CURRENT AFFAIRS 2019

1. BestCurrentAffairs.com NATIONAL “SAGAR VANI” INFORMATION DISSEMINATION SYSTEM LAUNCHED  Minister of Science & Technology Dr. Harshvardhan launched an app ―Sagar Vani‖ on the occasion of Foundation Day of Ministry of Earth Sciences in New Delhi.  ESSO-Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) under Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) provides ocean information services for the benefit of various user communities in the country.  The services are more fruitfully utilized when the advisories reaches the end user in timely manner and in user readable format.  Now-a-days ICT facilities in the country are accessible to large population of the country and that plays a major role in effective dissemination of information to the end user. ESSO-INCOIS has adopted the state-of-the-art technologies and tools available in the country for the timely dissemination of Ocean Information and Advisory Services that includes Potential Fishing Zone (PFZ) advisories, Ocean State Forecast (OSF), High Wave Alerts and Tsunami early warnings.  There are 3288 marine fishing villages and 1511 marine fish landing centres with marine fisher folk population of 3,999,214. About 37.8% (1,511,703) of marine fisher folk are engaged in active fishing. About 927,120 fishermen were involved in actual fishing either full or part time.  ESSO-INCOIS is serving about 3.17 lakhs of users directly through in-house efforts as well as through the partnering organizations including NGO‘s and there is yet to cover. Hence, it is necessary to target the reach of information to the 9.27 lakh involved in actual fishing either full or part time.  Presently, the advisories are being disseminated to the stakeholders from different service sections and through various stakeholders and partners, which might cause delay in dissemination of the services.  In order to effectively and timely disseminate the advisories, directly from the lab to the end user, an Integrated Information Dissemination System (IDS) named as ―SAGAR VANI‖ has been developed by ESSO-INCOIS through the Industry M/s. Gaian Solutions Pvt. Ltd.  The ‗Sagar Vani‘ is a software platform where various dissemination modes will be integrated on a single central server.  The ‗Sagar Vani‘ includes Multi Lingual SMS, Voice Call / Audio Advisory, Mobile Apps (User / Admin modules), Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.), Email, GTS, Fax, Digital Display Boards, Radio / Television broadcast units, IVRS, Cloud Channels, etc.  The system also has facility to provide access to various stakeholders (NGOs, State Fishery Departments, Disaster Management Authorities, etc.) so that they too will be able to further disseminate these ocean information and alerts to the user community.  This ‗Sagar Vani‘ system compares with the most advanced countries‘ services in terms of speed of delivery, omni channel capabilities and diverseness of services. With this system, the services will be disseminated in local languages using advanced artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities.  For the first time in India, we are also using the power of television and cable network mediums for topical and alert dissemination services.  The ‗Sagar Vani‘ will now serve the coastal community, especially the fishermen community with the advisories and alerts towards their livelihood as well as their safety at Sea. MINERAL PRODUCTION IN INDIA IN 2017  The index of mineral production of mining and quarrying sector for the month of May (new Series 2011-12=100) 2017 at 100.5, was 0.9% lower as compared to the level in the month of May 2016.  The total value of mineral production (excluding atomic & minor minerals) in the country during May 2017 was Rs. 19944 crore.  The contribution of Coal was the highest at Rs. 7171 crore (36%). Next in the order of importance were: Petroleum (crude) Rs. 5634 crore, Iron ore Rs. 2551 crore, Natural gas (utilized) Rs. 2235 crore, Limestone Rs. 602 crore and Lignite Rs. 470 crore. These six minerals together contributed about 94% of the total value of mineral production in May 2017.  Production level of important minerals in May 2017 were: Coal 505 lakh tonnes, Lignite 30 lakh tonnes, Natural gas (utilized) 2701 million cu. m., Petroleum (crude) 31 lakh tonnes, Bauxite 1973 thousand tonnes, Chromite 254 thousand tonnes, Copper conc. 11 thousand tonnes, Gold 117 kg., Iron ore 160 lakh tonnes, Lead conc. 26 thousand tonnes, Manganese ore 237 thousand tonnes, Zinc conc. 123 thousand tonnes, Apatite & Phosphorite 50 thousand tonnes, Limestone 282 lakh tonnes, Magnesite 20 thousand tonnes and Diamond 1648 carat.  The production of important minerals showing positive growth during May 2017 over May 2016 include: ‗Zinc conc.‘ (96.9%), ‗Copper conc.‘ (52.0%), ‗Lead conc.‘ (47.4%), ‗Gold‘ (25.8%), ‗Manganese ore‘ (19.6%), ‗Limestone‘ (5.6%), ‗Natural gas (utilized)‘ (5.2%), ‗Petroleum (crude)‘ (0.7%) and ‗Chromite‘ (0.6%). The production of other important minerals showing negative growth are: ‗Diamond‘ [(-) 47.4%], ‗Magnesite‘ [(-) 31.8%], ‗Bauxite‘ [(-) 22.4%], ‗Apatite & Phosphorite‘ [(-) 10.4%], ‗Lignite‘ [(-) 6.3%], ‗Iron ore‘ [(-) 4.5%] and ‗Coal‘ [(-) 3.2%]. BestCurrentAffairs.com JULY 2017 BestCurrentAffairs.com Page No.1

2. BestCurrentAffairs.com INDUSTRIAL CORRIDORS IN INDIA: LATEST STATUS REPORT  An industrial corridor is a package of infrastructure spending allocated to a specific geographical area, with the intent to stimulate industrial development. An industrial corridor aims to create an area with a cluster of manufacturing or other industry. Such corridors are often created in areas that have preexisting infrastructure, such as ports, highways and railroads.  These modalities are arranged such that an ―arterial‖ modality, such as a highway or railroad, receives ―feeder‖ roads or railways. Concerns when creating corridors including correctly assessing demand and viability, transport options for goods and workers, land values, and economic incentives for companies.  Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC): Construction of trunk infrastructure at four nodes/ industrial regions namely, Dholera Special Investment Region (Gujarat), Shendra Bidkin Industrial Area (Maharashtra), Integrated Industrial Township ‗Vikram Udyogpuri‘ near Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh) and Integrated Industrial Township Greater Noida (Uttar Pradesh) is under progress and probable timelines for completion are September, 2019, March, 2019, June, 2019 and June, 2019 respectively.  Chennai Bengaluru Industrial Corridor (CBIC): Perspective plan for the overall corridor has been completed and three nodes have been identified for development namely, Krishnapatnam in Andhra Pradesh; Tumakuru in Karnataka; and Ponneri in Tamil Nadu.  Bengaluru Mumbai Industrial Corridor (BMIC): The Perspective Plan has been completed for BMIC Region and approved by the respective State Governments. Dharwad node in Karnataka has been identified as the priority node for further implementation. State Government of Maharashtra has given in principle approval for the development of Sangli/Solapur Node.  Amritsar Kolkata Industrial Corridor (AKIC): The Perspective Plan for overall AKIC Region has been completed. The respective State Governments have identified sites (one each) for developing Integrated Manufacturing Clusters (IMC) along the AKIC. The concept Master Plan for the identified IMCs has been prepared and approved by the States.  Vizag- Chennai Industrial Corridor (VCIC): Government of India gave its concurrence for engaging Asian Development Bank (ADB) for carrying out feasibility study and preparing the Concept Development Plan (CDP) for East Coast Economic Corridor (ECEC) in a phased manner in May, 2014. In the first phase, VCIC segment of ECEC was taken up. Government of Andhra Pradesh (GoAP) is implementing the project. In September 2016, ADB approved US$ 631 million (loans & grants) for VCIC. GoAP is to provide counterpart funding of US$215 million. GoAP has prioritised two nodes namely Vishakhapatnam & Srikalhasti-Thottambedu for master planning. GUJARAT TOPS IN MARINE FISH PRODUCTION IN INDIA  Gujarat tops in marine fish production in India in year 2016. Andhra Pradesh is the second largest producer in 2016.  State wise details of seafood production in the country during the last three year, year-wise and State-wise is as below: Marine Fish Production by States/Union Territories (in Thousand Tonnes) Sl. No. State/UT 2014-15 1. Gujarat 698.45 2. Andhra Pradesh 475.40 3. Goa 114.70 4. Karnataka 399.82 5. Kerala 524.47 6. Maharashtra 463.59 7. Odisha 133.21 8. Tamil Nadu 457.45 9. West Bengal 178.85 10. Andman and Nicobar Islands 11. Daman and Diu 31.54 12. Lakshadweep 13.19 13. Puducherry 41.83 All India 3569.48 Source:- Department of Animal Husbandry Dairying & Fisheries  The Government through Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) is extending technical and financial assistance in the capture fisheries sector to develop the infrastructure facilities for the fishing, processing, value addition and export of seafood products.  MPEDA is also supporting the Aquaculture sector to increase the production of export oriented aquaculture through various technical/financial assistance schemes, research & development and extension activities  Details of top 5 countries for year 2016 to which maximum marine food products were exported, are given below:- BestCurrentAffairs.com JULY 2017 BestCurrentAffairs.com Page No.2 2015-16 697.33 520.27 107.07 411.74 516.75 434.12 144.76 466.60 178.20 37.13 2016-17 723.83 538.60 111.65 427.24 538.38 452.28 150.16 485.00 185.50 38.63 36.98 22.55 15.94 47.25 3599.71 23.52 14.05 97.48 3786.32

3. BestCurrentAffairs.com Value Qty Country Name USA VIETNAM JAPAN SPAIN BELGIUM Total export to the World BestCurrentAffairs.com Tons 188617 318171 69039 53004 100468 1134948 Rs.Crore 11482.16 8776.35 2621.37 1545.26 1483.52 37870.90 USD(Mln) 1731.81 1323.28 394.50 233.00 223.53 5777.61 „SOCIO ECONOMIC AND CASTE CENSUS‟ COST REVISED  The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, headed by PM Modi has approved the proposal of Department of Rural Development for revision of cost of Socio Economic and Caste Census 2011 (SECC 2011). It provides for: (a) Revising the cost of SECC 2011 to Rs. 4893.60 crore from the approved estimated expenditure of Rs.3,543.29 crore within the indicative cost of Rs.4,000 crore as approved by the Government. (b) Approval of time and cost overrun and consequential revision in the upper limit of cost per record to the consortium of Central Public Sector Undertakings.  The SECC -2011 project has been concluded on 31.3.2016. The cost has already been committed and the project has met all its milestones. Major Impact:  The Government of India has been spending a large sum of money on poverty alleviation and welfare programmes in rural and urban areas of the country to assist the poor and the marginalized section of the society. The SECC has paved the way for better targeting of the poor and evidence based targeted intervention for ameliorating conditions of the poor households.  Before the availability of SECC data, correct identification of eligible beneficiaries was a major challenge. Accusation of bias in the BPL list affected coverage of poorest of the poor. SECC data is based on information furnished by households.  In addition, households were given opportunity to raise claims and objections on SECC enumerated and published data. Thus, SECC database provides an authentic list of information disclosed by the households for identifying and prioritising beneficiaries under various schemes run by Ministry of Rural Development and other Departments in the Government.  Ranking of Households is made through a three-step process involving thirteen Exclusion parameters for identifying not-poor households, five Automatic Inclusion parameters for identifying poorest of the poor households and seven Deprivation Criteria for identifying poor households.  Government of India has advised States to use this process, SECC data and its TIN number of households for identification of poor under Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana (DAY), Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana-Gramin(PMAY- G), etc. Use of SECC-2011 has brought transparency in selection of beneficiary and its structured incidence with DBT having maximal impact on governance and accountability. Background:  Before the availability of SECC -21011 data, Below Poverty Line (BPL) list prepared in 2002, by States/UTs was being used for identifying beneficiaries of development programmes and schemes including Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G)) and National Social Assistance Programme(NSAP).  The 2002 BPL list attracted claims of biases. It was decided by the Government on 19.05.2011 to launch a Socio Economic and Caste Census 2011 in order to get data for ranking of households for receiving benefits from the Government.  To avoid exclusion and inclusion errors, the SECC 2011 elicited information on identified parameters from each household for identification of deprivation and multi-dimensionality of poverty.  The Ministry of Rural Development provided financial and technical support to the States/UTs for conducting Socio Economic and Caste Census-2011 (SECC-2011) to generate a large number of socio and economic indicators for ranking of each rural household across the country.  The project could not be completed in scheduled time as the States/UTs needed more time to deal with enumeration and claims and objections. Cost increased from Rs.4000 crore approved by the Government to Rs.4893.60 crore.  SECC allows ranking of households based on their socio economic status. SECC-2011 provides the government the names and number of families in each Panchayat and details their status on seven deprivation parameters.  The advantage of SECC is that it provides for programme specific customized priority list to suit programme objective and budget space to address specific deprivation. Ministry of Rural Development has generated customized priority list for Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojna-Gramin(PMAY-G) and Deen Dayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) from SECC following due selection process approved by the Government. JULY 2017 BestCurrentAffairs.com Page No.3

4. BestCurrentAffairs.com MONETARY POLICY COMMITTEE MEMBERS REMUNERATION  According to the latest norms issued by RBI, government appointed members in Monetary Policy Committee will be paid Rs. 1.5 lakh per meeting along with air travel and other reimbursements.  MPC is required to hold meetings at least four times in a year. The six-member MPC, constituted in September 2016, has three persons appointed by the central government while the rest, including the Governor, are from the RBI.  Now MOC members will need to observe a ―silent period‖ seven days before and after the rate decision for ―utmost confidentiality―.  Chetan Ghate, professor at the Indian Statistical Institute, Pami Dua, director at the Delhi School of Economics and Ravindra H Dholakia, professor at the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad are the three government- appointed members. Their appointment is for a period of four years.  Apart from RBI Governor Urjit Patel, Deputy Governor Viral V Acharya and Executive Director M D Patra are also part of the committee.  According to new regulations, the schedule of the MPC meetings for the entire fiscal year needs to be announced in advance. At least 15 days of notice is required for convening a meeting ordinarily, but an emergency meeting can be called with 24 hours notice for each member and technology-enabled arrangements need to be made for even shorter notice period meetings.  All members need to disclose their assets and liabilities and update this information once every year. RADIO BROADCASTING COMPLETES 90 YEARS IN INDIA  Radio broadcast completes 90 years in India on July 23, 2017. The first ever radio broadcast in the country went on the air from the Bombay Station on July 23, 1927 under a private company, the Indian Broadcasting Company.  On 8th of June, 1936, the Indian State Broadcasting Service became All India Radio. All India Radio (AIR) has been serving to inform, educate and entertain the masses since it‘s inception, truly living up to its motto – Bahujan Hitaya Bahujan Sukhaya.  All India Radio, now under Prasar Bharati, has the distinction of being one of the major broadcasting organizations in the world. The News Services Division of All India Radio disseminates news and comments to listeners in India and abroad. SCHEME OF DEFENCE INNOVATION FUND  The Government has approved a Scheme of Defence Innovation Fund (DIF), aimed at creating an eco-system to foster innovation and technology development in defence by engaging R&D institutes, academia, industry including MSMEs, start-ups and even individual innovators and provide them award based grant/ funding to carry out innovative development, which has good potential for future commercialization.  The Scheme is proposed to be implemented through a ‗not for profit‘ company under section 8 of the Companies Act, namely Defence Innovation Organisation (DIO). DIO has been registered with Bengaluru as its headquarter.  The DIO would be funded by two Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs), namely Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL).  The maximum corpus fund raised by HAL and BEL for DIO shall be Rs. 100 crore, Rs. 50 crore each from HAL and BEL.  To start with, HAL and BEL will contribute Rs. 5 crore each. Subsequently, public or private entities, which are ‗not for profit‘ organisations and are ready to promote and fund innovation programmes of this nature, would be invited to join the organisation. PRICES OF LED BULBS UNDER UJALA SCHEME  The prices of energy efficient appliances distributed under the UJALA scheme have been revised according to GST rules.  LED bulbs of 9 Watts are priced at Rs. 70 while LED tube lights of 20 Watts have a retail price of Rs. 220.  Five-star rated fans will be available at Rs. 1,200. NATIONAL ANTI-PROFITEERING AUTHORITY OF INDIA  The Union Finance Ministry will soon set up a National Anti-Profiteering Authority in order to to curb any unwarranted price hikes by dealers/traders.  According to the GST rules, the Authority will have a three-tier structure, including a Standing Committee on Anti- profiteering, State-level Screening Committees, and a National Anti-Profiteering Authority. Constitution of the Authority:  The Authority shall consist of – 1. The Chairman, who holds or has held a post equivalent in rank to a Secretary to the Government of India; & 2. Four – Technical Members who are or have been Commissioners of State tax or central tax or have held an BestCurrentAffairs.com equivalent post, to be nominated by the Council. JULY 2017 BestCurrentAffairs.com Page No.4

5. BestCurrentAffairs.com Committees: 1. The Council may constitute a Standing Committee on Anti-profiteering which consists of such officers of the State Government and Central Government as required. 2. A State level Screening Committee shall be constituted in each State by the State Governments which shall consist of- a. One officer of the State Government, to be nominated by the Commissioner, & b. One officer of the Central Government, to be nominated by the Chief Commissioner. Secretary to the Authority:  The Additional Director General of Safeguards under the Board shall be the Secretary to the Authority. Appointment and other terms & conditions:  The Chairman & Members shall be appointed by the Central Government on the recommendations of a Selection Committee.  The Chairman shall hold office for a term of 02 years from the date appointment or he attains the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier & eligible for reappointment.  A person shall not be selected as the Chairman if he has attained the age of 62 years. Duties of the Authority 1. To determine whether any reduction in rate of tax on any supply of goods or services or the benefit of the ITC has been passed on to the recipient; 2. To identify the registered person who has not passed on the benefit of reduction in rate of tax on supply of goods or services 3. To order – a) Reduction in prices; b) Return of the amount equivalent to the amount not passed to the recipient with interest @ rate of 18% & c) Recovery of the amount not returned in case the eligible person & deposit same in the Consumer Welfare Fund d) Imposition of penalty as prescribed under the Act; & e) Cancellation of registration  The National Anti-Profiteering Authority is empowered to make a company lower its prices and refund money to consumers or deposit it in the Consumer Welfare Fund. It can also impose a penalty and cancel the registration of the company.  A search-cum-selection committee led by Cabinet Secretary PK Sinha is expected to shortlist candidates. The GST Council will also vet appointments to the five-member panel.  Monitoring of prices of essential items has been one of the major tasks of the government since the rollout of GST on July 1. GLOBAL CENTRE FOR NUCLEAR ENERGY PARTNERSHIP  Project for setting up of the Global Centre for Nuclear Energy Partnership (GCNEP) in India was sanctioned during September, 2010 with a proposal for construction in phases.  The construction activities of Phase-I buildings have been completed and the construction activities for the next phase is being taken up.  The facility is operational in the buildings completed in Phase-I.  Setting up of the facility is being done indigenously by the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE).  Global Centre for Nuclear Energy Partnership is World‘s first nuclear energy partnership centre at Bahadurgarh, Haryana India.  This center will facilitate deliberation and discussions of international experts on various issues including innovation in nuclear reactors and the nuclear fuel cycle, development of proliferation-resistant reactors, security technologies and the effects of radiation exposure. RAM NATH KOVIND BECOMES 14TH PRESIDENT OF INDIA  Ram Nath Kovind was declared elected as India‘s 14th President polling 65.6% of the vote defeating the Opposition‘s joint candidate, former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar, who secured 34% of the vote.  The presidential election was held in India on 17 July 2017 with the votes counted and the results announced on 20 July.  President Pranab Mukherjee, whose term of office was due to expire on 24 July 2017 declined to seek re-election.  Governor of Bihar Ram Nath Kovind of the Bharatiya Janata Party had the backing of the governing National Democratic Alliance coalition, and went up against opposition candidate Meira Kumar of the Indian National Congress in the vote.  Kovind secured roughly two thirds of the votes from the electoral college of elected members of federal, state and union territory legislatures and was elected to a five-year term as President.  Kovind‘s term of office will begin on 25 July 2017. BestCurrentAffairs.com JULY 2017 BestCurrentAffairs.com Page No.5

6. BestCurrentAffairs.com  The President of India is indirectly elected by an electoral college consisting of the elected members of both houses of parliament, the elected members of the Legislative assemblies of the 29 states and the elected members of the legislative assemblies of the Union Territories of Delhi and Puducherry. The returning officer for the election was Anoop Mishra, a BJP member of the Lok Sabha. Born on October 1, 1945 in Uttar Pradesh‘s Kanpur Dehat, Ram Nath Kovind was a lawyer by profession. He practised as an advocate for the Central Government at Delhi High Court from 1977 to 1979. He was a permanent advocate for the Centre at the Supreme Court between 1980 and 1993. The BJP-led Centre had appointed Ram Nath Kovind, 76, as Bihar Governor in August 2015 with a view to wooing the Dalits in the state Assembly elections held in December that year. Ram Nath Kovind was a Rajya Sabha member between 1994 and 2006 from Uttar Pradesh. Mr. Kovind is the second Dalit President of India after late President K.R. Narayanan. Also he is the first from Uttar Pradesh and the first person from the BJP to hold the office of President since Independence. The total number of MPs and MLAs who cast their votes was 4851, bearing a combined value of 1090300. However, with 77 votes being declared invalid — 21 from Parliament alone — the total number of valid votes was 4774, bearing a combined value of 1069358. Mr. Kovind polled 2930 of these votes — bearing a value of 702044 — and Ms. Kumar 1844 votes — with a value of 367314. The value of each vote of an MP was 708. Among the States, each vote in Uttar Pradesh had the highest value of 208, while each vote from Sikkim had the lowest value of seven. Mr. Kovind got the highest number of votes – 335 – from U.P. and the lowest – just 1 – from Kerala. Ms. Kumar secured the highest number of votes – 273 – from West Bengal and drew a blank in Andhra Pradesh. The polling was marked by cross-voting in various States where many Opposition members favoured Mr. Kovind. Cross-voting took place in Gujarat, Tripura, Goa, Delhi and Maharashtra in favour of Mr. Kovind. As many as 11 Congress MLAs appeared to have voted for Mr. Kovind in Gujarat, a State which is to go for Assembly polls at the end of the year. BestCurrentAffairs.com              NEW EXCHANGE TRADED FUND IN NEWS  The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has authorized the Alternative Mechanism on the following: i. To take decision for divestment through Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) out of all the listed CPSEs including CPSEs listed subsequently subject to GoI retaining 51% in these CPSEs; ii. To take decision on the divestment in respect of Public Sector Banks, other listed Public Sector Financial Institutions and Public Sector Insurance Companies (when listed) through ETF or other methods subject to GoI retaining 52%; and iii. To take decision on matters related to divestment through ETF like constitution of ETF portfolio; the price/net asset value at which share of listed companies forming the ETF basket will be placed by the Govt. for divestment at the disposal of the ETF provider (AMC); the incentive structure for investors – upfront discount, loyalty bonus etc.; and any other aspect of pricing and the mode of disinvestment as required to be taken by the Government. INDIAN COMMUNITY WELFARE FUND NEW GUIDELINES  The Union Cabinet has approved revision of the Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF) guidelines.  ICWF, set up in 2009, is aimed at assisting Overseas Indian nationals in times of distress and emergency in the most deserving cases on a means tested basis.  The revised guidelines being made broad-based seek to expand the scope of welfare measures that can be extended through the Fund.  The guidelines would cover three key areas namely Assisting Overseas Indian nationals in distress situations, Community Welfare activities and Improvement in Consular services.  They are expected to provide Indian Missions and Posts abroad greater flexibility in swiftly addressing to requests for assistance by Overseas Indian nationals.  Apart from assisting Indian nationals in distress abroad, ICWF has been a critical support in emergency evacuation of Indian nationals in conflict zones in Libya, Iraq, Yemen, South Sudan and other challenging situations like assistance extended to undocumented Indian workers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during the Nitaqat drive in 2013 and the ongoing Amnesty drive in 2017.  The scale and speed of these evacuations and assistance rendered through the Fund has been universally appreciated. It has also created a sense of confidence among the migrant workers going overseas about the support they can expect from India during critical times.  ICWF stands extended to all Indian Missions and Posts abroad and is primarily funded by levying service charge on various consular services rendered by Indian Missions and Posts abroad. LATEST REVISION IN DEFINITION OF BLINDNESS  National Programmme for Control of Blindness (NPCB) has been re-designated recently as National Programme for Control of Blindness and Visual Impairment (NPCB&VI). JULY 2017 BestCurrentAffairs.com Page No.6

7. BestCurrentAffairs.com  Further, the definition of blindness under the National Programme for Control of Blindness and Visual Impairment (NPCB&VI) has been modified in line with the definition used under the World Health Organization (WHO), i.e., ‗presenting distance visual acuity less than 3/60 (20/400) in the better eye or limitation of field of vision to be less than 10 degree from centre of fixation‘. The uniformity in the definition of blindness across various regions of the world is a pre-requisite for facilitating collection of population based data on prevalence of visual impairment in a uniform and comparable manner for estimating the global burden of blindness. BestCurrentAffairs.com (NBPDYN) for regulation of education & practice of Yoga & Naturopathy.  RBI SET UP ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENT  Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has informed that they have set up an Enforcement Department (EFD).  EFD would serve as a centralised department to speed up regulatory compliance.  EFD has been set up to separate those who oversee the possible rule breaches and those who decide on punitive actions so that enforcement process operates fairly and is evidence based.  The EFD has become functional with effect from April 03, 2017. The EFD has been entrusted with the responsibility of enforcement action on commercial banks. INDIA SECOND LARGEST PRODUCER OF FOOTWEAR  India is the second largest global producer of footwear after China, accounting for 9.57% of global footwear production of 23.00 billion pairs.  India produces 2200 million pairs of different categories of footwear, out of which, 95% is being sold in the domestic market.  The major production centers in India are: Chennai, Ranipet and Ambur in Tamil Nadu, Udyong Nagar, Mangolpuri and Narela in New Delhi, Kanpur, Agra, Noida and Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh, Jalandhar and Ludhiana in Punjab, Karnal, Sonepat, Faridabad, Gurgaon and Bahadurgarh in Haryana, Pune and Mumbai in Maharashtra, Kolkata in West Bengal, Jaipur in Rajashtan, Calicut and Ernakulam in Kerala.  About 1.10 million workers are engaged in the footwear manufacturing industry.  Footwear exported from India are: Dress Shoes, Casuals, Moccasins, Sport Shoes, Horrachies, Sandals, Ballerinas, Boots, Sandals and Chappals made of rubber, plastic, P.V.C. and other materials like PU and EVA. STEP TAKEN TO INCREASE PRODUCTION OF LYCHEE  Several steps taken by the Government to increase the Country‘s production of fruits and vegetables including lychee are as under:  Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), a Centrally Sponsored Scheme is being implemented during XII Plan w.e.f. 2014-15, for holistic growth of the horticulture sector covering all the horticulture crops including fruits and vegetables.  The Mission envisages production and productivity improvement of horticulture crops including fruit and vegetable crops through increased coverage of area with improved cultivars, rejuvenation of senile orchards, protected cultivation, creation of water resources, adoption of Integrated Pest Management (IPM), Integrated Nutrient Management (INM), organic farming, including insitu generation of organic inputs. Capacity buildings of farmers and technicians is also provided for adopting improved technologies. Details of related research and new schemes implemented by the Government are as under:  The Government of India, Ministry of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers welfare has established National Research Centre on Lychee at Muzaffarpur in 2001 which is taking care of research needs for improving production and productivity of litchi in the Country along with monitoring and management of pests and diseases and development of protocol to reduce the post-harvest loss in lychee fruits.  The Centre in collaboration with AICRP-Fruits, is monitoring the location specific research on litchi in six states which are Sabour in Bihar, Mohanpur in West Bengal, Ranchi in Jharkhand and Firojpur in Punjab, Kodugu in Karnataka along with central monitoring of research activities from ICAR-NRC on Litchi, Muzaffarpur wherein the Director of the Centre is functioning as Crop Coordinator for Lychee. Additionally, the Govt. has also opened/in process of opening voluntary Centres of lychee research in Ambikapur (Chhattisgarh), Medjifema (Nagaland), Araku (Andhra Pradesh), Kangra (Himachal Pradesh).  For improvement in production, the ICAR-NRC on Litchi has developed protocol for Good Agricultural Practices and also imparting training and developing skills to various stakeholders for development of quality plant material and adopting Good Agricultural Practices.  The Centre is operating network project on management of fruit borers, National Training Programme on rejuvenation of litchi orchard, AICRP on Honey Bee for improvement in pollination, collaborative programme with BARC to enhance shelf life of litchi fruits and area expansion scheme in non-traditional and tribal regions which in turn will improve the production of litchi in different parts of the Country. NATIONAL BOARD FOR PROMOTION OF YOGA AND NATUROPATHY  The Ministry of AYUSH has constituted a National Board for Promotion and Development of Yoga & Naturopathy JULY 2017 BestCurrentAffairs.com Page No.7

8. BestCurrentAffairs.com  The Ministry of AYUSH constituted a Task Force to promote AYUSH system in the country. In its recommendations, it suggested to constitute a National Board for Promotion & Development of Yoga and Naturopathy under the Chairmanship of Secretary (AYUSH) with the following aims & objectives :- a) To enhance the quality of Yoga & Naturopathy education, training, therapy and research; b) To develop human resource in Yoga & Naturopathy ; c) To develop standards for Yoga & Naturopathy training and practices for voluntary adoption; d) To promote accreditation frame work relating to Yoga and Naturopathy for voluntary implementation by institution including drafting of curriculum and syllabus for various degrees, diploma and programmes; e) To promote & propagate Yoga & Naturopathy at International level; f) To institute national awards for outstanding for outstanding contribution to Yoga & Naturopathy; g) To develop methods of competence, and evaluation of Yoga & Naturopathy practitioners; h) Any other item relating to development & promotion of Yoga & Naturopathy. CAPF DOCTORS RETIREMENT AGE INCREASED TO 65 The Union Cabinet has given its ex-post facto approval for enhancement of the age of superannuation in respect of: (i) General Duty Medical Officers of Central Armed Police Forces and Assam Rifles from 60 to 65 years and (ii) Specialist Medical Officers of Central Armed Police Forces and Assam Rifles of the Ministry of Home Affairs from 60 to 65 years.  It would help in retention of officers in Specialist and General Duty Medical Cadre and thereby help in better patient care, proper academic activities in Medical colleges as also in effective implementation of National Health Programmes for delivery of health care services. INTERNATIONAL RICE RESEARCH INSTITUTE IN INDIA  The Union Cabinet chaired PM Modi has approved the establishment of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), South Asia Regional Center (ISARC) at campus of National Seed Research and Training Center (NSRTC) in Varanasi.  Under the proposal, a Centre of Excellence in Rice Value Addition (CERVA) will be set up in Varanasi. This will include a modern and sophisticated laboratory with capacity to determine quality and status of heavy metals in grain and straw.  The Centre will also undertake capacity building exercises for stakeholders across the rice value chain.  This Center will be the first international Center in the eastern India and it will play a major role in harnessing and sustaining rice production in the region.  It is expected to be a boon for food production and skill development in the eastern India and similar ecologies in other South Asian and African countries. Benefits from ISARC:  The Centre will help in utilizing the rich biodiversity of India to develop special rice varieties. This will help India to achieve higher per hectare yields and improved nutritional contents. India‘s food and nutritional security issues will also be addressed.  The Centre will support in adopting value chain based production system in the country. This will reduce wastage, add value and generate higher income for the farmers.  The farmers in Eastern India will benefit in particular, besides those in South Asian and African countries. Management of ISARC:  ISARC will operate under the governance of the IRRI Board of Trustees who will appoint an appropriate IRRI staff member as Director.  A Coordination Committee will be headed by Director General, IRRI as Chair and Secretary, Government of India, Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare (DACFW) as Co-Chair.  The other members of Coordination Committee are Deputy Director General (Crop Sciences), ICAR; Director, NSRTC; IRRI representative in India, representative of Government of UP and representatives of Governments of Nepal & Bangladesh and Private Sector.  For setting up of the Centre, A Memorandum of Agreement, will be signed between DAC&FW and IRRI, Philippines.  The Department of DAC&FW will provide physical space for laboratories, offices, training classes, etc. with associated infrastructure and land at NSRTC, Varanasi.  The Centre will be commissioned within six months. RAILTEL AND GOOGLE BRINGS RAILWIRE WI-FI SERVICE  Wi-Fi services to passengers are being provided under ‗Railwire‘, the retail Broadband distribution model of RailTel.  Designed to offer users the best Internet experience, Railwire Wi-Fi will be available to any user who has a working mobile connection on a smartphone. BestCurrentAffairs.com JULY 2017 BestCurrentAffairs.com Page No.8

9. BestCurrentAffairs.com  Railway stations are the places where the cross section of the society is available. This initiative is part of bridging the digital divide & providing high speed access network to all rail users with financial inclusion of Local Cable Operators. Once implemented this shall be one of the largest public Wi-Fi project in the World. The Railwire wi-fi service in association with Google is currently available at 127 stations across the country. Around 6 million users per month across the stations. This year government has planned to extend the service at 200 stations. RailTel Corporation a ―Mini Ratna (Category-I)‖ PSU is one of the largest neutral telecom services providers in the country owning a Pan-India optic fiber network covering all important towns & cities of the country and several rural areas covering 70% of India‘s population. RailTel is in the forefront in providing nationwide Broadband Telecom & Multimedia Network in all parts of the country in addition to modernization of Train operations and administration network systems for Indian Railways. With its Pan India high capacity network, RailTel is working towards creating a knowledge society at various fronts and has been selected for implementation of various mission-mode Govt. of India projects in the telecom field. BestCurrentAffairs.com placenta, umbilical cord or shape of the pelvis, and previous C-section.     INDIA‟S FIRST TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION SUPPORT CENTER  The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India, signed an Institutional agreement with the Punjab State Council of Science and Technology in New Delhi to establish India‘s first Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC) at Patent Information Centre, Punjab, under the World Intellectual Property Organization‘s (WIPO) TISC program.  The objective of the TISC is to stimulate a dynamic, vibrant and balanced Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) system in India to foster creativity and innovation, thereby promoting entrepreneurship and enhancing social, economic and cultural development by establishing a network of TISCs in India.  WIPO‘s Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC) program provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally based, high quality technology information and related services, helping them to exploit their innovative potential and to create, protect, and manage their Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs). Services offered by TISCs include:  Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications;  Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information;  Training in database search;  On-demand searches (novelty, state-of-the-art and infringement);  Monitoring technology and competitors;  Basic information on industrial property laws, management and strategy, and technology commercialization and marketing.  The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal Point for the TISC national network. As the national focal point, CIPAM shall identify potential host institutions, assess their capacities and support them in joining the TISC program.  CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all the activities of the national TISC network.  Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host institutions an access to the global network. In upcoming years, CIPAM is planning to establish TISCs in Universities, State Science Councils, R&D institutions etc.  TISC will give an impetus to knowledge sharing, sharing of best practices among the TISCs, capacity building, generation and commercialization of IPs. GOVT MEASURES ON INCREASED IN CAESAREAN SURGERIES  The Government has taken several steps to ensure that the unwarranted increase in C-Section surgeries can be kept in check.  The Minister of Women and Child Development Maneka Sanjay Gandhi, had expressed concern to the Union Health Minister in February 2017 about the unusual increase in recent years in C-Section surgeries reported from different States.  While the recommendation of WHO suggests that deliveries through C-Section should normally be in the range of 10-15% of the total deliveries, some States are reporting extremely high percentages. Tamil Nadu reported this to be 34% and Telangana 54%.  It is worrisome that the percentage was even higher for the private nursing homes across the States.  In response to the letter of WCD Minister, the Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Mr. J.P. Nadda has stated that the concerns expressed are well founded and the Health Ministry is taking a series of measures to control this increasing trend. C – Section Surgeries:  Caesarean section, also known as C-section or caesarean delivery, is the use of surgery to deliver one or more babies. A caesarean section is often performed when a vaginal delivery would put the baby or mother at risk. This may include obstructed labour, twin pregnancy, high blood pressure in the mother, breech birth, problems with the JULY 2017 BestCurrentAffairs.com Page No.9

10. BestCurrentAffairs.com  A trial of vaginal birth in some of these situations, including after C-section, may be possible. Some C-sections are also performed upon request. The World Health Organization recommends that they should be done based on medical need and in many cases they are lifesaving for the mother and baby. C-section typically takes 45 minutes to an hour. It may be done with a spinal block such that the woman is awake or under general anesthesia. A urinary catheter is used to drain the bladder and the skin of the abdomen is then cleaned with an antiseptic. An incision of about 15 cm (6 inches) is then typically made through the mother‘s lower abdomen. The uterus is then opened with a second incision and the baby delivered. The incisions are then stitched closed. A woman can typically begin breastfeeding as soon as she is awake and out of the operating room. Often a number of days are required in hospital to recover sufficiently to return home. Steps Taken by Indian Government: As a first step, all the private hospitals empanelled under CGHS have been directed by the Health Ministry to prominently display the data of deliveries through C-Section vis-à-vis normal deliveries in the hospital, at the reception area. A report titled ―Deciphering the Determination and Impacts of Rising Rate of C-Sections and offering Potential Solutions‖ has been disseminated to all State Governments and UT Administrations to effectively get them to provide C-Sections only to those women who actually require it. Federation of Obstetric and Gynecological Societies of India (FOGSI) has also been sounded off about the harmful effects of unwarranted C-Sections. In addition, the States have been directed to conduct periodical prescription audit of the health facilities specifically on this issue. It is hoped that these measures would help in bringing out the rate of C-Section deliveries back to the realistic levels. BestCurrentAffairs.com          MOU WITH SKILL DEVELOPMENT MINISTRY ON NAMAMI GANGE  Union Ministry for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation signed an MoU with Union Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship for the success of Namami Gange programme in New Delhi.  The MoU intends to develop skilled manpower for laying sewerage pipeline, plumbing works, construction of toilets, civil masonry works, waste collection and its disposal activities.  It will also develop skills for preparing products from pious waste materials like flowers, leaves, coconuts, hair and associate plastic bags and plastic bottles etc. and their proper packaging and promotion of such products.  The MoU will also help in developing skills for operation and maintenance of pumps and STPs.  As per the MoU the Ministry of Water Resource, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation shall develop the market for reuse/recycle of treated wastewater to be released from STP/ETPs for various non-potable purposes.  It will also ensure necessary coordination and support from the state governments and state level implementing agencies for various activities to be undertaken by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship as part of Namami Gange programme.  The Ministry will also mobilize resources for creation of Pradhan Mantri Namami Gange Kaushal Kendras in 60 districts covered under Namami Gange Mission.  The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship will take initiative and develop programme for capacity building and traditional activities such as packaging and promotion of industrial products.  It will take initiative in developing skills for preparing products from waste material generated along that Ghats of Ganga like flowers, leaves, coconut, hair and associated plastic bags and plastic bottles etc.  The Ministry will also take initiative in developing skills among potential work-force in the region on sewage pipe line laying works, plumbing works, construction of toilets, civil masonry works, waste collection and its disposal activities (in scientific manner) and training on other health and safety aspects during construction activities.  It will also take initiative in conducting a survey in the region for identifying the possible skill development activities in addition to above in conjunction with National Mission for Clean Ganga.  The MoU will remain in effect for a period of three years. Thereafter, it can be extended as mutually agreed by both the Ministries. WIDE RANGING REFORMS IN INDIAN CRUISE TOURISM  The Ministry of Shipping, in conjunction with the Ministry of Tourism, has announced reforms to the regulatory processes governing the cruise tourism industry in the country.  The objective is to revolutionize this industry which has a high employment generation potential, by simplifying the rules and procedures pertaining to various aspects of cruise port operations like security, immigration, and customs.  The reforms are based on the recommendations of a global consultant engaged by the Ministry to draw up an Action Plan for providing a customer friendly and hassle free logistics process for the cruise tourism industry and develop an enabling ecosystem necessary to promote and sustain cruise shipping in India.  Key recommendations given by the consultant which can be immediately implemented are:- JULY 2017 BestCurrentAffairs.com Page No.10

11. BestCurrentAffairs.com (i) Single window system for all pre cruise requirements for cruise operators like entry of vehicles, personnel and guides electronically doing away with checking of registration, license papers of vehicle at each time. (ii) Create a separate dedicated approach road and entrance to the cruise terminals. (iii) A uniform and consistent security procedures by CISF at all ports. (iv) Providing adequate security and access to the port for passenger over-night and visiting local venues. (v) No face to face check after dis-embarking formalities. (vi) Security checks for embarking passengers would be done only once. (vii) Joint collaboration between the Bureau of Immigration and CISF and redesign the existing procedure to give a pleasant experience to the cruise tourists visiting India. (viii) Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) to be framed for training and education of the personnel carrying out the process for better handling of passengers. (ix) Use of technology for clearances, providing passenger manifest to CISF and doing away with manual time consuming process. (x) Implementation of green lane/red lane at existing terminals with random custom checking as is done in the airport. (xi) Declaration of only limited items of inventory of the cruise ships in place of the existing requirement of having the complete inventory for all the stocks in the ship.  A committee has been set up to work out the modalities and requirements for implementing the above recommendations in a time bound manner  The Consultants have also been asked to suggest five potential cruise circuits for international, domestic and river cruise, that can be immediately taken up for development and to prepare Techno-Economic Feasibility Report (TEFR) for these circuits.  Specific ports/terminal would also be considered for development for international cruise tourism as per a suggested Model Terminal Design, and suitable policy/regulatory framework based on international best practices, strategies of cruise terminal operation. MOU ON OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH, INJURIES AND DISEASES  Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between ESIC and Directorate General Factory Advice Service & Labour Institutes (DGFASLI) has been signed for collaboration in the field of occupational health and prevention of occupational injuries and diseases.  The MoU seeks to establish a mutual collaboration that will enhance Occupational Health of workers; reduce the occurrence of work related injuries and diseases.  Special focus shall be paid to precarious working conditions in the formal and informal sectors.  The main focus is occupational health by establishing ‗DGFASLI-ESIC Occupational Health Training, Research & Development Centre‘ (OHTRDC) at Regional Labour Institute, Faridabad followed by at other institutes located at Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Kanpur.  The collaboration aims at improving the quality of life through joint scientific research following other activities:- a) Assessment of OSH challenges in all the spheres of economic activity. b) Special activities for prevention and control of Asbestosis, Silicosis and other occupational diseases. c) Development of training modules for different target groups.  This Memorandum will remain in force for a time period of three (03) years.  Ministry is committed to providing social security for the workers across the country. The MoU will help in spreading awareness for healthy working conditions, reduce the danger of diseases or injuries and provide good quality life for workers. INDIA NOW FREE FROM H5N1 AND H5N8  India had reported outbreaks of Highly Pathogenic Avian influenza at various epicenters in Delhi, Gwalior (MP), Rajpura (Punjab), Hissar (Haryana), Bellary (Karnataka), Allappuzha and Kottayam (Kerala), Ahmedabad (Gujarat), Daman (Daman) and Khordha and Angul (Odisha during October, 2016 to February, 2017.  All the outbreaks of Avian Influenza (HPAI) mentioned above were notified to OIE and the control and containment operations were carried out as per the Action Plan on Preparedness, Control and Containment of Avian Influenza.  Surveillance was carried out throughout the country and around the areas of the outbreaks since completion of the operation (including culling, disinfection and clean-up) and surveillance in the states showed no evidence of presence of Avian Influenza Virus.  In view of these initiatives, India has declared itself free from Avian Influenza (H5N8 and H5N1) from 6thJune, 2017 and notified the same to OIE. MOU ON DEFENCE PROJECTS 75, 15B AND 17A  Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd (MDL), a Miniratna Schedule ‗A‘ DPSU under the Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the financial year 2017-18 with the Ministry.  The MoU outlines the targets and various performance parameters for the company. The revenue from operations has been targeted at 4500 crore. BestCurrentAffairs.com JULY 2017 BestCurrentAffairs.com Page No.11

12. BestCurrentAffairs.com  Significant milestones to be achieved under Project 75 (Scorpene Submarines) and shipbuilding projects of 15B (destroyers) and 17A (frigates) also form part of the MoU. BestCurrentAffairs.com REDEVELOPMENT OF INDIAN RAILWAY STATIONS  An MoU was signed between Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA), an institution under Ministry of Railways and National Building Construction Corporation (NBCC), a PSU of Ministry of Urban Development for implementation of station redevelopment projects for 10 identified stations in partnership with respective Smart Cities.  10 Selected railway stations are: Delhi Sarai Rohilla, Lucknow, Gomtinagar, Kota, Tirupati, Nellore, Ernakulam, Puducherry, Madgaon and Thane New Stations.  Indian Railways has taken up this ambitious program of station redevelopment in a big way and have adopted multi pronged strategy to accomplish this mammoth task. It has chosen PPP model and are roping in varied agencies to execute the project namely Railways‘ own PSUs.  Once the stations are redeveloped, the passengers will get facilities of world standard.  As per the MoU, a Special Purpose Vehicle will be formed at the national level as a Joint Venture between RLDA and NBCC on 50 : 50 share holding basis. The SPV in turn will enter into City Support Agreements with respective cities. The redevelopment of stations and commercial development on Railway land will be done in alignment with the Smart City Plans of respective cities.  RLDA will lease out the land to the SPV at a nominal token cost for development for a fixed lease period of up to 45 years and NBCC will execute the project work on behalf of the SPV as Project Management Consultant. Earnings from the commercial development of land parcels at stations will be utilized to redevelop the stations for creating better passenger amenities and necessary infrastructure and the surplus earnings will go to RLDA which would in turn would be remitted to Zonal railways.  NBCC shall use its expertise in preparing DPR of the Project and business model.  RLDA shall extend necessary help to NBCC in arranging all requisite data pertaining to the stations and get the vacant land entrusted from Ministry of Railway as per approved master plan of the station.  The JV of NBCC and RLDA shall also enter into city support agreement with the respective Smart City Authorities and local bodies to obtain support relating to development of approach infrastructure and favorable Development Control Norms for the project. Background:  Earlier in October 2016, the MoU was entered into between Ministry of Railways and Ministry of Urban Development for mutual cooperation between the two Ministries for integrated planning of redevelopment of railway stations in the cities included in the ‗SMART Cities‘ and AMRUT schemes.  The proposal was to plan the redevelopment of stations in partnership with the smart city SPVs and Urban Local Bodies so that the planning and redevelopment of the station and the city areas near the station is done in an integrated manner.  This MoU between Ministry of Railways and Ministry of Urban Development provided for formation of a JV company between NBCC and RLDA to take up the station redevelopment projects as NBCC has very wide and varied business experience in and expertise in the field of construction & real estate development and RLDA has expertise in monetization of Railway land by way of long term leasing of land. JULY 2017 BestCurrentAffairs.com Page No.12

13. BestCurrentAffairs.com ECONOMY NPCI GETS APPROVAL FOR BHARAT BILL PAYMENT SYSTEM  National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has RBI aaproval to function as the Bharat Bill Payment Central Unit (BBPCU) and operate the Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS).  The Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS) is an RBI conceptualised system driven by National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). It is a one-stop payment platform for all bills, providing an interoperable and accessible ―Anytime Anywhere‖ bill payment service to customers across the country with certainty, reliability and safety of transactions.  The total number of Bharat Bill Payment Operating Units (BBPOU) certified by NPCI now stands at 24.  The certified units include three public sector banks (Bank of Baroda, Union Bank of India and Indian Overseas Bank), 10 private banks, five cooperative banks and six non-bank biller aggregators.  Currently, 42 large billers in five utility sectors have been on-boarded.  At present the bulk of transactions on BBPS are towards payment of electricity bills. The power sector potentially contributes to about 18 crore bills each month, of which only 10 per cent is digital. INDIA‟S EDIBLE OIL IMPORTS TURNS NEGATIVE  India‘s edible oil imports has turned negative for the first time in six years. It is due to the increased local production of oilseeds in the country.  Edible oils are most often plant-based oils, which are similar, if not the same as those produced by the industrial biotech industry for use as biofuels such as biodiesel, for use in cosmetics, and in other everyday biotech products.  India is expected to import 14.3 million tonnes of edible oils in the year to end-October 2017, down 300,000 tonnes or 2 per cent from the previous year.  India is likely to raise import duty on refined and crude vegetable oils, like palm and soy oil, as local oilseed prices slumped below the government support levels.  Farmers in India are now shifting to more lucrative crops like cotton, soybean, sunflower etc. India‘s edible oil purchases – mainly palm oil from Malaysia and Indonesia and soybean oil from Argentina and Brazil – have increased each year but this year there is chance they it may decrease.  India, the world‘s biggest palm and soybean oil importer, now relies on imports for 70 per cent of its edible oils. LIST OF LIABILITIES OF STATE GOVERNMENTS IN INDIA  The Government is committed to the policy of fiscal rectitude. The fiscal deficit of the Centre as percentage of GDP has declined consistently from 4.5 per cent in 2013-14 to 4.1 per cent, 3.9 per cent and 3.5 per cent respectively in 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17 (provisional actual) and is further budgeted to come down to 3.2 per cent in 2017-18.  As per the information from the Reserve Bank of India‘s ―State Finances: A Study of Budgets of 2016-17‖, the fiscal deficit of the States as per cent of Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) was 2.6 per cent in 2014-15, which increased to 2.9 per cent (without the UDAY liabilities) in 2015-16 (Revised estimates) and then declined to 2.7 per cent (without the UDAY liabilities) in 2016-17 (revised estimates, based on information from 25 States).  The fiscal deficit-GSDP ratio is budgeted to decline to 2.6 per cent in 2017-18 (based on information from 25 States).  The total outstanding liabilities of the State Governments as percentage of corresponding GSDP during 2014-15 to 2016-17 (BE) is given in the table below. Total Outstanding Liabilities – As percentage of GSDP State 2016-17 (BE) Andhra Pradesh 23.0 Arunachal Pradesh 23.9 Assam 18.8 Bihar 28.0 Chhattisgarh 15.8 Goa 36.2 Gujarat 22.5 Haryana 26.3 Himachal Pradesh 34.4 Jammu and Kashmir 48.8 Jharkhand 23.7 Karnataka 16.9 Kerala 27.7 BestCurrentAffairs.com Madhya Pradesh 23.1 Manipur 38.2 State Maharashtra Meghalaya Mizoram Nagaland Odisha Punjab Rajasthan Sikkim Tamil Nadu Telangana Tripura Uttar Pradesh Uttarakhand West Bengal 2016-17 (BE) 17.6 29.1 48.5 34.6 17.9 32.6 30.4 25.0 19.1 17.2 29.0 35.5 21.8 33.8 JULY 2017 BestCurrentAffairs.com Page No.13

14. BestCurrentAffairs.com  As recommended by the Fourteenth Finance Commission (FFC) for its award period (2015-20), the Union Government approved the fiscal deficit target for States of 3 per cent of respective States‘ Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP). The Union Government also approved year-to-year flexibility for additional fiscal deficit to States for the period 2016-17 to 2019-20 to a maximum of 0.5 per cent over and above the normal limit of 3 per cent in any given year subject to the States maintaining the debt-GSDP ratio within 25 per cent and interest payments-revenue receipts ratio within 10 per cent in the previous year. However, the flexibility in availing the additional fiscal deficit will be available to a State if there is no revenue deficit in the year in which borrowing limits are to be fixed and in the immediate preceding year. As per the recommendation of the FFC, the Union Government decided to increase the share of States in the Central divisible pool of taxes from 32 per cent to 42 per cent, thereby allowing States greater autonomy in financing and designing schemes as per their needs. Besides, post-devolution revenue deficit grant has been provided to eleven States where devolution alone could not cover the assessed gap. BestCurrentAffairs.com    „SOVEREIGN GOLD BONDS SCHEME‟ REVISED  Indian government has given approval for revision of guidelines of Sovereign Gold Bonds (SGB) Scheme with a view to achieve its intended objectives.  Two sets of changes have been made in the scheme: (i) Specific changes have been made in the attributes of the scheme to make it more attractive, mobilise finances as per the target and reduce the economic strains caused by imports of gold and reduce the Current Account Deficit (CAD). (ii) Flexibility has been given to Ministry of Finance to design and introduce variants of SGBs with different interest rates and risk protection / pay-offs that would offer investment alternatives to different category of investors. Ministry of Finance (the issuer) has been delegated this power to amend / add to the features of the Scheme with approval of the Finance Minister to reduce the time lag between finalizing the attributes of a particular tranche and its notification. Such flexibility will be effective in addressing the elements of competition with new products of investment, to deal with very dynamic and sometimes volatile market, macro-economic and other conditions such as gold price. Following specific changes in the scheme have been approved: (i) The investment limit per fiscal year has been increased to 4 kg for individuals, 4 Kg for Hindu Undivided Family (HUF) and 20 Kg for Trusts and similar entities notified by the Government from time to time. (ii) The ceiling will be counted on Financial year basis and will include the SGBs purchased during the trading in the secondary market. (iii) The ceiling on investment will not include the holdings as collateral by Banks and Financial institutions. (iv) SGBs will be available ‗on tap‘. Based on the consultation with NSE, BSE, Banks and Department of Post, features of product to emulate ‗On Tap‘ sale would be finalised by Ministry of Finance. (v) To improve liquidity and tradability of SGBs, appropriate market making initiatives will be devised. Market makers, could be commercial banks or any other public sector entity, such as MMTC or any other entity as decided by Gol. (vi) The Government may, if so felt necessary, allow higher commission to agents. Background:  Sovereign Gold Bond (SGB) Scheme was notified by the Government of India on November 05, 2015 after due approval of the Cabinet. The main objective of the scheme was to develop a financial asset as an alternative to purchasing metal gold.  The target was to shift part of the estimated 300 tons of physical bars and coins purchased every year for Investment into ‗demat‘ gold bonds. The target mobilisation under the scheme at Rs. 15,000 crore in 2015-16 and at Rs.10,000 crore in 2016-17. The amount so far credited in Government account is Rs. 4,769 crore.  In view of less than expected response of the investors to the scheme, and considering its bearing on CAD and consequently on overall macro-economic health of the country, it was felt necessary to make changes in this scheme to make it a success. SALE OF INDIAN FLOATING RATE BONDS 2024  The Government of India has announced the Sale (re-issue) of (i) ―Government of India Floating Rate Bonds 2024‖ for a notified amount of Rs. 3000 crore (nominal) through price based auction, (ii) ―6.79 per cent Government Stock, 2027‖ for a notified amount of ` 8,000 crore (nominal) through price based auction, (iii) ―7.73 per cent Government Stock 2034‖ for a notified amount of Rs. 2,000 crore (nominal) through price based auction, (iv) ―7.06 per cent Government Stock, 2046‖ for a notified amount of Rs. 2,000 crore (nominal) through price based auction. The auctions will be conducted using multiple price method.  The auctions will be conducted by the Reserve Bank of India, Mumbai Office, Fort, Mumbai on July 28, 2017.  Up to 5% of the notified amount of the sale of the stocks will be allotted to eligible individuals and Institutions as per the Scheme for Non-Competitive Bidding Facility in the Auction of Government Securities. JULY 2017 BestCurrentAffairs.com Page No.14

15. BestCurrentAffairs.com  Both competitive and non-competitive bids for the auction should be submitted in electronic format on the Reserve Bank of India Core Banking Solution (E-Kuber) system on July 28, 2017. The result of the auctions will be announced on July 28, 2017 and payment by successful bidders will be on July 31, 2017. The Stocks will be eligible for ―When Issued‖ trading in accordance with the guidelines on ‗When Issued transactions in Central Government Securities‘ issued by the Reserve Bank of India vide circular No. RBI/2006- 07/178 dated November 16, 2006 as amended from time to time. BestCurrentAffairs.com   MSCI WORLD INDEX IN NEWS  The MSCI World is a stock market index of 1,650 ‗world‘ stocks. It is maintained by MSCI Inc., formerly Morgan Stanley Capital International, and is used as a common benchmark for ‗world‘ or ‗global‘ stock funds.  The index includes a collection of stocks of all the developed markets in the world, as defined by MSCI.  The index includes securities from 23 countries but excludes stocks from emerging and frontier economies making it less worldwide than the name suggests.  A related index, the MSCI All Country World Index (ACWI), incorporated both developed and emerging countries. MSCI also produces a Frontier Markets index, including another 31 markets.  The MSCI World Index has been calculated since 1969, in various forms: without dividends (Price Index), with net or with gross dividends reinvested (Net and Gross Index), in US dollars, Euro and local currencies. TOTAL SOWN AREA OF KHARIF CROPS IN 2017  The total sown area as on 21st July 2017, as per reports received from States, stands at 685.31 lakh hectare as compared to 673.41 lakh hectare at this time last year.  Kharif crops or monsoon crops are domesticated plants that are cultivated and harvested in South Asia during the rainy season, which lasts from April to October depending on the area.  It is reported that rice has been sown/transplanted in 177.04 lakh ha, pulses in 93.36 lakh ha, coarse cereals in 130.90 lakh ha, oilseeds in 123.55 lakh ha and cotton in 104.29 lakh ha.  The details of the area covered so far and that covered during this time last year are given below: Lakh hectares Crop Area sown in 2017-18 Area sown in 2016-17 Rice 177.04 169.23 Pulses 93.36 90.33 Coarse Cereals 130.90 129.41 Oilseeds 123.55 144.82 Sugarcane 49.15 45.22 Jute & Mesta 7.02 7.54 Cotton 104.29 86.86 Total 685.31 673.41 PUBLIC CREDIT REGISTRY OF INDIA  The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is considering setting up a Public Credit Registry (PCR), which will be an extensive database of credit information for India that is accessible to all stakeholders.  If put in place will help in credit assessment and pricing by banks; risk-based, dynamic and countercyclical provisioning at banks; supervision and early intervention by regulators; understanding if transmission of monetary policy is working, and if not, where are the bottlenecks; and, how to restructure stressed bank credits effectively.  PCR is managed by a public authority like the RBI or the banking supervisor, and reporting of loan details to the PCR by lenders and/or borrowers is mandated by law.  The contractual terms and outcomes covered and the threshold above which the contracts are to be reported vary in different jurisdictions, but the idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower, in particular, the borrower‘s entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes.  Central repository, which, for instance, captures and certifies the details of collaterals, can enable the writing of contracts that prevent over-pledging of collateral by a borrower.  In absence of the repository, the lender may not trust its first right on the collateral and either charge a high cost on the loan or ask for more collateral than necessary to prevent being diluted by other lenders. This leads to, what in economics, is termed as pecuniary externality – in this case, a spillover of one loan contract onto outcomes and terms of other loan contracts.  Furthermore, in the absence of a public credit registry, the ‗good‘ borrowers are disadvantaged in not being able to distinguish themselves from the rest in opaque credit markets; they could potentially be subjected to a rent being extracted from their existing lenders who enjoy an information monopoly over them.  The lenders may also end up picking up fresh clients who have a history of delinquency that is unknown to all lenders and this way face greater overall credit risk. JULY 2017 BestCurrentAffairs.com Page No.15

16. BestCurrentAffairs.com EXTRA BUDGETARY RESOURCE OF RS. 660 CRORE  The Union Cabinet has approved the Revalidation of permission to raise Extra Budgetary Resource (EBRs) of Rs. 660 crore as Government of India Bonds by Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) in 2017-18.  The proceeds from the bonds will be utilized by IWAI for development and maintenance of National Waterways (NWs) under National Waterways Act, 2016 (effective from 12.4.2016).  Funds received through issue of bonds will be used exclusively for capital expenditure to improve infrastructure funding.  The investment to be undertaken for development of NWs on identified projects in 2017-18 is estimated to be approximately Rs. 2412.50 crore.  The World Bank has sanctioned a loan of USD 375 million for Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP) on 12.04.2017. During 2017-18, out of estimated expenditure of Rs.1715 crore for JMVP, it is expected that the World Bank would remit a loan amount of Rs. 857.50 crore.  Accordingly, the total requirement of funds in 2017-18 is Rs. 2412.50 crore. During the year 2016-17, IWAI was allocated a sum of Rs. 296.60 crore for creation of capital assets which has been reduced to Rs.228 crore in BE, 2017-18. Raising bonds is intended to bridge this gap.  The principal and interest in respect of the EBRs worth Rs. 660 crore shall be financed by the Government of India by making suitable budgetary provisions in the Demand of the Ministry of Shipping to meet the bond servicing requirements as and when the need arises. The interest payment will be on semi-annual basis and the principal on maturity.  The whole exercise would be undertaken by IWAI through appointment of lead managers and coordination with SEBI. Funds will be released in 02 tranches keeping the size to get attractive yield from the borrowers. Borrowing in the last quarter of the year 2017-18, especially during the last two months of the year 2017-18 would be avoided. Background:  Gross budgetary support from the Government of India and external financial support for funding development and maintenance of 106 new National Waterways under National Waterway Act, 2016, is grossly inadequate.  There is, therefore, dire need for revalidation of permission to raise EBRs of balance amount of Rs 660 crore (Rs. 1000 cr – Rs. 340 crore raised and utilized during 2016-17).  In his budget speech, 2016-17, the Hon‘ble Finance Minister announced as under:  To augment infrastructure funding further, Government will permit mobilization of additional finances to the extent of Rs. 31.300 crore by NHAI, RFC, REG, IREDA, NABARD and IWAI through raising bonds during 2016-17.  In accordance with this announcement, IWAI was allowed to issue infrastructure bonds worth Rs.1000 crore for the first time during 2016-17.  As it was their maiden effort, they could succeed to raise Rs.340 crore on 01.03.2017 through e-bidding for development of inland waterways and shipping infrastructure during 2016-17 at coupon rate of 7.9 per cent. EXPORT PROMOTION SCHEMES AND GST  The union government has modified the oreign Trade Policy (2015-20) and other export promotion schemes according to GST regime.  Under the GST regime, no exemption from payment of Integrated GST (IGST) and compensation cess would be available for imports under Advance Authorisation. Importers would need to pay IGST and take input tax credit as applicable under GST.  However, imports under Advance Authorisation would continue to be exempted from payment of basic customs duty, additional customs duty and education cess.  Exemptions will also be provided wherever penal duties such as anti-dumping, safeguard and transition product specific safeguard duty are applicable.  The EPCG scheme (Chapter 5 of the FTP), too, importers of capital goods would need to pay IGST and take input tax credit.  Benefits under the Merchandise Export from India Scheme (MEIS) and the Services Export from India Scheme (SEIS), which provides exporters with duty free scrips based on the value of their exports, have also been curtailed.  Imports by Export Oriented Units (EOUs), which were allowed duty free imports of goods for their authorised operations, will now get exemption on only the customs duty. Such goods would attract integrated tax and compensation cess. The taxes so paid on imports will be neutralised by ITC (input tax credit). LATEST ON MUDRA LOANS SCHEME  Loans under Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) Scheme have been extended by banks, Non Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) and Micro Finance Institutions (MFIs) to small/micro business enterprises with the objective of ‗Funding the unfunded‘ through institutional finance by providing loans upto 10 lakh for manufacturing, processing, trading, services and activities allied to agriculture.  Government has been receiving complaints with regard to implementation of PMMY from time to time including BestCurrentAffairs.com difficulties in obtaining loans. These are redressed in coordination with the respective Banks. JULY 2017 BestCurrentAffairs.com Page No.16

17. BestCurrentAffairs.com  Central Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) has received 8352 complaints against various banks in respect of the Scheme. Of these, 8194 complaints have been forwarded to respective Banks for redressal. The Government has taken various steps towards effective implementation of the scheme. These, inter alia, include intensive publicity campaigns, simplification of application form, Credit Guarantee Scheme, nomination of Mudra Nodal Officer etc. BestCurrentAffairs.com KENYA 61.28 45.65 KOREA 26.63 26.57 JULY 2017 BestCurrentAffairs.com Page No.17  LIST OF TOP STEEL EXPORTING COUNTRIES  Data on crude steel production by India during the last three years i.e. 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17 and April- May 2017-18 is given below:- Year Crude steel production (mt) 2014-15 88.98 2015-16 89.79 2016-17 97.44 April-May 2017 16.44  Data on finished steel production by India during the last three years i.e. 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17 and April- May, 2017-18 is given below:- Year Total Finished Steel Production for sale (mt) 2014-15 92.16 2015-16 90.98 2016-17 100.74 April-May 2017 17.48  Consumption of finished steel grew by 2.6% in 2016-17 whereas production grew by 8.5% over previous financial year. India was net exporter of steel in 2016-17 and thus production of finished steel was sufficient to meet its present demand in the country and also for exports.  Steel being a de-regulated sector, the role of Government is that of a facilitator only, which lays down the policy guidelines and establishes the institutional mechanism/structure for creating conducive environment for improving efficiency and performance of the steel sector.  In this role, the Government has released the National Steel Policy 2017, which has laid down the broad roadmap for encouraging long-term growth for the Indian steel industry.  Following is list of Top Steel Exporting Countries: EXPORT OF TOTAL FINISHED STEEL („000 tonnes) Country 2014-15 2015-16 AUSTRALIA 49.29 29.38 BAHARIN 8.48 12.41 BANGLADESH 136.5 55.06 BELGIUM 198.39 287.42 BRAZIL 42.95 11.98 CANADA 132.95 17.32 CHILE 9.51 18.35 CHINA 3.32 3.92 COLOMBIA 34.03 15.90 CONGO 3.83 3.25 DENMARK 9.69 8.90 DJIBOUTI 21.45 22.98 ECUADOR 31.99 16.78 EGYPT 9.82 17.30 ETHIOPIA 133.58 157.82 FINLAND 0.59 14.33 FRANCE 9.46 19.75 GERMANY 54.84 47.13 GHANA 39.25 41.24 GREECE 12.2 46.57 INDONESIA 83.87 118.33 IRAN 495.8 321.43 IRAQ 8.27 30.84 ISRAEL 5.47 6.66 ITALY 470.86 345.41 JAPAN 0.48 0.56 JORDAN 0.73 1.89 Annual Increase i.e. % change over last year (%) 8.9 0.9 8.5 4.8 Annual Increase i.e. % change over last year(%) 5.1 -1.3 10.7 6.4 2016-17 35.65 7.60 137.52 1112.31 42.93 33.64 11.8 4.00 18.47 1.39 5.63 32.06 42.77 11.93 147.64 3.30 15.44 68.67 47.52 19.58 233.77 144.01 3.01 7.31 942.92 0.64 0.53 30.55 34.9 April-May 2017 5.59 0.95 17.9 173.57 11.35 5.87 0.56 0.45 4.63 0.1 1.08 2.97 5.49 20.67 22.63 0.76 0.84 9.22 6 3.25 54.34 20.59 0.64 1.27 205.39 0.17 0.01 3.74 10.09

18. BestCurrentAffairs.com KUWAIT MADAGASCAR MALAYASIA MALDIVES MEXICO MOROCCO MYANMAR NEPAL NIGERIA PERU PHILIPPINES POLAND QATAR ROMANIA RUSSIA SAUDI ARABIA SOUTH AFRICA SPAIN SRI LANKA SWEDEN TAIWAN TANZANIA THAILAND TURKEY U.K. UAE UKRAINE USA VIETNAM OTHERS TOTAL 12.83 11.81 96.55 4.32 45.29 1.44 29.48 236.35 30.36 44.33 6.08 34.56 11.55 27.69 27.85 248.86 36.89 180.41 138 4.48 129.46 41.18 188.13 49.66 64.56 606.05 10.89 501.29 163.12 516.03 5595 28.16 15.91 46.31 9.17 52.66 2.52 18.49 310.54 39.37 71.16 7.20 39.19 9.03 27.24 20.56 60.50 19.60 155.44 100.51 3.16 12.90 25.75 69.80 44.66 39.34 315.93 1.05 295.63 38.11 453.97 4079 36.66 12.74 391.72 15.26 169.53 6.08 68.99 464.73 11.39 40.25 14.45 64.94 17.78 20.75 23.45 118.57 56.94 440.06 140.15 9.45 70.67 9.33 126.4 74.61 172.92 674.44 3.21 273.58 961.26 557.00 8245 2.24 0.56 37.6 1.56 37.69 0.22 10.67 59.16 4.46 6.5 0.88 39.34 4.74 5.61 5.64 35.29 5.2 103.08 27.25 7.71 18.27 1.32 40.38 26.12 22.5 106.71 0.66 76.15 31.25 79.12 1388 BestCurrentAffairs.com  RBI to work with government to address stress in bank balance sheet  Next meeting of Monetary Policy Committee on August 1 and 2 CHINESE ECONOMY IS FASTEST GROWING NOW  Post demonetization, India has lost its fastest-growing major economy status in the fourth quarter of 2016-17. Indian GDP growth came at the rate of 6.1%. But at the same time China‘s growth rate was 6.9%.  Data from the Ministry of Statistics shows that GDP grew 7.1% in the financial year 2016-17, slower than the 8% registered in 2015-16.  Gross value added (GVA) growth was 6.6% for 2016-17 and 5.6% in the fourth quarter, compared with 7.9% in 2015-16 and 8.7% in Q4 of that year.  The GDP numbers were based on the new 2011-12 base year recently adopted for data including the Index of Industrial Production (IIP) and Wholesale Price Index (WPI). SECOND BI-MONTHLY MONETARY POLICY: HIGHLIGHTS  On the basis of an assessment of the current and evolving macroeconomic situation at its meeting, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) decided to keep the policy repo rate under the liquidity adjustment facility (LAF) unchanged at 6.25 per cent.  Consequently, the reverse repo rate under the LAF remains at 6.0 per cent, and the marginal standing facility (MSF) rate and the Bank Rate at 6.50 per cent.  The decision of the MPC is consistent with a neutral stance of monetary policy in consonance with the objective of achieving the medium-term target for consumer price index (CPI) inflation of 4 per cent within a band of +/- 2 per cent, while supporting growth. Main Highlights:  Repo rate unchanged at 6.25%,  Reverse repo unchanged at 6%  Statutory Liquidity Ratio cut by 0.5% to 20%  Growth forecast for 2017—18 lowered to 7.3% from 7.4%  Inflation projected at 2—3.5% for H1, 3.5—4.5% H2, FY18  GST roll out not to have material impact on inflation  Farm loan waivers risk fiscal slippages and inflationary spillovers  7th Pay Commission allowances, geo political, financial risk pose upside risk to inflation  Need to revive private investment, restore banking sector health, remove infrastructure bottleneck JULY 2017 BestCurrentAffairs.com Page No.18

19. BestCurrentAffairs.com CONCEPT OF PMI OR PURCHASING MANAGERS‟ INDEX  PMI or a Purchasing Managers‘ Index (PMI) is an indicator of business activity — both in the manufacturing and services sectors.  It is a survey-based measures that asks the respondents about changes in their perception of some key business variables from the month before.  It is calculated separately for the manufacturing and services sectors and then a composite index is constructed.  The Nikkei India Services PMI Business Activity Index rose to 52.2 in May from 50.2 in April, the fastest increase in output in the current four-month sequence of expansion.  The PMI is usually released at the start of the month, much before most of the official data on industrial output, manufacturing and GDP growth becomes available. It is, therefore, considered a good leading indicator of economic activity.  The PMI also gives an indication of corporate earnings and is closely watched by investors as well as the bond markets.  It was first started in 1948 by the US-based Institute of Supply Management.  The information to produce the PMI is gathered using monthly surveys sent to purchasing executives at approximately 300 companies. A PMI of more than 50 represents expansion of the manufacturing sector when compared to the previous month. NEW LEI CODE SYSTEM FOR BANKS  The Reserve Bank of India will implement the Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) system for all participants in the over- the-counter markets for rupee interest rate derivatives, foreign currency derivatives and credit derivatives in India, in a phased manner.  The LEI code has been conceived as a key measure to improve the quality and accuracy of financial data systems for better risk management post the global financial crisis.  LEI is a 20-character unique identity code assigned to entities who are parties to a financial transaction. All current and future participants would be required to obtain the unique LEI code as per timelines indicated by the central bank.  According to the schedule for implementation of LEI, entities regulated by various financial sector regulators and corporates with net worth above ₹1,000 crore have to obtain LEI by August 1, 2017; corporates with net worth between ₹200 crore and ₹1,000 crore, by October 1, 2017; corporates with net worth between ₹70 crore and ₹200 crore, by December 1, 2017; and corporates with net worth of up to ₹70 crore, March 31, 2018.  The entities without an LEI code would not be eligible to participate in the OTC derivative markets after the date specified in the schedule.  Entities can obtain LEI from any of the local operating units (LOUs) accredited by the Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (GLEIF) — the entity tasked to support the implementation and use of the LEI.  LEI code can be obtained from Legal Entity Identifier India (LEIL), which has been recognised by the Reserve Bank as an issuer of LEI under the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007 and is accredited by the GLEIF as an LOU in India for issuance and management of LEI. RETAIL INFLATION IN INDIA FALLS HISTORIC LOW  India‘s retail inflation hit a historic low of 1.54 percent in June 2017. Retail inflation, measured by Consumer Price Index (CPI) remained low in May touching 2.18 percent and 5.77 percent in June last year, owing to a sustained dip in food prices. Low inflation levels can indicate poor demand and weak economic activity.  The year-on-year CPI inflation eased sharply to a series-low 3.0 percent in April 2017, due to food inflation. Inflation numbers continued to plunge to lower levels through May and June.  Consumer food price inflation was (-)2.12 percent in June as compared with 0.69 percent in May.  The sharp fall in food inflation was brought about by a disinflation in the prices of pulses and vegetables. BestCurrentAffairs.com JULY 2017 BestCurrentAffairs.com Page No.19

20. BestCurrentAffairs.com BestCurrentAffairs.com  Minister of Housing & Urban Affairs released the new version of NHB RESIDEX on the occasion of the National Housing Bank entering its 30th year. JULY 2017 BestCurrentAffairs.com Page No.20  Vegetables prices fell further and witnessed a negative growth of (-)16.53 percent in June as compared with (- )13.44 percent in May. Similarly, prices of pulses continued to fall at (-)21.92 percent, as compared with (-)19.45 in May. Housing inflation remained nearly flat, growing 4.70 percent in June from 4.84 percent in May. Fuel inflation was 4.84 percent in June, as compared with 5.46 percent in May.   NATIONAL INVESTMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE FUND MEET  The 3rd Meeting of the Governing Council of the ―National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF)‖ was under the Chairmanship of the Union Finance Minister.  Finance Minister reviewed the performance of NIIF so far and action taken by it in order to attract investment from foreign Soverign Wealth Funds among others in the infrastructure sector in the country.  It was informed that: (i) Strong investment pipeline with investment opportunities is under consideration in the roads, ports, aviation and power sectors. (ii) NIIF is Considering investments in third party managed funds focused on clean energy(Green Growth Fund already committed), affordable housing and medium sized infrastructure companies  The Governing Council expressed its desire for NIIF to function as a major platform in India, to leverage and attract overseas long-term investments in various infrastructure sectors in the Country.  As far as the issue of the Fund raising is concerned, it was informed that: (i) Master Contribution Agreement has been signed between Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Government of India (As the ―Contributor‖) and National Investment and Infrastructure Fund Limited (NIIFL) ( As the ― Investment Manager‘). The Agreement has been executed to formalize the commitment of INR 20,000 crores by Government of India to National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF). (ii) Following this Agreement, steady progress on fund-raising efforts with several international institutional investors, following-up on MoUs signed by Govt of India has been made. A first close of NIIF is expected very soon. (iii) The NIIF Governance Structure has been developed with technical assistance from DFID, UK which has been further reviewed and confirmed by Stanford University‘s Global Project Centre under the MOU with the US Treasury.  As far as the Operational Status of NIIF is concerned, it was informed that : (i) A team of twelve staff, including the CEO, National Investment and Infrastructure Fund Limited is now in place. Further recruitments of high quality staff through a global search process is underway. Strong international response to hiring efforts and advertisements for recruitment of expert staff has been received. (ii) The establishment of NIIF‘s permanent Delhi office is complete and the establishment of its head office in Mumbai is currently under refurbishment. NIIF staff is already operating in a hired space. REVAMPED „RESIDEX‟ LAUNCHED  The revamped and expanded official online user friendly NHB RESIDEX that captures movements in the prices of residential real estate prices released revealed that prices during January-March, 2017 have increased over that of October-December, 2016, in about half of the cities covered under the survey while the other half have either registered a decline or remained the same.

21. BestCurrentAffairs.com  NHB RESIDEX for January-March,2017 revealed that price indices for residential properties based on actual market prices for ongoing construction prices have increased over the previous quarter in 24 of the 47 cities covered in the Index including in Jaipur, Chennai, Lucknow, Guwahati, Howrah, Hyderabad, Bidhannagar etc. In Delhi, Faridabad, Chandigarh, Patna and Nashik etc, prices have come down. This component of RESIDEX, called Housing Price Index@Market Prices is based on actual market information. The other component of RESIDEX called as HPI@Assessment Prices based on the information furnished by banks and other lending agencies showed that prices have increased in 27 of the 50 cities surveyed. These include; Gurgaon, Mumbai, Vadodara, Raipur, Kanpur, Chandigarh, Bhubaneswar, Visakhapatnam and Coimbattore. Prices, however, have declined in Ranchi, Gandhinagar, Surat, Ludhiana, Kolkata etc. The RESIDEX has been computed for three categories of houses with carpet of below 60 sq.mtre, 61-110 sq.mtres and 111 sq.mtres and above. RESIDEX, the country‘s first official housing price index (HPI) was launched in 2007 covering 26 cities and was published till March, 2015 on a quarterly basis. The revamped RESIDEX has been expanded to 50 cities spread over 18 States and UTs. These include 38 smart cities, of which 18 are state capitals. Base year for the new RESIDEX has been moved from 2007 to 2012-13 to capture the changing structure of the economy besides capturing the latest information to accurately reflect the current economic situation, as per the internationally accepted practices. RESIDEX will soon cover 100 cities and also will be further widened to include Land Price Indices, Building Materials Price Indices and Housing Rental Index. NHB RESIDEX helps buyers and sellers to check and compare prices before entering a transaction. They can also analyse the price trends across different cities both at composite level and product category level. It helps lenders in credit evaluation. It provides promoters with a standardized tool to assess the housing demand. Government agencies can monitor trends in macro and micro markets and predict future behavior of the housing market. BestCurrentAffairs.com         GOVERNMENT FLOATING RATE BONDS 2024 LAUNCHED  Recently Government of India has announced the Sale of Floating Rate Bonds. Floating Rate Bonds refer to the changing interest rate bonds. The interest rate or coupon rate is higher than a Benchmark rate and usually linked to that benchmark rate. When the benchmark rate increases, the coupon rate also increases.  Government of India has announced the Sale of: (i) ―Government of India Floating Rate Bonds 2024‖ for a notified amount of Rs. 3000 crore (nominal) through price based auction, (ii) ―6.79 per cent Government Stock, 2027‖ for a notified amount of Rs. 9,000 crore (nominal) through price based auction, (iii) ―7.73 per cent Government Stock 2034‖ for a notified amount of Rs. 3,000 crore (nominal) through price based auction, (iv) ―7.06 per cent Government Stock, 2046‖ for a notified amount of Rs. 3,000 crore (nominal) through price based auction.  The auctions will be conducted using multiple price method. The auctions will be conducted by the Reserve Bank of India, Mumbai Office, Fort, Mumbai on July 14, 2017 (Friday).  Up to 5% of the notified amount of the sale of the stocks will be allotted to eligible individuals and Institutions as per the Scheme for Non-Competitive Bidding Facility in the Auction of Government Securities.  Both competitive and non-competitive bids for the auction should be submitted in electronic format on the Reserve Bank of India Core Banking Solution (E-Kuber) system on July 14, 2017. The non-competitive bids should be submitted between 10.30 a.m. and 11.30 a.m. and the competitive bids should be submitted between 10.30 a.m. and 12.00 noon.  The result of the auctions will be announced on July 14, 2017 (Friday) and payment by successful bidders will be on July 17, 2017 (Monday).  The Stocks will be eligible for ―When Issued‖ trading in accordance with the guidelines on ‗When Issued transactions in Central Government Securities‘ issued by the Reserve Bank of India vide circular No. RBI/2006- 07/178 dated November 16, 2006 as amended from time to time. FAO FOOD PRICE INDEX: LATEST MONTHLY DATA  Rising prices of cereals, meat and dairy products have pushed the global food price index up by 1.4 per cent compared to last month and 7.0 per cent compared to last year.  According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the rise in the Food Price Index – a measure of the monthly change in international prices of a basket of food commodities – was largely because of surging prices of high-protein wheat due to deteriorating crop conditions in the United States.  The FAO Food Price Index is a measure of the monthly change in international prices of a basket of food commodities. It consists of the average of five commodity group price indices, weighted with the average export shares of each of the groups for 2002-2004. JULY 2017 BestCurrentAffairs.com Page No.21

22. BestCurrentAffairs.com Latest Monthly Data: The FAO Food Price Index (FFPI) averaged 175.2 points in June 2017, up 2.5 points (1.4 percent) from May and 11 points (7 percent) above its level a year earlier. June marked the second successive month of increase in the value of the FFPI. The rise was driven by relatively large increases in dairy and cereal prices. Meat quotations also firmed, while those of sugar and vegetable oils dropped. The FAO Cereal Price Index averaged 154.3 points in June, 6.2 points (4.2 percent) above its May level and representing a one-year high. Wheat quotations increased the most, largely reflecting a surge in high-protein wheat values due to deteriorating crop conditions in the United States, while strong import demand exerted upward pressure on international rice prices. By contrast, record harvests in South America kept maize prices under downward pressure. The FAO Vegetable Oil Price Index averaged 162.1 points in June, down 6.5 points (or 3.9 percent) from May, when prices experienced a short-lived rebound. The slide in the index mainly reflects falling palm and soy oil values. International palm oil quotations dropped by a full 7 percent (marking a 10-month low), primarily because of good production prospects in Southeast Asia. Soy oil values dropped as South American bumper harvests bolstered global availabilities, while forecasts point to a near-record global output in 2017/18. Rapeseed and sunflower oil values also dropped, contributing to the overall fall in the index. The FAO Dairy Price Index averaged 209 points in June, up 15.9 points (8.3 percent) from May. This increase pushed the Index close to the highs registered during the last three years, although it is still 24 percent below its peak reached in February 2014. Prices of all dairy products that constitute the index rose, but butter price increased the most, rising 51.2 points (14.1 percent) from May to an all-time high. Limited export availabilities of dairy products in all major producing countries caused the prices of butter, cheese and skim milk powder to rise significantly, contributing also to stronger whole milk powder prices. The FAO Meat Price Index averaged 175.2 points in June, up 3.2 points (1.8 percent) from May, marking the sixth consecutive month of moderate price increases. Limited export supplies in Oceania, coupled with strong buying interest, underpinned bovine and ovine meat prices in June, while solid import demand lent some support to pig meat prices. By contrast, poultry quotations continued to be affected by concerns over the spread of Avian Influenza in Europe, Asia and Africa. The FAO Sugar Price Index averaged 197.3 points in June, down nearly 31 points (13.4 percent) from May and marking a 16-month low. International sugar prices have fallen steadily since February, with the continued decline reflecting large export availabilities, in particular robust Brazilian supplies. Weak import demand has exerted further downward pressure on quotations, especially as purchases by the world‘s leading importer, China, have slowed following the imposition of high import tariffs. FAO Meat Price Index: The value of the Meat Price Index for the most recent months is derived from a mixture of projected and observed prices. This can, at times, require significant revisions in the final value of the FAO Meat Price Index which could in turn influence the value of the FAO Food Price Index. Background: The FAO Food Price Index (FFPI) was introduced in 1996 as a public good to help in monitoring developments in the global agricultural commodity markets. The only major modification made to it – until now – was in 2009, when its base period was updated to 2002–2004. During the significant price hikes in 2008, the FFPI gained prominence as an indicator of potential food security concerns for vulnerable developing countries. Since then, with the exception of 2009 and 2010, prices of agricultural commodities have remained at relatively high levels compared with those prior to 2008. In order to determine whether there was a need to revise the base period again to reflect changes in trading patterns post 2007, the FFPI was recalculated based on different reference years. This provided an opportunity to review commodity coverage and price quotations. It also allowed to make comparisons with other price indices that may have more desirable properties than the Laspeyres form of the FFPI and to assess the relevance of the index as a possible indicator for food security concerns.  BestCurrentAffairs.com           10% BASIC CUSTOMS DUTY IMPOSED ON MOBILES  The Government had constituted Inter Ministerial Committee comprising of officers from Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), the Department of Commerce (DoC), Department of Telecommunication (DoT) and Department of Revenue (DoR) to identify electronic / IT / telecom products, which are not Information Technology Agreement [ITA] – I bound, for customs duty enhancement on them.  With effect from 01.07.2017, the Government has imposed 10% basic customs duty (BCD) on: a) Cellular mobile phones and specified parts of cellular mobile phones like charger, battery, wire headset, Microphone and Receiver, Key Pad, USB Cable etc. b) Certain other specified electronic goods.  The present exemption from basic customs duty on specified parts of mobiles, namely, Printed Circuit Board Assembly (PCBA), Camera Module, Connectors Display Assembly, Touch Panel / Cover Glass Assembly, Vibrator Motor / Ringer will continue.  Further, inputs and raw material for manufacture of parts of above specified electronics goods including mobile phones will also continue to be exempt from BCD. JULY 2017 BestCurrentAffairs.com Page No.22

23. BestCurrentAffairs.com  Notification Nos. 56/2017-Customs, 57/2017-Customs and 58/2017-Customs, all dated 30.06.2017 have been issued in this regard. BestCurrentAffairs.com GOODS AND SERVICES TAX IDENTIFICATION NUMBER  The rules related to Registration and Composition Scheme have been notified on 19th June, 2017. These rules have been brought into effect from 22nd June, 2017.  The intent of notifying these rules is to start the process of issue of registration certificate, called Goods and Services Tax Identification Number (GSTIN), to taxpayers who have already been issued provisional ID for registration (PID) as well as to the new taxpayers.  Any person who has been granted PID and who opts for composition scheme, should submit an intimation of option in a prescribed form on GSTN on or before 21st July, 2017.  Any persons who has PID may submit the required documents on GSTN for getting the certificate of registration. It is clarified that a period of three months is allowed to complete this procedure i.e. the formalities can be completed on or before 22nd September, 2017. In the interim, they can issue tax invoice using the PID already allotted to them.  A person seeking fresh registration can apply for registration within thirty days from the date on which he becomes liable for registration. They can also opt for composition scheme at the time of filing of registration form.  The applicant for grant of new registration can issue a bill of supply for supplying goods or services during the period from the date of liability to obtain registration till date of issuance of the registration certificate, if he has applied for registration within thirty days from the date he has become liable for registration.  On grant of certificate of registration he can issue revised tax invoices for the supplies made during this period. TAX RATE ON FERTILIZERS REDUCED TO 5%  At the 18th meeting of the GST Council, it was decided to reduce the GST rate of fertilizers from the existing 12% to 5%. This decision was primarily taken in the interests of the farmers. The Government has also taken up with the Industry to pass on the benefit to the Farmers.  Farmers would benefit to the tune of Rs. 1261 crores under GST regime. Under the new GST rates announced by the Council, average weighted MRP will decrease to Rs. 5909/ Ton (or Rs. 295.47/ 50kg bag) as compared to the existing All India weighted Average of Rs 5923/ Ton (or Rs. 296.18/50 kg bag).  Consequent to the ushering in of the GST regime, there will be a uniform MRP of Rs.295.47 per 50 kg bag across the country except couple of States where additional VAT is charged on the natural gas as Natural gas has not been brought within the ambit of GST. However, even in these States, MRP will reduce by Rs 3 per 50 kg bag.  Similarly, MRP of P&K Fertilisers, for which the prices are not administered, are also expected to come down on an average basis as the incidence of tax will be lower than the existing tax on an average.  The GST regime, apart from integrating the entire fertilizer market into a single market, will also deter inter-state smuggling of fertilizers which may be currently happening due to differing levels of taxes and consequently MRPs in different adjoining States. GST: HOW IT COMES TO EXISTENCE?  Goods and Services Tax (GST), a historic tax reform has come into effect from 1st July, 2017. GST will completely transform the Indirect Taxation landscape in the country involving both the Central and State levies.  In a departure from the normal practice, GST will be administered together by the Centre and States.  To commemorate the historic occasion, a function was held in the Central Hall of Parliament on the mid-night of 30th June – 1st July, 2017. The occasion was graced by the President, Vice President, Prime Minister, Speaker of Lok Sabha and Union Finance Minister among other dignitaries. Importance of GST:  The biggest tax reform since independence – GST – will pave the way for realization of the goal of One Nation – One Tax – One Market. GST will benefit all the stakeholders namely industry, government and consumer. It will lower the cost of goods and services, give a boost to the economy and make the products and services globally competitive, giving a major boost to ‗Make in India‘ initiative.  Under the GST regime, exports will be zero-rated in entirety unlike the present system where refund of some of the taxes does not take place due to fragmented nature of indirect taxes between the Centre and the States. GST will make India a common market with common tax rates & procedures and remove economic barriers.  GST is largely technology driven and will reduce the human interface to a great extent. GST is expected to improve ease of doing business in India.  In majority of supplies of goods, the tax incidence approved by the GST Council is much lower than the present combined indirect tax rates levied [on account of central excise duty rates / embedded central excise duty rates / service tax post-clearance embedding, VAT rates or weighted average VAT rates, cascading of VAT over excise duty and tax incidence on account of CST, Octroi, Entry Tax, etc.] by the Centre and State(s). JULY 2017 BestCurrentAffairs.com Page No.23

24. BestCurrentAffairs.com Journey of GST after the Constitutional Amendment Act, 2016: After the assent of the President on 8th September, 2016, the 101th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2016 came into existence. The GST Council was constituted on 15.9.2016. Since its formation in September, 2016 the GST Council has held 18 meetings. The Finance Ministers of all the States or their representative along with State and Central govt officials have participated in these extensive meetings and formulated the law and procedure to implement this historic tax reform. It was a mammoth task involving 27000+ man hours of intensive work. More than 200 meetings of the officers of the Centre and States took place in different parts of the country to expedite the implementation of GST. While framing GST Acts and Rules, enhanced ‗Ease of doing business‘ for the taxpayers was a key consideration and accordingly the roles and responsibilities of the States and Central govt have been defined. In a short span of time, the GST council has cleared GST laws, GST Rules, Tax rate structure including Compensation Cess, Classification of goods and services into different rate slabs, exemptions, thresholds, structure for tax administration, etc. All the decisions of Council were taken with consensus. While formulating the Acts and Rules, extensive participatory consultations with trade and industry including other significant stakeholders were undertaken. Feedback was also obtained by posting draft Acts and Rules on the websites and inviting comments from the public. On 29th March, 2017, the Finance Minister of India tabled four Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bills for consideration and passage in the Lok Sabha namely The Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST) Bill, 2017, The Integrated Goods and Services Tax (IGST) Bill, 2017, The Union Territories Goods and Services Tax (UTGST) Bill, 2017 and the GST (Compensation to States) Bill, 2017. They were passed by the Lok Sabha on 29th March, 2017 and by the Rajya Sabha on 6th April, 2017. The GST Council has decided the final structure of GST as follows:  The threshold limit for exemption from levy of GST is Rs. 20 lakh for the States except for the Special Category, where it is Rs 10 Lakh.  A four slab tax rate structure of 5%, 12%, 18% and 28% has been adopted for GST.  A cess would be levied on certain goods such as luxury cars, aerated drinks, pan masala and tobacco products, over and above the GST rate of 28% for payment of compensation to the states.  The threshold for availing the Composition scheme is Rs. 75 lakh except for special category States where it is Rs. 50 lakh and they are required to file quarterly returns only. Certain categories of manufacturers, service providers (except restaurants) are out of the Composition Scheme. Other Important Features of GST  GST envisages all transactions and processes to be done only through electronic mode, to achieve non-intrusive administration. This will minimise tax payers physical interaction with the tax officials.  GST provides for the facility of auto-populated monthly returns and annual return.  It also facilitates the taxpayers by prescribing grant of refund within 60 days, and provisional release of 90% refund to exporters within 7 days. Further facilitation measures include interest payment if refund is not sanctioned in time, and refund to be directly credited to bank accounts.  Comprehensive transitional provisions for ensuring smooth transition of existing taxpayers to GST regime, credit for available stocks, etc.  Other provisions include system of GST Compliance Rating, etc.  Anti-profiteering provisions for protection of consumer rights. Role of GST Network (GSTN) – IT backbone of GST  GSTN has been created as a section 25 private limited company with Strategic Control with the Government, to function as a common Pass-through portal for taxpayers. On this common portal, taxpayers will submit their registration applications, file returns, make tax payments, claim refunds etc. GSTN has been provided with a robust IT platform and it will provide interface to 80 lakh taxpayers and thousands of tax officials.  All filings under GST will be done electronically. While GSTN remains a front-end, at the back end, the IT systems of CBEC and different states interface with the GSTN IT network to provide a seamless end to end processing of tax returns for the taxpayers. 64,000 officials have been trained on the GST portal from February till June 2017. The GSTN IT systems have undergone load tests, performance tests, vulnerability tests, security and all other mandatory tests.  Enrolment of existing taxpayers of the State tax administrations and the Central Board of Excise and Customs to the GST system commenced on 8thNovember, 2016. More than 66 lakh taxpayers have activated their account at the GST portal.  GST Application on Payment has been operationalized. 25 banks have been integrated with the GST Common portal and will be providing e-payment and Over the counter payment facilities as well as payment through NeFT/RTGS and credit/debit card. RE-ORGANISATION OF CBEC  Implementation of GST has necessitated reorganisation of the Central Board of Excise & Customs formations for administration of GST. The reorganisation involved bringing about structural changes and redeployment of human resources.  BestCurrentAffairs.com       JULY 2017 BestCurrentAffairs.com Page No.24

25. BestCurrentAffairs.com  Redeployment has been done to ensure outreach to the remotest corner. The Directorates which have significant role under the GST have been adequately expanded and strengthened. The field formations have been restructured as 21 CGST & CX Zones, 107 CGST & CX Commissionerates, 12 Sub-Commissionerates, 768 CGST & CX Divisions, 3969 CGST & CX Ranges, 48 Audit Commissionerates and 49 Appeal Commissionerates. TRAINING For a smooth roll out of GST, it was imperative to carry out adequate capacity-building exercise and awareness. National Academy of Customs Indirect Taxes and Narcotics (NACIN) have conducted extensive training programs. BestCurrentAffairs.com   JULY 2017 BestCurrentAffairs.com Page No.25

26. BestCurrentAffairs.com INTERNATIONAL HAMBANTOTA PORT DEAL IN NEWS  The Magampura Mahinda Rajapaksa Port (also known as the Port of Hambantota) is a maritime port in Hambantota, Sri Lanka. The first phase of the port was opened on 18 November 2010, with the first ceremonial berthing of the naval ship ―Jetliner‖ to use the port facilities. It is named after former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.  Sri Lanka has signed a 1.1 billion dollars deal with China for the control and development of the southern deep- sea port of Hambantota.  The deal had been delayed by several months over concerns that the port could be used by the Chinese military.  The government has given assurances that China will run only commercial operations from the port, on the main shipping route between Asia and Europe.  Sri Lanka‘s government said money from the deal will help repay foreign loans. Under the proposal, a state-run Chinese company will have a 99-year lease on the port and about 15,000 acres nearby for an industrial zone.  Hambantota Port is built inland and operated by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority. Total estimated construction cost of the Phase 1 of the project is US $361 million and out of which, 85% has been funded by the EXIM Bank of China.  India has also voiced concerns that China could use the deep sea port in the Indian Ocean to dock military vessels. Sri Lanka has assured India that there are no security issues over the port, which it says will only be used for commercial purposes. PAKISTAN SUPREME COURT DISQUALIFIES PRIME MINISTER  Pakistan‘s Supreme Court five-Judge Bench has disqualified Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif from office. This ruling comes after months of hearings in a case instigated by the ―Panama Papers‖ leaks, related to alleged corruption during his previous two terms in office.  The five-Judge Bench ruled that: “It is hereby declared that having failed to disclose his un-withdrawn receivables constituting assets from Capital FZE Jebel Ali, UAE in his nomination papers filed for the General Elections held in 2013 in terms of Section 12(2)(f) of the Representation of the People Act, 1976 (ROPA), and having furnished a false declaration under solemn affirmation respondent No. 1 Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif is not honest in terms of Section 99(f) of ROPA and Article 62(1)(f) of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973 and therefore he is disqualified to be a Member of the Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament),” the Bench ruled, directing the Election Commission of Pakistan to immediately issue a notification disqualifying Mr. Sharif from being a Member of the Majlis-e-Shoora(Parliament).  Nawaz Sharif has stepped down from his post in accordance with the Supreme Court ruling.  Sharif and three of his children have been referred to a National Accountability court, which has been ordered to register corruption cases against them within six weeks.  The court also referred Ishaq Dar, the finance minister, who has served as Sharif‘s accountant in the past, to the corruption court, along with other associates of Sharif.  In 2016, the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists leaked 11.5 million documents from Panama- based law firm Mossack Fonseca, dubbed the Panama Papers.  Several documents included in the leak showed three of Sharif‘s children – Hussain, Hasan and Maryam – owned at least three off-shore companies registered in the British Virgin Islands. The documents showed that these companies had engaged in deals worth $25m. IRAN-IRAQ SIGN AGREEMENT TO BOOST MILITARY COOPERATION  Iran and Iraq have signed an agreement to boost military cooperation and to battle against ―terrorism and extremism‖.  The memorandum of understanding on defense and cooperation was signed between Iraqi Defense minister Major General Erfan al-Hiyali and his Iranian counterpart Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan.  The expansion of cooperation and sharing experiences in the fields of fight against terrorism and extremism, border security, training, logistics, technical and military supports were included in the memorandum.  The Iraqi defense minister thanked Iran for its help in fighting Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL). Al-Hiyali also stressed the crucial role of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) militia in the liberation of Mosul.  Iran and Iraq fought a bloody 1980-88 war during the reign of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. But bilateral ties have improved after Hussein was ousted in 2003 and a government led by Shi‘ite Muslims took power in Baghdad. Iran is a predominately Shi‘ite nation. NEW WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS FINANCE INITIATIVE LAUNCHED  The World Bank has launched a public-private loan programme to support women entrepreneurs in developing BestCurrentAffairs.com countries. JULY 2017 BestCurrentAffairs.com Page No.26

27. BestCurrentAffairs.com  Initial funding of $325 million for the project includes large donations from Germany, the United States, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The United States and Germany invited the Bank Group to establish the facility. We-Fi is a collaboration among the governments of Australia, Canada, China, Denmark, Germany, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and the United States. Women entrepreneurs play a critical role in economic development by boosting growth and creating jobs, particularly for the poorest 40 percent of the population. Yet, women face numerous challenges to financing, owning, and growing a business, including limited access to capital and technology, a lack of networks and knowledge resources, and legal and policy obstacles to business ownership and development. The Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative (We-Fi) seeks to address barriers to financial access and to provide complementary services that address constraints at multiple levels from legal reforms to skills enhancements and market access for women-owned and women-led small and medium enterprises (SMEs), which are key sources of potential job growth in developing countries. This is the first major global fund or facility dedicated to a holistic public and private approach to eliminating barriers to women‘s economic empowerment. We-Fi will enable more than US$1 billion of financing to improve access to capital, provide technical assistance, and invest in other projects and programs that support women and women-led SMEs in World Bank Group client countries. We-Fi originally targeted $200 million in grants from donors, with an additional $800 million in IFI and commercial financing by working with financial intermediaries, funds, and other market actors. What would it finance? Given the need for both public and private sector interventions to address the constraints women entrepreneurs face, We-Fi will support complementary approaches through both the public and private sector. We-Fi will also enable innovation around new financial and non-financial services for women entrepreneurs in emerging markets. We-Fi would not only provide dedicated resources to foster innovation and new approaches to removing these constraints for women entrepreneurs, but also help to elevate the issue to spur action by governments and private sector. How will it be governed? We-Fi will be established and managed as a Financial Intermediary Fund (FIF) at the World Bank, drawing on the World Bank‘s strong track record in designing and managing Funds to ensure best practice in terms of governance and efficiency. A Governing Committee would set the Facility‘s operational policies, eligibility and resource allocation criteria, approve allocations to Implementing Partners, provide regular monitoring, and review evaluations. Those who contribute above a threshold to be determined by the founding contributors, would occupy voting seats on the Committee. BestCurrentAffairs.com Grenada, Greenland, India, Indonesia, Israel, Colombia, Liechtenstein, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Maurizio,          MAURITIUS SIGNS MULTILATERAL TAX CONVENTION  Recently, Mauritius has signed the Multilateral Convention to Implement Tax Treaty Related Measures to prevent Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (MLI).  Mauritius has also reaffirmed that it will implement the minimum standards outlined in the OECD/ G20 BEPS plan by 2018. It has committed to modify its remaining tax treaties through bilateral negotiations.  The MLI is a legal instrument designed to prevent Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) by multinational enterprises.  BEPS refers to tax avoidance strategies that exploit gaps and mismatches in tax rules to artificially shift profits to low or no-tax locations.  The MLI allows jurisdictions to transpose results from the OECD/ G20 BEPS project, including minimum standards to implement in tax treaties, to prevent treaty abuse and ―treaty shopping‖, into their existing networks of bilateral tax treaties in a quick and efficient manner. NEW SANCTIONS IMPOSED ON IRAN BY USA  USA imposed new sanctions against entities and individuals with ties to Iran. USA has designated 18 entities and individuals under this latest round of sanctions for their support of Iran‘s military procurement for its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps —a powerful government security agency tied to the country‘s hardliners.  USA criticized Iran for continuing to develop its ballistic missile program, which the United States and other countries consider a violation of UN Security Council resolutions. SWITZERLAND RATIFIES AEOI WITH 41 COUNTRIES  The Swiss Federal Council has introduced automatic exchange of financial account information (AEOI) with 41 more states and territories.  The list of the countries is as follows: Andorra, Antigua e Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Brazil, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Chile, China, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Curacao, Faroe Islands, JULY 2017 BestCurrentAffairs.com Page No.27

28. BestCurrentAffairs.com Mexico, Monaco, Montserrat, New Zealand, Russia, Saint Kitts e Nevi, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent e Grenadine, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, South Africa, Turks e Caicos Islands, Uruguay, and United Arab Emirates. This follows the introduction earlier this year AEOI with 38 states and territories, including all EU member states. The implementation is considered appropriate and necessary to implement the international standards in taxation to boost the image and competitiveness of the Swiss financial market. In fact, with the extension, Switzerland‘s AEOI network now includes the majority of G20 and OECD states, as well as other important financial centres around the world. Hence a level playing field will be created among states and all major financial centres. The implementation is planned for 2018, and the first sets of data should be exchanged in 2019. Moreover, the AEOI will be activated with each individual state or territory by means of a specific federal decree within the framework of the dispatch. The Multilateral Competent Authority Agreement on the Automatic Exchange of Financial Account Information (MCAA) will be the base for the exchange of information. The dispatch provides that before the first exchange of data, Switzerland will confirm that the states and territories concerned meet the requirements under the MCAA standard, especially those concerning confidentiality and data security. BestCurrentAffairs.com        SERBIA‟S NEW PRESIDENT  Aleksandar Vucic was sworn in as Serbia‘s president. Serbia is a parliamentary republic, with the government divided into legislative, executive and judiciary branches.  The President is the head of state, is elected by popular vote to a five-year term and is limited by the Constitution to a maximum of two terms.  In addition to being the commander in chief of the armed forces, the president has the procedural duty of appointing the prime minister with the consent of the parliament, and has some influence on foreign policy.  The Government (Vlada) is composed of the prime minister and cabinet ministers. The Government is responsible for proposing legislation and a budget, executing the laws, and guiding the foreign and internal policies.  The National Assembly (Narodna skupština) is a unicameral legislative body. The National Assembly has the power to enact laws, approve the budget, schedule presidential elections, select and dismiss the Prime Minister and other ministers, declare war, and ratify international treaties and agreements. It is composed of 250 proportionally elected members who serve four-year terms.  Serbia is a landlocked country situated at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe in the southern Pannonian Plain and the central Balkans.  It borders Hungary to the north; Romania and Bulgaria to the east; Macedonia to the south; Croatia, Bosnia, Montenegro to the west and claims a border with Albania through the disputed territory of Kosovo.  Serbia numbers around 7 million residents; its capital, Belgrade, ranks among the oldest and largest cities in Southeast Europe. CHINA AND SOUTH-CHINA SEA RECLAMATION ISSUE  China has imposed strict controls on the scale of sea reclamation. China‘s State Oceanic Administration (SOA) set eight indexes on sea development, including the rate of sea utilisation, rate of coastal utilisation, investment intensity and ratio of sea reclamation.  Any application that does not conform to the requirement of the eight indexes will be sent back for re-examination.  The restrictions are aimed to improve the efficiency of sea utilisation, achieve sustainable development with the minimum use of oceanic space and promote intensive exploitation of coastal resources.  As the cost for sea utilisation is far lower than land utilisation, Chinese companies have developed a craze for investment on sea reclamation, driven by huge profits.  Land reclamation, usually known as reclamation, and also known as land fill, is the process of creating new land from ocean, riverbeds, or lake beds. The land reclaimed is known as reclamation ground or land fill.  This issue has been in news when last year satellite imagery confirmed that China was constructing artificial islands in the South China Sea. According to Chian, there is no prohibition in international law about land reclamation.  Artificial islands have a distinct meaning in international law. Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) sovereignty over artificial islands can only be exercised by a coastal state in its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Article 56 states, ―In the exclusive economic zone, the coastal State has jurisdiction with regard to: (i) the establishment and use of artificial islands, installations and structures…‖ Article 60 gives the coastal state ―exclusive right to construct artificial islands.‖ And Article 80 extends this provision to artificial islands on a coastal state‘s continental shelf.  The issue of China‘s construction of artificial islands is being seen as an attempt to enforce its jurisdiction over twelve nautical miles of water surrounding these artificial islands. In this way China is trying to increase its legal control in South-China sea.  Other issue is of concern is with similar efforts by Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines in South-China sea.  Kindly Subscribe our Current Affairs to read in detail about more important issues. JULY 2017 BestCurrentAffairs.com Page No.28

29. BestCurrentAffairs.com PEOPLE‟S DISPLACEMENT IN KASAI REGION OF CONGO  Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has alerted the humanitarian community about the violence and continued displacement of civilians in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) from the Kasai region where the estimated number of displaced people now exceeds 1.3 million.  The Kasai region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is divided administratively into Kasai-Occidental and Kasai-Oriental. It shares its name with the Kasai River.  After the independence of Congo, it seceded for a while under influence of Belgium and became an independent kingdom. After the assassination of Patrice Lumumba, Kasai came back to Congo.  The conflict in the Kasai region, which started in late 2016 between a local traditional leader – the Kamuina Nsapu – and state authorities, continues to expand, with other armed groups springing up and committing severe human rights abuses against civilians.  During recent missions to two provinces bordering the main conflict region, Kwilu and Lualaba, UNHCR‘s team met some extremely vulnerable new arrivals.  The majority of those displaced are being accommodated by host communities, despite limited resources.  UNHCR is strengthening its response on the ground, closely working with national partner organizations to distribute more than 267,000 hot meals daily in five provinces affected by the displacement, namely Kasai, Kasai Central, Kwango, Kwilu and Lualaba. UNITED NATIONS POLITICAL MISSION IN IRAQ EXTENDED  The UN Security Council has extended the mandate of the United Nations political mission in Iraq until 31 July 2018.  It has also called the Iraq‘s Government to continue providing security and logistical support to the Organization‘s presence on the ground.  UNSC also decided that the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) and the Secretary-General‘s Special Representative would, at Iraq‘s request, continue to pursue their mandates, outlined at the time of the previous mandate extension in 2016.  In so doing, the Council took into account a 14 June 2017 letter from Iraq‘s Foreign Minister to the Secretary- General.  The United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) is a political mission established on 14 August 2003 by the UN Security Council Resolution 1500 at the request of the Government of Iraq. It has been on the ground ever since, with its role greatly expanded in 2007 with the passage of Resolution 1770.  Since its inception in 2003, UNAMI has played a crucial role in providing significant support in the drafting of Iraq‘s 2005 Constitution, assisting in six elections, coordinating UN humanitarian efforts and the financial assistance of the donor community and providing advisory support to the Council of Representatives.  UNAMI continues to assist in political dialogue towards a resolution of issues related to Kirkuk and other disputed internal territories of Iraq.  After having successfully helped establish, train and advise Iraq‘s first High Electoral Commission, the Mission is currently assisting the Government establish an Independent High Commission for Human Rights to promote and protect the rights of all Iraq‘s people according to international standards.  The Mission is administered by the UN‘s Department of Political Affairs and supported by the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, as well as the Department of Field Support. SAUDI ARABIA INTRODUCES PHYSICAL EDUCATION FOR GIRLS  According to Education Ministry of Saudi Arabia, Saudi public schools will begin offering physical education for girls in the coming academic year. Minister of Education Ahmad Al-Isa issued orders to this effect.  Physical education for girls is controversial in Saudi Arabia, where conservatives consider it immodest.  The program will be implemented in line with the Shariah regulations and in a phased manner depending on the available capabilities of each public school.  Schools will arrange sports halls and hire qualified women physical education staff before introducing the program.  The decision has been taken in line with the goals of the Kingdom‘s Vision 2030 to raise the percentage of those practicing sports and physical exercise by introducing more sports and recreational activities.  A supervisory committee, headed by Dr. Haya Bint Abdulaziz Al-Awwad, undersecretary for girls‘ education at the ministry, will be constituted to implement the program. The committee will spell out the program‘s goals, performance indexes, and a phased plan.  It will work in coordination with universities to train women specialists so as to qualify them to implement the program at girls‘ schools.  The Saudi government has in recent years begun introducing gradual reforms to open new opportunities for women and expand their participation in the labour force.  In 2015, the Shoura Council asked the Ministry of Education to consider adding in the curricula physical education programs that conform to Islamic regulations.  Earlier this year, the The 150-member Shuora Council opened the door to licensing for women‘s gyms. BestCurrentAffairs.com  The kingdom sent two female athletes to the Olympics for the first time in 2012, and four to the 2016 games. JULY 2017 BestCurrentAffairs.com Page No.29

30. BestCurrentAffairs.com  In June 2013, Saudi Arabia‘s first dedicated sports center for girls was formally opened, heralding more steps for women‘s empowerment in the country. The Shuora Council called for encouraging the private sector to establish fitness centers for women. BestCurrentAffairs.com  USA-QATAR AGREEMENT ON COMBATING TERRORISM FUNDING  United States and Qatar have signed an agreement to combat ―terrorism financing‖. Qatar has become the first country to sign a such type agreement with US in Gulf region.  According to agreement, together the United States and Qatar will do more to track down funding sources, will do more to collaborate and share information, and will do more to keep the region and their homelands safe.  In early June, seven countries cut ties with Qatar, saying the country was supporting terrorist groups. Qatar denies that.  Four of those countries — Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain and United Arab Emirates — sent Qatar a list of demands it must meet to end the de facto blockade. Those demands include severing ties to terrorist organizations and ending any funding for those considered terrorists by surrounding countries.  Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates accuse Doha of funding terrorism which Qatar denies. The four countries cut ties with Qatar and imposed a land, air and sea blockade on the country. They said that the agreement between Qatar and the United States on combating terror funding is ―insufficient‖. JAPAN DONATES TO WTO GLOBAL TRUST FUND  The government of Japan is contributing JPY 27.5 million (just over CHF 230,000) to help developing countries and least-developed countries enhance their trade negotiating skills and participate more effectively in global trade negotiations.  The donation to the WTO‘s Doha Development Agenda Global Trust Fund will finance training workshops for officials in Geneva and elsewhere to help them better understand and implement WTO agreements.  Since the creation of the fund in 2001, over 2,500 workshops have been organized.  This donation will help to provide important training for developing and least-developed countries to help them participate effectively in multilateral trade negotiations and thereby seize the opportunities that trade provides.  Japan has donated almost CHF 11 million to WTO trust funds over the past 15 years.  The Doha Development Agenda Global Trust Fund  The Doha Development Agenda Global Trust Fund (DDAGTF) was established in 2002, in order to receive extra budgetary contributions from WTO Members to finance the implementation of the annual TA Plans.  The total cost of the TA Plans is budgeted at some CHF19 Mio annually, of which some CHF14.5 Mio is covered from Trust Funds and some CHF4.5 Mio from WTO‘s regular budget.  The Global Trust Fund is operated against periodic benchmarks and closely supervised by the Committee on Budget Finance and Administration and the Committee and Trade and Development.  According to the rules established by Members, by December of the year preceding the fund‘s revolving annual target period, actual contributions amounting to 25 percent of the annual total should be recorded.  By 31 March, another 50 percent should be in hand for an overall 75 percent of the total estimated expenditure of the year.  By 30 June, 100 percent of the funds needed should be received. Where contribution receipt targets are manifestly not met, the General Council shall meet on an urgent basis to discuss the matter. JAPAN‟S POPULATION IS DECREASING FAST  According to latest Japan government data, the number of births fell below 1 million last year in Japan. It is the fastest pace of decreasing population since 1968.  As of on January 1, the number of Japanese people dropped a record 308,084 from a year earlier to 125,583,658. It was the eighth straight year of decline.  The number of births stood at 981,202, while that of deaths hit a record-high 1,309,515.  The ―natural population loss‖ — calculated by subtracting deaths from births — totaled 328,313. JULY 2017 BestCurrentAffairs.com Page No.30

31. BestCurrentAffairs.com BestCurrentAffairs.com  Though the problem of falling birthrates and aging population is particularly acute in Japan, a similar problem is also brewing in Europe and the U.S. JULY 2017 BestCurrentAffairs.com Page No.31  Japan‘s population is declining, but that doesn‘t mean the death rate is increasing. In fact, Japanese people are living longer, healthier lives than ever before. While most of the cities in Japan witnessed decreasing population, Tokyo saw an increase of 77,400, or 0.60 percent. Hokkaido suffered the largest population decline — 33,593. In terms of the pace of decline, Akita Prefecture ranked first at 1.34 percent, followed by Aomori and Kochi prefectures. By age, people 65 old or older accounted for a record-high 27.17 percent of the country‘s population. The overall population of both Japanese and foreign residents dropped 159,125 from a year before, to 127,907,086.     Main Reasons for Declining Birth Rate in Japan:  Women are marrying later.  Women have more options besides homemaking.  Young professionals in Japan have been family-averse for the past 20 years.  Unmarried women are less likely to have kids. Marriage is still the most socially acceptable way to have children.  The biggest problem for Japan may be the rate at which its population is aging. The number of people age 65 or older in Japan has reached 33 million.  Lower population means fewer people spending money, and a greater pressure on Japan‘s GDP and wages. There‘s also falling land prices and exchange rate appreciation.  The government estimates the population will drop to 86.7 million by 2060, with people over 65 making up 40% of the country.

32. BestCurrentAffairs.com BATTULGA WINS MONGOLIAN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION  Khaltmaa Battulga has won Mongolia‘s presidential election. Battulga of the Democratic Party (DP) is a 54-year- old former martial arts star.  Battulga won with 50.6 percent of the vote on a 60.9 percent turnout and defeated Miyeegombo Enkhbold of the ruling Mongolian People‘s Party.  Mongolia is a landlocked unitary sovereign state in East Asia. It is located between China to the south and Russia to the north. While it does not share a border with Kazakhstan, Mongolia is separated from it by only 36.76 kilometers (22.84 mi).  Mongolia is the 18th largest country in the world by land mass and has a population of around three million people. It is also the world‘s second-largest landlocked country behind Kazakhstan and the largest landlocked country that does not border a closed sea.  The country contains very little arable land, as much of its area is covered by grassy steppe, with mountains to the north and west and the Gobi Desert to the south.  Ulaanbaatar, the capital and largest city, is home to about 40%-45% of the country‘s population.  Horse culture is still integral. The majority of its population are Buddhists. The non-religious population is the second largest group.  Mongolia is a semi-presidential representative democratic republic, where the President is directly elected. The people also elect the deputies in the national assembly, the State Great Khural.  The President appoints the Prime Minister, and nominates the Cabinet on the proposal of the prime minister. The constitution of Mongolia guarantees a number of freedoms, including full freedom of expression and religion.  Mongolia has a number of political parties; the largest are the Mongolian People‘s Party and the Democratic Party. EU-JAPAN SIGNS ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT  Japan and European Union have signed an Economic Partnership Agreement that would affect about 30 percent of the world‘s gross domestic product. The negotiations of this deal was launched in 2013.  This Economic Partnership Agreement will boost trade in goods and services as well as create opportunities for investment. The agreement will further improve the position of EU exporters and investors on Japan‘s large market, while including strong guarantees for the protection of EU standards and values.  It will help cement Europe‘s leadership in setting global trade rules and send a powerful signal that cooperation, not protectionism, is the way to tackle global challenges.  Following the breakthrough announced at the EU-Japan Summit held in Brussels on 6 July 2017, the negotiators will continue their work to address remaining technical points and achieve a final text of the agreement by the end of the year. Details of Economic Partnership Agreement:  Elimination of customs duties–tariffs on more than 90% of the EU‘s exports to Japan will be eliminated at entry into force of the economic partnership. Once the agreement is fully implemented, Japan will have scrapped customs duties on 97% of goods imported from the EU (in tariff lines), with the remaining tariff lines being subject to partial liberalisation through tariff rate quotas or tariff reductions. This, in turn, will save EU exporters around €1 billion in customs duties per year.  Agriculture and food products– Japan is a highly valuable export market for European farmers and food producers. With annual exports worth over €5.7 billion, Japan is already the EU‘s fourth biggest market for agricultural exports. Over time around 85% of EU agri-food products (in tariff lines) will be allowed to enter Japan entirely duty-free. This corresponds to 87% of current agri-food exports by value.  The agreement will eliminate or sharply reduce duties on agricultural products in which the EU has a major export interest, such as pork, the EU‘s main agricultural export to Japan, ensuring duty-free trade with processed pork meat and almost duty-free trade for fresh pork meat exports. Tariffs on beef will be cut from 38.5% to 9% over 15 years for a significant volume of beef products.  EU wine exports to Japan are already worth around €1 billion and represent the EU‘s second biggest agricultural export to Japan by value. The tariffs on wine will be scrapped from day one, as will tariffs for other alcoholic drinks.  As regards cheese exports, where the EU is already the main player on the Japanese market, high duties on many hard cheeses such as Gouda and Cheddar (which currently are at 29.8%) will be eliminated, and a duty-free quota will be established for fresh cheeses such as Mozzarella. The EU-Japan agreement will also scrap customs duties (with a transitional period) for processed agricultural products such as pasta, chocolates, cocoa powder, candies, confectionary, biscuits, starch derivatives, prepared tomatoes and tomato sauce. There will also be significant quotas for EU exports (duty-free or with reduced duty) of malt, potato starch, skimmed milk powder, butter and whey.  Geographical Indications– the EU-Japan agreement recognises the special status and offers protection on the Japanese market to more than 200 European agricultural products from a specific European geographical origin, known as Geographical Indications (GIs) – for instance Roquefort, Aceto Balsamico di Modena, Prosecco, BestCurrentAffairs.com Jambon d‘Ardenne, Tiroler Speck, Polska Wódka, Queso Manchego, Lübecker Marzipan and Irish Whiskey. These products will be given the same level of protection in Japan as they experience in the EU. JULY 2017 BestCurrentAffairs.com Page No.32

33. BestCurrentAffairs.com  Industrial products– tariffs on industrial products will be fully abolished, for instance in sectors where the EU is very competitive, such as chemicals, plastics, cosmetics as well as textiles and clothing. For leather and shoes, the existing quota system that has been significantly hampering EU exports will be abolished at the agreement‘s entry into force. Tariffs on shoes will be cut from 30% to 21% at entry into force, with the rest of the duties being eliminated over 10 years. Tariffs on EU exports of leather products, such as handbags, will be eliminated over 10 years, as will be those on products that are traditionally highly protected by Japan, such as sports shoes and ski boots. Fisheries– import quotas will no longer be applied and all tariffs will be eliminated on both sides, meaning better prices for EU consumers and big export opportunities for EU industry. Forestry – tariffs on all wood products will be fully eliminated, with seven years staging for the most important priorities. Most tariffs on wood products will be dropped immediately, with some less important tariff lines being scrapped after 10 years. Whaling and illegal logging: The EU has banned all imports of whale products for more than 35 years, and this will not change with the Economic Partnership Agreement. The EU and its Member States are committed to the conservation and protection of whales and have consistently expressed strong reservations about whaling for scientific purposes. Whales receive special protection under EU law and the EU strictly enforces the ban on trade under the Convention on Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). The EU addresses whaling by all third countries, including Japan, both in bilateral relations and the international fora that are best suited to deal with this issue – for example, at the International Whaling Commission, where we work with like-minded partners to address whaling with Japan. When it comes to the agreement announced recently, it will include a chapter on sustainable development which will provide for an additional platform to foster dialogue and joint work between the EU and Japan on environmental issues of relevance in a trade context. The EU and Japan share a common commitment to combat illegal logging and related trade and this will be reflected in the text of the agreement. Trade in illegal timber is not an issue between the EU and Japan. The EU has a very clear legislation on illegal logging, just like Japan. Both partners have surveillance and certification systems in place to prevent the import of illegal timber. The two partners also work closely with third countries to support them in setting up efficient mechanisms to address the problem. Non-tariff barriers– the EU-Japan negotiations addressed many non-tariff measures that had constituted a concern for EU companies, as some Japanese technical requirements and certification procedures often make it difficult to export safe European products to Japan. The agreement will go a long way in facilitating the access of EU companies to the highly regulated Japanese market. Examples of such barriers that were successfully addressed include: Motor vehicles– the agreement ensures that both Japan and the EU will fully align themselves to the same international standards on product safety and the protection of the environment, meaning that European cars will be subject to the same requirements in the EU and Japan, and will not need to be tested and certified again when exported to Japan. With Japan now committing itself to international car standards, EU exports of cars to Japan will be significantly simplified. This also paves the way for even stronger cooperation between the EU and Japan in international standard setting fora. It includes an accelerated dispute settlement between the two sides specifically for motor vehicles, similar to the one agreed under the EU-South Korea trade agreement. It also includes a safeguard and a clause allowing the EU to reintroduce tariffs in the event that Japan would (re)introduce non-tariff barriers to EU exports of vehicles. The agreement will also mean that hydrogen-fuelled cars that are approved in the EU can be exported to Japan without further alterations. Medical devices– In November 2014, Japan adopted the international standard on quality management systems (QMS), on which the EU QMS system for medical devices is based. This reduces the costs of certification of European products exported to Japan considerably. Textiles labelling – In March 2015, Japan adopted the international textiles labelling system similar to the one used in the EU. Textiles labels therefore do no longer need to be changed on every single garment exported to Japan, as was the case before. ―Quasi drugs‖, medical devices and cosmetics – a complicated and duplicative notification system that hampered the marketing of many European pharmaceuticals, medical devices and cosmetics in Japan was finally abolished on 1 January 2016. Beer –From 2018 onwards, European beers can be exported as beers and not as ―alcoholic soft drinks‖. This will also lead to similar taxation, thus doing away with differences between different beers. In addition, the Economic Partnership Agreement also contains general rules on certain types of non-tariff barriers, which will help level the playing field for European products exported to Japan, and increase transparency and predictability: Technical barriers to trade–the agreement puts the focus on Japan and the EU‘s mutual commitment to ensure that their standards and technical regulations are based on international standards to the greatest possible extent. Combined with the provisions on non-tariff measures, this is good news for European exporters of electronics, pharmaceuticals, textiles and chemicals. For instance, reliance on international standards will be helpful for easier and less costly compliance of food products with Japanese labelling rules. Sanitary and phytosanitary measures– the agreement creates a more predictable regulatory environment for EU products exported to Japan. The EU and Japan have agreed to simplify approval and clearance processes and that import procedures are completed without undue delays, making sure that undue bureaucracy does not put a spanner in the works for exporters. The agreement will not lower safety standards or require parties to BestCurrentAffairs.com              JULY 2017 BestCurrentAffairs.com Page No.33

34. BestCurrentAffairs.com change their domestic policy choices on matters such as the use of hormones or genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Trade in services–the EU exports some €28 billion of services to Japan each year. The agreement will make it easier for EU firms to provide services on the highly lucrative Japanese market. The agreement contains a number of provisions that apply horizontally to all trade in services, such as a provision to reaffirm the Parties‘ right to regulate. It maintains the right of EU Member States‘ authorities to keep public services public and it will not force governments to privatise or deregulate any public service at national or local level. Likewise, Member States‘ authorities retain the right to bring back to the public sector any privately provided services. Europeans will continue to decide for themselves how they want, for example, their healthcare, education and water delivered. Postal and courier services– the agreement includes provisions on universal service obligations, border procedures, licences and the independence of the regulators. The agreement will also ensure a level-playing field between EU suppliers of postal and courier services and their Japanese competitors, such as Japan Post. Telecommunications– the agreement includes provisions focused on establishing a level playing field for telecommunications services providers and on issues such as universal service obligations, number portability, mobile roaming and confidentiality of communications. International maritime transport services– the agreement contains obligations to maintain open and non- discriminatory access to international maritime services (transport and related services) as well as access to ports and port services. Financial services– the agreement contains specific definitions, exceptions and disciplines on new financial services, self-regulating organisations, payment and clearing systems and transparency, and rules on insurance services provided by postal entities. Many of these are based on rules developed under the World Trade Organisation, while addressing specificities of the financial services sector. Temporary movement of company personnel– the agreement includes the most advanced provisions on movement of people for business purposes (otherwise known as ―mode 4‖) that the EU has negotiated so far. They cover all traditional categories such as intra-corporate transferees, business visitors for investment purposes, contractual service suppliers, and independent professionals, as well as newer categories such as short-term business visitors and investors. The EU and Japan have also agreed to allow spouses and children to accompany those who are either service suppliers or who work for a service supplier (covered by ―mode 4‖ provisions). This will, in turn, support investment in both directions. State owned enterprises – state-owned enterprises will not be allowed to treat EU companies, services or products differently to their Japanese counterparts when buying and selling on commercial markets. The aim is to ensure a level-playing field between public and private companies. Public procurement – EU companies will be able to participate on an equal footing with Japanese companies in bids for procurement tenders in the 48 so-called ‗core cities‘ of Japan with around 300.000 to 500.00 inhabitants. The agreement also removes existing obstacles to procurement in the railway sector. Investment: The agreement aims to promote investment between the EU and Japan and to create a more business-friendly climate. At the same time, the text explicitly reaffirms the right of each party to regulate to pursue legitimate policy objectives, highlighted in a non-exhaustive list. As regards investment protection specifically, during these negotiations, the EU has tabled to Japan its reformed proposal on the Investment Court System. For the EU, it is clear that there can be no return to the old-style Investor to State Dispute Settlement System (ISDS). Data protection: Data protection is a fundamental right in the European Union and is therefore not up for negotiation. Privacy is not a commodity to be traded. Since January 2017, the European Union and Japan are in a dialogue to facilitate the transfers of personal data for commercial exchanges, while ensuring the highest level of data protection. The aim is to bridge data protection laws through a so called ―mutual adequacy decision‖ which will guarantee high standards of data protection in both the EU and Japan. With the EU General Data Protection Regulation that entered into force last year and the new Japanese privacy law that entered into force in May, the EU and Japan have modernised and strengthened their respective data protection regimes. We thus already have very similar systems which guarantee a very high level of protection for personal data. Adequacy decisions can complement trade agreements and amplify their benefits. An adequacy decision is taken by the Commission establishing that a third country provides a comparable level of protection of personal data to that in the European Union, through its domestic laws or its international commitments. The plan is to conclude this dialogue by early 2018 (see also the latest statement on this). Intellectual Property Rights (IPR)– the agreement builds on and reinforces the commitments that both sides have taken in the World Trade Organization (WTO), in line with the EU‘s own rules. The agreement sets out provisions on protection of trade secrets, trademarks, copyright protection, patents, minimum common rules for regulatory test data protection for pharmaceuticals, and civil enforcement provisions. Sustainable development– the agreement includes all the key elements of the EU approach on sustainable development and is in line with other recent EU trade agreements. The EU and Japan commit themselves to implementing the core labour standards of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and international environmental agreements, including the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, as well as the Paris climate agreement. The EU and Japan commit not to lower domestic labour and environmental laws to attract trade and investment. The parties also commit themselves to the conservation and sustainable management of natural resources, and to addressing biodiversity, forestry, and fisheries issues. The EU and Japan agree to promote Corporate Social Responsibility and other trade and investment practices supporting sustainable BestCurrentAffairs.com development. The agreement sets up mechanisms for giving civil society oversight over commitments taken in the              JULY 2017 BestCurrentAffairs.com Page No.34

35. BestCurrentAffairs.com field of Trade and Sustainable Development. The agreement will also have a dedicated, binding mechanism for resolving disputes in this area, which includes governmental consultations and recourse to an independent panel of experts. Corporate governance– for the first time in an EU trade agreement, there will be a specific chapter on corporate governance. It is based on the G20/OECD‘s Principles on Corporate Governance and reflects the EU‘s and Japan‘s best practices and rules in this area. The EU and Japan commit themselves to adhere to key principles and objectives, such as transparency and disclosure of information on publicly listed companies; accountability of the management towards shareholders; responsible decision-making based on an objective and independent standpoint; effective and fair exercise of shareholders‘ rights; and transparency and fairness in takeover transactions. Competition– the agreement contains important principles that ensure that both sides commit themselves to maintaining comprehensive competition rules and implementing these rules in a transparent and non- discriminatory manner. State-to-State dispute settlement mechanism– the agreement ensures that rights and obligations under the agreement are fully observed. It provides an effective, efficient and transparent mechanism with a pre-established list of qualified and experienced panellists for avoiding and solving disputes between the EU and Japan. Anti-Fraud– on the basis of an EU proposal, the EU and Japan will include an anti-fraud clause in the economic partnership agreement. The anti-fraud clause is a condition for the EU to grant tariff preferences to any third country. It makes it possible for the EU to withdraw tariff preferences in cases of fraud and refusal to co-operate, while ensuring that legitimate traders are not adversely affected. The aim is to prevent abuse of preferential tariff treatment. BestCurrentAffairs.com     TREATY ON PROHIBITION OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS ADOPTED  United Nations conference adopted the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. It is the first multilateral legally-binding instrument for nuclear disarmament to have been negotiated in 20 years.  The treaty – adopted by a vote of 122 in favour to one against (Netherlands), with one abstention (Singapore) – prohibits a full range of nuclear-weapon-related activities, such as undertaking to develop, test, produce, manufacture, acquire, possess or stockpile nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices, as well as the use or threat of use of these weapons.  The prohibitions also include any undertaking to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices.  The treaty will be open for signature to all States at UN Headquarters in New York on 20 September 2017, and enter into force 90 days after it has been ratified by at least 50 countries.  However, a number of countries stayed out of the negotiations, including the United States, Russia and other nuclear-weapon States, as well as many of their allies. North Korea (DPRK) did not join the talks either.  In a joint press statement, the delegations of the United States, United Kingdom and France said they ―have not taken part in the negotiation of the treaty… and do not intend to sign, ratify or ever become party to it.‖  It was recalled that even when the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) was adopted decades ago, it also faced similar resistance and did not enjoy a large number of accessions in the starting. Opened for signature in 1968, the Treaty entered into force in 1970. Then in 1995, the Treaty was extended indefinitely. A total of 191 States have joined the Treaty, including the five nuclear-weapon States that are the permanent members of the UN Security Council – China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States. Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons:  Article 1: Prohibitions 1. Each State Party undertakes never under any circumstances to: (a) Develop, test, produce, manufacture, otherwise acquire, possess or stockpile nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices; (b) Transfer to any recipient whatsoever nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices or control over such weapons or explosive devices directly or indirectly; (c) Receive the transfer of or control over nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices directly or indirectly; (d) Use or threaten to use nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices; (e) Assist, encourage or induce, in any way, anyone to engage in any activity prohibited to a State Party under this Treaty; (f) Seek or receive any assistance, in any way, from anyone to engage in any activity prohibited to a State Party under this Treaty; (g) Allow any stationing, installation or deployment of any nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices in its territory or at any place under its jurisdiction or control.  Article 2: Declarations 1. Each State Party shall submit to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, not later than 30 days after this Treaty enters into force for that State Party, a declaration in which it shall: JULY 2017 BestCurrentAffairs.com Page No.35

36. BestCurrentAffairs.com a) Declare whether it owned, possessed or controlled nuclear weapons or nuclear explosive devices and eliminated its nuclear-weapon programme, including the elimination or irreversible conversion of all nuclear-weapons-related facilities, prior to the entry into force of this Treaty for that State Party; b) Notwithstanding Article 1 (a), declare whether it owns, possesses or controls any nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices; c) Notwithstanding Article 1 (g), declare whether there are any nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices in its territory or in any place under its jurisdiction or control that are owned, possessed or controlled by another State. 2. The Secretary-General of the United Nations shall transmit all such declarations received to the States Parties.  Article 3: Safeguards 1. Each State Party to which Article 4, paragraph 1 or 2, does not apply shall, at a minimum, maintain its International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards obligations in force at the time of entry into force of this Treaty, without prejudice to any additional relevant instruments that it may adopt in the future. 2. Each State Party to which Article 4, paragraph 1 or 2, does not apply that has not yet done so shall conclude with the International Atomic Energy Agency and bring into force a comprehensive safeguards agreement. Negotiation of such agreement shall commence within 180 days from the entry into force of this Treaty for that State Party. The agreement shall enter into force no later than 18 months from the entry into force of this Treaty for that State Party. Each State Party shall thereafter maintain such obligations, without prejudice to any additional relevant instruments that it may adopt in the future.  Article 4: Towards the total elimination of nuclear weapons 1. Each State Party that after 7 July 2017 owned, possessed or controlled nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices and eliminated its nuclear-weapon programme, including the elimination or irreversible conversion of all nuclear-weapons-related facilities, prior to the entry into force of this Treaty for it, shall cooperate with the competent international authority designated pursuant to paragraph 6 of this Article for the purpose of verifying the irreversible elimination of its nuclear-weapon programme. The competent international authority shall report to the States Parties. Such a State Party shall conclude a safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency sufficient to provide credible assurance of the non-diversion of declared nuclear material from peaceful nuclear activities and of the absence of undeclared nuclear material or activities in that State Party as a whole. Negotiation of such agreement shall commence within 180 days from the entry into force of this Treaty for that State Party. The agreement shall enter into force no later than 18 months from the entry into force of this Treaty for that State Party. That State Party shall thereafter, at a minimum, maintain these safeguards obligations, without prejudice to any additional relevant instruments that it may adopt in the future. 2. Notwithstanding Article 1 (a), each State Party that owns, possesses or controls nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices shall immediately remove them from operational status, and destroy them as soon as possible but not later than a deadline to be determined by the first meeting of States Parties, in accordance with a legally binding, time-bound plan for the verified and irreversible elimination of that State Party‘s nuclear-weapon programme, including the elimination or irreversible conversion of all nuclear-weapons-related facilities. The State Party, no later than 60 days after the entry into force of this Treaty for that State Party, shall submit this plan to the States Parties or to a competent international authority designated by the States Parties. The plan shall then be negotiated with the competent international authority, which shall submit it to the subsequent meeting of States Parties or review conference, whichever comes first, for approval in accordance with its rules of procedure. 3. A State Party to which paragraph 2 above applies shall conclude a safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency sufficient to provide credible assurance of the non-diversion of declared nuclear material from peaceful nuclear activities and of the absence of undeclared nuclear material or activities in the State as a whole. Negotiation of such agreement shall commence no later than the date upon which implementation of the plan referred to in paragraph 2 is completed. The agreement shall enter into force no later than 18 months after the date of initiation of negotiations. That State Party shall thereafter, at a minimum, maintain these safeguards obligations, without prejudice to any additional relevant instruments that it may adopt in the future. Following the entry into force of the agreement referred to in this paragraph, the State Party shall submit to the Secretary- General of the United Nations a final declaration that it has fulfilled its obligations under this Article. 4. Notwithstanding Article 1 (b) and (g), each State Party that has any nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices in its territory or in any place under its jurisdiction or control that are owned, possessed or controlled by another State shall ensure the prompt removal of such weapons, as soon as possible but not later than a deadline to be determined by the first meeting of States Parties. Upon the removal of such weapons or other explosive devices, that State Party shall submit to the Secretary-General of the United Nations a declaration that it has fulfilled its obligations under this Article. 5. Each State Party to which this Article applies shall submit a report to each meeting of States Parties and each review conference on the progress made towards the implementation of its obligations under this Article, until such time as they are fulfilled. 6. The States Parties shall designate a competent international authority or authorities to negotiate and verify the irreversible elimination of nuclear-weapons programmes, including the elimination or irreversible conversion of all nuclear-weapons-related facilities in accordance with paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 of this Article. In the event that such a designation has not been made prior to the entry into force of this Treaty for a State Party to which paragraph 1 or 2 of this Article applies, the Secretary-General of the United Nations shall convene an extraordinary meeting of States Parties to take any decisions that may be required. BestCurrentAffairs.com  Article 5: National implementation JULY 2017 BestCurrentAffairs.com Page No.36

37. BestCurrentAffairs.com 1. Each State Party shall adopt the necessary measures to implement its obligations under this Treaty. 2. Each State Party shall take all appropriate legal, administrative and other measures, including the imposition of penal sanctions, to prevent and suppress any activity prohibited to a State Party under this Treaty undertaken by persons or on territory under its jurisdiction or control.  Article 6: Victim assistance and environmental remediation 1. Each State Party shall, with respect to individuals under its jurisdiction who are affected by the use or testing of nuclear weapons, in accordance with applicable international humanitarian and human rights law, adequately provide age- and gender-sensitive assistance, without discrimination, including medical care, rehabilitation and psychological support, as well as provide for their social and economic inclusion. 2. Each State Party, with respect to areas under its jurisdiction or control contaminated as a result of activities related to the testing or use of nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices, shall take necessary and appropriate measures towards the environmental remediation of areas so contaminated. 3. The obligations under paragraphs 1 and 2 above shall be without prejudice to the duties and obligations of any other States under international law or bilateral agreements. STANDARDS AND TRADE DEVELOPMENT FACILITY IN NEWS  The STDF is a global partnership established by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), the World Bank, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Trade Organization (WTO).  The organization is administered by the WTO and aims to devote at least 40% of its project resources to LDCs and LICs.  The Standards and Trade Development Facility seeks to assist developing countries in building their capacity to analyze and employ international standards, guidelines and recommendations and thus improve their ability to secure and retain access to markets.  In order to achieve this, the STDF focusses efforts on two sets of activities:  increase awareness, mobilize resources, strengthen collaboration and identify and disseminate good practice;  Provide support and funding for the development and implementation of projects that promote compliance with international SPS requirements.  The STDF provides project preparation grants of maximum 50,000 USD to overcome constraints faced by developing countries in enhancing their capacity to meet SPS standards. Project grant financing for a maximum of 1,000,000 USD in STDF funding is available for projects which address underlying issues of SPS capacity building through innovative, preventative and replicable approaches.  The recently developed decision-support tool, based on Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA), can help decision-makers prioritize and make choices between competing SPS investments.  Beneficiaries from LDCs and other LICs should contribute at least 10% of the requested STDF contribution to the project. This contribution threshold is lower than the requirements for lower and upper Middle Income Countries.  From 2004 to 2014, the STDF funded 70 projects, 31 of which in LDCs. 57 % of the project and project preparation grants went to LDCs, which accounts for 50 % of grant budget.  In a survey organized by UNDESA to map challenges for LDCs when accessing ISMs, several barriers to access the STDF were put forward: some governments were not aware of the existence of the STDF and it was also stated that the modalities to access the fund could be made more simple and clear. BEIJING DECLARATION ON EDUCATION ADOPTED  Beijing Declaration on Education was adopted in the 5th Meeting of BRICS Ministers of Education in Beijing, China in July 2017.  BRICS Ministers of Education during the the BRICS Summit had met to discuss education reforms, approaches to promoting equity in education and fostering quality education, strengthening BRICS collaboration in the field of education, and exchange of students and scholars and teaching faculty among BRICS Member States.  They also recalled the Brasilia Declaration 2015, Moscow Declaration 2015 and New Delhi Declaration 2016.  Union Minister for Human Resource Development, Prakash Javadekar represented India at the 5th BRICS education ministers meeting.  Mr. Prakash Javadekar appreciated the creation of institutional mechanism in the form of BRICS Network University and BRICS Think Tank Council. BRICS Network University, where 12 universities from each of the 5 countries will engage with each other in education research and innovation, is another commendable initiative. Five areas of cooperation are prioritised which are Communication and IT, Economics, Climate Change, Water Resources and Pollution, and BRICS study.  Before the meeting of Education Ministers, an international conference of Vice-Chancellors of the Universities participating in the BRICS Network University (BRICS-NU), meeting of International Governing Board (IGB) of BRICS-NU and meetings of International Thematic Group (ITGs) of BRICS-NU were held in Zhengzhou, China. During the meeting, the participating countries signed the Regulation for the IGB and the statutes for the ITGs, thus completing the structure of the BRICS-NU.  According to the Beijing declaration on education, members states – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – are committed to the UN Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4)-Education 2030 which aims to ―Ensure BestCurrentAffairs.com JULY 2017 BestCurrentAffairs.com Page No.37

38. BestCurrentAffairs.com inclusive and equitable quality education and promote life-long learning opportunities for all‖ that was set within The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Beijing Declaration on Education: BRICS Ministers of Education, for ensuring coordinated and deeper cooperation among the Member States declared to; 1. Reiterate support for the BRICS Network University (NU) to collaborate in the fields of education, research and innovation. Encourage universities to participate in the BRICS University League. 2. Increase cultural cooperation through language education and multilingualism to promote mutual understanding of the history and culture of BRICS Member States. 3. Undertake initiatives to promote professionalization of academics in higher education through the BRICS Network University as a focus of future education development. 4. Encourage more teachers and educational administrators to learn from experience of other countries in improving teacher quality and performance, and promoting the development of education through international exchanges. 5. Strengthen cooperation in the field of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), share ideas and experiences in the development of vocational educators, and develop projects that are of common interests to BRICS Member States. 6. Recognize the importance of BRICS Think Tanks Council (BTTC), BRICS Network University as well as other BRICS initiatives, and encourage the streamlining of mechanisms for their closer cooperation to ensure the alignment of their work. 7. Emphasize the importance of streamlining the cooperation among educational think tanks and education researchers, and welcome China‘s invitation to host a conference to explore possible cooperation among the various entities in BRICS Member States. 8. Encourage the organization of ―youth winter/summer camps‖ to reinforce communication and cultural exchanges among the young generation from BRICS Member States. 9. Encourage Member States to expand the number of scholarship opportunities to students across BRICS Member States. 10. Share the experience and practices in achieving the SDG4-Education 2030 targets in order to foster a more favorable policy environment, adopt effective practices, and advocate for global educational policies that take into account the common concern and priorities of the BRICS Member States. 11. Encourage the participation in the 3rd BRICS NU Annual Conference to be held in 2018, in Cape Town, South Africa and in the BRICS Global Business and Innovation Conference to be held in September 2017, in St. Petersburg, Russia. MARTIAL LAW IN SOUTHERN PHILIPPINES: SC APPROVES IT  Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte declared martial law across the southern third of the country in May 2017 after deadly clashes between security forces and Islamic State group-linked militants in a major city.  Duterte placed all of the southern region of Mindanao, which makes up roughly one third of the country and is home to 20 million people, under martial law.  Philippines Supreme Court has now endorsed President Rodrigo Duterte‘s enforcement of martial law across the southern part of the country.  An overwhelming majority of the justices dismissed the petition filed by the Opposition lawmakers to strike down President‘s martial rule.  Meanwhile, militants continue to occupy parts of Marawi, the Islamic capital of the mainly Catholic country, despite a US-backed military offensive there that has claimed more than 460 lives and displaced nearly 400,000 people.  Martial law is particularly sensitive in the Philippines because it was used by dictator Ferdinand Marcos to remain in power during his two-decade reign, which ended in 1986 with a ―People Power‖ revolution. UN SECURITY COUNCIL ADOPTS RESOLUTION ON LANDMINES  The United Nations Security Council adopted its first-ever resolution on mine action.  UNSC noted that the serious and lasting threat posed by landmines, explosive remnants of war and improvised explosive devices, while also recognizing the positive contribution of mine action to sustaining peace and stability.  UNSC Resolution 2365 ―calls on all parties to armed conflicts to end immediately and definitively any indiscriminate use of explosive devices in violation of international humanitarian law.‖  UNSC, the 15-member body unanimously adopted the resolution, noting the danger that they pose to civilians, including children, as well as refugees returning home, peacekeepers, aid workers, law enforcement, and other personnel.  Given the positive contribution of mine action to efforts to sustain peace and stability, the new resolution stressed ―the importance of considering mine action during the earliest stages of planning and programming in peacekeeping operations and special political missions,‖ as well as in humanitarian responses.  The Council encouraged the international community to provide assistance for the care, rehabilitation, and economic and social reintegration of victims and persons with disabilities maimed by mines. BestCurrentAffairs.com  JULY 2017 BestCurrentAffairs.com Page No.38

39. BestCurrentAffairs.com  In addition, the Secretary-General has been requested to provide information on threats posed by landmines, explosive remnants of war and improvised explosive devices, and efforts to mitigate these threats, when reporting on peace operations and humanitarian responses. BestCurrentAffairs.com JULY 2017 BestCurrentAffairs.com Page No.39

40. BestCurrentAffairs.com JUDICIARY SUPREME COURT RULING ON PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARIES  The Supreme Court Bench comprising Justice J. Chelameswar, Justice R.K. Agrawal and Justice A.M. Sapre has declared Assam Parliamentary Secretaries (Appointment, Salaries, Allowances and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2004 ass unconstitutional.  On January 1, 2004, the Constitution 91st Amendment Bill, 2003 was passed by Parliament. This Assam Act was passed after the Union Parliament had amended Articles 75 and 164 thereby restricting the size of the Council of Ministers in the State to 15% of the total strength of the Assembly.  It was alleged by the petitioners that the impugned Act was an attempt to over-reach the 15 per cent mandate brought about by amendment to the Constitution.  Supreme Court held that the Legislature of Assam lacked the competence to create the post of Parliamentary Secretaries.  ―We are of the opinion that the Legislature of Assam lacks the competence to make the impugned Act. In view of the above conclusion, we do not see it necessary to examine the various other issues identified by us earlier in this judgment.‖The writ petition is allowed. The impugned Act is declared unconstitutional,‖ the bench, also comprising justices R K Agrawal and A M Sapre, said.  The question posed before the Court was whether Article 194(3) and Entry 39 of List II of the 7th Schedule authorized the State Legislature to make the impugned Act.  Entry 39 indicates the field of legislation regarding the powers, privileges, and immunities of the house of legislatures. Article 194(3) authorizes the State legislature to prescribe by law, the powers, privileges and the immunities of the members and the committees of a House of such Legislature.  The Court ruled that Article 194 does not expressly authorize the State Legislature to create offices such as the one in question. It then made reference to Article 187 which makes stipulations with reference to the secretarial staff of the Legislature.  The Bench therefore observed that the Legislature of Assam lacked the competence to make the impugned Act, and declared it unconstitutional.  The court said, ―Article 194 does not expressly authorise the state legislature to create offices such as the one in question.‖ Background:  Several states have created posts of ‗parliamentary secretary‘ or ‗chief parliamentary secretary‘ to ‗accommodate‘ MLAs who could not become ministers.  The Assam Parliamentary Secretaries (Appointment, Salaries, Allowances and Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance, 2004, was promulgated on November 3, 2004, and on December 29, 2004, the Act was passed and published in Assam‘s official gazette.  Thereafter, on May 30, 2005, eight parliamentary secretaries were appointed under the Act and they took oath of office, but were not assigned any ministry.  These appointments were challenged on the ground that it would amount to a violation of the constitutionally prescribed upper limit of 15% on the total number of council of ministers. BestCurrentAffairs.com JULY 2017 BestCurrentAffairs.com Page No.40

41. BestCurrentAffairs.com ENVIRONMENT CLIMATE CHANGE MEANS MORE NITROGEN RUNOFF  According to a new study, an intensifying water cycle will likely cause dramatic increases — nearing 20% by 2100 — in the amount of nitrogen runoff. Excessive nitrogen that mixes with rivers and estuaries can profoundly affect water systems; for example it can spur algal blooms, which have negative impacts on human health, aquatic ecosystems and the economy.  Future changes in precipitation patterns, induced by climate change, could strongly influence the degree of future nitrogen runoff; however, most analyses have been limited to local regions and only rely on a small handful of climate models. NEW CONTINENT „ZEALANDIA‟ DISCOVERED  Earth‘s surface is divided into two types of crust, continental and oceanic, and into 14 major tectonic plates. A new continent was discovered under New Zealand, mostly submerged unknown continent beneath the South Pacific has been named as Zealandia.  Zealandia is a distinct geological entity and meets all the criteria applied to Earth‘s seven other continents – elevation above the surrounding area, distinctive geology, a well-defined area and a crust much thicker than that found on the ocean floor.  Zealandia measured 1.9 million square miles and is 94% underwater. It had only three major landmasses, New Zealand‘s North and South Islands to the south, and New Caledonia to the north Zealandia.  A 4.9 Mkm2 region of the southwest Pacific Ocean is made up of continental crust. The region has elevated bathymetry relative to surrounding oceanic crust, diverse and silica-rich rocks, and relatively thick and low-velocity crustal structure. Its isolation from Australia and large area support its definition as a continent—Zealandia.  Zealandia was formerly part of Gondwana. Today it is 94% submerged, mainly as a result of widespread Late Cretaceous crustal thinning preceding supercontinent breakup and consequent isostatic balance.  The identification of Zealandia as a geological continent, rather than a collection of continental islands, fragments, and slices, more correctly represents the geology of this part of Earth. Zealandia provides a fresh context in which to investigate processes of continental rifting, thinning, and breakup. GREEN CLIMATE FUND AND INDIA: LATEST DEVELOPMENTS  Recently, Accreditation Master Agreement (AMA) has been signed between Green Climate Fund (GCF) and National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD).  Several of the mitigation and adaptation targets, articulated in India‘s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), to meet the international climate obligations are aligned with the Fund‘s strategic impact areas – viz clean energy, energy efficiency, cities, transport, forestry, agriculture, water health and ecosystems.  India‘s NDC is among the few that make specific reference to the GCF specifically with regard to its role as a source for low-cost finance for its 40% non-fossil fuel based power target.  India, with numerous climate change and developmental challenges, needs to engage more purposefully and actively with GCF. The accredited entities need to proactively engage with GCF to take advantage of the available opportunities.  The Green Climate Fund (GCF) is one of the operating entities under financial mechanism set up under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to provide support to developing countries in combating climate change, with resources to be generated from funding by developed country Parties and various other public and private sources. It supports both climate change adaptation and mitigation projects in developing countries.  So far, one project from India on ―Installation of Ground Water Recharge System‖ in Odisha has recently been approved by the GCF for $34 million. Another proposal on coastal areas has already been submitted to the GCF Secretariat and several more projects are in the pipeline.  India has nominated a total of five direct access entities for accreditation by the GCF. Two of these from the public sector and three from the private sector for accreditation by the GCF. The public sector entities are NABARD and Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI). The private sector entities nominated are YES Bank, IDFC Bank and IL&FS Environmental Services. So far, NABARD and SIDBI have been accredited by the GCF.  NABARD is the first entity from India to be accredited as Direct Access Entity (DAE). The signing of AMA between GCF and NABARD is an essential first step for accessing the GCF resources to help safeguard the lives, property and livelihoods of millions of people against climate change impact. NATIONAL HIGHWAYS UNDER GREEN HIGHWAYS SCHEME  The National Highways Authority of India has initiated tree plantations along 1,513 km length of National Highways in ten states in 2016. BestCurrentAffairs.com JULY 2017 BestCurrentAffairs.com Page No.41

42. BestCurrentAffairs.com  This includes 390 Km of National Highways in Andhra Pradesh, 133 Km in Assam, 418 Km in Haryana, 100 Km in Jammu & Kashmir, 50 Km in Jharkhand , 82 Km in Madhya Pradesh , 87 Km in Maharashtra , 77 Km in Orissa , 26 Km in Rajasthan and 150 Km in Telengana –length. Under the Green Highways Scheme, tree plantations along National Highways are part of all highway development projects. Ministry of Road Transport and Highways is actively promoting greening of highway corridors with the participation of the community, farmers, private sector, NGOs and government institutions/departments. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), Government of India has promulgated Green Highways (Plantations, Transplantations, Beautification and Maintenance) Policy – 2015 to develop green corridors along National Highways for sustainable environment and inclusive growth. The policy envisions development of eco-friendly National Highways with participation of the communities, farmers, NGOs, private sector, institutions, government agencies and the Forest Departments for economic growth and development in a sustainable manner. BestCurrentAffairs.com     GLOBAL SEA LEVEL RISE AND STEPS TAKEN BY INDIA  According to the Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) of Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) that global mean sea level had risen by 0.19m over the period 1901-2010 with a rate of global averaged sea level rise of 1.7mm/year between 1901 and 2010 within which an accelerated rate of 3.2mm/year was noticed between 1993 and 2010.  The estimates made for the period 1993-2010, using the remote sensing satellite data and in-situ measurements of tide gauges, are found to be 3.2±0.5mm/year and 2.8±0.8mm/year, respectively.  Recent studies by Indian Scientists reveal that the trend of sea level rise in the north Indian Ocean is slightly higher than the global estimate of 3.2 mm per year.  The possibility of sea level rise in the next ten years is about 3.2 cm in the north Indian Ocean, if the sea level acceleration remains similar to 3.2 mm per year.  A number of studies have been undertaken using remote sensing techniques in the past for assessment of the shoreline changes; mapping and delineation of entire coastal wetlands including beach vegetation, bio-shields, sea grass, opening of lagoons in certain cases and small islands etc. including their regeneration/preservation.  The Integrated Coastal and Marine Area Management (ICMAM) Directorate of the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) has carried out mapping and demarcating of multi-hazard coastal vulnerability for the entire coast of India.  The Ministry of Environment and Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has been implementing an Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) Plan for India instead of uniform Coastal Regulatory Zone (CRZ) framework.  Accordingly, the Central Government has issued CRZ-2011 notification with a view to ensure livelihood security to the fisher communities and other local communities, living in the coastal areas, to conserve and protect coastal stretches, its unique environment and its marine area and to promote development through sustainable manner based on scientific principles taking into account the dangers of natural hazards in the coastal areas, sea level rise due to global warming.  As a part of an Integrated Coastal Zone Management Project, the MoEFCC has been implementing the four components, namely, (i) National Coastal Management Programme; (ii) ICZM-West Bengal; (iii) ICZM-Orissa; (iv) ICZM-Gujarat.  The national component includes (a) Demarcation of hazard line for mapping the entire coastline of the mainland of the country; (b) establishment of a National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM) in Chennai with its regional centres in each of the coastal States/Union territories to promote research and development in the area of coastal management including addressing issues of coastal communities.  India‘s National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) outlines a strategy that aims to enable the country adapt to climate change and enhances the ecological sustainability of our development path.  Appropriate protection measures arising out of the coastal erosion are addressed jointly by respective state governments and the Coastal Protection and Development Advisory Committee (CPDAC) of the Central Water Commission. STEPS TAKEN BY INDIA IN AREA OF CLIMATE CHANGE  Average Temperature during last ten years (2007 to 2016) was 26.10 0C. Rise in the average temperature was 0.510C during this period.  Spatial pattern of trend in mean annual temperature anomalies, for the period 1902-2012, suggests significant positive (increasing) trend (0.50 C in general with few pockets of 1.00 C) over most parts of the country except some parts of Rajasthan, Gujarat and Bihar, where significant negative (decreasing) trend was observed.  The latest Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report (2014) highlights that mean surface temperature of the globe has risen by 0.850C + 0.180C. However, all India mean temperature has risen around 0.640C over the last 110 years. Following steps have been undertaken in the area of Climate Change: (i) Launched a high-priority Programme to address the Science issues of Global and Regional Climate Change (GRCC) with a well-equipped state-of-the-art Center for Climate Change Research (CCCR) at Indian Institute of JULY 2017 BestCurrentAffairs.com Page No.42

43. BestCurrentAffairs.com Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune for interdisciplinary research and training in the area of science of climate change. Development of Earth System Model (ESM) has been taken up for generating future climate change scenarios. Currently, CCCR is leading ―Co-ordinated Regional Downscaling Experiment (CORDEX)‖ for the South Asian region under the aegis of the World Climate Research Program (WCRP) of the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO). The CORDEX program provides an important framework for a co-ordinated set of downscaled regional climate simulations for both the historical past and future decades. Training workshops are also conducted for end-users, stakeholders in the South Asian region. (ii) The National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) released in 2008 by Government of India. Outlines eight missions in specific areas of Solar Energy, Enhanced Energy Efficiency, Sustainable Habitat, Water, Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem, Green India, Sustainable Agriculture and Strategic knowledge for Climate Change.  Eight National Missions form the core of the National Action Plan, representing multipronged, long term and integrated strategies for achieving key goals in the context of climate change. AREA NEAR GANGA DECLARED “NO-DEVELOPMENT ZONE”  The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has imposed Rs 50,000 fine on anyone found dumping the waste within 500 meters from the edge of River Ganga between Haridwar and Unnao.  The National Green Tribunal passed a slew of directions to rejuvenate River Ganga, declaring as ‗No- Development Zone‘ an area of 100 metres from the edge of the river between Haridwar and Unnao and prohibiting dumping of waste within 500 metres from the river.  The NGT also directed the Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand governments to formulate guidelines for religious activities on the ghats of Ganga or its tributaries.  The tribunal also appointed a supervisory committee, headed by the secretary of the Water Resources Ministry and comprising IIT professors and officials from UP government to oversee implementation of the directions.  It said that all industrial units falling in the catchment area of river Ganga should be stopped from indiscriminate extraction of groundwater.  The NGT has divided the work of cleaning the river in different segments Gomukh to Haridwar (Phase-I), Haridwar to Unnao (termed as segment B of Phase-I), Unnao to border of Uttar Pradesh, border of Uttar Pradesh to border of Jharkhand and border of Jharkhand to Bay of Bengal. FRANCE LAUNCHES ITS CLIMATE CHANGE PLAN  France‘s minister of the environment Nicolas Hulot has unveiled a detailed a plan that includes ending the sale of fossil fuel-powered cars by 2040.  The effective ban will be achieved through a mix of financial incentives for alternative fuel vehicles, and increased taxes on older, internal combustion cars.  France‘s environmental plan also includes instituting a carbon tax, and ending the issuance of new licenses for discovering new local sources of oil.  France will also incentivize renewable energy creation which should help make sure that EVs are powered by a grid that itself is mostly stocked by green energy sources.  With the aim of limiting global warming to below 2ºC, the Paris Agreement sets an ambitious target, and France through the Climate Plan is speeding up the operational implementation of the Paris Agreement and will exceed its initial targets through six areas of action:  Making implementation of the Paris Agreement irreversible;  Improving the daily lives of all French people;  Doing away with fossil fuels and committing to carbon neutrality;  Making France number one in the green economy;  Bringing out the potential of ecosystems and agriculture;  Stepping up international mobilization on climate diplomacy. CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION PROJECTS LAUNCHED  The Environment Ministry approved three projects for climate change adaptation in three states.  The National Steering Committee on Climate Change (NSCCC), under the Chairmanship of Secretary MoEF&CC, Ajay Narayan Jha, approved the Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) submitted by Governments of Rajasthan, Gujarat and Sikkim for funding under the National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change (NAFCC).  Current projects address a range of climate change vulnerabilities in the States which are not addressed under the ongoing schemes of the Central and State Governments.  In Rajasthan, the project builds on work carried out under Phase I of the Mukhya Mantri Jal Swavlamban Abhiyan to enhance the adaptive capacity of villages by making them self-reliant in terms of water requirement.  The project in Gujarat seeks to enhance the adaptive capacity of natural resource dependent communities to climate change in targeted villages of Kachchh district.  In Sikkim, the project aims to address the issue of water security which are directly identified as climate resilience BestCurrentAffairs.com building interventions under the SAPCC.   JULY 2017 BestCurrentAffairs.com Page No.43

44. BestCurrentAffairs.com  NAFCC is a flagship Scheme of Government of India, which provides 100 per cent grant to the State Governments for implementing climate change adaptation projects. The Scheme is designed to fulfill the objectives of National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) and to operationalize the State Action Plans on Climate Change (SAPCCs). During the two year period, 21 projects were approved at a total cost of Rs. 435.72 crore. The projects address vulnerabilities in climate sensitive sectors like agriculture, animal husbandry, water, forests and coasts among others. The project outcomes are expected to increase resilience and adaptive capacity of vulnerable communities and ecosystems against climate change impacts. The Government of India is encouraging States to come up with innovative and scalable projects to develop resilience against climate change and mainstream it in the planning processes. BestCurrentAffairs.com Lucknow Utter Pradesh III Sadiya Ludhiyana Punjab IV Salem JULY 2017 BestCurrentAffairs.com Page No.44    SEISMIC ZONES IN INDIA  Earthquake – prone areas of the country have been identified on the basis of scientific inputs relating to seismicity, earthquakes occurred in the past and tectonic setup of the region.  Based on these inputs, Bureau of Indian Standards [IS 1893 (Part I):2002], has grouped the country into four seismic zones, viz. Zone II, III, IV and V.  Of these, Zone V is seismically the most active region, while zone II is the least.  Broadly, Zone – V comprises entire northeastern India, parts of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Rann of Kutch in Gujarat, part of North Bihar and Andaman & Nicobar Islands.  Zone – IV covers remaining parts of Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh, National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, Sikkim, Northern Parts of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal, parts of Gujarat and small portions of Maharashtra near the west coast and Rajasthan.  Zone – III comprises Kerala, Goa, Lakshadweep islands, remaining parts of Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and West Bengal, Parts of Punjab, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Tamilnadu and Karnataka.  Zone – II covers remaining parts of country.  A list of important cities falling in various seismic zones, has also been prepared by BIS and is given below:- Town State/UT Zone Town Agra Utter Pradesh III Chitradurga Ahmedabad Gujarat III Coimbatore Ajmer Rajasthan II Cuddalore Allahabad Utter Pradesh II Cuttack Almora Uttrakhand IV Darbhanga Ambala Haryana IV Darjeeling Amritsar Punjab IV Dharwad Asansol West Bengal III Dehradun Aurangabad Maharastha II Dharmpuri Baharich Utter Pradesh IV Delhi Bangalore Karnataka II Durgapur Barauni Bihar IV Gangtok Bareilly Utter Pradesh III Guwahati Belgaum Karnataka III Goa Bhatinda Punjab III Gulbarga Bhilai Chattiagarh II Gaya Bhopal Madhya Pradesh II Gorakhpur Bhubaneswar Orissa III Hyderabad Bhuj Gujarat V Imphal Bijapur Karnataka III Jabalpur Bikaner Rajasthan III Jaipur Bokaro Jharkhand III Jamshedpur Bulandshahr Utter Pradesh IV Jhansi Burdwan West Bengal III Jodhpur Cailcut Kerala III Jorhat Chandigarh Chandigarh IV Kakrapara Chennai Tamil Nadu III Kalapakkam Kanchipuram Tamil Nadu III Pondicherry Kanpur Utter Pradesh III Pune Karwar Karnataka III Raipur Kohima Nagaland V Rajkot Kolkata West Bengal III Ranchi Kota Rajasthan II Roorkee Kurnool Andhra Pradesh II Rourkela State/UT Karnataka Tamil nadu Tamil Nadu Orissa Bihar West Bengal Karnataka Uttrakhand Tamil Nadu Delhi West Bengal Sikkim Assam Goa Karnataka Bihar Utter Pradesh Andhra Pradesh Manipur Madhya Pradesh III Rajasthan Jharkhand Utter Pradesh Rajasthan Assam Gujarat Tamil Nadu Pondicherry Maharastha Chattisgarh Gujarat Chattisgarh Uttrakhand Orissa Assam Tamil Nadu Zone II III III III V IV III IV III IV III IV V III II III IV II V II II II II V III III II III II III II IV II V III

45. BestCurrentAffairs.com Madurai Tamil Nadu II Simla Himanchal Pradesh Madhya Pradesh II IV BestCurrentAffairs.com justice Swatanter Kumar. Mandi Himanchal Pradesh Karnataka Bihar V Sironj Mangalore Monghyr III IV Solapur Srinagar Maharastha Jammu & Kashmir Gujarat Maharastha Assam Maharastha Tamil Nadu III V Moradabad Mumbai Mysore Nagpur Nagarjunasagar Nainital Nasik Nellore Osmanabad Panjim Patiala Patna Pilibhit Utter Pradesh Maharastha Karnataka Maharastha Andhra Pradesh Uttrakhand Maharastha Andhra Pradesh Maharastha Goa Punjab Bihar Uttrakhand IV III II II II IV III III III III III IV IV Surat Tarapur Tezpur Thane Thanjavur Thiruvananthapuram Kerala Tiruchirappali Tiruvennamalai Udaipur Vadodara Varanasi Vellore Vijayawada Vishakhapatnam III III V III II III II III II III III III III II Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu Rajasthan Gujarat Utter Pradesh Andhra Pradesh Andhra Pradesh Andhra Pradesh  Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has published criterion for construction of earthquake resistant structures. Buildings are now being made earthquake resistant. BIS has prepared guidelines for retrofitting in existing structures. A list of code books on construction practices of buildings and structures, to minimize the earthquake losses, is available. In addition to this, Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO) & Building Materials & Technology Promotion Council (BMTPC) have also published guidelines and brochures for construction and retrofitting of buildings. These guidelines are in wide circulation amongst the public and the administrative authorities responsible for the design and construction of earthquake resistant structures in earthquake prone areas. Loss of life and damage of property due to earthquakes could be considerably reduced through proper planning and implementation of pre- and post-disaster preparedness and management strategies by respective State and Central Government agencies in a coordinated manner following the above mentioned guidelines. These studies involving preparation of geological, geomorphologic and land use maps followed by drilling, geological logging, standard penetration test and geophysical studies to demarcate the zones of least to most damage prone areas within the urban areas so as to helps the respective town and country planning agencies to formulate perspective planning within the overall earthquake impact minimization efforts. Based on the above steps it is mandatory for all infrastructure/building/ development agencies (Public and Private) to design appropriate earthquake resistant building plans based on the relevant BIS Codes and other guidelines of BMTPC, HUDCO and NDMA for across the country. National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Ministry of Earth Sciences and other state Disaster Management Authorities, have also taken up various initiatives to educate and enhance awareness amongst general public and school children on the general aspects of earthquakes, their impacts and measures to mitigate losses caused by them. A National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is also functional under the general superintendence, direction and control of the NDMA for the purpose of specialized response to natural and man-made disasters.        „SOLAR COMET‟ LAUNCHED ON ENVIRONMENT DAY  World Environment Day was observed on June 5. On this occasion, Greenpeace India flagged off a solar bus named as ‗Solar Comet‘ to raise awareness about solar energy and how it can easily power an entire household.  The bus has solar panels installed on the roof that power energy-efficient LED bulbs, mobile charging points, a mixer-grinder, a refrigerator, an air cooler and an air-conditioner that have been fitted inside the bus. NATIONAL GREEN TRIBUNAL BANS CHINESE MANJHA  The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has imposed a country-wide ban on ―Chinese manjha‖, a string used in kite flying.  A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar directed all state governments to prohibit the ―manufacture, sale, storage, purchase and use‖ of synthetic manja or nylon threads and all other synthetic threads used for flying kites.  In a 113-page order, the NGT directed state governments to enforce the directive.  ―There shall be a total ban on the manjha or thread for kite flying which is made of nylon or any synthetic material and or is coated with synthetic substance and is non-biodegradable,‖ said an NGT bench headed by chairperson JULY 2017 BestCurrentAffairs.com Page No.45

46. BestCurrentAffairs.com  The judgement described Chinese manjha as one that is made of synthetic material/yarn in place of cotton and has a coating of material that can cut the skin of animals and human beings. Such string is also a good conductor of electricity, resulting in many accidents from it getting snarled up in high-tension electricity lines. The bench noted that tradition of kite-flying is deep-rooted in India and has become a part of various festivals. But the use of Chinese manjha has not only resulted in injuries to birds, animals and human beings, but also caused fatal accidents. In December 2016, the NGT had imposed an interim nationwide ban on the use of glass-coated manjha. BestCurrentAffairs.com Since then, it has made eight tours of the country, traveling about 1,53,000 km and exhibiting at 495 locations.   BIGGEST ICEBERGS IN ANTARCTICA BROKEN  According to scientists of British Antarctic Survey, one of the biggest icebergs measuring 5,800 square km has broken away from Antarctica.  Ice shelves are extensions of ice sheets, are fed by their glaciers and jut hundreds of kilometres out to sea.  The iceberg weighing over one trillion tons has calved away from the Larsen C Ice Shelf. Split off from the ice sheet from the area is known as calving.  The Larsen C ice shelf is more than 12% smaller in area than before the iceberg broke off –or ―calved‖ – an event that researchers say has changed the landscape of the Antarctic peninsula and left the Larsen C ice shelf at its lowest extent ever recorded.  Following the collapse of the more northerly Larsen A ice shelf in 1995 and Larsen B in 2002, all eyes have turned to Larsen C.  The ice shelf has now decreased in size by 10 per cent, leaving the ice front at its most retreated position ever recorded.  If the glaciers held in check by the iceberg now split into the Antarctic Ocean, it could lift the global water mark by about 10 centimetres (4 inches).  The iceberg, which is expected to be dubbed ‗A68‘, is predicted to be one of the 10 largest icebergs ever recorded.  The Larsen Ice Shelf is a long, fringing ice shelf in the northwest part of the Weddell Sea, extending along the east coast of the Antarctic Peninsula from Cape Longing to the area just southward of Hearst Island. It is named for Captain Carl Anton Larsen, the master of the Norwegian whaling vessel Jason, who sailed along the ice front as far as 68°10′ South during December 1893.  In finer detail, the Larsen Ice Shelf is a series of shelves that occupy (or occupied) distinct embayments along the coast. From north to south, the segments are called Larsen A (the smallest), Larsen B, and Larsen C (the largest) by researchers who work in the area.  Further south, Larsen D and the much smaller Larsen E, F and G are also named.  The breakup of the ice shelf since the mid 1990s has been widely reported, with the collapse of Larsen B in 2002 being particularly dramatic.  Big icebergs break off Antarctica naturally. The ice, however, is a part of the Antarctic peninsula that has warmed fast in recent decades.  Icebergs calving from Antarctica are a regular occurrence. But given its enormous size, the latest berg will be closely watched as it travels, for any potential risk to shipping traffic. FOREST FIRES IN PORTUGAL AND CANADA  60 people have been killed in huge forest fires in central Portugal. Portugal‘s prime minister, António Costa, described these fires as ―the greatest tragedy‖. Three days of national mourning were declared in Portugal.  Portugal, like most of southern Europe, is prone to forest fires in the dry summer months. The country was hit by a series of fires last year which devastated more than 100,000 hectares (247,000 acres) of the mainland.  The Canadian province of British Columbia has declared a state of emergency as wildfires sweep through the territory.  More than 138 new wildfires broke out in this July 2017 alone. More than 1,800 firefighters were tackling the fires and a further 260 were coming to their aid from other parts of Canada. Saskatchewan was sending three air tankers and 30 firefighters. SCIENCE EXPRESS CLIMATE ACTION SPECIAL NINTH PHASE  The IX Phase of the prestigious Science Express exhibition train which is on a Nationwide tour since 17 February 2017 reached Madgaon in Goa on 11 July 2017.  This phase of train is being referred as ‗Science Express Climate Action Special (SECAS)‘ highlighting the global challenge of climate change.  SECAS is focusing on Climate Change and Science & Technology. The exhibition conveys message about Climate Change and is also a good opportunity to generate dialogue and discussion. Background:  Science Express is a flagship programme of the Dept. of Science & Technology (DST), Govt. of India. It is an innovative mobile science exhibition mounted on a 16 coach AC train, traveling across India since October 2007. JULY 2017 BestCurrentAffairs.com Page No.46

47. BestCurrentAffairs.com  Over its 1712 exhibition days, Science Express received an overwhelming response and 1.64 crore visitors. Science Express has become the largest, the longest running and the most visited mobile science exhibition and has twelve entries in the Limca Book of Records. Science Express Phase I to IV showcased cutting-edge research in Science and Technology being carried out worldwide. Phase V to VII was based on the theme of biodiversity and as ‗Science Express Biodiversity Special (SEBS)‘, it showcased the rich biodiversity of India and its conservation measures. Phase VIII as ‗Science Express Climate Action Special (SECAS)‘ highlighted the global challenge of climate change. The current ninth phase of the Science Express as SECAS II was flagged off on 17 Feb 2017 from Delhi Safdarjung Railway Station by Suresh Prabhu, Minister of Railways. The current tour of SECAS is scheduled from 17 Feb to 8 Sept 2017, during which it will be exhibited at 68 stations across India, covering 19000 km. SECAS is focusing on Climate Change and Science & Technology. The exhibition conveys message about Climate Change and is also a good opportunity to generate dialogue and discussion. The SECAS II is a unique collaborative initiative of Dept. of Science & Technology (DST), Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEFCC), Dept. of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Railways, Govt of India; Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and Vikram A Sarabhai Community Science Centre (VASCSC). The Paris Agreement entered into force on 4 Nov 2016. The Paris Agreement‘s central aim is to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change and to strengthen the ability of countries to deal with the impacts of climate change. Science Express, redesigned as SECAS, intends to contribute towards increasing understanding of the science of climate change, the observed and anticipated impacts, and different possible responses. The previous 3 phases of Science Express were rolled out as a joint initiative of DST and MoEFCC as Biodiversity Special and showcased the myriad biodiversity of India. Thus it was rational to shift the focus to the theme ‗Climate Change‘ as it will affect the biodiversity of not just India but the entire globe as well. Of the 16 coaches of SECAS, exhibition in 8 coaches put up by MoEFCC, is exclusively devoted to information, case studies and material related to various aspect of Climate change, the underlying science, impacts, adaptation activities, mitigation solutions and policy approaches in a manner that is easy to understand and interesting for not just school students but also the masses. In rest of the rake, there are exhibits and activities put up by DBT and DST. The broad theme covered in each exhibition coach is as follows: Coach 1: Understanding Climate Change – Insights in the climate as a system, the greenhouse gas effect and the underlying reasons for climate change with key message that the current change in the climate is due to human activities. Coach 2: Impact of Climate Change – How temperature rise, monsoon variations, sea level rise are predicted to affect vital sectors like water, agriculture, forests and biodiversity, and human health and ways to reduce these. Coach 3 & 4: Adaptation – Concepts of adaptation and examples from day to day life, adaptation strategies and stories from field. Adaptation options in urban and rural contexts and the adaptation actions India is taking. Coach 5 & 6: Mitigation – Concept and definition with examples, emphasis on restoring balance, enhancing sinks and reducing emission through Renewable Energy (RE) technologies. Various programmes implemented by India and low carbon strategies and ambitious goal to increase RE footprint. Coach 7: International Negotiations for Climate Change – Introduction to UNFCCC, IPCC and internationally agreed action & targets. Explaining concept of equity and common but differential responsibility, Kyoto protocol & other key outcomes of major COP, Paris Agreement, etc. Coach 8: Positive Actions – What can one do at school, on roads, at home and in offices and focus on concept of lifestyle choices with the key message ‗Increase your Handprint. Decrease your Footprint‘. Coach 9 & 10: Exhibition put up by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Govt of India, covering themes like Biotechnology for bioresources and nature conservation with emphasis on Tiger Conservation and Chemical Ecology and India‘s research and development initiatives in field of Biotechnology. Coach 11: Exhibition put up by the National Innovation Foundation (NIF) showcasing select innovations, demonstrating the ingenuity of common people and an innovative project which uses augmented reality techniques. Also, exhibition on themes like Innovations in S&T, Science Education, Technological solutions for societal development, etc. Coach 12: A Kids Zone is set up for children from Std. 5 and below to participate in fun-filled activities, games and puzzles in science, mathematics and environment. Coach 13: The Joy of Science (JOS) Hands-on Lab in this coach is a space where students from Std. 6-10 can perform experiments and activities to understand concepts in environment, science and mathematics in an interesting manner. A training facility is also set up for orientation of teachers here. Solar panels have been installed on the rooftop of Science Express coaches 11-13, as a collaborative effort of DST and CEL, for harnessing solar energy. At each halt of SECAS, activities are planned to engage visitors across different age groups to reinforce its message. An exciting and much sought-after Outreach Programme is also conducted in local schools/institutions along with activities on the railway platforms. In addition, informative take-away material is made available for wider distribution amongst schools and visitors. DST has entrusted Vikram A Sarabhai Community Science Centre (VASCSC), Ahmedabad with the task of BestCurrentAffairs.com managing the SECAS across India. VASCSC‘s team of qualified, trained and highly motivated Science                      JULY 2017 BestCurrentAffairs.com Page No.47

48. BestCurrentAffairs.com Communicators travelling with the train explain and interpret the exhibition, answers queries, facilitate the visitors and conduct complementary activities. BestCurrentAffairs.com VAN MAHOTSAV CELEBRATIONS  Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Dr. Harsh Vardhan will lead a month-long drive to plant saplings to mark Van Mahotsav starting on July 5.  Van Mahotsav began in 1950, with a tree plantation drive, in which national leaders participated. The festival of tree plantation was started by Dr. K.M. Munshi, the then Union Minister for Agriculture and Food to create enthusiasm among masses for forest conservation and planting trees. The festival was simultaneously celebrated in other states in India.  Van Mahotsav is usually observed in the first week of July every year and is celebrated on different days in different parts of India.  The objective behind celebrating Van Mahotsav is to keep local people involved in plantation drives and spread environmental awareness.  Dr. Harsh Vardhan urged the people to become ‗Green ambassadors‘ and participate actively in plantation drives during the period of monsoon, in keeping with the spirit of Van Mahotsav.  Programmes like screening of short films and documentaries, seminars and exhibition, painting and poster competitions are also organised to mark the occasion.  Recollecting the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi‘s emphasison ‗Van Dhan‘ to enhance the country‘s forest- based economy, while improving the biodiversity and living in harmony with nature has been a part of our culture for thousands of years, the Environment Minister requested all States and the people at large, to hold plantation drives during the monsoon season.  Dr. Harsh Vardhan also referred to India‘s Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDCs) to create additional Carbon Sink of 2.5 to 3 Billion Tonnes of CO2 equivalent through additional forest and tree cover by 2030, as has been submitted to UNFCCC under the able guidance of the Prime Minister. HIGH TEMPERATURES REDUCES DAKSHIN GANGOTRI  The Dakshin Gangotri Glacier is a small tongue of the polar continental ice sheet impinging on the Schirmacher Oasis of central Queen Maud Land, Antarctica. It was discovered by the Second Indian Expedition to Antarctica in 1983, and named for India‘s first Antarctic research station.  Since then its snout, and the area around it, has been regularly monitored and it has become a valuable site for tracking the impact of global warming through changes in the movement of the Antarctic ice sheet.  The site is protected under the Antarctic Treaty System as Antarctic Specially Protected Area (ASPA) No.163.  According to latest paper in the first volume of Antarctic research by India published in the Proceedings of the Indian National Science Academy, the Dakshin Gangotri (DG) glacier is fast melting away because of rise in global temperatures. Highlights of the Report:  Dakshin Gangotri glacier is located in the western part of Schirmacher Oasis. This Oasis is located at a distance of more than 2000km north of geographic South pole, at Princess Astrid coast of East Antarctica.  In this Oasis, the second research base of India ―Maitri‖ is located. This station was commissioned in the year 1989.  The Geological Survey of India has been monitoring Dakshin Gangotri glacier snout since the beginning of Indian Antarctic Expedition in 1982.  Continuous data over the last two decades shows a phase of major recession in DG glacier snout every five years, and minor recession at every two to three year interval between 1996 and 2010.  During 2014-15, the DG glacier snout receded by 1.31m as compared to the previous year. Similarly, the western wall receded by 2.37m from the previous year.  The analysis found that the shrinking of the DG snout between 1996 and 2011 has cleared 4800 square metres (m2) area. This figure increases by about 10 times after including the vacated area by Western wall.  The Russian Novolazarevskaya research station has estimated that since 1996, average surface air temperature varies between -9.2 degree Celsius and -11.1 degrees Celsius.  The present calculation indicates the disappearance of ice from the snout of Dakshin Gangotri glacier, which is a part of East Antarctic Ice Sheet is related to the meteorological parameters such as increase in surface air temperature, ground temperature and wind speed.  The observation shows that the decline in ice mass is more pronounced at the western wall that lies at a higher elevation and therefore receives more solar radiation.  During the period 2001 to 2016, the recession of ice in the western wall saw two peaks – that of 10.96m in 2002- 2003 and 10.45m in 2012-2013. At 1.31 metres, the decline in ice at the DG snout glacier was the highest in 2014-15 followed by 1.21m (2002-03), 1.10m (2007-08 and 2008-09) and 1.01m (1997-98).  Antarctica and Greenland hold 90% of the total ice of the earth. The Antarctic environment also controls many ocean circulations which is essential to marine life, and is directly related to our existence. JULY 2017 BestCurrentAffairs.com Page No.48

49. BestCurrentAffairs.com COMMITTEES INDIAN TASK FORCE ON SHELL COMPANIES  A ‗Task Force on Shell Companies‘ under the Joint Chairmanship of Revenue Secretary and Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs was constituted in February, 2017 for effectively tackling the malpractices by shell companies/ponzy companies/khoka companies in a comprehensive manner adopting whole of the government approach.  Other members of the Task Force are from Department of Financial Services, Central Board of Direct Taxes, Central Board of Excise & Customs, Central Bureau of Investigation, Enforcement Directorate, Serious Fraud Investigation Office and Financial Intelligence Unit.  The task Force has held five meetings so far. Decisions taken by the Task Force focusing upon most effective and expeditious actions against shell companies and associated persons by the agencies concerned have duly been taken forward.  Brief highlights of actions taken against shell companies in recent past include the following: (i) With a view to have consolidated relevant information at one place and based upon inputs from all law enforcement agencies, the Serious Fraud Investigation Office under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs has undertaken the exercise of preparing comprehensive digital database of shell companies and their associates that were identified by various law enforcement agencies. (ii) During last three financial years (2013-14 to 2015-16), investigations by the Income-tax Department have led to detection of more than 1155 shell companies/entities which were used as conduits by over 22,000 beneficiaries. The amount involved in non-genuine transactions of such beneficiaries was more than Rs 13,300 crore. Criminal Prosecution complaints have been filed by the Income-tax Department against 47 persons. Action against such companies, the beneficiaries of non-genuine transactions and other persons associated therewith under the Direct Taxes law is a continuous process and includes searches, surveys, enquiries, assessment of income, levy of taxes, penalties, etc. and filing of prosecution complaints in criminal courts, wherever applicable. (iii) Enforcement Directorate conducted nationwide searched in 16 states on 01.04.2017 in respect of shell companies and related professionals who were behind the creation and operation of these Companies. (iv) The CBI has registered 30 cases against 201 shell companies during the last 3 years viz. 2014, 2015, 2016 and the current year as on 28.2.2017. (v) FIU-India Out of these, charge-sheets have been filed in 17 cases. (vi) As on 12.07.2017, Ministry of Corporate Affairs has removed 1,62,618 Companies from the Register of Companies by following the due process under Section 248 of the Companies Act, 2013. Further, the exercise of identification of the directors of the companies defaulting in filing of Financial Statements or Annual Returns for continuous period of three financial years has been undertaken as part of the ongoing process for disqualification for reappointment as director in that company or in other company for a period of five years u/s 164(2) of the Companies Act, 2013. (vii) FIU-India has also alerted its Reporting Entities on shell companies for enhanced due diligence.  Mechanism for sharing of information between various law enforcement agencies is already in place under the Regional Economic Intelligence Council (REIC) and Central Economic Intelligence Bureau (CEIB) forums. Further, with a view to streamline and strengthen the information sharing mechanism, a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) on sharing of information between various law enforcement agencies has been agreed to under the aegis of the Task Force. Disclosure of information in respect of specific persons, however, is prohibited except as provided under section 138 of the Income-tax Act, 1961.  The Government had requested the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for freezing of accounts of the defaulting companies who have long exceeded the stipulated time limit, for filing of Financials Statements and returns, under the Companies Act. The RBI has informed that, at present, it has no powers to freeze such accounts. Moreover, freezing orders issued by the Government as per the provisions of the relevant statutes such as Unlawful Activities Prevention Act or Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, are communicated by the RBI to the banks.  Further, the Government has requested the RBI to circulate the details of defaulting companies to all the banks with the advice to exercise enhanced due diligence while dealing with these companies. SC SETUP COMMITTEE TO OVERSEE MEDICAL COUNCIL OF INDIA  The Supreme Court has agreed with the government‘s proposal of five eminent medical practitioners to oversee the functioning and decisions of the Medical Council of India.  The list of names are Randeep Guleria, Director of AIIMS at Delhi; V.K. Paul, Professor and Head of Paediatrics at the AIIMS; Nikhil Tandon, Professor and Head of Endocrinology at the AIIMS; Jagat Ram, Director of PGIMER at Chandigarh, and B.N. Gangadharan, Director of NIMHANS at Bengaluru.  The panel is clothed with the authority to oversee the functioning of the MCI.  A new Oversight Committee had to be appointed as the tenure of the previous one led by former Chief Justice of India R.M. Lodha had expired. BestCurrentAffairs.com JULY 2017 BestCurrentAffairs.com Page No.49

50. BestCurrentAffairs.com COMMITTEE SETUP TO STUDY COW DERIVATIVES  The union government has set up a 19-member committee to scientifically validate research on cow derivatives such as cow-urine and their benefits.  This committee is headed by Science and Technology Minister Harsh Vardhan.  The committee will scientifically validate the benefits of panchgavya — the concoction of cow dung, cow urine, milk, curd and ghee.  Also called as National Steering Committee, the panel includes secretaries of the departments of Science and Technology, Biotechnology, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, and scientists from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi. MAJITHIA WAGE BOARDS IN NEWS  The Union Minister for Labour and Employment held a meeting with the representatives of the State Governments to review the status of implementation of the recommendations of the Majithia Wage Board.  The Central Government constituted wage boards for working journalists and non-journalists newspaper employees, as and when required, as per the provisions contained in section 9 and section 13C respectively of the Working Journalists Act, 1955.  The last such Wage Boards, Viz. the Majithia Wage Boards were constituted by the Ministry of Labour and Employment on 24.5.2007. The Board submitted the recommendations to the Government on 31.12.2010.  Ministry of Labour and Employment notified the recommendations of the Majithia Wage Boards, under section 12 of the said Act, on 11.11.2011 subject to the outcome of the W.P. (C) No. 246 of 2011. The Hon‘ble Supreme Court, in its judgment dated 07.02.2014 upheld the Majithia Wage Boards recommendations.  As the said order was not complied by some newspaper establishments, contempt petitions were filed in the Hon‘ble Supreme Court.  The Hon‘ble Supreme Court, in its judgement dated 19.7.2017held that the Majithia Wage Board Award has to be implemented in full. The Hon‘ble Court also clarified on four important issues like payment of wages as per Majithia Wage Board Awards, Clause 20(j), admissibility of Variable pay, applicability to Contractual employees and financial capacity of the newspaper establishments to pay arrears.  As a sequel to the above judgment of the Hon‘ble Supreme Court, a meeting was held under the Chairmanship of Shri Bandaru Dattatreya to discuss the issues relating to implementation of the recommendations of the Majithia Wage Board Awards with the representative of the State Governments. As per the said Act, the implementation of the recommendations of the Wage Boards lies with the State Governments.  During the meeting, the State Governments/UT Administrations were impressed upon to implement the Wage Board Awards in letter and spirit. Discussions were alsoheld to bring the journalists of electronic & digital media under the ambit of the Working Journalists Act, 1955. State Governments were requested to tender their considered opinion in this regard.  As the last Wage Board was constituted in 2007, the issue regarding constitution of a new Wage Board was also discussed in the meeting. CENTRAL MONITORING COMMITTEE ON GST SETUP  The Government of India has setup a Central Monitoring Committee headed by the Cabinet Secretary.  Three meetings of the Central Monitoring Committee have been held on 2nd July, 11th July and 18th July.  The reports include the details of feedback received from various Ministries and Departments regarding the following issues:  Steps taken by department to disseminate knowledge about GST.  Stakeholders still not registered.  Position of Prices of Products pre-GST and post-GST.  Queries received, solved by GST Cell in every department.  Department wise FAQs made, disseminated among its stakeholders.  Success stories which could be publicized.  Sector Specific training on GST required by the Ministry.  Shortages of products, if any.  Further, the Government vide DoPT OM dated 4th July 2017 and 6th July 2017 has appointed 209 Joint/Additional Secretary Level Officers to monitor the implementation and effects of GST across the country through District Level Clusters and submit weekly reports.  A Nodal Feedback Centre has been setup under the Ministry of Finance to collect, collate and analyze the feedback being received from the district level Nodal Officers.  Further, GST Feedback and Action Room (FAR) was constituted by CBEC w.e.f.26 June, 2017 with the purpose of reviewing the information received from Ministries, State governments, field formations and social media, newspapers, news channels, e-mail, etc. and report it on Real Time basis to the Revenue Secretary, CBEC, GSTN and other concerned authorities.  A team of officers monitor various media reports for any GST related news/issues and also take further necessary action. FAR has multi-line telephone numbers which are available in the control room and these numbers have BestCurrentAffairs.com been informed to the Central and State GST officers. JULY 2017 BestCurrentAffairs.com Page No.50