Current Affairs 5, July – 2017 -Environment Minister launches plantation drive to mark Van Mahotsav:

NATIONAL

Malabar war games to begin from July 10:

Even as the stand-off between the armies of India and China continues in Sikkim, the Indian Navy will join Japan and U.S. counterparts in the annual Malabar war games in the Indian Ocean from July 10 with a strong focus on Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) amid increasing forays by Chinese submarines into the region.

India’s only aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya will join the 10-day Malabar exercises for the first time and the U.S. is fielding its USS Nimitz aircraft carrier while Japan is bringing its largest helicopter carrier JS Izumo.

Haryana government to acquire electric buses:

The Haryana government would soon establish an environment-friendly transportation system in Gurugram on the lines of that in Poland. In the first phase, 75 to 100 electric buses would be operated.

Haryana

    • Capital: Chandigarh
    • Chief Minister: Manohar Lal Khattar
    • Governor: Kaptan Singh Solanki

Free GST facilitation centres in Goa:

In a bid to facilitate traders with the State Goods and Service Tax (GST) implementation. The facilitation centres are set up at Panaji, Margao, Mapusa, Ponda and Vasco.

The Office of the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes has set up GST facilitation Centres in all Ward offices and also at Head Office, Panaji. Similarly, trained Help Desk Personnel are appointed for each ward Office, for assisting the tax payers regarding their query relation about GST, etc.

Goa

  • Chief Minister: Manohar Parrikar
  • Governor: Mridula Sinha
  • Capital: Panaji

Environment Minister launches plantation drive to mark Van Mahotsav:

Environment Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan launched a month-long plantation drive to mark Van Mahotsav. Van Mahotsav is usually observed in the first week of July every year and is celebrated on different days in different parts of India.

The objective behind celebrating the Mahotsav is to keep local people involved in plantation drives and spread environmental awareness.

Air AASL to start three new flights from Lucknow:

Public sector aviation company Air India is going to spread its wings in regional connectivity from Lucknow. Its regional arm Alliance Air AASL, will be starting three new flights today from Lucknow. They will connect the State capital with the capitals of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

Quoting Air India sources AIR correspondent reports that ATR -72 aircraft model will be use for these destinations. These new flights will enhance the regional connectivity plan of Government. The initial fare starts from 2000 rupees.

India’s tallest ATC tower to be operational at Delhi airport by December:

The new 101.9-metre air traffic control (ATC) tower at the Delhi airport touted to be the country tallest is likely to start operations by December.

The airport operator has handed over the tower to the Airports Authority of India (AAI), whose chief said trial runs will begin soon.

Indo-Thai joint military exercise begins in Himachal Pradesh:

A 14-day joint military training exercise between India and Thailand started is conducting the yearly joint training exercise named “Ex Maitree 2017” from July 3 to July 17 at Bakloh in Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh.

The aim is to build and promote bilateral Army-to-Army relations and enhance inter-operability between the two armies.

Thailand

  • Currency: Thai baht
  • Capital: Bangkok
  • Prime Minister: Prayut Chan-o-cha

President clears bill banning hookah bars in Gujarat:

President Pranab Mukherjee has approved a Legislative Bill to ban the hookah bar in Gujarat.

As per the new Act, running a hookah bar in Gujarat will be considered a cognisable offence which would attract a maximum fine of Rs 50,000 and a jail term up to three years, but not less than one year.

Gujarat

  • Chief Minister: Vijay Rupani
  • Governor: O P Kohli

Royal Australian naval ship visits Kochi:

    Royal Australia Navy (RAN) ship HMAS Newcastle arrived in Kochi on a four-day visit.

The Commanding Officer of the Ship MD Sirois accompanied by Captain Sheldon Williams called on Vice Admiral A R Karve AVSM, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Southern Naval Command (SNC) for interactions on issues of common interest to both navies, a Naval press release said.

Australia

    • Currency: Australian dollar
    • Capital: Canberra
    • Prime Minister: Malcolm Turnbull

President of India inaugurates restored heritage buildings in the President’s Estate:

The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee inaugurated restored heritage buildings in Schedule ‘A’ of the President’s Estate.

This brings to a conclusion a task taken up in this Presidency to restore all important heritage structures in the precincts of Rashtrapati Bhavan.

The Rashtrapati Bhavan was declared a Grade ‘A’ heritage building by NDMC (New Delhi Municipal Council) in 2009.

Telangana to set up 16 STFs to check food adulteration:

The Telangana Police will set up 16 special task forces (STFs) in collaboration with different government departments to check food adulteration in the state.

The decision to set up STFs was taken at a meeting of a high-level committee chaired by DGP Anurag Sharma, which met in the DGP office to discuss the action plan to eradicate adulteration of food items in the state.

Telangana

    • Chief Minister: K Chandrashekhar Rao
    • Capital: Hyderabad
    • Governor: E. S. L. Narasimhan

Tamil Nadu to launch Amma health radio service, free rota virus vaccine plan:

Tamil Nadu health minister C Vijayabaskar announced that state will be launch Amma Health Radio Service to provide awareness messages on public health and On the vaccination front, he said Rs 3000 worth rota virus vaccination will be provided free of cost to 11 lakh children in the State.

Tamil Nadu

  • Chief Minister: Edappadi K. Palaniswami
  • Governor: C. Vidyasagar Rao

Lucknow Metro nears launch to become UP’s first rapid transit:

Uttar Pradesh is poised to join the ranks of eight operational metro rail projects already functioning in Indian cities, bagging the title of being Uttar Pradesh’s first functional metro line in the process.

With the first phase set to launch in July 2017, the Lucknow Metro Rail Corporation Limited is optimistic about the reduction in road traffic and has plans of implementing integrated prepaid smart cards that will be acceptable not only for payment of metro fares but also civic amenities.

Uttar Pradesh

  • Capital: Lucknow
  • Chief Minister: Yogi Adityanath
  • Governor: Shri Ram Naik

INTERNATIONAL

Remembering Holocaust victims:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Yad Vashem Memorial and honoured the victims of the Holocaust.

Mr. Modi was accompanied by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Israel’s largest Holocaust memorial.

A new fast-growing Israeli flower was named after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a special gesture to mark the first visit of an Indian premier to the Jewish nation. Israeli Chrysanthemum flower will now be called “MODI”, officials said.

Israel

    • Currency: Israeli new shekel
    • Capital: Jerusalem

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Vietnam calls on President Pranab Mukherjee:

Mr. Pham Binh Minh, the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam called on the President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

These two countries work together to achieve the target of $15 billion bilateral trade by 2020.

Jaitley, Vietnam Deputy PM discuss bilateral security cooperation:

Defence Minister Arun Jaitley held talks with Vietnams Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh during which various aspects of defence cooperation between the two countries were discussed.

The two sides also deliberated on the regional security situation and explored ways to further boost defence cooperation.

Vietnam

  • President: Tran Dại Quang
  • Currency: Vietnamese dong
  • Capital: Hanoi

French Senate votes for extension of state of emergency for 3 months:

In France, upper house of parliament, the Senate, voted for extension of the state of emergency in the country for three months.

According the Ousts France newspaper, 312 lawmakers supported the prolongation of the emergency legislation, set to expire on July 15, while 24 others expressed their opposition with regard to the measure.

FRANCE

    • President :Emmanuel Macron
    • Currencies: Euro, CFP franc
    • Capital: Paris

BANKING & BUSINESS

Jyoti Structures faces bankruptcy action:

The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) approved bankruptcy proceedings against Mumbai based EPC firm Jyoti Structures, making it the first among the 12 cases referred by the central bank under India’s new Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code 2016 (IBC).

NCLT’s order on Prof. Sadashiv D. Kshirsagar-led Jyoti Structures, with debt of 7,000 crore, came as its lead banker SBI had filed an insolvency application filed.

Sun Pharma, BioLogics in $56 mn pact:

Drug major Sun Pharma and South Korean firm Samsung Bio Logics announced a long-term manufacturing agreement for Tildrakizumab to be used for treatment of psoriasis.

The agreement was entered into by Sun Pharma’s wholly-owned subsidiary and Samsung BioLogics. The contract value is $55.5 million (more than Rs. 359 crore).                   

CBDT softens cash transaction norms:

The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has exempted certain cash transactions from the purview of the Rs.2-lakh restriction introduced in this year’s Budget as part of efforts to promote the digital economy.

The Finance Act 2017 banned cash transaction of Rs. 2 lakh or above with effect April 1, 2017. However, five categories of transactions have now been kept out of this restriction through an executive order from CBDT.

These are:

  1. i) Money received by a business correspondent on behalf of a bank or cooperative bank.
  2. ii) Receipt by a white label ATM operator from retail outlet sources on behalf of a bank or cooperative bank.

iii) Receipt from an agent by an issuer of prepaid instruments.

  1. iv) Receipt by a company or institution issuing credit cards against bills raised in respect of one or more credit cards.
  2. v) Money received on account of an award or reward instituted by Central or State government would now not be covered under the Rs.2-lakh cash transaction limit.

CBDT

  • CBDT Headquarters: New Delhi
  • CBDT Chairman: Sushil Chandra (Till June 30, 2018)

Nandan Nilekani, Helion’s Sanjeev Aggarwal launched $100-million fund Fundamentum:

Aadhaar architect Nandan Nilekani and Helion Venture’s Sanjeev Aggarwal have launched an investment fund called Fundamentum with a corpus of $100 million to back startups looking for growth capital.

RBI releases 2,600 crore to Telangana to help farmers:

The RBI released Rs 2,600 crore for the banking community in Telangana for lending to farmers in the ongoing kharif season.

The amount was released following a directive from Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. According to an official release, the amount was more than the earlier commitment of Rs 1,700 crore made by the Centre to the state.

Yes Bank clinches new pact with Santander in UK:

Yes Bank signed a MoU in London with Santander to promote India-UK trade and business opportunities. The MoU also covers access for Indian businesses looking to expand globally to access Santanders support network in the UK.

YES Bank

    • Headquarter: Mumbai
    • CEO: Rana Kapoor
    • Tagline: Experience our Expertise

China-backed AIIB approves USD 329 million loan for Gujarat rural roads:

The China-backed Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) in Beijing has approved a USD 329 million loan to build access roads to 4,000 villages in 33 Gujarat districts, the bank announced.

AIIB

  • Headquarters: Beijing, china
  • President: Jin Liqun

APPOINTMENTS

Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake appointed as new Army Commander of Srilanka:

The President of Srilanka, Maithripala Sirisena has appointed Major General Mahesh Senanayake as the 22nd Commander of the Army after promoting him to the rank of Lieutenant General with effect from 4th July 2017.

Srilanka

    • Capital: Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte
    • Currency: Srilankan rupee
    • President: Maithripala Sirisena
    • Prime Minister: Ranil Wickremesinghe

Himachal Pradesh DGP Sanjay Kumar appointed new NDRF chief:

Himachal Pradesh director general of police (DGP) Sanjay Kumar has been appointed as the new chief of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).

Himachal Pradesh

  • Chief Minister: Virbhadra Singh
  • Governor:  Acharya Dev Vrat

SPORTS

Sarfraz Ahmed named Pakistan’s Test captain:

Sarfraz Ahmed, was officially named the captain of Pakistan’s Test side. The announcement was made by Shahryar Khan, Pakistan Cricket Board chairman.

Pakistan

  • Currency: Rupee
  • Capital: Islamabad
  • Prime Minister: Nawaz Sharif

22nd Asian Athletics C’ships to be inaugurated at Kalinga Stadium:

`The 22nd Asian Athletics Championships is to be inaugurated at Kalinga Stadium in Odisha capital Bhubaneswar. Over 1,200 athletes and officials from 44 countries in Asia will witness the largest sporting event Odisha is organising.

Odisha

  • Capital: Bhubaneswar
  • Chief Minister: Naveen Patnaik
  • Governor: S. C. Jamir

CK Vineeth bids emotional farewell to Bengaluru FC:

Star striker CK Vineeth announced that he is leaving Bengaluru FC after three successful seasons during which the club won numerous trophies including I-League and Federation Cup.

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