Monthly Current Affairs Quiz - July, 2017

Notes:
RK Pachnanda, the 1983 batch IPS officer of the West Bengal cadre, has taken charge as the new Director General of Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and will have tenure with ITBP till October 31, 2018. He succeeded ITBP DG Krishna Chaudhary, who retired from service on June 30, 2017. Prior to this appointment, Pachnanda was serving as Director General of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).

Notes:
The Hyderabad-based astrologer and numerologist TS Vineeth Bhatt has been conferred with the ‘Best astrologer of the world’ award at the Russian-Indian economic dialogue round-table meet held in Moscow. The event was organized by Peacemakers International, a charity that works for advancement of conflict resolution through mediation services and training.

Notes:
The 41st session of UNESCO World Heritage Committee has started in Krakow, Poland from July 2 to 12, 2017. During the session, the Committee will notably consider requests for the inscription of new sites on UNESCO’s World Heritage List and examine the state of conservation of sites already inscribed on the List as well as many other issues concerning the implementation of the World Heritage Convention. The World Heritage Committee consists of representatives from 21 of the States Parties to the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, elected by the General Assembly of States Parties to the Convention.

Notes:
The World Sports Journalists Day (WSJD) is observed every year on July 2 to mark the services of sports journalists for the promotion of sports. The purpose of the day is to encouraged sports journalists to strive for excellence in their work and to set an example to the world – not only to the world of sport, but to the world at large.

Notes:
The National Multi Commodity Exchange (NMCE) will merge with Indian Commodity Exchange (ICEX) to create India’s third largest commodities exchange. The merger, which is subject to regulatory approval, is expected to be completed by December 2017. ICEX’s shareholders will hold a 62.8% stake in the merged entity while the balance will be held by shareholders of NMCE. The proposed merger will offer a range of contracts including bullion, oil, rubber and other agri-commodities. The exchange will also offer the world’s first diamond futures contract, which has already received “in-principle” approval from the regulator. The NMCE is the India’s first demutualised online national multi-commodities exchange.

Notes:
The 9th edition of Delhi Dialogue has started with theme “ASEAN-India Relations: Charting the Course for the Next 25 Years” in New Delhi on July 4, 2017. It has inaugurated and addressed by the Union External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. In the two day dialogue, political leaders, policy makers, senior officials, diplomats, business leaders, think tanks and academicians from India and ASEAN countries will participate in the discussions. It is a premier event to discuss politico-security, economic and socio-cultural engagement between ASEAN and India. This Dialogue has been held annually since 2009.

Notes:
Dr Harsh Vardhan, the union minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, has launched a month-long plantation drive to mark Van Mahotsav on July 5, 2017. Van Mahotsav is an annual tree-planting movement in India, which began in 1950. It is usually observed in the first week of July every year and is celebrated on different days in different parts of India. The purpose of the festival is to raise the awareness of trees among people and to highlight the need for planting and tending of trees as one of the best ways to prevent global warming and reduce pollution.

Notes:
Sanjay Gupta, the CEO of Jagran Prakashan Ltd, has been appointed as the new Chairman of the society and Board of Governors of the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Amritsar for a period of five years w.e.f. June 23, 2017. He is the Editor in Chief of Dainik Jagran since 2014 and has been associated with the Jagran Group for more than two decades. Earlier, he also served as a member on the board of governors of IIM Lucknow and of Motilal Nehru Institute of Technology, Allahabad. He is also a member of the Shri Piran Chand Gupta Samarak Trust which runs several colleges and schools across the country.

Notes:
Sanjay Kumar, the 1985-batch IPS officer of Himachal Pradesh cadre, has been appointed as the new Director General (DG) of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). He will succeed R K Pachnanda, who was has taken charge as DG the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP). Prior to this appointment, he was director general of police (DGP) in Himachal Pradesh. The NDRF has 12 battalions with a strength of over 13,000 personnel. It is mandated to undertake special disaster response and combat roles independently and also assist local authorities in launching a quick rescue and response operation to save life and property.

Notes:
Piyush Goyal, the Union Minister of State (IC) for Power, Coal, New & Renewable Energy and Mines, has launched the Merit Order Despatch of Electricity for Rejuvenation of Income and Transparency (MERIT) app and e-bidding portal for providing e-Bidding solution to States to select Independent Power Producers (IPPs) for procurement of power by transferring their domestic coal under the scheme of flexibility in utilization of domestic coal. This system will bring transparency in states’ power distribution and sales and save Rs 20 thousand crore in next 5 to 7 years.