Mohan Bhagwat awarded honorary Doctor of Science degree

Mohan Bhagwat awarded honorary Doctor of Science degree Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Chief Mohan Bhagwat on 9 March 2017 was conferred honorary degree of Doctor of Science (DSc) by the city-based Maharashtra Animal and Fishery Sciences University. Vidyasagar Rao, Governor of Maharashtra, handed over the honorary degree to Bhagwat at the convocation of the varsity. Bhagwat is a veterinary doctor by training. The RSS chief was honoured with the degree for his contribution in the field of veterinary sciences and social work. About Mohan Bhagwat
• Born on 11 September 1950, Mohan Bhagawat is the current Chief of the Hindu nationalist organisation Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.
• In March 2009, he was chosen as the successor to K. S. Sudarshan.
• He is one of the youngest leaders to head the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh after Dr. K. B. Hedgewar and M.S.Golwalkar.
• He completed his schooling from Lokmanya Tilak Vidyalaya.
• He graduated in Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry from Government Veterinary College, Nagpur.
• Towards the end of 1975, he dropped out of his postgraduate course in Veterinary Sciences and became a pracharak of the RSS.
• From 1991 to 1999, he became Akhil Bharatiya Sharirik Pramukh for India.
• Later, he was promoted as Akhil Bharatiya Pracharak Pramukh.
• At Z+ VVIP security cover, he is one of the most protected Indians today.

Railways Ministry and UNEP sign Letters of Intent on Environment

Railways Ministry and UNEP sign Letters of Intent on Environment Initiatives The Ministry of Railways on 9 March 2017 signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to formalise the joint cooperation in the area of environmental conservation. The agreement will help in exploring the opportunity and developing a joint cooperation mechanism in the field of Environment & Sustainability. Focussed areas of Letter of Intent
• Collaborate in formulating specific roadmap for achieving 20 per cent reduction in water consumption at railway establishments.
• Collaborate in the development of a draft action plan for establishing waste management centres at major stations on Indian railways.
• Collaborate in the development of a draft action plan for Indian railways on sustainable public procurement for green technology. This joint co-operation will help Indian Railways in achieving its green objectives. Railway is already taking several green initiatives and is going to produce 1000MW solar energy. Background Indian Railways, that carries 23 million passengers every day, is the largest consumer of water as well as electricity in the country. It is also the major contributor to green environment due to reduced GHG emissions. Indian Railways have been taking a number of steps towards Water Management, Energy Conservation, Solid Waste Management and Green buildings. On the other hand, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading organization within the United Nations in the field of environment and majorly focuses on the conservation, protection, enhancement and support of nature and natural resources worldwide. Hence, both the organisations collaborated to further these common goals and objectives within their respective mandates and governing rules and regulations.

Current Affairs One liners of the Week: 5 March to 11 March 2017

Current Affairs One liners of the Week: 5 March to 11 March 2017 The one liner of the week is a recap of the important happenings that occurred between 5 March to 11 March 2017. The important happenings of the week covered in this segment include HCFC Phase Out Management Plan, Saraswati Samman 2016 and World Kidney Day .
•    India's 1st lunar probe spacecraft that was found by the NASA scientists by using a new ground-based radar technique is - Chandrayaan-1
•    The Uttarakhand High Court has directed this state government to admit children who lost their parents during a flood in the Navodaya Vidyalayas and bear the expenses for it - 2013 Kedarnath tragedy
•    Pakistan government today introduced a constitutional amendment bill in Parliament to revive the controversial special military courts for - Trying hardcore militants
•    Companies that have apologised for using Prime Minister Narendra Modi's photograph in their advertisements, without permission are - Reliance Jio and Paytm
•    The World Kidney Day was observed on 9 March 2017 with the theme - Kidney Disease and Obesity: Healthy Lifestyle for Healthy Kidneys
•    This Konkani writer was selected for the Saraswati Samman 2016 - Mahabaleshwar Sail
•    The National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and the National Skill Development Fund (NSDF) signed a MoU with this Central Armed Police Force for execution of skill development programmes - Sashastra Seema Bal
•    It is for this period the Union Government recently launched the Stage II of India’s HCFC Phase Out Management Plan - 2017-2023
•    India successfully test-fired this supersonic cruise missile recently - BrahMos
• This country is hosting the inaugural commonwealth summit 2017, which is largely focused on stimulating trade within the group – The United Kingdom
• Researchers have found molecular evidence confirming the presence of this bird species in India more than 25000 years ago- Ostrich
• This sector has been allocated the highest funds in the Delhi budget for the fiscal year 2017-18- Education
• Sentinel-2B satellite in the series of Sentinel satellite was launched by - European Union
• The Swachh Shakti 2017 – A Convention of Women Sarpanches was held in - Gujarat
• The 11th edition of North-East Business Summit (NEBS) started in - New Delhi
• The university that recently conferred honorary degree of Doctor of Science on RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat is - Maharashtra Animal and Fishery Sciences University
• The South Korean President whose impeachment was upheld by the Constitutional Court ending his/her presidency is - Park Geun-hye
• The person recently re-elected as the President of the European Council is - Donald Tusk
• The sportsperson named as the new ambassador of the Chinese Super League is - Diego Maradona • Number of un-served airports and airstrips of the state governments, Airports Authority of India and Civil enclaves that will be revived after the approval by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affair (CCEA) is – 50
• The Trade Mark (TM) Rules, 2017 came into effect from 6 March 2017 will replace the erstwhile Trade Mark Rules, 2002 brings down the number of TM forms from existing 74 to – 8
• In Sri Lanka, an opposition party has demanded to appoint a special presidential commission (SPC) to review - the Hambantota Port Agreement with a Chinese company
• Institute/College of India that was ranked at 8th among top 10 in Times Higher Education 2017 list of world's best small universities is - Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru
• The anti-missile system that is being deployed by the US in South Korea after defiant North’s latest test is - THAAD
• The Indian pacers that are currently sharing the Number One spot in the ICC Player Rankings for Test Bowlers are - Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin
• Indian women hockey team recently clinched a five-match Test series against – Belarus
• The person recently named as the Regional Director of Ford Foundation for India, Nepal and Sri Lanka is - Pradeep Nair
• This country is hosting the fifth edition of the mega cultural festival ‘India by the Nile’ – Egypt
• This state among the United States of America is seeking to challenge Trump’s new immigration order – Hawaii
• The citizens of this country gained permission to travel to the European Union nations without having a visa- Georgia
• Noted Bengali folk music singer who passed away recently - Kalika Prasad Bhattacharya
• Online web platform launched by Karnataka to report the performance and achievements of the government to the citizen - Pratibimba
• India’s first biometric-based payment system Aadhaar Pay was launched by - IDFC Bank
• The Advanced S-300 Missile Defence System of Iran which became operational was manufactured by - Russia
• BSE Institute will organise a two-day 'Dalal Street Lit Fest 2017' at its premises in from 10 March 2017 in – Mumbai
• In US, former Utah Republican Governor who has accepted President Donald Trump's offer to be Ambassador to Russia is - Jon Huntsman
• State Bank of India has decided to reintroduce penalty on non-maintenance of minimum balance in accounts from – 1 April 2017
• The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation, the retirement fund body of India, has extended the last date of submission of digital life certificate through Jeevan Pramaan Patra (JPP) under Employees' Pension Scheme (EPS) to - 31 March 2017  
• Veteran journalist Arvind Padmanabhan passed away recently. He worked with – IANS
• CCEA approved the proposal for revival of 50 un-served airports and airstrips of - the state governments, Airports Authority of India and Civil enclaves
• The Trade Mark Rules, 2017 that came into effect from 6 March 2017 to streamline and simplify the processing of Trade Mark applications replaces - the erstwhile Trade Mark Rules, 2002
• This Padma Bhushan awardee was appointed as the adviser to the Odisha government for its ongoing public health programmes - K Srinath Reddy
• The foreign ministry of North Korea has temporarily banned citizens of this country from leaving the Democratic People's Republic of Korea – Malaysia
• This country has violated UN’s ban on developing missile technology, prompting UN Security Council to call for an emergency meeting – North Korea
• US President Donald Trump’s new executive order spared this Muslim majority country from the immigration ban – Iraq
• The Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation organised a national conference in New Delhi on - Jal Kranti Abhiyan
• The socialist politician and former Lok Sabha speaker who passed away recently is - Rabi Ray
• The Union Cabinet recently approved the signing of Memorandum of Understanding between India and the United Nations Entity of Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-Women). The headquarters of the UN-Women are located in - New York City
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently released a special commemorative postage stamp on 100 years of Yogoda Satsang Math, which is located at - Dakshineswar, Kolkata, West Bengal
• Rene Preval, who passed away recently, had served as the President of - Haiti
• The book The Rise of Sivagami : Book 1 of Baahubali - Before the Beginning was written by - Anand Neelakanthan
• The Union Cabinet gave its approval for India’s accession to the TIR Convention, which is related to - International transportation of goods
• The Union Cabinet approved the signing of a MoU on renewable energy with this country - Portugal • The Union Cabinet approved the signing of a MoU on Energy Efficiency Services with this country – The UAE
• The Dahej Petrochemicals Complex that was dedicated to the nation located in – Gujarat
• The government of this State proposed a Smart Mosquito Density System to fight vector-borne diseases – Andhra Pradesh
• The women’s singles title at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships 2017 was won by - Elina Svitolina • Identify the country that pegged its GDP growth target for 2017 at a 25-year low - China • The men’s singles title at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships 2017 was won by – Andy Murray
• Scientists of this country developed the first all-solid-state battery cells recently – The USA
• The Union government has launched the first-ever across-the-river survey to determine the population of aquatic life in – Ganga
• This city is going to host the three-day event, Destination North East 2017 – Chandigarh
• This historic ship, known as the world’s oldest aircraft carrier was decommissioned on 6 March 2017 – INS Viraat
• The Wildlife Institute of India is planning to use drones to monitor the habitat of – Tigers   
• The famous liver surgeon, who also performed first successful liver transplant on a human patient, passed away recently. His name is - Thomas E Starzl
• The West Bengal Government recently granted official language status to tribal language Kurukh. The language is – a Dravidian language
• The winner of the 2017 ATP Mexican Open Men’s Singles title is - Sam Querrey
• The w inners of the 2017 Dubai Tennis Championships Men’s Doubles title are - Jean-Julien Rojer and Horia Tecau
• West Bengal Clinical Establishments Bill, 2017 passed by state assembly will replace - West Bengal Clinical Establishments Bill, 2010
• Syed Shahabuddin, who died recently, was a - politician
• Country that fired several banned ballistic missiles into waters off its east coast recently - North Korea
• The two states that in March 2017 agreed to resume works on Shahpur Kandi Dam project are - Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir

won the 2017 Assembly Elections of Uttar Pradesh

won the 2017 Assembly Elections of Uttar Pradesh Election Commission of India on 11 March 2017 announced the results of the 2017 Assembly elections of Uttar Pradesh. The elections were held in 7 phases between 7 February and 8 March 2017 for 403 assembly seats. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which fought the state election without declaring its Chief Ministerial candidate, is all set for a two-third majority in Uttar Pradesh. To win the state, the party was successful by winning 322 seats, which also makes it the largest party in the state. On the other hand, the ruling Samajwadi Party (SP) led by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav was voted out of the power in the state. The party that fought the elections in alliance with India’s oldest Party, Indian National Congress (INC), after seeing a month long family feud was decimated to 55 seats. Besides, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) led by Mayawati that ruled the state under her for five times was able to win 21 seats. Mayawati ruled the states from 3 June 1995 to 18 October 1995 (for five months), 21 March 1997 to 21 September 1997 (for 6 months), 3 May 2002 to 29 August 2003 and 13 May 2007 to 7 March 2012. Uttar Pradesh Results 2017 – Party wise Seats Party Won Leading SP+ 55 0 BSP 18 2 NDA 317 6 OTHERS 5 5 Election in Alapur Assembly constituency in Ambedkar Nagar of Uttar Pradesh was postponed due to the death of a Samajwadi Party candidate. Polling was held on 9 March 2017.

Kidney Day 2017 observed with theme Kidney Disease and Obesity 9 March 2017

Kidney Day 2017 observed with theme Kidney Disease and Obesity 9 March 2017: World Kidney Day (WKD) The World Kidney Day 2017 was observed on 9 March 2017 with the theme Kidney Disease and Obesity: Healthy Lifestyle for Healthy Kidneys. The WKD 2017 sought to promote education about the harmful consequences of obesity and its association with kidney diseases. About World Kidney Day
• The WKD is a joint initiative of the International Society of Nephrology (ISN) and the International Federation of Kidney Foundations (IFKF).
• The day is a global health awareness campaign with a focus on the importance of the kidneys.
• The day was launched to reduce the frequency and impact of kidney disease and its associated health problems worldwide.
• The themes of the World Kidney Day since its beginning in 2006  are – 2017: Kidney Disease and Obesity: Healthy Lifestyle for Healthy Kidneys. 2016: Kidney Disease & Children. Act Early to Prevent It! 2015: Kidney Health for All 2014: Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and aging 2013: Kidneys for Life – Stop Kidney Attack! 2012: Donate – Kidneys for Life – Receive 2011: Protect your kidneys: Save your heart 2010: Protect your kidneys: Control diabetes 2009: Protect your kidneys: Keep your pressure down 2008: Your amazing kidneys! 2007: CKD: Common, harmful and treatable 2006: Are your kidneys OK? The International Society of Nephrology (ISN)
• The ISN is a not-for-profit society dedicated to advancing the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of kidney diseases.
• The society, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2010, is active in over 126 countries across the world. The International Federation of Kidney Foundations (IFKF)
• The IFKF, a not-for-profit federation, was established in 1999. • At present, it has a membership of 63 kidney foundations and patient groups in more than 41 countries.
• The foundation seeks to improve the health, well-being and quality of life of individuals with kidney disease.

Union Government launched Stage II of India’s HCFC Phase Out Management Plan

Union Government launched Stage II of India’s HCFC Phase Out Management Plan The Union Government launched the Stage II of India’s HCFC Phase Out Management Plan (HPMP) for the 2017-23 period. The plan was launched by the Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change (Independent Charge) Anil Madhav Dave in March 2017 in New Delhi.
Features of HPMP II
• It seeks to phase out the use of Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) and harmful ozone-depleting substances (ODS).
• It also promotes the usage of non-ozone depleting and low global warming potential technologies.
• Under the HPMP-II, India secured USD 44.1 million from the Multilateral Fund for Implementation of Montreal Protocol of the United Nations for phasing out 8,190 MT of HCFC consumption from 2017 to 2023.
• The plan will cover more than 400 enterprises, including micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the foam manufacturing sector.
• And, 6 large air-conditioning manufacturing enterprises will be supported for conversion to non-HCFC technologies from HCFCs.
• The plan will promote energy efficiency, adoption of green building norms and cold chain development with non-HCFC alternatives.
• The plan gives adequate attention to synergize the Refrigeration and Servicing (RAC) servicing sector trainings under the Skill India Mission. As per the plan, nearly 16,000 service technicians will be trained under HPMP-II.
• The plan is expected to result in net direct CO2-equivalent emission reductions of about 8.5 million metric tonnes annually from 2023. Background
• The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer is an international treaty designed to protect the ozone layer by phasing out the production of numerous substances that are responsible for ozone depletion including HCFCs.
• Under the Montreal Protocol, various initiatives to phase out Hydrochlorofluorcarbons (HCFCs) were taken up with an aim to complete phase out by 2030 of these chemicals.
• At present, HCFCs are used in various sectors like refrigeration and air conditioning (RAC) and polyurethane foam manufacturing. • As a signatory to the Montreal Protocol, The HPMP Stage-I has been already implemented in the country, which has successfully met all the ODS phase-out targets.

Konkani writer Mahabaleshwar Sail honoured with Saraswati Samman

Konkani writer Mahabaleshwar Sail honoured with Saraswati Samman 2016 Prominent Konkani writer Mahabaleshwar Sail was on 9 March 2017 selected for the Saraswati Samman 2016 for his novel Hawthan. The 74-year-old writer's novel, published in 2009, was shortlisted from 22 books written in as many languages. The selection for the award was made by a jury presided by the 29th Chief Justice of India (CJI) AS Anand. Who is Mahabaleshwar Sail?
• Mahabaleshwar Sail is Goa-based renowned bi-lingual writer. So far, he wrote 4 Marathi dramas and 7 Konkani novels.
• Sail also written 5 short stories and a novel in Marathi.
• The novel 'Hawthan' is a well-researched work of fiction. The book presents the cultural map of the traditional potter community of Goa.Mohan Bhagwat awarded honorary Doctor of Science degree About Saraswati Samman
• It is named after Goddess Saraswati, Indian goddess of learning. The award was instituted in 1991 by the KK Birla Foundation. • The award consists of 15 lakh rupees, a citation and a plaque.
• The inaugural award was given to Harivanshrai Bachchan for his four volume autobiography - Kya Bhooloon Kya Yaad Karoon, Needa Ka Nirman Phir, Basere Se Door and Dashdwar Se Sopan Tak.
• The Saraswati Samman for 2015 was given to Padma Sachdev for her autobiography titled Chitt-Chete, which was written in Dogri language.

Quizzes for the week 06 March to 12 March 2017

Quizzes for the week 06 March to 12 March 2017 covers the most important happenings of the week. These quizzes will help you in revising the week at an ease, as it hosts the most important occurrences or happenings of the week that may be asked in the nearest competitive exam that will be faced by you. The quizzes covered in this weekly segment include President of the European Council, 2017-18 Budgets of Delhi and Rajasthan and book The Rise of Sivagami: Book 1 of Baahubali - Before the Beginning among others.
1. The Trade Mark Rules, 2017 came into effect from 6 March 2017. Consider the following statements in context to the Rules I. It replaces the erstwhile Trade Mark Rules, 2002
II. It will streamline and simplify the processing of Trade Mark applications.
III. It reduces the number of Trade Mark (TM) forms has been brought down to eight from existing 74. Which is/are correct?
a) Only II
b) Only II
c) Only I and III
d) I, II and III

2. Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje on 8 March 2017 presented the state budget for the financial year 2017-18. Consider the following statements in context to the Rajasthan
I. The budget proposes to develop seven grid sub-stations (GSS) in the financial year 2017-18.
II. It says that the subsidy and incentive amount under the Sahyog and Uphar Yojana would be doubled for the marriage of daughter.
III. For Economic Backward Classes (EBC) of Rajasthan, the budget announces slew of incentives for communities that fall under the bracket of EBC. Which is/are correct?
a) Only I
b) Only II
c) Only II and III
d) I, II and III

3. Manish Sisodia presented the state annual budget for the period 2017-18 on 8 March 2017 in the state’s legislative assembly. Consider the following statements in context to the Delhi budget
I. The 2017 budget also brought out an initiative in the form of a comprehensive ‘Outcome Budget’ that would monitor the outcome of the projects initiated under the new budget.
II. The allocation is 34 per cent of the total budget estimate, which is the highest education budget among all the states.
III. The 2017 budget also brought out an initiative in the form of a comprehensive ‘Outcome Budget’ that would monitor the outcome of the projects initiated under the new budget.   Which is/are correct? a) Only II
b) Only II
c) Only I and III
d) I, II and III

4. Name the Water Jet Fast Attack Craft (WJFAC) that was commission in Indian Navy at Karwar in March 2017.
a) INS Tillanchang
b) INS Tihayu
c) INS Tarmugli
d) None of the above

5. Who authored the book The Rise of Sivagami: Book 1 of Baahubali - Before the Beginning?
a) Ram Kamal Mukherjee
b) Anand Neelakanthan
c) Yasser Usman
d) K Vijay Kumar

6. Who of the following was recently re-elected as the President of the European Council? a) Jean-Claude Juncker
b) Tony Blair
c) Donald Tusk
d) José Manuel Barroso

7. Sentinel-2B satellite in the series of Sentinel satellite was launched by whom?
a) The United States
b) European Union
c) North America
d) Middle East

8. India’s first biometric-based payment system Aadhaar Pay was launched by which bank?
a) ICICI Bank
b) IDFC Bank
c) HDFC Bank
d) IDBI Bank

9. The citizens of which country have gained permission to travel to the European Union nations without a visa?
a) Ukraine
b) Georgia
c) Moldova
d) Turkey

10. Which country is hosting the fifth edition of the mega cultural festival ‘India by the Nile’?
a) Ethiopia
b) Egypt
c) Burundi
d) Uganda

11. The West Bengal Clinical Establishments Bill, 2017 passed by state assembly will replace which bill?
a) West Bengal Clinical Establishments Bill, 2010
b) Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Bill, 2001
c) West Bengal Clinical Care Commission Bill, 1999
d) Clinical Research & Education Bill, 2007

12. US President Donald Trump’s new executive order spared which Muslim majority country from the immigration ban?
a) Iran
b) Iraq
c) Sudan
d) Yemen

13. Name the two states that in March 2017 agreed to resume works on Shahpur Kandi Dam project.
a) Punjab and Haryana
b) Punjab and Rajasthan
c) Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir d) Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh

14. The West Bengal Government recently granted official language status to tribal language Kurukh. The language belongs to which of the following language family?
a) Austro-Asiatic
b) Dravidian
c) Tibeto-Barman
d) Munda

15. Which historic ship, known as the world’s oldest aircraft carrier was decommissioned on 6 March 2017?
a) INS Vikrant
b) INS Arihant
c) INS Viraat
d) INS Chakra

ANSWER 1. (d) I, II and III This newly notified trade mark rules will replace the erstwhile Trade Mark Rules, 2002 and streamline and simplify the processing of Trade Mark applications. The best part of the revamped trade mark rules is that the number of Trade Mark (TM) forms has been brought down to eight from existing 74.
2. (c) Only II and III The budget proposes to develop several grid sub-stations (GSS) in the financial year 2017-18 and they are 2 GSS of 400 KV, 6 GSS of 220 KV, 15 GSS of 132 KV and 200 GSS of 33 KV.
3. (c) Only I and III The allocation is 24 per cent of the total budget estimate, which is the highest education budget among all the states. Total budget: Rs 11300 crore.
4. (a) INS Tillanchang INS Tillanchang, a Water Jet Fast Attack Craft (WJFAC) was commissioned into the Indian Navy, at Karwar on 9 March 2017. It was commissioned by Vice Admiral Girish Luthra, the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Naval Command.
5. (b) Anand Neelakanthan The book titled The Rise of Sivagami : Book 1 of Baahubali - Before the Beginning was written by Anand Neelakanthan. He has authored three fiction books based on the Indian epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata.
6. (c) Donald Tusk European Union president Donald Tusk won a second term on 9 March 2017 despite opposition from his native Poland, vowing he would try make the bloc “better” in the wake of Brexit.
7. (b) European Union Sentinel-2B satellite developed by European Space Agency (ESA) was launched as a part of European Union Copernicus environmental monitoring system. The satellite weighing 1.1 tonne was lifted into the orbit from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.
8. (b) IDFC Bank IDFC Bank launched India’s first biometric-based payment system Aadhaar Pay App that has been developed by IDFC Bank under the guidance of the Ministry of IT, NITI Aayog, Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) and National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).
9.(b) Georgia Des: On 27 February 2017, the Council of the European Union adopted the regulation on visa liberalization for Georgia, thereby allowing Georgian nations to visit European Union nations for a period of 90 days without a visa from 28 March 2017.
10. (b) Egypt The fifth edition of the mega cultural festival ‘India by the Nile’ began in Cairo, Egypt on 8 March 2017. The festival aims to showcase the diversity in India’s culture, art and cuisine and also to strengthen India’s partnership with Egypt.
11. (a) West Bengal Clinical Establishments Bill, 2010 The West Bengal Clinical Establishments (Registration, Regulation and Transparency) Bill, 2017 was passed by the state legislative assembly with full support. The Bill aims to regulate the private hospitals and bring transparency and take necessary steps to stop medical negligence in health institutes.
12. (b) Iraq US President Donald Trump signed a new executive order on 6 March 2017, reinstating an immigration ban on six Muslim majority countries. Iraq was spared from the ban in order to enhance US-Iraqi cooperation in the fight against Islamic State terrorists.
13. (c) Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab on 3 March 2017 agreed to resume works on Shahpur Kandi Dam project in Gurdaspur district of Punjab. The agreement was reached due to the meditation efforts of the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation.
14. (b) Dravidian The West Bengal Government granted official language status to endangered tribal language Kurukh. The official language status was given to the endangered language by the state government in February 2017. However, the announcement was recently made by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.  Kurukh is a Dravidian language.
15. (c) INS Viraat The world’s oldest aircraft carrier in active service, INS Viraat will be decommissioned on 6 March 2017. The iconic carrier will receive a ceremonial send off in Mumbai. Similar to the decommissioning of INS Vikrant, India’s first aircraft carrier in January 1997, INS Viraat’s send off would also be an emotional moment for the naval officers and other personnel who were deployed on the ship

India successfully test-fired BrahMos Supersonic Cruise Missile

India successfully test-fired BrahMos Supersonic Cruise Missile India on 11 March 2017 successfully test-fired the BrahMos Supersonic Cruise Missile. The purpose of the test was to validate the capabilities of the missile. Features of BrahMos Missile ++++
• It is the first supersonic cruise missile system known to be in service.
• The missile is capable of carrying a conventional as well as nuclear warhead of 300 kilograms.
• The BrahMos is a multi-stage missile having a solid propellant in the first stage and the ramjet liquid propellant in the second stage.
• It can be launched from land, sea, sub-seas and air.
• It operates on ‘Fire and Forget Principle’ by adopting varieties of flights on its way to the target.
• It approaches the enemy target with a top speed of Mach 2.8, which is about three times faster than the US subsonic Tomahawk Cruise Missile System.
• The missile has been developed by the BrahMos Aerospace Private Limited.
• It is a joint venture between the Russian Federation's NPO Mashinostroeyenia and India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). • The missile derives its name from the names of two rivers, namely the Brahmaputra of India and the Moskva of Russia.
• While the navy and army versions of the missile were inducted in 2005 and 2007 respectively, the air version is still in the testing stage.

Sashastra Seema Bal signed MoU with NSDC & NSDF

Sashastra Seema Bal signed MoU with NSDC & NSDF for skill development The Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and the National Skill Development Fund (NSDF) for execution of skill development programmes. The MoU was signed on 10 March 2017 in the presence of Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Rajiv Pratap Rudy and Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju in New Delhi. During the event, Kiren Rijiju launched an an android based and in-house developed mobile application “MySSB”.
Features of the MoU
• Under the MoU, the SSB will be able to provide gainful employment to the retiring and retired personnel of SSB.
• It will help the personnel in resettlement through the generation of second career option. • The MoU will establish a framework under which the dependents of SSB personnel as well as locals, school dropouts, victims and potential victims of human trafficking will also be benefited directly in the area or the region where SSB is deployed.
• Under the MoU, skill development training programmes will be organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.
• Sectors like apparel, food processing, beauty and wellness, automotive, security and sports will be given emphasis for the said programme.

Features of MySSB app

• The mobile application will cater to the general requirements and information of force personnel.
• It facilitates accessibility to details of salary and allowance, general provident fund (GPF) subscription, service particulars including posting profiles and annual performance assessment report (APAR). About Sashastra Seema Bal
• The Special Service Bureau (now Sashastra Seema Bal) was conceived in November 1962 and eventually created in March 1963.
• It was established with the sole objective of achieving ‘total security preparedness’ in the remote border areas for performing a ‘stay-behind’ role in the event of a war.
• Presently, SSB has been deployed with its mandate to guard 1751 kilometers of Indo-Nepal and 699 kilometers of Indo-Bhutan borders. • The force is also active in Bihar, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh for anti-Naxal operations (ANO) duties.

Veteran journalist Arvind Padmanabhan dies

Veteran journalist Arvind Padmanabhan dies Veteran journalist Arvind Padmanabhan passed away on 8 March 2017 of cardiac arrest.  He was 49. Arvind worked as an Executive Editor at IANS. About Arvind Padmanabhan
• Arvind Padmanabhan was born in 1967 at Tirunelveli, Tamul Nadu.
• His father was G. Padmanabhan, who worked for many years with the Press Institute of India and the Indian & Eastern Newspapers Society (IENS, now INS).
• Arvind was widely admired in the journalistic community for the thoroughness he displayed in reporting, writing and editing.
• Before joining the IANS, he worked with the PTI, The Times of India and TV18.
• He joined the India Abroad Newspaper as in-charge of its Business Section in 1999.
• With the news agency, he first assumed charge of the Business Bureau of the wire service and subsequently became the Business Editor of IANS and then the Bureau Chief.
• Soon, he was elevated as the Executive Editor. He headed the business and economy team. About IANS
• Indo-Asian News Service is a private Indian news agency.
• It was founded by Indian-American publisher Gopal Raju as the India Abroad News Service.
• Later, the agency was renamed as the Indo-Asian News Service.

EPFO extends Digital Life Certificate submission through Jeevan Pramaan Patra

EPFO extends Digital Life Certificate submission through Jeevan Pramaan Patra by March 31 The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation, the retirement fund body of India, in March 2017 extended the last date for submission of digital life certificate through Jeevan Pramaan Patra (JPP) up to 31 March 2017 under Employees' Pension Scheme (EPS). Earlier the last date was 28th February 2017. An official release said, members and pensioners of the EPS are required to furnish Aadhaar number by the end of March 2017. Union Government released 2000 crore rupees to EPS-95 as contribution for 2015-16 The date of submission of the Aadhaar–authenticated Jeevan Pramaan as life certificate was extended as several pensioners failed to submit their life certificates for the continuation of drawal of their pension. An official release said, members and pensioners of the EPS are required to furnish Aadhaar number by the end of this month. Highlights of the notification
• It said, in case a member has not been allotted Aadhaar number, a copy of Aadhaar enrolment ID slip is sufficient for settlement of the claim under EPS. EPFO introduces single page composite claim form for withdrawing money
• It said Aadhaar number is not required in case a member of pension scheme having less than 10 years of service chooses to withdraw by making an application. Jeevan Pramaan- an Aadhar based Digital Life Certificate for pensioners The Aadhaar-based digital life certificate named Jeevan Pramaan was launched for pensioners in November 2014. This certificate was launched with an aim to help crore of pensioners in getting the benefits of pension by producing life certificates each year in a digital instead of the physical life certificate. EPFO launches Employees Enrolment Campaign 2017 Before the launch of this digital life certificate, the pensioners were supposed to present themselves before the Pension Disbursing Agency or used to submit a Life Certificate issued by authorities specified by the Central Pension Accounting Office (CPAO).

Union Environment Ministry launches web portal for obtaining CRZ

Union Environment Ministry launches web portal for obtaining CRZ Clearances The Minister of State (Independent Charge) of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Anil Madhav Dave on 8 March 2017 launched the web portal for obtaining Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) clearances by the project proponents. The portal was launched as a part of ‘Ease of Doing Business’ module of the Union Government. Highlights of the portal
• The system will enable the project proponents and the concerned State and Union Territory bodies like the State Coastal Zone Management Authorities (SCZMAs) and Municipal and Town Planning agencies in tracking the status of their proposals.  
• The system is based on web architecture similar to the existing systems in place for according environmental and forest clearances.
• It is a very user-friendly initiative which will enable submission of applications for CRZ clearance in a single-window interface and facilitates quick flow of information related to CRZ clearances.  
• It allocates a unique identity for each proposal for all future references.  
• It is accessible from any computer having the internet facility.
• It aims to boost efficiency, transparency and accountability in the process of CRZ clearances.
• It will also enhance responsiveness through workflows and availability of real-time information on the status of CRZ clearance proposals.
• It will ensure ease of business and convenience of citizens in accessing information and services. • It has common and standardised procedures and processes across all the Central and State levels. Other Initiatives Apart from this, the Environment Ministry is also planning to launch few other initiatives like the notification of High Tide Line/Low Tide Line (HTL/LTL), ecologically sensitive areas falling under CRZ-1, hazard line etc. All these initiatives will be aimed at minimising the discretions and enhancing accountability at all the levels.

Indian women hockey team beat Belarus to clinch five-match test

Indian women hockey team beat Belarus to clinch five-match test series Indian women hockey team on 8 March 2017 dished out a disciplined performance to notch up a 3-1 win over Belarus to register their fifth consecutive victory. With the win, Indian eves clinched the five-match Test series 5-0 against Belarus. In the final match, India’s Vandana Katariya, Gurjit Kaur and Rani scored for the team on 6th minute, 15th minute and 55th minute, respectively. On the other hand, Yuliya Mikheichyk scored the solitary goal for Belarus on the 52nd minute. The Indian team was captained by striker Rani, the Indian eves were quick to get off the blocks as Vandana scored a field goal in the 6th minute of the match.The first quarter of the match went on to be an eventful one for the Indian women, as Gurjit Kaur successfully converted a Penalty Corner in the 15th minute to take her side 2-0 up against Belarus. The opponent country found a breakthrough in the 52nd minute of the match when Yuliya converted a Penalty Corner. However, the Indian team defended strongly thereafter, and even converted a Penalty Corner through skipper Rani in the 55th minute to eventually lock the match in India’s favour.

Ashwin and Jadeja jointly rank Number One in ICC Test rankings

Ashwin and Jadeja jointly rank Number One in ICC Test rankings India’s Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja on 8 March 2017 became the first pair of spinners to be jointly top-ranked in the MRF Tyres ICC Player Rankings for Test Bowlers. The rankings released a day after the second Test against Australia in Bengaluru. Jadeja’s seven wickets in the match helped him move up one rank to reach the top position for the first time in his career. Before Ashwin and Jadeja, Dale Steyn and Muttiah Muralidaran shared the top spot in April 2008. In the MRF Tyres ICC Player Rankings for Test Batsmen, Steve Smith, captain of Australian cricket team, maintained his reign at the top for 77 Tests, going past Ricky Ponting’s 76 matches. Top 10 in ICC Player Rankings for Test Bowlers Ranking Player Rating 1 Ravichandran Ashwin 892 2 Ravindra Jadeja 892 3 Josh Hazlewood 863 4 Rangana Herath 827 5 Kagiso Rabada 821 6 Dale Steyn 819 7 James Anderson 810 8 Stuart Broad 803 9 Vernon Philander 798 10 Mitchell Starc 757 About Ravichandran Ashwin • Born on 17 September 1986, Ravichandran Ashwin is a right-handed batsman and right-arm off break bowler.
• In domestic cricket, he plays for Tamil Nadu. He plays for Rising Pune Supergiants in the IPL.
• He is the fastest Indian bowler to reach the 50-, 100-, 150-, 200-, and 250-wicket mark in Test cricket.
• In 2016, Ashwin became the only Indian after Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar to win the ICC Cricketer of the Year award.
• In his 45th test match, against Bangladesh in February 2017, he became the fastest player to pick up 250 test wickets. About Ravindra Jadeja
• Born 6 December 1988, Ravindrasinh Anirudhsinh Jadeja plays as a left-handed middle-order batsman and slow left-arm orthodox bowler.
• He plays for Saurashtra in first-class cricket and the Gujarat Lions in the IPL.
• He was a part of the Indian U-19 cricket team that won the World Cup in Malaysia in 2008.
• On 22 January 2017, he became the first Indian left arm spinner to take 150 ODI wickets.

CM Vasundhara Raje presented Rajasthan annual budget for FY

CM Vasundhara Raje presented Rajasthan annual budget for FY 2017-18 Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje on 8 March 2017 presented the state budget for the financial year 2017-18. The budget for the financial year 2017-18 mainly focuses on investment and economic growth, economic infrastructure development and education. Recommendations of seventh pay commission will be implemented in the state. In terms of fiscal indicators, the Chief Minister Raje pegged the fiscal deficit of Rs 24753.53 crore, which is 2.99 per cent of the GSDP. Delhi Budget 2017-18 Fiscal Indicators
• Estimated Revenue Deficit for 2017-18
a) Without effect of UDAY - deficit of Rs. 1528 crore.
b) With effect of UDAY - deficit of Rs. 13528 crore • Estimated Fiscal Deficit for 2017-18 Rs 24753.53 crore which is 2.99% of GSDP.
• Estimated total revenue receipts for 2017-18 Rs 130162 crore.
• Estimated own tax revenue for the year 2017-18 Rs. 59455 crore against Rs 69062 crore in the 2016-17, which is higher by 16.16%.
• Estimated own tax revenue for 2017-18 as percentage of GSDP is 8.34%
• Estimated interest payment in 2017-18 is Rs. 19626.91 crore which is 15.08% of total revenue receipts Bihar government presented Rs 1.60 lakh crore budget Highlights of Rajasthan Budget 2017-18 Economic Infrastructure Development: On the name of economic infrastructure development, the budget for the fiscal year 2017-18 focuses on development of drinking water, transport, roads, air transport, energy, tourism art and culture among others. New schemes announced for the infrastructural development includes
• Some schemes were announced for the management of drinking water in the state and they are a) Scheme from Jakham dam: For the development of the dam Rs 912.55 crore was allocated. The dam will cover 554 villages in blocks of Pratapgarh, Pipalkhoont and Arnod. b) Bundi cluster distribution scheme: Rs 80.80 crore was allocated under the scheme which will benefit 97000 people of the cluster.
c) Chakhan dam scheme: Rs 73.93 crore was allocated under the scheme that will benefit Indragarh and Sumerganj mandi towns plus 45 villages and 6 dhanies to be benefited.
d) Didwana city reorganisation scheme: the scheme will be implemented in two phases at an expense of Rs 32 crore (approx). Madhya Pradesh annual Budget 2017-18 presented
• Plans for energy sector: To revamp the organisational structure of state discoms, the government has proposed to establish four grid sub-stations (GSS) in the financial year 2017-18, and they will be a) 2 GSS of 400 KV b) 6 GSS of 220 KV c) 15 GSS of 132 KV d) 200 GSS of 33 KV • Plans Art and Culture sector: For protection and development of the Art and Culture sector of the state, the 2017-18 budget includes (few of them)
a) Conservation and development works of 8 museums at an expense of Rs 13 crore.
b) Conservation works of archaeological sites- at Ajmer (2), Bharatpur (2), Kota (1) and Nagaur (1) at an expense of Rs 6.46 crore c) Completion of restoration and conservation works of Fateh Vilas Mahal Khetri and development of infrastructure facilities.
d) Digitisation of rare manuscripts and ancient records of Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad Arbi Farsi Research Institute, Tonk.
e) For conservation and systematic development for Chittorgarh Fort with the partnership of ASI, Chittorgarh Fort Development Authority will be constituted. Kerala State Budget 2017-18 presented Investment and Economic growth: For investment and economic growth the budget 2017-18 proposes development works in industries and mines. For the Industries segment, the budget proposes for the establishment of High Learning Centre at CIPET Jaipur at an expense of Rs 51.32 crore. Some other important decisions for industrial sector includes
a) Development of 2 new centres in textile and agro-food processing sectors. The centres will be developed with the help of Union Government.
b) Besides, for interest subsidy under the scheme of young entrepreneur promotion by RFC, the loan limit was increased to Rs 1.50 crore from existing Rs 90 lakh c) Entrepreneurship Training centre will be created at JNV University, Jodhpur and Vardhaman Mahaveer Open University, Kota.
d) In the mines sector, Rs 500 crore was allocated for public utility works for citizens of mines affected areas. Besides, the state has decided to go for e-auction system for allotments of mines, ERCC and RCC. Human Resource and Social Development: Things that were included for Human Resource and Social Development in the name of Social Justice and Empowerment in the budget 2017-18 includes (few of them)
a) Sahyog and Uphar Yojana: Under the yojna, the Subsidy and incentive amount would be doubled for the marriage of the daughter.
b) Mukhyamantri specially abled Samman Pension Scheme: The pension under the scheme would be given to all eligible specially abled at Rs750 per month without the criteria of age.
c) Mukhyamantri Ekal Nari Samman Pension Yojana: Widow Pensioners elder than 60 years will get Rs 1000 per month and widow pensioners of more than 75 years will get Rs 1500 per month.
d) Sukhad Dampatya Jeevan Yojana: under the scheme, the financial support to the specially abled bride and groom has been increased to Rs 50000 per couple. e) Samyukta Sahayta Assistance: under this assistance scheme, the assistance for specially abled for artificial limb/equipment would be increased to Rs 10000
f) Devnarain Yojana: Four hostels will be developed at an expense of Rs 30 crore.
g) Social justice and empowerment department: to carry out its duties, the department was allocated with Rs 5596.80 crore Haryana State Budget 2017-18 presented Besides, the budget also has something for Economic Backward Classes (EBC) of Rajasthan. Slew of incentives was announced for communities that fall under the bracket of EBC and they are
a) Top 100 students who get admission in IIT, IIM, AIIMS, NLU, IISc will get lump sum Rs 25000.
b) Top 100 candidates of RAS exam conducted by RPSC will get Rs 30000.
c) Top 50 candidates who get into All India Services will get Rs 50000. d) RBSE students who get top 100 positions in class-10 and in class-12 (all streams) will get lump sum Rs 15000. e) Top 100 girls of RBSE who score 90 per cent plus marks in class-10 Board Exam and top 100 girls of RBSE each who score 90% plus marks in Science, Arts and Commerce streams in class-12 Board Exam (i.e. 300 in all) will get a Scooty along with Certificate of appreciations. At the same time, allocations and plans were made for other sectors that fall under the bracket of the Human Resource and Social Development. The sectors that fall into this bracket are women & child development, minorities, youth & sports, medical & health and education among others. In addition to all these, CM Vasundhara Raje proposed to slash the stamp duty from 5 to 3 per cent in the state budget for 2017-18. The registration fee on the partition deeds of properties other than the ancestral ones was slashed from 1 to 0.25 per cent. Get details of Rajasthan Budget 2017-18

Harm Ohlmeyer appointed as Chief Financial Officer of Adidas Harm

Harm Ohlmeyer appointed as Chief Financial Officer of Adidas Harm Ohlmeyer was on 7 March 2017 appointed as Chief Financial Officer of Adidas with effect from May 2017. He will succeed Robin Stalker, who served the post for 16 years. Presently, Ohlmeyer is serving as the Head of the global eCommerce business of Adidas.  Comment This appointment is the second executive change at Adidas since activist shareholders bought stakes in the company in 2015 after its shares tumbled following a series of profit warnings as it failed to keep pace with US rival Nike. Earlier, Herbert Hainer was replaced as Chief Executive Officer in October 2016 by Kaspar Rorsted, the Danish former Chief of consumer goods group Henkel. About Harm Ohlmeyer
• Harm Ohlmeyer, a German, joined Adidas in 1998 and gained extensive experience in the areas of Finance and Sales.
• He served various roles in Adidas including Head of finance for the core Adidas brand.
• He held the position of SVP Finance of TaylorMade-Adidas Golf from 2004 to 2006 in Carlsbad, California.
• He took over as the Head of eCommerce business of Adidas in 2011.
• From 2014 to 2016, he held additional responsibility as SVP Sales Strategy and Excellence.
• He also played a key role in efforts to make Adidas more digital, increasing ecommerce sales to USD 1.1 billion.
• He is a passionate triathlete and football fan. About Adidas Group
• Adidas is Herzogenaurach, Bavaria based German Multinational Corporation that designs and manufactures sports shoes, clothing and accessories.
• It is the largest sportswear manufacturer in Europe and the second biggest in the world after Nike.
• Adidas Group also has its subsidiary in India as Adidas India which consists of the Reebok sportswear company, TaylorMade-Adidas golf company, Rockport and 9.1 percent of Football Club Bayern Munich.