Important Current Affairs 17th July 2017

Important Current Affairs 17th July 2017

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Current Affairs 17th July 2017: NATIONAL NEWS

MoU Signed between Department of Defence Production and BEL 

Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), a Navratna Schedule ‘A’ Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) under the Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the financial year 2017-18 with the Ministry. 
●    The annual MoU was signed between Secretary (Defence Production) Shri Ashok Kumar Gupta on behalf of the Ministry of Defence and Chairman and Managing Director, BEL Shri MV Gowtama. 
●    The revenue from operations has been targeted at Rs. 9000 crore. 
●    The Operating Profit to Revenue from Operations target has been set at 14 percent and PAT to Average Networth has been set at 15 percent. 
●    Turnover from exports and increase in indigenous content are given additional focus during the year, along with other parameters like CAPEX investment and Monitoring of CAPEX projects, Reduction in Trade Receivables, and HR related parameters.

Minister of Railways Inaugurates Sindhudurg leg of the Science Express today 

The IX Phase of the prestigious Science Express exhibition train  which is on a Nationwide tour since 17 February 2017 reached Sindhudurg in Maharashtra today i.e. 17 July 2017. 
●    This phase of train is being referred as ‘Science Express Climate Action Special (SECAS)’ highlighting  the global challenge of climate change. 
●    Minister of Railways Shri Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu Inaugurated this Sindhudurg leg of Science Express today i.e. 17 July, 2017 through Video Conferencing from Delhi. 
●    SECAS is focusing on Climate Change and Science & Technology. 
●    The exhibition conveys message about Climate Change and is also a good opportunity to generate dialogue and discussion. 
●    This exhibition train will be available for public viewing at Roha Railway Station on 18th July and after that at Mumbai CST from 19 to 22 July 2017, then the train will move forward to next destinations as per its itinerary.

Short Film Competition on Divyangjan Sashaktikaran-2017 

The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan) (DEPwD), Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Govt of India is organising  ‘Short Film Competition on Divyangjan Sashaktikaran-2017’ in association with Directorate of Film Festivals (DFF), Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Govt. of India.
●    The competition is being organised in order to create awareness on Accessible India Campaign and to promote various schemes of DEPwD among common masses. 
●    The Department invites entries from common citizens. 
●    The participants may submit their entries shot with any electronic devices in HD format only.    
●    The last date of submission of application is August 8, 2017. 
●    The  applications are invited in three categories viz ‘Short Documentaries’ of  up to  30 minutes duration, ‘Short Films’ of upto 5 minutes duration and ‘TV Spots’ (Television Commercials) of up to 50 seconds.

Indian railways launches Rail SAARTHI app

The Railways today launched an integrated mobile application to cater to various passenger requirements, including ticket booking, inquiry, on-board cleaning and ordering meal on a single platform. The app — Rail SAARTHI — was launched by Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu. 
●    Currently there are multiple mobile app by the Railways. 
●    To use different services, users need to search and download each application separately.
●    In order to provide better customer experience, there was a need for an integrated application which could give a single window interface for these services, Prabhu said after launching the app. 
●    The Rail SAARTHI (synergised advanced application rail travel help and information) such as safety for women, complaint facility and suggestion for improvement, he said. One can also book air ticket through the app and give feedback.
●    Prabhu also announced a quota facility for differently- abled people in 3AC coach and extending the advance booking period for foreigners to 365 days from present 120 days. 
●    Now a lower berth in a 3AC coach will be reserved for physically-challenged people and the middle for the individual accompanying them.

Current Affairs 17th July 2017: OBITUARY 

Former Sikkim CM Nar Bahadur Bhandari passes away

Nar Bahadur Bhandari, the former chief minister of Sikkim who served the state from 1979 to 1994, died at a Delhi hospital on 16 July 2017. He was 77.
●    He is survived by his wife Dil Kumari Bhandari, a former member of parliament (Lok Sabha) from Sikkim, two daughters and a son.
●    Born on 5 October 1940 at Malbasey in Sikkim, Bhandari was serving a government school as a teacher before joining the active politics.
●    He became the Chief Minister of Sikkim for the first time in 1979 on a Sikkim Janata Parishad ticket, a party founded by him in 1977.
●    In 1984, he dissolved the Sikkim Janata Parishad and formed a new party known as Sikkim Sangram Parishad (SSP). 
●    In 1885 and 1989, he became Chief Minister of the state on the ticket of SSP. 
●    He remained the President of SSP until his death.

Current Affairs 17th July 2017: SPORTS

Roger Federer lifts record 8th Wimbledon title beating Marin Cilic in Men's singles

Roger Federer on 16 July 2017 won a record eighth Wimbledon title with a straight-sets victory over Marin Cilic. 
●    With this win, 36-year old Federer also became the tournament’s oldest champion.
●    In the finals played in Wimbledon, London, Federer defeated Marin Cilic 6-3, 6-1, 6-4.
●    Federer is Wimbledon's oldest men's winner of the modern era, succeeding Arthur Ashe, who was almost 32 when he won in 1976.
●    This was his 19th Grand Slam title. This was Swiss superstar's 11th Wimbledon final and 29th title at the majors. 
●    With this victory, Federer also became the first player since Bjorn Borg in 1976 to win Wimbledon without dropping a set in the entire tournament.

Garbine Muguruza beats Venus Williams to clinch Wimbledon Women’s Singles title

Spanish Garbine Muguruza on 15 July 2017 defeated Venus Williams 7-5 6-0 grab the Wimbledon Women’s Singles title.
●    Muguruza is the second Spanish woman to claim the world’s most important title, joining her current coach Conchita Martinez, who won the title in 1994, on the honour roll.
●    In addition, Muguruza is the only woman in history to have beaten both Serena and Venus Williams in a grand slam final.
●    Garbine Muguruza beats Venus Williams to clinch Wimbledon Women’s Singles title
●    Born on 8 October 1993, Garbine Muguruza is a Venezuelan-born Spanish professional tennis player.
●    She turned professional in 2012.
●    She has won four singles titles, including two majors: the 2016 French Open, and the 2017 Wimbledon Championships.

Current Affairs 17th July 2017: GLOBAL NEWS

MATUNGA IS NOW FIRST ALL-WOMEN STATION

In about a week from now, the Central Railway will hand over Matunga station to women staffers. 

●    Matunga will become the first railway station in the city – and the first station on Central Railway --to be operated by an all-women staff.
●    The station will have over 30 women staffers, including 11 booking clerks, 7 ticket collectors, 2 chief booking supervisors, 5 Railway Police Force personnel, 5 pointspersons, 2 announcers, and a station manager.
●    The man behind the move is DK Sharma, general manager, Central Railway. “It is about empowering women,” said Sharma. “Some of our passenger reservation centres and even ticketing systems for suburban trains are entirely handled excellently by women, so it was decided that an entire station should be handed over to them.”
●    Several women staffers have already been posted at Matunga station, said Sachin Bhalode, senior divisional security commissioner of the Mumbai Division at Central Railways.
●    According to Sharma, if the experiment worked well, they would also deploying all-women crew at other stations on the network.
●    This is not the first time that Central Railway is taking the lead in empowering women. 
●    As far back as 1992, its staffer Mamta Kulkarni became the city’s first woman station master. Kulkarni was posted in Kurla.