Monthly Current Affairs Quiz - July, 2017

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 International Plastic Bag Free Day (IPBFD) is observed every year on July 3 to highlight the need to phase-out plastic bags and to promote organic reusable bags. The day signifies the ability for the world to come together and create an environment that is plastic free and educating individuals about current alternatives to plastics and other wastes.

Notes:
Jehan Daruvala of Sahara Force India Academy has become the first Indian driver to win in the FIA Formula 3 European Championship in Race 3 at the Nuremberg circuit on July 2, 2017. Jehan’s victory in race 3 comes 18 years after Narain Karthikeyan won in the British F3 Championship. The 2.3-km Norisring is an extremely fast and flowing layout for a street circuit and mistakes are punished by the concrete walls instead of tyre barriers. FIA Formula 3 is the toughest junior racing category in the world.

Notes:
India has ranked 88th with 676 million Swiss francs (about Rs 4,500 crore) in terms of money parked by its citizens with Swiss banks, according to an analysis by the Swiss National Bank (SNB) for 2016-end. As per latest figures, the money officially held by Indians with banks in Switzerland now accounts for a meagre 0.04% of the total funds kept by all foreign clients in the Swiss banking system. The SNB’s official figures haven’t include the money that Indians, NRIs or others might have in Swiss banks in the names of entities from different countries. The United Kingdom (UK) has topped the list, followef by United States (US), West Indies, France, Bahamas, Germany, Guernsey, ect.

Notes:
Pinarayi Vijayan, the Chief Minister of Kerala, has launched G-Ride, a digital ride sharing app for techies. The app is specially designed and deployed for the IT industry by the Group of Technology Companies (Gtech), the industry body of IT companies in the state. The G-Ride app automatically matches co-workers and neighbours and help them travel together to work. It is available in Android and iOS versions.

Notes:
Swayam Shikshan Prayog (SSP), a Pune-based NGO, has won the 2017 United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)’s Equator Prize for its women led climate resilient agro-ecological farming model and innovative solutions in climate resilient farming in the Marathwada region of India. The SSP is one of the 15 winners of Equator Prize 2017 by UNDP. The SSP has empowered 72,000 women in the drought-prone state of Maharashtra to act as agricultural decision-makers, improving their health, food security, and economic well-being.

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:
The Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) is located at the Chandrapur district of Maharashtra state. It is notable as Maharashtra’s oldest and largest national park. The reserve is home to Bengal Tiger, Indian leopards, sloth bears, gaur, nilgai, orange-headed thrush, Indian pitta, crested treeswift, etc. The TATR is one of India’s 50 “Project Tiger” – tiger reserves.

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:
The Guindy National Park (GNP) is the 8th smallest National Park of India, located at Chennai in Tamil Nadu. It is one of the very few national parks situated inside a city. The park has a role in both ex-situ and in-situ conservation and is home to 400 blackbucks, 2,000 spotted deers, 24 jackals, a wide variety of snakes, geckos, tortoises and over 130 species of birds, 14 species of mammals, over 60 species of butterflies and spiders each, a wealth of different invertebrates—grasshoppers, ants, termites, crabs, snails, slugs, scorpions, mites, earthworms, millipedes, and the like. These are free-ranging fauna and live with the minimal of interference from human beings.