July, 2015

Vaid’s ICS Lucknow B-36, Sector –C, Aliganj, Lucknow

Ph: 0522-2326249/ Mob: 9415011892/93 website: www.vaidicslucknow.com

Content

Pages 1. National Events 3

2. International Events 6

3. Science & Technology 8

4. Economy 12

5. Environment 17

6. Sports 19

7. Awards 23

8. Appointments 25

NATIONAL EVENTS Union Government launched India’s first Modernised Anganwadi Centre at Hasanpur village in Sonepat Union Government on 24 June 2015 launched the first modernised Anganwadi centre of India at Hasanpur village of Sonepat in Haryana. The centre was inaugurated by Maneka Gandhi, the Union Minister for Women and Child Development (WCD). The centre has been set up as part of Nand-Ghar Yojana of Union Government which aims at transforming the anganwadi centres. The anganwadi centre at Hasanpur has been built in partnership with private mining firm Vedanta at a cost of 12 lakh rupees, while the land was provided by the Gram Panchayat. Further, the centre with singular design has been constructed by state-run National Buildings Construction Corporation Limited (NBCC) as per the guidance of the Ministry of Women and Child Development. The centre involving an area of 780 square feet can accommodate around 50 children in daytime every day and are equipped with latest facilities. The centre is based on the concept of Building as a Learning Aidpiloted by UNICEF and will be in addition to the existing anganwadi model for efficient delivery of Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS). Under ICDS, supplementary nutrition is provided to children in the age group of 0-6 years and to pregnant/lactating mothers with main objective to fight the problem of malnutrition. Why the need for modernized centres? Anganwadi centres were started by the Ministry of WCD in 1975 as part of the ICDS programme to combat child hunger and malnutrition. As of now, a network of 13.4 lakh anganwadis has been established in every village, town, city and other habitations. As per the ICDS scheme guidelines, a modernised anganwadi centre must have a separate sitting room for children/women, separate kitchen, store for food items and dedicated space for children to play. However, in a recent audit by the government it was found that most of the centres lacked essential infrastructure for maintenance of

hygiene and sanitation. Further, many of them were also found working under trees, in open spaces, dilapidated buildings and temporary structures. Thus, the need for such modernized anganwadi centres, which will be opened across the country at 4000 other places. Union Cabinet approved setting up of six Indian Institutes of Management (IIM) The Union Cabinet on 24 June 2015 approved setting up of six new Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) in the country. The cabinet meet was chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. These new IIMs will be located at Amritsar (Punjab), Bodh Gaya (Bihar), Nagpur (Maharashtra), Sambalpur (Odisha), Sirmaur (Himachal Pradesh) and Vishakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh). These IIMs are intended to commence their first academic session from 2015-16. Each Institute will start with an intake of 140 students in the Post Graduate Programme (PGP) courses. These IIMs are being set up as part commitment made by the Union Government in its Budget presentation of July 2014. In the July 2014 Budget, it was proposed to set up five IIMs in Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha and Punjab. With the bifurcation of erstwhile Andhra Pradesh state into two States of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana the need for setting up of an IIM in Andhra Pradesh in pursuance of the Andhra Pradesh Re-organization Act, 2014 was necessitated. Union Cabinet approved to set up a National Memorial at birth place of Lok Nayak JP Narayan in Bihar The Union Cabinet on 24 June 2015 approved the setting up of a National Memorial at the birth place of Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan. Lok Nayak was born at Lala Ka Tola, Sitab, Diara in Chhapra (Saran) district of Bihar on 11 October 1902. The memorial will contribute in furthering the vision of Lok Nayak who was an exemplary leader of Indian independence movement, a

freedom fighter and a social reformer. The memorial will house a virtual museum, an institute and the Lok Nayak Khadi Gaurav Samvardhan Kendra. The institute will undertake study and research on (a) democracy, (b) enhancing the role of Panchayats in nation building, (c) Gandhian thoughts, and (d) centre for Khadi and constructive work keeping in view the thoughts of Lok Nayak. On other hand, Lok Nayak Khadi Gaurav Samvardhan Kendra will be used in making national flags by women cluster(s). The proposal for National Memorial was made by the Union Ministry of Culture. About Jayaprakash Narayan Jayaprakash Narayan popularly called as JP or Lok Nayak is remembered especially for leading the opposition against Emergency imposed by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on 25 June 1975 for which he was arrested and kept as a detenu at Chandigarh. He called for a Sampoorna Kranti (Total Revolution) for upholding and defending civil liberties during emergency and ushered a new democratic movement for India and contributed to strengthen the roots of democracy. He was posthumously awarded Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award, in 1999. His biography, Jayaprakash, was written Ramavriksha Benipuri.

Union Government released the Socio Economic and Caste Census 2011 for Rural India Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Union Minister of Rural Development, Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Chaudhary Birendra Singh on 3 July 2015 released the provisional data from the Socio Economic and Caste Census (SECC) 2011 for Rural India. The survey was completed in all the 640 districts. It provides very useful data on households regarding various aspects of their socio-economic status– housing, land-holding, educational status, status of women, the differently able, occupation, possession of assets, SC/ST households, incomes, etc. The data addresses the multi dimensionality of poverty and provides a unique opportunity for a convergent, evidence based planning with a

Gram Panchayat as a unit. The data is an opportunity to make evidence based selection, prioritization and targeting of beneficiaries in different programmes. Key Findings from Rural India 1. Total Households in the Country

(Rural plus Urban) 24.39 Crore

2. Total Rural Households 17.91 Crore

3. Total Excluded Households 7.05 Crore

4. Automatically included Households 16.50 lakh

5. Households considered for deprivation 10.69 Crore

6. Households not reporting deprivation 2.00 crore

7. Households with any one of the 7 deprivation

8.69 Crore

Deprivation Data D1. Households with only one room, kuccha

walls and kuccha roof 2.37 Crore

D2. No adult member in household between age 18 and 59

65.15 lakh

D3. Female headed household with no adult male member between 16 and 59

68.96 Lakh

D4. Households with differently able member with no other able bodied adult member

7.16 lakh

D5. SC/ST Households 3.86 Crore

D6. Households with no literate adult above age 25 years

4.21 Crore

D7 Landless households deriving a major part of their income from manual labour

5.37 Crore

Sources of Household income 1. Total Rural Households 17.91Crore

2. Cultivation 5.39 Crore

3. Manual Casual labour 9.16 Crore

4. Part time or full time domestic service 44.84 lakh

5. Rag picking, etc. 4.08 lakh

6. Non Agricultural own account enterprise 28.87 lakh

7. Begging/charity/alms 6.68 lakh

8. Others ( including government service, private service, PSU employment, etc.

2.50 Crore

Background SECC 2011 is a unique paperless Census. The enumeration of the data was done using over 6.4 lakh electronic handheld device. Household data was taken from the National Population Register along with the Temporary Identification Number (TIN).

The districts and State Governments have carried out the SECC with the Union Ministry of Rural Development as the nodal Ministry. Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation carried out the survey in urban areas and the Registrar General, Census of India carried out the caste census. Union Cabinet approved National Policy for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship 2015 The Union Cabinet on 2 July 2015 approved the India’s first integrated National Policy for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship 2015. The Policy acknowledges the need for an effective roadmap for promotion of entrepreneurship as the key to a successful skills strategy. Vision of the National Policy for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship 2015 • The Vision of the Policy is to create an ecosystem of empowerment by Skilling on a large Scale at Speed with high Standards. • It aims to promote a culture of innovation based entrepreneurship which can generate wealth and employment so as to ensure Sustainable livelihoods for all citizens in the country. Thrust areas of the National Policy for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship 2015 • It addresses key obstacles to skilling, including low aspirational value, lack of integration with formal education, lack of focus on outcomes, low quality of training infrastructure and trainers, etc. • The Policy seeks to align supply and demand for skills by bridging existing skill gaps, promoting industry engagement, operationalising a quality assurance framework, leverage technology and promoting greater opportunities for apprenticeship training. • Equity is also a focus of the Policy, which targets skilling opportunities for socially / geographically marginalized and disadvantaged groups. • Skill development and entrepreneurship programmes for women are a specific focus of the Policy. • In the entrepreneurship domain, the Policy seeks to educate and equip potential entrepreneurs, both within and outside the formal education system. • It also seeks to connect entrepreneurs to mentors, incubators and credit markets, foster

innovation and entrepreneurial culture, improve ease of doing business and promote a focus on social entrepreneurship.

Union Cabinet approved institutional framework for National Skill Development Mission 2015 The Union Cabinet on 2 July 2015 approved the institutional framework for the National Skill Development Mission 2015. The Mission will provide a strong institutional framework at the Centre and States for implementation of skilling activities in the country. Highlights of the National Skill Development Mission • The Mission will have a three-tiered, high powered decision making structure. • The Mission’s Governing Council, chaired by the Prime Minister, will provide overall guidance and policy direction. • The Steering Committee, chaired by Minister in Charge of Skill Development, will review the Mission’s activities in line with the direction set by the Governing Council. • The Mission Directorate, with Secretary, Skill Development as Mission Director, will ensure implementation, coordination and convergence of skilling activities across Central Ministries/Departments and State Governments. • The Mission will also run select sub-missions in high priority areas. The National Skill Development Agency (NSDA), the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and the Directorate of Training will function under the overall guidance of the Mission. The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) provides a natural home for the Mission, organically linking all three decisions making levels and facilitating linkages to all Central Ministries/Departments and State Governments.

INTERNATIONAL EVENTS

Greece became first developed nation to default on IMF debt Greece on 30 June 2015 became the first developed nation to default on International Monetary Fund (IMF) debt. It became a defaulter after it missed the deadline for payment of 1.7 billion dollar (1.5 billion euro) to IMF. The Eurozone Finance Ministers refused to extend its bailout to Greece after it rejected the proposal given by the troika viz., International Monetary Fund (IMF), the European Commission (EC) and European Central Bank (ECB). The proposal said that Greece needs to raise its primary surplus within two years in order to avail the 15.5 billion Euros of funding, which in turn required pension and tax reforms for which the Syriza government is reluctant to. However, the ministers said that they will discuss a last-minute request from Greece for a new two-year bailout on 1 July 2015. The last country to do so was Zimbabwe in 2001. Besides, IMF also announced that it had received a request from the Greek authorities for an extension of their obligation and that it would go to the Executive Board in due course. Comment: Greece, which is now in arrears, is at a risk of leaving Euro and shifting back to its old currency Drachma. Euro replaced Drachma as a currency of Greece in 2001 (at the rate of 340.750 drachma to the euro). This may have a major implication for Greece economy and its exports. The use of Drachma by Greece, which will be of lower value than Euro, will lead to increase in the cost of imports raising the specter of inflation in the already battling economy. World Bank released revised classification of world’s economies based on Gross National Income The World Bank on 1 July 2015 released the annual revised classification of the world's economies based on estimates of gross national income (GNI) per capita for 2014. The GNI

calculations are based on World Bank Atlas method. The revision in the classification was done on the basis of the 2015 edition of World Development Indicators (WDI) report released on 15 April 2015 by the bank. Takeaways from the revised classification of world’s economies • While, in 1994, 56.1 percent of the world’s population or 3.1 billion people lived in the 64 low-income countries, in 2014, this was down to 8.5 percent or 613 million people, living in 31 countries. • Bangladesh, Kenya, Myanmar and Tajikistan moved from the low income group to the lower-middle income group. While low-income economies are defined as those with a GNI per capita of 1045 US dollars or less, members of lower-middle income group have between 1045 US dollars and 4125 US dollars. • Mongolia and Paraguay moved from the lower middle-income status to upper middle-income, a group with yearly income levels of 4126 US dollars to 12735 dollars. • Argentina, Hungary, Seychelles and Venezuela have moved from the upper middle income category to high income, with average per capita income levels of 12736 US dollars or more. • In contrast to the above 10 countries that improved their status, South Sudan has fallen out of the lower middle-income classification back into low-income status due to civil wars and sluggish in the oil industry. • Maldives and Mongolia were the highest movers in the rankings – up 13 and 8 places, respectively. • Oman and Timor-Leste fell most from their 2013 ranking – down 15 places for both. • People living in low-income countries continue to fall behind those in the upper per capita GNI brackets, while they earn and consume significantly less than much of the world’s population. • Malawi has the world’s lowest reported GNI per capita at 250 US dollars, while Monaco has the highest, at more than 100000 US dollars – more than 400 times more per person on average than Malawi. India’s position as per the revised classification • Though India’s average per capital GNI reached 1610 US dollars or around 101430

rupees, it continues to be in the lower middle income category. • With the addition of one trillion US dollars during the past seven years, India’s GDP reached 2 trillion US dollar mark in 2014. In 2013 it was 1.861 trillion US dollars. Usefulness of revised classification The World Bank as a group consists of International Development Association (IDA) and International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD). For the sake of determining lending eligibility of countries they are divided into IDA, IBRD, and Blend countries based on the operational policies of the World Bank including the World Development Indicators (WDI) report. IDA countries are those with low per capita incomes that lack the financial ability to borrow from the IBRD. Blend countries are eligible for IDA loans but are also eligible for IBRD loans because they are financially creditworthy. Russian Investment Fund to set up joint mechanism for financing infrastructure in BRICS countries Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) on 8 July 2015 signed framework agreements for equity investments in infrastructure projects in BRICS countries. The agreement was signed at the BRICS summit in Ufa. The partners in the BRICS member-states include • India’s IDFC (Infrastructure Development Finance Company) group • Brazil’s BTG Pactual • China’s Silk Road Fund • The Development Bank of Southern Africa Under this joint mechanism, the parties will work together to identify and finance infrastructure projects that will improve trade, economic and investment cooperation between BRICS countries. This initiative, which was first announced by RDIF at the 2014 BRICS summit in Fortaleza (Brazil), was also supported by the BRICS Business Council. Cuba became first country in the World to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV and Syphilis Cuba became the first country toeliminate mother-to-child (vertical) transmission of

human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and syphilis in the World. A validation in this regard was issued on 30 June by the World Health Organisation (WHO). In the case of HIV, Cuba became eligible for validation as less than 2 percent of children, whose mothers have HIV, are born with the virus since 2012. It is the lowest rate possible to achieve in any given community with prevention methods available today. In the case of syphilis, Cuba’s achievement consists of registering fewer than 0.5 syphilis cases per 1000 live births per year. Between 2012 and 2013, the country reported 3 cases of congenital syphilis (zero in 2012 and 3 in 2013, for infection rates of zero and 0.02, respectively). Cuba could achieve this remarkable feet with the strong integration of its Public Health’s HIV program with the maternal and child health program in collaboration with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) of the WHO. While vertical transmission of HIV takes place during pregnancy or childbirth or lactation, congenital syphilis occurs during pregnancy or at birth. In addition to Cuba, other countries that may also have achieved vertical transmission of these sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and that may be in a position to request WHO validation include Anguilla, Barbados, Canada, Montserrat, Moldova, Puerto Rico, Thailand, and the United States of America. Champagne vineyards of France granted with World Heritage status by UNESCO The Champagne Hillsides, Houses and Cellars of France were on 5 July 2015 granted with the World Heritage Status by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The decision to grant the status was given during the 39th session of the World Heritage Committee held in Bonn, Germany. The Committee was chaired by Maria Bohmer, Minister of State at Germany’s Federal Foreign Office The Champagne World Heritage status covered the places where sparkling wine was developed

using a second fermentation method in the bottle from the beginning of the 17th century until its early industrialisation in the 19th century. It mentioned the historic vineyards of Hautvillers where the monk Dom Perignon invented the fermentation process that gives champagne its fizz. Besides, another cultural site in France – The Climats, terroirs of Burgundy – was declared as World Heritage Site. Some other cultural sites that were declared as World Heritage Sites during the 39th Session are: • Christiansfeld, a Moravian Church Settlement (Denmark): Founded in 1773 in South Jutland, the site is an example of a planned settlement • The Par Force Hunting Landscape in North Zealand (Denmark) • Diyarbakir Fortress and Hevsel Gardens Cultural Landscape (Turkey): Located on an escarpment of the Upper Tigres River Basin that is part of the so-called Fertile Crescent • Rjukan-Notodden Industrial Heritage Site (Norway) • Speicherstadt and Kontorhaus District with Chilehaus (Germany) • The Forth Bridge in Scotland (United Kingdom): This railway bridge spanning the estuary of the Forth River in Scotland is the world’s longest multi-span cantilever bridge. • San Antonio Missions (USA) • Sites Meiji Industrial Revolution: Iron and Steel, Shipbuilding and Coal Mining (Japan) • Ephesus (Turkey): Comprises of successive Hellenistic and Roman settlements founded on new locations • Aqueduct of Padre Tembleque Hydraulic System (Mexico)—This 16th century aqueduct • Fray Bentos Cultural-Industrial Landscape (Uruguay) • Necropolis of Beth She’arim—a Landmark of Jewish Revival (Israel): Primary Jewish burial place outside Jerusalem About the status of World Heritage Site- A World Heritage Site is a status granted to a place (such as a building, city, complex, desert, forest, island, lake, monument, or mountain) that is listed by the UNESCO as being of special cultural or physical significance. These are annually declared during the UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee meeting which is composed of 21 UNESCO member states elected by the General Assembly.

The program was founded with the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World's Cultural and Natural Heritage which was adopted by the General Conference of UNESCO on 16 November 1972.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

India’s 1st indigenously designed and developed High Thrust cryogenic rocket engine tested Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on 16 July 2015 successfully tested India’s first indigenously designed and developed High Thrust cryogenic rocket engine generating a nominal thrust of 19 tonnes at ISRO Propulsion Complex, Mahendragiri. The rocket was hot tested for duration of 800 seconds, which is approximately 25% more than the engine burn duration in flight. The engine will be used for powering the Cryogenic stage (C25), the upper stage of the next generation GSLV Mk-III launch vehicle of ISRO, capable of launching four tonne class satellites. This cryogenic engine of C25 Stage operates on Gas Generator Cycle using extremely low temperature propellants – Liquid Hydrogen (LH2) at 20 Kelvin (-253 deg C) and Liquid Oxygen (LOX) at 80K (-193 deg C). The various subsystems of the engine are – regeneratively cooled Thrust Chamber, Gas Generator, LOX and LH2 high speed turbopump systems, flow control components, close loop mixture ratio control system, Pyrogen igniters, fluid systems, etc. The turbopump system rotates at a speed of 36000 rpm with a power level of 2 MW. This high performance cryogenic engine was conceived, configured and realised by Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC), the lead centre of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) responsible for developing liquid propulsion systems for Indian Space Programme. The Engine design was totally in-house effort with experts from different fields like fluid dynamics, combustion, thermal, structural, metallurgy, fabrication, rotor dynamics, control components, etc., working together. The fabrication of major subsystems of the engine was carried out through Indian Industries. Assembly and Integration of the engine and Testing were carried out in ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC), a unit of ISRO. The recent successful endurance hot test of the first high thrust cryogenic engine is the tenth test in a series of tests planned and executed as part of the development of the engine employing complex cryogenic technology. The

performance of the engine closely matches with the pre-test prediction made using the in-house developed cryogenic engine mathematical modelling and simulation software.

Indigenous Visibility Measuring System, DRISHTI, installed at IGI Airport An indigenously designed and developed Visibility Measuring System DRISHTI was installed at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport, New Delhi on 20 July 2015. The CAT III B IGI Airport, New Delhi, is now the first Airport in the country to have 10 indigenous systems operating in all its three runways. The system developed by CSIR-National Aerospace Laboratories (CSIR-NAL), Bengaluru will be used for reporting the runway visual range, which is a critical parameter for safe landing and take-off of aircraft in poor visibility conditions (<25 to >2000 meters). Drishti system- • It is very cost-effective and is a mandatory system required at all airports as per International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and World Meteorological Organisation (WMO). • The complete system is engineered in such a way to enable easy installation and maintenance. • It can perform health monitoring of the system through web enabling from Bengaluru itself. Earlier, CSIR-NAL and India Meteorological Department (IMD) signed a partnership agreement to jointly execute a mega project for installation of nearly 70 Drishti systems, at various Airports of the country. The Drishti field site system is completely designed and fabricated at CSIR-NAL. IMD has established the dual mode Landline and Wi-Fi communication along with multiple displays at Air Traffic Control Room and Approach Radar Room. The data from Drishti systems at IGI Airport can be viewed on a single screen at ATC, which would aid the MET officer to easily report visibility data to pilots. Union Civil Aviation Ministry launched GAGAN System Union Minister of Civil Aviation P Ashok Gajapathi Raju on 13 July 2015 formally launched the GAGAN system (GPS AIDED

GEO AUGMENTED NAVIGATION) in New Delhi. On the technical front, the final operational phase of the system commenced on 19 May 2015, when it started broadcasting APV1 Certified aviation signals. With this, India has become the fourth nation after the US, Europe and Japan to have inter-operable Satellite Based Augmentation System (SBAS). Also, GAGAN is the first SBAS system in the world to serve the equatorial region. Features of GPS Aided Geo Augmented Navigation (GAGAN) System • It is a Satellite Based Augmentation System (SBAS) developed jointly by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). • Its primary objective is to establish, deploy and certify satellite based augmentation system for safety-of-life civil aviation applications for the Indian air space. • It plays an important role in safety of life applications in transport, sensitive commercial applications and liability-critical applications needing legal course. • It offers free enhanced satellite navigation signals by correcting deviancies in GPS signals by deploying ground based navigational infrastructure. • The system is inter-operable with other international SBAS systems like US-WAAS, European EGNOS, and Japanese MSAS etc. • It has been developed at an estimated cost of 774 crore rupees. • It will enable transition of the air traffic management system to satellite-based seamless navigation across continents covering the airspace from Australia to Africa as well as west Asia to China and Russia. • While the GAGAN Payload is already operational through GSAT-8 and GSAT-10 satellites, the third payload will be carried onboard GSAT-15 satellite scheduled for launch in October 2015. ISRO successfully launched five British satellites into space Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on 10 July 2015 successfully launched five British satellites into space from the first launch pad of the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikotta.

These satellites are three identical DMC3 optical earth observation satellites and two auxiliary satellites, viz., CBNT-1 and De-OrbitSail. These all satellites, built by Surrey Satellite Technology Limited (SSTL) and weighing 1440-kg, were launched aboard the 13th flight (PSLV-C28) of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). The three DMC3 satellites, each weighing 447 kg was placed into a 647 km Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO) using the high-end version of PSLV (PSLV-XL). PSLV-C28 is the ninth flight of PSLV in ‘XL’ configuration. These international customer satellites are being launched as part of the arrangement entered into between DMC International Imaging (DMCii), a wholly owned subsidiary of SSTL, UK; and Antrix Corporation Limited (ANTRIX), the commercial arm of ISRO. This was the heaviest commercial luggage carried by a PSLV rocket to date. It was also the biggest commercial launch of ANTRIX/ISRO. France’s SPOT 7 satellite that weighted 714 kg was the heaviest single foreign satellite carried by a PSLV rocket until now. It was launched on 30 June 2014. Since 1999, India has launched 40 satellites (38 smaller and two bigger satellites) of foreign countries and the successful launch of the five British satellites took the tally to 45. About British Satellites DMC3 Constellation: Comprises of three advanced mini-satellites DMC3-1, DMC3-2 and DMC3-3. Each DMC3 satellite weighing 447-kg is designed to address the need for simultaneous high spatial resolution and high temporal resolution optical Earth Observation. Major application areas include surveying the resources on earth and its environment, managing urban infrastructure and monitoring of disasters. CBNT-1: Weighing 91 kg, it is an optical Earth Observation technology demonstration micro satellite built by SSTL. De-orbitSail: The 7 kg from Surrey Space Centre is an experimental nano satellite for demonstration of large thin membrane sail and drag deorbiting using this sail.

Mosquirix, world's first malaria vaccine, approved by European Medicines Agency

The world’s first malaria vaccine called RTS,S or Mosquirix on 24 July 2015 got approval from European Medicines Agency (EMA). The vaccine was licensed for use on babies aged between 6 weeks and 17 months in Africa, which is at the highest risk of the mosquito-borne disease. The vaccine developed by British drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline in partnership with the PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative, would be the first licensed human vaccine against a parasitic disease and could help prevent millions of cases of malaria. The vaccine is also part-funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and it was in development since 1987 under a team of researchers led by Joe Cohen, a GSK scientist. The vaccine was approved despite the dampened results released in 2011 and 2012. The results showed that it only reduced episodes of malaria in babies aged 6-12 weeks by 27 percent, and by around 46 percent in children aged 5-17 months. In 2013, Malaria killed an estimated 58400 people, of which majority were from the sub-Saharan Africa. About 80 percent deaths were in children under the age of five.

ECONOMY UNCTAD released World Investment Report 2015 United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) on 24 June 2015 released the World Investment Report 2015

(WIR15) titledReforming International Investment Governance. The WIR15 delineated the investment trends at the global, regional and country level during 2014 and offered a comparative perspective across the space and time. Highlights of World Investment Report 2015 • In 2014, Global Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows fell by 16 per cent to 1.23 trillion US dollars mostly because of the fragility of the global economy, policy uncertainty for investors and elevated geopolitical risks. However, they are projected to grow by 11 per cent to 1.4 trillion US dollars in 2015. • Inward FDI flows to developing economies reached their highest level at 681 billion US dollars with a 2 per cent rise. China became the world’s largest recipient of FDI and among the top 10 FDI recipients in the world, 5 are developing economies. • Despite a revival in cross-border mergers and acquisitions (M&As), 399 billion US dollars during 2014, overall FDI flows to developed countries declined by 28 per cent to 499 billion US dollars. They were significantly affected by a single large scale divestment from the USA. • Investments by developing-country multinational enterprises (MNEs)also reached a record level. They now invest abroad more than any other MNEs. • Nine of the 20 largest investor countries were from developing or transition economies. MNEs of developing countries continued to acquire developed country foreign affiliates in the developing world. • The groups of countries negotiating the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) and Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) saw their combined share of global FDI inflows decline. However, ASEAN (up 5 per cent to 133 billion US dollars) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) (up 4 per cent to 363 billion US dollars) bucked the trend. • In 2012, services accounted for 63 per cent of global FDI stock, more than twice the share of manufacturing. The primary sector represented less than 10 per cent of the total. • In 2014, announced Greenfield investment declined by 2 per cent to 696 billion US dollars. Developing countries continued to attract two thirds of announced Greenfield investment.

• International production, production by MNEs, rose in 2014 generating value added of approximately 7.9 trillion US dollars. • Developing Asia (up 9 per cent) saw FDI inflows grow to historically high levels. They reached nearly half a trillion dollars in 2014, further consolidating the region’s position as the largest recipient in the world. • In South Asia (up 16 per cent to 41 billion US dollars), FDI has increased in manufacturing, including in the automotive industry. Investment scenario in India during 2014- FDI flows: While inward FDI was pegged at 34.4 billion US dollars, outward FDI was 9.8 billion US dollars. There was an increase of 6.3 billion US dollars and 10.3 billion US dollars in inward inflows when compared to that of 2013 and 2014 respectively. As a percentage of gross fixed capital formation, inward flows and outward flows stood at 5.9 percent and 1.7 percent respectively. Though India attracted around 80 percent of total inward FDI inflows of South Asia (41.1 billion US dollars), it was way behind 128.5 billion US dollars attracted by China. FDI stock: While total inward FDI stock was 252.3 billion US dollars (12.3 percent of GDP), outward FDI stock was 129.5 billion US dollars (6.3 percent of GDP) during 2014. Cross border M&As: While, net sales were pegged at 5.8 billion US dollars, net purchases were 1 billion US dollars during 2014. Greenfield investment: While India attracted 24.9 billion US dollars, out of 26.3 billion US dollars in South Asia, as a source it invested 13.2 billion dollars abroad in Greenfield projects during 2014. However, India was way behind China that attracted 77.4 billion US dollars during the same period. RBI released Financial Stability Report June 2015 The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on 25 June 2015 released the Financial Stability Report (FSR) June 2015. It is the eleventh issue of its half yearly publication. The FSR reflected the collective assessment of the Sub-Committee of the Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC) on risks to financial stability, as also the resilience of the financial system. Besides, the report discussed

issues relating to development and regulation of the financial sector. Highlights of Financial Stability Report (FSR) June 2015 Macro-Financial Risks Global Economy and Markets: Global economic recovery still seems to be far from being self-sustaining even as spillovers from large-scale monetary accommodation in advanced economies (AEs) are increasing the challenges for emerging market and developing economies (EMDEs). Developments on the Greek debt crisis front and uncertainty over the timing of rate increases by the US Federal Reserve remain immediate possible triggers for global financial market volatility. Domestic Economy and Markets: There has been a significant improvement in the macroeconomic environment and economic performance is expected to be better in near future. However, price pressures arising from possible sub-normal monsoon remains a significant risk to food and headline inflation. While foreign portfolio flows to India have been strong during past year, unexpected changes in AE monetary policy stances may lead to slowdown/reversal of such flows with implications for segments of financial markets. Financial Institutions: Soundness and Resilience Scheduled Commercial Banks (SCBs): The performance of SCBs in terms of growth in business has moderated further during the period September 2014-March 2015. The public sector banks (PSBs) continued to record the lowest capital to risk-weighted assets ratio (CRAR) among the bank-groups. The maximum decline in CRAR was registered by PSB with 1.8 percentage points between March 2011 and March 2015 followed by foreign banks (FBs) at 1.5 percentage points and private sector banks (PVBs) at 1.1 percentage points. PSBs recorded the highest level of stressed assets at 13.5 per cent of total advances as of March 2015, compared to 4.6 per cent in the case of PVBs. Net non-performing advances (NNPAs) ratio of PSBs increased from 3.1 per cent to 3.2 per cent and in the case of PVBs, it increase from 0.8 per cent to 0.9 per cent

While risks to the banking sector, as reflected by the Banking Stability Map, have moderated marginally since September 2014, concerns remain over the continued weakness in asset quality and profitability. Urban Co-operative Banks and Non-Bank Financial Companies: The asset quality of scheduled urban co-operative banks (UCBs) improved, whereas, asset quality of non-bank financial companies (NBFCs) continued to deteriorate. Financial Sector Regulation The financial sector regulatory reforms in India are being driven by the domestic priorities, within the spirit of the global regulatory standards, even as the challenges in uniform implementation of the reforms are coming to the fore, in many jurisdictions. Considering that risk taking is inherent and essential in financial markets, the current Indian regulatory stance envisions a balanced, predictable, cycle-proof, institution-neutral, ownership-neutral and technology neutral regulatory regime for the entire financial system. Banking sector: The policy initiatives for improving the governance and management processes at PSBs, along with a reorientation of business strategy will help improve the performance of PSBs in the long run, even as they presently look to clean their balance sheets in the wake of regulatory impetus. Securities market: The concerns emanating from rapid rise in algorithm trading in recent years highlights the need for caution for India’s securities markets. Significant regulatory steps have been taken with regard to illegal money-raising activities, insider trading and strengthening the risk management systems at depositories. Insurance sector: The agricultural insurance needs urgent focus in the wake of frequent episodes of weather related calamities and their impact, particularly on small and marginal farmers. Commodity derivative markets: There is a need for harmonising the regulation of the physical commodities market and strengthening the linkages between the derivatives markets and physical (cash) markets, mainly in agricultural commodities. Pension sector: The expected shifts in demography in coming decades call for attention

on old age income security in particular for the unorganised sector – for which a new scheme (Atal Pension Yojana) has been announced by the Union Government. Conclusion: Overall, India’s relatively stronger macroeconomic fundamentals in terms of growth, inflation, current account and fiscal deficits provide a reasonable degree of resilience to Indian financial system in the event of spillover effects from global factors. However, with the continued uncertainty over global growth and in the absence of international monetary policy coordination, there can be no room for complacency. Union Government hiked national floor-level minimum wage to 160 rupees per day The Union Government in June 2015 increased the national floor-level minimum wage (NFLMW) to 160 rupees per day from 137 rupees per day. The new rate will be effective from 1 July 2015. If states revise their minimum wages as per the new NFLMW, the decision is expected to benefit millions of workers in the scheduled employments in the respective state jurisdictions. About national floor-level minimum wage (NFLMW) • It was implemented for the first time in 1996 on the basis of the recommendations of the National Commission on Rural Labour (NCRL) under the Minimum Wages Act, 1948. • Its purpose is to have a uniform wage structure and to reduce the disparity in minimum wages across the country. • It is a non-statutory measure and after every revision, the State Governments are persuaded to fix minimum wages such that in none of the scheduled employments, the minimum wage is less than NFLMW. • List of scheduled employment differs from state to state and covers a wide spectrum of employment-creating sectors ranging from industry, construction, agriculture and services sectors. • It was fixed at 35 rupees per day in 1996 and has since been revised almost regularly every two years taking into account the increase in the CPI (IW).

• It was last raised in July 2013 from 115 rupees a day fixed in 2011. RBI constituted Deepak Mohanty Committee on Medium-term Path on Financial Inclusion The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on 15 July 2015 constituted a committee to work out a five-year (medium-term) action plan for financial inclusion. The 14-member panel will be headed by RBI executive director Deepak Mohanty. The Committee will work to spread the reach of financial services to unbanked population. The terms of reference of the Committee are as under: (i) To review the existing policy of financial inclusion including supportive payment system and customer protection framework taking into account the recommendations made by various committees set up earlier. (ii) To study cross country experiences in financial inclusion to identify key learnings, particularly in the area of technology-based delivery models, that could inform our policies and practices. (iii) To articulate the underlying policy and institutional framework, also covering consumer protection and financial literacy, as well as delivery mechanism of financial inclusion encompassing both households and small businesses, with particular emphasis on rural inclusion including group-based credit delivery mechanisms. (iv) To suggest a monitorable medium-term action plan for financial inclusion in terms of its various components like payments, deposit, credit, social security transfers, pension and insurance. (v) To examine any other related issues. The committee was constituted in reference to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address on the occasion of the Reserve Bank’s 80th anniversary wherein he asked the Bank to take the lead in encouraging financial institutions and to set a medium-to-long term target for sustainable financial inclusion. Union Government decided to cap kerosene subsidy at Rs 12 per litre Union Government on 13 July 2015 decided to cap the subsidy payout on kerosene at 12 rupees per litre.

At present, kerosene is sold through public distribution system at 14.96 rupees per litre against the actual cost of 33.47 rupees. The difference of 18.51 rupees per litre is termed as under-recovery or revenue loss. Now, the government has finalised the formula for meeting this under-recovery, under which the Union Finance Ministry will pay 12 rupees per litre in cash to state-owned fuel retailers from the Budget and any unbridged gap between the retail selling price and the cost of production will be borne by upstream companies. For domestic cooking gas LPG, the government has decided to fully bear the under-recovery. The Budget for 2015-16 has provided for 22000 crore rupees towards LPG subsidy and another 8000 crore rupees on kerosene. CCEA approved Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yoiana (PMKSY) The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on 2 July 2015 gave its approval for a new scheme called Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY). The Yojana was approved with an outlay of 50000 crore rupees over a period of five years, that is, from 2015-16 to 2019-20 and the allocation for the financial year 2015-16 has been kept at 5300 crore rupees. Aim of PMKSY- Bringing concerned Ministries / Departments / Agencies / Research and Financial Institutions engaged in creation / use / recycling / potential recycling of water under a common platform so that a comprehensive and holistic view of the entire water cycle is taken into account and proper water budgeting is done for all sectors namely, household, agriculture and industries. Objectives of PMKSY- To provide convergence to existing schemes of water management, thus bringing efficiency to the use of water • Expand cultivable area under assured irrigation (Har Khet ko pani) • Improve on-farm water use efficiency to reduce wastage of water • Enhance the adoption of precision-irrigation and other water saving technologies (More crop per drop) • Enhance recharge of aquifers and introduce sustainable water conservation practices by exploring the feasibility of reusing treated municipal based water for peri-urban agriculture

• Attract greater private investment in precision irrigation system Architecture of PMKSY- PMKSY envisages a decentralized State level planning and execution structure. As part of it States will be allowed to draw up a District Irrigation Plan (DIP) and a State Irrigation Plan (SIP). DIP will have holistic developmental perspective of the district outlining medium to long term developmental plans integrating three components namely, water sources, distribution network and water use application of the district to be prepared at two levels - the block and the district. All structures created under the schemes will be geo-tagged. Monitoring and Implementation of PMKSY- National level: The programme will be supervised and monitored by an Inter-Ministerial National Steering Committee (NSC) under the Chairmanship of the Prime Minister with Union Ministers of all concerned Ministries. The implementation of the yojana will be through a National Executive Committee (NEC) to be constituted under the Chairmanship of the Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog. Besides, NEC will also oversee allocation of resources, inter ministerial coordination, monitoring and performance assessment, addressing administrative issues etc. State Level: A State Level Sanctioning Committee (SLSC) to be chaired by the Chief Secretary of respective state will be administering the programme at state level. The committee will have all authority to sanction the project and also monitor the progress of the scheme. District Level: At the district level their shall be a district level implementation committee for ensuring last mile coordination at the field level. The Yojana is in addition to existing farmer friendly initiatives taken by the NDA government in the last one year. These include issuing of Soil Health Card to farmers, setting up soil and fertilizer laboratories for Soil Health Management, launch of Pramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana to promote organic farming, and starting of dedicated Kisan Channel by Doordarshan.

Union Government notified dates for Compliance Window under Black Money Act Union Government on 1 July 2015 notified dates for compliance window under the Black Money (Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets) and Imposition of Tax Act, 2015 (‘Black Money Act’). It gave three months time (till 30 September 2015) for people to declare their undisclosed foreign income and assets to escape prosecution under the new Black Money Law. The notice says that those making the disclosure during this period will have further three-month time till 31 December 2015 to pay the taxes and the penalty on their foreign income and assets. As per the notice, people availing the one-time compliance window would be required to pay a tax of 30 percent and a penalty of a similar amount. Under the Black Money (Undisclosed Foreign Income and Asset) and Imposition of Tax Act, 2015, which will come into force from April 2015, the penalty would be much higher at 90 percent, in addition to the 30 percent tax on undisclosed foreign assets. The new law was passed by Parliament in May 2015 and was notified on 26 May 2015. The Act provides for separate taxation of undisclosed foreign income and assets. Stringent penalties and prosecution, including rigorous imprisonment up to 10 years and penalty equal to three times of the tax have been prescribed for violation. Union Cabinet approved renaming of SECI as Renewable Energy Corporation of India The Union Cabinet on 24 June 2015 approved renaming of Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) as Renewable Energy Corporation of India (RECI). Besides, the Cabinet also gave its nod to the SECI to apply to the Registrar of Companies (ROC) for converting it into a Section 3 company from a Section 8 company under the Companies Act, 2013. These decisions will benefit SECI in following ways • SECI will become a self-sustaining and self-generating organization.

• SECI will be able to engage itself in owning solar power plants generating and selling power and in other segments of solar sector activities, including manufacturing of solar products and materials. • SECI will become RECI after change of its name and then will take up development of all segments of renewable energy namely, geo-thermal, off-shore wind, tidal etc. apart from solar energy. Difference between Section 3 and Section 8 of the Companies Act, 2013 Section 3 is mainly for those companies having commercial activities for the sake of profits. In contrast, a company under Section 8 can only engage in charitable activities like promotion of commerce, art, science, sports, education, research, social welfare, religion, charity, etc. and should not have commercial aspect. About SECI SECI was established as a registered company under the Section 25 of the Companies Act, 1956 (now under Section 8 of the Companies Act, 2013) in September 2011 for the promotion and commercialization of solar energy technologies.

ENVIRONMENT Elephant Census Report 2015 of Odisha released The Elephant Census Report 2015 of Odisha was released on 29 June 2015 by Forest and Environment Minister Bikram Keshari Arukh. According to it, in 2015 the elephant population in Odisha increased to 1954 from 1930 recorded in 2012 Census. The highest number of elephants 487 was recorded in Similipal Tiger Reserve followed by Satkosia Tiger Reserve with 234 elephants. Major findings of the census- • In three Elephant Reserves (ERs), that is, Mayurbhanj, Mahanadi and Sambalpur, a total

of 1450 elephants (74.21%) were recorded. These areas have eight sanctuaries. • In 5 other sanctuaries: 102 elephants (5.22%). • Outside ERs and outside sanctuaries: 402 elephants (20.57%). • The proportion of Female: Male: Young elephants in 2015 is 1096:341:490, or 3.2:1:1.4, approx In 2015, there are 27 elephants the sex of which couldn’t be identified compared to 46 in 2012 census. • Compared to 2012, the male population recorded is more by 7, female population is more by 9, and the unknown sex recorded is less by 19 elephants and young more by 27. The total population records an increase by 24 elephants in the present census. • STR Core Division recorded the highest number of elephants at 337 followed by Dhenkanal Division, with 164 elephants. Mayurbhanj elephant reserve comprises of Similipal Tiger Reserve, Rairangpur, Baripada, Balasore Wildlife and Keonjhar Wildlife Divisions. Mahanadi elephant reserve comprises of Satkosia Wildlife, Mahanadi Wildlife, Angul, Dhenkanal, Athgarh, Athmallik, Boudh, Nayagarh and Cuttack Divisions. Sambalpur elephant reserve comprises of Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Bamra Willdife, Bonai and Rairakhol Divisions. ZSI monitoring climate change impact on Sundarban animals The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) set up monitoring bases inside the mangrove forests of Sundarbans to measure the effect of climate change on flora and fauna of Sundarbans. For this purpose, monitoring bases were established at 25 plots in the five islands of Bali, Gosaba, Basanti, Sagar and Satjelia. These bases measure the diversity and population index of mangroves, crabs and snails. Apart from eight major mangrove species of the region, the bases also monitor pollination by insects like bees, beetles, butterflies and moths. For collection of data about their population and species, a team of experts has been sent to the spot. Under the process for monitoring photographs of the flora and fauna will be taken and a GPS map of their habitat will be prepared,

which will help in knowing the change in the region. In the process, the impacts on animals are being monitored by ZSI, while Botanical Survey of India is monitoring the impact on flora. Project in-charge scientist Bulganin Mitra said that any change in their population will reveal how climate change is affecting the islands. It will also reveal that to what extent the biodiversity is getting affected due to change in the water salinity level and other factors. The three-year monitoring project is funded by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change. About Sundarbans- The Sundarbans mangrove forest lies on the delta of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers on the coast of Bay of Bengal. The UNESCO World Heritage Site is a home for several endangered species like the Royal Bengal Tiger, Ganges and Irawadi dolphins. The area is known for its wide range of fauna, including 260 bird species, the Bengal tiger and other threatened species such as the estuarine crocodile and the Indian python. Cities, Regions committed cutting 1.5 bn tons in CO2 emissions at World Summit Climate & Territories Cities and regions in the first week of July 2015 committed to cut 1.5 billion tons in CO2 emissions at the World Summit Climate & Territories held in Lyon, France. A declaration statement in this regard was signed by 50 organizations of local and regional authorities as well as civil society groups including 20 sub national governments. These 20 sub national governments include regions in South America (Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo), North America (California, New York, Ontario), Europe (Basque Country, Catalonia, Scotland) and Australia representing more than 220 million people and 8.3 trillion US dollars in gross domestic product. The commitments to cut CO2 emissions by regional and local actors were part of the Compact of States and Regions announced in Lyon, France in 2014. All such pledges will now be fed into a centralized platform overseen by the United Nations for the purpose of collecting these actions by entities outside of central

governments, the Non-State Actor Zone for Climate Action. About World Summit Climate & Territories- The summit was a premier gathering of non-state actors- local authorities, business groups and civil society — ahead of the major climate negotiations slated to take place from 30 November to 11 December 2015 in Paris. Around 800 representatives of local authorities and NGOs from more than 80 countries participated in the summit. New species of butterfly called Banded Tit discovered in Arunachal Pradesh A new species of tiny butterfly species called Banded Tit (Hypolycaena Narada) discovered in the green forests of the Changlang district in Arunachal Pradesh. The discovery of Banded Tit was announced by Dr. Yogesh, State Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Wildlife and Biodiversity, in Itanagar on 10 July 2015. The Banded tit is a resident of low-lying evergreen forests of Changlang and carries an interesting life cycle. Adult butterflies of the species live only for approximately two weeks in March every year. It spends a large part of the year in a dormant state in larval or pupal stages, which is still unknown. The species primarily feeds on bird-droppings along cool streams in the forests. The species was recently described in a research paper by Dr Krushnamegh Kunte, a research scientist and faculty member at the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), Bengaluru. Bright-eyed Argus (Callerebia Dibangensis) was the last species of butterfly that was discovered in Arunachal Pradesh. 2 new plant species named Vellithumpa & Eriocaulon manoharanii discovered in Western Ghats A team of researchers led by CN Sunil reported discovery of two new plant species christened as Vellithumpa (silver flower) and Eriocaulon manoharanii. These plants were discovered from the Pooyamkutty-Adamalayar and Neriamangalam forest regions of Western Ghats in Kerala. These plants were discovered during investigations conducted as part of a UGC-sponsored project on the flowering plants of

Ernakulam district of Kerala. The findings of the discovery were published in the June 2015 issue of the international journal Webbia: Journal of Plant Taxonomy and Phytogeography. New fish species named Puntius Dolichopterus discovered in Kerala A new species of cyprinid fish christened asPuntius Dolichopteruswas discovered from a small water stream in Alappuzha district’s Kayamkulam city of Kerala. Puntius Dolichopterus that is found in small and shallow water channels has been included in the fish family Cyprinidae. These fishes are edible and can be utilized as ornamental fish. The fish was discovered, named and described by Mathews Plamoottil, head of the department of zoology, Baby John Memorial Government College, near Kollam city. The finding of the discovery was published in the latest issue of‘International Journal of Pure and Applied Zoology covering July – September 2015 period. After being examined, this new species also received Zoo bank register number from International Commission of Zoological Nomenclature, the official body approving the new names of animals. Six specimens of this fish have been deposited in the Government Museum (Zoological Survey of India) at Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

SPORTS

Bangladesh won 3-match ODI series against India 2-1 Bangladesh on 24 June 2015 won the three-match One Day International (ODI) Series against India 2-1 played in Dhaka. This was Bangladesh's first series win against India. India batting first in the third match of series scored 317 runs at a loss of six wickets and in reply to the target Bangladesh was bowled out at a score of 240 in 47 over. This series win helped Bangladesh to enter into the Champions Trophy. Series Report- 1st Match: Played at Shere Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka on 18 June 2015, Bangladesh won by 79 runs, and Mustafizur Rahman of Bangladesh was declared as the Man of the Match.

2nd Match: Played at Shere Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka on 21 June 2015, Bangladesh won by 6 wkts (D/L method), and Mustafizur Rahman of Bangladesh was declared as the Man of the Match. 3rd Match: Played at Shere Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka on 24 June 2015, India won by 77 runs, and Suresh Raina of India was declared as the Man of the Match. Mustafizur Rahman of Bangladesh claimed the Man of the Series Award for his outstanding bowling performance. He picked up 13 wickets in the three matches. Earlier, the two nations played a test match from 10 June to 14 June at Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium in Fatullah. The match ended in a draw and Shikhar Dhawan of India was declared as the man of the match. Sachin Tendulkar named as greatest Test player of 21st century Former Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar was voted as the Best Test Player of the 21st century in an online poll titled Top-100 Test players' list since 2000. The result of poll conducted by Cricket Australia’s website, cricket.com.au was released in the fourth week of June 2015. Sachin received highest number of votes (23 percent votes) to emerge on the top of list of 100 best Test players since 2000. The survey was participated by more than 16000 fans. Top ten in the Ranking chart- 1st Position: Sachin Tendulkar of India with 23 percent votes 2nd position: Kumar Sangakkara of Sri Lanka with 14 percent votes 3rd position: Adam Gilchrist of Australia 4th position: Ricky Ponting of Australia with 11 percent votes 5th position: Jacques Kallis of South Africa with 11 percent votes USA defeated Japan to win Women's FIFA World Cup for the third time United States of America (USA) on July 2015 won the FIFA Women’s World Cup. In the final played at Vancouver, Canada, US defeated Japan, 5-2. This was third world cup title for the USA and first since 1999. In the semi-finals, while US defeated Germany, 2-0, Japan beat England, 2-1. The player of the match was Carli Lloyd of US.

Final tournament standings • Winner: USA • Runners Up: Japan • Third: England • Fourth: Germany Chile defeated Argentina to win 2015 Copa America Cup Football tournament Chile on 4 July 2015 won its first Copa America Cup football tournament. In the final played at the Estadio Nacional (national stadium) in Santiago, Chile defeated Argentina 4-1 through penalties shootout. With this win, Chile ended its 99-year-long wait for a Copa America crown. It was also Chile's first ever victory over Argentina in the Copa America cup. The penalty corner strokes were called on after the game ended 0-0 after extra time. The winning spot kick for Chile was struck by Alexis Sanchez. The Copa America is the international soccer competition to determine the continental champions of South America. It started life in 1910 as the one-off Copa Centenario Revolución de Mayo, turned into the Campeonato Sudamericano de Football (the South American Championship) in 1916, then finally in 1975 became the tournament we know and love today as the Copa América. Novak Djokovic won the men’s singles title Paes-Hingis won mixed doubles final at Wimbledon Defending champion Novak Djokovic on 12 July 2015 won men’s singles title of Wimbledon. In the final clash played in London, Serbian Djokovic defeated Roger Federer of Switzerland 7-6, 6-7, 6-4, 6-3. This was his third Wimbledon title and Grand Slam crown. Besides, Leander Paes (India) and Martina Hingis (Swiss) won the mixed doubles event of the Championship. In the final played in London, the Indo-Swiss pair defeated Austrian-Hungarian team of Alexander Peya and Timea Babos 6-1, 6-1. It was Paes' eighth mixed doubles title and second with Hingis. They had won the Australian Open early this year. Seventh seed Indo-Swiss pair of Leander Paes and Martina Hingis on 12 July 2015 won mixed

doubles title at Wimbledon. In the final clash, the duo defeated the fifth seed Austrian-Hungarian team of Alexander Peya and Timea Babos 6-1, 6-1. It was Paes’ 16th Grand Slam trophy and eighth mixed doubles title. Overall it was 18th Major title for the Swiss and third in mixed doubles. This was second mixed double win for Paes and Hingis together. They had won the Australian Open in February 2015. Besides, Sania Mirza and her Swiss partner Martina Hingis on 11 July 2015 lifted the women's doubles title after defeating the Russian pair of Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina 5-7, 7-6, 7-5. While, Saumit Nagal won the junior boys doubles trophy.

Serena Williams won her sixth Wimbledon Women's Single title World Number One Serena Williams on 11 July 2015 has won Wimbledon Women's Single title. In the final clash played at Centre Court, London, Williams (US) defeated Garbine Muguruza (Spain) in straight sets 6-4, 6-4. This was Sixth Women's Singles title at Wimbledon for Williams. With 21 Grand Slam titles, Serena has also moved closer to a Calendar Grand Slam, last achieved by German Steffi Graf in 1988. Muguruza was making her maiden appearance in a Grand Slam Final. Besides, the Indo-Swiss pair of Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis defeated the Russian combination of Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina in the Women's Doubles Final. IPL franchise Chennai Super Kings, Rajasthan Royals suspended for two years by Justice Lodha panel Justice RM Lodha-headed panel on IPL Betting Scandal 2013 on 14 July 2015 suspended Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) for two years. Suspension of two times IPL champion CSK and inaugural winner RR comes with immediate effect. CSK was suspended by the panel citing operation rules as CSK or India Cements took no action against Meiyappan. On the other hand, RR was suspended on account of being directly responsible for putting

the game into disrepute and Raj Kundra'a action was unacceptable. The panel also suspended Gurunath Meiyappan and Raj Kundra from all cricket matches for life as they were found guilty of illegal betting. They both acted contrary to the spirit of the game. However, the panel gave no clarification on what happens to the six players who were mentioned in the sealed envelope submitted to the Supreme Court by the Justice Mudgal panel. Justice Lodha said that the decision will uphold the paramountcy of the game and no one is bigger than the game. The historic verdict- The verdict of Justice Lodha panel was quite historic as far as sports and law is concerned. This was the first time that a verdict was delivered in front of media cameras something like the Oscar Pistorious hearing in South Africa. About Lodha Committee- The three-member Lodha committee headed by former Chief Justice of India (CJI) RM Lodha was appointed by a Supreme Court Bench on 22 January 2015 to determine the quantum of punishment in the case. Its verdict will be final and binding on the Board of Control of Cricket in India (BCCI), the promoters and owners of the cash-rich and popular IPL. However, the aggrieved party can seek legal redress. The decision to appoint the committee was taken following the submission of the final report of findings of Justice Mukul Mudgal Committee on IPL Spot-fixing in the Supreme Court in November 2014. 2013 IPL Scandal- The 2013 IPL season was mired in controversy after police launched legal proceedings against several officials and cricketers that included S Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan, for illegal betting and spot-fixing. India won 3-match ODI series against Zimbabwe 3-0 India on 14 July 2015 won the three-match One Day International (ODI) Series against Zimbabwe 3-0 played in Harare. India batting first in the third match of series scored 276 runs at a loss of five and in reply to the target Zimbabwe was bowled out at the score of 193 in 42.4 over.

The highlight of the Indian innings was a fine unbeaten 105 by Kedar Jadhav off just 87 balls. It was his maiden international century. Manish Pandey contributed 71 runs. Series Report- 1st Match: Played at Harare Sports Club, Harare on 10 July 2015, India won the match by 4 runs. 2nd Match: Played at Harare Sports Club, Harare on 12 July 2015, India won the match by 62 runs. 3rd Match: Played at Harare Sports Club, Harare on 14 July 2015, India won the match by 83 runs. • Man of the Match: Kedar Jadhav for his 87-ball 105 • Man of the Series: Ambati Rayudu Bangladesh won 3-match ODI series against South Africa 2-1 Bangladesh on 15 July 2015 won the three-match One Day International (ODI) series against South Africa 2-1 played in Bangladesh. This was Bangladesh’s fourth straight ODI series win at home. In the third and final match of the series, South Africa after winning the toss elected to bat first. Batting first, South Africa scored 168 runs in 40 over at a loss of 9 wickets and in reply to the target Bangladesh scored 170 runs in 26.1 over at a loss of 1 wicket. Bangladesh defeated South Africa by 9 wickets Duckworth–Lewis method (D/L method). Series Report- 1st Match: Played at Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur on 10 July 2015, South Africa won by 8 wickets (with 53 balls remaining). K Rabada of South Africa was declared as the Man of the Match. 2nd Match: Played at Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur on 12 July 2015, Bangladesh won by 7 wickets (with 134 balls remaining). Soumya Sarkar of Bangladesh was declared Man of the match. 3rd Match: Played at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chittagong on 15 July 2015, Bangladesh won by 9 wickets (with 83 balls remaining) (D/L method). Soumya Sarkar of Bangladesh was declared Man of the match. • Man of the Series: Soumya Sarkar (Bangladesh)

Champions League T20 scrapped due to limited public following The Governing Council (GC) of the Champions League Twenty20 (CLT20) on 15 July 2015 decided to scrap the CLT20 competition due to its limited public following. The GC consists of representatives of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Cricket South Africa (CSA) and Cricket Australia (CA). As the championship has been scrapped, the 2015 CLT20, scheduled for September and October, will not go ahead as planned. The decision assumes significance against the backdrop of Supreme Court appointed Justice Lodha Committee’s verdict on 14 July 2015 suspending the IPL teams Chennai Super Kings and (CSK) and Rajasthan Royals for two years. Incidentally, the CSK are CLT20 defending champions as well as one of the competitors after finishing runners-up in the IPL 2015. About CLT20- • It was an annual international Twenty20 cricket competition played between the top domestic teams from major cricketing nations. • It was launched in 2008 with the first edition held in October 2009. BCCI announced venues for ICC World Twenty20; Kolkata's Eden Gardens to host final The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on 21 July 2015 announced venues for the Men and Women ICC World Twenty20. The World Twenty20 will be hosted by India from the 11 March to 3 April 2016. BCCI in its press release said that finals of the 2016 World Twenty20 cricket tournament will be held at iconic Eden Gardens ground in Kolkata. Bengaluru, Chennai, Dharamsala, Mohali, Mumbai, Nagpur and New Delhi will be the other venues along with Kolkata. These venues will host the matches subject to fulfilling the prescribed requirements of the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the BCCI while adhering to the statutory obligations that are mandatory for hosting an international match. Besides, the BCCI also constituted a tournament managing committee with Jagmohan Dalmiya as its chairman. The other committee members are

Anurag Thakur, Amitabh Choudhary, Anirudh Chaudhry, G Ganga Raju, Rajiv Shukla, Ashish Shelar and Ashirbad Behera. Union Government constituted All India Council of Sports The Union Government on 24 July 2015 constituted All India Council of Sports as an advisory body for the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. The advice rendered by the council will be duly considered by the government, but it will not be binding and obligatory on the government. The Council will be headed by a President in the rank of Minister of State and will include four Members of Parliament, Sports personalities, coaches, sports experts, sports administrators, D-G of Sports Authority of India, D-G of National Anti Doping Agency, Vice Chancellor of LNIPE, officials from Sports Ministry, representatives from National Sports Federations, Indian Olympic Association and NGOs. The appointments of the President and members of the Council other than ex-officio members shall be made by the Union Government. The council may organize national, international conferences, seminars, symposia etc, for promotion of sports and games in the country. The Council will meet from time to time, at least once in a quarter and will deliberate on matters relating to the promotion and development of sports and games in the country. Objectives of the All India Council of Sports- • Popularizing sports amongst the youth as a way of life • Increasing outreach of sports to rural and tribal areas, areas affected by left wing extremism, north east and Jammu & Kashmir • Implementation of policies for promotion of sports and games in the country • Matters relating to promotion of inclusiveness in sports with special focus on women, differently-abled, tribals etc • Preventing drug abuse in sports, fraud of age and sexual harassment of women in sports • Bringing professionalism, transparency and good governance in functioning of national sports federations

• Ways and means to raise resources for the promotion of sports and games in the country • Promotion of sports sciences and sports medicine • Augmenting sports infrastructure and ensuring its proper utilization • Matters relating to participation and performance of sportspersons and teams in international sporting events • Issues arising out of match fixing and other malpractices in competitive sports • Ways and means to promote indigenous games in the country • Early identification of sports talent and nurturing of the identified talent • Integration of sports in educational curriculum in schools, colleges and universities • Welfare measures for sportspersons • Issues and matters specifically referred to the council by the ministry of youth affairs & sports.

AWARDS

Famous Writer Vishwanath Tripathi chosen for 28th Moorti Devi Award Veteran Writer Vishwanath Tripathi was on 27 June 2015 selected for the 28th Moorti Devi Award for the year 2014 for his book Vyomkesh Darvesh. Vyomkesh Darvesh is a lifetime story of Acharya Hazari Prasad Dwivedi. Born on 16 February 1931 in Bishkohar village of district Basti in Uttar Pradesh, Tripathi was a student of the Banaras Hindu University and Punjab University. His other works include Lokwadi Tulsidas, Meera Ka Kavya, Desh ke is Daur Main, Kuch Kahaniyan Kuch Vichar, Ped Ka Hath, Jaisa Kaha Saka and Nagatlai Ka Gaon. About Moorti Devi Award- • Moorti Devi award was founded by Bharatiya Jnanpith and is given away to the authors who have contributed in the field of contemporary creative writing in modern Indian languages. • It is presented annually for a contemplative and perceptive work which expresses, underlines and illumines human values rooted in

the broad vision of Indian philosophy and cultural heritage. • Books written in English and all Indian languages are considered for the Prize, which comprises a cash award of four lakhs rupees, a statue and a citation plaque. Nadia district won the UN Public Service Award 2015 for eliminating open defecation The district administration of Nadia, West Bengal was on 26 June 2015 conferred with the United Nations Public Service Award 2015 for eliminating open defecation in the district. The award was presented by acting Secretary General of the UN Lenni Montiel along with Head UN Women Stefani Senese to District Magistrate of Nadia and Sabhapati of Nadia Zilla Parishad on conclusion of United Nations Day Celebrations 2015 held at Medellin, Columbia. Nadia district could achieve this feat due to its collaborative effort with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and World Bank aimed at construction of toilets across the district. Till October 2013, half of the district’s population was defecating in open spaces. However, the situation was improved under the Sabar Souchagar (Toilets for All) programme that was launched on 2 October 2013 by the district administration. Under this programme, around 356000 toilets were built that resulted in decline in the number of people continuing with the practice to meager 0.2 percent. Earlier, on 30 April 2015, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee declared Nadia as the first open defecation-free (ODF) district in Indiaand launched Mission Nirmal Bangla (MNB) aimed at making the state open defecation free. She also declared 30 April as Nirmal Bangla Diwas, to be observed across the state, to mark the occasion. About United Nations Public Service Awards- It is the most prestigious international recognition of excellence in public service. It rewards the creative achievements and contributions of public service institutions that lead to a more effective and responsive public administration in countries worldwide.

Sanjeev Galande selected for G D Birla Award for Scientific Research for 2014 Sanjeev Galande was on 1 July 2015 selected for G D Birla Award for Scientific Research for 2014. The name was announced by the K K Birla Foundation and he is the 24th recipient of the award. Prof. Galande is a professor of Biology and Team Leader at the Centre of Excellence in Epigenetics, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune. He joined IISER in 2010 and his focus area is epigenetics and studies regulation of gene expression, and nuclear organization and function.Epigenetics is an area of study about changes that influence gene function. As a post doctoral fellow at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (1996-2001) he studied the role of MAR-binding proteins in tumour genesis. He was born on 20 September 1967 and is a Ph.D in Biochemistry from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, in 1996. Earlier in 2010, he also received the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize. In 2014, the award was given to noted physicists and string theorist Rajesh Gopakumar for the year 2013. Other noted former recipients include Prof. Goverdhan Mehta, Prof. R A Mashelkar, Prof P Balaram and Prof Ashoke Sen among others. About the Award- The G D Birla Award for Scientific Research was instituted in 1991 by the K K Birla Foundation with the objective of according recognition to high caliber scientific research undertaken by Indian Scientists, below the age of 50 living and working in India. It carries a cash prize of 1.5 lakh rupees and a citation. Helena Ndume, Jorge Sampaio awarded with first-ever Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela Prize Helena Ndume of Namibia and Jorge Sampaio of Portugal were on 24 July 2015 awarded with the first-ever Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela Prize by the United Nations (UN) at the UN Headquarters in New York. Ndume, a female ophthalmologist, was awarded for treating blindness and eye-related illnesses in Namibia and throughout the developing world.

While Sampaio, the former president of Portugal from 1996 to 2006 and also the former mayor of Lisbon from 1989 to 1995, was awarded for his contribution to his country for his struggle for the restoration of democracy in Portugal. The award ceremony was a part of the annual commemoration of Nelson Mandela International Day, which is observed on 18 July every year. About Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela Prize- The prize was established in June 2014 by the UN General Assembly (UNGA) to pay homage to Nelson Mandela’s extraordinary life and legacy of reconciliation, political transition and social transformation. It also recognizes the achievements of those who dedicate their lives to the service of humanity particularly in the promotion of social cohesion and community development by promoting the UN purposes and principles. World Food Prize 2015 to be conferred on Sir Fazle Hasan Abed of Bangladesh The World Food Prize Foundation on 1 July 2015 announced to confer the 2015 World Food Prize on Sir Fazle Hasan Abed of Bangladesh. He will be awarded the prize in October 2015 during the Borlaug Dialogue International Symposium at Des Moines in Iowa, the USA. He was selected for the coveted award by the Selection Committee for the World Food Prize headed by eminent Indian agricultural scientist Prof MS Swaminathan. Sir Abed has been recognized for his decades of service to human development and through building Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC) that operates in 10 countries around the world. BRAC, set up by Sir Abed is the largest non-governmental organization in the world that employs over 150000 employees and covered a vast gamut of activities related to poverty alleviation and development. About World Food Prize- • It is the foremost international award recognizing the accomplishments of individuals who have advanced human development by improving the quality, quantity, or availability of food in the world. • It was created in 1987 by Nobel Peace Prize winner Dr Norman Borlaug. It was sponsored by businessman and philanthropist John Ruan who

stepped forward to endow the Prize in 1990. Today John Ruan's son, John Ruan III has succeeded his father as chairman of the World Food Prize. Sayed Haider Raza honoured with highest French civilian honour Legion of Honour Modern Indian artist Sayed Haider Raza was on 14 July 2015 conferred with the highest French civilian honour, the Commandeur de la Legion d’ Honneur (the Legion of Honour). The award was presented by French Ambassador Francois Richier on the occasion of the French National Day celebrations. Raza was conferred with the award for his superior achievements transcending all boundaries, for the lasting ties he has forged between France and India and for his continuing artistic quest straddling nations, cultures, religions and philosophies.

APPOINTMENTS Maurice Obstfeld appointed as Chief Economist of IMF White House economic adviser Maurice Obstfeld was on 20 July 2015 appointed as Chief Economist of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) with effect from 8 September 2015. Obstfeld will succeed outgoing IMF economist Olivier Blanchard. He will be responsible for handling the IMF's huge, troubled rescue programs for Greece and Ukraine while keeping a close eye on the slowdown in the global economy. Maurice Obstfeld is a professor at the University of California, Berkeley. However, he was on leave from Berkeley since mid-2014 to serve on the White House Council of Economic Advisers. He is known around the globe for his work on international economics and is considered as one of the most influential macro-economists in the world. Aakar Patel appointed as Executive Director of Amnesty International India Journalist and writer Aakar Patel appointed as Executive Director of Amnesty International (AI) India on 18 June 2015. He will head AI

India’s operations and its efforts to end human rights abuses in India and worldwide. Patel as the organization’s chief political advisor, strategist and spokesperson will give direction to its goal of being an independent, effective, and deep-rooted organization in India. Bhanu Pratap Sharma appointed as Chairperson of FSSAI Bhanu Pratap Sharma was on 20 July 2015 appointed as Chairperson of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) with effect from 3 July 2015. Sharma is an IAS officer of 1981 batch from Bihar cadre. Sharma was given this additional charge of FSSAI for three months or till the appointment of a regular incumbent. Currently, he is the Secretary of Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. About Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) • FSSAI is a nodal statutory agency responsible for protecting and promoting public health in India through the regulation and supervision of food safety. • FSSAI was established under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and operates under aegis of Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. • It regulates the manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import of food products for human consumption.

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