment, petroleum refining etc. As opposed to China, India is more oriented to improve local
capacities in China. For instance, Indias EXIM Bank has helped incubate similar institutions in five
African countries.
Africa is also important to India as it is a crucial player in the India-fostered International Solar
Alliance (ISA). More than a dozen out of ISAs 24 members belong to Africa.
Worlds First Philosophical Novel on God Unveiled
23-May-17
IAS officer Haulianlal Guite has recently published a philosophical novel for God titled Confessions
of a dying mind: the blind faith of atheism. The book was unveiled by Union Minister Kiren
Rijiju at august gathering of Civil Services Officers Institute in New Delhi. The book is touted as the
worlds first philosophical novel for God. Haulianlal Guite is hailed as the first civil servant to write
on Philosophy after John Stuart Mills work titled On Liberty published in 1858.
The book explores interesting arguments against atheism. It also explores the nature of science,
religion, evidence and love in light of latest findings of modern science and the solid theories in
philosophy. The unveiled book is the first part of the three volumes. The book is published by a UK
based Bloomsbury Publishing.
Haulianlal Guite hails from Churachandpur district of Manipur. He cleared the 2010 Civil Services
Examination with an All India Rank of 33.
May 23: World Turtle Day
23-May-17
Every year May 23 is celebrated as the World Turtle Day as an annual observance aimed at
protecting turtles and tortoises and their rapidly disappearing habitats across the world. The
celebrations was started in 2000 by the American Tortoise Rescue (ATR). Since then it is celebrated
every year to create awareness about the worlds oldest living reptiles in the world.
Threats in India
Smuggling
The greatest threats faced by the turtles and tortoises in India is smuggling. They are smuggled every
year in large numbers to East Asian and Southeast Asian markets. They are smuggled live to these
countries. Apart from the live specimens, the eggs of sea turtle are dug up and sold as delicacies in
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the South Asian countries. The state of West Bengal has emerged as one of the focal points of turtle
smuggling. Despite efforts of the government, turtle smuggling remains as a lucrative business in
India.
Other Threats
Turtles also threatened by several man made issues. One of the major threat is habitat destruction.
The turtles which are found in Ganges and other major rivers in the country faces habitat
destruction as these rivers are increasingly getting polluted. Sea turtles also suffers from the pollution
of seas and beaches. Many turtles are dying every year by eating plastics.
Nauru Ratifies International Solar Alliance Framework Pact
23-May-17
The tiny island of Nauru which is the worlds smallest republic has become the sixth country to
ratify the International Solar Alliance (ISA) Framework pact. Still five more nations namely
the Comoros, Cote dIvoire, Somalia, Ghana and Djibouti have committed to ink the International
Solar Alliance Framework Pact in the ongoing annual meeting of the African Development bank in
Gandhinagar. This is the first time that India is hosting the annual meetings of the AfDB and its
sister institutions. India had joined the African Development Bank (AfDB) in 1983.
Nauru
Nauru is a tiny island republic in Micronesia located in the northeast of Australia. Nauru has a
population of 10,200-odd individuals. The highest point in the island measures only 65 metres above
sea level. Hence, the island remains vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change. Nauru has a
hot and humid climate and normally dont experience cyclones. Around 30% of the countrys power
needs are met through solar power installations. The tiny republic has set a target for attaining 50%
of energy production from renewable sources by 2020.
ISA
On the first day of the COP-21 summit, the International Solar Alliance was launched by Indian
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Francois Hollande as a union of countries with
abundant sunlight. Under this alliance, 121 countries that fall within the tropics {i.e. between Tropic
of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn} have been invited to make collaborative efforts to harness solar
energy to generate the electricity. Most of these countries fall within Asia, Africa and South
America.There are three objectives behind the International Solar Alliance. First is to force down
prices by driving demand; second is to bring standardization in solar technologies and third is to
foster research and development.
Madhya Pradesh Signs MoU with IIT-Kharagpur for Developing Happiness Index
23-May-17
IIT Kharagpurs Rekhi Centre of Excellence for the Science of Happiness and Madhya Pradesh
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governments Rajya Anandam Sansthan (Department of Happiness) has signed an MoU to collaborate
on the development of a Happiness Index for measuring the well-being of the residents of the state.
The MoU was signed in the presence of MP Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and IIT-KGP
Director Prof P P Chakrabarti at Bhopal.
Salient Highlights
The Happiness index would be developed by IIT-KGP and the data collected by the state government
would be analysed to assess the happiness levels of people of the state and to suggest
recommendations to enhance happiness levels in the state.
IIT-Kharagpur will also develop an online screening and assessment system to suitably identify the
volunteers from more than 30,000 people who have expressed their desire to be part of the
collaborative effort.
In addition, IIT-KGP will also develop online courses on happiness with the help of evaluation
system available at its Center for Educational Technology.
Background
India has been ranked at 122 out of 155 countries in the 2017 United Nationss World Happiness
Index (WHI). Among the 8 SAARC nations, Pakistan is at 80th position, Nepal stood at 99, Bhutan
at 97, Bangladesh at 110 and Sri Lanka is at 120. The list is topped by Norway, followed by Denmark,
Iceland, Switzerland and Finland. The rankings are based factors such as inequality, life expectancy,
GDP per capita, public trust (i.e. a lack of corruption in government and business), and social
support. Together they are used to generate a happiness score of country on a scale from 1 to 10.This
year it is fifth such report since the first was published in 2012.
IIT-KGP, which is recognized as an Institute of National Importance was established in

1951 by the Government of India. It was the rst IIT to be established in the country.
24-May-17
Airlander 10: Worlds Largest Aircraft Completes Test Flight
24-May-17
Airlander 10, the worlds largest aircraft has successfully completed a test flight by flying for a total of
180 minutes in Cardington, UK. During the test flight, the aircrafts handling and improved landing
technology were tested thus bringing it a step closer to commercial use.
Airlander 10
Airlander 10 is hybrid ship i.e. it is a partly plane and partly airship filled with helium gas. It
combines technology from airplanes, helicopters and airships. It is 92-metre-long and 43.5m wide. It
can fly at up to 6,100 metres and reach speeds of 148 kilometres per hour. It can also carry a 10-
tonne payload. It can stay airborne for more than two weeks unmanned and up to five days if
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manned. It was first developed for the US Government as a surveillance aircraft, but the project was
shelved amid defence cutbacks.
The first test flight of Airlander 10 was carried out on August 17, 2016. During its second test flight,
Airlander 10 suffered cockpit damage while landing in Bedfordshire in central England.
James Bond Actor Roger Moore Passes Away

24-May-17
British actor Roger Moore, who played the much famed secret agent James Bond, has passed away at
the age of 89. Roger Moore has acted as James Bond in seven films for 12 years between 1973 and
1985. His famous films include Live and Let Die and A View to a Kill. Moore was also known for
playing Simon Templar in TV series The Saint between 1962 and 1969.
Roger was appointed as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in 1991 and is well known for
his humanitarian work. He was Knighted for his service to charity by Queen Elizabeth II in 2003. In
2008, Roger was appointed as a Commander of the Ordre des Arts et des Letters by the French
Government.
Second Prototype of Light Utility Helicopter Completes Maiden Flight

24-May-17
The second prototype of the Light Utility Helicopter, LUH PT2, has successfully completed its first
flight by flying smoothly for 22 minutes in Bengaluru. The second prototype is the improved version
of the PT1, which undertook its first flight on September 6, 2016 and later in the Aero India
2017 show in February.
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is developing the three-tonne-class LUH as a reconnaissance
and surveillance aircraft for military and civili users. HAL is expected to finalize the helicopters
design by the this year end. After getting necessary certificates the HAL will manufacture the aircraft
and its components in its facility coming up in Tumakuru. The aircraft is being manufactured by the
HAL as a part of its Make in India campaign in rotary and fixed wing aircraft.
Light Utility Helicopter
LUH is being designed to fly 350 km non stop at a speed of 220 kmph. The aircraft is capable of
reaching a maximum height of 6.5 Km and can carry a payload of 400 kg. The engine of LUH is
capable of delivering 750 KW of power and will permit flight operations at an altitude as high as
6,500 metres (21, 325 feet) and thus permitting the aircraft to fly to Indias highest posts in Siachen
Glacier Sector.
The light utility helicopter (LUH) will replace the obsolescent fleet of Chetak and Cheetah
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helicopters that have been in use for more than three decades. Apart from military use, LUH is also
being developed to capture a sizeable share in both domestic and international market.
HALs helicopter division has already designed two successful indigenous programmes- the Dhruv
Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) and the Light Combat Helicopter (LCH).
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus Elected as Director General of WHO

24-May-17
Former Ethiopian Health Minister Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has been elected as the new
Director-General of the World Health Organisation. This election has earned the distinction of
being the first election which saw the participation of all WHO member states in the voting process.
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus defeated the other two contendors to the post, namely, UKs Dr
David Nabarro and Pakistans Dr Sania Nishtar.
The head of the organization is the Director-General (DG), appointed by the World
Health Assembly.
Earlier stincts of Dr Tedros includes the post of Ethiopias Foreign Affairs Minister (2012-2016) and
Health Minister (2005-2012). He has also served as chair of the Board of the Global Fund to Fight
AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Also as chair of the Roll Back Malaria (RBM) Partnership Board, as
well as co-chair of the Board of the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health.
During his tenure at the helm of WHO, Dr Tedros will have to tackle challenges like the spread of
the Zika virus and Ebola, along with existing challenges posed by Malaria, Tuberculosis and
HIV/AIDS, to name a few. WHO is also at present facing the financial challenges as a result of the
squeeze on donor funds.
WHO
The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a
coordinating authority on international public health. Established on 7 April 1948, it succeeded the
Health Organization, which was an agency of the League of Nations. It is a member of the United
Nations Development Group and its headquarters are located at Geneva. WHO flag features the Rod
of Asclepius as a symbol for healing.
Government Lays off 129 Non-Performing Officers in Public Interest
24-May-17
According to Union Minister Jitendra Singh, the government has forced 129 government officers to
retire for non-performance in the past few months. In total, 30 Group A and 99 Group B officers has
been forced to retire in the past few months.
The punishment of compulsory retirement comes as a consequence of the review being done by the
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central government to check the performance of its officers. The government analyzed the service
records of over 24,000 Group A officers and 42,251 Group B officers for performance. As per the
government sources, the government will further look into the service records of another 34,451
Group A officers and 42,521 Group B officers. The action comes at the backdrop of governments
move to promote citizen-centric governance.
In 2014, corrupted IAS couple of Madhya Pradesh, Arvind and Tinoo Joshi, were dismissed from
service after the income tax raid in their premises had unearthed disproportionate assets worth Rs
350 crore.
Service review on government employees are usually conducted after 15 years and
again after 25 years of completion of qualifying service.
Inauguration of Integration of eSanad with CBSEs Academic Repository

24-May-17
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar and IT Minister Ravi
Shankar Prasad has jointly inaugurated the integration of E-Sanad with CBSEs digital repository
Parinam Manjusha in New Delhi.
Salient Highlights
E Sanad is an e-service for online verification and attestation of documents of Indian citizens.
E-Sanad an initiative under the Digital India programme that aims to offer faceless, cashless,
contactless and paperless document attestation/apostille services.
It will benefit the applicants in India and those travelling abroad as it will enable them to get their
documents attested and verified. It will facilitate digital verification by foreign governments.
The integration will pave way for the seamless electronic movement of the documents among the
stakeholders.
It allows online filing of applications and saves precious time and money of applicants who at present
are required to travel long distances for getting attested by the concerned authorities in States.
eSanad has been designed and developed by NIC.
eSanad has been integrated with Non- Tax Receipt Portal (NTRP) for enabling cashless payment.
Implementation
The eSanad will be implemented in phases. In the first phase, the initiative has been launched in five
passport offices and is in the process of being implemented in the Apostille/ Attestation Cell of the
Ministry.
For implementation in States, the initiative is being rolled out on a pilot basis in
Telangana. Telangana has become the first state in the country where the pilot e-Sanad project has
been rolled out.
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Union Cabinet Approves Abolition of FIPB

24-May-17
The Union Cabinet has approved the abolition of 25 year old FIPB. Henceforth, concerned
ministries will be responsible for direct approval of foreign investment proposals. The decision falls
in line with Finance Minister Arun Jaitleys proposal to scrap FIPB in this years Union Budget.
FIPB was constituted in the mid-nineties under the Prime Ministers Office following economic
liberalisation.
Rationale
Over 90% of the FDI inflows in value terms enters through automatic route. The government
expects that scrapping of FIPB would help in ease of doing business. At present, only 11 sectors,
including defence and retail trading needs government approval for foreign direct investment (FDI).
New Mechanism
FDI proposals would be approved by the ministries concerned by following the standard operating
procedure approved by the Cabinet. Those 11 sectors that require approval would be dealt directly by
the concerned ministry.
In proposals related to security, the proposals will also need to require the approval of Home
Ministry.
Those proposals which are presently pending before the FIPB will be sent back to the ministries
concerned.
The FDI proposals above Rs 5,000 crore will continue to come under the purview of the Cabinet
Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA).
Indias First Underwater Rail Tunnel Completed
24-May-17
The two organizations Afcons Transtonnelstroy and Kolkata Metro Railway Corporation Ltd (KMCRL)
involved in implementing the East West Metro have completed boring the Indias first
underwater tunnel under the Hooghly river to link Howrah and Kolkata.
The length of Kolkatas East West Metro is 16.6 km long. Out of which a length of 502
metres is under the Hooghly river. The project is built by Afcons Transtonnelstroy and implemented
by KMRCL. Afcons Transtonnelstroy is an Indo-Russian joint venture. The project connects
Howrah to the west and Salt lake to the east. Digging the underwater tunnel was the critical task in
the project. A massive tunnel boring machine called Rachna was used for boring the underwater
tunnel. The tunnel boring job was completed within in a time of one month and six days well ahead
of schedule.
The East West Metro with a length of 16.6 km will have 12 stations, six of which will be
underground stations. The project which was slated to be completed by 2012 got postponed many
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times. The final commissioning of the project is expected to be held by December 2019.
Swachh Bharat App Launched
24-May-17
Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma has launched Swachh Bharat app at the National Museum in New
Delhi. The app will enable visitors to report garbage on the premises of the ASI monuments across
the country. Around 30 galleries in the National Museum have already been equipped with a device
that will make use of the intranet to connect to the app.
Salient Highlights
The services of the app will be soon rolled out in 116 monuments under the Archaeological Survey
of India (ASI) across the country. The devices installed in the monuments will connect to this app
using Bluetooth. The devices will have a range of around 30 metres.
The visitors with the help of the app would be permitted to report the culture ministry any litter or
garbage on the premises of the monuments.
The app is available for Android mobile phones. As soon as the visitors enter the premises of the
monuments and switch on the Bluetooth, the app will relay Swachh Bharat-related information to
the visitors and will ask them to report any garbage around them.
Even if the visitors have not installed the App on their handsets, a message will be delivered by
Google about the Swachh Bharat Abiyan and will provide the visitors with a link to install the App.
The Swachh Bharat App will be monitored by the Ministry of Culture. The App is expected to
promote cleanliness in the premises of ASI monuments.
25-May-17
Ravichandran Ashwin Wins International Cricketer of the Year Award
25-May-17
Indias Ravichandran Ashwin has won the international cricketer of the Year Award at the CEAT
Cricket Rating (CCR) International awards 2017. He was presented with an award at a function
held at the Cricket Club of India by former cricketer Sunil Gavaskar and Harsh Goenka of RPG
Enterprises. Ashwin has taken 99 wickets in the past 12 months.
Batsman Shubhman Gill has been awarded with the Young Player of the Year award for his stellar
performance during the India-England U-19 ODI series
Ravichandran Ashwin
Ravichandran Ashwin is credited as the fastest Indian bowler to reach the 50-, 100-, 150-, 200-, and
250-wicket mark in Test Cricket. In 2016, he earned the distinction of becoming the third Indian
after Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar to win the ICC Cricketer of the Year Award. Ashwin has
received various other awards like Arjuna Award in 2014, BCCIs International Cricketer of the
Year Award for 2012-2013 season, ICC Test Cricketer of the Year Award in 2016 etc.
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Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Sanchar Kaushal Vikas Pratisthan Scheme

Launched
25-May-17
The Minister of State for Communications Manoj Sinha has launched three new initiatives,
namely, BSNLs satellite phone service; Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Telecom Skill Excellence
Award Scheme & Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Sanchar Kaushal Vikas Pratisthan Scheme.
Salient Highlights
BSNLs satellite phone service will be offered in a phased manner. In the first phase, the service
will be extended to the government agencies handling a disaster, state police, railways, Border
security forces and other government agencies. In the subsequent phases, the phone service would be
offered to those people who are travelling in flight and ships. Global satellite phone service is modern
satellite phone service.
Under Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Sanchar Kaushal Vikas Pratisthan Scheme, the
ministry will impart training to 10,000 people from 10 States/UTs in the first phase. States like Uttar
Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha, Punjab and Haryana will get benefitted in the first phase. Further,
the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) plans to established more than 1,000 Sanchar
Kaushal Vikas Pratisthan in future.
In addition, a new award called Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Telecom Skill Excellence Award has been
instituted to recognize achievers and talents in Telecom sector.
Union Cabinet Approves Allocation of 2.5% of Central Road Fund for National
Waterways Development
25-May-17
The Union Cabinet has given its approval for allocating 2.5% of the Central Road Fund (CRF) for
the development of the National Waterways.
Central Road Fund is a duty on excise and customs levied on petrol and high-speed
diesel.
Significance
The allocation will provide around Rs 2000 crore annually for the development and maintenance of
the National Waterways which in turn will boost inland water transport. According to the Inland
Waterways Authority of India, the development of National Waterways would require Rs 25,000
crore till 2022-2023. The move is also expected to provide employment opportunities to 1.8 lakh
persons in the next 5 years
A number of facilities like navigation aids, night navigation facility, facilities for embarking and
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disembarking at designated locations, facilities for expeditious crossing of the Farakka Navigation
Lock, pilotage and assistance in distress will be provided by the IWAI.
Background
The National Waterways Act, 2016 was passed in 2016 for the development and maintenance of
National Waterways. The act which came into force in 12 April, 2016 has declared 111 inland
waterways across 24 states as national waterways. At present five National Waterways are
operational.
Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) is the statutory body in charge of the waterways in
India. Its headquarters is located in Noida, UP. Its main function is to build the necessary required
infrastructure in these waterways, surveying the economic feasibility of new projects and also
administration and regulation.
Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda Resigns
25-May-17
Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda has resigned from his post. He was elected
as the 39th Prime Minister of Nepal. Prachanda has stepped down honouring a power sharing
agreement entered by him with the ruling partner Nepali Congress on August 3, 2016. As per the
agreement, Dahal, who is the Chairman of CPN (Maoist Centre) was to have a brief stint of 9 months
and will be succeeded by Nepali Congress president Sher Bahadur Deuba. It was agreed that the
government will be run on a rotational basis until elections to Parliament are held in February 2018.
Sher Bahadur Deuba is expected to assume the office by next week. In his tenure, he will oversee
the remaining two elections provincial and central which are to be conducted by January 2018.
Prachandas tenure has helped to ease the hostile relationship between the Government of Nepal and
Madhesis. Both Prachanda and Sher Bahadur Deuba are committed to amend the constitution to
accommodate the aspirations of Madhesi people who have been protesting since 2015 against those
constitutional provisions that excludes them from the power structure.
Background
First local level polls were held in Nepal on May 14 which is a first in two decades. After 1997, local
level elections could not be held in Nepal due to the decade-long Maoist insurgency and ensuing
political instability. Nepal has seen around 25 prime ministers in the last 25 years.
Nepal is also recovering from the devastating earthquake which killed over 9,000 people. In addition,
it is also plagued by the protests of the minority ethnic Madhesis who demand amendment of the
Nepali Constitution.
World Economic Forum: Mumbai and Kota among Worlds most Crowded
25-May-17
World Economic Forum citing UN-Habitat data has named two Indian cities-Mumbai and Kota
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among the worlds most crowded cities. Dhaka has topped the list followed by Indias financial
capital Mumbai. Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh has a population density of 44,500 people per
square kilometre. Mumbai has a population density of 31,700 people per square kilometre. Another
Indian city Kota in Rajasthan with 12,100 people per square kilometre has been ranked seventh in
the list.
Medellin in Columbia with a population density of 19,700 people per square kilometre has been
ranked third followed by Manila, Philippines at 4th place with a density of 14,800;Casablanca,
Morocco at 5th place with a density of 14,200; Lagos, Nigeria at 6th place with a density of 13,300;
Singapore at 8th place with a density of 10,200 and finally Jakarta, Indonesia at 9th place with a
density of 9,600.
It has been estimated that more than half of the worlds population resides in urban areas and the UN
expects this to increase to 66% by 2050 with around 90% increase concentrated in Asia and Africa.
UN-Habitat
UN-Habitat, also known as United Nations Human Settlements Program is a UN agency for
sustainable urban development and human settlements. It was established in 1978 and has its
headquarters in the UN Office at Nairobi, Kenya. It is mandated by the United Nations General
Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities with the goal of
providing adequate shelter for all. It is also a member of UNDP. UN-Habitat works in more than 70
countries in five continents focusing on seven areas: Urban Legislation, Land and Governance;
Urban Planning and Design; Urban Economy; Urban Basic Services; Housing and Slum Upgrading;
Risk Reduction and Rehabilitation; and Urban Research and Capacity Development.
Union Cabinet Approves National Procurement Policy Giving Preference to Make

in India
25-May-17
The Union Cabinet Chaired by Prime Minister has given its approval for a national procurement
policy that gives preference to Make In India in government procurements. The policy aims to
maintain the balance between promoting Make in India and ensuring timely, quality and value-for-
money products for the procuring government entities.
Need
The new policy will boost domestic manufacturing and service provision and will enhance income
and employment. It will facilitate flow of capital and technology into domestic manufacturing and
services. As the government procurement is always substantial it can contribute towards increasing
the participation of local employees and improve their living conditions.
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Salient Highlights
The national procurement policy will provide purchase preference to local content in Government
procurements. Local content essentially means domestic value addition and local suppliers are
those whose goods or services meet minimum thresholds (50%) for local content.
For the procurement of goods below Rs 50 lakhs, only local suppliers will be eligible if the Nodal
Ministry determines that there is a availability of sufficient local capacity and local competition.
For procurements valued above Rs 50 lakhs or in case of insufficient local capacity and if the lowest
bid happens to be from a non local supplier, then the lowest-cost local supplier who is within a
margin of 20% of the lowest bid, will be offered an opportunity to match the lowest bid. If the order
can be split into more than one supplier, the order will be split between the non-local supplier and
the local supplier.
Small procurements valued below Rs 5 lakhs are exempted from the policy.
The order also covers autonomous bodies and all the government entities under the control of the
government.
The policy primarily favours self certification for verification of local content. However, if the
declarations were found to be false then the supplier will have to face penal consequences.
A Standing Committee in Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) will oversee the
implementation of this order. It will further make recommendations to Nodal Ministries and
procuring entities.
Fact Box: Cobra Lily
25-May-17
The rare cobra lilies scientifically known as Arisaema translucens has been rediscovered in the western
Nilgiris by nature enthusiasts K.M. Prabhu Kumar and Tarun Chhabra after a gap of 84 years. One
species of the lilies were found in Thia Shola while the other was spotted in the Pennant Valley forest
area of the Nilgiris. It was last collected by E. Barnes in 1932 and described by C.E.C Fischer in 1933.
Salient features
The cobra lilies have a distinctive translucent spathe. The indigenous Toda tribals of Nilgiris are
capable of predicting the early arrival of monsoon from the blooming of the cobra lilys
translucens. The Toda tribals have an embroidery motif called podwarshk resembling the cobra
lilies.
It is estimated that only a few hundred cobra lily plants are found in the wild that too in a very small
area measuring less than 10 square kilometres in the Nilgiris. Of the lilies present in the Nilgiris, only
two are endemic. These lilies are found in shola tree patches. Along with the disapperance of the
Shola tree patches, the lilies too have disappeared in the past few decades.
The plant prized for its beauty around the world are at greater risk of extinction from the
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commercial trade in exotic plants.

26-May-17
PM Inaugurates Countrys Longest Bridge in Assam and Names it Bhupen
Hazarika Bridge
26-May-17
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated Indias longest river bridge the Dhola-Sadia
Bridge in Assam. He has also renamed the bridge as Bhupen Hazarika Bridge. The construction of
the bridge began in 2011. The cost of the project is about Rs 2056 crores.
Salient Features
Dhola-Sadia Bridge is a three lane bridge stretching 9.15 kilometre built over river Lohit, which is a
tributary of the Brahmaputra river. The bridge was built by Navayuga Engineering Co. Ltd. The
Dhola-Sadiya bridge is 3.55 km longer than the BandraWorli Sea Link in Mumbai which is the
longest bridge in the country as of now.
The bridge will connect Sadia, which is 540 Km from Guwahati and Dhola, situated 300 Km from
Itanagar. The bridge has been designed to withstand the weight of 60-tonne battle tanks. This will be
the only bridge in the region that will be strong enough to withstand the travel of tanks to Tinsukia,
a place from where Indian troops usually enter Arunachal.
Significance
Road connectivity between Dhola to Sadia will boost overall economic development of the areas
north of Brahmaputra in upper Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. The bridge fills a huge connectivity
gap that existed in the north east region. Till now, the only means existed to cross this location was a
ferry travel which was not possible during floods. The construction of the bridge will reduce
the distance from Rupai on NH- 37 in Assam to Meka-Roing on NH-52 in Arunachal Pradesh by 165
Km. This reduction in travel time is expected to result in saving of petrol and diesel worth 10 lakh
rupees per day. Travel time between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh will also get reduced by up to
four hours.
The bridge will cater to the strategic requirements in border areas and will facilitate troop
mobilization much more quickly in Arunachal Pradesh, the state which is claimed in its entirety by
China.
Googles Rajan Anandan Appointed Chairman of IAMAI
26-May-17
Googles vice-president for South East Asia and India, Rajan Anandan has been appointed as the new
chairman of Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI). Rajan will succeed FreeCharges co-
founder and chief executive officer Kunal Shah.
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The other new office bearers of the IAMAI will be MakeMyTrip chairman & Group CEO Deep
Kalra who will be the vice-chairman. He succeeds Saavn co-founder and president Vinodh Bhat.
Facebooks managing director (India & South Asia), Umang Bedi will be the new treasurer of
IAMAI. Subho Ray will continue to be the president of IAMAI.
The tenure of the office bearers of the new council will be for two years.
Challenges
The new council has to work towards improving the internet connectivity especially in rural areas. It
is estimated that in a population of 906 million, only 156 million are using the internet in rural areas.
IAMAI has to take steps to reach to the potential 750 million users living in rural heartlands.
Another area which needs the focus of the committee is the promotion of local language content.
The Indian languages accounts for only 0.1% of the content on the worldwide web. It is estimated
that enabling Indian language content will help to achieve a growth of 39% in the current user base
of India.
IAMAI
IAMAI is a not-for-profit industry body registered under the Societies Act, 1986. It was founded in
2004. Its aim is to improve and expand the value added services pertaining to mobiles and several
online services. It is the only existing specialized body that represents the interests of online and
mobile value added services
Government Amends Definition of Start-Ups
26-May-17
The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), which is the nodal body for Start-up
India, has amended the definition of a start-up. As per the new definition, an entity will be
considered as a Start-Up if its turn over is less than Rs 25 crore and has not completed seven years
from the date of its incorporation/registration. In the definition, the change is with respect to the
time period which is currently five years. The new definition has increased it to 7 years taking into
the consideration the long gestation period involved in establishing start-ups.
Other Salient Amendments
The scope of definition of start-up will also be widened to include scalability of business model with
potential of employment generation or wealth creation.
An entity that has completed 7 years from the date of its incorporation or if its turnover exceeds Rs
25 crore, it will cease to be a start-up.
The process of recognition of an entity as a start-up will be through an online application made over
the mobile app/portal set up by the DIPP.
For the Start-Ups in the biotechnology sector, they will be considered as start-ups for a period of up
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to 10 years from the date of incorporation/registration.

Start-ups will not require a letter of recommendation from an incubator or an industry association to
get tax benefits under the Start-up India action plan. However, the entities should obtain a certificate
of an eligible business from an inter- ministerial board of certification as constituted by the DIPP to
claim tax benefits.
An entity will be deemed as a start-up if it is working towards innovation, development or
improvement of products/processes/services, or if it is a scalable business model with potential
for employment generation or wealth creation.
Significance
The new definition and amendments will help to ease of starting new business and will promote the
start-up ecosystem. The tweak in the definition will also help the entities to avail government
sponsored venture funding and tax and other benefits. It will create more jobs and
promote entrepreneurship under the Start-up India scheme.
Start-up India was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 16 January 2016 to
promote innovation and enhance economic growth and employment opportunities.
Anurag Tripathy Appointed as Secretary of CBSE

26-May-17
The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has appointed Anurag Tripathy, a 1998 batch
officer of Indian Railway personnel Service (IRPS) as the new secretary of the Central Board of
Secondary Education (CBSE). He will hold the post for a period of five years.
CBSE
The CBSE is a Board of Education for public and private schools, under the Union Government. It
affiliates all Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVs), all Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs), private schools and
most of the other schools which have been approved by the Union Government. It conducts the final
examinations for Class 10 and Class 12 every year in the month of March and declares their results. It
is responsible for conducting JEE(Main) for admission to undergraduate courses in engineering and
architecture. It also conducts the NEET-UG (Undergraduate), for MBBS and BDS courses.
Amul Thapar: Second Indian Judge to US Circuit Court of Appeals
26-May-17
United States senate has confirmed Amul Thapar as a judge to the Cincinnati-based Sixth Circuit
Court of Appeals. With this appointment he has become only the second Indian-American judge of
an appeals court. Thapar was confirmed by senate by a 52-44 vote. Thapar has become President
Trumps second judicial nominee to get confirmed after Senates approval.
In 2013, Shri Srnivasan became the first Indian to get appointed to the DC circuit court of appeals by
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President Barak Obama. He was the first Indian American to be appointed as the judge to the
American counterpart of Indias high courts.
Amul Thapar
Amul Thapar was born to the Indian immigrants Raj Thapar and Veena Bhalla. He studies law at
University of California, Berkeley. In 2008, he was appointed to the US District Court of Kentucky
by former President George W. Bush. Earlier, he has served as the US attorney for the Eastern
District of Kentucky and assistant US Attorney in the Southern District of Ohio and Washington
DC.
Government bans Sale of Cattle for Slaughter
26-May-17
The Ministry of Environment and Forests have come up with new regulations that bans the sale of
cattle for slaughter. The central regulation for cow protection has been notified at the backdrop of
rising cases of violence against cow traders by Hindu vigilante groups. The rules have been notified
under Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act of 1960. Slaughter of cows are banned in most parts of
the country except parts of the north-east India and Kerala. The new rules will be implemented in
the next three months.
Salient Highlights
Across India, the cattle trade is permitted only among farm land owners. Cattle can be only sold to a
person possessing documents that he is an agriculturist.
As per the new regulations, cattle bought cannot be resold within six months.
Young and unfit animals cannot be traded.
Animal markets cannot be set up within 50 km of an international border and 25 km of a state
border. Transporting cattle outside of the country will require special approval of the state
government nominee.
All animal markets has to run with the approval of district animal market committee to be
headed by a magistrate. The committee will also have two representatives from government-
approved animal welfare groups.
The new regulations prescribes around 30 norms for animal welfare in markets like that of water,
fans, bedding, ramps, non-slippery flooring, veterinary facility and separate enclosure for sick
animals etc.
The owner of the animal has to bear the cost of its upkeep in a shelter. In case, the owner is unable to
pay, the cost would be recovered as land arrears. The state government will specify the costs every
year on April 1.
Criticisms
The new regulations says that cattle bought cannot be resold for six months. This provision will hurt
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the business of cattle traders.

The new rules have introduced a lot of paperwork for cattle traders who are predominantly illiterate
and poor. For example, a trader has to submit five copies of proof of sale at the local revenue office,
the local veterinary doctor in the district of the purchaser, animal market committee, apart from one
each for seller and buyer.
It is feared that the new rules will introduce inspector raj as it mandates veterinary inspector to
certify proper loading and unloading of animals. He can also mark any animal unfit for sale.
KPS Gill who led Operation Black Thunder Passes Away
26-May-17
KPS Gill, an IPS officer of the Assam-Meghalaya cadre of the 1958 batch, who is often credited with
rooting out militancy in Punjab has passed away at the age of 82. He was known as a super cop for
his work in the fields of policing and security.
Gill led the Operation Black Thunder in May 1988 to eliminate militants hiding in the Golden
Temple. He is credited for completely eliminating the Khalistani terrorism in Punjab. Unlike
Operation Blue Star (1984), Operation Black Thunder was highly successful as little damage was
caused to the Golden Temple. Operation Black Thunder resulted in the surrender of around 67 Sikhs
and the death of 43 militants.
Gill was the former director general of police (DGP) of Punjab. He held that post from 1988 to 1990
and then again from 1991 until his retirement in 1995.
Gill was conferred with Padma Shri in 1989 for his work in civil services. Gill has held various other
posts including president of the Institute for Conflict Management and the president of the Indian
Hockey Federation (IHF).
NASAs Juno Spacecraft Discovers Earth-Sized Storms on Jupiter
26-May-17
NASAs Juno spacecraft has discovered Earth-sized cyclones at the poles of the Jupiter. It has also
unveiled the presence of the storm systems that travel deep into the heart of the planet. Both the
poles of the Jupiter were found to be covered with Earth-sized swirling storms which are densely
clustered and rubbing together. The findings were the result of the Juno probes first data-collection
pass on August last year. The spacecraft flew for about 4,200 kilometres of Jupiters swirling cloud
top. The findings suggest the presence of ammonia clouds over the planet which are quite variable
and continue to increase up to a few hundred miles or kilometres.
Measurements of Jupiters magnetosphere indicate that Jupiter has a stronger magnetic field than
expected which is more irregular in shape. The magnetic field in the planet is in the order of 7.766
Gauss which is about 10 times stronger than the strongest magnetic field found on Earth.
The next flyby of the Juno Probe has been scheduled for July 11. During the flyby, the spacecraft will
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fly directly over Jupiters Great Red Spot.

Juno Spacecraft
Juno was launched in August 2011 to study Jupiters composition and evolution. Its the first solar
powered spacecraft to orbit Jupiter. It is second spacecraft to orbit Jupiter, after Galileo probe which
had orbited the planet from 19952003. The unmanned spacecraft had successfully entered Jupiters
orbit in July 2016 after a five year journey and traversing distance of nearly 2 billion miles. The
primary goals behind the launch of Juno is to find out whether Jupiter has a solid core, study of the
formation of its atmosphere and magnetosphere, and to ascertain whether or not water is present in
the gas cloud shrouding the planet. Juno has nine instruments on board to study atmosphere, gravity,
magnetic field and possible existence of solid core in Jupiter. The information gathered from it will
provide vital clues to how the planet has formed and evolved. The spacecraft has been named after
the Roman goddess Juno, the wife of Jupiter who is considered as the god of the sky in ancient
Greco-Roman mythology.
27-May-17
PM lays Foundation Stone for AIIMS at Changsari
27-May-17
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has laid the foundation stone for All India Institute of Medical
Sciences (AIIMS) at Changsari in the Kamrup District of Assam. The institute will be constructed at
a distance of 26 km from Guwahati.
The institute will be constructed at a cost of Rs 1,123 crores as part of the Pradhan Mantri
Swasthya Suraksha Yojana. The construction of the institute will be completed within the next
four years. The institute will have a hospital comprising of 750 beds, 22 super speciality departments
including 16 operation theatres. It will also have a medical college capable of accommodating 100
MBBS students every year and a nursing college accommodating 60 students each year. It will be
spread across 189 acres.
Background
The AIIMS in Delhi attracts patients from all corners of the country resulting in overcrowding.
Keeping in view of this, the government is taking steps to ensure the setting up of AIIMS in different
parts of the country to cater to the needs of the people.
The seven functioning AIIMS are located in New Delhi, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Jodhpur, Patna,
Raipur and Rishikesh.
Last year, the Union Cabinet had approved the establishment of a new AIIMS at Bhatinda, Punjab
under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY). Besides, 3 new AIIMS in Nagpur
(Maharashtra), Mangalagiri in Guntur (Andhra Pradesh) and Kalyani (West Bengal) were also have
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been sanctioned in 2015.

Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) is a Central Sector Scheme announced in
August 2003. The primary objective of the scheme is to correct the regional imbalances in availability
of affordable and reliable tertiary level healthcare in the country. Besides, it also seeks to augment
facilities for quality medical education in under-served or backward States.
DIPP to Grant Industrial Licenses for Defence Manufacturing
27-May-17
The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) has been given back the power to grant
licenses for defence manufacturing. Earlier, a few months back, the Home Ministry was given the
responsibility.
The decision was taken considering the workload of Home Ministry which has to look after security
concerns of the entire country.
The decision will clear the confusions in the minds of the defence products manufacturing
companies as the battle on the matter between the DIPP and the Home Ministry had virtually stopped
the process of granting industrial licenses since last year.
Salient Highlights
The power to grant manufacturing licence with respect to the category of arms and ammunition and
defence items under the Arms Act has been delegated to Secretary, DIPP from the Ministry of Home
Affairs.
Henceforth, the defence products manufacturing companies are required to apply for industrial
licenses to the DIPP as they used to do before transferring of such power to the Home Ministry.
DIPP
DIPP (Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion) was first established in 1995, and then
reconstituted in 2000 and merged with the Department of Industrial Development. The Department
falls under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. DIPP looks at the overall industrial policy while
individual ministries work on the specific areas allocated to them. Its main responsibility includes
formulation of promotional and developmental measures to boost industrial sector.
PM lays Foundation Stone for IARI at Gogamukh
27-May-17
The Prime Minister Narendra Modi has laid the Foundation Stone of the Indian Agricultural
Research Institute at Gogamukh in Assams Dhemaji district located on the Assam-Arunachal
Pradesh border. This will be the third Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI). Apart from
IARI in the national capital, the work on setting up of second IARI in Ranchi, Jharkhand has
commenced.
The setting up of a new institute is envisaged to help in the overall development of agriculture sector
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in North-East India. The institute will have facilities related to farming, horticulture crops, animal
husbandry and silk pest farming.
Prime Minister also spoke of Panch Tatva for the overall development and to boost connectivity in
the North-East India. The five ways are highways, railways, waterways, airways and I-ways or the
optical fibre network.
IARI
IARI is a Indias premier national Institute for agricultural research and postgraduate higher studies
in agricultural education. The IARI is financed and administered by the Indian Council of
Agricultural Research (ICAR). The IARI is credited for the research leading to the Green Revolution
in India of the 1970s.
The institute had its beginning in 1905 as Agricultural Research Institute (ARI) at Pusa, Bihar. In
1936 the institute got shifted and its new campus at New Delhi was established. At present, the
institute has 20 divisions 5 multi-disciplinary Centres, 8 regional stations, 2 off-season nurseries, 3
All India coordinated research projects, and 10 national Centres located across the country.
Law Ministry: Poll Candidates have to Declare their and Spouses Source of
Income
27-May-17
Election contestants will have to declare their own and their spouses sources of earning in the
affidavits filed before contesting polls. At present, it is mandatory for the poll contestants to disclose
the details of assets and liabilities for self, spouse and three dependents in Form 26 at the filing of
nomination papers but not the source of income. The law ministry has announced an amendment to
the conduct of election rules.
Salient Highlights
The Election Commissions suggestion of including a fresh column in the affidavit related to the
source of income of self and spouse has been accepted by the law ministry.
According to the Election Commission, the amendment is aimed at bringing in more transparency.
The Election Commission had submitted in the Supreme Court that inclusion of source of income is
necessary as it will enable the voters to make an informed decision as to whether the increase of the
income of the candidate from the previous election is reasonable or not.
The new rules also makes it necessary for the poll contestants to specify whether they are Indian
citizens or not as only the Indian nationals can contest the elections.
The poll contestants also have to declare whether they hold an office of profit in a government
office or not. Other disclosures that need to be made by the poll contestants include the details of
earlier disqualification under the Representation of the People Act for spreading enmity or declared
bankrupt.
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Apple Opens First Official Store in South East Asia at Singapore

27-May-17
Apple has opened its first store in Southeast Asia at Singapores upmarket shopping district. Apple
expects this store to be one of the most of the most popular stores in the world.
Most of the earnings for Apple comes from the sales of its flagship iPhone, which of late faces
increasingly tough competition in a saturated market.
Apple already has almost 500 stores globally with more than a million visitors daily. Apart from
Singapore it has shops located in Hong Kong, China and Japan in Asia.
Apple Inc.
Apple Inc. is California based technology giant that designs, develops, and sells consumer electronics,
computer software, online services, and personal computers. It was born out of Steve Jobs garage to
reshape modern life with trend-setting gadgets. Apple was founded by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak,
and Ronald Wayne in 1976 to develop and sell personal computers. Later in 1977, it was
incorporated as Apple Computer. It was renamed as Apple Inc. in 2007, to reflect its shifted focus
towards consumer electronics.
Apple now has a massive $256.8 billion cash stockpile. The tech giant celebrated its 40th anniversary
last year.
Indias First Electric Mass Mobility System Launched in Nagpur
27-May-17
Maharashtras chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has inaugurated Indias first multi-modal electric
vehicle project at the Nagpur Airport Complex. The pilot project will have a fleet of 200 electric
vehicles including taxis, buses, e-rickshaw and autorickshaws. All these electric-powered public
transport vehicles will be fully owned by cab aggregator Ola. For the project Mahindra &
Mahindra has manufactured 100 e2o electric taxis. Similarly, vehicles have been sourced from other
manufacturers like Tata Motors, Kinetic, BYD and TVS, among others.
In addition, four electric charging station has also been built by Ola in various places of Nagpur
including the Nagpur airport.
Background
As per the NITI Aayogs recent joint report with Rock Mountain Institute, adoption of electric and
shared vehicles could help the country to save $60 billion in fuels while cutting down as much as 1
gigatonne (GT) of carbon emission by 2030
According to Mahindra & Mahindra, it has made a total investment to the tune of Rs600 crore in
technology, products, and plants of e-vehicles. The company already has manufactured 2,700 e-
vehicles which are running across India which are clocking around 14 million kms per day.
Ola has stated that it has invested Rs50 crore in the Nagpur initiative and has plans to further scale
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up its operations by investing $2 billion in e-vehicles across all cities of India. It has set an ambitious
target of running one million electricity-powered vehicles on the Ola platform by 2020.
India and Mauritius Inks Four Agreements

27-May-17
India and Mauritius have signed four agreements after delegation-level talks between Prime Minister
Narendra Modi and Prime Minister of Mauritius Pravind Kumar Jugnauth in New Delhi. Prime
Minister Pravind Jugnauth has chosen India as a destination of his first visit since taking over as
prime minister of Mauritius early this year.
India has extended a 500 million dollar line of credit to Mauritius. The Line of Credit has been signed
between SBM Mauritius Infrastructure Development Co. Ltd and Export-Import Bank of India.
Further, both the countries have agreed that effective management of conventional and non-
conventional threats in Indian Ocean is sine qua non for pursuing economic opportunities. India and
Mauritius agreed to keep a vigil against piracy, humans and drugs trafficking as well as illegal fishing
and other forms of illegal exploitation of marine resources.
India had also appreciated Mauritius for signing and ratification of the framework agreement on
International Solar Alliance.
Both the countries have also agreed to cooperate hydrography for a secure and peaceful maritime
domain. India is also supporting the National Coast Guard of Mauritius to augment its capacity
through Project Trident. India will also renew the life of the Coast Guard Ship Guardian,
which was given to Mauritius under an assistance programme.
Four Agreements
Agreement on Maritime Security
Memorandum of understanding (MoU) for setting up of a civil services college in Mauritius.
MoU was signed between the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and
Mauritius Oceanography Institute in marine sciences and technology.
Submission of instrument of ratification of International Solar Alliance (ISA) by Mauritius.
Construction Commences on Worlds Largest Telescope in Chile
27-May-17
Construction works for building Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) has commenced in Chile. After
completion, the Extremely Large Telescope will become the worlds largest optical telescope which
will be five times larger than the top observing instruments that are in use today. The telescope will
be constructed at a 3,000 meter-high mountain in the middle of the Atacama desert. The telescope is
scheduled to commence its operations in 2024.
The ELT is funded by the European Southern Observatory. The organization comprises of European
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and southern hemisphere nations. It is expected that construction costs of ELT would come around 1
billion euros at 2012 prices.
Significance
The main mirror of the ELT will measure some 39 meters (43 yards) across. This massive size of the
mirror will be of immense use to expand our understanding of the universe. The telescope will
enhance the ability of astronomers to find more smaller planets, image larger ones, and possibly
characterize their atmospheres. These capabilities will be key in understanding if life is present in
those planets or not.
The dry atmosphere of the Atacama desert offers perfect observing conditions one can find on Earth.
No wonder around 70% of the worlds astronomical infrastructure are slated to be built in the
Atacama desert by the 2020s.
European Southern Observatory
Established in 1962, European Southern Observatory is a 16 nation intergovernmental research
organization for ground based astronomy. Its observatories are situated in Chile. It has built and
operated many technologically advanced telescopes like New Technology Telescope, Very Large
Telescope (VLT), Atacama Large Millimeter Array etc.
29-May-17
C.A. Bhavani Devi becomes first Indian to win a Gold in International Fencing
tournament
29-May-17
Indias C.A Bhavani Devi has become first Indian to win a Gold Medal in an international fencing
tournament. She has won the gold medal in the sabre event of the Turnoi Satellite Fencing
Championship held at Reykjavik in Iceland. In the final, she beat Sarah Jane Hampson of Great
Britain 15-13 on points.
About C A Bhavani Devi
Chadalavada Anandha Sundhararaman Bhavani Devi is a sabre fencer from Chennai. She had
previously won silver medal in another event. She is currently a fencing coach at Sagar Lagus
training academy, the SAI Centre in Thalassery, Kerala.
Fact Box: Tropical Cyclone Mora
29-May-17
A deep depression in the Bay of Bengal has been declared intensified into a tropical cyclone named
Mora. This is second cyclone in the Bay of Bengal after Maarutha, which helped bring in the
Monsoon earlier by a week over Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
The tropical Cyclone Mora is likely to hit Bangladesh coast in next 24 hours and expected to cause
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heavy rains in West Bengal and North East Indian states. It may also help to pull monsoon faster
over mainland.
About 2017 North Indian Ocean cyclone season
Every year, the North Indian Ocean cyclone season extends roughly between April to December with
two peaks in May and November. This season includes cyclones in Bay of Bengal and Arabian sea,
apart from Indian Ocean in northern hemisphere. The first cyclone of 2017 season was Cyclone
Maarutha which was formed in April, 2017 triggering heavy rainfall in Sri Lanka, Myanmar and
Indias Andaman & Nicobar Islands. Apart from other damages, three people were killed in Myanmar
by Cyclone Maarutha. Cyclone Mora is second such cyclone in the Indian Ocean.
Naming of Tropical Cyclone
Tropical cyclones are classified into three main groups, based on intensity: tropical depressions,
tropical storms, and a third group of more intense storms, whose name depends on the region. If a
tropical storm in the North-western Pacific reaches hurricane-strength winds on the Beaufort scale,
it is referred to as a typhoon. If a tropical storm passes the same benchmark in the Northeast Pacific
Basin, or in the Atlantic, it is called a hurricane. Neither hurricane nor typhoon is used in either
the Southern Hemisphere or the Indian Ocean. In these basins, storms of tropical nature are referred
to simply as cyclones.
Fact Box: Newly Built Aeronautical Test Range at Chitradurga in Karnataka
29-May-17
Defence Minister Arun Jaitley has inaugurated the newly built Aeronautical Test Range (ATR) of the
Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) at Chitradurga in Karnataka.
Salient Highlights
Aeronautical Test Range (ATR) is the first of its kind range that has been set up by the
Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), one of the premier laboratories of the DRDO.
ADE works on a range of UAVs (unmanned air vehicles).
The facility will be an integrated test centre for a cluster of DRDOs aeronautical laboratories. The
following labs will make use of the testing facility: the Centre for Air Borne Systems, the Gas
Turbine Research Establishment, the Defence Avionics Research Establishment, the Centre for
Military Airworthiness & Certification, all of which are based in Bengaluru, and finally the Aerial
Delivery Research & Development Establishment, which is based in Agra.
The facility is meant to conduct flight-tests of indigenous unmanned and manned aircrafts such
as naval and trainer versions of the Light Combat Aircraft, the unmanned air vehicles- Rustom-I and
Rustom-II (Tapas); the Airborne Early Warning & Control Systems (AEW&C), Air-to-Ground
weapons, parachutes and aerostats, etc.
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Significance
The 28 km strategic ATR is expected to facilitate conditions for research, which is expected to enrich
the human resource required in the field of aeronautical testing. The test range envisages a two
kilometer runway besides other tracking and control equipment.
The longer runway situated in the ATR will enable the developer labs to test bigger aircrafts such
as the AEW&CS (Airborne Early Warning & Control Systems) aircraft meant for surveillance and
intelligence gathering from sensitive areas. The DRDOs AEW&CS will include much larger Airbus
platforms in the future.
Background
The newly built ATR has been up and running for a few months. In November 2016, DRDO carried
out its first successful flight of the UAV Tapas 201, earlier called Rustom-2 in the ATR facility.
Recently, in May 21, 2017, ADE had carried out the test flight of Tapas for a duration of 6
minutes. Tapas is a MALE or medium altitude, long endurance UAV that can sustain for 24 hours
monitoring over a 200 km area.
Sangeet Natak Akademi Puraskar for Satyabrata Rout
29-May-17
Satyabrata Rout has been awarded Sangeet Natak Akademi Puraskar for the year 2016. He is a
professor from the Department of Theatre Arts, S N School of Arts and Communication, University
of Hyderabad (UoH). He has been awarded for developing a unique method of teaching and
practicing direction and design achieved from his experience working with eminent theatre
practitioners and scholars.
Satyabrata Rout is considered as one of the pioneers of visual theatre in India. He has a rich
experience of directing a number of plays, participating in national and international theatre festivals
and conducting a numerous theatre workshops across the globe.
The Sangeet Natak Akademi Puraskar (Akademi Award) is an award given by the Sangeet Natak
Akademi. The award is the highest Indian recognition given to practicing artists. The award
includes a purse of Rs 50000, besides a Tamrapatra and Angavastram. The awards are being
presented in the categories of music, dance, theatre, other traditional arts and puppetry.
Sangeet Natak Akademi
The Sangeet Natak Akademi was set up in 1953 for the promotion of performing arts. Setting up of
Sangeet Natak Akademi is one of the main recommendations of the National conference on Dance,
Drama, and Music, held in New Delhi in 1951. The Sangeet Natak Akademi is an Autonomous Body
under the Ministry of Culture. It acts at the national level body for the promotion and growth of
Indian music, dance and drama; maintenance of standards of training in the performing arts;
recognition of outstanding artists; revival, preservation, documentation and dissemination of
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materials as well as instruments relating to various forms of music, dance and drama.
30-May-17
Anti-Ragging Mobile App Launched to Fight Ragging
30-May-17
Human Resources Development Minister Prakash Javadekar has launched an Anti-Ragging Mobile
App of the University Grants Commission (UGC) to help students register complaints against the
menace of ragging in the country. Previously, students were required to visit the website to register a
complaint against ragging.
The new app will work on android platform and will facilitate students to register a complaint
against ragging instantaneously. Students can log in and register their complaints immediately.The
complaint will be sent to the concerned authorities for timely action and the action will be initiated
immediately. As the records indicate that timely action had resulted in the decrease of ragging
instances in campuses. This app is aimed at giving a feel of security to students.
Fact Box: See Through Frog
30-May-17
Scientists have discovered a new glass frog species with transparent skin through which its beating
heart is visible in the Amazonian lowlands of Ecuador. The frog with the scientific
name Hyalinobatrachium yaku is known to possess unique physical and behavioural traits.
The frog has dark green spots on its back. The frog has been discovered by employing a combination
of fieldwork in the Amazonian lowlands of Ecuador and DNA sequencing in the lab. However, the
scientists have observed that not all frogs have the heart that is white.
Under Threat
Scientists have identified that the newly identified species is already under the threat of
extinction. The male of this new species are found to protect the eggs which are attached below the
leaves of the tree until they hatch and fall on the water stream below. So, this glass frogs require
pristine streams to breed in. Hence, if the stream gets polluted or dried up then these frogs cannot
survive. These new species is already in danger as its habitat is threatened by oil exploitation. The
habitat of the species is at present marked by rampant road building and oil exploitation.
Generally, the Amphibians are considered the most threatened vertebrate class on the planet. Of the
known 6,260 species of amphibians assessed by using IUCNs categories and criterias, nearly one-
third of the species (32.4%) have been identified as globally threatened or extinct.
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
The IUCN is the worlds oldest and largest global environmental organisation working in the field of
nature conservation and sustainable use of natural resources. It was founded in 1948. It is
headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. It is a leading non-governmental authority on the
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environment and sustainable development. It is also involved in data gathering and analysis,
research, field projects, advocacy, lobbying and education. IUCN is best known to the wider public
for compiling and publishing the IUCN Red List, which assesses the conservation status of species
worldwide.
India and Fiji Inks Agreement on Defence Cooperation

30-May-17
India and Fiji has signed an MoU on defence cooperation after the delegation level talks
between Minister of Defence, Finance and Corporate Affairs, Arun Jaitley and the Minister of
Defence and National Security of Fiji, Ratu Inoke Kubuabola in New Delhi. The MoU envisaged
cooperation on defence industry, military training, humanitarian assistance & disaster management.
In particular, Defence partnership as well as the maritime security and naval cooperation were
identified as an area of promise. The MoU provides for stepping up of defence and security ties in
defence production and military training.
India-Fiji
Fiji is an archipelago consisting of 332 islands located in the heart of Pacific Ocean. The main ethnic
groups in the Fiji include Fijian, Indian, European, and other Pacific Islanders. As of now, around
37% of the total inhabitants of the country are of Indian origin.
India was represented by a commissioner since 1948 to look after the interests of the people of
Indian origin. After Fijis independence in 1970, the commissioners post was upgraded to that of the
High Commissioner. India and Fijis bilateral ties have grown steadily in the past few years. Several
MoUs have been signed between the two countries in the fields of health, Tourism, IT, defence and
security.
Goa Bans Thin Plastic Bags
30-May-17
The Goa State government has decided to ban buying and selling of plastic bags below 50
microns. Goa has already banned the use of plastic bags below 40 microns.
Salient Highlights
The ban will come to effect from July onwards.
Initially, violators of the ban will be asked to pay a fine of Rs. 500 and subsequently the fine amount
would be raised to Rs 5000 depending upon the initiatives success.
The move of the government is aimed at tackling the menace of garbage and litter in public
places. Thin plastic bags tends to cause flooding by chocking the drains and are easily carried by wind
and water in flood planes thus increasing the flooding of public places during rains.
The state government also plans to simultaneously collect garbage dumped on highways to increase
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the cleanliness in the tourist state.
George Kurian Appointed as Vice-Chairman of National Commission for

Minorities
30-May-17
The Minister of State for Minority Affairs (Independent Charge) Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi has
appointed a renowned social and educational activist George Kurian as Vice-Chairman of National
Commission for Minorities.
The other appointed members of the National Minority Commission are social activist Syed
Ghayorul Hasan Rizvi (Chairman), former Maharashtra minister Sulekha Kumbhare, Jain
representative Sunil Singhi and Vada Dasturji Khurshed Kaikobad Dastoor.
For the first time a Jain member has been appointed to the panel after the community was notified
as minority in January 2014. Muslim, Christian, Buddhist, Sikh, Parsi and Jain are the six notified
minority communities in the country.
National Commission for Minorities
The Union Government has set up the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) under the
National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992. The commission is made up of a Chairperson, a Vice
Chairperson and five members. Unlike other bodies like NCSC and NCST, NCM has no
constitutional backing or status.
NCM was made a statutory body in 1992 via the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992. It
works under the Ministry of Minority Affairs, and before the formation of this ministry it came
under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
Some state viz. Andhra Pradesh, Assam , Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Delhi , Jharkhand, Karnataka,
Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and
West Bengal have also set up State Minorities Commissions.
Theres no prescribed selection process for making appointments with the Cabinet Appointments
Committee arbitrarily picking up names from a list suggested by the nodal ministry.
Darwaza Band Campaign Launched
30-May-17
The Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation has launched a nation wide campaign titled
Darwaza Band to promote toilet use and freedom from open defecation across the villages of the
country. The campaign has been launched in Maharashtra in the presence of actor Amitabh
Bachchan, Union Minister for Drinking Water and Sanitation, Narendra Singh Tomar, and Chief
Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis.
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Salient Highlights
The campaign will run under the Swachh Bharat Mission. The campaign will be rolled out
immediately across the country.
Darwaja Band symbolically stands for shutting the door on open defecation.
The campaign is supported by the World Bank.
The campaign envisages to bring about a behaviour change in men who have toilets but are not
using them.
Actress Anuskha Sharma is also part of the campaign who will encourage women to stand up for this
issue and assume leadership roles in their villages.
Swachch Bharat Abhiyan
The Swachh Bharat Abhiyan or Mission, launched on 2nd of October 2014, is so far the largest
programme on sanitation by Indian Government. It has two sub-Missions viz. Swachh Bharat
Mission (Rural) and Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban). While rural mission comes under the purview
of Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation; the urban mission comes under Ministry of Urban
Development.
The basic objective is to provide sanitation facilities to every family, including toilets, solid and liquid
waste disposal systems, village cleanliness, and safe and adequate drinking water supply by 2nd
October, 2019.
Virat Kohli becomes Only Indian in Top 10 of ICC ODI Rankings
30-May-17
Indian Cricketer Virat Kohli has become the only cricketer to get featured in the top 10 of the ICC
Players Rankings for ODIs as he managed to stick to the third spot in the ODI batsmans chart.
Batting
The top three batsmen featured in the ICC ODI Rankings are South Africas De Villiers (874),
Australias David Warner (871) and Kohli (852). The other Indian batsmen who feature in the list
are Rohit Sharma (12th), MS Dhoni (13th) and Shikhar Dhawan (15th). In the top 20 positions
of the list, India, South Africa and England have four batsmen each inside the top 20 while New
Zealand (three), Australia and Pakistan (two each) also have registered significant presence.
Bowling
In the ICC bowlers chart, Indias left-arm spinner Axar Patel shares 11th position along with New
Zealands Matt Henry. However, not even a single Indian has featured in the top 10 list of bowlers.
The bowlers chart has been headed by Kagiso Rabada of South Africa. The second and third
positions were occupied by Imran Tahir (722) and Mitchell Starc (701).
The other Indians who feature in the top 20 list include Amit Mishra (13th) and off-spinner
Ravichandran Ashwin (joint 18th).
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Among the bowlers, Bangladesh and England have three bowlers each inside the top 20, followed by
New Zealand, South Africa and Australia with two each.
Others
The all-rounders list of the ODI rankings is led by Bangladeshs Shakib Al Hasan.
The top five ODI teams are South Africa (122), Australia (118), India (117), New Zealand (114) and
England (112).
RBI to introduce New Re.1 Note
30-May-17
The Reserve Bank of India has announced that new one rupee note has been printed by the
government and will be soon put into circulation. The one rupee note was discontinued in
1994 because it was more expensive to produce such notes when compared to the one-rupee coins. In
the following year, Rs. 2 and Rs. 5 notes were also discontinued to free up printing facilities for
higher denomination notes. However, these old notes continue to remain in circulation and continue
to remain as legal tenders.
Salient Highlights
The new Re.1 one will be predominantly pink-green on the obverse and reverse in combination with
other colours. The new one rupee note will bear the rupee symbol. It will be 9.7 by 8.3 cm in
dimension.
The new note will feature Bharat Sarkar on its masthead, and Government of India printed below
that. In contrast all the other currencies in India has Bharatiya Reserve Bank and Reserve Bank of
India printed on them. This is because the one-rupee note has always been issued by the central
government.
The watermarks of the Re 1 note will include the Ashoka Pillar, the hidden numeral 1 and the
hidden word Bharat in Hindi).
The note will also feature an image of the Sagar Samrat oil exploration rig.
Background
In January 2015, the government began printing of Re 1 notes after getting reports of coin shortage
along with instances of melting coins for profit.
The printing of new one rupee note will cost 94 paise, when compared to the one rupee coin, which
will cost 70 paise. The new one rupee note will be the third new currency that will be introduced by
the government since the demonetization drive in November.
31-May-17
India and Germany Ink 12 Pacts
31-May-17
India and Germany has inked 12 agreements after delegation level talks between Prime Minister
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Modi and German chancellor Angela Merkel on a range of issues like trade, skill development, cyber
security and terrorism.
Agreements
The 12 agreements include 9 joint declarations of intent (JDIs) and 3 memoranda of
understanding (MoU). They are:
Agreement on collaboration between the Ministry of Skill Development and
Germanys BMBF (Federal Ministry of Education and Research). This agreement would
facilitate training of Indian skill development officers and cluster managers.
JDI between Ministry of Science and Technology and the BMBF (Federal Ministry of
Education and Research) for the establishment of a Indo-German Centre for Sustainability.
JDI between the Ministry of External Affairs and the German Foreign Office on cooperation
on cyber policy.
JDI between the Ministry of Finance and BMZ (Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation
and Development) on Indo-German Development Cooperation.
JDI between the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and BMWi (Federal Ministry for
Economic Affairs and Energy) over continuation of cooperation in the field of advanced
training of corporate and junior executives from India.
JDI between the Department of Heavy Industries and BMBF (Federal Ministry of Education
and Research) on cooperation in vocational education and skill development for machine
tools.
Agreement between Ministry of Health and BMG (Federal Ministry of Health) on
cooperation in health sector.
Agreement between the AYUSH and BMG (Federal Ministry of Health) over cooperation in
alternative medicine.
JDI between the Ministry of External Affairs and the German Foreign Office on collaboration
between Foreign Service institutes of both the country.
JDI between the Ministry of Railways and German Ministry of Transport on cooperation in
railway safety.
JDI between the Ministry of Urban Development and German Ministry for Economic
Cooperation and Development on cooperation for sustainable urban development.
Others
India thanked Germany for supporting its membership bid in the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).
India and Germany both support each others candidature for a permanent seat in a reformed UN
Security Council. The G4 nations comprising Brazil, Germany, India, and Japan are supporting each
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others candidature for a permanent seat in a reformed UN Security Council.

India and Germany together has also vowed to counter the challenges posed by those who encourage,
support and finance terrorism. They also called for the earlier adoption of Comprehensive
Convention on International Terrorism. European countries like Germany, France, the UK and
Sweden have recently faced a spate of terror attacks. The latest terror attack was at a concert in
Manchester, UK.
India Mobile Congress (IMC 2017) to be held in September
31-May-17
India Mobile Congress 2017 (IMC 2017) is scheduled to be held as a three day event from 27th to
29th September 2017 in New Delhi. This was announced by the Union Minister for
Communications Manoj Sinha. This is the first time India is all set to host its own mobile mega
show.
The Indian telecom market is the second-largest in the world after China. India has a total subscriber
base of over 1.18 billion subscribers.
Salient Highlights
The India Mobile Congress will be the countrys first and biggest platform that will bring together all
stakeholders of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and government on a
common platform. It will see the participation of government bodies, Telecom Service Providers
(TSPs), telecom equipment manufacturers, handset manufacturers and app providers. Apart from it,
the event will serve as a platform for international players exploring avenues for investment in the
country. It will help to attract investments towards programmes like Digital India
Modelled just like the Mobile World Congress events of Shanghai and Barcelona, the event is aimed
at bringing the Indian telecom industry at par with its international counterparts. The Mobile
Congress will showcase exciting new products & innovation and share the India story.
The event will be organised by Department of Telecommunications along with Cellular Operators
Association of India (COAI) and other stakeholders.
The event is expected to see the participation of 5000 paid participants from countries like the US,
the UK, Sweden, Finland, Germany, Korea, the Philippines, Bhutan and Japan. Apart from this, the
event is expected to see the participation of telecom giants like Huawei, Ericsson, Nokia, Bharti
Airtel, Vodafone and Idea Cellular.
May 31: World No Tobacco Day
31-May-17
World No-Tobacco Day (WNTD) is observed every year across the world on 31 May. This day
highlights the health risks associated with consumption all forms of tobacco and advocates for
effective policies to reduce tobacco consumption. In 1988, World Health Assembly of WHO had
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passed a resolution calling for the celebration of World No Tobacco Day, every year on May 31.
Since then, the WHO has supported the observance of World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) every year.
WNTD is one of eight official global public health campaigns marked by the WHO.
Salient Highlights
WHO has released a report ahead of the World Tobacco which has made the following observations:
According to the report, smoking and tobacco use kills more than 7 million people every year.
Hence, Tobacco has emerged as worlds single biggest cause of preventable death. The report has
estimated that by 2030, over 80% of the deaths will occur in developing countries which
are increasingly targeted by tobacco companies.
The economic cost of tobacco use is estimated to be more than $1.4 trillion (1.3 trillion euros) spent
each year by the households and governments in healthcare expenditures and lost productivity. It
roughly corresponds to nearly 2% of the global gross domestic product (GDP).
The report has also highlighted the dire environmental impact of tobacco production, distribution
and waste. This is the first time the report has looked into the environmental impact of tobacco use.
Tobacco farming is one of the main reasons behind deforestation in many countries. This is because
huge amount of wood are needed for curing tobacco. The report also estimates that the tobacco
industry emits nearly four million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent annually.
The report has urged the countries to take tougher measures against tobacco use in the workplace
and indoor public spaces.
Amul Signs MoU with ISRO
31-May-17
Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) which markets its product under the
brand name Amul has signed an MoU with ISRO for fodder acreage assessment using satellite
observation and space technology.
Salient Highlights
As per the MoU signed, ISRO would help in identification between food and fodder crops at the
village level. ISRO will also help in establishing suitable areas at village level for green fodder
cultivation. The Space Applications Centre (SAC) of ISRO has already carried out assessment that
concluded that green fodder availability for dairy livestock at district and village level through
remote sensing is feasible.
The significance of the agreement lies in the fact that the fodder acreage estimation can help in
monitoring and planning of fodder development activities by the stakeholders in the dairy sector.
This will help the milk producing farmers of Gujarat to reap benefits of fodder cultivation. Amul is
procuring around 150 lakh litres of milk every day from around 35 lakh milk producers living in
18,500 villages.
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SAC
Space Applications Centre (SAC) is one of the major centres of ISRO. It was established in the year
1972. It primarily focuses on the design of space-borne instruments for ISRO missions. It also
develops applications of space technology covering the fields of communication, broadcasting,
navigation, disaster monitoring, meteorology, oceanography, environment monitoring and natural
resources survey for societal benefits. It is headquartered in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
GCMMF
The GCMMF is one of the largest milk cooperatives in the world and the largest food products
marketing organisation of India that exclusively markets products under the brand name of Amul
and Sagar. It was formed by late Dr. Verghese Kurien in 1973, which today is jointly owned by 3.6
million milk producers in Gujarat. Kurien chaired GCMMF for more than 30 years (19732006).
More than 70% of the members of the milk cooperative are small or marginal farmers and landless
labourers including a sizeable population of tribal folk and people belonging to the scheduled castes.
Scientists at IIT Kharagpur Develop New Technology to Manufacture Biofuel

31-May-17
Scientists at IIT Kharagpur has come up with a new technology known as soil-to-soil manufacturing
technology for manufacturing cheaper, quicker and pollution-free. The technology is in the process
of being patented.
Biofuels are fuels which are in some way derived from biomass. The term covers solid
biomass, liquid fuels and various biogases and also denotes Biodiesel, Bio alcohol and
bio-gasoline.
Salient Highlights
The new technology makes use of natural resources to extract gaseous and liquid biofuel and then
converts the wastes into bio fertilizer. At present 2gm of bioethanol can be manufactured from
various naturally available ligno-cellulosic components. However, this process requires chemical
treatment that results in polluting the environment. Lignocellulose refers to biomass.
The new technology has replaced this chemical treatment with enzymes which degrade the lignin
thereby making the manufacturing process totally pollution free. Lignins are complex organic
polymer deposited in the cell walls of plants. In this process, the residual biomass can be used
as organic fertilizer.
The Project is funded by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Department of Science and
Technology and the Ministry of Human Resource Development.
The scientists used corn, sugarcane plants, the waste part of paddy straw, bamboo, banana plant,
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pineapple and cotton plants, kans grass (kassh phool), castor plant etc to produce biofuel.
Significance
The National Policy on Biofuels had set the target at 20% blending of biofuel with petrol by 2017. It
is estimated that the biofuel business in India will touch Rs50,000 crore by 2022. At this backdrop,
the new green technology can become a game changer.
India and Spain Sign Seven Agreements
31-May-17
India and Spain have signed seven agreements following talks between Prime Minister Narendra
Modi and his Spanish counterpart Mariano Rajoy at the Moncloa Palace in the Spanish capital.
The visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Spain in
nearly 30 years. The last Prime Minister to visit Spain was Rajiv Gandhi in 1988. Earlier, PM Modi
and the Spanish prime minister had met on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Turkey in November
2015.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has welcomed Spains infrastructure, tourism, energy and defense
companies to invest in priority sectors in India. Spain is Indias 7th largest trading partner in the
European Union. Bilateral trade between both the nations have totalled USD 5.27 billion in 2016.
Agreements
Agreement for Transfer of Sentence Persons
MoU on Cooperation in Organ Transplantation
MoU on Cooperation in Cyber Security
MoU on Cooperation in Renewable Energy
MoU on Technical Cooperation in Civil Aviation
Agreement on visa waiver for holders of diplomatic passports.
MoU between Foreign Service Institute and Diplomatic Academy of Spain.
US for the First Time Successfully Tests ICBM Defense System
31-May-17
United States for the first time has successfully tested its defence system against an intercontinental
ballistic missile (ICBM).
During the test, a ground based interceptor launched from the California air base had shot down a
mock intercontinental ballistic missile target which was fired from the Reagan Test Site in the
Marshall Islands. A rocket from the Ground-based Midcourse Defence (GMD) entered into space
and deployed its exo-atmospheric kill vehicle that smashed the target destroying it. Such an
interception of a complex, threat-representative ICBM target is hailed as an important milestone for
the GMD system.
The GMD uses globally deployed sensors to detect and track ballistic missile threats.
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Need
The test comes at the backdrop of USs increased tensions with North Korea. Recently, North Korea
test fired its ninth missile this year. North Koreas quest is to develop weapons capable of hitting the
United States.
The test was the first live-fire test against a simulated ICBM for the Ground-Based Missile (GBM)
Defense. It has hleped in the establishment of effective though limited ground-based defence against
ICBMs. The United States is also worried about Irans increasing missile capabilities that threaten its
strategic interests in the Middle East.
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Compendium of Multiple Choice Questions

Below 249 Questions were published in GKTodays Current Aairs Quiz Section from March 1
to March 28, 2017.
1. Konstantinos Mitsotakis, who passed away recently, was the former Prime Minister of which
country?
[A] Turkey
[B] Israel
[C] Greece
[D] Russia
Answer: C [Greece ]
Explanation:
Konstantinos Mitsotakis (98), the former conservative Prime Minister of Greece, has recently
passed away in Athens, Greece on May 29, 2017. He will be remembered for erce
confrontations with Greeces liberal and socialist parties as well as early free-market reforms
during a 60-year political career. He was cred with starting unpopular free-market policies,
which were quietly continued by later governments, and with improving relations with
Turkey. But he was often considered a divisive gure in a country struggling to escape its
volatile political history.
2. Which state government has launched Mahaswayam portal for job seekers and employers?
[A] Maharashtra
[B] Uttar Pradesh
[C] Kerala
[D] Haryana
Answer: A [Maharashtra ]
Explanation:
The Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis has recently launched a web portal
Mahaswayam for job seekers, employers, entrepreneurs and training institutes. At
Mahaswayam, job seekers will be able to register themselves, search as well as apply for
jobs, inquire for training, get information on self-employment and get details of job fairs.
Besides, training institutes can also register, get details on participation in the state skill
development programme, get training fee receipts, and can also receive training fee through
ECS. Apart from this, entrepreneurs can also post job vacancy advertisements at the portal.
3. Which city to host 2017 India Mobile Congress (IMC)?

[A] Chennai
[B] Kolkata
[C] New Delhi
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[D] Pune
Answer: C [New Delhi]
Explanation:
The 2017 India Mobile Congress (IMC) will be held at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi from
September 27-29 to attract investments from global players in the telecom and mobile
phone manufacturing sectors. The event will provide an in-depth insight into the mobile
industry, highlighting specic areas of growth as well as the latest technological
developments, next generation services and future trends. The global event will be
organised by telecom industry body Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) with
support from the department of telecommunications and ministries of electronics and
information technology, and skill development. IMC 2017 will make India a global destination
for leaders & key players to discuss, deliberate and dialogue; unveil excellence and lead
policy for a vibrant eco-system.
4. Who has become the new vice-chairperson of National Commission for Minorities (NCM)?
[A] Sulekha Kumbhare
[B] George Kurian
[C] Sunil Singhi
[D] Vada Dasturji Khurshed
Answer: B [George Kurian]
Explanation:
George Kurian, a BJP leader and social and educational activist from Kerala, has become
the new vice chairperson of National Commission for Minorities (NCM). The post was vacant
for over two months. The appointment was made by union Minister of State for Minority
Aairs (independent charge) Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi. Former Maharashtra minister Sulekha
Kumbhare, Jain representative from Gujarat Sunil Singhi and Parsi representative Vada
Dasturji Khurshed Kaikobad Dastoor are the other members of the Commission. Gayarul
Hasan, a social activist from Uttar Pradesh, is the new chairperson of the Commission. The
NCM is responsible for safeguarding the constitutional rights of minorities in India.
5. Dasari Narayana Rao, who passed away recently, was the famous personality in which field?
[A] Journalism
[B] Film Industry
[C] Politics
[D] All of the above
Answer: D [All of the above]
Explanation:
Dasari Narayana Rao (75), the renowned Telugu lmmaker and former Union minister, has
recently passed away in Hyderabad on May 30, 2017. Dasari directed 151 pictures in Telugu
and other languages and had several super hit lms to his cr. He entered into Guinness book
4
of Records for directing highest number of lms. He also worked as script writer, lyricist and
produced more than 50 lms. He has the distinction of directing renowned actors like NT
Rama Rao and Akkineni Nageswara Rao. Rao was also a journalist and ran a vernacular
daily. Dasari joined Congress Party in early 2000 and served as minister of State for coal in
the cabinet of Manmohan Singh government during UPA -1. He was one among the accused
in the coal scam and CBI registered a case against him in 2013.
6. Amul has signed MoU with which organisation for fodder acreage estimation using space
technology?
[A] Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
[B] Antrix Corporation Limited (ACL)
[C] National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC)
[D] Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC)
Answer: A [Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)]
Explanation:
The Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) has signed MoU with Indian
Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for fodder assessment using satellite observation and
space technology. GCMMF markets its products under the brand name of Amul. As per the
agreement, ISRO will help in identication between food crops and fodder crops at village
level and also locate suitable areas of current fallows and cultivable wastelands at village
level for green fodder cultivation. Currently, Amul is procuring around 150 lakh litres of milk
daily from around 35 lakh milk producer members from over 18,500 villages.
7. Which IIT institute has developed soil-to-soil technology to manufacture cheaper, quicker and
pollution-free bio fuel?
[A] IIT Bombay
[B] IIT Madras
[C] IIT Indore
[D] IIT Kharagpur
Answer: D [IIT Kharagpur]
Explanation:
The researchers at IIT Kharagpur have developed a new technology to manufacture cheaper,
quicker and pollution-free bio-fuel. The soil-to-soil manufacturing technology developed at
the P K Sinha Centre for bio-energy at IIT-KGP is in the process of being patented. The
technique will ensure relatively quicker production of bio-fuel and the process is completely
green. The green leafy part of corn and sugarcane plants, the waste part of paddy straw,
bamboo, banana plant, pineapple and cotton plants, kans grass (kassh phool), castor plant
and even non-edible weeds that grow in dry and waste land and a mix of all has been used
by IIT-KGP to produce bio fuel. The project is funded by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural
Gas, Department of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Human Resource
Development.
5
8. Which Indian bank has got $100 million Asian Development Bank (ADB) loan to finance solar
rooftop projects in India?
[A] ICICI Bank
[B] State Bank of India (SBI)
[C] Punjab National Bank (PNB)
[D] Allahabad Bank
Answer: C [Punjab National Bank (PNB)]
Explanation:
The Punjab National Bank (PNB) has got $100 million Asian Development Bank (ADB) loan to
nance solar rooftop projects in India. The loan is guaranteed by the Government of India
(GoI). This is the rst tranche loan of the $500 million multi tranche nance facility Solar
Rooftop Investment Program (SRIP) approved by ADB in 2016. The nancing includes $330
million from ADBs ordinary capital resources and $170 million from the multi donor Clean
Technology Fund (CTF) administered by ADB. The rst tranche loan of $100 million would be
nanced entirely from the CTF. The entire cost of SRIP is estimated at $1 billion and it aims
to install solar rooftop system of around 1 gigawatt capacity in India.
9. What is the 2017 theme of World No Tobacco Day (WNTD)?

[A] Tobacco: deadly in any form or disguise
[B] Tobacco a threat to development
[C] Tobacco kills, dont be duped
[D] Tobacco: deadly for human development
Answer: B [Tobacco a threat to development]
Explanation:
The World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) is observed every year on May 31 to encourage a 24-
hour period of abstinence from all forms of tobacco consumption around the globe. The day
is further intended to draw attention to the widespread prevalence of tobacco use and to
negative health eects, which currently lead to nearly 6 million deaths each year worldwide,
including 600,000 of which are the result of non-smokers being exposed to second-hand
smoke. The 2017 theme Tobacco a threat to development has been set by the World
Health Organization (WHO). The campaign aims to demonstrate the threats that the tobacco
industry poses to sustainable development, including the health and economic well-being of
citizens in all countries.
10. What is the Indias rank in women workforce, as per recently released India Development
Report of World Bank (WB)?
[A] 120th
[B] 131st
[C] 110th
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[D] 115th
Answer: A [120th]
Explanation:
India has been ranked 120th among 131 countries in women workforce, as per recently
released World Bank (WB)s India Development Report (IDR). As per the report, the
participation level has been dropping since 2005, despite 42% women are graduates. The
report states that only 27% of women of the age of 15 or older are working or actively
looking for a job. Three of every ve prime working age Indian women (26-45 years) are not
economically active, meaning they neither work on a farm, nor in businesses, nor do they
earn any wages. The report highlighted that Indias potential GDP growth rate can be
boosted by a percentage point if women participation increased.
11. Which film has won the Palme dOr at the 2017 Cannes film festival?
[A] Aprils Daughter
[B] Wind River
[C] The Square
[D] Force Majeure
Answer: C [The Square]
Explanation:
Swedish lm The Square, directed by Ruben Oustland, has won the Palme dOr at the 70th
edition of Cannes lm festival-2017 in Cannes, France. The movie is about a museum
director who is desperate to make a success of his gallery and stages a new installation
called The Square to promote it. The Palme dOr is the highest prize awarded at the
Cannes Film Festival.
12. What is the 2017 theme of International Day of UN Peacekeepers?

[A] Investing in peace around the world
[B] A force for the future
[C] Honouring our heroes
[D] Women in peacekeeping
Answer: A [Investing in peace around the world]
Explanation:
The International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers is observed every year on May 29 to
honor the memory of martyred peacekeepers and pay tribute to all those who have served
and continue to serve in UN peacekeeping operations for their high level of professionalism,
dedication and courage. The 2017 theme is Investing in peace around the world. On this
day, in 2017, two Indian peacekeepers, Rieman Brijesh Thapa and Private Ravi Kumar have
been honored posthumously with a prestigious United Nation (UN)s Dag Hammarskjold
Medal for their courage and sacrice in the line of duty. Currently, India has deployed more
than 7,600 military and police personnel to UN peace operations in Afghanistan, the
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Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Lebanon, Liberia, the Middle East, South Sudan,
Sudan and the Western Sahara.
13. Prasar Bharati has signed MoU with which countrys public broadcasting agency to step up
cooperation in the broadcasting sector?
[A] Switzerland
[B] Maldives
[C] Chile
[D] Morocco
Answer: D [Morocco]
Explanation:
Indias largest public broadcasting agency, Prasar Bharati has signed an MoU with Societe
Nationale de Radiodiusion et de Television (SNRT) at the 5th India Morocco Joint
Commission Meeting (JCM) in Rabat, Moroccos to step up cooperation in the broadcasting
sector. The SNRT is the public broadcaster of Morocco and is a member of the European
Broadcasting Union (EBU).
14. Which state government has recently declared Dailong village as biodiversity heritage site of the
state?
[A] Arunachal Pradesh
[B] Mizoram
[C] Tripura
[D] Manipur
Answer: D [Manipur]
Explanation:
The Manipur government has recently declared Dailong village of Tamenglong district as a
Biodiversity Heritage Site of the state under Section 37(1) of Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
The village covers an area of 11.35 sq km & has population of 1634 of which 819 are males
while 815 are females as per Population Census 2011.
15. Love Raj Singh has become the first Indian to scale Mt. Everest 6 times. He hails from which
state?
[A] Jharkhand
[B] Bihar
[C] Uttarakhand
[D] Uttar pradesh
Answer: C [Uttarakhand]
Explanation:
Love Raj Singh Dharmshaktu, a Padma Shri awardee, has become the rst Indian
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mountaineer to conquer the worlds highest peak Mount Everest for a record sixth time on
May 27, 2017. He works as an assistant commandant with the Border Security Force (BSF) in
Dehradun. He rst summited Everest in 1998 and followed it with up with successive ascents
in 2006, 2009, 2012 and 2013. He hails from Bona village of Munsiyari in the Kumaon region
of Uttarakhand.
16. Who is the newly elected Chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI)?
[A] Talat Ahmad
[B] Najma Heptulla
[C] Hakim Ajmal Khan
[D] Anwar Jamal Kidwai
Answer: B [Najma Heptulla]
Explanation:
Dr Najma Heptulla, the Governor of Manipur and former Minority Aairs Minister, has been
appointed as the new Chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi for ve-years. She
succeeded Lt. Gen. (Retd.) M.A. Zaki. Dr. Heptulla is the grand-niece of Indias rst education
minister, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. She has been a 5-time member of the Rajya Sabha
between 1986 and 2012 and deputy chairman of the Rajya Sabha for 16 years. She has had
the distinction of presiding over the womens parliamentarians group of the Inter-
Parliamentary Union (IPU) in 1993.
17. Which Bollywood actress will be honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award as Internationally
Acclaimed Actress?
[A] Priyanka Chopra
[B] Aishwarya Rai Bachchan
[C] Deepika Padukone
[D] Sonam Kapoor
Answer: A [Priyanka Chopra]
Explanation:
The bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra will be honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke
Academy Award under the newly introduced Internationally Acclaimed Actress category for
being an international icon. The award ceremony will be held on June 1, 2017 in Mumbai. The
Dadasaheb Phalke Award is Indias highest award in cinema and it was instituted in 1969.
18. Who has won the 2017 Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix World Championship?
[A] Kimi Raikkonen
[B] Sebastian Vettel
[C] Valtteri Bottas
[D] Daniel Ricciardo
Answer: B [Sebastian Vettel]
9
Explanation:
Sebastian Vettel, a German racing driver for Scuderia Ferrari, has won the 2017 Formula One
Monaco Grand Prix World Championship at Circuit de Monaco La Condamine and Monte Carlo
in Monaco.
19. The first-ever women television channel Zan TV has launched in which country?
[A] Nepal
[B] Iran
[C] Afghanistan
[D] Israel
Answer: C [Afghanistan]
Explanation:
The rst-ever women television channel Zan TV (or Womens TV) has started in Kabul,
Afghanistan on May 30, 2017 with a sta of all female presenters and producers. The
purpose of the women TV channel is to highlight the rights of Afghan women, improve their
status and ensure their equity with men in the conservative society. It is being seen as a
groundbreaking step for womens rights, in a male dominated country which is struggling for
peace. Media entrepreneur Hamid Samar is the founder of Zan TV.
20. Who will lead the toilet usage campaign Darwaza Band of the Union Government?
[A] Aamir Khan
[B] Mary Kom
[C] Geeta Phogat
[D] Amitabh Bachchan
Answer: D [Amitabh Bachchan]
Explanation:
The Union Government has launched a new countrywide campaign Darwaza Band in
Mumbai on May 30, 2017 for promotion of toilet usage in the rural areas across the country.
The campaign has been supported by the World Bank and will lead by iconic star Amitabh
Bachchan. The toilet usage campaign is designed to encourage behaviour change in men
who have toilets but are not using them. The campaign also features actor, Anushka
Sharma, who will be seen encouraging women to stand up for this issue in their villages and
assume a leadership role.
21. What is the Indias GDP growth forecast for FY 18, as per World Bank (WB)s latest report
India Development Report?
[A] 7.2%
[B] 7.4%
[C] 7.7%
[D] 7.5%
10
Answer: A [7.2%]
Explanation:
According to the latest report of World Bank titled India Development Report, Indias
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is expected to grow at 7.2% for FY18 (2017-18) due to the
impact of demonetisation and protracted investment recovery. Though, Indias growth would
accelerate to 7.7% by FY 20 on strong fundamentals, reform momentum and improving
investment scenario. The report stated that the overall impact of GST on equity and poverty
is likely to be positive.
22. Who has been bestowed with the 2016 Sangeet Natak Akademi Puraskar?
[A] Parassini Kunhiraman
[B] Satyabrata Rout
[C] Sreedharan Nair
[D] Kalamandalam Ramankutty
Answer: B [Satyabrata Rout]
Explanation:
Satyabrata Rout, a professor from the Department of Theatre Arts, S N School of Arts and
Communication, University of Hyderabad (UoH), has been bestowed with the Sangeet Natak
Akademi Puraskar for the year 2016 for developing a unique method of teaching and
practicing direction and design achieved from his experience working with eminent theatre
practitioners and scholars. He is one of the pioneers of visual theatre in India, and has
Scenography: An Indian Perspective. He has directed a number of plays, participated in
national and international theatre festivals and conducted numerous theatre workshops
across the globe. The Sangeet Natak Akademi Puraskar is an award given by the Sangeet
Natak Akademi, Indias National Academy of Music, Dance & Drama. It is the highest Indian
recognition given to practising artists.
23. The construction of worlds largest optical telescope has started in which country?
[A] South Korea
[B] Canada
[C] China
[D] Chile
Answer: D [Chile]
Explanation:
The construction of the worlds largest optical telescope has started in northern Chile, which
is expected to begin operating in 2024. The Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) is being built
by the European Southern Observatory (ESO) and will have a main mirror that is 39m in
diameter. The telescope will be positioned on top of Cerro Armazones a 3046-metre long
mountain Chile. It will tackle a wide range of scientic challenges, including probing Earth-
like exoplanets for signs of life, studying the nature of dark energy and dark matter, and
11
observing the universes early stages to explore humans origins.
24. Which country has the most complex tax jurisdiction in Asia-Pacific, as per 2017 Asia Pacific Tax
Complexity Survey conducted by Deloitte?
[A] China
[B] Australia
[C] Japan
[D] India
Answer: A [China ]
Explanation:
China has been ranked rst in having most complex jurisdiction for taxation and most
complicated requirements of tax in the Asia Pacic region, as per 2017 Asia Pacic Tax
Complexity Survey conducted by Deloitte. India ranks only after China in the most complex
tax jurisdiction in Asia-Pacic the survey, followed by Australia, Japan, Singapore and
Malaysia. The report surveyed over 300 nancial and tax executives on their views of the
current and anticipated tax environment of 20 jurisdictions across Asia Pacic. Of the
respondents, 147 had business operations in India.
25. Who is representing India at the 2017 Little Miss Universe competition?
[A] Vinita Sayal
[B] Rajeshwari Dyal
[C] Padmalaya Nanda
[D] Nandita Das
Answer: C [Padmalaya Nanda]
Explanation:
Padmalaya Nanda from Odisha will represent India at the 2017 Little Miss Universe beauty
pageant competition, which is scheduled to be held in Georgia, United States from May 31.
She will compete against 15 other contestants from around the world for the title of Little
Miss Universe. Beside this, she will also lead India in the 2017 Little Miss World contest in
Greece.
26. Which Indian student has been selected to represent India as young journalist at the global
Football for Friendship (F4F) social programme?
[A] Satnam Bhamara
[B] Ananya Kamboj
[C] Shekhar Ramamurthy
[D] Samar Singh Sheikhawat
Answer: B [Ananya Kamboj]
Explanation:
12
Ananya Kamboj, an 8th standard student from Chandigarh, has been selected to represent
India as a young journalist at the Football for Friendship (F4F) social programme in St.
Petersburg, Russia in July 2017. The F4F programme, supported by Gazprom and FIFA,
focuses on the development of childrens football, fostering tolerance and respect for
dierent cultures and nationalities among children from dierent countries. India joins the
programme for the rst time and will participate alongside 60 other countries.
27. Which Indian fencer has won gold in the sabre event of the Tournoi Satellite Fencing
Championship (TSFC)?
[A] Amrita Aullakh
[B] Neelam Ghose
[C] Deepika Sahi
[D] Bhavani Devi
Answer: D [Bhavani Devi]
Explanation:
C A Bhavani Devi from India won the gold medal in the sabre event of the Tournoi Satellite
Fencing Championship held at Reykjavik in Iceland on May 27, 2017. She beat Sarah Jane
Hampson of Great Britain in the nal by 15-13. With this, Bhavani Devi became the rst
Indian to win a gold medal in an international fencing event.
28. Which country has won the 2017 Badminton Sudirman Cup?
[A] Hong Kong
[B] Germany
[C] South Korea
[D] China
Answer: C [South Korea]
Explanation:
South Korea has won the 15th edition of the Sudirman Cup-2017 by defeating China in the
nal with a 3-2 win Carrara Sports and Leisure Centre in Australia on May 28, 2017. It is
S.Koreas fourth title, with the last one coming in 2003. It was the rst time that Australia
had hosted the tournament and the rst time this event is hosted outside Asia and Europe
since its establishment in 1989.
29. Gregg Allaman, the renowned musician passed away. He hailed from which country?
[A] SouthAfrica
[B] United States
[C] Belgium
[D] China
Answer: B [United States]
13
Explanation:
Gregory LeNoir Allman (69), an American musician, singer, keyboardist and songwriter, has
recently passed away at Georgia in United States on May 27, 2017. He was the pioneer of
southern rock and co-founder of the Allman Brothers Band.
30. The 2017 World Table Tennis Championships (WTTC) has started in which country?
[A] Germany
[B] France
[C] Japan
[D] Singapore
Answer: A [Germany ]
Explanation:
The 2017 World Table Tennis Championships (WTTC) has started at Dusseldorf, Germany on
May 29 with the Qualication matches. The main draw will start from May 20. Top-ranked
Indian in the world, Achanta Sharath Kamal will lead the 8-member Indian squad. The team
also includes Soumyajit Ghosh, Harmeet Desai, reigning national champion Madhurika
Patkar, Manika Batra and Mouma Das. It will be the 54th edition of the competition, and
hosted by Germany for the seventh time.
31. The Indo Thailand HADR Siam Bharat 17 has held in which city?
[A] Bangkok
[B] Surat Thani
[C] Chiang Mai
[D] Pai
Answer: C [Chiang Mai]
Explanation:
The Indo-Thailand Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) Siam Bharat 17
table top exercise has held at Chiang Mai, Thailand from May 22 to 26 May 2017 between
the Indian Air Force and Royal Thailand Air Force (RTAF). The 11-member IAF contingent is
led by Group Captain Sucharu Rai VM. This is second such exercise to be conducted between
the two Air Forces. The aim of the bilateral exercise is to evolve SOPs for planning and
executing relief missions during unforeseen natural calamities like Tsunami, earthquakes,
cyclones, oods etc. The objective is to enhance interoperability between both the Air
Forces, while conducting combined air operations triggered by a crisis. The exercise would
assist in laying down procedures and establish decision support system at various stages of
relief operations.
32. The Royal Manas National Park is located in which country?

[A] India
[B] Bhutan
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[C] Myanmar
[D] Nepal
Answer: B [Bhutan ]
Explanation:
The Royal Manas National Park is the oldest national park of Bhutan covers eastern Sarpang
District, the western half of Zhemgang District, and western Pemagatshel District. And is It
has an area of 1,057 square kilometers and It is home to Bengal tigers, elephants, gaur, rare
golden langur, pygmy hog, etc. It is also the only Bhutanese park inhabited by the one-
horned rhinoceros and wild water bualo.
33. The book Mann Ki Baat: a social revolution on radio has been authored by whom?
[A] Jitendra Singh
[B] Uday Mahurkar
[C] Pankaj Kumar
[D] Rajesh Jain
Answer: D [Rajesh Jain]
Explanation:
The book Mann Ki Baat: a social revolution on radio is a compilation of Prime Minister
Narendra Modis addresses to the nation on radio every month under the programme Mann
Ki Baat. It contains a comprehensive, qualitative and academic analysis of Mann Ki Baat
the themes, the choice of topics, the salient features. It illustrates how Mann Ki Baat has
connected with the New India the youth in particular. The book is authored by Rajesh Jain,
which is recently presented to President of India Pranab Mukherjee at a function at
Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi.
34. Which state tourism has won the Best Destination for Romance at the Lonely Planet Magazine
Indian Travel Awards 2017?
[A] Karnataka
[B] Tamil Nadu
[C] Kerala
[D] West Bengal
Answer: C [Kerala ]
Explanation:
The Kerala Tourism has won the Best Destination for Romance for Munnar hill station by the
magazine Lonely Planet at its 6th edition of India Travel Award 2017 in Mumbai on May
25. The hilly Munnar town in Idukki district is famous for its romantic cottages, cloudy
mountains, lively tea gardens, green valleys and the soothing background sound of
waterfalls.
35. Which city police have won the 2017 FICCI Smart Policing Award?
15
[A] Kochi city police

[B] Pune city police
[C] Bhopal city police
[D] Delhi city police
Answer: B [Pune city police]
Explanation:
The Pune city police have won the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and
Industries (FICCI) Smart Police Award for the year 2017 for their initiatives on women and
cyber security. Pune Police Commissioner Rashmi Shukla received the award from BJP MP
Meenakshi Lekhi during a programme organised by FICCI and Vivekanand International
Foundation on Homeland Security in Delhi on May 25. The initiatives like BuddyCop,
Damini squad, Lost & Found portal, Beat Marshal Monitoring Sapience App, etc., were
launched by Pune city police to tackle security issues in the city that paved the way to win
the FICCI award.
36. Which is the only Indian monument to figure in the worlds top 10 TripAdvisors Travellers
Choice awards for Landmarks?
[A] Taj Mahal
[B] Gateway of India
[C] Qutab Minar
[D] Swaminarayan Akshardham
Answer: A [Taj Mahal]
Explanation:
Iconic attraction of India Taj Mahal has emerged as the 5th most popular landmark in the
world and 2nd in Asia, according to the online travel portal TripAdvisors Travellers Choice
Awards for Landmarks. Globally, Angkor Wat in Cambodia, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
Center in Abu Dhabi, Mezquita Cathedral de Cordoba in Spain, and St Peters Basilica in Italy,
bagged the rst four ranks respectively. Whereas, the top 10 landmarks in Asia has been
topped by Angkor Wat, followed by Taj Mahal on the second place. Apart from this, Taj Mahal
has also ranked rst in the list of popular landmarks in India, followed by AmberFort, Jaipur;
Swaminarayan Akshardham, New Delhi, etc.
37. Which country is hosting the 2017 G7 summit?

[A] Japan
[B] Canada
[C] Italy
[D] Germany
Answer: C [Italy ]
Explanation:
16
The 43rd edition of G7 summit has started at Taorminain Sicily, Italy on May 26, 2017. The 2-
day meet will discuss a wide range of issues, including global economy, security and energy.
The leaders of the Group of Seven wealthy nations as well as representatives of the
European Union are participating in the summit. The 2017 G7 summit is the rst summit for
British Prime Minister Theresa May, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime
Minister Paolo Gentiloni and U.S. President Donald Trump. The G7 members are Italy,
Canada, France, United States, United Kingdom, Japan and Germany.
38. Indias first multi-modal electric vehicle project has launched in which city?
[A] New Delhi
[B] Kolkata
[C] Chennai
[D] Nagpur
Answer: D [Nagpur]
Explanation:
Indias rst multi-modal electric vehicle project has been inaugurated by the Union Road
Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, along with Maharashtra Chief Minister
Devendra Fadnavis at the Nagpur Airport Complex to promote eco-friendly transport. With
this, Nagpur became the rst city in India to have electric mass mobility system with a eet
of 200 electric vehicles, including taxis, buses, e-rickshaw and autos.
39. Laura Biagiotti, the renowned fashion designer passed away. She hailed from which country?
[A] United States
[B] Italy
[C] France
[D] Japan
Answer: B [Italy]
Explanation:
Laura Biagiotti (73), an Italian fashion designer who conquered global markets with her soft,
has passed away in Rome, Italy on May 26, 2017. Biagiotti began designing womens clothes
in the 1960s and by the 1980s was making her mark. In 1988, she became the rst Italian
designer to put on a fashion show in China, presenting dresses and blouses in silk and
cashmere, and in 1995 was the rst to have a show inside the Kremlin walls in Moscow.
40. The Yelagiri summer festival has started in which state?

[A] Tamil Nadu
[B] Kerala
[C] Karnataka
[D] West Bengal
Answer: A [Tamil Nadu]
17
Explanation:
The two-day annual Yelagiri Summer Festival has started at Yelagiri hills in Vellore district,
Tamil Nadu on May 27, 2017. The festival would be marked by cultural programmes by
students as well as professional artists. A concert by Tamil lm music director Deva would
also be held in the fest. The Minister for Commercial Taxes and Registration K.C. Veeramani
has inaugurated the festival in the presence of District Collector S.A. Raman.
41. KPS Gill, who was known for rooting out militancy from Punjab, was belonged to which state?
[A] Haryana
[B] Punjab
[C] Himachal Pradesh
[D] Chhattisgarh
Answer: B [Punjab]
Explanation:
Kanwar Pal Singh Gill (82), the former Director General of Police (DGP) of Punjab, has
recently passed away in Delhi on May 26, 2017. He was known for rooting out Sikh militancy
from Punjab. During Indira Gandhi tenure, Gill mounted Operation Black Thunder, a critical
success in the war against terrorism. In two tenures as DGP Punjab, he led one of the most
successful counter-terrorist operations, bringing Punjab from the verge of disintegration to
complete normalcy. He also worked for the Chhattisgarh government as a security adviser to
help control Naxal activities in 2006. Gill was an author, or, speaker, consultant on counter-
terrorism, president of the Institute for Conict Management and president of the Indian
Hockey Federation (IHF).
42. The Mathikettan Shola National Park is located in which state?

[A] Kerala
[B] Tamil Nadu
[C] West Bengal
[D] Tripura
Answer: A [Kerala]
Explanation:
The Mathikettan Shola National Park is located in Poopara village of Udumbanchola taluk in
Idukki district of Kerala. It is home to beautiful and rare animals like tigers, panthers, wild
elephants, giant grizzled squirrel, ying squirrels, spotted deer and Nilgiri tahrs. The park
abounds in snakes such asking cobras, pythons, vipers and rat snakes, turtles, crocodiles
and lizards. The national park is a biodiversity hotspot and plays a vital role in safeguarding
wildlife in the region. The terrain acts as a natural defense in the protection of the animals
and protects their natural habitat.
43. Who has been appointed the new secretary of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE)?
[A] Krishna Maurya
18
[B] Himanta Sarma

[C] Anurag Tripathy
[D] Nilam Gupta
Answer: C [Anurag Tripathy]
Explanation:
Anurag Tripathy, a 1998 batch ocer of Indian Railway personnel Service (IRPS), has been
appointed the new secretary of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) for a
period of ve years.
44. Which country is hosting the World Street Food Congress (WSFC17)?
[A] Israel
[B] India
[C] Philippines
[D] Singapore
Answer: C [Philippines ]
Explanation:
The 2017 World Street Food Congress (WSFC) will be held in Manila, Philippines from May 31
to June 4, 2017 with theme Re-Imagine Possibilities. In the fest industrys global movers
and shakers, leaders and innovators, entrepreneurs, chefs, street vendors, and food
acionados come together to share ideas, development and opportunities in a collaborative
environment. The Bihari delicacy litti choka will represent India in the international food
festival. Litti Choka is a two-dish combination which is wheat baked balls stued with roasted
spices and Chokha a mixture of roasted potato tomatoes onions with garlic chillies among
others.
45. Which city is the worlds most crowded cities, according to World Economic Forum (WEF)
citing UN Habitat Data?
[A] Medellin
[B] Dhaka
[C] Mumbai
[D] Lagos
Answer: B [Dhaka]
Explanation:
The capital of Bangladesh Dhaka is the worlds most crowded city with a population
density of 44,500 people per square kilometre, released by World Economic Forum (WEF),
citing UN Habitat data. According to UN Habitat data, of the top 10 most densely populated
cities in the world, six are in Asia, three are in Africa and one is in South America. Indias
nancial capital Mumbai, home to 31,700 people per square kilometre has acquired second
place, where as Kota in Rajasthan with 12,100 people per square kilometre was ranked
19
seventh. Others in the list include Medellin in Columbia (3rd), Manila in Philippines (4th,
14,800), Casablanca in Morocco (5th, 14,200), Lagos in Nigeria (6th, 13,300), Singapore (8th,
10,200) and Jakarta in Indonesia (9th, 9,600).
46. Who has become the new chairman of Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI)?
[A] Deep Kalra
[B] Umang Bedi
[C] Rajan Anandan
[D] Kunal Shah
Answer: C [Rajan Anandan]
Explanation:
Rajan Anandan, Googles vice-president for South East Asia and India, has been appointed
new chairman of Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI). He took over charge from
FreeCharges co-founder and chief executive ocer Kunal Shah. Beside this, Deep Kalra,
chairman and group CEO of MakeMyTrip, has become the new Vice-Chairman of IAMAI.
Umang Bedi has been elected as the new treasurer, while Dr Subho Ray continues to be the
President of the association. The tenure of the new council will be for two years. The IAMAI is
a not-for-prot industry body registered under the Societies Act, 1986. Its mandate is to
expand and enhance the online and mobile value added services sectors. The headquarters
is located at Mumbai, Maharashtra.
47. Which state govenrment has launched Japanese Encephalitis (JE) vaccination drive for the people
of the state?
[A] Uttar Pradesh
[B] Madhya Pradesh
[C] Rajasthan
[D] Punjab
Answer: A [Uttar Pradesh]
Explanation:
The Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath has launched a massive immunization
drive in 38 districts to eradicate Japanese Encephalitis (JE) from Kushinagar district on May
25, 2017. The government also launched a toll free number 18001805544 to get or
provide any information about encephalitis. His several cabinet colleagues also participated
in the launch programmes in dierent districts. The government has xed the target of
immunisation of above 88 lakh 55 thousand children in the age group of one to 15 during the
drive in the targeted districts. The drive will be continued by June 11, 2017.
48. Indias longest bridge Dhola-Sadia Bridge has built over which tributary of the Brahmaputra
River?
[A] Kameng River
[B] Lohit River
20
[C] Subansiri River

[D] Manas River
Answer: B [Lohit River]
Explanation:
The Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated Indias longest bridge Dhola-Sadia
Bridge in Assam on May 26, 2017. This three lane, 9.15 kilometre bridge has been built over
river Lohit, a tributary of the Brahmaputra river. It links Dhola in Assam to Sadia. The bridge
will reduce the distance from Rupai on NH- 37 in Assam to Meka-Roing on NH-52 in
Arunachal Pradesh by 165 KM. The travel time between the two places will come down from
the current six hours to just one hour, a total ve hour reduction. This will result in saving of
petrol and diesel worth Rs 10 Lakh per day. It will also cater to the strategic requirements of
the country in the border areas of Arunachal Pradesh, besides facilitating numerous hydro
power projects coming up in the state.
49. Which Indian state to host 2017 Asian Junior Tennis Championship?
[A] Punjab
[B] West Bengal
[C] Kerala
[D] Maharashtra
Answer: D [Maharashtra ]
Explanation:
The 2017 HCL Asian Junior Tennis Championship will be hosted by Hindustan Computers
Limited (HCL) at Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Pune, Maharashtra from May 29.
The tournament is the most reputed tennis championship in the Asian circuit for the under
18 category. The championship is being held in association with the Maharashtra State Lawn
Tennis Association and under the aegis of the International Tennis Federation (ITF); Asian
Tennis Federation (ATF); and All India Tennis Association (AITA). This is the only B1 category
tournament in India, in which players from 11 countries in the region Thailand, Taiwan,
Japan, South Korea, Philippines, Hong-Kong, Malaysia, China, Sri Lanka, Iran and India will
participate. The 6-day Championship will witness participation from over 100 Indian and
international players in the Singles and Doubles categories for both boys and girls.
50. Who has been appointed the new chairman of International Fertiliser Association (IFA)?
[A] Kaustubh Shah
[B] Naoki Tajima
[C] Rakesh Kapoor
[D] Vinodh Bhat
Answer: C [Rakesh Kapoor]
Explanation:
Rakesh Kapur, Joint Managing Director of Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited
21
(IFFCO) has been elected as the new Chairman of the International Fertilizer Association (IFA)
at the 2017 IFA annual conference in Marrakech, Morocco. He is also the Chairman of the
Fertiliser Association of India (FAI). With this, Kapoor has become the third Indian to hold this
prestigious position in IFAs 90 years history. The Paris-based IFA is the global fertiliser
association with 500 members representing 68 countries, including 24 members from India.
51. The Union Government has launched which web portal for online documentation verification
for students?
[A] e-Verification
[B] e-Sanad
[C] e-Students
[D] e-Certificates
Answer: B [e-Sanad]
Explanation:
The Union Government has recently launched online verication portal e-Sanad to make
the document verication process easier for students who are planning to study aboard. The
portal is an initiative of the Ministry of External Aairs (MEA), in association with two other
ministries will initially be hosting school leaving certicates with the help of Central Board
of Secondary Education (CBSE). In subsequent phases, the portal will also host documents
from central universities.
52. Which Indian sportsperson has elected as the new member of BWF Atheletes commission?
[A] Jwala Gutta
[B] Ashwini Ponnappa
[C] P V Sindhu
[D] Aparna Popat
Answer: C [P V Sindhu]
Explanation:
Olympic silver medallist P V Sindhu has been elected as the new member of Badminton
World Federation (BWF) Athletes Commission after topped the ballot with 129 votes. With
this, she became the second Indian after her compatriot Saina Nehwal to be inducted in the
Commission. Apart from the Indian shuttler, Kirsty Gilmour of Scotland, Lithuanias Akvile
and Germanys Marc Zwiebler were elected for a four-year term.
53. Which country is hosting the 2017 North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)?
[A] Romania
[B] Belgium
[C] Italy
[D] Latvia
Answer: B [Belgium ]
22
Explanation:
The 28th edition of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit has started in
Brussels, Belgium on May 24 and 25, 2017 in which terrorism will top the agenda of the
meeting. It is expected that NATO is to join the US-led anti-Islamic State coalition(IS) to ght
against Islamist terrorism. The 2018 NATO summit will held in Istanbul, Turkey.
54. Who has become the new President of Ecuador?

[A] Guillermo Lasso
[B] Rafael Correa
[C] Jorge Glas
[D] Lenin Moreno
Answer: D [Lenin Moreno]
Explanation:
Lenin Moreno has recently taken oce as new President of Ecuador, after defeating his
conservative rival & ex-banker Guillermo Lasso, by 2.3% in Aprils runo vote. He served as
Vice President from 2007 to 2013, serving under President Rafael Correa. Moreno is the rst
wheelchair-user to become Ecuadors leader and one of few such leaders in the world ever to
serve as president. His legs have been paralyzed since he was shot during a robbery in
1998. He went on to lead a task force on disability rights as vice-president in Correas
government. That earned him a nomination for a Nobel Peace Prize in 2012.
55. The Union Cabinet has approved how much percentage of Central Road Fund (CRF) for
development and maintenance of National Waterways (NWs)?
[A] 3.5%
[B] 2.5%
[C] 4.5%
[D] 5.5%
Answer: B [2.5%]
Explanation:
The Union Cabinet chaired by PM Narendra Modi has approved the allocation of 2.5% of
Central Road Fund (CRF) for development and maintenance of National Waterways (NWs) by
amending in the Central Road Fund Act (CRFA), 2000 will provide about Rs. 2000 crore per
year to boost inland water transport. In addition to giving a boost to the economy, the policy
is expected to provide employment in the Inland Waterways Transport sector as well. It is
estimated that 1.8 lakh persons would be provided employment in the Inland Waterways
Transport sector in the next 5 years. Jobs are expected to be created for operation,
management of fairway, terminals, barges, training aids to navigation. Currently, there are
ve existing NWs and 106 new NWs. The Central Road Fund (CRF) is a duty on excise and
customs levied on petrol and high-speed diesel.
56. Which countrys police has officially recruited the worlds first operational robot police officer
23
Robocop?
[A] UAE
[B] Israel
[C] Japan
[D] Germany
Answer: A [UAE]
Explanation:
The worlds rst operational robot police ocer Robocop was ocially inducted into the
Dubai police force at the 4th Gulf Information Security Expo and Conference (GISEC) in
Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) on May 21, 2017. The robot is around 5-foot tall and
weighs a 100kg. It can not only identify hand gestures from a distance of up to 1.5 metres,
but can also detect peoples emotions and facial expressions. The newly-recruit Robocop will
be used for patrolling the citys malls and tourist attractions. The people will be able to use it
to report crimes, pay nes and get information by tapping a touchscreen on its chest. Apart
from being able to chat with people, the robocop can also shake your hand and oer a
millitary salute. At present it can communicate only in Arabic and English, but there are
plans to add Russian, Chinese, French and Spanish to its repertoire.
57. The 70th edition of World Health Assembly (WHA70) has started in which city?
[A] Brussels
[B] New Delhi
[C] Paris
[D] Geneva
Answer: D [Geneva]
Explanation:
The 70th edition of World Health Assembly (WHA70) has started in Geneva, Switzerland on
May 22, 2017 and ends on May 31, 2017. In it, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus of Ethiopia
has elected a new Director-General of World Health Organization (WHO). He will succeed Dr.
Margaret Chan and will take oce for a ve-year term on July 1, 2017. From India, J P Nadda,
the Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, has addressed the plenary meeting on the
theme Advancing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: building better systems
for health. The WHA is the forum through which the WHO is governed by its 194 member
states. It is the worlds highest health policy setting body and is composed of health
ministers from member states.
58. The boring of Indias first underwater rail tunnel has completed under which river?
[A] Kaveri River
[B] Godavari River
[C] Hooghly River
[D] Krishna River
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Answer: C [Hooghly River]

Explanation:
The boring of Indias rst underwater rail tunnel under the Hooghly River for establishing
metro link between Howrah and Kolkata has completed before its scheduled deadline of July
2017. The tunnel is 16.6 km long, out of which 10.8 km runs under the ground. Of this 10.8
km, 502 metres is under the water and the whole thing connects Howrah to the west and
Salt lake to the east. It will have 12 stations and six will be underground. Estimated cost of
the entire project is $750 million or about Rs 5,000 crores. The nal commissioning of the
project is expected by December 2019, following which it will be operational. The project is
built by Afcons Transtonnelstroy and implemented by Kolkata Metro Railway Corporation Ltd
(KMRCL).
59. Which country has recently ratify International Solar Alliance (ISA) framework?
[A] Zimbabwe
[B] Nauru
[C] Vanuatu
[D] Uganda
Answer: B [Nauru]
Explanation:
Nauru, the worlds smallest republic, has become the sixth country to ratify the International
Solar Alliance (ISA) Framework pact initiated by the Indian and French Governments at the
climate change summit held at Paris in 2015. The motivating factor behind the ISA is the
need for continents like Asia and Africa to protect the environment while generating energy
for development goals. Beside this, ve more African nations Comoros, Cote dIvoire,
Somalia, Ghana and Djibouti have committed to sign the Solar Alliance pact during the
ongoing meeting of the African Development bank (AfDB) in India. This is the rst time that
India is hosting the annual meetings of the AfDB. The tiny island nation of Nauru is the
smallest state in the South Pacic and third smallest state by area in the world, behind only
Vatican City and Monaco.
60. Which country has become the first Asian country to recognize same sex marriage?
[A] Taiwan
[B] Lebanon
[C] Timor-Leste
[D] Jordan
Answer: A [Taiwan]
Explanation:
Taiwan has become the rst Asian country to recognize same sex marriage after the
constitutional courts ruling comes in support of legalizing same-sex marriage. The panel of
judges has given the islands parliament two years to amend or enact new laws, which could
potentially make Taiwan the rst place in Asia to allow same-sex marriage. It must be noted
25
that South Africa is the only country in Africa to permit same-sex marriage.
61. The Sonai Rupai Wildlife Sanctuary is located in which state?

[A] Assam
[B] Arunachal Pradesh
[C] Mizoram
[D] Manipur
Answer: A [Assam ]
Explanation:
The Sonai Rupai Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected area located in Assam that covers 175
km. It is located along the foothills of the Great Himalayan Range. The area was declared as
a sanctuary in 1998. It is located 52 km from Tezpur town and 193 km away from Guwahati.
It is home to Mammals: tiger, lesser cats, elephant, qaur, wild boar, hog deer and barking
deer.
62. Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has been elected as the new Director General of the World
Health Organization (WHO). He hails from which country?
[A] Ghana
[B] Comoros
[C] Nauru
[D] Ethiopia
Answer: D [Ethiopia]
Explanation:
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus from Ethiopia has been elected as the new Director
General of the World Health Organization (WHO). He will be the rst African to head up the
UN agency, after winning the most votes from 186 member States. He will succeed Dr.
Margaret Chan, who will step down from her 10-year post at the end of June.
63. Roger Moore, the James Bond actor passed away. He hailed from which country?
[A] France
[B] Germany
[C] Japan
[D] United Kingdom
Answer: D [United Kingdom]
Explanation:
Sir Roger George Moore (89), the well-known British actor, has recently passed away in
Switzerland after a brief battle with cancer. He was best known for his role as James Bond in
lms such as Live and Let Die and The Spy Who Loved Me. Moore was the only actor who
portrayed the popular ctional spy in seven movies between 1973 and 1985.
26
64. Who has won the 2017 CEAT International Cricketer of the Year award?
[A] Virat Kohli
[B] Mahendra Singh Dhoni
[C] Ravichandran Ashwin
[D] Ajinkya Rahane
Answer: C [Ravichandran Ashwin]
Explanation:
Ravichandran Ashwin has won the coveted International Cricketer of the Year award at the
CEAT Cricket Rating (CCR) International awards 2017 at the Cricket Club of India (CCI) in
Mumbai. He has taken 99 wickets in the past 12 months. Meanwhile, young batsman
Shubhman Gill won the Young player of the year award for his superb performance during
the India-England U-19 ODI series, played in Mumbai.
65. The Union Environment Ministry has organized the first-ever Ozone2Climate technology
roadshow in which city?
[A] Kolkata
[B] Agra
[C] Bhopal
[D] Jaipur
Answer: B [Agra]
Explanation:
The Ministry of Environment & Forests (MoEF) has organized the rst-ever Ozone2Climate
technology road show along with the UN Environment OzonActions Compliance Assistance
Programme in Agra, Uttar Pradesh. The Technology Roadshow was organized for the rst
time as part of the annual network meeting for Ozone Ocers of South Asia. The UN
Environment along with the Technology Roadshow also organizing the annual network
meeting for South Asia Ozone Ocers from May 23 to 26, 2017 where delegates from 20
countries and industry visited the 2017 exhibition. The meeting focused on current policy
and technology updates on ozone and climate friendly alternatives to HCFCs and HFCs
specically post-Kigali amendment, linking the HCFC phase out to future HFC phase down,
the implications of Kigali amendment for the network countries and challenges and
opportunities from a policy and technology perspective.
66. Which IIT institute has inked pact with Madhya Pradesh for measuring happiness index?
[A] IIT Kharagpur
[B] IIT Bombay
[C] IIT Madras
[D] IIT Indore
Answer: A [IIT Kharagpur]
27
Explanation:
The Madhya Pradesh Government has signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with IIT
Kharagpurs Rekhi Centre of Excellence for the Science of Happiness to collaborate on the
development of a Happiness Index for measuring the well-being of the people of the state.
The Happiness index would be developed by IIT-KGP and the data collected by the state
government would be analyzed to assess the happiness levels of people of the state and to
suggest recommendations to enhance happiness levels in the state. A door-to-door survey
will be conducted for the purpose and people will be made to ll up questionnaire. The
process will start from January 2018 and by the time of assembly elections in the state 2018,
people will get to know how happy they are.
67. Who is the author of the book Confessions of a dying mind: the blind faith of atheism?
[A] Albert Dyers
[B] David Syiemlieth
[C] Kiren Rijiju
[D] Haulianlal Guite
Answer: D [Haulianlal Guite]
Explanation:
The philosophical novel for God titled Confessions of a dying mind: the blind faith of
atheism has been authored by IAS ocer Haulianlal Guite, which is recently unveiled by
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju in august gathering at Civil Services Ocers Institute in New
Delhi. The book billed as the worlds rst philosophical novel for God, whose author is
arguably the rst Indian civil servant to write on philosophy since John Stuart Mill published
On Liberty way back in 1858. The book explores the nature of science, religion, evidence and
even love in light of leading developments. It makes use of the latest ndings of modern
science and the most solid theories in philosophy. It also presents some interesting
arguments against atheism by using the theories and ndings of atheists themselves.
68. The World Turtle Day (WTD) is observed on which date?

[A] May 24
[B] May 25
[C] May 23
[D] May 26
Answer: C [May 23]
Explanation:
The World Turtle Day (WTD) is observed every year on May 23 to raise awareness on
conservation of tortoise and turtles and on illegal tracking. One of the greatest threats
facing turtles and tortoises in India is smuggling to East Asian and Southeast Asian markets.
Many freshwater turtles and tortoises are considered delicacies just across the Bay of Bengal
in Southeast Asia.
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69. Who will become the new chairperson of the National Commission for Minorities (NCM)?
[A] George Kurian
[B] Gayarul Hasan
[C] Sulekha Kumbhare
[D] Athornan Anjuman
Answer: B [Gayarul Hasan]
Explanation:
Recently, the Union government has appointed 7 members in the minorities panel along with
chairperson. Gayarul Hasan, a social activist from Uttar Pradesh, will become the new
chairperson of the National Commission for Minorities (NCM). The other members are Activist
and BJP leader from Kerala George Kurian, former Maharashtra minister Sulekha Kumbhare,
Jain representative from Gujarat Sunil Singhi and Vada Dasturji Khurshed, chief priest of
Udvada Athornan Anjuman, are the other members of the panel. This is for the rst time that
a Jain member will be part of the panel after the community was notied as minority in
January 2014. The tenure of the panel members is of three years (if not extended). The NCM
was set up under the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992 to look into complaints
from members of ve religious communities Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and
Zoroastrians (Parsis). The panel has seven members, including its chairperson and vice
chairperson.
70. Who will become the new Prime Minister of Nepal?

[A] Sher Bahadur Deuba
[B] Girija Prasad Koirala
[C] Bidhya Devi Bhandari
[D] Sushil Koirala
Answer: A [Sher Bahadur Deuba]
Explanation:
Sher Bahadur Deuba, a Nepali Congress leader, will become the new Prime Minister of Nepal,
after Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda resigned from the post. The resignation is to honor
an accord signed in August 2016 when Prachanda was elected the prime minister with
Deubas support. According to the agreement, Prachanda was to remain in oce until the
local elections were held while polls at the provincial and central levels were to be conducted
under Deuba as the Prime Minister. He was elected as the 39th prime minister of Nepal after
forging an alliance with the Nepali Congress on August 3, 2016.
71. The Ghughua Fossil National Park is located in which state?

[A] Himachal Pradesh
[B] Uttar Pradesh
[C] Madhya Pradesh
[D] Rajasthan
29
Answer: C [Madhya Pradesh]

Explanation:
The Ghughua Fossil National Park is located near Shahpura in Madhya Pradesh in which plant
fossils belonging to 31 genera of 18 families have been identied. The park is blessed with
priceless treasure of plant fossils which have been dated 65 million years old. The site was
founded during the 1970s by Dr. Dharmendra Prasad, a statistical ocer of the Mandla
district and honorary secretary of the district archaeology unit.
72. Which country has become the largest stainless steel producer in the world in 2016, according to
data released by the International Stainless Steel Forum (ISSF) 2017?
[A] India
[B] Japan
[C] United States
[D] China
Answer: D [China]
Explanation:
China has become the largest stainless steel producer in the world in 2016, according to
data released by the International Stainless Steel Forum (ISSF) at annual conference held on
May 14-19, 2017 in Tokyo, Japan. India overtook Japan as the second- largest producer in
2016. ISSF is a non-prot research and development organisation founded in 1996 and
serves as the focal point for the international stainless steel industry. As per the report,
Indias stainless steel production rose to 3.32 million tonne in 2016 showing an impressive
growth of about 9% over 3 million tonne it produced in 2015.
73. Mattuhunny Mathews, popularly known as Toyota Sunny passed away. He hailed from which
country?
[A] India
[B] France
[C] Germany
[D] United States
Answer: A [India]
Explanation:
Mathunny Mathews (81), popularly known as Toyota Sunny, has recently passed away on
May 20, 2017 in Qadisiya in Kuwait. The funeral was held at his native Podippara,
Eraviperoor in Pathanamthitta district, Kerala. He was an Indian & a resident in Kuwait, who
played a key role in the safe evacuation of 1.7 lakh Indian nationals from the Emirate after
Saddam Husseins Iraqi forces invaded Kuwait in 1990. Mathews was one of the founding
members of the Indian Arts Circle which brought the expats together. He was the inspiration
for Airlift, a Bollywood movie in which Akshay Kumar depicted Ranjit Katyal.
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74. The World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development is observed on which date?
[A] May 22
[B] May 21
[C] May 23
[D] May 24
Answer: B [May 21]
Explanation:
The World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development is observed every year
on May 21 to bridge the gap between dierent cultures. The day is an opportunity to help
communities understand the value of cultural diversity and learn how to |live together in
harmony. This day was created as a result of the destruction of the Buddha statues of
Bamiyan in Afghanistan in 2001. The 2017 theme is Local Culture as a Driver for Economic
Growth.
75. Which country has won the 2017 Ice Hockey World Championship?
[A] Canada
[B] Sweden
[C] Russia
[D] Finland
Answer: B [Sweden ]
Explanation:
Sweden has won the 2017 Ice Hockey World Championship by defeating Canada 2-1 after a
penaly shoot-out. With this win, Sweden has won its 10th ice hockey world title. The 2017
tournament was hosted by Paris, France, and Germany from May 5 to 21, 2017. The ocial
tournament mascots were Asterix and Obelix, the main characters from the popular French
comic book series The Adventures of Asterix.
76. Which Indian cartoonist has won 2017 World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) International
Presidents Award?
[A] Rohan Chakravarty
[B] Sudhir Dar
[C] O V Puthukkody
[D] Satish Acharya
Answer: A [Rohan Chakravarty]
Explanation:
Rohan Chakravarty, a young Indian Wildlife and environment cartoonist, has won the World
Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) International Presidents Award in Manado, Indonesia for his
eorts to inspire change and attitudes towards nature. The award is the global conservation
organizations top accolade to recognize outstanding leadership in young conservationists
31
from around the world. The award acknowledges and encourages outstanding achievements
of young people under the age of 30 who are making signicant contributions to nature
conservation.
77. Which country to host the 2018 annual convention of African Development Bank (AfDB)
Group?
[A] China
[B] Sri Lanka
[C] India
[D] South Korea
Answer: D [South Korea]
Explanation:
Recently, the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi has inaugurated the 52nd annual
meeting of African Development Bank (AfDB) Group-2017 at the Mahatma Mandir
convention centre in Gandhinagar Gujarat with theme Transforming Agriculture for Wealth
Creation in Africa, which has started from May 22 and will continue till May 26, 2017. It is
the rst-ever AfDB meeting in India, in which more than 3000 delegates from 81 member
countries from across the world including the Governors, Alternate Governors, Executive
Directors, policy makers and businesses. The 2018 annual meeting of AfDB Group is
scheduled to be held in Busan, South Korea.
78. Which city is hosting the 2017 Global Rajasthan Agritech Meet (GRAM)?
[A] Jaipur
[B] Udaipur
[C] Kota
[D] Ajmer
Answer: C [Kota]
Explanation:
The 2017 Global Rajasthan Agritech Meet (GRAM) has started at Kota, Rajasthan from May
24, 2017 to empower farmers with latest technical know-how and best practices. Malaysia is
the partner country in the GRAM Kota 2017. The GRAM will provide a platform for Agri-rms
to promote themselves and/or nd promoters. The 3-day event will bring all stakeholders-
farmers from in and around Kota, academicians, technologists, agribusiness companies and
policy makers to accelerate development of sustainable agricultural and allied activities
through innovative methods and best practices.
79. Which bollywood actress has been bestowed with the 2017 International Humanitarian Award at
the Asian Voice Charity Awards?
[A] Deepika Padukone
[B] Jacqueline Fernandez
32
[C] Vidya Balan

[D] Juhi Chawla
Answer: B [Jacqueline Fernandez]
Explanation:
Bollywood actress Jacqueline Fernandez has been bestowed with the International
Humanitarian Award in ors Choice category at the 2017 annual Asian Voice Charity Awards
for her work in India and worldwide. She has been working with the charity Habitat for
Humanity for last ve years. This organization works to help people to live with dignity by
giving them homes to live in.
80. Which high-level committee has recently submitted its report on Scouts and Guides to the Union
Government?
[A] Harsh Malhotra committee
[B] Ratan Watal committee
[C] Injeti Srinivas committee
[D] Abhijit Sen committee
Answer: A [Harsh Malhotra committee ]
Explanation:
The 7-member high-level committee on Scouts and Guides under the chairmanship of Harsh
Malhotra has submitted its nal report to Minister for State (Independent Charge) for Youth
Aairs & Sports, Vijay Goel. The Committee has suggested mandatory revamp of the Bharat
Scout and Guides and Hindustan Scouts and Guides. It has found a number of irregularities
and anomalies in the management and nancial management. It has further recommended
for a permanent monitoring Committee to periodically assess the activities of both the
organizations. The committee has also recommended that there should be government
nominees on the Boards of both the organizations. It also stated that complaints have also
been reported, regarding leakage of question papers related to Rashtrapati Puraskar in
2016-2017 in Bharat Scouts and Guides.
81. Which football team has won the 38th edition of Indian Federation Cup Football
tournament-2017?
[A] Mohun Bagan
[B] Bengaluru FC
[C] Churchill Brothers
[D] Shillong Lajong
Answer: B [Bengaluru FC]
Explanation:
Bengaluru FC has won the 38th edition of Indian Federation Cup Football tournament on May
21, 2017 by defeating defending champions and 14-time winners Mohun Bagan at Barabati
33
Stadium in Cuttack, Odisha. The match went into extra time after neither of the teams could
break the deadlock in 90 minutes. Then, CK Vineeth scored twice for Bengaluru FC in extra
time helping them to win the tournament for just the second time. With the win, Bengaluru
also sealed a berth for next years Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup. It also became
the 8th team to have won more than one Federation Cup title.
82. What is the theme of 2017 World Metrology Day (WMD)?

[A] Measurement in commerce
[B] Measurement in sport
[C] Measurements for transport
[D] Measurements and light
Answer: C [Measurements for transport]
Explanation:
The World Metrology Day (WMD) is observed every year on May 20 to mark the signing of
the Metre Convention on May 20, 1875. The Convention set the framework for global
collaboration in the science of measurement and in its industrial, commercial and societal
application. The 2017 theme is Measurements for transport.
83. Alexander Zverev has won the 2017 Mens singles Rome Masters tennis tournament. He hails
from which country?
[A] Germany
[B] Romania
[C] Ukraine
[D] France
Answer: A [Germany]
Explanation:
Alexander Zverev (20), a German professional tennis player, has won the 2017 Mens singles
Rome Masters tennis tournament by defeating four-time champion Novak Djokovic in the
nal by 6-3, 6-4 in Rome, Italy. With this win, Zverev became the youngest player since
Djokovic in 2007 to win a Masters 1000 title and the rst player born in the 1990s to do so.
Beside this, Elina Svitolina of Ukraine has won the womens singles Italian Open tennis title
Simona Halep of Romania.
84. Which Indian squash player has won the 2017 Mens Makati Open Squash tournament?
[A] Mohd Syafiq Kamal
[B] Harinder Pal Sandhu
[C] Saurav Ghosal
[D] Abhay Singh
Answer: B [Harinder Pal Sandhu]
Explanation:
34
Indian squash player Harinder Pal Sandhu has won the 2017 Mens Makati Open Squash
tournament by defeating Mohd. Syaq Kamal of Malaysia in the nal by 11-5, 11-7, 11-7 at
the Manila Polo Club in Makati City, Phillipines. In the womens nal, Japans Satomi
Watanabe bagged her rst career title by beating Wales Deon Saery.
85. Which Indian squah player has won gold at 2017 Asian Continental Women Blitz Chess
Championship?
[A] Padmini Rout
[B] Vinita Gujrathi
[C] R Vaishali
[D] Soumya Swaminathan
Answer: C [R Vaishali]
Explanation:
R. Vaishali from India has won the 2017 Asian Continental Women Blitz Chess Championship
with 8 points from nine rounds in Chengdu, China. She was at her best in the Blitz event and
won seven games and posted two draws in the nine-round event. Vaishali drew her nal
round game against Uurt-saikh Uuriin-tuya of Mongolia to nish half-a-point ahead of Irans
Saras-dat Khademal-sharieh and clinch the gold medal. Her compatriot Padmini Rout
nished 3rd with seven points after a last round win over Yuxin Song of China.
86. Who has won the 2017 Presidential election of Iran?

[A] Eshaq Jahangiri
[B] Ebrahim Raeisi
[C] Mostafa Hashemi
[D] Hassan Rouhani
Answer: D [Hassan Rouhani]
Explanation:
Irans incumbent President Hassan Rouhani has won his second term defeating his
conservative rival Ebrahim Raeisi with a huge margin of votes in the the 2017 Presidential
election of Iran. With this, he became the second Iranian President, after Mohammad
Khatami, to win a presidential victory as an incumbent with an increased electoral mandate.
Rouhani is considered to be a moderate and pragmatic politician.
87. Which state government will form Good Morning squad to monitor and prevent open
defecation?
[A] Maharashtra
[B] Uttar Pradesh
[C] Madhya Pradesh
[D] Rajasthan
35
Answer: A [Maharashtra]
Explanation:
The Maharashtra government has decided to form Good Morning squads to curb open
defecation in all villages and districts across the State. These squads will comprise
representatives of local bodies, self-help groups, NGOs, students and social workers working
in the area of sanitation and cleanliness. The squads will also check whether residents have
access to toilets. They also have the right to take up issues, such as the pending
construction of toilets, with the local civic bodies and help speed up the work.
88. What is the 2017 theme of International Day for Biodiversity (IDB)?
[A] Convention on Biological Diversity
[B] Biodiversity and Sustainable Tourism
[C] Invasive Alien Species
[D] Biodiversity and Agriculture
Answer: B [Biodiversity and Sustainable Tourism]
Explanation:
The International Day for Biological Diversity (IDB) is observed every year on May 22 to
increase understanding and awareness of biodiversity issues. The 2017 theme Biodiversity
and Sustainable Tourism provides an opportunity to raise awareness and action towards the
important contribution of sustainable tourism both to economic growth and to the
conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.
89. Which of the following Indian peacekeepers to be honored posthumously with UN Dag
Hammarskjold Medal for their courage and sacrifice?
[A] Shubhkaran Yadav and Rajesh Kumar
[B] Manish Malik and Amal Deka
[C] Brijesh Thapa and Ravi Kumar
[D] Maya Ajmera and Gagan Panjabi
Answer: C [Brijesh Thapa and Ravi Kumar]
Explanation:
Two Indian peacekeepers, Rieman Brijesh Thapa and Private Ravi Kumar will be honored
posthumously with a prestigious United Nation (UN)s Dag Hammarskjold Medal for their
courage and sacrice in the line of duty. They are among 117 military, police and civilian
personnel who will be awarded with the UN Medal on the 2017 International Day of UN
Peacekeepers to be observed on May 29. Permanent Representatives to the UN will collect
the medals on behalf of the fallen peacekeepers. Currently, India has deployed more than
7,600 military and police personnel to UN peace operations in Afghanistan, the Democratic
Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Lebanon, Liberia, the Middle East, South Sudan, Sudan and the
Western Sahara.
90. Anshu Jamsenpa has become the worlds first woman to scale Mt Everest twice within 5 days. She
36
hails from which Indian state?

[A] Mizoram
[B] Manipur
[C] Assam
[D] Arunachal Pradesh
Answer: D [Arunachal Pradesh]
Explanation:
Anshu Jamsenpa, the Indian mountaineer from Arunachal Pradesh, has set the world record
by becoming the worlds rst woman to conquer Mount Everest twice within ve days.
Jamsenpa along with Nepali climber Furi Sherpa scaled the peak at 8:00 am on May 21,
2017. Earlier, she stood atop of worlds highest mountain on May 16, 2017. With this,
Jamsenpa has also become the rst Indian woman to scale Mt Everest for the fth time.
Beside this, Indian climbers Dhankude Kishor Dattatraya and Brij Mohan Sharma also scaled
Mt. Everest on May 20, 2017. Brij Mohan Sharma, popularly known as Breeze Sharma has
become the rst civilian from the Indian Navy to summit Mount Everest. Earlier, Chhurim
Sherpa (a Nepali mountaineer ) had scaled Mt Everest twice within a week, reaching the roof
of the world rst on May 12, 2012, then again on May 19.
91. Who has been appointed as new Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (Operations)?
[A] Satish Dua
[B] Subhash Bhamre
[C] PN Pradhan
[D] N S Rathore
Answer: C [PN Pradhan]
Explanation:
Air Marshal PN Pradhan has been appointed as the new Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence
Sta (Operations), a key platform to ensure a high degree of synergy between the Armed
forces. The Integrated Defence Sta (IDS) was created on October 1, 2001 based on the
recommendations of the Group of Ministers which was set up after Kargil war to review
Indias defence management. It acts as the point organisation for integration of policy,
doctrine, war ghting and procurement by employing best management practices. The
current Chief of IDS is Lt General Satish Dua.
92. The 2017 HADR exercise Karavali Karunya has started by Indian Navy in which state?
[A] Andhra Pradesh
[B] Karnataka
[C] Kerala
[D] Tamil Nadu
Answer: B [Karnataka]
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Explanation:
The Annual Joint Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) Exercise Karavali
Karunya has started by Indian Navys Western Nava Command at Naval Station Karwar in
Karnataka on May 18, 2017. The HADR exercise involves both professional exchange and
actual disaster response mechanisms is set on a Tsunami disaster scenario and will continue
till 20 May 2017.
93. Which committee has recently recommended several measures for de-siltation of River Ganga?
[A] K S S Banerjee committee
[B] Mukesh Sinha committee
[C] J P Nadda committee
[D] Madhav Chitale committee
Answer: D [Madhav Chitale committee]
Explanation:
The Madhav Chitale committee on de-siltation of River Ganga has recommended a slew of
measures which includes study to guide de-silting activities, sand registry for de-silting and a
technical institute to conduct the sediment budget, ood routing studies and conrm the
necessity of the de-silting of section of the river. The committee suggested good agricultural
practices, river bank anti-erosion works and avoiding encroachment of ood plain and
reclamation of adjoining lakes along the river. The committee also recommended de-silting
of adjoining lakes to increase their storage capacities. The committee was constituted in July
2016 by the Ministry of Water Resources River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation to
prepare guidelines for desiltation of river Ganga from Bhimgauda (Uttarakhand) to Farakka
(West Bengal).
94. The Bhindawas Bird Sanctuary (BBS) is located in which state?

[A] Haryana
[B] Rajasthan
[C] Sikkim
[D] Kerala
Answer: A [Haryana]
Explanation:
The Bhindawas Bird Sanctuary (BBS) is located in Jhajjar district, Haryana. It is home to many
birds such as Blue Peafowl, Gray Francolin, Black Francolin, Shikra, Black Kite, Greater
Coucal, White-throated Kingsher, Coppersmith Barbet and Indian Roller. It is in news
because the sanctuary will soon be developed as a beautiful tourist resort and the additional
facilities to be provided to the tourists coming to this place would include arrangements for
camping for night stay, beautication of the lake, and opening of dispensary for birds and
the wild life.
95. Stanley Greene, an award-winning photojournalist passed away. He hailed from which country?
38
[A] China
[B] Russia
[C] Japan
[D] United States
Answer: D [United States]
Explanation:
Stanley Greene (52), an award-winning American photographer of conict, disasters and
humanitarian crises across the globe, has recently passed away in Paris, France. He was best
known for his documentation of the conict in Chechnya, between rebels and the Russian
Armed Forces, which was compiled in his 2004 book Open Wound. Greene was recognised
in the World Press Photo awards, in 1994, 2001, 2004 and 2008.
96. R R Laxman is associated with which sports?

[A] Badminton
[B] Table Tennis
[C] Chess
[D] Cricket
Answer: C [Chess]
Explanation:
Grand Master R.R. Laxman of Integral Coach Factory nished has won the 2017 All India
Open Rapid FIDE Rating Chess Tournament at the Kshudiram Anushilan Kendra, Kolkata on
May 18, 2017. He got 9.5 points by defeating Mitrabha Guha who bagged 8.5 points.
97. What is the Indias rank in the 2017 Healthcare Access and Quality Index (HAQI), according to
latest Lancet report Global Burden of Disease (GBD)?
[A] 128th
[B] 154th
[C] 166th
[D] 137th
Answer: B [154th]
Explanation:
According to the latest Lancet report titled Global Burden of Disease (GBD), India has been
ranked 154th among 195 countries in the 2017 Healthcare Access and Quality Index (HAQI).
The results have revealed that India, in spite of socio-economic growth in the given time-
period, has not managed to achieve its goals in health care department. It performed worse
than expected in tuberculosis, diabetes, rheumatic heart diseases and chronic kidney
disease. According to the report, the countries were analysed for a period of 25 years
between 1990 and 2015. The list is topped by Switzerland, followed by Sweden and Norway.
The index is based on death rates for 32 diseases that can be avoided or eectively treated
39
with proper medical care, also tracked progress in each nation compared to the benchmark
year of 1990.
98. Which organisation has won the 2015 Indira Gandhi Peace Prize?
[A] United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
[B] Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
[C] International Court of Justice (ICJ)
[D] International Labour Organization (ILO)
Answer: A [United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)]
Explanation:
Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has presented the 2015 Indira Gandhi Prize for
Peace, Disarmament and Development to the United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees (UNHCR) at a function in New Delhi on May 18, 2017. Apart from this, the 2014
Indira Gandhi Peace Prize has been given to Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for
historic Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM), which was received by the ISRO chairman Kiran Kumar
on behalf of the space body. The award consists of a trophy, a cash prize of Rs 1 crore and a
citation. The award
99. Which state government has launched e-textbook portal for school students?
[A] Assam
[B] Kerala
[C] Karnataka
[D] Haryana
Answer: D [Haryana ]
Explanation:
The Haryana state government has recently launched e-textbook portal for school students.
Now, students can download school books instantly from the e-textbook portal of the
Haryana School Education Board (HSEB). As of now, 26 textbooks of classes IX to XII have
been uploaded on the portal and these can be easily converted into audio les. The portal
will also provide a facility to highlight certain portions of the etextbooks making it easier
for students to study.
100. Which Indian teenager has won the 2017 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair
(ISEF) award in the environmental engineering category?
[A] Sairandi Sathyanarayanan
[B] Pratik Naidu
[C] Prashant Ranganathan
[D] Sahithi Pingali
Answer: C [Prashant Ranganathan]
Explanation:
40
Indian teenager Prashant Ranganathan from Jamshedpurhas won the 2017 Intel International
Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) award worth $5,000 in the environmental engineering
category for his innovation for ghting against pesticide and getting rid of its side eects
through biodegradable use at the Los Angeles in California. Beside this, the topmost Gordon
E Moore Award of $75,000 went to Ivo Zell of Germany for designing and constructing a
remote-control prototype of a new ying wing.
101. The International Museum Day (IMD) is observed on which date?

[A] May 22
[B] May 21
[C] May 18
[D] May 19
Answer: C [May 18 ]
Explanation:
The International Museum Day (IMD) is observed every year on May 18 to raise awareness
on how important museums are in the development of society. The day provides the
opportunity for museum professionals to meet the public and alert them as to the challenges
that museums face. The 2017 theme Museums and contested histories: Saying the
unspeakable in museums focuses on the role of museums that, by working to benet
society, become hubs for promoting peaceful relationships between people. It also highlights
how the acceptance of a contested history is the rst step in envisioning a shared future
under the banner of reconciliation.
102. Chris Cornel, the renowned singer passed away. He hailed from which country?
[A] Germany
[B] France
[C] Japan
[D] United States
Answer: D [United States]
Explanation:
Chris Cornell (52), the renowned American musician, singer and songwriter, has recently
passed away at Michigan, United States. He was best known as the lead vocalist, primary
songwriter and rhythm guitarist for Seattle rock band Soundgarden and as lead vocalist
and songwriter for the group Audioslave.
103. What is the theme of 2017 International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia & Biphobia
(IDAHOT)?
[A] Mental health
[B] Childhood memories
[C] Families
41
[D] Join Hands

Answer: C [Families]
Explanation:
The International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia & Biphobia (IDAHOT) is observed
every year on May 17 to raise awareness of LGBT rights violations and stimulate interest in
LGBT rights work worldwide. The 2017 theme families focuses on the role of families in the
well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people and respect of
the rights of LGBTI families.
104. Indias first Aquatic Rainbow Technology Park (ARTP) will be set up in which city?
[A] Vishakhapatnam
[B] Chennai
[C] Kochi
[D] Mumbai
Answer: B [Chennai]
Explanation:
Indias rst Aquatic Rainbow Technology Park (ARTP) will be set up in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
The park will have an ultra-modern exclusive facility for ornamental sh equipped with multi-
species hatchery and live feed culture units. The facility is being developed by Fisheries
College and Research Institute (FCRI), Ponneri in Tamil Nadu. The ARTP will have an
advanced infrastructure and technical expertise to boost production of high value
ornamental sh species for both indigenous and exotic. It will also develop breeding
technologies for high value indigenous ornamental sh species and ensure quality sh seeds
in bulk quantities.
105. Which company is the most valuable brand in India, according to recently released 2017 Brand
Finance India 100 report?
[A] Tata Group
[B] Airtel
[C] LIC
[D] Reliance
Answer: A [Tata Group]
Explanation:
As per recently released 2017 Brand Finance India 100 report, Tata Group is the most
valuable brand in India with an estimated brand value of $13.1 billion. Airtel has acquired
2nd position followed by LIC, Infosys, SBI and Reliance Industries Ltd. The Brand Finance is a
global brand valuation and strategy consultancy rm. It advises strongly branded
organisations, or those with valuable intangible assets, on how to maximise their value
through eective management of their brand and other intangible assets.
42
106. Sundaram Ravi is associated with which sports?

[A] Cricket
[B] Badminton
[C] Hockey
[D] Sprint
Answer: A [Cricket]
Explanation:
Sundaram Ravi is a cricket umpire from India and a member of the ICC Elite Panel of
Umpires. Recently, he is selected in a team of 20 umpires by the International Cricket
Council (ICC) for the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy, which is scheduled to be held on June
2017. The list of ICC match referees include Chris Broad, David Boon and Andy Pycroft while
the umpires who will be seen umpiring in the tournament involve 12 names which are Aleem
Dar, Kumar Dharmasena, Marais Erasmus, Chris Gaaney, Ian Gould, Richard Illingworth,
Richard Kettleborough, Nigel Llong, Bruce Oxenford, Sundaram Ravi, Paul Reiel and Rod
Tucker.
107. Which country has topped the 2017 Renewable Energy Country Attractiveness Index (RECAI)
released by Ernst and Young (EY)?
[A] China
[B] India
[C] Germany
[D] Australia
Answer: A [China ]
Explanation:
China has been ranked rst among 40 nations in the 2017 Renewable Energy Country
Attractiveness Index (RECAI) released by Ernst and Young (EY). India has been ranked 2nd,
followed by United States, Germany, Australia, Chile, Japan and France. The RECAI ranks 40
markets on the attractiveness of their renewable energy investment and deployment
opportunities, based on a number of macro, energy market and technology-specic
indicators.
108. Which city to host the 2017 annual convention of the African Development Bank (AfDB)
Group?
[A] Valencia
[B] Gandhinagar
[C] Lisbon
[D] Shanghai
Answer: B [Gandhinagar]
Explanation:
43
The 52nd annual meeting of African Development Bank (AfDB) Group will be held at the
Mahatma Mandir convention centre in Gandhinagar , Gujarat from May 22 to 26, 2017 with
theme Transforming Agriculture for Wealth Creation in Africa. Its the rst-ever AfDB
meeting in India, which will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 23,
2017 . The 2017 AfDB meeting meeting will be a mega international event to be attended by
more than 3000 delegates from 81 member countries from across the world including the
Governors, Alternate Governors, Executive Directors, policy makers and businesses. It will
provide a forum for representatives of government, business, civil society, think-tanks,
academia and the media to debate key issues in Africa.
109. Which union minister has given the additional charge of Ministry of Environment, Forest and
Climate Change (MoEFCC)?
[A] Ravi Shankar Prasad
[B] Ananth kumar
[C] Harsh Vardhan
[D] J P Nadda
Answer: C [Harsh Vardhan]
Explanation:
Dr. Harsh Vardhan has given the additional charge of Ministry of Environment, Forest and
Climate Change (MoEFCC) following the death of Minister Anil Madhav Dave. Dr. Vardhan is
the incumbent minister at Ministry of Science and Technology and Ministry of Earth Sciences
and represents Chandni Chowk in Delhi as a Member of Parliament (MoP) in the 16th Lok
Sabha.
110. The 2017 bilateral maritime exercise SIMBEX-17 has started between India and which
country?
[A] Sri Lanka
[B] South Africa
[C] South Korea
[D] Singapore
Answer: D [Singapore]
Explanation:
The 24th edition of bilateral maritime exercise SIMBEX-17 has started between Navies of
the Republic of Singapore and India in the South China Sea from May 18 and will continue to
May 21, 2017. The purpose of the exercise is to increase interoperability between the two
navies as well as to develop common understanding and procedures for maritime security
operations. SIMBEX is an acronym for Singapore-India Maritime Bilateral Exercises.
111. What is the theme of 2017 World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD)?
[A] Big data for big impact
44
[B] Entrepreneurship for social impact

[C] Reduce digital divide
[D] Promote digital education for social welfare
Answer: A [Big data for big impact]
Explanation:
The World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD) is observed every year
on May 17 to mark the anniversary of the signing of the rst International Telegraph
Convention (ITC) and the creation of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). The
purpose of the day is to help raise awareness of the possibilities that the use of the Internet
and other information and communication technologies (ICT) can bring to societies and
economies, as well as of ways to bridge the digital divide. The 2017 theme Big Data for Big
Impact focuses on the power of Big Data for development and aims to explore how to turn
imperfect, complex, often unstructured data into actionable information in a development
context.
112. Which Indian-American student has won the 2017 National Geographic Bee contest?
[A] Veda Bhattaram
[B] Pranay Varada
[C] George Sudarshan
[D] Jayant Narlikar
Answer: B [Pranay Varada ]
Explanation:
Pranay Varada, an Indian-American student, has won the prestigious $50,000 National
Geographic Bee competition for year 2017. For the past one decade, this competition has
been dominated by Indian-Americans. Another Indian-American from New Jersey Veda
Bhattaram nished third at the nals and got $10,000 worth scholarships. This year, six of
the 10 nalists were Indian-Americans.
113. Reema Lagoo, who passed away recently, was associated with which field?
[A] Politics
[B] Film Industry
[C] Journalism
[D] Law
Answer: B [Film Industry]
Explanation:
Reema Lagoo (59), the veteran actress of lm and TV, has passed away in Mumbai,
Maharashtra on May 18, 2017. She was best-known for her roles as mother in Bollywood
movies such as Hum Saath Saath Hain, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Kal Ho Na Ho, Hum
Aapke Hain Koun, etc. She was also known for starring in the TV serials Tu Tu Main Main
and Shriman Shrimati. Her last screen appearances were in the Marathi lm Katyar Kaljat
45
Ghusali and TV show Naamkaran.
114. Which Indian scientist has won the 2017 Dan David prize in the Future category?
[A] Dronamraju Krishna Rao
[B] Biman Bagchi
[C] Har Gobind Khorana
[D] Shrinivas Kulkarni
Answer: D [Shrinivas Kulkarni]
Explanation:
Indian scientist Shrinivas Kulkarni has won the prestigious 2017 Dan David prize in the
Future category for his contribution in the eld of astronomy. The Future category for
2017 is being shared by Kulkarni with two other recipients Andrej Udalski of the University
of Warsaw and Neil Gehrels of NASA for their discoveries on time-domain astrophysics at
festive awards ceremony in Tel Aviv, Israel on May 21, 2017. Kulkarni is a professor of
astrophysics and planetary science at California Institute of Technology in Pasadenan, United
States. The three Dan David prizes of $1 million each are given every year in the categories
of Past, Present and Future to people around the world who have made outstanding
contributions to humanity in the sciences, humanities, or through their work in civil society.
115. Anil Madhav Dave, who passed away recently, was the union minister of which department?
[A] Labour and Employment
[B] Petroleum and Natural Gas`
[C] Health & Family Welfare
[D] Environment, Forest and Climate Change
Answer: D [Environment, Forest and Climate Change]
Explanation:
Anil Madhav Dave (60), the Union Environment Minister, has passed away in New Delhi on
May 18, 2017. He was well-known for his work on river Narmada through an organisation
Narmada Samagra founded by him, which works on conservation of Narmada and its
catchment area through various activities and events. Dave was appointed as Minister of
State (Independent Charge) for Environment, Forest and Climate Change on July 2016.
116. Which Indian wildlife activist has won the 2017 Whitley Awards?
[A] Sanjay Gubbi
[B] Naresh Kadyan
[C] Aruna Sabhane
[D] Shahriar Kabir
Answer: A [Sanjay Gubbi]
Explanation:
Sanjay Gubbi of Karnataka and Dr. Purnima Barman of Assam have won the prestigious 2017
46
Whitley Award, popularly known as Green Oscars, for their eorts in wildlife conservation.
Ms. Barman has won the award for creating an all-female network to save the Greater
Adjutant stork, known in India as Hargila, and its wetland habitat in Assam, while Mr. Gubbi
has been awarded for his work to protect tiger corridors in Karnataka. Each of the winners
will receive 35,000 pounds prize money in project funding over one year. The Whitley Fund
for Nature is a UK-based charity that works to highlight grassroots leaders in nature
conservation across the developing world.
117. Muhammed Anas, who recently qualified for 2017 London World Athletics Championships,
hails from which Indian state?
[A] Karnataka
[B] Tamil Nadu
[C] West Bengal
[D] Kerala
Answer: D [Kerala ]
Explanation:
Muhammed Anas Yahiya from Kerala has qualied for the 2017 World Championships by
beating his own national record with a time of 45.32 seconds in the mens 400m race at the
third leg of the Indian Grand Prix Athletics Meet meet at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in
New Delhi. The entry standard for the World Championships stands at 45.50 seconds, which
is scheduled to be held in London in August 2017.
118. What is the Indias GDP growth forecast for 2017, as per recently revised UN World Economic
Situation and Prospects (WESP) as of mid-2017 report?
[A] 7.9%
[B] 7.7%
[C] 7.3%
[D] 7.1%
Answer: C [7.3%]
Explanation:
According to recently revised United Nations World Economic Situation and Prospects
(WESP) as of mid- 2017 report, Indias GDP growth forecast has been downward from 7.7%
to 7.3% in scal 2017. Earlier, the January edition of UN report had not taken into
consideration the impact of the demonetisation policy on Indias economic growth. However,
the revised report projected that India will achieve an impressive 7.9% GDP growth in scal
2018, revising upwards its January estimates when it had said Indias growth will be 7.6%
next year. Though, the report warned that stressed balance sheets in banking sector will
have an adverse eect on investment rebound in India.
119. Which Indian personality has been named in the Forbess 2017 Global Game Changers list?
[A] Sunny Varkey
47
[B] Mukesh Ambani

[C] Rahul Bhatia
[D] Cyrus Poonawalla
Answer: B [Mukesh Ambani]
Explanation:
Mukesh Ambani, the chairman of Reliance Industries, has been named among the 25 most
inuential business leaders from around the world in the Forbes Global Game Changers 2017
list. Ambani is the only Indian in the list that comprises business leaders from 8 dierent
countries. The 2017 list was based on corporate growth, innovation and international
presence.
120. Which of the following has been adjudged as the cleanest railway station in category A1, as per
recently released report by the Ministry of Railways?
[A] Vishakhapatnam
[B] Jammu Tawi
[C] Secunderabad
[D] Anand ViharTerminal
Answer: A [Vishakhapatnam]
Explanation:
The Vishakhapatnam railway station in Andhra Pradesh has been adjudged as the cleanest
railway station among the 75 busiest stations in the country in category A1, followed by
Secunderabad, Jammu Tawi, Vijayawada and Anand Vihar railway stations. This was revealed
by Third Party Audit Report on Station Cleanliness i.e. released by Ministry of Railway in New
Delhi on May 17, 2017. The railway stations are categorised A1, A, B, C, D, E and F
based on their annual passenger revenue by the ministry. Among the A category stations,
Beas railway station in Punjab was rated the cleanest station followed by Khammam station
in Telangana and Ahmednagar station in Maharashtra. Zone wise South-East Central railway
has been ranked rst followed by East Coast railway and Central Railway. The survey was
carried out by the Quality Council of India (QCI) and was based on criteria such as toilets on
platforms, management of tracks and dustbins.
121. Who has become the first Indian woman to scale Mount Everest for the fourth time?
[A] Anshu Jamsenpa
[B] Lhakpa Sherpa
[C] Premlata Agarwal
[D] Malavath Purna
Answer: A [Anshu Jamsenpa]
Explanation:
Anshu Jamsenpa, the Indian mountaineer from Arunachal Pradesh, has scripted history by
48
becoming the rst Indian woman to scale the Mount Everest for the fourth time. She will
attempt a double ascent to the worlds highest peak to make it a total ve successful climbs.
If she is successful with her double ascent this time, Ms Jamsenpa will set a record ve
climbs of Mt Everest.
122. Indias first smart grid project has successfully created by which institute?
[A] Shanmugha Arts Science Technology & Research Academy (SASTRA)
[B] Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IISST)
[C] Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM)
[D] Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology (IIEST)
Answer: D [Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology (IIEST)]
Explanation:
The Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology (IIEST) has successfully created
Indias rst smart grid project, which will generate power from renewable sources of energy.
Soon, the project is to be inaugurated by President Pranab Mukherjee. The smart grid will be
synchronised to generate power from solar, wind and vegetable waste resources, depending
on the weather conditions and availability of waste products. The power to be generated
from solar energy depends on the availability of sunlight, while wind energy will be produced
during norwester and tropical storm. The power from biogas will be generated from
vegetable waste collected from the campus kitchen and outside markets.
123. Who will lead the Indian delegation to the 2017 G20 Labour & Employment Ministers Meet?
[A] Rajit Punhani
[B] Bandaru Dattatraya
[C] Sushma Swaraj
[D] Arun Jaitley
Answer: B [Bandaru Dattatraya]
Explanation:
Bandaru Dattatraya, the Union Minister of State for Labour and Employment, will lead the
Indian delegation to the 2017 G20 Labour and Employment Ministers Meet, which is
scheduled to be held at Bad Neuenahr in Germany on May 18-19, 2017. Dattatraya will
outline Indias recent initiatives for the welfare of its workers including those related to
employment promotion, social security, Maternity benet and child labour. The G20 meet
will discuss various topics on labour, migrants and youth employment. A G20 Labour and
Employment Ministerial Declaration is likely to be adopted at the end of the meeting, which
will be presented to the Summit scheduled on 7th-8th July at Hamburg, Germany.
124. Who has become the first Indian driver to win the race in the GP3 Series?
[A] Dinesh Singh
[B] Sanjay Sharma
[C] Karun Chandhok
49
[D] Arjun Maini

Answer: D [Arjun Maini]
Explanation:
Arjun Maini from Bengaluru, driving for Jenzer Motorsports, has created history by becoming
the rst Indian driver to win his rst race in the GP3 (a feeder series to GP2) series at the
Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona, Spain on May 14, 2017. Now, Maini stands 3rd in the
championship with 21 points after the rst round of the nine-round GP3 series. Nirei
Fukuzumi of Japan (Team ART Grand Prix) leads the standings with 29 points, followed by
Mainis Jenzer teammate, Alessio Lorandi of Italy (25). The 2017 GP3 series will nish at the
Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi on November 26, 2017.
125. Where is the headquarters of OIC Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission
(IPHRC)?
[A] United Arab Emirates
[B] Senegal
[C] Saudi Arabia
[D] Burkina Faso
Answer: C [Saudi Arabia ]
Explanation:
The headquarters of OIC Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission of Organization
(IPHRC) has recently inaugurated at Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on May 15, 2017. The
headquarters will help promote human rights and fundamental freedoms in the Muslim world
through provision of objective and neutral views on many human rights issues, in
accordance with international rules and in consonance with Islamic principles. The IPHRC is
an expert body with advisory capacity established by Organization of Islamic Cooperation
(OIC) as the principal organ working independently in the area of human rights. The IPHRC
has the power to monitor human rights within the member states and facilitates the
integration of human rights into all OIC mandates. It also aids in the promotion of political,
civil, and economic rights in all member states.
126. Which state government has constituted Maa committee to check mid day meal quality in
schools?
[A] Uttar Pradesh
[B] Assam
[C] Tamil Nadu
[D] Himachal Pradesh
Answer: A [Uttar Pradesh]
Explanation:
The Uttar Pradesh government has recently constituted Maa committee to check mid day
meal quality in state-run primary schools to ensure that the students will get nutritious food
50
prepared in hygienic conditions. It will be a committee of six mothers, from all sections of the
society, whose students are studying in that school. From cleanliness in kitchen to quality of
food being served to children, the committee will keep an eye on minute details.
127. Javier Valdez, the renowned journalist has passed away. He hailed from which country?
[A] Mexico
[B] Bolivia
[C] Nauru
[D] Trinidad and Tobago
Answer: A [Mexico]
Explanation:
Javier Valdez (50), the renowned Mexican journalist and founder of Rodoce, was shot and
killed by unidentied gunmen on May 15, 2017 in the northwest state of Sinaloa in Mexico.
Valdez was a nationally and internationally-recognised journalist who authored several books
on the drug trade, including Narcoperiodismo and Los Morros del Narco. He was known
for his reporting on drug tracking and organized crime.
128. Which union minister has launched Operation Clean Portal for transparent tax administration?
[A] Sushma Swaraj
[B] Arun Jaitley
[C] Narendra Modi
[D] Rajnath Singh
Answer: B [Arun Jaitley]
Explanation:
Arun Jaitley, the Union Minister of Finance, has ocially launched the Portal of Operation
Clean Money on May 16, 2017 for a transparent tax administration as well as to enable
citizen engagement for creating a tax compliant society. The salient features of the portal
are to provide comprehensive information at one place, to enable citizen engagement for
creating a tax compliant society & to enabling transparent tax administration by sharing
status reports. The portal designed by the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) will identify
those who have made large deposits or purchases and which are not in line with declared
income as a follow-up to Operation Clean Money.
129. Rifath Sharook has designed the worlds lightest satellite KalamSat. He hails from which
country?
[A] China
[B] Malaysia
[C] India
[D] Japan
Answer: C [India]
51
Explanation:
Indian teen Rifath Sharook from Tamil Nadu has designed the worlds lightest & smallest
satellite named KalamSat. The satellite weighs only 64 grams and will be launched by
NASA on June 21, 2017. With this, he will become the rst Indian student to have his
experiment launched by NASA. The main role of the satellite will be to demonstrate the
performance of 3-D printed carbon bre. The satellite has been designed in a way which will
have a 240-minute mission in space and will operate for 12 minutes in a micro-gravity
environment of space.
130. Who has been awarded the 2017 INSA Young Scientist award for research in cancer treatment?
[A] R D Trivedi
[B] Aasok Tmange
[C] Sidharth Deshmukh
[D] Aravind Kumar Rengan
Answer: D [Aravind Kumar Rengan]
Explanation:
Dr. Aravind Kumar Rengan, the Assistant Professor in Department of Biomedical Engineering
at Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IIT-H), has been awarded the prestigious
Indian National Science Academy (INSA) medal in the Young Scientist category for 2017 for
his research in cancer treatment. The award, which consists of a bronze medal, a certicate
and cash award of Rs. 25,000, will be given to him during INSAs anniversary general
meeting in December 2017.
131. The Nandankanan Zoological Park (NZP) is located in which state?

[A] Tamil Nadu
[B] Odisha
[C] Assam
[D] Karnataka
Answer: B [Odisha]
Explanation:
The Nandankanan Zoological Park (NZP) is located in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. It is home to
about 1660 individual animals representing 166 species, including 67 species of mammals,
81 species of birds, and 18 species of reptiles. It has the largest collection of white tigers in
India. The zoo also includes 34 aquaria which are home to a large variety of fresh water sh.
The endangered species such as the Asiatic lion, three Indian crocodilians, Sangal lion-tailed
macaque, Nilgiri langur, Indian pangolin, mouse deer and countless birds, reptiles and sh
have been breeding successfully at Nandankanan. The zoo enjoys a good reputation
internationally for successfully breeding black panthers, gharials, and white tigers in
captivity.
132. What is the Indias GDP forecast for FY 18, as per latest Economic Outlook Survey of
52
Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI)?

[A] 7.7%
[B] 6.9%
[C] 7.9%
[D] 7.4%
Answer: D [7.4%]
Explanation:
As per latest Economic Outlook Survey of Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and
Industry (FICCI), Indias Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth forecast for FY 18 will be
around 7.4%, with a minimum and maximum level of 7% and 7.6% respectively. As per the
survey, agricultural sector is estimated to clock 3.5% growth in 2017-18, while the industry
and services sector are expected to grow by 6.9% and 8.4% respectively in 2017-18.
According to the survey results, Consumer Price Index (CPI) has a median forecast of 4.8%
for 2017-18 with a minimum and maximum level of 4% and 5.3%.
133. Which Indian personality has been appointed as new UNFCCC Deputy Executive Secretary?
[A] Arvind Mehta
[B] P K S Chaku
[C] Natasha Singh
[D] Ovais Sarmad
Answer: D [Ovais Sarmad]
Explanation:
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has appointed Ovais Sarmad of India as
Deputy Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC), at the Assistant Secretary-General level. The appointment has been made after
consultation with the Conference of Parties through its Bureau. Sarmad will succeed Richard
Kinley of Canada. Currently, Sarmad serving as the chief of sta to the director general of
the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
134. Which IIT institute has collaborated with the British Geological Survey (BGS) to turn Varanasi
into a smart city?
[A] IIT Bombay
[B] IIT Madra
[C] IIT Kharagpur
[D] IIT Indore
Answer: C [IIT Kharagpur]
Explanation:
The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur has collaborated with the British
Geological Survey (BGS) to turn Varanasi into a smart city. As part of the project, three
53
dimensional geological modelling of the geology under Varanasi will be prepared to help
improve the building of new transport and service infrastructure. The project includes
application of geo-scientic methods like drilling, geological, geophysical, tectonics,
hydrogeological and remote sensing. It would be the rst major 3D subsurface urban study
and planning of its kind in India, with the ultimate aim of developing methodologies and
input of suburban geology for planning and hazard risk assessment. The purpose of the
project is to develop the methodologies and approaches of urban geosciences and
engineering of Varanasi as a pilot for other Indian cities.
135. Who has become the first Indian to win gold at the 2017 Asian Wrestling Championship?
[A] Sumit Kumar
[B] Bajrang Punia
[C] Sarita Mann
[D] Amit Sangwan
Answer: B [Bajrang Punia]
Explanation:
Bajrang Punia has won gold medal for India by defeating South Koreas Seunghui Lee 6-2 in
the mens 65kg freestyle category at the 2017 Asian Wrestling Championship in New Delhi.
With this, he became the rst Indian to win gold in the championship. Apart from him, Sarita
Mann won silver in the womens 58kg category and Sumit Kumar won silver medal in the
mens Freestyle 125 kg category. With this, India nished their Asian Wrestling
Championship campaign on a resounding note. The Indian wrestlers overall bagged 10
medals comprising gold, ve silver and four bronze.
136. Which city hosted the 2nd meeting of National Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (NPDRR)?
[A] New Delhi
[B] Nagpur
[C] Ahmedabad
[D] Visakhapatnam
Answer: A [New Delhi]
Explanation:
The 2nd meeting of National Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (NPDRR) has started in
New Delhi from May 15-16, 2017 on the theme Disaster Risk Reduction for Sustainable
Development: Making India Resilient by 2030. The NPDRR is inaugurated by the Union
Home Minister Rajnath Singh. The NPDRR is a multi-stakeholders National Platform which
promotes participatory decision making in disaster management and strengthens federal
policy of the country. The meeting is being attended by over 1000 distinguished guests
including State Ministers, Parliamentarians, Heads of Local Self Government, and Heads of
specialized disaster management agencies, academicians, representatives from private
sector organizations, media and civil society organizations.
137. Who has won the 2017 Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix?
54
[A] Sebastian Vettel

[B] Nico Rosberg
[C] Valtteri Bottas
[D] Lewis Hamilton
Answer: D [Lewis Hamilton]
Explanation:
Lewis Hamilton, a British Formula One racing driver from England, has won the 2017
Formula One Spanish Grand Prix tournament at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in
Barcelona. It is the 71st season of Formula One motor racing.
138. S Ramassamy, who passed away recently, was the former Chief Minister of which state/UT?
[A] Kerala
[B] Tamil Nadu
[C] Puducherry
[D] Karnataka
Answer: C [Puducherry ]
Explanation:
S Ramassamy (80), the former Puducherry Chief Minister, has passed away in Puducherry on
May 15, 2017id. He was Home Minister in the DMK-CPI coalition ministry from 1969 to 1973.
He shifted his allegiance to the AIADMK in 1973. He became chief minister in 1974 heading
the AIADMK-CPI coalition ministry for a brief period. He was also the Chief Minister in the
AIADMK government in 1977, which lasted in oce for a little over one year. He successfully
contested as Independent from Karaikal in 1985 and 1990. Ramassamy joined Congress in
1992.
139. What is the Indias rank in the 2017 World Banks Power accessibility list?
[A] 39th
[B] 26th
[C] 44th
[D] 16th
Answer: B [26th]
Explanation:
India has been ranked 26th in the list of electricity accessibility according to the World Bank
in the current year from 99th spot in 2014. It is because of Indian governments rural
electrication programme, over 13,000 villages electried out of a total of 18,452 and are on
track for completion within the targeted 1,000 days. Additionally, a person who applies for
electricity connection should be able to get electricity in 24 hours if power infrastructure is
available and in areas where there is no power infrastructure a person should expect
electricity in a week.
55
140. Who has been appointed as the new Prime Minister of France?
[A] Edouard Philippe
[B] Bernard Cazeneuve
[C] Manuel Valls
[D] Michel Debre
Answer: A [Edouard Philippe]
Explanation:
Edouard Philippe, a centre-right mayor, has been appointed as the new Prime Minister of
France by the President Emmanuel Macron. Philippe is not from the Presidents new centrist
party but from the centre-right Republicans. The choice is seen as an attempt to draw in key
gures from both the right and left of French politics.
141. What is the theme of 2017 International Day of Families?

[A] Ensuring Work-Family Balance
[B] Families, education and well-being
[C] Families, healthy lives and sustainable future
[D] Stronger families, stronger communities
Answer: B [Families, education and well-being]
Explanation:
The International Day of Families is observed every year on May 15 to promote awareness of
issues relating to families and increase knowledge of the social, economic and demographic
progression that aects families. The 2017 theme Families, education and well-being
focuses on role of families and family-oriented policies in promoting education and overall
well-being of their members. It highlights on the central goals of the 2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development which focus on ending poverty, promoting shared economic
prosperity, social development and peoples well-being while protecting the environment.
142. The 43rd edition of G7 summit will be held in which city?

[A] Germany
[B] Italy
[C] France
[D] United States
Answer: B [Italy]
Explanation:
The 43rd edition of G7 summit will be held at Taorminain Sicily, Italy. The attendees will
include the leaders of the seven G7 member states as well as representatives of the
European Union. The 43rd G7 summit will be the rst summit for British Prime Minister
Theresa May, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni and
U.S. President Donald Trump.
56
143. Which Indian village has won the 2017 Smart Village Award?
[A] Punsari
[B] Mawlynnong
[C] Govardhan Ecovillage
[D] Dharnai
Answer: C [Govardhan Ecovillage ]
Explanation:
Govardhan Eco Village (GEV) of International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON)
has won 2017 Smart Cities India Award in the Smart Village Award category for being a
sustainability project in Wada district of Maharashtra. The village at Wada taluka is located
108km north of Mumbai at the foothills of the Sahyadri Mountains. The smart village award
category recognises village project that integrates upgradation and uplift of various (socio-
economic, infrastructure, etc.) facilities for making life smooth and accessible for the
villagers. The Smart Village award has been instituted by the India Trade Promotion
Organisation (ITPO), which also gives awards in various other categories. The headquarters
of ISKON is located at Mayapur, West Bengal and its purpose is to spread the practice of
bhakti yoga towards pleasing the Supreme Lord, Krishna.
144. Who has been conferred with the first-ever Bhairon Singh Shekhawat Lifetime Achievement
Honour in Public Service?
[A] Mukul Sangma
[B] Manik Sarkar
[C] Lal Thanhawla
[D] Pawan Chamling
Answer: D [Pawan Chamling]
Explanation:
Pawan Kumar Chamling, the Chief Minister of Sikkim, has been conferred with the rst-ever
Bhairon Singh Shekhawat Lifetime Achievement Honour in Public Service by President
Pranab Mukherjee in Jaipur, Rajasthan on May 15, 2017. Chamling is the longest standing
Chief Minister in India, having won the legislative assembly elections for 5 terms in a row
and will be completing 25 years of governance by the next legislative elections in 2019
creating a political history in India.
145. Which Indian sportsperson has won silver in mens Freestyle 125 kg category at the 2017 Asian
Wrestling Championship?
[A] Sumit Kumar
[B] Amit Sangwan
[C] Bajrang Punia
[D] G S Sandhu
57
Answer: A [Sumit Kumar]

Explanation:
Sumit Kumar of India has won silver medal in the mens Freestyle 125 kg category at the
2017 Asian Wrestling Championships in New Delhi on May 14, 2017. In the gold medal
round, Sumit lost to Yadollah Mohammadkazem Mohebi of Iran 2-6 to settle for the second
position. With this, India nished their Asian Wrestling Championship campaign on a
resounding note. The Indian wrestlers overall bagged 10 medals comprising a gold, ve
silver and four bronze. This bettered their tally of nine medals in the last edition of the
Championship at Bangkok.
146. Who has won the 2017 mens singles Mutua Madrid Open tennis tournament?
[A] Rafael Nadal
[B] Novak Djokovic
[C] Andy Murray
[D] Dominic Thiem
Answer: A [Rafael Nadal]
Explanation:
Rafael Nadal, a Spanish professional tennis player, has won the 2017 mens singles Mutua
Madrid Open tennis tournament by defeating Dominic Thiem of Austria in the nal by 76,
64 in Madrid, Spain. It is his 5th Madrid Open title. With this win, Nadal ties Novak Djokovic
with 30 ATP World Tour Masters 1000 singles titles.
147. Which state has topped the 2017 Public Affairs Index (PAI) in governance?
[A] Kerala
[B] Gujarat
[C] Karnataka
[D] Maharashtra
Answer: A [Kerala ]
Explanation:
Kerala has topped the 2017 Public Aairs Index (PAI) in governance indicators, followed by
Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Karnataka and Maharashtra. The report was based on a wide range of
themes such as essential infrastructure, support to human development, social protection,
women and children, crime, law and order, delivery of justice, environment, transparency
and accountability, scal management and economic freedom. The purpose of the PAI is to
rank the states of India objectively in the eld of governance based on various focus subjects
and indicators and is an initiative of the Public Aairs Committee (PAC).
148. Indias first electric cab fleet will be launched in which city?
[A] New Delhi
[B] Nagpur
58
[C] Lucknow
[D] Bhopal
Answer: B [Nagpur ]
Explanation:
Indias rst electric cab eet will be launched in Nagpur on May 26, 2017 to promote the
usage of electric and hybrid vehicles in India. The pilot project will be undertaken by Nagpur
Municipal Corporation (NMC) and Mahindra and Mahindra (M&M) will provide 200 most likely
the e-Verito and the e20 Plus. For this purpose, the Government of India (GoI) had already
passed the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric (FAME) Vehicles scheme in 2015.
Under the FAME India scheme, around 99,000 hybrid/electric vehicles (xEVs) are currently
given direct support by way of incentives since the launch on April 1, 2015. The sole purpose
of the scheme is to go completely electric by 2030.
149. What is the theme of 2017 World Fair Trade Day (WFTD)?
[A] Hand in hand for change
[B] Fair trade to promote social justice
[C] Human chains for fair trade and the planet
[D] Support community support peace
Answer: C [Human chains for fair trade and the planet]
Explanation:
The World Fair Trade Day (WFTD) is a global celebration of fair trade to promote and educate
about fair trade in towns and communities. Its an initiative of World Fair Trade Organization
(WFTO) that falls on the second Saturday of May of each year. This year, the day is
organized on May 13, 2017 with theme Human chains for fair trade and the planet, that
highlights a tangible solution to poverty eradication, a good tool for sustainable development
and most of all Fair Trade promotes social justice.
150. Who has become the first Indian woman to be conferred with the Woodrow Wilson Award for
Global Corporate Citizenship?
[A] Shikha Sharma
[B] Usha Ananthasubramanian
[C] Arundhati Bhattacharya
[D] Chanda Kochhar
Answer: D [Chanda Kochhar]
Explanation:
Chanda Kochhar, the chairman of ICICI Bank, has become the rst Indian woman to be
conferred with the prestigious Woodrow Wilson Award for Global Corporate Citizenship from
the Woodrow Wilson Centre in Washington DC on May 10, 2017. With this, she has joined the
league of former Indian recipients former President and space scientist APJ Abdul Kalam and
IT honcho Narayana Murthy. The annual award was instituted in 1998 by the prestigious
59
Wilson Center to felicitate individuals whose actions and accomplishments, either in their
careers or through service.
151. Which state government is hosting the first-ever Videsh Sampark outreach programme?
[A] Kerala
[B] Tamil Nadu
[C] Telangana
[D] Karnataka
Answer: C [Telangana]
Explanation:
The rst-ever Videsh Sampark outreach programme of the Ministry of External Aairs (MEA)
has started in Hyderabad on May 13, 2017. The one-day conference has inaugurated by Gen.
Dr V.K. Singh, the Minister of State for External Aairs, which is being held in collaboration
with the Government of Telangana. The conference will create awareness on the schemes
and initiatives launched by the MEA with regard to consular and passport services;
engagement with overseas Indians; and welfare and protection of overseas Indians.
152. Which country to host first-ever One Belt One Road (OBOR) Summit?
[A] China
[B] India
[C] Nepal
[D] Maldives
Answer: A [China]
Explanation:
The rst-ever One Belt One Road (OBOR) Summit will be held in Bejing, China on May 14 -15,
2017. The 29 heads of state including Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Myanmar and high-
level delegations from Bangladesh and Nepal will attend the two-day Belt and Road Forum in
China. Though, India will not attend the forum. The main reason behind Indias opposition
towards the policy is the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which is a part of OBOR.
The focus of the summit is to improve connectivity and cooperation amount Asian countries,
Africa, China and Europe. The emphasis is on enhancing land as well as maritime routes. The
policy is signicant for China since it aims to boost domestic growth in the country.
153. Which Indian personality has been appointed WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Hepatitis in
South-East Asia Region?
[A] Shah Rukh Khan
[B] Aamir Khan
[C] Priyanka Chopra
[D] Amitabh Bachchan
Answer: D [Amitabh Bachchan ]
60
Explanation:
Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan has been appointed by the World Health
Organisation (WHO) as its Goodwill Ambassador for Hepatitis in South-East Asia Region to
boost awareness and intensify action to arrest the epidemic. As WHO goodwill ambassador
for hepatitis in the region, Bachchan will lend his voice and support to public awareness
programmes that aim to scale up preventive measures and advocate for early diagnosis and
treatment of viral hepatitis. This is the rst formal association between WHO and Bachchan,
who served as UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador for Polio in India.
154. Which Indian sportsperson has clinched silver in womens 69kg category at the 2017 Asian
[A] Sakshi Malik
[B] Vinesh Phogat
[C] Divya Kakran
[D] Ritu Phogat
Answer: C [Divya Kakran]
Explanation:
Three Indian women wrestlers Sakshi Malik (60kg), Vinesh Phogat (55kg) and Divya Kakran
(69kg) bagged silver medals in their respective categories in the 2017 Asian Wrestling
Championship in New Delhi after losing out their nal bouts. Rio Olympic bronze medallist
Sakshi Malik lost her nal bout against Japans Risako Kawai in 60kg category. Sakshi
wrestled for the rst time in womens 60kg category after jumping up the weight division
from 58kg. Vinesh Phogat lost the nal in womens 55kg category and Divya Kakran in 69 Kg
to settle with silver medals.
155. Which city has topped the 2017 Savills Tech Cities Index?
[A] Austin
[B] Bengaluru
[C] San Francisco
[D] New York
Answer: A [Austin ]
Explanation:
Austin has topped the list of 22 tech cities across the world, as per the 2017 Savills Tech
Cities Index. San Francisco has acquired 2nd position followed by New York and London.
From India, Bengaluru ranked 20th among tech cities in the world. But when it comes to the
cost of living index, Bengaluru tops the charts with a weekly residential rent for tech
employees and household standing at $236 compared to the tech cities average of $368.
The purpose of 2017 Savills Tech Cities programme is to understand the diverse factors that
make up a good location choice for the tech sector.
156. Which Indian cricketer has been awarded the honorary life membership of Marylebone Cricket
61
Club (MCC)?
[A] Mahendra Singh Dhoni
[B] Yuvraj Singh
[C] Anil Kumble
[D] VVS Laxman
Answer: D [VVS Laxman]
Explanation:
VVS Laxman, the former India batsman, has been awarded the honorary life membership of
Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC). With this, he joined fellow Indian icons Sachin Tendulkar,
Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly on the prestigious list of MCC Honorary Life Members. He
played 134 Tests, 86 One-Day Internationals and 25 Twenty20 internationals for India.
Currently, he is mentor of Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) franchise in the Indian Premier League
(IPL).
157. Indias first-ever National Basketball Association (NBA) academy has officially opened in which
city?
[A] Mumbai
[B] Greater Noida
[C] Pune
[D] Chennai
Answer: B [Greater Noida]
Explanation:
Indias rst-ever National Basketball Association (NBA) academy has ocially opened in
Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh. The NBA Academy India is the NBAs 5th elite training centre
globally, which will be fully funded by the NBA. The NBA academy will employ a holistic, 360-
degree approach to player development with focuses on education, leadership, character
development and life skills. As part of the program, the students will compete against top
competition throughout the year and will have an opportunity to be selected for travel teams
that play in international tournaments and exhibition games. The initiative is part of NBAs
drive to expand recruitment globally.
158. Who has been appointed as the new Secretary of Department of Telecommunications (DoT)?
[A] PK Pujari
[B] J S Deepak
[C] Aruna Sundararajan
[D] Manju Jha
Answer: C [Aruna Sundararajan]
Explanation:
Aruna Sundararajan, the 1982 batch ocer of Kerala cadre, has been appointed as the new
62
Secretary of Department of Telecommunications (DoT). Though, she will continue to hold

post of secretary for Union Ministry of Electronics and IT (Meity). She succeeded PK Pujari.
She has experience in overseeing operations of Kerala Governments Bharat Broadband
Scheme (BBS) which provides subsidized broadband connections. She also administered
several IT-based government projects and funds including the Universal Service Obligation
Fund (which funds the BharatNet project).
159. Which country to host the 2017 Arctic Energy Summit (AES)?
[A] Uruguay
[B] Finland
[C] Ireland
[D] Zambia
Answer: B [Finland ]
Explanation:
The 2017 Arctic Energy Summit (AES) will be held in Helsinki, Finland from September 18-20,
2017. It will be hosted by Institute of the North and Finland Ministry of Economy and
Employment. The AES is a multi-disciplinary event expected to draw several hundred
industry ocials, scientists, academics, policy makers, energy professionals and community
leaders together to collaborate and share leading approaches on Arctic energy issues. The
2017 Summit will address energy in the Arctic as it relates to small and o-grid community
energy solutions, oil and gas development, renewable energy, etc.
160. Which state has become the first Indian state to introduce a logo for vehicles driven by persons
with hearing impairment?
[A] Telangana
[B] Himachal Pradesh
[C] Gujarat
[D] Maharashtra
Answer: A [Telangana]
Explanation:
Telangana has become the rst Indian state to introduce a logo for vehicles driven by
persons with hearing impairment. The logo is designed by Hyderabad-based graphic
designer Manikanta Annapragada, who incidentally is the rst person to obtain a driving
license in the hearing impaired category. For two-wheelers, the logo should be four inches
high and three inches wide on the rear side, and three inches tall and two inches wide on the
front. For four-wheelers, the logo should be six inches tall and ve inches wide at the rear
side and four inches tall and three inches wide in the front.
161. What is the theme of 2017 International Nurse Day (IND)?

[A] Nursing: From Evidence to Action
[B] Nurses: Care Effective, Cost Effective
63
[C] Nursing: A vital resource for health

[D] Nursing: A voice to lead Achieving the sustainable development goals
Answer: D [Nursing: A voice to lead Achieving the sustainable development goals]
Explanation:
The International Nurse Day (IND) is observed every year on May 12 across the world to
mark the birth anniversary of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing, and also
to mark the contribution of nurses towards the society. The International Council of Nurses
(ICN) has chosen the 2017 theme Nursing: A voice to lead Achieving the sustainable
development goals to r aise awareness both amongst the nursing profession and the
general population and policy makers of what the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
are and why they matter.
162. Who has been appointed as the Indias new ambassador to France?
[A] Vinay Mohan Kwatra
[B] Brajendra Navnit
[C] Rajeev Topno
[D] Neleesh Jain
Answer: A [Vinay Mohan Kwatra]
Explanation:
Vinay Mohan Kwatra, A 1988-batch Foreign Service ocer, has been appointed as the next
ambassador to France. Kwatra will succeed Mohan Kumar, who is retiring. Apart from having
experience of dealing with the UN organisations such as International Labour Organization
(ILO) and World Health Organization (WHO), Kwatra has served in Indian diplomatic missions
in China and the US. Currently, he is a joint secretary in the Prime Ministers Oce (PMO). He
has also held the position of joint secretary in-charge of the counter-terrorism division in the
MEA.
163. Who has been appointed as the new Chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU)?
[A] Avinash Chander
[B] M Jagadesh Kumar
[C] K Kasturirangan
[D] V K Saraswat
Answer: D [V K Saraswat]
Explanation:
V K Saraswat, the renowned scientist and former Director General of Defence Research and
Development Organisation (DRDO), has been appointed as the new Chancellor of Jawaharlal
Nehru University(JNU). He succeeded former ISRO chairman K Kasturirangan, who completed
his term on 30th March 2017. Saraswat has been appointed for a term of ve years.
Currently, he is serving as the Member of NITI Aayog. According to JNU Act, the post of
chancellor is a titular post.
64
164. Karan Singh, who passed away recently, was the minister of which Indian state?
[A] Sikkim
[B] Punjab
[C] Himachal Pradesh
[D] Jammu & Kashmir
Answer: C [Himachal Pradesh]
Explanation:
Karan Singh (59), the Ayurveda and Co-Operative Minister of Himachal Pradesh, has recently
passed away at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi. He was elected from
Banjar assembly constituency in Kullu district in the last assembly elections in 2012. Karan
Singh was a scion of the Kullu Royal family and younger brother of BJP stalwart Maheshwar
Singh, the former Raja of Kullu.
165. Which Indian sportsperson has clinched bronze in mens Greco-Roman 85kg category at the
2017 Asian Wrestling Championship?
[A] Sushil Kumar
[B] Anil Kumar
[C] Joginder Singh
[D] Yogeshwar Dutt
Answer: B [Anil Kumar]
Explanation:
Anil Kumar from India has clinched bronze medal in mens Greco-Roman 85kg category by
defeating Uzbekistans Muhammadali Shamsiddinov at the 2017 Asian Wrestling
Championship at the KD Jadhav Indoor stadium in New Delhi. Apart from this, Jyoti won the
bronze in womens 75kg category.
166. Which country has approved $75 mn high-tech chemical protective clothing for the Indian
armed forces?
[A] United States
[B] Russia
[C] France
[D] Japan
Answer: A [United States]
Explanation:
The United States has approved $75 million high-tech chemical protective clothing for the
Indian armed forces that will protect soldiers against biological and chemical warfare. The
Joint Service Lightweight Integrated Suit Technology (JSLIST) consists of 38,034 each: suits,
pairs of trousers, pairs of gloves, pairs of boots and NBC bags; 854 aprons; 854 alternative
65
aprons; 9,509 Quick Do Hoods; and 114,102 M61 lters. The entire package also includes
38,034 M50 general purpose masks.
167. Which state government will conduct survey to provide affordable houses to people in urban
areas?
[A] Uttar Pradesh
[B] Manipur
[C] West Bengal
[D] Haryana
Answer: D [Haryana ]
Explanation:
The Haryana Government has decided to conduct a survey to provide aordable houses
under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna-Housing for All to the people living in urban areas in the
state. The residents of the state living in urban areas as on June 17, 2015, would be eligible
to participate in the survey. Only those applicants would be given the benet of the scheme
who would have Aadhar card, a bank account and nobody in his family have any pucca
house in any locality. Those who have been beneted under any Central or State Housing
Scheme would not be eligible to avail the benet of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna. The people
in urban areas belonging to economically weaker sections, low income group and medium
income group would be eligible for cr linked subsidy and aordable houses.
168. Which country is hosting the United Nations Day of Vesak 2017?
[A] India
[B] Bhutan
[C] Sri Lanka
[D] Myanmar
Answer: C [Sri Lanka]
Explanation:
The 14th edition of United Nations International Day of Vesak has started at Colombo in Sri
Lanka from May 12-14, 2017 under the theme Buddhist Teachings for Social Justice and
Sustainable World Peace. The events include an International Buddhist Symposium the
participation of over 400 delegates from 100 countries. Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of
India, is the chief guest for UN Vesak Day. The signicance of Vesak lies with the Buddhas
teaching of cessation of suering and universal peace to all humankind. It is a message to
urge followers to do that which is good and to turn away from evil. It is a message of peace
and perfect harmony between human beings and nature.
169. Indian Army will re-introduce CASO as permanent feature of counter-terror operations. What
does CASO stands for?
[A] Cordon and Searchlight Operations
[B] Cordon and Search Operations
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[C] Cordon and Seeding Operations

[D] Cordon and Seed Operations
Answer: B [Cordon and Search Operations]
Explanation:
The Indian Army has decided to re-introduce Cordon and Search Operations (CASO) as a
permanent feature of its campaign against militants after a gap of 15 years. The CASO will
be carried out in a major way in militancy-hit areas of Kulgam, Pulwama, Tral, Budgam and
Shopian in south Kashmir. The Army had discontinued CASO following sti opposition from
the local population and after 2001 launched CASO only on specic intelligence-based
inputs. The security establishment felt that CASO had alienated the local population from the
armed forces due to diculties people faced during such operations. The decision to re-
introduce CASO as a major feature of the counter-terror operations comes against the
backdrop of anger over the recent killing of young and unarmed Kashmiri Army ocer
Lieutenant Ummer Fayaz in Shopian by militants.
170. Which Indian personality has been elected as the new chairman of FIFA Governance
Committee?
[A] Mukul Mudgal
[B] Rajeev Shukla
[C] Ajay Shirke
[D] R M Lodha
Answer: A [Mukul Mudgal]
Explanation:
Justice (Retd.) Mukul Mudgal, the Retired judge of Delhi High Court, has been elected as the
new Chairman of FIFA Governance committee at the world football governing bodys 67th
Congress in Manama. The position of the governance chief fell vacant after Miguel Maduro
was red for his role in blocking Russian World Cup ocial Vitaly Mutko from retaining his
seat on ruling council. Justice Mudgal headed the IPL 2013 spot-xing probe and also
involved in overseeing the conduct of international cricket matches. Prior to this
appointment, Justice Mudgal was the deputy chairman of the governance committee.
171. Which online facility has been launched by the Union Government to provide direct solution to
problem of agriculture sector?
[A] e-Krishi Samasya
[B] e-Krishi Samvad
[C] e-Krishi Samveda
[D] e-Krishi Solution
Answer: B [e-Krishi Samvad]
Explanation:
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Radha Mohan Singh, the Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, has recently
launched an online interface e-Krishi Samvad in New Delhi to provide direct solution to the
problem faced by farmers in the agriculture sector. The e-Krishi Samvad is an internet-based
interface and is a unique platform that will provide direct and eective solutions to the
problems faced by farmers and stakeholders. With this facility, farmers can directly connect
to the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) website www.icar.org.in and get the
appropriate solutions from the experts through web or SMS. Stakeholders can upload
photographs related to diseases of the crops, animals or shes for diagnostics and remedial
measures instantly from the specialists.
172. What is the theme of the 2017 National Technology Day (NTD) in India?
[A] Technologies for better quality of life
[B] Technology for inclusive and sustainable growth
[C] Technology enablers of Startup India
[D] Technology for inclusive growth
Answer: B [Technology for inclusive and sustainable growth]
Explanation:
The National Technology Day (NTD) is celebrated every year on May 11 by the Union
Ministry of Science & Technology to mark the historic feat of test-ring its very rst nuclear-
capable missile back in 1998 and to commemorate achievements of Innovation and
Technology in India. The 2017 theme is Technology for inclusive and sustainable growth.
173. Who is the newly elected Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas?
[A] Fred Mitchell
[B] Jmeail Dames
[C] Hubert Minnis
[D] Marguerite Pindling
Answer: C [Hubert Minnis]
Explanation:
Dr. Hubert Minnis has been elected as the new Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of the
Bahamas, after delivering a crushing defeat to Perry Christies Progressive Liberal Party in a
34-5 parliamentary split.
174. The 29th IndiaIndonesia bilateral maritime exercise CORPAT-2017 has started under which
Indian Naval Command?
[A] Eastern Naval Command
[B] Western Naval Command
[C] Southern Naval Command
[D] Andaman and Nicobar Command
Answer: D [Andaman and Nicobar Command]
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Explanation:
The 29th edition of IndiaIndonesia bilateral maritime exercise Co-Ordinated Patrol
(CORPAT) has started at Port Blair under the aegis of Andaman and Nicobar Command from
May 9 and will continue till May 12, 2017. The closing ceremony of the CORPAT is scheduled
at Belawan, Indonesia from 22 25 May 17. The CORPAT reects the shared concerns
between the two countries for a peaceful Indian Ocean for the benet of international
community. The Andaman and Nicobar Command is the only Tri-service theater command of
the Indian Armed Forces, based at Port Blair in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a Union
Territory of India.
175. Which digital filing system has been launched for Supreme Court of India (SCI)?
[A] Integrated e-filing Information System
[B] Integrated Digital Transparency System
[C] Integrated Case Management Information System
[D] Integrated Transparency Information System
Answer: C [Integrated Case Management Information System]
Explanation:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched the digital ling system Integrated Case
Management Information System (ICMIS) of Supreme Court at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi
to serve as a digital repository for case-related information. This digital ling system will
enable the Supreme Court of India (SCI) to go paperless. Its functions include the option of e-
ling cases, checking listing dates, case status, and online service of notice/summons, oce
reports and overall tracking of progress of a case led with the apex court registry.
176. Who has become the new Country Director for Twitter in India?
[A] Taranjeet Singh
[B] Junaid Ahmad
[C] Saroj Kumar Jha
[D] M Teresa Kho
Answer: A [Taranjeet Singh]
Explanation:
Taranjeet Singh has been appointed the Country Director for Twitter in India. He will lead the
team by driving an integrated business strategy and spearheading cross-functional
collaboration. Prior to this appointment, he was leading the charge for sales and marketing
support for Twitters advertisers in India. Singh was responsible for sales and marketing
support for Twitters advertisers in India. Before joining Twitter, he was sales director for BBC
Advertising in South Asia. Prior to BBC, he held various positions at Outlook Publishing.
177. Who has been conferred with the 2017 Young Scientist award from the Indian National Science
Academy (INSA)?
[A] T S Gupta
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[B] Vijay Singh

[C] Vikram Vishal
[D] Sidharth Malhotra
Answer: C [Vikram Vishal]
Explanation:
Prof. Vikram Vishal, the assistant professor in the Earth Sciences department of the Indian
Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, has been conferred with the 2017 Young Scientist
award from the Indian National Science Academy (INSA). He won the award for proposing a
scientic model that can trap the carbon dioxide emitted by industries and inject them in
hard rock within the sub-surface of earth. It may prove to be a long-term solution for carbon
dioxide emissions in the country. The award is considered to be the highest recognition of
promise, creativity and excellence in young scientists, and awarded annually by INSA. It
carries a bronze medal and a cash prize of Rs 25,000.
178. Which Indian sportsman has won bronze in Greco Roman 80kg category at 2017 Asian
[A] Jaspreet Singh
[B] Ravinder Singh
[C] Gurpreet Singh
[D] Harpreet Singh
Answer: D [Harpreet Singh]
Explanation:
Harpreet Singh from India has won the bronze mendal in Greco-Roman 80kg category at
2017 Asian Wrestling Championships. He edged out Na Junjie of China by 3-2 in the play-o
for the bronze medal.
179. Who will be the new Defence Secretary of India?

[A] LC Goyal
[B] Sanjay Mitra
[C] G Mohan Kumar
[D] Anant Kumar Singh
Answer: B [Sanjay Mitra]
Explanation:
Sanjay Mitra, the 1982 batch ocer of West Bengal cadre, will be the new defence secretary
of India for a xed two-year tenure after G Mohan Kumar retires on May 24, 2017. This will
be his rst posting in the Defence Ministry. At present, Mitra is holding the charge of
secretary in the ministry of road transport and highways.
180. Who will be the new under-secretary General of the United Nations Office for the
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Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)?

[A] Mark Lowcock
[B] Valerie Amos
[C] Stephen OBrien
[D] John Holmes
Answer: A [Mark Lowcock]
Explanation:
Mark Lowcock, the head of Britains international development department, will be the new
Under-secretary General of the United Nations Oce for the Coordination of Humanitarian
Aairs (OCHA). He will succeed Stephen OBrien, who held the post for two years. He will be
tasked with leading the UNs struggling relief eorts in Syria along with major aid operations
in South Sudan, Yemen, Iraq, the Central African Republic and the Lake Chad region.
181. The Mudumalai National Park is located in which state?

[A] Kerala
[B] Tamil Nadu
[C] Andhra Pradesh
[D] Karnataka
Answer: B [Tamil Nadu]
Explanation:
The Mudumalai National Park (MNP) is located about 150 kilometres north-west of
Coimbatore city in Tamil Nadu. The protected area is home to several endangered and
vulnerable species including Indian elephant, Bengal tiger, gaur and Indian leopard. There
are at least 266 species of birds in the sanctuary, including critically endangered Indian
white-rumped vulture and long-billed vulture.
182. Arjun Tulshiram Pawar, who passed away recently, was related to which field?
[A] Sports
[B] Journalism
[C] Law
[D] Politics
Answer: D [Politics]
Explanation:
Arjun Tulshiram Pawar (80), the senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and former
Maharashtra minister, has recently passed away in Mumbai. He was the minister of state for
tribal welfare in the Congress-NCP government led by Vilasrao Deshmukh in 1999. The
leader, who represented Kalvan Vidhan Sabha constituency for many years, lost the 2014
state Assembly election.
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183. Who will be the Pakistans new High Commissioner to India?

[A] Husain Haqqani
[B] Abdul Basit
[C] Sohail Mahmood
[D] Maleeha Lodhi
Answer: C [Sohail Mahmood]
Explanation:
Sohail Mahmood, one of Pakistans senior-most diplomats, will be the Pakistans new High
Commissioner to India. The new envoy will face a daunting task of handling the ties with
India amid strains in relationship over a range of issues including cross-border terror attacks
in India and the sentencing of Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav to death for alleged spying.
Mahmood will succeed Abdul Basit at the end of May 2017. Currently, he is the Ambassador
of Pakistan to Turkey.
184. What is the theme of the 2017 World Thalassaemia Day (WTD)?
[A] Access to Safe & Effective Drugs in Thalassaemia
[B] Thalassemia: Knowledge is Strength
[C] Patients Rights Revisited
[D] Together for Humanity
Answer: D [Together for Humanity]
Explanation:
The World Thalassaemia Day (WTD) is observed every year on May 8 to spread awareness
about this deadly disease and the importance of blood donation and how it helps the millions
of people suering from Thalassemia worldwide. Thalassemia is genetic blood disorders
characterised by reduction in the synthesis or absence of haemoglobin in the body.
According to a WHO report, more than 90% patients with thalassaemia in western countries
lead a normal life, whereas in India, roughly half of all patients die before reaching
adulthood. Approx 3.9% of Indias population is a carrier for thalassemia. The 2017 theme
Together for Humanity highlights the need for unity and the eorts that are required to
ght this fatal disease.
185. Which Indian actress has won the best actress award at the New York Indian Film Festival
(NYIFF) 2017?
[A] Ratna Pathak
[B] Konkona Sen Sharma
[C] Anushka Sharma
[D] Ramya Krishnan
Answer: B [Konkona Sen Sharma]
Explanation:
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The Bollywood actress Konkona Sen Sharma has won the best actress award for Lipstick
Under My Burkha at the New York Indian Film Festival (NYIFF) 2017. She also bagged the
best director award for her debut lm A Death in the Gunj at the award ceremony. The
others who grabbed awards at the 17th annual extravaganza included K Kaladharan (Best
actor) for Malayalam lm Ottayaal n Paatha (A Narrow Path), Shubhashish Bhutiani for Mukti
Bhawan (Best Film), An Insignicant Man (best documentary) and Malayalam lm,
Kammatipaddam, was honoured for the screenplay. Onirs lm Aaba was declared the best
short lm at the festival.
186. Which state government has recently imposed a ban on sale of High in Fat, Salt and Sugar
(HFSS) food at school canteens?
[A] Maharashtra
[B] Punjab
[C] Uttar Pradesh
[D] Madhya Pradesh
Answer: A [Maharashtra ]
Explanation:
The Maharashtra government has recently imposed a ban on sale of High in Fat, Salt and
Sugar (HFSS) food at school canteens across the state. A Government Resolution (GR) listed
12 categories of foods which cover potato chips, noodles, carbonated soft drinks, pizza,
burger, cakes, biscuits, buns, pastries, etc., which cannot be sold. It also gives a list of 20
items that can be sold, which include wheat roti, vegetable pulav, idli-vada, coconut water
and jaljira. The resolution also calls for creating awareness among children about consuming
nutritional food.
187. Who has become the worlds highest wicket-taker in women ODI cricket?
[A] Mithali Raj
[B] Harmanpreet Kaur
[C] Ekta Bisht
[D] Jhulan Goswami
Answer: D [Jhulan Goswami]
Explanation:
Jhulan Nishit Goswami, Indian womens team fast bowler, has become the highest wicket-
taker in the history of women ODI cricket and broke the record of the Australia Cathryn
Fitzpatrick of 180 wickets from 109 matches. She dismissed South Africas Raisibe Ntozakhe
in an ongoing ODI to claim her 181st victim in the 50-over format in Potchefstroom, South
Africa. Jhulans feat has been achieved in her 153rd match. Jhulan was also adjudged ICCs
Women Cricketer of the Year in 2007. Jhulan Goswami also has 40 wickets in 10 Tests and
50 wickets in 60 Twenty20 Internationals.
188. The Sakewa Festival has recently celebrated in which state?

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[A] Jharkhand
[B] Arunachal Pradesh
[C] Sikkim
[D] Manipur
Answer: C [Sikkim ]
Explanation:
The Sakewa festival of Rai Community has recently celebrated in Sikkim as a tribute to
Mother Nature. The fest is also known as Bhoomi Puja or Chandi Puja or worship of land. This
festival is marked with the performing of puja where prayers are oered to the Supreme
Power for Peace and Protection and for the well-being of all the living and non-living things of
the universe. Apart from this, Buddha Purnima is also celebrated in Sikkim as the day
marked the birth of Gautam Buddha and also the day on which he attained Nirvana under
the Mahabodhi tree at Bodh Gaya. The people visited monasteries and listen sermons across
the state. Most monks have spent the day reading scriptures before the statue of the
Buddha.
189. Which high-level committee has been set up by the Union Government to provide credible data
for employment policies?
[A] Pulak Ghosh committee
[B] TCA Ananth committee
[C] Arvind Panagariya committee
[D] Manish Sabharwal committee
Answer: C [Arvind Panagariya committee ]
Explanation:
The Union Government has set up a high-level task force under Niti Aayog vice-chairman
Arvind Panagariya to provide credible data for employment policies. The task force will
recommend solutions which can be implemented in a time bound manner. At present, data
on employment is collected and published by certain agencies including the Labour Bureau
(LB) but the coverage is very small. The Labour Bureau data covers only a few sectors and
the methodology is not based on updated panel of survey respondents.
190. Who has been sworn-in as the new President of South Korea?
[A] Moon Jae-in
[B] Hong Joon-pyo
[C] Goh Kun
[D] Roh Tae-woo
Answer: A [Moon Jae-in]
Explanation:
Moon Jae-in, a former human rights attorney, has been sworn-in as the 19th President of
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South Korea. He succeeded Park Geun-hye. After taking the oce, Moon appointed South
Jeolla Province Governor, Lee Nak-yon as the Prime Minister. He also nominated Suh Hoon, a
longtime intelligence ocial with expertise in North Korea issues, as his new chief of the
National Intelligence Service.
191. Who has been appointed the new Indias Ambassador to the Kingdom of the Netherlands?
[A] J S Mukul
[B] Pooja Kapur
[C] Venu Rajamony
[D] Nitish Jha
Answer: C [Venu Rajamony]
Explanation:
Venu Rajamony, the 1986 batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) ocer, has been appointed as
the next Ambassador of India to the Kingdom of the Netherlands. He will also be Indias
Permanent Representative to the Organisation for Prevention of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)
based in The Hague and cover the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the Permanent Court of
Arbitration and other international organisations based in the Netherlands. He is expected to
take up his assignment shortly. Rajamony is a journalist-turned-career diplomat, who is
currently the Press Secretary to President Pranab Mukherjee.
192. Ustad Raees Khan, the legendary sitarist has passed away. He hailed from which country?
[A] India
[B] Pakistan
[C] Bangladesh
[D] Afghanistan
Answer: B [Pakistan]
Explanation:
Indian-born legendary sitar player Ustad Rais Khan (77) has recently passed away in Karachi,
Pakistan on May 6, 2017. Ustad Raees was born in 1939 in Indore, India in a family of
musicians. He belonged to the Mewati Gharana of Indian classical music. His maternal
grandfather Inayat Ali Khan was also considered one of the nest sitar players in the
subcontinent. He composed many famous songs like `Jab Tera Hukam Mila Tarkay Mohaabat
Kar Di, `Ab Kay Saal Poonam Main, `Neend Ankhoun Se Uri, `Mojoun Sahil Se Milo, `Main
Khayal Hun Kisi Aur Ka, `Kabhi Kitaboun Main Phool Rakhna and many others. In 1968, he
moved to Pakistan. Khan was honoured with Presidential award and Sitara-e-Imtiaz in 2005
and 2017, respectively.
193. Which state government has signed pact with Oracle for cloud-based citizen services?
[A] Odisha
[B] Uttarakhand
[C] Tripura
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[D] Jharkhand
Answer: D [Jharkhand ]
Explanation:
The Government of Jharkhand and Oracle has signed a Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) on May 8, 2017 to improve cloud-based citizen services and to make Jharkhand an
attractive destination for start-ups. Oracle will oer its support to the state through its vast
portfolio of technology solutions, including Oracle Cloud. As part of the MoU, the Government
of Jharkhand and Oracle will jointly explore and identify areas in which Oracles latest cloud-
based technologies can be used to deliver improved citizen services and to address the
states citizen and business requirements.
194. Which Hollywood actor has won the first-ever gender-neutral MTV award for Best Actor in a
movie?
[A] Lil Rel Howery
[B] Daniel Kaluuya
[C] Millie Bobby Brown
[D] Emma Watson
Answer: D [Emma Watson]
Explanation:
The Hollywood star Emma Watson has won the rst-ever Gender-Neutral Acting award for
the Best Actor category for her movie Beauty and the Beast at the 2017 MTV Movie & TV
Awards in Los Angeles, California. It was the 26th edition of the awards and for the rst time
it presented honors for work in television as well as cinema. It was also the rst time men
and women competed jointly in the acting categories.
195. The headquarters of Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) is located in which city?
[A] Chennai
[B] Kochi
[C] New Delhi
[D] Pune
Explanation:
The Union government has approved the proposal for re-appointment of Sushil Chandra as
Chairman of Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) for a period of one year from June 1, 2017
till May 31, 2018. He was scheduled to retire on June 1, 2017. The Chairperson of CBDT is ex-
ocio special secretary and is under the direct charge of the revenue secretary of India. The
CBDT is the apex policy making body for the Income Tax department. It has six members
apart from the chairman and is responsible for framing policy and administrative issues
related to direct taxes and the Income Tax department. The headquarters of CBDT is located
in New Delhi.
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196. The 2017 hunting festival Bishu Parv was observed in which state?
[A] Jharkhand
[B] Manipur
[C] West Bengal
[D] Odisha
Answer: A [Jharkhand]
Explanation:
The 2017 hunting festival Bishu Parv (or Sendra) of the tribal community has recently
observed in a bloodless and symbolic manner without harming the wildlife in the Dalma
Wildlife Sanctuary in Jharkhand. To observe fest peacefully, the awareness campaign was
launched by the forest department to convince the tribals to observe the hunting festival in
a symbolic manner. Apart from this, the forest department has set up check posts at all
entry points to prevent hunters from entering the sanctuary with arms to kill the animals.
The wildlife sanctuary has elephants, barking deer, sloth bear and porcupines as the main
inhabitants.
197. What is the Indias GDP growth forecast for FY 18, according to IMFs latest report Regional
Economic Outlook (REO) for Asia and Pacific?
[A] 7.6%
[B] 7.2%
[C] 7.4%
[D] 7.7%
Answer: B [7.2%]
Explanation:
As per latest report Regional Economic Outlook (REO) for Asia and Pacic by International
Monetary Fund (IMF), Indias GDP growth is projected to rebound to 7.2% in the FY18 (2017
18) and 7.7% in FY19 (2018-19) after disruptions caused by demonetization. IMF has
recommended the removal of long-standing structural bottlenecks to enhance market
eciency. It said temporary disruptions caused by cash shortages accompanying the
currency exchange initiative are expected to gradually dissipate in 2017 as cash shortages
ease. Such disruptions would also be oset by tailwinds from a favorable monsoon season
and continued progress in resolving supply-side bottlenecks. The IMF maintains a positive
outlook on the Indian economic growth and is condent that the Goods and Services Tax
(GST) implementation will be smooth. According to the report, growth in Asia is forecast to
accelerate to 5.5% in 2017 from 5.3% in 2016.
198. The Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary is located in which state?

[A] Maharashtra
[B] Jharkhand
[C] Assam
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[D] Uttar Pradesh

Answer: B [Jharkhand]
Explanation:
The Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary is located 10 km from the city of Jamshedpur in Jharkhand. It is
famous for holding many elephants and other animals, which come downhill during the
monsoons and winter and enter nearby villages and towns of Jharkhand and West Bengal.
Beside elephants there are Indian giant squirrel, sloth bear, barking deer, wild boar,
porcupine, mouse deer, pangolin and mongooses in the sanctuary. Commonly seen birds in
the sanctuary are the falcons, golden oriole, Indian tree pie, paradise y catchers, grey
hornbills, Indian peafowl, dierent varieties of king shers, herons, egrets, mynas, pigeons,
racket tailed drongo, magpie robins etc.
199. Who has been conferred with the Tholkappiyar Award for the year 2015-16?
[A] A Dakshinamurthy
[B] S Rajalaksmi
[C] S N Kandaswamy
[D] R Kalaikkovan
Answer: D [R Kalaikkovan]
Explanation:
The Tholkappiyar award is a Presidential Award for scholars in classical Tamil. Recently,
President Pranab Mukherjee presented the Presidential Awards for Classical Tamil for the
year 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16 at a function in Rashtrapati Bhavan on May 9, 2017. The
Tholkappiyar Award for lifetime achievement in classical Tamil was awarded to Dr S N
Kandaswamy (2013-14), Dr A Dakshinamurthy (2014-15) and Dr R Kalaikkovan (2015-16).
Young scholar awards were conferred on 15 persons. The awards were instituted to give
recognition and honour to distinguished scholars who have made outstanding contribution to
Classical Tamil language and literature. The award carries a citation and shawl and a cash
prize of Rs. 5 lakh for Tholkappiyar awardees, while Rs 1 lakh for young Scholar Awardees.
The awards have been instituted by the Central Institute of Classical Tamil functioning under
the aegis of Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD).
200. Which Indian cricketer has been conferred with the Fellowship Award in United Kingdom
(UK)?
[A] Sachin Tendulkar
[B] Ravi Shastri
[C] M S Dhoni
[D] Sunil Gavaskar
Answer: A [Sachin Tendulkar]
Explanation:
Indian cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar has been conferred with the Fellowship Award at the 7th
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annual Asian Awards in United Kingdom (UK). Beside this, Indias playback singer Adnan
Sami has also won the award for Outstanding achievement in Music. The award for
outstanding achievement in Cinema was conferred to renowned Indian actor Om Puri who
died in 2017. Other award recipients were Krishnan Guru-Murthy (Outstanding Achievement
in Television), Ajay Banga (Business Leader of the Year), Masayoshi Son (Entrepreneur of the
year), Nisha Dutt (Social Entrepreneur of the year), Dr Jack Preger (Philanthropist of the
year), Ding Punhui (Outstanding achievement in sport), Demis Hassabis (Outstanding
achievement in Science and Technology) and Sir Harpal Kumar (Outstanding contribution to
the community).
201. Kavinder Singh Bisht is associated with which sports?

[A] Wrestling
[B] Chess
[C] Boxing
[D] Cricket
Answer: C [Boxing ]
Explanation:
Indian boxer Kavinder Singh Bisht (52kg) qualied for the World Championships in the 52
kilogram category after getting a walkover against Malaysias Salam Abdul Kasim at the
Asian Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan on May 7, 2017. The other Indians to have
qualied for the World Championships are Vikas Krishan (75kg), Amit Phangal (49kg), Shiva
Thapa (60kg), Sumit Sangwan (91kg), Satish Kumar (+91kg) and Manoj Kumar (69kg).
202. The Navegaon National Park is located in which state?

[A] Uttar Pradesh
[B] West Bengal
[C] Gujarat
[D] Maharashtra
Explanation:
The Navegaon National Park is located in the Gondia district of Maharashtra. It is a popular
forest resort in the easternmost part of Maharashtra and was built in the 18th century. It is
home to number of shes, 209 species of birds, 9 species of reptiles and 26 species of
mammals which includes Tiger, Panther, Jungle cat, Small India Civet, Palm Civet, Wolf,
Jackals, Bisons, Sambars, Nilgais, Chitals, Wild boars, Sloth Bears, and Nathan Lewis.
203. What is the theme of 2017 World Red Cross Red Crescent Day (WRCRCD)?
[A] Less Known Red Cross Stories
[B] Everywhere for everyone
[C] Together for Humanity
[D] Get Together for the purpose of Humanity
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Answer: A [Less Known Red Cross Stories]

Explanation:
The World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day is observed every year on May 8 to
commemorate the birth anniversary Jean Henry Dunant, the founder of International
Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the recipient of the rst Nobel Peace Prize. The 2017
theme is Less Known Red Cross Stories.
204. The 2017 joint military exercise Balikatan has started between United States and which
country?
[A] Saudi Arabia
[B] Pakistan
[C] Israel
[D] Philippines
Answer: D [Philippines ]
Explanation:
The 33rd edition of joint military exercise Balikatan ( or Shoulder-to- Shoulder) has started
between Philippines and the United States on May 8, 2017 at Camp Aguinaldo in Manila,
Philippines . The focus of the 10-day exercise is on disaster response and counter terrorism
while excluding territorial defense operations. Approx 5,400 personnel will be involved in the
drills exercise.
205. The 2017 multinational military exercise Eager Lion has started in which of the following
countries?
[A] Italy
[B] Kuwait
[C] Jordan
[D] Qatar
Answer: C [Jordan]
Explanation:
The 7th edition of multinational military exercise Eager Lion has started in Jordon from May
8, 2017. Approx 7,400 troops from Europe, Asia, Africa and the Arab Gulf region are taking
part in the exercises which run to May 18th, including from United States, Britain, Japan,
Kenya, Pakistan, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. The man oeuvres would include
border security, cyber defence, and command and control exercises, to bolster
coordination in response to threats including terrorism. Jordan is a key recipient of US
nancial aid and a partner in the US-led coalition battling Islamic State group jihadists in
Syria and Iraq.
206. Which country is hosting the 26th session of the Governing Council (GC) of UN-Habitat-2017?
[A] India
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[B] Kenya
[C] Ecuador
[D] Uruguay
Answer: B [Kenya]
Explanation:
The 26th session of the Governing Council (GC) of UN-Habitat-2017 has started at the United
Nations Oces in Nairobi, Kenya from May 8, 2017 with the theme Opportunities for
eective implementation of the New Urban Agenda. The focus of the theme is on inclusive,
sustainable and adequate housing for a better future and planning and nancing sustainable
urbanization and integrated human settlements. The 4-day session will be chair by
M.Venkaiah Naidu, the Union Minister of Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation of India. Naidu
will preside over the deliberations of the Governing Council of UN-Habitat for the next two
years. Apart from this, Venakiah Naidu will also chair the Bureau Meeting of the Asia-Pacic
Ministers Conference on Housing and Urban Development beginning in Nairobi on May 8,
2017.
207. Which country has been elected as the new President of Governing Council of UN-Habitat?
[A] China
[B] India
[C] Russia
[D] Sri Lanka
Answer: B [India]
Explanation:
India has been unanimously elected as the new President of the United Nations Human
Settlements Programme (UNHabitat), an organ of the United Nations Organisation (UNO)
that promotes socially and environmentally sustainable human settlements across the world.
Since the UN-Habitat came into being in 1978, it is only the third time that India has been
elected to lead this important organization after 2007 and 1988. The UN-Habitat reports to
the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
208. Who has won the 2017 French Presidential election?

[A] Emmanuel Macron
[B] Marine Le Pen
[C] Francois Hollande
[D] Jean-Luc Melenchon
Answer: A [Emmanuel Macron]
Explanation:
Emmanuel Macron, a former civil servant and investment banker, has won the 2017
Presidential election of France and will take oce on May 14, 2017. With this, he will become
the youngest President in French history and the youngest French head of state since
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Napoleon. Beside this, Macron will also become the rst President from outside the two
traditional main parties since the modern republics foundation in 1958. He fought the
election under the banner En Marche! a social-liberal political party founded by him on April
2016.
209. Indias first bio refinery plant has set up in which of the following states?
[A] Andhra Pradesh
[B] Assam
[C] Tamil Nadu
[D] Maharashtra
Answer: D [Maharashtra]
Explanation:
Indias rst bio-renery plant has been inaugurated by the Union Minister for Road Transport
and Highway Nitin Gadkari at Rahu in Pune district, Maharashtra. The plant will produce
ethanol from variety of biomass. The biorenery plant is capable of producing one million
litre of ethanol per annum by processing a variety of agro-residue like rice and wheat straw,
cotton stalk, cane trash, corn cobs with superior product yields. Biofuel is costeective and
pollutionfree.
210. Which of the following is the official mascot of the 22nd edition of Asian Athletics
Championships-2017?
[A] Bawean Deer
[B] Misha
[C] Olly Turtle
[D] Flying Squirrel
Answer: C [Olly Turtle]
Explanation:
The 22nd edition of Asian Athletics Championship will be held in Bhubaneswar, Odisha,
which has been scheduled to be held from July 1 to 4, 2017. Recently, the Chief Minister of
Odisha Naveen Patnaik has unveiled the logo and mascot of the championship. The logo
depicts an athlete crossing the nishing line with historical tourist attractions of Odisha in
the backdrop, while Olly Turtle has been declared the mascot of the Championship that
represents the famous Olive Ridley sea turtle. The mascot personies qualities like tactful
planners and being cautiously wise. More than 700 athletes from around 45 Asian countries
will participate in 42 sports of the tournament.
211. Which countrys hockey team has won the 2017 Sultan Azlan Shah Cup?
[A] India
[B] New Zealand
[C] Australia
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[D] Great Britain

Answer: D [Great Britain]
Explanation:
Great Britain has won the 26th edition of the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup by defeating Australia
4-3 in a thrilling hockey nal at Ipoh, Malaysia on May 7, 2017. This victory came to Great
Britain in the Azlan Shah Cup after 23 years. Australia Earlier, India outclassed New Zealand
4-0 to clinch a bronze medal in the hockey tournament.
212. Adolph Kiefer, the swimming legend has passed away. He hailed from which country?
[A] United States
[B] Germany
[C] France
[D] Russia
Answer: A [United States]
Explanation:
Adolph Gustav Kiefer (98), the oldest-living Olympic champion, has recently passed away in
Wadsworth, Illinois. He was the rst man in the world to swim 100-yard backstroke in under
one minute. Kiefer was also an inventor and innovator of new products related to aquatics
competition.
213. Who has won the 2016 Wisden-MCC (Melbourne Cricket Council) Cricket Photograph of the
Year?
[A] Paul Miller
[B] Adrian Murrell
[C] Nigel Davies
[D] Saqib Majeed
Answer: D [Saqib Majeed]
Explanation:
Saqib Majeed, a Srinagar based freelance photographer, has won the 2016 Wisden-MCC
(Melbourne Cricket Council) Cricket Photograph of the Year. Majeed is the rst Kashmiri and
second Asian after Atul Kamble to receive the prestigious award. The MCC publishes a book
titled Wisden Cricketer Almanack every year, which includes best sports pictures from
across the globe.
214. The International No diet day (INDD) is observed on which date?

[A] May 7
[B] May 8
[C] May 6
[D] May 5
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Answer: C [May 6]
Explanation:
The International No Diet Day (INDD) is observed every year on May 6 to promote a healthy
life style and to raise awareness of the potential dangers of dieting and the unlikelihood of
success. Its symbol is a light blue ribbon.
215. Which state government has recently signed an agreement with United Nations and IIIT for
setting up innovation lab in the state?
[A] Madhya Pradesh
[B] Chhattisgarh
[C] Assam
[D] Odisha
Answer: B [Chhattisgarh ]
Explanation:
The Chhattisgarh government, United Nations (UN) and Indian Institute of Information
Technology (IIIT) has signed a tripartite agreement on May 7, 2017 for setting up an
innovation lab in the state. The work for establishing this lab will begin in the next 15 days.
The innovation lab will help the eorts to develop smart villages and give imputes to the
digital India campaign.
216. Justice (retd) Leila Seth, the renowned jurist has passed away. She was the first woman chief
justice of which high court?
[A] Himachal Pradesh high court
[B] Madhya Pradesh high court
[C] Andhra Pradesh high court
[D] Kerala high court
Answer: A [Himachal Pradesh high court]
Explanation:
Justice (retd) Leila Seth (86), an eminent jurist and the rst woman chief justice of Himachal
Pradesh high court, has recently passed away at her residence in Noida. Justice Seth was the
rst woman to have topped the London Bar exam and was the rst woman judge of the Delhi
High Court. She was also one of the three members of the Justice Verma Committee which
was constituted in 2012 to recommend amendments to the Criminal Law so as to provide for
quicker trial and enhanced punishment for criminals accused of committing sexual assault
against women, post the gruesome December 16 gangrape in Delhi. She was also part of the
Law Commission of India till 2000, and was responsible for the amendments to the Hindu
Succession Act which gave equal rights to daughters in joint family property. Justice Seth
was the mother of eminent author Vikram Seth.
217. Captain Chand Roop, who passed away recently, was associated with which sports?
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[A] Badminton
[B] Boxing
[C] Tennis
[D] Wrestling
Answer: D [Wrestling]
Explanation:
Captain Chand Roop (87), the Dronacharya awardee and acclaimed wrestler coach, has
recently passed away in Delhi. He took up wrestling after joining the Indian Army in 1948. He
was a former National champion who became a coach to train the Army wrestlers. There he
produced Asian Games bronze medallist and former Bharat Kesari title winner Netrapal and
another prominent wrestler Vijay Kumar. Besides, he trained countless wrestlers as a coach,
including the likes of Ombeer Singh, Rohtash Dahiya, Ashok Kumar and Ramesh Kumar, who
all were conferred with the Arjuna Award.
218. The 2017 India Integrated Transport and Logistics Summit was held in which city?
[A] Chennai
[B] Rajkot
[C] New Delhi
[D] Pune
Explanation:
The 2017 India Integrated Transport and Logistics Summit (IITLS) was organized by the
Ministry of Road Transport and Highways in New Delhi from May 3. The purpose of the 3-day
summit was to facilitate constructive dialogue between various stakeholders for the
development of multimodal infrastructure in the country. In it, 34 investment MoUs
amounting to about Rs 2 lakh crores were signed. These MoUs were in the areas of port
connectivity, Integrated Check Posts (ICP), multi modal logistics parks, etc. The summit was
attended by 3000 delegates from India and abroad, which included central and state
government organizations, international organizations like World Bank, ADB delegates,
global transport and supply chain experts and representatives of private companies.
219. The worlds biggest-ever X- ray laser European XFEL has generated its first X-ray laser light
from which country?
[A] France
[B] Germany
[C] Italy
[D] Belgium
Answer: B [Germany]
Explanation:
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European X-ray Free Electron Laser (XFEL), the biggest X-ray laser in the world, has
generated its rst beam of light in a 3.4 km-long underground facility from the German city
of Hamburg to the town of Schenefeld that will allow scientists to get a glimpse of new
materials, drugs and chemical reactions at the atomic level. The lasers light is a billion times
brighter than the typical light sources normally used in particle accelerators. The European
XFEL has a wavelength of 0.8 nanometres and can be used to make pictures and videos of
objects at an atomic level. The laser will be used to photograph biomolecules, from which
researchers hope to understand the basis of illnesses and develop new therapies.
220. Which committee has been constituted by the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI)
to lay down technical standards for performance of core services?
[A] R B Barman committee
[B] Nand Lal Sarda committee
[C] Pulak Ghosh committee
[D] V G Kannan committee
Answer: A [R B Barman committee]
Explanation:
The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) has constituted a technical Committee
in accordance with Regulation 14 of the IBBI (Information Utilities) Regulations, 2017. The
committee will be headed by Dr. R. B. Barman, who is the chairman of National Statistical
Commission (NSC). The committee shall give its recommendation for laying down Technical
Standards for the performance of core services like the Application Programming Interface,
standard terms of service, registration of users, unique identier for each record and each
user, etc.
221. Vikas Krishan Yadav is associated with which sports?

[A] Boxing
[B] Wrestling
[C] Table Tennis
[D] Wushu
Answer: A [Boxing]
Explanation:
Recently, the middleweight boxer Vikas Krishan Yadav from India has settled for a bronze
medal in 75 kg category after giving a walkover in the seminal to South Korean Lee
Dongyun at the 2017 Asian Boxing Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. According to the
Asian Boxing Confederation, Krishan was not there in the weigh-in on May 5, 2017, therefore
his South Korean opponent walked over to the nal. It is not yet known as to why Vikas gave
a walkover in the bout.
222. The Vansda National Park (VNP) is located in which state?

[A] Rajasthan
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[B] Punjab
[C] Assam
[D] Gujarat
Answer: D [Gujarat]
Explanation:
The Vansda National Park (VNP) is a protected area which represents the thick woodlands of
the Dangs and southern Gujarat, and is situated in the Navsari District of Gujarat. It is home
to an array of wild animals viz. Indian leopard, rhesus macaque, common palm civet,
Hanuman langur, small Indian civet, four-horned antelope, wild boar, Indian porcupine,
barking deer, etc. The best time to visit is post-monsoon season till winter when the forests
are lush green and streams are full.
223. Where is the headquarters of the Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy (IGNFA)?
[A] Indore
[B] Visakhapatnam
[C] Dehradun
[D] Pune
Answer: C [Dehradun]
Explanation:
The Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy (IGNFA) is an organization under the Ministry of
Environment and Forests (India) to impart knowledge and skills to the professional foresters
and help them to develop competence for managing the countrys forest and wildlife
resources on a sustainable basis. It is in news because the President of India, Pranab
Mukherjee has addressed the annual convocation of the IGNFA on May 5, 2017 at Dehradun,
Uttarakhand.
224. Who has been appointed the new chairman of the Indian Council of Social Science Research
(ICSSR)?
[A] Ashok Modak
[B] Braj Bihari Kumar
[C] Jitendra Mohan
[D] S K Thorat
Answer: B [Braj Bihari Kumar]
Explanation:
Braj Bihari Kumar has been appointed the new chairman of the Indian Council of Social
Science Research (ICSSR). He is the or of quarterly journals Dialogue and Chintan Srijan.
Kumar succeeded economist S K Thorat and will have a term of three years. The ICSSR is a
council in India which promotes research in the eld of social sciences and its headquarters
is located in New Delhi.
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225. The International Firefighters Day (IFFD) is observed on which date?

[A] May 3
[B] May 4
[C] May 5
[D] May 6
Answer: B [May 4]
Explanation:
The International Fireghters Day (IFFD) is observed every year on May 4 to recognize and
honor the re ghters who risk their lives every day to save life and property of public. The
day celebrates the dedication, heroism and importance of reghters from all over the
world. It was instituted after proposal emailed out across the world on January 4, 1999 due
to deaths of 5 reghters in tragic circumstances in a wildre in Australia.
226. The 2017 National Standards Conclave (NSC) was held in which city?
[A] New Delhi
[B] Jaipur
[C] Lucknow
[D] Indore
Answer: A [New Delhi]
Explanation:
The 4th edition of National Standards Conclave (NSC) was held in New Delhi on May 1-2,
2017 to bring awareness and prepare Industries, Central Government Ministries, State
Governments, regulatory/standards setting and conformity assessment bodies on the
growing importance of Standards in the changing scenario of global trade. The
Department of Commerce, Government of India in collaboration with Confederation of Indian
Industry (CII), Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and the National Accration Board for
Certication Bodies (NABCB) and other knowledge partners has organized the Conclave.
227. Which state government has recently become the registered proprietor of the GI tag for
Banganapalle mangoes?
[A] Uttar Pradesh
[B] Himachal Pradesh
[C] Madhya Pradesh
[D] Andhra Pradesh
Answer: D [Andhra Pradesh]
Explanation:
Banganapalle mangoes, one of the most popular and nest varieties of mango from Andhra
Pradesh, has received the Geographical Indication (GI) Registration Certicate by the GI
Registry, Chennai. With this, the Andhra Pradesh government has become the registered
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proprietor of the GI tag for mangoes. Banganapalle mangoes have been grown for over 100
years in the State. It is also known as Beneshan, Baneshan, Benishan, Chappatai and Safeda.
The GI indicates products that have a specic geographical origin and possess qualities or a
reputation that are due to that origin. Once product is registered as GI, no producer can
claim the same name, which is covered by a GI tag, without taking consent from the
applicant.
228. Which social networking site has officially launched Express Wi-Fi internet services in India?
[A] YouTube
[B] Facebook
[C] Twitter
[D] Instagram
Answer: B [Facebook]
Explanation:
Facebook has ocially launched its Express Wi-Fi internet services in India, which are
already available at 700 hotspots across Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Meghalaya.
Facebook has partnered with 500 local entrepreneurs who will sell these services through
vouchers that are priced ranging Rs 10-20 for a day or Rs 200-300 for a month.The service is
designed to complement mobile data oerings by providing a low-cost, high bandwidth
alternative for getting online and access apps, download and stream content. Apart from
this, additional 20,000 hotspots will be launched by Facebook in partnership with Bharti
Airtel. The Express Wi-Fi initiative is also live in Kenya, Tanzania, Nigeria and Indonesia.
229. Who has been appointed the new chairman of the Tea Board of India?
[A] Prabhat Kamal Bezboruah
[B] M G K V Bhanu
[C] Santosh Sarangi
[D] M S Boje Gowda
Answer: A [Prabhat Kamal Bezboruah]
Explanation:
Prabhat Kamal Bezboruah, a leading tea association industrialist, has been appointed the
new chairman of the Tea Board of India. He will be in oce till November 1, 2018. At
present, Bezboruah is the chairman of the Tea Research Association and owner of Bokahola
Tea Company Private Limited, which manages around 12 gardens in Assam with an annual
production of about 55 lakh kg. Beside this, M.S. Boje Gowda has been appointed the new
chairman of the Coee Board of India. Gowda is a renowned coee grower and will be in the
post till December 14, 2018.
230. Indias first private sector small arms manufacturing plant has set up in which state?
[A] Assam
[B] Uttar Pradesh
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[C] Madhya Pradesh

[D] Maharashtra
Answer: C [Madhya Pradesh ]
Explanation:
Indias rst-ever private sector small arms manufacturing plant has set up at Malanpur in
Madhya Pradesh in a joint venture with Israel. The purpose of the plant is to supply world
class weapons to the armed forces in sync with the Indias defence indigenisation
programme. The plant is a joint venture between Indian defence conglomerate Punj Lloy
and Israel Weapon Systems (IWS), which will produce four products X95 carbine and
assault rie, Galil sniper rie, Tavor assault rie and Negev Light Machine Gun (LMG). The
weapons will be assembled based on 100% transfer of technology.
231. Which city has become the Indias cleanest city, according to the Swachh Bharat survey 2017?
[A] Indore
[B] Tiruchirapally
[C] Mysuru
[D] Visakhapatnam
Answer: A [Indore ]
Explanation:
According to the Swachh Survekshan 2017 (or Swachh Bharat survey 2017), Indore city of
Madhya Pradesh has bagged the rst position in the top ten clean cities of the country.
Bhopal has acquired second position, followed by Visakhapatnam, Surat, Mysuru,
Tiruchirapally, New Delhi Municipal Council, Navi Mumbai, Vadodara and Chandigarh. The
Swachh Survekshan was commissioned in 434 cities which saw the participation of 37 lakh
citizens. The criteria and weightages for dierent components of sanitation related aspects
used for the survey were: a) Solid waste management including door-to-door collection,
processing, and disposal, ODF (open defecation free) status etc, b) Citizen feedback (30%)
and c) Independent observation (25%). The survey was carried out by the Quality Council of
India (QCI), which had deployed 421 assessors for on the spot assessment of 17,500
locations in 434 cities and towns.
232. Which Indian personality has been conferred with the Order of Diplomatic Service Merit
Sungnye Medal of the South Korea?
[A] Arun Thakur
[B] Rajive Kaul
[C] Rajesh Shukla
[D] Sonali Mishra
Answer: B [Rajive Kaul]
Explanation:
Rajive Kaul, the Chairman of Nicco group and past president of CII, has been conferred with
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the Order of Diplomatic Service Merit Sungnye Medal of the Republic of Korea for his
services rendered as honorary consul general of South Korea in Kolkata. The award was
conferred by the acting President and Prime Minister of South Korea Hwang Kyo-ahn at a
programme in New Delhi recently.
233. Who has been appointed the new chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of
Parliament?
[A] KV Thomas
[B] Subhash Chandra Baheria
[C] Janardan Singh Sigriwal
[D] Mallikarjun Kharge
Answer: D [Mallikarjun Kharge]
Explanation:
Mallikarjun Kharge, the Congress leader, has been appointed as the new chairman of the 21-
member Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament. He succeeded KV Thomas, whose
term ended on April 30, 2017. The Committee on Public Accounts is the oldest Parliamentary
committee that examines the accounts showing the appropriation of sums granted by
Parliament for expenditure of Government of India and such other accounts of autonomous
and semi-autonomous bodies. The committee also examines the Reports of Comptroller and
Auditor General of India (CAG) on various subjects like Civil, Defence, Posts, Railways and
Taxation. Besides, the Committee examines the CAG reports on performance appraisals of
various centrally sponsored schemes.
234. What is the theme of 2017 World Asthma Day (WAD)?

[A] Reduce the asthma burden
[B] Better air better breathing
[C] You Can Control Your Asthma
[D] Unite to overcome asthma
Answer: B [Better air better breathing]
Explanation:
The World Asthma Day (WAD) is an annual event organized by the Global Initiative for
Asthma (GINA) to increase the awareness among public worldwide about the precautions
and prevention of the asthma. It is celebrated on annual basis at rst Tuesday of May month.
It is thought that as many as 300 million people suer from some form of asthma in the
world and there are 250,000 deaths each year linked to the disease. The 2017 theme is
Better air better breathing.
235. Which country is hosting the 27th session of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of the UN
Human Rights Council (UNHRC)?
[A] Switzerland
[B] Singapore
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[C] South Africa

[D] Seychelles
Answer: A [Switzerland ]
Explanation:
The 27th Session of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Working Group has started at the
UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, Switzerland from 1st to 12th of May. During
the session, Indias National Report for the UPR-III will be reviewed on May 4, 2017. Attorney
General of India Mukul Rohatgi is leading the Indian delegation. The National Report of India
covers areas that were part of the recommendations accepted by India following the UPR-II
in 2012. The report also covers areas that India wish to share with member countries as part
of the peer review mechanism and in a spirit of cooperative engagement and collaboration
that has marked the approach to the issue of human rights.
236. Which Indian footballer has won the 2017 Hero of the league 2017 award?
[A] Debjit Majumder
[B] Anas Edathodika
[C] Sunil Chhetri
[D] Alfred Kemah Jaryan
Answer: C [Sunil Chhetri]
Explanation:
Bengaluru FC skipper Sunil Chhetri, who scored seven goals in the 10th edition of the Hero I-
League football tournament, has won the most coveted 2017 Hero of the League award.
Mohun Bagans Debjit Majumder was adjudged the Best goalkeeper award of this season.
Apart from this, Bagans Anas Edathodika won the Jarnail Singh Best Defender of the league
award while Alfred Kemah Jaryan of Aizawl FC was adjudged as the Best Midelder.
237. The worlds highest railway bridge will come up over which Indian River?
[A] Narmada
[B] Godavari
[C] Ganga
[D] Chenab
Answer: D [Chenab ]
Explanation:
The worlds highest railway bridge will come up over Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir (J&
K), which is expected to be completed in 2019. The bridge will form a crucial link in the 111-
km stretch between Katra and Banihal, which is part of the Udhampur- Srinagar-Baramu rail
link project. It will be constructed at a cost of around Rs 1,100 crore in hostile terrain, will
use over 24,000 tonnes of steel and will rise 359 m above the river bed. It will be designed
to withstand wind speeds of upto 260 km per hour, the 1.315 km long engineering marvel
will connect Bakkal (Katra) and Kauri (Srinagar). Once completed, it will surpass the record of
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the Beipan river Shuibai railway bridge (275 m) in China.
238. Recently, Sualgiri and Swalgiri communities have been notified as Scheduled Castes in the
Indian constitution. The communities are associated with which state?
[A] Manipur
[B] Odisha
[C] Assam
[D] West Bengal
Answer: B [Odisha]
Explanation:
The Sualgiri and Swalgiri communities of Odisha have been notied as Scheduled Castes
(SC) after President Pranab Mukherjee gave the nod to the Constitution (Scheduled Castes)
Order (Amendment) Act, 2017. Now, the SC category status will entitle these communities to
reservation in government jobs and admission in educational institutions, besides some
other nancial benets. As per the modied list for Odisha, the Sabakhia, Sualgiri, Swalgiri
are notied Scheduled Castes. The Constitution empowers the president to specify the
scheduled castes in states and union territories in a list of notied scheduled castes. It also
allows the list to be modied by Parliament. The new law has also replaced the term Union
Territory of Pondicherry to Puducherry in the Constitution (Pondicherry) Scheduled Castes
Order, 1964.
239. What is the Indias real GDP growth forecast for FY 18, according to latest rating review by
Fitch Ratings?
[A] 7.4%
[B] 7.6%
[C] 7.7%
[D] 7.5%
Answer: C [7.7%]
Explanation:
According to the latest rating review by the Global rating agency Fitch Ratings has forecast
Indias real gross domestic product (GDP) growth to accelerate to 7.7% in both FY17 and
FY18, from 7.1% in FY16. It expects structural reforms to increase growth, along with higher
real disposable income supported by implementation of the 7th pay commission
recommendations and an average monsoon. Beside this, The agency kept Indias sovereign
rating unchanged at BBB-, which is the lowest investment grade. It has also retained
stable outlook for the Indias ratings. The ratings agency has also indicated that its Indias
sovereign ratings balance a strong medium-term growth outlook and favourable external
balances with a weak scal position and dicult business environment.
240. What is the Indias GDP growth forecast for FY 18, according to Asian Development Bank
(ADB)s latest report Asian Development Outlook 2017?
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[A] 7.4%
[B] 7.6%
[C] 7.7%
[D] 7.1%
Answer: A [7.4%]
Explanation:
In an annual Asian Development Outlook economic report released by Asian Development
Bank (ADB), Indias GDP growth is predicted at 7.4% in FY 18 (2017-18). The report states
that the growth rate will continue to expand to 7.6% in the successive year FY 19 (2018-19).
India had grown 7.1% in the previous scal year FY 2016-17). As per ADB Chief Economist
Yasuyuki Sawada, the reforms like the Goods and Services Tax and the new bankruptcy law
will make it easier to do business in India. Apart from this, the 50th annual meeting of the
Asian Development Bank (ADB) Board of Governors has started in Yokohama, Tokyo from
May 4 to 7, 2017. The theme of the meeting is Building Together the Prosperity of Asia.
241. The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has approved how much loan amount for
power project in Andhra Pradesh?
[A] $210 million
[B] $160 million
[C] $185 million
[D] $220 million
Answer: B [$160 million]
Explanation:
The China-sponsored Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has approved $160 million
loan for Andhra Pradesh 247 Power for All project with an objective to strengthen power
transmission and distribution system in the state. It is the rst cr from the AIIB for an Indian
project. The power project is co-nanced by the World Bank (WB). The project is part of the
Government of Indias Power for All Program that was launched in 2014 to provide an
ecient, reliable and aordable electricity supply to all consumers across selected states
within ve years from the start of implementation of the program in each state.
242. The new Index of Industrial Production (IIP) series for India will be calculated on which base
year?
[A] 2006-07
[B] 2008-09
[C] 2010-11
[D] 2011-12
Answer: D [2011-12]
Explanation:
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T C A Anant, Indias Chief Statistician and MOSPI Secretary, will launch the new series of
Index of Industrial Production (IIP) with a base year 2011-12 on May 9, 2017 with an aim to
map economic activities more accurately. The new data is expected to provide a more
realistic and reliable growth in production. Currently, the IIP is calculated on base year of
2004-05. The IIP gives a broad outlook on output of various types of goods like basic,
consumer and capital ones, which helps in gauging the level of economic progress and
investments in the economy. The other leading indicators Gross Domestic Product (GDP),
Gross Value Addition (GVA) and Consumer Price Index (CPI) are already on the base year of
2011-12. The Wholesale price index (WPI) is also in process to be shifted to the new base
year.
243. Which country is hosting the 50th annual meeting of the Asian Development Bank (ADB)
Board of Governors?
[A] Japan
[B] India
[C] South Africa
[D] Sri Lanka
Answer: A [Japan]
Explanation:
The Government of Japan is hosting the 50th annual meeting of the Asian Development Bank
(ADB) Board of Governors from May 4 to 7, 2017 in Yokohama, Tokyo. The theme of the
meeting is Building Together the Prosperity of Asia. The event will emphasis issues such as
regional cooperation, trade, nancial and economic connectivity across Asia and the Pacic,
small and medium sized enterprises, sustainable and inclusive cities, and employment.
244. The first-ever World Tuna Day (WTD) is observed by the United Nations (UN) on which date?
[A] May 3
[B] May 2
[C] May 4
[D] May 5
Answer: B [May 2]
Explanation:
The United Nations has marked the rst World Tuna Day (WTD) on May 2, 2017 to conserve
one of the globes most popular sh to be caught and eaten and to highlight the vital socio-
economic importance of tuna to people around the world. Tuna plays a critical role in
sustainable development, food security, economic opportunity, and livelihoods of people
around the world. At present more than 80 States have tuna sheries, thousands of tuna
shing vessels operate in all the oceans and tuna shery capacity is still growing in the
Indian and Pacic Oceans. The Day was designated in December 2016 resolution of the UN
General Assembly.
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245. Who will represent India at the 2017 Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of the UN Human
Rights Council (UNHRC)?
[A] Amitabh Kant
[B] Arvind Panagariya
[C] Shaktikanta Das
[D] Mukul Rohatgi
Answer: D [Mukul Rohatgi]
Explanation:
Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi will defend Indias record on rights abuses, minority and
religious rights at the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of the United Nations Human Rights
Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, Switzerland on May 4, 2017. He will also defend Indias case
against allegations of violations in Jammu and Kashmir, torture, minority rights and recent
strictures against NGOs. The UPR is a mechanism within the UNHRC where all UN Member
States have to undergo a periodic review of their human rights record once every four years.
It is a state-driven process, which gives an opportunity to each state to declare what action
they have taken to improve the human rights situation in their countries and fulll their
human rights obligations.
246. Which country is hosting the 2017 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize
Ceremony?
[A] Finland
[B] Thailand
[C] Canada
[D] Indonesia
Answer: D [Indonesia]
Explanation:
The Government of Indonesia is hosting the World Press Freedom Day (WPFD)s main event
and the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize Ceremony in Jakarta, Indonesia
from May 1-4, 2017. Dawit Isaak, an imprisoned Eritrean-Swedish journalist, has been
bestowed with the 2017 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize on May 3, 2017.
The $25,000 Prize award was given to Dawit Isaaks daughter Bethelem Isaak. He was
arrested in a crackdown on the media in September 2001 by the Eritrean government and
till date his present location is unknown. The 2017 theme of WPFD is Critical Minds for
Critical Times: Medias Role in Advancing Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies. The day is
observed every year on May 3 to raise awareness of the importance of freedom of the press
and remind governments of their duty to respect and uphold the right to freedom of
expression enshrined under Article 19 of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
247. Which Indian table tennis player has won the 2017 Mens singles ITTF Challenge Seamaster
Chile Open tournament?
96
[A] Soumyajit Ghosh

[B] Sharath Kamal
[C] Anthony Amalraj
[D] Subhajit Saha
Answer: A [Soumyajit Ghosh]
Explanation:
Soumyajit Ghosh, an Indian table tennis player from West Bengal, has won the 2017 ITTF
Challenge Seamaster Chile Open mens singles event by defeating compatriot Anthony
Amalraj in the nal at Santiago. This was his rst ITTF Pro title and he became the third
Indian to win an ITTF event. Apart from this, the Indian duo of Ghosh and Amalraj has also
won the Mens doubles title by defeating Philipp Floritz and Hunor Szocs 4-0 in the nal.
248. Who has won the 2017 World Snooker Championship?

[A] Dennis Taylor
[B] Mark Selby
[C] Steve Davis
[D] John Higgins
Answer: B [Mark Selby]
Explanation:
Mark Anthony Selby, an English professional snooker player from Leicester, has won the
2017 World Snooker Championship by beating John Higgins 1815 in the nal at the Crucible
Theatre in Sheeld, England. With this win, Selby has become the fourth player after Steve
Davis, Stephen Hendry and Ronnie OSullivan to claim back-to-back titles in the modern era.
Selby is the reigning World and UK snooker champion and is the current world number one
snooker player.
249. Who has been bestowed with the 2017 Avvaiyar Award?
[A] Kirti Ghosh
[B] Sarada Menon
[C] Padma Venkataraman
[D] Mukesh Aghi
Answer: C [Padma Venkataraman]
Explanation:
Padma Venkataraman, the chairperson of Womens Indian Association (WIA) and daughter of
former President R Venkataraman, has been bestowed with the 2017 Avvaiyar Award by the
Tamil Nadu government for her eorts in the areas of womens welfare and rehabilitation of
leprosy-aected persons for the past 30 years. The award which has been instituted to
encourage women excel in social reforms, womens development, communal harmony, arts,
science, culture, journalism and administration, carries `1 lakh, a gold medal and a citation.
97
250. Which state has become the first Indian state to shift to to January to December financial year?
[A] Maharashtra
[B] Kerala
[C] Andhra Pradesh
[D] Madhya Pradesh
Answer: D [Madhya Pradesh]
Explanation:
Madhya Pradesh has become the rst Indian state to announce shifting of its nancial year
format to January-December starting from 2018, as against the current practice of April-
March cycle. The decision has recently taken by the state government in its state cabinet
meeting, which was chaired by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Thus, the budget
session of the next nancial year would be held in December-January 2018.
251. The Lovely Professional University (LPU) is located in which state of India?
[A] Haryana
[B] Rajasthan
[C] Punjab
[D] Gujarat
Answer: C [Punjab ]
Explanation:
The President of India, Pranab Mukherjee has recently attended the 8th Convocation of the
Lovely Professional University (LPU) at Phagwara, Punjab on May 2, 2017. The LPU is a semi-
residential university college in North India created under the Punjab State Private University
Act 2005 and recognized by UGC under Section 2(f) of UGC Act 1956. LPU oers around 200
programmes and courses at diploma, undergraduate, graduate, postgraduate, and doctoral
levels. The university has more than 30,000 students graduating every year.
252. Which state has become the first Indian state to use Automated Weather Stations (AWS) for
farmers?
[A] Kerala
[B] Punjab
[C] Assam
[D] Maharashtra
Explanation:
The Maharashtra government has recently launched the states rst Automated Weather
Stations (AWS) at Dongargaon in Nagpur. With this, the state has become the rst Indian
state to install rst-of-its-kind service for farmers. Around 2,065 such weather stations will
also install at the village/mandal level across Maharashtra. The AWS will be helpful in
98
measuring the wind direction, wind speed, air temperature, relative humidity, and record the
amount of rainfall. The gathered information will be shared among the farmers by making
them available on Mahavedh portal (Maharashtra agriculture weather information network)
as well as on the Skymet mobile application.
253. Which of the following has become the first city in the world to have its own Microsoft font?
[A] Paris
[B] New York
[C] Berlin
[D] Dubai
Answer: D [Dubai]
Explanation:
Dubai has become the rst city in the world to have its own Microsoft-designed font Dubai
Font. The type face Dubai Font supports both Arabic and Latin script and will be available
in 23 languages. It was created in partnership with Microsoft and is now available to
Microsoft Oce 365 users around the world. The font is available in three styles as Dubai,
Dubai Medium and Dubai Light. The new font was ocially launched by the Dubai
government on May 1, 2017 to reect the citys symbols of tolerance, happiness and
respect, enabling people to express, communicate and connect.
254. Who has been chosen for the INSA Young Scientist Award 2017?
[A] Prabeer Barpanda
[B] Sai Siva Gorthi
[C] Sanjay Pratihar
[D] Chandan Saha
Answer: C [Sanjay Pratihar]
Explanation:
Dr. Sanjay Pratihar, a scientist at Tezpur University, has been chosen for the prestigious
Indian National Science Academy (INSA) medal for the Young Scientist Award for the year
2017 for his excellent contribution to multi-metal complexes, theoretical understanding,
selective sensing of Hq2+ions and important applications in agriculture. The award, which
consists of a bronze medal, a certicate and cash award of Rs. 25,000, will be given to him
during INSAs anniversary meeting scheduled in December 2017. The award of an Academy
medal to a Young Scientist shall be made in recognition of notable contributions to any
branch of science or technology, recognised by the Academy, on the basis of work carried
out in India.
255. Who has been appointed as the first woman President of Confederation of Indian Industry
(CII)?
[A] Preeti Jain
[B] Shobana Kamineni
99
[C] Nita Ambani

[D] Vimala Mehta
Answer: B [Shobana Kamineni]
Explanation:
Shobana Kamineni, executive vice chairperson of the Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Limited,
has been appointed as rst Woman President of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). She
succeeded Dr Naushad Forbes and will hold the position for the year 2017-18. Apart from
her, Rakesh Bharti Mittal takes charge as President Designate and Uday Kotak has become
the new CII Vice President. CII is a non-government, not-for-prot, industry-led and industry-
managed organisation, playing a proactive role in Indias development process.
256. Who has won the 19th edition of Womens Asian Individual Squash Championships
(AISC)-2017?
[A] Joshna Chinappa
[B] Madeline Perry
[C] Dipika Pallikal
[D] Vicki Cardwell
Answer: A [Joshna Chinappa]
Explanation:
Joshna Chinappa has won the 19th edition of Womens singles Asian Individual Squash
Championships (AISC) by defeating compatriot Dipika Pallikal Karthik in the womens nal at
the Express Avenue Mall in Chennai, Tamil Nadu on April 29, 2017. With this, she scripted
history by becoming the rst Indian to clinch the Asian Squash title.
257. Who has won the 2017 Mens Singles Barcelona Open Tennis Tournament?
[A] Kei Nishikori
[B] Pablo Andujar
[C] Rafael Nadal
[D] Dominic Thiem
Answer: C [Rafael Nadal]
Explanation:
Rafael Nadal, a Spanish professional tennis player, has won the 2017 Mens Singles
Barcelona Open Tennis Tournament by defeating Dominic Thiem of Austria in the summit
clash by 6-4, 6-1 in Barcelona, Spain. With this, Nadal has won the Barcelona Open singles
title a record ten times. The tournament is part of the 500 series on the ATP World Tour and
is played on clay courts at the Real Club de Tenis Barcelona.
258. Yusra Mardini has been appointed as new Goodwill Ambassador for UNHCR. She hails from
which country?
100
[A] Greece
[B] Syria
[C] Somalia
[D] Zambia
Answer: B [Syria]
Explanation:
Yusra Mardini, a Syrian woman who helped save a boat carrying fellow refugees, has been
appointed a new Goodwill Ambassador for United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
(UNHCR) to work harder for people seeking shelter from war. She is the Syrian refugee &
Olympic athlete and has been granted asylum in Germany.
259. What is the Indias GDP forecast for 2017, as per latest UN report The Economic and Social
Survey of Asia and the Pacific 2017?
[A] 7.1%
[B] 7.5%
[C] 7.2%
[D] 7.4%
Answer: A [7.1%]
Explanation:
The UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacic (ESCAP) has released its
annual agship report The Economic and Social Survey of Asia and the Pacic 2017 on May
1, 2017. As per the report, India is expected to achieve 7.1% GDP growth rate in 2017, as re-
monetisation restores consumption, and infrastructure spending increases. The report stated
that Indias growth would edge up to 7.5% in 2018. Though, it warned that the country faces
heightened risks related to the concentration of bad loans in the public sector banks.
260. Which union minister has launched a nationwide Vidya Veerta Abhiyan to honour war
warriors?
[A] Narendra Modi
[B] Rajnath Singh
[C] Arun Jaitley
[D] Prakash Javadekar
Answer: D [Prakash Javadekar]
Explanation:
Prakash Javadekar, the Union Human Resource Development Minister, has launched
Students for soldiers- a nationwide Vidya Veerta Abhiyan on May 2, 2017 to encourage
Universities to display portraits of Param Veer Chakra (PVC)-decorated soldiers. The aim of
this Abhiyan is to instill a sense of patriotism and nationalism among students. The initiative
has been launched in the wake of demand by the ex-servicemen that portraits of martyrs
101
and tanks used in wars should be put on display in the campus to instill sense of nationalism
and patriotism among the students. The Param Veer Chakra (PVC) is the Indias highest
military decoration awarded to ocers or enlisted personnel from all branches of the Indian
military for displaying distinguished acts of valour during wartime.
261. Who of the following has won the 2017 Mens Doubles Tallahassee Challenger title?
[A] Leander Paes and Adil Shamasdin
[B] Leander Paes and Ramkumar Ramanathan
[C] Leander Paes and Blaz Rola
[D] Leander Paes and Scott Lipsky
Answer: D [Leander Paes and Scott Lipsky]
Explanation:
The top-seeded Indo-American pair Leander Paes and Scott Lipsky has won the 2017
Tallahassee Challenger title of the mens doubles by defeating Argentine third seeds
Leonardo Mayer and Maximo Gonzalez by 4-6, 7-6, 10-7 in the summit clash in Florida. This
is Paes 2nd Challenger level title of the season.
262. The National Anti-Child Labour Day is observed on which day in India?
[A] April 26
[B] April 24
[C] April 28
[D] April 30
Answer: D [April 30]
Explanation:
The National Anti-Child Labour Day is observed every year in India on April 30 to create
awareness and educate the citizens about the hardships of the child labourers. It is also an
eort to surface the responsibility we hold as social citizens. Apart from this, the
International Labour Organization (ILO) also observes World Day against Child Labour every
year on June 12 to raise awareness and activism to prevent child labour worldwide.
263. Indias first-ever digitised Panchayat ward has come up in which of the following states?
[A] Assam
[B] Kerala
[C] Gujarat
[D] Rajasthan
Answer: B [Kerala ]
Explanation:
The Aymanam grama panchayat of ward No. 15 in Kerala has become the Indias rst-ever
digitised Panchayat ward. For this, Krishan Pal Gurjar (the Union minister of state for social
justice and empowerment) has launched the website of the rst digitalized panchayat ward
102
number 15 of Aymanam grama panchayat www.digitalaymanam.com at a function held at

a temple premises in Kottayam district. The website also contains information about blood
donors forum and telephone directory of the people of the ward.
264. India will provide how much amount to Bangladesh under new Muktijodha scholarship
scheme?
[A] Rs 30 crore
[B] Rs 35 crore
[C] Rs 25 crore
[D] Rs 20 crore
Answer: B [Rs 35 crore]
Explanation:
India will give Rs 35 crore to children of freedom ghters in Bangladesh during the next ve
years under the new Muktijodha scholarship scheme. As per the scheme, all freedom
ghters are eligible for ve years multiple entry Indian visa and 100 of them will be provided
free medical treatment in Indian hospitals every year. Apart from this, the students at higher
secondary level will get a onetime grant of Taka 20,000 (Rs 15, 3700) and those at under
graduate level will get Taka 50,000 (Rs 38,430). Students are selected on the basis of merit
from every district for the scheme. India initiated the Muktijodha Scholarship Scheme in
2006 for descendants of the 1971 Freedom Fighters. Up to now, more than 10,000
scholarships worth Tk150 million have been disbursed.
265. Which state is the Indias most corrupt state, according to latest survey by the Centre for Media
Studies (CMS)?
[A] Andhra Pradesh
[B] Maharashtra
[C] Karnataka
[D] Jammu & Kashmir
Answer: C [Karnataka ]
Explanation:
Karnataka is the Indias most corrupt state on the basis of peoples experience in paying
bribes for public services, as per latest survey conducted by the Centre for Media Studies
(CMS) on corruption perception. Andhra Pradesh has acquired second position, followed by
Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Jammu & Kashmir and Punjab. The annual corruption survey CMS
India Corruption Study 2017, which covered 20 states, found Himachal Pradesh, Kerala and
Chhattisgarh to be the least corrupt. The report stated that around one-third of the
households experienced corruption in public services at least once during the last one year
in comparison to about 53% of households that admitted to paying bribes during a similar
study in 2005. The study further found that the total bribe paid by households across 20
states and 10 public services was Rs 6,350 crore in 2016 as against Rs 20,500 crore in 2005.
103
266. Indias first-ever Blind Football Academy (BFA) is expected to come up in which state?
[A] Tamil Nadu
[B] Sikkim
[C] Uttar Pradesh
[D] Kerala
Answer: D [Kerala]
Explanation:
Indias rst-ever Blind Football Academy (BFA) with full time training & rehabilitation for the
visually impaired persons is expected to come up at Kochi in Kerala. The Society for
Rehabilitation of Visually Challenged (SRVC) and the Indian Blind Federation (IBFF) are
making an eort to establish the academy. The purpose to set up BFA is to train and develop
the best players to create a national team of world class standard and to qualify for the
Paralympics by 2024.
267. The first-ever Ganga Cleanliness Pledge Day (GCPD) will be observed on which date in India?
[A] May 2
[B] May 5
[C] May 4
[D] May 3
Answer: A [May 2]
Explanation:
The Ganga Cleanliness Pledge Day (GCPD) will be observed by the National Mission for Clean
Ganga (NMCG) on May 2, 2017 to spread awareness and to promote active involvement of
public for the Ganga swachhta abhiyan. The main objective of this day is to develop a sense
of pride and ownership among citizens to engender support for Namami Gange programme.
The day, which is also known as Ganga Swachhta Sankalp Divas, will be organised at 12
locations, namely- Kanpur, Allahabad, Varanasi, Patna, Bhagalpur, Sahibganj, Kolkata, Raj
Ghat (Hardoi), Bithoor, Srinagar ( Uttarakhand), Vidhur Kuti (Bijnor) and Devprayag. The
event would also be organized at more than 30 other locations through Ganga Vichaar
Manch (a volunteer wing of NMCG), local NGOs and volunteer support.
268. The South Asia satellite GSAT-09 will be launched by ISRO from which launch vehicle?
[A] GSLV Mk-III
[B] GSLV Mk-II
[C] GSLV Mk-IV
[D] GSLV Mk-V
Answer: B [GSLV Mk-II]
Explanation:
The South Asia satellite GSAT-09 will be launched by Indian Space Research Organisation
104
(ISRO) on May 5, 2017 to boost the development and economy of the South Asian
Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) nations in the region. It will be launched into
the orbit from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) in Sriharikota using a Geostationary
Launch Vehicle (GSLV) Mk-II launch vehicle. The 2,230 kg satellite has 12 Ku-band
transponders. It is cuboid in shape and built around a central cylinder has a mission life of
over 12 years. The satellite will enable full range of applications and services in the areas of
telecommunication and broadcasting applications viz. Television, Direct-to-Home (DTH), Very
Small Aperture Terminals (VSATs), Tele-education, Telemedicine and Disaster Management
Support. The beneciaries of GSAT-09 are as follows: Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh,
Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and Maldivies.
269. Ueli Steck, a renowned mountain climber has passed away. He hailed from which country?
[A] France
[B] Russia
[C] Switzerland
[D] Germany
Answer: C [Switzerland]
Explanation:
Ueli Steck (40), a renowned Swiss rock climber and mountaineer, has passed away on April
30, 2017 in an accident at a camp near Mount Everest in Nepal. At the time of his death, he
was trying to climb the 25,791-foot Himalayan peak of Nuptse in preparation for an
ambitious ascent of Everest. Steck was known as Swiss Machine for his rapid ascents of
some of the worlds most imposing peaks. He was best known for his speed-climbing,
including setting several records for ascending the north face of the Eiger, a classic
mountaineering peak in the Bernese Alps that he climbed in two hours and 47 minutes
without using a rope.
270. Who is the newly appointed Controller General of Accounts (CGA)?

[A] K. Vinayak Rao
[B] Anil Srivastava
[C] Jatindra Nath Swain
[D] Anthony Lianzuala
Answer: D [Anthony Lianzuala]
Explanation:
Anthony Lianzuala, a 1982-batch Indian Civil Accounts Service (ICAS) Ocer, took over as
the new Controller General of Accounts (CGA) in New Delhi on May 1, 2017. With this, he
became the rst person from the North-Eastern Region to hold this position. The CGA is the
apex Accounting Authority of the Central Government and exercises the powers of the
President under Article 150 of the constitution for prescribing the forms of Accounts of the
Union and State Governments on the advice of the Comptroller & Auditor General of India.
105

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