SIPVS Knowledge is Power
1) India launched the ambitious South Asia Communication Satellite (GSAT-9) from Sriharikota launch centre in coastal Andhra Pradesh on 5 May 2017. The satellite originally conceived as SAARC satellite, includes which 6 neighbours of India as partner countries? – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, the Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka
Explanation: GSAT-9, termed as the South Asia Communication Satellite, was launched through GSLV F09 rocket from Sriharikota (Andhra Pradesh) on 5 May 2017.
– The announcement of this satellite was first made by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in July 2014 as a gift to India’s neighbours and a positive diplomatic gesture. It was then conceived as SAARC satellite. After Pakistan declined to participate, it includes the rest of South Asian neighbours: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, The Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
– Leaders of South Asian countries joined Prime Minister Modi via video conference to celebrate the success of the launch.
– GSAT-9 will be used for a plethora of tasks – drive telecommunication, disaster management, broadcasting and direct to home TV, Internet activities, tele-education and telemedicine across the South Asian region.
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2) Which city emerged as the cleanest city in India, as was disclosed in the Swachh Survekshan 2017 that was released on 4 May 2017? – Indore (Madhya Pradesh)
Explanation: Indore has been ranked as the cleanest city in India while Gonda in Uttar Pradesh has been ranked the dirtiest among 434 cities. This was disclosed in the Swachh Survekshan 2017 report that gave rankings to cities based on sanitation conditions.
– Bhopal, another city from MP has been ranked second while Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh and Surat in Gujarat have emerged as the third and fourth cleanest cities. Mysuru, which was listed as the cleanest city in last year’s list, slipped to fifth place.
– Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh account for 31 of the top 50 clean cities with 12 in Gujarat, 11 in MP and 8 in AP. Telangana and Tamil Nadu account for 4 cities each in top 50, followed by Maharashtra with 3.
– While Gujarat, MP and Andhra Pradesh did well in sanitation rankings, Jharkhand and Chattisgarh emerge as the major success stories.
Top 10 Clean cities of India (2017)
Indore 2. Bhopal 3. Visakhapatnam 4. Surat 5. Mysuru 6. Tiruchirapally 7. New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) 8. Navi Mumbai 9. Tirupati 10. Vadodara
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3) What is the primary objective of the ordinance that was approved by President Pranab Mukherjee on 5 May 2017 to amend the Banking Regulation Act? – It will give more powers to the RBI in dealing with NPAs in banking sector
Explanation: The Union Cabinet during May 2017 had cleared the proposed ordinance that seeks to amend the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 so as to vest more powers in the hand of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to deal with the problem of non-performing assets (NPAs) in the banking sector. The ordinance was approved by President Pranab Mukherjee on 5 May 2017.
– The proposed amendments will empower RBI to act against loan defaulters and defaulting companies under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016. They would empower RBI to speed up the NPA resolution process.
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4) China’s commercial aerospace dreams took wing, as the first Chinese-built passenger jetliner completed its first public flight test on 5 May 2017. What is the name of this jetliner with which China is expected to take on passenger aviation behemoths Boeing and Airbus? – Comac C919
Explanation: ‘Comac C919’ is the name of the China’s first indigenously built passenger jetliner. It has been manufactured by the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, better known as Comac.
– The first public test flight of this aircraft was conducted in Shanghai on 5 May 2017. The test flight lasted around an hour and was performed in the presence of a large crowd of government officials and aerospace executives.
– However, according to aviation experts, C919 is still years behind aircrafts made by Airbus and Boeing that are cheaper to fly and easier to maintain. Safety regulators in Europe, the United States and elsewhere still have to certify the plane before it can be sold outside China.
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5) Indian football team achieved which noteworthy milestone as was announced by FIFA on 4 May 2017? – The team made it into the top 100 of the FIFA world football rankings for the first time in 21 years
Explanation: As per the updated rankings released on 4 May 2017, India, with a total of 331 points, have climbed a spot and is now placed 100th alongside Nicaragua, Lithuania and Estonia.
– The last time India had been in the top 100 of the rankings was way back in 1996, with the 94th spot in February 1996 being the country’s best ever FIFA ranking.
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Source :- Nirdeshak
