Monthly One-liner Current Affairs Update – June, 2017

Banking & Financial Updates

India on 31 May 2017 signed a loan agreement of USD

36 million with the World Bank for Himachal Pradesh

Public Financial Management Capacity Building

Programme.

India lost its fastest-growing major economy tag in

the January-March period, which was the fourth

quarter of the financial year (FY) 2016-17, with the

Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth coming down to

6.1 per cent compared with a provisional 7 per cent in

the previous quarter.

India and Russia on 1 May 2017 signed five

Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs)/agreements

including a program of cultural exchanges and

implementation of the high-speed service at the

Nagpur-Secunderabad section among others.

The Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways

Nitin Gadkari on 1 June 2017 launched INAM-Pro + web

platform in New Delhi. INAM-Pro+ is an upgraded

version of INAM-Pro, the web portal launched by the

Ministry in 2015 as a common platform to bring

cement buyers and sellers together.

The State Bank of India (SBI) on June 2 announced

financing of rooftop solar projects worth Rs 400 crore,

with private developers. This would add at least 100

Mw of rooftop solar capacity to the grid, and is a

significant step towards meeting the Central

government's target for 40 Gw of rooftop solar

installations.

Samsung India on June 2 signed a Memorandum of

Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Micro,

Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) for its

Samsung Technical School initiative, renewing its

partnership for 10 existing schools run across the

country and adding two new MSME-Samsung

Technical Schools at Bengaluru and Jamshedpur.

Noting that India is recovering from the temporary

adverse effects of demonetisation, the World Bank has

projected a strong 7.2 per cent growth rate for India

this year against 6.8 per cent growth in 2016.

Reliance Communications (RCom) Chairman Anil

Ambani on 2 June 2017 announced that the merged

entities of RCom and Aircel will be called Aircom.

The National Aviation University (NAU) signed an

Memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Bird

Worldwide Flight Services (India) Private Limited for

training in aviation and aerospace sector. The MoU was

signed on June 1, 2017, to develop professional

aviation and aerospace education programmes and

research for the benefit of the Indian civil aviation

industry.

India’s public sector bank, Vijaya Bank is going to

develop 100 digital villages spread across various states

of the country.

India on 5 June 2017 signed a USD 39.2 million loan

agreement with the World Bank for the Assam Citizen

Centric Service Delivery project.

India on June 6 signed an agreement with Sri Lanka to

provide USD 318 million as line of credit to develop

the island nation’s railway sector, officials said.

The Union government would be retrofitting 10 lakh

conventional street lights with LED lights in Gram

Panchayats of 7 districts in Andhra Pradesh.

Habibganj Railway Station, located in the suburbs of

Bhopal, will become India’s first railway station to be

redeveloped in a Public-Private Partnership (PPP)

mode.

The Reserve Bank of India kept the repo rate and

reverse repo rate unchanged at 6.25 per cent and six

per cent, respectively, on third monetary policy review,

keeping in line with what analysts and experts had

forecast. Statutory liquidity ratio (SLR) was cut by 50

basis points to 20 per cent starting June 24, in order to

provide more liquidity to banks. The RBI cut the

economic growth projection to 7.3 per cent for the

current financial year from 7.4 per cent earlier.

In a bid to check the rising numbers of railway

accidents, the NITI Aayog in a report has suggested

setting up of an independent outfit, Railway Safety

Authority. According to the report, “Fund Deployment

Framework for Rashtriya Rail Sanraksha Kosh”, its

suggestions were broadly in line with the best global

practices.

07.04.2017 Page 1 of 13

The Union Government on 6 June 2017 said that

Ministries will have to decide on FDI proposals within

60 days of the application and any rejection will need

concurrence of the Department of Industrial Policy and

Promotion (DIPP).

Telangana government on 4 June 2017 launched the

single-women pension scheme across the state. Under

the scheme, the state government would be giving a

pension of about Rs 1000 per month to single women

on humanitarian grounds. This scheme is the first such

welfare scheme by any state in the country.

India's textile and fashion heritage on 8 June 2017

became the part of Google project 'We Wear Culture'.

India's largest and fastest-growing digital platforms for

local service Sulekha on June 8 announced its strategic

partnership with Axis Bank to provide the bank’s SMB

and SME customers special access to Sulekha’s local

services marketplace.

State-owned Dena Bank has tied up with Maruti Suzuki

India for retail financing of vehicles in personal as well

as commercial segments.

Naresh Goyal-promoted private carrier Jet Airways on

June 8 said, it has collaborated with Mexican flag

carrier Aeromexico for codeshare flights and frequent

flyers programme.

The Cabinet on June 8 gave ex-post facto approval to a

memorandum of understanding (MoU) inked between

Bureau of Indian Standards and Mali's Direction

Nationale De Industries.

Sovereign gold bonds (SGBs) worth Rs 5,400 crore

have been issued in eight tranches till date, the

Reserve Bank of India said on June 10. Investors in

these bonds, launched in November 2015, have been

provided with the option of holding them in physical or

dematerialised form.

Siemens Industry Software India Pvt. Ltd., on June 10

said it has signed an MoU with the Karnataka

Government Tool Room and Training Center and

DesignTech Systems Limited to establish four Centers

of Excellence across the state. According to the state

government, the total cost of the project is Rs 2031.80

crore, out of which Siemens Industry Software, India

contributes Rs 1822.48 crore and Government of

Karnataka's share is Rs 219.32 crore.

The Supreme Court (SC) on 9 June 2017 upheld the

newly-inserted provision in the Income Tax Act, 1961

mandating linking of Aadhaar number with

Permanent Account Number (PAN), but it partially

stayed its operation.

To usher in transformation in the education and

healthcare sectors along with State governments, NITI

Aayog has launched the SATH (Sustainable Action for

Transforming Human capital) programme.

The Indian Railways is all set to induct about 40000

revamped coaches at an estimated cost of Rs 8,000 Cr

to provide world-class comfort to passengers. The

total estimated cost of retrofitting would be about Rs

30 lakh per coach.

The GST Council on 9 June 2017 constituted 18 Sectoral

Groups representing various sectors of the economy

to ensure smooth implementation of GST by timely

responding to the issues and problems of the

respective Sector.

Commerce Secretary Rita Teaotia, while addressing the

22nd APEDA Export award function in New Delhi on 12

June 2017, said that India has emerged as the 7th

largest exporter of agri-products globally.

The GST Council on 11 June 2017 reduced the GST

Rates of 66 items including insulin, pickles, printers,

agarbattis, school bags, and cashew nuts. However,

the GST rates for telecom services, marbles, granite

and spectacles were retained. The GST Council, headed

by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, went beyond

the equalisation principle of maintaining the current

tax incidence in certain cases.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on 10

June 2017 announced the formation of a six-member

high powered committee. The constituted committee

will look into various demands of farmers, including a

loan waiver. Reports suggest that the panel will be

headed by senior BJP minister Chandrakant Patil.

The Maharashtra government on 11 June 2017

announced a loan waiver for farmers. He also decided

to form a committee to decide the criteria for debt

relief, after which cultivators called off their protests.

Indians working across the globe sent home $62.7

billion last year, making India the top remittance-

receiving country surpassing China, according to a UN

report.

07.04.2017 Page 2 of 13

Exim Bank and its Korean counterpart have signed an

agreement to utilise USD 9 billion export credits to

support priority sectors investments.

Thomson Reuters and NSDL e-Governance have joined

hands to offer an integrated Goods and Service Tax

(GST) proposition for large and mid-sized corporations

in India.

The Union Cabinet, presided by Prime Minister

Narendra Modi, on 14 June 2017 approved the Interest

Subvention Scheme (ISS) for farmers for the year

2017-18. The scheme will help farmers getting short

term crop loan up to Rs. 3 lakh payable within one year

at only 4 per cent per annum. The Government has

allocated a sum of Rs. 20339 crore for the purpose.

Competition Commission of India (CCI), also known as

India’s antitrust watchdog, on 14 June 2017 imposed a

fine of Rs 870 million ($13.6 million) on automaker

Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL). While imposing

the fine, the antitrust watchdog accused the South

Korean automaker of anti-competitive behaviour in its

local unit in India.

The Union Cabinet, presided by Prime Minister

Narendra Modi, on 14 June 2017 gave a green signal to

the proposal to introduce a Financial Resolution and

Deposit Insurance Bill, 2017. The Bill aims at providing

a comprehensive resolution framework for specified

financial sector entities to deal with bankruptcy

situation in banks, insurance companies and financial

sector entities.

The Indian government on 13 June 2017 ratified two

fundamental Conventions of the International Labour

Office (ILO) concerning the elimination of child labour,

the Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No 138) and the

Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No.

182).

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on 13 June 2017 stated

that 12 accounts representing about 25 per cent of the

gross bad loans in the banking system would be

eligible for immediate reference for bankruptcy

proceedings.

The European Union (EU) delegation to India on 13

June 2017 announced its decision to release the final

tranche of Euro 25 million of its euro 80 million grant

to the Indian government’s Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and

Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA).

The government has made quoting of biometric

identity number Aadhaar mandatory for opening of

bank accounts as well as for any financial transaction

of Rs 50,000 and above. Existing bank account holders

have been asked to furnish the Aadhaar number issued

by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI)

by December 31, 2017, failing which the account will

cease to be operational, according to a revenue

department notification.

Three public sector oil marketing companies namely

Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum and

Hindustan Petroleum on 15 June 2017 signed the joint

venture agreement to jointly set up the world’s largest

refinery along with petrochemical complex in Ratnagiri

district of Maharashtra. Indian Oil Corp (IOC) will hold

50 per cent stake and the Hindustan Petroleum Corp

Ltd (HPCL) and Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd (BPCL) will

hold a stake of 25 per cent each in the refinery. The

refinery is expected to be set up at an estimated cost

of Rs 3 lakh crore (USD 30 billion).

The Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) in collaboration

with Ministry of Shipping, Government of India (GOI)

organised ‘Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas’ sammelan on 15

June 2017 at Bhaidas Hall, Vile Parle in Mumbai.

Infrastructure conglomerate Adani Group in the

second week of June 2017 announced commissioning

of a 50 megawatts (MW) solar photovoltaic (PV) plant

in Mahoba, Uttar Pradesh.

Railways Minister Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu on 13 June

2017 launched Mission Retro-Fitment to enhance the

passengers experience by upgrading existing fleet of

coaches with better furnishing, aesthetics & amenities

and better safety features to provide a safe and

comfortable travel.

Bank of Maharashtra on June 17 informed the bourses

that Reserve Bank of India (RBI) vide its letter dated

June 15, 2017, has initiated Prompt Corrective Action

against it due to high net NPA.

Edging over competitors, DCB Bank launched first of

its kind ATM, that will not require a debit card to

dispense cash as the machine will instead verify the

customer’s Aadhar card details including the iris and

the fingerprint of the customer.

Lockheed Martin signed an agreement with India's

Tata Advanced Systems on 19 June to produce F-16

07.04.2017 Page 3 of 13

fighter planes in India, pressing ahead with a plan to

shift its Fort Worth, Texas plant to win billions of dollars

worth of order from the Indian military.

India on 19 June said it had ratified the United Nations

TIR (Transports Internationaux Routiers) Convention,

a move that would ensure a secured supply chain and

boost trade.

Switzerland on 16 June 2017 ratified the automatic

exchange of financial account information with India

and 40 other jurisdictions to facilitate immediate

sharing of details of suspected black money. The

country has, however, sought strict adherence to

confidentiality and data security.

Asian Development Bank (ADB) will provide $275

million loan for a piped water supply project for rapidly

urbanising small towns, covering 3 lakh households, in

Madhya Pradesh.

Axis Bank, India's third largest private sector bank in

association with Kochi Metro Rail Corporation (KMRL)

has launched KMRL Axis Bank 'Kochi1' Card, India's

first open loop EMV contactless metro card that would

make travel a convenient and hassle free experience

for commuters in Kochi.

Indian messaging app Hike on 20 June added

payments feature that will allow its over 100 million

users to transfer money and recharge/pay mobile bills

through the messaging platform. The Hike wallet—

powered by Yes Bank—will allow free and instant

bank-to-bank transfer via unified payments interface

(UPI), free and instant money transfer via wallet and

recharge right from the app, Hike Messenger founder

and CEO Kavin Bharti Mittal told reporters in New

Delhi. Hike is the first in India to launch payments

facility on a messaging platform.

East Hope Group, one of China's largest private

companies, will invest $300 million in setting up

manufacturing units at the Mundra SEZ in partnership

with Indian infrastructure giant Adani Group.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has removed the

restriction on foreign investment in IDFC Ltd after the

shareholding of overseas investors fell below the

prescribed level.

The Reserve Bank of India on 22 June announced

names of the members of overseeing committee. The

composition of OC will be as follows with effect from

September 7, 2017: Pradeep Kumar (chairman), Janki

Ballabh, M B N Rao, Y M Deosthalee, S Raman.

The Union Ministry of Electronics and IT has launched

a dedicated webpage to help companies in the IT

services and electronics sector to adapt to the new

GST regime.

Elbit Systems–Cyclone of Israel and Mahindra

Aerostructures have signed a Memorandum of

Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on the production

of aerostructures parts and assemblies.

In an effort to help customers keep a better track of

all their transactions, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)

has asked commercial banks to provide sufficient

details of all transactions in the passbooks. The central

bank said “It has come to our notice that many banks

still do not provide adequate details of the transactions

in the passbooks and/ or statements of account to

enable the account holders to cross-check them”. To

keep a check on the details provided by these banks,

the RBI further has decided that banks shall provide a

minimum amount of relevant details of account

entries.

The Union government on 23 June 2017 announced

another list of 30 cities for development as smart cities

under Smart City Mission, taking the total tally of cities

picked up so far to 90. A total investment of Rs. 57,393

Cr has been announced for the development project.

The list is topped by Thiruvananthapuram, the capital

of Kerala, while Chhattisgarh's new capital Naya Raipur

came second.

Reserve Bank of India has widened the scope of its

banking ombudsman platform for addressing mis-sell

of third party products, and customer grievances on

and mobile banking and electronic banking issues,

recognising customers' plight in dealing with such

troubles. The new rule will be effective from July 1,

and the banking ombudsmen will enjoy more power in

their pecuniary jurisdiction.

Piyush Goyal, the Union Minister of State (IC) for

Power, Coal, New & Renewable Energy and Mines

launched a weather portal for Power sector on 23

June 2017 that will help all the electricity distribution

companies of India in managing power distribution.

Top stock exchange NSE on 27 June inked a pact with

Andhra Pradesh government to help micro, small and

07.04.2017 Page 4 of 13

medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the state to raise

capital through listing on the bourse's platform.

The Maharashtra government issued the Government

Resolution (GR) on 28 June 2017 for the farm loan

waiver of Rs 34022 crore announced by Chief Minister

Devendra Fadnavis last week.

India on 27 June 2017 made voluntary contribution of

USD 100000 to the United Nations Trust Fund for

International Cooperation in Tax Matters (UN Tax

Fund).

The Union Government on 28 June 2017

simultaneously launched two key interventions: a

revamped oil and gas bidding mechanism named Open

Acreage Licensing Process (OALP) and the National

Data Repository (NDR) for the first major oil field

auctions to be held from 1 July 2017.

India on 27 June 2017 signed a loan agreement of USD

35 million with the World Bank for Assam State Public

Financial Institutional Reforms Project.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on 29 June 2017

committed USD 10 billion support for infrastructure

building and immediate development needs of less-

developed states in India.

Private Sector Lender, Yes Bank, along with YES Global

Institute has launched 'YES GST' program for MSMEs

under its MSME CSR initiative, 'Say YES to Sustainable

MSMEs in India'.

The Delhi Development Authority's much-awaited new

housing scheme that includes construction and

delivery of around 13000 houses was launched on 30

June 2017. The scheme has been linked with the

Pradhanmantri Awas Yojna, which means that people

fulfilling the criteria will get a subsidy in the interest

when they take a bank loan.

Amid the continuing clampdown on the suspected

black money stashed behind the framed secrecy walls,

a data published on 29 June 2017 says that money

parked by Indians in the banks of Switzerland has

nearly halved to 676 Swiss francs (about Rs 4500

crore) in 2016. The data was released by Switzerland’s

central banking authority SNB (Swiss National Bank).

India & States News Updates

The Odisha state government is all set to commission

the ambitious Early Warning Dissemination System

(EWDS) that would set off a warning in the event of the

occurrence of natural disasters like a tsunami or

cyclone by July 2017.

India Army on 2 June 2017 successfully test-fired its

indigenously developed nuclear-capable Prithvi-II

missile from a test range in Odisha as part of a user

trial.

India and Russia on 1 June 2017 signed the St

Petersburg Declaration to mark the 70th anniversary of

the establishment of diplomatic relations between the

two nations.

Making of Developed India (MODI), the three-day

festival, was launched in Andhra Pradesh on 2 June

2017 to celebrate the successful completion of the

three-year rule by the NDA government.

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on 5 June

2017 successfully launched the communication

satellite GSAT-19 into a Geosynchronous Transfer

Orbit (GTO). The communication satellite was lifted by

an indigenously developed launch vehicle named

Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III

(GSLV Mk- III) D-1 from the second launch pad of the

spaceport at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre,

Sriharikota at 5.28 pm.

India on 4 June 2017 successfully test-fired indigenous

first all weather tracked-chassis Quick Reaction

Surface-to-Air Missile (QR-SAM). The QR-SAM was

test-fired from a mobile launcher at Integrated Test

Range (ITR) at Chandipur in Odisha at around 12:39

p.m. local time.

Sector regulator Trai on 5 June launched a new app —

MyCall — that enables subscribers to rate the quality

of a phone call. Trai has also rolled out an update to its

MySpeed app, which allows customers to measure

3G/4G data speeds and send the results to the

regulator.

The Government of Kerala has implemented a ‘green

protocol’ to make auspicious occasions such as

weddings more nature-friendly.

Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare J P Nadda

on 6 June 2017 launched the Skill for Life, Save a Life

Initiative with an aim to promote skill development in

the health sector.

07.04.2017 Page 5 of 13

The Union government would be appointing Nyaya

Mitras across the country to speed up the hearing of

cases that have been pending in the lower courts for

the last 10 years.

CK Mishra, Secretary Health and Family Welfare, on 7

June 2017 inaugurated the ‘Vatsalya – Maatri Amrit

Kosh’, a National Human Milk Bank and Lactation

Counselling Centre at the Lady Hardinge Medical

College (LHMC), New Delhi.

India & Mauritius signed a MoU to co-operate in

Parliamentary Affairs. The Memorandum of

Understanding (MoU) was signed by Lok Sabha

speaker Sumitra Mahajan and Speaker of National

Assembly of Mauritius Santi Bai Hanoomanjee after

their meeting in Port Louis.

India and the United Nations Office for South-South

Cooperation (UNOSSC) on 8 June 2017 launched a

partnership fund to support the Sustainable

Development Goals (SDGs) across the developing

world.

The Union Ministry of Law and Justice has cleared the

Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Karnataka

Amendment) Bill 2017, legalising Kambala, a

traditional race involving buffaloes.

The Minister of State for AYUSH (Independent Charge),

Shripad Yesso Naik inaugurated the second National

Health Editors' Conference on Yoga on 9 June 2017 at

the National Media Centre in New Delhi. The theme of

this year’s conference is “Yoga for Health and

Harmony”.

To provide legal aid for the people living in rural areas,

the Union Government on 11 June 2017 launched 'Tele

Law' service. Under the service, the legal aid will be

provided through video conferencing to marginalised

communities of rural areas.

Calcutta High Court Judge C S Karnan, who was

sentenced six months of imprisonment by Supreme

Court, retired on 12 June 2017 at the age of 62, the

retirement age for a High Court judge.

The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on 14

June 2017 launched the Intensified Diarrhoea Control

Fortnight (IDCF) to intensify efforts to reduce child

deaths due to diarrhoea.

The Defence Research and Development Organisation

(DRDO) on 13 June 2017 successfully test fired anti-

tank ‘Nag’ missile in Rajasthan.

Three Indian warships on 13 June 2017 sailed into

Fremantle to participate in a week-long naval exercise,

AUSINDEX-17, off the Western Australian coast.

Bihar Governor Ramnath Kovind will be NDA's

presidential candidate for the upcoming Presidential

election. The presidential election is scheduled to be

held on 17 July 2017.

Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM), ISRO’s maiden

interplanetary mission completed 1000 Earth days in

its orbit on 19 June 2017, well beyond its designed

mission life of six months.

Narmada Control Authority (NCA) has cleared the

proposal of final raising of the Sardar Sarovar Dam

(SSD) in Gujarat by lowering of the gates and

impounding of water in the reservoir up to its Full

Reservoir Level (FRL) of EL 138.68 meters.

Dr Mahesh Sharma, Minister of State (Independent

Charge) for Culture & Tourism on 17 June 2017

launched the implementation of the ‘National Mission

on Cultural Mapping of India’ at Goverdhan Block,

Mathura District of Uttar Pradesh.

Vijay Rupani, the Chief Minister of Gujarat flagged off

Astha Tourist Train, a special Gandhi Darshan train

from Sabarmati railway station on 17 June 2017.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the first

phase of the Kochi Metro, India’s eighth metro rail

service and the first in a tier-II city on 17 June 2017 at

an inaugural ceremony held at the Jawaharlal Nehru

International Stadium.

The government has roped in Bollywood megastar

Amitabh Bachchan to promote Goods and Services

Tax (GST), ahead of the sweeping tax reform's

implementation scheduled from July 1.

Union Minister for Science and Technology Harsh

Vardhan on 19 June 2017 launched a mobile app

“Celebrating Yoga” to popularize Yoga and encourage

people to participate in it for a scientifically healthy

living.

India and Portugal on 17 May 2017 signed a Protocol

of Cooperation agreement to promote cooperation in

the field of archives. The information regarding this

07.04.2017 Page 6 of 13

was published by Press Information Bureau on 20 June

2017.

Uttarakhand has become the fourth state to be open

defecation free (ODF) in the country.

A joint team of the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation

(ONGC) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific

and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in June 2017

carried out a preliminary survey for the conservation of

Chilika Lake.

The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra

Modi on 22 June gave its approval for signing a

Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for

cooperation in Traditional Systems of Medicine and

Homoeopathy between Ministry of AYUSH the

Ministry of Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine

of Sri Lanka.

Tata Trust has joined hands with the Andhra Pradesh

Government to accelerate the Rural Prosperity

Mission, in which the World Bank is a strategic partner.

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister

Narendra Modi on 22 June 2017 approved amendment

of the bilateral Social Security Agreement (SSA)

between India and the Netherlands by incorporating

the 'Country of Residence' Principle into the SSA.

The Department of Science and Technology (DST)

under Ministry of Science and Technology on 22 June

2017 launched the Visiting Advanced Joint Research

Faculty (VAJRA) scheme in a bid to bring together the

Indian scientists abroad and India-based researchers

for conducting joint researches in India.

Meira Kumar, former Lok Sabha speaker was chosen as

the Congress-led Opposition’s presidential candidate

against BJP-led NDA’s Ram Nath Kovind.

Haryana was on 22 June 2017 declared as the 5th Open

Defecation Free (ODF) state of India under the Swachh

Bharat Mission Gramin (SBM-G). On the same day

itself, Uttarakhand was decalred as the 4th state to be

open defecation free.

The National space agency, Indian Space Research

Organisation (ISRO), on 23 June 2017 successfully

launched India’s ‘Cartosat-2 Series’ satellite and 30

other co-passenger payloads

Maharashtra Forest Minister, Sudhir Mungantiwar

announced on 23 June 2017 that the government plans

to launch a mobile app named ‘My Plant’ on 1 July

2017.

The Union Government on 26 June 2017 constituted a

committee for preparation of final draft of National

Education Policy under the Chairmanship of eminent

Scientist Padma Vibhushan K Kasturirangan.

India and the United States on 26 June 2017 released

a Joint Statement (JS) titled - United States and India:

Prosperity through Partnership. The JS was released

after bilateral talks were held between Prime Minister

Narendra Modi and President Donald J. Trump.

India-Portugal signed 11 agreements/MoUs ranging

from science and technology, education, anti-

terrorism, climate, among others. The signed MoUs will

help in enhancing the bilateral relationship between

the two nations.

The Union Cabinet, presided by Prime Minister

Narendra Modi, on 28 June 2017 approved signing of a

Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India

and Israel on National Campaign for Water

Conservation in India.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 29 June 2017

inaugurated the centenary celebrations of Sabarmati

Ashram in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. In addition, PM Modi

also released the coin and postal stamp in the honour

of Jain saint and philosopher Shrimad Rajchandra on

his 150th birth anniversary at Abhay Ghat.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on 28 June 2017

announced that it will launch a special drive to enrol

left out electors, with a special focus on first time

electors. The step is taken in the direction of

Commission’s motto that 'No Voter to be Left Behind’.

It is the first time that Facebook's voter registration

reminder has been rolled out across India.

India's latest communication satellite GSAT-17 was

successfully launched from Kourou in French Guiana

on 29 June 2017. The satellite was launched by French

rocket Ariane-5.

India and the Netherlands on 27 June 2017 released a

Joint Communiqué at The Hague. The Joint

Communique was released after bilateral talks

between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Dutch

counterpart, Prime Minister Mark Rutte.

07.04.2017 Page 7 of 13

The Indian Army reportedly received its first batch of

bullet-proof helmets from Kanpur-based MKU

Industries.

Operations at one of three terminals at India's largest

container port Jawaharlal Nehru Port (JNPT) in

Mumbai were disrupted by the global ransomware

attack. The attack was confirmed by the port

authorities on 28 June 2017.

The Cabinet Minister for Science and Technology, Earth

Sciences, Environment, Forests and Climate Change,

Harsh Vardhan, on 30 June 2017 launched a first ever

Industry-Academia mission. The National Biopharma

Mission was launched to accelerate biopharmaceutical

development in India.

National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) on 29 June

2017 launched a web application for free legal services

to prisoners and the Legal Services Management

System. NALSA is entrusted with the responsibility to

provide legal aid inter-alia to all persons in custody. The

web application was launched by Justice Dipak Misra,

Judge at Supreme Court of India and Executive

Chairman of NALSA.

Appointments

Reserve Bank of India has appointed S. Ganesh Kumar

as Executive Director.

Indian Oil’s Director (Refineries), Sanjiv Singh took over

as the Chairman of IOC on June 1.

Former Indian Ambassador to the United States,

Nirupama Rao has been appointed as the public policy

fellow to a top American think-tank based in

Washington.

Amul Thapar, an Indian-American legal luminary, has

been appointed a judge on the US Court of Appeals for

the Sixth Circuit by President Donald Trump, the White

House has said.

Ireland's governing Fine Gael Party on 2 June 2017

elected Leo Varadkar as its new leader to succeed Enda

Kenny as the Prime Minister. He will be the first Indian-

origin to lead Ireland.

Ganeshan Neelakanta Iyer in the first week of June

2017 became the first Indian to be nominated as a

member of the Umpires and Referees Committee

(URC).

Shashi Shekar Vempati was on 2 June 2017 appointed

as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Prasar Bharati.

Sher Bahadur Deuba took the oath as the Prime

Minister of Nepal for the fourth time on 7 June 2017.

He was elected as the nation’s 40th Prime Minister on

6 June 2017.

The Maharashtra government on June 7 appointed

senior counsel Ashutosh Kumbhakoni as the new

Advocate General of the state.

Theresa May on 11 June 2017 appointed her close ally

Damian Green as her first secretary of state, effectively

her deputy prime minister.

Automobile major Tata Motors on 13 June 2017

announced the appointment of Girish Wagh as the

head of its Commercial Vehicle Business Unit.

Indian nominee Neeru Chadha was on 15 June 2017

became the first Indian Woman to be elected as the

Member of International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea

(ITLOS).

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.

India decided to re-nominate Dalveer Bhandari for

another term as the Judge of the International Court of

Justice (ICJ).

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on

21 June 2017 appointed Vladimir Ivanovich Voronkov

of the Russian Federation as Under-Secretary-General

of the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Office.

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.

Urban Development Secretary Rajiv Gauba was named

as the next Union Home Secretary. He will succeed

Rajiv Mehrishi, who will complete his term on 30

August 2017.

Romanian President Klaus Iohannis on 26 June 2017

appointed Social Democrat Mihai Tudose as the Prime

07.04.2017 Page 8 of 13

Minister and mandated him to form a new

government.

Rajiv Kumar was on 29 June 2017 appointed as the

Chief Secretary of Uttar Pradesh.

Dr. Manoj Soni, former Vice Chancellor of Dr.

Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University, took the Oath

of Office and Secrecy as Member of the Union Public

Service Commission (UPSC) on 28 June 2017 at Delhi.

Indian-American Krishna R Urs was on 28 June 2017

appointed as the United States (US) Ambassador to

Peru by the President Donald Trump administration.

Jammu and Kashmir Governor Narinder Nath Vohra in

the last week of June 2017 was appointed the President

of the India International Centre (IIC).

Loknath Behra was on 28 June 2017 appointed as the

Director General of Police (DGP) of Kerala as incumbent

TP Senkumar will retire as the state DGP on 30 June

2017.

Former Chief Economic Advisor Kaushik Basu on 27

June 2017 took over as the President of the

International Economic Association (IEA) with effect

from 23 June 2017.

Narendra Kumar Sinha, a 1980-batch IAS officer from

Bihar, took over as Secretary in the Ministry of

Information & Broadcasting on 30 June 2017.

Resignations

First woman Chief Justice of Nepal Sushila Karki retired

on 8 June 2017 after attaining the age 65 years.

Prominent telecom engineer and policymaker Sam

Pitroda on 7 June 2017 resigned as the Technical

Advisor to the Odisha Government.

Bihar Governor Ram Nath Kovind resigned from his

post on 20 June 2017. His resignation came following

his nomination as the NDA’s Presidential Candidate. His

resignation was accepted by President Pranab

Mukherjee.

Days & Observances

The Global Day of Parents was observed on 1 June

2017.

International Day of Innocent Children Victims of

Aggression was observed across the world on 4 June

2017.

The World Environment Day (WED) was observed on 5

June 2017 with the year’s theme ‘Connecting People to

Nature’.

The United Nations Russian Language Day was

observed on 6 June 2017.

The World Oceans Day was observed across the world

on 8 June 2017 with the theme Our oceans, our future.

The World Day against Child Labour was observed

globally on 12 June 2017 with the theme In conflicts

and disasters, protect children from child labour.

The International Albinism Awareness Day was

observed on 13 June 2017 with an aim to end multiple

forms of discrimination that is faced by people who

suffers from albinism.

World Blood Donors Day (WBDD) was observed on 14

June 2017. The theme of the 2017 World Blood Donor

Day is Give Blood. Give Now. Give Often.

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day was observed

globally on 15 June 2017. The theme of the 2017 World

Elder Abuse Awareness Day is Understand and End

Financial Abuse of Older People: A Human Rights Issue.

The International Day for the Elimination of Sexual

Violence in Conflict was observed globally on 19 June

2017 with the theme ‘Preventing Sexual Violence

Crimes through Justice and Deterrence’.

The World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought

was observed globally on 17 June 2017 with a

campaign 'Our land. Our home. Our Future' to promote

public awareness of international efforts to combat

desertification.

The World Refugee Day was observed across the world

on 20 June 2017 to commemorate the strength,

courage, and perseverance of millions of refugees.

International Yoga Day was celebrated world-wide on

21 June 2017. The day is being celebrated with the

theme "Yoga for Health".

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The International Widows’ Day was observed globally

on 23 June 2017.

The 2017 International Day against Drug Abuse and

Illicit Trafficking was observed on 26 June 2017. The

day was observed with the theme Listen First -

Listening to children and youth is the first step to help

them grow healthy and safe.

The 2017 Day of the Seafarer (DotS) was observed on

25 June 2017 by the International Maritime

Organisation (IMO) with the theme 'Seafarers Matter'.

The International Day of the Tropics 2017 was

observed across the world on 29 June 2017.

Sharjah, a city in the United Arab Emirates has been

named as 'the World Book Capital' for 2019 by the

Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova for the

quality of its literary and cultural activities and for its

efforts to make books accessible to the entire

population of the nation. The programme runs with a

slogan ‘Read - you are in Sharjah’.

World News Updates

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration

(NASA) on 31 May 2017 renamed the Solar Probe Plus

Spacecraft, NASA's first mission to a star which will be

launched in 2018, as the Parker Solar Probe in honour

of astrophysicist Eugene Parker.

Japan on 1 June 2017 launched a satellite to help build

a high-precision geolocation system that will

complement the US operated Global Positioning

System (GPS). The rocket carrying the Michibiki No. 2

satellite, H-IIA, was launched from the Tanegashima

space center in Kagoshima Prefecture, Southern Japan

President Donald Trump announced on 1 June 2017

that he would withdraw the United States from the

landmark 2015 Paris agreement to fight climate

change.

The world's fastest elevator that can operate at a

record breaking speed of 1260 metres per minute is set

to been installed in a skyscraper complex building in

China.

The World Bank on 13 June 2017 approved a USD 520

million package of funding for projects to boost

Afghanistan's economy and build critical

infrastructure.

The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on 15

June 2017 re-elected India to another three-year term

on the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

China on 15 June 2017 successfully launched its first X-

ray Space Telescope named 'Insight' to study black

holes, pulsars and gamma-ray bursts.

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.

Taking ahead the bilateral relations between India and

Afghanistan, the Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on 19

June 2017 inaugurated the first Afghanistan-India air

corridor. The corridor inaugurated at the Kabul

International Airport is a direct route that will bypass

Pakistan.

Sweden in the second week of June 2017 committed to

become a net-zero carbon emission emitter by 2045.

The vote makes Sweden the first country to

significantly strengthen its climate targets since the

Paris Agreement in 2015.

China has unveiled the world's first ‘railless train’ that

runs on a virtual track making use of a sensor

technology instead of metal rails.

China launched its first self-developed 'next-

generation' bullet train 'Fuxing' with a maximum speed

of 400kmh on 26 June 2017.

The Trump administration has set new criteria for visa

applicants from six Muslim nations and all refugees

that require a close family or business tie to the

United States. According to the new guidelines sent to

all the US embassies and consulates on 28 June 2017,

visa applicants from six countries- Iran, Libya, Somalia,

Sudan, Syria and Yemen-must prove a relationship with

a parent, spouse, child, adult son or daughter, son-in-

law, daughter-in-law or sibling in the United States in

order to get a go ahead.

The Automated Teller Machine (ATM) marked its 50th

anniversary on 27 June 2017. The first ATM was

opened on 27 June 1967 at a branch of Barclays bank

07.04.2017 Page 10 of 13

in Enfield, north London, the first of six cash dispensers

commissioned by the bank.

The words Chana and Chana Dal were on 27 June 2017

added to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED). 'Chana'

means Chickpeas and 'Chana Dal' stands for split

chickpea lentils.

Leaders of the world’s 20 largest economies will be

converging at the upcoming 12th G20 Summit on 7-8

July 2017 at Hamburg, a major port city in northern

Germany. The topics that are expected to dominate the

discussion include counter-terrorism and economic

reforms.

Sports News Updates

Manika Batra and Mouma Das on 1 June 2017 entered

into the quarterfinals of the World Table Tennis

Championships in Dusseldorf. With this, the duo also

created a history by becoming the first Indian pair to

reach the quarterfinals of the World Table Tennis

Championships.

Indian third seed B. Sai Praneeth on 4 June 2017

captured the Men’s Singles title in the USD 120000

Thailand Open Grand Prix Gold badminton

championship.

Real Madrid made history on 3 June 2017 as they

became the first team ever to win back-to-back

Champions League titles.

Cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar will be joining the

likes of Noval Djokovic and David Beckham for a United

Nations campaign/initiative titled Super Dads.

India’s Rohan Bopanna and his Canadian teammate

Gabriela Dabrowski on 8 June 2017 won the mixed

doubles title at the 2017 French Open of Tennis. In the

finals played at Philippe-Chatrier Court of Paris, France,

the Indo-Canadian pair defeated the pair of Germany’s

Anna-Lena Groenefeld and Colombia's Robert Farah by

2-6, 6-2, 12-10.

Legendary off-spinner Muttiah Muralidaran was on 8

June 2017 inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame by

ICC Chief Executive David Richardson after the India

versus Sri Lanka ICC Champions Trophy match at The

Oval.

Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli is the sole Indian

sportsperson to feature in the 2017 Forbes list of ‘The

World’s highest paid athletes’. Kohli has been ranked

89th among the 100 top-earning athletes with a total

pay of $22 million that includes $3 million from salary

and winnings and another $19 million from

endorsements.

Rafael Nadal on 11 June 2017 set a record winning his

10th French Open title. No other player has ever won

10 championships at the same event. Nadal defeated

Stan Wawrinka to grab the historic win.

Jelena Ostapenko on 10 June 2017 grabbed her first

ever grand slam title by beating the match favourite,

third-seeded Simona Halep in the final of French Open

2017.

England on 11 June 2017 lifted the FIFA U-20 World

Cup for the first time ever. England defeated Venezuela

1-0 in the summit clash held in Suwon, South Korea.

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.

Pakistan on 18 June 2017 defeated India in the final

played at The Oval, London to lift the 2017 ICC

Champions Trophy.

Anil Kumble, the legendary cricketer and cricket

thinker, resigned from the post of head Coach of the

Indian Cricket team on 20 June 2017. His resignation

came four days before the limited overs tour to the

Caribbean (West Indies team) begins.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Intel

on 21 June 2017 announced a long-term technology

partnership.

Former Indian hockey captain, Dhanraj Pillay would be

conferred East Bengal football club's highest honour -

Bharat Gaurav -at its foundation day ceremony on 1

August 2017.

Two Indians from Maharashtra, Srinivas Gokulnath

and Amit Samarth created history on 25 June 2017 by

becoming the first from the country to complete the

4900 km long Race Across America (RAAM) in the solo

category.

Kidambi Srikanth on 25 June 2017 won the 2017

Australian Open Men’s Singles title.

07.04.2017 Page 11 of 13

Indian badminton player Kidambi Srikanth has re-

entered the top ten of the Badminton World

Federation (BWF) men's singles rankings for the first

time in ten months.

Sri Lankan fast bowler, Lasith Malinga has been

handed over a suspension ban of six months after a

disciplinary inquiry found him guilty of breaching his

contract by speaking to the media without permission.

Swiss legend Roger Federer on 25 June 2017 defeated

Alexander Zverev 6-1, 6-3 in the final to clinch the 2017

Halle Open Men’s Singles title.

Awards & Honors

The Union Ministry of Rural Development in the first

week of June 2017 selected Vizianagaram as one

among the 17 districts across the nation for the

MGNREGA Annual Award for effective implementation

of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment

Guarantee Act during 2015-16.

Popular writer Anand Neelakantan, Odia poet

Haraprasad Das and author Paramita Satpathy were

on 6 June 2017 announced as the winners of the

Kalinga Literary Awards.

J P Nadda, the Union Minister of Health and Family

Welfare was conferred the WHO Director-General’s

Special Recognition Award for global tobacco control

on 8 June 2017.

Polish poet and author Adam Zagajewski on 8 June

2017 won the Spain's prestigious Princess of Asturias

Award for Literature 2017.

Renowned poet and essayist Haraprasad Das on 11

June 2017 was conferred with the prestigious Kalinga

Literary Award.

Project Jal Sanchay, a water conservation model

adopted successfully by the authorities in Nalanda

district of south-central Bihar, has been selected for

the national award for excellence in the Mahatma

Gandhi national rural employment guarantee

programme (MGNREGP) by the Union ministry of rural

development.

Eminent litterateur Yeshe Dorje Thongchi was on 15

June 2017 chosen for the Bhupen Hazarika Award

2017.

A Horse Walks Into a Bar by David Grossman on 14

June 2017 was announced as the winner of the 2017

Man Booker International Prize.

Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute of Pune

was on 21 June 2017 selected as the first recipient of

the Prime Minister’s Award for Outstanding

Contribution to Promotion and Development of Yoga

for 2017. The award was announced on the occasion of

third edition of International Yoga Day.

Qatar Airways on 20 June 2017 was announced the

World’s Best Airline at the SKYTRAX 2017 World Airline

Awards.

Fashion label Rheson, owned by actress Sonam Kapoor

and her producer-sister Rhea Kapoor, on 22 June 2017

won the Compassionate Business Award 2017 from the

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)

India for a line of bags made exclusively of vegan

materials.

Anti-hunger activist Ankit Kawatra is all set to receive

the prestigious Queen’s Young Leaders Award with 60

others from all 53 Commonwealth countries.

The West Bengal Government's Kanyashree Prakalpa

on 23 June 2017 was awarded the first prize in United

Nations Public Service Award for Asia Pacific. The

award was presented at The Hague, Netherlands.

Haryana’s Manushi Chhillar on 25 June 2017 was

crowned the 54th Femina Miss India World 2017. The

event was held at Yash Raj Studios in Mumbai,

Maharashtra.

Reports

Indian superstars Shahrukh Khan, Salman Khan and

Akshay Kumar are among Forbes’ annual list of the

highest-earning entertainers in the world. Shah Rukh

Khan, ranks 65th on the list. Salman Khan is on the 71st

spot. Akshay Kumar is ranked 80th on the list

In roughly seven years, around 2024, the population of

India is expected to surpass that of China, according to

a UN report – the World Population Prospects: The

2017 Revision--published by the United Nations

Department of Economic and Social Affairs. The report

stated that currently, China with a population of about

1.41 billion and India with a population of about 1.34

07.04.2017 Page 12 of 13

billion are two of the most populous countries

comprising 19 and 18 percent of the total global

population.

The UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre on 23 June 2017

released the first global scientific assessment of

climate change impacts on World Heritage coral reefs.

The social, cultural and economic value of coral reefs is

estimated at USD 1 trillion. Recent projections indicate

that climate-related loss of reef ecosystem services will

total USD 500 billion per year or more by 2100, with

the greatest impacts felt by people who rely on reefs

for day-to-day subsistence.

The National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) under Union

Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation

on 29 June 2017 released the report titled 'Key

Indicators of Unincorporated Non-Agricultural

Enterprises (Excluding Construction) in India’.

Books

Beren and Luthien, a book by Lord of the Rings author

John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (JRR Tolkien), was published

on 1 June 2017, 100 years after it was first conceived.

A book titled Indira Gandhi: A Life in Nature authored

by Jairam Ramesh was released on 10 June 2017 at the

Indira Gandhi Memorial Museum in New Delhi.

Obituaries

Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission President

Swami Atmasthananda passed away on 18 June 2017

after a prolonged illness.

Helmut Kohl, former German Chancellor who presided

over both German reunification and the creation of the

eurozone passed away on 16 June 2016.

“An obstacle is a stepping Stone”

Visit www.exampundit.in for more Free

Materials for IBPS PO, SSC CGL & other

exams.

07.04.2017 Page 13 of 13