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CA Refresher for SBI PO Main

(Part – I)

RBI

1. Second Bi-monthly Monetary Policy Statement, 2016-17

The Reserve Bank of India has left the key interest rate or the repo rate unchanged at 6.5 per cent in the second bi-monthly review of

its monetary policy on June 07. RBI indicated that the risks to inflation were on the upside. "The inflation surprise in April reading

makes the future trajectory of inflation somewhat more uncertain", RBI said.

The central bank had lowered rate by 25 bps to 6.5 per cent in the last policy review in April. RBI has reduced the repo rate by 150

bps since January 2015.

Monetary and Liquidity Measures On the basis of an assessment of the current and evolving macroeconomic situation, it has been decided to:

keep the policy repo rate under the liquidity adjustment facility (LAF) unchanged at 6.5 per cent;

keep the cash reserve ratio (CRR) of scheduled banks unchanged at 4.0 per cent of net demand and time liabilities (NDTL);

and

Consequently, the reverse repo rate under the LAF will remain unchanged at 6.0 per cent, and the marginal standing facility

(MSF) rate and the Bank Rate at 7.0 per cent.

2. RBI introduces Scheme for Sustainable Structuring of Stressed Assets

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has issued guidelines called Scheme for Sustainable Structuring of Stressed Assets (S4A).

The main aim of these guidelines is to strengthen the lenders’ ability to deal with stressed assets and put real assets back on

track of entities facing genuine difficulties by providing an avenue for reworking financial structure.

The RBI has formulated the S4A as an optional framework for the resolution of large stressed accounts.

The S4A envisages determination of sustainable debt level of a stressed borrower and bifurcate outstanding debt into

sustainable debt and equity/quasi-equity instruments.

3. RBI releases framework on payments systems

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has released its much awaited 'Vision-2018' document.

The 'Payment and Settlement Systems in India: Vision-2018' aims at building best of class payment and settlement systems

for a 'less-cash' India and ensuring access of mobile banking services to even basic phone users.

The document's focus is on improving the infrastructure and regulations in the country to reduce cash transactions and

increase use of technology.

The vision document focuses on responsive regulation, robust infrastructure, effective supervision and customer centricity.

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4. Cabinet approves MoU between RBI and Central Bank of UAE

The Union Cabinet gave its ex-post facto approval to the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Reserve Bank

and the Central Bank of United Arab Emirates (UAE) on co-operation on currency swap agreement.

5. RBI releases draft norms for universal bank licences on tap

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released draft guidelines for on-tap licensing of universal banks in the private sector,

allowing individuals with 10 years of experience in banking and finance to apply for a licence.

Apart from individuals, existing NBFCs controlled by residents having a successful track record for at least 10 years are

eligible to apply for a licence.

Entities in the private sector that are owned and controlled by residents and have a successful track record for at least 10

years, provided that if such entity has total assets of Rs 5,000 crore or more, the non-financial business of the group does not

account for 40% or more in terms of total assets in terms of gross income.

According to the draft guidelines, the initial minimum paid-up voting equity capital required is Rs 500 crore, and thereafter

the bank should maintain a minimum net worth of Rs 500 crore at all times.

6. RBI to issue Rs 1000 banknotes with inset letter 'R

The Reserve Bank of India will shortly issue Rs 1000 denomination banknotes in the Mahatma Gandhi Series-2005 with the

inset letter 'R' in both the number panels.

The banknotes will also have on the obverse, all the other security features, including ascending size of numerals, bleed lines

and enlarged identification mark as well as the signature of Dr. Raghuram G. Rajan, Governor, Reserve Bank of India.

These banknotes will also have the year of printing '2016' printed on the reverse.

7. RBI issues norms for branch offices by foreign entities

The Reserve Bank on 13 May said that entities from Pakistan, China, Bangladesh and four other regions will require its prior

approval to establish branch office or project office in India.

Other countries and regions are Sri Lanka, Afghanistan,Iran and Hong Kong or Macau, RBI said while releasing guidelines

for foreign entities to open a branch office (BO) or a liaison office (LO) or a project office (PO) in India.

Permission of RBI will also be required for opening a BO/LO/PO in Jammu and Kashmir, North East region and Andaman

& Nicobar Islands.

The approval is also required if the applicant is a Non-Government Organisation (NGO), a Non-Profit Organisation, or a

Body/ Agency/ Department of a foreign government.

It will also be needed if the principal business of the applicant falls in the four sectors -- defence, telecom, private security

and information and broadcasting.

8. RBI proposes higher provisions, risk weight for loans exceeding threshold

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has said that there is a build-up of high concentration of credit risk in the banking sector

and has proposed, in a discussion paper, higher provisioning norms if loans exceed a certain threshold.

The discussion paper proposed the new norms to be applicable from 2017-18.

The central bank has conducted an analysis of bank loans to 77,036 corporate borrowers, of Rs.1 crore and above.

It is proposed that from 2017-18 onwards, incremental exposure of the banking system to a specified borrower beyond the

threshold limit will carry 3 per cent standard asset provisioning and additional 75 per cent risk weight.

RBI also said that banks may subscribe to bonds issued by highly leveraged groups from 2017-18.

9. RBI cuts repo rate by 25 basis points

The Reserve Bank on 05 April, 2016 cut the key interest rate by 0.25 per cent to 6.50 percent and introduced a host of

measures to smoothen liquidity supply so that banks can lend to the productive sectors and indicated accommodative stance

going ahead.

But in a surprise move, the Reserve Bank of India also raised the reverse repo - or the rates lenders charge to the central bank

- by 25 basis points to 6.0 percent, while taking measures to ensure more availability of cash in the banking system.

Consequently, the reverse repo rate under the LAF stands adjusted to 6.0 per cent, and the marginal standing facility (MSF)

rate to 7.0 per cent.

The Bank Rate which is aligned to the MSF rate also stands adjusted to 7.0 per cent.




Effective April 2, 2016 the statutory liquidity ratio (SLR) of scheduled commercial banks was reduced by 25 basis points

from 21.5 per cent to 21.25 per cent of their NDTL

10. RBI gives nod to Bharti Airtel’s payments Bank Unit

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has given its in-principle approval to Bharti Airtel’s payments bank venture — Airtel M

Commerce Services Ltd (AMCS).

Private sector lender Kotak Mahindra Bank has upto 19.9 per cent stake in Airtel M Commerce.

11. RBI tightens provisioning norms for bank frauds

Tightening disclosure norms, RBI has asked banks to disclose fraud cases and make provisions for them not exceeding four

quarters from the date during which it has been detected.

ECONOMY 1. India to pay 1.5% interest on $6.5 bn Iran oil dues

India has agreed to pay Iran an interest of 1.5 per cent on $6.5-billion that refiners like Essar Oil and Mangalore Refinery

owe it in oil dues, as a ‘goodwill gesture’.

Iran had sought an interest rate of Libor-plus 75 basis points on the $6.5 billion Indian refiners owe it in past oil dues, to

make up for the foreign exchange losses.

2. NSE to launch platform for financing SMEs against bills

The National Stock Exchange (NSE) is planning to launch a new trading platform for bill discounting or trade receivables of

micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME).

The country’s largest exchange has forged a joint venture with the Small Industries Development Bank of India (Sidbi) for

the new platform.

3. Kotak Mahindra Bank opens IFSC banking unit at GIFT City

Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd became the fourth bank to open its IFSC Banking Unit (IBU) at India’s first and only International

Financial Services Centre (IFSC) at Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT) City.

With over $250 million worth of business transactions done at IFSC in the past six months, GIFT is attracting interest from

the BFSI sector in India, especially from banks, insurance companies and other financial services players who want to tap the

global markets.

4. ADB, AIIB sign landmark partnership deal in show of cooperation

Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank President Jin Liqun and Asian Development Bank President Takehiko Nakao signed a

memorandum of understanding during the Manila-based institution's 49th annual meeting held in Frankfurt, Germany.

5. IDBI Bank opens IFSC Banking Unit at GIFT City

Public sector lender, IDBI Bank announced opening of its IFSC Banking Unit (IBU) at India's first and only International

Financial Services Centre (IFSC) at Gujarat International Finance Tec - City (GIFT) near Gandhinagar.

The bank informed that it became the first Public Sector bank to start functions in GIFT-IFSC.

6. Wilful defaulters owe Rs 66,000 cr to govt banks

There were 7,686 wilful defaulters owing Rs 66,190 crore to state-owned banks as of December 2015, Jayant Sinha, minister

of state for finance.

Sinha also said that the total outstanding amount in top 100 non-performing accounts (NPAs) with public sector banks

(PSBs) was Rs 1.73 lakh crore as of December 2015.

7. IREDA may be converted into a Green Bank

State-run Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA) might be converted into a Green Bank to enable it to

access funding from overseas banks.

IREDA might be converted in to Green Bank without under going any altercation in its basic structure to enable it access

funding from overseas banks that are currently not supporting the solar and wind funding, barring well-known KFW

8. ICICI Bank signs MoU with New Development Bank




ICICI Bank has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a strategic partnership with the New

Development Bank (NDB), a multilateral development bank established by the BRICS states, namely Brazil, Russia, India,

China and South Africa.

KV Kamath, president, New Development Bank, who was the chairman of ICICI Bank before assuming his present role.

ICICI Bank is the first Indian bank to sign an MoU with NDB.

9. I-T refunds worth Rs.1.22 lakh cr issued in FY’16

The Income Tax Department has issued 2.1 crore refunds totalling more than Rs.1.22 lakh crore in 2015-16, which saw 94

per cent of the returns being filed online.

During FY 2015-16, more than 2.10 crore refunds amounting to Rs.1,22,425 crore were paid compared to Rs.1,12,188 crore

in the financial year 2014-15 and Rs.89,664 crore in the financial year 2013-14.

9. YES Bank gets SEBI nod to act as custodian of securities

Securities market regulator SEBI has granted in-principle approval to YES Bank for it to act as custodian of securities (CoS).

A ‘Custodian of Securities’ licence-holder allows the entity to offer custodial services to financial market participants,

including FIIs and foreign portfolio investors (FPIs).

10. India ranks ninth in crony-capitalism index

India is ranked at ninth position in crony-capitalism with crony sector wealth accounting for 3.4 per cent of the gross

domestic product (GDP), according to a new study by The Economist.

In India, the non-crony sector wealth amounts to 8.3 per cent of the GDP.

Russia tops the list followed by Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore.

11. ICICI Bank launches business credit card with Jet Airways

ICICI Bank on 12 May 2016 launched the country’s first contactless business credit card in association with Jet Airways for

small and mid-sized enterprises (SMEs) and their employees.

ICICI christened his first contactless card with ‘Jet Airways ICICI Bank Business Advantage Card’.

The card is powered by the ‘VISA payWave’ contactless technology that enables the cardholder to make payments by simply

tapping the card at contactless enabled terminals in more than 48 countries, including India.

12. Indian economy poised to grow 7.3 % in 2016: U.N. report

Notwithstanding delays in domestic policy reforms, India’s economy “is slowly gaining momentum” and “is projected to

grow by 7.3 per cent this year,” a United Nations report forecast on 13 May 2016.

The World Economic Situation and Prospect report, in its mid-2016 update, has said India is expected to achieve a 7.5 per

cent GDP growth in 2017 and the economic prospects of the South Asian region will be “contingent” on the growth trajectory

of India and Iran.

China, which grew at about 6.9 per cent in 2015, will continue to witness slowdown in growth, with its GDP projected to

grow 6.4 per cent in 2016 and 6.5 per cent in 2017.

13. NITI Aayog to replace Nehruvian 5-year plans with 15-year vision documents

NDA government at the Centre, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has decided to get rid of the Nehruvian five-year

plans, and replace them with 15-year vision documents.

The current 12th Five-Year Plan will be terminated in the current financial year, 2016-17.

The first 15-year vision document will start from 2017-18, along with a seven-year National Development Agenda which will

lay down the schemes, programmes and strategies to achieve the long-term vision.

For the first Development Agenda, the review would be done in 2019-20, in line with the termination year of the 14th

Finance Commission.

The Five-Year Plans first started in 1951 under the country's first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru.

14. EPFO paid ₹8,200 crore as monthly pension in 2015-16

The Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) disbursed ₹8,200 crore as monthly pension and ₹47,630 crore as

member benefits in 2015-16.




15. Income Declaration Scheme 2016 to open from 1st June 2016

The Income Declaration Scheme 2016 or four month window for declaration of domestic black money shall come into effect

from 1st June 2016.

The window provides an opportunity to all persons who have not declared income correctly in earlier years to come forward

and declare their undisclosed incomes.

The declared income would be taxed at the rate of 30 per cent plus ‘Krishi Kalyan’ cess of 25 per cent on taxes payable and a

penalty at the rate of 25 per cent of the taxes payable.

The surcharge and penalty must be paid by 30th November, 2016.

16. India's GDP likely to expand by 7.7% in FY17: NCAER

Economic think-tank NCAER projected India's economic growth rate to improve marginally to 7.7 per cent in 2016-17

against the backdrop of IMD's forecast of better monsoon rains this year.

The agriculture sector has witnessed feeble growth on account of drought for two successive years.The average rate of

growth in the agricultural and allied sectors' GDP for 2014-15 and 2015-16 has been a low 0.5 per cent.

17. World Bank approves $625 m loan to support rooftop solar programme in India

The board of World Bank has approved a $625 million loan to support the central government’s programme to generate

electricity from rooftop solar power plants.

The board also approved a co-financing loan of $120 million on concessional terms and a $5 million grant from the Climate

Investment Fund’s Clean Technology Fund.

18. DBS Bank to set up new technology hub in Hyderabad

Singapore-based DBS Bank has decided to set up in Hyderabad its biggest technology hub outside its headquarters.

The lender has appointed Mohit Kapoor as the head of its Technology Development Centre in Hyderabad.

19. IT dept launches e-nivaran portal to fast track taxpayers grievances

The Income Tax (IT) department has launched electronic grievance redressal system ‘e-nivaran’ to fast track taxpayer

grievances and ensure early resolution of their complaints.

The e-nivaran system also called as unified grievance management system seeks to integrate all online and physical

complaints gathered by the department, which will be monitored by the Assessing Officer of the case upto the supervisory

officers in a paperless environment.

20. RBS to close retail banking operations in India

Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) will close down it's retail operations in the country which will resulting in shutting down of

10 branches.It will exit it's retail operations in a phased manner.

21. Honda partners with IndusInd Bank for two wheeler financing

Honda Motorcycle and a Scooter India (HMSI), the country's second-largest two wheeler player, has partnered with IndusInd

Bank to offer retail finance to buyers.

IndusInd Bank will offer finance to eligible customers for purchasing Honda two wheelers through its network of over 1,000

branches across the country.

A customer can avail loan of up to 90% of the product value to be repaid in up to 36 months.

22. SBI seeks to take over 5 associate PSBs, Bhartiya Mahila Bank

The country’s largest lender, State Bank of India (SBI) has decided to merge its five associate public sector banks (PSBs) and

the Bharatiya Mahila Bank (BMB) with itself.

The merged entity will increase SBI’s market share from 17 per cent to 22.5-23 per cent the country with total business of

over Rs. 35 lakh crore.

The merged entity will also increase branch network by 6,000.

At present, SBI alone has more than 15,000 branches in the country.

23. Nepal SBI Bank launches payment gateway




Nepal SBI Bank, one of the largest overseas subsidiaries of SBI, has launched payment gateway to facilitate online trade and

non-trade transactions between the Himalayan nation and India.

The Payment Gateway was inaugurated by SBI Managing Director B Sriram, and Indian Ambassador to Nepal Ranjit Rae.

Besides, Sriram also handed over a cheque for Rs 5.21 crore to Nepal Prime Minister K P Oli for PM Natural Disaster Relief

Fund.

24. PNB tops list of worst losses in Indian banking history

State-run Punjab National Bank posted the largest quarterly loss ever reported by an Indian lender after being forced to set

aside more funds as bad loans more than doubled from the year earlier.

The Delhi-based lender made a net loss of Rs 5,367 crore in the January-March quarter compared with a profit of Rs 307

crore in the year earlier.

25. HDFC Bank launches SmartUp for startups

India’s second-largest private sector lender HDFC Bank has launched SmartUp, a dedicated solution for startups to fulfil all

their banking needs.

It was launched in association with a Mumbai-based start-up accelerator Zone Startups India (ZSI).It is a complete banking

solution meant for startups.It will be offering banking and payment solutions, along with forex and advisory services to

startups.

SmartUp will provide facility of current account.It will also provide HDFC’s ‘PayZapp’ for business – a payment and

collection solution and a dedicated relationship manager.

26. India to grow at 7.5% in 2016, 2017: Moody's

Forecasting Indian economy to grow 7.5 per cent in the current and next year, Moody's Investors Service said the expansion

is primarily driven by rising consumption and sustained improvement in private investment was needed to maintain the

momentum.

The rating agency forecast G20 emerging markets growth at 4.2 per cent for 2016 and 4.8 per cent for 2017 compared with

4.4 per cent in 2015.

It maintained expectation of Chinese economy gradually slowing down to around 6.3 per cent in 2016 from 6.9 per cent in

2015, with significant fiscal and monetary policy support.

27. India, Slovenia amend DTAA to bring information exchange under ambit

India and Slovenia have signed a protocol to amend the bilateral Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA).

The protocol was signed by Ambassador of India to Slovenia Sarvajit Chakravarti and the Slovenian Minister of Finance

Dusan Mramor in Ljubljana.

28. IFC likely to invest $68 million in Apollo Hospitals' subsidiary

International Finance Corporation (IFC), an arm of the World Bank, is likely to invest $68 million in India's Apollo Health &

Lifestyle Limited (AHLL).

AHLL is a subsidiary of Apollo Health Enterprises Limited and includes a network of primary healthcare clinics across the

country.

This investment is part of the overall raise of $135 million or Rs 900 crore.

IFC is considering an equity investment of approximately $68 million, including approximately $34 million for its own

account and approximately $34 million for IFC's Asset Management Company.

29. SEBI tightens P-note norms

The market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has tightened the Participatory Notes (P-note) norms.

Participatory Notes are offshore/overseas derivative instruments (ODIs) issued by registered foreign institutional investors

(FII) to overseas investors.

30. India Post payments bank will be functional by March 17

India Post's payments bank will start functioning from March 2017 and serve as a wider platform to implement financial

inclusion programmes.




31. India, World Bank ink US$ 100 million loan agreement

India and World Bank have signed the Loan and Project Agreements for World Bank (IBRD) assistance of US 100 million

dollars for Karnataka Urban Water Supply Modernization project.

The project has four broad components: (i) Capital Investment Program (ii) Technical Assistance for Sector Development

(iii) Institution Building and (iv) Project Management.

32. Govt revises norms of Performance in Credit Rating Scheme

Government approved the revision in guidelines of the Performance in Credit Rating Scheme, aiming to increase its

credibility and effectiveness for both borrowers and banks.

For turnover up to Rs 50 lakh, the fee to be reimbursed by the MSME Ministry will constitute 75 per cent of the fee charged

by the rating agency subject to a ceiling Rs 15,000.

For turnover between Rs 50 lakh and 2 crore, the fee to be reimbursed will be 75 per cent of the fee charged by the rating

agency subject to a ceiling of Rs 30,000.

Similarly, for micro and small enterprises having turnover above Rs 2 crore, the fee to be reimbursed will be 75 per cent of

the fee charged by the rating agency subject to a ceiling of Rs 40,000.

33. World leaders kick off G7 talks with economy in focus

World leaders kick off two days of G7 talks in Japan on May 26 with the creaky global economy, terrorism, refugees, China's

controversial maritime claims, and a possible Brexit headlining their packed agenda.

34. Govt waives over Rs 9,000-cr loans of HFCL

Union Cabinet on May 26 waived off loans worth more than Rs 9,079 crore owed by Hindustan Fertilizer Corporation Ltd

(HFCL) as part of a financial restructuring package for the PSU.

The Cabinet also approved transfer of 56 acres of ash dyke land of Barauni unit to Bihar State Power Generation Company

Ltd to settle dues of HFCL for faster revival of the unit.

35. IndusInd Bank partners Lohia Auto for vehicle financing

Private sector lender IndusInd Bank on May 26 signed a pact with diesel three-wheeler maker Lohia Auto Industries for

delivering on the finance needs of the motor company’s customers.

36. Yes Bank gets nod for raising FDI limit to 74%

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved Yes Bank’s request for an increase in the foreign investment limit to

74 per cent from the existing limit of 41.87 per cent without any sub-limits.

This will result in a foreign direct investment of $1 billion (approximately Rs.6,885 crore) in the country.

37. Islamic banking to debut in Gujarat

Jeddah-based Islamic Development Bank (IDB) is set to start its India operations from Gujarat.

The international financial institution from Saudi Arabia has chosen Gujarat to set up its first branch in India.

IDB's main objective is to foster the economic development and social progress of member countries as well as the Muslim

community in accordance with principles of Shariah (Islamic law).The bank has 56 Islamic countries as its members.IDB had

signed a $55-million pact with Rashtriya Institute of Skill and Education (RISE) to provide medical care to rural poor in

India.

38. EPFO doubles insurance for subscribers to Rs 6 lakh

The government has finally enforced the decision of retirement fund body EPFO to almost double the maximum sum assured

under its insurance scheme to Rs 6 lakh for its 4 crore subscribers.

In September, Employee Provident Fund Organisation's apex decision making body Central Board of Trustees (CBT) had

decided to increase benefits under the Employees' Deposit Linked Insurance ( EDLI ) scheme from Rs 3.6 lakh to Rs 6 lakh.

Besides, he said, the decision to provide 8.8 per cent rate of interest to over 4 crore EPFO subscribers for 2015-16 has also

been notified.

39. Cabinet nod for rail infra projects worth Rs 10,736 cr

Railway projects worth Rs 10,736 crore were cleared by the government for improving infrastructure in various states,

including Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat that go to polls next year.




The projects, including three for doubling of existing rail lines for 763 kms and two for laying a third rail line on busy routes

for 514 kms, were cleared by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) at its meeting chaired by Prime Minister

Narendra Modi.

In Gujarat the CCEA has given approval for doubling of Surendranagar-Rajkot project at an estimated cost of Rs 1,002.39

crore with expected completion cost of Rs 1,137.17 crore with 5 per cent escalation per annum.

The length of the railway line will be 116.17 kms. The completion period of the project will be four years.

40. ‘Number of public sector banks to come down to 8-10’

Minister of State for Finance Jayant Sinha on May 27 said that the number of PSU banks will come down dramatically from

27 to around 8-10 once the "dust settles" and the consolidation phase ends.

Currently, the number of inactive accounts are 22 crore, compared to 70 crore a few months back.

41.Mahindra & Mahindra inks brand licence agreement with Pininfarina

Mahindra & Mahindra said it has entered into a brand licence agreement with Pininfarina for use of trademarks after closing

the deal to acquire 76.06 per cent stake in the Turin-based company.

42.Indian economy to grow 7.7% in current fiscal: Survey

Indian economy will grow 7.7 per cent in the ongoing fiscal (2016-17) amid likely improvement in the industrial and

agricultural sectors' performance on account of good monsoon, though the investment cycle is expected to take at least 6

months to witness a pick-up according to the the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry's Economic

Outlook Survey.

The Reserve Bank last month had forecast a 7.6 per cent growth for the current fiscal on the back of favourable monsoon, a

notch lower than the upper end of government's range of 7 per cent to 7.75 per cent.

Industrial growth is expected to grow by 7.1 per cent in 2016-17, while services sector growth is estimated at 9.6 per cent.

43.YES Bank, Click&Pay team up for cashless transactions

YES Bank has joined hands with Click&Pay to offer cashless, secure and flexible transactions for its customers.

The start-up allows its customers to pay at designated shops with just one click and help them find special offers in the

locality.

44. Japan to lend Rs.14,000 crore for Indian projects

The Government of Japan has committed a loan of JPY 242.2 billion (around Rs.14,251 crore) for various projects across

India, including Jharkhand, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and the North East.

45. NSE launches Nifty MidSmallcap 400 index

NSE has launched a new Nifty MidSmallcap 400 index, which will represent the mid and small market capitalisation

segments of the stock market.

India Index Services and Products, an NSE group company which manages the index, said that the index will be added to the

exchange’s family of broad market indices.

The Nifty MidSmallcap 400 is a well-representative index consisting of 150 midcap and 250 smallcap stocks across 18

sectors.

46. Union Govt imposes safeguard duty on import of steel products

The Union Finance Minister has extended the safeguard duty on import of some steel products by two years i.e till March

2018.

In this regard, the Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) has issued a notification mentioning that safeguard duty will

be reduced to 10% in stages till 2008 from current 20%.

47. India seeks $500M AIIB loan for solar power projects in 2016

India expects to get one of the first loans for its solar power projects from Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) later

this year.

The China-led AIIB which has authorized capital of $100bn plans to join global clean-energy initiatives by funding into eco-

friendly investment projects.

India being bank’s second major shareholder after China will borrow to back PM Modi’s ambitious plan of increasing solar

capacity to 100 gigawatts by 2022.




48. India signs $100 million draft export pact with ICD

India has signed an agreement with the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) for a possible $100 million line of credit to

facilitate exports to IDB's member countries.

The memorandum of understanding (MoU) was inked between the IDB's private sector arm, the Islamic Corporation for the

Development of the Private Sector (ICD) and the Export-Import Bank of India (EXIM Bank), a specialised financial

institution, wholly owned by the government of India to finance and facilitate foreign trade.

ICD's mandate is to support economic development and promote the development of the private sector in its member

countries through providing financing facilities and investments which are in accordance with the principles of Sharia.

49. WTO cuts 2016 global trade forecast to 2.8%

The World Trade Organization (WTO) has revised its 2016 global trade updated forecast for 2016 downward by more than

one percentage point to 2.8% from 3.9%.

The main reasons for cutting the forecast rate is slowdown in China and broad market volatility that continues to threaten

growth.

50. SIDBI signs MoU with LIC for Fund-of-Fund operations

In a bid to boost the startup ecosystem in the country, Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) signed a

Memorandum of Understanding [MoU] with Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) for supplementing Government’s

efforts under Fund-of-Fund operations for the Venture Fund industry.

The MoU was executed with LIC for contributing to the corpus of MSME focused venture capital funds along with India

Aspiration Fund (IAF) being managed by SIDBI.

As part of its Fund-of-Fund operations, SIDBI has set up IAF with a corpus of ₹ 2,000 crore pursuant to budget

announcement of 2015.

5 . $200-mn pact inked to study TAPI project

Shareholders of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) Pipeline Company Limited signed an agreement to

invest $200 million in studies and engineering for the $10 billion project to transport natural gas to energy-hungry countries

like India.

52. Federal Bank–Phillip Capital tie-up announced at Singapore

Kerala based private sector lender Federal Bank, tied up with Phillip Capital (India), a subsidiary of the Singapore

headquartered Phillip Capital group, for managing the NRI Portfolio Investment Scheme (PIS).

PIS is a route designated by the Reserve Bank of India for Non-Resident Indians ( NRIs) and Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs)

to invest in Indian Equity Markets for purchase of shares and convertible debentures listed on registered stock exchanges in

India.

53.India links $20 bn investment in Tehran to favourable terms

Stepping up its energy ties with Iran, India has lined up USD 20 billion as investment in oil and gas as well as petrochemical

and fertiliser projects in the Persian Gulf country subject to provision of concessional rights.

Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, on a two-day visit to Tehran from April 9, also discussed with his Iranian counterpart the

repayment of nearly USD 6.5 billion that Indian refiners owe to Iran, but there is no agreement yet on rights to develop

Farzad-B gas field in the Persian Gulf discovered by OVL.

54. IMF retains India's GDP forecast at 7.5% for 2016-17

Retaining its 7.5 per cent GDP expansion forecast for India in 2016 and 2017, IMF on 12 April 2016 asked the government to

cut down subsidies, initiate labour reforms and dismantle infrastructure bottlenecks to sustain strong growth.

In its World Economic Outlook, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said India should continue fiscal consolidation,

underpinned by revenue reforms and further reduction in subsidies.

IMF, however, upgraded its China growth forecast by 0.2 percentage point for this year and the next to 6.5 per cent and 6.2

per cent, respectively.

55. Federal Bank launches campus wallet for students

Federal Bank ties up with Chillar Payment Solutions Pvt. Ltd., a technology driven start-up company to promote the start-

up's technology product - 'Campus Wallet'.




This is a student Identity Card integrated with banking technology.

Campus Wallet is a futuristic ID card that facilitates students to make petty payments within their school/college campus

without opening a bank account.

56.India world’s largest remittance recipient in 2015: World Bank

As per recently report of World Bank, India remained the world’s largest remittance recipient in 2015.In 2015, India attracted

about 69 billion US dollars in remittances, down from 70 billion in 2014.

57. Piyush Goyal Launches "Deep" E-Bidding & E-Reverse Auction Portal"

Piyush Goyal, Minister of State (IC) for Power, Coal and New & Renewable Energy launched DEEP (Discovery of Efficient

Electricity Price) e-Bidding & e-Reverse Auction portal for procurement of short term power by DISCOMs.

The web portal is accessible to all the stakeholders in the Power Sector through www.mstcecommerce.com.

58. NPCI launches Unified Payments Interface

The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has launched “Unified Payments Interface (UPI)” to revolutionise

mobile payment system in the country.

It was launched by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Raghuram Rajan.

29 banks have agreed to join the platform.

UPI seeks to provide uniform mobile payment system by leveraging digital trends such as increasing smart phone adoption

and deeper penetration of mobile data.

59. Nauru becomes 189th member of IMF, World Bank

The Republic of Nauru, a tiny South Pacific island nation in Pacific Ocean became the 189th member of the International

Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank i.e. Bretton-Woods institutions.

Its initial subscription quota for IMF will be of SDR (Special Drawing rights) 2 million or about $2.81 million.It will be the

second smallest member of the Fund, after Tuvalu.

The capital of The Republic of Nauru is Yaren District.

60. World Bank and AIIB Sign First Co-Financing Framework Agreement

World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank President Jin Liqun today signed the

first co-financing framework agreement between the two institutions.

The agreement outlines the co-financing parameters of World Bank-AIIB investment projects, and paves the way for the two

institutions to jointly develop projects this year.

In 2016, the AIIB expects to approve about $1.2 billion in financing, with World Bank joint projects anticipated to account

for a sizable share.

61. BRICS bank disburses $250 million loan for renewable energy project to Canara Bank

India was among the first four countries to get a loan from the newly established BRICS New Development Bank which gave

a USD 250 million funding to Canara Bank for a renewable energy project.

The China-based NDB has approved four green renewable energy projects from India, China, Brazil and South Africa

entailing Bank financing of USD 811 million.

62. G20 Countries seek to crackdown on tax havens, terror financing

The G20 countries including India have sought a crackdown on tax heavens, shell companies and terror financing in the wake

of the ‘Panama Papers’ scandal.

63. Govt renames Panagarh airbase after former IAF Chief Arjan Singh

The Union Government has renamed Panagarh Air Force Base of Indian Air Force in West Bengal as ‘Air Force Station

Arjan Singh’ in honour of the Marshal of the Air Force Arjan Singh.

It was renamed on the occasion of 93rd birthday of Arjan Singh.

64. PSU bank OBC to raise over Rs 178 crore via issue of shares to LIC

Public sector lender Oriental Bank of Commerce (OBC) on 16 April 2016 said it will raise over Rs 178 crore by issuing

shares to LIC on a preferential basis.




65. Banks to share all transaction details in standard format

A standard format has been designed for banks to share transaction related details with revenue intelligence and central

security agencies looking into money laundering and financial fraud cases.

66. US court slaps 940 million dollars fine on two Tata group companies

The federal grand jury in the US State of Wisconsin has slapped 940 million US dollars fine against two companies of India’s

Tata group – Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and Tata America International Corp.

They were fined in a trade secret lawsuit filed against them by the US based electronics medical records vendor Epic

Systems.

67. India to Purchase 145 M777 Howitzers for US$ 750 Million

India is likely to buy 145 M777 Howitzers for $750 million to equip its Mountain Strike Corps.

The decision to buy ultra-light Howitzers produced by BAE Systems under the ‘Make In India’ program was discussed at a

meeting on April 12 between Indian Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar and his US counterpart Ashton Carter, Tribune.

In India, the BAE Systems had tied up Mahindra as its business partner for its proposed in-country assembly, integration and

test (AIT) facility for the M777 Howitzer.

68. RBL becomes first private sector bank to open dedicated branch for startups

The RBL Bank (formerly Ratnakar Bank) became the first private sector bank in India to open dedicated branch for startups.

The dedicated branch was inaugurated at Koramangala, Bengaluru by Nandan Nilekani, noted entrepreneur and former

chairman of UIDAI.

69. RIC Forum pitches to deepen cooperation in combating terrorism

The 14th meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Russia, India and China (RIC) Forum has vowed to deepen cooperation in

combating terrorism.

The meeting was held in Moscow, Russia and was attended Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Union Minister of

Foreign Affairs Sushma Swaraj, and Minister of Foreign Affairs of China Wang Yi took.

70. Government rolls back restrictions on withdrawal of provident fund

Bowing to pressure from trade unions, the government has set aside the controversial provident fund (PF) withdrawal norms

that had restricted complete withdrawal from PF account before the retirement age of 58 years.

The February 10 notification had restricted the withdrawal of employers' contribution of 3.67% and interest earned on it

under the EPF scheme till retirement or 58 years instead of 54 years earlier.

71.India pips China as top FDI destination in 2015

According to FDI Intelligence Report India has replaced China as the top Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) destination by

attracting $63 billion worth FDI projects in 2015.

FDI Intelligence is a division of international media company – The Financial Times Limited. India was the highest-ranked

country by capital investment in the year 2015, with 63 billion dollars-worth of FDI projects announced.

Gujarat was the top destination for FDI in 2015 in India which had attracted $12.4 billion.

Maharashtra was second attracting $8.3 billion respectively in 2015.

72.FinMin approves 8.7% interest on EPF for 2015-16

The Finance Ministry has approved 8.7 per cent interest on PF deposits for over 5 crore subscribers of retirement body EPFO,

lower than 8.8 per cent decided by the Central Board of Trustees (CBT).

73. DBS Bank rolls out mobile-only bank in India DBS Bank on 26 April launched a ‘mobile-only bank’ in India.

The ‘digibank’ uses technologies, such as biometrics and artificial intelligence, to enable paperless, signature-less and

branchless bank.

74. New Zealand's 'stunning' $5 bill named best banknote of the year

New Zealand’s five-dollar ($5) polymer note has been named the banknote of the year for 2015, a “clear winner” among

nearly 40 eligible designs from a record 20 countries.

The honour is awarded every year by the International Bank Note Society.




Geoff Bascand is the deputy governor of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand.

75.Experian India unveils fraud detection mechanism Experian, the global information services company, launched the ‘Hunter Fraud Score’, a new scoring mechanism that

measures the probability of fraud in a credit application across banking and insurance industries.

Businesses will be able to identify applications that should be screened for potential fraud, and prioritise those that have a

high probability of being fraudulent.

76.NABARD partners with Germany for food security initiative

The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has entered into collaboration with German

Government for a special programme on ‘Soil Protection and Rehabilitation for Food Security‘.

The programme is part of the German government’s recently introduced special initiative ‘One World, No Hunger’ initiative.

As part of the collaboration NABARD is anchoring two programmes.

77. India, Papua New Guinea sign four agreements

India and Papua New Guinea have signed four Memoranda of Understandings (MoUs) in various sectors to boost bilateral

cooperation.

The MoUs were signed in the presence of the visiting President Pranab Mukherjee and the Papua New Guinea Prime

Minister Peter O’ Neil in Port Moresby, capital of Papua New Guinea.

MoU regarding $100 Million Credit Line: India will provide a Line of Credit of 100 million dollars for specific projects in

Transport and infrastructure sectors.

MoU in the field of Health Care and Medical Science

MoU in the field of Agriculture

MoU in the field of IT

78. SIDBI signs MoU with SAARC Development Fund

Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) and Saarc Development Fund (SDF) has entered into a Memorandum

of Understanding (MOU) for mutual cooperation and collaboration.

The MoU envisages SDF and SIDBI to work together in co-funding of projects in Indian MSMEs on risk sharing basis in

identified sectors, development of suitable financial products for SME financing for MSMEs of other Saarc states.

79. Four month window to disclose black money opens today

The Income Declaration Scheme, seeking to provide an opportunity to all persons who have not declared their income

correctly in previous years to come forward and declare undisclosed incomes, will open on June 1st and will remain in force

till 30th of September.

According to reports, the four month disclosure window will provide an opportunity to domestic black money holders to

come clean by paying tax and penalty of 45 per cent on undisclosed assets.

People who have made money through corrupt means will not be allowed to take advantage of this scheme.

Under the scheme, persons making disclosure of unaccounted assets will be given time up to 30th of November to pay taxes,

penalty and surcharge totalling 45 per cent at the fair market value.

80. BRICS bank to issue first yuan denominated bonds

The New Development Bank (NDB) of the BRICS countries is set to issue its first yuan-denominated bonds with plans to

release more bonds in local currencies including in Indian Rupee.

The Shanghai-based bank founded by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) and headed by eminent Indian

banker M V Kamath plans to finance sustainable development projects in the emerging markets and developing countries.

The bank’s first five-year yuan-denominated bonds, also referred as green bonds, will be issued after receiving a rating from

international ratings agencies as well as getting authorities’ approval.

The New Development Bank is established with initial subscribed capital of USD 50 billion with total paid-in capital of USD

10 billion. The founding members of the NDB have already brought in capital of USD one billion as initial contribution.

The bank announced its first batch of loans on April 16, providing USD 300 million to Brazil, USD 81 million to China,

USD 250 million to India and USD 180 million to South Africa.

81. Cabinet clears India Post's payments bank proposal




The Government cleared proposal to set up India Post payments bank with a corpus of Rs. 800 crore and has plans to have

650 branches operational by September 2017.

Total architecture of postal payments bank is of Rs. 800 crore which will have Rs. 400 crore equity and Rs.400 crore grant.

82. No TDS for PF withdrawals of up to Rs 50,000 from June 1

No tax would be deducted at source for PF withdrawals of up to Rs 50,000 from June 1.

The government has notified raising the threshold limit of PF withdrawal for deduction of tax ( TDS ) from existing Rs

30,000 to Rs 50,000

The Finance Act , 2016 has amended section 192A of Income Tax Act, 1961 to raise the threshold limit of PF withdrawal

from Rs 30,000 to Rs 50,000 for Tax Deducted at Source (TDS).

However, in case Form 15G or 15H is submitted by the member, then TDS is not deducted.

While Form 15H is submitted by senior citizens (above 60 years of age), Form 15G is submitted by claimants below the age

of 60 years.

Also, no tax is deducted if employee withdraws PF after a period of five years.

83. GIFT’s IFSC inks pact with Singapore International Arbitration Centre

Gujarat International Finance Tec-City Company Ltd (GIFTCL) and GIFT SEZ Ltd (GIFT SEZ) announced the signing of a

Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC).

Under the MOA, GIFTCL, GIFT SEZ and SIAC will collaborate to promote the use of arbitration, mediation, and other

dispute resolution mechanisms.

84. ADB, India ink $200 million loan agreement for Jharkhand roads

The Indian government and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) inked an agreement for a $200 million loan to upgrade 176-

km roads in Jharkhand.

The financing for the Jharkhand State Roads II Project will help upgrade the existing sections of four state roads and also

support improvements in the design, safety and maintenance of the road network.

85. India, ADB ink $120 million loan agreement for irrigation in Odisha

India has signed loan agreement of US 12 crore dollars with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to improve irrigation and

water management infrastructure in Odisha.

The soft loan is the second tranche of a 157.5 million dollars financing facility under the Orissa Integrated Irrigated

Agriculture and Water Management Investment Program.

The programme aims to improve existing irrigation infrastructure, maintenance and operation and water use efficiency that

will lead to higher agricultural productivity.

86. ADB approves $100 mn loan for irrigation system in TN

Multilateral lending agency Asian Development Bank said it has approved a USD 100 million (around Rs. 660 crore) loan to

strengthen a key irrigation system and improve water management in the Vennar sub-basin of Cauvery Delta in Tamil Nadu.

87. SBI, ICICI Bank chief in Forbes’ new list

Four Indian women, including SBI Managing director Arundhati Bhattacharya (25th) and ICICI Bank Managing director

Chanda Kochhar (40th), are in the new list of Forbes’ world’s 100 most powerful women who are building billion-dollar

brands and calling the shots in the financial markets.

The Forbes ‘100 Most Powerful Women’ in the world list 2016, topped by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, includes

PepsiCo Chief Indra Nooyi (14th), Biocon Founder Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw and HT Media head Shobhana Bhartia.

Forbes said this year’s most powerful women are the “smartest and toughest female business leaders, entrepreneurs,

investors, scientists, philanthropists and CEOs making their mark in the world.

The list also includes Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton on the second spot, Federal Reserve Chair Janet

Yellen (3), Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg (7), US First Lady Michelle Obama (13), Myanmar State Counsellor Aung San

Suu Kyi (26), Queen Elizabeth II (29), Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina (36), Nepalese President Bidya Devi

Bhandari (52) and UNESCO Director General Irina Bokova (89).

88. 1.5 Billion IMF Loan to Sri Lanka




The International Monetary Fund has approved a $1.5 billion loan to Sri Lanka, with $168 million being disbursed as the first

tranche with immediate effect to support the country's economy, which is showing "signs of strain".

The Executive Board of the IMF approved a 36-month extended arrangement under its Extended Fund Facility (EFF) with

Sri Lanka for an amount equivalent to 1.1 billion special drawing rights (about $1.5 billion).

It enables an immediate disbursement of about $168.1 million while the remainder will be available in six instalments subject

to quarterly reviews.

89. Sebi to e-sell Sahara properties for Rs 1,900 cr

Capital markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) will sell 16 land parcels of the Sahara Group to

recover dues through e-auction next month.

It has set a reserve price of Rs 1,898 crore for these properties.

SEBI has appointed SBI Capital Markets, who will conduct the e-auction on July 13 and HDFC Realty, who will conduct one

on July 15.

According to the notice, SBI Cap will auction eight land parcels which will fetch Rs 1,196 crore at the reserve price and

HDFC Realty will auction five land parcels at reserve price of Rs 702 crore.

90. Axis Bank launches India’s first certified green bond at London Stock Exchange

Axis Bank has launched India’s first internationally-listed certified green bond to finance climate change solutions around the

world at London Stock Exchange (LSE).

The proceeds of the bond will be invested by Axis Bank in green energy, transportation and infrastructure projects.

It will play important role in reinforcing India’s commitment to produce 175,000 MW of renewable power by 2022.

This is the first green bond of Axis Bank issued within its 5 billion dollars Medium Term Note (MTN) programme, which

has also has been listed entirely on LSE.

Bonds basically are debt instruments which help issuer to get capital while the investors receive fixed income in the form of

interest.

In case of Green Bonds, the issuer gets capital from the investors only if the investment (capital) is being raised to fund green

projects relating to renewable energy or emission reductions etc.

91. SEBI issues stricter KYC, disclosure norms for P-Notes

The markets regulator SEBI (Securities and Exchange Board of India) has put in place a stricter KYC (Know Your

Customer) norms and disclosure regime for Participatory Notes (P-Notes).

P-Notes are offshore/overseas derivative instruments (ODIs) issued by registered foreign institutional investors (FII) to

overseas investors.

They provide easier and cost-effective route to foreign investors to invest in Indian markets without directly registering as

Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs).

92. Microsoft agrees to buy LinkedIn for $26.2 billion

Technology giant Microsoft said it will acquire professional networking platform LinkedIn in an all-cash transaction valued

at $26.2 billion.

Microsoft will acquire LinkedIn for $196 per share in an all-cash deal valued at $26.2 billion, inclusive of LinkedIn’s net

cash.

LinkedIn will retain its distinct brand, culture and independence.

The transaction is expected to close this calendar year.

Jeff Weiner will remain CEO of LinkedIn, reporting to Mr. Nadella.

LinkedIn started out in the living room of co-founder Hoffman in 2002 and was officially launched on May 5 in 2003.

93. Cabinet approves SBI takeover of units

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's cabinet on 15 June approved the takeover by State Bank of India (SBI) of several

subsidiaries in a first move to consolidate the country's struggling public sector banks.

As earlier proposed, SBI was to take over five units that had been run at arms-length, as well as state-run Bharatiya Mahila

Bank, a bank for women set up in 2013.

India's 27 public sector banks account for 70 per cent of its banking sector assets, as well as the lion's share of the country's

$120 billion in troubled assets.




Policymakers want to recapitalise and consolidate the state banks so that they can extend fresh credit and help drive an

investment-led recovery in Asia's third-largest economy that is now being buoyed by state and private consumption.

94. SBI and Mastercard Partners with Centrum for distribution of its prepaid forex card

India's largest bank, State Bank of India (SBI) and MasterCard announced pilot launch of a distribution alliance with travel

prepaid cards distributor Centrum.

This partnership will aid the distribution strength of the Bank for it's multicurrency prepaid card and will largely target the

corporate customers of the bank.

The Bank is excited as this has been the first ever alliance SBI has entered into to supplement their distribution reach which is

already very deep in the consumer segment.

95. Florida Bank issues first US credit card for use in Cuba

A small Florida bank will issue the first U.S. credit card intended for use in Cuba and make it easier for Americans to travel

and work on an island largely cut off from the U.S. financial system.

Pompano Beach-based Stonegate Bank said its Mastercard will let U.S. travelers charge purchases at state-run businesses and

a handful of private ones, mostly high-end private restaurants equipped with point-of-sale devices.

96. SBI launches Rs. 200 cr fund to invest in fintech startups

In order to fund start-ups in the financial technology (fintech) space, the country’s largest lender SBI has set up a Rs. 200

crore fund.

This fund shall consider assistance of up to Rs. 3 crore to an Indian registered company for promoting their business

innovations using IT in India for banking and related technology.

97. India ranks 10th in FDI inflows: UNCTAD report

As per the recently released 2016 World Investment Report, India ranks 10th in FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) inflows.

As per the report, India’s FDI inflows have increased to 44 billion dollars in 2015 as compared to 35 billion dollars in 2014 .

United States topped the list followed by Hong Kong, China, Ireland, Netherlands, Switzerland, Singapore, Brazil, Canada

and India.

United States with 380 billion dollars FDI inflows has topped the list.

China with FDI inflows at 136 billion dollars (more than three times India’s FDI) in 2015 was ranked third.

98. Union Cabinet approves establishment of Fund of Funds for Startups under SIDBI

The Union Cabinet has approved setting up of Fund of Funds for Startups (FFS) under Small Industries Development Bank

of India (SIDBI) for extending support to Startups.

This 10,000 rupees corpus fund will be established in line with the Start up India Action Plan, an initiative of Department of

Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP) which was unveiled by Union Government in January 2016.

The FFS will be used for the contribution of various Alternative Investment Funds (AIF) registered with Securities and

Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to extend funding support to Startups.

An amount of 500 crore rupees already has been provided to the corpus of FFS in the fiscal 2015-16 and 600 crore rupees has

been earmarked in the fiscal 2016-17.

99. Britain votes to exit European Union in historic referendum

People of Britain in a historic referendum on 24 June 2016 voted in favour of leaving European Union (EU).

The referendum ‘to leave’ or ‘to be a member’ of EU saw 51.8% votes in favour compared to 48.2% in against.

Sterling suffered its biggest one-day fall of more than 10 per cent against the dollar, hitting a 31-year low on market fears the

decision will hit investment in the world's fifth largest economy.

Northern Ireland, London and Scotland voted strongly to stay back with the EU while the Wales and the English shires

backed Britain exit (Brexit) from the EU.

Impact of Brexit

Prime Minister David Cameron announced his resignation from his position.

The pound fell to its lowest level against the dollar since 1985 as the markets reacted to the results.

It fell by 3% within moments of the first result showing a strong result for Leave in Sunderland and fell as much as 6.5%

against the euro.




The departure of the bloc's second biggest economy would weaken Europe's unity and stability which is already grappling

with the Greek financial crisis and a massive influx of refugees.

Internationally, prices of oil tumbled but the prices of gold rose sharply.

Impact on India

The benchmark 30-share BSE Sensex index fell as much as 4.04 percent or 1090.9 points in early trade to a day’s low of

25,911.33 points.

The Indian rupee fell to 68.14 against the dollar, its lowest level since February 2016, later it crawled to 67.79.

100. ADB approves $500 million loan for bridge over Ganga River in Bihar

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a 500 million dollars loan to build a bridge across the Ganga River in

Bihar.

The loan funds will be used to build 9.8 km road bridge in Bihar on the Ganga River.

On completion of the project it will be the India’s longest river bridge.

The new river bridge will provide a vital transport link between the northern and southern parts of the state and neighbouring

Nepal.

The length and height of the bridge has been designed to minimize impacts on the river itself.

The design parameters of the bridge will also ensure that it is able to withstand climate-related stresses such as a rise in the

water level.

Asian Development Bank (ADB) is multilateral lending agency based in Manila, Philippines.

101. AIIB approves first loans for projects in four countries

The China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has approved first set of loans totalling US 509 million dollars to

finance projects in four countries viz. Bangladesh, Pakistan, Indonesia and Tajikistan.

These loans for the four projects were approved in Board of Directors meeting of AIIB held at its headquarters in Beijing,

China.

Bangladesh: US 165 million dollars loan for a Power Distribution System Upgrade and Expansion Project.

Indonesia: US 216.5 million dollars loan for a National Slum Upgrading Project.

Pakistan: US 100 million dollars loan for Shorkot-Khanewal Section of National Motorway M-4.

Tajikistan: US 27.5 million dollars loan for the Dushanbe-Uzbekistan Border Road Improvement Project.

These loans will have an interest rate of London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) plus 1.15 % and a repayment period of 25

years with 5 years in grace period.

102. IMF clears payment of USD 500 million to Pakistan

The International Monetary Fund cleared payment of USD 501 million for Pakistan taking the total amount given to the

country to USD 6.1 billion in the last few years.

In a statement, issued after the conclusion of 11th review of Pakistan’s economic performance under a three-year program

supported by an Extended Fund Facility (EFF) arrangement, the IMF said the decision enables the immediate disbursement

of about USD 501 million to Pakistan.This brings the total disbursements to USD 6.01 billion

103. UNGA elect Ethiopia, Bolivia, Sweden and Kazakhstan as non-permanent UNSC members

The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has elected Ethiopia, Bolivia, Sweden and Kazakhstan as the non-permanent

members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

These newly-elected countries will have two-year term starting from 1 January 2016 till 31 December 2018.

They will replace Spain, Malaysia, New Zealand, Angola and Venezuela.

The voting for these countries in the UNGA was conducted by secret ballot in which members of the UNGA had voted.

Bolivia (183 votes) and Ethiopia (185 votes) were chosen from Group of Latin America and the Caribbean and Africa region

respectively.

Sweden (134 votes) won from the Group of Western Europe.

Kazakhstan won from the Group of Asia Pacific against Thailand.

104. NHPC to invest Rs 3,000 crore on solar, wind projects

State-run National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) is planning to invest around Rs 3,000 crore over the next five

years to set up solar and wind projects across the country.




The company is looking at opportunities in states like Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu,

among others.

On the solar front, the company has signed an MoU with Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) to set up projects to the

tune of 250 MW.

In Kerala, NHPC will be setting up a 72 MW solar project, while in Maharashtra it has planned a 50 MW one.

In Uttar Pradesh, NHPC alreadyhas an agreement with Uttar Pradesh New and Renewable Energy Development Agency

(UPNEDA) to jointly develop a 50 MW plant.

105. India jumps 19 places in World Bank's global logistics performance ranking

India has jumped 19 places in the latest World Bank ranking in the global logistics performance, reflecting the improvement

in movement of goods inside the country thus facilitating better trade.

The World Bank in its latest once-in-two-year Logistics Performance Index (LPI) said India is now ranked 35th as against the

54th spot it occupied in the previous 2014 report.

Logistics organises the movement of goods through a network of activities and services operating at global, regional, and

local scale.

106. Axis Bank opens innovation lab for start-ups in Bengaluru

Private sector lender Axis Bank launched an innovation lab on June 29 to hone start-ups and announced that it will create a

dedicated fund to invest in these new-age companies that would benefit its business.

The bank launched the 10,000 sq ft lab at Bengaluru with an in-house innovation team, which will host a three-month

accelerator programme where companies will get mentored.

107. Cabinet approves ₹13,990-cr revised cost estimate for eight new IITs

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the Revised Cost Estimates for

establishment of eight New IITs at Bhubaneswar, Gandhinagar, Hyderabad, Indore, Jodhpur, Mandi, Patna and Ropar.

The revised Cost Estimate is Rs. 13,990 crore as against ₹6,080 crore for establishment of eight new IITs over a period of 11

years from 2008-09 to 2018-19.

NEWS (NATIONAL) 1. Union Govt launches Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana

The Union Government launched Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) for providing free of cost LPG (cooking gas)

connections to women from BPL Households.

It was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Maldepur Morh, Ballia in Uttar Pradesh.The tagline for the scheme

is Swachh Indhan, Behtar Jeevan.

Under PMUY, each of the beneficiaries will receive monetary support of about 1,600 rupees to get a connection of cooking

gas.

2. Union Govt launches UJALA Scheme

The Union Government has launched National LED programme – Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All (UJALA).

The UJALA scheme is being implemented by Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), a joint venture of PSUs under the

Union Ministry of Power.

It is LED based Domestic Efficient Lighting Programme (DELP).

Under it, 3 crore 9W energy efficient LED Bulbs will be distributed in Madhya Pradesh in the next 6 months.

3. EPFO launches "One Employee-One Account" on May Day

Employees' Provident Fund Organisation, EPFO has launched a special drive to encourage EPF members to consolidate their

multiple accounts.

4. Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 comes into force

The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 came into force on 1 May 2016.

In this regard, Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation (HUPA) had notified 69 of the total 92 sections of

the Act to bring it into force from 1 May 2016.




5. Parliament passes Mines and Minerals Amendment Bill, 2016

Parliament has passed Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2016.The Bill provides for

transfer of mining leases, which have been granted through procedures other than auction and where minerals are used for

captive purpose.

6. BHEL commissions 600 MW thermal power plant in MP

State-run Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) on 03 May announced the commissioning of a 600 MW coal-based thermal

power plant in Madhya Pradesh.

The unit has been commissioned at the 1x600 MW Jhabua Thermal Power Project (TPP) located in Seoni district in Madhya

Pradesh.

The project has been developed by Jhabua Power Ltd (JPL), a subsidiary of Avantha Power & Infrastructure Limited (APIL).

7. Union Railways Ministry launches E-enabled PMIS app

The Union Railways Ministry has launched an application namely Project Management and Information System (PMIS) for

proper monitoring of all the Railway projects throughout the country.

The application was launched by Union Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu at Rail Bhawan in New Delhi.

8. SC brings former CJI RM Lodha to reform medical regulator MCI

After fixing the country’s cricket board, former Chief Justice of India RM Lodha gets the responsibility to reform the

Medical Council of India (MCI), which the Supreme Court described as unprofessional.Besides Lodha, the panel has former

CAG Vinod Rai and Dr SK Sareen.

9. India to hold festival in Egypt to mark Tagore's birth anniv

India will organise a cultural festival in Egypt to mark the 155th birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore in an bid to build

connections between the people of the two countries who share strong cultural bonds.

India's Ambassador to Egypt Sanjay Bhattacharyya said that the Embassy of India in Cairo and Maulana Azad Centre for

Indian Culture will host the Tagore Festival from May 8-12.

10. Jindal Brothers Sign Rs 6,500 Crore Power Deal

Billionaire Sajjan Jindal's JSW Energy Ltd has agreed to buy a 1,000 megawatt power plant from his brother's heavily

indebted Jindal Steel and Power Ltd in a deal valued at up to $976 million.

The New Delhi-based steel firm majority-owned by Sajjan's younger brother Naveen will get more than Rs 6,500 crore from

Mumbai's JSW if some conditions on coal supply and power purchase agreements are met.

11. Reliance Power to set up plant in Bangladesh

Reliance Power, promoted by Anil Ambani, would be now venturing into Bangladesh for setting up a power plant.

Reliance Power has received in-principle approval from the Bangladesh government for the first phase of a 3,000 megawatt

gas-based power plant, paving the way for the largest Foreign Direct Investment in the neighbouring country with a potential

investment of over Rs 8,700 crore ($1.3 billion).

12. DRDO and Ayush Join Hands to Impart Yoga Training to Defence Wing Staff

Defence Institute of Physiology and Allied Sciences (DIPAS) a Delhi based premier laboratory of DRDO in collaboration

with Department of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH) organised a training

program on Yoga for the Defence Wing Staff during 25th to 30th April 2016.

13. Union Cabinet gives nod and approves MoU

The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given approval to MoU and nod to agreements in New Delhi.

Gives nod to adoption of UN Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics

The Union Cabinet has given its approval for adoption of United Nations Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics.

There are 10 UN Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics.

Gives nod to India-EU agreement on S&T cooperation

The Union Cabinet has given its approval to the renewed Agreement for Scientific and Technological Cooperation with

European Union (EU) for another period of 5 years.

The agreement will be retrospectively effective from 17 May 2015 until 2020.




Union Cabinet approves India-UAE currency swap agreement

The Union Cabinet has given its ex-post facto approval for the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Reserve

Bank of India (RBI) and Central Bank of United Arab Emirates (UAE) on co-operation concerning currency swap agreement.

The Agreement was signed in February, 2016 during the official state visit of Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh

Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan to India.

Union Cabinet apprised IT agreement signed between India and Qatar

The Union Cabinet has apprised of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for promoting bilateral cooperation in the

field of Information Communication Technology (ICT).

Union Cabinet approved signing of MoC between MWCD and Gates Foundation

The Union Cabinet has approved the signing of Memorandum of Co-operation (MoC) between Ministry of Women & Child

Development (MWCD) and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF).

It was signed for the cooperation in Information and Communication Technology enabled Real Time Monitoring (ICT-RTM)

of Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) and other related technical matters.

The MoC would cover 162 high malnutrition burden districts of 8 States viz. Chhatisgarh, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar,

Maharashtrta, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.

14. SBI launches card-less payment solution for offline transactions

State Bank of India, the country's largest public sector bank, has launched a mobile payment solution that will enable

customers to make digital payments at offline stores by scanning a QR (quick response) code on their smartphones.

The service has been launched in Bengaluru with a sizable number of merchants and will soon expand into other cities.

15. Projects worth Rs. 2446 Crore approved under Namami Gange Programme

Giving a major fillip to Namami Gange programme the Empowered Steering Committee (ESC) of the National Ganga River

Basin Authority (NGRBA) has approved projects for Development of Ghats and crematoria in the stretch from Haridwar to

Uttarakhand Border in Uttarakhand, Garhmukteshwar in UP, Buxar, Hajipur and Sonepur of Bihar, Sahibganj, Rajmahal and

Kanhaiya Ghat of Jharkhand and Delhi and afforestation along the banks of river Ganga.

The total estimated cost of the projects is Rs. 2446 crore.

16. BHEL commissions 500-MW thermal power unit in Jharkhand

State-run Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd announced the commissioning of a 500-MW thermal power unit in Jharkhand.

The unit has been commissioned at Bokaro Thermal Power-A Station of Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) on

engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) basis.

17. President Pranab Mukherjee confers Niryat Shree and Niryat Bandhu Awards

President Pranab Mukherjee conferred the 15th set of Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) Niryat Shree and

Niryat Bandhu Awards in New Delhi.

The awards were presented at the Golden Jubilee celebrations of Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO).

The awards were conferred to the companies from various sectors of exports besides service providers, banks, and various

facilitating agencies which are promoting exports during the year 2015-16.

Reliance Industry was adjudged as the top foreign exchange earner and leading exporter of last 50 years.

TCS bagged the Gold Award in IT services.

State Bank of India got the Gold award followed by Canara Bank and Punjab National Bank are among the supporting

institutions.

18. Reliance Defence receives 16 new industrial licenses for equipment manufacture

Reliance Infrastructure’s wholly-owned subsidiary Reliance Defence has received 16 industrial licenses for manufacture of

equipment ranging from small arms, heavy weapons, armoured vehicles, ammunition, explosives, electronic warfare systems,

missiles, UAVs and directed energy weapon systems, laser systems for target destruction and C4I systems for all defence

platforms.

19. Single emergency number ‘112’ to be operational throughout India from January 1, 2017

The single emergency number ‘112’ will be operational throughout India from January 1, 2017 to help people reach

immediate services of police, ambulance and fire department.




In this regard, Union Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad approved the provision of a single number for various

emergency services.

The single emergency number will be similar to the ‘911’ all-in-one emergency service in the United States and 999 of

United Kingdom (UK).

20. Indian Railways launches Bharat Darshan Tourist train for pilgrims

Indian Railways has launched the Bharat Darshan Tourist train for pilgrims to visit Shirdi, Tirupati, Jagannath Puri,

Gangasagar, Baidyanath Dham and Jyotirlingams among others.

21. 55,669 villages to have mobile connectivity by 2019

Government plans to provide mobile connectivity in 55,669 villages by March 2019 in a phased manner.

It will also commission a project to connect 8,621 villages in the north-eastern region by installing 321 mobile tower sites by

September 2017.

22. HAL hands over Kumudvathi River rejuvenation project

Defence public sector HAL has handed over the Kumudvathi River rejuvenation project to the village panchayats of

Nelamangala Taluk of Bengaluru rural district.

It contributes to such a noble cause of reviving dried natural water resources at this critical juncture when water has become a

precious commodity everywhere.

23. Union Govt starts UBIN drive for budding entrepreneurs

The Union Government has started the process for issuance of Unique Business Identification Number (UBIN) to enable

budding entrepreneurs set up their business without any delays.

The drive has been launched by the Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP) under the aegis of Union Ministry

of Commerce and Industry.

It will be subsequently sent to the CBDT (Central Board of Direct Taxes) which would nomenclature it as PAN for UBIN.

24.EC to send Meghdoot postcards to 3 lakh voters

In a unique initiative, the Election Commission will be sending out Meghdoot postcards to three lakh voters requesting them

to cast their votes in the May 16 Assembly polls in the Union Territory, Puducherry.

25. Parliament Passes Anti-Hijacking Bill, 2016

Parliament has passed the Anti-Hijacking Bill, 2016 to widen ambit of law dealing with this anti-hijacking crime.

The Bill was first passed in the Rajya Sabha and later in the Lok Sabha in May 2016.

Now the Bill will go for Presidential assent as per Article 111 of Indian Constitution.

26. Web-based application on Integrated Waste Management System launched

The Ministry of Environment and Forests on 9 May 2016 launched a web-based application on Integrated Waste

Management System (IWMS).

The system’s web address is www.iwms.nic.in.The user-friendly application is capable of tracking the movement of

hazardous waste.

27. Parliament passes bill on potable alcohol

Parliament has passed the Industries (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2015 after with the Lok Sabha adopted

certain amendments made by the Rajya Sabha.

The Bill seeks to amend the Industries (Development and Regulation) Act, 1951 that provides for development and

regulation of certain industries.

28. Parliament passes Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code Bill, 2016

The Parliament has passed the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code Bill, 2016.

The code seeks to ensure time-bound settlement of insolvency, faster turnaround of businesses and create a unified data base

of serial defaulters.



http://www.iwms.nic.in/


It provides for setting up Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) to regulate professionals, agencies and

information utilities (IUs) engaged in resolution of insolvencies of companies.

It also provides for establishment of National Companies Law Tribunal (NCLT) and Debt Recovery Tribunals (DRT) as

nodal adjudicating authorities for resolution of insolvency, liquidation and bankruptcy.

As per the code, in case of insolvency the interest of the workers must be fully protected and they should be given dues for 24

months.

29. Reliance Jio launches JioMoney Wallet service

Mukesh Ambani-owned Reliance Jio Infocomm has launched digital wallet service, named JioMoney Wallet, for Indian

consumers.

JioMoney is a semi-closed prepaid wallet that aims to enable mobile-based transactions.

Using it customers can store money and use it for purchasing goods and services.

30. Govt fixes ceiling price of 54 drug formulations

Pharma prices regulator NPPA has fixed ceiling price of 54 drug formulations used for treatment of cancer, diabetes

rheumatoid arthritis, bacterial infections and hypertension.

It has also fixed the retail price of 11 drugs.

31. Bajaj Auto Finance inks pact with India Post

Motorcycle finance company Bajaj Finance Ltd has entered into an arrangement with post offices across India to enable

buyers get information through brochures available at the Post Offices, as well as apply for 2-wheeler loans from Bajaj Auto

Finance.

32. BHU completes its 100 years of glorious existence

Banaras Hindu University, a name of excellence, scientific researches and technological innovations, was founded in 1916 to

help promote the sustainable development, growth and eradication of poverty, this glorious institution of excellence has

completed 100 years of its eventful journey.

This globally reputed temple of learning was established by Mahamana Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya in 1916.

33. Uday Kotak sole Indian financier in Forbes' most powerful list

Kotak Mahindra Bank Chief Uday Kotak, who has a net worth of about $7.1 billion, is the sole Indian in Forbes' list of 40 of

the most powerful people in the financial world who control the flow of trillions of dollars around the global economy.

He is ranked 33rd in the Forbes list of 'Money Masters: The Most Powerful People In The Financial World' .

The list is topped by Blackstone Group's CEO Stephen Schwarzman, who has a net worth of $10.2 billion and oversees assets

worth $344 billion.

34. Union Cabinet gives nod to India, Mauritius agreement on cooperation in Cooperatives

The Union Cabinet has given its approval for signing of an Inter-Governmental Agreement between India and Mauritius on

cooperation in cooperatives and related fields.

The Agreement provides for promoting cooperation between both countries through short and medium term programmes

within the framework of the joint activities.

It will be valid for duration of five years after which it can be automatically extended for another five years.

35. Union Cabinet gives nod India, UAE Renewable Energy Cooperation Agreement

The Union Cabinet has apprised of a General Framework Agreement (GFA) on Renewable Energy Cooperation between

India and United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The GFA was signed in February 2016 in New Delhi during the official state visit of Crown Prince of UAE to India.

It aims at boosting bilateral cooperation between India and UAE in the field of new and renewable energy technologies.

36. Railways to constitute Mobility Directorate, Non-Fare Revenue Directorate

The Union Railways Ministry has decided to constitute two Directorates viz. Mobility Directorate (MD) and Non-Fare

Revenue Directorate (NFRD).




They will be established for creation of cross functional directorates to focus on different areas in line with the Railway

Minister’s budget speech.

Mobility Directorate will be constituted to focus on areas like speed enhancement.

38. SC upholds constitutional validity of penal laws on defamation

The Supreme Court has upheld constitutional validity of penal laws on defamation as the right to life under Article 21

includes the right to reputation.

Ruling in this regard was given by two-judge SC bench of Justices Dipak Misra and Justice Prafulla C Pant on combined

petitions filed by a number of politicians and public figures.

The petitioners had alleged that the provisions of criminal sanction act as a censoring device thus violate the freedom of

speech guaranteed by the Constitution.

39. Cabinet approves pact between Sebi, FSRA Abu Dhabi

The Union Cabinet approved signing of a pact between markets regulator Sebi and Financial Services Regulatory Authority,

Abu Dhabi for mutual co-operation and technical assistance.

It will promote further development of economic links and cooperation between the two signatories and will help create

conditions for development of securities markets in the two countries.

40. Cabinet approves country's first IPR policy

The Cabinet has approved the national intellectual property rights (IPR) policy with a view to promoting creativity,

innovation and entrepreneurship.

It aims to create awareness about economic, social and cultural benefits of IPRs among all sections of society.

41. SC slaps Rs 10 lakh on Spicejet for offloading disabled flyer

The Supreme Court directed budget airline Spicejet to pay Rs 10 Lakh as damages to a flyer, suffering from cerebral palsy,

who was forcibly offloaded in 2012, saying the manner in which she was deboarded depicts "total lack of sensitivity".

42. Indian Railways goes green as solar-powered train set for trial

Aiming to materialise its ambitious plan of harnessing solar energy to run trains, the Indian Railways is set to try its first train

powered by the solar panels in Jodhpur, Rajasthan.

Gopal Sharma, the PRO North Western Railways told ANI that the trial run of this train will be conducted by the end of this

month.

The first trial run will be conducted in the next three to four days in Jodhpur

43. UIDAI launches special enrolment drive in 4 States/UTs

The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) launched a unique initiative to enroll left over population for Aadhaar,

in four States and Union Territories, viz., Haryana, Goa, Chandigarh and Puducherry, where the Aadhaar saturation levels are

more than 100% (as per projected population figure of 2015).

As on May 12, 2016, over 101.26 crore Aadhaar numbers have been generated across the country.This pilot exercise in the

four States/Union Territories will be conducted between May 13 - June 15, 2016.

44. Cabinet nod for Rs 1,984-cr Delhi-Meerut Expressway stretch

The government approved widening of the crucial UP Gate to Dasna stretch of the Delhi-Meerut Expressway, to be built at

an estimated cost of Rs 1,983 crore, which will ease traffic congestion in the national capital.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by the Prime MinisterNarendra Modi, has given its approval

for development of 8/6 laning of Delhi-Meerut Expressway - Package-II-Uttar Pradesh Border to Dasna Section of NH-24 in

Uttar Pradesh.

The total length of the road will be approximately 19 kms.

45. EPFO paid ₹8,200 crore as monthly pension in 2015-16

The Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) disbursed ₹8,200 crore as monthly pension and ₹47,630 crore as

member benefits in 2015-16.

46. Centre approves setting up of Kalinganagar National Investment Manufacturing Zone




The Centre has approved the Odisha Government's proposal to set up Kalinganagar National Investment and Manufacturing

Zone in Jajpur district.

The Zone will be a mega industrial zone having a world-class township to cater to the needs of the investors.

47. India inks Project Collaboration Agreement with WHO

India has signed a historic Project Collaboration Agreement (PCA) with World Health Organization (WHO) for cooperation

on promoting the quality, safety and effectiveness of service provision in traditional and complementary medicine.

The PCA aims at supporting WHO in the development and implementation of the ‘WHO Traditional and Complementary

Medicine Strategy.

PCA for the period 2016-2020 will contribute to the global promotion of traditional Indian Systems of Medicine.

48. Modi, Sirisena release 'Simhastha Declaration' at Mahakumbh

The Prime Minister along with Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena have released ‘Simhastha Declaration’ at Ninora

village in Ujjain.

Both leaders addressed the concluding session of the three day International Vichar Mahakumbh held on side-lines of the

month-long Simhastha mela.

49. India, Bangladesh power ties with 21st-century nuclear deal

India has concluded a nuclear agreement with Bangladesh in a sign that the bilateral neighbourhood relationship is becoming

special.

The core of the new engagement is all 21st century — energy, connectivity, security.

The nuclear agreement is a three-document package that has been negotiated between the MEA and the Bangladesh

department of science and technology over the past few months.

50. India ranks 3rd in 'Renewable Energy Country Attractiveness Index'

India’s renewable energy sector has been ranked third in the Renewable Energy Country Attractiveness Index (RECAI) with

China at second and the US on top.

51. BHEL wins Rs. 1,600-cr order from NTPC, SAIL joint venture

State-run engineering firm BHEL has bagged a Rs. 1,600-crore order from a joint venture company of NTPC and SAIL to set

up a coal-based thermal power project in Odisha.

The 1x250 MW coal-based thermal unit will be set up at Rourkela Power Project on engineering, procurement &

construction (EPC) basis.

The Rs. 1,600-crore order for Stage-III of the brownfield power project, located in Rourkela district of Odisha has been

placed on BHEL by NTPC-SAIL Power Company (NSPCL).

52.Center launches INFRACON, ePACE and up-Scaled INAM PRO

Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways and Shipping Nitin Gadkari on 16 May 2016 launched three initiatives for

best practices in road transport sector.

These three innovative IT initiatives are: INFRACON, ePACE and up-Scaled INAM PRO.

These innovative IT initiatives are developed in house by National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation

Ltd (NHIDCL).

ePACE (Projects Appraisal & Continuing Enhancements) is an online integrated Management Information System.

INFRACON is the National Portal for Infrastructure Consultancy Firms and Key Personnel.

INAM PRO has been developed as a web-based application (www.inampro.nic.in) for Infrastructure and Material Providers.

53. National conference on ' Gaushalas ' organised in New Delhi

A day long national conference on 'gaushalas' has been organised by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate

Change and Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying & Fisheries.

54. IT dept launches e-nivaran portal to fast track taxpayers grievances

The Income Tax (IT) department has launched electronic grievance redressal system ‘e-nivaran’ to fast track taxpayer

grievances and ensure early resolution of their complaints.




In this regard, a separate and dedicated window for grievance redressal has been launched in the Income Tax Business

Application (ITBA).

The e-nivaran system also called as unified grievance management system seeks to integrate all online and physical

complaints gathered by the department, which will be monitored by the Assessing Officer of the case upto the supervisory

officers in a paperless environment.

55. Apple announces iOS App design and development accelerator in Bengaluru

Global Technology major Apple on 18 May 2016 announced a new initiative to support engineering talent and accelerate

growth in India’s iOS developer community.

The US-based company will establish a Design and Development Accelerator in Bengaluru.

It will provide additional, specialised support for the developers who make applications for Apple's iOS operating system.

The facility will also provide support and guidance on Swift, Apple’s programming language created to build apps for iOS,

Mac, Apple TV and Apple Watch.

The iOS App Design and Development Accelerator is expected to open in early 2017.

56. Union Govt launches Centre for Environmental Health

The Union Government has launched the Centre for Environmental Health in New Delhi to assess the impact of

environment-related problems on health.

The centre was launched by Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare J P Nadda on in New Delhi.It is a joint initiative

of the Tata Institute of Social Science (TISS) and Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI).

57. Taj Mahal in top 5 tourist attractions globally: Survey

Considered one of the most iconic wonders of the world, the Taj Mahal has been voted among the top five tourist attractions

in the world, second in Asia and led the popularity list in India, according to a leading travel planning and booking site Trip

Advisor.

The iconic 'monument of love' is ranked number 5 in the global list of the recently released TripAdvisor's Travellers' Choice

Landmarks Awards, which put Machu Picchu in Peru and the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Center in Abu Dhabi as the top

two destinations for travellers.

The Taj Mahal was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 for being "the jewel of Muslim art in India and

one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage."

58. President inaugurates Intelligent Operations Centre in Rashtrapati Bhavan

President Pranab Mukherjee inaugurated an Intelligent Operations Centre (IOC) in Rashtrapati Bhavan.

He also launched a mobile application ‘Monitor’ for transformation of President’s Estate into a smart township.

The President’s Estate will work around the ‘4H’ theme of a Humane, Hi-Tech, Heritage and Happy Township.

Intelligent Operations Centre (IOC) is a software solution to provide intelligent insights by collecting the rich data streaming

in from several sources within the Estate. It is designed by IBM.

59. Union Cabinet approves ordinance to keep state boards out of NEET

Union Cabinet has approved promulgation of an ordinance to keep state boards out of the ambit of common medical entrance

exams i.e. National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) for one year.

Through the ordinance, the order of the Supreme Court on NEET will be put on hold for a year i.e. for the academic year

2016-2017.

60. India lauded for Medicines with the Red Line campaign on antibiotics

The Global Review on Antimicrobial Resistance in its final report has appreciated India’s Medicines with the Red Line

campaign on antibiotics.

The global review was commissioned by the UK Prime Minister David Cameron in 2014 and was chaired by economist Jim

O’Neil.

India’s model of putting a red line on antibiotic packages to curb their over-the-counter sale can be used globally to counter

the rising threat of superbugs.

61. Centre sets up panel to relook defence spend




Union Government has constituted 11 members committee to recommend measures to enhance the combat capabilities of the

armed forces and re-balance the overall defence expenditure.

The 11-member committee will be headed by Lt Gen D B Shekatkar (retd).

62. Govt constitutes IEPF Authority

Government has constituted the Investor Education and Protection Fund (IEPF) Authority, moving ahead with efforts to

further strengthen the framework for safeguarding the interest of investors.

Recently, the government has constituted a six-member IEPF Authority under the chairmanship of Corporate Affairs

Secretary Tapan Ray.

63. Govt renames disability dept; 'divyang' replaces 'viklang'

The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities will now be known as 'Divyangjan' Sashaktikaran Vibhag in

Hindi, dropping the word 'viklangjan' from its previous nomenclature.

The development comes nearly five months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his radio address 'Mann Ki Baat' on

December 27, last year, had said physically challenged people have a "divine ability" and the term "divyang" should be used

in place of "viklang" for them.

The Centre had proposed the change in name of the department by amending the Government of India (Allocation of

Business) Rules, 1961.

Now, the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities ('Viklangjan' Sashaktikaran Vibhag) will be Department

of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities ('Divyangjan' Sashaktikaran Vibhag).The department, which works under

Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, facilitates empowerment of persons with disabilities.

64. Union Govt shortlist 13 Cities for Smart Cities Mission in 2nd batch

The Union Ministry of Urban Development has shortlisted 13 cities from 13 States/UTs in the list of second batch of Smart

Cities Mission.

This competition list was topped by Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh and was followed by Warangal in Telangana and

Dharmashala in Himachal Pradesh.

65. Union HRD Ministry to launch ASMITA, student tracking system

The Union Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) has decided to launch ASMITA, a student tracking system

programme.

ASMITA is acronym for All School Monitoring Individual Tracing Analysis and shall be launched under Shala Asmita

Yojana (SAY).

66. New website of Ministry of AYUSH and web portal for IDY launched

Minister of State (Independent Charge) for AYUSH Shri Shripad Yesso Naik launched the new website of the Ministry of

AYUSH and web portal for International Day of Yoga(IDY) in New Delhi.

The website http://ayush.gov.in has been developed as part of digital India programme, using content management

framework (CMF) approach.

67. Govt releases draft rules of Juvenile Justice Act 2015

No child between 16 and 18 years of age in conflict with law will be handcuffed or sent to jail or lock-up, according to the

draft rules of Juvenile Justice Act 2015 that was released on May 25.

The rules that were released by women and child development minister Maneka Gandhi detailing child-friendly procedures

for police, Juvenile Justice Board and Children’s court to deal with children in conflict with law.

68. Union Cabinet approves National Capital Goods Policy 2016

The Union Cabinet has given its approval for National Capital Goods Policy 2016 to give an impetus to the capital goods

sector and the Make in India initiative.

This is first ever policy for Capital Goods sector framed by the Union Government (Ministry of Heavy Industry & Public

Enterprise).

The main objective is to Increase production of capital goods from 2,30,000 crore rupees in 2014-15 to 7,50,000 crore rupees

in 2025. Increase exports from the current 27% to 40% of production.



http://ayush.gov.in/


69. Union Cabinet approves MoU

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi has given approval to several MoUs.

MoU between ISRO and United Arab Emirates Space Agency

The Union Cabinet has approved Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between Indian Space Research

Organisation (ISRO) and the United Arab Emirates Space Agency (UAESA) for cooperation in the exploration and user of

outer space for peaceful purposes.

The MoU seek to set up a Joint Working Group with members from ISRO and UAESA.

MoU between India & Maldives

The Union Cabinet has given its approval to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the Union Ministry

of Tourism and Ministry of Tourism of Government of Maldives.

The MoU was signed to strengthen cooperation in the field of tourism and under it Maldives will be instrumental in

increasing arrival from this important source market.

70. Union Cabinet gives approval to 6 new IITs

The Union Cabinet has given its approval to amend The Institutes of Technology (IIT) Act, 1961 for incorporation of 6 new

IITs.

This amendment will declare these 6 IITs as the institutions of national importance.

Six new IITs will come up at: Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh), Palakkad (Kerala), Dharwar (Karnataka), Bhilai (Chhattisgarh),

Goa, Jammu (Jammu and Kashmir).

Besides, Union Cabinet also gave its approval to convert of Indian School of Mines (ISM), Dhanbad into an IIT under the

ambit of the IIT Act, 1961.

71. Union Cabinet approves Amendments in the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950

The Union Cabinet has given its approval for introduction of two Bills in the Parliament for certain amendments in the

Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950.

These bills seek to modify the list of Scheduled Tribes in respect of five States, namely, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu,

Jharkhand, Tripura.

Assam: Inclusion of Boro, Boro Kachari, Bodo, Bodo Kachari and Karbi (Mikir) communities in the list.

Chhattisgarh: Inclusion of Bhuinya, Bhuiyan, Bhuyan, Dhanuhar/Dhanuwar,Kisan, Saunra, Saonra and Dhangad communities in the

list.

Jharkhand: Inclusion of Bhogta, Deshwari, Ganjhu, Dautalbandi (Dwalbandi), Patbandi, Raut, Maajhia, Khairi (Kheri) and Puran

communities in the list.

Tamil Nadu: Inclusion of Malayali Gounder, Narikoravan and Kurivikkaran communities in the list.

Tripura: Inclusion of Darlong community in the list.

Puducherry: Identification (First Order) of Irular (including Villi and Vettaikaran).

72. Apollo launches its first standalone fertility centre

Healthcare major Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Ltd has launched its first standalone fertility centre in Chennai with a promise

to offer quality infertility treatment backed by world class infrastructure and a team of experienced clinicians.

73. 20 Nirbhaya buses with multiple IT-enabled safety measures launched

Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has launched 20 Nirbhaya buses of Rajasthan State Transport

Corporation (RSTC).

These buses are fitted with multiple IT-enabled safety measures to better protect women passengers and keep anti-social

elements under check.

These buses were launched by RSTC as a pilot project under the NIRBHAYA scheme.

74. Union HRD Ministry launches Bharatavani Portal

The Union Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) has launched the multilingual knowledge portal

www.bharatvani.in

It was launched by Union HRD Minister Smriti Zubin Irani at Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh as part of Union Government’s

Digital India Mission.

The first knowledge portal of its kind in India will help the government to showcase the Indian culture and heritage to the

world.




Bharatavani is the largest online repository of dictionaries in India consisting more than 130 dictionaries, glossaries and

terminology books.

75. India fifth largest producer of e-waste: Assocham-KPMG Study

As per recent study conducted by Assocham-KPMG, India has emerged as the world’s fifth largest electronic waste (e-waste)

producer.

India discards roughly 18.5 lakh tonnes of e-waste each year and telecom equipment alone accounts for 12% of it.

76. Indian-American map experts sweep National Geographic Bee

Rishi Nair, 12-year-old Indian American student, has won the prestigious $50,000 National Geographic Bee competition in

which Indian-origin contestants maintained their dominance by sweeping all the top three slots.

Nair, a sixth grader from Florida, took top honours at the 28th annual National Geographic Bee held at the National

Geographic headquarters Washington.

As National Geographic Bee champion, Nair received a $50,000 college scholarship and a lifetime membership in the

National Geographic Society. He also wins a trip to Alaska and Glacier Bay National Park.

77.Modi announces 65 as retirement age for govt. doctors

Citing shortage of doctors, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced raising the age of retirement of government doctors to

65 years and said the Union Cabinet will give its nod to the decision this week.

The decision will cover all government doctors whether serving under states or the central dispensation.

78. Union Railways Ministry launches Rail Humsafar Saptaah

The Union Ministry of Railways has launched Rail Humsafar Saptaah, a week-long initiative to highlight significant

achievements made by Indian Railways in all spheres.

The Rail Humsafar Saptaah starting on 26th May 2016 will conclude on 1st June 2016.

Each day of the Rail Humsafar Saptaah will focus on a particular theme and the days have been named as:

26th May (Swachchta Diwas)

27th May (Satkar Diwas)

28th May (Sewa Diwas)

29th May (Satarkata Diwas)

30th May (Saamanjasya Diwas)

31st May (Sanyojan Diwas)

1st June (Sanchaar Diwas)

79. First bullet train to run in India by 2023

Railway minister Suresh Prabhu has said the first bullet train will run in India in 2023, heralding a new era in train operations

in the subcontinent.

The bullet train is expected to cover 508 km between Mumbai and Ahmedabad in about two hours, running at a maximum

speed of 350 kmph and operating speed of 320 kmph.

The 508-kilometre-long Mumbai-Ahmedabad high speed rail corridor will have a 21-km tunnel under the sea.

Estimated to cost about Rs 97,636 crore, 81 per cent of the funding for the project will come in the form of loan from Japan.

It is a soft loan for 50 years at 0.1 per cent annual interest with a 15-year moratorium.

80.PMO website launched in six regional languages

The official website of Prime Minister's Office is now available in six major regional languages — including Gujarati,

Marathi, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu and Bengali — as part efforts to reach out to people across the country.

The initiative is part of Prime Minister’s efforts to reach out to people and communicate with them in their own languages.

The initiative would further enhance the interaction between people from all parts of the country and the Prime Minister on

various issues concerning their welfare and development.

81. Trial run of High-Speed Spanish Talgo Train conducted in India

Nine-coach Spanish train Talgo’s trial run was conducted on 29 May 2016 on the Bareilly-Moradabad route of Uttar Pradesh.

It was conducted as part of the Railways’ strategy to increase the speed of trains.




The trail run was conducted by a joint team of the Railway Design Standards Organisation (RDSO) and Spanish train

manufacturer Talgo.

The nine-coach Talgo train hauled by a 4500 HP diesel engine was tested on the 90-km line as part of the first trial run. The

90-km distance was covered in 1 hour 10 minutes.

The trial run will be conducted in three phases on three routes.

First phase: Bareilly-Moradabadone route

Talgo is a lighter and faster vehicle with speed up to 115 km per hour.

82.NHAI awards Rs.2,640-cr Gujarat projects

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has picked builders for four-laning the Bhavnagar-Somnath national

highway stretch in Gujarat at a cost of Rs.2,640 crore.

The road connects religious and tourist places such as the Island of Diu, Somnath Temple, Gir National Park, Porbandar and

Dwarka.

83.India climbs three notches to 41 in global competitiveness

India’s global competitiveness rank rose three notches to 41 from a year ago due to significant improvement in exchange rate

stability, fiscal deficit management and efforts to tackle corruption and red tape, according to a survey by the Switzerland-

based IMD World Competitiveness Centre (WCC).

India was ranked 44th in 2015, according to IMD. The current ranking is lower than the 35th position it secured in 2012.

The U.S. is ranked third this year yielding the numero uno position to China Hong Kong followed by Switzerland.

84.Indian Railways, PEC sign MoU to set up Kalpana Chawla Chair

Union Ministry of Railways and PEC University of Technology have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for

setting up of Kalpana Chawla Chair on Geospatial Technology for Indian Railways at the University.

The MoU was signed in the backdrop of Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu’s Budget announcement in this regard.

The academic chair is being instituted in memory of Indo–American Astronaut and Alumnus of PEC Late Kalpana Chawla.

She was the first woman of Indian origin in space.

The Chair will be headed as Chairman by V.K.Gupta, Member Engineering, Railway Board and Manoj Arora, Director, PEC

University of Technology, Chandigarh as Co-chairman.

85.ONGC Videsh signs pact with SOCAR Trading

ONGC Videsh Ltd (OVL), the overseas arm of state-run explorer Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), announced it

has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with SOCAR Trading SA, the trading arm of Azerbaijan's government-

owned energy firm SOCAR, for foraying into oil trading business.

The objective of the MoU, signed in Geneva on 27 May, is to explore possibilities of joint marketing of OVL's crude oil

portfolio by leveraging SOCAR Trading's experience in oil trading.

The Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli (ACG) field is located off the coast of Baku and is said to be the largest oilfield in the Azerbaijan

sector of the Caspian basin.

SOCAR trading is the international marketing and development arm of State Oil Company of Azerbaijan republic (SOCAR).

86.Snapdeal opens data sciences centre in California

Online marketplace Snapdeal said it has established a data sciences centre in San Carlos, California to get top global talent

and build high-value solutions.

The centre will focus on big-data and advanced analytics to add clarity to Snapdeal's consumer-centric initiatives, help shape

business strategy and optimise the operational efficiencies using data.

87. Union Govt releases Indian Intellectual Property Panorama

Union Government has released Indian Intellectual Property (IP) Panorama to increase awareness and build sensitivity

towards IP in the SME sector, academia and researchers.

The IP Panorma is a single window interface for information on IP and guidance on leveraging it for competitive advantage.

It can be accessed at http://ict-ipr.in/index.php/ip-panorama.

88. India ranks 6th in 2015 top-10 manufacturers list: UNIDO report




India has been ranked sixth among the world’s Top-Ten largest manufacturing countries in the United Nations Industrial

Development Organization (UNIDO) 2015 Yearbook report.

China has topped the list followed by United States, Japan, Germany and South Korea.

UNIDO is a specialized agency in the United Nations and is member of the United Nations Development Group (UNDG). It

is headquartered in Vienna, Austria.

89. PM Narendra Modi conferred Saudi Arabia’s highest civilian honour

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred Saudi Arabia’s highest civilian honour- the King Abdulaziz Sash.

The prestigious award was bestowed upon Indian Prime Minister by incumbent Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz at

the Royal Court.

The award has been named after Abdulaziz Al Saud, the founder of the modern Saudi state.

90. SBI makes it easy with ‘State Bank of India NO Queue’ app

The country’s largest lender, SBI, has launched a virtual queuing mobile application that will help customers save on time.

The application is a mobile-based virtual queuing application for customers to book an instant queue ticket for select services

at select branches.

91 Union Govt launched Vidyut PRAVAH Mobile App

Union Power, Coal and New and Renewable Energy Minister of State (Independent Charge) Piyush Goyal on 31 March 2016

launched Vidyut PRAVAH- Electricity, Price Availability and Highlights mobile application in New Delhi.

The mobile application provides highlights of the power availability in India on real time basis.

The app will empower common people to demand 24X7 power from the states and will take transparency to the next level

and make state governments more accountable.

92. Union Govt launches Startup India portal and mobile app

The Union Government has launched the Startup India portal (http://startupindia.gov.in) and mobile application.

It was launched by the Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP) Ramesh Abhishek in New Delhi as an integral

component of the Action Plan of the Startup India.

93. Govt allots Rs 25834 cr food subsidy to FCI

The Government has released Rs. 25,834 crore to FCI as Food Subsidy on 05 April, 2016. In addition to this, wage and

means advance of Rs. 10,000 crore will be released shortly.

FCI is also raising short term loans from banks upto a maximum limit of Rs. 30,000 crore.

94. India's fastest train "Gatiman Express" flagged off from Delhi to Agra

Covered in tricolor balloons and marigold, India's fastest train "Gatimaan Express" on 05 April, 2016 made its debut run

from Delhi to Agra in 100 minutes.

95. PM Narendra Modi launches Stand up India scheme for SC/ST, women

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched the Stand-up India scheme aimed at providing credit to Scheduled Caste (SC),

Scheduled Tribe (ST), and women borrowers in the non-farm sector.

Composite loan between 10 lakh rupees and up to 1 crore rupees will be provided to SC/ST and women and also inclusive of

working capital component for setting up any new enterprise.

Refinance window through Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) with an initial amount of 10,000 crore

rupees.

Creation of a corpus of 5,000 crore rupees for credit guarantee through National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company

(NCGTC).

Under the scheme, 1.25 lakh bank branches will provide loans up to 1 crore rupees to SC/ST and women entrepreneurs.

96. Madhukar Gupta committee to suggest ways to tighten security along Indo-Pak border

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has constituted high-level committee to suggest ways to tighten security along

India-Pakistan border.

The committee will be headed by former Union Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta.

97. 3rd phase of Mission Indradhanush begins




The third phase of Union Health Ministry’s universal vaccination programme Mission Indradhanush began on 7 April, 2016.

It will cover 216 Districts across several States including Bihar, Gujarat, Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Uttar

Pradesh.

The diseases include diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, polio, tuberculosis, measles and hepatitis B.

98. ECoR becomes largest freight loading railway zone

The East Coast Railway (ECoR) Zone headquartered in Bhubaneswar (Odisha) has emerged as the largest Freight Loading

Railway Zone in the country in year 2015-16 in terms of revenue loading performance.

99. Union Cabinet gives nod to MoU between India and Sweden

The Union Cabinet has given its ex-post facto approval to Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Sweden

on Technical Cooperation in the Railway Sector.

100. Mother Dairy partners Delhi Daredevils as principal sponsor

Mother Dairy has partnered Zaheer Khan-led IPL cricket team Delhi Daredevils as its principal sponsor.

With this association, the brand Mother Dairy will be seen on Delhi Daredevils team jersey, along with the visibility at key

spots in the stadium on match days.

101. NTPC suspends power generation from Farakka

An unprecedented dip in the water level of Farakka feeder canal has yet again forced the country’s largest power producer,

National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), to suspend generation at five units of Stage I and II of the Farakka Super

Thermal Power Station.

102. Govt. inaugurates 'Namma Toilet' in Delhi under Swachh Bharat Mission

In a boost to the Swachh Bharat Mission, Union Urban development Minister Venkaiah Naidu inaugurated 'Namma Toilet' in

the national capital Delhi.

The mission targets to establish 2 lakh 56 thousand public toilets by 2nd October 2017.

103. Union Govt launches ISBN portal

The Union Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) has launched the International Standard Book Number (ISBN)

portal in New Delhi.

The ISBN portal seeks to facilitate publishers and authors to register for allotment ISBN online.

104. Union Govt constitutes B B Tandon Committee to monitor Govt Advt

The Union Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry has constituted a three-member Committee to see that guidelines

set for government advertisements by the Supreme Court are followed.

The committee will be headed by the former Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) B B Tandon.

Senior TV journalist Rajat Sharma and ad-man Piyush Pandey will be the other two members of the committee.

105. Union Govt gives nod to India’s first Metrino Pod Taxi project

The Union Government has approved country’s first Metrino Pod project i.e. personal rapid transit (PRT) network for

Gurgaon, Haryana.

It was announced by Haryana Public Works (Building and Roads) Minister, Rao Narbir Singh.

106. India tops Credit Suisse emerging consumers scorecard 2016

Indian consumers remain most optimistic, among nine nations surveyed by Credit Suisse, about their current and future

finances and relatively lower inflation expectations.

According to Credit Suisse Emerging Consumer Scorecard 2016, India topped the chart, while China and Saudi Arabia

shared the second position.

107. Snapdeal launches donation program 'Sunshine'

Delhi-based online marketplace Snapdeal has launched Snapdeal Sunshine, a program that allows users to donate to the nine

associated NGOs, who are in need of products.

The nine associated NGOs include HelpAge India, Teach For India and Care India.




After the donations get accepted, the donors would be able to track their donations which will be coming from Snapdeal's

inventory.

108. UN to observe 125th birth anniversary of Ambedkar

For the first time, United Nations (UN) will observe the birth anniversary of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, father of the Indian

Constitution on April 13, 2016, a day before his date of birth.

The main focus of this observance will be on combating inequalities to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

109. Centre to Issue Universal I-Cards For Differently-Abled People

Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Krishan Pal Gurjar said the Centre has decided to issue

universal identification cards for physically handicapped people across the country.

110. Centre approves Rs. 1,304 cr for drought relief to UP

The Centre has approved Rs. 1,304 crore for drought relief to Uttar Pradesh under National Disaster Relief Fund, NDRF.

The State government has been asked to disburse the amount directly into bank accounts of farmers within a week.

111. PM Modi inaugurates 3rd Asia Ministerial Conference on Tiger Conservation

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the third edition of Asia Ministerial Conference on Tiger Conservation at Vigyan

Bhavan in New Delhi to save wild tigers.

India is host of this edition of conference in which more than 700 tiger experts, scientists, managers, donors and other

stakeholders are participating.

112. India ranks 44 in 2016 Global Connectivity Index

Huawei has announced its third Global Connectivity Index report during the Global Analyst Summit 2016 in Shenzhen,

China.

The report sheds light on various global improvements in the field of internet connectivity.

In terms of numbers, United States, Singapore and Sweden top the rankings, while India is ranked 44.

113. EC partners with Facebook for Tamil Nadu polls

After joining hands with Twitter, Election Commission on 11 April 2016 announced its partnership with Facebook to reach

out to 31 per cent of the electorate in Tamil Nadu and achieve 100 per cent turnout.

114. Union Cabinet approves and gives nod for MoU between India, UAE

i. to check human trafficking:

ii. to adaptation of South Asia Wildlife Enforcement Network

The Union cabinet has given its formal approval for adopting the Statute of the South Asia Wildlife Enforcement Network

(SAWEN).

With this, India will become member of SAWEN, a regional inter-governmental body in combating wildlife crime in the

region and beyond.

SAWEN is regional inter-governmental wildlife law enforcement support body launched in January, 2011 in Paro, Bhutan.

iii. to MoU between India and Bangladesh on cooperation in the field of Fisheries

The Union Cabinet has given its approval for extension of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between India and

Bangladesh on cooperation in the field of Fisheries.

115. India, Germany sign Implementation Agreement on Ganga Rejuvenation

India and Germany have signed an Implementation Agreement for Ganga Rejuvenation under the Namami Gange

Programme in New Delhi.

It was signed between the Union Ministry of Water Resources and German International Cooperation (GIZ) of Germany.

116. PM Narendra Modi inaugurates Maritime India Summit 2016

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Maritime India Summit 2016 in Mumbai, Maharashtra.

The first of its kind two day summit (from April 14 to 16, 2016) will be held at the Bombay Convention and Exhibition

Centre in Goregaon, Mumbai.

South Korea is the partner country for the summit and will be represented by a high level ministerial and business delegation.




117. PM Narendra Modi launches Gram Uday Se Bharat Uday Abhiyan

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched ‘Gram Uday Se Bharat Uday Abhiyan’ (Village Self Governance Campaign),

an eleven day campaign (from 14th April to 24th April 2016), to strengthen Panchayati Raj in villages and ensure social

harmony in villages.

It was launched on the occasion of 125th birth anniversary of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar at his birthplace at Mhow, Madhya

Pradesh.

118. PM Narendra Modi launches National Agriculture Market portal eNAM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched National Agriculture Market portal eNAM to connect e-mandis in several States.

eNAM is an online inter-connectivity of e-mandis, aimed at ushering in much needed agriculture marketing reforms to enable

farmers to get better price of their produce.

e-National Agriculture Market (NAM) is a pan-India e-trading platform.

It is designed to create a unified national market for agricultural commodities.

Farmers can showcase their produce online from their nearest market and traders can quote price from anywhere.

119. Union Government imposes anti-dumping duty on N-Butyl Alcohol

The Union Government has imposed an anti-dumping duty of up to US 149 dollars on imports of N-Butyl Alcohol from five

countries viz.

120. MasterCard CEO Ajay Banga appointed as member of US cybersecurity body

US President Barack Obama has nominated MasterCard’s Indian-American CEO Ajay Banga as a member of the

Commission on Enhancing National Cybersecurity.

Mr. Banga is one of the 10 members of the Commission which also includes General Keith Alexander former Director of the

top US spying body National Security Agency (NSA).

121. India, South Korea ink MoU for cooperation and mutual assistance in development of Ports

India and South Korea have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for cooperation and mutual assistance in

development of ports.

It was signed by Union Road, Transport and Highways and Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari and South Korea Oceans and

Fisheries Minister Kim Young Suk in Mumbai, Maharashtra.

122. MoU signed to promote research with IMPRINT programme

To promote research in premier technical institutions through Impacting Research Innovation and Technology (IMPRINT)

programme, an memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed among 25 different ministries/departments of Government

of India, including ministry for human resource development.

IMPRINT, is a flagship national initiative of the government which was launched on November 5, 2014.

123. Govt renames Panagarh airbase after former IAF Chief Arjan Singh

The Union Government has renamed Panagarh Air Force Base of Indian Air Force in West Bengal as ‘Air Force Station

Arjan Singh’ in honour of the Marshal of the Air Force Arjan Singh.

It was renamed on the occasion of 93rd birthday of Arjan Singh.

Air Officer Commander-in-Chief of the Eastern Air Command, Air Marshal C. Harikumar unveiled the rechristening plaque.

This is first time in India’s defence history, a military installations has been named after individuals, especially when they are

alive.

124. Centre releases commemorative coin to mark Tatya Tope martyrdom day

The Union Government has leased a commemorative coin of 200 rupees and a circulation coin of 10 rupees on freedom

fighter Tatya Tope.

It was released by the Union Culture Minister Dr. Mahesh on the occasion of the Martyrdom Day of Tatya Tope in New

Delhi.

125. Beti Bachao Beti Padho Scheme extended to 61 more districts with low child sex ratio

The Union Government has extended the Beti Bachao Beti Padho Scheme in additional 61 districts across 11

States and Union Territories with low Child Sex Ratio.




It was announced by the Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi while addressing the function in New

Delhi.

126. PM Modi inaugurates superspeciality hospital in Katra

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 19 April 2016 dedicated the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Superspeciality Hospital to

the people of Jammu and Kashmir in Katra belt of Reasi district.

The 230-bed hospital has been set up by the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board with an investment of about Rs 300 crore

at Kakryal near Katra.

127. India, Mauritius ink MoU to promote traditional medicine

India and Mauritius have inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to promote cooperation in traditional medicine and

homeopathy.

The MoU envisages supply of traditional medicinal substances, exchange of experts, joint R&D and recognition of the

traditional systems of health and medicine in both countries.

128. Union govt. allots Rs. 800 crore to clean up polluted lakes in garden city

The Union government has earmarked Rs. 800 crore to clean up Bengaluru’s polluted lakes.

Last year, Bellandur lake saw frothing that rose to nearly six feet and, in some instances, caught fire.

129. The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi has given nod to various agreement and

MoU.

to expansion of India-Chile Preferential Trade Agreement

The Union Cabinet has given its approval for expansion of India-Chile Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) between both

countries.

Under the expanded PTA, India has offered concessions to Chile on 1031 tariff lines at 8-digit level with Margin of

Preference (MoP) ranging from 10 to 100%.

to operationalisation of IISER Tirupati

The Union Cabinet has given its approval for operationalisation of new Indian Institute of Science Education and Research

(IISER) at Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh.

The operationalisation IISER Tirupati will commence from the Academic Year of 2015-16 from a transit or temporary

campus.

to MoU on technical cooperation between India, Bhutan

The Union Cabinet has given its approval to Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Bhutan on Technical

Cooperation in the field of benchmarking, capacity building and bilateral exchange in Infrastructure Engineering.

130.Govt. renames Rajiv Gandhi Khel Abhiyan as 'Khelo India' The BJP-led NDA Government has revised the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Abhiyan (RGKA) scheme by merging it with Khelo India.

Khelo India scheme is based on Gujarat's model of Khel Mahakumbh under which the schools and colleges from different

parts of the country participate in about 27 disciplines.

131.Emirates Airline continues long standing relationship with ICC The International Cricket Council (ICC) and Emirates Airline, the world’s largest international airline, renewed a deal for an

additional seven years which confirms Emirates as a Global Partner for all ICC events from 2016-2023.

132. JK Tyres acquires Cavendish Industries for Rs 2200 crore JK Tyre & Industries today said it has completed acquisition of Cavendish Industries which houses three tyre business

undertakings of Birla Tyres at an enterprise value of Rs 2200 crore.

The plants are located at Laksar (Haridwar), which manufactures a range of tyre, tubes and flaps.

The acquisition has been funded through a combination of internal accruals and debt.

With this acquisition JK Tyres will have 12 manufacturing units across India and Mexico.

133. Union Commerce Ministry launches Twitter Seva for Start-Ups

The Union Commerce and Industry Ministry has launched a new service Twitter Seva to address issues and grievances of

startups, exporters and importers, and other stakeholders.




134. International Yoga Fest inaugurates

The three day International Yoga Fest: A Curtain Raiser for International Day of Yoga-2016 was inaugurated by the Minister

of State for AYUSH (Independent Charge) and Health & Family Welfare, Shri Shripad Yesso Naik in New Delhi.

135. ISRO Scientists develop world’s lightest material Silica Aerogel

Scientists from Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) have indigenously developed world’s lightest synthetic material

called ‘silica aerogel’ or ‘blue air’.

136. President Mukherjee inaugurates 2nd edition of `Global Exhibition on Services'

The second edition of Global Exhibition on Services (GES) 2016 has inaugurated by President Pranab Mukherjee at India

Expo Centre &Mart in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh.

137. Mahindra & Mahindra becomes first Indian company to join EP100 campaign

Automobile giant Mahindra & Mahindra has become the first Indian company to join a global energy campaign led by an

international non-profit group that will work with the world's most influential businesses in setting commitments to double

their energy productivity.

138. President nominates 6 eminent members to Rajya Sabha

President Pranab Mukherjee has nominated six eminent members to Rajya Sabha as per the provisions of Article 80 of the

Constitution.

These nominated members are

Mary Kom: Legendary boxer and Olympic bronze medallist.

Narendra Jadhav: He is renowned economist and former member of the erstwhile National Advisory Council (2010-

14) and Planning Commission (2009-14).

Suresh Gopi: He is Malayalam actor and had acted in over 200 films. He is a winner of the National Film Award and

Filmfare Award.

Swapan Dasgupta: He is journalist by profession. He had worked at senior editorial positions in various publications

including The Indian Express, India Today and The Times of India.

Subramanian Swamy: He is BJP leader and was elected to the Lok Sabha in 1977, 1980 and 1988, and to the Rajya

Sabha in 1974 and 1998.

Navjot Singh Sidhu: He is cricketer-turned-politician and former two time member of Lok Sabha.

As per Article 80 (Part V) of the Constitution, President can nominate 12 members in the Council of States (Rajya Sabha).

139. Accenture launches cyber centre in Bengaluru

Global professional services company Accenture on 21 April said it opened a cyber centre in Bengaluru to expand its global

security presence and help organisations tackle complex security challenges.

140. Rs 842 crore assistance approved for Karnataka, Puducherry and Arunachal Pradesh

The Centre on 23rd April approved assistance of Rs 842.7 crore for Karnataka, Puducherry and Arunachal Pradesh, which

have been affected by drought or floods.

141. 6 Indians in TIME's 100 most influential people

RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan, tennis star Sania Mirza, actress Priyanka Chopra, Google CEO Sundar Pichai and founders

of Flipkart Binny Bansal and Sachin Bansal have been named by Time magazine in its list of the '100 Most Influential People

in the World'.

142. Uber partners with FICCI, Gujarat Tourism for soft skill training

Cab aggregator, Uber has entered into a partnership with Gujarat Tourism and FICCI in Ahmedabad city to facilitate training

for Uber driver-partners.

The training is designed and conducted by Ace Driving & Road Safety Education Pvt Ltd on areas of Safe Driving and

Interpersonal Skills of the drivers, in order to improve the overall rider experience in Gujarat.

143. India, France launch $1 Trillion Potential Solar Programme under ISA




India and France have launched a programme with $1 trillion Potential Solar Programme under the International Solar

Alliance (ISA).

It is a solar finance programme that aims at helping developing countries to fully harness their solar resources for a clean

energy future.

144. India’s first online interactive heritage portal Sahapedia launched

The Union Government has launched India’s first online interactive heritage portal named Sahapedia was in New Delhi.

The web portal is a collaborative knowledge resource on the arts, culture and heritage of India.

Sahapedia is a not-for-profit society headed by former TCS chairman S. Ramadorai, who currently helms the National Skill

Development Agency.

145. Union Govt notifies new rules to revamp SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act

The Union Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry has notified new rules to give effect amended Scheduled Castes and

Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

The new rules seek to tighten provisions to ensure speedy justice to members of the SC/ST community.

146. Heart of Asia conference begins in New Delhi

The Heart of Asia (HoA) conference begins on 26 April in New Delhi.

The conference is with the objective of bringing peace and stability to Afghanistan and speeding up its reconstruction with a

focus on enhancing investment and connectivity to the country.

147. Union Govt constitutes committee for doubling farmers’ income by 2022

The Union Government has recently constituted 8-member inter-ministerial committee to prepare a blueprint for doubling

farmers’ income by 2022.

The committee will be headed by Ashok Dalwai, Additional secretary at the Union Agriculture Ministry and is expected to

submit the report in two months.

148. Parliament passes Sikh Gurdwaras (Amendment) Bill, 2016

The Parliament has passed the Sikh Gurdwaras (Amendment) Bill, 2016 to remove given to Sahjdhari Sikhs to vote in the

elections to members of the Board and the Committees.

The amendment bill first was passed in the Rajya Sabha in March 2016 and later in the Lok Sabha in April 2016.

The amendment bill removes exception given to Sahjdhari Sikhs in 1944 to vote in the elections to members of the Board and

the Committees constituted under the parent Act.

149. Union Tourism Ministry launches NMA’s NOAPS web portal

Union Tourism Ministry has launched National Monuments Authority Web Portal called NOC Online Application and

Processing System (NOAPS).

The web portal will provide single window clearance for applicants to get no-objection certificates (NoC) within six working

days for construction-related works near the 3,686 protected monuments in the country.

Under the present rules, hundred meters area around the monument is a prohibited zone. While the area between 100 to 300

metres is regulated zone for which no-objection certificate is needed for construction-related works.

The time limit for availing NoC was 90 days.

150. Centre to sell 11.36% stake in NHPC

The government will kick-start its Rs 56,500-crore disinvestment programme on 27 April when it will sell 11.36 per cent

stake in power producer NHPC through an offer-for-sale issue, which is likely to fetch the exchequer Rs 2,700 crore.

The government holds 85.96 per cent in NHPC and selling 11.36 per cent would help it comply with minimum public

shareholding norms of 75 per cent sovereign holding in state-owned companies.

151. Govt to provide Rs 1 lakh per month to Rio-bound athletes

Union Sports Ministry has decided to provide one lakh rupees per month as out of pocket allowance to the sports persons

under the Target Olympic Podium scheme in their preparation for the Olympics and Paralympics Games at Rio de Janeiro.

77 Indian athletes in eight disciplines have qualified for the Olympics till date and many more are likely to qualify in the next

two months.




Target Olympic Podium (TOP) scheme is a sports ministry initiative under which Olympic medal prospects are funded by the

government for top class training as part of their preparations for the Games.

152. Shyam Benegal Committee Recommendations on the functioning of Censor Board

The Shyam Benegal headed committee constituted by the Union Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry has submitted

its report to Union I&B minister Arun Jaitley.

The committee was tasked to look holistically into the functioning of the censor board and revamp the film certification

nuances by Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).

153. India banned import of milk, some mobile phones from China

India has banned import of milk and milk products, certain mobile phones and a few other items from China after finding

them sub-standard or not following security codes.

Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in Lok Sabha that India banned import of milk and milk products from China

as their quality was unacceptable.

Sitharaman said some mobile phones, which do not carry International Mobile Station Equipment Identity number or other

security features, and some steel products have also been banned from importing from China.

154. Union Railway Ministry to set up Rs 1 lakh crore Rashtriya Rail Sanraksha Kosh

The Union Railway Ministry has decided to create a 1 lakh crore rupees safety fund named Rashtriya Rail Sanraksha Kosh to

strengthen safety measures on the rail network to prevent accidents.

The Rashtriya Rail Sanraksha Kosh will be a non-lapsable fund which will be utilised for safety measures.

155. Union Govt makes panic button, GPS compulsory in all mobiles

The Union Government has made mandatory for mobile manufacturers to add in-built panic button and global positioning

system (GPS) in all phones from January 1, 2017 and 2018 respectively.

156. Videocon d2h ties up with Vodafone m-pesa

Videocon d2h has tied up with Vodafone m-pesa, where the former’s customers can recharge their d2h service using

Vodafone m-pesa.

157. The Union Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given approval to MoU and nod to

Agreements in New Delhi on 27 April 2016.

Gives nod to BPCL’s investment enhancement in Oman Refineries

The Union Cabinet has given its approval to enhance investment by Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) in Bharat

Oman Refineries Limited (BORL).

With this, the investment amount of BPCL could be enhanced upto a maximum of 3000 crore rupees by way of subscription

of convertible warrants or other instruments.

Gives nod to MoU between IRDAI and Insurance Authority of UAE

The Union Cabinet has given its ex-post facto approval for the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Insurance

Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) and the Insurance Authority of United Arab Emirates.

It will increase mutual understanding through the exchange of regulatory and relevant supervisory information.

Approves MoU between India and Papua New Guinea

The Union Cabinet has given its approval to Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Papua New Guinea

on cooperation in the field of Healthcare and Medical Science.

The bilateral MoU will encourage cooperation between the Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare of India and

Ministry of Health and HIV/AIDS of the Papua New Guinea.

Union Govt allows states to put stock holding limits on sugar

The Union Government has decided to allow States to impose and enforce stock limits on sugar in order to check the the

price rise of sweetener in the market.

The decision to bring sugar under the purview of stock holding limits on dealers of sugar was taken in Union Cabinet

meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi.

It will empower State and Central Government agencies to impose stock limits and regulate supply, storage, distribution and

trade of sugar in order to bring down sugar prices at reasonable level by curbing unscrupulous trading.




158. PM Narendra Modi to address US Congress on June 8

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been invited to address a joint meeting of the United States (US) Congress on June 8,

2016 during his visit to the US.

159. Parliament passes Industries (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2015

The Parliament has passed the Industries (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2015.

The Bill amends the Industries (Development and Regulation) Act, 1951.

Now it will go for Presidential assent as per Article 111 of the Indian Constitution.

The bill seeks to bring industries engaged in the manufacture of potable alcohol under the exclusive control of States in all

respects.

160. Parliament passes Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2016

Parliament passed Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2016 to include certain communities in the list

of Scheduled Castes (SC) from 4 states.

161. BSF to put tallest 'Tiranga' at Wagah border by January 2017

The Border Security Force (BSF) is planning to install the tallest national flag near the Attari-Wagah Joint Check Post,

famously known as the Wagah border.

The flag at 350 feet is part of BSF's expansion plans for the visitors' gallery at the site of the iconic Retreat ceremony.

The tallest tricolour can be seen both from Lahore as well as Amritsar.

Currently, Jharkhand holds the record of hoisting the largest tricolour - a massive 99X66 feet - on the country's tallest flag

post at 293 feet in Ranchi.

162. UJALA will be implemented across country by 2019

The Centre’s ambitious National LED programme - Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All (UJALA) - will be implemented

across the country by 2019.

A total of 9 crore LED bulbs were sold in the country since the scheme was launched a year ago on May 1, which means

people will get the benefit of Rs 5,500 crore in their electricity bills.

It will be implemented across the country by 2019.

163. Centre approves Rs.9,005 cr more investment for affordable housing

Ministry of Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation has approved an investment of Rs.9,005 cr for construction of 73,205 more

houses for Economically Weaker Sections in urban under Prime Minister's Awas Yojana in the States of Maharashtra, Punjab

and Jammu & Kashmir.

164. Reliance Defence inks strategic partnership pact with 3 Ukrainian state firms

Reliance Infra-led Reliance Defence Ltd has signed a strategic partnership agreement with 3 Ukrainian state firms to

collaborate on a range of military products.

165. Infosys unveils machine learning platform Mana

Infosys has launched a machine learning platform and strengthened its partnerships with Microsoft.

The platform is called Mana and aims to drive automation and bring in innovation amongst businesses.

166. PM releases UN-backed National Disaster Management Plan

To make the country disaster-resilient and reduce loss of lives, Prime Minister Narendra Modi released a National Disaster

Management Plan (NDMP).

This is the first ever national plan prepared in the country.

The Framework was adopted by member-states on March 18, 2015, at the third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk

Reduction in Sendai, Japan.

It provides for horizontal and vertical integration among all the agencies and departments of the government, the statement

read.

167. TRAI launches 'Do Not Call Services' mobile app




Telecom Regulatory Authority of India launched 'DND (do not call) Services' mobile application for managing unsolicited

commercial communications.

The regulation already exists and consumers can still complain UCC messages and calls through 1909 (toll free number), but

this app would make it more easier for consumers to report unwanted communications.

168. India gifts 2,000 bicycles to Nepal girl students

The Indian government has gifted 2,000 bicycles to poor Dalit girls studying in government schools in Banke, Siraha,

Dhanusha and Sarlahi districts of Nepal to stem the dropout rate.

These bicycles were handed over during functions organised in the respective districts by senior Indian Embassy officials,

including Deputy Chief of Mission Vinay Kumar.

The gifting of bicycles to the poor Dalit girl students was aimed at enhancing the literacy rate among girls in Nepal and also

to encourage girls from such families to enrol in schools.

169. India, World Bank sign agreement for efficient bus service

The Union Government and World Bank have signed a US 9.2 million dollar grant agreement for the Efficient and

Sustainable City Bus Service Project.

The grant agreement was signed under World Bank-Global Environment Facility (GEF) Programme.

170. PM Narendra Modi, Ashraf Ghani inaugurates Afghan-India Friendship Dam

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani jointly inaugurated the Afghan-India Friendship

Dam in Herat province in Western Afghanistan.

The dam was inaugurated during PM Narendra Modi’s first stop to Afghanistan as part of his five- nation tour which will

also take him to Qatar, Switzerland, US and Mexico.

The Afghan-India Friendship Dam was earlier known as Salma Dam.

It is built on the river Chist-e-Sharif in western Herat neighbouring Iran and is earth and rock fill dam.

171. Suresh Prabhu flags off Tiger Express

Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu flagged off IRCTC’s Tiger Express from Safdarjung station.

A semi-luxury tourist train, Tiger Express is launched to spread awareness among people regarding tiger conservation.

The itinerary has a tariff structure starting from Rs 38,500.

The package includes accommodation in air-conditioned rooms of three stars or equivalent ranked hotels for three nights,

sightseeing, food, inter-city transfers and travel insurance.

172. Union Govt to form new reserve battalion named after Maharana Pratap

Union Home Ministry has decided to form new reserve battalion will be raised and it will be named after Maharana Pratap.

It will be called Maharana India Reserve Battalion.

It was announced by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on the occasion of 475th birth anniversary of Maharana Pratap in

Gogunda in Udaipur district.

He also unveiled statue of Maharana Pratap in the ceremony.

173. India becomes co-chair of Working Group on Maritime Situational Awareness

India has become the co-chair of Working Group on Maritime Situational Awareness (WG-MSA) under Contact Group on

Piracy off the Coast of Somalia (CGPCS).

Decision in this regard, was taken through a consensus during the 19th Plenary Session of the CGPCS held in Mahe,

Seychelles from 31st May to 3th June 2016.

India was selected as co-chair in recognition of its pro-active role in combating the problem of piracy off the Somalian Coast

and in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

Seychelles is the current chairman of the CGPCS for the biennium 2016-17.

174. Piyush Goyal Launches “SURYAMITRA” Mobile App

Piyush Goyal, Minister of State (IC) for Power, Coal and New & Renewable Energy launched “Surya Mitra” mobile App at

National Workshop on Rooftop Solar Power.




The GPS based mobile app is developed by National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE) which is an autonomous institution of

Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE).

This App is a high end technology platform which can handle thousands of calls simultaneously and can efficiently monitor

all visits of Suryamitra’s.

175. PM Narendra Modi addresses US Congress

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the joint session of the US Congress on 8 June 2016.

Earlier PM Modi was invited to speak at the joint session by House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan.

He addressed the congress during his second official bilateral visit to the US after his trip in September, 2014.

This was PM Modi’s fourth visit to the US since he assumed office in May 2014.

With this PM Narendra Modi became the fifth Indian Prime Minister to address a joint meeting of Congress, and the first

since 2005.

176. Union Govt to introduce International Yoga Award Scheme

The Union Government on 8 June 2016 decided to introduce International Yoga Award Scheme.

The award will be introduced with an aim to promote yoga.

At present, the AYUSH ministry is working on the scheme and it will start giving the award from 2017.

Minister of State for AYUSH, Shripad Yesso Naik announced the plan in New Delhi while inaugurating the National Health

Editors' Conference.

The theme of the conference was Yoga for Holistic Health - Recent Researches.

177. Union Railways Ministry flags off Champaran Satyagrah Express train in Bihar

Union Railways Ministry has flagged off Champaran Satyagrah Express train at a function in Motihari, Bihar.

The train was flagged off by Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu.

This train will run between Bapudham, Motihari to Anand Vihar, Delhi.

Champaran Satyagrah Express train has been introduced to mark 100 years of the historic Champaran Satyagraha

(movement) launched by Mahatma Gandhi in 1917.

178. Union Ministry of Power launches Surya Mitra Mobile App

The Union Ministry of Power has launched Surya Mitra mobile App to serve customers in the field of renewable energy.

The app was launched by Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal at National Workshop on Rooftop Solar Power held in New

Delhi.

The App will serve customers at their doorsteps with quality installation, repair, and Observations and Measurements (O&M)

in the field of renewable energy.

179. Union Govt announces new Print Media Advertisement policy

The Union Information and Broadcasting ministry has framed a New Print Media Advertisement Policy for Directorate of

Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP).

The objective of the policy is to promote transparency and accountability in issuing of advertisements in print media.

180. Indian Railways launches Janani Sewa, optional catering Scheme on pilot basis

The Union Ministry of Railways launched three passenger service initiatives viz. a Janani Sewa for mothers, optional

catering in Rajdhani and Shatabdi trains on a pilot basis and a children’s menu on trains.

These services were launched by Union Railways minister Suresh Prabhu on 8th June 2016 in New Delhi.

Janani Sewa: Under this scheme hot milk, hot water and baby food will be available at railway stations.

181. Tata Power to acquire Welspun Renewables

Private power producer Tata Power Co. Ltd has agreed to acquire renewable energy company Welspun Renewables Energy

Pvt. Ltd.

In this regard, Tata Power’s renewable energy unit Tata Power Renewable Energy Ltd (TPREL) has signed share purchase

agreement to acquire Welspun Renewables Energy.

The transaction deal is sized at 9,249 crore rupees which is considered as largest transaction in renewables space in India.




182. AirAsia Group chief gets Overseas Citizen of India status

Malaysia’s AirAsia Group chief Tony Fernandes has been given the status of Overseas Citizen of India (OIC) by the Indian

government, amid concerns in certain quarters over control at budget carrier AirAsia India.

Fernandes, whose father was of Goa origin, announced this at a time when AirAsia India is celebrating its second

anniversary.

AirAsia India is a joint venture between AirAsia and Tatas, each holding 49 per cent stake.

183. BHEL commissions 195 MW unit at Muzaffarpur

Public Sector Power equipment manufacturer Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) has commissioned 195 MW unit at

Muzaffarpur Thermal Power Station in Bihar.

This is the second 195 MW unit to be commissioned by BHEL at the 2×195 MW Muzaffarpur Thermal Power Station Stage-

II of Kanti Bijlee Utpadan Nigam Limited (KBUNL).

184. Union Govt Launches Scheme for setting up 1000 MW CTU

The Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has launched a scheme for setting up of 1000 Mega Watt (MW)

Wind Power Project connected to transmission network of Central Transmission Utility (CTU).

The objective of the scheme is to facilitate supply of wind power to the non-windy states at a price discovered through

transparent bidding process.

185. Cabinet clears National Civil Aviation Policy

In a landmark move, the Union government approved a plan to replace a decade-old rule for allowing new domestic airlines

set up in India to fly on international routes.

New airlines, such as Vistara and AirAsia, can now fly to international routes after operating at least 20 aircraft in the

domestic market.

The new norms were a part of the National Civil Aviation Policy 2016 which was approved by the Union Cabinet.

According to the previous norm, also known as the ‘5/20 rule’, a domestic airline were allowed to go international only after

completing five years of domestic flying and operate at least 20 aircraft.

According to the new rules, new airlines will need to deploy 20 aircraft or 20 per cent of the total fleet size, whichever is

higher, on domestic routes in order to secure international flying rights.

186. PM Narendra Modi lays down 5-pillars for efficient tax administration

The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, on 16 June advised income-tax administrators to take steps to bridge the trust deficit

with taxpayers and strive to widen the taxpayer base to 10 crore from the current level of 5.43 crore.

In a first of its kind address to tax administrators at the two-day "Rajasva Gyan Sangam" in Delhi, Modi laid down 5-pillars

for tax administration to imbibe so as to deliver efficient administration to the countrymen.

The 5-pillars are revenue; accountability; probity; information and digitisation.

187. India to provide Rs 48 mn aid for college building in Nepal

India has pledged a financial assistance of Rs 48.84 million to Nepal for the construction of a college building in the capital

Kathmandu.

Ambassador of India to Nepal Ranjit Rae laid foundation stone of the building for Koteshwor Multiple Campus in

Kathmandu district.

The campus building is constructed with financial aid from India and the project is being implemented through District

Development Committee of Kathmandu.

India has provided a financial aid of nearly Rs 501 million to Nepal in the financial year 2015-2016 to help the quake-struck

country renovate, restore and upgrade its various religious, cultural and educational institutions.

188. Centre imposes 20 % duty on sugar exports

The Centre has imposed 20 per cent duty on the export of raw sugar to keep the domestic prices of sugar under check in the

country.

As per the government notification issued here, 20 per cent export duty has been imposed on the export of raw sugar - white

or refined sugar.




189. Union HRD Minister Smriti Zubin Irani launches a new initiative ‘Vidyanjali’

Inspired from Honourable Prime Minister’s vision to inculcate reading habits among children and create a reading culture at

school and community level, Union Minister for Human Resource Development, Smriti Zubin Irani dedicated ‘Vidyanjali’- a

school volunteer programme to the nation at New Delhi.

Vidyanjali, which is being implemented under the overall aegis of the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, will enhance the community

involvement in Government run elementary schools and effectively engage children in reading, creative writing, public

speaking, play acting, preparing story books etc.

190. Union Govt approve Ramayana & Krishna Circuits under Swadesh Darshan Scheme

The Union Government has approved Ramayana and Krishna Circuits under Swadesh Darshan Scheme of the Union

Ministry of Tourism.

These two tourism circuits were approved in the first meeting of National Committee on Ramayan Circuit and National

Committee on Krishna Circuit chaired by Union Tourism and Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma.

191. NRIs can now join NPS online through

The Union Finance Ministry has announced that non-resident Indians (NRIs) can now open National Pension Savings (NPS)

accounts online i.e. through eNPS if they have Aadhaar Card or Permanent Account Number (PAN) card.

Earlier, NRIs could open NPS accounts only through paper based applications by approaching Bank offices.

NPS is being regulated by the PFRDA (Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority), a regulator established by the

Finance Ministry.

192. Microsoft to design app for HRD Ministry’s SWAYAM

The technology giant Microsoft is going to design mobile application for Union Human Resources Development (HRD)

Ministry’s SWAYAM platform.

Under this platform ministry is going to launch 2000 Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) for over three crore students in

the year 2016.

Microsoft will be deploying the team of professionals to set up the state of the art mobile application.

In this regard, All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) has signed a deal of 38 Crore rupees with Microsoft.

Microsoft will be running the app for three years and later AICTE will take over it.

SWAYAM stands for Study Webs of Active-Learning for Young Aspiring Minds.

It is the Indian electronic e-education platform which proposes to offer courses from the high school stage to Post-Graduate

stage in an interactive electronic platform.

193. Union Govt approves 100% FDI in Aviation, Defence and e-commerce sectors

The Union Government has eased foreign direct investment (FDI) norms for nine sectors to give impetus to job creation and

ease of doing business in the country.

With these changes, India becomes most open economy in the world for FDI.

Some of these sectors are

Food products: In this sector, 100% FDI under government approval route has been approved. It will include trading

in food products including through e-commerce, in respect of food products manufactured or produced in India.

Defence Sector: Present FDI regime in this sector permits 49% FDI participation in the equity of a company under

automatic route. Now, FDI beyond 49% has now been permitted through government approval route, in cases

resulting in access to modern technology in the country or for other reasons.

FDI limit also has been made applicable to Manufacturing of Small Arms and Ammunitions covered under Arms

Act, 1959.

Pharmaceutical Sector: In this sector, 100% FDI under automatic route in greenfield pharma has been approved. FDI

up to 100% under government approval in brownfield pharma also has been approved.

Aviation Sector: 100% FDI under automatic route in Greenfield and Brownfield Airport Projects to aid in

modernization of the existing airports to establish a high standard.

Animal Husbandry: 100% FDI allowed in Animal Husbandry (including breeding of dogs), Aquaculture,

Pisciculture and Apiculture under Automatic Route without requirement of controlled conditions.

Single Brand Retail Trading: Entities undertaking single brand retail trading have been relaxed from local sourcing

norms up to 3 years.




Entities engaged in of single brand retail trading of products having ‘state-of-art’ and ‘cutting edge’ technology have

been relaxed from local sourcing norms up to 5 years.

194. SBI launches IT Innovation Start-up Fund to assist start-ups

India’s largest lender State Bank of India (SBI) has launched IT Innovation Start-up Fund to support start-ups in the financial

technology (fintech) space.

The fund has corpus of 200 crore rupees.

It will provide assistance of up to 3 crore rupees to a company registered in India for promoting their business innovations

using information technology for banking and related activities.

SBI already has launched InCube, a single window banking relationship support for startups to provide financial advisory

through their dedicated branch in Bengaluru.

195. Union Ministry of AYUSH releases Yog Geet for 2016 International Yoga Day

The Union Ministry of AYUSH Ministry has released a Yog Geet (Yoga song) for celebrating the second International Yoga

Day on 21 June 2016.

It has been produce and written by Dheeraj Saraswat. Music Director of the song was Sumanto Ray.It has been voiced by

Gandhar T. D. Jadhav and Ms. Gatha Jadhav.

The song also has backup vocals of Santosh Kshatriya and Sumanto Ray.

196. PM Narendra Modi, Sri Lankan President inaugurate Duraiappah stadium in Jaffna

Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena inaugurated Duraiappah Stadium in

Jaffna which was renovated by India.

Sri Lankan President Sirisena was present at the stadium in Jaffna while PM Narendra Modi joined the event through video-

conferencing from New Delhi.

The newly renovated Duraiappah Stadium has been named in honour of a former Mayor of Jaffna late Alfred Thambirajah

Duraiappah.

197. Railway Ministry launches two liberalized Policies

The Union Railway Ministry has launched two policies related to Parcel Cargo Train Express and Parcel Leasing.

They were launched by Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu.

They are Liberalised Comprehensive Parcel Leasing Policy (CPLP) and Liberalised policy on Parcel Cargo Express Trains

(PCET).

These policies were launched as part of 2016-17 Rail Budget announcements to make the policies related to Parcel Leasing

and Parcel Cargo Express more liberalized and customer friendly.

Liberalised CPLP: Under it the duration of parcel leasing scheme has been increased to 5 years from 3 years.

Liberalised policy on PCET: Under it duration of contract has been increased to 6 years from 3 years.

198. CLP India, Suzlon in pact for 100 MW solar project

Wind turbine maker Suzlon Group today said it has entered into a pact with CLP India for a 100 MW solar project at Veltoor

in Telangana.

CLP India acquired 49 per cent stake in SE Solar, a special purpose vehicle (SPV) set up by Suzlon, as per the agreement

signed between CLP India and Suzlon last week.

CLP India, a subsidiary of Hong Kong—based power company CLP, has the option to acquire the remaining 51 per cent in

future, the company said in a statement.

The project is expected to be commissioned by May and will be funded 80 per cent by debt and 20 per cent by equity.

India is a primary growth market for CLP, and the Veltoor solar project will make an important contribution to CLP’s

expansion plan.

199. Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose's statue unveiled in Malaysia

A bronze statue of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose has been unveiled at the Indian cultural centre premises here in the presence

of nine Indian National Army (INA) veterans, including three women.

During a visit to Malaysia last year Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced renaming of the Indian Cultural Centre

here as Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Indian Cultural Centre.




Malaysia has the second largest Indian-origin community in the world of around two million.

200. Union Govt bans use of cancer causing chemical potassium bromate as food additive

The Union Government has banned use of potassium bromate (KbrO3) as a food additive as it is carcinogenic.

Decision in this regard was taken by Union Health Ministry based on the recommendation of Food Safety and Standards

Authority of India (FSSAI).

FSSAI had recommended the Health Ministry to remove potassium bromate from the list of permissible food additives after a

study by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) found out that it is widely prevalent in bread and refined flour.

201. Centre gives nod to electronic park in Bhubaneswar

The department of electronics and information technology (DeitY), government of India gave its final approval for setting up

of a greenfield electronic park within the Infovally complex, a dedicated IT hub, on the outskirt of Bhubaneswar.

The park, to be set up under Electronic Manufacturing Cluster (EMC) scheme of the Centre, will come up on 203 acres of

land at a cost of Rs 205 crore.

Out of this, the government of India will give a grant of Rs 95 crore with the rest being contributed by the state government.

The money will be spent on creating common infrastructure for about 100 units to be housed within the park.

202. NHAI to spend Rs. 58 Crore to mitigate pollution effect on Wildlife

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has approved an estimated Rs 58 crore for a plan to mitigate the impact of

a vehicular pollution on Wildlife in Karnala Bird Sanctuary (KBS).

As part of the plan, it will widen a section of the Panvel- Indapur section of NH- 17, which has heavy traffic, as it directly

connects Mumbai and Goa.

The highway stretch constitutes about 1.5 km within the Karnala Bird Sanctuary under the Thane wildlife division of the

West Mumbai Wildlife Circle.

203. Union Cabinet extends deadline of UDAY scheme

The Union Cabinet has approved proposal of extending the deadline for implementing the Ujjwal Discom Assurance Yojana

(UDAY) by a year to March 31, 2017.

With this decision, states shall take over 75% of ailing DISCOM (Power Distribution companies) debt as on 30th September,

2015 by 31st March, 2017 by issuing Bonds.

It is considered as a significant step in realising the vision of proving 24X7 affordable and environment friendly Power for

All.

204. Vice President inaugurates the Second International Conference on Yoga

The two day-long International Conference on Yoga that started in Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi on 21 June, organized by

Ministry of AYUSH, as a part of International Yoga Day celebrations the Vice President Hamid Ansari.

The Vice President Hamid Ansari has said that Yoga can play a vital role in improving the health profile in developing

countries.

205. SBI in 'Hall of Shame' of banks funding cluster bomb makers

The State Bank of India (SBI) was named in the Hall of Shame list of 158 banking institutions that have invested billions of

dollars in companies making cluster bombs.

The list was prepared by Dutch campaign group PAX Worldwide Investments in Cluster Munitions report.

State Bank of India (SBI) is the only Indian entity on the list that includes global giants like JP Morgan, Barclays, Bank of

America and Credit Suisse.

The report looks at investments into companies involved in the production of cluster munitions.

206. Anju Bobby George quits as KSSC president

Ace athlete Anju Bobby George resigned as the president of the Kerala State Sports Council (KSSC), after her continuation in the post

had become untenable following the spat that she had with the Sports Minister E.P. Jayarajan on June 7.

207. LIC Chairman S K Roy resigns




S.K. Roy, the head of state-run Life Insurance Corp (LIC), the biggest single investor in the country, has tendered his

resignation two years before his term was due to end, two sources with direct knowledge said on June 23.

Roy has written to the finance ministry but his resignation is yet to be confirmed.

208. Tech Mahindra buys UK-based BIO Agency

Tech Mahindra snapped up UK-based digital transformation firm BIO Agency in an all-cash deal to expand its digital

portfolio.

The consideration is the enterprise value of £40 million plus surplus cash not exceeding £5 million as at the completion date.

The payment of £22 million and the surplus cash will be made upfront and the balance as deferred payments based on

company performance.

209. Centre launches India’s first pilot programme to run two wheelers on CNG

Union Government has launched a pilot programme to run two wheelers on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) in New Delhi to

curb air pollution in cities.

The project was jointly launched by Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Union

Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar at the CGO Complex CNG station.

The first-of-its-kind pilot programme in India to run two-wheelers on CNG has been launched by Indraprastha Gas Limited

(IGL).

It is being implemented by IGL under its “Hawa Badlo” movement along with GAIL (Gas Authority of India Limited).

210. India slips to 12th rank in millionaire population

India has slipped one place to 12th spot in terms of millionaire population, even as their numbers have grown marginally to

two lakh.

Last year, India was ranked 11th with 1.98 lakh such high networth individuals (HNWIs), according to a report by

Capgemini.

The report said 13 per cent of the global wealth managers feel that India has the biggest area of high net worth individual

wealth expansion through 2025, while the same is 27 per cent for China.

The global wealth is projected to reach $100 trillion by 2025.

211. Indian-origin lawyer Yasmin Sooka to chair UN commission on human rights in South Sudan

South African Indian-origin lawyer Yasmin Sooka has been appointed to chairman of three member UN commission

(committee) to monitor the human rights situation in South Sudan.

The committee was constituted by the United Nations Human Right Council (UNHRC) resolution 31/20 which was adopted

by consensus, the 47-member body.

212. PM launches Smart city Mission Projects in Pune

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the ‘Smart City Mission’ involving 83 projects from 20 different cities in the

country.The ambitious mission of Union Government was launched at function held at Pune’s Shiv Chhatrapati Sports

Complex one year after it was announced.

213. Cabinet clears mineral exploration policy

The National Mineral Exploration Policy (NMEP) on 29 June got the Cabinet approval, paving the way for auction of 100

prospective mineral blocks and boosting the country’s mining potential.

214. PM Narendra Modi releases book titled The Birds of Banni Grassland

Prime Minister Narendra Modi released a book titled “The Birds of Banni Grassland” in New Delhi.

The book was presented to the Prime Minister by the scientists of Gujarat Institute of Desert Ecology (GUIDE).

The Birds of Banni Grassland is book based on environment and consists of a compilation of the research work, relating to

more than 250 species of birds found in the Banni area of Kutch, Gujarat.

The GUIDE is located at Bhuj.

For over 15 years it has been studying the plant, bird and marine life in the Rann of Kutch.

215. India ranked 105th on global human capital index




India was ranked low at 105th position globally on a worldwide Human Capital Index, which measures countries’ ability to

nurture, develop and deploy talent for economic growth.

The Index was topped by Finland.

216. Majuli to become India’s first river island district

The Assam Government has granted district status to Majuli, a 400 square kilometres island in the Brahmaputra River.

With this it becomes India’s first river island district.

Decision in this regard was taken by the state cabinet meeting presided by Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal in Guwahati.

With this erosion-troubled Majuli island will become the 34th district of Assam. Earlier it was sub-division of Jorhat district.

217. BRICS Youth Summit to be held in Guwahati from July 1-3

The second BRICS Youth Summit will be held in Guwahati from July 1-3 with the theme 'Youth as bridge for Intra-BRICS

Exchanges'.

The subjects to be covered are skill development and entrepreneurship, social inclusion, youth volunteerism and youth

participation in governance.

218. Piyush Goyal launches URJA mobile app

Union Minister of State for Power, Coal and New and Renewable Energy Piyush Goyal on 16 June launched ‘URJA’- Urban

Jyoti Abhiyaan Mobile app on the side-lines of an on-going two-day conference of Power Ministers in south Goa.

It will enhance consumer connect with the Urban Power Distribution sector by providing information of IT enabled towns on

important parameters which concern the consumers like outage information, timely release of connections, addressing

complaints, power reliability, etc.

Goyal also launched the Pradhan Mantri UJALA (Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LED for all) Yojana in Goa with a target of

replacing approximately 15 lakh LED, bulbs impacting nearly five lakh households.

Under the scheme, consumers are entitled to three LED bulbs of 9 w each at a subsidised rate of Rs. 25/- as against the

market price of Rs. 300-350.

NEWS (STATES) 1. Maharashtra Govt launches Adi Praman app for caste validity certificate

Maharashtra Government has launched Adi Praman, a web-based application for state’s tribal population to get the caste

validity certificates online.

It was launched along with portal named [email protected] by Maharashtra Governor C Vidyasagar Rao.

2. South India’s first underground metro services flagged off in Bengaluru

South India’s first underground metro services flagged off in Bengaluru i.e. at East-West corridor (Purple Line) of Bangalore

Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL).

The underground metro corridor has been named as Namma Metro and was flagged off Dr BR Ambedkar station by the

Union Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu and Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. The newly inaugurated

28-km metro line has 5.12-km underground stretch and connects Cubbon Park to the City Railway station.

3. AP Govt launches Chandranna Bima Yojana

Andhra Pradesh Government has launched Chandranna Bima Yojana, an insurance scheme for the working class people.

The scheme was launched by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on the occasion of May Day in Vijayawada.

Any insured worker who meets an accidental death and permanent disability will be paid 5 lakh rupees.

Any insured worker who suffers partial disability will be paid 3 lakh rupees.

4. Andhra Pradesh Harita-Priya Agriculture Project wins 2016 WSIS Prize

Andhra Pradesh Agriculture Project has won the prestigious World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) 2016 prize in

the e-Agriculture category.

Harita-Priya (Harmonized Information of Agriculture, Revenue and Irrigation for a Transformation Agenda – Precision

Technology for Agriculture) Project is meant to collect very specific climate data from farms and give farmers personalised

information through SMS.




5. Gangavati to get Asia’s first Rice Technology Park

The Karnataka government has decided to go ahead with the establishment of Asia’s first Rice Technology Park at Gangavati

in Koppal district and a Maize Technology Park at Ranebennur in Haveri district on the public-private participation model as

a one-stop solution to all problems of rice and maize growers.

6. Two new train services in Kashmir Valley

Catering to the public demand, the Railways launched two new train services in Kashmir Valley to enhance the rail

movement in the region.

Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu launched two new train services, the new passenger trains between Banihal-Baramulla and

Baramulla-Budgam regions, through video conferencing.

7. Kalraj Mishra inaugurates Khadi Center in Srinagar

The Minister for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) Kalraj Mishra inaugurated a spinning and weaving centre

and marketing plaza for khadi goods in Srinagar.

At the centre -- Harmukh Khadi Gram Udyog Sansthan -- Mishra also distributed 25 model charkhas among local artisans at

a function.

The charkha is a symbol of resistance and can help maximum number of unemployed youth and women in far flung areas to

attain economic independence.

8. Gujarat Govt accords minority status to Jain community

The Gujarat Government has accorded minority status to the Jain community in the state.

In this regard state government has issued a government resolution (GR) giving minority status to the Jain community.

The decision has nothing to do with reservations and the new status will benefit the poor among the Jain community.

9. Telangana to set up monkey rescue, rehabilitation centre

A monkey rescue and rehabilitation centre will come up in Telangana's Adilabad district, which is known for a large simian

population.

The centre will be established as a pilot project at Chincholi near Nirmal town, about 200 km from Hyderabad.

The facility will be come up at a cost of Rs.2.21 crore, including Rs.1.56 crore as non-recurring expenditure and Rs.65 lakh

as recurring cost for the first year.

10. Saraswat Bank donates Rs 1 cr relief for drought in Maharashtra

Saraswat Bank, country's largest urban co-operative bank which recently crossed a total business of Rs 50,000 crore, has

announced donation of Rs 1 crore towards drought relief in Maharashtra.

11. Nagaland’s SMS-based Vehicle Monitoring Service bags award

The SMS-based Vehicle Monitoring System of Nagaland police has bagged the National Award for Smart Policing instituted

by Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).

The award for the Best Practice in the category of Road Safety and Traffic Management was presented to Nagaland Police by

Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Haribhai Parathibhai Chaudhary at a function in New Delhi.

12. Rural Sanitation Initiatives for Ganga Rejuvenation launched in Jharkhand

Union Minister for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Uma Bharti launched nine projects for

rural sanitation initiatives under Namami Gange Programme for conservation of river Ganga in Sahibganj, Jharkhand today.

The entire 83 Km. stretch of Ganga in Jharkhand will be covered under this programme.

The programme, to be implemented in a number of states, including Jharkhand, was allocated Rs.2,037 crore.

13. Odisha CM launches DBT scheme for farmers

Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik launched a 'Direct Benefit Transfer' scheme for the state's farmers.

The farmers can now get themselves registered online to purchase seeds and get the subsidy amount in their bank account

directly under the scheme.




14. Harish Rawat led Congress Govt wins the Floor Test in Uttarakhand

Harish Rawat-led Congress Government has won the floor test in the state legislative assembly conducted on 10 May 2016

on the order of the Supreme Court.

In the floor test Harish Rawat Government recieved 33 votes against 28 votes out of 61 qualified members who voted in the

assembly.

15. Gujarat govt to kick-start solar rooftop project for citizens

With an aim of scaling up the present solar power generation in Gujarat, the state government is now all set to launch its

much awaited project of grid-connected rooftop solar power units, wherein residential property owners will be encouraged to

install this new system.

The Solar Rooftop project was initiated by Gujarat Energy Development Agency (GEDA), which is the state nodal agency to

promote renewable energy.

16. UP Government approves ‘bicycle highway’ between Taj and lion safari

Uttar Pradesh Cabinet has given its approval to develop over 197 km long ‘bicycle highway’ from Agra up to the lion safari

in Etawah to encourage eco-tourism in vicinity of Taj Mahal.

Decision in this regard was taken by State Cabinet meeting presided by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav.

The bicycle highway will not run along the Agra-Etawah main road but will cover various historical and tourism centres.

17. Maharashtra govt declares ‘drought’ in 29,000 villages

Maharashtra government has declared drought in over 29,000 villages of the state, most of them in parched Marathwada and

Vidarbha regions.

The government issued a corrigendum clarifying that wherever reference is made to a ‘drought-like situation’, it would be

read as ‘drought’.

18. Kerala Bags 'Best Family Destination' 2016 Tourism Award

Kerala has once again been named as the best family destination in the country at the Lonely Planet Magazine India (LPMI)

Travel Awards 2016.

Kerala Tourism Director U V Jose received the award at a function in Mumbai on Monday.

Kerala Tourism had earlier won the Ulysses Prize of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation for its contribution as a

global leader to sustainable tourism.

19. J P Nadda to lay foundation stones of medical colleges in J&K

Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare J P Nadda will lay the foundation stone of three medical colleges, to be set up

at a cost of around Rs. 189 crore each, in Jammu and Kashmir on 15 May 2016.

These colleges will be set up at Rajouri in Jammu division, Anantnag in south Kashmir and Baramulla in the north.

20. Odisha Govt launches Green Passage Scheme for orphan students

Odisha Government has decided to launch Green Passage scheme for orphan students to ensure that they get free of cost

higher education in the state.

A proposal of the higher education department in this regard, was approved by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

21. Delhi Metro conducts trial run of country’s first driverless train

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) conducted the trial run of the country’s first ever Metro train equipped to run in

the driverless mode.

The train was ceremonially flagged off by Union Minister for Urban Development M. Venkaiah Naidu and Delhi Chief

Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

The driverless trains will run on the over 58 km-long Majlish Park-Shiv Vihar (Line 7) and the over 38 km-long Janakpuri

(West)- Botanical Garden (Line 8) corridors of the Phase-III.

22. Apple announces opening of its map development centre in Hyderabad

Apple officially announced the opening of its Hyderabad technology centre that will focus on the development of maps for its

mobile products.




The centre which has drawn in estimated investment of $25 million will employ up to 4,000 people.

23. World's largest rooftop solar power plant inaugurated in Punjab

World’s largest single rooftop solar power plant of 11.5 Mw capacity was inaugurated in Beas near Amritsar in Punjab by

Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal.

Spread at a single rooftop stretch of 42 acre at Dera Baba Jaimal, the project was synchronised earlier this year.

The EPC contractors for the project were Tata Power Solar and Larsen and Toubro.

The investment in this sector has steeply gone up from Rs 82 crore in 2012 to nearly Rs 10,000 crore now with an

employment potential of 12,500 jobs.

Punjab would achieve a target of 2552 MW of renewable energy generation by 2022.

24. BHEL commissions 250 MW thermal unit in Maharashtra

State-owned BHEL said it has commissioned a 250 MW thermal unit in Maharashtra.

The unit has been commissioned at Parli Thermal Power Station (TPS) located at Beed district in the Marathwada region of

Maharashtra, Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) said in a BSE filing.

The project is owned by Maharashtra State Power Generation Company (Mahagenco). This is the eighth coal-based unit

commissioned by BHEL at Parli TPS.

25. Himachal Pradesh Govt launches PEHAL

Himachal Pradesh Government has launched ‘PEHAL’, a vision document of the Shimla District administration for raising

education standards.

It was launched by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh in Shimla.

PEHAL is an attempt to integrate the various stakeholders in the development story of the district.

26. After liquor, Bihar govt bans 'gutka' and paan masala

After the prohibition of any type of liquor with effect from April 5, Bihar government has also decided to prohibit the

distribution, manufacture, storage, distribution, consumption, transportation, display or the sale of any type of 'gutka' and pan

masala containing tobacco or nicotine with effect from 21 May for a period of one year.

27. Cyclonic storm ROANU hits eastern coast of India

Cyclonic Storm Roanu, an active tropical cyclone in the Bay of Bengal has hit the eastern coast of India.

It is the first tropical cyclone of the annual cyclone season.

Roanu originated from a deep depression (low pressure) area that formed south of Sri Lanka and later gradually drifted north

and intensified into a cyclonic storm.

28. Gujarat Government launches Smart Village program

Gujarat Government has launched Smart Village program to improve public facilities in the villages.

It was launched by Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel on the occasion of completion of two years of her Government.

Under this programme, 300 villages will be selected for Smart Village program.

29. Diesel vehicles over 10 years banned in Kerala

In a landmark judgement, the National Green Tribunal Circuit Bench, in Kerala, banned light and heavy diesel vehicles,

which are more than 10 years old, in six major cities, including state capital Thiruvananthapuram and commercial capital

Kochi, in Kerala.

The order also prevented the state government from registering new diesel vehicles of 2000 cc and above, except those in the

public transport and government sector.

Upon expiry of 30 days from 23 May, if any vehicle is found to be violating this direction, it shall pay Rs. 5000 as

environmental compensation and this will be collected by traffic police or pollution control board.

30. Odisha Governor promulgates ordinance for official use of Odia

Odisha Governor Dr SC Jamir has promulgated Odisha Official Language (Amendment) Ordinance, 2016 to ensure use of

Odia in all government systems.

The ordinance was promulgated as per provisions of the Article 213 of the Constitution.




It empowers the state government to formulate laws to implement Odisha Official Language Act, 1954.

31. BHEL commissions 800 MW supercricital thermal unit in Karnataka

Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) has successfully commissioned the first 800 MW supercricital thermal unit in

Karnataka, which is also the highest rating unit in the State.

The unit has been commissioned at the 2x800 MW Yeramarus thermal power station (TPS) located in Raichur district of

Karnataka.

Yeramarus is being developed by Raichur Power Corporation Ltd (RPCL) – a joint venture of Karnataka Power Corporation

Ltd (KPCL) and BHEL.

32. Punjab and Haryana HC stays quota for Jats, five other communities in Haryana

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has stayed the reservation for Jats and five other communities provided by the Haryana

government.

The five other communities which were provided reservation under the Act were Jat Sikhs, Bishnois, Muslim Jats, Rors and

Tyagis.

They were entitled to 10 per cent reservation in government services and also admission to educational institutions.

33. Union Government approves NIMZ in Kalinganagar, Odisha

The Union Government has given its final approval to setting up of National Investment & Manufacturing Zone (NIMZ) in

Kalinganagar, Odisha.

It will come up on a massive area of 163 square kilometres and on completion will be the third NIMZ of India.

For execution NIMZ project, Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry has approved fund of Rs. 4241 crore.

Of this total amount, estimated Rs. 3816 crore will be invested for the first phase of the project which will be completed by

2020.

34.Lakshadweep becomes first UT to sign 24×7 ‘Power for All’ document

Lakshadweep became first Union Territory (UT) in the counry to sign 24×7 Power for All document.

The document was signed by representative of Union Government and administration of Lakshadweep.

The 24×7 Power for All document chalks out A plan to increase solar capacity from 2.15 MW to 8.45 MW of the island

region.

Envisions reduction of AT & C losses from current level of 21% to 6.7% till 2019 by increasing the collection efficiency up

to 99%.

35.J&K NCC girls scale Mt Everest

Three girls of National cadet Corps of Directorate Jammu and Kashmir have done the state proud by scaling the World’s

Highest Mount Everest.

The girls were part of first ever All Girls Mt Everest Expedition of the NCC which scaled the summit on May 21, 22.

The three girl cadets from J and K are Cadets Stanzlin Laskit, Tashi Laskit and Tsering Angmo.

36. Hyderabad Angels to invest Rs. 15 cr in 12 start-ups

Hyderabad Angels has committed investments to the tune of Rs. 15 crore in 12 start-ups in the current financial year.The

network has about 100 investors from India, the US, Japan and Singapore.

The network has so far invested Rs. 30 crore in over 20 start-ups.

37. Kachhabali becomes first liquor-free village in Rajasthan

Kachhabali village in Bhim tehsil of Rajsamand district has become the first in Rajasthan to liquor-free village.

38. Maharashtra first state to link colleges to national cancer grid

In a major step towards improvement of infrastructure for cancer cure, Maharashtra tied up with the Tata Trusts to link all

government colleges and medical colleges to the national cancer grid for uniform cancer profiling and quality treatment.

39. Delhi CM Kejriwal launches Green Delhi initiative




Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal launched the Green Delhi programme by planting trees at the Triangular Park at the ITO

Chowk.

The event comes on the eve of his promise to rid the Capital’s streets of dust — a major contributor to air pollution.

40. Nitish Kumar declares Bihar a dry state

Four days after promulgation of partial prohibition in Bihar on April 01, the Nitish Kumar government on 05 April,

2016 decided to impose a total ban on alcohol in towns and cities.

The decision to ban sale and consumption of India Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) in municipal and town council areas with

immediate effect was taken at a cabinet meeting.

The Nitish Kumar government had banned sale and consumption of country and spiced liquor in rural areas from April 1 this

year, but had allowed sale of foreign liquor in towns and cities.

41. World’s first White Tiger Safari opens in Madhya Pradesh

World’s first White Tiger Safari was inaugurated at Mukundpur in Satna district of Madhya Pradesh.

42. AP Govt signs pacts for Rs. 5,200-cr tourism projects

The Andhra Pradesh Government on 05 April signed 27 MoUs with several companies for tourism projects with an

investment potential of Rs. 5,200 crore.

The MoUs were signed at the concluding day of the 3-day Partnership Summit jointly held by the Confederation of Indian

Industry and the State Government.

43. Mumbai gets its first-ever AC local train

The first ever air-conditioned suburban local for Mumbai, which was flagged off from the Integral Coach Factory in Chennai

on March 31, has finally arrived in the metropolis on 05 April, and its trial run would take place within a week.

44. Odisha Govt launches 100 Adarsha Vidyalayas

Odisha government on 05 April has launched 100 Adarsha Vidyalayas and CBSE-affiliated English medium schools in 14

districts of the state.

Students of these model schools would get free education and all facilities like mid-day meal, uniform and textbooks free of

cost like other state government-run schools.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik dedicated these schools to the people at a function at Sasan Ambagaon under his constituency

Hinjli.

45. Anandiben Patel launches 'Maa Annapurna Yojna'

Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel on 06 April 2016 officially launched the state-wide implementation of National Food

Security Act, which has been renamed as 'Maa Annapurna Yojna (Scheme)' by the state government.

46. Gangwar inaugurates 3 mega projects in Nagaland

Union Minister Santosh Kumar Gangwar on 07 April 2016 inaugurated three mega textile projects in Nagaland.

These three projects included Apparel and Garment Making Centre in Dimapur, Muga P3 Basic Seed Station Kobulong in

Mokokchung district and newly approved Integrated Eri Silk Development Project under North East Textile Promotion

Scheme (NERTPS).

47. North East-ASEAN Business Summit kicks off in Imphal

The first-ever North East-ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Business Summit kicked off in Imphal, Manipur

with the focus on road connectivity, trade and tourism.

The two day summit has been organized by Manipur Commerce and Industries Department (MCID) in collaboration with the

Union Ministries of External Affairs and Development of North-Eastern Region(DoNER), Indian Chamber of

Commerce(ICC) and Indian Chamber of Service Industries(ICSI).

48. Agri Minister laid Foundation stone of Haryana's first Horticulture University

Union Agriculture and farmers Welfare Minister, Radha Mohan Singh laid the Foundation stone of Haryana State University

of Horticultural Sciences at Karnal, Haryana.

49. Rajasthan becomes the first state to pass land title Bill




Rajasthan state assembly passed the Rajasthan Urban Land (Certification of Titles) Bills, 2016 for providing statutory

backing to land records. With this Rajasthan has become the first state to pass land title bill for effectively guaranteeing land

and property ownership.

50. Sajibu Cheiraoba festival celebrated in Manipur with religious fervor

The traditional festival of Sajibu Cheiraoba was celebrated in Manipur to mark the beginning of a new year with cultural

gusto and religious fervor.

The festival is mainly observed on the first lunar day of the lunar month Sajibu (March/April) by the Meiteis community, a

majority ethnic group of Manipur.

51. ‘Green UP - Clean UP’ programme : Five crore trees to be planted in UP

The Uttar Pradesh government has directed all the district magistrates for plantation of five crore trees at 6,500 sites in 24

hours on a date fixed in month of July under the ‘Green UP - Clean UP’ programme.

Chief Secretary Alok Ranjan has directed all DMs that the coding of plantation sites should be done according to IGRS based

coding of NIC.

He said that all online data of plantation sites should be prepared with the cooperation of NIC to ensure effective district-wise

monitoring.

52. Haryana Govt decides to rename Gurgaon as Gurugram

Haryana Government has decided to rename Gurgaon as Gurugram.

State government also has renamed Mewat as Nuh.

53. Maharashtra becomes first state to pass law against social boycott

The Maharashtra legislature has unanimously passed the Maharashtra Prohibition of People from Social Boycott (Prevention,

Prohibition and Redressal) Bill, 2016 to end the menace social boycott practiced by extra-judicial institutions like caste and

community panchayats.

54. J-K govt announces Mufti Sayeed Food Entitlement Scheme

Jammu and Kashmir government launched Mufti Mohammad Sayeed Food Entitlement Scheme (MMSFES) to supplement

the National Food Security Act in the state.

55. Centre appoints Finance Secretary as liaison officer with J-K

The Centre has appointed Finance Secretary Ratan Wattal as the liaison officer with Jammu and Kashmir government to

ensure that the flow of funds to the state is fast-tracked for smooth implementation of Prime Minister's Development

Package.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in his meeting with Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on 13 April 2016 assured her of complete

cooperation on all the issues related to his ministry.

56. Delhi Govt bans sale of all forms of Chewable Tobacco for 1 year

Delhi government has banned the manufacture, distribution, storage and sale of all forms of chewable tobacco for one year in

the interest of public health.

The ban incudes all forms of chewable tobacco including scented, flavoured or mixed and sold in other forms such as gutkha,

pan masala, khaini and zarda.

57. Delhi ranked 44th among world’s 50 Future-ready Cities

National Capital of India, Delhi has been ranked 44th among the world’s 50 ‘future-ready economies cities’ that are

embracing technology for growth.

It was revealed by the recently released report ‘Future-Ready Economies Model’ by the Information Technology major Dell.

The list is topped by San Jose, followed by San Francisco, Singapore, London, Washington DC, etc.

58. Maneka Gandhi inaugurates regional conference of north-east states

The Minister of Women & Child Development, Mrs. Maneka Gandhi inaugurated a One Day Regional Conference with

North Eastern States in Shillong on the issues relating to Child Adoption.

The conference is being held at State Convention Centre, Shillong.




59. Maharashtra Govt to use hologram technique to check spurious liquor

Maharashtra Government has decided to make it mandatory to have a hologram on every alcohol bottle manufactured and

sold in the state in order to check sale of spurious liquor.

Henceforth, no liquor bottle will be allowed to be sold in the state without the hologram.

60. Maharashtra Government bans digging of bore wells beyond 200 feet

Maharashtra Government has banned digging of borewells beyond 200 feet in order to check the steep decline in ground

water level across the state.

61. HC quashes President rule in Uttarakhand

Dealing a major blow to Modi government, the Uttarakhand High Court on 21 April 2016 quashed the imposition of

President rule in the state and revived the Congress government headed by Harish Rawat, who has been asked to prove his

majority on April 29.

62. SC stays Uttarakhand HC’s order revoking President’s rule in Uttarakhand

The Supreme Court has stayed the judgement of the Uttarakhand High Court quashing the imposition of President’s rule

imposed under Article 356 in the Constitution till April 27, 2016.

With this President rule has been again restored in Uttarakhand as the High Court judgement will be kept in abeyance till the

next date of hearing of SC.

The apex court stay order came after the Union Government had moved the Court against the Uttarakhand High Court verdict

quashing President’s rule in the state.

63.National Food Security Act implemented in Manipur Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh declared that the National Food Security Act has been implemented in the State.

Mr. Singh made the announcement at a function organised by the Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution

department at Sangaiprou Godown.

The Act would lay stress on those possessing Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) cards.

64. Gujarat announces 10% quota for economically backward in gen category

The Gujarat government announced on Friday 10% reservation for the economically backward among upper castes, a move

apparently aimed at placating the influential Patidars who launched a violent agitation last year seeking quota benefits.

The decision, taken at a meeting of the BJP core committee headed by party president Amit Shah in Gandhinagar, will

benefit all upper caste families with annual income less than Rs six lakh.

65. EC launches mobile app e-voter for Kerala assembly polls

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has launched an innovative mobile application titled e-voter with comprehensive

details about the forthcoming 2016 Assembly polls in Kerala.

The app is envisaged for voters’ facilitation for search in electoral roll, information regarding candidates, location of polling

station, affidavit filed by them, filing of complaint and so on.

66. Cabinet nod to solar power plant of 200 MW at Jetsar, Rajasthan

The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, today gave its approval for utilisation of 400 hectares of

un-cultivable farm land at the Central State Farm (CSF), Jetsar in Sri Ganganagar District, Rajasthan for setting up of a solar

power plant of capacity exceeding 200 MW.

67. J&K Govt approves 5% interest subsidy for flood-hit traders

Jammu and Kashmir government on 27 April 2016 approved five percent interest subvention to flood-hit traders with effect

from 1 April 2016.

The decision will bring a major relief to September 2014 flood hit traders and business units.

The interest subsidy will have a cap of five lakh rupees per unit for a period of four years, that is, up to 31 December 2020.

The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti in Jammu.

68. Mindtree co-founder Subroto Bagchi to head Odisha Skill Development Authority

IT major Mindtree co-founder Subroto Bagchi has been appointed as head of the Odisha Skill Development Authority.




He would report directly to the Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and has been given the rank of cabinet minister with a token

monthly salary of Re 1.

69. Kohima declared 'smoke-free city'

Nagaland's capital Kohima was on 30 April declared as a 'smoke-free city'.

The official declaration was made by the Deputy Commissioner of Kohima, Rovilatuo Mor during the campaign for Smoke-

Free Kohima City organised by District Tobacco Control Cell under the Department of Health and Family Welfare.

70. Odisha CM launches 100 piped water supply projects

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on 30 April dedicated to the people 100 piped water supply projects for rural areas

and pledged to make piped water provision in all gram panchayats by 2017.

71. Rahuri in Ahmednagar becomes First to have Digi-Locker

Rahuri Municipal Council of Ahmednagar district in Maharashtra became the first Municipal Council to attain the status of

integrated with digital locker for the issuance of all essential Documents.

Sh. Ravi Shankar Prasad formally launched this service here as part of Digital India Programme.

72. Kashmir to witness Maha Kumbh on June 14

‘Dashar Maha Kumbh’ is being organised on the confluence of sacred rivers Sindhu and Vitasta in Ganderbal district of

Kashmir on June 14, after a period of 75 years, in which Kashmiri Pandits are expected to participate.

The Kumbh is being organised in Waskoora tehsil of Ganderbal district.

73. NBCC to launch Ganga cleaning project in Bihar

Public sector company NBCC (India) is set to kickstart projects aimed at cleaning the Ganga in Bihar.

In December last year, the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation hired NBCC to carry out

the feasibility study and conditional assessment of the river for entry-level activities in Bihar.

74. Delhi Govt launches VAT app for city traders

CM Arvind Kejriwal launched a mobile app through which city traders can register with the VAT department of the Delhi

government, a move that is aimed at boosting tax collection.

Kejriwal said through the `DVAT M SEWA ' app, traders won't be required to submit application for registration at the

department's office and justfill the form online.There is also no need for VAT inspector's visit at their premises.

75. Assam Assembly passes Ease of Doing Business Bill, 2006

Assam Assembly has passed Assam Ease of Doing Business Bill, 2016 to facilitate ease of doing business in the state.

The bill seeks to attract fresh investment in the state through an easy computerised clearance system.

The bill has the provision for speedy processing of applications and issue of clearances for setting up industries.

76. Khattar lays foundation stone of Jai Jawan Awas Yojana

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar lays the foundation stone laying ceremony of housing project Jai Jawan Awas

Yojana (JJAY) in Haryana's Bahadurgarh.

Khattar will be accompanied by Army Chief General Dalbir Singh and Western Army Commander Lieutenant General KJ

Singh.

A large number of Veer Senani and Veer Naris will be present for the ceremony.

77. Haryana Govt launches Asia’s first Gyps Vulture Reintroduction Programme

Haryana Government has launched Asia’s first ‘Gyps Vulture Reintroduction Programme’ at the Jatayu Conservation

Breeding Centre at Pinjore.

It was launched by state Chief Minister Manohar Lal by releasing 2 captive bred Himalayan Griffons vultures in the pre-

release aviaries close to the breeding centre at Pinjore.

78. Odisha becomes first state to give social welfare benefits to transgender community

Odisha became the first state in the country to give transgender people social welfare benefits – such as a housing, pension

and food grains.




This move seeks to give the transgender community in the state same benefits as those living below the poverty line (BPL) in

order to improve their overall social and economic status.

79. Gujarat unveils new policy to boost IT, start-ups in 5 years

As part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Make in India” and “Start-up India” moves, Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben

Patel, announced her government’s new policy for promotion of information technology (IT) and electronic start-ups,

envisaging setting up of 50 incubators to provide leadership and facilities to 2,000 start-ups over the next five years.

About 10 lakh square feet of space will be developed for incubators, targeting investment to the tune of ₹7,000 crore and

creation of new employment opportunities.

The BJP government also announced a slew of incentives for incubators and start-ups, including financial assistance of up to

₹50 lakh for fixed capital investment and up to ₹5 lakh per annum for guidance of start-ups.

They would be given 100 per cent waiver on stamp duty and registration.Also, they would get a rebate of 100 per cent

amount of electricity duty for five years and 50 per cent assistance for software purchase up to ₹1 crore to incubators.

80. Rajasthan Govt launches Mobile App RajVayu on Air Quality Index

Rajasthan Government has launched mobile application RajVayu for sharing information about air quality index of Jaipur,

Udaipur and Jodhpur.

The app was launched by Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje on the eve of World Environment Day (5th June).

With this, Rajasthan becomes first state in country to launch such app for sharing information about air quality index of

cities.

81. Delhi Govt approves first Solar Policy

The Delhi government has approved the first Solar Policy which aims at making the Capital an environment-friendly solar

city.

It was approved by Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal as it is part of one of Government’s 70-point

agendas.

The policy has been prepared by the Government of Delhi in consultation with the Dialogue and Development Commission

(DDC) after extensive consultations with local and international experts.

Recommends the installation of 1 GW (1,000 Mega Watts) solar power capacity in Delhi by 2020, which is proposed to be

doubled to 2 GW by 2025.

82. HP becomes first state to launch green-concept based State Data Centre

Himachal Pradesh became the first state in the country to have a State Data Centre (SDC), designed using green data centre

concept.

It was launched by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh in Shimla.

The SDC will offer 101 people-oriented services online through an integrated data base.

It would integrate the websites of various departments and all services can be accessed through the integrated data base.

83. Gangetic River dolphin declared city animal of Guwahati

Assam’s Guwahati became the first city in the country to have its own city animal after Kamrup metropolitan district

administration declared Gangetic River dolphin as its official mascot.

Gangetic River Dolphin locally in Guwahati is known as ‘Sihu’ and it is on the verge of extinction.Less than 2,000 Gangetic

river dolphins remain in the Brahmaputra River along Guwahati.

84. Delhi govt sets up committee to restore Capital’s water bodies

The 1,000-odd water bodies of Delhi, including village ponds, marshes, lakes and step wells, may finally get a fresh lease of

life.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal constituted a high-level committee to look into matters related to water bodies on the

National Green Tribunal’s orders.

The government-appointed committee will be headed by PWD minister Satyendar Jain.

Water minister Kapil Mishra, environment and forests minister Imran Hussain and Delhi Jal Board CEO Keshav Chandra

will be part of the committee.




85. Google, Tata Trusts launch ‘Internet Sathi’ in West Bengal to empower rural women

The Indian unit of search giant Google Inc and Tata Trusts have jointly launched ‘Internet Saathi’ program in Purulia district

of West Bengal.

The initiative has been launched as part of Google’s ‘Helping Women Get Online’ campaign, in order to create awareness

about the benefits of Internet among women in rural India.

The initiative will initially be rolled out with an objective to reach 1 lakh women in over 400 villages in Purulia district.

86. Maharashtra to observe 21st of every month as Yoga Day

The Maharashtra government has decided to celebrate the 21st day of every month as Yoga Day across all schools, colleges

and universities in the State.

It is also decided that every district will have to set up a Yoga Day committee at their levels to plan ‘Yoga Mahostav’ (Yoga

Festival) every year in between January 12 and 21 and a separate committee at the State level will monitor and coordinate

with these committees.

87. Telangana to set up 12,500-acre Pharma City near Hyderabad

The Telangana government today ordered setting up of a ‘Pharma City’ on 12,500 acres of land in Rangareddy and

Mahbubnagar districts.

88. Gujarat CM dedicates 6.4-km sub-sea power cable project

For the first time since Independence, Shiyal bet — off Gujarat coast having about 800 households with a population of 6,000

— was lit up after the Gujarat Chief Minister, Anandiben Patel, inaugurated the sub-sea marine cable power supply project in

Arabian sea off Pipavav Port in Amreli District.

The 6.4-km-long under-sea marine cable set up by the state discom, Paschim Gujarat Vij Company Limited (PGVCL), will

supply 24X7 electricity for this isolated village.

The village’s main economic activity is fishing, while the availability of electricity is likely to open new avenues other

commercial activity at the bet.

The total project cost was ₹18.5 crore, which was completed in two years.

89. Sikkim becomes India’s first State to launch open government data portal

Sikkim became the first state in India to have an open government data portal linked ‘sikkim.data.gov.in’.

The portal was launched by Lok Sabha MP, P D Rai and also launched Open Government Data Platform (Sikkim).

The portal has been developed by Government of Sikkim’s Information Technology Department and NIC team from Delhi.

90. Nitish announces Rs 25,000 for every rescued child labour

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar inaugurated 'Child Labour Tracking System (CLTS)' in order to keep a track of rescued

Child Labour for their proper rehabilitation besides announcing financial help of Rs 25,000 for every rescued child labour to

be given from Chief Minister's Relief Fund.The money would directly go to their bank account.

The prominent demands of rescued children are- more schools with all facilities, residential schools for such children,

training facilities in order to get job, a year (from Aug 15, 2016 to Aug 14, 2017) be declared and celebrated as child year etc.

91. 'Mission Madukkarai Maharaj' to translocate wild elephant

Navakkarai, a small sleepy hamlet tucked away near the Western Ghats, on the Coimbatore Highway, has suddenly started

bustling with activity thanks to ‘Mission Madukkarai Maharaj’.

The operation, as weighty as it sounds, involves tranquillising, transporting and translocating a 27-year-old wild tusker that

has been spreading terror in this part of the world with frequent jaunts to human habitations.

The Forest Department has set up a base camp at Navakkarai for the purpose.

However, following objections from wildlife enthusiasts, the operation was renamed ‘Mission Madukkarai Maharaj’.

92. Haryana govt approves climate resilient agri practices project

To make agriculture production system more flexible to climate change, Haryana government approved a Rs 25 crore project

that will benefit 75,000 farmers.

The state level steering committee, which met under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary D S Dhesi, approved the detailed

project report of this ambitious project.




Climate resilient agriculture practices include all possible methods that are required to make agriculture production system

more flexible to climate change.

93. Maharashtra Govt decides to use plastic waste in building roads

The Government of Maharashtra on 15 June 2016 decided to use plastic waste, along with tar, to build roads.

It aims at improving the durability and longevity of asphalt roads and reducing soil pollution caused by plastic.

The directive was given in the light of guideline released by the Union Government in November 2015 to deal with the

growing problem of disposal of plastic waste in India's urban areas.

94. Kolkata-Ashuganj-Tripura transit facility between India, Bangladesh becomes operational

Kolkata-Ashuganj-Tripura transit facility under the revised Inland Water Transit and Trade Protocol between India and

Bangladesh became operational.

The transit facility was signed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Dhaka in June 2015.

It was officially inaugurated on 16 June 2016.

95. Assam Govt launches Maitree Ek Gyan Yatra initiative

The Assam Government has launched a unique initiative ‘Maitree Ek Gyan Yatra’ to link primary schools to high schools to

colleges.

The purpose of the programme is to change the mindset of the teachers, as in some places in states teachers of a school

considered it below their dignity to teach the lower level students.

Under the initiative, college teachers will take classes in high schools and high schools teachers will teach in primary schools

voluntarily.

Initially it will be launched at in Sivsagar district of state and later will be implemented across the state.

96. Punjab Govt launches Mukh Mantri Punjab Hepatitis C Relief Fund

The Punjab government has launched a special fund “Mukh Mantri Punjab Hepatitis C Relief Fund” to provide free treatment

for patients affected by Hepatitis C.With this initiative, Punjab became the first Indian state to provide free treatment to

confirmed cases of Hepatitis C.

The fund will have initial corpus of 20 crore rupees.

97. Andhra Postal circle releases stamps on Yoga booklet

To commemorate the 2nd International Day of Yoga, Andhra Pradesh Postal circle on 21 June 2016 released “Information

booklet, Stamps on Yoga” and “12 stamps on Suryanamaskarams”.

The booklet contains illustrations and description of 24 yoga asana (postures). It also provides a brief description on the

various Yoga postures depicted in the original Stamps.

The booklet contains four Commemorative stamps released in 1991 on various yoga postures-- Bhujangasana, Dhanurasana,

Ushtrasana and Utthita Trikonasana.

98. Maharashtra Govt grants minority status to Jews

Maharashtra Government has accorded minority status to Jews in the state as per the provisions of the Maharashtra State

Minorities Commission Act, 2004.

Decision in this regard was taken at the state cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in Mumbai.

With this, Maharashtra becomes second state in the country to accord minority status to Jews after West Bengal.

With minority status, the Jews in the state can be counted independently as a religious minority along with Muslims,

Christians, Buddhists, Sikhs, Parsis and Jains.

99. Ambubachi Mela begins at Kamakhya Temple

The Ambubachi Mela got under way at the celebrated Shakti shrine of Goddess Kamakhya atop the city’s Nilachall Hill from

23rd June.

The areas in and around the Kamakhya Temple turned into a sea of humanity, with devotees and visitors alike descending in

their hordes on the inaugural day.

100. Rs. 1,742 crore approved to revamp Mahatma Gandhi Setu in Patna




The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on 22nd June approved the repair and reconstruction of the 5.575-km-long

Mahatma Gandhi Setu (bridge) over the Ganga River in Patna.

The bridge will be constructed after dismantling the damaged pre-stressed cantilever arms superstructure and subsequent re-

decking by steel truss at a cost of Rs. 1,742.01 crore.

The total length of the road to be redeveloped is 144 km.

101. Nagaland Governor launches women's helpline

Nagaland Governor P B Acharya launched women helpline - 181 in the premises of District Hospital Dimapur in Nagaland

and also inaugurated Sakhi, a one stop Centre, intended to support women affected by violence both in private and public

spaces under one roof.

Minister Social Welfare and Parliamentary Affairs, Kiyaneilie Peseyie who was also present appealed to the people to extend

co-operation for strengthening the security of women.

102. Coca Cola to set up plant in Uttarakhand's Sitarganj

Coca Cola will set up a bottling plant in Sitarganj in 70 acres of land to be provided by the Uttarakhand government after the

beverage giant had to cancel its plan to establish a unit at Chharba village in the state on environmental grounds.

The company recently has asked the State Industrial Development Corporation of Uttarakhand Limited (SIDCUL) to clear its

stand on water, Common Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP) and other issues in the 1,700-acre Sitarganj industrial estate.

Coca Cola will set up the plant with the total investment of Rs 400-500 crore and has submitted an Earnest Money Deposit of

Rs 1.26 crore.

103. Suzlon commissions 4.2 MW wind project

Wind turbine maker Suzlon Group announced the completion and commissioning of its 4.20 MW maiden wind project for

Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation.

The project, located at Nakhatrana, Kutch, comprises of two units of Suzlon’s latest product variant, S97 120 meter hybrid

tower wind turbine.

104. Darjeeling zoo gets a male snow leopard

The Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park (PNHZP) in Darjeeling, West Bengal has received a male snow leopard

named Makalu from London’s Dudley Zoological Gardens.

The male snow leopard will be used for en-situ breeding conservation programme at PNHZP.

It will also help to balance the poor sex ratio of the Darjeeling zoo (8 female and 1 male) which is hampering the breeding

programme.

105. World Bank approves $63 million for Tejaswini Project in Jharkhand

The World Bank Board approved the 63 million US dollar project, Tejaswini: Socioeconomic Empowerment of Adolescent

Girls and Young Women in Jharkhand.

Tejaswini is the first World Bank project in India that is solely focused on the welfare of adolescent girls and young women.

The project will support adolescent girls and young women between the ages of 14 and 24 to complete their secondary level

education.

It will also help them to acquire relevant skills for the job market.

106. AP govt inks deal for Rs 10,000 crore gas-based fertilizer project

The Andhra Pradesh government signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with a three-nation consortium of China

Huanqin Contracting and Engineering Corporation, LEPL Ventures Private Limited and Isomeric Holdings to set up a gas-

based fertilizer project at Krishnapatanam with an investment of Rs 10,183 crore.

107. Exercise Jalrahat for flood relief in Assam commences

The much awaited event, Exercise JALRAHAT commenced on 29 June at Narangi Cantt.

The exercise JALRAHAT is a joint initiative taken by the Assam State govt and the armed forces that is being led by

GAJRAJ Corps with full support from HQ Eastern Command.

NEWS (WORLD)




1. UN launches Multi-Partner Trust Fund for Zika virus response

The United Nations has launched UN Zika Response Multi-Partner Trust Fund (MPTF) to finance critical unfunded priorities

in the response to the Zika outbreak.

The fund was launched by the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon at the UN Headquarters in New York, United States.

2. Pak human rights activist Khurram Zaki gunned down in Karachi

A leading human rights campaigner and blogger who was instrumental in filing cases against Lal Masjid cleric Mullah Abdul

Aziz and other right wing radicals in Pakistan was shot dead in Karachi, once again putting a question mark on Prime

Minister Nawaz Sharif’s campaign against religious extremism in the country.

Khurram Zaki, 40, who edited the blog Let Us Build Pakistan (LUBP) which claimed to “spread liberal religious views and

condemned extremism in all forms” was shot dead while his companion was seriously injured as they sat outside a Karachi

eatery for dinner.

3. Indian-origin Murali Pillai elected to Singapore Parliament

An Indian-origin lawyer Murali Pillai from Singapore’s ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) has been elected member of the

parliament.

He got elected by garnering 61.21 per cent of the votes in the by-election held at suburban Bukit Batok constituency.

With this victory, Mr Murali became the first PAP candidate to win a by-election in a single member constituency in more

than three decades.

4. Google launches free public Wi-Fi service at five railway stations

Google announced the launch of its free high-speed public Wi-Fi service at Ujjain, Jaipur, Patna, Guwahati and Allahabad

railway stations.

This is in continuation with its project to provide high-speed public Wi-Fi service at 100 Railway stations across India by end

of the year.

5. Mauritius investors to be taxed from Apr 2017

The government has gained the right to tax capital gains arising in Mauritius from sale of shares acquired on or after April 1,

2017, in Indian companies.

India and Mauritius signed a protocol for amendment of a three-decade-old double taxation avoidance agreement. The

agreement was signed in Port Louis.

During a transition period of two years, the tax will be limited to half the Indian tax rate. The full tax rate will kick in from

2019-20.

6. India to develop regional connectivity projects worth $5 billion in South Asia

India is planning to develop regional connectivity projects worth $5 billion in South Asia, Economic Affairs Secretary

Shaktikanta Das told at the South Asia Sub-regional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) 2025 workshop.

The South Asia Sub-regional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) Program brings together Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the

Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka and is supported by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

7. 26th World Economic Forum on Africa inaugurated at Rawanda

Rwanda is hosting the 26th World Economic Forum on Africa (WEF) in its capital Kigali from 11 to 13 May under the

theme: Connecting Africa's Resources through Digital Transformation.

The event will focus, among other things, on how to diversify economies, tackle inequality and strengthen collaborations

among countries.

8. World's largest Cargo Aircraft lands in Hyderabad

The world's largest cargo aircraft, Antonov AN-225 Mriya - or the Dream, made its first landing in India at the Rajiv Gandhi

International Airport in Hyderabad on 13 May 2016.

It will halt at the GMR-owned Shamshabad Airport for 20 hours for refuelling and rest for crew during a flight from Prague

to Perth with 130 tonnes of energy equipment for a Western Australian mining company.

9. India, China and four others courtiers sign pact on tax info sharing




India and other 5 countries viz. Canada, Iceland, Israel, New Zealand and China have signed OECD’s (Organisation for

Economic Co-operation and Development) Multilateral Competent Authority Agreement in Beijing (China).

The multilateral agreement aims at boosting automatic exchange of information on tax issues and developing new tools to

tackle the tax evasion.

10. Central Asian state leaders inaugurate CASA-1000 power project in Tajikistan

Central Asian state leaders inaugurated the Central Asia South Asia (CASA-1000) transmission line near Dushanbe in

Tajikistan.

Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, Afghan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah and Kyrgyz Prime Minister Sooronbay

Jeenbekov jointly launched the project alongside Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

11. World's Oldest Ground-Edge Stone Axe Found in Australia

Work by the team of researchers showed the fragment came from an axe that had been shaped out of basalt then polished by

grinding it on a softer rock such as sandstone until it was very smooth.

Australian archaeologists on 11 May 2016 announced that they have discovered a piece of the world's oldest axe. The axe

was discovered in the remote Kimberley region of Western Australia.

12. UNWTO and China to organize First World Conference on Tourism

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the Government of the People’s Republic of China will organize the First

World Conference on Tourism for Development in Beijing on 18-21 May 2016.

Under the theme ‘Tourism for Peace and Development’, the event aims to kick start a high level debate on the contribution of

tourism to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

13. Kenya to close Dadaab, world’s biggest refugee camp

The Kenyan Government has decided to close Dadaab refugee camp which is often referred to as the world’s largest refugee

camp over the issue national security.

The camp is home to 330000 refugees mostly from Somalia who have fled from the civil war in their country.

14. Italian Parliament approves same-sex civil unions

The Italian parliament on 11 May 2016 passed legislation legalizing same-sex civil unions, with 372 voting in favour, 51

against and 99 abstaining.

With this, it has become the last country in Western Europe to do so.

The bill to this effect was approved by the Senate on 25 February 2016 and the Chamber of Deputies on 11 May 2016.

15. World's first robot lawyer hired by US firm

The world's first artificial intelligence lawyer has been employed by a law firm in the US, which will use the robot to assist

its various teams in legal research.

The robot called 'ROSS' is built upon Watson , IBM's cognitive computer.

16. China plans to build more than 500 Airports by 2020

China plans to build more than 500 airports by 2020 to create a market worth over USD 153 billion for its general aviation

industry.

The country will have more than 500 general aviation airports in a number of places, including major agricultural and forest

regions and over 50 per cent of five scenic tourist spots by 2020.

It also plans to increase the number of general aircraft, including helicopters and private jets, to more than 5,000 by 2020.

China had announced plans to invest USD 723.8 billion in the next three years to improve the country's well laid out

infrastructure which includes development of airports to boost investment-led growth to halt the economic slowdown.

17. World's largest rooftop solar power plant inaugurated in Punjab

World’s largest single rooftop solar power plant of 11.5 Mw capacity was inaugurated in Beas near Amritsar in Punjab by

Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal.

Spread at a single rooftop stretch of 42 acre at Dera Baba Jaimal, the project was synchronised earlier this year.




According to Wikipedia,the Mandalay Bay Resort Convention Centre, Las Vegas in the United States is next biggest solar

photovoltic power station in the world having 6.4 megawatts (Mw) capacity.

The EPC contractors for the project were Tata Power Solar and Larsen and Toubro.

The investment in this sector has steeply gone up from Rs 82 crore in 2012 to nearly Rs 10,000 crore now with an

employment potential of 12,500 jobs.

Punjab would achieve a target of 2552 MW of renewable energy generation by 2022.

18. US House approves move to bolster defence ties with India

The US House of Representatives has approved a bipartisan legislative move to bolster defence ties with India and bring it at

par with other NATO allies in terms of sale of defence equipment and technology transfer.

It urges the U.S. government to enhance India’s military capabilities in the context of combined military planning, and

promote co-production/co-development opportunities.

19. International Buddhist conference begins in Nepal

A two-day international Buddhist conference to mark the 2,560th birth anniversary of Lord Buddha began in Nepal with

Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli, advocating Buddhism as a means to avoid extremism in all forms.

The theme of the Conference is "Lumbini, Nepal: the birth place of Lord Buddha and the fountain of Buddhism and world

peace".

20. Beijing-New Delhi Yoga Conference opens in China

Over 1,000 Chinese yoga practitioners gathered for a group performance in Kunming city to open the China-India Yoga

Conference.

The conference from May 18 to 22 will feature activities including courses from Indian yoga masters and yoga introductions

for communities.

21. First World Conference on Tourism for Development held in Beijing

The first World Conference on Tourism for Development (WCTD) was held in Beijing, China from May 18 to 21, 2016.

It was held under the theme ‘Tourism for Peace and Development’ to advance the contribution of tourism to the UN

Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

The event will be jointly organized by the Government of China and United Nations World Tourism Organization

(UNWTO).

Its focus was on discussion to align national development strategies of countries with the SDGs and the role of public and

private partnerships (PPP) in the 2030 SDGs.

22. UN appoints Mary Robinson, Macharia Kamau as special envoys for El Nino, Climate

United Nations (UN) Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has appointed Mary Robinson and Macharia Kamau as UN’s Special

Envoys for El Nino and Climate.

These appointments come at a time of great urgency as the drought and flooding associated with El Niño have created

massive needs across the world.

The El Niño has worst affected four regions of East Africa, Southern Africa, Central America and the Pacific.

23. World Bank launches $500 million insurance fund to fight pandemics

The World Bank is launching a $500 million, fast-disbursing insurance fund to combat deadly pandemics in poor countries,

creating the world's first insurance market for pandemic risk

Japan has committed the first $50 million towards the facility, which will combine funding from reinsurance markets with the

proceeds of a new type of World Bank-issued high-yield pandemic “catastrophe” bond, the bank said.

The facility was developed in conjunction with the World Health Organization and reinsurers Swiss Re and Munich Re,

which are acting as insurance providers.

24. US lifts embargo on sales of lethal weapons to Vietnam

United States has fully lifted its embargo on sales of lethal weapons to Vietnam, its one-time enemy.

This move of US removed a lingering vestige of the Cold War that was seen in South East Asia in 1970’s.




It was announced by US President Barack Obama during his official state visit to Vietnam and after talks with Vietnamese

President Tran Dai Quang.

US Arms embargo on Vietnam has been in place since 1984 over the human rights issue.

25. World's first functioning 3D-printed office opens in Dubai

Dubai has opened what it said was the world's first functioning 3D-printed office building, part of a drive by the Gulf's main

tourism and business hub to develop technology that cuts costs and saves time.

The printers - used industrially and also on a smaller scale to make digitally designed, three-dimensional objects from plastic

- have not been used much for building.

26. 1400-Km Long Road To Connect India, Thailand, Myanmar

India, Thailand and Myanmar are working on a 1,400-kilometre long highway that will link India with Southeast Asia by

land for the first time in decades, giving a boost to trade and cultural exchanges between the three countries.

The planned highway starts in the eastern region of India from Moreh to Myanmar's Tamu city.

The road will help in transportation of goods and further development of SMEs in North East India, he said, adding the tri-

nation highway exemplifies India's "Act East" policy.

27. India, Australia sign pact to boost horticulture research

India and Australia have signed a pact to boost horticultural research in a bid to develop and deploy modern tools of plant

biotechnology to improve crop productivity with a funding commitment of up to Australian $ 6 million over a period of three

years.

28. Sadhguru to lead yoga session at UN on 2nd International Yoga Day

Spiritual leader and Isha Foundation founder Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev will lead a yoga session at the UN on the occasion of

the second International Yoga Day next month.

The International Yoga Day will be commemorated on June 21 and this year's focus will be on the theme of Yoga for the

Sustainable Development Goals.

29. Barack Obama becomes first US president to visit Hiroshima bomb site

Barack Obama became the first incumbent US president to visit Hiroshima memorial, site of the world’s first atomic

bombing dropped on August 6, 1945.

He paid tribute to the 140,000 people killed by the world’s first atomic bomb attack and laid wreath at Hiroshima nuclear

memorial.

30.India, Australia sign MoU to enhance R&D capabilities in biotech

India and Australia have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance research and development (R&D)

capabilities in biotechnology by launching a joint funding call.

The MoU was signed between India’s BIRAC (Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council) and Horticulture

Innovation Australia.

It seeks to stimulate and enhance the strategic research and innovation capabilities of the Indian biotech industry.

31. 4th Nuclear Security Summit begins in Washington

The fourth edition of Nuclear Security Summit (NSS) began in Washington, United States to discuss a gamut of issues

pertaining to nuclear security.

The fourth summit is the last summit under the current format and also under the presidency of Barack Obama.

32. FICCI signs pact with AIBC

In a bid to further strengthen and promote business ties with Australia, FICCI on 01 April, 2016 announced inking an MoU

with Australia India Business Council (AIBC).

The agreement was signed in the presence of the visiting Finance Minister Arun Jaitley during the ‘Invest in India Round

Table Conference’.

33. World’s first public dengue vaccination programme launched in Philippines




The world’s first public dengue vaccination programme was launched in the Philippines with a French drug Dengvaxia

(world’s 1st dengue fever vaccine) to combat mosquito-borne disease.

Several hundred children aged between 9 and 10 were vaccinated with the injections in front of government health workers at

a public school in eastern Manila.

Mexico was first country in the world to approve first-ever Dengvaxia Dengue fever vaccine for the public use and

Philippines was the first county in Asia to allow it.

34. India, Saudi Arabia ink 5 agreements to boost bilateral co-operation

The agreements were signed during the two day official visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Saudi Arabia in Riyadh.

The visit to Saudi Arabia was part of PM Modi’s three-nation visit to Belgium,United States for Nuclear Security Summit

and Saudi Arabia.

Five agreements singed are:

Agreement on Labour Co-operation

Technical Cooperation Program

Executive Program for Cooperation in the Field of Handicrafts

MoU in the Exchange of Intelligence related to Money Laundering, Terrorism Financing and Related Crimes

Framework for Investment Promotion Cooperation

During his visit Prime Minister Narendra Modi gifted a gold-plated replica of the Cheraman Juma Masjid of Kerala to Saudi King

Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

35. China successfully launches retrievable satellite

China on 06 April launched a retrievable scientific research satellite in a bid to aid scientists to study microgravity and space

life science.

SJ-10 was put into orbit by Long March 2-D rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in north-western China’s Gobi

desert.

36. Bronze bust of Aryabhatta unveiled at UNESCO Headquarters

A bronze bust of ancient Indian mathematician and astronomer Aryabhatta was unveiled at the UNESCO Headquarters in

Paris, France.

It was unveiled by Union Human Resource and Development Minister Smriti Irani.

She was in the French capital to attend the International Conference on Zero.

37. World Bank launches ambitious Climate Change Action Plan

The World Bank has unveiled an ambitious Climate Change Action Plan (CCP) to accelerate efforts to tackle climate change

over the next five years i.e. by 2020.

38. Saudi Arabia and Egypt to build bridge over the Red Sea

Saudi Arabia and Egypt have decided to build bridge connecting each other over the Red Sea to boost trade and commerce.

In this regard, Saudi Arabi has announced that an agreement has been reached with Egypt.

39. SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket successfully launches inflatable room to ISS

Private SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket contracted by NASA has successfully launched the first inflatable habitat room that will

attach to the International Space Station (ISS).

The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off on schedule from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, United States.

In another major success for SpaceX, the reusable main stage booster of Falcon 9 rocket for the first time successfully landed

on an ocean (floating) platform, known as a drone ship, off the coast of Florida.

40. Sri Lanka announces resumption of Chinese Colombo Port City project

Sri Lankan Government has formally announced the resumption of work on the stalled Chinese Colombo Port City project.

The announcement was made in the Joint Statement by China and Sri Lanka at the conclusion of the official state visit of

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to Beijing.

41. Global Tiger population increased for the first time in 100 years by 22%: WWF & GTF

According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the Global Tiger Forum (GTF), the global tiger population has increased

by 22 per cent after a century of constant decline.




The number of wild tigers across the globe has gone up globally by 22 per cent to 3,890, from the 2010 estimate of 3,200.

42.India, Afghanistan and Iran finalize draft of Chabahar Trilateral Agreement on Transport and Transit Corridors

India, Afghanistan and Iran have finalized draft of the Chabahar Trilateral Agreement on Transport and Transit Corridors.

The text of the draft was finalized at the second technical meeting of experts from the three countries in New Delhi.

43. EU Parliament approves joint system for sharing air passenger data

The European Parliament has approved creation of a European passenger name records (PNR) system to combat terrorism.

Now the EU member countries will have two years to turn it into national law.

44. Europe becomes world’s first region to end malaria: WHO

Europe has become the world’s first region to wipe out Malaria, a mosquito-borne vector disease with zero cases reported in

the year 2015.

It was revealed by the World Health Organization (WHO) in its World Malaria Report 2015.

45. India, China agree for peaceful negotiations to settle border issue

India and China have agreed to adhere to peaceful negotiations to settle the border issue and reach a fair, reasonable and

mutually acceptable solution.

Decision in this regard was taken during the annual 19th round of boundary talks between National Security Adviser (NSA)

Ajit Doval and his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi at Beijing.

46. India ranks 133 in 2016 World Press Freedom Index In recently released 2016 World Press Freedom Index (WPFI), India ranked 133rd out of 180 nations surveyed worldwide in

terms of press freedom in 2015.

The Index was published by Reporters Without Borders (RSF).

Finland with the score of 8.76 has retained its top spot for the sixth consecutive year followed by Netherlands, Norway,

Denmark, and New Zealand. It aims to promote and defend freedom of information and freedom of the press.

47. 175 nations sign historic Paris Climate Agreement on Earth Day

48. China, Pakistan ink agreement to launch satellite to monitor CPEC projects

China and Pakistan have signed an agreement for the launch of a special satellite to monitor the development of the multi-

billion dollars China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects.

In this regard, both countries have decided for development and launch of the Pakistan Remote Sensing Satellite (PRSS-1)

System and launch a satellite in June 2018.

This agreement will also transfer space technology to Pakistan as the PRSS-1 is considered as yet another flagship project

between China-Pakistan after CPEC.

49. US ex-slave Harriet Tubman to appear on $20 bill

Anti-slavery crusader Harriet Tubman will become the first African-American to be featured on the face of US paper

currency when she replaces President Andrew Jackson on the $20 bill, the US Treasury Department announced.

She will also be the first woman on U.S. paper currency in more than a century.

Treasury has decided to replace former President Andrew Jackson (Top) with anti-slavery crusader Harriet Tubman on the

$20 bill, and will put leaders of the women's suffrage movement on the back of $10 bill.

50. Mondelez India opens $190-million facility at Sri City

Mondelçz India, part of Mondelçz International Inc which makes Cadbury chocolates, inaugurated its plant today at Sri City

in Andhra Pradesh.

This is its seventh plant in the country.

The investment for phase 1, which was inaugurated today, was $190 million.

51. India, Mongolia hold joint exercise ‘Nomadic Elephant’ to boost military cooperation

The eleventh edition of India-Mongolia joint military training Exercise ‘Nomadic Elephant – 2016’ has commenced at

Mongolia.

It seeks to promote military associations between India and Mongolia.




52. Indo-Thai Coordinated Patrol (CORPAT)

INS Karmuk, an indigenously built Missile Corvette based at the Andaman and Nicobar Command, alongwith a Dornier

Maritime Patrol Aircraft, are participating in the 22nd Indo-Thai Coordinated Patrol (CORPAT), scheduled from 19-27 Apr

16 in the Andaman Sea.

Maritime interaction between India and Thailand has been growing steadily with frequent port visits, participation in

multilateral exercises and training exchanges.

53. China launches sounding rocket

China launched a sounding rocket designed to conduct research, take measurements and scientific experiments in the

country's Hainan Province.

Kunpeng-1B was launched from Danzhou City in the early hours today by the National Space Science Center (NSSC).

54. Asia's largest tech trade show COMPUTEX kicks off in Taipei

Asia’s largest technology trade show COMPUTEX kicked off in Taipei on May 31, attracting more than 1,600 companies

from 30 countries to showcase their latest products.

This is the highest turnout - in terms of the number of nations - in five years.

The highlight of this year’s show is virtual reality (VR).

COMPUTEX will end on Jun 4 and organisers expect the event to attract more than 130,000 visitors.

55. Switzerland Gotthard: World's longest and deepest rail tunnel opens

The world's longest and deepest rail tunnel has officially opened in Switzerland, after almost two decades of construction

work.

The 57km (35-mile) twin-bore Gotthard base tunnel will provide a high-speed rail link under the Swiss Alps between

northern and southern Europe.

Switzerland says it will revolutionise European freight transport.

The tunnel has overtaken Japan's 53.9km Seikan rail tunnel as the longest in the world and pushed the 50.5km Channel

Tunnel linking the UK and France into third place.

The ceremony outside was led by Swiss Federal President Johann Schneider-Ammann.

The project, which cost more than $12bn (£8.3bn) to build, was endorsed by Swiss voters in a referendum in 1992.

56. Asia’s largest annual security forum Shangri-La Dialogue opens in Singapore

Asia’s largest annual security forum Shangri-La Dialogue was inaugurated in Singapore to talk about security issues in the

Asia-Pacific region.

The forum has been organised by the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS).

The three day event will be attended by at least 20 Defence Ministers from Asia-Pacific countries including India represented

by Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar.

57. Pakistan tops in 2016 Malware Infection Index

Pakistan has topped in the list of 19 countries figuring in the 2016 Malware Infection Index (MII) in the Asia-Pacific region.

The index for the Asia-Pacific region was released by technology giant Microsoft in which India was placed at 8th position.

Top 10 Countries: Pakistan (1st), Indonesia (2nd), Bangladesh (3rd), Nepal (4th), Philippines (5th), Cambodia (6th), India

(8th), Sri Lanka (9th) and Thailand (10th).

58. Thailand becomes first Asian country to eliminate mother to child HIV: WHO

The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced that Thailand has become the first Asian country to eliminate mother-

to-child HIV transmission.

In this regard, Thailand’s Minister of Health was presented with the certificate of validation during a ceremony, which took

place on the eve of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) High-Level Meeting on Ending AIDS in New York.

59. After Switzerland, Mexico extends support to India for NSG membership

With hours to go for a special session of the Nuclear Suppliers Group meeting in Vienna on June 9-10, to discuss India’s

application for membership, India scored another vote of support from Mexico.




60. Norway becomes the first country to ban deforestation

Norway has become the first country in the world to prohibit deforestation.

In this regard, Norwegian Parliament had pledged to make government’s public procurement policy deforestation-free.

61. Australian Great Barrier Reef rodent: first mammal species wiped out by human-induced climate change

Australian Great Barrier Reef rodent (also known as Bramble Cay melomys) has become the first mammal species driven to

extinction by human-induced climate change.

It was revealed after researchers in extensive survey (searches) failed to find a single specimen from its only known habitat

on a sandy island in far northern Australia.

The extensive survey in the hope of conserving the species was conducted by Scientists from the University of Queensland,

after a study in 2014 found no sign of the species.

62. Russia launches most powerful nuclear icebreaker Arktika

Russia has launched the new Project 22220 nuclear powered icebreaker dubbed ‘Arktika’. It is the world’s largest and most

powerful vessel of its kind.

It was launched from the Baltic Shipyard located in Russia’s second largest city of St. Petersburg.

It is powered by two next generation RITM-200 nuclear-reactors.

These reactors will be supplied with nuclear be produced by the TVEL fuel company.

It has dual-draft design which makes it possible to use it in Arctic waters and in estuaries of polar rivers.

It can break through 13 feet (3 metres) thick ice.

63. India, South Korea launch Korea Plus platform to promote

India and South Korea have launched a platform ‘Korea Plus’ to promote and facilitate Korean Investments in India.

It was launched by the Union Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and her South Korean counterpart Joo

Hyunghwan in New Delhi.

It will be also looking into issues faced by Korean companies doing business in India and policy advocacy to the Indian

Government on their behalf.

64. SCO summit 2016 begins in Tashkent, Uzbekistan

The 2016 Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit started in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

The 2-day meeting of heads of state of SCO is being conducted under the presidency of Uzbekistan.

In it, India and Pakistan will sign a memorandum of obligation for obtaining SCO member states status.

SCO is a Eurasian economic, political and military organisation, headquartered at Beijing, China.

Its aim is jointly preserving and safeguarding regional peace, security and stability and also establishing a democratic, fair

and rational new international political and economic order.

It was established in 2001 in Shanghai by the leaders of six countries viz. China, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Tajikistan,

and Uzbekistan.

Since 2005, India was having an Observer status of SCO and had applied for full membership in 2014.

65. Sri Lankan Parliament unanimously passes Right to Information bill

Sri Lankan Parliament has unanimously passed the Right to Information (RTI) bill aimed at restoring transparency and good

governance in the country.

The RTI bill seeks to give citizens access to public information which is in the possession, custody or control of a public

authority.

The bill envisages setting up a 5 member RTI Commission and the appointment of information officers in every public

authority to assist citizens who wish to obtain information.

66. Colombia Govt, FARC rebels sign historic ceasefire and disarmament agreement

The Colombian government and the leftist FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) rebels have signed a historic

ceasefire and disarmament agreement.

It was signed in presence of Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, FARC leader Timoleon Jimenez and UN Secretary

General, Ban Ki-moon at a ceremony held in Havana, Cuba.




The ceasefire and disarmament agreement is considered as one of the last steps toward ending a half-century conflict that has

killed hundreds of thousands of people in Colombia.

67. Mahashangarh declared as the SARRC cultural capital for 2016-17

Mahasthangarh, the 3rd century BC archaeological site in Bogra, Bangladesh, has been declared as the South Asian

Association of Regional Cooperation (SARRC) cultural capital for the year 2016-17.

As a SARRC cultural capital, the historic place will host festivals on literature, films, foods and dances from October 2016 to

September 2017.

Besides, the year 2016-17 has also be declared the SAARC Year of Cultural Heritage.

68. Sweden inaugurates world’s first electric road

Sweden inaugurated a test stretch of an electric road in Sandviken to conduct tests with electric power for hybrid heavy

transports on public roads.

With this, Sweden becomes first country in the world to have electric road.

The tests will be conducted on parts of road E16.

The tests will continue up through 2018 and will provide knowledge of how electric roads work in practice.

Reports 1. Paytm ties up with Wipro for payments bank

Paytm, India's largest mobile payments, has joined hands with Wipro Ltd to create the requisite technology infrastructure for

its upcoming payments bank business.

According to Paytm, Wipro will be implementing the core banking solution for Paytm and also programme managing the

integration of other key systems like the anti-money laundering solution and the regulatory reporting solution.

Paytm had received an in-principle approval to set up a payments bank in August last year.

Payments banks can accept demand deposits and savings bank deposits from individuals and small businesses, up to a

maximum of Rs 1 lakh per account.

2. India, New Zealand ink Air Services Agreement

India and New Zealand have signed a landmark Air Services Agreement paving the way for introduction of direct flights

between the two countries.

The agreement was signed in the presence of the President Pranab Mukherjee and the New Zealand Prime Minister John Key.

3. Airtel, GBI announce partnership for West Asia

Airtel Business, the enterprise arm of Bharti Airtel, has partnered with networking player GBI to increase its direct reach in

West Asian countries.

The partnership will help "extend our network reach to Airtel's customers and to further enhance the benefits of our value

propositions for customers and partners".

4. MoU signed for setting up of IIT in Jammu

The Jammu and Kashmir government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Institute of

Technology (IIT) Delhi for setting up of IIT in Jammu.

5. Uber ties up with Alipay globally

Online cab aggregator Uber announced a global partnership with third-party payment platform, Alipay, to enable Chinese

travellers avail of rides through this solution in more than 400 cities.

Uber riders in India can avail of the facility through Paytm platform.

China’s Alibaba Group and its affiliate Ant Financial had earlier picked up stake in One97 Communications, the parent

company of Paytm.

6. Nagendra Committee submitted its report on Yoga Education

The Union Government announced that the H.R. Nagendra Committee on Yoga Education in Universities has recommended

seven programmes for implementation in universities.




The Union Government on 15 January 2016 had constituted a committee on yoga education in universities.

The committee had submitted its report on 19 April 2016.

The committee had recommended seven programmes for implementation in universities.

7. Swiss honour for Yash Chopra

Late director Yash Chopra, who captured the verdant Swiss valley in his films, has been honoured with a special statue by the

Switzerland government.

A sculpture made of pure bronze, and weighing about 350 kilos, will present Yash Chopra in an iconic pose of him directing

a film.

8. Facebook, NASSCOM Sign MoU to Support Young Entrepreneurs, Start-Ups

India’s trade association of the IT and BPO industry, NASSCOM, has signed an MoU entering into partnership with social

networking giant Facebook to build a new product design initiative.

Fostering innovation and design, this initiative will encourage Indian entrepreneurs to become problem solvers and develop

solutions to harbor creative economic growth, according to NASSCOM.

9. Obama reappoints Indian-American Sachin Dev Pavithran to key administration post

US President Barack Obama has reappointed Indian-American Sachin Dev Pavithran to a key independent government

agency devoted to accessibility for people with disabilities.

Pavithran has been reappointed as a Member of the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board.

10. India, Japan to sign MoU on cooperation in sports

In the run-up to the Under-17 World Cup set to be hosted in the country next year, India and Japan decided to exchange

sportspersons, coaches, experts and administrators to improve the standard of the game in both nations.

11. Shashi Kapoor’s Biography ‘Shashi Kapoor – the Householder, the Star’ releases

Veteran actor Shashi Kapoor’s autobiography titled ‘Shashi Kapoor – the Householder, the Star’ was released recently.

The biography has been authored by film journalist Aseem Chhabra and with foreword by Karan Johar. It unveils the

chapters of actor’s personal and professional life.

12. Japan honours N.K. Singh

Bureaucrat-turned-politician N.K. Singh was honoured with Japan’s second highest national decoration for his contribution in

strengthening Indo-Japan ties in the field of trade and investment over the last few decades.

‘The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star’ award was conferred on Mr. Singh by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

13. Sanjay Mitra committee to prepare policy framework for taxi operators

The Union Government has constituted a three member committee to prepare a policy framework for taxi and other transport

operators.

The committee will be headed by Sanjay Mitra, Secretary of Union Ministry of Road Transport & Highways.

The committee was constituted after taxi and other transport operators had appraised the situation emerging from Supreme

Court’s order and directions of Environment Pollution Control Authority of banning diesel taxis in the National Capital

Region (NCR).

14. NALCO inks R&D agreement with BARC

National Aluminium Company (Nalco) has signed an memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Bhabha Atomic Research

Centre (BARC), Mumbai, for Research and Development (R&D) in fields of mutual interest.

The MoU was signed by B K Satpathy, executive director (Business Development), Nalco and Dr. Jagtap, Director

(Chemistry Group), BARC in presence of Nalco chairman Dr. Chand, Director (P&T) N R Mohanty and Principal Scientific

Advisor to Government of India and Chairman of the Scientific Advisory Committee to the Cabinet, Dr. Rajagopala

Chidambaram.

15. FPL ties up with Nokero




Chennai-based FPL has partnered with Nokero, to launch off-grid solar products and soon plans to manufacture these

products in India.

FPL makes engineering platsics that goes into different kinds of industrial applications and Nokero makes solar lights, phone

chargers and is a specialist in solar energy-related products.

The company believes that solar is the way to go in rural parts of India, where infrastructure such as power lines are often not

working or have not been laid.

16. US President honours Indian-American elementary teacher Revathi Balakrishnan

US President Barack Obama has honoured an Indian-American elementary teacher Revathi Balakrishnan from Texas at the

White House.

She was honoured for her excellent work in the field of education as part of the ‘National Teacher of the Year Programme.

Currently, Ms. Balakrishnan teaches math classes in third through fifth grade at Patsy Sommer Elementary School, Texas.

17. Barack Obama appoints Indian-American to key administration post

US President Barack Obama has appointed an Indian-American engineer to a key administration post, the White House said.

Manjit Singh, co-founder of the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund has been appointed as the member of

President’s Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships.

18. Uday Kotak sole Indian financier in Forbes' most powerful list

Kotak Mahindra Bank Chief Uday Kotak, who has a net worth of about $7.1 billion, is the sole Indian in Forbes' list of 40 of

the most powerful people in the financial world who control the flow of trillions of dollars around the global economy.

He is ranked 33rd in the Forbes list of 'Money Masters: The Most Powerful People In The Financial World' .

The list is topped by Blackstone Group's CEO Stephen Schwarzman, who has a net worth of $10.2 billion and oversees assets

worth $344 billion.

19. Bajaj Auto Finance inks pact with India Post

Motorcycle finance company Bajaj Finance Ltd has entered into an arrangement with post offices across India to enable

buyers get information through brochures available at the Post Offices, as well as apply for 2-wheeler loans from Bajaj Auto

Finance.

20. BHU completes its 100 years of glorious existence

Banaras Hindu University, a name of excellence, scientific researches and technological innovations, was founded in 1916 to

help promote the sustainable development, growth and eradication of poverty, this glorious institution of excellence has

completed 100 years of its eventful journey.

This globally reputed temple of learning was established by Mahamana Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya in 1916.

The University started functioning from 1st October, 1917 with the Central Hindu College as its first constituent College.

21. Half of world’s 20 most polluted cities in India

WHO in its report said that half of the world’s 20 most polluted cities are in India, indicating industrial and vehicular exhaust

were choking large parts of the country with little oversight or monitoring mechanism.

The Indian Capital is no longer the world’s most polluted city, dropping to 11th position with smaller towns galloping past

Delhi to grab second and third spot.

The top spot is taken by the Iranian city of Zabol that falls in the middle of a dust bowl.

22. India, US hold first Maritime Security Dialogue

India and United States (US) held their first Maritime Security Dialogue in New Delhi for deepening the evolving partnership

in the maritime domain between both countries.

The Maritime Security Dialogue was one of the several new initiatives agreed between Union Defence Minister Manohar

Parrikar and his US counterpart Ashton Carter during the latter’s visit to India in April 2016.

23. IIT student wins top materials science award

A doctoral researcher at IIT-Kharagpur has bagged the European Materials Research Society’s (E-MRS’s) Young Scientist

Award for contribution to materials science.




Nandini Bhandaru won the award based on her outstanding contribution to materials science and nanotechnology,

particularly nano-patterning of soft films and surfaces.

Ms. Bhandaru works at the Instability and Soft Patterning Laboratory of the institute IIT-Kharagpur.

24. Sudha Singh sets national record in 3,000m steeplechase

Indian athlete Sudha Singh has created history by breaking the national record in women's 3,000m steeplechase event in the

Diamond League Meet in Shanghai.

She clocked 9 minutes, 26.55 seconds to finish a creditable eighth.

This is a far and fair improvement from her stint at the Federation Cup, where she had clocked 9 minutes, 31.86 seconds to

make the cut for Rio 2016.

25. Center constitutes NK Singh Committee to review FRBM Act

The Union Government has constituted a five member committee, headed by Former Revenue Secretary and Rajya Sabha

MP, NK Singh, to comprehensively review and give recommendations on the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management

(FRBM) roadmap for the future.

Its members are former Finance and Revenue Secretary Sumit Bose, Chief Economic Adviser (CEC) Dr. Arvind

Subramanian, Deputy Governor of RBI Urijit Patel and Director of National Institute Public Finance and Policy (NIPFP)

Rathin Roy.

It will submit its Report to the Union Government by the 31st October, 2016.

26. Honda partners with IndusInd Bank for two wheeler financing

Honda Motorcycle and a Scooter India (HMSI), the country's second-largest two wheeler player, has partnered with IndusInd

Bank to offer retail finance to buyers.

IndusInd Bank will offer finance to eligible customers for purchasing Honda two wheelers through its network of over 1,000

branches across the country.

A customer can avail loan of up to 90% of the product value to be repaid in up to 36 months.

27. Bollywood actress Kajol appointed part-time member of Prasar Bharati board

Bollywood actress Kajol was appointed as a part-time member of the Prasar Bharati Board which runs public broadcasters

Doordarshan and All India Radio ( AIR).

The actress, known for starring in hit films like 'Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge', 'Baazigar', 'Kuch Kuch Hota Hai' etc., will

serve as a part-time member on the Board till November 2021.

28. India, Iran sign 12 bilateral agreements in various areas

India and Iran signed 12 Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) and Agreements in various areas including building and

operating the Chabahar port by India.

The other agreements include cooperation in science and technology, culture, library sciences, and cooperation between the

EXIM banks of both the countries.

These agreements were signed after the delegation level talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Iranian President

Hassan Rouhani.

Some of signed Agreements are

Bilateral contract on Chabahar Port for port development and operations

MoU between EXIM Bank and Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO): It is intended for the purpose of

credit of USD 150 million for Chabahar port.

Confirmation Statement between EXIM Bank and Central Bank of Iran (CBI): It confirms availability of credit up to

3000 crore rupees for the import of steel rails and implementation of Chabahar port.

MoU between IRCON and CDTIC

MoU on India-Iran Cultural Exchange Programme (CEP)

MoU on Policy Dialogue between Governments and Interaction between Think Tanks

MoU between Foreign Service Institute, MEA and School of International Relations, Iran’s MoFA

Implementation Protocol on Cooperation in the Fields of Science and Technology

Besides, leaders of both countries also issued a joint statement mentioning that the Chabahar port is a symbol of synergy

between both the nations.




The port can serve as a point of connectivity to different countries and economic relations between India and Iran can further

be expanded through the project.

29. NALCO signs MoU with Iran to set up smelter plant in Chabahar

The National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO) has signed a MoU with Iranian Mines and Mining Industries

Development and Renovation Organization (IMIDRO).

The signing of the MoU coincided with the official two days state visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Iran.

The MoU was signed to explore the possibility of setting up smelter-cum-gas based power plant on joint venture in Iran for

the proposed smelter plant in Chabahar Free Trade Zone.

30. India, Iran and Afghanistan sign historic land transit trade agreement

India, Iran and Afghanistan sign historic three-way land transit agreement on Iran’s strategic southern port of Chabahar.

It was signed by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Afghanistan President Ashraf

Ghani in Teheran, Iran.

Under the agreement, India will invest up to 500 million dollars in a deal to develop a strategic port in Iran.

Chabahar port is strategically located in the Sistan-Balochistan Province on the energy-rich Persian Gulf nation’s southern

coast.

It lies outside the Persian Gulf and is easily accessed from India’s western coast, by passing Pakistan.

31. Committee to boost Cashless Transaction in the Country

The government and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) have been working on how to reduce cash transactions in the economy.

In this regard, they formed a committee last month, of seven members, chaired by a ministry official, Neeraj Kumar Gupta.

It aims to increase card acceptance infrastructure, fix interchange fee for credit cards.

RBI data at end-March shows 24.5 million credit cards and 661.8 million debit cards in the country, compared to 1.3 million

PoS terminals

32. India, Morocco launch Chamber of Commerce and Industry to boost trade

India and Morocco have launched the India-Morocco Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IMCCI) in Moroccan capital city

Rabat.

The IMCCI was jointly launched by visiting Indian Vice President Hamid Ansari and Moroccan Prime Minister Abdelilah

Benkirane.

Hamid Ansari’s visit is the first by an Indian Vice President in 50 years to Morrocco.

33. India among top five innovation destinations

Innovation centres in the country doubled to 16 in the six-month period ending February this year, and took India into the top

5 global destinations for innovation, a report by consulting major Capgemini.

India has been rising in the ranks of favourite destinations to open innovation centres.

Previous research identified eight innovation centres in India in July 2015.

34. To Indian in Forbes’s list of self-made American women

Two Indian-origin women have featured on the Forbes ’ annual list of America’s 60 wealthiest and most successful self-

made women entrepreneurs, who have “crashed ceilings through invention and innovation”.

India-born Neerja Sethi, who co-founded IT consulting and outsourcing firm Syntel with her husband Bharat Desai, is ranked

16th on ‘America’s Richest Self-made Women’ list, while president and CEO of Arista Networks Jayshree Ullal (55) is

ranked 30th.

According to Forbes , the richest self-made woman in America is Diane Hendricks, the owner of ABC Supply, the largest

wholesale distributor of roofing and siding in the country. Hendricks is now worth $4.9 billion, $1.2 billion more than last

year when she was ranked second.

35. India joins the Hague Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation

India has joined the Hague Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation (HCoC), a global ballistic missile

proliferation regime.

India has joined the Code highlighting its readiness to further strengthen global non-proliferation objectives.




36. India ranks 70th on 2015 Good Country Index

In recently released 2015 Good Country Index (GCI), India has been placed at 70th position in the list of 163 countries.

The top 10 Countries in 2015 GCI index are Sweden, Denmark, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Germany, Finland, Canada,

France, Austria and New Zealand.

Libya was ranked as the least good country in the world in 2015 GCI.

India’s best ranking (27th) was in ‘international peace and security’ parameter of index and was the worst (124th) in

‘prosperity and equality’.

India stood at 37th position in health and well-being and 62nd in science and technology.

It was placed at 119th position in culture, 106th position in climate and 100th position in world order.

37. Universe expanding faster than expected

Astronomers using NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope have discovered that the universe is expanding 5 percent to 9 percent

faster than expected.

Discovery in this regard was made by an international team of researchers of the Space Telescope Science Institute and The

Johns Hopkins University.

Astronomers made this discovery by developing innovative techniques that helped to improve the precision of distance

measurements to faraway galaxies.

38. India ranked 2nd on GRD index on ease of doing business

India has been ranked second position as per 2016 Global Retail Development Index (GRDI) released by London-based

business consultancy A T Kearney.

India has jumped 13 positions from last year (2015) to rank second among 30 developing countries on ease of doing business.

The sharp pick up in GDP growth and better clarity regarding FDI regulations have helped India achieve a second ranking.

India’s retail sector has expanded at a compound annual growth rate of 8.8% between 2013 and 2015, with annual sales

crossing the US 1 trillion dollars mark.

The GRDI is annually published by London-based business consultancy A T Kearney.

39. Switzerland back India’s bid for NSG membership

India has managed to win crucial support from Switzerland for Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) membership.

In this regard, Swiss President Johann Schneider-Ammann has announced his country’s support for India’s membership to

the elite NSG.India was able to gain support of Switzerland after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held comprehensive talks

with Swiss counterparts during his official state visit.

40. EC wants law amended to empower it to postpone, cancel polls

The Election Commission (EC) has urged the Union Government to amend the electoral law Representation of the People

Act (RPA), 1951 to empower it to either postpone or countermand elections if evidence emerges of use of money to influence

voters.

In this regard, EC has asked Union Government to insert a new clause ‘58 B’ in the RPA, 1951 to allow adjournment or

countermanding (declaring invalid) of election on the grounds of use of money power (bribery) in the affected polling areas.

41. India ranked 141 in Global Peace Index, Iceland most peaceful

India was on 08 June ranked as low as 141 out of 163 countries researched on a Global Peace Index -- making it less peaceful

than countries such as Burundi, Serbia and Burkina Faso -- with violence taking a USD 680-billion (Rs 4,521,078 crore) toll

on its economy in 2015.

In a ranking of 163 countries, compiled by the global think tank Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), Syria has been

named as the least peaceful, followed by South Sudan, Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia.

42. India becomes third largest oil consumer

According to recently released BP Statistical Review of World Energy India has surpassed Japan to become the world’s

third-largest oil consumer.

With demand of 4.1 million barrels a day (bpd), India is the third-largest consumer behind the United States (19.39 million

bpd) and China (11.96 million bpd).




India accounted for 4.5% of world oil consumption in 2015 and its oil demand galloped 8.1% in 2015.

India’s oil demand growth had surpassed China’s 6.3 per cent expansion.

Japan slipped to the fourth spot after its oil usage contracted 3.9% to 4.15 million bpd in 2015.

In 2014, Japan had used 4.3 million bpd, ahead of India’s 3.84 million bpd.

Oil remained the world’s leading fuel, accounting for 32.9% of global energy consumption.

Coal is the second-largest fuel by market share (29.2%).

Natural gas’ market share of primary energy consumption stood at 23.8%.

43. India signs up to Europe-led clampdown on tax evasion and corruption

India has joined a group of nearly 40 countries that have signed a Europe-led clampdown on tax evasion and corruption.

Under this group countries are committed to automatically exchange information on beneficial ownership between law

enforcement agencies and tax authorities of partner countries.

44. FCI inks pact with Adani Group

State-run Food Corporation of India (FCI) has entered into an agreement with Adani group for construction of two silos to

store wheat, at an estimated cost of about Rs 80 crore.

The two silos would have a combined storage capacity of 75,000 tonnes.

As part of the agreement, Adani Agri Logistics will construct silos at Kotkapura in Punjab and Katihar in Bihar in the next

two years.

45. India, Ghana sign three agreements

India and Ghana have signed three bilateral agreements to strengthen co-operation in varied fields.

These agreements were signed after delegation level talks between President Pranab Mukherjee and his Ghanaian counterpart

John Dramani Mahama in Accra.

The signed agreements include one for visa waivers for holders of diplomatic and official passports and one for setting up a

Joint Commission.

During the delegation level talks between Indian President and his Ghanaian counterpart, the African country has sought

India’s civil nuclear cooperation to reduce its dependence on traditional energy sources.

The other two African countries include Ivory Coast and Namibia.

46. UN Assembly elects Israel as committee chair for first time

The U.N. General Assembly elected Israel to chair one of its six major committees for the first time, a decision denounced by

the Palestinians and Arab nations.

In the secret ballot election in the 193-member world body, Israel received 109 “yes” votes.

Nobody voted against Israel but there were 23 abstentions, 14 invalid ballots, and 43 votes for other countries in the Western

European and Others group which nominated Israel to chair the assembly committee dealing with legal issues.

47. DCB Bank launches Aadhaar enabled ATM in Bengaluru

DCB Bank launched Bengaluru's first ATM that accepts Aadhaar number and Aadhaar fingerprint (biometric) instead of

ATM/Debit Card and PIN to dispense cash.

The "cardless and PIN less" ATM was launched by former Chairman of the Unique Identification Authority of India, Nandan

Nilekani.

In April 2016, the Bank pilot launched India's first aadhaar based ATM in Mumbai.

48. US Senate approves enhanced military cooperation with India

The United States (US) Senate (Upper House) has unanimously approved amendment to enhance military co-operation with

India as part of National Defence Authorisation Act -2017.

Under it, military co-operation with India will be for developing military doctrine, threat analysis, force planning, logistical

support and intelligence collection and analysis.

49. Microsoft acquires messaging start-up founded by Indian




Technology giant Microsoft has acquired a messaging-app developer founded by an Indian as the US-based software firm

aims to strengthen its position in the emerging era of combining the power of human language with advanced machine

intelligence.

Microsoft acquired California-based Wand Labs, a start-up which builds messaging technology for apps, founded in 2013 by

IIT-Delhi alumnus Vishal Sharma who was previously the vice president, products at Google.

The terms of the acquisition were not made public.

50. Microsoft launches centre for oil and gas in Dubai

Microsoft has opened its largest centre of excellence for the oil & gas industry in Dubai, to assist organisations in the sector

drive digital transformation, cut costs and optimisation of their operations.

The new centre will help companies in the sector take advantage of the latest trends such as the Internet of Things (IoT),

advanced analytics, modern productivity and cloud computing using Microsoft technologies like Microsoft Azure and Office

365.

It is the largest such centre for Microsoft globally.

51. Max Life, Max Fin Services to merge into HDFC Standard Life

In the biggest consolidation in the country’s private insurance sector, Max Life Insurance and Max Financial Services will

merge into HDFC Standard Life Insurance.

The proposed arrangements would be subject to due diligence, definitive documentation and applicable board, shareholder,

regulatory, respective High Courts/NCLT, and other third party approvals, as may be applicable.

At present, 49 per cent FDI is allowed in the insurance sector in India.

52. Approves India’s Membership of ICDP

The Union Cabinet has given its approval for India’s membership of the International Continental Scientific Drilling Program

(ICDP) consortium.

In this regard, Union Government has signed a MoU with the Helmholtz Centre Potsdam GFZ German Research Centre for

geosciences.

53. Approves proposal to raise retirement age of CHS doctors to 65

The Union Cabinet has given its approval for enhancement of retirement age of government doctors’ to 65 years to

strengthen the healthcare sector in the country.

In this regard, Union Cabinet has approved proposal forwarded by Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Cabinet has approved the superannuation age of Public Health and Non-Teaching Specialists of Central Health Service from

62 years to 65 years.

54. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar awarded Honorary Fellowship in UK

Spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has been bestowed with an Honorary Fellowship by an Indian students body in the

United Kingdom (UK) for his contributions to world peace and culture.

National Indian Students and Alumni Union (NISAU) have awarded Sri Sri Ravi Shankar with an Honorary Fellowship.

55. CSIR launches India’s first anti diabetic ayurvedic drug BGR -34

The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has launched BGR-34, an anti-diabetic ayurvedic drug designed

for type 2 Diabetes mellitus.

The anti-diabetic ayurvedic drug BGR-34 has been jointly developed by National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI) and

Central Institute for Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP).

It works by controlling blood sugar and limiting the harmful effects and toxicity of other drugs.

56. Kamakhya Temple receives an aid Rs. 25 crore for infrastructure and development

For the development of Kamakhya temple’s infrastructure, Union petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan announced an aid

of Rs 25 crore over the next couple of years.

Pradhan, who was in Guwahati to attend a series of meetings and road show made the announcement at the end of the historic

Ambubachi Mela.




Ambubachi is the celebration of goddess Kamakhya’s annual menstruation cycle, considered as a symbol of fertility by the

Hindus.

57. BHEL commissions two hydel units in Afghanistan

State-run Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) said that it has commissioned two units of 14 Megawatts each at Salma

Hydro Electric Project in Afghanistan.

The Salma dam, or the Afghan-India Friendship dam, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in presence of

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani.

This project has been funded under government of India's grant to Afghanistan.

58. Nepal bans citizens from working in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Libya

Nepal banned its citizens from working in strife-torn Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Libya.

The decision was made at a cabinet meet after 13 Nepali security guards were killed in a Taliban suicide bombing in Kabul.

Nepali nationals killed in Afghanistan were employed as security guards in the Canadian embassy in Kabul.

59. Two Indians get Queen’s Young Leaders Award 2016

A visually challenged young man with a passion for education and a youth facilitator from Hyderabad are among 60 people

from across the globe who were presented medals for their exemplary work by Queen Elizabeth at the Buckingham Palace.

The two Indians are Kartik Sawhney and Neha Swain.

60. CAG Shashi Kant Sharma gets honorary professorship in China

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India Shashi Kant Sharmahas has been conferred with the honorary

professorship by the Nanjing Audit University (NAU), China.

China’s Nanjing Audit University is the only university which is recognized by the Institute of Internal Auditors.

61. Malaysia gets 2 women Shariah HC judges

Two women have been appointed as judges of Malaysia’s Islamic Shariah High Court for the first time in the history of the

judiciary of the Muslim-majority country.

Noor Huda Roslan, 40, and Nenney Shuhaidah Shamsuddin, 41, received their official letters of appointment from

Selangor’s Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah during a ceremony at the Istana Bukit Kayangan.

62. Amul signs up as official sponsor of Indian team to the Olympics

India’s leading food products company Amul has signed up as the official sponsor for the Indian contingent to the Rio

Olympics 2016.

The company will launch a series of advertising campaigns for milk and other dairy products to promote this association.

63. Four Indian-Americans honoured with 2016 Great Immigrants Award in US

Four Indian-Americans have been honoured with prestigious Great Immigrants: The Pride of America Award 2016.

They are among 42 distinguished US personalities representing more than 30 countries of origin around the world honoured

with this year’s award.

All of these personalities represent a wide range of personal immigration stories, and inspiring professional accomplishments.

The four Indian-Americans are Sunder Pichai, Hari Sreenivasan, Vikram Malhotra and Bharati Mukherjee.

ALL THE BEST!

