A2Z Current Affairs PDF for upcoming exams April 2017 · 18 6th M.S. Swaminathan Award R.R....
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www.aspirantszone.com A2Z April 2017 Current Affairs PDF
A2Z Current Affairs PDF
for upcoming exams
April 2017
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www.aspirantszone.com A2Z April 2017 Current Affairs PDF
MOU/Agreement Countries
1 India Malaysia for skilling, entrepreneurship development
2 India Bangladesh Total-22 Agrrements- Some Important ones are- cooperation in the field of Mass Media agreement on audio visual co-production In the field of judicial sector cooperation. For development of Ashuganj-Zakiganj stretch of Kushiyara river and Sirajganj-Daikhawa stretch of Jamuna river in the Indo-Bangladesh protocol route by undertaking necessary dredging jointly by the two countries. $4.5 billion concessionary line of credit from India for development projects in Bangladesh
3 India Australia cooperation in the field of health and medicine.
4 India UK on New Areas of Economic Cooperation
5 India Georgia for free trade agreements
6 India Tunisia cooperation in the field of justice
7 India South Korea for Defence Industry Co-operation in Shipbuilding
8 India Sri Lanka on cooperation in economic projects
9 India Poland exchange of information and technology in the agriculture sector
10 India Cyprus 4 Agreements. [air services, cooperation in merchant shipping, Agriculture and Culture Education]
MOU Industry/States/Others
1 New Development Bank (NDB)
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)
To collaborate and exchange information in recognition of their mutual goal to foster sustainable development and infrastructure in the emerging markets of their respective regions of operations.
2 Government of Odisha
University of Chicago for new research, knowledge, and capacity-building partnerships.
3 Snapdeal Government of Andhra and University of California
for the Andhra Pradesh government’s Smart Village Project.
4 Israel Aerospace Industries
India $2 billion arms deal
5 Agriculture National Remote Sensing to geo-tag agricultural assets.
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Ministry Centre (NRSC)- part of ISRO
6 South Indian Bank Flyworld Money to facilitate remittances by Indian expatriates in Australia.
7 FINO Paytech ICICI group companies to distribute insurance products
8 Aster DM Healthcare (UAE based)
Axis Bank $295 million credit facility
9 BHEL Indian Railways tie-up for rooftop SPV systems
10 Nokia Airtel and BSNL to bring 5G network in India
11 Indian Post SBI Indian Post will promote ‘SBI buddy e-wallet’ and POS machines to facilitate digitalisation of cash transactions for cashless transactions in the post office counters
12 IIT Kharagpur Google to help computers understand Bengali
13 Uttar Pradesh Central Government “Power for All” scheme in the state. to provide 24-hour quality power supply in the state by October 2018. The cost of the project is Rs 40,000 crore
14 Reserve Bank of India (RBI)
Royal Monetary Authority of Bhutan
Supervisory Cooperation and Exchange of Supervisory Information
15 Delhi Metro Railways Corporation (DMRC)
Madhya Pradesh Power Management Company (MPPMC)
Power Purchase agreement (PPA) to
supply 24% of electricity generated from the Rewa Ultra Mega Solar project.
16 Reserve Bank of India (RBI)
Bank of Guyana Supervisory Cooperation and Exchange of Supervisory Information
17 Odisha government Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
to improve the lives of small farmers and promote inclusive agricultural transformation in the state.
18 SBI CREDAI to provide loans at a concessional rate to builders as well as customers for affordable housing projects.
19 TERI + Innovative Finance Foundation (IFF)(Geneva) + 3WAYSTE Company(France)
for municipal solid waste management.
20 Paisabazaar.com YES Bank to offer pre-qualified retail financial products
21 Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC)
Etihad and Jet Airways to attract more visitors to the state and to leverage on the airline’s expanding international network.
22 Vistara Airlines Punjab government to promote tourism in the state.
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23 Unocoin PayUBiz to simplify buying Bitcoins via net banking
24 Paytm MMTC-PAMP [MMTC-PAMP is the India’s first and only internationally accredited gold and silver refinery.]
to launch Digital Gold, which will enable its customers to buy gold online and store it in MMTC-PAMPs secure vaults free of charge.
25 Nalanda University (NU)
Kanazawa University of Japan
for academic collaboration
26 BBNL + Department of Posts + BSNL for providing broadband connectivity of BharatNet to Post Offices in rural areas.
27 Odisha government Tata Trusts to reduce migration in Bolangir and Nuapada districts.
Appointments and Resignations
S.No Name Post Institution
1 B.P. Kanungo Deputy Governor RBI
2 Kishor Kharat Managing Director and CEO
Indian Bank
3 Mahesh Kumar Jain MD and CEO IDBI bank
4 Ram Bilas Sharma Chairman Amateur Circle Kabaddi Federation of India (ACKFI)
5 Mukta Dutta Tomar Ambassador of India to Germany
6 Rajiv Kumar Chander India’s ambassador and permanent representative to the UN
7 Malvika Sinha Executive Director RBI
8 Raman Roy Chairman Nasscom
9 Rishad Premji Vice-Chairman Nasscom
10 Smita Sandhane Managing Director Saraswat Co-operative Bank
11 Kristin Davis UNHCR goodwill ambassador
12 Mahabaleshwara MS MD and CEO Karnataka Bank
13 Devendra Kumar Sharma Chairman Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB)
14 Vinay Shah MD & CEO LIC Housing Finance
15 Tushar Arothe Coach Indian Women Cricket team
16 Lenin Moreno President Ecuador
17 Aleksandar Vucic President Serbia
18 Himanta Biswa Sarma interim President Badminton Association of India
19 Mridul Gehlot President Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India (AKFI)
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20 Dinesh Patel General Secretary Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India (AKFI)
21 Rajiv Rai Bhatnagar Director General Central Reserve Police Force
22 B B Vyas Chief Secretary Jammu and Kashmir
23 Ilir Meta President Albania
24 Geetha Johri has been appointed as the first woman Director General of Police (DGP) of Gujarat
25 Prithika Yashini becomes Tamil Nadu and India's first transgender sub-inspector of the police.
26 MS Dhoni Appointed As Gulf Oil India CEO For A Day
27 Malala Yousafzai designated as a UN Messenger of Peace with a special focus on girls’ education. (Youngest)
28 Harbhajan Singh Among Eight Ambassadors for ICC Champions Trophy. Only Indian
29 Sheela Patel, named in the UN panel for sustainable urban development.
30 Nita Ambani has been made a member of the prestigious Olympic Channel and Olympic Education Commission.
31 Refugee Olympic swimmer Yusra Mardini appointed youngest UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador
Awards and Recognitions
S.No Award Name Person/Institution Extra Knowledge
1 US India Business Council (USIBC) award
N Chandrababu Naidu
2 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize 2017
Dawit Isaak Swedish-Eritrean playwright, journalist and writer
3 Honorary General of the Nepalese Army
General Bipin Rawat (the Chief of Army Staff)
4 Leading Cricketer in the World for the year 2016
Virat Kohli by Wisden India Almanack
5 ‘Leading Women Cricketer in the World’ for 2016
Ellyse Perry (Australia) by Wisden India Almanack
6 NTR National Award for 2012 S.P. Balasubramanyam
7 NTR National Award for 2013 Hema Malini
8 Asian Businesswoman of the Year
Asha Khemka at the 5th annual Asian Business Awards Midlands
9 2017 Pulitzer Prize in Fiction Novel- “The Underground Railroad”
Author- Colson Whitehead
10 National Hindi Sevi Samman Awards
Fujii Takeshi (Japan)and Gabriela Nik IIieva(USA)
11 Living Legend Lifetime Award Dilip Kumar
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by the Punjab Association
12 Krishi Karman Award 2015-16 (large category)
Tamil Nadu
13 Krishi Karman Award 2015-16 (medium category)
Himachal Pradesh
14 Krishi Karman Award 2015-16 (small category)
Tripura
15 Krishi Karman Award 2015-16 for highest production of wheat
Madhya Pradesh
16 Krishi Karman Award 2015-16- commendation award
Meghalaya
17 World’s Outstanding Aerospace Engineer Leadership Award
Dr. Arvind Sinha By American Helicopter Society (AHS) International
18 6th M.S. Swaminathan Award R.R. Hanchinal
19 Cartier Women’s Initiative Award
Tirupati Jain
20 Ficci’s gender parity award Mahavir Singh Phogat and Prathap C Reddy
21 Shambhavi Puraskar 2017 Hari Sankar Rout
22 Dr. Paduru Gururaja Bhat Memorial Award 2017
Prof. A.V. Narasimha Murthi
23 Sahitya Akademi Translation Prize 2016
Novel titled "One Part Woman"
It is the English translation of Perumal Murugan’s controversial Tamil novel Maadhorubaagan. It has been translated by Aniruddhan Vasudevan.
24 Raj Kapoor Lifetime Achievement
Saira Banu
25 Raj Kapoor Special Contribution annual awards
Jackie Shroff
26 Félix Houphouët-Boigny Prize (UNESCO Peace Prize)
Giusi Nicolini mayor of the Italian island of Lampedusa
27 75th Master Dinanath Mangeshkar Award
Aamir Khan and Kapil Dev
28 Golden Peacock Award for Innovation of Cashless Township
Gujarat Narmada Valley Fertilizers & Chemicals Ltd (GNFC)
29 Outstanding Achievement as a Player award (Golf Industry Association (GIA) Award)
Aditi Ashok
30 Award for the Men's Player of SSP Chawrasia
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the Year (Golf Industry Association (GIA) Award)
31 2017 Travelers’ Choice Awards Bali Island, Indonesia By TripAdvisor
32 Bengal film Journalists Association Awards (BFJA) – Lifetime achievement
Moushumi Chatterjee
33 Lelte Award All India Radio (AIR) Aizawl
34 2017 Goldman Environmental Prize
Prafulla Samantra
35 P C Chandra Puraskar Kailash Satyarthi
36 Best film honour at the 41st Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF).
Newton Director- Amit Masurkar
37 Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2016
Kasinathuni Viswanath
38 Golden Peacock Award 2017 for Innovative Product
Yes Bank for its innovative mobile technology product, SIMsePAY
39 Golden Peacock Business Excellence Award 2017
GMR Hyderabad International Airport
40 Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar International Foundation award
Dileep K Nair
41 Ghantasala national award Vani Jairam
42 e-Puraskar Award Karnataka Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR) Department
43 Miss Teen Universe Pageant Srishti Kaur
44 52nd Jnanpith Award Sankha Ghosh Bengali Poet
45 2017 Pierre L’Enfant International Planning Excellence Award
Bhubaneswar, Odisha (First Indian City to win this award)
by American Planning Association (APA).
46 Queen’s Enterprise Award 2017
Yusuff Ali
47 ISC-FICCI 2017 Sanitation Award
Grameen Koota
48 Indian MNC of the year Hero MotoCorp by All India Management Association
49 CII President’s Award for Lifetime Achievement
Mr. Rahul Bajaj
50 Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun Award by Japan
Ashwani Kumar for his contribution to strengthening of bilateral ties between Japan and
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India.
51 Shah Rukh Khan was honoured at the 60th San Francisco International Film Festival (SFIFF) in USA.
52 Rodrigo Duterte( President of Philippines) has won this years’ TIME magazine’s Readers’ Poll of the 100 most influential people in the world
53 Nonagenarian gynaecologist Dr Bhakti Yadav has been handed over the Padma Shri award. Ninety-one-year-old Dr Yadav is Indore’s first woman MBBS graduate and was conferred the Padma Shri award this year.
54 Sudarsan Pattnaik won gold medal at the 10th Moscow Sand art Championship. Theme of the event- “The world around us”
Conference and Summits
S.No Summit Place Extra Knowledge
1 Second annual meeting of BRICS Bank (New Development Bank)
New Delhi
2 19th commonwealth forestry conference
Dehradun, Uttarakhand
3 Mega-conference of world parliamentarians
Dhaka, Bangladesh
4 South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) Finance Ministers’ Meeting
New Delhi
5 National conference on Communicating India 2017
New Delhi
6 India and UK Economic and Financial Dialogue
New Delhi
7 first NIMCARE World Health Day Summit 2017
New Delhi Slogan: ‘Unite for a Healthy Mind’
8 Global R&D Summit 2017 Bengaluru Partner State- Karnataka Partner Country- Russia
9 Two-Day National TB Summit Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh
10 National Children’s Film Festival Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh
organised by the Children’s Film Society India (CFSI)
11 Digital exhibition titled “Swachhagraha – Bapu Ko Karyanjali – Ek Abhiyan, Ek Pradarshani”
New Delhi to mark 100 years of Champaran Satyagraha.
12 G-7 Foreign Ministers meeting Lucca, Italy
13 India’s first-ever micro-drama festival- named ‘Thespis’
New Delhi
14 BRICS special envoys on Middle-East Vishakhapatnam,
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meet Andhra Pradesh
15 Kempegowda Festival New Delhi
16 Global Exhibition on Services (GES 2017)
New Delhi
17 Textiles India 2017 Gujarat
18 India Steel 2017 Mumbai
19 14th Edition of United Nations International Day of Vesak 2017
Sri Lanka Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the event.
20 BRICS Film Festival Chengdu, China June 2017
21 1st India Indonesia Energy Forum Jakarta, Indonesia
22 G-20 Finance Ministers’ and Central Bank Governors’ Meeting
Washington D.C
23 23rd Aajeevika Mela New Delhi
24 Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2017 Dubai Theme of Indian Pavilion: Yoga and Wellness
25 Photo exhibition “The Paths We Walk”
New Delhi
26 18th World Road Meeting New Delhi, India WRM 2017 on November 13
27 4th National Standards Conclave New Delhi
28 12th World Congress of Cosmetic Dermatology
Bengaluru
29 Global Mobile Internet Conference(GMIC)
Beijing, China
30 International Basava Convention New Delhi
International News
El Salvador becomes first country to ban metals mining nationwide.
Myanmar becomes the 7th formal member of South Asia Sub-regional Economic Cooperation (SASEC). Headquarter of SASEC: Manila, Philippines.
Morocco launches final stage of world largest solar plant. Noor Ouarzazate IV power station.
Germany has become the ‘1st NATO member’ to launch cyber command unit to protect from growing attacks.
Japan officially recognises Bitcoin as a currency.
Iceland is set to mandate equal pay for men and women. It will be the first country to do so.
Uruguay to Become First Country to Fully Legalize Marijuana.
Amnesty International published the review stated that China executed the most people in 2016, followed by Iran and Saudi Arabia.
U.S. Drops ‘Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB) on ISIS Caves in Afghanistan.
457 visas programme abolished by Australia.
Malaysia Airlines will be first to use new satellite-based airplane tracking system
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March for Science took place around the globe on April 22, 2017
Cuba and Morocco have signed an agreement to re-establish diplomatic ties after a time period of 37 years.
India is world’s largest remittance recipient for the year 2016 as per the report ‘Migration and Development Brief’ of World Bank. Remittance of $62.7 billion in 2016. India is followed by China.
India wins elections to two UN subsidiary bodies: Committee for Programme and Coordination (CPC) and International Narcotics Control Board.
India has replaced Japan as the world’s second-largest importer of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
World’s first malaria vaccine to be tested in Africa in 2018.
National News
India becomes associate member of International Energy Agency. Headquarter: Paris, France. Total members: 29 and India is the only associate member.
Uttarakhand High Court declares glaciers, forests as ‘juristic person’ Kanha tiger reserve becomes first in India to get official mascot- Bhoorsingh the Barasingha.
India’s First bio-gas bus launched in Kolkata.
Chandigarh becomes second kerosene-free city after Delhi.
Delhi Metro’s solar rooftop plants has become the first of its kind green project to be registered with United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It has been registered under ‘small scale category’ for facilities with an installed solar capacity of less than 15 MW.
Prime Minister of Malaysia, Mohd Najib Tun Razak was on visit to India.
Union Cabinet approved setting up of Rail Development Authority (RDA) in New Delhi. Initial corpus of Rs. 50 crore.
Foreign tourists visiting India on e-visa can now stay up to two months, instead of the earlier one.
Survey General Of India completes 250 Years. Headquarter of Survey General of India- Dehra Dun.
Sri Lankan PM Ranil Wickremesinghe has arrived in India on a 5-day visit
President of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades has arrived in India on a 5-day visit
Turkish Prez Erdogan to arrive on 2-day India visit
Centre Takes 10 New Swachh Iconic Places under Swachh Bharat Mission Phase II. In total 100 places will be selected.
AIIMS Becomes India’s First Public Hospital For Eye Tumours
India’s first electric taxi trial would be launched in Nagpur from May 24, 2017.
India has topped the list of Dubai’s 100 tourist source markets
Mumbai to become the first city in the country to operate public buses without conductors
As per CMS India Corruption Study 2017, Karnataka is the most corrupt state in the country.
As per the Mastercard Asia Pacific Destinations Index 2017, Chennai and Mumbai have ranked among the top 20 tourist destinations in Asia Pacific Region. In terms of International overnight arrivals- Top- Bangkok. In terms of total expenditure by international tourists- Top- Singapore.
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State News
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh to introduce ‘Ammaku Vandanam’ in schools. ‘Ammaku Vandanam’ — mother worship
7,000 girl students performed classical dance ‘Kuchpudi’ in Vizag, Andhra Pradesh to set a Guinness World record.
Foundation Stone of Rs 100-cr Ambedkar memorial park laid in Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh.
The Union Environment Ministry has cleared the construction of an international greenfield airport at Bhogapuram, 45 km from Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh.
Arunachal Pradesh
3 day Sangken festival begins in Arunachal Pradesh.
Nirjuli village-1 in Papum Pare district has been declared as the first digital village of Arunachal Pradesh.
The Arunachal Postal Department hasreleased a special cover on former Chief Minister late Dorjee Khandu
Assam
Nitin Gadkari has announced the first North East Express Highway project. This 1300 Km highway project will be implemented with an outlay of Rs 40,000 crore in Assam.
Assam govt to electrify all villages in state by 30th June, 2017.
Assam celebrates Rongali Bihu Haryana
Haryana government would provide one-time grant of Rs 21,000 to all those families whose third girl child was born after August 24, 2015, under the ‘Aapki Beti, Hamari Beti’ scheme.
Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull and PM Narendra Modi inaugurated Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull in Gurugram, Haryana.
Haryana extends Accidental insurance cover to all residents. [Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY)]
National Health Mission, NHM in Haryana has launched a mobile-based application Kilkari to create awareness among pregnant women. It must be noted that on 25 December 2016, i.e on Good Governance day Shri J P Nadda, Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare announced four new IT-based initiatives. One of them was Kilkari. Kilkari is an audio-based mobile service that delivers weekly audio messages to families about pregnancy, child birth and child care.
Haryana poised to become 1st state to invite Twitter, FB users to interact with CM
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Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh celebrated its 70th Foundation Day on 15 April.
PM Modi launches UDAN from Shimla
Jammu Kashmir
Asia longest tunnel Chenani-Nashri opened in Jammu & Kashmir. 10.89 km
Palladium Cinema site to become heritage museum in Srinagar Jharkhand
National Skill Exhibition (NSE), Driver Training Institutes (DTIs) and Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendra (PMKK) inaugurated in Deogarh, Jharkhand.
PM Modi Lays the Foundation Stone of a Multi-Modal Terminal on River Ganga at Sahibganj in Jharkhand
Karnataka
Bengaluru ranked top paying city for professionals in India as per survey by MyHiringClub.com
Kerala
Kerala government to give pension to circus artistes
Kerala organises first ever transgender athletic meet
Aymanam, a small panchayat ward in Kottayam district of Kerala has become India’s first digitalised panchayat ward.
Madhya Pradesh
Deendayal Rasoi Yojana launched in 49 districts of MP.
Habibganj becomes the First Railway Station on Indian Railways to be Fully Managed by a Private Party. In Bhopal, MP.
River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Minister Sushri Uma Bharti launched extensive water conservation programme for drought prone areas in Odisha and Madhya Pradesh.
Maharashtra
NBA Launches India’s first Basketball School In Mumbai.
Maharashtra becomes first state to enact bill protecting journalists
India’s first village of books will open in Panchgani, Mahabaleshwar, Maharashtra.
Mumbai Port Trust announced plans to construct India’s first and longest sea ropeway to connect Mumbai mainland with famous Elephanta Island in Arabain Sea.
Bhilar village in Maharastra is set to become India’s first ‘book village’.
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Manipur
15th Mumbai International Film Festival is presently on at the Manipur State Film Development Society (MSFDS) in Imphal.
Mizoram
Mizoram becomes 27th State to join UDAY scheme Nagaland
Asia's largest church built in Nagaland. The Sumi Baptist Church Zunheboto (SBCZ) Odisha
International Centre for Foot and Mouth Disease (ICFMD) inaugurated at Argul in Khurda district, Odisha on the occasion of Odisha’s foundation day on April 1.
Berhampur Thakurani Yatra Festival Begins in Odisha Punjab
Punjab CM has banned the names of Minister MLAs on inaugural stones
Punjab Govt. to set up ‘Book Banks’ in school
Tamil Nadu
Kazakhstan has opened its consulate in Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Tripura
Northeast India’s largest Information Technology (IT) hub has been inaugurated in Tripura’s capital city Agartala
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh government waives Rs 36,359-crore loan for UP farmers. Maximum of Rs 1 lakh per farmer.
India’s first DNA bank for wild animals will be setup by the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) at Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh.
The Uttar Pradesh government has given its approval to building a music village named ‘Bismillah Khan Sangeet Gram’ in Varanasi.
Gorakhpur Airport renamed as Mahayogi Goraknath Airport, Agra airport to be renamed after Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay.
Government will set up a Central university for Divyangs in Uttar Pradesh. Uttarakhand
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) conducted a first-of-its-kind State-level mock exercise on forest fire in Uttarakhand.
West Bengal
Jhargram becomes 22nd Bengal district.
West Burdwan declared as 23rd district of Bengal.
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Haldia Port of West Bengal has emerged as the cleanest ports among Indian ports on sanitation parameters conducted by the Quality Council of India.
West Bengal on 15th April celebrated “Poila Baisakh” or the Bengali New Year.
West Bengal state government has introduced ‘Social Security Yojana’ converging five schemes led to form this new ‘Social Security Yojana’ which caters to each section of the society.
Finance and Banking News
SBI begins operations as merged entity from April 1. State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur, State Bank of Hyderabad, State Bank of Mysore, State Bank of Patiala, State Bank of Travancore and Bharatiya Mahila Bank merged.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) celebrated 82nd Establishment Day on 1st April 2017.
Aditya Birla Idea Payments Bank Ltd. has become the seventh entity to receive a final license from Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for carrying out the business of payments bank in India.
State Bank of India (SBI) has decided to carve out a new Circle (Jaipur) from the existing
Delhi and bifurcate the Hyderabad Circle into Andhra Pradesh (new) and Telangana Circles.
As a result of this, the number of Circles under the National Banking Group would increase
to 16 from 14 now.
Yes Bank become the first to achieve milestone of $1 billion mark at the GIFT City. It became the first to achieve milestone of $1 billion mark at the GIFT City.
PayU India has launched ‘LazyPay’ that provides deferral payment facility and is aimed at those who transact digitally for any amount between Rs 500 and Rs 2,500.
The NEFT settlement cycle will be reduced from hourly batches to half hourly batches: RBI
The Income Tax Department clarified that the Rs 2 lakh cash transaction limit will not be applicable on withdrawals from bank, cooperative bank or a post office savings account.
Banks will be allowed to invest in real estate investment trusts (REITs) and infrastructure investment trusts (InvITs)
Hrudaya deposit – a social deposit scheme launched by ESAF Small Finance Bank. An individual or a legal entity can join the Hrudaya deposit scheme with a minimum deposit amount of Rs 15 lakh and for a minimum period of 2 years.
RBI has given an approval to Amazon India to launch its own digital wallet or pre-paid payment instrument (PPI) in India.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced that capital, asset quality and profitability would be the basis of the Prompt Corrective Action (PCA) framework on which the banks would be monitored (effective from April 1, 2017)and has defined three kinds of risk thresholds. the mandatory action that would be taken when a bank breaches the risk threshold includes
o restriction on dividend payment/remittance of profits, o restriction on branch expansion, higher provisions, o restriction on management compensation and director’s fees.
The Bank Boards Bureau (BBB) has evolved a Governance, Reward and Accountability Framework (GRAF) for public sector banks to ensure that they have the ability to compete
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successfully with private sector banks, small finance and payments banks, foreign banks and non-banking finance companies.
IRDAI has unveiled a portal for insurers to sell policies online. [isnp.irda.gov.in]
Finance Ministry approves 8.65% interest rate on EPF.
RBI opens new Ombudsman office for Chhattisgarh and Jammu. Total Banking Ombudsman Offices now- 20.
The RBI has permitted banks to invest up to 10 per cent of the unit capital of an Real Estate Investment Trust (REITs) or Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs). The banks' exposure to REITs/InvITs will be within the overall ceiling of 20 per cent of the net worth permitted for direct investments in shares, convertible bonds/ debentures, units of equity-oriented mutual funds and Venture Capital Funds (VCFs).
AU Financiers converts to small finance bank from a NBFC.
Fino Paytech will help NABRAD to digitise rural banks across 5 states.
RBI announces India’s Financial Literacy Week from June 5-9, 2017
International Finance Corporation, is now going to invest in India’s non-banking finance companies (NBFCs). Capital First and Fullerton India Credit Company have already received commitment from IFC for $50 million and $100 million respectively.
India Post Payment Bank branches to be opened in 650 districts across country. The first
two branches of IPPB have been opened in January 2017 in Ranchi and Raipur.
To benefit and digitally empower over 45 lacs Atal Pension Yojana (APY) subscribers, the facility of online viewing of the statement of transaction (e-SOT) and e-PRAN cards have been launched.
ICICI Bank data centre in Hyderabad becomes country’s first CII-IGBC Platinum rated
project
RBI will issue new Rs 5 and Rs 10 coins. Rs 10 Coin- 125th year of National Archives of India. Rs 5 coin- 150th anniversary of Allahabad High Court.
SEBI has restricted resident as well as non-resident Indians from making investments through participatory notes (p-notes)
Asset Reconstruction Companies (ARCs) must have a minimum net-owned corpus of Rs 100 crore by March 2019: RBI
SEBI has introduced some new reforms like it has allowed options trading in the commodity market and a unified licence regime for equity and commodity brokers. SEBI will also monitor how companies that raise more than ₹100 crore through public float use the proceeds. Earlier, the floor was ₹500 crore. The market regulator has also allowed investors to use e-wallets to buy mutual funds up to ₹50,000 a year.
The North East Small Finance Bank (NESFB), which is the first small bank of North East India, is ready to start operations from the first week of June 2017.
Janalakshmi Financial Services, has received the final approval from Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to set up small finance bank.
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Business News
Credit rating body ICRA awarded Tata AIG General Insurance Company Limited, one of India’s leading private sector General Insurance Company, with ‘iAAA’ rating for its claims paying ability.
Flipkart announced its biggest funding round by buying rival eBay’s Indian operations. As
part of this transaction, eBay Inc has put $500 million in Flipkart and sold its India business
to the Bengaluru firm.
The RBI has allowed Aditya Birla Group firm Grasim Industries to raise the foreign shareholding to 49% from 30%.
Cabinet has approves the listing of 11 PSUs on stock exchange.
State Bank of India (SBI) surpassed ONGC to become the most valued public sector undertaking (PSU) state-owned firm in terms of market valuation.
General Insurance Corporation of India (GIC Re) has become the first re-insurer to open an office at Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City).
RIL overtakes TCS to become most-valued listed company by market capitalization.
The Indian government has extended the Start-Ups Intellectual Property Protection (SIPP) scheme (in force till March 31, 2017) for three years till March 2020
Belgium has become the first country to open an honorary consulate office in Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City).
Infosys Launches Infosys Nia - The Next Generation Integrated Artificial Intelligence Platform. (Infosys Mana and AssistEdge are the 1st Generation AI tools by Infosys.)
Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act (RERA) will be implemented from May 1
Economy News
Japan will provide 371 billion Yen or Rs 21,590 crores as official development assistance (ODA) to India for various infrastructure projects, including the dedicated freight corridor.
The central government has released an amount of Rs 2,014.45 crore as financial assistance to Tamil Nadu affected by drought and cyclonic storm.
Under GST, tax evasion over Rs 5 crore a non-bailable offence
Union Ministry of Tourism has sanctioned Rs 98.35 crores for a Heritage Circuit in Assam.
India-UK launch 240 mn pound joint fund for green energy. Contribution of 120 million pounds from each country.
India will invest Rs 200 crore to set up 100 more incubators across the country to support
start-ups in innovations
NMCG approved 26 projects worth Rs 2,154.28 cr for “Namami Gange project”
Ministry of Rural development has released nearly 23,500 crore rupees to the States under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS).
Income Tax department launched second phase of ‘Operation Clean Money’ under which it will probe over 60000 individuals including 1300 ‘high risk’ individuals.
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India contributes USD 250000 to the United Nations programme for helping countries to hold elections and develop their electoral systems.
GDP to expand at 7.5% in 2017-18: Arun Jaitley
India to overtake Germany in 2022 as the world’s fourth-largest economy : IMF
GST to push Indian growth to over 8%: IMF
CBDT inks two Advance Pricing Agreements (APAs) with taxpayers. Total APA- 154 (11 bilateral APAs and 143 unilateral APAs)
India will give Rs 350 million to descendants of freedom fighters in the next five years under the new ‘Muktijodha scholarship scheme’ for Bangladesh
Apps Launches/ Portal/Helpline APP/Portal Features/Use
echallan and mParivahan (GOI)
eChallan is an integrated enforcement solution to manage traffic violations through an Android-based mobile app and back-end web application, for use by the Transport Enforcement Wing and Traffic Police
mParivahan “is an empowering app for the citizen which provides access to various services, information and utilities related to the transport sector, bring convenience to citizen and transparency in the system.
100MB (Sachin Tendulkar)
The app has been developed by Pune-based technology firm JetSynthesys. The app allows users access to their personal social media account within the app and access to exclusive information and interaction with Tendulkar.
MP E-Nagarpalika APP (Madhya Pradesh)
to provide various municipal services online.
“Bharat ke Veer” Portal and Mobile App
The portal is an IT based platform, with an objective to enable willing donors to contribute towards the family of a braveheart who sacrificed his/her life in line of duty. Actor Akshay Kumar contributed his idea for this portal and app. To ensure maximum coverage, a cap of 15 lakh rupees
‘Urja Mitra’ mobile application allows consumers across India to exchange real-time information with electricity distribution companies (discoms) on power supply.
“nakshe” Portal launched by the Union Minister for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, Dr. Harsh Vardhan in New Delhi, on the occasion of 250th anniversary of Survey of India (SoI).
‘Suraksha’ Mobile App for the safety of women in Bengaluru.
e-sewa app (Haryana)
to provide information about more than 250 schemes and programmes of 30 different departments
TAL Brabo (Robot)
Made by TAL Manufacturing Solutions, it is the first robot conceptualised and designed in India catering primarily to
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micro, small and medium industries
“Quest for Equity” website Launched by Congress on the 126th birth anniversary of Dr B.R. Ambedkar
Areo app (Google)
a food delivery & home services app for India
CM Connect App (Andhra Pradesh CM)
receiving feedback from the public directly on any given issue. It runs of Microsoft’s Kaizala platform
Digital Application for Review by Public And Nation (DARPAN) Web Portal (Manipur)
to check corruption and keep track of government activities
InterBot- US-based bot platform Gupshup has launched InterBot, a bot-to-bot communication platform to enable them transact, co-ordinate, compete, collaborate and negotiate with each other.
MyMSME Mobile App Through this app MSMEs can lodge grievances pertaining to Ministry of MSME.
MFIN Connect App
Micro Finance Institutions Network has launched a mobile app that will help microfinance clients in educating them about microfinance.
Projects Russia’s ASE Group of Companies and the Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL) have
signed a joint statement on Final Takeover of Unit 1 of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant, Tamil Nadu.
Railways to set up Rs 200-crore solar power plant in Bhilai. 50 MW
Defence News Exercise Nomadic Elephant – XII - India-Mongolia military training exercise began at
Vairengte in Mizoram.
Indian Naval Ship Shardul to provide surveillance support in Indian Ocean.
Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) announced the signing of contracts worth almost $2 billion for supply of medium range surface to air missiles (MRSAM) and missile defence systems to the Indian Army.
Sagarmatha Friendship-2017 Exercise- Nepal+ China- in Kathmandu, Nepal.
The Indian Navy’s guided missile destroyer INS Chennai has been dedicated to the Chennai city.
INS Darshak, the Indian Navy’s hydrographic survey ship, is jointly with Sri Lankan Navy undertaking a joint hydrographic survey of Weligama Bay in the Sri Lankan waters.
China has launched its first unmanned Cargo Spacecraft named Tianzhou 1.
11th Bold Kurukshetra – (bilateral armor exercise)- India+ Singapore- Uttar Pradesh
Joint maritime exercise Varuna- India and France Navy- Mediterranean Sea
China’s first home-built aircraft carrier Type 001A launched.
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India successfully test-fires Agni-III ballistic missile.
The US Air Force has test-fired an unarmed long-range missile Minuteman III capable of carrying a nuclear weapon.
Indian Coast Guard ship, ICGS Varad decommissioned at Chennai Port after 27 years of service.
Sports News
Tournament Winner Runner Up
India Open Superseries Badminton title
P.V. Sindhu Carolina Marin
Miami Open Tennis Title Mens
Roger Federer Rafael Nadal
Miami Open Tennis Title Women
Johanna Konta Caroline Wozniacki
Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix
Lewis Hamilton- Mercedes Sebastian Vettel- Ferrari
2017 Malaysia Super Series Badminton Men’s Single
Lin Dan Lee Chong Wei
2017 Malaysia Super Series Badminton Women’s Single
Tai Tzu-Ying Carolin Marin
Asian School Hockey Championship
India Malaysia
Asian Billiards Championship title
Pankaj Advani Sourav Kothari
Singapore Open Badminton championship Men’s Single
Sai Praneeth K Srikanth
Baharain Grand Prix Sebastian Vettel Lewis Hamilton
10th Monte-Carlo Masters Men’s Single
Rafael Nadal Albert Ramos-Vinolas
10th Monte-Carlo Masters Men’s Doubles
Rohan Bopanna + Pablo Cuevas
National Youth Athletics Meet
Haryana Kerala
Tallahassee Challenger title men’s double
Leander Paes and Scott Lipsky
Sports
New Zealand cricketer Grant Elliott announces retirement from international cricket.
India’s women’s T20I team captain Harmanpreet Kaur has been named Player of the Year by Australia’s Women’s Big Bash League team Sydney Thunder.
Kuldeep Yadav first men’s Chinaman bowler to play for India.
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National Hockey League will not take part in the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics
FIFA’s ethics committee has banned former Guatemalan Football Association president Brayan Jimenez from all football-related activities for life on corruption charges.
FIFA ranking for April: Top- Brazil; India- 101 rank
India has finished the Thailand International Boxing Tournament with two medals- 1 Gold and 1 Bronze. K Shyam Kumar won Gold while Rohit Tokas won Bronze.
Indian team topped the medal tally list at the Asian Youth Chess Championship in Tashkent. Won 12 medals.
Indian Olympic Association grants affiliation to Boxing Federation of India.
Low-cost carrier SpiceJet unveiled ‘Khel Yatra’ for the underprivileged children in Delhi as its chief sponsor.
Victoria University and University of Canberra will assist India to establish a ‘National Sports University’ on the lines of the Australian Institute of Sport.
Gayatri Pullela has bagged both the singles and doubles crown at the Pembangunan Jaya Raya Junior Badminton Grand Prix in Jakarta.
2022 Asian games to have video gaming as full sport. 2022 Asian games- Hangzhou, China It will be included as a demonstration sport at the 2018 Asian Games in Palembang, Indonesia.
Cricket, Skateboarding, Sambo and Surfing have been removed from the 2018 Asian Games to be held in Jakarta and Palembang.
Indian shot putter Manpreet Kaur has clinched a gold in the first leg of the Asian Grand Prix Athletics Meet in Jinhua, China.
The ‘Marylebone Cricket Club’ has offered honourary life membership to Sandhya Agarwal, former captain of the Indian women’s Test team.
101-year-old Man Kaur has won Gold Medal for 100 metres sprint at the World Masters Games in Auckland.
India wins 16 medals at US Open Karate Championship. (Gold- 3; Silver- 2; Bronze-11)
Paris to host 2020 European Athletics Championships.
Pankaj Advani wins silver in Asian Snooker Championship.
Jehan Daruvala becomes first Indian on pole in F3 European Championship.
Aizawl FC becomes the first club from the north-east to win the I-League title by defeating Shillong Lajong FC.
Golfer Shiv Kapur wins second Asian Tour title.
SV Sunil (Hockey) completes playing 200th international matches for India.
Gul Panag first Indian woman to drive Formula E racing car at a racetrack
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Schemes and Policy
Scheme Name Information Outlay
‘Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana’ (All India Scheme)
Scheme for providing Physical Aids and Assisted-living Devices for Senior citizens belonging to BPL category. The Scheme will be implemented through the sole implementing agency, ‘Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation (ALIMCO). This is a Central Sector Scheme, fully funded by the Central Government. The expenditure for implementation of the scheme will be met from the "Senior Citizens' Welfare Fund".
The expected financial outlay over the next three years (i.e. upto 2019-20) is Rs. 483.6 Crores.
“Passenger is Prime (PIP)” programme (GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd.)
initiatives aimed at delivering an enhanced level of service to the passengers using the airport.
PowerTex India Scheme (Union Textiles Ministry)
Provides subsidy to financially weak powerloom unit owners for upgradation of looms. Government of India will provide Rs. 2 crore subsidy to setup Common Facility Centre having pre-weaving and post-weaving facilities.
Cyber Physical Systems (CPS) programme
The Department of Science and Technology (DST) under Union Ministry of Science and Technology has initiated a Cyber Physical Systems (CPS) programme.
Rs. 3000 crore out of which Rs. 100 crore have been earmarked in the current financial year itself.
SAMPADA (Ministry of Food Processing Industries)
Scheme for Agro-Marine Produce Processing and Development of Agro-Processing Clusters (SAMPADA) to integrate current and new schemes aimed at reducing food wastage and doubling farmers’ income by 2022
Rs. 6000 crore
Adarana scheme (Andhra Pradesh)
a scheme for improving traditional occupations.
Tara Zameen Par programme (Jharkhand police)
With a motive to enlighten children in naxal-affected areas of Jharkhand’s Palamau district and encourage them to live a happy life.
Operation Durga (Haryana)
Durga Vahini – police squads it aims to stop harassment of women on public spaces.
Advanced Farming – to increase farmers’ income by cutting
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Enriched Farmer (Maharashtra)
production cost and increasing the output.
3 new schemes to facilitate access to justice: Pro-bono legal services Tele-law service Nyaya Mitra
Pro-bono legal services- lawyers can register themselves to volunteer pro-bono services for litigants who are unable to afford it. Tele-law service- seeks to connect litigants with lawyers through video conferencing facilities. Under Nyaya Mitra, a retired judicial officer, or an executive officer with judicial experience, will be put in charge of assisting those suffering due to judicial delays.
“Quality Mark” Award Scheme (NDDB)
for dairy Cooperatives to promote and encourage enhancement of safety, quality and hygiene of milk and milk products manufactured by dairy cooperatives.
Innovations for Development of Efficient and Affordable Systems(IDEAS)
for students from higher educational institutions to volunteer to offer innovative, original and practical solutions to problems facing the country and get rewarded for their efforts. Reward- Rs 1 crore
‘Solve for India’ program (Google)
to aid the new wave of entrepreneurs and startups in emerging cities
Committee
Head of Committee Purpose
Alok Kumar Singh to look into the quality and delay in implementation and anomaly in expenditure of Gomti-River Channelisation project.
Shiva Kirti Singh Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal(TDSAT)
Rajiv Nayan Choubey inter-ministerial panel to monitor UDAN
Dinesh Sharma Inter-Disciplinary Committee to examine the existing framework with regard to Virtual Currencies like Bitcoins
Kewal Kumar Sharma Implementation of 7th pay commission in educational institutions
Mr. Ashok Dalwai draft model law ‘Agricultural Produce and Livestock Marketing (Promotion and Facilitating) Act (APLM), 2017’
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Rankings
Index India’s Rank Other Information
Doping violation report published by World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) for 2015
India- 3rd Top- Russia
Global Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report 2017
India- 40th Top- Spain by World Economic Forum (WEF)
EY (Ernst & Young) Europe, Middle East, India and Africa (EMEIA) Fraud Survey 2017
India- 9th Top- Ukraine
2017 A.T. Kearney Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Confidence Index
India- 8th Top- United States
Top military spender in year 2016- Data by Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI)
India- 5th Top -US
World Press Freedom Index India- 136th Top- Norway
Loans from Banks
From To Amount Purpose
Asian Development Bank (ADB)
Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd.
$175 million
to support construction of high voltage transmission systems to evacuate power generated from new mega solar parks to the interstate grid, and improve reliability of the national grid system
Exim Bank Bangladesh $1.6 billion for financing 1,320 MW ultra-super-critical Maitree Super Thermal Power Project in Bangladesh.
World Bank India $375 million
India’s first waterway project- 1,360-km stretch of the Ganga river between Varanasi and Haldia.
NABARD Gujarat Rs 9,241 crore
refinance support to cooperative banks and regional rural banks (RRBs) in Gujarat for providing crop loans to farmers during 2016-17.
New Development Bank(BRICS
Brazil $ 300 million
to develop the South American country’s renewable energy sector.
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Bank)+ Brazilian Development Bank
Miscellaneous News
NTPC successfully crossed the 50 GW power generation capacity on April 1, 2017.
US Astronaut Peggy Whitson Breaks Sunita Williams’ Record For Most Spacewalks By A Woman. She made her eighth career spacewalk
India has promised to provide technical assistance to Afghanistan to build a research and
training centre for the World Trade Organisation (WTO)
A team from Indian Navy is all set for an expedition to the Mt. Everest under the mission
named “Sagartal se Sagarmatha“.
The Centre notified the constitution of the National Board of Electric Mobility (NBEM).
Chairperson: Secretary of Department of Heavy Industry.
The Union Cabinet has approved closure of the Mahatma Gandhi Pravasi Suraksha Yojana
(MGPSY) which was set up in 2012 to address the social security-related issues of the
Emigration Check Required (ECR)-category workers going abroad for employment to the
ECR countries.
The Agriculture Ministry joined hands with the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), a
wing of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), to geo-tag agricultural assets.
New Delhi, Dhaka to jointly produce documentary on Bangladesh’s Liberation War. It is to
mark the Golden Jubilee Year of Bangladesh’s independence in 2021. Shri Rajnath Singh chaired the 11th Standing Committee meeting of the Inter-State council.
Lok Sabha passed The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill 2016 by voice vote. This bill
amends the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.
Government reduces number of centrally sponsored schemes to 28 from 66.
Petrol and Diesel prices to change every day from 1st May.
NASA releases global maps of ‘night light’ on Earth. It is named ‘night lights’. Supreme court asks Center to include Urdu in NEET from 2018-2019. Presently NEET is
held in 10 languages.
Report titled " Global Analysis and Assessment of Sanitation and Drinking-Water (GLAAS)
2017" was released by WHO- it states that nearly 2 billion people worldwide using
Contaminated Water.
Google’s ‘Style Ideas’ to offer style suggestions to users via images.
Non-profit group ‘The Sikhs of New York’ organised the ‘Turban Day’ at Times Square on April 15.
Trial run of new glass roof coaches of Vistadome held between Visakhapatnam and Arakuon.
Cost of these coaches is Rs 4 crore for 4 coaches.
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Union Minister of Human Resource Development Shri Prakash Javadekar launched the
portal and mobile app of Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA), a body under the
aegis of the Ministry of Human Resource Development here in New Delhi.
India’s sex ratio may dip to 898 girls for 1000 boys in 2031 as per a government report.
GMR Hyderabad International Airport Limited received Carbon Neutrality (Level 3+)
Certificate from the Airports Council International (ACI).
UN to issue 10 stamps of ‘asanas’ on International Yoga Day (June 21).
World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) relased a report titled `Not For Sale. As per it, nearly
30% of World Heritage Sites are plagued by poaching, illegal logging and fishing.
The Supreme Court of India has set a benchmark for maintenance to be paid by a husband
to his former wife. 25% of his net salary.
Ministry of Rural Development achieved a milestone by successfully geotagging 1 crore
assets.
The India Post released a Commemorative Postage Stamp on Coffee as a Fragrance Stamp in
Bengaluru. One lakh stamps in the denomination of Rs 100 have been released and printed.
NASA Astronaut Peggy Whitson breaks US Spaceflight record of most number of days in
space.
HUDCO has completed 47 years of existence.
The Airport Carbon Accreditation programme has upgraded Kempegowda International
Airport, Bengaluru, to ‘Level 3+ Neutrality’, which is the highest level of environmental achievement available to airports.
Wikipedia’s Jimmy Wales creates news service Wikitribune to offer “factual and neutral” articles that help combat the problem of “fake news”.
NITI Aayog has envisaged houses, vehicles, Air Conditioners for all Indian Citizens by year
2032
ISRO has developed a “Solar Calculator” android app
Under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty
Alleviation has sanctioned 1, 00,537 houses for urban poor.
Shah Rukh Khan becomes first Indian actor to speak at TED Talks in Canada.
Members of EPFO can now withdraw funds from their EPF account for treatment of illness
and purchasing equipment to deal with handicap without medical certificates.
Railways working to ensure confirmed berths on demand by 2021.
Google India is India’s most attractive employer: Randstad.
Health Ministry launches ‘Test and Treat Policy for HIV’
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Deadlines
Deadline for Deadline
Bharat Stage-VI compliant fuel 2020
Aadhaar to be mandatory for IT returns and getting PAN card from July 1, 2017
Deadline for bank savings account holders to give PAN June 30, 2017
24-hour quality electric power supply in Uttar Pradesh October 2018
India to banish red beacons from May 1, 2017
Deadline for deposits under PMGKY April 30, 2017
Deadline to file PMGKY declarations extended to May 10, 2017
Last date for FATCA compliance of Bank Accounts April 30, 2017
Rankings (Persons and Organisations)
India’s best college as per HRD ministry rankings: Miranda House College, Delhi University
India’s best university by HRD ministry rankings: IISc Bangalore
India ranks 7th in the world in terms of its total contribution to the country’s Gross
Domestic Product (GDP) as per the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) report.
Alia Bhatt features on Forbes 30 under 30 Asia list
53 Indians featured in the Forbes’ list of super achievers from Asia who are under the age of
30.
Narendra Modi, Paytm’s Vijay Shekhar Sharma in Time’s ‘most influential people’ list. (Only
two Indians)
Growth rates predictions
India’s GDP growth rate – by ADB – 2017-18 – 7.4%
India’s GDP growth rate – by ADB – 2018-19 – 7.6%
India’s GDP growth rate – by World Bank – 2016-17- 6.8%
India’s GDP growth rate – by World Bank – 2017-18- 7.2%
India’s GDP growth rate – by World Bank – 2019-20- 7.7%
India’s GDP growth rate – by IMF – 2016-17- 6.8%
India’s GDP growth rate – by IMF – 2017-18- 7.2%
India’s GDP growth rate – by IMF – 2018-19- 7.7%
India’s Current Account Deficit is expected to grow by 1.6% from 0.5% in this fiscal year: Nomura
World economy to grow at 3.5 percent in 2017: IMF
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Books
Book Author Other Info
“Indian Railway- The weaving of a National Tapestry”
Shri Bibek Debroy (Member, NITI Aayog) Shri Sanjay Chadha (Joint Secretary, Ministry of Commerce) & Ms. Vidya Krishnamurthi.
“The Entrepreneur’s Guidebook” Suresh Bharwani
"The Flaming Tresses of Draupadi"
M. Veerappa Moily
“The Underground Railroad” Colson Whitehead
"Hope in a Challenged Democracy – An Indian Narrative"
Ashwini Kumar
"Matoshree" Sumitra Mahajan
"Building the land of five rivers" Arjun Gaind
"Asha Parekh: The Hit Girl " Khalid Mohamed + Asha Parekh
Autobiography of Asha Parekh
DalaiLama releases book titled Ocean & Blue Mountains
Obituaries
Name Profession Other Info
Ajey Jhankar Writer, Producer, Composer
Kishori Amonkar Classical Singer Age-84
Akhilesh Das Politician
Munshi Venu Malayalam actor Age- 63
Girish Chandra Saxena 'Gary' Politician (Former Governor of Jammu and Kashmir)
Age- 90
Robert W. Taylor Computer Scientist Age- 85
Emma Morano world’s oldest person from- Italy
Age- 117
Allan Holdsworth Guitar Pioneer Age- 70
Nora Chopra Journalist Age- 64
Rasa Popov Serbian writer Age- 84
Vinod Khanna Actor and Politician Age- 70
Vinu Chakravarthy Tamil Actor Age- 71
Begum Yaman Sufi Singer Age- 52
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Important Days
Date Day Extra Info
2 April World Autism Awareness Day
Theme 2017: "Toward Autonomy and Self-Determination"
4 April International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action
Theme 2017: “Needs driven. People Centered”
5 April 54th National Maritime Day
6 April International Day of Sport for Development and Peace
7 April World Health day Theme 2017: "Depression: Let’s Talk"
12 April International Day of Human Space Flight
18 April World Heritage Day
22 April International Earth Day Theme 2017: "Campaign is Environmental & Climate Literacy"
23 April World Book and Copyright Day
Theme 2017: "Quotes Wishes Slogans Greetings"
24 April National Panchayati Raj (PR) Diwas
25 April World Malaria Day Theme 2017: “End Malaria for good”
26 April World Intellectual Property Day (WIP)
Theme 2017: "Innovation – Improving Lives"
26 April International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day
28 April World Day for Safety and Health at Work
29 April Day of Remembrance for all Victims of Chemical Warfare
24 April 2017 - 30 April 2017
World Immunization Week for 2017
Theme 2017: " VaccinesWork"
www.aspirantszone.com A2Z April 2017 Current Affairs PDF
April Special
First Bi-monthly Monetary Policy Statement, 2017-18 Resolution of the
Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) Reserve Bank of India
Policy Repo Rate 6.25% Reverse Repo Rate 6.00% MSF 6.50% Bank rate 6.50% CRR 4% SLR 20.50%
64th National Film Awards
Name of Award Winner Other Info Best Feature Film Kaasav Marathi Best Children's Film Dhanak Hindi Best Direction Ventilator (Rajesh Mapuskar) Marathi Best Animated Film Mahayodha Rama Hindi Best Actor Akshay Kumar For Rustom Best Actress Surabhi Lakshmi For Minnaminunge
BHIM-Aadhar –a digital payment platform launched by the Prime
Minister on Ambedkar Jayanti in Nagpur- 14 April
PM Modi launched two new incentive schemes for the BHIM – Cash back and Referral bonus –
with an outlay of Rs. 495 crore for a period of six months.
Lucky GrahakYojana and DigiDhanVyaparYojana, came to an end after a rigorous 100 day
information, education and communication campaign led by NITI Aayog to make digital payments
a mass movement in India. Under the scheme Rs.258 crore of prize money was won by 16 lakh
winners, including customers and merchants belonging to different corners of the country and
from varied walks of life.
Sovereign Gold Bonds 2017-18 – Series I
The Bonds will be issued on May 12, 2017.
Interest rate- 2.50%.
Minimum limit- 1 gram.
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Maximum limit- 500grams.
Tenor- 8 years with exit option from 5th year to be exercised on the interest payment dates.
Dadasaheb Phalke Excellence Awards 2017
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan won the award for the best actress female for her stellar
performance in the film “Sarabjit”. Hema Malini won the Award in the category of Kala Shree.
Veteran Zeenat Aman received the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Filmmaker Shoojit Sircar bagged Creative Director Award for “Pink”, and
Rohit Roy bagged the Best Negative Role in Film for “Kaabil”.
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