Hello and welcome to exampundit. Here are the Important Current Affairs of 14 to 17 July, 2017. These are very important for the upcoming IBPS PO, IBPS RRB, NABARD Grade A & Other Exams.
Financial & Banking News |
Union Government forms Directorate to flag high-risk areas in Customs, GST
- The Union Government on 13 July 2017 constituted the Directorate General of Analytics and Risk Management (DGARM) aimed at providing intelligence inputs and do big data analytics for taxmen for better policy formulation and taking action against Goods & Services Tax (GST) evaders.
- The DGARM will do detailed data mining and analysis to generate outputs for focused and targeted action by field formations and investigation wings of the CBEC.
Highlights of the Directorate General of Analytics and Risk Management (DGARM)
- The Directorate General of Analytics and Risk Management will function under the Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) for data analytics and risk management.
- The Directorate will report to the Chairman of CBEC.
- It will use internal and external sources of CBEC for detailed data mining to generate actionable inputs.
- It has four verticals headed by an official of rank of Additional Director General (ADG) or Principal ADG.
- The first vertical is the National Targeting Centre that has been set up for application of a nationally coordinated approach to risk analysis and targeting of risky goods and passengers crossing the borders of the country.
- The second vertical is Centre for Business Intelligence and Analytics (CBIA) that will be responsible for identification of information requirements of the CBEC. It will utilise data feeds from internal sources.
- The third vertical is the Risk Management Centre for Goods and Services Tax which will institutionalise mechanism to collect necessary inputs, adopt coordinated approach and share the outcome for risk-based identification.
DIPP to set up India’s first TISC in Punjab
- Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) will establish India’s first Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC) at Patent Information Centre of Punjab. TISC will be established in Punjab under the World Intellectual Property Organization’s (WIPO) TISC program.
- In this regard, DIPP on 13 July 2017 signed an Institutional agreement with the Punjab State Council of Science and Technology (PSCST).
- Objective of TISC: TISC aims at stimulating a dynamic, vibrant and balanced Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) system in India to foster creativity and innovation. It will help in promoting entrepreneurship and enhancing social, economic and cultural development by establishing a network of TISCs in India.
- WIPO’s TISC program provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally based, high quality technology information and related services, which in return will help them to exploit their innovative potential and to create, protect, and manage their Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs).
News related to India & States |
Railways Minister dedicates country's first solar powered DEMU train to nation
- Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu on 14 July 2017 dedicated country's first solar powered DEMU (Diesel Electric Multiple Unit) train to the nation at an event at New Delhi’s Safdarjung railway station.
- The 1600 Horse Power train with solar powered coaches has a special battery bank for use during night hours. The solar panels will power all the electrical appliances inside.
- The train will run from Sarai Rohilla in Delhi to Farukh Nagar in Haryana. This solar-powered DEMU train was launched in line with the Indian Railways ‘Solar Mission’ which will help in reducing dependency on fossil fuels.
- Speaking on the occasion, the Minister said, it is a path breaking leap towards making Indian Railway's greener and more environment-friendly. He said the train will save about 21000 Litres of Diesel and thereby bring cost saving of 12 Lakh rupees per year. The DEMU train with prototype solar based hotel load system has been manufactured by Integral Coach Factory, Chennai.
Raipur's Swami Vivekananda Airport ranked first in Customer Satisfaction Index Survey
- Raipur’s Swami Vivekananda Airport has been ranked first in Customer Satisfaction among 49 airports in the country. To stand at top position in the Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) survey, the Raipur airport achieved 4.84 score on a five point scale index.
- Raipur’s Swami Vivekananda Airport is followed by airports of Udaipur, Amritsar and Dehradun, which have scored 4.75, 4.74 and 4.73 score respectively.
- The data of the survey, which was conducted by an independent agency for the period of January-June 2017, was notified on 13 July 2017.
- Customer Satisfaction is one of the key performance objectives of AAI. The survey covers a wide range of parameters like transportation, parking, passenger facilities and cleanliness.
Appointments |
Farooq Abdullah, PK Kunhalikutty take oath as Member of Lok Sabha
- National Conference patron and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah and Indian Union Muslim League’s PK Kunhalikutty on 17 July 2017 took oath as the Member of Parliament (MP) in the Lok Sabha.
- Abdullah took the oath in Kashmiri, while Kunhalikutty opted for English.
- Abdullah was elected to the lower house of Parliament after defeating his Peoples Democratic Party rival Nazir Ahmed Khan by over 10000 votes from the Srinagar-Budgam parliamentary constituency.
- While, Kunhalikutty was elected after winning the Malappuram by-poll in Kerala. He defeated Communist Party of India-Marxist candidate and youth leader MB Faisal.
Aarthi Subramanian appointed as Chief Digital Officer of Tata Sons Group
- Aarthi Subramanian was on 13 July 2017 appointed as the Chief Digital Officer (CDO) of Tata Sons Group with effect from August 2017. Subramanian will report to Natarajan Chandrasekaran, Executive Chairman of Tata Sons.
- She is currently serving as an Executive Director at Tata Consultancy Services Ltd (TCS) and is responsible for the company’s digital initiatives and delivery governance.
- She will continue to serve on the board of TCS as a non-executive director.
World News |
NASA's New Horizons spacecraft unveils new maps of Pluto, Charon
- NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft on 14 July 2017 unveiled a set of detailed and high-quality global maps of Pluto and its largest moon Charon on the occasion of the two year anniversary of the flyby.
- These new maps from the landmark exploration of Pluto by NASA’s New Horizons mission will help unravel the mysteries associated with Pluto.
- The New Horizons spacecraft made its historic flight through the Pluto system on 14 July 2015. It provided the first close-up images of Pluto and its moons and collected other data for deeper understanding of these mysterious worlds on the solar system’s outer frontier.
- Scientists are still analyzing and uncovering the data that New Horizons recorded and provided after the encounter.
US House of Representatives passes bill to boost defence cooperation with India
- The US House of Representatives on 14 July 2017 passed National Defense Authorisation Act (NDAA) 2018, a USD 621.5 billion defence policy bill that proposes to advance defence cooperation with India. NDAA-2018 was passed by the House 344-81.
- An amendment in this regard was moved by Indian-American Congressman Ami Bera. The Act now needs the approval of the US Senate before it can be sent to the White House for the approval fo the US President Donald Trump.
- Following the passage of the National Defence Authorisation Act, 2018, the Secretary of Defence and Secretary of State have 180 days to develop a strategy for advancing defence cooperation between the United States and India.
Days |
World Youth Skills Day 2017 observed globally
- The World Youth Skills Day (WYSD) was on 15 July 2017 observed globally. The day is observed to create more awareness about training and the development of skills for the youth of today, in hopes of creating a better opportunity for them when it comes to employment.
- This year, the United Nations along with WorldSkills.org organised campaigns #SkillsForAll and #WYSD to raise awareness about the importance of youth developing skills.
- #SkillsForAll campaign was aimed at creating awareness that everyone should have the opportunity to discover and develop their talents. Through skills individuals, communities, and countries can create a more prosperous future.
Lists & Indexes |
OECD releases Government at a Glance 2017 report: India tops OECD list of countries
- The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) on 13 July 2017 released the Government at a Glance 2017 report. The report presents an index of countries that trust their governments the most.
- The topmost rank in the global index is secured by India as around 73 per cent people have faith in Narendra Modi government.
- With 73 per cent India is ranked firmly at the top, followed by Canada in second position as Justin Trudeau's government earned the confidence of 62 per cent of its people. The other three players in the top 5 are Turkey, Russia and Germany.
Highlights of the Government at a Glance 2017 report
- The report finds that government spending averaged 40.9 per cent of GDP in OECD countries in 2015, up from 38.8 per cent in 2007.
- The number of government jobs as a share of total employment remained at 18.1 per cent in 2015, in comparison to 17.9 per cent in 2007.
- Government spending as a share of GDP is highest in France with 56.5 per cent in 2016 followed by Finland (56.1 per cent) and Denmark (53.6 per cent).
- Government spending was lowest in 2015 in Mexico (24.5 per cent), Ireland (29.5 per cent) and Korea (32.4 per cent).
- The report also analysed the pay in central government offices. According to its survey, the pay difference between top and middle managers is the highest in Australia, Chile, Canada and the UK.
- Denmark, Norway and Sweden have the highest levels of government employment, at nearly 30 per cent of total employment.
Awards & Honors |
2017 IIFA awards: Alia and Shahid win Best Actors for Udta Punjab
- The 18th edition of the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) awards was announced on 15 July 2017 at MetLife Stadium, in East Rutherford, New Jersey. On the occasion, the Hindi films of 2016 were awarded by the International Indian Film Academy.
- Alia Bhatt and Shahid Kapoor bagged the Best Actors for Udta Punjab, where as the best film award went to Neerja.
List of the awards and awardees
- Best Film: Neerja
- Best Actor in a Leading Role: Shahid Kapoor for Udta Punjab
- Best Actress in a Leading Role: Alia Bhatt for Udta Punjab
- Best Director: Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury for Pink
- Best Actor in a Supporting Role: Anupam Kher for M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story
- Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Shabana Azmi for Neerja
- Best Performance in a Comic Role: Varun Dhawan for Dishoom
- Best Performance in a Negative Role: Jim Sarbh for Neerja
- Best Music Direction: Ae Dil Hai Mushkil – Pritam Chakraborty
- Best Lyrics: Channa Mereya from Ae Dil Hai Mushkil – Amitabh Bhattacharya
- Best Male Playback Singer: Amit Mishra for "Bulleya"– Ae Dil Hai Mushkil
- Best Female Playback Singer: Tulsi Kumar for "Soch Na Sake"– Airlift and Kanika Kapoor for "Da Da Dasse"– Udta Punjab
Sports News |
Roger Federer lifts record 8th Wimbledon title beating Marin Cilic in Men's singles
- Roger Federer on 16 July 2017 won a record eighth Wimbledon title with a straight-sets victory over Marin Cilic. With this win, 36-year old Federer also became the tournament’s oldest champion.
- In the finals played in Wimbledon, London, Federer defeated Marin Cilic 6-3, 6-1, 6-4.
- Federer is Wimbledon's oldest men's winner of the modern era, succeeding Arthur Ashe, who was almost 32 when he won in 1976.
- This was his 19th Grand Slam title. This was Swiss superstar's 11th Wimbledon final and 29th title at the majors. With this victory, Federer also became the first player since Bjorn Borg in 1976 to win Wimbledon without dropping a set in the entire tournament.
- Besides, the women’s singles title of the Wimbledon went to Garbine Muguruza. To win the title, Muguruza defeated Venus Williams 7-5 6-0 in the finals, ending her hopes of becoming the oldest women’s Wimbledon champion in the open era.
Garbine Muguruza beats Venus Williams to clinch Wimbledon Women’s Singles title
- Spanish Garbine Muguruza on 15 July 2017 defeated Venus Williams 7-5 6-0 grab the Wimbledon Women’s Singles title.
- Muguruza is the second Spanish woman to claim the world’s most important title, joining her current coach Conchita Martinez, who won the title in 1994, on the honour roll.
- In addition, Muguruza is the only woman in history to have beaten both Serena and Venus Williams in a grand slam final.
Obituaries |
Maryam Mirzakhani, Fields Medal winner, passes away
- Maryam Mirzakhani, the first and only woman to receive the equivalent of the Nobel Prize for mathematics, died on 15 July 2017 after battling with breast cancer. She was 40.
- The Tehran-born Mirzakhani is the first and to-date only female winner of the Fields Medal since its inception in 1936.
- The mathematician had received the medal for her work in understanding the symmetry of curved surfaces.
- On 13 August 2014, she became both the first woman and the first Iranian to be honoured with the Fields Medal, the most prestigious award in mathematics. The award committee cited her work in "the dynamics and geometry of Riemann surfaces and their moduli spaces".
Former Sikkim CM Nar Bahadur Bhandari passes away
- Nar Bahadur Bhandari, the former chief minister of Sikkim who served the state from 1979 to 1994, died at a Delhi hospital on 16 July 2017. He was 77.
- He is survived by his wife Dil Kumari Bhandari, a former member of parliament (Lok Sabha) from Sikkim, two daughters and a son.
- Bhandari was the first Gorkha to ever hold the office of a Chief Minister in the history of Indian Polity. He took the oath as the Chief Minister of Sikkim on 18th of October, 1979.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed grief on the death of former Chief Minister of Sikkim Nar Bahadur Bhandari. In a tweet, Modi said, his contribution towards Sikkim’s progress will always be remembered.
In case you missed Current affairs from 14 to 17 July, 2017, the news were already published in our Current Affairs Portal.
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