MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June 2015

MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June, 2015NATIONAL Govt to launch 1st One-Stop Crisis Centre under Nirbhaya Fund in Chhattisgarh The first One-Stop Crisis Centre for women in distress out of the proposed 660 is set to be inaugurated in Chhattisgarh later this month under the Nirbhaya Fund. A Women and Child development ministry’s initiative, the Centre would act as a one-stop facility to provide all kinds of aid to women in distress including medical help, counselling, legal and police assistance, while ensuring anonymity of the victim. The Centre will be mandated to provide legal, medical and psychological assistance to distressed women. Gujarat-cadre officers appointed Power, Commerce Secretaries In a major reshuffle, the government made 17 Secretary-level appointments. Two Gujarat-cadre IAS officers will take over as Commerce and Power Secretaries. Pradeep Kumar Pujari, a 1981-batch officer, has been appointed Secretary, Power. He is currently Special Secretary and Financial Adviser, Department of Agricultural Research and Education, Agriculture Ministry. He will replace Pradeep Kumar Sinha, who was recently appointed Cabinet Secretary. Rita A. Teaotia, also from the 1981-batch and currently Special Secretary, Department of Telecommunications, has been named Commerce Secretary, replacing Rajeev Kher, who retired. India scraps duty exemptions in defense production for public sector to attract foreign companies  The government has withdrawn a critical preference given to state-run companies and government entities that manufacture defence goods, a measure that will help attract private capital to the sector and boost job creation by creating a level playing field.  The government has issued a notification to withdraw the excise and customs duty exemptions enjoyed by the Ordnance Factory Board and public sector units in defence sector.  The move addresses a key demand of private sector and foreign original equipment (OEMs) such as Boeing, Airbus, Lockheed Martin and BAE Systems, which are actively exploring the scope of future investments in India. Air Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa is IAF's new Vice Chief Air Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa, a Kargil war veteran, took over as the Vice Chief of the Indian Air Force.  He succeeds Air Marshal Ravi Kant Sharma demitted the office, after 40 years of service in the IAF.  Dhanoa was commissioned in the IAF in June 1978 as a fighter pilot.  He is an alumnus of Rashtriya Indian Military College, the National Defence Academy and the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington. 108 Member of Parliament yet to adopt a village under Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana The Union government said that 108 Member of Parliament are yet to adopt a village under Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana. Rural Development Minister Birender Singh said that out of 108 Members of Parliament, 55 are from west Bengal. None of the MP's from Delhi have identified any village under the scheme. Chhattisgarh is in the top in implementation of the Scheme. This scheme was launched 9 months ago with the objective of developing 3 model villages by each Member of Parliament by March 2019. MANTHAN June, 2015 Page : 1 MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June, 2015 Delhi, Dhaka set boundary pact in motion In a historic step towards improving ties, India and Bangladesh exchanged the instruments of ratification of the Land Boundary Agreement, promising an end to the “stateless existence” of more than 50,000 people in 162 enclaves on both sides of the border. Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar and his Bangladeshi counterpart, M. Shahidul Haque, signed the documents and exchanged the modalities for implementing the deal. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, his Bangladeshi counterpart, Sheikh Hasina, and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee were present. The deal, signed in 1974, entered the process of implementation after Parliament ratified it in May 2015.The two countries signed 22 agreements and memorandums of understanding on economic cooperation, trade and investment, security, infrastructure development, education, science and technology, IT and culture. 16th edition of the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) 16th edition of the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) informally known as the “Bollywood Oscars,” was held in Malaysia. The 2015 IIFA Awards honoured the best films of 2014. Haider was awarded the most awards (09). Winners Popular Awards Best Film:Queen. Best Director: Rajkumar Hirani – PK. Best Actor In A Leading Role: Shahid Kapoor –Haider as Haider Meer. Best Actress In A Leading Role: Kangana Ranaut – Queen as Rani Mehra. Best Actor In A Supporting Role: Riteish Deshmukh – Ek Villain as Rakesh Mahadkar. Best Actress In A Supporting Role: Tabu – Haider as Ghazala Meer. Male Debutant Star: Tiger Shroff – Heropanti as Bablu. Female Debutant Star: Kriti Sanon – Heropanti as Dimpy. Best Performance In A Comic Role: Varun Dhawan– Main Tera Hero as Seenu. Best Performance In A Negative Role: Kay Kay Menon– Haider as Khurram Meer. Best Story: Vikas Bahl, Chaitally Parmar, Parveez Shaikh- Queen. Special Awards. K V Chowdary appointed new CVC; Vijai Sharma named new chief information commissioner K V Chowdary, former chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), has been appointed the new central vigilance commissioner. Vijai Sharma has been named the new chief information commissioner. Chowdary and Sharma's appointments were finalized in June 1 meeting of the selection committee headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and comprising Union ministers Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitley, Jitendra Singh as well as Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Mallikarjuna Kharge. Flood of fire written by Amitav Ghosh Booker Prize awardee Amitav Ghosh has released his new novel Flood of fire. With the novel, he has concluded the Ibis trilogy, his fictional recreation of the events leading up to the first opium war of 1839-42. The Ibis trilogy is a work of historical fiction by Amitav Ghosh. It comprises Sea of Poppies (2008), River of Smoke (2011), and Flood of Fire (2015). The story is set in the first half of the 19th century. It deals with the trade of opium between India and China run by the East India Company and the trafficking of coolies to Mauritius. Haryana's Jind, Karnal & UP's Muzaffarnagar included in NCR Jind and Karnal districts of Haryana and Muzaffarnagar of Uttar Pradesh were included in National Capital Region. This inclusion was announced by Urban Development minister M Venkaiah Naidu in New Delhi. Earlier on 1 July 2013, Bhiwani and Mahendragarh districts of Haryana and Bharatpur district of Rajasthan were included in the National Capital Region. National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB) came into being in 1985, with enactment of the National Capital Region Planning Board Act, 1985 of Government of India. RC Tayal appointed as Director General of National Security Guard Senior IPS Officer RC Tayal was appointed as the Director General (DG) of National Security Guard (NSG). He succeeded JN Choudhury who retired on 31 May 2015. He will serve the office till August 2016. NSG was MANTHAN June, 2015 Page : 2 MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June, 2015 raised in 1984 as a federal contingency force with an aim to undertake counter-terror and counter-hijack operations and it was later tasked to protect high-risk VVIPs. The NSG members are also known as Black Cats because of the black drill cotton coveralls and for the black helmets that they wear. ISRO bags Space Pioneer Award for its Mars mission The country’s low-cost Mars mission which is in rendezvous with the red Planet for an extended period has been presented with the Space Pioneer award for the year 2015 by the US’ National Space Society. Space Pioneer award for the year 2015 was presented to Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in the Science and Engineering category during the 34th Annual International Space Development Conference held at Toronto in Canada during May 20-24, 2015. It said the National Space Society (NSS) of USA presented the award in recognition of ISRO’s efforts in accomplishing Mars Mission in its very first attempt. India's first indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant undocked India has undocked its first indigenously-built aircraft carrier INS Vikrant at a simple ceremony at Cochin Shipyard Limited in Kochi. India's largest aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant's induction into the Navy will be done after a series of static and dynamic trials. The successful completion of the 40,000 tonne aircraft carrier puts India in the elite group of four nations - the US, Russia, the UK and France - in the world capable of designing and constructing aircraft carriers. The ship has a length of over 260 metres and breadth of 60 metres. It has two take-off runways and a landing strip with three arrester wires, capable of operating STOBAR aircraft including the indigenous LCA, as well as a range of helicopters with hangar facilities. Parkash Singh Badal conferred with 2015 Sant Namdev National Award Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal was conferred with the prestigious 14th Sant Namdev National Award in Pune, Maharashtra. He was awarded for promoting peace, communal harmony and universal brotherhood. The award was given by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on behalf of the Sarhad Foundation. Badal was honoured with a citation, a prize amount of 101000 rupees and a memento by the foundation. As a goodwill gesture, the Chief Minister returned the award money to the foundation and urged to utilise it towards the ongoing socio-cultural programmes and other development activities. Indian-origin scientist Manu Prakash developed World's first water-based computer Indian-origin scientist Manu Prakash along with his team developed World's first water-based computer. The results were published in the journal Nature Physics. Manu Prakash is an Assistant Professor of Bioengineering at Stanford University. They have built a synchronous computer that operates using the unique physics of moving water droplets. Union Government announces Rs 1500 crore Indian Nuclear Insurance Pool Union Government has launched an Indian Nuclear Insurance Pool (INIP) of 1,500 crore rupees as per the mandatory provision under the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010. With this launch, INIP became 27th nuclear insurance pool in the world that managing nuclear liabilities and India has joined an exclusive list of countries having nuclear pools. The pool will address third party liability insurance in a bid to offset financial burden of foreign nuclear suppliers under the CLNDA, 2010. The pool is set up by General Insurance Corporation of India and 11 other non-life insurers. They are New India, Oriental Insurance, National Insurance and United India Insurance from the public sector apart from private insurance companies. India signs motor vehicle pact with three nations India has signed a motor vehicles agreement with three SAARC nations — Bhutan, Bangladesh and Nepal — that envisages seamless transit of passenger and cargo vehicles among these countries. MANTHAN June, 2015 Page : 3 the mKisan portal will send warning SMSs to farmers located in affected district/blocks.. These warnings will help the farmers to take precautionary measures as needed and feasible. Hong Kong Central followed with total prime occupancy costs of US$254 per sq. Union Government launches weather alert service NOWCAST Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh has launched a weather alert service named NOWCAST. for its failure to observe Model Code of Conduct or follow lawful directions and instructions of the commission. Gold and Silver Star.) and New Delhi's CBD of Connaught Place (US$157 per sq. ft.). London West End's overall prime occupancy costs of US$ 267 per sq. h-index also called the Hirsch index or Hirsch number is a tool that measures the productivity and impact of the published work of a scientist or scholar. The decision was taken in lieu of its failure in filing the election expenditure statement related to 2014 Lok Sabha general elections within the prescribed limit of 90 days. Delhi's Central Business District (CBD) of Connaught Place was ranked as the fifth most expensive prime office market in the world.MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June. ft. ft.N.900) on the top 50 rankings for global prime office properties. 1968. The SMS will be sent in English. MANTHAN June. It states that the commission can suspend or withdraw recognition of a recognised political party. Gold and Silver Star’ Eminent scientist and Bharat Ratna awardee Chintamani Nagesa Ramachandra (C. thunderstorm and squall originated by India Meteorological Department (IMD) to over one crore farmers whose mobile numbers are registered on government’s mKisan portal. MGNREGA promises 100 days of work every year to rural households across the country. He was first Indian scientist to reach the h-index of 100.000). ft. Hindi and regional languages as per farmers’ request. ft. The NPP is headed by former Lok Sabha Speaker PA Sangma.R. 2015 Page : 4 . per annum (Rs 10.N. he was awarded with India’s highest civilian award of India Bharat Ratna along with cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar. Election Commission of India suspends recognition of National People's Party The Election Commission of India (ECI) has suspended the recognition of National People's Party (NPP) as a state party in Meghalaya. Mumbai's Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) was at 15th position (US $ 102 or over Rs 6. He is eminent scientist and world’s foremost solid state and materials chemists. Delhi's Connaught Place ranked fifth most expensive office market in the world At nearly US$157 per sq. NOWCAST will be used to send SMS alerts on extreme weather data like hailstorm. C. 2015 Govt decides to increase number of work days under MGNREGA in drought hit areas The Union government has decided to increase the number of workdays under MGNREGA from 100 days to 150 days in drought-affected areas. Rao confreres with Japan’s highest civilian award ‘Order of the Rising Sun. ft. The findings are part of CBRE Research's semi-annual Global Prime Office Occupancy Costs survey released. per year topped the "most expensive" list. Further.) rounded out the top five. He was presented for his outstanding contributions to science and Indo-Japanese science cooperation. The ECI took this decision under the powers vested in it as per the 16A of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order.400) while Nariman Point was ranked 30th (US $ 76 or Rs 4. Beijing's Finance Street (US$196 per sq. He has worked mainly in solid-state and structural chemistry. the Beijing CBD (US$188 per sq. In 2014.) Rao has been conferred with Japan’s highest civilian award the Order of the Rising Sun.R. The Centre will bear the cost of providing work to rural households for 50 more days and it will be applicable to only the households which complete 100 days of work. either national or state. M. had requested the authorities to address her as "Mx" in her certificates and the university. Ashis Nandy and Mo Yan. Apart from him Thant Myint-U (Grand Prize category) and Minh Hanh (Arts and Culture category) were also chosen for this edition of award. 2016. Those appearing in Indian Forest Service examination too can use a scribe and get the additional time for each paper of three-hour duration. the candidates applying for the Indian Forest Service examination will be required to appear in the Civil Services preliminary examination. In December 2014. Patriots and Partisans (2012). Academic Prize. Prize has three categories: Grand Prize. Sanjay Subrahmanyam has been selected for the ‘Sangita Kalanidhi’ award 2015. UPSC allows scribes for visually challenged Visually challenged candidates and those with locomotor disability and cerebral palsy can use scribes to write the Civil Services preliminary and main examinations. and Arts and Culture Prize. Romila Thapar. MANTHAN June. Srinivasa Iyer. Makers of Modern India (2010) and India after Gandhi: The history of the world’s largest democracy (2007) are his famous bibliography. First edition of IYD was led by India and was marked by 192 countries across the globe. With this. Vocalist Sanjay Subrahmanyam selected for ‘Sangita Kalanidhi’ award 2015 One of the foremost south Indian classical vocalists. Balamuralikrishna. This resolution was adopted under the agenda of ‘Global Health and Foreign Policy’. accepted the "fact". The idea of celebrating the International Yoga Day was pitched by Prime Minister of India at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in September 2014. It will be bestowed upon him when he will preside over the 89th annual conference of the Academy which will be held between December 15. Because of a change in pattern. The awards will be presented to them on September 17. Vasanthakumari and M. G. 2015 Historian-writer Ramachandra Guha selected for Japan’s Fukuoka Prize Eminent Historian-writer Ramachandra Guha has been selected for Japan’s Fukuoka Prize 2015 in n the Academic category. Prime Minister Narendra Modi led thousands of participants of all ages at Rajpath yoga event.N. 2015 and January 1. Musiri Subramania Iyer. he is seventh artistes to be conferred with the award before completing 50 years of age. Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer. Balasubramaniam. 2015. the Union Public Service Commission has said. First International Yoga Day observed globally The first International Yoga Day (IYD) was celebrated across the world on 21 June 2015. Only those with a minimum of 40 per cent disability will be allowed to take the help of a scribe. who graduated this year from the Law school.L. which has probably become the first Indian educational institution to do so. UNGA had unanimously adopted India-led resolution to observe 21st June as ‘International Day of Yoga’. arts and culture across Asia. Anindita Mukherjee. It is a prestigious award bestowed annually upon an expert of Carnatic Music by the Madras Music Academy. Semmangudi R. Winners of 2014 are Mohammad Yunus. Gandhi before India (2013). NALSAR varsity issues first 'gender-neutral' degree in India In a first. Others are Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar. 2015 Page : 5 . 21st June was selected because it represents one of the two solstices and it is the longest day in the Northern Hemisphere which has special significance in many parts of the world.MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June. the NALSAR Law University in Hyderabad has issued a gender-neutral graduation certificate to a student who did not wish to be identified with honorific Mr or Ms but with "Mx". Such candidates will get additional time of 20 minutes per hour to complete the examination. They have been selected for their outstanding contributions to academia. The opening of the second route through the Himalayan pass of Nathu La in Sikkim. The 3. promoted by the United Kingdombased International Seafarers’ Welfare and Assistance Network. NUSI gets Best Welfare Organisation 2015 award National Union of Seafarers of India (NUSI). It may occasionally be spotted in the Maharashtrian mainland between Vidarbha and Western Maharashtra. It is reportedly the second largest butterfly found in India. Maharashtra has become the first State in the country to have a ‘State butterfly. South India and coastal belts. just smaller than the southern birdwing. swallowtail butterfly found primarily in Sri Lanka and India. secure. the only route that was badly damaged in the floods in Uttarakhand in 2013. With INS Sindhukirti set for final "full-power trials" after being stuck in a refit for a decade. 2015 China opens Nathu La as 2nd route to Kailash-Manasarovar Yatra China opened the second land crossing in Tibet via Nathu La to allow the first batch of Indian pilgrims undertaking the arduous Kailash-Manasarovar Yatra. the Kilo-class submarine is expected to be formally handed over to the Navy next month. Besides the convenience of online payment of stamp paper fee. tamper-proof system to replace the conventional registration documents. Upgraded submarine INS Sindhukirti to boost Navy’s flagging fleet India will finally get a desperately-needed shot in the arm for its depleting underwater combat fleet. NUSI has got around 80. the system enables verification by the user and the government and round-the-clock availability of stamp papers. The decision was taken at a meeting of the State Wildlife Board in Mumbai.000-tonne INS Sindhukirti's re-induction into the fleet is vital since the Navy is down to just 13 old dieselelectric submarines .MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June. in the latest confidence-building measure between the two neighbours. 4. 2015 Page : 6 .barely half of them fully operational at present at present -and one nuclear-powered submarine without nuclear-tipped missiles on lease from Russia. It also offers the facility to deposit the exact fee and avoid fleecing by vendors. Authorised stamping centres will collect the payment for stamp duty and issue stamp certificates. The e-stamp is a Web-based. the prestigious award was presented to NUSI general secretary-cumtreasurer Abdulgani Y Serang by Secretary General of International Maritime Organization Koji Sekimizu.’ The BJP-led government has declared the Blue Mormon (Papilio polymnestor) as the State butterfly of Maharashtra. The stamp certificate generated by the system comes with a unique identification number that can be verified online. No State in India has ever declared a State butterfly. The Blue Mormon is a large. MANTHAN June. has been honoured with the ‘Best Welfare Organization of the Year – 2015’ award. mainly restricted to the Western Ghats of Maharashtra.000 metres above sea level. India's oldest and largest shipping trade union. The new route is in addition to the existing Lipulekh Pass.000 seafarers as members working aboard Indian as well as foreign cargo ships. At a function held in London recently. was officially announced during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to China last month and will allow more Indians to undertake the pilgrimage. e-stamping to be introduced in States The government is preparing to introduce e-stamping to prevent malpractices in land registrations and make revenue transactions safer. and power of attorney. The e-stamping system will be applicable for all documents. lease deeds.will herald a new urban era. MANTHAN June. 2015. Rajasthan becomes No. Urban development minister M Venkaiah Naidu said the launch of three projects. Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti launched Bhuvan Ganga Mobile Application and web portal after signing of an MoU between the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) and the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC). including sale and mortgage deeds. The research firm based in Australia has ranked India as the 143rd out of the 162 nations listed in the Global Peace Index. wasted $340 billion due to violence A research conducted by the Institute for Economic and Peace has found that close to $340 billion got wasted due to violence in India alone as violence and other crises escalated in a global level. 1 state in solar energy in India According to data released by the Union ministry of new and renewable energy on June 4.000MW. rental agreements. It will be used as a tool to support decision making and planning for the Clean Ganga Mission. Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) and housing for all.100 smart cities. Iceland is in the top of the list of the most peacekeeping nation. South Sudan and Central Africa remains to be deep down in the list with huge amounts being spent by the UN and other peacekeeping missions on refugees and the injured. 500 cities having 1 lakh and more population will be chosen for AMRUT project. Iraq. The only respite for India is that Pakistan and Afghanistan are listed below in the list whereas the rest of the South Asian countries fared better. Smart cities project will be based on PPP model. 2015 The Stockholding Corporation of India has been authorised by the Centre to act as the central record keeping agency for the e-stamping project. Syria. Bhuvan Ganga portal is an exclusive web portal deployed in ISRO Bhuvan’s geoportal with all geospatial layers related to river Ganga. Rajasthan has grabbed the number one position in the country with an installed capacity of 1.MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June. PM to launch 3 mega schemes for urban India Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch three ambitious schemes aimed at developing cities and towns as "new engines for growth". Union Government launches Bhuvan Ganga Mobile App to aid Clean Ganga Mission The Centre launched a mobile application. projects which will entail an investment of over Rs 3 lakh crore in the next five years. Nigeria. India ranked 143rd in Global Peace Index.167 megawatt against Gujarat's 1. where the public can upload pictures of pollution sources of the Ganga River for further action by the authorities concerned. Bhuvan Mobile App is a user-friendly android based application to enable public to collect and report information on various pollution sources that affects the water quality of river Ganga. 2015 Page : 7 . ISRO to effectively plan and monitor the Centre’s flagship Clean Ganga Mission. worst since the end of World War II. Japan to sign pact on increasing intellectual property cooperation The union cabinet on Wednesday approved a pact between India and Japan for cooperation in the field of intellectual property. among others. have been awarded for their contribution to children’s literature. have been honoured with the Bal Sahitya Puraskar 2015 for their contribution to Children’s Literature. MANTHAN June. Instituted by the Sahitya Akademi.00. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar to Receive Colombia’s Highest Civilian Award Indian spiritual leader. reducing stress and combating violence through yoga and breathing exercises. modernisation or enrichment of the languages concerned. teacher and educationist. the award comprises Rs 50. Krishna Kumar ‘Ashu’ (Rajasthani) and Janardhan Hegde (Sanskrit). Jaspal Singh. The Memorandum of Cooperation will be signed between the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) and the Japan Patent Office (JPO). an inscribed copper plaque and a citation.000 and a casket containing an inscribed copper plaque and a citation. The Akademi instituted 'Bhasha Samman' in 1996 to be given to writers. scholar. The award carries a cash prize of Rs. a diplomat. Eli Ahmed (Assamese) and Kartik Ghose (Bengali). in which five novelists. 2015 India. Sahitya Akademi announces Bal Sahitya Puraskar 2015 The Sahitya Akademi. announced the Bal Sahitya Puraskar for this year. inter-mediation in war. among others. collectors. Tiren Boro (Bodo).000. The union cabinet also approved six new Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) in the country. Bano Sartaj (Urdu) has been honoured for her book on a one act play. 2015 Page : 8 . which is not recognised by the Akademi.1. Sowmya Rajendran and Nivditha Subramaniam (English). and three authors of poetries.MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June. scholars. Ramnath G Gawade (Konkani). The pact will aim to enhance efforts to support innovation in both the countries and will be renewed automatically every four years. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has been conferred with Colombia's highest civilian award. has been selected for his contribution to classical and medieval literature (northern) and Vasant Nirgune for his contribution to the enrichment of Bhili language. Thokchom Thouyangba Meitei (Manipuri). Sahitya Akademi confers Bhasha Samman on 4 Scholars The Sahitya Akademi's prestigious Bhasha Samman will be conferred on two scholars who have contributed significantly to the enrichment of classical and medieval literature (northern) and Bhili language respectively. Srikanta Saren (Santali) and Sella Ganapathi (Tamil) have been awarded for their poetry collections. He was conferred with Orden de la Democracia Simon Bolivar en el grado de cruz Caballero by Colombia for spreading the message of peace in society. Ramdeo Jha (Maithili) and Mukti Upadhyay ‘Baral’ (Nepali) have been awarded for their novels. Tara Chand Kalandri (Dogri). four writers of short stories. editors. performers or translators who have made considerable contribution to the propagation. Those who have been awarded for their short stories are Nayeem Kashmiri (Kashmiri). the draft stated. currently coordinates. comprising of national development agenda that includes legislatively backed schemes such as MNREGA. saying both countries share a common vision of ensuring every global citizen has a say in decision-making on the subject. Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid foundation stone of Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) on June 28. chaired by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. PM Narendra Modi to launch ‘Integrated Power Development Scheme’ in Varanasi Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched Integrated Power Development Scheme (IPDS) in Varanasi. lines and distribution transformers. however. 2015 Solar Energy Corporation of India to be renamed The Centre has decided to change the name and nature of Solar Energy Corporation of India. Core Scheme. Swachh Bharat Mission and Mid Day Meal etc. India has proposed that the Internet should be managed through a multi-stakeholder approach and the governments should have "supreme right and control" on matters relating to national security. The draft report which was prepared by a committee headed by National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog's CEO Sindhushree Khullar suggested that centrally sponsored schemes to be divided into two broad groups. India's stand on Internet governance gets US backing The US has backed India's stand on Internet governance. The IPDS is one of the flagship programmes of the Ministry of Power and will be at the core attempt to ensure 24×7 power for all.MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June. The second is Optional Schemes for social protection and social inclusion. a four-year-old central public sector undertaking set up as a not-for-profit company to promote solar energy in India. 2015 Page : 9 . capacity enhancement and renewal of the old sub – stations and installation of roof-top solar panel in government buildings. 2015 at Barhi in Hazaribagh district. Jharkhand. The Project envisages converting area overhead lines into underground cabling in the areas around the temples and ghats in the Varanasi city. Centrally sponsored schemes reduced to 30 The number of centrally sponsored schemes (CSS) is likely to be reduced to 30 from 72 with a Chief Ministers' Sub-Group of NITI Aayog reaching a broad consensus on the issue. will not be a not-for-profit company. Based on the division of schemes into two parts. MANTHAN June. It will be allowed to seek and make profits. PM Narendra Modi to launch IARI in Jharkhand To address regional challenges in the agriculture sector. The first. manages and implements worldwide Internet rules and policies by factoring in views of the global community. a non-profit organisation incorporated in California. has favoured the approach and decided that the country should try to collaborate with the US on the matter. A committee on Internet governance. not just solar. India has opposed shifting Internet's management under ICANN. the number of centrally sponsored schemes (CSS) would be 30. according to a press release from the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. The scheme includes upgradation of the electrical assets at subcenters. SECI will be renamed as Renewable Energy Corporation of India (RECI) and as such its activities will embrace all branches of renewable energy. RECI. ICANN. Sahibganj first district to have toilets under Clean Ganga project Sahibganj. is where Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ambitious programme to stop the disposal of human waste into the river Ganga will be the first to see the light of day. National Security Guard and the Assam Rifles which work under the command of the Union Home Ministry. together employing a whopping 2.Army and Railways . in association with PAMPA (People for Performing Arts and More). but also the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s efforts to reach out to an estimated 60 million people who rely directly on the river for their livelihoods. Central Industrial Security Force. including boatmen and fishing communities. 2015 The institute. Indian Railways. will feature not only a confluence of the Prime Minister's pet campaigns. Sahibganj. Border Security Force. Clean India and Clean Ganga. while the Indian Armed Forces with 1. The Centre has identified 77 villages in Sahibganj where toilets with waste disposal facilities would be constructed by the end of 2015-16. to rejuvenate the local pharma sector and make medicines more affordable. crop improvement and protection and horticulture and forestry.3 million people is placed at ninth rank according to a research published by the World Economic Forum. Army among world's biggest employers: Study Two Indian organisations . will organise the third edition of South India Writers' Ensemble (SIWE) in Chengannur in July with an aim to popularise literary festivals in towns and villages. said a report. which will offer post graduate and doctoral courses. second is People's Liberation Army (the Chinese military) and in third is the US supermarket giant Walmart. Yoga made compulsory for 10-lakh strong central forces The 10 lakh-strong paramilitary forces of the country have been asked by the Centre to include Yoga in their daily physical drills. Kanaka Hama Vishnunath. 2015 Page : 10 . The Indian railways is ranked at the eighth place in the list of world's biggest employers. the only district in Jharkhand which has the Ganga flowing through it. The literature of the north-eastern part of the country is the focus of the festival this year.are among the world's biggest employers. Kerala town to host international literary festival Kerala State Youth Welfare Board. including single window clearance for drug approvals. an artcum--cultural outfit. will have three major schools focusing on natural resources management. The directives have been issued to the six CAPFs like Central Reserve Police Force.7 million people. Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force. Govt to set up Rs 500 crore rupee capital fund to boost domestic Pharma industry The government plans to set up a 500 crore rupee venture capital fund to boost domestic pharma industry and provide cheaper loans to entities looking to establish or upgrade manufacturing facilities. MANTHAN June. a founder member of PAMPA said that the main objective of PAMPA is to expose people of small towns and periphery villages to such celebrations of art and culture. The institute will give thrust on research and extension programmes for addressing major regional challenges. The government is working on various proposals. Sashastra Seema Bal. a picturesque district in Jharkhand skirted by the Rajmahal Hills.MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June. The US Department of Defense is the world's biggest employer. Nandkumar Saravade to takeover as CEO of Data Security Council of India Data Security Council of India (DSCI) Board has named Nandkumar Saravade as chief executive officer of the organization. While releasing the report. Government of India has designated 29th June every year as the “Statistics Day” in the category of Special Days for celebration at the national level to mark his birth anniversary.1km stretch which takes an hour by road. started from Alandur and headed to Koyambedu. effective July 1. policy formulation and good governance. among others. The service would be from 6 am to midnight. since 2007 to create public awareness. from her office via video conference. sharing of best practices and technology collaborations. 9th National Statistics Day observed with theme Social Development The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation has been celebrating the Statistics Day every year 29th June. The train covers the distance in 19 minutes. with a 30-second halt at each station. especially among the younger generation for drawing inspiration from Late Professor Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis about the role and importance of statistics in socio-economic planning. National Awards in Statistics. DSCI has been leading cyber security and privacy protection initiatives in the country through policy advocacy. MANTHAN June. The theme selected for 9th Statistics Day was ‘Social Development’ in view of the contribution and importance of this sector to Indian economy. In recognition of the notable contributions made by him in the fields of statistics and economic planning. Issues and Challenges” was presented by Central Statistics Office. Chennai Metro Rail commences operations The much-awaited Chennai Metro Rail was launched by Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa. Sweden on MSMEs The government has approved signing of an agreement between India and Sweden to promote cooperation in the micro.) Vijay Kumar Singh to Dr. On this occasion. Ananth Kumar said that this is in line with the government's agenda of promoting 'Make in India' and the Ministry will take action on all the steps suggested by the task force.MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June.R. thought leadership. 2015 Page : 11 . Hukum Chandra. Pulak Ghosh. constituted in the Honour of Prof. small and medium enterprises (MSME) sector. IASRI and Dr. C. The main theme paper on “Social Development Statistics: Current Status. Professor IIM. 2015 The steps were suggested by a task force formed by the Department of Pharmaceuticals in a report submitted to Chemicals and Fertilisers Minister Ananth Kumar. joint ventures. awareness and building capacity of security professionals and also law enforcement agencies Cabinet clears signing of pact between India. Rao were conferred by General (Dr. a 10. Bangalore. The first train steered by two lady drivers. Scientist. The cooperation opens up doors of new opportunities for the domestic MSME sector by way of new markets. The WMO is a specialised UN agency dealing with the state and behaviour of the Earth's atmosphere. its interaction with the oceans. is subject to Parliament approval.  The appointment of Ms. under section 15 of the Human Trafficking and Exploitation (Criminal Justice and Support for Victims) Act (Northern Ireland) 2015. It will conclude on June 12. Till now. Northern Ireland criminalizes paid sex Northern Ireland has made history by becoming the first in the United Kingdom to criminalise the purchase of sex.named after a Norwegian Nobel literature laureate -. The WMO Congress meets every four years. an internationally-renowned scientist and biologist. MANTHAN June. Gurib-Fakim (56). 2015 INTERNATIONAL 2004 Nobel chemistry winner Irwin Rose dies at 88 Irwin Rose. has lived in exile in Russia since 2013 after revealing mass spying programmes by the United States and its allies. Snowden awarded freedom of expression prize in Norway Former security contractor Edward Snowden won a Norwegian prize for freedom of expression and received yet another invitation to leave his exile and receive the award in person. it was an offence only when someone paid for the sexual services of a prostitute subjected to force or threats. or promising to pay. Rose did the Nobel work during his career at the Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia. an Indian scientist and bureaucrat. Norway and Iceland adopted the model in 2009. Michel Jarraud." Snowden. any person directly. or through a third party. Sweden was the first country to criminalise the purchase of sex. Mauritius’ first woman President  The government of Mauritius designated Ameenah Gurib-Fakim as the Indian Ocean island nation’s new President. The maximum penalty could also result in a year-long jail term. it has become an offence to obtain sexual services in exchange for payment. is contesting the election for the top post at the Genevabased World Meteorological Organisation (WMO). He was earlier the director of Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services. Shailesh Nayak is India's candidate for top WMO post Shailesh Nayak. a geologist from MS University. making her the first woman to hold the ceremonial position. the current Director-General. Hyderabad. 2013 it had a membership of 191 member states and territories. the climate it produces and the resulting distribution of water resources."for his work protecting privacy and for shining a critical light on US surveillance of its citizens and others. Those found paying for sex will have to cough out as much as £1. Baroda. has died. Rose " along with Israelis Aaron Ciechanover and Avram Hershko " discovered how plant and animal cells use a chemical "kissof-death" to mark old and damaged proteins so they can be destroyed. The Norwegian Academy of Literature and Freedom of Expression said the 31-year old fugitive had won the Bjornson Prize -. He was 88. has had a stint at the Indian Space Research Organisation till 2000. From June 1. and in December 2013 France followed suit. a former analyst at the US National Security Agency. in 1999.MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June. He became a UCI researcher after retiring in 1997. 2015 Page : 12 . stands down at the end of this year after three terms in office. As on January 1. a biochemist who shared the 2004 Nobel Prize in chemistry for discovering a way that cells destroy unwanted proteins " a key for developing new cancer therapies.000 fine (almost Rs 1 lakh by Indian currency standards). Nayak. either by paying. said the overwhelming approval of GuribFakim’s designation was a historic day for the country. believes the technology will curb ATM-related crimes. an anti-counterfeit technology expert. The Banker Middle East Industry Awards 2015 Ceremony was held recently he received the award.S. R Seetharaman. NSA can no longer spy on Americans  U.  Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will also honour the families of the members of Indian armed forces for sacrificing their lives for the cause of Bangladesh’s independence. MANTHAN June. 2015 Bangladesh Liberation War award for Vajpayee  Bangladesh is set to honour former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee for his outstanding support for the country’s independence from Pakistan in 1971 when he was a Lok Sabha member. Gurib-Fakim.  The developers include Tsinghua University and Tzekwan Technology. has died recently in Iraq. becomes the first female president of the island.S.3 million people with a per capita GDP of just over USD 9. a Hangzhou firm in eastern China’s Zhejiang province. Patriot Act. and was sentenced to death in October 2010 by the Iraqi Supreme Court for the persecution of religious parties under Saddam's rule but was never executed. known as the face of Saddam Hussein's regime on the world stage for many years. Mauritius is one of the richest — and least corrupt — countries in Africa. Tariq Aziz.MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June. Mauritius parliament approves first woman president Prominent scientist Ameenah Gurib-Fakim was approved by the parliament of Mauritius as the Indian Ocean island nation’s new president. lapsed without renewal by Congress. has been conferred with the Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to the industry and his support for the environment and the business. First facial recognition ATM developed in China  Chinese researchers have successfully developed the first automated teller machine (ATM) with facial recognition technology to reduce the risk of theft. an influential ex Iraqi minister. and the U. 2015 Page : 13 . 56.  Tzekwan chairman Gu Zikun. National Security Agency effectively lost the authority to conduct bulk telephone data collection on millions of Americans.A. He was found guilty of “deliberate murder and crimes against humanity” for a crackdown on religious parties in the 1980s. a middleincome nation of some 1. Parliament speaker Maya Hanoomanjee. CEO of Doha Bank. initially introduced after the 9/11 terror attacks in 2001. Aziz. which gained independence from Britain in 1968 and replaced Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II as its head of state in 1992. Indian banker honoured with lifetime achievement award in UAE A top Indian banker here has been conferred with the lifetime achievement award for his contribution to the banking industry and greater understanding of the economic development of the Middle East region. served as foreign minister and Deputy Prime Minister and was a close adviser to the former leader. making her the first woman to hold the ceremonial position. 79.000.dies Tariq Aziz. who is also the first woman to hold that post. Prashant Pathak. foreign inflows from that country are increasing year after year.03 billion in FDI from Mauritius in 2014-15. that later became known as Free Jazz. Manjul Bhargava. FDI inflow of $ 6. the US. India attracted $ 9. 2015 Page : 14 . President Erdogan. With 99 per cent of the vote counted. It is a non-profit. had been seeking a two-thirds majority to turn Turkey into a presidential republic. Jag Parmar and Venkatesh Mannar. carrying a trophy and citation. Singapore had replaced Mauritius as the top source of FDI into India. Canadian author Rachel Cusk. ICCC was founded in 1977.74 billion from Singapore. Neeru Gupta. Germany. who first came to power as prime minister in 2003.74 billion in 2014-15 was the highest ever received from Singapore since 2006-07. securing seats for the first time. G-7 leaders to continue sanctions against Russia till it fully respects ceasefire in Ukraine Leaders of the Group of Seven nations have agreed that sanctions against Russia must remain in place. the Netherlands. MANTHAN June. In 2013-14. a Scottish author. Ali Smith. whereas it was $ 6. Hargurdeep Singh. Coleman's album Change of the Century ushered in a new jazz style in the late 1950s.MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June. The result is a blow to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's plans to boost his office's powers. Earlier. Germany. the AKP has 41 per cent of the vote. Although Singapore has come down to the second position. Turkey's ruling party loses Parliamentary majority Turkey's governing AK party has lost its Parliamentary majority for the first time in 13 years. and its support for separatists in eastern Ukraine. Other nations from where foreign inflows are increasing include Japan. social. France and the UAE during the last financial year. The surprise outcome also sees the pro-Kurdish HDP crossing the 10 per cent threshold. non-partisan organisation dedicated to promote bilateral. Russia was suspended from what used to be the Group of Eight in 2014 because of its occupation and annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea region. 2015 UK Author Ali Smith won 2015 Baileys Women's Prize for Fiction UK Author Ali Smith on 3 June 2015 won the 2015 Baileys Women's Prize for Fiction for her novel How to be Both. Mauritius regains top slot as source of FDI in India Mauritius has regained the position as top source of foreign direct investment (FDI) into India by pushing Singapore to the second slot in 2014-15. was presented by Toronto mayor John Tory and president of the Indo-Canada Chambers of Commerce (ICCC) DP Jain. The world first learned of Free Jazz in 1959 when the American Alto Saxophonist walked into a Hollywood music studio. legendary saxophonist and composer Ornetter Colema died in Manhattan at the age of 85. has also won the 2014 Goldsmiths Prize and the Novel Award in the 2014 Costa Book Awards for the same book. Avinash Mehra. 11 Indo-Canadians honoured for strengthening bilateral ties Eleven Indo-Canadians have been honoured here with 'ICCC Annual Awards 2015' for strengthening bilateral ties and their business achievements besides contributions to the economy. Rajiv Manucha. the book was shortlisted for the 2014 Man Booker Prize and the 2015 Folio Prize. Jazz legend Ornetter Colema passes away In the US. according to the data of the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP). Each award. Avish Sood. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said at the end of a twoday G7 Summit in Bavaria. Pakistani author Kamila Shamsie and Welsh author Sarah Waters. Asim Ghosh. Other nominees for the award were English author Laline Paull. Mauritius accounted for about 29 per cent of the country’s total FDI inflows last fiscal. cultural and economic ties between the two countries. until the ceasefire in eastern Ukraine is fully respected. vice president of the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce was among 11 winners which include Nisha Agnihotri. In comparison. However. in November 2015. has woken up and contacted Earth.MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June. The comet has since moved nearer to the sun and Philae has enough power to work again.193 jobs. India emerges as UK's third largest FDI source in 2014 India has emerged as Britain's third biggest job creator in 2014 as the country saw a 65% increase in foreign direct investments (FDI) from London. UN chooses Denmark's Mogens Lykketoft to head General Assembly UN General Assembly has chosen a new President. India created 7. serving five separate stints in the post. India or France. Aakar Patel to head Amnesty International India Writer Aakar Patel joined Amnesty International India as its new executive director.873 jobs and 338 jobs. It worked for 60 hours before going to sleep when its solar-powered battery ran flat. 2015 Comet 'Philae' woken up. 2015 Page : 15 . Its exact location on the comet has since been a mystery. Lykketoft will take over the General Assembly's top post on 15th of September 2015. Whilst no official legislation has been brought forward in parliament to introduce marriage for gay and bisexual couples.012 jobs in UK in 2014 while Asian giants Japan and Singapore recorded 3.382. and the lander . Sirisena appoints defence chief Two senior slots in the armed forces of Sri Lanka were filled with President Maithripala Sirisena appointing Air Chief Marshal Kolitha Gunathilaka as the new Chief of Defence Staff and Air Marshal Gagan Bulathsinhala as the new Air Force Commander. Switzerland 1. The data was released by the UK Trade Investment Agency which shows that between 2014 and 2015. Rosetta.about the size of a washing-machine . other European countries like Italy created 2. Mr. In all.bounced at least a kilometre when it touched down.620 old jobs. But Germany recorded far fewer projects than that of the US.015 and Norway 440. died. The 69-year-old has been speaker of the Danish parliament since 2011. ESA said that it might have located it from images and other data from the mothership. Aakar Patel will head AI India's operations and its efforts to end human rights abuses in India and worldwide. He was 90. selecting Mogens Lykketoft of Denmark to serve the oneyear term. says European Space Agency The European Space Agency said its comet lander. This means that samesex marriage has effectively been legalized throughout Mexico.489. Five-time Turkish President dead Turkey’s former President and Prime Minister Suleyman Demirel. Lykketoft was the sole candidate put forward by Western European nations for the position that is rotated between regions. respectively. Mexico’s top court quietly legalizes gay marriage The Supreme Court in Mexico has legalized same-sex marriage in a landmark legal ruling. A court has decreed that it is unconstitutional for Mexican states to bar same-sex marriages. Spain 3.727 jobs).350 jobs in UK in 2014 — second only to the US (36. a political giant for over half a century who survived two military coups and a ban on holding office. India helped create 9. Demirel served as Prime Minister on repeated occasions in the 1960s and 1970s and then again one final time in the 1990s before serving as head of state from 1993 to 2000.646. Denmark 2.730 new jobs and safeguarded 1. the court ruling represents a precedent which will require courts throughout the country to follow suit. he was Prime Minister of seven different governments. Philae was dropped on to the surface of Comet 67P by its mothership. contacted Earth. Sweden 1.778 jobs) and Germany (9. The Rosetta probe took 10 years to reach the comet. Australia created 4. With a background in the MANTHAN June. Philae. Russia extended its ban on the import of many agricultural products from the EU. at the southern tip of the island. The award has been presented to Professor Baliga and Shuji Nakamura by Russian President Vladimir Putin. a report on the 2002 Gujarat riots which he co-authored. a UK-based philanthropist has been chosen for the VK Krishna Menon award in recognition of his outstanding professional and altruistic achievements. literature. will receive the award by the V K Krishna Menon Institute later in 2015. UK NRI philanthropist chosen for V K Krishna Menon Award Benni Joseph Mavelil. Indian origin scientist to gets Russia's highest tech award B Jayant Baliga. which killed 200. a ban on certain technologies and exchanges between the bloc and Russia in energy and defence sectors. United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) had passed a resolution to observe 20 June as World Refugee Day on 4 December 2000. a US-based Indian-origin scientist. near to the spot where terrified locals jumped from cliffs or were pushed to their deaths on the orders of Imperial soldiers taught never to surrender. a Nobel Laureate. In response. Professor Baliga invented the digital switch or the insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) while working at General Electrical research & development centre in New York in the US in 1983. Thousands of visitors filed to the black marble monument inscribed with the names of the fallen to pray and leave flowers. The theme for year 2015 is ‘With courage let us all combine’. The IGBT switches energy hundreds of thousands of times a second. is recognised for his work on blue light emitting diodes (LEDs). The date of 19 June was chosen in memory of resolution 1820 the Security Council adopted on 19 June 2008.000 people. business. politics. In Russia. The sanctions include limits to access on some financial markets. 2015 textile industry. MANTHAN June. the bloodiest episode in the Pacific War. Mavelil. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is scheduled to speak at a ceremony in Itoman. Aakar's work includes 'India: Low Trust Society' (2015) and 'Rights and Wrongs'. Japan marks Okinawa anniversary Japan marked the end of the Battle of Okinawa. UN declares June 19 International Day for the elimination of sexual violence in conflict The United Nations has declared June 19 International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict to highlight abuses by armed extremist groups such as Boko Haram and Islamic State. President of the UK Knanaya Catholic Community. diplomacy and philanthropy. Nakamura. the Global Energy Prize is known as the electronics equivalent of the Nobel Prize. The V K Krishna Menon award is given to outstanding Indian patriots who have served in the Diaspora and also distinguished themselves in various fields including science. contributions and services to the community and wider multicultural society. June 20 observes as World Refugee Day Every year June 20 is observed as World Refugee Day to raise awareness of the situation of refugees throughout the world. Aakar has been working as a columnist with publications in India and Pakistan. 2015 Page : 16 .MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June. is awarded Russia's top technology award in recognition of his work as a major development in energy management which brought about huge increase in efficiency and major savings. drawing a rebuke and a warning of retaliation from Russian officials. EU extends sanctions against Russia The European Union has extended economic sanctions against Russia until January to keep pressure on Moscow over the conflict in eastern Ukraine. raising the efficiency of any equipment manifold. which recognized for the first time that sexual violence is a tactic of war and a threat to international peace and stability. This day. The Turkish G-20 presidency will focus its efforts on ensuring an inclusive and robust growth through collective action. G-20 is a premier forum for global economic and financial cooperation that brings together the world’s advanced and emerging economies representing around 85 per cent of the global GDP.MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June. G-20 meet in Turkey to focus on 3-I agenda Inclusiveness. implementation and investment will form the top priorities for the Group of twenty (G-20) summit to be hosted and chaired by Turkey in November in the shadow of a global economic slowdown. Since the 2008 financial crisis. India is showing enthusiasm over the project. which will link Kolkata with Kunming. with Mandalay and Dhaka among the focal points. Yunnan and West Bengal — seems to have given a new impulse to galvanising the plan. 1988. However. the world’s largest and third largest economies. contributing about $930 million to the financial institution of which India will be the second largest shareholder. The bank already has 57 prospective members. India fast-track BCIM economic corridor project China and India are adding fresh momentum to the establishment of the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar (BCIM) economic corridor. 2015 Page : 17 . limits ATM cash withdrawal Greece closed its banks and imposed capital controls to check the growing strains on its crippled financial system. G-20 has broadened its multi-lateral ambit from an overarching aim of a balanced. unemployment and women empowerment. The AIIB. leaving Athens with little choice but to shut down the system to keep the banks from collapsing. in a move that brought the prospect of being forced out of the euro into plain sight. is designed to finance infrastructure construction in the continent. China. sustained and strong growth to diverse issues such as climate change. passing through Myanmar and Bangladesh. announced that it would join the new China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) as a founding member. MANTHAN June. International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking observed globally The International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking was first observed on June 26. energy. The focus on linking provinces and States — in this case. 1987 by the UN General Assembly to honour Lin Zexu's contribution in dismantling the opium trade in Guangdong. Debt crisis: Greece closes its banks. After bailout talks between the Left-wing government and foreign lenders broke down at the weekend. which is expected to develop gradually before more ambitious goals are achieved. the members of the General Assembly decided to establish an international society free of drug abuse since the use of drugs continues to constitute a serious hazard to public health. it has been shunned by the United States and Japan. The day was introduced on December 7. which will be headquartered in Beijing. the capital of China’s Yunnan province. the European Central Bank froze vital funding support to Greece's banks. 2015 Australia to join China-led infrastructure bank Australia. India is one of its members. 25 per cent from 7. The RBI cut rates by 25 basis points each in January and March from a peak of 8 per cent. one of the leading FMCG companies in India. including Mexico City and the northern state of Coahuila. Given the ruling. 2015 Page : 18 . and or defines (marriage) as celebrated between a man and a woman. The high court ruled that any state law which considers the ultimate purpose of marriage to be "procreation. just four months into the job.651 crore. Moldovan PM quits over ‘fake diploma’ Moldovan Prime Minister Chiril Gaburici announced his resignation.5 per cent. In the previous policy announcement — the first bimonthly policy for 2015-16 on April 7 — the RBI had maintained status quo in the repo rate at 7. airs worries The Reserve Bank of India cut the policy rate (repo) by 25 basis points.5 per cent. According to a BSE filing by L&T. BSNL CMD Anupam Shrivastava said no special recharge was needed to utilize the offer.651cr Emami Ltd.'' Gay marriage is legal in some parts of Mexico. Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said. Mr.MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June. In May 2015. is unconstitutional. BSNL to offer free roaming from June 15. Mexico Supreme Court opens door to gay marriage nationwide Mexico's Supreme Court has ruled it is unconstitutional for Mexican states to bar same-sex marriages. CONTEMPORARY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS RBI cuts repo rate. 2015 after his Liberal Democratic Party managed to form a coalition with other pro-European parties. and there will be a daily 60 euro limit on cash withdrawals from cash machines. The repo rate is the rate at which the RBI lends money to banks. 2015 State-run operator BSNL will not charge mobile phone users for incoming calls when on roaming from June 15 onwards. Gaburici took office on February 18. He said the impact of the scheme would be assessed after one year. It is valued at Rs 1. L&T bags Rs 468 crore defence orders for construction of floating dock for Indian Navy The Ministry of Defence has awarded a Rs 468 crore order for the design and construction of a floating deck for the Indian Navy to Larsen & Toubro (L&T). meaning gay couples denied the right to wed would have to turn to the courts individually. 2015 Banks will be closed and the stock market shut all week. after being accused of faking his education credentials. the floating dock is expected MANTHAN June. entered into an agreement with Sanjeev Juneja to acquire his hair & scalp-care business under the 'Dr Juneja's Kesh King' and allied brands in one of the biggest acquisitions in FMCG space in the recent times. But the court's ruling is considered a "jurisprudential thesis'' and does not invalidate any state laws. the biggest by Emami and also the biggest by any Kolkata-based company so far. to 7. judges and courts would have to approve same-sex marriages. Payments via debit or credit cards to accounts within Greece and online banking transactions within Greece will be allowed but payments and transfers to accounts outside Greece are prohibited. Emami buys Kesh King for 1. the third time this year. the company had also reduced roaming tariff by 40 per cent for incoming calls on roaming. The RBI cut rates by 25 basis points each in January and March from a peak of 8 per cent. saying that transmission of policy rates to lending rates had not taken place despite weak credit off-take and the frontloading of two rate cuts. The total number of countries which have agreed to share financial information has now gone up to 60. and no other remuneration is paid to them.  At present.MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June. Costa Rica. RBI directive on pay package for non-executive directors  In order to enable banks to attract and retain professional directors.  She will also be in charge of department of non-banking supervision and department of co-operative banking supervision. Indian Overseas Bank. including MANTHAN June. 10 lakh per annum for each director. a move that will help it combat tax evasion and deal with the problem of black money. Dena Bank and Corporation Bank.  At present only 11 banks. Canada. Union Bank. the RBI has asked the Board of Directors to formulate a comprehensive compensation policy.  Such compensation. including payment of compensation in the form of profit-related commission. with rider  In order to boost Infrastructure investment the RBI has allowed banks to invest in long term-bonds of other banks. 2015 Page : 19 . including Punjab National Bank. shall not exceed Rs. Meena Hemchandra appointed as executive director of RBI  The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has appointed Meena Hemchandra as the executive director who would be in charge of department of banking supervision. India signs pact on automatic exchange of tax information India and five other nations have joined a multilateral agreement for automatic exchange of financial information. Australia. for non-executive directors of private banks. The part-time Chairman however. Oriental Bank of Commerce. Allahabad Bank. 2015 to enhance the support infrastructure of the Indian Navy for docking of warships and submarines for repairs and refits. the RBI said private sector banks would be required to obtain prior RBI approval for granting remuneration to the part-time non-executive Chairman under the Banking Regulation Act. Banks gearing up to appoint internal ombudsman  The RBI advised all public sector banks and some private and foreign banks to appoint an internal ombudsman. however.  The RBI suggested that the officer appointed should not have worked in the bank in which he/she is appointed as chief customer service officer (CCSO). Indonesia and New Zealand are the other five nations that signed the Multilateral Competent Authority Agreement (MCAA) in Paris for automatic exchange of financial account information. banks in the private sector pay only sitting fees to non-executive directors. is being paid a fixed remuneration with the approval of the RBI.  If a customer is still dissatisfied with the solution provided by the internal ombudsman. 1949. This is subject to conditions whereby not more than 20 per cent of the primary issue size of a bond issue is allotted to investor banks. Banks allowed investing in long-term bonds of other banks. he/she can take it up with the central bank’s banking ombudsman. have an internal ombudsman each.  In a notification. Vedanta buys 4. when fully implemented. is very wide in scope and obliges the treaty partners to exchange a wide range of financial information. 43 of them being general and 17 life. One thing we are looking at is harmonisation of the government pattern and the private sector pattern.98% stake in Cairn India for $ 315 mn Vedanta Ltd. sets up a system wherein bulk taxpayer information will periodically be sent by the source country of income to the country of residence of the taxpayer. Apart from India. formerly Sesa Sterlite. Axis Bank allows booking of lockers via mobile app Now.98 per cent stake in Cairn India for $315 million from a wholly—owned subsidiary Twinstar Mauritius Holdings (TSMHL). Vedanta will continue to hold 59. Axis Bank. has acquired 4. 2015 Switzerland. On booking the locker. LIC has been in the insurance business for six decades. the country’s third-largest private sector lender. which only has a branch office in Bangladesh and is not a joint venture registered company. The charges for the lockers will be in the range of 3. The target is to reach 94 countries by 2017. Bangladesh currently has 60 insurance companies in private sector. you can use a mobile application to choose the nearest location where you can open a bank locker. The pension regulator — Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority is examining the recommendations of the expert panel led by former Sebi chief GN Bajpai that had recommended greater flexibility to NPS subscribers for their investments. Investments in PE. Bangladesh allows LIC to operate in domestic market Indian insurance giant LIC has been allowed to form a joint venture in Bangladesh. has launched a new mobile application that will allow its customers to book lockers.MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June.000 in rural areas depending on location and size of the locker. Previously. there is a cap of 50 per cent for the private sector and 15 per cent for the government. 75% in equity in the works The National Pension System is set to provide a whole new range of choices to its subscribers including option to invest in instruments such as private equity and venture capital funds. while Vedanta’s stake was 18. AEOI. 2015 Page : 20 .Vedanta’ ownership in Cairn India does not change as a result of this share transfer. With this customers can figure out the availability of the locker from their homes or on-the-go. real estate investment trusts as well as a higher exposure of up to 75 per cent to equities. Gojavas join hands Online marketplace Snapdeal and supply chain company Gojavas have joined hands to provide a new experience to online shoppers. an industry first service for customers — 90 minutes MANTHAN June. the LIC operates in Nepal. becoming the second foreign insurer to operate in the country. TSMHL had 39. It became the second foreign insurance agency after the US-based MetLife-ALICO. Snapdeal. The new partnership. VC funds.5 per cent will be held directly and 34. including that about the ultimate controlling persons and beneficial owners of entities. Currently.4 per cent held indirectly through TSMHL. information was exchanged between countries on the basis of specific requests relating to cases of tax evasion and other financial crimes. the documents and KYC (know-your-customer) formalities can be done with the closest Axis Bank branch and the customer can claim the locker within seven days. The bank initiated the process of booking lockers through mobile phones to offer customers convenience and transparency in transactions. saving them many visits to bank branches.9 per cent in Cairn India of which 25.41 per cent stake in Cairn India.000-12.000 in metro/urban areas and 1. The new system. dubbed the Common Reporting Standards (CRS) on Automatic Exchange of Information (AEOI).73 per cent. Following the share transfer. Sri Lanka and Singapore. Apart from two state-run insurance companies. The approval came nearly two years after the IDRA rejected a LIC proposal to launch its business in Bangladesh with a paid up capital of Tk 300 million.500-10. Peru.2 billion dollar in 2014. Kamath would step down from his position as Chairman of the Board and as an Independent Director of the Company. 2015 reverse pick-ups —will help customers replace or return items within 90 minutes of intimation. It represents 73 percent of the investment commitments in developing world in 2014. The state government is setting up plant in a joint venture with Solar Energy Corporation of India. India has figured in the list despite a drop in investment commitments of 6. JAGD store have been approved and quality controlled by the Bureau of Pharma Public Sector Undertakings of India (BPPI) under the aegis of Department of Pharmaceuticals. Seshasayee has been an Independent Director on the Company’s Board since January 2011 and is the chairperson of the Audit Committee. World's largest 750MW solar power plant is being set up in Rewa district of state. Mr. Turkey. New Delhi. Seshasayee becomes Chairman of Infosys Infosys Ltd. solar units with 1. Grant of status allows IREDA to make capital expenditure on new projects. MANTHAN June. infrastructure sectors . A decision on invoking the Strategic Debt Restructuring by converting debt into equity has to be taken within 30 days after a review of the account. modernization.MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June. without Government approval up to 500 crores rupees. etc. As per an RBI notification. Reserve Bank of India announces new measures on debt restructuring by lenders The Reserve Bank has allowed banks to take control of debt-laden companies by converting loans into equity if a debt restructuring fails to revive them within a stipulated time frame. India has figured in top five emerging economies for highest investment commitments in private sector.100cr investment Madhya Pradesh will be first state in the country where production units of solar panels and wind rotors are being set up with an investment of Rs 1. These five countries together attracted 78 billion dollar. K. which will be offered at the IMA’s. whichever is lower. IREDA awarded Miniratna (Category-1) status by Department of Public Enterprises Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Limited (IREDA) has been awarded the Miniratna (Cateogry 1) status by the Department of Public Enterprises under the Union Ministry of Heavy Industry and Public Enterprises. 2015 Page : 21 . has announced that the company’s board had approved the appointment of R.energy. the country’s largest non-government organisation of doctors. The store will offer over 118 commonly used drugs at a 10 to 20 percent lesser price than market value. The top five countries with the biggest investment commitments in 2014 are Brazil. The facility is available in 15 cities. Colombia and India. The RBI said that it should be approved by 75 percent of the creditors by value and 60 percent of creditors by number. allowing loan conversion will now be a pre-condition for all debt restructuring deals. Seshasayee as Non-Executive Chairman of the Board with immediate effect. IMA’s first Jan Aushadhi medical store launched in Delhi Indian Medical Association’s (IMA) first-ever Jan Aushadhi Generic Drug (JAGD) Store was inaugurated on 5 June 2015 at its headquarters in IP Estate.100 crore. Production is likely to start in the next few years. All medicines.V. Capital markets regulator Sebi has already relaxed the norms for banks to take over the ownership of such companies under a new Strategic Debt Restructuring regime. transport and water. Wind energy giant Suzlon group is investing Rs 500 crore in its wind rotor plant near Indore. New Development Bank. and will enable hassle-free returns as well as refunds. or equal to their net worth. consequent to his nomination as President of the BRICS bank. purchase of equipment. India figures in top 5 emerging economies for highest investment commitments According to a World Bank report. MP first to have wind. 1 per cent rise in energy consumption. a complete digital payment and purchases solution. 2015 Page : 22 . about 40.6 million barrels of oil per day to topple Saudi Arabia's 11. banks.  The subscription. a one-stop online portal offering customers ‘great deals at one place’. piped gas and water supply bills to be submitted as proof of address for opening account with banks or other financial institutions. US becomes biggest oil producer in 2014.5 million bpd production. MANTHAN June. In Mumbai. unlike other wallets. if they contain the address too will be OVDs. at present.MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June. regulatory bodies. financial institutions and listed companies have also been added to the list of OVDs. HDFC Bank launches PayZapp HDFC Bank has launched Pay Zapp. 2015 Maharashtra to create NBFS to utilise money lying with corporations Maharashtra government has decided to create a non-banking financial services (NBFS) institution to use the surplus money lying with the state-run corporations. Utility bills valid proof of address to open account Reserve bank of India has allowed postpaid mobile service.  The bonds may be floated in any jurisdiction that is Financial Action Task Force (FATF) compliant. Letter of allotment of accommodation from employer issued by government. coupon payments and redemption may be settled in foreign currency. are permitted to access ECB under the approval route will require prior permission of the RBI to issue such bonds and those coming under the automatic route can do so without prior permission. The proceeds of the bonds can be parked as per the extant provisions on parking of ECB proceeds. Bank account or Post Office savings bank account statement. RBI issues Draft Framework on Issuance of Rupee linked Bonds Overseas The Reserve Bank of India has issued Draft Framework on Issuance of Rupee linked Bonds Overseas. Chinese growth in consumption slowed to its lowest level since 1998 as its economy rebalances away from energy intensive sectors. according to BP Plc's Statistical Review of World Energy released.000 crore rupees are lying idle in the bank accounts of these corporations. is not a pre-paid wallet.  Banks incorporated in India will not have access to these bonds in any manner whatsoever. The RBI said the utility bill which is not more than two months old are deemed to be Officially Valid Documents (OVDs) under simplified measures. The US produced 15. surpasses Saudi Arabia The United States has overtaken Saudi Arabia as the world's biggest oil producer in 2014 while India has recorded the highest growth in energy consumption among major economies. India. It reflects your account and it reflects your credit card balance.8 million bpd oil production was placed third. PSUs.  The corporates which. This way the government will not have to pay high interest rates to banks and the surplus money of corporations will be used to meet urgent needs. This money is not being used and the corporations keep getting interest from banks. pension or family pension payment orders (PPOs) issued to retired employees by government departments or PSUs. Russia with 10. Under PayZapp.4 per cent expansion.9 per cent more oil in 2014 at 11. the fastest among major economies and second only to Algeria's 8. however. posted a 7.  Indian corporates eligible to raise external commercial borrowings (ECBs) are permitted to issue Rupee linked bonds overseas. It is intended to permit Indian corporate and International Financial Institutions (IFIs) to issue rupee-linked bonds overseas. though China remained the world's largest growth market for energy. have got the highest score of ‘4’ for all eight parameters on a scale of one to four. However. Having a reinsurance cover will encourage more Indian insurance companies to participate in the PMSBY scheme and improve its penetration in India. Hannover Re to offer reinsurance cover for Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana Hannover Re. The services sector. NBV is the value at which an asset is carried on a balance sheet. 2015 Similarly. Brazil. Japan and Singapore. insurance. In the latest global ‘assessment study’ of the regulatory framework for financial market infrastructures across the world. The global reinsurer is in talks with several Indian insurers for this purpose.2 bn With the government taking steps to improve ease of doing business and attracting investments.MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June. had received foreign direct investment worth 2. The total installed capacity of the Koldam project now stands at 800 MW. including India. Earlier in May 2000. documents issued by government departments of foreign jurisdictions and letter issued by foreign embassy or Mission in India too are OVDs. Hannover Re Risk Management Services India.83 billion dollar. only six countries. FDI inflows into the services sector grew by over 46 per cent to 3. The other five countries are Australia. The amount was 24. India secures top-most ratings for financial market norms India’s financial market regulatory framework got the top-most ratings from the global bodies of banking and capital market regulators.S.22 billion dollar in 2013-14. In step with the growth in FDI in important sectors like services. a move that will encourage flow of capital into the country. the world’s third largest reinsurer. the subscription to the chit funds should be brought in through normal banking channel. The RBI said that it has now been decided to permit financial institutions to reverse the excess provision. reaches $ 3. Currently. The ‘Rating Level 4’ means that the financial market regulators RBI and SEBI have all regulatory measures “fully in force. which includes banking. 2015 Page : 23 .93 billion dollar during the previous fiscal. outsourcing. 2014 to asset reconstruction companies to their profit and loss account. FDI in services sector grows by 46% in 2014-15. has decided to offer reinsurance cover for the Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) to encourage insurance companies to participate in the scheme. including through an account maintained with a bank in India.25 billion dollars in 2014-15.29 billion dollar in 2013-14. when the sale is for a value higher than the Net book value (NBV). non-residents were barred from investing in a company or firms engaged in the business of chit fund. However. with Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) being rated better than their peers in China and the U. 2014 to Securitisation Company (SC) Reconstruction Company (RC) to their profit and loss account. courier and technology testing.” RBI allows NRIs to invest in chit funds The Reserve Bank today allowed non-resident Indians (NRIs) to invest in chit funds on non-repatriation basis without any ceiling. Hong Kong. public sector MANTHAN June. the total foreign inflow in 2014-15 in the services sector was low as compared to 2012-13 when it was 4. R&D. overall foreign inflows in the country too rose by 27 per cent to 30. RBI allows AIFIs to reverse excess provision on sale of NPAs Reserve Bank of India has allowed All-India Term Lending and Refinancing Institutions (AIFIs) such as Exim Bank and NABARD to reverse the excess provision on sale of non-performing assets (NPAs) sold prior to February 26. on sale of NPAs sold prior to February 26. NTPC starts 200 MW capacity of Koldam plant in Himachal Pradesh Power producer NTPC said it has commissioned another 200 megawatt (MW) capacity at its Koldam Hydro Power Project in Himachal Pradesh. Managing Director. Ankur Nijhawan. according to the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) data. 2015 Page : 24 . Australia and many other countries. All 14 components of the Basel framework included in the assessment have been assessed as compliant. This scheme is currently delivered through banks. India has 4th largest ultra-high-networth households India is home to the fourth largest number of ultra-high-networth households that have more than 100 million dollars in private wealth. Now. according to a new report topped by the US. YES Bank tie up for remittances Global payment service provider Western Union tied up with mid-sized private lender Yes Bank for international direct-to-bank transfers. He succeeds Mr. the Centre granted additional tax deduction of Rs.000 to contributions made to the National Pension System (NPS). Asia-Pacific (excluding Japan) is expected to surpass North America (a projected USD 56 trillion) as the wealthiest region in the world and will be the largest pool for client acquisition. various approaches to quantify risk capital (credit. transitional arrangements. including regional rural banks and co-operative banks. has complimented the Indian banking authorities for their substantial reforms and alignment with the Basel framework. it has made this pension scheme more attractive. This will facilitate money transfers to bank accounts in India. NPS becomes more attractive In the 2015-16 Budget. this evaluates a country’s readiness for Basel III norms. the apex bank for all central banks. through the NEFT as well as IMPS clearing systems.50. followed by China (1. has announced the appointment of Vinayak Bahuguna as its Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director. PMSBY offers a renewable one year accidental death-cum-disability cover of 2 lakh ( 1 lakh for partial permanent disability) to all savings bank account-holders in the age group of 18 to 70 years for a premium of 12 a year per subscriber.037). to send money directly to more than 900 million bank accounts in India.019). the UK (1. the one glitch with NPS all along was that it didn’t offer liquidity. P Rudran who had completed his term in April 2015. This collaboration with YES Bank will allow consumers in the US.MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June.201. Unlike the Employee Provident Fund (EPF) which allows withdrawal of money when a person moves from one job to another or for reasons such as illness or MANTHAN June. India’s first asset reconstruction company. capital buffers (conservation and countercyclical). The 14 parameters include scope of application. The Boston Consulting Group’s ‘Global Wealth 2015: Winning the Growth Game’ report said continued economic expansion of China and India was driving growth in wealth in the Asia— Pacific region. 2015 general insurers are taking the lead and promoting PMSBY in big way in association with banks. The risk-based capital requirements issued in July 2014 are assessed as compliant with the minimum Basel capital standards. Basel III compliance: BIS pat for RBI The Bank for International Settlements. enabling it to overtake Europe (Eastern and Western Europe combined) to become the world’s secondwealthiest region. legal and regulatory framework for the supervisory review process and for taking supervisory actions besides disclosure requirements. securitisation framework. The private wealth in the Asia-Pacific region expanded by a steep 29 per cent in 2014 to reach USD 47 trillion. For an investor. India (928) and Germany (679) in 2014. supervisory review process. Canada. market and operational risks). definition of capital. The US remains the country with the largest number of ultra-high-networth (UHNW) households at 5. According to BIS’ Regulatory Consistency Assessment Programme (RCAP). With a projected USD 57 trillion in 2016. Western Union. Vinayak Bahuguna is Arcil's new CEO Asset Reconstruction Company (India) Ltd (Arcil). India’s UHNW households grew manifold from 2013 when the number stood at 284. UK. withdrawals from NPS will be allowed. CCEA approves inclusion of Uttarakhand. his spouse or children). kidney failure. There are 13 critical illnesses. Punjab. and subsidy for beneficiary-led individual house construction or enhancement. Banks. the government has released the draft outline for the sovereign gold bonds (SGBs) scheme. daily transaction limits etc. withdrawals will be allowed only on four grounds. It also extended the implementation period for two years up to 2018-19 to achieve key outputs of National Dairy Plan. The new scheme will cover the entire urban India consisting of 4. Bihar. Details of all deals done are made available to the users on a real-time basis. including cancer. NDP-I was approved for implementation in 14 milk potential States by National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) with a total outlay of 2242 crore rupees for a period of six years from 2011-12 to 2016-17. Rajasthan. which enables sending of foreign currency remittances from any of its branches in India. now. 2015 Page : 25 . 2015 child’s education. Kerala. and earn interest on it as well. If one chose to withdraw before the age of 60. It offers customers the facility to customize and set their own limits for deal size. will be accepted. Govt plans gold bonds to curb demand Investors will soon be able to buy gold. which would offer interest rates in terms of grams of gold. marriage. Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh in National Dairy Plan. The bonds will be issued in denominations of two. This platform will facilitate the customers of the bank to obtain forex rates without having to physically visit the branch.I (NDP-I). All individuals who have been making contributions to NPS for 10 years or more will be now given the option to withdraw up to 25 per cent of the corpus. The scheme envisages rehabilitation of slum dwellers with participation of private developers. non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) and post offices will be able to collect money and redeem bonds on behalf of the government. But. Haryana. e-forex is SBI's second forex technology initiative in the last two months after the launch of SBI “Fx Out”.I The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved inclusion of Uttarakhand. Telangana. that will come with a sovereign guarantee. On maturity. NPS allowed withdrawal only at the age of 60 years. In the second phase (April 2017-March 2019) another 200 cities will be covered and all the remaining cities will be covered in the third phase (April 2019-March 2022). SGBs will be restricted to resident Indians with an annual cap of 500 grams per person. the investor will receive an amount which is equivalent to the face value of the gold prevailing at the time in rupee terms. promotion of affordable housing for weaker section through credit-linked subsidy. Tamil Nadu.MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June. albeit in the paper form. an internet-based platform that enables customers to book their foreign exchange transactions online. After announcing a gold monetization scheme. Karnataka. but would have 2% as the indicative lower limit. PM Narendra Modi's ‘Housing for All by 2022’ scheme gets government nod The Cabinet gave its approval to the 'Housing for All by 2022' scheme being pushed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to provide housing to urban poor. According to the government. five and 10 grams of gold or other denominations with a minimum tenor of five-seven years. In the first phase (April 2015-March 2017) 100 cities will be covered. Odisha. purchase (or construction) of a residential house.I. NDP I is now being implemented in 15 States. affordable housing in partnership with public and private sectors. it has been stipulated that only a maximum of three withdrawals will be allowed and that too at an interval of five years. SBI launches net based forex transactions platform 'eforex' State Bank of India has launched “SBI eforex”. These are: child’s education. 80 per cent of the amount needed to be converted into an annuity. paralysis and heart surgery. Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.041 statutory towns with an initial focus on 500 Class I cities and it will be implemented in three phases. MANTHAN June. Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh in the list of States to be covered under the National Dairy Plan. The rate of interest will be linked to the international rate for gold borrowing. They are Andhra Pradesh. However. Maharashtra. two crore houses need to be built till 2022. Madhya Pradesh. or treatment of any illness (either of the individual himself. Gujarat. To check needless drawing of money from the corpus. for which withdrawal claims. Jersey and Hong Kong. including executives from private sector banks. The UK alone accounts for 22 per cent of total global funds in Swiss banks. Bahamas.MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June.4 million to USD 352. As many as 26 candidates. according to India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra). especially those undertaking infrastructure projects and needing long-term funding.615 crore) in 2014.57 billion to USD 354. a major part of the overall reserves. a body set up in 2011 to reform the institutional and legal structures of the financial sector.123 per cent of the total funds kept in the Swiss banks by people from across the world. 12. BoB and Canara Bank. While the UK and the US have retained their top two positions with the largest shares of the foreign clients’ money with Swiss banks.569 billion to USD 329.000 crore through the auction of a new 30-year G-Sec.123 per cent of the total global wealth worth USD 1. Ind-Ra said lack of a benchmark has often been sighted as a shortcoming. 2015 Page : 26 . The Committee has envisaged capacity building in terms of HR management practices. Germany. In the previous week. the reserves had surged by USD 239. Panel headed by RBI governor Raghuram Rajan shortlists 11 for PSU banks MD post As many as 11 candidates have been shortlisted by a panel headed by RBI governor Raghuram Rajan for the post of CEO and MD of five large public sector banks.6 trillion in Switzerland’s banking system.29 billion India’s foreign exchange reserves rose by USD 1.000 crore. the UK and the US are followed by West Indies. increased by USD 1. India’s foreign exchange reserves rises to USD 354. Pointing out that issuance of 30-year G-Sec is a step in the right direction for the development of the corporate bond market in India. This was the first time when executives from private sector banks were part of the selection process for the top jobs in public sector banks. The country's gold reserves remained flat at USD 19.8 billion Swiss francs (USD 1. Implement committee report on capacity building in banks. These shortlisted names have been sent to the finance ministry and would be subsequently forwarded to the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) after vigilance and other necessary clearances.98 billion or Rs. just two big banks — UBS and Credit Suisse — account for nearly two-third of the total money kept by foreigners in Swiss banks.29 billion in the previous week ended 12th June. underlining the strategic importance of HR in affecting the top and bottom lines of balance sheets.2 million to USD 4. training methodologies and MANTHAN June. Luxembourg. it will also auction three G-Secs of eight.05 billion. 2015 New 30-year govt bond will act as a benchmark for pricing debt The issuance of a new 30-year government bond (G-Sec) by the Reserve Bank of India will fix structural issues for Indian issuers. appeared for the interview. In the top-ten. Indians’ money in Swiss banks declined by over 10 per cent to about 1.713 billion. This accounts for just 0. Interestingly. Guernsey. 10 and 18 years maturity to raise 12. including PNB. As per the latest data released by Switzerland’s central banking authority SNB (Swiss National Bank). The Committee on Capacity Building in Bank and Non-Bank Institutions was set up by the RBI in response to recommendations by the Financial Sector Legislative Reforms Commission (FSLRC). The government will be raising 3. Pakistan has inched up to 73rd place. Besides.58 billion. while their share in case of Indians is even higher at about 82 per cent. non-bank institutions The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is seeking to structure a roadmap for extensive capacity building across bank and non-bank institutions in India.340 billion at the end of the reporting week while the special drawing rights were up by USD 4. RBI has informed that foreign currency assets. India slips to 61st place on Swiss money list India has moved down to 61st place in terms of foreigners’ money in Swiss banks and it now accounts for a meagre 0. which prevents Indian institutions from raising the much-required long-term funding from capital markets. France. With this collaboration. The annual investment figures from UKTI for the 2014-15 financial year show that UK has attracted 12 per cent more FDI projects compared to the previous year. Fund-raising norms for start-ups relaxed In a major boost for start-ups. followed by France (124 projects) and India (122 projects). The total investment of the joint venture is set at $20 billion and will aim to set up 20. cash management solutions.S. SoftBank announced a joint venture with Sunil Bharti Mittal’s Bharti Enterprises and Taiwanese manufacturing major Foxconn Technology Group for solar power projects.in. remained the largest source of inward investment. India has emerged as the third largest source of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) for United Kingdom (UK) after United States (US) and France in terms of number of projects. with a total of 564 projects in 2014-15. Govt moots tax sops for card payments To reduce cash transactions in the country. SoftBank teams up with Bharti. gas and rail tickets through card-based online transactions. is open to public feedback and comments till June 29. the Centre proposed income tax benefits for those making payments through credit or debit cards and doing away with transaction charges on purchase of petrol. The paper. including business loans. in addition to privileges and discounts. while the minimum investment requirement would be Rs. foreign exchange transactions. capital markets regulator SEBI relaxed its regulations for them to list and raise funds through a dedicated platform on domestic stock exchanges. In a draft paper on moving towards a cashless economy and reducing tax avoidance. ICICI Bank ties up with Alibaba to provide easy finance to SMEs In order to tap into the booming e-commerce market in India. The key sectors where Indian companies invested include healthcare. the country’s largest private sector lender. The mandatory lock-in period for the promoters and other pre-listing investors has been relaxed to six months.K. Under the new norms. including requiring employees to pass certification programmes prior to being promoted. investment from India increased by 65 per cent.MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June. the government also proposed making it mandatory to settle transactions worth more than Rs 1 lakh through electronic mode.com will get quick access to business services from ICICI Bank. will mark Bharti’s entry into the renewable energy space. including e-commerce firms. agri-tech. rather than going overseas. posted on mygov. food and drink. and system-wide measures which include creating a banking aptitude test and creating centres of leadership development. India emerges as third largest FDI source for U. Indian entrepreneurs who are members of Alibaba. called SBG Cleantech Ltd. 10 lakh. 2015 Page : 27 . the U. has tied up with Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba to provide easier trade finance to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the country. During the year. The venture. 2015 interventions. bank guarantees and cross-border remittances.000 MW of projects over the next 10 years. According to a recent report released by UK Trade and Industry (UKTI). ICICI Bank. Indian Venture Capital Fund Vistaar Group has been named MANTHAN June. Foxconn in $20-b solar venture Japan’s SoftBank is set to tap opportunities in the renewable energy sector. stock exchanges will have a separate institutional trading platform for listing of start-ups from the new-age sectors. 000 crore. 2015 Page : 28 .16%) are the second and third largest emitters of Green house gases respectively. The Centre has already made it clear that it would facilitate more credit to the first category as it promotes not only self entrepreneurship but also more employment opportunities. The app provides end-to-end digitisation of trade finance transactions. 10 lakh) that will be disbursed by the banks. a global research organization has come out with its latest analyses of the country-wise emissions of climate-damaging greenhouse gases. and Borosil Glass Works. 1 lakh crore under the MUDRA scheme in the current fiscal. 1-lakh cr to be disbursed under MUDRA for micro-entrepreneurs To promote very small businesses. making it the top emitter while U.000 up to Rs. including Avanti Feeds Ltd.. The list covers public companies with annual revenue of $5 million to $1 billion. State Bank of India. who has been elevated as Managing Director . Greenhouse gases: India fourth biggest emitter. MANTHAN June. SBI Capital Markets appoints Praveen Gupta as MD and CEO SBI Capital Markets. The country’s second largest private sector bank hopes to push its wholesale business growth in sync with the economy and has launched the ‘Trade Finance on Mobile’ application.S (14.000) ‘Kishor’ (loan above Rs. for ‘Kishor’ Rs.000 crore. India. 35. the target under ‘Shishu’ category would be Rs. are ranked among top 200 Asia Pacific corporations in Forbes Asia’s ‘Best under a Billion’ list. Indonesia. Brazil. 2015 in the report as a key foreign investor in the creative industry for establishment of post production studio at MediaCity. China contributes approximately 25% of global emissions.MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June. adding that they should also have positive net income and should be publicly traded for at least a year.4%) and European Union (10. It shows India despite being the fourth largest carbon emitter continues to be far behind the other three top big emitters in terms of per capita emission. there are three categories of loans — ‘Shishu’ (loan up to Rs. the merchant banking arm of State Bank of India. Mexico and Iran are also contributing relatively large shares of global emissions as their economies grow. 50. 40. Manchester. including the last mile authorisation of these transactions. According to the data. Forbes said. HDFC Bank launches mobile app for trade finance transactions HDFC Bank will provide trade finance transactions on the mobile phone for wholesale banking clients. The amount will be refinanced through the new scheme which is being implemented by a subsidiary of SIDBI. 5 lakh) and ‘Tarun’ (above Rs. Under the new scheme. 5 lakh up to Rs. but lags far behind top three The World Resources Institute (WRI). has appointed Praveen Gupta as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer.Compliance and Risk.000 crore. Rs. Gupta replaces Rajnish Kumar. It was proposed that for the current fiscal. and ‘Tarun’ Rs. the Centre aims to facilitate credit up to Rs. 25. 11 Indian companies in Forbes Asia As many as 11 Indian companies. 50. also known as the BRICS Bank. Premco Global and Vakrangee. 2015 With 11 companies. The objective is to make the funding process easier.MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June. has made it clear that such borrowings should not be for capital augmentation.V. recovering from a sharp decline the year before. She joined SBI as a Probationary Officer in 1983 and worked under various departments of the bank. is expected commence operations and start financing projects by April 2016. Gupta has moved to SBI Capital as Chief Executive Officer. former Chairman of ICICI Bank and Infosys Ltd. Russia. will take over as the head of the multilateral development institution in July at Shanghai in China. They can do so without seeking the central bank’s approval. India was ranked fourth after South Korea. The RBI. 2016 New Development Bank (NDB). 2015 Page : 29 . Kaveri Seed.7 billion. NGL Fine-Chem. Kitex Garments. China and South Africa). has now decided to expand its scope of operations to other member nations as well. Centum Electronics.. founded by the BRICS nations (Brazil. With a view to providing greater flexibility in seeking access to overseas funds. India accounted for the majority of Greenfield investment projects announced by global automakers and firsttier parts suppliers in South Asia during 2013-14. including 12 projects above $100 million. India. Such institutions include international/multilateral financial institutions of which Government of India is a shareholding member or which have been established by more than one government or have shareholding by more than one government and other international organisations. Caplin Point Laboratories. Prior to her appointment. FDI flows from China to Pakistan increased during the year leading to a 31 per cent rise in overall FDI flow to $1. The bank would introduce capital market products and would be open for equity infusion. The word BRICS was not included in the name to allow new partner countries to join the club of emerging economies going forward. India leads FDI in South Asia with 34 billion investments in 2014: UNCTAD Report India has contributed significantly to the growth in foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows to South Asia in 2014 which increased by 16 per cent to $41 billion. RBI permit AD Category-I banks to borrow from international/multilateral financial institutions without approaching Reserve Bank for a case-by-case approval. India attracted 22 per cent higher FDI in 2014 worth about $34 billion. The country also posted a five-fold increase in its FDI outflows to $10 billion. P K Gupta was the CFO. Mr. however. said its first President K. Kamath at the CII National Council Meeting. State Bank of India appoints Anshula Kant as CFO State Bank of India has appointed Anshula Kant as its Chief Financial Officer (CFO). NDB. according to the United Nations report. would be subject to the applicable prudential norms. BRICS bank to start by April. however. MANTHAN June. Kant has been designated as the Deputy Managing Director and CFO of the bank. Orbit Exports. RBI allowed Banks to borrow from global institutions The Reserve Bank of India had decided to allow banks to borrow from global multilateral financial institutions for general banking business. Kamath. The Indian firms are Byke Hospitality. Such borrowings. Among non-Asian participants. India. while speaking in the second National Conference on Financial Fraud organized by Assocham. MANTHAN June.MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June.  Preservation of value while the asset is owned. Thailand to sign double taxation treaty India and Thailand will sign a double taxation treaty and a MoU for setting up an Ayurveda Chair in one of the Thai Universities during the three-day visit of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. India is the second biggest at 8.4 percent with Russia third on 6. Swaraj will co-chair India-Thailand Joint Commission meeting during which the two countries will sign a double taxation avoidance treaty and exchange instruments of ratification on the extradition treaty signed between them in 2013. followed by France with 3. The ranking is based on an index for baseline profitability that assumes that three factors:  Growth of asset value. India is the second biggest partner in new Asian bank Beijing will be by far the largest shareholder at about 30 percent. Germany is the largest shareholder with 4. Gandhi said that the government’s recent move to encourage electronic transactions in favor of cash dealings was a welcome step and that it would help in curbing banking fraud cases. The index combines measures for each of these factors into a summary statistic that conveys a country’s basic attractiveness for investment. United Bank tops list with highest bad loans among PSU lenders United Bank of India has topped the list of public sector lenders with maximum bad loans including restructured assets as a percentage of total advances. where she will deliver her speech in Sanskrit. RBI backs move to encourage e-deals Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India R. 2015 India ranked best for investment according to BPI (Baseline Profitability Index) A ranking of destinations for attractiveness to foreign investors has placed India at the top among 110 countries. Australia was the first country to sign the articles of association creating the AIIB's legal framework in the Great Hall of the People. the articles of association posted on the website of China's finance ministry showed.5 percent.S. Countries from five continents formally signed up to the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank at a ceremony. as Beijing steps up its global diplomatic and economic role. India was at the sixth position and Hong Kong was number one.  Ease of bringing home the proceeds from selling the assets. 2015 Page : 30 .4 percent and Brazil on 3.2 percent. is at the 50th. China has secured the 65th position and the U. followed by 49 other founding members. The Minister will be the guest of honour on at the inaugural ceremony of the 16th World Sanskrit Conference.5 percent. In the 2014 index. Ms. Central Bank of India (21. India. Hong Kong saw the biggest surge in inflows during the year. services of architect. Advertising. air travel. India again broke in to the top 10 recipients of foreign direct investment (FDI) during 2014. among many other things. insurance and phone bills expensive. followed by Hong Kong (China) that received $103 billion and the U. India jumped to the ninth rank in 2014 with a 22 per cent rise in FDI inflows to $34 billion. NCDEX. India and Singapore. Under Gold Now. India among top 10 FDI recipients After 2008. Service tax is levied on all services. Service Tax Rate @ 14% applicable from 1st June The government has increased the service tax to 14 per cent from the current 12. NCDEX launches gold delivery centre NCDEX. Hong Kong (China). Indian Overseas Bank (19. Deutsche Bank. expect a small negative list. the UNCTAD said in its World Investment Report 2015. called ‘Gold Now’. RBI issued final guidelines for 6-year and 13-year Interest Rate Futures The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has issued the final guidelines for the 6-year and 13-year cash settled Interest Rate Futures (IRF) on government securities with residual maturity of 4-8 years and 11-15 years respectively under the Interest Rate Futures (Reserve Bank) (Amendment) Directions. forward contracts in bullion would be available in 1 kg and 100 gram with daily delivery facility through T+1 and T+2 settlement system.MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June. even management. 2015 in a move that will make eating out in restaurants. 2015 Page : 31 . There are four kinds of restructuring. with Chennai as delivery centre.Brazil. India and China) country that hasn’t yet crossed the $50 billion-a-year FDI mark. with $92 billion. China. 2015. China became the largest recipient of FDI in 2014 with $129 billion inflows. credit card. The first and foremost is restructuring of advances extended to industrial units. is the only BRIC (Brazil. MANTHAN June.30 per cent). 2015 The other banks that have significant amount of gross NPAs and restructured loans include. said the first exchange-traded deliverable gold forwards.S. was an initiative towards encouraging domestic supply of gold by providing an impetus to the gold-recycling industry consisting of 17 refineries in India. Head-Business. however. Citigroup. certain type of constructions. for the first time. restructuring under Corporate Debt Restructuring and restructuring of loans extended to MSME as per RBI guidelines.40 per cent). At 39 per cent. HSBC and SBI Capital Markets are being tipped to lead NTPC’s debut issuance of offshore rupee-linked bonds. and tour operator are some of the important services which attract tax. Russia. Punjab & Sind Bank (18. a commodity exchange has announced the launch of a new national market for gold. India was at the 15th position in the previous two years.94 per cent as on March 2015. Suresh Devnani.74 per cent) and Punjab National Bank with 17.36 per cent applicable from 1st June. half are developing economies . Among the top 10 FDI recipients in the world. Five banks to lead NTPC’s debut masala bond offering Barclays. SPORTS Blatter resigns as FIFA president Sepp Blatter resigned as FIFA president in the face of a U.-led corruption investigation that has plunged world soccer’s governing body into the worst crisis in its history. Indian grapplers win four more golds  The Indian grapplers ended their campaign on a high in the International Wrestling tournament in Sassari City. MANTHAN June. 2015 NTPC.It is even more beneficial for workers in the construction sector. who often change their contractor after short span of time and take up new jobs after fining one contract. He was 64.S. Three legends drafted into BCCI advisory panel  The President of the BCCI (Jagmohan Dalmiya) has nominated Sachin Tendulkar. Prem Nath. Italy. The 24th Mini-National volleyball championships (under-14) will also be conducted at the same venue in the months of October and November 2015. the country’s largest power company. with immediate effect. had hit the headlines at an early age when he made it to the 1972 Munich Olympics and finished fourth in the freestyle bantamweight category. has passed away. Two years later. Blatter.  This is the first in a series of steps the Board is set to initiate to give the administration a professional look.V.MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June. six days after the FBI raided a hotel in the city and arrested several FIFA officials and just four days after he was re-elected to a fifth term as president. will be issued under India’s external commercial borrowing guidelines. which will advise the BCCI on various progressive steps.S. a gold medallist at the 1974 Christchurch Commonwealth Games. he bagged the 57kg Commonwealth Games title in New Zealand. Sourav Ganguly and V. also called masala bonds. Bengaluru to host 2016 senior National Volleyball Championship. is among a handful of Indian companies waiting to raise funds through this new market once the Reserve Bank of India finalises guidelines on such issues. with the emphasis on involving former greats in different capacities. 79. a student of the legendary Guru Hanuman. The 64th senior National volleyball championships will be held at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium here from 2 to 10 January 2016. The offshore notes. EPFO makes UAN mandatory for all employers under its purview Retirement fund body EPFO notified an order to make Universal Account Number (UAN) mandatory for all employers covered under the Employees Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 1952. Laxman as esteemed members of the Cricket Advisory Committee of the BCCI. Prem Nath passes away Prem Nath. He got the Arjuna Award for the year 1972. bagging as many as nine medals. The UAN remains portable throughout the lifetime of an employee and they don't have to apply for PF transfer claims at changing jobs. 2015 Page : 32 .  These legendary cricketers have accepted the invitation to be part of this Committee. announced the decision at a news conference in Zurich. including eight gold in the men’s freestyle event. Olympic champion Li Xuerui claimed the top spot. the last being Graf in 1988. Silver medals for Poovamma and Liksy M. Purnima Hembram. 2015  Sonu (61kg). 6-2. World champions Germany has managed to hold on to the top spot ahead while. The 33-year-old American was coasting to a straight-sets win.000m bronze bettering his personal best by nearly 14 seconds. followed by Japan (52) and South Korea (58). retained her 400m silver while Liksy Joseph came up with an inspired performance for the heptathlon silver with a personal best as India’s women athletes did themselves proud at the 21st Asian athletics championship in Wuhan. are lying at the 22nd spot among the Asian countries. the 33-year-old American is now second on the Open-era list. a former Asian junior champion. Belgium reached their highest position since the launch of FIFA rankings. the 2004 Olympic champion who served a four-year doping ban in 2006-2010 for using testosterone. slipping to third in the latest women’s singles list. Poovamma. India rise six spots in FIFA rankings. Somvir (86kg). Portugal (7). Ravi has become the second Indian. Brazil are followed by the Netherlands (6). in Gatlin's absence. and in the men’s section. 2. a feat previously achieved by just three other women. Serena Williams wins third French Open Serena Williams won her 20th Grand Slam title and third French Open crown at Roland Garros. while five-time world champions Brazil are fifth. The Indian has 79192 points in her kitty. going up a place with 85217 points. MANTHAN June. who rose a rung courtesy her Australian Open title triumph. clawing her way back from a break down in the last set to defeat Lucie Safarova 6-3. playing in her first Grand Slam final at the age of 28. It was just one hundredth faster than the time of 9. hold 141st position India raised six places to occupy the 141st position in the latest world football rankings issued by the game’s governing body FIFA. Gatlin. a spot below Colombia. Ravi in ICC Elite Panel S. a set and 4-1 up against the Czech 13th seed. two shy of Steffi Graf. S. Mausam Khatri (97kg) and Hitender (125kg) bagged a gold each in their respective weight categories. 6-7 (2/7). to be inducted into the International Cricket Council’s Elite Panel of Umpires.MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June. on his way to victory in the Italian capital in 2012.75sec to match the seventh-fastest time in history at the distance. Venkataraghvan. World Cup runners-up Argentina are placed third.76 set by Bolt. at No. stopped the clock at 9. the fastest qualifier in the semifinals. France (9) and 2010 World Cup champions Spain (10). Saina. Uruguay (8).R.With 20 Grand Slam titles. Defiant Gatlin snatches Bolt's Rome record American Justin Gatlin snatched the track record held by sprint rival Usain Bolt as he cruised to victory in the men's 100 metres at the Rome Diamond League. G. the first Indian woman badminton player to be world number one. dropped two spots and is placed below Spaniard Carolina Marin (80752). who were placed 147th previously. India. followed Liksy for the women’s heptathlon bronze. after S. Iran (41) is the top-ranked Asian team in the latest FIFA rankings. Saina Nehwal slips to number three in badminton rankings Indian ace Saina Nehwal was displaced from the top spot in badminton world rankings. Lakshmanan won the 5. 2015 Page : 33 . She is also now halfway to winning a calendar Grand Slam. Japan (4. 13) and Qatar (7. it became the first club to pass the 1 billion US dollar mark. is just one below his career best. India finish third at Asian Athletics Championships Tintu Luka bagged her maiden gold in a major international event by winning the women's 800m finals as India finished with five medals on the final day of competitions to sign off third in the 21st Asian Athletics Championships. The United has beaten Bayern MANTHAN June.000m silver to add to the 5.94) won the bronze. In the Women's section. Sharapova is fourth behind Simona Halep of Romania. The 30-year-old Swiss claimed a famous 4-6. has climbed to a career best of 7. There was more joy for India with Lalita Babar winning the 3.57 for silver. Novak Djokovic.53 to clinch the gold at Wuhan Sports Center. Safarova-Mattek-Sands win French Open women's doubles title Lucie Safarova made sure she left Roland Garros with at least one winner's trophy after the Czech left-hander and Bethanie Mattek-Sands won the women's doubles title.MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June. while another Czech Petra Kvitova has replaced Maria Sharapova in the number two slot. 11) and Bahrain (3. 6-2 in front of a sparse crowd on Philippe Chatrier Court. 2) finished fourth and fifth respectively. China's Zhao Jing (2:03. 13. Luka wins gold. who moved up five places. G. It ended world number one Djokovic's bid to become only the eighth man to secure a career Slam as he slumped to his third defeat in a Roland Garros final in four years. 5 silver and 4 bronze in the championships to finish third behind China (15. National record holder Luka clocked her season's best timing of 2:01. It was an Asian meet record. This was India's best finish after 2007 in Amman. Serena has stretched her lead at the top. the Asian Games bronze medallist. Less than 24 hours after losing to Serena Williams in the singles final. The Swiss. 2015 Page : 34 . Wawrinka climbs to 4th in world rankings after winning French Open Stanislas Wawrinka's maiden French Open title has helped him climb to the fourth spot in the latest world rankings.000m bronze he had won earlier. who was on the losing side in the Rolland Garros Final.000m steeplechase. 1). Stan Wawrinka stuns Novak Djokovic to win maiden French Open title Stan Wawrinka spectacularly shattered Novak Djokovic's dream of a career Grand Slam on Sunday when he became the oldest winner of the French Open in 25 years. who lost the final to world number one Serena Williams. Indian national record and a personal best for the international. booked her ticket to Rio winning the women’s steeplechase gold in 9:34. Manchester United Football Club became World’s most valuable brand with 1. Also. 2. 3.2 billion US dollars The Manchester United became the World’s most valuable brand in the World football with 1. It was their second successive major title following success at the Australian Open in January.13s. Lakshmanan took the men’s 10. her maiden Asian gold. 6-3. while Roger Federer is second and Andy Murray third. Rafael Nadal has dropped three places to 10th. Jordan where the country was placed second. 6-4.40) took the silver while Sri Lankan Nimali Klarachchige (2:03. Lalita.2 billion US dollars. Czech Lucie Safarova. India secured a medal haul of 4 gold. Czech Safarova and American Mattek-Sands beat Casey Dellacqua and Yaroslava Shvedova 3-6. 2015 Vikas and Lalita strike gold Vikas Gowda was far away from his season’s best but still retained his men’s discus throw title at the 21st Asian athletics championships in Wuhan. Wawrinka became the oldest champion in Paris since Andres Gomez in 1990 after just his fourth win in 21 meetings against the Serb. 6-4. 6-4 victory to secure his second career major after the 2014 Australian Open. The top three remain unchanged. 3. continues to be world number one.Miles behind was Kuwait’s Eisa Zankawi with a 61. Indian team gave a good fight before going down 1-2 against Oman at Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru. In the process he surpassed Pakistani legend Wasim Akram. 2015 Page : 35 . won the doubles title with a 7-6(8). He is 80th cricketer to be inducted in the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame and 18th from West Indies. Legendary West Indies fast bowler Sir Wesley Hall inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of fame Former West Indies paceman Sir Wesley Winfield Hall has been inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame. Sowjanya wins doubles in China Sowjanya Bavisetti.MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June. on 26 March 2011. dropping a notch from his ranking of 22 in year 2014. He is the only Indian sportsman on the list that has been topped again by American boxer Floyd Mayweather and includes golfer Tiger Woods. There is no Indian representation in the top25 of men's and mixed doubles. England’s cricketer Matt Prior retired from all forms of cricket Matt Prior.000 ITF women's tennis tournament in Anning. Meanwhile. 2015 Munich and Real Madrid to reclaim their position as the biggest brand in world football. while Sunil Chhetri was on target for India with a superb goal in the 26th minute. Harbhajan today MANTHAN June. ranked 40 places above India in the FIFA chart at 101.2 After dropping to the third spot. Anil Kumble and Martin Crowe.2 in women's singles. Saina Nehwal rises to World No. Dhoni's total earnings stood at 31 million dollars. 0-6. He was the first English wicketkeeper to score a century on debut match against West Indies in 2007.15 in women's doubles. tennis star Roger Federer and Portuguese soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo. Oman. in partnership with Ai Wen Zhu of China. India fails to qualify for 2018 FIFA World Cup In the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier match. scored through Qasim Said and Imad AlHosani. Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa also jumped two places to be ranked No. wicketkeeper-batsman helped England to win three Ashes series between 2009 and 2013. including amount from salary/winnings at 4 million dollars and endorsements worth 27 million dollars. Matt Prior played his last test match against India at Lord's from 17 to 21 July 2014 and his last ODI match was against Sri Lanka at Colombo (RPS). The ICC Cricket Hall of Fame recognises the achievements of the legends from the game of cricket. He is the 4th cricketer to be inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame in 2015 after Betty Wilson. China. Double World Championship medallist P V Sindhu is still ranked No.14. He played his One Day International (ODI) debut match against Zimbabwe at Bulawayo on 5 December 2004. He scored an unbeaten 126 at Lord’s. It was founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878 and the name was changed to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910. The 33-year-old. H S Prannoy stayed at No. 10-7 victory over Ao Gai and Yuqi Sheng of China in the final of the $10.13. MS Dhoni sole Indian in Forbes list of world's richest athletes Cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni is among Forbes magazine's 100 highest-paid athletes in the world. Saina Nehwal has jumped a place to be ranked No. the English cricketer has retired from all forms of cricket. in the latest Badminton World Federation (BWF) rankings released. Harbhajan surpasses Akram’s Test scalps to climb to 9th in list India's comeback off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has reached a landmark as he climbed to ninth in the all-time highest Test wicket-takers. Dhoni has been ranked 23rd on the Forbes list of The World's Highest-Paid Athletes 2015. Weightlifting comes second with 19 from the discipline caught for doping with nine wrestlers committing Anti-Doping Rule violation. According to the 2013 AntiDoping Rule Violations Report released by the WADA. 10-7 to lift the title. France came a close fourth with 90 dope cheats in the report compiled by the WADA based mainly on the information received from National Anti-Doping Organisations (NADOs). 6-2. ninthplaced Bangladesh. His final figures of 3 fror 64 took his tally to 416 victims from 102 Test matches. as a consequence of the draw in Fatullah. ICC Test team rankings: India drop to fourth position India have dropped two points and one place to be at fourth position in the latest ICC Test team rankings after the drawn match against Bangladesh in Fatullah.000m and marathon. his Romanian partner Mergea win ATP's Stuttgart Open final doubles trophy in Germany India's tennis player Rohan Bopanna along with his Romanian partner Florin Mergea have won the ATP's Stuttgart Open final doubles trophy in Germany. The scores were locked at 1-1 at the end of regulation play and the creative Nemanja Maksimovic put away the winner with two minutes remaining in extra time. As many as 91 from the country tested positive for banned substances in that year. The 'Turbanator' is now only 20 wickets short of beating Kapil Dev's 434 Test wickets to become the second highest wicket-taker in history of Indian Test cricket after Anil Kumble's 619 wickets. Clarke never won an Olympic gold medal despite officially breaking 17 world records and at one point holding records for every distance from two miles to 20 kilometres. Bopanna. They also finished runners up at the Grand Prix Hassan II in Casablanca. 2015 dismissed Imrul Kayes for 72 to reach 415 Test victims. Largely selfcoached. Meanwhile. With match being marred by heavy rains it did not let India have enough time to go for the victory despite forcing follow-on on the hosts. Australian running legend Ron Clarke dies aged 78 Australian athletics mourned the loss of champion distance runner Ron Clarke at the age of 78. 2015 Page : 36 . However. He pushed a through ball from Andrija Zivkovic past Jean to bring success for Serbia who were in the tournament for the first time as an independent nation. England and Pakistan on 97 points a piece. It was their second ATP World Tour team title. It is now a three-way tie for fourth spot with India. The Virat Kohli-led side went into the one-off Test against Bangladesh level with New Zealand on 99 points. It was 35-year-old Bopanna’s fourth title of 2015. India third in global doping report for 2013 by WADA India has been ranked third behind Russia and Turkey in a World Anti-Doping Agency Report for 2013. The fourth seeded Indo-Romanian pair defeated third seed Austrian-Brazilian duo Alexander Peya and Bruno Soares 5-7. 20 were women athletes.000m. Maksimovic gives Serbia historic U-20 World Cup win Serbia pulled off a historic 2-1 win in extra time to beat heavily favoured Brazil in the final of the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Auckland. one more than Akram with 414. Sri Lanka are one point behind the trio in seventh position. track and field athletes lead the Indian dope cheats with 30 out of a global total of 280. Of the 91 Indians. Russia has maximum number of dope offenders with 212 testing positive. while the figures for Turkey were 155. India are ahead of England and Pakistan. Among sports disciplines. having picked up the Mutua Madrid Open crown May 2015. As match ended in a draw.MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June. India have fallen to fourth spot with 97 points. have gained two points. and came ninth in both the 5. when the ratings are calculated beyond the decimal point. although their Yugoslavian predecessors had won in 1987. MANTHAN June. Clarke competed at the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo where he won a bronze medal in the 10. enabling him to reach the landmark quicker than Akram as the Pakistani had achieved the feat in 104 test matches. Opting to bat in the second ODI of the 3-match series. 2015 Page : 37 . Zaheer Abbas appointed as ICC President The former Pakistan captain Zaheer Abbas has been appointed as president of the International Cricket Council. Shikhar Dhawan top scored with 53. Dhaka to register their first ever series win against India. This is India’s best finish in the competition. was a member of the national team in the 1998 women’s World Cup in The Netherlands. The 32-year-old Malaysian. The 45year-old Shashi and her 15-year-old son Agrim Thakur were fatally injured in the accident which happened at the Ropar-Nawanshahr-Phagwara area. Mustafizur Rahman. New York. Shashi. playing only his second ODI. as he became the first player to capture the Masters and US Open in the same year since Woods did it in 2002. who made her international debut in 1987. India. Up against a seasoned Scotland side. went down 4-3 in the best-of-seven semifinal match. The world No. while Skipper MS Dhoni made 47. Jordan Spieth of US won US Open of Golf Jordan Spieth’s breakout season caught fire as he followed up his Masters victory by emerging from a crowded leaderboard to claim his first US Open title. Shashi coached the Railways’ teams and later become a selector of Hockey Punjab. twice an Olympic silver medallist and world championship runner-up. The 67-year-old succeeds Bangladesh’s Mustafa Kamal in the ceremonial post.MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June. Former India hockey women’s captain Shashi Bala dies in accident Former Indian women’s hockey captain Shashi Bala and her son died in a road accident in Punjab. Mustafizur Rahman first bowler to bag 11 wickets Bangladesh defeated Team India by 6 wickets on the Duckworth-Lewis method at Mirpur. 2015 Lee Chong Wei wins first title since doping ban Former world number one Lee Chong Wei won the US Open to claim his first title since returning from an eight-month doping ban. For India. She captained the national side in the women’s World Cup qualifier in Harare (Zimbabwe) in 1997. B'desh record first ever series win against India. which passes between cricket’s national governing bodies on annual rotation. which had defeated host and defending champion China ‘A’. consisted of heavyweights in four-time world champion John Higgins and top snooker player Stephen Maquire. bagged a 6-wicket haul to restrict the visitors to 200. 2 Spieth is fast becoming the poster boy for American golf over the fading Tiger Woods. beat Hans-Kristian Vittinghus of Denmark 22-20 21-12 in Brentwood. The 21-year-old Texan's stunning one-stroke victory over fellow American Dustin Johnson and South African Louis Oosthuizen at Chambers Bay golf course gets Spieth halfway home to an unprecedented calendar-year Grand Slam. India settles for bronze in the Snooker World Cup India settled for a bronze medal after narrowly missing the final berth of the snooker World Cup in Wuxi. MANTHAN June. Scotland. comprising 12-time world champion Pankaj Advani and Aditya Mehta. The 19year old left-handed pacer has now bagged 11 wickets in his first 2 games. After her playing career. Spieth is the youngest champion of the US Open since the legendary Bobby Jones in 1923 and the youngest player to win two career Majors since Gene Sarazen in 1922. first bowler in the ODI history to do so. India were bundled out for 200 in 45 overs after rain interrupted play and the match was reduced to 47 overs a side. China. Ratna Vishwanathan will take charge as Chief Executive Officer of Microfinance Institutions Network (MFIN) with effect from July 1. Apple’s voice-activated digital assistant. Satnam Singh Bhamara: First Indian-born player to be drafted in NBA Satnam Singh Bhamara has scripted history by becoming the first Indian basketball player to be drafted in the National Basketball Association (NBA) in the US. was “inconsistent” with the international norms. are going on sale. during which the train covered the 195-km journey in 115 minutes. Canada. MANTHAN June. The first “smart” home gadgets that can be controlled by Siri. who hails from Ballo Ke village near Ludhiana in Punjab and stands seven feet and two inches tall. followed by England for the 2019-20 term of office. was completed. Earlier. India has lost a case at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) as the body ruled that the Indian ban on import of poultry meat. The current CEO of MFIN. The government will set up two more units of paper mills of 12. This is now Deepika’s second medal at a World Cup.MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June. she is the Deputy CEO. This was Jwala and Ashwini's first title since their reunion after the 2012 London Olympics. In the Antalya 2015 recurve women's event Misun Choi (KOR) and Bo Bae Ki (KOR) won gold and silver respectively. He went to the US in September 2010. 2. 2015 South Africa. 3. as part of a scholarship programme between IMG and Reliance. Bhamara hails from a family of farmers. Footballer Rio Ferdinand announced his retirement 4. Chang Hye Jin. MISCELLANEOUS IMPORTANT POINTS TO REMEMBER 1. to win bronze medal in Women's Recurve event at Antalya Archery World Cup. Turkey. 6. completes his second term on June 30. Jwala-Ashwini pair wins Canada Open Indian shuttlers Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa won the Canada Open women's doubles title after upstaging the top-seeded Dutch pair of Eefje Muskens and Selena Piek in the summit clash in Calgary. clocking a maximum speed of 160-plus kmph. Zimbabwe and West Indies will be the next three nations to supply the ICC president. the first semi high-speed train service between Delhi and Agra. Currently. eggs and live pigs from the U. Alok Prasad. was the 52nd pick in the NBA Draft. she had won a silver medal at the 2013 Shanghai World Cup in the individual event. World Bank has allocated $400 million as loan for the Tamil Nadu Sustainable Urban Development Project. The sixth and final trial for Gatimaan Express. 5. Deepika Kumari wins bronze at Antalya Archery World Cup Archer Deepika Kumari stuns world number 8.S.000 tonnes capacity at Security Paper Mill in Hoshangabad (Madhya Pradesh) to produce large denomination currency notes domestically. 2015 Page : 38 . 7. The 19-year old. after being picked by Dallas Mavericks here. The Central food safety regulator. 2015 8. Essel Group said it has formed a 50:50 joint venture (JV) with the Rajasthan government to set up solar parks in the state. DD News will launch a 30 minutes news programme on June 28. Padma Bhushan awardee. Dr.D. MANTHAN June. 10. extract resources from it and demonstrate the usage of the raw materials. FSSAI has ordered Nestle to recall nine variants of Maggi instant noodles from the market. 17. Tejaswini Sagar from Aurangabad has added yet another feather to her illustrious cap by winning the gold medal in the Asian School U-15 Chess Championship which concluded in Singapore. Former Director of Intelligence Bureau (DIB) Syed Asif Ibrahim has been appointed as Prime Minister’s Special Envoy for Counter Terrorism and Extremism in National Security Council (NSC) Secretariat. former Bureaucrat and Architect of modern Bhopal. The web portal has been jointly developed by the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development and the Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DeitY). 9. 13. The solar parks will be set up in Bikaner and Jaisalmer regions with an investment of Rs 4. 23. Chinese cruise ship ‘Eastern Star’ death toll rises to 396 . Maharashtra government has decided to put a ban on Maggi noodles after some samples were found to contain lead above the permissible limit. The theme for year 2015 is ‘Seven Billion Dreams. Barcelona has lifted the UEFA Champions League trophy for the fifth time. Hyderabad. 11. He was the lone Indian student at the Caltech Space Challenge. Standard Chartered Bank India. was among the 32 selected from 104 universities across 14 countries to design a mission to land astronauts on an asteroid. Union Government has launched ‘Khoya Paya’ web portal to exchange information on missing children. 15. an international student space mission design competition organised at the California Institute of Technology. 2015 Page : 39 . SEBI has imposed penalty of Rs 2 crore on New Delhi Television Ltd (NDTV) for delayed disclosures to the stock exchanges about a Rs 450-crore tax demand in early 2014. a second-year Ph.MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June. 14. 25. investments and trade flows across various geographies. Every year World Environment Day (WED) is observed on 05 June. which has been in India since 1858. scholar at the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering of the IIT. 16. AB De Villiers has been conferred with the South Africa Cricketer of the Year Award for 2015. 21. 20. M N Buch. 22. Consume with Care’. 12. Private sector Kotak Mahindra Bank inked a pact with ING Bank for exploring opportunities arising from cross-border business. is planning to sell one of its Kolkata iconic offices. has died. Germany's biggest lender Deutsche Bank appointed John Cryan as its new CEO after co-chief executives Anshu Jain and Juergen Fitschen resigned following criticism from investors. 24. Shanti Swaroop Kandala.000 crore. including Europe. One Planet. The Central Board of Trustees of the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation has decided to park 5 per cent of its funds in the equity market. coinciding with the World Sanskrit Conference starting in Bangkok the same day. 19. Delhi Metro has received its first driver-less train from Republic of South Korea which is capable of running without a driver. 18. we have the Power to Protect the Oceans. 32. kicks off in Patna 27. He was 90. Apple has announced a new app that combines a streaming song and music video library. 2015 Page : 40 . The Union cabinet has approved an interest-free loan of Rs 6. food fest 'Aman ke Saat Rang'. which is hovering around Rs 19. The book Sourav Ganguly: Cricket.720. 4. World Ocean Day 2015 was celebrated across the world on June 8. VicePresident Hamid Ansari presented the D. Same-sex couples can begin applying for marriage licenses next week in Guam.92 crore highways projects in Madhya Pradesh and Telangana under its flagship highways building programme NHDP. 29. Union Ministry of Environment and Forests has given ONGC the go-ahead to drill 35 exploratory wells in the Cauvery basin by amending the existing environmental clearance. 38. MANTHAN June. A federal judge strucked down the territory’s ban as unconstitutional. Healthy planet. Raghuram Govinda Rajan. 34. The Union government has approved Rs. Himachal Pradesh University has conferred the honorary D. Bihar's first India-Pakistan trade. 2015 26. 50-lakh penalty on Future Generali Life Insurance Company. India’s first transgender college principal Manabi Bandyopadhyay is set to become the vice chairperson of West Bengal’s first Transgender Development Board.000 crore to enable sugar mills pay arrears to farmers. 30. 28. The country's largest software exporter TCS launches BaNCS Digital for American retail banks' digital push. which became the first US territory to legalize gay marriage. 36. SBI Life Insurance has introduced ‘Connect Life’. 40.000 crore. 2015 with the theme Healthy oceans. 87. The theme for the World Ocean Day 2014 was together. 42. Creator of Chandigarh's iconic rock garden. Nek Chand passed away. 33. 35. an internet radio station and a way for artists to share unreleased tracks and other material.Lit degrees on former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chairman and an eminent space scientist Koppillil Radhakrishnan. 39. 31. Captaincy and Controversy was written by Saptarshi Sarkar and was published in April 2015 by HarperCollins India. 37. The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has imposed a Rs. Country’s first National Cancer Institute would be set up at Badhsa in Jhajjar district of Haryana. 41. a well-known poet and writer (in telugu language )who minced no words in expressing his resentment with the autocratic rule of the Nizam breathed his last. poet Govind Vyas and veteran journalist Vepa Rao. Reserve Bank of India Governor Dr. a tablet-based service to digitise the entire documentation process. Dasaradhi Rangacharya.4. IndiaFirst Life Insurance has launched its IndiaFirst Cash Back Plan to help its customers enjoy long-term investment benefits after paying for a limited period. The Bibek Debroy committee has recommended the setting up of a Railway Regulatory Authority of India with a separate budget and independent of the railway ministry. UK will be the first country to get its Apple Pay service outside of the US.Lit Degrees to recipients.MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June. She was the first female head of government in a Muslim state. India does not feature in the top 100 in the remaining parameters. India is currently ranked 142nd among 189 nations in the World Bank's Ease of Doing Business 2015 study. 1. Managed by a group of 40 youngsters and 5 elders.MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June. 56. http://meebhoomi. one of Bundelkhand's most backward districts.in/. 55. 2015 observed globally with the theme NO to child labour – YES to quality education! 46. a bank goes to the doorstep of the poorest to turn the idea of "right to food" into a reality. It was written by Dr Anna Suvorova of Russia.ap. 48. The theme of the 2015 World Blood Donor Day campaign is "Thank you for saving my life”. 53. the World Bank and World Health Organisation said. The decision was taken by match referee Andy Pycroft although both players pleaded not guilty to the charge. 49. mandatory under the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act to offset the financial burden on foreign nuclear suppliers in case of an accident. Mustafizur too has been fined 50% of his match fee for the incident. BSNL has launched free roaming . All Northeastern states will soon have at least one Integrated Check Post (ICPs) along the international border that will soon be called as 'Landport'. Some 400-million people worldwide lack access to essential health services. and the cost of health care is forcing many into poverty. 44. The portal. available to the people. 47. The book is devoted to the life and work of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto (1953-2007). 52. The Union government has launched an insurance pool of Rs. The Andhra Pradesh government has launched `Mee Bhoomi'. World Blood Donors Day (WBDD) was observed on June 14. In India more than 2. 50. The world's tallest peak. Costolo will demit the office of CEO on 1 July 2015. A commemoration of the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo was held in Belgium. The World Day Against Child Labour was on June 12. 2015 43.500 crore. In this battle around ninety thousand French troops led by Napoleon Bonaparte were defeated which had ended their MANTHAN June. 58.2 inches) to the southwest because of the Nepal earthquake that devastated the country in April 2015. moved three centimetres (1. With the exception of two parameters (getting credit and protecting minority investors).gov. 51. The book Benazir Bhutto: A Multidimensional Portrait was released on 26 May 2015. a digital depository of land records. 54. Beno Zephine becomes first 100% blind officer in IFS. Dick Costolo has resigned as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Twitter Inc after serving the company for five years. In Mahoba. Mount Everest. makes all land details along with Adangal/Pahani and 1-B details. 57. 45. the "Roti Bank" gives home-cooked rotis and vegetables to the needy every day. Indian skipper MS Dhoni has been fined 75% of his match fee for his collision with Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman in the first ODI against Bangladesh. 2015 Page : 41 .1 million HIV/AIDS patients are provided with daily antiretrovirals for free from staterun distribution centres which are operated by National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO). allowing all its mobile customers across the country to receive incoming calls at no cost. headed by higher education secretary Satyanarayan Mohanty. The battle was fought on 18 June 1815 near Waterloo i. 2015 quest of conquering major parts this region. 64.’at the Officer Career Development Centre at Buttala. Kerala government declared June 22 as the 'snake bird day' as part of a campaign to protect the endangered species. Sahasrabudhe has 23 years of teaching experience. author and anti-nuclear activist has died in the Netherlands after choking on a piece of meat while having dinner. Aditya Puri. James Horner. 70. 61. up from Rs 6. downloading 10 movies in less than 30 minutes and uploading entire photo albums in less than five minutes. 2015 Page : 42 . 71. 2015. Telecom major Bharti Airtel launched 4G services in Mysore that will allow its customers to access high speed access to the Internet. 72.74 per cent. resigned following an internal review of the organisation’s handling of two sexual harassment cases. 66. She was 81.MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June. written by Mrs. Praful Bidwai.07 crore in the previous year.e. 60. died. The courtyard of Hemis Gompa-the biggest Buddhist monastery in Ladakh. Gina Rinehart was released on 23rd June. Two days long annual Hemis festival began on 26th June. 69. in present-day Belgium. a veteran journalist. Kerala Tourism has roped in tennis legend Steffi Graf for endorsing its upcoming campaign to promote Ayurveda. 65. then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands. formed by MHRD to determine land requirement for central higher educational institutions. He is also a member of the committee. The book highlights the industry of red tape which thrives on doubt and the red carpet which is built on trust. 59. Sri Lanka and China have begun a joint army drill ‘Exercise – Silk Route – 2015.39 crore. 63. Airtel 4G service will allow customers to enjoy capabilities like high definition video streaming with zero buffering. is the stage for the famous 'Hemis' festival that celebrates the birth anniversary of Guru Padmasambhava. In 2014-15. Alibaba Group Holding Ltd's financial affiliate launched Internet bank MYbank. managing director (MD) of HDFC Bank.and medium-sized Chinese enterprises that have struggled to obtain credit from major financial institutions. including Titanic and Avatar. Samit Aich. celebrated composer of musical scores for several smash-hit movies. 2015 in Ladakh. 68. He was 65. A mechanical engineer. 62. an increase of 21. Puri earned a salary of Rs 7. The book “Red Tape to Red Carpet… and then some”. died in a plane crash at the age of 61. who succeeded Nobel laureate Mother Teresa as the superior-general of the Missionaries of Charity. India’s legendary batsman Sachin Tendulkar has been voted the ‘Best Test player’ of the 21st century in an online poll conducted by Cricket Australia’s website. MANTHAN June. The Executive Director of Greenpeace India. Sister Nirmala. Anil Dattatraya Sahasrabudhe is the new chairman of the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). The joint Army drill is aimed at enhancing military cooperation and knowledge exchange between the two countries. targeting the small. continues to be the highest paid bank chief in the country in the financial year 2014-15. 67. 74. ex-Union Minister and Congress leader Sheila Kaul died. Earth's rotation is gradually slowing down a bit.7 metres.000 meters.8 metres by 2. 82. allowing a flight time of 45 minutes to one hour. The BX1E has a 14. features and discussions and will be entirely in Sanskrit. The AIIB is expected to focus on infrastructure development in Asia. The aircraft can be used in pilot training. It can fly at an altitude of 3. measures 1. China has made the world's first electric passenger aircraft that could be used in pilot training. 83. Earth Platinum. Justice Gian Parkash Mittal on 19 June 2015 resigned from the Office of the Judge of Delhi High Court with effect from the afternoon of 8 July 2015. 84. A release from Indian Railways issued in New Delhi said the train No 19031/19032 Ahmedabad-Haridwar-Ahmedabad which is also known as 'Haridwar Mail' will be named as 'Yoga Express' with immediate effect. is unlikely to restrict lending on political considerations. 1980 and 1984 (from Lucknow) and in 1989. China. 78. The book will be on display for one month. 1991 (from Rae Bareli). there will be no change in the train timings and its composition. From 1980 to 84 in Indira Gandhi Government.MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June. She was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) for five times in 1971. meteorology and rescue operations. The signing ceremony took place in Beijing at the Great Hall of the People. so leap seconds are a way to account for that. 80. meteorology and rescue operations. making it that much longer than other days. at a maximum speed of 160 km per hour. She served as the Governor of Himachal Pradesh from 1995 to 1996. a giant atlas weighing 150 kg. Former Governor of Himachal Pradesh. MANTHAN June. However.5-meter wingspan and a maximum payload of 230 kgs. Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghuvar Das imposed a ban on the sale of thermocol plates in the entire state to promote leaf plates. The programme. and unlike the existing International Monetary Fund and World Bank. Doordarshan launched a weekly news programme in Sanskrit. The charging is completed within two hours. 75. The News magazine named "Varttavali. 76. tourism. The world’s largest book. 2015 Page : 43 . Education and Social Welfare (Independent Charge). 79. has been put on display at the State Library in Sydney." focuses on events from around the world. includes news. Russia’s former Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov passed away. The atlas. she served as Minister of State (MoS) for culture. The Cannes’s Jagran festival will take off with India’s entry “Masaan” to the Cannes Film Festival. India and 49 other founding members of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) signed articles that determine each country’s share and the lender’s initial capital. 2015 73. The government is celebrating 'International Yoga Day' on 21st June. tourism. Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs V K Singh inaugurated first India-China Yoga College at Yunnan Minzu University in Kunming. Indian Railways has named Haridwar Mail as Yoga Express. 77. this time the leap second will be added at the end of 30 June 2015. aged 85. She was 100. 81. CSIR set up India’s first Micro Air Vehicle Aerodynamics Research Tunnel in: (a) Bengaluru (b) Hyderabad (c) Bhopal (d) Pune 10. According to an annual report by the Boston Consulting Group.MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June. Jitendra Singh recently has launched Augmented Reality technology based mobile application named: (a) ‘Sunya’ (b) ‘Gagan’ (c) ‘Nabh’ (d) ‘Sakaar’ MANTHAN June. Minister of State (MoS) in the Department of Atomic Energy Dr. Apart from India. Rudran (c) Birendra Kumar (d) Sanjay Jain 6. the Life Insurance Corporation operates in which among the following countries? (a) Myanmar (b) Maldives (c) Singapore (d) South Africa 5. with 51 trillion dollars which among the following regions is the world’s richest region? (a) Asia Pacific (b) Western Europe (c) North America (d) Middle East and Africa 8. Who is the present President of European Commission? (a) Jean Claude Juncker (b) José Manuel Barroso (c) Romano Prodi (d) Jacques Santer 2. As per survey conducted by South Korean electronics firm LG. N Rai (d) RK Upadhyay 4. Who is the current Chairman and Managing Director of state-run telecom operator MTNL? (a) PK Purwar (b) Narendra Kumar Yadav (c) A. in which among the following cities people are happiest in the country? (a) Guwahati (b) Lucknow (c) Chandigarh (d) Bengaluru 3. 2015 Question Bank 1. Who among the following has become the first Indian football player to score 50 international goals? (a) Bhaichung Bhutia (b) Sunil Chhetri (c) IM Vijayan (d) Gouramangi Singh 9. 2015 Page : 44 . Recently who has been appointed as the Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director of Asset Reconstruction Company (India) Ltd (Arcil)? (a) Vinayak Bahuguna (b) P. To highlight the achievements of the Department of Space. Which among the following is the world’s largest reinsurer? (a) LLOYD’s (b) Swiss Re (c) Everest Re (d) Munich Re 7. Recently. According to the recent study by NASA and the European Space Agency scientists. ICICI Bank. Which of the following are the only two passes for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra? (a) Nathu La. Recently. Pharma company to manufacture and market its drugs? (a) Biocon (c) Ranbaxy recently give nod to which of the following Indian generic versions of Parkinson’s disease treatment (b) Panacea (d) Aurobindo Pharma 19. Which of the following two islands has been recently designated as an authorized immigration check post for entry into or exit from India by Central Government? (a) Srirangam Island and Isukathippa Island (b) Bhavani and Hope Islands (c) Great Nicobar and Car Nicobar islands (d) Agatti and Minicoy Islands 13. Lipulekh Pass (b) Lipulekh Pass. The US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA). 2015 Page : 45 . He belongs to which of the following sports field? (a) Tennis (b) Golf (c) Badminton (d) Chess 20. Hero Group is foraying into electronics and will acquire a majority stake in multi-operator set top box manufacturer of which of the following? (a) Mybox Technology (b) Arion Technology (c) E-TEK Technology (d) Intek Digital MANTHAN June. Japan’s SoftBank has recently teamed up with Bharti. Baralacha Pass (c) Lipulekh Pass. has recently tied up with which of the following to provide easier trade finance to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the country? (a) Aditya Birla Group (b) American International Group (AIG) (c) Murugappa Group (d) Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba 16. Pin Parbati Pass (d) Kunzum Pass. Dulhi Pass 17. which is the only body in the solar system known to possess surface lakes and seas? (a) Titan (b) Europa (c) Callisto (d) Carpo 15. Jinson Johnson and Inderjeet Singh has recently won gold medal in Asian Grand Prix athletics series in which of their following respective categories? (a) Two-lapper and shot put (b) Long jump and relay race (c) Shot put and Disc Throw (d) Shooting and 100 meter race 18.MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June. China has opened the second land crossing to allow the Indian pilgrims for KailashManasarovar Yatra. 2015 11. the country’s largest private sector lender. Foxconn to invest in which of the following? (a) Geo-thermal Power plants (b) Solar power plants (c) Thermal power plants (d) Tidel Power generation 12. Jordan Spieth became the first player to capture the Masters and US Open in the same year. apart from the Earth. Which of the following States of India has recently become the first state to announce ‘State butterfly’? (a) Kerala (b) Himachal Pradesh (c) Maharashtra (d) Sikkim 14. biotechnology and indigenous knowledge systems with which of the following countries? (a) Germany (b) Russia (c) USA (d) South Africa 29. Kannan (d) Devinjit Singh 25. 2015 Page : 46 . the merchant banking arm of State Bank of India? (a) P. India has emerged as the third largest source of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) for which of the following countries in terms of number of projects? (a) United States (b) United Kingdom (c) France (d) Russia 28. Karthikeyan (b) Praveen Gupta (c) V. Dharmendra Bhandari 24. the Centre aimed to facilitate credit up to Rs. ‘Exercise Silk Route – 2015’ is a Joint army drill in between which of the following two countries? (a) Pakistan and China (b) China and India (c) Sri Lanka and Pakistan (d) Sri Lanka and China 22. Which among the following has been recently appointed as the new chairman of the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE)? (a) Rajnish Kumar (b) Avinash Kulkarni (c) Anil Dattatraya Sahasrabudhe (d) Dr. Which of the following categories is not included in MUDRA Scheme? (a) Shishu (b) Kishor (c) Tarun (d) Praudh 27.G. 2015 21.MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June. To promote very small businesses. astronomy. Which of the following states has recently declared June 22 as the ‘snake bird day’ as part of a campaign to protect the endangered species? (a) Madhya Pradesh (b) Kerala (c) Himachal Pradesh (d) Uttar Pradesh 23. Which among the following has been recently appointed as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of SBI Capital Markets. India has renewed an agreement to extend cooperation in the field of social innovation. Which of the following Banks will provide trade finance transactions on the mobile phone for wholesale banking clients? (a) Dena Bank (b) YES Bank (c) HDFC Bank (d) Bank of Baroda 26. 1 lakh crore under the MUDRA scheme in the current fiscal. The Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary in Unnao district of Uttar Pradesh has been recently renamed by state government on the name of which of the following freedom fighter? (a) Bhagat Singh (b) Mahtama Gandhi (c) Chandra Shekhar Azad (d) Mangal Pandey 30. agriculture. which among the following has topped the list of States and UTs in IPR filing in 2013-14? (a) Maharashtra (b) Tamil Nadu (c) Karnataka (d) Uttar Pradesh MANTHAN June. According to IBEF report. 2015 is written by which among the following writers? (a) James Aldridge (b) Gina Rinehart (c) Malcolm Afford (d) Ethel Anderson MANTHAN June. The book “Red Tape to Red Carpet… and then some”. A research conducted by the Institute for Economic and Peace (IEP) over 162 nations in June. 2015. 2015 has ranked India at which position in the Global Peace Index? (a) 100th (b) 140th (c) 143rd (d) 150th 36. 2015 has roped which of the following for endorsing its upcoming campaign to promote Ayurveda in the state? (a) Neymar da Silva (b) Steffi Graf (c) Sachin Tendulkar (d) Amitabh Bachchan 33. He belongs to which of the following field? (a) Journalism (b) Environmentalist (c) Musician (d) Scientist 38. In the month of November. According to the World Resources Institute (WRI) report. Which among the following is the name of the app? (a) Namami Ganga (b) Nirmal Ganga (c) Swach Ganga (d) Bhuvan Ganga 37. 2015 Page : 47 . 2015. which among the following countries is the largest carbon emitter in terms of per capita emission? (a) USA (b) European Union (c) India (d) China 34. released on 23rd June. Which among the following is not in the list? (a) DDT (b) Lindane (c) 2. Praful Bidwai.167 megawatt? (a) Gujarat (b) Maharashtra (c) Rajasthan (d) Madhya Pradesh 39. 4-D (d) Anthocyanins 40. Kerala Tourism in the month of June. a veteran Indian passed away by choking on food while attending a conference in Amsterdam. According to World Investment Report 2015 of UNCTAD. 2015 31. According to data released by the Union ministry of new and renewable energy on June 4. which of the following states have grabbed the number one position in the country with an installed capacity of 1. The Centre launched a mobile application in the month of June 2015. to aid Clean Ganga Mission. 2015 G-20 summit is to be held in which of the following countries? (a) Turkey (b) Spain (c) Russia (d) South Africa 35. India is at which of the following positions in terms of FDI recipients during the year 2014? (a) 1st Position (b) 3rd Position (c) 7th Position (d) 9th Position 32. The WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified three compounds as carcinogenic to humans in the month of June.MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June. According to the UNCTAD Report. Alibaba in June.MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June.S Dhoni (c) Rahul Dravid (d) Sachin Tendulkar 44. Which of the following is not among them? (a) Janardhan Hegde (b) Tara Chand Kalandri (c) Srikanta Saren (d) Sella Ganapathi 45. which among the following countries leads FDI in South Asia with 34 billion investments in the year 2014? (a) China (b) Srilanka (c) India (d) Pakistan MANTHAN June. 2015 has launched Internet bank. With an aim to provide affordable internet access to all. National Development Bank (NDB). is expected commence operations and start financing projects by April 2016. According to the online poll conducted by Cricket Australia’s website. for their contribution to children’s literature. who among the following will be its first President? (a) Ehsan Mani (b) K. targeting the small.V. State Bank of India has recently appointed which among the following as its Chief Financial Officer (CFO)? (a) Nazmul Hassan (b) Anshula Kant (c) Subhan Ahmad (d) Jayantha Dharmadasa 47. Bharti Enterprises has recently acquired a strategic minority stake in which of the following satellite company? (a) NewSat (b) OneWeb (c) AsiaSat (d) Spacecom 42. Kamath (c) Percy Sonn (d) Wilson Manase 49. 2015 Page : 48 . also known as the BRICS Bank. announced the Bal Sahitya Puraskar this year to three authors of poetries.and medium-sized Chinese enterprises that have struggled to obtain credit from major financial institutions. What is the name of that Bank? (a) Hua Xia Bank (b) Harbin Bank (c) MYbank (d) Fubon Bank 43. The Sahitya Akademi. which among the following Indian legendary batsman has been voted as the ‘Best Test player’ of the 21st century? (a) Virender Singh Sehwag (b) M. Recently Colombian Government has conferred country’s highest civilian award to which of the following eminent Indian Personality? (a) Amitabh Bachan (b) Sri Sri Ravi Shankar (c) Narendra Singh Modi (d) Pranab Mukherjee 46. 2015 41. Which among the following has been recently appointed as president of the International Cricket Council? (a) Zaheer Abbas (b) David Morgan (c) Mustafa Kamal (d) Ray Mali 48. MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June, 2015 50. India will set up an Emergency Ambulance Health Protection Service with 50-crore rupee assistance in which of the following countries? (a) Bangladesh (b) Bhutan (c) Nepal (d) Myanmar 51. Which of the following has been recently appointed as India Head for Swedish telecom equipment maker Ericsson? (a) Leif Johansson (b) Ivar Kreuger (c) Paolo Colella (d) Sosthenes Behn 52. Which of the following has extended a line of credit of $268.35 million to Tanzania for financing extension of Lake Victoria pipeline? (a) Ministry of External Affairs (b) Export-Import (Exim) Bank (c) RBI (d) Ministry of Finance 53. ICANN, a non-profit organization currently coordinates, manages and implements worldwide Internet rules and policies by factoring in views of the global community. ICANN is located at which of the following places? (a) California (b) Amsterdam (c) New York (d) New Jersey 54. The Supreme Court of which of the following countries has ruled that the Constitution will provide samesex couples the right to marry? (a) Singapore (b) Brunei (c) Seychelles (d) United States of America 55. The Kerala government has appointed which of the following as the chairman of Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC)? (a) C. J. George (b) Jiji Thomson (c) K. M. Abraham (d) Madhavan Nambiar 56. Which among the following has scripted history by becoming the first Indian basketball player to be drafted in the National Basketball Association (NBA) in the US? (a) Satnam Singh Bhamara (b) Palpreet Singh Brar (c) Satnam Singh (d) Narender Kumar 57. Which of the following days has been observed globally as “International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking”? (a) 24th June (b) 25th June th (c) 26 June (d) 27th June 58. According to the recent ranking Index by BPI (Baseline Profitability Index), which of the following countries has been ranked on first position as destination for attractiveness to foreign investors? (a) Brazil (b) U.S (c) China (d) India 59. President Pranab Mukherjee presented the ‘Punyabhushan’ award to which among the following eminent personalities? (a) G.C. Gopala (b) Pratap Pawar (c) Siddeek Ahmed (d) K. Venugopal MANTHAN June, 2015 Page : 49 MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June, 2015 60. Union Ministry of Railways and UNESCO entered into an agreement to upgrade, which of the following as a heritage structure and also develop it into a tourist destination? (a) Howrah Railway Terminus (b) Lucknow railway station (c) Bandra railway station (d) New Delhi railway station 61. According to a research published by the World Economic Forum, Which of the following two Indian organizations are among the world’s biggest employers, together employing a whopping 2.7 million people? (a) CPWD and Railways (b) Indian Road Transport and Army (c) Indian Air force and Indian Road Transport (d) Army and Railways 62. Recently, UN accredited global NGO, the Loomba Foundation, has announced to provide vocational skills and training to 5,000 poor widows of which of the following places? (a) Varanasi (b) Vrindavan (c) Mathura (d) Haridwar 63. The district Magistrate of which of the following districts is presented with the United Nations Public Services Award 2015 for eliminating open defecation? (a) Purulia (b) Bankura (c) Nadia (d) Hooghly 64. Earth’s rotation is gradually slowing down a bit, so leap seconds are a way to account for that, this time the leap second will be added to which of the following month of the year 2015? (a) June (b) July (c) October (d) December 65. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has laid the foundation stone of Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) on June 28, 2015 at which of the following districts of Jharkhand State? (a) Dhanbad (b) Hazaribagh (c) Ranchi (d) Simdega 66. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched Integrated Power Development Scheme (IPDS) in which of the following places? (a) Rajasthan (b) Jharkhand (c) Varanasi (d) Uttar Pradesh 67. International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service (IERS), an international body that tracks small changes in the earth’s rotation and declares time changes accordingly. It is located at which of the following places? (a) Amsterdam (b) Italy (c) Paris (d) New York 68. India and which of the following other countries have signed a double taxation treaty and a MoU in June, 2015 for setting up an Ayurveda Chair in Universities? (a) Thailand (b) Bangkok (c) Malaysia (d) Myannmar MANTHAN June, 2015 Page : 50 MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June, 2015 69. Under recently launched Integrated Power Development Scheme (IPDS) which among the following will be the core attempt of the scheme? (a) To ensure 24×7 power for all Urban Households (b) To ensure 24×7 power for all rural Households. (c) To ensure 24×7 power for all. (d) To ensure 24×7 power for all under BPL category. 70. Which among the following is the present CEO of National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog? (a) Arvind Panagariya (b) Sindhushree Khullar (c) Narendra Modi (d) V.K. Saraswat 71. Which of the following countries has shut down its Banks in Fallout from Debt Crisis? (a) Nigeria (b) Somalia (c) Greece (d) Iceland 72. The newly launched DD News magazine named “Varttavali,” focuses on events from around the world will be entirely in which of the following languages? (a) Urdu (b) Sanskrit (c) Hindi (d) English 73. Which among the following managing directors (MDs) of a Bank, continues to be the highest paid bank chief in the country in the financial year 2014-15? (a) Renu Karnad (b) A. N. Roy (c) Bobby Parikh (d) Aditya Puri 74. The Cannes’s Jagran festival will take off with which of the following India’s entry to the Cannes Film Festival this year? (a) Qissa (b) Masaan (c) Queen (d) Bombay Velvet 75. Indian shuttlers Jwala Gutta along with which of the following has won the Canada Open women’s doubles title in June, 2015? (a) Ashwini Ponnappa (b) Sushila Kapadia (c) Siki Reddy (d) Pradnya Gadre 76. Which of the following Private insurer has recently launched a weather-based crop insurance scheme for orange crops in Nagpur, Hingoli and Washim districts of Maharashtra? (a) ICICI Lombard (b) Bajaj Allianz (c) Tata AIG General (d) Reliance General Insurance 77. Which among the following will be the first district to have toilets under Clean Ganga project? (a) Deoghar (b) Hazaribagh (c) Ranchi (d) Sahibganj 78. Which of the following banks has topped the list of public sector lenders with maximum bad loans including restructured assets as a percentage of total advances? (a) Indian Overseas Bank (b) Punjab & Sind Bank (c) United Bank of India (d) Punjab National Bank MANTHAN June, 2015 Page : 51 Bahrain-based GFH Financial Group has signed an agreement in June. Which of the following states government is observing 1. 2015 with Indian conglomerate Adani Group for developing an economic development zone in which of the following places? (a) Delhi (b) Mumbai (c) Pune (d) Ahmedabad 81. The government of India plans to set up a 500 crore rupee venture capital fund to boost which of the following domestic industry? (a) Small scale industry (b) Pharma Industry (c) Jewelry industry (d) Automobile industry 88. Among non-Asian participants. 2015? (a) Madhya Pradesh (b) Maharashtra (c) Uttar Pradesh (d) Bihar 86. July as ‘No Accident Day’. 2015? (a) Top Ramen (b) Yippe Noodles (c) Maggi (d) Ching’s Secret 85. The much-awaited Chennai Metro Rail was launched by Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa. aims that no road accidents occur in 24 hours on July 1. 2015 79. Which of the following Instant Noodle brands has recently announced the withdrawal of its stock from the market in June. Which among the following athletes has completed their golden hat-trick at Asian Athletics Grand Prix Series on 29th June. 2015 Page : 52 .MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June. The first train started from which of the following place in Tamil Nadu? (a) Alandur (b) Koyambedu (c) Guindy (d) Adambakkam 87. 9th National Statistics Day observed this year with theme of “Social Development” on which of the following days? (a) 27th June (b) 28th June (c) 29th June (d) 30th June 82. Who among the following has been recently appointed as chief executive officer of Data Security Council of India (DSCI)? (a) Amit Pradhan (b) Nandkumar Saravade (c) Praveen Aggarwal (d) Raman Roy 83. 2015? (a) Arokia Rajiv and M R Poovamma (b) Srabani Nanda and M Gomathi (c) Sheena N V and Navjeet Kaur Dhillon (d) Inderjeet Singh and Jinson Johnson MANTHAN June. Transcendence: My Spiritual Experiences with Pramukh Swamiji is a book written by which of the following? (a) Hindol Sengupta (b) Dr Anna Suvorova (c) Teesta Setalvad (d) Dr APJ Abdul Kalam 84. which among the following is the largest share holder in BRICS bank? (a) Germany (b) France (c) Brazil (d) European Union 80. in association with WPP? (a) 50th Position (b) 74th position (c) 60th Position (d) 64th Position 92. HDFC Bank is ranked at which of the following position among the top 100 most valuable brands globally in the BrandZ list compiled by Millward Brown. Which of the following is the current Lok Sabha Speaker? (a) Sumitra Mahajan (b) Meira Kumar (c) Kamal Nath (d) Manikrao Hodlya Gavit 99. Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU)’s Fourth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament in June 2015 will be held at? (a) Srilanka (b) Geneva (c) New Delhi (d) New York 98. An advanced version of the indigenously developed Pinaka Mark-II rocket was successfully test-fired from Army’s Chandan firing range near Pokhran. India has recently launched a virtual Memorial Wall to honour who among the following? (a) UN peacekeeping force soldiers (b) Lost Navy Soldiers (c) Martyrdom (d) Freedom Fighters MANTHAN June.MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June. The information and broadcasting (I&B) ministry has recently appointed which among the following as director general (news) in Doordarshan? (a) Veena Jain (b) Archana Datta (c) Vijayalaxmi Chhabra (d) Veenita Bhagwat 96. 2015 Page : 53 . Which of the following Russian former Prime Minister has passed away recently? (a) Oleg Ivanovich Lobov (b) Yevgeny Primakov (c) Mikhail Ivanovich Rodionov (d) Yegor Timurovich Gaidar 91. 2015 89. a global research agency. Which among the following is the name of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s radio broadcast edition? (a) Janta Darbar (b) Aamne samne (c) Mann Ki Baat (d) Lok chaupal 97. The Ministry of External Affairs recently announced which among the following as the new Chancellor of the Nalanda University? (a) Amritya Sen (b) George Yeo (c) Nigel Carrington (d) Ray Linforth 95. Which among the following is the first nation in G7 countries to join Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB)? (a) United Kingdom (b) Germany (c) France (d) Italy 90. It has a maximum target range of: (a) 40 km (b) 45 km (c) 65 Km (d) 60 km 93. WHO and partners including Pakistan mark ‘World No Tobacco Day’ every year on which of the following days? (a) 20th May (b) 23rd May (c) 25th May (d) 31st May 94. MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June. What was the total installed capacity of solar power in the country till May 2015? (a) 3.000 tonnes capacity in which of following places? (a) Mysore (b) Nasik (c) Hoshangabad (d) New Delhi MANTHAN June. 2015? (a) Air Marshal Surinder Mehra (b) Air Marshal Arjan Singh (c) Air Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa (d) Air Marshal Subroto Mukerjee 102. Which among the following has been designated as the Indian Ocean island nation’s new President.50 GW (c) 3. The President of the BCCI (Jagmohan Dalmiya) has nominated which of the following three veteran cricketers as members of the Cricket Advisory Committee of the BCCI? (a) Sachin Tendulkar.V.50 GW 108. Sourav Ganguly and V. Ajay jadeja and Kapil Dev (d) Sachin Tendulkar. Vishwanathan (c) Lakshmi Dwivedi (d) Meena Hemchandra 109. Who among the following has been appointed as the Vice Chief of the Indian Air Force in the month of June. S. Rahul Dravid and Kapil Dev (c) Sachin Tendulkar. 2015 Page : 54 . Recently which among the following States has been allocated $400 million loan for the Sustainable Urban Development Project? (a) Bihar (b) Tamil Nadu (c) Uttar Pradesh (d) Rajasthan 107. Laxman 105.00 GW (d) 4. Sourav Ganguly and Kapil Dev (b) Sourav Ganguly. 2015 100.A (d) Germany 106. by the government of Mauritius? (a) Raouf Bundhun (b) Ameenah Gurib-Fakim (c) Karl Offmann (d) Sir Anerood Jugnauth 103.S. small and medium enterprises (MSME) sector 101. The government has approved signing of an agreement between India and Sweden to promote cooperation in which of the following? (a) Modern Agricultural Technology (b) Trade (c) Cottage Industry (d) Micro.88 GW (b) 2. The 64th senior National volleyball championships will be held in: (a) Bengaluru (b) Mumbai (c) Hyderabad (d) Jaipur 104.S. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has recently appointed which among the following as the Executive Director? (a) Deepali Pant Joshi (b) N. The first automated teller machine (ATM) with facial recognition technology has been developed by which of the following? (a) China (b) India (c) U. The government of India has recently announced to set up two more units of paper mills of 12. 70 per cent (b) 9.75 per cent (d) 8. Name the biochemist. Which among the following counties has become the first country to criminalise the purchase of sex? (a) France (b) Sweden (c) Iceland (d) Norway 113. which entered into an agreement with Sanjeev Juneja to acquire his hair & scalp-care business under the ‘Dr Juneja’s Kesh King’ (a) Dabur India Ltd. Recently a power company has secured the single-largest order in its history for setting up a 4. Name the Indian scientist and bureaucrat. (a) Adani power (b) BHEL (c) NHPC (d) Reliance Power MANTHAN June.25 per cent (b) 7.. (b) Emami Ltd (c) Hindustan Unilever (d) Himalaya Healthcare Ltd. India’s largest bank. Which country has awarded ‘Bjornson Prize’ to former security contractor Edward Snowden for freedom of expression? (a) Norway (b) Russia (c) Ecuador (d) Sweden 115. Name the leading FMCG company.75 per cent 117.. Which of the following has been appointed as Assistant Chief of Naval staff (Air)? (a) Sureesh Mehta (b) Philipose G Pynumootil (c) Nirmal Kumar Verma (d) Robin K Dhowan 111. who is contesting the election for the top post at the Genevabased World Meteorological Organisation (WMO). The current repo rate is……… (a) 7. 2015.MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June.50 per cent (c) 7. SBI reduced its base rate from 9. Which of the following construction companies has been awarded Rs 468 crore order for the design and construction of a floating deck for the Indian Navy by the Ministry of Defense? (a) Larsen & Toubro (b) DLF (c) Unitech (d) J P Group 119. The repo rate is the rate at which the RBI lends money to banks.00 per cent 116. (a) K.50 per cent (c) 9. With effect from June 8. Name the company…. Vijay Raghavan (b) Shailesh Nayak (c) Mukesh Sharma (d) S M Khan 114. who shared the 2004 Nobel Prize in chemistry for discovering a way that cells destroy unwanted proteins.85 per cent to…. 2015 Page : 55 .60 per cent (d) 9. 2015 110.000 MW supercritical thermal power project from Telangana State Power Generation Corporation Limited (TSGENCO).s 118. has died recently. (a) Irwin Rose (b) Peter Agre (c) Avram Hershko (d) Eric Betzig 112. (a) 9. What is rank of India in the latest world football rankings issued by FIFA (a) 145th (b) 147th (c) 141st (d) 142nd MANTHAN June. Name the country’s third-largest private sector lender. Gupte (b) R Seetharaman (c) Renuka Ramnath (d) S. Apart from India. Which among the following former cricket captains has been named India’s interim coach for Bangladesh? (a) Ravi Shastri (b) Sachin Tendulkar (c) Sourav Ganguly (d) Kapil dev 121. (a) Axis Bank (b) ICICI Bank (c) HDFC Bank (d) Yes Bank 124. 2015 Page : 56 . (a) Lalita D. the Life Insurance Corporation operates in: (a) Myanmar (b) Maldives (c) Singapore (d) South Africa 127. Jagannathan 129.MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June. South Korea has successfully test-fired a domestically built ballistic missile which range is more than…….. Which among the following Sates has alone accounted highest percentage (15%) of underage marriages in the country? (a) Uttar Pradesh (b) West Bengal (c) Andhra Pradesh (d) Bihar 125. 2015 120. becoming the second foreign insurer to operate in the country? (a) Life Insurance Corporation (b) Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance (c) Reliance Life Insurance (d) National Insurance Company 126. Recently in the presence of President Park Geun-hye. Currently what is the number of nations that have joined a multilateral agreement for automatic exchange of financial information? (a) 75 (b) 94 (c) 54 (d) 60 123. which has launched a new mobile application that will allow its customers to book lockers. (a) 500 kilometers (b) 1000 kilometers (c) 1500 kilometers (d) 2000 kilometers 122. Who among the following Indian cricket players has been considered as one of the top five greatest players by Australian Test captain Michael Clarke? (a) Sachin Tendulkar (b) Yuvraj Singh (c) Rahul Dravid (d) Sunil Gavaskar 128. Name the CEO of Doha Bank who has been conferred in UAE with the lifetime achievement award for his contribution to the banking industry. Which Indian insurance giant has been allowed to form a joint venture in Bangladesh. Who has been appointed as Non-Executive Chairman of Infosys Ltd.100 crore (a) Madhya Pradesh (b) Rajasthan (c) Tamil Nadu (d) Gujarat 139.Eat. Recently which insurance company has announced to launch a plan to provide financial support on diagnosis of early or major stages of cancer? (a) Aviva India (b) Tata AIG General (c) HDFC life (d) Kotak Life Insurance 132. Name the former Deputy Prime Minister of Iraq in Hussein’s regime.Save’ (d) ‘Green Economy: Does it include you?’ 134. who has died recently. 2015 130. Recently Anil Ambani-led Reliance Power has signed an agreement to invest $ 3 billion in setting up a mega power plant and a floating LNG import terminal in: (a) Bangladesh (b) Sri Lanka (c) Nepal (d) Maldives 140. 2015 Page : 57 .M. One Planet. 2015? (a) ‘Seven Billion Dreams. Consume with Care’ (b) ‘Small Islands and Climate Change’ (c) ‘Think. Which state has topped in the implementation of the scheme under Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana? (a) Chhattisgarh (b) Gujarat (c) West Bengal (d) Uttar Pradesh 136. Seshasayee (c) K. (a) Tariq Aziz (b) Izzat Douri (c) Ali Hassan al-Majid (d) Raouf Abdul-Rahman 137. Fishing ban of 61 days along the Western Coast became effective from June 1 2015 except in: (a) Maharashtra (b) Kerala (c) Karnataka (d) Goa 131. China? (a) Machettira Raju Poovamma (b) Yang Huizhen (c) Anastasiya Kudinova (d) Liksy Joseph 135. Delhi Metro has received its first driver-less train from which of the following countries? (a) South Korea (b) Japan (c) USA (d) Germany 133. V.? (a) Nandan M Nilekani (b) R.MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June. What is the theme of World Environment Day. Which is the first state of the country where production units of solar panels and wind rotors are being set up with an investment of Rs 1. Who won the gold medal in women’s 400m finals event in 21st Asian Athletics Championships held in Wuhan. Kamath (d) TK Kurien 138. Who won the 2015 Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction for her novel ‘How to be Both’? (a) Eimear McBride (b) A. Homes (c) Ali Smith (d) Madeline Miller MANTHAN June. 800 years ago? (a) Peru (b) Mexico (c) Australia (d) Ethiopia 146. AKP led by President: (a) Süleyman Demirel (b) Ahmet Necdet Sezer (c) Recep Tayyip Erdogan (d) Turgut Özal 143. 16th edition of the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) award informally known as the “Bollywood Oscars. former Bureaucrat and Architect of modern Bhopal.” was held recently in: (a) USA (b) France (c) Malaysia (d) Singapore 142. though he had cleared the written examination? (a) Madras High Court (b) Bombay High Court (c) Allahabad High Court (d) Delhi High Court 151. Name the bank which has been in India since 1858. Which High Court has refused to allow a person with 70 per cent blindness to be inducted in subordinate judicial service. Who among the following former Indian cricket captains has been named coach of the India ‘A’ and under-19 teams? (a) Sachin Tendulkar (b) Rahul Dravid (c) Sourav Ganguly (d) Anil Kumble 147. Name the Padma Bhushan awardee. 2015 Page : 58 . In which of the following countries researchers have discovered a trio of statuettes that is to be created by the ancient Caral civilization some 3. The Justice and Development Party (AKP) won Turkey’s parliamentary polls recently.MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June. (a) B Muthuraman (b) Vijayendra Nath Kaul (c) M N Buch (d) Ronen Sen 149. (a) DBS Bank (b) United Overseas Bank Ltd. who has died recently. Who among the following is the present foreign secretary of India? (a) Ranjan Mathai (b) Subrahmanyam Jaishankar (c) Shyam Saran (d) Shashank 150.Rubella vaccine under Make in India initiative of government of India? (a) Australia (b) Netherlands (c) Sweden (d) Finland MANTHAN June. Who is the winner of women’s single French Open title 2015? (a) Ana Ivanovic (b) Lucie Safarova (c) Simona Halep (d) Serena Williams 145. is planning to sell one of its Kolkata iconic offices. Recently which country has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with India for the development of Measles. Indian Medical Association’s (IMA) has inaugurated first-ever Jan Aushadhi Generic Drug (JAGD) Store in: (a) New Delhi (b) Mumbai (c) Jaipur (d) Bengaluru 144. 2015 141. (c) Barclays Bank Plc (d) Standard Chartered Bank 148. Who is the winner of men’s single French Open championship 2015? (a) Novak Djokovic (b) Stan Wawrinka (c) Rafel Nadal (d) David Ferrer 156. Cyclonic storm name ‘Ashobaa’ came from: (a) Sri Lanka (b) Thailand (c) Pakistan (d) Maldives 161. Eleven Indo-Canadians have been honoured recently with ‘ICCC Annual Awards 2015’ for strengthening bilateral. Who is the president of the Indo-Canada Chambers of Commerce (ICCC)? (a) Asim Ghosh (b) Manjul Bhargava (c) D P Jain (d) Rajiv Manucha 153. Which among the following US territories has legalized gay marriage? (a) Guam (b) San Juan (c) Puerto Rico (d) American Samoa 160. Cyclonic storm ‘Ashobaa’ in Arabian Sea is the first tropical storm of the pre-monsoon season in the Indian seas. Which country has topped in the 21st Asian Athletics Championships held in Wuhan. Which country has regained the position as top source of foreign direct investment (FDI) into India to the second slot in 2014-15? (a) Singapore (b) Japan (c) USA (d) Mauritius 154. Recently who has been appointed as Chief Information Commissioner of India by President Pranab Mukherjee? (a) Annapurna Dixit (b) Vijai Sharma (c) Shailesh Gandhi (d) Padma Balasubramanian MANTHAN June. including China for: (a) One year (b) Two years (c) Five years (d) Three years 155. 2015 Page : 59 . Who won French Open women’s doubles title 2015? (a) Lucie Šafárová and Bethanie Mattek-Sands (b) Casey Dellacqua and Yaroslava Shvedova (c) Peng Shuai and Hsieh Su-wei (d) Elena Vesnina and Ekaterina Makarova 157.MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June. 2015 152. Who is the winner of F1 Canadian Grand Prix 2015? (a) Nico Rosberg (b) Kimi Raikkonen (c) Lewis Hamilton (d) Valtteri Bottas 158. Recently India has slapped anti-dumping duty on imports of certain steel products from three countries. China? (a) India (b) Qatar (c) Japan (d) China 159. 2015 in: (a) Kyoto. Which among the following films won Best Films award in 16th edition of the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) award? (a) Queen (b) PK (c) Ek Villain (d) Bang Bang 165. (a) K V Chowdary (b) Anita Kapur (c) R K Tewari (b) Sudha Sharma 167. Name the former chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT).” was held recently in: (a) USA (b) France (c) Malaysia (d) Singapore 163. Finland (d) Edinburgh. United Kingdom 171. Japan (b) Bangkok.MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June. Thailand (c) Helsinki. 16th edition of the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) award informally known as the “Bollywood Oscars. (a) Richard Flanagan (b) Amitav Ghosh (c) Aravind Adiga (d) Jhumpa Lahiri 169. until the ceasefire in eastern Ukraine is fully respected. Which among the following tourist places has not been selected as the “Green Growth Cities”. It is situated in: (a) Odisha (b) Tamil Nadu (c) Kerala (d) Karnataka MANTHAN June. 16th World Sanskrit Conference will be organized from June 28 to July 2. Leaders of the Group of Seven nations have agreed that sanctions against Russia must remain in place. Name the Booker Prize awardee who has released his/her new novel ‘Flood of fire’. 41st G7 Summit 2015 recently held in: (a) Germany (b) Belgium (c) United Kingdom (d) France 170. Who among the following Bollywood female actors won Best Actress award in 16th edition of the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) award (a) Shraddha Kapoor (b) Tabu (c) Deepika Padukone (d) Kangana Ranaut 166. Which among the following films won most awards (09) in 16th edition of the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) award? (a) Queen (b) Haider (c) Bang Bang (d) Kick 164. a project of World Bank. who has been appointed as the new central vigilance commissioner of India by President Pranab Mukherjee. 2015 Page : 60 . 2015 162. the Korean Green Growth Partnership and Price Waterhouse Coopers (PWC)? (a) Panjim in Goa (b) Shimla in Himachal Pradesh (c) Darjeeling in West Bengal (d) Hubli-Dharwad in Karnataka 168. The Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary is one of India’s biggest estuarine crocodile habitats and a major coastal eco-system. Chambers (b) Chuck Robbins (c) Rebecca Jacoby (d) M. published in April 2015 by HarperCollins India.55 pm everyday. Which among the following district of Uttar Pradesh has been included in National Capital Region along with Jind and Karnal districts of Haryana? (a) Aligarh (b) Muzaffarnagar (c) Mathura (d) Agra 177. (a) Accenture (b) TCS (c) Wipro (d) Infosys 175. Who among the following has been appointed as the new Director for CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology. Name the Sanskrit news bulletin: (a) ‘Sancharam’ (b) ‘Samvadam’ (c) ‘Samacharam’ (d) ‘Varta’ 176. The book ‘Sourav Ganguly: Cricket. Who is the present Chief Executive Officer of Cisco? (a) John T.MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June. Healthy planet’ on: (a) June 7 (b) June 5 (c) June 8 (d) June 9 173. Hyderabad by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi? (a) Shashi Shekhar (b) Srivari Chandrasekhar (c) N. Which of the following has been presented with the Space Pioneer award for the year 2015 by the US’ National Space Society? (a) Westinghouse Electric Corporation Commercial and Civil Space Division (b) Orbital Sciences Corporation (c) JAXA HAYABUSA (MUSES-C) Mission Team (d) Indian Space Research Organization 178. 2015 Page : 61 . 2015 172.V Satyanarayana (d) R Nageswara Rao 180. Recently who among the following has been appointed as the new Director General of National Security Guard (NSG)? (a) Ramesh Chand Tayal (b) Jayanto Narayan Choudhury (c) Arvind Ranjan (d) Subhash Joshi 179. Michele Burns MANTHAN June. World Ocean Day 2015 has been celebrated across the world with the theme of ‘Healthy oceans. Captaincy and Controversy’. Recently who among the following India-born personalities has resigned as Chief Technology Officer of Cisco? (a) Padmasree Warrior (b) Krish Ramakrishnan (c) Pankaj Patel (d) Prem Jain 181. DDNews channel has a five minute Sanskrit news bulletin which is telecast at 6. was written by: (a) Saptarshi Sarkar (b) Vipul K Rawal (c) Vaibhav Purandare (d) Boria Majumdar 174. Name the country’s largest software exporter which has launched ‘BaNCS Digital’ for American retail banks’ digital push. River Development and Ganga Rejunivetion Uma Bharti has launched nationwide Jal Kranti Abhiyan (campaign) from: (a) Jaipur (b) Haridwar (c) Bhopal (d) Varanasi 184. Who among the following Bollywood female actors won Best Actress award in 16th edition of the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) award (a) Shraddha Kapoor (b) Tabu (c) Deepika Padukone (d) Kangana Ranaut 186. 2015 Page : 62 . Name the Indian-origin scientist who has developed World’s first water-based computer (a) Subhash Kak (b) Manu Prakash (c) Thomas Anantharaman (d) Mahadev Satyanarayanan 190. To target militant groups. In China it is also known as: (a) ‘yellow bird’ (b) ‘rice bird’ (c) ‘honey bird’ (d) ‘sweet bird’ 187.MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June. Who among the following Chief Ministers has been conferred with the prestigious 14th Sant Namdev National Award for promoting peace. Union Minister of Water Resources. Special Forces of the Indian Army in coordination with the Air Force have carried out surgical operations (cross-border operation) inside: (a) Bhutan (b) Myanmar (c) Bangladesh (d) Pakistan 183. Recently Adani Group has signed a power purchase agreement with the Tamil Nadu to set up a 200-MW solar power plant in Ramanathapuram. 2015 182. communal harmony and universal brotherhood? (a) Nitish Kumar (b) Raman Singh (c) Parkash Singh Badal (d) Shivraj Singh Chouhan 189. Which of the following Caribbean Premier League (CPL) T20 teams has been acquired by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) co-owner Shah Rukh Khan (a) Barbados Tridents (b) Trinidad & Tobago red steel (c) Guyana Amazon Warriors (d) Jamaica Tallawahs 185. What was the rank of Tamil Nadu in terms of total commissioned solar capacity till May 2015? (a) Seventh (b) Second (c) Third (d) Fourth MANTHAN June. which of the following countries has become world’s largest oil producer in 2014? (a) Saudi Arabia (b) USA (c) Iraq (d) UAE 191. Name the India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier which has been undocked at Cochin Shipyard Limited in Kochi (a) INS Vikramaditya (b) INS Chakra (c) INS Vikrant (d) INS Viraat 188. As per the latest report of BP Energy Company. Yellow-breasted buntings have been classified by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as an endangered species due to rapid population decline. The World Day against child labour was observed on: (a) June 12 (b) June 9 (c) June 10 (d) June 13 201. the most senior politician to face corruption charges under Communist rule. who has been jailed for life recently. Name the former China’s ex-security chief. Who among the following has topped the Forbes magazine’s list of 100 World’s Highest-Paid Athletes 2015? (a) Manny Pacquiao (b) Floyd Mayweather (c) Cristiano Ronaldo (d) Lionel Messi 197. who has passed away recently. In the latest global ‘assessment study’ of the regulatory framework for financial market infrastructures across the world. Which of the following countries is not among six? (a) Australia (b) Brazil (c) India (d) China 199.V.MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June. Maths. Which state government has made the teaching of English.04 GW? (a) Gujarat (b) Tamil Nadu (c) Rajasthan (d) Maharashtra 193. (a) Nek Chand (b) Khem Chand (c) Mahesh Chand (d) Neem Chand 194. Which among the following cricket players is the only Indian to find place in the Forbes magazine’s list of 100 World’s Highest-Paid Athletes 2015? (a) Mahendra Singh Dhoni (b) Sachin Tendulkar (c) Virat Kohli (d) Shikhar Dhawan 196. 2015 192. Who is the current chairman of Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority? (a) Yogesh Aggarwal (b) Hemant Contractor (c) R. Science and Social Science mandatory in all madrasas that seek grants from the State? (a) Maharahstra (b) Rajasthan (c) Madhya Pradesh (d) Haryana 200. Who is the present chairman of Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDA)? (a) T S Vijayan (b) N Rangachary (c) C S Rao (d) Hari Narayan 195. Which among the following states has the highest amount of solar power with commissioned capacity of 1. (a) Liu Han (b) Li Hualin (c) Zhou Yongkang (d) Li Dongsheng 198. Recently who has resigned as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Twitter Inc? (a) Jack Dorsey (b) Dick Costolo (c) Chris Sacca (d) Nate Elliott MANTHAN June. 2015 Page : 63 .Verma (d) G N Bajpai 202. Name the creator of Chandigarh’s iconic rock garden. only six countries have got the highest score of ‘4’ for all eight parameters. Union Government has launched an Indian Nuclear Insurance Pool (INIP) of 1.MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June. Anil Kumble and Martin Crowe? (a) Enid Bakewell (b) Sir Wesley Winfield Hall (c) Bob Simpson (d) Brian Lara 210. Recently power producer NTPC has commissioned another 200 megawatt (MW) capacity at its Koldam Hydro Power Project which is located in: (a) Uttarakhand (b) Jammu and Kashmir (c) Himachal Pradesh (d) Sikkim MANTHAN June.. 2010. Name the Moldovan Prime Minister who has announced his resignation after being accused of faking his education credentials recently. Nuclear Insurance Pool in the world. Recently which among the following countries cabinet has decided to increase the number of Members of Parliament to 237? (a) Bangladesh (b) Sri Lanka (c) Pakistan (d) Maldives 205. Name the former West Indies cricket player who has been inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame in 2015. With this launch. a digital depository of land records? (a) Karnataka (b) Rajasthan (c) Andhra Pradesh (d) Maharashtra 209. 2015 203. Name the English cricket player who has retired from all forms of cricket recently.500 crore rupees as per the mandatory provision under the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act. Recently who has been sacked as the Director of Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) by Union Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MOSPI)? (a) Dr Bimal K Roy (b) Sanghmitra Bandyopadhayay (c) Surjeet Banerjee (d) Sujata Roy 204. (a) 27th (b) 30th (c) 15th (d) 20th 211. INIP became ………. (a) Matt Prior (b) Eoin Morgan (c) James Anderson (d) Ian Bell 208. Name the 4th cricket player who has been inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame in 2015 after Betty Wilson. 2015 Page : 64 . China? (a) Mahesh Sharma (b) V K Singh (c) Kiren Rijiju (d) Sushma Swaraj 212. (a) Iurie Leancã (b) Vlad Filat (c) Chiril Gaburici (d) Zinaida Greceanîi 206. Which among the following state government has launched ‘Mee Bhoomi’. (a) Malcolm Marshall (b) Sir Wesley Winfield Hall (c) Courtney Walsh (d) Colin Croft 207. Which among the following ministers has inaugurated first India-China Yoga College at Yunnan Minzu University in Kunming. Andhra Pradesh government has issued orders introducing the revised scales of pay recommended by the 10th Pay Revision Commission giving a fitment benefit of ……………. Name the world’s third largest reinsurer which has decided to offer reinsurance cover for the Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) to encourage insurance companies to participate in the scheme. Who is the winner of Catalunya Grand Prix 2015? (a) Valentino Rossi (c) Dani Pedrosa (b) Jorge Lorenzo (d) Danny Kent 215. 2015 213. (a) Munich Re (b) Swiss Re (c) Everest Re (d) Hannover Re MANTHAN June. Who among the following won the ATP’s Stuttgart Open final doubles trophy in Germany? (a) Rohan Bopanna and Florin Mergea (b) Alexander Peya and Bruno Soares (c) Simone Bolelli and Fabio Fognini (d) Rohan Bopanna and Alexander Peya 222. World Blood Donors Day is observed globally on: (a) June 13 (c) June 15 (b) June 14 (d) June 16 221. Recently Union Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs has launched its fourth Migrant Resource Centre in: (a) Chennai (b) New Delhi (c) Kolkata (d) Bengaluru 216. Which country’s court has sentenced 23 Salafists leader Hassan Shehata and three other members of (a) Iran (c) Syria to 14 years in high security prison for killing Shia the Shiite Muslim community in June 2013? (b) Egypt (d) Turkey 219. Which state government has planned to allow farmers to return only 90 percent of their crop loans from 2015-16? (a) Uttar Pradesh (b) Bihar (c) Madhya Pradesh (d) Rajasthan 217. (a) 46 per cent (b) 35 per cent (c) 45 per cent (d) 43 per cent 214. How many districts of Uttar Pradesh have been included in National Capital Region? (a) 5 (b) 7 (c) 6 (d) 4 220. He belongs to: (a) Spain (b) Italy (c) Switzerland (d) Germany 218. Who is the winner of ATP’s Stuttgart grass-clay Men’s single title 2015 in Germany? (a) Viktor Troick (b) Novak Djokovic (c) Rafael Nadal (d) Stan Wawrinka 223. 2015 Page : 65 . Jorge Lorenzo won a fourth consecutive MotoGP after holding off Yamaha teammate Valentino Rossi at the Catalunya Grand Prix 2015. on basic pay as against 29 per cent recommended by the PRC.MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June. What was the theme of the 2015 World Blood Donor Day campaign observed on June 14? (a) “Safe blood for saving mothers” (b) “Thank you for saving my life” (c) “Give the gift of life” (d) “Every blood donor is a hero” 226.MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June.3 degrees Celsius by the end of the century. (a) Maria van der Hoeven (b) Nobuo Tanaka (c) Robert Priddle (d) Claude Mandil 231. Who among the following cricket players is the highest wicket-taker in history of Indian Test Cricket? (a) Harbhajan Singh (b) Kapil Dev (c) Anil Kumble (d) Jawagal Shrinath 227. After the drawn match against Bangladesh in Fatullah recently. 2015 Page : 66 . The International Energy Agency (IEA) warned that temperature could jump by as much as 4. Name the present executive director of IEA. Recently which country has decided to launch an empowerment scheme for widows in the country and extend the implementation of a self-employment programme for former members of militant groups? (a) India (b) Bangladesh (c) Pakistan (d) Sri Lanka 230. 2015 224. Who among the following is the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of YES Bank? (a) M R Srinivasan (b) Rana Kapoor (c) Mukesh Sabharwal (d) Ajay Vohra 233. As per the latest report released by Stockholm Peace Institute. Train No 19031/19032 Ahmedabad-Haridwar-Ahmedabad which is also known as ‘Haridwar Mail’ has been renamed by Indian Railways as: (a) Yoga Express (b) Darshan Express (c) Dev Bhoomi Express (d) Gayatri Express MANTHAN June. Currently what is rank of India among 189 nations in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business 2015 study? (a) 140th (b) 145th nd (c) 142 (d) 147th 232. in the latest ICC Test team rankings India have dropped two points and one place to be at: (a) fourth position (b) third position (c) fifth position (d) sixth position 228. Which is the first asset reconstruction company in the country to commence the business of resolution of non-performing loans (NPLs) acquired from Indian banks and financial institutions? (a) Asset Reconstruction Company (India) Limited (ARCIL) (b) Pegasus Assets Reconstruction Private Limited (c) ASREC (India) Limited (d) Reliance Asset Reconstruction Company Limited 225. the number of nuclear weapons in the world during 2014 to 2015 has been: (a) increased (b) decreased (c) stable (d) none of them 229. Sri Anandpur Sahib was founded in 1665 by the ninth Sikhs Guru Sri: (a) Guru Tegh Bahadur (b) Guru Gobind Singh (c) Guru Har Gobind (d) Guru Har Krishan 242. Punjab state is celebrating the 350th years of foundation of holy city Sri Anandpur Sahib. FDI inflows into the services sector grew by over 46 per cent to ……………in 2014-15. Name the second youngest No. 2015 234. Who among the following has been chosen as the new President of General Assembly of United Nation for 70th session and will take over the post on 15th September 2015? (a) John W. (a) 22nd (b) 20th (c) 24th (d) 25th 240. With the government taking steps to improve ease of doing business and attracting investments.10 billion dollars (c) 2. Recently Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved the inclusion of three states under the National Dairy Plan. which among the following is the most expensive office market in the world? (a) Hong Kong Central (b) Beijing’s Finance Street (c) New York Midtown (d) London West End’s MANTHAN June. This was her ……… grand slam title. 2015 Page : 67 . Which is not among them? (a) Uttarakhand (b) Chhattisgarh (c) Himachal Pradesh (d) Jharkhand 243.I (NDP-I). Recently which among the following private lenders has tied up with Global payment service provider Western Union for international direct-to-bank transfers? (a) Yes Banks (b) ICICI Bank (c) HDFC Bank (d) Kotak Mahindra Bank 236. As per the Boston Consulting Group’s ‘Global Wealth 2015: Winning the Growth Game’ report. (a) Hashim Amla (b) Kumar Sangakkara (c) AB de Villiers (d) Steven Smith 238. Which country has ranked first with 212 global cases tested positive in Anti-Doping Rule Violations Report for year 2013 released by World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)? (a) India (b) Russia (c) Turkey (d) France 241.MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June. Serena Williams won women’s singles French Open championship 2015.1 batsman after Sachin Tendulkar who has topped the latest ICC player rankings.83 billion dollar 239.22 billion dollar (d) 4. which country has the largest number of ultra-high-networth (UHNW) households (a) China (b) USA (c) UK (d) India 237. Ashe (b) Sam Kutesa (c) Mogens Lykketoft (d) Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser 235.25 billion dollars (b) 3. As per the survey conducted by global realty consultant CB Richard Ellis (CBRE). (a) 3. Who of the following journalists has been appointed as the new executive director of Amnesty International India? (a) Tarun Malik (b) P Mohammed Ali (c) Rajesh Tandon (d) Aakar Patel 249. Who won 10th Navlekhan Award of Bharatiya Jnanpith 2014 for his/her novel ‘Naye Sajan Ghar Aye’ (a) Jitendra Biseria (b) Dilip Shakya (c) Babusha Kohli (d) Upasana 248.M.MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June. Name the Britain’s longest-serving Indian-origin MP who has been re-elected as Chairman of Home Affairs Select Committee (HASC) in House of Commons of UK Parliament. 2015 Page : 68 . 2015 244. To provide alerts on extreme weather conditions like hailstorm every three hours to over one crore registered farmers on their mobile phones Union Agriculture Minister has launched recently a free SMS service called: (a) ‘Nowcast’ (b) ‘Kisanmitra’ (c) ‘Kisansevak’ (d) ‘Kisancast’ 245. (a) Yes Bank (b) ICICI Bank (c) HDFC Bank (d) Kotak Mahindra Bank 253.Revanna (d) Syed Basharat 247. 10th Navlekhan Award of Bharatiya Jnanpith has been awarded to Hindi writer Babusha Kohli for his poem: (a) ‘Adhure Ant Ki Shuruat’ (b) ‘Kavita Mein Ugi Dub’ (c) ‘Prem Gilhari Dil Akhrot’ (d) ‘Mitra’ 246. Recently Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the agreement on abolishing visa requirements for the holders of diplomatic passports between India and: (a) Spain (b) Sweden (c) Brazil (d) South Korea 250. (a) Keith Vaz (b) Parmjit Dhanda (c) Parmjit Singh Gill (d) Virendra Sharma 251. The book titled Bikhare Khyalat is an Urdu translation of Mohammed Iqbal’s writing in English tilted Stray Reflections was presented to the Vice-President M Hamid Ansari recently. Which state government has imposed a ban on the sale of thermocol plates in the entire state to promote leaf plates? (a) Jharkhand (b) Chhattisgarh (c) Madhya Pradesh (d) Odisha MANTHAN June. Bikhare Khyalat is written by: (a) Zakia Saiyidain (b) Abdul Haq (c) H. The world’s first electric passenger aircraft named BX1E was manufactured in: (a) Japan (b) China (c) South Korea (d) Germany 252. Name the India’s second-largest private sector lender which has launched a 10-second paperless instant loan Scheme for its existing customers. P. (a) “SBI iforex” (b) “SBI mforex” (c) “SBI eforex” (d) “SBI tforex” 258. Rao (d) A. Abdul Kalam 255. Which among the following European countries has emerged as Britain’s biggest job creator in 2014? (a) Italy (b) Spain (c) Switzerland (d) Denmark 262. a nationalized scheme for the benefit of girl child is getting an encouraging response in Punjab and union territory Chandigarh.International Day for the elimination of sexual violence in conflict.S. which state government has decided not to inseminate indigenous breeds of the cattle with semen of foreign breeds? (a) Uttar Pradesh (b) Himachal Pradesh (c) Rajasthan (d) Haryana MANTHAN June. 2015 254. Which state government has ordered its employees to attend their office dressed in ‘khadi’ at least two days in a week? (a) Uttar Pradesh (b) Haryana (c) Gujarat (d) Bihar 260. 2015 Page : 69 . Gold and Silver Star’ (a) Raj Reddy (b) S. Name the internet-based platform which has been launched by State Bank of India that enables customers to book their foreign exchange transactions online.J. Which among the following sport disciplines has ranked first with 280 global cases tested positive in AntiDoping Rule Violations Report for year 2013 released by WADA? (a) Bodybuilding (b) Weightlifting (c) Track and field athletes (d) Wrestling 263. United Nations has declared…….R. (a) June 19 (b) June 20 (c) June 22 (d) June 17 257.N. The scheme is meant for the girl child between the age group of: (a) 0 to 10 years (b) 5 to 10 years (c) 5 to 15 years (d) 0 to 15 years 261. To promote ‘desi’ (native) cows. Abhyankar (c) C. Sukanya Samridhi Yojna. Recently which among the following countries has announced to ban from July 1 on wearing earphones while driving a vehicle and riding a cycle? (a) Germany (b) France (c) Russia (d) China 259. Who among the following eminent scientists of India has been conferred with Japan’s highest civilian award the ‘Order of the Rising Sun.MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June. Which among the following Banks is the first banking institution to completely automate the entire process of loan approval and disbursement? (a) Kotak Mahindra Bank (b) Bank of Baroda (c) ICICI Bank (c) HDFC Bank 256. 2015 (b) Manufacturing (d) Sports Page : 70 . What is the name of the first semi high-speed train service between Delhi and Agra that completed recently its final trial? (a) Gatimaan Express (b) Taj Express (c) Bullet Express (d) Taj Darsan Express 265. Justice Gian Parkash Mittal has tendered his resignation from the office of the Judge in pursuance of provision (a) to clause (1) of article 217 of the Indian Constitution with effect from July 8. Astronomers have named a newly discovered galaxy as CR7 (COSMOS Redshift 7) after Portuguese footballer: (a) Ricardo Carvalho (b) Nani (c) Bruno Alves (d) Cristiano Ronaldo 269. 2015. World Refugee Day is observed on: (a) June 20 (b) June 21 (c) June 22 (d) June 19 268. Which state government has launched a Village Mentoring Project (VMP) in a bid to improve healthcare and education of the villagers with a special emphasis on girl child? (a) Punjab (b) Haryana (c) Rajasthan (d) Madhya Pradesh 270.. He was the judge of: (a) Bombay High Court (b) Delhi High Court (c) Madras High Court (d) Allahabad High Court 266. Name the eminent historian-writer who has been selected for Japan’s Fukuoka Prize 2015 in the Academic category? (a) Ashis Nandy (b) Romila Thapar (c) Ramachandra Guha (d) Partha Chatterjee 267. 2015 264. (a) Tourism (c) Information Technology MANTHAN June.. NASSCOM is the body that deals with .MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June. To raise awareness of the situation of refugees throughout the world. 2015 Answer Key 1 a 2 c 3 b 4 c 5 a 6 d 7 c 8 b 9 a 10 d 11 b 12 d 13 c 14 a 15 d 16 a 17 a 18 d 19 b 20 a 21 d 22 b 23 c 24 b 25 c 26 d 27 b 28 d 29 c 30 a 31 d 32 b 33 d 34 a 35 c 36 d 37 a 38 c 39 d 40 b 41 b 42 c 43 d 44 a 45 b 46 b 47 a 48 b 49 c 50 c 51 c 52 b 53 a 54 d 55 b 56 a 57 c 58 d 59 b 60 c 61 d 62 a 63 c 64 a 65 b 66 c 67 c 68 a 69 c 70 b 71 c 72 b 73 d 74 b 75 a 76 b 77 d 78 c 79 a 80 b 81 c 82 b 83 d 84 a 85 c 86 a 87 b 88 d 89 a 90 b 91 b 92 c 93 d 94 b 95 a 96 c 97 c 98 a 99 a 100 d 101 c 102 b 103 a 104 d 105 a 106 b 107 a 108 d 109 c 110 b 111 a 112 b 113 b 114 a 115 a 116 a 117 b 118 a 119 b 120 a 121 a 122 d 123 a 124 a 125 a 126 c 127 a 128 b 129 c 130 b 131 c 132 a 133 a 134 b 135 a 136 a 137 b 138 a 139 a 140 c 141 c 142 c 143 a 144 d 145 a 146 b 147 d 148 c 149 b 150 a 151 b 152 c 153 d 154 c 155 b 156 a 157 c 158 d 159 a 160 a 161 b 162 c 163 b 164 a 165 d 166 a 167 c 168 b 169 a 170 b 171 a 172 c 173 a 174 b 175 d 176 b 177 d 178 a 179 b 180 a 181 b 182 b 183 a 184 b 185 d 186 b 187 c 188 c 189 b 190 b 191 a 192 c 193 a 194 a 195 a 196 b 197 c 198 d 199 a 200 a 201 b 202 b 203 a 204 b 205 c 206 b 207 a 208 c 209 b 210 a 211 b 212 c 213 d 214 b 215 a 216 c 217 a 218 b 219 c 220 b 221 a 222 c 223 d 224 a 225 b 226 c 227 a 228 b 229 d 230 a 231 c 232 b 233 a 234 c 235 a 236 b 237 d 238 a 239 b 240 b 241 a 242 c 243 d 244 a 245 c 246 b 247 a 248 d 249 a 250 a 251 b 252 c 253 a 254 c 255 d 256 a 257 c 258 b 259 d 260 a 261 b 262 c 263 d 264 a 265 b 266 c 267 a 268 d 269 b 270 c MANTHAN June. 2015 Page : 71 .MANTHAN Current Affairs Supplement – June.