Lic Aao 2016 Capsule PDF

LIC AAO CAPSULE -2016
Presents
Dear BA"ians,
We bring to you most eagerly awaited LIC AAO CAPSULE to give a kick start to your preparation. We know most of you feel
energised the moment the capsule comes into your access, so here it is.
This capsule is a compilation of last 2 months worth of GK and Current Affairs i.e December and January and along with GK the till
the 10th of February covered in an exhaustive manner.
Since this is an insurance related Exam, we do not ant you to leave any stone unturned, so have covered the Insurance portion
aswell
A separate Banking related Capsule will be up this week only to add to this Blast of Knowledge.
The remaining days of February will be covered in our other weekly Tonic and Hindu review initiatives
So brace yourself to update your self and become Exam ready soon!.
Good luck!
www.bankersadda.com | www.sscadda.com | www.careerpower.in | www.careeradda.co.in

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INSURANCE SECTOR IN NEWS
S. No News
1. LIC offered a New Year gift to the public in the form of a limited-premium, non-linked and with-profit endowment
assurance plan Jeevan Labh. The highlight of the plan is that premium is payable for a limited period while risk is
covered for the whole policy term. The plan is available from ages 8 to 59 years with a choice of policy term of 16, 21
and 25 years and premium-paying terms of 10,15 and 16 years. The maximum age at maturity is 75 years.
Minimum basic sum assured is 2 lakh with maximum basic sum assured having no limit.
2. LICs New Plan Jeevan Pragati
This is a non-linked, with-profits Endowment Assurance plan. The main feature of this Jeevan Pragathi plan is the sum
assured on death (part of death benefit) automatically increases after every five years during the term of the policy.
Key Features & Eligibility Conditions of LIC Jeevan Pragati Plan
Minimum Basic Sum Assured (payable on maturity) : Rs. 1,50,000/-
Maximum Basic Sum Assured : No Limit (Maturity Sum Assured shall be in multiple of Rs. 10,000/- only)
Minimum Policy Term : 12 years
Maximum Policy Term : 20 years
Minimum Age at entry for Life Assured : 12 years (completed)
Maximum Entry Age : 45 years (nearer birthday)
Maximum Age at Maturity for Life Assured : 65 years
Minimum Accident Benefit Sum Assured is Rs 10,000
Maximum Accident Benefit Sum Assured is an amount equal to the Basic Sum Assured subject to the maximum of Rs 1 cr.
Minimum entry age for the rider is 18 years.
3. LICs JEEVAN SHIKHAR Plan
LICs Jeevan Shikhar is a participating, non-linked, saving cum protection single premium plan wherein the risk cover is
ten times of Tabular Single Premium.The proposer will have an option to choose the Maturity Sum Assured. The premium
payable shall depend on the chosen amount of Maturity Sum Assured and age at entry of the life assured. The plan will be
open for sale for a maximum period of 120 days from the date of launch.
ELIGIBILITY CONDITIONS AND OTHER RESTRICTIONS:
Minimum Entry Age : 6 years (completed)
Maximum Entry Age : 45 years (nearer birthday)
Sum Assured on Death : 10 times of tabular single premium
Minimum Maturity Sum Assured : Rs. 100,000/-
Maximum Maturity Sum Assured : No Limit (Maturity Sum Assured shall be in multiple of Rs. 20,000/- only.)
Policy Term : 15 years
Premium payment mode : Single premium only
Date of commencement of risk: In case the age at entry of the Life assured is less than 8 years, the risk under this plan will
commence from one day before the policy anniversary coinciding with or immediately following the age of 8 years.
For those aged 8 years or more at entry, risk will commence immediately from the date of acceptance of risk.
4. Insurance sector is likely to attract FDI of over Rs 12,000 crore in 2016 as more than a dozen foreign companies plan to
raise their stake in private sector insurance joint venture this year, industry body Assocham said. The investment push
has come as a result of liberalisation of foreign investment ceiling from 26 per cent to 49 per cent last year through the
passage of Insurance Laws (Amendment) Bill.
5. Private sector India First Life Insurance, a joint venture between Bank of Baroda, Andhra Bank and Legal and General of
the UK, entered into pension sector with launch of a 9 percent guaranteed retirement plan. IndiaFirst Guaranteed
Retirement Plan is a non-linked, participating, endowment, deferred pension plan. This plan is for customers who are
conscious to plan for their retirement and want to remain financially young, IndiaFirst Life Insurance Managing Director
and CEO R M Vishakha said.
6. Standalone health insurance company Apollo Munich announced its partnership with Axis Bank for offering bank
customers customised insurance policies.
7. Dena Bank said that it has tied up with SBI Life Insurance Company to provide Group Life Insurance coverage to its
housing loan borrowers under the 'Dena Grihaswami Suraksha Yojana'. Under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU),
insurance cover will be given to all housing loan borrowers at a very low premium, Dena Bank said.
8. French insurer AXA has raised its holdings in Indian insurance joint ventures with Bharti Enterprises to 49 per cent.
9. AIA group said it will raise stake in the life insurance venture with Tata group to 49 per cent from the existing 26 per cent.
AIA will increase shareholding in Tata AIA Life Insurance Company, a joint venture company formed by Tata Sons and
AIA, from the current level of 26 per cent to 49 per cent through the purchase of a 23 per cent stake in the company.
10. The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (Irdai) said the existing micro insurance products will
continue to be on offer till March 31, 2016.
11. German reinsurer Munich Re would buy an additional 23.27 per cent stake in Apollo Munich Health Insurance Co from its
joint venture partner Apollo Hospitals Group India for Rs 164 crore ($24.18 million). The deal increases Munich Re's
holding in Apollo Munich to nearly 48.75 per cent, with 51.1 per cent held by Apollo Hospitals, and the rest by employees.
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12. Mahindra Insurance Brokers Ltd. (MIBL) has been appraised and rated at Maturity Level 3 of the People Capability
Maturity Model (People-CMM), thus becoming the first insurance broking company globally to achieve this international
benchmark. MIBL joins the league of top companies practising People-CMM such as Accenture, Computer Sciences
Corporation, Wipro, CMC, Mahindra Mahindra Financial Services Ltd., Tata Consultancy Services, LT Infotech, etc.
13. Government has extended RuPay card usage condition to 90 days for a claim under an in-built accident insurance cover in
case of RuPay Classic cardholders with effect from November 25, 2015. Under Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY),
RuPay Debit Card, with an in-built accident insurance cover of Rs 1 lakh, is provided to account holders. About 16.54
crore RuPay cards have been issued so far under PMJDY.
INDIAN ECONOMY NEWS

S. No News
1. The deposits in accounts opened under the governments flagship financial inclusion programme under Pradhan Mantri
Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) have crossed the Rs. 30,000 crore mark. According to the recent updates on Jan. 20, 20.38 crore
bank accounts were opened under the PMJDY. These bank accounts had deposits of Rs. 30,638.29 crore (about $4.5
billion).
2. The World Bank will be the anchor investor in the new Railway Development Fund, which would be used to fund the
modernisation of Indian Railways, according to the Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu.
3. Pension fund regulatory body PFRDA has started using PAN instead of Aadhaar for validation of new customers who can
now be registered online under the National Pension System (NPS) scheme.
4. The World Bank approved a 1.5 billion US dollar loan for the ambitious Clean India Campaign (Swachh Bharat Mission).
The loan was granted to support the government in its efforts to ensure all citizens in rural areas have access to improved
sanitation and end the practice of open defecation by 2019.
5. International Monetary Fund (IMF) included China's Yuan into its elite reserve currency basket. Yuan's entry into the
basket takes effect from 1 October 2016.
6. Chief Economic Advisor Dr Arvind Subramanian led Committee has recommended standard rate for Goods and Services
Tax (GST) at 17 to 18 per cent. He also recommended the Revenue-neutral rate of 15 to 15.5 per cent.
7. Singapore replaced Mauritius as top source of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into India during April-September of
2015-16 financial year.
8. Prime Minister Narendra Modi released two commemorative coins of 125 rupees and 10 rupees, as part of the 125th birth
anniversary year celebrations of Dr. Babasaheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar.
9. Cabinet approved Rs 8,000- crore funds that will stand guarantee for loans to new ventures and also announced Stand up
India scheme for credit facilities to SC, ST and women entrepreneurs at lower rates. While the Rs 3,000 crore MUDRA
Credit Guarantee Fund (CGF) will act as hedge against default of Rs 50,000 to Rs 10 lakh loan extended to small
entrepreneurs, the Rs 5,000 crore Stand Up India CGF will stand guarantee for Rs 10 lakh to Rs 1 crore loans to be
provided to least 2.5 lakh SC/ST and women.
10. India Post, which was among the eleven applicants to have received approval from RBI for payment banks in August, will
start its service by March 2017.
11. According to a report, Indias current account deficit may narrow to 0.5 per cent of GDP in 2016 from 0.7 per cent in 2015
owing to lower commodity prices, particularly oil.
12. The Central Board of Direct Taxes clarified that quoting of PAN will be required for transactions of an amount exceeding
Rs. 2 lakh regardless of the mode of payment.
13. The countrys foreign exchange reserves were at $350.4 billion as on January 1, 2016.
RBI IN NEWS
1. RBI received complaints about notes of Rs 1,000 denomination without the security thread being in circulation and has asked
banks not to issue them in case these are found. These notes were printed by Currency Note Press, Nashik, on the paper
(without security thread) supplied by Security Paper Mill (Hoshangabad).
2. RBI has asked the lenders to open more brick and mortar branches in villages with no banking facilities and with a population
of more than 5,000. It has asked banks to submit a roadmap on how many branches they will be opening by 31 March 2017.
3. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) created a dedicated helpline (Email) for start-ups in India in order to offer assistance on
Forex matters to them for undertaking cross-border transactions within the ambit of the regulatory framework.
4. The Reserve Bank of India extended the deadline for exchanging pre-2005 currency notes of various denominations by
another six months to 30 June 2016.
5. Indias central bank The Reserve Bank of India has invited applications for Payment System Innovation Awards to encourage
innovative solutions in the field of Payment and Settlement System.
6. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released the final guidelines on computing interest rates on advances based on the Marginal
Cost of Funds Methodology. The guidelines will come into effect from 1 April 2016. All rupee loans sanctioned and credit limits
renewed with effect from 1 April 2016 will be priced with reference to the Marginal Cost of Funds based Lending Rate (MCLR)

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which will be the internal benchmark for such purposes.
7. The Supreme Court held that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is liable to disclose information about the banks and financial
institutions for their action against the loan defaulters including industrialists under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005.
8. The Reserve Bank of India has cancelled the certificate of registration of 56 non-banking finance companies (NBFCs),
including ABNL, Future Ventures India and Bajaj Finserve.
9. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced the revised Priority Sector Lending (PSL) norms for Regional Rural Banks (RRBs).
In this, the PSL target was increased to 75 percent of total outstanding from the existing 60 percent. The revised target will be
effective from 1 January 2016.
10. The Reserve Bank has signed an agreement with the UKs Prudential Regulation Authority and Financial Conduct Authority for
supervisory cooperation and exchange of information.
BANKS IN NEWS
SBI
1. It launched its wealth management offering and inaugurated 'SBI InCube' is the branch for start-ups that would offer
a dedicated branch for start-ups. advisory services to the budding entrepreneurs under one
The wealth management service is named as 'Exclusif' is roof.
targeted at the fast-growing affluent segment in the country.
2. State Bank of Travancore (SBT) has teamed up with the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) to provide customers of the
state utility online facility for remittance of electricity charges.
3. The MUDRA' loan for women entrepreneurs or Boutique Loans are being provided at a concessional rate of interest.
Finance for Women Entrepreneurs is a special loan scheme Loans up to Rs. 10 lakh will be provided under the scheme
under Prime Minister MUDRA Yojana has been launched by without any collateral security. A maximum loan amount of
SBI for catering to the financial needs of women Rs. 50 lakh can be availed under the scheme.
entrepreneurs.
4. State Bank of India (SBI) to raise up to Rs 15,000 crore from 5. SBI said that it has secured a $500 million loan from
various means, including public offer and overseas issuance Korean EXIM Bank to help fund companies from the East
of shares, in the next 14 months i.e. by March 2017. The fund Asian nation setting up units in India.
raised will help the bank to meet global risk norms, Basel III,
which will kick in from March 2019.
6. SBI is planning to monetise non-core assets and list some of 7. SBI has raised Rs4,000 crore by issuing tier-II bonds on
its subsidiaries to meet capital needs as well as global risk private placement basis under the Basel-III norms.
norms, Basel III, which will start from March 2019.
ICICI Bank
1. The private sector lender, ICICI Bank which has entered into a tie-up with IRCTC, said the novelty of this facility is that
customers of any bank can use this service. This is the first time any bank is offering railway tickets for sale from its
website, that too for customers of all banks.
2. ICICI Bank will partner FINO PayTech to foray into the The ICICI Group, with about 16 per cent stake in FINO
payments bank space. Paytech, a business correspondent, is the largest domestic
shareholder.
BANKS IN NEWS
S.No Name of Bank News/Schemes Other Points
1. Dharwad HQ Set up a separate cell for monitoring progress Chairman: Ashok Reddy
Karnataka Vikas under all the government-sponsored
Grameen Bank (KVGB) schemes.
2. Irans leading banks will open branches in India to energise commercial ties between New Delhi and Tehran.
3. Andhra Bank Launched Immediate Payment Service (IMPS) The service makes payments possible within
across all its branches in association with the fraction of seconds with all the standards and
National Payments Corporation of India integrity maintained for security.
(NPCI).
4.. Axis Bank Launched a 'display variant' debit card which The card has an embedded EMV chip, a
does away with the hassles of generating one display screen and a touch-sensitive button
time password (OTP) over SMS while which helps generating the OTP on the card
transacting. itself.
5. Tata Sons Ltd and Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Ltd (ICBC) have formed a long-term partnership, under
which ICBC will become a strategic banking partner to the Tata group.
6. Quickrupee, a portal to help SMEs get bank loans founded by Jyotsna and HD Sheriff. It has tied up with 16 bankers (mostly

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private banks and NBFCs) and will sign more banks in the coming time.
7. The Department of Posts (DoP) plans to open 1,000 ATMs and bring all 25,000 departmental post offices under core
banking system by March this year.
8. The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has collaborated with CSC e-Governance Services India to launch
Aadhaar Enabled Payment System (AePS) at locations where CSC eGov has been acting as Business Correspondent of
banks. This system facilitates disbursement of government entitlements like NREGA, social security pension, Handicapped
Old Age Pension etc of any Central or State Government bodies, using Aadhaar and authentication thereof as supported by
UIDAI
9. The government said the Credit Guarantee Fund for loans disbursed under the Pradhan Mantri Micro Units Development
Refinance Agency (MUDRA) Yojana would be able to guarantee loans of over Rs.one lakh crore as it gave its approval to
convert MUDRA into a bank. The government expects the fund to be able to guarantee loans worth more than Rs.one lakh
crore over the next three years of micro and small units
NEW APPOINTMENTS(INDIA)
S. No Newly Appointed Post
1. Mamta Binani President of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI).
2. Amitabh Bachchan & Priyanka Chopra Apointed as 'Incredible India' brand ambassadors.
3. Noted environmentalist Ravi Chellam Executive Director of Greenpeace India. Note: He succeeds Samit Aich.
4. Atulesh Jindal Chairman of Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT). Jindal will succeed A K Jain.
5. Amit Shah President of BJP Party.
6. Alice Vaidyan Chairman and Managing Director of General Insurance Corporation of India
7. Gurdeep Singh Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of NTPC Ltd
8. Justice Sanjay Mishra Lokayukta of Uttar Pradesh.
9. KK Jalan Secretary, Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME)
10. Shobhana K Pattanayak Secretary, Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare
11. Avinash K Srivastava Secretary, Ministry of Food Processing Industries
12. Vinod Agrawal Secretary, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Ministry of
Social Justice and Empowerment
13. Shyam S Agarwal Secretary, Ministry of Tribal Affairs
14. JS Deepak Telecom Secretary
15. Muktesh Kumar Pardeshi Indias Ambassador to Mexico.
16. Kamlesh Kumar Pandey Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities (CCPD)
17. Datta Padsalgikar Commissioner of Police of Mumbai
18. Ashish Saraf VP - Industry Development, Strategic Partnerships and Offsets in Airbus Group.
19. Binny Bansal Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Flipkart
20. R Shivakumar Chairman of Assocham Karnataka Regional Council
21. Dinesh Sharma 12-member board of directors in Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB)
22. Rostow Ravanan CEO and Managing Director,Mindtree
23. Guenter Butschek Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Tata Motors' Group.
24. D.K.Hota CMD of Defence PSU BEML Ltd
25. Shekhar Saran Chairman-cum-Managing Director of Central Mine Planning & Design Institute
Ltd.
26. Abidali Neemuchwala CEO, Wipro
27. Atul Sobti Chairman and Managing Director (CMD),Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL)
28. Akshay Kothari Country Manager for India, LinkedIn. Note: Kothari replaces Nishant Rao
29. Sailesh Registrar General and Census Commissioner.
30. Amitabh Kant Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NITI Aayog.
31. Devender Kumar Sikri Chairman of fair-trade regulator Competition Commission of India (CCI)
32. Kunal Shah Chairman, Industry body Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI)
33. AB Khare Chairman and Managing Director ,Madras Fertilzers
34. Dr Achyuta Samanta General President of the 105th Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA)
35. Satyanarayan Gangaram Pitroda Technology Advisor to the Odisha Government
36. Pavan Kapoor India's ambassador to Israel
37. Bhanumurthy B M Chief Operating Officer (COO) and President, Wipro
38. Dr Urjit R Patel Deputy Governor of Reserve Bank of India (RBI), for a second three-year term.
39. Pawan Kumar Agarwal Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India
(FSSAI).

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40. Gautam H Bambawale High Commissioner of India to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
41. Farhan Akhtar Amway Indias Brand Ambassador to promote Nutrilite range of the products
42. Karan Adani CEO of Adani Ports and SEZ (APSEZ)
43. Dr Gyanendra D Bandgaiyan Director General of the National Centre for Good Governance
44. Jeff Williams Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Apple Inc
45. R.K. Mathur Chief Information Commissioner (CIC)
46. Reva Khetrapal Delhi's new Lokayukta
47. Lalit Modi President of the Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA)
48. Ahmad Javed Ambassador to Saudi Arabia
49. Prakash Kumar Singh Chairman, SAIL
50. Kapil Chopra Chairman of World Travel & Tourism Council
51. Udai Kumar MD & CEO, Metropolitan Stock Exchange (formerly MCX Stock Exchange)
52. Sanjeev Sharma Managing Director,ABB India Ltd
53. Justice Tirath Singh (TS) Thakur 43rd Chief Justice of India (CJI)
54. Indian-American Dr Vijay M Rao Chairperson, Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) Board of Directors
55. Vijay Kumar Chaudhary Speaker of the Bihar Legislative Assembly.
56. Kaher Kazem General Motors(India) President and Managing Director of India operations,
57. Sachin Tendulkar Brand Ambassador for the disease awareness campaign 'Changing Diabetes'
58. Pavan Kapoor India ambassador Israel, where he will succeed Jaideep Sarkar.
59. Lieutenant General Suresh Sharma 24th Director General Border Roads (DGBR)
60. RK Singh Bhadauria Deputy Chief of the Air Staff
NEW APPOINTMENTS (WORLD)

S. No Newly Appointed Post
1. Pavel Filip Prime Minister, Moldova
2. Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa President of Portugal
3. Leslie Berland Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of Twitter In
4. Tsai Ing-wen Taiwan President
5. Tamal Chaudhuri General Manager, for HaloSource Inc.s India operations
6. Mary Barra Chairman of General Motors (GM) Board of Directors
7. Filippo Grandi UN High Commissioner for Refugees
8. Sanjay Pradhan Head, The Open Government Partnership (OGP)
9. Pravin Gordhan South Africas Finance Minister
10. Sir Venkatraman Ramakrishnan Presidency of the Royal Society in London.
11. Paul Kagame Rwanda President
12. James Michel Seychelles President
13. Louise Richardson First woman vice-chancellor in the 900-year history of the University of Oxford.
14. Paul Kaba Thieba Prime Minister of Burkina Faso
15. Giorgi Kvirikashvili Prime Minister of Georgia
NATION IN NEWS (INDIA)

S. No News
1. PM Narendra Modi along with the President of France Franois Hollande laid the foundation stone of the International Solar
Alliance (ISA) headquarters in National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE) in Gwalpahari, Gurgaon.
2. India has overtaken Thailand as the worlds largest rice exporter in the year 2015 by shipping (exporting) 10.23 million
tonnes of rice.
3. Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu inaugurated implementation of E-enabled Track Management System
(TMS) and Mobile Application of TMS on Indian Railway at Rail Bhawan in New Delhi. These initiatives will bring efficiency
and effectiveness in management practices.
4. Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has announced that Indias grid-connected solar power generation capacity
has crossed the 5,000 Mega Watt (MW) mark. ii. Presently, Government has set an ambitious plan to achieve 175 Giga Watt
(GW) of power generation capacity from renewable sources by 2022. It includes 100 GW from solar and 60 GW from wind.
5. The World Bank has decided to extend an assistance of 20 million US dollar to help reconstruct the Indira Gandhi Zoological
Park (IGZP), which got devastated during cyclone Hudhud in October 2014, in Visakhapatnam.
6. India-Nepal Bus Service resumed after a gap of 27 years. The service was suspended 27 years ago in the wake of the Indo-
Nepal Trade and Transit Treaty. The service runs between Kanchanpur in Nepal, which is close to Banbasa border in

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Champavat district of Uttarakhand, and Anand Vihar ISBT in Delhi.
7. Sterlite Grid set a new benchmark by commissioning the Transmission Project to Rajasthan Atomic Power Project (RAPP)
ahead of schedule under the Tariff Based Competitive Bidding (TBCB) incentive regime. RAPP is the first power
transmission line to be been commissioned ahead of schedule since the implementation of TBCB scheme.
8. In order to avoid duplication of work and to improve efficiency, the government merged the Ministry of Overseas Indian
Affairs (MOIA) with the Ministry of External Affairs.
9. As a major initiative towards fast track implementation of Namami Gange Programme the first company of Ganga Task force
Battalion was deployed at Garhmukteshwar.
10. The Union Government allowed the conduct of the traditional bull-taming sports, Jallikattu, in Tamil Nadu. The ban on the
sports was lifted few days before the traditional harvest festival will begin in Tamil Nadu.
11. The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has launched an online initiative to seek suggestions from LPG consumers across
the country, which will help in providing efficient and friendly service. Two online discussion forums : Citizen-Friendly
Services and Increasing LPG Coverage in the Country were launched and are available on myGov.in and mylpg.in
12. President Pranab Mukherjee promulgated the Enemy Property (Amendment and Validation) Ordinance, 2016 to make
amendments to the Enemy Property Act, 1968. These amendments will help is dealing with the loopholes of the Enemy
Property Act, 1968 and ensure that the enemy properties that have been vested in the Custodian remain so and they do not
revert back to the enemy subject or enemy firm.
13. The Union Minister of Human Resource Development Zubin Irani launched the 6th All India Survey on Higher Education
(AISHE) in New Delhi. The survey covers all the Higher Education (HE) institutions of the country including Universities,
Colleges and Stand-Alone institutions from 2010-11 to 2014-15. The major findings of the AISHE 2014-15 included increase
in overall enrolment from 27.5 million in 2010-11 to 33.3 million in 2014-15.
14. Rajya Sabha passed the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Bill, 2015. The Bill permits juveniles between the
ages of 16-18 years to be tried as adults for heinous offences. Also, any 16-18 year old, who commits a lesser (serious)
offence, may be tried as an adult only if he is apprehended after the age of 21 years.
15. Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) gave its approval for implementation of an umbrella scheme for integrated
development and management of fisheries. The scheme will be implemented at an outlay of 3000 crore rupees, for a period
of five years.
16. Union Government has announced to link LPG subsidy to income of consumers in order to ensure that the subsidy benefits
go to the targeted group. Henceforth, the LPG subsidy will not be available to LPG consumers if the consumer or his/her
spouse has taxable income of more than ten lakh rupees.
17. Union Ministry of Women and Child Development (WCD) has introduced e-office, an initiative which will help provide
efficient services to the people by digitizing more than 12,000 files. It was formally launched by WCD Minister Maneka
Sanjay Gandhi in New Delhi on the lines with the spirit of Good Governance initiative of Union Government.
18. The Cabinet approved the formation of joint venture companies with various state governments to mobilise resources for
undertaking rail infrastructure projects. The initial paid-up capital of the Ministry of Railways will be limited to Rs. 50 crore
for each state. The joint venture companies would be formed with equity participation from the Ministry of Railways and
the state governments concerned. Each joint venture will have an initial paid-up capital of Rs. 100 crore.
19. As per new Forest report Indias forest cover increased by 5,081 sq. km between 2013 and 2015. The forest cover is
7,01,673 sq. km, which is 21.34% of the geographical area of the country. Natural forests contribute around 95 per cent of
the total forest cover of the country.
20. India and United Kingdom launched a joint initiative 2016: UK-INDIA Year of Education and Research in New Delhi.
21. India and France launched the International Solar Alliance in Paris. The alliance was launched jointly by PM Narendra Modi
and French President Francois Hollande during the United Nations climate change conference (COP21).
22. The Union Cabinet approved setting up of six new Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) in Andhra Pradesh, Chhatisgarh,
Goa, Jammu, Kerala and Karnataka.
23. India launched the Indian Long Term Ecological Observatories (I-LTEO) programme to scientifically monitor eight different
biomes (natural landscapes) across the country. The initiative was launched on the sidelines of the Conference of Parties-21
(COP-21) of UNFCCC in Paris.
24. Gurib-Fakim, the first woman President of Mauritius, who is a distinguished scientist, was on a three-day visit to India.
25. India 2nd Largest Fruit Producer In World After China.
26. India and Syria held wide-ranging talks, focusing largely on the situation in the war-torn country and the UN-backed peace
process aimed at ending the strife that has claimed lives of over 2.5 lakh people in the last five years. Syrian deputy prime
minister Walid al-Muallem, during the talks with external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj, appreciated India for its support
to the people of Syria and its position in finding a solution to the civil war.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
S. No Country/Continent in Related to
News
1. Somalia Agreed on Election Model outlined by the Mogadishu Declaration. The declaration calls for the
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electoral process in Somalia to establish a new, bicameral Federal Parliament in 2016, based on
inclusivity and representation.
2. Yale School of Indra Nooyi becomes most generous graduate of Yale School of Management as she gifted an
Management undisclosed amount to her alma mater, becoming the schools biggest alumni donor.
3. Liberia Becomes Ebola epidemic free according to World Health Organisation (WHO).
4. China China-backed Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), in which India and 56 countries
have joined as founding members, was formally opened by Chinese President Xi Jinping.
5. France French President Francois Hollande has declared a state of economic emergency and says its
time to redefine Frances economic and social model.
6. Sri Lanks Sri Lankan parliament began a process to formulate a new constitution with Prime Minister
Ranil Wickremesinghe presenting a resolution to set up Constitutional Assembly of all members
for the purpose.
7. Nepal Elected to the UNICEF executive board, representing the group of Asia-Pacific countries for the
term 2016-2018.
8. Iraq Miss Iraq beauty pageant held for the first time since 1972. Note: Shaymaa Qasim Abdelrahman
was crowned Miss Iraq.
9. Nepal Government of Nepal has decided to amend the Constitution to address two key demands of
agitating Madhesis regarding proportional representation and constituency delimitation.
10. Philippines The first Asian country to approve the sale of the world's first-ever dengue vaccine, Dengvaxia.
11. Zimbabwe Zimbabwe's Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa announced that the country has planned to
adopt the Chinese Yuan as legal tender.
12. Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abes cabinet approved 5.05 trillion yen ($41.8 billion) in defence
spending for the next fiscal year starting in April, with the focus on strengthening protection of a
string of southern islands that stretch from Japans mainland to waters near Taiwan.
13. Bangladesh Bangladesh's state-run Atomic Energy Commission signed a deal with Russia to set up two
nuclear power plants, each with 1,200 MW capacity, an investment totalling $12.65 billion.
14. Pakistan The World Bank approved an additional financial assistance to Pakistan of $35 million to
support improved management, planning and development of water resources in the Indus
River Basin in Pakistan.
15. China Chinas National People's Congress Standing Committee, countrys top law making body gave its
approval to amending One Couple, One Child Policy. The amended policy will lift the restrictions
on couples from having only one child.
16. Republic of Guinea The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the end of Ebola virus transmission in the
Republic of Guinea.
17. University of South The University of South Florida (USF) announced a postgraduate fellowship in the name of
Florida (USF) former president Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam to support accomplished and talented Indian students
looking to study abroad.
18. Saudi Arabia Launched Islamic Military Coalition, a new military alliance of 34 nations mainly Muslim nations
to fight terrorism.
19. Iran International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has ended its 12-year investigation into concerns
that Iran might be developing nuclear weapons. IAEA Board of Governors passed a resolution
ending its long-running inquiry against Iran but allowing inspectors to continue to police the
countrys nuclear programme.
20. Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabian voters voted to elect women in at least 18 municipal council seats. This was a
historic local elections in Saudi Arabia in which women were allowed to vote and run for office
for the first time.
21. Turkmenistan Construction work on the TAPI (Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India) Gas Pipeline project
started in Turkmenistan.
22. Myanmar Launched its first UNSECO Biosphere Reserve Inle Lake in Shan state. The Inle Lake was
designated as UNESCO Biosphere reserve in Paris in June 2015.
23. Luxembourg Became the 10th country to ratify the Articles of Agreement (AoA) that will lay the legal
framework for the China-initiated Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).
24. New Zealand Formally become a member of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB)
25. Brazil Economy contracted by 1.7 percent during July-September 2015 compared to April-June period
in 2015. It was Brazil's third consecutive quarter of contraction starting from January 2015 and
thus, making it the country's longest recession since the 1930s.
26. Gambia Gambias President has declared the country an Islamic republic, saying he decided this because
Islam is the religion of the majority of its citizens.
27. China Granted a license for production of first manned two seater electric aircraft RX1E known as

8
RX1E by the Civil Aviation Administration of China.
It has been designed by Shenyang Aerospace University and Liaoning General Aviation Academy
in northeastern Liaoning province.
28. Australia Federal Parliament has passed Australian Citizenship Amendment (Allegiance to Australia) Bill,
2015 to strip citizenship of convicted persons on terrorism charges.
29. Pakistan & Sri Lanka Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz sharif was on a three-day state visit to Sri Lanka in January
2016. In Colombo he met Sri Lankan president Maithripala Sirisena and his Sri Lankan
counterpart Ranil Wickremesinghe and discussed bilateral issues. Pakistan sealed a landmark
deal to sell JF-17 Thunder fighter jets to Sri Lanka as the two countries signed eight agreements
to boost cooperation in areas like trade promotion, and science and technology besides
combating money laundering and terror financing.
30. China The top organ of Chinas Parliament, National Peoples Congress Standing Committee adopted
the country first counter-terrorism law
31. Beijing Issued its first-ever red alert on air pollution ordering schools to close due to hazardous air
quality. Red alert is the highest possible state of caution.
32. China Chinas country code domain .cn has become the worlds most commonly used in the internet
with 16.36 million users, surpassing Germanys .de domain.
33. Spain Ruling conservative Peoples Party (PP) of Spain led Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy won the
2015 general election of the country.
OBITUARIES (NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL)
S. No Person Died Profession/Famous In?
1. Aroon Tikekar Senior journalist and scholar
2. Mrinalini Sarabhai Eminent danseuse & wife of the late Dr Vikram Sarabhai, father of
Indias space programme.
3. Ettore Scola Italian director
4. Nirmala Gajwani Former Deputy Speaker of Gujarat Assembly and Social Activist
5. Pandit Shankar Ghosh Eminent Tabla player
6. Kalpana National award-winning actress
7. Marvin Minsky The pioneer of artificial intelligence
8. Abe Vigoda Actor known for his work in The Godfather
9. General Kotikalapudi Venkata Krishna Rao Former Army Chief
10. Rajesh Vivek Upadhyay Bollywood actor
11. Alan Rickman Actor
12. Ventrapragada Rama Rao Veteran BJP leader and former Sikkim Governor
13. Lakshman Rao Mohite alias Geethapriya Renowned film-maker
14. Yasutaro Koide The worlds oldest man at the age of 112
15. Glenn Frey Afounding member and guitarist of the Eagles
16. Sarosh Homi Kapadia Ex-Chief Justice of India
17. Mufti Mohammad Sayeed Jammu and Kashmir Ex-Chief Minister
18. Labhshankar Thakar Noted Gujarati writer and poet
19. Ravindra Kalia Noted Hindi writer and journalist
20. David Bowie British singer
21. Maria Teresa de Filippis First woman to compete in a world championship F1 Grand Prix
22. Sadhana Yesteryear Hindi film actress
23. V S Malimath Former Chief Justice of Karnataka and Kerala High Courts Justice
24. Haskell Wexler Oscar-winning cinematographer
25. George Clayton Johnson Popular science-fiction writer
26. Ian Fraser Lemmy Kilmister Founding member and singer in the British band Motorhead
27. Subir Sen Veteran singer
28. General Om Prakash Malhotra. Former Punjab Governor and ex-Chief of Army
29. Peter Dickinson British Novelist
30. Chatla Sriramulu Noted writer and theatre artiste
31. Sharad Anantrao Joshi Renowned Agro-Economist and Veteran Leader of farmers
32. Ustad Sabri Khan Renowned sarangi player
33. Eldar Ryazanov Russian film Director
34. MAM Ramaswamy Industrialist, Founder of Chettinad Group, Former parliamentarian

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35. Anil Ganguly Noted filmmaker
36. Haskell Wexler Influential Oscar-winning cinematrographer
37.
AWARDS
S. No Awards Winner
1. Technical Achievement Award from Oscar for his contribution Rahul Thakkar
to cinema
2. World's best hotel at the Travellers' Choice award Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur, Rajasthan
3. National Award for e-Governance 2015-16 for its Universal The Employees Provident Fund Organisation
Account Number programme
4. Padma Vibhushan Awards Actor Rajinikanth, Media baron Ramoji Rao, former J&K
Governor Jagmohan and spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi
Shankar
5. Yash Chopra Memorial Award Veteran Bollywood actress Rekha
6. Honoured with the highest civilian honour, the Order of Sajeev Koshy
Australia.
7. Honoured with the Order of Australia Chennupati Jagadish and Jay Chandra
8. 8th Human Rights Award by Amnesty International Germany. Henri Tiphagne
9. Allan Border Medal for 2016 Australian batsman David Warner
10. 2016 William E. Colby Award. Nisid Hajari for his book, Midnights Furies: The Deadly
Legacy of Indias Partition
11. Prince Mahidol Award 2015 Professor Morton Mower and Sir Michael Marmot
12. K Veeramani Award for Social Justice 2015 Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar
13. V Shantaram Lifetime Achievement Award Veteran wildlife filmmaker Naresh Bedi
14. 2015 Harikrishna Devsare Baalsahitya Award Balkrishna Garg
15. Ballon d'Or award for world's best player for fifth time Lionel Messi
16. Neerja Bhanot Award Subhashini Vasanth
17. Lorenzo Natali Media Prize for 2015 in Asia and the Pacific Delhi-based writer Ankita Anand
mateur category
18. Prof MV Pylee Award for the Distinguished Academician of Dr Jancy James, the first woman Vice Chancellor of
India. Kerala
19. Received a Knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II Harpal Singh Kumar, Indian-origin cancer research
expert
20. 2015 eASIA Award under Trade Facilitation category Drug Authentication and Verification Application
(DAVA) project of The Department of Commerce
21. 2015 Sangita Kalanidhi Award south Indian classical vocalists Sanjay Subrahmanyam
22. Britain's Costa Book Awards 2015 British writer Kate Atkinson
23. The Banker magazine's Global and Asia-Pacific Central Bank Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Raghuram Rajan
Governor of the Year 2015
24. Prime Ministers Trophy for being the Best Performing Tata Steel
Integrated Steel Plant in the country for the performance year
2013 2014.
25. Miss Universe 2015 Miss Philippines Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach
26. Miss World 2015 Miss Spain Mireia Lalaguna Royo
27. National Medal of Science 2015 of United States (US) Indian American professor Rakesh K Jain
28. 2015 Col. CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award Sayeed Kirmani
29. 'Export Quality Excellence' award for the 11th time in a row. Pump manufacturing major CRI Pumps
30. Globe Soccer Awards 2015 conferred Best Media Attraction in Football - F.C. Barcelona
The Globe Soccer on 27 December 2015 presented the sixth Best Coach of the Year - Marc Wilmots
edition of Globe Soccer Awards 2015 to the winners at a Best Agent of the Year - Jorge Mendes
ceremony held in Dubai, UAE. Best Referee of the Year - Ravshan Irmatov
Best Player of the Year - Lionel Messi Best Academy of the Year Benfica
Best President of the Year - Josep Maria Bartomeu Best Club of the Year - F.C. Barcelona
31. 51st Jnanpith award Eminent Gujarati litterateur Raghuveer Chaudhary
32. Garwood Award for Outstanding Global Leader in Open President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee
Innovation from UC Berkeley-Haas School of Business
33. 2016 Genesis Prize Laureate for his accomplishments as a Renowned Israeli-US violinist Itzhak Perlman
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musician, teacher and advocate for people with disabilities.
34. West Bengal Governments Lifetime Achievement Awards Bappi Lahiri and singer Kumar Sanu
35. South East Asian Write Award for Singapore Indian-origin Tamil writer Jamaludeen Mohamed Sali
36. Mailer Prize for lifetime achievement India-born author Salman Rushdie
37. 2015 Aegis Graham Bell Award for developing a solution for Wipro
the Internet of Things (IoT).
38. Lifetime achievement award at the Dubai International Film Veteran Bollywood actor Naseeruddin Shah
Festival (DIFF)
39. 2016 Queen's Young Leaders award in the United Kingdom Two Indians, Kartik Sawhney and Neha Swain
40. 2015 Person of the Year German Chancellor Angela Merkel
41. Uttar Pradesh Ratna Award Frank Islam, an Indian-American entrepreneur and
philanthropist
42. E-India Award for adopting technology to serve the public The Delhi Development Authority (DDA)
better
43. Sangeet Samman at the ITC Sangeet Sammelan Renowned violinist Lakshminarayana Subramaniam
44. Indian National Bar Association's (INBA) General Counsel of Pulin Kumar, Group Senior Legal and Compliance
the year 2015 - Retail Award Director of Adidas India
45. Harikrishna Devsare Baal Sahitya Award 2015 Veteran poet Balkrishna Garg
46. Miss Iraq 2015 Shaima Qassem Abdulrahman
47. National Payments Excellence Awards 2015 Corporation Bank bagged three awards
48. Sangita Kalanidhi Award 2015 Sanjay Subrahmanyam, a renowed South-Indian
classical vocalist
49. Favourite Actress in a New TV series award at the Peoples Priyanka Chopra
Choice Awards 2016 in Los Angeles
SPORTS NEWS
CRICKET
a) Uttar Pradesh won its maiden Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy with a b) India won the first T20 Asia cup cricket for Blind. In the final
38-run win over two- time champions Baroda in the final played clash, India defeated Pakistan by 44 runs.
at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
c) The West Indies batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul announced d) Indian Test captain Virat Kohli was named Cricketer of the
his retirement from international cricket almost 22 years after Year, while Mithali Raj was picked for the M.A. Chidambaram
making his debut. Trophy for the best womens cricketer.
d) Former India player and Bengal captain Laxmi Ratan Shukla e) The Supreme Court-appointed Lodha Committee
announced his retirement from cricket. recommended sweeping reforms for the controversy-ridden BCCI,
suggesting a bar on ministers from occupying positions, putting a
cap on the age and tenure of the office-bearers and legalising
betting.
f) Australia withdrew from the Under-19 World Cup g) The ICC and MoneyGram International announced an eight-
Tournament in Bangladesh. It pulled-out citing security reasons. year deal which confirms MoneyGram as an event partner for ICC
events from 2016-2023.
h) Kane Williamson became the first cricketer from New i) New Zealand cricket captain Brendon McCullum announced
Zealand to top the International Cricket Councils (ICCs) Test retirement from all forms of international cricket.
rankings.
j) Sri Lankan wicketkeeper Kusal Perera is facing the prospect k) Gujarat clinched the Vijay Hazare Cricket Trophy. It is the first
of a four-year ban after his B sample tested positive for a time that Gujarat won the trophy.
banned substance.
l) Former Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene was awarded m) Pune and Rajkot became the interim franchises in the Indian
with an honorary life membership of the Marylebone Cricket Premier League (IPL) till 2017. The will take place of the
Club (MCC). suspended teams of Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Rajasthan
Royals (RR).
n) Pranav Dhanawade, a 15-year old boy from Mumbai became o) Australia became First Team to Score 1000 Individual
first cricketer ever to score 1000 runs in an innings. With this Centuries.
he became the worlds highest individual scorer in all forms of
cricket.
p) Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) imposed a life q) Pakistan Opener Imran Farhat on 27 January 2016 retired
time ban on Haryana off-spinner bowler Ajit Chandila from international cricket.
considering his involvement in the IPL spot-fixing scandal 2013.

11
TENNIS
a) Sania Mirza and her Swiss partner Martina Hingis won the b) Angelique Kerber became the first German to win a Grand Slam
2016 Australian Open title of tennis in the womens doubles when she upset world number one Serena Williams 6-4 3-6 6-4 to
category. clinch the Australian Open 2016.
c) World Number One Novak Djokovic won the Australian Open d) The Russian Tennis Federation announced that former World
Mens Singles title. In the final played at Melbourne, the Serbian
No.1 tennis player Marat Safin joined the International Tennis
defeated Andy Murray of Britain in straight sets 6-1, 7-5, 7-6. Hall of Fame.
e) Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis awe-inspiring run continued f) Stanislas Wawrinka won the Chennai Open title. In the summit
unabated as they lifted their second trophy of the season with clash at the Nungambakkam tennis stadium of Chennai, he
the WTA Apia International title. defeated Croatian Borna Coric 6-3, 7-5.
g) Andy Murray of the UK received the 2015 BBC Sports h) Serena Williams is Sports Illustrateds Sportsperson of the

Personality of the Year award in London. Year-the first female athlete honoured on her own by the
magazine in more than 30 years.
i) World number one Novak Djokovic (Servia) claimed his first j) Indiaa Sania Mirza and her Swiss partner Martina Hingis broke
title of the year with an impressive win over Rafael Nadal a 22-year-old world record by winning their 29th womens
(Spain) in the Qatar Open. doubles match in a row.
k) Tenniss governing bodies on 27 January 2016 constituted the Adam Lewis headed Independent Review Panel (IRP) to safeguard
integrity in tennis.
GRAND PRIX
a) Sahara Force India Academy racer Jehan Daruvala won one of New Zealand's most prestigious events, the Lady Wigram Trophy. It
was Daruvalas maiden victory in Formula cars.
ATHLETICS
a) Shiva Keshavan grabbed a silver medal in the 18th edition of the Asian Luge Championship held in Nagano, Japan. The first place
was claimed by defending champion Hidenari Kanayama of Japan.
FOOTBALL
a) Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan was bestowed honorary b) David Beckham was presented with the Danny Kaye
life membership of Kolkatas soccer outfit Mohammedan Humanitarian Leadership Award at the sixth biennial UNICEF Ball
Sporting. in Los Angeles.
c) India won of the South Asian Football Federation Cup (SAFF) d) Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney has been voted 2015
championships by defeating Afghanistan at Trivandrum England Player of the Year for the fourth time.
International Stadium of Kerala.
e) Bengaluru FC (BFC) midfielder Eugeneson Lyngdoh and f) Chennaiyin FC was crowned as the champions of the 2nd Indian
striker Bala Devi named the 2015 All India Football Federation Super League (ISL) Football tournament. In the final played at the
(AIFF) Player-of-the-Year and woman Footballer-of-the-Year Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Fatorda, Goa, Chennaiyin defeated
respectively. the hosts FC Goa, 3-2.
g) FC Barcelona won the 2015 FIFA Club World Cup by h) FIFAs Independent Ethics Committee banned Sepp Blatter,
defeating Argentinas River Plate. The final match was held at Michel Platini from football for 8 years.
the International Stadium in Yokohama, Japan.
i) International Tennis Federation (ITF) announced j) Polish professional footballer Robert Lewandowskis nine-
winners of 2015 World Champions. minute, five-goal haul for German Football Club Bayern Munich
Mens World Champion - Novak Djokovic (Serbia) against Wolfsburg was officially recognised by Guinness World
Womens World Champion - Serena Williams (the USA) Record.
Mens Doubles World Champions - Jean-Julien Rojer
(Netherlands) & Horia Tecau (Romania)
Womens Doubles World Champions - Martina Hingis
(Switzerland) & Sania Mirza (India)
ITF Junior World Champions - Dalma Galfi (Hungary) &
Taylor Fritz (the USA)
ITF Wheelchair World Champions - Jiske Griffioen
(Netherlands) & Shingo Kunieda (Japan)
SHOOTING
a) Indian shooter Apurvi Chandela broke the world record on b) Apurvi Chandela from Rajasthan has won a Gold medal in the
way to winning gold in the women's 10 metre air rifle event at 59th National Shooting Championship in Delhi.
the Swedish Cup Grand Prix. Chandela shot 211.2 in the event to
surpass the feat of Chinese Olympic gold medallist Yi Siling, who
held the record with 211.
c) Vijay Kumar won the centre fire pistol gold in the 59th d) Keralas Elizabeth Susan Koshy won the Women's 50m Rifle 3
National shooting championship at the Dr Karni Singh Range in Positions Gold at the 59th National Shooting Championships held

12
Tughlakabad in New Delhi. at the Dr Karni Singh Shooting range in New Delhi.
BADMINTON
a) Indias P.V. Sindhu clinched the Malaysia Masters Grand Prix
b) Ace Indian shuttler Kidambi Srikanth won the Men's Singles
Gold title after defeating Scotlands Kristy Gilmour in straight title of the Syed Modi International Badminton Championships
games in the final in Penang. 2016.
c) Delhi Acers emerged victorious over Mumbai Rockets by 4-3 d) Japanese shuttlers Kento Momota and Nozomi Okuhara won
in the summit clash to clinch the Premier Badminton League Men's singles and Womens singles title respectively at the BWF
(PBL) title. World Superseries at the Hamdan Sports Complex, Dubai.
e) Chinas Chen Long and all England and World champion
Carolina Marin bagged the Badminton World Federation (BWF)
Male and Female Player of the Year Awards respectively in
Dubai.
HOCKEY
a) The International Hockey Federation (FIH) announced b) Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) won the 26th Lal Bahadur
the winners of its Hockey Stars awards for 2015. The Shastri Hockey tournament.The ONGC defeated Indian Railways 3-0 in
Netherlands' Robert Van der Horst and Lidewij Welten won the final match held at the Shivaji Stadium in New Delhi.
the men's and women's FIH Player of the Year awards
2015.
Goalkeeper of the year (Women) - Joyce Sombroek (The
Netherlands)
Goalkeeper of the year (Men) - David Harte (Ireland)
Rising Star of the Year (Women) - Lily Owsley (Great
Britain)
Rising Star of the Year (Men) - Chrisopher Rhr
(Germany)
c) Sweden's Bjorn Isberg appointed as the Tournament d) Australia defeated Belgium by 2-1 to win 2014-2015 Mens Hockey
Director of Coal India Hockey India League (HIL), the World League Final at Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel Stadium, Raipur.
premier league for hockey in India.
GOLF
a) The Philippines' Miguel Tabuena was voted as the Hilton b) Indias star golfer Anirban Lahiri has won the coveted Order of
Asian Tour Golfer of Month for December 2015. Tabuena Merit crown of Asian Tour for year 2015.
won the award ahead of Thailand's Phachara Khongwatmai
and India's Himmat Rai.
Other SPORTS NEWS

S. No Sports News
1. Table Tennis Japan's Izumo Takuto and Hong Kong's Zhu Chengzhu became champions in the boys' and girls'
categories in the 11Even Sports 2015 ITTF World Junior Circuit Finals
2. Rowing Punjabs Navneet Kaur won two gold medals in the 34th Senior National Rowing Championship at
Hussainsagar Lake, Hyderabad.
3. Moto GP Brazilian racing driver Pietro Fittipaldi clinched the 2015-16 MRF Challenge Formula 2000 at
Madras Motor Racing Track in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu.
4. Snooker Aditya Mehta won the 83rd Senior National Snooker Championship in Indore, Madhya Pradesh.
5. Snooker Ronnie O'Sullivan won his sixth Snooker Masters title after defeating Barry Hawkins 10-1 in the
final at the Alexandra Palace in London.
6. Chess World champion Magnus Carlsen of Norway won the Qatar Masters Open chess tournament, billed
as the strongest Open in history.
7. Squash Indias Abhay Singh won the Under-19 Singapore Squash Open. In the final of the Old Chang Kee
Singapore Open, he defeated second seed Alwin Chai of Malaysia.
8. Weightlifting Rakhi Haldar and Kavita Devi bagged gold in their respective weight categories in the Senior
National Weightlifting Championships held in Patiala, Punjab.
9. Miscellaneous Cricketer Rohit Sharma along with Graphic India, UK-based ISM Komix and Cornerstone Sport set
to launch a new environmental superhero team called 'Hyper Tygers. The digital comic will be
free to read on all devices from February 1.
10. South Asian Games Orgnaising committee of 12th South Asian Games (OC-SAG) unveiled mascot of the games and
2016 logo at ITA Cultural Center Machkhowa in Guwahati, Assam. The mascot Tikhor is a one horned
rhino and is the brand ambassador of the games carries the message of peace, stability, amity and
progress.
13
11. Cycling Indian cyclist Deborah Herold became the first Indian female cyclist to be ranked fourth in the
World Elite Women Ranking for the 500m time trial event. The ranking was issued by cycling
world body International Cycling Union (UCI).
12. Bodybuilding Indias Thakur Anoop Singh won gold medal in the 7th WBPF World Bodybuilding and Physique
Championships.
13. Snooker Ronnie OSullivan eased to win the Dafabet Masters title 2016. He defeated Barry Hawkins.
14. International referee from India, Ashok Kumar was selected for officiating in the Rio Olympics 2016. This is the first time
in the in the Indian wrestling history that a referee from India will be officiating at the Olympic Games.
Matthew Mitcham, the Australian Olympic diving gold medalist, announced his retirement from the sport on 28 January
2016.
SPORTS VENUES RECENTLY ANNOUNCED

S.no Sport Event Venue Other Points
1. 2021 World Aquatics Japanese city of Fukuoka The Qatari capital Doha will host the
Championships 2023 event.
DEFENCE NEWS (India & World)

S. No Which Defence Force/ Body/ News
Initiative?
1. Indias Aircraft Tejas Countrys own fighter aircraft light combat aircraft (LCA), Tejas, took part in the three-
day Bahrain International Airshow.
2. Mi-25 gunship helicopters 3 Mi-25 gunship helicopters supplied by India are to officially join the Afghan Air Force.
3. Indian Reserve Battalions The Union Cabinet has approved proposal of raising of 17 Indian Reserve Battalions
(IRBs) (IRBs) in Jammu & Kashmir and 4 Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected states. 17 IRBs
includes 5 battalions in J&K, 4 in Chhattisgarh, 3 each in Jharkhand and Odisha and 2 in
Maharashtra.
4. Surface-to-air Akash missile India test fired its indigenously-built surface-to-air Akash missile from Integrated Test
Range (ITR) at Chandipuri in Odisha.
5. Defence Research and DRDO successfully test-fired Nag anti-tank missile at the Mahajan Field Firing Range in
Development Organisation Rajasthan.
6. Sahayog-Kaijin 2016 15th edition of bilateral exercise by the Indian Coast Guard and its Japanese counterpart
titled Sahayog-Kaijin 2016 begun off the coast of Chennai, Tamil Nadu in the Bay of
Bengal.
7. ITBP A freshly-trained contingent of 500 women personnel will become the first 'mahila'
squad to be deployed in high-altitude posts along the India-China border. The squad was
commissioned into the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP)
8. LRSAM Long Range Surface-to-Air Missile (LRSAM), the missile co-developed by India and
Israel, was successfully test-fired on the Western Sea Board. The missile was developed
by the DRDL, Hyderabad in collaboration with Israel Aerospace Industries.
9. Pinaka II Amament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE) successfully test-fired
Pinaka II multi barrel rocket launcher (MBRL) System. The three-day long user assisted
trials were conducted at Pokhran in Rajasthan.
10. Shakti-2016 India and France started their eight-day counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency joint
exercise Shakti-2016 in Rajasthan. This is the third edition in the series of bilateral
exercises.
11. INS Kadmatt Anti-submarine warfare (ASW) corvette INS Kadmatt commissioned in the Indian Navy
at naval dockyard in Visakhapatnam by Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral R K Dhowan.
12. Reservation for women in Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has approved 33% reservation for women in
CAPF Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) at constable-level positions. There will be 33%
reservation for women at constable-level posts in Central Reserve Police Force and
Central Industrial Security Force, and 14-15% reservation at the constable level in
border guarding forces i.e. Border Security Force, Sashastra Seema Bal and Indo Tibetan
Border Police.
13. 26th January Parade The French soldiers march down the Rajpath on Republic Day along with Indian troops
in the presence of President Francois Hollande. Hollande was the Chief Guest for 26
January 2016 celebrations.
14. Indian Navy Service (INS) Indias first indigenously designed and built warship Indian Navy Service (INS) Godavari
Godavari decommissioned in Naval Dockyard Mumbai.

14
15. First Naval Base Seychelles government allowed India to build its first Naval Base on the Assumption
Island in the Indian Ocean region (IOR) as a joint project between both countries.
16. Astra Indigenously developed Beyond Visual Range (BVR) air-to-air missile, Astra, successfully
test fired. The test was conducted by the Indian Air Force off the coast of Odisha near the
Integrated Test Range (ITR), Balasore.
17. Barak 8 The Navy successfully test-fired the nearly 70 KM range Surface to Air Missile Barak 8
from INS Kolkata, paving the way for installation of the system, developed jointly by
India and Israel, on board countrys frontline warships.
18. Manufacture 200 Kamov Russian firm Rostech State Corporation has tied up with India's Hindustan Aeronautics
226T light helicopters Limited (HAL) to manufacture 200 Kamov 226T light helicopters. The new fleet of
Kamovs will replace the ageing Cheetah and Chetak helicopters.
19. Defence Acquisition Council The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) approved the purchase of Russian advance S-400
(DAC) Triumf Air Defence Missile Systems from Russia at an estimated cost of 40000 crore
rupees.
20. Combined Commanders Combined Commanders Conference, an annual tri-services event chaired by Prime
Conference Minister Narendra Modi was held on board INS Vikramaditya about 50 kms off Kochi
coast. This is the first time when the conference was held outside New Delhi.
21. Shaheen-IA Pakistan successfully tested the nuclear-capable Shaheen-IA ballistic missile with a
range of 900 km. The test of the missile was aimed at re-validating several design and
technical parameters of the weapon system.
22. The torpedo defence system, A fully indigenous decoy system, that can divert underwater torpedo attacks on ships
Maareech and submarines, has been developed by Visakhapatnam-based Naval Science and
Technological Laboratory (NSTL). The torpedo defence system, Maareech, was recently
inducted into the Indian Navy.
23. Fast Patrol Vessels The public sector Cochin Shipyard Ltd launched the nineteenth of the 20 Fast Patrol
Vessels being built for Indian Coast Guard. The vessel was named ICGS Atulya and
launched by Hema Subramaniam, wife of Commodore K. Subramaniam, Chairman &
Managing Director, CSL.
24. Indra Navy 2015 Indo-Russia bilateral maritime exercise Indra Navy 2015 commenced in
Vishakhapatanam. The exercise epitomises the strategic relationship between the two
nations. The 8th edition of Indra Navy conducted in the Bay of Bengal till 12 December
2015.
25. Indian Navy The fifth ship of Indian Navy's LCU MK IV project, was launched at Garden Reach
Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd (GRSE) in Kolkata. LCU L-55 is the fifth vessel in the
series of eight Landing Craft Utility Ships being designed and built by GRSE for the
Indian Navy.
26. Agreement Reliance Defence Limited and Russian AlmazAntey, have decided to work jointly on the
entire range of AD Missile and Radar Systems that are required for Indian defence
forces.
27. Nuclear-capable Submarine Israel got delivery of its fifth German-built submarine, an advanced Dolphin-class vessel.
INS-Rahav The new arrival is named Rahav after a biblical sea monster.
STATE IN NEWS (INDIA)

S. No News
1. Union Government sanctioned 33000 crore rupees for the development of infrastructure projects in Tamilnadu. With this,
the total amount sanctioned was raised to 50000 crore rupees.
2. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) signed an interim consultancy agreement with Kerala Rapid Transit Ltd (KRTL)
for the Rs. 6,728-crore 'light metro' in Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode.
3. Google India and Indian Railways telecom arm RailTel launched free Rail Wire Public Wi-Fi service for railway passengers
at the Mumbai Central Station. With this, Mumbai Central has become the first railway station in India to have free high-
speed Wi-Fi Internet facility.
4. Manipal Hospitals Bangalore becomes the first centre in Karnataka for conducting the MRCP practical assessment of
examination skills (PACES) mock exam in collaboration with UK-based Royal College of Physicians Federation.
5. President Pranab Mukherjee on 26 January 2016 approved the Union Cabinets recommendation for the imposition of
Presidents rule on Arunachal Pradesh.
6. Uttar Pradesh became the fourth state to join the Centres scheme to revive state electricity distribution utilities.
7. Lt Governor of Puducherry AK Singh launched the MITRA mobile application to ensure safety and security of women in the
Union Territory. The app was launched in the presence of the Chief Minister N Rangasamy in Puducherry.
8. Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar launched Goa e-Suvidha Portal, an online project tracking mechanism to fast track

15
projects. It aims at resolving a variety of issues in setting up infrastructure and other large projects , both in the public and
private sectors, with targeted investment between 50 crore and 1,000 crore.
9. The Asian Development Bank extend a $625 million loan to the proposed $840 million Visakhapatnam-Chennai Industrial
Corridor.
10. Telangana became the first State in India to introduce compulsory gender education at the graduate level.
11. Vice President Hamid Ansari declared Kerala as the first state in the country to attain 'Total Primary Education', and
described the achievement as 'historic.'
12. Sikkim has become India's first fully organic state by converting around 75,000 hectares of agricultural land into
sustainable cultivation.
13. The 40th edition of the International Kolkata Book Fair the worlds largest non-trade fair is all set to bring to life a slice
of history.
14. Telangana become first state to accept e-motor insurance policies. The e-Vahan Bima, an electronic motor insurance policy
issued in digital form with Quick Response (QR) code, has been formally launched by the Minister for IT, K T Ramarao.
15. Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das inaugurated the state's land bank web portal, jharbhoom.nic.in, that will help
investors know land-related information.
16. State election commissioner (SEC) Ashok Kumar Chauhan announced that toilets will be mandatory requirement for
eligibility to contest panchayat elections. This declaration means that no one can contest the Bihar panchayat elections
scheduled in 2016 without having a toilet at their home.
17. Wattan Ko Jano, an initiative being carried out by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs in coordination with the Jammu and
Kashmir (J&K) Government. The initiative came in news after more than 240 youth in the age-group of 15 to 24 from J&K
met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi.
18. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the chief guest at the National Conference on Sustainable Agriculture and Farmers
Welfare being held in Gangtok. The conference is being held in Sikkim.
19. Human Resource Minister Smriti Irani inaugurated the 43rd edition of the New Delhi World Book Fair which commenced
here with China as the guest of honour country and a theme presentation of the cultural heritage of India.
20. The West Bengal Government cleared the proposal for setting up five new districts in the state. These five new districts
will increase the number of districts of West Bengal to 25.
21. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar approved much anticipated Patna Metro Rail project's proposal. The state government
will now send the proposal for the union government's clearance.
22. Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the Lucknow Metro Rail Project Phase-1 A. To be
developed at an expenditure of 6928 crore rupees, the project will cover a length of 22.878 km with 22 stations.
23. The Basohali town which is located in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir was in news as the Union Defence Minister
Manohar Parrikar dedicated the first cable-stayed bridge of North India to the nation. The 592-metre bridge was
constructed over river Ravi on Dunera- Basohli-Bhadharwah road.
24. Bihar government banned 15-year-old diesel vehicles from plying in the Capital, Patna. The decision was taken in view of
increasing pollution.
25. Government of Andhra Pradesh signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Microsoft India on a range of
technology initiatives.
26. State-run Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) has commissioned a 660 MW unit of Prayagraj Super Thermal Power
Project at Bara town in Allahabad district of Uttar Pradesh.
27. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the All-India conference of Directors General of Police (AICDGPs) at Dhordo in
white Rann of Kutch region near Bhuj, Gujarat.
28. Mumbais iconic boulevard Marine Drive, also popularly called the Queens Necklace, completed 100 years, and residents
of the citys western waterfront flagged off the centenary celebrations with a postcard showcasing the crescent-shaped
bay off the Arabian Sea.
29. Prime Minister Narendra Modi recalled nationalist leader Shyamji Krishna Varma as the first non-Brahmin to have
received a degree of Pandit in Varanasi.
30. Out of the total 60 Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) of the Arunachal Pradesh Assembly, 33 members passed a
resolution to remove the Speaker Nabam Rebia.
31. Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City) announced the launch of the Phase-2 development, which will be
focused on International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) to be set up in GIFT SEZ.
32. National Green Tribunal (NGT) has ordered ban on registration of new diesel-run vehicles in Delhi to curb the growing
menace of air pollution in the capital city. This ruling was given by NGT bench headed by Chairperson Justice Swatanter
Kumar.
33. Losar, the biggest Tibetan Buddhist Festival began in Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir. The festival marks the
beginning of New Year for Buddhists.
34. Two Indian cities, Varanasi and Jaipur, have made it to the Creative City Network of the United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for the first time ever. Varanasi and Jaipur made it to the network in the
categories, City of Music and City of Crafts and Folk Art respectively.

16
35. Himachal Pradesh became the first state of India to launch Rotavirus vaccination project. The vaccine will help in
controlling the child mortality rate (under five years of age) due to diarrhoea.
36. Uttar Pradesh Government has launched International festival on Birds in a bid to promote state as an international bird-
watching destination. The first-of-its-kind festival was inaugurated by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav at the National
Chambal Sanctuary (NCS).
37. The Andhra Pradesh government has conveyed its in-principle decision to the Ministry of Power of joining UDAY (Ujwal
Discom Assurance Yojana) scheme.
38. The Maharashtra legislature has become the first in the country to launch an online mechanism for its members to send
questions and move different motions in the House.
39. Rajasthan Government along with its power distribution companies (DISCOMS) has signed a MoU to join UDAY (Ujwal
Discom Assurance Yojana) Scheme. State DISCOMS part of this MoU are Jaipur Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited (JVNL),
Jodhpur Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited (JVVNL) and Ajmer Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited (AVNL).
40. The European Investment Bank (EIB) has cleared a euro 450 million loan to the Lucknow Metro Rail project, the first ever
loan by the European lending agency for a Metro rail project in the country.
41. Pollution in Lucknow touched a new high and the UP capital emerged as the most polluted city in the country.
42. The Union petroleum ministry has officially declared in Vyachakurahalli, Karnataka as Indias first smokeless village,
owing to its conversion from conventional fuel to LPG.
43. Haryana Tourism is getting a power couple boost, what with Dharmendra and Hema Malini being roped in as their new
ambassadors.
44. The Union Government has ranked e-governance project of Punjab as number 1 among all states in the country. While
Madhya Pradesh ranked second, Uttar Pradesh was adjudged third in the country.
45. Tripura announce Yoga mandatory for students from Class I-VIII from the new academic session beginning January 1.
Tripura is the second state after Gujarat to make yoga compulsory in schools.
46. Haryana chief minister Monohar Lal Khattar was on a two-nation visit to Japan and China. At the first leg of his tour he
reached Tokyo in Japan. Here he attended an investment seminar organised by Indian Embassy. At the second leg of his
tour he arrived Beijing . Some MoUsmostly investment-related were signed during his visit. Mr. Lals visit is part of a
growing decentralization of Sino-Indian ties, where Indian States and Chinese provinces were imparting considerable
influence on foreign policy.
47. The Union Minister of State (independent Charge) Development of North-Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel,
Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh inaugurated the Hall of Nuclear Power in New
Delhi.
48. Union governments prestigious Krishi Karman Award was conferred on Madhya Pradesh for 4th consecutive year.
49. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs carried out an initiative named Watan ko Jano in coordination with Jammu and
Kashmir government. More than 240 youth in the age-group of 15 to 24 from J&K met with Prime Minister Modi in Delhi.
50. Indias grid-connected solar power generation capacity has crossed the 5,000 MW mark, with Rajasthan on top with
1,264.35 MW capacity followed by Gujarat.
51. The Government of Haryana in association with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) is all set to unfold The
Happening Haryana Global Investors Summit 2016 slated to be held at Gurgaon on March 7 and 8, 2016.
52. After two years of dithering, Uttar Pradesh is implementing the food security law from the New Years Day. While 24
districts, mostly in western UP, will roll out the scheme, the remaining 51 districts will join the bandwagon on March 1.
53. Lalu Prasad is set to be re-elected president of the Rashtriya Janata Dal for the ninth consecutive time.
54. Government of Andhra Pradesh signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Microsoft India on a range of
technology initiatives. The MoU was signed after a meeting between the Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and
Microsofts CEO Satya Nadella in Hyderabad.
55. Delhi recorded the highest per capita income among all states in the country at Rs 2,40,849 during financial year 2014-15,
Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia.
56. Israel and Andhra Pradesh Government during a joint working group meeting discuss ways to enhance cooperation in
agriculture, animal husbandry, fisheries, urban water management and HLS.
57. The Maharashtra legislature has become the first in the country to launch an online mechanism for its members to send
questions and move different motions in the House.
OPERATIONS LAUNCHED FOR SAFETY

S.No Operation Name Important Point
1. Operation Green Hunt An all-out offensive by Indias paramilitary forces and the state's forces against the
Naxalites
2. Operation Smile-II from 1 During this operation, all children residing in shelter homes, platforms, bus stands,
January 2016. roads, religious places, etc. are to be screened by trained police personnel.

17
News Related to Stock Exchange
1. Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) Ltd has launched a new service for algorithm trading test facility for investors on its
derivatives and equity platform. The new service has been launched in partnership with Mumbai based Symphony Fintech
Solutions Pvt Ltd and is free-of-cost for market participant.
2. The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) released the first report of the Alternative Investment Policy Advisory
Committee (AIPAC) for comments from the stakeholders. The 21-member committee was constituted by the SEBI, under
the chairmanship of N R Narayan Murthy, to suggest measures for development of the alternative investment funds (AIFs)
and startup eco-system in the country.
3. The National Stock Exchange (NSE) has launched three separate indices on three corporate houses of India viz. Tata,
Aditya Birla and Mahindra Group. The first of its kind three separate indices based on corporate houses have been
designed to reflect the performance of companies belonging to the respective corporate group. Each of three indices will
comprise all the companies of the respective business group.
4. Myanmar inaugurated a new stock exchange, named Yangon Stock Exchange (YSX), with plans for six companies to start
trading in March 2016. The Stock Exchange will be open only to Myanmar companies and investors and will eventually
allow foreigners to invest in Myanmar shares.
RECENTLY FIRST IN INDIA

1. Sr. No. News
1. Indias largest tricolour was hoisted atop the tallest pole at Pahari Mandir in Ranchi, by Defence Minister Manohar
Parrikar. It is worlds largest and the highest hoisted Indian flag. It measures 66 feet in height and 99 feet in width in the
proper ratio 2:3. It was hoisted on pole with height of 293 feet. It weighs 80 kg.
2. Indias digital payment startup company TranServ has launched countrys first Social Mobile Wallet named Udio. The
digital wallet seeks to address the gap between real and virtual modes of payment as it has more social experience.
3. Aparna Kumar, IPS officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre, became India's first civil servant to scale Mount Vinson Massif, the
highest peak in the Antarctica.
4. Union Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari inaugurated the River Information System (RIS) - the first of its kind in India - to
facilitate safe and accurate navigation on National Waterway-1 (the Ganga River).
5. Indias biggest Wildlife Rescue Centre named as Gorewada Zoo and Wildlife Rescue Centre has been commissioned at
Gorewada near Nagpur, Maharashtra. The centre was inaugurated by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in
presence of State Forest Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar.
LIST/RANKING ANNOUNCED
S. No List Name Important Points Other Points
1. Global index of talent India has slipped 11 places to rank 89th. The list is topped by Switzerland.
competitiveness
2. 2015 Human Development Index India ranked 130 in the list. Sri Lanka tops in 2015 HDI in South Asia
(HDI) in the South Asia Region. Region & was ranked 73.
3. The World Bank released a The report explored the impact of the In relation to India, the authors of the
report titled World Development internet, mobile phones, and related report appreciated the Aadhaar scheme
Report 2016: Digital Dividends technologies on economic development as it saved 1 billion US dollars by
in Washington DC, the USA. across the world including India. bringing down corruption.
4. The World Tourism Organization As per the publication, international
(UNWTO) released the World tourist arrivals grew by 4.4 percent in
Tourism Barometer, which 2015 to reach a total of 1184 million in
reviewed trends in tourism at 2015.
the regional and global level for
2015 and enumerated prospects
for 2016.
5. Forbes released the 2016 30 The list includes John Boyega Indian-origin people figured in the list
Under 30 List featuring 600 men (Hollywood & Entertainment category), are,
and women who achieved Shawn Mendes (Music), Emerson Spartz Ritesh Agarwal, OYO Rooms CEO
remarkable professional success (Media) among others. Karishma Shah, Alphabets Google X
before attaining 30 years of age. Divya Nettimi, Viking Global Investors
Nisha Chittal, MSNBC
Ashish Patel, NowThis Media
Saagar Govil, CEO of Cemtrex
6. The Organization of the As per the report, oil and gas, combined,
Petroleum Exporting Countries are expected to supply around 53

18
(OPEC) released the 2015 OPEC percent of the global energy demand by
World Oil Outlook (WOO). 2040.
7. The United Nations Human India ranked 130 out of 188 countries in The list is topped by Norway.
Development Report 2015 terms of Human Development Index
8. Forbes annual list of the best India has ranked a low 97th out of 144 Denmark topped the list of the 144
countries for business in 2015 nations, behind Kazakhastan and Ghana nations on the Best Countries of
Business.
9. Global Corruption Index India is place at 76th out of 168 countries Denmark ranked number 1
10. Global Talent Competitiveness India slipped to rank 89th Topped by Switzerland
Index (GTCI) 2015-16
CURRENT SUMMITS HELD (INTERNATIONAL)

S.no Summits Location Other Detail
1. New Mangalore Port Trust Mysore, Karnataka The purpose of the meet was to interact with
(NMPT), in association with importers and exporters of Karnataka, especially
Mysore Chamber of Commerce from the Mysore-Nanjangud region, where a
and Industry and Nanjangud large volume of container cargo is generated.
Industries Association,
organized a trade meet
2. World Economic Forum (WEF) Davos, Switzerland
3. 19th National Conference on e- Nagpur, Maharashtra
Governance
4. Nypunyam International Skill Kerala
Summit and Skill Fiesta 2016
5. The 2016 Constro exhibition Pune It will focus on the Smart City concept.
6. The 22nd edition of Vishakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh
Confederate of Indian Industry
(CII) Partnership Summit -
cum-Sunrise Andhra Pradesh
Investment Summit
7. Conference of Quadrilateral Islamabad The conference was participated representatives
Coordination Group (QCG) on from Afghanistan, Pakistan, China and the US.
Afghan Peace and
Reconciliation
8. The annual Indian Science University of Mysore campus in Theme of this edition (103rd) of the ISC is
Congress (ISC) at on Sunday. Karnataka "Science & Technology for Indigenous
Development in India".
9. 11th International Conference The Global Communication
of media experts and Association (GCA), Mysuru
communication specialists
from around the world
10. The 14th Pravasi Bharatiya New Delhi.
Diwas
11. 88th annual conference of Ranchi, Jharkhand
Nikhil Bharat Banga Sahitya
Sammelan
12. 10th World Trade Nairobi, Kenya
Organisation (WTO)
Ministerial Conference
13. 18th Session of the India-Iran New Delhi
Joint Commission Meeting
(JCM)
14. 2nd World Internet Conference Wuzen in China
15. Conference of the Parties 21 (COP 21) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) held
in
Paris
16. 9th International Fire & Security Exhibition and Conference (IFSEC) India Expo 2015 was held at New Delhi
17. India-Laos Conference In New Delhi
18. First India International Science Festival (IISF) in IIT-Delhi
19
19. Biz Bridge Meet Held in Kolkata
20. Forum of China-Africa Johannesburg, South Africa Chinese president Xi Jinping and his South
Cooperation Summit 2015 African counterpart Jacob Zuma co-chaired it.
21. Shanghai Cooperation Zhengzhou, China Indias minister of state for external affairs V.K.
Organisation (SCO) 2015 Singh represented India in this summit
summit
22. Heart of Asia Conference Islamabad, Pakistan
23. 16th India-Russia Annual in Moscow
Summit
24. Arab-India Cooperation Forum Bahraini capital Manama External Affairs minister Sushma Swaraj
Meet represented India
25. 10th World Trade Nairobi, Kenya

Organisation (WTO)
Ministerial Conference
26. 2nd World Internet Conference Wuzen in China
27. BRICS media summit Chinas Xinhua
28. 10th East Asia Summit (EAS) Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
29. World Robot Olympiad (WRO) Doha, Qatar
IMPORTANT DAYS OBSERVED RECENTLY

S. No Date Day
1. 6th National Voters Day 25 January.
2. 67th Indias Republic Day 26 January 2016 . President of France Francois Hollande was the
Chief Guest at 67th Republic Day parade.
3. 150th birth anniversary of Lala Lajpat Rai 28th January 2016
4. International Day of Commemoration in 27 January
memory of the victims of the Holocaust
5. Anti-Leprosy Day 30 January
6. National Youth Day 12 January
7. 11th World Hindi Day 10 January
8. National Mathematics Day 22 December
9. 30th National Consumers Right Day 24 December
10. The United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution to observe 5 November every year as World Tsunami
Awareness Day
11. Good Governance Day 25 December
12. International Migrants Day 18 December
13. Vijay Diwas 16 December
14. Human Rights Day 10 December
15. International Day for the Abolition of Slavery 2 December
16. 44th Navy Day 4 December
17. International Volunteer Day (IVD) 5 December
18. World Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome 1 December
(AIDS) Day
19. International Day for the Abolition of Slavery 2 December
20. 118th Birth Anniversary of Netaji Subhash 23 January
Chandra Bose / National Day of Patriotism /
Desh Prem Divas
21. National Girl Child Day 24 January:
BOOKS & AUTHORS PART 1

Book Author Book Author
Go Set a Watchman Harper Lee The Z Factor: My Journey as the Autobiography of Subhash
Wrong Man at the Right Time Chandra
MARU BHARAT SARU Jain Acharya Nathuram Godse - The Story of an Anup Ashok Sardesai
BHARAT (My India Noble Ratnasundersuriswarji Assassin
India) Maharaj

20
The Bose Brothers and Madhuri Bose Jawaharlal Nehru and The Indian Edited by Prof Alexander .
Indian Independence An Polity in Perspective
Insiders Account
On My Terms: From the Autobiography of Dial D for Don Neeraj Kumar
Grassroots to the Corridors Sharad Pawar
of Power
Gujarat Behind The Curtain R.B. Sreekumar
A is for Arsenic: The Poisons Kathryn Harkup Swimmer Among the Stars Kanishk Tharoor
of Agatha Christie
The Girls on the Train Paula Howkins The New Xenophobia Tablish Khair
The Peshwa Ram Sivasankaran Purifying the Land of the Pure Farahnaz Ispahani
Azad Bachpan Ki Aur Kailash Satyarthi A Strangeness in My Mind: A Orhan Pamuk
Novel
Anything but Khamosh Autobiography of Original Spin: Downing Street Paul Brighton
(Bharathi S. actor-MP Shatrughan And The Press In Victorian
Pradhan/Shatrughan Sinha) Sinha Britain
Concorde: The Rise and Fall Jonathan Glancey Through Orphaned Eyes Ajay Singh
of the Supersonic Airliner:
The Life Negroni Leigh and Nargess Children of Monsters: An Inquiry Jay Nordlinger
Banks into Sons and Daughters of
Dictators
The Spirits Richard Godwin My Gita Devdutt Pattanaik
Rebellious Spirits: Ruth Ball This Unquiet Land Barkha Dutt
The China Pakistan Axis Andrew Small
Weeping Britannia: Portrait Thomas Dixon Kissinger 1923-1968: The Niall Ferguson
of a Nation of Tears Idealist
Second Thoughts Navtej Sarna This Unquiet Land Barkha Dutt
Rebooting India Nandan Nilekani Pimps Shashank Gupta
Of Bridges Among Us Neeru Iyer Cross Justice James Patterson
The Brothers Bihari Sankarshan Thakur Democrats and Dissenters Ramachandra Guha
Reckless Sidney Sheldon Professor Porsches Wars Karl Ludvigsen
The Secret Sanctuary Stephan Alter Murder House James Patterson & David Ellis
One Point Two Billion Mahesh Rao The Guilty-Going Back Home Can David Baldacci
Kill you
ISRO/NASA/Other Space Organization in News

1. Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched the Indian Regional Navigational Satellite System
(IRNSS) 1-E satellite. The satellite will provide navigation, tracking and mapping services to the Indian sub continent.
This is the fifth of the IRNSS constellation. It was launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SHAR), Sriharikota in
Andhra Pradesh on-board the PSLV-C31. The 'XL' configuration of PSLV was used for this mission.
2. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) successfully launched SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Californias
Vandenberg Air Force Base in the USA The rocket carried the ocean monitoring satellite Jason-3 on board. The satellite
will examine the topography of the ocean floor to help study effects of climate change or human-induced changes on the
ocean.
3. The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) announced discovery and assignment of elements with
atomic numbers 113, 115, 117 and 118.
4. American aerospace company SpaceX achieved the historic feat of successfully launching and landing Falcon 9 rocket. The
Falcon 9 rocket was successfully launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida carrying 11 satellites to low-Earth orbit and was
also successfully landed after 10 minutes to the Earth.
5. China launched the Dark Matter Particle Explorer (DAMPE) Satellite to shed light on mysterious dark matter. It was the
country's first space telescope and launched on a Long March 2-D rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.
6. China successfully launched Gaofen-4 Earth observation satellite toward a geostationary orbit from the Xichang Satellite
The Satellite was launched aboard a Long March-3B carrier rocket.
7. Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched 6 satellites of Singapore into Space. The satellites were
launched using the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) C29 from the first launch pad of the Satish Dhawan Space Centre
(SDSC) at Sriharikotta in Andhra Pradesh.
8. GAIL (India) Limited in collaboration with National Remote Sensing Centre, a unit of Indian Space Research Organization

21
(ISRO), has launched a surveillance geo-portal Bhuvan-GAIL Portal that utilises space technology for its pipeline
safety application.
9. A United Launch Alliance Atlas V (401 configuration) rocket carrying the OA-4 Cygnus cargo spacecraft with much
needed supplies blasted off towards the International Space Station (ISS). The rocket lifted off from Space Launch
Complex 41, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station after three days of delay due to poor weather.
10. A total of five minor planets were named after top Chinese scientists, including the countrys first Nobel laureate scientist
Tu Youyou. The naming was suggested by the National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences
(CAS) and approved by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) Minor Planet Centre (MPC).
COMMITTEES IN NEWS
S.No Committee Headed by
1. Commission for Backward Classes was reconstituted by It will be two member commission with Justice KL Manjunath,
Andhra Pradesh Government (Retd.) as its Chairman .
2. Committee to to hasten the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High- Under Arvind Panagariya, Vice-Chairman of the NITI Aayog
Speed Rail Corridor
3. Committee to simplify the provisions of Income-tax Act, Justice R V Easwar (Retd)
1961.
4. Committee to examine the wage structure, service Headed by Kamlesh Chandra, Retired Member of Postal
conditions of the Gramin Dak Sevaks (GDS) in the Services Board.
Department of Posts (DoP)
5. Committee on Censor Board revamp Headed by noted film-maker Shyam Benegal
6. One-member commission of inquiry on Delhi and District Headed by former Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium
Cricket Association (DDCA) scam
7. Committee on Revisiting and Revitalising Public Private Headed by former Finance Secretary Vijay Kelkar
Partnership (PPP) Model
8. Committee on Medium-term Path on Financial Inclusion Headed by RBI Executive Director Deepak Mohanty.
9. Committee to look into the dispute between Oil and Headed by the Chairman of the 20th Law Commission of India
Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) and Reliance Justice (retd) Ajit Prakash Shah.
Industries Limited (RIL) on Krishna Godavari (KG) gas
fields
10. Maharashtra government constituted a task force for Headed by Union Minister of State for Finance Jayant Sinha.
setting up an International Financial Service Centre
(IFSC) in Mumbai
11. Judicial Committee to look into the implementation of Headed by Justice L Narasimha Reddy, retired Chief Justice of
One Rank One Pension (OROP) scheme for the ex- Patna High Court.
servicemen.
12. Commission looking into the allegations against the Headed by Justice S.N. Dhingra (Retd)
Robert Vadra land deals
13. Shyam Benegal committee Actor Kamal Hassan and Director Gautam Ghosh was
included
14. Alternative Investment Policy Advisory Committee Under the chairmanship of N R Narayan Murthy
(AIPAC) for comments from the stakeholders
BUSINESS NEWS (NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL)

S.No Companies News related to
1. Cognizant Technology Solutions United States (US) based Cognizant Technology Solutions (CTS) has acquired
cloud-based computing firm KBACE Technologies.
2. Three major Indian IT Joined US President Barack Obama's ambitious 'computer science for all' initiative
companies Infosys, Tata as part of a public-private collaboration, pledging thousands of dollars in grants.
Consultancy Services and Wipro
3. Illumina, the worlds largest Announced the launch of the startup named GRAIL to develop blood-based cancer
DNA sequencing company tests. The company was launched in association with Microsoft co-founder Bill
Gates, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos venture fund Bezos Expeditions and Arch Venture
Partners.
4. Lenovo To launch new smartphone under Googles Project Tango.
5. Paytm Acquired Shifu for $8 million (about Rs 53.2 crore), a move that will enable the
digital payments company to offer more personalised user experience.
6. Nokia Corporation Completed the regulatory formalities for acquiring the French telecom equipment

22
company Alca-Lucent. The deal, worth 15.6 billion euro, was signed in 2014 and
later approved by the European Commission.
7. Reliance Capital Asset Competition Commission of India (CCI) gave its approval to Reliance Capital Asset
Management Management's proposed acquisition of Goldman Sachs' mutual fund business in
India for 243 crore rupees.
8. Quikr Announced acquisition of the property search website Commonfloor.com for an
undisclosed amount in a majority stock-swap transaction.
9. Taxi-hailing app Uber Announced a new start-up mentorship programme in the country in partnership
with Invest India called uberEXCHANGE.
10. Oil and Natural Gas Company Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) gave its approval for investment of
Limited 5000 crore rupees by Oil and Natural Gas Company Limited (ONGC) into the equity
share capital of ONGC Videsh Limited (OVL) by conversion of existing loan of
equivalent amount into equity.
11. Idea Cellular Became the third mobile operator in India to launch 4G services in India.
12. Tech Mahindra Launched first of its kind Tap N Pay contactless digital payment wallet
MoboMoney for the Indian masses.
13. Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd (RJIL) Launched 4G telecom service. It was launched at the Reliance Corporate Park in
or Reliance Jio Navy Mumbai to mark the birth anniversary of Dhirubhai Ambani, founder of the
Reliance Industries Limited (RIL).
14. Tech Mahindra and Mahindra Acquired Italian car designer Pininfarina SpA for 165 million US dollars in an all-
and Mahindra Ltd, part of the cash deal. Pininfarina is well-known for designing cars for Ferrari, Maserati, Rolls-
Mahindra Group Royce and Cadillac.
15. Hyderabad-based Hetero Drugs Received the approval of Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) to launch fixed-
dose combination therapy Ledipasvir-Sofosbuvir. The product will be available
under the brand name Ledisof in India.
16. YouTube Opens first video production studio in India along with Subhash Ghai-owned film
school Whistling Woods International.
17. Godrej Acquired 51 per cent stake in home decor and personal accessories brand India
Circus, which will increase its footprint in the lifestyle space.
18. Vedanta Named Samir Cairae as CEO of Metals division.
19. Bharti Airtel Acquired the balance 26 per cent stake in Augere Wireless, which holds 4G
spectrum in Madhya Pradesh
20. Amways first manufacturing Set up the factory at SIPCOT Industrial Park in Nilakottai, Dindigul district, on 50
facility acres.
21. Indian Oil Corporation has maintained its numero uno position followed by Reliance Industries in terms of revenue for
the sixth consecutive year in the list of Fortune 500 Indian companies 2015.
22. Tata Motors has entered the top-50 league of the worlds biggest companies in terms of their R&D investments, topped by
German automaker Volskwagen. Tata Motors has moved up from 104th position last year to 49th now .
23. The Anil Ambani-owned Reliance Entertainment and acclaimed Hollywood director Steven Spielberg's DreamWorks
announced formation of Amblin Partners-a new film, television and digital content creation company. Participant Media
led by Jeff Skoll and Entertainment One (eOne), a leading US-based media company, are also part of the joint venture. The
firms have raised $500 million debt for the venture.
24. LIC HFL LIC Housing Finance Ltd (LIC HFL) will acquire 19.3 per cent shares of LIC Nomura
Mutual Fund Asset Management Company for Rs27 crores.
AGREEMENTS (INDIA/WORLD)
S. No Related to Agreement signed between? Other Points
1. Memorandum of understanding Maharashtra Government with Tata Tata Trust will train around one lakh
(MoU) for a skill training Trust youths in the state in order to make
programme for the youth in the them employable.
state.
2. MoU on Cooperation in governance Between India and United Kingdom The MoU seeks to extend bilateral
reforms cooperation in public administration
and governance reforms.
3. Memorandum of Understanding Indian Space Research Organization It will allow use of data from Indian
(MoU) on cooperation in the (ISRO) and Kuwait Institute of Scientific Remote Sensing (IRS) satellites by KISR
exploration and use of outer space Research (KISR) for initiating a few research and
for peaceful purposes application projects.
4. Memorandum of Understanding Union Ministry of Skill Development
23
(MoU) to develop and implement and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) with
National Action Plan for Skill Department of Telecommunication
Development in Telecom Sector (DoT)
5. Cyber security agreements Indian Computer Emergency Response
Team (CERT-In) signed cybersecurity
agreement with Malaysia, Singapore
and Japan.
6. MoU to join UDAY Scheme Rajasthan Government along with its State DISCOMS part of this MoU are
power distribution companies Jaipur Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited
(DISCOMS) (JVNL), Jodhpur Vidyut Vitran Nigam
Limited (JVVNL) and Ajmer Vidyut
Vitran Nigam Limited (AVNL).
7. Protocol to amend the existing India and Armenia
Double Taxation Avoidance
Convention (DTAC) to curb
instances of tax evasion
8. $80-million loan agreement Asian Development Bank (ADB) has
signed with the Centre to help continue
improving infrastructure in the two
North-Eastern cities of Agartala and
Aizawl.
9. Two agreements covering new Iran and Airbus The agreement includes purchase of
aircraft orders and a 118 new Airbus aircrafts.
comprehensive civil aviation co-
operation package.
10. Two bilateral Advance Pricing The Central Board of Direct Taxes This is a significant step towards
Agreements (APAs) (CBDT) with United Kingdom providing a stable and predictable tax
regime.
11. Partnership to explore the India and the National Aeronautics and
environment of Ladakh under Space Administration (NASA)
NASAs Spaceward Bound
programme
12. MoU envisages investment of Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL),
around 38500 crore rupees to take the corporate entity of Visakhapatnam
up various projects at Steel Plant signed with Andhra Pradesh
Visakhapatnam government.
13. MoU to set up a world class naval Reliance Defence Ltd, a unit of Anil
facility in Andhra Pradesh Ambani led Reliance Infrastructure Ltd
with Andhra Pradesh Government
14. Loan agreement for the Neeranchal Union Government with World Bank
National Watershed Project.
15. Four MOUs to collaborate in urban Madhya Pradesh (MP) Government
planning, skill development, clean with Singapore
energy and food processing.
16. Online marketplace Flipkart has tied up with auto major Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd to exclusively launch newest SUV-
KUV100.
17. To conduct an enterprise survey of The National Institution for Objective of the Survey is to assess the
manufacturing firms Transforming India (NITI) Aayog business regulatory environment in
collaborated with the IDFC Bank Ltd. each State and Union Territories (UTs)
and identify policy and regulatory
hurdles faced by businesses in the
States/UTs.
18. Memorandum of Understanding Exim Bank of India and the Government
(MoU) for promotion of exports of Andhra Pradesh
19. $50-million credit agreement for Union government and the World Bank
the aimed at helping young people
from minority communities
complete their education and
improve their employment
opportunities named Nai Manzil

24
Scheme.
20. MoU for web-based monitoring of The National Bank for Agriculture and
Indo-German Watershed Rural Development (NABARD) with
Development projects National Remote Sensing Centre
(NRSC).
21. Mou in field of Civil Aviation AAI with with Singapore Objective of this MoU is to establish
mutual cooperation in the field of civil
aviation, which will cover, to begin with,
the airports of Jaipur and Ahmedabad
22. Memorandum of understanding to Karnatakas Tourism and the National
set up a Cauvery river gallery in Academy of Sciences of India (NASI)
Mysuru
23. Memorandum of understanding for Indian Oil Corporation and Oil India Ltd
cooperation in geologic survey, signed with Russian national oil
exploration and production of company Rosneft.
hydrocarbons in select onshore
areas in Russia
24. Reliance Defence signed a manufacturing and maintenance deal potentially worth $6 billion with Russia's Almaz-Antey,
the maker of an air defence system.
25. Reliance Defence Limited and Russian AlmazAntey decided to work jointly on the entire range of AD Missile and Radar
Systems that are required for Indian defence forces.
26. The Union Cabinet has given approval to sign Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) on the Conservation of Migratory
Birds of Prey in Africa and Eurasia. This MoU is also called as the Raptor MoU under the Convention on Conservation of
Migratory Species (CMS). With signing it, India will become the 54th signatory to the MoU.
27. Agreement on Issue of Comfort Japan and South Korea It aims to resolve a decades-old dispute
Women over Korean women who were used as
sex slaves by Japanese soldiers during
World War II
28. Mou for strengthening energy Between India and BRICS countries The MoU provides for Joint scientific
efficiency cooperation (Brazil, Russia, China and South Africa). and technological research and
Conferencing and holding of lectures
and seminars
29. Train passengers will now find it easier to make online payments for the food ordered through e-catering with Indian
Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) entering into a tie-up with Paytm.
30. Union Government has inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for establishing three Indian Institute of
Information Technology (IIITs) in the country. The agreement to this effect was signed between Department of Higher
Education (DoHE) and private agencies including Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Tata Motors, ADCC Infocad and
Hubtown. These IIITs are being set up at Ranchi (Jharkhand), Nagpur and Pune (Maharashtra).
31. Deals on bullet train, defence, civil India & Japan
nuclear energy
32. Memorandum of understanding India and South Korea
(MoU) on suspension of collection
of taxes during pendency of mutual
agreement procedure
33. Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Banglore bagged a US military contract for research and development on solar powered
micro-grid. It is one of the rare instances that an Indian scientific institute has been awarded a federal contract by the US
military.
34. Memorandum of Understanding Ministry of Skill Development and The MoU focused on capital goods and
(MoU) for skill development in the Entrepreneurship (MSDE) and the automotive sector
manufacturing sector Department of Heavy Industry (DHI)
35. Agreement for Singapore airport Governments of India and Singapore
developer Changi being nominated
for taking up the operations and
management of the two Indian
airports
36. Expression of Interest (EoI) Karnataka delegation signed an with As per the EoI, the company is expected
agreement Reitzel Group to invest 3 million Euros (about Rs. 20
crore) and create about 50 new jobs to
the already 200 existing jobs
37. Agreement on visa facilitation for India and Iran.
25
Diplomatic, Official/Service and
Ordinary passport holders
38. MoU for amending the Double India and Japan
Taxation Avoidance Convention
(DTAC) in order to facilitate tax-
related exchange of information
39. MoU for adopting Integrity Pact National Textile Corporation (NTC) With this signing, NTC became the 51st
(IP) Limited with Transparency Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) and
International India (TII). 49th Central PSU to sign a MoU with TII.
40. Five-year,not-for-profit Tata Trusts and Khan Academy
partnership to enable free online
education for the Indian market
41. MoU for marketing the The National Research Development
inventions/innovations, patents, Corporation (NRDC) with CSIR-Indian
formulations, know- Institute of Chemical Technology,
how/processes and also collection Hyderabad
of premia and royalties.
42. MoU for Operation of Border Haats Between India and Bangladesh on
Approved January 6, 2016.
43. Loan Agreement for pollution The Government of India (GOI) signed
abatement of River Mula-Mutha in with Japan International Cooperation
Pune Agency
44. Memorandum of Understanding India and Maldives
(MoU) in co-operation in the field
of health
Miscellaneous News
S. No NEWS
1. The Cabinet approved a new power tariff policy that aims at promoting clean energy, better regulation of discoms, and
faster roll-out of investments.
2. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) gave its approval for setting up over 5000 MW of Grid-Connected
Solar PV Power Projects on build, own and operate basis. The work will be implemented by Solar Power Developers
(SPDs) with Viability Gap Funding (VGF) under Batch-lV of Phase-ll of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission
(JNNSM).
3. India has submitted its first Biennial Update Report (BUR) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change (UNFCCC) towards fulfillment of the reporting obligation.
Key highlights of BUR
BUR has been prepared by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (UNFCC) under its NATCOM
project funded by Global Environment Facility (GEF).
Contains national inventory of Green House Gases (GHG) for 2010 and has been prepared in accordance with the
guidelines of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
4. New case of child born with the virus has been reported in these countries. However, Brazil is experiencing the largest
known outbreak of Zika with most cases in the north-east region.
5. The term BEPS is an acronym of and it was in news in the third week of January 2016 as India has decided to implement
Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) guidelines. It refers to tax planning strategies that would exploit the gaps and
mismatches in tax rules to artificially shift profits to low or no-tax locations where there is little or no economic activity,
resulting in little or no overall corporate tax being paid.
6. Ministry of Culture released a commemorative coin of 150 rupees and a circulation coin of 10 rupees on Lala Lajpat Rai.
The Commemorative Coin of 150 rupees is made of Quaternary alloy with diameter of 44 mm and weight of 35 grams.
7. The colourful Kullu folk dance (Nati), which saw participation of 20,000 dancers during Kullu Dussehra festival has
entered the Guinness book of world records. In the Nati, 10,000 men and women attired in traditional Kullu dress
performed at Dhalpur Ground during Kullu Dussehra festival.
8. Master blaster and former captain of the Indian cricket team Sachin Tendulkar launched two safety and awareness
initiatives by the Mumbai Railway Police.
9. The Somnath Temple is all set to become Gujarats first temple to deposit its idle gold in the Gold Monetisation Scheme as
its trustees including Prime Minister Narendra Modi have given their nod to invest the yellow metal reserves in the
scheme.
10. The Union Home Ministry cleared the proposal to grant Adnan Sami the citizenship of India. Mr Sami, who has been

26
staying in India since 2011, will now have to fill a citizenship form at the Home Ministrys office in Delhi and pay Rs
13,700.
11. Arunima Sinha, the amputee mountaineer who set a record by climbing the Mount Everest conquered Mount Aconcagua in
Argentina.
12. The world's largest blue star sapphire that weighs 1404.49 carats was discovered in a mine in Sri Lanka.
13. Biocon Limited launched the generic version of hepatitis C drug in the Indian market. The generic version of the drug
named Harvoni will be sold under the brand name CIMIVIR-L.
14. The Lok Sabha passed The Payment of Bonus (Amendment) Bill, 2015. The Bill will allow doubling of wage ceiling for
calculating bonus of factory workers. The Bill seeks to amend the Payment of Bonus Act, 1965.
15. The Union Government has added 106 drugs including that of HIV/AIDS, Cancer and Hepatitis C to the National List of
Essential Medicines (NLEM). In this regard, Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfares core committee has revised the
NLEM. The committee was headed by V.M. Katoch, former secretary of Department of Health Research.
16. Well-known sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaiks Santa Claus sculpture found a place in Limca Book of World Records. Pattnaik
claimed that he had created a 45 feet high sand Santa Claus at Puri beach which was recognised as the largest sand Santa
Claus as of today by the Limca Book of World Records.
17. The Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health is to open its new centre in Mumbai, the first in South Asia in a bid to help
broaden and coordinate the Schools nearly 60 years of collaboration to improve health in India and around the world. The
centre is to open at the Piramal Tower Annexe, in a space that has been provided by Swati Piramal and Ajay Piramal, two
Harvard alumni.
18. Supreme Court has banned the registration of all diesel SUVs (Sports Utility Vechiles) and luxury cars in the entire
National Capital Region (NCR) of Delhi. The ban will be valid to SUVs, luxury cars with engine capacity of 2000 cc or more
till March 31, 2016. The SC ruling aims at curbing the alarming pollution level in Delhi.
19. The Lok Sabha passed the landmark Atomic Energy (Amendment) Bill, 2015. The bill seeks to overcome difficulties
encountered in the setting up of new nuclear projects and enhancement of nuclear power generation.
20. The Mexican authorities approved the use of the first-ever vaccine against dengue fever, which will be publicly available
for the first time. French manufacturer Sanofi Pasteur declared that the Mexican authorities have granted marketing
authorization to Dengvaxia, the vaccine against dengue fever.
21. President Pranab Mukherjee gave assent to Factories (Amendment) Bill, 2015 of Maharashtra. Among other things, the bill
amends Section 66(1)(c) of the Factories Act, 1948 that restricts women from working at a factory between 7 PM and 6
AM.
22. The Lok Sabha passed the Bureau of Indian Standards Bill, 2015 to establish the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) as a
National Standards Body. The bill seeks to establish harmonious development of standardization and assessment and
quality assurance of goods, processes and services.
23. The South Western Railways (SWR) Zone with headquarters in Hubli, Karnataka has introduced biodiesel for trains,
operating under its zone. In this regard, SWRs first train Hubballi-Bengaluru Janshatabdi Express powered by five per
cent biodiesel blended with High Speed Diesel was flagged off from Hubli.
24. Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu flagged off the first Goa to Mumbai double-decker Shatabdi train through video
conference from Panaji, Goa.
25. The Supreme Court directed State and Union Territory (UT) Governments to consider acid-attack victims under the
disabled quota.
26. Heritage Circuit Train Launched:
A semi-luxury train service that will unveil the countrys multifaceted heritage before travel lovers with stoppages at
Varanasi, Khajuraho and Agra was on December 20,2015 launched by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism
Corporation Limited (IRCTC).
YATRAS/MELAS IN NEWS
S.No. Yatra/Mela Place
1. 30th Surajkund International Crafts Began at Surajkund in Faridabad, Haryana. The event that will continue till 15
Mela February 2016 was inaugurated by Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar.
Telangana was selected as the Theme State.
SCHEMES BY UNION GOVERNMENT

S.no Scheme & Launched by Features Other Points
1. Union Ministry of Social Justice and It aims to carry out skill training
Empowerment Thaawarchand programme for 5 lakh Persons with
Gehlot launched the National level Disabilities in next 3 years.
Job portal

27
www.disabilityjobs.gov.in for
Persons with Disabilities (PwDs)
2. The 1st batch of 20 smart cities from 11 States and Union Territory of Delhi under the Smart Cities Mission was
announced. The 20 cities were selected through the Smart City Challenge competition that saw the participation of 1.52
crore citizens from 97 cities and towns. Among the 20 cities and towns, 3 cities are from Madhya Pradesh, two each from
Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Rajasthan and one each from the remaining five made
it to the winning list. The 20 winning cities and towns have proposed a total investment of 50802 crore rupees over five
years with all the cities proposing Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) as a major vehicle of resource mobilization.
3. The crop insurance scheme "The new Crop Insurance Scheme is in Under PMFBY, the farmers are required
Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana line with One Nation - One Scheme to pay a uniform premium of two
(PMFBY) theme. percent for all Kharif crops and 1.5
percent for all Rabi crops while it is five
percent for annual commercial and
horticultural crops.
4. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley kick- It envisages technology business The Human Resource Development
started Prime Minister Narendra incubators and research parks. Ministry and the Department of Science
Modi's ambitious Start-Up India and Technology have agreed to partner
mission at Vigyan Bhavan in New in an initiative to set up over 75 such
Delhi. startup support hubs in the National
Institutes of Technology (NITs), the
Indian Institutes of Information
Technology (IIITs), the Indian Institutes
of Science Education and Research
(IISERs) and NIPERs or National
Institutes of Pharmaceutical Education
and Research.
5. Union Ministry of Shipping is set to The system is expected to improve To operationalise the system, Radars
launch the River Information navigation in Indland Waterways as the and sensors will be installed along the
System (RIS) for Inland Waterways government is set to expand the route and there will be major base
in the country network across the country through the stations to monitor the movement.
National Waterways Bill, 2015.
6. Union Minister of Water Resources, Under the scheme, 1600 villages of UP iii. It is proposed to incur the
River Development and Ganga situated along the banks of river Ganga expenditure of 1 crore rupees on every
Rejuvenation Uma Bharti launched will be developed. village. These villages will be developed
Ganga Gram Yojana at Village Puth In the first phase of the progamme, 200 under the Sichewal model. Sichewal is
in Hapur district of Uttar Pradesh villages have been selected initially. In situated in Punjab, where cooperation of
(UP). these villages, open drains falling into the villagers has been solicited for the
river Ganga will be diverted and water management and waste disposal.
alternative arrangements for sewage
treatment will be made. The villages will
have toilets in every house hold.
7. Centre decided to implement The decision was taken at an inter-
stricter emission norms of Bharat ministerial meeting chaired by Road
Stage (BS) VI from April 1, 2020, by Transport and Highways Minister Nitin
skipping BS-V altogether. Gadkari, which was attended by Oil
Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Heavy
Industries Minister Anant Geete and
Environment Minister Prakash
Javadekar.
8. Union Minister for Health and The initiatives include three Kilkari is an audio-based mobile service
Family Welfare J P Nadda applications, namely, Kilkari, Mobile that delivers weekly audio messages to
announced 4 new Information Academy and M-Cessation and a families about pregnancy, child birth
Technology-based initiatives to dedicated toll free number 1800-11 and child care.
provide citizen-centric health 6666 which will provide round the clock
services. counselling and treatment support
services for TB patients.
9. Online Labs - developed by OLabs or Online virtual Science Labs
Amrita CREATE (Centre of allows students to repeat the
Research in Advanced experiments as many times as they
Technologies for Education) in wish; it includes simulators, videos,
association with CDAC (Centre for animation, theory and quiz. It is based
28
Development of Advanced on the premise that lab experiments can
Computing). be taught over the Net in a cost effective
and efficient manner.
10. Narendra Modi approved the India- The deal along with the administrative
Australia Civil Nuclear Cooperation arrangement for implementing the
accord will bolster Indias energy
security by supporting the expansion of
nuclear power in the country.
11. Cabinet Committee on Economic The ATUFS replaces existing Revised
Affairs (CCEA) approved Restructured Technology Upgradation
introduction of Amended Fund Scheme (RR-TUFS) to give a boost
Technology Upgradation Fund to textile sector under Make in India
Scheme (ATUFS) for technology campaign.
upgradation of the textiles industry
12. Union Govt approves constitution These bridges will be constructed at a
of 69 bridges on Trilateral Highway cost of Rs.371.58 crore and shall impart
in Myanmar all weather usability to the TKK road
section.
13. Union Govt unveils National To establish India as a world-class bio- It was unveiled by the Union Science and
Biotechnology Development manufacturing hub. Technology Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan
Strategy 2015-2020 in New Delhi.
14. Revised Model Text for the Indian The revised Indian model text for BIT The revised model BIT will be used for
Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) will replace the existing Indian Model re-negotiation of existing BITs and
BIT. negotiation of future BITs and
investment chapters in Comprehensive
Economic Cooperation Agreements
(CECAs)/ Comprehensive Economic
Partnership Agreements (CEPAs) / Free
Trade Agreements (FTAs).
15. Union Ministry of Human Resource a) To boost the quality of higher c) Initially 500 international faculties
Development (HRD) launched education in India. will be engaged in conducting courses
Global Initiative of Academic b) It aims at improving the quality of and later in subsequent years 1000
Networks (GIAN) Scheme higher education in the country through faculties would be engaged under GIAN
international collaboration. throughout India.
16. Union Government launched the The IPV injection launched by Union IPV injection will be given to children
injectable Inactivated Polio Vaccine Minister for Health and Family Welfare below one year of age along with the
(IPV) in New Dellhi JP Nadda. The first phase this vaccine third dose of the Oral Polio Vaccine
will be introduced in six states, viz (OPV) at the routine immunization
Assam, Gujarat, Punjab, Bihar, Madhya sessions free of cost.
Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh.
17. Stand Up India Scheme to promote The Scheme is intended to facilitate at It provides for refinance window
entrepreneurship among least two projects per bank branch, on through Small Industries Development
Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribes an average one for each category of Bank of India (SIDBI) with an initial
and Women entrepreneurs entrepreneur. It is expected to benefit at amount of 10000 crore rupees.
least 2.5 lakh borrowers. It will create credit guarantee
mechanism through the National Credit
Guarantee Trustee Company (NCGTC). It
will provide support for borrowers both
at the pre loan stage and during
operations.
SCHEMES BY STATE GOVERNMENT

S.no State/UT Scheme/Initiative Launched Other Points
1. Jammu and Kashmir Nai Manzil scheme launched for the Under the scheme, girls from minority
first time in. The scheme was communities will be imparted three month
launched for girls in Srinagar in three skill development training in seven identified
institutions- Skill Development sectors relevant to the region. These include
Centre, University of Kashmir and two training in saffron processing, food
Madarsas processing, embroidery, computers IT (both
software and hardware),

29
Tourism/hospitality, electronics and
plumbing. Trainees will also be given stipend
of 4500 rupees for the course.
2. Andhra Pradesh Government Giriputrika Kalyana Pathakam The scheme seeks to reduce rampant infant
Scheme to support the tribal women mortality and child marriages among tribal
in their quest for livelihood. ii. people. It is designed to provide a onetime
financial assistance of 50000 rupees to each
tribal woman who gets married.
3. Tamil Nadu Launched a round-the-clock call It aimed at ensuring quick response to
centre for ensuring fast response to peoples grievances where in they can dial
grievances named the Amma Call toll-free number 1100 at any point of time in
Centre, which will work all through the day.
the year.
4. Delhi government Launched the ambitious odd-even As the clock struck eight, the vehicular
scheme restriction policy came into effect with
thousands of volunteers carrying roses also
taking to the streets to assist traffic police in
enforcing the pilot plan that will stay in force
till January 15.
5. Eight States Agreed to implement direct benefit of The scheme will be implemented in three
transfer in kerosene in 26 districts. districts of Chhattisgarh, two in Haryana,
The scheme will be implemented three in Himachal Pradesh, six in Jharkhand,
from April 1, 2016 and till then state four in Madhya Pradesh, two in Maharashtra,
governments will be consulted in the three in Punjab and three in Rajasthan.
run up to the scheme.
6. Kerala Sampoorna Arogya Keralam project The project aims to bring all major
government health services under one
umbrella. With this, people will not be
required to visit multiple offices or agencies
for medical care.
ii. Instead, they can go to enlisted public and
private hospitals and get the services through
a smart health card.
7. Odisha Government Anwesha scheme to provide free Under the scheme, 5000 SC and ST children
education to scheduled caste and will annually be enrolled into Standard I in
scheduled tribe students. leading private schools in urban areas of the
state.
8. Delhi Assembly Passed the Delhi Jan Lokpal Bill, 2015 The Bill provides powers to Lokpal to act
for establishment of statutory anti- against any government functionary
corruption ombudsman. including those of the Centre and in the
national capital territory (NCT) of Delhi
through its own investigation wing.
9. Andhra Pradesh Online Tappal Management System, a
software tool for the convenience of
people
INDIAS GDP PREDICTIONS 4. Standard & Poors 7.4% 8% -

Ratings Services
S.No INDIAS GDP 2015- 2016- 2017- 5. World Bank 7.5% 7.8% 7.9%
PREDICTIONS BY 16 17 18 6. RBI - 7.4% 7.6%
WHICH (2015) (2016) (2017)
ORGANIZATIONS Persons on Visit (India and World)
1. United Nations (UN) 7.2% 7.3% 7.5%
World Economic 1) PM Modi was on a two-day Russia visit. Ways to expand
Situation and economic cooperation between the two countries were also
Prospects 2016 explored in the meeting with both countries aiming to take the
Report current bilateral annual trade of USD 10 billion to USD 30
2. IMF 7.3% 7.5 % 7.5 % billion in the next 10 years.
India and Russia have decided to expand cooperation in
3. Asian Development 7.4% 7.8% -
various sectors. Some of the important were following..
Bank
30
The Inter-Governmental Agreement on the manufacture Capital: Bandar Seri Begawan
of Kamov-226 helicopters in India is the first project for Currency: Brunei Dollar
a major defence platform under the Make-in-India Sultan: Hassanal Bolkiah
mission. Deputy Sultan: Al-Muhtadee billah
They agreed to actively work towards localisation of
manufacturing in India under the aegis of Make in India Vice-President Hamid Ansari embarked on a trip to Brunei and
and in tandem with the serial construction of nuclear Thailand. His visit to Brunei at the invitation of crown prince
power plants, said the statement. Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah is the first high-level trip from India
The cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy since the establishment of diplomatic relations with that
is a cornerstone of the Russia-India strategic partnership. country in May 1984.
Cooperation in ASEAN and East Asia Summit and other
2) PM Modi visited Afghanistan, where he met Afghan multilateral fora were also on the agenda and a couple of MoUs
President Ashraf Ghani and discussed issues related to security on health and defence cooperation would be signed. Ansari had
and bilateral cooperation. He also inaugurated Afghan delivered at the University of Brunei Darussalam and
Parliament House which was entirely built by India. The hand addressed the Indian community at a reception. Brunei is an
over three Mi 25 attack helicopters to Afghanistan Armed important partner for India in ASEAN and besides contributing
Forces was made. to energy security, hosts a 10,000-strong Indian community.
3) After completing the visit to Afghanistan, PM Modi briefly Maritime security, trade routes on agenda at India-Thai
stopped over in Pakistan. In Lahore, he met the Prime meet
Minister Nawaz Sharif. With this visit, he became the fourth In a major initiative, India discussed with Thailand the
Prime Minister to visit Pakistan in the post independence possibility of a multi-lateral venture on maritime security and
period. establishment of maritime trade routes, also involving
countries like Japan and Myanmar.
4) Sushma Swaraj Visited Pakistan, where she attended the During discussions between Vice-President Hamid Ansari and
'Heart of Asia' conference and held bilateral talks Thai Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha here, the two sides
with Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his adviser also decided to collaborate in jointly developing and
Sartaj Aziz. manufacturing defence equipment as also investing in
infrastructure development programmes.
Japan PM Shinzo Abe arrives in India: Bullet train, civil
nuclear deal top agendas Other issues discussed at the high-level meeting included
Strengthening ongoing cooperation in counter-terrorism
The focus of the visit would be on forging greater and security, joint military exercises and pharmaceuticals.
synergies between two major Asian economies and take The two sides also discussed a proposal to establish a
forward the special strategic ties. working level group to complete the India-Myanmar-
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe arrived in India on a Thailand trilateral highway which is expected to fructify in
three-day visit. A Rs 98,000-crore deal to build a bullet train about two years.
network was among a number of agreements were signed Issues related to extradition of gangsters and exchanging
during Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abes three-day visit. In information on how to apprehend wanted terrorists if they
the 9th annual Indo-Japan summit, Modi and Abe had reviewed happen to be in ASEAN countries were also discussed.
implementation of various decisions taken in course of last one
year to enhance economic ties, particularly in the trade and
investment sector. Abbrevations in News
Sources said a number of agreements were signed including.. GIAN: Global Initiative on Academic Network
1. Rs 98,000 crore contract to build Indias first bullet ESA: Endangered Species Act
train network was inked. AISHE: All India Survey on Higher Education
2. Memorandum concerning the Agreement on Cooperation in NIRF: National Institution Ranking Framework
the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy. NAAC: National Assessment and Accreditation Council.
3. Agreement concerning transfer of Defence Equipment and CBDT: Central Board of Direct Taxes.
Technology Cooperation. APASL: Asia-Pacific Association for Study of the Liver.
IDSA: Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses
Vice President Visit to Thailand & Brunei DAC: Defence Acquisition Council
NRAI: National Rifle Association of India
Brief about the countries DTTI: Defence Technology and Trade Initiative
Thailand SCO: Shanghai Cooperation Organisation
Capital: Bangkok ISC: Indian Science Congress
Currency: Baht PAN: Permanent Account Number
Prime Minister: Prayut-Chan-o-Cha BIN: Business Identification Number
CIN: Company Identification Number
Brunei DESA: Department of Economic and Social Affairs

31

32
UDAY: Ujwal Discom Assurance Yojana Best Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali (Bajirao Mastani)
CCEA: Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs Lifetime Achievement: Moushumi Chatterjee
JICA: Japan International Cooperation Agency Best Debut Director: Neeraj Ghaywan (Massan)
IRNSS: Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System Best Debutant (Male): Sooraj Pancholi (Hero)
NFHS: National Family Health Survey Best Debutant (Female): Bhumi Pednekar (Dum Laga Ke
OCEMS: Online Continuous Effluent Monitoring Systems Haisha)
GIMPS: Great Internet Mersenne Prime Search Critics Award for Best Film : Piku
NOAA: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Critics Award for Best Actor (Male): Amitabh Bachchan
AIIB: Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (Piku)
CIRT: Central Institute of Road Transport
DAVA: Drug Authentication and Verification Application 73rd annual Golden Globe Awards announced
IAMAI: Internet and Mobile Association of India The 73rd Golden Globe Awards honored the best in film and
JJB: Juvenile Justice Board American television of 2015 and was presented on January 10,
LASTEC: Laser Science & Technology Centre 2016. The Revenant was only three-time winner at the 73rd
LRSM: Long Range Surface to Air Missile annual awards, taking Best Actor for star Leonardo DiCaprio
NICDA: National Industrial Corridor Development Authority and Best Director for Alejandro G. Iarrito along with Best
NIMHA: National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro- Picture.
Sciences
NISE: National Institute of Solar Energy
PHFI: Public Health Foundation of India
NECTAR: North East Centre for Technology Application &
Research
Gallantry Awards Announced

President Pranab Mukherjee has conferred the countrys
highest peacetime gallantry award Ashok Chakra to Lance
Naik Mohan Nath Goswami posthumously. On the eve of 67th
Republic Day celebrations President has approved 365
Gallantry awards and other Defence decorations to Armed
Forces personnel and others. It includes one Ashoka Chakra, 4
Kirti Chakras and 11 Shaurya Chakras.
Ashok Chakra:
Lance Naik Mohan Nath Goswami (Posthumous). He belonged
to 9 PARA (Special Force) and laid down his life while fighting List of Important Winners at the 2016 Golden Globe
LeT militants in Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir. Awards:
Best Motion Picture Drama: The Revenant
Kirti Chakra: Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture
1. Subedar Mahendra Singh of 9 PARA (Special Force). Drama: Leonardo Dicaprio, The Revenant
2. Sepoy Jagdish Chand (Posthumous) of 546 DSC Platoon. Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture
Shaurya Chakra: Drama: Brie Larson, Room
1. Colonel Santosh Mahadik (Posthumous) of 41 Rashtriya Rifle Best Motion Picture Musical or Comedy: The Martian
(PARA). Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture
2. Major Praphul Kumar Bhardwaj of 12 PARA (Special Force). Musical Or Comedy: Jennifer Lawrence, Joy
3. Major Sandip Yadav of 55 Rashtriya Rifle (Armed). Best Director Motion Picture: Alejandro Gonzalez, The
4. Major Anurag Kumar of 9 PARA (Special Force). Revenant
5. Lieutenant Harjinder Singh of 3 KUMAON. Best Television Series Drama: Mr. Robot (Usa Network)
6. Naik Satish Kumar (Posthumous) of 21 Rashtriya Rifle Best Original Song Motion Picture: Writings On The
(Guards). Wall Spectre
7. Naik Kheem Singh Mehra of 21 KUMAON. Best Motion Picture Foreign Language: Son Of Saul
8. Sepoy Dharma Ram (Posthumous) of 1 Rashtriya Rifle (Hungary)
(MAHAR). Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in
Any Motion Picture: Sylvester Stallone, Creed
61st Filmfare Awards Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture
The grand annual 61st Filmfare Awards event was organised in Musical Or Comedy: Matt Damon, The Martian
Mumbai, Maharashtra on January 15, 2016. Bajirao Mastani
was 8 awards was the film winning highest number of awards. The 9th BCCI Awards were presented to the cricketers
Awards in various categories are for the year 2014-15
Best Actor: Ranvee Singh (Bajirao Mastani)
Best Actress: Deepika Padukone (Piku) The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) presented the
Best Film: Sanjay Leela Bhansali (Bajirao Mastani) ninth BCCI Awards 2014-15 at a ceremony held in Mumbai.

33
Best Actor: Ranveer Singh for "Bajirao Mastani" and
The Complete list of the BCCI annual award winners are as Amitabh Bachchan for "Piku"
follows: Best Actress: Deepika Padukone for "Piku"
Col. C K Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award: Syed Best Actor (Popular Choice): Shah Rukh Khan
Kirmani Best Actress (Popular Choice): Deepika Padukone for
Polly Umrigar Award (for Cricketer of the Year): Virat "Piku" and "Tamasha"
Kohli Best Actor (Jury Choice): Irrfan Khan for "Talvar"
Best Actress (Jury Choice): Kalki Keochilin for "Margrita
Lala Amarnath Awards: With A Straw"
Best all-rounder in the Ranji trophy, 2014-15: Jalaj Best Film (Popular Choice): "Bajrangi Bhaijaan"
Saxena, Madhya Pradesh (583 runs and 17 wickets from 8 Best Film (Jury Choice): "Talvar"
games) Best Director: Kabir Khan for "Bajrangi Bhaijaan"
Best all-rounder in domestic limited-overs Best Story: "Bajrangi Bhaijaan"
competitions, 2014-15: Deepak Hooda, Baroda Best Supporting Actor: Deepak Dobriyal for "Tanu Weds
Manu Returns"
M A Chidambaram Trophy awards for 2014-15: Best Supporting Actress: Priyanka Chopra for "Bajirao
Best under-23 cricketer: Almas Shaukat, Uttar Pradesh Mastani"
Best under-19 cricketer: Anmolpreet Singh, Punjab Best Playback Singer (Male): Papon for "Moh Moh Ke
Best under-16 cricketer: Shubman Gill, Punjab Dhaage" ("Dam Laga Ke Haisha")
Best senior woman cricketer: Mithali Raj, Railways Best Playback Singer (Female): Monali Thakur for "Moh
Best junior woman cricketer: Devika Vaidya, Moh Ke Dhaage" ("Dam Laga Ke Haisha")
Maharashtra Best Dialogue: "Piku"
Best umpire in domestic cricket in 2014-15: O Nandan, Lifetime Achievement Award: Rishi Kapoor
Karnataka.
PADMA AWARDS 2016
ICC AWARDS 2015 Announced One of the highest civilian Awards of the country, are conferred
in three categories, namely, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan
Steve Smith became the fourth Australia player and 11th and Padma Shri. The Awards are given in various disciplines/
player overall to win the prestigious Sir Garfield Sobers fields of activities, viz.- art, social work, public affairs, science
Trophy after being named as the ICC Cricketer of the Year and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature and
2015. Australia captain also wins ICC Test Cricketer of the education, sports, civil service, etc. Padma Vibhushan is
Year award while De Villiers named ICC ODI Cricketer of awarded for exceptional and distinguished service; Padma
the Year. Bhushan for distinguished service of high order and Padma
Shri for distinguished service in any field. The awards are
The full list of ICC Award 2015 winners is: announced on the occasion of Republic Day every year.
ICC Cricketer of the Year (Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy)- This year the President of India has approved conferment of
Steve Smith (Australia) Padma Awards to 112 persons. The list comprises of 10 Padma
ICC Test Cricketer of the Year Steve Smith (Australia) Vibhushan, 19 Padma Bhushan and 83 Padma Shri Awardees.
ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year AB de Villiers (South 19 of the awardees are women and the list also includes 10
Africa) persons from the category of foreigners, NRIs, PIOs (include
ICC Womens ODI Cricketer of the Year Meg Lanning one posthumous) and 4 Posthumous awardees.
(Australia)
ICC Womens T20I Cricketer of the Year Stafanie Padma Vibhushan Awardees
Taylor (West Indies) 1. Ms. Yamini Krishnamurthi Art-Classical dance
ICC T20I Performance of the Year Faf du Plessis (South Delhi
Africa) 2. Shri Rajinikanth Art-Cinema Tamil Nadu
ICC Emerging Cricketer of the Year Josh Hazlewood 3. Smt Girija Devi Art-Classical Vocal West Bengal
(Australia) 4. Shri Ramoji Rao Literature & Education-Journalism
ICC Associate/Affiliate Cricketer of the Year Khurram Andhra Pradesh
Khan (UAE) 5. Dr Viswanathan Shanta-Medicine-Oncology-Tamil Nadu
ICC Spirit of Cricket Award Brendon McCullum (New 6. Shri Shri Ravi Shankar-Others-Spiritualism Karnataka
Zealand) 7. Shri Jagmohan Public Affairs Delhi
ICC Umpire of the Year (David Shepherd Trophy) 8. Dr Vasudev Kalkunte Aatre Science & Engineering
Richard Kettleborough Karnataka
9. Shri Avinash Dixit(Foreigner)-Literature & Education-
22nd Annual Star Screen Awards 2016 USA
10. Late Shri Dhiru Bhai Ambani (Posthumous)-Trade &
Here is the complete list of winners of Star Screen Awards Industry-Maharashtra
2016:
Some Padma Bhushan Awardees
11. Shri Anupam Kher Art-Cinema Maharashtra

34
12. Shri Udit Narayan Jha Art-Playback Singing 51. Shri Mahesh Sharma Trade & Industry Delhi
Maharashtra 52. Shri Saurabh Srivastava Trade & Industry Delhi
13. Shri Ram V Sutar Art-Sculpture Uttar Pradesh 53. Sh Dilip Sanghvi Trade & Industry Maharashtra
14. Shri Heisnam Kanhailal Art-Theatre Manipur 54. Dr Keki Hormusji Gharda Trade & Industry
15. Shri Vinod Rai Civil Service Kerala Maharashtra
16. Prof D Nageshwar Reddy Medicine-Gastroenterology 55. Late Shri Prakash Chand Surana (Posthumous) Art -
Telangana Classical Music Rajasthan
17. Dr Venkata Rama Rao Alla Science & Engineering 56. Late Shri Saeed Jaffrey (NRI/PIO/Posthumous) Art-
Andhra Pradesh Cinema UK
18. Ms Saina Nehwal Sports-Badminton Telangana 57. Shri Michael Postel (Foreigner)-Art-Archaeology-
19. Ms Sania Mirza Sports-Tennis Telangana France
20. Ms Indu Jain Trade & Industry Delhi 58. Shri Salman Amin Sal Khan (NRI/PIO) Literature &
21. Late Swami Dayanand Sarawasati (Posthumous) Education USA
Others-Spiritualism Uttarakhand 59. Smt Hui Lan Zhang (Foreigner) Others-Yoga China
22. Shri Robert Blackwill (Foreigner) Public Affairs 60. Shri Predrag K Nikic (Foreigner) Others-Yoga
USA Serbia
61. Dr Sundar Aditya Menon (NRI/PIO) Social Work
Some Padma Shri Awardees UAE
23. Shri Ajay Devgn Art-Cinema Maharashtra 62. Shri Ajaypal Singh Banga (NRI/PIO) Trade & Industry
24. Ms Priyanka Chopra Art-Cinema Maharashtra
25. Shri SS Rajamouli Art-Film Direction and Production The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of
Karnataka Children) Act, 2015 Passed
26. Shri Madhur Bhandarkar Art-Film Direction and The Juvenile Justice Act, which allows children aged 16 to 18
Production Maharashtra years and in conflict with law to be tried as adults in cases of
27. Prof M Venkatesh Kumar Art-Folk Artist Karnataka heinous offences, finally comes into force on January 15, 2016.
28. Ms Gulabi Sapera Art-Folk Dance Rajasthan The Act, was passed by the Rajya Sabha in the winter session of
29. Smt Mamta Chandrakar- Art-Folk Music Chhattisgarh parliament, received President Pranab Mukherjees assent on
30. Shri Dahyabhai Shastri Literature & Education December 31, 2015.
Gujarat The Ministry of Women and Child Development has passed
31. Prof Pushpesh Pant Literature & Education- orders stating that the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of
Journalism Delhi Children) Act 2015 will be enforceable from January 15, 2016.
32. Dr Mannam Gopi Chand Medicine-Cardio Thoracic
Surgery Telangana Under the Juvenile Justice Act 2015
33. Prof Ravi Kant Medicine-Surgery Uttar Pradesh Juveniles between 16 and 18 years of age, who are found guilty
34. Shri Piyush Pandey Others-Advertising & of committing heinous offences through a preliminary inquiry
Communication Maharashtra by the Juvenile Justice Board, will be sent to a childrens Court
35. Dr Mylswamy Annadurai Science & Engineering that can pronounce the child guilty.
Karnataka Such Juveniles can be detained in a place of safety until they
36. Prof Dipankar Chatterji Science & Engineering reach the age of 21.
Karnataka If still not found to have been reformed by 21, they can be sent
37. Prof(Dr) Ganapati Dadasaheb Yadav Science & to jails housing adults.
Engineering Maharashtra
It specifies imprisonment up to seven years and fine up to Rs. 1
38. Smt (Prof) Veena Tandon Science & Engineering
lakh for giving a child any intoxicating liquor, narcotic, drug,
Meghalaya
tobacco and psychotropic substances.
39. Shri Onkar Nath Srivastava Science and Engineering
Uttar Pradesh
Four Mobile Health Services Launched
40. Ms Sunita Krishnan Social Work Andhra Pradesh
JP Nadda, the Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare
41. Shri Ajoy Kumar Dutta Social Work Assam
launched four mobile health (m-Health) services to provide
42. Shri M Pandit Dasa Social Work Karnataka
citizen-centric health services on January 15, 2016.
43. Shri PP Gopinathan Nair Social Work Kerala
These m-Health services are Kilkari, Mobile Academy, M-
44. Smt Madeleine Herman de Blic Social Work
Cessation and TB Missed Call initiative.
Puducherry
45. Shri Srinivasan Damal Kandalai Social work Tamil
Kilkari
Nadu
It is an audio-based mobile service that delivers weekly audio
46. Shri Sudhakar Olwe Social Work Maharashtra
messages to families about pregnancy, child birth and child
47. Dr TV Narayana Social Work Telangana
care.
48. Shri Arunachalam Murugantham Social Work
Mobile Academy
Tamil Nadu
It is a mobile-based application aimed at providing training
49. Ms Deepika Kumari Sports-Archery Jharkhand
services to 9 million ASHAs.
50. S Shri Sushil Doshi Sports-commentary Madhya
M-Cessation
Pradesh

35
It will be an IT-enabled tool to help tobacco users to quit and one in the Indian Institute of Science campus, with an
tobacco. investment of Rs 100 crore each.
TB Missed Call Initiative A rebate amount of 80 percent of the total value will be
Under TB Missed Call initiative, a dedicated toll free number provided to the entrepreneurs on filing patent applications.
1800-11-6666 which will provide round the clock counseling
and treatment support services for TB patients. 20 Smart Cities Announced
Urban development minister M Venkaiah Naidu announced the
Odd-Even scheme Launched first list of 20 cities to be developed as Smart Cities, with
The ambitious odd-even scheme, set to roll out from January 1, Bhubaneswar topping the list and Pune and Jaipur coming in
will have out of its ambit CNG-certified vehicles, two wheelers, second and third respectively.
cars being driven by women drivers and those carrying the The others on the list include Surat, Kochi and Ahmedabad.
differently abled, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said. Violators These cities will be developed to have basic infrastructure
would attract a penalty of Rs 2,000, he said. The car rationing through assured water and power supply, sanitation and solid
scheme would be applicable from 8 AM to 8 PM on all days waste management, efficient urban mobility and public
except Sunday and on cars with NCR and other states transport, IT connectivity, e-governance and citizen
registration number plates, Kejriwal said. Cars being driven by participation.
a woman alone or even while being accompanied by children These are the 20 cities named in the first list
up to the age of 12 would be exempted while cases of medical Bhubaneswar Pune Jaipur
emergencies would be treated on basis of trust, the CM said. Surat Kochi Ahmedabad
Jabalpur Visakhapatnam Solapur
The PMs Start Up Initiative Launched On 16th January Davanagere Indore New Delhi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched Start-up India Coimbatore Kakinada Belgaum
initiative to begin startup ecosystem in the country. The Udaipur Guwahati Chennai
initiative was launched in New Delhi. To promote a culture of Ludhiana Bhopal
entrepreneurship, the government announced a slew of The government plans to build these smart cities by 2022 to
incentives including a Rs10,000-crore corpus for innovation- help accommodate its swelling urban population, which is set
driven enterprises, a three-year break from paying income to rise by more than 400 million people to 814 million by 2050.
tax on profits, a Rs500-crore per year credit guarantee The Centre and states will equally split the overall cost of the
mechanism, and exemption from capital gains tax for start- project estimated at Rs 96,000 crore. The central government
ups. will provide on an average Rs. 100 crore per chosen city per
Modi unveiled a 19-point action plan for start-up enterprises in year. The project cost of each smart city will vary depending
India & also stated that there would be no inspection of the upon the level of ambition, model, capacity to execute and
enterprises during the first three years of the launch. repay.
Some Important agendas announced:

The start-ups will adopt self-certification to reduce the
regulatory liabilities.
An all-India hub will be created as a single contact point for
start-up foundations in India, which will help the
entrepreneurs to exchange knowledge and access financial
aid.
An online portal, in the shape of a mobile application, will be
launched to help start-up founders to easily register. The app
is scheduled to be launched on April 1.
The government will develop a fund with an initial corpus of
Rs 2,500 crore and a total corpus of Rs 10,000 crore over
four years, to support upcoming start-up enterprises. The
Life Insurance Corporation of India will play a major role in
developing this corpus.
A National Credit Guarantee Trust Company (NCGTC) is
being conceptualised with a budget of Rs 500 crore per year
for the next four years to support the flow of funds to start-
ups. Liberia and Afghanistan becomes the new WTO members
Start-ups would not pay Income Tax for three years. This
policy would revolutionise the pace with which start-ups Liberia has finally acceded to the World Trade Organization
would grow in the future. (WTO) with President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf describing the
The Atal Innovation Mission will be launched to boost event as another turning point in Liberia's history. The
innovation and encourage talented youths. accession makes Liberia the 35th least developed country to be
The government plans to set up seven new research parks, admitted into the WTO and the organization's 163rd Member
including six in the Indian Institute of Technology campuses State. The World Trade Organisation (WTO) formally
approved Afghanistans membership to the WTO at its 10th

36
ministerial conference in the Kenyan capital Nairobi. payments bank. But they should have a sound track record
Afghanistan has become the 164th WTO member and the 36th of five years period of running businesses.
least developed country (LDC) to join the global trade body Payment Banks will initially be restricted to holding a
after 11 years of negotiations. maximum balance of 1 lakh rupees per individual customer.
It can issue ATM or debit cards but not credit cards.
Important Facts related to WTO Payment bank cannot undertake lending activities but can
Location: Geneva, Switzerland distribute the non-risk sharing simple financial products
Established: 1 January 1995 such as mutual fund units and insurance products, etc.
Created by: Uruguay Round negotiations (1986-94) These banks also should maintain Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR)
Membership: 164 countries on 22 December 2015 with the Reserve Bank, it will be required to invest
Head: Roberto Azevdo (Director-General) minimum 75 percent of its demand deposit balances in
Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR) with maturity up to one
Indias fifth navigation satellite IRNSS-1E successfully year and hold maximum 25 per cent in current and time or
put into orbit fixed deposits with other scheduled commercial banks for
Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) successfully put the operational purposes and liquidity management.
IRNSS-1E in orbit using Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle PSLV-31. The minimum capital for payments banks is 100 crore
The 1,425 kg satellite was the fifth to be launched as part of the rupees and it should have a leverage ratio of not less than 3
Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) which will percent that is its outside liabilities should not exceed 33.33
consist of a constellation of seven satellites. times its net worth (paid-up capital and reserves).
ISRO scientists plan to put all the seven navigation satellites in The promoters minimum initial contribution to the paid-up
to the orbit by March 2016. The mission life of IRNSS-1E is 12 equity capital for payments bank shall at least be 40
years. percent for the first five years from the commencement of
IRNSS -1E carries two types of payloads navigation payload its business.
and ranging payload. The navigation payload of IRNSS-1E will
transmit navigation service signals to the users. This payload Small Banks
will be operating in L5-band and S-band. The ranging payload The purpose of the small banks is to provide a whole suite
of IRNSS-1E consists of a C-band transponder which facilitates of basic banking products such as deposits and supply of
accurate determination of the range of the satellite. IRNSS-1E credit, but in a limited area of operation.
also carries Corner Cube Retro Reflectors for laser ranging. The objective for these Small Banks is to increase financial
inclusion by provision of savings vehicles to under-served
PSLV C29 launched from Satish Dhawan Space Centre and unserved sections of the population, supply of credit to
with 6 Singapore Satellites small farmers, micro and small industries, and other
Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) has added another unorganised sector entities through high technology-low
country to its client list for commercial satellite launches after cost operations.
Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C29) put in orbit six Resident individuals with 10 years of experience in banking
Singapore satellites. The Singaporean satellites would help the and finance, companies and Societies will be eligible as
city-state gather information on disaster monitoring and urban promoters to set up small banks. NFBCs, micro finance
planning were launched by ISROs workhorse Polar Satellite institutions (MFIs), and Local Area Banks (LABs) can
Launch Vehicle(PSLV-C29) coinciding with the 50th convert their operations into those of a small bank.
anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations Branch expansion: For the initial three years, prior
between Singapore and India this year approval will be required.
The bank shall primarily undertake basic banking activities
Small Bank & Payment Bank of accepting deposits and lending to small farmers, small
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) granted 10 entities in- businesses, micro and small industries, and unorganised
principle licenses to open small finance banks & 11 entities to sector entities. It cannot set up subsidiaries to undertake
open payment banks. Payment Banks non-banking financial services activities. After the initial
The objectives of payments banks is financial inclusion by stabilisation period of five years, and after a review, the RBI
providing small savings accounts and payments or remittance may liberalise the scope of activities for Small Banks.
services to migrant labour workforce, low income households, The maximum loan size and investment limit exposure to
small businesses, other un-organised sector entities and other single/group borrowers/issuers would be restricted to 15
users. per cent of capital funds.
RBI Guidelines for the Payment Banks Loans and advances of up to Rs 25 lakhs, primarily to micro
Existing non-bank Pre-paid Payment Instrument (PPI) enterprises, should constitute at least 50 per cent of the
issuers, mobile firms and supermarket chains, among loan portfolio.
others existing NBFCs and micro finance lenders are For the first three years, 25 per cent of branches should be
promoters who are eligible to set up payment banks. in unbanked rural areas.
Large public sector enterprises and big industrial houses
are not allowed to establish Payment banks. Note:
A promoter or promoter group can have a joint venture * Reserve Bank gets 41 applications for payments banks, 72 for
with an existing scheduled commercial bank to set up a small banks.

37
Who all got Payment Bank License? Enterprises Investment in plant and machinery
1. Aditya Birla Nuvo Limited Micro Does not exceed twenty five lakh rupees
2. Airtel M Commerce Services Limited Enterprises
3. Cholamandalam Distribution Services Limited Small More than twenty five lakh rupees but does
4. Department of Posts Enterprises not exceed five crore rupees
5. Fino PayTech Limited
Medium More than five crore rupees but does not
6. National Securities Depository Limited
Enterprises exceed ten crore rupees
7. Reliance Industries Limited
8. Shri Dilip Shantilal Shanghvi
Service Sector
9. Shri Vijay Shekhar Sharma
10. Tech Mahindra Limited Enterprises Investment in equipment
11. Vodafone m-pesa Limited Micro Enterprises Does not exceed ten lakh rupees
Small Enterprises More than ten lakh rupees but does not
Who all got Small Bank License? exceed two crore rupees
Here are the names of selected applicants: Medium More than two crore rupees but does
1. Au Financiers (India) Limited, Jaipur Enterprises not exceed five crore rupees
2. Capital Local Area Bank Limited, Jalandhar Other Targets under PSL
3. Disha Microfin Private Limited, Ahmedabad Farmers with landholding of up to 1 hectare are
4. Equitas Holdings P Limited, Chennai considered as Marginal Farmers. Farmers with a
5. ESAF Microfinance and Investments Private Limited, landholding of more than 1 hectare and upto 2 hectares
Chennai are considered as Small Farmers.
6. Janalakshmi Financial Services Private Limited, Bengaluru Scheduled Commercial Banks having any shortfall in
7. RGVN (North East) Microfinance Limited, Guwahati lending to priority sector shall be allocated amounts for
8. Suryoday Micro Finance Private Limited, Navi Mumbai contribution to the Rural Infrastructure Development
9. Ujjivan Financial Services Private Limited, Bengaluru Fund (RIDF) established with NABARD.
10.Utkarsh Micro Finance Private Limited, Varanasi. For Renewable Energy, bank loans up to a limit of Rs.15
crore to borrowers for purposes like solar based power
PRIORITY SECTOR LENDING generators, etc. For individual households, the loan limit
Highlights of PSL will be Rs.10 lakh per borrower.
It means provide credit to the needy sectors of the society. The For Housing, banks can provide loans to individuals up to
sectors are: Rs. 28 lakh in metropolitan centres (with population of ten
Agriculture Micro and Small Enterprises lakh and above) and loans up to Rs. 20 lakh in other
Education Housing centres for purchase/construction of a dwelling unit per
Export Weaker Sections family.
Social Infrastructure Renewable Energy Export credit will be allowed up to 32 percent of ANBC for
Foreign banks with less than 20 branches in India.
Targets under PSL For Education, banks can provide loans to individuals for
Agriculture: 18 percent of ANBC. Out of this 18 percent, a educational purposes including vocational courses upto
target of 8 percent of ANBC is for Small and Marginal Rs. 10 lakh for studies in India and Rs. 20 lakh for studies
Farmers, to be achieved in a phased manner i.e., 7 per cent abroad.
by March 2016 and 8 per cent by March 2017. Limits under Social infrastructure Bank loans up to a
Weaker Sections: 10 percent of ANBC. limit of 5 crore per borrower for building social
Micro Enterprises: 7.5 percent of ANBC has been infrastructure for activities namely schools, health care
prescribed for Micro Enterprises, to be achieved in a facilities, drinking water facilities and sanitation facilities
phased manner i.e. 7 percent by March 2016 and 7.5 in Tier II to Tier VI centres.
percent by March 2017.
Overall PSL Target for Domestic Bank/Foreign Bank with Monitoring of Priority Sector Lending targets
more than 20 Branches: 40 percent of Adjusted Net Bank To ensure continuous flow of credit to priority sector, there
Credit. will be more frequent monitoring of priority sector lending
Overall PSL Target for Foreign Bank with less than 20 compliance of banks on quarterly basis instead of annual
Branches: 40 percent of Adjusted Net Bank Credit to be basis as of now.
achieved in a phased manner-
2015-16 32 Non-achievement of Priority Sector targets
2016-17 34 Scheduled Commercial Banks having any shortfall in lending to
2017-18 36 priority sector shall be allocated amounts for contribution to
the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) established
2018-19 38
with NABARD and other Funds with NABARD/NHB/SIDBI, as
2019-20 40 decided by the Reserve Bank from time to time.
The interest rates on banks contribution to RIDF or any other
Categorization of MSME according to MSME ACT 2006 Funds, tenure of deposits, etc. shall be fixed by Reserve Bank of
Manufacturing Sector (Goods) India from time to time.

38
Expects GDP growth of 7.6 per cent for FY17, 7.4 per
RBI revises priority sector lending norms for RRBs cent with downward bias for FY16.
Seeing the growing significance of RRBs in pursuit of financial Have not factored in 7th pay panel recommendation in
inclusion agenda, it has been decided to revise the priority inflation target.
sector guidelines for RRBs. Continue to remain accommodative even if rates remain
Some of the salient features of the guidelines are as following:- unchange.
i. Targets: 75 per cent of total outstanding to the sectors Working with banks and government to ensure
eligible for classification as priority sector lending. identification of stressed assets.
ii. Categories of the Priority Sector: Medium Enterprises, RBI to create a special ecosystem for startup funding.
Social Infrastructure and Renewable Energy will form part Prospects for the rabi harvest are improving slowl.
of the Priority Sector, in addition to the existing categories, First bi-monthly monetary policy for 2016-17 on April 5.
with a cap of 15 per cent of total outstanding.
iii. Agriculture: 18% per cent of total outstanding should be Government notified mandatory quoting of PAN for
advanced to activities mentioned under Agriculture. cash transactions over Rs 2 lakh
iv. Small and Marginal Farmers: A target of 8 percent of The central government has made it a must to quote the
total outstanding has been prescribed for Small and permanent account number (PAN) for all transactions above
Marginal Farmers within Agriculture. Rs.2 lakh in a bid to curb black money. The monetary limits for
v. Micro Enterprises: A target of 7.5 per cent of total quoting PAN has raised to Rs. 10 lakh from Rs. 5 lakh for sale
outstanding has been prescribed for Micro Enterprises. or purchase of immovable property, to Rs 50,000 from Rs
vi. Weaker Sectors: A target of 15 per cent of total 25,000 in the case of one time hotel or restaurant bills and to
outstanding has been prescribed for Weaker Sections. Rs 1 lakh from Rs 50,000 for purchase or sale of shares of an
vii. Monitoring: Priority Sector Lending will be monitored on unlisted company.
a quarterly as well as annual basis. The government also made PAN mandatory for the purchase of
The revised guidelines will be operational with effect from cash or prepaid cards amounting to Rs.50,000 or more in year.
January 1, 2016. Gold jewellery purchase above Rs.2 lakh too would also need
PAN details. The current limit is Rs.5 lakh. All fixed deposits
with post offices, cooperative banks, Nidhis, non-banking
finance companies will also require PAN.
It will also be required under:
PAN should be quoted for purchase of bank drafts/ pay
orders/ banker's cheques exceeding Rs 50,000 on a single
day
Cash deposit exceeding Rs.50,000/- in a single day.
For purchase of foreign currency or cash payment related
to foreign travel exceeding Rs.50,000/-
Payment in excess of Rs 50,000 for purchase of mutual
fund units
For opening a demat account
Sixth Bi-monthly Monetary Policy Statement, 2015-16 Payment exceeding Rs.50,000 for purchase of RBI bonds
Payment exceeding Rs.50,000/- in a year as life insurance
RBI keeps key rates unchanged; looking the Union Budget premium
2016-17 for taking the next action
On the basis of an assessment of the current and evolving IMPORTANT OFFICIALS (GOVT OF INDIA &
macroeconomic situation, RBI has decided to: AUTONOMOUS BODIES)
keep the policy repo rate under the liquidity adjustment
facility (LAF) unchanged at 6.75 per cent; Attorney General of India Mukul Rohtagi
keep the cash reserve ratio (CRR) of scheduled banks Atomic Energy Commission, Shekhar Basu
unchanged at 4.0 per cent of net demand and time liability Chairman
(NDTL); Cabinet Secretary P.K. Sinha
continue to provide liquidity under overnight repos at 0.25 Comptroller and Auditor Shashi Kant Sharma
per cent of bank-wise NDTL at the LAF repo rate and General of India
liquidity under 14-day term repos as well as longer term
Chief Justice of India T.S. Thakur
repos of up to 0.75 per cent of NDTL of the banking system
C.B.I. Director Anil Kumar Sinha
through auctions; and
the reverse repo rate under the LAF will remain unchanged Election commission, Chief Nasim Zaidi
at 5.75 per cent, and the marginal standing facility (MSF) National Book Trust, Chairman Baldev Sharma
rate and the Bank Rate at 7.75 per cent. National Commission for Lalitha Kumaramanglam
Women, Chief
Important Key Points based on the review: National Commission for SC, P.L. Punia
Expects inflation to be around 5 per cent by March 2017. Chairman
National Commission for ST, Dr. Rameshwar Oraon

39
Chairman Chief of Army Staff General Dalbir Singh
National commission for Naseem Ahmad Suhag
Minorities Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Arup
National Human Rights Justice Cyriac Joseph Raha
Commission, Chairman (Acting) Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Robin K. Dhowan
Reserve Bank of India, Raghuram G. Rajan
Governor All about Australian Open 2016
Space Commission, Chairman A.S. Kiran Kumar
Securities and Exchange Board U.K. Sinha The 2016 Australian Open was a tennis tournament that took
of India (SEBI), Chairman place at Melbourne Park, Victoria, Australia between 18-31
Solicitor General of India Ranjit Kumar January 2016. It was the 104th edition of the Australian Open,
U.P.S.C., Chairman Deepak Gupta and the first Grand Slam tournament of the year. The
UGC., Chairman Prof. Ved Prakash tournament consisted of events for professional players in
Prasar Bharti Board, Chairman Dr. A. Surya Prakash singles, doubles and mixed doubles play. Junior and wheelchair
players competed in singles and doubles tournaments.
National Security Adviser Ajit Kumar Doval
Central Vigilance K.V. Chowdary
List of winner of 2016 Australian Open as follow:-
Commissioner
1. Men's Singles : N. Djokovic defeated Andy Murray
Chief Information R.K. Mathur 2. Men's Doubles : J. Murray / B. Soares defeated Daniel Nestor
Commissioner / Radek Stepanek
Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog Arvind Panagariya 3. Women's Singles : A. Kerber defeated Serena Williams
Chairman, 14th Finance Y.V. Reddy 4. Women's Doubles : M. Hingis / S. Mirza defeated Andrea
Commission Hlavkov / Lucie Hradeck,
Secretary General of Lok Sabha Anoop Mishra 5. Mixed Doubles : Russia Elena Vesnina / Brazil Bruno Soares
Secretary General of Rajya Shumsher K. Sheriff defeated United States Coco Vandeweghe / Romania Horia
Sabha Tecu
CURRENT AFFAIRS INJECTIONS (1ST -10TH FEBRUARY 2016)

Banking News State Bank of India has launched its "SBI FlexiPay Home
Loan" aimed at youngsters with a rising income. The loan
The Reserve Bank of India said that it has cancelled the allows takers the option of only paying the interest on the
certificate of registration of four non-banking financial loan for the first years.
companies. No details were given by the apex bank for The government will infuse about Rs.5,000 crore capital
cancellation of the certificates of these firms. Those in the public sector undertaking (PSU) banks in the
NBFCs are current fiscal to strengthen their balance sheet.
1. Goyal Commercial Pvt Ltd.
2. Debt Management Co. of India Ltd. Indian Economy in News
3. Nostalgia Finvest Private Limited.
4. Narad Realtors Private Limited. Capital market regulator SEBI has set up a task force to
Loans worth about Rs1 lakh crore have been sanctioned review the risk management norms for national-level
to small entrepreneurs under the Pradhan Mantri commodity bourses following the suspension of
MUDRA Yojana. futures trading for castor seed on NCDEX.
Corporation Bank has signed a memorandum of Finance Ministry now has an official YouTube Channel,
understanding (MoU) with Universal Sompo General which is expected to disseminate information about the
Insurance Co Ltd for providing accident death coverage official events. The Channel will feature videos on the
to its savings bank account holders under Corp Signature, major schemes, events, meetings, press conferences and
Corp Super and Corp Saral category. According to this pact other exclusive videos relating to the Ministry.
the bank provides free personal accident death cover of In continuation with Prime Minister Narendra Modis
Rs.10 lakh to its Corp Signature and Rs. 5 lakh to its Corp startup India mission, BSE Institute Ltd, a wholly owned
Super account holders. subsidiary of BSE Ltd, has launched a new accelerator for
State Bank of India has tied up with Thomas Cook to start-ups.This accelerator is set up by BSE Institute in
offer online customers recurring deposits that help them collaboration with Ryerson Futures Inc (Toronto), the
save toward an `inflation proof' holiday. technical arm of Ryerson University from Ontario, Canada.

40
BSE and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) global brand valuation firm, the company said on
have partnered to develop a corporate governance score Wednesday.
card. The score card seeks to help companies assay their Billionaire Anil Ambani-owned Reliance Entertainment
corporate governance performances against national or today announced a joint venture with film-maker
international-benchmarked practices. Using the scorecard, producer duo Neeraj Pandey and Shital Bhatias
companies can identify areas of further improvement and Filworks for production of movies.
track progress over time. Alphabet, the company that owns Google, has overtaken
The National Pension System now has 1.15 crore rival Apple in Mondays extended trading to become the
subscribers, each with an average Rs. 95,000 of assets highest valued company in the world. Alphabet now
under management. The total assets under management comes before Apple atop the list of the worlds most
are worth Rs. 1,09,140 crore while assets under valuable companies.
management per subscriber is Rs. 95,000 on an average, Three major Indian IT companies Infosys, Tata
said the Finance Ministry , adding that the total corpus of Consultancy Services and Wipro have joined US
the National Pension System (NPS) is Rs. 90, 327 crore. President Barack Obama's ambitious 'computer science
The scheme has 16,11,020 Central government employees for all' initiative as part of a public-private collaboration,
as subscribers, amounting to 14.1 per cent of its total pledging thousands of dollars in grants.
member base. They have a total corpus of Rs. 34,754 crore The CCEA under chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra
Union Health and Family Welfare Minister JP Nadda on 1 Modi approved Rajasthan Electronics and Instruments
February 2016 awarded the certificate of Miniratna Limited (REIL) of Jaipur to delink from its parent
Category-I status to Hospital Services Consultancy company Instrumentation Limited (IL) and turn into an
Corporation (I) Ltd (HSCC). The honour was awarded to independent Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE)
its CMD Gyanesh Pandey at Nirman Bhawan in New Delhi. under Department of Heavy Industry.
The World Bank Board on 29 January 2016 approved a 35 Central Institute of Plastic Engineering and Technology
million US dollars credit for the Citizen Access to (CIPET), under the Union Ministry of Chemicals and
Responsive Services Project.The Project will improve Fertilizers signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
access to selected public services for the people of Madhya with Karnataka Government to set up Advanced Polymer
Pradesh (MP) and particularly those belonging to deprived Design and Development Research Laboratory cum High
groups. Learning Centre at Bengaluru.
Union Ministry of Shipping exported a batch of six Mahindra Asset Management Company (AMC) received
metro coaches to Australia from Mumbai. The shipment Securities and Exchange Board of Indias (SEBIs) approval
was made as part of a deal with Australian government to to manage the Mahindra Mutual Fund. Mahindra AMC is
export 450 made-in-India coaches in two and a half year a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mahindra & Mahindra
period. The coaches were made in Baroda Financial Services (MMFS), a part of the Anand Mahindra-
manufacturing plant. It created a history in the India's led Mahindra group.
manufacturing sector in exports as it is first of its kind.
Business News
CAMS, the leading services solutions provider for fund

houses, has launched Aadhaar-based eKYC (know your
customer) using OTP (one-time password) authentication
to make mutual fund (MF) account opening and
transactions a paperless and presence less process
through my CAMS at www.camsonline.com.
Reliance Infrastructure (RInfra) has signed a share
purchase agreement with Birla Corporation, Reliance
Infrastructure Ltd has agreed to sell its cement assets
to Birla Corp. Ltd for Rs.4,800 crore. Birla Corporation
will acquire the 100 per cent shareholding of RInfra in
RCCPL.
Reliance Group Chairman Anil Ambani announced the
establishment of Dhirubhai Ambani Centre for
Innovation and Research in Aerospace at Whitefield in
Bengaluru.
National News
Mobile messaging app WhatsApp said it has crossed the
one billion user milestone globally with the addition of
100 million users in last five months. The Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
India's top multinational IT Company Tata Consultancy has decided to set up the National Organic Farming
Services has been rated as the world's most powerful Research Institute (NOFRI) in Sikkim.
brand in Information Technology Services by a leading The Union Ministry of Urban Development approved
projects worth more than Rs.12 crore for improving

41
tourist infrastructure in heritage locations in Amaravati The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority
in Andhra Pradesh and Warangal in Telangana. (HFEA) of United Kingdom granted license to the Francis
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated a Crick Institute to use new gene editing techniques on
petrochemical project in Lepetkata in Dibrugarh human embryos. Under the license, the institute will be
(Assam), which is the first such project of North- allowed to genetically modify human embryos for research
East. The project has been named as Brahmaputra purposes in order to better understand infertility and
Cracker and Polymer Ltd (BCPL). It has been built at miscarriage issues.
cost of 10000-crore rupees and shall be producing raw The French Senate on unanimously passed a law to ban
material for manufacturing plastic. large food stores from throwing away food that is
Prime Minister Modi dedicated wax producing unit in approaching its expiration date. With this, France has
Numaligarh Refinery Limited to the nation in Assam. It is become the first country in the world to ban
Indias highest wax producing unit and shall be using supermarkets from throwing away or destroying
indigenous technology. unsold food, forcing them instead to donate it to charities
The 30th edition of the Surajkund International Crafts and food banks.
Mela began at Surajkund in Faridabad, Haryana on 1 Bangladesh Cabinet approved the draft of a proposed
February 2016. The first edition of the Surajkund Crafts Citizenship Law, 2016 that was framed by amalgamating
Mela was hosted in 1987. Every year a theme State and a two existing laws and expanding scopes for dual
Partner Nation is chosen. Theme State is chosen with a citizenship for expatriate Bangladeshi nationals. The new
view to promote and focus the art, craft and cuisine of the Law was proposed by amending the existing the
theme State whereas Partner Nation is chosen to Citizenship Act 1951 and consolidating it with the
showcases the best of that nations art, culture, traditions Bangladesh Citizenship Temporary Provisions Order 1972
and heritage. to help future citizens in the complex immigration world.
Union government launched the 24x7 Toll Free Tourist
Infoline in 12 International Languages including Hindi States in News
and English in New Delhi. The languages handled by the
contact centers include ten International languages Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare J P Nadda has
besides English and Hindi, namely, Arabic, French, launched Project Sunrise on for prevention of AIDS
German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Portuguese, specially among people injecting drugs in the 8 North-
Russian and Spanish. This Infoline service will provide Eastern states. The AIDS prevention special project aims to
information relating to Travel and Tourism in India to the diagnose 90 per cent of such drug addicts with HIV and
domestic and International tourists or visitors. put them under treatment by 2020.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Paradip The Himachal Pradesh Government has decided to spend
Oil Refinery in Odisha. It is Indian Oil Corporation 15 crore rupees on Swachh Bharat Mission in tribal
Limiteds 11th refinery. district of Kinnaur.
The Indian government has sanctioned Rs.580 crore for Keralas all-women taxicab service She-Taxi received the
the vital rail link. As it expected to complete the work on prestigious Chief Minister's Award for Innovation in Public
the 15-km-long rail line to connect Agartala with Akhaura Policy 2014 in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. It was
in that country by 2017. Of the 15 km railway track, 10 km selected for the recognition in the developmental
falls in the Bangladesh side and the rest in India. interventions category.
Union Ministry of state for Petroleum and Natural gas Maharashtra Government rolled out a de-radicalisation
(MoPNG) has released the Hydrocarbon Vision 2030 for programme for the minority community. The programme
north-east India. was launched to face the challenges of both home-grown
extremism and global Islamic State (IS) threat.
International News The Government of Odisha decided to extend the Aahar
scheme to 29 districts in the State.
Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe declared a state Maharashtra Cabinet announced Bharatratna Dr.
of disaster in rural parts of the country hit by a drought. Babasaheb Ambedkar Special Collective Incentive Scheme
World Health Organisation (WHO) declared Public for the economically backward Dalit entrepreneurs.
Health Emergency of International Concern over the Union Railway Ministry signed Memorandum of
explosive spread of the mosquito-borne Zika virus, which Understanding (MoU) with Chhattisgarh Government for
is linked to birth defects in the Americas. formation of Joint Venture Companies for development of
The European Union (EU) approved 3.3 billion Euros in railway infrastructure in the state.
funding to help Turkey cope with the issue of Syrian The Odisha government lifted the restrictions on visit of
migrants. At present, Turkey is home to around 3 million foreign tourists to certain tribal areas in the State. The ban
Syrians who fled the country since the beginning of the was lifted after three years.
civil war in 2011. Manufacturers in Kerala should come out with more value-
World Health Organisation (WHO) recommended all added products if they want to compete in the global
governments to rate movies with smoking scenes to market, Minister for Public Works VK Ebrahim Kunju
protect children and adolescents from tobacco addiction in has said. Inaugurating the three-day Kerala Business-to-
Geneva. Business Meet 2016 at the CIAL Trade Fair & Exhibition
Centre in Nedumbassery.

42
Central government will spend Rs 1 lakh crore for Datta Padsalgikar: Senior IPS officer Datta Padsalgikar
development of road infrastructure in Karnataka. In was appointed as the Commissioner of Police of Mumbai.
addition to this, Rs 200 crore will be spent on He succeeds Ahmed Javed, who was appointed as
developing four light houses in the state in PPP mode. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia.
Justice Ramayyagari Subhash Reddy was appointed as
National Appointments Chief Justice of the Gujarat high Court with effect from the
date he assumes charge of his office.
Brijbhushan Sharan Singh: Wrestling Federation of India Mukesh Ambani and Sam Pitroda: Reliance Industries
(WFI) Chief Brijbhushan Sharan Singh has been chairman and managing director (CMD) Mukesh Ambani
appointed as the president of the South Asian Wrestling and Sam Pitroda were elected to be members of the
Federation (SAWF). National Academy of Engineering (NAE). It is a non-
Dr. R K Pachauri & Dr. Ajay Mathur: The Governing profit organisation based in the United States of America.
Council of TERI has appointed Dr. R K Pachauri as the
Executive Vice Chairman with immediate effect," a TERI International Appointments
official said. "Dr. Ajay Mathur has joined as Director
General of TERI. Vishal Mehta, A 34-year-old Indian-origin man based in
Gurdeep Singh: has taken charge as the Chairman and Singapore was today appointed President of the newly-
Managing Director of NTPC. Singh, who was earlier formed International Grown Diamond Association
Managing Director of Gujarat State Electricity Corporation (IGDA).
Ltd. He replaces Arup Roy Choudhury, who retired from Major General Jai Shanker Menon of the Indian Army, a
the post on August 31, 2015 veteran of peacekeeping operations, has been appointed
Parameshwaran Iyer: The government has appointed as the head of a key United Nations force stationed in
World Banks water and sanitation specialist, Golan to maintain the ceasefire between Israeli and
Parameshwaran Iyer, as the new Secretary of the Drinking Syrian forces.
Water and Sanitation Department. Army Lieutenant General John Nicholson was
Aruna Sethi, the Principal Adviser (Cost), took over appointed as the commander of the NATO forces in
charge as the head of Indian Cost Accounts Service Afghanistan. He succeeded US General John Campbell
(ICoAS). With this appointment, she became the first who has been leading the Afghan operations for nearly 18
woman to occupy the post. months.
DJ Pandian: Former chief secretary of Gujarat DJ Pandian
was appointed vice-president and chief investment officer Awards and Recognition:
of the newly-created Asian Infrastructure Investment
Bank (AIIB). Manipuri documentary film Phum-Shang bagged the
Jai Kumar Garg: The Union Government appointed Jai prestigious Golden Conch Award for the best
Kumar Garg as Managing Director (MD) and Chief documentary film at the 14th Mumbai International Film
Executive Officer (CEO) of Corporation Bank for a period Festival for Documentary, Animation and Short Films
of three years. Garg took charge of the public sector bank (MIFF 2016). The film is directed by Haobam Paban
on 1 February 2016, succeeding S R Bansal, who Kumar, an alumnus of the Satyajit Ray Film & Television
superannuated from services as CMD on 31 January 2016. Institute, Kolkata
HL Samariya: a 1985 batch IAS officer from the Telangana Sarangi maestro Pandit Ram Narayan has been chosen
cadre, has been given additional charge as Central for the prestigious Bharat Ratna Pandit Bhimsen Joshi
Provident Fund Commissioner (CPFC), for three months classical music award for 2015-2016.
or till the appointment of a regular incumbent or till Indian film-maker Kanu Behl directorial Titli bagged the
further orders, a release said. Best First Foreign Film Award conferred by the French
Saroj Kumar Jha: An Indian national Saroj Kumar Jha was Syndicate of Cinema Critics 2016 (FSCC).
in news as he was appointed as the Senior Director for the Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was selected for the
Fragility, Conflict and Violence Group at the World Bank. prestigious K Veeramani Award for Social Justice 2015.
Archana Ramasundram: Tamil Nadu Cadre IPS officer Kumar is chosen for the award for his contribution
Archana Ramasundram was appointed as the Director towards social justice as Chief Minister.
General of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) that guards Veteran wildlife filmmaker Naresh Bedi was honoured
India's frontiers with Nepal and Bhutan. with the V Shantaram Lifetime Achievement Award at
S N Prasad: has taken over as Director (Marketing), Coal the 14th edition of the Mumbai International Festival for
India Ltd, from February 1. According to a CIL release, Documentary, Short and Animation Films (MIFF 2016).
Prasad has succeeded B K Saxena, who has retired. Indian writer Geetu Mohandas won Sundance Institute
Global Filmmaking Award 2016 for her script of yet-to-be
Muktesh Kumar Pardeshi: Senior IFS officer Muktesh shot film Insha Allah. The award was presented at 2016
Kumar Pardeshi was appointed as Indias Ambassador to Sundance Film Festival Awards Ceremony held in Park
Mexico. City, Utah.
Kamlesh Kumar Pandey: was appointed as the Chief Amitabh Harivansh Bachchan was presented with the
Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities (CCPD) for a lifetime achievement award in New Delhi. He received the
period of three years.

43
honour at NDTV Indian of the Year Awards for his sought investment in sectors like road, highways, oil & gas,
contribution to the film industry. urban infrastructure and railways.
The Chettinad cotton saree won the India Handloom tag Renowned dancer-choreographer and speaker Dr Ananda
for its unique designs and identity. The Ministry Shankar Jayant will address the high-profile India
authorised the Amarar Rajiv Gandhi Handloom Conference at Harvard in USA this week. Ananda is a
Weavers Cooperative Society, which produced the Sangeet Natak Akademi awardee and a motivational
sarees, to use the brand and logo for marketing the speaker with a popular talk at TED. She is a career Indian
product. Railway Services Officer.
The Revenant director Alejandro Gonzalez was received The Mangaluru-based MSNM Besant Institute of
his second consecutive Directors Guild of America (DGA) Postgraduate Management Studies will conduct a
award for best feature film at the 68th annual DGA conference on Make in India on February 5.
Awards. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will arrive at Kozhikode
The Government of India has announced the Prime early this afternoon to open the 'vision conclave of the
Ministers Shram Awards for the year 2014. The award Global Ayurveda Fest.
will be awarded to 54 workers employed in the Supporting Syria and the Region Conference 2016 was
Departmental Undertakings and Public Sector. The held in London. The objective of the conference was to
award has been given in recognition of their distinguished discuss issues related to the over 5-year old civil war in
performances, innovative abilities, outstanding Syria and measures to mitigate the humanitarian conflict
contribution in the field of productivity and exhibition of faced by the country and the region as a whole. The
exceptional courage and presence of mind. conference was co-hosted by Germany, Kuwait, Norway,
1. Shram Ratna the highest Award among the Shram the United Kingdom and the United Nations and saw the
Awards and carries the cash award of Rs.2 Lakhs along participation of over 60 countries.
with a Sanad. For the year 2014, the prestigious Shram President Pranab Mukherjee hosted a two-day Conference
Ratna Award has not been awarded to anyone as of Governors at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi.
screening committee did not consider any nominee It is the fourth Conference to be presided over by
eligible for the award. President Mukherjee and 47th such Conference to be held
2. Shram Bhushan: The total numbers of Shram Bhushan in Rashtrapati Bhavan. 23 Governors and 2 Lieutenant
Awardees are 9. It carries a cash award of Rs.1 Lakhs and a Governors will attend the Conference.
Sanad. The Nine nominations were found suitable for the
Shram Bhushan Award for the year 2014 in respect of Exercise & Operations
Public Sector Undertaking and Private Sector.
3. Shram Vir/Shram Veerangana: The total numbers of The border troops of India and China have held their first
Shram Vir/Shram Veerangana Awardees are 19. It carries joint tactical exercise codenamed Sino-India Cooperation
a cash award of Rs. 60,000/- and a Sanad. 2016 in Chushul-Moldo area along with the northern
4. And the total numbers of Shram Shree/Shram Devi border in Jammu and Kashmir.
Awardee are 26. It carries a cash award of Rs. 40,000/- The term Cobra Gold was in news on 3 February 2016 as
and a Sanad. India confirmed its participation in the annual amphibious
military exercise in 2016. The decision in this regard was
conveyed to Thailand, the host country, during Vice
President Hamid Ansaris visit to the country.
The 9th edition of India-Nepal Combined Military
Exercise Surya Kiran IX has commenced at Pithoragarh
district of Uttarakhand.
The International Fleet Review (IFR) 2016, an
international military exercise hosted and conducted by
Indian Navy was inaugurated in Visakhapatnam, Andhra
Pradesh. Theme of this edition on IFR is United through
Oceans and its objective is to enhance mutual trust and
confidence with neighbouring navies by inviting their
ships to participate in the event. The last IFR conducted by
the Indian Navy in 2001 in Mumbai, Maharashtra in which
Summits and Conferences navies of 29 countries from across the globe had
participated.
India will host the first-ever global maritime summit in
April 2016. Sports News
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley inaugurates the two-day
India Investment Summit in New Delhi, which is aimed Indias ace squash player Joshna Chinappa has won the
at attracting long-term foreign investors into the gold medal in womens individual category at the 12th
infrastructure sector. Opening the two-day India South Asian Games (SAG). With this she became first
Investment Summit 2016, the minister highlighted Indian squash player to win individual gold medal in
opportunities the country presents to investors and 2016 SAG.

44
Indian wrestlers simply grabbed, scooping 14 gold Chinese technology company ZTE has inked a pact with
medals out of a total 16 on offer as the wrestling the Andhra Pradesh government to work on smart city
competition in the 12th South Asian Games. projects in the state.
New Zealand won the three-match Chappell-Hadlee The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) signed two
Trophy of cricket against Australia, 2-1. bilateral Advance Pricing Agreements (APAs) with United
Brendon Barrie McCullum (New Zealand) retired from Kingdom. With this signing, CBDT has concluded three
One-Day Internationals (ODIs). bilateral APAs the first one being a bilateral APA
The National School Athletics championship began on signed with Japan in December 2014.
January 29 and concluded yesterday, i.e on February 2. Canadian Provinces of Prince Edward Island (PEI) and
Kerala emerged as the overall winner for the 19th Ontario inked Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) in
consecutive time. The national School Athletics Chandigarh.
championship was held at Olympian Rahman Stadium in All twelve Pacific Rim countries signed the US-led
Kozhikode, Kerala. Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement in New
India Under-19 opener Rishabh Pant had the fastest Zealand. This is one of the biggest trade deals in history.
recorded U-19 international century comfortably in his The agreement was signed by Australia, Brunei, Canada,
sights when he was dismissed for 78 off 24 balls, having Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru,
blown Nepal Under-19 away in a small chase. Singapore, the United States of America and Vietnam.
Brazilian racing driver Pietro Fittipaldi clinched the India and Brunei signed 3 Memorandums of
2015-16 MRF Challenge Formula 2000 at Madras Motor Understanding (MoUs) to deepen bilateral cooperation.
Racing Track in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu. The MoUs were signed in Brunei capital Bandar Seri
The International Swimming Federation (FINA) Begawan during the Vice President Hamid Ansaris 3-day
announced that the Japanese city of Fukuoka will host the visit to the country. The MoUs are in Healthy Cooperation,
2021 World Aquatics Championships. On the other hand, defecnce cooperation, and cooperation in youth and
the Qatari capital Doha will host the 2023 event. sports affairs.
Aditya Mehta won the 83rd Senior National Snooker National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF)
Championship in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. Ltd. signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with
Ace Indian shuttler Kidambi Srikanth won the Men's RUSNANO OJSC of Russia. The MoU was to set-up Russia-
Singles title of the Syed Modi International Badminton India High Technology Private Equity Fund for joint
Championships 2016. In the final played in Lucknow. implementation of investments into projects in India.
World Number One Novak Djokovic won the Australian India and Afghanistan inked a pact for visa-free travel
Open Mens Singles title. In the final played at Melbourne, by their diplomats.
the Serbian defeated Andy Murray of Britain in straight Indias the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)
sets 6-1, 7-5, 7-6. and United States Technical Development Agency (USTDA)
Former Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag was were signed the grant agreement for India Aviation Safety
appointed as mentor of the Kings XI Punjab team for Technical Assistance Phase II in New Delhi.
season 9 of Indian Premier League (IPL).In his new role, India through the Department of Biotechnology, Ministry
Sehwag will work along with head coach Sanjay Bangar of Science and Technology signed a Cooperation
and would be responsible for guiding and motivating the Agreement to acquire the status of the Associate Member
squad. State European Molecular Biology Organisation
Sapna Devi clinched gold for India in the women Wushu (EMBO).The agreement will strengthen scientific
Taulu (Changquan) Competition of the 12th South interaction and collaborative research between India and
Asian Games held at the Rising Sun Sports Complex, Europe in this field.
Assam Rifles, Laitkor in Shillong.
Virat Kohli was rewarded for his stupendous Books and Authors
performance in India's clean sweep against Australia in The book titled Nathuram Godse - The Story of an
the T20 internationals as he replaced Aaron Finch as the Assassin authored by Anup Ashok Sardesai.
top-ranked batsman in the ICC list for the shortest format.
The hallowed Lord's will host the final of the Women's Science & Technology
Cricket World Cup in 2017.
India and the National Aeronautics and Space
Trade and Agreements Administration (NASA) entered into a partnership to
explore the environment of Ladakh under NASAs
India and Sri Lanka signed two memorandum of Spaceward Bound programme.
understanding (MoUs) in the health sector and renovation North Koreas National Aerospace Development
of schools. Under the MoU on health, India will construct a Administration (NADA) launched the Kwangmyongsong-
surgical unit at the Batticaloa Teaching Hospital in the 4 satellite. The satellite was launched on-board the
island nation's Eastern province and supply medical Kwangmyongsong-4 rocket from the Sohae Space Center
equipment. In the second MoU, India will aid in the in Cholsan County, North Phyongan Province.
renovation of 27 schools in the Northern Province. The US space agency NASA announced that the first flight
Haryana and the Province of Ontario in Canada signed of its new rocket, the Space Launch System (SLS),
an MoU aimed at enhancing commercial and cultural ties.

45
carrying 13 CubeSats and an uncrewed Orion Spacecraft helicopters. To boost its surveillance and search, and
will be launched in 2018. rescue capabilities. In this regard, the maritime security
Indian biotechnology company Bharat Biotech claimed will sign a contract with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
that it has achieved a breakthrough in developing a (HAL) to procure 16 Advanced Light Helicopters (ALHs) in
vaccine to fight the mosquito-borne Zika virus. Bharat the next three - four months.
Biotech developed worlds first, two promising The worlds oldest aircraft carrier, INS Viraat, is all set to
candidates ZikaVac vaccines for Zika infection. The be converted into a luxury hotel to attract tourists once it
company is probably the first in the world to file for is decommissioned from service in June this year. The
global patent for the two vaccines. One of the possible Defence Ministry has given its nod to a proposal from
vaccines is recombinant, which means it is created by Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation
genetic engineering, while the other was inactivated, and (APTDC) to convert the Centaur-class aircraft carrier
will enter pre-clinical trials in animals in two weeks. into a hotel-cum-museum.
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)
launched the BGR-34, the country's first anti-diabetic
ayurvedic drug for Diabetes. BGR is acronym for blood
glucose regulator. The ayurvedic drug BGR-34 was
launched at Kozhikode, Kerala by CSIR's Senior Principal
Scientist Dr AKS Rawat as part of the Global Ayurveda
Festival in the city.
Dr Harsh Vardhan, the Union Minister for Science,
Technology and Earth Sciences inaugurated the
construction work of Borehole Geophysics Research
Laboratory (BGRL) at Hazarmachi, Karad of
Maharashtra. BGRL is being developed at Karad to
understand and address the challenges of the
seismological problems (natural calamities) of societal
relevance in the Koyna Region through drilling
investigation.
An international team of scientists (biologists) discovered
a new species of hydroid polyps emitting green
fluorescence in the Red Sea. These polyps were found to Obituaries
be emitting light in the night in association with the
gastropod Nassarius margaritifer. These hydroid polyps Muqtida Hasan Nida Fazli has taken his last breath on
also called hydrozoas. 8th Feb. He was an Indian Hindi and Urdu poet.
Sushil Koirala Nepal's former Prime Minister Sushil
Committees Koirala passed away at his resident.
Sudhir Tailang Famous political cartoonist Sudhir
Supreme Court appointed a committee under former Tailang, passed away in Gurgaon, Haryana.
Chief Justice RM Lodha to sell assets of Pearls Agrotech NASA Astronaut Edgar Mitchell, who was the sixth man
Corporation Ltd (PACL) and refund 49 thousand crore to walk on the Moon, died in West Palm Beach, Florida.
rupees to the investors. The investors invested in the S.S. Tarapore, former deputy governor of the Reserve
firms collective investment scheme (CIS) that was deemed Bank of India (RBI) and a noted economist, passed away in
illegal by the Securities and Exchange Board of India Mumbai.
(SEBI). Balram Jakhar Veteran Congress leader and former Lok
Batting great Rahul Dravid has been named in ICCs Sabha Speaker Balram Jakhar passed away in New Delhi
newly appointed Anti-Corruption Oversight Group as part on Wednesday. He was 92. Jakhar served as Speaker of
of the recommendation from its Integrity Working Party of Lok Sabha from 1980 to 1989 during which he contributed
the parent body. to the establishment of Parliament Museum.
The government has set up two new committees -- Tax Kotikalapudi Venkata Krishna Rao Former Army Chief
Policy Research Unit and Tax Policy Council in order to General Kotikalapudi Venkata Krishna Rao passed away in
bring coherence and streamline the direct and indirect tax New Delhi following a cardiac arrest. He was the 14th
policy and administration. Led by the Finance Minister, Chief of the Army Staff of Indian Army.
the Tax Policy Council would suggest broad policy Terry Wogan British television and radio personality
measures for taxation based on inputs from the Tax Policy Terry Wogan died of cancer in Buckinghamshire, United
Research Unit (TPRU). Kingdom. He was 77.
Renowned American singer-songwriter Dan Hicks passed
Defence News away after a two-year long battle with throat and liver
cancer in California.
The Indian Coast Guard has proposed to induct 38 more .
aircraft and helicopters into its fleet by 2020. The CG at Important Days
present has a fleet strength of 62 airplanes and

46
10 February: The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare 25,200 youths (of which 32 per cent were women)
today launched the first 'National Deworming Day' -a belonging to the economically weaker sections.
massive school-based deworming effort in twelve states. As per the report compiled and published by Internet and
National Deworming Day is a groundbreaking initiative Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) and Indicus Analytics
focused on reducing the threat of parasitic worm Maharashtra has topped in terms of the overall Internet
infections, a widespread health issue affecting over 241 readiness index. Karnataka, Gujarat, Telengana and Tamil
million children in India alone. Nadu followed in the tally.
6 February: International Day of Zero Tolerance for
Female Genital Mutilation Insurance Awareness
4 February: World Cancer Day (WCD) 2016 was observed
across the world on 4 February 2016. The day was Introduction
observed with years theme We can. I can. 1) The insurance industry of India consists of 52 insurance
2 February: The World Wetlands Day was observed on 2 companies of which 24 are in life insurance business and 28
February 2016 across the globe to mark the adoption of are non-life insurers.
the Convention on Wetlands in the city of Ramsar in Iran 2) Among the life insurers, Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) is
in 1971. The theme of World Wetlands Day this year the sole public sector company. Apart from that, among the
is Wetlands for our Future Sustainable Livelihoods. non-life insurers there are six public sector insurers.
3) In addition to these, there is sole national re-insurer,
namely, General Insurance Corporation of India.
Miscellaneous
4) There are two more specialised insurers belonging to
public sector, namely, Export Credit Guarantee
In a maiden initiative, a squad of 162 dogs is being raised Corporation of India for Credit Insurance and Agriculture
by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to aid its Insurance Company Ltd for crop insurance.
personnel in rescuing people trapped under debris in the
aftermath of natural calamities like earthquake. The following are some of the major investments and
The Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB) has developments in the Indian insurance sector.
ordered Chennai based Geographical Indications Registry
a) Life Insurance Corp of India (LIC) has earmarked a total of
(GIR) to issue Geographical Indication tag for basmati around Rs 1 trillion (US$ 16.12 billion) for investments in
rice. bonds, including non-convertible debentures (NCDs),
Vice President Hamid Ansari reached Thailand on a three- certificates of deposit (CDs), commercial papers (CPs) and
day visit during which he will hold discussions on a range collateralized borrowing and lending obligations (CBLOs), with
of issues with the country's top leadership to boost
primary focus on infrastructure and real estate.
bilateral ties. b) Kotak Mahindra Bank became the first bank to get the
Vietnam formally lifted the ban on import of Indian permission from Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to set up a
Groundnut. With the decision, India will be able to resume wholly-owned non-life insurance company.
export after nine months.
The place Sonadia Island was in news. It was in news
INTRODUCTION
because, as per newspaper reports, Bangladesh cancelled
1) Insurance is an agreement in which a person makes regular
Chinas proposal to develop a deep sea port on the island
payments to a company and the company promises to pay
that lies in the Bay of Bengal.
money if the person is injured or dies, or to pay money equal to
The Operation Rahaat came in news in second week of
the value of something (such as a house or car) if it is damaged,
February 2016 after the Royal Navy of United Kingdom
lost, or stolen or a risk-transfer mechanism that ensures full or
(UK) presented its desire to officially study Indias
partial financial compensation for the loss or damage caused
humanitarian rescue operation in Yemen.
by event(s) beyond the control of the insured party.
The United Nations Postal Administration (UNPA)
2) Under an insurance contract, a party (the insurer)
unveiled a set of six commemorative stamps to promote
indemnifies the other party (the insured) against a specified
UN Free & Equal, a global United Nations campaign for
amount of loss, occurring from specified eventualities within a
lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) equality.
specified period, provided a fee called premium is paid.
The new stamps, which celebrate the diversity of the LGBT
3) Insurance, however, provides protection only against
community, mark the first time the United Nations has
tangible losses. It cannot ensure continuity of business, market
issued stamps with this theme. The colourful stamps
share, or customer confidence, and cannot provide knowledge,
were designed by artist and UNPA art directorSergio
skills, or resources to resume the operations after a disaster.
Baradat.
4) With the establishment of the Oriental Life Insurance
The first machine harvestable chickpea variety, NBeG
Company in Kolkata, the business of Indian life insurance
47 was released in Andhra Pradesh on 4 February 2016. It
started in the year 1818.
was released by International Crops Research Institute for
the Semi-Arid-Tropics (ICRISAT).
Important milestones in the Indian Life insurance busin
The ICICI academy and the RSETIs will train close to
1912: The Indian Life Assurance Companies Act came into
45,000 candidates in the 2017 fiscal and take the total
force for regulating the life insurance business.
number of trained youth to over a lakh. The academy has
1928: The Indian Insurance Companies Act was enacted for
in the last two years (since inception in 2013) trained
enabling the government to collect statistical information on
both life and non-life insurance businesses.
47
1938: The earlier legislation consolidated the Insurance Act Who are Third Party Administrators?
with the aim of safeguarding the interests of the insuring a) Third Party Administrators or TPAs are a vital link between
public. health insurance companies, policyholders and health care
1956: 245 Indian and foreign insurers and provident providers.
societies were taken over by the central government and they b) The TPAs maintain databases of policy holders and issue
got nationalized. LIC was formed by an Act of Parliament, viz. them identity cards with unique identification numbers and
LIC Act, 1956. It started off with a capital of Rs. 5 crore and that handle all the post policy issues including claim settlements.
too from the Government of India.
What is Mortality Charge?
Life Insurance Corporation Mortality Charge is the amount charged every year by the
Life Insurance in India was nationalized by incorporating Life insurer to provide the life cover to the policyholder on the life
Insurance Corporation (LIC) in 1956. All private life insurance of the Life Insured. It is also called as Cost of Insurance.
companies at that time were taken over by LIC. In 1993, the
Government of India appointed RN Malhotra Committee to lay Who is an Agent?
down a road map for privatization of the life insurance sector. An Agent is a person who is licensed by state to sell Insurance.
The Agents serve as an intermediary between the insurance
Independent Regulatory Body - IRDAI company and the insured.
Insurance sector has been opened up for competition from Captive Agent Agent sell Insurance of a specific Company.
Indian private insurance company with the enactment of Independent Agent Agent who works independently and
Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority Act, 1999 sells Insurance of many companies.
(IRDA Act). As per the provisions of IRDA Act, 1999, Insurance
Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA) was What is Annuity?
established on 19th April 2000 to protect the interests of A long-term contract sold by an insurance company designed
holder of insurance policy and to regulate, promote and ensure to provide payments to the holder at specified intervals,
orderly growth of the insurance industry. usually after retirement.
Insurance Repository in India What is AD&D in Insurance?

The Insurance Repository in India is a database of insurance AD&D in Insurance refers to Accidental Death and
policies. It allows policy holders to make revisions to a policy Dismemberment Insurance. It is a policy that pays benefits to
with speed and accuracy. It launched on 16 September 2013. It the beneficiary if the cause of death is an accident. This is a
is the world's first of its kind. India's Insurance Regulatory and limited form of life insurance which is generally less expensive.
Development Authority had issued licenses to five entities to
act as Insurance Repositories: What is Lapse in Insurance?
Central Insurance Repository Limited (CIRL) The policy for which all benefits to the policy holder cease and
SHCIL Projects Limited is terminated due to nonpayment of premium amount on the
Karvy Insurance repository Limited due date or even after the grace period is called a lapsed policy.
NSDL Database Management Limited
CAMS Repository Services Limited What is Surrender Value?
Public Sector Insurance Companies Surrender Value is the amount the policy holder will get from
Life Insurance Corporation of India the insurance company if he decides to exit the policy before
General Insurance Corporation of India maturity. Surrender value is payable only after three full years
National Insurance Co. Ltd. premiums.
Oriental Insurance Co. Ltd.
New India Assurance Co. Ltd. What is Maturity claim?
United India Insurance Co. Ltd. Maturity claim is a type of claim, wherein the insured fills a
maturity claim form.
What is Banc-assurance?
Banc-assurance means selling of insurance products through What is Death claim?
banks. The insurance companies and the banks come up in a Death claim is a type of claim made by the nominee of the
partnership wherein the bank sells the tied insurance insured to the insurance company due to death of the insured,
companys insurance products to its clients. abiding to the policy terms and conditions.
Who is an Actuary? What do you mean by Policy not in force?

A person with expertise in the fields of economics, statistics If the policy is lapsed i.e., the insured has not paid the policy
and mathematics, who helps in risk assessment and estimation amount before the grace period expires, then it is termed as
of premiums etc for an insurance business, is called an actuary. policy not in force. The insured is not covered by the policy
when it is termed as policy not in force.
What is an Actuarial Science?
Actuarial science is the discipline that applies mathematical What is Gratuity?
and statistical methods to assess risk in insurance, finance and Gratuity is a part of salary that is received by an employee from
other industries and professions. his/her employer in gratitude for the services offered by the
employee in the company.
48
with the purpose of quick disposal of the grievances
What is Void & Voidable contract? (problems) of the insured customers and to mitigate their
Void contract cannot be enforced by law. Any agreement which problems involved in redressal of those grievances. This
is illegal is considered as void contract. institution is of great importance and relevance for the
protection of interests of policy holders and also in building
What is Paid up value? their confidence in the system. The institution has helped to
The right to change the normal policy into paid up value is generate and sustain the faith and confidence amongst the
given to the insured by the insurance company, if the insured consumers and insurers.
have paid premiums for minimum of three years. The paid
policy means, after the period if the insured cannot pay Eligibility for Ombudsman:
premium then the policy is not cancelled but the sum assured Ombudsman is drawn from Insurance Industry, Civil
is reduced in proportion to the number of premiums paid by Services and Judicial Services.
the insured.
Terms of office:
What is Terminal bonus? An insurance Ombudsman is appointed for a term of 3
Terminal bonus is the loyalty bonus paid by the insurance years or till the ns the age of sixty five years, whichever is
company to the insured for maintaining the policy till the earlier.
maturity date. It is the bonus paid during the time of maturity
and the value is not guaranteed by disclosed during the time of Re-appointment is not permitted.
policy maturity only. Types of Life Insurance Policies:
Life-based contracts tend to fall into two major categories:
(a) Protection policies: Designed to provide a benefit in the
event of specified event, typically a lump sum payment. A
common form of this design is term insurance.
(b) Investment policies:where the main objective is to
facilitate the growth of capital by regular or single premiums.
Common forms are whole life, universal life and variable life
policies.
Life insurance may be divided into two basic classes:
Temporary and Permanent;
(a) Term Policy (Temporary): Term life insurance plans
provide insurance to an individual for a fixed tenure. It is the
pure and cheapest form of life insurance for an
individual. This type of policy is suitable for people who are
unable to pay high insurance in order to buy endowment
policies.
Once the term of insurance has passed, the agreed upon rate of
payment and coverage expires and the former holder of the
REINSURANCE insurance must either go without
It is an insurance that an insurance company buys for its own coverage or renegotiate a new policy covering a different term.
protection. The risk of loss is spread so a disproportionately Term is generally considered "pure" insurance, where the
large loss under a single policy doesnt fall on one company. premium buys protection in the event of death and nothing
else.
LAPSE RATIO--The ratio of the number of life insurance Term Insurance are of the following types in India:
policies that lapsed within a given period to the number in 1. Straight Term Insurance:- The corporation issues term
force at the beginning of that period. insurance for 2 years .The sum assured will be payable only in
the event of the life assureds death occurring within 2 years
IRDA from the commencement of
Insurance regulatory and development authority (IRDA) is the the policy.
regulatory body of Insurance sector In India. Mr. T.S. Vijayan is 2. Renewable Term Policies:- Annual renewable term is a 1
the chairman of IRDA (Earlier J HarniNarayan). The Authority year policy, but the insurance company guarantees it will issue
is a ten member team consisting of (a) a Chairman (b) five a policy of an equal or lesser amount regardless of the
whole-time members (c) four part-time members. At present insurability of the applicant, and with a premium set for the
there are 24 general insurance companies including the ECGC applicant's age at that time. The policy holder can renew it
and Agriculture Insurance Corporation of India and 23 life many times. Provided the attained age has not crossed 55
insurance companies operating in the country. FDI allowed in years.
Insurance sector is 49%. 3. Convertible Term Policy:- Under this policy, option to
convert it into whole life or endowment policy is available. The
Insurance Ombudsman premium rates will be increased according to the age attained.
The institution of Insurance Ombudsman was created by a Permanent life insurance: -
Government of India Notification dated 11th November, 1998

49
Life insurance that remains active until the policy matures, v. Joint Life Policy: This is taken on the lives of 2 or more
unless the owner fails to pay the premium when due. The persons simultaneously. Under this policy the sum assured
policy cannot be cancelled by the insurer for any reason except becomes payable on the death of anyone of those who have
fraudulent application, and any such cancellation must occur taken the joint life policy.
within a period of time (usually 2 years) defined by law. vi. Double Accident Benefit Policy: This policy provides that
if the insured person dies of any accident. His beneficiaries will
Basic types of permanent insurance: get double the amount of the sum assured.
1. Whole life coverage:- It provides lifetime death benefit vii. Annuity Policy: Under this policy, the sum assured is
coverage for a level premium in most cases. Premiums are payable not in one lump sum payment but in monthly,
much higher than term insurance at younger ages, but as term quarterly and half-yearly or yearly instalments after the
insurance premiums rise with age at each renewal, the assured attains a certain age.
cumulative value of all premiums paid across a lifetime are Umbrella Policy : A special form of liability policy designed to
roughly equal if policies are maintained until average life protect the insured for certain unknown contingencies over
expectancy. and above coverages and to provide excess insuranc e.
The cash value can be accessed at any time through policy Third Party Insurance : When a policy insures a person
loans and are received income tax free. Policy loans are against the liability he may incur to another for damages, it is
available until the insured's death. If there are any unpaid "Third Party Insurance." The insured is indemnified with
loans upon death, the insurer subtracts the loan amount from respect to any loss which he might suffer as a result of his legal
the death benefit and pays the remainder to the beneficiary liability to others arising out of the peril against which
named in the insurance is written.
policy. Rider : It is an optional feature that can be added to a policy.
2. Universal life coverage:- UL is a relatively new insurance For instance, you may take a life insurance policy and an add
product, intended to combine permanent insurance coverage on accident insurance as a rider.
with greater flexibility in premium payment, along with the
potential for greater growth of cash values. This policy includes Personal Property Floatre (P.P.F.)
a cash value. A Broad Form policy covering all personal property worldwide
Premiums increase the cash values, but the cost of insurance including at the insured's home, usually on an all risks basis.
reduces cash values. With universal life, both the premiums Annuity : Annuities refer to the regular payments the
and death benefit are flexible. insurance company will guarantee at some future date i.e. After
Except with regards to guaranteed death benefit universal life, you cross 55, the insurance company will start giving you a
this flexibility comes with the disadvantage of reduced monthly or quarterly return. This is often done to supplement
guarantees. income after retirement.
3. Limited-pay:- In this all the premiums are paid over a Burglary: Unlawful removal of property from premises
specified period after which no additional premiums are due to involving visible forcible entry.
the policy in force. Common limited pay periods include 10- Burglary Insurance: Insurance against loss of property
year, 20-year, and are paid out at the age of 65. caused by burglars.
4. Endowments:- Endowments are policies in which the Forgery : The illegal signing of another's name to a document,
cumulative cash value of the policy equals the death benefit at such as, a cheque. Falsely making or altering a written
a certain age. The age at which this condition is reached is instrument.
known as the endowment age. Free look period: Once you get an insurance policy, the rules
Endowments are considerably more expensive (in terms of offer you 15 days within which you can revisit your purchase
annual premiums) than either whole life or universal life decision. This gives you the time to go through the policy's fine
because the premium paying period is shortened and the print, understand how the policy is going to work and be
endowment date is earlier. convinced that you need such a policy before deciding to
Endowment insurance is paid out whether the insured lives or commit funds every year over the insurance plan's tenure.
dies, after a specific period (e.g. 15 years) or a specific age (e.g. Lapse : An insurance policy which, having reached its expiry
65). date, is not renewed or extended is said to have lapsed, Or
When the policy holder is unable to or does not pay the
Information about Policies: premium any more, within the specified grace period, the
i. Single Premium Policy: The premium is paid only once. policy is said to have lapsed.
ii. Limited Payment Policy: The minimum amount for which a
policy will be issued under this policy is Rs.1000. G.K. For INSURANCE
iii. Convertible whole life Policy: It provides maximum 1. In which of the following years the Government of India
insurance protection at minimum cost and offers a flexible nationalized the general insurance business under the
contract which can be allowed to an endowment policy. The General Insurance Business (Nationalized) Act?
minimum assured for which a policy will be issued under this (1) 1970 (2) 1972 (3) 1976
plan is Rs.5000 and the maximum age at entry shall be 45 (4) 1973 (5) 1981
years. 2. The small payment or series of regular payments made by
iv. Health Insurance Scheme: This provides financial support the insured are:
during health problems. (1) Interest (2) Sum assured (3) Premium
(4) Either 1 or 2 is correct (5) None of these

50
3. One of the role of insurance in the development of 4. The amount of Insurance depends upon:
economy is: (1) The peril (2) The risk
(1) To reduce inflation in the economy (3) Neither (4) Both
(2) To give the financial support to the insurer 5. The amount payable under a life insurance policy depends
(3) Both 1 or 2 are correct on:
(4) Either 1 or 2 (5) None of these (1) The income of the insured person at the time of the
4. Suicide clause is applicable if the life insured committed claim
suicide within one year from the: (2) The income of the insured person when he took the
(1) Date of Commencement of Policy insurance
(2) Date of Policy revival (3) The amount of the sum assured
(3) Both 1 and 2 (4) Either 1 or 2 (4) None
(5) None of these 6. Which of the following event are insurable in a life
5. In the absence of utmost good faith the insurance contract insurance policy?
becomes: (1) The child to be born is not a male child
(1) Null and Void (2) Void ab-initio (2) The child, when born, has physical deformities
(3) Wagering Contract (4) Allium Fact per se (3) Neither (4) Both
(5) None of these 7. In a life insurance contract, the beneficiary may be the:
6. To avoid a contract after 2 years from the date of (1) The Policy holder
acceptance of risk, it is necessary for the insurer to (2) The life insured
establish that: (3) The depends of the life insured
(1) The prosper was aware of the correct facts (2) The (4) All
statement by the proposer was inaccurate or false and 8. Which one of these principles does not apply in the case of a
material life insurance contract?
(3) Both 1 & 2 (1) The principle of indemnity
(4) Either 1 & 2 (2) The principle of good faith
(5) None (3) The principle of insurable interest
7. The premium regarding permanent assurance whole life (4) The principle of large numbers
policies can be made payable: 9. Reinsurance is the name given to:
(1) For a certain number of year (1) An individual taking insurance for the second time
(2) Till survival (3) Both 1 & 2 (2) An insurer placing insurance with another insurer
(4) Either 1 & 2 (5) None of these (3) Both the above situations
8. The Premium can be paid in lump sum of: (4) Neither the above situations
(1) Term insurance (2) Market linked plan 10. Life insurance is better than other avenues of savings in
3) Both 1 & 2 (4) Either 1 & 2 respect of:
(5) None of these (1) Marketability (2) Liquidity
9. In case of Joint life policy after death of the spouse the (3) Transferability (4) All of the above
future payment of premium is: Answers:
(1) Continued (2) Waived (3) Forfeited 1 4, 2 4, 3 3, 4 4, 5 3, 6 3, 7- 4, 8- 1, 9 2, 10 4
(4) Deposited (5) None of these
10. Special investigation is necessary if death is occur within Insurance Terms Assignment
two years from: Assignment means legal transference. A method by which the
(1) the date of commencement policy holder can person on his interest to another person. An
(2) the date of revival (3) either of the two assignment can be made by an endorsement on the policy
(4) the date of maturity (5) None of these document or as a separate deed.
Answers: Business Insurance
1 2 2 3 3 1 4 3 5 1 6 3 7 3 8 3 9 2 10 3 A policy which primarily provides coverage of benefits to a
business as contrasted to an individual. It is issued to
INSURANCE QUIZ indemnify a business.
1. The Life Insurance Corporation of India does not have its for the loss of services of a key employee or a partner who
foreign units in which of the following countries? becomes disabled.
(1) UK (2) Sri Lanka
(3) Fiji (4) Afghanistan Coinsurance
2. Who is the Present chairman of the Life Insurance 1) A provision under which an insured who carries less than
Corporation of India? the stipulated percentage of insurance to value, will receive a
(1) Arvind Mayaram (2) Sushbohan Sarker loss payment that is limited to the same ratio which the
(3) Thomas Mathew (4) S. K. Roy amount of insurance bears to the amount required.
3. Insurance is meant to:
(1) Prevent specified events Convertible Whole Life Policy
(2) Prevent damage to assets from specified Events A mix of "whole life policy" and "endowment policy", it
(3) Compensate for losses from specified events provides for very low insurance premiums with maximum risk
(4) Rebuild the assets lost because of specified events cover while the life assured is just beginning his working

51
career, and the possibiliy of converting the policy to an Corporation of India. This amount is referred to as GIS. The
"endowment" policy after five years of commencement. monthly pension that is payable one month after payment of
Coverage--The scope of protection provided under a contract first premium is calculated on the basis of the age at entry.
of insurance; any of several risks covered by a policy.
Gross Insurance Value Element (GIVE)
Days Of Grace The amount payable on the deferred date under Jeevan Dhara
Policy holders are expected to pay premium on due dates. a Life of Life Insurance
period is 15-30 days is allowed as grace to make payment of Corporation of India. An annuity of 1% of the GIVE is payable
premium; such period is days of grace. per month after the deferment period. And the entire GIVE is
payable on death after deferment period.
Indemnity--Legal principle that specifies an insured should

not collect more than the actual cash value of a loss but should
be restored to approximately the same financial position as
existed before the loss.
Insured-The person whose life is covered by a policy of

insurance.
Joint Life Endowment Assurance Plans

The sum assured (plus any accrued bonuses) under this type of
policy is payable on the end of the endowment term or on the
first death of the two lives assured, whichever is earlier.
Typically (though not a necessity) taken out by a couple, a
variation is available for couples only.
Keyman Insurance Policy

A life insurance policy taken by a person on the life of another
person who is or was his
Deferment Period employee/connected to his business in any
Period between the date of subscription to an manner whatsoever.
insurance-cum-pension policy and the time at
which the first installment of pension is received. Such policies Lapsed Policy--A policy which has terminated and is no longer
generally prescribe a minimum and maximum limit on the in force due to non-payment of the premium due.
deferment period.
Moral Hazard
Double/Triple Cover Plans Moral hazard is the risk factor that affects the decision of the
These offer to the beneficiaries double/triple the sum assured insurance company to accept the risk.
on death of life assured during the term of the policy. On
survival to the date of maturity, the basic sum assured is paid
to the assured. These are low-premium plans, most useful for Reinstatement
situations such as housing. The restoration of a lapsed policy to in-force status.
Reinstatement can only occur after the expiration of the grace
Endowment Policy period. The company may require evidence of insurability
The assured has to pay an annual premium (and, if health status has changed, deny reinstatement), and
which is determined on the basis of the assured's age at entry will always require payment of the total amount of past due
and the term of the policy. The insured amount is payable premium. The process of evaluating and selecting risk is
either at the end of specified number of years or upon the known as underwriting.
death of the insured person, whichever is earlier.
Vesting Age
Excess And Surplus Insurance The age at which the receipt of pension starts in an insurance-
1) Insurance to cover losses above a certain cum-pension plan.
amount, with losses below that amount usually covered by a
regular policy. Whole Life Policy
(2) Insurance to cover an unusual or one-time risk, e.g., Premiums are paid throughout the life time of life assured .
damage to a musician's hands or the multiple perils of a This can be with profits or without profits ( A "with profit"
convention, for which coverage is unavailable in the normal policy is eligible for various bonuses declared by LIC every
market. year, while a "without profits" policy does not have this
privilege )
Guaranteed Insurance Sum (GIS)
A lump sum purchase price is given to purchase future Taglines of some Insurance Companies
pensions under the Jeevan Akshay Plan of Life Insurance
52
1. SBI Life Insurance Company Limited Tagline - With Us, Sunil Kanoria Chairperson, ASSOCHAM
Youre Sure Rajan Bharati Mittal Chairperson, International
2. New India Assurance Company Limited Tagline - Indias Chamber of Commerce
premier general insurance company
Satyanand Mishra Chairperson, Multi
3. PNB India Insurance Company Limited Tagline - Have you
Commodities Exchange
met life today.
TM Bhasin Chairperson, Indian Banks
4. Max Life Insurance Company Limited Tagline - Aapke
Sachhe Advisor Also Check All Indian Bank Taglines Association
5. United India Insurance Company Limited Tagline - Rest M. Ramadoss CMD, Oriental Insurance
Assured with Us Company
6. Max Newyork Life Insurance Company Limited Tagline - Deepak Kumar Director Genral,
Karo Zyada ka Iraada Employees State
7. Apollo Munich Health Insurance Tagline - We know Insurance Corporation
Healthcare. R. Sridharan Chairperson Institute of
8. Tata AIA Life Insurance Company Limited Tagline - You Company Secretary of
click, we cover India
9. Future Generali Life Insurance Tagline - Ek Shagun Zindagi
Ke Naam TADF
10. Aviva India Life Insurance Tagline - Kal par Control Minister of State for Commerce & Industry (I/C), Mrs.
11. ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Company Limited Tagline - Nirmala Sitharaman, launched the Technology
Zimmedari ka humsafar Acquisition and Development Fund (TADF) under
12. HDFC Standard life Insurance Company Limited Tagline - National Manufacturing Policy.
Sar utha Ke Jiyo TADF is a new scheme to facilitate acquisition of Clean,
13. Max Bupa Health Insurance Tagline - Your Health First Green & Energy Efficient Technologies, in form of
14. Exide Life Insurance India Company (Formerly Known as Technology / Customised Products / Specialised Services /
ING Vysya Life Insurance) Tagline - Adding Life to Patents / Industrial Design available in the market
Insurance CEO- Kshitij Jain. available in India or globally, by Micro, Small & Medium
15. Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance Company Limited Tagline - Enterprises (MSMEs).
Jiyo Befiqar The Scheme is conceptualized to catalyse the
16. Birla Sun Life Insurance Company Limited Tagline - manufacturing growth in MSME sector to contribute to
Muskurate Raho the national focus of Make in India.
17. Oriental Insurance Company Limited Tagline - Prithvi,
Agni, Jal, Akash, Sabki Suraksha Hamare Paas The scheme will be implemented through Global Innovation
18. Kotak Mahindra Old Mutual Life Insurance Limited Tagline and Technology Alliance (GITA), a joint venture company,
- Faidey ka Insurance support to MSME units is envisaged by the following:
I. Direct Support for Technology Acquisition
IMPORTANT DESIGNATIONS IN INDIA II. In-direct Support for Technology Acquisition through
Patent Pool
III. Technology / Equipment Manufacturing Subsidies
Constitutional Heads
IV. Green Manufacturing Incentive Scheme
Designation Person
Speaker, Lok Sabha Sumitra Mahajan FIF: Financial Inclusion Fund (FIF)
Deputy Speaker, Lok Sabha M. Thambidurai
Comptroller and Auditor Shashikant Sharma The GOI has merged the Financial Inclusion Fund (FIF) and
General Financial Inclusion Technology Fund (FITF) to form a single
Chairperson, 14th Finance YV Reddy Financial Inclusion Fund. The new FIF will be administered
Commission by the reconstituted Advisory Board constituted by GOI and
Heads of Financial Institutes/Organisations will be maintained by NABARD.
Designation Person
Raghuram G. Rajan Governor, Reserve Bank of Important Points related to FIF
India 1) The overall corpus of the new FIF will be Rs. 2000 crore.
Jyotsana Suri Chairperson, FICCI 2) Contribution to FIF would be from the interest
SB Mathur Chairperson, Unit Trust of differential in excess of 0.5% on RIDF and STCRC deposits
India on account of shortfall in priority sector lending (as
SK Roy Chairperson, Life notified by RBI from time to time) kept with NABARD by
Insurance Corporation of banks.
India 3) The Fund shall be in operation for another three years or
till such period as may be decided by RBI and Government of
Harsha Kumar Bhanwala Chairperson, NABARD
India in consultation with other stake holders.
NK Maini CMD, SIDBI 4) The objectives of the FIF shall be to support
Sriram Kalyanaraman Chairperson, National developmental and promotional activities including
Housing Bank
53
creating of FI infrastructure across the country, capacity clean, an ethical organization with zero tolerance for
building of stakeholders, creation of awareness to address corruption
demand side issues, enhanced investment in Green green, an institution built on respect for the environment.
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) solution, Mr. Jin Liqun has served as AIIB's President-designate
research and transfer of technology, increased technological since September 1, 2015. He was appointed Secretary-
absorption capacity of financial service providers/users with a General of the Multilateral Interim Secretariat by the AIIB
view to securing greater financial inclusion. Special Ministerial Meeting on October 24, 2014
Note: The fund shall not be utilized for normal
business/banking activities. Shareholder in AIIB: BRICS members China, India and Russia
are the three largest shareholders, with a voting share of 26.06
NIIF per cent, 7.5 per cent and 5.92 per cent, respectively.
a) India will launch National Investment and
Infrastructure Fund that would focus only on core sector GOLD SCHEMES LAUNCHED BY GOI
projects. a) Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched three ambitious
b) The NIIF will have a corpus of Rs 20,000 crore. schemes to reduce the physical demand for gold and fish out
c) National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) is a 20,000 tonnes of the precious metal worth $800 billion
fund created by the Government of India for enhancing lying idle with households.
infrastructure financing in the country. b) Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched three gold
related schemes- Gold Monetisation Scheme (GMS), Gold
d) The objective of NIIF would be to maximize economic Sovereign Bond Scheme and the Gold Coin and Bullion Scheme.
impact mainly through infrastructure development in c) He also unveiled the first ever Indian gold coin & bullion,
commercially viable projects, both greenfield and bearing national emblem Ashok Chakra on one side and
brownfield, including stalled projects. It could also consider Mahatma Gandhi's image engraved on the other side.
other nationally important projects, for example, in Initially the coins will be available in denominations of 5
manufacturing, if commercially viable. and 10 grams. The 20 grams bullion will also be available
through 125 MMTC outlets.
Note: d) The Gold Monetisation Scheme (GMS), 2015 will offer
a) Government's contribution/share in the corpus will be option to resident Indians to deposit their precious metal
49% in each entity set up as an alternate Investment Fund and earn an interest of up to 2.5%; while under the Sovereign
(AIF). The whole of 49% would be contributed by Gold Bonds Scheme, investors can earn an interest rate of
Government directly. 2.75% per annum by buying paper bonds.
b) Cash-rich Central Public Sector Enterprises (PSUs) could
contribute to the Fund, which would be over and above the
Must know Points on Sovereign Gold Bond Scheme 2015
Government's 49%. Similarly, domestic pension and provident
funds and National Small Savings Fund may also provide funds SGBs are government securities denominated in grams of
to the NIIF. gold & will be issued by Reserve Bank on behalf of
c) Government has set up a search committee under Government of India.
Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta Das for selection of Persons resident in India as defined under Foreign
a CEO for the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund Exchange Management Act, 1999 are eligible to invest in
(NIIF). SGB. Eligible investors include individuals, HUFs, trusts,
universities, charitable institutions, etc.
The Bonds are issued in denominations of one gram of
gold and in multiples thereof. Minimum investment in the
Bond shall be two grams with a maximum buying limit of
500 grams per person per fiscal year.
The Bonds bear interest at the rate of 2.75% (fixed rate)
per annum on the amount of initial investment.
Bonds are sold through scheduled commercial banks and
designated Post Offices either directly or through their
agents like NBFCs, NSC agents, etc.
Price of bond will be fixed in Indian Rupees on the basis of
the previous weeks (Monday Friday) simple average
price for gold of 999 purity published by the India Bullion
Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and Jewellers Association Ltd. (IBJA). The issue price will
The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) is a be distributed by the Reserve Bank of India
multilateral development bank (MDB) conceived for the 21st Though the tenor of the bond is 8 years, early
century. The Bank's foundation is built on the lessons of encashment/redemption of the bond is allowed after fifth
experience of existing MDBs and the private sector. Its modus year from the date of issue on coupon payment dates.
operandi will be lean, clean and green: TDS is not applicable on the bond. However, it is the
lean, with a small efficient management team and highly skilled responsibility of the bond holder to comply with the tax
staff laws.

54
Gold Monetisation Scheme, 2015 Grand Prixes & Their Winner 2015
The scheme is aimed at converting an estimated 20,000 Recent GP Held
tonnes of idle gold worth Rs 540,000 crore in family 1) Russian Grand Prix - Lewis Hamilton
lockers and temples into the banking system. 2) United States Grand Prix-Lewis Hamilton
The GMS will replace the existing Gold Deposit Scheme, 3) Mexican Grand Prix-Nico Rosberg
1999. 4) Brazilian Grand Prix-Nico Rosberg
Resident Indians (Individuals, HUF, Trusts including 5) Abu Dhabi Grand Prix-Nico Rosberg
Mutual Funds/Exchange Traded Funds registered under
SEBI (Mutual Fund) Regulations and Companies) can Other GP Held
make deposits under the scheme. 6) Australian Grand Prix-Lewis Hamilton
The minimum deposit at any one time shall be raw gold 7) Malaysian Grand Prix-Sebastian Vettel
(bars, coins, jewellery excluding stones and other metals) 8) Chinese Grand Prix-Lewis Hamilton
equivalent to 30 grams of gold of 995 fineness. There is no 9) Bahrain Grand Prix-Lewis Hamilton
maximum limit for deposit under the scheme. The gold 10) Spanish Grand Prix-Nico Rosberg
will be accepted at the Collection and Purity Testing 11) Monaco Grand Prix-Nico Rosberg
Centres (CPTC) certified by Bureau of Indian Standards 12) Canadian Grand Prix-Lewis Hamilton
(BIS) and notified by the Central Government under the 13) Austrian Grand Prix-Nico Rosberg
Scheme. The deposit certificates will be issued by banks in 14) British Grand Prix-Lewis Hamilton
equivalence of 995 fineness of gold. 15) Hungarian Grand Prix-Sebastian Vettel
16) Belgian Grand Prix-Lewis Hamilton
The principal and interest of the deposit under the scheme
17) Italian Grand Prix -Lewis Hamilton
will be denominated in gold.
18) Singapore Grand Prix -Sebastian Vettel
The designated banks will accept gold deposits under the 19) Japanese Grand Prix -Lewis Hamilton
Short Term (1-3 years) Bank Deposit (STBD) as well as
Medium (5-7 years) and Long (12-15 years) Term
Venues for the upcoming Tournaments
Government Deposit Schemes. While the former will be
accepted by banks on their own account, the latter will be Hockey World Cup 2018 Venue:
on behalf of Government of India. 1. Mens Hockey World Cup India
2. Womens Hockey World Cup - England
Interest on deposits under the scheme will start accruing
ICC World Cup Cricket Venue:
from the date of conversion of gold deposited into tradable
ODI: (One day International):
gold bars after refinement or 30 days after the receipt of
1. Australia & New Zealand: 2015.
gold at the CPTC or the banks designated branch, as the
2. England - 2019
case may be and whichever is earlier.
3. India - 2023
T20 World Cup:
Facts related to Gold Coin/Bullion Scheme 1. Bangladesh -2014. Sri Lanka defeat India to win the
maiden title.
a) It is the first ever national gold coin minted in India. 2. India -2016.
b) It is having National Emblem of Ashok Chakra engraved on 3. Australia - 2020.
one side and Mahatma Gandhi on the other side. Test:
c) The Coin weighs 5 and 10 grams. 1. England 2017 (for first time).
d) The gold coin and bullion will carry advanced anti- 2. India - 2021.
counterfeit features and tamper proof packaging and FIFA (Football) World Cup venue: - RQ
hallmarked by Bureau of Indian Standards. 1. 2018 : Russia
e) The gold coin and bullion will be of 24 carat purity and 999 2. 2022: Qatar
fineness. Commonwealth Games venues:
f) Aim: The government's move comes on the hope that Indians 1. 2014 Glasgow (Scotland).
who is said to have an obsession for gold will prefer the 2. 2018 Gold Coast (Australia).
national coin over imported ones. Olympics Games venues:
g) All coins will be hallmarked as per the BIS standards. 1. 2014 winter: Sochi (Russia) Russia tops in the medal
h) This coin will be distributed through the outlets of state- tally in 2014 winter Olympic games.
owned Metals and Minerals Trading Corporation of India.
2. 2016 Summer: Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)
Some Abbreviations related to Gold Schemes 3. 2018 winter: Pyeongchang (South Korea)
4. 2020 summer: Tokyo (Japan)
Asian Games host cities:
CPTC- Collection and Purity Testing Centre
1. 2014: Incheon (South Korea) (Note: 2010 Asain Games
MLTGD - Medium and Long Term Gold Deposit held in Guangzhou, China).
STBD- Short Term Bank Deposit 2. 2019: Hanoi (Vietnam)
IBJA- India Bullion and Jewellers Association Ltd.
MMTC- Metals and Minerals Trading Corporation of India

55
BANKING / FINANCIAL REALTED SCHEMES Eligibility: The savings bank account holders of the
participating Bank between 18 years (completed) and 70
Indradhanush Mission years (age nearer birthday) who give their consent to join
Union Government has launched a seven pronged plan called / enable auto-debit, as per the modality, will be enrolled
Indradhanush Mission to revamp functioning of public sector into the scheme.
banks (PSBs). It was launched by Union Finance Minister Arun Premium: Rs. 12/- + service tax (per annum).
Jaitley in New Delhi. Risk Coverage: Total coverage (sum-insured) under the
scheme is Rs. 2 Lakh.
Facts about Indradhanush Mission
Atal Pension Yojana
The seven shades of Indradhanush mission include
appointments, de-stressing PSBs, capitalisation, The APY is focussed on all citizens in the unorganized
empowerment, framework of accountability and sector.
governance reforms. The scheme is administered by the Pension Fund
Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) through
It seeks to achieve the objective of economic growth
NPS architecture.
revival through improving credit and minimising the
Under the APY, there is guaranteed minimum monthly
political interference in the functioning of PSBs.
pension for the subscribers ranging between Rs. 1000 and
Bank Board Bureau (BBB): It will be a body of eminent
Rs. 5000 per month.
professionals to be selected within 6 months i.e. February
GoI will also co-contribute 50% of the subscribers
2016. It will become functional from Financial year 2016-
contribution or Rs. 1000 per annum, whichever is lower.
17 i.e. form 1st April 2016.
Government co-contribution is available for those who are
Capitalisation: Infuse 25,000 crore rupees of capital into not covered by any Statutory Social Security Schemes and
debt-laden banks in this fiscal in phased manner. Out of is not income tax payer.
this 20,000 crore rupees would be injected in August GoI will co-contribute to each eligible subscriber, for a
2015. Rest 5,000 crore rupees will be performance based period of 5 years who joins the scheme between the
allocation to be allocated in the last quarter of 2016. period 1st June, 2015 to 31st December, 2015. The benefit
De-stressing PSBs: To develop vibrant debt market for of five years of government Co-contribution under APY
PSBs in order to reduce lending pressure on banks. would not exceed 5 years for all subscribers including
Strengthen asset reconstruction of companies. migrated Swavalamban beneficiaries.
Empowerment: Provide greater flexibility in hiring of All bank account holders may join APY.
manpower in PSBs.
Framework of accountability: It will seek to streamline
vigilance process for quick action in case major frauds and
also include connivance of staff.
Governance reforms in PSBs: Next Gyan Sangam (also
known as the Bankers Retreat) will be held from 14 to 16
January 2016. Employee Stock Option Plan (ESOP) will be
initiated for top management.
Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana

Highlights of the Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana
(PMJJBY Scheme 2 for Life Insurance) are:
Eligibility: Savings Bank (SB) Account holders between

18 years (completed) and 50 years.
Premium: Rs. 330 (per annum).
Risk Coverage: Sum Assured of Rs. 2 Lakh on death of the
Insured member for any reason is payable to the Nominee.
Termination of assurance:
Sukanya Samriddhi Accounts
Account holder attains age of 55 years
Closure of account with the Bank or insufficiency of
Rate of interest 9.2% Per Annum(2015-16b),calculated on
balance for debiting premium.
yearly basis ,Yearly compounded.
In case of multiple coverage under the scheme, the cover
Minimum INR. 1000/-and Maximum INR. 1,50,000/- in a
will be restricted to Rs.2 lakhs and other insurance
financial year. Subsequent deposit in multiple of INR 100/-
covers are terminated and premium shall be forfeited.
Deposits can be made in lump-sum No limit on number of
deposits either in a month or in a Financial year.
Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana
Account can be opened up to age of 10 years only from the
Highlights of the Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana date of birth.
(PMSBY Scheme 1 for Accidental Death Insurance) are: If minimum Rs 1000/- is not deposited in a financial year,
account will become discontinued and can be revived with

56
a penalty of Rs 50/- per year with minimum amount Tourism 100
required for deposit for that year.
Medical devices 100
Partial withdrawal, maximum up to 50% of balance
standing at the end of the preceding financial year can be White Labelled ATM 100
taken after Account holders attaining age of 18 years. Telecom 100
Account can be closed after completion of 21 years.
Construction, operation and maintenance 100
United Nations Headquarters of specified activities of Railway sector
Credit Rating Agencies in India and World:

International Organizations Headquarters
Indian credit rating industry mainly comprises of CRISIL,
UNO (United Nations Org) New York
ICRA, CARE, ONICRA, FITCH (India Ratings & Research) &
UNICEF New York SMERA.
UNCTAD (United Nations Conference on Geneva CRISIL - Credit Rating Information Services of India
Trade & Development) Limited, Headquarter Mumbai
WHO (World Health Org) Geneva ICRA - Investment information and credit rating agency
ILO (International Labour Org) Geneva Headquarter - Gurgaon, India
WMO (World Meteorological Org) Geneva CARE - Credit Analysis and Research Headquarters
World Intellectual Property Org Geneva Mumbai
International Standards Org. Geneva ONICRA - Headquarter - Gurgaon, India
IMF (International Monetary Fund) Washington DC SMERA - Headquarters Mumbai
World Bank Washington DC Fitch (India Ratings & Research) - Headquarters
Mumbai
UNESCO (United Nations Educational Paris
Note: CRISIL is the largest credit rating agency in
Scientific and Cultural Org)
India, with a market share of greater than 60%
OECD (Org. for Economic Cooperation Paris
Standard & Poor's (S&P) Headquarter New York, US
and Dev.)
Moody's Headquarter - New York, US
UNIDO (United Nations Industrial Dev. Vienna Fitch - Headquarter - New York, US
Org)
IAEA (International Atomic Energy Vienna ABBREVIATIONS
Agency) RIDF- Rural Infrastructure Development Fund
OPEC(Organization of Petroleum Vienna GPEI- Global Polio Eradication Initiative
Exporting Countries) GMS- Gold Monetisation Scheme
Amnesty International London SGBS- Sovereign Gold Bond Scheme
Commonwealth of Nations London ATAS- Alternative Train Adjustment Scheme
IM(International Maritime Organization) London IVRS- Interactive Voice Response System
ICJ (International Court of Justice) The Hague UDAY- Ujjwal Discom Assurance Yojana
FAO(Food and Agricultural Organization) Rome IRRC- India Rapid Reaction Cell
NATO(North Atlantic Treaty Brussels PMMY- Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana
Organization) MUDRA- Micro Units Development and Refinance Agency
Transparency International Berlin ISLRTC- Indian Sign Language Research and Training
SAARC(South Asian Association for Kathmandu Centre
Regional Coop.) SPMRM-Shyama Prasad Mukherji Rurban Mission
ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Jakarta
Nations) STATIC GK CAPSULE
APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Forum) Singapore
Organization of Islamic Cooperation Jeddah Some Important CUPS AND TROPHIES
Cup/Trophy Game with which associate
FDI Limits in different sectors: Aga Khan Cup Hockey
Defence 49 Ashes Cricket.
B.C.Roy Trophy National Junior Football (India)
Pension 49
Beighton Cup Hockey
Insurance 49
C.K. Naidu Trophy Junior National Cricket. (India)
Print Media 26
Davis Cup International Tennis Championship
Civil Aviation 49 DCM Cup Football
Public Sec. Banks 20 Derby Horse Racing (United Kingdom)
Private Sec. Banks 74 Dhyan Chand Trophy Hockey (India)
Multi Brand 51 Duleep Trophy Cricket (India)
Single Brand 100 Durand Cup Football (India).
Guru Gobind Singh Gold Hockey (India)
57
Cup
Indira Trophy National Table Tennis Revolutions in the field of agriculture in India:
Championship (Boys) Black Revolution - Petroleum Production
Irani Trophy Cricket.. Blue Revolution - Fish Production
Merdeka Tournament Football (Played at Kuala Lumpur) Brown Revolution - Leather/non conventional
Modi Gold Cup Hockey (India) (India)/Cocoa production
Moin-ud-Dowla Gold Cricket (India) Golden Fiber Revolution - Jute Production
Cup Golden Revolution - Fruits/Overall Horticulture
development/Honey Production
Murugappa Gold Cup Hockey (India)
Green Revolution - Food grains
Nehru Trophy Hockey (India) Grey Revolution - Fertilizer
Nizam Gold Cup Football (India) Pink Revolution - Onion production/Pharmaceutical
Rangaswamy Cup National Hockey Championship (India)/ Prawn production
(India) Red Revolution - Meat & Tomato Production
Ranji Trophy Cricket National Championships Round Revolution - Potato
(India) Silver Fiber Revolution - Cotton
Rovers Cup Football (India) Silver Revolution - Egg/Poultry Production
Ryder Cup Golf (United Kingdom) White Revolution (In India: Operation Flood) - Milk/Dairy
Scindia Gold Cup Hockey (India ) production
Todd Memorial Trophy National Basketball Championships Yellow Revolution - Oil Seeds production
Thomas Cup Badminton (World Championship) Evergreen Revolution - Overall development of
Wellington Trophy Rowing (India) Agriculture.
WILDLIFE SANTUARIES/NATIONAL PARKS / POWER PLANTS IN INDIA
S.no States National Parks(NP) Wild Life Power Plants

Sanctuaries(WLS)
1. J&K Dachigam National Park Gulmarg WLS -
Governor: Narendra Hemis National Park Limber WLS
Vohra Kishtwar National Park Nandini WLS
Capital: Salim Ali National Park
Jammu(Summer)
Srinagar(Winter)
2. Himachal Pradesh Pin Valley National Park Bandli WLS Girinagar Hydel Project
CM: Virbhadra Singh Great Himalayan National Daranghati WLS Binwa Hydel Project
Governor: Acharya Park Dhauladhar WLS Rangtong Hydel Project
Dev Vrat Inderkilla National Park Nargu WLS Baner & Neugal Project
Capital: Shimla Khirganga National Park Pong Dam Lake WLS
Simbalbara National Park Shilli WLS
Talra WLS
3. Punjab - Abohar WLS Guru Gobind Singh Super
CM: Parkash Singh Harike Lake WLS Thermal Power Plant
Badal Jhajjar Bacholi WLS
Governor: Kaptain
Solanki
Capital: Chandigarh
4. Haryana Kalesar National Park Bhindawas WLS Gorakhpur Atomic Power
CM: Manohar Lal Sultanpur National Park Kalesar WLS Station
Khattar Khaparwas WLS Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram
Governor: Kaptain Thermal Power Station
Solanki Rajiv Gandhi Thermal Power
Capital: Chandigarh Station

58
5. UP Dudhwa National Park Hastinapur WLS Narora Atomic Power Station
CM: Akhilesh Yadav Ranipur WLS Rihand Thermal Power Station
Governor: Ram Naik Sohagibarwa WLS Anpara Thermal Power Station
Capital: Lucknow Sur Sarovar WLS
Chandraprabha WLS
National Chambal WLS
Bankatna WLS
6. Bihar Valmiki National Park Gautam Budha WLS Kahalgaon Super Thermal
CM: Nitish Kumar Kaimur WLS Power Station
Governor: Ram Nath Pant (Rajgir) WLS Barauni Thermal Power
Kovind Valmiki WLS Station
Capital: Patna
7. Chattisgarh Indravati National Park Badalkhol WLS Sipat Thermal Power Plant
CM: Raman Singh Kanger Valley National Bhairamgarh WLS Hasdeo Thermal Power Station
Governor: Balram Park Bhoramdev WLS Bhilai Expansion Power Plant
Tandon Guru Ghasi Das (Sanjay) Udanti Wild Buffalo
Capital: Raipur WLS
8. Jharkhand Betla National Park Betla National Park Chandrapura Thermal Power
CM: Raghuvar Das Lawalong WLS Station
Governor: Draupadi Palkot WLS Koderma Thermal Power
Murmu Parasnath WLS Station
Capital: Ranchi Bokaro Thermal Power Station
9. Andhra Pradesh Sri Venkateswara Coringa WLS Simhadri Super Thermal

CM: N. Chandrababu National Park Kawal WLS Power Plant
Naidu Mahavir Harina Kolleru WLS Sri Damodaram Sanjeevaiah
Governor: E.S.L Vanasthali National Park Nellapattu WLS Thermal Power Station
Narasimhan Mrugavani National Park Pulicat Lake WLS
Capital: Hyderabad Rajiv Gandhi National Rajiv Gandhi
Park (Nagarjuna Sagar-
Namdapha National Park Srisailam) WLS
Mouling National Park Rollapadu WLS
10. Assam Dibru-Saikhowa National Amchang WLS Bongaigaon Thermal Power
CM: Tarun Gogoi Park Chakrashila WLS Plant
Governor: P.V. Kaziranga National Park Dihing Patkai WLS
Acharya East Karbi Anglong
Capital: Dispur Manas National Park WLS
Nameri National Park North Karbi Anglong
Rajiv Gandhi Orang WLS
National Park Nambor WLS
11. Goa Bhagwan Mahavir Bondla WLS -
CM: Laxmikant (Mollem) National Park Madei WLS
Parsekar Bhagwan Mahavir
Governor: Mridula (Mollem) WLS
Sinha Netravali WLS
Capital: Panaji
12. Gujarat Blackbuck National Park, Jambugodha WLS Mundra Thermal Power
CM: Anandiben Patel Velavadar Jessore WLS Station
Governor: O.P.Kohli Gir Forest National Park Kachchh Desert WLS Ukai Thermal Power Station
Capital: Gandhinagar Mitiyala WLS Akrimota Thermal Power
Marine National Park, Porbandar Lake WLS Station
Gulf of Kutch Rampara Vidi WLS
Bansda National Park Ratanmahal WLS
Shoolpaneswar
(Dhumkhal) WLS
Thol Lake WLS
Wild Ass WLS
13. Karnataka Bandipur National Park Arabithittu WLS Kakrapar Nuclear Power Plant
CM: Siddaramaiah Bannerghatta National Attiveri WLS Raichur Thermal Power
Governor: Vajubhai R. Park Bhadra WLS Station
Vala Kudremukh National Park Bhimgad WLS Udupi Thermal Power Plant
59
Capital: Bangalore Nagarhole National Park Brahmagiri WLS Bellary Thermal Power Station
Anshi national park Cauvery WLS
Nugu WLS
Pushpagiri WLS
Ranganathittu Bird
WLS
Sharavathi Valley WLS
Someshwara WLS
14. Kerala Eravikulam National Park Aralam WLS Brahmapuram Power Station
CM: Oommen Chandy Chimmony WLS Kayamkulam Power Station
Governor: P. Mathikettan Shola Idukki WLS
Sathashivam National Park Malabar WLS
Capital: Periyar National Park Mangalavanam Bird
Trivandampuram Silent Valley National WLS
Park Neyyar WLS
Anamudi Shola National Periyar WLS
Park Thattekad Bird WLS
Pampadum Shola
National Park
15. MP Kanha National Park Bori WLS Vindhyachal Super Thermal
CM: Shivraj Singh Madhav National Park Gandhi Sagar WLS Power Station
Chouhan Mandla Plant Fossils Ghatigaon WLS Sant Singaji Thermal Power
Governor: Ram National Park Ken Gharial WLS Plant
Naresh Yadav Panna National Park Narsighgarh WLS Satpura Thermal Power
Capital: Bhopal Pench National National Chambal WLS Station
ParkSanjay National Park Orcha WLS Amarkantak Thermal Power
Satpura National Park Kuno WLS Station
Van Vihar national park Sardarpur WLS Sasan Ultra Mega Power
Son Gharial WLS Project
16. Maharashtra Chandoli National Park Aner Dam WLS Tarapur Atomic Power Station
CM: Devendra Fadnavis Navegaon National Park Bhamragarh WLS Tirora Thermal Power Station
Governor: C. Bhimashankar WLS Amravati Thermal Power Plant
Vidyasagar Rao Tadoba National Park Great Indian Bustard
Capital: Mumbai Pench National Park WLS
Jaikwadi WLS
Koyana WLS
Nagzira WLS
Painganga WLS
Radhanagari WLS
Sagareshwar WLS
Tipeshwar WLS
Tungareshwar WLS
17. Manipur Keibul Lamjao National Yangoupokpi-Lokchao -
CM: Okram Ibobi Singh Park WLS
Governor: V.
Shanmuganathan
Capital: Imphal
18. Meghalaya Balphakram National Baghmara Pitcher -
CM: Mukul Sangma Park Plant WLS
Governor: V. Nokrek National Park Nongkhyllem WLS
Shanmuganathan Siju WLS
Capital: Shillong
19. Mizoram Murlen National Park Dampa WLS (TR) -
CM: Lal Thanhawla Phawngpui Blue National Ngengpui WLS
Governor: Nirbhaya Park Pualreng WLS
Sharma Mountain National Park Tokalo WLS
Capital: Aizawl
20. Nagaland Intanki National Park Fakim WLS Dikhu Hydro Electric Power Plant
CM: T. R. Zeliang Puliebadze WLS
Governor: Rangapahar WLS
P.B.Acharya
60
Capital: Kohima
21. Odisha Bhitarkanika National Badrama WLS Talcher Super Thermal Power
CM: Naveen Patnaik Park Baisipalli WLS Station
Governor: S.C. Jamir Simlipal National Park Chilika (Nalaban) WLS
Capital: Hadgarh WLS
Bhubaneshawer Khalasuni WLS
WLS
Satkosia Gorge WLS
22. Rajasthan Sariska National Park Bandh Baratha WLS Chhabra Thermal Power
CM: Vasundhara Raje Ranthambore National Darrah WLS Station
Governor: Kalyan Park Jawahar Sagar WLS Suratgarh Power Station
Singh Darrah National Park Kailadevi WLS
Capital: Jaipur Desert National Park Mount Abu WLS
Keoladeo National Park Ramsagar WLS
Sariska WLS
Sawai Man Singh WLS
Shergarh WLS
Sitamata WLS
23. Sikkim Khangchendzonga Fambong Lho WLS Rangit Hydro Electric Power
CM: Pawan Kumar National Park Kitam WLS (Bird) Prject
Chamling Maenam WLS
Governor: Srinivas Pangolakha WLS
Patel
Capital: Gangtok
24. Tamil Nadu Mudumalai National Park Indira Gandhi Kudankulam Nuclear Power
CM: Jayalalithaa (Annamalai) WLS Plant
Governor: K. Rosaiah Mukurthi National Park Kalakad WLS Neyveli Thermal
Capital: Chennai Indira Gandhi Karaivetti WLS Tuticorin Thermal Power
(Annamalai) National Karikili WLS Station
Park Mudumalai WLS
Guindy National Park Pulicat Lake WLS
Gulf of Mannar Marine Vaduvoor WLS
National Park Vedanthangal WLS
Vettangudi WLS
25. Tripura Bison( Rajbari ) National Gumti WLS Palatana Thermal Power Plant
CM: Manik Sarkar Park Rowa WLS
Governor: Tathagata Clouded Leopard Sepahijala WLS
Roy National Park Trishna WLS
Capital: Agartala
26. UK Gangotri National Park Askot Musk Deer WLS Chibro Power Plant
CM: Harish Rawat Jim Corbett National Park Binsar WLS Khodri Power Plant
Governor: K.K. Paul Govind Pashu Vihar Chilla Power Plant
Capital: Dehradun Valley of Flowers WLS
National Park Kedarnath WLS
Sonanadi WLS
27. WB Buxa National Park Ballavpur WLS Mejia Thermal Power Station
CM: Mamata Banerjee Neora Valley National Chintamani Kar Bird Farakka Super Thermal Power
Governor: Keshari ParkSingalila National Sanctuary Station
Nath Tripathi Park Haliday Island WLS Kolaghat Thermal Power
Capital: Kolkata Sundarbans National Park Lothian Island WLS Station
Mahananda WLS Bakreshwar Thermal Power
Station
Durgapur Steel Thermal
Power Station
Dams in India: Koyna Dam on Koyana river, Maharshtra

Tehri Dam: on Bhagirathi River, Uttarakhand Bhakra nangal Dam: on Sutlej River, Punjab and Himachal
Lakhwar Dam on Yamuna river, Uttrakhand Pradesh.
Iduuki Arch Dam on Periyar river, Kerala Sardar Sarovar Dam: on Narmada River, Gujarat

61
Srisailam dam: on Narmada River, Andhra Pradesh 9. Siegfried Line : Germany and France.
Ranjit Sagar Dam: on Rav river, Punjab 10. 17th Parallel: North Vietnam and South Vietnam
Baglihar Dam: on Chenab river , J& K 11. 24th Parallel : India and Pakistan.
Cheruthoni (Eb) Dam: on Cheruthoni, Kerala 12. 26th Parallel : Australia & South Africa
Hirakud Dam: on Mahanadi River, Orissa 13. 38th Parallel: North Korea and South Korea
Nagarjuna sagar Dam: on Krishna River, Andhra Pradesh 14. 49th Parallel: Canada and USA
Indira SagarDam: on Narmada River, Madhya Pradesh CENSUS
Ukai Dam: on Tapi river, Gujarat 1) The population of the country as per the provisional figures
Maithon Dam: on Barakar river, Jharkhand of Census 2011 is 1210.19 million of which 623.7 million
Krishnarajsagar Dam: on kaveri river, Karnataka (51.54%) are males and 586.46 million (48.46%) are females.
Mettur Dam: on Kaveri River, Salem district in Tamil Nadu The major highlights of the Census 2011 (Provisional figures)
TungaBhadra Dam on Tungabhadra rive, Karnataka are as under:
*The population of India has increased by more than 181
Folk dances in India million during the decade 2001-2011.
Changu: Odissa and Andhra Pradesh 2) %age growth in 2001-2011 is 17.64; males 17.19 and
Gair: Rajasthan. females 18.12.
Garba, Dandiya Rass: Gujarat *2001-2011 is the first decade (with the exception of 1911-
Ghoomar: Rajasthan. 1921---GREAT DEPRESSION) which has actually added lesser
Karagam: Tamil Nadu. population compared to the previous decade.
Dumhal: Kashmir. 3) *Uttar Pradesh (199.5 million) is the most populous State in
Lavani: Maharashtra the country followed by Maharashtra with 112 million.
Odissi: Orissa Some of the highlights
Rauf Jammu & Kashmir Slogan - Our census, Our Future
Nautanki, Thora, Chappeli, Raslila, Kajri - UP India's 1st Census - 1872
2011 Census is - 15th Census
Classical dances in India Total Population - 1,21,01,93,422
Kathak: Uttar Pradesh. India's Rank in population - 2nd with 17.5% (1st China
Bihu: Assam with 19%)
Bharat Natyam: Tamil Nadu Most Populous State - Uttar Pradesh
Kuchipudi: Andhra Pradesh. Least Populous State - Sikkim
Kathakali: Kerala. Most Literate State - Kerala (93.9%)
Chhau: Orissa, Bihar and West Bengal Least Literate State - Bihar (63.82%)
Bhangra: Punjab. National Sex Ratio - Female : Male (940 : 1000)
Khantumm Mizoram Highest Sex Ratio (State) - Kerala (1084 : 1000)
Lowest Sex Ratio (State) - Haryana
Highest Sex Ratio (UT) - Puducherry
Least Sex Ratio (UT) - Damn & Dayyu (61 : 1000)
Literacy of Male - 82.14%
Literacy of Female - 65.46%
Population Growth Rate - 17.64%
Highest fertility Rate - Meghalaya
Most literate union territory - Lakshadweep (92.2%)
Least literate Union Territory - Dadra Nagar & Haweli
Most Literate District - Serechhip (Mizoram)
Least Literate District - Dadra Naga & Haveli
Highest Density of Population - Bihar (1102 sq.km)
Lowest Density of Population - Arunachal Pradesh (17)
Total number of districts - 640
Highest Populous District - Thane (Mumbai)
100% Literacy District - Palakkad (Kerala)
100% Banking State - Kerala
Lines b/w Different Countries in the World 100% Banking District - Palakkad (Kerala)
Density of Population in India - 382 sq. km
1. Durand Line: Pakistan and Afghanistan
Increase in population (during 2001-2011) - 181 million
2. Mc. Mohan Line: India(Arunachal Pradesh Region) and China
3. Radcliff Line: India and Pakistan
List of Latest schemes and apps launched by banks 2015
4. Line of Control :It divides Kashmir between India and
Pakistan. M visa Electronic Card-less Transactions For Pockets App-
5. Hidden berg Line: Germany and Poland Launched By ICICI Bank
6. Maginot Line: France and Germany LIME-Axis Bank Launches, Indias First Mobile App
7. Older Neisse Line: Germany and Poland Integrating Wallet, Shopping, Payments And Banking
8. Mannerheim Line :Russia and Finland border. Indpay Mobile App -Launched By Indian Bank.

62
First Home Grown INDEX COMPOSITE INDEX SBI IMPORTANT INDIAN TOWNS ON RIVERS
Indias First Transparent Credit Card In Association With
American Express ICICI Allahabad At the confluence of the
Indias First Credit Card Exclusively For GOLF LOVERS Ganga and Yamuna
RBL Bank Patna Ganga
Instant Money Transfer BOI Varanasi Ganga
Instant Money Transfer (IMT) Bank Of India
Kanpur Ganga
Kotak Mahindra Bank Launched Facebook-Based Funds
Transfer Platform Kaypay Haridwar Ganga
Kisan Card AXIS BANK Badrinath Alaknanda
Maha Millionaire, Maha Lakhpati Bank Of Maharashtra Agra Yamuna
M-Pesa ICICI+Vodafone Delhi Yamuna
M-Wallet Canara Bank Mathura Yamuna
State Bank Freedom App State Bank Of India Ferozpur Satluj
Student Travel Card ICICI Bank Ludhiana Satluj
I-Mobile App For Windows Phone ICICI Srinagar Jhelum
Fedbook Selfie App (Indias First Mobile App For Bank Lucknow Gomti
Account Opening) Federal Bank Jaunpur Gomti
Digital Banking POCKET ICICI Bank
Ayodhya Saryu
Eforex SBI Bank
Bareilly Ram Ganga
E-KYC SBI Bank
EMI ON DEBIT CARD ICICI BANK Ahmedabad Sabarmati
E-Wallet IRCTC Kota Chambal
Facebook-Based Funds Transfer Platform Kaypay Kotak Jabalpur Narmada
Mahindra Bank Panji Mandavi
TAB BANKING FACILITY SBI Bank Ujjain Shipra
Surat Tapti
List of Important Awards and its Related Fields Jamshedpur Subarnarekha
Dibrugarh Brahmaputra
Awards Related Fields Guwahati Brahmaputra
Grammy Music Kolkata Hooghly
Pulitzer Journalism and Literature Sambalpur Mahanadi
Arjun Sports Cuttack Mahanadi
Bowelay Agriculture Srirangapatna Cauvery
Kalinga Science Hyderabad Musi
Dhanwantri Medical Science Nasik Godavari
Bhatnagar Science Vijayvada Krishna
Nobel Prize Peace, Literature, Economics, Physics, Kurnool Tungabhadra
Chemistry, Medical Science Tiruchirapalli Cauvery
Abel Maths
Merlin Magic Nick Names of Important Indian Places
Bharat Ratna Art, Science, Public Service, Sports
Vyas Samman Literature Nick Names City
Saraswati Literature Golden City Amritsar
Samman Manchester Of India Ahmedabad
Man Booker Literature City Of Seven Islands Mumbai
Vachspati Sanskrit Literature Queen Of Arabian Sea Cochin
Samman Space City Bangalore
Param Vir Military Garden City Of India Bangalore
Chakra
Silicon Valley Of India Bangalore
Ashok Chakra Civilians
Electronic City Of India Bangalore
Juliet Curie Peace
Pink City Jaipur
Award
Gateway Of India Mumbai
Dronacharya Sports Coaches
Twin City: Hyderabad, Secunderabad
Award
City Of Festivals Madurai
Sahitya Akademi Literary
Award Deccan Queen Pune
City Of Buildings Kolkata
Dakshin Ganga Godavari
Old Ganga Godavari
63
Egg Bowls Of Asia Andhra Pradesh Smriti Irani Human Resource Development
Soya Region Madhya Pradesh JP Nadda Health and Family Welfare
Manchester Of The South Coimbatore Birender Singh Rural Development, Panchayati Raj,
City Of Nawabs Lucknow Drinking Water and Sanitation
Venice Of The East Cochin DV Sadananda Gowda Law and Justice
Sorrow Of Bengal Damodar River Dr Harsh Vardhan Science and Technology Earth
Sorrow Of Bihar Kosi River Sciences
Blue Mountains Nilgiri
Queen Of The Mountains Mussoorie (Uttarakhand)
Important Organizations:
Sacred River Ganga 1. United Nation (UN) is an intergovernmental
organization established on 24 October 1945 to promote
Hollywood Of India Mumbai
international co-operation.
City Of Castles Kolkata
Headquarter New York , Head Ban ki-moon Member -
State Of Five Rivers Punjab South Sudan new member country . Total 193 members
City Of Weavers Panipat 2. WTO (World Trade Org.) Kazakhstan new member.
City Of Lakes Srinagar Headquarter Geneva, Switzerland, Head - Roberto
Steel City Of India Jamshedpur (Called Tatanagar) Azevdo
City Of Temples Varanasi 3. World Bank - The World Bank is a United Nations
Manchester Of The North Kanpur international financial institution that provides loans to
City Of Rallies New Delhi developing countries for capital programs.
Heaven Of India Jammu & Kashmir Headquarter - Washington D.C. (United States) President
Boston Of India Ahmedabad Jim Yong Kim
Member - South Sudan new member country. Total 188
Garden Of Spices Of India Kerala
members
Switzerland Of India Kashmir
4. IMF The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is an
Abode Of The God Prayag(Allahabad) international organization that was initiated in 1944 at the
Pittsburg Of India Jamshedpur Bretton Woods Conference and formally created in 1945
by 29 member countries.
List of Cabinet Ministers Headquarter Washington DC . (United States) President
Narendra Modi Personnel, Public Grievances and Christine Lagarde
Pensions, Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Member - South Sudan new member country. Total 188
Space, All important policy issues and all other portfolios members
not allocated to any Minister 5. European Union Croatia new member country. Total
Rajnath Singh Home Affairs 28 member countries.
Sushma Swaraj External Affairs, Overseas Indian Affairs Headquarter Brussels, Belgium
Arun Jaitley Finance, Corporate (Additional charge President of the European Commission: Jean-Claude
Affairs Information and Broadcasting) Juncker
Manohar Parrikar Defence 6. Eurozone - The growth of the eurozone is an ongoing
M Venkaiah Naidu Urban Development, Housing, Urban process within the European Union (EU). All Member
Poverty Alleviation, Parliamentary Affairs states of the European Union, except for Denmark and the
United Kingdom are obliged to adopt the euro as their sole
Nitin Gadkari Road Transport and Highways, Shipping
currency once they meet the criteria.
Suresh Prabhu Railways
Member The eurozone currently comprise 19 EU states.
Uma Bharati Water resources, River Development and
Note: i). Latvia becomes the 18th Member State to adopt
Ganga Rejuvenation
the euro on 1 January 2014.
Dr Najma Heptulla Minority Affairs ii. Lithuania has been approved for euro adoption on 1
Ramvilas Paswan Consumer Affairs, Food and Public January 2015.
Distribution 7. ASEAN - Association of Southeast Asian Nations is a
Kalraj Mishra Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises political and economic organisation of ten countries
Maneka Gandhi Women and Child Development located in Southeast Asia, which was formed on 8 August
Ananthkumar Chemicals and Fertilizers 1967.
Ravi Shankar Prasad Communications and Information Headquarter Jakarta, Indonesia Member - 10 member
Technology countries (India is not the member of ASEAN)
Ashok Gajapathi Raju Civil Aviation 8. APEC Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation is a forum
Anant Geete Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises for 21 Pacific Rim member economies that seeks to
Harsimrat Kaur Badal Food Processing Industries promote free trade and economic cooperation throughout
Narendra Singh Tomar Mines, Steel, Labour and the Asia-Pacific region. It was established in 1989
Employment Headquarter Singapore Member 21
Jual Oram Tribal Affairs 9. OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting
Radha Mohan Singh Agriculture Countries) is an international organization and economic
Thaawar Chand Gehlot Social Justice and Empowerment
64
cartel whose mission is to coordinate the policies of the of eight countries that are primarily located in South
oil-producing countries. Asia or the Indian subcontinent.
Headquarter Vienna, Austria , Member - 12 member Headquarter Kathmandu, Nepal 8 Member Countries.
countries. Secretary-General: Arjun Bahadur Thapa.
President - Diezani Alison-Madueke 12. ICJ (International Court of Justice): is the primary
10. NATO (North Atlantic treaty Organization): NATOs judicial branch of the United Nations. It is based in the
essential purpose is to safeguard the freedom and security Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands. Its main functions
of its members through political and military means. are to settle legal disputes submitted to it by states and to
Headquarter Brussels, Belgium Member 28 Member provide advisory opinions on legal questions submitted to
Countries. it by duly authorized international branches, agencies, and
11. SAARC (South Asian Association of Regional Co- the UN General Assembly.
Operation): is an economic and geopolitical organization Headquarter The Hague, Netherlands.
Regulator Sectors Chairman Headquarter

Reserve Bank of India Financial system and monetary policy, Raghuram Mumbai
Money Market Rajan
Securities and Exchange Security & Capital Market, stock U.K. Sinha Mumbai
Board of India (SEBI) broking & Merchant Banking, Nidhis,
Chit Fund
Insurance Regulatory and Insurance industry T. S. Vijayan Hyderabad
Development Authority (IRDA)
Telecom Regulatory Telecommunication Industry Ram Sewak New Delhi
Authority of India (TRAI) Sharma
Pension Fund Regulatory Pension sector Hemant New Delhi
Development Authority (PFRDA) Contractor
IMPORTANT DAYS
July August September
4 July (first Saturday in July) 12 August International Youth 8 September International Literacy
International Day of Cooperatives Day Day
11 July World Population Day 19 August World Humanitarian 14 September Hindi Divas
15 July World Youth Skills Day Day 15 September International Day of
18 July Nelson Mandela 20 August Rajiv Gandhis Birth Democracy
International Day Anniversary (Sadhbhavana 16 September International Day for
28 July World Hepatitis Day Diwas) the Preservation of the Ozone Layer
30 July World Day against 29 August International Day 21 September International Day of
Trafficking in Persons against Nuclear Tests Peace
30 August International Day of 25 September World Maritime Day
the Victims of Enforced 27 September World Tourism Day
Disappearances
October November December
1 October National Voluntary 14 November World Diabetes Day 1 December World AIDS Day
Blood Donation Day 16 November International Day 2 December National Pollution
2 October International Day of for Tolerance Control Day
Non-Violence 19 November National 4 December Naval Day
5 October World Teachers Day Integration Day (Indira Gandhis 3 December National Conservation
5 October World Habitat Day Birthday) Day
8 October Air Force Day 19 November World Philosophy 5 December World Soil Day
9 October World Post Day Day 7 December International Civil
10 October World Mental Health 20 November Universal Aviation Day
Day Childrens Day 9 December International Anti-
10 October National Post Day 20 November National Child Corruption Day
16 October World Food Day Rights Day 10 December Human Rights Day
17 October International Day for 21 November World Television 14 December National Energy
the Eradication of Poverty Day Conservation Day
20 October World Statistics Day 26 November Constitution Day 18 December International
24 October United Nations Day Migrants Day
31 October Anti -Terrorism Day 20 December International Human
Solidarity Day
24 Dec- National Consumers Rights

65
Day
Other Important Days: pound

12th January- National Youth day (Birthday of Sudan Khartoum Sudanese pound
Vivekananda). Tanzania Dodoma Tanzanian shilling
15th January- Army day. (official)
24th Jan- National Girl Child Day. Tunisia Tunis Tunisian dinar
25th January- National tourism day/ Voters day Uganda Kampala Ugandan shilling
30th January- National Martyrs day & World anti Leprosy Zambia Lusaka Zambian kwacha
Day Zimbabwe Harare US dollar
4th Feb- World Cancer Day.
28th Feb- National science day
8th March- International women day
Asian Countries
9th March- World Kidney day Name Capital Currency
15th March- World Consumer rights day , Afghanistan Kabul Afghani
20th March- World Sparrow Day & International Bahrain Manama Bahraini dinar
Happiness Day. Bangladesh Dhaka Taka
21st March- World Forestry day Bhutan Thimphu Bhutanese
22nd March- World water day ngultrum
23rd March- World Meteorological day Cambodia Phnom Penh Riel
24th March- World T.B. day
China Beijing Renminbi (yuan)
2 April- World Autism Awareness Day
Cyprus Nicosia Euro
7th April- World Health day
[Europe]
21st April- Civil service day
22nd April- World Earth day Georgia Tbilisi Lari
24th April- Panchayat Divas [Europe]
1st May- International Labour day Indonesia Jakarta Rupiah
Iran Tehran Rial
Countries & currencies Iraq Baghdad Iraqi dinar
Israel Jerusalem New Shekel
African Countries Japan Tokyo Yen
Name Capital Currency Kazakhstan Astana Tenge
Kyrgyzstan Bishkek Som
Algeria Algiers Dinar
Laos Vientiane Kip
Angola Luanda Kwanza
Lebanon Beirut Lebanese pound
Cameroon Yaound CFA franc
Malaysia Kuala Lumpur Ringgit
Egypt Cairo Egyptian pound
(official)
Ethiopia Addis Ababa Birr
Maldives Mal Maldivian rufiyaa
Gambia Banjul Gambian dalasi
Mongolia Ulaanbaatar Tgrg
Ghana Accra Ghana cedi
Myanmar Naypyidaw Kyat
Kenya Nairobi Kenyan shilling
(Burma)
Liberia Monrovia Liberian dollar
Nepal Kathmandu Nepalese rupee
Libya Tripoli Dinar
North Korea Pyongyang North Korean won
Madagascar Antananarivo Malagasy ariary
Oman Muscat Rial
Mali Bamako CFA franc
Pakistan Islamabad Pakistani Rupee
Mauritius Port Louis Mauritian rupee
Philippines Manila Philippine Peso
Morocco Rabat Moroccan dirham
Qatar Doha Riyal
Mozambique Maputo Mozambican
Saudi Arabia Riyadh Saudi riyal
metical
South Korea Seoul South Korean won
Namibia Windhoek Namibian dollar
Sri Lanka Sri Sri Lankan rupee
Nigeria Abuja Naira
Jayawardenepur
Rwanda Kigali Rwandan franc a-Kotte
Seychelles Victoria Seychellois rupee Syria Damascus Syrian pound
Sierra Leone Freetown Leone Taiwan Taipei New Taiwan dollar
Somalia Mogadishu Somali shilling Tajikistan Dushanbe Somoni
South Africa Cape Town South African rand Thailand Bangkok Baht
South Sudan Juba South Sudanese Turkey Ankara Turkish lira

66
[Europe] Nicaragua Managua Nicaraguan cordoba
Turkmenistan Ashgabat Turkmen new Panama Panama City Panamanian balboa
manat Trinidad and Port of Spain Trinidad and Tobago
United Arab Abu Dhabi UAE dirham Tobago Dollar
Emirates United States Washington, United States Dollar
Uzbekistan Tashkent Uzbekistan som D.C.
European Countries South American Countries

Name Capital Currency
Name Capital Currency Argentina Buenos Aires Peso
Albania Tirana Lek Bolivia Sucre Boliviano
Austria Vienna Euro Brazil Braslia Real
Belarus Minsk Belarusian ruble Chile Santiago Peso
Belgium Brussels Euro Colombia Bogot Peso
Bulgaria Sofia Lev Ecuador Quito United States dollar
Croatia Zagreb Kuna Paraguay Asuncin Guaran
Czech Republic Prague Czech koruna Peru Lima Nuevo sol
Denmark Copenhagen Danish krone[a] Uruguay Montevideo Uruguayan peso
Finland Helsinki Euro Venezuela Caracas Bolvar fuerte
France Paris CFP franc
Germany Berlin Euro Other Countries
Greece Athens Euro Name Capital Currency
Hungary Budapest Forint Australia Canberra Australian dollar
Iceland Reykjavk Icelandic krna Fiji Suva Fijian dollar
Ireland Dublin Euro New Zealand Wellington New Zealand Dollar
Italy Rome Euro
Latvia Riga Euro
Lithuania Vilnius Euro
Luxembourg Luxembourg Euro
Malta Valletta Euro
Monaco Monaco Euro
Netherlands Amsterdam Euro
Norway Oslo Norwegian krone
Poland Warsaw Zoty
Portugal Lisbon Euro
Romania Bucharest Romanian leu
Russia Moscow Russian ruble
Serbia Belgrade Serbian dinar
Slovakia Bratislava Euro
Spain Madrid Euro
Sweden Stockholm Swedish krona
Switzerland Bern Swiss franc
Ukraine Kiev Ukrainian hryvnia
United London Pound sterling
Kingdom
Vatican City Vatican City Euro
North American Countries

Name Capital Currency
Bahamas Nassau Bahamian Dollar
Barbados Bridgetown Barbadian Dollar
Bermuda Hamilton Bermudian Dollar
Canada Ottawa Canadian Dollar
Cuba Havana Cuban peso
Jamaica Kingston Jamaican Dollar
Mexico Mexico City Mexican peso

67

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LIC AAO CAPSULE -2016

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INDIAS GDP PREDICTIONS 4. Standard & Poors 7.4% 8% -

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Gallantry Awards Announced

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Some Important agendas announced:

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CURRENT AFFAIRS INJECTIONS (1ST -10TH FEBRUARY 2016)

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CAMS, the leading services solutions provider for fund

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Insurance Repository in India What is AD&D in Insurance?

Who is an Actuary? What do you mean by Policy not in force?

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