Daily GK Updates - 17th July, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India’s Presidential Poll today: The secret ballot vote that took place today will decide India’s next President by 20th July,2017. Ram Nath Kovind is likely to sweep the elections with 70% of Electoral College backing him.

2. Air-dropping of food packets in Rayagada, Odisha: Odisha government started air-dropping food packets in the flood hit regions of Kalyansinghpur and Rayagada blocks. The government has also set up free kitchens for flood affected people. The State Health Department are keeping a close watch for the outbreak of contagious diseases.

3. SGPC announces to set up a Memorial for Sikh ‘Dharmi Faujis’: The Shiromani Gurudwara Parbhandak Committee has announced that it would set up a memorial in the memory of ‘Dharmi Faujis’ – Sikh soldiers in the Indian army who committed mutiny during Operation Blue Star. Operation Blue Star was conducted between 1–10 June 1984.

4. 50-odd protected monuments across Gujarat will soon be visually-impaired-friendly: Archaeological Survey of India, Gujarat circle, is set to install Braille signboards at around 50 monuments in the state for explaining their historical and cultural significance to the visually-impaired visitors.

5. Fellowship awarded to Nandakishore Kapote: Internationally-acclaimed senior Kathak dancer Pandit Nandakishore Kapote was conferred with a fellowship by the Department of Culture, Government of India. His contributions include launching a Kathak University in Pimpri-Chinchwad, Pune.

           

International UPDATES:

1. World Day for International Justice: World Day for International Justice is an international day celebrated throughout the world on July 17 as part of an effort to recognize the emerging system of international criminal justice. July 17 was chosen because it is the anniversary of the adoption of the Rome Statute, the treaty that created the International Criminal Court.

2. Chinese Army conducts live-fire drills in Tibet: The People’s Liberation Army conducted five live fire exercises in South West China’s Tibet Autonomous Region

The live fire drills included quick delivery of troops.

3. Scientists create strong and super-stretchy artificial silk: Scientists from the University of Cambridge have developed super-stretchy and strong artificial spider silk, almost entirely composed of water. The fibres of the synthetic spider silk are spun from hydrogel, a soupy material which is 98% water & remaining 2% of the hydrogel is made of naturally available silica and cellulose.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING & FINANCE:

1. IBBI notifies new rules for bankruptcy probe: The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India has powers to start probe against service providers registered with it without intimating them, according to new regulations. IBBI, which is implementing the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, has notified the regulations.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY:

2. Uber suspends ride sharing services in Macau: As it has not been able to fully unlock the benefits of ride sharing in Macau, Uber will suspend its operations. Uber said on its website “We are already exploring ways to serve the city again, and have had initial discussions with partners, including transport operators and hotels”.

3. 18th IIFA Awards 2017: International Indian Film Academy Awards were held recently. Important awards have been listed below:

Best Film: Neerja

Best Actor (Male): Shahid Kapoor (Udta Punjab)

Best Actor (Female): Alia Bhatt (Udta Punjab)

Best Director: AnirudhRoy Chaudhary (Pink)

Best Playback Singer (Male): Amit Mishra (Ae Dil Hai Mushkil)

Best Playback Singer (Female): Kanika Kapoor (Udta Punjab) and Tulsi Kumar (Airlift)

Best Music Direction: Pritam (Ae Dil Hai Mushkil)

SPORTS:

4. Harinder Pal Sandhu wins Victorian Open squash title: Harinder Pal Sandhu won the Victorian Open squash tournament held in Melbourne, Australia. He defeated Rex Hedrick.

5. Martina Hingis claims mixed doubles title at 2017 Wimbledon: Martina Hingis clinched her 23rd Grand Slam title as she and her partner Jamie Murray beat Henri Kontinen and Heather Watson in the Wimbledon mixed doubles final.

Daily GK Updates - 16th July, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Prasar Bharti to distribute free set-top boxes in naxal-hit areas: Prasar Bharati is likely to distribute around 10 lakh free of cost DTH set-top boxes in naxal-hit areas of the country. It would enable people in naxal-affected states to connect with various schemes of government.

2. Chitraveen Maestro N. Ravikiran selected for Sangit Kalanidhi award: Noted Chitraveena Maestro N. Ravikiran has been selected for Sangit Kalanidhi award of this year. The awards are given every year by Madras Music Academy.

3. Soldiers exempted from toll tax in Madhya Pradesh: Shivraj Singh Chouhan has announced exemption for soldiers from paying toll-tax on highways in the state. Jawans will be provided with the relief in Madhya Pradesh after they present their official identity cards.

4. Vijay Goel flags off Slum Yuva Daud: Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Vijay Goel flagged off Slum Yuva Daud to mark the beginning of the Adopt Slum Campaign. Run started from Delhi University’s Shankarlal Hall and ended at the Rugby Stadium with participation of about 5000 youngsters from various slums of Delhi.

5. IIFA Awards 2017: 18th edition of International Indian Film Academy Awards was held in New York. Alia Bhatt won Best Actress Award for Udta Punjab while her co-star in the film, Shahid Kapoor, won the Best Actor Award. Neerja won the Best Film Award, while Pink director Aniruddha Roy was awarded the Best Director.

International UPDATES:

1. Indonesia renames a part of South China Sea as “North Natuna Sea”: Indonesia has renamed northern parts of its exclusive economic zone of South China Sea as ‘North Natuna Sea’. The move is considered as an act of defiance against Beijing’s territorial ambitions in the region.

2. San Miguel de Allende of Mexico named as the world’s best city by T&L Magazine: Mexican city San Miguel de Allende is named as world’s best city by Travel and Leisure Magazine. Only one Indian city could make it for Top 15. The city Udaipur is ranked 14th.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY:

1. Raymond to launch khadi range on October 2, Gandhi Jayanti Day: Textile & apparel major Raymond will launch Khadi by Raymond on October 2. Raymond was 1st to forge the first partnership with Khadi & Village Industries Commission and will promote fabric in India & global markets.

2. Singapore Airline rated as the best airline in the world: Singapore airline has been rated as best airline in the world by Travel and Leisure. While Emirates and Qatar airways secured second and third place respectively.

3. MobiKwik partners with Samsung Pay: Digital payments company MobiKwik has partnered Samsung Pay under which consumers will be able to make payments with a single tap using select Samsung handsets. MobiKwik wallet is now integrated with Samsung Pay Mini to enable one-tap payments at more than 1.4 million MobiKwik-powered merchants across the country.

4. India tops the world in spam calls according TrueCaller: According to a report by Truecaller, India tops the list of countries most affected by spam calls. India is ahead of countries like US, Brazil, Chile & South Africa with an average user receiving over 22 spam calls a month.

SPORTS:

5. Roger Federer wins record eighth Wimbledon title: The 35-year-old Swiss champion became the tournament’s oldest winner with a straight-sets victory over his opponent Marin Cilic.

6. Muguruza wins first Wimbledon title in the women’s singles category: Garbine Muguruza won a maiden Wimbledon title after defeating 5 time champion Venus Williams under the roof on Centre Court.

7. Lewis Hamilton wins fourth consecutive British Grand Prix: Lewis Hamilton cruised to a fourth successive British Grand Prix victory on Sunday as he cut Sebastian Vettel’s lead in the championship to a single point.

OBITUARIES:

8. Maryam Mirzakhani, the first woman to win Fields Medal, dies at 40: Maryam Mirzakhani, an Iranian- born mathematician who was the first woman to win the coveted Fields Medal, has died of cancer. She had won the Fields Medal, the equivalent of the Nobel Prize for Mathematics, in 2014.

Daily GK Updates - 15th July, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Railways Launches ‘SAARTHI’ App: Railways has launched an integrated mobile application to cater to various passenger requirements, including ticket booking, inquiry and ordering meal on a single platform. The app, called as Rail SAARTHI has been developed by CRIS and was unveiled by Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu.

2. Gujarat govt forms Saputara Area Development Authority: The Gujarat govt. has formed the Saputara Area Development Authority (SADA) for “comprehensive development” of its only hill station in tribal populated district of Dang. The authority will carry out planned development in 419-hectare area of ‘Saputara’ for tourism purpose.

3. Government relaxes FDI norms in various sectors to attract investment: The union govt. has relaxed Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) norms in over a dozen sectors, including defence, civil aviation, construction and development, private security agencies, real estate and news broadcasting.

International UPDATES:

1. Lilly Singh appointed as UNICEF’s Global Goodwill Ambassador: UNICEF has appointed Indian-origin Canadian YouTube Lilly Singh as its newest Global Goodwill Ambassador. Lilly who has around 11.9 million subscribers on YouTube, will use her channel to showcase the organisation’s work and urge millions of her followers to work for children’s rights. She has also started a new initiative on social media #GirlLove – which aims to end girl-on-girl hate.

2. Bill on defence co-operation with India passed in US: US House of Representatives has passed a $621.5 billion defence policy bill that proposes to advance defence cooperation with India. The National Defense Authorisation Act, 2018, was passed with 344 to 81 vote.

3. World Youth Skills Day is being observed today: The World Youth Skills Day is observed globally on 15th July every year to raise awareness about the importance of investing in youth skills development. In 2014, The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) had established World Youth Skills Day.

4. Tougher conditions for defence funding to Pakistan - US: US House of Representatives has voted for 3 legislative amendments to impose tougher conditions for reimbursement of defence funding to Pakistan. Pakistan will now have to show satisfactory progress in fight against terrorism.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY:

1. ICICI Lombard files for IPO, becomes the first non-life insurance company to do so in India: ICICI Lombard General Insurance, the non-life insurance joint venture of ICICI Bank and Fairfax Financial Holdings has filed the draft red herring prospectus for its IPO. It is the first non-life insurance company to file for a public offering.

2. Apps contributed Rs 1.4 lakh cr to Indian GDP – ICRIER study: According to a study conducted by ICRIER along with the Broadband India Forum, Internet-based applications have contributed Rs 1.4 lakh crore to the country’s GDP in 2015-16. The contribution is estimated to grow to nearly 16% of the country’s GDP by 2020, the figure can grow to Rs 18 lakh crore by 2020.

3. TCS to close its Lucknow operations, says staff will be unaffected: Tata Consultancy Services has decided to close its operations in Lucknow after 33 years  & shift to Noida.

4. Mukesh Kumar Jain appointed MD & CEO of Oriental Bank of Commerce: Mukesh Kumar Jain has been appointed as the managing director(MD)and chief executive officer (CEO) of Oriental Bank of Commerce (OBC) for a period of three years.

SPORTS:

5. Sundar Singh Gurjar wins gold in World Para Athletics Championships: Sundar Singh Gurjar has opened India’s account at World Para Athletics Championships by clinching gold in the men’s javelin throw event. In the F46 category, Sundar recorded his personal best effort of 60.36m and took the top honour.

6. BCCI retains IMG as IPL service provider: BCCI has renewed a 5 year deal with International Management Group as the service provider of IPL. IMG has been the service provider for IPL for last 10 years.

Daily GK Updates - 14th July, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Indian astrophysicist discovered galaxy super cluster, names it Saraswati: Astrophysicist at Pune based IUCAA and IISER have discovered one of the most massive large-scale structures in the universe. A cluster could have galaxies ranging from 40 to 43. This galaxy super cluster, named as Saraswati is 4 billion light-years away.

2. Indian Railways launches India’s first Solar DEMU Train: The Union Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu the dedicated country's first solar powered DEMU train to the nation at an event in New Delhi. There are 16 solar panels of 300 watts capacity each in a coach. The train will run from Sarai Rohilla (Delhi) to Farukh Nagar(Haryana).

3. AIIMS to be set up in Gorakhpur too: Uttar Pradesh government has signed Memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Centre for setting up of an All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) hospital in Gorakhpur. The OPD of the new AIIMS will start by September 2018 and trauma centers will be established by 2020.

4. Book “President’s Lady” by Sangeeta Ghosh released: President Pranab Mukherjee received the first copy of a book on his late wife, Suvra Mukherjee. The book, ‘President’s Lady’ (Pranaber Preyosi), was released by the Vice President Hamid Ansari on a day that marked President’s wedding anniversary.

5. The book has been written by Sangeeta Ghosh: Maharashtra Social Boycott Bill gets the Presidential nod. Maharashtra is the first Indian state to formulate a law to punish social boycott. The Maharashtra Prohibition of People from Social Boycott (Prevention Prohibition and Redressal) Act prescribes a maximum punishment of three years in jail and a fine of Rs.1 lakh.

6. PETN explosives found in UP Assembly: Highly explosive PETN was found in Uttar Pradesh Assembly. Explosive powder Pentaerythritol tetranitrate was kept in a plastic bag near the seat of leader of the opposition, Ram Govind Chaudhary. It is one of the most powerful explosives and is hard to detect since it is non-metallic. 150 gm of PETN was found, 500 gm of PETN is enough to blow the whole UP Assembly.

7. 73% Indians have trust in Modi’s government: According to findings of OECD’s Govt at a Glance report 2017, India is at 3rd position on “Trust in government” chart with 73% people having faith in Modi govt. Switzerland with 80% leads the index followed by Indonesia and India.

8. Greece is at the bottom of the table with 13% of people’s confidence: Odisha govt to set up Haj House in Bhubaneswar. The Odisha government will set up a ‘Haj House’ in Bhubaneswar for the welfare of Haj pilgrims. A total number of 1,133 applicants evinced interest to go for Haj this year scheduled for 2nd Sep, 2017.

9. India ranks 116 on SDG index: India is ranked 116th out of 157 nations on a sustainable development goal index with a score of 58.1. India is behind Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan & China. Sweden topped the list followed by Denmark & Finland.

10. J P Nadda launched National Strategic Plan for Malaria Elimination (2017-22): The Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare J P Nadda has launched the National Strategic Plan for Malaria Elimination (2017-22). The Strategic Plan gives year wise elimination targets in various parts of the country depending upon the endemicity of malaria in the next 5 years.

International UPDATES:

1. Indians the second-highest to migrate to other countries: UN Report: According to a report by the UN migration agency, India has the second highest number of adults planning to migrate to other countries. Most popular destination for those planning to migrate is US followed by UK, Saudi Arabia, France, Canada and Germany.

OTHER UPDATES

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY:

1. Baba Ramdev launches security firm Parakram Suraksha Pvt Ltd: Looking beyond FMCG, Patanjali group founder Baba Ramdev launched a private security firm called ‘Parakram Suraksha Private Limited’ in Haridwar. Baba Ramdev has hired retired police and army officials to train young recruits.

2. Google acquires Bengaluru-based Artificial Intelligence start up Halli Labs: Google has acquired Bengaluru-based artificial intelligence Startup 'Halli Labs' for an undisclosed sum. The firm was founded with the goal of applying modern artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques to solve old problems.

3. India overtakes US in number of active Facebook Users: India has overtaken US to become Facebook’s largest country audience with 241 million active users, compared to 240 million in US. Active users in India are up 27% in past 6 months alone, compared to growth of 12% in US over the same period.

4. Tata Sons name Aarthi Subramanian as Chief Digital Officer: TCS Executive Director Aarthi Subramanian has been named as Chief Digital Officer by Tata Sons.

SPORTS:

5. Brand ambassador of Indian Indoor Cricket Team: Former Indian batsman Sandeep Patil has been named as the brand ambassador of the Indian Indoor Cricket Team. He will be the face of the team in the lead-up to the 10th edition of World Indoor Cricket Federation World Cup to be held in Dubai.

OBITUARIES:

6. Chinese Nobel Peace laureate passes away: Chinese activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo has died at the age of 61. He was sentenced to 11 years in prison in December 2009 for “subversion”.

Daily GK Updates - 13th July, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Meghalaya CM Mukul Sangma launches LIFE program at Songsak: Meghalaya Chief Minister ‘Dr. Mukul Sangma’ has launched a flagship program ‘Livelihood Intervention and Facilitation of Entrepreneurship’ (LIFE) at Songsak in East Garo Hills. It is a program of the State Rural Livelihood Society, which is implementing the Centre's flagship program National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM). NRLM promotes livelihood through women Self Help Groups (SHGs) and their Federations.

2. Delhi Police to get ‘super cop’ belts, first state police to do so: Delhi police will be the 1st state police who will get ‘super cop belt’. These belts will help cops to keep things like Gun, Security Batten, Wireless Set Pouch & ammunition pouch.

3. Selling old jewellery will attract 3% GST: Revenue Secretary Hasmukh Adhia announced that selling of jewellery will attract 3% GST on value realised. A jeweller buying old jewellery from someone will charge 3% GST under reverse charge.

4. High-speed rail training centre to be set up Gandhinagar, Gujarat: India’s 1st high-speed rail training centre will be soon setup at Gandhinagar, Gujarat. While India’s 1st bullet train is proposed to hit the track in 2023, the training centre would begin its operations by 2020.

5. Cabinet approves establishment of International Rice Research Institute at Varanasi: The Union Cabinet has approved the establishment of the International Rice Research Institute, South Asia Regional Center at the campus of National Seed Research and Training Center in Varanasi. This will include a modern and sophisticated laboratory with the capacity to determine quality and status of heavy metals in grain and straw.

6. Mohan Bhagwat releases coffee table book on PM Narendra Modi's life authored by Bindeshwar Pathak: RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat has released a coffee table book "The Making Of A Legend" on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's life in New Delhi. The book is authored by Bindeshwar Pathak.

International UPDATES:

1. Smallest star in the universe discovered by Cambridge’s astronomers: Astronomers from University of Cambridge have discovered the smallest star in the universe. It is located around 600 light years away in the Milky Way galaxy and has been as EBLM J0555-57Ab.

2. China to downsize army to under 1 million: China will downsize its 2.3 million-strong military to under 1 million as a part structural reform in the military. People’s Liberation Army will increase numbers of other services, including navy and missile forces.

3. Overseas navy base for China in Djibouti: Chinese troops are headed to Djibouti to set up China’s first overseas military base. China says the support base will be used for peacekeeping and humanitarian aid in Africa and West Asia.

OTHER UPDATES

BANKING AND FINANCE:

1. SBI reduces NEFT and RTGS charges to promote net banking: State Bank of India has reduced charges for National Electronic Funds Transfer and Real Time Gross Settlement transactions upto 75%. Reduced charges will be applicable on the transactions done through internet banking and mobile banking.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY:

2. IPSOS Survey- India’s top 10 ‘most influential’ brands: According to a new study by global research firm Ipsos, Google is the most influential brand in India followed by Microsoft & Facebook at 2nd and 3rd position respectively. Patanjali & Jio have entered the top 10 ranking at 4th and 9th place respectively.

3. Skoda rolls out new Octavia with a price tag of close to Rs. 15 lakhs: Czech carmaker Skoda has rolled out a new version of its best-selling sedan Octavia priced at Rs15.49 lakhs in India.

SPORTS:

4. Vijay Goel inaugurates Oorja CRPF U-19 Football talent hunt tournament: The Sports Minister Vijay Goel has inaugurated Oorja CRPF Under-19 Football Talent Hunt Tournament in New Delhi. This Tournament is being organized as a run up to under 17 FIFA World Cup by CAPF, BSF, SSB, ITBP, CRPF, CISF and Assam Rifles.

Daily GK Updates - 12th July, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. HAL signs MoU with Defence Ministry: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) came into an agreement with the Ministry of Defencefor the financial year 2017-18. The annual MoUis signed between Ashok Kumar Gupta, Secretary, Department of Defence Production and T SuvarnaRaju, CMD-HAL.The MoU has outlined targets on various performance parameters of the company during the year 2017-18. The revenue from operations has been targeted at Rs. 17,900 crore, the highest ever.

2. Chhattisgarh govt to merge regional Co-operative Banks into State Co-Operative Bank: The Chhattisgarh state govt. is set to merge all regional Co-Operative Banks into a mega-State Co-Operative Bank.The 264 branches will remain functional and will here on work as Scheduled Co-Operative Banks.The decision has been taken to provide a number of advantage to farmers as will get modern facilities including core banking, mobile and internet banking. It will also help in reducing the interests on farm loans by up to 2%.

3. 36th Foundation Day of NABARD celebrated: The 36th NABARD Foundation Day and Silver Jubilee of SHG Bank Linkage Programme was inaugurated by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, in New Delhi. Self Help Group Bank Linkage Programme (SHG BLP) is a pioneering initiative of Financial Inclusion by NABARD. The pilot stage of this program was started in year 1992.

4. Maharashtra, first state in the country to launch free injectable contraceptive for women: The state’s public health department launched a program called “Antara” making it the first state in the country to provide women an injectable contraceptive for free. It offers women an injection of Medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA), a birth-control hormone. The announcements were made on the occasion of World Population Day (11th July). According to state health officials, the injection, a safe means of birth control, is effective for three months. The injection will be given intramuscularly to women in the age bracket of 18-45 years.

5. Subhash Garg appointed as Economic Affairs Secretary: Senior bureaucrat Subhash Chandra Garg assumed charge as Secretary of the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) in the Finance Ministry. Prior to this appointment Mr. Garg was World Bank Executive Director for Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, and Sri Lanka. He succeeds Shaktikanta Das, who retired after an extended tenure on May 31.

6. Debi Prasad Dash takes over as DRI chief: Debi Prasad Dash has been appointed as director-general of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DG-DRI), the premier agency that tackles smuggling and black money. Mr. Dash was the acting DRI chief for the past five months. He has earlier worked in the UN Security Council, Commonwealth Secretariat, and the CBI.

OTHER UPDATES

BANKING AND FINANCE:

1. SEBI amends guidelines for foreign investors looking to operate at IFSC: Markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has revised the guidelines for eligible foreign investors looking to operate at the International Financial Services Centre (IFSC). From now onwards a trading member of a stock exchange in the IFSC can carry out the due diligence for an eligible foreign investor (EFI), who is not registered with the regulator as a Foreign Portfolio Investor (FPI).The provision has been made for the account opening process of an eligible foreign investor (EFI).

2. Bank of Baroda to raise up to Rs 3,000 Cr via Basel III bonds: Bank of Baroda (BoB) has decided to raise up to Rs. 3,000 crores through Basel III compliant bonds.The finance committee of the bank approved to the issuance of AT-1 capital bonds compliant with Basel III capital regulations for a minimum amount of Rs. 500 crores with green shoe option.The raising of funds will be in single or multiple tranches.

3. SBI waives charge on IMPS fund transfer of up to Rs 1,000: State Bank of India (SBI) has waived charges for fund transfer of up to Rs. 1,000 through its IMPS (Immediate Payment Service) to promote small transactions.Earlier, SBI had been charging Rs. 5 along with the applicable service tax for IMPS fund transfer of up to Rs. 1,000.For IMPS, a charge will be Rs. 5 along GST for fund transfer in the range of Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 1 lakh and the charge will go up to Rs. 15 for transactions of Rs. 1-2 lakhs.GST at the rate of 18% is applicable on all financial transactions.

SPORTS

4. Ravi Shastri is new coach of Indian Cricket Team: All-rounder and captain Ravi Shastrihas been appointed as the new chief coach of the Indian cricket team till ICC World Cup 2019 by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).Former fast bowler Zaheer Khan has also been appointed as bowling coach for a period of two years. Former Indian Captain Rahul Dravid has been appointed as batting consultant for specific overseas tours.

Daily GK Updates - 11th July, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. UN report says India set to become the most populous country, largest producer of milk and wheat by 2026: According to a report by the UN and OECD, India projected to be the most populous country over the next decade. By 2026,India will be the world’s largest milk producer and will account for the biggest increase in wheat production globally. Milk production in India will grow 49% in 2026 and India will be the world’s largest milk producer.

2. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley launches new taxpayer service module Aaykar Setu:  Aaykar Setu will enable the Income tax Department to directly communicate with the taxpayers and aimed at providing information on useful tax services. It compiles various tax tools, live chat facility, dynamic updates, and important links to various processes within the Income Tax Department in a single module.

3. Mother Teresa’s Blue-Bordered Sari declared an Intellectual Property: The famous Blue bordered sari of Mother Teresa has been as an Intellectual Property of the Missionaries of Charity and obtained a “distinctive symbolic identity”. This is the first time that a uniform has been made the intellectual property.   

4. Government to organize Global Food Fair in November: The Union Govt. will organize a three-day international fair World Food India 2017 in 3 to 5 November to boost the food sector. It will provide a platform to Indian farmers and manufacturers to promote their products and explore partnerships with foreign companies, organized by the Food Processing Ministry. It aims at creating India a Global Food Factory and Global Food Retail Market.

International UPDATES:

1. Eighth Meeting of SAARC Ministers of Law & Order begins in Colombo: The three-day Eighth meeting of the SAARC Ministers of Law and Order preceded by meeting of the SAARC Secretaries of Law and Order and Immigration Authorities has begun in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Tackling terrorism apart from discussing liberalization of visa, illegal trafficking in narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, and small arms will be topics for discussion.

2. Khaltmaa Battulga elected as Mongolian president: Martial Arts expert and Mongolian Businessman Khaltmaa Battulga sworn-in as president, promising to revive the flagging economy and pursue relations with countries outside its giant neighbours Russia and China.

3. Indian-origin man Guruswamy Jayraman awarded Australia’s highest civilian award: The highest civilian award Order of Australia has been awarded to Indian origin man Guruswamy Jayraman for community work in Australia.

4. World Population Day being observed today: To increase the awareness of the people towards the worldwide population issues, World Population Day was observed across the world on 11th July. The theme of this year is “Family Planning- Empowering People, Developing Nations”. The theme highlights the importance of family planning as it allows people to attain their desired number of children and determine the spacing of pregnancies.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING AND FINANCE:

1. RBI amends order on bankruptcy action on 12 large NPAs: An amendment has been made by the Reserve Bank of India on its earlier order asking banks to initiate bankruptcy proceedings against 12 companies which have outstanding loans amounting to over Rs 5,000 crore as on March 2016. The amendment, made through a notification, comes after the Gujarat High Court asked the RBI to remove the stipulation on its order last month that the 12 non-performing assets (NPAs), or bad loans, would be granted priority at the National Company Law Tribunal. Essar Steel, one of the 12 large NPAs identified by the RBI, had approached the Gujarat High Court for the RBI proceedings.

SPORTS:

2. P V Sindhu bags ‘Sportsperson of the Year’ award: During the Maruti Suzuki Sportsperson of the Year Charity Gala Awards, P V Sindhu was bestowed with the Sportsperson of the Year  award. Sindhu’s coach P Gopichand received the Coach of the Year award while the Flying Sikh Milkha Singh was given the Living Legend of the Year award.  Young India cricketer K L Rahul, who made a mark in the last Test series against Australia, was awarded ‘Game changer of the Year’ award while Abhinav Bindra was given the Lifetime Achievement Award.

OBITUARIES:

3. Renowned cartoonist Mangesh Tendulkar passes away:A very well-known cartoonist Mangesh Tendulkar passed away at a hospital in Pune.  His cartoons about government offices and on traffic rules very famous.Tendulkar also wrote some books like Bhuchchkra, Pocket Cartoons and Sunday Mood.