Monthly Current Affairs Quiz - September, 2017

Notes:
N. Chandrababu Naidu, the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, has declared the year of 2017-18 as e-Pragati year. The flagship e-pragati training programme is for AP government officials to familiarize and update new technologies and its usage. The six-week training is conducted by a team from Indian School of Business (IBS), Hyderabad to all the 32 departments of AP government. These departments will start using the latest technology from October for administration & e-governance, which will bring transparency and make everything visible online.

Notes:
The 7th ASEM Economic Ministers’ Meeting (ASEM EMM7) was held in Seoul, South Korea on September 21-22, 2017. The 2017 theme is ‘Innovative Partnership for Inclusive Prosperity’. The meeting was conducted under the Chairmanship of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy of the Republic of Korea. In it, 51 member countries signed a joint statement on supporting the multilateral trade system.

Notes:
The World Tourism Day (WTD) is observed every year on September 27 to raise awareness among the international community of the importance of tourism and its social, cultural, political and economic value. The 2017 theme “Sustainable tourism – a tool for development” is dedicated to explore the contribution of tourism to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). On the occasion of World Tourism Day, President Ram Nath Kovind will give away the National Tourism Awards and will Launch Incredible India 2.0 Campaign in New Delhi.

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.

Notes:
Shashi Shanker has been appointed Chairman and Managing Director of India’s biggest oil and gas producer, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) till March 31, 2021. Currently, he is director (Technical and Field Services) at ONGC and will take over the charge as CMD from October 1.He will succeed Dinesh K Sarraf, who retires on September 30.

Notes:
On the occasion of World Tourism Day (WTD-2017), Madhya Pradesh bagged total 10 National Tourism Awards at a function in Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi on September 28, 2017. The state won ‘Best Tourism State’ national award for the 3rd consecutive year, besides the Most Innovative Tourist Product award for ‘Hanuwantia Jal Mahotsav’ and Best State for Adventure Tourism. The Hindi brochure published by Madhya Pradesh Tourism in Simhastha-2016 won the national award for Excellence in Publishing in Hindi. The Best Wildlife Guide national award was bagged by Saib Khan of Pachmarhi. Madhya Pradesh also received a national award for Film Promotion Policy in the category of Best Film Promotion Friendly State/Union Territory. While Chanderi was adjudged as the Best Heritage City, the Best Tourist-Friendly Railway Station award was given to Ujjain Railway Station. The Best Civic Management of a Tourist Destination of India award was given to Khargone.

Notes:
Rajnath Singh, the Union Home Minister, has inaugurated the 13th Formation Day of National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi on September 28, 2017. The 2017 theme of formation day is ‘School Safety’. On this day, the stakeholders will discuss the roadmap, their roles and key challenges in the implementation of the School Safety Policy across the country. States will share their experiences in terms of best practices and lessons learnt through their efforts towards school safety initiatives. The NDMA is an agency of the Ministry of Home Affairs whose primary purpose is to coordinate response to natural or man-made disasters and for capacity-building in disaster resiliency and crisis response. The Prime Minister is the ex-officio chairperson of it.

Notes:
The Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary (DWS) is located in Baragarh district, Odisha and covers an area of 346.91 square kilometers. This sanctuary is not only famous for the sylvan beauty with magnificent waterfalls but is also very rich in wildlife. The dry deciduous forests with varied flora and fauna attract the tourists of Odisha and neighbouring states. It is home to Indian leopard, Indian elephant, sambar, chital, gaur, etc.

Notes:
Royana Singh, an assistant professor at the Institute of Medical Science (Anatomy Department), has been appointed as the first woman chief proctor of Banaras Hindu University (BHU). She succeeded O P Singh, who recently resigned from the post after taking moral responsibility for the lathi charge on students who were protesting against the victim-blaming of a colleague who was molested on the campus.

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.