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:
Guruswamy Jayraman, a 69-year-old Indian-origin Glenwood resident, has been honoured with the highest civilian award “Order of Australia” in Australia for community work, the highest civilian award in Australia. He works as a senior accountant with Woollahra Municipal Council for a living and has been devoting most of his spare time in community work for the last 25 years. He has represented various community organisations like Auburn Diversity Services, Hindu Council of Australia, Sri Om Adi Sakhi Ashram, Sewa International Australia, etc. Jayraman migrated from Delhi to Australia in 1991.

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.

Notes:
The global food fair “World Food India 2017” will be organised by the Union Food Processing ministry in New Delhi on November 3-5, 2017 to boost food sector. For the global food fair, the Union ministry of Food Processing has organised a roadshow in Chandigarh to provide a platform to Indian farmers and manufacturers to showcase their products and explore partnerships with foreign companies. More than 10 states and all leading giants from India and abroad in food processing, food technology, technology and equipment players, cold chains, food retailers will be present at World Food India.

Notes:
The 22nd World Petroleum Congress (WPC) International Conference will takes place in Istanbul, Turkey from July 10 – 12, 2017. Dharmendra Pradhan Minister of State (I/C) for Petroleum and Natural Gas, will represent India in the conference. The tri-annual WPC Conference is widely recognized as the `Olympics` of the oil and gas industry. It attracts Ministers, CEOs of Oil and Gas MNCs, experts and academics from the hydrocarbon sectors and provides an ideal forum to showcase potential of India’s hydrocarbon sector, highlight the recent policy reforms to international investors and interact with policy makers, technologists, scientists, planners and management experts, entrepreneurs, service providers and vendors in order to attract foreign investments into India’s growing oil and gas sector.

Notes:
Indian athletes, Mohammad Anas and Nirmala Sheoran have won the gold medal in the men’s and women’s 400 metres athletics event on the second day of the 2017 Asian Athletics Championships at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. In the 1500 m race, it was Chitra PU and Ajay Kumar Saroj who bagged the other two gold medals for India. The other medal winners on the second day included Rajiv Arokia (silver), Jisna Mathew (bronze), Tejinder Pal Singh Toor (silver) and Dutee Chand (bronze).

Notes:
Tata Steel Ltd. (TISCO) has won the Prime Minister’s trophy for ‘Best Performing Integrated Steel Plant’ in India during 2014-2015 and 2015- 16. This makes it the third consecutive-year for the firm to be honoured with this coveted award. Tata Steel has been recognised as the best integrated steel plant for 12 times and has won the PM’s Trophy 10 times. The Tata Steel Group is among the top 10 global steel companies with an annual crude steel capacity of 27.5 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) as on March 31, 2017. It is the world’s second-most geographically diversified steel producer, with operations in 26 countries and a commercial presence in over 50 countries.

Notes:
Dr John Joseph, a 1983 batch officer of Indian Revenue Service (Customs and Central Excise), has been appointed Director General of Goods and Services Tax Intelligence (DG GSTI). He is at present posted in Mumbai and expected to take the new charge soon. The post of chief of central excise intelligence (now GST intelligence) was lying vacant for over a month after R K Mahajan took charge as Member, Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC). Mahajan has been given the additional charge of the DG GSTI till the joining of the new chief.

Notes:
The Karnataka government will organize the 2017 International conference “Reclaiming Social Justice, Revisiting Ambedkar” from July 21 at the University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS) in Bengaluru to mark the 126th birth anniversary of Dr B R Ambedkar. The 3-day event will see delegates deliberate on universal principles of democracy and importance of social justice in the current global environment. The conference will come out with a ‘Bengaluru declaration outlining a new deal for India – who are & who we can be’. This conference is an invitation to substantially re-think current social, political and economic paradigms motivated by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s imaginative and creative work. Approx, 2000 delegates from across the globe are expected to participate.

Notes:
The world’s first centre for breeding Saola, a critically endangered hoofed mammal, will be constructed at Bach Ma National Park in Thua Thien Hue province, Vietnam. The centre is scheduled to be inaugurated in 2018 as a joint effort by the Saola World Working Group (SWWG) and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which will help tackle the ungulate endemic. Saola is recognised by two parallel horns with sharp ends, which can reach 51cm in length and are found on both males and females.