October

FactSheet
CareerAnna
2016

NATIONAL
• Union Cabinet approves agreement on Trade, Commerce and Transit
between India and Bhutan. The agreement was renewed on 29 July
2006 for a period of ten years. The validity of this agreement was later
extended with effect from 29 July 2016.
• Union Cabinet approves Cadre Review of Indian Posts &
Telecommunications Accounts and Finance Service. The Indian Post &
Telecommunication Accounts and Finance Service is a Group A Central
Civil Services of the Union of India.
• Union Cabinet approves establishment of National Academic
Depository. The Budget Speech of 2016-17 of the Finance Benefit, Arun
Jaitley, incorporated the commitment to establish a Digital Depository
for school learning certificates, degrees and other academic awards of
Higher Education Institutions, on the pattern of a Securities
Depository.
• India, South Korea sign revised Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement
• Union Ministry of Urban Development signs MoU with NBCC (India)
Ltd & CPWD. The NBCC will redevelop Sarojini Nagar, Netaji Nagar,
Nauroji Nagar and CPWD will redevelop Kasturba Nagar, Thyagraj
Nagar, Srinivaspuri and Mohammadpur.
• Union Government amends election rules enabling armed forces to get
e-postal ballot. With this, the service voters, including personnel from
armed forces, can now download the blank post ballot sent to them
electronically.
• Haji Ali Dargah conveyed to Supreme Court that women will be
granted access to the inner sanctorum of the shrine
• Union Government to establish Krishi Vigyan Kendra in each district.
The decision was announced by Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan
Singh, while interacting with all the Krishi Vigyan Kendra experts and
others from 12 States.
• Union Government funds Ro Pax Ferry Service in Gulf of Cambay under
Sagarmala Programme. The project will result in reduction in
motorable distance of 231 kilometres between Gogha and Dahej to
mere 31 kilometres and reduce the travel time from 7 hours to 1 hour
only by crossing the Gulf in Cambay in 17 Nautical Miles.
• Union Cabinet approves New Productivity Linked Reward Scheme for
port and dock workers
• Union Cabinet approves agreement between India and Estonia on the
transfer of sentenced persons
• PM Modi launches National SC/ST hub and Zero Defect – Zero Effect
scheme in Ludhiana. The National SC/ST hub was created with an aim
to promote entrepreneurship among the SC/ST population and it will
provide professional support to them.
• Draft National Water Framework Bill, 2016 brought to resolve issue of
river water sharing. The bill states that every person has a right to
sufficient quantity of safe water for life within easy reach of the
household regardless of, among others, caste, creed, religion,
community, class, gender, age, disability, economic status, land
ownership and place of residence.
• Union Cabinet approves setting up of IIM at Jammu
• Home Minister said that Indo-Pak border to be completely sealed in
next 2 yrs. The government’s decision comes as tensions between the
two nations have increased in recent past. It was fueled more after an
army strike on militant bases in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
• Union Cabinet approves setting up of India's first Medipark in Tamil
Nadu. For this purpose, HLL Lifecare Ltd, a Mini Ratna PSU under
Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, will sub-lease 330.10 acres
of land at Chengalpattu.
• Nitin Gadkari launches Indian Bridge Management System. Based on
this inventory IBMS will analyse data and identify bridges that need
attention and carry out the process to improve the operational
availability of the structure, enhance its life and prioritize repair and
rehabilitation work.
• Union Cabinet approves MoU between India and African Asian Rural
Development Organization. Under this MoU, capacity building
programmes for AARDO member countries will be organized every
year at various Institutions of Excellence in India.
• Union Cabinet approves MoU between India and European Union on
water cooperation. It provides technical exchange on water issues,
including on integrated water resource management plans within river
basins and through study visits.
• Karnataka starts releasing Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu for irrigation
purpose. Water was released after the legislature passed a Resolution
authorizing the state government to take appropriate decisions to
release water.
 • Haryana to observe 2017 as Garib Kalyan Varsh. During the
observation period, the government would lay emphasis on welfare of
poor people and generating employment opportunities for the youth.
• HC bans sale of whitener in Uttarakhand. Whitener, a cheaply available
drug, affects the central nervous system and cause seizures, memory
loss, dilated heart beat and respiratory problems also.
• Rajasthan HC dissolves state’s OBC Commission. The order was passed
by the court while hearing a writ petition moved by Samata Andolan
that challenged the OBC Commission's establishment through an
executive order.
• Maharashtra launches Kaushalya SETU initiative. SETU established
under NITI Aayog is a Techno-Financial, Incubation and Facilitation
Programme to support all aspects of start-up businesses, and other
self-employment activities.
• PM Modi inaugurates 3 hydropower projects in Himachal Pradesh. The
three hydropower projects are Parbati hydro power project, Rampur
project and Kol Dam power project.
• PM Narendra Modi inaugurates Shaurya Smarak in Bhopal. The
Shourya Smarak is spread over an area of 12.67 acre land. It narrates
the story of bravery of the nation's valiant soldiers, who have laid
down their lives fighting enemies on the borders.
• Safe Motherhood Week observed in Uttar Pradesh. The main aim of the
'Safe Motherhood Week' is to decrease the 'Mother Mortality Rate'
(MMR) and 'Infant Mortality Rate' (IMR).
• Telangana redraws its map by adding 21 new districts. Telangana,
which came into existence on 2 June 2014 as the 29th State of India,
started out with 10 districts.
• Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung dissolves Delhi Waqf Board.
• Urban areas of Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh declared open defecation
free
• Jharkhand becomes first state to implement Direct Benefit Transfer in
Kerosene. Under the DBT Scheme, PDS kerosene is being sold at non-
subsidised price and the subsidy is being transferred to consumers
directly into their bank accounts.
• Arunachal Pradesh CM flags off all-women Mt Gorichen Expedition.
This is the first all women team attempting to summit Mount Gorichen
the second highest peak of Arunachal Pradesh. Its altitude is 6488
meter (21286ft) high above sea level.


INTERNATIONAL
• India, New Zealand sign three pacts including avoidance of double
taxation. The two nations signed an agreement on Cooperation in the
field of Youth Affairs and Sports and arrangement regarding Food
Safety Cooperation.
• World Bank releases report titled Doing Business 2017: Equal
Opportunity for All. It is the 14th report in a series of annual reports
measuring the regulations that enhance business activity and those
that constrain it.
• Indo-Italy Scientific and Technological Cooperation re-launched
• Iraq’s Parliament passes law banning alcohol. The law imposes a fine of
up to 25 million Iraqi dinars for anyone violating the ban. However, the
law can be struck down by the supreme court of Iraq.
• Pakistan to enforce complete ban on Indian TV, radio contents from 21
October
• India, Myanmar signed 3 MoUs including Cooperation in the field of
Power Sector
• Saudi Prince executed for murdering a compatriot
• The eighth BRICS summit was held from 15 to 16 October under the
theme Building Responsive, Inclusive and Collective Solutions.
• Bangladesh, China announced the year 2017 as the Year of Friendship
and Exchanges between China and Bangladesh.
• India, Hungary sign two agreements including co-operation in Water
resources
• India, Russia signs 16 MoUs including procurement of the S-400 air
defence system. The signed agreements included procurement of the S-
400 air defence system and construction of four Admiral Grigorovich-
class (Project 11356) guided-missile stealth frigates in India.
• Maldives decided to leave the Commonwealth saying it was treated
unjustly and unfairly by the Commonwealth. Earlier, Commonwealth
Ministerial Action Group warned it of suspension if it fails to bring in
rule of law and democracy.
• Israel suspends cooperation with UNESCO after it passed resolution on
Jerusalem. The action came after UNESCO approved a draft resolution,
sponsored by several Arab countries, which repeatedly used only the
Islamic name for a hilltop complex, which is also the holiest site in
Judaism.
 • India, Russia sign agreement to set up agro irradiation centres. The
agreement was signed between the Indian Agricultural Association,
Hindustan Agro Co-Op Ltd (HACL) and United Innovation Corporation
(UIC), Russia.
• Global Hunger Index 2016 released: India ranked at 97th position
• Abdelilah Bekirane appointed for another term as PM of Morocco
• Russia vetoes UN resolution to stop bombing of Aleppo
• Indian-origin barrister Shami Chakrabarti appointed to UK shadow
cabinet. The Shadow Cabinet is a feature of the Westminster system of
government. It consists of a senior group of opposition spokespeople
who, under the leadership of the Leader of the Opposition, form an
alternative cabinet to that of the government.
• US lifts economic sanctions on Myanmar
• IMF releases World Economic Outlook
• India, Singapore sign three MoUs strengthening ties on countering
terror, skill development. These three Memoranda of Understandings
(MoUs) agreements were signed during the visit of Singapore Premier
Lee Hsien Loong to India.
• France becomes first country to ban plastic cups and plates. The
measure is an addition to France's Energy Transition for Green Growth
Act, a wide-reaching law adopted in 2015 with the aim of mitigating
the impact of climate change.
• Kersti Kaljulaid elected as first female President of Estonia
• Colombian voters rejected FARC peace plan in a referendum. The deal
was signed last week of August by President Juan Manuel Santos and
FARC leader Timoleon Jimenez after four years of negotiations.
• China blocks tributary of Brahmaputra in Tibet
• BRICS Nations adopt New Delhi Declaration of Education. The nations
pledged to develop an enabling framework to promote research
cooperation and knowledge transfer among these countries in
collaboration with other BRICS initiatives.


BUSINESS AND ECONOMY
• Sunil Bharti Mittal appointed as Chairman of GSMA. The company re-
elected Mari-Noëlle Jego-Laveissiere, Executive Vice President,
Innovation, Orange Group as Deputy Chairman.
• Borje Ekholm appointed as President and CEO of Ericsson
• Dr Reddy's Lab announces strategic deal with Gland Pharma in US
market
• Rajeev Misra appointed as Head of Softbank Vision Fund
• Cyrus Mistry ousted as Tata Sons chief; Ratan Tata returns in interim
• AT&T Inc agrees to buy Time Warner Inc for 85.4 billion US dollars
• SBI declares Silchar as its 5th zone in North East India. The 5th zone will cater
to the banking needs of the people of Mizoram, Tripura and Manipur
along with the Barak Valley. The other four zones are located in after
Guwahati, Shillong, Dibrugarh and Jorhat.
• Russia's Rosneft Oil Company acquires India’s Essar Oil for 13 billion
US dollars
• Standard Chartered Bank ties-up with Uber to offer discounts. In India,
the cardholders will get a 20 percent cash-back on all Uber rides,
subject to a cash—back cap of 600 rupees per month.
• Reliance and Dassault Aviation set up joint venture for Rafale deal. The
“Dassault Reliance Aerospace” Joint Venture will be a key player in the
execution of offset obligations, as a part of the 36 Rafale fighter Jets
purchase agreement at a value of about 59000 crore rupees signed
between France and India on 23 September 2016.
• Oil India Limited signs MoU with University of Houston
• Ashish Vohra appointed as CEO of Reliance Nippon Life Insurance Ltd
• SBI becomes first domestic bank to open branch in Yangon
• Ambati Venu appointed as Managing Director of Abbott India Ltd
• Myntra appoints Dipanjan Basu as Chief Financial Officer
• GST Council fixes four tier tax structure under Goods and Services Tax.
Under the tax structure of 5, 12, 18 and 28 percent, the lower rates will
be applicable for essential items and the highest for luxury and de-
merits goods that will also attract an additional cess.
• Union Government to set up $2 bn clean energy equity fund for
additional renewable energy. The fund is being created to support
government's ambitious target of adding 175 GW renewable energy
generation capacity by 2022.
• State-wise Ease of Doing Business rankings released. Andhra Pradesh
and Telengana topped the all-India ranking with 98.78 per cent each,
followed by Gujarat with 98.21 per cent, Chhattisgarh with 97.32 per
cent and Madhya Pradesh with 97.01 per cent.
• RBI said that startups can raise USD 3 million via ECBs annually
• RBI eases norms for foreign investment in startups
• TRAI recommends Rs 3050 crore penalty on Airtel, Vodafone & Idea
for denial of interconnection by these operators to Reliance Jio.
• Union Government launched UDAN for Regional Air Connectivity. The
scheme UDAN envisages providing connectivity to un-served and
under-served airports of the country through revival of existing air-
strips and airports.
• India, World Bank sign $650 Million agreement for Eastern Dedicated
Freight Corridor
• Union Government grants BP Plc licence to set up petrol pumps in
India
• Union Cabinet approves MoU between EXIM bank and NDB. The MoU
aims at establishing a cooperation framework in accordance with the
national laws and regulations, besides skills transfer and knowledge
sharing amongst the signatories.
• CCEA approves revision of ethanol prices for supply to Public Sector Oil
Marketing Companies. The administered price of ethanol for the
Programme will be 39 rupees per litre for the next sugar season from 1
December 2016 to 30 November 2017.
• India’s first International Arbitration Centre inaugurated in Mumbai
• CCEA approves acquisition of 11% stake in JSC Vankorneft by ONGC
Videsh
• Union Finance Ministry sets up Public Debt Management Cell. PDMC
will have PDMC will have only advisory functions to avoid any conflict
with the statutory functions of RBI. It will have only advisory functions
to avoid any conflict with the statutory functions of [Link] advisory
functions to avoid any conflict with the statutory functions of RBI.
• RBI releases fourth Bi-monthly Monetary Policy Statement, 2016-17.
The policy repo rate under the liquidity adjustment facility (LAF) was
reduced by 25 basis points from 6.5 per cent to 6.25 per cent with
immediate effect.
• Union Government decides to raise EPFO Investment in ETF from 5 to
10 per cent
 • CCEA approves implementation of Project SAKSHAM. IT project
Saksham will help integrate system of Central Board of Excise and
Customs with the GST network before the roll out in April 2017.


SPORTS
• FIH appoints Jason McCracken as Chief Executive Officer
• FIFA unveils Official Mascot for 2018 World Cup named Zabivaka,
which means ‘the one who scores’ in Russian. The mascot is the wolf
developed by student designer Ekaterina Bocharova.
• Portugal's Renato Sanches wins 2016 European Golden Boy Award
• North Korea wins 2016 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup
• Lewis Hamilton wins 2016 United States Grand Prix
• India wins 2016 Kabaddi World Cup
• Punjab Directorate wins NCC National Games
• Indian Boxing Council inducted into WBO with voting rights. The
World Boxing Organization is a sanctioning organization that
recognizes professional boxing world champions. It is recognized by
the International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF) as one of the four major
world championship groups.
• Indian Railways wins World Railway Shooting Championship Cup
• Kochi becomes first Indian city to host FIFA U-17 World Cup
• Saina Nehwal appointed member of IOC's Athletes' Commission
• Indian Wrestlers bagged four medals at 2016 TAFISA World Games.
Dalmiya bagged the yellow metal in 60kg category after outplaying
Muhammad Sahan of Azerbaijan 4-1 in the summit clash. Luv lost to
Muhammad Alim in the final to finish second on the podium.
• Boxer Neeraj Goyat retains WBC Asia Welterweight title
• Sourabh Verma wins men's singles title at Chinese Taipei Open
• Brazil wins 1st BRICS U-17 football tournament
• Virat Kohli presented with ICC Test Championship mace
• India clean-sweeps three match test series against New Zealand
• Andy Murray wins 2016 China Open Men's Singles
• Agnieszka Radwanska wins 2016 China Open Women's Singles
• Shooter Jitu Rai bags silver at World Cup in Italy
• Gaganjeet Bhullar wins 2016 Shinhan Donghae Open
• Maria Sharapova drugs ban reduced from two years to 15 months
 • Daniel Ricciardo wins 2016 Malaysian Grand Prix
• Services clinched overall title at 56th National Athletics

BOOKS
• The Adivasi Will Not Dance authored by Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar
• The Sleepwalker's Dream authored by Dhrubajyoti Borah released
• Author Arundahti Roy announces second novel titled The Ministry of
Utmost Happiness
• Venkaiah Naidu releases book titled Modi’s Midas Touch in Foreign
Policy

AWARDS
• Shamik Chowdhury wins the German Green Talent award
• Dubai International Film Festival to honour Rekha with a Lifetime
Achievement Award
• PM Narendra Modi presents Ramnath Goenka Awards for Excellence in
Journalism. The honour acknowledges exceptional work across 28
categories in print, broadcast and online journalism in English, Hindi
and regional languages.
• IFFI to honour Im Kwon-taek with Lifetime Achievement Award
• Daughters of Mother India wins at CAM International Film Festival
• Nadia Murad and Lamiya Aji Bashar wins 2016 Sakharov Prize
• AIR's entry on dwindling tiger habitats wins ABU award. Diary of a
Tiger' is produced by Abhinay Srivastava, narrates the story of
dwindling forests and gradually decreasing habitat of tigers.
• Paul Beatty wins 2016 Man Booker Prize
• Bill Murray wins Mark Twain Prize for American Humour
• 54 eminent personalities selected for UP's Yash Bharti Awards 2016.
Bollywood actor Naseeruddin Shah, PayTM CEO Vijay Shekhar,
Paralympic athlete Varun Kumar, Qawwaali singers Aftab and Hashim
(Sabri Brothers), film director Saurabh Shukla and Atul Tiwari were
some of the prominent names.
• Doctors from AIIMS and SGRH chosen for Dr BC Roy Award. Randeep
Guleria, Head of Pulmonology, and CS Yadav of Department of
 Orthopaedics from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences were
selected for the award. Chairman of Board of Management at the Sir
Ganga Ram Hospital D S Rana and Arvind Kumar were also chosen for
the coveted award.
• Milan confers honorary citizenship on Dalai Lama
• International Prize in Statistics awarded to Sir David Cox
• Robert De Niro to be honoured with Chaplin Award by Film Society of
Lincoln Center
• C Radhakrishnan chosen for Mathrubhumi Literary Award 2016
• Kirtiraj Kundlik Gaikwad awarded with IAFP Young scientist
scholarship award 2016
• Bob Dylan wins 2016 Nobel Prize in Literature
• Oliver Hart, Bengt Holmstrom win 2016 Sveriges Riksbank Prize in
Economic Sciences
• Sprinter Srabani Nanda wins 24th Ekalabya Award
• Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos wins 2016 Nobel Peace Prize.
President Santos initiated the negotiations that culminated in the peace
accord between the Colombian government and the FARC guerrillas as
he consistently sought to move the peace process forward.
• IGIA's T3 becomes first Platinum rated green airport terminal building
in India
• Pawan Chamling honoured with Sustainable Development Leadership
Award
• Nayanjot Lahiri wins 2016 John F Richards Prize
• Jean-Pierre Sauvage, J Fraser Stoddart and Bernard L Feringa won
2016 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. The trio were bestowed with the
prestigious award for the design and synthesis of molecular machines.
They have developed molecules with controllable movements, which
can perform a task when energy is added.
• Former ISRO chief U R Rao becomes first Indian to be inducted into IAF
Hall of Fame
• David Thouless, F Duncan M Haldane And Michael Kosterlitz won 2016
Nobel Prize In Physics. They were awarded for theoretical discoveries
of topological phase transitions and topological phases of matter.
• Wildlife film-maker Prajna Chowta conferred knighthood by France
• Indian-American Vinaya Manchaiah named Future Leader of Audiology
• Nobel Prize in Medicine 2016 awarded to Yoshinori Ohsumi. Ohsumi is
bestowed with the prize for his discoveries of mechanisms for
autophagy. He discovered and elucidated mechanisms underlying
 autophagy, a fundamental process for degrading and recycling cellular
components.
• Indian-origin Kiara Nirghin wins Google Science Fair prize 2016


APPOINTMENTS
• Karnal Singh appointed as Director of Enforcement Directorate
• Bilal Nazki appointed as chairperson of J&K Human Rights Commission
• Japan's Morinari Watanabe elected President of International
Gymnastics Federation
• Vice Admiral SV Bhokare assumes office as the Commandant of Indian
Naval Academy
• Sunil Mishra appointed as Odisha's CIC
• S P Yadav elected new President of North Zone of Urology Society of
India
• Amandeep Singh Gill appointed as India's Ambassador to UN
Conference on Disarmament, Geneva
• Ajay Kumar Bhalla appointed as Director General of Foreign Trade
• Portugal’s Antonio Guterres appointed UN Secretary-General
• Gurumoorthy Mahalingam appointed as Whole-Time Member of SEBI
• Renu Pall appointed as Ambassador of India to Austria
• Luo Zhaohui appointed as China's Ambassador to India
• PV Sindhu appointed as Brand Ambassador of Vizag Steel
• BVR Mohan Reddy appointed as Honorary Consul of Germany in
Hyderabad
• Former Portuguese PM Antonio Guterres selected to be UN Secretary-
General
• Sushil Chandra appointed CBDT Chairman
• MS Sahoo assumes charge as Chairman of Insolvency and Bankruptcy
Board of India
• S Sivakumar appointed as full-time member of 21st Law Commission of
India
• Shakti Sinha appointed as Director of Nehru Memorial Museum and
Library
• R Subramania Kumar appointed Executive Director of Indian Overseas
Bank


OBITUARIES
• Legendary Kashmiri singer Raj Begum dies
• Legendary footballer Carlos Alberto Torres dies
• Anti-Vietnam War activist Tom Hayden died
• Kigeli V Ndahindurwa, last king of Rwanda, dies
• Bhumibol Adulyadej, King of Thailand, passes away
• Theatre legend Heisnam Kanhailal passes away
• Noted artist Yusuf Arakkal passes away
• Renowned Bangla writer Syed Shamsul Haq passes away

IMPORTANT DAYS

• 1st Monday of October – World Habitat Day ( Theme- Housing at the
centre)
• October 1 –World Vegetarian Day, International Day of the
older/Elderly( Theme- Take a stand against ageism)
• October 2 -Gandhi Jayanti, International Day of Non-Violence,Birth of
lal bahudar shastri.
• October 3 –World Nature Day
• October 4 –World Animal Day
• October 5 –World Teacher’s Day ( Theme- Valuing teachers,
Improving their status)
• October 6 –World Wildlife Day
• October 8 - Indian Air Force Day
• October 9 –World Postal or Post-office Day ( Theme- Innovation,
Integration and Inclusion)
• October 10 -World Mental Health Day ( Theme- Digniy in mental
health: Psychological and mental health First Aid for all), National
Post-office Day
• October 11 - International Day of the Girl Child ( Theme- Girl’s
progress=Goal’s progress)
• 2nd Thursday of October –World Sight Day ( Theme- Stronger
together)
• October 12 -World Arthritis Day
• October 13 -International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction (
Theme- Live to tell: Raising awareness, Reducing mortality)
• October 14 -World Standards Day ( Theme- Standard Bulid
Trust)
• October 15 – Global Hand Washing Day, International Day of Rural Women
• October 16 -World Food Day ( Theme-Climate is changing. Food and
agriculture must too.)

• October 17 - International Poverty Day for its Eradication
• October 20 -World Osteoporosis Day ( Theme- Love your bones
protect your future) , World Statistics Day( Theme- Better Data,
Better Lives)
• October 24 - UN Day (Theme -Freedom First) , World Polio Day
• October 27 -World day for Audio Visual Heritage( Theme- Its your
story, don’t lose it)
• October 28 - International Animation Day, National Ayurveda day
• October 29- International Internet day, World Stroke Day
• October 30 –World thrift day
• October 31 -World Savings Day or Halloween Day, National Integrity
Day, World Cities Day ( theme- Inclusive Cities, Shared Development)


SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
• Indo-Sri Lanka Joint Military Exercise Mitra Shakti 2016 commences.
• ICGS Aryaman and Atulya commissioned into Indian Coast Guard. The
ICGS Aryaman and Atulya are the eighteenth and nineteenth
respectively in the series of twenty Fast Patrol Vessels (FPVs). They
are designed and built by Cochin Shipyard Limited.
• Indian Navy commissions fast attack craft INS Tihayu. The vessel
named after Tihayu Island in the Nicobar of Islands is capable of
operating in shallow waters at high speeds and is equipped with
enhanced firepower.
• India and China conduct Sino India Cooperation 2016 in Ladakh
• India completes nuclear triad with INS Arihant. A nuclear triad refers
to the nuclear weapons delivery of a strategic nuclear arsenal which
consists of three components: strategic bombers, intercontinental
ballistic missiles, and submarine-launched ballistic missiles.
• China's space lab launches micro-satellite, Banxing-2
• IGKV Chhattisgarh develops protein-enriched rice variety
• Hubble Space Telescope detects Great Balls of Fire
• ISRO’s communication satellite GSAT-18 successfully launched from
French Guiana

MISCELLANEOUS
• Union Government constitutes Munialappa Committee to monitor bird
flu situation
• KS Valdiya led expert committee finds Saraswati River did exist. The
4000-kilometer long river that originated from Adibadri in Himalaya
passed through Pakistan before culminating in Arabian Sea through
Rann of Kutch.
• NDTV India ordered to be taken off air for 24 hours. The order by the
Inter-Ministerial Committee claimed that NDTV India revealed several
confidential details like location of the ammunition depot, details of
arms cache and fighter planes, details of schools and residential areas
located around the airbase, endangering lives of both civilians and
defense personnel.
• Irom Sharmila announces formation of political party named Peoples
Resurgence and Justice Alliance. Irom Chanu Sharmila, the Iron Lady of
Manipur, announced her decision to enter politics on 9 August 2016,
the day when she broke her 16-year-long fast.
• Ashok Leyland unveils India's first indigenous electric bus. The zero-
emission vehicle will be offered on multiple platforms and enjoys a
subsidy under the government’s Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of
(Hybrid) and Electric Vehicles (FAME) scheme. It can travel 150 km on
a single charge.
• Prime Minister inaugurates 2016 National Tribal Carnival
• Bindeshwar Pathak appointed as brand ambassador of Swachh Rail
Mission
• G Balakrishna, Bengaluru water tanker driver, crowned Mr Asia 2016
 • Indian mountaineer Arjun Vajpai scales world's sixth highest mountain
Cho Oyu
• SBI chief Arundhati Bhattacharya gets one year extension
• Abu Dhabi Crown Prince to be chief guest on Republic Day in India. The
Crown Prince will be the first leader from Gulf to be the Chief Guest of
the Republic Day parade since 2006. In 2006, Saudi King Abdullah bin
Abdulaziz al-Saud was the chief guest on Republic Day.
• Jawhar Sircar resigns as CEO of Prasar Bharati Corporation
• National Summit on Fortification of Food inaugurated in New Delhi
• BRICS summit concluded with adoption of Goa Declaration
• First World Tsunami Awareness Day to be celebrated at AMCDRR. The
Conference will be organised from 3 November to 5 November 2016 at
Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi by the Government of India in
collaboration with the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk
Reduction (UNISDR).
• India to host Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction
• Pranab Mukherjee inaugurates first World Sustainable Development
Summit
• PM Narendra Modi inaugurates India Sanitation Conference
• Justice Reddy committee on OROP submits report
• World Economic Forum released Global Gender Gap Report 2016.
India, which is among the top-ranked countries in South Asia, was
ranked at 87th position. Top five countries with high gender equality
are Iceland, Finland, Norway, Sweden, and Rwanda.
• Dharmendra Pradhan launches National Seismic Programme in
Mahanadi Basin