Monthly Current Affairs Quiz - July, 2017

Notes:
The United Nations (UN)’ International Co-operative Day (IDC) is observed every year on the first Saturday of to recognize and reaffirms the role of cooperatives in economic, social and cultural development and in the achievement of social policy objectives. This year, in 2017, the day is observed on July 1 under the theme ‘Co-operatives ensure no one is left behind’. The 2017 IDC theme complements the priority theme of the 2017 High-level Political Forum for Sustainable Development: ‘Eradicating poverty and promoting prosperity in a changing world’.

Notes:
Ana Brnabic, an independent politician, has become the first openly gay person and the first female Prime Minister of Serbia. She succeeded Ivica Dacic on June 29, 2017. The role of the Prime Minister in Serbia is to direct the work of the Government, and to submit to the National Assembly the Government’s Program, including a list of proposed ministers. The resignation of the Prime Minister will cause the fall of the Government.

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:
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:
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:
The Wilpattu National Park (WNP) is the largest and one of the oldest National Parks in Sri Lanka. The unique feature of this park is the existence of “Willus” (Natural lakes) – Natural, sand-rimmed water basins or depressions that fill with rainwater. The park is 1,317 square kilometers (131, 693 hectares) and ranges from 0 to 152 meters above sea level. It is home to elephant, sloth bear, leopard, water buffalo, etc. The most common reptiles found in the park are the monitor lizard, mugger crocodile, common cobra, rat snake, Indian python, pond turtle, etc. The best time to visit Wilpattu is during the months of February and October.

Notes:
The 12th edition of G20 summit will be held at Hamburg in Germany on July 7, 2017 with theme “Shaping an interconnected world”. In the 2-day summit, from India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lead the Indian Delegation at the G20 meet with a firm message on the global menace of terrorism. The G20 countries account for more than four-fifths of Gross world product and three-quarters of global trade. They are home to almost two-thirds of the world’s population. In that context expectations are always high from a G20 summit. The G20 is an international forum for the governments and central bank governors from 20 major economies with the aim of studying, reviewing and promoting high-level discussion of policy issues pertaining to the promotion of international financial stability.

Notes:
According to the latest report of BMI Research, India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth is expected to grow at 6.9% for FY 18 (2017-18). As per report, India’s growth is expected to pick up following the negative ramifications from the demonetisation drive in November 2016, but weak public banks will likely cap the recovery. The Fitch Group company noted that the negative effects from the demonetisation measure is already wearing off, and the Indian economy will likely benefit from positive demographic trends, greater external stability (due to improved terms of trade from lower oil prices), and continued reforms that should help to improve the country’s admittedly poor business environment. However, the report noted that the public banking sector is still weak and plagued with mounting non-performing assets and it is likely to weigh on India’s growth potential.

Notes:
The Karian Shola National Park (KSNP) is is located at the southern end of the Western Ghats, in the Anaimalai Hills in Tamil Nadu. The park consists of areas of stunted, mossy rainforests known as shola forests interspersed with rolling montane grassland with towering rocky cliffs, making it a biologically unique ecosystem. It is home to about 560 to 680 species of animal such as Nilgiri tahr, Asian elephant, deer, wild boar, tiger, leopard , etc.

Notes:
The First edition of WINGS 2017 – “Sab Uden, Sab Juden”- Expanding Regional Connectivity was hosted in New Delhi on July 7, 2017 by the Ministry of Civil Aviation. The event saw participation from 28 States and Union Territories and out of this 19 states and Union Territory made presentation emphasizing the incentives or special packages to the airlines other than the support offered by Government of India under RCS- UDAN. This event brought together the key stakeholders of the Aviation Sector such as States, Tourism Departments and Tour Operators as a Group representing airline consumers to facilitate interaction with various airlines, airport operators, cargo operators and other ecosystem players at a common forum.