January 2017 Current Affairs

Current Affairs: January 2017
January 1, 2017
RBI extends period of enhanced Prepaid Payment Instruments limit
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has extended the
period of enhanced Prepaid Payment Instruments
(PPI) limit of Rs 20,000 as part of efforts to promote
digital payments. The limit has been extended till
the completion of review of the PPI guidelines.
However, the balance in such PPIs cannot exceed Rs
20,000 at any point of time and the merchants can
transfer funds from such PPIs to their own linked bank accounts up to Rs 50,000 per month,
without any limit per transaction.
CSL completes delivery of 20 FPVs to India Coast Guard
The Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) has delivered ICGS
AYUSH, the 20th Fast Patrol Vessel (FPV) to the Indian
Coast Guard. With this, CSL has completed construction
of 20 FPVs for the Indian Coast Guard. ICGS Ayush will
be operated from the Coast Guard Station at
Krishnapatanam. It is last in the series (CSL Yard No BY
520) and was delivered three months ahead of schedule. Cochin Shipyard Limited was awarded
the contract of constructing 20 FPVs in October 2010.
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CBDT extends deadline of Direct Tax Dispute Resolution Scheme
The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has
extended the last date for availing the Direct
Tax Dispute Resolution Scheme to January 31,
2017 from the earlier deadline of December 31,
2016. This extension aims to give companies
one more month to accept its offer to settle
retro tax disputes with Government. It comes against the backdrop of tepid response from
companies to the scheme.
China to build $1.5 billion Matiari-Lahore power line across Pakistan
China’s State Grid Corporation is set to build a $1.5-
billion power line across Pakistan to enable the
transmission of 4,000 megawatts (MW) of electricity
from the country’s north to south. In this regard both
countries have signed an investment agreement in
Beijing. The power transmission line will link the national grid between the southern Pakistani
town of Matiari and easternmost city of Lahore, located 1,000km apart. It will be Pakistan’s first
high-voltage, direct current line.
Sorin Grindeanu named as New Prime Minister of Romania
Romania’s President Klaus Iohannis has named social-
democrat Sorin Grindeanu (43) as the new Prime Minister.
Grindeanu is a member of the Social Democratic Party and
former communications minister. He now faces a
confidence vote in parliament on his programme and
cabinet nominees. Earlier centre-right President Iohannis had rejected Social Democratic Party’s
first choice economist Sevil Shhaideh for PM post, who would have been the country’s first
female and first Muslim government leader.
January 2, 2017
Lionel Messi named World’s Best Playmaker of 2016
Five-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi was voted as the
World’s Best Playmaker for the second consecutive year. It
was announced by International Federation of Football
History & Statistics (IFFHS). Messi topped the list with 172
points ahead of Andres Iniesta (66 points) and Toni Kroos (45
points). Notably, this year’s Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo did not feature in the list.
The first World’s Best Playmaker title was won by current Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane
in 2006, followed by Kaka in 2007.
Government derecognises Indian Olympic Association
The Union Sports Ministry has recognised the Indian
Olympic Association (IOA) on the issue of
nominating scam tainted duo Suresh Kalmadi and
Abhay Chautala as its life presidents. The deemed
recognition of IOA has been suspended until it
reverses its decision. Kalmadi was jailed in
connection with the Common Wealth Games (CWG) scam while Chautala is facing charges in
disproportionate assets case. Earlier on 27 December 2016, Kalmadi and Chautala were
elevated to the honorary position of life Presidents at the IOA’s Annual General Meeting in
Chennai. The IOA was given time to reply the show-cause notice issued by the Ministry
threatening de-recognition if it does not reverse its decision.
Kush Bhagat creates history by wining 3 gold medals at Western Asia Youth
Chess Championships
Chess prodigy Kush Bhagat created history by winning all three gold medals on offer in the 1st
Western Asia Youth Chess Championships. The event held
at Al Ain Chess Club in UAE. He won in all the three
categories – rapid, blitz and standard. With this he becomes
only Indian to bag all the crowns in the competition. To win
all three events, he overcame the challenges from 158
participants from 20 countries across the world. Kush Bhagat is second standard student of the
NSS Hill Spring International School, Mumbai (Maharashtra).
Key announcements of PM Narendra Modi’s new year eve’s speech
Following the tough decision to demonetise Rs 500 and
Rs 1000 currency notes, Prime Minister Narendra Modi
today thanked citizens for undertaking sacrifice to
cleanse the economy of black money. In his address, he
announced a number of welfare sops to help the poor,
the rural sector, small businesses and other citizens to lighten the burden of demonetization.
January 3, 2017
ICBM Agni-IV successfully test-fired off Odisha coast
India successfully test-fired its home-grown long range
intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) Agni-IV from the Abdul
Kalam Wheeler Island off Odisha coast. The test was aimed at
revalidating new technologies incorporated in Agni-IV system
and checking the readiness of armed forces to launch the missile
on its own. Agni-IV is two-stage surface-to-surface nuclear capable intercontinental ballistic
missile. It has been designed and developed indigenously by Defence Research and
Development Organisation (DRDO).
NPL syncs Leap second with Indian time
An atomic clock at National Physical Laboratory (NPL)
in New Delhi added ‘leap second’ (extra one second) to
the Indian Standard Time (IST) at 5:29.59 hours on 1
January 2017 to synchronise with the Earth’s rotational
clock. The clock was programmed to add an extra second
to the year 2017 in order to compensate for a slowdown
in the Earth’s rotation.
India, Pakistan exchange lists of nuclear sites
India and Pakistan exchanged the list of their nuclear
installations and facilities under the Agreement on the
Prohibition of Attack against Nuclear installations.
This is the 26th consecutive exchange of such list
between the two countries after the first list was
exchanged on 1 January 1992. This exchange is done
every year on 1st of January between them to prevent them from attacking each other’s nuclear
facilities. Both countries also exchanged the lists of nationals (including civil prisoners and
fishermen) of each country lodged in their respective jails as per provisions of the Agreement on
Consular Access.
26 crore accounts open under Jan Dhan Yojana across country
According to latest data released by Finance Ministry
over 26 crore accounts have been opened under
Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) across the
country till date. Of the total, nearly 16 crore accounts
are in rural areas and more than 10 crore in urban.
Over 71 thousand 500 crore rupees have been
deposited in these accounts and zero balance accounts has come down to nearly 24%. Around
20 crore RuPay Debit cards have also been issued under the scheme. The PMJDY was launched
by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi in August 2014 with the objective of financial inclusion
for covering all households with at least one bank account.
Russia delivers advanced Sukhoi jets to China after two year delay
Russia has finally delivered four fifth generation Sukhoi
Su-35 fighter jets to China after a delay of two years. The
Su-35 is an advanced version of the Su-30s operated by
the Indian Airforce (IAF). Russia had feared that its fifth
generation Su-35 jet will lose its value after Chinese
military unveiled its J-20 stealth fighter. However, Russia did not change its stance on the
export of the Su-35 until the J-20 fighter was unveiled. Russia believes that with the
commissioning of the J-20 by China, the Su-35 will soon lose its value in the Chinese market.
While China made advances in manufacturing of new type of fighter jets, it is still dependent on
Russia for engines aswell as avionics.
January 4, 2017
SC sacks BCCI President Anurag Thakur and Secretary Ajay Shirke
The Supreme Court has sacked Board of Control
for Cricket in India (BCCI) President Anurag
Thakur and BCCI secretary Ajay Shirke after they
failed to implement the reforms recommended by
the Justice Lodha committee. The apex court held
that Mr. Thakur and Mr. Shirke are unfit to continue at helm of BCCI for their obstructionist
attitude and their incapacity to make affiliated State associations fall in line with Lodha
committee. SC ordered them to forthwith cease and desist from associating themselves with
Indian cricket’s most powerful sporting body. With this, SC set the stage for a revamp of the
country’s top cricketing body.
Seeking votes on religious basis a corrupt act: SC
The Supreme Court in its latest verdict has held that election
candidates cannot seek votes on the grounds of the religion, caste,
creed, community or language of voters. The ruling was given by
a 4-3 majority of the seven-judge Constitution bench headed by
Chief Justice TS Thakur. It held that if the candidate is found
violating the order will result into call for his disqualification.
Union Government launches mobile app for Haj Pilgrimage
The Union Ministry of Minority Affairs has launched Mobile App
for Haj Pilgrimage. The app will provide information and
facilitate e-payments for the pilgrimage. This is for the first time
digital push has been given to the Haj application process. It is
also a major initiative in the government’s ‘Digital India’
programme. The main features of the app include applying for
Haj, enquiry and information, news and updates and e-payment.
David R Syiemlieh appointed new UPSC chairman
President Pranab Mukherjee has appointed Prof David R Syiemlieh as
the Chairman of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) as per
Article 316 of Constitution. He will take over from Alka Sirohi and
shall remain the head of the organisation till his retirement on January
21, 2018 or till further orders. Prior to this appointment, he was
functioning as a UPSC member from June 25, 2012. Prof David R Syiemlieh is academician,
author and historian. He is a former Vice Chancellor, Rajiv Gandhi University, Doimukh,
Arunachal Pradesh. He is author of several books and articles on the history of North East
India.
Andhra Pradesh Government launches NTR Arogya Raksha Scheme
Andhra Pradesh Government has launched NTR
Arogya Raksha Scheme to provide the medical
treatment to the people below Above Poverty Line
(APL) at Rs. 1200 premium per annum. It was
launched by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu
in Vijayawada. The new health scheme offering
medical insurance to those who were not covered
under any of the existing health schemes of the state government.
India, Sri Lanka agree to exchange views to find permanent solution to fishermen
issues
India and Sri Lanka have expressed confidence for finding a long-lasting solution to the issue of
fishermen between the two countries. In this regard, talks
co-chaired by Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan
Singh and Sri Lankan fisheries Minister Mahinda
Amaraweera were held in Colombo, Sri Lanka. It has
reached an understanding to ensure that there was no
physical harm or loss of life while arresting fishermen for
poaching into each other’s waters.
January 5, 2017
Government launches Swachh Bharat Survekshan 2017 in 500 cities
The Union Ministry of Urban Development launched
Swachh Survekshan 2017 to rank 500 cities/towns across the
country on cleanliness with a population of 1 lakh and
above The survey will be conducted by Quality Council of
India (QCI) under the Swacch Bharat Abhiyan in a bid to
encourage competition to improve sanitation.
Government approves new projects under Namami Gange for Haridwar and
Varanasi
The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) has approved new projects under Namami
Gange programme in Haridwar (Uttarakhand) and
Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh). In Haridwar, 68 MLD
sewage treatment plants (STP) and 14 MLD STP in
Sarai was with Central government funding and also
under Hybrid Annuity based PPP mode. Besides, 50
MLD sewage treatment plant at Ramana in Varana
under Hybrid Annuity-based PPP mode was also approved.
Justice JS Khehar sworn in as 44th Chief Justice of India
Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar was sworn in as 44th Chief
Justice of India (CJI). He was administered oath to the office
by President Pranab Mukherjee at Rashtrapati Bhavan, New
Delhi. With this, he became the first person from Sikh
communitry to become the CJI. Justice Khehar succeeded
Tirath Singh Thakur who retired on 3 January 2017. He will remain in office from January 4,
2017 till August 4, 2017 i.e. till he attains the age of 65.
Google Doodle pays tribute to India’s social reformer Savitribai Phule
Search engine giant Google honoured India’s 19th
Century social reformer Savitribai Phule on the occasion
of her 186th birth anniversary (3 January 2017) by
dedicating a doodle on its webpage. The ‘doodle’ had a
narration by New Delhi-based NGO Zubaan, with colourful paintings by Malvika Asher on the
different historical aspects of Savitribai’s life. It showed a group of demure women assembled
outside what could be a school for education in a skyblue starry background which also
doubles as her blouse.
RBI appoints Surekha Marandi as executive director
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has appointed Surekha Marandi as
its Executive Director (ED). She was appointed in place of U S
Paliwal who retired on December 31, 2016. In her new role, she will
look after Consumer Education and Protection Department,
Financial Inclusion and Development Department, and Secretary’s
Department of the RBI.
Election Commission announces dates for assembly elections in five states
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced the
dates for the assembly elections in five states– Uttar Pradesh,
Uttarakhand, Punjab, Manipur and Goa. With the Election
Commission announcement the Model code of conduct has
come into effect. Counting of votes for all five states will take
place on 11 March 2017. There will be single phase elections in Uttarakhand, Goa and Punjab.
Goa (40 Seats) and Punjab (117 Seats) will go to polls on 4 February 2017 while polling in
Uttarakhand for 70 seats will be held on 15 February 2017.
January 6, 2017
World Braille Day is observed on January 4
The World Braille Day is observed very year across the
world on 4 January to mark the birth anniversary of
Louis Braille, inventor of Braille script or Braille code.
Observance of the day helps people to spread the
importance of Braille language and also help people to
produce works in this language to allow visually impaired people to read the works. To
commemorate this day several NGOs as well as other organizations come together to raise
awareness about the apathy towards blind people and to help them be equal among rest of the
people.
Union Cabinet approves MoU between India and Kenya in field of agriculture and
allied sectors
The Union Cabinet has approved signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between
India and Kenya on bilateral cooperation in the field of
agriculture and allied sectors. Decision in this regard was
taken at the Union Cabinet Meeting chaired by Prime
Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. The MoU covers
various activities in the field of agriculture and allied
sectors which include agricultural research, animal husbandry and dairy, livestock and fisheries
horticulture and natural resource management.
Union Cabinet approves AoC between India and Portugal in field of agriculture
and allied sectors
The Union Cabinet has given its approval for signing of an Agreement for cooperation (AoC)
between India and Portugal in the field of Agriculture and
allied sectors. Decision in this regard was taken by Union
Cabinet meeting chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi
in New Delhi. The AoC covers various activities including
trade in plants and plant products, exchange of scientific and
technical information, exchange of information in phytosanitary issues, training programmes
etc.
Union Cabinet approves Agreement between India and Uruguay for Cooperation
in Customs Matters
The Union Cabinet has approved signing and ratifying an Agreement between India and
Uruguay for cooperation and mutual assistance in Customs
Matters. The Agreement will help both countries in the availability
of relevant information for the investigation and prevention of
Customs offences. The Agreement is also expected to facilitate
trade and ensure efficient clearance of goods traded between both
countries. It also takes care of concerns and requirements of Indian Customs particularly in area
of exchange of information on correctness of the Customs value declared, description of the
goods traded between the two countries and the authenticity of certificates of origin of goods.
Bunkar Mitra Helpline for Handloom Weavers went live
The Union Ministry of Textiles’ Bunkar Mitra Helpline for
Handloom Weavers went live. It was launched by the Union
Textiles Minister Smriti Zubin Irani on the occasion of Good
Governance Day (on December 25, 2016). The helpline aims to
provide a single point of contact to handloom weavers across the
country for addressing their queries and seek guidance. This helpline can be accessed by dialing
the toll free number 1800-208-9988.
Union Government launches IPR Enforcement Toolkit for Police
The Union Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman
launched an Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Enforcement Toolkit
for Police. This toolkit will be provided to all state police
departments across the nation to assist them in dealing with the
cases relating to Trademarks and Copyrights infringements. The
toolkit has been jointly developed by the Cell for IPR Promotion
and Management (CIPAM) and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry
(FICCI).
Google launches My Business and Digital Unlocked tool for small and medium
businesses
Internet giant Google launched two new initiatives My Business and Digital Unlocked to train
and help small and medium businesses (SMBs) in India
capitalise on the digitisation wave faster. These initiatives were
launched by Google CEO Sundar Pichai in New Delhi in
presence of Union IT and law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad in
New Delhi.
January 7, 2017
India and Kazakhstan sign Protocol to amend DTAC
India and Kazakhstan have signed a Protocol to amend the
existing Double Taxation Avoidance Convention (DTAC)
between the two countries in New Delhi. The DTAC
between both countries was earlier signed in December
1996 for the avoidance of double taxation and for the
prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on
income. Provides internationally accepted standards for effective exchange of information on
tax matters. Further, allows tax authorities to share information with other law enforcement
agencies with prior authorisation.
Veteran actor Om Puri passes away
Veteran actor Om Puri passed away following massive
cardiac arrest in Mumbai, Maharashtra. He was 66. His
acting credits include appearances in commercial Indian,
British, and Hollywood, independent films and art films.
He was credited for being part of parallel, new-wave
cinema along with Naseeruddin Shah, Shabana Azmi
and Smita Patil that brought change in the film industry back in the 1980s. He was born on
October 18, 1950 in Ambala, Haryana. He was one of the prominent names of parallel cinema
that changed Indian cinema in the 1980s. He made his debut in films in a marathi film
Ghashiram Kotwal in 1972.
16th meeting of FSDC held in New Delhi
The 16th meeting of the Financial Stability and
Development Council (FSDC) was held in New
Delhi. It was chaired by Union Finance Minister
Arun Jaitley. It was attended by heads of all
financial sector regulators as its members. It
reviewed the major issues and challenges facing
the economy. Indian Economy: India appears to be much better placed because of improvement
in its macroeconomic fundamental despite fragile world economy. It reviewed the major issues
and challenges facing the economy.
Banking: The status of NPAs of public sector banks and measures taken by the government and
the RBI for tackling the stressed assets were reviewed. It also discussed about further action to
be taken in this regard.
Government constitutes Injeti Srinivas Committee to frame National Sports Code
The Union Sports Ministry has constituted committee to frame
comprehensive National Sports Development Code across sports
disciplines. It will be headed by Injeti Srinivas, Sports Secretary. The
committee will study the existing sports governance frame work,
issues relating to sports governance in the country, recent
developments related to sports governance. It will also study court judgments and international
best practices and make recommendations on bringing out a comprehensive code across sports
disciplines.
Explained: Dispute over party symbol in Samajwadi Party
After the recent the political feud and vertical
split in Samajwadi Party, the both warring
factions are claiming their stakes on the party
symbol, the ‘cycle’. Following this, Election
Commission of India (ECI) has served notices to
both factions to provide supporting documents
and evidence in their favour for claiming the party symbol. The Election Symbols (Reservation
and Allotment) Order, 1968 empowers the ECI to recognise political parties and allot symbols.
UN declares 2017 as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for

Development
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has declared the year 2017 as the International
Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development. The declaration recalls
the potential of tourism sector to advance the universal 2030 Agenda
for Sustainable Development and 17 Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs).
Noted Manipur based historian Gangmumei Kamei passes away
Noted Manipur-based historian, litterateur and scholar
Gangmumei Kamei passed away in Imphal following
protracted illness. He was 77. Kamei was currently a
member of the North Eastern Council (NEC). Earlier, he
had served as a minister in Manipur on two occasions.
Gangmumei Kamei was born on October 21, 1939 in Imphal. He was specialised in the history
of the North-eastern region, and more particularly of Manipur. He hailed from the Zeliangrong
community which is spread across Manipur, Assam and Nagaland.
January 8, 2017
India’s GDP growth expected to be slower at 7.1% in 2016-17: CSO
According to growth projection released by the Central
Statistics Office (CSO), India’s Gross Domestic Product
(GDP) growth is expected to grow at a slower pace at
7.1% in 2016-17 as compared to 7.6% in 2015-16. This
estimate is in sync with the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI)
economic growth forecast and is largely based on data
from the first seven months of the year. The slowdown is chiefly due to an industrial
slowdown.
Delhi Government unveils Good Samaritan Policy
Delhi Government has approved ‘Good Samaritan
Policy to encourage people to help road accident
victims in emergency situation. It was approved by
the state cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister
Arvind Kejriwal in New Delhi. This policy will give
bystanders incentive to help accident victims and
more importantly provide them with legal protection.
44th New Delhi World Book Fair begins
The 44th edition of the New Delhi World Book Fair began at
Pragati Maidan in national capital. The theme for this edition
of the event is ‘Manushi– Books Written on and by Women’.
It was inaugurated by Union Minister of State (MoS) for
Human Resources Development (Higher Education)
Mahendra Nath Pandey. The nine-day event has been
organised by National Book Trust (NBT), under the Union Ministry of Human Resource
Development. While, India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) is the Co-organizer.
Astronomers discover powerful cosmic double whammy
Astronomers have discovered two of the most powerful
phenomena in the universe, a supermassive black hole
and the collision of giant galaxy clusters about 2 billion
light years from Earth. It was discovered combining
data from India’s Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope
(GMRT), NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and other telescopes. These two phenomenon
combined to create a stupendous cosmic particle accelerator. This was the first time, scientists
found cosmic combination in a pair of colliding galaxy clusters.
World Bank holds meet with India on Indus Water Treaty
India asked the World Bank not to rush in
brokering a deal on its dispute with Pakistan over
Ratle and Kishenganga projects coming up in
Jammu and Kashmir. India conveyed its position
during a meeting with World Bank representative
in New Delhi. India asserted that the differences
between India and Pakistan can be resolved bilaterally or through a neutral expert. India also
maintained its position that the designs of the Ratle and Kishenganga projects do not violate the
Indo-Pak Indus Water Treaty (IWT).
January 9, 2017
14th Pravasi Bhartiya Divas begins in Bengaluru
The 14th edition of Pravasi Bhartiya Divas (PBD) began in
the country’s IT hub Bengaluru, Karnataka. The theme of
this edition is ‚Redefining Engagement with the Indian
Diaspora‛. On the first day of three day event, ‘Youth
Pravasi Bharatiya Divas’ was inaugurated as part of the
PBD 2017 with an aim to connect with the youth, the new
generation of Pravasis growing up all over the world. The main convention will be inaugurated
by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Indian-origin Portugal Prime Minister, Dr. Antonio
Costa who is the chief guest in the PBD convention.
India, Portugal sign six agreements
India and Portugal have signed six memorandum of
understandings (MoUs) including in defence cooperation.
These agreements were signed after delegation level talks
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his visiting Portugal
counterpart António Costa who is chief Guest of 2017 Pravasi
Bharatiya Divas.
Six agreements signed are
 MoU on Defence.
 MoU on Renewable Energy.
 MoU on Marine Research and Resources.
 MoU in the Agriculture and Allied Sectors.
 MoU in the field of Information Technology and Electronics.
 MoU on the establishment of an ICCR Chair of Indian Studies in University of Lisbon.
Gen. Raheel Sharif to head Islamic Military Alliance
Pakistan’s former Army chief Gen. Raheel Sharif (retired) was
appointed head of Islamic Military Alliance to Fight
Terrorism (IMAFT), a Saudi Arabia-led military coalition of
39 nations. The appointment was confirmed by Pakistan’s
Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif as both the
government and the Army allowed Gen. Sharif take charge of
the alliance. Raheel had retired as the Pakistan army chief in November 2016 and was
succeeded by General Qamar Javed Bajwa. IMAFT is military coalition comprising 39 nations. It
was established by Saudi Arabia in December 2015 and its command centre, headquarters is
based in Riyadh.
PM Narendra Modi announces Pravasi Kaushal Vikas Yojana
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched Pravasi Kaushal
Vikas Yojana (PKVY), a skill development program targeted
at Indian youth seeking overseas employment. It was
launched after inauguration of 14th Pravasi Bhartiya Divas
convention held in India’s IT hub Bengaluru, Karnataka.
Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa was the Chief
Guest of the event. PKVY will provide training and certify Indians who are seeking overseas
employment in selected sectors in line with international standards.
January 10, 2017
Indian Army conducts test of indigenous heavy artillery gun Dhanush
The Indian Army has successfully conducted ‘user-
validation’ trials of indigenous Advanced Towed
Artillery Gun System (ATAGS) Dhanush in the
Himalayas. It clears the way for the induction in the
Army. Earlier, proof firing tests of Dhanush’s armament
systems were carried out during technical trials in June
and September 2016 and some initial integrated firing tests were successfully carried out in
December 2016. Dhanush 155 MM/52 calibre towed artillery gun is based on the 1980s’ Bofors
FH-77B/39 Calibre artillery gun design. Its indegenous development is aided by the transfer of
technology (ToT) clause signed with the Swedish company.
New Ginger species with medicinal properties discovered in Andamans
Scientists from Botanical Survey of India (BSI) have discovered a
new species of Zingiber (commonly referred as ginger) from the
Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The new species has been named
as Zingiber pseudosquarrosum and belongs to genus Zingiber. It
is used for its medicinal values by the local Particularly
Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) of the Andamans. The pseudo
stem of Zingiber pseudosquarrosum is red in colour. Its flowers
are lotus shaped and have a vermilion tinge and dehisced fruit.
SC wants VVPAT in EVMs for fair elections
The Supreme Court has reiterated the necessity to
implement the Vote Verifier Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) in
electronic voting machines (EVMs) to ensure 100%
transparency in elections. This is the second time the
Supreme Court has directed Election Commission (EC) for
the implementation of VVPAT in EVMs. Earlier in 2013, SC
had directed the EC to introduce VVPAT in a phased manner for 2014 general elections. SC had
observed that VVPAT will ensure free and fair polls and help in sorting out disputes. In
response the EC had informed the apex court that the VVPAT can be introduced in a phased
manner.
20th National Conference for e-Governance begins in Visakhapatnam
The 20th Edition of the National Conference for e-
Governance 2016-17 has started in Visakhapatnam,
Andhra Pradesh. The theme of this year’s conference is
‘Internet of Things and e-Governance’ and will be
covering newly evolving areas of e-Governance across
five plenary sessions. The conference has been organised
by Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DeitY) and Department of
Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) in partnership with Information
Technology, Electronics and Communication (ITE&C) Department, Andhra Pradesh
Government.
Government makes Aadhaar mandatory for MGNREGA work
The Union Government has made mandatory for workers in
rural areas enrolled under the Mahatma Gandhi National
Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA) to have
an Aadhaar card. Those who have registered under the
scheme will be required to give furnish proof of possession
of Aadhaar card or undergo the enrolment process till
March 31, 2017. For this purpose, government has invoked Section 7 of the Aadhaar (Targeted
Delivery of Financial and other Subsidies, benefits and services) Act, 2016.
74th Golden Globe Awards
The 74th Annual Golden Globe Awards
ceremony was organized at Beverly Hills,
California, United States (US). The Golden Globe
Awards are the annual awards that honour the
best in Motion Pictures and American Television
for the previous year. This year, La La Land, a
romantic musical comedy-drama film won in all the seven categories including the top award of
best musical or comedy. Veteran actress Meryl Streep was bestowed with the Cecil B. DeMille
Lifetime Achievement Award.
January 11, 2017
Pakistan test-fires first nuclear-capable submarine cruise missile Babur-3
Pakistan successfully test-fired its first Submarine-Launched
Cruise Missile (SLCM) Babur-3 capable of carrying a nuclear
warhead. This launch gives Pakistan a ‚credible‛ second-
strike capability. The Babur-3 missile was fired from an
underwater mobile platform from an undisclosed location in
the Indian Ocean and hit its target with precise accuracy.
SLCM Babur-3 is a sea-based variant of Ground Launched Cruise Missile (GLCM) Babur-2. It
has been named after the first Mughal Emperor Zahir-ud-Din Babur. It has a range of 450km.
China launches first commercial space mission with new Kuaizhou-1A rocket
China successfully launched first commercial mission
using an updated version of the low-cost Kuaizhou-1A
rocket. As part of the mission three satellites JL-1,
CubeSats XY-S1 and Caton-1 were launched into space.
The rocket was launched form northwestern China’s
Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Gansu province.
Rocket technology company under the state owned China Aerospace Science and Industry
Corporation (ACSIC) was responsible for the successful launch mission. The success of the
mission marks the Chinese company’s capability of providing flexible, convenient, quick and
economical launch services for domestic and overseas clients.
Ministry of Power unveils World’s Largest Street Light Programme
The Union Ministry of Power unveiled world’s largest
street light replacement programme in South Delhi
Municipal Corporation (SDMC) area. It is implemented
under LED based Street Lighting National Programme
(SLNP) by the Energy Efficiency Services Limited
(EESL), a joint venture under the Union Ministry of Power. Under SLNP, 2 lakh street light will
be replaced with LED lights in SDMC area. It will result in cumulative annual energy savings of
2.65 crore kWh and daily reduction of 22,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases. The programme will
provide benefits to the residents of SDMC area as it would lead to a reduction in dark spots and
increased security.
PM Narendra Modi inaugurates Nobel Prize Series India Exhibition in

Gandhinagar
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Nobel Prize Series Exhibition in Gandhinagar,
Gujarat. It is the first-of-its-kind conclave of Nobel laureates to
be held in India. It has been organised by Nobel Media and
coordinated by the Department of Biotechnology. Nine Nobel
laureates are attending it and interact with students of Indian
Universities. The Nobel Prize Series 2017 will feature a five
week long Science Exhibition. It is being set up by the Nobel Foundation with exhibits from
Nobel Museum at Stockholm, Sweden.
Cristiano Ronaldo named the world’s best player for 2016
Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo was named the
world’s best player for the year 2016 at the inaugural Best
FIFA Football Awards held in Zurich, Switzerland. To win this
title he received 34.54% of total votes. He defeated Barcelona’s
Lionel Messi (26.42%), Atletico Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann
(7.53%) to win the coveted prize.
Other 2016 awardees are
Best FIFA Women’s Player: Carli Lloydll (US).
Best FIFA Men’s Coach: Claudio Ranieri (Italy).
Best FIFA Women’s Coach: Silvia Neid (Germany).
FIFA Puskas Award: Mohd Faiz Subri (Malaysia).
FIFA Fair Play Award: Atletico Nacional
FIFA Award for an Outstanding Career: Falcao (Brazil).
FIFA Fan Award: Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool supporters.
ISRO, CNES ink pact on satellite launch
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and French
Space agency (CNES) have signed a partnership
agreement in satellite launch technology. The agreement
was signed between ISRO Chairman Kiran Kumar and
CNES President Jean-Yves Le Gall in the presence of
visiting French Minister of Foreign Affairs Jean-Marc
Ayrault in Bengaluru, Karnataka. Space cooperation is one of the cornerstones of the Indo-
French strategic partnership and spans over 50 years. ISRO is the second partner of CNES, in
terms of volume, after NASA. This agreement will strengthen the CNES-ISRO partnership. It
will enable France to benefit from the Indian model of streamlining the costs of space
programmes.
Sex ratio in Haryana touches 900-mark for first time in 20 years
The child sex ratio at birth (SRB) in Haryana for the
first time has touched 900-mark in two decades. SRB
in December 2016 in Haryana was 914. From January
to December 2016 out of 5,25,278 children were born
in Haryana, 2,76,414 were boys and 2,48,864 were
girl. In 2011, India’s child sex ratio stood at 914 girls
to 1000 boys, the lowest since Independence and Haryana had a child sex ratio 834 girls to 1000
boys, far worse than the national average. The recent improvement SRB in Haryana was made
possible due to effective implementation of the law against illegal sex determination and female
foeticide.
World Hindi Day is observed on January 10
The World Hindi Day is observed annually on 10 January.
On this occasion, Union Ministry of External Affairs (MEA)
has conducted special events to spread the greatness of the
language through its missions abroad. Besides, the
Department of Official Language (Rajbhasha) also organises
several events to mark this day. The World Hindi Day was
first observed on 10 January 2006. It is in addition to present National Hindi Divas which is
being observed annually on 14 September.
January 12, 2017
New fault in Indian Ocean may trigger earthquakes in future: study
According to scientists, a new plate boundary may
be forming on the floor of the Indian Ocean in
Wharton Basin as a result of the 2012 earthquake that
shook the Andaman-Sumatra region. The discovery
was based on the study of seismic data recorded
before, during and after the 2012 quakes and sea floor depth analysis by venturing into the
ocean aboard a research vessel. Scientists created a high-resolution imagery of the sea floor by
using data which unveiled deformations that had occurred on the Indo-Australian Plate.
Health Ministry to roll out measles-rubella vaccine
The Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare will
roll out measles-rubella (MR) vaccine in the Universal
Immunisation Programme (UIP) in February 2017. In
addition, Pneumococcal conjugate (pneumococcal
pneumonia) vaccine will also become a part of the UIP
basket in three other states from March 2017. The MR vaccine will be introduced in five states
and Union territories viz. Goa, Karnataka, Lakshadweep, Puducherry and Tamil Nadu.
PM Narendra Modi inaugurates India’s first international exchange at GIFT city
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated India’s first
international exchange India INX at the International
Financial Service Centre (IFSC) of GIFT (Gujarat
International Financial Tech) City Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
India INX is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Bombay
Stock Exchange (BSE). It will enable Indian firms to
compete on equal footing with offshore firms. India INX will initially trade in equity
derivatives, currency derivatives, commodity derivatives including index and Stocks.
Gujarat Government launches India’s first Student Startup and Innovation Policy
Gujarat government launched India’s first student startup and
innovation policy with an aims to provide Rs 200 crore in the
form of grants to ideas developed by students/ The policy aims
to support over 1,000 innovation per year in the state and create
pre-incubation support in all universities of the state. The policy
will encourage the students from the state to undertake
innovative projects related to society, industries, and community instead of conventional
academic projects.
US Researchers discover the function of human appendix
Researchers from Midwestern University have identified the function
of the human appendix, often viewed as a vestigial organ with little-
known use. They discovered that the human appendix has evolved at
least 30 times and even possibly up to a maximum of 41 times
throughout the mammalian evolution. According researchers, once the
appendix appears in human body, it never disappears, suggesting that the organ likely serves
an adaptive purpose. This may be due to evolutionary reason of the human body that never got
rid of the appendix as it doesn’t harm most people, there’s simply little evolutionary pressure to
eliminate the body part.
Indian Railways launches IRCTC Rail Connect app
The Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu launched
new passenger mobile application named ‘IRCTC
Rail Connect app’ to promote ease of ticketing
through digital transactions. The new mobile-based
application will replace the old existing IRCTC
connect app. It has been developed for reserved
booking and to increase the ease to users. The
application has developed to bring the power of next generation e-ticketing system like high
performance and enhanced security.
4 Indian American scientists selected for presidential awards
Outgoing US President Barack Obama has selected four
Indian-American scientists among 102 researchers for the
Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and
Engineers (PECASE). They are Pankaj Lal from Montclair
State University, Kaushik Chowdhury from Northeastern
University, Manish Arora from Icahn School of Medicine at
Mount Sinai and Aradhna Tripati from University of California, Los Angeles.
January 13, 2017
Second Scorpene class submarine INS Khanderi launched
INS Khanderi, the second Scorpene class
submarine was launched at the Mazagon Dock
Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) in Mumbai,
Maharashtra. It is the second of the six submarines
being built at MDL in collaboration with France’s
DCNS as part of Project 75 of Indian Navy. It has
been named Khanderi, after the Island fort of Maratha ruler Chhatrapati Shivaji which played
had vital role in ensuring their supremacy at sea in late 17th century. Khanderi is also name for
Tiger Shark.
Guided Pinaka successfully test-fired
The Defence Research and Development Organisation
(DRDO) successfully test-fired the Pinaka Rocket
converted to a Guided Pinaka from Launch Complex-III,
ITR, Chandipur (Odisha). The test-firing met all mission
objectives. The flight-path Guided Pinaka was tracked and
monitored by the radars, electro-optical and telemetry
systems at Chandipur. Guided Pinaka is transformed version of the Pinaka Rocket Mark-II,
which has evolved from Pinaka Mark-I. It has been jointly developed by ARDE Pune, DRDL
Hyderabad and RCI Hyderabad.
Effects of Endosulfan use devastating: SC
The Supreme Court has described side effects of Endosulfan,
a highly toxic agrochemical (pesticide) as devastating. It has
directed Kerala government to release entire Rs. 500 crore
compensation to over 5,000 victims in three months who
have suffered from various deformities and health
complications due to use of Endosulfan in the state. It also
asked the state to consider setting up a centre to provide lifelong medical treatment to all the
victims. The major numbers of victims were reported to be affected in Kasargode (Kerala) after
Endosulfan was aerially sprayed by state owned company on cashew plantations adjoining
habitats where the victims are located. The apex court in 2011 had passed order to ban the
production, distribution and use of endosulfan.
Government releases draft Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Dog Breeding and

Marketing) Rules, 2016
The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has released draft
notification of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Dog
Breeding and Marketing Rules), 2016. The objective of
the Rules is to make dog breeders and their marketers
accountable and to prevent infliction of any cruelty on
dogs in this process. In recent times dog breeding and
their marketing trade also mushroomed all around but
with little or no accountability.
India, Kenya sign MoU in area of agriculture
India and Kenya signed Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) for cooperation in the field of
agriculture and allied sectors. India also announced $100
million Line of Credit (LoC) to Kenya for agricultural
mechanization The agreement was signed after
delegation level talks between Prime Minister Narendra
Modi and Kenyian President Uhuru Kenyatta in New Delhi. It was first official state visit of
President from Kenya to India since 1981.
National Youth Day is observed on January 12
The National Youth Day is observed every year on
12 January to mark the birth anniversary of social
reformer, philosopher and thinker Swami
Vivekananda. Observance of the day seeks to
propagate the philosophy and the ideals of Swami
Vivekananda for which he lived and worked. It will
also help and act as a great source of inspiration for the Indian Youth. Several functions are
being organised across the country to mark the occasion. To celebrate this day, the 21st National
Youth Festival was held in Rohtak, Haryana. The theme this Festival was ‘Youth for Digital
India’.
India-CERT inks MoU with US-CERT
India and USA have signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) between the Indian Computer
Emergency Response Team (CERT- In) and US
Department of Homeland Security on cooperation in
field of cyber Security. The MoU was signed by
Aruna Sundararajan, Secretary, Union Ministry of
Electronics and Information Technology and Richard Verma, US Ambassador to India.
January 14, 2017
NGT orders inspection of biomedical waste plants
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has ordered
inspection of plants which treat waste in the hospitals
of the National Capital Delhi and ensure proper
segregation, collection and disposal of such waste. The
waste plants will be inspected by joint inspection team
of Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and Delhi
Pollution Control Committee (DPCC). The NGT also
directed the team to submit report about manner in which bio-medical waste was being
handled by hospitals and situation prevailing in medical institutions adversely affecting human
health and environment.
Hope Island becomes graveyard for Olive Ridleys Turtles
Hope Island in Andhra Pradesh has become graveyard for Olive
Ridleys turtles after 54 carcasses of this species were spotted on
the shores of island. This indicates that the breeding cycle of this
species got severe blow due to mechanised fishing boats
scouring in the Bay of Bengal coastline. These boats crush most
of these turtles under it leading to their death. The Fisheries Department is encouraging the
mechanised boat owners to fit a Turtle Excluder Device (TED) to their trawl nets to allow the
turtles to pass.
Delhi declared free of bird flu
National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi was
declared free from bird flu (H5N8 avian influenza)
after consecutive samples collected at 15 days’
intervals from the last positive results tested
negative. In October 2016, cases of mortality among
the birds due to H5N8 avian influenza were reported in National Zoological Park, Delhi
NCR. Avian influenza, commonly called bird flu is an infectious viral disease of birds
caused by strains of the influenza virus that have evolved to be specially adapted to
enter avian cells. It is an infectious viral disease of birds and can sometimes spread to
domestic poultry and cause large-scale outbreaks of serious disease. There are three
main types of influenza: A, B, and C.
Industrial production grows 5.7% in November 2016
India’s factory output, measured by the Index of
Industrial Production (IIP) has registered 5.7% growth
in November 2016 as against 1.9% in October 2016. It is
the fastest growth recorded in more than four years and
is largely on account of a low base effect. It also does not
display the negative effects of demonetisation as
production cycles in manufacturing take longer to adjust to any demand change.
SC refuses to pass judgment on Jallikattu before Pongal
The Supreme Court has rejected a plea urging it to pass
judgement on Jallikattu before the harvest festival of
Pongal. It had also dismissed the review petition against
its 2014 verdict. Earlier, the apex court had questioned
the Union Government for its January 2016 notification
allowing use of bulls in events like Jallikattu, saying that
its 2014 verdict banning the use of the animals cannot be negated. Jallikattu is a bull taming or
bull vaulting sport played in Tamil Nadu on Mattu Pongal day as a part of Pongal celebrations
i.e. harvest festival. It is one of the oldest living ancient tradition practiced in the modern era.
Union Government forms committee to look into Haj subsidy issue
The Union Ministry of Minority Affairs has decided
to set up a six-member committee to look into the
Hajj subsidy issue. The decision has been taken in
light of a 2012 Supreme Court order on gradually
reducing and abolishing subsidy given to pilgrims by
2022. The committee will figure out whether the pilgrims can travel to Saudi Arabia paying less
in the absence of such subsidy.
January 15, 2017
Ken-Betwa River linking project receives environment, forest & tribal clearances
The ambitious Ken-Betwa river linking project has received
formal environment, forest and tribal clearances. The project
aims at addressing water needs of dry swathes in Madhya
Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. The Union Ministry of Water
Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation is working out the funding pattern with
NITI Aayog. The Ministry is pursuing NITI Ayog to change its funding pattern of Centre state
share from 60:40 to 90:10 for the project as it is a special project.
NITI Aayog calls for review RTE Act
The National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog
has called for a review of the provisions of the Right To
Education (RTE) Act that stipulate children who do not perform
well cannot be held back up to 8th Class. The RTE Act aims to
provide primary education to all children aged 6 to 14 years. It
stipulates that no child can be held back in a grade, regardless
of his performance, all the way up to the 8th grade. This means that a child is entitled to an 8th
grade diploma even if he cannot recognise a single letter or a number if he has spent eight years
in school.
CBDT inks Bilateral Advance Pricing Agreement
The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has entered into a
Bilateral Advance Pricing Agreement (BAPA) on the with
Indian subsidiary of a Japanese trading company. Earlier,
CBDT also had modified an existing Bilateral APA with
another Indian subsidiary of a Japanese company to include
rollback provisions. Thus, total three BAPAs have been
signed by CBDT with Indian subsidiaries of Japanese companies all including rollbacks. With
this total number of BAPAs entered into by CBDT is now eight.
India, US ink MoU for collaboration in third world countries
India and the United States has signed MoU
(Memorandum of Understanding) to collaborate in the
fields of developmental activities and aid in third world
countries. The MoU was signed between the Millennium
Challenge Corporation (MCC) and Union Ministry of
External Affairs’ Development Partnership
Administration (DPA). Both countries will collaborate on exchange of information and
experience in sectors or issues pertaining to project development or implementation in partner
countries.
January 16, 2017
India ink MoU with Sri Lanka to construct 3,000 rain water harvesting systems
India has signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
with Sri Lanka to construct 3000 rain water harvesting
systems in Rin Jaffna District at a cost of 300 million
Rupees (Sri Lankan). The rain water project envisages
construction of 3000 rainwater harvesting systems for
3000 households in selected divisions of Jaffna District.
The project aims to assist resettlement efforts of people especially internally displaced families
in Jaffna by providing modern rain water harvesting systems for clean drinking water supply
facility to households.
62nd Filmfare Awards
The grand Annual 62nd Jio Filmfare Awards event organised by the
Filmfare magazine was held in Mumbai, Maharashtra. It honored the
best Indian films of the year 2016 Dangal was adjudged as the Best film.
Neerja and Kapoor & Sons with 5 awards each were the film wining
highest number of awards.
Best Actor: Aamir Khan (Dangal).
Best Actress: Alia Bhatt (Udta Punjab).
Best Film: Dangal.
Best Director: Nitesh Tiwari (Dangal).
Lifetime Achievement: Shatrughan Sinha.
Best Debut Director: Ashwini Iyer Tiwari (Nil Battey Sannata).
Best Supporting Actor: Rishi Kapoor (Kapoor & Sons).
Best Supporting Actress: Shabana Azmi (Neerja).
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 Rocket successfully places 10 satellites into orbit
US based rocket manufacturing company SpaceX
successfully launched constellation of 10 satellites into
orbit on board of its two stage Falcon 9 Rocket from the
Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. The satellites
were deployed into the designated to low-Earth orbit
about an hour after launch. Besides, rocket’s first stag
also landed upright on a so-called droneship in the Pacific Ocean south of Vandenberg. The
constellation of 10 satellites was launched as part of McLean, Virginia-based Iridium’s project to
replace its existing network of satellites that provide global voice and data communications.
China hands over two ships to Pakistan Navy for Gwadar Port security
China has handed over two ships to the Pakistan
to safeguard the strategic Gwadar port and trade
routes under the ambitious China-Pakistan
Economic Corridor (CPEC). These ships have
been named as Hingol and Basol, after two rivers
near Gwadar. They will be part of Pakistan Navy and are equipped with state-of-the-art guns.
They will be used to protect the sea-lanes in the Arabian Sea. Besides, China will also provide
two more ships to Pakistan Navy which have been named Zhob and Dasht after two districts in
Balochistan.
January 17, 2017
Madhya Pradesh Government launches Digital Dakiya scheme
Madhya Pradesh Government launched
Digital Dakiya (or Digital Postman) scheme
to encourage cashless transactions. It is first
of its kind scheme in the country. It was
launched by State Finance Minister Jayant
Malliya in Indore. Under it, Digital Dakiya
or Digital Postman will visit door to door and train households specially women and elderly
people about digitized transactions. The scheme aimed at urban as well as rural areas and state
government will provide Identity cards to the volunteers deployed in this programme.
Facebook to introduce fake news tools in Germany
The world’s largest social network Facebook is
going to introduce new tools in Germany to help
combat the spread of fabricated news stories (or
fake news). These tools will enable German users to
flag potentially false stories. The fake news will
then be passed to third-party fact-checkers and if
found to be unreliable, will be marked in users’ news feeds as ‚disputed‛. Recently, Facebook
was widely criticised after some users complained that fake news had influenced the US
Presidential election. Fake news is the deliberate creation of factually incorrect content to
mislead people for some gain. In recent times due to spurt in websites and social media
platforms it is becoming increasingly serious problem due to the clickbait practices.
Japan and Indonesia agree to deepen defence ties
Japan and Indonesia have reaffirmed their commitment to
cooperate on maritime security and deepen defence ties as
both nations feud with China over sea territory. Both
island nations committed to give maritime cooperation
the highest priority. It was announced Japanese Prime
Minister Shinzo Abe and Indonesian President Joko
Widodo. Besides, Japan will actively encourage cooperation on maritime security and
encourage the development of the remote islands of Indonesia. Earlier in December 2016, both
countries had unveiled an agreement aimed in strengthening Indonesia’s ability to defend its
vast marine borders. At present, Indonesia has no dispute with China over ownership of reefs
or islets in the disputed South China Sea.
BSF launches operation Sard Hawa at Rajasthan border
The Border Security Force (BSF) has launched operation
Sard Hawa at the western international border of Rajasthan
to check the instances of infilteration due to the dense fog
in the area. The purpose of this 14 days operation (from 15
to 28 January, 2017) is to keep hawk’s eye on the
international border and to motivate patrolling jawans.
Under it jawans will patrol the border with advanced weapons in the police station areas near
to the border. BSF is the sentinels of Indian borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh. Currently it
is deployed on Indo-Pakistan International Border, Indo-Bangladesh International Border, Line
of Control (LoC) along with Indian Army and also in Anti-Naxal Operations.
69th Army Day observed
The 69th Indian Army Day was observed on 15 January
2017. On this day in 1949, Lt. General (later Field Marshal)
Kodandera Madappa Cariappa became the first Indian
Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army (of the
independent India). He had succeeded British Army
General Roy Butcher (last British Commander-in-Chief of
India). The day is also celebrated to pay homage and salute to the courageous and brave Indian
soldiers who have been sacrificing their lives for protecting the country.
Gujarat wins First Ranji Trophy title
Gujarat won its maiden Ranji Trophy title by defeating
defending champion Mumbai by five wickets in the final
match held at the Holkar stadium in Indore, Madhya
Pradesh. Gujarat’s Parthiv Patel’s (Captain) 143 and
Munprit Juneja’s 54 runs helped team to chase down the
highest successful chase in the final. With this win
Gujarat became the 17th side in the history of domestic cricket to win the tournament. Mumbai
has won the Ranji title for record 41 times in the past. In this season it ended up as the runner-
up in for the fifth time. Earlier Mumbai had stood second in after losing to Haryana in the final
match by 2 runs in 1990-91 season.
January 18, 2017
Silicon identified as ‘missing element’ in Earth’s core
Scientists from Tohoku University in Japan have claimed that
Silicon (Si) is the ‘missing element’ in the Earth’s core. This
discovery could help us to better understand how our world
formed. According to them silicon likely makes up a significant
proportion of Earth’s core after its major constituents iron and
nickel. It was missing element in the deep interiors of our planet
that has eluded us for decades. It was found that silicon is a major element and constitutes
about 5% of the Earth’s inner core by weight. It could be dissolved into the iron-nickel alloys.
India ranks 92nd in 2017 Global Talent Index
India was ranked 92nd among 118 countries in the 2017
Global index of talent competitiveness (GTI) list. The index
measures ability of countries to compete for talent i.e. how
countries grow, attract and retain talent. The index is
produced by global business school INSEAD in partnership
with Adecco Group and Human Capital Leadership Institute
(HCLI) of Singapore.
India ranks 60th in Inclusive Development Index
India ranked 60th among the 79 developing countries
in 2017 Inclusive Development Index (IDI) released in
World Economic Forum’s (WEF) ‘Inclusive Growth
and Development Report’. The index is based on 12
performance indicators and countries are ranked on
IDI scores based on a scale of 1-7. It has three pillars
Growth and Development, Inclusion and Intergenerational Equity, and Sustainability in order
to provide a more complete measure of economic development than GDP growth alone.
Environment Ministry notifies Graded Response Action Plan to combat air

pollution in NCR
The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has notified the
Graded Response Action Plan to combat air pollution in
NCR Delhi region. In this regard, MoEFCC amended laws
and formally tasked a Supreme Court-appointed panel
with implementing a graded action plan for pollution
control. Graded Response Action Plan defines the
measures to taken based on air quality on the basis of PM 2.5 and PM 10 in the atmosphere.
Based on the air quality the grades have been classified as Emergency, Severe, Very Poor and
Moderate poor. It will be enforced by Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA).
IMF cuts India’s FY17 growth rate to 6.6% from 7.6%
The World Economic Outlook (WEO) update released by the
International Monetary Fund (IMF) has cut India’s growth
rate for the fiscal year 2016–17 to 6.6% from its previous
estimate of 7.6%. India’s growth rate was cut due to the
temporary negative consumption shock of demonetisation.
It has dampen India’s growth by 1% point in the FY2017 and 0.4% point in FY2018, compared
with IMF’s earlier projections.
Timothy Gonsalves committee recommends reservation for girl students in IITs
The sub-committee under chairmanship of
professor Timothy Gonsalves has recommended
reservation for girl students in IITs to address the
issue of slump in number of female students
entering the prestigious institutes. The
recommendation of the committee will be taken
up in the meeting of the Joint Admission Board (JAB) for a final decision, which will decide
whether the reservation will come in effect from 2017 or from 2018. The committee has
suggested creating up to 20% supernumerary seats for girls out of the total number of seats. But
only candidates who have already qualified in JEE-Advanced will be considered.
Richest 1% own 58% of total wealth in India: Oxfam Study
According to study conducted by rights group
Oxfam, India’s richest 1% now hold a huge 58%
of the country’s total wealth, indicating rise
income inequality. It is higher than the global
figure of about 50%. It shows that 57 billionaires
in India now have same wealth ($216 billion) as
that of the bottom 70% population of the country. Globally, just 8 billionaires have the wealth as
the poorest 50 % of the world population. The total global wealth in the year 2016 was $255.7
trillion of which about $6.5 trillion was held by billionaires, led by Bill Gates ($75 billion),
Amancio Ortega ($67 billion) and Warren Buffett($60.8 billion).
January 19, 2017
India becomes associate member of CERN
India formally became an associate member of CERN
(European Organization for Nuclear Research) with the
government completing the internal approval procedures for
the agreement it signed in November 2016. Prior to it, in
September 2016, CERN Council had adopted a resolution
upgrading India’s position as associate member from earlier
‘observer’ status (since 2004). Now, India can take part in meetings of the CERN Council and its
committees (Scientific Policy Committee and Finance Committee). However India will not have
voting rights on decisions of the council.
Railway Ministry unveils Mission 41K to save energy worth Rs 41,000 crore
Union Railway Ministry has unveiled ‘Mission 41K’ to save
Rs. 41,000 crore on the Indian Railways’ expenditure on
energy consumption over the next 10 years. The launch of
this programme was announced at a Roundtable
Discussion on Energy Initiatives of Indian Railways with
external stakeholders headed by Union Railway Minister
Suresh Prabhu. This target of ‘Mission 41K will be achieved by taking a slew of measures which
include moving 90% of traffic to electric traction over diesel from present 50% of the total rail
traffic. The railways will also procure more and more electricity at cheaper rates through open
market instead of sourcing it through DISCOMs. Thereby it hopes to save as much as 25% on its
energy expenses.
Union Cabinet approves Trade Agreement negotiations with Peru
The Union Cabinet has approved holding negotiations
for Trade Agreement with Peru on trade in goods,
services and investment. The trade agreement will be an
important landmark in India-Peru relations and
consolidate the traditional fraternal relations that have
existed between India and LAC countries. The trade agreement will enhance the trade
and economic relations between the two countries. India and Peru had agreed to carry
forward the discussions on trade in goods, trade in services and investment after they
concluded Joint Study Group (JSG) Report in October, 2016.
NASA approves mission to explore iron-rich asteroid 16 Psyche
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration
(NASA) has approved a mission to explore 16 Psyche, an
iron-rich asteroid. As part of the mission, NASA craft
will be launched in 2023, and will arrive at Psyche in
2030. The mineral contents on the asteroids are worth
over 100-thousand times the value of the entire world
economy. Psyche asteroid has diameter in excess of 125 miles and is almost entirely composed
of iron and nickel. Scientists believe Psyche to be a protoplanet i.e. its entire body consisting of
what one day could be the core of a new planet.
Ministry of Earth Sciences commissions Higher Resolution Weather Prediction

Model
The Union Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) has commissioned a very high resolution (12 km)
global deterministic weather prediction model for generating
operational weather forecasts. The model has been on trial since
September 2016. It has shown significant improvements in skill of
daily weather forecasts. It was made operational from January 2017.
This model replaces the earlier version which had a horizontal
resolution of 25 km which was very helpful, in predicting track and
intensity of recent Cyclonic Storm Vardah and cold wave over northern India. MoES’s
operational Ensemble Prediction System (EPS) was upgraded to 12 km.
Second Raisina Dialogue held in New Delhi
The second edition of Ministry of External Affairs’ annual
Raisina Dialogue was held in New Delhi with the theme ‚The
New Normal: Multilateralism in a multipolar world‛. The
flagship geo-political conference was inaugurated by Prime
Minister Narendra Modi and was attended by delegates from
65 countries. Outlined government’s foreign policy from May
2014 and also referred to differences with China, and India’s close partnerships with the US,
Russia and Japan.
Union Cabinet approves India’s Membership in the International Vaccine Institute
The Union Cabinet has given its approval to the proposal
for India’s taking full membership of the International
Vaccine Institute (IVI) Governing Council. This decision
involves payment of annual contribution of US $5,00,000 to
the IVI (headquartered in Seoul, South Korea). In 2007 with
the approval of Union Cabinet, India joined IVI. Since then
India is a long-term collaborator and stake-holder of IVI. In 2012, IVI’s Board of Trustees (BOT)
had approved the formation of its new governance structure.
January 20, 2017
Delhi Police commissioner Alok Verma appointed as new CBI director
Delhi Police Commissioner and Senior IPS officer Alok
Kumar Verma was appointed as new Director of the Central
Bureau of Investigation. He will have tenure of two years.
He was selected by a three-member committee comprising
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Justice J S Khehar and
Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge. He will take over from
interim director Rakesh Asthana, who was handed the reins
of the premier investigating agency after former director Anil Sinha retired on December 2,
2016.
Union Cabinet approves amendment in Modified Special Incentive Package

Scheme
The Union Cabinet has given its approval for amendment in the Modified Special Incentive
Package Scheme (M-SIPS) for electronics manufacturing.
These modifications will further incentivize investments
in electronic sector and move towards Union
Government’s goal of ‘Net Zero imports’ in electronics
by 2020. The applications will be received under M-SIPS
scheme till December 2018 or till such time that an incentive commitment of Rs 10,000 crore is
reached, whichever is earlier. In case the incentive commitment of Rs 10,000 crore is reached, a
review will be held to decide further financial commitments.
CCEA approves listing of five general insurance PSUs at the stock exchange
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has
given its ‘in principle’ approval for listing the five Public
Sector General Insurance Companies (2016-17) owned
General Insurance Companies in the stock exchanges.
They are New India Assurance Company Ltd, United
India Insurance Company Ltd, Oriental Insurance
Company Ltd, National Insurance Company Ltd and General Insurance Corporation of India.
The shareholding of these PSGICs will be divested from 100% to 75% in one or more tranches
over a period of time as per Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and Development
Authority of India (IRDAI) rules and regulations.
Bengaluru ranked world’s most dynamic city: JLL Index
According to recently released Jones Lang LaSalle’s City
Momentum Index (CMI), Bengaluru (capital of Karnatak)
has emerged as the most dynamic city in the world. The
index tracks the speed of change of a city’s economy and
commercial real estate market. It covers 134 major
established and emerging business hubs and ranks them on
parameters like technology, connectivity, population, education and real estate investments.
Union Cabinet approves to augment CGTMSE for supporting MSEs
The Union Cabinet has approved package for augmentation of the
Corpus of Credit Guarantee Trust Fund for Micro and Small
Enterprises (CGTMSE) for supporting Micro and Small Enterprises
(MSEs). With this, the corpus of the Trust has been increased from Rs.
2,500 crore to Rs. 7,500 crore and it will be fully funded by the Union
Government. Increase coverage of the loans covered under the credit
guarantee scheme from Rs. 1 crore to Rs. 2 crore; Increase coverage of the credit guarantee
scheme for loans extended to MSEs by NBFCs also. This will enable the Trust to enhance the
quantum.
Government launches ShaGun portal to monitor Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan
The Union Government launched a dedicated web portal
ShaGun (http://ssashagun.nic.in) for monitoring the progress of
Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA). The portal was developed by
World Bank in collaboration with Union Ministry of Human
Resource Development. Its name has been derived from the
words Shala (means schools) and Gun (i.e. Gunvatta meaning
Quality). ShaGun portal was developed with a twin track approach to monitor schools under
the SSA and also the quality of education imparted by them.
AAI receives 45 initial bids under Regional Connectivity Scheme
The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has received 45
initial bids from 11 parties to fly routes under the
Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) launched by the
Union Ministry of Civil Aviation. The initial bid
proposals covers more than 200 routes and as many as
65 airports, 52 of them not served by any airline and 13
under-served airports. Now, Government has invited
counter-bids against these initial proposals. After that, these routes will be awarded to bidders
who quote the lowest Viability Gap Funding (VGF) requirement against the routes under the
RCS.
January 21, 2017
Indian economy projected to grow by 7.7% in FY 2017: UNWESP report
According to the United Nations World Economic
Situation and Prospects (WESP) 2017 report, India’s
economy is projected to grow by 7.7% in fiscal 2017
and 7.6% in 2018 India will remain the fastest
growing large developing economy due to its
strong private consumption and gradual
introduction of significant domestic reforms. The UN flagship report has not mention of the
withdrawal of the high-denomination Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,000 currency notes nor its impact on the
country’s economic growth.
Church courts cannot veto divorce law: Supreme Court
The Supreme Court has ruled that Canon law and
decrees of divorce given by ecclesiastical tribunals
or ‘Church Courts’ cannot veto the statutory law of
divorce. Ruling in this regard was given by SC
Bench of Chief Justice of India J.S. Khehar and
Justice D.Y. Chandrachud on writ petition filed in
2013 seeking a judicial declaration that divorce
decrees passed by ecclesiastical tribunals are valid and binding. Referring to SC 1996 judgment
in the case of Molly Joseph versus George Sebastian, SC held that binding nature of the Indian
Divorce Act, 1869 governs divorce among Christians.
CEPI formally launched at WEF, Davos
The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations
(CEPI) was officially launched at World Economic Forum
(WEF) Davos after it received $460-million to develop
vaccines against 3 emerging highly-contagious and fatal
diseases. These three diseases are Middle East respiratory
syndrome (MERS)-coronavirus, Lassa fever, and Nipah virus. CEPI will use this fund to
contain outbreaks these 3 diseases before they become global health emergencies.
Cabinet approves the exclusion of States from National Small Savings Fund
The Union Cabinet has excluded States and Union
Territories except Arunachal Pradesh, Kerala, Delhi
(UT) and Madhya Pradesh from National Small
Savings Fund (NSSF) investments with effect from 1
April 2016 The cabinet meeting chaired by Prime
Minister Narendra Modi also approved one-time loan
of Rs. 45000 crore from NSSF to Food Corporation of India (FCI) to meet its food subsidy
requirements. Arunachal Pradesh will be given loans to the tune of 100% of NSSF collections
within its territory, while Kerala, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi (UT) will be provided with 50% of
collections.
Physicists create a new form of Hydrogen
Physicists from Austria have created new form of Hydrogen
i.e. negatively charged hydrogen clusters. It is a previously
unseen form of hydrogen. For the past forty years, existence of
hydrogen in ion clusters was known and is positively-charged
clusters have already exists. Researchers first injected cold
liquid helium droplets with hydrogen molecules to form
clusters with a neutral charge. Then they exposed these
hydrogen-infused droplets to an electron beam. This caused
some hydrogen molecules to ionize and be flung out into the surrounding vacuum as
negatively charged hydrogen ions.
FIPB clears 6 FDI proposals worth Rs 1,187 crore
The Inter-ministerial body Foreign Investment Promotion Board
(FIPB) approved six investment proposals envisaging foreign
investments of Rs 1,186.5 crore. Decision in this regard was taken
by FIPB meeting headed by Economic Affairs Secretary
Shaktikanta Das. It has approved the proposals of Sanofi
Synthelabo India, Star Den Media Services, Idea Cellular
Infrastructure Services, Boehringer Ingelheim India Pvt. Ltd, Menarini India Private Limited
and Recipharm Participation B.V. Netherlands.
January 22, 2017
Government constitutes negotiation committee on Mahanadi and its Tributaries
The Union Ministry of Water Resources has constituted
negotiations committee to assess availability and
utilisation of waters of Mahanadi and its tributaries to
resolve disputes over sharing of river waters among
five states. These five states are Odisha, Chhattisgarh,
Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Jharkhand. The committee will be chaired by member
(water planning and projects) of the Central Water Commission (CWC). It will have 11 other
members comprising representatives from the state governments.
AYUSH Ministry, ASCI ink MoU to co-regulate advertisements in AYUSH sector
The Union Ministry of AYUSH and Advertising Standards Council
of India (ASCI) have signed a Memorandum of Understandings
(MoUs) to co-regulate malpractices in the advertisement of AYUSH
sector. ASCI will comprehensively monitor these advertisements
across print and electronic media with respect to AYUSH
(Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and
Homoeopathy) drugs, treatments and related services.
Hong Kong withdraws visa-free facility for Indians
Hong Kong, a special administrative region of China has
withdrawn the visa-free facility for Indians who will have to
complete a pre-arrival registration. Henceforth, Indian Nationals
will require Pre-arrival Registration. Thus, Indian nationals must
successfully complete pre-arrival registration online before they
can visit or transit Hong Kong if seeking to enter the region during
transit. The pre-arrival registration will be valid for a 6 month period or until the expiry date of
the Indian passport linked to it, whichever is earlier. It will be not required for Indian nationals
in direct transit by air and not leaving the airport transit area.
India Innovation Index to measure performance of Indian states
The World Economic Forum (WEF), NITI Aayog,
World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
and Cornell University will work to develop an
India Innovation Index to provide impetus to
states to drive innovative spirit. Based on the
WIPO’s GII (Global Innovation Index), the India
Innovation Index will be tailored to better reflect of India’s ground reality and include metrics
well suited to the Indian context for innovation.
Union Government clears Tamil Nadu’s Ordinance on Jallikattu
The Union Government has Tamil Nadu government’s
proposal to promulgate an ordinance to hold Jallikattu, a
traditional bull taming sport. The Union Ministries of Home,
Law and Environment has vetted the state’s draft ordinance
and cleared the amendment. Now, Tamil Nadu Governor can
promulgate ordinance as per Article 213 of the constitution. It
was mandatory for Tamil Nadu government to get a nod from the Centre as subject in this
regard was falling in the Concurrent list of the Constitution.
January 23, 2017
India, UAE hold first strategic dialogue
India and the UAE held the first meeting of their strategic
dialogue in New Delhi to elevate the bilateral relationship
to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The meeting was
co-chaired by Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs
M J Akbar and MoS in Ministry of Foreign Affairs of UAE
Anwar Gargash. The first dialogue took place pursuant to
the decision to elevate the relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership following Prime
Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the UAE in August 2015 followed by crown prince Sheikh
Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan visit to India in February 2016.
IORA finalises MoU for cooperation in SME sector
Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) member-states have finalised
Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) for cooperation in small and
medium-sized enterprises (SME) sector. The MoUs were finalised
during the Workshop on MSME Cooperation amongst IORA member
countries held in New Delhi. They will take effect for each party upon
signature by 5 countries.
Union Government awards Rs. 60.9 crore as prize money for digital payments
The Union Government so far has awarded Rs. 60.9
crore as prize money to over 3.81 lakh consumers and
21,000 merchants under its two lucky draw schemes –
Lucky Grahak Yojana and Digi-Dhan Vyapar Yojana.
The winners included small farmers, anganwadi
workers, housewives and labourers and most of the winners were in the age group of 21-30
years. Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka have emerged
as the top five states with the maximum number of winners Both of these schemes were
announced in December 2016 to boost digital payments post demonetisation.
Cooperative banks can’t accept deposits under PMGKY: Government
Government has notified that Co-operative Banks
are not authorised to accept deposits under the
Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Deposit Scheme
(PMGKDS). The deposits under this scheme can be
accepted any banks to which the Banking
Regulation Act, 1949 (10 of 1949) applies. The
scheme allows assessees to disclose previously
unaccounted and undeclared income under its ambit. The PMGKDS permits voluntary
declarations of previously undisclosed income with an effective tax rate of 50% and requires
assessees to deposit a further 25% of such wealth into a four-year interest-free deposit.
India’s biggest aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya becomes first warship to have
ATM onboard
Indian Navy’s largest warship of the, INS Vikramditya became the first warship to be equipped
with its own dedicated ATM (Automated Teller
Machine). The ATM onboard of the ship will be
provided by India’s largest public sector bank State
Bank of India (SBI). The services will be on the satellite
link and will cater to over two thousand naval
personnel deployed on the aircraft carrier. A currency
chest will also be provided to keep running the ATM. This ATM facility will ease out cash
problems of a large floating population of the warship as they run out of money during long
period of deployment of the carrier.
January 24, 2017
Draft steel policy anticipates Rs. 10 lakh crore investments
The Steel Ministry has released new draft National Steel
Policy of 2017, envisaging to double India’s domestic steel
production capacity to 300 million tonnes by 2030-31. The
draft policy anticipates a requirement of Rs. 10 lakh crore of
fresh investments to meet production goal and expects
creation of at least 11 lakh new jobs in the process.
Committee constituted to set rules for implementation of Disabilities Act, 2016

The Union Government has constituted committee (Working
Group) to frame uniform rules for the states to avoid delay in
proper implementation of the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities Act, 2016 across the country. The Committee will be
headed by Secretary from Department of Empowerment of
Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD). It will submit its report
within three months.
Composition: It will comprise of representatives from the Union Ministry of Health, DoPT,
Labour, Legislative Department and representatives from NGOs as members. It will also have
Principal Secretary/Secretary, Social Welfare Department from Karnataka, Gujarat, Odisha,
Assam, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
ISRO to launch record 103 satellites on a single rocket
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is
planning to set a new world record in space history
by launching 103 satellites in one go on a single
rocket in the first week of February, 2017. These
satellites will be launched on board of ISRO’s
workhorse PSLV (C37) from the Satish Dhawan
Space Centre in Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh. The mission will carry three satellites from
India and rest from other countries. The satellites will be separated from vehicle in different
directions, once launch vehicle reaches the orbital condition. The separation angle and time of
separation will be different for every satellite.
Government shifts disinvestment advising role to Department of Economic

Affairs
The Union Government has transferred the advising
role of Department of Investment and Public Asset
Management (DIPAM) on utilisation of the proceeds
from disinvestment to the Department of Economic
Affairs (DEA). This announcement comes after the
Union Cabinet approved an alternative mechanism to
decide the modalities to do with stake sales in PSUs, so
as to speed up the process and to streamline the disinvestment process.
Government to launch prevention, screening and control programme for 5 non-

communicable diseases
The Union Health Ministry will soon launch population based prevention, screening and
control programme for five common non-communicable
diseases (NCDs) on the occasion of World Cancer Day (4th
February). They are Hypertension, Diabetes, and Cancers of
oral cavity, breast and cervix. This programme will be launched
as part of the National Health Mission. Under this programme
screening will be rolled out in 100 districts in 32 states and
Union Territories before March 31, 2017 in the first phase.
Himachal Pradesh overtakes Kerala in learning outcomes: ASER
According to Status of Education Report (ASER) 2016, students of
Himachal Pradesh stand ahead of Kerala and all other states in
terms of learning outcomes. The 2016 ASER was the largest annual
household survey of the children in India in the field of education.
It focused on status of schooling and basic learning. The report
found that enrolment rate of students in the age group 6 to 14 in
Himachal Pradesh was 99.8%. It secured first rank in achieving learning outcomes in basic
reading and mathematics across the country.
January 25, 2017
US President Donald Trump signs executive order to pull US out of TPP
US President Donald Trump signed an executive order to
formally pull US out of the negotiating process of the
Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a mega trade deal of 12
Pacific Rim countries. TPP was one of the major
international trade initiatives of his predecessor Barack
Obama aimed to set trade rules for the 21st century and
bind US allies against growing Chinese economic clout.
During the Presidential election campaign, Trump had vowed to withdraw the US from the TPP
which he argued was harmful to American workers and manufacturing.
India rejects attempts of EU, Canada for global investment agreement
India, along with Brazil, Argentina and some other nations
rejected an informal attempt of European Union (EU) and Canada
to work towards a global investment agreement at World Trade
Organisation (WTO)-level. The EU and Canada proposed
agreement incorporates a contentious Investor-State Dispute
Settlement (ISDS) mechanism. They wanted their investment pact
to be the template for a similar multilateral agreement. The ISDS mechanism permits companies
to drag governments to international arbitration without exhausting the local remedies. It also
allows them to claim huge amounts as compensation citing losses they suffered due to reasons,
including policy changes.
N K Singh panel submits report on changes in FRBM Act
The Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM)
Committee has submitted its 4 volume report on changes in
FRBM Act, 2013 to the Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.
The 5 member committee was headed by N.K. Singh, former
Revenue and Expenditure Secretary and former MP. Its
member included RBI Governor Urjit Patel, Chief Economic
Advisor Arvind Subramanian, former Finance Secretary
Sumit Bose, and National Institute of Public Finance and Policy Director Rathin Roy. The
committee was constituted in May 2016 following Finance Minister Budget 2016-17
announcement. It was assigned task to review the working of the FRBM Act over last 12 years
to suggest the way forward.
Browned toast and potatoes are ‘potential cancer risk: Scientists
According to scientists from Food Standards Agency (FSA) of
United Kingdom, chips, potatoes and bread cooked to brown can
cause cancer. According to FSA when the starchy foods are
roasted, grilled or fried for too long at high temperatures (above
120 degree Celsius), it produces carcinogenic chemical
Acrylamide. Acrylamide is a chemical used primarily in making
polyacrylamide and acrylamide copolymers that are used in industrial processes such as a
production of dyes, plastics, paper. It is also used in treatment of drinking water and waste
water.
Tamil Nadu Assembly unanimously passes Jallikattu Bill
The special session of Tamil Nadu Assembly has
unanimously passed Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
(Tamil Nadu Amendment), Act, 2017 to lift Supreme
Court imposed ban on the traditional sport of Jallikattu.
The bill will now replace the ordinance promulgated in
this regard by the Governor on the recommendation of
state government.
Scientists spot sunspot with centre twice the size of Earth
Scientists have spotted a new view of the dark,
contorted centre of a sunspot that is nearly twice
the diameter of the Earth. It was spotted using
Atacama Large Millimetre/submillimetre Array
(ALMA) antennas located in Atacama Desert of
northern Chile. The discovery is an important
expansion of range of observations that can be used to probe the physics of our nearest star.
Using ALMA antennas capabilities, astronomers imaged the millimetre-wavelength light
emitted by the Sun’s chromosphere, the region that lies just above the photosphere that forms
the visible surface of the Sun.
January 26, 2017
Cabinet clears interest waiver for farm loans
The Union Cabinet has given its ex-post facto approval for
an interest waiver of farmers accessing short-term crop
loans from cooperative banks for the two months of
November and December, 2016 The decision also provides
for interest subvention to National Bank for Agricultural
and Rural Development (NABARD) on additional refinance provided by NABARD to
Cooperative Banks. This decision will ensure availability of resources with Cooperative Banks
to help farmers to get easy access to crop loans from Cooperative Banks to overcome difficulties
due demonisation during Rabi operations.
Pakistan conducts first flight test of Ababeel missile with MIRV technology
Pakistan successfully conducted the first flight test of
Ababeel surface-to-surface medium range ballistic
missile. The test flight was aimed at validating various
design and technical parameters of missile’s weapon
system. It is claimed that Ababeel missile has the
capability to carry nuclear as well as conventional
warheads and engage multiple targets with high precision by defeating the enemy’s hostile
radars. Ababeel missile is capable of delivering multiple warheads, using Multiple Independent
Re-entry Vehicle (MIRV) technology, first of its kind in Pakistan’s missile arsenal. It has a
maximum range of 2,200 kilometres.
Cabinet approves New Scheme for promotion of Rural Housing
The Union Cabinet has approved a new scheme for
promotion of Rural Housing in the country. It will enable
people in rural areas to construct new houses or add to their
existing pucca houses to improve dwelling units. Under it,
Government will provide interest subsidy to every rural
household who is not covered under the Pradhan Mantri Aawas Yojana (Grameen)-PMAY(G).
It will be implemented by National Housing Bank (NHB). Under the scheme, the beneficiary
will be provided interest subsidy for loan amount upto Rs. 2 Lakhs for taking loan.
Improved Guided Pinaka rockets successfully test-fired for 2nd time
Improved Pinaka rockets, with a guidance system and an
enhanced range were successfully test-fired for the second
time from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur in
Odisha. The guided version dubbed as Pinaka mark-II, has
been evolved version of Pinaka mark-I. Its first successful
test flight was conducted from the same venue on January
12, 2017. The earlier Pinaka version was an unguided one, now it has been transformed into
guided version with a navigation, guidance and control kit developed by the DRDO’s Research
Centre, Imarat (RCI), Hyderabad.
Union Cabinet approves ratification of the Second Commitment Period of Kyoto

Protocol
The Union Cabinet has given its approval to ratify the second commitment period of the Kyoto
Protocol on containing the emission of Green House
Gases (GHGs). The second commitment period of the
Kyoto Protocol was adopted in 2012 and is set to expire
in 2020. So far, 75 countries have ratified the Second
Commitment Period. This decision is considered as token
measure to put pressure on developed countries to
deliver on climate change commitments. It further underlines India’s leadership in the comity of
countries committed to global cause of environmental protection and climate justice.
Union Cabinet approves Indian Institute of Management Bill, 2017
The Union Cabinet has approved the Indian
Institute of Management (IIM) Bill, 2017, under
which the IIMs will be declared as Institutions
of National Importance. It will also enable IIMs
to grant degrees rather than diplomas to their
students. At present IIMs are not authorised to
award degrees as they registered as societies. Hence, they are awarding Post Graduate Diploma
and Fellow Programme in Management. Allow IIMs to grant degrees to their students. Grant
complete autonomy to IIMs, combined with adequate accountability. Coordination Forum of
IIMs as an advisory body will be established.
Union Cabinet approves Varishtha Pension Bima Yojana 2017
The Union Cabinet has given its approval for
launching of Varishtha Pension Bima Yojana 2017
(VPBY 2017). The scheme will be launched as part
of Government’s commitment for financial
inclusion and social security. The scheme will be
implemented through Life Insurance Corporation
of India (LIC) during the current financial year i.e.
FY 2016-17. It will be open for subscription for a period of one year from the date of launch. The
purpose of the scheme is to provide social security during old age and protect elderly persons
aged 60 years and above against future fall in their interest income due to uncertain market
conditions.
Union Government releases National Action Plan for Children, 2016
The Union Ministry of Women & Child
Development (WCD) has released National Action
Plan for Children (NPAC), 2016 on the occasion of
National Girl Child Day (24th January). It was
released by Union Minister of Women & Child
Development Meneka Sanjay Gandhi in New Delhi.
The NPAC has been developed by the Ministry of WCD. The Action Plan has four key priority
areas. They are survival, health and nutrition; education and development; participation and
protection.
January 27, 2017
India, UAE sign 14 agreements
India and the UAE (United Arab Emirates) inked 14
agreements in various areas to boost bilateral
cooperation between both countries. These
agreements were signed after delegation level talks
between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and visiting
Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammed Bin
Zayed Al Nahyan in New Delhi. The Crown Prince who is Deputy Supreme Commander of the
UAE Armed Forces is on a three-day visit. He is chief guest of 2017 Republic Day Parade.
Padma awards 2017
President Pranab Mukherjee announced the names
of recipients of year 2017 Padma awards viz.
Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma
Shri. He approved conferment of Padma Awards
on 89 persons. The list includes 7 Padma
Vibhushan, 7 Padma Bhushan and 75 Padma Shri
Awardees. Out of these selected 89 persons, 19 are
women, 5 awardees are from the category of foreigners, NRIs, PIOs while 6 are posthumous
awardees. This edition of list includes more than 15 unsung persons and alsopeople who
rendered selfless service at the grassroots. Padma Awards, the country’s highest civilian awards
given in various disciplines- art, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and
industry, medicine, literature and education, sports, civil service, etc.
India, France sign pact on maritime information sharing in Indian Ocean Region
India and France have signed White Shipping agreement
to enable information sharing on maritime traffic and
maritime domain awareness in the Indian Ocean Region
(IOR). The agreement was signed in New Delhi after both
countries held their second dialogue on maritime
cooperation for the IOR. The agreement will enable
navies of India and France to coordinate their roles in stabilising Indo-Pacific region. It will
enhance Indo-French maritime security cooperation in the region. It will be implemented over
the next few months.
India inks deal with UAE for strategic oil reserves storage
India has signed a deal with United Arab Emirates
(UAE), fifth biggest oil supplier as part of its quest for
energy security and strategic reserve system. The deal
allows UAE’s Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. (ADNOC) to
fill half (about 6 million barrels of oil) of an
underground crude oil storage facility at Mangaluru,
Karnataka. India has already filled the other half of the Mangaluru storage in Karnataka state
with six million barrels of Iranian oil. It also has filled a Vizag storage site in southern Andhra
Pradesh with 7.55 million barrels of Iraqi oil and has invited bids from suppliers to fill an 18.3
million-barrel facility at Padur in Karnataka.
Japan successfully launches first military communications satellite
Japan has successfully launched its first military
communications satellite Kirameki-2 (kee-RAH-meh-
kee 2) satellite. It was launched on board of H-2A
rocket that lifted off from the Tanegashima Space
Center in southern Japan. The satellite separated from
the rocket and entered a designated orbit. The
Kirameki-2 satellite has been designed to upgrade Japan’s existing communication network in
the face of China’s increasingly assertive maritime activity and North Korea’s missile threat.
India ranks 79 in Corruption Perception Index
India has been ranked 79th out of 176 countries in the recently
released Corruption Perception Index (CPI) for the year 2016 by the
Berlin-based corruption watchdog Transparency International (TI).
The index has been complied by using World Bank data, the World
Economic Forum (WEF) and other institutions It ranks countries on
the score in the scale ranging from 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean).
January 28, 2017
RBI prohibits investments in non-cooperative countries and territories
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has prohibited Indian
entities from making direct investments in any entity located
in Non-Cooperative Countries and Territories (NCCT) as
identified by Financial Action Task Force (FATF). The
prohibition is for aligning instructions under FEMA (Foreign
Exchange Management Act) with the objectives of the FATF.
At present, there is no restriction on an Indian entity with regard to the countries where it can
undertake Overseas Direct Investment (ODI).
President appoints Banwarilal Purohit as Governor of Meghalaya
President Pranab Mukherjee has given Governor of
Assam Banwarilal Purohit additional charge of
Meghalaya. Besides, President also gave Governor of
Nagaland PB Acharya additional charge of Arunachal
Pradesh. These appointments come after President
accepted the resignation of V. Shanmuganathan, as
Governor of Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh. Banwarilal Purohit was appointed as the
Governor of Assam by President in August 2016. He had succeeded Padmanabha Acharya who
was the additional in-charge of Assam. Padmanabha Acharya was appointed as the Governor
of Nagaland in July 2014 after the President accepted the resignation of of Tripura Governor
Vakkom Purushothaman.
Scientists creates world’s first stable semi-synthetic organism
Researchers from The Scripps Research Institute
(TSRI), US have created world’s first stable semi-
synthetic organism, a single-celled bacterium with an
expanded genetic code The semi-synthetic organism is
the modified E.coli bacteria created by introducing
DNA molecules that are not found in nature in a
common bacterium. Life’s natural genetic code only contains four natural bases- adenine (A),
cytosine (C), guanine (G), thymine (T). These bases pair forms two base pairs in the DNA
ladder. The newly created bacterium has two human-created X and Y bases that grow and
divide, much like the four natural bases. This single-celled organism can hold on to the
synthetic base pair as it divides.
Genetically Modified mosquito trials launched to control dengue, chikungunya

and zika
Outdoor caged trials of genetically modified mosquitoes waere launched in Dawalwadi,
Badnapur in Jalna district of Maharashtra to demonstrate the
efficiency this technique to suppress wild female mosquito
populations that transmit dengue, chikungunya and Zika. The
trials are conducted by Oxitec and uses the Release of Insects
carrying Dominant Lethal genes (RIDL) technology. Oxitec’s
technology uses GM male Aedes aegypti mosquitoes that carry a dominant lethal gene. This
gene is passed on to offspring after male GM mosquitoes mate with wild female mosquitoes.
Dr Vijay Bhatkar appointed new vice-chancellor of Nalanda University
President Pranab Mukherjee has appointed Dr Vijay Bhatkar,
architect of India’s first supercomputer the Param series, as the
chancellor of Nalanda University. He will have term of three years
from the date of his appointment as provided under Section 11(3)
of the Nalanda University Act. He shall succeed George Yeo,
former Foreign Minister of Singapore, who resigned after the
Board of the University was reconstituted. Dr. Bhatkar is one of
the acclaimed scientists and IT leaders of India. He is best known as the architect of India’s first
supercomputer Param series.
ISRO Successfully tests Cryogenic Engine for Upper Stage of GSLV Mk III
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
successfully tested indigenously developed cryogenic
engine for the upper stage ‘GSLV Mk III’ rocket. The
cryogenic upper stage, designated as C25, was tested for
50 seconds at ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC) at
Mahendragiri in Tamil Nadu demonstrating all the stage
operations. It was the first test in a series of two tests. The second test is planned for flight
duration of 640 seconds. Cryogenic engines are used in the upper stage of a rocket launch as
they provide the maximum thrust to a launcher vehicle.
January 29, 2017
Sports Ministry reconstitutes committee to identify athletes under TOP Scheme
The Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has reconstituted
TOP committee with objective of identifying and supporting
potential medal prospects for 2020 and 2024 Olympic Games
under Target Olympic Podium (TOP) scheme. The committee will
be headed by Abhinav Bindra, Olympic Gold Medalist. Its
members are Anil Khanna, Prakash Padukone, Karnam
Malleshwari, P. T. Usha, Murlidhar Raja, Anjali Bhagwat, Rekha Yadav, Dr. S.S. Roy and Inder
Dhamija. The committee will select elite athletes to provided financial assistance for their
customized training at Institutes having world class facilities and other necessary support.
Indian Navy’s Theatre Level Exercise TROPEX 17
The Indian Navy’s Annual Theatre Readiness
Operational Exercise (TROPEX) 2017 is being
conducted off the Western Seaboard. The month
long exercise will see participation of ships and
aircraft of both the Western and Eastern Naval
Command and also assets from the Indian Air Force, Indian Army and the Indian Coast Guard.
TROPEX 17 exercise is aimed at testing combat readiness of the combined fleets of the Indian
Navy, and the assets of the Indian Army, Indian Air Force and Indian Coast Guard.
GAAR will be effective from April 1, 2017
The Union Finance Ministry has announced that the General
Anti Avoidance Rule (GAAR) will be effective from the 1 April,
2017. In this regard Income Tax (IT) department has issued a
slew of clarifications on implementation of GAAR, seeking to
address concerns of foreign investors over implementation of
the anti-evasion measure. GAAR seeks to prevent companies
from routing transactions through other countries to avoid taxes. The rules are framed mainly
to minimize and check avoidance of tax. India will be the 17th nation in the world to have laws
that aim to close tax loopholes. At present, GAAR is in force in nations like Australia,
Singapore, China and the UK.
Assam Government observes first Farmer’s Martyrs day
Assam Government for the first time observed Farmer’s
Martyrs day on January 27, 2017 to pay homage to the martyrs
of 1894 farmers’ rising at Patharughat. On this occasion, Assam
chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal presented awards to 22
progressive farmers. On 28th January 1894, 140 innocent
farmers were massacred and 150 others injured by then colonial
British rulers when they rose in protest against the oppressive increase in land revenue. The
farmers had collectively protested against the British tyranny as a cohesive force. With this
incident, Assam emerged as one of the pioneers and forerunners of India’s independence
struggle.
Kerala Government launches e-health program Jeevan Rekha
Kerala Government has launched e-health program ‚Jeevan
Rekha‛ to create electronic health records of a population in
Thiruvananthapuram. It is a first-of-its-kind initiative in India
that aims to provide a centralised database of healthcare
information and efficient health service delivery to the people.
The e-health system will help in creating a good hospital management system and patient-
friendly atmosphere in hospitals. Under the program, 7 out of 14 districts will be covered in the
first phase. Once data of a patient is centralised, it will help the person get continuous treatment
at all hospitals in the state.
January 30, 2017
National festival Bharat Parv held in New Delhi
National festival Bharat Parv showcasing the
country’s diverse culture, cuisines, handicrafts
and catch glimpses of a progressive India has
begun in New Delhi. It was inaugurated by Union
Minister Mahesh Sharma on Thursday at the Red
Fort as part of the Republic Day 2017
Celebrations. The six-day festival aims at generating patriotic mood and promote country’s
cultural diversity and popularise idea of ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’ or One India Superior
India. It will display Republic Day parade tableaux, performances by armed forces bands, crafts
mela and photo exhibition by Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting with a theme
‘Mera Desh Badal Raha Hai, Aage Badh Raha Hai’.
Keshav Krishna selected for 2016 National Geoscience Award
The Union Ministry of Mines has selected Dr. A Keshav Krishna
was selected for the prestigious 2016 National Geoscience Award
in the field of Geo-environmental studies in applied geosciences.
He is scientist at the National Geophysical Research Institute
(NGRI) and presently, involved in studies on environmental risk assessment related heavy
metal contamination in soil, water and sediments in industrial areas, abandoned mine sites and
their interactions with the environmental pollutants. Besides him, chief scientist at the NGRI N
Purnachandra Rao was also selected for National Geoscience Award in the field of Geophysics.
Havaldar Hangpan Dada posthumously awarded Ashok Chakra
Havaldar Hangpan Dada of 35 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) was
posthumously awarded ‚Ashok Chakra‛, country’s highest
peacetime military decoration. The award was presented by
President Pranab Mukherjee on the 68th Republic Day of
India to his wife Chasen Lowang Dada. He was bestowed
with the highest peacetime military decoration award for his selfless service to the nation. He
was killed at Naugam sector in Jammu and Kashmir in May 2016 while fighting terrorists. He
hails from Borduria village in Arunachal Pradesh.
3 Indian origin persons awarded Australia’s highest civilian honour
Three Indian origin persons have been awarded
Order of Australia medal, Australia’s highest
civilian honour for their contributions in the field
of medicine and community work.
They are
Purushottam Sawrikar: He received Order of
Australia medal for the year 2017 for his service to medicine, and to the Indian community. He
is Sydney-based medical practitioner.
Makhan Singh Khangure: He was given the award for his service to medicine in the field of
neuroradiology, to education, and to a range of professional medical associations.
Vijay Kumar: He was given the award for his service to medical research in the disciplines of
nuclear medicine and biology.
President appoints Banwarilal Purohit as Governor of Meghalaya
President Pranab Mukherjee has given Governor of Assam
Banwarilal Purohit additional charge of Meghalaya. Besides,
President also gave Governor of Nagaland PB Acharya
additional charge of Arunachal Pradesh. These appointments
come after President accepted the resignation of V.
Shanmuganathan, as Governor of Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh.
January 31, 2017
Seven new countries join BEPS agreement
Seven new countries Lithuania, Gabon, Hungary, Indonesia,
Malta, Mauritius and Russia – have signed Multilateral
Competent Authority Agreement for Country-by-Country
Reporting (CbC MCAA). With this, the total number of
signatories has increased to 57 including India (signed in May
2015). CbC MCAA is a tax co-operation agreement to enable
automatic sharing of country-by-country information. The CbC
MCAA aims to boost transparency by multinational enterprises (MNEs) by allowing signatories
to bilaterally and automatically exchange country-by-country reports.
India Post gets payments bank licence from RBI
India Post under Department of Posts (Union Ministry
of Communications and Information Technology)
received final payments bank licence from the Reserve
Bank of India (RBI). With this, India Post became the
third entity after Bharti Airtel and Paytm to receive
final payments bank licence to roll-out of banking
operations commercially under the permit. As per the
initial road map, each post office in the country will offer the post bank services. The
department of post has an existing network of around 1,55,000 post offices currently. India Post
plans to open 650 new branches for the payment bank. These branches will be co-located with
the existing post offices.
Government launches Sparsh Leprosy Awareness Campaign
The Union Government has launched nationwide ‚Sparsh Leprosy
Awareness Campaign (SLAC)‛ on the occasion of Anti-Leprosy Day
(observed on the last Sunday of January). The day is observed every
year on January 30 in the memory of Mahatma Gandhi who attained
martyrdom on this day in 1948, to remember his selfless efforts and
care for the people affected with Leprosy. Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by
Mycobacterium leprae and it usually affects the skin and peripheral nerves. The mode of
transmission of leprosy is still not known. According to WHO, the diseased had affected
2,12,000 people globally in 2015. India alone reported 1,27,326 new cases, accounting for 60% of
new cases globally.
SC appoints Committee of Administrators headed by Vinod Rai to run BCCI
The Supreme Court has appointed former
Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) Vinod Rai
as head of four-member Committee of
Administrators to run Board of Control for Cricket in
India (BCCI). Other three members of the committee
are noted historian Ramachandra Guha, former Indian women’s cricket team captain Diana
Edulji and managing director of IDFC Limited Vikram Limaye. They will function as the
interim bosses of the BCCI and run the day-to-day administration of cricket body till the Lodha
Committee reforms are fully implemented and elections held.
Karnataka government to amend law for conducting kambala
The Karnataka government has decided to bring an
amendment to the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act
(PCA), 1960 for conducting traditional sports of Kambala and
bull-cart race in the State. State Cabinet meeting presided by
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah approved amendments to the
Act and announced that bill will be placed before both Houses of the State legislature. Karnatak
state government is going to follow the model of the Tamil Nadu government and bring
changes to the PCA. The Bill passed by the legislature will require an assent from the President.
Atomic clocks on indigenous navigation satellite IRNSS-1A develops snag
The atomic clocks on the first satellite IRNSS-1A of the
NavIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation), the
indigenously built satellite-based positioning system,
has developed a technical snag. One of the three crucial
rubidium timekeepers (atomic clock) on IRNSS-1A
satellites failed six months ago and the other two
followed subsequently. ISRO will soon launch one of its back up navigation satellites as a
replacement to IRNSS-1A satellite. Remaining satellites of NavIC constellation (having total 7
satellites) are performing their core function of providing accurate position, navigation and
time.

January 2017 Current Affairs

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January 2017 Current Affairs

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Current Affairs: January 2017

RBI extends period of enhanced Prepaid Payment Instruments limit

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has extended the

period of enhanced Prepaid Payment Instruments

(PPI) limit of Rs 20,000 as part of efforts to promote

digital payments. The limit has been extended till

the completion of review of the PPI guidelines.

However, the balance in such PPIs cannot exceed Rs

20,000 at any point of time and the merchants can

without any limit per transaction.

CSL completes delivery of 20 FPVs to India Coast Guard

The Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) has delivered ICGS

AYUSH, the 20th Fast Patrol Vessel (FPV) to the Indian

Coast Guard. With this, CSL has completed construction

of 20 FPVs for the Indian Coast Guard. ICGS Ayush will

be operated from the Coast Guard Station at

Krishnapatanam. It is last in the series (CSL Yard No BY

the contract of constructing 20 FPVs in October 2010.

CBDT extends deadline of Direct Tax Dispute Resolution Scheme

The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has

extended the last date for availing the Direct

Tax Dispute Resolution Scheme to January 31,

2017 from the earlier deadline of December 31,

2016. This extension aims to give companies

one more month to accept its offer to settle

companies to the scheme.

China to build $1.5 billion Matiari-Lahore power line across Pakistan

China’s State Grid Corporation is set to build a $1.5-

billion power line across Pakistan to enable the

transmission of 4,000 megawatts (MW) of electricity

from the country’s north to south. In this regard both

countries have signed an investment agreement in

high-voltage, direct current line.

Sorin Grindeanu named as New Prime Minister of Romania

Romania’s President Klaus Iohannis has named social-

democrat Sorin Grindeanu (43) as the new Prime Minister.

Grindeanu is a member of the Social Democratic Party and

former communications minister. He now faces a

confidence vote in parliament on his programme and

female and first Muslim government leader.

Lionel Messi named World’s Best Playmaker of 2016

Five-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi was voted as the

World’s Best Playmaker for the second consecutive year. It

was announced by International Federation of Football

in 2006, followed by Kaka in 2007.

Government derecognises Indian Olympic Association

The Union Sports Ministry has recognised the Indian

Olympic Association (IOA) on the issue of

nominating scam tainted duo Suresh Kalmadi and

Abhay Chautala as its life presidents. The deemed

recognition of IOA has been suspended until it

reverses its decision. Kalmadi was jailed in

threatening de-recognition if it does not reverse its decision.

Western Asia Youth Chess Championships. The event held

at Al Ain Chess Club in UAE. He won in all the three

categories – rapid, blitz and standard. With this he becomes

only Indian to bag all the crowns in the competition. To win

all three events, he overcame the challenges from 158

NSS Hill Spring International School, Mumbai (Maharashtra).

Key announcements of PM Narendra Modi’s new year eve’s speech

Following the tough decision to demonetise Rs 500 and

Rs 1000 currency notes, Prime Minister Narendra Modi

today thanked citizens for undertaking sacrifice to

cleanse the economy of black money. In his address, he