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INDIAN AFFAIRS
India opens two border crossing points with Myanmar, Bangladesh
In a bid to strengthen bilateral relations with its eastern neighbours, India has opened two
immigration check posts along the borders with Myanmar and Bangladesh.
Details about new Immigration Check Posts along Indo-Maynmar Border:
Indian Government has designated Zorinpuiland check post in Lawngtlai district of
Mizoram as an authorised immigration check post for entry into or exit from India with
valid travel documents for all classes of passengers to or from Myanmar.
An agreement on Zorinpui was included in the joint statement issued during the visit of
the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Myanmar in May, 2012.
It is to be noted that India shares a 1,643-km-long border with Myanmar which
touches Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram.
All cities and towns in five more States declared Open Defecation Free
On October 2, 2017, Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs Mr. Hardeep Singh
Puri announced that five more States viz., Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chattisgarh,
Jharkhand and Haryana have reached the milestone of making all cities and towns Open
Defecation Free. It is to be noted that On October 2, 2017, Swacch Bharat Mission completed
three years.
Overview of Progress towards Swacchata in urban areas:
i. As against the target of building about 66 lakh individual household toilets in urban areas, 38
lakh toilets have already been built and construction of another 14 lakh toilets is in progress.
ii. Over two lakh community and public toilet seats have been built so far. The mission target is to
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Yamethin, Myanmar.
Centre approves setting up a turtle sanctuary in Allahabad
The Central Government has approved development of a Turtle sanctuary in Allahabadalong
with a River Biodiversity Park at Sangam (confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and mythical
Sarasvati) under Namami Gange programme.
Turtle sanctuary in Allahabad and River Biodiversity Park at Sangam:
These projects have been approved with an aim to protect the rich aquatic biodiversity of river
Ganga from escalating anthropogenic pressures
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Rajnath Singh and Nitin Gadkari inaugurated sea route to Baratang & laid foundation
stone for shipping projects in Andaman & Nicobar Islands
On October 5, 2017, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Union Minister for Shipping, Road
Transport & Highways and Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Nitin
Gadkari inaugurated an alternate sea route to Baratang They also laid the foundation stone
for extension of dry dock in Port Blair, extension of wharf in Hope Town and construction of an
additional jetty along with extension of Berthing Jetty in Neil Island.
Utility of Sea Route to Baratang and upcoming Shipping Projects:
The new sea route to Baratang, which passes through the Jarawa Tribal Reserve will provide
an alternative to the National Highways-4 route that linked Baratang to Port Blair. It will
thereby promote tourism without disturbing the tribal areas.
Aadhaar made mandatory for small saving schemes as post office deposits, PPF, KVP
The government has made Aadhaar is mandatory for all post office deposits, PPF, the National
Savings Certificate scheme and Kisan Vikas Patra.
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Projects worth Rs 700 crore sanctioned for Namami Gange programme by NMCG
The National Mission for Clean Ganga(NMCG) has sanctioned Rs.700 crore for eight projects in
the Namami Gange programme.
Misson of Eight project
Four projects related to sewage management in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal.Three are
related to treatment of drains through bio-remediation. One of inventorization and surveillance of
river Ganga
1.Four projects related to sewage management in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal.
2.Three are related to treatment of drains through bio-remediation
3.One of inventorization and surveillance of river Ganga
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Manohar Lal Khattar announces ration cards for nomadic tribe in Haryana
On 11th September 2017, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar announced ration cards for nomadic
tribes living in different parts of Haryana.
Union Textiles Minister inaugurates worlds largest B2B handicraft & gifts fair
On October 12, 2017, Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani inaugurated the 44th edition of
Indian Handicrafts and Gift Fair (IHGF) 2017 at India Expo Centre and Mart
in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh.
i. The exhibition started on October 12, 2017 and will continue till October 16, 2017.
ii. Nearly 2980 exhibitors will be showcasing their products and buyers from around 100
countries including China, Australia, the US and the UK are expected to visit this
exhibition.
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Dilli seminar on India & Southeast Asia maritime trade begins in Kerala
The annual Dilli seminar on India and Southeast Asia Maritime Trade, Expedition and
Civilisation Linkages began on October 13, 2017 at the Indian Naval Academy (INA) in
Kerala.
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Misra disagreed with a recent judgment which diluted the rigour of Section 498A of Indian
Penal Code (IPC) in dealing with dowry related complaints of cruelty.
i. Section 498A of IPC warrants immediate arrest of a husband and his relatives in a
dowry-linked complaint of cruelty.
Hyderabad High Court makes Gram Sabha nod mandatory for liquor shops
On 12th October 2017, The Hyderabad High Court directed the Telengana government not
to grant licence, to establish liquor retail outlets in the scheduled areas without the
resolution of the gramsabha.
Footwear Design & Development Institute Act 2017 comes into force
Footwear Design & Development Institute (FDDI) has been declared an Institute of
National Importance as the provisions FDDI Act 2017 have come into force from October 16,
2017.i. With the provisions of FDDI Act 2017 coming into force, FDDI will now be upgraded to
deal with international standards and address the shortage of trained human resource in the
sector.
Headquarters of FDDI is located in Noida, Uttar Pradesh.
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Andhra CM Chandrababu Naidu lays foundation stone for TU142M aircraft museum
On 17th October 2017, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu laid the foundation
stone for the TU142M aircraft museum in Visakhapatnam.
TU142M Aircraft museum:
i. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and Eastern naval command Chief
Vice Admiral H.C.S.Bisht laid the foundation stone of the TU142M aircraft museum. This is
being built at the Beach Road in Visakhapatnam.
ii. The Russian aircraft TU142M was decommissioned at INS Rajali in Tamil Nadu after 29 years.
It was brought to Visakhapatnam on 8th April 2017 to be converted into a Museum.
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Punjab CM restores special family pension for widows of govt employees killed by
terrorists
On October 19, 2017, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh restored the Special
Family Pension for widows of government employees killed by extremists.
i. The scheme was revoked in 2016 by the erstwhile Shiromani Akali Dal Government.
Section 247 of the Companies Act 2013, related to Valuation by Registered Valuers
comes into force
The Ministry of Corporate Affairs has issued a notification on commencement of Section 247 of
the Companies Act, 2013 (Valuation by Registered Valuers) with effect from 18th October, 2017.
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Kandla Port gets green nod to develop Rs 1,176 crore smart city
Government-owned Kandla Port Trust has received environment clearance for setting up
a smart industrial port city in Kutch, Gujarat
About Smart Port Cities to be developed by Kandla Port Trust:
i. As per the proposal, smart industrial port cities will be set up at two separate sites
in Gandhidham city, (in Kutch district of Gujarat).
ii. Cost for setting up these industrial port cities is estimated at Rs. 1176 crore.
iii It is to be noted that Kandla Port Trust has been recently renamed as Deendayal Port
by the Union Ministry of Shipping.
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existing airport in Rajkot is small and the earlier plan to extend the current runway could not be
carried out as it involved high land cost.
ii. Hirasar Greenfield Airport Project will be developed by Gujarat State Aviation
Infrastructure Company Ltd (GSAICL).
iii. Estimated project cost is over Rs 1400 crore
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During his visit to Bhubanewar, Odisha in April 2017, Prime Minister Narendra
felicitated the family members of 16 freedom fighters who were martyred during the
Paika Rebellion.
In July 2017, the then President Pranab Mukherjee inaugurated year-long
celebration of Bi-Centenary of the Paika Bidroha of Odisha.
Central Government has allocated Rs. 200 crore for commemorating it across
the country.
Andhra Government releases 3rd installment under Crop Loan Waiver Scheme
On 23rd October 2017, Agriculture Minister of Andhra Pradesh Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy
announced the release of third installment under Crop Loan Waiver Scheme.
3rd installment under Crop Loan Waiver Scheme:
i. In September 2017, the Andhra Pradesh Government, released Rs.3,600 crores for the
third portion of the third installment, under Waiver Scheme in Andhra Pradesh.
ii. The amount will be deposited in the accounts of the farmers with additional 10 %
interests. Andhra Pradesh Government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Chandrababu
Naidu, has been giving the first preference to the farmers.
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CVC to launch new integrity index to rank govt departments over anti-corruption
measures
In a bid to practice preventive vigilance, Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) will develop
an Integrity Index, which will annually rank government entities viz. Public Sector
Undertakings, Public Sector Banks and Financial Institution, Departments and Ministries of
Government of India on anti-corruption measures which will include internal processes and
controls as well as organisations interaction with external stakeholders.
Objectives for developing Integrity Index:
1. To clearly define integrity in context of public organisations.
2. To highlight different factors of Integrity and how they are linked to each other.
3. To have an objective and reliable tool in place that measures the performance of
organisations on predetermined factors of integrity.
4. To validate the findings in order to improve the robustness of the tool.
5. To create an internal and external ecosystem that promotes working with Integrity.
Deadline for linking Aadhaar with government schemes extended to March 31, 2018:
Centre to SC
On October 25, 2017, Union Government informed Supreme Court that deadline for linking of
Aadhaar to avail benefits under government welfare schemes has been postponed to
March 31, 2018. Before this extension, the deadline for linking Aadhaar was December 31,
2017.
i.This is the second extension granted by Government. Earlier the deadline was extended
from September 30, 2016 to December 31, 2017.
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iii. This extension applies to total 135 schemes which are administered by various ministries
of Union Government.
Piyush Goyal launches Railways first set of solar plants with capacity of 5 MW
On October 27, 2017, Union Railway Minister, Piyush Goyal launched railways first set of
solar plants with a total capacity of 5 megawatt peak (MWp) installed on the roof tops
of Hazrat Nizamuddin, New Delhi, Anand Vihar and Delhi railway stations. Mr. Goyal
launched these plants at the inauguration of the International Conference on Green
Initiatives and Railway Electrification.
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2017 on the External Affairs Ministrys official Twitter handle @MEAIndia. The
Spokesperson responded to selected questions, live through periscope.
Shipping ministry offers grant to JNPT, Karwar port under Sagarmala project
On October 26, 2017, Union Shipping Ministry announced that it has sanctioned Rs 25 crore to
the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust and another Rs 50 crore to the Karwar port in
Karnataka for development of coastal berth under the flagship Sagarmala project.
i. These funds have been provided as a part of Coastal Berth Scheme under flagship
Sagarmala Project.
ii. Objective of Coastal Berth Scheme is to provide financial assistance to ports or State
Governments in order to create infrastructure for movement of cargo and passengers through
sea or national waterways.
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ii. The subsidy will be deposited to farmers account only if Aadhaar number has been
provided.
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Besides providing digital connectivity, Bharat Net project will also inculcate
projects such as a DigiGaon to provide tele-medicine, education and skills by using
digital technology.
The project is being implemented by Bharat Broadband Network Ltd (BBNL), a
special purpose vehicle (SPV).
BBNL has assigned the execution work to three government owned companies
Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL), Power Grid Corporation of India (PGCI)
and RailTel Corporation of India (RailTel).
Bharat Net Financial Allocation and Current Status:
Under Union Budget 2017-18, Rs.10000 crore has been allocated to Bharat Net Project.
Life term for Govt officials indulging in torture, recommends Law Commission
On October 30, 2017, Law Commission of India has recommended that Indian
Government should ratify a United Nations Convention against Torture in order to avoid
difficulties in extradition of criminals from foreign countries.
Major Recommendations of Law Commission on UN Convention Against Torture:
It has been recommended that, if Indian Government ratifies the UN Convention
Against Torture, than a bill should be passed by the parliament to amend
various laws to prevent torture by government officials.
Draft of the proposed Prevention of Torture Bill, 2017, prescribes stringent
punishment to people inflicting torture so as to create a deterrent effect in discouraging
such acts.
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PLACES IN NEWS
Third Edition of Women of India Organic Festival held in New Delhi
On 1st 5th October 2017, the 3rd annual Women of India Organic Festival is held at Dilli Haat, in
New Delhi.
i. The Women of India Organic Festival is hosted by the Ministry of Women and Child
Development.
ii. Ms.Maneka Sanjay Gandhi, Union Minister for Women and Child Development,
inaugurated the festival.
iii The theme for 2017 is Good for Women; Good for India; Good for You.
CM Sarbananda Sonowal Lays foundation for Countrys First ITI for Differently Abled in
Dibrugarh
On October 3, 2017, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal laid the foundation stone for
the first ever Industrial Training Institute (ITI) exclusively for the Dibyangans (Differently Abled) at
ITI Complex in Dibrugarh.
Gujarat becomes first state to slash VAT on petrol, diesel; cuts taxes by 4 per cent
On October 2017, Gujarat state government announced a 4 per cent reduction in VAT
(Value Added Tax) on petrol and diesel. It has thereby become the first state to cut VAT
on fuel
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Indias First Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendra for Skilling in Smart Cities
On October 23, 2017, Union Home Minister, Rajnath Singh along with Union Minister of
Petroleum and Natural Gas and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Dharmendra
Pradhan inaugurated Indias first Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendra (PMKK) for Skilling in
Smart Cities in New Delhi in collaboration with New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC).
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About Indias First Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendra for Skilling in Smart Cities:
i. This centre, located at Mandir Marg, New Delhi, is an exemplary heritage building of approx.
30,000 sq.ft.
ii. It has a capacity of skilling 4000 youth annually and caters to healthcare and solar energy
sectors.
Prime Minister Modi temple with 100 feet tall statue to be built in Meerut
On 5th October 2017, follower and supporter of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, J.P.Singh, announced
that, a temple worth Rs.30 crore is to be built in honour of Prime Minister Narendra Modi
in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh.
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Temple with 100 feet tall statue for Prime Minister Modi:
i. The temple would be built in the Sardhana area of Meerut. A 100 feet statue of Prime Minister
Modi would be installed in the temple.
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FOREIGN VISITS
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The meeting was held in Dhaka. During the meeting, both the ministers reviewed various
aspects of bilateral relations between India and Bangladesh.
Sushma Swaraj opens Indias new chancery complex in Dhaka
On October 23, 2017, Ms. Sushma Swaraj opened the new chancery complex of the Indian
High Commission in Dhaka. Swaraj had lit the ceremonial lamp to mark the opening of this
complex.
During the opening ceremony, Swaraj also launched 15 development projects in
Bangladesh which have been funded by India.
These development projects cater to the areas of education, health care, information
technology, water supply, and social welfare and entails investment of about
USD 8.7 million.
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
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Nepal, India to conduct first joint tiger count through camera tapping
On 2nd October 2017, Nepal and India planned to conduct a joint head count of tigers in Nepal and
areas in India adjoining Nepal using same technology.
First India-Nepal joint tiger count using same technology:
i. Nepal and India will conduct a joint head count of tigers in the national parks, forests and
sanctuaries in Nepal and those in India adjoining Nepal using the same camera tapping
method.
ii. Economic Relations Division Secretary Kazi Shofiqul Azam signed the deal on behalf of
Bangladesh and MD of the Export-Import Bank of India (EXIM) David Rasquinha signed for India.
iii. The agreement was signed in the presence of Indian Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and
Bangladesh Finance Minister A.M.A.Muhith.
iv. The $ 4.5 billion, will be used to fund 17 major projects in Bangladesh, which include
electricity, railroads, roads, shipping and ports.
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who reside in or who hold an entry visa to one of the these countries: USA, Canada, Australia, UK
and Schengen States, to enter Oman.
ii. The visa will be granted for a period of one month for a fee of 20 Rial. The spouse and children
of the visa holder would also be allowed to enter Oman.
i. State of Emergency was first imposed in Egypt in April 2017 after bomb blasts in two
churches which killed 45 people.
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China unveils Worlds first track-less train that runs on virtual railways
On 23rd October 2017, China began test runs of its worlds first track-less train in Zhuzhou city,
China.
Worlds first track-less train:
i. Chinas worlds first track-less train, that runs on virtual track is promoted as the Worlds First
smart train. This train could travel at the speed of 70 kmph. This train is called Autonomous
Rail Transit (ART).
Asia now has more billionaires than the US for first time
As per a report by UBS AG and Pricewaterhouse Coopers, Asia now has more billionaires
than US, for the first time.
Highlights of Report by UBS AG and Pricewaterhouse Coopers:
i. In 2016, combined wealth of billionaires across the world increased 17 percent to $6 trillion.
ii. During 2016, 117 Asians entered the billionaire club for the first time, taking the total of
billionaires in Asia to 637. Billionaire headcount for US stands at 563.
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First Edition of the ASEAN India Music Festival begins in New Delhi
The first ever ASEAN-India Music Festival has begun at Purana Quila in New Delhi on October
6, 2017. It will continue till October 8, 2017. About First Edition of the ASEAN-India Music
Festival:
i. It has been organised to celebrate 25th anniversary of ASEAN-India Dialogue Relations,
which is being commemorated with the theme Shared Values, Common Destiny.
Vice President inaugurated the 3rd International Conference on Yoga on the theme Yoga
for Wellness
On 10th October 2017, Vice President, Mr.M.Venkaiah Naidu inaugurated the two day International
Conference on Yoga for Wellness at Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi.
3rd International Conference on Yoga:
i. The Minister of State (Independent Charge) for AYUSH, Mr.Shripad Yesso Naik presided
over the inaugural function.Secretary (AYUSH), Mr.C.K.Mishra, Special Secretary, Mr.Vaidya
Rajesh Kotecha also participated.
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Minister Sushma Swaraj will lead a ministerial delegation to the ASEAN-India Pravasi Bharatiya
Diwas (PBD) to be held in 2018, in Singapore.
Sushma Swaraj to lead delegation to PBD 2018:
i. Indias High Commissioner to Singapore Jawed Ashraf made this announcement. Sushma Swaraj
will lead the Indian delegation to the ASEAN-India Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas 2018.
ii. He also said that, PBD is to be held on 6thand 7thJanuary 2018. The PBD 2018 is an important
part of the celebration of 25 years of the ASEAN-India partnership.
Canada chosen as partner country for 2017 Technology Summit, New Delhi
Canada has been chosen as the partner country for the 23rd edition of Technology
Summit which is scheduled to be held from 14th 15th November, 2017 in New Delhi.
More Details about Technology Summit 2017:
i. This event is Indias largest knowledge and technology conference and exhibition.
ii. It is jointly organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Indian Department
of Science and Technology (DST).
iii. The theme of this summit will be Advanced Manufacturing focusing on advances in various
sectors including aerospace, Aviation, Artificial Intelligence and Life Sciences.
opened Bandra-Kurla Complex in Mumbai.It is an integral part of Asias biggest dental event.
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platform for the Parliamentarians of South Asia to work together to reach the 2030
agenda for Sustainable Development.
Power Minister R.K. Singh addresses the 3rd Global Investors India Forum
On October 26, 2017, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Power and New &
Renewable Energy, R. K. Singh addressed the 3rd Global InvestorsIndia Forum in New
Delhi.
Highlights of 3rd Global Investors India Forum:
i. The event was organized by Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India
(ASSOCHAM).
ii. Theme of this event was Ideate, Innovate, Implement and Invest in India.
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4th ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting (ADMM) Plus held in Clark, Philippines
On 24th October 2017, the 4th ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting (ADMM)-Plus was held in Clark,
Philippines.
4th ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting (ADMM) Plus:
i. The 4th ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting (ADMM)-Plus was hosted by the Philippine Department
of National Defence. The meeting was chaired by Secretary of National Defence of the
Philippines Delfin Lorenzana.
ii. Defence department leaders from 10 ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) nations
and 8 dialog partners participated. They delivered speeches on regional security situations and
issues of common concern.
iii. Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman represented India. This is her first foreign
visit after taking charge as Defence Minister.
14th South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation in Law Conference begins in
Colombo
14th South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation in Law (SAARCLAW)Conference is
being held from 27th -29th October, 2017 in Colombo, Sri Lanka, along with the 11th SAARC
Chief Justices Conference.
Highlights of 14th SAARCLAW, Colombo:
i. The conference was inaugurated on October 27, 2017 by Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil
Wickremesinghe.
ii. Theme of 14th SAARCLAW Conference is Emerging Legal Trends in SAARC Countries.
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aims to conserve terrestrial, marine, and avian migratory species on a global level.
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Mukesh Ambani tops Forbes India Rich List for 10th year in a row
With a net worth of $38 billion, Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) chairman Mukesh
Ambani has topped Forbess India Rich List 2017. He has topped Forbes rich list for
10th consecutive year.
Global Hunger Index India slips 3 positions to 100th among 119 nations
India has ranked at 100th position among 119 countries on the Global Hunger Index
(GHI), 2017. This years ranking marks a drop of three positions as compared to 97th rank in
Global Hunger Index 2016.
Highlights of Global Hunger Index 2017:
Indias GHI 2017 score of 31.4 , it becomes at the high end of the serious hunger problem
category.
The report outlines that more than 20% of Indian children under the age of five
have lower weight in relation to their height and about 33% are too short in
relation to their age.
Among Asian countries Indias score is the third worst, only better than Pakistan
and Afghanistan. Even countries like Iraq, North Korea and Bangladesh have
better scores than India.
The report also cited that despite of India being worlds second largest food
producer it has second highest under-nourished population in the world.
As per the report, Central African Republic has the worst score and is the only country
having extremely alarming hunger levels, whereas Chad, Sierra, Leone, Madagascar,
Zambia, Yemen, Sudan, and Liberia are the countries that are suffering from
alarming hunger levels.
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India slips to 8th among most valuable brands Nation Brands 2017
India has ranked as 8th most valuable nation brand as per Brand Finances Nation
Brands 2017 report.
Highlights of Nation Brands 2017 report:
In 2017, India has slipped down by one spot as compared to 2016 ranking.Indias National
Brand Value in 2017 at USD 2.04 trillion too has eroded by nearly one percent from last years
USD 2.06 trillion.
US retained its top spot as most valuable nation brand; however meagre growth of
2% percent is putting its dominance at risk. Besides, perception about Donald
Trumps Presidency is not helping Brand America.
China occupied the second spot and has been adjudged as fastest growing nation
brand in 2017. Chinas national brand value grew by 44 per cent in
2017.Penetration of Chinese brands in world markets and the transformed national image
of China as an emerging global power are the key factors for rise in its nation brand
value.
The Economist Intelligence Unit announces the Safe Cities Index 2017 Tokyo 1st, Delhi
ranked 43rd
i. Japans capital Tokyo has topped Economist Intelligence Units Safe Cities Index 2017 of 60
cities. Indian cities Delhi and Mumbai have ranked 43rd and 45th respectively
ii. Top 3 Cities:
1.Tokyo, Japan 2.Singapore 3.Osaka, Japan
India is second largest market for pharma & biotech workforce: LinkedIn Report
On 10th October 2017, LinkedIn released a report stating that, India ranks as the second largest
market for pharmaceuticals and biotechnology workforce.
India 2nd largest market for pharma and biotech workforce:
i. The report by professional networking firm LinkedIn, has stated that India contributes 13.7
% to the global pharmaceuticals and biotechnology workforce. India has become the second
largest market for the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry.
ii. The report was published in the newly released e-book The Indian Pharma and
Biotech Industry.It showed that New Delhi, Kolkata and Chandigarh are top markets for talent in
this sector, in India.
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Delhi ranks among the worst cities in the world for women
As per a survey by the Thomson Reuters Foundation, Indias capital Delhi is one of the worst
megacities in the world on the parameter of women safety.
Observations from Survey by Thomson Reuters Foundation:
i. Delhi along with Sao Paolo (Brazil) were adjudged as the worst cities on the sub-parameter
of sexual harassment. Japans capital Tokyo emerged as the safest city in terms of risk of
sexual harassment.
IIT Bombay top ranked Indian institute in QS Asia University Rankings 2018
Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay) has emerged as top-ranked Indian
institute in the latest Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Asia University Rankings 2018.
Highlights of QS Asia University Rankings 2018:
i. IIT Bombay has ranked 34th and is the only Indian institute to better its performance among
the top 100 universities in QS Asia University Rankings 2018.
ii. It is to be noted that IIT Bombay was ranked 179th in the latest edition of QS World University
Rankings.
iii. IIT Delhi (41st rank), IIT Madras (48th rank), Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore
(51st rank), IIT Kanpur (59th rank), IIT Kharagpur (62nd rank), University of Delhi (72nd rank), IIT
Roorkee (93rd rank) and IIT Guwahati (98th rank) are other Indian institutes which have featured in
QS Asia University Rankings 2018.
iv. Singapores Nanyang Technology University has topped QS Asia University
Rankings 2018.
Google viewed as Most Authentic Brand in India: Authentic Brands Study 2017
On 17th October 2017, a new survey named Authentic Brands Study stated that, Indian
consumers regard Google as the most authentic brand.
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has topped the list of seven countries, accounting for 64 per cent of the 10.4 million
new tuberculosis (TB) cases worldwide in 2016.
Highlights of Global TB Report 2017:
In 2016, nearly 7 million people died from TB, marking a 4% drop as compared to 2015
report.
It is estimated that out of the 1.7 million people who died from TB in 2016, around
400000 people were co-infected with human immunodeficiency virus(HIV).
In terms of new tuberculosis (TB) cases worldwide in 2016, India is followed by
Indonesia, China, Philippines, Pakistan, Nigeria and South Africa.
As per the report, around 490000, multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) cases were
registered in 2016. Almost half of these cases were reported from India, China and
Russia.
India emerges as biggest source for digital talent Survey by Capgemini and LinkedIn
According to a survey by global consulting firm Capgemini and LinkedIn, India has the highest
proportion of Digital Talent among the countries surveyed.
i. At 76%, India had the highest proportion of Digital Talent among all the countries that
were surveyed. The global average stood at 56%.
ii. 64 per cent organisations in India cited that digital talent gap has widened over the past few
years
Highlights of Survey by Capgemini and Linkedin:
At 76%, India had the highest proportion of Digital Talent among all the countries that were
surveyed. The global average stood at 56%.
64 per cent organisations in India cited that digital talent gap has widened over the past
few years.
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Indian tourism industry holds potential to grow by 2.5%: Study by ASSOCHAM and Yes
Bank
The Indian travel and tourism industry is expected to grow by 2.5 %, according to a study by the
ASSOCHAM and Yes Bank.
Indian tourism to grow by 2.5%:
i. A study conducted by ASSOCHAM and Yes Bank has predicted the growth for Indian
tourism industry as 2.5 %.It has also proposed developmental suggestions for the tourism
industry.
ii. The travel and tourism industry has supported over 25,400,000 jobs in 2016, which is
5.8 % of the total employment. This has tremendous potential to rise by 2.5 % if the budget is
increased from the current 0.9 % to at least 0.15 % in 2018-19.
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SBI waives closure charges for savings accounts that are over 1 year old
From October 1, 2017, savings bank account customers of State Bank of India (SBI) will not
have to pay any charges for closing the account. This waiver applies to savings accounts which
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ClearTax upgrades GST software to help businesses avoid working capital lock-in
On 2nd October 2017, ClearTax, upgraded its GST-compliant software to intelligent features, to help
businesses ensure unobstructed flow of credit.
NABARD sanctions Rs. 273 crore to Andhra Pradesh for development projects
National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has sanctioned an
amount Rs. 273 crore to the Andhra Pradesh Government for Rural Water supply, Road
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and Bridge projects. These funds have been sanctioned under Rural Infrastructure
Development Fund (RIDF)
Lenders, borrowers cannot have exposure of over Rs 10 lakh on P2P platforms: RBI
On October 4, 2017, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) came out with master directions for peer-to-
peer (P2P) lending.
What is peer-to-peer (P2P) lending?
i. Peer-to-peer lending is an online mechanism which raises loans for people who need to borrow,
from people who want to invest.
ii. It is to be noted that in September 2017, Reserve Bank of India notified that peer-to-peer
(P2P) lending platforms would be treated as non-banking financial companies (NBFCs).
AIIB, ADB approves $100 million loan for Indias power sector
Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and Asian Development Bank (ADB)will co-
finance a USD 100-million loan for boosting the power sector in India.
i. The loan will be used to improve power transmission network and expand the use of solar and
wind energy.
ii. This is the fourth co-financing made by the AIIB and the ADB. Earlier both the entities have co-
financed infrastructure projects in Pakistan and Bangladesh.
capital or total voting power of an information utility for three years from the date of inception.
India, EIB ink pact for financing Bangalore Metro Rail Project
On 5th October 2017, India and European Investment Bank (EIB) signed the finance contract for
lending of 300 million euros (about Rs.2,293 crore) for Bangalore Metro Rail Project Phase-II.
India, EIB financial agreement for Bangalore Metro Rail Project Phase-II:
i. As per the financial agreement, European Investment Bank (EIB) would lend 300 million euros,
as first portion of funds, for phase-II works of Bangalore Metro Rail Project. The project
implementation period is 5 years.
ii. Bangalore Metro Rail Project Phase II would be jointly financed by the EIB (500
million euros) and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (300 million euros).
Vijaya Bank inks MoU with HPCL for digital payments with BHIM/ UPI
Vijaya Bank (a public sector bank) has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
with Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) for enabling all HPCL retail outlets
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in Karnataka with BHIM/UPI merchant solutions.More Details about MoU between Vijaya
Bank and HPCL:
i. With the signing of this MoU, petrol pump attendants and LPG delivery personnel will be able to
accept digital payments.
ii. Customers of HPCL will now be able to make payments by scanning a payment QR code,
using BHIM Vijaya or any BHIM app that supports payments via Unified Payments
Interface (UPI).
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Reliance Commercial Finance Ltd inks agreement with IREDA for Rs.300 crore loan
On 9th October 2017, Reliance Commercial Finance Ltd said that, it has signed an
agreement with Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Ltd (IREDA) for Rs.300
crore loan, in Mumbai.
Reliance Commercial Finance Ltd agreement with IREDA:
i. Reliance Commercial Finance Ltd said that, the IREDA loan of Rs.300 crore would be used to lend
to renewable energy and energy efficiency projects.
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4.Save time on the phone, faxes or email with access to transaction status
innovation lab in India in Pune, Maharashtra. More Details about Mastercasrds first
Innovation Centre in India:
i. This centre is Mastercards ninth lab in the world and the second in Asia Pacific besides
Singapore.
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iii. The bonds carry a coupon rate of 7.47%. Interest will be paid on semi-annual basis.
Yes Bank partners with Abu Dhabi Global Markets for collaboration on fintech
On 11th October 2017, Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), the International Financial Centre in Abu
Dhabi, and Yes Bank have signed a MoU, to further encourage cross-border exchange between the
fintech ecosystems of the United Arab Emirates and India.
Yes Bank partners with Abhu Dhabi Global Markets:
i. The collaboration will enable fintech innovators from the Middle East region and India to apply
into Yes FinTech programmes and the ADGMs Regulatory Laboratory, and will get the opportunity
to expand into each others markets.
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First Investment Agreement signed between NIIF and Abu Dhabi Investment Authority
(ADIA)
On October 16, 2017, National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) of Indiasigned an
investment agreement worth $1 billion with Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA).
About NIIF and the agreement with ADIA:
i. As a part of this pact, ADIA has become the first institutional investor in NIIFs Master
Fund and a shareholder in NIIFs investment management company named National Investment
and Infrastructure Limited.
ii. NIIF is a fund created by the Government of India for enhancing infrastructure financing
in the country.
Bangkok Bank signs deal with Intellect Design for Digital Transaction Banking Platform
iGTB (Intellect Global Transaction Banking) a specialist firm of Intellect Design Arena
Ltd. has been selected by Bangkok Bank, as a technology partner to implement a comprehensive
cash management platform and corporate portal.
i. Bangkok Bank is Thailands market leader in corporate and small and medium-sized enterprise
(SME) banking.
SBI Foundation commits Rs.10 crore for conservation of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj
Terminus
On 17th October 2017, SBI Foundation granted Rs.10 crore for the conservation and restoration of
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSTM) of Mumbai over the period of 3-5 years.
SBI commits Rs.10 crore for CSTM conservation:
i. Central Railways Divisional Railway Manager SK Jain and SBI Managing Director PK
Gupta signed a MoU. As per the MoU, SBI Foundation will provide Rs.10 crore for the project
under the SBI-Project Swachh Iconic CSMT.
RBI to make LEI must for companies with over Rs 5 crore exposure
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is set to make Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) compulsory for
companies having aggregate fund-based and non-fund based exposure over Rs 5 crore.
i. LEI is a unique 20 digit alphanumeric code that will be assigned to corporate
borrowers.
ii. Banks will be required to acquire this number from the borrower and report it to the Central
Repository of Information on Large Credits (CRILC) database. CRILC is a database in which
details of loan above Rs 5 crore are maintained.
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Government to infuse Rs 2.11 lakh crore into PSU banks over 2 years
On October 24, 2017, Union Government announced to infuse Rs. 2.11 lakh crore capital
over the next two years into public sector banks (PSBs). This announcement was made
by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley post a cabinet meeting in which this recapitalisation plan was
approved.
Need for Recapitalisation of Public Sector Banks:
On account of indiscriminate lending earlier, Indian public sector banks have accumulated
high level of non-performing assets (NPS).
The NPA problem has been affecting the profitability of these banks and is thereby
curtailing their ability to extend new loans.
Unavailability of fresh credit for private investment especially to small and medium
enterprise is not only causing a slowdown in Indian economy but is also affecting
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employment generation.
Added to this woe was the demonetisation drive in November 2016 which sucked
out 86% cash from circulation. This was followed by destocking by manufacturers
ahead of Goods and Service Tax (GST) Implementation in July 2017.
Owing to these factors, in April-June 2017 quarter, Indian economy grew at 5.7%
which is the weakest pace since 2014.
Thus the latest announcement of capital infusion in PSBs is a part of an attempt to boost
up the economy and reinstate the growth momentum.
Recapitalisation Plan Breakup
18000 crore out of Rs. 2.11 lakh crore will be funded through Governments Indradhanush
Plan. In 2015 Government had announced Indradhnush Plan to infuse Rs 70,000 crore in public
sector banks over four years to meet their capital requirement as per Basel III norms.
35 lakh crore for recapitalisation will be raised through sale of recapitalisation bonds.
Balance amount will be raised by selling parts of Government stake in these banks.
Govt. of India and Asian Development Bank Sign $300 Mn Loan to Promote Further Fiscal
Reforms in West Bengal
On October 24, 2017, Asian Development Bank and the Government of India signed a $300
million loan to continue fiscal reforms in West Bengal aimed at improving the quality of
public service delivery.
i. Funds procured through this loan will be deployed in the second phase of West Bengal
Development Finance Program which has a target to increase public investment by reducing
unproductive expenditure and generate savings from efficiencies in revenue collections.
ii. The first phase of the program focused on fiscal consolidation through which West
Bengals fiscal deficit reduced to 2.2% in FY2016 from 3.4% in FY2012.
SBI foundation among seven shortlisted companies given LOI under Adopt a Heritage
Scheme
Union Finance Minister, Arun Jaitley has presented Letters of Intent (LOI) to seven
shortlisted entities under the Adopt a Heritage Scheme. LOIs were presented at the closing
ceremony of Paryatan Parv in New Delhi on October 25, 2017.
About Adopt a Heritage Scheme:
Adopt a Heritage Scheme was launched on World Tourism Day i.e. 27thSeptember, 2017 by
President Ram Nath Kovind.This scheme has been initiated by Ministry of Tourism in close
collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
Shortlisted Entities under Adopt a Heritage Scheme:
Post announcement of this scheme, Ministry of Tourism received positive response from several
organisations.
After detailed scrutiny, 14 monuments have been allocated for adoption to 7
entities. These entities are reputed names in hospitality industry, travel industry and
banking industry.
Shortlisted Entities and Adopted Monuments:
Entity Adopted Monument
SBI Foundation Jantar Mantar, Delhi
TK International Ltd. Sun Temple, Konark, Odisha
Raja Rani Temple, Bhubanewar, Odisha
Ratnagiri Monuments, Jajpur, Odisha
Yatra Online Pvt. Ltd. Hampi, Karnataka
Leh Palace, Jammu & Kashmir
Qutub Minar, Delhi
Ajanta Caves, Maharashtra
Travel Corporation of India Ltd. Mattancherry Palae Museum, Kochi, Kerala
Safdargunj Tomb, Delhi
Adventure Tour Operator Association of Gangotri Temple Area and Tril to Gaumukh
India Mt. StokKangri, Laddakh, Jammu & Kashmir
Special Holiday Travel Pvt. Ltd. (with) Agrasen ki Baoli, Delhi
Rotary Club of Delhi
NBCC Purana Quila, Delhi
Government retains General Provident Fund interest rate at 7.8% for Oct-Dec
On October 25, 2017, Government retained the interest rate for general provident fund
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(GPF) at 7.8% for October December 2017 quarter in line with that for public provident
fund (PPF).
i. General Provident Fund is a provident fund account which is available for government
employees. All Government employees are eligible to contribute a certain percentage of their
salary to GPF which is paid back (along with interest) at the time of his/her superannuation or
retirement.
Asian Development Bank signs $65.5 mn Loan with GOI to support Coastal Protection in
Karnataka
International financial institution, Asian Development Bank has signed a USD 65.5 million
loan agreement with Government of India for checking coastal erosion on the western
coast of Karnataka.
i. This is the second tranche of a USD 250 million financing facility under the Sustainable
Coastal Protection and Management Investment Programme.
ii. The loan agreement was signed on October 26, 2017 in Bengaluru by Sameer Kumar Khare,
Joint Secretary (Multilateral Institutions), Union Finance Ministry and ADBs country
director Kenichi Yokoyama.
SEBI revises block deal norms, minimum order size hiked to Rs10 crore
On October 26, 2017, Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) revised the framework
for block deals on stock exchanges by providing two separate trading windows of 15
minutes each and increasing the minimum order size to Rs 10 crore.
New Framework of Block Deals:
i. Firstly, the minimum order size has been raised to Rs. 10 crore.
ii. Besides, two separate trading windows of 15 minutes each (before market opening and
during market hours) will be provided for executing block deals.
iii. Views of market participants and recommendations of Secondary Market Advisory
Committee (SMAC) have been taken into consideration for finalising these norms.
iv. These norms will ensure confidentiality of the large trades and stable prices for such
transactions.
Star Health Insurance Launches First-ever Insurance Policy for Persons Diagnosed with
Cancer
Star Health and Allied Insurance (SHAI) has introduced first-ever health insurance cover
for people already diagnosed with cancer.
Salient features of Star Healths Insurance Policy for Persons Diagnosed with Cancer:
i. This insurance policy has been named Star Cancer Care Gold.
ii. It covers the risk of recurrence, the spread of cancer (metastasis) and second cancer
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(second malignancy).
ii. There are two sum-insured options Rs. 3 lakh and Rs. 5 lakh.
AU Small Finance Bank, SIDBI launch Rs. 200-cr fund for MSMEs
AU Small Finance Bank has entered into a tie-up with Small Industries Development Bank
of India (SIDBI) to launch Rs. 200 crore fund for providing loans to micro, small and medium
enterprises (MSMEs).
More Details about AU Small Finance Bank-SIDBI Rs. 200-cr fund for MSMEs:
i. As per the terms of this tie-up, AU Small Finance Bank and SIDBI will earmark a corpus of
Rs100 crore each for lending in the current financial year.
ii. Term loans in the range of Rs. 25 lakh to Rs. 2 crore will be extended in the next 12-15
months to nearly 100 MSME units.
iii. 10% interest rate will be charged on these loans.
Government makes use of Public Finance Management System mandatory for central
schemes
In a bid to ensure that the benefits of the various Government Schemes reach to the last
mile, Government has made use of Public Finance Management System (PFMS)mandatory
for central schemes.
i. PFMS has been rolled-out by the Controller General of Accounts (CGA) at the behest of
Union Finance Ministry.
ii. It is an end-to-end solution for processing payments and monitor the usage of funds
including information on its ultimate utilization.
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ii. It can even be used by companies/organisation to disburse wages and salaries to those
employees who do not have a bank account.
India signs $200 mn deal with World Bank for rural transformation in Assam
On October 30, 2017, Union Finance Ministry and World Bank signed a loan agreement
worth $200 million for the Assam Agribusiness and Rural Transformation Project.
BUSINESS
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Andhra Pradesh Signs MoU With Mastercard to Set Up Centre of Excellence in Vizag
On October 5, 2017, Andhra Pradesh State Government signed a MoU with American
payments solution company Mastercard for setting up centre of excellence in Vizag.
Details about MoU between Andhra Pradesh State Government and Mastercard:
i. The MoU was signed between Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and
Mastercard CEO, Ajaypal Singh Banga in New Delhi.
ii. As agreed under the MoU, MasterCard will organise business summit in Vizag every year.
FDI proposals of Wockhardt, Coastal Local Area Bank, KPB Holdings approved
On 3rd and 4th October 2017, Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), under
Union Commerce Ministry approved several foreign direct investment (FDI) proposals.
Approval of FDI proposals related to Coastal Local Area Bank, KPB Holdings and
Wockhardt Ltd.
Among FDI proposals that have been recently approved, one of them is of KPB Holdings, a
financial services company. Its proposal to issue shares to NRIs (non-resident Indians) has been
approved by the DIPP.
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Similarly, Coastal Local Area Bank has also got nod for issuance of shares to NRIs.
Pharmaceutical and biotechnology company, Wockhardt Ltd. got approval for issuance
of ESOPs (employee stock option plan) to NRIs
Government approves 5 FDI proposals in single brand retail sector
On October 3, 2017, Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) approved five foreign
direct investment proposals in the single-brand retail sector. These proposals include those of
luxury brand Louis Vuitton, Oppo Mobiles, Chumbak Design, Daniel Wellington and
Actoserba Active Wholesale.
Actoserba Active Wholesale proposal was for retailing products under its brand Zivame,
whereas Louis Vuittons proposal is for addition of products.
Oppo Mobiles India has got the nod to undertake single brand retail trading (SBRT)of
OPPO brand, in addition to existing business of wholesale.
Information about expected value of investment from Actoserba Active Wholesale and
Louis Vuitton has not been clear so far. Chumbak Design is expected to bring FDI
inflows of $8.62 million and Daniel Wellington will bring in $10 million.
Flipkart Unveils MarQ, its New Private Label Brand for Large Appliances
On 5th October 2017, Flipkart announced the launch of MarQ, an in-house brand in the large
appliances category.
i. MarQ is an in-house brand of Flipkart, that sells large appliances.This has been done in a
move expands Flipkarts self-branded offerings on its marketplace.
ii. For now, the company has launched microwave ovens under the MarQ private label
brand.More products including televisions, washing machines, air conditioners, and sound bars
would be launched.
Maharashtra govt & Tata Trusts tie-up for programs in Chandrapur district
On October 6, 2017, Maharashtra State Government and Tata Trusts entered into a tie-up for
social development initiatives in Chandrapur district. The tie-up will focus on livelihood, digital
literacy, data driven governance and child protection.
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Government reduces GST on bunker fuels; sets tax for offshore exploration, gas sales
On 11th October 2017, the government announced that, the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council
has revised rates for transportation of natural gas through pipeline, offshore works contracts etc.
GST rates revised:
i. The GST rates were revised in a GST Council meeting on 6thOctober 2017.
ii. The transportation of natural gas through pipeline will attract 5% GST without input
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Centre imposes anti-dumping duty on imports of steel wire rods from China
On October 9, 2017, Indian Government imposed anti-dumping duty on imports of certain
steel wire rods from China to safeguard the interest of domestic industry.
More Details about anti-dumping duty on imports of steel wire rods from China:
i. The anti-dumping duty has been imposed for a period of five years.
ii. It was imposed on recommendation of Directorate General of Anti-Dumping and Allied
Duties (DGAD), under Union Commerce Ministry.
Government forms think-tank for guidance to achieve oil and gas targets
On 10th October 2017, Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Dharmendra Pradhan announced the
formation of an internal think-tank, consisting of experts to advise on technology and build a
successful gas network in India.
Think-tank for Oil & Gas:
i. The think tank will be in an advisory role and will look after gas infrastructure, financing model
for projects, price competitiveness etc.
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think-tank.
ii. As per the estimation of Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) the countrys top 17 airports
current capacity is 298-316.5 million passengers per annum approximately.
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as the top country for reporting corporate social responsibility information in the annual
financial report of companies.
Australia closes its last car factory
On 20th October 2017, Australias last car factory was shut down, as GM Holden Ltd, a unit
of US carmaker General Motors Co, closed its plant in South Australia.
Closure of car industries in Australia:
i. GM Holden would shift production to Germany where advanced automation will help to
keep manufacturing costs low. Similarly, last year Toyota Motor Corp and Ford Motor Co moved
out of Australia.
Maruti becomes No.1 exporter of passenger vehicles from India, Hyundai 4th
According to the latest data by Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), Maruti
Suzuki India has emerged as the largest passenger cars exporter from India for the April
September 2017 period.
i .As per the latest data by SIAM, Maruti exported 57300 units of passenger cars in the first
half of the ongoing fiscal, which marks a 6% growth as compared to 54008 units exported in the
same period of previous fiscal year.
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GMR Hyderabad Airport, Malaysia Tourism, MAHB sign pact to promote tourism
On 26th October 2017, GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd, Malaysia Airports Holdings
Berhad (MAHB) and Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board (MTPB) signed a MoU to promote
the growth of tourism traffic.
More Details:
i. 10 public sector oil and gas companies have setup venture capital fund to encourage
start-ups based on innovative ideas in the oil and gas sector.
ii. The venture fund will disburse Rs 320 crore over a 3-year period to support novel ideas
which would cause positive disruption in the energy sector.
iii. At the launch function, 36 startups signed memorandum of understanding (MoU) to
partner with various state-run firms like Indian Oil, Hindustan Petroleum and GAIL India.
SAP launches Asia Pacific Japan regions first Leonardo Centre in Bengaluru
On 26th October 2017, SAP launched the Asia Pacific Japan (APJ) regions first SAP Leonardo
Center, in Bengaluru.
Leonardo Centre in Bengaluru:
i. The Leonardo Centre in Bengaluru is the first in Asia Pacific Japan region and the fourth
SAP Leonardo Center globally.
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will train them to acquire skills required in Information Technology (IT) and ITeS (IT
Enabled Services) sector.
Karnataka govt signs MoU with Microsoft for technology oriented solutions to farmers
On October 27, 2017, Karnataka State Government announced signing of a Memorandum of
Understanding with Microsoft Corporation India Private Limitedwith an objective to provide
technology-oriented solutions to small farmers for helping them to increase their income.
More Information about MoU between Karnataka Govt. and Microsoft:
i. As per the terms of this MoU, Microsoft India along with Karnataka Agricultural Price
Commission and Department of Agriculture will conduct experiments to improve price
forecasting practices to benefit farmers.
RIL becomes first Indian company to cross Rs6 trillion market cap
Mukesh Ambanis company Reliance Industries Limited has reached yet another milestone by
becoming the first Indian company ever to cross a market capitalization of Rs. 6-
trillion.The recent tariff hikeby Reliance Jio also contributed to RILs stock price rise.
Reliance Jio
i. RIL stock got a further push as Jio, its telecom arm, recently hiked tariffs earlier than anticipated.
ii. RILs 15-20 per cent hike in telecom tariffs raises confidence in our bullish (rising share prices)
earnings estimates.
.
RCom to shut down its 2G mobile business in about a month
The telecom company owned by Anil Ambani, The Reliance Communications, is planning to shut
down its 2G mobile business by the end of November because the company is running under a debt
of nearly Rs 45,000 crore.
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INA veteran, 91 year old Rama Khandwala awarded the Best Tourist Guide
On 27th September 2017, tour guide Ms.Rama Khandwala was awarded a National Tourism Award
in the `Best Tourist Guide category, in Delhi.
Rama Khandwala awarded Best Tourist Guide:
i. Ms.Rama Khandwala was awarded the `Best Tourist Guide award by President Mr.Ram
Nath Kovind.
ii She has been a Mumbai tour guide for almost 50 years.
iii. Earlier, she served in Subhas Chandra Boses Indian National Army (INA).
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Jeffrey C Hall, Michael Rosbash and Michael W Young awarded the 2017 Nobel Prize in
Medicine
American Scientists Jeffrey Hall, Michael Rosbash and Michael Young have won the 2017 Nobel
Prize for Physiology or Medicine.
About Winners of 2017 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine:
i. Jeffrey Hall, Michael Rosbash and Michael Young have been awarded the 2017 Nobel Prize for
Physiology or Medicine for their discoveries of molecular mechanisms controlling our
biological clocks.
Nobel peace prize 2017 awarded to International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons
On 6th October 2017, the Norwegian Nobel Committee announced, the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize
winner as International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), in Oslo, Norway.
Nobel peace prize 2017:
i. The Norwegian Nobel Committee has honoured ICAN for its work to draw attention to the
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President Kovind honours Boxing coach Sandhu & Dr.Bindeshwar Pathak with National
Awards
President Ram Nath Kovind gave away the National award for senior citizens to Indian boxing
coach Gurbax Singh Sandhu and Lal Bahadur Shastri National Award for Excellence in
Public Administration, Academics and Management for 2017 to Dr.Bindeshwar Pathak.
famous critic, biographer and orator M K Sanu has been chosen for the Mathrubhumi Literary
Award for 2016.
12-year-old girl from city bags sub-title at Little Miss World pageant
12-year old Indian girl Poorvi G B has been awarded the best performer subtitle at the
Little Miss World 2017 pageant held in Greece.
i. With this award, Poorvi G B has become the first Indian kid to win the title in the international
beauty pageant and talent competition.
Actor Varun Dhawan to get a wax statue at Madame Tussauds, Hong Kong
Bollywood actor Varun Dhawans wax statue is to be displayed in Madame Tussauds wax museum
in Hong Kong.
Varun Dhawans wax statue:
i. Varun Dhawan will unveil his wax statue in the first quarter of 2018. This is his first ever
wax figure.
ii. Varun Dhawans wax statue is the fourth from India to be displayed in Madame
Tussauds, Hong Kong. Already wax statues of Mahatma Gandhi, Narendra Modi and Amitabh
Bachchan are on display.
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Swraj Paul honoured Life Time Achievement Award for contributions to manufacturing,
education
Swraj Lord Paul, a famous NRI industrialist and Chairman of The Caparo Group a leading UK-
based manufacturer of steel products, has been honoured with the Life Time Achievement Award at
the 2nd British Asian Achievers Awards which was organised by Jagatwani a Hindi weekly.
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South African Indian-origin couple Salim Abdool Karim and Quarraisha Abdool Karim
wins top US award for AIDS research
On 25th October 2017, Professors Salim Abdool Karim and Quarraisha Abdool Karim, a South
African Indian-origin researcher couple, were awarded the 2017 IHV Lifetime Achievement Award
for Public Service.
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2017, at Chennai.
Cleartrip named Best Mobile App for Travel and Leisure at Mobexx Awards 2017
On 27th October 2017, online travel solutions provider Cleartrip was named the Best Mobile App for
Travel and Leisure at the Mobexx Awards 2017.
Cleartrip Best Mobile App for Travel and Leisure:
i. On 27th October 2017, Cleartrip was awarded the Best Mobile App for Travel and Leisure
at the Mobexx Awards 2017. The award was given to Cleatrip for the success it has had on the
mobile platform. It is seen by many as the future of advertising and brand marketing.
Jeff Bezos replaces Gates as worlds richest person with $90.6 billion fortune
On 27th October 2017, Jeff Bezos, Amazons founder, replaced Microsoft co-founder Bill
Gates as the richest person in the world.
Jeff Bezos worlds richest person:
i. According to Forbes magazine, the wealth of Jeff Bezos, Amazons founder reached $90.6 billion,
compared to the $90.1 billion of Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates.
Venezuelas opposition awarded European Unions Sakharov Prize for human rights
The democratic opposition and political prisoners in Venezuela won the European Unions
Sakharov Prize for human rights on October 26th 2017. The prize amount of this award
is 50,000euros ($59,000).
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Jagmeet Singh becomes first non-white politician to lead a major party in Canada
On 1st October 2017, Jagmeet Singh, a 38 year old Sikh lawyer, was elected to lead Canadas New
Democratic Party, in Toronto, Canada.
First non-white politician to lead a major party in Canada:
i. Jagmeet Singh has become the first non-white politician to lead a major political party in Canada.
ii. He has been elected as the leader of the New Democratic Party of Canada.
Chandrababu Naidu launches Swachh Andhra Mission, PV Sindhu chosen as the brand
ambassador
On 2nd October 2017, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Mr.Chandrababu Naidu launched Swachh
Andhra Mission on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti.
Swachh Andhra Mission:
i. The Chief Minister said that, 22 lakh more toilets need to be constructed by March 2018.
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ii. Shuttler PV Sindhu has been appointed as the brand ambassador of Swachh Andhra
Mission.
ICC names Corey Anderson as event ambassador for U-19 World Cup 2018
On 5th October 2017, International Cricket Council (ICC) announced New Zealand all-rounder,
Corey Anderson as the event ambassador for the ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup 2018.
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Vinay Mohan Kwatra appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the Principality of
Monaco
On 9th October 2017, Vinay Mohan Kwatra was appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the
Principality of Monaco.
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Oxford University college drops Suu Kyi from common room name
On 19th October 2017, students at the St Hughs College voted to remove Aung San Suu Kyis name
from the title of their Junior Common Room, in North Oxford, England.
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Former AC Milan football star Kakha Kaladze is the new mayor of Tbilisi
On 22nd October 2017, Georgia announced that, former AC Milan football star Kakha Kaladze had
been elected as the mayor of its capital Tbilisi.
i. This electoral victory will boost Abes chances of winning another three- year term next
September.
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Vice Admiral Ajit Kumar assumes charge as the Vice Chief of Naval Staff (VCNS)
On 30th October 2017, Vice Admiral Ajit Kumar took charge as the Vice Chief of Naval Staff
(VCNS) from Vice Admiral Karambir Singh at a formal ceremony held at South Block, New Delhi.
Vice Admiral Ajit Kumar Vice Chief of Naval Staff (VCNS):
i. Vice Admiral Karambir Singh would take charge as Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern
Naval Command in Vishakapatnam. Vice Admiral Ajit Kumar has taken charge as Vice Chief
of Naval Staff (VCNS).
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NABARD buys additional 7% stake in SIDBI from IDBI Bank for Rs 900 crore
Rural financial institution National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has
bought an additional 7% stake in Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) for
Rs900 crore from IDBI Bank Ltd.
Details about NABARDs Stake Purchase in SIDBI from IDBI Bank:
i. This is the largest investment made by NABARD so far. Consequential to this move,
NABARDs stake in SIDBI has now gone up to 10%.
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Reliance Communications gets final nod from DoT for merger with Sistema
On October 23, 2017, Anil Ambani-led Reliance Communications (RCom) announced that it
has received the final approval on its merger with Sistema from the Department of
Telecommunication (DoT).The closure of merger transaction will be completed in November
2017. However, RCom will carry on SSTL business in India under MTS brand.
MoUs
Meghalaya, UP and Arunachal Sign MoU to Boost Culture and Tourism
On 5th October 2017, a MoU was signed by Uttar Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya under
the Ek Bharat, Shrestha Bharat programme, to boost cultural ties.
MoU between Meghalaya, UP and Arunachal Pradesh:
i. Uttar Pradesh Additional Chief Secretary, Secondary and Higher Education, Sanjay
Agarwal, Arunachal Pradesh Tourism Secretary, Joram Beda, Meghalaya Education Secretary, W R
Lyngdoh signed the MoU.
ii. This MoU under the Ek Bharat, Shrestha Bharat programme, aims to enhance cultural
relationship between these 3 states.
President of the European Council and Mr. Jean Claude Juncker, President of the
European Commission reviewed the wide-ranging cooperation under the India-EU Strategic
Partnership.
Following three agreements were signed during the 14th India-EU Summit:
i. Finance Contract of Bangalore Metro Rail Project Phase-2-Line R6 for Euro 300 million out of
total loan of Euro 500 million.
ii. Implementing Arrangement between the European Commission and the Science and
Engineering Research Board (SERB) for Indian Researchers hosted by the European Research
Council grantees in Europe.
iii. Joint Declaration between the Interim Secretariat of the International Solar Alliance and the
European Investment Bank.
CWC sign MoU with IIT Roorkee and MNNIT Allahabad to support capacity building in
dam
Central Water Commission (CWC) has signed MoUs with IIT Roorkee and Motilal Nehru
National Institute of Technology (MNNIT) Allahabad to support dam rehabilitation efforts of
various implementing agencies and CWC.
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SCHEMES
Uttar Pradesh government launches Mukhyamantri Samoohik Vivaah Yojana
On October 3, 2017, Uttar Pradesh State Government launched a mass marriage scheme
called Mukhyamantri Samoohik Vivaah Yojana.Details of Mukhyamantri Samoohik
Vivaah Yojana
i. Under the scheme, Uttar Pradesh social welfare department will conduct mass marriages.
ii. In order to avail the benefits of this scheme, parents of the brides have to be residents of
Uttar Prdaesh and should be from below poverty line category. The scheme will also cover
widows and divorced women.
HP Cabinet approves Heritage Tourism policy & Mukhya Mantri Rural Road Repair
Scheme
On October 4, 2017, Himachal Pradesh Cabinet under Chief Minister Virbhadra
Singhapproved Heritage Tourism Policy 2017 & Mukhya Mantri Rural Road Repair
Scheme along with other developmental and welfare initiatives.
Himachal Pradesh Heritage Tourism Policy 2017:
i. This policy has been approved with an aim to offer an experience of the culture and
heritage of Himachal Pradesh.
Mukhya Mantri Rural Road Repair Scheme:
This scheme has been approved under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment
Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) for rural roads.
The roads to be renovated would be selected by the concerned panchayats after approval in gram
Sabha.
project for conservation of biodiversity, land and forest resources in the high Himalayan
ecosystem.
Salient Features of SECURE Himalaya Project:
SECURE Himalaya stands for securing livelihoods, conservation, sustainable use
and restoration of high range Himalayan ecosystems.
The project is meant for specific landscapes in High Himalaya ecosystem spread across
four states viz. Jammu and Kasmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Sikkim.
Landscapes-States to be covered under SECURE Himalaya:
Landscape State
Changthang Jammu & Kashmir
Lahaul-Pangi and Kinnaur Himachal Pradesh
Gangotri-Govind and Darma-Byans Valley in Pithoragarh Uttarakhand
Kanchenjunga Upper Teesta Valley Sikkim
National Wildlife Action Plan for the period 2017-2031 and Global Wildlife Programme
conference
On October 2, 2017, during the inaugural day of Global Wildlife Programme conferencein New
Delhi, Harsh Vardhan also launched India Wildlife mobile App and released National Wildlife
Action Plan for the period 2017-2031.
Through 103 wildlife conservation actions and 250 projects, National Wildlife Action Plan
for the period 2017-2031, which is Indias third National Wildlife action plan will focus
on preservation of genetic diversity and sustainable development across the India.
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i. The Delhi governments students higher education loan scheme would help thousands of students
and parents.
ii. The Delhi government had started this scheme 2 years back, to provide loans to
students for higher education, even if they didnt have any property or land as security.
President Ram Nath Kovind launches Rs.100 crore clean water initiative
On 8th October 2017, President Ram Nath Kovind launched Mata Amritanandamayi Math (MAM)s,
Jivamritam filtration system, a clean water initiative, in Vallikkavu, Kollam district of Kerala.
Jivamritam filtration system:
i. Jivamritam filtration system aims at providing filtration for clean drinking water to 1 crore
villagers. The first phase of this project is to install Jivamritam filtration systems for clean drinking
water in 5,000 villages all over India.
ii. This project will be funded by MAM for Rs.100 crore.MAM has planned to implement all
5,000 Jivamritam systemswithin 1 year. Each Jivamritam system would filter daily drinking-water
supply for around 400 five-member families.
iii. The Jivamritam system was conceptualised and designed by faculty and students of
MAMs university, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham (Amrita University).
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Cabinet approves SANKALP & STRIVE Schemes to boost Skill India Mission
In a bid to provide a boost to Skill India Mission, on October 11, 2017, Union Cabinet approved
two new skill development schemes named Skills Acquisition and Knowledge Awareness for
Livelihood Promotion (SANKALP) and Skill Strengthening for Industrial Value
Enhancement (STRIVE). Both these schemes are result oriented programmes focusing
on vocational education and training.
Salient Features of Skills Acquisition and Knowledge Awareness for Livelihood Promotion
(SANKALP) Scheme:
SANKALP is a centrally sponsored scheme having financial outlay Rs 4,455 crore out of
which 3300 crore will be in the form of a loan from World Bank.
Under this scheme, over 50 Trainers and Assessors academies with self-sustainable
models will be set up in priority sectors.
The scheme also has provision to set up additional academies to plug sectoral and
geographical gaps.
Underprivileged and marginalised sections of the society including women, Scheduled
Castes (SCs), Schedule Tribes (STs) and Persons with Disabilities (PWD) will be provided
skill training opportunities under SANKALP.
Salient Features of Skill Strengthening for Industrial Value Enhancement (STRIVE)
Scheme:
STRIVE is a central sector scheme having financial outlay Rs 2200 crore out of which half the
amount will be in the form of loan assistance from World Bank.
Under STRIVE scheme, emphasis will be laid on incentivizing Industrial Training
Institutes (ITIs) to improve overall performance including apprenticeship by
involving Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), business associations and industry
clusters.
A robust mechanism for delivering quality skill development training will be developed.
This will be done by strengthening institutions such as State Skill Development
Missions (SSDMs), National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), Sector Skill
Councils (SSCs), ITIs and National Skill Development Agency (NSDA) etc.
National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF) including National Quality
Assurance Framework (NQAF) across central and state government schemes will be
universalised in order to ensure standardization in skill delivery, content and training
output.
VAJRA faculty scheme 260 applicants for governments visiting researcher programme
Central Government has received 260 applications from foreign scientists for Visiting Advanced
Joint Research (VAJRA) Faculty scheme. Out of these 260 applications, 70 will be shortlisted
for this year.
About Visiting Advanced Joint Research (VAJRA) Faculty scheme:
VAJRA Faculty scheme is a pilot project by the Department of Science and Technology (Under
Union Ministry of Science and Technology) which was launched in May 2017.
The department intends to select 1,000 scientists every year under this scheme.
Public funded academic institutions and national laboratories in India are eligible to host
VAJRA faculties and can appoint them as visiting faculty. At these
institutions/laboratories, the selected scientists will be involved in co-guiding and
mentoring students as well as in developing collaborative programmes.
Interacting with these scientists will help Indian doctorate students to collaborate with
best scientific minds and gain international exposure in their area of research.
Scientists selected under this scheme will be paid US $15,000 in the first month
of residency and US $10,000 per month from the next month.
They will work in India for a minimum of a month and a maximum of three months.
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COMMITTEE
President appoints Commission under Justice G.Rohini to Examine Sub Categorization of
OBCs
On 2nd October 2017, President Ram Nath Kovind appointed a five member Commission under
Delhi High Courts former Chief Justice G Rohini to examine sub categorization of Other Backward
Classes (OBCs)
Commission to examine Sub Categorization of OBCs:
i. The head of the Commission is Delhi High Courts former Chief Justice G Rohini. It consists of 5
members.
ii. The Commission would examine sub categorization of Other Backward Classes (OBCs)
under Article 340 of the Constitution.
Punjab CM constitutes committee under Randhir Singh for sports varsity in Patiala
On October 30, 2017, Punjab Chief Minister, Amarinder Singh constituted a steering committee
under International Olympic Committee (IOC) member, Randhir Singh, to work out the
modalities for setting up a sports university in Patiala.
More information about Committee for sports varsity in Patiala:
i. This committee has been set up under the aegis of the Sports and Youth Affairs
Department.
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Background Information:
Suggestion to merge banks in India has been floating around since more than two decades. First
such suggestion came up in 1991 when M. Narasimham, former Governor of Reserve Bank
of India (RBI), recommended the government to merge banks into a three-tiered
structure.
On similar lines, in 2014, a committee headed by a former Axis Bank Chairman, P.
J. Nayak recommended that Governments stake in public sector banks should
be transferred to an alternated entity in order to improve the functioning of
these banks.
In August 2017, Union cabinet gave its approval to set up an alternative mechanism for
providing in principle approvals to merger proposals.
Uday Kotak-led panel on corporate governance wants MD, CEO roles split; 6 independent
directors on board
On October 5, 2017, Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI)-appointed panel
on Corporate Governance submitted its recommendations.
About SEBI Panel on Corporate Governance:
The panel was led by Uday Kotak, the Executive Vice Chairman and Managing
Director of Kotak Mahindra Bank.
Important Recommendations of Uday Kotak led panel on Corporate Governance:
Separate Roles of Chairperson and MD/CEO: Listed companies with more than 40% public
shareholding should separate the roles of chairperson and MD or CEO from April 1,
2020. Implementation of this decision in future could impact big companies such Reliance
Industries, ONGC and Wipro, as they have same person occupying both posts.
Strengthening Role of Directors: The panel has recommended that board of directors of the
company must have at least six directors. This recommendation doubles the existing
requirement of having minimum three directors under the Companies Act.
Women Independent Director: As per current rules, Boards are required to have at least one
woman director. The rule does not specify that she has to be an independent director. As per
the recommendations of the panel, there should be an independent woman director in
addition to the existing requirement.
Audit of Subsidiary companies: In order to ensure more transparency, audit committee of
parent company which has invested/lent Rs. 100 crore or more in a
subsidiary/group company should review the books of accounts of the subsidiary/group
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Centre sets up group under Rina Mitra to study problems of people along IB, LOC in J&K
Central Government has set up a study group to examine the problems being faced by the people
residing near the International Border (IB) and the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and
Kashmir. The study group has been formed in the wake of regular cross border firing by Pakistan.
i. The study group will be headed by Rina Mitra (Special Secretary in the Home Ministry).
ii. Members of the study group will prepare a detailed report of the issues being faced by the public
living near IB and LOC.
GoM set up under Assam FM Himanta Biswa Sarma to review composition scheme
On October 6, 2017, Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council, chaired by Finance Minister Arun
Jaitley constituted a group of ministers (GoM) to make the composition scheme more
attractive and also revisit GST rates on restaurants.
About GoM to Review Compostion Scheme:
i. The GoM has been set up under Assam Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and will
submit its report within 2 weeks.
ii. Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi, Jammu and Kashmir Finance Minister Haseeb
Drabu, Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal and Chhattisgarh Minister of
Commercial Taxes Amar Agrawal are the other members of the GoM.
Afzal Amanullah, IAS (Retd.), former Secretary to Govt. of India and Ex Consul General of
India, Jeddah was appointed as the convener of this committee and Alam, Joint Secretary, in-
charge of Haj, Ministry of Minority Affairs was made the Member Secretary of the Committee.
Important Recommendations of Haj Policy Review Committee:
The committee has recommended distributing quota between Haj Committee of India (HCOI),
and registered Private Tour Operators (PTOs) in the ratio of 70:30 for the next 5 years.
Special quota for Jammu & Kashmir is to be increased from 1500 to 2000.
Embarkation Points (congregation place from where all the Hajis start the journey) to
be reduced from 21 to 9. The 9 embarkation Points which have been retained are
(1) Delhi (2) Lucknow (3) Kolkata (4) Ahmedabad (5) Mumbai (6) Chennai (7)
Hyderabad (8) Bengaluru and (9) Cochin.
RBI panel headed by Janak Raj reveals ad hoc, arbitrary practices by banks to inflate
interest rates
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) panel on an external benchmark rate for banks headed byJanak Raj,
Principal adviser of Monetary Policy Department has submitted its report
Observations by RBI panel:
It has been observed that banks deviated in an ad hoc manner from the specified
methodologies for calculating the base rate and MCLR.
This was done either to inflate the base rate and MCLR or prevent it from falling in line
with the actual cost of funds.
The panel report also stated that effective interest rate burden on the borrower has
remained the same even after switching to the MCLR regime from the base rate
regime since April 1, 2016.
PV Reddi headed panel to look into pay hike issue of lower court judges
Union Law Ministry has finalised the appointment of a panel (Second National Judicial Pay
Commission) to recommend new salary structure for judges of lower courts in India.
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RBI forms High-level Task Force on Public Credit Registry under Yeshwant M. Deosthalee
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has formed a High-level Task Force on Public Credit Registry
(PCR) for India. The task force has been constituted under the chairmanship of Yeshwant M.
Deosthalee.
What is Public Credit Registry (PCR)?
PCR is an extensive database of credit information of entities/individuals in a particular
area (country/state/region) that is accessible to all stakeholders.
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Scientists make first ever video call using unhackable quantum network
On 29th September 2017, Scientists in Austria and China made the first video call using quantum
encryption.
First video call using quantum network:
i. Scientists in Austria and China made the first video call using quantum encryption
technology.
ii. The video call was done using a satellite named Micius.
Russia launches worlds biggest & most powerful nuclear icebreaker Ship
In a bid to reinforce its leadership in the Arctic, Russia has launched worlds largest nuclear-
powered icebreaker ship named Sibir (Siberia). It was launched into the water at the Baltic
Shipyard in St Petersburg.
About icebreaker ship Sibir:
i. Sibir has been developed by the Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation to open up
crucial shipping lanes in the icy Northern Sea Route.
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New breast cancer test Oncotype DX may spare patients from chemotherapy
On 2nd October 2017, Researchers announced that, they have developed a new test Oncotype
DX, that predicts the return of cancer, thus sparing breast cancer patients from unnecessary
chemotherapy, in London.
Oncotype DX Test:
i. The Oncotype DX test, analyses the samples of tumour that is removed during surgery. It
provides a score between 1 and 100 on the chances of the cancer returning.
ii. This helps to prevent breast cancer patients from undergoing unwanted chemotherapy.
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More Details:
i. VRSS -2 Satellite was launched by Chinas Long March-2D carrier rocket.
ii. Venezuela will use this satellite for environmental protection and disaster monitoring, as well
as land resources inspection, crop yield estimation and city planning.
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Scientists develop futuristic military watch that can survive nuclear blast
Scientists have developed a military watch for the Russian army kit, that can resist high impact,
and even survive the consequences of a nuclear blast, in Russia.
Military watch that can survive nuclear blast:
i. The watch has been developed by experts of the Central Scientific Research Institute for
Precision Machine Engineering (TsNIITochMash) part of the Rostec State Corporation
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in Russia.
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Assam CM launches a new web portal Assam Darpan to provide data to people on
government projects
On 27th October 2017, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal launched a web portal Assam
Darpan where details of government schemes and projects would be available to the people.
Assam Darpan:
i. The Assam Darpan platform has been developed by the National Informatics Centre,
Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology, as a part of the Digital India Programme.
ii. In the first phase, progress indicators of 15 government schemes have been made available in
the web portal in English and Assamese.
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i. Researched and manufactured by Chinese, it is the worlds first hybrid electric tram, with
hydrogen being the main power source, according to China Railway Rolling Corporation (CRRC)
Tangshan Co, the maker of the tram.
ii. The vehicle was developed by Sifang, a subsidiary of China South Rail Corporation, and was
rolled off the assembly line in Qiangdao, Shandong Province, last week.
Gadkari digitally flags off RORO ship from Chennai Port to Bangladesh
On October 28, 2017, Union Minister of Shipping, Road Transport & Highways and Water
Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Nitin Gadkari digitally flagged off a Roll-
On/Roll-Off (RoRo) ship from Chennai Port to Mongla port in Bangladesh.
i. M.V. IDM DOODLE, a RoRo cum general cargo vessel carried an export consignment of 185
trucks by Ashok Leyland to Bangladesh.
ii. Export of these trucks was earlier done through land route by covering a distance of about 1500
km. Transport through the sea route will not only save about 15-20 days of travel time
but will also be more cost effective.
iii. As the fuel consumption in terms of per tonne cargo is much lower via sea route, transportation
by sea will also reduce carbon footprints on the environment.
iii. Recently, a group of scientists from West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh have said that another
parasite called Leptomonas seymouri may also be responsible for the infection. Their
findings have been reported in an online version of Archives of Virology.
DEFENCE
Bangladesh, US begin disaster response exercise
On October 8, 2017, Bangladesh Armed Forces Division and U.S. Army began their
participation in the Pacific Resilience Disaster Response Exercise and Exchange
(DREE).More Information about Pacific Resilience Disaster Response Exercise and
Exchange (DREE):
i. It is a civil-military disaster preparedness and response initiative between the governments
of Bangladesh and US.
ii. The exercise will be conducted from 8th 12th October 2017, in Dhaka and Mymensingh in
Bangladesh.
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Mitra Shakti 2017: India-Sri Lanka Joint Military Exercise held in Pune
On 13th 25th October 2017, Mitra Shakti 2017, a joint exercise between India and Sri Lanka for
military co-operation and interoperability, is conducted at the Aundh Military Camp, in Pune. Mitra
Shakthi 2017:
i. The Mitra Shakthi training exercises started in Indias response to Chinas growing
influence in South Asia and the Indian Ocean region.
Other recent joint-military exercises of India:
SLINEX 2017 India Sri Lanka joint naval exercise
Nomadic Elephant 2017 India Mongolia joint military exercise
Varuna 2017 India France joint naval exercise
Indigenously built Anti-Submarine Warship INS Kiltan commissioned into Navy
On October 16, 2017, Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman commissioned Indias
third indigenously built Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) corvette INS Kiltan into the Indian
Navy. The commissioning ceremony was held at Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh and was
attended by Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Sunil Lanba.
INS Kiltan is 109 meters long and 14 meters at the beam. Its displacement tonnage (ships
weight) is 3500 tonnes.
It is Indian Navys first major warship which has superstructure made of carbon fibre
composite material imported from Sweden. This not only improves the stealth
features but has also resulted in lower weight (100 tonnes lighter than the previous
corvettes) and maintenance costs.
It is named after a coral island in Aminidivi group of the strategically located
Lakshadweep and Minicoy group of Islands.
About Project 28:
Project-28 is Indian Governments 7800 crore project to build and induct four Kamorta-class Anti
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Sri Lanka Navy commissioned Coast Guard Ship Suraksha provided by India
On October 21, 2017, Sri Lankan Navy commissioned Sri Lanka Coast Guard (SLCGS) Ship
Suraksha.
About SLCGS Suraksha:
i. SLCGS Suraksha is an Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) provided by the Indian Coast Guard
to the Sri Lanka Navy.
ii. During its tenure with Indian Coast Guard, this OPV was named Varuna. It was formally
handed over to Sri Lankan Navy in September 2017.
L&T hands over Indias first private OPV Vikram for Indian Coast Guard
On October 27, 2017, Larsen & Toubro (L&T) handed over offshore patrol vessel (OPV)
Vikram to Indian Coast Guard. V S R Murthy, Additional Director General, Coast Guard,
launched OPV VIkram at a function at Kattupalli shipyard (in Tamil Nadu), in presence of J D Patil,
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Larsen and Toubro Board Member and Whole Time Director (Defence Business) and B Kannan,
Larsen and Toubro Ship Building Managing Director.
i. In March 2017, Union Ministry of Defense had awarded Rs 1,432-crore contract to L&T to build
seven offshore vessel patrol vessels for the Indian Coast Guard.
ii. As per the delivery schedule mentioned in the contract, the first vessel was to be handed over
in March 2018
Army finalises mega Rs 40,000 crore procurement plan to replace ageing weapons
Indian Army has finalised one of its biggest procurement plans for infantry modernisation
at a cost of nearly Rs 40,000 crore to replace its ageing and obsolete weapons.
i. Under this plan, around 7 lakh rifles, 44,000 light machine guns (LMGs) and nearly
44,600 carbines will be procured.
ii. Indian Army has been insisting to fast-track the procurement in back drop of evolving security
threats along Indias borders with Pakistan and China.
ENVIRONMENT
region in India. It was clicked at a height above sea level of 3,900 metres.
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Central Pollution Control Board Eases Norms for Sewage Treatment Plants
Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has eased standards for sewage treatment
plants (STP) coming up after June 2019.
i. As per 2015 proposal of Government, biochemical oxygen demand (BoD) in water
treated by upcoming STPs should not be more than 10 mg/litre. BoD is a marker for organic
pollutants in the water.
ii. This requirement has been eased and now upcoming STPs will have to conform only to 30
mg/litre of BoD (permitted by the current law).
Skull found in Papua New Guinea was worlds oldest-known tsunami victim
Scientists have declared a 6,000-year-old human skull that was discovered in Papua New Guinea in
1929, as the worlds oldest tsunami victims skull.
Worlds oldest-known tsunami victim:
i. The study published in the journal PLOS ONE, states that, Papua New Guinea has experienced
repeated tsunamis. The human skull that was discovered in Papua New Guinea in 1929 is
declared as the skull of the worlds oldest tsunami victim.
SPORTS
Max Verstappen wins Malaysian Grand Prix 2017 title
On 1st October 2017, Mark Verstappen won the Malaysian Grand Prix 2017 title, in Selangor,
Malaysia.
Max Verstappen wins Malaysian Grand Prix 2017:
i. Max Verstappen of the Red Bull team won the Malaysian Grand Prix 2017 title.
Female assistant referee to be seen in FIFA U-17 World Cup for the first time
On 1st October 2017, FIFA (International Federation of Association Football) announced that, female
assistant referees will work in the FIFA U-17 World Cup, for the first time in a FIFA mens
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competition.
Hyundai India Join Hands with FIFA U17 World Cup Tournament as Official Partners
Hyundai India has announced that it will be official transportation partner for the upcoming FIFA
U17 World Cup Tournament which starts from October 6, 2017 in India.
Adidas unveils new campaign #HereToCreate for FIFA U-17 World Cup in India
On 4th September 2017, Adidas launched its new campaign named #HereToCreate, to inspire
young football talent in India and to kick start a football revolution.
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Pooja Kadian hands India its first gold in Wushu World Championships
On 4th October 2017, Pooja Kadian created history by winning Indias first ever gold medal at
Wushu World Championships, in Russia.
Pooja Kadian wins gold at Wushu World Championship:
i. Pooja Kadian, a Central Reserve Police Forces (CRPF) Wushu champion, finished on top in the
75 kg womens Sanda Category by defeating Evgeniya Stepanova of Russia in the finals.
ii. Pooja Kadian has won gold medal, becoming Indias first gold medal winner in Wushu
World Championships.
Host City Kazan, Russia
Dates 29thSeptember 3rd October 2017
India bag 37 gold medals, finish second in 20th Asia Masters meet
India finished second in 20th Asia Masters Athletics Championship held in Rugao, China. and
bagged 146 medals, including 37 golds, 43 silvers and 66 bronze.China was topped.
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Verstappen.
Iceland became smallest country to qualify for 2018 FIFA World Cup
On 9th October 2017, Iceland became the smallest country ever to qualify for the FIFA World Cup.
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BCCI makes yo-yo tests compulsory criterion for Team India selection
In a bid to make India Cricket team one of the fittest sides in world cricket, the Board of Control
for Cricket in India (BCCI) has made it mandatory for cricketers to pass the yo-yo endurance
test.
About Yo-Yo Endurance Test:
i. In a yo-yo test, players have to pace themselves to and fro between two rows of cones kept 20
metres apart. For every round the player has to sync his sprint with the beeps that are played.
Duration between beeps progressively shorten as the test proceeds.
ii. This test is widely used by selection bodies in various sports including hockey, football
and cricket. For every sport the performance benchmark in the test may vary.
accurate shots. He scored two goals against Sweden on the last match and it was not enough for
his team to get qualified to World cup 2018. That made him to end up his international carrier.
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Kavita Devi becomes first Indian woman wrestler to sign with WWE
On 15th October 2017, Kavita Devi, a former competitive powerlifter, became the first Indian
woman to be signed by the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).
Kavitha Devi 1st Indian woman wrestler to sign with WWE:
i. Jinder Mahal, the current WWE champion, made this announcement in a special visit to New
Delhi. Kavitha Devi would begin training at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando,
Florida, by January 2018.
winner Park Ji-sung will be the first South Korean to carry the flame for the 2018
Pyeongchang Olympics.1st South Korean to carry Olympic Games flame:
i. Park Ji-sung is 36 years old. He has won several titles with Manchester United and Eindhoven
before retiring.
ii. He will be the second torchbearer in Olympia, after Greeces Nordic skier Apostolos Aggelis at the
start of the Greek relay.The ceremony is on 24th October 2017.
Veda Krishnamurthy signs for Big Bash League, to play for Hobart Hurricanes
Veda Krishnamurthy, Indian cricketer, has signed a 1 year contract with Hobart
Hurricanes and will be available for their 10 league games of the third season, starting on
9th December 2017.
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India beat Malaysia to win its 3rd Hockey Asia Cup title
On 22nd October 2017, India beat Malaysia by 2-1 in the finals and won the Asia Cup hockey
championship for the third time, in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
India wins Asia Cup hockey championship:
i. India has won the 2017 Mens Hockey Asia Cup. Indias previous Hockey Asia Cup titles
were won in 2003 at Kuala Lumpur and 2007 at Chennai.
ii. At the finals against Malaysia India scored goals through Ramandeep Singh (third minute) and
Lalit Upadhyay (29th). Malaysia fought back and scored a goal in the 50th minute through Shahril
Saabah.
2017 Denmark Open Super Series Premier Kidambi Srikanth wins Denmark Open to
Clinch Third Super Series Title of 2017
Kidambi Srikanth of India defeated Lee Hyun-il of South Korea by 21-10, 21-5 in the Mens singles
finals. Kidambi Srikanth won the Mens singles title. This is his third Super Series title in
2017.
Mens singles title won by Kidambi Srikanth:
Kidambi Srikanth of India defeated Lee Hyun-il of South Korea by 21-10, 21-5 in the Mens singles
finals. Kidambi Srikanth won the Mens singles title. This is his third Super Series title in
2017.
Womens singles:
Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand defeated Akane Yamaguchi of Japan by 14-21, 21-15, 21-19 in
womens singles finals. Ratchanok Intanon won the womens singles title.
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Mens doubles:
Liu Cheng and Zhang Nan pair of China defeated Marcus Fernaldi Gideon and Kevin Sanjaya
Sukamuljo pair of Indonesia by 21-16, 22-24, 21-19 in the mens doubles finals. Liu Cheng and
Zhang Nan won the Mens doubles title.
Womens doubles:
Lee So Hee and Shin Seung Chan pair of South Korea defeated Shiho Tanaka and Koharu Yonemoto
pair of Japan by 21-13, 21-16 in the womens doubles finals. Lee So Hee and Shin Seung Chan
won the womens doubles title.
Mixed doubles:
Tang Chun Man and Tse Ying Suet pair of Hong Kong defeated Zheng Siwei and Chen Qingchen pair
of China by 24-22, 19-21, 23-21 in the mixed doubles finals. Tang Chun Man and Tse Ying Suet
won the mixed doubles title.
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and New Caledonia in the final round group E match on October 14, 2017 at Salt Lake
Stadium in Kolkata.
Jitu Rai, Heena Sidhu win Gold in 10m Air Pistol mixed team event at ISSF World Cup
Jitu Rai, a Commonwealth and Asian Games gold-medallist, and Heena Sidhu, also a
former Commonwealth Gamesgold-winner, picked up their third gold together in the 10m air
pistol mixed team event, being held officially for the first time at an ISSF World Cup on the
opening day of competitions .
i. India is hosting the tournament for the first time in its history.
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i. Kochi Tuskers IPL contract was terminated by previous BCCI president Shashank Manohar citing
breach of franchise agreement in 2011. Kochi Tuskers appealed against this decision.
Virat Kohli ranked above Lionel Messi in Forbes most valuable brands among
athletes;Federer tops list
Virat Kohli, the captain of Indian cricket team, has been ranked above the Argentinean and
Barcelona football legend Lionel Messi, as one of the most valuable brands among sports athletes
by Forbes..
Most valuable athletes:
1.Roger Federer $37.2m 2.Virat Kohli $14.5m 9.Lionel Messi $13.5m
Gokul Natesan becomes second Indian-origin player to be signed by NBA G-League side
On 21st October 2017, Gokul Natesan became the second Indian-origin player to be signed by an
NBA G-League side.
Gokul Natesan signed by NBA G-League side:
i. Gokul Natesan was signed by Canton Charge, a minor league affiliate team of Cleveland
Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association (NBA).
ii. Gokul Natesan is 23 years old. He is a computer science graduate. He lives in a small town
sandwiched between Santa Clara and Cupertino, in the USA.
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Womens Doubles Apriyani Rahayu & Greysia Polii Lee So Hee & Shin Seung Chan
(Indonesia) (South Korea)
Mixed Doubles Tontowi Ahmad & Liliyana Zheng Siwei & Chen Quingchen
Natsir (Indonesia) (China)
Max Verstappen wins Mexican GP, Lewis Hamilton wins the 2017 Formula One
championship title
On 29th October 2017, Max Verstappen won the Mexican Grand Prix title and Lewis Hamilton won
the 2017 Formula One championship title.
Lewis Hamilton won 2017 Formula One championship & Max Verstappen won Mexican
GP:
i. On 29th October 2017, Max Verstappen of Red Bull team won the Mexican Grand Prix, at
Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez race track, in Mexico. This is his third victory in Formula 1.
ii. Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes finished in the 9th place in the Mexican Grand Prix. He won the
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Formula One Drivers Championship 2017 title. He has won this title for the fourth time.
Diya wins one gold, one silver in ITTF World Cadet Challenge
On 29th October 2017, Indian table tennis player Diya Chitale won silver medal in the girls
doubles category of the 2017 ITTF World Cadet Challenge, inSuva, Fiji.
Diya Chitale silver medal in ITTF World Cadet Challenge:
i. Diya Chitale hails from Mumbai. She was the only Indian player selected to represent Asia in this
tournament.
ii. Diya Chitale (India) and Hanna Ryu (South Korea) pair were defeated by Yingqi Huang (China)
and Yumeno Soma (Japan) pair by 0-3 (7-11, 11-13, 7-11). Diya Chitale (India) and Hanna Ryu
(South Korea) pair and won silver medal.
OBITUARY
Veteran writer HM Marathe passes away in Pune
On 2nd October 2017, famous Marathi writer and journalist Hanumant Moreshwar Marathe
passed away due to prolonged illness, in Pune, Maharashtra.
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Award for Best First Film of a Director.He went to the small screen by directed television shows
like Nukkad and Wagle Ki Duniya.
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Nirmala Sitharaman releases coffee table book on the DDP A journey towards self-
reliance
On 27th October 2017, Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman released a coffee table book on
the Department of Defence Production (DDP), titled A journey towards self-reliance.
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IMPORTANT DAYS
October 12017
Remember Day:International Day of Older Persons
Purpose :Enabling and expanding the contributions of older people in their families, communities
and societies
Theme: Stepping into the Future: Tapping the Talents, Contributions and Participation of Older
Persons in Society
Organization: UN
October 22017
Remember Day:International Day of Non-Violence
Purpose :To mark the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, leader of the Indian independence movement.
Organization: UNGA
October 5 2017
Remember Day:International Teachers Day
Purpose :Its aim is to mobilize support for teachers and to ensure that the needs of future
generations will continue to be met by teachers
Theme :Teaching in Freedom, Empowering Teachers
Organization: UNESCO
October 8 2017
Remember Day:Indian Air Force Day
Organization: Indian Air Force
October 9 2017
Remember Day:World Post Day
Purpose :To mark the anniversary of the establishment of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) in
1874 in the Swiss Capital, Bern
October 10 2017
Remember Day:World Day against the Death Penalty
Purpose :The World Day against the Death Penalty aims at raising awareness about reasons why
people living in poverty are at a greater risk of being sentenced to death
Theme :The death penalty and poverty
October 10 2017
Remember Day:World Mental Health Day
Purpose :Its objective is to raise awareness of mental health issues and mobilize efforts in support
of better mental health
Theme : Mental health in the workplace
October 11 2017
Remember Day:International Day of the Girl Child
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Purpose :To raise awareness about several issues faced by girl child pertaining to education,
nutrition, child marriage, legal and medical rights.Because I Am a Girl campaign was initiated
Theme : EmPOWER Girls: Before, during and after crises
October 13 2017
Remember Day:International Day for Disaster Reduction
Purpose :to promote a global culture of risk-awareness and disaster reduction.
Theme :Home Safe Home: Reducing Exposure, Reducing Displacement
October 14 2017
Remember Day:World Standards Day
Purpose :to honour the contributions of all those who develop the technical agreements that
arepublished as international standards.
Theme :Standards make cities smarter
October 15 2017
Remember Day:International Day of Rural Women
Purpose This day recognizes the critical role and contribution of rural women in enhancing
agricultural and rural development, improving food security and eradicating rural poverty
Theme : Challenges and opportunities in climate-resilient agriculture for gender equality and the
empowerment of rural women and girls.
Organization:UNGA
October 162017
Remember Day:World Food Day
Purpose :Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) celebrates World Food Day to mark its creation
Theme :Change the future of migration. Invest in food security and rural development.
Organization:FAO
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October 17 2017
Remember Day:International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
Purpose :International Day for the Eradication of Poverty 2017 marks the 25th anniversary of
declaration by the UN General Assembly
Theme :Answering the Call of October 17 to end poverty: A path toward peaceful and inclusive
societies
Organization:UNGA
October 20 2017
Remember Day:World Statistics Day
Purpose :highlights the importance of reliable and timely data for informed decision-making by
governments and individuals
Organization:The United Nations Statistical Commission
October 21 2017
Remember Day:the Police Commemoration Day
Purpose : This day remembers the sacrifice of ten policemen who died in Chinese firing in 1959
October 22 2017
Remember Day:International Stuttering Awareness Day
Purpose :to raise public awareness of the millions of people (one percent of the worlds
population), who have the speech disorder of stuttering, also known as stammering.
Theme :A World That Understands Stuttering.
Organization:International Stuttering Association
October 242017
Remember Day:World Polio Day
Purpose :It is held on October 24th in celebration of the birth of Dr. Jonas Salk, the man who led
the first team to develop a vaccine against polio.
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October 24 - 30 2017
Remember Day:Disarmament Week
Purpose :The idea of celebrating International Day of Diplomats is to recognise the hard work and
sacrifices of diplomats and their families
October 272017
Remember Day:World Day for Audiovisual Heritage
Purpose :To mark the adoption, of the Recommendation for the Safeguarding and Preservation of
Moving Images, by the 21st General Conference, in 1980.
Theme :Discover, remember and share..
Organization:UNESCO and CCAAA (Coordinating Council of Audiovisual Archives Associations).
October 282017
Remember Day:International Animation Day
Organization:ASIFA (International Animated Film Association)
October 292017
Remember Day:World Stroke Day
Purpose :On the World Stroke day, organizations around the world conduct events emphasizing
education, testing, and initiatives to improve the damaging effects of stroke worldwide.
Theme :Whats your reason for preventing stroke?.
Organization:The World Stroke Organization (WSO)
October 312017
Remember Day:World Savings Day or World Thrift Day
Purpose :to spread awareness among people around the world about the idea of saving money in
a bank
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