Jagran Josh October 2016

Current Affairs October 2016 eBook 1
www.jagranjosh.com 1
Preface ..............................................................................................3
Pick of the Month ..............................................................................4
National ........................................................................................... 19
International .................................................................................... 37
Economy .......................................................................................... 52
Science & Technology ...................................................................... 62
Environment & Ecology .................................................................... 73
States .............................................................................................. 83
Report|Survey ................................................................................. 94
Corporate ........................................................................................ 97
Sports ............................................................................................ 104
Defence|Security ........................................................................... 123
At a Glance .................................................................................... 131
News Makers ................................................................................. 136
Awards|Honours ........................................................................... 151
Committees | Commissions............................................................ 173
Art and Culture .............................................................................. 175
Exam Boosters ............................................................................... 178
Quizzes .......................................................................................... 194
Latest Government Jobs Closing in October 2016............................ 202
Preface
The Current Affairs October 2016 eBook covers the current events that happened in the month
of September. Current Affairs is a crucial component of any competitive exams including
IAS|PCS, SSC, Banking and MBA.
The lack of preparation for current affairs by the aspirants and candidates often is the main
cause of their failure. Even though the candidates know it but they are often confused about
how to prepare the current affairs section of the different competitive exams. It is to clear such
doubts and confusion, Jagranjosh.com has come up with eBook concept. Although current
affairs section per se is very wide to be covered, yet we have tried to cover all the possible
current affairs for the month of September 2016.
The Current Affairs October 2016 eBook is divided into different section keeping in mind the
need of various exams. The sections covered namely are International, National, Economy,
Ecology and Environment, Science & Technology, Corporate, Sports, States, and News Capsule.
It covers stories like G20 summit, ASEAN summit, ISROs success in launching 8 satellites in 2
different orbits, 200 test wicket haul by Ravichandran Ashwin among others.
Every news item in each section is arranged date wise with the most recent news being
covered first and so on. Although there might be some deviations but that is solely to give
priority to the most important current affairs in each section.
Presentation of the given current affairs has been planned meticulously. It has been planned in
such a way that it remains in the minds of readers for a longer duration. Wherever necessary
each news item is presented along with a background and analysis so as to help candidates
contemplate all the important current events at the time of exam in an effective way.
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Pick of the Month

2016 G20 Summit concludes in Hangzhou, China
The 2016 G20 Summit was held for two days on 4 September and 5 September 2016 at the
Hangzhou International Exhibition Centre, Hangzhou,
China.
The theme of 2016 G20 Summit was Toward an

Innovative, Invigorated, Interconnected and Inclusive
World Economy.
It was the first ever G20 summit to be hosted in China

and the second Asian country to host the Summit. Before China, Seoul, South Korea, hosted the
2010 G20 Summit.
It was the 11th summit since the inception of G20 in 1999.The summit was attended by all the
leaders of the G20 including Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The chair of the summit was Xi Jinping, President of China.
Key highlights of the summit

On 3 September 2016, Barack Obama and Xi Jinping announced the ratification of the Paris
Agreement of the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference by their countries. The
United States and China represent respectively 18 percent and 20 percent of global carbon
dioxide emissions.
The world leaders endorsed free trade and a crowded agenda that included the Koreas, Syria
and refugees.
The main themes final communiqu of the summit are:

Fight against tax evasion
Favour international trade and investments and opposition to protectionism
Fiscal stimulus and innovation to boost economic growth
Combating populist attacks against globalization
Strengthen support for refugee
The guest invitees in the summit were: Egypt, Kazakhstan, Laos, Senegal, Spain, Singapore and
Thailand.
The 2017 G20 Summit will be held in Hamburg, Germany, under the leadership of Angela
Merkel.
G20 Members: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia,
Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the United
Kingdom, the United States of America and European Union.
India in G-20: An Idea whose time has come

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in the eleventh G20 Summit in Hangzhou,
China. Before touching base in China, he paid an exceptionally fruitful two day visit to Vietnam,
where he consented to 12 arrangements altogether progressing two-sided relations in the
Defence, Trade, society, and development cooperation.
In addition to attending the different segments of G20 Summit and making centered
interventions, Modi met and held talks on key two-sided issues with the host, President Xi
Jinping of China, and the presidents of Russia, Turkey, and Argentina, PMs of the U.K.
furthermore, Australia, and representative crown ruler of Saudi Arabia. He likewise casually
interacted with U.S.President Barack Obama and French President Franois Hollande on the
edges of authority thoughts.
The significance of G20 has been dynamically expanding over recent years. It was at first settled
in 1999 in the wake of the East Asian economic crisis comprised of the finance ministers and
heads of national banks of 20 noteworthy economies of the world, who would meet on the
margins of the IMF-World Bank gatherings every year to talk about issues identified with
worldwide financial architecture and worldwide Economic governance.
These gatherings were moved up to the summit level at the recommendation of the then U.S.
president in 2008 to manage the international economic and financial crisis after the fall of
Lehman Brothers in September 2008. In 2009 and 2010, the summit was held twice. Since 2011
anyway, it has been held yearly.
The Chinese President Xi Jinping said G20 thus became the premier forum for international
economic cooperation. It proves that in a world of deepening economic globalization,
cooperation is the sure way for countries to meet challenges and achieve common
development. Today, the global economy and international economic cooperation have
reached another crucial juncture. Can we strengthen the foundation for global recovery and
growth and leave the crisis behind us? Can we seize the historical opportunity presented by
technological breakthroughs and a new industrial revolution and usher in a new round of global
growth?
The answer lies in the course of common action that we will take. Now, all eyes are on the G20.
As an important forum for cooperation among developed countries, emerging markets and
developing countries, the G20 plays a key role in leading and advancing international economic
cooperation. It should act with a broad vision and deliver concrete outcomes. It should address
critical issues affecting the global economy and endeavor to promote strong, sustainable and
balanced growth.
What is G20?
G20 or Group of Twenty is an international forum of the Heads of States of 19 leading

industrialized economies and the EU for international cooperation on global economic and
financial issues. The group comprises of two-thirds of worlds population and 85 per cent of
worlds GDP.
G-20 Objectives
Ensuring international policy cooperation in a comprehensive manner that is in sync with

the contextual business cycles of state.
Strengthening the international financial architecture system in an era of globalization to

prevent a global financial crisis or depression to take place.
Promoting inclusive and equitable economic growth and sustainable development by

addressing the ongoing economic and financial issues and initiating reform actions.
The G20 speaks to 85 percent of world GDP, 80 percent of world trade, and 66% of the total
populace. It is a discussion in which world's real economies, both developing and developed,
are represented. Notwithstanding the summits, the G20 likewise organize meeting between
different ministers and national groups and organizations of member nations. With passing of
time, the plan of G20 summits has kept on extending so that notwithstanding full scale parts of
trade, fund, and economy, the forum likewise debates about political and social issues including
including terrorism, terror financing, health, education, water, agriculture, and more. It has
progressively turned into a Christmas tree on which all nations hang their most loved plan
things and issues.
Maybe obviously, then, the G20's record of actualizing its choices has not been extremely
rousing. As indicated by a study directed by a Canadian foundation, just 77 percent of choices
taken at the last summit in Antalya, Turkey in 2015 have been actualized. Regardless of being a
to a great degree capable and persuasive discussion, G20 does not have a Secretariat or any
perpetual staff. All work is refined by the nation that holds the seat for that year.
The Hangzhou Summit was the principal G20 summit sorted out by China; furthermore the
main such abnormal state summit to happen in that nation. As far as logistics, offices, and
courses of action, China absolved itself respectably accepting the disaster at the airplane
terminal when Obama was not gave a customary staircase to dive from Air Force One on his
landing and the consequent warmed fight between U.S. what's more, Chinese authorities. It is
not clear whether the occurrence was unplanned or deliberate, in spite of the fact that Obama
rejected the scene with a light joke.
Alongside the East Asia Summit in Vientiane, Laos, the G20 was the last real worldwide summit
that Obama will go to before leaving office in January 2017. This was likewise the first summit
for U.K. Prime minister Theresa May and Brazilian President Michel Temer. The essentialness of
the summit was further upgraded as it was the main G20 gathering after the Brexit vote and
occurred just before the U.S. presidential decisions, both of which will significantly affect the
global economy and trade the coming years.
China recognized the subject for the summit as the making of innovative, invigorated,
interconnected and inclusive (the four Is) world economy. All of these components are
widely reflected in the final resolution adopted in summit.
Emerging Role of India

Since introduction of globalization and liberalization policies in 1991, India has increasingly
integrated with the rest of the world and plays an important role in maintaining global
economic balance. At the same time, adverse developments like global financial crisis and euro
zone crisis impact India's growth prospect significantly.
On the forum of G20, India have voiced its concerns regarding rebalancing global governance by
reforming Quota system in global financial institutions, reframing of global tax structure to
combat money Laundering, widening of G20 agenda to include development issues, and
monitoring global economic trade imbalances etc.
While addressing the summit, Modi urged the G20 nations to detach and sanction nations
which support fear based oppression, terrorism and not reward them. Without naming
Pakistan, he said that a solitary nation in South Asia is spreading operators of fear in India and
the entire region. He alluded to the dire need to check black money; to neglect protectionism;
to promote development and interest; to defend climate justice equity and maintain the
standards of value and Common But Differentiated Responsibility (CBDR); control careless
utilization and support ways of life that are in amicability with nature; advance a
straightforward, impartial, non-unfair, open, comprehensive and rule based world trading
system which emphatically reacts to requirements and needs of developing and
underdeveloped countries; guarantee global and public health security; eliminate "places of
refuge" for financial offenders; and secure a "full commitment" from worldwide forces to act
against the degenerate and to upset exorbitant banking secrecy.
He underlined that India's need is to move in the direction of a Trade Facilitation Agreement in
Services, as free portability of talented experts and service suppliers is key for an information
and knowledge driven economy.
Modi's message on terrorism was stern, preventative advice to the international brethren that
they must not expect any versatility or adaptability from India if Pakistan proceeds with its
odious exercises in doing fear assaults and terrorism in India.
Modi's message at the G20 seems to be directed at China that has proceeded to blindly
bolstering Pakistan on this imperative issue. In his one to one meeting with Xi, Modi said that
terrorism should not be seen through the crystal of governmental issues as it is a scourge that
burdens the entire world.
Modi firmly encouraged the BRICS pioneers at the meeting, which he led to make the most
grounded move against terrorism as the world needs a bound together way to deal with
menace. He focused that terrorism remains the essential wellspring of unsteadiness and
greatest danger to social orders and nations; its inventory network and reach are worldwide.
In his bilateral meeting with Xi, Modi additionally underlined that both India and China should
be sensitive to each other's key advantages, concerns, and goals to understand the full
potential of their bilateral relationship. He likewise raised the issues of India's membership of
the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), which was obstructed by China at the NSG conference in
Seoul in June 2016; the "specialized hold" on assigning JeM Chief Azhar Masood as a terrorist
by the UN; and development of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, which goes through Pakistan
Occupied Kashmir, a territory additionally asserted by India. Xi supposedly reacted that he
anticipates working with Modi to "keep up their hard-won sound relations and further propel
participation."
Background
Before 2008, G20 meetings consisted of Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors of
member states. G20 rose to prominence during the global finance crisis of 2008, and now it is
the premier forum for international economic cooperation.
G20 presidency is selected on a rotational basis among the regional groups of member
countries and one member from a group is selected as host for a specific year. The grouping is
as follows:
For example: China is selected from group 5 to be the host for G20 summit 2016.
The Presidency of G20 invites non-member countries and institutions to attend the Leaders'
summit. Invitation is extended to give voice to certain global concerns and an equitable
geographical representation to non-members. Countries presiding over regional forums are
invited such as ASEAN, African Union etc.
Brief summary of summits: Evolution of G20 objectives

2008 A common understanding of the chronic causes of the global crisis and
actions taken to address the immediate crisis was developed.
An agreement on common principles for reforming the financial markets

Washington,
was concluded by mutual assessment of all G20 countries.
D.C,
United States
2009 (a.) Established a new Financial Stability Board (FSB), to collaborate with
the IMF to provide early warning of financial risks and the actions
needed to address them.
London, (b.) The era of banking secrecy was declared as over, to take action
against tax havens and to set a high-quality global accounting
United Kingdom
standards.
2009 Theme- Framework for Strong, Sustainable and Balanced Growth
(a.) A decision to reform the IFIs by changing IMFs quota share to

emerging market economies to under-represented countries.
Pittsburgh,
(b.) A dynamic formula for the World Bank to increase at least 3% voting
United States
power for developing and transition countries that are under-
represented.
2010 Theme-Recovery and New Beginnings
(a.) An agreement formulated on differentiated approach to

consolidating growth and recovery versus exit strategies.
Toronto,
(b.) Development was introduced for the first time on the G20
Canada
objectives and a high Level Development Working Group was created.
2010 Theme-Shared Growth Beyond Crisis
Launching of the G20 Development Agenda for the nine development

pillars:
Seoul,
(i) infrastructure;
South Korea
(ii) human resource development;
(iii) Trade;
(iv) Private investment and job creation;
(v) Food Security;
(vi) Growth with resilience;
(vii) Domestic resource mobilization;
(viii) Knowledge sharing; and
(ix) Financial inclusion.
2011 Theme-Building our Common Future: Renewed Collective Action for the
Benefit of All
Cannes,
(a.) Regulation of commodity derivative markets,
France
(b.) Increasing transparency of energy markets, and
(c.) Supporting the recommendations of the High Level Panel on

infrastructure.
2012 (a.) Adoption of the Los Cabos Growth and Jobs Action Plan and
measures that will contribute to strong, sustainable and balanced
San Jos del growth.
Cabo, Los Cabos,
(b.) Other key issues of discussion were development policy, green
Mexico growth, and trade and employment.
2013 A balanced growth, coupled with an Accountability Assessment

describing progress made on past commitments of G20.
Strelna, Saint
(a.) Expanding the G20s commitment not to introduce new
Petersburg,
trade protectionist measures until the end of 2016.
(b.) Promotion of the OECD-created Action Plan aimed at addressing tax
Russia
base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS).
(c.) A review of commitment to implement financial regulatory reforms
and International Monetary Fund reform.
2014 (a.) Target of increasing the G20s GDP by an additional 2 percent by

2018.
Brisbane,
(b.) Target to reduce unemployment, mainly youth unemployment
and the employment by 25% by 2025.
Australia
(c.) To establish a Global Infrastructure Hub with knowledge-sharing
platform and network between governments.
(d.)To review long pending governance and new quota reforms of

multilateral financial intuitions.
(e.)To reduce cost of transferring remittances to enhance financial

stability.
(f.) It called for increased collaboration on energy efficiency and

formulating effective action plan to address climate change .
2015 (a.)Target to lift the G20's collective GDP by at least 2% and emphasis
inclusive and job-rich growth.
Belek, Antalya,
(b.) Targets were made related to investment strategies and
guidelines for public-private partnership models, and supporting
Turkey
SMEs through best practices.
(c.) To improve financial system stability, the G20 leaders finalized

the international standard on total loss-absorbing capacity of
financial institutions.
(d.) To modernize the international tax system, more reforms to be

done for recovery planning and resolvability along with the measures
developed under base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS).
(e.) A crucial issue emphasized was of climate change action and

cooperation.
(f.) A Separate statement on combating global terrorism menace

was released.
(g) The leaders called on all states to strengthen their response to

contribute to refugee crisis in Middle East and migration issues in
southern Europe.
(h) An immediate need to bridge the digital divide was

acknowledged.
Key Issues of G20 summit 2016 and Indias perceptions:
Theme: TOWARDS AN INNOVATIVE, INVIGORATED, INTERCONNECTED AND INCLUSIVE

WORLD ECONOMY
1. Excess capacity in industrial sector (especially steel industry) was recognized as a global issue.
It imposes trade related problems, one of them being faulty practice of dumping cheap steel
imports into domestic markets of growing economies.
Indian economy was also hampered by excess steel capacity in China resulting in a flood of
cheap imports in market. So, India strongly voiced in favor of anti-dumping duties.
2. Support for modern and integrated tax system was reiterated. Leaders called for a
widespread implementation of base erosion and profit sharing framework formed by joined
efforts of G20 and OECD.
3. Efforts to promote international cooperation to combat corruption in relation with G20 two
year action plan was Indias top agenda.G20 is the right global forum to recommend
transparency standards for the purpose of combating money laundering, tax evasion and
terrorist financing.
India being one of the pioneers in anti-corruption campaign strongly welcomed this move and
called for a more effective and efficient global financial and monetary governance. It also
proposes elimination of safe heavens for tax evasion offenders.
4. To stimulate trade growth, all member countries will make efforts to rectify the WTO Trade
Facilitation Agreement by the given deadline of December 2016.To accelerate efforts to reduce
carbon emissions, strong momentum on climate action was maintained. With US and China
ratifying the Paris agreement, the fight against global warming was strengthened.
Indias role in climate change fight has been instrumental .India is the founding member to
International Solar Alliance to support clean energy efficiency and it is one of the first countries
to integrate the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions in its global agenda.
5. Additional efforts to achieve the common goal of strong, sustainable, balanced, and inclusive
growth were to be made:
To encourage integrated digital economic system by emphasizing on free flow of data,

internet access and cyber security
Promotion to sustainable development by advancing global health security& food
security agendas and mobilizing domestic resources for developments
Way ahead for India

India being an emerging transitional economy has a proactive role to play in all the
international forums including G20. India is an important partner in global cooperation to
eliminate issues plaguing the world economy today.
Using the platform of G20, India can easily give voice to its most critical global concerns like
Repatriation of black money and combating money laundering.
To end excessive bank secrecy and protectionist measures against tax invaders.
Equitable quota reforms in multinational financial institutions like IMF.
Growing forces of global terrorism and radical ideologies.
India has always emphasized on innovationdriven development coupled with inclusive growth
and G20 has forged major concrete actions to reduce imbalances in global development. This
summit concluded with India integrating its concerns with worlds view seeking greater
dynamism in global cooperation.
In the initial couple of years of its foundation, G20 examinations had delivered substantial
results in composed policymaking and follow up activity, however the discussion has since
wandered and lost core interest. Its importance has however kept on developing due to the
open door it gives to world pioneers to meet reciprocally with their real accomplices to talk
about and resolve dire issues of concern and intrigue.
Indian Army conducts surgical strikes across Line of Control

Indian Army conducted surgical strikes on terror launch pads across the Line of Control in
Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) on 28 September 2016.
Director General of Military Operations Lieutenant General
Ranbir Singh said the motive of the operation was to hit out at
the terrorists who were planning to infiltrate into the Indian
Territory.
Lt General Singh informed that significant casualty was caused

to terrorists during the operation. He said that it is a matter of
serious concern that there have been many infiltration bids by terrorists at LoC and it was
reflected in the terror attacks in Poonch and Uri on 11 September and 18 September 2016.
As per DGMO, nothing was done despite India's persistent request to Pakistan not to allow
territory under its control to be used for terror activities. He said Pakistan gave a commitment
to India in 2004 that it will not allow its soil to be used for anti India terror activities.
Besides, he also informed that almost 20 infiltration attempts have been successfully foiled by
Indian Army in 2016. India has also offered consular access to apprehended terrorists from
Pakistan and finger prints and DNA samples of the terrorists killed in Uri and Poonch attacks can
also be made available to the neighbouring country.
Lieutenant General Singh spoke to his Pakistani counterpart to share India's concerns and told
him about the surgical strikes. He said, India cannot allow terrorists to operate across the LoC.
What is Surgical Strike?

A surgical strike is a military attack that results in only damage to the intended legitimate
military target, and no or minimal collateral damage to surrounding structures, vehicles,
buildings, or the general public infrastructure and utilities.
A swift and targeted attack with the aim of minimum collateral damage to the nearby areas and
civilians is a surgical strike.
Surgical strikes that require not just detailed and exhaustive planning but also needs precision
in execution are undertaken by forces across the world.
Indias surgical operation across LoC

Indian Army performed a four hour surgical strike across the Line of Control (LoC) in Pakistan-
Occupied Kashmir (PoK). As per the Army, the strike was
conducted to prevent terrorists who were prepping to infiltrate
and attack the Kashmir region and metros.
The strike, which resulted in heavy casualties on terrorists, also

indicated a change of stand on the rules of engagement on the
disputed LoC. As per reports, first-of-its-kind strike across the
Pakistani border was based on specific intelligence reports.
Details of the Surgical Strike

As per reports, the operation in which paratroopers from Special Forces and Ghatak platoons of
the local units were involved began on 28 September 2016 around 12.30 am. The commandos
were airdropped at the LoC from where they crossed over the Pakistani side. They entered
about three kilometers to conduct the surgical strikes in Bhimber, Hotspring, Kel & Lipa sectors,
on Pakistan side of LoC. As per reports, seven terror launch pads were destroyed in which about
38 terrorists and 2 Pakistani soldiers were killed. The best part of the operation was that no
Indian casualties were reported.
ISRO launched 8 satellites in two different orbits
Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) on 26 September 2016 successfully launched eight
satellites in two different orbits in a single mission. These satellites were launched with the
PSLV C35 from the first launch pad of the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikotta.
The satellites that was carried into space include the primary payload SCATSAT-1 of India,
weighing 371 kg, and seven other customer payloads (five foreign and two domestic) together
weighing 304 kg during lift off. The weather satellite SCATSAT-1 will be hurled into a polar sun
synchronous orbit of 730 kilometer height.
The other seven satellites that will be injected into a different orbit as compared to the
principal payload are
Three smaller payloads from Algeria: Alsat-1B 103 kg, Alsat-2B 110 kg and Alsat Nano 7
kg. They are meant for earth observation, remote sensing and technology
demonstration.
One from US: Pathfinder-1 of 44 kg. It is a high resolution imaging microsatellite and is
owned by BlackSky.
One from Canada: NLS-19 of 8 kg developed at University of Toronto, Canada. It is a

nano-satellite to experiment reduction of space debris.
The other two satellites are from India and they are
a) Pratham: A student-satellite of the IIT, Bombay. It would estimate the total electron
count with a resolution of 1km x 1km location grid.
b) PISAT: It is developed by a consortium-led by the PES University in Bengaluru. It would

explore remote sensing applications.
The two Universities/ Academic Institute Satellites and the five foreign satellites were placed
into a 670 km polar orbit. This was the first mission of PSLV in which launched its payloads into
two different orbits.
SCATSAT-1 of India would serve as a continuity mission for the highly acclaimed Oceansat-2
that has completed its operational life. Its data to accurately predict the landfall of the Cyclone
Phailin in Odisha coast recently helped avoid major loss of lives as precautionary measures
could be taken in advance.
As per reports, this will be made possible by shutting down and restarting the fourth and last
stage of the vehicle twice during the flight. The ISRO has gained valuable expertise on restarting
the engine of the polar synchronous satellite launch vehicle PSLV in space during June 2016 and
December 2015. Through them, the scientists of the space agency gained the expertise to use a
single launch mission to inject multiple satellites in different orbits altogether.
So far, the PSLV has launched 39 remote-sensing satellites of ISRO including the Chandrayaan-1
of 2008 and the Mars mission of 2013-14. Apart from this, it has also launched 74 foreign
commercial and university satellites.
The participation of many nations in this mission from different continents is a reflection of the
indomitable human spirit to explore space for productive causes.
India wins historic 500th Test by 197 runs against NZ

India on 26 September 2016 defeated New Zealand by 197-run to win its historic 500th cricket
test match in Kanpur. On the fifth and final day of the match at Green Park, India bowled out
the visitors for 236 in their second innings, shortly after Lunch, after setting them an
improbable target of 434.
The victory, which is India's 88th on home turf, gave them a 1-0 lead in the three-Test series.
With this win, India has taken their unbeaten tally on home soil to 11 matches. On the other
hand, New Zealand remained without a win on the Indian soil since 1998.
Man of the Match - Ravinder Jadeja. He was awarded for his fine all-round performance
in which he captured six wickets and scored 92 runs.
Besides, the match also saw that Indias off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin became the fastest
Indian and second overall to take 200 wickets in test matches. He reached the milestone in his
37th Test. Only leg-spinner Clarrie Grimmett got to the double century of wickets faster than
Ashwin. The Australian reached there in 36 Tests.
The scores:
India 1st innings: 318
New Zealand 1st innings: 262
India 2nd innings: 377-5 declared
New Zealand 2nd innings: 236 all out in 87.3 overs
National
Mission Parivar Vikas to be launched in seven states for improved
family planning services
The Union Health Ministry has decided to launch Mission Parivar Vikas in 145 High Focus
districts in seven states for improved family planning services. The Mission will be implemented
in all the 145 districts at one go.
Its main objective is to accelerate access to high quality family planning choices based on
information, reliable services and supplies within a rights-based framework.
These districts having the highest total fertility rates are in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar,
Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Assam. These states constitute 44
percent of the countrys population.
How these districts were identified?

These 145 districts have been identified based on total fertility rate and service delivery
(PPIUCD and Sterilization performance) for immediate, special and accelerated efforts to reach
the replacement level fertility goals of 2.1 by 2025.
Recent data suggests that these 145 districts have TFR of more than/equal to 3.0 (56% of the
261 districts in the 7 HFS) and are home to 28% of Indias population (about 33 Crores).
However, only 22% of Indias protected couples and 40% of Indias couples with unmet need
reside in these districts. These districts also have a substantial impact on maternal and child
health indicators as about 25-30% of maternal deaths and 50% of infant deaths occur in these
districts Moreover, 115 of these districts (79%) have high percentage of adolescent mothers.
Key Strategic Focus area

The key strategic focus area of this initiative will be on improving access to contraceptives
through delivering assured services, dovetailing with new promotional schemes, ensuring
commodity security, building capacity (service providers), creating an enabling environment
along with close monitoring and implementation.
Union Cabinet approves Admiralty (Jurisdiction and Settlement of

Maritime Claims) Bill, 2016
The Union Cabinet on 21 September 2016 gave its approval to enact Admiralty (Jurisdiction and
Settlement of Maritime Claims) Bill 2016 and to repeal five archaic admiralty statutes.
The Bill consolidates the existing laws relating to admiralty jurisdiction of courts, admiralty
proceedings on maritime claims, arrest of vessels and related issues.
The approval also repeals five obsolete British statues on admiralty jurisdiction in civil matters,
namely,
(a) The Admiralty Court Act, 1840
(b) The Admiralty Court Act, 1861
(c) Colonial Courts of Admiralty Act, 1890
(d) Colonial Courts of Admiralty (India) Act, 1891
(e) The provisions of the Letters Patent, 1865 applicable to the admiralty jurisdiction of the
Bombay, Calcutta and Madras High Courts.
Salient Features of Admiralty Bill, 2016

This legislative proposal will fulfill a long-standing demand of the maritime legal fraternity. The
salient features are as follows:-
The Bill confers admiralty jurisdiction on High Courts located in coastal states of India and this
jurisdiction extends up to territorial waters.
The jurisdiction is extendable, by a Central Government notification, up to exclusive economic

zone or any other maritime zone of India or islands constituting part of the territory of India.
It applies to every vessel irrespective of place of residence or domicile of owner.
Inland vessels and vessels under construction are excluded from its application but the
Central Government is empowered to make it applicable to these vessels also by a notification
if necessary.
It does not apply to warships and naval auxiliary and vessels used for non-commercial
purposes.
The jurisdiction is for adjudicating on a set of maritime claims listed in the Bill.
In order to ensure security against a maritime claim a vessel can be arrested in certain
circumstances.
The liability in respect of selected maritime claims on a vessel passes on to its new owners by
way of maritime liens subject to a stipulated time limit.
In respect of aspects on which provisions are not laid down in the Bill, the Civil Procedure
Code, 1908 is applicable.
Background
India is a leading maritime nation and maritime transportation caters to about ninety-five
percent of its merchandise trade volume. However, under the present statutory framework, the
admiralty jurisdiction of Indian courts flow from laws enacted in the British era.
Admiralty jurisdiction relates to powers of the High Courts in respect of claims associated with
transport by sea and navigable waterways. The repealing of five admiralty statutes is in line
with the Government's commitment to do away with archaic laws which are hindering efficient
governance.
IOCL, GAIL sign MoU for taking equity stake in Dhamra LNG terminal
Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) and GAIL (India) Limited on 21 September 2016 signed a
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Dhamra LNG Terminal Private Limited (DLTPL) for
taking equity in the 5 MMTPA capacity LNG Receiving, Storage and Regasification Terminal.
The Dhamra LNG terminal is being built by Adani Enterprises Ltd at Dhamra Port, Odisha.
Highlights of the MoU

As per the MoU, DLTPL shall be an equal Joint Venture of Indian Oil and GAIL on one hand and
Adani Group on the other.
Indian Oil and GAIL will acquire 39 percent and 11 percent equity respectively in DLTPL, with
the balance 50 percent stake being held by Adani group.
Indian Oil and Adani group will each divest 1 percent of their respective stake to a credible
financial institution which will then have 2 percent stake in the terminal.
Apart from equity, Indian Oil and GAIL intend to book regasification capacity of 3.0 and 1.5
MMTPA respectively in the terminal.
Background
Presently, the states in eastern India viz. Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal are not
able to get the benefits of natural gas in sectors like Domestic, Transport, Industries etc., as the
region does not have gas infrastructure by way of LNG Terminals and cross-country gas pipeline
grid.
The LNG Terminal at Dhamra Port will provide the potential customers in these states a clean
and economically viable alternative which will also help in reducing the carbon footprint.
This will also provide momentum to the economic growth of this region by attracting new
industrial projects.
The LNG Terminal will also meet the gas requirements of three oil refineries of Indian Oil
situated in Barauni, Haldia and Paradip.
The three fertilizers plants at Barauni, Sindri and Gorakhpur which are being revived by Govt.
of India will also benefit from this terminal.
Union Cabinet approves submarine optical fibre cable connectivity

with Andaman & Nicobar Islands
The Union Cabinet on 21 September 2016 approved the provision of a direct communication
link through a dedicated submarine Optical Fibre Cable (OFC) between Mainland (Chennai) and
Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
The project to be completed by December 2018 will connect the mainland Chennai with Port
Blair & five other islands viz. Little Andaman, Car Nicobar, Havelock, Kamorta and Great
Nicobar.
Highlights
The estimated cost for development of the project is 1102.38 crore rupees including
operational expenses for 5 years.
It will equip Andaman & Nicobar Islands with appropriate bandwidth and telecom
connectivity for implementation of e-Governance initiatives and establishment of enterprises &
e-commerce facilities.
It will also enable the provision of adequate support to educational institutes for knowledge
sharing, availability of job opportunities and fulfill the vision of Digital India.
Background
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are of immense strategic significance for India. The
geographical configuration and the location of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands chain in the Bay
of Bengal safeguard India's eastern seaboard. Provision of secure, reliable, robust, and
affordable telecom facilities in these islands is of importance from a strategic point of view to
the country and also an important requirement for the socio-economic development of the
islands.
Currently the only medium of providing telecom connectivity between Mainland and Andaman
& Nicobar Islands is though satellites, but the bandwidth available is limited to 1 Gbps. Satellite
bandwidth is very costly and its availability is limited due to which future bandwidth
requirement cannot be met solely through it. Then, there is an issue of redundancy, that is, no
alternate media is available in case of any emergency. Lack of bandwidth and telecom
connectivity is also hampering socio-economic development of the islands.
Hence it is essential to have submarine OFC connectivity between the Mainland India and
Andaman & Nicobar Islands, being the only option for catering to projected future bandwidth
requirements.
Union Cabinet approves merging of Rail budget with Union Budget

The Union Cabinet on 21 September 2016 approved merger
of Rail budget with Union Budget. It also decided to advance
the date of presentation of the annual budget from the last
day of February to start of February.
In addition, it also decided to merge the Plan and the Non-

Plan classification in the Budget and Accounts. All these
changes will be put into effect simultaneously from the
Budget 2017-18.
Effects of Merger of Railway Budget with the General Budget

The arrangements for merger of Railway budget with the General budget have been approved
by the Cabinet with the following administrative and financial arrangements-
The Railways will continue to maintain its distinct entity -as a departmentally run commercial
undertaking as at present
Railways will retain their functional autonomy and delegation of financial powers etc. as per
the existing guidelines
The existing financial arrangements will continue wherein Railways will meet all their revenue
expenditure, including ordinary working expenses, pay and allowances and pensions etc. from
their revenue receipts;
The Capital at charge of the Railways estimated at 2.27 lakh crore rupees on which annual
dividend is paid by the Railways will be wiped off. Consequently, there will be no dividend
liability for Railways from 2017-18 and Ministry of Railways will get Gross Budgetary support.
This will also save Railways from the liability of payment of approximately 9700 crore rupees
annual dividend to the Government of India.
The decision scraps over nine-decade old tradition of having a separate Railway Budget. The
presentation of separate Railway budget started in the year 1924, and has continued after
independence as a convention rather than under Constitutional provisions.
The merger will help in

The presentation of a unified budget will bring the affairs of the Railways to centre stage and
present a holistic picture of the financial position of the Government.
The merger is also expected to reduce the procedural requirements and instead bring into
focus, the aspects of delivery and good governance.
Consequent to the merger, the appropriations for Railways will form part of the main
Appropriation Bill.
Advancement of the Budget presentation

As per the plan, the advancement of date of the presentation of the budget would be decided
after taking into account dates of assembly elections. All proposals on the railways will be
included in it. The government will also ensure that there is a separate discussion on the
railways each year.
Advancement of day of budget presentation is going to help by

Advancement of the date of budget presentation would help the government in following
ways.
The advancement of budget presentation by a month and completion of Budget related

legislative business before 31 March would pave the way for early completion of Budget cycle
and enable Ministries and Departments to ensure better planning and execution of schemes
from the beginning of the financial year and utilization of the full working seasons including the
first quarter.
This will also preclude the need for seeking appropriation through 'Vote on Account' and
enable implementation of the legislative changes in tax; laws for new taxation measures from
the beginning of the financial year.
Merger of Plan and Non Plan classification in Budget and Accounts

The merger of the plan and non plan classification in Budget and Accounts from 2017-18
would help in resolving the following issues
The Plan/Non-Plan bifurcation of expenditure has led to a fragmented view of resource

allocation to various schemes, making it difficult not only to ascertain cost of delivering a
service but also to link outlays to outcomes.
The bias in favour of Plan expenditure by Centre as well as the State Governments has led to a
neglect of essential expenditures on maintenance of assets and other establishment related
expenditures for providing essential social services.
The merger of plan and non-plan in the budget is expected to provide appropriate budgetary
framework having focus on the revenue, and capital expenditure.
Third list of Smart Cities released

Union Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu on 20 September 2016 released the third
list of Smart Cities that will get funding for initiating urban reforms. The list includes names of
27 new cities.
With this, the number of cities selected under Smart City Mission for financing implementation
of smart city plans has gone up to 60.
The 27 smart cities announced are from 12 States including 5 from Maharashtra, 4 each from
Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, 3 from Uttar Pradesh and 2 each from Punjab and Rajasthan.
Nagaland and Sikkim have made it to the smart city list for the first time. List of the 27 cities
States Cities
Punjab Amritsar, Jalandhar
Maharashtra Kalyan-Dombivili, Nagpur, Thane, Nashik,

Aurangabad
Madhya Pradesh Ujjain, Gwalior
Andhra Pradesh Tirupati
Karnataka Managaluru, Tumakuru, Shivamogga,

Hubbali-Dharwad,
Uttar Pradesh Agra, Kanpur, Varanasi
Odisha Rourkela
Tamil Nadu Vellore, Madurai, Thanjavur, Salem,
Rajasthan Kota, Ajmer
Gujarat Vadodara
Nagaland Kohima
Sikkim Namchi
Cauvery Supervisory Committee directs Karnataka to release 3000

cusecs of water per day for 10 days
The Cauvery Supervisory Committee headed by Shashi Shekhar on 19 September 2016 directed
Karnataka to release 3000 cusecs of water per day to Tamil Nadu. As per the committees
direction, Karnataka will have to release 3000 cusecs water per day from 21 to 30 September
2016 to Tamil Nadu.
The other members of the committee are Chief Secretaries of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala
and Puducherry and Central Water Commission chairman. It will once again meet in October
2016.
It seems that the decision of the committee will go in vain as no consensus was reached
between the two states regarding the release of water. Karnataka had opposed the release of
water due to ground reality and drinking water problems in the state.
Earlier on 5 September 2016, the Supreme Court asked Karnataka and Tamil Nadu to approach
the panel and till then asked Karnataka to release 15000 cusecs of water per day for 10 days to
Tamil Nadu. Later on 12 September, it revised the limit to 12000 cusecs per day till 20
September 2016.
Outcome of the decision

The Karnataka government said that it will move Supreme Court to challenge the Cauvery
Supervisory Committee's order asking the state to release 3000 cusecs of water per day for 10
days. It said that the state is not in a position to release Cauvery water due to shortage being
faced by them.
Indian Railways launches Yatri Mitra Sewa for elderly, differently-

abled
Indian Railways on 19 September 2016 launched Yatri Mitra
Sewa to facilitate access to wheelchairs, battery operated
cars and porter services. The service was launched to make
rail travel comfortable for elderly, differently-abled and ailing
travelers.
Highlights of the Yatri Mitra Sewa

Yatri Mitra or Passenger Friend service can be an assistant
or any other person nominated for the purpose.
The service will be available at major railway stations across the country.
It can be availed at the time of online booking of tickets by calling or messaging 139 or by
simply dialling a dedicated mobile phone number to be activated for the purpose.
Passengers can also access the Mobile app to avail the service in the future. The App will be
developed by the Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS).
Once the service is booked, the IRCTC will ensure the Yatri Mitra receive the passenger at the
entrance of the station and help in boarding the train safely.
The assistant will also be available at the coach when the passenger arrives at the designated
railway station.
Background
The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) was mandated to implement the
service which may provide Yatri Mitra Sewa free of cost by involving some NGO, charitable
trust, PSUs under the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) category.
But, if the service cannot be provided free of cost due to lack of response, then the IRCTC may
arrange this service on reasonable and affordable charges through a service provider or on its
own.
Union Government issues model guidelines for states to curb Ponzi

schemes
The Union Government on 12 September 2016 issued model guidelines for states to regulate
direct selling and multi-level marketing businesses while prohibiting pyramid structures as well
as money circulation schemes. The guidelines were issued to protect consumers from Ponzi
frauds.
The Direct Selling Guidelines 2016 framework was released by the Food and Consumer Affairs
Minister Ram Vilas Paswan. They have been sent to the states and Union Territories for
adoption.
Key highlights of the guidelines

In the guidelines, the Union Government has clearly defined legitimate direct selling and
differentiates it from pyramid and money circulation schemes to help investigating agencies
identify fraudulent players.
Direct selling means marketing, distribution and sale of goods or providing of services as a
part of network of direct selling other than under a pyramid scheme.
Pyramid Scheme has also been defined in the framework. Money Circulation Scheme has the
same meaning as defined under Prize Chits and Money Circulation Schemes (Banning) Act,
1978.
To conduct direct selling business, the guidelines have prescribed many conditions that need
to be complied within 90 days.
The guidelines bar direct selling companies from charging any entry fee from agents or
compelling them to buy back unsold stocks. These entities will have to enter into an agreement
with direct sellers or agents, and give full refund or buy-back guarantee for goods and services
sold to them.
The guidelines also mandate direct sellers to constitute a grievance redressal committee to
protect consumers right.
The guidelines have also made provision for appointment of monitoring authority at both
Central and state level to deal with the issues related to direct selling.
They also prohibit direct selling entities from using misleading and deceptive or unfair
recruitment practices.
The guidelines have also put conditions for contract between direct sellers and direct selling
entity, saying that all such agreements should be in writing describing the material impact of
the participation.
The agreement should not compel or induce the direct seller to purchase goods or services in
an amount that exceeds an amount that can be expected to be sold to consumers within a
reasonable period of time.
The contract should provide direct sellers a reasonable cooling-off period in which they can
cancel it and receive a refund for goods and services purchased.
The guidelines have also specified certain obligations of direct sellers such as carrying identity
card, and full disclosure of the good and services offered by the entity represented by them.
The new guidelines mandate a seller to provide information about the name of the purchaser
and seller, delivery date of goods, procedure of its return and its warranty.
Union Cabinet approves formation of GST Council

The Union Cabinet on 12 September 2016 approved the process, formation and functioning of
the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council.
The council will consist of the Finance Minister and State Finance Ministers. It will make
recommendations on important issues related to GST, including items and rates.
The GST Council and its Secretariat will be set up as per the following details
Creation of the GST Council as per Article 279A of the amended Constitution
Creation of the GST Council Secretariat, with its office at New Delhi
Appointment of the Secretary (Revenue) as the Ex-officio Secretary to the GST Council
Inclusion of the Chairperson, Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC), as a permanent
invitee (non-voting) to all proceedings of the GST Council
Create one post of Additional Secretary to the GST Council in the GST Council Secretariat and
four posts of Commissioner in the GST Council Secretariat
As per Article 279A of the amended Constitution, the GST Council shall consist of the following
members:
Union Finance Minister Chairperson
The Union Minister of State, in-charge of Revenue of Member

finance
The Minister In-charge of finance or taxation or any Members

other Minister nominated by each State Government
Background
On 8 September 2016, President Pranab Mukherjee had given his assent to the 122nd
Constitutional Amendment Bill. The Bill will pave the way for rollout of GST.
The new tax regime will do away with the indirect taxes. It will usher in one tax for the entire
country.
Over 18 States have ratified the bill.
The GST is a single indirect tax, which will subsume most of the central and state taxes such as
VAT, excise duty, service tax and central sales tax.
GST Bill gets nod by President Pranab Mukherjee

President Pranab Mukherjee on 8 September 2016 gave his assent to the Constitution 122nd
Amendment) (GST) Bill, 2014 as per Article 111 of
Constitution of India. With this assent, the bill
becomes law and allows rolling out a new indirect tax
regime.
After the Presidential assent, the bill will be notified to

the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council that will decide the tax rate, cess and surcharges. The
council to be headed by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will comprise of state Finance
Ministers.
Now, the union and state governments will have to draft the Central GST, State GST and
integrated GST laws for being passed in the winter session of the Parliament. The CGST and
IGST will be drafted on the basis of the model GST law.
On the other hand, the states will draft their respective GST (SGST) laws with minor variation,
incorporating State-based exemptions. The IGST law would deal with inter-State movement of
goods and services.
Goods and Services Tax
The GST is a single indirect tax, which will subsume most of the Central and State taxes such as
the Value Added Tax (VAT), excise duty, service tax, central sales tax, additional customs duty
and special additional duty of customs.
Background
The bill passed by both houses of Parliament in August 2016 and ratified by 19 states was sent
to the Presidents secretariat. The bill needed ratification by the legislative assemblies of at
least 50 percent of the states.
The states that ratified the bill include Assam (first to ratify), Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh,
Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Nagaland, Maharashtra, Haryana, Sikkim,
Mizoram, Telangana, Goa, Odisha, Rajasthan, Arunachal Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh.
Union Government approves 450 crore rupees for Swadesh Darshan

Scheme
The Union Government on 7 September 2016
approved projects worth about 450 crore rupees
under Swadesh Darshan scheme for five states.
The five states are: Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand,

Uttar Pradesh, Sikkim and Tamil Nadu.
The scheme was launched with an objective to

develop 13 theme-based tourist circuits in India.
The approval for the five states was given in a meeting of the Central Sanctioning and
Monitoring Committee (CSMC) on 5 September 2016.
Various circuits under Swadesh Darshan Scheme

In total, 13 thematic circuits have been identified for development, namely North-East India
Circuit, Buddhist Circuit, Himalayan Circuit, Coastal Circuit, Krishna Circuit, Desert
Circuit, Tribal Circuit, Eco Circuit, Wildlife Circuit, Rural Circuit, Spiritual Circuit, Ramayana
Circuit and Heritage Circuit.
The Ramayana Circuit in Uttar Pradesh: Amount of 70 crore rupees is approved for the
project. It envisages development of two destinations, Chitrakoot and Shringverpur. It also
includes Ayodhya, for which Uttar Pradesh Tourism Department is preparing a detailed project
report.
The Heritage Circuit in Madhya Pradesh: Amount of 100 crore rupees is approved for the
project. It will cover Gwalior-Orchha-Khajuraho-Chanderi-Bhimbetka-Mandu.
The Heritage Circuit in Uttarakhand: Amount of 83 crore rupees is approved for the project.
The amount will be used for development of infrastructure in Jageshwar-Devidhura-Katarmal-
Baijnath sites.
The Coastal Circuit in Tamil Nadu: Amount of around 100 crore rupees is approved for the
project. It envisages development of Chennai-Mamamallapuram- Rameshwaram-Manpadu-
Kanyakumari.
The North East Circuit in Sikkim: Amount of 95.50 crore rupees is approved for the project. It
includes development of eco log huts, cultural centre, paragliding centre, craft bazaar, base
camp for mountaineering and meditation hall.
UIDAI bans sharing of Aadhaar details

In a step to ensure that the details of Aadhaar is not
misused, the Unique Identification Authority of India
(UIDAI) asked agencies in possession of Aadhaar
number of an individual to not publish or post the
information publicly.
It said that the agencies will have to ensure security

and confidentiality of the 12-digit resident
identification number under the Aadhaar Act.
Regulations
The core biometric information, collected by the Authority, cannot be shared with anyone for
any reason.
Any violation of the Aadhaar Act will constitute an offence and is punishable under the Act.
The agencies that collect the Aadhaar number will also have to specify whether submission of
the number or proof of Aadhaar is mandatory or voluntary.
The regulations also provide for obtaining consent of the Aadhaar number holder for
collection, storage and use of the same for specified purposes.
Union Government launches NIDHI for nurturing ideas and

innovation into start ups
Union Government on 6 September 2016 launched a new program called National Initiative for
Developing and Harnessing Innovations (NIDHI). The initiative aims at nurturing ideas and
innovation into successful start ups.
NIDHI, an umbrella programme of the Department of Science & Technology (DST), will focus on
helping startups to meet their funding, infrastructure and other mentorship needs. NIDHI will
allow youths of the country to give a concrete shape to their ideas.
National Initiative for Developing and Harnessing Innovations

The programme focuses on building a seamless and innovation driven entrepreneurial
ecosystem especially by channelizing youth towards it and thereby bringing in the positive
impact on the socio-economic development of the country.
It aims at providing technological solutions not only to the pressing needs of the society but
also targets to create new avenues for wealth and job creation.
By design it connects and strengthens all the links of the innovation chain from scouting to
sustaining to securing to scaling to showcasing, because a chain is only as strong as its weakest
link.
There are eight component of NIDHI that support each stage of a budding startup from idea
to market. The first component is PRAYAS (Promoting and accelerating young and aspiring
innovators and startups) which aims to support innovators to grant up to 10 lakh rupees.
The final component is the Seed Support System which provides up to One Crore rupees per
start-up and is implemented through Technology Business Incubators.
During the financial year 2016-17, Department of Science has allocated 180 crore rupees, with a
view to drive the innovation and startup centric new initiative.
Key stakeholders
The key stakeholders of NIDHI includes various departments and ministries of the Union
government, state governments, academic and R & D institutions, mentors, financial
institutions, angel investors, venture capitalists, industry champions and private sectors.
Union Government launches Integration of DigiLocker with Driving

Licenses and Vehicle Registration Certificates
Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport and Highways and Shipping, and Ravi Shankar Prasad,
Minister of Electronics and Information Technology and Law and Justice, on 7 September 2016
jointly launched Integration of DigiLocker with Driving Licenses (DL) & Vehicle Registration
Certificates (RC) in New Delhi.
The new service will end the need of people carrying around physical copies of their RCs and
DLs. They can instead access digital copies of the same on their mobile phones via the
DigiLocker mobile app.
Key highlights of DigiLocker with DLs and RCs

Driving Licenses and Vehicle Registration documents can now be issued directly to the
DigiLockers of individuals in digital formats.
These digital copies can be shared with other departments as identity and address proof.
They will also be used for on the spot verification through the citizens mobile, by various law
enforcement authorities like the Traffic Police.
Besides being convenient for people, this will also result in assured authenticity of such
documents and reduction of administrative overhead.
Background
DigiLocker was launched by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi in July 2015.
It aims at transforming India into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy.
It is a platform for issuance and verification of documents and certificates digitally.
DigiLocker currently has 2126332 registered users with 2411702 uploaded documents and
has issued over 42673232 documents as on 1 September 2016.
Union Government launches dedicated pan-India helpline for power

outages
The Union Government on 6 September 2016 launched the Urja Mitra Helpline number 14401,
a dedicated pan-India helpline for power outages.
With this, consumers can now get an update from power distribution companies about outages
in their area by dialling 14401.
The Department of Telecom (DoT) created the helpline for pan-India usage to send information
through voice calls and SMSes to apprise customers about power situation in their area.
It is a mandatory service, which will be provided by all the telecom operators.
Union Government launches Leprosy Case Detection campaign

Health Ministry on 5 September 2016 launched the
Leprosy Case Detection campaign (LCDC) in the
country. Objective of the campaign is to detect the
disease early so that those affected can be saved
from physical deformity.
As per the Health Ministry release about 32 crore

people across 149 districts of 19 States and Union
Territories will be screened under the fortnight-long
campaign.
Key highlights of the campaign

It includes, the districts having a prevalence rate of more than one case per 10000 people in
the last three years.
Around three lakh teams will visit every house in their allotted area and screen all the family
members for leprosy.
The states and UTs to be covered in this campaign include Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar,
Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Haryana, Maharashtra, Nagaland, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Uttar
Pradesh, Karnataka, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Delhi, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and
Lakshadweep.
Chhattisgarh has the highest number of districts to be covered, followed by Dadra Nagar and
Haveli.
The first Leprosy Case Detection Campaign was launched in March 2016 in 50 districts of 7
states namely Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha and Uttar
Pradesh. During the campaign, around 65427 suspected cases were identified out of which
nearly 4120 were later confirmed.
Leprosy
It is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae. It is a leading cause of

permanent physical disability. It usually affects the skin and peripheral nerves, but has a wide
range of clinical manifestations. The disease is characterized by long incubation period
generally 5-7 years.
The effective way of preventing disability due to leprosy is timely diagnosis and treatment of
cases, before nerve damage has occurred. As per records, leprosy cases in India was reduced to
one lakh in 2005 from 30 lakh in 2003, but since then there has been no remarkable
achievement in terms of its complete elimination.
Dharmendra Pradhan launches Gas4India campaign to promote use

of natural gas
Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Petroleum and Natural
Gas, on 6 September 2016 launched #Gas4India campaign.
The campaign is aimed at promoting the use of gas in the country.
Public and private sector companies working in the sector have joined hands to promote the
natural gas sector.
Pradhan also launched the website, Twitter handle, Facebook page and theme song of the
campaign.
Key highlights of the campaign

Gas4India is a unified cross-country, multimedia, multi-event campaign.
It promotes the national, social, economic and ecological benefits of using natural gas as the
fuel of choice.
The campaign includes social engagement via social media sites such as Twitter, Facebook,
Youtube, LinkedIn, and its official blogsites.
India declares itself free from bird flu

India declared itself free from the highly contagious avian influenza (H5N1) or bird flu from 5
September 2016. The declaration was made by the
Department of Animal Husbandry under the
Agriculture Ministry.
The Department in a statement said that it had

notified the same to the World Organization for
Animal Health (OIE). However, it also stressed that
there is a need for continued surveillance.
To make sure that this H5N1 free status is maintained, the union government has asked the
chief Secretaries of states to continued surveillance especially in the vulnerable areas bordering
infected countries and in areas visited by migratory birds.
Background
The outbreak of the avian influenza was notified on 9 May 2016 at Humnabad, Bidar district,
Karnataka. In areas on the one-kilometre radius of the outbreak location, the government took
measures, including culling, disinfection and clean-up, to contain the spread of avian influenza.
Bird flu affects mainly the domestic poultry. The disease spreads from infected birds to other
winged creatures through contact with nasal and respiratory secretions and also due to
contamination of feed and water.
Avian influenza
Avian influenza (AI) is an infectious viral disease of birds. AI viruses are divided into 2 groups
based on their ability to cause disease in poultry: high pathogenicity or low pathogenicity.
Highly pathogenic viruses result in high death rates (up to 100% mortality within 48 hours) in
some poultry species. Low pathogenicity viruses also cause outbreaks in poultry but are not
generally associated with severe disease.
Key facts
Most avian influenza viruses do not infect humans; however some, such as A(H5N1) and
A(H7N9), have caused serious infections in people.
Outbreaks of AI in poultry may raise global public health concerns due to their effect on
poultry populations, their potential to cause serious disease in people, and their pandemic
potential.
Reports of highly pathogenic AI epidemics in poultry, such as A(H5N1), can seriously impact
local and global economies and international trade.
The majority of human cases of A(H5N1) and A(H7N9) infection have been associated with
direct or indirect contact with infected live or dead poultry. There is no evidence that the
disease can be spread to people through properly cooked food.
Controlling the disease in animals is the first step in decreasing risks to humans.
Union Government notifies National Apprenticeship Promotion

Scheme
The Union Government on 1 September 2016 notified National Apprenticeship Promotion
Scheme. It is for the first time a scheme has been notified to offer financial incentives to
employers.
The Scheme has an outlay of 10000 crore rupees with a target of 50 Lakh apprentices to be
trained by 2019-20.
The National Policy of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, 2015 launched by Prime
Minister Narendra Modi focuses on apprenticeship as one of the key components for creating
skilled manpower in India. The policy proposes to work pro-actively with the industry including
MSME to facilitate tenfold increase opportunities in the country by 2020.
Apprenticeship Training is considered to be one of the most efficient ways to develop skilled
manpower for the country. It provides for an industry led, practice oriented, effective and
efficient mode of formal training.
Key highlights of the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme

It provides for incentivizing employers to engage apprentices.
25% of the total stipend payable to an apprentice would be shared with employers directly by
Union Government.
It also supports basic training, which is an essential component of apprenticeship training.
50% of the total expenditure incurred on providing basic training would be supported by
Union Government.
International
Barack Obama vetoed a bill that would have allowed families of
9/11 victims to sue Saudi Arabia
US President Barack Obama on 23 September 2016 vetoed a bill that would have allowed the
families of 9/11 victims to sue Saudi Arabia. Earlier, the Justice against Sponsors of Terrorism
Act (JASTA) was passed by both the chambers of the Republican controlled Congress.
As per President, the JASTA, would have jeopardized the long standing international principles
regarding sovereignty and would have made adverse impact with US interests and nationals
overseas.
In his message accompanying his veto, he said that the bill departs from longstanding standards
and practice under US Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act. It also threatens to strip all foreign
governments of immunity from judicial process in the country based solely upon allegations by
private litigants that a foreign government's overseas conduct had some role or connection to a
group or person that carried out a terrorist attack inside the United States.
The US President said the bill would upset longstanding international principles regarding
sovereign immunity, putting in place rules that, if applied globally, could have serious
implications for the country's national interests and it can even complicate relations with its
closest partners.
UN Security Council adopts resolution on nuclear non-proliferation

and nuclear disarmament
The UN Security Council on 23 September 2016 approved a resolution urging quick global
implementation of Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban treaty that would ban tests of nuclear
weapons.
With 14 votes in favour and one abstention (Egypt), the resolution welcomed progress made
towards universalization of the Treaty, noting that 183 States have signed the Treaty and 166
States have deposited their instruments of ratification.
US Secretary of State John Kerry invoked North Korea's latest nuclear explosion in urging
ratification of the treaty for a safer, more secure, and more peaceful planet. But the US has not
yet done so.
The UN's Comprehensive Test Ban Organization already has a network of monitoring stations.
But it still cannot go on site to inspect for tests until the treaty enters into force. For that, the
holdouts among the 44 countries that are designated nuclear capable, the United States, China,
Egypt, India, Iran, Israel, North Korea and Pakistan must ratify.
The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty bans all nuclear explosions for both civilian and
military purposes. Adopted by the UN General Assembly under resolution 50 (1996), the Treaty
will enter into force 180 days after the date of deposit of the instruments of ratification by all.
Afghanistan signs peace deal with militant group Hezb-e-Islami

Afghanistan on 22 September 2016 signed a peace agreement with one of the country's largest
militant groups Hezb-e-Islami led by Gulbuddin Hekmatyar. This agreement paves the way for
Hekmatyar to make a political comeback.
As per the agreement, Hekmatyar will be granted amnesty for his offences and the prisoners of
Hezb-e-Islami will be released by the government. The deal also includes provisions for his
security at government expense.
The document was signed by the government delegation and a team representing Hekmatyar's
Hezb-e Islami militant group at a press conference in Kabul. The government said that the
agreement will come into force after it is formally signed by Ghani and Hekmatyar. Till now, no
formal date has been set for signing of the deal.
The deal marks a symbolic victory for President Ashraf Ghani, who has struggled to revive peace
talks with the more powerful Taliban.
Widely known as butcher of Kabul, Hekmatyar was a prominent anti-Soviet commander in the
1980s. He is accused of killing thousands in the Kabul during the 1992-93 Civil War. His forces
also carried out attacks against the US and Afghan forces since 2001.
World leaders adopt New York Declaration at UNGA Summit for

Refugees and Migrants
The World Leaders on 19 September 2016 adopted the New York Declaration at the opening of
the United Nations General Assembly's (UNGA) first-ever Summit for Refugees and Migrants.
The delegations adopted the landmark Declaration containing bold commitments to address
current issues and to prepare the world for future challenges, including, to start negotiations
leading to the adoption of a global compact for safe, orderly and regular migration in 2018.
Highlights of the New York Declaration

Protect the human rights of all refugees and migrants, regardless of status. This includes the
rights of women and girls and promoting their full, equal and meaningful participation in finding
solutions.
Ensure that all refugee and migrant children are receiving education within a few months of
arrival.
Prevent and respond to sexual and gender-based violence.
Support those countries rescuing, receiving and hosting large numbers of refugees and
migrants.
Work towards ending the practice of detaining children for the purposes of determining their
migration status.
Find new homes for all refugees identified by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for
Refugees (UNHCR) as needing resettlement.
Expand the opportunities for refugees to relocate to other countries through labour mobility
or education schemes.
Strengthen the global governance of migration by bringing the International Organization for
Migration (IOM) into the UN system.
The adoption of the New York Declaration means that more children can attend school; more
workers can securely seek jobs abroad and more people will have real choices about whether
to move once the conflicts are resolved.
Other Developments
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also launched a new campaign called Together Respect,
Safety and Dignity for All to respond to rising xenophobia and turn fear into hope.
United Nations and International Organization for Migration (IOM) signed the new agreement
by which IOM officially becomes a related organization of the United Nations system.
Russia: Ruling United Russia party wins parliamentary election

President Vladimir Putins United Russia party on 19 September 2016 won the Russian
parliamentary election by securing 343 seats of the total 450 in Duma, the lower house of
Parliament. This win, paves the way for Putin to run for a fourth term as President.
Central Election Commission said, Communist Party and Liberal Democratic Party with about 14
percent each are in second and third place, while A Just Russian party gained about 6 percent of
the votes. No other party has overcome the 5 percent threshold for entry into the parliament
by party tickets.
Earlier, the elections to the state Duma were held on 18 September 2016 in a split system 225
members of parliament were elected by party tickets, while the other 225 were elected in one-
seat constituencies. More than 111 million people were eligible to vote in the election and no
minimal turnout was required.
In the last election for the Duma in 2011, United Russia won 49 percent (238 seats) of the vote
China and Russia conduct naval exercises Joint Sea-2016 to improve

security
The Chinese and Russian navies on 19 September 2016 concluded Joint Sea-2016, eight days of
naval exercises, in the South China Sea.
The Joint Sea-2016 was launched as a sign of growing cooperation between their armed forces
against the backdrop of regional territorial disputes.
The exercises was conducted following a spike in tensions after Permanent Court of Arbitration
in The Hague rejected Chinas claims in the South China Sea and slammed it for causing
environmental damage there.
Key highlights of Joint Sea-2016

The Joint Sea-2016 included ships, submarines, ship-borne helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft,
along with marines and amphibious armoured vehicles who will conduct live-firing exercises.
Tasks included defensive and rescue drills, anti-submarine exercises and the simulated seizure
of an enemy island by marines from both sides.
Compared with previous years, the 2016 drill focused more on confrontational capacity such
as surface warships, submarines and land-based defences. Use of an advanced command
system made communication between the two navies smoother.
It was also the first time the China-Russia joint exercise had been held in the South China Sea.
Barack Obama designates first US Marine National Monument in

Atlantic Ocean
The United States President Barack Obama on 15 September 2016 designated the countrys
first marine national monument, Northeast
Canyons and Seamounts Marine National
Monument, in the Atlantic Ocean.
The monument aims at protecting fragile deep-sea

ecosystems off the coast of New England.
The announcement was made by the American

president at the third annual Our Ocean
Conference in Washington DC. The Conference is
hosted by Secretary of State John Kerry. The Conference focuses on issues related to marine-
protected areas, sustainable fisheries, marine pollution, and climate-related impacts on the
ocean.
In August 2016, Obama had decided to expand the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National
Monument off the coast of Hawaii by 1.1 million square km, creating the worlds largest marine
protected area.
More than 20 countries attending the annual ocean conservation meeting will announce the
creation of 40 significant new marine protected areas, totalling nearly 1.2 million square km of
ocean.
When combined with the Papahanaumokuakea expansion, the nations of the world have
protected more than 900000 square miles of ocean in 2016, exceeding last years record of
more than 1.9 million square km.
About Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument

The Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument is a Marine National
Monument of the United States off the coast of New England.
It will protect 12725 square km of ecosystems encompassing three underwater canyons

deeper than the Grand Canyon, and four underwater
It will provide habitat for protected species such as sea turtles and marine mammals,
including endangered sperm, fin, and sei whales and Kemps ridley turtles.
It is the first U.S. national marine monument in the Atlantic Ocean.
India, Sri Lanka sign MoU to support fishermen in Hambantota

district
India and Sri Lanka on 15 September 2016 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to
support livelihood of the fishing and farming communities in Hambantota district of Sri Lanka.
The project envisages gift of equipment and tools such as grub hoes, bicycles, life jackets and
sewing machines, worth 300 million SLR, to the fishing and farming communities in
Hambantota district. Part of the grant is expected to be used for developing fisheries villages
under a national programme.
More than 75000 people across the district will get direct benefit from the project. The project
will be implemented in consultation with the relevant local authorities.
India, Nepal sign three agreements including improvement of road

network
India and Nepal on 16 September 2016 signed three MoUs and agreements to enhance the
bilateral agreement between the two nations.
The agreements were inked during the four-day-visit (from 15 September to 18 September
2016) of Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda to India.
The inked MOUs and agreements are

MoU for project management consultancy services for upgradation/improvement of road
infrastructure in Terai area of Nepal The services will be provided by NHIDCL in pursuance of
the MoU signed on 20 February 2016.
First Amendatory Dollar credit line agreement between Nepal and EXIM Bank: Amendatory
agreement to 1 billion US dollar Line of Credit agreement signed on 25 November 2014,
enabling reapportioning of unutilised funds for post-earthquake reconstruction projects in
Nepal.
Dollar Credit line agreement between Nepal and EXIM Bank: New Line of Credit agreement
for 750 million US dollar for post-earthquake reconstruction projects in Nepal.
India-Afghanistan inked agreements to enhance bilateral

cooperation
India and Afghanistan on 14 September 2016 signed an Extradition Treaty to facilitate exchange
of wanted terrorists and criminals.
The two nations also inked agreements on

peaceful uses of outer space and on cooperation
on civil and commercial matters.
The treaties were signed during Afghanistan

President Ashraf Ghanis visit to India. He was on
a visit to India from 14-15 September 2016.
In addition, during the meeting the two leaders

President Ghani and Prime Minister Narendra Modi sought faster implementation of the
trilateral agreement among Afghanistan, Iran and India. This agreement was reached in May
2016 with an aim of creating a network of regional connectivity around Irans Chahbahar port.
Besides, India also extended a one-billion dollar to Afghanistan for capacity and capacity
building in areas like empowerment of women, education, skill development, health, energy
and others. Prime Minister Modi also proposed to supply world class and easily affordable
medicines from India and cooperation in solar energy through mutually agreed instruments.
US sign 38 billion dollars deal with Israel

The United States on 14 September 2016 signed a 38 billion dollars deal with Israel to provide
the country with military assistance over a 10-year period, from 2019 to 2028. The deal is the
largest such agreement the US has ever had with any country.
Under the terms of agreement, Israel will receive 3.8 billion dollars a year from the US. At
present US gives 3.1 billion dollars to Israel annually under a 10-year deal that ends in 2018.
Following 10 months of tense negotiations, the two allies finalised the memorandum of
understanding (MoU) with a signing ceremony in Washington. It was signed with the hope that
this contribution would help in security.
China, Vietnam agreed to properly manage differences over South

China Sea
China and Vietnam on 13 September 2016 agreed to properly manage their differences over
territorial disputes in the South China Sea and safeguard stability. This followed as an
international tribunal rejected the Chinese claims
over the region on a petition brought before it by
the Philippines.
The agreement was reached after talks between

Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and
his Chinese premier Li Keqiang in Beijing. Phuc's visit
to China is the first by a top Vietnamese leader after
the tribunal verdict on 12 July 2016. The Chinese
Prime Minister is known as Premier.
Earlier, China rejected The Hague-based tribunals verdict. The tribunal in its ruling had
concluded that China does not have legal basis to claim historic rights to the bulk of the Sea. It
also said that China does not have the right to resources within its nine-dash line which extends
hundreds of miles to the south and east of its island province of Hainan and covers some 90
percent of the disputed waters. The ruling was based on the facts that China had no evidence
to prove that it had historically exercised exclusive control over the waters or their resources.
China is now persuading other claimants - Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei - to settle the disputes
bilaterally, without approaching for international arbitration.
As per reports, China and Vietnam have agreed to properly manage maritime differences and
further enhance bilateral substantial cooperation.
Besides, the two leaders also saw the signing of agreements on economy and trade, production
capacity, infrastructure and education.
India, 10 South-east Asian countries decided to set up fund for

health emergencies in region
India along with 10 other member countries of WHO's South-East Asian Regional Committee on
9 September 2016 decided to set up a dedicated fund aimed at building preparedness for
health emergencies in the region.
The joint funding stream will be established under the South-East Asia Regional Health
Emergency Fund (SEARHEF).
The decision was made at the 69th session of WHO Regional Committee Meeting held at
Colombo, Sri Lanka. The decision would help the member countries to invest in human
resources and infrastructure at times of emergencies, as it is one of the most disaster-prone
regions.
In addition, the member countries also passed a resolution for promoting physical activity and
expanding health workforces across the region. Insufficient physical activity is a major
contributor to rising rates of non-communicable diseases in the region, with four-fifth of
adolescents not getting enough of it.
In the recent years, earthquakes, cyclones and floods have caused health emergencies in south-
east Asian region and it has also been threatened by a range of emerging diseases, including
SARS, MERS CoV, pandemic influenza and Zika virus.
WHO South-East Asia region committee comprises 11 member states namely Bangladesh,
Bhutan, South Korea, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Thailand and
Timor-Leste.
UN Charter translated into Sanskrit Language

The UN Charter, the seminal treaty of the United Nations (UN), was on 7 September 2016
translated into Sanskrit Language for the first time.
This came following the pioneering efforts of Jitendra Kumar Tripathi, the Secretary of the
Lucknow-based Akhila Bharatiya Sanskrit Parishad.
About UN Charter
The United Nations Charter was signed on 26 June 1945 in San Francisco, at the conclusion of
the United Nations Conference on International Organisation.
It came into force on 24 October 1945.
The Statute of the International Court of Justice is an integral part of the Charter.
The Charter is available in all six official languages of the UN.
India, Greece sign Air Services Agreement under Open Sky Policy
India on 7 September 2016 signed the bilateral Air Services Agreement with Greece to allow
unlimited points of call for domestic airlines in Greece.
Both the countries have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in this regard under
the Open Sky Policy. It will be the first such ASA with Greece, a country known for its tourist
spots and scenic beauty.
Background
Indian Government Signed the MoU with Greece under the provisions of the new Civil Aviation
Policy with an aim to improve international air connectivity for Indian carriers.
As per the policy, the government will enter into an Open Sky Air Services Agreement on a
reciprocal basis with SAARC nations as well as countries with territory located entirely beyond a
5000 kilometre radius from New Delhi.
Nearly 50 million children uprooted worldwide: UNICEF

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) on 7 September 2016 released the report titled
Uprooted: The growing crisis for refugee and migrant children.
According to the report, nearly 50 million children have been uprooted across the globe and
millions more migrating in the hope of finding a better, safer life.
Traumatized by the conflicts and violence they are fleeing, they face further dangers including
the risk of drowning on sea crossings, malnourishment, trafficking, rape and even murder. In
countries they travel through and at their destinations, they often face xenophobia and
discrimination.
Highlights of the Report

Children represent a disproportionate and growing proportion of those who have sought
refuge outside their countries of birth: they make up about half of all refugees.
In 2015, around 45 percent of all child refugees under UNHCRs protection came from Syria
and Afghanistan.
28 million children have left their homes due to conflict across borders including 10 million
child refugees and an estimated 17 million children displaced within their own countries.
More and more children are crossing borders on there own. In 2015, over 100000
unaccompanied minors applied for asylum in 78 countries; triple the number in 2014.
About 20 million other international child migrants have left their homes for a variety of
reasons including extreme poverty or gang violence.
Turkey hosts the largest total number of recent refugees and very likely the largest number of
child refugees in the world.
Relative to its population, Lebanon hosts the largest number of refugees by an overwhelming
margin: Roughly 1 in 5 people in Lebanon is a refugee.
By comparison, there is roughly 1 refugee for every 530 people in the United Kingdom and 1
for every 1200 in the United States.
When considering refugee-host countries by income level, however, the Democratic Republic
of the Congo, Ethiopia, and Pakistan host the highest concentration of refugees.
A refugee child is five times more likely to be out of school than a non-refugee child. Outside
the classroom, legal barriers prevent migrant children from receiving services on an equal basis
with children who are native to a country.
In the worst cases, xenophobia can escalate to direct attacks. In Germany alone, authorities
tracked 850 attacks against refugee shelters in 2015.
Six specific actions to protect refugee and migrant children

Protecting child refugees and migrants, particularly unaccompanied children from
exploitation and violence.
Ending the detention of children seeking refugee status or migrating by introducing a range of
practical alternatives.
Keeping families together as the best way to protect children and give children legal status.
Keeping all refugee and migrant children learning and giving them access to health and other
quality services.
Pressing for action on the underlying causes of large-scale movements of refugees and
migrants.
Promoting measures to combat xenophobia, discrimination and marginalization.
WHO certifies India free from Yaws, Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus
India on 6 September 2016 received certificates from World Health Organisation (WHO)
recognising the elimination of Yaws and Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus (MNT) from the
country.
The certificates were presented to Union Health Minister JP Nadda at the 69th Session of the
WHO regional committee for south-east Asia region held in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
With this, India became the first country to be officially acknowledged as being yaws-free.
The elimination of tetanus as a public health problem means that the annual rate of maternal
and neonatal tetanus in India is now less than 1 per 1000 live births.
What is Yaws?
Yaws is a tropical infection of the skin, bones and joints caused by the spirochete bacterium
Treponema pallidum pertenue.
It is spread by direct contact with the fluid from a lesion of an infected person.
The disease is most common among children, who spread it by playing together.
The disease infects only humans.
What is Neonatal Tetanus?

Neonatal tetanus is a form of generalised tetanus that occurs in newborns.
Infants who have not acquired passive immunity from the mother having been immunised are
at risk.
It usually occurs through infection of the unhealed umbilical stump, particularly when the
stump is cut with a non-sterile instrument.
The disease mostly occurs in developing countries, particularly those with the least developed
health infrastructure. It is rare in developed countries.
Background
India was validated for maternal and neonatal tetanus elimination in April 2015, much ahead
of the global target date of December 2015.
India being yaws-free is also significant as India has achieved this important landmark much
before the WHO global target year of 2020.
The Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus Elimination has been the result of India's focused
approach on making maternal and newborn care accessible to all.
Reducing maternal and neonatal tetanus to less than one case per 1000 live births in all 675
districts has helped improve access to immunization, antenatal care services and skilled birth
attendance in the most vulnerable populations.
Both yaws and maternal and neonatal tetanus eliminations were achieved using the existing
health system and health workforce.
World's first driverless bus service launched in French city of Lyon

The worlds first driverless bus service began carrying passengers in the first week of September
2016 in Lyon, France.
Two electric minibuses with a capacity of 15 passengers each are now operating a 10-minute
route with five stops in the city centre at an average speed of 10 Kilometres per hour.
Key highlights of driverless bus

The buses include features like LiDAR radar technology and motion sensors to help it avoid
collisions.
Theyre equipped with a range of detectors that allow them to know exactly where they are.
It can hold up to 15 passengers.
The bus is designed by French company Navya.
The electric buses were tested in several French cites and in Switzerland before coming to
Lyon.
They are also set to undergo trials in Dubai.
What is LiDAR technology?

LiDAR is a surveying technology that measures distance by illuminating a target with a laser
light.
It is sometimes considered an acronym of Light Detection and Ranging.
However, it was originally created as a portmanteau of light and radar.
It is popularly used as a technology to make high-resolution maps, with applications in

geodesy, geomatics, archaeology, geography, geology, etc.
UK and Iran appoint ambassadors for first time since 2011

The United Kingdom (UK) and Iran in September 2016 appointed ambassador in each-other's
country for the first time since 2011. This
appointment marks the restoration of the
diplomatic relations between the two nations.
Nicholas Hopton, a Middle East specialist and

former British ambassador to Qatar and Yemen,
was appointed as UK ambassador to Iran. On the
other hand, Hamid Baeidinejad, a key figure in the
Iranian nuclear negotiating team, was appointed
as the Iranian ambassador to the UK.
The Foreign Office announcement comes one year after the reopening of the British Embassy in
Tehran. The embassy was reopened in August 2015 by then-British Foreign Secretary Philip
Hammond and the two countries resumed ties on Charge d'Affaires level.
The British embassy in Tehran was closed after it was stormed and ransacked by protesters in
November 2011. The UK also ordered the Iranian embassy in London to be closed.
World Health Organisation certifies Sri Lanka malaria-free

The World Health Organisation on 5 September 2016 certified Sri Lanka a malaria-free nation.
Sri Lanka is the second country in the WHO South-East Asia Region to eliminate malaria after
Maldives.
Sri Lankas anti-malaria campaign adjusted its strategy to intensively target the parasite after
the malaria cases jumped in the 1970s and the 1980s and the 1990s. The change in strategy
was unorthodox, but highly effective.
How Sri Lanka emerged victorious over the deadly disease?

The country deployed mobile malaria clinics in high transmission areas. It helped in prompt
and effective treatment and helped in reducing the parasite reservoir and the possibility of
further transmission.
Effective surveillance, community engagement and health education enhanced the ability of
authorities to respond, and mobilized popular support for the campaign.
The adaptation/ flexibility of strategies and support from key partners such as WHO and the
Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria fast-tracked success.
By 2006, the country recorded less than 1000 cases of malaria per year.
By October 2012, the indigenous cases were down to zero.
From the last three-and-a-half years, no locally transmitted cases have been recorded in the
country.
About Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease affecting humans and other animals caused by
parasitic protozoans.
It causes symptoms that typically include fever, fatigue, vomiting and headaches.
If not properly treated, people may have recurrences of the disease months later.
The disease is most commonly transmitted by an infected female Anopheles mosquito.
The risk of disease can be reduced by preventing mosquito bites through the use of mosquito
nets and insect repellents, or with mosquito-control measures.
The disease is widespread in the tropical and subtropical regions that exist in a broad band
around the equator.
Malaria is commonly associated with poverty and has a major negative effect on economic
development.
In Africa, it is estimated to result in losses of 12 billion US dollar a year due to increased

healthcare costs, lost ability to work, and negative effects on tourism.
India-Vietnam inked 12 agreements to bolster bilateral relation

India and Vietnam on 3 September 2016 signed twelve agreements to boost the bilateral
relations between the two nations. The agreements
were inked after delegation level talks between of
Prime Minister of the two nations, Narendra Modi
and Nguyen Xuan Phuc.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is the first

Indian premier to visit the country in 15 years, was
on a two day visit (2-3 September 2016) to Vietnam.
The last Prime Minister to visit Vietnam was Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who visited the nation in
2001.
The signed agreements include

Framework agreement on cooperation in the exploration and uses of outer space for peaceful
purposes
Protocol for amending the agreement on avoiding double taxation
Program of cooperation in UN Peacekeeping Matters
Protocol on celebrating 2017 as the "Year of Friendship
MoU on health cooperation
MoU on cooperation in information technology
MoU on cooperation between the Vietnam academy of social sciences and the Indian council
of world affairs
MoU on cooperation in cyber security
MoU for cooperation in the fields of standardization and conformity assessment
MoU on establishment of the centre of excellence in software development and training

Technical agreement on sharing of white shipping information
Contract for offshore high-speed patrol boats
Apart from this, India also extended 500 million dollar Line of Credit (LoC) to Vietnam for
facilitating deeper defence cooperation with the South East Asian nation. The LoC was
extended as the two nations elevated their ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership to
respond to emerging regional challenges.
Till now, Vietnam had Strategic Partnership only with Russia and China.
Besides, Prime Minister Modi also extended an invitation to Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc
to visit India at a mutually convenient date. PM Phuc accepted the invitation and the dates for
the visit will be finalized through diplomatic channels.
India, Egypt sign agreement in area of Maritime Transport

India and Egypt on 2 September 2016 signed an agreement on Maritime Transport. The
agreemnt would help the two nations to step-up co-operation on the seas not only in terms of
maritime commerce but also in transit of naval vessels.
The agreement was signed after delegation level talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi
and visiting President of Egypt Abdel Fattah El-Sisi in New Delhi. President Sisi is on a three-day
visit (1-3 September 2016) to India at an invitation of President Pranab Mukherjee.
Background
Earlier in October 2015, the Union Cabinet gave its approval for signing of an agreement
between India and Egypt on Maritime Transport. It was decided that the agreement would be
signed on a mutually convenient date and venue.
The proposal was approved with a view to strengthening cooperation and to render sustained
mutual assistance and advice on merchant shipping and other related maritime matters.
Besides, the two leaders agreed that a special and enlarged "India by the Nile Festival" would
be held in 2017 to commemorate the 70th anniversary of India's independence. They also
called for the proposal to have the inaugural "Egypt by the Ganga Festival" in 2017.
Economy
CCEA approves implementation of the Project SAKSHAM
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on 28 September 2016 approved Project
SAKSHAM. It is a New Indirect Tax Network (Systems Integration) of the Central Board of Excise
and Customs (CBEC).
It will help in integrating system of Central Board of Excise and Customs with the GST network
before the roll out in April 2017. The total project cost involved is 2256 crore rupees which will
be incurred over a period of seven years.
How it will help?

The project SAKSHAM will help in
Implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST)
Extension of the Indian Customs Single Window Interface for Facilitating Trade (SWIFT)
Other taxpayer-friendly initiatives under Digital India and Ease of Doing Business of
Central Board of Excise and Customs
The implementation strategy for the project will be to ensure readiness of CBEC's IT systems by
1 April 2017, when GST is to be introduced. The upgrade of the IT systems will be carried out
while keeping the existing Tax-payer services running.
As predicted, all taxpayers/importers/exporters/dealers under various indirect tax laws

administered by CBEC, presently about 36 lakhs, are likely to go up to over 65 lakhs after
introduction of GST.
CBEC's IT systems need to integrate with the Goods & Services Tax Network (GSTN) for
processing of registration, payment and returns data sent by GSTN systems to CBEC, as well as
act as a front-end for other modules like Audit, Appeal, Investigation. There is no overlap in the
GST-related systems of CBEC and GSTN.
This IT infrastructure is also urgently required for continuation of CBEC's e-Services in Customs,
Central Excise & Service Tax, implementation of taxpayer services such as scanned document
upload facility, extension of Indian Customs Single Window Interface for Facilitating Trade
(SWIFT) initiative and integration with Government initiatives such as E-Nivesh, E-Taal, e-Sign.
Background
Introduction of GST will result in a several-fold increase in the number of taxpayers and
resultant document load on the system. CBEC's current IT system was set up in 2008. It cannot
cater to the increased load under GST without an immediate upgrade of its IT Infrastructure.
Further, CBEC has implemented the Indian Customs Single Window Interface for Facilitating
Trade (SWIFT) and is integrating other partner agencies involved in Customs clearance in order
to make the process simple and fast.
The Customs EDI system which is currently operational at about 140 locations in India has to be
extended to many more locations with improved response time and better service delivery.
Taxpayers have to be given a facility for Upload of Digitally Signed Scanned Documents in order
to reduce the physical interface with tax authorities and to increase the speed of clearance.
CBEC also aims to introduce mobile services for taxpayers and departmental users to increase
the outreach of its services.
CCEA approves 5176 crore rupees Capital Grant for GAIL pipeline
project
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on 21 September 2016 approved the partial
capital grant of 5176 crore rupees to GAIL (India) Limited for development of 2539 km long
Jagdishpur-Haidia and Bokaro-Dhamra Gas Pipeline (JHBDPL) project.
This grant is 40 percent of the total estimated capital cost of 12940 crore rupees.
Highlights of the JHBDPL project

JHBDPL project will connect Eastern part of the country with National Gas Grid.
It will ensure the availability of clean and eco-friendly fuel i.e. Natural Gas to the industrial,
commercial and transport sectors in the States of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and
West Bengal.
This Capital Grant will encourage the supply of eco-friendly fuel at affordable tariffs to
industries and will encourage industrial development in these states.
Other Development
The CCEA also approved the simultaneous development of City Gas Distribution (CGD) networks
in cities namely Varanasi, Patna, Ranchi, Jamshedpur, Bhubaneswar, Kolkata, Cuttack etc. en-
route of JHBDPL project.
These distribution networks will be developed by GAIL in collaboration with the concerned
State Governments. It will bring clean cooking fuel at the door step of Domestic households as
well as provide clean fuel to transport sector in the eastern region.
Union Cabinet approves Winding up of Hindustan Diamond

Company Private Limited
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs gave its approval for initiating the process of
winding up of Hindustan Diamond Company Private Limited (HDCPL). HDCPL is 50:50 joint
venture of the Union Government and De Beers Centenary Mauritius Limited (DBCML).
The winding up of HDCPL is not likely to affect supply of rough diamonds to Indian diamantaires
because the Indian diamond industry has grown in all these years. At present, India is a house
of top diamond producers.
Besides, the Special Notified Zone (SNZ) at Bharat Diamond Bourse, Mumbai established in
2015 also enables the smaller Indian players to have a direct access to the supply of rough
diamond.
Hindustan Diamond Company Private Limited

The HDCPL was incorporated under the Companies Act, 1956 in 1978. The company was
established with an objective to supply rough diamonds to diamond processing industry in
India, particularly to small and medium diamond jewellery exporters.
In the past, the Indian diamond exporters didnt had a direct access to rough diamonds from
Diamond Trading Company (DTC), London. DTC is the marketing arm of De Beers who held a
very large chunk of worlds rough diamonds market.
India, Samoa tax information exchange agreement approved

The Union Cabinet on 21 September 2016 gave its approval for signing and ratification of
agreement between India and Samoa for the exchange of information with respect to Taxes.
This agreement will stimulate the flow of exchange of information between the two nations for
tax purposes which will help curb tax evasion and tax avoidance.
As of now, there are no financial implications between the two nations. Only in the event of
extraordinary costs exceeding 500 US dollars, the same will be borne by India. India has similar
provisions in other such tax information exchange agreement.
Salient features of the Agreement

It enables the competent authorities of the two nations to provide assistance through
exchange of information that is relevant to the administration and enforcement of the
domestic laws of the two countries concerning taxes covered by this Agreement.
The information received under the Agreement shall be treated as confidential and may be
disclosed only to persons or authorities (including courts or administrative bodies) concerned
with assessment, collection, enforcement, prosecution or determination of appeals in relation
to taxes covered under the Agreement. Information may be disclosed to any other person or
entity or authority or jurisdiction with the prior written consent of the information sending
country.
The Agreement also provides for Mutual Agreement Procedure for resolving any difference or
for agreeing on procedures under the Agreement.
The Agreement shall enter into force on the date of notification of completion of the
procedures required by the respective laws of the two countries for entry into force of the
Agreement.
Negotiations for entering into an Agreement for the exchange of information with respect to
Taxes were finalized between India and Samoa in June 2016 and both countries have agreed on
the text of the Agreement.
Section 90 of the Income Tax Act, 1961 allows the Union Government to enter into an
agreement with a foreign country or specified territory for exchange of information for the
prevention of evasion or avoidance of income-tax chargeable under the Income-tax Act, 1961.
ADB approves 631 million US dollars loan for Visakhapatnam-

Chennai Industrial Corridor
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on 20 September 2016 approved 631 million US dollars
loan for construction of industrial corridor between Visakhapatnam and Chennai, part of India's
first coastal industrial corridor running from West Bengal to Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu.
The fund will help develop the first key 800-km section of the planned 2500-km East Coast
Economic Corridor which is expected to spur development on India's eastern coast and enable
seamless trade links with other parts of South and Southeast Asia.
Highlights of the Visakhapatnam-Chennai Industrial Corridor Project

The total cost of the project is 846 million US dollars and work on it is expected to be over by
2031.
The remaining 215 million US dollars will be funded by the Andhra Pradesh government.
Loans and grants from ADB comprise a 500 million US dollars two-tranche facility to build key
infrastructure and a 125 million US dollars two-tranche loan to help in business promotion.
The loan is for a period of 25 years at interest rate of 0.5 percent plus libor.
The loan will help the government build state-of-the-art industrial clusters, roads, efficient
transport, and reliable water and power supplies with a skilled workforce and good business
policies.
The new infrastructure will be built in the four main centres- Visakhapatnam, Kakinada,
Amaravati and Yerpedu-Srikalahasti along the corridor.
It will include 138 km of state highways and roads, water treatment plants, 488 km of drinking
water pipeline, 47 km of storm drains, 10 power substations and 281 km of power transmission
lines.
Union Government notifies new import policy for marble &

travertine blocks
Union Government on 18 September 2016 notified the new import policy for marble and
travertine blocks and marble and granite slabs. The policy will come into effect from 1 October
2016.
The new policy ends the quantitative restriction on the import of marble and travertine blocks
as well as the cumbersome and restrictive import licensing system.
The Minimum Import Price (MIP) for marble blocks has been reduced to 200 US dollar per
metric ton. The basic customs duty on import of marble and travertine blocks has been
increased from 10 percent to 40 percent to address the interest of domestic producers.
Similarly, the MIP on the import of marble slabs is being reduced to 40 US dollar per square
metre and the basic customs duty on the import of marble slabs is doubled to 20 percent.
The MIP on the import of granite slabs has been reduced to 50 US Dollars per square metre and
the basic customs duty on import of granite slabs has been doubled to 20 percent.
The new policy balances the interests of domestic consumers, producers and processors, and
ends the cumbersome licensing system for import of Marble & Travertine blocks.
Union Government notifies new import policy for marble &

travertine blocks
Union Government on 18 September 2016 notified the new import policy for marble and
travertine blocks and marble and granite slabs. The policy will come into effect from 1 October
2016.
The new policy ends the quantitative restriction on the import of marble and travertine blocks
as well as the cumbersome and restrictive import licensing system.
The Minimum Import Price (MIP) for marble blocks has been reduced to 200 US dollar per
metric ton. The basic customs duty on import of marble and travertine blocks has been
increased from 10 percent to 40 percent to address the interest of domestic producers.
Similarly, the MIP on the import of marble slabs is being reduced to 40 US dollar per square
metre and the basic customs duty on the import of marble slabs is doubled to 20 percent.
The MIP on the import of granite slabs has been reduced to 50 US Dollars per square metre and
the basic customs duty on import of granite slabs has been doubled to 20 percent.
The new policy balances the interests of domestic consumers, producers and processors, and
ends the cumbersome licensing system for import of Marble & Travertine blocks.
Economic Freedom of the World 2016 Report released: India stands

at 112th spot on WEF Index
India's Centre for Civil Society in collaboration with Canada's Fraser Institute on 15 September
2016 released the Economic Freedom of the World 2016 Annual Report.
The report is based on data from 2014 and measures the World Economic Freedom (WEF)
Index by analysing the policies and institutions of 159 countries and territories.
Highlights of the Index

Hong Kong topped the index followed by Singapore and New Zealand at second and third
position.
The other top 10 countries in the Index are Switzerland, Canada, Georgia, Ireland, Mauritius,
the UAE, Australia and the UK.
The 10 lowest-ranked countries are: Iran, Algeria, Chad, Guinea, Angola, Central African
Republic, Argentina, Republic of Congo, Libya and lastly Venezuela.
Other notable countries are- the United States (16), Germany (30), Japan (40), France (57) and
Russia (102).
The economic freedom has increased throughout the world during the past three decades.
Between 1985 and 2014, economic freedom among high-income countries rose from 6.9 to 7.7
points.
Nations in the top quartile of economic freedom had average per-capita GDP of 41228 US
dollars in 2014, compared to 5471 US dollars for bottom quartile nations.
In addition, life expectancy is 80.4 years in the top quartile compared to 64.0 years in the
bottom quartile.
India's Position in World Economic Freedom (WEF) Index

India has slipped 10 positions and fetched 112th spot among all 159 countries in the Index.
It ranks behind Bhutan (78), Nepal (108) and Sri Lanka (111) but stood higher than China
(113), Bangladesh (121) and Pakistan (133) in the Index.
India has fared badly in all categories i.e. legal system and property rights (86), sound money
(130), freedom to trade internationally (144) and regulation (132) except the size of the
government (8).
About Economic Freedom of the World Report

The Fraser Institute produces the annual Economic Freedom of the World report in cooperation
with the Economic Freedom Network, a group of independent research and educational
institutes.
It uses a ten-point scale that measures the degree of economic freedom in five broad areas-
Size of government: expenditures, taxes, and enterprises
Legal structure and security of property rights
Access to sound money
Freedom to trade internationally
Regulation of credit, labor, and business
Union Cabinet approves establishment of Higher Education

Financing Agency
The Union Cabinet on 12 September 2016 approved
the creation of the Higher Education Financing
Agency (HEFA).
The HEFA will be established to give a major push for

creation of high quality infrastructure in premier
educational institutions.
Key highlights of the HEFA

The HEFA will be jointly promoted by the identified
Promoter and the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) with an authorised
capital of 2000 crore rupees. The Government equity will be 1000 crore rupees.
The HEFA will be formed as a SPV within a PSU Bank/ Government-owned-NBFC. It will
leverage the equity to rise up to 20000 crore rupees for funding projects for infrastructure and
development of world class Labs in IITs/IIMs/NITs and such other institutions.
It will also mobilise CSR funds from PSUs/Corporates, which will in turn be released for
promoting research and innovation in these institutions on grant basis.
The HEFA will finance the civil and lab infrastructure projects through a 10-year loan.
All the Centrally Funded Higher Educational Institutions will be eligible for joining as members
of the HEFA.
For joining as members, the Institution should agree to escrow a specific amount from their
internal accruals to HEFA for a period of 10 years. This secured future flows will be securitised
by the HEFA for mobilising the funds from the market.
Each member institution will be eligible for a credit limit as decided by HEFA based on the
amount agreed to be escrowed from the internal accruals.
Union Government issues fresh guidelines for flexi-fund for CSS

Union Government on 9 September 2016 issued fresh flexi-fund guidelines for Centrally
Sponsored Schemes (CSS). The guidelines would give more freedom to states in spending
money under the CSS to meet local developmental requirements.
Under the new norms, flexi-funds in each CSS have been increased from the current 10 percent
to 25 percent for states and 30 percent for Union Territories. Now, the states can use the fund
to undertake mitigation or restoration activities in case of natural calamities, or to satisfy local
requirements in areas affected by internal security disturbances.
The guidelines said that state governments will have to constitute a state-level sanctioning
committee to avail of the flexi-fund facility. The flexi-fund facility is not for CSS which emanate
from legislation, like MNREGA. Based on the recommendations of the sub-group of chief
ministers and consultations with stakeholders, Niti Aayog had issued instructions for
rationalisation of Centrally Sponsored Schemes.
CBDT launches e-nivaran to resolve Income Tax grievances

Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) on 8 September 2016 launched e-nivaran (electronic
resolution) facility for online redressal of taxpayers grievances. The grievances can be related
to refunds, Income Tax Returns (ITRs), Tax Deducted at Source (TDS), and Permanent Account
Number (PAN) among others.
It was started with an aim to reduce instances of harassment of the public when it comes to
complaints related to the Income Tax (IT) department. It will be available on the e-filing portal
(http://incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in) of the department.
Features
It will help taxpayers in registering their complaints through their computer and receive a
special PIN number on their registered mobile number and email, which will help to keep track
on the issues.
It will also allow the complainant to track the progress of the complaint.
People can lodge their complains and upload the documents related to the same in form od a
PDF file and clubbed as a ZIP file.
People who dont have a PAN can also access the e-nivaran facility and lodge their complaints
in connection with their I-T case.
The e-nivaran form will be available in a physical form at the Aaykar Sampark Kendras (ASK)
(tax facilitation centre), located in over 300 cities. Later, the form will be fed into the system by
tax officials.
RBI cancelled certificate of registration of five NBFCs

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on 8 September 2016 cancelled the certificate of registration of
five non-banking financial companies (NBFCs).
Now, these companies will not be able to transact the business of a non-banking financial
institution as laid down under clause (a) of Section 45-I of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934.
The NBFCs whose certificate of registration were cancelled includes M/s Simco Consultants
Private Limited; M/s Lunkad Securities Ltd; M/s Rajvir Marketing and Investment Private
Limited; M/s Crystal Investments Limited; and M/s Shri Jaya Investments Agency Limited
(formerly known as Arcot Finance & Agency Limited).
The certificates were cancelled in exercise of the powers conferred on it under Section 45-IA (6)
of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934.
Railway launches insurance scheme for passengers travelling on e-

ticket
Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu on 1 September 2016 launched an insurance scheme for
passengers travelling on e- ticket. The insurance
cover will be up to 10 lakh rupees.
The insurance coverage will be available in case of

train accidents and other untoward incidents,
including terrorist attack, dacoity, rioting, shooting
or arson.
Features of the Scheme

A person booking a train ticket through the IRCTC website will be eligible for the travel
insurance and it is optional.
To avail the facility, train passengers will have to pay 92 paisa premium.
The insurance cover will not be applicable for children up to 5 years of age and foreign
citizens.
The facility will be available only for confirmed and RAC ticket passengers.
There will be no refund of the premium in case of ticket cancellation.
The scheme offers travellers or nominees a compensation of 10 lakh Rupees in the event of
death or total disabilty, 7.5 lakh Rupees for partial disability, up to 2 lakh Rupees for
hospitalisation expenses and 10000 rupees for transportation of mortal remains from the place
of a train accident.
The compensation claim has to be made within four months of the incident and the insurance
company is required to process the claim within 15 days of receipt of the require documents.
Shriram General Insurance Company, ICICI Lombard and Royal Sundaram General Insurance
have been roped in by Indian railways for providing the insurance cover.
Science & Technology

China unveils Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope in
search for extraterrestrial life
China on 25 September 2016 officially launched the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical
Telescope (FAST) in a mountainous region of Guizhou province.
The telescope was launched to hunt for extraterrestrial life and explore space.
Key highlights of Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope

The FAST is a radio telescope located in the Dawodang depression, a natural basin in Pingtang
County, Guizhou Province of southwest China.
It consists of a fixed 500 m dish constructed in a natural depression in the landscape.
It is the world's largest filled aperture (single dish) radio telescope.
It is the second largest radio telescope after the Russian RATAN-600.
The final cost of the project is 180 million US dollars.
Construction on the FAST project began in 2011 and was completed in July 2016.
The chief scientist of the project is Nan Rendong.
It has a fixed primary reflector located in a natural hollow in the landscape, focusing radio
waves on a receiver suspended 140 m above it.
The reflector is made of perforated aluminium panels supported by a mesh of steel cables
hanging from the rim.
Its surface is made of 4450 triangular panels, 11 m on a side, in the form of a geodesic dome.
It is capable of pointing anywhere within 40 from the zenith.
MIT develops a spectroscopic technique to detect Martian life

Scientists at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) US have developed a spectroscopic
technique that would help the 2020 Mars Rover to non-invasively identify sediments that are
relatively unaltered, and maintain much of their original composition.
Such pristine samples will allow scientists to identify the signs of former life, if they existed, on
the red planet.
The new technique is based on an improved way of interpreting the results of Raman
spectroscopy, a common, non-destructive process used by geologists to identify the chemical
composition of ancient rocks.
Raman spectroscopy
It is a common, non-destructive process that geologists use to identify the chemical
composition of ancient rocks.
It is used to identify whether a sample contain carbonaceous matter.
The presence of carbonaceous matter suggests that the sample may also have harbors sign of
life.
With the new improve spectroscopy techniques; researchers can now also estimate the ratio
of hydrogen to carbon atoms in a sample.
Hydrogen can be used as basis to determine if a certain sample is pristine or not.
If the sample has low hydrogen, it is possible that it has experience more heating, altering its
organic matter and losing hydrogen in a form of methane.
Besides, the 2020 Mars Rover would be equipped with several scientific tools including
Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman and Luminescence for Organics and Chemicals
(SHERLOC). SHERLOC is an instrument that will acquire Raman spectra from samples on or just
below the Martian surface. SHERLOC will be pivotal in determining whether life ever existed on
Mars.
Development of the technique at MIT was reported in the journal Carbon.
2020 Mars Rover

NASA has plans to launch a new Mars rover that will be tasked to probe the region on the
planet believed to hold remnants of ancient microbial life. The rover will collect samples of
rocks and soil, and store them on the Martian surface.
The collected samples would be returned to Earth sometime in the distant future so that
scientists can meticulously analyze the samples for signs of present or former extraterrestrial
life.
Scientists use stem cells to successfully grow human lungs in a dish

A team of researchers from University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) created a three-
dimensional lung, called as organoids, to study diseases, including idiopathic pulmonary
fibrosis.
The organoids resemble sections of human lungs instead of just cells.
The study was published in the journal Stem Cells Translational Medicine.
How the researchers grew lungs?

The researchers used stem cells taken from actual adult human lungs to coat tiny sticky
hydrogel beads.
The beads eventually grew and self-assembled to envelope the hydrogel beads, which were
all placed inside linked wells.
The resulting structure produced evenly distributed three-dimensional patterns consistent

with actual air sacs like those in human lungs.
Inside each well, the lung cells grew around the beads, which linked them and formed an
evenly distributed three-dimensional pattern.
To show that these tiny organoids mimicked the structure of actual lungs, the researchers
compared the lab-grown tissues with real sections of human lung.
Moreover, when the researchers added certain molecular factors to the 3D cultures, the lungs
developed scars similar to those seen in the lungs of people who have idiopathic pulmonary
fibrosis.
The scientists were not able build a fully functional lung. However, they have been able to
take lung cells and place them in the correct geometrical spacing and pattern to mimic a human
lung.
What is Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis?

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a chronic lung disease characterised by scarring of the lungs.
The scarring makes the lungs thick and stiff, which over time results in progressively
worsening shortness of breath and lack of oxygen to the brain and vital organs.
The term 'idiopathic' is used because the cause of pulmonary fibrosis is still unknown.
To study the effect of genetic mutations or drugs on lung cells, researchers have previously
relied on two-dimensional cultures of the cells. But when they take cells from people with
idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and grow them on these flat cultures, the cells appear healthy.
HRD Minister inaugurates Super Computer PARAM-ISHAN at IIT

Guwahati
Union Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar on 19 September 2016
inaugurated the super computer PARAM-ISHAN at IIT Guwahati campus.
Students and faculty members of IIT Guwahati are expected to derive huge benefit from the
facility.
PARAM-ISHAN
It is the fastest and most powerful computer in North East, Eastern and Southern region.
It has been jointly developed by IIT Guwahati and Centre for Development of Advanced
Computing, C -DAC.
PARAM-ISHAN has the power of 250 Teraflops and 300 terabyte capacity and can be used in
the application areas like computational chemistry, computational fluid dynamics,
computational electromagnetic, civil engineering structures, nana-block self assemble,
optimization and others.
It can also be used for weather, climate modeling and seismic data processing.
Union Cabinet approves extension of contract between India and ISA

for exploration of Polymetallic Nodules
The Union Cabinet on 12 September 2016 approved the extension of contract between Ministry
of Earth Sciences and the International Seabed Authority (ISA) for exploration of Polymetallic
Nodules.
The contract has been extended for a further period of 5 years (2017-2022). The earlier
contract is expiring on 24 March 2017.
Why the contract is extended?

By extending the contract, India's exclusive rights for exploration of Polymetallic Nodules in
the allotted Area in the Central Indian Ocean Basin will continue.
It will open up new opportunities for resources of commercial and strategic value in area
beyond national jurisdiction.
Besides, it will provide strategic importance for India in terms of enhanced presence in Indian
Ocean where other international players are also active.
At present, India has an area of 75000 sq.km located about 2000 km away from her southern
tip for exploration of Polymetallic nodules.
What are Polymetallic Nodules?

Polymetallic nodules are also known as manganese nodules.
They are potato-shaped, largely porous nodules found in abundance carpeting the sea floor of
world oceans in deep sea.
Besides manganese and iron, they contain nickel, copper, cobalt, lead, molybdenum,
cadmium, vanadium, titanium.
Out of the minerals found in it, nickel, cobalt and copper are considered to be of economic
and strategic importance.
Indian scientists solve preterm birth mystery

A team of Indian researchers unlocked the mechanisms by which preterm births occur. Preterm
births signify the period between 28 and 32 weeks of gestation.
The team was led by Professor Anirban Banerjee from the Department of Biosciences and
Bioengineering, IIT Bombay, and Dr. Deepak Modi from Mumbais National Institute for
Research in Reproductive Health. The results were published on 1 September 2016 in the
journal PLOS Pathogens.
At 35%, India accounts for the highest burden of preterm births in the world.
Key highlights of the research

For the first time, the researchers found that gram-positive Group B Streptococcus (GBS)
bacteria produce small balloons called membrane vesicles. These vesicles contain toxins that
destroy foetal and maternal cells. They also kill the collagen that keeps the cells together.
The GBS bacteria are normally found in human vagina. Their numbers can shoot up in some
pregnant women.
The GBS bacteria have been associated with premature rupture of amniotic membrane and
preterm birth.
Test on pregnant mice

The team tested its hypothesis by injecting membrane vesicles into 15 pregnant mice.
All the injected mice gave birth to preterm babies and nearly 40% were born dead.
In mice, the babies were born two days preterm. This is equivalent to two months in humans
as the gestation period in mice is 21 days.
The preterm babies were much smaller and unhealthy.
The researchers found that the toxins present in the vesicles fragmented the collagen of the
amniotic membrane.
Fragmentation of the collagen leads to loss in elasticity and weakening of the amniotic
membrane thus making it susceptible to rupture due to pressure from the growing foetus. This
leads to preterm birth.
ISRO launches advanced weather satellite INSAT-3DR

Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO)
successfully launched advanced weather satellite,
INSAT-3DR on 8 September 2016.
The advanced weather satellite was launched with

the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-
F05), from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in
Sriharikota.
GSLV-F05, the tenth flight of India's GSLV, carried 2211 kg INSAT-3DR into a Geostationary
Transfer Orbit (GTO). GSLV is designed to inject 2 - 2.5 ton class of satellites into GTO.
After reaching GTO, INSAT-3DR will use its own propulsion system to reach its final
geosynchronous orbital home and will be stationed at 74 deg East longitude.
INSAT-3DR
INSAT-3DR is an advanced meteorological satellite of India configured with an imaging System
and an Atmospheric Sounder.
INSAT-3DR is an improved variant of INSAT-3D, the improvements incorporated includes
a) Imaging in Middle Infrared band to provide night time pictures of low clouds and fog
b) Imaging in two Thermal Infrared bands for estimation of Sea Surface Temperature (SST) with
better accuracy
c) Higher Spatial Resolution in the Visible and Thermal Infrared bands
Like its predecessor INSAT-3D, INSAT-3DR carries a Data Relay Transponder as well as a
Search and Rescue Transponder. Thus, INSAT-3DR will provide service continuity to earlier
meteorological missions of ISRO and further augment the capability to provide various
meteorological as well as search and rescue services.
INSAT-3DR is based on ISRO's two Tonne Class platform (I-2K bus) employing light-weight
structural elements like Carbon Fibre Reinforced Plastic (CFRP).
The satellite has a solar array generating 1700 Watts of power.
INSAT-3DR will provide a variety of meteorological services to the country.
It will have an advanced imager, a sounder and transponders for data relay and search and
rescue missions.
It will have an operational life of about ten years.
GSLV-F05
It is the flight in which the indigenously developed Cryogenic Upper Stage (CUS) was carried
on-board for the fourth time during a GSLV flight. Its flight was significant as it was the first
operational flight of GSLV carrying CUS.
GSLV-F05 vehicle is configured with all its three stages including the CUS similar to the ones
successfully flown during the previous GSLV-D5 and D6 missions that in January 2014 and
August 2015 successfully placed GSAT-14 and GSAT-6 satellites.
Existing Meteorological satellites of India

KALPANA-1, INSAT-3A and INSAT-3D are three operational meteorological satellites of India.
These satellites are operational in the geostationary orbit for the past one decade at 74, 93.5
and 82 degree East longitudes respectively.
KALPANA-1 and INSAT-3A have imaging systems that helps in providing images in the Visible,
Near-Infrared, Shortwave Infrared, Water Vapour and Thermal Infrared bands.
Launched in 2013, Atmospheric Sounding System of the INSAT-3D provides vertical profiles of
temperature (40 levels from surface to - 70 km), humidity (21 levels from surface to - 15 km)
and integrated ozone from surface to top of the atmosphere. INSAT-3DR, the latest
meteorological satellite built by ISRO, is similar to INSAT-3D.
NASA launches OSIRIS-REx to collect samples from asteroid

The US space agency, NASA, on 8 September 2016
launched OSIRIS-REx (Origins, Spectral
Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security-
Regolith Explorer) spacecraft. The unmanned
spacecraft, OSIRIS-REx, blasted off onboard a
United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket from
Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
OSIRIS-REx is United States first mission to collect samples from an asteroid and return to
Earth. The 800 million dollar mission will travel for two years on a journey to Bennu, a near-
Earth asteroid about the size of a small mountain.
NASA feels that the asteroid may hold clues to the origin of the solar system and the source of
water and organic molecules found on Earth.
Scientists at NASA said OSIRIS-REx's main goal is to gather dirt and debris at least 60 grams (2.1
ounces) from the surface of the asteroid and return it to Earth by 2023 for further study.
New imaging system to read closed books: MIT Research

In the latest issue of Nature Communications, a group of researchers described a prototype of
the system, which they tested on a stack of papers, each with one letter printed on it. The
system was able to correctly identify the letters on the top nine sheets.
It is done with the help of terahertz radiation, the band of electromagnetic radiation between
microwaves and infrared light, and the tiny gaps of air between the pages of any closed book.
This new system developed by researchers from MIT and Georgia Tech uses a standard
terahertz camera to emit ultra short bursts of radiation and then measure how long it takes for
that radiation to be reflected back. An algorithm then gauges the distance to each of the book's
individual pages.
Terahertz radiation can also be emitted in such short bursts that the distance it has travelled
can be gauged from the difference between its emission time and the time at which reflected
radiation returns to a sensor. That gives it much better depth resolution than ultrasound.\
The system exploits the fact that trapped between the pages of a book are tiny air pockets only
about 20 micrometers deep. The difference in refractive index and the degree to which they
bend light between the air and the paper means that the boundary between the two will reflect
terahertz radiation back to a detector.
About Terahertz radiation

Terahertz radiation can distinguish between ink and blank paper in a way that X-rays cannot.
It also offers much better depth resolution than ultrasound does.
Terahertz radiation has been widely researched for use in security screening, because
different chemicals absorb different frequencies of terahertz radiation to different degrees,
yielding a distinctive frequency signature for each.
SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket destroyed in explosion

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket exploded on its Cape
Canaveral launch pad during a test on 1
September 2016.
The explosion destroyed a commercial satellite

that Facebook had planned to use to extend
Internet access in Africa.
It was the second time in just over a year that

SpaceX has lost a Falcon 9 rocket, which is slated to launch NASA astronauts for the first time in
2017.
About SpaceX
Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX) is an American aerospace manufacturer
and space transport services company.
The company is headquartered in Hawthorne, California, United States.
It was founded in 2002 by former PayPal entrepreneur and Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk.
The company was founded with the goal of creating the technologies to reduce space
transportation costs and enable the colonization of Mars.
It has developed the Falcon 1 and Falcon 9 launch vehicles, both designed to be reusable.
SpaceX is funded by government subsidiaries and contracts.
SpaceX's achievements include the first privately funded, liquid-propellant rocket (Falcon 1)
to reach orbit in 2008.
It is also the first privately funded company to successfully launch, orbit and recover a
spacecraft (Dragon) in 2010.
The launch of the Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) in 2015 was the company's first
delivery beyond Earth orbit.
NASA awarded the company a Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) contract in
2006 to design and demonstrate a launch system to resupply cargo to the International Space
Station (ISS).
3.7 Billion Years Old fossils discovered on Earth in Greenland rocks

A team of scientists have discovered the worlds oldest stromatolite fossils about 3.7 billion
years old in the worlds oldest sedimentary rocks in the Isua Greenstone Belt along the edge of
Greenlands icecap. The findings were published in journal Nature on 31 August 2016.
Led by the Australian University of Wollongongs (UOW) Professor Allen Nutman, the team's
discovery pushes back the previous record by 220 million years and captures the earliest history
of the planet.
The discovery of the Isua stromatolite fossils provides a greater understanding of early diversity
of life on Earth which could have implications for the understanding of life on Mars.
The Study
A team of Australian geologists made the discovery in July 2012 while carrying out field
research in Isua, a remote place in Greenland.
One day while working at the field, they came across some outcroppings never seen before.
Upon further assessment, the researchers were able to know they were conical structures,
one to four centimeters high.
The outcroppings looked like microbial mats known as stromatolites. The researchers carried
out laboratory analysis and found its formations to be 3.7 billion years old.
Using radiometric dating, the scientists were able to find out the age of the rocks.
Stromatolites
The fossils are called stromatolites, which are layers of ancient microorganisms that grew in
shallow water.
Stromatolites are built layer-by-layer by a mat of photosynthesising bacteria in shallow water.
Over time, they create structures of varying size and shape, from tall domed towers to small,
pointed cones.
Oddly enough, stromatolites are older than the worlds oldest rocks, since scientists think that
the rocks they co-existed with have been crushed and destroyed by plate tectonic and erosion.
Environment & Ecology

92 percent of worlds population is breathing unhealthy air: WHO
World Health Organization (WHO) on 27 September 2016 released its report on pollution,
which is extremely worrying. The report claims that 92 percent of the worlds population lives
in places where air quality levels exceed WHO limits. This mean, 9 out of 10 people globally are
breathing poor quality air.
Maria Neira, head of the WHO's department of public health and environment, termed the
report as a 'public health emergency'. She also urged governments to take up measures like
cutting the number of vehicles on the road, improving waste management and promotion of
clean cooking fuel.
The WHO report is based on data collected from more than 3000 sites across the globe.
According to the report, poorer countries have much dirtier air than the developed world.
Green Peace India released report on National Air Quality Index of 17 cities
How the report was made?

The report is based on WHOs new air quality model that is based on data derived from satellite
measurements, air transport models and ground station monitors. The model was developed
by WHO in collaboration with the University of Bath, United Kingdom.
Air pollutions toll on human health

Some 3 million deaths a year are linked to exposure to outdoor air pollution. Indoor air
pollution can be just as deadly. In 2012, an estimated 6.5 million deaths (11.6% of all global
deaths) were associated with indoor and outdoor air pollution together.
Nearly 90 percent of air-pollution-related deaths occur in low and middle-income countries,

with nearly 2 out of 3 occurring in WHOs South-East Asia and Western Pacific regions.
WHO says that 94 percent are due to non-communicable diseases notably cardiovascular
diseases, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer. Air pollution also
increases the risks for acute respiratory infections.
Sources of air pollution

Major sources of air pollution include inefficient modes of transport, household fuel and waste
burning, coal-fired power plants, and industrial activities. However, not all air pollution
originates from human activity. For example, air quality can also be influenced by dust storms,
particularly in regions close to deserts.
Indira Gandhi International Airport becomes first in Asia-Pacific

region to achieve carbon neutral status
The Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) on 27 September 2016 announced that the Indira
Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) has become the first airport in the Asia-Pacific region to
achieve carbon neutral status.
DIAL is a GMR Group-led consortium which manages and operates IGI airport.
The announcement on the carbon neutral status was made by Airports Council International
(ACI) during the Airport Carbon Accreditation certificate presentation ceremony held in
Montreal, Canada.
The Airport Carbon Accreditation has upgraded Delhi Airport to Level 3+, Neutrality, which is
the highest level of achievement available to airports across the world.
What is carbon neutrality?

Carbon neutrality, or a net zero carbon footprint, occurs when the net carbon emissions over
an entire year is zero. This means the airport absorbs or offsets the same amount of emission
that was generated.
It is used in the context of carbon dioxide releasing processes associated with transportation,
energy production, and industrial processes such as production of carbon neutral fuel.
National Board for Wildlife approves first phase of Ken-Betwa

project
The National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) on 20 September 2016 approved 10000 crore rupees
Ken-Betwa project, Indias first inter-State river interlinking project.
With this, India will have a river project will be located within a tiger reserve for the first time.
About Ken-Betwa project

It will irrigate the drought-prone Bundelkhand region but will also submerge about 10 percent
of the Panna Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh.
The main feature of the project is a 230-km long canal and a series of barrages and dams
connecting the Ken and Betwa rivers.
It will irrigate 3.5 lakh hectares in Madhya Pradesh and 14000 hectares of Uttar Pradesh in
Bundelkhand.
The key areas are the Makodia and Dhaudhan dams, the latter expected to be 77 m high and
responsible for submerging 5803 hectares of tiger habitat in the Panna tiger reserve.
Chhatarpur, Panna, Tikamgarh, Raisen, and Vidisha districts of Madhya Pradesh and Mahoba,
Jhansi and Banda districts of Uttar Pradesh will benefit from assured irrigation supply, water
supply and power.
On the other hand, about 6388 people in 10 villages will be affected due to the submergence
by Daudhan reservoir.
Around 13499 people living in the 28 villages will be affected due to the submergence by
Makodia reservoir and will have to be resettled.
Seventeen lakh residents of nearby towns and villages in both States will benefit from
improved drinking water and irrigation facilities.
Invasive Giant African Land Snails sighted at Goa University

The Giant African Land Snail (GALS) was spotted in the campus of the Goa University at
Taleigao. GALS (Achatina fulica) is listed as one of the worlds 100 most invasive species by the
International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources.
This snail was spotted by Nandakumar Kamat, an Assistant Professor in the Department of
Botany at the university.
About Giant African Land Snail

The species is a threat to agro-horticulture
It is a threat to the public health as they act as a vector of human diseases like Eosinophilic
meningitis, caused by Angiostrongylus cantonensis, a parasite that nematode commonly,
resides in the pulmonary arteries of rats.
They range from 7 cm to 20 cm in length and in case of specimens in Goa they were of 11 cm
in length.
They are known to be dangerous, as they can reproduce faster and take over entire
ecosystems and become a menace to crops.
Invasive species are plants, animals, or pathogens that are non-native (alien) to the ecosystem
under consideration and whose introduction causes or is likely to cause harm. They can harm
the environment, the economy or even, human health.
India announces major initiative for R&D into Next Generation HFC
refrigerant alternatives
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) on 15 September 2016
announced an ambitious collaborative R&D programme to develop next generation, sustainable
refrigerant technologies as alternatives to HFCs.
This R&D initiative brings together Government, research institutes, industry and civil society to
develop long term technology solutions to mitigate impact of currently used refrigerant gases
on the ozone layer and climate. With this initiative, India reaffirms its commitment to working
with all other nations to safeguard the Earths natural ecosystem.
Some of the key players of the initiative include

The Council of Scientific & Industrial Research and its allied institutions
Department of Science and Technology
Centre for Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences as well as key industry players in the sector
Members of this initiative have already had multiple rounds of consultation to reach a
consensus on the contours and decide on the roadmap for this initiative.
India has a small carbon footprint at citizen level and its sustainable lifestyle results in low
contribution of the country to overall emissions of greenhouse gases and ozone depleting
substances, as compared with other developed countries. However, there is an urgent need for
developing new technologies indigenously as alternatives available today are patented apart
from being expensive. A research based programme to look for cost effective alternatives to
the currently used refrigerant gases is, therefore essential.
The initiative is a significant step forward in line with Indias national focus on research,
innovation and technology development and Mission Innovation. The research initiative of the
Ministry will be led by the CSIRs Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad.
The MoEF&CC, along with the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Council of
Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) has also decided to create a corpus fund for this research
programme, with Industry also committing to contribute to the effort.
The collaboration of research institutes as well as industry will create larger ecosystem for
developing sustainable solutions, and eventually deploying low global warming potential - GWP
HFCs on a national scale. By establishing an effective collaboration between all important
stakeholders, the initiative is focused on prioritising areas of research in new refrigerant
technologies and natural refrigerants. This shall help the country leapfrog from the current
technology high GWP HydroFluoroCarbons or HFCs to technologies with lower climate impact.
The proposed initiative is an important step in the direction of enabling the country achieves
national development goals, while continuing to maintain a sustainable environmental
footprint.
Tenth of world's wild areas vanished since 1990s: Research

The world's wilderness has reduced by a tenth in the past two decades, according to a study
conducted by the scientists from the University of Queensland in Australia.
Their findings are reported in the journal Current Biology in the second week of September
2016.
The findings highlight an immediate need for international policies to recognize the value of
wilderness areas and to address the unprecedented threats they face.
Key highlights of the research

The scientists mapped wilderness areas around the world and compared the results with a
previous similar map produced in the 1990s.
An estimated 1.3 million square miles (3.3 million square km), almost 10 percent, of
wilderness has disappeared since the 1990s.
The Amazon basin and central Africa have been hit the hardest.
The comparison showed that a total of 30.1 million km2 (around 20 percent of the world's
land area) now remains as wilderness. The majority of the areas are located in North America,
North Asia, North Africa, and the Australian continent.
However, comparisons between the two maps show that an estimated 3.3 million km2
(almost 10 percent) of wilderness area has been lost in the intervening years. Those losses
have occurred primarily in South America, which has experienced a 30 percent decline in
wilderness, and Africa, which has experienced a 14 percent loss.
Newly discovered fish of genus Tosanoides named after Barack

Obama
A newly discovered fish of the genus Tosanoides was in September 2016 named in honour of
US president Barack Obama for his commitment to protect nature through the expansion of
the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument.
The fish is found only within the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, a World
Heritage site encompassing 1510000 square kilometres of ocean waters, including ten islands
and atolls of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.
The site is the largest swath of protected land or water on Earth and is home to millions of
seabirds, endangered turtles, endangered monk seals, and more than 7000 species.
Discovery of Fish
Richard Pyle, a marine biologist at the Bishop Museum in Hawaii, was underwater when he
first saw a group of fish he did not recognise.
He collected a male specimen for further analysis. The female specimen was collected a few
days later by Bishop Museum affiliate Brian Greene at an atoll about 249 km from Kure.
Researchers confirmed that the fish represented a new species, the first member of the genus
Tosanoides found outside of the waters off Japan.
This small maroon and gold fish species was discovered 300 feet deep in the waters off Kure
Atoll in the Pacific Ocean.
It was discovered in June 2016 during a research trip to Kure, the worlds northernmost atoll.
This is not the first fish to be named after Barack Obama. A species of darters found only in the
Duck River and the Buffalo River in US was named Etheostoma Obama in 2012.
IUCN lists Eastern Gorilla as Critically Endangered

The International Union for Conservation of Nature
(IUCN) on 4 September 2016 listed the eastern
gorilla, the largest living primate, as critically
endangered in its latest red list of threatened
species.
The eastern gorilla was listed in the latest update of

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species that was
released at the IUCN World Conservation Congresstaking place in Hawaii.
The IUCN stated that the eastern gorilla has suffered a 70% population collapse over the past
20 years, primarily due to illegal hunting.
The largest living primates population is now estimated to be fewer than 5000. Grauers
Gorilla, one subspecies of Eastern Gorilla, has lost 77% of its population since 1994, declining
from 16900 individuals to just 3800 in 2015. Hunting represents the greatest threat to Grauers
Gorillas.
The second subspecies of Eastern Gorilla, the Mountain Gorilla, is faring better and has
increased in number to around 880 individuals.
Four of the six great apes, Eastern Gorilla, Western Gorilla, Bornean Orangutan andSumatran
Orangutan, are now listed as Critically Endangered. The Chimpanzee and Bonobo are listed as
Endangered.
About eastern gorilla

The eastern gorilla is a large hominid with a large head, broad chest and long arms.
It has a flat nose with large nostrils.
The face, hands, feet and breast are bald.
The fur is mainly black, but adult males have a silvery saddle on their back.
When the gorilla gets older, the hair on the saddle of the back becomes white, much like the
gray hair of elderly people. This is why the older males are called silverbacks.
Grauer's gorilla has a shorter, thicker, deep black fur, while the mountain gorilla has a more
bluish color.
Mountain gorillas are restricted to the mountain rainforests and subalpine forests of eastern
Democratic Republic of the Congo, southwestern Uganda and Rwanda.
Grauer's gorillas occur across the forests of the Albertine Rift in eastern Democratic Republic
of the Congo.
Eastern gorillas are herbivorous, with a heavily foliage based diet, due lack of available fruit in
their habitats.
Ghost snake species discovered in Madagascar

A team of scientists have discovered a new Ghost Snake Species of elusive, pale grey reptiles
dwelling at the Ankarana National Park in Madagascar. The findings were published in the
journal Copeia on 1 September 2016.
The researchers from the Louisiana State University (LSU) Museum of Natural Science, the
American Museum of Natural History in the US and the Universite de Mahajunga in Madagascar
studied the snakes physical characteristics and genetics, which verified that it is a new species.
This new Ghost Snake species was named Madagascarophis lolo, which means ghost in
Malagasy.
Ghost Snakes
The ghost snake is part of a common group of snakes called Madagascarophis or cat-eyed
snakes.
They are named for their vertical pupils, which are often found among snakes that are active
in the evening or night.
Many of the cat-eyed snakes are found in developed areas or degraded forests. However, the
researchers found the ghost snake on pale grey limestone rocks.
The ghost snakes next closest relative is a snake called Madagascarophis fuchsi, which was
discovered at a site about 100 kilometres north of Ankarana years ago.
CIL, ICFRE signs MoU to monitor Environment related issues in Coal

Mining Projects
Coal India Limited (CIL) and Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) on 1
September 2016 signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for effectively monitoring of
environment related issues in the coal mining projects.
The arrangement would help CIL in proper compliance and monitoring of the conditions that
are laid down by the MoEF&CC (Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change) for
environment and forest clearances.
Key Facts of the MoU

It will help in improving the rehabilitation and reclamation of the mined out areas.
The MoU covers assessment and monitoring of
a) Plantation and eco restoration activities
b) Preparation of wild life management plans
c) Preparation of environmental impact assessment
d) Environmental management plans
e) Capacity building for the executives of CIL on environment and forestry issues and more
New species of Pterosaur from early Jurassic Era discovered in

Patagonia
A group of scientists has discovered a new species
of pterosaur from the early Jurassic period in the
Patagonia region of South America.
The discovery was disclosed in a study that was

published in the last week of August 2016 in the
journal PeerJ.
The study also provides new information on the origin, tempo and mode of evolution in
pterosaurs.
Key highlights of the discovery

The new species has been named Allkauren koi from the native Tehuelche word all for
brain, and karuen for ancient.
The fossil of Allkaruen koi was found in northern central Chubut Province in Argentina. The
remains included a well preserved and uncrushed braincase.
The cranial remains were in an excellent state of preservation.
Allkaruen, from the middle lower Jurassic limit, shows an intermediate state in the brain
evolution of pterosaurs and their adaptations to the aerial environment.
In order to study the neurocranial anatomy, the researchers used computed tomography to
observe, in three dimensions, the cranial endocast and the inner ear.
Subsequently, a comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of the group was performed, including

these cranial data and other anatomical features.
What are Pterosaurs?

Pterosaurs are flying reptiles of the extinct order Pterosauria.
They existed from the late Triassic to the end of the Cretaceous Period (228 to 66 million
years ago).
They are the earliest vertebrates known to have evolved powered flight.
Their wings were formed by a membrane of skin, muscle, and other tissues stretching from
the ankles to a dramatically lengthened fourth finger.
Early species had long, fully toothed jaws and long tails, while later forms had a highly
reduced tail, and some lacked teeth.
They spanned a wide range of adult sizes, from the very small Anurognathids to the largest
known flying creatures of all time, including Quetzalcoatlus and Hatzegopteryx.
States
Delhi
Delhi government raised Doctors retirement age to 65
Delhi government on 23 September 2016 increased the retirement age of doctors working in its
hospitals to 65 years. Earlier, the retirement age of doctors was 62.
Health Department had recently sent a proposal to the Lt Governor to seek his approval. The LG
has given his approval to government's proposal to increase the retirement age of doctors.
The decision will help the state government to retain experienced doctors for a longer period of
time and provide better services in government-run public health facilities. There are nearly 36
hospitals run by Delhi government in the national capital.
However, the doctors above the age of 62 will not be allowed to hold administrative posts like
dean of a medical college, superintendent or head of the department.
At present, Delhi government hospitals have three cadres of doctors namely teaching, non-
teaching specialists and general duty medical officers. Earlier, the retirement age for only the
doctors of teaching cadre was 65 but with this decision, all doctors will retire at the age of 65.
Earlier in May 2016, Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the proposal to increase the age
of retirement of government doctors to 65 years.
Delhi Government to have state-level bravery awards

The Delhi government on 21 September 2016 cleared a proposal of having state-level bravery
awards. These awards will be given out on Independence Day and Republic Day every year.
As per the proposal, 10 awards will be given and will carry a cash award of 2 lakh rupees each.
The winners will be selected as per the nominations by the public.
Every year, the Centre gives National Bravery Awards to 25 children from across India for their
meritorious acts of bravery against all odds.
Besides, it also decided that Delhi Fire Services, Delhi Police, and other uniformed personnel
will be covered by the 1 crore rupees ex gratia amount for death on duty. So far, the
government had been covering Delhi Police, armed forces, paramilitary forces and other
uniformed forces such as Home Guards under its compensation policy.
Advertisements issued by Delhi government violated Supreme Court

guidelines: Panel
A committee set up by the Union Government said that the Delhi government splurged the
exchequer's money on advertisements projecting Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his party
that violated Supreme Court guidelines.
The three-member panel headed by former Chief Election Commissioner BB Tandon has asked
the Delhi government to reimburse the money expenditure since the violation of the Supreme
Court order of 13 May 2015, has taken place. The other two members of the panel were adman
Piyush Pandey and journalist Rajat Sharma. The violations shown by the panel includes
Outstation advertisements
Advertisements for self-glorification and to target political opponents
Advertisements against media
Advertisements mentioning the party in power by name
Advertisements issued on incidents occurring in other states
The committee was constituted by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry on the directions
of the Supreme Court to address issues related to Content Regulation in Government
Advertising.
West Bengal
Girish Chandra Gupta sworn in as Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court
Justice Girish Chandra Gupta on 22 September 2016 was sworn in as
the Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court.
West Bengal Governor K.N. Tripathi administered the oath of office to

Justice Gupta at the Raj Bhavan.
Justice Gupta replaced Manjula Chellur, who has taken over as Chief
Justice of Bombay High Court.
Justice Gupta was functioning as the acting Chief Justice of the high court since 22 August 2016
after Chellur's transfer.
It is after 30 years that a sitting judge of the Calcutta High Court has been made its Chief
Justice. On 1 November 1986, Justice Chittatosh Mookerje was elevated as the Chief Justice of
the Calcutta High Court.
About Justice Girish Chandra Gupta

Justice Girish Chandra Gupta was born on 1 December 1954.
He enrolled as an advocate on 20 September 1982.
He practised in the Calcutta High Court for 17 years in civil, constitutional, company,
arbitration and commercial matters.
He was made a permanent Judge of the Calcutta High Court on 15 September 2000.
He is slated to retire in December 2016.
Assam
Assams Majuli becomes first island district of India
Assams Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on 8 September
2016 inaugurated Majuli as the 35th district of Assam. With
this, Majuli became India's first island district.
The inauguration of Majuli as a district coincides with the

90th birth anniversary of music maestro Bhupen Hazarika.
Recently on 1 September 2016, Majuli replaced Brazil's

Marajo to become the world's largest river island in the Guinness Book of World Records. As
per the Guinness World Records, the island lost around one-third of its area in the last 30-40
years due to frequent flooding of the river.
Key facts related to Majuli Island

Geographical features: It is a fluvial landform (a riverine delta), a unique geographical
occurrence and a result of the dynamics of the Brahmaputra river system.
It is bounded by the river Subanisri and her tributaries on the North West, the kherkatia Suli
(a spill channel of the river Brahmaputra) in the northeast and the main Brahmaputra River on
the South and the South west.
It is the largest mid river delta system in the world. It is also comprised of many islets locally
called the Chaporis.
Its area has shrunk from about 1250 square kilometers in 1891 to about 352 square
kilometers in 2014 due to the erosion of river-bank.
Vaishnavite cultural centre: It is the abode of the Assamese neo-Vaisnavite culture initiated
around 15th century by the revered Assamese saint Srimanta Sankardeva and his disciple
Madhavdeva.
There are a total of 30 Sattras or Vaishnavite monasteries including the Dakhinpat Satra which
was established in 1584 AD.
Each Sattra represents, within its region, a centre for cultural activities and even acts as a
democratic institution to settle local disputes.
Most of the villages associate with respective Sattra, and the villagers partake in the activities
of their own Sattra during festivals and occasions.
These sattra villages and other vernacular settlements house people from various ethnic
origins all of whom have settled in Majuli like Mishings, Deori, Sonowal Kachari, Koch, Kaivartta
and Nath.
Flora and fauna: It is a hotspot for flora and fauna, harbouring many rare and endangered
avifauna species including migratory birds that arrive in the winter season.
Among the birds seen here are the greater adjutant stork, pelican, Siberian crane and the
whistling teal.
Agriculture: Paddy, mustard, potato, pulses, sugarcane, wheat are the main crops cultivated
on the island.
Various seasonal vegetables and fruits like orange, banana, pineapple, jackfruit, etc are also
grown in abundant quantity.
Recognition: In March 2011, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) of the Union Ministry of
Culture proposed to nominate the island for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage list.
Himachal Pradesh
HP government issues guidelines for scientific mining & transparent auction
Himachal Pradesh government on 11 September 2016 notified the guidelines for transparent
auction and scientific mining and hiked the penalty for offences under the mining act. The
government has also decided that the mining lease would be granted through open auction.
In order to curb illegal mining, the state government has notified the Himachal Pradesh Minor
Minerals (Concession) and Minerals (Prevention of Illegal Mining, Transportation and Storage)
Rules, 2015 providing for stringent punishment for illegal mining.
Imprisonment up to two years or fine up to 25000 rupees or both has been made for those
involved in illegal mining of minerals, their transportation and holding. In compliance of orders
of National Green Tribunal, the government had banned mining in the state but at the same
time the government was concerned that the pace of development was not hamper for want of
minerals and resorted to scientific mining.
As per the rules, no lease would be provided in respect of land within a distance of two
kilometers from the immediate outer limits of Municipal Corporation/ Municipal Committee,
one kilometer from the immediate outer limits of Nagar Panchayat.
Odisha
Odisha Government launches Biju Kanya Ratna Yojana
The Odisha Government on 3 September 2016 launched the Biju Kanya Ratna Yojana (BKRY) in
three districts of the state.
The scheme was launched for the development of girls.
The scheme will be implemented for three years in Ganjam, Dhenkanal and Angul districts on a
pilot basis.
The objective of the Biju Kanya Ratna Yojana is to improve Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB) and Child Sex
Ratio (CSR) in the three districts.
The CSR has declined from 967 in the 1991 census to 941 in the 2011 census in Nayagarh,
Dhenkanal, Angul and Ganjam districts. However, Nayagarh is covered under Beti Bachao Beti
Padhao scheme.
Key highlights of the Biju Kanya Ratna Yojana

The BKRY will ensure enrolment of girls in elementary education.
It will track dropout girls from schools and create a better environment for them.
The scheme will create awareness on gender discrimination against girls, their health,
nutrition and education.
The scheme also includes provision of toilets for girls in every school, self defence training for
girls, promotion of access to education, sensitising adolescent girls on sexual and reproductive
health issues, training of elected representatives/grassroots functionaries as community
champions to mobilise communities to improve CSR and girls education.
According to the provision of BKRY, the state government will spend 3.5 crore rupees for the
three-year planned scheme, which is expected to be completed by 31 March 2019.
Odisha Government inks lease agreement on Jagatjore Shrimp Culture Project

Odisha government on 3 September 2016 signed a long-term lease agreement with Falcon
Marine Exports for the operation of Jagatjore Shrimp
Culture Project in coastal Kendrapara district. Falcon Marine
Exports was the highest bidder of the project.
The lease period will be for 15 years which, will fetch

revenue of 13 crore rupees to the government.
Jagatjore-Banapada Shrimp Culture Project

The project was first implemented in 1992-93 in
Mahakalpada Tahasil of Kendrapara District executed by the State Fisheries Department. It was
executed with loan assistance from World Bank with a cost of 25.23 crore. It was completed in
2000.
Odisha took up the Shrimp culture in 2001, under which 81 lakh rupees was provided to the BPL
beneficiaries as working capital. But, the project became defunct as only crop was partially
successful.
The government decided to revive the project, which was lying idle for years on the suggestions
from the Seafood Exporters Association. The association requested the government to use the
developed infrastructure.
NOTE: Odisha in 2015 became the first State of the country to adopt a Comprehensive
Fishery Policy. The policy was adopted with an aim to double the fish production and achieve
export earnings of 10000 crore rupees within 5 years. Besides, the state in June 2015 also
notified the Brackish Water Land Leasing Policy to make available about 24000 hectare of
land in coastal area for brackish water aquaculture aiming to change the economy of coastal
area.
Haryana
Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar declares Charkhi Dadri as 22nd district
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on 18 September 2016 announced Charkhi Dadri
as the 22nd district of the state.
The state CM made the announcement at a public

rally in Dadri in Bhiwani district. He also announced
that developmental projects worth 112 crore rupees
had already been completed in the Dadri assembly
segment during the two year tenure of his
government.
On the other hand, Khattar also inaugurated nine development projects worth 45 crore rupees
in Dadri.
About Charkhi Dadri

Charkhi Dadri is a district in Bhiwani district in the state of Haryana.
The town was made by joining the villages of Charkhi and Dadri after urban development.
Charkhi Dadri is on NH 148 B (Narnaul-Bathinda) pass through the city.
It is located in southern Haryana 110 kilometres from the national capital of New Delhi.
Gumthala Garhu becomes first Wifi hotspot village in Haryana

Gumthala Garhu near Pehowa on 3 September 2016 became the first Wifi hotspot village in
Haryana circle under the bulk plan of BSNL for the state.
The service was inaugurated by state Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar from Chandigarh.
Gumthala Garhu is located on Ambala-Kaithal-Hisar road and has a population of 11000.
The BSNL Haryana circle plans to have 238 Wifi hotspot locations with 1072 access points in the
state. The project will be implemented to its full capacity during the current financial year.
Key highlights
The Wifi hotspot facility at the village uses bandwidth of 10 mbps through BSNLs state-of-
the-art network.
Ten outdoor and one indoor access points have been installed to cover the village.
The coverage from each access point is about 100 meters.
Data can be accessed by multiple users simultaneously.
The system at the village is set up at the cost of 8.59 rupees lakh that has been funded by
village panchayat, MLA fund and contributions by the villagers.
The gram panchayats in Haryana are being connected as part of the National Optical Fibre
Network Programme under Digital India Programme.
In Haryana, 6078 gram panchayats will be connected under this ambitious programme in a
phased manner.
Under phase one, work is in progress in 90 blocks and 90% of it has already been completed.
In phase two, work will commence in 24 blocks and it will be completed by the end of 2016.
Tamil Nadu
World's largest solar power plant opens in Kamuthi, Tamil Nadu
Adani Green Energy (Tamil Nadu) Ltd on 21 September 2016 dedicated the worlds largest solar
power plant of 648 megawatts to the nation.
The plant has been set up with an investment of around 4550 crore rupees at Kamuthi in
Ramanathapuram district of Tamil Nadu.
About Kamuthi Solar Power Project

Kamuthi Solar Power Project is a solar photovoltaic power generating station at Kamuthi.
This project has been commissioned by Adani Power.
It has a generating capacity of 648 MW at a single location.
It is considered the world's largest single location solar project.
The solar plant comprises of 380000 foundations, 2500000 solar modules, 27000 metric
tonnes of structures, 154 transformers and 6000 km of cables.
It consists of 576 inverters and 154 transformer and almost 7500 km of cables.
The panels occupy 1270 acres of land. 30000 tonnes of galvanised steel were used.
About 8500 personnel worked on average installing about 11 MW in a day to set up the plant
in stipulated time.
The entire 648 MW is now connected to the Kamuthi 400 KV substation of Tantransco
Chennamaneni Vidyasagar Rao sworn in as acting Governor of Tamil Nadu

Chennamaneni Vidyasagar Rao, Governor of Maharashtra, was sworn in as the acting Governor
of Tamil Nadu on 2 September 2016 as the tenure of K. Rosaiah ended on 31 August 2016.
Rao was administered oath of office by the Madras High Court's Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul
at the Raj Bhavan, Chennai.
About Chennamaneni Vidyasagar Rao

Chennamaneni Vidyasagar Rao is the present Governor of Maharashtra.
He took oath as the Governor on 30 August 2014.
Previously, he served as the Union Minister of State for internal affairs in the Vajpayee-led BJP
Government from 1999.
He was elected to 12th and 13th Lok Sabha from Karimnagar in Telangana as a Bharatiya
Janata Party candidate.
Gujarat
Gujarat CM dedicated 2 mbps connectivity to 6000 villages
Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on 8 September 2016 dedicated 2 mbps download and 512
kbps upload digital connectivity to 6000 villages.
Under the E-gram program launched in 2006-07, total 14000 villages had been connected to
internet through V-SAT technology which offers hardly 19-20 kbps speed. Many E-gram villages
did not get enough speed when some centers login at the same time.
Now, 6000 villages out of 14000 are given 2 mbps connectivity through BSNL network. As these
villages are out of the V-SAT platform, the rest of the villages served by V-SAT will also get
faster connectivity.
Villagers are getting various services like PDS, health, data entry, power and gas bills through e-
gram project. Gujarat Government has set the target to achieve 100 percent village connectivity
through optical fiber network 2nd October 2017.
Under the E-gram program launched in 2006-07, total 14000 villages had been connected to
internet through V-SAT technology which offers hardly 19-20 kbps speed.
Gujarat, AAI, Union Government sign tripartite MoU to build small airports
The Gujarat government on 1 September 2016 signed a tripartite Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Airport Authority of India (AAI)
to develop 11 small airports and airstrips under the Centres Regional Connectivity Scheme
(RCS).
The MoU was signed to boost regional air connectivity in the State.
Highlights of the MoU
MoU was signed to develop the 11 air-strips / airports which are in working or not in working
position, so that the state aviation sector may develop to provide easy connectivity to the
passengers of state.
Airports of Bhavnagar, Bhuj, Jamnagar, Surat, Porbandar, Mehsana, Mandvi, Amreli, Kandla,
Keshod and Deesa will be developed, which fall under un-served-underserved category.
The Centre will provide the financial resources under viability gap funding of the RCS.
The infrastructural development will take place as per the RCS of civil aviation ministry.
Apart from developing infrastructure at the 11 airports, the Union Government will provide
subsidies to airline operators, including cheaper fuel.
With this MoU, Gujarat became the third State after Jharkhand and Maharashtra to have signed
such an agreement to seek the Centres support to provide financial assistance to create
infrastructural facilities in small airports.
Jammu & Kashmir

Union Government approves 500 crore rupee projects for development of
tourism in J&K
The Union Government approved projects worth 500 crore rupees for integrated development
of tourism in Jammu and Kashmir under Swadesh Darshan scheme.
The Central Sanctioning and Monitoring Committee for the scheme approved the projects as
part of Development Package of Prime Minister Reconstruction Plan (PMRP).
The new projects include Integrated Development of Tourist facilities at Mantalai -

Sudhmahadev - Patnitop Circuit (for 99.99 Crore rupees), Baramulla-Kupwara-Leh circuit (for
99.98 Crore rupees), Rajouri - Bafliyaz - Shopian - Pulwama Circuit (for 99.99 Crore rupees) and
Anantnag-Kishtwar- Pahalgam - Daksum - Ranjit Sagar Dam Circuit (for.99.75 Crore rupees).
Nearly 100 crore rupees have been approved for integrated development of tourist facilities in
lieu of damaged assets in the floods.
The projects envisage tourist infrastructural development in Jammu and Kashmir. Highlights of
the project involved
Developing a Convention Centre in Gulmarg and Patnitop
Development of Ethnic Villages
Development of Water Sports Centre at Baghliyar Dam - Pool Doda
Other major intervention proposed in the circuits include last mile connectivity, tourist
facilitation and interpretation centre, base camps for trekking, facilitation centre for pilgrims for
Amarnath Yatra, Sound illumination of heritage structures and others.
Report|Survey
Fortune released list of most powerful women based outside the US
Fortune on 13 September 2016 released list of most powerful women based outside the US.
The list was topped by Banco Santander's Ana Botin. The 2016 list spans 19 countries and is
comprised of 16% new names.
Indians in the list include top women bankers, namely SBI chief Arundhati Bhattacharya (2nd
rank), ICICI head Chanda Kochhar (5th rank) and Axis Bank CEO Shikha Sharma (19th rank).
Top 10 women in the list are
Ana Botin - Group Executive Chairman, Banco Santander. She is a resident of Spain.
Arundhati Bhattacharya - Chairperson, State Bank of India. She is a resident of India.
Isabelle Kocher - CEO, Engie. She is a resident of France.
Chua Sock Koong - Group CEO, Singapore Telecommunications. She is a resident of Singapore.
Chanda Kochhar - Managing Director and CEO, ICICI Bank. She is a resident of India.
Alison Cooper - CEO, Imperial Brands. She is a resident of U.K.
Guler Sabanci - Chairman, Sabanc Holding. She is a resident of Turkey.
Ho Ching - Executive Director and CEO, Temasek. She is a resident of Singapore.
Annika Falkengren - CEO and President, SEB Group. She is a resident of Sweden.
Omella Barra - Co-COO, Walgreens Boots Alliance. She is a resident of U.K.
Swachh Survekshan for rural areas released, Mandi and Sindhudurg

topped the charts
The results of the 2016 Swachh Survekshan (Cleanliness Index) for rural India was released on
8 September 2016. Mandi (Himachal Pradesh) and Sindhudurg (Maharashtra) were declared as
the cleanest districts in India.
Mandi was judged as the cleanest district in Hills category and Sindhudurg as the cleanest in
the Plains category.
Overall Ranking - Swachh Survekshan Gramin

Category Rank District & state Score
Hills 1 Mandi, Himachal 98.4

Pradesh
2 West Sikkim, Sikkim 96.4
3 Shimla, Himachal 94.1

Pradesh
1 Sindhudurg, 96.8
Maharashtra
Plains
2 Nadia, West Bengal 95.0
3 Satara, Maharashtra 92.9
The results were declared by the Minister, Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Rural
Development and Panchayati Raj.
A total of 22 hill districts and 53 plain areas were assessed under the Gramin Swachh
Survekshan launched in May 2016.
State wise, Sikkim and Kerala were ranked as top performing states in a Swachhta (cleanliness)
survey conducted by the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO), while Chhattisgarh and
Jharkhand were placed among the last on the table.
Assessment
The Ministry had commissioned Quality Council of India (QCI) to carry out the assessment. Each
district has been judged on four distinct parameters. Maximum weightage was places on
accessibility to safe toilets and water. The parameters to judge sanitation status include:
Households having access to safe toilets and using them (toilet usage, water accessibility, safe
disposal of waste) (40%)
Households having no litter around (30%)
Public places with no litter in the surrounding (10%)
Households having no stagnant wastewater around (20%)
The assessors appointed by QCI individually visited all districts covered under the Survekshan to
make a comprehensive analysis of the on-ground situation & progress.
Corporate
L&T bags 100 million dollar order from Vietnam Border Guard
Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has landed a 99.7-million dollar (around 660 crore rupees) contract from
Vietnam Border Guard to design, construct and supply high-speed patrol vessels. The contract
provides for supply of 12 vessels in next 30 months.
As per the contract, L&T will also transfer design and technology along with supply of
equipment and material kits for construction of follow-on vessels to a Vietnam shipyard.
These high-speed patrol vessels will be built for controlling and protecting sea security and
sovereignty, detecting illegal activities such as smuggling, and undertaking search and rescue
missions.
Constructed of aluminum alloy, these vessels will be about 35 meter long and clock a speed of
35 knots with navigation and surveillance equipment and self-defence capabilities on board.
Ola ties-up with Yatra for Cab Booking Interface Integration

Transportation app Ola on 20 September 2016 tied-up with Yatra.Com for Cab Booking
Interface Integration. It has integrated its application interface on Yatra.com.
Through this integration, users will be able to book a ride directly through Yatra.Com's app
without having the Ola application installed on their devices.
It will also give customers the access to availability, booking, estimation and tracking across
categories, directly on the Yatra app.
Ola has also opened up its Application Programming Interface (API) to other apps like
Makemytrip, Oyo Rooms and others to extend its mobility offerings to a larger user base.
HAL gets APAQG membership with voting rights

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) was on 16 September 2016 conferred with the prestigious
membership of the Asia-Pacific Aerospace Quality Group (APAQG) under the category Full
Member with voting rights.
With this, India became the seventh nation to join the APAQG under TRHE International
Aerospace Quality Group (IAQG). The other nations of APAQG are China, South Korea, Taiwan,
Indonesia, Singapore and Japan.
Highlights of the membership

HAL is now a part of Global Quality team dedicated to bring improvements in the Aerospace
Quality.
The company can participate in international forums and contribute to the development and
revision of current and new quality Standards.
The membership enables HAL to have access to various Quality System Standards and other
guidelines developed by IAQG.
To become a part of IAQG, HAL has to be a member of APAQG and then graduate to IAQG as a
voting member.
About TRHE International Aerospace Quality Group (IAQG)

The IAQG is an international non-profit cooperative global organisation that brings aviation,
space and defence companies together to deliver more value at all levels of the supply chain.
It establishes and maintains Quality Management System standards (9100 series) and controls
the certification system.
The IAQG comprises Americas (AAQG), Europe (EAQG) and Asia-Pacific (APAQG) sectors.
Virat Kohli appointed as Brand Ambassador of Punjab National Bank

Indian test skipper Virat Kohli was on 17 September 2016 appointed as Brand Ambassador of
state-owned Punjab National Bank (PNB). Kohli has been an Account Holder of the bank since
the age of 16 years.
Since its inception in 1895, PNB has been people's

bank serving millions of customers throughout India.
Over the years, the Bank has established itself as a
major player in Indian banking space.
Background
The bank undertook this move to improve its image
which has taken a hit due to rising bad loans.
For the first quarter that ended in June 2016, the bank's profit declined by a 58 percent to 306
crore rupees on account of mounting bad loans. During the quarter, provision towards non-
performing assets (NPAs) jumped almost three-fold to 3620 crore rupees from 1291 crore
rupees.
The Gross NPAs rose significantly to 13.75 percent at the end of June 2016 from 12.9 percent in
the year-ago period.
Civil Aviation Ministry prohibits use of Samsungs Galaxy Note 7

phone on board aircraft
Civil Aviation Ministry on 9 September 2016
prohibited the use and carriage of Samsungs Galaxy
Note 7 smart phone on board aircraft. The decision
was taken in light of several incidents globally,
involving the battery of Samsung Galaxy Note 7.
The Ministry has issued a public notice advising

airlines and travellers not to turn on or charge the
smart phones during flights. Passengers have also
been advised not to stow them in their checked in baggage. As per notification, passengers can
carry them in their hand baggage in switched-off mode.
The decision came a day after US regulator Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a
similar warning.
The Samsung has already recalled about 2.5 million units of the smart phone following the
complaints. As per reports, more than 35 cases of exploding batteries has been reported since
the phone was launched on 19 August 2016. The phone was launched with iris biometric
scanner for enhanced security, upgraded S pen and a dual-curved screen.
Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong to be appointed as

Director of the Board
South Korean electronics major Samsung Electronics announced on 12 September 2016 that
Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong will be appointed as a registered executive director on the board.
The decision was made keeping in mind the urgent need for strategic decision-making on
aggressive investments and new growth engines from a long-term perspective.
Who is Lee Jae-yong?
Lee Jae-yong is a South Korean business magnate.
He is the eldest child and only son of Lee Kun-hee, Chairman of Samsung.
He received a degree in East Asian history at Seoul National University.
He obtained his master's in business administration from Keio University.
He has also attended Harvard Business School to pursue a Doctor of Business Administration
degree, focusing on e-commerce. However, he did not obtain the degree.
He is referred to as the Crown Prince of Samsung by the South Korean media.
His wealth is estimated to be worth 7.9 billion US dollar, making him the third wealthiest
person in South Korea.
In 2014, he was named the world's 35th most powerful person and the most powerful
Korean by Forbes Magazine's List of The World's Most Powerful People along with his father
Lee Kun-hee.
Reliance Communications and Aircel to be merged to create 4th largest telco

Anil Ambani-led Reliance Communications and Maxis
Communications Berhad (MCB), promoters of Aircel,
on 14 September 2016 agreed to merge their wireless
businesses to form the fourth-largest telecom
operator in the country.
The merger is termed as the biggest consolidation

deal in India's telecom sector.
Key highlights of the merger

R-Com will demerge its wireless business and transfer it to the new entity. Its standalone
business will focus on the enterprise segment and data centre businesses.
Sistema will continue to hold 10 per cent in standalone R-Com.
Both R-Com and Maxis will hold 50 per cent each in the new entity.
The merged company will be one of Indias largest private sector companies. It will have an
asset base of over 65000 crore rupees and net worth of 35000 crore rupees.
The entity will enjoy substantial benefits of scale driving significant revenue growth, and
capex and opex synergies with a net present value of 20000 crore rupees.
The company will be managed by an independent professional team under the supervision of
the board.
After completion of the merger in 2017, RComs overall debt will reduce by 20000 crore
rupees or over 40 per cent of its debt.
Aircels debt will reduce by 4000 crore rupees.
The entity will have the second-largest spectrum holding amongst all operators, aggregating
448 MHz across the 850, 900, 1800 and 2100 MHz bands.
It will enjoy enhanced business continuity through extended validity of spectrum holdings till
2033-35.
LG Electronics Inc ties up with Amazon.com on smart-home services

South Korea's LG Electronics Inc on 2 September 2016 tied-up with Amazon.com Inc on smart-
home services.
This tie-up will help enabling the services of Amazon such as the Alexa virtual assistant on some
of the electronics maker's devices.
Highlights of the Partnership

Alexa will work with its SmartThinkQ Hub, an LG device used to connect with home
appliances over the internet.
It will allow users to control the South Korean firm's home appliances via voice-recognition
technology.
It would add Amazon.com's Dash feature on its SmartThinQ Sensors, which enabled smart
features on appliances to allow users to quickly order household items such as laundry
detergent or drinks.
Reliance Industries launches Reliance Jio offering Free Voice Calls,

cheap Data Plans
Reliance Industries Limited on 1 September 2016 launched the Reliance Jio Service offering free
voice calls and zero roaming charges for its customers as a part of Jio Welcome Offer.
The Jio Welcome Offer will be effective from 5 September 2016 up to 31 December 2016. As
part of the Jio Welcome Offer, users will have access to unlimited LTE data and national voice,
video and messaging services along with the full bouquet of Jio applications and content free of
cost.
Reliance tied up with around 20 smartphone brands including Samsung, Micromax and LG to
bundle Jio SIM cards with them with free voice and data for three months.
Highlights of the Reliance Jio Service

Domestic voice calls to any network across the country would be free for Jio subscribers even
beyond the Jio Welcome Offer.
Domestic roaming services would also not be charged separately.
Average data prices would be around 50 rupees for 1 GB, which would be amongst the lowest
in the world.
In addition to fixed and wireless broadband connectivity, Jio will also offer end-to-end
solutions in key domains such as education, healthcare, security, communication, financial
services, and entertainment.
Jio's 4G network covers 18000 cities and towns, and over 2 lakh villages.
What all services a Jio customer will get?

The Jio-Apps bouquet, which is worth 15000 rupees for an annual subscription, will be
available complimentary for all active Jio customers up to 31 December 2017.
The JioFi router has been launched at just 1999 rupees.
New Lyf devices starting at 2999 rupees only.
More than 70% of all devices sold in India support 4G LTE. And that soon that will be 100
percent.
1 million wifi hotspots across India.
A special student discount offer, with 25 percent more data on the main tariff plans, would be
offered to all students.
2.8 million Songs, 6000 movies and thousands of magazines and newspapers to be added for
Jio customers
Reliance launched Jio Money for customers to go cashless with the help of this digital wallet
There will be no blackout dates for Jio customers. No extra charges for festive days.
Customers can access their bill at real-time after every transaction.
About Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited

It is a subsidiary of Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) and the first telecom operator to hold pan
India Unified License.
It has created a legacy free, next-generation voice and broadband network which can be
seamlessly upgraded even to 5G and beyond.
It will be the only company in the world providing next generation digital services over an
end-to-end all-IP network at this scale.
Microsoft, Google and Salesforce adopt EU-US Privacy Shield

framework
American tech giants Microsoft, Google and Salesforce on 3 September 2016 officially adopted
the EU-US Privacy Shield framework. This will enable them to receive personal data from the
European Union (EU) in compliance with the new standards.
They are now among the 103 companies out of the 5526 signatories to replace the defunct Safe
Harbour framework.
Facebook, Apple and Twitter are yet to adopt Privacy Shield Framework.
About EU-US Privacy Shield Framework

The European Commission adopted the EU-US Privacy Shield framework in July 2016 to
facilitate the transfer of personal data from the EU to the United States (US).
Privacy Shield is a voluntary scheme, whereby companies pledge to treat European citizens
personal data in compliance with European Union data rules.
These pledges are then enforced by the US Department of Commerce.
Sports
Cricket
R Ashwin becomes fastest Indian second overall to take 200 Test wickets
Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin on 25 September 2016 became the fastest Indian and second
overall to take 200 wickets, reaching the milestone in his 37th Test.
Ashwin trapped New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson in front to get to the 200-mark on day
four of the first Test at the Green Park in Kanpur.
With this feat, Ashwin left behind the likes of Dennis Lillee and Waqar Younis, who took 38
Tests to get to 200 wickets. South African pacer Dale Steyn took 39 Tests to reach the landmark.
Only leg-spinner Clarrie Grimmett got to the double century of wickets faster than Ashwin as
the Australian reached there in 36 Tests.
Besides, Ashwin is also the ninth Indian bowler to record 200 in Tests and also the ninth highest
wicket-taker for the country in a list lead by current coach Anil Kumble who holds the record of
619 wickets.
MS Dhoni named captain of India's all time Test XI by Wisden

Mahendra Singh Dhoni in the third week of September 2016 was named the captain of the all-
time India Test XI chosen by cricket magazine Wisden.
Dhoni has received the honours ahead of Sourav

Ganguly and Mohammad Azharuddin.
The openers in the team are Sunil Gavaskar and

Virender Sehwag, followed by Rahul Dravid, Sachin
Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, all-rounder Kapil Dev and
Dhoni.
Veteran Indian all-rounder Kapil Dev along with

Javagal Srinath and Zaheer Khan have been named as pacers, while legendary Bishen Singh
Bedi, Harbhajan Singh and Team India coach Anil Kumble are the spinners. Azharuddin has been
named as the 12th man.
Wisden is one of the most reputed cricket magazines in the world, announced the team to mark
India's 500th Test match starting on 22 September 2016 against New Zealand at the Green Park
Stadium in Kanpur.
Wisden Test XI: Sunil Gavaskar, Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman,
Kapil Dev, MS Dhoni (captain, wicketkeeper), Anil Kumble, Javagal Srinath, Zaheer Khan, Bishan
Singh Bedi, Mohammad Azharuddin (12th man).
BCCI partners Janalakshmi Financial Services for three years

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on 15 September 2016 tied up with financial
services firm Janalakshmi Financial Services (Jana) as an associate sponsor.
Janalakshmi will be the official financial services partner of the BCCI where the brand would
enjoy visibility on the field.
The agreement also gives Janalakshmi benefits of prominence in stadium branding and on-
ground advertising for 68 matches in three years across the three formats.
About Janalakshmi Financial Services

Janalakshmi Financial Services is the largest and the fastest growing Micro Finance Institution
(MFI) in India.
It recently has been granted in-principle approval to convert itself into a Small Finance Bank.
It has deep domain expertise in banking and financial services, with over 500 years of banking
sector expertise just among the senior management.
In March 2016, it received the VC Circle award for the Best Financial Services Firm in India
that has received venture capital funding.
JFS is also a part of the financial inclusion working group with the World Economic Forum.
India Blue wins 2016-2017 Duleep Trophy

Gautam Gambhir-led India Blue on 14 September 2016 won the inaugural day/night Duleep
Trophy Cricket tournament held in Greater Noida.
In the final, India Blue defeated India Red, captained by

Yuvraj Singh, by a massive 355 runs.
Ravinder Jadeja, who bagged 5 wickets in the second

innings, finished the game with a 10-wicket haul.
Cheteshwar Pujara was named the Player of the

Match.
About Duleep Trophy

The Duleep Trophy is a domestic first-class cricket competition played in India between teams
representing geographical zones of India.
The competition is named after Kumar Shri Duleepsinhji of Nawanagar.
The 201617 Duleep Trophy was the 55th season of the Duleep Trophy.
In June 2016, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced that the tournament
will feature day/night matches and pink ball will be used.
The tournament was contested by three teams, namely India Red, India Blue and India Green.
Tennis
Alexander Zverev defeats Stan Wawrinka to win St Petersburg Open Mens
Singles title
German tennis player Alexander Zverev on 25 September 2016 defeated Stan Wawrinka to win
his first tour title in the St. Petersburg Open final.
Zverev defeated Wawrinka by 6-2, 3-6, 7-5 to win the title.
With this, Zverev becomes the first man to beat Wawrinka in a tour final since 2013. The loss
also ends a 10-match unbeaten run for Wawrinka.
Apart from this, Dominic Inglot and Henri Kontinen won the 2016 St Petersburg Open Mens
Doubles title. The duo defeated Leander Paes and his German partner Andre Begemann to grab
the title.
The Indo-German duo lost 6-4 3-6 10-12 in a match that lasted an hour and 19 minutes.
About St. Petersburg Open

The St. Petersburg Open is a professional men's tennis tournament played on indoor hard
courts.
It is a part of the ATP World Tour 250 series of the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP)
World Tour.
The tournament has been held annually at the Petersburg Sports and Concert Complex in St.
Petersburg, Russia, since 1995.
2002 Australian Open champion Thomas Johansson, former World No. 1 Marat Safin and
Andy Murray are the only players to have won the singles titles more than once.
Milos Raonic was the winner of the 2015 St Petersburg Open Mens Singles title.
Sania Mirza and Barbora Strycova lifts Toray Pan Pacific Open trophy in
Tokyo
India's Sania Mirza and her Czech partner Barbora Strycova on 24 September 2016 lifted the
womens doubles title in the Toray Pan Pacific Open trophy in Tokyo. In the final clash, the
Indo-Czech pair defeated the unseeded Chinese pair of Chen Liang and Zhaoxuan Yang 6-1, 6-1.
This is Sania and Strycova's second title in three tournaments since they have paired together.
Their first title together was in Cincinnati.
The victory puts Mirza and Strycova one step closer to a potential spot in the BNP Paribas WTA
Finals Singapore presented by SC Global. Entering Tokyo the duo sat at No.19 on the Road to
Singapore Leaderboard, trailing the Top 8 by about 500 points. With 470 points now in the bag,
the team received a major boost in their standings.
Stan Wawrinka defeats Novak Djokovic to win 2016 US Open Mens Singles
title
Third seed Stan Wawrinka on 11 September 2016 defeated world number one Novak Djokovic
to lift the 2016 US Open Mens Singles title.
In the final, Swiss Wawrinka defeated Serbian Djokovic 6-7, 6-4, 7-5, 6-3 to clinch the title.
This is Wawrinkas maiden US Open title and his third major title.
About Stan Wawrinka

Stan Wawrinka is a Swiss professional tennis player.
He has reached three Grand Slam singles finals in his career, winning all three: the 2014
Australian Open, the 2015 French Open and the 2016 US Open.
Just prior to the 2014 French Open, he requested and the ATP granted a formal change in his
name from Stanislas Wawrinka to Stan Wawrinka.
Jamie Murray and Bruno Soares win 2016 US Open Mens Doubles title
Britains Jamie Murray and Brazils Bruno Soares on 10 September 2016 won the 2016 US Open
Mens Doubles title.
Murray and Soares defeated Spain's Pablo Carreno Busta and Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-2 6-3.
With this, Murray became the first British man for 44 years to win the US Open doubles title.
Soares also became the first Brazilian to win more than one Grand Slam doubles title.
Angelique Kerber wins 2016 US Open Womens Singles title

Germanys Angelique Kerber on 10 September 2016 defeated Karolina Pliskova by 63, 46, 6
4 to win 2016 US Open Women's Singles title.
It was Kerber's second Grand Slam singles title. With this, she became the first German to win
the US Open since Steffi Graf in 1996.
On the other hand, Pliskova became the first Czech woman to make the US Open final since
1993. Also, she is the only fourth player to defeat both of the Williams sisters in the same
Grand Slam tournament.
About 2016 US Open

The 2016 US Open was a tennis tournament played on outdoor hard courts.
The 2016 US Open was the 136th edition of the US Open, the fourth and final Grand Slam
event of the year.
It took place at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.
Stan Wawrinka won the men's singles event.
Jamie Murray and Bruno Soares won the mens doubles title.
Squash
Indias Velavan Senthilkumar wins U-19 Asian Junior Individual squash title in
Kuala Lumpur
India's Velavan Senthilkumar on 24 September 2016 bagged the Under-19 Asian Junior
Individual squash championship title. In the final clash played in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, he
defetaed Jordan's Mohammad Al-Sarraj 12-14, 9-11, 11-6, 11-8, 11-7.
The Chennai player, who trains at the Indian Squash Academy, is the second Indian to win the
title after Ravi Dixit in 2010.
From among 31 Indian players in various age categories at the tournament, there were two
more medal winners in Tushar Shahani, who claimed silver in boys'U-17, and Yash Fadte who
earned a bronze in boys' U-15 section.
Hockey
BPCL lifts title of Obaidullah Khan Heritage Cup Hockey Tournament
The Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) on 21 September 2016 lifted the title of the
Obaidullah Khan Heritage Cup Hockey Tournament. In the final clash at Aishbagh Stadium in
Bhopal, BPCL defeated Railways by 3-0.
The match was decided by penalty shoot-outs as both the teams scored one goal each till the
end of prescribed time.
Air India got the third place in the Tournament. It defeated ONGC in a match played to decide
third place. Winning team received 51 lakh rupees.
Individual awards
Man of the Match - Amit Rohidas
Best Goalkeeper of the Tournament Award - Gurpreet Singh of Air India
Best Defender of the Tournament - Manpreet Singh from BPCL
Best Midfielder of the Tournament - Chinglensana Singh from Railways
Best Forward of the Tournament - Affan Yousuf from Railways
Player of the Tournament - Tushar Khandker from BPCL
Indian Railways Men Hockey Team wins MCC Murugappa Gold Cup Hockey
Tournament
Indian Railways Men Hockey Team on 11 September
2016 won the MCC Murugappa Gold Cup Hockey
Tournament 2016 in Chennai. It is for the first time
that Indian Railways clinched the title.
In the finals, Indian Railways Hockey Team defeated

Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) Team by 2 - 1.
As the winning team, Indian Railways takes home the

prize money of 5 lakhs rupees, and the runner-up
team Indian Oil Corporation receives 2.50 lakhs rupees.
Special awards given in the tournament

Special prize Awarded to Team
Best Forward AffanYousuf Indian Railways
Best Midfielder Amit Rohidas Indian Railways
Best Goal keeper/ Defender Jugraj Indian Railways
Hockey Unit of Tamil

Most Promising Player of the tournament Joshua Nadu
Man of the Match of the Finals Malak Singh Indian Rilways
About MCC and the Tournament

The Madras Cricket Club is one of the premier sports institutions in the country.
It organizes major national level tournaments in the disciplines of Tennis, Squash, Cricket,
Badminton, Billiards and Hockey.
From the early days, this tournament has been the premier hockey event in South India and
one of the major competitions in the country attracting the top teams and talent.
This tournament has been keenly observed by coaches and administrators for picking talent
to represent the country.
Shooting
Priyesha Deshmukh wins bronze in World Deaf Shooting Championships
Hearing-impaired Indian shooter Priyesha Deshmukh on 14 September 2016 won the bronze
medal in her first-ever international competition at the first World Deaf Shooting
Championships.
The Championships was held in Kazan, Russia from 7

September to 15 September 2016.
Deshmukh won the bronze in the 10m air rifle

category.
The shooter won the medal after scoring 180.4

points.
Deshmukh had qualified for the medal round after scoring 404.9 in the qualification round.
Deshmukh has been winning national gold in her the handicapped category since last three
years. However, the World Deaf Shooting Championships is her maiden international
participation.
Ukraine's Svitlana Yatsenko won the gold in the Championships while Serbia's Gordana Mikovic
clinched the silver.
Indian shooters clinched three gold medals at ISSF Junior World Cup
Indian shooters clinched seven medals, including three gold medals, on the opening day of the
International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Junior World Cup for pistol, rifle and shotgun at
Gabala in Azerbaijan.
A total of 279 junior athletes, representing 27 countries, are battling it out in 18 events.
Subhankar Pramanick: He clinched gold medal in 50-metre rifle prone event. The Indian shot
205.5 overall to finish top of the podium. Czech Republic's Filip Nepejchal (205.2) followed in
second position, while Romania's Dragomir Iordache (185.1) was placed third at the end of the
finals.
Subhankar, along with team-mates Fateh Singh Dhillon and Ajaey Nithish, also helped the
Indian team to win silver in the event.
Sambhaji Patil: He won the junior men's 25-metre standard pistol event by shooting 562 to
easily beat Australians Sergei Evglevski and James Ashmore.
Sambhaji along with compatriots Gurmeet and Rituraj Singh helped India to win the team gold.
The other medals won by India on the day included silver in the junior men's team rifle prone
and two bronze medals.
In the year's first Junior World Cup in May 2016 at Suhl, Germany, the Indians had finished
fourth with an overall tally of three gold, four silver and three bronze medals.
Football
East Bengal wins Calcutta Football League

2016
Indian football giants East Bengal on 16 September 2016
won the Calcutta Football League (CFL) for the seventh
consecutive time.
The team defeated Mohammedan Sporting 1-0 at the

Kalyani Stadium.
East Bengal bettered its own record of winning it six times

straight from 1970 to 1975.
About East Bengal Football Club

East Bengal Football Club is a professional football club, based in Kolkata, West Bengal.
East Bengal FC was founded in 1920.
It currently competes in the I-League, the top-tier of Indian football pyramid.
The club has won 3 National Football League, 8 Federation Cups, 3 Indian Super Cups and
many more.
The club has represented India the most number of times in the Asian competitions, with its
best performance being a semi-final berth in the AFC Cup 2013.
East Bengal had also won ASEAN Club Championship in 2003.
About Calcutta Football League

Calcutta Football League is the football league system where several football clubs of Kolkata
participate.
It currently consists of seven-tier pyramid system.
Indian Football Association (IFA) conducts the CFL with 157 mostly Kolkata based clubs and
units.
Started in 1898, this league is regarded as one of the oldest football competitions in the
world.
Army Green beat Neroca FC 6-5 to lift Durand Cup

Army Green on 11 September 2016 won the Durand Cup football title. In the final of Asia's
oldest football tournament in New Delhi, Army Green defeated Neroca FC 6-5 via penalty shoot
outs.
In the semi-final, Army Green had prevailed over Aizawal FC by a 4-2 margin, to become the
first Army team since 2005 to reach the title clash.
In their semi-final, Manipur side, Neroca FC, defeated DSK Shivajians 3-nil to become the first
team from the North East to reach the summit-clash of the Durand football tournament.
With this victory, Army Blue collected the cash prize of 45 lakh rupees, biggest cash prize in the
tournament. On the other hand, Neroca collected a cash prize of 20 lakh rupees.
Durand Cup
Durand Cup is a football competition in India and was first held in 1888. It is co-hosted by the
Durand Football Tournament Society (DFTS) and Osians. The Tournament is named after its
founder, Sir Mortimer Durand, Foreign Secretary in charge of India from 1884 to 1894.
Kabaddi
2016 Kabaddi World Cup's logo unveiled
Vijay Goel, Union Sports Minister, Janardan Singh Gehlot, President of International Kabaddi
Federation, on 14 September 2016 formally unveiled the logo of the 2016 Kabaddi World Cup.
The logo is derived from the natural heritage of Gujarat, the Asiatic Lion, symbolising the
ferocity of a Kabaddi defender and the agility of a raider.
The 2016 Kabaddi World Cup will be held at The Arena by TransStadia in Ahmedabad from 7
October to 22 October 2016.
A total of 12 teams including hosts India will compete for the top honours in the tournament,
which has been divided into two groups of six teams each.
The teams will play in a round robin league format, while the semi-finals will be played on 21
October 2016 and the final is slated for 22 October 2016.
The participating countries are: USA, Thailand, UK, Australia, Iran, Poland, Argentina,
Bangladesh, South Korea, Kenya and Japan.
Kabaddi World Cup

Kabaddi is a contact sport that originated in Ancient India.
India always dominated the event by winning all the gold medals in both men's and women's
category.
Kabaddi World Cup was first played in 2004, then in 2007 and then annually from 2010
onwards.
2004 and 2007 were played in Standard Style and other years in Circle Style.
World Cup 2015 was cancelled because of 2015 Guru Granth Sahib Desecration controversy.
Sri Muktsar Sahib in Punjab was the host of the Kabaddi World Cup 2014.
The winner of the Kabaddi World Cup 2014 was India. New Zealand was the Runner-up.
Pakistan stood on the third place.
2016 Summer Paralympic Game

Javelin thrower Devendra Jhajharia wins gold at Rio Paralympics
Javelin thrower Devendra Jhajharia on 13 September 2016 became the first Indian to clinch two
gold medals at the Paralympics. He broke his own world record to clinch the medals at the Rio
Games.
Jhajharia, who won his previous gold in the 2004 Athens

Games, bettered his own world record to finish on top in
the mens F46 event.
Jhajharias previous best was 62.15 metres, which he had

achieved in the 2004 Games. In the 2016 Rio Paralympics,
he improved the mark with an attempt of 63.97 metres.
World No. 1 Chunliang Guo from China won the silver

medal in the event. Sri Lankas Herath Priyantha grabbed the bronze.
India now has two gold, one silver and one bronze in the ongoing edition of the Paralympics
Games.
Thangavelu Mariyappan had earlier struck gold in the mens high jump, while Varun Bhati had
secured a bronze in the same event. Later, Deepa Malik clinched a silver medal in the womens
shot put event to add to the tally.
About Devendra Jhajharia

Born on 10 June 1981, Devendra Jhajharia is an Indian Paralympic javelin thrower competing
in F46 events.
The first Indian Paralympian to win two gold medals at the Paralympics.
He won his first gold in the javelin throw at the 2004 Summer Paralympics in Athens,
becoming only the second gold medalist at the Paralympics for India.
He is currently being supported by the GoSports Foundation through the Para Champions
Programme.
Deepa Malik becomes first Indian woman to win medal at Paralympics

Indian athlete Deepa Malik on 12 September 2016 became
the first Indian woman to bag a medal at the Paralympics.
Malik clinched a silver medal in the shotput F-53 event. Her

throw of 4.61m was the best in her six attempts.
With the win, she confirmed Indias third medal from the Rio
Paralympics.
Fatema Nedham of Bahrain won the gold medal with the best
throw of 4.76m. Greeces Dimitra Korokida bagged the
bronze medal with a throw of 4.28m.
About Deepa Malik

Deepa Malik is an Indian athlete born in Sonipat.
She is associated with Himalayan Motorsports Association (H.M.A.) and Federation of Motor
Sports Clubs of India (F.M.S.C.I.).
She has done an 8 day, 1700-km drive in sub-zero temperatures which included a climb to
18000 feet.
She is currently being supported by the GoSports Foundation through their Para Champions
Programme.
She is a member of the working group in the formulation 12th five- year plan (2012-2017) on
Sports and Physical Education as nominated by the Planning Commission HRD Division on
behalf of the Sports Ministry.
Mariyappan Thangavelu wins Indias first Gold medal at Rio Paralympic

Games
Mariyappan Thangavelu won Indias first gold medal
at the Rio Paralympics. He won the gold in the Mens
High Jump T-42 event with a leap of 1.89 metres.
With this, Thangavelu also became the first Indian

high-jumper to win gold at the Paralympics. This was
Indias overall third gold at the Games and the first
after 12 years.
In addition, Bronze in the event also went to India through Varun Singh Bhati, who jumped his
personal best of 1.86 metres to finish third. USA's Sam Grewe bagged the silver medal.
India had claimed a Gold and a Bronze at Athens in 2004. Javelin thrower Devendra Jhajharia
had then won the Gold, with Rajinder Singh claiming the Bronze in powerlifting.
In the last edition of the Games in London, India had attained just Silver. India had won its first
ever Paralympics Gold in the 1972 Heidelberg Games through Swimmer Murlikant Petkar.
2016 Paralympic Games began at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

The 2016 Summer Paralympic Games began on 7 September 2016 at Maracana Stadium in Rio
de Janeiro, Brazil. The fifteenth Summer Paralympic Games will conclude on 18 September
2016.
The games started after the symbolic cauldron was lit by

Brazilian swimmer and wheelchair user Clodoaldo Silvax. The
flame travelled across all five regions of Brazil over seven days,
with 500 torchbearers taking part. The quadrangular torch
reflects the four Paralympic values courage, determination,
inspiration and equality.
After this, the athletes parade was led by Ibrahim Al Hussein, a

Syrian refugee who will compete as part of the Independent
Paralympic Athletes (IPA) Team at the Games. Each national
team will have their own flag-bearer.
Around 4350 athletes from more than 160 countries will compete in 22 different sports. Of the
total number of athletes set to take part, approximately 1650 will be women. Canoeing and
Paratriathlon is being included in the Games for the first time in Rio.
Opening Ceremony
The opening ceremony saw participation of about five hundred professional staff, including
choreographers and artists, and 2000 volunteers. The Ceremony was created by three directors
designer Fred Gelli, writer Marcelo Rubens Paiva and artist Vik Muniz.
The theme of the Ceremony Every Body Has A Heart, reflected its focus on the human
condition, feelings, difficulties, solidarity and love. The main attraction of the opening
ceremony was performance of Samba dance by US snowboarder and Paralympic medallist Amy
Purdy.
India in Rio Paralympics
The Indian contingent, largest-ever from the country, comprises 19 athletes who will be
featuring in 10 disciplines of games.
Devendra Jhajharia, who became Indias first Paralympic gold medallist in Athens 2004, was
the flag-bearer for the Indian contingent.
Earlier, the Sports Ministry announced that the Gold medallist Paralympians will be awarded
75 lakh rupees, Silver medallists will get 50 lakh rupees and bronze medallists 30 lakhs.
So far, India had won total eight medals, two gold, three silver and three bronze, at the
Paralympic Games.
Indian Squad at Games
Men: Mariyappan Thangavelu, Varun Singh Bhati, Sharad Kumar, Rampal Chahar (High jump),
Naresh Kumar Sharma (Shooting), Suyash Narayan Jadhav (Swimming), Basha Farman
(Powerlifting), Amit Kumar Saroha, Dharambir (Club throw), Devendra Jhajaria, Rinku, Sundar
Singh Gurjar, Narender Ranbir, Sandeep (Javelin), Ankur Dhama (1,500m), and Virender
Dhanka (Javelin, Shotput).
Women: Pooja (Archery), Deepa Malik (Shot put), and Karamjyoti Dalal (Discus).
Important facts about the Rio Paralympics

This is the first time that the Summer Paralympics is being held during the host city's
wintertime.
This will mark the first time a Latin American and South American city hosts the event.
Rio also becomes the second city in the Southern Hemisphere city to host the event. In 2000,
Sydney, Australia became the first city in southern hemisphere to host Summer Paralympics.
It is also the first time a Lusophone (Portuguese-speaking) country hosts the event.
The event saw launch of structure of the Paralympic Mural with messages written in various
languages. The mural was signed by Para athletes and their nations Chef de Missions.
New sculpture of the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games symbol, the three Agitos, was unveiled by
at Copacabana beach. The three Agitos, the red, blue, and green asymmetrical crescent shapes
has been the symbol of the Paralympic Games since 2003.
The Copacabana Agitos sculpture was designed by artists Elisa Brasil and Tejota Bastos with a
unique interactive component: each of the three crescent shapes has a different texture and
smell. The red shape has the smell of the Brazilian berry guarana, the blue shape smells of
fabric softener, and the green of mint.
The 10 categories of impairment recognised by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC)

are impaired muscle power, impaired passive range of movement, limb deficiency, leg length
difference, short stature, hypertonia, ataxia, athetosis, vision impairment and intellectual
impairment.
Maracana Stadium
Rios iconic Maracana stadium is best known for hosting football and was opened in 1950 to
host the World Cup of that year. It also played host to 2016 Olympic Opening Ceremony.
Miscellaneous
Asias oldest MTB race kicks off in Shimla
The 12th edition of Asias oldest and worlds 3rd toughest mountain biking (MTB) race kicked
off on 24 September 2016 from historic Ridge Maidan of Shimla in Himachal Pradesh.
Nearly 67 participants from 14 countries including 11 men of SSB are taking part in the race
which would conclude on 3 October 2016 in Dharmshala, the district headquarter of Kangra.
Mohit Sood, President Himalayan Adventure Sport and Tourism Promotion Association said
that total 650 kilometers would be covered by the participants during their journey. This year
the new route of race is going to be more challenging to the riders in terms of terrain.
There will be an equal amount of uphill and downhill segments in the race. Looped circuits of
approximately 60-70 km each day of the race will be covered by the riders.
On the way these bikers would also meet 10000 school childrens studying in the different
government schools and aware them to preserve environment as well as adopt habit of cycling
in their day today activities.
NITI Aayog chalks up plan to secure 50 medals in 2024 Olympics

NITI Aayog, the think tank of union government, has devised a short term and medium-to-long
term action plan to help India achieve 50 medals in 2024 summer Olympics.
In its action plan for revitalising sports in India, Niti Aayog said, India still does not have a
conducive environment for sports to polish the talent of Indian sports persons and make them
at par with their global counterparts.
Details of the Vision

Short-term vision (4-8 years): it envisages targeting a group of priority sports, organising
sports persons into three groups for each priority sport, harnessing the potential of indigenous
and regional sports, selecting world-class coaches as well as a grading system for coaches.
This term will also focus on a sports injury insurance scheme, strengthening and scaling up of
existing SAI training centres, facilitating creation of sports academies for individual sports and
more. It also looks forward towards creating a digital database for sports, implementing
national sports code and sports Bill and promoting revenue generating methods for team
leagues of priority sports.
Medium to long term vision (8-15 years): It will focus on identifying talent at a young age,
having sports curriculum in schools, a dedicated training program for coaches, encouraging
development of sports infrastructure through private or PPP mode and developing a health and
psychological support division.
It will also focus on availability of consistent funding of contracts as well as promoting a culture
of sports in the country. In terms of funding, the Aayog said that to do away the process of
erratic funding it has recommended that after each Olympics, a fixed 4-year contract is signed
between SAI (Sports Authority of India) and sportspersons from Group A sportspersons,
keeping in mind the funding required by them up to the next Olympics and other international
events in between.
For Group B and C also, the budgets for the next 4 years should be fixed, with consistent
funding allocation for each year. Funding data for all the groups should be publicly made
available as soon as it gets finalised.
Track Asia Cup 2016 concluded; Indian finished second

The 2016 Track Asia Cup concluded on 16 September 2016 at the Cycling Velodrome in IG
Stadium in New Delhi. Hong Kong topped the chart with 18 medals which comprise 11 Gold,
four Silvers and three bronze.
On the other hand, India the hosts of the tournament ended their campaign at second position
with 16 medals, including five gold, four Silver and seven bronze.
India's Deborah Herold, in her Final Sprint event, clinched the top position with a time of 12.576
minutes and 12.493 minutes in the first and second rounds, respectively. She beat Zhaojuan of
Hong Kong, who clocked 12.820 minutes and 12.734 minutes in both the rounds to settle for
silver. The third position was taken by Farina Shawati of Malaysia with a time of 12.552 and
12.342.
Another Indian -- Kezia Vargheese -- missed the bronze medal by a whisker, finishing fourth in
this event. Deborah, however, lost the gold medal in her favourite event -- Keirin -- and
managed to win silver ahead of her teammate Kezia Varghesse, who bagged the bronze. The
21-year-old Deborah turned out to be the star performer for the country, having clinched three
golds and one silver.
In the Men's Elite Keirin event, Indian cyclist Amarjeet Singh finished 8th, but in the Junior
Keirin competition, Emerson won the bronze medal for India.
Track Asia Cup

The Track Asia Cup cycling completition is being held from 14 September to 16 September 2016
at the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex velodrome. This is the third year in succession that India is
hosting the event. The event is recognised by the International Cycling Federation and is part of
the World Championship qualifier.
The event is being held in four categories namely elite and juniors in men and women.
Sushmita Rai wins Bronze at World Martial Arts Masterships

Sikkims Sushmita Rai in the second week of September 2016 won a bronze medal at the
recently concluded World Martial Arts Masterships 2016, which was held at Cheongju,
Chungcheongbuk-do of South Korea.
The competition is considered an Olympics for

martial arts with 2073 participants from 87
countries.
The World Martial Arts Masterships was the first

comprehensive martial arts competition where
national teams from across the globe took part.
Who is Sushmita Rai?

Sushmita Rai is an Indian kick boxer.
She hails from the village of Bhasmey of Majhitar, Sikkim.
At present, she is pursuing Bachelors in Arts from the Sikkim Government College.
She is trained by Coach B.B.Subba.
Sushil Kumar nominated for Padma Bhushan
Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) nominated the two-time Olympic-medallist wrestler Sushil
Kumar for the Padma Bhushan, India's third-highest civillian honour.
The Federation also recommended female wrestler Alka Tomar and Dronacharya awardee
Yashvir Singh, Sushil's coach, for the honour. These
three names were recommended for the honour in
August 2016.
Earlier, Sushil's name was recommended for the

honour two years ago but was rejected.
Sushil is the only Indian athlete to have won two

individual Olympic medals -- a bronze in the 2008
Beijing Games and silver in the 2012 London Games.
Already bestowed with the Khel Ratna award -- the country's highest sporting honour -- Sushil is
also a World Championships gold-medallist, a two-time Commonwealth Games gold-medallist,
four-time Commonwealth champion.
Sikki, Pranaav clinched Brazil Open Grand Prix title

India's mixed doubles pair of Pranaav Jerry Chopra and N Sikki Reddy on 5 September 2016 won
the 2016 Brazil Open Grand Prix. It was their maiden Grand Prix title.
In the final clash, the top seeded Indian pair, ranked World no. 65, defeated Canadian combo of
Toby Ng and Rachel Honderich 21-15, 21-16 in straight games at Costa Cavalcante.
The 23-year-old Sikky won as many as five international challenger titles in 2015, which includes
two mixed doubles and three women's doubles crowns. She was also a part of the bronze
medal winning Indian team at the 2014 and 2016 Uber Cup. So far, she played mixed doubles
with six different partners, including V Diju, Alwin Francis, Tarun Kona, Manu Attri and K
Nandagopal.
Pranaav was part of the Indian team that stunned mighty China 3-2 to win a bronze in the Asia
Badminton Team Championships.
Abhinav Bindra announces retirement from Shooting

Abhinav Bindra, India's lone individual Olympic gold medallist, on 4 September 2016 officially
announced his retirement from shooting.
He announced his retirement after playing for almost two decades. In Rio Olympics 2016,
Bindra nearly missed a second Olympic medal by a whisker and came fourth.
Presently, he is the Chairman of a review committee formulated by the NRAI to examine and
identify in a cold and ruthless manner the reason as to why shooting failed to secure any medal
at Rio Olympic Games.
About Abhinav Bindra

Abhinav Bindra is the first Indian to win an individual Gold medal in Olympic since 1900 the
year our country participated in the Olympic Games.
Having started his Olympic journey in Sydney back in 2000, he qualified in three Olympic finals
including his golden journey of Beijing in 2008 in his pet 10m air rifle, while he missed out in
Sydney and London.
In 2001, he was awarded with the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award and Maharaja Ranjit Singh
Award.
He won the Uttaranchal Praman Patra Award in 2003.
He was conferred with the Madhya Pradesh Khel Ratna in 2006.
In 2006, he received Punjab Praman Patra Award.
He won Padma Bhushan in 2009, the same year he was also conferred with Rajiv Gandhi
Award, Bharat Shiromani Award and India Youth Sports Icon.
Nico Rosberg wins 2016 Italian Grand Prix

Nico Rosberg on 4 September 2016 won the 2016
Italian Grand Prix at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza
in Monza, Italy.
It is Rosbergs seventh victory of the 2016 Formula

One season. In this season, he has won the 2016
Australian Grand Prix, the 2016 Bahrain Grand Prix,
the 2016 Chinese Grand Prix, the 2016 Russian Grand
Prix, the 2016 European Grand Prix and the 2016
Belgian Grand Prix.
Top 5 in the race
Position Driver Car
1 Nico Rosberg Mercedes
2 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes
3 Sebastian Vettel Ferrari
4 Kimi Rikknen Ferrari
5 Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull Racing Tag Heuer
About Italian Grand Prix

The Italian Grand Prix is one of the longest running events on the Formula One calendar.
The Italian Grand Prix was also one of the inaugural Formula One championship races in 1950.
It has been held every year since then.
The 2016 Italian Grand Prix was the fourteenth round of the 2016 Formula One season.
It marked the eighty-sixth running of the Italian Grand Prix and the eighty-second time the
race was held at Monza.
Defence|Security
First Russia-Pakistan joint military exercise Druzhba-2016 begins in
Cherat
The first Druzhba-2016 (Friendship-2016) Russian-Pakistani joint military exercise began in
Cherat, Pakistan on 24 September 2016. The exercise will conclude on 10 October 2016.
The drills are being conducted at the Pakistan Armys High Altitude School at Rattu in Gilgit-
Baltistan and at a special forces training centre at Cherat in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Key highlights of the exercise
About 200 soldiers from both the sides are taking part in the two-week exercise.
The drill involves experience sharing.
It aims at developing coordination in carrying out practice combat tasks in a mountainous

environment, including operations against illegal armed groups.
Comment
Russia and Pakistan, the former Cold War-era rivals, are conducting their first-ever military
exercise, which signifies shifting alliances in South Asia.
During the Cold War, Pakistan spent a decade helping the United States funnel arms and
fighters into neighbouring Afghanistan to help Mujahideen groups fight Soviet soldiers
following their 1979 invasion of Afghanistan.
Druzhba-2016, the high-altitude drill, is being seen as a demonstration of closer defence ties
between the Islamabad and Moscow after they signed a military cooperation pact in 2014.
IAF successfully fired long range air-to-air MICA missile from

Mirage-2000 combat aircraft
Indian Air Force on 23 September 2016 successfully fired the recently acquired long range air-
to-air MICA missile on a manoeuvring target from
Mirage-2000 Upgrade combat aircraft.
A Defence Ministry release said in New Delhi that

the missile achieved a direct hit on a target which
was much smaller than an actual aircraft and flying
at a low altitude.
The release said, with the success of this mission by
'Tigers', the first squadron of the force, IAF has become one of the few air forces in the world
with the capability of such beyond visual range air-to-air missile.
Mirage-2000
The Mirage 2000 is a single-engine fourth-generation jet fighter manufactured by France's
Dassault Aviation. It was designed in the late 1970s as a lightweight fighter based on the Mirage
III for the French Air Force (Arme de l'Air).
The upgraded Mirage 2000 fighter jets are fitted with the Thales RDY 2 radar, a helmet-
mounted display, new avionics, and the ability to fire new weapons including the MICA missile.
India-Russia Joint Military Exercise Indra-2016

The eighth edition of India-Russia Joint Military Exercise INDRA-2016 begun in the Ussiriysk
District in Vladivostok, Russia. The main focus of this edition of the joint exercise is on Counter-
Terrorism Operations in semi mountainous and jungle terrain under United Nations Mandate.
To achieve interoperability in joint operations, troops from both sides would acquaint
themselves with the respective approach to such operations. A comprehensive training
programme spanning eleven days has been drawn up for the purpose.
Brigadier Sukrit Chadah is leading the Indian contingent of 250 soldiers from the Kumaon
Regiment while the Russian army is being represented by 250 soldiers from the 59th Motorised
Infantry Brigade.
Indra series of bilateral exercises is one of the major bilateral defence cooperation initiatives
between India and Russia since 2003. The Indian contingent is scheduled to return to India on
termination of the Exercise in the first week of October 2016.
India, France inked deal for 36 Rafale fighter jets

India and France on 23 September 2016 inked the 7.8-
billion Euro deal for 36 Rafale fighter jets. As per the deal,
the aircraft will be equipped with latest missiles and
weapon system like Meteor and Scalp.
The 7.8 billion Euro deal is crucial for the Indian Air Force
and is expected to give India the dominant status in the air.
The deal was signed in New Delhi by Defence Minister
Manohar Parrikar and his French counterpart Jean Yves Le
Drian.
The features that make the Rafale a strategic weapon is its Beyond Visual Range (BVR) Meteor
air-to-air missile with a range in excess of 150 kilometres.
During the Kargil war, India had used a BVR having 50 kilometre range. The delivery of this
aircraft will start in 36 months and will be completed in 66 months from the date the contract is
inked.
As per reports, the deal comes with a saving of nearly 750 million Euros than the one struck
during the previous UPA government, which was scrapped by the Narendra Modi government.
India successfully test fires long range surface-to-air Barak-8 missile

off Odisha coast
India on 20 September 2016 successfully test-fired the most advanced surface-to-air missile
'Barak-8' off the Odisha coast. The long-range nuclear capable ballistic missile, developed jointly
with Israel, was launched from a mobile launcher at the
Integrated Test Range in Chandipur in Balasore district.
The 4.5-meter missile weighs around 3 tonnes and can carry a

payload of 70 kilograms. The system also includes a Multi-
Functional Surveillance and Threat Alert Radar (MF STAR) for
detection, tracking and guidance of the missile.
The missile swung into action after getting a signal from the
radars to intercept a moving aerial target supported by an
unmanned air vehicle Banshee over the Bay of Bengal.
As a precautionary measure, Balasore district administration had

made adequate arrangements to temporarily shift 3700 people
residing within the 2.5 km radius. The fishermen were also asked not to venture into the sea
during the launch.
Earlier between 30 June and 1 July 2016, the Barak-8 was successfully test fired twice.
Guided Missile Destroyer Ship Mormugao launched in Mumbai

The Guided Missile Destroyer, Mormugao, second ship of Project 15B, was launched on 17
September 2016 at Mazagaon Dock Ship Builders Limited (MDL), Mumbai.
This marks a significant milestone in the annals of the Indigenous Warship design and
construction programme of India.
About Project 15B Ships

Project 15B ships feature cutting edge advanced technology and are comparable to the best
ships of similar class anywhere in the world.
These ships have been designed indigenously by the Directorate of Naval Design, New Delhi.
Each ship spans 163 metres in length and 17.4 metres at beam and displaces 7300 tonnes.
These ships will be propelled by four gas turbines to achieve speeds in excess of 30 knots.
The P15B destroyers incorporate new design concepts for improved survivability, sea keeping,
and stealth and ship manoeuvrability.
P 15B ships will be equipped to carry and operate two multiple role helicopters.
These ships are packed with an array of state of the art weapons and sensors, including
vertically launched missile system for long distance engagement of shore, sea-based and air
targets.
Background
Four Guided missile Destroyers of Project 15B (P 15B) are under construction at Mazagaon Dock
Shipbuilders Limited, Mumbai. The contract for construction of these four ships was signed on
28 January 2011.
Stealth has been a major thrust area in P15B design. Enhanced stealth features have been
achieved through shaping of hull and use of radar transparent deck fittings which make these
ships difficult to detect.
These ships have been designed for a complement of 50 officers and 250 sailors.
Indo-US combined military exercise Yudh Abhyas 2016

Yudh Abhyas 2016, a joint military training exercise of Indian and US Armies, commenced at
Chaubattia, Uttarakhand.
Company strength army personnel from USA and an equal number of Indian soldiers are taking
part in the two weeks long joint training exercise. The exercise will see them hone their tactical
and technical skills in countering insurgency and terrorism in a UN Peace Keeping scenario
involving a combined deployment at a Brigade level.
During the exercise, the two sides will jointly train, plan and execute series of well developed
tactical drills for neutralization of likely threats that may be encountered in UN peace keeping
operations.
GRSE hands over fast attack craft TIHAYU to Indian Navy

The Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited (GRSE)
of Kolkata on 30 August 2016 handed over TIHAYU, the Water
Jet Fast Attack Craft (WJFAC) to the Indian Navy. The warship
was handed over by Rear Admiral (Retd) AK Verma, CMD of
GRSE to the Commanding Officer Cdr Ajay Kashov.
GRSE had earlier built and delivered 10 WJFACs to the Indian

Navy during 2009 to 2011, which are proving well in service.
About TIHAYU, the Water Jet Fast Attack Craft (WJFAC)

Named after an island in the Andaman, Tihayu is fitted with three water jet propulsion
systems powered by marine diesel engines generating 2720 KW of power.
This Follow-on WJFAC ship is a further improved version of Fast Attack Crafts earlier built by
GRSE for Indian Navy.
The ship has an efficient hull form developed by the in-house Design Centre of GRSE and
proved by extensive model testing to achieve speeds in excess of 35 knots.
This warship measuring 48 X 7.5 M with a displacement of around 315 Tonnes has an
endurance of around 2000 nautical miles at 12-14 knots speed.
It also boasts of modern habitability conditions with accommodation for 29 personnel.
It is also fitted with CRN-91 indigenous 30mm Gun, to provide Artillery fire support during
attack missions.
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited successfully tests Light Utility

Helicopter
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) on 6 September 2016 successfully completed test flight of
indigenous Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) Bengaluru.
During the test, the helicopter remained in the air for

15 minutes inside the HAL complex.
The LUH will replace the militarys obsolescent fleet

of Chetak and Cheetah helicopters that have flown
for over three decades.
Key highlights of Light Utility Helicopter

The HAL LUH is a 3-tonne helicopter exclusively built for the Indian Army and the Indian Air
Force to replace the aging fleet of Cheetah and Chetak helicopters.
It is a light, single-engine helicopter that is powered by the Safran HE Ardiden-1U engine.
In addition to two pilots, the helicopter can fly six passengers at sea level, with load capacity
reducing with altitude.
The LUHs engine delivers 750 kilowatts of power, permits flight operations at as high as 6500
metres.
Limited series production will be done in Bengaluru, and the 610-acre Tumakuru unit is slated
to commence production in 2018-19.
The Tumakuru plant will ship about 30 LUHs annually, starting in 2019-20.
In phase II, the production will be ramped up to 60 helicopters per year.
HAL intends to speed up flight-testing of the LUH by distributing it over three prototypes.
HAL hopes to obtain initial operational certification by end-2017.
India, Kazakhstan Joint Exercise PRABAL DOSTYK-16

Troops of Indian and Kazakhstan Army on 7 September 2016 joint exercise 'PRABAL DOSTYK
16' was held in Karaganda region of Kazakhstan from 7 September to 17 September 2016.
Prabal Dostyk meaning Robust Friendship is a significant step towards fostering military as well
as diplomatic ties between both countries.
Highlights
The primary aim of the fourteen day exercise will be to enhance interoperability while
undertaking Counter Terrorism & Counter Insurgency Operations in rural and semi-urban
environment under the umbrella of United Nations.
The Indian Army is being represented by platoon strength.
The Kazakhstan Army contingent comprise of platoon from Special Operating Forces Unit.
The exercise will be conducted in two stages
a) First stage will be to familiarize with each others tactics, drills, weapons & equipment
b) In Second stage troops of both the armies will graduate to jointly execute a helicopter borne
operation in a simulated environment. Combat battle drills and physical fitness will be the focal
point of the exercise.
Army Design Bureau formed to reduce dependence on imports

Indian Army on 30 August 2016 announced establishment of the Army Design Bureau (ADB) to
indigenise procurements and reduce import dependence.
The ADDB will facilitate the weapons and technology building efforts between the Defence
Research & Development Organisation (DRDO), industry and the army.
Establishment of ADB was announced by Army Chief General Dalbir Singh at an Army seminar
on Make in India. At the seminar, the Army Chief also launched the Make in India Army
Website that will serve as a one stop platform for information to vendors.
Army Design Bureau

It was developed with an idea to bring together academic institutions and the industry to
develop indigenous knowhow and for this the Army is open to sharing parts of its long-term
plans.
The ADB will integrate various stake holders in its long-term requirements and will be a single
point contact for them.
It will help in tracking the procurement process and will also help in modernisation.
It would also facilitate and promote indigenous research, design and development of defence
equipment for meeting the requirement for weapons and equipment domestically, rather than
depending upon foreign imports.
Besides, for being manufactured by domestic defence industry, the Army has identified ten
projects under Make in India category. The identified projects include
125 mm smooth bore barrel guns
Improved ammunition for T-72 and T-90 tanks
1000 HP engines for T-72 tanks
Environment control unit and auxiliary power units for T-90 tanks
Advanced pilotless target aircrafts
Manoeuvrable expendable aerial targets and others
Union Government approves use of chilli-based PAVA shells as

alternative to pellet guns
Union Government on 3 September 2016 approved the use of Pelargonic Acid Vanillyl Amide
(PAVA) as an alternative to pellet guns for crowd control. Pellet guns will be used in the rarest
of rare cases.
Pelargonic Acid Vanillyl Amide (PAVA) also called Nonivamide is chilli-based ammunition that is
less lethal and immobilises the target temporarily. The shells actually contain an organic
compound found in natural chilli.
The PAVA shells were under trial for over a year at the Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, a
Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) laboratory in Lucknow.
Background
Earlier in July 2016, the Home Ministry constituted a seven-member Expert committee headed
by TVSN Prasad for exploring the other possible alternatives to pellet guns as non-lethal
weapons. The Committee submitted its report to the Ministry recommending use of PAVA
shells as an alternative. The Kashmir Valley is witnessing unrest following the killing of a Hizbul
Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani on 8 July 2016.
At a Glance
Abbreviation|Term
National Initiative for Developing and Harnessing Innovations (NIDHI): An initiative that aims
at nurturing ideas and innovation into successful start ups. It is an umbrella programme of the
Department of Science & Technology (DST). It focuses on helping startups to meet their
funding, infrastructure and other mentorship needs. NIDHI will allow youths of the country to
give a concrete shape to their ideas.
Summit|Conference
IoT India Congress held in Bengaluru
The first edition of IoT India Congress 2016 kick
started on 7 September 2016 in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
The three-day event was inaugurated by Ravi Shankar

Prasad, Union Information Technology (IT) and
Electronics Minister, and JS Deepak, Secretary,
Ministry of Telecommunications.
Key highlights of the event

The IoT India Congress 2016 is one of the largest events of its kind in India.
It will bring together stakeholders from various facets of the Internet of Things (IoT)
ecosystem.
It aims to bring together key stakeholders across the value chain and verticals to collaborate,
ideate and share a common roadmap for IoT implementation.
The event will also host the IoT Thought Leadership Awards 2016 and the IoT Start-Up
Awards 2016.
About Internet of Things

The Internet of Things is a system of interrelated computing devices, mechanical and digital
machines, objects, animals or people that are provided with unique identifiers. They are
provided with the ability to transfer data over a network without requiring human-to-human or
human-to-computer interaction.
In 2013, the Global Standards Initiative on Internet of Things defined the IoT as the
infrastructure of the information society.
The IoT allows objects to be sensed and/or controlled remotely across existing network
infrastructure.
When IoT is augmented with sensors and actuators, the technology becomes an instance of
the more general class of cyber-physical systems.
British entrepreneur Kevin Ashton coined the term in 1999 while working at Auto-ID Labs.
ASEAN Summit 2016 concludes in Vientiane, Laos

The 28th and the 29th Association of Southeast Asian
Nations (ASEAN) Summit concluded on 8 September
2016 at Vientiane, Laos. The theme for the 2016 summit
was Turning Vision into Reality for a Dynamic ASEAN
Community.
H.E. Thongloun Sisoulith, Prime Minister of the Lao PDR,

was the Chairperson of the summit that was held from 6
September 2016 to 8 September 2016.
The Summit was attended by the leaders of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian
Nations. They are Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei Darussalam, Viet
Nam, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Cambodia.
Highlights of the Summit

ASEAN leaders discussed the implementation of the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 and
enhancing cooperation with ASEANs external partners.
The leaders adopted the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) Work Plan III and the Master
Plan on ASEAN Connectivity 2025, which form an integral part of the ASEAN Community Vision
2025.
They also signed the ASEAN Declaration on One ASEAN, One Response: ASEAN Responding to
Disasters as One in the Region and Outside the Region.
They adopted several outcome documents aimed at realizing the 8 priorities for ASEAN
Chairmanship 2016 and implementation of the ASEAN Community Vision 2025.
They agreed to intensify ASEANs cooperation with Dialogue Partners and External Parties
through ASEAN-led mechanisms namely ASEAN Plus One, ASEAN Plus Three, ASEAN Regional
Forum, ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting Plus, and East Asia Summit.
Besides, the ASEAN Leaders had a candid exchange of views on regional and international
issues of mutual interest and concerns, including traditional and non-traditional security
challenges such as terrorism and extremism, natural disasters, climate change, irregular
migration, human trafficking, etc.
A diplomatic row between the Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and U.S. President Barack
Obama hung over part of the ASEAN meetings. During the summit, Duterte used foul language
in relation to a planned meeting between them.
India's participation
Prime Minister Narendra Modi represented India at the ASEAN summit. He addressed
the14th ASEAN-India summit.
He expressed deep concern over the rising export of terror, in an apparent reference to
Pakistan. He said that it is a common security threat to the region and there was need for a
coordinated response from the ASEAN member nations to combat the menace.
About ASEAN Summits and Themes

ASEAN was established in 1967 by the five founding members namely Indonesia, Malaysia,
Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Brunei Darussalam, Viet Nam, Lao PDR, Myanmar and
Cambodia joined later.
The Summit is ASEAN's highest policy-making body.
The chair of the ASEAN Summit rotates annually in alphabetical order of the English names of
Member States.
By virtue of holding the chair of the ASEAN for a particular year, the concerned member state
also chairs the ASEAN Summit and related summits. Further, ASEAN Summits are held bi-
annually but with a common theme.
The 26th ASEAN Summit was held at Kuala Lumpur and Langkawi, Malaysia between 26 and
28 April 2015 with the theme Our People, Our Community, Our Vision. The 27th ASEAN
Summit was held in Kuala Lumpur between 18 and 22 November 2015 with the same theme.
Days|Week|Year
29 September: World Maritime Day. It was was observed with the theme Shipping:
Indispensable to the World. The theme was chosen to focus on the critical link between
shipping and global society and to raise awareness of the relevance of the role of IMO as the
global regulatory body for international shipping. The importance of shipping to support and
sustain today's global society gives IMO's work a significance that reaches far beyond the
industry itself.
28 September: World Rabies Day. It was observed with theme Rabies: Educate. Vaccinate.
Eliminate. The theme reflects the global target to eliminate all human deaths from dog-
mediated rabies by 2030. It is celebrated annually to raise awareness about rabies prevention
and to highlight progress in defeating this horrifying disease. The day also marks the
anniversary of Louis Pasteur's death, the French chemist and microbiologist, who developed the
first rabies vaccine.
27 September: World Tourism Day. It was observed with the theme Tourism for All -
promoting universal accessibility.
26 September: International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons. The Day
provides an occasion for the world community to reaffirm its commitment to global nuclear
disarmament as a high priority.
21 September: The International Day of Peace. It was observed with theme The Sustainable
Development Goals: Building Blocks for Peace. The day is dedicated to world peace, and
specifically the absence of war and violence, such as might be occasioned by a temporary
ceasefire in a combat zone for humanitarian aid access.
The International Day of Peace was established in 1981 by the United Nations General
16 September: International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer. It was observed with
theme Ozone and climate: Restored by a world united. The theme recognizes the collective
efforts of the parties to the Vienna Convention and the Montreal Protocol towards the
restoration of the ozone layer over the past three decades and the global commitment to
combat climate change.
15 September: International Day of Democracy. It was observed with theme Democracy and
the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The day provides an opportunity to review the
state of democracy in the world.
14 September: National Hindi Divas. The day was observed across India with an aim to
promote the Matra Bhasha the mother tongue of India and show its importance as a
language in the country and the world at large.
8 September: International Literacy Day. It was celebrated with theme Reading the Past,
Writing the Future. The theme was chosen to honour the past five decades of national and
international engagement, efforts and progress made to increase literacy rates around the
world.
5 September: International Day of Charity. It was observed with an aim to recognise the role of
charity in allevia ng human su ering within and among na ons, as well as of the e orts of
charitable organiza ons and individuals including the work of Mother Teresa.
5 September: National Teachers Day. The day marks the birth anniversary of Indias second
President, Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, 5 September 1888. The day is being celebrated as
Teacher's Day since 1962.
Books|Authors
One Indian Girl authored by Chetan Bhagat
His Bloody Project authored by Graeme Macrae Burnet
Into the Hidden Valley authored by Stuart Blackburn
The Code of Manavas: Beyond the Realm (Maha Vishnu Trilogy) authored by Arpit Bakshi
Places in News
Charkhi Dadri: It was declared as the 22nd district of Harayana. This district will have two state
assembly constituencies Dadri and Badhra under its jurisdiction.
Gumthala Garhu: The village near Pehowa in Kurukshetra in Haryana became the first WiFi
hotspot village in the state.
Majuli: The Guinness World Records declared Assams Majuli as the largest river island in the
world.
Ussiriysk District in Vladivostok, Russia: The eighth edition of India-Russia Joint Military
Exercise INDRA-2016 was held. Indra series of bilateral exercises is one of the major bilateral
defence cooperation initiatives between India and Russia since 2003.
Chandipur in Balasore district of Odisha: India successfully test-fired the most advanced
surface-to-air missile 'Barak-8' off the Odisha coast. The long-range nuclear capable ballistic
missile, developed jointly with Israel, was launched from a mobile launcher at the Integrated
Test Range in Chandipur in Balasore district.
Chaubattia, Uttarakhand: Yudh Abhyas 2016, a joint military training exercise of Indian and US
Armies was held at Chaubattia, Uttarakhand
Karaganda region of Kazakhstan: India, Kazakhstan Joint Exercise PRABAL DOSTYK-16 was held.
News Makers
Person Appointed
Arun Goyal appointed Additional Secretary of GST Council
Senior IAS officer Arun Goyal was appointed as the Additional Secretary in the Goods and
Services Tax (GST) Council. The Council headed by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley is mandated to
decide on tax rate exempted goods and the threshold limit.
As per an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training, the Appointments
Committee of Cabinet has approved Goyal's appointment against the newly created post.
Goyal, is a 1985 batch IAS officer of Union Territory cadre, is at present working as Additional
Secretary, Project Monitoring Group, Cabinet Secretariat.
The Union Cabinet had recently approved appointment of the Secretary (Revenue) as the ex-
officio Secretary to the GST council and inclusion of the chairperson, Central Board of Excise
and Customs, as a permanent invitee. The Cabinet had also approved creation of one post of
Additional Secretary and four posts of Commissioner in the secretariat.
Junaid Ahmad appointed as World Bank Country Director for India

Junaid Ahmad was on 21 September 2016 appointed
as the World Bank Country Director for India. He will
succeed Onno Ruhl who completed his four-year term
recently.
Ahmad joined the World Bank in 1991 as a young

professional.
About Junaid Ahmad

Hailing from Bangladesh, Ahmad was previously the Chief of Staff to World Bank Group
President Jim Yong Kim.
Prior to joining the presidents office in January 2016, Ahmad was Senior Director for Water
Global Practice, a position he held since the creation of the Global Practices in July 2014.
An economist by training, he holds a PhD in Applied Economics from Stanford University and a
Masters in Public Administration from Harvard University.
Later he worked in the World Bank on infrastructure development in Africa and Eastern
Europe.
He has also held several management positions, leading the bank's programme in diverse
regions, including Africa, the Middle East and North Africa, as well as in India and South Asia.
Religare Enterprises appoints Sunil Godhwani as CEO

Religare Enterprises Limited (REL) on 5 September 2016 appointed Sunil Godhwani as its Chief
Executive Officer (CEO).
Godhwani is appointed the Whole Time Director and CEO

for the remaining period of his tenure.
Who is Sunil Godhwani?

Sunil Godhwani has been the Managing Director since 9
April 2007 and Chairman since 6 April 2010 of Religare.
He holds a BS and MS degrees from New York University

Tandon School of Engineering.
He actively participates in various business platforms such as the Confederation of Indian

Industry (CII) and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI).
About Religare Enterprises

Religare Enterprises Limited (REL) is the holding company for one of India's leading diversified
financial services groups.
It is headquartered in New Delhi, India.
It offers an integrated suite of financial services through its underlying subsidiaries and
operating entities.
It has one million clients in India and more than 1700 offices across India.
Monika Kapil Mohta appointed as India's Ambassador to Sweden

Monika Kapil Mohta was on 17 September 2016 appointed as the India's Ambassador to
Sweden.
She is presently the Additional Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs and looks after
India's relations with a large part of the Asia-Pacific region.
Mohta is an 1985 batch Indian Foreign Services officer. Previously, she has served as the
ambassador of India to Poland and Lithuania.
India-Sweden Relations
The two countries have a cordial relationship and growing economic cooperation. The
development cooperation between Sweden and India began in 1953 and was initially mainly in
the form of import support.
In the 1990s, India became the largest recipient of Swedish aid and the support included loan-
financed projects in the energy sector and grant support in the areas of natural resources,
health and education.
The 60 years of Swedish support has contributed to create conditions that enable poor people
to improve their lives and have build relationships between Swedish and Indian people.
Indian-origin Ravi Reddy appointed as Head of International Society for Blood

Transfusion
An Indian-origin South African Ravi Reddy was on 18 September 2016 appointed as the Head of
International Society for Blood Transfusion (ISBT), headquartered in Amsterdam.
With this, Reddy became the first person from the African continent to head ISBT, a global
organisation of medicine professionals working for the safety of blood transfusion worldwide.
The ISBT, now with 100 member countries, was established in 1935 as a platform for
exchanging knowledge and advancing the blood-transfusion practice.
About Ravi Reddy

He is currently serving as the Chief Operations Officer of the South African National Blood
Service (SANBS).
He has served in various capacities for more than three decades after starting out as a
volunteer at the age of 16 at SANBS.
He subsequently qualified as a medical technologist with an MBA from the University of Natal
in South Africa.
He represented the African region on the board of the ISBT between 2006 and 2012, and is
also a member of the Working Party on Transfusion and Transmissible Infections.
He has presented and published a large number of scientific papers.
Alka Sirohi appointed UPSC chairman

President Pranab Mukherjee on 17 September 2016
appointed Alka Sirohi, a member of the Union Public
Service Commission (UPSC) as its Chairman.
Sirohi's appointment will be effective from 21

September 2016.
Sirohi was sworn in as Member of UPSC in January

2012, after a long and successful career in the
Indian Administrative Service (IAS).
Sirohi will succeed Deepak Gupta, who will be attaining 65 years of age on 20 September 2016.
In November 2014, Gupta was appointed as the UPSC chief, breaking away from the tradition of
appointing the chief from the serving members of the commission.
About Union Public Service Commission

The Union Public Service Commission is India's central agency authorised to conduct the Civil
Services Examination, Indian Forest Service examination, Engineering Services Examination,
among others.
The agency's charter is granted by the Constitution of India. Articles 315 to 323 of Part XIV of
the constitution, titled as Services under the Union and the States, provide for a Public Service
Commission for the Union and for each state.
The examination is one of the toughest examinations in India with success rate of 0.1%0.3%
Anandi Ramalingam assumed charge as Bharat Electronics Limiteds first

woman director
Anandi Ramalingam on 16 September 2016 assumed charge as functional/whole time director
of Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL).
Ramalingam has assumed charge as Director Marketing. It is the first time that a woman has
been appointed as the Director of the company.
Earlier, Ramalingam served as the General Manager heading the Military Communication
Strategic Business Unit (SBU) at BEL's Bangalore Complex.
Ramalingam had joined BEL-Bengaluru in March 1985 after completing her BE in Electronics and
Communication engineering from the PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore.
About Bharat Electronics Limited

Bharat Electronics Limited is an Indian state-owned aerospace and defence company with
about nine factories in India.
It is owned by the Indian Government.
It primarily manufactures advanced electronic products for the Indian Armed Forces.
It is one of nine PSUs under the Ministry of Defence of India.
It has been accorded Navratna status by the Government of India.
CK Asnani assumes charge as CMD of Uranium Corporation of India Limited

CK Asnani on 7 September 2016 assumed charge as the Chairman and Managing Director
(CMD) of Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL), an undertaking of the Department of
Atomic Energy.
Asnani is a Chemical Engineer from Osmania University. He was the Director (Technical) of
Indian Rare Earths Limited, Mumbai before the present assignment.
Asnani was earlier associated with Nuclear Fuel Complex, Hyderabad.
About Uranium Corporation of India Limited

UCIL is a Public Sector Enterprise under the Department of Atomic Energy with a special
standing at the forefront of Nuclear Power cycle.
The company operates six underground mines- Bagjata, Jaduguda, Bhatin, Narwapahar,
Turamdih and Mohuldih and one open pit mine at Banduhurang, Jharkhand.
Ore produced from these mines is processed in two plants located at Jaduguda and Turamdih.
BHVS Narayana Murthy appointed Director of Research Centre Imarat

BHVS Narayana Murthy, an expert in Avionics, in the second week of September 2016 was
appointed as Director of Research Centre Imarat (RCI).
The RCI is a premiere Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) laboratory located
in Hyderabad.
Who is BHVS Narayana Murthy?

BHVS Narayana Murthy has made contributions towards design, development and delivery of
onboard computers, Missile launch processors, real-time mission software etc. in the last 30
years.
He is an alumnus of NIT, Warangal.
For his contributions to various defence R&D projects, he has won several awards and
recognitions.
He has been honoured with the Astronautical Society of India Rocket and Related
Technologies Award, AGNI Award for Excellence in Self Reliance as a team Leader and DRDO
Scientist of the Year Award.
The Avionics Systems (Onboard computers, Navigation, Control) developed under his
leadership has played a key role in the success of the Indian ICBM class Agni 5 and other
missions.
About Research Centre Imarat

Research Centre Imarat is responsible for Research and Development of Missile Systems,
Guided Weapons and advanced Avionics for Indian Armed Forces.
It was established by APJ Abdul Kalam in 1988.
It made pioneering contributions towards successful flight testing of India's maiden Inter
Continental Ballistic Missile Agni 5.
It is the leading laboratory, which has successfully spearheaded the Indo-Israel joint
development Medium Range Surface to Air Missile (MRSAM) programme and had hat-trick
success in its first three consecutive missions.
Mukund Choudhari assumes charge as CMD of MOIL

Mukund Chaudhari on 1 September 2016 took over as Chairman and Managing Director (CMD)
of MOIL Ltd, a miniratna company.
Prior to taking over as CMD, Chaudhari served as the Director (Finance) of MOIL.
Who is Mukund Chaudhari?

Mukund Chaudhari is a chartered accountant by profession.
He holds a long experience of over two and half decades in private and public sectors
undertakings.
He had also worked in the private sector.
After joining MOIL in 1997, he held various positions in the company.
He was inducted in the Board of Directors of MOIL in August 2012 as Director (Finance).
He has varied experience in corporate financial management and he is instrumental for

introduction of ERP system in MOIL recently.
About MOIL
MOIL Limited is a miniratna state-owned manganese-ore mining company headquartered in
Nagpur, India.
It was formerly known as Manganese Ore India Limited.
With a market share of 50%, it was the largest producer of manganese ore in India in the
fiscal year 2008.
MOIL Limited has been ranked #486 among the 500 top companies in India and 9th in the
Mines and Metals Sector of the Fortune India 500 list for 2011.
MOIL operates 10 mines, six located in Nagpur and Bhandara districts of Maharashtra and
four in the Balaghat district of Madhya Pradesh.
Its Balaghat mine is the deepest underground manganese mine in Asia.
Person Died
Golf legend Arnold Palmer passes away
US golfer Arnold Palmer passed away on 25
September 2016 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania due
to heart complications. He was 87.
Palmer is generally regarded as one of the

greatest players in professional golf history.
About Arnold Palmer
Born on 10 September 2016, Arnold Palmer was an American professional golfer.
He learned golf from his father, who had suffered from polio at a young age.
He attended Wake Forest College on a golf scholarship.
He won numerous events on both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour, dating back to 1955.
He was nicknamed as The King.
He was a part of The Big Three in golf during the 1960s, along with Jack Nicklaus and Gary
Player.
He is also credited by many for securing the status of The Open Championship (British Open)
among U.S. players.
Major events won by him are The Masters (1958, 1960, 1962, 1964), the U.S. Open (1960)
and the Open Championship (1961, 1962).
In 1960, he won the Hickok Belt as the top professional athlete of the year and Sports
Illustrated magazine's Sportsman of the Year award.
He won the PGA Tour Lifetime Achievement Award in 1998.
He was one of the 13 original inductees into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974.
Hindi and Urdu writer Reoti Saran Sharma passes away

Reoti Saran Sharma, the renowned Hindi and Urdu writer, playwright and television personality,
died in New Delhi on 23 September 2016. He was 92 years.
He was a Pioneer in radio plays in All India Radio and was conferred with Sangeet Natak
Akademi Award for 2007 for his contribution to theatre (dramatic literature and performance).
Reoti Saran Sharma

He penned memorable television serials like Phir Wahi Talaash, Adhikaar, Aur Bhi Gam Hain
Zamane Mein, Lena-Dena and The Great Maratha.
He wrote more than 150 radio plays at the All India Radio, some of which were translated into
regional languages.
Some plays written by him included Na Dharam Na Iman, Deepshika and Andehere ka Beta.
He was awarded Sahitya Kala Parishad and Ghalib Award.
Pulitzer-winning US playwright Edward Albee passes away

Pulitzer-winning US playwright Edward Albee passed away on 16 September 2016 following a
brief illness in Montauk, New York. He was 88.
He authored many of the masterpieces such as Whos Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
About Edward Albee

Considered one of the most important American playwrights of his time, Albee wrote a
variety of intense, controversial plays diving into anxieties, disillusionments and death.
He burst onto the theatre scene with The Zoo Story (1958) at the age of 30 which later moved
to off-Broadway in 1960.
Whos Afraid of Virginia Woolf? debuted on Broadway in 1962. It was later made into a 1966
black-comedy movie directed by Mike Nichols starring Elizabeth Taylor, who won an Oscar as
best actress.
Albee won a string of awards for Virginia Woolf including a Tony Award for best play in 1963.
Throughout an up-and-down commercial career over several decades, Albee won three
Pulitzer Prizes for best drama. The first in 1967 was for A Delicate Balance.
He also garnered Pulitzers for Seascape in 1975, followed by Three Tall Women in 1994.
In 2005, he was awarded the special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement.
Worlds oldest cricketer Lindsay Tuckett passes away

South African Lindsay Tuckett, who was the
oldest surviving former Test cricketer, passed
away on 5 September 2016 in Bloemfontein. He
was 97.
With the death of Tuckett, the distinction of the

oldest surviving cricketer in the world now passes
to all-rounder Johnny Watkins, who is 93.
About Lindsay Tuckett

Tuckett represented South Africa in nine Test matches against England between 1947 and
1949.
Tuckett was the backbone of the South African pace attack in the years immediately following
World War II.
He made his debut in the first Test at Trent Bridge, Nottingham in 1947.
In his full international career, he took 19 wickets, including two five-wicket hauls.
He will best be remembered for bowling the final over of the first Test at Kingsmead in the
1948-49 with England winning by two wickets off the final ball of the game.
President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov dies

Uzbekistan's President Islam Karimov passed away
on 2 September 2016 at Tashkent, Uzbekistan. He
was 78.
Karimov had dominated Uzbekistan, Central Asia's

most populous nation, for more than 25 years.
About Islam Karimov

Islam Karimov was the first President of
Uzbekistan, in office from 1990 to 2016.
He was born in Samarkand and was in and out of an orphanage from 1941 to 1945.
He became an official in the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. He became the party's First
Secretary in Uzbekistan in 1989.
On 24 March 1990, he became President of the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic.
His election to the Uzbek Communist Party resulted after his predecessor Rafiq Nishonov
failed to quell inter-ethnic clashes and instability in the Fergana Region.
He declared Uzbekistan an independent nation on 31 August 1991.
He subsequently won its first presidential election on 29 December 1991.
Noted Assamese poet Nalinidhar Bhattacharyya dies

Noted Assamese poet, literary critic and author Nalinidhar Bhattacharyya passed away on 2
September 2016 in Guwahati following age-old ailments. He was 95.
He was a former principal of Arya Vidyapeeth College, Guwahati.
About Nalinidhar Bhattacharyya

Born in 1921, Bhattacharyya began his literary career as a poet, but later emerged as a
leading literary critic and essayist.
His work brought him several awards including the Soviet Land Nehru Award (1983),
Bharatiya Bhasha Parishad Award (1991), Sahitya Akademi Award (2002) and the Assam Valley
Literary Award (2006).
He was honoured by Asam Sahitya Sabha with the Sahityacharya title in 2010.
His best-known collections of poems include Ei Kunwolite, Cherashalir Malita, Bidai Phular
Din, Ahata Sapon and Noni Asane Gharat.
K K Aggarwal elected as National President of IMA

Cardiologist K K Aggarwal was on 2 September 2016 unanimously elected as the National
President of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) for the year 2016-17. Aggarwal is currently
the Secretary General of the IMA.
Moreover, the association also elected Dr Ravi Wankhedkar from Maharashtra as the National
President for the year 2017-18 and Dr R N Tandon as Honorary Secretary General.
All these appointments will be effective from 28 December 2016.
About Indian Medical Association (IMA)

Indian Medical Association is the only representative national voluntary organisation of
doctors of modern scientific system of medicine.
Headquartered in Delhi, IMA has over 253000 doctors as its members through more than
1650 active local branches spread across the country.
It looks after the interest of doctors as well as the well-being of the community at large.
Veteran trade union leader Sharad Rao passes away

Veteran trade union leader Sharad Rao passed away on 1 September 2016 in Mumbai. He was
78.
Rao is acknowledged for his role in mobilising the work

force in both the organised and unorganised sectors.
About Sharad Rao

Rao was associated with the Nationalist Congress
Party (NCP).
He headed several unions including the Hind

Mazdoor Sabha, the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply Trust (BEST) Workers Union and
the Municipal Mazdoor Union.
He also served as the leader of Mumbai Autorickshawsmens union, the largest rickshaw
union in the city.
Rao was once a trusted lieutenant of veteran socialist leader George Fernandes. Rao took
over control of trade unions run by Fernandes after the latter moved to national politics.
Person in News
Hiroshi Nakagawa takes over as Chairman of Isuzu Motors India
Japanese automobile maker Isuzu Motors on 14 September 2016 announced the appointments
of Hiroshi Nakagawa as the Chairman of Isuzu Motors India
(IMI) with immediate effect.
Hiroyasu Miura, the erstwhile Chairman of IMI will take over

as the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Isuzu
Engineering Business Centre India Pvt Ltd (IEBCI) with
immediate effect.
Nakagawa has been actively involved in Isuzu business

division for over 20 years in key Isuzu markets.
About Isuzu Motors
Isuzu Motors Limited is a Japanese commercial vehicles
and diesel engine manufacturing company headquartered in Tokyo.
Its principal activity is the production, marketing and sale of Isuzu commercial vehicles and
diesel engines.
The company was established in 1916.
In 1934, the company fused with the carmaker and was renamed Isuzu, after the Isuzu River.
By 2009, Isuzu had produced over 21 million diesel engines, which can be found in vehicles all
over the world.
Isuzu diesel engines are used by dozens of manufacturers, to include Ford Motor Company
and Renault-Nissan Alliance.
Mother Teresa canonised as Saint by Pope Francis at Vatican

Mother Teresa on 4 September 2016 was proclaimed
a Saint by Pope Francis in a ceremony at the Vatican.
Thousands of pilgrims attended the canonisation of

Mother Teresa in St Peter's Square.
During the ceremony, Pope Francis announced We

declare and define Blessed Teresa of Calcutta to be
a saint and we enrol her among the saints, decreeing that she is to be venerated as such by
the whole Church."
With this, Mother Teresa became the fourth Indian to be made saint. Those who received the
honour before her include Father Kuriakose Elias Chavara, Sister Euphrasia and Sister
Alphonsa. Saint Gonsalo Garcia, though of Portuguese parentage, was born in India, and is
considered an India born saint.
The process of Cannonisation

Originally, individuals were recognized as saints without any formal process.
Later, different processes, such as those used by the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern
Orthodox Church were developed.
There are four steps to canonization that the saints have to go through: Servant of
God Venerable Blessed Saint
Beatification of Mother Teresa

After Mother Teresa's death in 1997, the Holy See began the process of beatification, the first
step towards possible canonisation. This process required the documentation of a miracle
performed from the intercession of Mother Teresa.
In 2002, the Vatican recognised as a miracle the healing of a tumour in the abdomen of an
Indian woman, Monica Besra, after the application of a locket containing Mother Teresa's
picture. Besra said that a beam of light emanated from the picture, curing the cancerous
tumour.
Mother Teresa was beatified on 19 October 2003, becoming known by Catholics as "Blessed."
On 17 December 2015, the Vatican confirmed that Pope Francis had recognised a second
miracle attributed to her, involving the healing of a Brazilian man with multiple brain tumours.
About Saint Teresa of Calcutta

Saint Teresa of Calcutta was an Albanian-Indian Roman Catholic nun and missionary.
After having lived in Macedonia for eighteen years, she moved to Ireland and then to India,
where she lived for most of her life.
In 1950, Teresa founded the Missionaries of Charity, a Roman Catholic religious congregation.
In 2012, the Missionaries of Charity consisted of over 4500 sisters and was active in 133
countries.
The Missionaries of Charity run homes for people dying of HIV/AIDS, leprosy and tuberculosis,
soup kitchens, dispensaries and mobile clinics, children's and family counselling
programmes, orphanages and schools.
In 1962, she won the Ramon Magsaysay Peace Prize.
In 1979, she was honoured with the Nobel Peace Prize.
Urjit Patel assumes charge as 24th Governor of Reserve Bank of India

Urjit R Patel on 4 September 2016 assumed charge as the 24th Governor of the Reserve Bank of
India (RBI).
The handover ceremony will take place on 6 September

2016.
Patel had been serving as the Deputy Governor since

January 2013.
Patel succeeds Raghuram Rajan, who after serving a

three-year term, is going back to academia.
On 20 August 2016, the appointment committee of cabinet approved the appointment of Patel
for three years.
About Urjit R Patel

Urjit Patel headed a panel that recommended landmark changes to monetary policy in India.
The changes included a switch to inflation-targeting and the creation of a panel to set interest
rates.
In January 2016, he was reappointed as the Deputy Governor in Charge of monetary policy,
the department he headed from 2013.
Earlier between 1990 and 1995, he had worked with the International Monetary Fund (IMF)
covering US, India, Bahamas and Myanmar.
He carries a doctorate from Yale University.
He also carries M Phil from Oxford.
Mukund Choudhari assumes charge as CMD of MOIL

Mukund Chaudhari on 1 September 2016 took over as Chairman and Managing Director (CMD)
of MOIL Ltd, a miniratna company.
Prior to taking over as CMD, Chaudhari served as the Director (Finance) of MOIL.
Who is Mukund Chaudhari?

Mukund Chaudhari is a chartered accountant by profession.
He holds a long experience of over two and half decades in private and public sectors
undertakings.
He had also worked in the private sector.
After joining MOIL in 1997, he held various positions in the company.
He was inducted in the Board of Directors of MOIL in August 2012 as Director (Finance).
He has varied experience in corporate financial management and he is instrumental for

introduction of ERP system in MOIL recently.
About MOIL
MOIL Limited is a miniratna state-owned manganese-ore mining company headquartered in
Nagpur, India.
It was formerly known as Manganese Ore India Limited.
With a market share of 50%, it was the largest producer of manganese ore in India in the
fiscal year 2008.
MOIL Limited has been ranked #486 among the 500 top companies in India and 9th in the
Mines and Metals Sector of the Fortune India 500 list for 2011.
MOIL operates 10 mines, six located in Nagpur and Bhandara districts of Maharashtra and
four in the Balaghat district of Madhya Pradesh.
Its Balaghat mine is the deepest underground manganese mine in Asia.
Awards|Honours
Sanjay Dutta, Ritesh Sarothiya selected for Bavin Wildlife Law
Enforcement Awards
Two Indian forest officials, Sanjay Dutta and Ritesh Sarothiya, have been selected for the 2016
Clark R. Bavin Wildlife Law Enforcement Awards. Clark R. Bavin Wildlife Law Enforcement
Awards honours individuals engaging in exemplary law enforcement actions to protect wildlife.
Sanjay Dutta is the range officer of Belakoba Forest Range Jalpaiguri in West Bengal and Ritesh
Sarothiya is the assistant conservator of Madhya Pradesh State Forest.
The award ceremony will be held on 3 October 2016 at the 17th Conference of the Parties (CoP)
of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)
in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Clark R. Bavin Wildlife Law Enforcement Awards

The Species Survival Network, in cooperation with the Animal Welfare Institute, coordinates the
presentation of the Clark R. Bavin Wildlife Law Enforcement Awards to individuals who engage
in exemplary law enforcement actions to protect wildlife.
The Clark R. Bavin Wildlife Law Enforcement Awards are named in memory of the late Chief of
the United States Fish and Wildlife Service's Division of Law Enforcement, who pioneered the
Division's highly effective use of covert investigations and "sting" operations to uncover illegal
wildlife trade. The awards have traditionally been presented by the Secretary-General of CITES
during meetings of the Conference of the Parties.
Conserving wildlife is frequently difficult, dangerous and sometimes deadly. The Bavin Awards
recognize the extraordinary efforts that law enforcement officers and other field-based
individuals are willing to make in order to protect the world's wildlife.
2016 Right Livelihood Award announced

The 2016 Right Livelihood Award widely referred as the Alternative Nobel Prize was announced
on 22 September 2016 in Stockholm, Sweden. The laureates of this years Right Livelihood
Award include
Syria Civil Defence (The White Helmets)
Egypts Mozn Hassan and Nazra for Feminist

Studies
Russias Svetlana Gannushkina
Turkish daily Cumhuriyet
The laureates will share the 3.0-million-kronor (350000 dollar) prize.
The White Helmets of Syria was awarded for their outstanding bravery, compassion and
humanitarian engagement in rescuing civilians from the destruction of the Syrian civil war. It is
the first time that a Right Livelihood Award goes to a Laureate from Syria.
Mozn Hassan and Nazra for Feminist Studies from Egypt were awarded for asserting the
equality and rights of women in circumstances where they are subject to ongoing violence,
abuse and discrimination.
Russias Svetlana Gannushkina was awarded for her decades-long commitment to promoting
human rights and justice for refugees and forced migrants, and tolerance among different
ethnic groups.
The Turkish newspaper, Cumhuriyet was awarded for their fearless investigative journalism and
commitment to freedom of expression in the face of oppression, censorship, imprisonment and
death threats
The jury said all of this years winners upheld fundamental human rights and values in the face
of war and repression.
2016 Right Livelihood Award

The Right Livelihood Award is an international award to honour and support those offering
practical and exemplary answers to the most urgent challenges being faced by the world today.
The prize was established in 1980 by German-Swedish philanthropist Jakob von Uexkull, and is
presented annually in early December. It was created after the Nobel Foundation refused to
create awards honouring efforts in the fields of the environment and international
development.
Adi Godrej conferred Clinton Global Citizen Award

Adi Godrej, the Chairman of Mumbai-based Godrej Group, on 19
September 2016 was conferred the 10th Annual Clinton Global
Citizen Award for leadership in business and philanthropy.
The award recognises Godrej's leadership in transforming the

intersection of business and philanthropy and making the Godrej
Group a global example of what can be achieved through inclusive, sustainable business
strategies.
The award was presented by Hikmet Ersek, CEO and President of Western Union, in the
presence of former US President Bill Clinton.
Some of the other awardees for the year 2016 include Jon Bon Jovi for the Jon Bon Jovi Soul
Foundation in the US, President Juan Manuel Santos of Colombia and Hawa Abdi of Somalia.
About Adi Godrej

Adi Burjorji Godrej is an Indian industrialist and businessman.
He is the Chairman of the Godrej Group.
As of 2015, he is the 405th richest person in the world with a net worth of 4.0 billion US
dollars.
He received his undergraduate degree from HL College and his MBA from the MIT Sloan
School of Management, where he was a member of the Pi Lambda Phi fraternity and a member
of Tau Beta Pi.
About Clinton Global Citizen Awards

The Clinton Global Citizen Awards was established in 2007.
It embodies the former US President's call to action by honouring outstanding individuals who
exemplify global citizenship through their vision and leadership.
Past recipients of the award include Mexican businessman and philanthropist Carlos Slim,
Irish billionaire Denis O'Brien, Moroccan entrepreneur Mohammad Abbad Andaloussi, Afghan
women's rights activist Suraya Pakzad, Pakistani labour rights activist Syeda Ghulam Fatima
among others.
Aung San Suu Kyi honoured as 2016 Humanitarian of the Year by

Harvard Foundation
Nobel laureate and Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi was on 15 September 2016 honoured as
the 2016 Humanitarian of the Year by the students and faculty at the Harvard Foundation.
She gained international prominence as the General Secretary of the National League for
Democracy in Myanmar in 1990.
About Aung San Suu Kyi

Suu Kyi, elected head of Myanmars government in April 2016, was placed under house arrest
in 1989 for protesting against the countrys dictatorship and served 15 years in detention.
During her early years, Suu Kyi was held in solitary confinement and could not see her
husband Michael V Arisat the time a visiting professor at Harvardor her two sons.
In 1991, she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her non-violent struggle for democracy
and human rights.
About Humanitarian of the Year honour

The Harvard Foundation bestows its Humanitarian of the Year honour to an individual whose
works and deeds have served to improve the quality of lives and have inspired us to greater
heights.
Past award recipients include Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai and United Nations Secretary
General Ban-Ki Moon.
68th Primetime Emmy Awards announced

The 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards was announced on 18 September 2016 at the
Microsoft Theater, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
The Game of Thrones won best drama series at the 2016 Primetime
Emmy Awards, while Veep took home the top comedy award.
The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story also earned

several awards, while Julia Louis-Dreyfus won her fifth consecutive
Emmy in the lead comedy actress category.
Complete list of the winners

Award Winner
Outstanding Comedy Series Veep
Outstanding Drama Series Game of Thrones
Outstanding Variety Talk Series Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
Outstanding Variety Sketch Series Key & Peele
Outstanding Limited Series The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime

Story
Outstanding Television Movie Sherlock: "The Abominable Bride"
Outstanding Reality-Competition Program The Voice
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series Jeffrey Tambor as Maura Pfefferman on

Transparent
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series Julia Louis-Dreyfus as President Selina Meyer
on Veep
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series Rami Malek as Elliot Alderson on Mr. Robot
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series Tatiana Maslany as Sarah Manning, Alison
Hendrix, Cosima Niehaus, Beth Childs, Rachel
Duncan, and MK on Orphan Black
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Courtney B. Vance as Johnnie Cochran on The
Movie People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series Sarah Paulson as Marcia Clark on The People
or Movie v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Louie Anderson as Christine Baskets on

Series Baskets
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Kate McKinnon as Various Characters on

Series Saturday Night Live
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Ben Mendelsohn as Danny Rayburn on

Series Bloodline
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Maggie Smith as Violet Crawley, Dowager

Series Countess of Grantham on Downton Abbey
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Sterling K. Brown as Christopher Darden on

Series or Movie The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime
Story
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Regina King as Terri LaCroix on American

Series or Movie Crime
Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series Transparent (Episode: "Man on the Land"),
Directed by Jill Soloway
Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series Game of Thrones (Episode: "Battle of the
Bastards"), Directed by Miguel Sapochnik
Outstanding Directing for a Variety Special Thomas Kail and Alex Rudzinski for Grease:
Live
Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series, The Night Manager, Directed by Susanne Bier
Movie, or Dramatic Special
Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series Master of None (Episode: "Parents"), Written
by Aziz Ansari and Alan Yang
Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series Game of Thrones (Episode: "Battle of the
Bastards"), Written by David Benioff and D. B.
Weiss
Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special Patton Oswalt: Talking for Clapping, Written
by Patton Oswalt
Outstanding Writing for a Limited Series, The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime
Movie, or Dramatic Special Story (Episode: "Marcia, Marcia, Marcia"),
Written by D. V. DeVincentis
About Primetime Emmy Awards

The Primetime Emmy Award is an American award bestowed by the Academy of Television
Arts & Sciences.
It is given in recognition of excellence in American primetime television programming.
It was first given in 1949.
The award was originally referred to as simply the Emmy Awards until the first Daytime Emmy
Award ceremonies were held in the 1970s. The word prime time was added to distinguish
between the two.
The Emmy Awards are considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards (film),
Grammy Awards (music), and Tony Awards (stage).
The awards are divided into three categories: the Primetime Emmy Awards for television
performance, the Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards, and the Primetime Engineering Emmy
Awards.
Malayalam critic M Leelavathy chosen for N Mohanan Suvarna

Mudra Award 2016
Eminent Malayalam critic and academician M Leelavathy was on 17 September 2016 chosen for
the prestigious N Mohanan Suvarna Mudra Award 2016, instituted in memory of well-known
short story writer N Mohanan.
An expert panel comprising journalists M G Radhakrishnan and M Saritha Varma and

Athmaraman, selected Leelavathy for the biennial award considering her contributions to
Malayalam language and literature.
About N Mohanan Suvarna Mudra Award

The award, instituted to commemorate N Mohanan, short story writer, is given every
alternate year.
The award was first presented to the late poet ONV Kurup, Jnanpith winning poet.
It comprises a gold medal of one sovereign.
Indian-American Dinesh Bharadia wins 2016 Marconi Society Paul

Baran Young Scholar Award
India-born researcher Dinesh Bharadia on 14 September 2016 was chosen for the prestigious
Marconi Society Paul Baran Young Scholar Award.
Bharadia was chosen for his contribution to send and receive

radio (wireless) signals, including mobile telephony and data
on the same channel. His research disproved a 150-years long
assumption that it is not possible for a radio to receive and
transmit on the same frequency band because of the
interference that results.
Bharadia will receive the award at a ceremony in Mountain

View, California, on 2 November 2016.
Who is Dinesh Bharadia?

Dinesh Bharadia hails from Ichalkarnji in Kolhapur district of Maharashtra.
He is an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) at Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh.
He obtained his doctorate from Stanford University.
At present, he is a researcher at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
About Marconi Society

The Marconi Society is named after Nobel laureate Guglielmo Marconi, who invented radio.
The Marconi Society awards annually outstanding individuals whose scope of work and
influence emulate the principle of creativity in service to humanity.
The Paul Baran Young Scholar Award is an equivalent of the Nobel Prize in science and
technology domain.
The award includes 4000 US dollar prize and expenses to attend its annual awards event.
The Society also honours distinguished scientists with the 100000 US dollar Marconi Award
and Fellowship for emulating the principle of creativity in service to humanity.
Nadia Murad Basee Taha appointed UNODC Goodwill Ambassador

Nadia Murad Basee Taha, who survived trafficking at the hands of Islamic State of Iraq and the
Levant (ISIL), on 16 September 2016, was appointed the United Nations Office on Drugs and
Crime (UNODC) Goodwill Ambassador for the Dignity of Survivors of Human Trafficking.
The appointment marks the first time a survivor of atrocities is bestowed with this distinction.
The induction ceremony took place in the United Nations Trusteeship Council Chamber in the
New York United Nations Headquarters.
During her Ambassadorship, Murad will focus on advocacy initiatives and raise awareness
around the plight of the countless victims of trafficking in persons, especially refugees, women
and girls.
Who is Nadia Murad Basee Taha?

Murad is a 23-year-old Yazidi woman who was kidnapped and held by the Islamic State in
August 2014.
She briefed the Security Council in the first-ever session on human trafficking, which was held
during the presidency of the United States on 16 December 2015.
She described being rounded up with fellow Yazidis in Iraq in 2014 and witnessing as ISIL
fighters shot men and boys in cold blood.
She was subject to grave abuses at the hands of ISIL fighters and was bought and sold various
times.
She was recently named one of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People of 2016.
On 5 January 2016, the Iraqi government nominated her for the 2016 Nobel Peace Prize for
her activism.
On 15 September 2016, she was nominated for the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought.
Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma conferred with Arjuna Award

Sports Minister Vijay Goel conferred Arjuna Awards on cricketers Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya
Rahane at a function in New Delhi. Sharma was given the award for 2015 and Rahane for 2016.
Earlier, the two cricketers could not receive the awards from the President Pranab Mukherjee
as they were participating in international tournaments.
The Arjuna Awards, instituted in 1961, are given to sportspersons for consistently outstanding
performance for four years preceding the year of award and who have also shown qualities of
leadership, sportsmanship and a sense of discipline. The awardees are given a statuette, a
certificate, ceremonial dress and award money of 5 lakh rupees.
Morgan Freeman and Mel Brooks among 2015 National Medal of

Arts recipients
The 2015 National Medal of Arts and the National
Humanities Medals recipients were unveiled on 14
September 2016 by the White House.
Mel Brooks, Morgan Freeman, Audra McDonald, Berry

Gordy and Philip Glass are on the list for the National
Medal of Arts, while Terry Gross and Wynton Marsalis are
among the Humanities recipients.
President Barack Obama will award the medals on 22

September 2016 in a ceremony in the East Room of the
White House.
Full list of honourees:

National Medal of Arts
Mel Brooks, Actor, Comedian and Writer
Sandra Cisneros, Author
Eugene ONeill Theater Center
Morgan Freeman, Actor
Philip Glass, Composer
Berry Gordy, Record Producer & Songwriter
Santiago Jimnez, Jr., Musician
Moises Kaufman, Director and Playwright
Ralph Lemon, Dancer, Choreographer, Writer, and Visual Artist
Audra McDonald, Actress and Singer
Luis Valdez, Playwright, Actor, Writer and Director
Jack Whitten, Painter
National Humanities Medal

Rudolfo Anaya, Author
Jose Andres, Chef and Entrepreneur
Ron Chernow, Author
Louise Glck, Poet
Terry Gross, Radio Host and Producer
James McBride, Author
Louis Menand, Author
Elaine Pagels, Historian and Author
Prison University Project, Higher Education Program
Abraham Verghese, Physician, Professor and Author
Isabel Wilkerson, Journalist and Author
About National Medal of Arts

The National Medal of Arts is an award and title created by the United States Congress in
1984.
It was created for the purpose of honouring artists and patrons of the arts.
It is the highest honour specifically given for achievement in the arts conferred to an
individual artist on behalf of the people.
Honourees are selected by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), and ceremoniously
presented the award by the President of the United States.
The medal was designed for the NEA by sculptor Robert Graham.
Subramanian Swamy honoured with Tamil Ratna in US

Subramanian Swamy on 11 September 2016 was honoured with Tamil Ratna by America Tamil
Sangam. The America Tamil Sangam is a body of Tamil diaspora
based in US.
The senior BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP were presented with
the award in New York for his fight against corruption and work
for bringing more transparency in the functioning of the
government.
Previous Tamil Ratna awardees include Oscar-winning composer AR Rahman, movie director
Bharathi Raja, Bharatha Natyam exponent Kamala Lakshman and Srinivasa Varadhan, the
winner of the Abel Prize for mathematics among others.
Subramanian Swamy
He is an Indian politician and economist who serve as a member of the Rajya Sabha, the
upper house of the Indian Parliament.
He has served as a member of the Planning Commission of India and was a Cabinet Minister in
the Chandra Shekhar government.
Earlier in November 1978, he was member of the Group of Eminent persons and was called to
Geneva, Switzerland to prepare a report of the United Nations (United Nations Conference on
Trade and Development (UNCTAD)) on Economic Co-operation between Developing countries
(ECDC).
He also simplified trade procedures and formulated a new export strategy which became the
forerunner of trade reform adopted subsequently.
In 1994, he was appointed as Chairman of the Commission on Labour Standards and

International Trade by former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao.
He has written on foreign affairs of India dealing largely with People's Republic of China (PRC),
Pakistan and Israel.
President Pranab Mukherjee presented Rajbhasha awards

President Pranab Mukherjee on 14 September 2016 presented
the Rajbhasha awards at Rashtrapati Bhawan. The awards
were given away on the occasion of Hindi Divas.
The Rajbhasha awards were instituted by the Department of

Official Language of Home Ministry to recognize the excellent
contribution of Ministries, Departments and Nationalized
Banks in the field of Hindi.
Hindi Divas is celebrated annually on 14 September because on this day in 1949 the Constituent
Assembly of the country adopted Hindi language as the official language of India.
Indian American scientist Ramesh Raskar wins US$500000 2016

Lemelson-MIT Prize
Indian American Ramesh Raskar on 13 September 2016 won the
2016 Lemelson-MIT Prize.
Raskar is the co-inventor of radical imaging solutions including

femtophotography, an ultra-fast imaging system that can see
around corners, low-cost eye-care solutions for the developing
world and a camera that allows users to read pages of a book
without opening the cover.
Who is Ramesh Raskar?

Ramesh Raskar is a Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Associate Professor.
He is also the head of the MIT Media Lab's Camera Culture research group.
He was born in Nashik.
He finished his engineering education from College of Engineering, Pune.
He finished his PhD at UNC Chapel Hill.
He holds over fifty patents.
About Lemelson-MIT Prize

The Lemelson Foundation awards several prizes yearly to inventors in the United States. The
largest is the LemelsonMIT Prize which was endowed in 1994 by Jerome H. Lemelson.
It is administered through the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
The winner receives 500000 US dollars, making it the largest cash prize for invention in the
U.S.
Haryana bagged Best Horticulture State award

Haryana has bagged Best Horticulture State award for the concerted efforts made by the state
government to increase the income of the farmers in horticulture.
The award was received by Haryana Agriculture Minister OP Dhankar on 9 September 2016 at
two-day 9th Agricultural Leadership Summit 2016. The summit was organized by Indian Council
of Food and Agriculture (ICFA) in New Delhi.
Horticulture in Haryana
At present, about 2.5 lakh hectares of land of the state is under horticulture and a target has
been set to increase it up to nine lakh hectares. For this purpose, the state has decided to set a
Horticulture University in the state.
It also decided to set up centers of excellence in horticulture in every district of the state and
create 340 horticulture villages in the state.
In addition, it would also set biggest Horticulture Mandi of the country at Ganaur on the
pattern of Rungis Mandi of France and Shenzhen Mandi of China.
Besides, the 2016 best agriculture state award went to Odisha. It was awarded with the award
in recognition of the efforts towards development of agriculture and bringing rural prosperity.
Philippine revenge drama 'Ang Babaeng Humayo' wins Golden Lion

Award at Venice Film Festival
A revenge drama Ang Babaeng Humayo (The Woman Who Left) on 10 September 2016 won
the Golden Lion for Best Film Award at the 73 Venice Film Festival.
Ang Babaeng Humayo is nearly four-hour black and white revenge drama film about a womans
thirst for revenge and her feelings of forgiveness after 30 years in jail for a crime she did not
commit.
On the other hand, Russian director Andrei Konchalovsky and Mexican film director Amat
Escalante shared Silver Lion for Best Direction for their respective films Paradise and The
Untamed.
Tom Ford's noir thriller Nocturnal Animals from the U.S. won the Grand Jury Prize.
The complete list of winners:

Golden Lion: Lav Diaz for Ang Babaeng Humayo
Silver Lion Director (tie): Andre Konchalovsky for Paradise and Amat Escalante for The
Untamed
Jury Grand Prize: Nocturnal Animals
Special Jury Prize: The Bad Batch
Actor: Oscar Martinez for The Distinguished Citizen
Actress: Emma Stone for La La Land
Screenplay: Noah Oppenheim for Jackie
Marcello Mastroianni Price for Young Performer: Paula Beer for Frantz
Luigi De Laurentiis Lion of the Future: The Last of Us
About Venice Film Festival

The Venice Film Festival or Venice International Film Festival was founded in 1932.
It is the oldest film festival in the world and one of the "Big Three" film festivals alongside the
Cannes Film Festival and Berlin International Film Festival.
The film festival takes place in late August or early September on the island of the Lido,
Venice, Italy.
Screenings take place in the historic Palazzo del Cinema on the Lungomare Marconi and in
other venues nearby.
Since its inception, the Film Festival has become the most prestigious international film
festival in the world.
Novel on Apatani tribe of Arunachal, Into the Hidden Valley, wins

MM Bennetts Award
Novel, Into the Hidden Valley authored by Stuart Blackburn on 4
September 2016 won the 2016 MM Bennetts Award for
Historical Fiction in the UK. The author was presented the award
at the HNS Conference in Oxford.
The book published by Speaking Tiger narrates the story of

the Apatani tribe of Arunachal Pradesh during British India. It
also looks into a little-known episode in the colonial history of
British India.
Into the Hidden Valley explores and portrays the impacts of the
forces of colonialism on both sides when this settled civilisation forcibly collides with British
Empire.
Into the Hidden Valley was chosen for the award ahead of Helena Page Schrader's Defender of
Jerusalem and Allegiance by Kermit Roosevelt.
Stuart Blackburn
Stuart Blackburn was born in Providence, Rhode Island.
He completed his doctorate in Tamil language and international folklore from the University
of California, Berkeley, in 1980.
He had served the Peace Corps (one of the few remaining alternatives to serving in the
military in Vietnam).
He is the author or editor of 16 books on Indian culture and folklore, mainly in south India
(where his first novel, Murder in Melur, is set) and northeast India.
One book, a study of shadow puppet theatre in Kerala, won the runner-up prize for the UK
Folklore Book of the Year, while a translation of an early Tamil novel won the AK Ramanujan
Prize in the United States.
He was also the director of a five-year, multi-disciplinary grant to study Tibeto-Burman tribal
cultures in northeast India, which provided him with the inspiration for Into the Hidden Valley.
MM Bennetts Award for Historical Fiction

The award is named in memory of writer-historian MM Bennetts who was a specialist in early
19th century British history and the Napoleonic wars as well as a keen cross country and
dressage rider.
Before turning to writing novels full-time, Bennetts was a French translator and a longstanding
book critic for the Pulitzer-prize winning newspaper, 'The Christian Science Monitor'.
Anjum Chopra becomes first Indian woman to be honoured with

MCC life membership
Former Indian womens cricket team captain Anjum Chopra in the first week of September
2016 was awarded an honorary life membership of the
Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC).
Chopra is presented with the honour along with former mens

team stalwarts Zaheer Khan and Virender Sehwag.
With this, Chopra became the first Indian woman cricketer to

get the prestigious life membership of MCC.
About Anjum Chopra

Anjum Chopra is a left-handed batswoman who bowls right-arm medium-fast.
She has played in 12 Tests and 116 ODIs.
She played her first friendly match with college girls team at the inter college level scoring 20
runs and taking 2 wickets. Later the same year, she was selected to play for New Delhi in the
under15 tournament.
On 12 February 1995, she made her debut in One-day Internationals in the early age of 17
against New Zealand at Christchurch, New Zealand.
She made her debut in Test cricket a few months later, against England at Eden Gardens,
Kolkata on 17 November 1995.
Indian conservationist Bibhuti Lahkar wins Heritage Heroes Award

of IUCN
Indian ecologist and conservation activist Bibhuti Lahkar

on 4 September 2016 became the first Asian to be
awarded the prestigious Heritage Heroes Award by the
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Lahkar received the award at the IUCN's World

Conservation Congress in Honolulu, Hawaii.
The Indian ecologist was among five conservationists across the globe to be nominated for
2016 Heritage Heroes Award.
The Heritage Heroes Award is aimed at recognising outstanding efforts around the globe in
making a difference in the conservation of World Heritage sites in challenging situations.
Who is Bibhuti Lahkar?

Bibhuti Lahkar has researched grassland ecosystems in the Indian state of Assam.
He did his PhD on the grasslands of Manas National Park with special reference to Pygmy hog.
His research work has covered diverse areas of grassland ecosystems of Manas National Park
and Kaziranga National Park in Assam.
He was the recipient of the prestigious grants from Rufford's Foundation for his work on
community conservation in Manas World Heritage site and conservation of Hoolock Gibbon at
Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary.
He also conducted the first GIS survey of the Royal Manas National Park.
His research findings and recommendations are a critical component in the Manas Tiger
Conservation Plan.
Jan Shikshan Sansthan conferred with 2016 UNESCO Confucius

Prize for Literacy
The Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS) of Malappuram, Kerala was on 1 September 2016 conferred
with the 2016 Unesco Confucius Prize for Literacy. The award was conferred on the JSS in
recognition of its literacy-linked skill development activities among the underprivileged in rural
areas.
The JSS bagged the prestigious international award for its initiatives in applying new technology
in literacy. Innovations such as Braille applications and the Talking Pen used by the JSS
impressed UNESCO.
The award sponsored by China consists of 20000 US dollars, a diploma, and a silver medal.
Moreover, a JSS team will be given a free study tour to China.
Jan Shikshan Sansthan's Skill-Development Programme

The JSS has reached out to the weaker sections, including widows and Adivasis, with its
literacy and skill-development programmes.
More than 53000 people from different sections have been covered since the project began
in 2006.
With JSS support, more than 40000 people improved their income through such means as
stitching, mobile repairing, embroidery, choke-making and bag making.
The talking pen introduced by the JSS to educate tribal women had won wide appreciation.
Jackie Chan to be given honorary Oscar

Action movie star, writer, director and martial artist Jackie
Chan will be given an honorary Academy (Oscar) Award
for his extraordinary achievements in the movies.
Chan will receive an honorary Oscar statuette at the

Academy's 8th Annual Governors Awards to be held on 12
November 2016.
The Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture

Arts and Science recently voted to present the award to Chan, British editor Anne V Coates,
casting director Lynn Stalmaster and documentary maker Frederick Wiseman.
Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs described the four as true pioneers and legends in their
crafts.
Academy Honorary Award

The Academy Honorary Award was instituted in 1948 for the 21st Academy Awards
(previously called the Special Award).
It is given by the discretion of the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts
and Sciences (AMPAS) to celebrate motion picture achievements that are not covered by
existing Academy Awards.
Prior winners of competitive Academy Awards are not excluded from receiving the Honorary
Award.
The Honorary Award is presented at the annual Governors Awards.
Thithi wins Best Film Award at first BRICS Film Festival

Acclaimed Kannada movie Thithi on 6 September 2016 won the Best Film Award at the first
BRICS Film Festival, which concluded in New Delhi.
The BRICS Film Festival was organized as a part of the special events planned in run-up to the
BRICS summit to be held in India.
The five-day-long festival screened movies from India, Brazil, Russia, China and South Africa.
China's Chengdu city will host the next edition of the BRICS Film Festival.
About Thithi
Thithi is a 2016 Kannada-language drama film co-written and directed by Raam Reddy.
The movie consists of a cast of non-professional actors from villages in the Mandya district of
Karnataka.
The film is a light-hearted story about three generations of men reacting to the death of their
101-year old patriarch.
The film premiered at the 68th Locarno International Film Festival on 8 August 2015, where it
won the Golden Leopard in the Filmmakers of the Present category for Reddy as well as the
Swatch First Feature award.
At the 63rd National Film Awards, the film won the National Film Award for Best Feature
Film in Kannada.
Other awards given at the festival

Filmmaker Jianqi Huo from China won the Best Director Award for the movie Xuan Zang.
Russia's Yulia Peresild received the Best Actress Award for The Battle for Sevastopol.
Thabo Rametsi of South Africa clinched the Best Actor Award for his role in Kalushi, The story
of Solomon Mahlangu.
K G George wins 2015 J C Daniel Award

Veteran award-winning film director K.G. George on 6 September 2016 won the prestigious J.C.
Daniel Award for his overall contribution to the Malayalam film industry.
The award will be given away along with the State Film Awards at a function to be held at
Palakkad in October 2016.
Who is K.G. George?

Kulakkatil Geevarghese George is an Indian film
director and screenwriter.
He is considered to be among one of the directors who

revolutionized Malayalam cinema in the 1970s.
He is noted for his deep psychological analysis and

character study of the human mind in his films.
He made his debut with 1975 movie Swapnadanam,

which won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film
in Malayalam.
His well known films include Ulkadal, Mela, Yavanika among others.
He is also the founder and chairman of the Malayalam Cine Technicians Association (MACTA).
J.C. Daniel Award

The J. C. Daniel Award is Kerala's highest award in Malayalam cinema.
The Government of Kerala created the award to commemorate the contribution of Indian
filmmaker J. C. Daniel, who is often regarded as the father of Malayalam cinema.
It is presented annually by the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy, a non-profit institution

under the Department of Cultural Affairs of the Government of Kerala, India.
It was instituted in 1992.
The award is given to honour the recipients for their outstanding contributions to Malayalam
cinema.
Recipients are selected by an independent jury established by the Academy and the
Department of Cultural Affairs.
Actor Madhu was the first recipient of the award.
Actress Aranmula Ponnamma is the only woman who has received the honour in 2005.
In 2014, the award was presented to director and screenwriter I.V. Sasi.
Kiran Mazumdar Shaw appointed Knight of the National Order of

the French Legion of Honour
Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, Chairperson and Managing
Director of Biocon Limited, was on 1 September 2016
appointed Chevalier de l'Ordre National de la Lgion
d'Honneur (Knight of the National Order of the French
Legion of Honour).
Shaw was honoured for her contribution to biosciences

and research.
The award will be conferred on behalf of the President of

the French Republic at a ceremony later in 2016.
Chevalier l'Ordre National de la Lgion d'Honneur is the

highest civilian award of the French Republic for
outstanding contribution in diverse fields.
About Kiran Mazumdar Shaw

Kiran Mazumdar Shaw is an Indian entrepreneur.
She is the Chairman and Managing Director of Biocon Limited, a biotechnology company
based in Bengaluru, India.
She is also the current chairperson of IIM-Bangalore.
In 2014, she was awarded the Othmer Gold Medal, for outstanding contributions to the
progress of science and chemistry.
She is on the Financial Times top 50 women in business list.
As of 2015, she was listed as the 85th most powerful woman in the world by Forbes.
In 2016, she was again listed as the most powerful woman in the world at 77th position by
Forbes.
Bezwada Wilson, Thodur Madabusi Krishna receive Ramon

Magsaysay Award 2016
Carnatic singer Thodur Madabusi Krishna and Bezwada Wilson, campaigner for eradication of
manual scavenging, on 31 August 2016 received the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award 2016.
They were among six persons who received the award. Four others who received the award
are: Conchita Carpio-Morales of the Philippines, Dompet Dhuafa of Indonesia, Japan Overseas
Cooperation Volunteers and Vientiane Rescue of Laos.
About Bezwada Wilson

Wilson, the national convenor of the Safai Karmachari Andolan (SKA), got the award for
asserting the inalienable right to a life of human dignity.
He has been leading a grassroot movement to eradicate the degrading servitude of manual
scavenging in India, reclaiming for the Dalits the human dignity that is their natural birthright.
He has spent 32 years on his crusade, leading not only with a sense of moral outrage but also
with remarkable skills in mass organising, and working within Indias complex legal system.
About Thodur Madabusi Krishna

Krishna won the award under the Emergent Leadership category for bringing social
inclusiveness in culture. He is a Carnatic music vocalist.
His forceful commitment as artist in breaking barriers of caste and class to unleash what
music has to offer not just for some but for all led to his selection for the award.
Committees | Commissions
Arvind Panagariya led task force on poverty files report, proposes
new panel on BPL
Task force headed by NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman Arvind Panagariya to prepare a road map for
elimination of poverty submitted its report to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) on 11
September 2016.
It has suggested setting up a committee to identify people Below Poverty Line (BPL). It also
suggested participation from states in defining the BPL population.
The other members of the task force were Aayog Member Bibek Debroy and secretaries from
ministries of rural development, housing and urban poverty alleviation.
It asked for constitution of a new committee, which in participation with the states and other
stakeholders should work on defining the BPL population and identify them.
It also suggested four options for tracking the poor and they are
First: It asks to continue with the Tendulkar poverty line.
Second: It asks to switch to the Rangarajan or other higher rural and urban poverty lines.
Third: It calls to track the progress over time of the bottom 30 percent of the population
Fourth: It asks to track progress along specific components of poverty such as nutrition,
housing, drinking water, sanitation, electricity and connectivity.
Background
The task force was constituted in March 2015 with an initial mandate to finalise its report by 30
June 2015. Its main task was to prepare a road map for elimination of poverty as well as suggest
strategies and anti-poverty programmes. Its terms of reference included developing a working
definition of poverty and coordinating and developing synergy with central ministries and state
government task forces.
First BRICS Wellness Workshop concludes in Bengaluru

The first BRICS Wellness Workshop concluded on 11 September 2016 in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
The workshop was inaugurated by Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers and
Parliamentary Affairs Ananth Kumar on 10 September 2016.
Along with the workshop, National Fair on comprehensive Indian Medicine system
(AROGYA) was also inaugurated in the city. The four day event is organized by Union Ministry
of AYUSH, in collaboration with Research and Information System for Developing Countries
(RIS). The fair will conclude on 13 September 2016.
Key highlights of the BRICS Wellness Workshop

The Workshop is organized to promote partnerships with BRICS nations.
It aimed at promoting knowledge sharing and pushing forward AYUSH initiatives in BRICS
countries, which will further help in globalization of AYUSH.
The Workshop was designed to have sessions related to Traditional Systems of Medicine,
Trade and Economy, Wellness and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Wellness indicators
for BRICS, Wellness and Tourism among others.
It included a session on WHO strategy for Traditional Medicine.
On the other hand, the AROGYA fair provides a good exposure for manufacturers/importers
of Traditional Medicines/Raw Materials of the BRICS Countries to have firsthand experience of
Indian Traditional Medicinal products/manufacturing facilities.
AK Sinha committee constituted to study silt in river Ganga in Bihar

Union Government on 1 September 2016 constituted an expert committee to study slit in river
Ganga in Bihar. The four-member committee will be headed by Member of Ganga Flood
Control commission AK Sinha.
The committee has been asked to submit its report within 10 days.
Other members of the committee are Chief Engineer of Central Water Commission SK Sahu,
Prof. of IIT, AK Gosain and members of National Disaster Management Authority Dr. Rajnish
Ranjan.
Background
The committee was formed on request of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Kumar during his
meet to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requested him to send an expert team to study silt in
Ganga which caused devastating prevailing flood in the state. He also said the centre should
frame National Silt Policy to sort out various problems related to rivers throughout the state.
Art and Culture

Tamil Film Visaranai is Indias official entry for the 2017 Oscar
Visaranai, a Tamil film directed by Vetrimaran and produced by Dhanushs Wunderbar Films,
has been selected as India's entry in the Foreign Language Film category for the 89th Academy
Awards (Oscars) to be held in 2017.
The national award-winning film documents four migrant workers who suffer police brutuality
and corruption after being jailed on false charges.
The film is based on true events recorded in novel Lock Up written by M Chandrakumar, an
auto rickshaw driver from Coimbatore.
As per reports, Ketan Mehta, the head of the Film Federation of India's jury for the year, picked
Vetrimaaran's film from 29 films that included Neerja, Udta Punjab and Sairat.
Earlier, the film Visaranai was premiered at the Venice International Film festival in 2015 and
had a theatrical release in February 2016. At the 63rd National Film Awards, it had won three
National awards viz. Best Supporting Actor, Best Feature Film in Tamil and Best Editing. It also
won the Amnesty International Italia Award 2015 and has been doing the rounds of festivals
ever since.
Hey Ram directed and starred by Kamal Haasan was the last Tamil movie that made into the list
of official entry to the Oscars. In 2015, India had sent Marathi film 'Court' as the official entry
for Oscars.
Naropa Festival: Devotees visit Indian Himalayas to celebrate Buddhist

festival
A once-in-12-years festival of Buddhist spirituality, culture and tradition began on 16
September 2016 at the Hemis monastery of Drukpa lineage in Ladakh region of India. The
festival will conclude on 22 September 2016.
Hundreds of thousands of monks, devotees and tourists have reached Ladakh for the Naropa
Festival, which is also called as the Kumbh Mela of the Himalayas.
The Naropa Festival draws huge numbers of Buddhists, especially those from the Drukpabranch
which is traditionally practised in Ladakh and Bhutan.
Dancers in bright, silk costumes and striking headgear performed to drum and pipe music as
part of the festival being held in a mountain village to commemorate the 1000th birth
anniversary of Buddhist saint Naropa.
On the other hand, a 60-foot-tall silk embroidery brocade of Buddha Amitabha was unfurled on
19 September 2016.
The 12th Gyalwang Drukpa, the spiritual head of the 1000-year-old Drukpa Order based in the
Himalayas, unfurled the brocade amidst chanting of prayers.
A special stand was erected at the Naropa Palace, the venue of the carnival, to display the
largest silk embroidered thanka or brocade.
About Saint Naropa

Naropa was an Indian Buddhist Mahasiddha.
He was a contemporary of Atisa, a Buddhist Bengali religious leader and master.
Naropa was born in a high status Brahmin family of Bengal.
At the age of 28, he entered the famous Buddhist University at Nalanda where he studied
both Sutra and Tantra.
He eventually gained the title Guardian of the Northern gate.
He was the disciple of Tilopa and brother, or some sources say partner and pupil, of Niguma.
Some accounts relate that Naropa was the personal teacher of Marpa Lotsawa. Other
accounts suggest that Marpa held Naropa's lineage through intermediary disciples only.
About Hemis Monastry
The Hemis Monastry is a Tibetan Buddhist monastery of the Drukpa Lineage, located in
Hemis, Ladakh.
The monastery existed before the 11th Century.
Saint Naropa is connected with this monastery.
The monastery was re-established in 1672 by the Ladakhi king Sengge Namgyal.
West Odisha celebrates Nuakhai Festival

Western Odisha on 6 September 2016 celebrated the festival of Nuakhai, the agrarian festival
of the region, with religious fervour.
The celebrations began with the Nabanna in which the newly harvested rice was offered to
Goddess Samaleswari as per the stipulated Lagna, the auspicious moment. The deity was
adorned with new saree and ornaments on the occasion.
Later, people offered Nabanna to their presiding deities.
About Nuakhai Festival

Nuakhai is an agricultural festival mainly observed by people of Western Odisha in India to
welcome the new rice of the season.
The festival was dedicated to Goddess Samaleswari in Sambalpur while Patneswari in

Balangir, Sureshwari in Subarnapur and Sekharbasini in Sundargarh are worshipped.
According to the Hindu calendar, it is observed on panchamitithi (the fifth day) of the lunar
fortnight of the month of AugustSeptember, the day after the Ganesh Chaturthi festival.
Families offer the Nabanna to their respective presiding deity and Goddess Laxmi (Goddess of
Wealth) as a mark of gratitude for bumper harvest, good rain and favourable farming weather.
Being an agrarian festival, the eldest in the family of each household in rural pockets worship their
paddy fields and cattle.
Exam Boosters
Indian Air Force successfully fired the recently acquired long range air-to-air MICA missile on a
manoeuvring target from - Mirage-2000 Upgrade combat aircraft
The renowned Hindi and Urdu writer, playwright and television personality, who died in New
Delhi is - Reoti Saran Sharma
Delhi government on 23 September 2016 increased the retirement age of doctors working in its
hospitals from 62 to - 65
The eighth edition of India-Russia Joint Military Exercise INDRA-2016 begun in - Ussiriysk
District in Vladivostok, Russia
The UN Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura called the Syrian crisis the worst
humanitarian tragedy since - the Second World War
Test captain of the Pakistan national cricket team who became the first Pakistani to receive the
prestigious ICC Test Championship mace after topping in the ICC Test Team Rankings - Misbah-
ul-Haq
He was appointed as Indias Ambassador to the US - Navtej Sarna
He was appointed as the Chief Justice of Kerala High Court Justice Mohan M. Shantanagoudar
India and France inked the 7.8-billion Euro deal for - 36 Rafale fighter jets
State that will now have its own bravery awards and these awards will be given out on
Independence Day and Republic Day every year is - Delhi
Afghanistan signed a peace agreement with one of the country's largest militant groups Hezb-e-
Islami led by - Gulbuddin Hekmatyar
Two Indian forest officials, who were selected for the 2016 Clark R. Bavin Wildlife Law
Enforcement Awards are - Sanjay Dutta and Ritesh Sarothiya
Hindustani classical singer who will be honoured with the annual 'LalitArpan Samman' this year
is - Shubha Mudgal
The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) signed a contract with M/s DST, Germany to
design vessels, especially suited to navigate the 1620 km stretch of - National Waterway-1 (NW-
1)
Author of the book "Citizen and Society" that was launched by President Pranab Mukherjee and
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is - Vice President Mohd Hamid Ansari
China's city that is set to host India Week celebrations with a business and investment meeting
to be attended by CEOs of top Indian firms is - Yangzhou
Punjab and Haryana High Court has stayed the 10 percent reservation given to economically
weaker sections in - Haryana
Winners of the 2016 Right Livelihood Award widely referred as the Alternative Nobel Prize are -
Syria Civil Defence (The White Helmets), Egypts Mozn Hassan and Nazra for Feminist Studies,
Russias Svetlana Gannushkina and Turkish daily Cumhuriyet
The state where about 52000 government primary and upper primary schools functioning under
the School and Mass Education Department, have no teacher for each class is Odisha
The country where the Muslim Brotherhood has made a return to parliament after winning 16
seats in the 130-member house is - Jordan
Government's think-tank Niti Aayog has devised a short-term and medium-to-long term action
plan to help India achieve 50 medals in - 2024 summer Olympics
The company that has landed a 99.7-million dollar contract from Vietnam Border Guard to
design, construct and supply high-speed patrol vessels is - Larsen & Toubro (L&T)
Two institutions that signed an MoU to work jointly towards sustainable development of the tea
sector are - the United Planters' Association of Southern India (UPASI) and the China Tea
Marketing Association (CTMA)
Asian Development Bank in September 2016 approved 631 million US dollars loan for-
Visakhapatnam-Chennai industrial corridor
Two companies that recently signed MoU with Dhamra LNG Terminal Private Limited for taking
equity stake in the Terminal- Indian Oil Corporation Limited and GAIL India Limited
CCEA approved the partial capital grant of 5176 crore rupees for development of 2539 km long
Jagdishpur-Haidia and Bokaro-Dhamra Gas Pipeline (JHBDPL) project to- GAIL (India) Limited
Person appointed as the World Bank Country Director for India recently- Junaid Ahmad
PV Bharathi was recently appointed as the Executive Director (ED) of- Canara Ban
Oscar-winning director of movie LA Confidential who passed away recently- Curtis Hanson
The India cricketer who was recently named the captain of the India's all time Test XI by Wisden
is - MS Dhoni
The person recently appointed the chairman of the BCCI Selection Committee is - MSK Prasad
The Indian industrialist who was recently conferred the Clinton Global Citizen Award is - Adi
Godrej
Person sworn in as the Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court- Girish Chandra Gupta
The team lifted the title of the Obaidullah Khan Heritage Cup Hockey Tournament by defeating
Indian Railways - Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL)
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs gave its approval for initiating the process of
winding up of Hindustan Diamond Company Private Limited (HDCPL), which is a - 50:50 joint
venture of the Union Government and De Beers Centenary Mauritius Limited (DBCML)
The Union Cabinet approved the signing and ratification of agreement for the exchange of
information with respect to Taxes with Samoa
The Union Cabinet approved the provision of a direct communication link through a dedicated
submarine Optical Fibre Cable (OFC) between - Mainland (Chennai) and Andaman and Nicobar
Islands
The two nations that was requested by Assam Government to immediately rectify their travel
advisory to its citizens to the state - UK and Australia
Country that topped the World Economic Freedom (WEF) Index 2016- Hong Kong
India stood at which position in the World Economic Freedom (WEF) Index 2016- 112th
Nobel laureate who was honoured as the 2016 Humanitarian of the Year by the Harvard
Foundation- Aung San Suu Kyi
Person appointed as the India's Ambassador to Sweden recently- Monika Kapil Mohta
Transportation app Ola in September 2016 tied-up for Cab Booking Interface Integration with-
Yatra.Com
Country hit by Typhoon Meranti recently- China
Joint Sea-2016 naval exercise was conducted between- China and Russia
Person appointed as the Chairman of Life Insurance Corporation of India recently- VK Sharma
International Day of Peace was observed across the world on 21 September 2016 with theme -
The Sustainable Development Goals: Building Blocks for Peace
The Giant African Land Snail (GALS) was spotted in the campus of - the Goa University at
Taleigao
Number of cities in the third list of Smart Cities that was released by Union Government 27
Scientists at MIT have developed a spectroscopic technique that would help the 2020 Mars
Rover to identify the signs of life at Mars
Rushiraj Barot won gold in the junior men's 25m rapid fire pistol event in - ISSF Junior World
Cup
The state that objected to Genetically-Modified (GM) mustard from being considered for
commercial cultivation in India is Kerala
Two-day North East Connectivity Summit was held in- Agartala
Person who resigned as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Jubilant FoodWorks Limited
recently- Ajay Kaul
Company acquired by Facebook recently to build Wi-Fi drones, data servers and virtual reality
goggles faster- Nascent Objects
Service launched by Indian Railways recently to facilitate access to wheelchairs, battery

operated cars for elderly, differently-abled people- Yatri Mitra Sewa
World Leaders recently at the United Nations General Assembly Summit for Refugees and
Migrants adopted the- New York Declaration
Company that was recently conferred with the prestigious membership of the Asia-Pacific
Aerospace Quality Group- Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
The first football referee of Odisha who recently passed away at age of 100 is - Narottam
Mohanty
Naropa Festival recently started in Ladakh region of India. The festival is also known as - Kumbh
of Himalayas
A team of researchers recently created a three-dimensional lung, called as organoids. This

technique could be used to study specifically - Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis
The financial services firm with which the Board of Control for Cricket in India recently tied up is
- Janalakshmi Financial Services
Anandi Ramalingam has been appointed as the first woman Director (Marketing) of - Bharat
Electronics Limited
He became the first minority actor in 18 years to win the Emmy Award for best leading actor in a
drama series - Rami Malek
India successfully test-fired the most advanced surface-to-air missile off the Odisha coast -
'Barak-8'
Union Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar on 19 September 2016

inaugurated the super computer PARAM ISHAN at - IIT Guwahati campus
President Vladimir Putins United Russia party on 19 September 2016 won the Russian
parliamentary election by securing 343 seats of the total 450 in - Duma, the lower house of
Russian Parliament
The Cauvery Supervisory Committee headed by Shashi Shekhar directed Karnataka to release
3000 cusecs of water per day from 21 to 30 September 2016 to - Tamil Nadu
Guided Missile Destroyer Ship that was launched recently at Mazagaon Dock Ship Builders
Limited (MDL), Mumbai- INS Mormugao
Malayalam critic chosen for the prestigious N Mohanan Suvarna Mudra Award 2016- M
Leelavathy
Pulitzer-winning US playwright who authored the masterpiece Whos Afraid of Virginia Woolf
and died recently- Edward Albee
Person appointed as the Head of International Society for Blood Transfusion (ISBT) recently-
Ravi Reddy
Sports personality appointed as Brand Ambassador of Punjab National Bank recently- Virat Kohli
The UPSC member who was recently appointed the Chairman of the Union Public Service
Commission is- Alka Sirohi
Charkhi Dadri has been recently declared as the 22nd district of - Haryana
The Indian hearing-impaired shooter who won the bronze medal in the first World Deaf
Shooting Championships is - Priyesha Deshmukh
The recent joint naval exercises conducted between China and Russia in the South China Sea is -
Joint Sea-2016
The drama series that won the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards is - Game of Thrones
The Indian wrestler who won gold medal in Junior World Wrestling Championships is Manisha
Indian shooters clinched seven medals, including three golds, on the opening day of the
International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Junior World Cup for pistol, rifle and shotgun at -
Gabala in Azerbaijan
The new import policy for marble and travertine blocks and marble and granite slabs notified by
the government will come into effect from - 1 October 2016
First Indian music and dance festival aimed to showcase the country's rich and diverse culture
was kicked off in - Sydney, Australia
7-day-long Naropa festival is being celebrated in- Jammu and Kashmir
Hong Kong topped the chart of the 2016 Track Asia Cup that concluded at the Cycling
Velodrome in IG Stadium in New Delhi with - 18 medals including 11 Gold, four Silvers and
three bronze.
India stood second in the chart of the 2016 Track Asia Cup that concluded at the Cycling
Velodrome in IG Stadium in New Delhi with - 16 medals, including five gold, four Silver and
seven bronze
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) announced an ambitious
collaborative R&D programme to develop next generation, sustainable refrigerant technologies
as alternatives to Hydroflurocarbon (HFCs)
Cricketers who were awarded with Arjuna Award by Sports Minister Vijay Goel are - Rohit
Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane
In Jammu and Kashmir, one of the founding members of ruling PDP and MP who resigned from
the party and membership of Parliament is - Tariq Hameed Karra
India declared itself free from the highly contagious infectious viral disease of birds - Avian
influenza (H5N1) or bird flu
India and Sri Lanka on 15 September 2016 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to
support livelihood of the fishing and farming communities in - Hambantota district
Government of the country has approved a new 18-billion euros nuclear power station after
imposing significant new safeguards to protect national security is Britain
YUDH ABHYAS 2016, a joint military training exercise of Indian and US Armies, commenced at -
Chaubattia, Uttarakhand
The winner of the 2016 Calcutta Football League is - East Bengal
BHVS Narayana Murthy was appointed as the Director of Research Centre Imarat. The Research
Centre Imarat is a laboratory of Defence Research Development Organisation
United States President Barack Obama recently designated countrys first marine national
monument in - Atlantic Ocean
United States President Barack Obama recently designated a marine national monument in the
Atlantic Ocean. The name of the monument is - Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine
National Monument
The Yazidi woman, kidnapped and held by the Islamic State, who was recently appointed the
UNODC Goodwill Ambassador for the Dignity of Survivors of Human Trafficking is - Nadia Murad
Basee Taha
The country that will host the Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank Group is
India
The first woman governor of Arizona who passed away recently is - Rose Mofford
The winner of the 2016 Marconi Society Paul Baran Young Scholar Award is - Dinesh Bharadia
The theme of the 2016 International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer is - Ozone and
climate: Restored by a world united
The Indian para-athlete who recently became the first Indian to win two gold medals at the
Paralympics is - Devendra Jhajharia
Indian para-athlete Devendra Jhajharia recently won gold medal in - Javelin Throw
The Indian American who won the 2016 Lemelson-MIT Prize is - Ramesh Raskar
The National Hindi Divas is annually celebrated on - 14 September
The 3rd edition of BRICS Urbanisation Forum Meet is being held at Vishakhapatnam
The winner of the 2016 MCC Murugappa Gold Cup Hockey Tournament is - Indian Railways
The Reliance Communications recently agreed to merge with Aircel. The parent company of
Aircel is - Maxis Communications
Hiroshi Nakagawa was appointed the Chairman of - Isuzu Motors India
The country that recently announced to resume work on Giant Sea Wall to save its sinking
capital is Indonesia
International Day of Democracy was observed on 15 September 2016 with theme - Democracy
and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
The Defence Ministry has written a letter to CBI seeking a probe into the allegations of kickbacks
in the 2008 deal with - Brazilian aircraft maker, Embraer
The United States signed a 38 billion dollars deal with Israel to provide the country with military
assistance over a 10-year period, from - 2019 to 2028
He was honoured with Tamil Ratna award by America Tamil Sangam in September 2016 -
Subramanian Swamy
Former England batsman who signed a deal to become Australia's batting coach until March
2020 is - Graeme Hick
The winner of the 2016-2017 Duleep Trophy Cricket tournament is - Indian Blue
The runner-up of the 2016-2017 Duleep Trophy Cricket tournament is - India Red
The colour of the ball used during the 2016-2017 Duleep Trophy Cricket tournament is Pink
Morgan Freeman is among the recipients list of 2015 National Medal of Arts to be given by US
President Barack Obama. Morgan Freeman is an- Actor
Sikkims Sushmita Rai won a bronze medal at - the World Martial Arts Masterships 2016
Fortunes list of most powerful women based outside the US was topped by - Banco Santander's
Ana Botin
The position at which SBI chief Arundhati Bhattacharya was placed in Fortunes list of most
powerful women based outside the US is - Second
Indians in the Fortunes list of most powerful women based outside the US are - SBI chief
Arundhati Bhattacharya, ICICI head Chanda Kochhar (fifth) and Axis Bank CEO Shikha Sharma
(ninteenth)
He headed by to prepare a road map for elimination of poverty submitted its report to the
Prime Minister's Office (PMO) on 11 September 2016 - Arvind Panagariya, the Vice-Chairman of
NITI Aayog
China and Vietnam on 13 September 2016 agreed to properly manage their differences over
territorial disputes in - the South China Sea
The typhoon that became the strongest in 21 years that brought violent winds in Taiwan is
Meranti
The para-athlete who will be Indias flag bearer in the closing ceremony of the Rio Paralympics is
- Thangavelu Mariyappan
Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman will soon be appointed as Director of the Board. The Vice
Chairman of Samsung Electronics is - Lee Jae-yong
The actor who was recently named as the brand ambassador of the Samajwadi Pension Yojana is
Vidya Balan
Armenian President appointed Karen Karapetyan as the Prime Minister of Armenia. The
president of the country is - Serzh Sargsyan
Mahindra Holidays & Resorts India appointed Liro Rossi as the Chief Executive Officer of -
Holiday Club resorts
The stock exchange became the first Indian stock exchange to file Initial Public Offering with
SEBI is - Bombay Stock Exchange
The Indian athlete who became the first Indian woman to bag a medal at the Paralympics is -
Deepa Malik
The state government that officially launched AIR Regional News Units Facebook page is
Chhattisgarh
The 2016 India-US Economic Summit will be held in New Delhi
The Union Cabinet approved the creation of the Higher Education Financing Agency for -
creating capital assets in higher educational institutions
The Union Government recently released Direct Selling Guidelines 2016 framework to - protect
consumers from Ponzi frauds
The world's wilderness has reduced by a tenth in the past two decades, according to a study
conducted by the scientists from - the University of Queensland in Australia
The Union Cabinet recently approved the extension of contract between Ministry of Earth
Sciences and the International Seabed Authority for exploration of- Polymetallic Nodules
The first BRICS Wellness Workshop was held in Bengaluru
Indian athlete Deepa Malik recently bagged a silver medal at the Rio Paralympics. She won the
medal in- Shotput F-53 event
The winner of the 2016 US Open Womens Singles title is - Angelique Kerber
Angelique Kerber became the second German player to win the US Open. The first German
player to win the US Open is - Steffi Graf
The winner of the 2016 US Open Mens Doubles title is - Jamie Murray and Bruno Soares
The worlds first driverless bus service was launched recently in Lyon, France
The winner of the 2016 US Open Mens Singles title is - Stan Wawrinka
The veteran journalist associated with Sulabh Patrika who passed away recently is - Ramsewak
Shrivastava
The drama series that became the Most-Awarded Drama in Emmy History is - Game of Thrones
The Union Cabinet approved the formation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council. The
Council will be created as per - Article 279A of the amended Constitution
Under the fresh flexi-fund guidelines for Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS), flexi-funds in each
CSS have been increased from the current 10 percent to - 25 percent for states
Under the fresh flexi-fund guidelines for Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS), flexi-funds in each
CSS have been increased from the current 10 percent to 30 percent for Union Territories
The state that notified the guidelines for transparent auction and scientific mining and hiked the
penalty for offences under the mining act is Himachal Pradesh
The winner of the 2016 Durand Cup football title is - Army Green
The country whose surgeons performed the worlds first robotic operation inside the eye is
The United Kingdom
The first Indian cueist to win a medal at the Sangsom 6 Red Snooker World Championship is
Pankaj Advani
The player defeated by Stan Wawrinka who won the 2016 US Open Mens Singles title is
Novak Djokovic
Cleanest districts of rural India as per 2016 Swachh Survekshan results are - Mandi (Himachal
Pradesh) in hilly areas, Sindhudurg (Maharashtra) in plains
Mariyappan Thangavelu won Indias first gold medal at the Rio Paralympic Games in - the Mens
High Jump T-42
He won the bronze medal for India at the Rio Paralympic Games in the Mens High Jump T-42 -
Varun Singh Bhati
The state bagged Best Horticulture State award for the concerted efforts made by the state
government to increase the income of the farmers in horticulture - Haryana
Civil Aviation Ministry prohibited the use and carriage of a smart phone on board aircraft -
Samsungs Galaxy Note 7
Indian Oil Corporation flagged off the first convoy of tank and trucks carrying petroleum goods
from Guwahati, Assam for Tripura via - Bangladesh
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar commissioned the
105 metre vessel ICGS Sarathi into the force in - Goa
The advanced weather satellite that was launched by ISRO from the Satish Dhawan Space
Centre in Sriharikota is - INSAT-3DR
India recently received certificates from World Health Organisation recognising India free from -
Yaws, Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus
Troops of Indian and Kazakhstan Army began the joint exercise called - PRABAL DOSTYK 16
The theme of the International Literacy Day 2016 is - Reading the Past, Writing the Future
The first edition of IoT India Congress 2016 began in Bengaluru
UN Charter was recently translated into - Sanskrit
The Union Government in September 2016 announced a Special Financial Package for - Andhra
Pradesh
India in September 2016 signed Air Services Agreement under Open Sky Policy with - Greece
The Union Government recently approved projects worth about 450 crore rupees under
Swadesh Darshan scheme for five states. The five states are: Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand,
Uttar Pradesh, Sikkim and Tamil Nadu
The amount of money recently approved by the Union Government for Swadesh Darshan
scheme is - About 450 crore rupees
Person who assumed charge as the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Uranium
Corporation of India Limited recently - CK Asnani
Person appointed as the Director General of Police (Intelligence) of Tamil Nadu recently - TK
Rajendran
The programme launched by Department of Science & Technology to nurture ideas and
innovation into successful start ups is - National Initiative for Developing and Harnessing
Innovations (NIDHI)
Ministry of Railways decided to implement Flexi Fare system in - Rajdhani, Shatabdi and
Duronto trains
The Brazilian swimmer and wheelchair user who lit the symbolic cauldron at the 2016 Summer
Paralympic Games is - Clodoaldo Silvax
Indias first Paralympic gold medallist who was the flag-bearer for the Indian contingent at the
2016 Summer Paralympic Games is - Devendra Jhajharia
The advanced weather satellite that was launched by ISRO from the Satish Dhawan Space
Centre in Sriharikota is - INSAT-3DR
India recently received certificates from World Health Organisation recognising India free from -
Yaws, Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus
Troops of Indian and Kazakhstan Army began the joint exercise called - PRABAL DOSTYK 16
The theme of the International Literacy Day 2016 is - Reading the Past, Writing the Future
The first edition of IoT India Congress 2016 began in Bengaluru
UN Charter was recently translated into - Sanskrit
The Union Government in September 2016 announced a Special Financial Package for - Andhra
Pradesh
India in September 2016 signed Air Services Agreement under Open Sky Policy with - Greece
The Union Government recently approved projects worth about 450 crore rupees under
Swadesh Darshan scheme for five states. The five states are: Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand,
Uttar Pradesh, Sikkim and Tamil Nadu
The amount of money recently approved by the Union Government for Swadesh Darshan
scheme is - About 450 crore rupees
Person who assumed charge as the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Uranium
Corporation of India Limited recently - CK Asnani
Person appointed as the Director General of Police (Intelligence) of Tamil Nadu recently - TK
Rajendran
The programme launched by Department of Science & Technology to nurture ideas and
innovation into successful start ups is - National Initiative for Developing and Harnessing
Innovations (NIDHI)
Ministry of Railways decided to implement Flexi Fare system in - Rajdhani, Shatabdi and
Duronto trains
The Brazilian swimmer and wheelchair user who lit the symbolic cauldron at the 2016 Summer
Paralympic Games is - Clodoaldo Silvax
Indias first Paralympic gold medallist who was the flag-bearer for the Indian contingent at the
2016 Summer Paralympic Games is - Devendra Jhajharia
Indian organisation that won the 2016 UNESCO Confucius Prize for Literacy- Jan Shikshan
Sansthan
Companies that adopted the EU-US Privacy Shield framework recently- Microsoft, Google and
Salesforce
A newly discovered fish of the genus Tosanoides was in September 2016 named after- Barack
Obama
A team of scientists recently discovered a new Ghost Snake Species of elusive, pale grey reptiles
dwelling in- Madagascar
The women who created a new record in the Women's Hammer Throw at the 65th All India
Police Athletics Championship in Hyderabad is Minakshi from CISF
Union Government launched the biggest Leprosy Case Detection campaign in the country with
an objective - to detect the disease early so that those affected can be saved from physical
deformity
The agrarian mass festival of western Odisha that was celebrated is - Nuakhai
The country that appointed an ambassador to Iran for the first time since 2011, as part of its
aims for more productive co-operation is - The United Kingdom
The 28th ASEAN Summit began in - Laos capital Vientiane
State High Court that recently launched e-stamping facility- Rajasthan
Urjit Patel recently assumed charge as the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India. He is RBIs -
24th Governor
Sunil Godhwani was recently appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of - Religare Enterprises
Limited
The 2016 G20 Summit was recently concluded in Hangzhou, China
The country that was recently declared malaria-free by the World Health Organisation is - Sri
Lanka
The first Asian to win the Heritage Heroes Award by the International Union for Conservation of
Nature is - Bibhuti Lahkar
Worlds oldest cricketer who hails from South Africa and died in September 2016- Lindsay
Tuckett
Nuakhai festival is celebrated in- Odisha
Fast Attack Craft that was recently handed over to Indian Navy by Garden Reach Shipbuilders
and Engineers Limited- Tihayu
Urja Mitra Helpline number that was recently launched by Union Government- 14401
Report released by UNICEF recently stating the crisis for migrant children- Uprooted: The
growing crisis for refugee and migrant children
The former IAS officer who was recently appointed the part-time chairperson of Unique
Identification Authority of India is - J Satyanarayana
The veteran film director who won the 2015 J.C. Daniel Award is - K.G. George
The movie that won the Best Film Award at the first BRICS Film Festival that recently concluded
in New Delhi is - Thithi
Dharmendra Pradhan recently launched #Gas4India campaign to - promote use of natural gas
The indigenous Light Utility Helicopter recently successfully completed its test flight in
Bengaluru. The helicopter is developed by - Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
The first edition of Nomad Film Festival 2016 began recently in- New Delhi
The tennis star who set a new record of most number of Grand Slam matches wins is - Serena
Williams
Complying with the Supreme Court direction, the state that released Cauvery water to Tamil
Nadu is - Karnataka
Union Government approved 450 crore rupees for Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu,
Uttar Pradesh and Sikkim under - the Swadesh Darshan scheme
Maharashtra Government announced a cash reward of 75 lakh rupees for a steeplechase

specialist from the state - Lalita Babar, who finished a creditable 10th at the Rio Olympics
The Odisha Government recently launched Biju Kanya Ratna Yojana in - Ganjam, Dhenkanal and
Angul districts of the state
The great ape species that has recently been declared as Critically Endangered by the
International Union for Conservation of Nature is - Eastern Gorilla
The village that has become the first Wifi hotspot village in Haryana is - Gumthala Garhu
The Mercedes driver who won the 2016 Italian Grand Prix is - Nico Rosberg
Mother Teresa was proclaimed a Saint by Pope Francis in a ceremony at the Vatican. She was
declared and defined by the Pope as - Blessed Teresa of Calcutta
International Day of Charity is observed globally on- 5 September
The wrestler appointed as the Wrestling Director of the Rohtak University is - Sakshi Malik
Indian Olympic gold medallist who announced his retirement from shooting recently- Abhinav
Bindra
Person was elected as the National President of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) for the
year 2016-17- K K Aggarwal
Assamese poet and author who won the Sahitya Akademi Award in 2002 and died recently in
September 2016- Nalinidhar Bhattacharyya
The state that decided to develop 340 villages as Horticulture Villages at a cost of 93 crore
rupees during the Golden Jubilee year of the State is - Haryana
India's mixed doubles pair that won the 2016 Brazil Open Grand Prix is - Pranaav Jerry Chopra
and N Sikki Reddy
The state that signed a long-term lease agreement with Falcon Marine Exports for the operation
of Jagatjore Shrimp Culture Project is Odisha
For crowd control, the Union Government approved the use of Pelargonic Acid Vanillyl Amide
(PAVA) as an alternative to - Pellet Guns
Quizzes
1. Name the Yazidi woman, kidnapped and held by the Islamic State, who was recently appointed
the UNODC Goodwill Ambassador for the Dignity of Survivors of Human Trafficking.
a) Sadia Murad Basee Taha
b) Nadia Murad Muhammed Taha
c) Deniz Murad Basee Taha
d) Nadia Murad Basee Taha
2. Who won the 2016 Marconi Society Paul Baran Young Scholar Award?
a) Ramesh Raskar
b) Vivek Agnihotri
c) Dinesh Bharadia
d) Jairam Patel
3. Which of the following species of great apes was recently declared as Critically Endangered by
the International Union for Conservation of Nature?
a) Eastern Gorilla
b) Bonobo
c) Chimpanzee
d) Mountain Gorilla
4. Mother Teresa was recently proclaimed a Saint by Pope Francis in a ceremony at the Vatican.
She was beatified, a first step towards canonisation, in which year?
a) 2003
b) 2004
c) 2000
d) 2001
5. Who won the 2016 Italian Grand Prix?
a) Lewis Hamilton
b) Nico Rosberg
c) Sebastian Vettel
d) Daniel Ricciardo
6. Which village became the first Wi-fi hotspot village in Haryana?
a) Bahu-Jholri
b) Rewari Khera
c) Gumthala Garhu
d) Thamber
7. The Odisha Government recently launched Biju Kanya Ratna Yojana in which three districts of
the state?
a) Ganjam, Dhenkanal and Nayagarh
b) Nayagarh, Dhenkanal and Angul
c) Ganjam, Nayagarh and Angul
d) Ganjam, Dhenkanal and Angul
8. Name the city that is hosted the 28th ASEAN Summit?
a) Hanoi, Vietnam
b) Vientiane, Laos
c) Phnom Penh, Cambodia
d) Jakarta, Indonesia
9. Which country in September 2016 appointed an ambassador to Iran for the first time since
2011?
a) United Kingdom
b) The United States
c) Germany
d) Russia
10. Union Government in September 2016 launched a Case Detection campaign for a disease in the
country. Name the disease.
a) Coeliac
b) Leprosy
c) Tuberculosis
d) Viral Hepatitis
11. Name the women athlete from CISF who created a new record in the Women's Hammer Throw
at the 65th All India Police Athletics Championship in Hyderabad.
a) Srinithi
b) Sarita Prakash Singh
c) Minakshi
d) Deepa Joshy
12. What was the theme of the 2016 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit that
concluded recently?
a) Our People, Our Community, Our Vision
b) Turning Vision into Reality for a Dynamic ASEAN Community
c) One ASEAN, One Response
d) ASEAN Community Vision 2025
13. Name the sportsperson who was nominated by the Wrestling Federation of India for the Padma
Bhushan, India's third-highest civillian honour.
a) Vijender Singh
b) Sushil Kumar
c) Alka Tomar
d) Yashvir Singh
14. Which country was declared free from Yaws and Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus (MNT) by the
World Health Organization (WHO)?
a) Sri Lanka
b) Pakistan
c) India
d) China
15. Name the spacecraft that was launched by NASA to collect samples from asteroid.
a) OSIRIS-ERx
b) OSIRIS-REx
c) REx-OSIRIS
d) ERx-OSIRIS
16. Name the Indian women cricketer who was recently awarded an honorary life membership of
the Marylebone Cricket Club.
a) Nilima Jogalekar
b) Sandhya Mazumdar
c) Anjali Sharma
d) Anjum Chopra
17. Under the fresh flexi-fund guidelines for Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS), flexi-funds in each
CSS have been increased from the current 10 percent to what percent for states?
a) 15 percent
b) 20 percent
c) 25 percent
d) 30 percent
18. Under the fresh flexi-fund guidelines for Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS), flexi-funds in each
CSS have been increased from the current 10 percent to what percent for Union Territories?
a) 20 percent
b) 25 percent
c) 30 percent
d) 35 percent
19. Name the state that notified the guidelines for transparent auction and scientific mining and
hiked the penalty for offences under the mining act.
a) Himachal Pradesh
b) Jharkhand
c) Chhattisgarh
d) Uttarakhand
20. Who of the following won the 2016 Durand Cup football title?
a) Aizawal FC
b) DSK Shivajians
c) Army Green
d) Neroca FC
21. Which of the following city topped the 2016 Swachh Survekshan for rural India under Hills
category?
a) Nainital, Uttarakhand
b) Mandi, Himachal Pradesh
c) Shimla, Himachal Pradesh
d) Mussoorie, Uttarakhand
22. Which of the following city topped the 2016 Swachh Survekshan for rural India under Plains
category?
a) Nadia, West Bengal
b) Dhanbad, Jharkhand
c) Satara, Maharashtra
d) Sindhudurg, Maharashtra
23. SEBI approved an insurance company to launch its initial public offering (IPO)?
a) Aviva Life Insurance Co.
b) Aegon Life Insurance Co.
c) Bharti AXA Life Insurance Co.
d) ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Co.
24. Name the country with which, China agreed to manage their differences over territorial disputes
in the South China Sea.
a) Indonesia
b) Vietnam
c) Malaysia
d) Brunei
25. Who of the following headed the Task force that submitted its report on a road map for
elimination of poverty to the Prime Minister's Office?
a) Arvind Panagariya
b) Bibek Debroy
c) Rahul Mukerjee
d) Amitabh Kant
26. SBI chief Arundhati Bhattacharya was placed at which position in Fortunes list of most powerful
women based outside the US?
a) Second
b) Third
c) Sixth
d) Eleventh
27. Which of the following island will not be connected with the submarine Optical Fibre Cable
(OFC) that will be created between Chennai and Andaman and Nicobar Islands?
a) Little Andaman
b) Car Nicobar
c) Havelock
d) Neil Island
28. Who of the following is the author of book Democrats and Dissenters?
a) Sanjeev Sanyal
b) Ravi Velloor
c) Ramachandra Guha
d) MK Rasgotra
29. Name the long range air-to-air missile that was successfully test fired by Indian Air Force from
Mirage-2000 Upgrade combat aircraft.
a) Novator K-100
b) Barack-8
c) MICA
d) Astra
30. Name the state that adopted the resolution to use Cauvery water only for drinking needs.
a) Tamil Nadu
b) Pondicherry
c) Kerala
d) Karnataka
ANSWERS
1. (d) Nadia Murad Basee Taha
2. (c) Dinesh Bharadia
3. (a) Eastern Gorilla
4. (a) 2003
5. (b) Nico Rosberg
6. (c) Gumthala Garhu
7. (d) Ganjam, Dhenkanal and Angul
8. (b) Vientiane, Laos
9. (a) United Kingdom
10. (b) Leprosy
11. (c) Minakshi
12. (b) Turning Vision into Reality for a Dynamic ASEAN Community
13. (b) Sushil Kumar
14. (c) India
15. (b) OSIRIS-REx
16. (d) Anjum Chopra
17. (c) 25 percent
18. (c) 25 percent
19. (a) Himachal Pradesh
20. (c) Army Green
21. (b) Mandi
22. (d) Sindhudurg, Maharashtra
23. (d) ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Co.
24. (b) Vietnam
25. (a) Arvind Panagariya
26. (a) Seventh
27. (d) Neil Island
28. (c) Ramachandra Guha
29. (c) MICA
30. (d) Karnataka
Latest Government Jobs Closing in October 2016

West Bengal Board of Primary Education (WBBPE)
Vacancy Details: 42949 Primary Teacher (PRT) Posts
Eligibility: 10+2 & Diploma in Elementary Education
Last date: 07 October 2016
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Bihar State Power (Holding) Company Ltd
Vacancy Details: 297 Assistant IT Manager Posts
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Official Website: http://ordistricts.nic.in
Madhya Pradesh Power Generating Company Limited
Vacancy Details: 19 Graduate Apprentice and Technical Apprentice Posts
Eligibility: Diploma/ Graduation from a recognized University or Institute.
Official Website: http://ordistricts.nic.in
Jharkhand PSC
Vacancy Details: 25 Professor Posts
Eligibility: B.E/ B.Tech and M.E/ M.Tech in concerned discipline.
Official Website: http://www.jpsc.gov.in/
IIT Gandhinagar
Vacancy Details: 08 Assistant Registrar & Other Posts
Eligibility: Post Graduation/ Engineering degree from a recognized University or Institute.
Official Website: http://www.iitgn.ac.in/
Rajasthan Subordinate and Ministerial Service Selection Board
Vacancy Details: 402 Junior Instructor Posts
Eligibility: Engineering Degree
Official Website: http://rsmssb.rajasthan.gov.in/
Karnataka Examinations Authority
Vacancy Details: 1624 Panchayat Dev Officer & Gram Panchayat Secretary
Official Website: http://kea.kar.nic.in/
King Georges Medical University
Vacancy Details: 129 Medical Faculty Posts
Eligibility: Post Graduate
Official Website: https://kgmu.org/
Uttarakhand Medical Service Selection Board
Vacancy Details: 203 Dental Surgeon Posts
Eligibility: Graduation in Dental Surgery
Last date: 05 November 2016
Official Website: http://www.ukmssb.org/
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Jagran Josh October 2016

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Jagran Josh October 2016

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Current Affairs October 2016 eBook 1

Pick of the Month

The theme of 2016 G20 Summit was Toward an

It was the first ever G20 summit to be hosted in China

The chair of the summit was Xi Jinping, President of China.

Key highlights of the summit

The main themes final communiqu of the summit are:

Favour international trade and investments and opposition to protectionism

Fiscal stimulus and innovation to boost economic growth

Combating populist attacks against globalization

Strengthen support for refugee

India in G-20: An Idea whose time has come

G20 or Group of Twenty is an international forum of the Heads of States of 19 leading

Ensuring international policy cooperation in a comprehensive manner that is in sync with

Strengthening the international financial architecture system in an era of globalization to

Promoting inclusive and equitable economic growth and sustainable development by

Emerging Role of India

Brief summary of summits: Evolution of G20 objectives

An agreement on common principles for reforming the financial markets

2009 Theme- Framework for Strong, Sustainable and Balanced Growth

(a.) A decision to reform the IFIs by changing IMFs quota share to

2010 Theme-Recovery and New Beginnings

(a.) An agreement formulated on differentiated approach to

2010 Theme-Shared Growth Beyond Crisis

Launching of the G20 Development Agenda for the nine development

(iv) Private investment and job creation;

(v) Food Security;

(vi) Growth with resilience;

(vii) Domestic resource mobilization;

(viii) Knowledge sharing; and

(ix) Financial inclusion.

(c.) Supporting the recommendations of the High Level Panel on

2013 A balanced growth, coupled with an Accountability Assessment

2014 (a.) Target of increasing the G20s GDP by an additional 2 percent by

(d.)To review long pending governance and new quota reforms of

(e.)To reduce cost of transferring remittances to enhance financial

(f.) It called for increased collaboration on energy efficiency and

(c.) To improve financial system stability, the G20 leaders finalized

(d.) To modernize the international tax system, more reforms to be

(e.) A crucial issue emphasized was of climate change action and

(f.) A Separate statement on combating global terrorism menace

(g) The leaders called on all states to strengthen their response to

(h) An immediate need to bridge the digital divide was

Key Issues of G20 summit 2016 and Indias perceptions:

Theme: TOWARDS AN INNOVATIVE, INVIGORATED, INTERCONNECTED AND INCLUSIVE

To encourage integrated digital economic system by emphasizing on free flow of data,

Way ahead for India

Repatriation of black money and combating money laundering.

Equitable quota reforms in multinational financial institutions like IMF.

Growing forces of global terrorism and radical ideologies.

Indian Army conducts surgical strikes across Line of Control

Lt General Singh informed that significant casualty was caused

What is Surgical Strike?

Indias surgical operation across LoC

The strike, which resulted in heavy casualties on terrorists, also

Details of the Surgical Strike

ISRO launched 8 satellites in two different orbits

One from Canada: NLS-19 of 8 kg developed at University of Toronto, Canada. It is a

b) PISAT: It is developed by a consortium-led by the PES University in Bengaluru. It would

India wins historic 500th Test by 197 runs against NZ

India 1st innings: 318

New Zealand 1st innings: 262

India 2nd innings: 377-5 declared

New Zealand 2nd innings: 236 all out in 87.3 overs