Important Current Affairs 29th June 2017

Current Affairs 29th June 2017: NATIONAL NEWS

Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi addresses the 76th meeting of Central Waqf Council

The Minister of State for Minority Affairs (Independent Charge) and Parliamentary Affairs, Shri Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi today said here that during the last three years, more than two thousand criminal cases have been filed in connection with encroachment on waqf properties by waqf mafias and strict action has been taken against several people sitting at top posts in waqf boards. 
●    Addressing 76th meeting of Central Waqf Council in New Delhi, Shri Naqvi said that waqf properties are being utilised for socio-economic-educational empowerment of the needy people of the society under the Centre’s Modi Government after making these properties free from encroachment on “waqf mafias”. 
●    Various projects related to educational, social and skill development are being initiated on these properties.

Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu, Minister of Railways Lays The Foundation Stone For Five New Halt Stations Between Quazigund-Baramulla

To cater to the public demand for new halt stations in the Kashmir Valley region, Hon’ble Minister for Railways Shri Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu laid the foundation stone for construction of five new halt stations viz.Sangdan, Monghall, Ratnipora, Nadigam & Razwan on the  Baramulla-Qazigund Rail Section”at a ceremonial program held at Sher-i-Kashmir International, Conference Centre at Srinagar today (29th June 2017) in the august presence of Ms. Mehbooba Mufti, Hon’ble Chief Minister, J&K Dr. Nirmal Kumar Singh, Hon’ble Dy. Chief Minister, J&K and Sh. Nazir Ahmed Laway, Hon'ble Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha were the distinguished guests on the occasion. 
●    Shri R.K. Kulshrestha General Manager, Northern Railway and other Senior Railway officials were also present in the function.
●    The new halt stations between Baramula-Quazigund stations are: Sangdan (Quazigund-Sadura), Monghall (Sadura-Anantnag), Ratnipora (Awantipura-Kakapora), Nadigam and Razwan stations (Budgam-Mazhom). These halts would cater to the transportation needs of residents living in these areas.
●    The all-weather special DEMU trains in the Kashmir valley has become a veritable life-line to the residents providing mobility with convenience. 
●    On an average 25,000 passengers travel each day  in these DEMUs with a corresponding tickets earnings accounting Rs. 3.5 lakh per day.

Ram Vilas Paswan approves amendments in the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011

●    Use of proper, accurate and standard weights and measures are very important for effective functioning of any economy, as it plays an indispensable role in  consumer protection as  protection from malpractices of under-weight or under-measurement, is an important function of the Government.
●    The Legal Metrology (packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011 are framed to regulate the pre-packaged commodities. Under these rules, the pre-packaged commodities    have to comply with certain   mandatory lebelling requirements. 
●    Based on the experience of implementation   of the Rules and after a detailed stakeholder consultation, the Department has amended the rules, aimed at enhanced consumer protection, but at the same time balancing with the requirement of ease of doing business. Some of the salient features of the amendments are as below:
●    Goods displayed by the seller on e-commerce platform shall contain declarations required under the Rules like name & Address of the manufacturer, packer and importer, name of the commodity, net content, retail sale price, consumer care complaint, dimension etc.
●    Specific mention is made in the rules that no person shall declare different MRPs (dual MRP) on an identical pre-packaged commodity, unless allowed under any law. This will benefit consumers at large as they are having complaint regarding dual MRP for item depending upon different type of public places like Cinema Hall, Airport, Malls etc.

Union Home Minister chairs High Level Committee meeting for Central Assistance to Karnataka

The Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh chaired a meeting of the High Level Committee (HLC) here today for Central Assistance to the state of Karnataka in the wake of drought (Rabi) of 2016-17.
●    The Minister for Finance, Corporate Affairs and Defence, Shri Arun Jaitley and the Minister for Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Shri Radha Mohan Singh attended the meeting. 
●    Senior officers of the Ministries of Home Affairs, Finance and Agriculture were also present.
●    The Committee examined the proposal based on the report of the Inter-Ministerial Central Team which visited the drought-affected state of Karnataka. 
●    The HLC approved the assistance from the National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF) in respect of Karnataka to the tune of Rs 795.54 crore.

Launch of Web Application for Legal Services to Prisoners 

National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) is entrusted with responsibility to provide legal aid inter-alia to all persons in custody.
●    Today, NALSA launched a Web Application for free Legal Services to Prisoners and the Legal Services Management System developed through the NIC and the conference held at Indian Law Institute, New Delhi on 28.06.2017. 
●    Through Web Application the State Legal Services Authorities and District Legal Services Authorities shall feed the data for each individual prison inmate in the jails within their jurisdiction, with regard to their being represented through a counsel in the court. 
●    The software will be able to generate reports showing total number of inmates, number of inmates unrepresented, number of inmates represented by legal services lawyers and number of inmates represented by private lawyers. 

Current Affairs 29th June 2017: INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Implement Energy Efficiency Programmes, Signs MoU with EESL 

Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), under the administration of Ministry of Power, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with National Energy Services Company, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to implement energy efficiency programmes and scale-up demand side measures in the Gulf country. 
●    The MoU was signed by Mr. Waled Alghreri, Chief Executive Officer, National Energy Services Company and Mr. Saurabh Kumar, Managing Director, EESL. 
●    As per the MoU, EESL will provide consultancy and expand the capacity of the National Energy Services Company, which is instituted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to execute energy efficiency programmes. 
●    The move comes in the wake of the Arab Kingdom working ardently towards reducing its power subsidies and introducing energy efficiency initiatives. 
●    With rapidly increasing population coupled with soaring energy prices, the electricity demand of Saudi Arabia is growing at a rapid pace. 
●    According to the estimates by the World Bank, the electricity generated in Saudi Arabia completely relies on non-renewable sources like oil, gas and coal sources .

Current Affairs 29th June 2017: DAYS AND DATES

11th Statistics Day celebrated

In recognition of the notable contributions made by Late Professor Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis in the fields of statistics, statistical system and economic planning, Government of India in 2007, designated 29th June the birth anniversary of Prof. Mahalanobis. 
●    as the “Statistics Day” in the category of Special Days to be celebrated every year at the National level. 
●    The objective of celebration of this Day is to create public awareness about the importance of statistics in socio-economic planning and policy formulation, to acknowledge the contribution of Prof. Mahalanobis and to pay homage to him. 
●    Every year, one particular theme of current national importance is selected for focused discussions and efforts made throughout the year aimed at bringing about improvements in the selected area.

Current Affairs 29th June 2017: SPACE SCIENCE

India's GSAT-17 Communication Satellite Launched Successfully 

Today, GSAT-17 became India’s third communication satellite to successfully reach orbit in the past two months. GSAT-17 was launched in the early morning hours using the European Ariane 5 Launch Vehicle from Kourou, French Guiana. 
●    The 3477 kg GSAT-17 carries communication payloads in C-band, Extended C-band and S-band for providing various services to the country. 
●    The satellite also carries equipment for meteorological data relay and satellite based search and rescue services. 
●    After its lift-off at 0245 hrs (2:45 am) IST and a flight lasting about 39 minutes, GSAT-17 separated from the Ariane 5 upper stage in an elliptical Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) with a perigee (nearest point to Earth) of 249 km and an apogee (farthest point to Earth) of 35,920 km, inclined at an angle of 3 degrees to the equator.

Important Current Affairs 28th June 2017

Current Affairs 28th June 2017: NATIONAL NEWS

Election Commission to Launch First Time Nationwide “Voter Registration Reminder” on Facebook

Election Commission of India (ECI) is launching a ‘Special Drive to enrol left out electors, with a special focus on first time electors from 1st July , 2017 , so as to move in the direction of Commission’s motto that 'NO VOTER TO BE LEFT BEHIND’.
●    In order to reach out to maximum eligible voters, the ECI is collaborating with Facebook to launch first Nationwide “Voter Registration Reminder” on 1st July ,2017 .  With over 180 million people in India on Face book, the ‘Register Now’ button is designed to encourage Indian citizens to register themselves with the Election Commission of India. 
●    On 1st July, a notification of the “voter registration reminder” will be sent to people on Facebook in India who are eligible to vote. 
●    The reminder will be sent out in 13 Indian languages - English, Hindi, Gujarati, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Punjabi, Bengali, Urdu, Assamese, Marathi and Oriya. 
●    This is the first time Facebook's voter registration reminder has been rolled out across India. In 2016 and 2017, Chief Electoral Officers made such efforts at state level during their respective state elections.

 The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) entered into Five Unilateral Advance Pricing Agreement with Indian taxpayers

The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) entered into Five Unilateral Advance Pricing Agreement with Indian taxpayers during June, 2017. A Bilateral Advance Pricing Agreement (involving United Kingdom) was also signed during the month.
●    The APA Scheme endeavours to provide certainty to taxpayers in the domain of transfer pricing by specifying the methods of pricing and determining the arm’s length price of international transactions in advance for the maximum of five future years. 
●    Further, the taxpayer has the option to rollback the APA for four preceding years, as a result of which, tax certainty for a total period of nine years is provided. Since its inception, the APA scheme has attracted tremendous interest among Multinational Enterprises (MNEs).
●    The APAs signed in June, 2017 pertain to healthcare, information technology and gaming/animation (media) sectors of the economy.
●    The number of Unilateral APAs signed in the current financial year is now nine and the number of Bilateral APAs signed in the current financial year is one . 
●    With this, the total number of APAs signed since the commencement of the program till date stands at 162 (Unilateral-150 and Bilateral-12). The CBDT expects more APAs to be signed in the near future.

Launch of National Biopharma Mission 

The first ever Industry-Academia mission to accelerate biopharmaceutical development in India will be formally launched by the Cabinet Minister for Science and Technology, Earth Sciences, Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Dr. Harsh Vardhan in New Delhi on 30th June 2017. 
●    The program named Innovate in India (i3) will witness an investment of USD 250 million with USD 125 million as a loan from world Bank and is anticipated to be a game changer for the Indian Pharmaceutical industry. 
●    It aspires to create an enabling ecosystem to promote entrepreneurship and indigenous manufacturing in the sector.
●    India has been an active player in the pharmaceutical industry and has contributed globally towards making life saving drugs and low cost pharmaceutical products accessible and affordable for those in need.  
●    Be it the Rotavirus vaccine, heart valve prosthesis or affordable insulin, India has been a forerunner in these and many more. Despite, these advances Indian biopharmaceutical industry is still 10-15 years behind their counterparts in the developed countries and faces stiff competition from China, Korea and others. 
●    The lacuna primarily exists due to disconnected centers of excellence, less focus on translational research and staggered funding. 
●    There was an immediate need felt to focus on consolidated efforts to promote product discovery, translational research and early stage manufacturing in the country to ensure inclusive innovation.

Dr Harsh Vardhan and Shri Dharmendra Pradhan inaugurate Swasth Saarthi Abhiyaan and Fuel Conservation Workshop

Union Minister for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences and Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Dr. Harsh Vardhan and Minister of State (I/C) for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, together, inaugurated the Swasth Saarthi Abhiyaan (SSA) today at Siri Fort Auditorium.
●    The Swasth Saarthi Abhiyaan (SSA) is a two month long mega campaign focusing on providing preventive healthcare to the auto, taxi and bus drivers of the region. 
●    SSA, an initiative of Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL), was inaugurated in the presence of various dignitaries including Members of Parliament, Officials of Delhi Police and other Senior Officials of the Ministry. 
●    The SSA event is a unique initiative to address the major issues being faced by public transport drivers of the region, with almost all of them being users of CNG.
●    Shri Dharmendra Pradhan in his address said that the drivers in the capital region are partners in the growth story of gas used as fuel in vehicles. CNG is used in vehicles for transport, domestic use, autos etc. He said that approx.. 4.5 Lakh vehicles which use CNG contribute to the Rs 3000 Cr business of IGL. 
●    He said that new aim should be to increase this business from Rs 3000 Cr to Rs 30,000 Cr.

22 Cabinet decisions taken in last 3 years in E&P 

Minister of State (I/C) for Petroleum and Natural gas, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, launched the National Data Repository (NDR) and Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP) under the progressive, market driven Hydrocarbon Exploration and Licensing Policy (HELP) of Government of India in New Delhi today.
●    Speaking at the event, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan said that the launch is a historic occasion in the history of India’s Hydrocarbon Industry. 
●    Hon'ble Prime Minister gave the mandate for a modern, progressive, investor friendly world class policy for the next bidding round.
●    He said that with the experience of several litigations and not very encouraging production output from NELP rounds, the Ministry decided not to go for incremental policy change but to have a completely new policy. 
●    Hydrocarbon Exploration and Licensing Policy (HELP) is an outcome of this.

Current Affairs 28th June 2017: AWARDS

Indian bodybuilder Bhumika Sharma wins Miss World in Venice

Dehradun bodybuilder Bhumika Sharma has won the Miss World title in Venice. 
●    Bhumika, who was one of the 27 Indian participants who were in the competition, won the maximum points in three categories i.e., individual posing, body posing and fall. 
●    This eventually won the gold medal at the world championship in Venice last week.
●    Bhumika won the title ahead of a total of 50 bodybuilders from around the world, according to Hindustan Times. 
●    Bhumika also said that she has now set her eyes on the Miss Universe Championship that will be held in UK in December.
●    According to the Hindi publication of the Hindustan Times, Bhumika has been in the sport for the past three years. 
●    Her mother Hansa Manral Sharma is the head coach of Indian weightlifting team while her father Vishwavijay Sharma is a businessman. 
●    Her parents wanted her to take up shooting but a chance meeting with a bodybuilding coach had convinced her to take up a career in the sport.

Current Affairs 28th June 2017: APPOINTMENT

Dr. Manoj Soni takes Oath as Member, UPSC

Dr. Manoj Soni, former Vice Chancellor of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University, took the Oath of Office and Secrecy as Member, Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) here today. 
●    The Oath was administered by the UPSC Chairman Prof. David R. Syiemlieh.
●    Born on 17th February, 1965, Dr. Soni, a scholar of Political Science with specialization in International Relation Studies, earned his doctorate in "Post-Cold War International Systemic Transition and Indo-US Relations" from Sardar Patel University. 
●    Dr. Manoj Soni has been the youngest-ever Vice Chancellor in independent (India).
●    Dr. Soni is the recipient of several awards and recognitions including the rare honour of "Honorary Mayor-President of the City of Baton Rouge" by Mayor-President of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA and World Education Congress Global Award for Distance Learning Leadership.

Current Affairs 28th June 2017: GLOBAL NEWS

Facebook now has 2 billion monthly users

Thirteen years after launching and less than five years after hitting 1 billion, Facebook now has 2 billion monthly active users.
●    Facebook wants people to celebrate with a personalized “Good Adds Up” video they can make and share here. Meanwhile, Mark Zuckerberg played it cool with this brief announcement message.
●    Two billion makes Facebook the largest social app in terms of logged-in users, above YouTube’s 1.5 billion, WeChat’s 889 million, Twitter’s 328 million and Snapchat’s estimated 255 million (extrapolated from its December 2015 ratio when it had 110 million daily and 170 million monthly users). 
●    Beyond YouTube, only Facebook’s other apps have more than 1 billion, including WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger, with 1.2 billion each. Instagram might soon join that club as it recently rocketed past 700 million.
●    Despite Facebook’s size and age, at 17 percent its user count is growing as fast or faster than any year since 2012. And people aren’t using it less either. 
●    In fact, 66 percent of Facebook’s monthly users return each day now compared to 55 percent when it hit 1 billion. If the teenaged social network isn’t as cool to teenagers any more, it’s not showing in the big metrics.
 

Important Current Affairs 27th June 2017

Current Affairs 27th June 2017: NATIONAL NEWS

Piyush Goyal, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Power, Coal, New and Renewable Energy and Mines chairs 5th Geoscience Advisory Council Meeting

Shri Piyush Goyal, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Power, Coal, New and Renewable Energy and Mines, addressed the 5th Geoscience Advisory Council (GAC) Meeting in New Delhi today. 
●    Mines Secretary Shri Arun Kumar, DG GSI Shri M Raju and other Ministries’ Official members, Scientific Institutions and Non-Official members of the GAC participated in the daylong deliberations. 
●    The 5th GAC discussed issues related to Geophysical techniques for exploration of concealed/deep seated mineral deposits, Mineral System Research and advanced techniques for exploration of subsurface mineral deposits, and the strategy for exploration, augmentation of mineral resources and mining of Rare Earths/Rare Minerals and other strategic resources. 
●    Shri Piyush Goyal @PiyushGoyal, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Power @MinOfPower, Coal @CoalMinistry, New and Renewable Energy @mnreindia and Mines @MinesMinIndia, asked the scientific community working in the field of geosciences and mineral system research to add value to the mineral wealth of the country especially in the area of strategic and critically important metals and minerals.
●    At the same time there has to be a harmony between wealth creation and preservation of ecology and environment for sustainable development.

25 Ministries/ Departments to turn into e-office by end of June, says Dr. Jitendra Singh

The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Development of North-Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh visited the office premises of Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) here today, to review the implementation of the Swachhta Action Plan. 
●    The DARPG and Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare are observing the Swachhta Pakhwada from 16th-30th June, 2017. 
●    On the occasion, Dr. Jitendra Singh complimented both the Departments for undertaking various Swachhta related activities during this Pakhwada and also expressed happiness that the two Departments are working together as one team. 
●    He said that the habit of cleanliness should be practised by all and it should be the responsibility of everyone to keep their surroundings clean. 
●    Highlighting the steps taken by DARPG, he said that 25 Ministries/ Departments will be turned into e-office by the end of this month.
●    He also said that there has been an increase of a whopping 6000%, in the number of e-files with 4,62,000 e-files generated in 2017, compared to 8,000 e-files last year. 
●    Dr Jitendra Singh said under the guidance of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the Departments are committed to provide maximum Governance to the public. 
●    He said that the process involved in the Civil Services Day has been completely transformed by DARPG in the last three years, as the participation and involvement of stakeholders has increased many folds. 
●    He said that DARPG is seen as the HR department of the Government of India. All good practices originate from this Department, he added. 
●    The Minister said that an MoU between India and Portugal on Cooperation in the field of Public Administration and Governance Reforms has been recently approved by the Cabinet. 

Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu Lays the Foundation Stone for Final Location Survey of Bilaspur-Manali-Leh New Broad Gauge Line Today

After the significant progress in the completion of the rail line in the state of Jammu & Kashmir, the Indian Railways endeavours to extend the socio-economic benefits of rail transportation to other remote areas and challenging terrains of the hilly states (HP & J&K) where development is scarce. 
●    Amongst the various socially desirable projects in the country, Bilaspur-Mandi-Leh Rail Line (route length 498 Kms) constitutes great significance. 
●    The project is of both strategic and economic, development and tourism importance, with its unique distinction being the highest railway track in the world.
●    Minister for Railways Shri Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu laid the foundation stone for the Final Location Survey Of Bilaspur-Manali-Leh New Broad Gauge Line, at Leh today (27th June 2017) in the august presence of distinguished guests on the occasion. 
●    Shri R.K. Kulshrestha General Manager, Northern Railway and other Senior Railway officials were also present in the function.
●    Leh is the most important town in Ladakh region of J&K State having approximately 1.5 lakhs population. 
●    It has a high footfall of Indian & Foreign tourists each year. The district Leh is the second largest district in the country with elaborate Army Establishments and is the Headquarter of 14 corps. 
●    The region being a cold desert, the temperature during the winter months (Oct-Mar) plummets down to well below freezing point. 
●    The road connectivity to this area is gets cut off from other parts of country due to heavy snowfall, thus necessitating all weather rail connectivity both for strategic as well as socio-economic needs.

Highest Number of Divyangjans will be felicitated by Prime Minister at Rajkot Samajik Adhikarita Camp on 29th June 2017

The biggest ever Samajik Adhikarita Shivir for distribution of Aids & Assistive Devices to Divyangjan (PwDs) will be organized at Rajkot (Gujarat) on 29th June 2017 by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan), Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India through ALIMCO, Kanpur, a CPSU under the Department. 
●    The camp will be held at Race Course Ground in Rajkot, Gujarat where assistive Aids and Appliances will be distributed under ADIP scheme of Govt. of India to Divyangjans in the august presence of the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, Chief Minister of Gujarat Shri Vijay Rupani and Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Shri Thaawarchand Gehlot. 
●    Besides Union Ministers of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Shri Ramdas Athwale, Shri Krishna Pal Gurjar, Shri Vijay Sampla, Minister of Gujarat for Social Justice and Empowerment, Women and Child Development Shri Atmaram Parmar, Member of Parliament Shri Mohanbhai Kundariya and other State dignitaries will also be present during the function.
●    The camp is being conducted under the ADIP Scheme of Govt. of India. The scheme is in vogue since 1981 and has been revised with effect from 01st April 2014. 
●    The main objective of the scheme is to provide latest and modern aids mainly manufactured by Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India (ALIMCO) and distributed by National Institutes, District Disability Rehabilitation Centres, State Handicapped Development Corporations, other local bodies and NGOs. These aids are being given to the Divyangjans to promote their physical, social and psychological rehabilitation.

World Bank clears $250 million loan for Skill India mission

The World Bank has cleared a $250 million loan for making Indian youth more employable through reskilling, in a move that is seen to aid the Skill India mission
●    The multilateral lender is keen to support the Indian government in its efforts to better equip the young workforce with employable skills. 
●    It said the support will help the youth contribute to India's economic growth and prosperity.Under the programme, adults in 15-59 years of age, underemployed or unemployed, will get the skill training.
●    It will also include the 1.2 crore youngsters in the age group of 15-29 years who are entering the labour market every year.
●    The programme has a mandate to provide placement and entrepreneurship opportunities to women and increase their exposure to skill training.
●    The Washington-headquartered World Bank's SIMO is a six- year programme in support of the Indian government's National Policy for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (2017-23).
●    SIMO will be implemented through the National Skill Development Mission and will specifically target labour market entrants.According to an official skill gap analysis, India will require an additional 109 million skilled workers in 24 key sectors by 2022.
●    India continues to be on its path of structural reforms and a higher-skilled labour force can potentially serve as a catalyst in transforming it into a competitive middle income country, Ahmad said.

Current Affairs 27th June 2017: SPORTS

Halle Open: Roger Federer brushes past Alexander Zverev to win record 9th title

Swiss great Roger Federer thrashed Alexander Zverev to win his ninth title at the Wimbledon warm-up tournament in Halle on Sunday.
●    The top seed lost his first match of the grass-court season last week in Stuttgart to Tommy Haas, but was in imperious form all week at Halle, culminating in the 6-1, 6-3 final victory over the home favourite Zverev.
●    Federer will head into Wimbledon, which starts on July 3, as favourite to win an outright record eighth title.
●    Italian Open champion Zverev had won all three of his previous finals this season, but was blown away by a vintage performance from the 18-time major champion in only 53 minutes.
●    The 35-year-old Federer, who skipped the entire clay-court season in order to be fully fit for Wimbledon, has still only lost two matches this year en route to four titles, including the Australian Open in January.
 

Current Affairs 27th June 2017: INTERNATIONAL RELATION

6th Joint Trade Committee Meeting between India and Myanmar 

The 6th India – Myanmar Joint Trade Committee (JTC) Meeting co-chaired by Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister of Commerce & Industry from India and Dr. Than Myint, Union Commerce Minister from Myanmar was held on 27th June 2017 at New Delhi. 
●    The Joint Trade Committee plays a key role in facilitating issues related to enhancement of the bilateral economic partnership between the two countries. 
●    Addressing the meeting The Minister stated that both countries have long history of shared religious, linguistic and ethnic ties. 
●    Myanmar is India’s gateway to Southeast Asia and ASEAN with which India is seeking greater economic integration through ‘Act East’ Policy. Myanmar shares a long land border of over 1600 Kms with India as well as a maritime boundary in the Bay of Bengal. 
●    Our bilateral relationship has been further strengthened by the high level exchanges between our countries. 
●    Prime Minister of India visited Myanmar in November 2014 for the Twelfth India-ASEAN Summit. State counsellor of Myanmar visited India in October 2016
●    Stating that Trade and Commerce play a significant role in the bilateral relationship of the two countries, Smt.Sitharaman noted that India’s trade with Myanmar grew by 6.01% from USD 2.05 bn in 2015 -16 to USD 2.18 bn in 2016-17. 
●    The total export achieved in 2016-17 was 1.11 USD Billion, reflecting an annual growth of 3.79%. The import stood at 1.06 USD Billion showing a growth of 8.43%.

Current Affairs 27th June 2017: AWARDS

Kalraj Mishra Gives Away National Awards for MSME 2015 

National Awards for MSME 2015 was organized here today. Shri Kalraj Mishra, Union Minister for MSME gave away the MSME Awards 2015. 
●    Since the United Nations has declared 27th June as the UN Day for MSMEs, the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises has selected this day for distributing National Awards to Micro, Small and Medium Entrepreneurs for their outstanding performance, to express the gratitude of the Government to the achievers in this field which is so important for the national economy.
●    Shri Giriraj Singh and Shri Haribhai P. Chaudhary, Ministers of State for MSME were also present to grace the occasion. 
●    Shri KK Jalan, Secretary MSME, Shri Surendra Nath Tripathi, Development Commissioner, Shri. Vinai Kumar Saxena, Chairman, KVIC, Shri C.P. Radhakrishnan, Chairman, Coir Board also were present on the occasion.
●    On this occasion the Union Minister for MSME Shri Kalraj Mishra also launched ‘Digital MSME Scheme’ and handed over three Memorandums of Understandings to SAP India, Intel and HMT respectively. 
●    These steps would further boost Ministry’s effort towards making the Digital India Mission successful. The Digital MSME Scheme is revolving around Cloud Computing which is emerging as a cost effective and viable alternative in comparison to in-house IT infrastructure installed by MSMEs. 
●    In cloud computing, MSMEs use the internet to access common as well as tailor-made IT infrastructure including software for managing their business processes. 
●    Cloud computing is free from the burden of investment on hardware/software and infrastructural facilities. Therefore CAPEX converts into OPEX. This scheme would encourage MSMEs towards this new approach i.e. Cloud Computing for ICT adoption.

 

Important Current Affairs 26th June 2017

Current Affairs 26th June 2017: NATIONAL NEWS

Government constitutes a committee to prepare the final draft of National Education Policy 

The committee for preparation of final draft of National Education Policy has been constituted under the Chairmanship of eminent Scientist Padma Vibhushan Dr K. Kasturirangan. The other members of the committee are:
●    Dr. Vasudha Kamat a prominent academician from the field of education technology who has contributed extensively towards school education. 
●    She was also Vice-Chancellor of SNDT University Mumbai
●    Shri K.J. Alphonse holds administrative experience of practical challenges in implementation of school education reforms.
●    He was instrumental in achieving 100 % literacy rate in Kottayam and Ernakulam districts of Kerala.
●    Dr. Manjul Bhargava a Professor of Mathematics in Princeton University USA. 
●    He was awarded field medal in mathematics at a quite young age for his contributions to Gauss number theory.

Kenneth I Juster to be next US Ambassador to India

Senior White House official Kenneth I Juster, a top aide of US President Donald Trump, is set to become America's next Ambassador to India. 
●    The announcement regarding the appointment was made by White House on 21 June 2017.
●    Once nominated and confirmed by the US Senate, Juster will succeed Richard Verma. 
●    Verma, the first Indian-American to head this position, put in his papers when Trump replaced Barack Obama as the President of the United States.
●    Presently, Juster is serving as the Deputy Assistant to the US President for International Economic Affairs and as Deputy Director of the National Economic Council in the White House.
●    He served as Deputy Secretary of Commerce in President George W Bush’s administration.
●    As a Commerce Secretary, he launched the High Technology Cooperation Group to promote trade in sensitive dual-use goods and technology.

18 sections, 2 rules for GST notified

Few days ahead of the rollout of the GST Act across India, the Union Government on 20 June 2017 notified sections in the GST Act dealing with mandatory registration of current indirect taxpayers in the new regime.
●    It has notified as many as 18 sections related to registration of current central excise, service tax and VAT payers with the GST-Network (GSTN) as well as transitional provisions.
●    As a precursor to GST, the Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) has also notified two rules relating to registration and composition levy.
●    All the notifications will come into effect on 22 June 2017. GST, which is to be rolled out from 1 July 2017, will unify over a dozen central and state levies into one.
●    Every business carrying out a taxable supply of goods or services with a turnover exceeding the threshold limit of 20 lakh rupees will be required to register.

Bengaluru firm 1st in India to deliver diesel at home

The 'dieselwallah' is here. Bengaluru has become the country's first city where one can have fuel delivered at one's doorstep, just like milk and newspapers, only weeks after oil ministry announced that the Centre was thinking of rolling out such a system.
●    On June 15, Mypetrolpump, a one-year-old startup, conducted a soft launch with three delivery vehicles -each with a capacity of 950 litres. 
●    It has already delivered more than 5,000 litres of diesel. 
●    Diesel is delivered at the day's running price with a fixed delivery charge.
●    For up to 100 litres, the one-time delivery charge is `99. Above 100 litres, one needs to pay the diesel price plus one additional rupee per litre. 
●    The startup has got 20 odd customers, including 16 schools (which have 250-300 buses) and a few apartments.One can place orders online, through a phone call or by downloading the free app.

Aadhaar Is Mandatory for TB Patients Seeking Government Cash Benefits

The Union health ministry has made Aadhaar a compulsory document for tuberculosis patients availing treatment under the government’s Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP). 
●    According to the government notification, “An individual eligible to receive the benefit under the Scheme, is hereby, required to furnish proof of possession of Aadhaar number or undergo Aadhaar authentication.”
●    The notification says that the scheme offers conditional cash assistance as a benefit. 
●    The beneficiaries include TB patients, private health care providers and treatment supporters. The RNTCP says it aims to provide “universal access to tuberculosis care.”
●    India has 2.8 million cases of TB as of the data from 2015. This data was in fact revised by the WHO because India had been under-reporting TB. 
●    In 2015 alone, 6.1 million new TB cases were reported to the WHO as India had been reporting only 59% of TB cases until then.
●    However, several health workers say they were never informed of this cash assistance and TB patients have not been availing of it in the first place. 
●    They also see this order for mandatory Aadhaar cards as a way in which TB patients could be excluded and denied care.

Trains to clock 160 kmph on way to Delhi from Mumbai, Howrah

After the successful launch of Gatimaan Express, the Railways has undertaken a mammoth exercise of reducing journey time on the Delhi-Howrah and Delhi-Mumbai routes by increasing the speed of trains up to 160 km per hour at an estimated cost of Rs. 10,000 crore.
●    “We have firmed up an action plan to increase the train speed up to 160 km per hour on the total 9,000-km main trunk routes across the country as part of the Mission Raftaar project. 
●    To begin with, we have started the work on two major busy routes of Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi-Howrah,” said a senior Railway Ministry official involved in the project.
●    Railways has recently introduced Gatimaan Express between Delhi and Agra at 160 km per hour speed.
●    Strengthening of the track, upgrading of signalling system and fencing off vulnerable sections along the route are to be undertaken to ensure the speed on the two busy corridors, as per the plan.
●    While the Delhi-Howrah route is used by about 120 passenger trains and around 100 goods trains every day, some 90 passenger services and an equal number of freight trains run on the Delhi-Mumbai corridor daily.

Current Affairs 26th June 2017: GLOBAL NEWS

In a first, UNICEF appoints Syrian refugee Muzoon Almellehan as Goodwill Ambassador

United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) on 19 June 2017 announced the appointment of Muzoon Almellehan, a 19-year-old education activist and Syrian refugee, as its newest and youngest Goodwill Ambassador.
●    The appointment makes Muzoon the first person with official refugee status to become an Ambassador for UNICEF.
●    In a first, UNICEF appoints Syrian refugee Muzoon Almellehan as Goodwill Ambassador
●    Muzoon Almellehan fled the conflict in Syria along with her family in 2013.
●    She lived as a refugee for three years in Jordan before being resettled in the United Kingdom.
●    It was during her 18 months in the Za’atari refugee camp in Jordan that she began advocating for children’s access to education, particularly for girls.
●    The United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund was created by the United Nations General Assembly on 11 December 1946.

Current Affairs 26th June 2017: SPORTS

Boris Becker, former Wimbledon champion, declared bankrupt by British court

Boris Becker was declared bankrupt by a British court on Wednesday after the former tennis player failed to pay a long-standing debt.
●    A lawyer for the six-time Grand Slam champion pleaded with a Bankruptcy Court registrar in London for a last chance to pay a debt that Becker has owed to private bankers Arbuthnot Latham & Co. since 2015.
●    The registrar, Christine Derrett, said there was a lack of credible evidence that his debt would be paid soon. She refused to adjourn the case for a further 28 days and announced a bankruptcy order.
●    “One has the impression of a man with his head in the sand,” said the registrar, who said she watched Becker play on Centre Court at Wimbledon.
●    The 49-year-old Becker, who was born in Germany and lives in London, recently coached Novak Djokovic and has been a TV commentator.

Important Current Affairs 24th June 2017

Current Affairs 24th June 2017: NATIONAL NEWS

Indore Becomes First City in India to Install a ‘Robocop’ for Traffic Management

A pilot project comprising a 14-foot gigantic robot that will manage traffic was revealed in Indore on Monday.
●    Apart from rotating on its axis and having mobile arms that can produce hand signals, the robot has an inbuilt public address system and a Wi-Fi enabled camera that will be able to take snaps of traffic violators and generate e-challan.
●    This is probably the first time in the country that a robot has replaced humans in traffic management.
●    “It was a successful experiment, and the robot will stay there and manage traffic every day. We also have plans to put up such robots in other squares in Indore,” Hari Narayan Chari, Indore deputy inspector general of police (DIG) .
●    Already earning the ‘Robocop’ moniker, the robot is installed on a five foot pedestal at the busy MR 9 intersection in the city and has been attracting a lot of attention for its futuristic appearance.

DHL to invest $100 million in India to meet GST challenges

Global logistics group DHL, with plans to invest $ 100 million in India, is working with its customers to prepare for the Goods and Services Tax (GST) rolling out in the country from next month.
●    Well ahead of the curve, DHL is planning to invest over $100 million in its supply chain operations in India in the next three to four years to meet the expected increasing demand following the GST implementation.
●    “We are working together on how to create new solutions for the Indian market especially focusing on GST for likely immediate challenges,” said Scott Allison, President of Life Sciences & Healthcare sector, DHL Customer Solutions and Innovation.
●    “Ahead of the GST implementation, we want to help our customers to be as prepared as they possibly can be for the GST,” he said at an interview during the 17th DHL Global Life Sciences and Healthcare Conference held in Singapore from 20-22 June.

Passports to be issued in both Hindi and English

Announcing big changes in Indian passport rules, Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj on Friday said the newly introduced passports will be available in both languages, Hindi and English. 
●    The move seems to be intended towards making the passport more convenient for the users. Earlier, passports used to be issued in English language.
●    Swaraj further announced the applicants below the age of 8 and senior citizens will have to pay 10 per cent less fee for new passports. 
●    On the fiftieth anniversary of Passports Act, Swaraj said, "We have brought improvement in passport rules, services & focused on doorstep delivery."
●    Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that married women need to change their names even after their marriage to an Indian Passport. 
●    He further said that it is entirely up the discretion of women to use their father/mother/guardian's name for renewing their passport.

Three more UP cities included in Smart City Mission

With the inclusion of Allahabad, Aligarh and Jhansi in the Smart City Mission on Friday, the number of "Smart Cities" from Uttar Pradesh reached seven. 
●    State capital Lucknow, Varanasi, Kanpur and Agra were already on the list.
●    Allahabad, Aligarh and Jhansi found their way into the list of 30 names released by Union Urban Development Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu under the third round of the Smart City Mission.
●    Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath thanked the Central government, in particular, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mr. Naidu, for selecting three new cities from the State.
●    Mr. Adityanath said he would make sincere efforts to get the remaining five contenders from UP —Meerut, Rae Bareli, Ghaziabad, Saharanpur and Rampur — included in the list.
●    The Chief Minister gave his assurance that the State government would work with all urgency and sincerity to complete the development work of these Smart Cities, a government spokesperson said.

Penalty upto Rs 10,000 to 5 year jail term under GST

Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government had decided to roll outthe Goods and Service Tax (GST) from July 1. 
●    Which means from the first day of the next month, the country will be under the new game-changer tax policy.
●    Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government had decided to roll outthe Goods and Service Tax (GST) from July 1.
●    Which means from the first day of the next month, the country will be under the new game-changer tax policy. 
●    According to a report by Bhaskar, if anyone who gets involved in tax evasion or fraud under GST, will have to face certain consequences, which can even mean going behind the bars. 
●    The government is going to implement laws in relation to GST and even though Centre says the intention is not to harass anyone, laws have to be obeyed. 
●    And these entail norms according to which people will be punished if they indulge in illegality. So, forewarned is forearmed, here’s what you should not to do under GST to avoid punishment.
●    People will be punished under GST law if they are found evading tax or being involved in any other fraud related to tax.

Indian Navy’s first indigenously built floating dock launched

On June 20, 2017, the Indian Navy’s first indigenously built floating dock was launched at the Larsen & Toubro Ltd. (L&T) shipyard in Kattupalli. 
●    This is a milestone in India’s quest for self-reliance in ship building.
●    According to IANS, Yard 55000 was launched by Anjali Deshpande, the wife of Vice Admiral DM Deshpande, Controller of Warship Production and Acquisition. 
●    The launch was held at L&T’s shipyard.
●    The indigenous-built dock was testimony to the capabilities available in India for realising the ‘Make in India’ vision.
●    The floating dock built is 185 metres long and 40 metres wide. 
●    It will enable the docking of all kinds of vessels including submarines and Indian naval ships of up to 8,000 tonnes displacement with draughts of up to seven metres. 

Current Affairs 24th June 2017: INTERNATIONAL RELATION

US Approves Sale Of 22 Guardian Unmanned Drones To India

Just days before Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets President Donald Trump for the first time in Washington, the US has cleared the sale of 22 unmanned Guardian drones to India, news agency Press Trust of India reported on Thursday.
●    The report added that the deal has been approved by the US State Department and has been communicated to the Indian government and the manufacturer of the drone, California-based General Atomics.
●    Securing agreement on the purchase of the 22 unarmed drones - reportedly worth more than $2 billion - was seen in Delhi as a key test of defence ties that flourished under former President Barack Obama but drifted under Mr Trump, who has courted India's rival China as he seeks Beijing's help to contain North Korea's nuclear programme.
●    PM Modi's two-day visit to Washington begins on Sunday. 
●    Mr Trump met Chinese President Xi Jinping in April and has also had face-time with the leaders of nations including Japan, Britain and Vietnam since taking office in January, prompting anxiety in Delhi that India is no longer a priority in Washington.
 

Current Affairs 24th June 2017: DAYS & DATES

International Widows’ Day observed globally

The International Widows’ Day was observed globally on 23 June 2017. 
●    The day is an opportunity for action towards achieving full rights and recognition for widows, who have been living with an invisible status for too long invisible.
●    The lack of reliable data remains one of the main obstacles to developing the policies and programmes to address the poverty, violence and discrimination faced by widows. 
●    Hence, there is a need for more research and statistics separated by marital status, sex and age, in order to help reveal the incidence of widow abuse and illustrate the situation of widows.
●    Governments need to take action to uphold their commitments to ensure the rights of widows as enshrined in international law, including the Convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women and the Convention on the rights of the child.

Important Current Affairs 23rd June 2017

Current Affairs 23rd June 2017: NATIONAL NEWS

A commemorative postage stamp released on completion of 50 years of Passport Act. 

The Minister for Communications Shri Manoj Sinha said that the Passport Seva Project (PSP) has been a watershed in the history of passport issuance in India with its successful implementation in the Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode. 
●    The entire process of citizen service delivery has been re-engineered, standardized and automated. 
●    Speaking after releasing a commemorative postage stamp on completion of 50 years of “The Passports Act, 1967”, he said that services are delivered through a country-wide networked environment - integrating all Passport Issuing Authorities, around 91 Passport Seva Kendras, as well as providing access to a number of external stakeholders viz. Immigration, Police, India Post, India Security Press and Embassies/ Consulates abroad.
●    Shri Sinha said that 24th June 1967 marked an important milestone in the history of passport issuance in India as it was on this day that the President gave assent to the Passports Act 1967. 
●    The Passports Act provided a robust legal framework for the issue of passports and travel documents and regulation of the departure from India of Indian citizens.

IAF Mountaineering Expedition Flagged in by the CAS

An IAF team of mountaineers successfully summited Mt Dhaulagiri on 20 May 2017.  
●    The team was flagged in by The CAS, Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa PVSM AVSM YSM VM ADC on 21 Jun 2017.
●    Having been flagged off on 12 Apr 2017, the team lead by Group Captain   RC Tripathi reached Dhaulagiri base camp on 26 Apr 2017.  
●    Having established themselves at the Base Camp, the team climbed till Camp-2 during the acclimatisation phase.  
●    The team members finally submitted the peak and hoisted the IAF Flag atop on 20 May 2017.
●    Mt Dhaulagiri happens to be the 7th highest and the fourth toughest peak for climbers. 

External Affairs Ministry Celebrates the Completion of 50 Years of the Passport Act 1967 as Passport Seva Divas and Conference of Regional Passport Officers

The Ministry of External affairs celebrated the completion of 50 years of the Passport Act 1967 as the 5th Passport Seva Divas and a Conference of the Regional Passport Officers in New Delhi on 22nd and 23rd June 2017. 
●    It was on 24th June, 1967 that the Passport Act came into effect. 
●    The External Affairs Minister Smt. Sushma Swaraj, Minister of State for Communications (Independent Charge) Shri Manoj Sinha as well as Ministers of State for External Affairs, Gen V K Singh and Shri M J Akbar addressed the officers and released a Special Commemorative Stamp on this special event. 
●    Senior officials of the ministry of External Affairs and other government departments beside 38 Passport officers and officials of service provider TCS attended the function where awards of excellence were presented to the best performing Passport Officers and Police Officers for best passport and verification services. 
●    Speaking at the event marking the completion of 50 years of Passport Act, 1967 The External Affairs Minister Smt. Sushma Swaraj gave this message to Passport Issuing Authorities in India: 
●    “It is a matter of immense pleasure for me to felicitate all our Passport Issuing Authorities in India and abroad on the occasion of the Fifth Passport Seva Divas on 24 June, 2017. 
●    This year we are celebrating the completion of 50 Years of the enactment of the Passports Act, 1967. 
●    The Ministry of External Affairs and its subordinate office - the Central Passport Organisation - have good reasons to celebrate as well as mark the event with renewed commitment to provide better passport services in a timely, assured, and efficient manner.

Auction for Sale (Re-issue) of Government of India Floating Rate Bonds

Government of India has announced the Sale (re-issue) of (i) “Government of India Floating Rate Bonds 2024” for a notified amount of  Rs. 3000 crore (nominal) through price based auction, (ii) “6.79 per cent Government Stock, 2027” for a notified amount of Rs. 8,000 crore (nominal) through price based auction, (iii) “7.73 per cent Government Stock  2034” for a notified amount of Rs. 2,000 crore (nominal) through price based auction, (iv) “7.06 per cent Government Stock, 2046” for a notified amount of  Rs. 2,000 crore (nominal) through price based auction. 
●    The auctions will be conducted using multiple price method. The auctions will be conducted by the Reserve Bank of India, Mumbai Office, Fort, Mumbai on June 30, 2017 (Friday).
●    Up to 5% of the notified amount of the sale of the stocks will be allotted to eligible individuals and Institutions as per the Scheme for Non-Competitive Bidding Facility in the Auction of Government Securities.
●    Both competitive and non-competitive bids for the auction should be submitted in electronic format on the Reserve Bank of India Core Banking Solution (E-Kuber) system on June 30, 2017. 
●    The non-competitive bids should be submitted between 10.30 a.m. and 11.30 a.m. and the competitive bids should be submitted between 10.30 a.m. and 12.00 noon.  

Quality of life in 116 major cities to be assessed; City Liveability Index launched 

In yet another major initiative, the Ministry of Urban Development today launched the ‘City Liveability Index’ for measuring the quality of life in 116 major cities including smart cities, capital cities and cities with a population of above one million each.
●    The Index, a Common Minimum Reference Framework to enable the cities know where they stand in terms of quality of life and the interventions required to improve the same was today launched by the Minister of Urban Development Shri M.Venkaiah Naidu here today at a National Workshop on Urban Transformation.
●    Stating that cities are now moving on a well thought out course of infrastructure development under new urban missions launched during the last three years, Shri Naidu said “ Time has now come to measure life quality in cities and rank them accordingly”.

30 more smart cities announced; takes the total to 90 so far 

Central government today announced another list of 30 cities for development as smart cities taking the total cities picked up so far to 90 under Smart City Mission launched on June 25, 2015.
●    Announcing the new batch of smart cities at a National Workshop on Urban Transformation here today, Minister of Urban Development and Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation Shri M.Venkaiah Naidu said that 45 cities contested for 40 available smart city slots but only 30 were selected to ensure feasible and workable plans that match the aspirations of the citizens as directed by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi while launching the mission.
●    Shri Naidu informed that the 30 cities announced today proposed a total investment of Rs.57,393 cr under respective smart city plans. 
●    This includes Rs.46,879 cr for ensuring core infrastructure in the areas identified by citizens for area based development and Rs.10,514 cr for technology based solutions for improving governance , service delivery and utilization of infrastructure. 
●    With this the total investment approved under the smart city plans of 90 cities has gone up to Rs.1,91,155 cr.
●    The Minister said that 20 cities will be contesting for the remaining 10 slots under smart city mission. 
●    These are; Itanagar (Arunachal Pradesh), Biharsharif (Bihar), Diu (Daman & Diu), Silvassa (Dadra and Nagar Haveli), Kavaratti (Lakshadweep), Navi Mumbai, Greater Mumbai and Amaravati (Maharashtra), Imphal (Manipur), Shillong (Meghalaya), Dindigul and Erode(Tamil Nadu), Bidhannagar, Durgapur and Haldia (West Bengal), Meerut,Rai  Bareilly, Ghaziabad, Saharanpur and Rampur (UP).

Cyber crimes against children can now be reported at the POCSO e-Box 

Child victims of cyber crimes can now lodge their complaints at National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR)’s POCSO e-box. 
●    Considering the growing menace of cyber crimes targeting children, NCPCR has now enhanced the scope of POCSO e-box to handle cyber bullying, cyber stalking, morphing of images and child pornography.
●    Child victims themselves or their friends, parents, relatives or guardians can report cyber crimes by pressing the e-box button available at the Commission’s website, www.ncpcr.gov.in They can also register their complaints on email id: pocsoebox-ncpcr@gov.in or mobile no.: 9868235077.
●    Child abuse is finding new forms and channels through mobile and digital technologies. 
●    In India about 134 million children have access to mobile phones and the number is growing very fast with even faster access to internet. 
●    While this provides opportunities for accessing useful material for learning purposes, lack of digital literacy and online safety measures expose children to hazards of cyber crime.

Current Affairs 23rd June 2017: SPACE SCIENCE

PSLV-C38 Successfully Launches 31 Satellites in a Single Flight 

ISRO’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle PSLV-C38 successfully launched the 712 kg Cartosat-2 Series Satellite along with 30 co-passenger satellites today from Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR, Sriharikota. 

●    This is the thirty ninth consecutively successful mission of PSLV. 
●    PSLV-C38 lifted off at 0929 hrs (9:29 am) IST, as planned, from the First Launch Pad. 
●    After a flight of about 16 minutes, the satellites achieved a polar Sun Synchronous Orbit of 505 km inclined at an angle of 97.44 degree to the equator (very close to the intended orbit) and in the succeeding seven and a half minutes, all the 31 satellites successfully separated from the PSLV in a predetermined sequence beginning with Cartosat-2 series satellite, followed by NIUSAT and 29 customer satellites. 
●    The total number of Indian satellites launched by PSLV now stands at 48. 

Important Current Affairs 22nd June 2017

Current Affairs 22nd June 2017: NATIONAL NEWS

Uttarakhand and Haryana declared 4th and 5th ODF States in the country 

Under the Swachh Bharat Mission Gramin (SBM-G), rural Uttarakhand and rural Haryana have declared themselves as the 4th and 5th Open Defecation Free (ODF) States of India. 
●    The two today joined the league of Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh and Kerala, which were the first three states to be declared ODF. 
●    Nationally, the sanitation coverage has increased from 42% to over 64% in just two and a half years since the launch of SBM. 
●    Uttarakhand has 13 districts, 95 blocks, 7256 gram panchayats and 15751 villages while Haryana has 21 districts, 124 blocks, and 6083 gram panchayats - all of which have declared themselves as ODF in formal declarations in Dehradun and Chandigarh, respectively.

India Signs Loan Agreement of World Bank for USD 240 million and USD 160 Million from AIIB 

A Loan Agreement for part funding of USD 240 million from the World Bank (IBRD) and USD 160 Million from AIIB (60:40 ratio) for “24X7 Power for All in Andhra Pradesh Project” was signed here today by Shri Raj Kumar, Joint Secretary (MI), Department of Economic Affairs,Ministry of Finance on behalf of the Government of India, Mr. Hisham Abdo, Operations Manager and Acting Country Director, World Bank (India) on behalf of the World Bank and Mr. D.J. Pandian Vice-President & Chief Investment Officer, AIIB. 
●    The Program Implementing Entity Agreement was signed by Mr. K. Ranganatham, Adviser (Energy), Department of Energy, Government of Andhra Pradesh on behalf of Government of AP, the Country Director (India) on behalf of the World Bank and the Vice President and Chief Investment Officer, AIIB on behalf of the AIIB.
●    Total Cost of the project is USD 570 million, out of which USD 240 million is from World Bank (IBRD) and USD 160 million from AIIB. The rest will be counterpart funding from GoAP.
●    The objective of the project is to increase the delivery of electricity to customers and to improve the operational efficiency and system reliability in distribution of electricity in selected areas in Andhra Pradesh.

EPFO signs MoU with HUDCO under new Housing Scheme of EPF & MP Act-1952 

Dr. V.P. Joy, Central Provident Fund Commissioner and Dr. M. Ravi Kanth, CMD HUDCO signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in the august presence of Union Minister of Urban Development, Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu and the Minister of State (Independent Charge), Labour & Employment, Shri Bandaru Dattatreya for facilitating “Housing for All by 2022” here today.
●    By taking one step forward to achieve Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of Housing for all by 2022, EPFO has amended EPF Scheme 1952 vide Gazette notification No. G.S.R. 351(E) dated 12th April, 2017 to provide assistance in acquiring affordable houses to the EPF members by allowing withdrawal from the provident fund to the extent of 90% of the total PF accumulation and also facilitating payment of installment of housing loan. 
●    The major objective of this scheme is to assist in building houses for workers integrating with housing programmes of the Central and State Governments.

Ministry of Mines Invites Science and Technology Project Proposals 

●    Projects are invited from Academic Institutions, Universities, National Institutes and R&D Institution recognized by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Government of India, for upto 3 years duration in the following thrust areas which have direct bearing on mineral sector, applied and sustainable aspect of mining and industrial applications:
●    The broad thrust areas for supporting Research in Mining are given below:
●    Prospecting/exploration for strategic rare and rare earth minerals.
●    Development of new technology for mineral exploration and mining on land and deep sea to locate and exploit new mineral resources.
●    Research in mining methods. This includes rock mechanics, mine designing, mining equipments, energy conservation, environmental protection and mine safety.
●    Improve efficiency in process, operations, recovery of by-products and reduction in specification and consumption norms.
●    Research in metallurgy and mineral beneficiation techniques to utilize lower grade and finer size ores.
●    Extraction of value added products from mine waste, plant tailings etc.
●    Development of new alloys and metal related products, etc.

Jitendra Singh launches Online Software for Departmental Proceedings

The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Development of North-Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh launched the online Software for Departmental Proceedings, here today.
●    Speaking on the occasion, Dr Jitendra Singh complemented the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), CVC and other departments for their collective efforts in this direction. 
●    He said that the Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has been working on the principles of ‘maximum governance, minimum government’, transparency with accountability & citizen centricity and zero tolerance against corruption. 
●    The Minister said that the aim of the software is to see that the proceedings are done against corrupt officers and the honest officers are not put to harm due to inordinate delays. 
●    He said that the bureaucracy is the tool of governance and the aim of the government is to provide work-friendly environment to the officers. 
●    He said that the software will check that the honest officers are not intimidated and it will encourage the transparent functioning in the Government. 
●    It will ensure that the malpractices are not spared and the good practices are not punished, he added. 
●    He said that the efforts have been made to complete the disciplinary enquiry within 2 years. 
●    He said that reducing the timeline in completion of disciplinary proceedings will give faster relief to the honest officers.

Central Government issues commemorative postage stamps on 250th anniversary of 'Survey of India'

Survey of India strives to keep India among the best surveyed countries in the world-Manoj Sinha Commemorative postage stamp released on 250th anniversary of Survey of India
●    Minister of Communications Shri Manoj Sinha today said that Survey of India has has met the challenges of surveying the indomitable Himalaya, blazing deserts and animal infested jungles. 
●    The Department is continuously striving to keep abreast of modern technology and has successfully entered the era of Digital Mapping and Geographic Information Systems. 
●    Shri Sinha was speaking here after releasing a set of two commemorative postage stamps and a miniature sheet on Survey of India" on the occasion of its 250th anniversary. 
●    He said that the Survey of India, fondly called the Department by its members is built on solid foundations, strong traditions and deep roots, keeps striving to keep India among the best surveyed countries in the world, adopting the latest technologies to meet new challenges and always living up to its motto: A Setu Himachalam i.e. 'From Setu to the Himalaya' (covering entire India). 
●    Shri Sinha said that the Department of Posts issues Commemorative postage stamps on Institutions that have a national or International stature or have made national/international contribution. 
●    He said that the origin of Survey of India can be traced back to Year 1767, when Major James Rennell was appointed as the Surveyor General of Bengal. 
●    It is the oldest scientific department in India and one of the oldest survey establishments in the world. Survey of India also has the distinct honour of printing the first Postage Stamp of India and the first copy of the Constitution of India. 
●    The Minister said that the officers and staff of the Survey of India have to pioneer untrodden lands for others to follow and build upon.

Presidential election: Meira Kumar is Opposition candidate

The Opposition unanimously selected former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar on Thursday as its candidate for the presidential election next month.
●    If the decision to challenge the BJP nominee, Ram Nath Kovind, sprang from a desire to jointly fight “an ideological battle” against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), in the lead-up to 2019, the fact that Ms. Kumar is from Bihar played a role in her selection.
●    With the defection of the Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal (United) to the BJP camp, a sore point with the Opposition leaders who gathered at the Parliament Library, there was a clear sense — though not stated — that the presence of Ms. Meira Kumar in the fray might embarrass the JD(U). Especially as the Bihar Chief Minister had stressed he was backing the Uttar Pradesh-born R.N. Kovind as he was Governor of Bihar. 
●    RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav later said he would ask Mr. Nitish Kumar to change his mind and back the daughter of Bihar.
●    Ms. Kumar, as senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad pointed out, is the daughter of freedom fighter, former Union Minister and Dalit icon Jagjivan Ram, and has an impressive CV — she has been a five-time Lok Sabha member, Lok Sabha Speaker, Union Cabinet Minister and has had a stint in the Indian Foreign Service.

Important Current Affairs 21st June 2017

Current Affairs 21st June 2017: NATIONAL NEWS

Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology launched website

In order to ensure preparedness for GST implementation from 1st of July 2017, Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology has launched a dedicated Webpage for facilitating taxpayers with regard to addressing issues related to Information Technology Services & Electronics goods.
●    The Webpage can be accessed through Ministry’s Web Portal http://meity.gov.in/ .
●    Individuals, Companies and Entrepreneurs in IT & Electronics sector can visit the webpage for sector-specific information.
●    The web page also enables filing of grievances in relation to implementation of GST.

Ministry of Tourism releases ‘Compendium on guidelines for Ayush facilities’ 

The Ministry of Tourism has released the ‘Compendium on Guidelines for Ayush Facilities’ here today. 
●    The National Medical & Wellness Tourism Board under the chairmanship of Minister for Tourism Dr. Mahesh Sharma has been repeatedly stressing on the need for benchmarking of facilities offered by the various service providers in the field of Medical and Wellness Tourism on the basis of globally accepted standards. 
●    The constant endeavour of the Ministry of Tourism has been to promote institutions and processes that have achieved such standards in order to provide excellence in service quality. 
●    The compendium includes accreditation available for the following facilities:
●    Ayurveda Hospitals
●    Yoga and Naturopathy Hospitals
●    Unani Hospitals
●    Sidha Hospitals
●    Homeopathy Hospitals
●    Panchkarma Clinics
●    Wellness Centres

NCERT’s National Yoga Olympiad- 2017 Concludes 

A 3-day National Yoga Olympiad concluded at Talkatora stadium, New Delhi yesterday, with distribution of Prizes to the children of winner states by the Chief Guest Shri Upendra Kushwaha, MoS, Ministry of HRD. 
●    The Guest of Honour on the occasion was Dr. H.R Nagendra, Chancellor of S VYASA University, Bangalore.
●    The awards were given in four categories –
●    Upper Primary (Girls) – The Gold medal was bagged by the Gujarat team, the Silver medal by the Delhi team and Bronze medal by the Haryana team.
●    Upper Primary (Boys) – The Gold medal was bagged by the Delhi team, the Silver medal by the Gujarat team and Bronze medal by the Tamil Nadu team.
●    Secondary (Girls) – The Gold medal was bagged by the Delhi team, the Silver medal by the Gujarat team and the Bronze medal by the Karnataka team.
●    Secondary (Boys) – The Gold medal was bagged by the Haryana team, the Silver medal by the Delhi team and the Bronze medal by the Manipur team.

Union Sports Minister Vijay Goel and tennis legend Vijay Amritraj take part in curtain raiser for second edition of Slum Daud

Minister of State (I/C) for Youth Affairs and Sports Vijay Goel here today led the curtain raiser of the second edition of the Slum Daud. 
●    Chief Guest for the event was tennis legend Vijay Amritraj. 
●    The first edition of the Slum Daud was held on 26 May in which 5000 youngsters from various slums in Delhi participated wholeheartedly. 
●    The Slum Yuva Daud is part of the Adopt Slum Campaign initiated by the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports and Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan. 
●    Interacting with the media Shri Goel said, “This would enable us to gather the youth and know about their skills and ideas. 
●    We would organize mini-fests in slums with the themes of Swachhta, Digital India, Beti Bachao Beti Padao etc.” 
●    “We will aim at creating model slums and create groups of youth who will work as agents of change to work for the development of their respective slums/areas”, Goel added.

Current Affairs 21st June 2017: INTERNATIONAL NEWS

10th Anniversary Celebrations of Indo-Russian Partnership in Science and Technology

A MOU on the India-Russia unified technology assessment and accelerated commercialization programme, was concluded in Moscow in 20th June 2017, by the Secretary, Department of Science & Technology (DST) Professor Ashutosh Sharma and Director General, Foundation for Assistance to Small Innovative Enterprises (FASIE), Russia Dr. Sergey Polyakov. 
●    The MOU aims at facilitating support enterprises to improve their global competitiveness through international cooperation, innovative activities and technology transfer. 
●    The two agencies (DST and FASIE) will link the Indian and Russian organisations and institutions to develop user-friendly and easy mechanisms for assisting companies and research entities to jointly develop technology collaboration and joint projects. 

INDIA PAVILION at the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) International Convention & Exhibition San Diego, USA 

The Indian Pavilion at BIO International Convention & Exhibition 2017, San Diego was inaugurated by the Minister of State for S&T and Earth Sciences, Mr. Y S Chowdary.
●    The MAKE IN INDIA theme has been emphasized in the Indian Pavilion. 
●    Inaugurating the Pavilion, the Minister stated that the positive discussions during BIO will lead to a lot of new opportunities for Indian start-up companies in Science & Technology and will also boost the confidence of international stakeholders in India’s biotech sector. 
●    More than 30 start-ups, companies, state governments, biotech parks and research institutes are exhibiting at the India Pavilion.
●    BIO has attracted over 15000 attendees from over 60 countries and provides a global opportunity at a single location.
●    The Minister also released a 60-page India Biotech Handbook 2017, showcasing the strengths of India’s fast-growing $42 billion Bio-Economy. 

Qatar Airways announced World's Best Airline at 2017 Skytrax World Airline Awards

Qatar Airways on 20 June 2017 was announced the World’s Best Airline at the SKYTRAX 2017 World Airline Awards.
●    Qatar Airways was voted Best Airline by travellers across the world in the annual passenger survey.
●    The Doha based carrier has now won the prestigious Airline of the Year title for a fourth time.
●    Qatar Airways also won the World’s Best Business Class, the World’s Best First Class Lounge and the Best Airline in the Middle East awards.
●    On the other hand, Air Asia won awards for being the Best Low-Cost Airline in Asia for a month year in the row, and also as World's Best Low-Cost Airline Premium Cabin 2017.
●    World's Best Low-Cost Airline: AirAsia
●    Best Low-Cost Airline in Asia: AirAsia
●    Best Airline in Central Asia / India: Air Astana
●    Best Regional Airline in Asia: Bangkok Airways
●    Best Low-Cost Airline in Central Asia / India: Indigo
●    Best Airline in Asia: Singapore Airlines

China launched train with virtual track

China has unveiled world’s first train that runs on a virtual track making use of sensor technology instead of metal rails.
●    The new trains are non-polluting as they are battery powered.
●    The train is capable of reaching a top speed of 70 kmph and can travel a distance of 25 km by just charging for 10 minutes.
●    The train which is only about 32 metres long can carry up to 307 passengers.
●    The new trains are fitted with sensors which are capable of detecting the dimensions of the road permitting it to follow the routes without the need for metal rails. 
●    So it can run without the presence of tracks. The new trains will make use of rubber wheels on a plastic core and can be automatically guided without rails. 
●    This new technology has been copyrighted by the Chinese rail corporation.
●    The train will be rolled out for public use in 2018. It will be launched in the Chinese city of Zhuzhou in a bid to help to deal with traffic in the area.
●    The new train is expected to have a lifespan of around 25 years.

Important Current Affairs 20th June 2017

Current Affairs 20th June 2017: INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Afghan president inaugurates first air corridor with India, bypassing Pakistan

President Ashraf Ghani has inaugurated the first Afghanistan-India air corridor during a ceremony at the Kabul international airport – a direct route that bypasses Pakistan and is meant to improve commerce.
●    Ghani, who thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the air corridor, said the aim of the route is to create more opportunities and make Afghanistan an exporter country. “India is a big market for Afghan goods,” he said.
●    The president’s adviser, Sediqullah Mujadedi, said Afghan agricultural products will for the first time head to India on cargo planes. Mujadedi said the first India-bound flight on Monday included 60 tons of medicinal plants and a second flight will carry 40 tons of dry fruits from the southern Kandahar province.
●    Afghanistan is a mountainous landlocked country and all imports and exports depend on neighbouring countries. Even before relations between Kabul and Islamabad became strained over accusations of harbouring militants, Pakistan has stymied Afghanistan’s efforts to trade with India.

Australia announces online visa applications for Indians from 1 July

The Australian High Commission and Australian Department of Immigration and Border Protection announced on 16 June 2017 that from 1 July 2017, all Indian nationals will be able to apply for visitor visa online. 
●    Speaking on the development, Australia’s Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, Alex Hawke, said that the online application option would make applying for the country’s visitor visa easier for Indians and thus enhance their overall experience. 
●    According to an official statement by the Australian government, there has been a significant increase in demand for Australian visas in India with the rising popularity of Australia as a holiday destination.
 

Current Affairs 20th June 2017: NATIONAL NEWS

India becomes 71st country to ratify UN TIR Convention

India has become the 71st country to ratify the United Nations International Convention on Road Transports (TIR) that will help boost trade and regional integration across South Asia and beyond, fast-tracking the region’s potential to become a strategic trade hub.
●    TIR is the global standard for goods customs transit managed and developed by IRU, International Road Transport Union.
●    Speaking on India’s acceptance of the body, IRU Secretary General Umberto de Pretto said that he is delighted to welcome India into the TIR family of nations and it is a significant step in harmonising standards and boosting transport, trade and development across South Asia.
●    The accession to the TIR Convention is part of India’s multi-modal transport strategy that aims to integrate the economy with global and regional production networks through better connectivity. 
●    The last country to ratify the convention before India was China, which did so on 6 July 2016.

Aadhaar mandatory for opening bank account, transactions

In a fresh development, Government has made Aadhaar mandatory for opening a bank account. 
●    It has also made it mandatory for financial transactions of Rs 50,000 and above. 
●    All the existing account holders have been asked to submit Aadhaar to banks by December 31, 2017, failing which accounts will become invalid.
●    It has come a week after the Supreme Court upheld the government’s decision to link Aadhaar to one’s PAN card but refused to make it compulsory for those who don’t have an Aadhaar card or who have not yet applied for one, till a Constitutional Bench decides on the privacy question pending before it.
●    The tax provision by the Centre, said that those who file income tax returns without an Aadhaar-linked PAN card would have their PAN declared invalid.

100 years of Sabarmati Ashram: Gandhi Darshan tourist train flagged off

It was more aastha (spiritual immersion) than an acquaintance with Gandhian ethics and values that spurred several of the 623 people to take the inaugural journey of the ‘Aastha Special Tourist Train (Gandhi Darshan)’ on Saturday morning from Sabarmati station here. 
●    Besides places related to Mahatma Gandhi’s freedom struggle like Sevagram Ashram (Wardha), Champaran Satyagraha Memorial at Bettiah and Motihari, the train will connect cities such as Varanasi, Gaya and Allahabad — popular pilgrimage destinations.
●    The special train was flagged off by Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani in the morning with Rail Minister Suresh Prabhu, who joined in via video conferencing from Bandra. 
●    Ahmedabad based businessman Ramesh Dhanwani (58), said that his keenness to visit the places on the itinerary made him book his tickets. 
●    “I am particularly interested in visiting places like Sangam in Allahabad and Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi and Buddhist temples in Bodhgaya,” he said.

Lockheed signs pact with Tata to make F-16 planes in India

Weeks ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, U.S. aircraft major Lockheed Martin and Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) signed an agreement to make the F-16 Block 70 fighter aircraft in India to meet the IAF’s single-engine jet requirement.
●    The IAF is about to initiate the process for selection of a single-engine fighter aircraft to replace the Russian MiGs under the Strategic Partnership model of the Defence Procurement Procedure. 
●    The announcement from Paris Air Show, where among those present was Ratan Tata, came ahead of Mr. Modi’s meeting with Trump later this month.
●    “This agreement builds on the already established joint venture between Lockheed Martin and Tata and underscores the relationship and commitment between the two companies,” said N. Chandrasekaran, chairman of Tata Sons.
●    The Strategic Partnership model has four segments — submarines, single-engine fighter aircraft, helicopters and armoured carriers/main battle tanks — and specifically intends to open up defence manufacturing to the private sector. 
●    The deal for 100- plus fighter aircraft is estimated to be worth over ₹60,000 crore.
●    The contenders for the deal are F-16 of Lockheed Martin and Gripen of SAAB. The likely Indian private sector players in the race are TASL and Mahindra group, both of which have a footprint in the aerospace sector.

Dalit Face of NDA government as Presidential candidate

Amit Shah in New Delhi after BJP Parliamentary Board meeting, where the name for the leader for the upcoming Presidential election was discussed. 
●    Amit Shah said that Kovind has worked hard for the Dalits and backwards section of society.
●    Kovind, a Dalit leader and a politician from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), is the present Governor of Bihar. 
●    He was appointed as the governor of the state by President Pranab Mukherjee on 8 August 2015.
●    Born on 1 October 1945, Kovind was elected to Rajya Sabha from the state of Uttar Pradesh during the two terms of 1994-2000 and 2000-2006.

Current Affairs 20th June 2017: SPORTS

Kidambi Srikanth beats Kazumasa Sakai to win Indonesia Open Super Series Premier title

Indian shuttler Kidambi Srikanth on 18 June 2017 clinched the Indonesia Open Men's Singles trophy with a straight-game victory over Japanese qualifier Kazumasa Sakai in the final.
●    The 2017 Indonesia Open Super Series Premier title is Srikanth’s third Super Series title.
●    The 2017 Indonesia Super Series Premier was the fifth Super Series tournament of the 2017 BWF Super Series.
●    The tournament was held in Jakarta, Indonesia and has a total purse of $1000000.
●    The Women’s Singles title of the tournament was won by Japan’s Sayaka Sato.
●    Kidambi Srikanth beats Kazumasa Sakai to win Indonesia Open Super Series Premier title.

Important Current Affairs 19th June 2017

Current Affairs 19th June 2017: NATIONAL NEWS

Jitendra Singh chairs a meeting on GST rollout in Northeast 

The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh said that GST will bring down tax on several goods and contrary to a perception held in certain quarters, the rollout of GST from 1st of July will bring a huge relief to the poor and lower middle class by resulting in a tax rate lower than the present tax rate. 
●    He was addressing a meeting to discuss the various aspects of GST rollout with the officials of the Ministry of DoNER and Delhi-based Resident Commissioners of eight North-Eastern States here today. 
●    Dr Jitendra Singh disclosed that a wide range of items including milk powder, curd, lassi, buttermilk, cheese, spices, tea, wheat, rice, flower, soybean oil, mustard oil, palmyra jaggery, mineral water, ice, coal, domestic LPG, tooth paste/tooth powder, soap as well as medical items like Insulin, X-ray films and spectacle lenses/glasses will actually have a lower tax rate after July 1st, following the GST roll-out as compared to the tax which is being currently imposed on these items. 
●    He explained that in case of some items, where visibly it appears that the tax rate has gone higher, the matter of the fact is that earlier, these items had embedded taxes which were not visible even though the overall tax range amounted almost to the same. On the other hand, there are also certain goods where GST imposes ‘zero’ tax, he said.

CBDT Notifies Rule 10CB for Secondary Adjustments under Section 92CE of IT Act, 1961.

Rule 10CB for operationalising the provisions of secondary adjustment has been notified by the Central Board of Direct Taxes on 15th June, 2017. 
●    It prescribes the time limit for repatriation of excess money and the rate of interest to be applied for computing the income in case of failure to repatriate the excess money within the prescribed time limit. 
●    Separate rates of interest have been provided for international transactions denominated in Indian currency and in foreign currency. The rates of interest are applicable on an annual basis.
●    The time limit of 90 days for repatriation of excess money shall begin only when the primary adjustments exceeding Rupees One Crore made in respect of Assessment Year 2017-18 or later, attains finality. 
●    Where the transfer pricing order is appealed against by the taxpayer, the time limit for repatriation shall commence only after the appeal is finalised by the appellate authority.
●    The Finance Act, 2017 inserted section 92CE in the Income-tax Act, 1961 with effect from 1st April, 2018 to provide for secondary adjustment by attributing income to the excess money lying in the hands of the associated enterprise, in order to make the actual allocation of funds consistent with that of the primary transfer pricing adjustment.  

144 Awards given for effective initiatives in Rural Development

The Ministry of Rural Development organized an Award function on 19th June, 2017.  The Programme showcased achievements under different programmes implemented by the Ministry of Rural Development.  
●    States, Institutions and Government Functionaries, who have done commendable work under different schemes were awarded in the function.  
●    Short films on Water Conservation under Geo-MGNREGA, Construction of houses under Pradhan Mantri Aawaas Yojana of Jadia Bai, a 100 year old tribal women of Madhya Pradesh and an audio visual song on PMGSY which was sung by Shan were also shown.  
●    A Citizen centric mobile application on  MGNREGA capable of providing information on different aspects of GNREGA Programme was launched by the Minister for Rural Development.  
●    The Department of Rural Development extensively uses Information and Space Technology in its programme management and the “Jan-MGNREGA” App is a third such citizen centric initiative of the department after “Meri Sadak” and “Aawas” mobile app.

Mahesh sharma Chairs 3rd meeting of National Medical and wellness Tourism Board

The Third Meeting of the National Medical and Wellness Tourism Board was held today under the chairmanship of Dr Mahesh Sharma, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Tourism and Culture here today. 
●    The meeting was attended by the Secretary, Ministry of Tourism Smt. Rashmi Verma, other senior government officials and members of the Board comprising of stakeholders in the travel and hospitality industry and experts in the field of Medical and Wellness Tourism as well as other systems of Indian Medicine.
●    In the Second Meeting of the Board held on 28th March, 2017, it was announced that comprehensive framework and roadmap on Medical and Wellness Tourism would be prepared and presented before the nation in time for the International Yoga Day on June 21st 2017. 
●    Following this decision of the Board, a Committee was formed under the chairmanship of Dr H R Nagendra, President Shri Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana, Bengaluru to formulate a comprehensive framework and roadmap on Medical and Wellness Tourism. 
●    The Committee presented its report for adoption by the Board in which a standard framework for assessment and accreditation of all AYUSH facilities that cater to Tourism has been created. 
●    The institutions can apply online for self-assessment which would then be reviewed for accreditation. 

Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu, Minister of Railways, inaugurates various Railway related services in Odisha and Assam 

Minister of Railways Shri Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu inaugurated following services in Odisha and Assam through video conferencing from Rail Bhawan today i.e 19-06-2017.  
●    Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas (Independent Charge), Shri Dharmendra Pradhan and Member of Parliament(Lok Sabha) Shri Dr. (Prof.) Prasanna Kumar Patasani, were specially present to grace the occasion. Chairman, Railway Board, Shri A. K. Mital, Member Traffic Railway Board, Shri Mohd Jamshed, other Railway Board Members and Senior Officials were also present on the occasion.
●    New railway line between Bolagarh Road and Nayagarh Town.
●    The work for provision of new line between Khurda Road and Bolangir for a total length of 289 km was sanctioned in the year of 1994-95 at a total cost of Rs 801.78 crores.
●    The work for commissioning of new line between Bolagarh Road and Nayagarh town (12 km) has been completed. The total length of rail line completed is about 65 Kms.

Harshvardhan Launches Mobile App “Celebrating Yoga” to connect people through Yoga for scientific healthy living 

Minister for Science & Technology Dr. Harshvardhan launched a Mobile App “Celebrating Yoga” developed by Department of Science & Technology, Ministry of Science & Technology in New Delhi today.  
●    The Mobile App has been developed by DST on the occasion of International  Yoga Day 2017.  
●    The  purpose of the APP is to  popularise Yoga and encourage people to participate in it for a scientifically healthy living.
●    Healthy life of citizens improves productivity and economy of the country as a whole. 
●    Practicing Yoga is a means of maintaining a healthy society in harmony with nature and fulfil developmental aspirations.
●    This aspect of quality of life is aligned with the National Mission “Swasth Bharat” of the Government of India. 
●    The Department of Science & Technology has launched a research programme “Science and Technology of Yoga and Meditation (SATYAM)” under its Cognitive Science Research Initiative (CSRI). 
●    As Yoga and Meditation are interdisciplinary endeavors that interface with Neuroscience, Medicine, Psychology, Engineering, Philosophy etc., YOGA can contribute in a holistic way to derive integrated benefits.
 

Piyush Goyal Launches Energy Conservation Building Code 2017 

Shri Piyush Goyal, Minister of State (IC) for Power, Coal, New and Renewable Energy and Mines launched the Energy Conservation Building Code 2017 (ECBC 2017) here today. 
●    Developed by Ministry of Power and Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), ECBC 2017 prescribes the energy performance standards for new commercial buildings to be constructed across India.
●    The updated version of ECBC provides current as well as futuristic advancements in building technology to further reduce building energy consumption and promote low-carbon growth. 
●    ECBC 2017 sets parameters for builders, designers and architects to integrate renewable energy sources in building design with the inclusion of passive design strategies. 
●    The code aims to optimise energy savings with the comfort levels for occupants, and prefers life-cycle cost effectiveness to achieve energy neutrality in commercial buildings.

Thaawarchand Gehlot Chairs second meeting of National Council of Senior Citizens

Shri Thaawarchand Gehlot, Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment chaired the ‘Second Meeting of National Council of Senior Citizens (NCSrC)’ organized by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment here today. 
●    Shri Vijay Sampla, Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Smt. Latha Krishna Rao, secretary, M/o SJ&E, representatives of many ministries and participants from different parts of the country were present. 
●    The National Council of Senior Citizens had its first meeting on 30th August, 2016.
●    The Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment is the Chairman and Minister of State (Social Justice and Empowerment) is the Vice-Chairman of the Council. 
●    The members of the Council includes Secretary (SJ&E), Joint Secretary (Social Defence), related central ministries such as Finance, Rural Development, Home Affairs, Law and Justice, Human Resource Development etc., National Commissions like NHRC, NCW etc., State Governments (on rotation), Oldest member of the Lok Sabha, Oldest member of the Rajya Sabha, along with representatives of Senior Citizens Associations, Pensioners’ Associations, eminent senior citizens working on issues related to senior citizens etc.