Jan-August 2014 CURRENT AFFAIRS

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August 2014

INTERNATIONAL

China Decided To Ban All Coal Use In Beijing By 2020 Beijing Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau on 4 August announced the plans to ban coal use in

Beijing and five other districts by the end of 2020. The purpose of the ban is to fight increasing levels of

air pollution in China‘s major cities.

Russia Bans U.S.,European Union Food and Agricultural Imports Russian President Vladimir Putin on 6 August signed a decree that bans imports of agricultural products

from all countries that have imposed sanctions on Russia over the crisis in Ukraine. Major sanctions were

made by the US and European Union (EU). Ban on the food imports, should continue for up to one year.

Haider al-Abadi Named As New Iraqi Prime Minister

Iraqi President Mohammed Fuad Masum named Haider al-Abadi as the new Iraqi Prime Minister on 11

August 2014. Before being nominated for the post of Iraqi Prime Minister, Haider al-Abadi was deputy

parliament speaker.

Ukrainian President Dissolved Parliament Ukraine‘s president Petro Poroshenko on 25 August dissolved parliament. A snap election to the Ukraine

will be held on 26 October 2014.The date of the election was announced by President Petro Poroshenko.

INDIA & WORLD

India and Nepal Signed 3 Agreements Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 3 August met Nepal Prime Minister Sushil Koirala in Kathmandhu, the

captital of Nepal. Later, three agreements were signed between India and Nepal, in the presence of the

two Prime Ministers. Under the first agreement, India will provide a grant assistance worth NRs 69

million to supply iodated salt to curb goitre and other diseases related with iodine deficiency. The second

agreement was regarding the amendment of Articles 17 and 18 of the Pancheswor Multiple Project. The

third agreement is about cooperation between Nepal Television and Doordarshan, the state-owned

television stations of both the countries.

India Ranked 5th Amongst Top 10 Wind Power Producers The ―Renewables 2014 Global Status Report‖ released on 18 August. According to the report, India

ranked fifth amongst top ten wind power producers in the world by adding 1,700 MW capacity in 2013.

With 16,100 MW wind power produced in 2013, China was ranked World‘ top wind power producing

country.

India and Czech Republic Signed MoU On Technical Cooperation In Railways India and Czech Republic on 19 August 2014 signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on technical

cooperation in railway sector. This MoU was signed between the Union Ministry of Railways and Czech

Railways (Ceske Drahy) of the Czech Republic and Association of Czech Railway Industry (ACRI) of the

Czech Republic.

Indo-Nepal Joint Military Training Exercise Concluded The militaries of India and Nepal was jointly conducted a Combined Training Exercise, known as Surya

Kiran-VII, from 18 – 31 August 2014 near Pithoragarh district in Uttarakhand.

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NATIONAL

Union Cabinet Approves Amendments To Juvenile Justice Act The Union Cabinet on 6 August approved the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Bill, 2014

to amend the Juvenile Justice (JJ) Act, 2000. The bill will place minors above the age of 16, accused of

heinous crimes like rape and murder, in the adults‘ category.

PM Narendra Modi Announced Pradhan Mantri Krishi Seenchayi Yojana

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 19 August announced the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Seenchayi Yojana to

meet the irrigation needs of all farmers across the country. Sum of 1000 crore rupees has been allocated

for implementation of the scheme.

Union Cabinet Approved Rs 1 lakh crore „ Digital India Project „

The Union Cabinet has approved the Digital India project on 20 August. The project, which has a total

overlay of Rs 1 lakh crore, aims to ensure that government services are available to citizens electronically

and help people gain benefits from the latest information and communication technology.

PM Narendra Modi Launched „ Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana „ Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 28 August launched ‗ Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) ‗ in

New Delhi. The scheme intends to accomplish the objective of housing for all by providing basic banking

accounts with a debit card with inbuilt accident insurance. The government aims to open as many as 1

crore bank accounts on the first day itself.

STATES

Uttarkhand Govt Constituted Committee On Industries Using Silica Dust A high level committee has been constituted by the Uttarakhand government on 8 August with a view to

conduct a detailed survey of the industries using silica dust in the state. The panel would conduct its study

and submit its report within 2 months. The health examination of those working in industries using silica

dust would be carried out to find out if they are suffering from silicosis or other respiratory diseases

caused due to coming in contact of silicia dust.

Delhi Police Launched Whatsapp Helpline To Curb Corruption

Delhi Police on 10 August launched Whatsapp helpline to curb corruption. Under the facility, a person can

just call and register the complaint and also send a recorded audio or video clips if any policeman harasses

or a person demands bribe.

Tamilnadu Chief Minister Announced „ Amma Baby Care Kit „ Scheme

Tamilnadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on 12 August announced ambitious welfare scheme called

‗Amma Baby Care Kit‘. It is aimed at new born infants. This scheme only applies to the infants born in

government hospitals.

Uttarakhand Govt Launched Food Security Scheme The Uttarakhand government on 16 August introduced a food security scheme on the pattern of the

National Food Security Act. This was decided at the Cabinet meeting. The scheme will cater to the Below

Poverty Line and Above Poverty Line families across the State.

Kerala Cabinet Ratified New Liquor Policy

Kerala state cabinet cabinet on 27 August 2014 ratified the new liquor policy. The policy was

contemplated to shut down bars attached to hotels below the five-star category .It was a part of

governments plan to reduce availability of liquor.

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CONFERENCES

47th ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting Held In Nay Pyi Taw The 47th ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting (AMM) was held on 8 August 2014 in Nay Pyi Taw,

Myanmar under the theme ―Moving forward in Unity to a Peaceful and Prosperous Community‖. The

Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Foreign Ministers issued a joint statement urging the

issues of Korea Peninsular and Ukraine including seven points that concerned the international affairs and

South China Dispute. ASEAN comprises ten member countries — Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos,

Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

AWARDS & HONOURS

Jaitley, Karan Singh, Sharad Yadav Conferred with „Outstanding Parliamentarian Awards „ Finance Minister Arun Jaitley ( for 2010), Congress leader Karan Singh (2011) and JD(U) President

Sharad Yadav (2012) are conferred with ‗Outstanding Parliamentarian Awards‘ by the President Pranab

Mukherjee on 12 August in New Delhi. The awards were given for their invaluable contribution in

discharge of their parliamentary duties.

Indian-origin Professor Manjul Bhargava Won „Nobel Prize of Maths „ Two Indian-origin professors have won global prizes in the field of mathematics with one of them being

awarded the Fields Medal, known as the ―Nobel Prize of mathematics‖. Manjul Bhargava won the Fields

Medal while Subhash Khot won the Rolf Nevanlinna Prize, awarded by the International Mathematical

Union (IMU), at the International Congress of Mathematicians 2014 held in Seoul on 13 August.

Army Major Mukund Varadarajan Honoured with Ashok Chakra India‘s highest peacetime gallantry award ‗Ashoka Chakra‘ has been awarded posthumously to Major

Mukund Varadarajan of 44th Battalion of the Rastriya Rifles (22 Rajput). 55 gallantry awards (peacetime)

were announced on the eve of 68th Independence Day on 14 August 2014. There have been one Ashoka

Chakra, 12 Shaurya Chakras, 39 Sena Medal, one Nao Sena Medal and two Vayu Sena Medal this year.

Pakistani Journalist Asma Shirazi Won 2014 Peter Mackler Award

Asma Shirazi, Pakistan‘s first female war correspondent and host of popular TV talk shows, was named

2014 Winner of Peter Mackler Award for Courageous and Ethical Journalism on 22 August. Shirazi is the

second woman to win the award since its creation in 2008, after Honduran radio news editor Karla Rivas

won in 2011.

SPORTS & GAMES

India Finishes Fifth At 20th Commonwealth Games

India finishes 5th with 64 medals (15 gold, 30 silver and 19 bronze) at the 20th Commonwealth Games

(CWG) 2014. India‘s total medal tally was thus 64, which is far less than the 19th Commonwealth Games

of 2010 at New Delhi, where India won a total of 101 medals. England topped the medal table for the first

time in 28 years with 58 golds, 59 silvers and 57 bronzes. Australia was on second position, Canada on

third and Scotland was on 4th position. The 2014 Commonwealth Games (officially the XX

Commonwealth Games) were held in Glasgow, Scotland, from 23 July to 3 August 2014. Its the 3rd time

that Scotland is hosting this event; the previous two being in Edinburgh (1970 & 1986). The 21st

Commonwealth Games will be held in Gold Coast City, Queensland, Australia between 4 to 15 April

2018.

Katie Ledecky Sets World Record In 1,500-Meter Freestyle Katie Ledecky, an American distance swimmer on 23 August created a World Record in Women‘s 1500

Meter Freestyle at the 2014 Pan Pac Championships on the Gold Coast, Australia. To create the new

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record Ledecky swam the distance in 15 minutes 28.36 seconds. She crushed her own previous 1500-

metre freestyle record of swimming the distance in 15 minutes 34.23 seconds at an untaqpered meet in

The Woodlands, Texas in June 2014. Ledecky won her fifth gold medal at the Gold Coast meet after

defeating Lauren Boyle of New Zealand by more than 27 seconds.

Jammu and Kashmir To Host Football Federation Cup In August 2015

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) announced on 18 August that Jammu and Kashmir will host

Football Federation Cup in August 2015.

Himachal To Host First Paragliding World Cup In India

India‘s northern state of Himachal Pradesh has been selected as venue to host Paragliding World Cup

2015. This will be the first para-gliding World Cup to be hosted in India. The tournament will be

organized under the auspices of Para-gliding World Cup Association, France.The World Cup will be

hosted in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh from 24 October 2015 and will see around 150 top ranked

pilots of the world besides 500 free flying pilots as participants.

ECONOMY

RBI Third Bi-monthly Monetary Policy Statement 2014-15 Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in its third Bi-monthly Monetary Policy statement 2014-15 announced on 5

August, has kept the Short-term lending (repo) rate unchanged at 8%. The Reverse Repo rate has also

been left unchanged at 7% and the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) is also the same at 4%. The only major

change is in Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR) which has been slashed by 50 basis points (bps) to 22% from

previous 22.50%.Estimates GDP growth at 5.5% for current fiscal(2014-15).

Union Cabinet Approves FDI in Defence and Railways

The Union Cabinet on 6 August allowed foreign investment in the Railways for the first time and raised

limit for such investment in the defence sector, steps intended to raise funds for expansion of the Railways

and encourage domestic manufacture of arms. Under this proposal the government is to increase the FDI

limit in the defence industry to 49% from 26% and from nil to 100% in railway infrastructure of the

country.

RBI issued Draft Guidelines For „Anytime Anywhere‟ BBPS

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on 7 August issued draft guidelines for the implementation of Bharat

Bill Payment System (BPPS), an anytime anywhere bill payment system.The draft mentions the

requirements and the basic framework of operating the BBPS, and stipulates the eligibility criteria,

standards for settlement model and customer grievance redressal, roles and responsibilities and scope for

entities seeking to be part of BBPS.

Mukesh Ambani Is India‟s Richest Man The wealth research firm Wealth-X of India‘s richest individuals latest study report released on 13

August. According to the report, the top five Indian billionaires led by Reliance Industries Chairman

Mukesh Ambani collectively control $85.5 billion (about Rs 5,23,897 crore) in personal wealth,

accounting for nearly half of the country‘s total billionaire wealth. Mukesh Ambani remains the richest

man in the country with an estimated net worth of $24.4 billion (about Rs 1,49,474 crore).

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

China Successfully Launched Remote Sensing Satellite

China on 9 August successfully launched the ―Yaogan XX‖ a remote-sensing satellite to carry out

scientific experiments and provide early alerts natural disasters. The Yaogan XX satellite blasted off on

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the back of a Long March 4C carrier rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in the country‘s

northwestern Gobi desert. The launch marked the 190th mission for the nation‘s long march rocket family.

IBM Develops A New Chip That Functions Like A Brain

IBM researchers have announced on 9 August the development of a new computer chip that is inspired by

the brain, mimicking the way that the mind can recognize patterns utilizing a web of interconnected

transistors to simulate neural networks. The chip or processor is named TrueNorth, and it contains more

than 5.4 billion transistors, yet requires no more power to function than a hearing aid (just 70 milliwatts of

power versus the minimum of 35 watts required by current Intel processors, with have 1.4 billion

transistors).

PM Narendra Modi Dedicates „ INS Kolkata „ To The Nation

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 16 August dedicated India‘s indigenously designed warship ‗ INS

Kolkata ‗ to the nation. With this, INS Kolkata was commissioned in Indian Navy at the Naval Dockyard

in Mumbai, Maharashtra. The 6800-tonne Kolkata class warship has been constructed by the Mazagon

Docks Ltd, Mumbai and designed by the Navy‘s Design Bureau.

NASA‟s Scientists Developed „SMAP‟ Satellite To Combat Drought NASA scientists, including one of Indian-origin, developed Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) satellite

that can predict the severity of droughts worldwide and help farmers maximize the crop yield.The mission

is scheduled to launch in November 2014 and will collect the local data of agricultural and water

managers that are needed worldwide.

PERSONS IN NEWS

A) APPOINTMENTS

K V Chowdary is new CBDT chairman Senior Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer K V Chowdary (full name – Kosaraju Veeraiah Chowdary)

has been appointed as the new Chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), the top policy

making body of the Income Tax department. K.V. Chowdary, a 1978-batch officer, on 1 August took

charge of his office. He will have tenure of three months.He succeed R K Tewari. He retired on 31 July

2014.

President Appointed New Governors of Four States

President of India, Pranab Mukherjee on 26 August appointed new Governors of four states, namely

Maharashtra, Goa , Karnataka and Rajasthan.

The Governors names are:- 1) Kalyan Singh – Rajasthan Governor

2) Vajubhai Rudabhai Vala – Karnataka Governor

3) Ch. Vidyasagar Rao – Maharashtra Governor

4) Mridula Sinha – Goa Governor

B)RESIGNS

Maharashtra Governor K Sankaranarayanan Resigned

Maharashtra governor K Sankaranarayanan resigned from his office on 24 August.He tendered his

resignation in the backdrop of being transferred to Mizoram. He refused to take charge of his new

assignment.

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C)DEATHS

Legendary Cartoonist Pran Kumar Sharma Died Legendary cartoonist Pran Kumar Sharma, popularly known as Pran, who created the comic book

character like Chacha Chaudhary and Sabu, died on 5 August in Gurgaon at the age of 75. He was 75. He

was born on 15 August 1938 in Kasur near Lahore (now Pakistan). He created the character ‗Dabbu‘ for a

Delhi-based newspaper ‗Milap‘.

D)VISITORS

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi Visited Nepal

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Nepal on 3-4 August 2014. During the visit, Narendra Modi

met Nepal Prime Minister Sushil Koirala in Kathmandhu, the captital of Nepal. The two leaders discussed

various issues including Nepal‘s peace process and constitution-drafting process as well as economic

issues. After the talks, Modi and Koirala witnessed the signing of three agreements.

E)MISCELLANEOUS

Edward Snowden Granted Three-year Residence Permit In Russia

Former US intelligence contractor Edward Snowden has received a residence permit in Russia on 7

August 2014, which is valid for three years. Earlier in 2013, Snowden was granted a one-year temporary

asylum, which ended on 1 August 2014.

PLACES IN NEWS

Two Ancient Mayan Cities Found In Mexico Jungle In the month of August 2014 Archaeologists have found two ancient Mayan cities Lagunita and Tamchen

hidden in the jungle of south-eastern Mexico. They discovered the two cities of Lagunita and Tamchen on

the Yucatan peninsula by examining aerial photographs of the region.

ABBREVIATIONS

ASEAN —— Association of South East Asian Nations

IFTU ——- International Federation of Trade Unions

WFI ——– Wrestling Federation of India

CERSAI — – Central Registry of Securitisation Asset Reconstruction and Security

BOOKS IN NEWS

„ One Life is Not Enough: An Autobiography „ Released An autobiography of the former External Affairs Minister and veteran Congress Party leader Natwar

Singh was released on 1 August. The book titled ―One Life is Not Enough‖ is penned by Kunwar Natwar

Singh.This book has been in news and controversy since past few days because it discloses much

information about Sonia Gandhi, the President of the Congress Party.

COMMITTEES

Hari Gautam Committee To Review The Status Of UGC A four-member Committee under the chairmanship of former UGC chairman Hari Gautam has been

constituted by the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) on 3 August with a view to

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review the present status of Universities Grants Commission‘s (UGC). The committee will suggest ways

to restructure and reorganise the panel to attain better performance in order to meet desired objectives.

IMPORTANT DAYS AND DATES

World Humanitarian Day Observed Across The World World Humanitarian Day was observed across the world on 19 August 2014. The day is observed to

recognise humanitarian personnel and those who have lost their lives working for humanitarian causes.

The theme for the year 2014 is The World Needs More Humanitarian Heroes.World Humanitarian Day is

also an opportunity to celebrate the spirit that inspires humanitarian work around the globe. The events of

the day included wreath-laying ceremony at UN Headquarters in New York to honour aid workers killed

in the line of duty. The day was designated by the United Nations General Assembly to coincide with the

anniversary of the 2003 bombing of the United Nations headquarters in Baghdad, Iraq. The bombing

killed 22 people, including UN envoy Sergio Vieira de Mello. The Day is observed annually on 19

August.

August 29 Is Celebrated As The „National Sports Day‟ August 29 is celebrated as the National Sports Day in dedication to the great hockey player Dhyan

Chand.This day is celebrated by organizing friendly matches between different Indian hockey teams at the

Dhyan Chand National stadium in New Delhi.The National Stadium was constructed in the respect and

honor of Dhyan Chand. Major Dhyan Chand was India‘s greatest hockey player. He has scored over 1000

goals between 1926 and 1948. He helped India win 3 Olympic Gold medals including the first in 1928

(Amsterdum Olympic games) and then in 1932 ( Los Angeles Olympic games) and 1936 (Berlin Olympic

games).

July 2014

INTERNATIONAL

Pakistan‟s Approves Protection of Pakistan Bill 2014

Pakistan‘s National Assembly on 2 July passed the Protection of Pakistan Bill (PPB) 2014. Following the

National Assembly‘s approval, the PPB will now be applicable for a period of two years.

Japan Eased Sanctions Against North Korea

The Japanese government has decided to eased several sanctions against North Korea on 3 July.The

decision was taken in response to North Korea reopening the investigation to probe decades-old

kidnappings of Japanese nationals.

U.S and E.U Announced Tougher Sanctions Against Russia

The United States and the European Union (EU) have significantly strengthened sanctions on Russia over

Ukraine, with Washington for the first time directly targeting Russia‘s banking, military, and energy

sectors.U.S. President Barack Obama announced the new sanctions on 16 July.

Bolivia Becomes First Nation To Legalise Child Labour Bolivia has become the first country to legalise child labour after a law was signed by Vice- President

Alvaro Garcia Linera on 17 July 2014.The bill was approved by Bolivian Congress in June 2014.

INDIA & WORLD

India and Canada Signed Audiovisual Co-production Treaty

India and Canada have signed an India-Canada Audiovisual Co-production Treaty that aims to create jobs

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in both countries and boost tourism.This audiovisual treaty is the first of its kind for India and was signed

in Delhi.The treaty came into force on 1 July 2014.

India Becomes World‟s Largest Consumer of Antibiotics

According to the ―Global Trends in Antibiotic Consumption, 2000-2010,study report released on 14 July,

India has emerged as the world‘s largest consumer of antibiotics with a 62% increase in popping habits

over the last decade.

India Slips 10 Positions On Global Innovation Index – 2014 India slipped 10 notches on the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2014. India fell from the 66th position to

the 76th on the index. Switzerland topped the GII rankings like 2013 while the UK took the second

position. The annual rankings are jointly published by Cornell University, INSEAD, and the World

Intellectual Property Organisation on 18 July 2014.

India Ranked 135 In Human Development Index – 2014

The United Nations Development Programme‘s (UNDP) 2014 Human Development Report was released

on 24 July in Tokyo. A UN study ranked India at 135 out of 187 countries in terms of Human

Development Index (HDI). India‘s HDI value for 2013 is 0.586 . Between 1980 to 2013, India‘s HDI

value increased from 0.369 to 0.586 .

NATIONAL

CCEA Approved Inclusion Of Onion and Potato Under Essential Commodities Act, 1955 The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on 2 July 2014 approved the inclusion of onion and

potato under the purview of stock holding limits under the Essential Commodities Act 1955. The inclusion

will remain in force for a year.

Number of Child Labourers In India Has Declined The Union government on 7 July announced the number of working children in the age group of 5-14 has

declined in the country. The total number of working children in the country has declined from 1.26 crore

as per Census 2001 to 43.53 lakh as per Census 2011.

President Gave Assent To National Institute of Design Bill- 2014

The National Institute of Design Bill, which will permit the institute to award degrees to students, has now

become an Act with President Pranab Mukherjee giving his assent. The President gave his assent to the

National Institute of Design Bill, 2014, on 17 July 2014. The bill was passed by the Rajya Sabha on 7 July

2014, it was vetted by the Lok Sabha on 9 July 2014. The Ahmedabad-based institute, which has a branch

in Gandhinagar and also a satellite centre in Bangalore, will now be an ‗ institute of national importance‘.

Employment Rises 34% To 12.7 crore In 8 years To 2013

According to the Sixth Economic Census report released on 30 July, the number of employed persons in

the country grew by 34.35 percent to 12.77 crore in eight years to 2013.

STATES

PM Narendra Modi Inaugurates 240 MW Uri-II Hydropower Project In J&K Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 4 July inaugurated the 240 megawatt Uri-II hydropower project in the

mountains of Jammu and Kashmir. The Uri-II project is the second power project on the Jhelum River in

Uri area and is close to the Line of Control (LoC) in Baramullah district of the state.

Assam Decided To Implement National Food Security Act Assam Government has decided to implement National Food Security Act from 1 September 2014. The

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decision to implement the Act in the state was taken on 14 July at a meeting of senior officials of Food

and Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department convened by Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi in

Guwahati. During the meeting, the state government also decided to bring onions and potatoes in the list

of essential commodities to curb hoarding.

CMSA Scheme Launched In Meghalaya For Widows and Pensioners

Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma on 23 July launched a mass enrolment drive under the Chief

Minister‘s Social Assistance (CMSA) Scheme for widows and persons with disabilities at Patharkhmah in

Ri Bhoi District in Meghalaya. Each beneficiary shall be given a financial assistance of 500 rupees per

month under the scheme.

Tamil Nadu Govt To Issue Industrial Licences Online

Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa on 23 July announced that the process of issuing licenses to the

new industries will be done online henceforth. The step was taken in order to simplify the process

involved for registration of new industries in the state.

CONFERENCES

Sixth BRICS Summit – 2014 Held In Brazil The 6th BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) summit was held in Fortaleza, Brazil on 15

– 16 July 2014. The theme of the summit was ―Inclusive growth: sustainable solutions ―. At the end of the

summit, the participating countries jointly issued the Fortaleza Declaration. The $100 billion development

bank launched during the summit in Fortaleza is aimed at funding infrastructure projects in developing

nations. The bank will be called the New Development Bank (NDB), a name suggested by Prime Minister

Narendra Modi.

AWARDS & HONOURS

Shah Rukh Khan Received „Knight Of The Legion Of Honor‟ Bollywood Actor Shah Rukh Khan was conferred with top French civilian award ―Knight of the Legion of

Honor‖ (National Order of the Legion of Honour) on 1 July for his outstanding contribution to cultural

diversity across the world.

Indian Mathematician Named Joint Winner Of „ 2014 George Polya Prize „

Nikhil Srivastava, a young Indian mathematician, on 10 July became the first joint winner of the

prestigious ‗ 2014 George Polya Prize ‗ for finding a solution to a problem that had eluded mathematicians

for more than half a century.

Environmentalist Chandi Prasad Bhatt Received Gandhi Peace Prize – 2013

Eminent Gandhian and environmentalist Chandi Prasad Bhatt on 15 July was awarded with the prestigious

Gandhi Peace prize for 2013. He was awarded by the President of India Pranab Mukherjee at a function in

Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi.

2014 Ramon Magsaysay Awards Announced The prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Awards for year 2014 were announced on 31 July and it included six

winners. Education is a big theme in this year‘s awards, with two individuals who have dedicated their

lives to educating indigenous communities – a Filipino and an Indonesian – and a Pakistani organization

that builds schools for girls, among the 6 awardees. The 2014 Awardees are:-

i) Saur Marlina Manurung (Indonesia)

ii) Randy Halasan (The Philippines)

iii) Hu Shuli (China) iv) Omara Khan Masoudi (Afghanistan)

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v) Wang Canfa (China)

vi) The Citizen Foundation (Pakistan)

SPORTS & GAMES

Russian Federation Friendship Order Awards To Anand and Gelfand Chess greats Viswanathan Anand (India) and Boris Gelfand (Israel) have been selected for the Russian

Federation‘s ‗Order of Friendship‘ award, according to a FIDE release on 4 July.

Lewis Hamilton Won British Grand Prix 2014

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of British has won the British Grand Prix 2014 title on 6 July.This was

Hamilton‘s 27th career victory, his fifth of the season.

Germany Won 2014 FIFA Football World Cup

Germany created history by winning the FIFA World Cup 2014 on 13 July 2014 at the Maracana Stadium

in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Germany defeated Argentina by 1-0. With this win, Germany lifted the trophy

for the fourth time in the history of FIFA world Cup and first since 1990. The following awards were

given at the conclusion of the tournament :-

* Golden Ball – Lionel Messi of Argentina

* Golden Boot – James Rodriguez of Colombia

* Golden Glove – Manuel Neuer of Germany

* Best Young Player – Paul Pogba of France

* FIFA Fair Play Trophy – Colombia

Daniel Ricciardo Won 2014 Hungarian F1 Grand Prix – 2014 Red Bull‘s Daniel Ricciardo of Australia won the Hungarian Formula One (F1) Grand Prix on 27 July.

Fernando Alonso (Spain) claimed the second spot for his Ferrari team while Mercedes‘ Lewis Hamilton

(Great Britain) won the third place.

ECONOMY

Bill Gates Is Wealthiest Living US Entrepreneur

According to the Wealth-x, Microsoft founder Bill Gates is the wealthiest living US entrepreneur, with an

estimated net worth of US$ 80.2 billion.The list of 10 billionaires was released on 2 July dominated by

technopreneurs as six of them made their fortunes from technology or technology-related businesses.

Eight Indian Companies In Fortune 500 List

Eight Indian companies, led by state-run IOC, have made it to the latest Fortune Global 500 list of world‘s

biggest firms which has been topped by US-based retailer Wal-Mart after a gap of two years.

Union Railway Budget 2014-15

Union Railway Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda on 8 July 2014 presented his first Railway Budget in

Parliament.This is the first rail budget presented by any Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) minister and it is

also Sadanand Gowda‘s first rail budget.

Highlights From Railway Budget 2014-15 :-

* No new increase in passenger fares and freight charges.

* Next generation e-Ticketing system, capable of supporting 7200 tickets per minute as against 2000

tickets per minute and allow 1,20,000 simultaneous users at any point in time, will help in the revamp of

railway reservation System.

* Railway Ministry will develop 10 major stations in the country to global standards.It will provide Wi-Fi

in A-1 and A category stations and in select trains.

* Office-on-wheels: Internet and workstation facilities on select trains

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* Paperless office of Indian railways in 5 years. Digital reservation charts at stations

* Women RPF Constables to escort ladies coaches; 4,000 women constables to be inducted

* 17000 Railway Protection Force (RPF) constables to provide safety to passengers

* Setting up of Railway University for technical and non-technical subjects, tie-up with technical

institutions

* Indian Railways need around Rs 40,000 crore improving rail safety. Rs 1785 crore will be provided for

road under bridges and over bridges.Ultra sonic devices to detect rail fractures and automatic closing of

doors both in mainline & suburban coaches are being considered.

* Cleanliness budget up by 40 pc over last year

* Private investment in Rail Infrastructure through Domestic and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)

* FDI in railway projects, except in operations

* FDI, domestic investments in rail infrastructure

* Per capita contribution to Staff Benefit Fund increased from Rs.500 to Rs.800.

* Loss per passenger per kilometre up from 10% in 2000-01 to 23% in 2012-13

High Speed Rail Network and Bullet Trains:-

* Bullet trains will be introduced in the Mumbai-Ahmedabad sector.

* Diamond Quadrilateral network of high speed rail linking major metros and growth centres is being

worked out.

* Increasing train speeds between several cities to 160-200 km/hour. Railways will spend Rs 100 crore for

high speed trains between metros.The government needs Rs 9 lakh crore for funding Diamond

Quadrilateral.

New Trains In Rail Budget:- 5 Jansadharan Trains, 5 Premium Trains, 6 AC express trains, 27 express

trains, 8 passenger trains, 2 MEMU services and 5 DEMU will be introduced this year. Special trains to

meet the holiday and festival rush would continue to operate.

Economic Survey of India 2013-14

Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitely on 9 July presented Economic Survey of India 2013-14 in the Lok

Sabha.

Following are the highlights of the Economic Survey Report 2013-14 :- * Economy to grow in the range of 5.4 – 5.9 per cent in 2014-15 overcoming sub-5 percent growth.

* Aided by favourable monsoons, agricultural and allied sector registered a growth of 4.7 per cent in

2013-14.

* The India‘s balance-of-payments position improved dramatically in 2013-14 with current account deficit

at US $ 32.4 billion as against US$ 88.2 billion in 2012-13.

* India‘s foreign exchange reserves increased from US$ 292.0 billion at end March 2013 to US$ 304.2

billion at end march 2014.

* World trade volume which decelerated to 2.8 per cent in 2012 has shown signs of recovery in 2013,

albeit slow with a 3.0 per cent growth.

* The sharp fall in imports and moderate export growth in 2013-14 resulted in a sharp fall in India`s trade

deficit by 27.8 per cent.

* Record food grains and oilseeds production of 264.4 million tonnes (mt) and 32.4 mt is estimated in

2013-14.

* The latest gross domestic product (GDP) estimates show that industry grew by just 1.0 per cent in 2012-

13 and slowed further in 2013-14, posting a modest increase of 0.4 per cent.

* India ranked 12th in terms of services GDP in 2012 among the world‘s top 15 countries in terms of GDP

(at current prices).

* In 2013-14, FDI inflows to the services sector (top five sectors including construction) declined sharply

by 37.6 per cent to US$ 6.4 billion compared to an overall growth in FDI inflows at 6.1 per cent resulting

in the share of the top five services in total FDI falling to nearly one-sixth.

* According to HDR 2013, India has slipped down in HDI with its overall global ranking at 136 (out of

the 186 countries) as against 134 (out of 187 countries) as per HDR 2012. It is still in the medium human

development category.

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Union Budget 2014-15 Union Finance Minister, Arun Jaitley on 10 July 2014 presented Union Budget 2014-15.

Highlights of the Union Budget 2014-15:- * The tax bracket has been increased to 2.5 lakh rupees from previous 2 lakh rupees, whereas, for senior

citizen it has been raised to 3 lakh rupees from previous 2.5 lakh rupees

* Tax relief for interest on housing loan rose from 1.5 lakh rupees to 2 lakh rupees

* Deduction under 80C increased from 1 lakh rupees to 1.5 lakh rupees

* 1000 crore rupees proposed for Pradhanmantri Krishi Seechai Yojana to improve irrigation facility

* 14389 crore rupees announced for Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna, PMGSY

* 100 crore rupees allotted for Beti bachao-beti padhao yojna

* Minimum pension of 1000 rupees to meet the expenditure to all subscribers of EPFO scheme

* 50000 crore rupees for SC/ST schemes

* FDI cap in Defence sector has been raised to 49 percent

* The finance minister in the budget announced steps for sustained growth of 7-8 percent within the next

three-four years

* PSU 247944 crore capex to create industrial cycle

* Shyama Prassad Mukherjee Rozgar mission to be launched

* Excise duty on footwear reduced from 12 percent to 6 percent

* Excise duty concessions to continue till 31 December 2014

* No change in surcharge

* No change in Direct Tax rates

* War Memorial will be set up at Princess Park, New Delhi

* Composite cap on FDI in insurance proposed to be raised to 49 percent from 26 percent

* 15 Model Rural Health Research centers for rural health issues.


NASA Launched Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 Satellite

U.S. space agency NASA on 2 July launched Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 (OCO-2),a satellite designed

to track carbon dioxide (CO2) which is responsible for global warming. The satellite was launched aboard

Delta 2 rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.OCO-2 is the first of its kind mission of

NASA dedicated to study the atmospheric carbon dioxide over several seasons.

India‟s First Indigenous Anti-Submarine Warship INS Kamrota Handed Over To Indian Navy

India‘s first indigenous anti-submarine warship (ASW) Indian Naval Ship (INS) Kamorta was handed

over to Indian Navy on 12 July. INS Kamrota is the first in its class of four ASW corvettes being built by

GRSE under Project-28 for the Navy.

India‟s Indigenously Built Research Ship „ Sindhu Sadhna „ Launched India‘s first ever indigenously built research ship ‗Sindhu Sadhna‘ was launched and dedicated to the

nation on 13 July. Minister of State in the Prime Minister‘s Office Jitendra Singh dedicated ‗Sindhu

Sadhana‘ to the nation at Marmugao Harbour of Goa.

World‟s Largest Aquatic Insect Discovered In China In the month of July 2014 the world‘s largest flying aquatic insect has been discovered in China.This was

found in the the mountains of Chengdu in China‘s Sichuan province.It boasts a wingspan of 8.3

inches.That breaks the previous record held by a species of South American helicopter damselfly, with a

wingspan of 7.5 inches.

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PERSONS IN NEWS

A) APPOINTMENTS

Sujit Choudhry Became The First Indian-American Dean of Top US Law School Sujit Choudhry, an international constitutional law expert, has become the first Indian- American Dean of

the Berkeley School of Law of the University of California , one of the major law schools in the US.

Om Prakash Kohli Sworn In As Gujarat Governor

Om Prakash Kohli took oath of office as Governor of Gujarat on 16 July.His oath of the office and secrecy

was administered by Chief Justice of Gujarat High Court Bhaskar Bhattacharya.

Padmanabha Balakrishna Acharya Sworn In As Nagaland Governor

Padmanabha Balakrishna Acharya was sworn in as the 19th governor of Nagaland on 19 July. Acharya

has been given the additional charge of Tripura also.

Ram Naik Sworn-In As UP Governor

Senior BJP leader and former Union Minister Ram Naik was sworn-in as the 27th Governor of Uttar

Pradesh on 22 July. Ram Naik was sworn in at the Raj Bhavan by Allahabad High Court Chief Justice

D.Y. Chandrachud.

B)RESIGNS

Goa Governor B V Wanchoo Resigned

Goa Governor BV Wanchoo resigned from his post on 4 July. He was questioned by the Central Bureau of

Investigation (CBI) as a witness in connection with alleged irregularities in the purchase of 12 helicopters

meant for VVIP use from AgustaWestland, an Anglo-Italian defence manufacturer.

C)DEATHS

Veteran Actress Zohra Sehgal Died

Veteran actor Zohra Sehgal, who acted in Bollywood classics and Doctor Who adventures, died on 10

July in New Delhi.She was called as the ‗ grand old lady ‗ of Bollywood. In 2010, Zohra was awarded

with the Padma Vibhshan. She was also a recipient of other two of India‘s four civilian awards Padma

Shri (1998), Padma Bhushan (2002).

D)VISITORS

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi Visited Brazil Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi Visited Brazil to attend the 6th BRICS Summit in Fortaleza, Brazil

from 15 – 16 July 2014. During the visit , Prime Minister Narendra modi met with other leaders of BRICS

nation. In the visit, India and Brazil decided to expand trade and investment flows while deepening

collaboration in the fields of renewable energy, defence and cyber security as they signed three pacts

including one on cooperation in the environment sector.

E)MISCELLANEOUS

Mahatma Gandhi‟s Bust Unveiled In South Korean City

The first ever bust of Mahatma Gandhi, the apostle of non-violence, has been inaugurated in the South

Korean metropolis of Busan on 21 July.

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PLACES IN NEWS

Pakistan Declares Dilip Kumar‟s Ancestral Home as National Heritage Pakistan on 11 July declares the ancestral home of veteran Bollywood actor Dilip Kumar as National

Heritage. The house, located in Peshawar‘s Qisa Khawani Bazaar area, will be converted into a museum.

ABBREVIATIONS

BRICS – Brazil, Russia, India, China And South Africa

NASA – National Aeronautics and Space Administration

AIIMS – All India Institute of Medical Sciences

CRAC – Cyber Regulation Advisory Council

FIPB – Foreign Investment Promotion Board

NABARD – National Bank for Agricultural and Rural Development

BOOKS IN NEWS

Coffee-Table Book On President Titled „ First Citizen : Pranab Mukherjee In Rashtrapati Bhavan „

Released A coffee-table book titled ‖ First Citizen: Pranab Mukherjee in Rashtrapati Bhavan ‖ was released on 2

July at a function in Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi. The book‘s first copy was received by Pranab

Mukherjee, the President of India. The book has been published by The Week Magazine.

COMMITTEES

Rangarajan Committee Submits Report On Poverty To Planning Commission

C Rangarajan, former chief of the Prime Minister‘s Economic Advisory Council (PMEAC), has submitted

a report on Tendulkar Committee methodology for estimating poverty to Planning Minister Rao Inderjit

Singh on 1 July. According to an expert panel headed by C Rangarajan those spending over Rs 32 a day

in rural areas and Rs 47 in towns and cities should not be considered poor. The panel‘s recommendation,

however results in an increase in the below poverty line population, which is estimated at 363 million in

2011-12, compared to the 270 million estimate based on the Tendulkar formula. This means 29.5% of the

India population lives below the poverty line as defined by the panel against 21.9% according to

Tendulkar.


World Population Day Observed Across The World

World Population Day was observed across the world on 11 July 2014. The theme of World Population

Day 2014 was Investing in Young People.World Population Day is observed to bring awareness to people

about importance of small families and living healthy lives. The day is celebrated with several programs

that are initiated to educate people about family planning methods.

International Tiger Day Observed Across The World

The World on 29 July 2014 observed the International Tiger Day. The day is celebrated as an awareness

day. The goal of the Tiger Day is to promote protection and expansion of the wild tiger habitats and also

to gain support awareness for tiger conservation.

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June 2014

INTERNATIONAL

US President Proposed 1 billion dollar Plan For Eastern Europe The US President Barack Obama on 3 June proposed a 1 billion US dollar (about 730 million Euros) US

security plan for Eastern Europe to finance extra US troop and military deployments to new allies in

Eastern Europe.

Reuven Rivlin Is Elected Israel‟s 10th President Reuven (Ruby) Rivlin, Knesset member of Likud Party, was on 10 June 2014 elected as 10th president of

Israel. Reuven Rivlin has defeated a long-time MP Meir Sheetrit by 63 to 53 in a secret run-off ballot. He

will succeed Shimon Peres. Rivlin will sworn-in on 24 July 2014.

Russia Cuts Off Gas Supplies To Ukraine

Russia on 16 June cut off all gas supplies to Ukraine over the due payment. Energy Minister of Ukraine

Yuri Prodan confirmed that the Gas supplies to Ukraine have been reduced to zero.After a while, both

Gazprom and Naftogaz filed lawsuits against each other at the International Council Commercial

Arbitration (ICCA) in Stockholm.

Sri Lanka and Seychelles Signed Six Agreements

Sri Lanka and Seychelles on 28 June signed six Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with a view of

further integrating and deepening the existing relationship between the two countries.The six agreements

were signed between Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa and President of Seychelles, James

Michael in the capital, Victoria.

INDIA & WORLD

EU lifts Drug Export Ban From Ranbaxy‟s Toansa Plant

The European health regulator, on 5 June, lifted the suspension imposed on export of drugs produced at

the Ranbaxy‘s Toansa plant to the EU, stating medicines produced at the site posed no risk to public

health despite having a number of manufacturing deficiencies. The European Medicines Agency (EMA)

announced that assessment of reported non-compliance with Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) at

Ranbaxy Laboratories at Toansa, India has been finalised by the European regulatory authorities.

India Becomes Permanent Signatory To Washington Accord

India has on 13 June become a permanent Signatory to Washington Accord (WA), which will enable

global recognition of Indian degrees in engineering and technical education. With India becoming the

permanent signatory, India joined a select group of 17 countries who are permanent signatories of the

Washington Accord (WA).

India and Russia Bilateral Talks

In the first high-level interaction between India and Russia after Narendra Modi Government took over at

the Centre, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry O

Rogozin on 18 June discussed crucial bilateral issues, including matters related to trade and energy

security. Besides issues related to economic cooperation and energy security, the deal for the third and

fourth reactors of Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP) also figured in the talks.

India Relaxes Visa Norms For Bangladeshi Nationals India has relaxed visa rules for a category of Bangladeshi nationals planning to cross into its borders.This

was decided in a meeting between India‘s external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and her Bangladeshi

counterpart Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali in Dhaka on 26 June 2014.

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NATIONAL

Narendra Modi Scrapped Four Standing Committees of Cabinet Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India on 10 June decided to discontinue four Standing Committees

of the Cabinet. The discontinued standing committees included Cabinet Committee on Management of

Natural Calamities, Cabinet Committee on Prices, Cabinet Committee on World Trade Organisation

Matters and Cabinet Committee on Unique Identification Authority of India related issues.

Pradhan Mantri Gram Sinchai Yojana To Be Launched To boost agricultural yield, the Union Agriculture Ministry is going to launch ‗Pradhan Mantri Gram

Sinchai Yojana‘ in the country. The statement was announced by Union Agriculture Minister Radha

Mohan Singh on 14 June . The motive of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sinchai Yojana will be to take irrigation

water to each and every agricultural field in the country.

Union Government Reconstituted Six Cabinet Committees

Union Government on 19 June reconstituted six important Cabinet Committees of these four will be

headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and remaining two by Home Minister Rajnath Singh. The six

Cabinet Committees include Security, Political Affairs, Parliamentary Affairs, Economic Affairs,

Accommodation and Appointments.

India To Be „ Land Degradation Neutral „ By 2030

Government of India on 17 June announced an ambitious programme to combat the challenge and make

the country ‖ Land Degradation Neutral ‖ by 2030.Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar explained

that the objective of the land degradation neutrality is to maintain or improve the condition of land

resources through the sustainable management of soil, water and biodiversity.

STATES

Telangana Becomes India‟s 29th State

Telangana became the 29th State of India with Hyderabad as its capital on 2 June 2014. With this

formation, ten districts of the then Andhra Pradesh will now become a part of the Telangana.

Retirement Age of J&K Govt. Employees Raised To 60

The Jammu & Kashmir government on 3 June enhanced the retirement age of government employees

from 58 to 60 years.The cabinet also raised the upper age limit for youths to obtain government jobs from

37 to 40 years.

Tamilnadu Chief Minister Launched Amma Salt

Jayalalithaa, the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu on 11 June launched Amma Salt, a product of Tamil Nadu

Salt Corporation limited (TNSC) under the State Industries Department.

Gujarat CM Announces 33 Percent Quota For Women In Police Force

Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel on 24 June announced 33 percent reservation for women in the

police force. With this announcement, the women of the state can enjoy 33 percent reservation in new

recruitment in the police force.

CONFERENCES

G77 plus China Summit Held In Bolivia The Group of 77 (G77) plus China summit was held in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, on 15 June 2014. More than

100 delegations of the G77 block attended the summit, presided over by Bolivian President Evo Morales.

The summit concluded with the adoption of a declaration calling for a new world order that is equitable,

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stable and peaceful. With the theme of ―New World Order for Living Well,‖ the two-day summit also

marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the G77, which has grown into a coalition of 133 UN

developing member states.The G77, the largest intergovernmental organization of developing countries, is

aimed at promoting collective economic interests and gaining leverage within the international

community.

AWARDS & HONOURS

RGIA gets ACI award

The Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA), operated and managed by GMR Group, has become the

first Indian airport to be awarded the ‗ACI Director General‘s Roll of Excellence‘ accolade. The award

recognises the airport‘s ranking among the world‘s top three airports for five consecutive years in the ACI

Airport Service Quality (ASQ) survey.

IGI Named World‟s Second Best Airport For Service Quality Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) of Delhi was ranked as second best airport in the world in

service quality among airports that handle 25 to 40 million passengers per annum (MPPA). For this

achievement, IGI received Airport Service Quality (ASQ) Award by Airport Council International (ACI)

in South Korea. IGI received the ASQ award for third time in row. Apart from this, IGI was placed at

sixth position among the best airport in the world against fourth in 2013.

Indian-Origin Physicist Tejinder Virdee Awarded Honorary Knighthood

Indian-origin physicist Tejinder Virdee has been awarded with an honorary knighthood by Queen

Elizabeth II on 14 June. He was awarded for his work on the Higgs Boson theory. Professor Virdee is one

of the creators of the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) Experiment. The CMS experiment is a part of the

Large Hadron Collider at CERN in Geneva.

Noted Hindi Poet Kedar Nath Singh Selected For Jnanpith Award – 2013 Noted Hindi poet Kedarnath Singh on 20 June 2014 was chosen for the prestigious Jnanpith award for

2013. He is the 10th Hindi writer to receive the honour and joins the likes of Sumitra Nandan Pant,

Ramdhari Singh Dinkar among others. He will be the recipient of 49th Jnanpith award.

SPORTS & GAMES

Kolkata Knight Riders Won IPL 2014 Title The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on 1 June 2014 won the seventh edition of Indian Premier League

(IPL) 2014 by defeating Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) by three wickets in the final played at Chinnaswamy

Stadium, Bangalore. This is the second title triumph for KKR after their maiden win back in 2012.

Chennai Super Kings‘ Mohit Sharma won the Purple Cap while KXIP‘s Akshar Patel took the Emerging

Player honour.

French Open Tennis Tournament Winners – 2014 Women‟s Singles :- Maria Sharapova of Russia won women‘s singles title of French Open 2014. She

defeated Romania‘s Simona Halep in the final at Roland Garros, Paris on 7 June 2014. This was

Sharapova‘s second French Open singles title and fifth grand slam singles title.

Men‟s Singles :- Spain‘s Rafael Nadal won the men‘s singles title of 2014 French Open on 8 June 2014

by defeating Serbia‘s Novak Djokovic in the final. This was Nadal‘s 9th singles title win at the French

Open .

Daniel Ricciardo Won The Canadian Formula One Grand Prix Red Bull Racing driver Daniel Ricciardo of Australia won the Canadian Grand Prix on 8 June in

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Montreal. This was the first GP win for Daniel Ricciardo of Australia and Mercedes was beaten for the

first time in this season.

Netherlands Won Women‟s Hockey World Cup – 2014

Netherlands won the 2014 edition of Women‘s Hockey World Cup after defeating Australia 2-0 in the

final at the Kyocera Stadium in The Hague (Netherlands) on 14 June. This is Netherlands seventh title.

Pankaj Advani Won IBSF 6-Red World Snooker Championship

Indian player Pankaj Advani created history by becoming the first player in the world to win world titles

in the long and shorter formats of both billiards and snooker by pocketing the IBSF World 6-Red snooker

Championship on 29 June in Sharm el-Sheikh, Eygpt. Advani defeated Poland‘s Kacper Flilpiak in the

final to win his first 6-Red World title and ninth overall.

ECONOMY

RBI Announced Second Bi-Monthly Monetary Policy Statement

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced second Bi-Monthly Monetary Policy Statement on 3 June.

RBI in its second bi-monthly monetary policy statement has kept the policy rates unchanged. RBI

Governor Raghuram G Rajan announced that the apex bank has kept the policy repo rate under the

liquidity adjustment facility (LAF) unchanged at 8.0 per cent. The cash reserve ratio (CRR) of scheduled

banks unchanged at 4.0 percent of net demand and time liabilities (NDTL). The reverse repo rate under

the LAF remained unchanged at 7.0 percent and the marginal standing facility (MSF) rate and the Bank

Rate at 9.0 percent.

India Ranks 15th with 175,000 Millionaire Households The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) latest report titled ‗14th Annual Study of the Global Wealth-

Management Industry‘ was released on 10 June 2014. According to the report , India had 1.75 lakh

millionaire households in 2013 which ranks it as the 15th in the world in terms of countries with highest

number of millionaire households.

World Bank Lowered Growth Forecast For Developing World To 4.8 percent

The World Bank on 11 June released Global Economic Prospects (GEP) report and revised down the

economic growth forecast for developing world in 2014 to 4.8 percent from 5.3 percent estimated in

January 2014. It also highlighted that the growth in 2015 and 2016 at 5.4 and 5.5 percent, respectively.

India Became Home To 1.56 lakh Millionaires In 2013 According to the World Wealth Report 2014, released by Capgemini and RBC Wealth Management on 20

June, India became home to 1.56 lakh millionaires with 3,000 more joining the elite club in 2013, making

the country 16th most populous in terms of population of super-rich people worldwide.


Astronomers Discovered New Planet „Mega-Earth‟

US Astronomers from Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CFA) have discovered a new type

of rocky planet beyond the solar system that weighs more than 17 times as much as Earth while being just

over twice the size. The so-called ―mega-Earth‖ circles a very old star called Kepler-10, which is located

about 560 light-years away from Earth in the constellation Draco.

Two New Planets Orbiting Ancient Star Discovered

Scientists have discovered two new planets orbiting an ancient star near our Sun and one of them may

have liquid water on its surface, a key ingredient to support life. Researchers explained one of the planets,

called Kapteyn b, is orbiting the star at the right distance to allow liquid water to exist on its surface.The

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second planet, Kapteyn c is a more massive super-Earth in comparison. Kapteyn‘s Star is the 25th nearest

star to the Sun – only 13 light years away from Earth.

PM Narendra Modi Dedicates INS Vikramaditya To The Nation

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 14 June dedicated India‘s largest warship aircraft carrie INS

Vikramaditya to the nation. During his visit to warship INS Vikramadtya off Goa coast in Arabian Sea,

the Prime Minister was given a ceremonial guard of honour by the Navy and was briefed about the

warship.

ISRO Successfully Launches PSLV-C23 Rocket carrying Five Foreign Satellites

ISRO(Indian Space Research Organisation)‘s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV)-C23 was launched

on 30 June 2014 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh. The PSLV C23

carried five satellites belonging to four countries namely France, Germany, Canada and Singapore.All

these five satellites were launched under commercial arrangements that ANTRIX (ISRO‘s commercial

arm) has entered with the respective foreign agencies.

PERSONS IN NEWS

A) APPOINTMENTS

Sumitra Mahajan Elected As Speaker Of 16th Lok Sabha Veteran BJP leader Sumitra Mahajan was 6 June unanimously elected Speaker of the 16th Lok Sabha,

becoming the second woman to occupy the prestigious position after her predecessor Meira Kumar.

Ranjit Kumar Takes Charge As Solicitor General of India

Senior Supreme Court advocate Ranjit Kumar took charge as Solicitor-General of India on 9 June. He

replaced senior advocate Mohan Parasaran, who had tendered his resignation in May 2014 after the

formation of a new government at the Centre.

Mukul Rohatgi Is New Attorney General of India Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi on 19 June took charge as the new Attorney General (AG) of India and

will have a tenure of three years. Rohatgi had also served as an Additional Solicitor General during

previous NDA regime.

B)RESIGNS

Uttar Pradesh Governor BL Joshi Resigned Uttar Pradesh Governor BL Joshi was resigned from his post on 17 June. Joshi who was serving the state

as its Governor for second term sent his resignation to Pranab Mukherjee, the President of India.BL Joshi

a retired Indian Police Service (IPS) officer was serving Uttar Pradesh as governor since 2009.

C)DEATHS

Union Rural Development Minister Gopitnath Munde Died Union Rural Development Minister, Gopinath Munde died in a road accident in Delhi. Munde was sworn-

in as the Cabinet Minister for Panchayati Raj, Drinking Water and Sanitation and Rural Development on

26 May 2014.

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D)VISITORS

China Foreign Minister Wang Yi Visited India China Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited India from 8 – 9 June 2014. During his two day visit, he met

Union External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in New Delhi and discussed a wide range of issues

related to trade, economy, border and people to people exchanges. In the visit Wang also met President

Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 9 June 2014. This was the first contact between

the two governments after the Indian general election and after the Narendra Modi-led National

Democratic Alliance government assumed office.

E)MISCELLANEOUS

Dhoni Only Indian In Forbes List Of World‟s 100 Highest Paid Athletes

Indian cricket team captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni is the lone Indian sportsman to figure on Forbes‘ list

of world‘s 100 highest paid athletes. The list is being been topped by American boxer Floyd Mayweather

and includes golfer Tiger Woods and tennis stars Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. Dhoni is ranked 22nd

on the list with total earnings of USD 30 million and endorsements worth USD 26 million.His salary and

winnings total USD four million as of June 2014.

PLACES IN NEWS

Mumbai Is Noisiest City In The World

Mumbai is hostage to air and water pollution at dangerous levels, and is probably the noisiest city in the

world, ahead of Delhi and Kolkata. Maharashtra‘s economic survey, released a day before World

Environment Day (On June 5 2014), paints a grim picture for the rest of the state as well.

ABBREVIATIONS

FIFA —— Federation International de Football Association

RGIA —– Rajiv Gandhi International Airport

UNEP —– United Nations Environment Programme

KNPP —– Kundankulam Nuclear Power Plant

TRAI —– Telecom Regulatory Authority of India

BOOKS IN NEWS

Prime Minister Modi Launches Book Titled ”Getting India Back on Track – An Action Agenda For

Reform” Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 8 June released a book titled ‖ Getting India Back on Track – An

Action Agenda For Reform‖ edited by Bibek Debroy, Ashley J. Tellis & Reece Trevor .

COMMITTEES

Saumitra Chaudhuri Committee Suggest Cess Levy On Petrol and Diesel

A Government panel headed by former Planning Commission member Saumitra Chaudhuri has suggested

levying cess amounting to 75 paise a litre on petrol and diesel in order to cover the cost of upgrading

refineries across the country to produce higher grade of auto fuel for the future – in other words achieve

Bharat Stage (BS) V level norms by the year 2020 – which comes to around Rs 80,000 crore. The

Chaudhuri panel had recently submitted its report titled ―Auto Fuel Vision and Policy 2025″ to the

MoPNG.

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World Blood Donor Day Observed On 14 June 2014

World Blood Donor Day was observed across the world on 14 June 2014. Theme for the year‘s World

Blood Day campaign is Safe blood for saving mothers.The goal of the campaign is to increase awareness

about why timely access to safe blood and blood related products is essential for all countries as part of a

comprehensive approach to prevent maternal deaths. According to World Health Organization, every year

around 800 women dies due to pregnancy or childbirth-related complications. The major cause for

mortality, morbidity and long-term disability is severe bleeding during delivery and after childbirth.

World Day Against Child Labour Observed On 12 June 2014

World Day Against Child Labour was observed across the world on 12 June 2014. For the year 2014 the

theme is Extend social protection: combat child labour.Each year on 12 June, this Day brings together

governments, employers and workers organizations, civil society, as well as millions of people from

around the world to highlight the plight of child labourers and what can be done to help them.

May 2014

INTERNATIONAL

President Jacob Zuma of South Africa Re-elected For Second Term South Africa President, Jacob Zuma of African National Congress (ANC) was re-elected for second term.

African National Congress (ANC) won the elections held on 7 May for the National Assembly. Results for

the same were announced on 9 May. African National Congress (ANC) won 63% of the votes while the

Democratic Alliance (DA) fell behind with 22% of the votes.This victory is ANC‘s 5th consecutive win in

national elections.

Swiss Voters Rejected World‟s Highest Minimum Wage Swiss voters rejected the Minimum Wage Initiative on 18 May.The initiative was rejected by 77 percent

of the Swiss voters.The Minimum Wage Initiative, if passed, would have introduced highest minimum

wage in the world at 25 US dollars for an hour (or 22 francs an hour).Twenty-five dollars an hour seems

like a lot, but Switzerland is one of the most expensive countries in the world.

Petro Poroshenko Elected As Ukraine President Petro Poroshenko was elected as the new President of Ukraine in Presidential Elections held on 25 May

2014. Poroshenko won a convincing victory after winning around 54.7% of the votes from 21 candidates

on the ballot. His closest competitor was Yulia Tymoshenko, who emerged with 12.81% of the votes.

Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus Signed Treaty Creating Economic Union Presidents of Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus – Vladimir Putin, Nursultan Nazarbayev and Alexander

Lukashenko – have on 29 May signed a treaty on setting up the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU).

INDIA & WORLD

India Ranked 83rd In Networked Readiness Index

A World Economic Forum (WEF) on 5 May released its 13th edition of Global Information Technology

Report. In the report‘s networked readiness index Scandinavian countries dominated the top 10, with

Finland grabbing the top spot, followed by Singapore, Sweden, the Netherlands, Norway, Switzerland, the

United States, Hong Kong, Great Britain and the Republic of Korea. In the developing world, China fell

four spots to No. 62, Brazil fell nine spots to No. 69 and India dropped 15 spots to No. 83 in terms of

leveraging information and communications technologies for growth and well being.

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Switzerland Among 47 Nations To Agree On Tax Data Exchange 47 nations including Switzerland and India, have agreed upon automatic exchange of information on tax

matters.The endorsement of the ‗Declaration on Automatic Exchange of Information in Tax Matters‘ by

47 countries under the aegis of Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) on 6

May will come as a boost for India, which is stepping up pressure on Switzerland to share details on

alleged illicit funds stashed away by Indians there.

Indians Form 2nd Largest Group of International Students In US

According to the report released by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on 7 May, India

accounts for second largest number of international students in this country. China with 290,133 students

is at the top in the report on international students.

Odisha Signed MoU with TiE Silicon Valley The Odisha government has on 14 May signed an agreement with the TiE Silicon Valley as part of its

efforts to develop the state as an IT hub and attract US investment. Under the agreement, Odisha

government would have a professional stationed at the headquarters of Silicon Valley in Santa Clara,

California.

NATIONAL

SC upheld Validity of Right To Education Act The Supreme Court on 6 May upheld the Constitutional validity of the Right to Education (RTE) Act. In

its decision, the apex court explained that the Act is not applied to unaided minority institutions. The five-

judge Constitutional Bench of the Supreme Court in its decision also upheld the provisions of the Right of

Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act 2009 and the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory

Education Rules, 2010.

Govt Extends Ban On LTTE by 5 Years The government has extended by five years the ban imposed on LTTE, a terror group that was behind the

assassination of Rajiv Gandhi and was decimated by the Sri Lanka military in 2009. India had banned

Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) after the assassination of Gandhi in 1991. The declaration of

LTTE as an ‗Unlawful Association‘ has been extended for a further period of five years with effect from

14 May 2014.

16th Lok Sabha Elections Results Declared

The Indian general election of 2014 was held to constitute the 16th Lok Sabha, electing members of

parliament to all 543 parliamentary constituencies of India. Running in nine phases from 7 April to 12

May 2014, this was the longest election in the country‘s history. The results of the 2014 Lok Sabha

election were declared on 16 May 2014. In the Elections 2014, The National Democratic Alliance (NDA),

led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), won a sweeping victory, taking 336 seats. The BJP itself won

282 seats, the first time since Rajiv Gandhi‘s landslide victory in 1984 that an Indian party has won

enough seats to govern without the support of other parties. The United Progressive Alliance (UPA), led

by the Indian National Congress (INC), won 59 seats, 44 of which were won by the Congress.

President Pranab Mukherjee Dissolves 15th Lok Sabha

President Pranab Mukherjee dissolved the 15th Lok Sabha on 18 May. President dissolved the Lok Sabha

on the advice of outgoing Union Cabinet led by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who resigned on 17

May 2014. Union Cabinet recommended the President to dissolve the 15th Lok Sabha as a follow up to

the election results of 16th Lok Sabha election. This will make way to the formation of new government.

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STATES

Supreme Court Bans Tamil Nadu‟s Bullfight Game Jallikattu The Supreme Court has on 7 May banned centuries-old Jallikattu- bullfights and bullock-cart racing-

organised during festivals in Tamil Nadu and neighbouring states.Significantly, the bench headed by

Justice K.S. Radhakrishnan favoured elevating the rights of the animals to constitutional rights.

BJD won Odisha Assembly Elections – 2014

The ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in Odisha under the leadership of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik

established a landslide victory in the 2014 election leaving opposition Congress and BJP reduced to a

miniscule. The results for the elections were announced on 16 May 2014 in which BJD claimed more than

two-third majority by winning 117 of the total 147 seats.

Congress Party Won Arunachal Pradesh Assembly Elections – 2014 Congress had won a clear majority in the Assembly elections by winning 42 of the total 60 seats. BJP won

11 seats and was followed by People‘s Party of Arunachal (PPA) with 5 seats. Remaining seats were

shared by independent candidates. The results for state‘s Assembly elections were announced on 16 May

2014.

SDF won Sikkim 2014 Assembly Elections Fifth Time Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Chamling -led Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) won 18 of the 22 seats in

the 32-member state assembly.The assembly election results were declared on 16 May. SDF won its fifth

consecutive term in the assembly elections. The Opposition, Sikkim Krantikari Morcha, has got the

remaining 10 seats.

CONFERENCES

47th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of ADB The 47th Annual Meeting of Asian Development Bank (ADB) Board of Governors was held from 2-5

May 2014 in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan. The meeting was attended by Finance Ministers/their

representatives of 67 Member Countries. Discussions were conducted on economic development forecasts

of the Asia-Pacific region, new economic challenges for the region and other issues, and significance of

interaction in solution of problems important for the continent was emphasized at the event.

AWARDS & HONOURS

Indian Scientist Ravinder Dahiya Won British Research Fellowship

Ravinder Dahiya, an Indian scientist in Britain, has been granted a prestigious fellowship worth 1,068,000

pounds (around $1.8 million) on 2 May by a top British agency that funds research in engineering and the

physical sciences.

Two Indian-American Chefs Won James Beard Food Awards – 2014 Two Indian-origin chefs Vikram Sunderam and Vishwesh Bhatt have been conferred with the prestigious

James Beard Food Awards for 2014, considered as the Oscars of the US food and beverage industry.

Sunderam and Bhatt were awarded the Best Chef in the Mid-Atlantic and Best Chef in South

respectively. The James Beard Food Awards, which were presented during a ceremony at the Lincoln

Centre at the James Beard Foundation‘s annual awards ceremony in New York on 5 May, are widely

considered the top honours in American cooking.

Six Indo-Americans Felicitated with Ellis Island Medal of Honor Six Indian Americans have been felicitated on 10 May with the prestigious Ellis Island Medal of Honor

for the year 2014.The Ellis Island Medals of Honor by the National Ethnic Coalition of Organization is

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given annually to US citizens who have distinguished themselves within their own ethnic groups while

exemplifying the values of the American way of life. Among the recipients of the award are Yash Paul Soi

, Narpat Bhandari , Samir Desai , Arun Kumar Pramanik , Ketki Sharadkumar Shah , Abdul M Suleman,

were also felicitated with the prestigious award.

Winter Sleep Won Palme d‟Or Award At 67th Cannes Film Festival

Winter Sleep, a film by Turkish director Nuri Bilge Ceylan, was honoured with Palme d‘Or Award at the

67th Cannes Film Festival held in Cannes from 16 May to 25 May 2014. Julianne Moore won the Best

Actress prize for ‗ Maps to the Stars ‗, while ‗ Turner‘ star Timothy Spall was named Best Actor.

SPORTS & GAMES

Sania Mirza and Cara Black Won Portugal Open Title India‘s Sania Mirza and her Zimbabwean partner Cara Black won their first WTA title of the season

beating Eva Hrdinova (Czech) and Valeria Solovyeva (Russia) in the women‘s doubles final of the

Portugal Open in Oeiras (Portugal) on 3 May 2014.

Lewis Hamilton Won Spanish Grand Prix – 2014

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain won the Spanish Grand Prix on 11 May. This was Lewis

Hamilton‘s fourth consecutive victory in 2014 F1 season for his team Mercedes.

Italian Open Tennis Tournament Winners – 2014

Men‟s Singles :- Novak Djokovic of Serbia won the Italian Open men‘s singles tennis title (Rome Open

Tennis) on 18 May in Rome, Italy. He defeated Rafael Nadal of Spain in the final. It was his third Italian

Open title.

Women‟s Singles :- Serena Williams of US won the women‘s singles title after defeated Sara Errani of

Italy in the final. It was her 3rd Italian Open title.

China Won Uber Cup 2014

China won the Badminton‘s Uber Cup 2014 on 24 May. China successfully defended its title by scoring

an emphatic 3-1 win over Japan. It was China‘s 13th Uber Cup title, the most by any team.Uber Cup is

often known as the World team championship for women‘s badminton.

ECONOMY

RBI Allowed Minors Above 10 years To Open Savings Bank Accounts Minors above 10 years of age can open and operate independently savings bank account and use other

facilities like ATM and cheque books. The Reserve Bank on 6 May issued the guidelines allowing minors

to operate bank accounts independently with a view to promote financial inclusion and bring uniformity in

opening of such accounts in banks.

India Has 54 of World‟s Largest and Most Powerful Public Companies Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) leads the pack of 54 Indian companies on Forbes‘ 11th

annual list of the world‘s 2000 largest and most powerful public companies. The list was released on 7

May. India has 54 of the world‘s biggest companies. RIL is ranked 135, with a market value of $50.9

billion and $72.8 billion in sales as of May.

President of India Dedicates „RUPAY‟ To The Nation President Pranab Mukherjee has dedicated ‗RuPay‘ India‘s own card payment network to the nation on 8

May. The system has been developed by National Payment Corporation Ltd (NPCL). RuPay is India‘s

own card payment network just like Visa and Master Card and provides an alternative system for banks to

provide debit card service.

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Nine Indian Firms In Forbes Most Innovative Growth Companies List Nine Indian firms have made it into the Forbes list of the World‘s 100 most innovat ive growth companies.

New Zealand software accounting firm Xero topped the list. Among the nine Indian companies, Godrej

Consumer Products leads the pack and was ranked 31st globally with an enterprise value of $4.25 billion.

The list was released on 22 May 2014.


India Successfully Test Fired „ Astra „ Missile

India on 4 May successfully test-fired its first indigenously-developed air-to-air missile ‗ Astra ‗ from a

Russian-built Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter jet over the Arabian Sea off Goa. Astra is India‘s first Beyond

Visual Range (BVR) Air-to-Air missile. It was designed and developed indigenously by the Defence

Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) .

Shantha‟s Paediatric Pentavalent Vaccine Prequalified By WHO Paediatric pentavalent vaccine ‗Shan5‘, developed and manufactured by Hyderabad – based Shantha

Biotechnics, an affiliate of French pharmaceutical company Sanofi, has regained prequalification (PQ)

status on 5 May from the World Health Organisation (WHO). This status qualifies the vaccine, which

provides protection for children against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, Hib and hepatitis B, for purchase by

United Nations agencies, governments and other organisations.

Indian-Origin Scientist Vivek Reddy Developed Leadless Pacemaker

The world‘s first wireless pacemaker, developed by Indian-origin scientist Dr Vivek Reddy, Director of

Arrhythmia Services at The Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. The device is only a few centimeters in

length, making it less than ten per cent the size of a traditional pacemaker.

“Green” Jet Fuel From Sunlight Developed A research project named ―Solar-Jet‖ funded by the European Union has produced the world‘s first jet

fuel from water and carbon dioxide.In the Solar-Jet Project, researchers used concentrated light-stimulated

sunlight-to convert carbondioxide and water to synthesis Gas in a high temperature solar reactor

containing metal-oxide based material developed at ETH Zurich.

PERSONS IN NEWS

A) APPOINTMENTS

Nabam Tuki Sworn In As CM of Arunachal Pradesh For Second Term

Veteran Congress leader Nabam Tuk was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh for the

second consecutive term at the Raj Bhavan in Itanagar on 18 May. He is the 8th (seventh as person) Chief

Minister of Arunachal Pradesh.

Jitan Ram Manjhi Sworn In As Bihar CM Janata Dal (United) leader Jitan Ram Manjhi was on 20 May sworn in as Bihar‘s 23rd Chief Minister.

Manjhi was SC/ST welfare minister under former CM Nitish Kumar who resigned owning responsibility

for the poor performance of JD (U) in the parliamentary polls.

Naveen Patnaik Sworn In As 4th Time CM in Odisha

Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president Naveen Patnaik was on 21 May sworn in as Odisha chief minister for the

fourth straight term. He is the 14th Chief Minister of Odisha. Naveen Patnaik won a huge victory in both

the 2014 Indian General Elections and the Legislative Assembly of Odisha elections in 2014.

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Anandiben Patel Sworn In As First Woman Chief Minister of Gujarat Anandiben Patel was sworn-in on 22 May as Gujarat‘s first woman and overall 15th Chief Minister in a

ceremony chaired by state Governor Kamala Beniwal. Anandiben Patel was appointed as the new Chief

Minister of Gujarat after Narendra Modi resigned from the office on 21 May 2014.

Narendra Modi Sworn In As India‟s 15th Prime Minister

Narendra Damodardas Modi was sworn-in as the 15th Prime Minister of India on 26 May 2014.The

swearing-in ceremony was held in the forecourt of the Rashtrapati Bhawan and President Pranab

Mukherjee administered the oath of office and secrecy to Modi and his council of ministers. 23 cabinet

ministers, 10 Ministers of State (MoS) with independent charge and 12 MoS took oath along with

Narendra Modi. With this Narendra Modi‘s council of ministers presently comprises of 45 ministers.

B)RESIGNS

Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio Resigned

Three-time Chief Minister of Nagaland Neiphiu Rio on 23 May resigned from the chair along with his

council of ministers. Neiphiu Rio, who has been chief minister of Nagaland for over 11 years, tendered his

resignation following his landslide victory in the 16th Lok Sabha polls.

C)DEATHS

Nobel Laureate Economist Gary Becker Died Gary Becker, whose work applying the principles of economics to a wide range of human behavior won

the Nobel Prize in 1992, has died on 3 May in Chicago. He was professor of economics and sociology at

the University of Chicago. American economist, Becker received the Nobel Prize in 1992 in economics

for using economics to analyse human behaviour and interaction topics such as crime (why people commit

it), discrimination against minorities and family life.

D)VISITORS

Turkmenistan President Berdymukhamedov Visited China Turkmenistan President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov visited China from 11 – 14 May 2014. During

his four day visit, Berdymukhamedov met China Prime Minister Li Keqiang in Beijing, capital of China.

Both nations signed a number of deals to develop a stronger strategic partnership. The two heads of states

also witnessed the signing of several cooperation agreements in areas such as natural gas, agriculture,

transportation, finance, culture and local exchanges.

E)MISCELLANEOUS

11 Year Old Boy In UK with Higher IQ Than Einstein Joins Mensa An 11-year-old boy in the UK has achieved the highest possible score of 162 on a Mensa IQ test, making

him brainier than physicist Albert Einstein. Ramarni Wilfred, of Loom Grove, Romford, took the Mensa

IQ test at Birbeck University and achieved a score of 162. Although Einstein never took an IQ test as none

of the modern intelligence tests existed during the course of his life, experts believe he had an IQ of

around 160.

PLACES IN NEWS

World‟s Highest Railway Tunnel Opens In China

The world‘s highest tunnel for high-speed trains in northwest China at an altitude of 3,607.4 metres

became operational on 1 May. The 16.3-km-long was completely linked up, operationalising the line

linking Gansu Province and Xinjiang provinces. With altitudes of up to 3,607.4 metres, the tunnel passes

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through the Qilian Mountains with two sections and a bridge. The construction of the highest tunnel

started in 2009.

ABBREVIATIONS

AGOC ———- Asian Games Organisation Committee

FIPB ———- Foreign Investment Promotion Board

UNESCO —— United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

AAPI ———- Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders

BOOKS IN NEWS

Vice President Released The Book „ A Stamp Is Born „ The Vice President of India, M. Hamid Ansari released a book entitled ―A Stamp is Born‖ authored by C.

R. Pakrashi, a renowned stamp designer, at a function on 6 May. The author Pakrashi, who is also a

renowned Stamp designer in the book, has described his first-hand experiences with all stages of

production of the stamp right from conception to final execution and printing. The book includes 56

commemorative stamps.

COMMITTEES

P. J Nayak Committee For Diluting Govt Stake In Public Sector Banks To Below 50 percent The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) committee report has recommended on 13 May that the government

should divest its stake in state-owned banks to less than 50%, allow private equity houses to own 40% in

distressed banks, and strip managers of private sector banks of their bonuses and Esops if they are caught

ever-greening sticky loans. The report covers 27 state-controlled lenders. The committee was led by P.

Jayendra Nayak, the former chief executive of Axis Bank Ltd. and former India country head of Morgan

Stanley.


Anti-Terrorism Day Observed Across India On 21 May Anti-Terrorism Day observed Across India on 21 May 2014. The day is celebrated as 23rd Death

Anniversary of former Prime Minister of India Rajiv Gandhi.The day is marked by a pledge taking

ceremony among other activities.The objective behind the observance of Anti-Terrorism Day is to wean

away the people from terrorism and violence. On the occasion, debates, discussions, symposia, seminars,

lectures, etc. are held in schools, colleges and universities on the dangers of terrorism and violence.The

Day is observed to generate awareness in the country among all sections of people, about the danger of

terrorism.

World Press Freedom Day Observed Across The World World Press Freedom Day was observed on 3 May 2014 across the world. The theme of 2014 year is:

Media Freedom for a Better Future: Shaping the post-2015 Development Agenda.The focus this year is on

three inter-related themes: the media‘s importance in development; the safety of journalists and the rule of

law; and the sustainability and integrity of journalism.

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April 2014

INTERNATIONAL

Karim Massimov Named as new Prime-Minister of Kazakhstan Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev named his chief of staff Karim Massimov as the new prime

minister on 2 April. His appointment came following the resignation of Serik Akhmetov from the post,

which was accepted by the President as per the Constitutional provision.

Viktor Orban Re-elected As Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orban was re-elected to a third term as Prime Minister of Hungary .The results of general elections

were announced on 8 April 2014. The General parliamentary elections were held on 6 April 2014.Out of

the total votes casted, Orban‘s Fidesz party won 133 of 199 parliament seats.

China Recruits „ Guardian Angels ‟ To Protect Embattled Doctors

China‘s capital Beijing is on 9 April taking a novel approach to protecting doctors from growing levels of

violence from angry patients: volunteer ―Guardian Angels‖.The campaign will recruit students, medical

workers and other patients to act as middlemen between doctors and those in their care to defuse

disagreements and smooth over tensions.

Sale of HIV Self-Testing Kits Legalised In The UK

A new law legalizing sale of self-testing kits for HIV came into force in United Kingdom (UK) on 6 April

2014. The new law allows individuals to buy the self-testing kits available on shops and self-diagnose for

HIV at home itself.

INDIA & WORLD

Bangladesh To Provide Transit Facility For Indian Power Line Bangladesh on 3 April agreed to provide transit facility for a 6000 megawatt Indian power transmission

line. This decision was taken in a joint steering committee meeting on India-Bangladesh power sector

cooperation.

Canada Suspends Voluntary Commonwealth Funds Over Sri Lanka Issue The Government of Canada on 14 April announced that the country will suspend its voluntary funds to the

Commonwealth Secretariat and reallocate the funds for the next two years.The Commonwealth of Nations

is an intergovernmental organisation of 53 member states that were mostly territories of the former British

Empire. The most populous Commonwealth country is India, with nearly 1.1 billion people.

India and Bhutan Signed Agreement For Developing Hydropower Projects India and Bhutan on 22 April signed an agreement for the development of joint hydropower projects in a

bid to further strengthen their bilateral strategic partnership.The framework Inter-Governmental

Agreement between Bhutan and India for the development of Joint Venture Hydropower Projects through

the Public Sector Undertakings of the two governments was signed in Thimphu, capital of Bhutan.

Indian-Americans Form 3rd Largest Asian Population In US According to the report on demographics of the Asian-American population released on 24 April by the

Center for American Progress, Indian-Americans numbering 3.34 million is the third largest Asian

community in the United States, after China and Philippines.The Indian-American population shot up 76

per cent in the first 12 years of the 21st century.While the Chinese-Americans form the largest group of

Asian-American population with 4.

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NATIONAL

Women To Be Inducted As Officers In SSB for First Time The Union Home Ministry on 13 April for the first time approved the recruitment of young women as

combat officers in Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB). Young women under and up to the age of 25 years will be

recruited as direct entry officers in the rank of assistant commandants (ACs). SSB is the second largest

border guarding force.

IMA appeals Doctors To Give 25 per cent Discount On Fees For Voters The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has on 11 April appealed to its 2.75 lac doctor-members across

India to give 25 per cent discount in doctor‘s fees for one week to all patients who visit them with their

fingers bearing the voting ink mark.

India Supreme Court Recognizes Transgender As Third Gender India‘s Supreme Court in a landmark judgment on 15 April 2014, created the ―third gender‖ status for

transgenders. In its judgment the Apex Court claimed transgenders as socially and economically

backward.The court also directed union & states government to adopt measures for bringing the

community into the mainstream by providing adequate healthcare, education and employment.

Election Commission Launched Online Media Channel The Election Commission has launched on 17 April its own internet-based media arm called ‗ Voter

Education Channel ‗ for voter awareness . Numerous video clips featuring iconic personalities urging

citizens to vote have been uploaded on the channel and can be viewed on social media platform

‗YouTube‘.This is the official channel of the Election Commission of India.

STATES

Shompens of A & N islands Casted Votes For The First Time For Lok Sabha Shompens of Andaman & Nicobar (A&N) islands for the first time casted their votes in Great Nicobar on

10 April. Shompens – one of the stone-age tribes – casted the votes for the Lok Sabha constituency of Bay

Islands for Lok Sabaha election 2014.

Mizoram Government Refused To Repatriate Bru Refugees Within 3 Months

Mizoram Government on 12 April refused to repatriate all the Bru refugees lodged in six Tripura relief

camps within three months.Earlier on 8 April 2014, the state government had agreed to the demand of the

NGO Coordination Committee to repatriate the Bru refugees within three month. It agreed that they would

repatriate all the Bru refugees after the end of the ongoing election process. The Bru Refugees also called

Reang refugees are the original inhabitants of Mammit Sub-Division of Aizawl District of Mizoram. They

started arriving in North Tripura‘s Kanchanpur sub division since 29 October 1997.

High Content of Manganese Detected In Selaulim Reservoir of Goa High content of manganese was detected by the State Public Works Department (PWD) in Selaulin

reservoir of Goa on 19 April .The level of manganese detected in the reservoir was 0.1 mg. This is less

than the level of manganese content detected earlier and is within safe limit.The reservoir has production

capacity of 214 MLD of water, which is supplied to entire South Goa and some parts of North district.

Supreme Court Lifts Mining Ban In Goa The Supreme Court (SC) on 21 April lifted a 19 month old ban on mining in Goa.The iron ore mining will

be restricted to 20 million tonnes annually.The ban was imposed in September 2012 as part of a drive to

curb illegal mining in Goa.

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CONFERENCES

World Green Economy Summit-2014 Held In Dubai The World Green Economy Summit (WGES) -2014 was held in Dubai from 15th and 16th of April 2014.

The theme of the summit was ‖ Global Partnership, Sustainable Future ‖ .The World Green Economy

Summit (―WGES‖), the first Summit focused on green business in the region, concluded on 16 April ,

with a closing session which provided a platform for determining the way for Dubai to become capital of

the world‘s green economy in line with the goals of the UAE‘s Vision 2021.

AWARDS & HONOURS

Veteran Film Lyricist and Director Gulzar Selected For Dadasaheb Phalke Award 2013

Veteran film lyricist, director, screen writer, producer and poet Gulzar has been conferred the Dadasaheb

Phalke Award for the year 2013. He is the 45th Dada Saheb Phalke Award Winner.The ministry of

information and broadcasting announced on 12 April. The Dadsaheb Phalke award is India‘s highest

award for an individual for their contribution towards Indian cinema. It is annually given by the

Government of India.He was born in 1934 in Punjab in pre-independence India. Sampooran Singh Kalra

was his original name and he took the pen name of ‗Gulzar Deenvi‘ after becoming an author.

61st National Film Awards

The 61st National Film Awards for 2013 was announced in New Delhi on 16 April by the Directorate of

Film Festivals.‘ Ship of Theseus ‗ directed by Anand Gandhi has won the Golden Lotus for Best Feature

Film. The Best Actor award is shared between Shahid star Rajkummar Rao and Malayalam actor Suraj

Venjaramudu. Geetanjali Thapa won Best Actress for Liar‘s Dice.

Following is the listing of Winners for important Categories :- * Best Feature Film – ‗ Ship of Theseus ‘ (Anand Gandhi)

* Best Director – Hansal Mehta for ‗ Shahid ‘

* Best Actor – Raj Kumar for ‗ Shahid ‗ in hindi and Suraj Venjaramoodu for ‗ Perariyathavar ‗ in

Malyalam

* Best Actress – Geetanjali Thapa for Hindi film ‗ Liar‘s Dice ‘

* Best Non Feature Film – ‗ Rangbhoomi ‘ (Hindi film by Kamal Swaroop)

* Best Film on Social Issues – ‗ Tuhya Dharma Koncha ‘ (Marathi)

* Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration – ‗ Thalaimuraigal ‘ (Tamil)

* Indira Gandhi Award for Best Debut Film – Nagraj Manjule for ‗ Fandry ‘ (Marathi)

* Best Non Feature Film on Social Issues – ‗ Gulabi Gang ‘

* Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment – ― Bhaag Milka Bhaag ‘ (Rakeysh

Omprakash Mehra)

Indian-American Rajendra Singh Named White House‟s Solar Champions Of Change

Indian-American professor Rajendra Singh was on 18 April named by the White House as the ‗Solar

Champions of Change‘ in recognition of his immense contribution towards developing alternate source of

energy and promoting solar deployment in residential, commercial and industrial sectors.

Indian Activist Honoured with Goldman Environmental Prize – 2014 Indian environment activist Ramesh Agrawal has on 28 April won the prestigious Goldman

Environmental Prize 2014 for helping villagers fight coal mining in Chhattisgarh and success in shutting

down one of the largest planned coal mines in the area.

SPORTS & GAMES

MS Dhoni Won United Kingdom‟s 2014 Asian Award

Indian Cricket Captain MS Dhoni has won United Kingdom‘s 2014 Asian award for outstanding

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achievement in sports.The award was announced on 4 April at London‘s at The Grosvenor House

Hotel.Dhoni is widely regarded as one of the greatest finishers in limited over cricket tournament and in

2013 he emerged as the first captain to win all three ICC trophies.

Punjab Won Junior National Hockey Title 2014 Punjab won the 4th Hockey India Junior Men National Championship 2014 (Division A) by defeating

Hockey Odisha 6-2 in the finals on 6 April at Chennai, Tamil Nadu.With this win, Punjab had retained the

championship title.

Sri Lanka Won ICC Twenty20 World Cup – 2014

Sri Lanka won the fifth edition of the ICC Twenty20 World Cup 2014 title after defeated India by six

wickets in the finals on 6 April at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka. Earlier, Sri Lanka last won

the first world title in the World Cup (50-over tournament) in 1996.

Andrea Petkovic Won Family Circle Cup Title

Andrea Petkovic of Germay won the Family Circle Cup tennis tournament title.She defeated Jana

Cepelova (Slovakia) in the final on 6 April in Charleston, United States.It was her first WTA title in last

three years.Overall, this is the third WTA title for Petkovic and first since her come back from the string

of injuries in recent years. Petkovic last won in Strasbourg in 2011 and her first title came in 2009 in Bad

Gastein.

Nour El Sherbini Won Texas Open Squash Title India‘s Dipika Pallikal was defeated by Egyptian Nour El Sherbini in the title clash of the Women‘s

Champion Fiberlass Texas Open squash tournament on 14 April at Houston, United States.

ECONOMY

Election Commission Allows RBI to Issue new Bank Licences The Election Commission (EC) on 1 April allowed the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to issue licences for

setting up new banks.The approval came after the RBI missed the March-end deadline for issuing the first

bank licence in almost a decade.The RBI on 12 March 2014 approached the Election Commission (EC)

seeking its approval for granting bank lincences as the model code of conduct had come in place after the

general elections announcement on 5 March 2014.

RBI‟s First Bi-monthly Monetary Policy Statement 2014-15

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on 1 April released it first Bi-monthly Monetary Policy statement 2014-

15 .According to the statement , RBI has kept the policy repo rate unchanged at 8.0%.Other policy

instruments such as cash reserve ratio (CRR) also remain unchanged at 4%.

RBI grants in-principle Approval To IDFC, Bandhan For Bank Licences

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on 2 April granted in-principle approvals to IDFC Ltd and Bandhan

Financial Services Pvt. Ltd to start new banks in India.These approvals have been granted under the

guidelines on licensing of new banks in the private sector. The two have been granted the permission to

set-up banks from a field of 25 aspirants.

Dilip Shanghvi Among Asia‟s Top 10 Richest Self-made Billionaires

The ‗ Wealth-X ‗ Asia‘s top ten wealthiest self-made billionaires list released on 30 April. According to

the list, Dilip Shanghvi, founder and managing director of Sun Pharmaceuticals Industries, has been

named in the list , topped by Hong Kong business tycoon Li Ka-Shing. Shanghvi, ranked seventh, is the

only Indian on the list with a net worth of $13.5 billion, while Li Ka-Shing topped the chart with a fortune

of $29.4 billion.

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ISRO‟s PSLV-C24 Successfully Launched India‟s Second Navigation Satellite IRNSS-1B Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched India‘s second navigation satellite,

Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System – 1B ( IRNSS-1B), into the space. The satellite was launched

through ISRO‘s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle-C24 (PSLV-C24) rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space

Centre at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh on 4 April 2014. PSLV-C24 injected the IRNSS-1B into a

preliminary orbit.

Scientists Discovered Gene Behind Brain Development

Key gene for the development of human brain has been discovered by Scientists from the University of

Adelaide on 6 April.The study shows how mutations in the gene called ‖ USP9X ‖ are linked to

intellectual disability.

Solar Impulse 2 Plane Unveiled In Switzerland

The upgraded solar-powered plane Solar Impulse 2 was unveiled on 13 April at Payerne Air Force Base of

Switzerland. The solar plane can fly around the world for five consecutive days without using any fuel.

Swiss pilots Andre Borschberg and Bertrand Piccard have developed the solar powered aircraft

Unique Pair of Super-Massive Black Holes Found Scientists have discovered on 23 April the first pair of super-massive black holes in orbit around one

another in a non-active galaxy. The European Space Agency‘s X-ray Multi Mirror Mission, XMM

Newton had discovered these black holes.

PERSONS IN NEWS

A) APPOINTMENTS

N B Singh Assumes Charge As BDL director

Air Vice Marshal N B Singh, AVSM, VSM (retd) on 1 April assumed charge as Director (technical) of

Bharat Dynamics Limited, a Hyderabad-based Mini-ratna category-1 company under the Ministry of

Defence.Prior to this appointment, AVM Singh served as Assistant Chief of Air Staff (communication) in

the Indian Air Force.

Justice RM Lodha Sworn In As 41st Chief Justice of India Justice Rajendra Mal Lodh was on 27 April sworn in as the 41st Chief Justice of India (CJI) on 27 April.

He was administered the oath of office by President Pranab Mukherjee.Chief Justice Lodha succeeds

Chief Justice P Sathasivam who demitted office on completion of his term on 26 April 2014.Justice Lodha

will have a brief tenure of five months as the Chief Justice as he will retire on 27 September 2014.

Former IAF chief Appointed India‟s Ambassador To Norway Former Indian Air Force (IAF) chief Norman Anil Kumar Browne has been appointed India‘s next

Ambassador to Norway on 29 April.He will succeed R. K. Tyagi as India‘s envoy in Norway.Browne had

served as IAF chief between 31 July 2011 and 31 December 2013.

B)RESIGNS

Kazakhstan Prime-Minister Serik Akhmetov Resigned Kazakhstan‘s Prime Minister Serik Akhmetov, has announced his resignation on 2 April, a development

that will lead to the dissolution of the government.The resignation was accepted by the President as per

the Constitutional provision.Akhmetov was appointed as the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan in September

2012.

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C)DEATHS

Renowned Cinematographer VK Murthy Died Renowned cinematographer and Dada Saheb Phalke awardee V K Murthy,died on 7 April in

Shankarapuram. He was 91 and was famous for his camera work in Guru Dutt‘s classics like Pyaasa and

Sahib, Bibi Aur Ghulam. He was the first cinematographer to be chosen for the prestigious Dada Saheb

Phalke award for 2008. He received the hounour on 19 January 2010. For his contribution to Indian

cinema, he received the International Indian Film Academy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005.In

1959, he won the Filmfare Best Cinematographer award.

D)VISITORS

U.S. Vice President Joe Biden Visited Ukraine

U.S. Vice President Joe Biden visited Ukraine on 21 – 22 April 2014. In the most high-level visit of a U.S.

official since crisis erupted in Ukraine, Biden met privately with acting Ukrainian Prime Minister

Yatsenyuk and acting Ukrainian President Oleksandr Turchynov, as well as with democracy activists.In

the visit, Biden also announced the United States will provide an additional $50 million to help Ukraine‘s

beleaguered government with political and economic reforms.

E)MISCELLANEOUS

Koyal Rana Won Miss India 2014 Title Koyal Rana was crowned as the new Miss India in the 51st Femina Miss India 2014 contest on 5 April at

Mumbai.The winner will represent India at Miss World 2014 while 19 year old Jhataleka Malhotra was

first runner up who will represent India at Miss Earth and second runner up Gail Nicole Da Silva at Miss

Supranational.

PLACES IN NEWS

Google Launches 360 Degree Online View Of Angkor Wat In Cambodia Google on 3 April launched 360 degree online view of Angkor Wat in Cambodia under Streetview

project. The Angkor Wat project was developed with the help of the Apsara Authority of the Kingdom of

Cambodia. APSARA National Authority is an organisation created for the protection and maintenance of

Angkor. In Angkor Wat, arguably the largest temple complex in the world, Streetview has been used to

patch together over 90,000 high resolution 360-degree images of the monument.

ABBREVIATIONS

IABF —- Indian Amatuer Boxing Federation

NATO —– North Atlantic Treaty Organization

BSF ——– Border Security Force

IMF ——– International Monetary Fund

IRNSS —– Indian Regional Navigational Satellite System

CITU —— Centre of Indian Trade Unions

BOOKS IN NEWS

„ The Accidental Prime Minister – The Making and Unmaking Of Manmohan Singh „ Book

Released

A book entitled ‗ The Accidental Prime Minister – The Making and Unmaking Of Manmohan Singh ‗

written by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh‘s former media advisor Sanjaya Baru was released on 11

April .

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COMMITTEES

Anand Sinha Committee Recommends Benchmark For Floating Interest Rate A Reserve Bank of India (RBI) committee headed by former RBI Deputy Governor Anand Sinha

suggested a benchmark floating interest rate, especially for home loans, to bring greater transparency in

the pricing of credit.The committee on 10 April released Draft Report on ‗Working Group on Pricing of

Credit‘. As per the report, the Indian Banks Association (IBA) may develop a new benchmark for floating

interest rate products, namely, the Indian Banks Base Rate (IBBR), which may be collated and published

by IBA on a periodic basis.


World Health Day 2014 Observed Across The World World Health Day 2014 was observed across the world on 7 April 2014. The day provides an opportunity

for individuals to get involved in activities that can lead to better health. The theme for World Health Day

2014 is vector-borne diseases. World Health Organisation (WHO) is highlighting the serious and

increasing threat of vector-borne diseases with the slogan Small bite, big threat.

World Malaria Day Observed Across The World World Malaria Day (WMD) was observed on 25 April 2014 across the world. The day was observed to

highlight the need for continued investment and sustained political commitment for malaria prevention

and control.The theme for 2013-2015 is: Invest in the future. Defeat malaria.

March 2014

INTERNATIONAL

World Bank Pledges $3Bln Loan To Ukraine For Reforms The World Bank announced on 11 March that it will provide up to $3 billion to support reforms in

Ukraine, which is struggling to put its economy back on track amid political turbulence.The lender

explained that restoring economic stability, strengthening the banking sector, reforming the energy sector,

tackling corruption, enhancing investment and improving social assistance were key priorities for

Ukraine.The pledged assistance comes on top of existing cooperation between Ukraine and the bank.

Sanchez Ceren Elected As El Salvador‟s President Former leftist rebel commander Salvador Sanchez Ceren has won El Salvador‘s presidential election by a

razor-thin margin. His conservative opponent, Norman Quijano, has vowed to challenge the official

results.The El Salvador‘s Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) on 17 March 2014 officially declared

Sanchez Ceren the winner of the Central American nation‘s presidential election by a margin of just 7,000

votes. He secured 50.1 percent of the ballot compared to 49.9 percent for Quijano.

Russia Recognizes Crimea As A Sovereign State

President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on 17 March recognizing Crimea as a sovereign state after the

Ukrainian region declared itself independent and applied to join Russia following a weekend referendum

.The decree posted on the Kremlin‘s website appeared to be a first step toward integrating Crimea as a part

of the Russian Federation.G-8 nations (Group of the eight Countries) on 18 March 2014 suspended Russia

from elite club of world powers. It has been suspended amid heightened tensions over its incursion in

Crimea of Ukraine.

EU signed Landmark Political Deal with Ukraine

The European Union and Ukraine signed the core elements of a political association agreement on 21

March 2014.Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk, EU leaders Herman Van Rompuy and Jose

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Manuel Barroso, and the leaders of the bloc‘s 28 nations signed the core chapters of the Association

Agreement on the sidelines of an EU summit in Brussels.

INDIA & WORLD

USAID To Provide USD 2.7 million For Clean Energy To India Nisha Desai Biswal, US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, on 4 March

announced that the United States Agency for International Aid (USAID) will provide USD 2.7 million for

increasing clean energy access to India. USAID awarded a USD 200,000 grant for SELCO Foundation to

help establish six innovation labs that will develop and test sustainable energy solutions. The agency is

also supporting a USD 2.5 million loan guarantee to Orb Energy, a clean energy service provider.

China And India Signed Agreement For Greater Cooperation In IT And Software India and China have signed an agreement to work together in software, information technology and

infrastructure.The agreement was signed during the Strategic and Economic Dialogue in Beijing on 18

March.

India Abstains From Voting Against Sri Lanka at UNHRC

India on 27 March abstained from voting on the US-backed resolution seeking probe into Sri Lankan war

crimes at the UN Human Rights Council. Even as India refrained from voting against its neighbour, the

resolution was passed with the support of 23 nations.

India Officially Declared „ Polio Free ‟ India was officially declared ‗Polio Free‘ by the World Health Organisation (WHO). India is one of the 11

countries in the South East Asian region which have been certified as being free of the wild polio

virus.The Union Health Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad received the official certificate at a function in New

Delhi on 27 March.

NATIONAL

Union Cabinet Cleared Reservation For Jats Under OBC category The Union Cabinet on 2 March cleared reservation for Jat community under the central list of OBC (other

backward castes quota) category in nine northern states.The decision would pave the way for the

community members to avail benefits of reservation in central government jobs and central education

institutions as per the existing norms.

Union Ministry of Minority Affairs Launched Maulana Azad Sehat Scheme

Union Ministry of Minority Affairs launched a new initiative Maulana Azad Sehat Scheme on 4 March for

the benefits and welfare of minorities of India.Under the scheme, Sehat Card will be issued to every

student of the Institution financially aided by Maulana Azad Education Foundation (MAEF).

EC creates Intelligence Grid To Curb Black Money In Polls The Election Commission has on 11 March created a multi-agency grid of revenue and security

intelligence agencies to regularly update it about suspected financial movements as part of measures to

curb use of blackmoney in Lok Sabha and assembly polls.

STATES

Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor Launched In UP

The Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry and Uttar Pradesh Government launched the Delhi-

Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh on 2 March.With the launch of DMIC in

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Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh is poised to go through a transformation in terms of industrialisation and

generation of employment. This is because Uttar Pradesh is the meeting point of the Eastern and the

Western Corridors.

Kerala Govt. Launched „ Dial a Doctor „ Project Kerala government on 3 March launched a novel scheme ‖ Dial a doctor‖ which will enable the public to

seek health-related advice over phone round-the-clock from doctors by dialling a toll-free number.Under

the programme, a person can dial 1056 and avail the advice of doctors especially regarding first aid,

vaccination and health problems.

GVK‟s Srinagar Hydel Power Plant Inaugurated Akhilesh Yadav, Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh on 4 March inaugurated the Srinagar hydroelectric

power project of GVK Power & Infrastructure, in Uttarakhand.The project, with 330 MW capacity, has

been developed across river Alaknanda in the Tehri Garhwal and Pauri Garhwal districts of Uttarakhand.

The company has invested Rs 4,192 crore in the project.Of the total power generated from the project, 88

per cent will go to Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation (UPPCL), as per the Power Purchase Agreement

(PPA). The remaining 12 per cent is expected to be allotted to the government of Uttarakhand free of cost.

Arunachal Pradesh Assembly Passed Lokayukta Bill – 2014

The Arunachal Pradesh Assembly on 5 March passed the Lokayukta Bill – 2014 by voice vote after a long

discussion, paving the way for constitution of Lokayukta on the lines of the Central Act, with the

provision of keeping the Chief Minister, other Ministers, MLAs, heads of Panchayats and Municipalities,

Trusts and public servants under the purview of a six-member anti-corruption panel.

CONFERENCES

Third BIMSTEC summit 2014 Held In Myanmar The Third BIMSTEC (Bay of Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical Economic Cooperation ) summit was

held from 1 – 4 March 2014 in Nay Pyi Taw, capital of Myanmar.The Summit was attended by leaders of

the BIMSTEC Member Countries, namely Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and

Special Envoy from Thailand.The Summit issued a five-page declaration, seeking cooperation and

collaboration among themselves in the sectors of trade, energy, health, climate change among others.The

declaration has noted that the Summit decided to move forward towards finalisation of the draft

Agreement on Trade in Goods with agreed General Rules of Origin and Product Specific Rules.

AWARDS & HONOURS

86th Annual Academy Oscar Awards 2014

The 86th Annual Academy Oscar Awards 2014, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and

Sciences (AMPAS), honored the actors, technical achievements, and films of 2013 and took place on 2

March 2014, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles.

List of Winners at 86th annual Academy Awards :-

Best Picture :- ―12 Years a Slave.‖

Best Actor :- Matthew McConaughey, ―Dallas Buyers Club.‖

Best Actress :- Cate Blanchett, ―Blue Jasmine.‖

Best Supporting Actor :- Jared Leto, ―Dallas Buyers Club.‖

Best Supporting Actress :- Lupita Nyong‘o, ―12 Years a Slave.‖

Best Directing :- Alfonso Cuaron, ―Gravity.‖

Best Foreign Language Film :- ―The Great Beauty,‖ Italy.

Best Adapted Screenplay :- John Ridley, ―12 Years a Slave.‖

Best Original Screenplay :- Spike Jonze, ―Her.‖

Best Animated Feature Film :- ―Frozen.‖

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Production Design :- ―The Great Gatsby.‖

Best Cinematography :- ―Gravity.‖

Best Sound Mixing :- ―Gravity.‖

Best Sound Editing :- ―Gravity.‖

Best Original Score :- ―Gravity,‖ Steven Price.

Best Original Song :- ―Let It Go‖ from ―Frozen.‖

Best Costume :- ―The Great Gatsby.‖

Best Makeup and Hairstyling :- ―Dallas Buyers Club.‖

Best Animated Short Film :- ―Mr. Hublot.‖

Best Documentary Feature :- ―20 Feet from Stardom.‖

Best Documentary (short subject) :- ―The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life.‖

Best Film Editing :- ―Gravity.‖

Best Live Action Short Film :- ―Helium.‖

Best Visual Effects :- ―Gravity.‖

Indian Author Pankaj Mishra Won Windham Campbell Literature Prize

Award-winning Indian author Pankaj Mishra is among eight writers from seven countries who have won a

$1,50,000 Yale University prize each in recognition of their literary achievements.Essayist and novelist

Mishra has been selected on 9 March for the prestigious Windham Campbell Literature prize in the non-

fiction category.

German Honours Three Indians with Cross of the Order of Merit

Germany has conferred three Indians with its ‗Cross of the Order of Merit‘ award for their contribution in

strengthening Indo-German relations over the past decades.The awards were bestowed on Anand Singh

Bawa, Kalyan Sachdev and Syed Hasnain by German Ambassador Michael Steiner in New Delhi at a

function on 11 March.

Tomas Halik Won 2014 Templeton Prize Tomas Halik, a Roman Catholic priest and philosopher, onetime Czech political activist and an advocate

for religious freedom and interfaith dialogue, won the 2014 Templeton Prize on 13 March for religious

and spiritual progress.The prize, valued at about $1.8 million, is one of the largest awards given annually

to a single individual. Founded in 1972.

SPORTS & GAMES

Mexican Open Tennis Tournament Winners – 2014 Women‟s Singles :- Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia won the Mexican Open Tennis tournament

Women‘s Singles title.She defeated American Christina McHale in the final at Mexico on 1 March. It was

her fourth career title and first since Stanford in 2013.

Men‟s Singles :- Bulgaria‘s Grigor Dimitrov won the Men‘s Singles title after defeated South African

Kevin Anderson in the final.

South Africa Captain Graeme Smith Announced Retirement

South African captain Graeme Smith has announced on 4 March that he will retire from international

cricket . Smith is the longest serving captain for South Africa in international cricket. He has played 117

test matches as an opener of which 109 was as a captain too. His total 109 test captaincies is 16 more than

the previous record held by Allan Border of Australia.

Pankaj Advani Won National Snooker Title

World champion Pankaj Advani (PSPB) won his sixth Men‘s National Snooker title after defeated Kamal

Chawla of Railways in the 81st national snooker championship, in Lucknow on 7 March.This was

Advani‘s overall 24th national snooker title.

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Mizoram Won Santosh Trophy – 2014 Mizoram won the 68th edition of National Football Championship of Santosh Trophy after defeated

Railways 3-0 in the final on 9 March in Siliguri, West Bengal.This is the maiden Santosh Trophy for

Mizoram also this was the first appearance for them in the final match.

Nico Rosberg Won Australian Grand Prix

Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg of Germany won the Australian Grand Prix on 16 March at Melbourne in

Australia.Kevin Magnussen of Denmark (McLaren) was declared second after Red Bull‘s Daniel

Ricciardo was disqualified after finishing second in the race. Ricciardo was disqualified for breach of fuel

regulations. Jenson Button of Great Britain also representing McLaren finished the podium with third

place.

ECONOMY

Mukesh Tops List of India‟s 70 Billionaires According to China-based research firm Hurun‘s 2014 global rich list released on 3 March, India is home

to the fifth largest group of billionaires in the world and Mukesh Ambani, chairman of Reliance Industries

, is the country‘s richest man with a personal fortune of $18 billion.Mukesh Ambani was ranked 41st in

the list that was topped by Bill Gates, whose personal networth stood at a whopping $68 billion.In the

global rich list, Bill Gates was followed by Berkshire Hathaway‘s Warren Buffett (2nd) with a personal

wealth of $64 billion .

Bill Gates Tops Forbes Billionaire List Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has regained the title of the world‘s richest man in the Forbes magazine‘s

annual billionaire list released on 3 March that includes 56 India based billionaires led by RIL chairman

Mukesh Ambani.With a net worth of $76 billion, Bill Gates reclaimed the top spot after a four-year hiatus,

toppling Mexico‘s telecommunications mogul Carlos Slim Helu, who placed second at $72 billion.With a

networth of $18.6 billion, Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) chief Mukesh Ambani leads the pack of 56

billionaires based in India featured on the list.

India To Have 4th Highest Number Of Billionaires By 2023

According to the 2014 Wealth Report , an annual global perspective on prime property and wealth by

property management firm Knight Frank released on 6 March, India is projected to be home to the fourth

highest number of billionaires in the world by 2023.As per the report, projected that the number of

billionaires in India will grow by an exponential 98 per cent to 119 in the year 2023 from 60 billionaires

last year.India will rank fourth after US, China and Russia in 2023 and will have more billionaires than the

UK, Germany and France.

SBI Launches „ SBIePay „ To Facilitate Electronic Transactions

State Bank of India (SBI), the largest bank in the country has on 13 March launched ‗ SBIePay ‗ a

payment aggregator service to facilitate electronic (e-commerce /m-commerce) transactions between

merchants, customers and various financial institutions in the country. India‘s largest lender is the first

bank in India to start its own online aggregator services.


Indian Navy Inducted Offshore Patrol Vessel „ INS Sumedha „ The Naval Offshore Patrol Vessel ‗ INS Sumedha ‗ was formally commissioned into the Indian Navy at

Goa on 7 March .Sumedha is the third ship of the indigenous Naval Offshore Patrol Vessel (NOPV)

Project to be inducted into the Indian Navy.The ship has been designed and built by Goa Shipyard

Limited.

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Astronomers Discovered Hypergiant Star 1300 Times The Size of Our Sun In the month of March 2014 A hypergaint star which is 1300 times wider than wider than the sun has

discovered. This is the biggest yellow star ever spotted. It is named as HR 5171. This star is 12,000 light

years away. The star was studied by a team lead by Oliver Chesneau of the Cote d‘Azur Observatory in

Nice, France with the Very Large Telescope in Atacama, Chile. This star can be about one million times

brighter than the Sun.

Ludhian and Kanpur Among World‟s Top 10 Most Polluted Cities

According to a 2011 World Health Organisation (WHO) report on World‘ Most Polluted Cities, released

on 17 March, Ludhiana and Kanpur are among the 10 most polluted cities in the world.Ludhiana made it

to the fourth position along with Quetta in Pakistan.Kanpur made it to the ninth position. The most

polluted city in the world was Ahvaz in Iran.

India Successfully Tested Nuclear Capable Prithvi-II Missile

India successfully test-fired its nuclear-capable Prithvi-II surface-to-surface missile from a military base in

Odisha on 28 March.The indigenously-developed ballistic missile with a maximum range of 350 km was

fired from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur in Balasore district, about 230 km from

Bhubaneswar.The Strategic Forces Command (SFC) of the Indian Army conducted the test as part of a

regular training exercise.Prithvi is India‘s first indigenously-built ballistic missile.

PERSONS IN NEWS

A) APPOINTMENTS

Sheila Dikshit Sworn In As Kerala Governor Veteran Congress leader and former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit was sworn in as Kerala Governor

on 11 March. Kerala High Court Chief Justice Manjula Chellur administered the oath of office. She was

appointed as the 22nd Governor of Kerala on 4 March. She has succeeded Nikhil Kumar, who in the past

has served as the Police Chief of Delhi. Her appointment to the post came following resignation of Nikhil

Kumar. Dikshit has served Delhi three times, as its Chief Minister from 1998 to 2013.She had represented

the Kannauj Parliamentary Constituency of Uttar Pradesh during 1984 to 1989.

Former SC Judge Srikrishna Appointed as FPSB chairman

Justice (Retd.) BN Srikrishna has been appointed as the Chairman of Financial Planning Standards Board

India (FPSB) on 11 March. He takes over from Dhirendra Swarup, who was the chairman of the Pension

Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA).

B)RESIGNS

Nandan Nilekani Resigned as UIDAI chairman

Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani resigned as Chairman of Unique Identification Authority of India

(UIDAI) on 13 March. Nilekani joined the Congress Party on 10 March 2014 and he is contesting from

the Bangalore South constituency in Lok Sabha polls. After his exit as CEO of Bangalore headquartered

Infosys in 2007, Nilekani had taken charge as head of UIDAI, Aadhar programme.

C)DEATHS

Noted Indian Author Khushwant Singh Died

Noted English author and journalist Khushwant Singh died on 20 March in New Delhi at the age of 99. He

was the founder-editor of Yojana and editor of the Illustrated Weekly of India, the National Herald and the

Hindustan Times. Khushwant Singh was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1974 but returned it in 1984 to

protest the storming of the Golden Temple in Amritsar by the Indian Army. In 2007, he was awarded the

Padma Vibhushan, the second highest Indian recognition.

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D)VISITORS

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Visited Myanmar Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visited Myanmar on 3 – 4 March 2014. During his two day visit,

Manmohan Sing attended the third BIMSTEC summit in Nay Pyi-Taw, the capital of Myanmar. In the

visit, Myanmar President U Thein Sein met with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at the president

office, agreeing further cooperation between the two countries.

E)MISCELLANEOUS

14 Indians In WEF‟s Young Global Leaders Class of 2014

World Economic Forum (WEF) on 11 March released Young Global Leader‘s 2014 list .The WEF

recognised 214 Young Global Leaders (YGLs). Among them 109 are woman who were recognised for

leadership and service to society.There were 17 young global leaders in South Asia, out of which 14 were

from India.

PLACES IN NEWS

Tata HQ Becomes First Heritage Building To Get Gold Rating Bombay House, the Headquarters of the Tata group in Mumbai, has become India‘s first heritage building

to get ―gold‖ rating by Indian Green Building Council(IGBC) on 3 March . Built in 1923, Bombay House

has been given the rating for implementing measures for energy savings of over 20 per cent, use of

renewable energy, occupant well being and comfort, use of car pools and public transport, and

contribution to the maintenance of neighbouring areas.

ABBREVIATIONS

APEDA ——- Agricultural and Processed Food Products Exports Development Authority

BIMSTEC —– Bay of Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical Economic Cooperation

ECOWAS —— Economic Community of West African States

FIFA ———– Federation Internationale de Football Association

CSIR ———- Council of Scientific and Industrial Research

BOOKS IN NEWS

Jaswant Singh Released His Book „ India at Risk „ Jaswant Singh, Former Minister in the NDA government on 3 March released a book entitled ‖ India at

Risk ‖ – Mistakes Misconceptions and Misadventures of security policy. In his book, he had discussed the

issues, the conflicts and the consequences of the security related policy of India.

COMMITTEES

Shyamala Gopinath Committee Recommendations The Union Government on 4 March 2014 decided to hike interest rates on fixed deposit schemes offered

by post offices by up to 0.2 %. The decision to hike interest rates is taken on the recommendations of

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Deputy Governor Shyamala Gopinath Committee.As per the Shyamala

Gopinath Committee‘s recommendations - The interest rate on fixed deposits for one and two years has

been increased to 8.4% from the present 8.2%. Fixed deposits of three and five years will earn 0.1%

higher rate at 8.4% and 8.5%. The rate on National Savings Scheme (NSC) with 5 and 10 year maturities

also remain unchanged at 8.5 % and 8.8 %. The new interest rates on small savings schemes will come

into effect from April 1, 2014.

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World Poetry Day Observed Across The World

World Poetry Day was observed across the world on 21 March 2014. The day was observed to support

linguistic diversity through poetic expression and to offer endangered languages the opportunity to be

heard within their communities.The decision to observe 21 March as World Poetry Day was adopted at the

30th session of UNESCO held in Paris in 1999.

World Water Day Observed Across The World

World Water Day was observed on 22 March 2014 with the theme Water and Energy to raise awareness

of the inter-linkages between water and energy. World Water Day is observed to preserve and ration

consumption of water.The United Nation is observed annually on 22 March to draw attention on the

importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of fresh water resources.

UN observed International Day of Forest International Day of Forests was observed across the world on 21 March 2014. The theme of the

International Forest Day was Celebrating Forests for Sustainable Development.

February 2014

INTERNATIONAL

Libya Destroyed All Chemical Weapons

Libya has completely destroyed the chemical arsenal it inherited from Moamer Kadhafi, 10 years after the

now slain dictator signed the Chemical Weapons Convention, Foreign Minister Mohamed Abdelaziz

announced on 5 February.Now the Libya has become totally free of usable chemical weapons that might

present a potential threat to the security of local communities, the environment and neighbouring areas.

Matteo Renzi Named new Italian Prime Minister

The leader of Italy‘s centre-left Democratic Party (PD), Matteo Renzi, was appointed as the country‘s new

prime minister on 17 February. Renzi, who at 39 would be the country‘s youngest-ever prime minister,

was summoned by Italian President Giorgio Napolitano at Quirinale presidential palace and given a

mandate to try to form a new cabinet after the resignation of Enrico Letta as prime minister on 14

February.

Ugandan President Signed Anti Gay Law

Uganda‘s President Yoweri-Museveni has signed a controversial anti-gay bill on 24 February that allows

harsh penalties for homosexual offences, calling them mercenaries and prostitutes.Yoweri Museveni

signed the bill, which holds that homosexuals be jailed for long terms, outlaws the promotion of

homosexuality and requires people to denounce gays.

Arseniy Yatsenyuk Elected As Ukrain Interim PM

The Ukrainian parliament has on 27 February elected former opposition leader Arseniy Yatsenyuk as the

country‘s Interim Prime Minister.He was backed by 371 of 417 participating deputies in the Parliament.

INDIA & WORLD

India and Germany Signed Two Agreements On Financial and Technical Co-operation

India and Germany have signed two umbrella agreements for financial and technical co-operation under

Indo German bilateral Development Cooperation framework.The Umbrella Agreements were signed by

Finance Minister P Chidambaram and German Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and

Development Gerd Mueller during their bilateral meeting on 5 February in New Delhi.

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India and China Held 17th Round Of Border Talks India and China held their 17th round of border talks on 10 – 11 February 2014 .Special representatives –

National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon and Chinese State Councillor and top diplomat Yang Jiechi

– met in New Delhi on 10 February and 11 February for talks on the boundary question.The talks between

both sides have crossed the first stage – on agreeing to settlement of the boundary question. The second

stage talks – on the framework for resolution of the boundary question – has been continuing for the past

eight years.

India and Canada Signed Three MoUs India and Canada have signed three MoUs for cooperation in health sector, audio-visual co-production and

skill development.The MoUs were signed after talks between Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and

Govenor General of Canada David Johnston in New Delhi on 24 February.

India and Israel Signed Homeland Security Agreement

India and Israel have on 27 February signed a slew of agreements on cooperation in legal assistance and

public and homeland security.These agreements were signed by Additional Secretary (Home Ministry)

Rajiv Sharma and Israeli Ambassador Alon Ushpiz.

NATIONAL

Union Cabinet Approved National Policy On Agroforestry The Union Cabinet on 6 February approved National Policy to promote Agroforestry by facilitating credit

and insurance to farmers, besides strengthening market access.The national policy assumes importance as

the sector is currently affected by adverse policies, legal constraints, inadequate investments, weak

markets and a dearth of institutional finance.

„ Maulana Azad Taleem-e-Balighan‟ Scheme Launched Minister of State for HRD, Dr Shashi Tharoor on 18 February launched ‗Maulana Azad Taleem-e-

Balighan‘ under Sakshar Bharat at New Delhi.The programme aims to impart functional literacy,

vocational skill development and continuing education to one crore Muslim adults with an outlay of Rs

600 crore.

CCEA approved Green India Mission

The National Mission for Green India has received approval from the Cabinet Committee on Economic

Affairs (CCEA) on 20 February as a Centrally-sponsored scheme.The project, which has a planned

investment of about Rs.13,000 crore during the 12th Plan Period.

Parliament Passed Whistleblower Protection Bill Whistleblower Protection Bill was passed by Parliament on 21 February.The bill aims to provide a regular

mechanism to encourage persons to disclose information on corruption or willful misuse of power by

public servants and ministers.The bill was passed by Lok Sabha in 2011 and was taken up by the Upper

House in 2012 for consideration.

STATES

India‟s First Monorail Service Inaugurated In Mumbai India‘s first monorail service was inaugurated by the Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj chavan on 1

February in Mumbai.The monorail service that will link the city to major stations will begin its first phase

of 8.93 km between Wadala and Chembur in the eastern fringes of the Commercial Capital.

Odisha Lokayukta Bill 2014 Passed In Assembly

Odisha Legislative Assembly on 14 February passed the Odisha Lokayukta Bill 2014, with provision of

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keeping Chief Minister, ex-Chief Ministers, other ministers and public servants under the purview of a

six-member anti-corruption panel. The Bill has provisions similar to that of the Central Act which was

passed in Parliament in December, 2013.

President‟s Rule Imposed in Delhi President Pranab Mukherjee has imposed President‘s rule in Delhi and accepted the Arvind Kejriwal

government‘s resignation.This information was on 17 February published in a press release by Lt

Governor Najeeb Jung‘s office.With this imposition of the President Rule, the Delhi Assembly will be

kept under suspended animation.

Chhattisgarh Government To Set Up A Law Commission Raman Singh, the Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh on 25 February announced that a new Law Commission

will be set-up in the state to suggest changes in laws as per the geographical and social requirements of the

state. This announcement was made in the state Assembly.

CONFERENCES

101st Session of Indian Science Congress

101st Session of Indian Science Congress (ISC) held at Jammu University, Jammu from 3-7 February

2014. The theme of ISC 2014 is ―Innovations in Science and Technology for Inclusive Development‖.

Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh inaugurated the session on 3 February.This was the tenth

time Manmohan Singh had the privilege to address the inaugural address at the Indian Science Congress.

AWARDS & HONOURS

Sachin Tendulkar and CNR Rao Received Bharat Ratna

Renowned scientist C.N.R. Rao and former cricketer Sachin Tendulkar were on 4 February conferred the

Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award of the country for exceptional contribution in any field of human

endeavour.The award was presented by President Pranab Mukherjee at a brief ceremony in the historic

Durbar Hall of Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Malala Nominated For „Children‟s Nobel Prize‟

Pakistani teenage rights activist Malala Yousafzai is among three persons nominated for an award known

as the ―Children‘s Nobel Prize‖.Malala Yousafzai has been nominated for the 2014 World‘s Children‘s

Prize with John Wood from the US and Nepalese child rights worker Indira Ranamagar.

VV Dongre and Guocheng Zhang Won International Gandhi Award 2013

Pranab Mukherjee, the President of India on 15 February presented the International Gandhi Award for

the year 2013 to Dr. Vijaykumar Vinayak Dongre (VV Dongre) and Prof. Guocheng Zhang at Rashtrapati

Bhawan, New Delhi. They were awarded for making outstanding contributions in the field of leprosy to

eradicate the disease through treatment, training and research.

Sikkim Won National Tourism Award 2012-13

Sikkim has been declared as best state in the country in implementation of Rural Tourism Projects by

Ministry of Tourism Govt of India .Union Minister for Human Resource Development Dr. Shashi

Tharoor,presented the National Tourism Award 2012-13 to Sikkim tourism minister Sh Bhim Dhungel in

a function at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi on 18 February.

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SPORTS & GAMES

Vijay Amritraj Honoured with Davis Cup Commitment Award Vijay Amritraj, a former Indian tennis player was on 1 February presented the Davis Cup Commitment

Award .Previously Four Indian tennis icons — Ramanathan Krishnan, Ramesh Krishnan, Anand Amritraj

and Mahesh Bhupathi — were honoured with the Davis Cup Commitment awards.The award was

instituted by the International Tennis Federation (ITF).

Joshna Chinappa Won Winnipeg Open Title India‘s Squash player Joshna Chinappa won the Winnipeg Winter Club Open trophy on 3 February. She

defeated Heba El Torky of Egypt in the final.The triumph of Chinappa marked the second consecutive

year of an Indian winning the trophy with Dipika Pallikal being the first to clinch it before her in 2013.

Deepika Kumari Named FICCI „ Sportsperson Of The Year „ India‘s top archer Deepika Kumari was on 13 February named the ‗ Sportsperson of the Year ‗ at the India

Sports Awards, presented by Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). Former

India captain Rahul Dravid was conferred with the Lifetime Achievement award. P.V Sindhu, bronze

medallist at the badminton World Championships, was named the ‗ Breakthrough Sportsperson of the

Year ‗, while cricketer Yuvraj Singh was named the ‗ Most Inspiring Sportsperson of the Year ‗.

Delhi Waveriders Won Hockey India League Title

Delhi Waveriders defeated Jaypee Punjab Warriors in the penalty shoot-out to emerge as the champions in

the second edition of Hero Hockey India League (HIL) at the packed Astroturf Hockey Stadium at Ranchi

on 23 February.

Somdev Devvarman Won Delhi Open ATP Challenger Title India‘s Somdev Devvarman won his third ATP Challengers title as he defeated Aleksandr Nedovyesov of

Russia in the Delhi Open ATP Challenger Men‘s singles final on 23 February at New Delhi .Somdev last

won a Challenger level title in 2010 at the Izmir event in Turkey.

ECONOMY

Rajasthan Bans FDI in Multi-brand Retail

Rajasthan on 1 February cancelled its approval for the foreign direct investment in multi-brand

retailing.The approval was given earlier by the previous Congress state government led by former Chief

Minister, Ashok Gehlot.With this decision of cancelling the approval over FDI made Rajasthan the second

state after Delhi to withdraw approval for FDI in multi-brand retail.

Indian Economy To Grow At 4.9 Percent In 2013-14 Central Statistics Office (CSO) in its release on 7 February estimated that India‘s economic growth in the

current (2013-14) fiscal will be 4.9 percent as compared to the growth rate of 4.5 percent in 2012-13.The

country‘s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at factor cost at constant (2004-05) prices in 2013-14 is likely to

be Rs.57.5 lakh crore as compared to Rs.54.8 lakh crore in the previous year, registering year-on-year

increase of 4.9 percent.

Tata Group India‟s Most Valuable Brand

According to the list released on 18 February of world‘s 500 most valued brand, Brand Finance Global

500 , Tata group was declared India‘s most valuable brand with a value of US$ 21.1 billion, while US-

based technology giant Apple has retained its top position globally with about US$ 105 billion.Apple is

followed by Samsung (US$ 79 billion) at second place globally.Tata has retained its top place among

Indian brands and its global ranking has also improved from 39th in 2013 to 34th now.

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India‟s First Post Office Savings Bank ATM Inaugurated In Chennai Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram on 27 February inaugurated the country‘s first post office

savings bank ATM at the Head Post Office in Thyagaraya Nagar in Chennai.The ATM was part of an

Information Technology (IT) modernisation project of the Department of Posts.


BrahMos Missile Successfully Test Fired In Salvo Mode The 290km-range BrahMos supersonic cruise missile was successfully fired on 6 February from a naval

warship INS Trikand in salvo mode in the Arabian Sea.For the first time, the BrahMos cruise missile was

fired in salvo mode off the Russian-built warship off the coast of Karnataka with an interval of three

seconds off the coast of Goa.

Australian Astronomers Discovered Oldest Known Star In Universe

A team of scientists at the Australian National University has on 11 February discovered the oldest known

star in the Universe.The star known as SMSS J031300.36-670839.3, is in the Milky Way galaxy and

some 6000 light years from the Earth. The star was formed shortly after the Big Bang 13.7 billion years

ago.The star was discovered using the ANU SkyMapper telescope at the Siding Spring Observatory.

Indian-origin Boy Shubham Banerjee Invents Braille Printer Using Lego Set

A 12-year-old boy of Indian Origin Shubham Banerjee has on 23 February designed a low-cost Braille

printer using toy construction Lego pieces.Banerjee developed the Braille printer called Braigo, which is

short for Braille with Lego.It was created from the Lego Mindstorms EV3 set, which retails for USD 349.

India Successfully Test Fired „ Akash „ Missile India on 26 February successfully test-fired its Akash medium-range surface-to-air missile from a defence

base in Odisha, for the third time. Akash was earlier successfully tested from the same defence base on

21st and 24th February 2014. The indigenously-developed missile, with a 27-km range and an effective

ceiling of 15 km, was test-fired from the Integrated Test Range of Chandipur in the coastal district of

Balasore, 230 km from Bhubaneswar.

PERSONS IN NEWS

A) APPOINTMENTS

N. Ramachandran Elected IOA president World Squash Federation (WSF) chief N. Ramachandran was elected unopposed as the president of the

Indian Olympic Association (IOA) on 9 February.Kho Kho Federation of India (KKFI) president Rajeev

Mehta and All India Tennis Association (AITA) president Anil Khanna were also elected unopposed

respectively as the secretary general and treasurer.

R.K.Tiwari Appointed as new Chairman of CBDT R.K.Tiwari has been appointed as the as the new chairman of Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) on 9

February.He will succeed Chairperson Sudha Sharma who is scheduled to retire on 28 February

2014.Tiwari is a 1976-batch Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer. He is currently working as the Member

of Legislation and Computerisation Department in the CBDT.

B)RESIGNS

Jammu and Kashmir Minister Shabir Ahmad Khan Resigned

Jammu and Kashmir Minister of State for Health Shabir Ahmad Khan on 7 February resigned as Minister

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from the Omar Abdullah‘s cabinet in an alleged molestation case while the Governor N N Vohra has

accepted the resignation.

C)DEATHS

Noted Hindi Writer Amar Kant Died

Noted Hindi writer and Jnanpith Award winner Amar Kant died on 17 February .Kant‘s prominent novels

are ‗Inhin Hathiyaron Se, Katili Raah ke Phool, Sookha Patta, Kale Ujle and ‗Beech ki Deewar‘.He

received several awards, including Jnanpith award in 2009, Sahitya Acdemy Award in 2007, Uttar

Pradesh Hindi Sansthan Award, Maithli Sharan Gupta Award, ‗Amarkant Keerti Samman‘ from Madhya

Pradesh government among others.

D)VISITORS

Bahrain‟s King Hamad Al Khalifa Visited India

The King of Bahrain Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa visited India from 18 – 20 February 2014.During his three

day visit, King Hamad met Indian President Pranab Mukherjee , Vice-president Hamid Ansari and held

delegation-level discussions with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on bilateral, regional and global

issues. After delegation-level talks between the two leaders , both nations signed three agreements to boost

bilateral ties between the two countries.

E)MISCELLANEOUS

Indra Nooyi and Chanda Kochhar In Fortune‟s Most Powerful Businesswomen List

PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi and ICICI Bank Managing Director Chanda Kochhar are among Fortune

magazine‘s list of ‗50 most powerful women in business: Global edition‘.The list, which was released on

7 February, has been topped by General Motors CEO Mary Barra, the first woman to run a global

automaker.

PLACES IN NEWS

Delhi Ranked 22nd In Global Fashion Capital List

New York has topped the list of global fashion capitals leaving Paris and London behind. In an annual

ranking survey report by Global Language Monitor (GLM) released on 19 February, Delhi stands at the

22th spot and Mumbai at 45th.

ABBREVIATIONS

ASEAN —- Association of South East Asian Nations

NAFDAC —– National Agency for Food & Drug Administration and Control

IAEA —— International Atomic Energy Agency

BCSBI —— Banking Codes and Standards Board of India

TARC —— Tax Administration Reform Commission

CBDT —— Central Board of Direct Taxes

BOOKS IN NEWS

Penguin Decided To withdraw a Book entitled „ The Hindus: An Alternative History „

Penguin India, the publisher of book entitled ‖ The Hindus: An Alternative History ‖ on 11 February

agreed to withdraw the book from the Indian market. This book is written by Wendy Doniger, an

American Scholar and Indologist. The decision was made by the publisher following a legal wrangle

against it.The decision was made between the publisher and Delhi based complainant organisation called

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Shiksha Bachao Andolan, who moved to court alleging distortion aimed at denigrating Hindu traditions.

The organisation has found that the book is insulting Hindus.

COMMITTEES

Bimal Jalan Committee On Bank Licences Submits Recommendations To RBI The Bimal Jalan committee which is scrutinising applications for new bank licences submitted its report to

the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on 25 February.The committee led by former Reserve Bank of India

(RBI) Governor Dr Jalan held its third and final meeting before submitting its recommendations to the

central bank.


International Mother Language Day Observed Across The World International Mother Language Day (Bhasha Divas) was observed across the world, with Bangladesh

leading on 21 February 2014. This day is observed with an aim to promote awareness of linguistic,

multilingualism and cultural diversity.International Mother Language Day was announced by UNESCO

on 17 November 1999 and was formally recognised by the United Nations General Assembly in its

resolution establishing 2008 as the International Year of Languages.

National Science Day Observed Across India On 28 February

India on 28 February 2014 observed National Science Day to mark the discovery of the Raman Effect by

Indian physicist Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman (CV Raman).In 2014, the theme of the day is Fostering

Scientific Temper and Energy conservation. This day is celebrated every year on this day to spread a

message about the significance of scientific applications in the daily life of the people.The National

Council for Science and Technology Communication (NCSTC) in 1986 asked the Government of India to

designate 28 February as National Day.

January 2014

INTERNATIONAL

Colorado Becomes First US state To Allow Marijuana Sale

Colorado has on 1 January become the first U.S. state to license the sale of the drug for recreational use. In

November 2012, Colorado voters approved the sale of recreational marijuana, as did voters in Washington

state. Under the new state law, residents are now able to buy marijuana like alcohol.

US Senate Passed USD 1.1 Trillion Spending Bill The US Senate has passed the USD 1.1 trillion omnibus spending bill that eliminates the threat of another

government shutdown at least until October 2014 and puts conditions on Pakistan for continuation of aid.

Passed by the House of Representatives on 16 January, the bill now goes to the White House for President

Barack Obama to sign it into law, thus preventing another shutdown.

Bolivian President Evo Morales Assumes G77 Chairmanship Bolivian president Evo Morales has assumed the Chairmanship of the Group of 77 nations.Bolivia was

chosen head of the G-77, which actually groups 133 developing nations, by consensus, and Morales was at

the United nations on 8 January to take over the chairmanship from outgoing Fiji. The organization was

created in June 1964 with the purpose of formulating and promoting the new economic interests of

southern countries within the United Nations system.

South Sudan Government and Rebels Signed Ceasefire Agreement South Sudan‘s Government and Rebels have signed a ceasefire agreement .The agreement was signed in

http://currentaffairs.freejobalert.com/january-2014-current-affairs-study-material/6035/

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the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa by representatives of South Sudan‘s President Salva Kiir and rebel

delegates loyal to ousted vice president Riek Machar on 23 January . As per the deal, the government has

agreed to release 11 officials close to Machar, who were detained after the fighting broke in the country.

INDIA & WORLD

India and Maldives Signed 3 MoUs

India and the Maldives on 2 January agreed to amicably resolve all differences, including over

cancellation of Indian company GMR‘s contract to run Male International Airport. Maldivian President

Abdulla Yameen held talks in New Delhi with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the two sides signed

three Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs).Two agreements are related to health and human resource

development and one on the diplomatic front.

India and Canada Signed LOI for Co-operation in Iron and Steel Sector

India and Canada have signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) for co-operation in Iron and Steel Sector. The letters

were signed on 13 January in New Delhi by Beni Prasad Verma, the Union Minister of Steel and Minister

of Natural Resources, Government of Canada, Joe Oliver.

India and South Korea Signed Nine Agreements India and South Korea have signed 9 agreements in different areas to boost bilateral ties between the two

countries.The agreements were signed on 16 January after delegation level talks between Manmohan

Singh, the Prime Minister of India and Park Geun-hye, the President of South Korea in New Delhi.

India and Japan Signed 8 Agreements

India and Japan have agreed to boost defence ties and signed eight agreements with Japanese Prime

Minister Shinzo Abe, pledging another tranche of infrastructure loans worth 200 billion yen, during his

talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi on 25 January.

Pakistan and India Ranked 97th In Global Food Index 2014

According to the ‗ Global Food Index 2014 ‗ released on 17 January , Pakistan ranked 97th in a list of 125

countries with regard to availability, quality and affordability of food and dietary health.The listing means

Pakistan is one of the countries with the most unhealthy and scarce food. India got the same rank as

Pakistan.The Netherlands emerges as the country with the most nutritious, plentiful and healthy food

leaving France and Switzerland behind at the joint second place.The Index namely ―Good Enough to Eat‖

has been compiled by the UK-based international relief and development organization ‗Oxfam‘.

NATIONAL

Government Launched India‟s First Comprehensive Adolescent Health Programme

Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Ghulam Nabi Azad on 7 January launched the nation‘s

first comprehensive adolescent health programme named ‖ Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram

(RKSK)‖ in New Delhi.The programme will include a sharp focus on adolescents‘ sexual health.The

RKSK defines an adolescent as a person within 10-19 years of age, in urban and rural areas, includes both

girls and boys, married and unmarried, poor and affluent, whether they are in school or out of school.

Government Notified New Natural Gas Pricing Formula The Government of India on 10 January notified the new natural gas pricing formula, which will be in

effect from 1 April 2014. As per the newly issued notification, the rate of all domestically produced fuel

will be almost doubled to 8.2 to 8.4 dollar per unit.

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Government Grants CBI greater Financial Autonomy The Central Government on 14 January relaxed its control over the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)

and granted the CBI director a rank equal to a Secretary.

Ghulam Nabi Azad Launches National Urban Health Mission Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Ghulam Nabi Azad on 20 January launched the National

Urban Health Mission (NUHM) in Bangalore to provide timely quality health services to the urban

poor.The scheme will now be introduced as a sub-mission under the National Health Mission (NHM).The

mission will be implemented in 779 cities and towns, each with a population of more than 50,000, and

cover over 7.75 crore people.

STATES

Manmohan Singh Launched Total E-literacy Project In Kerala

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has launched the total E-literacy project implemented by PN Panicker

Vigyan Vikas Kendra in Thiruvanathpuram on 4 January.This would act as the corner-stone of the Kerala

model of development.The programme was aimed at achieving total e-literacy in the state in 33 months,

marching from total literacy to complete-literacy.

Maharashtra Govt. Launched Unique „ Blood On Call „ Scheme

Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan on 7 January rolled out ―Jeevan Amrut Yojana‖ (blood-on-

call scheme) across the state.The ambitious plan is aimed at facilitating blood supply to patients scheduled

to undergo surgeries and medical procedures, at cheaper rate by dialling a dedicated helpline number

―104″. Under the scheme, the request for blood will have to be placed by hospitals.

Chhattisgarh Govt. Launched Toll Free Number 1100 For Graft Complaints

Chhattisgarh government has on 7 January launched a toll free helpline number 1100 where people could

lodge graft-related complaints against the state government officials.The facility will help provide better

governance to the people.Now, the people can just dial 1100 to lodge complaints regarding corruption.

Anu Vidyut Pariyojana Launched In Haryana

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh laid the foundation of 2,800 Megawatt nuclear power plant in Fatehabad

district of Haryana on 13 January.The project named as Anu Vidyut Pariyojna, will have four units of 700

MWes each and it will be built at a cost 23502 crore rupees. The Nuclear Power Corporation of India

Limited (NPCIL) will build these reactors. This is the first time Haryana will have a nuclear project.

CONFERENCES

12th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Held in New Delhi

The 12th edition of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) was held in New Delhi from 7 – 9 January 2014 at

Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. The theme of the event was ‖ Engaging Diaspora – Connecting across

Generations ―.The convention was inaugurated by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on 7 January.

Malaysia‘s Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Y B Datuk Seri Palanivel ,was the Chief

Guest. On 9 January President Pranab Mukherjee conferred the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards and

addressed the closing session of the Convention.

AWARDS & HONOURS

President Pranab Mukherjee Conferred Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards President Pranab Mukherjee conferred the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards on 9 January during the

12th edition of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD). Peace activist Ela Gandhi, who is a grand-daughter of

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Mahatma Gandhi, was among the 13 non-resident Indians (NRIs), persons of Indian origin (PIOs) and

organizations honoured with the prestigious Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards. Ela Gandhi was given

the award for public service and for enhancing India‘s image and for promoting ties between India and

South Africa. Lisa Maria Singh is the first member of Australian Parliament of South Asian descent and

has held several ministerial portfolios in the past. She is a senator from Tasmania. Singh was given the

Pravasi Bharatiya Samman for public service and fostering friendly relations between India and Australia.

Ramkrishna Mission, serving in Fiji since 1937, was honoured for community service and philanthropic

activities and enhancing India‘s prestige abroad.

Three Security Personnel Selected For „ Kirti Chakra „ Award

Three personnel of the armed forces have been selected for the year 2014 ‗ Kirti Chakra‘ award , the

second highest peace time gallantry award, for their acts of bravery on the Line of Control (LoC), anti-

maoist operation and relief operation in flood-hit Uttarakhand, respectively. The three are among 368

gallantry award winners this year including 10 Shaurya Chakra awardees.

Indian-American Wins Top US Teaching Award

India-born Meera Chandrasekhar, professor of physics and astronomy and Curator‘s Teaching Professor

of Physics at the University of Missouri, has on 18 January won Baylor University‘s ‖ 2014 Robert Foster

Cherry Award ‖ for Great Teaching.

Mohinder Singh , Radhakrishnan Selected For Communal Harmony Awards

National Communal Harmony Award for Mohinder Singh for his work done in restoring peace after the

1984 anti-Sikh riots and noted academician N Radhakrishnan for his promotion of Gandhian values were

announced on 25 January. Singh, along with Gandhian Radhakrishnan of Kerala, have been selected for

the coveted award in the individual category while the Centre for Study of Society and Secularism,

Mumbai has been selected in the organisation category.

SPORTS & GAMES

Rafael Nadal Won Qatar ExxonMobil Open Title Rafael Nadal of Spain won the Qatar ExxonMobil Open title on 4 January.He defeated France‘s Gael

Monfils in the Men‘s Singles final at Doha.It was his 61st ATP title.

Brisbane International Tennis Tournament Winners – 2014 Women‟s Singles :- Serena Williams of the U.S. on 4 January won the Brisbane International Tennis

Tournament Women‘s Singles title after defeated Victoria Azarenka of Belarus in the final in Brisbane,

Australia. Williams has now won 58 tour singles titles.

Men‟s Singles :- Australia‘s Lleyton Hewitt won the Men‘s Singles Title. He defeated Roger Federer of

Switzerland in the Brisbane International final. It was Hewitt‘s 29th title on the ATP tour but his first

since 2010, when he also beat Federer in the final at Halle.

Ana Ivanovic Won Auckland Open Tennis Title Ana Ivanovic of Serbia won the Auckland Open Tennis Title on 4 January. She defeated Venus Williams

(U.S) in the final at Auckland, New Zealand.It is the 12th title for the Ivanovic and second seed but her

first success since victory in Bali in 2011.

Anju Bobby George Declared World Athletics Gold Medalist For 2005 Indian Long jumper Anju Bobby George on 13 January became the first Indian track and field athlete to

win a gold medal in a major world event after international governing body International Association of

Athletics Federation (IAAF) upgraded her second place finish at the 2005 Monaco World Athletics

Championships final to the top spot , following a dope violation by a Russian competitor Tatyana

Kotova.Anju‘s fifth place finish at the 2005 Helsinki World Championship‘s long jump event was also

upgraded to fourth.

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Netherlands Won Hockey World League 2014 The Netherlands on 18 January won the first ever Hockey World League final after defeating New

Zealand by 7-2 in New Delhi. Belgium retained his fifth place , while India secured sixth place.

ECONOMY

Government Retains 100 Per cent FDI in Existing Pharma Units

Government of India on 8 January decided to retain the policy of allowing 100 per cent foreign

investments in the existing pharma firms, brushing aside concerns about non availability of affordable

drugs in view of MNCs takeovers.India permits 100 per cent FDI in pharma through automatic approval

route in the greenfield, or new projects.

India‟s Growth Projected To Rise To 7.1 Percent By 2016-17 According to the World Bank‘s Global Economic Prospects (GEP) report released on 16 January , India‘s

growth is projected to rise to over six percent in fiscal 2014-15, increasing to 7.1 percent by fiscal 2016-17

with the world economy expected to strengthen this year.

Indian Economy Projected To Grow At 5.35% In 2014

According to the UN World Economic Situation and Prospects 2014 (WESP) report released on 24

January , India‘s economy is projected to grow at a slower-than-expected rate of 5.3 per cent in 2014.

Full-year growth decelerated to 4.8 per cent in 2013 from 5.1 per cent in the calendar year 2012.

RBI raised Repo Rate By 25 Basis Points To 8 Percent Reserve Bank of India (RBI) raised the Repo rate under Liquidity Adjustment Facility (LAF) by 25 basis

points from 7.75 percent to 8 percent. Besides, it kept the cash reserve ratio (CRR) of scheduled banks

unchanged at 4 percent of net demand and time liability (NDTL). The decision to raise the repo rate and

keep the CRR unchanged was announced by the RBI in its Third Quarter Monetary Policy Review on 28

January. As a result, the reverse repo rate under the LAF stands adjusted at 7 percent, and the marginal

standing facility (MSF) rate and the Bank Rate at 9.0 percent.


GSLV-D5 Rocket Carrying Communication Satellite GSAT-14 Successfully Launched Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on 5 January successfully launched its heavy-duty rocket

Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle-Development 5 (GSLV-D5) having indigeneous cryogenic

engine that placed a 1,982 kg GSAT-14 communication satellite into the orbit. The 49.13-metre tall rocket

GSLV-D5 lifted off from Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota , Andhra Pradesh .The launch

vehicle successfully injected the GSAT-14 communication satellite into the intended orbit.With the

successful launch of GSLV-D5 flight India has now become the sixth nation to possess the cryogenic

engine technology, and has joined the elite club of the United States, Russia, France, Japan and China.

India Successfully Test Fired Nuclear Capable „ Prithvi – II „ Missile India on 7 January successfully test-fired its indigenously developed nuclear capable surface to surface

Prithvi II missile , which is capable of carrying 500 kg to 1,000 kg of warheads and has a strike range of

350 km, from a test range at Chandipur near Balasore (Odisha).The launch was part of a user trial by the

Army.Prithvi-II missile is already inducted into the Indian Armed forces.The last trial of Prithvi-II was

successfully carried out from the same base on 3 December 2013.

Astronomers Discovered Two New Exoplanets

In the month of January 2014 A team of Astronomers from Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics

(CfA), have discovered two new extrasolar planets circling a dim, red dwarf star about 200 light-years

away from our planet.One of the planets, dubbed KOI-314c, weighs the same as Earth, but around 60

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percent larger in diameter.The second planet, named KOI-314b, is about the same size as KOI-314c but

significantly denser, weighing about 4 times as much as Earth.The team discovered the planet using data

from NASA‘s Kepler spacecraft.

World‟s Fastest Organic Transistor Developed In the month of January 2014 Scientists claim to have developed the world‘s fastest thin-film organic

transistor that could operate more than five times faster than previous examples of this

technology.Researchers from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) and Stanford University

explained that this experimental technology has the potential to achieve the performance needed for high-

resolution television screens and similar electronic devices. Engineers created the thin-film organic

transistors that could operate more than five times faster than previous examples of this experimental

technology.

PERSONS IN NEWS

A) APPOINTMENTS

R Chandrashekhar is new NASSCOM President

Former Telecom Secretary (Government of India), R Chandrashekhar on 5 January took over as the

President of Information Technology trade body Nasscom (National Association of Software and Services

Companies).He succeeds Som Mittal, who served as President from 2007-2013.This is the first time that

NASSCOM has appointed a former bureaucrat as the president.

US Senate Confirmed Janet Yellen as new Federal Reserve Chairperson

The US Senate has on 6 January confirmed Janet Yellen as new leader of the Federal Reserve. She is the

first woman to lead the central bank in its 100-year history. She succeeds the Chairman Ben Bernanke as

the next head of America‘s central bank.

Sheikh Hasina Sworn In As Bangladesh Prime Minister

Sheikh Hasina was on 12 January sworn in as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh for the third time. She

had won an overwhelming majority in the Bangladesh general election held on 5 January 2014 by

defeating opposition party, Jatiya party.The Awami League has secured absolute majority in the 10th

Parliament elections by bagging 232 seats – 105 contested and 127 uncontested.

B)RESIGNS

Tunisia Prime Minister Ali Larayedh Resigned Tunisia‘s Islamist Prime Minister Ali Larayedh has resigned from his office on 9 January . With his

resignation, the country will be led by the caretaker Government of technocrats led by led by new Prime

Minister Mehdi Jomaa. He resigned following a deal between the Islamist Ennahda Party of Ali Larayedh

and the secular opposition for a transition to the democracy in the country.

C)DEATHS

Israel‟s Former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon Died Israel‘s former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon died on 11 January .The former general of Israeli Army had

been in coma since 4 January 2006. He served as the 11th Prime Minister of Israel until he was

incapacitated by a stroke. Sharon was a commander in the Israeli Army from its creation in

1948.Nicknamed ‗The Bulldozer‘, the veteran soldier fought in all of Israel‘s major wars before beginning

a turbulent political career in 1973.

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D)VISITORS

Bhutan King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck Visited India Bhutan King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck Visited India from 6 – 10 January 2014. During his visit

, Bhutan King held extensive talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi. The two leaders

exchanged views on bilateral relations and on regional and international issues of mutual interest. The

prime minister and other Indian leaders reiterated their full commitment and support to Bhutan‘s socio-

economic development and to further development of Bhutan‘s hydropower resources. This is King

Wangchuck‘s second visit in 12 months. He was also the chief guest at India‘s Republic Day celebrations

in January 2013.

E)MISCELLANEOUS

Sachin Tendulkar 5th Most Admired Person In The World Microsoft founder Bill Gates has been named as the most admired person on the planet with cricketing

legend Sachin Tendulkar fifth on a list of 30 people compiled after a poll in 13 countries, including

India.The ‗World‘s most admired people poll‘ was conducted by YouGov for The Times by surveying

almost 14,000 people.

PLACES IN NEWS

Odisha‟s Chilika Lagoon Named Destination Flyways By UNWTO

Chilika lagoon in Odisha was named Destination Flyways by the United Nations World Tourism

Organization (UNWTO) on 21 January .The lagoon was named so for its sustainable and resilient

destination for migratory birds. Chilika is the only site to be selected from Asia by the UNWTO and was

included in a list of eight such sites. The Destination Flyways initiative of UNWTO aims at promotion of

sustainable tourism.

ABBREVIATIONS

GPS – Global Positioning System

TCS – Tata Consultancy Services

NASSCOM – National Association of Software and Services Companies

GSLV – Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle

FSLRC – Financial Sector Legislative Reforms Commission

NBFC – Non Banking Finance Companies

BOOKS IN NEWS

“ Incredible Opportunities Back Home ” Book Released The Prime Minister Manmohan Singh released the book entitled ―Incredible Opportunities Back Home‖

on 8 January during the 12th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in New Delhi .This book will provide access to

credible information, essential for meaningful engagement.

COMMITTEES

Nachiket Mor Committee‟s Report on Financial Inclusion The committee constituted by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI‘s) on 23 September 2013 to suggest steps

for promoting financial inclusion headed by veteran banker and ex-ICICI Bank executive director

Nachiket Mor. The committee on 7 January 2014 suggested setting up of specialised banks to cater to low

income households to ensure that all citizens have bank accounts by January 1, 2016.

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“World Braille Day” was Observed on 4th January ―World Braille Day‖ is celebrated today (4th January) across the world to observe the Birthday of Louis

Braille. Louis Braille, born in 1809, was the inventor of braille, a system of reading and writing used by

people who are blind or visually impaired. Braille became blind after an accident at the age of three. He

created a language based on the patterns of raised dots on paper, which could be felt and one can read

anything that is unable to see. He did this to have an access to works of literature.

National Girl Child Day Observed on 24 January

National Girl Child Day observed on 24 January 2014 across India by the Government. This day is

observed every year to raise awareness and consciousness of the society towards girl children. The day is

being observed every year on 24 January since 2008. Government of India has started National Girl Child

Day as a national girl‘s development mission. The mission raises the awareness among people all over the

country about the importance of girls‘ promotion. It helps in enhancing girls‘ meaningful contribution in

decision making processes by active support of the parents and the community members.

Documents

Jan-August 2014 CURRENT AFFAIRS