Monthly Current Affairs Quiz - September, 2017

Notes:
The Central Government will launch a 15-day ‘Gram Samridhi Evam Swachhta’ campaign to promote development and cleanliness in rural areas on the 1st of October in partnership with state governments. The campaign will focus on educating villagers about hygiene and cleanliness through self-help groups, anganwadi centres and schools, and conducting training programmes.

Notes:
The two-week long joint military exercise “DRUZBA 2017” has started between Special Forces of Pakistan and Russia Armies started in Minralney Vody, Russia on September 25, 2017. The focus of the joint exercise is to counter-terrorism operations, hostage and rescue, cordon and search operation. The joint exercise will enhance and further strengthen military ties between the two countries and share Pakistan Army’s experience in war against terrorism. The first-ever joint military exercise was held in October 2016 and Russia also started selling weapons to Islamabad.

Notes:
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has downgraded India’s GDP growth forecast to 7% from 7.4% for financial year 2017-18 due to weakness in private consumption, manufacturing output and business investment. Further, in its latest Asian Development Outlook (ADO) outlook update, ADB has downgraded India’s growth projection for financial year 2018-19 to 7.4%, from the earlier forecast of 7.6% in July 2017. However, the multilateral lender stated that India continues its strong showing although demonetisation and implementation of the new Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime have dented consumer spending and business investment. These short-term disruptions are expected to dissipate allowing these initiatives to generate growth dividends over the medium term.

Notes:
The Ghatigaon Wildlife Sanctuary (GWS) is located near Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh and covers an area of 511 square kilometers. The sanctuary is also as the Great Indian Bustard Sanctuary. It houses many varieties of flora such as Khair, Murjan, Palash, Seja, Dhawada, Royenja, Ghote, Beweg, Dhaman, Salai, Heans and Katli. The sanctuary is also a home to the blackbuck, chital, monkey, wolf, blue bull, wild boar, fox and hyena.

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India has been ranked the 40th out of 137 countries at the 2017 Global Competitiveness Index (GCI), which is compiled by the World Economic Forum (WEF). According to the Global Competitiveness Report (GCR) 2017-2018, India’s performance improved in Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) indicators, particularly Internet bandwidth per user, mobile phone and broadband subscriptions, and Internet access in schools. The list is topped by Switzerland, followed by United States, Singapore, Netherlands and Germany. The GCI is prepared on the basis of country-level data covering 12 categories or pillars of competitiveness viz. Institutions, infrastructure, macroeconomic environment, health and primary education, higher education and training, etc.

Notes:
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will increase its annual lending to India to a maximum of 4 billion between 2018 and 2022 to help fasten inclusive economic transformation towards upper middle income status. The ADB’s programme in India will focus on three main pillars of activity during the 5-year period: boost economic competitiveness to create more and well-paid jobs, improve access to infrastructure and services, and address climate change and improving climate resilience. The new lending programme, which includes private sector operations, is much higher than the average 2.65 billion a year in loans extended during 2012 and 2016.

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Hugh M Hefner (91), American Icon and the founder of the iconic Playboy magazine, has passed away in Los Angeles on September 27, 2017. He was also the founder and chief creative officer of Playboy Enterprises, the publishing group that operates the magazine.

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NITI Aayog will host the 8th annual Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES 2017) in partnership with the USA, which is scheduled to be held in Hyderabad from November 28 to 30. The 2017 theme “Women First, Prosperity for All” will celebrate entrepreneurship in all its strength, diversity and entirety. The four primary focus areas of GES 2017 are Health Care and Life Sciences, Digital Economy and Financial Technology, Energy and Infrastructure, and Media and Entertainment. The 2017 summit will empower Indian entrepreneurs to pitch their ideas, build partnerships, secure funding, and create innovative products and services that will transform societies for a better future. It will not only bring global best practices to India, but will also create an irreplaceable place for India in the global entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Notes:
The 14th India-EU Summit will be held in New Delhi from October 5-7, 2017. During the summit, both sides are expected to discuss a host of key issues including ways to remove hurdles for the long-pending free trade agreement. The president of the European Council (EC) Donald Franciszek Tusk, and the president of the European Commission (EC) Jean-Claude Juncker, will attend the summit. The European Union (EU) is India’s largest regional trading partner with bilateral trade in goods at USD 88 billion in 2016. The EU is also the largest destination for Indian exports and a key source of investment and technologies.

Notes:
Makhan Lal Fotedar (85), a veteran Congress leader, has passed away in Gurugram, Haryana on September 28, 2017. Hailing from Kashmir, Fotedar was ushered into politics by Jawaharlal Nehru in early 1950s and he gradually strengthened his position in the Congress to become one of the most powerful persons in the party. He enjoyed immense trust of Indira Gandhi who had made him her political secretary in 1980. After her death, Rajiv Gandhi also made him his political secretary for three years, before inducting him in his Cabinet as a minister. Fotedar also was a member of the powerful Congress Working Committee (CW), the highest decision-making body of the party, for a long time. Even now, he was a permanent invitee to the CWC. He was also a leader of the Kashmiri Pandits.