Current Affairs Study PDF - January 2017 by AffairsCloud

Current Affairs January 2017
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Current Affairs PDF: January 2017
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Contents
INDIAN AFFAIRS............................................................................................................................................................ 3
PLACES IN NEWS .........................................................................................................................................................26
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS ......................................................................................................................................33
FOREIGN VISITS ..........................................................................................................................................................40
SUMMITS & CONFERENCES .....................................................................................................................................42
RANKING & REPORTS ...............................................................................................................................................49
BANKING & FINANCE .................................................................................................................................................53
BUSINESS .......................................................................................................................................................................75
AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS.....................................................................................................................................85
APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNS....................................................................................................................................98
ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS .................................................................................................................................. 109
MoUs ............................................................................................................................................................................ 111
SCHEMES ..................................................................................................................................................................... 116
COMMITTEE............................................................................................................................................................... 119
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY ...................................................................................................................................... 121
DEFENCE ..................................................................................................................................................................... 132
ENVIRONMENT ......................................................................................................................................................... 136
SPORTS ........................................................................................................................................................................ 140
OBITUARY .................................................................................................................................................................. 152
BOOKS & AUTHORS ................................................................................................................................................ 159
IMPORTANT DAYS ................................................................................................................................................... 160
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INDIAN AFFAIRS
PM Narendra Modis Key Announcements on New Years Evening
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing the Nation on December 31, 2016, on the New
Years Eve, thanked people for patiently bearing the pain caused by the Governments decision to
demonetise Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes.
Key Points of the Announcements
Urban Housing
PM Modi announced two new housing schemes for the urban poor. As per the decision,
home loan taken by urban poor in 2017 up to Rs. 9 Lakh would get 4 percent subvention
on interest while 3 percent subvention on interest on home loans of up to Rs. 12 Lakh.
Rural Housing
In villages, taking home loans of up to Rs. 2 Lakh for new housing or extension of housing
in 2017 would attract 3 percent subvention on interest.
The number of houses being built for the poor, under the Pradhan MantriAwaas Yojana in
rural areas has also been increased by 33 per cent.
Farmers
PM also announced to convert 3 crore Kisan credit card into RuPay card in the next 3 months.
The problem with Kisan Credit Card is that farmers need to go to bank to withdraw money, but
RuPay Card will enable them to buy/sell directly through the card.
He also announced to waive 60-day interest on farm loans taken in the Rabi
season from District Cooperative Banks and Primary Societies.
NABARD created a fund of Rs 21000 crore to Dstrict central Cooperative Banks in
November 2016 to provide loan to farmers for Rabi season.
Senior Citizens
The Prime Minister said that senior citizens would get a monthly fixed interest of 8% on
their deposits of up to 7.5 lakhs for 10 years.
Women
A sum of Rs 6000 would be deposited in the account of pregnant and lactating women in above
650 rural districts to meet medical expenses. The scheme would initially be implemented in form of
a pilot project in 53 districts, with the amount of Rs 4,000
MSME(Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises)
PM Modi said that the cash credit limit for small businesses would be raised to 25 per
cent from 20 per cent. The Credit guarantee for Micro Small and Medium Enterprises
would be raised to Rs 2 crore from current Rs 1 crore.
Government also announced that earlier the tax on Income of businesses with turnover of
up to Rs 2 crore was calculated at 8 per cent of the turnover. Now, for such businesses
income from digital transactions will be calculated at 6 per cent. This will effectively
reduce their tax liability by 25 per cent.
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Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani dedicated Indias first laser technology-based advanced AVMS
RTO check-post at Shamlaji
i. Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani launched Indias first laser technology-based advanced
AVMS RTO check-post and also laid foundation stones of various developmental works worth Rs
30 crore at Shamlaji of Aravalli district in Gujarat.
ii. This new check-post is equipped with advanced ray technology with a cost of Rs 4.72 crore.
iii. All the check-posts in the state will be made advanced, automatic and transparent with a cost of
Rs. 35 crore during next financial year.
iv. The income from this check posts will be used for welfare of poor, deprived and last-person
of the state.
Chandrababu Naidu Launches ArogyaRaksha Scheme to cover APL Families

Chandrbabu Naidu, Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh launched a new health
scheme, ArogyaRaksha Scheme on January 1, 2017 at TummalapalliKalakshetram
in Vijayawada to provide the medical treatment to the people of the Above Poverty Line at Rs.
1200 premium per annum.
Aim: To achieve the ambitious target of making the state among top three best developed
state in the country by 2020 and first best developed state by 2050.
Features of ArogyaRaksha Scheme
The ArogyaRaksha Scheme would provide health insurance coverage to about 35 Lakh Above
Poverty Line families in the state.
Under the scheme, an end-to-end cashless service would be rendered to a total of 1044
diseases covered under the scheme. Unlike other insurance schemes pre existing disease
will not be considered.
To avail the ArogyaRaksha scheme benefits, every individual of the family would be
required to pay Rs. 100 per month or Rs. 1200 per annum as policy premium.
A total of 432 hospitals including 80 government general hospitals have been enrolled
for the implementation of the scheme.
The scheme would provide an insurance coverage of up to Rs. 2 Lakh per annum and
free treatment in any 432 corporate hospitals in the state.
The scheme is estimated to cost Rs 160.56 crore and the government would sanction the
necessary allocations for the scheme in the budget session 2017-2018.
Maharashtra Government Bans use of Purse Seine Nets for Fishing

i. Maharashtra Government has declared to ban the use of Purse Seine Nets for fishing across
Maharashtra from January 1, 2017 to safeguard the Fingerlings, a fish species.
ii. The move is aimed at curbing the exploitation of fish by safeguarding the fingerlings and its
eggs to increase their population.
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Seeking Votes in the name of caste, language or religion is Corrupt and not Permissible:
SC
i. The Supreme Court on January 1, 2017 ruled out that no politician can seek votes in the name
of caste, language or religion and seeking votes in this manner would be considered as a corrupt
practice and not permissible.
ii. A 7-judge constitution bench headed by headed by former Chief Justice of India TS Thakur
in the 20 year old Hindutva case which questions whether a religious leaders appeal to his
followers to vote for a particular political party amount to electoral malpractice under Section 123
of the Representation of People Act.
Trial run of Indias first 700 MW PHWR expected in 2017

i. The trial run of Indias first 700 MW Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor(PHWR) at Kakrapar,
Gujarat, is expected to take placein middle of 2017.
ii. Indias atomic power plant operator NPCIL is building four 700 MW PHWRs, two
each at Kakrapar Atomic Power Station (KAPS) in Gujarat and Rajasthan Atomic Power
Station (RAPS) in Rajasthan.
iii. The construction of two 700 MW PHWRs at KAPS is at an advanced stage. The commissioning
activities of the first unit have begun and the trial run of the first unit is expected to happen during
the middle of 2017.
Union Government Keeps interest rates on Small Savings Schemes Unchanged

Interest rates on small savings are being reviewed every quarter since April last year. The interest
rates on small savings will remain unchanged from the rates prescribed for the fourth quarter of
2016-17 starting from January 1, 2017, and ending on March 31.
iii. Interest Rates on Small Savings Schemes
1.Public Provident Fund (PPF): 8 percent annual interest rate.
2.5-year National Savings Certificate: 8 percent
3.Kisan VikasPatra (KVP):7.7 percent with maturity in 112 months.
4.SukanyaSamriddhi Account Scheme: 8.5 percent annually.
5.5 years Senior Citizens Savings Scheme: 8.5 percent. The interest rate on the senior citizens
savings scheme is paid quarterly.
6.Savings deposit: 4 percent interest annually,
7.Term deposits of 1-5 years: 7-7.8 percent that will be paid quarterly.
8.5-year recurring deposit: 7.3 percent rate.
Maharashtra Government Unveils the Portrait of Social Reformer Prabodhankar

Thackeray at BMC
i. The Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis unveiled the portrait of social reformer
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Prabodhankar Thackeray in the general assembly hall of the Brihanmumbai Municipal

Corporation (BMC) on January 2, 2017 and paid rich tributes to him.
ii. KeshavSitaram Thackeray, famously known as Prabodhankar was born in September 1885.
He was a social reformer, author and key leaders of the Samyukta Maharashtra Samiti which
successfully campaigned for the linguistic state of Maharashtra. He is the father of late Shiv
Sena supremo Bal Thackeray.
Centre Approves new Projects for Ganga Cleaning over Rs. 370 Crore
i. The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) has approved many new projects at an
estimated cost of over Rs 370 crore for its ongoing Ganga rejuvenation
programme in Haridwar and Varanasi and also decided to include six more cities\towns under
surface cleaning exercise of the river using trash skimmers.
ii. In Haridwar, 68 MLD sewage treatment plant (STP) in Jagjeetpur and 14 MLD STP in
Sarai have been approved at an indicative cost of Rs 110.30 crore and Rs 25 crore respectively
under Hybrid Annuity based PPP mode.
Swachh Bharat survey, SwachhSurvekshan 2017 Begins in 500 cities

i .In order to encourage competition for improving sanitation standards in the respective area, the
government started, SwachhSurvekshan 2017 from January 4, 2017.
ii. The survey will be conducted by Quality Council of India to rank 500 cities across
the country on cleanliness.
iii. The cities will be judged on the basis of data provided by Municipal bodies which will caryy
900 marks, direct observations and independent assessment would carry 500 marks
and citizen feedbacks with 600 marks.
National Green Tribunal Imposes Stay on Pune Metro rail project

i. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) bench on January 3, 2017, issued an interim stay on any
construction activity in relation to the Pune Metro rail project passing through the Mula-
Mutha river bed in the city.
ii. The Tribunals West Zone bench comprising Justice U D Salavi and Dr Ajay
Deshpande granted interim stay Pune Metro route of corridor between Vanaz and Ramwadi
passing through the riverbed, after an Environmental Interest Litigation (EIL) was filed by a
group of prominent personalities.
Election Commission of India Announces Assembly polls Dates for Five States
The Chief Election Commissioner, DrNasim Zaidi on January 4, 2017, announced the schedule of
upcoming Assembly elections in five states
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Announcements made by the Election Commissioner

i. Polling Dates
1.Uttar Pradesh: Polling will be held in seven phases from 11 February, 15 February, 19 February,
23 February, 27 February, 4 March and 8 March
2.Manipur: Polling will be held in two phases between 4 March and 8 March
3.Uttarakhand: 15 February
4.Punjab: 4 February
5.Goa: 4 February
Ministry of Commerce & Industry Launches IPR Enforcement Toolkit for Police and IPR
Awareness Campaign for school Children
The Union Commerce & Industry Minister Smt. NirmalaSitharaman launched an Intellectual
Property Rights (IPR) Enforcement Toolkit for Police along with an IPR Awareness
Campaign for School Children on January 4, 2017 in New Delhi.
The IPR Enforcement Toolkit has been jointly prepared by Cell for IPR Promotion and
Management (CIPAM) and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry
(FICCI).
This toolkit will enable the police officials across the country in dealing with IP crimes, specifically
Trade Marks counterfeiting and Copyrights piracy. The device would include details of offences
under various laws along with checklists for registering a complaint and conducting search and
seizures.
IPR Awareness Campaign
CIPAM is also launching an IPR Awareness campaign for schoolchildren, in collaboration with
the International Trademark Association (INTA) to spread the message of IPRs in a creative
and engaging manner among the children to inculcate respect for IPRs amongst them from an early
age, so that they become responsible users of IPRs in the future.
Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM)
The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) under the Ministry of Commerce and
Industry, is working to ensure effective implementation of the National IPR Policy 2016. Two MoU
on IPRs were recently signed with UK and Singapore.
Centre Grants Drought Relief Assistance of Rs. 1782 Crore for Karnataka
i. The Union Government has approved an assistance of Rs. 1782.44 Crore for drought-
affected Karnataka on January 5, 2017. The decision was taken during a meeting of the High
Level Committee chaired by Home Minister Rajnath Singh.
ii. The committee approved the grant after examining the proposal based on the reports of
the Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) which visited the state. The assistance has been
approved from the National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF).
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Japan to Help in Developing Chennai, Ahmedabad and Varanasi Smart Cities

i. Japans Ambassador to India Mr.KenjiHiramatsu, informed about Japans intention to help
India with the development of Chennai, Ahmedabad and Varanasi as smart cities.
ii. The decision was announced by the Mr.Kenji during a meeting with Minister of Urban
Development Shri M.Venkaiah Naidu on January 5, 2017.
Telangana to Provide Monetary Help of Rs. 1000 to Single Women in State

i. The Telangana Government led by Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, announced a new
scheme on January 6, 2017, to provide financial assistance of Rs. 1000 per month to poor
single women in the state.
ii. Making an announcement in the Legislative Assembly, the CM informed that the new scheme will
be implemented from April 2017 and necessary funds will be allocated in the upcoming budget.
Delhi Government Approves Phase-IV of Delhi Metro

i. The Delhi cabinet gave its nod to the fourth phase of Delhi Metro.It will add 8.5 lakh new
passengers to its network.
ii.The fourth phase will have six new routes with a total length of around 103 km, and will be
completed in six years at a cost of around Rs 50,000 crore.
Chandrababu Naidu announces Rs.100 crore reward for Nobel Prize winners from Andhra
Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has announced a reward of Rs 100
crore to anybody who becomes a Nobel Prize winner from the state.
Aadhaar now mandatory for EPF pension scheme

i. Central government has made obtaining an Aadhaar number mandatory for 2.5 crore
members of the Employees Pension Scheme of 1995, one of the benefits available to Employees
Provident Fund subscribers.
ii. According to a notification from Labour Ministry,those without an Aadhaar number will have to
make an application to get enrolled by January 31, 2017.
Delhi Government unveils Good Samaritan Policy

i. The Delhi government has approved Good Samaritan Policy to encourage people to help
accident victims.
ii. Delhi government approved Good Samaritan Policy under which monetary incentive of Rs
2,000 and appreciation certificate will be given to people who help road accident victims in the
national capital.
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Ministry of Power Dedicates Worlds Largest Street Light Replacement Programme to the
Nation
i. Shri Piyush Goyal, Union Minister of Power, Coal, New & Renewable Energy and Mines,
dedicated the Worlds Largest Street Light Replacement Programme in New Delhi to the
nation on January 9, 2017.
ii. The Street Lighting National Programme (SLNP) in the South Delhi Municipal Corporation
(SDMC) area is a joint venture between the Ministry of Power, Government of India and the Energy
Efficiency Services Limited (EESL).
iii. Under the SLNP, over 2 lakh street lights have been replaced alone in SDMC area which is
the largest amount till date in the world. This would save about 2.65 crore kWh energy annually
and avoid capacity addition of 6.6 MW besides reducing 22,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases
Rajnath Singh lays the Foundation stone for new (NDRF) campus
i. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh laid the foundation stone for the construction of a new
campus of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) at Kondapavuluru village of
Gannavaram mandal in Krishna district, Andhra Pradesh on January 9, 2017 in presence of Andhra
Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting
M Venkaiah Naidu.
ii. The government has allocated Rs. 200 Crore for the new campus. The construction works has
been assigned to the Central Public Works Department (CPWD).
Assam govt comes up with e-Wallet

i. The Assam government will be shortly launching its indigenously-developed e-
Wallet, Tokapoisa.in.
ii. Aim: To enable the people of the state for hassle-free online transactions in local language.
iii. The mobile application Tokapoisa.in has been developed by the Assam Electronics Development
Corp. Ltd.Besides being an e-Wallet, it will be a virtual payment terminal.
Supreme Court Directs Election Commission for Paper Audit Trail in EVMs
i. The Supreme Court is set to re-introduce the Vote Verifier Paper Audit Trail
(VVPAT) in Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) for 100 % transparency in elections. The VVPAT
in EVM would ensure free and fair polls besides sorting out disputes.
ii. Justice Gogoi has directed the Election Commission to determine and inform the approximate
time within which the entire system of the VVPAT can be introduced, including grant of sanction
and release of funds as and when required.
Gujarat Government Launches Student Startup and Innovation Policy

i. The Gujarat government has introduced Indias first Student Startup and Innovation
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Policy to provide financial support to enable the students in developing their innovative ideas
ii. The Student Startup and Innovation Policy has been developed under the aegis of Education
Department. The policy will support student-led startups & innovations and create an Innovation
and Pre-incubation Ecosystem Support (IPIES) across all universities of the state.
iii. The Gujarat government would provide Rs 200 crore as State Innovation Fund for the next five
years, of which Rs 100 crore will be allocated by the state government and the remaining amount
will be created by internal sources, like university funds and CSR funds.
Railway Minister announces Non Fare Revenue Policy to boost Additional Revenue
i. Union Minister for Railways Suresh Prabhu on January 10, 2017 launched a Non Fare Revenue
Policy to boost up additional revenue and reduce its dependence on traditional revenue system
such as passenger and freight traffic.
ii. The railway expects that the policy would boost the railway non-fare revenues within a year by
nearly six times from Rs. 300 crore to nearly Rs. 18000 crore.
Child Sex Ratio at Birth in Haryana Touches 900-mark in Two Decades

i. The Child Sex ratio at birth (SRB) in the State of Haryana crossed the 900-mark in the year
2016 for the first time in almost two decades. In December 2016, the SRB in the state was 914.
ii. As per the data registered, of the total 5,25,278 children born in the state from January to
December 2016, there were 2,76,414 boys and 2,48,864 girls taking the SRB to 914. However, the
state government is working to achieve the ratio of 950.
iii. As of 2011, Indias child sex ratio was 914 girls to 1000 boys, while the same in Haryana was
far worse than the national average which stood at 834 girls to 1000 boys.
Supreme Courts Directs Kerala Government to Compensate Victims of Endosulfan

Poisioning
The state government of Kerala has been directed by the Supreme Court on January 10, 2017 to
pay Rs.500 crore as compensation to 5,000 victims suffering various types of deformities, health
issues and other complication due to the use of Endosulfan pesticides in the state.
The apex court also instructed the state to set up such treatment centers that can provide long
term treatment to those suffering from heath complications due to the poisoning. The victims
mostly include newborns and their families.
Center Drafts Rules to Regulate Dog Breeding Centres

i. The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has proposed draft
rules Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Dog Breeding and Marketing Rules, 2017), to
regulate dog breeding centres in the country.
ii. The proposed rule would prohibit dog breeding without registration. The rule prescribes the
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various requirements that should be met by the registered breeders for breeding or housing of
dogs.
Jammu & Kashmir Government Presents Reform Focused Power Budget

i. The Jammu and Kashmir Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu presented the Power
Budget on January 12, 2017 with strategy to focus on addressing the purchase liability and
put reforms as the core agenda for the power sector.
ii. The first power budget was presented six months ago. This is the second power budget that
provides a transparent accounting system for the sector. In 2016-17, the government spent Rs
12,000 crore on power purchases and liquidating past liabilities.
iii .The investments were directed towards making systemic and capacity improvements in the
Transmission and Distribution infrastructure in the state, with an aim to supply adequate quality
power and make the State Power Development Corporation debt-free with financial restructuring.
Jitendra Singh Announces Rs. 9000 Minimum Pension for Central government Employees
i. The Union Minister of state for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Jitendra Singh while
addressing the 29th meeting of the Standing Committee of Voluntary Agencies (Scova) in
New Delhi on January 12, 2017 informed that the minimum pension for central government
employees has been increased to Rs. 9,000 per person and ex-gratia amount has been increased
from Rs. 10-15 lakh to Rs. 25-35 lakh.
ii. The Scova meeting was organised by the Department of Pensions and Pensioners Welfare
(DoP&PW).
NITI Aayog calls for review of Right to Education Act

i. The National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog has called for a review of the
provisions of the Right To Education (RTE) Act that specifies that children who dont perform
well cannot be held back up to class VIII regardless of his performance.
ii. This means that a child is entitled to an eighth grade diploma even if he cannot recognise a
single letter or a number if he has spent eight years in school.
iii. The move is aimed to minimise the drop-out rate. However, the negative impact of the
decision will lower the learning process as it would take away the pressure to learn and to
compete.
Ken-Betwa River Linking Project Receives Green Signal from Panel

i. The Ken-Betwa River Linking Project received clearance from the green panel and Tribal
Affairs Ministry on January 13, 2017.
ii. The ambitious Rs. 9,393 crore project aims to transfer surplus water from the Ken River to the
Betwa basin through concrete canals to irrigate Indias worst drought-prone Bundelkhand region.
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iii. The project will benefit Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh in terms of meeting irrigation,
drinking water and electricity needs of people across 6 districts in the two states.
Rabi Crop Sown Across 616 Lakh Hectare of Land Past One Year
i. As per the data released by the Ministry of agriculture, as on January 13, 2017, the total area
under which Rabi crop was sown 2017 was calculated to be 616.21 lakh hectares as compared
to 581.95 lakh hectare in January 2016.
ii. The 616.21 lakh hectare of area sown with Rabi crop includes
Crop Area in 2017 in Lakh Hectare Area in 2016 in Lakh Hectare
Wheat 309.60 289.07
Rice 14.92 19.48
Pulses 155.35 139.93
Coarse cereals 54.87 58.40
Oilseeds 81.47 75.06
Total 616.21 581.95
Suprme Court Grants Permission to 24-Week Pregnant Woman for Abortion

i. The Supreme Court on January 16, 2017 allowed Mumbai based 22 year old pregnant
lady with 24 weeks of Pregnancy to abort her baby as continuation may risk her life.
ii. Two bench of judges, Justice S.A. Bobde and Justice L. Nageswara Rao gave the verdict
after a panel of seven doctors from KEM Hospital, Mumbai declared that the skull and brain
tissue development of the foetus were absent and there was no chance of the foetus surviving
outside the uterus.
iii. Abortion is legal in India only up to 20 weeks of pregnancy under the Medical Termination of
Pregnancy Act, 1971.
Adoption Regulations 2017 Effective From January 16, 2017

i. The Union Ministry of Women and Child Development on January 4, 2017 issued a guideline
regarding the Adoption Regulations 2017. These new rules will be effective from January 16, 2017.
ii .The Adoption Regulation 2017 implements the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of
Children) Act, 2015. It has been framed by the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA)
to be mandatory under section 68 I of the Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act,
2015 and will replace the existing Adoption Guidelines, 2015.
Akhilesh Yadav Gets Right over Partys Symbol Cycle
i. The Election Commission (EC) on January 16, 2017 gave its decision that Chief Minister of
Uttar Pradesh, Akhilesh Yadav would be the owner of the Samajwadi Party Symbol
Cycle and also acknowledged him as the national President of the party.
ii. The three-member EC committee headed by Nasim Zaidi and comprising of other two
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judges, O.P. Rawat and A.K. Jyoti gave the decision after the founder of the party Mulayam
Singh Yadav approached EC as President of the party and claimed to be entitled for the symbol.
Petroleum Conservation Campaign Saksham 2017 Inaugurated in Nagaland
i. The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MOP & NG) inaugurated one month long oil and
gas conservation campaign Saksham-2017 at a function in Unity College, Dimapur in Nagaland
on January 16, 2017.
ii. The mass awareness campaign was inaugurated by chief guest Ramongo Lotha, secretary Food
and Civil Supplies. The campaign would be conducted from January 16 to February 15, 2017.
iii. The main aim of such campaign is to spread the awareness on fuel conservation so as
to minimize the wastage of petroleum products as the demand for it remains high.
Cabinet approves Indias Membership in the International Vaccine Institute (IVI), South
Korea
The Union Cabinet has given its approval for India to become the full-fledge member of
the International Vaccine Institute (IVI) Governing Council.
As a part of the membership India will have to contribute an amount of US $ 5,00,00 to
the International Vaccine Institute (IVI), Seoul, South Korea.
International Vaccine Institute (IVI), Seoul, South Korea was established in 1997 on the
initiatives of the UNDP. It is an international organization that deals with developing and
introducing new and improved vaccines to protect the people, especially children, against
deadly infectious diseases.
Cabinet approves the repealing of the obsolete and redundant laws

The Union Cabinet also gave the approval for introduction of the Repealing and Amending Bill,
2017 to repeal 105 Acts.
A two Member Committee was constituted by the PMO, the Law Commission of India and the
Legislative Department. It has identified 1824 redundant and obsolete Central Acts for
repeal. After careful examination and consultation with various Ministries/Departments in the
Government of India, 4 Acts have been enacted to repeal 1175 Central Acts by Parliament.
Cabinet Approves Rs 200 Cr for Setting Up IARI Jharkhand

The Union Cabinet has approved the 12th Plan Proposal of the DARE/ICAR Plan Scheme for
the Establishment of Indian Agricultural Research Institute (lARI)- Jharkhand.
The total estimated outlay of the project is Rs. 200.78 crores that will be 100% contributed by
ICAR. The project would be bulid on 1,000 acre land provided by the Government of
Jharkhand at the Gauria Karma Village in Barhi Block of Hazaribag.
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Cabinet Gives Approval to the Package for Supporting Micro and Small Enterprises
(MSEs)
The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi gave its ex-post facto approval
for the Augmentation of the Corpus of Credit Guarantee Trust Fund for Micro and Small
Enterprises (CGTMSE), a package set up for supporting Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs).
The augmentation of the corpus would facilitate larger flow of credit to MSEs and thus
enable increased output and employment.
IIMC Launches Full-Fledged Diploma Course in Urdu Journalism

i. The Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) has launched a full-fledged
postgraduate diploma course in the Urdu language journalism on January 17, 2017 to promote
Urdu Language in IIMC.
ii. The diploma course was launched by the Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting
M Venkaiah Naidu. The institute offered a five-month journalism course in the Urdu language
before launching the full-version.
J&K Assembly Unanimously Passes Resolution for Return of Kashmiri Migrants to Valley
i. The Jammu & Kashmir Assembly unanimously passed a resolution on January 19, 2017 for the
return of Kashmiri Pandits and other migrants to the Valley.
ii. Hundreds of Kashmiri Pandit families had left the Valley when militancy broke out in 1989.
Karnataka allows sale of white kerosene in open market

i. Karnataka government lead by Siddaramaiah , has decided to allow the sale of white kerosene
in open market. An official order was issued by State Food and Civil Supplies Minister UT
Khader on January 18, 2017
ii. The dealers who have interest in selling white kerosene in open market can approach the office
of the Food and Civil Supplies in their districts.
Indian Railways Unveils Mission 41K to Save Energy Worth Rs 41,000 crore
i. The Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu launched Mission 41K on January 17, 2017 to
revamp the existing railway system.
ii. The mission aims to save the Indian Railways expenditure of Rs 41,000 crore on
energy consumption over the next 10 years.
iii. To achieve this target, the railway has planned a series of measures that includes: switching
over 90 percent of traffic to electric traction from diesel, procure electricity at cheaper
rates through open market instead of sourcing it through DISCOMs. This would save about 25
percent of energy expenses.
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Divorce Granted Through Church Court Cannot be Held Legal: SC

i. The Supreme Court on January 19, 2017 said that Divorce granted by any ecclesiastical
tribunals or Church Courts under Christian personal law will not be taken as valid. It said that
Church Courts cannot veto the statutory law of divorce.
ii. A bench comprising Chief Justice J S Khehar and Justice D Y Chandrachud dismissed the
plea filed by Clarence Pais, a former president of a Karnataka Catholic association that sought
legal sanction to such separations granted by the Church Court.
iii. The Apex Court said that the divorce granted through Canon Law may have significance for
Christian community but after the Divorce Act came into force, a dissolution granted under such
personal law cannot have any legal impact as statute has provided a different procedure and a
different code for divorce or annulment.
Over 3.81 lakh Winners of Rs 61 cr in NITI Aayogs Lucky Draw Scheme

i. According to a statement by NITI Aayog, till date over 3.81 lakh consumers and 21,000
merchants have been declared as the winner of the NITI Aayogs lucky draw schemes
namely Lucky Grahak Yojana (LGY) for consumers and Digi-Dhan Vyapar Yojana (DVY) for
merchants.
ii. It also stated that daily as well as weekly prize money worth Rs 60.90 crore has been declared
at 24 Digi-Dhan Melas organized across the country. Besides, most of the winners were in the
age group of 21-30 years.
iii. The top 5 states that had most of the winners are Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil
Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka.
Centre Sanctions Rs. 2207 Cr Special Assistance to J&K

i. The Central Government has sanctioned special assistance of Rs 2,207.30 crore to Jammu &
Kashmir during 2016-17 in order to help the state to complete the area-specific schemes in
speedy manner.
ii. In 2015-16 the Central Government had released Rs.1194.37 crore for the State of Jammu &
Kashmir to fulfill the need of the state in completing the damaged /severely damaged/partially
damaged houses. Again with the release of Rs. 2,207.30 cr the total amount provided to J&K
becomes Rs. 3401.67 cr.
Himachal Pradesh Declares Dharamsala as the Second Capital of the State

i. Dharamsala town in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh has been declared as the second
capital city of the state by the Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh on January 19,
2017.
ii. Dharamshala is located about 250 km from the state capital Shimla and has a unique
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significance and history of its own. It is of special value to the lower areas of the state comprising
Kangra, Chamba, Hamirpur and Una districts.
Centre Approves Ordinance to Allow Jallikattu in Tamil Nadu

i. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, O. Paneerselvam has send a draft ordinance to the centre seeking an
amendment to the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 and removal of bull from the
list of performing animals. This will ensure that provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
Act will not apply to the bull.
ii. Chief Minister O. Paneerselvam met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 19, 2017 to seek
help over the Jallikattu issue.
iii. Further, the Tamil Nadu Governor Vidyasagar Rao approved the ordinance by the state
government on January 21, 2017 with the first Jallikattu game post the protest to be conducted in
Alanganallur, Madurai on January 22, 2017.
Bihar Government Launches Nasha Mukt State Campaign

i. The state Government of Bihar led by Nitish Kumar launched a Nasha Mukt (Addidction-
Free) State Campaign on January 21, 2017 with the formation of worlds largest human
chain across the state.
ii. The move aims towards making the state free from intoxicating substance and tobacco products.
iii. Over two crore people participated in human chain including teachers and students of schools
and colleges. The human chain that lasted for 45 minutes and was 11,292 km in length covering
all panchyats and blocks of the state.
India Innovation Index will Measure Innovation Performance of Indian States

i. Government of India Think Tank NITI Aayog together with International bodies World
Economic Forum, World Intellectual Property Organization and the Cornell University will
develop an India Innovation Index to rank the Indian states so as to develop an innovative spirit
among them.
ii. The index will measure and rank the innovation performance of all Indian states and hence
drive India towards an innovation-driven economy.
iii. The Index would encourage the states to compete with each other and in turn lead to better
policies for inclusive growth. The first ranking is expected to be released at the India Economic
Summit in New Delhi on October 4-6, 2017.
Indian Railways Set to Raise $5 billion Railway Development Fund

i. The Indian Railways has decided to set up a $5 billion Railways of India Development Fund
(RIDF) so as to support commercially viable projects in railway sector in India.
ii. The World Bank would fund 80% RIDF while 20% fund would be raised by the Indian
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railways itself and managed independently by a non-government entity.

iii. Projects which can give early returns such as freight lines and electrification projects would be
funded by the RIDF.
Russian Railways help India to increase the speed of train to 200km

i. Indias passenger train speed will be increased to 200 km per hour with the help of Russian
Railways and budget of the high speed train will be shared between the two countries in the ratio
50:50
ii. The fastest train in India is Gatimaan Express with the speed of 160 km per hour.
Jharkhand Annual Budget 2017-18

The Chief Minister of Jharkhand Raghubar Das presented the states annual budget for 2017-
18 on January 23, 2017 under the theme of Garib Kalyan Varsh. The main focus of the budget
is on agriculture, education and skill development, rural development and eliminating poverty.
The Minister has presented a budget worth Rs 75,673.42 crore out of which Rs 57,861.32 crore
would be revenue expenditure and Rs 18,812.10 crore would be capital expenditure.
Highlights of the Budget
i.The total allocated state budget for 2017-18 is 19.7 percent more than the current year.
ii.The main focus of the budget is agriculture, education and skill development, rural development.
The budget also lays emphasis on agriculture, women empowerment and infrastructure electricity,
roads, communication including civil aviation and railways.
iii.The total allocation in the capital expenditure has been increased by 21 percent while in revenue
expenditure it has been increased by 18.66 percent.
iv.A sum of Rs 20,003.72 crore has been allocated for general sector, Rs 25,139.88 crore for social
sector and Rs 30.529.82 crore for economic sector.
v.The Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) for the year 2017-18 has been estimated at Rs
2,82,572 crore which is 13.19 percent more than that of the previous fiscal.
vi.The fiscal deficit for the year 2017-18 is estimated to be Rs 6,947.83 crore which is 2.29 percent
of the GSDP.
vii.Major share of the budget has been allocated to the education sector with Rs. 10,000 crore.
viii.In agriculture sector the state government has increased the allocation by 12 per cent to Rs
5,375.22 crore which stood at Rs 4,845.72 crore in the previous fiscal.
ix.The gender budget fund allocation has been hiked by 30.05 percent to 16,384.23 crore as
against Rs 7,684 crore in the previous fiscal.
x.The women welfare allocation has been increased by 30 percent while in skill development the
total allocation has allotted to Rs. 704 crore from the previous Rs 145 crore.
xi.Among other sectors the total allocation includes, welfare/ minority welfare-7.10%, Policing and
disaster management-6.23%, Urban development, drinking water and sanitation-6.02%, Health-
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4.10%, Rural development and Panchayati Raj-3.84%, Road and building construction-8.06%,
Energy-7.93%
xii.The budget also laid emphasis on development of the scheduled tribes (ST) and scheduled caste
(SC) and has allocated Rs 22,259 crore for special schemes related to their uplift.
xiii.Out of this Rs 18,026 crore has been allotted for development of ST areas while the remaining
Rs 4,233 crore has been set aside for development of SC areas.
xivThe government expects to earn Rs 19,900.50 crore in tax receipts and Rs 11,258.16 crore from
non-tax receipts.
xv.Besides, Rs 13,414.57 crore is expected from central aid while the states share from central
shares taxes is estimated to be worth Rs 21,034.19 crore.
xvi.The state government hopes to earn Rs 10,000 crore from public loans while advance loan
collection is estimated to be worth Rs 66 crore
Stamp Cover on Sindhu, Sakshi and Dipa Released by Postal Department

i. The Indian postal department released a special stamp cover titled Golden girls of India
Pride of Nation on January 21, 2017 during a district-level philatelic exhibition in Agartala to
honor the sporting personalities in the country.
ii. The special covers feature the 2016 Olympic medalist gymnast Dipa Karmakar, shuttler PV
Sindu and wrestler Sakshi Malik. They were also awarded the nations highest sports award Rajiv
Gandhi Khel Ratna in 2016.
iii. Besides the three, the cover also depicted the image of Dipas coach Bishweshwar Nandi who
was awarded the 2016 Dronacharya award.
Tamil Nadu Assembly Unanimously Passes Jallikattu Bill

i. Tamil Nadu assembly under the chairmanship of Chief Minister O
Panneerselvam unanimously passed the Jallikattu Bill on January 23, 2017 to replace the
ordinance issued on January 21, 2017 to allow the states traditional sport.
ii. The bill amends the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, making Jallikattu a
permanent sport in rural Tamil Nadu.
Cabinet Approves IIM Bill 2017

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi approved the Indian
Institute of Management(IIM) Bill, 2017 on January 24, 2017 that aims to declare IIMs
as Institutions of National Importance.
The IIM Bill aims to grant statutory powers to the IIMS and thus enable them to grant degrees
instead of diplomas.
Cabinet Approves Interest Waiver for Two Months for Farmers Seeking Short Term Loans
The Union Cabinet gave its ex-post facto approval on for interest waiver for the two months of
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November and December, 2016 for farmers accessing short term crop loans from Cooperative
Banks.
Additional financial liability of Rs. 1060.50 will be provided through NABARD for
refinance to the Cooperative Banks on account of interest waiver of two months for
November and December, 2016.
Union Cabinet Approves Pragati Maidan Redevelopment Proposal of ITPO

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi
approved the proposal of India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) on January 24, 2017
for redevelopment of Pragati Maidan by setting up of a world class Integrated Exhibition-
cum-Convention Centre (IECC) at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi.
The project is worth Rs.2,254 crore. Out of the total cost, ITPO will fund Rs.1,200 crore
out of its free reserves while the remaining Rs. 1,054 crore would be raised through
institutional loan, soft loan, external aid, land monetization with government guarantee
for the amount of institutional loan.
Union Cabinet Transfers Disinvestment Advice to Economic Affairs Department

i. The Union Cabinet has decided to transfer the role of advising the government on how
to utilize the proceeds from disinvestment from the Department of Investment and Public
Asset Management (DIPAM) to the Department of Economic Affairs.
ii.The decision aims to make the process more efficient since the Department of Economic Affairs is
in charge of budget-making, it will better decide the utilization of stake sales in public sector
undertakings (PSUs).
SC Directs Providing Daily Drug Dosage Regimen for TB Patients

i. The Supreme Court on January 23, 2017 directed the government to replace the current
practice of giving three-times-a-week dosage norm of tuberculosis (TB) drugs with a daily
dosage norm within a period of nine months to curb relapse and deaths during treatment.
ii. A Bench headed by Chief Justice of India J.S. Khehar directed the government to ensure that
every TB patients across the country are administered the new dosage regimen recently approved
by the World Health Organisation.
Ministry of Steel proposes Draft National Steel Policy 2017 at an Investment of Rs.10
lakh crore
i. The Union Ministry of Steel, headed by Chaudhary Birendra Singh has come out with
a Draft National Steel Policy 2017 to increase the supply of domestic coking coal and cut the
dependence on imports.
ii. The Ministry has seeked feedback on the policy from all the stakeholders and the public till
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January 23, 2017.

iii. The draft policy aims to create a globally competitive steel industry for inter-sectoral growth and
a self-sufficient steel industry that is technologically advanced, globally competitive and promotes
inclusive growth.
iv. Under the policy, the ministry has set an ambitious production target of building a capacity
of 300 million tonnes (MT) per annum by 2030-31 which is more than double from 2015-16.
The total capacity of India in 2015-16 was 122 MT.
WCD Ministry releases National Action Plan for Children, 2016

The National Girl Child Day celebration on January 24, 2017 in New Delhi was marked by the
release of National Action Plan for Children, 2016 (NPAC).
NPAC has been developed by the Ministry of Women & Child Development.
Features of NPAC 2016
i. The Plan focuses on four key areas including survival; health & nutrition; education &
development; protection & participation.
ii. Each priority areas has a set of clearly defined objectives, sub-objectives, strategies, action
points and indicators for measuring the progress by the identified stakeholders.
iii. The plan has highlighted the new and emerging concerns for children such as online child abuse,
children affected by natural and man-made disasters and climate change.
Andhra Pradesh Launches Rs 100 cr fund of funds for Fintech Startups

i. The Andhra Pradesh under Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has announced Rs 100-crore
fund of funds on January 25, 2017 to invest in Fintech startups.
ii. Fintech is being seen as a promising space to generate job, thus the state has initiated an
industry-academia-government partnership to tap and refine skilled talent available at cheaper
costs to develop Visakhapatnam into a global fintech hub.
Assam Ratifies Proposal to set up Bhutans Consulate General Office in Guwahati

i. The Government of Assam led by Chief Minister Sarbanand Sonowal, on January 27, 2017
agreed to a proposal by the Royal Government of Bhutan for setting up of a Consulate General
Office in Guwahati and also conveyed this decision to the Union Ministry of External Affairs.
ii. The proposal was ratified by the Assam government in a meeting held in Guwahati between top
Assam government officials and a five-member delegation of the Royal Government of Bhutan.
IMD to Set up Weather Stations in 660 Districts by 2019

i. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has decided to set up weather stations in 660
districts of the country for better and prompt weather forecasting with major focus on rain-fed and
non-rain-fed areas to give crop specific advisories
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ii. The system would be launched in phased manner. Initially, IMD has planned to set up the
system in 130 districts and gradually increase it to 660 by 2019. The plan will be taken at block
level after successful functioning at district level.
iii. The IMD has also tied up with the Ministry of Agriculture to use the Krishi Vigyan Kendras
(KVKs), under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) in the districts, as weather
forecasting observatories.
Nitin Gadkari Announces to Develop 1,253 km road in Assam as National Highways

i. The Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways and Shipping, Nitin Jairam
Gadkari,inaugurated a 3-lane Brahmaputra Bridge at Saraighat in Guwahati on January 29, 2017.
ii. As a part of the event, the Minister announced that the government would spend Rs 15,000
crores to develop 1,253 kilometres of roads in Assam into National Highways over the next
few years.
Karnataka Govt Approves Amending Laws to Lift Ban on Kambala & Bullock Cart Race
i. The Karnataka state cabinet on January 28, 2017 approved amending Prevention of Cruelty
to Animals Bill, 1960 Act to legalize the Kambala and Bullock Cart Race which is a traditional
festival held annually in Karnataka.
ii. The amendment Bill will be introduced by the state cabinet in the legislature session scheduled
to be begin from February 6.
iii. The Karnataka High Court banned the Kambala after animal rights group filed a petition to ban
the sport as it showed cruelty against animals in sports like bull-taming and buffalo-racing.
Bombay Natural History Society launches climate change programme in Central

Himalayas
i. The Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) has launched climate change programme to
assess the status, distribution and conservation of pheasants and finches in the Central
Himalayas.
ii. Aim: To evaluate the socio-economic activities of local communities and involve them in
conservation efforts and sensitize the local forest department staff.
iii. This programme is funded by Oracle and facilitated by CAF-India.
Railway Ministry Requests Separate Fund for Rashtriya Rail Safety Fund
The Ministry of Railway has proposed the Finance Ministry to create a non-lapsable safety fund
named Rashtriya Rail Sanraksha Kosh over five years with initial corpus of Rs. 20000
crore and contribute a portion to fund it in the upcoming Budget 2017 to be presented on February
1.
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The decision to set up the safety fund is based on the recommendation of a high-level
safety review committee under the chairmanship of Dr. Anil Kakodkar, former chairman
of Atomic Energy Commission.
Funding of the Rashtriya Rail Sanraksha Kosh
Though the Finance Ministry has approved the proposal of the Railway Ministry to set up the safety
fund, but the monetary assistance that would be provided by the Ministry for the upcoming financial
year would limit to Rs. 5000 crore.
Rs. 10000 would be infused from the Central Road Fund (CRF) that is collected by levying
a cess on diesel and petrol for safety-related work.
Besides, the remaining Rs. 5000 crore will have to be raised by the Railway Ministry from
its own resources.
E-Paathsala Launches Unique Technology-Backed Services for Educational Institutions in

India
i. Bangalore based Start-up firm E-paathsala has launched an integrated accreditation and
ERP technology solution for the colleges and universities to enable them better manage
their multiple accreditation standards in an easy, efficient and fast manner and bridge the gap
identified for specific accreditations.
ii. Every college and University has multiple accreditations for standards such as NAAC (National
Assessment and Accreditation Council), NBA (National Board of Accreditation) among others.
iii. E-paathsala would provide a software and consultancy solutions that would help the
institutions to improve their management system with emphasis on improving accreditation
standards. Besides, it would provide an ERP solution to help the colleges improve their
performances as per the benchmark standards.
iv . With the help of the ERP solution the educational institution would get an accreditation report
about any gap in the management system of the multiple standards and necessary
recommendations for improvement to get better grades for the accreditations.
Income Tax Department (ITD) launches Operation Clean Money

i. Income Tax Department (ITD) lead by Sushil Chandra has launched Operation Clean Money on
January 31, 201 to verify the cash deposited in the banks during November 9th to December 30th
2016.
ii. An online Verification process will be carried out by comparing the demonetisation datawith
information in ITD databases.
iii. This information will be available at the portal https://incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in.
iv. Email and SMS will be sent to the taxpayers if any case they found in the database. The
taxpayers should submit their online response on the portal within 10 days.
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Nation Celebrates 68th Republic Day on January 26, 2017

India celebrated its 68th Republic Day on January 26, 2017. The Theme of 2017 Republic Day
is: Skill India and Beti Bachao Beti Padhao.Every year this day is celebrated on January 26, as
it was on this day that the Constitution of India came into force in the year 1950.
Important Highlights of Republic Day 2017
Chief Guest
Every year India invites a special state guest of honour to be the chief guest at the Republic Day
ceremony. This year the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and the Deputy Supreme Commander of the
Armed Forces of United Arab Emirates (UAE), Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan was
the Chief Guest at the ceremony.
Republic Day Parade
The Republic Day celebration started with flag hoisting ceremony, done by President Pranab
Mukherjee, followed by a 21-gun salute and the Republic Day Parade from Rajpath. The Parade
begins from Rajpath and concludes at the Red Fort in New Delhi.
The parade showcased Indias military strength, achievements and its diverse culture at
the Rajpath.
The Republic Day Parade was commanded by Lt General Manoj Mukund Naravane,
General Officer Commanding, Delhi Area.
UAE contingent in the parade
For the first time in the history of Republic Day, a foreign contingent of 179 UAE Soldiers led the
annual parade on Rajpath. A 35-member UAE strong band along with 144 soldiers, led
by Brigadier Obaid Al-Zahumi, performed the marched past. In 2016, a French contingent had
marched on Rajpath.
NSG commandos in the Parade
A contingent of National Security Guards, also known as the Black Cat commandos, took part in the
parade for the first time. A contingent of 60 commandos dressed in their black overalls and full
armed gear marched on the Rajpath, giving ceremonial salute to President Pranab Mukherjee.
Other attractions of the Parade
The marching contingents of Army included horse-mounted columns of the 61st Cavalry, the
Mechanised Infantry Regiment, the Bihar Regiment, the 39 Gorkha Training Centre, 58 Gorkha
Training Centre, the Madras Engineering Group and Centre and 103 Infantry Battalion.
The Indian Army showcased its missile firing capability T-90 Bhishma tank, Infantry
Combat Vehicle BMP-2K, BrahMos Missile System, Weapon Locating Raddar Swathi and
Akash Weapons System. Besides, it also displayed Indias first indigenously-built 155 mm
artillery gun, Dhanush.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) tableau was based on the theme Air Dominance Through
Network Centric Operations. The tableau displayed the scaled down models of Su-30
MKI, Mirage-2000, AWACS, UAV, Apache and Communication Satellite.
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The Navy contingent comprised 144 young sailors and it was led by Lieutenant Aparna
Nair. The Indian Navys tableau showcased the indigenously built Kolkata Class Destroyer
and the Kalvari Class next generation attack submarines, model of the P-8I Long Range
Maritime Patrol Aircraft.
The paramilitary and other auxiliary civil forces included the Border Security Force Camel
Contingent, Indian Coast Guard, Central Reserve Police Force, Central Industrial Security
Force, Delhi Police, National Cadet Corps and National Service Scheme.
The parade also showcased the heroic motor bike stunts of Dare Devils- the motorcycle
display team of Corps of Military Police.
Tableaux from 17 states and Union Territories and six central ministries and departments
showcased the varied historical, art and cultural heritage of the country.
21 of the 25 children who won the National Bravery Award also participated in the parade.
Four children have received the award posthumously. Besides, students from different
zones also participated in the pararde
The main highlight of the parade was a spectacular fly-past by the Indian Air Forces Mi-
35 helicopters, indigenous combat light aircraft Tejas, Jaguars and Sukhois.
Gallantry Awards to Navy on 26 January 2017
As a part of the Republic Day celebration, President Pranab Mukherjee conferred 3 Gallantry awards
on the Indian Navy. It included one Shaurya Chakra and two Nao Sena medals.
1. Shaurya Chakra: Ashu Singh(posthumously)
2. Nao Sena Medal: Rakesh Kumar(posthumously)
3. Nao Sena Medal: LT CDR NEERAJ KUMAR
Gallantry Awards to Air Force on 26 January 2017
The Indian Air Force received 4 Vayu Sena Medals (Gallantry).
President Announced 398 Republic Day Gallantry and other Defence Decorations
On the occasion of Republic Day, the President approved 398 Gallantry awards and other
Defence decorations to Armed Forces personnel and others.
The 398 Gallantry award included 2 Kirti Chakras, 12 Shaurya Chakras, 3 Bar to Sena Medal
(Gallantry), 91 Sena Medal (Gallantry), 2 Nao Sena Medal (Gallantry), 4 Vayu Sena Medal
(Gallantry), 29 Param Vishisht Seva Medal, 5 Uttam Yudh Seva Medal, 2 Bar to Ati
Vishisht Seva Medal, 49 Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, 14 Yudh Seva Medal, 4 Bar to Sena Medal
(Devotion to Duty), 36 Sena Medal (Devotion to Duty), 8 Nao Sena Medal (Devotion to Duty),
14 Vayu Sena Medal (Devotion to Duty), 4Bar to Vishisht Seva Medal and 119 Vishisht Seva
Medal.
Besides these, the President also approved 7 awards to Indian Coast Guard Personnel for
gallantry, meritorious service and distinguished service and 44 Mention-in-Despatches were
awarded to 44 personnel from Army
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Among the special mentions of the awardees are Eastern Army Commander Lt Gen Praveen
Bakshi and Southern Army Commander Lt Gen PM Hariz who were overlooked in the
appointment of Army Chief were given the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM).
Colonel Kapil Yadav, Commanding Officer of 9 Para and Colonel Harpreet Sandhu,
Commanding Officer of Para 4 of the Special Forces (SF), which had carried out the surgical
strikes in September 2016 were honoured with the Yudh Sewa Medal (YSM).
President Honors Havaldar Hangpan Dada with Ashok Chakra Posthumously
President Pranab Mukherjee awarded the Ashok Chakra on January 26, 2017 to Havaldar
Hangpan Dada posthumously for killing four terrorists who had infiltrated into north Kashmir in
May 2016. The award was received by his wife Chasen Lowang at Rajpath.
Ashok Chakra is the countrys highest peacetime military decoration awarded for
courageous action or self sacrifice by an army man from battle field.
Havildar Dada was from Boduria village in Arunachal Pradesh. He had been posted in
north Kashmir since late 2015. He joined the Assam Regiment of the Indian Army in 1997
and was posted with the 35 Rashtriya Rifles.
Dr. Mahesh Sharma Inaugurates Bharat Parv at Red Fort, Delhi
As part of the Republic Day 2017 Celebrations, the Government of India has organized Bharat
Parv at the Red Fort, Delhi from January 26-31, 2017.
Bharat Parv is a National festival to showcase countrys diverse culture, cuisines, and
handicrafts. Minister of State (Independent charge) for Tourism and Culture inaugurated
the event.
Aim: To generate a patriotic mood, promote the rich cultural diversity of the country,
ensure wider participation of the general public and to popularise the idea of Ek Bharat
Shreshta Bharat.
The event would include display of the Republic Day Parade Tableaux, Performances by
the Armed Forces Bands (static and moving), Multi-Cuisine Food Court having about 50
stalls, Crafts Mela, Cultural Performances from different regions of the country and a
Photo Exhibition by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting.
The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting has set up a Photo Exhibition on the theme
Mera Desh Badal Raha Hai, Aage Badh Raha Hai.
Delhi University Becomes Indias First Public University to get Monumental Flag
The Hans Raj College of Delhi University hoisted the monumental flag on January 25, 2017 on
its campus on the occasion of the 68th Republic Day celebrations, making DU the first public
university in the country to get a monumental flagpole.
o The 100ft-tall flag was hoisted by Member of Parliament, Naveen Jindal, a Hans Raj
alumnus and founder of the Flag Foundation of India (FFOI), a non profit firm to promote
national flag.
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o This is the second monumental flag by FFOI in Delhi. The first monumental flag 207ft-tall
was installed in Central Park, Connaught Place.
o The decision to install the monumental flag in DU had come in the light of the controversy
over the alleged shouting of anti-India slogans being raised at an event in JNU.
Background
In February 2016, all Central university vice-chancellors resolved to install the national
flag prominently and proudly on their campuses during a meeting chaired by then HRD Minister
Smriti Irani with an aim of instilling nationalism and pride in students.
The Flag Foundation of India
The Flag Foundation of India was set up as a registered society under the societies registration act
of 1980, a non-profit body on 3rd June 2002.
It was set up after Honble MP Mr. Naveen Jindal won a seven-year long court battle that
enabled all Indians to display the National Flag with honour and pride at homes, offices
and factories on all days of the year.
On 3rd June 2002, after a long and hard legal battle fought by Mr. Naveen Jindal, the
Supreme Court of India ruled that the display of the national flag by every citizen on all
days of the year, a fundamental right. Thereafter, he founded the Flag Foundation of
India, a non-governmental organization.
Burj Khalifa in Dubai Lits up in Tricolor
The worlds tallest building, Burj Khalifa, in Dubai, UAE was lit up on January 25, 2017 in tricolours
saffron, white and green marking the 68th Republic Day of India.
The iconic building is 823 metres high and was named in honour of the ruler of Abu Dhabi
and president of the United Arab Emirates Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
The gesture showcases the strong cultural and trade ties between India and UAE
PLACES IN NEWS
11- Days Gala Festival BargarhDhanuaJatra Begins in Odisha
i. The World famous 11-day gala festival BargarhDhanuaJatra began on 2 January 2017 in
western Odisha. All rituals were performed before Goddess Samaleswari, the presiding deity of
the event.
ii. DhanuJatra is an annual drama-based open air theatrical performance celebrated in and
around Bargarh city spanning over an area of 6 km radius. It is considered to be the worlds
largest open air theatrical festival.
Reign of King Kansa kickstarts largest open-air theatre fest in Odisha

i. The 11-day worlds largest open air theatre festival Reign of King Kansa began
in Bargarh district, Odisha.
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ii. This festival is based on Krishna Leela and Mathura Vijay which are enacted in 14 main places
at Mathura and four places in Gopapura
Mega Festival on 350th Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti Organized in Patna

The 350th Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti was celebrated across the world on January 5,
2017.Marking the occasion, a huge festival known as Prakash Utsav also known as Prakash Parv
has been organized in Patna, Bihar the birth place of the Guru.
The festival which is celebrated every year in Patna is attended by nearly 5 lakh devotees each
year. The festival has been organized at the citys iconic, sprawling Gandhi Maidan.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the Prakash Utsav, which marks the 350th
birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh.
A makeshift Gurudwara has been set up at Gandhi Maidan. The Holy Gurugranth Sahib
has been installed in view of Prakash Parv celebrations.
Commemorative Postage stamp
Prime Minister Modi released a commemorative postage stamp to mark the occasion of 350th birth
anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh.
2017 Island Tourism Festival Begins in Andaman & Nicobar Island

i. The 2017 Island Tourism Festival began at Port Blair in Andaman and Nicobar Islands on
January 6, 2017. The 10-Day Event was inaugurated by the Lieutenant Governor of Island,
JagdishMukhi at the ITF Ground.
ii. The event will experience performances by the cultural troupes from mainland India to help
the Islanders renew their cultural ties with mainland. The troupes from both India and Island will
also perform in outer Islands apart from South Andaman.
44th New Delhi World Book Fair to focus on women writing begin
i. The 44th edition of the New Delhi World Book Fair, 9-day-long fair, organised by National
Book Trust (NBT) in association with India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO).
ii. Aim: To show and project the diversity of writings by women writers.
iii. Theme: Manushi, focusing on writings on and by women.
All India Conference of Waqf Boards held in New Delhi

The All India Conference of Chairpersons and Chief Executive Officers of states and union
territories Waqf Boards has been inaugurated by Minister of State for Minority Affairs Mukhtar
Abbas Naqvi on December 7, 2017 in New Delhi
Discussion related to
i. To review of progress under the schemes relating to grant of financial assistance for
computerisation of waqf properties
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ii. To strengthening of waqf boards and development of waqf properties by the National Waqf
Development Corporation Ltd.
2017 International Kite festival begins at Ahmedabad

i. A 7 day International Kite Festival is inaugurated by Gujarat Governor, OP
Kohli and CM Vijay Rupani at the Sabarmati riverfront, Ahmedabad on January 8, 2017
ii. International Kite festival includes a theme pavilion based on Tourist Destinations of
Gujarat, kite workshop, adventure games for kids, craft stalls to display the local art and food
stalls with local delicacies for the visitors.
Maharashtra launched Indias first 247 helpline for forests

i. Indias first state-wide call centre facility the Maharashtra forest department launched by
Maharashtra state Forest Minister forest minister Sudhir Mungantiwar at Goregaon in Mumbai
on January 6, 2017
ii. State government soon will launch 247 toll free number 1926 to complaints or get information
about a variety of issues related to forests and wildlife.
9th Jaipur International Film Festival begins in Jaipur

i. The 9th edition of the worlds fastest growing film festival, Jaipur International Film Festival
(JIFF) began on 7 January 2017 and will conclude on January 11, 2017 at the Golcha Cinema in
Jaipur, Rajasthan. The two other venue were the festival would take place are the Manipal
University, Jaipur and the Rajasthan Praudh Shikshan Samiti (Rajasthan Adult Education
Association).
ii. The five-day event aims to promote emerging directors, as well as encourage the exchange of
knowledge, information, ideas and culture between India and the participating nations..
Maharashtra Government Launches Countrys Largest WiFi Service

i. Maharashtra Government led by Chief Minister Devandra Fednavis launched Indias largest
Public wifi service, MumbaiWifi on January 9, 2017 to digitally empower the residents of the
state.
ii .Mumbai Wifi is also considered as one of the largest wifi facility in the world. The wifi facility
will be covered in a phased manner.
President Mukherjee inaugurates 28th Dantan Gramin Mela in West Bengal

i. 28th Dantan Gramin Mela was inaugurated by President Pranab Mukherjee in Midnapore
district in West Bengal on January 20, 2017.
ii. The mela display the rural handicraft skills of the people of the region and the different goods
ranging from textile to terracotta.
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Delhi Airport Adopts Worlds First Digital Platform ARC

i. The Delhi Airport on January 10, 2017 informed that has adopted a unique performance and
benchmarking digital platform, ARC, and claims that it is first in the world to adopt such
platform.
ii .The dynamic platform, developed at the Airports Terminal 3, has been developed by Green
Business Certification Inc (GBCI) and US Green Building Council (USGBC). These are the
global certifying body for all Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) projects.
Worlds first gender literature fest to be held in Patna

i. The worlds first Gender Literature Festival is scheduled to be held in Patna, Bihar in the
second week of April, 2017
ii. Aim : To create a platform, to exchange ideas, and to share and learn experiences of renowned
people in the field of gender literature.
iii. This festival will be organised by Gender Resource Centre of Bihars Women Development
Corporation.
46 Constituencies in UP to have Urdu Electoral Rolls for the First Time

i. The State Election Commission (SEC) of Uttar Pradesh has decided to include, for the first
time, voters list printed in Urdu which was so far only printed in Hindi and English.
ii. In Uttar Pradesh about 46 constituencies in 22 districts will have voters list printed in Urdu
as well as Hindi & English, where Assembly elections will be held in February 2017. But in case of a
dispute, the Hindi version of the rolls will be held as valid.
Kerala Launched its First Solar Powered Boat Aditya

i. The Chief Minister of Kerala, Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated the first solar-powered boat of the
state water transport department, Aditya on January 12, 2017 at a function held in Vaikom boat
Jetty in Kerala.
ii. Piyush Goyal, Minister of State with independent charge for New & Renewable Energy, was
the chief guest.
iii. The 75 seating capacity boat has been built by Kochi-based NavAlt Pvt Ltd. The construction
of the Rs 1.50-crore boat took nearly two years and will do service between Vaikom and
Thavanakkadavu.
Fourth International Kite Festival begins in New Delhi

The three day International Kite Festival was inaugurated by Delhi Tourim Minister Kapil
Mishra at Dwarkas DDA Ground in New Delhi on January 14, 2017. The festival was organised
by Delhi Tourism department
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Annual Two day Camel Festival Held in Bikaner

i. The annual camel festival was held in Bikaner, Rajasthan from January 14-January 15, 2017 in
the presence of domestic as well as foreign tourists.
ii. The two-day festival was organised by the Rajasthan Tourism Department and the Bikaner
district administration. The District Collector, Ved Prakash flagged off a procession from
Junagarh which ended at Karni Singh Stadium in Bikaner, Rajasthan.
First Edition of ABU International Television Dance Festival Held in Hyderabad

i. The first edition of the ABU International Television Dance Festival (AIDF) organized by
the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) was held in Hyderabad from January 13 to January
15, 2017.
ii. Objective: To create a bridge between young people from different parts of the world through
dance.
iii The festival was inaugurated by the Union Information & Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah
Naidu while the Chief Minister of Telangana, K. Chandrashekar Rao was the guest of honour.
Kozhikode Corporation becomes First Elderly-friendly corporation in Kerala

Kozhikode Corporation was declared as the first Elderly-Friendly Corporation in Kerala. The state
government has planned to setup Senior citizens club, Day care centres as a part
of Vayomitram project for the welfare of the elder people in the state
Asias cleanest village Mawlynnong in Meghalaya becomes role model for cleanliness
i. Mawlynnong village in the East Khasi Hills district of the Meghalaya state has become a role
model for cleanliness said by the Secretary of the village. Mawlynnong was awarded the prestigious
tag of Cleanest Village in Asia in 2003.
ii. Every family in this village have constructed toilets in 1989 and 3 public toilets have been
constructed under Swachh Bharat Mission.
Kangra first ever district to geo-tag all assets under MGNREGA

i. Kangra village in Himachal Pradesh achieved the geo-tag 100 per cent of the assets
generated under the MGNREGA said by Himachal Pradesh CM Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh.
ii. Kangra was the first district in India to achieved this target. It would help people in integrated
development of all sectors like agriculture, irrigation, education, health etc.
10th Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF) Begins in Jaipur

i. The 10th edition of the Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF) was inaugurated on January 19, 2017
at the historic Diggi Palace, Jaipur, Rajasthan jointly by Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, veteran
lyricist Gulzar, American poet Anne Waldman and spiritual writer Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev.
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ii. The theme of the 10th edition of JLF is The Freedom to Dream: India at 70. JLF is considered
as the Greatest Literary Show on Earth
Textile Ministry Inaugurates Meghalayas First Ever Apparel and Garment Centre at
Ampati
i. Meghalayas first ever Apparel and Garment Making Centre was inaugurated on January 30,
2017 jointly by Union Textiles Minister Smriti Zubin Irani and Chief Minister of Meghalaya Dr.
Mukul Sangma near Ampati in South West Garo Hills.
ii. The centre would enable to create job opportunity for both men and women of the region and
make them economically empowered.
Ministry of Defence to Set up Rs 1500 cr Defence Unit in Madhya Pradesh

i. The Union Minister for Panchayati Raj and Rural Development, Narendra Singh Tomar announced
on January 31, 2017 that the Ministry of Defence is set to open its Defence
Unit in Morena district of Madhya Pradesh.
ii. The unit would be set up in Kailaras and Sabalgarh tehsil areas and span over 969.735
hectare of land at a cost of Rs. 1500 crore.
Bihar Forms 11,292 km Human Chain to Eliminate Alcohol

i. Bihar formed the worlds largest human chain in the state on January 21, 2017 by holding
hands of each other in order to express unity and support towards liquor ban.
ii. The human chain was about 11,292 km comprising of two crore citizens.
iii. The 45-minute-long human chain formation was inaugurated at the
historic Gandhi Maidan by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar by holding the hand of RJD
supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav on one side and state Legislative Assembly Speaker Vijay Kumar
Chaudhary on the other.
Three-Day Arogya Mitra Conference Begins in Silchar, Assam

i. Assam State Governor Banwarilal Purohit inaugurated the Arogya Mitra conference on
January 21, 2017 at Silchar. The three day conference has been organised by the south Assam
zone of the NGO, Keshab Smarak Sanskriti Surabhi at the campus of Veterinary College,
Ghungoor.
ii. Aarogya Mitra Seva Kendra have been set up in 701 places to achieve the objective. The
conference would see participation by over 1000 people from Barak Valley and adjoining areas.
Goa First State to Send Postal Ballots Electronically to Service Voters

i. The Chief Election Commissioner(CEC) of India, Syed Nasim Zaidi on January 22, 2017
informed that the state government of Goa has opted for an initiative involving electronic
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transmission of postal ballot to service voters in the upcoming assembly polls. This initiative
will make Goa the first state in the country to do so.
ii. The returning officers will transfer the postal ballots to service voters by electronic means so that
the service voters can download it, fill it and send it via e-mail to returning officer.
Kiren Rijiju Lays Foundation stone of Integrated Check Post near Indo-Bangla border
i. The Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju laid the foundation stone for an Integrated Check-
Post (ICP) on January 24, 2017 at the Indo-Bangladesh border in Meghalaya.
ii. The main aim of the ICP is to boost employment opportunity besides boosting bilateral ties with
the neighboring countries.
iii. The project is targeted to be completed by August 2018.The project worth Rs. 92.34
crore spans over an area of 22 acres.
Madhya Pradesh Announces Total Ban on Polythene Bags from May 1, 2017
i. During the Republic Day address on January 26, 2017 in the state, Chief Minister of Madhya
Pradesh, Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced a complete ban on polythene carry bags from
May 1, 2017 in Madhya Pradesh.
ii. The decision aims to conserve environment, promote cleanliness and protect cows that generally
dies of eating plastic bags.
iii. For the proper implementation of the ban, the CM has given three months time to the polythene
manufacturers.
Head Post Offices to Offer Services of Passport Seva Kendras

i. The Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers Ananth Kumar inaugurated Indias first Post
Office Passport Seva Kendras (POPSK) at Metagalli post office in Mysuru on January 25, 2017.
The second POPSK simultaneously opened in Gujarat.
ii. The POPSK has been launched to expand the passport services over a wide area and simplify the
process to travel abroad.
iii. The Ministry of External Affairs and the Department of Posts (DOP) made Joint Venture to
implement the project of delivering passport-related services. Initially the pilot project has been
inaugurated at the Mysuru Head Post office in Karnataka and at Dahod in Gujarat.
Three-day long Brahmaputra Literary Festival Begins in Guwahati

i. The three-day long Brahmaputra Literary festival began in Guwahati, Assam on January 28,
2017. The festival has been by the State Government jointly with the National Book Trust.
ii. The event was inaugurated by the Human Resource Development Minister Prakash
Javadekar in presence of Assam Chief Minister Sarbanand Sonowal and others.
iii. The main focus of the festival is in the languages, literature, culture, society, politics,
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performance traditions, music, identity, media of the northeastern region of the country including
national and international elements packages.
Indias First Multi-Sports Museum Inaugurated in Kolkata

i .Indias first multi-sports museum, Fanatic Sports Museum (FSM), was inaugurated on January
29, 2017 at the Ecospace in New Town, Rajarhat, Kolkata jointly by Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav
Ganguly, Abhinav Bindra, Deepa Malik and Devendra Jhajaria.
ii. The museum, spread over 6700 square feet, has been launched jointly by
sports historian Boria Majumdar and industrialist from Kolkata, Harshavardhan Neotia. It is a
first of its kind museum in India and is inspired by the MCC Museum at Lords and the IOC Museum
in Lausanne.
iii. Entry tickets to the museum have been priced at Rs 100 with a 50% concession for students.
iv. India already has two cricket museums located at Pune and Chennai. However the new multi-
sports museum would cover variety of games ranging from football, hockey, badminton, tennis,
golf and athletics besides cricket.
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
China to Ban Ivory Trade and Processing Activities by the end of 2017
i. China on December 30, 2016, announced a plan to ban all ivory trade and processing activities
by the end of 2017, to prevent the mass killing and threat of extinction of African elephants.
ii. The Chinese State Councils plan to end the ivory trade will be carried out over the course of
the year. It will first force a select group of legal ivory processing factories and business to close
by March 31, 2017 and gradually will completely stop the processing and sales of ivories for
commercial purposes by the end of 2017.
British govt to launch new one-pound coin at end of March

The British Treasury has decided to introduce a new 12-sided one-pound coin at end of March
2017 and scrap the 30 year old one pound coin by October 2017
A new coin will be produced by the Royal Mint in Wales and a total of 1.5 billion coins will be
issued in the first minting.
BSF to Soon Install Laser Walls and Smart Sensors at Indo-Bangla Border
i. A Laser walls and smart sensors will be soon installed at the Indo-Bangla International
Border in West Bengal especially in the porous riverine and unmanned terrain that do not
have proper fencing to keep a tight vigil to check infiltration and terrorism.
ii. A pilot project would be set up within a few months in the Indo-Bangla riverine border area in
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West Bengal. A team of technical experts will handle a pilot project for deploying technological
solutions in riverine areas and the areas that lack fences.
UNSC passes Russian Drafted Resolution over Syrian Ceasefire

i. The United Nation Security Council (UNSC) unanimously passed a resolution drafted
by Russia on December 31, 2017, to end the nearly six-year conflict in Syria and called for
peace negotiations through nationwide Syrian ceasefire.
ii. The resolution is an effort taken by Russia and Turkey which aims at stopping violence in Syria
and launch a political process. The UN body is also committed to the sovereignty, independence,
unity and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic.
India and Sri Lanka Agrees to find permanent solution to the fishermen issues
i. A ministerial level talks between Indian Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare of India
Radha Mohan Singh and Minister for Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development of Sri
Lanka MahindaAmaraweera was held in Colombo on January 2, 2016.
ii. Under the agreement reached after a meeting of JWG, both the countries agreed to release all
Indian and Sri Lankan fishermen in each others custody.
iii. The meeting between the ministers was at the joint working group (JWG) level, constituted in a
decision taken in November 6, 2016 in New Delhi. The first meeting of the joint working group on
fisheries was held in December 31, 2016 in New Delhi.
Pakistan finally approved the Hindu marriage bill

i. Pakistans Senate Functional Committee on Human Rights chaired by NasreenJalil approved the
much-awaited Hindu Marriages Bill on January 2, 2017 while the National Assembly passed the
Hindu Marriage Bill in September 2016.
ii. Hindu Marriages Bill will enable the Hindu community members to get their marriages registered
and to appeal in courts of law in cases of separation
China launches first freight train to London

i. China has launched its first freight train to London
ii. The train will travel for about 18 days and more than 12,000 km before reaching its
destination in Britain
iii. It will pass through Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus, Poland, Germany, Belgium and France before
arriving in London.
Supreme Court of Nepal Gives Go Ahead Nod to Government on crucial Constitution

amendment bill
i. Nepals Supreme Court on January 2, 2017 gave a go ahead signal to the government with a
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crucial Constitution amendment bill, to accommodate the demands of the agitating Madhesi and
ethnic groups.
ii. A division bench of Chief Justice SushilaKarki and Ishwor Prasad Khatiwada issued the
order that the judiciary could not bar the legislature from using its wisdom in the formulation of
legislation, on the basis of the principle of separation of powers.
Finland become 1st country in world to pay basic income to randomly picked citizens on
national level
i. Finland has become the first country in the world to give some basic income to
unemployed citizens to ensure a universal income offering greater security, especially as
technological advances reduce the need for human labour.
ii. Aim : To tackle unemployment, which stands at 8.1 percent in a nation of 5.5 million.
China Launches the Worlds Longest Bullet Train Shangri-la of the World
i. China on 5 January 2017 launched its longest bullet train named Shangri-la of the World. It
runs between Kunming, capital of southwest Chinas Yunnan Province to Beijing.
ii. The train left Kunming at 11:05 a.m to cover the 2,760-km trip to Beijing and took around 13
hours.
iii. The name of the train reflects the world famous resort in Shangri-la of Yunnan. The cost
of second class seat of the train is about 1,147.5 yuan (USD 166).
iv .This line on which the trainShangri-la of the World will run is the longest east-west high-speed
railway in China. China has already built more than 20,000 km of high-speed rail lines and the
government plans to increase it to 45,000 km by 2030.
Norway to become first country to switch off FM radio

i. The Norwegian government will become the worlds first country to shut down its FM
network from January 11, 2017 to digital will save money and allow national radio stations to
invest more in radio content.
Israel Building Worlds Tallest Solar Tower

i. The worlds tallest solar tower is currently being constructed in Israels Negev desert.
ii. It will be 250 meters (820 feet) tall, is encircled by around 50,000 mirrors, called heliostats.
China to set up worlds highest altitude telescopes in Tibet

The worlds highest altitude gravitational wave telescopes which is located 5,250 meters above
sea level to come up in Roof of the World or Tibet by China with an investment of USD 18.8
million. It is expected to be operational by 2021.
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About the Telescope :

i.This telescope will be used to detect faintest echoes resonating from universe which may reveal
more about the Big Bang theory.
ii. Construction has started for the first telescope named Ngari No 1, 30 km south of Shiquanhe
Town in Ngari Prefecture
Saudi Arabia Increases Annual Haj Quota for India by 34500

i. Minister of State for Minority Affairs (Independent Charge) Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Saudi
Arabias Haj and Umrah Minister Dr. Mohammad Saleh bin Taher Benten inked an agreement
on January 11, 2017 in Jeddah to hike the Indias annual Haj quota by 34,500.
ii. With this the Indias Haj quota has been increased from 1,36,020 to 1,70,520. Last year,
1,35,903 devotees from India performed Haj. The increase will be eefective from January 1, 2017.
Europes first underwater museum opens in Lanzarote

i. The first and only underwater sculpture museum of Europe, Museo Atlantico, has been
inaugurated on January 10, 2017 off the Canary Island coast of Lanzarote.
ii. The museum has been created at a depth of between 12 and 15 meters on the ocean floor and
will be accessible to scuba divers and visible to glass-bottom boats.
Japan Pledges 1 Trillion Yen Aid Package to Philippines

i. Japans Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on January 13, 2017 signed a 1-trillion yen (8.7 billion
dollars) aid package to the Philippines for the next five years to improve economic and political
relations between the two island nations.
ii. The package is focused on infrastructure and energy. The move aims to utilize the Japanese
technology and know-how to the fullest extent to positively cooperate for the improvement of
infrastructure in Metro Manila and the whole of the Philippines.
Pakistans PM Nawaz Sharif Inaugurates Renovation of Katas Raj temple

i. Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif inaugurated the renovation of the Katas Raj Hindu
temple in Chakwal district in the Punjab Province of Pakistan on January 11, 2017 as a part of the
policy to establish Pakistans identity as a minority-friendly country.
ii. The work includes installation of a water filtration plant in the Amrat Jal area.
iii. The Katas Raj temple is admired by Hindus across the globe as very sacred as it is believed that
the foundation of the sacred site was laid by Lord Shiva.
Russia Amends Laws Permitting Long Term Spares Support to India

i. Russia has amended its laws permitting lot of their Original Equipment Manufacturers
(OEMs) to enter into long-term agreements for spares and support for military equipment supplied
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to India
ii. This will address long-standing concerns regarding import of equipment
Russia Plans to Ban Cigarette Sale for Those Born After 2015
i. The Russian health ministry has announced plans to ban the sale of cigarettes to
anyone born after 2015 as a part of its effort to combat smoking from 2017 to 2022.
ii. With this move, Russia will become the first country in the world to completely phase out
tobacco. The decision would go into effect in 2033, when the affected Russian citizens who are
currently now babies, turn 18 years old.
Ecuador appointed new Chairman of UN Group of 77

i. Ecuador was on January 13, 2017 appointed as the new Chairman of the United Nations
Group of 77 which promotes the interests of the 134 developing countries it represents at the
United Nations, including China.
ii. The country took over from Thailand which focused on how to implement the 17 UN goals for
2030 to promote development and good governance, and preserve the environment.
US Ends Two-Decade Economic Sanction on Sudan

i. The US President Barack Obama on January 13, 2017 announced to end of a 20-year
economic embargo on Sudan by lifting trade and financial sanctions to build up ties with the
Sudanese government.
ii. The announcement was made based on the efforts by the Government of Sudan to improve the
security in the region. However the lifting of the sanctions will be delayed by 180 days to encourage
Sudan to take further actions on improving human rights, resolving political divisions and military
conflicts.
Ukraine Gets its First Baby Girl Born Using New Three-Person IVF Technique
i. A baby girl was born in Ukraine on January 5, 2017 using the new technique of three-person
IVF called pronuclear transfer.
ii. The infant is being considered as the worlds second baby to be developed using three-person
IVF technique. The worlds first baby was born Mexico in September 2016.
iii. Three-person IVF was legalised in the UK in 2015. The objective of three-person IVF is to create
a child free of mitochondrial disease in cases where parents had one such disease.
WEF, UCSB partner to protect worlds $2.5 trn ocean economy

i. Switzerland based World Economic Forum announced a partnership with the UCSBs Marine
Science Institute to improve health of worlds oceans and maritime resources on January 20,
2017
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ii. Aim: To protect worlds USD 2.5 trillion ocean economy.

iii. This partnership will help the international community to meet the ocean sustainable
development goal.
No More Visa-Free Facility for Indians in Hong Kong

i. Hong Kong has withdrawn the visa-on arrival facility for Indians travelling to Hong Kong
effective from January 23, 2017.
ii. From now, the Indian nationals must apply for and successfully complete pre-arrival
registration online before they can visit or transit the HKSAR visa-free.
iii. Indians were till now permitted by Hong Kong to enter with valid passport for a period up to 14
days without a visa.
Nepal Launches 10-year-plan to Reduce Depending on India for Vegetable Imports

i. In a move to decrease dependence on vegetable imports from India, the Nepal Government has
launched a 10-year plan on January 22, 2017 to boost domestic production.
ii. The 10-year scheme aims to adopt modern farm techniques to boost vegetable
productivity in the country and make the country self-reliant in food.
iTurkish Parliament Approves Presidential Rule Paving Way for Referendum

i. The parliament of Turkey approved a constitutional reform on January 21, 2017 to strengthen
the powers of the presidency by introducing presidential rule in the country and has led the way for
a referendum on the issue by the public.
ii. If the bill will be passed then the President Tayyip Erdogan would serve the office until 2029.
Erdogan was appointed the president in 2014 after over a decade as prime minister. Since then he
used his powers to the limit that he dominated politics by dint of his personal popularity.
China Develops Worlds Biggest Solar Park

i. In an effort to become the super powerful occupier of green energy, China has built the worlds
biggest solar park, Longyangxia Dam Solar Park, in the western province of Qinghai.
ii. The park spans over 27 square km of area and can produce 850 MW of power which is enough
to supply up to 200,000 households.
Trump Signs Order to Withdraws US from Trans-Pacific Partnership Deal

The new US president, Donald Trump signed a formal executive order on January 23, 2017
to withdraw the country from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal, thus keeping his
promise made during his presidential campaign.
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Russia, Turkey and Iran to Jointly Monitor Syria Truce

i. Russia, Turkey and Iran have agreed to jointly monitor the fragile cease-fire between the Syrian
regime and rebels to find a political solution of ending the six-year conflict.
ii. The accord was signed by Moscow and Ankara and Tehran on January 24, 2017 in Kazakhstan
on behalf of the Syrian government and armed rebel groups.
Trump orders 2,000-mile wall to be built on Mexico border

i. United States President Donald Trump signed an executive order to enable construction of
a 2,000-mile wall along the southern US border with Mexico.
ii. The wall is aimed at stemming the flow of drugs, illegal immigration into the US.
Surya Namaskar Yajna Recognised in US Congress

i. The annual Surya Namaskar Yajna or Health for Humanity Yogathon has
been recognized in the US House of Representative on the occasion of its 10th anniversary.
ii. Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh has organized the Yoga for Health, Health for Humanity
Yogathon from January 14 to January 29 to mark Makar Sankranti.
iii. The 16-day event will raise awareness about yoga and its advantages in achieving a healthy
body, mind, and spirit.
Donald Trump Holds First Summit With British Prime Minister Theresa May
i. After being sworn in as the President of United States on January 20, 2017, Donald
Trump held his first summit with a foreign leader, British Prime Minister Theresa May on January
27, 2017 in his Oval Office.
ii. During the conference, Trump reiterated his support for Britains decision to leave the European
Union saying that Brexit is a wonderful thing.
Inheritance Court for Non-Muslims to be Set up in Abu Dhabi

i. The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs and Chairman of Abu Dhabi Judicial
Department, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has issued a resolution to set up
a Personal Status and Inheritance Court for non Muslims in Abu Dhabi.
ii. The aim of setting up the Court is to ensure access to services for all segment of the society and
promote the culture of tolerance and acceptance of other communities values at the judiciary level.
Trump Bans 7 nations from Entering US on Security Issues

i. American President Donald Trump has signed an executive order on January 27, 2017 to
temporarily ban visas for refugees belonging to seven Muslim-majority countries namely Iraq,
Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen.
ii. The decision aims at protecting United States from the entry of foreign terrorists to keep the
nation safe. The ban is not aimed at restricting Muslim countries from entering US.
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US House of Representatives Introduces H-1B Visa Reform Bill

i. The US House of Representatives has introduced a legislation on January 30, 2017 making it
mandatory to raise the minimum salary of the H-1B visa holders to more than double at USD
1,30,000 from the previous USD 60,000.
ii. If the legislation is passed, it would highly impact American companies as they may face
difficulty in replacing the American employees with foreign workers including IT professionals from
Ireland became the worlds first country to stop investing in fossil fuels
i. Ireland has become the first country in the world to divest coal, oil and gas
investments from Ireland Strategic Investment Fund.
ii. The bill was passed in the Irish parliament by gaining 53 votes out of 90. It was introduced by
Deputy Thomas Pringle.
iii. The law regarding fully divest public money from fossil fuels expected in the upcoming month.If
the bill is enacted, it would force the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund to sell its investment in
fossil fuel industries over the next five years.
FOREIGN VISITS
Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Three Day Visit to India
The Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan was on a three
day visit to India from January 25-27, 2017 to be the Chief Guest at the 68th Republic Day
Celebration on January 26, 2017 in New Delhi.
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE
armed forces was personally received by PM Modi at the Delhi Airport and was given a
ceremonial reception at the Rashtrapati Bhawan. He also paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi
at his memorial Rajghat.
He is accompanied by a high-level delegation including ministers, senior officials and
captains of industry. A contingent of the UAE armed forces will also march with the Indian
armed forces at the Republic Day Parade.
The visit also marks a historic and proud moment for the UAE and the Arab World as for
the first time its troops comprising a mix from the army, navy and air force lead the
parade at 68th Republic Day celebration in New Delhi.
India and UAE Signs 14 Agreements to Strengthen Bilateral Cooperation on elevating
bilateral ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership
In order to further boost strategic ties, India and United Arab Emirates (UAE) signed 14
agreements on January 25, 2017 after the delegation-level talks between Prime Minister
Narendra Modi and Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan at
the Hyderabad House, New Delhi.
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List of MoUs Signed Between India and UAE

1.Agreement on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership
2.MoU for Cooperation in the field of Defence Industry between Indias Ministry of Defence and
Ministry of Defence, UAE
3.MoU in Institutional Cooperation on Maritime Transport
4.MOU between Directorate General of Shipping, India and Federal Transport Authority- Land and
Maritime, UAE on Mutual Recognition of Certificates of Competency as per the provisions of the
Standards of Training, Certification and Watch-keeping Convention (STCW78) and amendments
5.MoU between Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, India and Federal Transport Authority,
Land and Maritime, UAE on Bilateral Cooperation in road, transport and highways sector
6.MOU on cooperation in prevention and combating of human trafficking
7.MoU for cooperation in the field of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and innovation between
Ministry of Economy, United Arab Emirates and Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises
(MoSMSME), India
8.MoU between Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, India and Ministry of Climate Change
& Environment, UAE in agriculture and Allied sectors
9.MOU on mutual exemption of entry visa requirements to the holders of diplomatic, special and
official passports
10.MoU between Prasar Bharati, India and Emirates News Agency (WAM), UAE for cooperation in
programme exchange
11.MoU between Ministry of Commerce and Industry, India and Ministry of Economy, UAE on trade
remedial measures to promote cooperation in areas of mutual interest
12.Agreement on Oil Storage and Management between Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves
Limited and Abu Dhabi National Oil Company
13.MOU between National Productivity Council and Al Etihad Energy Services Co. LLC for
Cooperation in Energy Efficiency Services.
14.MOU between National Security Council Secretariat, India and National Electronic Security
Authority, UAE for technology development and cooperation in cyberspace.
UAE-India Bilateral Trade Accounted for USD 17 billion during 1st half of 2016
During the first half of 2016, the bilateral trade between the UAE and India was calculated
at USD 17 billion. Out of this, UAEs import from India rose to USD 11 billion while the non-oil
exports to India reached USD 6 billion during the same period.
PGCIL, ADWEA Signs MoU for Cooperation in Power Transmission
A Central Power Sector PSU & Central Transmission Utility, Power Grid Corporation of India
Limited (PGCIL), signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Abu Dhabi Water & Electricity
Authority (ADWEA) & its group of companies on January 25, 2017 in Gurgaon, for cooperation in
power sector.
India & UAE Resolves to Counter Terrorism Posing Threat to Peace & Security
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the visiting Crown Prince issued a joint statement on January
26, 2017 to oppose terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, wherever committed and by
whomever, and declared that there could be no justification for terrorism anywhere.
SUMMITS & CONFERENCES
PM Modi inaugurates 104th Indian Science Congress at Tirupati

i. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 104th Indian Science Congress at
Tarakarama Stadium of Sri Venkateswara University in Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh on January 3,
2017.
ii. The theme for the five-day event is Science and Technology for National Development.
The Congress would conclude on January 7, 2017.
iii. Aim of the Congress: The basic aim of the 104th Congress was to focus on strengthening the
scientific research in the country to make India among top three countries in the world in the field
of Science and Technology by 2030.
Two-day Assam Biotech Conclave 2017 Begins in Guwahati

i. The two-day Assam Biotech Conclave 2017 began in Guwahati, Assam on January 5,
2017 at a city hotel. The Conclave will have the closing ceremony on January 6, 2017.
ii. Chief Minister of Assam, SarbanandaSonowal inaugurated the Conclave.
iii. The Conclave has been organized by the Guwahati Biotech Park (GBP), in association
with Federation of Industry & Commerce of North Eastern Region (FINER), as an Industry
partner.
Three Days International on Yoga for Diabetes Organised in New Delhi

i. The Minister of State for AYUSH (Independent Charge), Shri Shripad Yesso Naik inaugurated
the International Conference on Yoga for Diabetes which began in New Delhi on January
4, 2017.
ii. The three days conference aims to generate discussions on the role of Yoga in
the prevention and management of Diabetes and draw up a roadmap to be adopted for the
control of Diabetes through Yoga.
Fourth Assam International Agri-Horti Show Begins in Assam

i. The Fourth Assam International Agri-Horti Show began in Guwahati, Assam on January 6,
2017. The Chief Minister of Assam, SarbanandaSonowal inaugurated the
programme.
ii. The Four-Day Show would be attended by about 200 organisations from 10 foreign
countries. Nearly 600 farmers from Assam will be trained on doubling farmers income, more
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crops per drop and agri-preneurship development. Business meet and discussions are also being
organised by the Assam government.
14th Pravasi Bhartiya Divas Convention Held in Bengaluru

The 14th edition of the Pravasi Bhartiya Divas (PBD) Convention 2017 kick started at
Jacaranda Hall, BIEC, in Bengaluru, Karnataka on January 7 and would conclude on January 9,
2017.
The theme of the three day PBD 2017 was Redefining Engagement with the Indian Diaspora.
Youth Pravasi Bharatiya Divas
i.The PBD began on January 7 with the Youth Pravasi Bharatiya Divas. The theme of Youth PBD
was Role of Diaspora Youth in the Transformation of India.
ii.The event was chaired by Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Vijay Goel and co-chaired by
Minister of State for External Affairs, Dr V.K. Singh.
iii.Vice President of Suriname Michael Ashwin Adhin was the Special Guest at the Youth
Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) who addressed the young overseas Indian delegates at the inaugural
session along with Minister of External Affairs Smt Sushma Swaraj, Karnataka Chief Minister
Siddaramaiah among others.
14th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention
The main event of the PBD event started on January 8, 2017.
Inaugurated by: Prime Minster Narendra Modi
Chief Guest of the Convention: Prime Minister of Portugal, Dr Antonio Costa
Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cards
i.PM Modi emphasized the contributions made by the Non-residential Indians and Persons of Indian
Origin (PIOs) in the development of India and addressed the OCIs facing difficulty in getting the
OCIs cards.
ii.The deadline for PIO card conversions to OCI has also been extended from December 31, 2016,
to June 30, 2017, without any penalty.
List of Pravasi Bharatiya Samman-2017 Awardees
S.NO. Name Country Field

1 Dr. Gorur Krishna Harinath Australia Community Service
2. Mr. Rajasekharan Pillai Valavoor Bahrain Business
Kizhakkathil
3. Antwerp Indian Association Belgium Community Service
4. Mr. Nazeer Ahamed Mohamed Brunei Community Service
Zackiriah
5. Mr. Mukund Bhikhubhai Purohit Canada Business
6. Mr. Nalinkumar Sumanlal Kothari Djibouti Community Service
7. Mr. Vinod Chandra Patel Fiji Social Service
8. Mr. Raghunath Marie Antonin Manet France Arts & Culture
9. Dr. Lael Anson E. Best Israel Medical Science
10. Dr. Sandip Kumar Tagore Japan Arts & Culture
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11. Mr. Ariful Islam Libya Community Service

12 . Tan Sri Dato Dr. Muniandy Malaysia Education and Community
Thambirajah Service
13 . Honble Mr. Pravind Kumar Jugnauth Mauritius Public Service
14 . H.E. Mr. Antonio Luis Santos da Portugal Public Service
Costa
15 . Dr. Raghavan Seetharaman Qatar Business Management
16 . Ms. Zeenat Musarrat Jafri Saudi Arabia Education
17. Singapore Indian Association Singapore Community Service
18. Dr. Carani Balaraman Sanjeevi Sweden Medicine
19 . Mr. Susheel Kumar Saraff Thailand Business
20. Mr. Winston Chandarbhan Dookeran Trinidad & Tobago Public Service
21. Mr. Vasudev Shamdas Shroff United Arab Community Service
Emirates
22 . India Social and Cultural Centre, Abu United Arab Philanthropy and Community
Dhabi Emirates Service
23 . Rt. Honble Ms. Priti Patel United Kingdom Public Service
24 . Ms. Neena Gill United Kingdom Public Service
25 . Mr. Hari Babu Bindal USA Environmental Engineering
26 . Dr. Bharat Haridas Barai USA Community Service
27 . Ms. Nisha Desai Biswal USA Public Affairs
28 . Dr. Mahesh Mehta USA Community Service
29 . Mr. Ramesh Shah USA Community Service
30. Dr. Sampatkumar Shidramapa USA Community Leadership
Shivangi
20th National Conference for e-Governance Held in Andhra Pradesh

i. The 20th National Conference on e-Governance (NCeG) was held from January 9-10, 2017
in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.
ii. The theme for the conference was Internet of Things and e-Governance.
iii. The conference was organised by Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DeitY)
and Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) in partnership with
Information Technology, Electronics and Communication (ITE&C) Department, Andhra Pradesh
Government.
Shri Kalraj Mishra Inaugurates Workshop on MSME Cooperation among IORA

i. Union Minister of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), Shri Kalraj
Mishra inaugurated a Workshop on MSME Cooperation amongst Indian Ocean Rim
Association (IORA) Member countries on January 19, 2017 in New Delhi
ii. The Ministry of MSME finalised the MoU on MSME Cooperation with Indian Ocean Rim Association
(IORA) member countries on January 20, 2017. This finalized MoU will be signed at an appropriate
forum soon. The MoU will come into effect after 5 countries signs it.
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar inaugurates International Conference & Exhibition on

Reinforced Plastics (ICERP)
i. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar inaugurated the 8th edition of the International
Conference & Exhibition on Reinforced Plastics (ICERP) on January 10, 2017 at the Bombay
44 | P a g e
Convention & Exhibition Centre (BCEC) in Mumbai, India.

ii .The three day international event will provide an ideal opportunity for the Global Composites
Industry to focus its attention to India.
iii. The conference will focus on the latest developments on mechanization, automation and
innovation to meet growing challenges of end user requirements.
International conference on Disability Communication held in Mumbai

The 3 day international conference on Disability Communication ICDC-2017
held at Rambhau Mhalgi Prabodhini in Mumbai, Maharashtra from January 9-11, 2017 with
curriculum outline of disability communication for the University of Mumbai
Highlights of the conference :
i. The conference was organized by the Department of Communication and Journalism, University
of Mumbai, in collaboration with AYJNISHD (D) Mumbai and the research group Communication,
Culture & Diversity (CCD) at Jonkoping University, Sweden.
ii. The need of developing an Indian Sign Language (ISL) akin to Muaritian Sign
Language (MSL) should be developed to be recognised as a bonafide language.Governments of
India and Mauritius are going to sign a memorandum of understanding in this regard
DEFCOM 2017 to be held in March 2017

i. The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), in association with Corps of Signals of Indian
Army is organizing DEFCOM 2017 on March23-24, 2017.
ii. The theme of the 2017 DEFCOM is Digital Army Infrastructure and Skilled Human
Resource.
iii. The objective of the conference is to harness planned aspect to develop a synergistic National
Endeavour towards equipping Defence Forces for Net Centric Warfare.
8th Edition of Vibrant Gujarat Global Investors Summit 2017 Concluded in Gandhinagar
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on a two day visit to Gujarat from January 9-10, 2017 to
inaugurate the eighth edition of the Vibrant Gujarat Global Investors Summit
2017 at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar, Gujarat on January 10, 2017.
The theme of the three day Summit is Vibrant Gujarat: Connecting India to the World
The summit was started in 2003 with the aim to attract investment in Gujarat by the then
state Chief Minister Shri Narendra Modi.
PM Modi Inaugurates Several Pre-Summit Events
On the first day of his visit to Gujarat, PM Modi attended several pre-summit events.
PM Modi Lays Foundation Stone for redevelopment of Gandhinagar Railway Station.
On January 9, 2017, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid foundation stone of redevelopment of
Gandhinagar Railway station.
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The Railway station will be developed as a modern hub at the cost of about Rs. 250
crore and will be Indias first railway station with all amenities at par with modern
airports.
Prime Minister Inaugurates Indias First International Exchange, India INX
Narendra Modi inaugurated Indias first international exchange India INX at
the International Financial Service Centre (IFSC) of GIFT City in Gandhinagar.
India INX is a wholly owned subsidiary of BSE, Bombay Stock Exchange. It would operate
for 22 hours a day allowing international investors and NRIs to trade from anywhere across
the globe.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates Vibrant Gujarat Global Trade Show
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also inaugurated Vibrant Gujarat Global Trade Show organised at
helipad ground in Gandhinagar on January 9, 2017.
Vibrant Gujarat Global Trade Show (VGGTS) 2017 has been organised on an area of
nearly 1,50,000 sq.mt. It was the largest exhibition of the country with 14 themed halls
including Exhibit area covering nearly 1,500 stalls by different companies. Modi took a
round of different pavilions at the trade show and interacted with businessmen.
Nobel Prize Series Exhibition

Prime Minister inaugurated the Nobel Prize Series exhibition at Gujarat Science city near
Ahmedabad on January 9, 2017 . This exhibition featured works of nine Nobel laureates from
across the world who were invited by the Gujarat government to be a part of the Vibrant Summit.
After the inauguration the Prime Minister Modi will also take part in the Roundtable meeting
with all the invited Nobel Prize winners, including India-born Dr. Venkatraman Ramakrishnan.
Textile Minister Signs MoUs Worth Rs. 8,835 crore
As a part of the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit, the Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani addressed
the Make in Gujarat theme seminar on Trends and Innovation impacting the Textile Value Chain
The minister also witnessed signing of MoUs worth Rs. 8,835 crore in textile sector.
The MoUs were signed in different sectors such as textile parks, textile processing,
machinery, carpet development, etc.
India, Rwanda announces strategic partnership
A joint state was issued between Rwanda President Paul Kagame and Prime Minister
Narendra Modi on January 10, 2017 at the Gujarat Global Investors Summit to raise the level of
bilateral cooperation to a strategic partnership.
India extended a $120 million credit to bring over 41,190 hectares of cultivable land under
irrigation in the African country for the development of Export Targeted Irrigated Agriculture
Project.
Besides, Rwanda signed the International Solar Alliance and became the 25th co-signatory of
the Indian initiative.
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India also announced a Line of Credit of US $ 80 million to augment Rwandas electricity

production with the commissioning of the 28 MW Hydroelectric Project on the Nyabarongo
River.
India and Rwanda exchanged the Memorandum of Understanding on Forensic Sciences by the
Gujarat Forensic Sciences University to support Rwandas National Police in modernising
Forensic investigations.
Gujarat Government Signs MoU Worth 67000 CR. for Ahmedabad-Mumbai Bullet
Train Project
The Gujarat government signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) worth Rs 67,000
crore with the National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) during the
Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit on January 12, 2017 for component manufacturing for
the Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train project.
Vibrant Gujarat Summit 2017 Witnesses Signing Over 5,938 MoUs
Vibrant Gujarat Summit 2017 saw as many as 25,578 MoUs signed between various sectors. As
compared to the previous edition of the event, this time 2500 more MoUs were signed
2017 National conference Jal Manthan-III held in New Delhi

i. The third National conference Jal Manthan-III was inaugurated by Union Minister for Water
Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Uma Bharti in New Delhi.
ii. The conference was organized by the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and
Ganga Rejuvenation.
PM Modi Inaugurates Second Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi

i. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the second edition of Raisina Dialogue in
New Delhi on January 17, 2017. The conference has been organized by the Ministry of External
Affairs and Delhi based prestigious think tank Observer Research Foundation.
ii. The theme of the three day conference is The New Normal: Multilateralism in a multipolar
world.
58th India International Garment Fair Begins in New Delhi

i. The 58th edition of India International Garment Fair (IIGF) was inaugurated by the Union
Textiles Minister Smriti Zubin Irani on January 18, 2017 in New Delhi. The three day long fair
has been organized by Apparel Export Promotion Council India.
ii. The events is Asias largest apparel Fair providing a platform for the overseas buyers to source
garments products and develop business relationships with India in the apparel and fashion
accessories sector.
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2017 World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting Held in Davos, Switzerland
i. The World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2017 was held in Davos-Klosters,
Switzerland from January 17-20, 2017.The theme of 47th World Economic Forum Annual Meeting
2017 is Responsive and Responsible Leadership.
ii. The inaugural had musical concert by violinist Anne- Sophie Mutter.
iii. The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) was launched at World
Economic Forum (WEF) Davos with $460-million funding to develop vaccines against 3 emerging
highly-contagious and fatal diseases namely Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS)-
coronavirus, Lassa fever, and Nipah virus.
First Strategic Dialogue Between India UAE held in New Delhi

i. India and UAE held the first meeting of their strategic dialogue on January 20, 2017 in New
Delhi in an attempt to finalise the cooperation agreement.
ii. It was the first meeting since the decision taken by the two countries to elevate their relations to
a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during the exchange of the visits at the highest level
between India and United Arab Emirates (UAE) in August 2015 and February 2016
respectively.
iii. The meeting was co-chaired by Minister of State for External Affairs M J Akbar and MoS in
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of UAE Anwar Gargash.
PM Modi attend the Combined Commanders Conference in Uttarakhand

i. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arrived in Dehradun to inaugurate the Combined
Commanders Conference.
ii. The Prime Minister reached the Indian Military Academy (IMA) campus from the Jolly Grant
airport in a special Indian Air Force (IAF) chopper.
iii. The military conference is being attended by the defense minister Manohar Parrikar.
29th Kerala Science Congress Inaugurated by CM Pinarayi Vijayan

i. The 29th Kerala Science Congress was inaugurated by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi
Vijayan on January 28, 2017 at the APJ Abdul Kalam hall in the Mar Thoma College in Thiruvalla.
ii. The three day annual science event has been jointly organized by the Kerala State Council for
Science, Technology and Environment and the Kerala Forest Research Institute.
iii. The main theme of the congress is Genomics in health and disease.
First Edition of the North East Investors Summit Held in Shillong

i. The first edition of the North East Investors Summit was inaugurated on January 29, 2017 by
the Union Textiles Minister, Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani in Shillong, Meghalaya.
ii. The North East Investors Summit 2017 was jointly organized by the Union Ministry of
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Textiles and the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) of the Government of
India in collaboration with industry associations Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and
Industry (FICCI) and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). The two day Summit concluded on
January 30, 2017.
iii .Theme: Exploring Opportunities in North East Region.
iv. Aim: To launch North East Region as a Global destination for investment by exploring
possibilities of attracting the investment especially in textile manufacturing.
RANKING & REPORTS
Global unemployment to rise by 3.4 m in 2017 Says ILO report

According to the ILO report World Employment Social Outlook: Trends 2017, Global
unemployment is expected to rise by 3.4 million in 2017 and economic growth at 3.4 per cent
this year and 3.6 per cent in 2018
Issue : Economic growth trends lagging behind employment needs and predicts both rising
unemployment and worsening social inequality throughout 2017
Highlights of the report :
i. South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa are most affected by vulnerable employment while
in India, majority of new employment was created in 2016.
ii. Average global social unrest increased between 2015 and 2016.
iii. It is projected unemployment levels to rise by 450,000 in 2017 due to deteriorating labour
market conditions in emerging countries particularly those in Latin America and the Caribbean.
However, unemployment is expected to fall in developed countries in Northern, Southern, and
Western Europe, the United States, and Canada.
India Ranked Low on Being an Influencer in Global System

i. The Credit Suisse Research Institute published its Getting over Globalization Report on
January 20, 2017 that ranks global economy in terms of being an influencer in the global system
and moving towards multi polar world.
ii. India has achieved a very low rank of 2 among the countries across the world while the list was
topped by countries such as US, UK, Japan.
Ranking List
5 US, Luxembourg, Hong Kong, Singapore, Switzerland, Belgium, Ireland, Denmark, Iceland
4 UK, Germany, France, Italy and Spain and Japan
3 China
2 India, Brazil and Russia
1 South Africa
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India Ranks 92 in the Global Talent Competitiveness Index

India dropped to 92nd rank in the Global Talent Competitiveness Index (GTCI) released by
INSEAD in partnership with The Adecco Group and the Human Capital Leadership Institute
of Singapore (HCLI). Last year India stood at 89.
The global index of talent competitiveness measures the ability of the countries to grow,
attract and retain talent. The list was topped by Switzerland.
India ranked worst among the five BRICS Nations
China 54
Russia 56
South Africa 67
Brazil 81
India 92
Top 10 nations in the Index
1 Switzerland
2 Singapore
3 United Kingdom
4 United States
5 Sweden
6 Australia
7 Luxembourg
8 Denmark
9 Finland
10 Norway
Global Talent Competitiveness Ranking of Cities

For the first time the index also released a global talent competitiveness ranking of cities on the
basis of their reputation and growing efforts in attracting, growing, and retaining global talent.
Among the Indian cities, only Mumbai made it to the list which was topped by Copenhagen.
The top 10 global cities
1 Switzerland
2 Zurich
3 Helsinki
4 San Francisco
5 Gothenburg
6 Madrid
7 Paris
8 Los Angeles
9 Eindhoven
10 Dublin
India Ranks 60th in Inclusive Development Index 2017

India has been ranked at 60th position among 79 developing economies with a score of only
3.38 in the Inclusive Development Index (IDI) of the World Economic Forum (WEF).
WEF released its Inclusive Growth and Development Report 2017 on January 16,
2017 in Davos, Switzerland. The list has been topped by Lithuania among the 79
developing countries.
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Besides the developing economies, the WEF also released the Inclusive Development
Index of the advanced economies. The list has been topped by Norway among 30
advanced economies.
Top 10 developing economies in IDI Top 10 Advanced Economies in IDI
1 Lithuania 1 Norway
2 Azerbaijan 2 Luxembourg
3 Hungary 3 Switzerland
4 Poland 4 Iceland
5 Romania 5 Denmark
6 Uruguay 6 Sweden
7 Latvia 7 Netherlands
8 Panama 8 Australia
9 Costa Rica 9 New Zealand
10 Chile 10 Austria
Key Aspects of the Report
India has been placed below to neighboring countries including China as well as Pakistan and even
in BRICS nation though the GDP per capita of the nation is among the top 10.
Russia-13, China-15, Nepal-27, Brazil-30, Bangladesh-36, Pakistan-52
Bengaluru Ranked Most Dynamic City in the World in WEF Report

i. Indias IT Hub, Bengaluru has been ranked at the top position in the 2017 City Momentum
Index released by Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting
Top 5 cities
being held in Davos. The index identifies the most dynamic cities of
1 Bangalore (India)
the world. 2 Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam)
3 Silicon Valley (USA)
ii .From India six cities have find place in top 30 most dynamic cities.
4 Shanghai (China)
Besides Bengaluru other Indian cities in the list includes Hyderabad 5 Hyderabad (India)
(5), Pune (13), Chennai (17), Delhi (23) and Mumbai (25).
India Ranks 78th in the Passport Index 2017

i. India has been placed at 78th position in the Passport Index 2017 with a visa-free score of
46 that was released on January 12, 2017.
ii. The Index that was launched by the global financial advisory firm Arton Capital assigns a visa-
free score to countries based on the number of nations their citizens can visit without a visa or on
arrival. It was released by passportindex.org.
iii. Germany was placed at the top with a visa-free score of 157, Singapore and Sweden both
stood second with a visa-free score of 156. Singapore overtook South Korea to become the
highest ranked Asian passport.
iv. Indias Counterparts China ranked at 58th while Pakistan ranked 94th in the
index. Afghanistans had the least powerful passport with a visa-free score of just 23.
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Himachal Pradesh Found Best State in Learning Outcomes by ASER

i. According to the 2016 Annual Status of Education Report (ASER), developed by a non-
governmental organisation, Pratham, Himachal Pradesh was found to be best performing state in
India on the education front as compared to the rest of the states.
ii. Himachal Pradesh had the highest reading and mathematics learning levels, surpassing
even Kerala which is regarded as the most literate state of India.
iii. As per the report the enrolment rate of students in the age group 6-14 in Himachal Pradesh
was 99.8 percent and the state secured first rank in achieving learning outcomes in basic reading
and mathematics across the country.
Telangana Ranks Second in Walnuts Cashless Score Card

i. Telangana has been ranked at second spot in the `Cashless India Scorecard released on
January 26, 2017 and prepared by Walnut app to measure the growth level in digital payments in
the country post demonetization.
ii. The top three states in the scorecard were Gujarat, Telangana and Haryana respectively with
the highest growth in going cashless.
iii. The scorecard aims to compare the level of difference among each state in adopting the digital
payment system and how each state is moving towards a cashless economy.
India Ranks 79th in the 2016 Corruption Perception Index

i. India has been ranked at 79th spot out of 176 countries in the Corruption Perception
Index (CPI) for the year 2016 released on January 25, 2017 by the Berlin-based corruption
watchdog Transparency International (TI).
ii. New Zealand and Denmark jointly shared the first position as the least corrupt nations
while Somalia was rated as the most corrupt country in the list.
Highlight of 2016 Corruption Perception Index

India scored 40 points out of 100 to be placed at 79th spot. Thus the country has improved its
position from the previous year by 3 points. In 2015, India scored 38 points.
However the rank slipped from 76 in 2015 to 79 in 2016. But since eight more countries
were evaluated in 2016 (176 countries) from previous 168 countries, the rank cannot be
taken as the judgment base.
Corruption Rank in India at an average was 75.32 from 1995 until 2016. The highest
rank of India was 95 in 2011 and a record
Top 5 least countries
low of 35 in 1995. Rank Country Score (100)
Besides, India has shared its 2016 1 Denmark 90
1 New Zealand 90
ranking with two other countries, 3 Finland 89
including China and Brazil each 4 Sweden 88
5 Switzerland 86
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ranked 79th with a score of 40.

Meanwhile Pakistan has been placed at 116 and Bhutan is ranked 27 on the list with a
score of 65.
While New Zealand and Denmark jointly ranked as the worlds least corrupt nations with a
score of 90, Somalia was recognized as the most corrupt country in the world. Other most
corrupt nations included South Sudan, North Korea and Syria, Afghanistan, and Iraq.
India at Sixth Position among Eight Great Powers of 2017 List by American Foreign Policy
Magazine
i. India has been ranked at the sixth position in the latest
annual list of eight great powers for the year 2017 published by List of Eight Great Powers of
2017
leading American foreign policy magazine. The list has been 1 United States
topped by US. 2 China & Japan
4 Russia
ii. The American Interest magazine in its latest annual report of 5 Germany
eight great powers said that India is the worlds largest 6 India
7 Iran
democracy, home to the second-largest English-speaking 8 Israel
population in the world and has one of the most emerging economies of the world.
iii. However, it is often overlooked in the lists of the worlds great powers, but it occupies a rare
and attractive position globally.
Indian Think Tank ORF Ranks Highest in Global Go To Think Tank Index in Asia category
i. According to the latest Global Go To Think Tank Index Report, released globally by the
Lauder Institute, Pennsylvania University, US on January 27, 2017, the Delhi based Observer
Research Foundation (ORF) has been ranked as the top think tank in the China, India, Japan and
the Republic of Korea category.
ii. In the category of Asian region, ORF ranked 5th out of 90 think tanks, improving its position
from 6th (out of 65) last year.
iii. The first position in this category was bagged by Korea Development Institute, Republic of
Korea, Japan Institute of International Affairs came second while Korea Institute for International
Economic Policy came in third.
BANKING & FINANCE

RBI Extends the Demonetized Currency Exchange Date for NRIs to June 30
i. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has taken a relief providing decision for the Non-Resident
Indian and Indian Citizens who were staying abroad since November 9 to December 31post
demonetization decision.
ii. As per the decision, the Indian Citizens can exchange their demonetized notes up to March
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31, 2017 while the Non Resident Indian (NRIs) citizens can avail this facility up to June 30,
2017.
iii. The bank informed that there would not be any limit for Indian residents while for the NRIs the
maximum limit would be Rs 25,000 as per the FEMA regulations 2015.
iv. They can avail this facility only once during the period on submission of valid ID documents and
evidence proof of being abroad. The decision also states that third party tender will not be
accepted.
Govt permits 12 PSU banks to raise Rs 3,000 cr from market

i. The Central government had infused a sum of Rs 25,000 crore in 19 PSBs during FY 2015-16.In
this Rs. 22,915 crore was allocated to 13 PSBs on July 19, 2016.
ii. The remaining amount Rs 2,914.038 crore will be released on assessment of performance of
12 PSBs, the Department of Finance in its year-end review for 2016
iii. The Finance Minister ArunJaitleyhas granted its approval to 12 proposals of PSBs to raise a
sum of Rs 2,914.038 crore through preferential allotment and permission given to raise Rs 200
crore by United Bank of India through QIP mode.
26 crore accounts open under Jan Dhan Yojana across country

i. According to latest data released by Finance Minister ArunJaitley, 26 crore three lakh
accounts have been opened under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) across the
country till date.
ii. 15.86 crore accounts are opened in rural area and 10.17 crore accounts opened in urban area.
iii. Over 71 thousand 500 crore rupees have been deposited in these accounts and zero balance
accounts has come down to 23.86 per cent.
Bank of Baroda ties up with CNX Corporation

i. Public sector lender Bank of Baroda has announced a partnership with CNX Corporation (CNX) to
provide collateral management services towards the loans against warehouse receipt
sanctioned to the farmers through the network of the banks branches across the country.
ii. This will benefit the farmers from distress sale of their commodities
Banks cuts lending rates, home, corporate loans to be cheaper

A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an interest subvention for home loans of up
to Rs. 12 lakh and asked banks to keep the poor and middle class at the focus of their activities
many PSUs and private banks reduced their benchmark lending rate by up to 1.48 percent on
January 3, 2017.
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The reduction in lending rates may lead to an increase in credit taking frequency which
has moderated substantially putting burden on balance sheet of banks. Housing, auto and
corporate loans are all set to become cheaper.
The three state-owned banks, State Bank of India (SBI) and Punjab National
Bank (PNB) and Union Bank of India on January 1, 2017, reduced the lending rate by a
good 0.9 per cent.
While SBI reduced its marginal cost of funds based lending rate (MCLR) by 90 basis points
for all maturities, Union Bank of India reduced its MCLR by 65-90 basis points for loans of
various tenures while PNB cut its MCLRs by 70 basis points for 1, 2 and 3 year tenures.
Following the reduction, lending rate of SBI for a one-year loan, has come down to 8%
from 8.90%.
Following State Bank of India, other lenders including largest private sector lender ICICI
Bank and state-owned Oriental Bank of Commerce and Andhra Bank too announced cut in
marginal cost of funds based lending rate (MCLR).
Home loan rates for ICICI Bank will come down between 0.45% and 0.6%, depending
on quantum and category.
Oriental Bank of Commerce has reduced the one-year MCLR rate by 0.8% to 8.60%,
while Andhra Bank has brought it down by a similar percentage point to 8.65%, effective
January 3, 2017
Kotak Mahindra Bank, too reduced the MCLR rate by up to 0.45%. The bank has reduced
MCLR by 0.20% to 9% from 9.20% for one-year tenor. However, the MCLR for the three-
month period has been reduced by 0.45 percentage points to 8.40%, while the lending
rate for two and three years, has been brought down to 9% from 9.25%.
Bandhan Bank has cut its MCLR by 1.48%, to 10.52%, effective from January 3, 2017.
With this, the bank has cut its loan rate for small borrowers by almost 4 percentage
points, since it started operations in August 2015.
Dena bank has reduced the MCLR by 0.75%, to 8.55%, for 1 year tenor.
RBI Directs Banks to Supply 40 Percent Notes in Rural Areas
The Reserve Bank of India on January 3, 2017, directed all the banks to supply atleast 40
percent of the notes to the rural branches since currency notes in rural areas was not adequate
to meet the requirements of the population.
HDFC Ties with Niki.ai to Launch OnChat to make Payments via Facebooks Messenger
i. HDFC has tied-up with artificial intelligence firm Niki.ai to launch a chatbot
called OnChat on Facebooks Messenger platform, that will allow users to recharge phones, pay
utility bills, book cabs from Ola or Uber etc., through a chat.
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ii. The chatbot is available for non-HDFC bank users as well. The chat opens a payment gateway
through which transactions can be made using any bank account.
Coca-Cola India partners the State Bank of India to enable digital transactions
i. Coca-Cola India and its largest bottling partner Hindustan Coca-Cola beverages have
partnered the SBI to enable over 2.6 million retailers and 5000 distributors in conducting business
transactions digitally.
ii. SBI will educate retailers on digital transactions and will be developed a customized payment
solution for retailers and distributors.
Munich Re to open reinsurance branch office in Mumbai

Germany based Munich Reinsurance Company is planned to open its branch office
in Mumbai to provide the property-casualty, life, health reinsurance markets across India.
Munich Re is one of the first foreign reinsurers to receive approval for a dedicated branch in
India following the 2015 amendment of the Insurance Bill.
Yes Bank ties-up with Bajaj Electricals for vendor financing using block chain
i. Yes Bank has entered into a tie-up with Bajaj Electricals for vendor financing using blockchain
solution.
ii. There is an over 70 per cent cost reduction because of blockchain and the payback for our
investments is 6-8 months.
Rs 5 discount on online payment of LPG cylinder

i. Cooking gas customers can now avail an upfront discount of Rs 5 on every refill booked and
paid for online.
ii. Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum have begun offering the price
discount to cooking gas customers.
Paytm Gets final approval from RBI to Start Operating as Payment Bank
i. Mobile commerce and payments company, Paytm received the final approval from the Reserve
Bank of India on January 3, 2017 to launch Paytm Payment Bank.
ii. Paytm Payments Bank Ltd is expected to start its operation in next 30-60days with its first
branch in Noida, Uttar Pradesh.
iii. Paytm Payments Bank is held 51% by Sharma and 49% by One97 Communications Pvt. Ltd. It
has already received investments of Rs 220 crore from One97 Communication and its Vijay Shekhar
Sharma.
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Karnataka Bank launches group Personal Accident Insurance Scheme named KBL
Suraksha
i. Karnataka Bank has launched has launched a group Personal Accident Insurance Scheme for
all its Saving Bank(SB) Account holders. The insurance scheme is named KBL Suraksha and
provides insurance cover for accidental death.
ii. All the SB Account holders within the age group of 18-70 years can register themselves for the
insurance scheme. The KBL Suraskha Scheme comes in two variants.
iii. Plan A provides an accidental insurance of Rs 5 lakh on payment of Annual premium of Rs
50(plus service charge). Plan B provides an accidental insurance of Rs 10 lakh on payment of
Annual premium of Rs 100(plus service charge). The maximum renewal age for the policy will
be 75 years.
iv. Karnataka Bank has launched the insurance scheme in association with Universal Sompo
General Insurance. The bank has launched a month-long campaign to promote its KBL
Suraksha scheme.
SIDBI ties up with LIC for capital support to enterprises

i. Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) has tied up with Life Insurance Corporation
of India (LIC) to give a boost to the venture capital ecosystem for MSMEs.
ii. LIC and SIDBI signed Contribution Agreements with 7 Venture Capital Funds (VCFs) with an
aggregate commitment of Rs 99.50 crore from LIC on January 03 in New Delhi. This is over and
above commitment of Rs 162.75 crore already given to these funds by SIDBI.
16th Financial Stability and Development Council Meeting Held in New Delhi
The 16th edition of the Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC) meeting was
held on January 5, 2017 in New Delhi under the Chairmanship of
the Union Finance Minister ArunJaitley.
Aim: The FSDC meeting was held to discuss about the obstacles faced by the economy and to bring
out the solution to tackle them. Besides, it also aimed at bringing new suggestions and outcomes in
order to benefit the upcoming Budget 2017-18.
Key Discussions Held During the Meeting
i.While chairing the meeting, the Union Finance Minister, ArunJaitley emphasized the significance of
demonetization decision saying that the governments measures to eliminate the shadow
economy and tax evasion are expected to have a positive impact both on GDP and on fiscal
consolidation in the long run.
ii.The Council, which has heads of all financial sector regulators as its members, reviewed the
major issues and challenges facing the economy and noted that India appears to be much better,
placed today on the back of improvement in its macroeconomic fundamentals.
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iii.Financial regulators gave suggestions to promote financial stability and also discussed the
measures and initiatives to establish and promote the financial stability. Also, the regulators offered
their suggestions for the upcoming Budget for 2017-18, which were discussed by the Council.
iv.In the meeting, Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Subramanian made a presentation on the state of
the economy.
v.FSDC discussed about the various initiatives taken by the government and regulators for
promoting financial inclusion/ financial literacy efforts and discussed further measures for
promoting the same.
Droom Partners with Axis Bank for quick sanction of loans

i. Online automobile marketplace Droom has tied up with Axis Bank to provide quick sanction of
loans on both new as well as used cars.
ii. Loans will be provided for up to 85% of the value of the car with a tenure of 1-5 years.
iii. Furthermore, loans on Used Cars can be availed on vehicles upto the age of 10 years.
Indias GDP growth estimated at 7.1% this year & Per capita net national income rises by
over 10%
i. According to the Central Statistical Office data Indias Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth is
estimated at 7.1 per cent in 2016-17 as compared to 7.6 per cent in 2015-16.
ii. The CSOs projection on the per capita net national income during 2016-17 is projected to be 1
lakh three thousand seven rupees displaying an increase of 10.4 per cent as compared to 93
thousand two hundred ninety three during 2015-16 with the growth rate of 7.4 percent.
iii. The agriculture, forestry and fishing sector and manufacturing sector are likely to show a
growth of 4.1 per cent and 7.4 percent respectively during 2016-17, as against the previous years
growth rate of 1.2 per cent and 9.3 percent in 2015-16.
iv. The wholesale price index (WPI), of food articles has risen by 6.9 per cent,and the consumer
price index has shown a rise of 5.0 per cent during April-November, 2016-17.
SEBI eases rules for foreign fund managers & Sebi relaxes rules for angel funds to boost
start-up funding
i.The Market Watchdog SEBI has released rules allowing foreign fund managers to act as Portfolio
Managers under a relaxed regulatory regime.
ii.This new rule will make it easier for foreign fund managers to enter India also provides
significance of taxation incentives for the offshore fund managers willing to relocate to India.
iii. In another development the market regulator also relaxed its rules for investment by angel
funds, including permitting them to invest in up to five-year old entities which will boost startup
funding.
iv.Consequently the lock-in condition has been cut down from 3 years to 1 year for angel funds
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and their minimum investment threshold has been slashed from Rs. 50 lakh to Rs. 25 lakh.
v. Angel funds are permitted to invest in overseas venture capital undertakings up to 25 per
cent of their investible corpus in agreement with other Alternative Investment Funds.
RBI to provide rupees 1 billion in Rs 100 notes to Nepal Rashtra Bank

i. Indias central Bank RBI has decided to provide Rs 1 billion in Rs 100 denomination notes to
Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) to ease the acute shortage of Rs 100 notes faced by the landlocked
nation.
ii. In the wake of demonetization RBI has asked the NRB to wait till the situation normalizes. RBI
provides Rs 6 billion exchange facility to Nepal every year.
iii. After the Indian governments move to demonetize Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes the NRB had
also lowered exchange limit of Indian banknotes in Nepal.
iv. The NRB provides exchange facility up to Rs. 2000 and Rs. 10, 000 to those who submit a
copy of air or train ticket to travel to India. This limits is likely to extend till the time the RBI is able
to provide regular exchange facility.
Forex reserves up by $625.5 mn to $360.296 bn : RBI

i. The Reserve Bank in its press release stated that foreign exchange reserves rose by $625.5
million to $360.296 billion in the week to December 30, 2016.
ii. The Central Bank also said that Foreign Currency Assets which us major component in the Forex
Reserves surged by 612.4 million USD to 336.582 billion USD. However the Forex reserves had
touched all-time high of USD 371.99 billion in September 30 last year.
UCO Bank launches Suvidha prepaid card

i. Kolkata based UCO Bank has launched its prepaid card UCO Suvidha by R.K. Takkar, MD &
CEO, UCO Bank, and Executive Directors, Charan Singh and G. Subramania Iyer.
ii. The prepaid card can be used for cash withdrawals, purchase at Points of Sale (POS) or over the
Internet.
iii. The prepaid card offers the flexibility to load/ reload amount as and when required and is
targeted at corporates, government departments, institutions and other organisations.
HDFC Bank Launches Humanoid Robot IRA

i. Indias second largest private sector lender HDFC Bank has launched a human shaped robot
named IRA at its Mumbai branch to help the assist the customers in banking activities.
ii. Initially the role of the robot will be limited to that of receptionist that will greet the customers
entering the bank and display the services and banking facilities like withdrawal, deposit, forex,
fixed deposits and demat. The robot would also be installed with the map of the bank branch with a
button Take me there to help the customers in easy service.
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iii. IRA which stands for Intelligent Robotic Assistant aims to provide smoother customer
service, marketing, employee assistance and automate the banking process. Depending on
customer reaction the Bank would install more such robots across its branches in the country.
SBI waives MDR charges for small merchants for one year
i. SBI has waived Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on debit card transactions for all small
merchants with annual turnover of up to Rs 20 lakh for one year.
ii. The bank has decided to waive completely, the MDR charges on debit card transactions for all
small merchants for a period of one year upto December 31, 2017.
Axis Bank Becomes Third Lender to Use Block Chain Solution

i. Following ICICI and Yes bank, the private sector lender Axis Bank has also joined the group as
the third bank to use block chain solutions in its operations.
ii. Third largest Private sector bank led by Shikha Sharma has tied up with fintech firm Ripple to
offer the solution.
Indias GDP Growth Decelerates to 7 percent for fiscal 2016-17: World Bank
i. The World Bank on January 11, 2017 cut the Indias GDP growth for 2016-17 fiscal ending on
March 31, 2017 to 7 percent from its previous estimate of 7.6 percent due to demonetization.
ii. The bank cited the immediate withdrawal of a large volume of currency in circulation and
subsequent replacement with new notes as the main reason behind the deceleration of the GDP
growth rate.
iii. However, the bank also asserted that India is expected to regain its momentum with GDP
growth at 7.6 percent in Fiscal Year (FY) 2018-19 and strengthening to 7.8 per cent in FY
2019-20.
Indian Standards on Gold Hallmark Revised by Bureau of Indian Standards

i. Indian Standard on gold hallmarking has been revised by the Bureau of Indian Standards
(BIS) on January 9, 2017 and has been made effective for implementation with effect from
January 1, 2017.
ii. From now the hallmarked gold jewellery will be available in three grades: 14 carat, 18 carat
and 22 carat. These caratage would also be mentioned on the jewellery besides the fineness for
the convience of the customers.
HDFC ERGO Launches Credit Insurance Policy to Safeguard Business

i. HDFC ERGO General Insurance Company launched a new policy, Trade Credit Insurance
Policy, on January 9, 2017 to which safeguards businesses against the risks of non-payment for
the goods or services delivered to the buyers.
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ii. Indias third largest private sector non-life insurance provider informed that the policy would
offer cover against payment defaults and insolvency, apart from providing political risk cover to
exporters.
iii. Under the new policy, the insurer covers a portfolio of buyers and pays an agreed percentage of
the invoice or receivables that remain unpaid as a result of insolvency, bankruptcy or protracted
default.
Citibank Launches Voice Biometrics Authentication for Phone Banking

i. Citibank India has launched a Voice Biometrics Authentication for its phone banking
customers on January 10, 2017 that would allow clients to use their voiceprints for authentication
rather than remember multiple PINs or respond to questions through current practice of interactive
voice response (IVR) used for verifying their identities.
ii. The voice biometrics authentication uses unique voiceprint which is similar to fingerprint for each
person.
NITI Aayog Estimates the GDP Growth of 8 Percent for 2016-17

i. NITI Aayog has projected the GDP growth rate of 8 Percent for 2016-17 based on the
appraisal document for the Twelfth Five-Year Plan.
ii. The estimate does not take into account the impact of demonetization.
iii. The policy think tank laid that overcoming the lack of reforms in land acquisition, labour, skill
development and simplification of regulatory cum administrative procedures can lead to growth
prospect of above 8 percent.
Airtels Payments Bank Starts Operation with Initial Investment of Rs. 3000
i. Airtel Payments Bank started its nationwide operations on January 12, 2017 with an initial
investment of Rs 3,000 crore and offering an interest rate of 7.25 per cent for savings
accounts. The bank was launched by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.
ii. This is the first payments bank which will be opened across 29 states in India to provide
financial services to the millions who are outside the banking system.
SBI Signs $ 50 mn Pact with Omans SGRF

i. State Bank of India has signed a pact with the State General Reserve Fund
of Oman (SGRF), a Sovereign Wealth Fund to infuse $50 million in private
equity fund Oman India Joint Investment Fund (OIJIF) while the SGRF would infuse $150
million.
ii. The SBI aims at backing the private equity fund for its second offering (Fund II).
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Tax department, Japanese company sign advance pricing pact

The tax department signed a Bilateral Advance Pricing Agreement (BAPA) with Indian subsidiary of
a Japanese trading company to include rollback provisions to reduce litigations by providing
certainty in transfer pricing on January 13, 2017
Now the total number of BAPAs entered into by the CBDT is increased to 8.
Highlights :
i. BAPA is an important step towards ascertaining transfer pricing matters of multinational company
cases and dispute resolution.
ii. Under BAPA, certainty in tax treatment is provided for the next five years while rollback provides
dispute redressal for a maximum of four past years preceding APA years.
SEBI Lowers Broker Fees by 25 Percent to Rs 15 Per Transaction

i. The SEBI Board on January 14, 2017 announced its decision to reduce the fees payable by
broker by 25 percent as a part of calibration of various other fees collected by the regulator from
different market intermediaries.
ii. It has decided to lower the fees from Rs 20 per crore of turnover to Rs 15 per crore of
turnover to reduce the overall cost of transaction.
iii. The SEBI Board has also decided to give an option to all market intermediaries and companies
to make their regulatory payments in digital mode to help in speedy and easy transactions and
reduce failures due to payment gateway issues.
NPCI declares Rs 54.90 crore prize money for NITI Aayogs lucky draw schemes
i. National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has declared Rs 54.90 crore prize money to
over 3.42 lakh winners for NITI Aayogs lucky draw schemes Lucky Grahak Yojna (LGY) and Digi-
Dhan Vyapar Yojna (DVY).
ii. There are 15,000 daily winners qualifying for total prize money of Rs. 1.5 crore and
over 14,000 weekly winners qualifying for total prize money of over Rs. 8.3 crore every week.
It will run till April 14, 2017
iii. Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka emerged as the top
five states with maximum number of winners under the age group of 21 to 30 years.
BSNL Launches Aadhar Based e-KYC Project

i .BSNL has launched its Customer Acquisition and Customer Communication Management
(CACMS) project that aims to digitalize business process to ensure faster service, accurate
customer responses and customer satisfaction.
ii. The project provides an Aadhar based e-KYC (Know Your Customer) service for immediate
activation of new mobile connections across the country.
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iii. The state-run telecom has selected Intense Technologies to deliver the CACMS project on a Pan
India basis for all lines of business of BSNL as per the terms and conditions of the tender.
Market Regulator SEBI Tightens Mergers & Acquisitions Norms Among Unlisted Firms
The Capital market regulator of India, Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) on
January 14 tightened the norms associated to Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) of Indian
companies.
Aim: The main objective behind the move is to prevent large number of unlisted
company to get listed by merging with a very small company for personal motive and
protect the interest of the Public shareholders in the listed companies and give them a
greater say in the merger with unlisted subsidiaries.
Directives Rolled Out by SEBI
SEBI directed after the unlisted company merge with listed company and gets automatically listed,
the effective total public shareholding of the listed entity plus the qualified institutional
buyers (QIBs) of the newly listed company has to be at least 25%.
The public shareholding of the resultant entity created by the merger of an unlisted and a
listed company has to be more than 25 per cent.
The unlisted entity can only merge with those companies that are listed on exchanges such as
the National Stock Exchange (NSE) and BSE.
The market regulator also directed companies to follow the pricing formula specified under
the Issue of Capital and Disclosure Requirements (ICDR) regulations. This aims to
prevent companies to issue shares to select group of shareholders instead of all shareholders
during mergers and amalgamations between listed and unlisted entities.
Mysuru Printing Press Breaks Record by Printing Highest No. of Currency Notes in a
Month
i. As per the data released by the President of Note Mudran Limited Employees Union, A Ramdass,
the RBI Note Mudran printing press in Mysuru printing highest number of currency notes in
December breaking all its past record.
ii .It printed 10.9 million currency note in a day that even broke the world record made an
American currency printing press of printing 8.7 million notes in a day.
India Signs Financing Agreement with World Bank for US$ 48 Million for Nagaland
Health Project
The Joint Secretary of Department of Economic Affairs, Mr. Raj Kumar and Acting Country Director
of the World Bank Mrs. Genevieve Connors are signed s financing agreement for IDA credit of US$
48 million for the Nagaland Health Project on January 16, 2017.
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Central & SBI Card launch premium co-branded card

i. Future Groups fashion and lifestyle departmental store Central joined with SBI
Card launched a second co-branded credit card to offer benefits to consumers in the premium
lifestyle and fashion space on January 16, 2017
ii. The Central SBI SELECT and SELECT+ Cards will offer an accelerated reward points structure
1.20 reward points for every Rs 100 spent in Central stores.
2.10 reward points per Rs 100 spent spent in dining and entertainment
3.2 reward points per Rs 100 in other categories
IRDAI forms panel to review life insurance product norms

i. The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has formed a 8 member
committee headed by Amitabh Chaudhry, CEO of HDFC Standard Life Insurance Company to
review life insurance product regulations on January 16, 2017
ii. The committee will analysis the existing framework of IRDA-linked and non-linked insurance
product regulations
iii. IRDAI instructed to the committee to submit its report before March 15, 2017.
Committee Members :
Head : Amitabh Chaudhry, CEO of HDFC Standard Life Insurance Company
K S Gopalakrishnan, CEO, Aegon Religare Life Insurance, Sai Srinivas, Appointed Actuary, Bajaj
Allianz Life Insurance and Sandeep Bakshi, CEO, ICICI Prudential Life
Study by Oxfam Shows Richest 1% in India Holds 58% of Total Wealth
i. As per a report titled An economy for the 99 per cent released by rights group Oxfam on
January 16, 2017, the richest 1 percent of the population in India holds 58 percent of the countrys
total wealth which is higher than the global figure of 50 percent.
ii. The report found that since 2015, the richest 1 percent population in India has continued
to own more wealth than the rest of the countries.
iii. Besides, it also discovered that 57 billionaires in India having collective wealth of USD 216
billion was equal to the wealth that lowest 70 percent population held. However, when taken
globally only 8 billionaires have the same amount of wealth as the poorest 50 percent of the world
population.
iv. The study stated that India has 84 billionaires with a collective wealth of USD 248
billion. The total Indian wealth in the country was calculated at USD 3.1 trillion. Top 3 billionaires
comprised of Mukesh Ambani (USD 19.3 billion), Dilip Shanghvi (USD 16.7 billion) and Azim Premji
(USD 15 billion).
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iv. In contrast, the total global wealth in 2016 was USD 255.7 trillion. Of this, the top three global
billionaires held about USD 6.5 trillion which comprised of Bill Gates (USD 75 billion), Amancio
Ortega (USD 67 billion) and Warren Buffett (USD 60.8 billion).
IMF Lowers Indias GDP Growth Rate to 6.6% from 7.6% for FY17
i. According to the World Economic Outlook report, the International Monetary Fund
(IMF) on January 16, 2017 has lowered the Indias GDP growth rate for the current fiscal year
by one point to 6.6 percent from its previous estimate of 7.6 percent due to the effect of
demonetization on consumption and expenditure.
ii. IMF also cut Indias GDP forecast for 2017-18 by 0.4 points to 7.2 percent as against previous
forecast of 7.6 percent. For the year 2018-19, the projected growth rate remained unchanged
at 7.7 percent.
iii. Besides, IMF estimated the growth rate of China at 6.7 percent for 2016-17, 6.5 percent for
2017-18 and 6 percent for 2018-19.
iv. The global growth for 2016 was estimated at 3.1 percent that remained unchanged from
previous forecast while for 2017 the global forecast is estimated at 3.4 percent for advanced and
3.6 percent for developing economies.
Yes Bank Launches Business Accelerator Program Yes Fintech
i. Private sector lender YES BANK in collaboration with T-Hub, Anthill and Lets Talk
Payments launched a unique business accelerator program YES FINTECH to provide start-ups
a platform for creating sustainable and market ready products as well as provide innovative
banking solutions to the customers.
ii. YES FINTECH has invited start-ups applications from across the global community, till February
3, 2017 on its website www.yesfintech.com. It would select top 12 start-ups for 15 week dual
destination program to be held in Mumbai and Hyderabad.
Yes Bank Launches Indias First Customisable Savings Account
i. YES Bank has launched a first of its kind unique Customizable Savings Account to enable the
customers to design an account as per their convenience.
ii. Mumbai based bank has become the first bank in India to launch such type of account that
enables the customer to choose various features of a savings accounts that suits ones own
lifestyle.
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RBI Hikes Cash Withdrawal Limit from ATMs to Rs. 10,000 per Day
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) from January 16, 2017 has increased the limit of cash
withdrawal from ATMs to Rs 10,000 per day from the current Rs 4,500 with immediate effect
Karang Island in Manipur Becomes Indias First Cashless Island

i. Contributing to the Governments Digital India Campaign, a small lake island Karang in
Manipur has been declared as the countrys first cashless island by the Union Ministry of
Electronics and Information Technology on January 13, 2017.
ii. The island fulfilled the Centres necessary criteria to be named as the cashless island. A
campaign was organized from January 9 to 12 by the Karang Island Boat Association and Panthoibi
Khoyol Standard Association in the island to promote cashless transactions.
30 More Countries to Join Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank

The Foreign Ministry spokesperson of China, Hua Chunying on January 17, 2017 informed
that thirty more countries have applied for joining the Asia Infrastructure Investment
Bank (AIIB) besides 57 founding members.
UN Report Estimates Indias GDP to grow by 7.7% in 2017

i. Based on the United Nations report on World Economic Situation and Prospects (WESP)
2017 released on January 17, 2017, Indias economy is projected to grow by 7.7 percent in
the fiscal 2017 because of being the fastest growing large developing economy.
ii. Besides, the growth estimate for 2018 has been projected at 7.6 percent. However, it also
stated that low capacity utilization and stressed balance sheets of banks and businesses will have
negative effect on strong investment revival in the short term.
iii. The report estimated the growth prospect of China to remain stable at 6.5 percent for fiscal
years 2017 and 2018 due to favourable domestic demand and accommodative fiscal measures.
iv. Earlier the International Monetary Fund cut Indias growth rate for the current fiscal year
to 6.6 percent from its previous estimate of 7.6 percent while the World Bank too lowered Indias
GDP growth for 2016-17 fiscal to 7 percent from its previous estimate of 7.6 percent.
CBDT Clarifies No TDS or Advance Tax Credit for Income under PMGKY
i. The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) on January 18, 2017 cleared that income declared
under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojna (PMGKY) would not be entitled to get any credit by
way of advance tax paid or the tax deducted at source (TDS) or tax collected at source
(TCS)
ii. This is in contrast to the earlier Income Declaration Scheme (IDS) under which these credits
were allowed.
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Lloyds Gets Final Approval from IRDAI to Open First Branch in India
i. Londons insurance giant Lloyd has received the final approval from the Insurance Regulatory
and Development Authority (IRDA) on January 19, 2017 to set up its first branch in India.
ii. The specialist insurance and reinsurance company would open its first branch office in India
before April 2017 and will be located at Mumbai.
PNB and IPPB team up for technology support

New Delhi based Punjab National Bank signed a memorandum of understanding(MoU)
with India Post Payments Bank(IPPB) to provide technology platform for pilot launch of IPPB on
receipt of regulatory nod from the Reserve Bank of India.
World Bank Sanctions Rs 1,376 Cr For Tripura Power Upgradation

i. Washington based World Bank has sanctioned Rs 1,376
crore for upgradations and improvement of the Tripura power system network on January
19, 2017. This was announced by Tripuras power minister Manik Dey.
ii. The Power Upgradation project is divided into 5 phases. SPML Infra Ltd has got the contract of
the first phase with the budget of Rs 461 crore .
iii. A large number of 132 KV and 33 KV substations will be constructed and upgraded under the
project across Tripura.
IT Department Expands Deposits & Transactions List under Scrutiny

i. The Income Tax Department released its detailed guidelines on January 17, 2017 expanding
the list of high end deposits and transactions made during the demonetization period to be
reported by the banks, companies, post offices and businesses for scrutiny.
ii. As per the guidelines, banks need to report deposits made by individuals upto Rs. 2.5 lakh or
more in savings account during the demonetisation period. Besides, for current account
holders, this limit is Rs 12.5 lakh.
RBI imposes Rs 75 lakh penalty on Bombay Mercantile Co-operative Bank

Indias central banking institution, Reserve Bank of India(RBI) has imposed a penalty of Rs
75lakhs on Bombay Mercantile Co-operative Bank for violations of norms related to KYC and anti-
money laundering.
RBI had issued a notice regarding this to the bank and the bank has submitted its written reply.
Union Cabinet approves Excluding States /Union Terrotries from Investments of National
Small Savings Fund
i. The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given its approval
on January 18, 2017 to exclude States/Union-Territories (with Legislature) except Arunachal
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Pradesh, Delhi, Kerala and Madhya Pradesh from National Small Savings Fund
(NSSF) investments effective from April 1, 2016.
ii. Besides, it also approved to provide a one-time loan of Rs. 45,000 crore to Food Corporation
of India (FCI) from NSSF to meet its food subsidy requirements.
Kerala Gramin Bank to propagate financial literacy among school children

i. Kerala Gramin Bank has launched a novel programme called FI@School at Assisi
Vidyanikethan Public School, Kakkanad to propagate financial literacy among school children on
January 20, 2017
ii. Every branch of the bank has to tie up with nearest school to organise various programmes to
literate school students
iii. The bank has appointed magician Gopinath Muthukad as the brand ambassador
for FI@School.
GST Decides Tax Evasion Upto rs. 2 Cr Bailable Offence

i. The Centre and State Government has in a meeting decided to reduce some of the penal
provisions of the GST regime in order to make it less burdensome.
ii. The GST Council has decided that tax evasion of upto than Rs. 2 crore would be bailable
offense to ensure that the trader gets immediate bail while the non-bailable offenses would be
limited to forgery and non- deposit of collected taxes with the exchequer within the stipulated
time frame.
Cooperative Banks Barred From Accepting Deposits under PMGKDS

i. The Cooperative banks have been barred by the Government on January 20, 2017 from
accepting deposits under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Deposit Scheme (PMGKDS) to stop
any misuse of the deposited amount.
ii. The decision comes after the income tax department revealed that a large number of
cooperative banks were manipulating and laundering undisclosed money after the government
scrapped the old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 banknotes on November 8, 2016.
Kwality Ltd Signs MoU with Bank of Baroda for Rs 4000 Cr Loan to Farmers
i. Mumbai based dairy firm Kwality Ltd has signed an MoU with Bank of Baroda on January 20,
2017 to provide Rs. 4000 crore loans to one lakh farmers out of the established networks from
whom the company procures milk.
ii. The MoU aims to provide financial assistance to improve socio-economic lives of farmers
and encourage them towards digitisation.
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Punjab National Bank Launches Contactless Credit Card

i. Punjab National Bank (PNB) has launched a Contactless Credit Card named PNB Wave N
Pay on January 21, 2017 in New Delhi to further enhance its digitalization initiative.
ii. The new card was launched by the Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer of PNB,
Usha Ananthasubramanian and is developed on Visa Platinum platform.
Utkarsh Micro Finance Launches its Small Finance Bank

i. Varanasi-based Utkarsh Micro Finance started operating its banking business as Utkarsh
Small Finance Bank on January 23, 2017 to cater to the needs of the poor mainly in the northern
belt. UKs Commonwealth Development Corporation (CDC) has infused Rs. 150 crore in the
tier II capital in the company.
ii. Utkarsh Small Finance Bank has started its operation with five full-fledged branches. It has
removed the 1 percent processing fees for new borrowers and looks forward to reducing the lending
rates to capture the market. At present, it lends at 15-25 percent annually.
iii. The bank will offer 6% interest on savings bank accounts while deposit rates for one year
would be 8.25-8.50% which is about 150 basis points higher than State Bank of India.
Rescheduled Education Loan will not be Considered for Computing NPAs:RBI

i. In a bid to encourage banks to provide loans for education, the Reserve Bank of Indiahas
declared that rescheduling the period of payment of education loans due to the inability of the
borrower because of unemployment will not be treated as restructured accounts for computing
NPAs.
ii. Banks can allow three rounds of extension periods, each not more than 6 months, during
the entire lifecycle of the education loan, to be applicable only on unemployment/underemployment
borrowers.
IRDAI okays Swiss Re move to open Mumbai branch

i. Wholesale reinsurance provider Swiss Re has received approval from the Insurance
Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) to open a branch in the city.
ii. With the composite branch license, Swiss Re will be able to operate in India and it can offer both
non-life and life and health reinsurance solutions directly to clients and brokers in the country.
iii. Swiss Reinsurance Company, India Branch, will begin its operation from February 1.
BCSBI Launches Know Your Rights Programme

i. The Banking Codes and Standards Board of India (BCSBI) has announced an initiative as
per which it would organise Know Your Rights programme in select urban and rural areas of
the country to enhance awareness on Banking Codes at the grassroot level among the people.
ii. The move aims to create awareness among the people about the commitment of the banks
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towards their customers.

iii. The programme would be conducted at three levels including Tier II cities, metros and other
backward areas.
iv. The CEO of BCSBI, Anand Aras informed that the first such programme was organized by BCSBI
in Kochi on January 23, 2017 in association with Kudumbashree for less privileged women in
Kerala.
v. The programme, interalia involved skit and a puppet show to describe the banking codes to
over 100 participating women in simple language. It also addressed about 300 educated section of
the society to increase their awareness about banks commitment towards them.
Cabinet Permits NABARD to Raise Rs. 20,000 crore for on-lending to Co-Op Banks
i. The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi gave its post-facto
approval on January 24, 2017 allowing National Bank for Agriculture & Rural Development
(NABARD) to raise approx. Rs. 20,000 crore from the market for on-lending to Cooperative
Banks.
ii. It permitted the bank to make the short term borrowing at the prevailing market rate and lend
to Co-op Banks at 4.5 Percent rate of interest. The move will support the famers by providing
them loans to boost agricultural production.
France Issues First Green Bonds With Record Sale of 7 Billion Euro
i. France on January 24, 2017 issued its first Green Bonds with a record sale of worth seven
billion euro (USD 7.5 billion) thus leading a significant way towards establishment of a genuine
market in renewable energy bonds.
ii. The proceeds from the bonds will be used by France to finance projects to address climate
change.
iii. The 22-year bonds coupon has been set at 1.75 percent which is same as the interest rate on
conventional borrowing for the same time frame. This will enable France to finance expenditure on
green projects at the same price as traditional borrowing.
RBI Prohibits FDI in Non-Cooperative Countries

i. The Reserve Bank of India has prohibited the Indian entities on January 25, 2017 from
making direct overseas investments in any entity that is located in 'non co-operative countries
and territories', as identified by the inter-governmental body Financial Action Task Force
(FATF).
ii. The move aims to bring down the global terror financing and thus prevent, detect and prohibit
money laundering
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SBI Launches Wealth Management Product SBI Exclusif in Kochi

i. The State Bank of India has launched a new wealth management product named SBI
Exclusif in Kochi, Kerala. Later it will be rolled out in other cities of the state during the course of
the year.
ii. The product was launched by Chief General Manager, SBI, Kerala Circle, S Venkataraman on
January 24, 2017.
iii. SBI Exclusif is targeted at fast growing affluent and high net worth customer segments of the
bank.
Karnataka Bank Signs MoU with Tirth Agro Technology

Mangaluru based private sector bank Karnataka Bank Ltd signed a Memorandum of
Understanding with the leading agricultural equipment/implements manufacturer Tirth Agro
Technology Pvt Ltd, Rajkot, on January 25, 2017 in to finance farmers for agri mechanisation.
Aim of the MoU
i. To establish a platform for co-operation between the two in identifying farmers in need of buying
agricultural implements/equipment and financing them by the bank on its terms.
ii. To promote agriculture mechanization in India by utilizing banks experience in agricultural
finance through its branches across India.
Government to Launch Aadhar Pay for Cashless Transactions through Biometrics

i. The Government on January 27, 2017 informed about its plan to launch the biometric
based Aadhaar Pay payment platform in few weeks for BHIM App.
ii. Aadhaar Pay service will enable people to make and receive payments using their Aadhaar
number and biometrics.
iii. The government enabled the Bharat Interface for Mobile (BHIM) app with Aadhaar number
CASHe integrates Paytm Wallet for direct cash transfers

i. Indias fastest loan giving app for young salaried professionals, CASHe has partnered with Paytm
on January 27, 2017 to allow its users to deposit cash transfers from CASHe to their Paytm
wallets.
ii. With this integration, users of CASHe will have an option to transfer their loan amounts into their
Paytm Wallets in part or in full and credit the rest of the amount into their bank accounts. This is an
industry-first innovation from CASHe.
iii. CASHe offers multiple loan options ranging from Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 1,00,000 payable over 15, 30
and 90 days.
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Indias Foreign Exchange Reserves Rises by $ 932.4 million to $ 360.775 billion

i. The Reserve Bank of India on January 29, 2017 informed that the Foreign Exchange
Reserves of India rose by 932.4 million dollars to 360.775 billion dollars for the second
consecutive week ended January 20.
ii. In the previous week, Indias forex reserve increased by 687.9 million dollars to 359.843 billion
dollars.
FGII Enters Into Bancassurance Tie-Up With Bank Of Maharashtra

i. Future Generali India Insurance Company (FGII) announced an agency tie-up with Pune
based Bank of Maharashtra on January 30, 2017.
ii. Aim: To immensely benefit our customers by providing them an ease of access while choosing
from a diverse range of non-life insurance products, all under one roof
iii. It has tie-up with over 100 banks in India for bancassurance.Now it accounts for 5 per cent of
Future Generalis total busines.
Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley Presented Economic Survey 2016-17 in the
Parliament
The Union Finance Minister Shri Arun Jaitley presented the Economic Survey 2016-17 in the
Parliament on January 31, 2017 that provides a base for the government to prepare the annual
Budget.
The survey has been authored by Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian.The
Economic Survey depicts the state of the economy and is generally presented in
Parliament a day before the presentation of the annual Budget.
Important Highlights of the Economic Survey 2016-17
GDP Growth
The Economic Survey has estimated that the GDP growth rate for FY18 will be in the range
of 6.75 percent to 7.5 percent.
Demonetization and rising oil prices have been identified as the major risk to the growth
rate. However, remonetization and sufficient circulation of currency notes may return the
growth rate to normal position.
The growth rate for the current fiscal has been estimated at 7.1 percent from the previous
7.6 percent by the Central Statistics Office. This estimate does not take into account the effect
of demonetization.
Fixed investment (gross fixed capital formation) to GDP ratio (at current prices) is estimated
to be 26.6 per cent in 2016-17 as compared to previous 29.3 percent.
Government Revenues
The survey stated that the indirect taxes grew by 26.9 percent during April-November 2016.
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Besides, the revenue expenditure experienced a boost in the same period due to increase
in the salaries of government employees by 23.2 percent with the Seventh Pay
Commission and 39.5 percent increase in the grants for creation of capital assets.
Inflation
As per the Consumer Price Index (CPI), inflation remained under control for the third successive
financial year. The average CPI inflation was 5.9 percent in 2014-15, 4.9 percent in 2015-16
and 4.8 percent during April-December 2016.
Based on Wholesale Price Index (WPI), inflation was 2.0 per cent in 2014-15 and lowered to (-
)2.5 percent in 2015-16. During April-December 2016 it averaged to 2.9 percent. As per the
report pulses contributed major risk to food inflation.
Trade Growth
The survey stated that the growth in export was increased by 0.7 percent during April-December of
2016-17 amounting to USD 198.8 billion.
Similarly, during April-December of 2016-17, imports declined by 7.4 per cent
to USD 275.4 billion.
Besides, trade deficit declined to USD 76.5 billion in 2016-17 (April-December)
compared to USD 100.1 billion in the previous year.
The current account deficit (CAD) too lowered in the first half (H1) of 2016-17 to 0.3
percent of GDP from 1.5 percent in H1 of 2015-16 and 1.1 percent in 2015-16 full year.
In the first half of 2016-17, Indias Foreign Exchange Reserves increased by USD 15.5
billion.
External Debt
Indias external debt declined from March 2016 by USD 0.8 billion to USD 484.3 billion in
September 2016.
The short-term debt that contributed major share in total external debt declined to 16.8
percent at end-September 2016 and foreign exchange reserves provided a cover of 76.8
percent to the total external debt stock.
Agriculture Sector Growth
As per the survey, the agriculture sector is estimated to grow at 4.1 percent in the current fiscal
as compared to 1.2 percent in 2015-16 due to better monsoon.
The total area coverage under Rabi crops was recorded to be 616.2 lakh hectare on
January 13, 2017 which is 5.9 percent higher than previous year.
Similarly the area coverage under wheat as on January 13, 2017 is 7.1 percent higher
while the area coverage under gram is 10.6 percent higher than that in the corresponding
week of last year.
Industrial Growth
The survey estimates a growth rate of the industrial sector to be moderate at 5.2 percent in 2016-
17 from 7.4 percent in 2015-16.
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Services Sector
The Service sector has been estimated to grow at 8.9 percent in 2016-17 which is almost similar
to that in 2015-16.
Social Infrastructure, Employment and Human Development
The survey highlighted that the Parliament has passed the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act,
2016 to enhance the rights and entitlements of Persons with Disabilities. It envisages increasing
the reservation in vacancies in government establishments from 3 percent to 4 percent for those
persons with disability.
The Survey says Apparel and Leather industry have immense opportunity for job creation for
the weaker sections, especially for women and can lead to social transformation in the
country.
It points out that the capacity of the State to provide essential services such as health and
education to weaker section of the society is weak due to low capacity, with high levels of
corruption, clientelism, rules and red tapism.
Lakshmi Vilas Bank Partners with Fisdom for Mission FINFIT

i. The private sector lender Lakshmi Vilas Bank in partnership with Bangalore based fin-tech
startup firm Fisdom, has launched a mobile application Mission FINFIT to offer the customers
of the bank financial planning and personal wealth management services based on Robo advisory.
ii. The mobile app would enable the customer of the bank to plan their finances in an effective
manner using the online platform for wealth management thus encouraging them to invest
smarter.
Reserve Bank Lifts ATM Withdrawal Limits Effective From February 1

i. As per the announcement by Reserve Bank of India on January 30, 2017, the daily
withdrawal limit from ATM will be removed with effect from February 1, 2017. However the
weekly limit to withdraw Rs. 24000 from savings account will still continue.
ii. Earlier, the RBI had hiked the daily withdrawal limit from savings account on January 16, 2017
to Rs. 10000.
iii. Besides, the Central bank has also removed the cash withdrawal limit from current
accounts/ cash credit accounts/ overdraft accounts with immediate effect.
India Post Payment Bank Begins Pilot Service in Ranchi & Raipur
i. India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) started its operations on January 30, 2017 with the pilot
services launched in Raipur and Ranchi.
ii .The total paid up capital of the bank is Rs. 800 crore and the government has already
infused Rs. 275 crore.
iii. IPPB will offer an interest rate of 4.5 percent on deposits up to Rs.25,000; 5 percent on deposits
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of Rs.25,000-50,000 and 5.5 percent on Rs.50,000-1 lakh.

iv. The main of IPPB is to encourage financial inclusion rather than promoting commercial interests.
It would work jointly with the Department of Post to offer the benefits of the government schemes
and financial services which is not easily available to rural people and marginal population of urban
area.
v. IPPB would enable 3 lakh postmen to aid in bank functions. Besides, 1000 ATMs of India Post will
be transferred to IPPB. The bank has made plans to launch 650 branches across the country by
September 2017.
FICCIs Economic Outlook Survey Projects GDP to grow 6.8 Percent in FY 17

i. Based on the latest Economic Outlook Survey report released by FICCI on January 30, 2017,
the Indias GDP is projected to grow 6.8 percent this fiscal which is 0.5 percent points less than
FICCIs previous estimate of 7.3 percent.
ii. FICCI conducted the last round of survey between December 2016 and January 2017 and
collected responses from leading economists representing industry, banking and financial services
sectors.
iii. A slowdown in the estimate is due to the decrease in services and infrastructure sectors
post demonetization.
ICRA Estimates Banks Credit Growth to Remain Subdued at 5-6 percent in FY17
As per the report of the rating agency, ICRA, the bank credit growth rate is likely to float
between 5-6 percent in the current fiscal year.The reason cited includes weak loan demand as
the rate of return offered by debt market is better in comparison to banks.
Besides, the deposit rate was also projected to drop to 12 percent from the current 14.7
percent this fiscal ending March 2017 due to better cash flow in the system and cut in the deposit
rate by the banks.
BUSINESS
Indias Petronet Signs MoU to Set Up $950 Mn LNG Project in Bangladesh
i. Indias largest LNG importer Petronet has signed an MoU with Petrobangla on December 30,
2016, to set up $950 million liquefied natural gas import project of 7.5 million tonnes a year
in Bangladesh.
ii. The MoU was signed between Petronet LNG CEO and Managing Director Prabhat Singh and
Petrobangla secretary Syed Ashfaquzzaman. It also includes laying a 26-Km pipline to connect
the LNG project to the consumption markets.
iii. The project to be set up on Kutubdia Island in Coxs Bazar is targeted to be completed by 2020.
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Amazon Wins Patent for Flying Warehouse to Deliver Parcels via Drones
i. The U.S. e-commerce giant, Amazon has been awarded a patent for launching a giant
flying warehouse that would acts as a launch pad for drones to deliver items within minutes.
ii. The patent reveals plans for setting up an Airborne Fulfillment Center (AFC) such as
an Airship or Blimp, floating at an altitude of around 45,000 and stocked with lots of products
especially in area where the demand for certain items is expected to be high.
Consumers Can Waive Off Service Charge in Restaurants if Dissatisfied with Services:
Government
i. The Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) on January 2, 2017 directed that Service
charges billed by restaurants are optional and it is up to the customers to pay it.
ii. The decision comes after the department cited complaints that hotels and restaurants are
levying an additional 5 to 20% in bills in name of tips, regardless of the kind of service provided
Azure Power Commissions Largest Solar Power Project (150MW)

i. Solar power producer Azure Power commissioned 150 MW solar power project in Punjab, which
is its largest in North India.
ii. Azure Power had signed a solar power implementation agreement with Punjab Energy
Development Agency (PEDA) under its Solar Policy Phase III.
iii. The 150 MW solar power plant represents a portfolio of three projects of 50 MW each.
Output growth of Indias Core sector slows to 4.9% in November 2016

i. Indias core sectors including coal, steel and electricity, register a growth of 4.9% in
November 2016. However the rate of growth was smaller in comparison to the growth in October
2016 mainly due to the crash crunch caused by demonetization.
ii. As per the data released by the Commerce and Industry Ministry on January 2, 2017, the growth
rate of eight infrastructure sectors comprising coal, crude oil, natural gas, refinery products,
fertilisers, steel, cement and electricity was 6.6% in October 2016.
iii. The Refinery output grew just 2%, compared with a growth of 15.1% in October. Cement
output fell sharply and rose a mere 0.5% in November after a 6.2% rise in October.
iv .Coal rose at 6.4% after three continuous months of decline. Electricity production grew the
fastest at 10.2%, up from 2.8% growth in October. The Steel output expansion also slowed to
5.6% from 16.9% in October.
v. Fertiliser output rose 2.4% in November, compared to a mere 0.8% growth in October. Crude oil
and Natural gas continued to fall at 5.4% and 1.7%, respectively.
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Google India launches My Business and Digital Unlocked tool for small and medium
businesses in India.
i. Google India on 4 January 2017 has launched two new initiatives named
My Business and Digital Unlocked for the small and medium businesses in India.
ii. Using My Business tool small businesses would be able to set up website from their mobile
devices i.e smart phones. This toll has been first launched in India and from here it will taken to
other countries.
Government impose anti-dumping duty on Jute from Bangladesh, Nepal

i. The Government on January 5, 2017, imposed an anti-dumping duty ranging from USD 6.30
to USD 351.72 per tonne on imports of jute and its products from Bangladesh and Nepal for
five years.
ii. The revenue department after considering the findings of the Directorate General of Anti-
Dumping and Allied Duties (DGAD) imposed the anti-dumping duty in order to protect the
domestic industry. According to DGAD, Performance of domestic industry has deteriorated in the
terms of profitability, return on investments and cash flow and domestic industry is also facing
injury due to dumped imports.
HZL gets green nod for Rs 1,200 cr Zawar Mines expansion project
i. Vedanta Resources subsidiary firm Hindustan Zinc Limited (HZL) has received environment
clearance for its Rs. 1,200 crore Zawar Mines expansion project in Rajasthan.
ii. The Jaipur based firm which is the worlds second largest zinc producer is mulling to expand
the production capacity of Lead-Zinc and ore beneficiation at its Zawar Group of underground mines
located in Sarada district.
Animal rights bodies hail govts ban on import of hides, skin

i. The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has banned the import of exotic skins
of reptiles like crocodiles and alligators and animas like fox, mink and chinchillas.
ii. The Animal rights bodies across the nation has hailed the centers move to ban hides and skin
which will impart cruelty free alternatives to reduce suffering to animals.
Tata Motors and Castrol Announce Global Strategic Partnership

i. Tata Motors and Castrol entered into three-year strategic partnership agreement for supply of
Commercial Vehicle Oils to Tata Motors that will cover over 50 markets including SAARC and
ASEAN region, Middle East, Africa, Russia and Latin America.
ii. The move will help Tata to expand their international footprint as Castrol with its reputable
presence in these markets, will support Tata Motors.
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Single-window customs clearance extended for exporters

i. The revenue department extended the facility for customs clearance of export
consignments in a bid to reduce the transaction cost.
ii. The move comes from the government after the similar interface SWIFT for imports that runs
successful. This interface aimed customs clearance of shipments thereby reducing interface
with government agencies, dwell time and cost of doing business.
Jaipur to be next Destination for startups after Bengaluru

i.The state government of Rajasthan led by Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje has collaborated
with the American MNC Cisco to develop the state capital Jaipur as the second startup
destination after Bengaluru.
ii. The joint programme, Jaipur Lighthouse City programme, would comprise of series of
initiatives for the digial transformation of the state.
iii. The main focus of the initiative would be the girls. The state government and Cisco will focus on
training the girls in information and communication technology (ICT).
GAAR to be implemented from April 1, 2017

i. The General Anti-Avoidance Rule (GAAR) which was scheduled to be implemented from April
1, 2014, will now come into effect from April 1, 2017 (Assessment Year 2018-19).
ii. GAAR contains provision that allows the government to prospectively tax overseas deals
involving local assets.
iii. In 2012-2013 budget speech, the then Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee introduced the
concept of GAAR to check tax evasion and avoidance. However, it could not be implemented
because of the fear expressed by foreign investors that the government may use it to target P-
Notes and tax it as indirect investment with tax rate up to 15 percent.
Lufthansa becomes first carrier to launch commercial operations with Airbus A350 to
India
i. German airline company Lufthansa has become the first carrier to launch commercial operations
with Airbus A350 to India after it announced that the first flight to Delhi from Munich on this
aircraft will be operated on February 11, 2017.
ii. The first flight will be launching Airbus A350 between Delhi and Munich on February 11,
2017.
IBM Receives Record Breaking 8000 US Patent for 2016

i. IBM has become the first company to break the US patent record by receiving 8,088
patents in 2016 with a rate of 22 patents per day. The achievement also marked the 24th
consecutive year of the computer hardware giants innovation leadership.
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ii. IBMs 2016 patent output covers a diverse range of inventions in artificial intelligence and
cognitive computing, cognitive health, cloud, cyber security and other strategic growth areas for
the company.
Atos & NASSCOM Collaborates to Set Up NDLM Centre in Gujarat

i. Digital Services firm Atos and NASSCOM Foundation has collaborated on January 11, 2017 to
launch National Digital Literacy Mission (NDLM) centers at Vadodara, Gujarat to conduct
skill development programs in the area of Information Technology.
ii .Under the NDLM Scheme both the firms would work together to impart Digital Literacy to make
people IT literate, so that they can operate digital devices, like mobile phones, tablets among other
electronic devices and send & receive emails and search the internet for information among other
things.
Fly For Sure scheme Launched by Air India

i. The national carrier Air India (AI) has launched a Fly For Sure scheme on January 11, 2017
that will ensure that passengers reach their destination the desired day without the need to buy
expensive last-minute tickets in case of missing booked flight.
ii. Under the scheme, the customer will have to pay extra Rs. 2,000 while booking the ticket and
get to board any Air India flight on the same day and same sector in case of missing or cancelled
flight.
Mahindra Asset Management launches Mahindra Mutual Fund Dhan Sanchay Yojna
scheme
i. Mahindra Asset Management Company Pvt. Ltd (MAMCPL) launched an open ended
scheme Mahindra Mutual Fund Dhan Sanchay Yojna scheme to generate long-term returns
through investment in equity and debt.
ii. The scheme will close on January 24, 2017 and will open again for continuous sale and
repurchase from February 8, 2017
iii. The scheme is for investors who seek to take a calculated exposure in both equity and debt wit
a long term investment outlook
Industrial production grows 5.7% in November 2016

According to the latest factory output and inflation data Index of Industrial Production (IIP)
released by the statistics office showed industrial production at a one-year high of 5.7% in
November 2016.
About Other Sectors :
i. Consumer inflation fell in December 2016 to 3.41% and CPI inflation was marginally higher
at 3.63% in November 2016.
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ii. Manufacturing PMI(Purchasing Managers Index) for December 2016 had shown a contraction
for the first time in 2016. The numbers also got a lift from the weak base of November 2015 that
had a 3.4% contraction.
iii. Electricity generation registered the fastest growth at 8.9%
iv. Manufacturing output is increased by 5.5%
v. Mining production is raised by 3.9%
vi. Capital goods grew by a robust 15%
vii. Basic goods increased by 4.7% and
viii. Output of intermediate is raised by 2.7%
NTPC Signs MoU To Takeover Rajasthans Chhabra Thermal Power Plant

i. NTPC Ltd signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding on January 12, 2017
with Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Ltd and Rajasthan Urja Vikas Nigam Ltd in the
presence of chief minister Vasundhara Raje in Jaipur to takeover of Chhabra Thermal Power
Plant under asset-for-equity deal.
ii. As per the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), NTPC would take four operational units
of 250-MW capacity each and two other under-construction units of 660 MW capacity each at
Chhabara Thermal Power Plant.
Spicejet signs $22-bn deal to buy 205 Boeing aircraft

i. India based Budget carrier SpiceJet and US based aircraft manufacturer Boeing has signed a deal
worth $22 billion (Rs 150,000 crore) for the purchase of up to 205 aircraft on January 13, 2017.
ii. This is one of the largest orders ever made in the airline history. The agreement also provided a
big boost for Boeing in India.
iii. The deal includes 100 new 737 Max 8 jets, builds upon an existing order for 55 aircraft.
WPI Based Inflation Increases to 3.39% in December 2016

i. Wholesale Price Index (WPI) inflation rose to 3.39 percent in December 2016 breaking the
record of last three months. The rise was due to increase in prices of manufactured items.
ii. WPI based inflation in vegetables declined by 33.11 percent in December 2016 mainly
because of a substantial fall in price of onions which stood at -37.20 percent.
iii. However, the overall food inflation witnessed contraction in December 2016 as against
previous month November 2016. It declined by -0.70 percent from 1.54 percent in November.
iv. While Pulse inflation remained high at 18.12 percent in December, Potato showed maximum
price increase by 26.42 percent. Rate of price increase in egg, meat and fish was 2.73
percent.
v. Manufactured article was 3.67 percent compared with 3.20 percent in the November 2016.
Inflation in the fuel and power segment was 8.65 percent in December 2016 up from 7.07 per cent
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in November.
vi. The rate of price rise in sugar was 28.04 percent, for petrol it was 8.52 per cent, and for high
speed diesel it was 20.25 percent.
BHEL Commissions 500 MW Thermal Unit In West Bengal

i. Government owned Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited(BHEL) has commissioned new 500 MW
Thermal Unit in West Bengal on January 16, 2016
ii. This was the second 500 MW at Sagardighi Thermal Power Station (TPS) Phase II project in
Murshidabad district of West Bengal.
CCI Imposes Penalty of Rs 206 cr on 7 Cement Companies

i. The Competition Commission of India (CCI) imposed a penalty of Rs. 207 crore on seven
major cement companies on January 19, 2017 for being involved in bid rigging and
cartelisation to get tenders in Haryana government orders.
ii. The companies violated the competition norms on a tender floated by a Haryana state agency in
2012, for supply to government departments, boards and corporations.
iii. CCI has imposed the penalty at 0.3 percent of the average turnover of these companies for
three financial years.
PSU Oil Companies Signs Pact with Andhra Pradesh Govt to Invest 1.65 Lakh Crore
i. The Public Sector Oil Companies including HPCL, ONGC and the GAIL have signed MoUs on
January 27, 2017 with the Andhra Pradesh Government to invest 1.65 lakh crore in several
projects of the state especially the Krishna-Godavari basin.
ii. The MoU was signed between the Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra
Pradhan with the state government during a session on Sunrise Andhra Pradesh at the partnership
summit organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry and the Andhra Pradesh government.
Flipkart Ranked Top E-Commerce Firm in Indian E-tailing Leadership Index

The Electronic commerce company Flipkart has been ranked at the top position in the nationwide
consumer study titled The Indian E-tailing Leadership Index conducted by research firm Red
Seer Consulting.
This is the fourth consecutive year that Filpkart has retained its position as the most trusted e-
commerce brand. It scored highest among all e-commerce platforms in India in areas like product
selection, customer support, ease of return, refund and reverse pick up speed and speed of
delivery.
FreeCharge Launches Mutual Funds Platform in Partnership with Reliance

i. Digital Payment Platform, FreeCharge has launched a Mutual Funds investment facility on its
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platform in partnership with Reliance Mutual Fund on January 20, 2017.

ii. Under the facility users can invest in a Money Market Mutual Fund that seeks to
provide higher returns than those available on savings bank accounts.
iii. Investment in FreeCharges Mutual Fund would entirely be paperless. The customer simply
needs to register with his PAN or Adhaar card number. The facility would also provide the
benefit of zero transaction charges and zero charges at redemption.
Apple Named as The Most Innovative Company In The World

i. According to the annual 50 Most Innovative Companies survey report published by the
management consulting firm BCG (Boston Consulting Group), , Apple Inc. has been named as
the Worlds Most Innovative Company in 2016.
Top 5 Most innovative
ii. This is the 11th time that the report has been revised since it first Company
appeared in the year 2004. 1 Apple
2 Google
iii. BCG surveyed more than 1,500 senior innovation executives around 3 Tesla Motors
4 Microsoft
the globe. Out of the top 50 most innovative companies, 34 are based in
5 Amazon
the US, 6 in Asia, and 10 in Europe.
Vodafone India signs MoU with West Bengal, to invest Rs 3,000 crore in West Bengal
i. UK-headquartered Vodafone India signed an MoU with the West Bengal government to invest
Rs 3,000 crore for capacity augmentation and new business initiatives over next three years.
ii. The MoU signed on the sidelines of Bengal Global Business Summit 2017.
iii. Aim: To improve Vodafones leadership position in the state by offering customers a SuperNet
experience through enhanced network.
New Universal Rail Mill Worth Rs. 1200 crore Inaugurated in Bhilai Steel Plant
i. Moving towards the Make in India initiative, the Steel Minister Chaudhary Birender
Singh inaugurated the new Universal Rail Mill at Bhilai Steel Plant (BSP) of Steel Authority
of India Ltd (SAIL) on January 23, 2017 and flagged off the mills first and worlds longest single
rail of 130 meters from the new Universal Rail Mill(URM).
ii. URM established at a cost of about Rs 1200 crore. It will take BSPs total capacity to produce
rails at 2.0 million tons per annum (MTPA).
T-Hub Collaborates with Esri India for GIS Innovation Hub

i. Telangana based Indias largest incubator for start-ups, T-Hub has launched a GIS Innovation
Hub (GIH) in collaboration with Esri India on January 23, 2017 for the start-ups belonging to the
capital Hyderabad.
ii. Esri India is countrys leading Geographic Information System (GIS) software and solutions
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provider. The facility was inaugurated by Jack Dangermond, co-founder, president and CEO of Esri
Inc.
Boeing India Engineering & Technology Centre Launched in Bengaluru

i. American aerospace major Boeing Corporation launched the Boeing India Engineering &
Technology Center (BIETC) on January 24, 2017 in Bengaluru in a bid to enhance its
aerospace innovation in global emerging market like India.
ii. The engineering and technology centre will employ hundreds of talent of pool employees from
within the nation to support its information technology & data analytics, engineering, research and
technology and tests to increase productivity and long-term competitiveness in Indian Market
MakeMyTrip launches India's first social luxury travel magazine

i. India's largest online travel portal MakeMyTrip has launched the first ever social luxury travel
magazine called 'Luxury Travel Times'.
ii. The mobile-only magazine is targeted at luxury travelers.
iii. It is released through innovative ad platforms like Facebook Canvas & Instagram-Stories.
iv. 'Spa-cation', 'Heaven on Earth' & 'Heritage' were first few themes of the magazine.
Nokia Gets Vodafones 4G contract Worth Rs 3,650 crore

i. Nokia Indian operation has bagged a contract worth $500 million (Rs 3,650 crore) from
Mumbai based Vodafone for deployment and expansion of 4G network in the country.
ii. Nokia will cover 10 out of 22 telecom zones for Vodafone India in the country. It would cover
Kolkata, Mumbai, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu-Chennai, Haryana, UP East, West Bengal, Punjab, Himachal
Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir.
Aditya Birla Group Plans to Invest Rs 7,000 crore in Andhra Pradesh

i. The Aditya Birla Group on January 27, 2017 announced its plans to invest Rs 7,000 crore in
the next two years in Andhra Pradesh.
ii. The company aims to expand its existing businesses in the state.
iii. The conglomerate already has investments of Rs 10,000 crore in the state across sectors like
telecom, retail and cement.
HPCL, GAIL sign pact with AP for Rs 40K crore petrochem project
i. Hindustan Petroleum Corp Ltd(HPCL) and GAIL India Ltd signed a pact with Andhra
Pradesh for setting up a Rs 40,000 crore petrochemical plant in the state.
ii. The 50:50 joint venture will set up a 1.5 million tons Ethylene Derivatives plant.
iii. It will be set up at the Petroleum, Chemical and Petrochemicals Investment Region (PCPIR) sites
identified by the state government at Kakinada.
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Indias largest startup incubator to be built at Hubballi

i. Indian-American entrepreneur, philanthropist and venture capitalist Gururaj Deshpande has
decided to launch Indias largest startup incubation centre at Hubballi (earlier Hubli) in
Karnataka.
ii. The decision is based on the idea of expansion of the Deshpande Foundations initial
incubation center, Sandbox, which was founded by Deshpande and his wife Jaishree in 2008. Nearly
50 startups are part of the Sandbox. All of them will move to the new facility once it is ready.
iii. The new incubator centre would be spread over an area of 85,000 sq ft alongside the new
campus of information technology giant Infosys and will be able to house 1,200 people at a
time. This will pave way for at least 200 startups.
iv. The Deshpande Foundations startup incubation centre will be built at a cost of Rs 30
crore, and is expected to be completed by September 2017.
Reliance Defence Signs Contract with Ministry of Defence to Construct 14 Fast patrol
Vessels for Indian Coast Guard
i. Reliance Defence and Engineering Ltd (RDEL), a wholly owned arm of Reliance
Infrastructure Ltd (RInfra), has signed a contract worth Rs. 916 crore with the Ministry of
Defence on January 30, 2017 to design and construct 14 Fast Patrol Vessels for the Indian
Coast Guard.
ii. The medium range, high speed vessels would be deployed for patrolling within the exclusive
economic zone, costal surveillance, anti-smuggling, anti-piracy, search and rescue operations. It
will also provide support as front-line warships during emergencies.
iii. RDEL is the first private sector shipyard which has been awarded a contract of designing and
building such ships for Indian Armed Forces.
KSEZ, Subsidiary of GMR group Signs MoUs With Firms to Set Up Manufacturing Units at
Kakinada SEZ
i. Kakinada SEZ Ltd (KSEZ), a subsidiary of GMR Infrastructure Limited (GIL), signed several
MoUs with various companies during the CII Partnership Summit 2017 held on January 27-28, 2017
at Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.
ii. The MoU aimed at setting up World Class manufacturing units at the Kakinada SEZ in Andhra
Pradesh spread over 8,500 acres at a cost of Rs. 47000 crore.
iiii .KSEZ signed an MoU worth Rs. 7000 crore with 5 companies namely Oil Country Tubular,
Kamineni Steel & Power, United Seamless Tubular, Deepak Phenolics and DCM Shriram to set up
manufacturing Units spread over an area of 550 acres at the Kakinada SEZ.
iv. Besides, Oil and Gas PSUs, Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) & Hindustan Petroleum
Corporation Limited (HPCL) signed an MoU with the Government of Andhra
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Pradesh worth Rs 40,000 crore to set up petrochemicals complex over an area spanning 2000
acres in the state.
UberMOTO launches service in Hyderabad

i. American worldwide online transportation network company Uber has launched two-wheeler
aggregation service UberMOTO by Uber Founder and CEO Travis Kalanick in Hyderabad on January
30, 2017
ii. UberMOTO can hire two-wheelers for short-distance commute at cheaper rates to provide the
last-mile connectivity from and to the upcoming Metro railway stations.
AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS
NHPC CMD KM Singh Awarded at 10th ENERTIA Awards 2016

i. Shri K M Singh, Chairman & Managing Director of State-run National Hydroelectric Power
Corporation (NHPC) has been conferred the Power & Energy Personas Award for Individual
Excellence at the 10th ENERTIA Awards 2016 India and South Asias awards for
excellence in sustainable energy and power on December 29, 2016.
ii. Singh received the award from Former Secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy,
UpendraTripathy.
Two New Hindi Writers Honored Bharatiya JananpithNavlekhan award 2016

i. Bharatiya Jnanpith have conferred two new Hindi writers, Shraddha and Ghyansham Kumar
Devansh, with the 2016 Bharatiya JnanpithNavlekhan Award on December 29, 2016 for their
first creation.
ii. A selection panel chaired by eminent poet Vishnu Nagar named Shraddha for her short story,
Hawa Mein PhadphadatiChitthi and Devansh for his poem Akash Mein Deh.
Pakistan awards Nishan-e-Imtiaz to Army chief QamarBajwa

i. Pakistan MamnoonHussain honoured Pakistans Chief of Army Staff
General Qamar JavedBajwa with Nishan-e-Imtiaz to recognize his valuable servicesin Islamabad.
ii. Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General ZubairMahmood Hayat was also awarded with
Nishan-e-Imtiaz (military).
PSPCL awarded with Best Performing Power Distribution Utility in Power Sector by CBIP
i. The Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) was awarded with Best Performing
Power Distribution Utility in Power Sector by Central Board of Irrigation & Power (CBIP).
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ii. Union Minister Sanjeev Kumar Balyan presented this award to Karan Deep Chaudhri,
Chairman-cum-Managing Director, PSPSCL in New Delhi.
30 Indian-Origin Men & Women Inducted into 2017 Forbes Super Achievers List
i. The 2017 edition of the Forbes list of super achievers under the age of 30 features
about 30 Indian-Origin Innovators, Entrepreneurs and Leaders who made
outstanding contribution towards transforming the world.
ii. The 30 people listed belong to 20 different industries including healthcare, manufacturing,
sports and finance.
iii. Forbes List of super achievers under the age of 30 listed 600 people who were passionate to
break the status quo and transform the world.
iv. The list included VivekKopparthi of NeoLight, Prarthna Desai, Shaun Patel, Rohan Suri,
VarunSivram ,Neha Gupta, Aditya Agarwal, Akshay Khanna, AnarghyaVardhana, AkshayGoyal Ajay
Yadav among others.
Shah Rukh Khan Named for 4th Yash Chopra Memorial Award
i. Bollywood actor, Shah Rukh Khan, commonly known as SRK, has been named for the 4th Yash
Chopra Memorial Award. The award would be presented to the actor at a function in Mumbai on
February 25, 2017.
ii. The actor will receive Rs 10 lakh, a gold medal, and a certificate as part of the award.
iii. Shah Rukh Khan was chosen as the recipient by a four-member jury, consisting of Dr T.
Subirami Reddy, Pamela Chopra, PadminiKolhapure and Boney Kapoor.
Parag Havaldar an IIT Kharagpur alumnus wins Technical Oscar

i. An IIT Kharagpur alumnus, Parag Havaldar, has won the prestigious Scientific & Technical
Awards popularly called the `Technical Oscar by the Academy of Motion Pictures and Sciences
for the development of expression-based facial performance-capture technology at Sony Pictures
Imageworks.
ii. He will be awarded a certificate from the Academy at Beverly Hills, California on February 11,
2017.
La La Land Wins Record 7 Awards at Golden Globes

i. La La Land, an American romantic musical comedy-drama film, broke the record at the 74th
Golden Globe Awards on January 8, 2017 by winning in every category of award it was nominated.
ii. The movie won all seven awards it was nominated in including best musical or comedy film, best
director, screenplay, score and song along with the actors of the film.
iii. The actors of the film Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone were honored as best actor and actress
while Damien Chazelle was awarded best director and City of star was given the best original song.
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Amitabh Bachchan Awarded by US Embassy for TB Awareness

i. The Bollywood Actor Amitabh Bachchan was honoured by the US Embassy on January 8, 2017
for his immense contribution to the India-US partnership on tuberculosis (TB).
ii. The award was presented by US Ambassador to India Richard R Verma to the 74-year-old
actor, who himself was diagnosed TB in 2000. After which he stood in support to combat the
disease and became the brand ambassador for the cause.
Cristiano Ronaldo Named FIFA Best Player of the Year 2016

Portugals Cristiano Ronaldo was named the worlds best player at the inaugural Best FIFA
Football Awards 2016 on January 9, 2017 in Zurich, Switzerland.The Real Madrid player beat
great rival Barcelonas Lionel Messi and Argentinas Antoine Griezmann to win the top award of
FIFA.
List of Winners
The Best FIFA Mens Player Award Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Best FIFA Womens Player Award Carli Lloyd.
The Best FIFA Mens Coach Award Claudio Ranieri.
The Best FIFA Womens Coach Award Silvia Neid.
The FIFA Pusks Award 2016 Mohd Faiz Subri.
The FIFA Fair Play Award Atletico National.
The FIFA Fan Award Dortmund fans and Liverpool fans.
The FIFA lifetime achievement award Falcao.
The FIFA FIFPro World11 Neuer, Dani Alves, Pique, Ramos, Marcelo,
Modric, Kroos, Iniesta, Messi, Suarez, Ronaldo.
US President Obama Selects 4 Indian-American Scientists for Presidential Awards
i. Four IndianAmerican scientists have been selected by the US President Barack Obama on
January 10, 2017 for the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and
Engineers (PECASE).
ii. Established by President Clinton in 1996, the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists
and Engineers is the highest honor bestowed by the United States Government on science and
engineering professionals in the early stages of their independent research careers.
ISKCONs Govardhan eco village bags UN award

i. ISKCONs Govardhan eco village in Thane district has been conferred with the UNWTO Award
for Innovation in the category of Non-Governmental Organisations(NGO) at he annual United
Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Awards for Excellence and Innovation in Tourism
at Madrid in Spain on January 19, 2017
ii. Govardhan eco village become the first village in India has recognized by UN in the NGO
sector.
iii. The village received this honour for its initiative of eco tourism as a catalyst for rural
development.
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President Obama awards Joe Biden with the highest US civilian honour
i. President Barack Obama on January 12, 2017 presented the Presidential Medal
of Freedom (the highest US civilian honour) to the Vice President of US Joe Biden. The vice-
president had no idea that he will be getting the award and the award came as a surprise to him.
ii. The medal was awarded with distinction. This is an additional honour that has been given to
only 4 people, including Pope John Paul II (4 including Biden.)
Fred Ramsdell , Alexander Rudensky from US and Shimon Sakaguchi from Japanese
Scientists Awarded 2017 Crafoord Prize
i. The 2017 Crafoord Prize has been conferred upon two American and one Japenese
scientists for their fundamental discoveries in immune regulation.
ii. The awardees of the scientific prize include Japans Shimon Sakaguchi of Osaka
University, Fred Ramsdell from the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy in San Francisco,
and Alexander Rudensky of the New-York-based Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center of
America.
Darpan Basak & Ankit Kumar won the Young Travel Photographer Of The Year (TPOTY)
award 2016
i. Darpan Basak(14) and Ankit Kumar(13)won the Young Travel Photographer of the year
(TPOTY) in the Places and Experiences category.
ii. It is an annual award which was founded by photographers Chris and Karen Coe in 2003.
62nd Filmfare Award 2017 Winner list

i. The 62nd Filmfare Awards ceremony was held in Mumbai, Maharashtra on January 14,
2017. The show was co-hosted by Kapil Sharma, Karan Johar and Shahrukh Khan.
ii. This year Shatrughan Sinha received the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award presented
by his daughter and actress Sonakshi Sinha. Shatrughan Sinha completed close to five decades in
the film industry.
2017 List of Winners
Award Winner
Best Film Dangal
Best Director Nitesh Tiwari for Dangal
Best Actor (Male) Aamir Khan for Dangal
Best Actor (Female) Alia Bhatt for Udta Punjab
Best Actor (Male) in a Short Film Manoj Bajpayee for Taandav.
Best Male Debut Diljit Dosanjh for Udta Punjab.
Best Female Debut Ritika Singh for Saala Khadoos.
Best Director Debut Ashwini Iyer Tiwari for Nil Battey Sannata
Best Film Peoples Choice Khamakha
Best Short Film (Fiction) Chutney
Best Short Film (Non-fiction) Matitali Kusti
Best Actor (Female) in a Short Film Tisca Chopra for Chutney.
Best Dialogue Ritesh Shah for Pink.
Best Screenplay Shakun Batra, Ayesha Devitre Dhillon for Kapoor
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& Sons
Best Story Shakun Batra, Ayesha Devitre Dhillon for Kapoor
& Sons
Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Male) Rishi Kapoor for Kapoor & Sons.
Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Female) Shabana Azmi for Neerja.
Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award Shatrughan Sinha.
Best Music Director Pritam for Ae Dil Hai Mushkil.
Best Lyricist Amitabh Bhattacharya-Channa Mereya,Ae Dil
Hai Mushkil
Best Male Playback Singer Arijit Singh for the song Ae Dil Hai Mushkil
Best Female Playback Singer Neha Bhasin for Jag Ghoomeya from Sultan
Best Visual Effects Red Chillies for Fan
Best Editing Monisha Baldawa for Neerja
Best Costume Payal Saluja for Udta Punjab
Best Action Shyam Kaushal for Dangal
Best Background Score Sameer Uddin for Kapoor & Sons
Best Choreography Adil Shaikh for Kar Gayi Chull from Kapoor &
Sons
RD Burman Award for New Music Talent Amit Mishra for Bulleya from Ae Dil Hai Mushkil
Best Cinematography Mitesh Mirchandani for Neerja
Filmfare Critics Award
Best Film Neerja
Best Actor (Male) Manoj Bajpayee (Aligarh) and Shahid
Kapoor (Udta Punjab)
Best Actor (Female) Sonam Kapoor for Neerja
Award Winner
Best Film Dangal
Best Director Nitesh Tiwari for Dangal
Best Actor (Male) Aamir Khan for Dangal
Best Actor (Female) Alia Bhatt for Udta Punjab
Kiran Doshi Conferred The Hindu Prize 2016 for Jinnah Often Came to Our House
i .Kiran Doshi won The Hindu Prize 2016 on January 15, 2017 at the 7th edition of The Hindu
Lit for Life festival 2017 held in Chennai from January 14-16, 2017.
ii. The festival was inaugurated by contemporary artist Gulamohammed Sheikh at Sir
Mutha Venkatasubba Rao Concert Hall in Chennai.
Kolkatas Sitalpati Gets place in UNESCOs Intangible Cultural Heritage

i. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has
registered Sitalpati or cool mat from the Cooch Behar district, West Bengal as an intangible
cultural heritage.
ii. The Sitalpati are the mats that are used for siting or hanging on the doors or windows during
summer season. They are made up of weaved green cane slips of murta plants widely found in the
region.
British Poet Jacob Polley wins 2016 TS Eliot Prize for Jackself
i. Jacob Polley, a British Poet was Conferred with the 2016 T.S. Eliot prize for poetry at a
ceremony at the Wallace Collection gallery in London on January 16, 2017 for his poetry
collection Jackself.
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ii. Jackself is his fourth collection that consists of various poems that is inspired from his childhood
in Cumbria, England. Polley is the 23rd winner of the award and received 20,000 ($24,000)
prize money.
iii. The selection panel called the book as a firework of a book. It was chosen from 10
competeting books.
2016 National Bravery Awards Conferred upon 25 Children including 12 Girls

The National Bravery Awards 2016 has been conferred upon 25 children that include 13 boys
and 12 girls. Among the 25 awards, four awards have been given posthumously.
1.Bharat Award Winners: Late Km. Tarh Peeju
2.Geeta Chopra Award Winners: Tejasweeta Pradhan and Shivani Gond
3.Sanjay Chopra Award Winners: Master Sumit Mamgain
4.Bapu Gaidhani Award Winners: Late Km. Roluahpuii, Late Km. H Lalhriatpuii, Master Tushar
Verma
General National Bravery Award Winners

1. The recipients of General National Bravery Award include:
2. Master Praful Sharma (Himachal Pradesh)
3. Master Sonu Mali (Rajasthan)
4. Km. Akshita Sharma (Delhi)
5. Master Akshit Sharma (Delhi)
6. Master Naman (Delhi)
7. Km. Anshika Pandey (Uttar Pradesh)
8. Km. Nisha Dilip Patil (Maharashtra)
9. Km. Siya Vamansa Khode (Karnataka)
10. Master Moirangthem Sadananda Singh (Manipur)
11. Master Binil Manjaly (Kerala)
12. Master Adithyan M.P. Pillai (Kerala)
13. Master Akhil K. Shibu (Kerala)
14. Km. Badarunnisa K.P. (Kerala)
15. Master Tankeswar Pegu (Assam)
16. Km. Neelam Dhruv (Chhattisgarh)
17. Master Thanghilmang Lunkim (Nagaland)
18. Master Mohan Sethy (Odisha)
19. Late Km. Payal Devi (Jammu&Kashmir
Priyanka Chopra wins her 2nd Peoples Choice Award for TV Series Quantico
i. The Bollywood Actress Priyanka Chopra won her second Peoples Choice
Award for Favourite Dramatic TV Actress at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, California on
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January 18, 2017.

ii. Priyanka won for her role as CIA agent Alex Parrish in the ABC thriller TV series
Quantico. She defeated her ABC counterparts Ellen Pompeo, Kerry Washington, Taraji P. Henson,
and Viola Davis to win the Favourite Dramatic TV Actress award.
Himachali film Saanjh awarded at US film festival

i. A film directed by Ajay Saklani in a Himachali dialect Saanjh has won the best feature film
award at international Borrego Springs Film Festival held in California, US on January 16, 2017.
ii. The award was received by films co-producer Anil Chandel.The film also received award of
merit at the Accolade Global Film Competition.
iii. Saanjh is the first Himachali film has gets international recognition in 100 years of the Indian
cinema.The film focuses on an unforgettable Saanjh (evening) in which the characters are caught
between light and darkness
3 Indian-origin conferred with Australias highest civilian award

i. Three Indian-origin persons have been awarded Australias highest civilian honor this year
for their contributions in the field of medicine and work towards the community.
1. Purushottam Sawrikar, a Sydney-based medical practitioner
2. Makhan Singh Khangure from Perth
3. Vijay Kumar a founding Member of Sydney Tamil Sangam Association
Two Scientists from National Geophysical Research Institute Named for 2016 National
Geoscience Award
i. Dr. A Keshav Krishna, a scientist at the National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI),
Hyderabad has been selected for the 2016 National Geoscience Award in recognition of his
work in the field of geo-environmental studies in Applied Geosciences.
ii. Besides, Dr. N. Purnachandra Rao, Chief Scientist at the National Geophysical Research
Institute (NGRI), has been selected for 2016 National Geoscience Award for recognition of his work
in the field of Geophysics.
iii. The award is given by the Union Ministry of Mines, Govt. of India
3 Soldiers from Rashtriya Rifles Awarded Sena Medal for Encoutering Hizbul terrorist
Burhan Wani
i. Three personnel of Rashtriya Rifles have been awarded the Sena Medal on the occasion of
Republic Day in New Delhi for gunning down terrorist Burhan Wani in July 2016.
ii. The awardees include Major Sandeep Kumar, Captain Manik Sharma and Naik Arvind
Singh Chauhan. On July 8, 2016, Major Sandeep Kumar discovered that Sartaj Aziz and two other
militants were hiding in a house in Bumdoora village, 18 km southeast of Anantnag in J&K.
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Over 3.5 lakh People Sing National Anthem to Create World Record in Gujarat
i. Over 3.5 lakh people in Gujarat created a world record on January 21, 2017 by
singing the National Anthem at an event of installation of idol of goddess Khodiyar at a
newly-built Khodal Dham temple in Kagvad town in Rajkot district.
ii. During the 5-day installation ceremony which began on January 17, 2017, over 50 lakh devotees
were estimated to have visited the temple. Goddess Khodiyar is particularly revered by the Leuva
Patel community.
PM Modi Confers National Bravery Awards to 25 Young Recipients

i. Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the National Bravery Awards 2016 in New Delhi on
January 23, 2017 and distributed bravery awards to 25 young recipients.
ii. Among the 25 children, 12 were girls and 13 boys out of which 4 awards were given
posthumously.
iii. The coveted Bharat Award has been conferred on eight-year-old Late Km. Tarh Peeju of
Arunachal Pradesh, who sacrificed her life in an attempt to save two of her friends from drowning.
iv. Each awardee will be given a financial assistance until they complete their schooling. Some state
governments also provide financial assistance to them.
v. ICCW also provides financial assistance under its Indira Gandhi Scholarship Scheme to those
undertaking professional courses such as engineering and medicine.
Delhi Airport Bags Golden Peacock Award for CSR in Aviation Sector
i. Delhi International Airport Ltd.(DIAL) has bagged the
prestigious GoldenPeacock Award on January 20, 2017 for Corporate Social Responsibility in
the transportation sector under the aviation category for the year 2016.
ii. The award was declared at a special presentation ceremony during the 11th International
Conference on Corporate Social Responsibility held in Bengaluru from January 20-21, 2017
on the theme: Embedding CSR in Corporate Strategy for Responsible Growth.
iii. Earlier, DIAL also won the 6th EPC World Awards for its contribution in the infrastructure and
construction sector.
iv. The GMR Group-led consortium Delhi airport has been declared as the worlds no. 1 airport in
ACI ASQ survey (Airports Council International-Airport Service Quality) in the 25-40 million
passengers per annum category for two consecutive years from 2014.
v. The Golden Peacock Awards were founded by the Institute of Directors (India) in 1991 for
recognizing corporate excellence. The national quality award was instituted to encourage total
quality improvements in both manufacturing and service organizations in India.
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Assam Launches Chief Ministers Award For Performing Districts in Cashless

Transaction
i. In a bid to promote digital transaction in Assam, the Chief Minister of Assam, Sarbananda
Sonowal on January 22, 2017 announced the launch of Chief Ministers Award while
inaugurating the Digi Dhan Mela in the state.
ii. The Chief Ministers Award would be given to the best performing district of the state that
adopts digital payment methods and also educate larger section of the society about the cashless
transaction.
iii. The winning districts Deputy Commissioner would be presented a prize of Rs 50,000 at the
end of financial year 2016-2017 after March 31, 2017.
Vladimir Putin Awarded with the First Hugo Chavez Peace Prize by Venezuela
i. Russias President Vladimir Putin was awarded the first ever Hugo Chavez Prize for Peace
and Sovereignty by the Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on January 18, 2017 at the
Presidential Palace in Miraflores, Caracas, Venezuela.
ii. The Peace Prize has been named in honor of late Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez who served
as the 64th President of Venezuela from 1999 to 2013.
Complete list of Padma Awards 2017

The Government on January 25, 2017 announced Padma Awards in New Delhi to citizens of the
country in recognition of their distinguished contribution in various spheres.
This year the President of India has approved Padma Awards to 89 persons. Out of these
19 are women, 5 awardees are from the category of foreigners, NRIs, PIOs while 6 are
posthumous awardees.
The Award includes 7 Padma Vibhushan, 7 Padma Bhushan and 75 Padma Shri Awardees.
List of Padma Award
PADMA VIBHUSHAN:
No. Name Awarded For State
1 Shri K J Yesudas Art-Music Kerala
2 Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev Others-Spiritualism Tamil Nadu
3 Shri Sharad Pawar Public Affairs Maharashtra
4 Shri Murli Manohar Joshi Public Affairs Uttar Pradesh
5 Prof. Udipi Ramachandra Rao Science & Engineering Karnataka
6 Late Shri Sunder Lal Patwa (Posthumous) Public Affairs Madhya Pradesh
7 Late Shri PA Sangma (Posthumous) Public Affairs Meghalaya
PADMA BHUSHAN:
No Name Awarded for State
8 Shri Vishwa Mohan Bhatt Art-Music Rajasthan
9 Prof. (Dr.) Devi Prasad Dwivedi Literature & Education Uttar Pradesh
10 Shri Tehemton Udwadia Medicine Maharashtra
11 Shri Ratna Sundar Maharaj Others-Spiritualism Gujarat
12 Swami Niranjana Nanda Saraswati Yoga Bihar
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13 H.R.H. Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Literature & Education Thailand

(Foreigner)
14 Late Shri Cho Ramaswamy (Posthumous) Literature & Education Tamil Nadu
Journalism
PADMA SHRI:
No. Name Awarded for State
15 Smt. Basanti Bisht Art-Music Uttarakhand
16 Shri Chemanchery Kunhiraman Nair Art-Dance Kerala
17 Smt. Aruna Mohanty Art-Dance Odisha
18 Smt. Bharathi Vishnuvardhan Art-Cinema Karnataka
19 Shri Sadhu Meher Art-Cinema Odisha
20 Shri T K Murthy Art-Music Tamil Nadu
21 Shri Laishram Birendrakumar Singh Art-Music Manipur
22 Shri Krishna Ram Chaudhary Art-Music Uttar Pradesh
23 Smt. Baoa Devi Art-Painting Bihar
24 Shri Tilak Gitai Art-Painting Rajasthan
25 Dr. Prof. Aekka Yadagiri Rao Art-Sculpture Telangana
26 Shri Jitendra Haripal Art-Music Odisha
27 Shri Kailash Kher Art-Music Maharashtra
28 Smt. Parassala B Ponnammal Art-Music Kerala
29 Smt. Sukri Bommagowda Art-Music Karnataka
30 Shri Mukund Nayak Art-Music Jharkhand
31 Shri Purushottam Upadhyay Art-Music Gujarat
32 Smt. Anuradha Paudwal Art-Music Maharashtra
33 Shri Wareppa Naba Nil Art-Theatre Manipur
34 Shri Tripuraneni Hanuman Chowdary Civil Service Telangana
35 Shri T.K. Viswanathan Civil Service Haryana
36 Shri Kanwal Sibal Civil Service Delhi
37 Shri Birkha Bahadur Limboo Muringla Literature & Education Sikkim
38 Smt. Eli Ahmed Literature & Education Assam
39 Dr. Narendra Kohli Literature & Education Delhi
40 Prof. G. Venkatasubbiah Literature & Education Karnataka
41 Shri Akkitham Achyuthan Namboothiri Literature & Education Kerala
42 Shri Kashi Nath Pandita Literature & Education Jammu & Kashmir
43 Shri Chamu Krishna Shastry Literature & Education Delhi
44 Shri Harihar Kripalu Tripathi Literature & Education Uttar Pradesh
45 Shri Michel Danino Literature & Education Tamil Nadu
46 Shri Punam Suri Literature & Education Delhi
47 Shri VG Patel Literature & Education Gujarat
48 Smt. V Koteswaramma Literature & Education Andhra Pradesh
49 Shri Balbir Dutt Literature & Education Jharkhand
Journalism
50 Smt. Bhawana Somaaya Literature & Education Maharashtra
Journalism
51 Shri Vishnu Pandya Literature & Education Gujarat
Journalism
52 Dr. Subroto Das Medicine Gujarat
53 Dr. (Smt.) Bhakti Yadav Medicine Madhya Pradesh
54 Dr. Mohammed Abdul Waheed Medicine Telangana
55 Dr. Madan Madhav Godbole Medicine Uttar Pradesh
56 Dr. Devendra Dayabhai Patel Medicine Gujarat
57 Prof. Harkishan Singh Medicine Chandigarh
58 Dr. Mukut Minz Medicine Medicine Chandigarh
59 Shri Arun Kumar Sharma Others-Archaeology Chhattisgarh
60 Shri Sanjeev Kapoor Others-Culinary Maharashtra
61 Smt. Meenakshi Amma Others-Martial Art Kerala
62 Shri Genabhai Dargabhai Patel Others-Agriculture Gujarat
63 Shri Chandrakant Pithawa Science & Engineering Telangana
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64 Prof. Ajoy Kumar Ray Science & Engineering West Bengal

65 Shri Chintakindi Mallesham Science & Engineering Andhra Pradesh
66 Shri Jitendra Nath Goswami Science & Engineering Assam
67 Shri Daripalli Ramaiah Social Work Telangana
68 Shri Girish Bhardwaj Social Work Karnataka
69 Shri Karimul Hak Social Work West Bengal
70 Shri Bipin Ganatra Social Work West Bengal
71 Smt. Nivedita Raghunath Bhide Social Work Tamil Nadu
72 Shri Appasaheb Dharmadhikari Social Work Maharashtra
73 Baba Balbir Singh Seechewal Social Work Punjab
74 Shri Virat Kohli Sports-Cricket Delhi
75 Shri Shekar Naik Sports-Cricket Karnataka
76 Shri Vikasa Gowda Sports-Discus Throw Karnataka
77 Smt. Deepa Malik Sports-Athletics Haryana
78 Shri Mariyappan Thangavelu Sports-Athletics Tamil Nadu
79 Smt. Dipa Karmakar Sports-Gymnastics Tripura
80 Shri P R Shreejesh Sports-Hockey Kerala
81 Smt. Sakshi Malik Sports-Wrestling Haryana
82 Shri Mohan Reddy Venkatrama Trade & Industry Telangana
Bodanapu
83 Shri Imrat Khan (NRI/PIO) Art-Music USA
84 Shri Anant Agarwal (NRI/PIO) Literature & Education USA
85 Shri H.R. Shah (NRI/PIO) Literature & USA
EducationJournalism
86 Late (Smt.) Suniti Solomon Medicine Tamil Nadu
(Posthumous)
87 Shri Asoke Kumar Bhattacharyya Others-Archaeology West Bengal
(Posthumous)
88 Dr. Mapuskar (Posthumous) Social Work Maharashtra
89 Smt. Anuradha Koirala (Foreigner) Social Work Nepal
Nita Ambanis Philanthropic Work Honored by Metropolitan Museum of Art

i. The Reliance Foundation Founder and Chairperson Nita Ambani has been honored by
the Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met) in New York on January 24, 2017 for her
philanthropic work in the areas of education, sports, healthcare, rural transformation, urban
renewal, disaster response, women empowerment and promotion of the arts.
ii. Nita Ambani has become the first South Asian to receive the honour for the impressive
diversity and scale of the work carried out by Reliance Foundation.
Damodar Valley Corporation receives NTPC award 2015-16

i. Damodar Valley Corporation received NTPC award 20015-16 from Union Power
Minister, Piyush Goyal.
ii. DVC chairman Andrew WK Langstieh, received the prize by Goyal amongst the power sectors
under for implementation of Official Language.
List of Jeevan Raksha Padak Series of Awards 2016

The President of India approved the conferment of Jeevan Raksha Padak Series of Awards
2016 on 36 persons on January 25, 2017.
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The Jeevan Raksha Padak includes 5 Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak, 8 Uttam Jeevan Raksha
Padak and 23 Jeevan Raksha Padak to 23 persons. Out of these 7 awards are posthumous.
List of Awardees
Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak
No. Name State
1 Ms. Roluahpuii (Posthumous) Mizoram
2 Shri Shishir Kumar Yadavannavr (Posthumous) Karnataka
3 Shri Vadmitra Choudhary, (Posthumous) Uttar Pradesh
4 Shri Rakesh Kumar CN (Posthumous) Karnataka
5 Shri Suresh NB (Posthumous) Kerala
Uttam Jeevan Raksha Padak
No. Name State
1 Shri Mrigesh Narayan Barua Assam
2 Dr. C. Gopakumar (Posthumous) Kerala
3 Shri Govind Laxman Tupe Maharashtra
4 Shri Churchill Mizoram
5 Smt. Roluahpuii Mizoram
6 Shri Bir Bajrangbali Pandey West Bengal
7 Master Maurice Yengkhom Manipur
8 Master Shivansh Singh (Posthumous) Uttar Pradesh
Jeevan Raksha Padak
No. Name State
1 Shri Yashwant Kumar Pisda Chhattisgarh
2 Shri Dara Singh Haryana
3 Shri Dinesh Kumar Himachal Pradesh
4 Shri Ratheeshan Nambolan Kerala
5 Master Anandhakrishnan A Kerala
6 Master Akhil K. Shibu Kerala
7 Shri Tejesh Brijlal Sonawane Maharashtra
8 Shri Manoj Sudhakarrao Barahate Maharashtra
9 Shri Isac Lalrinchhana Mizoram
10 Shri Lalmohan Mohanta Odisha
11 Kum. Nazia Uttar Pradesh
12 Shri Pankaj Kumar Pandey Tamil Nadu
13 Shri Anoop Mishra Uttar Pradesh
14 Shri Kapil Kumar Shishodia Uttar Pradesh
15 Shri Neelkant Ramesh Harikantra Maharashtra
16 Shri Manohar Mahato West Bengal
17 Shri Balen Rajbongshi West Bengal
18 Shri Dharmendra Kumar Yadav West Bengal
19 Master Kamlesh Pradhan Chhattisgarh
20 Kum. Angelica Tynsong Meghalaya
21 Master Sai Krishna Akhil Kilambi Telangana
22 Shri Tshewana Thinlay Lachungpa Sikkim
23 Shri Altaf Ahmed Khan Jammu & Kashmir
Dr G N Rao inducted to Ophthalmology Hall of Fame

i. Dr.Gullapalli N Rao, Founder and Chairman, L V Prasad Eye Institute, has been selected as one
of two inductees for the prestigious 2017 Ophthalmology Hall of Fame instituted by
the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS).
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ii. He would be honored at the induction ceremony in Los Angeles on May six at the ASCRS annual
meeting.
Madras Engineer Group Adjudged Best Marching Contingent in Services Category

i. The Union Ministry of Defence announced the result of the Republic Day Parade 2017 on
January 28, 2017. For this the Ministry appointed three panels of judges for honoring the
participants of the event with the awards in different categories.
ii. In Service Category, Madras Engineer Group has been selected as the best marching
contingent while in the Para-Military Forces category, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF)
were adjudged as the best performers.
iii. In the Category of tableaux from the 17 participating states, Arunachal Pradesh stood first for
depicting the Yak dance which is a famous imitation of the Mahayana sect of Buddhist tribes of
Arunachal Pradesh.
iv. Among the Tableaux from the 6 Union Ministries/Departments that participated, UnionMinistry
of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship won the first prize for depicting the theme
Transforming India through Skill Development besides highlighting the achievements of the
Ministry and its programmes.
v .Apart from this, the tableau represented by the Central Public Works Department
(CPWD) on the theme Green India-Clean India won a special prize.
vi. In Dance category of school children, performance by Kendriya Vidyalaya, Pitampura, Delhi,
children won the first prize for their dance based on National Flag.
vii .Besides, South Central Zone Cultural Centre, Nagpur, received Consolation prize in dance
category for their performance of the Saila Karma dance which is a popular dance of the Gond
Tribe of Dindori district in Madhya Pradesh.
Iris Mittenaere of France Crowned Miss Universe 2017

i.Iris Mittenaere of France was crowned as the Miss Universe 2017 in the international beauty
pageant event which was held on January 29, 2017 at the Mall of Asia Arena
in Manila, Philippines organized by the Miss Universe Organization.
ii. The 24-year-old dental surgery student was crowned by the outgoing winner Pia
Wurtzbach from Philippines. Mittenaere is the first European to win the Miss Universe title since
1990.
iii. Being a Miss Universe, Iris Mittenaere has the resolution to set up dental and oral care
campaigns worldwide. She beat 12 finalists to win the crown.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh Presents 2016 National Entrepreneurship Awards
The First ever National Entrepreneurship Awards 2016 was presented by the Union Home
Minister Shri Rajnath Singh at Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi on January 30, 2017.
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Shri Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Minister of State (I/C) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship was the
guest of honour on the occasion.
The National Entrepreneurship Awards was instituted by the Ministry of Skill Development
and Entrepreneurship (MoSDE) to recognize and honor the entrepreneurial spirit of Indias
youth and encourage more and more young Indians to become entrepreneur.
The awards were given in 11 different categories divided into two groups: Award
Track and Recognition Track.
Award Track
1. Agri, Food, & Forestry Products Wow Momo Foods Private Ltd
2. Chemicals, Pharma, Bio and other processed material Saral Design Solutions Private
Limited
3. E-commerce, Logistics, Transport & other Services JETSETGO Aviation Services
4. Engineering Services Swadha Energies
5. IT &ITES, Financial Lucideus Tech
6. SC/ST JeevAnksh Eco Products Private Limited
7. Women S V Engineering and Consultancy Services
Recognition Track
1. Education institute RSETI, Karnataka

2. Incubator TREC-STEP Tiruchirappalli Regional Engineering College- Science and
Technology Entrepreneurs Park
3. Mentor (Government Sector) Dr. Harkesh Kumar Mital, Head, National Science
& Technology Entrepreneurship Development Board, (NSTEDB), Department of Science
&Technology, Govt. of India.
4. Mentor (Private Sector) Mr. Pradeep Gupta, Chairman, CyberMedia Group
APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNS

Justice MianSaqibNisar Sworn in as the 25th Chief Justice of Pakistan
i. Justice MianSaqibNisar has been appointed as the as 25th Chief Justice of Pakistan.
ii. He took the oath to new CJP at a ceremony held in the President House called Awan-e-Sadr
on December 31, 2016. Pakistans President MamnoonHussain administered oath to the new
Chief Justice of Supreme Court.
iii. 62-Year-Old Nisar has replaced Justice Anwar ZaheerJamali who retired on December 30,
2016 after 15 months service since September 2015.
Indian-origin Shaikh Rafik Mohammed Appointed Major General of Kyrgyzstan

i. An Indian-origin Saudi-based entrepreneur, Shaikh Rafik Mohammed, has been
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appointed Major General of Kyrgyzstan, by the Government of the Country. He was invited for
the prestigious military position in view of his earlier contribution to the country.
ii. Shaikh Rafik Mohammed, who hails from Kerala, was appointed Major General of Kyrgyzstan
by Ali Mirza, Defence Minister of Kyrgyzstan at an official ceremony held in the country.
SC removes BCCI President Anurag for violating the order of implementing Lodha
Committee recommendations
i. The Supreme Court has removed BCCI President Anurag
Thakur and Secretary Ajay Shirke from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on
January 2, 2017, for failing to implement the reforms suggested by the RMLodha panel to
reform BCCI.
ii. Supreme Court Bench comprising of Chief Justice T.S. Thakur, Justice A.M. Khanwilkar and
Justice D.Y. Chandrachud has also issued a showcause notice to be replied until January 19 in
regards to perjury charges and violating courts order levied against the duo.
President Appoints Prof. David R. Syiemlieh to Chair UPSC

i. President Pranab Mukherjee has appointed Prof. David R. Syiemlieh, to perform the duties of
the post of Chairman of Union Public Service Commission, with effect from the forenoon of
January 4, 2017 till further orders or till completion of his term as member on 21.01.2018,
whichever is earlier.
ii. Prof. David is currently, a member of the Union Public Service Commission.
Air Marshal SB Deo takes over as Vice Chief of the Air Staff of Indian Air Force
Air Marshal SB Deo taking over as Vice Chief of the Air Staff (VCAS) at the Air Headquarters
(VayuBhawan) on January 2, 2017.
Other Appointments:
Air Marshal C Harikumar assumed charge as the chief of the Western Air Command (WAC)
and Air Marshal Anil Khosla took over the charge of the Indian Air Forces Shillong-based Eastern
Air Command (EAC).
AkhileshYadav Dismisses Shivpal and appoints NareshUttam as Partys Chief

i. Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, AkhileshYadav has removed Shivpal Singh
Yadavas Samajwadi Partys Chief on January 1, 2017 and appointed MLC NareshUttam in his
place.
ii. The decision comes soon after AkhileshYadav was appointed as the National President of the
Party in a disputed National Convention replacing his father Mulayam Singh Yadav on January
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SanjivRanjan concurrently accredited as the next Ambassador of India to the Oriental

Republic of Uruguay
Shri SanjivRanjan, 1993 batch IFS officer has been concurrently accredited as the Ambassador of
India to the Oriental Republic of Uruguay.
5 Indian Americans Takes Oath as Members of US Congress

Five Indian Americans, hailing from a Minority Ethnic Community which is just 1 percent of the
entire US population, have created history as they took oath as US Congress Members.
1.Kamala Harris: The 52-year-old Harris was sworn-in as the Senator from California on
January 3, 2017, by the outgoing US vice President Joe Biden. She is the first Indian American to
serve the Senate. She hails from a family where her mother is an Indian and her father is from
Jamaica of African heritage.Before the appointed, Harris served as the Attorney General of
California.
2.AmiBera: He has been re-elected as the member of the US Congress for the third consecutive
term. With this he has equaled the record of Dalip Singh Saundh who was the first Indian-American
to be elected as the member of the US Congress 60 years ago.
3.Ro Khanna: 40-years-old Khanna representing Silicon Valley was sworn in on a bicentennial
edition of the Constitution on loan from the rare books division of the Library of Congress.
4.RajaKrishnamoorthi: 42-years-old Krishnamoorthi, who contested elections from Illinois took
oath on Gita. He is the second US lawmaker after TulsiGabbard from Hawaii to take oath on Gita.
TulsiGabbard was the first Hindu to be elected as a member of the US Congress for three
consecutive terms.
5.PramilaJayapal: 51 year-old Pramila is the first Indian American woman in the US House of
Representatives. As a member of the Democratic Party, she represented the 37thlegislative
district in the Washington State Senate from 2015 to 2017. She is also the first woman to represent
the 7th District in Congress. She is also the first Asian-American to represent Washington in
Congress.
Paul Ryan re-elected as the Speaker of US House of Representatives
American politician, Paul Ryan was re-elected on January 3, 2017 as speaker of the House of
Representatives by the US lawmakers for the 115th session of the Congress.
Donald Trump Names Robert Lighthizer as Chief Trade Negotiator
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump named Robert Lighthizer as US Trade Representative on
January 3, 2017.
JovenelMoise elected as the President of Haiti

i. JovenelMoise has been elected as the President of Haiti. The electoral tribunal officially
declared the winner on 3 January 2017.
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ii. JovenelMoise is a businessman from Haiti capital city of Port-au-Prince and is related to
banana export business. Mr. Moise who is from Bald Heads Party (PHTK) has won 55.6% of the
total votes casted. Jude Celestin remained at the second spot in the race of Presidential election
with only 19.5% votes.
iii. Mr. Moise will take over from the interim president JocelermePrivert who took the position in
February 2016 after the former president Michel Martelly left the position without announcing his
successor.
RBI Appoints SurekhaMarandi As Executive Director

i. Indias central banking institution Reserve Bank of India(RBI) was
appointed SurekhaMarandi as its Executive Director (ED). She replaced U S Paliwal .
ii. Prior to this, Marandi was working as the Principal Chief General Manager and Chief
Vigilance Officer in the Reserve Bank.
Ivan Rogers, Britains Ambassador to the EU resigns

i. The UKs ambassador to the EU, Sir Ivan Rogers, has resigned.
ii. The diplomat was appointed by David Cameron in 2013 and was due to stay in office until
November.s
Capgemini Appoints Anil Jalali of IBM as HR head for India Operation

i. French Consulting Corporation, Capgemini has appointed Anil Jalali as Chief Human
Resources Officer for its India operation, effective January 1, 2017.
ii. Jalali takes over from BL Narayan who is joining Capgeminis Business Services Strategic
Business unit as head of solutions and sales support.
IBM India Appoints Karan Bajwa as Managing Director

i. Technology giant IBM has appointed Karan Bajwa as the Managing Director of its India
operations on January 4, 2017
ii. He succeeds VanithaNarayana, who has been elevated as Chairman of IBM India.
S Padmanabhan Appointed as Chairman of Tata Power

i. Tata Sons has nominated S Padmanabhan as the Chairman of Tata Power Co Ltd with
immediate effect, in place of Cyrus Mistry who resigned in December 2016.
ii. S Padmanabhan was the executive director of operations at the company until 2014. He has
been brought back as an additional director on the board in December 2016.
Sir Tim Barrow has been appointed as the Britains ambassador to the EU
i. Sir Tim Barrow has been appointed as the Britains ambassador to the European
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Union(EU) by after Sir Ivan Rogers resigned from the post on 3 January 2017.
ii. Sir Tim Barrow was earlier the Ambassador of the United Kingdom to the Moscow.
Michelle Obama selects Indian-American girl for education campaign

i. US First Lady Michelle Obama has selected 16-year-old Indian-American
Swetha Prabakaran to serve in the inaugural Student Advisory Board of an education campaign
which seeks to provide educational opportunities for teenagers in America.
ii. She was chosen for Better Make Room campaigns Student Advisory Board in recognition
of her efforts to educate youth in the field of computer sciences.
Ranbir To Be Brand Ambassador For Asian Paints Ultima Protek

i. Bollywood actor Ranbir Kapoor has roped as the brand ambassador for Asian Paints premium
exterior paint offering Ultima Protek on January 7, 2017.
ii. Ultima Protek gives homes complete protection against rains and harsh weather conditions.
Pakistans Gen. Raheel Sharif to head Islamic Military Alliance

i. Gen Raheel Sharif from Pakistan will head the Saudi Arabia-led 39-nation Islamic military
coalition formed to combat terrorism. His appointment has been confirmed by Pakistan Government
on January 6, 2017.
ii. Raheel was retired as the army chief in November 2016. He was the IMAs first Commander-in-
Chief.
Rudisha named International Ambassador of Stanchart Mumbai

i. 28-year-old Kenyan middle-distance runner David Rudisha has been named as the international
event Ambassador of the 14th edition of the Mumbai Marathon which is scheduled to be held
on January 15 in Mumbai
ii. David retained his Olympic 800m title at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games with a run of 1:42.15, the
fastest time in the world.
Kumar Sharadindu appointed as the new MD & CEO of SBI Pension Funds
SBI Pension Funds Pvt Ltd.(SBIPFPL), a subsidiary of State Bank of India, has
appointed Kumar Sharadindu as its Managing Director and Chief Executive. Before this,
Sharadindu was a general manager at SBI Corporate Centre, Mumbai.
Gionee signs up Virat Kohli as brand ambassador

i. Smartphone brand Gionee has named Virat Kohli, captain of the Indian cricket team, as
their new brand ambassador.
ii. Earlier Gionee had roped in actor Alia Bhatt as its brand ambassador.
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Kalyan Krishnamurthy appointed as Flipkarts new CEO

i. Kalyan Krishnamurthy has been named the new Chief Executive Officer(CEO) of Flipkart on
January 9, 2017. He will replace Sachin Bansal who will retain his position and work closely with
Binny Bansal to drive businesses in areas such as fintech, private brands, business-to-business
services, and logistics
Delhi Police Commissioner Alok Kumar Verma Appointed the Director of CBI
i. Delhi Police Commissioner Alok Kumar Verma was appointed as the new Director of
the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on January 19, 2017 by a three member committee
headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Chief Justice of India Jagdish Singh
Khehar and Congress leader in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge as members.
ii. Alok Kumar Verma will replace the interim director Rakesh Asthana who was appointed since
the post was lying vacant after the former director Anil Sinha retired on December 2, 2016.
Adama Barrow sworn in as Gambias president

i. Adama Barrow was sworn is as third official President of Gambian at the Gambian Embassy in
Dakar, capital of Senegal on January 19, 2017. He replaced Yahya Jammeh.
ii. Barrow has won the presidential election which was held on December 2, 2016
Ashok Warrier concurrently accredited as the Ambassador of India to the Central African
Republic
i. Ashok Warrier was appointed as the Ambassador of India to the Central African Republic,
with residence in Kinshasa.
ii. Currently he is working as the Ambassador of India to the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Bishwadip Dey concurrently accredited as the High Commissioner of India to Grenada

i. Former IFS officer Bishwadip Dey was concurrently accredited as the High Commissioner of
India to Grenada with residence in Port of Spain.
ii. Presently, Dey was working as the High Commissioner of India to the Republic of Trinidad and
Tobago
Shalabh Seth appointed CEO of Ola Fleet Technologies

i. Shalabh Seth has appointed as the CEO of Ola Fleet Technologies on January 11, 2017
by Indian online transportation network company Ola .
ii. Prior to this, Shalabh was the managing director in SABMiller India and he responsible for
business expansion and growth in the country.
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Daniel Ortega Sworn in Nicaraguas President for Third Consecutive Term

i. Daniel Ortega was on January 10, 2017 sworn in as the President of Nicaragua for the third
consecutive term while his wife, Rosario Murillo was elected as the new vice president.
ii. 71-year-old, Ortega, took the oath in Managua in the presence of the presidents of Venezuela,
Bolivia and Taiwan. Former Sandinista guerrilla fighter, Ortega has been President of
Nicaragua since 2007.
Dr. Ausaf Sayeed to be the next High Commissioner of India to the Republic of Seychelles
i. Former IFS officer Dr. Ausaf Sayeed has been appointed as the next High Commissioner of
India to the Republic of Seychelles on January 10, 2017
ii. Ausaf is currently working as the Consul General,Consulate General of India,Chicago
Vikram Pawah appointed as President of BMW Group India

i. German based car maker BMW has appointed Vikram Pawah as the President of India. He
replaced Frank
Schloeder who will return to German as the position of Head of Business Steering Luxury
Class.It will effect from March 1, 2017.
ii. Prior to this, Pawah was worked as the Managing Director of Harley-Davidson India. He
has more than 25 years of international experience both in the automotive and non-automotive
industry
Jimmy Adams, former captain, appointed new director of West Indies cricket
i. Former West Indies captain Jimmy Adams has taken over as the new director of West Indies
cricket.
ii. He was the manager of the West Indies U-19 team.He has replaced Englishman Richard
Pybusiii. He has played 127 ODIs, 54 tests and 202 first class matches
Housings ex-CEO Jason Kothari to join Snapdeal

i. After the announcement of a merger of Housing with PropTiger, CEO of Housing.com,Jason
Kothari will be the chief strategy and investment officer of Snapdeal.
ii. Kothari will take his responsibility from January 16, 2017
Manish Tewari appointed senior fellow of US think tank

i. Congress leader and former Union Minister Manish Tewari was appointed as the senior fellow of
US-based think tank Atlantic Council on January 11, 2017
ii. Tewari will focus on programming aimed at strengthening US-India relations.
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Rajesh Gopinathan appointed as Chief Executive Officer of TCS

i. International multinational information technology service, consulting and business solutions
company Tata Consultancy Services(TCS) has been appointed Rajesh Gopinathan as Chief
Executive Officer. He will replace N Chandrasekaran.
ii. TCS also appointed NG Subramaniam as Chief Operating Officer.
iii. Prior to this , Gopinathan served as CFO of the firm while Subramaniam was President of TCS
Financial Solutions.
TCS CEO N. Chandrasekaran appointed Tata Sons chairman

i. Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) CEO Natarajan Chandrasekaran as new chairman of Tata
Son. He will take charge from February 21,2017.
ii. He is succeeded by Ratan Tata who was appointed as interim chairman of the company after
removal of Cyrus Mistry from the board of director.
iii. Chandrasekaran, who joined TCS in 1987 and he had taken over as the CEO of TCS on October
6, 2009, before which he was chief operating officer and executive director at the company.
Ashish Shelar appointed as MCA president

i. Ashish Shelar has been appointed as Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) president.He is
the succeedor of Sharad Pawar.
ii. Shelar is currently working as the Vice President of Mumbai Cricket Association from 17 June
2015.
Antonio Tajani Elected New President of European Parliament

i. Italian Political Leader Antonio Tajani has been elected as the new president of the European
Parliament on January 17, 2017 in Strasbourg, France. He will replace Germanys Martin
Schulz.
ii. 63-year-old, member of the European Peoples Party, Tajani won 351 votes to defeat his
Italian counterpart Gianni Pitella against 282 votes in four rounds of voting.
Bharti AXA General appoints Sanjeev Srinivasan as CEO, MD

i. Sanjeev Srinivasan has been appointed as CEO and Managing Director of Bharti AXA General
Insurance on January 17, 2017.
ii. Srinivasan was currently working as Chief Commercial and Principal Officer of General Insurance
from August 2016
Birender Singh Yadav concurrently accredited as the High Commissioner of India to the
Republic of Sierra Leone
i. Former IFS officer Shri Birender Singh Yadav was appointed as the High Commissioner of
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India to the Republic of Sierra Leone, with residence in Accra (Ghana).

ii. Currently Yadav is working as the High Commissioner of India to Republic of Ghana.
Rajeev Singh to Take Charge as Interim CEO of Prasar Bharati after S C Panda
i. Rajeev Singh, Member of Prasar Bharati Board will take charge as interim CEO of the public
broadcaster Prasar Bharati in February, 2017. He will replace S C Panda.
ii. Rajeev was elected as Interim CEO during the Prasar Bharati Board meeting held in Hyderabad
AIFF president Praful Patel becomes a member of FIFA finance committee

i. All India Football Federation (AIFF) President Praful Patel has been appointed a member of
world governing body FIFAs finance committee which will work from 2017 to 2021
ii. Patel was appointed as senior vice-president of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) in
December, 2016.
Ex-BCCI president Anurag Thakur to head Himachal Olympic Association

i. Ex-BCCI president Anurag Thakur was today unanimously elected head of the Himachal Pradesh
Olympic Association (HPOA) for a four-year term.
ii. Nirwan Mukherjee was Observer from Indian Olympic Association for the polls.
iii. Surat Singh Thakur was the Returning Officer to conduct the elections.
iv. Virender Kanwar was elected Senior Vice-President, while Rajesh Bhandari, who is a Vice
President of the Boxing Federation of India, was elected General Secretary.
Birender Singh Yadav and Ashok Warrier accredited as the Ambassador of India to the
Republic of Burkina Faso & Republic of Congo
Shri Birender Singh Yadav, 1997 batch IFS officer, presently High Commissioner of lndia to
Ghana, has been concurrently accredited as the Ambassador of lndia to the Republic of Burkina
Faso, with residence in Accra.
Ola appoints former PepsiCo executive Vishal Kaul as COO

i. Transportation app Ola has appointed former PepsiCo executive Vishal Kaul as its Chief
Operating Officer (COO).
ii. He succeeds Pranay Jivrajka, Olas first employee.
Senate Committee Confirms Nikki Haley to Become U.S. Ambassador to the United
Nations
i. Senate Committee Confirms Nikki Haley to Become U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations
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ii. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee cleared by voice vote Haleys bid to be U.S.
ambassador to the United Nations.
Indian-origin Mauritius Prime Minister Anerood Jugnauth resigns

i. The 86-year-old Indian-origin Anerood Jugnauth resigned and handed over the post to his son.
ii. Pravind Jugnauth, 50, leader of the main political party Militant Socialist Movement (MSM),
has already formed his ministerial cabinet after receiving an appointment letter from President
Ameenah Gurib-Fakim
Donald Trump appoints Indian-American Ajit Pai as FCC chairman

i. US President Donald Trump has appointed Indian-American Ajit Pai, chairman of FCC,
US communications regulatory agency.
ii. He becomes the third Indian American picked for key positions in his administration.
Trump appoints Indian-American attorney to key White House post

i. US President Donald Trump has appointed prominent Indian-American attorney Uttam
Dhillon to a key White House position.
ii. Dhillon, who served as chief oversight counsel for the House of Representatives Financial
Services Committee.
US Senate committee approves Rex Tillerson as Secretary of State

i. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted 11-10 to approve longtime Exxon Mobil CEO Rex
Tillerson for secretary of state.
ii. A final confirmation vote by the full Senate is expected next week
UN appoints Director of UNIC in New Delhi

i. Derk Segaar has been appointed Director of the New Delhi based United Nations
Information Centre (UNIC) covering India and the Kingdom of Bhutan by the UN Secretary-
General Antnio Guterres.
ii. Segaar had served as the Chief of the United Nations Resident Coordinators Office and Head of
the United Nations Mission in South Sudans (UNMISS) Relief, Reintegration and Protection
Section from 2013
Virender Sehwag Named Kings XI Punjab Brand Ambassador

Former Indian opener Virender Sehwag, the mentor of Kings XI Punjab, will also be the teams
head of Cricket Operations and Strategy in the 10th edition of the Indian Premier League.
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Siddhartha Murarka is now ICSI Chairman

i. Siddhartha Murarka has been appointed as the Chairman of the Eastern India Regional Council
of The Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI).
ii. His term began from January 19.
Kansas Congressman Mike Pompeo Appointed CIA Director

i. A conservative Republican from Kansas, Mike Pompeo was sworn in as the new director
of Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) on January 23, 2017 by the United States Vice
President Mike Pence.
ii. Pompeo won with a vote of 66-32. This makes him the third official cabinet member of US
Senate.
Meghalaya Governor V Shanmuganathan resigns over sexual assault allegations

i. Meghalaya governor, V Shanmuganathan finally resigned after Raj Bhavan staff accused him
of sexual misconduct.
ii. Shanmuganathan is a veteran RSS activist from Tamil Nadu and was appointed Meghalaya
Governor in May 2015.
Dushyant Chautala appoited as New TTFI President

i. Dushyant Chautala is elected as youngest president of Table Tennis Federation of India during
the Annual General Body meeting held in Gurugram on January 30, 2017.
ii. Chautala with two observers are selected for four years, extends until 2021.
1.Kuldip Vats representing Indian Olympic Association
2.Ashwani Kumar representing the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports from the Sports
Authority of India
Ashok Amritraj Appointed UN in India Goodwill Ambassador for the Sustainable

Development Goals
i. Film producer and Wimbledon tennis player, Ashok Amritraj has been appointed the United
Nations in India Goodwill Ambassador for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
ii. Amritraj is the first Ambassador for the UN in India
AP Singh Appointed as the Interim Head of India Post Payment Bank

i. AP Singh has been appointed as the interim Managing Director and CEO of India Post
Payments Bank (IPPB) by the government.
ii. Earlier, he worked as a Joint Secretary in the Department of Investment and Public Asset
Management. He was one of the founding members of the Unique Identification Authority of
India.
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Amulya Patnaik appointed as Delhi Police Chief

i. IPS officer from Union Territories cadre, Amulya Patnaik is appointed as Chief of Delhi police on
January 30, 2017. He is succeeded by Alok Verma, who has been moved as the director of CBI.
ii. Patnail is currently workig as Delhi police special commissioner (administration).
Governors Banwarilal Purohit, PB Acharya to take additional charge of Meghalaya,

Arunachal Pradesh
The Centre has asked Assam and Nagaland governors to take additional charge of the two states
respectively.Assam governor Banwarilal Purohit was given additional charge
of Meghalaya and Nagaland governor PB Acharya was asked to take additional charge
of Arunachal Pradesh
Founder of Indian supercomputing Dr. Bhatkar appointed new VC Nalanda University

i. Vijay Pandurang Bhatkar, a technocrat who is considered the father of the
Indian Supercomputer, has been appointed the new Vice-Chancellor of Nalanda University,
Rajgir, in Bihar.
ii. He will hold the office for a three-year period from the date of his appointment as per the
Nalanda University Act, Sec 11(3).
Moussa Faki Mahamat appointed as new AU head

i. Chadian foreign affairs minister Moussa Faki Mahamat has been elected as the head of the
African Union Commission on January 30, 2017. He will replace Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma
ii. He defeated favourites Amina Mohamed of Kenya, Senegals Abdoulaye Bathily, Botswanas
foreign minister, Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi and Mba Mokuy of Equatorial Guinea
ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS

Aurobindo Pharma to buy Portugals Generis for 135 mn euro
Hyderabad based pharmaceutical manufacturing company Aurobindo Pharma has inked an
agreement to acquire Portugals Generis Farmaceutica SA from Magnum Capital Partners for a
consideration of 135 million euros.
HC okays merger of 2 subsidiaries with PVR Ltd: BSE, NSE

i. PVR Ltd has informed Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange of
India that the Delhi High Court has approved merger of two of its subsidiary companies with it,
effective from April 1, 2015.
ii. Justice Siddharth Mridul approved the scheme of amalgamation under which PVR Leisure Ltd
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which owns and operates in-mall entertainment, gaming and food joints and Lettuce Entertain
You Ltd engaged in the business of operating and maintaining restaurants, food and beverage items
would merge with PVR Ltd, their parent company.
PropTiger, Housing merge, to raise $55 mn

i. The largest online residential real estate brokerage firm PropTiger.Com and Housing.Com
announced a merger on January 10, 2017 to create Indias largest online real estate
services company .
ii. REA Group Ltd will invest USD 50 million with an affiliate of SoftBank Group Corp will
invest USD 5 million for this merging operation.
BPO firm WNS acquires US-based Denali Services for $40 million
i. Business process management company, WNS Global Services announced acquisition of US-
based Denali Sourcing Services for $40 million.
ii. The New York Stock Exchange-listed WNS has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Denali
and expects to get all the necessary approvals to complete the acquisition by the month-end.
Government to Disinvest 51% Stake in Pawan Hans Ltd

i. The government has decided to sell its entire 51% stake in Pawan Hans Ltd to a strategic
buyer and transfer the management control of the helicopter service operator.
ii. For this, it has sought applications from reputed consulting firm, investment bankers, merchant
bankers, financial institutions and banks on January 11, 2017 to provide advisory services and
manage the strategic disinvestment process.
iii. The company is a joint venture where Government held 51% while state-owned ONGC Ltd.
holds 49% stake.
ICICI Pru acquires 8.41% stake in Fino Paytech for Rs 100 crore
i. ICICI Prudential Life Insurance has acquired 8.41 per cent stake in Fino Paytech Ltd (FPL) for a
total consideration of Rs 100 crore
ii. FPL provides technology-based solutions and services related to financial inclusion. Earlier this
month, FPL was granted payment bank licence by the RBI.
Alphabets Google Buys Mobile App Tool Fabric From Twitter

i. US based Google is announced to acquire Twitters mobile application developer
platform Fabric for an undisclosed amount on January 19, 2017
ii. The sale of Fabric will shift to Google the platform used by developers for mobile apps.
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Microsoft acquires Simplygon to accelerate 3D innovation

American multinational technology company Microsoft has acquired Sweden-based
company Simplygon to accelerate innovation in enabling 3D for everyone.
CCI Approves Merging MakeMyTrip with ibibo Group

i. The Competition Commission of India (CCI) on January 20, 2017 approved the proposed
merger of online travel firm MakeMyTrips Indian travel business with rival Ibibo Group. The
closing of the transaction is expected to be around January 31, 2017.
ii. The deal for merging the two online travel booking firms was first announced in October 2016
and the transaction was expected to be closed by the end of December 2016.
Pharmaceutical Firm Johnson & Johnson to Buy Actelion for $30 Billion
i. The U.S. healthcare giant Johnson & Johnson on January 26, 2017 informed about its
intention to buy Switzerland based bio-pharmaceutical firm, Actelion, for $30
billion (27.9 billion euros).
ii. The world's biggest producers of products ranging from baby products to band-aids, Johnson &
Johnson and Actelion, a leader in medicines treating high blood pressure, will create a new Swiss-
listed firm called R&D NewCo. It would focus on research and development of new drugs.
Alibabas Financial Arm, Ant Financial Acquires MoneyGram

i. Chinese e-commerce giant Alibabas financial arm, Ant Financial on January 26, 2017 reached
an agreement to acquire U.S money transfer company MoneyGram for USD 880 million.
ii. With the acquisition, Alibaba aims to expand its business in America after India and Thailand.
Earlier, it acquired Paytm in India and Ascend Money in Thailand.
MoUs
India and Pakistan signs agreement on the Prohibition of Attack against Nuclear
Installations and Facilities
i. India and Pakistan exchanged the list of nuclear installations and facilities covered under
the Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack against Nuclear Installations between India
and Pakistan on January 1, 2017.
ii. The bilateral agreement which is signed between the two countries every year on
January 1 prohibits the two countries to carry out any surprise attack and pledged not to assist
foreign powers to attack each others atomic facilities.
Government Approves Custom Agreement with Uruguay
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The Union Cabinet under PM Modi approved signing of an agreement between India and
Uruguay for cooperation and mutual assistance in Customs Matters
The Agreement would provide a legal framework for sharing of information and intelligence
between the Customs authorities of the two countries and help in the proper application of
Customs laws, prevention and investigation of Customs offences and the facilitation of
legitimate trade.
Cabinet Approves Signing Agreement with Portugal for Agriculture & Allied Sector
The Union Cabinet also gave its approval for signing of an agreement for cooperation in the
field of Agriculture and allied sectors between India and Portugal.
Under the Agreement a Joint Working Group would be constituted comprising of
representatives from both countries.
Union Government Approves Signing MoU with Kenya for Cooperation in Agriculture &
Allied Sector
Union Cabinet led by PM Modi approved signing of a Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) between India and Kenya on bilateral cooperation in the field of Agriculture and
Allied Sectors.
The MoU will cover area including agricultural research, animal husbandry and dairy,
livestock and fisheries horticulture, natural resource management, post-harvest
management and marketing, soil and conservation, water management, irrigation farming
systems development and integrated watershed development integrated pest management,
agricultural plant, machinery and implements, sanitary and phytosanitary issues.
India and Kazakhstan Signs DTAC Amendment Protocol

India and Kazakhstan signed a Protocol to amend the existing Double Taxation Avoidance
Convention (DTAC) between the two countries on January 6, 2017 in New Delhi..
Features of Protocol
i. The Protocol provides internationally accepted standards for effective exchange of
information on tax matters. The information received from Kazakhstan for tax purposes can be
shared with other law enforcement agencies with authorisation of the competent authority of
Kazakhstan and vice versa.
ii. The Protocol replaces existing Article on Assistance in Collection of Taxes with a new
Article to align it with international standards.
MoU between India and Serbia for Cooperation in the field of Information Technology and
Electronics
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between India and Serbia for promoting
cooperation in the field of Information Technology and Electronics was approved by Prime
Minster Shri Narendra Modi on January 18, 2017.
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Aim: The MoU envisages promoting cooperation and exchanges between the private entities,
capacity building institutions, the Governments and other public and private organizations of
the two countries in IT & Electronics.
MoU between India and Vietnam in the field of cyber security

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between India and Vietnam in the field
of Cyber Security on September 3, 2016 at Hanoi. It was signed between Indian Computer
Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), India and the Cyber Security Department, Ministry of Public
Security, Vietnam.
MoU between India and Russia for Cooperation in Youth matters

The MoU signed between India and Russia for cooperation in the field of Youth Affairs was
approved by the cabinet on January 18, 2017.
MoU between ISRO and JAXA for Cooperation in the Field of Outer Space
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Japanese Aerospace Exploration
Agency (JAXA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on November 11, 2016 at Tokyo,
Japan for cooperation in the field of outer space.
MoU between India and the United Arab Emirates on the Mutual Recognition of
Certificates of Competency
The Union Cabinet also approved the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and
the United Arab Emirates on the Mutual Recognition of Certificates of Competency.
The proposed MoU will enable recognition of maritime education and training, certificates
of competency, endorsements, training documentary evidence and medical fitness
certificates for seafarers
MoU between India and United Arab Emirates for cooperation in the field of Small and
Medium Enterprises and Innovation
The India and United Arab Emirates (UAE) signed a Memorandum of Understanding for cooperation
in the field of Small and Medium Enterprises and Innovation.
Benefit: MoU would enable Indian SME sector to have a mutually beneficial relation with SME
sector of the United Arab Emirates and explore their markets leading to inclusive
development.
MoU between India and United Arab Emirates in the field of agriculture and allied sectors
India and United Arab Emirates signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in the field
of agriculture and allied sectors.
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The MoU will promote understanding of best agricultural practices among the two
countries and help in better productivity leading to innovative technique for increasing
production and productivity leading to strengthening of food security.
MoU between India and United Arab Emirates on Institutional Cooperation in Maritime
Transport
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was also signed between India and the United Arab
Emirates for Institutional Cooperation in Maritime Transport for bilateral and multi-lateral
benefit in sustainable trading activities.
Telanagana Government Signs MoU with Civil Aviation Ministry for Regional Connectivity
Scheme
i. The Telangana government has signed a MoU with the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Airports
Authority of India on January 11, 2017 under the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) for air
connectivity by developing small airports and airstrips in the state.
ii. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was between Civil Aviation Minister Ashok
Gajapathi Raju and Telangana Minister for IT and industries K T Rama Rao in New Delhi.
Arunachal signs MoU with NDDB to promote dairy development

i. Arunachal Pradesh Chief Secretary Shakuntala D Gamlin and NDDB Chairman Dilip Rath are
signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in the presence of Chief Minister Pema Khandu to
kick-start a white revolution in Arunachal Pradesh.
ii. According to the MoU, NDDB will conduct a survey related to milk production and consumption
and identify areas of intervention in Arunachal Pradesh
India signs MoU with US to Aid Third World Countries

i. The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) of US and Development Partnership
Administration (DPA) of the Ministry of External Affairs of India on January 13, 2017 have
signed an MoU for collaboration in the fields of developmental activities and assist the third
world countries.
ii .Under the MoU the two countries would collaborate on exchange of information and experience
in issues pertaining to project development or implementation in partner countries.
iii. The agreement also includes providing advisory or technical assistance to third countries
regarding sector policy reform, project and sector management, project implementation, and
economic growth promotion strategies in relevant sectors.
Govt inks MoU to set up 1,000 Janaushadhi Kendras

i. The Bureau of Pharma PSUs of India (BPPI) has signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
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with the National Yuva Cooperative Society to set up 1,000 Janaushadhi Kendras under the
Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) scheme. This was announced
by Chemicals and Fertilisers Minister Ananth Kumar.
ii. Aim : To provide medicines at an affordable price.
India-Sri Lanka Signs MoU for constructing 3,000 Rain Water Harvesting Systems
i. India and Sri Lanka has signed an MoU on January 13, 2017 for the construction of 3000 rain
water harvesting systems in northern Jaffna District of Sri Lanka at a cost of 30 crore Sri
Lankan Rupees.
ii. The MoU was signed by Mr. Arindam Bagchi, Acting High Commissioner of India in the presence
of Hon. A. H. M. Fowzie, State Minister of National Integration and Reconciliation.
Australia, Japan boost defense ties amid Chinas growing military might
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull signed an
upgraded defence agreement to boost cooperation between their militaries on January 14, 2017.
Beside with this they also reaffirmed their support for the Trans-Pacific Partnership
agreement the 12-nation trade pact
AYUSH, ASCI sign MoU to co-regulate advertisements in AYUSH sector

i. Ministry of AYUSH has signed a Memorandum of Understanding(MoU) with the Advertising
Standards Council of India (ASCI) to curtail malpractices in the advertisement of AYUSH drugs in
New Delhi on January 20, 2017
ii. The agreement was signed by Dr.Dinesh Chan Katoch , Advisor (Ayurveda), Ministry of AYUSH
and Srinivasan K Swamy, Chairman of ASCI .
Govt. of Jharkhand Signs Joint Venture Agreement with the Ministry of Railways
i. The Indian Railways signed a joint venture agreement with the state government of
Jharkhand on January 20, 2017 for the development of railway infrastructure in the State.
ii. Aim: The JV agreement would enable to provide active representation to States in the Planning
and Implementation of Railway Infrastructure Projects, take up railway project on states priority
basis and generate more financial resources through participation of State & other stakeholders in
the project specific subsidiaries.
Government Approves ratification of Second Commitment Period of the Kyoto Protocol

The Union government under PM Modi gave approval for the ratification of the Second
Commitment Period of the Kyoto Protocol on containing the emission of Green House Gases
(GHGs) which was adopted in 2012. Till date, 65 countries have ratified the Second Commitment
Period.
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Central Water Signs Pact with IIT Madras and IIS Bengaluru
i. The Central Water Commission (CWC) under the Ministry of Water Resources River
Development and Ganga Rejuvenation signed two separate MoUs with IIT Madras and IIS
Bengaluru on January 27, 2017 in New Delhi.
ii. The MoU aims to help the institutes to procure specified equipment and software for enhancing
their capability to support the World Bank assisted Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement
Project (DRIP) of CWC.
Telangana Government signs MoU to set up Aero Skill Academy

i. The Telangana government on January 27, 2017 signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) with French Aero campus Aquitaine to set up a world-class aero skills
academy in the city in collaboration with academia and industry of the state.
ii. The MoU was signed between Jerome Verschave, General Manager, Aerocampus and Jayesh
Ranjan, Secretary IT, Telangana.
India and France Signs Pact on Maritime Information Sharing in Indian Ocean Region
i. India and France signed White Shipping Agreement on January 19, 2017 in New Delhi to enable
information sharing on maritime traffic and maritime domain awareness in the Indian Ocean
Region (IOR).
ii. The agreement was signed at the second dialogue on maritime cooperation for the Indian Ocean
Region between India and France. The agreement aims to enhance the Indo-French maritime
security cooperation in the region.
Mauritius & six other countries joins global efforts to curb profit shifting by MNEs
i. Mauritius along with Gabon, Hungary, Indonesia, Lithuania, Malta and the Russian
Federation signed the Multilateral Competent Authority Agreement for Country-by- Country
Reporting (CbC MCAA).
ii. Now the total number of signatories increased to 57 while India signed the agreement in May
2016.
SCHEMES
Telangana and Assam Joins UDAY Scheme
i. Assam and Telangana signed a pact with the Power Minister, PiyushGoyal to join the UDAY
scheme on January 4, 2017 in New Delhi in a bid to improve the performance of state run power
distribution companies (DISCOM).
ii. Since the launch of the UDAY Scheme, the Power Ministry has signed Agreements with 18 states
to join the Scheme.
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Tamil Nadu Becomes 21st State to Join UDAY

The Tamil Nadu Government signed an MoU with the Ministry of Power on January 9, 2017 to join
the Ujwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana (UDAY) scheme which aims at reviving the financial
turnaround of debt stressed electricity distribution companies of India (DISCOMs). With the
agreement Tamil Nadu has become the 21st state to join UDAY scheme.
Cabinet approves Amendment in Modified Special Incentive Package Scheme (M-SIPS)

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi approved amendment in the Modified Special Incentive
Package Scheme (M-SIPS) to attract investment in electronics manufacturing.
The amendment aims to further incentivize investments in Electronic Sector and further move
towards the goal of Net Zero imports in electronics by 2020.
Anandam Scheme Launched in Madhya Pradesh to Help Poor

i. Madhya Pradesh government lead by Shivraj Singh Chouhan has launched Aanandam
programme of the newly-formed Aanand Department.
ii. Aim : To help the poor and the needed person.
iii. Aanandam scheme will help the poor people to get the daily needs like like jackets,
sarees, blankets, utensils, school bags from the wealthy people. For this particular place is
alloacted in each district to collect this items.
Entrepreneurship Development Scheme inaugurated in Mizoram

The Entrepreneurship Development Scheme (EDS) was launched under the New Economic
Development Policy (NEDP) by Lalmalsawma in Mizoram, Mizoram Chief Secretary on January
19, 2017.
The State government has allocated Rs.2 Crore for New Economic Development Policy (NEDP)
Civil Aviation Ministry Announces First Flight under UDAN Scheme to Take off in February
2017
i. The Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha, on January 19, 2017 announced that
the under UDAN (Ude Desh Ke Aam Naagrik) Scheme is likely to take off in February 2017.
ii. Presently there are 75 operational airport in the country and after the implementation of UDAN
scheme 43 new airports will be added.
Madhya Pradesh Launches Digital Dakiya Scheme For Digital Literacy

i. Madhya Pradesh government inaugurated a first of its kind scheme of the country, Digital
Dakiya in Indore on January 14, 2017 to encourage cashless transaction in the state.
ii .Under the scheme, a Digital Postman referred as Digital Dakiya would visit door to door in both
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urban and rural areas to train households specially women and elderly people about digitized
transactions
Govt gets 45 initial bids for more than 200 regional routes
i. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has received 45 initial proposals coming in from 11
bidders covering more than 200 regional routes under Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) said
by Civil Aviation Minister P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju on January 18, 2017.
ii. These proposals will cover 65 airports out of of which 52 are unserved and 13 are underserved
airports.
Union Cabinet Approves to Launch Varishtha Pension Bima Yojana 2017

As a part of governments commitment for financial inclusion and social security the Union Cabinet
has given its post-facto approval to launch Varishtha Pension Bima Yojana 2017 (VPBY
2017) on January 24, 2017.
The Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) would be the implementing body of the
scheme during the current financial year.
The scheme aims to provide social security to elderly persons aged 60 years during their
old age.
Under the scheme, an assured pension with guaranteed rate of return of 8% per
annum would be provided for a period of ten years. Besides, the nominee would have
an option for pension on a monthly / quarterly / halfyearly and annual basis.
Kerala CM Inaugurates e-Health Kerala scheme at Peroorkada Hospital

i. The Chief Minister of Kerala, Pinarayi Vijayan launched the IT Project, e-Health Kerala which
is named Jeevan Rekha on January 25, 2017 at Peroorkada Model Government Hospital.
ii. The project has been developed by the Health Department in association with the state
IT Mission. It aims to create a centralized database that will have the complete healthcare records
of all the citizens in the state through the digitization of government hospitals.
Arunachal launches Dulari Kanya scheme to check infant mortality

i. Arunachal Pradesh launched Dulari Kanya, a special scheme to check infant mortality in the
state.
ii. Governor V Shanmuganathan launched the scheme, under which the government will
deposit Rs 20,000 in the bank account of a girl child, born in any government hospital.
iii. It would be paid along with the accrued interest after she attains 18 years of her age.
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COMMITTEE
Ministry of Sports Constitutes Committee to suggest improvements to National Sports
Code
i. The Minister of State (I/C) for Youth Affairs and Sports Mr Vijay Goel constituted a committee
on January 2, 2017, to suggest improvements in the National Sports Development
Code functioning of sports federations.
ii. The move aims to avoid any further disturbances caused by the decisions of any sports
council and maintain good governance, transparency and cleanliness in sports.
iii. The committee, which will be chaired by Sports Secretary, InjetiSrinivas, will submit its
report within one month on the basis of suggestions and feedback given in these meetings so that
sports bodies act according to the public expectations for the promotion of sports in the country.
Government Constitutes Negotiation Committee on Mahanadi & its Tributaries

i. The Union Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga
Rejuvenation led by Uma Bharti has formed a Negotiations Committee on January 19, 2017
to determine the availability and utilization of waters of the river Mahanadi and its tributaries.
ii. The committee has been asked to submit its report within three months. The committee would
be consisting of 11 members under the chairmanship of a representative from Water Planning
and Projects Wing (WP&P) and Central Water Commission (CWC).
Special Task Force for Women Safety in Delhi Reconstituted

i. A special task force (STF) for women safety has been reconstituted under the Chairmanship
of Lieutenant Governor (L-G)Anil Baijal to review the decisions taken by the Delhi Police and
other departments regarding womens safety on January 20, 2017.
ii. The 11-member STF will have Delhi Chief Secretary, Delhi Police Commissioner, DCW chief,
and Principal Secretary, Home Department (Delhi) among others as its members. The force will
conduct a meeting every 15 days.
Govt forms panel to look into Haj subsidy issue

i. The minority affairs ministry lead by Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi formed a high-powered six-member
committee on January 12, 2017 to look into whether giving subsidy has benefits to Hajj pilgrims.
ii. The decision has been taken in light of a 2012 Supreme Court order on gradually reducing
and abolishing subsidy given to pilgrims by 2022
iii. The committee will figure out whether the pilgrims can travel to Saudi Arabia paying less in the
absence of such subsidy.
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Expert Group on SECC submits report to Ministry of Rural Development

i. An Expert Group Committee under the Chairmanship of former Finance Secretary Shri
Sumit Bose presented its report on the Socio Economic and Caste Census (SECC) to the
Minister of Rural Development, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar on January 13, 2017 for better
planning and identification of beneficiaries and for generating priority list of beneficiaries under its
programmes.
ii. The Expert Group report would help the Ministry to make inter state allocation based on SECC
data to cover households under Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana (PMAG) and Deendayal
Antyodaya YojanaNational Rural Livelihood Mission (DAY-NRLM).
Timothy Gonsalves Committee Suggests 20 Percent Reservation for Girl Students in IITs
i. A committee formed by the IIT Joint Admission Board (JAB) has recently given its suggestion
to create 20 percent reservation seats for the girl students in IITs out of the total number of
seats available.
ii. The committee headed by professor Timothy Gonsalves recommended the supernumerary
seats to address the issue falling number of female students entering the institute.
Supreme Court Appoints Vinod Rai as BCCI Committees Head

i. Vinod Rai, the former Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) was appointed as the
head of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) administrative committee by the
Supreme Court on January 30, 2017.
ii. The bench, comprising Justices Dipak Misra, A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud also
appointed historian Ramachandra Guha, Vikram Limaye, Managing Director of IDFC and Diana
Edulji, former women test cricket captain as the member of the 4-membered committee.
Centre Foms Committee to Frame Rules for Implementation of RPD Act

i. A committee has been constituted by the Centre on January 22, 2017 to frame uniform rules for
the states to avoid delay in proper implementation of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
(RPD) Act across the country.
ii. The Committee will be headed by Secretary from Department of Empowerment of Persons
with Disabilities (DEPwD). It will also comprise of representatives from Ministry of Health,
Department of Personnel and Training, Labour, Legislative Department, and representatives from
NGOs.
N.K. Singh Committee on Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Presents
its Report to the Union Finance Minister Shri Arun Jaitley
i. The Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Committee under the
chairmanship of Shri N.K. Singh, former Revenue and Expenditure Secretary and former Member
of Parliament presented its Report to the Union Finance Minister Shri Arun Jaitley on January 23,
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2017 in New Delhi.

ii. The Committee was constituted by the Union Cabinet in May 2016 to review the Fiscal
Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Act.
iii. The Committee had wide-ranging Terms of Reference (ToR) to review the existing FRBM Act
based on the past outcomes, global economic developments, best international practices and to
recommend the future fiscal framework and roadmap for the country.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Leap Second added to Indian Clock to Synchronize with Earths Spin
An extra second was added to the Indian clock at 5:29.59 hours at the National Physical
Laboratory (NPL) on January 1, 2017 as the atomic clock was struck at 23:59:59 the previous
night.
The leap second was added to the Indian clock to synchronize the Indian Standard
Time (IST) with the Earths Rotational Clock. The atomic clock was programmed to add an
extra second to 2017 to compensate for a slowdown in the Earths rotation.
Addition of the leap second to the Indian clock is done by the NPL under the Council for
Scientific and Industrial Research.
MUI Launches Android App for Indian Merchant Navy Officers

i. Countrys oldest union, the Maritime Union of India (MUI), representing Indian Merchant
Navy Officers since 1939, has launched an android based mobile app named MUI.
ii. The app was launched in the presence of MPs KiritSomaiya (Mumbai North-East constituency)
and Gajendra Singh Shekhawat (Jodhpur).
Image of worlds most powerful Rocket Falcon Heavy shared by SpaceX

i. Space Exploration Technologies Corporation or SpaceX has released a new teaser
image of the worlds most powerful rocket Falcon Heavy rocket which will ferry a crewed Red
Dragon capsule on Mars in 2018.
ii. Falcon rocket initial launch was scheduled for 2016 which is later postponed to 2017 due to the
explosion of a Falcon 9 in September.
iii. Falcon Heavy rocket have the ability to lift over 54 metric tons (119,000 lbs) into orbit, which
is equivalent to 737 jetliners loaded with passengers, crew, luggage and fuel.
Ministry of Minority Affairs Launches Mobile App for Haj Pilgrimage

i. The Minister of State for Minority Affairs (I/C) and Parliamentary Affairs, Mukhtar
Abbas Naqvi launched a Mobile App on January 2, 2017, at Haj House in Mumbai that will
provide information and facilitate e-payments for the pilgrimage.
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ii. It is for the first time that Haj application process would be digital. The mobile app will be
available on Google Play store from January 2 and the application for the next Haj schedule is
also being registered while the last date for submitting applications is January 24.
Russia Delivers 4 Sukhoi Su-35 Fighter Jets to China after Two-Year Delay
i. Russia finally delivered 4 Sukhoi Su-35 Fighter Jets to China on December 25, 2016, after a
delay of two years. The Su-35 is an advanced version of the Su-30s operated by the Indian
Airforce.
ii. Moscow cited the reason for delay to the fear that its fifth generation jet will lose value in
Chinese Market once Chinese military commissioned its J-20 stealth fighter. However Russia did
not change its stance on the export of the Su-35 until the J-20 fighter was unveiled.
District Administration of Ludhiana develops Mobile App for Election Commission of India
i. The District Administration of Ludhianahas developed a mobile application
named ECI360 for the benefit of voters, candidates, election staff as well as the Election
Commission of India(ECI).
ii. The App has been developed by Harpreet Singh Chandoke on behalf of the district administration
and deputy commissioner Ravi Bhagat.
iii. The ECI360 will help bring transparency and accountability regarding the elections and voting.
Power Minister PiyushGoyal Launches Mobile APP and Web Portal on UDAY
i. Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Power, Coal & New and Renewable Energy and
Mines, PiyushGoyal launched the Web Portal and the Mobile App for Ujwal DISCOM
Assurance Yojana (UDAY) scheme on January 4, 2017.
ii. Aim: The main objective of the Portal and App would be to protect the state power
distribution companies suffering financial losses and to boost their operational revenues.
Scientists discover a new human organ, Mesentery, in digestive system

i. Scientists in Ireland have discovered a brand new organ named Mesentery, inside
the digestive system which was not known till date.
ii. As per the research published in the journal, The Lancet Gastroenterology and Hepatology,
J Calvin Coffey, Professor of Surgery at University of Limerick in Ireland described mesentery as
an organ which was for past 100 years being considered as a fragmented structure made up of
multiple separate parts.
IRCTC to launch new app IRCTC Rail Connect for booking tickets faster
i. IRCTC Limited will launch a new ticketing App which will have several features added on the
existing one for faster booking of tickets.
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ii. Existing IRCTC Connect will now become IRCTC Rail Connect to facilitate booking of train tickets
in a faster and easier way.
iii. IRCTC, which handles online train ticket bookings, will formally unveil the IRCTC Rail Connect
App .
NASA sending African-American astronaut to space station for the first time
i. US based aeronautics and aerospace research agency the National Aeronautics and
Space Administration (NASA) is sending African-American astronaut Jeanette Epps to the
International Space Station for the first time.
ii. Epps an aerospace engineer will head to the ISS as a flight engineer in 2018. Her commander
will be Andrew Feustel, a veteran astronaut.
Astronomers discover powerful cosmic double whammy with help of Indias GMRT
i. Astronomers, using data from Indias Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT),
have discovered two of the most powerful phenomena in the universe a supermassive black hole
and the collision of giant galaxy clusters about two billion light years from Earth.
ii. By combining data from NASAs Chandra X-ray Observatory, the Giant Metrewave Radio
Telescope (GMRT) in Pune and other telescopes, researchers found what happens when matter
ejected by a giant black hole is swept up in the merger of two enormous galaxy clusters.
iiii. This cosmic double whammy is found in a pair of colliding galaxy clusters called Abell
3411 and Abell 3412 located about two billion light years from Earth.
ISRO and CNES ink pact for satellite launch technology

i. ISRO Chairman Kiran Kumar and CNES President Jean-Yves Le Gall signed a partnership
agreement in satellite launch technology in the presence of visiting French Minister of Foreign
Affairs Jean-Marc Ayrault in Bengaluru.
ii. Space cooperation between France and India spans over 50 years, this partnership will enable
France to benefit from the Indian model of streamlining the costs of space programmes.
iii. Ayrault, accompanied by the French delegation, was given a guided tour of ISTRAC (ISRO
Telemetry Tracking and Command Network) which monitors Indian space missions, including
the two Indo-French satellites currently in orbit for collecting data to track climate change.
Chinese Kuaizhou-1A Rocket Successfully Launches First Commercial Mission

i. A Chinese rocket Kuaizhou-1A (KZ-1A) successfully launched three satellites into space in its
first commercial mission on January 9, 2017 from Chinas Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Gansu.
ii. The KZ-1A is an advanced version of the Kuaizhou-1 rocket with improvements in adaptability.
It is a low-cost solid-fuelled carrier rocket with high reliability and short preparation period and was
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designed to launch low-orbit satellites weighing less than 300 kg.

iii. The three satellites launched by KZ-1A included JL-1, CubeSats XY-S1 and Caton-1.
Health Ministry to Introduce Measles-Rubella vaccine in its Universal Immunization

Programme
i. The Union Health Minister J P Nadda is all set to introduce the measles-rubella vaccine
(MR) from February 2017 in five states and Union territories in the Universal Immunisation
Programme (UIP) to provide preventive medications to every child born in India.
ii. Beside, an additional vaccine, Pneumococcal conjugate (pneumococcal pneumonia) will also
become a part of the UIP basket from March 2017 in three other states.
iii .The UIP basket already has ten vaccines including measles and once MR is introduced,
monovalent measles will be discontinued.
Research finds Human Appendix to Support Immune System

i. As per a study published in Comptes Rendus Palevol and conducted by the Researchers from
Midwestern University, Human Appendix which is regarded as a vestigial organ can actually
serve an important biological function.
ii .Researchers traced the appearance, disappearance, and reemergence of the appendix in several
mammal lineages over the past millions of years, to figure out how many times it was cut and
bought back due to evolutionary pressures.
iii. The research conducted on appearance and disappearance of appendix on over 533 mammal
species over the past 11,244 million years and found that it was for good intestinal bacteria that
help us keep certain infections away and keep the immune system strong.
Low-Cost Hand Powered Blood Centrifuge Developed by Stanford Bioengineers

i. The Stanford Bioengineers including Indian Origin among them have created a ultra-low-
cost, human-powered centrifuge device that is capable to separate blood into its individual
components in only 1.5 minutes.
ii. Centrifuge is a machine with a rapidly rotating container that applies centrifugal force to its
contents, typically to separate fluids of different densities or liquids from solids. It is critical for
detecting diseases such as malaria, African sleeping sickness, HIV and tuberculosis.
iii. The Bioengineers have developed a prototype of this Centrifuge using 20 cents of paper,
twine and plastic. This paperfuge can spin at speeds of 125,000 rpm and exert centrifugal
forces of 30,000 Gs.
NGT Directs Centre to Test Use of Microbeads in Cosmetics

i. The National Green Tribunal has directed the Central Drugs Standard Control
Organisation (CDSCO) under Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to test cosmetic products
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containing microbeads and submit a report in four weeks.

ii. A Bench headed by Justice Jawad Rahim said it is the duty of the government to ensure that
no dangerous product is allowed to be manufactured or sold to public and has scheduled the next
hearing for the matter on February 15, 2017.
SpaceXs Falcon 9 Vehicle launches 10 satellites into Orbit

i. The American rocket manufacturing company SpaceX launched 10 satellites into orbit on a two
stage Falcon 9 Rocket on January 14, 2017 from the Vandenberg Air Force Base on
the California coast. The satellites were a part of the NEXT Mission of the communications
company Iridium.
ii. The rocket took off at 9:54 AM local time and after few minutes the first stage of the rocket
landed successfully on a platform in the Pacific Ocean while 75 minutes after launch the mission
was complete with the Iridium payload safely in orbit.
iii .This was SpaceXs first flight after four months, when one of its one of its Falcon 9 vehicles
exploded on a Florida launchpad in Cape Canaveral in September 2016 destroying $ 200
million Amos-6 communications satellite.
App named SEZ India launched by Commerce Ministry

i. The Commerce Secretary has launched a mobile app named SEZ India for Special Economic
Zones (SEZs).
ii. SEZ India app will be used for SEZ Developers & Units transactions and track the status.
iii. The app is available on Android Platform and it has 4 sections.
1.SEZ Information: This section will contain the information about the SEZ Act, 2005, SEZ Rules,
2006, MOCI Circulars, details of SEZs and Units etc
2.Trade Information: This section will gives access to important information / tools such as
Foreign Trade Policy, Hand Book of procedure , Duty Calculator , Customs & Excise Notification and
MEIS Rates.
3.Contact Details: This section will contain the contact details of all Development Commissioners
Office, DGFT, DG System, DGCI & S and SEZ online.
4.SEZ Online Transaction: This is a dynamic submenu that tracks the Bill of Entry / Shipping Bill
processing status and also does verification.
Tamil Nadu Gov launched mobile app pinakin for Tourism

i. Tamil Nadu government lead by O.Panneerselvam has launched a mobile application Pinakin
to provide information of famous destinations in Tamil Nadu.
ii. The app will provide information on world heritage tourist spots like Mammalapuram, the Big
Temple in, Thanjavur and Gangai Konda Cholapuram and soon it will include other places in the
state.
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Indian Superbug Resistant to all Available Antibiotics: Study

i. According to a research work published in CDCs Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
(MMWR), a multidrug-resistant organism has been indentified known as carbapenem-resistant
Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) which is resistant to all available antibiotics.
ii. Commonly identified as Klebsiella pneumonia, the organism leads to high rate of death as
thus has been labeled as night mare bacteria.
iii. The work was based on a case where-in a 70 year old American lady was infected by
a superbug biting on her tour to India and eventually died due to the resistant capacity of the
organism..
Social Networking Giant Facebook to Rollout Fake News Tools for Germany
i. Worlds largest social networking platform, Facebook on January 15, 2017 announced to
introduce Fake News Tools for Germany Facebook to help the residents in combating
the spread of unrealistic news stories.
ii. Under the fake news tool would pass the story that is believed to be false for testing. It will be
send to a German non-profit body of investigative journalists, Correctiv to check the fact.
iii. If they find the story to be false, it will be marked on Facebook as disputed and will appear
lower in users news feeds.
Researchers identifies Silicon as Undiscovered Element of Earths Core
i. Researchers from Tohoku University in Japan have claimed that they have discovered the
unidentified element that formed the 5 percent of earths core after Iron and Nickel leading to
new ways for better understanding of earths formation.
ii. According to the researchers, earths core is composed of 85 percent Iron, 10 percent
Nickel and the rest 5 percent was composed of Silicon.
BSNL launches mobile TV service Ditto TV
i. Indian state-owned telecommunications company Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has
launched mobile TV service Ditto TV and Limited Fixed Mobile Telephony in New Delhi on
January 16, 2017.
ii. Ditto TV is a mobile TV service wherein subscriber can view live TV for 80 plus channels with 7
days back-up facility .
Lightest Watch of the World made Using Graphene Launched
i. The worlds ultralight high-performance mechanical watch RM 50-03 was inaugurated on
January 16, 2017 at the 27th edition of the Salon International De La Haute Horlogerie
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(SIHH) in Geneva.
ii. The watch made up of graphene composite has been developed by the University
of Manchester, UK in collaboration with the watchmaking brand Richard Mille and McLaren F1.
The overall weight of the ultralight watch is 40 grams only and is extremely durable.
Robot Journalist Xiao Nan Writes Its First News Article

i. A first of its kind robot journalist named Xiao Nan on January 18, 2017 made debut in the
world of journalism by writing a 300-character-long article in just a second.
ii. The article written on the Spring Festival travel rush was published in the Guangzhou-
based Southern Metropolis Daily.
NASA Set to Explore Iron-Rich Asteroid 16 Psyche

i. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has given its approval to
explore an iron-rich asteroid 16 Psyche as a part of its mission to learn more about the history
and composition of the celestial body.
ii. Scientists believe that 16 Psyche is one of the most mysterious objects in the solar system at
a distance of about 230 million miles (370 million km) away from Earth and located in the large
asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.
iii. The space agency will explore the asteroid to understand how planets separated into layers in
their early histories. The mission is targeted to be launched in October 2023 and reaching the
asteroid in 2030 through Mars in 2025.
Government Launches Web-Portal ShaGun for Monitoring Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan

i. The Union Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar launched a
dedicated web portal ShaGun on January 18, 2017 for continuous monitoring of the elementary
education scheme Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) and promote the development of education
sector of India.
ii. The portal has been developed by World Bank in collaboration with Ministry of Human Resource
Development. ShaGun has been coined from the words Shala meaning schools and Gunvatta
meaning quality.
iii. The newly developed portal and first-of-its kind platform would perform dual function. Firstly it
would focus on displaying positive stories in the field of education in the form of videos,
testimonials, case studies, and images on the web portal for further improvement in performance
under SSA.
ISRO Successfully Realignes Orbit of Mars Mission Mangalyaan

i. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully realigned the orbit of its Mars
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Orbiter Mission Mangalyaan on January 19, 2017 since it could not withstand long duration
eclipse.
ii. The need for changing the orbit of Mangalyaan was felt to protect it from the long duration
eclipse otherwise the Mangalyaans battery capacity would have got exhausted due to lack of
sun rays.
High Resolution Weather Prediction System Commissioned by Ministry of Earth Sciences

i. The Union Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) led by Dr. Harsh Vardhan commissioned a
very high resolution of 12km global deterministic weather prediction model, Ensemble
Prediction System (EPS), on January 16, 2017 that will be used to generate operational
weather forecasts.
ii. Aim: The new system would be beneficial to overcome the problem of uncertainties in the
forecasts. It would also help to generate multiple forecasts with slightly varying initial conditions
and predict probabilistic forecasts and quantify the uncertainties.
iii. The newly commissioned system was on a trail run since September 2016 and will replace the
earlier model of the system that had a horizontal resolution of 25 km. The previous systems made
significant contribution in predicting the track and the intensity of the Cyclonic Storm Vardah and
the cold wave over the northern parts of India.
US launches Geo-3 satellite into Space to Detect & Defeat Missiles

i. The US military launched a Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS) GEO Flight 3
mission on January 20, 2017.
ii. Under the mission, Geo-3 satellite has been send into the space mounted on Atlas V rocket
from Florida where it will detect any possible missile attack to meet national security threats.
Scientists Explores Wolf 1061c To Be Next Habitable Planet After Earth

i. Scientists have discovered an exoplanet named Wolf 1061 located around 14 light years
away from Earth that could be the habitable planet in the future after Earth.
ii. In an effort to find out if life thrives in any planet other than our Earth, the scientists carried out
a research with focus on searching habitable zones regions where water could exist in a liquid
state on the surface of the planet in the presence of sufficient atmospheric pressure.
iii. They discovered that one of the three planets in the Wolf 1061 system named Wolf 1061c, a
rocky planet is entirely within the habitable zone, the area where liquid water could exist on the
surface of the celestial body.
Scientists Develop Robotic Sleeve to Pump Blood in Weak Heart

i. Researchers from Harvard University and Boston Childrens Hospital have developed a
customizable soft robotic sleeve to encase a diseased heart and help it beat.
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ii. The newly developed device is designed to help people who are experiencing heart failure.
The soft, cup-shaped robotic device fits around the heart like a sleeve to give it gentle
squeezes to help pump blood in patients with weakened hearts.
TeamIndus proposes nameplate on the Moon for Rs.500

i. A Bengaluru start-up TeamIndus proposes nameplate on the Moon for Rs.500.
ii. Indians are being offered the opportunity to leave their name on the moon, for a price.
iii. Space start-up TeamIndus will get the names of public donors micro-engraved on a small-sized
aluminium object, which will be placed on the lunar surface when its lander descends on the moon.
Scientists Discover Faster Method to Diagnose HIV, Lyme, Rotavirus Infection

i. Scientists at the University of Central Florida (UCF) in the U.S. made a research work in
which they have developed a new method of medical testing for faster diagnosis of diseases
like HIV, Lyme disease, syphilis and rotavirus infections.
ii. As per the research published in the journal Small, researchers combined cutting-
edge nanoscience with a magnetic phenomenon to create the method for speedy medical
tests.
iii. Under the testing, the team coated nanoparticles with the antibody to Bovine Serum
Albumin (BSA) which is commonly used as the basis of a variety of diagnostic tests. When the
nanoparticles are mixed in a test solution, the BSA proteins bind with the antibodies surrounding
the nanoparticles.
Uber To Bring Food Delivery App UberEATS In India

i. Transportation app Uber will soon launch its on-demand food delivery app UberEATS in the
Indian market.
ii. UberEATS is currently available in 58 cities globally, including Bangkok, Singapore, Tokyo, Hong
Kong and Taipei.
Rubber Soil Information System (RubSIS) launched by the Ministry of Commerce &
Industry for Rubber Growers
i. The Minister of Commerce & Industry, Smt Nirmala Sitharaman launched Rubber Soil
Information System (RubSIS) on January 23, 2017 in New Delhi to provide the detail about the
soil quality to the rubber growers to enhance productivity besides reducing the cost of production.
ii. RubSIS is an online platform developed to recommend application of appropriate mix of
fertilizers to the specific plantations of rubber growers depending upon their soil nature.
PVR Launches Theater on Demand Service VKAAO

i. The Multiplex chain operator PVR has launched a theatre on demand service VKAAO on
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January 20, 2017.

ii. Vkaao is an online platform that will enable consumers to watch any movie of their choice at a
theatre of their choice. It would empower the viewers to choose what they want to watch, when
and where.
Scientists Grow Mouse Transplant Organ in Rat

i. Scientists from Stanford University are trying to find an innovative solution to deal with the
shortage of human transplant organs like hearts, kidneys, livers, lungs and other organs.
ii. Thus they conducted a study wherein the scientists made an attempt to grow mouse
pancreases in rats and then use them to cure diabetes in mice.
Japan Launches First Military Communications Satellite, Kirameki-2

i.Japan successfully launched its first military communications satellite on January 24, 2017
from Tanegashima Space Centre, Japan on an H-2A rocket, to boost the broadband capacity of
its Self Defence Forces.
ii.The Kirameki-2 is an X-band communications satellite with a 15-year lifespan built by DSN
Corporation for the Japanese Ministry of Defense.
Pune Police Launches Beat Marshall Monitoring Mobile App for Mapping Patrolling Teams
i. The Police Department of Pune has launched a Mobile App Beat Marshall Monitoring Mobile
App to trace the location of the patrolling teams from police stations.
ii. The App has been developed by Pune based IT firm Sapience and is being used by Pune City
Police on experimental basis.
iii. The mobile phone based app will record the time, route and number of stoppages during the
course of patrolling
US Researchers Develops First Semi Synthetic Organism

i. U.S. scientists from The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have announced the
development of the first stable semi synthetic organism, Escherichia coli bacteria on January
23, 2017 that has DNA made up of both natural and artificial bases.
ii. The study was published in the Journal-Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
iii. In general, the DNA of every living being is composed of 4 natural bases, Adenine (A), Cytosine
(C), Guanine (G) and Thymine (T). Theses bases are paired up to form two base pairs, AC and GT.
Scientists Warns Cooking Starchy Food to Brown May Lead to Cancer

i. According to the Experts from Food Standards Agencys (FSA) based in United Kingdom,
Bread, chips and potatoes should be cooked to a golden yellow colour, rather than brown, to reduce
our intake of a chemical called Acrylamide which could cause cancer.
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ii. For this the Food Standards Agencys (FSA) has started a new campaign under the theme Go
for Gold on January 23, 2017 to raise awareness among the people that starchy food when
cooked at high temperature for long time leads to generation of Acrylamide.
ISRO Successfully Tests Cryogenic Engine for Upper Stage of GSLV Mk III
i. Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully tested its indigenously developed
Cryogenic engine designated as C25, on January 25, 2017 for 50 seconds at ISRO Propulsion
Complex (IPRC) at Mahendragiri in Tamil Nadu.
ii. The cryogenic engine has been developed for use in the Upper Stage of GSLV Mk III rocket,
which is scheduled to be launched within the first quarter of 2017. Cryogenic engines are used in
the upper stage of a rocket launch as they provide the maximum thrust to a launcher vehicle.
iii.This was the first test in a series of two tests. The next one has been planned for flight duration
of 640 seconds.
Scientists Discover 100-million-year-old Alien like Bug Preserved in Amber

i. Scientists from US-based Oregon State University (OSU) has recently discovered insect
preserved in amber that is believed to have been existed 100 million years ago and is entirely
different from the existing groups.
ii. Referred to as Aethiocarenus burmanicus by the scientists, these insects have been assigned to
the new Aethiocarenodea order as they do not fit with any of the existing 30 or so orders to which
all the millions of insects of the world belong.
US Based Scientists Develops Human-Pig Hybrid

i. Based on a study report published in the journal Cell on January 26, 2017, an International
Team of Scientists from United States have created a Human-Pig Hybrid in a research project
paving way to address shortage of organ for transplantation.
ii. The team created an organism scientifically known as a Chimera, an organism that contains
cells from two different species. The researchers injected human stem cells into early-stage pig
embryos. These hybrid embryos were then transferred into surrogate sows and allowed to develop
until the first trimester
Atomic clocks of Satellite IRNSS-1A Develops Technical Snag

i. The atomic clocks on the first satellite IRNSS-1A of the NAVIC, an indigenously built satellite
system has developed technical complications.The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
Chairman, A.S. Kiran Kumar informed that one of the three crucial rubidium clock on IRNSS-1A
spacecraft failed six months ago while the other two failed subsequently.
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INSAT-3DR Satellite to Enable Detecting Farm Fires

i .The Indian Weather Satellite, INSAT-3DR, launched by Indian Space Research
Organisation (ISRO) in September 2016, has led to a remarkable achievement in Indian weather
forecasting.
ii. The Next Generation INSAT-3DR, will enable detecting Farm Fires, which was till now only
conducted by National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) thus helping in
formulating effective measures to deal with the issue.
iii. The seasonal Farm Fires that leads to increasing the air pollution level in Indias northern region
especially Delhi, is believed to be caused by burning the agro-residues in Haryana and Punjab
during the October-November months that emits smoke causing air pollution.
iv. The satellite provides data at an average rate of 142 GB per day
ASTROSAT Captures Rare Act of Vampire Star

i. Based on a study published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters, an unusual action of a small,
six billion old, so called vampire star, has been captured by ASTROSAT, Indias first dedicated
multi-wavelength space observatory that was preying on bigger celestial body.
ii. The team of scientist involved in the observation included scientists from IIA, Inter-University
Centre of Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA), Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR),
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA).
iii. Vampire stars are actually the smaller stars that suck the energy and masses of the bigger
companion stars ultimately leading to its death.
DEFENCE
Israeli Air Force Receives First Anti-Missile Interceptors for Arrow 3 System
i. The first anti-missile interceptors for the Arrow 3 Missile Defense System was inducted
into the Israel Defense Forces on January 18, 2017 by both Israels Defense Ministry and the US
Missile Defense Agency during a ceremony held on the Palmachim Air Base.
ii. Each Arrow 3 Missile is estimated to cost about $2.2 million. They have been designed to
enable interception of ballistic missiles beyond the earths atmosphere. Interception at that
altitude enables missiles carrying nuclear warheads to be blocked farther from Israel and stops the
enemy missile to harm the territory.
iii. The Arrow-3 interceptor is a part of Israels Arrow weapon system (AWS) and has been jointly
developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), U.S. Department of Defenses Missile
Defense Agency and Boeing.
BSF launches operation Sard Hawa at Rajasthan border

i. Border Security Force (BSF) has launched its 14 day operation Sard Hawa at the western
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international border of Rajasthan on January 15, 2017 to check the instances of infilteration due to
the dense fog in the area.
ii. Aim: To keep a hawks eye on the international border, where vigil has been beefed-up and
officers have also been asked to be part of operation to motivate jawans.
iii. The operation will end on January 28, 2017.
Pakistan Navy Receives Two Ships From China to Ensure Security along Gwadar Port
i. China has handed over two ships to Pakistan Navy on January 15, 2017 in order to ensure joint
security along the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and the Gwadar port.
ii. The two ships were received by the Pakistan Navy Vice Admiral Arifullah Hussaini at a
ceremony held at Gwadar port.
iii. The ships named Hingol and Basol gets its name from nearby rivers in Pakistan. China will
provide two more ships to Pakistan Navy named Dasht and Zhob after two districts in Balochistan.
INS Khanderi, Second Scorpene Class Submarine Launched in Mumbai

i. INS Khanderi, Indias second French-designed Scorpene-class diesel-electric attack
submarine was launched in Mumbai on January 12, 2017 at the Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders
Limited (MDL).
ii. The Submarine was launched by Bina Bhamre, wife of the Union Minister of State (MoS) for
Defence, Subhash Bhamre in the presence of Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Sunil Lanba.
Chinese Navy Commissions Sophisticated Ship CNS Kaiyangxing into its Fleet
i. The Chinas Navy commissioned a sophisticated electronic reconnaissance ship CNS
Kaiyangxing or Mizar to North Sea Fleet in Qingdao, Shandong province on January 10, 2017.
ii. The new ship with hull code 856 is capable of conducting all-weather, round-the-clock
observation on multiple targets. The ship is so sophisticated that only a few countries, such as the
US and Russia, are capable of developing it.
iii. The Kaiyangxing is a Type 815A electronic reconnaissance ship, with displacement of 6,000
metric tons and a maximum speed of 20 knots or 37 kilometers per hour.
Guided Pinaka Rocket Successfully Test-Fired by India

i. India successfully test-fired the Guided Pinaka Rocket from Launch Complex-III of
the Integrated Test Range (ITR) launch pad at Chandipur off coast Odisha.
ii. With the test-firing all the mission objectives were successfully met. All the radars, electro
optical and telemetry systems at Chandipur tracked and monitored the weapon all through the
flight path.
iii. The Guided Pinaka is a modified version of the Pinaka rocket mark-II which has evolved
from Pinaka Mark-I. Pinaka rocket mark-II is equipped with a navigation, guidance and control
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kit. The modified version has considerably enhanced the strike range and accuracy of Pinaka.
iv. The Guided Pinaka is developed jointly by Armament Research & Development
Establishment (ARDE), Research Centre Imarat (RCI) and Defence Research and
Development Laboratory (DRDL).
Indian Navys Theatre Level Exercise, TROPEX 17 Begins

i. The Theatre Readiness Operational Exercise (TROPEX), an annual Indian Navy exercise
kicked started on January 24, 2017 off the Western Seaboard. The last edition of the exercise
was conducted in January 2015.
ii. The exercise will be conducted in phased manner both in harbour and at sea to undertake tasks
of war-fighting and combat operations. The exercise will strengthen the inter-operability and joint
operations of the Indian Navy in a complex environment.
iii. The month long exercise will see the participation of ships and aircraft of both the Western and
Eastern Naval Commands and assets from the Indian Air Force, Indian Army and the Indian Coast
Guard exercising together.
INS Vikramaditya Becomes Indias First Warship to Have ATM Onboard

i. INS Vikramaditya, Indias biggest aircraft carrier ship has become the countrys first warship to
have an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) onboard the vessel.
ii. The ATM has been installed by the State Bank of India (SBI) and will become operational
from January 21, 2017. It will be operated through satellite link.
China Commissions its 31st Stealth Warship

i. In a move to rapidly expand its naval fleet, Chinas Peoples Liberation Army
Navy commissioned its 31st stealth warship on January 22, 2017.
ii. With the commissioning of the 31st Type056 class corvette warship, CNS Ezhou, China has
become the worlds largest fleet of modern corvettes.
iii. The CNS Ezhou with a hull number of 513 was delivered to the East Sea Fleet in a naval
base in East Chinas Fujian province on January 18, 2017. It is 89 meters long and 11 m
wide and has a full displacement of 1,254 metric tons.
Guided Pinaka test fired successfully again

i. The Guided Pinaka was successfully test fired from the Launch Complex-III, ITR,
Chandipur for a further enhanced range.
ii. The Pinaka Rocket Mark-II, equipped with Navigation, guidance and control kit, was
transformed into a guided Pinaka.
iii. The conversion has facilitated to enhance the range and improve the accuracy of Pinaka.
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Pakistan Successfully Conducts First Flight Test of N- Capable Ababeel Missile

i. Pakistan successfully conducted the first test flight of the surface-to-surface ballistic missile
(SSM), Ababeel on January 24, 2017.
ii. The radar-evading Ababeel has the capablility of carrying a nuclear warhead up to 2,200 kms
and deliver multiple warheads using Multiple Independent Re-entry Vehicle (MIRV) technology.
Whatsapp helpline Luanched by Army Chief Gen. Bipin Rawat launches to Address
grievances of Army personnel
i. The Chief of Army staff Gen Bipin Rawat launched a Whatsapp helpline number on January
27, 2017 to receive grievances of army personnel.
ii. Several soldiers posted their grievances on social media about the food that was being served to
them and the conditions that they were put in as a result the army chief took the decision of
launching the watsapp service.
iii. The Whatsapp number where soldiers can post their complaints is +91 9643300008. The
number will be shared with all soldiers and the number will remain at Rawats office.
Indian Navy Issues RFI to procure 57 Carrier-Borne Fighter Jets

i. According to IHS Janes Defense Weekly, the Indian Navy has officially issued a Request for
Information (RFI) on January 17, 2017 to procure new carrier-based multirole warplane.
ii. The Navy intends to procure 57 naval fighter aircraft from a foreign supplier for its rapidly
growing fleet of aircraft carriers. The government also wants to manufacture these planes in India
under Indian Prime Ministers Modis Make in India initiative and tender has asked the original
equipment manufacturers to respond to it.
iii. Responses are due by May 24, 2017. Delivery of the first aircraft is expected to begin three
years following the inking of a contract and completed within three additional years.
India Successfully Test Fires Agni IV Ballistic Missile off Odisha Coast
India successfully conducted the test firing of the nuclear-capable strategic ballistic missile, Agni
IV from the Abdul Kalam Island, Balasore, off the Odisha coast on January 2, 2017 at about
11.50 a.m.
i. Agni IV is a two-stage solid-propelled, surface-to-surface ballistic missile which is designed
to carry a payload of 1-tonne up to a distance of 4,000 km.
ii. Designed and developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) the
missile is 20 meters in length and weighs 17 tonnes.
Pakistan Successfully Test-Fires Submarine-Launched Nuclear-Capable Missile

i. Pakistan successfully test-fired its first Submarine-Launched Cruise Missile (SLCM), Babur-
3, on January 9, 2017 from Indian Ocean.
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ii. The missile Babur-3 which was fired from an underwater, mobile platform, hit the target with
precise accuracy. It is capable of carrying a nuclear warhead up to 450km
iii. Babur-3 is a sea-based variant of Ground Launched Cruise Missile (GLCM) Babur-2, which was
successfully tested earlier in December 2016.
Indian Army conducted trials of Indigenous Artillery Gun System Dhanush in the
Himalayas
i. The Indian Army is successfully conducted the user-validation trials of indigenous artillery
gun Dhanush in the Himalayas so that they are ready to be inducted into the Army.
ii. The exercise is being conducted under the aegis of the Srinagar-based 15 Corps and the Leh-
based 14 Corps. The 15 Corps is tasked to face Pakistan while the 14 Corps is tasked to face
Pakistan as well as China.
ENVIRONMENT
India UK Join Hands to Launch Project to Tackle Delhi Air Pollution Risks
i. Indian has partnered with the British experts over a project that aims to study the air
pollution level in Delhi and health problems associated it.
ii. The project ASAP-Delhi: An Integrated Study of Air Pollutant Sources in the Delhi
National Capital Region would be led by University of Birmingham and would also involve
experts from the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, the Indian National Physical
Laboratory and the University of Surrey.
iii. The project has been granted a support of 1.4 million pound from the Natural Environment
Research Council (NERC) and the Medical Research Council (MRC) Air Pollution and Human Health
programme.
Black rice gains popularity in Assam

i. A variety of Black rice or purple rice, which is also known as world super food recently has
gained popularity in Assam.
ii. It was recently sown by the local farmers for the first time in Barak Valley.
iii. It has the ability to help stop the development of diabetes, cancer, heart disease and even
weight gain.
US authorities recover three species from endangered list

i. According to a US wildlife conservation agency, long-nosed bat and gypsum wild
buckwheat and Kuenzler hedgehog cactus are removed from the list of endangered species.
ii. The bat, buckwheat and cactus are all found in the Southwest, a hotspot of biodiversity and a
locus for habitat protection and other measures undertaken under the US Endangered Species Act
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for a host of species.

iii. 32 species have fully or partially recovered while another 12 have been proposed as recovered.
iv. 11 species were found to have recovered in 2016, including a Texas plant four subspecies of
island foxes from the Channel Islands, two humpback whale populations, Kentuckys white-haired
goldenrod, Santa Cruz cypress and Columbian white-tailed deer.
v. Four species were proposed for downlisting or delisting, including black-capped vireos,
Yellowstone grizzly bears, Florida manatees and Texas Tobusch fishhook cactus.
Chilika lake encounters 176 species of migratory birds this year

i. As per the annual census conducted by the Wildlife wing of the Forest Department the number
of migratory birds in the Chilika lake, Odisha has substantially gone up this year.
ii. According to Chilika Wildlife DFO, 88,264 more birds have visited the brackish water lake this
year than the last year. Last year, 8,58,855 birds were sighted in the lake while the number has
gone up to 9,47,119 this year.
iii. A total of 176 species of migratory birds were seen in the largest brackish water lake in Asia this
year.
iv .About 20 teams were engaged in the bird census in the 11,000 sq km area of the lake.
Scientists finds New Ginger species with medicinal properties in Andamans

Scientists from the Botanical Survey of India (BSI) have discovered a new species of ginger in
the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The new species named as Zingiber
pseudosquarrosum belongs to genus Zingiber.
It was already used by the local Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) of the
Andamans for its medicinal values.
Study Reveals New Fault Forming in Indian Ocean May Trigger Quakes in Future
i. A team of researchers from Singapore, France and Indonesia in a study found the evidence
of the possibility of formation of a new plate boundary on the floor of the Indian Ocean in the
Wharton Basin.
ii. The study published in the journal Science Advances estimated that the new plate may
be forming because of the largest earthquake that shook the Andaman-Sumatra region in
2012 and it may further lead to more earth quakes in future.
Star Wars gibbon is new primate species discovered in China

i. Scientists have concluded a gibbon living in the tropical forests of south west China is a new
species of primate.
ii. It has been named the Skywalker hoolock gibbon, means Heavens movement.
iii. The researchers estimate that there are about 200 of the Skywalker gibbons living in China.
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Hope Island becomes graveyard for Olive Ridleys Turtles

i. Hope Island become graveyard for Olive Ridleys turtles after the wildlife wing of the Forest
department have spotted 54 carcasses on the shores of Hope Island in just one month.
So far 152 carcasses are spotted in Hope Island.
ii. This indicates that the breeding cycle of the endangered species has been dealt a severe blow
this year by mechanised fishing boats.
iii. The Fisheries Department tried to encouage the mechanised boat owners to fit a Turtle
Excluder Device (TED) to their trawl nets to allow the animals to pass.
Delhi declared free from bird flu

i. Delhi has been declared free from H5N8 avian influenza commonly known as Bird Flu by the
Animal Husbandry Department of the Delhi government on January 13, 2017
ii. This is declared after 2 consecutive samples collected at 15 days intervals as per the guidelines
issued by the Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture and
Farmers Welfare.
iii. After this, The Delhi zoo opened for the public after 3 months.
Study Finds that India was not Isolated Before Colliding Eurasia
i .As per a study published in the journal PLOS ONE, scientists from University of Bonn in
Germany has found that there must have been a connection between the separated India,
Europe and Asia about 54 million years ago.
ii. The researchers believed that India was largely isolated for at least 30 million years during its
migration before it collided with the Eurasian plate.
Study Finds Indian Spice Long Pepper Useful in Fighting Cancer

According to a new study published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, researchers have
discovered that the widely used Indian spice named Long Pepper has the potential to be used as
a cancer treatment drug.
ii.The Indian long pepper contains a chemical called Piperlongumine (PL) that could stop the
body from producing an enzyme that is commonly found in tumors in large numbers.
IMD Reports 2016 as the Hottest Year Since 1901 in India

i. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) on January 13, 2017 released its statement
of climate of India, 2016 and informed that the year 2016 was the hottest year since
1901 for the country.
ii. The director general of IMD, Dr K J Ramesh informed that the annual mean land surface air
temperature was above normal by 1.04 degree Celsius in the last two years.
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iii .More than 1,600 persons died last year due to extreme weather conditions across the country.
Out of which 700 persons died alone in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
West Bengal Set to Give Legal Protection to Hilsa Fish

i. The West Bengal State Department of Fisheries has announced to protect the
endangered Hisla Fish from getting extinct and thus has proposed to introduce law to arrest
anyone found in illegal catching, buying or selling of Hilsa fish weighing less than 500 grams.
ii. With the introduction of the proposed provision, Hilsa Fish would become the first fish to get
legal protection.
Mers, Lassa, Nipah Virus May Cause Next Global Health Emergency
i. Scientists have discovered three new lesser known diseases namely Mers, Lassa fever and
Nipah virus that could cause the next global health emergency.
ii. To overcome this to happen, Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) has
contributed a sum of $460 million for the development of the vaccine against these would-be
deadly disease. Besides, CEPI has also asked help of $500 million from World Economic Forum
Davos.
iii. The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) is a group consisting of government
representatives, private sector representatives, civil societies/NGOs and individual members.
New Species of Moth Named after Donald Trump

i. A Canadian Biologist named Dr. Vazrick Nazari, has discovered a new species of moth in a
densely populated part of southern California and named it after US President-elect Donald
Trump.
ii. The moth, Neopalpa donaldtrumpi, has been named in honor of Donald J. Trump who is to be
sworn in as the 45th President of the United States on January 20, 2017 because of
the resemblance of the scales on the head of the moth to Mr Trumps hairstyle.
Scientists Unveils Sunspot with Centre Twice the Size of Earth

i. The scientists from European Southern Observatory (ESO) have discovered a sunspot with
dark and contorted centre which is about twice the diameter of the Earth.
ii. The discovery leads to the expansion of the range of observations made till now and can be used
to further investigate the physics of our nearest star. The sunspot was spotted using Atacama
Large Millimetre/submillimetre Array (ALMA) antennas.
iii. The team observed an enormous sunspot at wavelengths of 1.25 mm and 3 mm using two of
ALMAs receiver bands. The images reveal differences in temperature between parts of the Suns
chromosphere. The difference in appearance between the two images is due to the different
wavelengths of emitted light being observed.
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SPORTS
Chennai Open: Bopanna and Jeevan bag doubles title
i. Indian pair of Rohan Bopanna and Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan captured mens doubles title
defeating Indias Divij Sharan and Purav Raja in Chennai Open.
ii. They defeated compatriots Purav Raja and Divij Sharan 6-3, 6-4 in the summit clash.
iii. It was the first time in the ATP events 22-year existence that four Indians featured in the
finals.
Kane Williamson climbs to fourth in ICC T20 rankings

i. Kane Williamson and Virat Kohli are the only two batsmen to feature in the top 5 of the ICC
rankings in all three formats of the game.
ii. New Zealand captain Kane Williamson has become the second batsman after Indian
skipper Virat Kohli to feature in the top-five of the ICC rankings for all three formats by climbing
to fourth in the latest Twenty20 list issued in Dubai
iii. Kohli is the number-one ranked batsman in T20Is, second-ranked in ODIs and Tests.
Sania Mirza wins Brisbane International, loses World No.1 ranking

i. Tennis Ace Sania Mirza has clinched her first Doubles title of the season 2017, after she lift
the Brisbane International womens doubles title with her American partner Bethanie
Mattek-Sands.
ii. However the tennis star has lost her no. 1 ranking on the ATP charts to her partner owing to the
victory.
Novak Djokovic beats Andy Murray to win the Qatar Open

Serbian Tennis Ace Novak Djokovic defeated Andy Murray to defend his Qatar Open title,
however the Britain star Murray stays at number one in ATP Singles Ranking.
2017 Qatar Open:
Category Winner Runner
Mens Singles Novak Djokovic (Serbia) United Kingdom Andy Murray
Mens Doubles French pair JrmyChardy and Canada VasekPospisil / Czech
Fabrice Martin Republic Radektpnek,
Roberto Bautista Wins 2017 Chennai Open Single Title

i. Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain clinched the mens singles title of the 2017 Chennai
Open on January 8, 2017 defeating Daniil Medvedev 6-3 and 6-4 to claim the first ATP
tournament of the season.
ii. The 20-year-old has won five ATP singles titles till date and has achieved a career-high singles
ranking of world No. 13 in October 2016.
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Eight-year old Kashmiri boy Abbu Ammaz becomes national boxing champion
i. Abbu Ammaz (8), a class 2 student from Jammu and Kashmir has bagged the gold medal
in Thai Boxing Championship at the national level.
ii. He was felicitated by the civil administration, district authorities and police.
Indias Shreyas Wins Scottish Junior Open title

i. Mumbai youngster, Shreyas Mehta, won the Scottish Junior Open Squash championship at
Edinburgh on January 9, 2017.
ii. The Indian U-13 top squash player Shreyas Mehta defeated Colombias Juan Jose Torres Lara
9/12. Earlier he has won US Junior open.
Velavan Senthilkumar wins British Junior Open Under-19 Squash title

i. Rising Indian squash star Velavan Senthilkumar created history by winning the first-ever all-
Indian Boys Under-19 final at the British Junior Open in Sheffield on Friday. The 5/8th seed
defeated his unseeded compatriot Abhay Singh, 15-13, 11-2, 10-12, 11-7 in 59 minutes.
ii. India also secured the bronze medal in this category after 9/16th seeded Adhitya Raghavan
finished third. Raghavan came back from two games down to upset the second seed Youssef
Ibrahim of Egypt, 6-11, 6-11, 11-7, 11-7, 11-7 in 33 minutes in the bronze medal play-off.
RafalNadal Defeats David Goffin to win 2016 Mubadala World Tennis Championship
i. Spanish professional tennis player, Rafael Nadal successfully clinched 2016 Mubadala World
Tennis Championship title on December 31, 2016 held at the Abu Dhabi International Tennis
Complex at the Zayed Sports City.
ii. Nadal defeated his opponent David Goffin with 6-4, 7-6 in the finals. He reached the Abu
Dhabi Finals by beating Tomas Berdych in the quarter-final and Milos Raonic in the semi-final.
Indian tennis player Somdev announces retirement

i. 31 year old professional Indian tennis player Somdev Kishore Devvarman popularly known as
Somdev announced his retirement from professional tennis on 01 January 2017.
ii. The decision was taken due to a shoulder injury. He first suffered a recurring shoulder injury in
2012. On his return back to the tennis arena he lost a series matches due to this injury. So starting
the New Year on a new node Somdev said goodbye to the tennis.
Lionel Messi wins Worlds Best Playmaker of 2016

i .Argentine Star Lionel Messi was chosen as the Worlds Best Playmaker for the year 2016 on
December 29, 2016, by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics
(IFFHS).
ii. Messi topped the list with 172 points followed by Andres Iniesta at second spot with 66 points
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and Toni Kross third with 45 points.

iii. Five-time Ballon dOr winner, Lionel Messi earlier won the Best Playmaker of the World for the
year 2015 with 168 points
Top 5 Rankers
Player Team Points
Lionel Messi Barcelona 172
Andrs Iniesta Barcelona 66
Toni Kroos Real Madrid 45
Mesutzil Arsenal 39
RiyadMahrez Leicester 36
Sergey Karjakin beats Magnus Carlsen to clinch World Blitz Chess Championship
i. Sergey Karjakin of Russia defeated Norways Magnus Carlsen in a tie-breaker to
win Gold in the World Blitz Chess Championship title in Doha, Qatar on December 30, 2016.
ii. Both players scored 16.5 points at the end of 21 rounds of competition spread over two days
in the shortest format of chess. But the first place went to Karjakin after tie-break, leaving silver
for Carlsen.
iii. Russias DaniilDubov ckinched the Bronze medal
Former Captain Ricky Ponting named Australias assistant coach for Twenty20 Series
i. The former Australian Captain Ricky Ponting will join Australias coaching staff as
an assistant to coach the team for next months home Twenty20 series against Sri Lanka.
ii. Ponting will work alongwith former team-mates Justin Langer and Jason Gillespie for the
series which would begin in Melbourne on February 17 before heading to Geelong (February 20)
and Adelaide (February 22).
Chinas Grand Slam Champion Li Xiaoxia Announces Retirement from Table Tennis
i. Chinas table tennis Grand Slam Champion Li Xiaoxia announced her retirement on January 1,
2017, ending her 22 years career on the court.
ii. She helped China to win gold medal in doubles at the Rio Olympic Games in 2016 besides
finishing runner-up in the singles event and also won 53rd Table Tennis Team Championships 2016.
iii. The 28-year-old holds multiple doubles and Teams World titles in Olympics Games, World
Championships, World Cups, Asian Cups, Asian Championships etc.
Australian Cricketer Arthur Morris Inducted into ICC Cricket Hall of Fame
i. Former Australian cricketer Arthur Morris was inducted into the International Cricket
Councils Hall of Fame on January 3, 2017, by Steve Waugh during the tea break on
the opening day of the third Test between Australia and Pakistan in Sydney.
ii. Morris, who became the 82nd player to be inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame, was
given the honour posthumously. The opening batsman passed away at the age of 93 on August
22 in 2015.
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India Surpasses Bangladesh to Clinch SAFF Womens Championship 2016

i. Indian Women Football Team won their fourth consecutive (South Asian Football
Federation) SAFF Womens Championship title defeating Bangladesh 3-1 in the finals at
the Kanchenjunga Stadium in Siliguri, West Bengal on January 4, 2017.
ii .Indian Team, coached by Sajid Dar, beat Nepal 3-1 in the semi-finals to enter the final
against Bangladesh.
MS Dhoni Quits from Indias ODI and T20 Captaincy

i. Indian Cricketer, Mahendra Singh Dhoni stepped down as the captain of the Indian team in
limited over formats on January 4, 2017, just ahead of the ODI series to be against England in
January 2017. However, he will still be available for selection as a wicketkeeper-batsman for the
One Day and T20I series series.
ii .The 35-year-old had given up the Test captaincy in December 2014, when he retired from the
format after the Melbourne Test. However, he stayed on as ODI and T20 international captain.
105 year old man made history by cycling 14 miles in 1 hour

i. Robert Marchand a 105 year old man has made a record by cycling 22.547km (14 miles) in 1
hour. In 2012 he had already set a record of cycling 26.927km in 1 hour.
ii. Robert Marchand if from France and he completed his 14 miles race by completing 92 laps round
the velodrome(cycling arena) at Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, Paris.
Indian Skipper Virat Kohli Named Captain for all Three Formats
i. Indian Skipper, Virat Kohli was officially named as the Indian Cricket Teams New
Captain for all the three formats on January 6, 2017 at Mumbai.
ii. Virat takes over from Indias most successful ODI captain MS Dhoni who resigned from his
roleon 5 january 2017. Virat took over the Test team captaincy from Dhoni full-time in January
2015 after the Dhoni retired from Test cricket at Melbourne in December 2014.
iii. The daring batsman, Kohli, who has presided over an 18-match unbeaten run as Test captain,
will first lead India in three one-day internationals starting from January 15 before the sides play
three Twenty20 matches.
Punjab Royals Wins Pro Wrestling League Season 2

i. The NCR Punjab Royals won the Pro Wrestling League Season 2 on January 19, 2017
defeating two-time finalists Haryana Hammers 5-4 in the finals at the K D Jadhav Indoor
Stadium, New Delhi.
ii. The winners were presented with the Champions trophy along with a prize money
of whopping 1.90 crore. The runners up took home a prize money of 1.10 crore.
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Russian Gymnast Yana Kudryavtseva Retires at 19

i. Russian rhythmic gymnast, Yana Alexeyevna Kudryavtseva, announced her retirement at the
age of 19, following several leg injuries including a fracture in the left foot during the 2016 World
Cup in Kazan, Russia.
ii. Her retirement ends her glittering career. She was the latest in a long line of world-class
rhythmic gymnasts from Russia, who won every Olympic gold medal in the discipline since 2000
with stars such as Alina Kabaeva and Evgeniya Kanaeva.
Rajasthan Cricket Association adopts Lodha Committee reforms at EGM

i. Rajasthan Cricket Association in an Emergent General Meeting (EGM) accepted all the reforms
recommended by the Lodha Committee as per Supreme Court directive.
ii. The Lodha committee was constituted by Supreme Court in January 2016 and had accepted its
major recommendations in July 2016
iii. The Supreme court had given six months deadline to BCCI to implement the
recommendations.
PR Sreejesh Becomes Member of FIH Athletes Committee

i. The Captain of Indian mens Hockey Team, PR Sreejesh was selected as a member
of International Hockey Federation (FIH) Athletes Committee on January 11, 2017 by the
FIH Executive Board.
ii. FIH Athletes Committee comprises a total of eight current and former hockey players. They are
responsible to act as a liaison between the FIH and the athletes to make sure the players have
voice in the FIH decision making process.
Cue Champion Pankaj Advani wins Kolkata Open snooker Championship

i. Cue sports Ace Pankaj Advani clinched the 3rd Kolkata Open National Invitation Snooker
Championship 2017 on January 8, 2017 organised by the West Bengal Billiards Association at
the Bengal Rowing Club.
ii. The 16 times World Champion outclassed Aditya Mehta 5-1 who has won the last two editions of
the Championship
Indian Boxer Sarita to become Countrys First Female Professional Boxer

i. Asian games Bronze-Medallist boxer, Sarita Devi is set to become the first ever female boxer
from India to step into the world of professional boxing.
ii .Former world champion Laishram Sarita Devi will make her professional debut against Zsofia
Bedo of Hungary on January 29, 2017 fight night organized by the Indian Boxing Council
at Khuman Lampak Sports Complex in Imphal.
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iii. Sarita will become the first ever woman boxer from India to step into the world of professional
boxing.
Basketball player Satnam Singh trains with WWE

i. The Indian 72 basketball player Satnam Singh Bhamara has shown interest in the World
Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). He visited one of the WWEs Performance Centre facility
at Orlando, Florida and participated in a training session alongside various other new recruits of
WWE.
ii. Sunny Gill, the manager of Satnam Singh Bhamara said that Satnam was offered a role by WWE
as they wanted a Hindi speaking contestant and also wanted to capture the Indian market.
Tanzanias Simbu & Kenyas Kitur wins Mumbai Marathon 2017

i. The 14th Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon took place on January 15, 2017. The full
marathon was flagged off from Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus in South Mumbai at 7.20 AM by a host
of dignitaries.
ii. Alphonce Simbu of Tanzania took 02:09:32 time to clinch first position in mens elite
category while Kenyas Bornes Kitur won the womens title by completing the distance
in 02:29:02.
Khelo India National level Competition inaugurated by Sports Ministry

i. The Minister of State (I/C) for Youth Affairs and Sports Shri Vijay Goel inaugurated
the Khelo India National level Competitions on various sports for Under-14 and Under-17
children on January 15, 2017 in New Delhi.
ii. The competition was organized by Sports Authority of India under aegis of Ministry of Youth
Affairs and Sports in Swimming, Cycling and Wrestling at the Dr. Syama Prasad Mukherjee
Swimming Pool Complex at Talkatora.
iii. Aim: Provide a platform for the budding talents in the country to play at national level and help
to build up the potential to further achieve excellence at international level. It would also promote
sports besides developing infrastructure for such sports in the nation.
iv. The entry for spectators to watch the events is free at all venues. The wrestling competitions for
both Boys and Girls under 14 and 16 would be held on January 20 & 21, 2017 at SAI Indira Gandhi
Sports Complex, New Delhi.
Indian Women Boxing Team Placed Third Wins Six Medals At Nations Cup In Serbia
i. The Indian Womens boxing team coached by Gurbax Singh Sandhu was placed third at
the 6th Nations Cup held in Vrbas, Serbia on January 15, 2017. India won total six
medals comprising of one gold, four silver and one bronze.
ii. Kazakhstan won the tournament at first spot followed by Russia at second in the elite
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category.
iii .The gold medal was clinched by national champion Neeraj (51 kg) of Haryana by defeating
Jaina Shekerbekova of Kazakhstan.
iv. Similarly, Sarjubala Devi (48 Kg), Priyanka Chowdhary(60kg), Pooja(69 Kg) and Seema Poonia
(+81 kg) won silver. The bronze medal was won by former Asian Games bronze-medallist Kavita
Goyat.
2017 Vodafone Premier Badminton League won by chennai smashers
i. Chennai Smashers won the Premier Badminton League season 2 title after defeating Mumbai
Rockets 4-3 in the final match held at Siri Fort Complex in New Delhi.
ii. It consists of 15 league ties, both the teams winning two matches each.
iii. The final match was held between Indias Ajay Jayaram of Mumbai and Thailands Tanongsak
S.
Mercedes sign Valtteri Bottas to replace F1 champion Nico Rosberg
i. Mercedes named the new teammate Valtteri Bottas who replaced Formula One world
champion Nico Rosberg on January 17, 2017
ii. Bottas signed one year contract with Mercedes for the 2017 campaign and Rosberg will stay on
with Mercedes in an ambassadorial role.
iii. Felipe Massa has been persuaded to extend his career by one more season to replace the Finn.
Tajikistans Amonatov Wins Delhi International Chess Tournament
i. Tajikistans chess player Grandmaster (GM) Farrukh Amonatov won the 15th Parsvnath
Delhi International Chess tournament on January 16, 2017.
ii. The player scored 8.5 points out of 10 to win after a draw with the Indian
counterpart GM Diptayan Ghosh in the 10th and final round who scored 8 to be placed at second
position.
Kapil Dev inducted into Legends Club Hall of Fame

i. Cricket icon Kapil Dev was inducted into Legends Club Hall of Fame at the Cricket Club of
India on January 17, 2017.Former India player and Legends Club president Madhav
Apte presented Kapil with a citation.
ii. He was already inducted into the clubs Hall of Fame on July 11, 2013.
Babar Azam Becomes Fastest Pakistani Player to Reach 1000 ODI runs
i. Pakistani batsman Babar Azam became the fastest player in Pakistans One Day
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International (ODI) history to score 1,000 runs in 21 innings during the 3rd ODI against
Australia at WACA Ground in Perth, Australia on January 19, 2017.
ii. He started the series requiring 114 runs in the first two matches to break the record of reaching
1,000 runs in 20 innings. However he could score only 33 and 34. In the third ODI Azam reached
the record by scoring 47 not out against and made 84 runs off 100 balls.
Alibaba Becomes Worldwide Sponsor of Olympic Games through 2028

i. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Chinese e-commerce firm Alibaba
Group entered into a long-term partnership through 2028 on January 19, 2017 at the World
Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. This makes Alibaba the worldwide sponsor of Olympic
Games through 2028.
ii. The partnership was agreed between IOC President Thomas Bach, Alibaba Group Founder and
Executive Chairman Jack Ma and Alibaba Group Chief Executive Officer Daniel Zhang.
iii. With this Alibaba has become the first company in the world to make a long-term
commitment to the IOC through 2028 as well as first Chinese company to commit to the
Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022.
iv. By joining The Olympic Partner (TOP) worldwide sponsorship programme, Alibaba will become
the official Cloud Services and E-Commerce Platform Services Partner, as well as
a Founding Partner of the Olympic Channel.
India Jumps at 129th Spot in FIFA Ranking

i. According to data released by the world football governing body FIFA on January 12, 2017, the
Indian football team jumped six places up to 129th in January 2017 which is the best FIFA
ranking in over a decade.
ii. It is Indias best ever ranking since December, 2005, when they were at the 127th spot. India
won nine of 11 international matches since last one year.
iii. Indian team was placed at 135th position in December 2016 which was the six-year highest
annual ranking since 2009.
iv. The top 3 positions remain unchanged with Argentina, Brazil and Germany holding first,
second and third place respectively.
Gujarat Wins Maiden Ranji Trophy Title Against Mumbai

i. Gujarat won its maiden Ranji Trophy title on January 14, 2017 by 5 wickets after beating
Mumbai at the Holkar Stadium in Indore. Man of the Match: Parthiv Patel.
ii. Gujarat scored 47/0 on the final day to create history. This was the highest total run-chase in
Ranji Trophy finals. Earlier, the highest was 310 by Hyderabad vs Nawanagar way back in 1937-38.
iii. With the win Gujarat became the 17th side in the history of domestic cricket to win the
tournament.
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IOC Disqualifies Three Chinese Weightlifters Olympic Title for Doping

i. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has taken away the Olympic gold medals from
three Chinese women weightlifters for doping at 2008 Beijing Games. This bans China from
International Championship for one year.
ii. They three weightlifters were Cao Lei in the 75-kilogram class; Chen Xiexia at 48kg; and Liu
Chunhonog at 69kg. All the three Chinese weightlifters tested positive for the banned growth
hormone GHRP2. Liu also tested positive for sibutramine.
Indian Footballer Jayesh Raimalani Joins Spanish Football Team

i. Indian footballer Jayesh Raimalani has signed a deal through Indo-Spanish football
venture called Spaindia to join the Spanish Football Team, Club Esportiu JUPITER (CE
JUPITER) based in Barcelona.
ii. The Rajasthan born footballer will join the Clubs U-19 team that plays in the National League.
Besides, Jayesh will also play in its B Team that currently plays the Second Division of U-19
league system in Spain.
Russias St. Petersburg unveils logo for 2020 Euro Cup

i. The official emblem of St. Petersburg for the 2020 Euro Cup football tournament was unveiled
in St. Petersbur.The logo depicts the Palace Bridge which has established itself as one of the
most iconic sites in the city.
ii. The ceremony was attended by European footballs governing body UEFA President Aleksander
Ceferin, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Mutko and St. Petersburg Governor Georgy
Poltavchenko.
Sunish wins ITF Juniors title

i. Dhruv Sunish won ITF Juniors title at the Dakshin Kalikata Sansad clay courts.
ii. The under-18 India number two, who had lost in the finals of the Chandigarh Grade 3 ITF Juniors
in the first week of 2017 and 2 ITF Juniors in 2016, played flawlessly to drub the Kazakh 6-2 6-3
Saina Nehwal Lifts 2017 Malaysia Masters Grand Prix Gold

i. Indian badminton ace Saina Nehwal clinched the 2017 Malaysia Masters Grand Prix
Gold womens single title in the summit clash in Sibu, Malaysia on January 22, 2017.
2017 Malaysia Masters Grand Prix Gold winner list
Title Winner Runner
Mens Ng Ka Long(Hong Kong) Lee Hyun-il(South Korea)
Singles
Womens Saina Nehwal(India) Pornpawee Chochuwong(Thailand)
Singles
Mens Berry Angriawan & Hardianto9 Goh Sze Fei & Nur Izzuddin(Malaysia)
Doubles Indonesia)
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Womens Jongkolphan Kititharakul & Rawinda Poon Lok Yan & Tse Ying Suet(Hong
Doubles Prajongjai(Thailand) Kong)
Mixed Tan Kian Meng & Lai Pei Jing9 Goh Soon Huat & Shevon Jemie
Doubles Malaysia) Lai(Malaysia)
Bengal Clinches U-19 Cooch Behar Cricket Trophy for 2016-17 season
i. Bengal won the Under-19 Cooch Behar Trophy 2016-17 season against Delhi in the final at
the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium in New Delhi on January 22, 2017.
ii. Bengal was declared winner in the drawn finals on the basis of a first innings lead with 79-run.
iii. Earlier Bengal won the U-19 Cooch Behar Cricket Trophy title in 1997-98 season.
Virat Becomes Fastest Batsman to Score 1000 Runs as ODI Captain

i. Virat Kohli became the fastest batsman in the world to score 1,000 runs as captain in One-
Day Internationals (ODIs) on January 22, 2017 in the third ODI against England at the Eden
Gardens.
ii. The 28-year-old batsman took 17 innings to reach the landmark, breaking the earlier record set
by South Africas AB deVilliers which was achieved in 18 innings.
Ronnie OSullivan beats Joe Perry to win record seventh Masters title
i. Ronnie OSullivan won a record seventh Masters title against Joe Perry 10-7 in the final at
Londons Alexandra Palace.
ii. Perry, in his first Triple Crown final at the age of 42, led 4-1 but missed a straightforward red
for a 5-1 lead.
AIFF Launches Professional League for Women Footballers

i. The All India Football Federation (AIFF) launched its first ever Indian Womens League (IWL)
on January 24, 2017 in order to make football a professional sport for women in the country.
ii. The first edition of the league will be played from January 28 to February 14 at the Ambedkar
Stadium in New Delhi. The match would be contested between 6 teams in a round robin format.
The top 4 teams would enter the semi-finals.
iii. The six participating teams include FC Alakhpura (Haryana), Jeppiaar Institute of Technology FC
(Puducherry), Aizawl FC (Mizoram), FC Pune City (Maharashtra), Rising Student Club (Odisha) and
Eastern Sporting Union (Manipur).
ICC Inducts 4 Women Umpires in Panel for Womens WC Qualifier

i. The International Cricket Council (ICC) on January 25, 2017 named four women to be
inducted in the strong group of B to conduct the ICC Womens World Cup Qualifier 2017 in February
2017 in Colombo.
ii. The four women umpires include, Kathleen Cross of New Zealand who would also be the head
of the women umpires, Sue Redfern of England, Claire Polosak of Australia and Jacqueline Williams
of the West Indies.
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iii. The five men umpires include Anil Chaudhary, Leslie Reifer, Raveendra Wimalasari (all from the
Emirates International Panel of ICC Umpires), Ian Ramage and Mark Hawthorne (both from the ICC
Associate and Affiliate International Umpires).
Indian Ace Cueist Pankaj Advani wins 7th National Billiards Championship
i. Top seeded Ace cue Pankaj Advani won his seventh national title in the finals of Manisha
National Billiards and Snooker Championship on January 24, 2017 at the PYC Hindu
Gymkhana, Pune.
ii. He defeated Rupesh Shah 5-1 in the final. Earlier Adavani beat Brijesh Damani in the
semifinals on January 23, 2017 to enter the finals.
Japanese Sumo Wrestler Receives Highest Sports Honour in 2 Decade

i. Japan based sumo wrestler Kisenosato was promoted to the highest rank of the
wresting, "Yokozuna" on January 25, 2017 after winning his first title at the New Year Grand
Sumo Tournament with a 14-1 record.
ii. The 30-year-old Kisenosato, whose real name is Yutaka Hagiwara, is the first Japanese born
and bred wrestler to earn the coveted rank of "grand champion" since 1998.
Usain Bolt Loses an Olympic Medal due to Positive Doping of Team-Mate Nesta Carter
i. Jamaican sprinter, Usain Bolt will have to hand back one of his nine Olympic gold medals won
in the 4x100m relay event at the 2008 Beijing Olympics due to his Jamaican team-mate Nesta
Carter who was tested positive for a banned substance.
ii. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) retested the 454 selected doping samples in
2016. The committee on January 25, 2017 informed that Carter was found to have the banned
stimulant methylhexaneamine in his system.
Tokyo Olympics unveils Goku from Dragonball Z as a brand ambassador

i. The Tokyo Olympic Committee has now announced that Son Goku, a cult anime character
from Dragonball Z, will serve as one of its brand ambassadors.
ii. Goku will have Naruto, Shin Chan, Sailor Moon, Petty Cure, Luffy and Astroboy for company in
the ambassadorial role with their faces plastered over the official merchandises.
Sports Ministry Reconstitutes Committee to Identify Athletes under TOP Scheme

i. The TOP Committee has been reconstituted by the Union Minister of State (I/C) for Youth
Affairs and Sports Shri Vijay Goel to identify and support potential medal prospects for 2020 and
2024 Olympic Games under the Target Olympic Podium scheme.
ii. Under the scheme the selected athletes are provided financial assistance for their customized
training at Institutes having world class facilities and other necessary support in order to improve
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their performances and chances of higher position in medals tally for the country.
Members of the reconstituted committee
1 Shri Abhinav Bindra, Olympic Gold Medalist Chairman

2 Shri Anil Khanna, Sports Administrator Member
3 Shri Prakash Padukone, Ex Badminton Player and Coach Member
4 Ms. Karnam Malleshwari, Olympic Medalist (Bronze/ Weightlifting) Member
5 Ms. P. T. Usha Renowned Olympian Member
6 Shri Murlidhar Raja, President, Sports Administrator Member
7 Ms. Anjali Bhagwat, Renowned Shooter Member
8 Ms. Rekha Yadav, Secretary Railway Sports Promotion Board Member
9 Dr. S.S. Roy, ED (Teams) SAI Member
10 Shri Inder Dhamija, Joint Secretary (Sports) Member Secretary
Australian Open tournament 2017 Overview

The 105th edition of the Australian Open tournament 2017 was held at Melbourne
Park in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia from January 16 to January 29, 2017.
List of Winners
Title Winners Runners
Mens Singles Roger Federer Rafael Nadal
Womens Serena Williams Venus Williams
Singles
Mens Doubles Henri Kontinen /John Peers Bob Bryan/Mike Bryan
Womens BethanieMattek- Andrea Hlavkov/Peng Shuai
Doubles Sands /Lucie Safarova
Mixed Doubles Abigail Spears /Juan Croatias Ivan Dodig/Sania Mirz
Sebastin Cabal
Abul Hossain Wins 2017 Kolkata Marathon
i. Siliguri based Abul Hossain won the Kolkata Full Marathon on January 29, 2017 by
completing the race in 02:34:02.
ii. He defeated Kolkata lad Biswanath Pal who ran in 2:39.16. Paritosh Roy finished third with a
timing of 02:52:48 seconds.
PV Sindhu Clinches Her Maiden Syed Modi Grand Prix Gold Title
i. The 2016 Olympic Silver Medallist PV Sindhu clinched her maiden Syed Modi International
Grand Prix Gold womens singles title on January 29, 2017 at the Babu Banarasi Das Indoor
Stadium in Lucknow.
ii. The Indian ace shuttler defeated Gregoria Mariska of Indonesia 21-13, 21-14 to win her first
medal of the year. Overall India won three titles in the tournament out of five events.
iii. The Mens Single title was won by National Champion Sameer Verma who beat B Sai
Praneeth 21-19, 21-16.
iv. Pranaav Jerry Chopra and N Sikki Reddy won their maiden Grand Prix Gold title in mixed
doubles beating Ashwini Ponnappa and B Sumeeth Reddy 22-20, 21-10.
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v. The Mens Double title of the tournament was clinched by top seeds Mathias Boe and
Carsten Mogensen outclassing Chinese Taipeis Lu Ching Yao and Yang Po Han 21-14, 21-15.
vi. Denmarks Kamilla Rytter Juhl and Christinna Pedersen surpassed Indias Ashwini
Ponnappa and N Sikki Reddy 21-16, 21-18 to clinch the womens doubles title.
David Boon, Matthew Hayden inducted into Australian Cricket Hall of Fame
i. Two of Australias greatest top-order batsmen, David Boon and Matthew Hayden, and the
brilliant womens all-rounder Betty Wilson will be inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame
(ACHoF) at the 2017 Allan Border Medal ceremony in Sydney
ii. ACHoF chairman Peter King announced that Boon, Hayden and Wilson were the selection
committees choice for induction this year.
Sports Ministry Forms Committee to Prepare Action Plan for next 3 Olympics
i. The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports led by Vijay Goel constituted an 8-
membered committee on January 30, 2017 that would work to prepare an action plan for
the next three Olympic Games to be held in 2020, 2024 and 2028.
ii. The committee includes badminton coach Pullela Gopichand, Shooter Abhinav Bindra, Indian
Hockey Captain Viren Raquinha, Hockey Coach S. Baldev Singh, senior journalist Rajesh Kalra, Om
Pathak from the School Sports Promotion foundation, Professor G L Khanna from Manav Rachna
International University and General Sandeep Pradhan, Director of Sports Authority of Gujarat.
iii. The Task Force would be responsible to prepare a comprehensive short-term, medium-
term and long-term action plan for effective participation of Indian athletes in the next
three Olympics
OBITUARY
Former Bengal minister Saral Deb dead
i. Veteran All India Forward Bloc leader and former West Bengal minister Saral Deb passed
away .He was 82. Saral was the state Library Minister from 1977 to 1982 and held the Cooperative
portfolio from 1982 to 1987.
ii. He was a six-time state legislator, winning from Barasat constituency of North 24 Parganas
district.
Eminent jurist Weeramantry Passed Away

i. Justice C. G. Weeramantry, one of the worlds most eminent jurists passed away
in Sri Lanka. He was 90.
ii. Weeramantry has began his judicial career in the 1950s, served as a senior judge of the
Supreme Court from 1965.
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iii. Later he moved to Australia where he was appointed as the prestigious Sir Hayden Stark
Professor at Law at Monash University.
iv. He was the first Sri Lankan to be appointed to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The
Hague
Mario Soares, Portugals former president and PM, dies at 92

Mario Soares, a former prime minister and president of Portugal who helped steer his country
toward democracy after a 1974 military coup and grew into a global statesman through his work
with the Socialist International movement, has died. He was 92.
Irans ex-President Rafsanjani dies at 82

i. Irans ex-President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, a dominant figure in the countrys politics
since the 1980s, has died at the age of 82.
ii. Mr Rafsanjani, president from 1989 to 1997, suffered a heart attack.
iii. He played a pivotal role in the 1979 revolution but later in life became a counterpoint to
hardline conservatives.
Polish-born sociologist Zygmunt Bauman dies in UK at age 91

i. The most prominent and prolific European sociologists, Zygmunt Bauman has died at the age of
91.He was a strong moral voice for the poor and dispossessed in a world upended by globalisation.
ii. Baumans works explored the fluidity of identity in the modern world, the Holocaust,
consumerism and globalisation.
iii. He wrote more than 50 books, notably Modernity and the Holocaust, a 1989 release in
which he differed with many other thinkers who saw the barbarism of the Holocaust as a
breakdown in modernity.
iv. He has coined the term liquid modernity to describe a contemporary world in such flux that
individuals are left rootless and bereft of any predictable frames of reference.
Former German President Roman Herzog Dies Aged 82

i. Former German president Roman Herzog passed away in Berlin, Germany on January 10, 2017.
He was 82.
ii. Roman was a former conservative regional politician and chief judge of Germanys constitutional
court, served as head of state from 1994-99.
iii. He was well known for the phrase Germany needs a jolt from his 1997 Berlin speech
Moving into the 21st century in which he warned that a country scared of change would go under
in a globalised world.
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TV Show M*A*S*H Actor William Christopher dies at 84

i. The actor, William Christopher, who is best known for playing Father Mulcahy in MASH, passed
away on January 1, 2017 in California. He was 84.
ii. The actor played the role of Father John Mulcahy on the longest running TV show of 1070s,
M*A*S*H, from 1972 to 1983 and in the follow-up series After M*A*S*H* from 1983 to 1985.
Former NPCC President K V Pusa Passes Away

i. Former Minister of Nagaland and former President of Pradesh Congress
Committee (NPCC) K V Pusa passed away in Kohima on January 2,2017. He was 63.
ii. Pusa had won the election first time in 1993 as independent candidate from
Southern Angami Assembly Constituency under Kohima district.
iii. He had served as the Nagaland Minister for Veterinary and Animal Husbandry from 1998-1999
and Minister for Roads and Bridges from 2000-2003.
Former French skier Jean Vuarnet Dies at 83

i. Former French Olympic skiing Gold Medallist, Jean Vuarnet, died on January 2, 2017, of
stroke. He was 83.
ii. The Frenchman won Olympic gold in the downhill at the 1960 Winter Games in Squaw Valley,
California.
Pioneering Art Critic, John Berger Dies at 90

i. John Berger, the Booker-prize-winning novelist and visionary writer died of
illness on January 2, 2017 in Paris at the age of 90.
ii. Berger won the Booker Prizein 1972 for his novel G and pledged to give half the prize money
to the radical African-American movement.
iii. The Marxist intellectual also helped to transform the way a generation looked at and perceived
art through his book Ways of Seeing.
Karnataka Cooperation & Sugar Minister H S Mahadeva Prasad passes away

i. Karnataka Cooperation and Sugar Minister H S Mahadev Prasad died of a massive heart attack
at a private resort in Koppa in Chikkamagaluru district
ii. He represented Gundlupete constituency in Chamarajanagar district.
Sitar Player Abdul Halim Jaffer dies at 88

i. Renowned Sitar maestro Abdul Halim Jaffer Khan died at his Bandra residence in Mumbai on
January 4, 2017 due to cardiac arrest. He was 88.
ii. Khan was the last survivor of the Sitar Trinity that comprised Pandit Ravi Shankar and
UstadVilayat Khan. He has been credited for innovating the unique music style
of JafferkhaniBaaj.
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GangumeiKabui, Former Manipur Minister, Historian Passes Away

i. The renowedhistorian GangmumeiKabui passed away in Imphal, Manipur. He was 77
ii. Kabui was the founder & president of the Federal Party of Manipur . He had served as a Cabinet
minister twice from Nungba constituency.
Veteran actor Om Puri passed passes away

i. Veteran actor Om Puri passed passes away at 66 after cardiac arrest
ii. Mr.Puri has appeared in mainstream Bollywood cinema as well as Pakistani and British films.
iii. He has received an Order of the British Empire(OBE) as well as Padma Shri, the fourth
highest civilian award of India.
Jazz musician Buddy Greco dies at 90

i. An American jazz and pop singer and pianist Buddy Greco was dead in Las
Vegas, USA on January 10, 2017. He was 90.
ii. Greco recorded more than 60 albums and had a hit with a version of The Lady Is a Tramp
which was released in 1962 and sold over a million copies.
Renowned Daily Telegraphs Correspondent Clare Hollingworth Dies at 105

i. Veteran British war correspondent Clare Hollingworth, who reported the news that World War
II had started, died on January 10, 2017 at the age of 105 in Hong-Kong.
ii. She was a journalist of the UKs Daily Telegraph and is best known for reporting the outbreak
of World War II in 1939 mostly described as the scoop of the century.
Former MRF director KM Philip passes away

i. KM Philip, 104, former whole-time director on the board of MRF, passed away.
ii. Mr. Philip was a Padma Shri Awardee and a noted philanthropist.
iii. He has served on the Rubber Board of India for more than 15 years.
Renowned Author and Director of The Exorcist William Peter Blatty dies aged 89
i. American author and filmmaker William Peter Blatty best known for writing The Exorcist,
died on January 12, 2017. He was 89.
ii. Blatty won Oscar for best adapted screenplay for Exorcist and thereafter he wrote and directed
the second sequel The Exorcist III.
iii .Some of his other notable works are the novels: Elsewhere (2009), Dimiter (2010)
and Crazy (2010).
Famous Linguist known as Father of Pinyin Dies at 111

i. Zhou Youguang, Chinese linguist known as the father of Pinyin died on January 14 2017 in
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Beijing. He was 111.

ii. In 1955, the Chinese government appointed Zhou to reform the traditional Chinese language to
simply Chinese language. He created the writing system Pinyin that turns Chinese characters into
words using letters from the Roman alphabet.
UNC Nobel Laureate Oliver Smithies dies at age 91

i. Dr. Oliver Smithies, faculty member of the University of North Carolina was passed away. He
was 91.
ii. Oliver was a renowned giant in the field of gene targeting and knockout mice, which are used
to study how specific genes worked.
iii. He created the first animal model of cystic fibrosis in 1992, and his technique of creating
designer mice advanced the understanding of many diseases, including cancer, obesity and heart
disease.
iv. He received the Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine in 2007 for his development of a
technique called homologous recombination that introduced targeted genetic modifications to cells.
Renowned Actress Gita Sen Passes Away

i. Veteran actress Gita Sen who was the wife of renowned filmmaker Mrinal Sen passed away on
January 16, 2017 in Kolkata of cerebral hemorrhage. She was 86.
ii. He is known for her excellent work in films like Chorus, Calcutta 71, Kharij, Akaler
Sandhane, Ekdin Pratidin and Khandahar.
Eugene Cernan, the Last Human on the Moon Passed Away at 82

i. The commander of Apollo 17 and the last man who walk on the
moon, Astronaut Eugene Cernan has passed away in Washington D.C, USA. He was 82.
ii. Cernan was flied to space three times and to moon twice.He was one of 14 astronauts
selected by NASA in October 1963. He piloted the Gemini 9 mission with Commander Thomas P.
Stafford.
Former Cgarh minister Tarun Prasad Chatterjee no more

i. Senior Congress leader and former state minister of Chhattisgarh, Tarun Prasad
Chatterjee passed away in Raipur,Chhattisgarh on January 17, 2017. He was 68.
ii. Tarun was elected as member of Legislative Assembly for the first time from Raipur rural
constituency in 1980, 1990, 1993 and 1998
iii. He was the Public Works Department (PWD) minister between 2002 and 2003 during the Ajit
Jogi-led Congress government in Chhattisgarh.
iv. He was the general secretary of Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee from 2003 to 2013
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National award-winning filmmaker Deepak Roy dead at 67

i. Veteran film director Deepak Roy has passed away in New Delhi. He was 67.
ii. He started his career as a film critic in 1974 and ventured into direction in 1982. Roy directed
more than 90 documentary films.
iii. He won a National award in 1996 for Limit to Freedom under the category of best
investigative film and in 1997 for Dhanna under social issues category.
C.V. Vishveshwara, Pioneer of Black Hole Discovery Dies at 78

i. Veteran Indian Scientist CV Vishveshwara and pioneer in the discovery of black hole in India
died on January 16, 2017 in Bengaluru following prolonged illness. He was 78.
ii. Known as the Black Hole Man of India, CV Vishveshwara contributed in the physics of black
hole even before the word black hole was coined.
Renowned Political And Social Activist Mangal Negi Dies At 86

i. Noted political and social activist and president of All India Tribes and Minorities
FrontMangal Singh Negi passed away in Chandigarh on January 10, 2017 at the age of 86.
ii. He was born in tribal Kinnaur district in Himachal Pradesh and later settled in Shimla.
iii. He was one of the first civil servants from the tribal region of Himachal Pradesh and served on
various senior positions in the governments of Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir and at
the Centre.
Former Chief Minister of Punjab Surjit Singh Barnala Dies at 91

i. Former Chief Minister of Punjab, Surjit Singh Barnala passed away on January 14, 2017 at the
Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research in Chandigarh. He was 91.
ii. Barnala served as the Chief Minister of Punjab from 1985 to 1987.
iii. He had also served as the governor of Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and the
Andaman and Nicobar islands.
Former Minister of Maharashtra Chandrakant Chhajed passes away

i. Senior Congress leader and former Maharashtra minister Chandrakant Chhajed passed away in
Pune, Maharashtra on January 13, 2017.He was 67.
ii. Chandrakant was a former Minister of State for Tourism in 2003
iii. He served the party as a state unit general secretary and co-ordinator of the Congress
Legislature Party till the last.
Urdu poet, lyricist Naqsh Lyallpuri dies at 88

i. Renowned Urdu poet and lyricist Naqsh Lyallpuri died. He was 88.
ii. He wrote lyrics in films like Chetna, which was his first big break, followed by Aahista
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Aahista, Tumhare Liye, Gharonda among others.

iii. He also wrote lyrics for the 2005 Taj Mahal- An eternal love story and Yaatra in 2006, whose
music was composed by Naushad and Khayyam respectively.
David Boon, Matthew Hayden inducted into Australian Cricket Hall of Fame
i. Two of Australias greatest top-order batsmen, David Boon and Matthew Hayden, and the
brilliant womens all-rounder Betty Wilson will be inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame
(ACHoF) at the 2017 Allan Border Medal ceremony in Sydney
ii. ACHoF chairman Peter King announced that Boon, Hayden and Wilson were the selection
committees choice for induction this year.
US Actress Mary Tyler Moore Dies At 80

i. Seven-time Emmy Award winning actress Mary Tyler Moore of United States died on January
25, 2017 in Greenwich, Connecticut. She was 80-years-old.
ii. New York born Moore began her career in 1960 with her television role in the 1960s sitcom The
Dick Van Dyke Show and the later gained fame with her popular The Mary Tyler Moore Show in the
1970s.
iii. She received an Oscar nomination for best actress for her portrayal of an affluent mother in the
1980 film Ordinary People.
Russian Ambassador to India, Alexander M Kadakin passes away

i. The Russian Ambassador to India Alexander Kadakin passed away on January 26, 2017 at
the age of 67.
ii. He served as the Russian Ambassador to India since 2009. Besides, Kadakin had served as the
Russian envoy to India between 1999 and 2004 as well.
iii. Kadakin was born in Chisnau in then USSR in 1949. He began his diplomatic career as a third
secretary at the Russian Embassy in India in 1972.
Hollywood Legend & Harry Porter actor John Hurt dies at 77

i. Sir John Hurt, the British actor who starred in The Elephant Man and Harry Potter,died on
January 25, 2017 at his residence in Norfolk, London due to Cancer. He was 77.
ii. He had won two Oscar nominations for The Elephant Man and Midnight Express. He was well
known for his role as wand merchant Mr. Ollivander in Harry Potter.
iii. Hurts career spanned six decades. He had roles in more than 129 films with dozens of
television roles.
Veteran journalist Devdutt passed away

i. Veteran journalist Devdutt who is the witness of Mahatma Gandhi assassination passes away
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in New Delhi. He was 88

ii. Devdutt introduced a journal of political opinion called Point of View after giving up a lucrative
assignment in the World Health Organisation (WHO).
French Actress Emmanuelle Riva Dies aged 89

i. Renowned French Actress Emmanuelle Riva, died on January 27, 2017 in Paris at the age of
89 due to Cancer.
ii. She was well-known for her roles in Hiroshima mon amour (1959) and Amour (2012). She was
nominated in Oscars for the movie Amour.
Father of Pac-Man Masaya Nakamura Dies at 91

i. Japanese Businessman Masaya Nakamura, who founded the leading video game developing
company Namco, died on January 22, 2017. He was 91.
ii. Nakamura is considered the Father of Pac-Man. In 1980, he played significant role to introduce
the arcade games in Namco. The most successful arcade game developed was Pac-Man by Toru
Iwatani.
iii. Pac-Man has been named in the Guinness World Records as the worlds most successful coin-
operated arcade game.
BOOKS & AUTHORS

Akhada : The Authorized Biography of Mahavir Singh Released
i. Akhada is the authorized biography of Mahavir Singh Phogat, a former wrestler and a coach.
ii. The book is written by sports journalist Sourabh Duggal and was released on 21 December
2016 at the Chandigarh Press Club.
iii. This book tells the story of a man of tremendous fortitude, of a father who fought against all
odds to give his daughters Olympians Geeta Phogat and Babita Kumari
Book on Dr. Kalam titled The Peoples President: Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam released
i. A book on the former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was released on January 4, 2017 in New
Delhi by the Vice President, Shri M. Hamid Ansari in the presence of the Union Minister for
Finance and Corporate, ArunJaitley.
ii. The book titled, The Peoples President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam has been written by Shri S.M.
Khan who served as the Press Secretary to President Kalam.
HRD Minister Releases Cyber Vocabulary book Cyber Pathshala authored by Tarun Vijay.
i. Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar released a book on cyber vocabulary named Cyber
Pathshala authored by BJP leader and writer Tarun Vijay on January 10, 2017 at World Book
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Fair at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi.

ii. The book presents an innovative way of learning the alphabets by relating them to popular terms
related to demonetisation for instance, A for ATM, B for BHIM (Bharat Interface for Money), C for
cashless, D for Demonetisation etc.
Autobiography of Veteren actor Rishi Kapoor Released

i. The autobiography of the veteran Indian actor Rishi Kapoor titled Khullam Khulla: Rishi
Kapoor Uncensored was released on January 15, 2017.
ii. The title of the autobiography has been borrowed from one of his famous songs Khullam Khulla
Pyar Karenge Hum Dono.
iii .Rishi Kapoor has written this uncensored book along with Meena Iyer and the title
is published under Harper Collins. The 64 year old actor who is known for his utmost honesty in the
real as well as virtual world said that the book features everything straight from his heart.
IMPORTANT DAYS
Jan 4 2017
Remember Day: World Braille Day(207th birth anniversary of Louis Braille)
Purpose : To recognize the efforts of Louis Braille. Louis Braille is credited with inventing the
Braille language which helps blind people to read as well as write.
Jan 09 2017
Remembered Day: Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (NRI Day)
Organized: India
Purpose: To Mark the contribution of the overseas Indian community to the development of India.
The day commemorates the return of Mahatma Gandhi from South Africa in Bombay on 9 January
1915.
Jan 10 2017
Remember Day: World Hindi Day
Purpose : To mark the day, 14 September 1949, on which the Constituent Assembly adopted Hindi
written in Devanagari script as the Official Language of the Union.
Organization: India
Jan 12 2017
Remember Day: National Youth Day
Purpose : To commemorate the birthday of Swami Vivekananda, maker of the modern India.
Organization: India
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Theme : Indian youth for development skill and harmony
Jan 15 2017
Remember Day: 69th Indian Army Day
Purpose : Recognition of Lieutenant General K. M. Cariappa's taking over as the first Commander-
in-Chief of the Indian Army from General Sir Francis Butcher, the last British Commander-in-
Chief of India, on 16 January 1949.
Organization: India
Jan 16 2017
Remember Day: Religious Freedom Day
Purpose: To stand against religious intolerance
Organization: US
January 23
Remembered Day: 120th Birth Anniversary of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose / National Day
of Patriotism / Desh Prem Divas
Organization: India
Jan 24 2017
Remember Day: National girl child day
Purpose : To increase the awareness among people about all the inequalities faced by the girl child
in the society
Organization: India
Jan 25 2017
Remember Day: National Voters Day
Purpose : To encourage more young voters to take part in the political process
Organization: India
Theme : Empowering young and future events
Remember Day: National Tourism Day

Purpose : To raise awareness of the importance of tourism for the country's economy.
Organization: India
Jan 26 2017
Remember Day: International Customs Day
Purpose : To recognizes the role of custom officials and agencies in maintaining border security.
Organization: World Customs Organization
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Theme : Digital Customs: Progressive Engagement
Remember Day: 68th Republic Day

Purpose : To honour the Constitution of India as it came into force on the same day in the year
1960
Organization: Government of India
Theme of Parade : Skill India and Beti Bachao Beti Padhao.
Jan 27 2017
Remember Day: International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust
Purpose : To commemorates when the Soviet troops liberated the Nazi concentration and death
camp Auschwitz-Birkenau in Poland on January 27, 1946.
Organization: UN
Theme : From Words to Genocide: Antisemitic Propaganda and the Holocaust.
Jan 29 2017
Remember Day: World Leprosy Day (last Sunday of January)
Purpose : To increase the public awareness of the Leprosy or Hansen's Disease
Organization: NGOs
Jan 30 2017
Remember Day: Martyrs Day
Purpose : To honor of those who lost their lives defending the sovereignty of the nation and death
anniversary of Mahathma Gandhi
Organization: India
Jan 31 2017
Remember Day: 12th Raising Day of National Disaster Response Force
Purpose : To commended the NDRF for its efforts during disaster response
Organization: GOI
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Chandrababu Naidu Launches ArogyaRaksha Scheme to cover APL Families

Maharashtra Government Bans use of Purse Seine Nets for Fishing

Trial run of Indias first 700 MW PHWR expected in 2017

Union Government Keeps interest rates on Small Savings Schemes Unchanged

Maharashtra Government Unveils the Portrait of Social Reformer Prabodhankar

Prabodhankar Thackeray in the general assembly hall of the Brihanmumbai Municipal

Swachh Bharat survey, SwachhSurvekshan 2017 Begins in 500 cities

National Green Tribunal Imposes Stay on Pune Metro rail project

Announcements made by the Election Commissioner

Japan to Help in Developing Chennai, Ahmedabad and Varanasi Smart Cities

Telangana to Provide Monetary Help of Rs. 1000 to Single Women in State

Delhi Government Approves Phase-IV of Delhi Metro

Aadhaar now mandatory for EPF pension scheme

Delhi Government unveils Good Samaritan Policy

Assam govt comes up with e-Wallet

Gujarat Government Launches Student Startup and Innovation Policy

Child Sex Ratio at Birth in Haryana Touches 900-mark in Two Decades

Supreme Courts Directs Kerala Government to Compensate Victims of Endosulfan

Center Drafts Rules to Regulate Dog Breeding Centres

Jammu & Kashmir Government Presents Reform Focused Power Budget

NITI Aayog calls for review of Right to Education Act

Ken-Betwa River Linking Project Receives Green Signal from Panel

Suprme Court Grants Permission to 24-Week Pregnant Woman for Abortion

Adoption Regulations 2017 Effective From January 16, 2017

Akhilesh Yadav Gets Right over Partys Symbol Cycle

Petroleum Conservation Campaign Saksham 2017 Inaugurated in Nagaland

gas conservation campaign Saksham-2017 at a function in Unity College, Dimapur in Nagaland

on January 16, 2017.

Cabinet approves the repealing of the obsolete and redundant laws

Cabinet Approves Rs 200 Cr for Setting Up IARI Jharkhand

IIMC Launches Full-Fledged Diploma Course in Urdu Journalism

Karnataka allows sale of white kerosene in open market

Divorce Granted Through Church Court Cannot be Held Legal: SC

Over 3.81 lakh Winners of Rs 61 cr in NITI Aayogs Lucky Draw Scheme

Centre Sanctions Rs. 2207 Cr Special Assistance to J&K

Himachal Pradesh Declares Dharamsala as the Second Capital of the State

Centre Approves Ordinance to Allow Jallikattu in Tamil Nadu

Bihar Government Launches Nasha Mukt State Campaign

India Innovation Index will Measure Innovation Performance of Indian States

Indian Railways Set to Raise $5 billion Railway Development Fund

railways itself and managed independently by a non-government entity.

Russian Railways help India to increase the speed of train to 200km

Jharkhand Annual Budget 2017-18

Stamp Cover on Sindhu, Sakshi and Dipa Released by Postal Department

Tamil Nadu Assembly Unanimously Passes Jallikattu Bill

Cabinet Approves IIM Bill 2017

Union Cabinet Approves Pragati Maidan Redevelopment Proposal of ITPO

Union Cabinet Transfers Disinvestment Advice to Economic Affairs Department

SC Directs Providing Daily Drug Dosage Regimen for TB Patients

January 23, 2017.

WCD Ministry releases National Action Plan for Children, 2016

Andhra Pradesh Launches Rs 100 cr fund of funds for Fintech Startups

Assam Ratifies Proposal to set up Bhutans Consulate General Office in Guwahati

IMD to Set up Weather Stations in 660 Districts by 2019

Nitin Gadkari Announces to Develop 1,253 km road in Assam as National Highways

Bombay Natural History Society launches climate change programme in Central

E-Paathsala Launches Unique Technology-Backed Services for Educational Institutions in

Income Tax Department (ITD) launches Operation Clean Money

Nation Celebrates 68th Republic Day on January 26, 2017

Reign of King Kansa kickstarts largest open-air theatre fest in Odisha