(DAILY NEWS INDIA)
1.
INDO-THAI JOINT MILITARY EXERCISE BEGINS IN HIMACHAL PRADESH
i.
There is a 15-day long joint military training exercise between the Indian and
Thai army has begun from July 3 in Himachal Pradesh.
ii.
The joint exercise between the two armies is an annual event. The main aim is
to build and promote bilateral Army-to-Army relations and enhance
inter-operability between the two armies.
iii.
The armies of Thailand and India are conducting the yearly joint training
exercise named Ex Maitree 2017 at Bakloh in Himachal Pradesh.
iv.
The conduct of ‘Ex Maitree 2017’ will enhance defence cooperation between the
two countries. The two armies will jointly plan and execute a series of drills
for the neutralisation of likely threats that may be encountered in counter
terrorism environment.
2.
FREE GST FACILITATION CENTRES SET UP ACROSS GOA
i.
In Goa, the Office of the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes has set up GST
facilitation centres in ward offices across the state. The department’s head
office has set up in Panaji.
ii.
The trained help desk personnel have been appointed for each ward and the head
office to assist taxpayers in resolving their technical issues related to
migration to GST, registration, amendments, return filing and payments.
iii.
The Government has identified some Chartered Accountants for this work and the
fees of the identified CA’s would be paid by the government itself.
iv.
The accountants would give free advice or consultation to the taxpayers on the
implementation of the landmark Goods and Service Tax system. The facility will
also be available at the Commercial Tax Ward Offices in Panaji, Margao, Mapusa,
Ponda and Vasco.
3.
TERI RANKED SECOND AMONG WORLD’S CLIMATE THINK TANKS
i.
TERI was ranked number 2 by the International Center for Climate Governance.
ICCG is an internationally-renowned body whose activities focus on the design
of climate policy and related governance issues.
ii.
TERI conducts research for sustainable development of India. The system would
need to be guided by extensive research, climate modelling capabilities and
assessments of economically viable and technologically feasible solutions.
iii.
ICCG ranking helps highlight the scale and magnitude of work done by the think
tanks working in the field of climate change.
iv.
The New Delhi-based think tank was ranked under the category 2016 Top Climate
Think Tanks in the Rest of the World–Absolute Global Rankings during ICCGs 23rd
annual conference of the European Association of Environmental and Resource
Economists in Athens in Greece.
4.
ADB PLEDGES USD 220MN FOR IMPROVING ROAD CONNECTIVITY IN RAJASTHAN
i.
Asian Development Bank has committed USD 220 million for improving road
connectivity as well as transport efficiency and safety on state highways of
Rajasthan.
ii.
The loan is the first tranche of the USD 500 million Rajasthan State Highways
Investment Programme, approved by the ADB Board in May this year. It will
upgrade about 2,000 kms of state highways and major district roads to two- lane
or intermediate-lane standards to meet road safety requirements.
iii.
The main aim of ADB and the government will together strengthen the
transportation efficiency of the state highway. It will also enhance the
capacity of the state public works department in the areas of road asset
management, road safety and project management.
iv.
In accordance with ADB’s London interbank offered rate-based lending facility
it will also carry an annual interest rate determined commenting on the loan
agreement.
5.
RBI UPS FPI INVESTMENT LIMIT IN G-SECS BY OVER 4% FOR JUL-SEP
i.
Reserve Bank has raised the FPI investment limit in government securities by
4.7% to Rs 2.42 lakh cr (Rs 2.42 billion) for July-September quarter, mainly to
increase foreign capital inflows.
ii.
The foreign portfolio investors will be allowed to raise their investment in
state development loans by Rs 6,100 cr (Rs 61 billion) to Rs 33,100 cr (Rs 331
billion) for September quarter of the current fiscal.
iii.
The overall limit of FPI investment in government securities goes up to Rs 2.75
lakh cr (Rs 2,751 billion)
from Rs 2.58 lakh cr (Rs 2,580 billion).
iv.
Market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India will issue the
operational guidelines relating to allocation and monitoring of limits of the
enhanced FPI investment in the central government securities and SDLs.
v.
The medium term framework for FPI investment in government securities and SDLs
was introduced in October 2015.
6.
LT GENERAL MAHESH SENANAYAKE APPOINTED AS NEW ARMY COMMANDER OF SRI LANKA
i.
Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake, who played a key role in defeating the
Tamil Tigers during the three-decade-long brutal civil war, has been appointed
as New Army Commander of Sri Lanka by Sri Lankan President Maithripala
Sirisena.
ii.
Mahesh Senanayake is a graduate of the prestigious United States Army Command
and General Staff College and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil
Engineering from Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi. He is currently
serving as the Commander Security Forces in Jaffna.
iii.
He was previously serving as the Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army.
7.
HIMACHAL PRADESH DGP SANJAY KUMAR APPOINTED NEW NDRF CHIEF
i.
Himachal Pradesh DGP Sanjay Kumar has been appointed as the new chief of the
National Disaster Response Force.
ii.
The Union home ministry has issued an order appointing Kumar, a 1985-batch
Indian Police Service officer, to the
top NDRF post.
iii.
The post of NDRF Director General fell vacant after incumbent R K Pachnanda was
appointed as the chief of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police, the Sino-Indian
border guarding force.
iv.
The officer has served in central deputation earlier with the CISF, vigilance
wing of the Railway Ministry and the Railway Protection Force. Pachnanda, at
present, is still holding the charge of the NDRF DG after he took over as the
ITBP DG.
9.
NORTH KOREA CLAIMS SUCCESSFUL INTERCONTINENTAL BALLISTIC MISSILE TEST
i.
North Korea claims to have successfully tested an intercontinental ballistic
missile. It can strike targets anywhere in the world, following its most recent
launch.
ii.
US Pacific Command confirmed it had tracked “the “single launch of a
land-based, intermediate range ballistic missile” for 37 minutes after it
lifted off from an airfield north-west of Pyongyang.
iii.
The South’s president, Moon Jae-in, said his country’s military was analysing
the launch and the possibility the missile was an ICBM.
iv.
The missile, which the US and South Korea had said was an intermediate-range
projectile, landed inside Japan’s exclusive economic zone.
OBJECTIVE QUESTIONS BASED
ON TODAY’S NEWS
Q1.
A 15-DAY LONG JOINT MILITARY TRAINING EXERCISE BETWEEN ARMIES OF INDIA AND
_______ BEGUN IN HIMACHAL PRADESH?
a) Thailand
b) Myanmar
c) Bangladesh
d) Sri Lanka
Q2.
IN WHICH STATE, THE OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER OF COMMERCIAL TAXES HAS SET UP
GST FACILITATION CENTRES IN WARD OFFICES, WHEREIN CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS WILL
PROVIDE FREE CONSULTATION SERVICES RELATED TO GST?
a) Rajasthan
b) Karnataka
c) Madhya Pradesh
d) Goa
Q3.
WHO HAS BEEN APPOINTED AS THE NEW CHIEF OF THE NATIONAL DISASTER RESPONSE FORCE?
a) Mukul Katiyar
b) Rajat Mishra
c) Sanjay Kumar
d) Divyesh Bhatnagar
Q4.
WHICH INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL ORGANIZATION HAS COMMITTED USD 220 MILLION FOR
IMPROVING ROAD CONNECTIVITY AS WELL AS TRANSPORT EFFICIENCY AND SAFETY ON STATE
HIGHWAYS OF RAJASTHAN?
a) World Bank
b) Asian Development Bank
c) Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank
d) International Monetary Fund
Q5.
RESERVE BANK OF INDIA HAS RAISED THE FPI LIMIT IN GOVERNMENT SECURITIES BY 4.7%
TO RS.2.42 BILLION FOR JULY-SEPTEMBER QUARTER. ABBREVIATION FPI STANDS FOR?
a) Foreign Personal Investment
b) Foreign Promoter Investment
c) Foreign Portfolio Investment
d) Foreign Professional Investment
ANSWERS:
1 - A 2 - D 3 - C 4 - B 5
- C
