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INDIAN AFFAIRS
Jharkhand police initiates Tara Zameen Par programme for underprivilieged children
With a motive to enlighten children in naxal-affected areas of Jharkhand’s Palamau district, Jharkhand Police has initiated Tare Zameen Par program to encourage children to lead happy lives.
Key Points:
i. Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), Vipul Shukla appealed to locals to donate bags, shoes, books and clothes that will be distributed among poor children.
ii. People from all sections of society took part in the program held in Jharkhand’s Daltongunj city contributing basic amenities for children.
Jharkahnd
Jharkhand is a state in eastern India.It’s known for its waterfalls, the elegant Jain temples of Parasnath Hill and the elephants and tigers of Betla National Park.
♦ CM- Raghubar Das
♦ Governor- Draupadi Murmu
♦ Capital- Ranchi
After UP’s Anti Romeo Squad Harayana launches Operation Durga
Haryana announced the launch of Durga Vahini – police squads it aims to stop harassment of women on public spaces.
Major Highlights:
i. Over the last 24 hours, the units have caught 72 men and handed them over to the local police stations.
ii. Strong actions will be taken against “eve-teasers“.
iii. The state government had already established women police stations in all the districts to ensure women’s safety.
iv. The teams comprise woman personnel, including nine Sub-inspectors of Police, 14 Assistant Sub-inspectors, six Head Constables and 13 constables, besides other police officers from each district.
v. The campaign Operation Durga was launched after identifying places where such anti-social elements were indulging in eve teasing, vulgar comments, stalking and other similar activities.
About Haryana:
CM-Manohar Lal Khattar
Governor-Kaptan Singh Solanki
33 years of Operation Meghdoot a saga of unmatched bravery
‘Operation Meghdoot’ the code-name for an Indian Armed Forces operation, was launched 33 years back this day.
Important Facts:
i. After 33 years of Operation Meghdoot, the Indian Army’s longest deployment on strategically located Siachen Glacier celebrating a saga for bravery, heroism, courage and sacrifice on the world’s highest and coldest battle field.
ii. Two disputed boundaries with Pakistan and China. It lies in the Karakoram Range in the North West India.
iii. Siachen Glacier is 76.4 km long and covers about 10,000 sq km uninhabited terrain.
iv. In 1974, Pakistan started permitting mountaineering journey into Siachen Glacier. Then, in 1983 it was clear that India needed to maintain a close watch on Siachen.
v. On this day, a Platoon of four Kumaon led by then Captain Sanjay Kulkarni planted the first Indian Flag on Siachen Glacier at Bilafond La which began Operation Meghdoot.
Cab safety measures for women included in New Taxi Policy guidelines
The safety measures that are recommended by the Ministry of Women and Child Development for the safety of women commuters who avails cab services have been included in the new Taxi Policy Guidelines.
Key Points
♦ These measures have been recommended by the WCD Minister, Smt Maneka Sanjay 
Gandhi to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and Shipping.
♦ The recommendations come because of the numerous cases of sexual harassment of women in cabs.
♦ It being reported to Smt. Maneka Gandhi on social media in Twitter and Facebook to raise their safety concern.
Recommendations of WCD Ministry included in the New Taxi Policy Guidelines are:
i. The taxis should be mandatorily fitted with GPS panic devices.
ii. The central locking system in the taxis should not be allowed for the safety of women and child passengers.
iii. The driver’s identification along with the photo and registration number of the vehicle must be displayed in the taxi.iv. Violation of the rules and regulations by the taxi drivers should be strictly dealt in accordance with law.
v. Sharing of seat should be subject to willingness of passengers.
Keys :
♦ Maneka Sanjay Gandhi is the Indian Women & Union Child Minister.
♦ Constituency- Amethi (UP)
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
Alia Bhatt features on Forbes 30 under 30 Asia list
Actress Alia Bhatt has featured in Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list. She is the only Bollywood actress who has made it to this year.
i. The actress has got a place in Forbes Under 30 Asia list. Alia got her name in the elite list after doing some of the highest earning films and gave best performances in recent times.
ii. Indian actress Alia Bhatt has acted in over 20 high-earning Bollywood movies.At least six of the films she has acted in earned very well that is over $15 million
Saudi Arabia raises $9 billion in first global islamic bond issue
Saudi Arabia raised $9 billion in its first global Islamic bond issue. The sale of Islamic bonds known as Sukuks.
Key Points:
i. The global debt market for the first time raised $17.5 billion in a bond issue.It is the biggest ever bond sale from an emerging-market nation,
ii. The government sold a $4.5 billion five-year Sukuk tranche at 100 basis points over the mid-swap rate and an equally-sized 10-year tranche at a spread of 140 basis points.
iii. Investors submitted more than $33 billion in bids.
iv. Saudi Arabia is tapping international and domestic markets to help finance a budget deficit that may reach $53 billion this year.
v. Saudi Arabia has been hit by a drop in oil prices that’s why it is raising debt, cut spending and preparing the world’s largest initial public offering of state-owned oil company Saudi Arabian Oil Co.
Saudi Arabia :
♦ Capital: Riyadh
♦ Currency: Saudi riyal
♦ King: Salman of Saudi Arabia
US drops largest Non-Nuclear bomb in Afghanistan area populated ISIS members
US drops largest nuclear bomb in Afghanistan area populated ISIS members. The US has dropped the “mother of all bombs”– the largest non-nuclear weapon.
Major Points:
i. The largest non-nuclear weapon used in combat by the US military – on an area of 
eastern Afghanistan known to be populated by Isis-affiliated militants.
ii. The strike was used for the first time and the 21,000 lb weapon had been used in combat operations.
iii. MC-130 aircraft dropped a GBU-43 bomb. The weapon is known in the US Air Force by its nickname MOAB, or “mother of all bombs”.
iv. MOAB stands for massive ordnance air blast.
v. The ‘mother of all bombs’ was developed and tested before the 2003 Iraq war.
vi. The strike, in Nangarhar province near the Pakistan border also killed 36 ISIS fighters.
vii. The GPS-guided bomb is capable of destroying an area equivalent to nine city blocks.
viii. The blast destroyed three underground tunnels as well as weapons and ammunition but no civilians were hurt.
BANKING & FINANCE
World Bank approves $375-mn loan for India’s first waterway project
World Bank has approved a $375 million loan to India for developing its first waterway project – The National Waterway 1. Under this project, a navigable stretch of 1360 km will be developed on River Ganga from Varanasi (in Uttar Pradesh) to Haldia (in West Bengal). The loan has maturity of 17 years and grace period of 7 years.
i. The project will put in place the basic infrastructure required to develop water transportation in this prospective region.
ii. As a part of this project, the outdated Farakka barrage lock-gate will be modernised, thereby facilitating smoother passage of vessels.
Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana tops target for 2016-17 loans cross target of Rs 1.8 lakh Crore
Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) was announced by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in 
the Union Budget for financial year 2016.
i. Loans extended under the PMMY during 2016-17 have crossed the target of Rs 1.8 lakh crore.
ii. PM Modi mentioned that there is an urgent need to focus on some 5.75 crore self-employed people who use funds of around Rs 11 lakh crore, and have an average debt of merely Rs 17,000 but they end up employing 12 crore people.
Income Tax department launches ‘Operation Clean Money-II’ to probe 60,000 people
On April 14, 2017, the Income Tax department launched second phase of ‘Operation Clean Money’ under which it will probe over 60000 individuals including 1300 ‘high risk’ individuals.
i. Businesses such as petrol pumps, hospitals and other essential services which have deposited much higher amount of cash during note ban period as compared to the previous period.
ii. In this phase the identification was not based on any particular threshold transaction amount. Detailed investigation will be conducted for around 6000 high value property transactions and 6600 cases of outward remittances.
BUSINESS
CPC in Benglaru gets new pin code for taxpayers benefit
The CPC is the central database centre of the department which receives all Income Tax Returns (ITRs), both e-filed and sent through post, and processes them for issuance of refunds and also deals with other tax related documents of a taxpayer.
Key Points:
i. The new pin code is-560500-while the CPC earlier old pin code was–560100.
ii. The Department of Post has allotted the pin code to the Central Processing Centre (CPC)
iii. To ensure that letters and mails sent by taxpayers and assesses are not lost and reach the centre without delay.
iv. The new pin code is meant exclusively to provide to CPC of the Income Tax department.
v. It will now help to curb the complaints and issues of postal mails which did not reach to the Income tax department.
ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS
Anil Agarwal buys 11.4% of minor Anglo American becomes 2nd largest holder
Anil Agarwal buys 11.4% of minor Anglo American and becomes the 2nd largest holder in Anglo American.
Key Points:
i. Indian billionaire Anil Agarwal has become the second largest shareholder in Anglo 
American after acquiring the shares of 11.44 per cent of the British mining group.
ii. The Volcan Holdings investment company that is owned by the Agarwal now owns 11.44 per cent of the group’s capital and voting rights.
iii. Volcan also owns mining competitor Vedanta Resources, which specialises in zinc.
iv. Anglo American plc is a great company which have excellent assets and a strong board and management team and executing a focused strategy to drive shareholder value.
IMPORTANT DAYS
PM Narendra Modi’s Nagpur visit to commemorate 126th birth anniversary of Dr. Ambedkar
On April, 14, 2017, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on a day-long visit to Nagpur for a series of programmes to commemorate 126th birth anniversary of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, the chief architect of Indian Constitution. Firstly, PM Modi visited sacred Deekshabhoomi and paid tributes to Dr. Ambedkar.
i. Prime Minister Narendra Modi released 2 special commemorative postal stamps. One stamp depicts ‘Deekshabhoomi’ in its full glory and the other stamp bears twin pictures of Lord Buddha and Dr. Ambedkar.
ii. He formally launched BHIM-Aadhaar platform for merchants at a function organized by the Niti Ayog at Mankapur Indoor Stadium in Nagpur.
iii. He inaugurates new units in Koradi thermal power station in Nagpur
