Inter-State Council reconstituted with PM Modi as chairman
The Inter-State Council has been reconstituted with Prime Minister Narendra Modi as its Chairman and six Union ministers and all chief ministers as members.
Inter-State Council reconstituted:
a. Inter-State Council investigates and advises on disputes between states. The Union ministers who will be members of the reconstituted council are:
1.Rajnath Singh (Home)
2.Sushma Swaraj (External Affairs)
3.Arun Jaitley (Finance)
4.Nitin Gadkari (Road Transport)
5.Thaawar Chand Gehlot (Social Justice and Empowerment)
6.Nirmala Sitharaman (Defence)
b. Chief Ministers of all states and Union territories having legislative assemblies will also be members of the council.
c. The following Union ministers have been made permanent invitees to the council:
1.Suresh Prabhu (Commerce)
2.Ramvilas Paswan (Food)
3.Harsimrat Kaur Badal (Food Processing Industries)
4.Jual Oram (Tribal Affairs)
5.Prakash Javadekar (HRD)
6.Dharmendra Pradhan (Petroleum)
7.Piyush Goyal (Railway)
About Inter-State Council:
a. Purpose – discuss and investigate policies, subjects of common interest, and disputes, among states.
Assam signs MoUs with Singapore for skilling state’s youth
On 1st November 2017, Assam government signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and Terms of Reference (ToR) with Singapore for skilling youth of the state.
Assam signs MoU with Singapore:
a. The MoU and ToR for North East Skills Centre (NESC) was signed between Skill, Employment and Entrepreneurship Department, of Assam and ITE Education Service, Singapore, in Guwahati, Assam.
b. A MoU for Guwahati City Greening was signed between the Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority and Singapore Corporation Enterprise.
c. The Assam government’s project for beautification and improvement of quality of life of Guwahati is named ‘Guwahati Open Space and Park Integrator (GOPI) Network’.
d. This project would be developed on the model of “Park Connector Network” and implemented by National Park Authority in Singapore.
About Singapore:
a. President – Halimah Yacob
b. Prime Minister – Lee Hsien Loong
c. Foreign Affairs Minister – Dr Vivian Balakrishnan
Karnataka’s Mudhol Hound becomes First Indian Dog Breed to be trained for Army Duty
Karnataka’s Mudhol Hound, an Indian dog breed, is being trained to serve in the Indian Army, making it the First Indian Dog Breed to be trained for Army Duty.
Mudhol Hound – First Indian Dog in Indian Army:
a. The Army’s Remount and Veterinary Corps (RVC) centre is training the Mudhol Hound dogs. It has almost completed training six hounds.
b. After their training, the dogs will be posted in Jammu and Kashmir at the end of 2017. The dogs were native to Karnataka. They were sent to Meerut centre. They have been undergoing intense training for a year.
About Mudhol Hound:
a. Origin – India
b. Other names – Mudhol Dog, Caravan Hound
Government unveils draft norms for drones, proposes unique IDs
On 1st November 2017, the Civil Aviation Ministry released draft norms for the unmanned aircraft systems that stated that, drones for civilian use will require a Unique Identification Number and Radio Frequency tags.
Unique Identification Number and Radio Frequency tags for Drones:
a. As per the draft norms, Drones require Unique Identification Numbers Drones, Radio Frequency tags and return to home option and anti-collision lights.
b. Nano drones (weighing below 250 g) are exempted from seeking one-time approval, including the unique number requirement. Mini Drones (weighing between 2 kg and 25 kg) need to comply with remote pilot approval requirement.
c. All drones are proposed to be operated in visual line of sight, during day time only and below 200 feet. Drones are barred to be operated within 5 km of an airport.
d. They are restricted from within 50 km from international border and beyond 500 m (horizontal) into sea along the coastline.
e. Drones are not allowed within 5 km radius from Vijay Chowk (in national capital) and also from a mobile platform such as a moving vehicle, ship or aircraft.
About Civil Aviation Ministry:
a. Minister of Civil Aviation – Pusapati Ashok Gajapati Raju
b. Minister of State for Civil Aviation – Jayant Sinha
Odisha imposes 7-month ban on fishing to protect Olive Ridley turtles
The Odisha Government has imposed seven-months ban i.e. til May 2018, on fishing in the Puri coast in order to protect the endangered Olive Ridley sea turtle.
a. This ban comes prior to arrival of Olive Ridley turtles for nesting in the winter season along the east coast of Odisha.
b. Every year 5 lakh to 10 lakh Olive Ridley turtles come to the state during winters for mass nesting in Rushikulya river mouth and Gahirmatha marine sanctuary along Odisha coast.
c. The restriction is imposed in accordance with provisions of Orissa Marine Fishing Regulation Act (OMFRA), 1982 and provisions of Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
Due to this ban
a. Around 26,000 traditional marine fishermen in coastal Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur districts are likely to be affected.
b. State Forest Department has set up turtle protection camps including 3 offshore camps in Gahirmatha marine sanctuary. It also has set up on-shore camp in Gahirmatha marine sanctuary.
c. It also has set up on-shore camps at 13 places in addition to 4 temporary incubation centres for safety of eggs.
Olive Ridley
a. Scientific name – Lepidochelys olivacea.
b. Protection Status – Listed as endangered species in IUCN Red Data book.
c. Generally found in warm and tropical waters, primarily in the Pacific and Indian Oceans.
Italy PM Paolo Gentiloni’s two days visit to India
On October 29, 2017, Prime Minister of Italy Paolo Gentiloni arrived in India for two-day official visit. Mr. Gentiloni was accompanied by a 15-member delegation of Italian businessmen.
a. This is the first visit to India by an Italian Prime Minister in last ten years.Romano Prodi was the last Italian Prime Minister to visit India.
b. During the course of this visit, Mr. Gentiloni met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India President Ram Nath kovind and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.It is to be noted that in 2018, India and Italy will be celebrating the 70th anniversary of their diplomatic relations.
Six pacts signed between India & Italy:
| 1 | A joint declaration of intent of cooperation for safety in the railway sector. |
| 2 | MoU on cooperation in the field of energy. |
| 3 | MoU for promoting mutual investments between the Italian Trade Agency and Invest India. |
| 4 | MoU to mark 70 years of India-Italy diplomatic relations between the Indian Council of Cultural Relations and the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. |
| 5 | MoU between the training unit of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the Foreign Service Institute of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs. |
| 6 | An executive protocol on cultural cooperation |
World’s third largest book fair opens in Sharjah
World’s third largest book fair, Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) 2017, opened pm November 1, 2017 in Sharjah, UAE.
About Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) 2017:
a. SIBF 2017 has been organized by Sharjah Book Authority (SBA). The fair will continue for 11 days.
b. The theme of SIBF 2017 is ‘A World in My Book’.
c. As United Kingdom is SIBF 2017 ‘Country of Honour’, a special programme will be held featuring elite British authors and prominent literary figures.
d. The fair showcases more than 1.5 million book titles and 1650 publishing houses from 60 countries.
e. Two million visitors are expected to attend Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) 2017.
f. Book sales in last year’s SIBF reached USD 48.2 million.
g. It is to be noted that Sharjah has been declared as the ‘World Book Capital 2019’ by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
India has the largest number of malnourished kids in world – Report
As per the joint study by Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) and Ernst & Young (EY), India has the largest number of malnourished children in the world.
Highlights of Joint study by ASSOCHAM and EY:
Nearly 40% of Indian children were reportedly undernourished in the year 2015.
a. Although there has been an overall reduction in the infant mortality rate and under-five mortality rate in India during 2005-2015, India is still home to 50 percent of undernourished children of the world.
b. As per the study, 37% of Indian kids, under five years of age are underweight while 39% are stunted.
c. Around 21% Indian kids have low weight for their height and 8% are acutely malnourished.
d. Prevalence of wasting was higher in rural India at 38% as compared to urban India at 29%.
e. Stunting prevalence reduced from 48 percent in 2005-06 to 39 percent in 2015-16, whereas wasting prevalence increased slightly from 19.8 percent to 21 percent during this period.
f. The study outlined that only 10% of children ageing 6-23 months are receiving nutritionally adequate diet.
g. Jharkhand has the highest number of underweight kids (less than five years of age).
h. The highest number of kids with stunting was reported from Uttar Pradesh.
i. Citing 2015 data from World Health Organisation (WHO), the report highlighted that urban India is facing a challenge of overnutrition. As per WHO data, India ranked as the third most obese nation in the world after the US and China and is also the diabetes capital of the world, with about 69.2 million diabetic patients.
Indiana, Karnataka in pact for sister-state ties
Indiana, a State in the US, and Karnataka have signed an agreement to establish sister-state ties for cooperation in economic, educational and cultural fields.
Indiana & Karnataka – sister state ties:
a. The agreement was signed between Indiana Governor Eric J Holcomb and Priyank Khage, Karnataka Minister for IT, BT and Tourism. The Indiana delegation is on a tour in India and visited a few US companies.
b. Indiana and Karnataka will focus on workforce development, academic co-operation, information and communications technologies, advanced manufacturing and materials, life sciences, agriculture and agriculture technology, automotive and aerospace and aviation.
c. Through partnerships with companies like Infosys and Wipro, Indiana has become closely linked to Karnataka.
About Indiana:
a. U.S. state located in the mid-western region of North America
b. Capital – Indianapolis
India, Kazakhstan joint exercise “Prabal Dostyk- 2017” begins in Himachal Pradesh
On 2nd November 2017, Indian and Kazakhstan armies began a 14-day joint exercise “Prabal Dostyk- 2017” in Himachal Pradesh, to strengthen bilateral relations and exchange skills and experience.
Prabal Dostyk- 2017:
a. This is the second joint military exercise between India and Kazakhstan. The first edition of “Prabal Dostyk” was held in Kazakhstan in 2016.
b.The joint exercise is aimed at improving the military relationship between India and Kazakhstan and achieving interoperability between the two armies.
c. The joint exercise aims to acquaint the forces with each other’s operating procedures with focus on counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations under the UN’s mandate.
d. Senior military observers of India and Kazakhstan would witness the validation phase of the joint exercise.
About Kazakhstan:
a. Capital – Astana
b.Official languages – Kazakh, Russian
c. President – Nursultan Nazarbayev
d. Prime Minister – Bakhytzhan Sagintayev
Yes Bank Unveils Bhim Yes Pay
Private sector bank, Yes Bank has unveiled BHIM YES PAY which is being termed as India’s 1st wallet that is fully integrated with all the IndiaStack APIs and National Payment Corporation of India (NPCI) products.
About ‘BHIM Yes Pay’:
a.BHIM YES PAY is currently available for Android Users and will soon be available for iOS users.
b. Around 5.5 lakh customers of Yes Bank are currently registered on BHIM YES PAY.
c.In addition to other payment infrastructure like Unified Payments Interface (UPI)and Immediate Payment Service (IMPS), BHIM YES PAY has been integrated with three other products of National Payment Corporation of India (NPCI) viz. RuPay Virtual Card, BharatQR and Bharat Bill Payment Service (BBPS).
Quick Facts about Yes Bank:
a.Founded in – 2004
b. Headquarters – Mumbai
c.Current CEO – Rana Kapoor
Walmart India launched its first fulfilment centre in Mumbai
After signing a memorandum of understanding with the Maharashtra government, Walmart India on 2nd Nov 2017 has announced its plans to launch its Cash and Carry business in Mumbai to enable small businesses.
a. The global chain recently signed an MoU with the Maharashtra government to build 15 Cash and Carry stores under the brand `Best Price’ in the state. Of these, two stores have already been set up.
b. It is one of the globally fast adopting online retail services.
c. As part of the growth plans in Maharashtra and with the objective of catering to the business needs of small businesses, resellers, kirana stores, office and institutions and HoReCa members of Mumbai city and neighbouring areas, Walmart India is planning to open a Fulfillment Center (FC) in the city.
d. This FC will bring in almost 1,500 direct and indirect jobs to the city and help develop SME suppliers in the state.
e. The FC will contribute to the State and local economy by creating over 1,500 direct and indirect local jobs, developing SME suppliers, enhancing women’s economic empowerment and empowering local communities.
f. Members will be able to shop from the comforts of their premises in four ways – by browsing and placing orders through its website www.bestprice.in ; through Best Price mobile app; by dialling the Call Centre (0120-4878888 and 180030101911) and through various Kirana Relationship Managers.
EESL receives $454 mn funding from Global Environment Facility for energy efficiency programs
Global Environment Facility (GEF), an international partnership of 183 countries, International development banks, United Nations agencies and international non-governmental organisations (NGOs) will provide $454 million funding for energy-efficiency projects run by Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL).
More Information about funding from Global Environment Facility for energy efficiency programs:
Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL) is leading implementation of energy efficiency projects across India. It is promoted by four public sector firms in the energy sector viz.NTPC Ltd, Power Grid Corp. of India Ltd., Rural Electrification Corp. Ltd and Power Finance Corp. Ltd.
a. $454 million funding to EESL comprises of a GEF grant of $20 million and co-financing of $434 million in the form of loans and equity. The loan component also includes $200 million loan from the Asian Development Bank.
b. EESL will use these funds in its programmes for street lighting, domestic lighting and promoting five-star rated ceiling fans and agricultural pumps.
c. Projects executed by using these funds will help EESL to mitigate 60 million tonnes (mt) of carbon dioxide emissions.
Overview of Energy Efficiency Market in backdrop of Climate Change:
India is among world’s most vulnerable countries which could suffer from adverse effects of climate change.
a. India is the third biggest emitter of greenhouse gases after the US and China.As part of its commitments to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change adopted in 2015, Indian Government plans to reduce country’s carbon footprint by 33-35% from its 2005 levels by 2030.
b. Owing to developments in this direction, the energy-efficiency market in India is estimated at $22.81 billion.
About Global Environment Facility (GEF):
a. GEF was established in 1992 on eve of Rio Earth Summit.
b. Secretariat of GEF is located in Washington D.C., US.
c. Naoko Ishii is the current CEO and Chairperson of GEF.
d. Till Date, GEF has provided over $17 billion in grants and has mobilised $88 billion in financing for over 4000 projects in 170 countries.
Asia Index launches S&P BSE 100 ESG Index
Asia Index Pvt Ltd, a joint venture of S&P Dow Jones Indices and BSE (Bombay Stock Exchange), has launched an Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) index.
ESG Index:
a. The ESG Index has been launched to measure the exposure to securities meeting sustainability investing criteria. Ashishkumar Chauhan, MD & CEO of BSE, said that, this index would help to attract ESG-Focused investors.
b. The S&P BSE 100 ESG Index uses the S&P BSE 100 as its universe. It excludes all tobacco producing companies, and companies with tobacco sales greater than 10 %.
c. It also excludes all companies producing controversial weapons and all companies at or below the bottom 5 % of the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) score.
d. The index is rebalanced annually in June and is weighted by float adjusted market capitalisation and is calculated in Indian rupees and US dollars.
About BSE (Bombay Stock Exchange):
a. Asia’s first stock exchange
b. MD & CEO – Ashishkumar Chauhan
Chanda Kochhar, Priyanka Chopra featured on Forbes 100 most powerful women in the world
ICICI Bank Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Managing Director (MD) Chanda Kochhar and Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra have featured on the list of the world’s 100 most powerful women compiled by Forbes.
Forbes 100 most powerful women in the world:
a. The overall list was topped by German Chancellor Angela Merkel. She has retained the top position for the seventh consecutive year and 12 times in total.
b. Second position is occupied by UK Prime Minister Theresa May. Third place was secured by Melinda Gates, co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
c. PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi is at the 11th position. Chanda Kochhar, CEO & MD of ICICI was ranked 32 on the list. HCL Corp. CEO Roshni Nadar Malhotra took the 57th position.
d. Other Indians on the list are Shobhana Bhartia, chairperson and editorial director for HT Media, at the 92nd place and Priyanka Chopra, at 97. The list covered four metrics—money, media presence, spheres of influence and impact.
About Forbes:
a. Editor-in-chief – Steve Forbes
b. Category – Business Magazine
Mumbai’s restored Royal Opera House bags UNESCO heritage award
On 1st November 2017, Royal Opera House in Charni Road, Mumbai, was awarded the 2017 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Award for Cultural Heritage Conservation.
Royal Opera House – 2017 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Award for Cultural Heritage Conservation:
a.The Royal Opera House was closed to the public in 1993. It was reopened in 2016 after restoration
b. It was originally inaugurated by Britain’s King George V in 1911 and completed in 1916. It is currently owned by Maharaja Joytendrasinhji Jadeja and Maharani Kumud Kumari Jadeja of Gondal, Gujarat.
c. Honorary director of the heritage site, Ashish Doshi, said pictures taken by an Australian journalist in 1914 helped them replicate the structure.
d. While restoring the building, architect Abha Narain Lambah provided facilities such as modern acoustics, sound, lighting and air conditioning to visitors.
About UNESCO:
a. Full form – United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
b. Headquarters – Paris, France
c. Director-General of UNESCO – Audrey Azoulay
Paytm Payments Bank appoints Sudhanshu Jain as CFO
On 1st November 2017, Paytm Payments Bank appointed former ICICI Bank executive Sudhanshu Jain as its Chief Financial Officer (CFO).
Sudhanshu Jain – CFO of Paytm Payments Bank:
a. Sudhanshu Jain has 14 years of experience across internal audit, finance and borrowing roles. He was earlier assistant general manager and head of borrowing at the foreign exchange desk at ICICI Bank.
b. At Paytm, Jain will be in charge of all financial and regulatory management functions for the Paytm Payments Bank and oversee its finances and expansion plans.
c. Jain graduated in commerce from St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata, and holds degrees in chartered accountancy and company secretaryship.
About Paytm:
a. Indian electronic payment and e-commerce brand
b. CEO – Vijay Shekhar Sharma
Rajesh Vaishnaw appointed as High Commissioner of India to the Republic of Malta
Shri Rajesh Vaishnaw who was an IFS Officer in the year 1996, presently Joint Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs has been appointed as the next High Commissioner of India to the Republic of Malta.
i. He is expected to take up his assignment shortly.
The Republic of Malta
a. Capital – Valletta
b. Largest city – Birkirkara
c. Legislature – House of Representatives
d. Government – Unitary Parliamentary Republic
e. President – Maria Louise Coleiro Preka
Gatorade signs Neeraj Chopra as Brand Ambassador
On 1st November 2017, junior world record holder javelin thrower, Neeraj Chopra was appointed as brand ambassador for Gatorade, sports drinks giant, in a partnership up to 2021.
Neeraj Chopra – Brand Ambassador for Gatorade:
a. Neeraj Chopra is a 19 year old javelin thrower. He has been signed as brand ambassador for Gatorade.
b. He would work with Gatorade India’s Gatorade Sports Science Institute during the period of the partnership till 2021 to better understand his training and match day nutrition.
c. Gatorade is currently manufactured by PepsiCo and is distributed in over 80 countries. Gatorade is the official sports drink of various athletic organizations and also provides supplies of the drinks to sponsored teams.
About Gatorade:
a. Products – sports drink, nutrition bar, protein drink and other sports nutrition products
b. Owner – PepsiCo.
Allahabad to get India’s first black buck conservation reserve
On October 31, 2017, Uttar Pradesh State cabinet took a decision to make India’s first conservation reserve for black buck in Meja Forest Division of Allahabad.
a. Among five major decisions taken by Uttar Pradesh State Government during cabinet meeting on October 31, 2017, decision on black buck conservation reserve in Meja, Allahabad is considered as the most important one.
b. Uttar Pradesh State Government believes that this decision will not only protect black bucks but will also attract tourists.
c. The blackbuck is also known as the Indian antelope. It is found in India, Nepal and Pakistan.
d. As per Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, hunting black bucks is prohibited in India.
e. On October 31, 2017, Uttar Pradesh State Government also took a decision to develop eco-tourism in nearly two dozen places across the state.
Hong Kong to be first Asian host of Gay Games
Hong Kong has become the first Asian city to host the Gay Games in 2022.
Hong Kong – first Asian host of Gay Games:
a. Hong Kong beat Mexico’s Guadalajara and Washington DC to host the 11th edition of Gay Games. The event is expected to attract 15,000 participants.
b. It is organised by the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) community. The Gay Games was founded by former Olympic decathlete Tom Waddell and first held in San Francisco in 1982.
c. The next edition will be held in Paris in August 2018, featuring 36 sports, from mountain biking to fencing and athletics.
About Hong Kong:
a.Status – Special administrative region
b.Currency – Hong Kong dollar
c. Official languages – Chinese, English
Virender Sehwag Gate inaugurated at Feroz Shah Kotla
On 31st October 2017, the Delhi District Cricket Association inaugurated the Virender Sehwag Gate at the Feroz Shah Kotla.
Virender Sehwag Gate inaugurated:
a. A gate at the Feroz Shah Kotla dedicated to cricket legend Virender Sehwag was inaugurated by the Delhi and District Cricket Association.
b. Sehwag said it was a huge honour for him to have a gate named after him at the Kotla – the ground where he started his journey to become a great. He also said that, this gate will act as a source of inspiration for young cricketers.
About Virender Sehwag:
a. Role – Opening batsman, occasional offspinner
b. Batting – Right-handed
c. Bowling – Right arm off break
Goa ranks top, Bihar at bottom of Gender Vulnerability Index
Goa ranked at top and Bihar featured at the lowest in the first ever Gender Vulnerability Index (GVI) released by child rights organisation ‘Plan India’. GVI provides information on nature and magnitude of various problems affecting children, particularly girls, in difficult circumstances.
About Gender Vulnerability Index (GVI):
Gender Vulnerability Index (GVI) has been compiled by ‘Plan India’ a non-government organisation and was released by Union Women and Child Development Ministry on November 1, 2017.
a. In GVI, states have been assessed and given scores on 170 indicator placed under four broad parameters — education, health, poverty and protection against violence.
b. Scores are on a scale of zero to one. Higher score reflects better performance.
c. Information provided in GVI report will assist policy makers to identify priority areas.
d. As gender vulnerability scores of different districts of the same state may be significantly higher or lower as compared to state’s average, ‘Plan India’ will also come up with further breakdown of this index at district level to reflect a more precise scenario.
Highlights of Gender Vulnerability Index (GVI) Report:
Goa has topped the index with a GVI score of 0.656, whereas Bihar is at the bottom of the table with a GVI score of 0.410
a. National average GVI score is 0.5314.
b. On parameter of ‘Education’, Himachal Pradesh topped the list, whereas Delhi was placed at the bottom.
c. Kerala has been adjudged as the best state on ‘Health’ parameter, while Bihar ranked as the worst state.
d. On parameter of ‘Poverty’, Manipur, Mizoram and Tamil Nadu are the top three states. On this parameter also Bihar was placed at bottom
e. In terms of ‘Protection against violence’, Goa emerged as the best state while Uttar Pradesh stood at bottom as worst performer.
Gender Vulnerability Index (GVI) Score – Top 5 State
| State | GVI Score |
| Goa | 0.649 |
| Kerala | 0.625 |
| Mizoram | 0.620 |
| Sikkim | 0.604857 |
| Manipur | 0.60374 |
Ajay Bisaria Named India’s Next High Commissioner to Pakistan
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