DISCOVER TIPS | Knowledge Magazine

1. International Tiger Day being observed today i. Every year 29th July is celebrated as the International Tiger Day. ii. The day is celebrated to raise awareness for tiger conservation and to give worldwide attention to the preservation of tigers. iii. It was founded in 2010 at the St. Petersburg Tiger Summit, with the aim to double the big cat population by 2022.

1. World Hepatitis Day being observed today i. World Hepatitis Day is being observed today to raise global awareness of hepatitis and encourage prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.  ii. The theme for this year's global campaign is ‘Elimination’. 2016 is a pivotal year for viral hepatitis. The goal is to eliminate hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030.  iii. The World Hepatitis Day is one of eight official global public health campaigns marked by the WHO along with World Health Day, World Blood Donor Day, World Immunization Week, World Tuberculosis Day, World No Tobacco Day, World Malaria Day and World AIDS Day.  2. RBI imposes Rs. 27 crore penalty on 13 banks i. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed 27 crore rupees penalty on 13 public and private sector banks for violations of Foreign Exchange Management (FEMA) Act (Anti-money laundering) and lapses in Know your customer (KYC) rules.  ii. The matter relates to irregularities on the basis of inputs received from

1. Abdul Kalam’s statue unveiled in Rameswaram i. Union Ministers Venkaiah Naidu and Manohar Parrikar unveiled a life-size statue of Dr APJ Abdul Kalam at Peikarumbu, his burial site in Rameswaram on the occasion of his first death anniversary.  ii. Kalam passed away on July 27 last year after he suffered a massive cardiac arrest while delivering a lecture at IIM- Shillong in Meghalaya.  iii. Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen "A. P. J." Abdul Kalam was the 11th President of India from 2002 to 2007. 2. Manipur becomes fourteenth State to join ‘UDAY’  i. Manipur has joined the Ujwal DISCOM (distribution company) Assurance Yojana (UDAY) scheme meant for revival of debt-stressed power distribution utilities and will get benefits of around Rs 263 crore. ii.Manipur is the 14th state to join the UDAY. It is also the first North Eastern state to opt for the UDAY for improving the efficiency of the DISCOM. 3. RBI slaps penalty on UCO Bank, Allahabad Bank, Bank of India and canara bank i

1. Kargil Vijay Diwas being observed today i. Today is 17th Kargil Vijay Diwas which named after the success of Operation Vijay. The day is observed on 26 July every year in honour of the Kargil War Heroes.  ii. On this day, 26 July 1999, India successfully took command of the high outposts which had been lost to Pakistani intruders. The Kargil war was fought for more than 60 days, ended on 26 July and resulted in the loss of life on both sides, India and Pakistan and with the India regain possessions of Kargil.  iii. This day is celebrated in the Kargil - Dras sector and the national capital New Delhi, where the Prime Minister of India, pays homage to the soldiers at Amar Jawan Jyoti at India Gate every year.  2. 7th Pay Commission to be implemented from August i. The Centre has published the implementation notification of the 7th Pay Commission, stating that central government employees will get the revised pay from August.  ii. As the Commission had recommended a 23.55 percent

1. China unveils world's largest amphibious aircraft i. China has unveiled AG600, the world's largest aircraft which can land on both water and land and used to fight forest fires and perform marine rescues.  ii. The aircraft is around the size of a Boeing 737 - far larger than any other amphibious plane. It has a maximum flight range of 4,500 km. and can collect 12 tonnes of water in 20 seconds during emergencies. Its maximum take-off weight of 53.5 tonnes. iii. The plane AG600 has been unveiled by the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) in southern port city of Zhuhai. Before the AG600, the largest amphibious cast was the H-4 Hercules, known as the Spruce Goose, used in WW2. Its wingspan is still longer than the AG600's. 2. Rs 2,048 crore sanctioned under 'Swadesh Darshan' scheme i. The Ministry of Tourism has sanctioned 25 projects under the Swadesh Darshan scheme worth Rs. 2048 Crore. The scheme is launched in January 2015. ii. For the North East

1. Kerala Government launches first ever Water Metro project in the country i. Kerala Government has launched Kochi Water Metro project, the first ever Water Metro project of the country. It was launched by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan at Kochi, Kerala. ii. The project aims to provide water connectivity to people living between islands in the Kochi agglomeration area and the city. iii. The Water Metro project would be dedicated to the nation in four years. iv. It will be built at an estimated cost of rs. 747 crore. The Water metro project involves the purchase of two variants of air-conditioned and WiFi-enabled catamaran passenger ferries with a capacity of 50 and 100 passengers. v. The project will be implemented by the Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) and funded by German Development Bank (Kfw). In this regard, KMRL has also signed an agreement with German Development Bank (Kfw). It will become operational in two years. 2. Foundation stone laid for MSME technology cen

1. India makes first contribution to UN Trust Fund i. India has contributed USD 100,000 to a trust fund set up for victims of sexual exploitation and abuse by peacekeepers. The fund was established at the end of March and continues to seek funds to support services for victims and address gaps in services. ii. This is the first contribution to the Trust Fund the Secretariat has received. iii. India has historically been one of the largest troop-contributing countries in peacekeeping operations and is currently ranked as the second largest contributor of military and police personnel.  2. Suresh Prabhu inaugurates passenger amenities at Yasvantpur station i. Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu has inaugurated a host of passengers services and other amenities at the Yasvantpur station, one of the three railways stations that serve Bengaluru, Karnataka. ii. He inaugurated the new entry, concourse, and escalators at platform number one of Yesvantpur station. iii. He also dedicated t

1. Modi lays foundation stone AIIMS and revival of a fertiliser plant in Gorakhpur i. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has laid the foundation stone of All India Institute Of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and revival of fertilizer factory which was closed for the last three decades in Gorakhpur district of Uttar Pradesh. ii. Recently only, the Union Cabinet has approved the setting up of AIIMS under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) at an estimated cost of Rs. 1,011 crore. iii. The PMSSY scheme aims at correcting the regional imbalances in the availability of affordable and reliable tertiary level healthcare in the country and to augment facilities for quality medical education in under-served or backward states. Apart from it, he has also unveiled the statue of late Mahanth Awedyanath at Gorakhnath temple in the city.  2. India ranks 110th on Sustainable Development index i. In Sustainable Development index, India has ranked 110 out of 149 nations on where they stand

1. Seven Indian firms in Fortune 500 list i. Seven Indian companies have made it to the latest Fortune 500 list of the world's biggest corporations in terms of revenue. ii. The list is topped by the retail giant Walmart with revenue of $482,130 million, followed by State Grid (revenue of $329,601 million) and China National Petroleum ($299,271 million) at the second and third place respectively. iii. While among Indian firms, Indian Oil Corporation ranked highest at 161st place with revenue of $54.7 billion. However, another state-run firm ONGC has moved out of the rankings for 2016 and private gems and jewelry major Rajesh Exports has made its debut at the 423rd position. iv. Among the seven Indian companies, four are from the public sector while Reliance Industries (215th) is the top-ranked among private sector firms, followed by Tata Motors (226) and Rajesh Exports. Among state-run majors, Indian Oil is followed by banking behemoth SBI (232), Bharat Petroleum (358) and Hindu

1. Rohit Khandelwal becomes first Indian to win Mr. World title i. Rohit Khandelwal has become the first Indian to win the title of Mr. World at a grand ceremony at Southport in England. He received a whopping cash prize of 50,000 US dollars. However, the first runner-up crown went to Mr. Puerto Rico. ii. Rohit defeated 47 other contestants from across the globe to bag the title. Born in Hyderabad in 1989, Mr. Khandewal, is a model, actor and television personality. He is also the winner of Mr. India 2015 contest. iii.  Mr. World is a 2-3 week competition designed to test the candidates in a variety of ways through a series of challenge events, interviews, and a final stage show. These challenges test every aspect deemed necessary to be "The World's Most Desirable Man." 2. NITI Aayog & Intel India Sign SOI to Kick-off Atal Tinkering Lab Initiative for Young Innovators  i. NITI Aayog and Intel India sign Statement of Intent (SOI) to start Atal Tinkering Laborat

1. Govt allocates Rs 22,915 cr capital to 13 PSU banks for FY17 i. The Narendra Modi government has allocated Rs 22,915 crore capital to meet the capitalization needs of 13 Public Sector Banks (PSBs) in the current fiscal. This is in line with its Indradhanush initiative, aimed at restoring banking sector health. ii. The maximum capital infusion will be for State Bank of India (SBI) at Rs 7,575 crore and the least for Allahabad Bank at Rs 44 crore. iii. The capital infusion exercise is based on an assessment of need as assessed from the Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of credit growth for the last five years, and banks’ own projections of credit growth. Consequent upon the exercise, 75 percent of the amount collected for each bank is being released now to provide liquidity support for lending operations as also to enable banks to raise funds from the market. The remaining amount will be released later based on performance. 2. CBDT signs 7 advance pricing agreements to cut ta

1. RBI sets up an Inter-regulatory Working Group on Fin Tech and Digital Banking i. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has constituted an inter-regulatory Working Group (WG) to study the entire gamut of regulatory issues relating to Financial Technology and Digital Banking in India. ii. The group has been set up in view of the growing significance of Fintech innovations, and their interactions with the financial sector as well as financial sector entities. It will review and appropriately reorient the regulatory framework, and respond to the dynamics of the rapidly evolving Fintech scenario. iii. The Working Group will be headed by Sudarshan Sen, Executive Director of RBI, and has 12 members. It has been asked to submit its report within six months from the date of its first meeting. 2. India, ADB sign 100 Million USD loan agreement for Cauvery Delta project in Tamil Nadu i. The Union Government and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have signed a 100 million US dollars loan agreeme

1. India first country to become YAWS-free i. India achieves yet another public health milestone, becomes first country to be declared free of Yaws, an infection of the skin and bones, much ahead of WHO global target year of 2020. ii. Union Health Minister JP Nadda received an official citation from the World Health Organisation and the UNICEF for Elimination of Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus and for being YAWS-free. iii. YAWS is a kind of bacterial infection that affects skin, bones and joints, while tetanus, another bacterial infection, leads to muscle spasms that can be fatal. 2. President to inaugurate India Skills Competition today i. President Pranab Mukherjee will inaugurate the first edition of India Skills Competition today, on the occasion of the World Youth Skills Day in New Delhi. Skill India will be celebrating its first anniversary on the occasion. ii. In order to select the best talent to represent India at IndiaSkills, the Ministry of Skill Development and Ent

1. Operation ‘Sankat Mochan’ launched to evacuate Indian citizens from South Sudan i. The Union Government has launched ‘Operation Sankat Mochan’ to evacuate the Indians from South Sudan. ii. Two C17 aircraft of Indian Air Force left for Juba with Minister of State for External Affair VK Singh onboard. iii. South Sudan has been hit by violence which has claimed hundreds of lives till now. The conflict is because of clashes between government troops and forces loyal to Vice President Riek Machar.  2. Ashok Patnaik appointed new National Intelligence Grid chief i. Senior IPS officer Ashok Patnaik was appointed CEO of the National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID). ii. One of the most ambitious intelligence projects that failed to take off during United Progressive Alliance (UPA) rule. iii. Patnaik is currently serving as Additional Director in the Intelligence Bureau and he will continue to hold this post till his superannuation in 2018.

1. INS Karna commissioned by Navy chief i. Indian Navy has commissioned INS Karna, an independent base of Marine Commandos (MARCOS) at Bheemunipatanam Naval Base, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. ii. It was commissioned by Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Sunil Lanba at the commissioning ceremony held at Bheemunipatanam Naval Base. iii. The Marine Commando Force (MCF) was raised as the Indian Marine Special Force (IMSF) in February 1987 at INS Abhimanyu in Mumbai, Maharashtra. 2. Najma Heptulla, G M Siddeswara quit Modi Cabinet i. Union ministers Najma Heptulla and GM Siddeshwara resigned. ii. Dr Heptulla, the Minority Affairs Minister, was replaced by Minister of State Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, who has been given independent charge. The portfolio held by Mr. Siddeshwara - junior minister for Heavy Industries - will be taken over by Babul Supriyo, who was the junior minister for Urban Development. 3. SBI signs MoU with IIT Bombay to promote startups i. India’s top public sector bank,

1. India, Kenya ink seven agreements: 1. MoU on Cooperation in the field of standardisation, expertise sharing and mutual trade between Bureau of Indian Standards and Bureau of Kenya Standards. 2. MoU on Cooperation in the field of National Housing Policy Development and Management. 3. The line of Credit Agreement for US $15 million (first tranche of US $30 million) to IDB Capital Limited, Kenya, for the development of various small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Kenya. 4. The line of Credit Agreement for the US $29.95 million to the Government of Kenya for the upgrade of Rift Valley Textiles Factory [RIVATEX East Africa Limited], Kenya. 5. Revised Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA). 6. A bilateral agreement on the exemption of Visa for holders of Diplomatic passports. 7. MoU on Defence Cooperation. 2. Nepal’s first woman chief justice sworn in i. Justice Sushila Karki took charge as the first woman chief justice of Nepal’s Supreme Court after her name was endorsed b

1. Tathagata Roy sworn-in as Governor of Arunachal Pradesh i. Tripura Governor Tathagata Roy was sworn-in as the acting Governor of Arunachal Pradesh ii. Roy has been given the additional charge of Governor of Arunachal Pradesh during the leave of absence of incumbent Governor Jyoti Prasad Rajkhowa. iii. Roy was administered the oath of office by the Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court, Justice Ajit Singh in a brief but impressive function at the Darbar Hall of Raj Bhavan. He is the 18th Governor to be sworn-in as the Governor of this Himalayan State. 2. DRDO inks pact with IITs for Centre for Propulsion Technology i. The Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) has signed an agreement with IIT-Bombay and Madras to establish a bi—nodal ‘Centre of Propulsion Technology’ (CoPT) at the two institutions.  ii. The agreement is aimed at achieving synergy between DRDO and IITs for channelising research efforts towards developing products and aerospace technologies. iii.