Vetrii IAS Study Circle
(cURRENT aFFaIRS)
June - 2017
Main Office atVetrii IAS Study Circle
New No.1, 9th Street, F Block, 1st Avenue, Chinthamani, Anna Nagar (E),Chennai - 600 102
- 044-26265326 - 9600124042 / 9840097666
Vetrii IAS Study CircleNo.189/1, Meyanoor Road,
Near ARRS Multiplex,Opp. Venkateshwara Complex, Salem - 4 0427-2330307 / 9442740307
Vetrii IAS Study Circle243 Cauvery Nagar,
Opp. New Housing Unit,Thanjavur - 05. 7871169099
Vetrii IAS Study Circle15/1, Kahiresan Kovil Road,
AEO Office Upstairs,Kovilpatti - 628502 9003790335
www.vetriias.com
Our Branches
TNPSC
JULY 2017September 2017
Published by
VETRII IAS STUDY CIRCLE
F Block New No. 1, 9th Street,
1st Avenue main Road, Chinthamani,
Anna Nagar (E), Chennai – 102.
Phone: 044 – 26265326 / 9600124042 / 9840097666
www.vetriias.com
E-mail: [email protected], [email protected]
© All rights reserved with the publisher. No part of this publication may be reproduced,
stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the written permission of the
publisher, will be responsible for the loss and may be punished for compensation under
copyright act.
My Dear Aspirants,
Greetings to all of you! “What we think we become” said Gautama Buddha. We all have dreams. To turn
dreams into reality it takes a lot of determination, dedication, self discipline and hard work.
We at VETRII IAS Study Circle are committed to provide the right guidance, quality coaching and help
every aspirant to achieve his or her life’s cherished goal of becoming a civil servant.
The class room coaching at VETRII IAS Study Circle is meticulously planned to equip the aspirants with
all the relevant facts and fundamentals of the subjects. Further the VETRII IAS Study Circle Study
material aim to support the candidate by providing the most relevant study material in a
comprehensive manner.
Wishing You All The Very Best !!
M. SHUNMUGAM
DIRECTOR
Vetrii IAS Study Circle.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS IRCL Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666
CONTENT
SL. NO TITLE PAGE NO
1. Important Days 1-2
2. National Affairs 3 – 9
3. State Affairs 10 - 19
4. International 20 - 31
5. Schemes 32 - 35
6. Economy 36 - 41
7. Awards & Honours 42 - 47
8. Science & Technology 48 - 49
9. Sports 50 - 54
10. Personalities 55 - 58
11. Defence 59 - 62
12. General Knowledge 63 - 68
13. Summit 69 - 72
14. Important Index 73
15. Appointment 74 - 77
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 1
IMPORTANT DAYS
NATIONAL NUTRITION WEEK
Observed on 1st week of September
Theme: “Optimal Infant & Young Child Feeding Practices: Better Child Health“.
SEPTEMBER 5th - NATIONAL TEACHERS DAY
In India, National Teachers Day is celebrated on September 5th to honor Dr.
Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Birthday.
SEPTEMBER 5th - INTERNATIONAL DAY OF CHARITY
It was Designated by: United Nations General Assembly
First observed in : 2013
SEPTEMBER 8th - INTERNATIONAL LITERACY DAY
It was Designated by UNESCO
First observed in 1966
Theme: Literacy in a Digital World
SEPTEMBER 15th - INTERNATIONAL DAY OF DEMOCRACY
It was Designated by UN General Assembly
First observed in 2008
Theme: Democracy and Conflict Prevention
NOTE:
Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan a great scholar, philosopher, and teacher of
modern India and was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1954.
He became the first Vice President of India (from 1952 to 1962) and the second
President of India (from 1962 to 1967).
Objective:
To intensify awareness generation on the importance of nutrition for health which has an overall impact on development, productivity, economic growth and ultimately National development.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 2
SEPTEMBER 15th - ENGINEER'S DAY
The Indian nation celebrates Engineer's Day to mark the 156th birth anniversary
of Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvarayya,
He will mark the 49th anniversary of the Engineers Day in India.
SEPTEMBER 16th - INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR PRESERVATION OF
OZONE LAYER
It was Designated by: UN General Assembly
First observed in 1995
Theme: Caring for all life under the sun
SEPTEMBER 21st - INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE
It was Designated by: UN General Assembly
First observed in 1982
Theme: Together for Peace: Respect, Safety and Dignity for All
SEPTEMBER 27th - WORLD TOURISM DAY
It was designated by United Nation World Tourism Organisation
First observed in 1980.
Theme 'Sustainable Tourism – a Tool for Development'.
SEPTEMBER 28th - WORLD RABIES DAY
Theme is 'Rabies: Zero by 30'.
This day also marks the anniversary of Louis Pasteur's death, the French
chemist, and microbiologist, who developed the first rabies vaccine.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 3
NATIONAL AFFAIRS
PRIME MINISTER TO ADDRESS STUDENTS IN NEW DELHI
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address
Students' Convention in New Delhi on the
theme of „Young India, New India' to mark
the 125th anniversary of Swami
Vivekananda's Chicago address and BJP
ideologue Deendayal Upadhyaya's centenary
celebrations.
CORPORATE AFFAIRS MINISTRY SIGNED AGREEMENT WITH CBDT
Corporate Affairs Ministry and Central
Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) signed a
Memorandum of understanding (MoU) for
automatic and regular exchange of
information to curb the menace of shell
companies, money laundering and black
money in the country.
UNION GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCES TO PROVIDE WI-FI TO GRAM
PANCHAYATS
The Union Government planned to Rs 3,700-crore plan in an attempt to cover
nearly 5.5 lakh villages with Wi-Fi facility by March 2019.
The government expects to start broadband services with about 1,000 megabits
per second (1 Gbps) across 1 lakh Gram Panchayats by the end of this year.
NOTE:
The MoU enables sharing of specific information such as PAN number data in
respect of corporates, Income Tax returns of corporates, financial statements
filed with the Registrar by corporates, audit reports, and statements of
financial transactions received from banks relating to corporates
NOTE:
Earlier, the plan was to provide 100 megabits per second connectivity to village
panchayats, but under the new BharatNet, the broadband speed has been
enhanced 10 times to 1 gigabit per second at every panchayat level.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 4
NITI AAYOG LAUNCHES NATIONAL NUTRITION STRATEGY
The National Institution for Transforming India also called NITI Aayog launched
the National Nutrition Strategy aimed at Kuposhan Mukt Bharat.
It intends at bringing nutrition to the center-stage of the National Development
Agenda.
PRIME MINISTER NARENDRA MODI FORMS EAC
Prime Minister Narendra Modi reconstituted the Economic Advisory Council
(EAC) to guide him on economic issues and appointed economist Bibek Debroy
as its chairman.
Debroy is a member of government think tank Niti Aayog.
The four other part-time EAC members are Surjit Bhalla, Rathin Roy, Ashima
Goyal and Ratan Watal.
PRIME MINISTER DEDICATES SARDAR SAROVAR DAM TO NATION
Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated
interstate multi-purpose Sardar Sarovar
Dam(Narmada dam project) at Kevadia,
Gujarat to the nation.
It is the highest dam ever built in India and
second biggest concrete gravity dam in the
NOTE:
Economic Advisory Council to PM:
The EAC-PM is an independent body which provides advice on economic issues
to the government, specifically to the Prime Minister.
It consists of economists of high repute and eminence.
Terms of reference of EAC
EAC will analyse any issue, economic or otherwise, referred to it by prime
minister and advising him thereon.
It will also address issues of macroeconomic importance and present its views to
the prime minister.
It advise can be either suo-motu or on reference from prime minister or anyone
else.
It can also attend any other task as may be desired by prime minister from time
to time.
NOTE:
It enables states to make strategic choices, through decentralized planning and
local innovation, with accountability for nutrition outcomes.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 5
world in terms of volume after Grand Coulee Dam in the USA.
The dam length of 1.2 km and depth of 163 metres.
Its height was recently raised to 138.68 metres, enabling usable water storage of
4.73 million.
PM RELEASES POSTAGE STAMP ON LORD RAM
IN VARANSI
Prime Minister Narendra Modi released a postage
stamp on different aspects of Lord Ram's life at the
historic Tulsi Manas Mandir Varanasi.
PM NARENDRA MODI AND JAPANESE PM SHINZO ABE JOINTLY LAY
FOUNDATION STONE FOR BULLET TRAIN
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his
Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe jointly
laid the foundation stone for the high-
speed bullet train project between
Ahmedabad and Mumbai.
The train will cover a distance of over 500
km in around two hours.
The project is expected to be completed
by 2022.
PRESIDENT RAM NATH KOVIND TO LAUNCH NATION WIDE
CAMPAIGN SWACCHATA HI SEWA FROM KANPUR
President Ram Nath Kovind will launch a nation wide campaign Swacchata Hi
Sewa from Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh.
He will administer nation-wide Swachhta Hi Seva pledge initiating parallel action
in all the two lakh 50 thousand plus Gram Panchayats and cities in India.
NOTE:
The Tulsi Manas temple holds great historical and cultural importance in
Hinduism as it is believed that Hindu epic Ramcharitmanas was originally
written by poet-saint Goswami Tulsidas in Varanasi.
NOTE:
They laid the foundation stone for the dedicated High-Speed Rail Training
Institute for the Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train to be established inside the
existing campus for the National Academy of Indian Railways at Vadodara
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 6
PRIME MINISTER TO LAUNCH 'POWER FOR ALL' SCHEME
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launches 'Power for all' scheme to mark the birth
anniversary of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya.
The scheme is expected to cover all rural families after expected electrification of
all villages by December end this year.
He inaugurates Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) new corporate
office that was renamed Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Urja Bhawan from Rajiv
Gandhi Urja Bhawan.
The green-building built at a cost of Rs. 600 crore was completed a year ago.
VICE PRESIDENT TO LAY THE FOUNDATION STONE FOR SKILL
DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu lay
the foundation stone for New Regional
Vocational Training Centre for
Women in Hyderabad
On this occasion, Skill Development
Minister Dharmendra Pradhan will
also mark his presence.
The professional Institute will provide
training to 480 students.
The short term courses will be introduced for better employment opportunities.
NATIONAL PENSION SCHEME UPPER
AGE LIMIT RAISED TO 65
The Pension Fund Regulatory and
Development Authority
(PFRDA) announced that the upper
age limit for joining the National
Pension Scheme (NPS) had been raised
to 65 years, from the current 60.
It is currently open for people between 18 and 60, and the Board has approved
raising the age limit for joining to 65.
NOTE :
The objective of the campaign is to mobilize people and reinforce the public
movement for sanitation to contribute to Mahatma Gandhi‟s dream of a Clean
India.
Delhi Lt. Governor Anil Baijal will launch program campaign at Connaught
Place.
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu is scheduled to visit a village in Karnataka for
Cleanliness Program.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 7
This aims to open up pensions to sectors without pensions.
CBDT SIGNS FOUR ADVANCE PRICING AGREEMENT
The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) entered into four more Advance
Pricing Agreements (APAs), pertaining to sectors like telecom,
banking, manufacturing and education in August 2017.
CIPAM-DIPP LAUNCHES SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN TO PROMOTE
GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATIONS
The Cell for IPR Promotions &
Management (CIPAM) under
the aegis of Department of
Industrial Policy and Promotion
(DIPP), Ministry of Commerce
and Industry launched a social
media campaign to promote
Indian Geographical Indications
(GIs) with #LetsTalkIP an
ongoing movement initiated by CIPAM to make more people aware about the
importance of Intellectual Property Rights.
VNL SIGNS PACT WITH BSNL FOR DISASTER MANAGEMENT
Telecom equipment and solutions provider VNL signed a MoU with BSNL to
provide solutions for disaster management.
NOTE:
Currently, only 15-16% of employees in India are covered by pensions because around 85% of the workforce is in the unorganized sector.
NOTE:
The bilateral APA was for international transactions between an Indian company and UK-based company.
The scheme of CBDT aims to provide certainty to taxpayers in the domain of transfer pricing by specifying methods of pricing.
NOTE
It is a sign used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess
qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin.
The promotion of GIs is in line with the Government‟s „Make in India‟ campaign.
It‟s an area of strength and optimism for India, whereby the GI tag accorded
protection to a number of hand-made and manufactured products, especially in
the informal sector.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 8
The 'Relief 123' service will restore connectivity at disaster sites, help locate the
affected and integrate information across platforms to enable informed decision-
making for quick relief.
It is service which is an integrated disaster response solution for first responders
and public safety agencies.
UNION HEALTH MINISTRY LAUNCHED TWO NEW CONTRACEPTIVES
ANTARA AND CHHAYA
An injectable contraceptive MPA under
the „Antara‟ program and a contraceptive
pill „Chhaya‟ in the public health system to
expand the basket of contraceptive choices
for couples.
These contraceptives have been launched in
10 states including Delhi, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh,
Rajasthan, Karnataka, Haryana, West Bengal, Odisha, and Goa.
ANNUAL CONFERENCE 'RAJASWA GYAN SANGAM'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurate the annual conference Rajaswa Gyan
Sangam, 2017 in New Delhi.
PRAKRITI KHOJ‟ AN ENVIRONMENT QUIZ ON TEACHERS‟ DAY
The Union Environment Ministry launched an online environmental quiz
competition named Prakriti Khoj will be conducted at the national level.
The main objective of the quiz is to generate interest among school children about
the science related to the environment. The initiative is to motivate children
towards environment conservation-oriented lifestyles.
IN MADHYA PRADESH, SWINE FLU KILLS 87 IN 83 DAYS
As per the statement of Health Department Director K.L. Sahu, the death toll due
to swine flu in Madhya Pradesh stands at 87 in 83 days (from July 1 to September
21.
529 persons were found to be suffering from the H1N1 virus in the given period.
Objective:
To enable a two-way communication between the policy-makers and the senior
officers in the field offices with a view to increase revenue collection and facilitate
effective implementation of law and policies in key result areas.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 9
WETLAND (CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT) RULES 2017
Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has notified new
Wetland (Conservation and Management) Rules 2017 to prohibit range of activities
in wetlands.
The new rules will replace earlier rules notified in 2010.
What are Wetlands?
Wetland is transitional land between terrestrial and aquatic eco-systems where
water table is usually at or near surface or it may be land covered by shallow
water.
It supports rich biodiversity and provides wide range of ecosystem services such
as water storage, water purification, flood mitigation, erosion control, aquifer
recharge etc.
There are 115 wetlands officially identified by Central Government and of those 26
are identified as wetlands of international importance under Ramsar Convention
(an international intergovernmental treaty for conservation of wetlands to which
India is party).
PROJECT SNOW LEOPARD
Snow Leopard is globally endangered species as well as the most important
flagship species of the mountain region
Project aims to conserve biodiversity with community participation
The project will be operational in five Himalayan States viz. Jammu & Kashmir,
Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh with active
support from wildlife institute of India and the Mysore based Nature
Conservation Foundation.
Species such as Snow Leopard, Asiatic Ibex, Tibetan Argali, Ladakh Urial, Chiru,
Takin, Serow and Musk Deer will particularly benefit from this project.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 10
STATE AFFAIRS NETAJI STATUE UNVEILED AT NAVAL BASE IN KOLKATA
An eight feet bronze statue of
Indian freedom struggle
leader Subhas Chandra Bose at
the naval base INS Netaji Subhas
named after the iconic leader.
Netaji's niece in law Krishna
Bose cut the ribbon together with
Eastern Naval Command chief,
Vice Admiral H.C.S. Bisht to
unveil the statue.
PRESIDENT TO VISIT GUJARAT TO LAUNCH PROJECTS
President Ram Nath Kovind visit Jasdan town of Rajkot district on September 4
to launch some projects and attend various programs.
This is for the first time when our country‟s president is coming to Rajkot to
attend a government program.
He will lay the foundation stone for the second phase of work for the link-4 of
the SAUNI project at a place near the temple.
MAHARASHTRA GOVERNMENT SIGNS MOU WITH SOUTH KOREA
The Maharashtra government signed a MoU with South Korea for increased co-
operation in infrastructure projects like development of smart cities, roads,
airports, and metros on the first day of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis‟ visit to
that country.
KARNATAKA GOVERNMENT LAUNCHES VISION-2025 PROJECT
Karnataka Government to launch The Nava Karnataka 2025 or Vision 2025 was
launched on Monday, for charting out a development roadmap for the next seven
years.
AIM: eliminating hunger, creating employment or decreasing malnutrition among
children.
NOTE:
Fadnavis embarked on a three-day tour to South Korea and Singapore
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 11
600 KG CHOCOLATE USED TO MAKE 6-FT DURGA IDOL IN KOLKATA
A hotel in Kolkata displayed a 6-
feet tall Durga idol made from
around 600 kilograms of
chocolate.
Three persons, under the guidance
of pastry chef Sunil, worked eight
hours a day and completed the
idol within a week. (56 hours)
The idol will be on display till
September 29, the day of Mahanavami.
“HUNAR HAAT” IN PUDUCHERRY
Union Minister for Minority Affairs Shri Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi is working to
establish “Hunar Hub” across the country to provide a platform to master artisans
and craftsmen to display as well sell their products.
They prepared an E-Portal to provide national as well as international markers to
artisans and craftsmen from across the country.
TRIPURA IS THE FIRST STATE TO SET UP FAMILY WELFARE
COMMITTEES
Tripura becomes the first state in the country
to set up family welfare district committees
to examine the complaints of women
against their husbands and in-laws and find
an amicable solution.
Tripura High Court is the first high court
among 24 high courts of the country that has
constituted the family welfare district
committees.
NOTE:
A data bank of artisans and craftsmen will be prepared by this year-end,
thousands of artisans from various parts of the country have already been
registered.
NOTE:
The new system would be valid for the next six months and after
that National Legal Services Authority (NLSA) would submit a report of its
performance to the apex court, on the basis of which a new course of action
would be decided.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 12
INDIAS FIRST ELECTRIC BUS SERVICE LAUNCHED IN HIMACHAL
PRADESH ROHTANG PASS
Himachal Pradeshbecame the first state in
India to introduce electric buses.
The Transport Minister GS Bali flagged off
India's first electric bus on the 51 kms
long Manali-Rohtang Pass.
With this initiative Himachal becomes first
in the world to ply electric buses at an
altitude of 13 thousand feet.
KARNATAKA IS THE FIRST INDIAN STATE TO APPROVE E-VEHICLE
POLICY
Karnataka is the first state to roll out an
Electric Vehicle and Energy Storage Policy
that looks not only at boosting sales of
Electrical Vehicles but also setting up
charging infrastructure and special
manufacturing zones.
Karnataka is looking to attract investments to
the tune of Rs 31,000 crore from companies looking at R&D and manufacturing of
electric vehicles in the state.
ODISHA TO SET UP THE FIRST ODIA LANGUAGE UNIVERSITY
The Odisha government passed a bill to
launch the first-ever Odia language
university for post-graduation
in literature and linguistics among other
subjects.
The university which will be established in
Bhubaneswar
It mainly aims at making Odia script more adaptable to computer technology.
NOTE:
It would also administer PG courses in literary criticism, the evolution of East
Indian language scripts, historical scripts, archaeology, musicology and
translation into and from Odia.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 13
ZSI RELEASES FIRST COMPENDIUM OF ANIMAL SPECIES IN INDIAN
SUNDARBANS
Zoological Survey of India (ZSI)
published first of its kind compendium
titled Fauna of Sundarban Biosphere
Reserve in Indian Sundarbans.
It is part of United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization
(UNESCO) World Heritage site.
It forms part of Ganga-Brahmaputra delta
across 9,630 sq. km, distributed among 104 islands.
It has largest tidal halophytic mangrove forest in the world.
INDIA'S FIRST CENTRE FOR ANIMAL LAW SET UP AT HYDERABAD
India's first Centre for Animal
Law established at the city-
based NALSAR University of
Law.
Union Minister for Women and
Child Development Maneka
Gandhi inaugurated the centre
according to a release issued
by Humane Society International
(HSI).
The Centre will create curriculum on animal welfare laws, including developing
topics for research.
NOTE:
ZSI is India‟s apex organization on animal taxonomy. It was established in 1916.
Its main objective is to promote the survey, exploration, research, and
documentation on various aspects of animal taxonomy in the Indian
subcontinent.
NOTE:
It will also conduct workshops on animal laws and animal welfare issues with
judicial magistrates, animal welfare advocates, law enforcement agencies and
other stakeholders in the government.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 14
NEW UNDERGROUND WATER TREATMENT PLANT IN AGARTALA
In Tripura, a new underground
water treatment plant
commissioned at Sadhutilla in the
southern part of Agartala.
TWO HYDRO-ELECTRIC PROJECTS IN ARUNACHAL PRADESH TO BE
COMMISSIONED IN 2018‟
The North Eastern Electric Power
Corporation (NEEPCO) its two hydro-
electric projects in Arunachal Pradesh
600 MW - Kameng Hydro Electric Project
and the 110 MW - Pare Hydro Electric
Project.
KERALA TO OPEN INDIA'S FIRST TRANSGENDER-EXCLUSIVE CLINICS
Kerala opens India's first transgender-
exclusive clinics at government medical
colleges across the state.
They are planning to open Transgender
Clinics in all government medical
colleges in the state.
We also plan to provide facilities for their
surgery at least in two medical colleges.
The first clinic will be set up at the government medical college of Kottayam
within the next two months and will be one of the first clinics to provide the sex-
change surgery.
NOTE:
The treatment capacity of 4 point 8 million litre per day.
It has two Over Head Storage Reservoirs with capacities of 1,130 Kilo Liter
and 450 Kilo Liter.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 15
FIRST WATER ATM INAUGURATED AT NALGONDA X ROADS
Telangana State Home Minister
Naini Narasimha Reddy has
inaugurated „Any Time Water‟
kiosk, known as water
ATM near Nalgonda X Roads
which is joint initiative of Safe
Water Network, an international
NGO and Greater Hyderabad
Municipal Corporation (GHMC).
Purified water will be made
available at a payment of ` 2 per litre and ` 20 per 20 litres of water.
INDIA‟S FIRST HYPERLOOP TO COME UP IN ANDHRA PRADESH
India‟s first Hyperloop project will come up in
Andhra Pradesh connecting its city
centres, Vijayawada and Amaravati.
Andhra Pradesh Economic Development Board
(APEDB) inked a memorandum of
understanding with Hyperloop Transportation
Technologies (HTT) for developing the project.
YOGI ADITYANATH AND RAJNATH SINGH FLAGGED-OFF LUCKNOW
METRO
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh flagged off
the first run of the Lucknow Metro from the
Transport Nagar Metro Station in Lucknow.
NOTE:
A total of 200 ATMs will be set up to reach a targetted 150,000 people. In the first
phase 50 water ATMs will be operationalised by 2018.
NOTE:
Hyperloop Technology is brainchild idea of technology entrepreneur Elon Musk
who dubs it as the fifth mode of transportation.
It is a system of magnetically levitating capsules (pods) that are sent at high
speeds through low-pressure tubes.
NOTE:
CM of Uttar Pradesh dedicated the Lucknow Metro Train Service to Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the former Prime Minister of India
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 16
GURUGRAM METRO STATIONS TO GET 1,000 NEW E-RICKSHAWS
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) in
collaboration with Smart-E company will
launch 1,000 e-rickshaws at five metro stations
across the city.
The launch of 1,000 e-rickshaws in exclusive
partnership with DMRC is an important step
towards making last-mile commute easy, safe,
affordable and eco-friendly for the citizens.
AHMEDABAD GETS INDIA'S FIRST WORLD HERITAGE CITY
Ahmedabad in Gujarat formally accorded
the status of India's first World Heritage
City with United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization
(UNESCO) Director General Irina Bokova
handing over the certificate in this regard
to Chief Minister Vijay Rupani.
Ahmedabad was selected out of 250 cities
in the race for the coveted status.
J&K GOVERNMENT TO INTRODUCE 'ELECTRIC BUSES' IN SRINAGAR
The Jammu and Kashmir Government introduces
the electric buses for two cities of Srinagar and
Jammu under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation
and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) scheme.
It is done with an aim to curb pollution in these
two cities which were recently declared „smart
cities‟.
AADHAAR CARD IS NOW MANDATORY FOR ENTRY INTO PUBS IN
HYDERABAD
The Telangana government has made it mandatory for Aadhaar cards to be shown
as identification proof by Hyderabad residents to gain entry to pubs. Those
below 21 years of age will not be allowed to enter the pubs.
NOTE:
India is second after China in terms of a number of world heritage properties
in ASPAC (Asia and Pacific) region, and overall seventh in the world.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 17
KANDLA PORT RENAMED AS DEENDAYAL PORT
The Kandla Port one of the top 12 major ports in the country renamed as
Deendayal Port in the name of Hindutva icon Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay.
HARYANA TO CREATE WIFI ZONE IN ALL 6,078 GRAM PANCHAYATS
The Haryana council of ministers on
Wednesday decided to create one Wi-Fi zone in
all 6,078-gram panchayats within two years and
provide 4G services in every village in the next
three years.
Under the Haryana Information Technology
(IT) and Electronic System Design and
Manufacturing (ESDM) Policy-2017 approved by the cabinet.
ASSAM GOVT SIGNS MOU WITH GOOGLE
Assam Government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Google
India, to provide Internet connection to 26,000 villages and 1,500 tea garden
areas in Assam to increase digital literacy.
ASSAM SKILL CITY TO HAVE 10,000 TRAINING SEATS MAY TAKE 4-5
YEARS TO GET FUNCTIONAL
The Assam State government to launch well-
equipped cities with the capacity of 10000 seats in
the state.
A Singapore based premier institute will support
the state government for further development.
A temporary complex with 400 capacity is being
set up in Guwahati.
NOTE:
A murder investigation of 17-year-old girl forced the excise department to
implement such step.
NOTE:
The port‟s journey began in 1931 with the construction of a jetty by Maharao
Khengarji.
It became the number one port in India and created history by handling 100
million tonnes cargo in a year.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 18
INTERNATIONAL YOGA FESTIVAL STARTS IN KASHMIR
Jammu and Kashmir governor N N
Vohra inaugurated the
second International Yoga Festival and
International Yoga Sports
Championship 2017 in which about 300
people from across the world are
participating.
The festival is being organized by the
Yoga Society of Kashmir at the Sher-i-
Kashmir International Conference Centre
MAHA MISSION 1 MILLION
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis launched the 'Maharashtra
Mission 1 Million' initiative under which over 10 lakh students across the state
will play football.
It is the first time in the country and Maharashtra to support was decided by
Tawde.
MA NARMADA MAHOTSAV YATRA
Gujarat‟s Chief Minister Vijay Rupani flagged off the „Ma Narmada Mahotsav
Yatra‟ from Surendranagar which will cover 24 districts, 7 cities & over 7200 villages.
NOTE: Around 30 thousand former militants will be given skill development training
and cease-fire camps where they are residing now will be made production centers.
NOTE:
The entire Maharashtra becomes Pro football the Mission will not only create football players and lovers of the game but will also help in overall development of the state.
Under the initiative, the state government aims to ensure that children come out in open spaces and play.
NOTE:
Notably, the two weeks long „Ma Narmada Mahotsav Yatra‟ is being celebrated after the completion of Sardar Sarovar Dam on the Narmada river.
The dam finally completed fifty-six years after the foundation stone laid by the state government on June 17 got permission from the Narmada Control Authority to close all the 30 gates of the dam, raising its height to 138.68 meters.
Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru laid the foundation stone for the dam in the year 1961.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 19
NAGALAND TO IMPLEMENT DBT UNDER MGNREGA
Nagaland starts implementing Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) under Mahatma
Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) beginning from
the current financial year.
Presently, 46,894 active MGNREGA workers have opened their bank accounts
linked with Aadhar and are ready for DBT.
A total of 1.79 lakh MGNREGA workers have been verified with Aadhar and
being processed for an opening bank account.
Currently, there is 4.25 lakh active job cards with 5.82 lakh active MGNREGA
workers in the state.
BIODIVERSITY-RICH UNINHABITED PARALI I ISLAND OF
LAKSHADWEEP VANISHED
R M Hidayathulla in his research work
stated that "Parali I" island, part of
Bangaram atoll, which was 0.032 sq. km in
1968 has been vanished, during 1968-2003
period due to coastal erosion.
Hidayathulla was awarded PhD in July
2017 by Calicut University in Kerala for
his work "Studies on Coastal Erosion in
Selected Uninhabited Islands of Lakshadweep Archipelago with Special Reference
to Biodiversity Conservation."
Also, Erosion was higher in the other islands, such as:
Parali II – 80 % Thinnakara – 14.38 %
Parali III – 11.42 % Bangaram – 9.968
SHORT NEWS
Uttar Pradesh government will release 100 inmates from various jails of the state to
mark the birth centenary of Pt. Deendayal Upadhyaya.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 20
INTERNATIONAL
INDIA & WORLD
INDIA DESPATCHES FIRST DIESEL CONSIGNMENT TO MYANMAR
India and Myanmar, the first
consignment of 30 MT of High-
Speed Diesel sent from India to
Myanmar by land route.
Numaligarh Refinery Limited
(NRL), which has been supplying
HSD to Bangladesh, despatched the
first diesel consignment through
NH 37 across the Moreh Custom
Check Point on the Indian side and
Tamu Custom Check Point on the Myanmar side.
It is to enhance hydrocarbon synergy with neighboring countries as well as
promoting India‟s Act East Policy.
INDIA, MYANMAR SIGN ELEVEN MOUS IN A RANGE OF SECTORS
The 11 MoUs also includes one
between the Election Commission
and Union Election of Myanmar,
the national level electoral
commission of Myanmar.
MoU on Maritime Security
Cooperation
Cultural Exchange Programme for
the year 2017-2020.
MoU on Enhancing the
Cooperation of the Upgradation of the Women's Police Training Centre at
Yamethin, Myanmar.
MoU for Sharing White Shipping Information between the Indian Navy and
Myanmar Navy
Technical Agreement for providing Coastal Surveillance System
MoU between the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO),
Ministry Of Health and Family Welfare of the Republic of India and Food and
Drugs (FDA), Ministry of Health and Sports of Myanmar on Cooperation in
Medical Products Regulation.
NOTE:
It already exported 1700 MT of Paraffin wax to Myanmar
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 21
Exchange of Letter for Extension of MoU on the establishment of MIIT
Exchange of Letter for Extension of MoU on the establishment of India-Myanmar
Center for Enhancement of IT-Skill
MoU in the field of elections between the Election Commission of India and The
Union Election Commission of Myanmar.
MoU on Cooperation between Myanmar Press Council and the Press Council of
India.
INDIA AND AFGHANISTAN SIGN FOUR PACTS IN AREAS OF HEALTH
AND TRANSPORT
External Affairs Minister Sushma
Swaraj and Foreign Minister of
Afghanistan Salahuddin Rabbani
in New Delhi signed four
agreements recently.
India's commitment to support
Afghanistan as a secure, stable,
united and prosperous nation.
INDIA AND JAPAN TO STEP UP DEFENCE COOPERATION
Defence Minister Arun Jaitley
and his Japanese counterpart
Itsunori Onodera signed the
agreement during India-Japan
annual defence ministerial
dialogue in Tokyo.
The countries agreed to commence
technical discussions for research
collaboration in the areas of
Unmanned Ground Vehicles and Robotics.
NOTE:
India planned to buy the US-2 ShinMaywa aircraft from Japan for its navy.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 22
INDIA-JAPAN INK OPEN SKY AGREEMENT
India and Japan agreed to ink open sky arrangement to allow airlines from both
countries to operate an unlimited number of flights.
In this regard, both countries exchanged RoD (Record of Discussions) on civil
aviation cooperation with respect to open sky.
INDIA AND JAPAN INK 15 AGREEMENTS FOR ENHANCING BILATERAL
CO-OPERATION
India and Japan signed 15
agreements for enhancing
bilateral cooperation in several
key areas including investment
promotion, civil aviation, and
science and technology.
The agreements were signed in
the presence of Prime Minister
Narendra Modi and his Japanese
counterpart Shinzo Abe after 12th
annual summit talks in Gandhinagar.
MoU on International Academic and Sports Exchange
MoC in the field of Japanese Language Education in India Exchange of RoD on
Civil Aviation Cooperation.
MOC between Ministry of Home Affairs and Cabinet Office of Japan
India-Japan Investment Promotion Road map between DIPP and METI.
The arrangement between India Post and Japan Post for the Implementation of
Cool EMS service.
MoU between RIS and IDE-JETRO for the promotion of Cooperation in Research
Related Activities.
MOC between METI and Gujarat on „Japan-India special programme for Make In
India‟ in Mandal Bechraj-Khoraj in Gujarat.
India-Japan Act East Forum: To enhance connectivity and promote developmental
projects in North East India in efficient and effective manner.
joint Research Contract India‟s Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and between
National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science & Technology (AIST), Japan.
Agreement for an International joint exchange programme between
interdisciplinary theoretical and mathematical sciences programme, RIKEN and
National Centres for Biological Sciences.
Japan has invested 4.7 billion US dollars in India during 2016-17, 80 percent
higher than last year.
NOTE:
The open sky agreement will be signed in accordance with the National Civil
Aviation Policy (NACP), 2016.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 23
INDIA AND SWITZERLAND SIGN TWO MOUS IN THE FIELD OF
RAILWAYS
India and Switzerland have signed two Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs)
for exchanging technical cooperation in the field of Railways.
They were signed after delegation level talks between Prime Minister Narendra
Modi and visiting President of Swiss Confederation Doris Leuthard in New Delhi.
INDIA AND CHINA SUBMITTED PROPOSAL TO WTO
India and China jointly submitted a
proposal to World Trade Organisation
(WTO) calling for the elimination of most
trade-distorting farm subsidies by
developed countries.
These farm subsidies are known as
Aggregate Measurement of Support (AMS)
or „Amber Box‟ support.
BELARUS PRESIDENT ON TWO-DAY VISIT IN INDIA
India and Belarus are signed agreements on
their bilateral cooperation, including in defence
and security, as the Eastern European country's
President Alexander Lukashenko is on a two-day
visit to New Delhi.
NOTE:
A Treaty of Friendship between India and Switzerland signed in New Delhi
in August 1948 was one of the first treaties tobe signed by independent India.
This year marks the 70th year of the treaty.
Both India and Switzerland represent democratic and plural societies that
believe in the principles of “respect for differences” and “unity in diversity”.
NOTE:
The proposal assumes importance in view for consideration of other reforms in
domestic support negotiations in view of ongoing negotiations for upcoming
11th Ministerial Conference (MC) of WTO to be held in Buenos Aires
(Argentina) in December 2017.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 24
INDIA AND BELARUS SIGNED 10 AGREEMENTS
India and Belarus inked 10
agreements to expand cooperation in
a range of areas and decided to
explore joint development and
manufacture of military platforms,
giving a fresh momentum in
bilateral ties.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and
Belarus President A.G. Lukashenko
MoU between the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports of the Republic of India and
the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Belarus
MoU between the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship of the
Government of the Republic of India and the Ministry of Education of the
Government of the Republic of Belarus for Cooperation in the Field of Vocational
Education and Training
Agreement on Scientific and Technical Cooperation between Indian National
Science Academy (INSA) and the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus
MoU between Indian Council of Agricultural Research, India and Belarusian State
Agricultural Academy, Gorki, Belarus for Cooperation in Agricultural Research
and Education
Protocol amending the Agreement between the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmer‟s
Welfare of the Republic of India and the Ministry of Agriculture and Food of the
Republic of Belarus signed on April 16, 2007
Programme of cooperation between the Government of Republic of India and the
Government of Republic of Belarus in the field of culture for 2018-2020
MoU between M/o Petroleum & Natural Gas of the Republic of India and
Belarusian State Concern of Oil and Chemistry in the Oil and Gas Sector
MoU between JSV "Belzarubezhstroy” and National Buildings Construction
Corporation Ltd.
MoU between JSC Belarusian Potash Company (BPC) and Indian Potash Ltd (IPL)
Agreement on the implementation of MoU signed between OJSC Minsk Tractor
Works and Kirloskar Oil Engines Ltd. India in Pune.
INDIA AND NORWAY EXTENDS BILATERAL COOPERATION
India and Norway have extended bilateral cooperation in the health sector
through the Norway-India Partnership Initiative for a period of three years
starting 2018.
Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Norwegian Ministry of
Foreign Affairs signed a letter of intent recently.
The Partnership Initiative now extends to Jammu and Kashmir and four other
States- Bihar, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan are already covered under
it.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 25
World
JAPAN RELEASES POSTAGE STAMPS ON INDIAN YOGA EXPERTS
Japanese postal department
released postage stamps on Yoga
Expert Mr.Bishnu Charan Ghosh
and his family members, in
Kolkata.
The country released postage
stamps on Indian Yoga experts
Mr.Bishnu Charan Ghosh, his son
Mr.Biswanath Ghosh, daughter
Ms.Karuna Ghosh and Karuna‟s
father in law Mr.Asutosh Ghosh.
These stamps were officially displayed in Kolkata by the Japanese Consul General
Masayuki Taga,in Kolkata.
He is a Bengali bodybuilder and a Yoga expert.
SAUDI ARABIA LIFTS BAN ON INTERNET CALLING APPS
Saudi Arabia government introduced the ban of internet phone calls - known as
Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP).
Saudi Arabia's new crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman lifted the ban on voice
calls on Skype, Whatsapp and other applications to make Saudi Arabia more
attractive for business.
ANGOLA SWEARS IN ITS FIRST NEW PRESIDENT AFTER 38 YEARS
Angola swore in Joao Lourenco as the
country's President making him the first
new President of the country in 38 years.
He served as Angola's Defence Minister
earlier, vowed to attract more foreign
investment.
NOTE:
The People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) governed since
Angola's hard-fought independence from Portugal in 1975 with Dos Santos
taking power in 1979.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 26
CHINA LAUNCHES FASTEST BULLET TRAIN IN THE WORLD
China launches the world's fastest bullet
train „Fuxing‟ between Beijing and
Shanghai at 350 kms per hour, covering
the 1,250-km-long distance in just 4 hours
and 30 minutes.
CHINA OPENS DUAL-USE HIGHWAY TO NEPAL THROUGH TIBET
China opened a dual-use highway in Tibet
to the Nepal border which could be used
for civilian and defense purposes in
China.
It connects Xigaze airport and Xigaze city
center in Tibet.
The road helps to ease the congestions and
export economy of China.
AFGHAN AIR FORCE GOT ITS FIRST FOUR U.S.-MADE UH-60 BLACK
HAWK HELICOPTERS
The first four Afghan Air Force (AAF)
UH-60s arrived in Kandahar, as part of a
planned replacement of its aging fleet of
Russian-made Mi-17 helicopters.
The U.S. plans to supply a total of 159
Black Hawks to Afghanistan in the
coming years as it boosts the capacity of
the AAF.
CHINA BANS EXPORT OF KEY PETROLEUM PRODUCTS TO NORTH
KOREA
China ban exports of some petroleum products to North Korea and as well as
imports of textiles from the isolated North, in line with a UN Security Council
resolution, passed after Pyongyang‟s latest nuclear test.
The USA and South Korea are technically still at war with North Korea because
the 1950-53 Korean conflict ended with a truce and not a peace treaty.
NOTE:
China has the world‟s longest high-speed rail network of over 22,000
kilometres, about 60% per cent of the world‟s total.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 27
RUSSIA UNVEILS STATUE OF AK 47 INVENTOR MIKHAIL
KALASHNIKOV
The nine-metre (30ft) statue of Mikhail
Kalashnikov, the inventor of the AK-47
assault rifle, has been unveiled in Russian
capital Moscow in a controversial
ceremony.
RUSSIA AND IRAQ RESTORE AIR TRAVEL AFTER 13-YEAR FREEZE
Russia and Iraq restored commercial
airline services for the first time since
2004, with an Iraqi Airways plane
leaving for Moscow from Baghdad.
Russia suspended flights to Iraq after the
2003 US-led invasion pushed the Arab
country into war.
It is a signal on the part of the Iraqi
authorities that Russian nationals can safely visit Iraq.
CHENNAI-VLADIVOSTOK SEA ROUTE MADE INDIA‟S EFFORT TO
COUNTER CHINA‟S OBOR
India is planning to launch major
connectivity initiative,
connecting Chennai with key
Russian port Vladivostok via sea
route with an aim to harness natural
resources from Northeast Asia and
Western Pacific region.
The proposed maritime route can be
transformed into a corridor that
could juxtapose with Indo-Japan Pacific to Indian Ocean Corridor to counter
China‟s Maritime Silk Route (MSR) under Border Road Initiative (BRI) which
connect entire South East Asia through road, shipping and rail links.
NOTE:
Kalashnikov designed "Avtomat Kalashnikova", which became the standard issue rifle of the Soviet army, in 1947 - hence the abbreviation AK-47.
NOTE: India was the first country to establish resident Consulate in Vladivostok in
1992. India‟s current engagement with the region is limited to isolated pockets such
as Irkut Corporation in Irkutsk where Mig and Sukhoi aircraft are built and over $6
billion worth of investments by ONGC Videsh Limited.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 28
TURKEY SIGNS DEAL TO BUY RUSSIAN S-400 MISSILE SYSTEMS
Turkey signed a deal with Russia to buy S-
400 missile defence systems in its first
major weapons purchase from Moscow,
according to the President of Turkey Recep
Tayyip Erdogan.
The accord for the surface-to-air missile
defence batteries is Ankara's most
significant pact with a non-North Atlantic
Treaty Organisation (NATO) supplier.
SECOND INDIAN WORKERS‟ RESOURCE CENTRE INAUGURATED IN
UAE
Indian Ambassador in UAE
Navdeep Singh Suri inaugurated
the second Indian Workers‟
Resource Centre (IWRC) in UAE
to provide support and counseling
to Indians in distress.
It provides counseling and
support to the overseas Indian
Community on legal, personal and
financial matters, free of cost.
NORTH KOREA'S LATEST NUCLEAR TEST
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) will hold an emergency meeting to
discuss an international response to North Korea's latest nuclear test.
North Korea tested a hydrogen bomb that could be mounted on a missile and is its
biggest nuclear detonation.
NOTE: Turkey is a NATO member since 1952.
NOTE:
The first IWRC opened in Dubai in 2010.
Khalifa bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan is the President of the United Arab
Emirates (UAE).
NOTE:
The countries namely the United States, Britain, France, Japan and South Korea
requested the urgent meeting.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 29
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA PROPOSES NEW SANCTIONS AGAINST
NORTH KOREA
United States of America (USA) proposed a range of new sanctions against North
Korea, including an oil ban and a freeze on leader Kim Jong-un's assets.
They drafted a UN resolution in response to Pyongyang's latest nuclear test which
will be considered by members of the UN Security Council.
The draft calls for bans on supplying a range of oil products to North Korea and
purchasing its textile exports.
PAKISTAN PM OPENS CHINA BACKED 5TH NUCLEAR POWER PLANT
FOR 340 MW ELECTRICITY GENERATION
Pakistani Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan
Abbasi inaugurated the country‟s fifth
nuclear power plant (C-4 plant) located
at Chashma in Mianwali district of the
Punjab province.
FIVE BANKS OF BRICS NATIONS SIGN PACT FOR CREDIT LINES
Five banks of Brazil, Russia, India, China,
South Africa (BRICS) Interbank Cooperation
Mechanism (ICM) agreed to establish local
currency credit lines and develop cooperation
on credit ratings.
The agreement will allow these five banks to
establish framework mechanism to extend credit lines in local currencies to BRICS
ICM members and BRICS countries.
NOTE:
This 340 MW Chasma - IV (C - 4) nuclear power plant is developed in
collaboration between the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC)
and China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC).
NOTE:
These five banks are Brazilian Development Bank, Russia‟s Vnesheconombank,
Export-Import Bank of India (EXIM), China Development Bank and
Development Bank of South Africa.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 30
CHINA ANNOUNCED $80 MILLION FUNDING PLAN FOR BRICS
China gave 500 million yuan ($76.4 million) for a BRICS economic and technology
cooperation plan, and another $4 million for projects at the BRICS countries' New
Development Bank stated Chinese President Xi Jinping.
WORLD‟S BIGGEST AND POWERFUL X-RAY LASER GUN UNVEILED
The world‟s largest and powerful X-ray laser- European X-ray Free Electron
Laser(XFEL) unveiled in Hamburg, Germany.
The XEFL is series of 3.4-kilometer tunnels up to 38 meters underground near the
city of Hamburg.
It took 8 years to build 1.5-billion-euro ($1.7 billion) facility.
It has the capacity to generate extremely intense laser flashes, at a rate of 27,000
per second generated by Self-Amplified Spontaneous Emission (SASE).
WORLD'S HIGHEST SANDCASTLE BUILT IN GERMAN CITY
The world's highest sandcastle is
now standing 16.68 meters tall in
the German city of Duisburg.
The construction of the mammoth
sandcastle, bringing in 3,500 tons
of sand over the past three and a
half weeks to the site at a former
steelworks in the inland city.
The new sandcastle is decorated
with sand models of tourist attractions such as Athens' Acropolis, Barcelona's
Sagrada Familia and the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
QATAR AIRWAYS BECOMES THE WORLDS FIRST AIRLINE TO LAUNCH
DOUBLE BEDS IN BUSINESS CLASS
Qatar Airways has put double beds in the business class sections of aeroplanes
from London to Doha in Qatar.
Such cabins, called Qsuites will be rolled out next in flights from Paris and New
York.
SAMSUNG GAINS PERMIT TO TEST SELF-DRIVING CARS IN
CALIFORNIA
Samsung Electronics joined the self-driving car race in California with a permit
from the state to test the technology on the home turf of Tesla, Google, and Apple.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 31
EARTHQUAKE OF MAGNITUDE 8 STRUCK SOUTHERN MEXICO
Magnitude 8 powerful earthquake hit offshore 120 kilometres southwest of the
town of Tres Picos in the state of Chiapas, southern Mexico.
US Geological Survey (USGS) issued a tsunami warning.
US SUPREME COURT ALLOWS PRESIDENT TRUMP TO IMPLEMENT
REFUGEE BAN
All nine SC justices agreed with the
Trump administration to block a
federal appeals court ruling that
exempted refugees with contractual
relationships with resettlement
organisations from the ban.
Already President signed revised
executive order in March that
banned travellers from six Muslim-
majority countries namely Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen - for 90
days and locked out most refugees for 120 days
SHORT NEWS:
Nepal has signed a USD 635 million UN Development assistance package for
2018-2022 to lay out the country‟s development strategy for the next five years.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 32
SCHEMES UCHCHTAR AAVISHKAR ABHIYAN
Under the Ministry of Human Resource Development
It aims to promote industry-specific need-based research in the educational
institutions to keep up the competitiveness of the Indian industry in the global
market.
All the IITs have been encouraged to work with the industry to identify areas
where innovation is required.
The main aim of launching the UAY scheme is to make students more accustomed
with the outer world and give them a market oriented mindset.
Implemented by Department of Higher Education.
VISHWAJEET SCHEME
Under the Ministry of Human Resource Development
The scheme entailed the provision of Rs. 1,250 crore to each of the top seven IITs
over a period of five years to upgrade infrastructure, hire foreign faculty, and
collaborate with foreign institutions to break into the top league in global rankings
UNION GOVT TO LAUNCH SCHOOL CHALO ABHIYAN TO ENROL 80
LAKH KIDS
Government will undertake a programme known as „school chalo abhiyan‟from
2018 to enrol “70-80 lakh” students in India who are out of schools.
Union Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar announced it
at the celebration of 51st International Literacy Day-2017.
UJALA SCHEME LAUNCHED IN MELAKA, MALAYSIA
Energy Efficiency Services Limited
(EESL) under Ministry of Power,
Government of India has launched
UJALA (Unnat Jyoti by Affordable
Lighting for All) Scheme in the State
of Melaka, Malaysia.
The Scheme was launched by Chief
Minister of Melaka Datuk Seri Utama
Ir. Hj. Idris Bin Hj. Haron.
Under this scheme, each household in Melaka will get 10 high-quality 9-watt LED
bulbs.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 33
SACHIN LAUNCHES PROJECT TO DEVELOP THE POOREST WARD
Former Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar
on Tuesday launched Mission-24 a
programme aimed at improving the quality
of life in one of Mumbai‟s poorest wards
through collaborative efforts in the next 24
months.
The main aim of the program to provide
basic amenities to residents of M-East ward that includes slums of Shivaji Nagar,
Deonar and Mankhurd.
'PANDIT DEENDAYAL UPADHYAY SHRAM ANNA SAHAYATA YOJNA'
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh launched the 'Pandit Deendayal
Upadhyay Shram Anna Sahayata Yojna' under which nutritious meal will be
provided to laborers at price of Rupees five.
The programme aims to reach 7000 laborers across 27 districts in Chhattisgarh.
The government has also registered 21 lakh workers from the organized and the
unorganized sectors.
„SHAHEED GRAM VIKAS YOJANA‟ IN JHARKHAND
Jharkhand Government in the presence of BJP
Leader Amit Shah launched Shaheed Gram Vikas
Yojana aimed at developing villages of freedom
fighters in the state.
Under this scheme, villages of many tribal
freedom fighters will be developed and their habitats will be provided basic
amenities and these villages will be provided basic amenities.
NOTE:
Through this project, the organisations aim to provide amenities like secondary
schools and colleges, Anganwadi's, maternity homes, health posts and
dispensaries in the ward. It also aims to improve sanitation, create more open
spaces and look at computer safety.
NOTE:
These villages remained inaccessible for a long time after Independence
because of Left-wing extremism.
Birsa Munda is a tribal, freedom fighter, religious leader, and folk hero who
belonged to Munda tribe from Chhotanagpur area.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 34
AKSHAY KUMAR APPOINTED UTTARAKHAND SWACHH BHARAT
MISSION BRAND AMBASSADOR
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh
Rawat announced the appointment of actor
Akshay Kumar as the brand ambassador of
the Swachh Bharat Mission in the state.
RS. 5 LAKH ANNUAL SCHOLARSHIP FOR ATHLETES UNDER REVAMPED
KHELO INDIA PROGRAMME
The Narendra Modi government will invest Rs 1,756 crore for a period of three
years for the revamping of 'Khelo India' scheme, which has been taken with twin
goals: Sports For All and Sports For Excellence.
Each athlete selected under this scheme will receive an annual scholarship
worth Rs 5 lakh for 8 consecutive years.
Khelo India is a merger of following schemes:
Rajiv Gandhi Khel Abhiyan(RGKA)
Urban Sports Infrastructure Scheme (USIS)
National Sports Talent Search Scheme (NSTSS)
The revamped programme for period 2017-18 to 2019-20 aims to impact entire sports
ecosystem, including infrastructure, talent identification, community sports, coaching,
competition structure and sports economy.
It includes:
Pan Indian Sports Scholarship Scheme
Sports Universities
National Physical Fitness Drive
NOTE:
He is appointed as the brand ambassador for the cleanliness campaign in Uttar
Pradesh in August 2017 and his film "Toilet: Ek Prem Katha" was made tax-free
in the state.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 35
APPS & PORTAL
PENCIL PORTAL
The Union Ministry of Labour and Employment launched Platform for Effective
Enforcement for No Child Labour (PENCIL) Portal at National Conference.
The portal is an electronic platform that aims at involving Centre, State, District,
Governments, civil society and the general public in achieving the target of child
labor free society.
They launched Standing Operating Procedures (SOPs) for enforcement of legal
framework against child labor.
DIVYANG SARATHI MOBILE APPLICATION
The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment launched Divyang Sarathi The
accessible and comprehensive mobile application for easy dissemination of
information to „Divyangjans‟
Aims: To empower Divyangjans by providing them easier and convenient access
to information pertaining to schemes, scholarships, statutes, institutional.
FSSAI LAUNCHES ONLINE PLATFORM „FOSCORIS‟
Food Safety and Standards
Authority of India (FSSAI)
launched „FoSCoRIS‟, a
nationwide online platform to
bring in transparency in food
safety inspection and sampling.
The new system will bring
together all key stakeholders
food businesses, food safety
officers (FSOs), designated officers, state food safety commissioners on a nation-
wide IT platform and data related to inspection, sampling and test result data will
be shared.
The system will help to verify compliance with food safety and hygiene standards
by food businesses as per the government norms.
NOTE:
FSSAI is a nodal statutory agency responsible for protecting and promoting
public health in India through regulation and supervision of food safety.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 36
ECONOMY RBI INTRODUCE RS 5, RS 100 COIN TO MARK MG RAMACHANDRAN‟S
BIRTH CENTENARY
As per the notification of Finance Ministry,
the Reserve Bank of India will introduce100
rupees coin to mark the birth centenary
(hundredth anniversary) of AIADMK founder
Late Dr. M G Ramachandran.
INDIA‟S FOREX RESERVES TOP $400 BILLION FOR THE FIRST TIME
According to the Reserve Bank of India Data, India‟s foreign-exchange reserves
rose past $400 billion for the first time ever, strengthening policy makers‟ buffers
ahead of an expected reduction in US stimulus.
TRIFED INKS MOU WITH AMAZON TO SALE TRIBAL PRODUCTS
ONLINE
Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development
Federation of India Limited (TRIFED) inked
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with e-
commerce giant Amazon for selling tribal products.
The aim of the initiative is to promote tribal
NOTE:
On the obverse, the face of the coin will bear Lion Capital of Ashoka Pillar in
the center with Satyamev Jayate inscribed below on it in Devanagari script.
On the reverse side, the portrait of Dr. MG Ramachandran will be in the
center.
The numerals „1917-2017‟ will appear below the portrait of Ramachandran.
The design of the Rs. 5 coin will be similar to that of the Rs. 100 coin.
The Rs. 100 coin will weigh 35 grams and have 50% silver in its
composition.
The Rs. 5 coin will be composed of copper, zinc and nickel.
NOTE:
The gold reserves remained unchanged at $20.691 billion.
The special drawing rights with the International Monetary Fund (IMF)
increased by $14.2 million to $1.520 billion
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 37
handicrafts like handloom products, cane and bamboo products, tribal jewelry,
Dhokra craft, tribal weaves.
NESTLE SETS UP FIRST FOOD SAFETY INSTITUTE IN INDIA
The new Food Safety and Standards
Authority of India (FSSAI) CEO Pawan
Kumar Agarwal inaugurated the Nestle Food
Safety Institute in Manesar, Gurugram.
The partnerships with private parties on food
safety and standards are an imperative for
FSSAI.
It is an effort to implement a first world regulatory ecosystem in India.
ICAR TO UNDERTAKE MAJOR RESEARCH WORKS ON AGRICULTURE
WITH WORLD BANK FUND
The Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) will be undertaking major
research works on agriculture this year with the World Bank fund of 1100 crore
rupees.
The research in making available enough fodder for cattle as it remains an area of
concern now and also to address the climate change challenges.
NOTE:
TRIFED is a national-level apex organization functioning under administrative
control of Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
It was established in August 1987 by then Ministry of Welfare under Multi
State Cooperative Societies Act 1984 (which has now been replaced by Multi-
State Cooperative Societies Act, 2002).
Its core objective is to institutionalize trade of Minor Forest Produce (MFP)
and Surplus Agriculture Produce (SAP) collected or cultivated by tribals as
they are heavily dependent on these natural products for their livelihood.
TRIFED also works as an agency to the FCI for procurement of Wheat and
Rice.
NOTE:
India ranks first in milk production in the world, the milk yield per animal is
very low as compared to international standards.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 38
HDFC BANK LISTED IN DOMESTIC SYSTEMICALLY IMPORTANT BANKS
The Reserve Bank of India
listed HDFC Bank as a domestic
systemically important bank (DSIB)
under the bucketing structure
identified last year.
The additional Common Equity Tier 1
(CET1) requirement for D-SIBs
already been phased-in from April 1,
2016, and will become fully effective
from April 1, 2019.
The requirement will be in addition to the capital conservation buffer.
SBI LIFE INSURANCE GETS SEBI APPROVAL FOR RS 8,400 CRORE IPO
SBI Life Insurance received approval from the Securities and Exchange Board of
India for an IPO (Initial Public Offering)of up to Rs 8,400 crore ($1.3 billion).
It involves 120 million secondary shares or 12 per cent of the insurer's equity
capital. State Bank of India which currently owns 70.1 per cent of the insurer, will
sell 80 million shares and BNP Paribas Cardif, holder of a 26 per cent stake, will
sell 40 million.
INDIA‟S FIRST LITHIUM-ION BATTERY UNIT IN GUJARAT
Suzuki Motor invest more than Rs 1,150 crore along with Japanese partners
Toshiba and Denso to set up India's first lithium-ion battery facility in Gujarat.
The announcement by the parent of the country's largest carmaker, Maruti Suzuki
is a major boost to the government's ambitious vehicle electrification and Make in
India initiatives.
It will hold half the stake and meanwhile, Toshiba will own 40% and Denso the
remaining 10%.
FORCE MOTORS AND ROLLS-ROYCE POWER TIE UP
Pune-based auto firm Force Motors Limited
entered into a non-binding joint venture agreement
with Rolls-Royce Power Systems AG to produce
engines for power generation and rail application
and complete power generation systems, including
spare parts, for Indian and global markets.
The joint venture with Rolls-Royce is the
company‟s first step towards diversifying into the non-auto segment.
In the joint venture, Force Motors will hold a 51% stake and Rolls-Royce the rest.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 39
ASHOK LEYLAND SIGNED AGREEMENT WITH ROSOBORONEXPORT,
ELCOM
Hinduja Group flagship company Ashok Leyland signed a MoU with
Rosoboronexport, Russia to supply tracked vehicle solutions to the armed forces.
Another MoU is signed with the ELCOM Group which is also emerging as a
significant player in strategic electronics, avionics and tactical communication
globally.
GOOGLE LAUNCHES 'TEZ' IN INDIA
Google launched a mobile wallet and payments app 'Tez' in
India that will let users link their phones to their bank accounts
to pay for goods in physical stores and online.
It is available for both Android and iOS users, the app also
allows person-to-person money transfers.
PAYTM PARTNERS WITH NPCI
Paytm Payments Bank (PPB) partnered with
the National Payments Corporation of India
(NPCI) to launch a RuPay-powered digital
debit card.
The RuPay-powered digital debit card will be
issued to all customers who have opened their bank accounts with PPB.
As a payments bank, PPB can take a demand deposit of up to Rs 1 lakh per
customer, but it cannot undertake lending activities.
NOTE:
Rosoboronexport (ROE) is the only State organisation in Russia for export
of the entire range of military products and technologies.
NOTE:
Google linking up with several major banks in the country by way of UPI
(Unified Payments Interface) a payment standard and system backed by the
government in its push to bring more integrated banking services into a very
fragmented market.
The Supported banks include Axis, HDFC Bank, ICICI and State Bank of India
and others that support UPI.
Online payment partners include large food chains like Dominos, transport
services like RedBus, and Jet Airways and to help address one of the many ways
that the Indian market is fragmented, the app has support for English, Hindi,
Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Marathi, Tamil, and Telugu.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 40
The debit card will have the facility to come with a free insurance cover of up to
Rs. 2 lakh in the case of death or permanent total disability.
The customers will now be able to transact at all merchants who accept credit and
debit cards.
BHARTI AIRTEL AND SK TELECOM TO BUILD ADVANCED TELECOM
NETWORK IN INDIA
Telecom services provider Bharti
Airtel and SK Telecom of Korea have
announced a strategic partnership under
which Airtel will leverage the latter's
expertise to build advanced telecom
network in India.
EXIDE LIFE AND PMC BANK TO TIE UP FOR SAVINGS PRODUCTS
Exide Life Insurance announced a partnership with
Punjab & Maharashtra Co-operative Bank (PMC Bank)
to offer its protection and savings products to the latter‟s
customers.
NOTE:
Airtel launched India‟s first live payments bank. Paytm is the second such
service to be launched in the country.
NOTE:
It is Korea‟s largest telecommunications company with more than 29
million mobile subscribers, which accounts for around 50 percent of the
total market.
The two companies will also collaborate on an ongoing basis to evolve
standards for 5G and Network Functions Virtualisation (NFV).
NOTE:
It is a multi-State scheduled urban cooperative bank with 127 branches spread
across Maharashtra, Delhi, Karnataka, Goa, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and
Madhya Pradesh. Exide Life Insurance works with around 50 banks.
Exide Life Insurance Company Limited commenced its operations in 2001-02.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 41
AMAZON'S LARGEST FULFILMENT CENTER IN HYDERABAD
American e-commerce company
Amazon opened its largest fulfillment center
(FC) in the country at the GMR-led Rajiv
Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad.
The new facility has a carpet area of around 4 lakh square feet, along with a
storage space of close to 2.1 million cubic feet.
Amazon's fifth fulfillment center in Telangana, thereby increasing the firm's
overall storage capacity to 3.3 million square feet in the state.
SHORT NEWS
Bharti Airtel launched Airtel GST Advantage a solution designed to enable small
businesses and start-ups to file their Goods and Service Tax (GST) returns
“accurately, securely and seamlessly.”
Private sector lenderIndusInd Bank and India's second largest Microfinance
company Bharat Financial Inclusion signed a confidentiality agreement for the
proposed merger between them.The merger would result in lower cost of funds and
would help the company offer its customers savings products.
Payment gateway provider PayU announced its collaborations to provide users a safe
and secure option to pay for rail tickets booked via the IRCTC website and Indian
Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC).
The Maharashtra Government and Mother Dairy Fruit and Vegetable Pvt. Ltd, a
subsidiary of National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) signed a lease agreement to
set up a state-of-the-art milk and milk products processing plant.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 42
AWARDS & HONOURS BOLLYWOOD FILM NEWTON CHOSEN AS INDIAS OFFICIAL ENTRY TO
OSCARS 2018
The Rajkummar Rao starrer black
comedy bollywood film 'Newton' has
been selected as India's official entry in
the Best Foreign Language Film
category at Oscars 2018.
Directed by Amit V Masurkar.
The Film Federation Of India (FFI)
confirmed this nomination.
2018 WORLD UNIVERSITY RANKINGS
2018 World University Rankings which
was published by the Times Higher
Education (THE) are:
1. University of Oxford
2. University of Cambridge
3. Caltech, Stanford University.
1. IISc, Bangalore has been named the top university in India.
2. IIT-Bombay
3. IIT-Delhi
4. IIT-Kanpur
5. IIT-Kharagpur
HYDERABAD AIRPORT BAGS ENERGY EFFICIENCY AWARD
Hyderabad International Airport
Limited bagged the National Award for
„Excellence‟ in Energy Management at a
conference hosted by the Confederation of
Indian Industry (CII).
NOTE:
The event focused on recognizing companies that are engaged in energy
efficiency initiatives and displaying commitment towards energy conservation.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 43
“CONTAINER TERMINAL OF THE YEAR” AWARD 2017
Jawaharlal Nehru Port Container Terminal (JNPCT) was awarded “Container
Terminal of the Year” Award, in Mumbai.
This is the 10th edition of the Gateway Awards.
NHAI AWARDED ITS FIRST INTERNATIONAL PROJECT
The National Highway Authority of
India awarded its first international
project in Myanmar to a joint venture
of Punj Lloyd-Varaha.
GIFT CITY WINS ASSOCHAM SERVICES EXCELLENCE AWARDS
India‟s first operational Smart City and IFSC, Gujarat International Finance-Tec
City (GIFT City) won the prestigious Associated Chambers of Commerce and
Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) Services Excellence Award.
It was honoured for its contribution to the growth of the International Financial
Services and Technology Hub in India.
NOTE:
The excellent strategies to reduce congestion, smooth delivery of containers
and renovation of infrastructure to carry out a trade even in unfavourable
conditions.
NOTE:
This is for the up gradation of the Yagyi–Kalewa section in Myanmar to two
lanes with the earthen shoulder in the engineering, procurement, and
construction mode.
Punj Lloyd Varaha's bid was identified as the most competitive among four
qualified bidders. It was at Rs. 1,177 crores.
NOTE;
GIFT City, India‟s first International Financial Services Centre (IFSC), is
operational with approximately 10 leading banks, 2 international exchanges
(India INX and NSE IFSC), around 100 capital market players and 8
insurance companies having established their operations.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 44
KARNATAKA TOPS IN MANUFACTURING EXCELLENCE ACCORDING
TO ASSOCHAM
According to a study titled "Manufacturing
Excellence and Emergence in India: The state level
analysis" which was conducted by ASSOCHAM's
Economic Research Bureau,
Karnataka stands at top, Kerala ranks second,
among the Indian states in terms of
manufacturing excellence.
MPEDA BAGS RAJBHASHA KEERTI
AWARD
The Marine Products Export Development
Authority (MPEDA) awarded National level
Rajbhasha Keerti Award for the third
consecutive year.
VICE PRESIDENT HONOURS 219 TEACHERS WITH NATIONAL AWARD
Vice President Venkaiah Naidu gave
away the National awards for teachers
on Teachers day Function.
A total of 219 teachers, including 124
Information and Communication
Technology (ICT) teachers, were
awarded.
He also launched DIKSHA, a national
digital infrastructure for teachers.
NOTE :
This award has been given to MPEDA for the best Implementation of Official
language in the organization.
NOTE:
DIKSHA is a customisable national digital infrastructure that states, Teacher
Education Institutions (TEI) and private entities can use for their respective
teacher-centric initiatives.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 45
CNR RAO SELECTED FOR 2017 VON HIPPEL AWARD
Eminent Scientist and Bharat Ratna Prof C.N.R. Rao
awarded as 2017 Von Hippel Award, the highest
international prize in materials research.
For his interdisciplinary contributions to the
development of novel functional materials, including
nanomaterials graphene, superconductivity, 2D
materials and colossal magnetoresistance at Boston.
BEST LAW TEACHER AWARD
Tahir Mahmood awarded the
prestigious N R Madhava Menon
Best Law Teacher Award 2017 for
his distinguished services to legal
education and the legal profession
on the occasion of Law Teachers'
Day celebrations.
PRAKASH PADUKONE TO GET BADMINTON'S FIRST LIFETIME AWARD
Badminton Prakash Padukone conferred with the
first Lifetime Achievement Award instituted by
the Badminton Association of India (BAI) for his
rich contribution to the sport.
NOTE:
CNR Rao is an Indian chemist who has worked mainly in solid-state and structural chemistry. He currently serves as the Head of the Scientific Advisory Council to the Prime Minister of India
NOTE:
Every year to honor the most deserved law teachers and institutions in India
and across the SAARC region, the award was presented.
NOTE:
He is the first recipient of the lifetime achievement award.
He won the 1980 All England and won a bronze at the 1983 World
Championship in Copenhagen.
He also won a gold medal at the 1978 Commonwealth Games.
He was bestowed with the Arjuna award in 1972 and the Padma Shri in 1982.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 46
MAHTAB BAMJI SELECTED FOR LIVING LEGEND
AWARD
Mahtab Bamji selected for the Living Legend Award of
the International Union of Nutritional Sciences ((IUNS).
The award will be presented at its General Assembly to be
held at the IUNS-ICN in Buenos Aires, Argentina on 18th
October.
SALMAN KHAN HONOURED AT BRITAIN‟S HOUSE OF COMMONS
Salman Khan received a Global Diversity Award at Britain‟s
House of Commons. The Being Human NGO is run by the
Salman Khan.
74TH VENICE FILM FESTIVAL AWARDS 2017
The 74th annual Venice International Film
Festival was held from 30 August to 9
September 2017.
The most important award is the Golden Lion at
the Venice Biennale and considered one of the
most prestigious film awards, like the Golden Palm in Cannes and the Golden
Bear of Berlin.
The awards are listed below
Best Film - Nico, 1988, directed by Susanna Nicchiarelli
Best Director - Vahid Jalilvand, No Date, No Signature
Special Jury Prize - Caniba, directed by Lucien Castaing-Taylor and Véréna
Paravel
Best Actress – Lyna Khoudri, Les Bienheureux
Best Actor – Navid Mohammadzadeh, No Date, No Signature
Best Screenplay - Los Versos Del Olvido, directed by Alireza Khatami
Best Short Film - Gros Chagrin, directed by Céline Devaux
NOTE:
The IUNS Council presents Living Legend Awards to individual members of
Adhering Bodies in good standing who are eighty (80) years or above.
NOTE :
The Global Diversity Award is given to people of immense stature in terms of
diversity in the world, and he is certainly one of them.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 47
Lion of the Future – “Luigi De Laurentiis” Venice Award for a Debut Film
Jusqu‟à la Garde, directed by Xavier Legrand.
BCCI NOMINATES MS DHONI FOR PADMA BHUSHAN AWARD
The Indian cricket board nominated Mahendra
Singh Dhoni for the country's third highest
civilian award the Padma Bhushan for his
contribution to the game.
Two World titles (2011 50-over World Cup and
2007 World T20), nearly 10,000 runs, 90 Test
matches.
SPORTS MINISTRY RECOMMENDS P.V. SINDHU FOR PADMA BHUSHAN
AWARD
Olympic silver medallist shuttler P.V. Sindhu
recommended for the prestigious Padma
Bhushan, country‟s third highest civilian award,
by the Sports Ministry.
She is two-time bronze medallist at World
Championship.
NOTE :
She was awarded India‟s fourth highest civilian honor, the Padma Shri.
She becomes the first Indian to win the Korea Open Superseries.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 48
SCIENCE & TECH
ISRO‟S MARS ORBITER MISSION COMPLETES 3 YEARS IN ORBIT
Indian Space research Organistaion (ISRO)
globally acclaimed Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM)
also known as Mangalyaan completed three years
in Martian orbit.
On the occasion of completion of three years, ISRO
released MOM second-year science data from
September 24, 2014, to September 23, 2016.
INDIA‟S FIRST ADVANCED HOMOEOPATHY VIROLOGY LAB
INAUGURATED IN KOLKATA
India‟s first state of art virology laboratory
inaugurated at Dr Anjali Chatterjee
Regional Research Institute for
Homoeopathy in Kolkata, West Bengal.
The lab plays important in developing new
drugs and technologies in Homoeopathy to
combat emerging challenges of viral
diseases.
The laboratory is only one of its kind in India for conducting basic and
fundamental research in Homoeopathy for viral diseases like influenza, dengue.
COMMON FOOD PROCESSING INCUBATION CENTER FOR SHALLOTS
Union Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal has inaugurated a unit to
process small onions in Perambalur district in Tamil Nadu.
The farmers in Perambalur District are producing 70000 tons of shallots per year
in a cultivation area of 8000 hectares in spite of the increasing difficulty in
cultivation due to increase in prices of inputs, unpredictable weather, disease
outbreak and not getting adequate prices in the market.
NOTE:
The main plan designed built and launched by ISRO in a record period of
fewer than two years in Rs.450 crore ($73 million US) budget, making it
cheapest inter-planetary.
NOTE:
Mission Banana was implemented in the previous year and this year it
is Mission Onion.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 49
AMD LAUNCHES RYZEN PRO PROCESSORS FOR BUSINESS PERSONAL
COMPUTER
Chipmaker AMD presented a new line of microprocessor chips called „Ryzen
Pro‟ for commercial desktop workstations
HP, Dell and Lenovo introduced new high-end workstations using Ryzen Pro
RUSSIA AND US PARTNER TO BUILD 1ST EVER SPACE STATION NEAR
MOON
Russian and the United States space agencies, Roscosmos and NASA, have
agreed to jointly build a "deep space gateway", the first-ever astronaut-tended
space station around the Moon.
It would help prepare for manned missions to deep space destinations including
Mars.
NASA and Roscosmos are two of the major partners in the $100-billion Earth-
orbiting International Space Station (ISS).
NOTE:
The Ryzen Pro desktop processor is an 8 core and 16 thread CPU and much
faster than the rival Intel‟s „Core i7‟ which is of 4 core and 8 thread.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 50
SPORTS WORLDS FIRST DIVIDING RETRACTABLE FOOTBALL PITCH
Tottenham's new stadium will include the
world's first retractable pitch, which is due to
open in 2018, allowing the venue to hold both
football and NFL matches.
AUSTRALIA INVITED FOR 2022 ASIAN GAMES FOR 1ST TIME IN
HISTORY
Olympic Council of Asia (OCA)
invited Australia to compete at Asian (Asian
Games) in 2022, for the first time.
The invite is for selected sports like football and
basketball to enable athletes to qualify for
the 2024 Paris Olympics.
INDIA TO HOST COMMONWEALTH WEIGHTLIFTING CHAMPIONSHIPS
India will host the 2019 edition of the Commonwealth (Youth, Junior and
Senior) Weightlifting Championships.
The Executive Board of Commonwealth Weightlifting Federation decided to
allot the 2019 edition of the competitions to India.
NOTE:
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, referred simply as Tottenham or Spurs, is
an English football club located in Tottenham, Haringey, London
NOTE:
Australia, New Zealand and a group of Pacific islands - has not taken part in
the Asian Games before, but sporting ties with Asia (Olympic Council of Asia)
have been growing.
NOTE:
The current edition of the tournament is being held at the Gold Coast,
Australia.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 51
KOCHI TO HOST BWF SENIOR BADMINTON WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
This is the first time in India, Badminton World
Federation (BWF) World Senior Badminton
Championship tournament started in Rajiv Gandhi
Indoor Stadium of Kochi which will continue till
17th September.
The President of Badminton Association of India
(BAI) Himanta Biswa Sarma will be hosting BWF tournament.
PV SINDHU WINS GOLD AT KOREA OPEN SUPERSERIES COMPETITION
PV Sindhu becomes the first Indian to
win Gold Medal at the Korea Open Superseries
Competition.
She defeated Japan's Nozomi Okuhara in the
women's singles final.
It was overall her third super series title of her
career.
KONSAM ORMILA DEVI WON GOLD AT COMMONWEALTH YOUTH
India‟s Konsam Ormila Devi won a gold medal in
44kg weight category on the opening day of the
Commonwealth Youth (boys & girls) weightlifting
championships held at Gold Coast, Australia.
She lifted 57kg in snatch and 76kg in clean and jerk
for an overall effort of 133kg.
NOTE:
A total of 175 players will represent India including Olympians Abhinn Shyam
Gupta, Nikhil Kanetkar, and V Diju along with three times Asian Games team
bronze medallist Partho Ganguly and 1982 Asian Games bronze medallist
Leroy D‟sa.
NOTE:
She was second Indian female shuttler to win Olympic medal after Saina Nehwal who had won a bronze medal in 2012 London Olympics.
She won 2016 China Super Series Premier and India Super Series and Syed Modi Grand Prix.
After this tournament she has jumped two places to the second spot in the
BWF (Badminton World Federation) women's singles ranking.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 52
M S DHONI IS THE FIRST WICKETKEEPER TO EFFECT 100 STUMPINGS
Former India captain Mahendra Singh
Dhoni became the first wicketkeeper in world
cricket to attain 100 stumpings in One Day
Internationals (ODIs).
Dhoni achieved the feat in his 301st ODI in
Colombo, Sri Lanka.
5TH ASIAN INDOOR & MARTIAL ARTS GAMES IN TURKMENISTAN
In the 5th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts
Games at Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, India
bagged four medals.
Sajan Prakash - silver medal - Men's 100-metre
butterfly event.
Categories in the Belt Wrestling Discipline:
Divya Gurling Shilwant - bronze - women's Alysh classic in 70 kg
Pratiksha Chandrakant Parhar - bronze - women's Alysh classic in 75 kg
Zumu - bronze medal - Kazakh Kuresh style in 90 kg
India is at 11th spot in the medals tally with 5 gold, 7 silver, and 7 bronze
INDIA‟S SONAM WINS GOLD IN CADET WORLD WRESTLING
CHAMPIONSHIP
India‟s Sonam 43 kilogram weight
category wins Gold in Cadet World Wrestling
Championship.
Wrestler Neelam also bagged Bronze Medal in
the 43-kilogram weight category.
Meanwhile, Four other wrestlers Simran,
Manisha, Minakshi, Karuna will also fight for
Bronze Medal in different weight categories.
NOTE:
Former Sri Lankan Skipper Kumar Sangakkara is on the second position with
99 Stumpings on his name.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 53
NEW CHIEF COACH OF INDIA MENS HOCKEY TEAM &WOMENS TEAM
Sjoerd Marijneappointed as the new Chief
Coach of India Men's Senior Hockey team,
replacing the sacked Roelant Oltmans.
World Cup-winning Junior team
coach Harendra Singh was appointed High
Performance Specialist coach of the senior
women's team.
INDIA FINISHES 5TH AT MOSCOW SHOTGUN WORLD
CHAMPIONSHIPS
India finished fifth in the medals tally with
one gold and two silver medals at the
Moscow Shotgun World Championships.
Only 16 of the 76 participating nations got
amongst the medals.
LAKSHMANAN WINS 5,000M GOLD AT NATIONAL OPEN ATHLETICS
Asian champion Govindan Lakshmanan of
Services cruised to victory in the men's 5000-
metre race on the opening day of the 57th
National Open Athletics Championships at
the Nehru Stadium.
NOTE:
Olympic skeet champions Gabrielle Rossetti and Diana Bacosi crowned as
world champions in the process.
Italy topped the tally with nine gold medals for a total of 17 medals in all.
USA topped second with five gold medals for a total of 12.
NOTE:
He has recently won gold in the 3,000m event at the Asian Indoor Games in
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 54
INDIA WON 2ND SABA U-16 CHAMPIONSHIP
India won 2nd South Asian Basketball,
SABA, Under - 16 Championship
They defeated Bhutan by 131-50 in its last league
match at Kathmandu in Nepal.
FIFA WOMEN WORLD CUP FRANCE 2019 OFFICIAL SLOGAN, EMBLEM
LAUNCHED
Official emblem and slogan for FIFA Women's
World Cup France 2019 were unveiled at
the Musee de l'Homme, Paris, France.
Emblem:-
To symbolise the eighth edition of the FIFA
Women's World Cup, competition trophy wrapped
in blue and white, with eight shards of light around football at the top of the
trophy.
Slogan:- "Dare To Shine".
FIFA President - Gianni Infantino.
US OPEN 2017
Men's Singles Rafael Nadal (Spain) Kevin Anderson (South Africa)
Women's Singles Sloane Stephens (USA) Madison Keys (USA)
Men's Doubles Jean-Julien Rojer (Netherlands)
and Horia Tecau (Romania)
Feliciano Lopez and Marc Lopez
(Spain)
Women's
Doubles
Chan Yung-jan (Chinese Taipei)
and Martina Hingis (Switzerland)
Lucie Hradecka and Katerina
Siniakova (Czech Republic)
Mixed Doubles Jamie Murray (UK) and Martina
Hingis (Switzerland)
Chan Hao-Ching (Chinese
Taipei) and Michael Venus
(New Zealand)
SHORT NEWS
Mercedes' British Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton registered his 60th career
won at the Singapore Grand Prix.
NOTE:
India now qualified for 2017 International Basketball Federation,
FIBA, Under-16 Asian Championship to be played in Malaysia later this
year.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 55
PERSONALITIES ARJAN SINGH, MARSHAL OF THE INDIAN AIR FORCE, DIES AT 98
India‟s most celebrated soldier, Marshal of the Indian
Air Force, Arjan Singh (98 years old) passed away.
MINISTRY NIGERIAN ZANNAH MUSTAPHA WINS UN HIGH
COMMISSION FOR REFUGEES 2017 AWARD
For Educating Boko Haram Victims, a
Nigerian, Mr Zannah Mustapha, the Director,
Future Prowess Islamic Foundation School,
has won the UN High Commission for
Refugees (UNHCR) 2017 Nansen Refugees
Award.
Mr Mustapha will be presented with his award at ceremony in the Swiss city
of Geneva on 2 October.
FIRST WOMAN MINISTER IN MIZORAM IN 30 YRS
The 38-year-old Vanlalawmpuii Chawngthu became the first woman minister in
Mizoram in 30 years, since the 1987 state assembly elections.
She is the president of the Mizoram Pradesh Youth Congress Committee and was
elected from Hrangturzo seat in central Serchhip district in a bye-election.
NOTE:
Born: 15 April 1919 at Lyallpur, Pakistan
Years of service: 1938 - 1970
Became Chief of Air Staff: 1964
First Chief to be upgraded to the position of Air Chief Marshal
Made Marshal of the IAF in 2002
Civilian honour: Padma Vibhushan in 1966
Air Force Panagarh in West Bengal is named Air Force Station Arjan Singh.
Death: 16 Sep 2017 (The National Flag was flown half-mast on the day of funeral i.e. 18 Sep 17)
NOTE:
In Mizoram‟s political history, Chawngthu became the fourth woman legislator. Lalhlimpui Hmar was the first woman to hold a ministerial post in Mizoram, in 1987.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 56
FORTUNE'S LIST OF 'MOST POWERFUL WOMEN IN INTERNATIONAL
BUSINESS
Two Indian women featured on Fortune's list of Most Powerful Women in
business outside the US. Managing Director and CEO of ICICI Bank Chanda
Kochhar was ranked fifth and Managing Director and CEO of Axis Bank Shikha
Sharma was ranked at 21.
HALIMAH YACOB IS THE FIRST FEMALE PRESIDENT OF SINGAPORE
Halimah Yacob sworn-in as the 8th
President of Singapore.
She became the country‟s first female
President and the first in five decades to
come from the Malay ethnicity.
She was certified by the Presidential
Elections Commission as the only eligible
candidate and there was no opponent.
NASA ASTRONAUT PEGGY WHITSON
National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA) astronaut Peggy
Whitson finishing a 288-day mission
That put her over the top as the American who
has spent the most cumulative amount of time
in space.
The oldest female astronaut in the history of space exploration was the first female
International Space Station commander and holds the record for number of
spacewalks by a woman.
CHINA REAL ESTATE DEVELOPER HUI KA YAN BECOMES THE RICHEST
MAN IN ASIA
According to the Forbes Real-Time Billionaires List, Hui Ka
Yan, the chairman of Chinese real estate giant Evergrande
Group, has become Asia‟s richest man, with a net worth of
$41.1 billion.
Hui today ranks No. 15 globally.
NOTE:
The Top Three Most Powerful Women in business in the List are Ana Botin
(Spain), Emma Walmsley (UK), Isabelle Kocher (France).
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 57
FORMER UN SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON ELECTED AS CHAIR OF
THE IOC ETHICS COMMISSION
Former United Nations (UN) Secretary-General
Ban Ki-moon elected as Chair of Ethics
Commission of the International Olympic
Committee (IOC) for a four-year term.
He succeeds Youssoupha Ndiaye of Senegal
whose term has come to an end.
His appointment was proposed by the IOC
Executive Board and was approved during the IOC Session in Lima with a 74-4
majority.
THREE INDIANS AMONG WORLD'S '100 GREATEST LIVING BUSINESS
MINDS'
Three Indian entrepreneurial
legends, Ratan Tata, Lakshmi
Mittal and Vinod Khosla have
been included in Forbes‟s special
list of the world‟s „100 Greatest
Living Business Minds.
The other Honorees featured on
the world‟s 100 Greatest Living
Business Minds list include
Donald Trump, Ted Turner, Oprah Winfrey, Jack Welch, Mark Zuckerberg.
LILIANE BETTENCOURT, RICHEST WOMAN IN THE WORLD DIES AT 94
French businesswoman and heiress of cosmetics
giant L'Oreal Liliane Bettencourt, 94, has died.
NOTE:
Forbes magazine was founded 100 years ago on September 17, 1917, by B.C.
Forbes.
NOTE:
In March 2017, Forbes ranked Bettencourt the world's richest woman, putting
her net worth at $39.5 billion.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 58
NOBEL PEACE PRIZE AWARDED TO AUNG SAN SUU KYI IN 1991
CANNOT BE REVOKED
Myanmar's Suu Kyi received the Nobel Peace Prize
in 1991 for "her non-violent struggle for democracy
and human rights'' while standing up against
military rulers.
An online petition signed by more than 386,000
people on Change. org is calling for her prize's
removal over the persecution of
Myanmar's Rohingya Muslims.
The Norwegian Nobel Institute announced that prize awarded to Myanmar's
Aung Sang Suu Kyi cannot be revoked.
Books & Authors
SHYAM SARAN'S BOOK 'HOW INDIA SEES
THE WORLD' LAUNCHED
The book of Former Foreign Secretary Shyam
Saran named “How India Sees the World:
Kautilya to the 21st Century” launched by former
Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh.
NOTE:
The book records the crucial meeting of the CCS (Cabinet Committee on
Security) on the eve of India-Pakistan Defence Secretary-level talks in May 2006.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 59
DEFENCE UNION GOVERNMENT LAUNCHES OPERATION INSANIYAT TO HELP
ROHINGYA REFUGEES IN BANGLADESH
The Ministry of External Affairs
started Operation Insaniyat to provided
assistance to Bangladesh in response to the
humanitarian crisis being faced by it due to
the large influx of Rohingya refugees from
Myanmar.
IAF SUCCESSFULLY CONDUCTS DEVELOPMENT TRIALS OF ASTRA
MISSILE
The Indian Air Force (IAF) successfully
conducted developmental trials of
indigenously developed Astra Beyond
Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile
(BVRAAM).
Total of seven trials of Astra BVRAAM
conducted in various missions and two
of them were against Pilotless
Target Aircrafts (PTA) successfully
fired.
NOTE:
Rohingya are a stateless ethnic minority (mostly Muslim) from Rakhine
province of Buddhist-majority Myanmar, who are forced leave their country.
They are a stateless ethnic minority (mostly Muslim) from Rakhine province of
Buddhist-majority Myanmar, who are forced leave their country due to
communal violence and repeated military operations.
NOTE:
It is one of the smallest weapon system developed by DRDO, having a length
of 3.8-metre and weighing 154kg. It is a single stage solid fuelled missile.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 60
DRDO TESTED 3RD GENERATION ATGM NAG SUCCESSFULLY
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully twice flight tested indigenously developed 3rd generation Anti-Tank Guided in Rajasthan.
During the test, ATGM Nag missile has
successfully hit both the targets at different
ranges and conditions with very high
accuracy.
SAAB TIES UP WITH ADANI GROUP TO BUILD GRIPEN E FIGHTER JETS
IN INDIA
Swedish defence major SAAB to tie-up
with Adani Group to manufacture
the Gripen E fighter jets in India under the
Defence Ministry‟s $10 billion single-engine
fighter jet procurement programme.
The announcement comes within months of
US‟ Lockheed Martin announcing its joint
venture with Tata Advanced Systems for
producing the latest version of F-16 in India.
Gripen is now used by the air forces of
Hungary, Thailand, South Africa, Brazil and the Czech Republic.
INDIA AND USA EXERCISE YUDH ABHYAS 2017
A joint military training, Exercise Yudh
Abhyas-2017 will be conducted at Joint
Base Lewis McChord, Washington, the
USA from 14 to 27 September 2017 between
India and the USA.
NOTE:
The ATMG Nag missile is one of five missile systems developed indigenously
by DRDO under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme
(IGMDP).
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 61
INDIA AND SRI LANKA BEGIN JOINT NAVAL EXERCISE SLINEX 2017
Indian Navy and Sri Lankan Navy begin
the 2017 Sri Lanka-India Exercise
(SLINEX) at Visakhapatnam, Andhra
Pradesh.
The biennial Joint Indo-Lanka Maritime
Fleet Exercise will conclude on 14th
September.
PAKISTAN,RUSSIA BEGIN JOINT MILITARY DRILLS DRUZBA 2017
The joint exercise DRUZBA 2017 between special forces of Pakistan and Russia
Armies started in Minralney Vody, Russia.
BDL SIGNS CONTRACT FOR SUPPLY OF MRSAM TO INDIAN ARMY
Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) signed a contract with Research Centre Imarat
(RCI) for the supply of Medium Range Surface-to-Air Missiles (MRSAM) to
Indian Army.
It is headquartered in Hyderabad, Telangana.
INS TARASA COMMISSIONED INTO INDIAN NAVY
INS Tarasa (T94), the fourth and last ship in
series of Water Jet Fast Attack Craft (WJFAC)
was commissioned into Indian Navy at Naval
Dockyard.
It is an improved variant of Car Nicobar-class
high-speed offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) built
by Kolkata (West Bengal) based Garden Reach
Shipbuilder.
It is named after the picturesque island in the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago
in Bay of Bengal.
NOTE:
It is one of the largest joint running military training and defence corporation
endeavors between India and USA.
This is the 13th edition of the joint exercise hosted alternately between the two
countries.
NOTE:
Last year, Russia held its first-ever military exercises with Pakistan and also
started selling weapons to Islamabad.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 62
DEFENCE MINISTER FLAGS OFF WOMEN‟S CIRCUMNAVIGATION
EXPEDITION
Union Defence MinisterNirmala Sitharaman flagged
off the Navika Sagar Parikrama by an all-women crew
of Indian Navy aboard Indian Naval Sailing Vessel
(INSV) Tarini from INS Mandovi jetty in Goa.
PANDA KANGAROO 2017 HELD IN KUNMING
China and Australia joint military training exercise called "Panda-Kangaroo 2017"
concluded in Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province.
TIHAR JAIL, LARGEST JAIL IN INDIA GOT ITS FIRST OPEN AIR
GYMNASIUM
Open-air gyms for prisoners has now been set
up in jail number 1 of Tihar in west Delhi,
which is the largest and the most populated
prison in India with over 14,400 inmates. This
gym is mostly used by elderly prisoners facing
problems, like obesity or arthritis.
NOTE:
It is the first attempt by an Indian all-women crew to circumnavigate the
globe.
The expedition will cover Australia, New Zealand, Falklands and South
Africa.
It is expected to be completed by 160 days.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 63
GENERAL KNOWLEDGE
CHAIRPERSONS OF IMPORTANT COMMISSIONS
1. 14th Finance Commission Dr. Y.V. Reddy
2. 21th Law Commission Dr. Justice Balbir Singh Chauhan
3. Union Public Service Commission Shri David R. Syiemlieh
4. University Grants Commission Dr. VS Chauhan
5. Indian Space Research Organisation Shri A.S. Kiran Kumar
6. Atomic Energy Commission Dr. Sekhar Basu
7. National Human Rights
Commission
Justice HL Dattu
8. National Commission for Minorities Gairul Hasan Rizvi
9. National Commission for Women Smt Lalitha Kumaramangalam
10. National Commission for Protection
of Child Rights
Ms. Stuti Kacker
11. Securities Exchange Board of India Shri Ajay Tyagi
12. Central Board of Film Censors Shri Prasun Joshi
13. Central Board of Direct Taxes Shri Sushil Chandra
DEFENCE RELATED APPOINTMENTS
1. Supreme Commander of Armed Forces Shri Ram Nath Kovind
2. Defence Minister Sri Arun Jaitley
3. Minister of State for Defence Sri Subhash Bhamre
4. Chief of Army Staff General Bipin Rawat
5. Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Sunil Lamba
6. Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshall BS Dhanoa
7. Chief of Integrated Defence Staff Lt Gen Satish Dua
8. Director General, Indian Coast Guard DG Rajendra Singh
9. Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee Admiral Sunil Lamba
COMMISSIONERS
1. Chief Election Commissioner Shri Achal Kumar Joti
2. Chief Information Commissioner Shri RK Mathur
3. Central Vigilance Commissioner Shri KV Choudhary
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 64
APPOINTMENTS RELATED TO LAW AND JUSTICE
1. Minister of Law and Justice Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad
2. Chief Justice of India Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar
3. Attorney General of India Shri KK Venugopal
4. Solicitor General of India Shri Ranjit Kumar
CHIEFS OF SPORTS BODIES
1. President, BCCI Vinod Rai (Interim)
2. DG, Sports Authority of India Shri Injeti Srinivas
3. President, Indian Olympic Association Shri Narayana Ramchandran
4. President, Hockey India Ms Mariamma Koshy
RBI
ESTABLISHMENT, NATIONALIZATION, ACCOUNTING YEAR
Establishment April 1, 1935 in Calcutta but permanently moved to
Mumbai in 1937
Nationalization on 1st January, 1949 on the basis of the Reserve Bank
of India (Transfer to Public Ownership) Act, 1948
Act which governs the RBI functions Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934
Act which governs the Financial sector Banking Regulation Act, 1949
Financial/Accounting year of RBI July to June
Financial/Accounting year of Companies April to March
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 65
OBJECTIVES, FUNCTIONS AND ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
Basic objectives to regulate the issue of Bank Notes to keeping of reserves with a view to securing monetary stability in India to operate the currency and credit system of the country
Functions Formulation and execution of monetary policy, Foreign exchange and reserves management, Government debt management, (CG & SG) Financial regulation and supervision, Acting as banker to the banks and to the Government (CG & SG) RBI
RBI Organizational structure
Central Board of Directors Governor Deputy Governors Executive Directors Principal Chief General Manager Chief General Managers General Managers
Primary authority and responsibility for the oversight of the Reserve Bank is
Central Board
RBI chief executive The Governor is the Reserve Bank‟s chief executive. The Governor supervises and directs the affairs and business of the RBI
MONETARY POLICY
Responsibility of Conducting monetary policy
RBI is vested with the responsibility of conducting monetary policy. This responsibility is explicitly mandated under the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934
Primary objective Maintaining price stability while keeping in mind the objective of growth. Price stability is a necessary precondition to sustainable growth.
Announcement Bi-monthly
Inflation target Inflation target is set by the Govt. in consultation with RBI, once in every five years. Inflation target– is measured by the consumer price index-combined (CPI-C) Inflation target is 4% (+/-) 2% for the period from August 5, 2016 to March 31, 2021
6 members Monetary policy committee (MPC)
MPC will be constituted by the Central Government Following is the member of committee: RBI Governor- Chairperson, Deputy Governor of RBI, in charge of Monetary Policy One officer of the Reserve Bank of India to be nominated by
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 66
the Central Board Other three members appointed by the CG: (will hold office for a period of four years) Shri Chetan Ghate, Professor, Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) Professor Pami Dua, Director, Delhi School of Economics; and Dr. Ravindra H. Dholakia, Professor, IIM, Ahmedabad
MPC function The Committee will determine the policy interest rate required to achieve the inflation target.
Monetary policy making
The MPC will meet at least four times in a year. The quorum for the meeting of the MPC is four members. Each member of the MPC has one vote, and in the event of an equality of votes, the Governor has a second or casting vote. The questions which come up before the MPC will be ecided by majority of votes by the members present in voting. The resolution adopted by the MPC will be published after conclusion of every meeting. On the 14th day, the minutes of the proceedings of the MPC will be Published
Monetary Policy Report
Once in every six months, the bank will publish a document called the Monetary Policy Report which will explain: Source of inflation; and Forecast of inflation for 6-18 months ahead.
INSTRUMENTS OF MONETARY POLICY
Direct Instruments
Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR)
CRR is a fixed percentage of demand and time liabilities (i.e. bank deposits) which banks must maintain as average daily balance with the RBI. Example: Suppose CRR rate is 3% and Bank has deposits of Rs. 100 crores then it has to deposit Rs. 3 crores with RBI.
Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR)
SLR is a fixed percentage of bank deposits which banks must maintain in safe and liquid assets, such as, unencumbered government securities, cash and gold. Changes in SLR often influence the availability of resources in the banking system for lending to the private sector. Higher the CRR and SLR, lower will be the liquidity in the system as Banks will have lesser money for providing loans. Example: Suppose CRR and SLR rate is 3% and 27% respectively. Bank deposits is Rs. 100 crores then bank can sanction loans upto 70 crores.
Indirect Instruments
Repo Rate (also called
The (fixed) interest rate at which the Reserve Bank provides short-term (overnight) liquidity
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 67
Policy rate) to banks Reduction in Repo rate helps the banks to get money at a cheaper rate and increase in Repo rate discourages the banks.
Reverse Repo The (fixed) interest rate (currently 50 bps below the repo rate) at which the Reserve Bank absorbs short-term liquidity, generally on an overnight basis, from banks When RBI increases the reverse repo rate then Banks are attracted to deposit with RBI for higher return.
Bank Rate It is the rate at which the Reserve Bank is ready to buy or rediscount bills of exchange or other commercial papers. i.e. at which the Reserve Bank lends to banks for mediumterm purposes). Increase in the bank rate is the symbol of tightening of RBI monetary policy. (i.e. Dearer Monetary Policy) When RBI wants to increase liquidity in the market, it reduces bank rate. When RBI wants to decrease liquidity in the market, it increases bank rate.
Open Market Operations (OMO)
These include both outright purchase/sale of government securities for injection / absorption of durable liquidity, respectively. In OMO, RBI purchases (or sells) government securities to the general public to control the supply of money in the economy. In case of inflation, it sells the securities to control the flow of money.
Marginal Standing Facility (MSF)
A facility under which banks can borrow additional amount of overnight money from the Reserve Bank by dipping into their Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR) portfolio up to a limit (currently 2% of their deposits) at a penal rate of interest, currently 50 basis points above the repo rate. This provides a safety valve against unanticipated liquidity shocks to the banking system.
Market Stabilization Scheme (MSS)
The scheme envisages issue of cash management bills, treasury bills and/or dated securities to absorb excess liquidity arising from large capital inflows. Thus RBI sterilizes the economy against adverse external shocks. This operation of RBI is known as sterilization.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 68
SUBSIDIARIES OF RBI
Fully-owned Subsidiaries
National Housing Bank (NHB), Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (DICGC), Bharatiya Reserve Bank Note Mudran Private Limited (BRBNMPL)
Others RBI also has a majority stake in the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD).
GOVERNMENT SECURITY
Definition A Government security is a tradable instrument issued by the Central Government or the State Governments. It acknowledges the Government‟s debt obligation.
Short term securities maturity period of less than one year (e.g. treasury bills)
Long term securities maturity period of one year or more (e.g. Government bonds or dated securities with original).
Issue by CG Central Government issues both, treasury bills and bonds or dated Securities
Issue by SG State Governments issue only bonds or dated securities, which are called the State Development Loans (SDLs).
Gilt-edged securities Government securities carry practically no risk of default and, hence, are called risk-free gilt-edged securities
CASH MANAGEMENT OF GOVERNMENT
Minimum balance by CG
Central Government is required to maintain a minimum cash balance with the Reserve Bank. Currently, this amount is Rs.10 crore on a daily basis and Rs.100 crore on Fridays.
Minimum balance by SG
All the State Governments are required to maintain a minimum balance with the Reserve Bank, which varies from state to state depending on the relative size of the state budget and economicactivity.
Ways and Means Advances/Overdraft
To tide over temporary mismatches in the cash flow of receipts and payments, the Reserve Bank provides Ways and Means Advances/Overdraft to the State Governments
RBI PUBLISHES “PAYMENT AND SETTLEMENT SYSTEMS IN INDIA: VISION-2018”
Aims The Vision-2018 aims at building best of class payment and settlement systems for a „less-cash‟ India
5 Cs The broad contours of Vision-2018 revolve around 5 Cs – coverage, convenience, confidence, convergence and cost
4 strategic initiatives
To achieve these, Vision-2018 will focus on four strategic initiatives such as responsive regulation, robust infrastructure, effective supervision and customer centricity.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 69
SUMMITS & COMMITEES INDIA TO CONDUCT THE FIRST 'BIMSTEC DISASTER MANAGEMENT
EXERCISE- 2017' FROM OCTOBER 10-13
The First „BIMSTEC Disaster
Management Exercise- 2017‟
(BIMSTEC DMEx-2017) are
conducted by the National
Disaster Response Force
(NDRF) as the lead agency from
October 10-13, 2017 in Delhi and
the National Capital Region
(NCR).
FIRST EVER NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON 'MISSION MODE TO
ADDRESS UNDER-NUTRITION' HELD IN NEW DELHI
The Ministry of Women and Child Development holds the first ever National
Conference in New Delhi on Mission Mode to address Under-Nutrition in the
country.
This conference is being organized keeping in mind the goal of “Malnutrition Free
India-2022”.
FIRST EVER INDIA MOBILE CONGRESS 2017
The Minister of Communication Shri Manoj Sinha launched DoT‟s first ever
Mobile, Internet, and Technology event in India
India Mobile Congress 2017 at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi.
It is Led by Department of Telecom as the nodal ministry, the India Mobile
Congress is being organized by Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI).
The largest and first ever event also has the support of the other ministries like the
Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Skill
Development and Entrepreneurship amongst others.
NOTE:
It is a platform for sharing Best Practices on all aspects of Disaster Risk
Reduction (DRR), strengthening regional response and coordination for
Disaster Management among the BIMSTEC member countries.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 70
7TH ASEM ECONOMIC MINISTERS MEETING HELD IN SEOUL, SOUTH
KOREA:
The 7th ASEM (Asia–Europe Meeting) Economic Ministers‟ Meeting was held
in Seoul, South Korea. Theme for this year‟s meeting was „Innovative Partnership
for Inclusive Prosperity‟.
The meeting was conducted under the Chairmanship of the Ministry of Trade,
Industry and Energy of the Republic of Korea. 51 member countries signed a
Joint Statement on Supporting the Multilateral Trade System.
INDIA-JAPAN ANNUAL SUMMIT
Prime Minister Narendra Modi
received
his Japanese counterpart Shinzo
Abe at Ahmedabad in Gujarat.
The 12th edition of the India and
Japan summit will be held in
Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
The two leaders will review the
recent progress in the multifaceted cooperation between India and Japan under the
framework of their „Special Strategic and Global Partnership.
NOTE:
The ASEM was established in 1996 as an economic cooperation council of 53
Asian and European countries. The organization is evaluated as an important
regional cooperation body that accounts for more than 60% of global trade as of
2015.
NOTE:
They will also attend a function to mark the commencement of work of
India‟s first high-speed rail project between Ahmedabad and Mumbai.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 71
ANNUAL CONFERENCE „RAJASWA GYAN SANGAM‟ IN NEW DELHI
Rajaswa Gyan Sangam, 2017 at
Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.
The conference, jointly organized by
the Central Board of Direct Taxes
and the Central Board of Excise
and Customs.
Objective:
To enable a two-way
communication between the policy-makers and senior officers in the field offices
with a view to increase revenue collection and facilitate effective implementation
of law and policies in key result areas
9TH BRICS SUMMIT HELD IN XIAMEN, CHINA
The 9th Brazil, Russia, India, China, South
Africa (BRICS) summit was held in Xiamen,
China.
The summit is hosted by China for the second
time after the 2011 Summit.
The theme of the 2017 BRICS Summit
is “BRICS: Stronger Partnership for a
Brighter Future”.
The four documents were signed in the presence of BRICS Leaders and they are
Strategic Framework of BRICS Customs Cooperation
BRICS Action Plan for Innovation Cooperation(2017-2020)
BRICS Action Agenda on Economic and Trade Co operation.
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between BRICS Business Council and
New Development Bank on Strategic Cooperation.
NITI AAYOG CONSTITUTES EXPERT TASK FORCE ON EMPLOYMENT &
EXPORTS
National Institution for Transforming India Aayog constituted an Expert Task
Forceto provide a major thrust to job creation by enhancing India‟s exports.
The NITI Aayog team is led by Vice Chairman Dr. Rajiv Kumar.
The 15-member 'Task Force on Employment and Exports' consists of secretaries
from various government departments, industry experts and economists.
NOTE:
The task force will give sector-specific recommendations in key employment
sectors for policy interventions and suggest measures to enhance trade in
services with high employment potential.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 72
FINANCE MINISTER CONSTITUTES GROUP OF MINISTERS
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley constituted a
Group of Ministers (GoM) headed by Bihar
Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi to
monitor and resolve the IT challenges faced in the
implementation of GST.
UNION GOVERNMENT RECONSTITUTES SIX COMMITTEES OF CABINET
The Union Government reconstituted six Committees of the Cabinet after recent
ministry reshuffle.
Railway Minister Piyush Goyal and Dharmendra Pradhan were also included as
permanent members of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA).
The six committees of Cabinet are
Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) - It is responsible for all
appointments of higher ranks in the Central Secretariat, Public Enterprises, Public
Enterprises and Financial Institutions.
Cabinet Committee on Accommodation (CCA) - It is responsible for the allotment
of accommodation for various top positions in the Government of India.
Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA): It deals with the activities
pertaining to the economics of the country.
Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs (CCPA): It looks into the matters
related to the progress of government business in the Parliament of India.
Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS): It is one of the most important committees
in India, it looks into the matters of defense expenditures and National Security.
NOTE:
It is assisted by the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Goods and
Services Tax Network (GSTN).
The Committees is set up in pursuance of the decision taken at the 21st
Meeting of GST Council held in Hyderabad.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 73
IMPORTANT INDEX INDIA RANKS 40TH IN 2017 GLOBAL COMPETITIVENESS INDEX
India placed at 40th spot among 137 countries
in World Economic Forum‟s (WEF) Global
Competitiveness Index (GCI) 2017-18.
The Top 5 Countries are Switzerland (1st),
United States (2nd), Singapore (3rd),
Netherlands (4th) and Germany (5th).
CSIR RANKED 9TH PUBLIC RESEARCH INSTITUTION OF THE WORLD
According to the Scimago Institutions ranking World Report 2017, India's largest
autonomous public organization Council of Scientific and Industrial Research
(CSIR) ranked ninth in the world.
LONDON TOPS IN 2017 GLOBAL FINANCIAL CENTRES INDEX
London topped in the 2017 Global Financial
Centres Index (GFCI) among 92 financial
centres released by the Z/Yen and China
Development Institute.
It was ranked at 60th position, up by three
positions compared to the previous edition.
INDIA WILL RANK TOP IN RETAIL DESTINATION IN 2017
India has replaced China as the top retail destination in 2017, as part of the global
retail development index.
According to India Retail Report 2017, over the past 12-15 months, 100 percent
cash and carry operations are gaining significance in India with Thailand's Siam
Makro being the latest entrant in this space following Metro, Walmart and
Booker.
NOTE: It is the only Indian organization which has found a place amongst the Top 100
Global Institutions.
The ranking was topped by the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
NOTE:
The index is a ranking of the competitiveness of financial centres based on an aggregate of indices from five key areas: business environment, the financial sector.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 74
APPOINTMENT BANWARILAL PUROHIT APPOINTED AS TAMIL NADU GOVERNOR
Banwarilal Purohit appointed as the Governor of
Tamil Nadu.
UN CHIEF APPOINTS FIRST UN ENVOY FOR OCEANS
The Secretary-General of UN Antonio Guterres has appointed the outgoing
president of the General Assembly.
Peter Thomson as the first special envoy for the oceans, seeking to galvanize
efforts to protect the world's seas.
He played a leading role at the first-ever U.N. conference on oceans.
U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric announced Thompson's appointment.
RAJIV MEHRISHI APPOINTED AS CAG OF INDIA
Senior IAS officer Rajiv Mehrishi appointed as the
next Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India.
He succeeds Shashi Kant Sharma.
NOTE:
President Ram Nath Kovind appointed five new Governors for the states
including Tamil Nadu
Brig. (Dr) BD Mishra (Retd) as the Governor of Arunachal Pradesh.
Satya Pal Malik as the Governor of Bihar.
Banwarilal Purohit as the Governor of Tamil Nadu.
Prof Jagdish Mukhi as the Governor of Assam.
Ganga Prasad as the Governor of Meghalaya.
Devendra Kumar Joshi as the Governor of Andaman & Nicobar islands.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 75
SUNIL ARORA APPOINTED AS ELECTION COMMISSIONER OF INDIA
The Union Government appointed former
Information and Broadcasting
secretary Sunil Arora (61) as Election
Commissioner.
He will have a tenure of four years in the
Election Commission.
His appointment comes after former CEC
Nasim Zaidi‟s retirement in July 2017.
A.B. PANDEY APPOINTED AS INTERIM CHAIRMAN OF GSTN
The Unique Identification Authority of India‟s
(UIDAI) chief executive officer (CEO) A.B.
Pandey was appointed interim chairman of
the Goods and Services Tax Network
(GSTN).
GSTN‟s first chairman Navin Kumar.
NOTE:
GSTN is a section 8 non-government, private limited company, providing
information technology (IT) backbone and portal for registration and tax
returns under the GST regime
NOTE:
Election Commission of India(Article 324 ) o Currently has three members including Chief Election Commissioner (CEC). o They all are appointed by the President for a term which is fixed by the
President. o Tenure: The service conditions and tenure of office of CEC and Election
Commissioners for 6 years or till age of 65 years, whichever is earlier. o Power/salary: The CEC and election commissioners have equal power and
receive equal salary, allowances and other perquisites, which are similar to judge of Supreme Court.
o In case of difference of opinion amongst the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioner, the matter is decided by the Commission by majority.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 76
NIRMALA SITHARAMAN TAKES CHARGE AS INDIA‟S DEFENCE
MINISTER
Nirmala Sitharaman, Union Minister of
Commerce and Industries took charge as the
country‟s new Defence minister in New Delhi.
RATHORE APPOINTED AS NEW SPORTS MINISTER
Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore is appointed as the
new Youth Affairs and Sports Minister.
INDIAN-ORIGIN CIVIL SERVANT J Y PILLAY APPOINTED SINGAPORE‟S
ACTING PRESIDENT
Indian-origin veteran civil servant
JY Pillay appointed Singapore‟s
acting President.
He replaces Tony Tan Keng
Yam who completed a six-year
term.
According to the report, this is the
first time the office has fallen vacant
since the elected presidency was
introduced in 1991.
NOTE:
She is the country‟s first full-time woman defence minister.
Former Prime minister Indira Gandhi also held the defence portfolio as an
additional charge.
NOTE:
The 47-year-old Rathore was up until now serving as the Minister of State for
Information & Broadcasting.
Rathore served as a commissioned officer in The Grenadiers regiment of the
Indian Army before retiring in 2013 as a colonel.
He was awarded the Padma Shri in 2005.
TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS I Sept 2017
9600124042/ 9840097666 Page 77
NEW LIST OF CABINET MINISTERS AND THEIR PORTFOLIOS
Minister of Railways: Shri Piyush Goyal (also is the Minster of Coal)
Minister of Defence: Smt Nirmala Sitharaman (first woman to hold the post)
Minister of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation: Shri
Nitin Gadkari (also is the Minister of Road Transport and Highways and Minister
of Shipping)
Minister of Drinking Water and Sanitation: Ms Uma Bharati
Minister of Commerce and Industry: Shri Suresh Prabhu
SHORT NEWS:
Senior bureaucrat Rajiv Kumar appointed Secretary in the Department of
Financial Services (DFS)
Y C Modi appointed as the new Director-General of National Investigation
Agency (NIA).
Anita Karwal is the next Chairperson of Central Board of Secondary Education
(CBSE)
Kenneth I. Juster, Deputy Director of the National Economic Council at the White
House nominated as the next U.S ambassador to India.