Escolar Documentos
Profissional Documentos
Cultura Documentos
GK Power Capsule
for
Newstechcafe.com Readers
Rail Budget
Important Dates
Visit http://newstechcafe.com
Page 1
1. Reasoning - 50 marks
Agriculture expert Ramesh Chand appointed as a full time member Niti Aayog
Arun Jaitley launched digital version of Mahatma Gandhi's collected work
Black Mamba Anti-Poaching Unit of South Africa selected for 2015 UNEP Champions of the Earth
award
Brij Raj Sharma appointed as Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir
Music Composer Aadesh Shrivastava died
Acclaimed writer Jhumpa Lahiri awarded with 2014 National Humanities Medal by White House
Commemorative coins of Rs 125, Rs 10 released in honour of former President S Radhakrishna
Haryana bagged Skoch Order-of-Merit National award for implementing e-governance initiatives
NASA and ISRO jointly working on NISAR mission
R Sampanthan became first tamilian to lead opposition in Sri Lankan parliament in 32 years
India won UNESCO's Award of Excellence 2015 for conserving Sree Vadakkunnathan Temple
AK Jha appointed as Interim CMD of NTPC
Dinesh Kumar Likhi took charge as CMD of Mishra Dhatu Nigam Limited
L C Goyal appointed as CMD of India Trade Promotion Organisation
Raghav Chandra took charge as the Chairman of NHAI
Ratan P Watal took charge as Union Finance Secretary
PM Modi released digitally restored recordings of epic Ramcharitmanas
Rajiv Mehrishi appointed as Union Home secretary
Eminent Kannada writer Dr. MM Kalburgi shot dead in Dharwad
Kandakatla Manohar appointed as Director of NIMS
US designated Aziz Haqqani as global terrorist
Tennis Player Novak Djokovic appointed as Goodwill Ambassador of UNICEF
Rajendra Singh conferred with 2015 Stockholm Water Prize
Girish Sahni assumed charge as Director General of CSIR
Veteran journalist Pranab Kumar Borah passed away
105-year-old Urdu copy of Ramcharitmanas written by Shiv Brat Lal found
Syrian woman Journalist Zaina Erhaim awarded with Peter Mackler Award 2015
Visit http://newstechcafe.com
Page 2
Visit http://newstechcafe.com
Page 3
State Government of Kerala launched Subodham project, to help people in the state
to overcome addiction to liquor.
Shahrukh Khan was honoured with the Outstanding Contribution to Cinema award
at the 5th annual Asian Awards in London.
Britains swimmer Adam Peaty has broken the men's 100-meter breaststroke world record.
IPC) has suspended the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) for indefinite period.
The annual trade deficit for India for fiscal year 2014-15 increased to touch $137 billion.
Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton won the Bahrain Grand Prix for the second year in a
row.
Indias Y. Pranjala has won the Asian Junior Tennis championship title.
Maharashtra Government announced the target of 14400 MW power generation by
2019.
Cricket South Africa (CSA) announced a new tournament to be known as the Africa T20 Cup.
Eminent historian Professor Christopher Alan Bayly died in Chicago. He was 70.
The government has retained the rate of interest for General Provident Fund (GPF) at 8.7 per cent for
the current fiscal.
Pakistan conferred its top civilian award 'Nishan-e-Pakistan' on Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The Income Tax Department was awarded 'Prime Minister's award.
The Indian passport has been ranked 48th in a list of 50 most powerful travel documents in the world.
Metals and mining conglomerate Sesa Sterlite Ltd has changed its name to Vedanta Ltd.
Shah Rukh Khan has been conferred with Dadasaheb Phalke Film Foundation Award 2015.
Jaya Prada was conferred with Kalashree Award by the Dada Saheb Phalke Film Foundation.
World Bank established Pollution Management and Environmental Health (PHEM) program.
The New York Times won two prestigious Pulitzer prizes for coverage of the Ebola outbreak in West
Africa.
ICICI Bank launched a payment service 'Tap-n-Pay'.
Janaki Ballabh Patnaik, a three-time Odisha Chief Minister and former Governor of Assam, passed
away.
Loretta Lynch has been chosen as the new attorney general of America.
Indian-American Vivek Murthy was sworn-in as the U.S. Surgeon-General.
Achanta Sharath Kamal will spearhead the Indian challenge in the World TableTennis Championship
(WTTC).
The Union Cabinet gave its approval for signing of a shipping agreement between India and Jordan.
Global Accounting company KPMG elected Lynne Doughtie as its CEO and Chairman.
Gopinath Pillai has been bestowed with 'Outstanding Service Award' for his services to Singapore.
The Indian Air Force received the first two upgraded Mirage-2000 aircrafts from France.
Japan has been appointed as host of the FIFA Club World Cup for the next two years.
India is at the 117th spot on Global Happiness Index 2015.
Russia and Argentina have signed a series of framework agreements on economic and energy cooperation.
India would become fourth largest infrastructure projects market in the world by 2025.
The government has allowed EPFO to invest 5% of its corpus in exchange traded funds (ETFs).
Len Blavatnik is Britain's richest man with a 13.17bn fortune.
Sangeeta Bhatia has won a prestigious USD 250,000 Heinz award.
India launched a relief and rescue Operation named Maitri in earthquake hit Nepal.
Visit http://newstechcafe.com
Page 4
Actor Anil Kapoor was conferred the Pandit Dinanath Mangeshkar Award.
State of Assam has been awarded as the Best e-Panchayat state.
Akhilesh Das Gupta was elected the vice-president of the Badminton Asia Confederation (BAC)
for a four year term.
Bhalchandra Nemade received 50th Jnanpith Award.
Togo's President Faure Gnassingbe has won a third term with 58.75% of the vote in polls.
Railway Sports Promotion Board has won the 5th Senior Mens National Hockey Championship 2015.
'Margarita With A Straw' has bagged the best feature film honour at Washington DC International Film
festival.
China won the World Men's Team Chess Championship held in Armenia.
Georgia won the World Women's Team Chess Championship held in Armenia.
India Ratings projected the Indias economic growth at 7.7 per cent this financial year.
Mukesh Ambani regained his position as the world's richest Indian with a networth of $19.6 billion.
Uttar Pradesh has signed two MoUs for establishing a solar and an ultra-mega solar power project in
the state.
Raja Rajeswari became first India-born woman to be appointed a judge in the New York City.
The government has raised the limit of FDI in pension sector to 49 per cent.
Bharatiya Mahila Bank (BMB) has won the Asian Banker Achievement Award 2015.
India won for the first time the 22nd Presidents Cup Boxing Tournament in Palembang, Indonesia.
Eden Hazard has won the Professional Footballers' Association Player of the Year award.
Lewis Hamilton has been named as the richest sportsman in Britain.
Kei Nishikori won Barcelona Open title.
China has for the first time overtaken the United States as Australia's largest source of foreign
investment.
Praful Patel was elected as vice-president, South Asian Football Federation (SAFF)Region.
Austrailias Russell Ford announced his retirement from international hockey.
Siddhartha Gigoo has won the 2015 Commonwealth Short Story Prize.
The International Table Tennis Federation has become the world's largest sports body in terms of
membership.
Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim al Khalifa of Bahrain was re-elected as the president of
the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
Mazen Darwish was honoured with UNESCO-Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize 2015.
The Fourteenth edition of the Indo-French naval exercise VARUNA
2015 concluded.
Railway Sports Promotion Board (RSPB) won the 5th Hockey India Senior Women National
Championship 2015.
Tennis player Rafael Nadal received the Golden Medal for Merit in Work.
Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport has been adjudged the world's best airport for the year
2014.
R&B and soul singer Ben E King, best known for the classic song 'Stand By Me' passed away.
Government has made Permanent Account Number (PAN) mandatory for private firms seeking central
excise registration.
International Shooting Competition 2015 was held in Hannover, Germany.
Novak Djokovic held on to first place in the ATP world singles mens rankings.
Roger Federer won Istanbul Open Tournament.
Frances Richard Gasquet won the Estoril Open Tennis Tournaments Title.
Visit http://newstechcafe.com
Page 5
Deepamale Devi won gold in the women's 20km walk in the 19th Federation Cup National Senior
Athletics championship.
Vasco da Gama secured the Rio de Janeiro state championship for the 23rd time.
Former Union minister and veteran Congress leader Baleshwar Ram died. He was 87.
Wang Jianlin became the wealthiest man in Asia.
France signed an agreement with Qatar to supply 24 Dassault Aviation-built Rafale fighter jets.
The United States authorized commercial ferry services to Cuba for the first time in more than a halfcentury.
Stuart Bingham won 2015 Snooker World Championship.
England batsman Jonathan Trott (34) has retired from international cricket.
Michael Blake, who won an Oscar for writing the script of Dances With Wolves died at the age of 69.
The government has appointed Arun Jha as the next Tribal Affairs Secretary.
Norway is at the top of Global Motherhood Index 2015.
The IMF projected a 4.3 per cent growth rate for Pakistan this year.
Nadia district in West Bengal has won the 2015 United Nations Public Service Award.
Geeta Phogat bagged a bronze in the Women's freestyle 58kg category in the Senior Asian Wrestling
Championship.
India and China have signed 24 agreements worth over 10 billion dollars in Beijing.
Tata Consultancy Services has been ranked as the 57th leading brand in the US.
Tejaswini Sagar won under-15 category of World School Chess Championships.
Eminent Bengali writer Suchitra Bhattacharya passed away in Kolkata.
India was honoured for its significant contribution to UN Peacekeeping over the last
six decades.
India has been ranked at a lowly 100 position on the global Human Capital Index.
The US diplomatic mission in India has bagged People's Choice Greening
Diplomacy Initiative award.
The government appointed M.J. Joseph as the Controller General of Accounts in the Ministry of
Finance.
Indian shooter Gagan Narang won the bronze medal in the 50m Rifle Prone Event of the ISSF World
Cup.
Najama Heptullah is the Union Minister for Minorities Welfare.
Syndicate Bank has appointed Arun Shrivastava as its as Managing Director and Chief Executive
Officer.
Jonodev Osceola Chaudhuri has been sworn in as the chairman of the USs National Indian Gaming
Commission.
UC Browser has appointed all rounder Yuvraj Singh as its Product Specialist and Brand Ambassador.
Kochi will host the World Senior Badminton Championships in 2017.
Franz Wright, a Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, passed away.
Islamic clothing company East Essence tied up with Snapdeal.
Novak Djokovic captured his fourth Rome Masters Tennis title with a win over Roger Federer.
Narendra Modi became the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Mongolia.
ICICI Bank opened its first branch in China.
India announced a US $1 billion credit line to Mongolia for infrastructure development.
Infosys announced to establish its first overseas centre outside India in China.
Private sector Federal Bank along with card issuing company SBI Card launched co-branded credit
cards.
Visit http://newstechcafe.com
Page 6
India announced that it would contribute USD 2.1 million to the World Health Organisation.
Australia wicketkeeper-batsman Brad Haddin has announced his retirement from one-day
international cricket.
David Granger, a retired army general, has become Guyanas new president.
The government has allocated Rs. 5,000 crore for the growth of Department of AYUSH.
Hungarian writer Laszlo Krasznahorkai has won the Man Booker International Prize.
Bank of India has elevated R.A. Sankara Narayanan as the executive director of the bank.
The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) named Kuldeep Malik as the new chief national coach.
Joe Root has been elected England Cricketer of the Year for 2014-15.
Former Union minister and BJP MP S.S. Ahluwalia was appointed chairman of a Joint Committee of
Parliament.
India has ranked 24th out of 70 countries in the first Environmental Democracy Index.
Lithuania topped the Environmental Democracy Index.
Indians have become the second biggest job creators in London in 2015.
India is on 6th position in terms of scientific publications.
Indian-origin US filmmaker Prashant Bhargava passed away.
Indian IT major Wipro has been felicitated by Microsoft with 'Supplier of the Year award'.
Hwang Kyo-ahn has been named the new South Korean prime minister.
Rory McIlroy has been named the European Tours Golfer of the Year and the Players Player of the
Year.
AIADMK supremo J. Jayalalithaa sworn in for the fifth time as Tamil Nadu chief minister.
Gujarat government and Chinese software firm ZTEsoft have signed an agreement for smart city
projects in the state.
IRCTC has partnered with Mydala.com to provide deals and offers to customers.
French thriller film Dheepan has been awarded Palme dOr Award at 68th Cannes Film Festival.
Mumbai Indians' (MI's) won the eight edition of Indian Premier League (IPL).
India's Deepa Kumari has been accorded an international outdoor umpire status by the FIH.
Indian boxers won a total of seven medals including four gold, one silver and two bronze medals at the
Doha International boxing tournament.
G. Mohan Kumar has been appointed as the Secretary of the Ministry of Defence (MoD).
John Nash, a Nobel prize winner and Mathematician passed away.
Andrzej Duda has won Poland's Presidential elections.
Saurabh Kumar was appointed as the next Indian Ambassador to Iran.
Batsman Ajinkya Rahane won the CEAT Indian Cricketer of the Year award.
Ranjit Singh Baxi has been elected as the head of the Bureau of International Recycling.
ICICI Bank has launched a service where customers can make transactions using just their voice.
China has set up a gold sector fund involving countries along the ancient Silk Road.
Nico Rosberg of Germany won the Monaco Grand Prix Formula 1 World Championship title.
Western Union has renewed its 14-year-old partnership with India Post.
Manoj Mishra has been appointed as CMD of National Fertilizers Ltd (NFL).
China's PM Li Keqiang and Chilean President Michelle Bachelet signed a currency swap deal.
Lt general (Retd) Nirbhay Sharma was sworn-in as the governor of Mizoram.
Ace cross-country bike racer C.S. Santosh won the coveted Motorsport Man of the Year award.
The PM Narendra Modi, launched DD Kisan - India's first television channel dedicated to farmers.
India and Vietnam signed a Joint Vision Statement on Defence Cooperation for the period 2015-2020.
Veteran filmmaker Subhash Ghai has been selected for FIFA Lifetime Achievement honour.
Visit http://newstechcafe.com
Page 7
The Indian food and beverage sector is likely to touch Rs. 3.80 lakh crore by 2017.
Indias exports to China are expected to grow by around 14 per cent a year in the decade to 2030.
Anindo Majumdar has been appointed as the CMD of Delhi Finance Corporation.
Documentary photographer Mary Ellen Mark passed away.
Pakistani spinner Raza Hasan was banned by the Pakistan Cricket Board from playing any form of
cricket.
The Spanish football club, Sevilla Football Club (FC) won Europa League title.
India has topped the world hunger list.
Eminent scientist Dr. Selvin Christopher has been appointed as the Director General of DRDO.
Singapore has appointed S. Chandra Das as its non-Resident High Commissioner to Sri Lanka.
The Maharashtra Government launched 'Swachhata Saptapadi' scheme.
Nebraska has become the 19th US state to abolish the death penalty.
Sepp Blatter was re-elected President of FIFA for a fifth term.
Mauritius President Kailash Purryag has resigned from office.
Akinwumi Adesina has been elected as the new President of the African Development Bank
(AfDB).
G. S. Reddy has been appointed as the Scientific Advisor to Defence Minister.
The United States has removed Cuba from its list of countries sponsors of terrorism.
More than 100 US cities will organise a Yogathon on the first International Yoga Day on June 21.
American actor and comedian Reynaldo Rey passed away.
Service tax hike to 14% has become effective from 1st June 2015.
India won four gold at International Wrestling tournament (Mens) in Sassari City, Italy.
Himachal Pradesh has emerged as first the state in the country to start Aadhaar Based Payment
System (ABPS).
Edward Gilligan, the president of American Express Co. Passed away.
Muhammadu Buhari sworn-in as President of Nigeria.
Govt. approved agreement on Coastal Shipping between India and Bangladesh.
Singapore honoured Gautam Banerjee with 'Public Service Medal'.
US-based taxi hailing app Uber has appointed Amit Jain as President of its India operations.
Veteran filmmaker Subhash Ghai has been selected for FIFA Lifetime Achievement honour.
The Indian food and beverage sector is likely to touch Rs. 3.80 lakh crore by 2017.
Indias exports to China are expected to grow by around 14 per cent a year in the decade to 2030.
Anindo Majumdar has been appointed as the CMD of Delhi Finance Corporation.
Documentary photographer Mary Ellen Mark passed away.
Pakistani spinner Raza Hasan was banned by the Pakistan Cricket Board from playing any form of
cricket.
The Spanish football club, Sevilla Football Club (FC) won Europa League title.
India has topped the world hunger list.
Eminent scientist Dr. Selvin Christopher has been appointed as the Director General of DRDO.
Mauritius President Kailash Purryag has resigned from office.
Coal India Limited has become the 6th-largest mining company in the world in terms of market
capitalisation.
ADB announced to give 3,200 crore rupees loan assistance to the West Bengal Government.
Nearly 300 deals worth USD 55 billion have been signed at the 3rd China-South Asia Expo in Kunming.
The National Union of Seafarers of India has bagged the 'Best Welfare Organisation of the Year Award2015'.
Visit http://newstechcafe.com
Page 8
Former Union minister (Congress) and close relative of Jawaharlal Nehru Sheila Kaul passed away.
FDI inflows into the services sector grew to 3.2 billion dollars in 2014-15.
India is home to the fourth largest number of ultra-high-networth households.
India signed a motor vehicles pact with three SAARC nations, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Nepal.
SEBI has barred Karvy Stock Broking from taking up new IPO assignments for one year.
An Egyptian court sentenced former President Mohamed Morsy to 25 years in prison.
India and Poland has set an ambitious trade target of USD 5 billion.
The Centre has approved an anti-chit fund bill passed by West Bengal Assembly in 2013.
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates is the world's richest self-made billionaire.
Australia signed a landmark Free Trade Agreement with China.
Narendra Kumar Yadav has taken over the charge of CMD of MTNL.
Viswanathan Anand lost to Magnus Carlsen in the Blitz Chess tournament.
Charles Correa, the face of modern architecture in India, passed away.
The UNGA elected Denmark's Mogens Lykketoft as its President for its 70th session.
China launched "Wu-14", a supersonic nuclear delivery vehicle.
Sunil Chhetri became the first Indian footballer to score 50 international goals.
BSNL announced to set up 40,000 wi-fi hotspots across the country.
India's rank is 143th on Global Peace Index (GPI).
Iceland topped the Global Peace Index (GPI) 2015.
Mumbai is the most expensive city in India according to the latest Mercer survey for 2015.
Archana Ramasundaram was appointed as the Director of National Crime Records Bureau.
Sharad Pawar was re-elected as the President of Mumbai Cricket Association.
Asia has overtaken Europe as the worlds second-richest region in the world in 2014.
The Election Commission of India suspended the recognition of the National Peoples Party.
Asian Development Bank announced to increase about 50 percent loan to India to $12 billion by 2018.
Japan lowered the voting age to 18 years from 20 years.
Turkey's former president and prime minister Suleyman Demirel passed away.
South Korea's Justice Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn was appointed as the country's new prime minister.
India has been ranked third in a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Report for 2013.
Russia topped World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Report for 2013.
Journalist and writer Aakar Patel appointed as Executive Director of Amnesty International (AI) India.
10th Bharatiya Jnanpith Navlekhan Price was awarded to Babusha Kohli and Upasana.
ONGC lifted the 42nd All India Goswami Ganesh Dutt Memorial Cricket Tournament 2015.
Hawaii becomes first US state to raise smoking age from 18 years to 21 years.
ISRO announced to provide navigational support to Indian Railways through GAGAN system.
Historian-author Ramachandra Guha has been selected for Japan's prestigious Fukuoka Prize.
Eminent scientist C.N.R. Rao was conferred Japan's highest civilian award.
China has manufactured the worlds first electric passenger aircraft BX1E.
SBI has launched Internet-based platform SBI eforex.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Narendra Modi Mobile App.
BJP MLA and former Madhya Pradesh Minister Tukojirao Puar passed away.
HDFC Bank launched a 10-second paperless instant loan plan for its existing customers.
India created two world records on the first International Yoga Day on 21st June 2015.
Serbia won the FIFA U-20 World Cup 2015 by defeating Brazil.
Roger Federer defeated Andreas Seppi to win ATP Gerry Weber Open Halle Tennis title.
Bangladesh defeated Team India in the second ODI cricket match.
Visit http://newstechcafe.com
Page 9
Benni Joseph Mavelil has been chosen for the V.K. Krishna Menon award.
German football club Colognes striker Patrick Helmes has announced his retirement.
Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport has the world's fastest WiFi service.
Former Indian women hockey captain Shashi Bala and her son Agrim Thakur died in a road accident.
Indian mission in Sweden has launched India Unlimited platform.
India-born Nikesh Arora appointed the president of Japan's SoftBank Corp.
EPFO has made Universal Account Number (UAN) mandatory for all employers.
ICICI Bank has partnered with Alibaba.com, to launch a trade facilitation centre.
Carnatic vocalist Sanjay Subrahmanyam selected for Sangitha Kalanidhi award of Madras Music
Academy.
Britains Andy Murray won the mens singles of the Aegon Championships.
Nico Rosberg won Austrian Grand Prix 2015 beating Lewis Hamilton.
Nagesh Kukunoor is the director of the film Dhanak.
China won the 2015 Nongfu Spring Snookers World Cup by defeating Scotland.
India has moved down to 61st place in terms of foreigners' money in Swiss banks.
Debendranath Sarangi elected as president of the Squash Rackets Federation of India (SRFI).
K. Rajendiran elected as secretary-general of the Squash Rackets Federation of India (SRFI).
Tennis legend Steffi Graf was appointed the Ayurveda brand ambassador of Kerala.
Railway Team defeated France in the 20th USIC- Tennis (World Railways)Championship.
Narayana Murthy conferred with Astronautical Society of India's Rocket and Related Technologies
Award.
'Sabar Shouchagar' project in West Bengals Nadia district won UN award for innovative public
services.
SIDBI has set up a Rs.1000 crore 'Make in India' fund for MSMEs.
Rajasthan topped the list of states commissioning grid connected solar power projects in the country.
Former Pakistan captain Zaheer Abbas has been appointed President of ICC.
India is at 9th rank in terms recipients of FDI in 2014.
India has emerged as the third largest source of FDI for United Kingdom.
India would provide an assistance of $1 billion for quake-hit Nepal's reconstruction.
Australia announced that it would join the new China AIIB as a founding member.
Prominent journalist, riter and anti-nuclear activist Praful Bidwai passed away in Netherlands.
Russia and Saudi Arabia have signed an agreement on cooperation in the field of nuclear energy.
HDFC Bank extended managing director Aditya Puri's tenure for another five years.
Famous writer of Sanskrit and Telugu Professor Pullela Srirama Chandraudu passed away.
Satnam Singh Bhamara became the first Indian basketball player to be drafted in America's NBA.
Asha Bhosle is declared the greatest Bollywood playback artist of all times by the U.K. based Eastern
Eye newspaper.
State Bank of India announced the appointment of Anshula Kant as its Chief Financial Officer.
Spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has been conferred with Colombia's highest civilian award.
Axis Bank has launched an EMV-chip-based debit card called Secure+.
Sachin Tendulkar has been voted the 'Best Test player' of the 21st century.
11 Indian companies are ranked in Forbes Asia's 'Best Under A Billion' list.
Dr. Vishwanath Tripathi has been choosen for the 28th Moortidevi Award 2014.
Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa won the Canada Open Grand Prix women's doubles title.
Bangladesh cricketer Shakib Al Hassan ranked the best all-rounder in ODI once again.
Ericsson has appointed Paolo Colella as the new head of its India operations.
Visit http://newstechcafe.com
Page 10
Visit http://newstechcafe.com
Page 11
Page 12
NATIONAL
PM Narendra Modi Launched Digital India Week
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 1 July launched the Digital India Week in New Delhi. The
newly created week is aimed at encouraging peoples involvement and creating awareness
among them about various initiatives launched under the Digital India Programme launched in
August 2014.
Union Cabinet Approved Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana
Union Cabinet on 1 July approved Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) aiming at
providing irrigation facilities to every village. The Yojana was approved with an outlay of 50000
crore rupees over a period of five years, that is, from 2015-16 to 2019-20 and the allocation for
the financial year 2015-16 has been kept at 5300 crore rupees.
Prime Minister Unveiled National Policy for Skill Development & Entrepreneur ship 2015
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 15 July unveiled National Policy for Skill Development and
Entrepreneurship 2015 in New Delhi.The policy was unveiled in a programme held on the
occasion of first-ever World Youth Skills Day. It is the first such policy on entrepreneurship
since independence and intended to replace the National Policy on Skill Development 2009.
India signed Loan Agreement of $300 Million with ADB For NUHM
India on 28 July signed a loan agreement of 300 million US dollars with Asian Development
Bank (ADB) for its flagship programme National Urban Health Mission (NUHM). The main of
the NUHM is to improve the health status of the countrys urban population.
Visit http://newstechcafe.com
Page 13
STATES
Adani Group To Set Up 650 MW Solar Power Plant in Tamil Nadu
Adani Group has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Tamil Nadu Govern-ment
to set up 650 Mega Watt (MW) solar power plant in Ramanathapuram district. The group will set
up five solar power units at a cost of 4,536 crore rupees.
CONFERENCES
Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit 2015
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) 2015 summit was held on 9-10 July 2015 in Ufa,
Russia. Leaders and officials from the four SCO observer countries of Mongolia, Iran, Pakistan
and India were also present at the summit. India has been accorded full accorded the full
membership of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) at its Ufa summit Technically,
India will become the member of SCO by 2016 after completion of certain procedures. The SCO
group has six full time members at present namely China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia,
Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
Visit http://newstechcafe.com
Page 14
Visit http://newstechcafe.com
Page 15
ECONOMY
Corporation Bank Launched First MUDRA card
Corporation Bank on 4 July launched countrys first MUDRA (Micro Units Development and
Refinance Agency) card under the Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana (PMMY) in Mangalore,
Karnataka. The card is based on the RuPay platform and facilitates the withdrawal and use of the
working capital finance by micro entrepreneurs.
RBI signed Special Currency Swap Agreement with the Central Bank of Sri Lanka
A Special Currency Swap Agreement was signed between Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and
Central Bank of Sri Lanka on 17 July.As per this agreement, Central Bank of Sri Lanka can draw
up to 1.1 billion US dollar for a maximum period of six months. This special arrangement is in
addition to the existing Framework on Currency Swap Arrangement for the SAARC Member
Countries.
Seven Indian Companies Among Worlds 500 Largest Companies
Seven Indian companies were listed among the worlds 500 largest companies in the Fortune
Global 500 list for 2015 that was released on 22 July. The list has been topped by Wal-Mart,
which retained its top spot.
Page 16
PERSONS IN NEWS
A). APPOINTMENTS
China Nominates Jin Liqun as AIIB president
China on 6 July nominated its former finance Minister Jin Liqun as the Presidential candidate for
$100 billion Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). Presently, Jin is Secretary General of
AIIBs interim secretariat.
Page 17
B). RESIGNS
Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis Resigned
Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis on 6 July resigned from his post after Greeks voted
resoundingly to reject the austerity terms of a bailout.
C). DEATHS
Former Indian President APJ Abdul Kalam Died
Former Indian President Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen (APJ) Abdul Kalam passed away on 27 July in
Shillong (MeghalayA).He was 83. He was also known as the Missile Man of India. He was born
on 15 October 1931 in Rameswaram, Ramanathapuram District of Tamil Nadu. He spent four
decades as a scientist and science administrator, mainly at the DRDO and ISRO. During his
tenure as Chief Scientific Adviser to the Prime Minister from July 1992 to December 1999, he
led the weaponisation of strategic missile systems and the Pokhran-II nuclear tests, which made
India a nuclear weapon state. He was the 11th President on India from 2002 to 2007. He has been
awar-ded with the coveted civilian awards including Padma Bhushan (1981) and Padma
Vibhushan (1990) and the highest civilian award Bharat Ratna (1997).Kalam authored numerous
inspira-tional books including India 2020, Wings Of Fire and Ignited Minds.
D). VISITORS
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Visited Uzbekistan
Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Uzbekistan on 6-7 July 2015. India and Uzbekistan have
signed three agreements during delegation level talks held between Prime Minister Narendra
Modi and Uzbekistan President Islam Karimov in Tashkent ,the capital of Uzbekistan. During
the visit, Narendra Modi released the first Uzbek-Hindi dictionary at the event along with
Uzbeki-stan Prime Minister and Indologist Rakhmatov.
Visit http://newstechcafe.com
Page 18
E). MISCELLANEOUS
Gennady Padalka Sets Record For Spending Longest Time In Space
Russian cosmonaut Gennady Padalka has set a Guinness World Record for spending longest
time in space with a total of 804 days as on July 2015. With this he broke the previous record of
803 days, nine hours and 41 minutes set by Russian cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev (now retired)
across six missions from 1998 to 2005.
Guinness Book Recognises Madhya Pradeshs World Record in Washing Hands
The Guinness Book of World Records has on 3 July 2015 recognised a record created in Madhya
Pradesh on World Hand washing Day in 2014. The mega hand washing event was held on 15
October 2014 to create awareness about hygiene by washing hands with soap.
PLACES IN NEWS
Worlds First 3-D Printed Office To Be Built In Dubai
The worlds first office building constructed using 3-D printer is set to come up in Dubai, UAE.
The Office will be approximately 2,000 square feet in size and will be printed layer-bylayer
using a 20-foot tall 3-D printer, then assembled on site in Dubai.
Remnants of Indias One of the Oldest Port Discovered In Goa
A team of scientists from Goa based National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) on 15 July
discovered the remnants of a historically important port on Goas Zuari river which is expected
to be amongst the oldest signs of human trade on the central west coast.The Port is supposed to
be existed between 1000 to 3500 AD which makes it Indias oldest ports.
Visit http://newstechcafe.com
Page 19
ABBREVIATIONS
FATCA Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act
UGC University Grants Commission
MGNREGA Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Gurantee Act
SECC SocioEconomic&Caste Census
CDC Centre for Disease Control
MUDRA Micro Units Development and Refinance Agency
AIIB Asian Infrastructure Invest ment Bank
Books in News
Kashmir: The Vajpayee Years Book Released
The book titled Kashmir: The Vajpayee Years was published on 6 July by HarperCollins. It was coauthored by AS Dulat and Aditya Sinha. The book focuses on initiatives launched by the Vajpa-yee
government between 1998 and 2004 to restore normalcy in Indias most beautiful but troubled state.
COMMITTEES
Deepak Mohanty Committee To Frame Action Plan On Financial Inclusion
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) formed a committee to work out a five-year (medium term)
action plan for financial inclusion. This committee comprises total 14 members and will be
headed by RBI executive director Deepak Mohanty. The main aim of this committee will be to
review the existing policy of financial inclusion, including customer protection framework and
supportive payment system.
Visit http://newstechcafe.com
Page 20
Visit http://newstechcafe.com
Page 21
NATIONAL
Union Government Announced Rs 1500 crore INIP
Union Government on 13 June launched an Indian Nuclear Insurance Pool (INIP) of 1,500 crore
rupees as per the mandatory provision under the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act
(CLND), 2010. This pool will be the 27th such market pool globally. This insurance pool was
launched to address the concerns of the clauses in the CLND Act, which give the operator the
Right to Recourse and allow it to sue the suppliers in case of any accident. General Insurance
Corporation of India (GIC Re) is the fund operator of this Rs. 1,500 crore Indian insurance pool
and it includes 11 other non-life insurers as associates of the pool.
Visit http://newstechcafe.com
Page 22
STATES
Maharashtra Govt Approved new Renewable Energy Policy
Maharashtra government has approved a new Renewable Energy Policy which aims at achieving
14,400 MW of installed capacity over a period of five years i.e. till 2020. The approval decision
of new policy worth 4,156.43 crore rupees was taken by state cabinet meeting chaired by Chief
Minister Devendra in Mumbai. The policy aims at achieving installed capacity of renewable
energy of 21,100 MW by 2020 from current installed capacity of 6,700 MW.
World Bank Approves $ 250 million Loan For Jammu & Kashmir
Multi-lateral lender World Bank on 3 June approved 250 million US dollars loan for Jhelum and
Tawi Flood Recovery Project in Jammu & Kashmir (J&K). The project will be funded by loan
credit from International Development Association (IDA), a World Banks concessionary with a
maturity of 25 years, including a 5 year grace period.
Haryanas Jind, Karnal & UPs Muzaffarnagar Included In NCR
Union Urban Development Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu on 9 June announced that Jind and
Karnal districts of Haryana and Muzaffarnagar of Uttar Pradesh have been included in the
National Capital Region (NCR). With this the total number of districts included in NCR has risen
to 22.
Kerala Govt Declares June 22 as Snake Bird Day
Kerala Government has declared June 22 as Snake Bird Day in a bid to protect the endangered
species which is also known as Indian darter.
Visit http://newstechcafe.com
Page 23
CONFERENCES
41st G7 Summit Held In Germany
G7 Summit 2015 was held at Schloss Elmau in Bavaria, Germany from 7- 8 June 2015. This was the 41st
G7 summit and the theme for the summit was Think Ahead. Act Together. The Summit focused on the
global economy as well as on key issues regarding foreign, security, environment and development
policy. After the talks, the leaders of the G7 committed to raising a 100 billion US dollars fund through
public and private sources to combat the rising global temperatures and agreed to implement
international mechanisms to bolster global healthcare security by creating a financial instrument at the
World Bank to react better to pandemics. The Summit was attended by all the seven members viz.,
Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States and the European
Commission (EC). EC is a permanently welcome participant in all meetings and decision-making since
1981.
Visit http://newstechcafe.com
Page 24
The awardees will receive their awards from the President of India at a specially organized
function at the Rashtrapati Bhawan on August 29, 2015.
Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Awardee will receive medal, certificate and award money of Rs. 7.5
lakh and Arjuna Awardees will receive statuettes, certificates and award money of Rs.5 lakh
each.
Visit http://newstechcafe.com
Page 25
ECONOMY
RBI lowers Repo Rate To 7.25 per cent
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in its second bi-monthly policy announced on 2 June has
reduced the policy repo rate under the liquidity adjustment facility (LAF) by 25 basis points from
7.5 per cent to 7.25 per cent with immediate effect. However, the cash reserve ratio (CRR) of
scheduled banks was kept unchanged at 4 percent of net demand and time liabilities (NDTL).
The reverse repo rate under the LAF stands adjusted to 6.25 per cent, and the marginal standing
facility (MSF) rate and the bank rate to 8.25 per cent.
India Joined MCAA on AEOI
India joined the Multilateral Competent Authority Agreement (MCAA) on Automatic Exchange
of Financial Account Information (AEOI) on 3 June in Paris, France, alongwith Australia,
Canada, Costa Rica, Indonesia and New Zealand.Earlier, Fifty-one countries had joined MCAA
on 29 October 2014, in Berlin. Switzerland became the fifty-second country on 19 November
2014. On 3 June 2015, 6 countries India, Australia, Canada, Costa Rica, Indonesia and New
Zealand joined MCAA by signing the agreement in Paris.
Visit http://newstechcafe.com
Page 26
PERSONS IN NEWS
Visit http://newstechcafe.com
Page 27
A) APPOINTMENTS
Petteri Taalas Appointed Secretary-General of WMO
Petteri Taalas, Director-General of the Finnish Meteorological Institute, was on 4 June appointed
as the next Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) for a four-year
mandate starting 1 January 2016. He succeeds Michel Jarraud (France).
K.V.Chowdary is new Central Vigilance Commissioner
K V Chowdary, former chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), was on 10 June
sworn in as the new Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) by President Pranab Mukherjee.
Vijai Sharma, the senior most information commissioner, was also sworn in as the Chief
Information Commissioner (CIC) by the president.
B)RESIGNS
FIFA President Sepp Blatter Resigned
President of the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) Sepp Blatter has
resigned on 2 June amid a corruption scandal which under investigation in United States. Earlier
on 30 May 2015, he was re-elected as the FIFA President for a fifth term by defeating his rival
candidate Prince Ali bins Al Hussein of Jordan.
C)DEATHS
Nobel Chemistry Winner Irwin Rose Died
Irwin Rose, a biochemist who shared the 2004 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for discovering a way
that cells destroy unwanted proteins the basis for developing new therapies for diseases such as
cervical cancer and cystic fibrosis has died on 2 June in Massachusetts.. He was 88. Rose was
born on July 16, 1926 in New York, United States. He had shared this noble prize with Aaron
Ciechanover and Avram Hershko.
Chandigarhs Iconic Rock Garden Creator Nek Chand Died
Nek Chand Saini, creator of Chandigarhs iconic Rock Garden passed away on 12 June in
Chandigarh. He was 90. His creation Rock Garden of Chandigarh was opened for public on 24
January 1976. The garden is maintained by the Nek Chand Foundation, formed in 1996. Nek
Chand was awarded the Padma Shri in 1984. Born on 15 December 1924 in Shakargarh region,
now in Pakistan, Chand immigrated to India with his family and settled in Chandigarh in 1950.
D)VISITORS
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Visited Bangladesh
Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Bangladesh on 6 7 June 2015. During the visit,the two
sides held talks and signed 22 agreements. These includes the Land Boundary Agreement,
cooperation in maritime safety and agreement to curb human trafficking and fake Indian
currency. Narendra Modi along with her Bangladeshi Counterpart Sheikh Hasina and West
Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee flagged off the Dhaka-Shillong-Guwahati and KolkataDhaka-Tripura bus services. Modi received the Award of Liberation of War Honour on behalf of
Visit http://newstechcafe.com
Page 28
former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee who emphasized on strong ties with the neighboring
country.
E)MISCELLANEOUS
Bhutan Sets New Guinness Record For Tree Planting
A team of 100 volunteers in Bhutan has set a new world record by planting 49,672 trees in one
hour. They smashed the previous record by almost 10,000 trees. It had been set by an Indian
team three years ago.Bhutans planters gathered in the capital, Thimphu, for their feat, which
was confirmed by Guinness World Records on 5 June 2015.
PLACES IN NEWS
3800 Year Old Statuettes Discovered In Peru
Researchers discovered a trio of mud statuettes inside a reed basket in a building, an important
archaeological site, in the ancient city of Vichama in northern Peru. They believe that it was
created about 3800 years ago by the ancient Caral civilization.
ABBREVIATIONS
CDRI Central Drug Research Institute
ESMA - Essential Services Maintenance Act
HDFC - Housing Development Finance Corporation
IFFI -
BOOKS IN NEWS
President Pranab Mukherjee Released Yogikaspars
President Pranab Mukherjee on 8 June released Yogikasparsh, a yoga manual in braille written
by Nivedita Joshi, at a function in Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi. Nivedita Joshi, daughter of
senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi, suffered from a critical ailment some 19 years ago and
got fully cured with the help of Yoga.
Visit http://newstechcafe.com
Page 29
COMMITTEES
Recommendations of Bibek Debroy Committee On Restructuring Of Indian Railways
The Bibek Debroy committee on the restructuring of Indian Railways (IR) has submitted its final
report to the Union Ministry of Railways on 12 June.Union government had constituted the highlevel committee in September 2014 to restructure the Railways and suggest ways for resource
mobilisation. It was seven-member panel headed by eminent economist and NITI Aayog
member Bibek Debroy.
Recommendations of Bibek Debroy committee:* Establishment of an independent regulator Railway Regulatory Authority of India (RRAI) with
a separate budget and to be independent of the Ministry.
* No privatisation of Indian Railway but allowed participation of private sector in the railway
projects.
* Separation of activities like running of hospitals, schools, real estate development, catering,
manufacturing of locomotives, coaches and wagons from the core business of running trains.
* State governments should be asked to entirely fund the Government Railway Police (GRP).
* The recommended changes should be implemented only by Union Railways ministry in the
first five years including the resolution of the social cost issue.
Visit http://newstechcafe.com
Page 30
NATIONAL
Visit http://newstechcafe.com
Page 31
Page 32
dedicated to farmers in New Delhi. This 24-hour channel is initially in Hindi and is dedicated to
agriculture and allied sectors of India. It seeks to disseminate real-time inputs to farmers on new
farming techniques, water conservation and organic farming among other information.
STATES
BHEL commissioned 195 MW Thermal Unit of KBUNL In Bihar
State-owned electrical equipment maker Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) on 4 May
commissioned a 195 MW thermal unit of Kanti Bijlee Utpadan Nigam Limited (KBUNL) in
Muzaffarpur, Bihar. This was the first 195 MW unit to be commissioned by BHEL at the 2195
MW Muzaffarpur Thermal Power Station (TPS) Plant of KBUNL.
PM Narendra Modi Inaugurated IISCO Steel Plant at Burnpur
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 10 May inaugurated the upgraded IISCO Steel Plant (ISP) in
Burnpur, West Bengal. The ISP houses the largest blast furnace of India. The ISP was
modernised by the Union Government at a cost of 16000 crore rupees.
UP Govt Launched Samajwadi Water ATM scheme
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on 12 May launched Samajwadi water ATM
scheme at bus stations. It seeks to provide potable water to bus passengers at reasonable price.In
this regard, state government will install water ATMs at most of the bus stations which will
provide potable water at the rate of 1 rupee per litre and cold water at 2 rupees per litre.
Punjab Becomes First State To Issue Soil Health Cards To Farmers
Punjab Agriculture Department on 13 May launched a pan-state programme to monitor the soil
health of every farm in the state by issuing them personalised Soil Health Cards (SHCs). With
this, Punjab became the first state in India to issue Soil Health Cards to farmers.Prime Minister
had formally launched the nationwide Soil Health Card Scheme from Suratgarh, Rajasthan in
Februrary 2015.
CONFERENCES
Visit http://newstechcafe.com
Page 33
Visit http://newstechcafe.com
Page 34
ECONOMY
Visit http://newstechcafe.com
Page 35
Page 36
About Akash Weapon System (AWS) :* Akash Missile is able to target a multitude of aerial threats of upto a range of 25 km.
* Akash has been developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)
and is being built by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL).
* It has a large operational range from a low altitude of 30 metres to a maximum of up to 20 km.
* At 96 per cent indigenisation, it represents a major capability development for a crucial
weapon system.
* The first test flight of Akash missile was conducted in 1990, with development flights
conducted up to March 1997.
Indian Army Test Fires BrahMos Cruise Missile Successfully
Land-to-land configuration of BrahMos missile was on 8 May successfully test-fired from the
Car Nicobar Islands.BrahMos BlockIII version i.e. land-to-land configuration of missile was
launched from a Mobile Autonomous Launcher (MAL) for its full-range of 290-km test. The
missile flight test met all flight parameters, including high-level manoeuvres.It also hit the
designated land- based target with the desired accuracy.
INS Sardar Patel Commissioned In Porbandar
Indias latest naval establishment INS Sardar Patel was commissioned in Porbandar,
Gujarat, by state Chief Minister Anandiben Patel on 9 May. It became the second in the state for
the Indian Navy after INS Dwarka near Okha. It has been established as a Forward Operating
Base (FOB) of the Indian Navy. Cmde BR Prakash, VSM who is the Naval Officer-in-Charge
(Gujarat, Diu & Daman) became the first Commanding Officer of INS Sardar Patel.
PERSONS IN NEWS
A) APPOINTMENTS
KV Kamath Appointed as First President of NDB of BRICS nations
Eminent banker Kundapur Vaman Kamath was on 11 May 2015 appointed as the first President
of the New Development Bank (NDB) of BRICS nations. He will have of five year term after the
bank becomes operational within one year. He was conferred with Padma Bhushan Award in
2008. The Leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) had meeting in
2014 and reached an agreement to establish the New Development Bank, with its headquarters in
Shanghai. As per the agreement, India got the right to nominate the first president.
Four New Governors Appointed
President of India Pranab Mukherjii on 12 May 2015 appointed four Governors and transferred
two others.
Following are newly appointed Governors :1) Jharkhand Draupadi Murmu
2) Tripura Tathagata Roy
3) Arunachal Pradesh J P Rakkhowa
4) Meghalaya V Shanmuganathan
Transferred Governors :* Syed Ahmed, Governor of Jharkhand was shifted to Manipur. He was appointed in September
Visit http://newstechcafe.com
Page 37
PLACES IN NEWS
Visit http://newstechcafe.com
Page 38
ABBREVIATIONS
PMSBY Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana
PMJJBY Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Yojana
APY Atal Pension Yojana
Wi-Fi Wireless Fidelity
DARPA Defense Advance Research Project Agency
BOOKS IN NEWS
Vice President Released The Book China Confucius In The Shadows
A Book titled China Confucius in the Shadows was released by the Vice President M. Hamid
Ansari on 1 May 2015. Confucius was considered as the most efficient author in Chinese history.
Book has been written by Poonam Surie. Poonam Surie is an Adjunct Fellow at the Institute of
Chinese Studies, New Delhi.
COMMITTEES
Vijay Kelkar Committee To Revisit PPP infra Model
Union government on 26 May constituted a 10-member committee to review and revitalise
Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode of infrastructure development. The committee will be
chaired by under former finance secretary Vijay Kelkar and submit its report within a period of 3
months from the date of its Constitution. The Kelkar committee will review the PPP policy and
suggest a better risk-sharing mechanism between private developers and the government after
analysing such projects in different.
Page 39
their profession.World Press Freedom Day was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in
December 1993, following the recommendation of UNESCOs General Conference in 1991.
Since then, 3 May is celebrated worldwide as World Press Freedom Day.
World Asthma Day was Observed On 5 May 2015
World Asthma Day was observed across the world on 5 May 2015. The day is observed across
the world to spread awareness and care around the world including India. The theme for 2015 is
You Can Control Your Asthma and sub-theme is Its Time to Control Asthma.World Asthma
Day takes place on the first Tuesday of May. The inaugural World Asthma Day was held in
1998. Asthma is a common chronic inflammatory long-term disease of the lungs which causes
breathing problems by narrowing the airways. Symptoms of asthma include breathlessness,
coughing, wheezing, and feeling of tightness in the chest and shortness of breath.
Page 40
NATIONAL
1. PM Narendra Modi Launched Indias First National Air Quality Index
The National Air Quality Index (NAQI) was launched for the first time in India by Prime
Minister Narendra Modi on 6 April 2015 primarily for assessing the quality of air in major
urban centres across the country on a real-time basis. This National Air Quality Index will
provide information on the quality of air in 10 major cities in the country on a real-time
basis.The ten cities where the quality of air can be monitored are Delhi, Agra, Kanpur,
Lucknow, Varanasi, Faridabad, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Bangalore and Ahmedabad.
2. Union Government Notified NJAC 2014
The Union Government on 13 April 2015 notified the National Judicial Appointments
Commission (NJAC) Act, 2014 and the Constitution (Ninety-ninth Amendment) Act, 2014.
The NJAC Act and 99th Amendment Act were notified in exercise of the powers conferred by
sub-section (2) of section 1 of the Act. With this new law the collegium system to appoint
members to the higher judiciary has come to an end. Now President will appoint judges in the
Supreme Court (SC) and 24 High Courts (HCs) in consultation with the NJAC.
3. MHA renames Visa On Arrival Scheme To E-Tourist Visa
Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on 14 April decided to rename Tourist Visa on
Visit http://newstechcafe.com
Page 41
STATES
1. Gujarat Launched Industrial Tourism To Showcase Development
Gujarat government has on 12 April launched industrial tourism package to promote its
development by showcasing its major industrial installations which have earned global
acclaim for state. It is a first of its kind initiative India, offered by Tourism Corporation of
Gujarat Ltd (TCGL) in collaboration with Ahmedabad based Akshar Travels Pvt Ltd. The
tour package is called as Industrial Tour of Gujarat will cover some of the major industrial
attractions of the state.
2. Indian Army Conducts AkramanII Defense Exercise In Rajasthan
Indian Army on 26 April conducted a major exercise Akraman-II in Rajasthan. The exercise
was conducted by the Chetak Corps, a part of South Western Command based in Bhatinda,
Punjab. The exercise aimed to test a new generation of weaponry and platforms which are
employed in the desert region to provide real time battle and situational awareness to its
commanders.
3. Kerala Govt Launched Subodham Project To End Liquor Abuse
State Government of Kerala on 19 April 2015 launched Subodham project, to help people in
the state to overcome addiction to liquor.The project was launched by Chief Minister
Oommen Chandy and Art of Living Foundation founder Sri Sri Ravishankar in Kochi.
4. BHEL commissioned 600 MW thermal Unit In Chhattisgarh
State-owned power equipment-maker Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) on 13 April
commissioned a 600 MW thermal unit at Dhabra in Janjgir Champa District of Chhattisgarh
for the Dainik Bhaskar Power Limited.This is the second unit of 2 600 MW power project,
commissioned by BHEL. The first 600 MW Unit was commissioned in 2014.
Visit http://newstechcafe.com
Page 42
CONFERENCES
5th SAARC Health Ministers Meeting Held In New Delhi
The 5th meeting of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Health Ministers
was held on 8 April 2015 in New Delhi. The meet ended with the adoption of Delhi Declaration on
Public Health Challenges.The declaration focuses on issues common to member nations of South
Asia Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).
Page 43
2. Sri Lankas Kumar Sangakkara Named Wisden Cricketer of the Year for 2014
Sri Lanka great Kumar Sangakkara has been honoured with the Cricketer of the Year in the
2015 edition of the prestigious Wisden Cricketers Almanack on 8 April. He has become only
the second cricketer after Indias Virender Sehwag to be bestowed with the award twice.
3. New Zealand Won Sultan Azlan Shah Hockey Tournament 2015
New Zealand won the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup mens Hockey Tournament title on 12 April.In
the final clash played at the Sultan Azlan Shah Stadium in Ipoh, Malaysia, New Zealand
defeated World Champions Australia 3-1.India won Bronze Medal (third position) by beating
south Korea by 4-1 in the penalty shoot-out.
4. Djokovic Won Laureus World Sportsman Of The Year 2015 Award
The Laureus World Sports Awards for the year 2015 were given in seven categories on 15
April at Shanghai in China. Ace tennis star Novak Djokovic of Serbia and sprinter Genzebe
Dibaba of Ethiopia were named as the Laureus World Sportsman and Sportswoman of the
2015 respectively.
5. Novak Djokovic Won Monte Carlo Masters Title
Novak Djokovic of Serbia won the Monte-Carlo Masters title of Tennis on 20 April. He
defeated Berdych of Czech Republic in the mens singles final. It was his second Monte-Carlo
Masters title of Tennis. With this win, Djokovic also became the first player to sweep the
opening three ATP World Tour Masters 1000 events of a season. The previous two titles were
won at Indian Wells and Miami.
ECONOMY
1. Union Government Unveiled new FTP
Union Minister of Commerce & Industry on 2 April unveiled Foreign Trade Policy (FTP)
2015-2020. The new trade policy will incorporate government ambitious initiatives such as
Make in India, Digital India mission, Skill India programme, ease of business in order to
boost jobs and take Indias exports to 900 billion dollars by 2020. In the new policy FTP201520, two new schemes Merchandise Exports From India Scheme (MEIS) and Services Exports
From India Scheme (SEIS) were introduced.
2. Prime Minister Narendra Modi Launched MUDRA Bank
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 8 April launched the Micro Units Development and
Refinance Agency Ltd. (MUDRA) Bank in New Delhi.The bank will provide credit of up to
10 lakh rupees to small entrepreneurs and act as a regulator for Micro-Finance Institutions
(MFIs). The Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana will be the main support system for the bank
and will be the part of Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI). MUDRA Bank
has been started with an initial corpus of Rs. 20,000 crore. Apart from this, Rs. 3,000 crore
has been earmarked as credit guarantee corpus.
3. India Ranks 125th In the World For Fixed Broadband Penetration
According to Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) latest report, India ranks 125th
in the world for fixed broadband penetration with only 1.2 per 100 inhabitants and the global
average is 9.4 per 100 inhabitants.This rating puts India behind Sri Lanka and Bhutan. In the
wireless or mobile broadband segment, India is ranked at 113th with a penetration of 3.2 per
100 inhabitants.
Visit http://newstechcafe.com
Page 44
PERSONS IN NEWS
Visit http://newstechcafe.com
Page 45
A) APPOINTMENTS
Nasim Zaidi Takes Over as new CEC
Nasim Zaidi took over as the 20th Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of India on 19 April.He is
Indias 20th CEC and succeeded Hari Shankar Brahma, who had retired on April 18, 2015.
Loretta Lynch Sworn In As U.S. Attorney General
Loretta Lynch on 27 April 2015 was sworn-in as the United States 83rd Attorney General, the first
African-American woman to serve as the nations top law enforcement official. She succeeded former
attorney general Eric Holder, who left the position on 24 April 2015 after serving as Attorney General
for six years.
B)RESIGNS
ICC president Mustafa Kamal Resigned
International Cricket Council (ICC) President A.H.M. Mustafa Kamal resigned from his post on 1
April.Mustafa Kamal is a Bangladeshi politician and cricket official. Apart from being the President
of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), he was also functioning as the President of ICC since 2014.
He resigned from this post as he was apparently hurt at not being given the opportunity to hand out
the World Cup trophy to champions Australia.
C)DEATHS
Nobel Laureate German Novelist Gunter Grass Died
German Nobel laureate novelist Guenter Grass was died on 13 April in Luebeck, Germany. He was
87. He was a novelist, poet, playwright, illustrator, graphic artist, sculptor and recipient of the 1999
Nobel Prize in Literature. His writings mainly focused on the Nazi era, the horrors of the war and the
destruction and guilt that remained after defeat of Germany.
D)VISITORS
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi Visited France
Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited France from 9-11 April 2015. During the visit, Narendra Modi
met with French President Francois Hollande and had talks with business leaders of select French
companies in defence and infrastructure sectors. India and France signed 17 agreements in various
fields.These included deals on Rafale fighter jets, Jaitapur nuclear reactor, renewable sources of
energy, railways, smart city and several others. Among other agreements signed between India and
France , an important agreement was struck on both the countries proceeding forward on the stalled
nuclear project in Jaitapur in Maharashtra.Narendra Modi visited the CNES (National Centre for
Space Studies) and the Airbus A 380 Assembly Line Facility in Toulouse, France. He gifted a
painting titled Tree of Life, reflecting traditional societal respect for nature in India to the French
President Francois Hollande.
E)MISCELLANEOUS
Visit http://newstechcafe.com
Page 46
PLACES IN NEWS
Thane Named As National Earth Hour Capital 2015 By WWF
Thane in Mumbai, Maharashtra was named as the National Earth Hour Capital 2015 on 9 April 2015.
Thane city won the bid among the three finalists Thane, Pune and Rajkot in the Earth Hour City
Challenge (EHCC) 2015 conducted by World Wide Fund. Seoul city, the capital and largest
metropolis of South Korea, on 9 April 2015 was awarded the title of Global Earth hour Capital 2015
after it won the Earth Hour City Challenge (EHCC) of World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
ABBREVIATIONS
BOOKS IN NEWS
Historical Documents Testify The Sovereignty of Senkaku Authored By Tadayoshi Murata
The book entitled Historical Documents Testify the Sovereignty of Senkakuauthored by
Tadayoshi Murata, an honorary professor at Japans Yokohama National University. The book
describes how the Japanese government illegally occupied the Chinese Diaoyu Islands step by step in
the 1890s. Japan has recently intensified its propaganda to claim several uninhabited islands disputed
with its neighbor in the East China Sea, but a Japanese historian refuted the claim and questioned
Tokyos reliability since it has manipulated evidence to mislead the rest of the world on the territorial
issue.
COMMITTEES
Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry Constituted Ajay Shankar committee To Simplify
Clearances
Visit http://newstechcafe.com
Page 47
The Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry on 8 April formed an expert committee under the
chairmanship of Ajay Shankar to suggest simplified compliance for establishing new industries. He is
a former Secretary to the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP). The Expert
Committee has been constituted for examining the possibility of replacing multiple prior permissions
with pre-existing regulatory mechanism and to prepare draft legislation for this purpose.
Page 48
STATE OF ECONOMY:
1.CPI inflation projected at 5% by the end of the year.
2. Monetary Policy Framework Agreement with RBI, to keep inflation below 6%.
3. GDP growth in 2015-16, projected to be between 8 to 8.5%
4. The fiscal deficit targets are 3.9%, 3.5% and 3.0% in FY 2015-16,
2016-17 & 2017-18 respectively.
5. Direct Transfer of Benefits to be extended further with a view to increase
the number of beneficiaries from Rs.1 crore to Rs.10.3 crore.
6. Target of Rs.8.5 lakh crore of agricultural credit during the year 2015-16
7. Rs.5,300 crore to support micro-irrigation, watershed development and the
Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana.
8. Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojna to cover accidental death risk of
Rs.2 Lakh for a premium of just Rs.12 per year.
9. Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana to cover both natural and
accidental death risk of Rs.2 lakh at premium of Rs.330 per year for the age group
of 18-50.
10. 5 new Ultra Mega Power Projects, each of 4000 MW, in the Plug-and-Play mode.
11. Rs.1000 crores to the Nirbhaya Fund
12. Visas on arrival to be increased to 150 countries.
13. An IIT to be set up in Karnataka and Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad to be
upgraded in to a fullfledged IIT.
14. New All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) to be set up in J&K,
Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh and Assam. Another AIIMS like institutions
to be set up in Bihar.
15. A post graduate institute of Horticulture Research & Education is to be set up in
Amritsar.
16. 3 new National Institute of Pharmaceuticals Education and Research in
Maharashtra,
Rajasthan & Chattisgarh and one institute of Science and Education Research
is to be set up in Nagaland & Orissa each.
17. University of Disability Studies will be established in Kerala. 50
18. In Arunachal Pradesh, Centre of film production, animation and gaming will come
up.
19. For Infrastructure sector Rs. 70,000 crores allocated. Projects in rail road and
irrigation bonds will be tax free.
20. For Rural Infrastructure Development Bank, Rs. 25,000 crore allocated.
21. Target of renewable energy capacity revised to 175000 MW till 2022,
comprising 100000 MW Solar, 60000 MW Wind, 10000 MW Biomass and 5000 MW
Small Hydro.
22. Forward Markets commission to be merged with SEBI.
Visit http://newstechcafe.com
Page 49
Page 50
Page 51
Date
12th January
15th January
24th January
25th January
30th January
4th February
28th February
8th March
Visit http://newstechcafe.com
Day
National Youth Day ( Birthday of Swami Vivekanand)
Army Day
National Girl Child Day
National Tourism Day/ voters Day
National Martyrs Day & World anti Leprosy Day
World Cancer Day
National Science Day
International Womens Day
Page 52
9.
march)
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
34.
35.
36.
37.
38.
39.
40.
41.
42.
43.
44.
45.
46.
47.
48.
49.
50.
51.
52.
9th March
15th March
20th March
21st March
22nd March
23rd March
24th March
2nd April
7th April
21st April
22nd April
24th April
1st May
3rd May
11th May
21st May
31st May
5th June
1st July
11th July
6th August
9th August
12th August
29th August
5th September
8th September
14th September
15th September
16th September
2nd October
8th October
9th October
24th October
17th November
18th November
19th November
27th November
1st December
4th December
10th December
14th December
22nd December
24th December
25th December
Visit http://newstechcafe.com
WSTECHCAFE.C
Page 53
Vajpai)
53.
21st June
STE
Countries
Austria
Argentina
Australia
Afghanistan
Azerbaijan
Bangladesh
Belarus
Belgium
Bhutan
Brazil
Cambodia
Canada
Chile
China
Colombia
Costa Rica
Colon
Croatia
Cuba
Czech Republic
Denmark
Egypt
Ethiopia
Fiji
Finland
France
Germany
Ghana
Greece
Hungary
Hong-kong
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Ireland
Visit http://newstechcafe.com
Capital
Currency
Vienna
Buenos Aires
Canberra
Kabul
Baku
Dhaka
Minsk
Brussels
Thimphu
Barsilia
Phnom penh
Ottawa
Santiago
Beijing
Bogota
San jose
Euro
Peso
Australian Dollar
Afgan-afgani
Zagreb
Havana
Prague
Copenhagen
Cairo
Addis Ababa
Suva
Helsinki
Paris
Berlin
Accra
Athens
Budapest
Victoria
Reykjavik
New Delhi
Jakarta
Tehran
Baghdad
Dublin
Kuna
Peso
Koruna
Krone
Pound
Ethiopian Birr
Dollar
Euro
Euro
Euro
Cedi
Euro
Forint
Dollar
Euro
Indian Rupee
Rupiah
Rial
Dinar
Euro
Manat
Taka
Ruble
Euro
Ngultrum
Real
Riel
Canadian Dollar
Peso
Yuan
Peso
Costa
Rican
Page 54
Israel
Italy
Japan
Jordon
Jamaica
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Korea North
Korea South
Kuwait
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malaysia
Maldives
Mauritius
Mexico
Myanmar (Burma)
Namibia
Nepal
Netherlands
New Zealand
Nigeria
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Peru
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Qatar
Russia
Saudi Arabia
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Singapore
South Africa
South Sudan
Spain
Sri Lanka
Sweden
Switzerland
Syria
Taiwan
Visit http://newstechcafe.com
Jerusalem
Rome
Tokyo
Amman
Dinar
Kingston
Astana
Nairobi
Pyongyang
Seoul
Kuwait City
Riga
Vilnius
Luxembourg
Kuala Lumpur
Male
Port Louis
Mexico city
Nay Pyi Taw (Rangoon)
Windhoek
Kathmandu
Amsterdam
Wellington
Abuja
Oslo
Muscat
Islamabad
Lima
Manila
Warsaw
Lisbon
Doha
Moscow
Riyadh
Victoria
Freetown
Singapore
Cape Town
Juba
Madrid
Colombo
Stockholm
Bern
Damascus
Taipei
Sheqel
Euro
Yen
HCAFE.COM
Dollar
Tenge
Shilling
Won
Won
Dinar
Euro
Euro
Euro
Ringgit
Rufiyaa
Rupee
Peso
Kyat
Dollar
Rupee
Euro
Dollar
Naira
Krone
Rial
Rupee
Nuewo Sol
Peso
Polish Zloty
Euro
Riyal
Ruble
Riyal
Rupee
Leone
Dollar
Rand
Pound
Euro
Rupee
Krona
France
Pound
Dollar
Page 55
Tajikistan
Thailand
Turkey
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates (UAE)
United States of America
Vietnam
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe
United Kingdom
Visit http://newstechcafe.com
Dushanbe Tanzania
Bangkok
Ankara
Kampala
Kyiv
Abu Dhabi
Washington D.C
Hanoi
Sanaa
Lusaka
Harare
London
Somoni
Bhat
Lira
Shilling
Hryvnia
Dirham
Dollar
Dong
Rial
Kwacha
Dollar
Pound
Page 56